Chicago Cougars (FABL) - Page 44

ayaghmour2 · 08-04-2022, 07:38 PM

Weekly Record: 3-5
Seasonal Record: 20-13 (t-2nd, 4 GB)
Stars of the Week
Leo Mitchell : 30 AB, 13 H, 0 HR, 6 RBI, .433 AVG, .918 OPS
Hank Barnett : 29 AB, 9 H, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .310 AVG, .823 OPS
Johnnie Jones : 1 Win, 9.0 IP, 1 BB, 4 K, 0.00 ERA

Schedule
5-17: Loss vs Wolves (3-2)
5-18: Loss vs Wolves (4-3)
5-19: Loss vs Wolves (7-3)
5-20: Loss vs Wolves (4-3)
5-21: Win vs Foresters (0-5)
5-22: Win vs Foresters (0-7)
5-23: Loss vs Foresters (6-1)
5-23: Win vs Foresters (2-5)

Recap
Well, this was very disappointing... Yes, three of four from the Foresters was not what I wanted, but it was far better then the series with the Wolves. Despite being in Chicago, they swept us in four games, with three of the games us falling by just a single run. Despite a bad week record wise, we outscored out opponents, but we're now sub .500 (5-6) in one run games and .500 (11-11) at home. We're usually far better at home then on the road, but we've won 9 of 11 away from Chicago. The Cannons had a near perfect week, so we're now four behind them and tied for second with the same Wolves who swept us. To make matters worse, Harry Parker's sore shoulder now has an unknown time remaining, so we may be without him for more then just next week. We will get to start Mike Taylor on rehab, and he's likely going to be in Milwaukee for a few weeks.

There was a lot of bad this week, but not if you're Johnnie Jones. He's had a few struggles recently, but he had the Foresters under his thumb, tossing a 2-hit, 1-walk shutout with 4 strikeouts in our first of back-to-back shutouts. This was really exciting, as despite his 4.45 ERA (77 ERA+), the underlying numbers look much better. His 2.71 FIP equates to a similar to his ERA+ mark of 79, which equates to a mark great pitchers would put up. His 3.1 BB/9 is far better then his 4.7 in AAA last year, and his 5.3 K/9 is a personal best. The shutout was our first true glimpse of Jones, who has always flashed huge upside, but has yet to show it consistently. My hope is the shutout is signs of a real step forward, as we could really use a boost with his brother off to war. The other shutout came from Joe Brown, who allowed just 5 hits with 6 strikeouts to improve to 4-1 on the season. This came after his first loss, as the Wolves got 9 hits, 3 runs, and 4 walks with 2 strikeouts in 7 innings pitched. Brown has filled our ace role quite well in the early goings, working to a 2.09 ERA (164 ERA+) and 1.08 WHIP with 20 walks and 26 strikeouts. Our other two start starters didn't do very well, with both Jim Lonardo and Ken Matson struggling against both the Wolves and the Foresters. Lonardo actually lost both starts, charged with 10 hits, 4 runs, and a walk in 7.2 innings against the Wolves. Against the Foresters he went 6.2 innings with 8 hits, 6 runs (3 earned), and 2 walks. He has just one strikeout in his past 24.1 innings pitched, which is very concerning, but he still has a nice 2.82 ERA (122 ERA+) and 1.09 WHIP in his 7 starts. Matson, on the other hand, lost to the Wolves and beat the Foresters. The Wolves hit him hard, getting 6 hits, 6 runs, and 5 walks while striking out just once in 4.1 innings pitched. He did look better against Cleveland, with just 2 runs allowed, but it came with 6 hits and 6 walks. He did strike out 4 in 8, but the 25-year-old now sports a 4.24 ERA (81 ERA+) and 1.56 WHIP. Unfortunately, I don't really have a better option to start games right now, but he's almost guaranteed to head down to AAA once Parker is healthy.

Dick Lyons made our last start, picking up another win with 8 strong innings. The veteran southpaw allowed just 5 hits and 3 runs with a strikeout to drop his WHIP to an impressive 1.00 in 42 innings pitched. He's walked just 3 batters all season, easily the best on the team, as both Joe Brown (3.0) and Johnnie Jones (3.1) have almost that identical value per 9 innings. Of qualified players in all of baseball, Lyons is one of just two with a sub 1 BB/9, and leads all players with his 0.6. The pen got some work too, with big innings from Ben Curtin and Cal Knight. Curtin appeared four times, going 5.1 innings with 4 hits, a run, 2 walks, 4 strikeouts, a loss, and save. Cal Knight spread 6.1 innings into two outings, charged with 5 hits, a run, 3 walks, and 2 strikeouts. Our pen has been remarkable so far, with Curtin, Knight, and Angel Lopez allowing just a single run so far, with Pug just 2.

The offense was non-existent most of the week, but Leo Mitchell continued to be hit well, going 13-for-30 with 3 walks, 6 runs, 6 RBIs, and just one strikeout. Mitchell's 131 season OPS+ is in his general 130-135 range, and he's struck out just 15 times with 9 walks in 146 trips to the plate. The only other hitters with strong production were are former Chiefs in Cliff Moss and Hank Barnett. Moss went 6-for-17 with a homer and 3 RBIs. Barnett stayed hot, going 9-for-29 with a double, homer, 3 RBIs, 6 runs, and 3 walks. Harry Mead has been ice cold, going 2-for-22 this week to drop his season line to a poor .192/.283/.263 (59 OPS+) with 4 doubles, a homer, and 15 RBIs. He's already struck out 8 times in 99 at bats, after just 10 all season last year. Orlin Yates has been ice cold since entering the starting lineup, going 2-for-23 with 2 runs and a walk. This will open up more time for Bunny Hufford, but the rookie is hitting just .118/.167/.118 (-17 OPS+) in 18 trips to the plate. We could use a center fielder to bolster the lineup, and I may have to go out and find one.

Looking Ahead
We get two much needed off days to start the week, before heading out to Philadelphia for three games with the Sailors. They are in fourth at 16-15, three games behind us and the Wolves. Doc Newell is having a nice resurgence at 35, going 4-2 with a 2.44 ERA (146 ERA+), 1.10 WHIP, 9 walks, and 20 strikeouts. They've also gotten really good production from Paul Richardson (1-1, 2.29, 12) and Karl Wallace (2-4, 3.30, 21) has bene a bit unlucky, and since both pitched yesterday, we should be able to miss them. Scotty Thomas (3-0, 4.67, 9) and Tom Cipolla (2-2, 5.85, 23) should be much easier for us to hit off, and I expect a lot of runs out in Philly. They still aren't scoring many runs, but their bats are starting to produce more. Jim Beard (.281, 16) has shown some life in his bat, and Harvey Brown (.324, 13, 3), Joseph Mills (.337, 12, 1), and Woody Stone (.314, 1, 14) have all been very productive at the plate. And Marion Boismenu (.261, 1, 6, 1) may be starting to turn the corner after a 16-for-33 week brought him home Player of the Week. We did well against the Sailors at home, and I'm hoping they can help us get back on track this week.

Our weekend will be spent in Cleveland, as we get three games in two days with the Foresters. 1 of Cleveland's 9 wins came against us last week, and I'm hoping this time we can prevent them from taking a game. Now last in runs scored and allowed, they have just one qualified player with a OPS+ or ERA+ above 105. That would be Cal Howe, who is hitting .276/.324/.425 (106 OPS+) with 11 doubles, 4 triples, 2 steals, and 7 RBIs. Dave Rankin (1-5, 7.05, 6), who actually beat us with no earned runs in a complete game, no earned run, win to finish the week, has fallen off a cliff, Ben Turner (3-4, 4.45, 10) has had his struggles, and Dan Fowler (.212, 3, 7) has not put the ball in play enough. As we've already started to drop in the standings, wins here are crucial, as I can't really see anyone beating the Cannons with any sort of frequency.

We're also starting the draft today instead of the weekend, so we'll anxiously await our next pick. I covered the senior years for my three draftees at the end, and I'm hoping we can get some talented new blood into our system. Any of these guys could be drafted into the army as well, but every team's system is in need of replenishment, and ours is no different. There are a lot of guys I really like left over, including a few who have grown on me since the January portion I wish I grabbed.

Minor League Report
1B Cuno Myer (AAA Milwaukee Blues): One of the few members of the Cougars 1932 Draft Class who has not yet played a game in the FABL, the former 22nd Rounder might be the closest to debuting in his career. A 28-year-old switch hitter, Myer is a first base only player with a career .926 efficiency. Ray Ford, a '32 draftee (although by the other Chicago team), has held the starting first base position, and spent 745 games at first, and played 120 or more games in each season prior to last since his debut in 1936. Dick Walker joined the fold during the 1941 season, and has shared the position with Ford, leaving no room for another natural first basemen. Now with Ford on the IL, the only other players with much experience at first are Freddie Jones and Leo Mitchell, although they have spent far more time at second and in left respectively. Myer is now #1 on the depth chart, and if the Iron Man Walker finally decides its okay to get injured, Myer will be the first one up. Last year notwithstanding, Myer has always hit well and is off to a surging start this year. Myer is hitting .379/.396/.653 (186 OPS+) with 9 doubles, a triple, 5 homers, and 19 RBIs. He's fresh off a Player of the Week award, going 14-for-31 with 3 doubles, a triple, 2 homers, and 5 RBIs.

Myer has been stuck in Milwaukee, with all 350 of his games since 1939 coming with the Blues. He's only started more then 35 games once in a season, that was 1940, but he's started 22 of his 23 games this season. In 930 PAs with the Blues, Myer has slugged .339/.397/.462 (137 OPS+) with 53 doubles, 14 homers, and 146 RBIs. The five homers this season are already a career best, and he hit more homers this week then he did in 117 PAs last year. He hasn't shown much power since he was 22 in 1937, so I don't really think this is something he can maintain. That being said, he's generally a guy who walks far more then he strikes out, but he's struck out 12 times with just 4 walks. Prior to this season he had walked over 200 times more then he struck out, and he hasn't struck out more then he walked in a season since 1935. It's still going to be tough for Myer to make his dream of being a big leaguer come true, but for a guy who's draft report contained "It may be hard for him to find playing time, and he may not be with the team after minor league camp ends," Myer has done a good job even to make it this far.

RHP Joe Swank (AA Mobile Commodores): Despite only pitching in Class C before this season, Joe Swank started the season in Lincoln, is already up in Mobile. His first start with the Commodores was brilliant, tossing 3-hit, 2-walk shutout with 5 strikeouts in a 3-0 win over the Birmingham Ironmen. Unfortunately for Swank, start two wasn't nearly as dominant, as he was charged with 10 hits and 7 runs with 2 strikeouts in just 3 innings pitched. Starts like that are more expected from the 20-year-old, but in 34.2 innings between Lincoln and Mobile, he has allowed just 27 hits, 13 runs, and 9 walks with 25 strikeouts. Our 7th Round selection back in 1941, Swank's stuff seems to have shot up, as he went from a 0.7 K/9 pitcher in 64 innings his draft year to 2.3 in 144 last year and now 6.5 in the early goings. I don't think its because of an increase in velo from 83-85 to 84-86, but more so the development of his circle change. Expected to be his bread-and-butter pitch, Swank has been able to miss a lot of bats with it. If he can improve his fastball and curve, both not really quality pitches at this time, he should be able to pitch a lot more games like his shutout. Swank isn't one of our higher rated prospects, just inside the top 500 and outside our top 30, but his development has gone well so far. I'm actually moving him back down to Lincoln (return from injury) for next week, but I think he can make his way back up if we need an extra arm.

1B Norm Anderson (B San Jose Cougars): With a lot of lesser known prospects getting playing, I'm looking to cover of few of what I'm calling "replacement" players who are filling in for the guys overseas. Norm Anderson is one of them, as the 1941 22nd Rounder probably had no shot of starting games if we weren't missing so many players. Anderson has a lot of parallels to the previously mentioned Cuno Myer; both first basemen, both terrible fielders, both 22nd Rounders and both making the most of their newfound playing time. Before this season, Anderson only started 1 game and made just 48 plate appearances, and he's getting close to setting a new PA high. He's already started more games, starting all nine of his appearances at first for the Cougars, and the 20-year-old is hitting the ball with authority. Anderson has slashed .448/.514/.759 (249 OPS+) with 3 doubles, 2 homers, and 12 RBIs in a small 35 PA sample. He's just 3 PAs from surpassing his total from last season down in La Crosse, and if he keeps hitting like this he may get himself a full season. An imposing 6'3'' lefty, Anderson does project to have an average contact tool and he features a nice combination of bat speed and barrel control. If he can add a little power, then perhaps he can stick at first, but I'm not really getting my hopes up here. He's lucky we're rather weak at first, and since we don't have a surplus of prospects with not enough lineup spots to fill, he doesn't have to worry about a third basemen, second basemen, or corner outfielder getting move to first.

Amateur Report
RHP Tommy Seymour
School: Olathe
Commit School: College of Cairo
1943: 8-2, 102.1 IP, 1.49 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 31 BB, 161 K
Career: 8-2, 102.1 IP, 1.49 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 31 BB, 161 K

The Mock doesn't list our first rounder, but it tends to have very few pitchers listed. Tom Weinstock doesn't rank him on his first round list anymore, but that's just because he dropped from 32nd to 33rd, as he's still #7 on his pitchers list. It's not quite the encouraging results I wanted, but there is still a lot to like about Seymour's senior season. He started all 14 of his appearances and cracked 100 innings on the season. His 14.1 K/9 was 5th for eligible draftees, and I love myself pitchers who can strike batters out. That 14.1 metric is actually higher then Peter the Heater's junior season and matched Donnie Jones' mark, and they have developed into two of the best pitchers in baseball. Seymour had a tremendous 1.15 FIP and 28 FIP- to go with a sub 1 WHIP, all looking better then his middling 1.49 ERA. Of course I'm betting on his stuff and an eventual velocity boost, as I can't imagine he throws 83-85 his entire career. His change up is an elite pitch that will be further benefitted by any increases in velocity, and his splitter and fastball should be decent pitches too. His command is pretty strong and should help him keep the ball in the park, and OSA praises his movement. They no longer think he's an ace, more of a #2, but that's a good get for a late first rounder. We already have elite upside arms in Papenfus, the Jones brothers, and Duke Bybee, so there is very little pressure on Seymour to lead a staff. I can't wait to get him in our system, and he'll be a huge boost to the Lions staff post-draft.

SS Al Clement
School: De Pere
Commit School: St. Ignatius
1943: .450/.500/.811, 131 PA, 16 2B, 3 3B, 6 HR, 33 RBI, 22 SB
Career: .471/.535/.816, 365 PA, 46 2B, 11 3B, 13 HR, 94 RBI, 74 SB

It was a bit of a down year for Al Clement, who his a career low .450/.500/.811 as a senior at De Pere. The average and on base percentage were career lows, but he did slug a career best 6 home runs. It is encouraging to see the power wasn't a fluke when he jumped from 2 to 5 longballs as a junior. He did show OSA enough, however, as they list the shortstop at #8 on their Mock Draft. This is higher then the rank of 16 from Tom Weinstock, and Clement is the only one of our draftees to appear on the mock. I was very excited to add the now 18-year-old to our system, and he'll report to La Crosse to play short once he signs his signing bonus. I'm not convinced he'll stick at short, as neither OSA or Tom ever seem to give any information on his defense, but he does have nice speed which tends to lead to at least average range on the dirt. His bat should make up for any shortcomings, and if he shows he's not adept at short, he should fit in fine at second or third. He has a quick bat, disciplined eye, and ability to hit the ball hard, but the better off speed pitches can give him trouble. If his high school power translates to the minors, he could be one of the more valuable infield prospects, but he's a project who's far from a sure thing that could develop into anything from a bench bat or All-Star.

RHP Dick Garcia
School: Geneva
Commit School: St. Blane College
1943: 9-2, 110.1 IP, 1.63 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 31 BB, 137 K
Career: 22-8, 298.1 IP, 1.81 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 87 BB, 316 K

I never expect much from my regional round picks, but it was nice to see a strong senior season from Dick Garcia, and his improvement to #14 on Tom Weinstocks list of pitchers. It was arguably the best of Garcia's three seasons at Geneva, setting personal bests for wins, losses, FIP (1.73), starts (16), innings, HR/9 (0.1), FIP- (43), and WAR (5.3). More importantly, it was a return to his strong sophomore season as opposed to a rough junior season, and it will be interesting to see where he ranks in our prospect list. It shouldn't be hard to convince him to forego St. Blane College and join the Lions instead. Garcia is an intriguing extreme groundball pitcher, who allowed just 3 homers in nearly 300 high school innings, and should be an expert at rolling up double plays. He leans heavily on a dominant mid-80s sinker, that will continue to gets better as his velocity continues to rise. He's gone up from 83-85 to 85-87 since last April, and he located his pitches much better this year. If he keeps his command, he should be able to avoid hard contact, which is crucial as his overall stuff isn't great. His cutter and change aren't all that exciting, and will need a lot of work to become quality offerings. Pitchers can survive with low velo if they have great control and keep the ball on the ground (like Dick Lyons), so he might be able to overcome his lack of secondary offerings. Right now Garcia profiles more as a spot or emergency starter, but he's a hard worker who's always looking for ways to improve, and I think we can get the most out of him.

ayaghmour2 · 08-05-2022, 03:02 PM

In what is becoming a rather frequent event in the recent years, the Chiefs and Cougars have agreed to a trade. 26-13 and riding an 11 game win streak, the Chiefs bolstered their lineup and it's weakest spot, picking up second basemen Freddie Jones for a young pitcher and two draft picks. Jones will replace another former Cougar in Pete Asher, who was filling in for injured former Cougar Sam Orr. Asher was just claimed off waivers from Pittsburgh, going 3-for-18 in his first week as a Chief. Jones is a major upgrade, coming off a season where he hit .330/.430/.479 (170 OPS+) in 256 plate appearances last season. It was actually one the seasons he stayed relatively healthy, but Clark Car has emerged as an elite second basemen, leaving Jones for the at bats against lefties. Now, Jones will get to play every day and bat in a really strong lineup that already includes Ron Rattigan (.321, 2, 22), Tom Bird (.342, 2, 23), Jim Watson (.435, 2, 24), Frank Davis (.309, 1, 24), and Bob Martin (.275, 5, 1).

Formerly one of the best hitters in the league, Freddie Jones went straight from second overall to second base, skipping the minors all together and entering the Pioneers lineup in 1932. As a rookie, "Frederick the Great" hit .349/.419/.447 (130 OPS+) with 24 doubles, 6 triples, 7 homers, and 82 RBIs. It was the first of six consecutive seasons with a WRC+ above 135, including a 1935 season when he took home the Whitney Award for the Fed. The then 25-year-old star hit an astronomical .389/.511/.500 (173 WRC+) with 27 doubles, 8 triples, 8 homers, and 89 RBIs while leading the Fed in average, OBP, walks (148), and WAR (9.9). His .511 OBP was the third highest mark all time, and he's the only player in FABL history to reach .500 twice, with an exactly .5000 OBP the previous season. He did fall off in the 1938 season, which came after two injury shortened years, but he finished his Pioneer career with an impressive .348/.449/.440 (138 OPS+) batting line. With the Pioneers starting to struggle, already having moved Fred McCormick, they were able to receive a five player package for their star, headlined by Tommy Wilson and Danny Hern, who were both All Stars last season (Hern was in '41 too). Freddie was injured and inconsistent for the Cougars, but his first year went well, hitting .305/.388/.453 (125 OPS+) with a career high 13 home runs in 144 games. Unfortunately injuries hit him rather hard, and his 112 in 1941 was his next highest total, and he didn't pass 400 PAs after his first season in Chicago. All told, Jones hit .291/.384/.404 (119 OPS+) as a Cougar, which is still a very productive triple slash. This year, however, he got off to a cold start, with a below average .250/.344/.321 (93 OPS+) line in 32 games.

Cougars fans don't have to worry too much about a drop in production for their lineup with Clark Car's emergence as a top 10 hitter in the FABL. The 29-year-old is not only a significantly better fielder then Freddie, but Car is hitting .302/.374/.479 (146 OPS+) on the season with 5 doubles, 2 triples, 3 homers, 6 steals, and 13 RBIs. Since coming over from the Stars last January, Car has slashed .294/.339/.449 (132 OPS+) with 27 doubles, 9 triples, 6 homers, 14 stelas, and 50 RBIs with twice as many walks (27) as strikeouts (13). He's also a tremendous defender, already accumulating a 4.1 zone rating and 1.176 efficiency at second. Car can hit both lefties and righties well and he deserves every day at bats. When Billy Hunter comes back, he'll get some games at second to give Car the occasional off day, but he'll spend most of the remainder of the season in the two spot of the lineup.

Of course, the Cougars also get three pieces back for Jones, picking up the Chiefs 4th and 5th Round selection and 21-year-old lefty Ed Fisler. Taken in the 10th Round of the 1939 draft, Fisler has made 8 starts in A ball this season, going 4-1 with a 3.61 ERA (132 ERA+), 1.58 WHIP, 26 walks, and 43 strikeouts. The Cougars have a lot of talented pitchers in the farm, but there are not many lefties and a lot of pitchers' names are being floated in trade scenarios. Fisler has advanced stuff for his age, already sporting a decent fastball and average slider and change. He's one of those hard workers who continues to throw fast as he ages, going from 84-86 to 93-95, and there might still be a little more left for him. He has huge strikeout numbers which really help him keep runs off the board. OSA thinks he could pitch his way into a back-end rotation role and he currently ranks as the 217th rated prospect in baseball. The return for Jones is far less then the lofty price given to acquire him, but it's still a nice haul for the inconsistent, and often injured Jones, who deserves to play far more frequently then he has.

ayaghmour2 · 08-05-2022, 07:23 PM

Weekly Record: 4-2
Seasonal Record: 24-15 (2nd, 5 GB)
Stars of the Week
None Generated

Schedule
5-26: Win at Sailors (2-1): 10 innings
5-27: Win at Sailors (6-5)
5-28: Loss at Sailors (3-5)
5-29: Win at Foresters (7-3)
5-30: Win at Foresters (8-3)
5-30: Loss at Foresters (3-4)

Recap
No sweeps this week, but I can't really be too angry at taking two out of three in two road series. There were far too many one run games for my liking, and despite finishing 4-2, we lost a game on the Cannons who have rolled off 13 of 14 since we took two of three from them in Chicago. We do have five huge games against them in Cincinnati this week, giving them an opportunity to curb stomp us after they likely sweep the Stars yet again. I'd be okay if they take three of five from us, as they won't play .750 ball all season, but a rough showing could end the pennant race far earlier then anyone would have anticipated. To make matters worse, Harry Parker still isn't healthy, and having him for the Cannons series would have really helped our chances. Instead, more starts for Ken Matson, who at least did pick up a win this week, tossing a complete game with 7 hits, 3 runs, 4 walks, and 4 strikeouts in Cleveland.

The bats were really working, as Skipper Schneider had a big week after a few where he wasn't hitting too well. The CA WAR leader (2.6) went 10-for-21 with 3 doubles, 3 RBIs, and 2 runs scored. Double play partner Clark Car showcased some power, as despite going just 4-for-15, he had a double, two homers, 2 walks, 2 runs, and 4 RBIs. Bunny Hufford earned himself some more starts, going 4-for-10 with a triple and 3 walks while Orlin Yates was just 3-for-13 with 2 RBIs, 3 runs, and a walk. Both are lefties, but Yates actually has reverse splits, hitting lefties better, so Bunny will get more time against right handed hitters. Our right field platoon worked well, with Cliff Moss going 6-for-13 with 3 runs and Rich Langton going 4-for-13 with a homer, steal, and 3 RBIs. Dick Walker went 6-for-19 with a double, triple, steal, 5 runs, 5 RBIs, and 5 walks. Leo Mitchell went 10-for-27 with 2 walks, a run, and an RBI. Freddie Jones may have heard his name floating in trade rumors, so he put together a strong week, 5-for-18 with 2 doubles, walks, and runs. Harry Mead, however, continues to flounder, just 2-for-17 as he now sports the "snowflake" indicator due to his rough stretch. After hitting .287/.352/.456 (139 OPS+) last year, he's hitting a pitiful .181/.260/.241 (45 OPS+). It's no time to panic, as even with no bat he's still an elite defender, and I'm sure he'll pick things up before the season ends. If we can score runs, we'll keep winning, and with a tough week coming up with a lot of good pitchers, it'll be a true test of our strength.

Dick Lyons continues to defy all logic, making two starts without getting a win. He got a no decision and a loss despite just 5 runs (3 earned), 12 hits, and 5 strikeouts in 16 impressive innings. He dropped his ERA to 2.17 (154 ERA+) and WHIP to 0.93, and he hasn't walked a batter since May 9th. Johnnie Jones picked up a win, but it wasn't one of his betters stopped, as he walked 6 times and allowed 9 hits with 3 strikeouts. Joe Brown and Jim Lonardo both struggled, each allowing 5 runs in 8 innings. Brown allowed 13 hits and struck out 5 while Lonardo struck out just 1 with 11 hits. The pen is pretty rested, with just four innings needed. Curtin got a win and save with 2 hits and 2 walks in his 3 shutout innings. The last inning went to Angel Lopez, who allowed two hits but no runs in his inning. With all the chaos, he'll get to make a start in the double header against the Wolves, and we'd be much better off with a healthy Harry Parker. Our staff will really be tested with the back-to-back double headers, and then another double header to deal with to finish the week.

Looking Ahead
Potentially our biggest week of the season, we're reaching the end of a stretch of 16 games in 13 games. We'll look to get revenge on the Wolves, who took all four of the games in Chicago against us. This time it will be four in Toronto, where they actually play worse on the road. They are just two games behind us for second and 21-16, with veteran starters Joe Hancock (4-2, 2.37, 26) and Bernie Johnson (5-2, 2.08, 12) leading the way. Beyond that, they haven't gotten much from their rotation, as Juan Pomales (0-2, 9.69, 2; 306, 1, 14, 3) has pitched far worse then he's hit, and his replacement Jimmy Gibbs (1-2, 1, 4.15, 7) hasn't looked much better. Chick Wirtz (1-5, 4.94, 14) has regressed hard while Bob Walls (4-2, 4.02, 14) has been a bit lucky with his run support. The bats as a whole have struggled, but Ockie Holliday (.308, 13) has at least been average while Mike Rollison (.322, 2, 16), 1) continues to hit well. This will be a really tough series for us, and since it only gets harder, a split here is a must.

The Cannons have been so dominant against nearly everyone this season, as despite playing us just three times, we've accounted for over 20% of their losses. At 28-9, they have the best record in baseball and are already five games ahead of us. After we hit Rufus Barrell (6-0, 1.02, 32) hard, he managed 22.1 scoreless innings followed by a 2-run complete game win over the Saints. Barrell continues to dominate, and with a five game series, we'll be forced to face him. Their top five is much better then ours, as Vic Carroll (3-1, 2.67, 15) has the highest ERA in their rotation. Butch Smith (5-1, 1.74, 25) has been reborn while Roger Perry (4-2, 2.58, 12) and Jim Anderson (2-3, 2.03, 20) have been surprisingly elite. Six of the eight hitters in their lineup have an OPS+ above 100, including Adam Mullins (.339, 2, 16), Chuck Adams (.306, 7, 28), and Fred Galloway (.289, 1, 10, 1). Even eight Jim Hensley (.259, 2, 23), who is more or less a step below Skipper Schneider, has been extremely productive, and the Cannons depth has more then made up for the losses of talented hitters Charlie McCullough and Mike Taylor. I'm really scared about this upcoming week, and unfortunately I now have to dread the results all weekend long...

Minor League Report
2B Eddie Curtis (AAA Milwaukee Blues): With the trade of Freddie Jones, a spot opens up on the bench, and one of the options to fill that role would be Eddie Curtis. The 25-year-old got in one game last year for us, going 0-for-3, but he hasn't done that again since May 2nd. Curtis is riding a 20 game hit streak, and is 12 for his last 18. As expected, he took home Player of the Week in the Century League, going 18-for-32 with 3 doubles, 3 triples, 4 steals, and 4 RBIs. "Slick Eddie" is now hitting an elite .458/.490/.594 (197 OPS+) with 3 doubles, 5 triples, 7 steals, and 9 RBIs in his first 25 games. A versatile defender, Curtis has spent most of his time at second this year, and has a nice 1.052 efficiency at the keystone. He has experience at third, left, right, and short, and his speed makes him a valuable late inning replacement. The roster spot opened by Jones will go to him or Cuno Myer, who is hitting an also impressive .360/.387/.588 (165 OPS+) and can hit from both sides of the plate and back up veteran Dick Walker. Of course Curtis has more upside with his versatility, but we have a better and more versatile defender in Tip Harrison, as well as a strong glove in Ollie Page.

LF Bill Rich (AA Mobile Commodores): It was a tremendous week for Bill Rich, who actually started off not too well this season. Before this week, Rich was hitting .291/.348/.408, which was about average in the Dixie League this year. After a Player of the Week performance were the former regional pick was 13-for-28, he's now hitting .328/.385/.443 (117 OPS+) with 6 doubles, 3 homers, and 22 RBIs. While still a good mark, it's far from what he did last season at 23, where he slashed a borderline elite .349/.403/.504 (140 OPS+) with 20 doubles, 2 triples, 5 homers, and 43 RBIs in about double the plate appearances. The main difference between the two seasons are the extra base hits, as the Illinois native hasn't doubled nearly as often as he did last year. There are some good signs, as he's striking out less and hitting a few more homers, but I thought this would be a big season for Rich. Currently ranked just outside the top 300 on the prospect list, Rich is getting closer to the big leagues, and he could see a promotion to AAA if I need to recall either Huck Hanes or Chick Browning to Chicago. He has a good eye and should be able to hit for a high average, but without much value in the outfield, he's going to need to bring the extra base hits back. A lack of power will keep him from an everyday role, but he's already a capable 4th outfielder.

SS Dick Hamilton (B San Jose Cougars): Another guy who was off to a really slow start, Dick Hamilton finally got things going this week. Name the C-O-W League Player of the Week, the former 4th Rounder went 12-for-26 with 2 homers and 7 RBIs. That raised the 22-year-old season line to .260/.345/.396 (105 OPS+) after he was hitting below the Mendoza line as recently as the 24th. An undersized middle infielder, Hamilton likely won't have many more two homer games, as he now has 3 on the season after 6 in 70 games last year. He is struggling a bit at short this year, but I think it's just the small sample size, as he was great in almost 500 innings at short last year. One of our more exciting prospects, he's bounced between 100 and 200 frequently, currently checking in at 175th and 14th in our system. I think he has the tools to be a starting infielder in the big leagues, likely starting at second against lefties until Clark Car ages out of the position. He has good speed and bat to ball skills, and he should be able to manage similar walk and strikeout totals. The only shortstop blocking his way right now is Jim Dickinson, but he's up in AA and I can't see Hamilton getting that far this year. Dickinson is about 20 spots ahead of him in the prospect rankings, and I expect the two of them will inevitably be in competition for roster spots. Hamilton's bat is better with Dickinson the better defender, so they could conceivably co-exist in Chicago. Neither will threaten Skipper for playing time, but either one could shift to second or third, and both have the range to be a very useful utility man until a starting lineup spot comes up.

ayaghmour2 · 08-05-2022, 08:12 PM

4th Round, 56th Overall: RHP Bill Holloway
School: Lincoln College
1943: 8-6, 131 IP, 3.71 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, 82 BB, 138 K
Career (HS): 4-0, 49.2 IP, 1.81 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 14 BB, 52 K
Career (COL): 18-11, 299.2 IP, 3.42 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 150 BB, 310 K

There were a lot of guys I probably should have gone with over Dick Garcia with my regional selection (of course, hindsight is 20/20), and while Steve Dunagan went four picks earlier, I was still able to add Chicagoan Bill Holloway with one of the picks we acquired from the Chiefs. Sure, there were four draftees (Dunagan included) I really wanted to fall to me, but there is a lot to like about the Lincoln College ace. Formerly a 13th Round selection by the Sailors back in 1940, Holloway made the right choice in enrolling at Lincoln College, as he looks ready to sign a nice $1,000 signing bonus to join his favorite team as a child. A three year starter, Holloway flashed a lot of promise, and after mixing time between the rotation and the pen his first two seasons, he started all 20 games he appeared in with personal bests for innings, strikeouts, and K/9 (9.5). His best season, however, was as a freshman, where Holloway went 6-1 with a 2.42 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 23 walks, and 94 strikeouts in 85.2 innings pitched. He does have some question marks, as his stuff is very underwhelming for a college pitcher, but both OSA and Tom Weinstock think he will develop into a capable back-end starter. His command needs some work, but he projects to have four plus pitches and he currently throws his fastball and sinker in the high 80s. His raw stuff is nice, and while not overpowering enough to make up for a lack of control, he's a quick learner who I think we can get a lot out of.

Holloway is also a bit on the younger side and won't be 21 until August, so there are decent chances of him starting to throw harder. Add on the fact that he actually added the sinker to his repertoire as a freshman, it leads me to believe that he has a pretty good shot of making large improvements. We've really stacked up on arms early in the draft despite having a good collection in the system now, but a lot of our top guys are either off to service or being dangled for upgrades to the big league club. Interesting enough, Holloway is slotted on the Mock Draft as our projected 3rd Round selection, and ranks 5th out of 9 pitchers. Weinstock actually ranks Holloway lower on his pitcher's list then Garcia, but he seems like a much safer pick who can contribute at the big league level much quicker.

4th Round, 61st Overall: LF Jimmy Hairston
School: Bowman
Commit School: Noble Jones College
1943: .470/.576/.810, 125 PA, 12 2B, 2 3B, 6 HR, 34 RBI, 3 SB
Career: .470/.576/.810, 125 PA, 12 2B, 2 3B, 6 HR, 34 RBI, 3 SB

My favorite part about having two picks in the same round is I usually am able to get two players I would have been happy to take with the first one. That was the case again this time, as I was able to get an arguably better player then Holloway with our actual 4th Rounder. We tapped back into the prep ranks, adding 18-year-old left fielder Jimmy Hairston. An athletic 6'2'' righty committed to the prestigious Noble Jones College, Hairston didn't play baseball until he was a senior, but managed to hit a superb .470/.576/.810 with 6 homers and 34 RBIs. 1st Rounder Johnnie Porter and 4th Rounder Willie Martin (guys I really wanted) were the only draft eligible high schoolers who hit more homers then Hairston, and he matched our 2nd Rounder Al Clement's tally. Hairston also ranks 4th, behind those three in slugging, and since Hairston's OBP is lower then just fellow 4th Rounder Joe Lowry, he ranks 3rd in OPS for eligible draftees. Hairston's bat more then makes up for him being a corner bat, and while we don't have to worry about Leo Mitchell going anywhere soon, but he is 12 years older the Hairston and will be 35 when Hairston turns 23, and since they hit from opposite sides, we could ease the slugger into the lineup against lefties. He already shows great pitch recognition skills, with a knack for getting on base and hitting the ball hard. His power is legit, his athleticism is outstanding, and while he's not very fast, he projects to be above average defensively. I don't usually like taking corner bats early, but just two seasons ago we used the 61st Pick on Huck Hanes, and while Hanes has been good, I think Hairston will be even better. He has a lot more upside due to his power, and while it may take some time for him to put it all together, I'm excited to see what he develops into. OSA and Tom Weinstock both praise his bat and hustle, and Tom ranks him 13th on his first round draft list.

ayaghmour2 · 08-06-2022, 03:15 PM

5th Round, 72nd Overall: 3B Johnny Weaver
School: Cumberland University
1943: .271/.380/.376, 205 PA, 9 2B, 3 HR, 29 RBI, 7 SB
Career (HS): .432/.540/.651, 383 PA, 43 2B, 3B, 7 HR, 85 RBI, 9 SB
Career (COL) .282/.389/.402, 793 PA, 31 2B, 2 3B, 15 HR, 127 RBI, 26 SB

There was one guy I really wanted to fall, but I'm still very excited to have been able to add Johnny Weaver, who just celebrated his 21st birthday. A former 12th Round Pick by the Stars out of a high school in our next door neighbor of Indiana, we tapped into our region yet again with a guy who probably should have gone instead of Dick Garcia. Weaver burst onto the scene as a Freshman at Cumberland, hitting .291/.399/.435 with 10 doubles, a triple, 7 homers, 48 RBIs, and 10 steals. Unfortunately, he took steps back in each of the next two seasons, with his average, OBP, slugging, WAR, and homers all declined each year. That's a little concerning, along with his poor work ethic, but there is a lot to like about his tools. He should be capable at the hot corner, featuring one of the strongest arm of any eligible draftee which makes up for a lack of speed. He can also play first and left, and I'd assume right shouldn't be too tough with his arm. What I really want to see is power, and since he does a good job working the count, if he can punish mistakes with regularity, his value will be immense. We do have our top positional prospect Otto Christian penciled in as the third basemen of the future, but he's a year younger and serving in the Air Force. He might need more seasoning when he returns, and Weaver could keep the seat warm for him if Hank Barnett suffers a sharp decline. His added versatility is a huge plus as well, as we could shift him to another corner if he produces and Otto is ready to hit longballs at North Side Park. Tom thinks he'll be a quality everyday player, but OSA is enamored with the Danville native. They listed him as the #16 pick on the mock, and they believe he has obvious talent both in the field and at the plate. With Weaver selected with this pick, the official return for Freddie Jones is him, Bill Holloway, and Ed Fisler, a package I think should turn out fine for us even if Freddie continues to hit well as a Chief.

5th Round, 77th Overall: LHP Lefty Jones
School: Wilsonville
Commit School: Eastern State
1943: 9-3, 130.2 IP, 1.58 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 35 BB, 186 K
Career: 32-7, 420 IP, 1.69 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 120 BB, 562 K

I've already mentioned how our system is a bit thin when it comes to left handed pitching, so what better way to solve that then with a lefty named Lefty Jones! A four year starter at Wilsonville, Lefty was awful as a freshman, just 6-3 with a 3.09 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 38 walks, and 79 strikeouts. Lucky for him, he took a huge step forward as a sophomore, and then put together one of the best seasons of any high school arm in 1942. Jones went a perfect 9-0 with a 0.82 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, 18 walks, and 160 strikeouts. He couldn't replicate that dominance this year, but Jones did strike out nearly 13 per nine and set personal bests for innings, starts, and WAR (7.1) and ended up beating his career averages for ERA, WHIP, K/9, and FIP- in each of his last three seasons. A three pitch southpaw, Jones is a wiry 6'3'' sidewinder who should end up throwing faster then the 86-88 he currently sits at. He gets a ton of movement on his pitches, and projects to have an above average cutter and change. His third pitch is a slider, which does need some work, but should end up being devastating against fellow lefties. His control could use some work, but his pitches are hard to square up, which should lead to a lot of lazy fly balls instead of towering home runs. One downside is his limitations both mentally and physically, but he does have the tools to start games in the big leagues. Lefty also just turned 19, so he's a bit older then most of the high schoolers in the class, and he's demanding nearly $4k to forego his commitment to Eastern State. We won't have any issues matching that, and he should be starting games for us down in La Crosse post-draft.

ayaghmour2 · 08-06-2022, 10:38 PM

6th Round, 93rd Overall: LF Bob Rogers
School: Newman
Commit School: Eastern State
1943: .517/.569/.661, 138 PA, 14 2B, HR, 34 RBI, 8 SB
Career: .517/.569/.661, 138 PA, 14 2B, HR, 34 RBI, 8 SB

I forgot to turn my list off when I woke up this morning, and while Bob Rogers isn't a bad pick per say, it's probably not one that I would have made. To make matters worse, I now found out he's "Impossible" to sign, although we will do our best to convince him to forgo Eastern State just like our previous pick Lefty Jones. "Snoot" only started as a senior at Newman, but showed tremendous bat-to-ball skills and finishing with the second highest batting average for any draft eligible player. He won't draw many walks or hit for much power, and despite just two sentences in his scouting report, the third one from Tom Weinstock says Rogers "has the talent to flourish in the majors." I'm not too sold on that, but his hit tool is very exciting, and worst case he should be a decent pinch hitter off the bench if you need someone to put the ball in play. We may not be able to sign him, which would kind of suck, but we have a huge draft budget and are still well under budget.

7th Round, 109th Overall: CF Alex Snyder
School: Arkansas A&T
1943: .270/.370/.369, 299 PA, 7 2B, 6 3B, 2 HR, 35 RBI, 34 SB
Career: .270/.370/.369, 299 PA, 7 2B, 6 3B, 2 HR, 35 RBI, 34 SB

After patiently waiting his turn as a freshman and sophomore, Alex Snyder finally got his shot as a junior, and he put together an excellent season for the Badgers. A quick and athletic outfielder, Snyder spent most of his time out in center, but filled in a bit at left, right, and first as well. He had a nice .270/.370/.369 in one of the toughest NAIA conferences. He also swiped 34 bases and scored 50 times with more walks (41) then strikeouts (29). He won't hit for much power, and is more of a groundball hitter, but he looks to be a prototypical leadoff hitter who can beat out slow rollers while always looking to take the extra base. Tom Weinstock is a big fan of his defense, and he thinks Snyder has one of the best outfield arms he's ever seen. With the arm and impressive range he can be a top defensive center fielder, and gives me shades of Tom Taylor, just without the bat. We do have some outfield depth in the system, so Snyder will be the last outfielder we take, but I can still see Snyder starting off in San Jose instead of La Crosse. Somewhat surprisingly, Snyder actually checks in on the Mock, projected a pick above Bill Holloway at 3.12.

8th Round, 125th Overall: SS Tom Brownleaf
School: Durant
Commit School: CC Los Angeles
1943: .450/.523/.658, 130 PA, 14 2B, 3 3B, HR, 32 RBI, 14 SB
Career: .270/.370/.369, 299 PA, 7 2B, 6 3B, 2 HR, 35 RBI, 34 SB

I usually draft a ton of middle infielders, but the switch hitter from Oklahoma is the first one we've taken since the 2nd Round. Brownleaf didn't start until he was was a senior, where he put up 2.1 WAR in 26 games. A very disciplined hitter, he walked (15) twice as often as he struck out (7), and should be able to keep that up as he rises through the minors. Tom Weinstock thinks he could hit around .300 when fully developed, which is a much higher projection then OSA. Both think he's better off as a bench bat then a starter, but he has good speeds, hits from both sides of the plate, and should be a decent defender at short. He's young and has a lot of time to improve, but it's always nice when a guy can cover many positions for you. He reminds me a lot of Eddie Curtis, who was a 7th Rounder and has stuck on because of his versatility. The war opened up a lot of positions, and now with the Freddie Jones trade he has a shot to stick. Brownleaf could follow the same path, and as a switch hitter with speed he already has a built in advantage.

ayaghmour2 · 08-07-2022, 06:08 PM

9th Round, 141st Overall: SS Caleb Humphrey
School: Vanderburgh
1943: .274/.369/.339, 196 PA, 6 2B, 3B, HR, 29 RBI, 39 SB
Career: .274/.369/.339, 196 PA, 6 2B, 3B, HR, 29 RBI, 39 SB

There were two switch hitting shortstops I was targeting with my 8th Rounder, and one of them was Caleb Humphrey, so it was nice to still be able to get him here. He didn't start until he was a junior at Vanderburgh, and the light hitting infielder showed a lot of speed and defensive versatility, making him a very valuable member of his team. Just 8 of his 46 hits were of the extra base variety, so most of Humphrey's value will come from his speed and glove. He does have a nice eye, walking (24) more then he strikes out (15), and working the count well. Plus when he's on base he will always look to steal, and OSA thinks that's going to be enough for him to force his way in the lineup. I think that's too generous, as he probably won't hit enough to play every day, but hitting from both sides of the plate really benefits him. He hasn't played in the outfield, but I can't imagine he'd have many struggles, as he's got great athleticism and most shortstops can at least play left and right if they don't have the range for center. We have a lot of open spots in the infield with nine everyday minor leaguers off to war. He's a projected 4th Rounder on the mock, but that's probably too high.

10th Round, 156th Overall: C Al Hurd
School: University of New Jersey
1943: .253/.359/.323, 236 PA, 8 2B, 2 HR, 28 RBI, 5 SB
Career: .261/.367/.358, 836 PA, 31 2B, 2 3B, 11 HR, 105 RBI, 7 SB

We had back-to-back picks in the 10th, due to our trade of Johnny McDowell to the Miners last year, and I used them to pick up a new battery. A three year starter behind the plate at the University of New Jersey, Hurd had a bit of a down year as a junior, as he couldn't replicate the six homers and set new lows for games, PAs, at bats, runs, hits, doubles, triples, homers, RBIs, and walks. He did have new bests for steals and strike outs, but as a catcher the steals don't matter one bit. His bat isn't what warranted the pick (although the chance for power is nice), but Tom Weinstock's scouting report actually mentions his good catching ability. At the plate he's not helpless either, as he'll give you long at bats and should be able to walk more then he strikes out. He did that in college, drawing 115 walks while striking out 85 times, but his swing needs some work. I don't think his power will translate to the big leagues, but we haven't drafted a catcher yet, and his glove will make him extremely useful for us.

10th Round, 157th Overall: LHP Barney Gunnels
School: Poughkeepsie
Commit School: Eastern State
1943: 8-1, 91.2 IP, 1.67 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 16 BB, 107 K
Career: 8-1, 91.2 IP, 1.67 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 16 BB, 107 K

I'm going to get some angry letters from the Easter State coach, as we took a third commit away from them. To be fair, Bob Rogers may end up fulfilling his commitment, but there will be do Lefty Jones and Barney Gunnels duo atop the Monitors rotation. A southpaw like Jones, Gunnels didn't pitch until his senior season at Poughkeepsie, but he looked really good, striking out a fair amount of hitters while walking just over one and a half batters per nine. A bit of a soft tosser, the 6'1'' lefty just throws 83-85, but I think as he matures he will start throwing his fastball harder. It's not a great pitch, and his best offering is certainly his change up, and it is definitely a plus pitch. His slider is alright too, and due to his command of the strike zone he does a good job keeping the ball in the park. He's a projectable filler that looks like nothing more then a filler arm now, but he could be a decent late inning arm due to his mental abilities to shutout stress. With all the wild arms we tend to have, it's nice to have one with control, especially considering he's a lefty.

We still have a few sims until the draft, so we won't see these guys for a bit, but I am very excited for the next class of Cougars, and I think I'll system ranks will get a nice boost.

ayaghmour2 · 08-08-2022, 07:09 PM

Weekly Record: 3-6
Seasonal Record: 27-21 (3rd, 5 GB)
Stars of the Week
Hank Barnett : 35 AB, 12 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .343 AVG, .825 OPS
Dick Walker : 36 AB, 9 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI, .250 AVG, .817 OPS
Leo Mitchell : 31 AB, 10 H, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .323 AVG, .866 OPS

Schedule
5-31: Loss at Wolves (0-6)
5-31: Loss at Wolves (1-5)
6-1: Loss at Wolves (5-6)
6-2: Win at Wolves (6-2)
6-3: Loss at Cannons (6-7): 12 innings
6-4: Loss at Cannons (3-4): 10 innings
6-5: Loss at Cannons (2-4)
6-6: Win at Cannons (10-4)
6-6: Win at Cannons (6-3)

Recap
We just cannot beat the Wolves... Now 1-7 against Toronto, we dropped to third as they leaped over us. We're still five games out of first, as the Cannons managed to get swept by the Stars before they took three of five from us. A 3-6 week is not what we needed, but we actually could have done worse. Harry Parker is finally back and healthy, giving our rotation a much needed boost. He'll take Ken Matson's spot on the active roster, who's last start as a Cougar didn't go too well. He allowed 9 hits and 6 runs with 2 walks and a strikeout in just 3.2 innings. He'll head down to Milwaukee with 53 big league innings in 18 appearances (5 starts), going 4-4 with 2 saves, a 4.75 ERA (70 ERA+), 1.60 WHIP, 33 walks, and 25 strikeouts. I was hoping he'd give us better innings, but he'll look to regain his form with the Blues. We have a few other moves, with Freddie Jones leaving, we'll be bringing up Eddie Curtis up from AAA. He's absolutely shredded AAA pitching, slashing .453/.482/.625 (205 OPS+) with 8 doubles, 7 steals, and 10 RBIs. Curtis was riding a 27 game hit streak, that will now have to be put on hold. Mike Taylor will be on the bus with him, completing his rehab and taking Steve Mountain's roster spot. Mountain hit just .140/.254/.160 (21 OPS+) as we've gotten little to no production from our catchers. Taylor, however, has raked in AAA, slashing .386/.471/.545 (181 OPS+) with 5 doubles and a triple. With Mead hitting below the Mendoza line, Taylor will get extra time until Mead can get it back together.

We didn't play very well, but we did get some great pitching from the young Johnnie Jones. He got our only win this season against the Wolves, a complete game victory with 5 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 6 strikeouts. He wasn't as great against the Cannons, walking 10 in another complete game win, but he allowed just 2 hits with 3 strikeouts to improve to 5-2 on the season. His 3.70 ERA (90 ERA+) isn't great, but his 3.06 FIP (92 FIP-) paints a nicer pitcher and he's still walked (29) fewer then he struck out (31). The other win went to Jim Lonardo in our 10-4 win over the Cannons. He went all nine with 8 hits, 4 runs (3 earned), a walk, and a strikeout. He didn't do as good against the Wolves, going 8 with 10 hits, 5 runs, 3 walks, and a strikeout. Joe Brown, however, had a rough pair of outings, losing to both the Cannons and the Wolves. He allowed 19 hits and 9 runs with 5 walks and 7 strikeouts in a pair of 8 inning starts. Dick Lyons picked up a no decision, but went 7.2 innings with 6 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), and 2 walks. Angel Lopez picked up a pair of losses, but his start actually wasn't that bad. He went 7 with 9 hits, 2 runs, and 4 walks. He also lost a relief outing, but he allowed 2 hits and a run in 2.1 innings pitched. Ben Curtin had himself a rough week, picking up two losses in four outings. He was charged with 9 hits and 6 runs (3 earned) with 2 walks and 4 strikeouts in 4 innings pitched. It's almost time for some rest, and I think the staff should be able to get back on track now that our terrible run of games is over.

The offense wasn't bad, but of course, Clark Car had a rough week in his first without Freddie Jones. He went just 8-for-41 with 2 doubles, a homer, 2 RBIs, and 6 runs scored. Most of the lineup did well, including our right field platoon. Rich Langton went 8-for-19 with 4 doubles, a steal, and 5 RBIs. Cliff Moss went 9-for-25 with a homer, 3 RBIs, and 4 runs. Their outfield counterpart Leo Mitchell did well too, 10-for-31 with 2 doubles, a homer, and 3 RBIs. He did strike out 9 times, but he upped his WRC+ to 142 and he's on pace for nearly 100 RBIs. Hank Barnett went 12-for-35 with 2 doubles, 3 runs, 4 RBIs, and 5 walks. Dick Walker went 9-for-36, but with 2 triples, 2 homers, 5 runs, 6 RBIs, and another steal. Even Harry Mead got in on the fun, 7-for-25 with 2 doubles, a homer, and 4 RBIs. Hopefully next week the offense will turn into runs, as we lost three one run games, with two of them in extras.

Looking Ahead
Our insufferable run of way too many games in not enough days comes to an end in Philly, with just a single game in Philadelphia before a much needed off day. The Sailors are two games behind us, now 24-22 on the season. For some reason Paul Richardson is now the next pitcher the Sailors rescue, as the 28-year-old castaway from the Cannons own a 1.64 ERA (211 ERA+) and 0.76 WHIP in 13 walks and 18 strikeouts. Of course, that's who we have to face, but lucky for us the Sailors can't score any runs for him. He's just 1-1, and that one win came in a 3-hit shutout over the Stars. In fact, he's allowed just 1 earned run or fewer six of his eight starts. The Sailors do lead the CA in batting average, getting a lot of hits from Joseph Mills (.364, 1, 14), Harvey Brown (.315, 20, 3), and Marion Boismenu (.301, 2, 10). This is a game we really need to win, and I trust Harry Parker to deliver.

We finally return to home for the first time since May 23rd, and at 7-8 since, unless we win the game against the Sailors this homestand will come off a losing road trip. We'll host the Kings in a weird five game series, with an off day on Friday and a double header on Sunday. Brooklyn had a rough 12-21 May, and are now 22-25 and nearly 10 games behind the Cannons. We'll get a chance to see breakout rookie Jim Kenny, a former 2nd Round Pick off to a great start to his young career. In 8 starts, Kenny is 4-2 with a 2.69 ERA (128 ERA+), 1.18 WHIP, 15 walks, and 9 strikeouts. He was recently named Rookie of the Month, going 3-2 with a 2.40 ERA and 1.16 WHIP. With him, Art White (2-5, 2.80, 23) and Jim Crawford (5-5, 2.49, 16) all pitching well they may be able to keep runs off the board against us. We should be able to keep their bats in check, and they're weaker with the injury to their most productive hitter Vince D'Alessandro (.315, 8) heading to the IL with shoulder inflammation. Al Wheeler (.244, 7, 25) has been good, but not his great self, while Harry Barrell (.253, 20, 3) isn't hitting much at all. These are much win games, as I hope we can take advantage of a struggling Kings team to jump right back into the race.

Minor League Report
RF Chick Browning (AAA Milwaukee Blues): While May was great for Chick Browning, June hasn't been great. Not only did he hit .150/.261/.200 this week, but he's dealing with recurring back spasms and will miss about five weeks. This all comes after Browning was named Batter of the Month in the Century League, slashing .316/.439/.602 with 8 doubles, a triple, 6 homers, and 23 RBIs with twice as many walks (23) as strikeouts (11). The setback is tough for the 25-year-old, who may have replaced a struggling Bunny Hufford on the big league roster. Browning has hit an impressive .280/.391/.512 (149 OPS+) in 151 trips to the plate. The lefty has a really nice bat, projecting to hit around .300 with good strike zone recognition and potentially plus power. As long as he's healthy in September, he'll get a chance to add to his 3 big league PAs, but if Moss or Langton got hurt, he'd have been in line for an earlier callup.

LHP Johnny Ruby (AAA Milwaukee Blues): Despite the red arrow pointing down all season long, Johnny Ruby has done nothing but dominate Century League pitchers. Ruby was a perfect 5-0 with a 1.01 ERA, 1.21 WHIP,1 6 walks, and 32 strikeouts in 35.2 innings pitched. That's an impressive 8.1 K/9, even higher then his 7.7 in 76.1 innings with A Lincoln back in 1939. These are surprising numbers for the 27-year-old, who spent each of the last two seasons in AA, and they were really nothing more then average. I can't see him keeping up Papenfus-esque strikeout numbers, and since he shares his control too, any drop of strikeouts will really hurt his effectiveness. He's great against lefties, which will work nice in an eventual pen role, as I don't think he'll ever start games for us.

RHP Bill Tuttle (AA Mobile Commodores): It was a great month for the 24-year-old, who went 4-1 with a 2.40 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 9 walks, and 23 strikeouts in 48.2 innings pitched. That was good enough to take home Pitcher of the Month, and while his four game win streak was just snapped, he's now 4-2 with a 2.83 ERA (162 ERA+), 1.27 WHIP, 14 walks, and 31 strikeouts. Tuttle was placed on the 40 last offseason, and numbers like this could help him make his big league debut. A decent three pitch pitcher, his cutter, change, and splitter are all quality offerings, and he sits consistently in the mid 90s. He does run into issues with the longball, and he's very susceptible to homers. Despite that, Tuttle has been consistently above average in the minors, with an ERA+ above 100 in each of his last 8 stints of 25 innings or more. He's also maintained a K/9 above 4.5 since 1941 as he misses a lot of bats. The issues with command may stop him from starting frequently, but he's a good depth option who could get a few outs for us out of the pen at some point this season.

3B Danny Richardson (A Lincoln Legislators): June 4th was a crazy extra inning game for Lincoln and Terre Haute, and despite the performance from Danny Richardson, the Legislators came short 13-8 in 15 innings pitched. Richardson was 5-for-7 with a walk, double, run, and RBI, but it wasn't enough to capture the win. We're hoping this is the start of something more from the 23-year-old from Elgin, as he's hitting just .220/.340/.371 (84 OPS+) on the season. The former 3rd Rounder does have 8 doubles, 4 homers, and 16 RBIs with near equal walks (22) and strikeouts (23), but he isn't having a great time in his first taste of A ball. Once projected as a future starter, Richardson is now more of an after thought in our pool of prospects. His only plus tool right now is his eye, and while he is a line drive hitter, we don't see much power coming from him. He's running out of chances to play every day, and without the war, Richardson may have been relegated to a bench or part time role.

2B Bob Griffen (C La Crosse Lions): He just keeps on hitting! It was a great month for Bob Griffen, who is just a week away from celebrating his 21st birthday. The Lions second basemen hit an impressive .351/.447/.629 during his 23 games in May with 7 doubles, a triple, 6 homers, 3 steals, and 30 RBIs. It's been a big season overall for Griffen, who has hit .339/.431/.629 (151 OPS+) at a 37 home run and 157 RBI pace. A 16th Rounder from 1940, Griffen's bat has given him a shot to earn playing time, and with the draft later this month he'll end up making his way up to San Jose. I'm not sure the power will stay with him as he moves up our system, but he should always carry a high batting average and on base percentage. He's actually looked okay defensively at second this year, but I'm not sure he'll be better then average at the keystone. That being said, his bat should make up for it, and as long as he keeps hitting, he'll keep getting every day at bats.

RHP George Oddo (C La Crosse Lions): We swept the awards in both the Century League and the UMVA, and the winner down here was righty George Oddo. One of our top prospects now, Oddo ranks 4th in our system and 60th Overall. Despite making it up to San Jose last season, Oddo started the year with a red arrow and went to La Crosse. His May was enough to shake that off, going a perfect 5-0 with a 2.57 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 17 walks, and 31 strikeouts. His one start in June wasn't anything good, but Oddo finished was will hopefully be his last starts in La Crosse, going 5-1 with a 3.57 ERA (152 ERA+), 1.49 WHIP, 20 walks, and 38 strikeouts in 40.1 innings pitched. The hard worker has thrown harder this season, with his velo up to 88-90, and at 6'4'' I think there is still more speed left in his arm. His stuff is really good, featuring a plus-plus change and knee-buckling curve to compliment his fastball. He's not overpowering, more of a finesse guy, but he has put up decent strike out numbers so far. I think his ceiling will continue to rise as he develops, and I think he could turn into a decent middle of the rotation arm. Tom Weinstock isn't sold yet, but he has started giving him kinder words in each of his newer scouting reports. Our system is a bit weak at the top, as in most seasons Oddo wouldn't be one of our top 5 guys, but I'm really excited to see how he keeps up his season. Hoping for A ball at the end is probably too much, but I think he should really settle in for San Jose.

SS Pete Hunter (C La Crosse Lions): A 22nd Round Pick of the Dynamos two seasons ago, Pete Hunter spent just a week in their system before he was handed his walking papers. He joined us last July and spent some time on the Lions bench, going 4-for-15 in 19 games. Due to all the enlistments over the Winter, we were left really thin in the lower levels, so Hunter had to fill in at short this season. He's off to a tremendous start that only a foot contusion could stop, hitting .333/.534/.556 (161 OPS+) with 3 doubles, 2 triples, 3 homers, 4 steals, and 15 RBIs with an impressive 27 walks. Don't get me started on his Player of the Week award, where he was just 6-for-9 with 5 RBIs and 8 runs scored in 14 trips to the plate, but he has been wonderful this season. I'm hoping this week or so absence won't slow him down, but with a lot of more exciting prospects coming from the draft, Hunter may be seeing his playing time disappear. His versatility should help, but my guess is the nice start is just a fluke, and Hunter will come back to earth as the year progresses.

ayaghmour2 · 08-09-2022, 06:46 PM

Weekly Record: 3-3
Seasonal Record: 30-24 (3rd, 5 GB)
Stars of the Week
Dick Walker : 18 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, .500 AVG, 1.251 OPS
Jim Lonardo : 1 Win, 9.0 IP, 2 BB, 0 K, 0.00 ERA
Johnnie Jones : 1 Win, 9.0 IP, 5 BB, 1 K, 0.00 ERA

Schedule
6-7: Win at Sailors (5-2)
6-9: Loss vs Kings (5-3)
6-10: Loss vs Kings (6-3)
6-12: Loss vs Kings (2-1)
6-13: Win vs Kings (0-1)
6-13: Win vs Kings (0-5)

Recap
We continue to muddle in mediocrity, with yet another three win week. We managed to end our road trip with a win against the Sailors, but then we dropped the first three with the Kings in Chicago. Luckily, we salvaged the double header with a pair of shutouts from Jim Lonardo and Johnnie Jones. Lonardo was perfect despite next to zero run support, allowing just 3 hits and 2 walks in a 1-0 shutout. Johnnie Jones dealt with more baserunners, allowing 3 hits and 5 walks with a strikeout in his second shutout in five starts. Both rose their ERA+ (110 and 105) above 100, and for Jones, it was the first time all season. We just can't win games at home for some reason, now a game under .500 at 13-14 in Chicago. That hasn't stopped Cougar fans from showing up more then any other group of fans, but you have to imagine we'll eventually start winning at home. We were 46-31 last year and 51-26 when we won the pennant in '41, and we haven't finished below .500 at home since 1936 (34-43) where we won only 63 games.

Harry Parker had a nice return to the rotation, tossing a pair of two run complete games. He beat the Sailors to start the week, allowing 9 hits, 2 runs, and a walk with 3 strikeouts in his first start back. We then couldn't score against the Kings for him, as he allowed just 5 hits and 2 walks with 4 strikeouts. Dick Lyons and Joe Brown didn't have much luck against the Kings, as both dropped their start. Brown went 7.1 innings with 12 hits, 6 runs, and 3 walks with 4 strikeouts. Lyons had a rare misstep, 9 hits and 4 runs in just 6 innings pitched. He hasn't allowed more then 3 earned runs in a start since his first on April 25th, and he still sports a stellar 2.51 ERA (134 ERA+), 0.99 WHIP, and 0.6 BB/9 in 71.2 innings pitched.

We didn't hit at all, but Dick Walker heated up with a huge week, going 9-for-18 with 2 doubles, 3 runs, 7 walks, and 2 steals. Walker is now hitting .272/.391/.426 (136 OPS+) with 7 doubles, 6 triples, 4 homers, 39 walks, and 21 RBIs. He's tied with three other players for 11 steals to lead the FABL, and he's been caught only once. The right field platoon was about all that hit too, and that's even with Cliff Moss going just 2-for-11. He did have a homer, 4 RBIs, and 3 walks, which is better then most everyone else. Rich Langton did look good, going 5-for-16 with a double, triple, walk, and two runs scored. Orlin Yates heard about our trade talks for a new center fielder, as well as our new waiver claim, going 3-for-10 with a double, 2 runs, and 2 RBIs.

That previously mentioned waiver claim was former Sailor Don Homer, who will take Bunny Hufford's roster spot until we can find a better option out in center. A former 11th Rounder back in 1932, Homer debuted for the team that drafted him in 1936, going 0-for-1 in 2 games for the Sailors. From 1939 to 1942, he was actually a full time starter, and he had an OPS+ of 100 and 110 in '39 and '40. He was relegated to a bench role this season, hitting just .143/.211/.171 (6 OPS+) in 39 PAs, but he owns a much more productive .272/.333/.355 (92 OPS+) batting line in 2,260 career plate appearances. Yates will still get most of the playing time, but since Homer is a lefty too, he'll get some starts against righties. This sends Bunny Hufford down to Milwaukee to play center field every day, and he should hit much better then his .188/.291/.229 (51 OPS+) line with a triple, RBI, and 7 walks.

Looking Ahead
Off to start the week, as we can hopefully get things back on track. We'll travel to Montreal for a quick three game road trip. The Saints are struggling this season, just 23-30 and 11.5 games out of first. The Saints just lost Ed Baker (6-2, 4.37, 33) for the year, weakening their rotation the rest of the way. To make matters worse, Jake DeYoung (2-8, 5.32, 27) has been awful, but former Cougar draftee Bill Ross (6-3, 2.31, 18) is pitching out of his mind. The rest of their rotation hasn't done too well, but as the season goes on, I'd expect talented youngsters Pat Weakly (1-3, 3.56, 25) and Wally Reif (1-2, 4.35, 8) to improve with experience. The offense hasn't been bad, but they've seen below average production from quality hitters like Jake Hughes (.276, 25, 5), Bert Lass (.286, 2, 25), Charlie Woodbury (.257, 3, 21,) and Bill Greene (.188, 3, 18, 11). They have gotten good production from veteran Vic Crawford (.305, 7, 28) and Mark Burns (.360, 10, 1), but not much has broken right for the Saints. I think they'll recover, but I'm hoping that doesn't come at our expense. We also host the Saints later in the week, starting a five game series with them in Chicago on Sunday.

We then head home to host the Stars for a pair of must win games. New York is a completely different team then the won who wiped the floor with us last season, just 20-33 and 7th in the league on win percentage. Billy Riley (1-5, 3.80, 26) hasn't pitched since May, and Vern Hubbard (5-6, 3.74, 51) is suffering from a huge drop in production. Chris Clarke (4-6, 3.75, 19) hasn't looked good in a full time starting role and waiver claim Hank Mittan (2-5, 3.59, 15) hasn't been much better. They've only gotten good innings from Bill Keith (2-1, 2.70, 16), but he's had walk issues (5.1 BB/9) in his first five big league starts. The offense has been even worse, ranked 8th in a lot of hitting categories, including runs scored, wOBA, OPS, and WAR. Of course the loss of Bill Barrett hurts, but Chink Stickels (.187, 1, 18, 3) has been awful and Dave Trowbridge (.266, 1, 9) is finally showing his age. Ray Cochran (.257, 1, 10, 1) is one of their only above average hitters, as they are still waiting for Chubby Hall (.202, 2, 11) to flash the promise he did in the minors. The Stars have also announced that they're going to be sellers, meaning some of their vets may be on the way out before we face them. It's been a fall from grace for the powerhouse Stars, but once the war ends they'll be more then ready to compete.

Minor League Report
2B Jimmie James (AA Mobile Commodores): I debated moving Jimmie James up to AAA when I called up Eddie Curtis, but I instead went with veteran filler first basemen Chris Smith. James quickly made me regret my decision, putting up a Player of the Week where he went an even 13-for-26 with 2 homers and 11 RBIs. The 24-year-old middle infielder will be rewarded with the deserved promotion, finishing his 44 games at AA with a .325/.443/.490 (148 OPS+) batting line. The former 4th Rounder added 4 doubles, 2 triples, 6 homers, and 39 RBIs with twice as many walks (35) as strike outs (17). A versatile switch hitter, James has spent most of his time at second, but he's also capable at short, third, left, center, and right. His range on the dirt is impressive and he's a great fielder, and OSA thinks he'll develop into an above average big league player. I like him for second, and with Barnett and Skipper at third and short it's the best immediate place for him, but I could see him filling in at all three spots before securing everyday playing time. He has a good handle of the strike zone and projects to have at least an average hit tool, but I can't see him hitting for much power as he's shown in Mobile this season. Currently ranked 11th in our system and 155th overall, he's got a decent prospect pedigree and he could develop into a useful big league starter, but at worst he's a very useful utility man who can hit far better then Tip Harrison.

LHP Ed Fisler (AA Mobile Commodores): What a debut! In his first start in our organization, and up in AA, Ed Fisler flashed greatness, tossing a 6-hit shutout with 5 strikeouts as the Commodores topped the Reliables 2-0. Fisler needed just 101 pitches to record 27 outs, and he didn't walk a single hitter. We couldn't have asked any more from the lefty, as he hadn't pitched above A ball before this. Ranked 17th in our system and 206th Overall, Fisler made 9 starts for the Chiefs in Class A Cedar Rapids, going 4-2 with a 3.93 ERA (124 ERA+), 1.59 WHIP, 30 walks, and 48 strikeouts. I loved his massive strike out numbers, and while I don't expect him to keep up a 8.2 per 9 pace, he should settle around 5. If he can get his control down, he'll be a really good starter, as walks can turn into an issue for him. Going a full game without a walk is a huge first step, and I'm excited to see how he continues.

C Pat Brown Jr. (C La Crosse Lions): It's been an extremely productive season for the 20-year-old Pat Brown Jr., who continued an excellent season with a Player of the Week Award. A 9th Round selection back in 1941, it hasn't always been easy for Brown to get playing time, but he's certainly taking advantage of it now. The New Jersey native went 10-for-21 this week with 2 homers, 7 RBIs, and 8 runs scored to improve his season line to an outstanding .305/.431/.595 (146 OPS+) with 9 doubles, 9 homers, and 31 RBIs. He has struck out a lot, on pace for 113 strikeouts in 116 games, but he's walked (29) nearly as much as he's struck out (32) and he's already homered seven more times this season then last. Brown has an all or nothing swing and won't make too much contact, and while he didn't hit many homers last year, he did have 32 doubles. When he makes contact, the ball does go far, so the defense should always be on their toes. Right now he just projects to be a backup catcher, but at 6'3'' his power can really grow in, and he could surprise a few pundits.

ayaghmour2 · 08-10-2022, 06:53 PM

Weekly Record: 4-2
Seasonal Record: 34-26 (3rd, 3.5 GB)
Stars of the Week
Leo Mitchell : 27 AB, 13 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI, .481 AVG, 1.222 OPS
Joe Brown : 2 Wins, 16.2 IP, 4 BB, 3 K, 1.62 ERA
Cliff Moss : 14 AB, 8 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .571 AVG, 1.243 OPS

Schedule
6-15: Win at Saints (9-4)
6-16: Loss at Saints (2-3)
6-17: Win at Saints (4-3)
6-18: Loss vs Stars (11-6)
6-19: Win vs Stars (0-12)
6-20: Win vs Saints (0-4)

Recap
Hey, a winning week! We took advantage of the Saints, winning two out of three in Montreal to start the week, and then we finished the week winning the opener in Chicago. We split the series with the Stars, and in both games the winner put up double digit runs. We're up to 34-26, but our 38-22 expected record is much better and would be good enough for first. For the second straight week, we also finished with back-to-back shutouts, and "The Patron Saint of Groundballs" continues to dominate in what should end up with a Rookie of the Month award. Johnnie Jones has now won his last six starts, tossing a 5-hit shutout with 7 walks and 4 strikeouts as we curb stomped the team that drafted him 12-0. He has started walking more batters then he strikes out, 41 to 36 on the season, but Jones is now 7-2 with a 2.83 ERA (120 ERA+) and 1.23 and just celebrated his 25th birthday on the 17th.

The other shutout came from Joe Brown, our two start starter for the week. Brown did it against the Saints, allowing just 4 hits with 3 strikeouts to improve to 7-4 on the season. He won his first start too, going 7.2 innings with 7 hits, 3 runs, and 4 walks. Harry Parker continues to show no signs of a setback after his injury, picking up another complete game win with 9 hits, 3 runs (1 earned), a walk, and 4 strikeouts. Dick Lyons had another nice start, getting a no decision despite just 1 run in 7 innings with 5 hits, 3 walks, and a strikeout. Jim Lonardo was roughed up in his only start, charged with 7 hits and 7 runs in 3.2 innings with 2 walks and a strikeout. Our pen was roughed up a bit too, as both relievers who pitched were charged with runs. Cal Knight made two appearances, going 6.2 innings with 8 hits, 5 runs (3 earned), 5 walks, and 3 strikeouts. Ben Curtin picked up a loss in Lyons' start, going 1.2 innings with 3 hits, 2 runs, a walk, and a strikeout. Our pitching has been good this year, second to the Cannons in runs allowed, but Jim Lonardo has hit a rough patch and you have to imagine sooner or later Dick Lyons is going to age. We might need to upgrade here, but there aren't too many options available.

We didn't hit all that much, most of the production came in Johnnie's shutout, but Harry Mead is finally starting to look like Harry Mead! Our All Star catcher went 6-for-19 with a double, 2 triples, and 6 RBIs. He's riding a seven game on base streak which has upped his batting line to a still well below average .213/.273/.320 (71 OPS+) with 9 doubles, 2 triples, 2 homers, and 33 RBIs. His June numbers, however, looked much more like his 1942 season, as he's hit a productive .288/.312/.492 (129 OPS+) and he's now drove in more runs then every CA batter who isn't Leo Mitchell. Speaking of Mitchell, he had a tremendous week, going 13-for-27 with a double, 2 homers, 6 RBIs, and 7 runs scored. Cliff Moss continues his resurgence, going 8-for-14 with 6 runs and 3 RBIs. Moss is now hitting an elite .339/.416/.446 (149 OPS+) with 4 doubles, 3 homers, and 18 RBIs with almost twice the walks (15) as strikeouts (8). Our center field duo was about as useless as it gets, however, as Yates went 1-for-17 with Homer 1-for-6. Homer did have a steal and Yates scored three times, but that's about as bad as it gets. Clark Car has also continued to struggle, going 4-for-26 with 2 doubles, 3 runs, and 3 RBIs. Car has hit just .195/.235/.312 in June, dropping his season line to .249/.306/.392 (101 OPS+), similar to Freddie Jones' .241/.358/.321 (96 OPS+) season line. We'll need a few more guys to step forward if we want to get back on top the standings.

Looking Ahead
We get four more with the Saints in Chicago, who are now 25-34 and 12 games out of first. We did beat Bill Ross (6-4, 2.19, 19) in Montreal despite good performance from him, and we'll get to see him again. He's been one of their only productive starters, but they've gotten better outings lately from Karl Weiss (4-6, 3.67, 21) and Pat Weakly (2-3, 3.61, 28) is inching closer to being league average in terms of ERA+. They've looked to upgrade their lineup with former 2nd Rounder and top 100 prospect Milt Bennett (.318, 1, 7, 1) and they might be able to bring up Spud Bent who started a rehab assignment last week. We've done well against the Saints so far this season, and I expect that to continue this week, even if we do struggle at home.

Our run of games ends in New York, with four games in three days with the Stars. They will look a bit different, as they traded one of the guys I was going after Chink Stickels (.187, 1, 18, 3) to the Wolves, and then Chris Clarke (5-7, 3.49, 24) to the Cannons. This makes the series with them easier, but it will be tougher to take the division as our two toughest competitors have upgrades their lineups. The Stars teardown may not be going much further, as their only real marketable options are Ray Cochran (.264, 1, 15, 2), who is already 37, and Vern Hubbard (6-6, 3.58, 54) who is having a bit of a down year and will still be in his prime when the war ends. We made a minor deal with them too, as they needed a glove first shortstop, sending AAA shortstop Freddie Bennett their way for an 8th Round Pick. We really need to win both of these series, as we need to take advantage of two struggling teams.

Lastly, it's draft time, so next sim we'll get the rest of our 1943 draft class filled into our system. I'm really excited to see where some of our new draftees list in the prospect rankings, and we're finally going to have a deeper pool of players to keep the upper levels stacked. The mock keeps reshuffling, but we have a 1st Rounder in Al Clement, 2nd Rounder in Bob Rogers, 3rd Rounder in Jimmy Hairston, and 5th Rounders in Bill Holloway, Alex Snyder, and Lefty Jones. Others that have bounced in and our include Johnny Weaver, Tommy Seymour, Caleb Humphrey, and Dick Garcia, but I'm sure there were others I missed. It's always exciting to see how the system will look after being filled back up again.

Minor League Report
RHP Ira Hawker (AAA Milwaukee Blues): It's been a tough season for Ira Hawker, who's 12 starts in AAA haven't been much more then average. I'm hoping start 11 was the start of a better second half, as Hawker was brilliant in our 4-0 win over the Minneapolis Lumberjacks, who hold a one game lead over Hawker's Blues. Hawker tossed a 2-hit shutout with 3 walks and 3 strikeouts. Hawker is now 5-4 on the season with a 4.16 ERA (97 ERA+), 1.25 WHIP, 24 walks, and 48 strikeouts in 84.1 innings pitched. Not great numbers for the 24-year-old on our 40, but his 3.70 FIP (91 FIP-) paints a better pitcher and his 5.1 K/9 is very impressive. A four pitch righty, Hawker does a good job keeping the ball on the ground, and he generates a lot of movement on his pitches. He's not quite ready to start games in the big leagues, but I do think he could be a decent spot starter or mop up guy who can keep the score close as you try to mount a come back. For a guy who was cut because he was a terrible shortstop, he's made huge leaps and bounds just to make it to where he is, and he should be awarded with a big league callup.

CF Jim Madsen (AA Mobile Commodores): It was a huge game for Jim Madsen, who led the Commodores offense to a 9-5 win over the Chattanooga Reliables. Madsen was a perfect 5-for-5 with a double, triple, 2 runs, and an RBI. It's been a nice bounce back season for Madsen, who is hitting .327/.374/.492 (129 OPS+) with 8 doubles, 5 triples, 5 homers, and 38 RBIs with an impressive 22-to-9 walk-to-strikeout ratio in just over 200 trips to the plate while playing average defense out in center. Now 26, Madsen is running out of shots to make his big league debut, but he still profiles as a decent fourth outfield option. He has above average bat speed and can hit the ball hard to all fields, but I can't see him ever hitting for a high average. He has nice speed but is an awful base runner, going 6-for-17 last season and he's just 1-for-4 this season. With Bunny Hufford in center up in Milwaukee, Madsen is probably stuck in AA for now, but as the new draftees flow into the system, I might move him up to cover a corner in Milwaukee as we're relying on Bob Worley and Oscar Panduro in right. He's a long shot to debut this season, but it's always handy to have a guy who can cover all three outfield spots.

LF Bill Rich (AA Mobile Commodores): Jim Madsen may have had the biggest game of the week, but no one had a better week in Mobile then Bill Rich. The 24-year-old outfielder went 11-for-28 with 4 homers and 11 RBIs. Rich hit a homer in each of his last three games, including a 4-for-6 to finish the week with 2 runs, a double, homer, and 4 RBIs. Rich is in the midst of another great season, slashing .316/.377/.498 (131 OPS+) with 9 doubles, a triple, 9 homers, and 40 RBIs. This is a 25 homer and 110 RBI pace, with the homers a personal best. His triple slash is actually a bit down from his numbers last season, but Rich has still been one of the most productive hitters in our system. Like Madsen, he's going to have to wait his turn to make it up to Milwaukee, but with him eligible for the Rule-5 Draft and a chance to be taken, he might end up making his way up to Chicago this season. Rich always seems to hit better then his talent, but eventually there will be a time where he either stops overperforming, or his talent level will match his production.

1B Billy Biggar (C La Crosse Lions): Hard to have a "biggar" week then Billy Biggar did, as our former 10th Rounder went 12-for-27 with 2 homers and 11 RBIs. It makes up for most of his struggles this season, slashing just .261/.356/.408 (83 OPS+) in 165 trips to the plate. He's added 9 doubles, 4 homers, and 30 RBIs, and the 4 homers are nice as he didn't hit one in nearly 250 PAs with the Lions last year. He's also walking far more frequently, with 17 this year after just 4 last season. The soon-to-be 19-year-old still hasn't hit as much as I expected, as Biggar hit .521/.541/.802 in 26 games as a senior last season at York Springs. First base is one of the weaker positions in our system, as Jocko Pollard is our only primary first basemen ranked in the top 500, but I do think Biggar will make his way up their eventually. He's an aggressive hitter with a strong hit tool, but he's still looking to put everything together. Power doesn't look to be his game, and while he does have quick hands, he will whiff a lot and likely won't ever be someone who avoids strike outs. He looks to be more of a role player then every day guy, and I doubt he'll be able to handle the outfield. Still, as a lefty he can fallback as a pinch hitter, although he sitll has a lot of development ahead of him.

ayaghmour2 · 08-11-2022, 11:16 AM

Trade fever is sweeping the FABL a bit early this year, as we're about a month from the deadline and there has already been a flurry of activity. The Chiefs have picked up Freddie Jones, Bob Cummings, and Al Wheeler, the Cannons Billy Dalton, Chris Clarke, and Sam Brown, and the Wolves Chink Stickels. Now it's our turn to get into the fun! It looks like a response, but it's actually a deal that has been in the works for a long time, as the Cougars finally landed a pitcher they've been chasing since his 1934 debut; Art White.

The Kings ace will be on his way to Chicago in exchange for four pitching prospects, giving the Cougars one of the games most reliable pitchers. The 31-year-old lefty was a 3rd Round Pick back in 1932, and a source close to the Cougars GM reported that it was either White or Walker Pearce who the Cougars were looking at with the 30th Pick, a mistake he would easily go back and change if he could. White went up the Kings ladder quickly, debuting in 1934 with a pair of starts and a relief appearance. He got just under 60 innings in Brooklyn the next season before entering the rotation full time in 1936. Since then he's topped 170 innings in each year, with his 97 ERA+ in 1937 is only below average performance. From 1939-1942 he threw 200 or more innings, and while last year was the best of his career, it did end early with shoulder inflammation. White went 15-10 with a 2.00 ERA (165 ERA+), 1.17 WHIP, 71 walks, and 56 strikeouts in 28 impressive starts for Brooklyn. He was worth 4.4 WAR, his lowest total since 1938, which was followed by three seasons of 5.5 or higher. White is also elite when it comes to keeping the ball on the ground and preventing homers, with just 48 in his big league career. He's allowed double digits just once, and it was only 10 in 224.1 innings back in 1936. For comparison, Harry Parker gave up his 48th homer before he hit 300 innings, and has allowed 136 in 1,235 innings pitched. Our park is one of the easiest to hit home runs at, but White should be able to match Dick Lyons, another groundballer with a nice 0.4 career HR/9.

This year has been more of the same for White, who despite being 5-6 owns a productive 2.70 ERA (131 ERA+) and 1.27 WHIP with 36 walks and 30 strikeouts in 116.2 innings pitched. He's not quite the complete game machine Harry Parker is, but White does a great job keeping his pitch counts low, which allows him to go deep into games without worrying too much about who has to finish it for him. He's thrown 1,762.1 big league innings and completed 100 of his 224 starts, going 109-85 with a 3.45 ERA (117 ERA+), 1.35 WHIP, 501 walks, and 488 strikeouts. He is also one of the highest rated pitchers in the game, currently ranked 6th in the FABL behind just Pete Papenfus, Rufus Barrell II, Joe Hancock, Ed Bowman, and Ed Wood, and he's been named to the All Star game three times. White brings more value then just ace-level production, as the southpaw is a captain among men, offering great leadership with impressive experience, and while the clubhouse is already ecstatic, our leadership duo needs to be strong to get the most out of the outspoken Clark Car. The addition of White plus the emergence of Johnnie Jones really helps lengthen the Cougars rotation, which is rumored to be moving to six men as the squad deals with numerous double headers. Once White joins the mix, manager Clyde Meyer declared he will use a more unconventional staff, letting all his starters pitch out of the pen as well, using his top guys late in games to preserve wins.

The package going back to the Kings is a big one, but the Cougars are comfortable making it as they have been collecting pitching prospects with recent trades and draft selections. The headliner is top 50 prospect Leo Hayden, the Cougars 3rd rated prospect and former 2nd Round selection. The imposing 6'6'' lefty was dominant after being selected in 1941, but he's currently overseas in the Air Force. Just 20, Hayden projects to end up near the top of any rotation, but he's not going to be able to help the Cougars any time soon, and will have to deal with the talented young core of pitchers in Chicago's system. It'll be hard for him to surpass Pete Papenfus, the Jones brothers, and Duke Bybee, so he's a little more expendable. Plus we have another talented 20-year-old in George Oddo, who is not only still pitching stateside, but ranked just 5 spots lower then him on the prospect ladder. The Kings pick up another talented enlisted pitcher in Harry Stewart as well, and then Oliver Allen and Pinch Lenhart who can both report to the Kings during the season. It's an expensive price to pay, but when you can get one of the top pitchers in the game, you worry about how good the guys you give up are later.

ayaghmour2 · 08-11-2022, 02:16 PM

The draft was taken care of in-game, and below are the new Cougars joining the system. Five of our post 11th Round picks are impossible to sign and I'll let them go, but I do have a lot of draftees to sign. We need to agree to contracts with all of our picks in the first five rounds, the impossible 6th Rounder Bob Rogers, and 10th Rounder Barney Gunnells. I will meet demands for everyone other then Rogers, who I'm going to have to throw a lot of money at. Just one new Cougar in the top 500, with 7th Rounder Alex Snyder checking in at 414. The regular weekly report will still come out later today.

11th Round, 173rd Overall: RHP Jack Maxwell
School: Amsterdam
1943: 6-2, 83.1 IP, 1.73 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 17 BB, 119 K
Career: 22-7, 291.2 IP, 1.85 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 67 BB, 347 K

No, we did not get a Dutch pitcher from the Netherlands; Jack Maxwell is from Amsterdam, New York. An always intriguing 11th Round pitcher, Jack Maxwell had his best of three seasons as a senior, setting personal bests for ERA, WHIP, hits, earned runs, walks, BB/9 (1.8) and K/9 (12.9) in his first season without 15 starts and 104 innings pitched. He made 12 starts and threw just 83.1 innings, but I like how his strikeouts and walks went in the right direction. Maxwell isn't your prototypical pitcher, weighing just 140 pounds despite being 5'10''. He does throw in the high 80s with a nice pitch mix, featuring a sharp curve and average cutter, but unless he improves his change up, he's probably not starting every day. He'll at least get a few starts before the better arms join the system, and while he's likely just a filler starter, he'll get a shot to prove he's a little bit more.

12th Round, 189th Overall: C Bob Bendick
School: Opelika State
1943: .270/.374/.365, 272 PA, 7 2B, 5 HR, 46 RBI, 5 SB
Career (HS): .407/.508/.548, 488 PA, 37 2B, 2 3B, 5 HR, 93 RBI, 19 SB
Career (COL): .273/.379/.390, 720 PA, 20 2B, 17 HR, 115 RBI, 10 SB

It's always fun when we get an Illinois kid to join our ranks, and that's exactly what Bob Bendick provides. The Danville native was originally a four year starter in high school, but instead of signing as a 14th Rounder with the Cannons, he decided to go to Opelika State and give it another got this year. He wasn't great, and just got selected two rounds earlier, but Bendick hit above .270 in each of his three season with 5 or more home runs. He's a patient hitter who can take a walk, but he doesn't make consistent contact yet. I'm not sold on his defense, but Tom thinks he could be a decent supplemental piece, and you can never really have too many catchers.

13th Round, 205th Overall: LHP Charlie Dominick
School: Palestine
Commit School: Northern Mississippi
1943: 11-1, 114 IP, 1.89 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 27 BB, 141 K
Career: 25-7, 324 IP, 1.78 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 90 BB, 395 K

No, I did not draft Charlie Dominick out of Palestine in the Middle East, but the one down in Texas. The southpaw was actually on my shortlist due to an excellent junior year where he went 7-2 with a 1.10 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, 14 walks, and 113 strikeouts in 90 impressive innings pitched. Unfortunately for Dominick, his senior year was closer to his very uninspiring sophomore season (2.17 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 3.7 BB/9), which is probably why he made it clear he'll be going to Northern Mississippi. I think he's got a chance to breakout there, as he's a hard worker who will use those three seasons to improve his craft. He's got some blocks to build on, as he has a great change that will continue to improve if he adds speed to his mid 80s cutter and sinker. His control looks good too, so if he can keep the ball in the park, he may develop into an intriguing option for a big league rotation.

14th Round, 221st Overall: LHP Bud Sloane
School: Eastern Kansas
1943: 3-5, 86 IP, 5.76 ERA, 1.71 WHIP, 43 BB, 50 K
Career:7-12, 199 IP, 6.15 ERA, 1.84 WHIP, 133 BB, 104 K

The numbers don't look good for Bud Sloane, who was actually worse as a sophomore. To make things worse, the 6'3'' lefty is listed as "Strictly Bullpen" despite his four pitches. Not a lot to like here, but supposedly he can throw all four of them consistently for strikes. They just must not be very good pitches... We need depth, so he'll hand around in the pen for now. He may end up getting cut, I just don't see that happening before the season ends, as I'm sure he can make the jump to San Jose, where we have a lot of older and equally uninspiring pen arms hanging out.

15th Round, 237th Overall: C Jack Lumpkin
School: Noble Jones College
1943: .273/.376/.374, 222 PA, 7 2B, 4 HR, 29 RBI, 3 SB
Career: .273/.376/.374, 222 PA, 7 2B, 4 HR, 29 RBI, 3 SB

A one year starter at Noble Jones, Jack Lumpkin looked decent behind the plate, hitting rather similar to 12th Rounder Bob Bendick. OSA thinks he can hold a backup catcher role, liking his patient approach and average contact tool. He shouldn't strike out too much, although I doubt he'll hit for a very high average, and there's not much to say about his power or defense. He'll fill a bench spot for now, but I'm not sure he'll see much playing time in his time as a Cougar farmhand.

16th Round, 253rd Overall: C Ralph Grant
School: Denmark
Commit School: Warrensburg State
1943: .398/.509/.581, 114 PA, 7 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 26 RBI, 5 SB
Career: .398/.509/.581, 114 PA, 7 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 26 RBI, 5 SB

Okay Tom, were you trying to scout internationally? A guy from Denmark! But the one in Wisconsin! Come on...

That's about all that's interesting about Hamlet, who couldn't hit over .400 in his only season of high school ball. He did walk a lot, 20 times in 22 games, but he does not put the ball in play much. He's going to head to Warrensburg State and look to build more value in a full time role, and if he can do something other then draw walks, he could find himself taken in the first 10 rounds next time around.

17th Round, 269th Overall: SS Bill Parent
School: Westinghouse
Commit School: Grange College
1943: .440/.500/.560, 110 PA, 11 2B, 25 RBI, SB
Career: .440/.500/.560, 110 PA, 11 2B, 25 RBI, SB

I'm usually big on switch hitting shortstops, but Bill Parent doesn't have much to offer. No power or speed in his single season at Westinghouse, so he's off to Grange College to prove he's big league worthy. Good eye but no contact, and I'm not sold on his defense.

18th Round, 285th Overall: RHP Ike Hoyt
School: Arkansas A&T
1943: 4-8, 114.2 IP, 5.18 ERA, 1.70 WHIP, 66 BB, 70 K
Career: 4-8, 114.2 IP, 5.18 ERA, 1.70 WHIP, 66 BB, 70 K

A teammate of Alex Snyder's at Arkansas A&T, Ike Hoyt started 17 games for the Badgers as a junior. They didn't go too well, as Hoyt had a BB/9 and ERA above 5 and allowed 10 homers in his lone season. A soft tossing righty with five pitches that aren't all that great, Hoyt is under developed for a college arm, but he at least has the potential to one day start. He nibbles too much at the plate, which leads to all the walks, and my guess the high strikeout numbers are more because he faces a lot of batters then quality stuff. He'll likely hand around our system for a few seasons eating innings in the pen, but we have far more promising pitching options with far less question marks.

19th Round, 301st Overall: 2B Walt Conner
School: Bluegrass State
1943: .259/.314/.319, 237 PA, 8 2B, 3B, HR, 31 RBI, 40 SB
Career: .292/.369/.361, 237 PA, 26 2B, 4 3B, 4 HR, 114 RBI, 111 SB

A three year starter at the prestigious Bluegrass State, a rough junior season caused Walt Conner to drop significantly on draft boards. The now 21-year-old second basemen hit over .300 as a freshman and sophomore with a near .400 OBP, but he just never got things going this season. A speedy second basemen, Conner might have the range for short, but I think he could handle the outfield well if second base doesn't work out for him. He'll steal a ton of bases and is always looking to take advantage of the defense, and if he hits one on the ground they better be on their toes. He's not set to get every day at bats yet, but depending on where I move my more exciting prospects, he could find himself getting some playing time, or at least making the occasional start when a starter is tired. His ceiling is a late game pinch runner, but if he can make harder contact, he could work his way into a lineup.

20th Round, 317th Overall: 3B Pete Jackson
School: Wyoming
1943: .402/.495/.524, 106 PA, 5 2B, 3B, HR, 21 RBI, 21 SB
Career: .402/.495/.524, 106 PA, 5 2B, 3B, HR, 21 RBI, 21 SB

No, this isn't a guy from the state of Wyoming... He went to a school called Wyoming that happens to be in Cincinnati, Ohio. As expected, that's all that's notable about Pete Jackson, who barely hit .400 in his lone season as a starting third basemen. He had just 7 extra base hits in his 21 games, and while he has some speed, you want power from your third basemen. He hits lefties good, just is terrible against righties, but like Conner before him, his speed could allow him to hang around.

21st Round, 333rd Overall: RHP Don McCabe
School: Newport
Commit School: Shenandoah Valley State
1943: 8-4, 111.1 IP, 2.59 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 46 BB, 124 K
Career: 27-11, 391 IP, 2.39 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 148 BB, 431 K

High school didn't go too well for Don McCabe, who started 55 of his 63 appearances at Newport while managing an ERA below 2 in just one of his four seasons. That was last year, where he was 7-3 with a 1.94 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 41 walks, and 130 strikeouts. Most of his career bests came that season, but none of those bests are all that exciting. He did start striking out a decent amount of hitters as an upper classmen, but he's not exciting enough to convince foregoing his commitment to Shenandoah Valley State. He's throwing a big harder now then he did as a senior, up to 87-89 with his fastball, but average stuff and poor command tend to not pair very well. A few more velo boosts and perhaps he'd be worth a pick, but for now he'd be lucky to be filler.

22nd Round, 349th Overall: CF Bill Thames
School: Clarkesville
Commit School: Coastal State
1943: .441/.477/.551, 132 PA, 9 2B, 2 3B, 32 RBI, 2 SB
Career: .444/.494/.590, 364 PA, 30 2B, 5 3B, 2 HR, 86 RBI, 17 SB

A switch hitting center fielder, Bill Thames is probably the best of our non-Dan Rogers impossibles, projected by Tom Weinstock and OSA to end up as a 4th outfielder. Thames isn't fast, which doesn't bode well for his defense, and the scouting reports don't mention anything about his range. He's a strong free swinger, so you'd like to think there is some power, but both of his home runs came in his sophomore season. He can play a little third base, which means he likely has a good arm, and Thames could be an interesting project to watch at Coastal State. He could end up a June pick with a productive college career, and we'll keep our eye on him before the 1946 draft.

23rd Round, 365th Overall: CF Jim Moyer
School: Shreveport
1943: .408/.450/.525, 129 PA, 9 2B, 3B, HR, 31 RBI, 34 SB
Career: .410/.474/.530, 389 PA, 25 2B, 3 3B, 3 HR, 83 RBI, 83 SB

One of the youngest players in the class, Jim Moyer turns 18 on July 3rd. He's also one of the smallest, just 5'7'' and 135 pounds soaking wet, so there may be a lot of room for growth. A speedy switch hitter, Moyer is a defensive marvel, playing plus defense with a plus arm and he could likely patrol center in the big leagues now if absolutely necessary. Sure, he can barely handle batting practice pitching, but we'll never have to worry about his glove! He's a useful depth piece with room to grow, and he might survive 10 or so seasons as a defensive specialist in our organization. Just don't expect big league at bats...

24th Round, 381st Overall: 2B Billy Mills
School: Portsmouth
1943: .424/.476/.598, 105 PA, 11 2B, 3B, HR, 24 RBI, 19 SB
Career: .432/.500/.641, 227 PA, 22 2B, 6 3B, 2 HR, 52 RBI, 32 SB

Billy Mills didn't start until he was an upperclassman, but he didn't quite do enough to warrant a higher pick. He can play both middle infield spots and he has good speed, but he lacks power and won't walk too much either. We don't have too many guys capable of playing shortstop in the lower minors, so Mills will be a relatively useful bench piece, at least for this season.

25th Round, 397th Overall: 3B Paul Reinhardt
School: Far Rockaway
1943: .411/.448/.509, 128 PA, 7 2B, 2 3B, 24 RBI, 10 SB
Career: .408/.474/.505, 387 PA, 26 2B, 3 3B, 75 RBI, 25 SB

Rounding out a class that had a ton of prep players, Paul Reinhardt is officially the youngest member of the Cougar organization, turning 18 just one week after 1st Rounder Tommy Seymour. While Seymour is one of the more promising prospects, Reinhardt might also be the worst, dubbed by Tom Weinstock as the guy who "fails to hustle out of the box, blunders on the basepaths, and shows a general lack of intensity" while OSA gives a more exciting description that "Reinhardt has no real future to speak of, other than providing minor league depth." That's exactly what he'll do for us, and since we don't need to cut someone yet, he can hang around for at least a week. He failed to hit .400 last year and didn't hit a home run in three seasons at Far Rockaway, two things you don't want for a bat only third basemen. There are plenty of more exciting prospects in La Crosse alone, so I'd be surprised if he cracks 10 minor league PAs before his eventual release.

With all the new catchers in our system, I made a minor trade, sending AA catcher Walter Loera to the Wolves for an 11th Round Pick. Class C rosters were expanded to 50, so I don't envision having to cut more then five guys once all are unsigned draftees join the system. Before the Art White trade our system ranked 8th, but I'd be surprised if we stick in the top 10 once all teams are able to agree to bonuses with their top prospects.

ayaghmour2 · 08-11-2022, 11:13 PM

Weekly Record: 5-3
Seasonal Record: 39-29 (3rd, 4.5 GB)
Stars of the Week
Hank Barnett : 28 AB, 10 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI, .357 AVG, 1.048 OPS
Leo Mitchell : 32 AB, 13 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .406 AVG, .879 OPS
Dick Lyons : 2 Wins, 15.2 IP, 4 BB, 4 K, 0.00 ERA

Schedule
6-21: Win vs Saints (0-8)
6-22: Loss vs Saints (6-4)
6-23: Win vs Saints (0-3)
6-24: Win vs Saints (2-5)
6-25: Loss at Stars (4-10)
6-26: Win at Stars (6-0)
6-27: Win at Stars (7-4)
6-27: Loss at Stars (1-4)

Recap
Not a bad week, as we took three of four against the Saints in Chicago, but it was a little disappointing to split the series with the Stars in New York. It's always nice when you can shutout teams three times in a week, but it would be nice to win the games when the other teams score too. With Art White joining the rotation next week, I envision of few more shutouts in our future, but we'll need to keep our deficit on the right side of five. We do have a lot of transactional issues to deal with, as we'll be without Rich Langton for over a month with a strained oblique. Team Trainer Billy Gladwin is expecting a seven week recover time before a rehab assignment, and the loss of Langton's bat will hurt, as he was slashing an impressive .293/.386/.459 (143 OPS+) with 10 doubles, 3 triples, 2 homers, 3 steals, and 24 RBIs with twice as many walks (20) as strikeouts (8). Lucky for us we have a quality replacement, as lefty Cliff Moss will just play every day instead of mostly against righties. Moss is hitting a bit worse, but still an impressive .313/.386/.408 (129 OPS+) with 5 doubles, 3 triples, and 21 RBIs.

If my slack notifications worked yesterday, his roster spot would have gone to White, but instead Oscar Panduro will get a one week chance for his big league debut. Panduro hasn't started many minor league games since 1940, which is sort of the midpoint in his career. Each stint before, he had an above average OPS+ or better, but since his high is 91 in 74 games with Milwaukee back in 1940. His value is more in his versatility, hard work, and his overall positive vibes in the clubhouse. Even if it wasn't for White joining, his roster time would be limited, as Billy Hunter is healthy and ready to begin a rehab assignment. Hunter hasn't played a game since May 3rd, and he'll get a few weeks in Milwaukee before his return to Chicago. I want to give him a lot more reps in center, as I plan to use him as a super utility guy when healthy. He can spell Clark Car against lefties at second, give Barnett or Skipper, and of course, take time away from our very uninspiring center field duo of Don Homer and Orlin Yates. Bunny Hufford will temporary shift over to a corner while Hunter gets most of the time in the center of the outfield. He wasn't bad out in center in Chicago, so I'm hoping by time he finishes his rehab he can offer plus defense at multiple positions.

Dick Lyons continues to defy all odds an pitch at an elite level. This week was no exception, as he tossed a pair of scoreless outings. He got a no decision on his 43rd birthday, but as a 43-year-old he's only allowed a single run. He won both of his starts this week, tossing 8 and 7.2 shutout innings against the Saints and Stars. He allowed just 9 hits and 4 walks with 4 strikeouts to improve to 5-3 with a miniscule 2.00 ERA (171 ERA+) and 0.98 WHIP in 94.1 innings pitched. There are only three pitchers in all of baseball with a lower ERA or ERA+, his WHIP is a tenth higher then league leader Rufus Barrell, and his 1.1 BB/9 is 0.3 points better then any qualified FABL hurler. Lyons has shown how beneficial it is to throw slowly, but accurately, as the lefty has never even grazed the 90s while throwing over 3,600 big league innings with no ailment more serious then a cold. Lyons is somehow on a remarkable 5 WAR pace and somehow now ranked the 12th best pitcher in the FABL. He won't win a second Allen Award, I'm sure that'll go to Barrell, but if he finishes his season with anywhere near these ERA and WHIP numbers, I am 100% giving him my first place vote.

We did have an actual shutout this week, coming from a pitcher who really need a good outing. Jim Lonardo was brilliant, tossing a 4-hit, 2-strikeout shutout against the Saints. His start against the Stars wasn't as good, picking up a loss with 8 innings, 10 hits, and 3 walks, but Lonardo managed to bring his ERA+ back above 100. At 39 he is starting to lose some of what made him great, but I'm hoping Dick Lyons can share some of his patented anti-aging formula to get a little more out of the veteran righty. On the opposite end of the age spectrum, rookie Johnnie Jones continues to stay hot, and while he didn't toss a third straight shutout, he allowed just 9 hits, 2 runs, and 3 walks with 5 strikeouts to improve to an impressive 8-2. Harry Parker didn't stay hot, getting a loss and a win, with 21 hits, 10 runs (9 earned), 3 walks, and 6 strikeouts in an 8 inning loss and 9 inning win. Joe Brown was hit very hard, charged with 13 hits, 9 runs, and 2 walks with a strikeout in just 6.1 innings pitched. All four pen members got innings, combining to go 5 innings with 5 hits, a run, and 4 strikeouts. The pitching continues to keep us into games, and it's only going to get better with a true ace. Sure, Harry Parker is as reliable as it gets, but since Peter the Heater enlisted we haven't had a truly elite arm to carry the rest of the staff.

The offense was a little inconsistent, but we got big weeks from a few guys who hit a little bit of a rough patch. Hank Barnett might have been pressing a bit to get his 2,000th hit, and he finally showcased some of the power we all know he has, going 10-for-28 with a double, 2 homers, 5 runs, 5 walks, and 6 RBIs. Clark Car defrosted as well, 9-for-26 with 2 homers, 3 RBIs, 3 walks, and 7 runs scored. Dick Walker showed some pop too, 8-for-31 with a double, 2 homers, 5 walks, 5 RBIs, 7 runs, and a steal. Potential batting title winner Leo Mitchell cut the deficit on Adam Mullins, going 13-for-32 with a double, 4 runs, and 4 RBIs. Skipper went 10-for-32 with 2 doubles, a triple, 3 runs, and 4 RBIs. Orlin Yates had an "elite" week by his standards, 5-for-18 with an RBI and 4 walks. Sure, two of the walks were intentional, but him getting on base period is a huge win. Of course, it can't all be good, as he's dealing with back tightness now, leaving a few starts this week to Don Homer. Losing Rich Langton will hurt a bit as he has been one of our more reliable hitters, and with all the double headers, an extra bat can really help..

Looking Ahead
We get two off days before our next series, three in Chicago with the Foresters. Cleveland has a 3.5 game lead on the second pick of the draft, just 22-42 and nearly 20 games behind the first place Cannons. As Cleveland watches Brooklyn tear down (they traded Harry Barrell now too!), they might want to get on the fun, potentially shopping breakout 27-year-old Cal Howe. On a team with very little bright spots, Howe has shone through, slashing .335/.388/.494 (142 OPS+) with 27 doubles, 5 triples, a homer, 8 steals, and 19 RBIs with a great 23-to-8 walk-to-strikeout ratio. He's scored 41 runs while starting all 64 games for the Foresters in the leadoff spot. Behind him, there's not much marketable, but they could get something from veteran catcher Mickey Patterson (.347, 1, 16), slugger Dan Fowler (.225, 4, 17), the disciplined Bob Mullins (.292, 1, 22, 1), "ace" Ben Turner (7-6, 4.13, 32), and stopper Don Attaway (4-2, 3, 1.26, 8). None of these guys would bring back a top prospect, but they could add a few young guys who deserve a shot at the big leagues. These are must win games, but I know we'll find away to mess up this series...

Our next series is far tougher, and it would be nice to have had White for this. That would be three games in two days with the Wolves on the weekend. Toronto is two games above us and two and a half behind the Cannons, with a strong 40-26 record on the season. We'll get to see Chink Stickels (.186, 1, 18, 3) for the first time as a Wolf, pushing Juan Pomales (.295, 1, 23, 8; 2-3, 4.74, 9) to a corner. Their lineup needs a boost, as they haven't gotten much production from guys who aren't Walt Pack (.271, 9, 33) and Mike Rollinson (.310, 2, 27, 2), so a likely rebound from Chink will be a huge boost. The pitching has been solid, getting ace level production from Joe Hancock (8-4, 2.69, 47) and Bernie Johnson (7-2, 2.30, 17). An interesting new member of the rotation is Jimmy Gibbs, who has looked good in split time between the rotation and the pen. The 27-year-old rookie has done well, 6-2 with a 2.98 ERA (119 ERA+), 1.38 WHIP, 24 walks, and 18 strikeouts in 57.1 innings pitched. Considering we've won just one game against them so far, I expect a lot of pain and suffering, and with Cincy right around the corner, a series lost here would be tough for our momentum.

Minor League Report
CF Don Lee (A Lincoln Legislators): It was a huge week for the former 2nd Rounder, as Don Lee took home his third minor league Player of the Week. The 21-year-old center fielder went 13-for-29 with 2 homers and 8 RBIs. Lee has been one of the most impressive hitters in our system, recording an OPS+ of 130 or higher in every one of his minor league stints, and each one has been 150 PAs or higher. He's taken things to another level this season for the Legislators, hitting an elite .330/.452/.569 (157 OPS+) with 14 doubles, a triple, 12 homers, 22 steals, and 42 RBIs with twice the walks (48) then strike outs (20) while worth a whopping 3.1 WAR in just 57 games. Lee has developed into a team leader as well, as his value comes both on and off the field. The on field stuff is exciting, as he has an excellent eye, elite bat speed and barrel control, and top notch speed. Sometimes he shows a ton of power, other times he doesn't, as he had just a single homer in San Jose and Lincoln last year, but had 20 in 1941 and is on track for almost 30 this year. His defense isn't great, but he's been average out in center the past two seasons as he's started to get comfortable out on the grass. Lee has shown great improvement since we drafted him, and he now ranks 6th in our system and 91st in the league. I'm ready to push him up a level, as Lee will man center up in Mobile. This will be the first big test, but I'm confident he'll be more then up to the task. It will be interesting to see if he can debut before Carlos Montes returns from WAR, but even if he doesn't, we'll have an interesting situation out in center.

ayaghmour2 · 08-12-2022, 11:59 PM

Weekly Record: 6-0
Seasonal Record: 45-29 (2nd, 3.5 GB)
Stars of the Week
Joe Brown : 2 Wins, 18.0 IP, 0 BB, 6 K, 0.50 ERA
Hank Barnett : 23 AB, 8 H, 1 HR, 6 RBI, .348 AVG, 1.000 OPS
Clark Car : 21 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .429 AVG, .931 OPS

Schedule
6-30: Win vs Foresters (1-4)
7-1: Win vs Foresters (1-3)
7-2: Win vs Foresters (3-6)
7-3: Win vs Wolves (3-6)
7-4: Win vs Wolves (1-5)
7-4: Win vs Wolves (0-7)

Recap
Usually a 6-0 week is all smiles and rainbows, but it couldn't be further from the truth this week. Sweeping the Foresters was expected, and yes, sweeping the Wolves, who we just couldn't beat earlier in the season, was a pleasant surprise, but we only gained a single game on the Cannons. That's not even the worst part; just take a look at the injury report. Harry Parker is out for the season...

And to make matters worse, it happened with two outs in the 9th...

Before this season, the durable righty had never missed more then four days, let a lone a start, in his entire professional career. We all know he was dealing with a sore shoulder that cost him three weeks, but this time it's not the shoulder; it's the elbow. The 28-year-old Parker will miss the rest of the season, and potentially some of next season, with a torn flexor tendon in his elbow. This is a huge setback for us, as right when we were able to bolster our rotation with a top 5 pitcher, we lose our ace. From 1939-1942, Parker made 30 or more starts, 230 or more innings, and with an ERA+ above 100, and before this he could have still reached the ERA+ and maybe one of the innings or starts. In 12 starts he is 6-3 with a 2.89 ERA (118 ERA+), 1.14 WHIP, 18 walks, and 41 strikeouts in just over 100 innings pitched. For his career, Parker is 83-52 with a 3.48 ERA (111 ERA+), 1.20 WHIP, 270 walks, and 543 strikeouts in 1,243.2 reliable innings pitched. Lucky for us, one of the only better players to replace Parker with is Art White, but it would have been nice to have them both...

Joe Brown did his best to make up for the loss of Harry Parker, doing the almost unthinkable and winning Player of the Week as a pitcher! Brown's first start was a complete game win against the Foresters, allowing just 3 hits and a run with 5 strikeouts. He then did a bit better against the Stars, tossing a 99 pitch shutout with just 4 hits and a strikeout. It's been an up and down season for Brown, but he's now up to 9-5 with a 3.19 ERA (107 ERA+), 1.18 WHIP, 36 walks, and 52 strikeouts. Dick Lyons' resurgence has taken a little pressure off him, but we'll need more big weeks like this from the 29-year-old vet. Lyons did well too, going 7 innings with 8 hits, 3 runs, and a walk. Of course, in a 6-0 week, all the pitchers did well, as both Johnnie Jones and Jim Lonardo tossed 1-run complete game wins. Lonardo allowed 6 hits, a run, and a walk with a strikeout to improve to 7-6 on the season.

Johnnie Jones not only allowed just 2 hits, a run, 6 walks, and 4 strikeouts in his first start of July as a way to celebrate his award winning month. Jones was a perfect 5-0 in June with a 1.40 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 27 walks, and 19 strikeouts. Jones hasn't allowed more then 3 runs since May 16th, as he's now won 8 consecutive starts with 7 of them complete games. He has yet to allow a home run in 94.1 innings pitched, working to a 2.58 ERA (132 ERA+) and 1.21 WHIP with 50 walks and 45 strikeouts. Last year it was Donnie who broke out for us, and now it's the Patron Saint of Groundballs. The recently turned 25-year-old is still walking nearly 4.8 per 9, but he's allowed just 64 hits and our double play duo of Clark Car and Skipper Schneider can erase even the quickest of base runners. His emergence has been huge for us, as in a normal year he'd be either in the minors or pen, but with the war out east he's secured and fully taken advantage of his rotation spot.

Pretty much everyone hit this week except the two who have been struggling, Harry Mead and Orlin Yates. Mead was just 3-for-14 with a double and 2 RBIs while Yates was 3-for-18 with 2 doubles, 2 runs, and 3 RBIs. Every other hitter with 5 or more at bats had a weekly OPS+ of 140 or higher. That doesn't include Oscar Panduro, who singled in what would have been his only big league at bat had Parker got injured, and Eddie Curtis, who was 2-for-4 with a double and run scored. It does, however, include Mike Taylor who was 2-for-5 with a run, RBI, and 3 walks. Our former Chiefs followed up great last weeks with ones this week too. Cliff Moss took advantage of no Rich Langton, going 6-for-17 with a double, homer, 4 RBIs, 5 runs, and 6 walks. Hank Barnett added another homer, going 8-for-23 with 2 doubles, a triple, 5 runs, and 6 RBIs. Clark Car got back on track, 9-for-21 with a double, walk, steal, 3 runs, and 3 RBIs. Leo Mitchell now owns the batting title by a hundredth of a point, 8-for-22 with 3 doubles, 2 walks, 5 runs, and 5 RBIs. Dick Walker went 8-for-23 with 2 doubles, 2 RBIs, 3 walks, and 6 runs scored. Our offense was extremely impressive and I hope we can keep it up as or homestand continues.

Most of our draft picks have signed, with the only two left are our first two picks Tommy Seymour and Al Clement. Despite our 1st and 2nd Rounders not signing, we've added four top 200 prospects with 4th Rounder Jimmy Hairston (86th), 5th Rounder Johnny Weaver (124th), 6th Rounder Bob Rogers (167th), and 5th Rounder Lefty Jones (200th). Bob Rogers got a mega bonus to forego his commitment, getting a whopping $40,830. Why did I give him that much? Well, he wanted $28k, and just to be safe, I decided to give him the amount that the rest of our draftees combined would receive. Our other three draftees checked in the top 500, with regional pick Dick Garcia checking in at 267, 4th Rounder Bill Holloway at 304, and 10th Rounder Barney Gunnels at 407. 7th Rounder Alex Snyder already signed (and got a minor injury), but jumped up to 332. I can't imagine Seymour and Clement not checking in the top 500, so unless Gunnels falls nearly 100 points, all our signed draftees will crack the top 500.

Looking Ahead
I expect our winning streak to end right away, as we have four games with the Cannons in three days right after a double header. To make matters worse, we're force to use Angel Lopez in the double header, as we only have one rested starter. The Cannons are the best team in the CA record wise, 47-24 and 3.5 games above us. They added Chris Clarke (6-8, 3.33, 34) to an already stacked rotation. Rufus Barrell (10-3, 1.50, 76) continues to be elite against teams that aren't us, and Butch Smith (9-4, 1.91, 45) looks like the old Butch Smith. He's got a finger blister, so we may get to avoid him, but it's not like Vic Carroll (6-3, 2.32, 39) and Jim Anderson (7-3, 1, 2.12, 41) are any easier to hit off. We'll also get our first look at 32-year-old right fielder Sam Brown (.324, 3, 42, 3), a former Eagle who I've tried acquiring multiple times. Brown is a nice addition to an already strong Cannons lineup, owning a reliable .314/.357/.441 (115 OPS+) career line with 267 doubles, 105 homers, and 711 RBIs in 1,285 FABL games. He'll join Fred Galloway (.277, 2, 21, 2), Chuck Adams (.265, 9, 41), Adam Mullins (.350, 2, 28), Jim Hensley (.247, 4, 37), and fellow newcomer Billy Dalton (.317, 9, 56, 2). This series pits the #1 offense and #2 pitching staff with the #2 offense and #1 pitching staff, which should, and it should be must watch TV for FABL fans across the country.

It doesn't get easier, as we'll have to deal with five games in four days with the Sailors before the much needed All Star break. The Sailors are 39-35 and 9.5 games out, putting themselves in an interesting position. They are probably a bit too far out without making drastic adds to compete, but above .500 they're probably too good to tear down. They do have a few interesting pieces I know I would be interested in, including outfielders Harvey Brown (.305, 1, 34, 6) and Joseph Mills (.328, 3, 29), and pitchers Paul Richardson (3-4, 2.33, 35), Doc Newell (9-5, 2.75, 46), and Karl Wallace (6-7, 3.53, 43). There are plenty of other talented players beyond that bunch, including catcher Woody Stone (.295, 1, 30), first basemen Marion Boismenu (.324, 3, 26, 4), and second basemen Bob Smith (.291, 21, 4). We're finally starting to win at home, back to 24-16, and if we can keep our momentum through the Cannons series, the Sailors should be a much easier task.

Minor League Report
LF Bill Rich (AA Mobile Commodores): Fresh off a Player of the Week award, Bill Rich took home Dixie League Batter of the Month. Rich hits most months, but he took it to another level in June, slashing .316/.365/.553 (141 OPS+) with 7 doubles, a triple, 6 homers, and 25 RBIs. The 24-year-old is hitting an impressive .314/.367/.481 (124 OPS+) on the season with 15 doubles, 9 homers, and 40 RBIs through 63 games down in AA. I'm giving him some time in right too to increase his versatility, as with Don Lee now in center, only the corners are options. I'm hoping Rich can at least be passable in both corners and he's starting to remind me a lot of Rich Langton. Since Rich will be eligible for the Rule-5 Draft offseason, he does has a chance to make a big league debut, and it's hard for me to imagine he finishes his season in Mobile. He's getting closer and closer to being ready for big league pitching, and Rich should be one of those guys who outperforms his prospect rankings.

RHP Jack Huston (AA Mobile Commodores): We've done a good job sweeping awards this season, and we did it again in AA. 1941 5th Rounder Jack Huston took home the pitcher side, going 6-1 with a 2.81 ERA (162 ERA+), 1.06 WHIP, 22 walks, and 7 strikeouts in 57.2 innings pitched. He was 5-2 in May, so now an impressive 11-3 in 15 starts. He's tossed 120.2 innings, consistently going all nine, with an impressive 3.73 ERA (122 ERA+) and 1.30 WHIP with 46 walks and 54 strikeouts in a very high scoring environment. Huston isn't one of our highest ranked prospects, #31 in the system and #315th overall, but he was really good at Class A and B last season and has rode that into an impressive season this year. He'll be 24 in August, so he's on the older side for his draft class, but we won't have to worry about protecting him in the Rule-5 Draft. This likely means he'll only go up to AAA in an emergency, as I have Bill Tuttle who's on the 40, Ed Fisler who will need protecting, and Bill Chapman who despite being 19 Tom Weinstock thinks should be in Chicago. Huston's pitches need more work then that trio, as while his sidearmed slider is borderline elite, the fastball and curve aren't anything special. They should be at least average offerings, and if he can sit comfortably in the 90s his fastball should be a plus pitch. Unless he can hit the strike zone more frequently, he's likely just a spot starter, but his stamina and durability are huge pluses. He's topped 150 pitches three times, and the only times he didn't go all nine were his three losses where he allowed 6 runs once and 7 twice. With a few talent boosts he could become the next Harry Parker, but he's more likely a Vince DaCosta, and in both instances, without the home run problems.

CF Don Lee (AA Mobile Commodores): Can anything stop Don Lee? It took just one week in AA for him to win Player of the Week, slashing .480/.581/.720 (243 OPS+) with 2 doubles, 2 triples, 5 runs, 6 walks, and 7 RBIs in 31 trips to the plate. The more he plays, the more I love him, and I can't thank Tom Weinstock enough for convincing me that he should be our 2nd Round selection in the 1940 Draft. I can't quite remember exactly who I wanted over him (I have a suspicion it was regional pick Bill Rich), but unless it was Hal Hackney (who I had above Rich for my regional pick and is a top 20 prospect) I'm pretty sure the right decision was made. Sure, there were better prospects who didn't get drafted in the first three rounds, including the current #6 prospect in baseball. Wait, #6! Isn't that Duke Bybee! Guess everything worked out! Thanks Tom! In all seriousness, I might have to stop highlighting Lee all together as he just rakes 24/7 and there's really no need to update that. His leadership is huge, he's getting better in the outfield, and his speed can be game changing. Sure, he could flame out once he reaches the big leagues, but there has been nothing able to slow down the 21-year-old meteoric rise up our system.

RHP Charlie Kelsey (B San Jose Cougars): It's always weird when a reliever wins a monthly award, but Charlie Kelsey did make 14 appearances and toss 29.1 innings, almost equivalent to 5 six inning starts. The numbers were pretty good too, as he saved 7 games and went 3-1 with a 1.23 ERA (327 ERA+) and 0.85 WHIP. He struck out (17) far more hitters then he walked (4), and the 21-year-old righty has been a huge reason the Cougars are in first place in the C-O-W League. A strictly bullpen arm, the former 9th Rounder is having another great season in San Jose, going 6-3 with 12 saves, a 2.98 ERA (135 ERA+), 1.11 WHIP, 18 walks, and 47 strikeouts in 63.1 innings pitched. He's not a hard thrower, but he has three pitches, the best a high 80s sinker that a lot of hitters tend to roll over. That is harder then last year, as his velocity has gone from 85-87 to 87-89 since the end of last year. His overall stuff isn't great, he's really just a sinker only guy, but in the pen that can work. His fastball is decent too, but you'll almost never see him throw the change. You don't really "need" bullpen prospects, but guys like Kelsey are really helpful in the minors, and there is a reason Ben Curtin has thrown nearly 800 big league innings. Some guys can get outs for a few innings at a time, pitching most days, but just can't put it all together. He could probably pitch in AA if needed, but I expect Kelsey to finish out the season in San Jose before beginning next season up in Lincoln.

ayaghmour2 · 08-15-2022, 06:55 PM

Weekly Record: 8-1
Seasonal Record: 53-30 (1st, 1 GA)
Stars of the Week
Skipper Schneider : 32 AB, 11 H, 1 HR, 6 RBI, .344 AVG, .994 OPS
Art White : 2 Wins, 18.0 IP, 1 BB, 5 K, 0.50 ERA
Clark Car : 32 AB, 11 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .344 AVG, .938 OPS

Schedule
7-5: Win vs Cannons (1-5)
7-5: Win vs Cannons (1-2)
7-6: Win vs Cannons (0-1)
7-7: Win vs Cannons (1-7)
7-8: Win vs Sailors (1-4)
7-9: Win vs Sailors (2-4): 11 innings
7-10: Win vs Sailors (2-5)
7-11: Win vs Sailors (1-8)
7-11: Win vs Sailors (5-4)

Recap
First place babyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What a week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not only did we just roll off 14(!) consecutive wins, but 11 of the 14 came against teams above .500! After finishing last week with a three game sweep against the Wolves, we took out the Cannons in a four game sweep. We allowed just 3 runs against the then second highest scoring offense in the CA and outscored them by 14. We then won the first four against the Sailors before they took the final game before the break. Of our 8(!) wins this week, we allowed two or fewer runs, and the only game we lost was by a single run. After just mediocre performances at home, we're now 32-17 in Chicago, winning 19 of our last 21 games at Cougars Park. As usual, we suck in one run games (11-13), so we're slightly underperforming our 56-27 expected record, and while I did expect us to lead the league at the break when the season started, if you told me a month in we'd be leading I wouldn't believe it. But here we are, right before the All Star game, and one game ahead of the Cannons and 2.5 games above the Wolves. The three of us all have a better record then the Fed's first place Chiefs (48-32) and I am very excited for what should be an awesome pennant race.

Speaking of the Al-Star game, the entire Continental Association infield will consist of Chicago Cougars! The dirt will comprise of Dick Walker (4th), Clark Car (2nd), Hank Barnett (6th), and Skipper Schneider (3rd); easily the best infield in baseball. The four have been worth 14.4 WAR, which is more then the entire position player groups for every team except the Minutemen, Chiefs, and Cannons. They've all hit extremely well, and just Hank Barnett has been below average in the field. Walker is having his best season as a Cougar, slashing .280/.395/.441 (142 OPS+) with 15 doubles, 7 triples, 7 homers, 16 steals, and 36 RBIs. Car has hit .285/.336/.442 (124 OPS+) with 14 doubles, 3 triples, 7 homers, 30 RBIs, 10 steals with an elite 1.159 efficiency at second. Skipper's is a slightly lower 1.135 at short with a .303/.350/.407 (119 OPS+) line with 14 doubles, 4 triples, 3 homers, 3 steals, and 43 RBIs. Lastly, Barnett hit .305/.397/.425 (138 OPS+) with 11 doubles, a triple, 8 homers, and 49 RBIs. They weren't are only All Stars, as they will join Dick Lyons (7-4, 2.12, 18), Johnnie Jones (11-2, 2.32, 51), Cliff Moss (.307, 5, 29), and Leo Mitchell (.307, 5, 29). Our 8 All Stars were most in the game, and as far as I know, most we've had since the game began.

Of course, we had a big week pitching and hitting, but none bigger then the newest Cougar Art White. Our new ace had about as good of a debut as you could ask for, tossing a 6-hit shutout in a 1-0 squeaker over the then first place Cannons. He then bested the Sailors with more run support, just one run off 8 hits, a walk, and 2 strikeouts in our 8-1 win. With no Harry Parker a lot, of weight will fall on White's left arm, and if these are the starts we're going to get, it is well worth the four pitcher package to get him. Our surprise All Star Johnnie Jones had a pair of elite starts, including what should have been a shutout if it weren't for a Car error. Jones' only run was unearned, going all nine as always with 4 hits, 4 walks, and 2 strikeouts. He then made it 10 consecutive complete game wins after besting the Sailors, charged with 7 hits, 2 runs, and 2 walks with 4 strikeouts to improve to 11-2 with a 2.32 ERA (148 ERA+). He's allowed 3 or less runs in each of those 10 games after allowing 16 runs in his first three starts. That accounts for more then half of his 29 earned runs on the season. Papenfus broke out in '41, Donnie Jones in '42, and Now Johnnie Jones in '43. I hope Johnnie can break the trend, because I'm not sure I can take another elite pitcher leaving us for the service...

His All Star counterpart Dick Lyons didn't dominate quite like he did, as the 43-year-old did lose the only game of the week. He allowed 10 hits and 5 runs (2 earned) with 2 strikeouts in 7.1 innings pitched. Sure, a Dick Walker error made the difference in a 5-4 loss, but during a 14 game win streak you pick up far more luck then you get hit by. He did get a win against the Cannons, allowing a single run with 6 hits and a walk in 6 innings on short rest. Lyons has been stretched out to end the break, having to pitch on the 3rd, 7th, and 11th with all the double headers. He still managed to throw 20.1 innings with 24 hits and 9 runs (6 earned) allowed. Lyons' 2.12 ERA (162 ERA+) is third in the CA and he's allowed just one homer in 114.2 innings pitched. Fellow vet and 1938 Allen Winner Jim Lonardo also defied age this week, pitching all 11 in our extra inning win over the Sailors. He allowed just 4 hits, a walk, and 2 runs, with just one of his 33 outs coming from a Sailor being set down on strikes.

Joe Brown couldn't go as deep, getting all but one out after 127 pitches in a 4-1 win. He allowed 7 hits, a run, and a walk with 2 strikeouts to improve to 10-5. Brown has been inconsistent, as four of his five starts saw him allow just 1 or 0 earned runs. Of course, the other he allowed 9, and 13 of his 21 hits in those five starts came in this loss. The biggest shock of the week was the surprise dominance from Angel Lopez, allowing 3 hits and 3 walks in 7.1 innings with an impressive 7 strikeouts against a tough Cannons team. Our Rule-5 pitcher has looked good in his 2 starts and 9 relief outings, allowing 23 hits, 5 runs, and 11 walks with 10 strikeouts in his first 26.2 big league innings. We didn't need then pen much, with Cal Knight, Pug Bryan, and Ben Curtin combining for just 6.2 innings pitched. The only run was an unearned run when Knight was on the mound, and the trio combined to allow just 4 hits and 5 walks with a pair of punch outs. Can't complain about anything this week, and the three days of rest should work wonders for the staff. Our hurlers rank top four in each pitching category, but we don't rank above the Cannons in any stat but walks (we're third), and they're tied for 4th with us in homers allowed.

Just Orlin Yates and Harry Mead had below average weeks at the plate, but that's how it's gone most of the time. Yates went just 5-for-25, but with a homer, 3 walks, 3 runs, and 2 RBIs. Mead was just 6-for-23 with 2 doubles, 2 runs, and 3 RBIs. Mead's first half has been a huge surprise, as last year's All Star is hitting just .219/.272/.321 (71 OPS+) with 12 doubles, 3 triples, 2 homers, and 41 RBIs. Mead has already struck out 16 times, and seems likely to pass his previous career high of 22. This is all much different then his breakout last year, where he hit .287/.352/.456 (139 OPS+) with 30 doubles, 16 homers, and 81 RBIs with nearly five times as many walks (47) as strikeouts (10). What keeps Mead in the lineup every day is his defense, as he's one of the best defensive catchers in terms of arm strength and catching ability. Our pitchers love throwing to him and he handles the staff well and I know he'll eventually start hitting again.

All six of our All Stars hit average or better on the week, with Dick Walker leading the way. He started all nine games, going 9-for-32 with 5 doubles, a triple, homer, 2 steals, 7 RBIs, 8 walks, and 10 runs scored. Skipper's bat started to heat up, going 11-for-32 with 3 doubles, a triple, a homer, steal, 3 runs, and 6 RBIs. Our 22-year-old star has already been selected to three All Star games and his 5.2 WAR is good for a 9.6 pace. Double play partner Clark Car tried to match the weekly production, 11-for-32 with 3 doubles, a triple, homer, 2 steals, 3 runs, and 4 RBIs. Car has been worth exactly 4 WAR, almost a full point higher then his previous career high. Leo Mitchell maintained his batting title lead, entering the break with a 12-for-34 week. Mitchell is hitting .351/.386/.429 (145 OPS+) through 82 games with 11 doubles, 5 homers, 48 RBIs, and just 45 strikeouts. Jim Watson of the Chiefs is hitting five points higher, but Mitchell has a nearly 20 point lead in the CA over Adam Mullins. The former Chiefs were both just average on the week, but Hank Barnett and Cliff Moss have arguably been our best players. Barnett went just 6-for-29, but with a double, homer, 6 runs, 6 RBIs, and 7 walks. Our blockbuster offseason pickup hit .305/.397/.425 (138 OPS+) with 11 doubles, 8 homers, and 45 RBIs and he's started all 83 games this year at third. Cliff Moss went 7-for-28 with a double, homer, and 4 RBIs. He hasn't started nearly as many games, but he's hit a strong .307/.386/.422 (134 OPS+) with 7 doubles, 5 homers, and 29 RBIs in 225 trips to the plate.

Even the backups produced, with both Eddie Curtis, Dan Rogers, and Mike Taylor hitting well in their starts. Curtis was 2-for-5 with 2 doubles and 2 RBIs, Rogers was 2-for-6 with a homer and 2 runs scored and driven in, and Taylor was 5-for-11 with 2 runs and RBIs. At the break, we've scored more runs then every team in the CA, and we rank 1st in all categories except WAR (2nd), extra base hits (4th), walks (t-2nd), strikeouts (6th), and baserunning (3rd). Our lineup is very deep and we've survived the enlistments of Ray Ford, John Lawson, and Carlos Montes, the injuries of Billy Hunter and Rich Langton, and the trade of Freddie Jones. Hunter will be back next week and Langton closer to roster expansion, but I still might try to pick up a center fielder for us.

Last thing before the break was our final two draftees signing, but I'm shocked neither ranked in the top 100. 1st Rounder Tommy Seymour ranks 14th in our system and 182nd in the league with 2nd Rounder Al Clement ranked lower at 18 and 203 respectively. All draftees we gave a bonus to currently rank in the leagues top 500, giving a nice breath of light to a system that has seen a lot of players either graduate or traded. Jimmy Hairston (6th, 94th) is the highest listed, followed by Johnny Weaver (8th, 136th), Seymour, Bob Rogers (15th, 190th), Clement, Lefty Jones (19th, 218th), Dick Garcia (23rd, 248th), Bill Holloway (30th, 317th), and Barney Gunnels (41st, 436th). A few draftees on other teams still need to sign, but our system ranks 9th with 6 top 100 Prospects, 23 top 250 prospects, and 46 top 500 prospects. Our system tends to be deep and have at least one top 10 pitchers, but behind Duke Bybee and Otto Christian, there is a lack of star power in the farm, and both of those youngsters are off at war.

Looking Ahead
After our three game break, we'll get to face the Kings in Brooklyn for four. Brooklyn had a pair of first time All Stars, both who seemed like they'd get more then that when they first debuted. One was well deserved, going to former Cougar ace and current King ace Jim Crawford. The 37-year-old never quite panned out, but he's been elite this season despite just four above average ERA+ seasons since he debuted in 1930. This season has been what I once thought Crawford could do, going 9-8 with a 2.51 ERA (141 ERA+), 1.31 WHIP, 33 walks, and 19 strikeouts in 18 impressive starts. With the Kings at 37-43 and 14.5 games out of first, he could be the next King move, as not only did they send Art White to us, but Al Wheeler (.232, 25, 77) and Bob Cummings (2-9, 4.29, 29) are now Chiefs and Harry Barrell (.287, 0, 32, 6) laces up for the Minutemen. Crawford would be an enticing trade candidate that can add prospects to an already deep Kings system. Their other All Star was former 1st Overall Pick Curly Jones. It sucks the game assigns reliever All Stars in this era, but Jones' 55 innings have gone well. He's got a 2.13 ERA (167 ERA+) and 1.24 WHIP with 26 walks and 22 strikeouts. He's re-found himself as a reliever, but it's not the pitcher most expected he'd turn into.

Looking at the series we'll get a look at a familiar face for the first time: Mel Haynes. The 21-year-old was our 1st Round selection in 1940, but I sent him to the Chiefs in the Hank Barnett deal. He was then part of the package for Al Wheeler and Bob Cummings, and he's now made two starts for the Kings. Haynes has a win and no decision, going 15.1 innings with 9 hits, 5 runs, 9 walks, and 7 strikeouts. He's one of many new faces on the Kings, along with former Sailor Merritt Thomas (1-2, 2.36, 5), minor league journeymen Otto Deal (.174) and Hal Reynolds (.250, 5, 21, 5), and 23-year-old rookie Bill McGraw. This is a good team to start the second half with, and after beating better teams the past two weeks, we should do well here.

ayaghmour2 · 08-16-2022, 09:04 PM

Weekly Record: 2-2
Seasonal Record: 55-32 (1st, 1 GA)
Stars of the Week
Dick Lyons : 2 Wins, 8.1 IP, 1 BB, 1 K, 0.00 ERA
Skipper Schneider : 17 AB, 8 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .471 AVG, 1.088 OPS
Dick Walker : 14 AB, 4 H, 0 HR, 5 RBI, .286 AVG, 1.164 OPS

Schedule
7-15: Loss at Kings (2-4)
7-16: Win at Kings (7-3)
7-17: Loss at Kings (0-4)
7-18: Win at Kings (3-0)

Recap
2-2 against a subpar team is a little disappointing, especially when you just rolled off 11 of 12 against teams above .500, but we were on the road and 13-1 in June before the series started. We also held our one game lead over the Cannons, and the Wolves dropped to 3.5 games out, so all in all a decent enough showing. Mel Haynes did his best to show us we shouldn't have let him go (and let's be honest, I really didn't want to), tossing 8 shutout with 3 hits, 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts, with one of those two punchouts of the guy we traded for him, Hank Barnett, who didn't get his hit until Haynes left after eight. More importantly, the All Star game was last sim, but it felt more like the Cougars and Cannons vs. the Fed. Our eight All Stars were instrumental in the 7-3 win, with Dick Lyons (which is why it shows two wins) getting the win, and Johnnie Jones the final three outs. Neither were that great, with Lyons' scoreless frame seeing a walk and hit while Jones allowed 2 hits, a run, and a walk with a punchout in the ninth. The real star was Dick Walker, who went 1-for-2 with 2 walks, 2 RBIs, and a triple. Skipper was 1-for-3 with a double, walk, and 2 RBIs, although he did make an error. Walker, Skipper, and Car turned a Cougar-only double play, but Car was 0-for-3. Hank Barnett was 1-for-3, Leo Mitchell pinch ran and then later drove in a run with a single, and Cliff Moss was 0-for-1, but scored in the third. The game was filled with former Cougars, including the surprise breakout star Johnny McDowell (0-3), Sam Orr (1-4), Luis Sandoval (IP, 2 H, 3 R, ER), and Jim Crawford (2 IP, H).

Looking at the actual Cougar games, All Star Dick Lyons continues to dazzle, going 7.1 scoreless innings with 6 hits and a strikeout to lower his ERA to 1.99. Lyons and Rufus Barrell (1.77) are the only pitchers with a sub 2 ERA. The game counted his All Star win as a weekly win, so he took home his first Player of the Week! Totally undeserved, but Lyons becomes the oldest player to ever win his first FABL Player of the Week at 43 years and 33 days. He's been a pitcher of the month and year, but never the week! We got good innings from Joe Brown too, going 7.2 with 10 hits, 4 runs (1 earned), and 5 strikeouts. Jim Lonardo wasn't so good, charged with 9 hits, 4 runs, and 2 walks while recording one fewer out. Art White stayed hot, picking up his third complete game win as a Cougar. The veteran lefty did allow 12 hits and 3 runs (2 earned) with a walk and 2 strikeouts. Ben Curtin was the only other arm to throw, appearing in 3 games. He threw 2.2 innings, picked up a save, and got a walk and strikeout. No start for Johnnie Jones this week as I want to keep his innings down, but after two off days to start the week, he'll pitch one of the double header games in Cleveland on Wednesday.

The offense really struggled, but surprisingly our center field duo performed well. Orlin Yates was 3-for-7 with a walk, 2 runs, 2 steals and an RBI while Don Homer was 2-for-6 with a walk and run. Both will see playing time dwindle, as Billy Hunter is on his way back to Chicago. He hit really well in Milwaukee on rehab, slashing .346/.407/.500 (149 OPS+) with 5 doubles, 2 triples, a homer, and 16 RBIs. The one downside was he was 0-for-5 on steals. He wasn't great out in center, but he's getting used to the outfield grass and his bat should be a huge upgrade over Yates and Homer. He'll replace Oscar Panduro on the active roster, and will likely get a few games a week at second and center. He won't quite be an every day player, as that usually causes him to get hurt, but he should be an extremely useful utility man. We got a big week from Skipper, going 7-for-14 with a double, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 2 RBIs. Dick Walker was just 2-for-11 after the All Star game, but both hits were triples and he picked up three more walks. Mead, Car, Barnett, and Mitchell didn't hit much at all, but with how poor the offense performed, we were actually a bit lucky to pick up two wins.

Looking Ahead
As mentioned, we have two off days to start the week, which could have been far better served somewhere else during the season. That's followed by a three games in two days against the Foresters. Very little has gone right for Cleveland this season, as they are just 28-56 and 25.5 games behind us. The next closest team to them (Montreal) is 6.5 games clear, and with a cellar dweller you would generally expect their All Star to be a pity one. That couldn't be further from the case, as Cal Howe was the easy choice for starting right fielder in the CA. Howe just turned 28, and is hitting an impressive .317/.375/.454 (128 OPS+) with 32 doubles, 5 triples, a homer, 9 steals, and 26 RBIs. Normally this would be a very enticing trade piece, but with how bad they are elsewhere, keeping Howe on the roster could be the best move. It would be better to move a breakout 32-year-old catcher like Mickey Patterson (.336, 1, 18), slugging outfielder Dan Fowler (.243, 7, 29) who has been pretty good at the plate, or team captain Ben Turner (8-9, 4.09, 42). Howe isn't young, but him, Bill Carr (.293, 1, 32), and Bob Mullins (.280, 2, 26, 3) aren't so old that there is a great sense of urgency to move them. We should be able to score a ton of runs in Cleveland, and anything less then a sweep could be costly in what should be a very exciting three team race to the finish.

Our road trip continues with the Sailors, where we'll play four games in three days. We finish this week with a double header and get the finale on Monday up in Philly, and we'll look to extend our 10 game lead over them. The Sailors have done well this season, a respectable 45-42 and they've gotten decent production from a lot of their players. On the mound, Paul Richardson (5-5, 2.65, 39), Doc Newell (11-6, 2.53, 55), and Karl Wallace (8-8, 3.37, 51) are an effective 1-2-3, and if Ray McCarthy (2-3, 2.48, 10) can finally stay healthy, they have a really deep rotation. The lineup is more stars and scrubs, headlined by All Stars Marion Boismenu (.323, 3, 28, 4), Joseph Mills (.324, 3, 34), and Woody Stone (.291, 1, 31). Harvey Brown (.298, 1, 41, 6) and Bob Smith (.286, 22, 6) have done alright, but Jim Beard (.233, 2, 36, 2) and waiver claims Ed B. White (.262, 2, 6) and Hal Roberts (.167, 2, 10, 3) aren't starting quality players for a contender. This will be a tough series, even with us taking four of five in Chicago, as the Sailors are a tough team who do really well at home.

Minor League Report
CF Leo Davis (A Lincoln Legislators): Most players struggle a bit after a promotion, but don't tell that to Leo Davis! The 24-year-old outfielder has been red hot since a promotion to Lincoln, upping his .272/.367/.405 (119 OPS+) line at San Jose to .395/.441/.547 (150 OPS+). Davis had an outstanding week, taking home the weekly award in the Heartland League, going 13-for-30 with 2 homers, 5 RBIs, 6 runs, 2 doubles, and 2 steals. In 18 games for the Legislators, Davis has already tallied 4 doubles, 3 homers, 8 steals, and 13 RBIs, worth 1.3 WAR before recording his 100th PA. The speedy outfielder stole 19 bases in San Jose, and even hit 11 doubles and 5 homers before the promotion. He's also looked really good in center up in A ball, already up to a 4.2 zone rating with a very impressive 1.093 efficiency. His blinding speed is easily his most impressive tool, but he also makes a lot of contact and will frequently find himself sprinting to second or third when he puts the ball in play. This gives him a very high floor, as we're stuck using guys like Orlin Yates who have good speed and defensive skills despite a lack of bat. Davis looks like he'll hit much better in the big leagues, as he's done well at most stops so far. His age may work against him as he was on the older side when drafted, and he's already eligible for the Rule-5 draft. I'm not sure I want to protect him, but a strong end to the season may force my hand.

1B Norm Anderson (A Lincoln Legislators): Despite just one career start before this season, Norm Anderson has done nothing but impress. He started the season in San Jose despite just 46 at bats in C ball, and after putting up a 191 WRC+ in 28 games, he's mashing up in A ball. The 20-year-old first basemen is hitting an impressive .393/.458/.560 (157 OPS+) with 3 doubles, 3 homers, and 22 RBIs through 96 trips to the plate. An imposing 6'3'' lefty who lasted until the 22nd Round of the 1941 draft, all it seems Norm Anderson does is hit the ball hard. He doesn't have much pop and he won't wow you with the bat, but it's hard to ignore the results. It's really came out of nowhere, as his .393 average right now is just 7 points lower then his average as a senior at Enmaus. I've made the decision to force him to start at first, and since our only two other first base prospects are the outspoken 23-year-old Adolph Jacobson and 19-year-old Billy Bigger and his .248 average in La Crosse, there really is nothing standing in Anderson's way. Yes, the 36-year-old Dick Walker never gets injured and could potentially pull a Dave Trowbridge, and the 32-year-old Ray Ford is in the Air Force and will step right back into the lineup when he returns, but neither of them can pay forever. I know the chances of Anderson becoming a big league player is very low, but if you can hit like this, there's no reason to keep you on the bench.

ayaghmour2 · 08-17-2022, 07:28 PM

Weekly Record: 5-2
Seasonal Record: 60-34 (1st, 1 GA)
Stars of the Week
Hank Barnett : 27 AB, 12 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .444 AVG, 1.151 OPS
Johnnie Jones : 2 Wins, 18.0 IP, 8 BB, 12 K, 0.50 ERA
Leo Mitchell : 32 AB, 11 H, 0 HR, 5 RBI, .344 AVG, .789 OPS

Schedule
7-21: Win at Foresters (5-2)
7-21: Win at Foresters (5-1)
7-22: Win at Foresters (16-1)
7-23: Win at Foresters (4-0)
7-24: Loss at Sailors (2-8)
7-25: Loss at Sailors (3-11)
7-25: Win at Sailors (8-4)

Recap
A nice 5-2 week helps us hold our one game lead over the Cannons, but we pulled 6.5 games ahead of the struggling Wolves. The Foresters didn't give much resistance, as we swept through them in Cleveland, but we ran into some trouble in Philly. We lost the first two, but managed to stop the surging Sailors win streak at 10 in the second day of the Sunday double header. They are just two games behind the Wolves now, and they may leapfrog them if the trends continue. We did manage to outscore Cleveland 30-4, which really helped our run differential, but the Sailors had no trouble against our staff; even in the win they put up four. We're right at the deadline, and we now have a new need: a corner outfielder. The injury bug continues to bite, taking Cliff Moss yet again. This ailment will cost him five weeks as he recovers from a fractured hand, likely keeping him out until rosters expand. Moss was in the midst of one of his most productive seasons as a ball player, and easily the best as a Cougar, hitting .318/.400/.442 (143 OPS+) with 9 doubles, 6 homers, and 32 RBIs. Both of our right fielders are now out, so for this week we will see Billy Hunter try to shift over to right, splitting time there an in center with lefties Orlin Yates and Chick Browning, who will at least join the Cougars this week.

That's because we added an outfielder (after I started writing, but before I finished) in veteran slugger Dan Fowler. The 35-year-old vet helps us in two ways, as he can play center when Langton or Moss returns, and while he has never played right field before, it shouldn't be much of an issue for him. From 1932 to 1938, Fowler was one of the better hitters in the FABL, but he's started to see his production slip a bit. He is hitting alright, batting .239/.365/.365 (102 OPS+), with a much nicer 121 WRC+. Fowler is a three true outcomes type (at lest for this era), with 7 homers, 50 walks, and 25 strikeouts. He's added 9 doubles, a triple, and 31 RBIs while offering passable defense out in center. He also just recorded his 250th homer, now with 251 in 1,643 FABL games. 1,405 of them came in a Foresters uniform, the others with the Minutemen, and he's hit an impressive .268/.365/.442 (121 OPS+) with 211 doubles, 994 RBIs, and 930 walks. In return, we'll give up 1B Adolph Jacobson and RHP Joe Crosby in what is likely going to be our lone deadline acquisition.

The extra rest did Johnnie Jones well, as he stretched his complete game victory streak to 10 consecutive starts. Jones was an error away from a shutout against the Foresters, allowing just 5 hits and 4 walks with 6 strikeouts. An error then cost him three runs in his win over the Sailors, where Jones allowed 7 hits, a single earned run, and 4 walks with 6 more strikeouts. Jones is now tied with Butch Smith for the CA win lead at 13 and his 86.7 win percentage is the best in the entire FABL. Of course, Jones is no Dick Lyons, who tossed 8.1 scoreless innings with just one hit and 2 walks. After walking Cal Howe in the first, he set down 24 straight before a walk and double ended his night. We also got a great start from Joe Brown, picking up a complete game win with 7 hits, a run, walk, and 3 strikeouts. It wasn't all good, with a tough outing from Jim Lonardo. He allowed 8 hits, 6 runs, and a walk in just 3.1 innings pitched. Art White wasn't great, but errors did ruin one of his two starts. He beat the Foresters, going all nine with 10 hits, 2 runs, a walk, and a strikeout, but three errors against the Sailors sabotaged him. Only 3 of his 8 runs were earned, as White was charged with 9 hits and a walk with 2 strikeouts in 4.1 innings pitched. Pug Bryan had issues after, allowing 5 hits, 3 runs, and 3 walks with 2 strikeouts in 3.2 innings pitched. This raised his ERA above 2, as before this week, all four members had sub 2 ERAs. Angel Lopez's is now above too, as he allowed 4 hits and 2 runs with 2 strikeouts in 2 innings. Our pitching can't quite match the Cannons, but we rank #2 in most categories and top 4 in everything.

Big week at the plate, with a Player of the Week worthy performance from Hank Barnett. Barnett was 12-for-27 with 4 doubles, 4 RBIs, 6 walks, and 7 runs scored. The 33-year-old has caught fire, slashing .326/.417/.578 (158 OPS+) in July and since a dreadful August, his lowest month OPS+ or WRC+ was his matching 145 in June. He's on a 5 WAR pace and owns a .315/.408/.432 (143 OPS+) batting line with 15 doubles, 8 homers, and 49 RBIs. Clark Car had a nice week, 7-for-23 with 2 triples and 3 doubles, runs, walks, and RBIs to go with a stolen base. Orlin Yates showed rare signs of life, 6-for-17 with 2 doubles, 4 RBIs, 5 walks, and 5 runs. Both saw a little of their time go to Billy Hunter, who went 6-for-17 with a double, RBI, 3 walks, and 3 runs in his return to the lineup. Even Harry Mead got in on the fun, 6-for-21 with 2 doubles, a homer, 3 runs, and 6 RBIs. Dick Walker went 7-for-31 with a double, triple, 2 homers, 3 walks, 6 runs, 4 RBIs, and a steal. Leo Mitchell went 11-for-32 with 2 doubles, 6 runs, and 5 RBIs. The only hitter to have struggles was Skipper Schneider, who was just 4-for-25 with 2 runs, 3 walks, and 4 RBIs. Of course, with his defense he can hit however he wants, as he's approaching a 30 zone rating on the season. The bats continue to be a strength for us, and adding Dan Fowler into the mix can only help.

Looking Ahead
This is a huge week for us as our long roadtrip continues. We'll look to earn the split in Philly, although the scheduled starter is unknown. Doc Newell (11-6, 2.47, 59) will head to the IL due to elbow tendinitis, preventing what would have been his scheduled start. Karl Wallace (9-8, 3.23, 52) pitched three days ago and could be ready to go, but the Sailors could opt to start Tom Cipolla (5-5, 1, 4.62, 43), who has made 9 starts and 10 relief appearances. Veterans Herb Flynn (1-1, 1, 3.69, 10) and Chuck Murphy (4-3, 2, 3.92, 10) are probably past their starting days, but either could be an option. There aren't many surefire starters in AAA San Francisco, but former Cougar farmhand George K Brooks could be brought up to make his big league debut. Whoever they choose will face Joe Brown, who will look to keep the surging Sailors offense in check. They are now tied for second with the Cannons in runs scored, and are fresh off a Player of the Week from Harvey Brown (.310, 1, 45, 7), who I probably would have gone after had the Sailors lost 10 straight instead of won. This is a crucial game here, as the rest of the weak pits us against the Cannons and Wolves.

We get an off day after, which is crucial. Not just to recover from the double header, but it will allow us to throw our best three pitchers in Cincinnati. The Cannons are right on our tail, a game behind us due to their elite pitching. Losing Fred Galloway (.268, 2, 25) hurts, but Alf Pestilli (.249, 5, 30) is a quality replacement, filling in at left while pushing Bob Griffith (.279, 1, 35) to center. Sam Brown (.320, 5, 74, 5) has done alright atop a deep lineup with productive bats in Billy Dalton (.308, 10, 60), Chuck Adams (.276, 11, 49), and Adam Mullins (.341, 2, 34) filling out the 3-4-5 part of the lineup. Back to the pitching, which contains two of the three sub 2 ERA arms in the CA. Most would expect Rufus Barrell (12-4, 1.83, 93) to fall in that category, but I'm kicking myself for not going after Butch Smith (13-5, 1.92, 62) in the offseason. Chris Clarke (7-10, 3.15, 44) has a much better ERA in 5 starts for the Cannons (2.54) then his 15 for the Stars (3.39) and former #1 Overall Pick Vic Carroll (7-4, 2.46, 59) is healthy and blossoming into a top of the rotation arm. Even #5 Roger Perry (7-3, 3.12, 22) has been more then reliable, giving the Cannons a chance to win each and every game. First place may be determined by this series, as if either team gets swept they may kiss their pennant dreams good bye.

We then finish the week with three games in two days against the Wolves. Toronto has dropped three straight and eight of their last ten, now 52-39 and far closer to the Sailors then us and the Cannons. They are likely staying pat, hoping Chink Stickels (.199, 1, 29, 6) and Charlie Artuso (.229, 2, 32) can turn things around. They've gotten a big season from Walt Pack (.282, 14, 53) and both Juan Pomales (.291, 1, 29, 8; 3-4, 1, 4.72, 13), Clarence Howerton (.279, 2, 40), and Mike Rollison (.291, 2, 34) have given them decent production. There are a lot of holes in the lineup, but ever since Fred McCormick left, the offensive output has been on the weaker side. On the mound, Bernie Johnson (7-6, 3.24, 26) has started to cool off, losing four straight including a pair of starts with 6+ runs in less then 6 innings. He was supposed to be the #2 to Joe Hancock (11-6, 2.77, 67), but that role has instead been filled by 27-year-old rookie Jimmy Gibbs (9-4, 1, 2.75, 26). The former 8th Rounder of Brooklyn started the season in the pen, and even after losing his last two starts, he's still put up very impressive numbers on the season. We've caught the Wolves at the right time, and if we can avoid Hancock I really like our chances here.

Minor League Report
3B Johnny Weaver (B San Jose Cougars): After a rough first week in our system, 5th Rounder Johnny Weaver has really started to hit. Starting his pro career in San Jose, Weaver went just 3-for-15, but a 10-for-25 week has brought his season line to .333/.405/.508 (160 OPS+). That was also good enough for Player of the Week, as Weaver added 2 doubles, 2 homers, and 9 RBIs. Those were his first two pro homers, but he does have 5 doubles and 17 RBIs in his first 75 plate appearances. One of our higher rated prospects, the only 1943 draftee above him is Jimmy Hairston (6, 113), as Weaver ranks 9th in our system and 145th overall. Tom Weinstock is a big fan, intrigued by his athleticism and fond of his discipline at the plate. He's got decent pop too, but strikeouts may end up being a big issue for him. He's already struck out 24 times in 19 games, but he is just a walk away from double digits. He doesn't put the ball in play very much, as his contact tool isn't great, but when he connects it is definitely worth the wait. With Otto Christian penciled in as the third basemen of the future, Weaver may have to work on his versatility, and he can handle both first and left as well. He's got the tools to be a big league starter, and the 21-year-old may be able to ascend swiftly up the ladder.

ayaghmour2 · 08-17-2022, 08:54 PM

4 years ago, if you told me my deadline would consist of trading for Dan Fowler and Frank Crawford, I would have thought that we won the deadline. Or that it was at least one of the bigger deals. But this year, this second deal will be lost in the shuffle in a deadline that saw stars like Red Johnson, Gus Goulding, George Dawson, Jack Cleves, and more on the move, Ira Hawker for Frank Crawford is just a mere footnote.

Now 35, the 1939 Allen Winner isn't the same pitcher he once was, as injuries have really taken something out of him. Always expected to be a quality starter, Crawford was taken 10th Overall by the Keystones back in 1926, and then debut in 1931 as a 23-year-old. His first 11 starts went well, as the young southpaw went 8-3 with a 3.15 ERA (135 ERA+), 1.38 WHIP, 28 walks, and 38 strikeouts in just shy of 100 innings pitched. Crawford was an 18 game winner in '32, and tallied 1,248.2 innings with the Keystones before being moved after the 1937 season to help pick up young slugger Hank Koblenz. At the time of the trade, Crawford was 70-63 with a 4.31 ERA (106 ERA+), 1.45 WHIP, 409 walks, and 636 strikeouts in 1,248.2 innings pitched.

He took the next step with the Dynamos, going 20-10 with a 3.31 ERA (128 ERA+), 1.25 WHIP, 81 walks, and 144 strikeouts in 263.2 innings pitched while worth a career high 5.9 WAR. He then took it to the next level in 1939, leading the Fed with 25 wins and a 2.58 ERA (161 ERA+). He didn't win the triple crown, striking out just 139 in 285.2 innings pitched. He did lead the league in WHIP (1.13) and was worth an impressive 7.8 wins above replacement. It all went downhill after that, as while his first five starts in 1940 were elite, tore the flexor tendon in his elbow, and he then missed an entire year before returning to the mound after the start of that season. He was never quite the same, as he's put up three consecutive sub-100 ERA+ seasons since his injury. This year he's been a bit better, 6-6 with a 3.66 ERA (95 ERA+), 1.53 WHIP, 27 walks, and 23 strikeouts in 78.2 innings pitched. As you'd expect from a fragile pitcher, he's nursing a finger blister, and he'll start his Cougar career on the IL.

All told, the veteran lefty is an out away from 2,200 FABL innings, and 141-104 in 301 career outings. He has an impressive 3.86 ERA (112 ERA+) and 1.37 WHIP with 724 walks and 1,065 strikeouts. He's been worth 35.7 wins above replacement, and he'll give us a very useful depth piece for our rotation. He doesn't have to be an every day starter, as we have a really good five with White, Brown, Lyons, Lonardo, and Jones already. That being said, we're already down Harry Parker and our only real starting options in Milwaukee are Ken Matson and John Little, two guys I'd rather not throw every fifth day. Plus with all the double headers, it's very helpful to have a reliable sixth starter, as it's been tough to manage some weeks. We do get more off days down the stretch, but having a guy like Crawford can really help.

Since I didn't dedicate a full post to the Dan Fowler deal, it's worth mentioning him here too. Fowler was always a guy I targeted, dating back to when he was drafted six overall by the Minutemen back in 1929. He then debuted at the start of the 1932 season and it was a season to remember. Fowler burst onto the scene with a .275/.389/.467 (125 OPS+) batting line with 21 doubles, 26 homers, 15 steals, and 88 RBIs with a league high 100 walks. Fowler's time in Boston didn't last too long, as he was sent to the Foresters in a blockbuster at the deadline for Ed Wood, John Wood, Pete Day, Art Spencer, and a 4th Round Pick. Cleveland was trying to catch us, and while Fowler did everything he could to catch us, they Foresters still fell double digit games behind us. Fowler slashed an elite .318/.409/.507 (165 OPS+) with 12 homers and 36 RBIs.

Fowler cemented himself in the lineup and was an instrumental member of back-to-back pennants. From 1934-1938, Fowler never had an OPS+ or WRC+ below 124, less then 20 homers, 90 RBIs, and 60 walks. He topped 100 three times, leading the CA in '34 and '36. He was just average for the next two seasons, before showing signs of his old self again in 1941. Fowler hit a strong .271/.348/.472 (126 OPS+) with 23 homers and 68 RBIs, but he followed that with his worst season. It was interrupted for seven weeks with a sprained elbow, which was the then 34-year-olds first injury of longer then a week. This season WRC+ thinks he's back on track, with a 121 in 308 PAs for the Foresters. His 102 OPS+ thinks he's nothing more then average, hitting .239/.365/.365 with 9 doubles, 7 homers, and 31 RBIs. He's walked (50) twice as often as he's struck out (25) and has a bit below average (-4.1, .980) out in center.

Like Crawford, Fowler has been an impressive big leaguer, but Fowler will be getting more regular time with us. A career .268/.365/.442 (121 OPS+) hitter, he will be a huge offensive upgrade over Orlin Yates. An extra base machine, Fowler has 211 doubles, 251 homers, and 994 RBIs, and while his speed is a thing of the past, he did hit 40 triples and stole 79 bases. The lefty will take every day center field duties, but I can see him getting some games in right. As of now, Billy Hunter will patrol right, but Orlin Yates is a far better defender then both of them. Against some righties I might want Hunter to rest, and Yates will always get center if any two of those three are in the lineup. Even when Langton and Moss get back, Fowler will get most of the time in center, but I expect Billy Hunter to take a lot of his bats against lefties at that point. Plus Fowler is one of the most popular guys in the clubhouse and his flyball tendencies should play really well in our stadium. He's hit us really well this year and absolutely decimates righties, and I'm really excited to have him as an option for the lineup.

ayaghmour2 · 08-18-2022, 07:09 PM

Weekly Record: 1-6
Seasonal Record: 61-40 (2nd, 3 GB)
Stars of the Week
None Generated

Schedule
7-26: Loss at Sailors (3-5)
7-28: Loss at Cannons (3-8)
7-29: Loss at Cannons (1-8)
7-30: Loss at Cannons (3-8)
7-31: Loss at Wolves (0-4)
8-1: Win at Wolves (2-0): 10 innings
8-1: Loss at Wolves (4-5)

Recap
Well, it was fun while it lasted! An awful week as we dropped the finale for the Sailors before getting swept by the Cannons. They scored 8 runs in each game and walked all over us, a complete 180 compared to our series with them in Chicago. We then dropped two of three in Toronto, picking up just two wins in our last nine games. The rough start of the week ruined our impressive July, as last week we were 20-5, and we finished the month 20-10. The Cannons are up three on us and the Wolves 2.5 games further behind us. We need to get back on track ASAP, and since our road trip is about to end, I can see our fortunes starting to change.

The offense was atrocious this week, and the only bat with even a small semblance of production was Dick Walker. Our leadoff man went 8-for-27 with 2 doubles, a homer, and 4 RBIs. He was also named Batter of the Month in the Continental Association, slashing .283/.381/.522 (160 OPS+) with 7 doubles, 4 triples, 4 homers, 3 steals, and 18 RBIs with an elite 19-to-3 walk-to-strikeout ratio. Walker is having one of his best seasons at 36, slashing .276/.382/.454 (142 OPS+) with 18 doubles, 10 triples, 10 homers, 17 steals, and 47 RBIs. Skipper was the closest to not sucking, 4-for-19 with 5 walks and 2 steals. Car, Mead, Barnett, Hunter, and Yates all struggled, combining to go 20-for-122 with just four extra base hits. I'll blame it all on my daily lineups not working, as none of what I really wanted happened during the week. Adding Dan Fowler should help, but perhaps we needed something more to keep pace with the Cannons.

The pitching wasn't any better, and Johnnie Jones finally had his consecutive complete game victory streak snapped. He was hit hard by the Cannons, going 6.1 innings with 6 hits, 7 runs (5 earned), 7 walks, and 5 strikeouts. Despite the awful start, he still took both Pitcher and Rookie of the Month, going 5-1 with a 1.58 ERA (215 ERA+), 1.13 WHIP, 27 walks, and 27 strikeouts. Johnnie is having an excellent rookie season, now 13-3 with a 2.30 ERA (147 ERA+), 1.20 WHIP, 71 walks, and 68 strikeouts through 136.2 innings pitched. Art White also struggled with Cincy, allowing 9 hits and 8 runs with 3 walks and 2 strikeouts in 5.1 innings pitched. Dick Lyons did better, 6 innings with 5 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), 4 walks, and a strikeout in a no decision. He struggled with the Wolves though, tagged with a loss in 6 with 10 hits and 5 runs on short rest. Jim Lonardo wasn't great either, but better then the previous three, going 8 with 10 hits, 4 runs, 2 walks, and a strikeout. Joe Brown picked up the only win, going all 10 in a 2-0 shutout over the Wolves. He allowed 5 hits and 2 walks with 4 strikeouts. He lost his first start up in Philly, going 8.1 with 8 hits, 5 runs, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts. Ben Curtin had a rough week in the pen, allowing 10 hits, 5 runs, and 3 walks with 3 strikeouts in 5.1 innings pitched. I expect better results from our staff next week, but we have to get back on track quickly to stay in the race.

Looking Ahead
We can still at least split the series with the Wolves, as even though we're off to start the week and then two days after, we still have one more with the Wolves in Toronto. Because of us they're now 57-41, and chances are we're going to have to deal with Joe Hancock (11-7, 2.64, 70). This makes things tough, as we couldn't beat Bob Walls (10-6, 4.17, 29) or Bernie Johnson (9-6, 2.83, 30). They didn't score too much off of us, but lately they've gotten good production from 28-year-old Gus Hall (.270, 3, 29). This will be a tough finale and we'll need to be at our best to survive this one.

Two more off days before we return home for three with the Kings. We struggled against them in Brooklyn, but I'm hoping we can set things straight in Chicago. Brooklyn is a bit below .500, sitting at 47-51 and a bit closer to the Foresters (13.5 GA) then the Cannons (15.5 GB). The Kings are in a youth movement, giving innings to talented youngsters such as Jim Kenny (9-5, 2.47, 12), Bill McGraw (3-4, 4.37, 16), and Ike O'Donnell (7-6, 1, 3.19, 33). The latter two are likely back-end at best, but the 22-year-old Kenny could be a mid-rotation piece or even potentially an ace. The lineup could use some work, but 25-year-old Roger Upton (.314, 3, 23) is having a really good rookie season. There isn't much youth behind him and young slugger Tim Hopkins (.253, 11, 35), who despite being the same age is in the midst of his 5th FABL season. There is a lot of hope in the farm, with 9 top 100 prospects including the #8 prospect in this year's 3rd overall selection Pat Petty. It may take a few seasons for the Kings to regain the form of the 1936-1938 CA champs, but they are on the right track.

Minor League Report
CF Bunny Hufford (AAA Milwaukee Blues): The trade speculation didn't seem to effect Bunny Hufford at all this month, as the 25-year-old outfielder was named the best bat in the Century League. The former 4th Rounder hit an astronomical .382/.479/.549 (184 OPS+) with 9 doubles, a triple, 2 homers, 7 steals, and 18 RBIs while worth an entire 2.2 wins above replacement. It's been a good season for our 4th ranked prospect, who managed to survive another trade deadline. In 55 games with the Blues, Hufford has slashed .327/.420/.468 (145 OPS+) with 18 doubles, 2 triples, 3 homers, 11 steals, and 28 RBIs. It was far better then his 55 PAs up in Chicago, where Bunny was just 9-for-48 with just one extra base hit. Eventually Hufford will split the difference, as he boasts above average contact ability and mixed with good plate discipline and great speed, he profiles as the perfect leadoff hitter. His defense still isn't great, but he could be at least average out in center. His speed really helps, so you hope there is great range, but I'm not quite sure his arm will be great enough to be a top right fielder. He's going to be one of the guys rejoining the team in September, but he's going to have a lot of competition for an outfield spot next Spring. Hufford was also named Player of the Week, going 12-for-26 with a homer, 5 RBIs, and 7 runs scored.

RHP John Little (AAA Milwaukee Blues): Yesterday I was talking about how John Little isn't an option to start big league games, and he then goes and proves me wrong by tossing a 4-hit shutout with no walks and 4 strikeouts. Little is in the midst of his best minor league season, going 6-5 with a 2.98 ERA (130 ERA+), 1.24 WHIP, 29 walks, and 53 strikeouts in 127 innings pitched. Now 27, the former 5th Rounder hasn't had the greatest climb up our system, and his 115 FIP- suggests a lot of luck, but he could be useful pen filler at the end of the season. A four pitch pitcher, Little has a high 80s fastball, which might be the best of the four. None are that great, and his repertoire isn't good enough to consistently fool big league hitters. He's done well starting in Milwaukee, but his future looks to be in the pen. His flyball tendencies will cause problems in long starts, but he can eat innings and get his share of strikeouts.

RHP Jack Huston (AA Mobile Commodores): It was an excellent month for Jack Huston, who was named Pitcher of the Month in the Dixie League. It was Huston's second straight, following up a 6-1 June with an even better 6-0 July. He dropped his ERA and WHIP from 2.81 (167 ERA+) and 1.06 to 2.17 (216 ERA+) and 1.02 with fewer walks (10) and more strikeouts (34). It's been a huge breakout season for the 23-year-old, who is now 17-3 with a 3.25 ERA (144 ERA+), 1.21 WHIP, 56 walks, and 88 strikeouts in 174.2 innings pitched. The innings eating righty is on pace for over 250 innings, just shy of his innings total since we selected him in the 5th Round of the 1941 draft. The sidewinder doesn't throw all that hard, just 88-90 with his fastball, but he generates a ton of grounders and he's able to pitch deep into games. He's on a nice eight game complete game win streak, and he's topped 150 pitches three times. His curve and slider need some work, as he doesn't always locate them well, but he does a good job missing bats. I don't think he'll head to Milwaukee any time this season, but unless he enlists he'll start '44 as a member of the Blues rotation. Tom and OSA think Huston will be just a spot starter, and he ranks outside our top 30 at #357 in the entire league. There is something said for high current ratings, which based on performance Huston likely does, as potential doesn't mean much if you can't ever reach it. I'd like to see his stuff improve a bit, but he's got some of the tools you look for in a big league starter.

ayaghmour2 · 08-19-2022, 12:12 PM

Weekly Record: 3-1
Seasonal Record: 64-41 (2nd, 2 GB)
Stars of the Week
Harry Mead : 14 AB, 7 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .500 AVG, 1.205 OPS
Art White : 2 Wins, 18.0 IP, 2 BB, 1 K, 2.50 ERA
Joe Brown : 1 Win, 9.0 IP, 1 BB, 1 K, 0.00 ERA

Schedule
8-3: Win at Wolves (7-3)
8-6: Loss vs Kings (9-1)
8-7: Win vs Kings (0-5)
8-8: Win vs Kings (3-4)

Recap
A nice 3-1 week cuts the Cannons lead over us to two. We salvaged the split in Toronto, and then the rested Cougars took two of three from the Kings back home. This was the first week with Dan Fowler in our lineup, but it was like he wasn't even there. The 35-year-old vet failed to reach base in all 15 of his plate appearances, striking out six times and driving in one on a sac-fly. At least it can't get worse, but not a good sign when your "big" deadline acquisition doesn't get a hit his first week in a new uniform. The rest of the offense wasn't great, but we got a real pleasant surprise from Harry Mead! He looked like '42 Mead, going 7-for-14 with 2 doubles, 2 walks, 3 runs, and 3 RBIs. Clark Car looked good, 7-for-17 with a double, triple, 2 runs, and 3 RBIs. Billy Hunter went 2-for-9 with a double, triple, run, and 2 walks. Skipper went 5-for-15 with 2 doubles, 2 RBIs, and 3 runs scored. Dick Walker went 5-for-17 with 2 runs, RBIs, and steals. We'll need to see more down the stretch, but we're home all next week too, and the bats tend to heat up in Chicago.

Art White started half our games this week, and picked up two of the three wins. Both were of the complete game variety, allowing 6 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), and a walk in Toronto before his first ever game against the Kings. Brooklyn, of course, used a 3rd Rounder on him way back in 1932, and White allowed 7 hits, 3 runs, a walk, and a strikeout in the win. He's pitched a bit better in Brooklyn then in Chicago, now 11-9 on the season with a 2.78 ERA (124 ERA+), 1.24 WHIP, 46 walks, and 44 strikeouts. Johnnie Jones had a rare bad start, charged with 8 hits, 7 runs, and 4 walks with 4 strikeouts in 3.2 innings pitched. Cal Knight relieved him, going 5.1 innings with 4 hits, 2 runs, and 4 strikeouts. The best outing of the week, however, came from Joe Brown. He allowed just 2 hits and a walk with a strikeout in a complete game shutout. That's back-to-back shutouts for Brown, who's now allowed one or fewer earned runs in 7 of his last 8 starts. He's going to be leaned on heavily down the stretch, as him and Art White will start as many games as needed to help us catch the Cannons.

Looking Ahead
Two off days to start the week before a four game series with the Foresters. I'm hoping this will jumpstart Dan Fowler, who might want some revenge against his former team. Replacing him in the lineup is natural right fielder Lou Balk (.267, 2, 29, 4). He's not bad, just a little angry for not starting, but the Foresters offense has been getting better. Cal Howe (.313, 1, 31, 10) has continued his breakout season, and they've gotten average or better production from Leon Blackridge (260, 11, 2), Bob Mullins (.286, 3, 34, 4), Mickey Patterson (.328, 1, 22), and Bill Carr (.305, 2, 46). One has to wonder if top pick Jim Adams Jr. will join the Foresters sometime this season, as he put together a 5-hit game this week in AA and is hitting .403/.487/.522 (206 OPS+) in 17 games. The pitching remains the weakness, but long time Forester Ben Turner (9-12, 3.73, 53) has been okay atop the rotation. Sure, he's better as a back-end guy, but with all their struggles to get good innings, Turner's leadership and endurance have been crucial. A sweep here is imperative, and I really like our chances.

We'll then get half of a four game set with the Wolves, with a double header to finish the week on Sunday. The wins against the Foresters are crucial, as the Wolves are 59-44 and the series comes right before the Cannons come to town. Bernie Johnson (10-6, 2.72, 34) has caught fire, allowing just 1 run in his last 28 innings. We're force to see at least two of him, Joe Hancock (11-8, 2.77, 83), and Jimmy Gibbs (9-6, 1, 2.74, 35), which makes me think runs won't be coming very often in this one. They aren't hitting too well, but their 2-3-4 of Juan Pomales (.290, 2, 30, 10; 3-4, 1, 4.72, 13), Walt Pack (.278, 15, 57), and Mike Rollinson (.302, 2, 41, 2) is very good. I don't talk about bullpens much in this age, but the Wolves have one of the better ones, with an elite back three of Lou Jayson (9-1, 8, 1.43, 34), Bob McRae (3-1, 8, 1.09, 9), and Phil English (1-0, 1.16, 11). It's hard to get runs early on Toronto, and even harder late, so we'll lean heavily on our arms keeping runs off the board.

08-04-2022, 07:38 PM	#861
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 2,992	Week 5: May 17th-May 23rd Weekly Record: 3-5 Seasonal Record: 20-13 (t-2nd, 4 GB) Stars of the Week Leo Mitchell : 30 AB, 13 H, 0 HR, 6 RBI, .433 AVG, .918 OPS Hank Barnett : 29 AB, 9 H, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .310 AVG, .823 OPS Johnnie Jones : 1 Win, 9.0 IP, 1 BB, 4 K, 0.00 ERA Schedule 5-17: Loss vs Wolves (3-2) 5-18: Loss vs Wolves (4-3) 5-19: Loss vs Wolves (7-3) 5-20: Loss vs Wolves (4-3) 5-21: Win vs Foresters (0-5) 5-22: Win vs Foresters (0-7) 5-23: Loss vs Foresters (6-1) 5-23: Win vs Foresters (2-5) Recap Well, this was very disappointing... Yes, three of four from the Foresters was not what I wanted, but it was far better then the series with the Wolves. Despite being in Chicago, they swept us in four games, with three of the games us falling by just a single run. Despite a bad week record wise, we outscored out opponents, but we're now sub .500 (5-6) in one run games and .500 (11-11) at home. We're usually far better at home then on the road, but we've won 9 of 11 away from Chicago. The Cannons had a near perfect week, so we're now four behind them and tied for second with the same Wolves who swept us. To make matters worse, Harry Parker's sore shoulder now has an unknown time remaining, so we may be without him for more then just next week. We will get to start Mike Taylor on rehab, and he's likely going to be in Milwaukee for a few weeks. There was a lot of bad this week, but not if you're Johnnie Jones. He's had a few struggles recently, but he had the Foresters under his thumb, tossing a 2-hit, 1-walk shutout with 4 strikeouts in our first of back-to-back shutouts. This was really exciting, as despite his 4.45 ERA (77 ERA+), the underlying numbers look much better. His 2.71 FIP equates to a similar to his ERA+ mark of 79, which equates to a mark great pitchers would put up. His 3.1 BB/9 is far better then his 4.7 in AAA last year, and his 5.3 K/9 is a personal best. The shutout was our first true glimpse of Jones, who has always flashed huge upside, but has yet to show it consistently. My hope is the shutout is signs of a real step forward, as we could really use a boost with his brother off to war. The other shutout came from Joe Brown, who allowed just 5 hits with 6 strikeouts to improve to 4-1 on the season. This came after his first loss, as the Wolves got 9 hits, 3 runs, and 4 walks with 2 strikeouts in 7 innings pitched. Brown has filled our ace role quite well in the early goings, working to a 2.09 ERA (164 ERA+) and 1.08 WHIP with 20 walks and 26 strikeouts. Our other two start starters didn't do very well, with both Jim Lonardo and Ken Matson struggling against both the Wolves and the Foresters. Lonardo actually lost both starts, charged with 10 hits, 4 runs, and a walk in 7.2 innings against the Wolves. Against the Foresters he went 6.2 innings with 8 hits, 6 runs (3 earned), and 2 walks. He has just one strikeout in his past 24.1 innings pitched, which is very concerning, but he still has a nice 2.82 ERA (122 ERA+) and 1.09 WHIP in his 7 starts. Matson, on the other hand, lost to the Wolves and beat the Foresters. The Wolves hit him hard, getting 6 hits, 6 runs, and 5 walks while striking out just once in 4.1 innings pitched. He did look better against Cleveland, with just 2 runs allowed, but it came with 6 hits and 6 walks. He did strike out 4 in 8, but the 25-year-old now sports a 4.24 ERA (81 ERA+) and 1.56 WHIP. Unfortunately, I don't really have a better option to start games right now, but he's almost guaranteed to head down to AAA once Parker is healthy. Dick Lyons made our last start, picking up another win with 8 strong innings. The veteran southpaw allowed just 5 hits and 3 runs with a strikeout to drop his WHIP to an impressive 1.00 in 42 innings pitched. He's walked just 3 batters all season, easily the best on the team, as both Joe Brown (3.0) and Johnnie Jones (3.1) have almost that identical value per 9 innings. Of qualified players in all of baseball, Lyons is one of just two with a sub 1 BB/9, and leads all players with his 0.6. The pen got some work too, with big innings from Ben Curtin and Cal Knight. Curtin appeared four times, going 5.1 innings with 4 hits, a run, 2 walks, 4 strikeouts, a loss, and save. Cal Knight spread 6.1 innings into two outings, charged with 5 hits, a run, 3 walks, and 2 strikeouts. Our pen has been remarkable so far, with Curtin, Knight, and Angel Lopez allowing just a single run so far, with Pug just 2. The offense was non-existent most of the week, but Leo Mitchell continued to be hit well, going 13-for-30 with 3 walks, 6 runs, 6 RBIs, and just one strikeout. Mitchell's 131 season OPS+ is in his general 130-135 range, and he's struck out just 15 times with 9 walks in 146 trips to the plate. The only other hitters with strong production were are former Chiefs in Cliff Moss and Hank Barnett. Moss went 6-for-17 with a homer and 3 RBIs. Barnett stayed hot, going 9-for-29 with a double, homer, 3 RBIs, 6 runs, and 3 walks. Harry Mead has been ice cold, going 2-for-22 this week to drop his season line to a poor .192/.283/.263 (59 OPS+) with 4 doubles, a homer, and 15 RBIs. He's already struck out 8 times in 99 at bats, after just 10 all season last year. Orlin Yates has been ice cold since entering the starting lineup, going 2-for-23 with 2 runs and a walk. This will open up more time for Bunny Hufford, but the rookie is hitting just .118/.167/.118 (-17 OPS+) in 18 trips to the plate. We could use a center fielder to bolster the lineup, and I may have to go out and find one. Looking Ahead We get two much needed off days to start the week, before heading out to Philadelphia for three games with the Sailors. They are in fourth at 16-15, three games behind us and the Wolves. Doc Newell is having a nice resurgence at 35, going 4-2 with a 2.44 ERA (146 ERA+), 1.10 WHIP, 9 walks, and 20 strikeouts. They've also gotten really good production from Paul Richardson (1-1, 2.29, 12) and Karl Wallace (2-4, 3.30, 21) has bene a bit unlucky, and since both pitched yesterday, we should be able to miss them. Scotty Thomas (3-0, 4.67, 9) and Tom Cipolla (2-2, 5.85, 23) should be much easier for us to hit off, and I expect a lot of runs out in Philly. They still aren't scoring many runs, but their bats are starting to produce more. Jim Beard (.281, 16) has shown some life in his bat, and Harvey Brown (.324, 13, 3), Joseph Mills (.337, 12, 1), and Woody Stone (.314, 1, 14) have all been very productive at the plate. And Marion Boismenu (.261, 1, 6, 1) may be starting to turn the corner after a 16-for-33 week brought him home Player of the Week. We did well against the Sailors at home, and I'm hoping they can help us get back on track this week. Our weekend will be spent in Cleveland, as we get three games in two days with the Foresters. 1 of Cleveland's 9 wins came against us last week, and I'm hoping this time we can prevent them from taking a game. Now last in runs scored and allowed, they have just one qualified player with a OPS+ or ERA+ above 105. That would be Cal Howe, who is hitting .276/.324/.425 (106 OPS+) with 11 doubles, 4 triples, 2 steals, and 7 RBIs. Dave Rankin (1-5, 7.05, 6), who actually beat us with no earned runs in a complete game, no earned run, win to finish the week, has fallen off a cliff, Ben Turner (3-4, 4.45, 10) has had his struggles, and Dan Fowler (.212, 3, 7) has not put the ball in play enough. As we've already started to drop in the standings, wins here are crucial, as I can't really see anyone beating the Cannons with any sort of frequency. We're also starting the draft today instead of the weekend, so we'll anxiously await our next pick. I covered the senior years for my three draftees at the end, and I'm hoping we can get some talented new blood into our system. Any of these guys could be drafted into the army as well, but every team's system is in need of replenishment, and ours is no different. There are a lot of guys I really like left over, including a few who have grown on me since the January portion I wish I grabbed. Minor League Report 1B Cuno Myer (AAA Milwaukee Blues): One of the few members of the Cougars 1932 Draft Class who has not yet played a game in the FABL, the former 22nd Rounder might be the closest to debuting in his career. A 28-year-old switch hitter, Myer is a first base only player with a career .926 efficiency. Ray Ford, a '32 draftee (although by the other Chicago team), has held the starting first base position, and spent 745 games at first, and played 120 or more games in each season prior to last since his debut in 1936. Dick Walker joined the fold during the 1941 season, and has shared the position with Ford, leaving no room for another natural first basemen. Now with Ford on the IL, the only other players with much experience at first are Freddie Jones and Leo Mitchell, although they have spent far more time at second and in left respectively. Myer is now #1 on the depth chart, and if the Iron Man Walker finally decides its okay to get injured, Myer will be the first one up. Last year notwithstanding, Myer has always hit well and is off to a surging start this year. Myer is hitting .379/.396/.653 (186 OPS+) with 9 doubles, a triple, 5 homers, and 19 RBIs. He's fresh off a Player of the Week award, going 14-for-31 with 3 doubles, a triple, 2 homers, and 5 RBIs. Myer has been stuck in Milwaukee, with all 350 of his games since 1939 coming with the Blues. He's only started more then 35 games once in a season, that was 1940, but he's started 22 of his 23 games this season. In 930 PAs with the Blues, Myer has slugged .339/.397/.462 (137 OPS+) with 53 doubles, 14 homers, and 146 RBIs. The five homers this season are already a career best, and he hit more homers this week then he did in 117 PAs last year. He hasn't shown much power since he was 22 in 1937, so I don't really think this is something he can maintain. That being said, he's generally a guy who walks far more then he strikes out, but he's struck out 12 times with just 4 walks. Prior to this season he had walked over 200 times more then he struck out, and he hasn't struck out more then he walked in a season since 1935. It's still going to be tough for Myer to make his dream of being a big leaguer come true, but for a guy who's draft report contained "It may be hard for him to find playing time, and he may not be with the team after minor league camp ends," Myer has done a good job even to make it this far. RHP Joe Swank (AA Mobile Commodores): Despite only pitching in Class C before this season, Joe Swank started the season in Lincoln, is already up in Mobile. His first start with the Commodores was brilliant, tossing 3-hit, 2-walk shutout with 5 strikeouts in a 3-0 win over the Birmingham Ironmen. Unfortunately for Swank, start two wasn't nearly as dominant, as he was charged with 10 hits and 7 runs with 2 strikeouts in just 3 innings pitched. Starts like that are more expected from the 20-year-old, but in 34.2 innings between Lincoln and Mobile, he has allowed just 27 hits, 13 runs, and 9 walks with 25 strikeouts. Our 7th Round selection back in 1941, Swank's stuff seems to have shot up, as he went from a 0.7 K/9 pitcher in 64 innings his draft year to 2.3 in 144 last year and now 6.5 in the early goings. I don't think its because of an increase in velo from 83-85 to 84-86, but more so the development of his circle change. Expected to be his bread-and-butter pitch, Swank has been able to miss a lot of bats with it. If he can improve his fastball and curve, both not really quality pitches at this time, he should be able to pitch a lot more games like his shutout. Swank isn't one of our higher rated prospects, just inside the top 500 and outside our top 30, but his development has gone well so far. I'm actually moving him back down to Lincoln (return from injury) for next week, but I think he can make his way back up if we need an extra arm. 1B Norm Anderson (B San Jose Cougars): With a lot of lesser known prospects getting playing, I'm looking to cover of few of what I'm calling "replacement" players who are filling in for the guys overseas. Norm Anderson is one of them, as the 1941 22nd Rounder probably had no shot of starting games if we weren't missing so many players. Anderson has a lot of parallels to the previously mentioned Cuno Myer; both first basemen, both terrible fielders, both 22nd Rounders and both making the most of their newfound playing time. Before this season, Anderson only started 1 game and made just 48 plate appearances, and he's getting close to setting a new PA high. He's already started more games, starting all nine of his appearances at first for the Cougars, and the 20-year-old is hitting the ball with authority. Anderson has slashed .448/.514/.759 (249 OPS+) with 3 doubles, 2 homers, and 12 RBIs in a small 35 PA sample. He's just 3 PAs from surpassing his total from last season down in La Crosse, and if he keeps hitting like this he may get himself a full season. An imposing 6'3'' lefty, Anderson does project to have an average contact tool and he features a nice combination of bat speed and barrel control. If he can add a little power, then perhaps he can stick at first, but I'm not really getting my hopes up here. He's lucky we're rather weak at first, and since we don't have a surplus of prospects with not enough lineup spots to fill, he doesn't have to worry about a third basemen, second basemen, or corner outfielder getting move to first. Amateur Report RHP Tommy Seymour School: Olathe Commit School: College of Cairo 1943: 8-2, 102.1 IP, 1.49 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 31 BB, 161 K Career: 8-2, 102.1 IP, 1.49 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 31 BB, 161 K The Mock doesn't list our first rounder, but it tends to have very few pitchers listed. Tom Weinstock doesn't rank him on his first round list anymore, but that's just because he dropped from 32nd to 33rd, as he's still #7 on his pitchers list. It's not quite the encouraging results I wanted, but there is still a lot to like about Seymour's senior season. He started all 14 of his appearances and cracked 100 innings on the season. His 14.1 K/9 was 5th for eligible draftees, and I love myself pitchers who can strike batters out. That 14.1 metric is actually higher then Peter the Heater's junior season and matched Donnie Jones' mark, and they have developed into two of the best pitchers in baseball. Seymour had a tremendous 1.15 FIP and 28 FIP- to go with a sub 1 WHIP, all looking better then his middling 1.49 ERA. Of course I'm betting on his stuff and an eventual velocity boost, as I can't imagine he throws 83-85 his entire career. His change up is an elite pitch that will be further benefitted by any increases in velocity, and his splitter and fastball should be decent pitches too. His command is pretty strong and should help him keep the ball in the park, and OSA praises his movement. They no longer think he's an ace, more of a #2, but that's a good get for a late first rounder. We already have elite upside arms in Papenfus, the Jones brothers, and Duke Bybee, so there is very little pressure on Seymour to lead a staff. I can't wait to get him in our system, and he'll be a huge boost to the Lions staff post-draft. SS Al Clement School: De Pere Commit School: St. Ignatius 1943: .450/.500/.811, 131 PA, 16 2B, 3 3B, 6 HR, 33 RBI, 22 SB Career: .471/.535/.816, 365 PA, 46 2B, 11 3B, 13 HR, 94 RBI, 74 SB It was a bit of a down year for Al Clement, who his a career low .450/.500/.811 as a senior at De Pere. The average and on base percentage were career lows, but he did slug a career best 6 home runs. It is encouraging to see the power wasn't a fluke when he jumped from 2 to 5 longballs as a junior. He did show OSA enough, however, as they list the shortstop at #8 on their Mock Draft. This is higher then the rank of 16 from Tom Weinstock, and Clement is the only one of our draftees to appear on the mock. I was very excited to add the now 18-year-old to our system, and he'll report to La Crosse to play short once he signs his signing bonus. I'm not convinced he'll stick at short, as neither OSA or Tom ever seem to give any information on his defense, but he does have nice speed which tends to lead to at least average range on the dirt. His bat should make up for any shortcomings, and if he shows he's not adept at short, he should fit in fine at second or third. He has a quick bat, disciplined eye, and ability to hit the ball hard, but the better off speed pitches can give him trouble. If his high school power translates to the minors, he could be one of the more valuable infield prospects, but he's a project who's far from a sure thing that could develop into anything from a bench bat or All-Star. RHP Dick Garcia School: Geneva Commit School: St. Blane College 1943: 9-2, 110.1 IP, 1.63 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 31 BB, 137 K Career: 22-8, 298.1 IP, 1.81 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 87 BB, 316 K I never expect much from my regional round picks, but it was nice to see a strong senior season from Dick Garcia, and his improvement to #14 on Tom Weinstocks list of pitchers. It was arguably the best of Garcia's three seasons at Geneva, setting personal bests for wins, losses, FIP (1.73), starts (16), innings, HR/9 (0.1), FIP- (43), and WAR (5.3). More importantly, it was a return to his strong sophomore season as opposed to a rough junior season, and it will be interesting to see where he ranks in our prospect list. It shouldn't be hard to convince him to forego St. Blane College and join the Lions instead. Garcia is an intriguing extreme groundball pitcher, who allowed just 3 homers in nearly 300 high school innings, and should be an expert at rolling up double plays. He leans heavily on a dominant mid-80s sinker, that will continue to gets better as his velocity continues to rise. He's gone up from 83-85 to 85-87 since last April, and he located his pitches much better this year. If he keeps his command, he should be able to avoid hard contact, which is crucial as his overall stuff isn't great. His cutter and change aren't all that exciting, and will need a lot of work to become quality offerings. Pitchers can survive with low velo if they have great control and keep the ball on the ground (like Dick Lyons), so he might be able to overcome his lack of secondary offerings. Right now Garcia profiles more as a spot or emergency starter, but he's a hard worker who's always looking for ways to improve, and I think we can get the most out of him. __________________ Check out The Figment Sporting Journal, a collaborative multi-sport effort that dives into the Figment Sports Universe You can also view my solo project, my Dynasty Report on the Chicago Cougars of FABL, the baseball league in the Figment universe

08-05-2022, 03:02 PM	#862
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 2,992	Trade News! In what is becoming a rather frequent event in the recent years, the Chiefs and Cougars have agreed to a trade. 26-13 and riding an 11 game win streak, the Chiefs bolstered their lineup and it's weakest spot, picking up second basemen Freddie Jones for a young pitcher and two draft picks. Jones will replace another former Cougar in Pete Asher, who was filling in for injured former Cougar Sam Orr. Asher was just claimed off waivers from Pittsburgh, going 3-for-18 in his first week as a Chief. Jones is a major upgrade, coming off a season where he hit .330/.430/.479 (170 OPS+) in 256 plate appearances last season. It was actually one the seasons he stayed relatively healthy, but Clark Car has emerged as an elite second basemen, leaving Jones for the at bats against lefties. Now, Jones will get to play every day and bat in a really strong lineup that already includes Ron Rattigan (.321, 2, 22), Tom Bird (.342, 2, 23), Jim Watson (.435, 2, 24), Frank Davis (.309, 1, 24), and Bob Martin (.275, 5, 1). Formerly one of the best hitters in the league, Freddie Jones went straight from second overall to second base, skipping the minors all together and entering the Pioneers lineup in 1932. As a rookie, "Frederick the Great" hit .349/.419/.447 (130 OPS+) with 24 doubles, 6 triples, 7 homers, and 82 RBIs. It was the first of six consecutive seasons with a WRC+ above 135, including a 1935 season when he took home the Whitney Award for the Fed. The then 25-year-old star hit an astronomical .389/.511/.500 (173 WRC+) with 27 doubles, 8 triples, 8 homers, and 89 RBIs while leading the Fed in average, OBP, walks (148), and WAR (9.9). His .511 OBP was the third highest mark all time, and he's the only player in FABL history to reach .500 twice, with an exactly .5000 OBP the previous season. He did fall off in the 1938 season, which came after two injury shortened years, but he finished his Pioneer career with an impressive .348/.449/.440 (138 OPS+) batting line. With the Pioneers starting to struggle, already having moved Fred McCormick, they were able to receive a five player package for their star, headlined by Tommy Wilson and Danny Hern, who were both All Stars last season (Hern was in '41 too). Freddie was injured and inconsistent for the Cougars, but his first year went well, hitting .305/.388/.453 (125 OPS+) with a career high 13 home runs in 144 games. Unfortunately injuries hit him rather hard, and his 112 in 1941 was his next highest total, and he didn't pass 400 PAs after his first season in Chicago. All told, Jones hit .291/.384/.404 (119 OPS+) as a Cougar, which is still a very productive triple slash. This year, however, he got off to a cold start, with a below average .250/.344/.321 (93 OPS+) line in 32 games. Cougars fans don't have to worry too much about a drop in production for their lineup with Clark Car's emergence as a top 10 hitter in the FABL. The 29-year-old is not only a significantly better fielder then Freddie, but Car is hitting .302/.374/.479 (146 OPS+) on the season with 5 doubles, 2 triples, 3 homers, 6 steals, and 13 RBIs. Since coming over from the Stars last January, Car has slashed .294/.339/.449 (132 OPS+) with 27 doubles, 9 triples, 6 homers, 14 stelas, and 50 RBIs with twice as many walks (27) as strikeouts (13). He's also a tremendous defender, already accumulating a 4.1 zone rating and 1.176 efficiency at second. Car can hit both lefties and righties well and he deserves every day at bats. When Billy Hunter comes back, he'll get some games at second to give Car the occasional off day, but he'll spend most of the remainder of the season in the two spot of the lineup. Of course, the Cougars also get three pieces back for Jones, picking up the Chiefs 4th and 5th Round selection and 21-year-old lefty Ed Fisler. Taken in the 10th Round of the 1939 draft, Fisler has made 8 starts in A ball this season, going 4-1 with a 3.61 ERA (132 ERA+), 1.58 WHIP, 26 walks, and 43 strikeouts. The Cougars have a lot of talented pitchers in the farm, but there are not many lefties and a lot of pitchers' names are being floated in trade scenarios. Fisler has advanced stuff for his age, already sporting a decent fastball and average slider and change. He's one of those hard workers who continues to throw fast as he ages, going from 84-86 to 93-95, and there might still be a little more left for him. He has huge strikeout numbers which really help him keep runs off the board. OSA thinks he could pitch his way into a back-end rotation role and he currently ranks as the 217th rated prospect in baseball. The return for Jones is far less then the lofty price given to acquire him, but it's still a nice haul for the inconsistent, and often injured Jones, who deserves to play far more frequently then he has. __________________ Check out The Figment Sporting Journal, a collaborative multi-sport effort that dives into the Figment Sports Universe You can also view my solo project, my Dynasty Report on the Chicago Cougars of FABL, the baseball league in the Figment universe Last edited by ayaghmour2; 08-06-2022 at 03:07 PM.

08-05-2022, 07:23 PM	#863
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 2,992	Week 6: May 24th-May 30th Weekly Record: 4-2 Seasonal Record: 24-15 (2nd, 5 GB) Stars of the Week None Generated Schedule 5-26: Win at Sailors (2-1): 10 innings 5-27: Win at Sailors (6-5) 5-28: Loss at Sailors (3-5) 5-29: Win at Foresters (7-3) 5-30: Win at Foresters (8-3) 5-30: Loss at Foresters (3-4) Recap No sweeps this week, but I can't really be too angry at taking two out of three in two road series. There were far too many one run games for my liking, and despite finishing 4-2, we lost a game on the Cannons who have rolled off 13 of 14 since we took two of three from them in Chicago. We do have five huge games against them in Cincinnati this week, giving them an opportunity to curb stomp us after they likely sweep the Stars yet again. I'd be okay if they take three of five from us, as they won't play .750 ball all season, but a rough showing could end the pennant race far earlier then anyone would have anticipated. To make matters worse, Harry Parker still isn't healthy, and having him for the Cannons series would have really helped our chances. Instead, more starts for Ken Matson, who at least did pick up a win this week, tossing a complete game with 7 hits, 3 runs, 4 walks, and 4 strikeouts in Cleveland. The bats were really working, as Skipper Schneider had a big week after a few where he wasn't hitting too well. The CA WAR leader (2.6) went 10-for-21 with 3 doubles, 3 RBIs, and 2 runs scored. Double play partner Clark Car showcased some power, as despite going just 4-for-15, he had a double, two homers, 2 walks, 2 runs, and 4 RBIs. Bunny Hufford earned himself some more starts, going 4-for-10 with a triple and 3 walks while Orlin Yates was just 3-for-13 with 2 RBIs, 3 runs, and a walk. Both are lefties, but Yates actually has reverse splits, hitting lefties better, so Bunny will get more time against right handed hitters. Our right field platoon worked well, with Cliff Moss going 6-for-13 with 3 runs and Rich Langton going 4-for-13 with a homer, steal, and 3 RBIs. Dick Walker went 6-for-19 with a double, triple, steal, 5 runs, 5 RBIs, and 5 walks. Leo Mitchell went 10-for-27 with 2 walks, a run, and an RBI. Freddie Jones may have heard his name floating in trade rumors, so he put together a strong week, 5-for-18 with 2 doubles, walks, and runs. Harry Mead, however, continues to flounder, just 2-for-17 as he now sports the "snowflake" indicator due to his rough stretch. After hitting .287/.352/.456 (139 OPS+) last year, he's hitting a pitiful .181/.260/.241 (45 OPS+). It's no time to panic, as even with no bat he's still an elite defender, and I'm sure he'll pick things up before the season ends. If we can score runs, we'll keep winning, and with a tough week coming up with a lot of good pitchers, it'll be a true test of our strength. Dick Lyons continues to defy all logic, making two starts without getting a win. He got a no decision and a loss despite just 5 runs (3 earned), 12 hits, and 5 strikeouts in 16 impressive innings. He dropped his ERA to 2.17 (154 ERA+) and WHIP to 0.93, and he hasn't walked a batter since May 9th. Johnnie Jones picked up a win, but it wasn't one of his betters stopped, as he walked 6 times and allowed 9 hits with 3 strikeouts. Joe Brown and Jim Lonardo both struggled, each allowing 5 runs in 8 innings. Brown allowed 13 hits and struck out 5 while Lonardo struck out just 1 with 11 hits. The pen is pretty rested, with just four innings needed. Curtin got a win and save with 2 hits and 2 walks in his 3 shutout innings. The last inning went to Angel Lopez, who allowed two hits but no runs in his inning. With all the chaos, he'll get to make a start in the double header against the Wolves, and we'd be much better off with a healthy Harry Parker. Our staff will really be tested with the back-to-back double headers, and then another double header to deal with to finish the week. Looking Ahead Potentially our biggest week of the season, we're reaching the end of a stretch of 16 games in 13 games. We'll look to get revenge on the Wolves, who took all four of the games in Chicago against us. This time it will be four in Toronto, where they actually play worse on the road. They are just two games behind us for second and 21-16, with veteran starters Joe Hancock (4-2, 2.37, 26) and Bernie Johnson (5-2, 2.08, 12) leading the way. Beyond that, they haven't gotten much from their rotation, as Juan Pomales (0-2, 9.69, 2; 306, 1, 14, 3) has pitched far worse then he's hit, and his replacement Jimmy Gibbs (1-2, 1, 4.15, 7) hasn't looked much better. Chick Wirtz (1-5, 4.94, 14) has regressed hard while Bob Walls (4-2, 4.02, 14) has been a bit lucky with his run support. The bats as a whole have struggled, but Ockie Holliday (.308, 13) has at least been average while Mike Rollison (.322, 2, 16), 1) continues to hit well. This will be a really tough series for us, and since it only gets harder, a split here is a must. The Cannons have been so dominant against nearly everyone this season, as despite playing us just three times, we've accounted for over 20% of their losses. At 28-9, they have the best record in baseball and are already five games ahead of us. After we hit Rufus Barrell (6-0, 1.02, 32) hard, he managed 22.1 scoreless innings followed by a 2-run complete game win over the Saints. Barrell continues to dominate, and with a five game series, we'll be forced to face him. Their top five is much better then ours, as Vic Carroll (3-1, 2.67, 15) has the highest ERA in their rotation. Butch Smith (5-1, 1.74, 25) has been reborn while Roger Perry (4-2, 2.58, 12) and Jim Anderson (2-3, 2.03, 20) have been surprisingly elite. Six of the eight hitters in their lineup have an OPS+ above 100, including Adam Mullins (.339, 2, 16), Chuck Adams (.306, 7, 28), and Fred Galloway (.289, 1, 10, 1). Even eight Jim Hensley (.259, 2, 23), who is more or less a step below Skipper Schneider, has been extremely productive, and the Cannons depth has more then made up for the losses of talented hitters Charlie McCullough and Mike Taylor. I'm really scared about this upcoming week, and unfortunately I now have to dread the results all weekend long... Minor League Report 2B Eddie Curtis (AAA Milwaukee Blues): With the trade of Freddie Jones, a spot opens up on the bench, and one of the options to fill that role would be Eddie Curtis. The 25-year-old got in one game last year for us, going 0-for-3, but he hasn't done that again since May 2nd. Curtis is riding a 20 game hit streak, and is 12 for his last 18. As expected, he took home Player of the Week in the Century League, going 18-for-32 with 3 doubles, 3 triples, 4 steals, and 4 RBIs. "Slick Eddie" is now hitting an elite .458/.490/.594 (197 OPS+) with 3 doubles, 5 triples, 7 steals, and 9 RBIs in his first 25 games. A versatile defender, Curtis has spent most of his time at second this year, and has a nice 1.052 efficiency at the keystone. He has experience at third, left, right, and short, and his speed makes him a valuable late inning replacement. The roster spot opened by Jones will go to him or Cuno Myer, who is hitting an also impressive .360/.387/.588 (165 OPS+) and can hit from both sides of the plate and back up veteran Dick Walker. Of course Curtis has more upside with his versatility, but we have a better and more versatile defender in Tip Harrison, as well as a strong glove in Ollie Page. LF Bill Rich (AA Mobile Commodores): It was a tremendous week for Bill Rich, who actually started off not too well this season. Before this week, Rich was hitting .291/.348/.408, which was about average in the Dixie League this year. After a Player of the Week performance were the former regional pick was 13-for-28, he's now hitting .328/.385/.443 (117 OPS+) with 6 doubles, 3 homers, and 22 RBIs. While still a good mark, it's far from what he did last season at 23, where he slashed a borderline elite .349/.403/.504 (140 OPS+) with 20 doubles, 2 triples, 5 homers, and 43 RBIs in about double the plate appearances. The main difference between the two seasons are the extra base hits, as the Illinois native hasn't doubled nearly as often as he did last year. There are some good signs, as he's striking out less and hitting a few more homers, but I thought this would be a big season for Rich. Currently ranked just outside the top 300 on the prospect list, Rich is getting closer to the big leagues, and he could see a promotion to AAA if I need to recall either Huck Hanes or Chick Browning to Chicago. He has a good eye and should be able to hit for a high average, but without much value in the outfield, he's going to need to bring the extra base hits back. A lack of power will keep him from an everyday role, but he's already a capable 4th outfielder. SS Dick Hamilton (B San Jose Cougars): Another guy who was off to a really slow start, Dick Hamilton finally got things going this week. Name the C-O-W League Player of the Week, the former 4th Rounder went 12-for-26 with 2 homers and 7 RBIs. That raised the 22-year-old season line to .260/.345/.396 (105 OPS+) after he was hitting below the Mendoza line as recently as the 24th. An undersized middle infielder, Hamilton likely won't have many more two homer games, as he now has 3 on the season after 6 in 70 games last year. He is struggling a bit at short this year, but I think it's just the small sample size, as he was great in almost 500 innings at short last year. One of our more exciting prospects, he's bounced between 100 and 200 frequently, currently checking in at 175th and 14th in our system. I think he has the tools to be a starting infielder in the big leagues, likely starting at second against lefties until Clark Car ages out of the position. He has good speed and bat to ball skills, and he should be able to manage similar walk and strikeout totals. The only shortstop blocking his way right now is Jim Dickinson, but he's up in AA and I can't see Hamilton getting that far this year. Dickinson is about 20 spots ahead of him in the prospect rankings, and I expect the two of them will inevitably be in competition for roster spots. Hamilton's bat is better with Dickinson the better defender, so they could conceivably co-exist in Chicago. Neither will threaten Skipper for playing time, but either one could shift to second or third, and both have the range to be a very useful utility man until a starting lineup spot comes up. __________________ Check out The Figment Sporting Journal, a collaborative multi-sport effort that dives into the Figment Sports Universe You can also view my solo project, my Dynasty Report on the Chicago Cougars of FABL, the baseball league in the Figment universe

08-05-2022, 08:12 PM	#864
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 2,992	1943 Draft: Round 4 4th Round, 56th Overall: RHP Bill Holloway School: Lincoln College 1943: 8-6, 131 IP, 3.71 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, 82 BB, 138 K Career (HS): 4-0, 49.2 IP, 1.81 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 14 BB, 52 K Career (COL): 18-11, 299.2 IP, 3.42 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 150 BB, 310 K There were a lot of guys I probably should have gone with over Dick Garcia with my regional selection (of course, hindsight is 20/20), and while Steve Dunagan went four picks earlier, I was still able to add Chicagoan Bill Holloway with one of the picks we acquired from the Chiefs. Sure, there were four draftees (Dunagan included) I really wanted to fall to me, but there is a lot to like about the Lincoln College ace. Formerly a 13th Round selection by the Sailors back in 1940, Holloway made the right choice in enrolling at Lincoln College, as he looks ready to sign a nice $1,000 signing bonus to join his favorite team as a child. A three year starter, Holloway flashed a lot of promise, and after mixing time between the rotation and the pen his first two seasons, he started all 20 games he appeared in with personal bests for innings, strikeouts, and K/9 (9.5). His best season, however, was as a freshman, where Holloway went 6-1 with a 2.42 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 23 walks, and 94 strikeouts in 85.2 innings pitched. He does have some question marks, as his stuff is very underwhelming for a college pitcher, but both OSA and Tom Weinstock think he will develop into a capable back-end starter. His command needs some work, but he projects to have four plus pitches and he currently throws his fastball and sinker in the high 80s. His raw stuff is nice, and while not overpowering enough to make up for a lack of control, he's a quick learner who I think we can get a lot out of. Holloway is also a bit on the younger side and won't be 21 until August, so there are decent chances of him starting to throw harder. Add on the fact that he actually added the sinker to his repertoire as a freshman, it leads me to believe that he has a pretty good shot of making large improvements. We've really stacked up on arms early in the draft despite having a good collection in the system now, but a lot of our top guys are either off to service or being dangled for upgrades to the big league club. Interesting enough, Holloway is slotted on the Mock Draft as our projected 3rd Round selection, and ranks 5th out of 9 pitchers. Weinstock actually ranks Holloway lower on his pitcher's list then Garcia, but he seems like a much safer pick who can contribute at the big league level much quicker. 4th Round, 61st Overall: LF Jimmy Hairston School: Bowman Commit School: Noble Jones College 1943: .470/.576/.810, 125 PA, 12 2B, 2 3B, 6 HR, 34 RBI, 3 SB Career: .470/.576/.810, 125 PA, 12 2B, 2 3B, 6 HR, 34 RBI, 3 SB My favorite part about having two picks in the same round is I usually am able to get two players I would have been happy to take with the first one. That was the case again this time, as I was able to get an arguably better player then Holloway with our actual 4th Rounder. We tapped back into the prep ranks, adding 18-year-old left fielder Jimmy Hairston. An athletic 6'2'' righty committed to the prestigious Noble Jones College, Hairston didn't play baseball until he was a senior, but managed to hit a superb .470/.576/.810 with 6 homers and 34 RBIs. 1st Rounder Johnnie Porter and 4th Rounder Willie Martin (guys I really wanted) were the only draft eligible high schoolers who hit more homers then Hairston, and he matched our 2nd Rounder Al Clement's tally. Hairston also ranks 4th, behind those three in slugging, and since Hairston's OBP is lower then just fellow 4th Rounder Joe Lowry, he ranks 3rd in OPS for eligible draftees. Hairston's bat more then makes up for him being a corner bat, and while we don't have to worry about Leo Mitchell going anywhere soon, but he is 12 years older the Hairston and will be 35 when Hairston turns 23, and since they hit from opposite sides, we could ease the slugger into the lineup against lefties. He already shows great pitch recognition skills, with a knack for getting on base and hitting the ball hard. His power is legit, his athleticism is outstanding, and while he's not very fast, he projects to be above average defensively. I don't usually like taking corner bats early, but just two seasons ago we used the 61st Pick on Huck Hanes, and while Hanes has been good, I think Hairston will be even better. He has a lot more upside due to his power, and while it may take some time for him to put it all together, I'm excited to see what he develops into. OSA and Tom Weinstock both praise his bat and hustle, and Tom ranks him 13th on his first round draft list. __________________ Check out The Figment Sporting Journal, a collaborative multi-sport effort that dives into the Figment Sports Universe You can also view my solo project, my Dynasty Report on the Chicago Cougars of FABL, the baseball league in the Figment universe

08-06-2022, 03:15 PM	#865
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 2,992	1943 Draft: Round 5 5th Round, 72nd Overall: 3B Johnny Weaver School: Cumberland University 1943: .271/.380/.376, 205 PA, 9 2B, 3 HR, 29 RBI, 7 SB Career (HS): .432/.540/.651, 383 PA, 43 2B, 3B, 7 HR, 85 RBI, 9 SB Career (COL) .282/.389/.402, 793 PA, 31 2B, 2 3B, 15 HR, 127 RBI, 26 SB There was one guy I really wanted to fall, but I'm still very excited to have been able to add Johnny Weaver, who just celebrated his 21st birthday. A former 12th Round Pick by the Stars out of a high school in our next door neighbor of Indiana, we tapped into our region yet again with a guy who probably should have gone instead of Dick Garcia. Weaver burst onto the scene as a Freshman at Cumberland, hitting .291/.399/.435 with 10 doubles, a triple, 7 homers, 48 RBIs, and 10 steals. Unfortunately, he took steps back in each of the next two seasons, with his average, OBP, slugging, WAR, and homers all declined each year. That's a little concerning, along with his poor work ethic, but there is a lot to like about his tools. He should be capable at the hot corner, featuring one of the strongest arm of any eligible draftee which makes up for a lack of speed. He can also play first and left, and I'd assume right shouldn't be too tough with his arm. What I really want to see is power, and since he does a good job working the count, if he can punish mistakes with regularity, his value will be immense. We do have our top positional prospect Otto Christian penciled in as the third basemen of the future, but he's a year younger and serving in the Air Force. He might need more seasoning when he returns, and Weaver could keep the seat warm for him if Hank Barnett suffers a sharp decline. His added versatility is a huge plus as well, as we could shift him to another corner if he produces and Otto is ready to hit longballs at North Side Park. Tom thinks he'll be a quality everyday player, but OSA is enamored with the Danville native. They listed him as the #16 pick on the mock, and they believe he has obvious talent both in the field and at the plate. With Weaver selected with this pick, the official return for Freddie Jones is him, Bill Holloway, and Ed Fisler, a package I think should turn out fine for us even if Freddie continues to hit well as a Chief. 5th Round, 77th Overall: LHP Lefty Jones School: Wilsonville Commit School: Eastern State 1943: 9-3, 130.2 IP, 1.58 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 35 BB, 186 K Career: 32-7, 420 IP, 1.69 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 120 BB, 562 K I've already mentioned how our system is a bit thin when it comes to left handed pitching, so what better way to solve that then with a lefty named Lefty Jones! A four year starter at Wilsonville, Lefty was awful as a freshman, just 6-3 with a 3.09 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 38 walks, and 79 strikeouts. Lucky for him, he took a huge step forward as a sophomore, and then put together one of the best seasons of any high school arm in 1942. Jones went a perfect 9-0 with a 0.82 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, 18 walks, and 160 strikeouts. He couldn't replicate that dominance this year, but Jones did strike out nearly 13 per nine and set personal bests for innings, starts, and WAR (7.1) and ended up beating his career averages for ERA, WHIP, K/9, and FIP- in each of his last three seasons. A three pitch southpaw, Jones is a wiry 6'3'' sidewinder who should end up throwing faster then the 86-88 he currently sits at. He gets a ton of movement on his pitches, and projects to have an above average cutter and change. His third pitch is a slider, which does need some work, but should end up being devastating against fellow lefties. His control could use some work, but his pitches are hard to square up, which should lead to a lot of lazy fly balls instead of towering home runs. One downside is his limitations both mentally and physically, but he does have the tools to start games in the big leagues. Lefty also just turned 19, so he's a bit older then most of the high schoolers in the class, and he's demanding nearly $4k to forego his commitment to Eastern State. We won't have any issues matching that, and he should be starting games for us down in La Crosse post-draft. __________________ Check out The Figment Sporting Journal, a collaborative multi-sport effort that dives into the Figment Sports Universe You can also view my solo project, my Dynasty Report on the Chicago Cougars of FABL, the baseball league in the Figment universe

08-06-2022, 10:38 PM	#866
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 2,992	1943 Draft: Round 6-8 6th Round, 93rd Overall: LF Bob Rogers School: Newman Commit School: Eastern State 1943: .517/.569/.661, 138 PA, 14 2B, HR, 34 RBI, 8 SB Career: .517/.569/.661, 138 PA, 14 2B, HR, 34 RBI, 8 SB I forgot to turn my list off when I woke up this morning, and while Bob Rogers isn't a bad pick per say, it's probably not one that I would have made. To make matters worse, I now found out he's "Impossible" to sign, although we will do our best to convince him to forgo Eastern State just like our previous pick Lefty Jones. "Snoot" only started as a senior at Newman, but showed tremendous bat-to-ball skills and finishing with the second highest batting average for any draft eligible player. He won't draw many walks or hit for much power, and despite just two sentences in his scouting report, the third one from Tom Weinstock says Rogers "has the talent to flourish in the majors." I'm not too sold on that, but his hit tool is very exciting, and worst case he should be a decent pinch hitter off the bench if you need someone to put the ball in play. We may not be able to sign him, which would kind of suck, but we have a huge draft budget and are still well under budget. 7th Round, 109th Overall: CF Alex Snyder School: Arkansas A&T 1943: .270/.370/.369, 299 PA, 7 2B, 6 3B, 2 HR, 35 RBI, 34 SB Career: .270/.370/.369, 299 PA, 7 2B, 6 3B, 2 HR, 35 RBI, 34 SB After patiently waiting his turn as a freshman and sophomore, Alex Snyder finally got his shot as a junior, and he put together an excellent season for the Badgers. A quick and athletic outfielder, Snyder spent most of his time out in center, but filled in a bit at left, right, and first as well. He had a nice .270/.370/.369 in one of the toughest NAIA conferences. He also swiped 34 bases and scored 50 times with more walks (41) then strikeouts (29). He won't hit for much power, and is more of a groundball hitter, but he looks to be a prototypical leadoff hitter who can beat out slow rollers while always looking to take the extra base. Tom Weinstock is a big fan of his defense, and he thinks Snyder has one of the best outfield arms he's ever seen. With the arm and impressive range he can be a top defensive center fielder, and gives me shades of Tom Taylor, just without the bat. We do have some outfield depth in the system, so Snyder will be the last outfielder we take, but I can still see Snyder starting off in San Jose instead of La Crosse. Somewhat surprisingly, Snyder actually checks in on the Mock, projected a pick above Bill Holloway at 3.12. 8th Round, 125th Overall: SS Tom Brownleaf School: Durant Commit School: CC Los Angeles 1943: .450/.523/.658, 130 PA, 14 2B, 3 3B, HR, 32 RBI, 14 SB Career: .270/.370/.369, 299 PA, 7 2B, 6 3B, 2 HR, 35 RBI, 34 SB I usually draft a ton of middle infielders, but the switch hitter from Oklahoma is the first one we've taken since the 2nd Round. Brownleaf didn't start until he was was a senior, where he put up 2.1 WAR in 26 games. A very disciplined hitter, he walked (15) twice as often as he struck out (7), and should be able to keep that up as he rises through the minors. Tom Weinstock thinks he could hit around .300 when fully developed, which is a much higher projection then OSA. Both think he's better off as a bench bat then a starter, but he has good speeds, hits from both sides of the plate, and should be a decent defender at short. He's young and has a lot of time to improve, but it's always nice when a guy can cover many positions for you. He reminds me a lot of Eddie Curtis, who was a 7th Rounder and has stuck on because of his versatility. The war opened up a lot of positions, and now with the Freddie Jones trade he has a shot to stick. Brownleaf could follow the same path, and as a switch hitter with speed he already has a built in advantage. __________________ Check out The Figment Sporting Journal, a collaborative multi-sport effort that dives into the Figment Sports Universe You can also view my solo project, my Dynasty Report on the Chicago Cougars of FABL, the baseball league in the Figment universe

08-07-2022, 06:08 PM	#867
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 2,992	1943 Draft: Round 9-10 9th Round, 141st Overall: SS Caleb Humphrey School: Vanderburgh 1943: .274/.369/.339, 196 PA, 6 2B, 3B, HR, 29 RBI, 39 SB Career: .274/.369/.339, 196 PA, 6 2B, 3B, HR, 29 RBI, 39 SB There were two switch hitting shortstops I was targeting with my 8th Rounder, and one of them was Caleb Humphrey, so it was nice to still be able to get him here. He didn't start until he was a junior at Vanderburgh, and the light hitting infielder showed a lot of speed and defensive versatility, making him a very valuable member of his team. Just 8 of his 46 hits were of the extra base variety, so most of Humphrey's value will come from his speed and glove. He does have a nice eye, walking (24) more then he strikes out (15), and working the count well. Plus when he's on base he will always look to steal, and OSA thinks that's going to be enough for him to force his way in the lineup. I think that's too generous, as he probably won't hit enough to play every day, but hitting from both sides of the plate really benefits him. He hasn't played in the outfield, but I can't imagine he'd have many struggles, as he's got great athleticism and most shortstops can at least play left and right if they don't have the range for center. We have a lot of open spots in the infield with nine everyday minor leaguers off to war. He's a projected 4th Rounder on the mock, but that's probably too high. 10th Round, 156th Overall: C Al Hurd School: University of New Jersey 1943: .253/.359/.323, 236 PA, 8 2B, 2 HR, 28 RBI, 5 SB Career: .261/.367/.358, 836 PA, 31 2B, 2 3B, 11 HR, 105 RBI, 7 SB We had back-to-back picks in the 10th, due to our trade of Johnny McDowell to the Miners last year, and I used them to pick up a new battery. A three year starter behind the plate at the University of New Jersey, Hurd had a bit of a down year as a junior, as he couldn't replicate the six homers and set new lows for games, PAs, at bats, runs, hits, doubles, triples, homers, RBIs, and walks. He did have new bests for steals and strike outs, but as a catcher the steals don't matter one bit. His bat isn't what warranted the pick (although the chance for power is nice), but Tom Weinstock's scouting report actually mentions his good catching ability. At the plate he's not helpless either, as he'll give you long at bats and should be able to walk more then he strikes out. He did that in college, drawing 115 walks while striking out 85 times, but his swing needs some work. I don't think his power will translate to the big leagues, but we haven't drafted a catcher yet, and his glove will make him extremely useful for us. 10th Round, 157th Overall: LHP Barney Gunnels School: Poughkeepsie Commit School: Eastern State 1943: 8-1, 91.2 IP, 1.67 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 16 BB, 107 K Career: 8-1, 91.2 IP, 1.67 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 16 BB, 107 K I'm going to get some angry letters from the Easter State coach, as we took a third commit away from them. To be fair, Bob Rogers may end up fulfilling his commitment, but there will be do Lefty Jones and Barney Gunnels duo atop the Monitors rotation. A southpaw like Jones, Gunnels didn't pitch until his senior season at Poughkeepsie, but he looked really good, striking out a fair amount of hitters while walking just over one and a half batters per nine. A bit of a soft tosser, the 6'1'' lefty just throws 83-85, but I think as he matures he will start throwing his fastball harder. It's not a great pitch, and his best offering is certainly his change up, and it is definitely a plus pitch. His slider is alright too, and due to his command of the strike zone he does a good job keeping the ball in the park. He's a projectable filler that looks like nothing more then a filler arm now, but he could be a decent late inning arm due to his mental abilities to shutout stress. With all the wild arms we tend to have, it's nice to have one with control, especially considering he's a lefty. We still have a few sims until the draft, so we won't see these guys for a bit, but I am very excited for the next class of Cougars, and I think I'll system ranks will get a nice boost. __________________ Check out The Figment Sporting Journal, a collaborative multi-sport effort that dives into the Figment Sports Universe You can also view my solo project, my Dynasty Report on the Chicago Cougars of FABL, the baseball league in the Figment universe

08-08-2022, 07:09 PM	#868
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 2,992	Week 7: May 31st-June 6th Weekly Record: 3-6 Seasonal Record: 27-21 (3rd, 5 GB) Stars of the Week Hank Barnett : 35 AB, 12 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .343 AVG, .825 OPS Dick Walker : 36 AB, 9 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI, .250 AVG, .817 OPS Leo Mitchell : 31 AB, 10 H, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .323 AVG, .866 OPS Schedule 5-31: Loss at Wolves (0-6) 5-31: Loss at Wolves (1-5) 6-1: Loss at Wolves (5-6) 6-2: Win at Wolves (6-2) 6-3: Loss at Cannons (6-7): 12 innings 6-4: Loss at Cannons (3-4): 10 innings 6-5: Loss at Cannons (2-4) 6-6: Win at Cannons (10-4) 6-6: Win at Cannons (6-3) Recap We just cannot beat the Wolves... Now 1-7 against Toronto, we dropped to third as they leaped over us. We're still five games out of first, as the Cannons managed to get swept by the Stars before they took three of five from us. A 3-6 week is not what we needed, but we actually could have done worse. Harry Parker is finally back and healthy, giving our rotation a much needed boost. He'll take Ken Matson's spot on the active roster, who's last start as a Cougar didn't go too well. He allowed 9 hits and 6 runs with 2 walks and a strikeout in just 3.2 innings. He'll head down to Milwaukee with 53 big league innings in 18 appearances (5 starts), going 4-4 with 2 saves, a 4.75 ERA (70 ERA+), 1.60 WHIP, 33 walks, and 25 strikeouts. I was hoping he'd give us better innings, but he'll look to regain his form with the Blues. We have a few other moves, with Freddie Jones leaving, we'll be bringing up Eddie Curtis up from AAA. He's absolutely shredded AAA pitching, slashing .453/.482/.625 (205 OPS+) with 8 doubles, 7 steals, and 10 RBIs. Curtis was riding a 27 game hit streak, that will now have to be put on hold. Mike Taylor will be on the bus with him, completing his rehab and taking Steve Mountain's roster spot. Mountain hit just .140/.254/.160 (21 OPS+) as we've gotten little to no production from our catchers. Taylor, however, has raked in AAA, slashing .386/.471/.545 (181 OPS+) with 5 doubles and a triple. With Mead hitting below the Mendoza line, Taylor will get extra time until Mead can get it back together. We didn't play very well, but we did get some great pitching from the young Johnnie Jones. He got our only win this season against the Wolves, a complete game victory with 5 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 6 strikeouts. He wasn't as great against the Cannons, walking 10 in another complete game win, but he allowed just 2 hits with 3 strikeouts to improve to 5-2 on the season. His 3.70 ERA (90 ERA+) isn't great, but his 3.06 FIP (92 FIP-) paints a nicer pitcher and he's still walked (29) fewer then he struck out (31). The other win went to Jim Lonardo in our 10-4 win over the Cannons. He went all nine with 8 hits, 4 runs (3 earned), a walk, and a strikeout. He didn't do as good against the Wolves, going 8 with 10 hits, 5 runs, 3 walks, and a strikeout. Joe Brown, however, had a rough pair of outings, losing to both the Cannons and the Wolves. He allowed 19 hits and 9 runs with 5 walks and 7 strikeouts in a pair of 8 inning starts. Dick Lyons picked up a no decision, but went 7.2 innings with 6 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), and 2 walks. Angel Lopez picked up a pair of losses, but his start actually wasn't that bad. He went 7 with 9 hits, 2 runs, and 4 walks. He also lost a relief outing, but he allowed 2 hits and a run in 2.1 innings pitched. Ben Curtin had himself a rough week, picking up two losses in four outings. He was charged with 9 hits and 6 runs (3 earned) with 2 walks and 4 strikeouts in 4 innings pitched. It's almost time for some rest, and I think the staff should be able to get back on track now that our terrible run of games is over. The offense wasn't bad, but of course, Clark Car had a rough week in his first without Freddie Jones. He went just 8-for-41 with 2 doubles, a homer, 2 RBIs, and 6 runs scored. Most of the lineup did well, including our right field platoon. Rich Langton went 8-for-19 with 4 doubles, a steal, and 5 RBIs. Cliff Moss went 9-for-25 with a homer, 3 RBIs, and 4 runs. Their outfield counterpart Leo Mitchell did well too, 10-for-31 with 2 doubles, a homer, and 3 RBIs. He did strike out 9 times, but he upped his WRC+ to 142 and he's on pace for nearly 100 RBIs. Hank Barnett went 12-for-35 with 2 doubles, 3 runs, 4 RBIs, and 5 walks. Dick Walker went 9-for-36, but with 2 triples, 2 homers, 5 runs, 6 RBIs, and another steal. Even Harry Mead got in on the fun, 7-for-25 with 2 doubles, a homer, and 4 RBIs. Hopefully next week the offense will turn into runs, as we lost three one run games, with two of them in extras. Looking Ahead Our insufferable run of way too many games in not enough days comes to an end in Philly, with just a single game in Philadelphia before a much needed off day. The Sailors are two games behind us, now 24-22 on the season. For some reason Paul Richardson is now the next pitcher the Sailors rescue, as the 28-year-old castaway from the Cannons own a 1.64 ERA (211 ERA+) and 0.76 WHIP in 13 walks and 18 strikeouts. Of course, that's who we have to face, but lucky for us the Sailors can't score any runs for him. He's just 1-1, and that one win came in a 3-hit shutout over the Stars. In fact, he's allowed just 1 earned run or fewer six of his eight starts. The Sailors do lead the CA in batting average, getting a lot of hits from Joseph Mills (.364, 1, 14), Harvey Brown (.315, 20, 3), and Marion Boismenu (.301, 2, 10). This is a game we really need to win, and I trust Harry Parker to deliver. We finally return to home for the first time since May 23rd, and at 7-8 since, unless we win the game against the Sailors this homestand will come off a losing road trip. We'll host the Kings in a weird five game series, with an off day on Friday and a double header on Sunday. Brooklyn had a rough 12-21 May, and are now 22-25 and nearly 10 games behind the Cannons. We'll get a chance to see breakout rookie Jim Kenny, a former 2nd Round Pick off to a great start to his young career. In 8 starts, Kenny is 4-2 with a 2.69 ERA (128 ERA+), 1.18 WHIP, 15 walks, and 9 strikeouts. He was recently named Rookie of the Month, going 3-2 with a 2.40 ERA and 1.16 WHIP. With him, Art White (2-5, 2.80, 23) and Jim Crawford (5-5, 2.49, 16) all pitching well they may be able to keep runs off the board against us. We should be able to keep their bats in check, and they're weaker with the injury to their most productive hitter Vince D'Alessandro (.315, 8) heading to the IL with shoulder inflammation. Al Wheeler (.244, 7, 25) has been good, but not his great self, while Harry Barrell (.253, 20, 3) isn't hitting much at all. These are much win games, as I hope we can take advantage of a struggling Kings team to jump right back into the race. Minor League Report RF Chick Browning (AAA Milwaukee Blues): While May was great for Chick Browning, June hasn't been great. Not only did he hit .150/.261/.200 this week, but he's dealing with recurring back spasms and will miss about five weeks. This all comes after Browning was named Batter of the Month in the Century League, slashing .316/.439/.602 with 8 doubles, a triple, 6 homers, and 23 RBIs with twice as many walks (23) as strikeouts (11). The setback is tough for the 25-year-old, who may have replaced a struggling Bunny Hufford on the big league roster. Browning has hit an impressive .280/.391/.512 (149 OPS+) in 151 trips to the plate. The lefty has a really nice bat, projecting to hit around .300 with good strike zone recognition and potentially plus power. As long as he's healthy in September, he'll get a chance to add to his 3 big league PAs, but if Moss or Langton got hurt, he'd have been in line for an earlier callup. LHP Johnny Ruby (AAA Milwaukee Blues): Despite the red arrow pointing down all season long, Johnny Ruby has done nothing but dominate Century League pitchers. Ruby was a perfect 5-0 with a 1.01 ERA, 1.21 WHIP,1 6 walks, and 32 strikeouts in 35.2 innings pitched. That's an impressive 8.1 K/9, even higher then his 7.7 in 76.1 innings with A Lincoln back in 1939. These are surprising numbers for the 27-year-old, who spent each of the last two seasons in AA, and they were really nothing more then average. I can't see him keeping up Papenfus-esque strikeout numbers, and since he shares his control too, any drop of strikeouts will really hurt his effectiveness. He's great against lefties, which will work nice in an eventual pen role, as I don't think he'll ever start games for us. RHP Bill Tuttle (AA Mobile Commodores): It was a great month for the 24-year-old, who went 4-1 with a 2.40 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 9 walks, and 23 strikeouts in 48.2 innings pitched. That was good enough to take home Pitcher of the Month, and while his four game win streak was just snapped, he's now 4-2 with a 2.83 ERA (162 ERA+), 1.27 WHIP, 14 walks, and 31 strikeouts. Tuttle was placed on the 40 last offseason, and numbers like this could help him make his big league debut. A decent three pitch pitcher, his cutter, change, and splitter are all quality offerings, and he sits consistently in the mid 90s. He does run into issues with the longball, and he's very susceptible to homers. Despite that, Tuttle has been consistently above average in the minors, with an ERA+ above 100 in each of his last 8 stints of 25 innings or more. He's also maintained a K/9 above 4.5 since 1941 as he misses a lot of bats. The issues with command may stop him from starting frequently, but he's a good depth option who could get a few outs for us out of the pen at some point this season. 3B Danny Richardson (A Lincoln Legislators): June 4th was a crazy extra inning game for Lincoln and Terre Haute, and despite the performance from Danny Richardson, the Legislators came short 13-8 in 15 innings pitched. Richardson was 5-for-7 with a walk, double, run, and RBI, but it wasn't enough to capture the win. We're hoping this is the start of something more from the 23-year-old from Elgin, as he's hitting just .220/.340/.371 (84 OPS+) on the season. The former 3rd Rounder does have 8 doubles, 4 homers, and 16 RBIs with near equal walks (22) and strikeouts (23), but he isn't having a great time in his first taste of A ball. Once projected as a future starter, Richardson is now more of an after thought in our pool of prospects. His only plus tool right now is his eye, and while he is a line drive hitter, we don't see much power coming from him. He's running out of chances to play every day, and without the war, Richardson may have been relegated to a bench or part time role. 2B Bob Griffen (C La Crosse Lions): He just keeps on hitting! It was a great month for Bob Griffen, who is just a week away from celebrating his 21st birthday. The Lions second basemen hit an impressive .351/.447/.629 during his 23 games in May with 7 doubles, a triple, 6 homers, 3 steals, and 30 RBIs. It's been a big season overall for Griffen, who has hit .339/.431/.629 (151 OPS+) at a 37 home run and 157 RBI pace. A 16th Rounder from 1940, Griffen's bat has given him a shot to earn playing time, and with the draft later this month he'll end up making his way up to San Jose. I'm not sure the power will stay with him as he moves up our system, but he should always carry a high batting average and on base percentage. He's actually looked okay defensively at second this year, but I'm not sure he'll be better then average at the keystone. That being said, his bat should make up for it, and as long as he keeps hitting, he'll keep getting every day at bats. RHP George Oddo (C La Crosse Lions): We swept the awards in both the Century League and the UMVA, and the winner down here was righty George Oddo. One of our top prospects now, Oddo ranks 4th in our system and 60th Overall. Despite making it up to San Jose last season, Oddo started the year with a red arrow and went to La Crosse. His May was enough to shake that off, going a perfect 5-0 with a 2.57 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 17 walks, and 31 strikeouts. His one start in June wasn't anything good, but Oddo finished was will hopefully be his last starts in La Crosse, going 5-1 with a 3.57 ERA (152 ERA+), 1.49 WHIP, 20 walks, and 38 strikeouts in 40.1 innings pitched. The hard worker has thrown harder this season, with his velo up to 88-90, and at 6'4'' I think there is still more speed left in his arm. His stuff is really good, featuring a plus-plus change and knee-buckling curve to compliment his fastball. He's not overpowering, more of a finesse guy, but he has put up decent strike out numbers so far. I think his ceiling will continue to rise as he develops, and I think he could turn into a decent middle of the rotation arm. Tom Weinstock isn't sold yet, but he has started giving him kinder words in each of his newer scouting reports. Our system is a bit weak at the top, as in most seasons Oddo wouldn't be one of our top 5 guys, but I'm really excited to see how he keeps up his season. Hoping for A ball at the end is probably too much, but I think he should really settle in for San Jose. SS Pete Hunter (C La Crosse Lions): A 22nd Round Pick of the Dynamos two seasons ago, Pete Hunter spent just a week in their system before he was handed his walking papers. He joined us last July and spent some time on the Lions bench, going 4-for-15 in 19 games. Due to all the enlistments over the Winter, we were left really thin in the lower levels, so Hunter had to fill in at short this season. He's off to a tremendous start that only a foot contusion could stop, hitting .333/.534/.556 (161 OPS+) with 3 doubles, 2 triples, 3 homers, 4 steals, and 15 RBIs with an impressive 27 walks. Don't get me started on his Player of the Week award, where he was just 6-for-9 with 5 RBIs and 8 runs scored in 14 trips to the plate, but he has been wonderful this season. I'm hoping this week or so absence won't slow him down, but with a lot of more exciting prospects coming from the draft, Hunter may be seeing his playing time disappear. His versatility should help, but my guess is the nice start is just a fluke, and Hunter will come back to earth as the year progresses. Attached Images __________________ Check out The Figment Sporting Journal, a collaborative multi-sport effort that dives into the Figment Sports Universe You can also view my solo project, my Dynasty Report on the Chicago Cougars of FABL, the baseball league in the Figment universe

08-09-2022, 06:46 PM	#869
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 2,992	Week 8: June 7th-June 13th Weekly Record: 3-3 Seasonal Record: 30-24 (3rd, 5 GB) Stars of the Week Dick Walker : 18 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, .500 AVG, 1.251 OPS Jim Lonardo : 1 Win, 9.0 IP, 2 BB, 0 K, 0.00 ERA Johnnie Jones : 1 Win, 9.0 IP, 5 BB, 1 K, 0.00 ERA Schedule 6-7: Win at Sailors (5-2) 6-9: Loss vs Kings (5-3) 6-10: Loss vs Kings (6-3) 6-12: Loss vs Kings (2-1) 6-13: Win vs Kings (0-1) 6-13: Win vs Kings (0-5) Recap We continue to muddle in mediocrity, with yet another three win week. We managed to end our road trip with a win against the Sailors, but then we dropped the first three with the Kings in Chicago. Luckily, we salvaged the double header with a pair of shutouts from Jim Lonardo and Johnnie Jones. Lonardo was perfect despite next to zero run support, allowing just 3 hits and 2 walks in a 1-0 shutout. Johnnie Jones dealt with more baserunners, allowing 3 hits and 5 walks with a strikeout in his second shutout in five starts. Both rose their ERA+ (110 and 105) above 100, and for Jones, it was the first time all season. We just can't win games at home for some reason, now a game under .500 at 13-14 in Chicago. That hasn't stopped Cougar fans from showing up more then any other group of fans, but you have to imagine we'll eventually start winning at home. We were 46-31 last year and 51-26 when we won the pennant in '41, and we haven't finished below .500 at home since 1936 (34-43) where we won only 63 games. Harry Parker had a nice return to the rotation, tossing a pair of two run complete games. He beat the Sailors to start the week, allowing 9 hits, 2 runs, and a walk with 3 strikeouts in his first start back. We then couldn't score against the Kings for him, as he allowed just 5 hits and 2 walks with 4 strikeouts. Dick Lyons and Joe Brown didn't have much luck against the Kings, as both dropped their start. Brown went 7.1 innings with 12 hits, 6 runs, and 3 walks with 4 strikeouts. Lyons had a rare misstep, 9 hits and 4 runs in just 6 innings pitched. He hasn't allowed more then 3 earned runs in a start since his first on April 25th, and he still sports a stellar 2.51 ERA (134 ERA+), 0.99 WHIP, and 0.6 BB/9 in 71.2 innings pitched. We didn't hit at all, but Dick Walker heated up with a huge week, going 9-for-18 with 2 doubles, 3 runs, 7 walks, and 2 steals. Walker is now hitting .272/.391/.426 (136 OPS+) with 7 doubles, 6 triples, 4 homers, 39 walks, and 21 RBIs. He's tied with three other players for 11 steals to lead the FABL, and he's been caught only once. The right field platoon was about all that hit too, and that's even with Cliff Moss going just 2-for-11. He did have a homer, 4 RBIs, and 3 walks, which is better then most everyone else. Rich Langton did look good, going 5-for-16 with a double, triple, walk, and two runs scored. Orlin Yates heard about our trade talks for a new center fielder, as well as our new waiver claim, going 3-for-10 with a double, 2 runs, and 2 RBIs. That previously mentioned waiver claim was former Sailor Don Homer, who will take Bunny Hufford's roster spot until we can find a better option out in center. A former 11th Rounder back in 1932, Homer debuted for the team that drafted him in 1936, going 0-for-1 in 2 games for the Sailors. From 1939 to 1942, he was actually a full time starter, and he had an OPS+ of 100 and 110 in '39 and '40. He was relegated to a bench role this season, hitting just .143/.211/.171 (6 OPS+) in 39 PAs, but he owns a much more productive .272/.333/.355 (92 OPS+) batting line in 2,260 career plate appearances. Yates will still get most of the playing time, but since Homer is a lefty too, he'll get some starts against righties. This sends Bunny Hufford down to Milwaukee to play center field every day, and he should hit much better then his .188/.291/.229 (51 OPS+) line with a triple, RBI, and 7 walks. Looking Ahead Off to start the week, as we can hopefully get things back on track. We'll travel to Montreal for a quick three game road trip. The Saints are struggling this season, just 23-30 and 11.5 games out of first. The Saints just lost Ed Baker (6-2, 4.37, 33) for the year, weakening their rotation the rest of the way. To make matters worse, Jake DeYoung (2-8, 5.32, 27) has been awful, but former Cougar draftee Bill Ross (6-3, 2.31, 18) is pitching out of his mind. The rest of their rotation hasn't done too well, but as the season goes on, I'd expect talented youngsters Pat Weakly (1-3, 3.56, 25) and Wally Reif (1-2, 4.35, 8) to improve with experience. The offense hasn't been bad, but they've seen below average production from quality hitters like Jake Hughes (.276, 25, 5), Bert Lass (.286, 2, 25), Charlie Woodbury (.257, 3, 21,) and Bill Greene (.188, 3, 18, 11). They have gotten good production from veteran Vic Crawford (.305, 7, 28) and Mark Burns (.360, 10, 1), but not much has broken right for the Saints. I think they'll recover, but I'm hoping that doesn't come at our expense. We also host the Saints later in the week, starting a five game series with them in Chicago on Sunday. We then head home to host the Stars for a pair of must win games. New York is a completely different team then the won who wiped the floor with us last season, just 20-33 and 7th in the league on win percentage. Billy Riley (1-5, 3.80, 26) hasn't pitched since May, and Vern Hubbard (5-6, 3.74, 51) is suffering from a huge drop in production. Chris Clarke (4-6, 3.75, 19) hasn't looked good in a full time starting role and waiver claim Hank Mittan (2-5, 3.59, 15) hasn't been much better. They've only gotten good innings from Bill Keith (2-1, 2.70, 16), but he's had walk issues (5.1 BB/9) in his first five big league starts. The offense has been even worse, ranked 8th in a lot of hitting categories, including runs scored, wOBA, OPS, and WAR. Of course the loss of Bill Barrett hurts, but Chink Stickels (.187, 1, 18, 3) has been awful and Dave Trowbridge (.266, 1, 9) is finally showing his age. Ray Cochran (.257, 1, 10, 1) is one of their only above average hitters, as they are still waiting for Chubby Hall (.202, 2, 11) to flash the promise he did in the minors. The Stars have also announced that they're going to be sellers, meaning some of their vets may be on the way out before we face them. It's been a fall from grace for the powerhouse Stars, but once the war ends they'll be more then ready to compete. Minor League Report 2B Jimmie James (AA Mobile Commodores): I debated moving Jimmie James up to AAA when I called up Eddie Curtis, but I instead went with veteran filler first basemen Chris Smith. James quickly made me regret my decision, putting up a Player of the Week where he went an even 13-for-26 with 2 homers and 11 RBIs. The 24-year-old middle infielder will be rewarded with the deserved promotion, finishing his 44 games at AA with a .325/.443/.490 (148 OPS+) batting line. The former 4th Rounder added 4 doubles, 2 triples, 6 homers, and 39 RBIs with twice as many walks (35) as strike outs (17). A versatile switch hitter, James has spent most of his time at second, but he's also capable at short, third, left, center, and right. His range on the dirt is impressive and he's a great fielder, and OSA thinks he'll develop into an above average big league player. I like him for second, and with Barnett and Skipper at third and short it's the best immediate place for him, but I could see him filling in at all three spots before securing everyday playing time. He has a good handle of the strike zone and projects to have at least an average hit tool, but I can't see him hitting for much power as he's shown in Mobile this season. Currently ranked 11th in our system and 155th overall, he's got a decent prospect pedigree and he could develop into a useful big league starter, but at worst he's a very useful utility man who can hit far better then Tip Harrison. LHP Ed Fisler (AA Mobile Commodores): What a debut! In his first start in our organization, and up in AA, Ed Fisler flashed greatness, tossing a 6-hit shutout with 5 strikeouts as the Commodores topped the Reliables 2-0. Fisler needed just 101 pitches to record 27 outs, and he didn't walk a single hitter. We couldn't have asked any more from the lefty, as he hadn't pitched above A ball before this. Ranked 17th in our system and 206th Overall, Fisler made 9 starts for the Chiefs in Class A Cedar Rapids, going 4-2 with a 3.93 ERA (124 ERA+), 1.59 WHIP, 30 walks, and 48 strikeouts. I loved his massive strike out numbers, and while I don't expect him to keep up a 8.2 per 9 pace, he should settle around 5. If he can get his control down, he'll be a really good starter, as walks can turn into an issue for him. Going a full game without a walk is a huge first step, and I'm excited to see how he continues. C Pat Brown Jr. (C La Crosse Lions): It's been an extremely productive season for the 20-year-old Pat Brown Jr., who continued an excellent season with a Player of the Week Award. A 9th Round selection back in 1941, it hasn't always been easy for Brown to get playing time, but he's certainly taking advantage of it now. The New Jersey native went 10-for-21 this week with 2 homers, 7 RBIs, and 8 runs scored to improve his season line to an outstanding .305/.431/.595 (146 OPS+) with 9 doubles, 9 homers, and 31 RBIs. He has struck out a lot, on pace for 113 strikeouts in 116 games, but he's walked (29) nearly as much as he's struck out (32) and he's already homered seven more times this season then last. Brown has an all or nothing swing and won't make too much contact, and while he didn't hit many homers last year, he did have 32 doubles. When he makes contact, the ball does go far, so the defense should always be on their toes. Right now he just projects to be a backup catcher, but at 6'3'' his power can really grow in, and he could surprise a few pundits. __________________ Check out The Figment Sporting Journal, a collaborative multi-sport effort that dives into the Figment Sports Universe You can also view my solo project, my Dynasty Report on the Chicago Cougars of FABL, the baseball league in the Figment universe

08-10-2022, 06:53 PM	#870
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 2,992	Week 9: June 14th-June 20th Weekly Record: 4-2 Seasonal Record: 34-26 (3rd, 3.5 GB) Stars of the Week Leo Mitchell : 27 AB, 13 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI, .481 AVG, 1.222 OPS Joe Brown : 2 Wins, 16.2 IP, 4 BB, 3 K, 1.62 ERA Cliff Moss : 14 AB, 8 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .571 AVG, 1.243 OPS Schedule 6-15: Win at Saints (9-4) 6-16: Loss at Saints (2-3) 6-17: Win at Saints (4-3) 6-18: Loss vs Stars (11-6) 6-19: Win vs Stars (0-12) 6-20: Win vs Saints (0-4) Recap Hey, a winning week! We took advantage of the Saints, winning two out of three in Montreal to start the week, and then we finished the week winning the opener in Chicago. We split the series with the Stars, and in both games the winner put up double digit runs. We're up to 34-26, but our 38-22 expected record is much better and would be good enough for first. For the second straight week, we also finished with back-to-back shutouts, and "The Patron Saint of Groundballs" continues to dominate in what should end up with a Rookie of the Month award. Johnnie Jones has now won his last six starts, tossing a 5-hit shutout with 7 walks and 4 strikeouts as we curb stomped the team that drafted him 12-0. He has started walking more batters then he strikes out, 41 to 36 on the season, but Jones is now 7-2 with a 2.83 ERA (120 ERA+) and 1.23 and just celebrated his 25th birthday on the 17th. The other shutout came from Joe Brown, our two start starter for the week. Brown did it against the Saints, allowing just 4 hits with 3 strikeouts to improve to 7-4 on the season. He won his first start too, going 7.2 innings with 7 hits, 3 runs, and 4 walks. Harry Parker continues to show no signs of a setback after his injury, picking up another complete game win with 9 hits, 3 runs (1 earned), a walk, and 4 strikeouts. Dick Lyons had another nice start, getting a no decision despite just 1 run in 7 innings with 5 hits, 3 walks, and a strikeout. Jim Lonardo was roughed up in his only start, charged with 7 hits and 7 runs in 3.2 innings with 2 walks and a strikeout. Our pen was roughed up a bit too, as both relievers who pitched were charged with runs. Cal Knight made two appearances, going 6.2 innings with 8 hits, 5 runs (3 earned), 5 walks, and 3 strikeouts. Ben Curtin picked up a loss in Lyons' start, going 1.2 innings with 3 hits, 2 runs, a walk, and a strikeout. Our pitching has been good this year, second to the Cannons in runs allowed, but Jim Lonardo has hit a rough patch and you have to imagine sooner or later Dick Lyons is going to age. We might need to upgrade here, but there aren't too many options available. We didn't hit all that much, most of the production came in Johnnie's shutout, but Harry Mead is finally starting to look like Harry Mead! Our All Star catcher went 6-for-19 with a double, 2 triples, and 6 RBIs. He's riding a seven game on base streak which has upped his batting line to a still well below average .213/.273/.320 (71 OPS+) with 9 doubles, 2 triples, 2 homers, and 33 RBIs. His June numbers, however, looked much more like his 1942 season, as he's hit a productive .288/.312/.492 (129 OPS+) and he's now drove in more runs then every CA batter who isn't Leo Mitchell. Speaking of Mitchell, he had a tremendous week, going 13-for-27 with a double, 2 homers, 6 RBIs, and 7 runs scored. Cliff Moss continues his resurgence, going 8-for-14 with 6 runs and 3 RBIs. Moss is now hitting an elite .339/.416/.446 (149 OPS+) with 4 doubles, 3 homers, and 18 RBIs with almost twice the walks (15) as strikeouts (8). Our center field duo was about as useless as it gets, however, as Yates went 1-for-17 with Homer 1-for-6. Homer did have a steal and Yates scored three times, but that's about as bad as it gets. Clark Car has also continued to struggle, going 4-for-26 with 2 doubles, 3 runs, and 3 RBIs. Car has hit just .195/.235/.312 in June, dropping his season line to .249/.306/.392 (101 OPS+), similar to Freddie Jones' .241/.358/.321 (96 OPS+) season line. We'll need a few more guys to step forward if we want to get back on top the standings. Looking Ahead We get four more with the Saints in Chicago, who are now 25-34 and 12 games out of first. We did beat Bill Ross (6-4, 2.19, 19) in Montreal despite good performance from him, and we'll get to see him again. He's been one of their only productive starters, but they've gotten better outings lately from Karl Weiss (4-6, 3.67, 21) and Pat Weakly (2-3, 3.61, 28) is inching closer to being league average in terms of ERA+. They've looked to upgrade their lineup with former 2nd Rounder and top 100 prospect Milt Bennett (.318, 1, 7, 1) and they might be able to bring up Spud Bent who started a rehab assignment last week. We've done well against the Saints so far this season, and I expect that to continue this week, even if we do struggle at home. Our run of games ends in New York, with four games in three days with the Stars. They will look a bit different, as they traded one of the guys I was going after Chink Stickels (.187, 1, 18, 3) to the Wolves, and then Chris Clarke (5-7, 3.49, 24) to the Cannons. This makes the series with them easier, but it will be tougher to take the division as our two toughest competitors have upgrades their lineups. The Stars teardown may not be going much further, as their only real marketable options are Ray Cochran (.264, 1, 15, 2), who is already 37, and Vern Hubbard (6-6, 3.58, 54) who is having a bit of a down year and will still be in his prime when the war ends. We made a minor deal with them too, as they needed a glove first shortstop, sending AAA shortstop Freddie Bennett their way for an 8th Round Pick. We really need to win both of these series, as we need to take advantage of two struggling teams. Lastly, it's draft time, so next sim we'll get the rest of our 1943 draft class filled into our system. I'm really excited to see where some of our new draftees list in the prospect rankings, and we're finally going to have a deeper pool of players to keep the upper levels stacked. The mock keeps reshuffling, but we have a 1st Rounder in Al Clement, 2nd Rounder in Bob Rogers, 3rd Rounder in Jimmy Hairston, and 5th Rounders in Bill Holloway, Alex Snyder, and Lefty Jones. Others that have bounced in and our include Johnny Weaver, Tommy Seymour, Caleb Humphrey, and Dick Garcia, but I'm sure there were others I missed. It's always exciting to see how the system will look after being filled back up again. Minor League Report RHP Ira Hawker (AAA Milwaukee Blues): It's been a tough season for Ira Hawker, who's 12 starts in AAA haven't been much more then average. I'm hoping start 11 was the start of a better second half, as Hawker was brilliant in our 4-0 win over the Minneapolis Lumberjacks, who hold a one game lead over Hawker's Blues. Hawker tossed a 2-hit shutout with 3 walks and 3 strikeouts. Hawker is now 5-4 on the season with a 4.16 ERA (97 ERA+), 1.25 WHIP, 24 walks, and 48 strikeouts in 84.1 innings pitched. Not great numbers for the 24-year-old on our 40, but his 3.70 FIP (91 FIP-) paints a better pitcher and his 5.1 K/9 is very impressive. A four pitch righty, Hawker does a good job keeping the ball on the ground, and he generates a lot of movement on his pitches. He's not quite ready to start games in the big leagues, but I do think he could be a decent spot starter or mop up guy who can keep the score close as you try to mount a come back. For a guy who was cut because he was a terrible shortstop, he's made huge leaps and bounds just to make it to where he is, and he should be awarded with a big league callup. CF Jim Madsen (AA Mobile Commodores): It was a huge game for Jim Madsen, who led the Commodores offense to a 9-5 win over the Chattanooga Reliables. Madsen was a perfect 5-for-5 with a double, triple, 2 runs, and an RBI. It's been a nice bounce back season for Madsen, who is hitting .327/.374/.492 (129 OPS+) with 8 doubles, 5 triples, 5 homers, and 38 RBIs with an impressive 22-to-9 walk-to-strikeout ratio in just over 200 trips to the plate while playing average defense out in center. Now 26, Madsen is running out of shots to make his big league debut, but he still profiles as a decent fourth outfield option. He has above average bat speed and can hit the ball hard to all fields, but I can't see him ever hitting for a high average. He has nice speed but is an awful base runner, going 6-for-17 last season and he's just 1-for-4 this season. With Bunny Hufford in center up in Milwaukee, Madsen is probably stuck in AA for now, but as the new draftees flow into the system, I might move him up to cover a corner in Milwaukee as we're relying on Bob Worley and Oscar Panduro in right. He's a long shot to debut this season, but it's always handy to have a guy who can cover all three outfield spots. LF Bill Rich (AA Mobile Commodores): Jim Madsen may have had the biggest game of the week, but no one had a better week in Mobile then Bill Rich. The 24-year-old outfielder went 11-for-28 with 4 homers and 11 RBIs. Rich hit a homer in each of his last three games, including a 4-for-6 to finish the week with 2 runs, a double, homer, and 4 RBIs. Rich is in the midst of another great season, slashing .316/.377/.498 (131 OPS+) with 9 doubles, a triple, 9 homers, and 40 RBIs. This is a 25 homer and 110 RBI pace, with the homers a personal best. His triple slash is actually a bit down from his numbers last season, but Rich has still been one of the most productive hitters in our system. Like Madsen, he's going to have to wait his turn to make it up to Milwaukee, but with him eligible for the Rule-5 Draft and a chance to be taken, he might end up making his way up to Chicago this season. Rich always seems to hit better then his talent, but eventually there will be a time where he either stops overperforming, or his talent level will match his production. 1B Billy Biggar (C La Crosse Lions): Hard to have a "biggar" week then Billy Biggar did, as our former 10th Rounder went 12-for-27 with 2 homers and 11 RBIs. It makes up for most of his struggles this season, slashing just .261/.356/.408 (83 OPS+) in 165 trips to the plate. He's added 9 doubles, 4 homers, and 30 RBIs, and the 4 homers are nice as he didn't hit one in nearly 250 PAs with the Lions last year. He's also walking far more frequently, with 17 this year after just 4 last season. The soon-to-be 19-year-old still hasn't hit as much as I expected, as Biggar hit .521/.541/.802 in 26 games as a senior last season at York Springs. First base is one of the weaker positions in our system, as Jocko Pollard is our only primary first basemen ranked in the top 500, but I do think Biggar will make his way up their eventually. He's an aggressive hitter with a strong hit tool, but he's still looking to put everything together. Power doesn't look to be his game, and while he does have quick hands, he will whiff a lot and likely won't ever be someone who avoids strike outs. He looks to be more of a role player then every day guy, and I doubt he'll be able to handle the outfield. Still, as a lefty he can fallback as a pinch hitter, although he sitll has a lot of development ahead of him. __________________ Check out The Figment Sporting Journal, a collaborative multi-sport effort that dives into the Figment Sports Universe You can also view my solo project, my Dynasty Report on the Chicago Cougars of FABL, the baseball league in the Figment universe

08-11-2022, 11:16 AM	#871
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 2,992	Trade News! Trade fever is sweeping the FABL a bit early this year, as we're about a month from the deadline and there has already been a flurry of activity. The Chiefs have picked up Freddie Jones, Bob Cummings, and Al Wheeler, the Cannons Billy Dalton, Chris Clarke, and Sam Brown, and the Wolves Chink Stickels. Now it's our turn to get into the fun! It looks like a response, but it's actually a deal that has been in the works for a long time, as the Cougars finally landed a pitcher they've been chasing since his 1934 debut; Art White. The Kings ace will be on his way to Chicago in exchange for four pitching prospects, giving the Cougars one of the games most reliable pitchers. The 31-year-old lefty was a 3rd Round Pick back in 1932, and a source close to the Cougars GM reported that it was either White or Walker Pearce who the Cougars were looking at with the 30th Pick, a mistake he would easily go back and change if he could. White went up the Kings ladder quickly, debuting in 1934 with a pair of starts and a relief appearance. He got just under 60 innings in Brooklyn the next season before entering the rotation full time in 1936. Since then he's topped 170 innings in each year, with his 97 ERA+ in 1937 is only below average performance. From 1939-1942 he threw 200 or more innings, and while last year was the best of his career, it did end early with shoulder inflammation. White went 15-10 with a 2.00 ERA (165 ERA+), 1.17 WHIP, 71 walks, and 56 strikeouts in 28 impressive starts for Brooklyn. He was worth 4.4 WAR, his lowest total since 1938, which was followed by three seasons of 5.5 or higher. White is also elite when it comes to keeping the ball on the ground and preventing homers, with just 48 in his big league career. He's allowed double digits just once, and it was only 10 in 224.1 innings back in 1936. For comparison, Harry Parker gave up his 48th homer before he hit 300 innings, and has allowed 136 in 1,235 innings pitched. Our park is one of the easiest to hit home runs at, but White should be able to match Dick Lyons, another groundballer with a nice 0.4 career HR/9. This year has been more of the same for White, who despite being 5-6 owns a productive 2.70 ERA (131 ERA+) and 1.27 WHIP with 36 walks and 30 strikeouts in 116.2 innings pitched. He's not quite the complete game machine Harry Parker is, but White does a great job keeping his pitch counts low, which allows him to go deep into games without worrying too much about who has to finish it for him. He's thrown 1,762.1 big league innings and completed 100 of his 224 starts, going 109-85 with a 3.45 ERA (117 ERA+), 1.35 WHIP, 501 walks, and 488 strikeouts. He is also one of the highest rated pitchers in the game, currently ranked 6th in the FABL behind just Pete Papenfus, Rufus Barrell II, Joe Hancock, Ed Bowman, and Ed Wood, and he's been named to the All Star game three times. White brings more value then just ace-level production, as the southpaw is a captain among men, offering great leadership with impressive experience, and while the clubhouse is already ecstatic, our leadership duo needs to be strong to get the most out of the outspoken Clark Car. The addition of White plus the emergence of Johnnie Jones really helps lengthen the Cougars rotation, which is rumored to be moving to six men as the squad deals with numerous double headers. Once White joins the mix, manager Clyde Meyer declared he will use a more unconventional staff, letting all his starters pitch out of the pen as well, using his top guys late in games to preserve wins. The package going back to the Kings is a big one, but the Cougars are comfortable making it as they have been collecting pitching prospects with recent trades and draft selections. The headliner is top 50 prospect Leo Hayden, the Cougars 3rd rated prospect and former 2nd Round selection. The imposing 6'6'' lefty was dominant after being selected in 1941, but he's currently overseas in the Air Force. Just 20, Hayden projects to end up near the top of any rotation, but he's not going to be able to help the Cougars any time soon, and will have to deal with the talented young core of pitchers in Chicago's system. It'll be hard for him to surpass Pete Papenfus, the Jones brothers, and Duke Bybee, so he's a little more expendable. Plus we have another talented 20-year-old in George Oddo, who is not only still pitching stateside, but ranked just 5 spots lower then him on the prospect ladder. The Kings pick up another talented enlisted pitcher in Harry Stewart as well, and then Oliver Allen and Pinch Lenhart who can both report to the Kings during the season. It's an expensive price to pay, but when you can get one of the top pitchers in the game, you worry about how good the guys you give up are later. __________________ Check out The Figment Sporting Journal, a collaborative multi-sport effort that dives into the Figment Sports Universe You can also view my solo project, my Dynasty Report on the Chicago Cougars of FABL, the baseball league in the Figment universe

08-11-2022, 02:16 PM	#872
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 2,992	1943 Drat: Round 11-25 The draft was taken care of in-game, and below are the new Cougars joining the system. Five of our post 11th Round picks are impossible to sign and I'll let them go, but I do have a lot of draftees to sign. We need to agree to contracts with all of our picks in the first five rounds, the impossible 6th Rounder Bob Rogers, and 10th Rounder Barney Gunnells. I will meet demands for everyone other then Rogers, who I'm going to have to throw a lot of money at. Just one new Cougar in the top 500, with 7th Rounder Alex Snyder checking in at 414. The regular weekly report will still come out later today. 11th Round, 173rd Overall: RHP Jack Maxwell School: Amsterdam 1943: 6-2, 83.1 IP, 1.73 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 17 BB, 119 K Career: 22-7, 291.2 IP, 1.85 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 67 BB, 347 K No, we did not get a Dutch pitcher from the Netherlands; Jack Maxwell is from Amsterdam, New York. An always intriguing 11th Round pitcher, Jack Maxwell had his best of three seasons as a senior, setting personal bests for ERA, WHIP, hits, earned runs, walks, BB/9 (1.8) and K/9 (12.9) in his first season without 15 starts and 104 innings pitched. He made 12 starts and threw just 83.1 innings, but I like how his strikeouts and walks went in the right direction. Maxwell isn't your prototypical pitcher, weighing just 140 pounds despite being 5'10''. He does throw in the high 80s with a nice pitch mix, featuring a sharp curve and average cutter, but unless he improves his change up, he's probably not starting every day. He'll at least get a few starts before the better arms join the system, and while he's likely just a filler starter, he'll get a shot to prove he's a little bit more. 12th Round, 189th Overall: C Bob Bendick School: Opelika State 1943: .270/.374/.365, 272 PA, 7 2B, 5 HR, 46 RBI, 5 SB Career (HS): .407/.508/.548, 488 PA, 37 2B, 2 3B, 5 HR, 93 RBI, 19 SB Career (COL): .273/.379/.390, 720 PA, 20 2B, 17 HR, 115 RBI, 10 SB It's always fun when we get an Illinois kid to join our ranks, and that's exactly what Bob Bendick provides. The Danville native was originally a four year starter in high school, but instead of signing as a 14th Rounder with the Cannons, he decided to go to Opelika State and give it another got this year. He wasn't great, and just got selected two rounds earlier, but Bendick hit above .270 in each of his three season with 5 or more home runs. He's a patient hitter who can take a walk, but he doesn't make consistent contact yet. I'm not sold on his defense, but Tom thinks he could be a decent supplemental piece, and you can never really have too many catchers. 13th Round, 205th Overall: LHP Charlie Dominick School: Palestine Commit School: Northern Mississippi 1943: 11-1, 114 IP, 1.89 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 27 BB, 141 K Career: 25-7, 324 IP, 1.78 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 90 BB, 395 K No, I did not draft Charlie Dominick out of Palestine in the Middle East, but the one down in Texas. The southpaw was actually on my shortlist due to an excellent junior year where he went 7-2 with a 1.10 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, 14 walks, and 113 strikeouts in 90 impressive innings pitched. Unfortunately for Dominick, his senior year was closer to his very uninspiring sophomore season (2.17 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 3.7 BB/9), which is probably why he made it clear he'll be going to Northern Mississippi. I think he's got a chance to breakout there, as he's a hard worker who will use those three seasons to improve his craft. He's got some blocks to build on, as he has a great change that will continue to improve if he adds speed to his mid 80s cutter and sinker. His control looks good too, so if he can keep the ball in the park, he may develop into an intriguing option for a big league rotation. 14th Round, 221st Overall: LHP Bud Sloane School: Eastern Kansas 1943: 3-5, 86 IP, 5.76 ERA, 1.71 WHIP, 43 BB, 50 K Career:7-12, 199 IP, 6.15 ERA, 1.84 WHIP, 133 BB, 104 K The numbers don't look good for Bud Sloane, who was actually worse as a sophomore. To make things worse, the 6'3'' lefty is listed as "Strictly Bullpen" despite his four pitches. Not a lot to like here, but supposedly he can throw all four of them consistently for strikes. They just must not be very good pitches... We need depth, so he'll hand around in the pen for now. He may end up getting cut, I just don't see that happening before the season ends, as I'm sure he can make the jump to San Jose, where we have a lot of older and equally uninspiring pen arms hanging out. 15th Round, 237th Overall: C Jack Lumpkin School: Noble Jones College 1943: .273/.376/.374, 222 PA, 7 2B, 4 HR, 29 RBI, 3 SB Career: .273/.376/.374, 222 PA, 7 2B, 4 HR, 29 RBI, 3 SB A one year starter at Noble Jones, Jack Lumpkin looked decent behind the plate, hitting rather similar to 12th Rounder Bob Bendick. OSA thinks he can hold a backup catcher role, liking his patient approach and average contact tool. He shouldn't strike out too much, although I doubt he'll hit for a very high average, and there's not much to say about his power or defense. He'll fill a bench spot for now, but I'm not sure he'll see much playing time in his time as a Cougar farmhand. 16th Round, 253rd Overall: C Ralph Grant School: Denmark Commit School: Warrensburg State 1943: .398/.509/.581, 114 PA, 7 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 26 RBI, 5 SB Career: .398/.509/.581, 114 PA, 7 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 26 RBI, 5 SB Okay Tom, were you trying to scout internationally? A guy from Denmark! But the one in Wisconsin! Come on... That's about all that's interesting about Hamlet, who couldn't hit over .400 in his only season of high school ball. He did walk a lot, 20 times in 22 games, but he does not put the ball in play much. He's going to head to Warrensburg State and look to build more value in a full time role, and if he can do something other then draw walks, he could find himself taken in the first 10 rounds next time around. 17th Round, 269th Overall: SS Bill Parent School: Westinghouse Commit School: Grange College 1943: .440/.500/.560, 110 PA, 11 2B, 25 RBI, SB Career: .440/.500/.560, 110 PA, 11 2B, 25 RBI, SB I'm usually big on switch hitting shortstops, but Bill Parent doesn't have much to offer. No power or speed in his single season at Westinghouse, so he's off to Grange College to prove he's big league worthy. Good eye but no contact, and I'm not sold on his defense. 18th Round, 285th Overall: RHP Ike Hoyt School: Arkansas A&T 1943: 4-8, 114.2 IP, 5.18 ERA, 1.70 WHIP, 66 BB, 70 K Career: 4-8, 114.2 IP, 5.18 ERA, 1.70 WHIP, 66 BB, 70 K A teammate of Alex Snyder's at Arkansas A&T, Ike Hoyt started 17 games for the Badgers as a junior. They didn't go too well, as Hoyt had a BB/9 and ERA above 5 and allowed 10 homers in his lone season. A soft tossing righty with five pitches that aren't all that great, Hoyt is under developed for a college arm, but he at least has the potential to one day start. He nibbles too much at the plate, which leads to all the walks, and my guess the high strikeout numbers are more because he faces a lot of batters then quality stuff. He'll likely hand around our system for a few seasons eating innings in the pen, but we have far more promising pitching options with far less question marks. 19th Round, 301st Overall: 2B Walt Conner School: Bluegrass State 1943: .259/.314/.319, 237 PA, 8 2B, 3B, HR, 31 RBI, 40 SB Career: .292/.369/.361, 237 PA, 26 2B, 4 3B, 4 HR, 114 RBI, 111 SB A three year starter at the prestigious Bluegrass State, a rough junior season caused Walt Conner to drop significantly on draft boards. The now 21-year-old second basemen hit over .300 as a freshman and sophomore with a near .400 OBP, but he just never got things going this season. A speedy second basemen, Conner might have the range for short, but I think he could handle the outfield well if second base doesn't work out for him. He'll steal a ton of bases and is always looking to take advantage of the defense, and if he hits one on the ground they better be on their toes. He's not set to get every day at bats yet, but depending on where I move my more exciting prospects, he could find himself getting some playing time, or at least making the occasional start when a starter is tired. His ceiling is a late game pinch runner, but if he can make harder contact, he could work his way into a lineup. 20th Round, 317th Overall: 3B Pete Jackson School: Wyoming 1943: .402/.495/.524, 106 PA, 5 2B, 3B, HR, 21 RBI, 21 SB Career: .402/.495/.524, 106 PA, 5 2B, 3B, HR, 21 RBI, 21 SB No, this isn't a guy from the state of Wyoming... He went to a school called Wyoming that happens to be in Cincinnati, Ohio. As expected, that's all that's notable about Pete Jackson, who barely hit .400 in his lone season as a starting third basemen. He had just 7 extra base hits in his 21 games, and while he has some speed, you want power from your third basemen. He hits lefties good, just is terrible against righties, but like Conner before him, his speed could allow him to hang around. 21st Round, 333rd Overall: RHP Don McCabe School: Newport Commit School: Shenandoah Valley State 1943: 8-4, 111.1 IP, 2.59 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 46 BB, 124 K Career: 27-11, 391 IP, 2.39 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 148 BB, 431 K High school didn't go too well for Don McCabe, who started 55 of his 63 appearances at Newport while managing an ERA below 2 in just one of his four seasons. That was last year, where he was 7-3 with a 1.94 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 41 walks, and 130 strikeouts. Most of his career bests came that season, but none of those bests are all that exciting. He did start striking out a decent amount of hitters as an upper classmen, but he's not exciting enough to convince foregoing his commitment to Shenandoah Valley State. He's throwing a big harder now then he did as a senior, up to 87-89 with his fastball, but average stuff and poor command tend to not pair very well. A few more velo boosts and perhaps he'd be worth a pick, but for now he'd be lucky to be filler. 22nd Round, 349th Overall: CF Bill Thames School: Clarkesville Commit School: Coastal State 1943: .441/.477/.551, 132 PA, 9 2B, 2 3B, 32 RBI, 2 SB Career: .444/.494/.590, 364 PA, 30 2B, 5 3B, 2 HR, 86 RBI, 17 SB A switch hitting center fielder, Bill Thames is probably the best of our non-Dan Rogers impossibles, projected by Tom Weinstock and OSA to end up as a 4th outfielder. Thames isn't fast, which doesn't bode well for his defense, and the scouting reports don't mention anything about his range. He's a strong free swinger, so you'd like to think there is some power, but both of his home runs came in his sophomore season. He can play a little third base, which means he likely has a good arm, and Thames could be an interesting project to watch at Coastal State. He could end up a June pick with a productive college career, and we'll keep our eye on him before the 1946 draft. 23rd Round, 365th Overall: CF Jim Moyer School: Shreveport 1943: .408/.450/.525, 129 PA, 9 2B, 3B, HR, 31 RBI, 34 SB Career: .410/.474/.530, 389 PA, 25 2B, 3 3B, 3 HR, 83 RBI, 83 SB One of the youngest players in the class, Jim Moyer turns 18 on July 3rd. He's also one of the smallest, just 5'7'' and 135 pounds soaking wet, so there may be a lot of room for growth. A speedy switch hitter, Moyer is a defensive marvel, playing plus defense with a plus arm and he could likely patrol center in the big leagues now if absolutely necessary. Sure, he can barely handle batting practice pitching, but we'll never have to worry about his glove! He's a useful depth piece with room to grow, and he might survive 10 or so seasons as a defensive specialist in our organization. Just don't expect big league at bats... 24th Round, 381st Overall: 2B Billy Mills School: Portsmouth 1943: .424/.476/.598, 105 PA, 11 2B, 3B, HR, 24 RBI, 19 SB Career: .432/.500/.641, 227 PA, 22 2B, 6 3B, 2 HR, 52 RBI, 32 SB Billy Mills didn't start until he was an upperclassman, but he didn't quite do enough to warrant a higher pick. He can play both middle infield spots and he has good speed, but he lacks power and won't walk too much either. We don't have too many guys capable of playing shortstop in the lower minors, so Mills will be a relatively useful bench piece, at least for this season. 25th Round, 397th Overall: 3B Paul Reinhardt School: Far Rockaway 1943: .411/.448/.509, 128 PA, 7 2B, 2 3B, 24 RBI, 10 SB Career: .408/.474/.505, 387 PA, 26 2B, 3 3B, 75 RBI, 25 SB Rounding out a class that had a ton of prep players, Paul Reinhardt is officially the youngest member of the Cougar organization, turning 18 just one week after 1st Rounder Tommy Seymour. While Seymour is one of the more promising prospects, Reinhardt might also be the worst, dubbed by Tom Weinstock as the guy who "fails to hustle out of the box, blunders on the basepaths, and shows a general lack of intensity" while OSA gives a more exciting description that "Reinhardt has no real future to speak of, other than providing minor league depth." That's exactly what he'll do for us, and since we don't need to cut someone yet, he can hang around for at least a week. He failed to hit .400 last year and didn't hit a home run in three seasons at Far Rockaway, two things you don't want for a bat only third basemen. There are plenty of more exciting prospects in La Crosse alone, so I'd be surprised if he cracks 10 minor league PAs before his eventual release. With all the new catchers in our system, I made a minor trade, sending AA catcher Walter Loera to the Wolves for an 11th Round Pick. Class C rosters were expanded to 50, so I don't envision having to cut more then five guys once all are unsigned draftees join the system. Before the Art White trade our system ranked 8th, but I'd be surprised if we stick in the top 10 once all teams are able to agree to bonuses with their top prospects. __________________ Check out The Figment Sporting Journal, a collaborative multi-sport effort that dives into the Figment Sports Universe You can also view my solo project, my Dynasty Report on the Chicago Cougars of FABL, the baseball league in the Figment universe

08-11-2022, 11:13 PM	#873
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 2,992	Week 10: June 21st-June 27th Weekly Record: 5-3 Seasonal Record: 39-29 (3rd, 4.5 GB) Stars of the Week Hank Barnett : 28 AB, 10 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI, .357 AVG, 1.048 OPS Leo Mitchell : 32 AB, 13 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .406 AVG, .879 OPS Dick Lyons : 2 Wins, 15.2 IP, 4 BB, 4 K, 0.00 ERA Schedule 6-21: Win vs Saints (0-8) 6-22: Loss vs Saints (6-4) 6-23: Win vs Saints (0-3) 6-24: Win vs Saints (2-5) 6-25: Loss at Stars (4-10) 6-26: Win at Stars (6-0) 6-27: Win at Stars (7-4) 6-27: Loss at Stars (1-4) Recap Not a bad week, as we took three of four against the Saints in Chicago, but it was a little disappointing to split the series with the Stars in New York. It's always nice when you can shutout teams three times in a week, but it would be nice to win the games when the other teams score too. With Art White joining the rotation next week, I envision of few more shutouts in our future, but we'll need to keep our deficit on the right side of five. We do have a lot of transactional issues to deal with, as we'll be without Rich Langton for over a month with a strained oblique. Team Trainer Billy Gladwin is expecting a seven week recover time before a rehab assignment, and the loss of Langton's bat will hurt, as he was slashing an impressive .293/.386/.459 (143 OPS+) with 10 doubles, 3 triples, 2 homers, 3 steals, and 24 RBIs with twice as many walks (20) as strikeouts (8). Lucky for us we have a quality replacement, as lefty Cliff Moss will just play every day instead of mostly against righties. Moss is hitting a bit worse, but still an impressive .313/.386/.408 (129 OPS+) with 5 doubles, 3 triples, and 21 RBIs. If my slack notifications worked yesterday, his roster spot would have gone to White, but instead Oscar Panduro will get a one week chance for his big league debut. Panduro hasn't started many minor league games since 1940, which is sort of the midpoint in his career. Each stint before, he had an above average OPS+ or better, but since his high is 91 in 74 games with Milwaukee back in 1940. His value is more in his versatility, hard work, and his overall positive vibes in the clubhouse. Even if it wasn't for White joining, his roster time would be limited, as Billy Hunter is healthy and ready to begin a rehab assignment. Hunter hasn't played a game since May 3rd, and he'll get a few weeks in Milwaukee before his return to Chicago. I want to give him a lot more reps in center, as I plan to use him as a super utility guy when healthy. He can spell Clark Car against lefties at second, give Barnett or Skipper, and of course, take time away from our very uninspiring center field duo of Don Homer and Orlin Yates. Bunny Hufford will temporary shift over to a corner while Hunter gets most of the time in the center of the outfield. He wasn't bad out in center in Chicago, so I'm hoping by time he finishes his rehab he can offer plus defense at multiple positions. Dick Lyons continues to defy all odds an pitch at an elite level. This week was no exception, as he tossed a pair of scoreless outings. He got a no decision on his 43rd birthday, but as a 43-year-old he's only allowed a single run. He won both of his starts this week, tossing 8 and 7.2 shutout innings against the Saints and Stars. He allowed just 9 hits and 4 walks with 4 strikeouts to improve to 5-3 with a miniscule 2.00 ERA (171 ERA+) and 0.98 WHIP in 94.1 innings pitched. There are only three pitchers in all of baseball with a lower ERA or ERA+, his WHIP is a tenth higher then league leader Rufus Barrell, and his 1.1 BB/9 is 0.3 points better then any qualified FABL hurler. Lyons has shown how beneficial it is to throw slowly, but accurately, as the lefty has never even grazed the 90s while throwing over 3,600 big league innings with no ailment more serious then a cold. Lyons is somehow on a remarkable 5 WAR pace and somehow now ranked the 12th best pitcher in the FABL. He won't win a second Allen Award, I'm sure that'll go to Barrell, but if he finishes his season with anywhere near these ERA and WHIP numbers, I am 100% giving him my first place vote. We did have an actual shutout this week, coming from a pitcher who really need a good outing. Jim Lonardo was brilliant, tossing a 4-hit, 2-strikeout shutout against the Saints. His start against the Stars wasn't as good, picking up a loss with 8 innings, 10 hits, and 3 walks, but Lonardo managed to bring his ERA+ back above 100. At 39 he is starting to lose some of what made him great, but I'm hoping Dick Lyons can share some of his patented anti-aging formula to get a little more out of the veteran righty. On the opposite end of the age spectrum, rookie Johnnie Jones continues to stay hot, and while he didn't toss a third straight shutout, he allowed just 9 hits, 2 runs, and 3 walks with 5 strikeouts to improve to an impressive 8-2. Harry Parker didn't stay hot, getting a loss and a win, with 21 hits, 10 runs (9 earned), 3 walks, and 6 strikeouts in an 8 inning loss and 9 inning win. Joe Brown was hit very hard, charged with 13 hits, 9 runs, and 2 walks with a strikeout in just 6.1 innings pitched. All four pen members got innings, combining to go 5 innings with 5 hits, a run, and 4 strikeouts. The pitching continues to keep us into games, and it's only going to get better with a true ace. Sure, Harry Parker is as reliable as it gets, but since Peter the Heater enlisted we haven't had a truly elite arm to carry the rest of the staff. The offense was a little inconsistent, but we got big weeks from a few guys who hit a little bit of a rough patch. Hank Barnett might have been pressing a bit to get his 2,000th hit, and he finally showcased some of the power we all know he has, going 10-for-28 with a double, 2 homers, 5 runs, 5 walks, and 6 RBIs. Clark Car defrosted as well, 9-for-26 with 2 homers, 3 RBIs, 3 walks, and 7 runs scored. Dick Walker showed some pop too, 8-for-31 with a double, 2 homers, 5 walks, 5 RBIs, 7 runs, and a steal. Potential batting title winner Leo Mitchell cut the deficit on Adam Mullins, going 13-for-32 with a double, 4 runs, and 4 RBIs. Skipper went 10-for-32 with 2 doubles, a triple, 3 runs, and 4 RBIs. Orlin Yates had an "elite" week by his standards, 5-for-18 with an RBI and 4 walks. Sure, two of the walks were intentional, but him getting on base period is a huge win. Of course, it can't all be good, as he's dealing with back tightness now, leaving a few starts this week to Don Homer. Losing Rich Langton will hurt a bit as he has been one of our more reliable hitters, and with all the double headers, an extra bat can really help.. Looking Ahead We get two off days before our next series, three in Chicago with the Foresters. Cleveland has a 3.5 game lead on the second pick of the draft, just 22-42 and nearly 20 games behind the first place Cannons. As Cleveland watches Brooklyn tear down (they traded Harry Barrell now too!), they might want to get on the fun, potentially shopping breakout 27-year-old Cal Howe. On a team with very little bright spots, Howe has shone through, slashing .335/.388/.494 (142 OPS+) with 27 doubles, 5 triples, a homer, 8 steals, and 19 RBIs with a great 23-to-8 walk-to-strikeout ratio. He's scored 41 runs while starting all 64 games for the Foresters in the leadoff spot. Behind him, there's not much marketable, but they could get something from veteran catcher Mickey Patterson (.347, 1, 16), slugger Dan Fowler (.225, 4, 17), the disciplined Bob Mullins (.292, 1, 22, 1), "ace" Ben Turner (7-6, 4.13, 32), and stopper Don Attaway (4-2, 3, 1.26, 8). None of these guys would bring back a top prospect, but they could add a few young guys who deserve a shot at the big leagues. These are must win games, but I know we'll find away to mess up this series... Our next series is far tougher, and it would be nice to have had White for this. That would be three games in two days with the Wolves on the weekend. Toronto is two games above us and two and a half behind the Cannons, with a strong 40-26 record on the season. We'll get to see Chink Stickels (.186, 1, 18, 3) for the first time as a Wolf, pushing Juan Pomales (.295, 1, 23, 8; 2-3, 4.74, 9) to a corner. Their lineup needs a boost, as they haven't gotten much production from guys who aren't Walt Pack (.271, 9, 33) and Mike Rollinson (.310, 2, 27, 2), so a likely rebound from Chink will be a huge boost. The pitching has been solid, getting ace level production from Joe Hancock (8-4, 2.69, 47) and Bernie Johnson (7-2, 2.30, 17). An interesting new member of the rotation is Jimmy Gibbs, who has looked good in split time between the rotation and the pen. The 27-year-old rookie has done well, 6-2 with a 2.98 ERA (119 ERA+), 1.38 WHIP, 24 walks, and 18 strikeouts in 57.1 innings pitched. Considering we've won just one game against them so far, I expect a lot of pain and suffering, and with Cincy right around the corner, a series lost here would be tough for our momentum. Minor League Report CF Don Lee (A Lincoln Legislators): It was a huge week for the former 2nd Rounder, as Don Lee took home his third minor league Player of the Week. The 21-year-old center fielder went 13-for-29 with 2 homers and 8 RBIs. Lee has been one of the most impressive hitters in our system, recording an OPS+ of 130 or higher in every one of his minor league stints, and each one has been 150 PAs or higher. He's taken things to another level this season for the Legislators, hitting an elite .330/.452/.569 (157 OPS+) with 14 doubles, a triple, 12 homers, 22 steals, and 42 RBIs with twice the walks (48) then strike outs (20) while worth a whopping 3.1 WAR in just 57 games. Lee has developed into a team leader as well, as his value comes both on and off the field. The on field stuff is exciting, as he has an excellent eye, elite bat speed and barrel control, and top notch speed. Sometimes he shows a ton of power, other times he doesn't, as he had just a single homer in San Jose and Lincoln last year, but had 20 in 1941 and is on track for almost 30 this year. His defense isn't great, but he's been average out in center the past two seasons as he's started to get comfortable out on the grass. Lee has shown great improvement since we drafted him, and he now ranks 6th in our system and 91st in the league. I'm ready to push him up a level, as Lee will man center up in Mobile. This will be the first big test, but I'm confident he'll be more then up to the task. It will be interesting to see if he can debut before Carlos Montes returns from WAR, but even if he doesn't, we'll have an interesting situation out in center. __________________ Check out The Figment Sporting Journal, a collaborative multi-sport effort that dives into the Figment Sports Universe You can also view my solo project, my Dynasty Report on the Chicago Cougars of FABL, the baseball league in the Figment universe

08-12-2022, 11:59 PM	#874
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 2,992	Week 11: June 28th-July 4th Weekly Record: 6-0 Seasonal Record: 45-29 (2nd, 3.5 GB) Stars of the Week Joe Brown : 2 Wins, 18.0 IP, 0 BB, 6 K, 0.50 ERA Hank Barnett : 23 AB, 8 H, 1 HR, 6 RBI, .348 AVG, 1.000 OPS Clark Car : 21 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .429 AVG, .931 OPS Schedule 6-30: Win vs Foresters (1-4) 7-1: Win vs Foresters (1-3) 7-2: Win vs Foresters (3-6) 7-3: Win vs Wolves (3-6) 7-4: Win vs Wolves (1-5) 7-4: Win vs Wolves (0-7) Recap Usually a 6-0 week is all smiles and rainbows, but it couldn't be further from the truth this week. Sweeping the Foresters was expected, and yes, sweeping the Wolves, who we just couldn't beat earlier in the season, was a pleasant surprise, but we only gained a single game on the Cannons. That's not even the worst part; just take a look at the injury report. Harry Parker is out for the season... And to make matters worse, it happened with two outs in the 9th... Before this season, the durable righty had never missed more then four days, let a lone a start, in his entire professional career. We all know he was dealing with a sore shoulder that cost him three weeks, but this time it's not the shoulder; it's the elbow. The 28-year-old Parker will miss the rest of the season, and potentially some of next season, with a torn flexor tendon in his elbow. This is a huge setback for us, as right when we were able to bolster our rotation with a top 5 pitcher, we lose our ace. From 1939-1942, Parker made 30 or more starts, 230 or more innings, and with an ERA+ above 100, and before this he could have still reached the ERA+ and maybe one of the innings or starts. In 12 starts he is 6-3 with a 2.89 ERA (118 ERA+), 1.14 WHIP, 18 walks, and 41 strikeouts in just over 100 innings pitched. For his career, Parker is 83-52 with a 3.48 ERA (111 ERA+), 1.20 WHIP, 270 walks, and 543 strikeouts in 1,243.2 reliable innings pitched. Lucky for us, one of the only better players to replace Parker with is Art White, but it would have been nice to have them both... Joe Brown did his best to make up for the loss of Harry Parker, doing the almost unthinkable and winning Player of the Week as a pitcher! Brown's first start was a complete game win against the Foresters, allowing just 3 hits and a run with 5 strikeouts. He then did a bit better against the Stars, tossing a 99 pitch shutout with just 4 hits and a strikeout. It's been an up and down season for Brown, but he's now up to 9-5 with a 3.19 ERA (107 ERA+), 1.18 WHIP, 36 walks, and 52 strikeouts. Dick Lyons' resurgence has taken a little pressure off him, but we'll need more big weeks like this from the 29-year-old vet. Lyons did well too, going 7 innings with 8 hits, 3 runs, and a walk. Of course, in a 6-0 week, all the pitchers did well, as both Johnnie Jones and Jim Lonardo tossed 1-run complete game wins. Lonardo allowed 6 hits, a run, and a walk with a strikeout to improve to 7-6 on the season. Johnnie Jones not only allowed just 2 hits, a run, 6 walks, and 4 strikeouts in his first start of July as a way to celebrate his award winning month. Jones was a perfect 5-0 in June with a 1.40 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 27 walks, and 19 strikeouts. Jones hasn't allowed more then 3 runs since May 16th, as he's now won 8 consecutive starts with 7 of them complete games. He has yet to allow a home run in 94.1 innings pitched, working to a 2.58 ERA (132 ERA+) and 1.21 WHIP with 50 walks and 45 strikeouts. Last year it was Donnie who broke out for us, and now it's the Patron Saint of Groundballs. The recently turned 25-year-old is still walking nearly 4.8 per 9, but he's allowed just 64 hits and our double play duo of Clark Car and Skipper Schneider can erase even the quickest of base runners. His emergence has been huge for us, as in a normal year he'd be either in the minors or pen, but with the war out east he's secured and fully taken advantage of his rotation spot. Pretty much everyone hit this week except the two who have been struggling, Harry Mead and Orlin Yates. Mead was just 3-for-14 with a double and 2 RBIs while Yates was 3-for-18 with 2 doubles, 2 runs, and 3 RBIs. Every other hitter with 5 or more at bats had a weekly OPS+ of 140 or higher. That doesn't include Oscar Panduro, who singled in what would have been his only big league at bat had Parker got injured, and Eddie Curtis, who was 2-for-4 with a double and run scored. It does, however, include Mike Taylor who was 2-for-5 with a run, RBI, and 3 walks. Our former Chiefs followed up great last weeks with ones this week too. Cliff Moss took advantage of no Rich Langton, going 6-for-17 with a double, homer, 4 RBIs, 5 runs, and 6 walks. Hank Barnett added another homer, going 8-for-23 with 2 doubles, a triple, 5 runs, and 6 RBIs. Clark Car got back on track, 9-for-21 with a double, walk, steal, 3 runs, and 3 RBIs. Leo Mitchell now owns the batting title by a hundredth of a point, 8-for-22 with 3 doubles, 2 walks, 5 runs, and 5 RBIs. Dick Walker went 8-for-23 with 2 doubles, 2 RBIs, 3 walks, and 6 runs scored. Our offense was extremely impressive and I hope we can keep it up as or homestand continues. Most of our draft picks have signed, with the only two left are our first two picks Tommy Seymour and Al Clement. Despite our 1st and 2nd Rounders not signing, we've added four top 200 prospects with 4th Rounder Jimmy Hairston (86th), 5th Rounder Johnny Weaver (124th), 6th Rounder Bob Rogers (167th), and 5th Rounder Lefty Jones (200th). Bob Rogers got a mega bonus to forego his commitment, getting a whopping $40,830. Why did I give him that much? Well, he wanted $28k, and just to be safe, I decided to give him the amount that the rest of our draftees combined would receive. Our other three draftees checked in the top 500, with regional pick Dick Garcia checking in at 267, 4th Rounder Bill Holloway at 304, and 10th Rounder Barney Gunnels at 407. 7th Rounder Alex Snyder already signed (and got a minor injury), but jumped up to 332. I can't imagine Seymour and Clement not checking in the top 500, so unless Gunnels falls nearly 100 points, all our signed draftees will crack the top 500. Looking Ahead I expect our winning streak to end right away, as we have four games with the Cannons in three days right after a double header. To make matters worse, we're force to use Angel Lopez in the double header, as we only have one rested starter. The Cannons are the best team in the CA record wise, 47-24 and 3.5 games above us. They added Chris Clarke (6-8, 3.33, 34) to an already stacked rotation. Rufus Barrell (10-3, 1.50, 76) continues to be elite against teams that aren't us, and Butch Smith (9-4, 1.91, 45) looks like the old Butch Smith. He's got a finger blister, so we may get to avoid him, but it's not like Vic Carroll (6-3, 2.32, 39) and Jim Anderson (7-3, 1, 2.12, 41) are any easier to hit off. We'll also get our first look at 32-year-old right fielder Sam Brown (.324, 3, 42, 3), a former Eagle who I've tried acquiring multiple times. Brown is a nice addition to an already strong Cannons lineup, owning a reliable .314/.357/.441 (115 OPS+) career line with 267 doubles, 105 homers, and 711 RBIs in 1,285 FABL games. He'll join Fred Galloway (.277, 2, 21, 2), Chuck Adams (.265, 9, 41), Adam Mullins (.350, 2, 28), Jim Hensley (.247, 4, 37), and fellow newcomer Billy Dalton (.317, 9, 56, 2). This series pits the #1 offense and #2 pitching staff with the #2 offense and #1 pitching staff, which should, and it should be must watch TV for FABL fans across the country. It doesn't get easier, as we'll have to deal with five games in four days with the Sailors before the much needed All Star break. The Sailors are 39-35 and 9.5 games out, putting themselves in an interesting position. They are probably a bit too far out without making drastic adds to compete, but above .500 they're probably too good to tear down. They do have a few interesting pieces I know I would be interested in, including outfielders Harvey Brown (.305, 1, 34, 6) and Joseph Mills (.328, 3, 29), and pitchers Paul Richardson (3-4, 2.33, 35), Doc Newell (9-5, 2.75, 46), and Karl Wallace (6-7, 3.53, 43). There are plenty of other talented players beyond that bunch, including catcher Woody Stone (.295, 1, 30), first basemen Marion Boismenu (.324, 3, 26, 4), and second basemen Bob Smith (.291, 21, 4). We're finally starting to win at home, back to 24-16, and if we can keep our momentum through the Cannons series, the Sailors should be a much easier task. Minor League Report LF Bill Rich (AA Mobile Commodores): Fresh off a Player of the Week award, Bill Rich took home Dixie League Batter of the Month. Rich hits most months, but he took it to another level in June, slashing .316/.365/.553 (141 OPS+) with 7 doubles, a triple, 6 homers, and 25 RBIs. The 24-year-old is hitting an impressive .314/.367/.481 (124 OPS+) on the season with 15 doubles, 9 homers, and 40 RBIs through 63 games down in AA. I'm giving him some time in right too to increase his versatility, as with Don Lee now in center, only the corners are options. I'm hoping Rich can at least be passable in both corners and he's starting to remind me a lot of Rich Langton. Since Rich will be eligible for the Rule-5 Draft offseason, he does has a chance to make a big league debut, and it's hard for me to imagine he finishes his season in Mobile. He's getting closer and closer to being ready for big league pitching, and Rich should be one of those guys who outperforms his prospect rankings. RHP Jack Huston (AA Mobile Commodores): We've done a good job sweeping awards this season, and we did it again in AA. 1941 5th Rounder Jack Huston took home the pitcher side, going 6-1 with a 2.81 ERA (162 ERA+), 1.06 WHIP, 22 walks, and 7 strikeouts in 57.2 innings pitched. He was 5-2 in May, so now an impressive 11-3 in 15 starts. He's tossed 120.2 innings, consistently going all nine, with an impressive 3.73 ERA (122 ERA+) and 1.30 WHIP with 46 walks and 54 strikeouts in a very high scoring environment. Huston isn't one of our highest ranked prospects, #31 in the system and #315th overall, but he was really good at Class A and B last season and has rode that into an impressive season this year. He'll be 24 in August, so he's on the older side for his draft class, but we won't have to worry about protecting him in the Rule-5 Draft. This likely means he'll only go up to AAA in an emergency, as I have Bill Tuttle who's on the 40, Ed Fisler who will need protecting, and Bill Chapman who despite being 19 Tom Weinstock thinks should be in Chicago. Huston's pitches need more work then that trio, as while his sidearmed slider is borderline elite, the fastball and curve aren't anything special. They should be at least average offerings, and if he can sit comfortably in the 90s his fastball should be a plus pitch. Unless he can hit the strike zone more frequently, he's likely just a spot starter, but his stamina and durability are huge pluses. He's topped 150 pitches three times, and the only times he didn't go all nine were his three losses where he allowed 6 runs once and 7 twice. With a few talent boosts he could become the next Harry Parker, but he's more likely a Vince DaCosta, and in both instances, without the home run problems. CF Don Lee (AA Mobile Commodores): Can anything stop Don Lee? It took just one week in AA for him to win Player of the Week, slashing .480/.581/.720 (243 OPS+) with 2 doubles, 2 triples, 5 runs, 6 walks, and 7 RBIs in 31 trips to the plate. The more he plays, the more I love him, and I can't thank Tom Weinstock enough for convincing me that he should be our 2nd Round selection in the 1940 Draft. I can't quite remember exactly who I wanted over him (I have a suspicion it was regional pick Bill Rich), but unless it was Hal Hackney (who I had above Rich for my regional pick and is a top 20 prospect) I'm pretty sure the right decision was made. Sure, there were better prospects who didn't get drafted in the first three rounds, including the current #6 prospect in baseball. Wait, #6! Isn't that Duke Bybee! Guess everything worked out! Thanks Tom! In all seriousness, I might have to stop highlighting Lee all together as he just rakes 24/7 and there's really no need to update that. His leadership is huge, he's getting better in the outfield, and his speed can be game changing. Sure, he could flame out once he reaches the big leagues, but there has been nothing able to slow down the 21-year-old meteoric rise up our system. RHP Charlie Kelsey (B San Jose Cougars): It's always weird when a reliever wins a monthly award, but Charlie Kelsey did make 14 appearances and toss 29.1 innings, almost equivalent to 5 six inning starts. The numbers were pretty good too, as he saved 7 games and went 3-1 with a 1.23 ERA (327 ERA+) and 0.85 WHIP. He struck out (17) far more hitters then he walked (4), and the 21-year-old righty has been a huge reason the Cougars are in first place in the C-O-W League. A strictly bullpen arm, the former 9th Rounder is having another great season in San Jose, going 6-3 with 12 saves, a 2.98 ERA (135 ERA+), 1.11 WHIP, 18 walks, and 47 strikeouts in 63.1 innings pitched. He's not a hard thrower, but he has three pitches, the best a high 80s sinker that a lot of hitters tend to roll over. That is harder then last year, as his velocity has gone from 85-87 to 87-89 since the end of last year. His overall stuff isn't great, he's really just a sinker only guy, but in the pen that can work. His fastball is decent too, but you'll almost never see him throw the change. You don't really "need" bullpen prospects, but guys like Kelsey are really helpful in the minors, and there is a reason Ben Curtin has thrown nearly 800 big league innings. Some guys can get outs for a few innings at a time, pitching most days, but just can't put it all together. He could probably pitch in AA if needed, but I expect Kelsey to finish out the season in San Jose before beginning next season up in Lincoln. Attached Images __________________ Check out The Figment Sporting Journal, a collaborative multi-sport effort that dives into the Figment Sports Universe You can also view my solo project, my Dynasty Report on the Chicago Cougars of FABL, the baseball league in the Figment universe

08-15-2022, 06:55 PM	#875
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 2,992	Week 12: June 5th-June 11th Weekly Record: 8-1 Seasonal Record: 53-30 (1st, 1 GA) Stars of the Week Skipper Schneider : 32 AB, 11 H, 1 HR, 6 RBI, .344 AVG, .994 OPS Art White : 2 Wins, 18.0 IP, 1 BB, 5 K, 0.50 ERA Clark Car : 32 AB, 11 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .344 AVG, .938 OPS Schedule 7-5: Win vs Cannons (1-5) 7-5: Win vs Cannons (1-2) 7-6: Win vs Cannons (0-1) 7-7: Win vs Cannons (1-7) 7-8: Win vs Sailors (1-4) 7-9: Win vs Sailors (2-4): 11 innings 7-10: Win vs Sailors (2-5) 7-11: Win vs Sailors (1-8) 7-11: Win vs Sailors (5-4) Recap First place babyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What a week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not only did we just roll off 14(!) consecutive wins, but 11 of the 14 came against teams above .500! After finishing last week with a three game sweep against the Wolves, we took out the Cannons in a four game sweep. We allowed just 3 runs against the then second highest scoring offense in the CA and outscored them by 14. We then won the first four against the Sailors before they took the final game before the break. Of our 8(!) wins this week, we allowed two or fewer runs, and the only game we lost was by a single run. After just mediocre performances at home, we're now 32-17 in Chicago, winning 19 of our last 21 games at Cougars Park. As usual, we suck in one run games (11-13), so we're slightly underperforming our 56-27 expected record, and while I did expect us to lead the league at the break when the season started, if you told me a month in we'd be leading I wouldn't believe it. But here we are, right before the All Star game, and one game ahead of the Cannons and 2.5 games above the Wolves. The three of us all have a better record then the Fed's first place Chiefs (48-32) and I am very excited for what should be an awesome pennant race. Speaking of the Al-Star game, the entire Continental Association infield will consist of Chicago Cougars! The dirt will comprise of Dick Walker (4th), Clark Car (2nd), Hank Barnett (6th), and Skipper Schneider (3rd); easily the best infield in baseball. The four have been worth 14.4 WAR, which is more then the entire position player groups for every team except the Minutemen, Chiefs, and Cannons. They've all hit extremely well, and just Hank Barnett has been below average in the field. Walker is having his best season as a Cougar, slashing .280/.395/.441 (142 OPS+) with 15 doubles, 7 triples, 7 homers, 16 steals, and 36 RBIs. Car has hit .285/.336/.442 (124 OPS+) with 14 doubles, 3 triples, 7 homers, 30 RBIs, 10 steals with an elite 1.159 efficiency at second. Skipper's is a slightly lower 1.135 at short with a .303/.350/.407 (119 OPS+) line with 14 doubles, 4 triples, 3 homers, 3 steals, and 43 RBIs. Lastly, Barnett hit .305/.397/.425 (138 OPS+) with 11 doubles, a triple, 8 homers, and 49 RBIs. They weren't are only All Stars, as they will join Dick Lyons (7-4, 2.12, 18), Johnnie Jones (11-2, 2.32, 51), Cliff Moss (.307, 5, 29), and Leo Mitchell (.307, 5, 29). Our 8 All Stars were most in the game, and as far as I know, most we've had since the game began. Of course, we had a big week pitching and hitting, but none bigger then the newest Cougar Art White. Our new ace had about as good of a debut as you could ask for, tossing a 6-hit shutout in a 1-0 squeaker over the then first place Cannons. He then bested the Sailors with more run support, just one run off 8 hits, a walk, and 2 strikeouts in our 8-1 win. With no Harry Parker a lot, of weight will fall on White's left arm, and if these are the starts we're going to get, it is well worth the four pitcher package to get him. Our surprise All Star Johnnie Jones had a pair of elite starts, including what should have been a shutout if it weren't for a Car error. Jones' only run was unearned, going all nine as always with 4 hits, 4 walks, and 2 strikeouts. He then made it 10 consecutive complete game wins after besting the Sailors, charged with 7 hits, 2 runs, and 2 walks with 4 strikeouts to improve to 11-2 with a 2.32 ERA (148 ERA+). He's allowed 3 or less runs in each of those 10 games after allowing 16 runs in his first three starts. That accounts for more then half of his 29 earned runs on the season. Papenfus broke out in '41, Donnie Jones in '42, and Now Johnnie Jones in '43. I hope Johnnie can break the trend, because I'm not sure I can take another elite pitcher leaving us for the service... His All Star counterpart Dick Lyons didn't dominate quite like he did, as the 43-year-old did lose the only game of the week. He allowed 10 hits and 5 runs (2 earned) with 2 strikeouts in 7.1 innings pitched. Sure, a Dick Walker error made the difference in a 5-4 loss, but during a 14 game win streak you pick up far more luck then you get hit by. He did get a win against the Cannons, allowing a single run with 6 hits and a walk in 6 innings on short rest. Lyons has been stretched out to end the break, having to pitch on the 3rd, 7th, and 11th with all the double headers. He still managed to throw 20.1 innings with 24 hits and 9 runs (6 earned) allowed. Lyons' 2.12 ERA (162 ERA+) is third in the CA and he's allowed just one homer in 114.2 innings pitched. Fellow vet and 1938 Allen Winner Jim Lonardo also defied age this week, pitching all 11 in our extra inning win over the Sailors. He allowed just 4 hits, a walk, and 2 runs, with just one of his 33 outs coming from a Sailor being set down on strikes. Joe Brown couldn't go as deep, getting all but one out after 127 pitches in a 4-1 win. He allowed 7 hits, a run, and a walk with 2 strikeouts to improve to 10-5. Brown has been inconsistent, as four of his five starts saw him allow just 1 or 0 earned runs. Of course, the other he allowed 9, and 13 of his 21 hits in those five starts came in this loss. The biggest shock of the week was the surprise dominance from Angel Lopez, allowing 3 hits and 3 walks in 7.1 innings with an impressive 7 strikeouts against a tough Cannons team. Our Rule-5 pitcher has looked good in his 2 starts and 9 relief outings, allowing 23 hits, 5 runs, and 11 walks with 10 strikeouts in his first 26.2 big league innings. We didn't need then pen much, with Cal Knight, Pug Bryan, and Ben Curtin combining for just 6.2 innings pitched. The only run was an unearned run when Knight was on the mound, and the trio combined to allow just 4 hits and 5 walks with a pair of punch outs. Can't complain about anything this week, and the three days of rest should work wonders for the staff. Our hurlers rank top four in each pitching category, but we don't rank above the Cannons in any stat but walks (we're third), and they're tied for 4th with us in homers allowed. Just Orlin Yates and Harry Mead had below average weeks at the plate, but that's how it's gone most of the time. Yates went just 5-for-25, but with a homer, 3 walks, 3 runs, and 2 RBIs. Mead was just 6-for-23 with 2 doubles, 2 runs, and 3 RBIs. Mead's first half has been a huge surprise, as last year's All Star is hitting just .219/.272/.321 (71 OPS+) with 12 doubles, 3 triples, 2 homers, and 41 RBIs. Mead has already struck out 16 times, and seems likely to pass his previous career high of 22. This is all much different then his breakout last year, where he hit .287/.352/.456 (139 OPS+) with 30 doubles, 16 homers, and 81 RBIs with nearly five times as many walks (47) as strikeouts (10). What keeps Mead in the lineup every day is his defense, as he's one of the best defensive catchers in terms of arm strength and catching ability. Our pitchers love throwing to him and he handles the staff well and I know he'll eventually start hitting again. All six of our All Stars hit average or better on the week, with Dick Walker leading the way. He started all nine games, going 9-for-32 with 5 doubles, a triple, homer, 2 steals, 7 RBIs, 8 walks, and 10 runs scored. Skipper's bat started to heat up, going 11-for-32 with 3 doubles, a triple, a homer, steal, 3 runs, and 6 RBIs. Our 22-year-old star has already been selected to three All Star games and his 5.2 WAR is good for a 9.6 pace. Double play partner Clark Car tried to match the weekly production, 11-for-32 with 3 doubles, a triple, homer, 2 steals, 3 runs, and 4 RBIs. Car has been worth exactly 4 WAR, almost a full point higher then his previous career high. Leo Mitchell maintained his batting title lead, entering the break with a 12-for-34 week. Mitchell is hitting .351/.386/.429 (145 OPS+) through 82 games with 11 doubles, 5 homers, 48 RBIs, and just 45 strikeouts. Jim Watson of the Chiefs is hitting five points higher, but Mitchell has a nearly 20 point lead in the CA over Adam Mullins. The former Chiefs were both just average on the week, but Hank Barnett and Cliff Moss have arguably been our best players. Barnett went just 6-for-29, but with a double, homer, 6 runs, 6 RBIs, and 7 walks. Our blockbuster offseason pickup hit .305/.397/.425 (138 OPS+) with 11 doubles, 8 homers, and 45 RBIs and he's started all 83 games this year at third. Cliff Moss went 7-for-28 with a double, homer, and 4 RBIs. He hasn't started nearly as many games, but he's hit a strong .307/.386/.422 (134 OPS+) with 7 doubles, 5 homers, and 29 RBIs in 225 trips to the plate. Even the backups produced, with both Eddie Curtis, Dan Rogers, and Mike Taylor hitting well in their starts. Curtis was 2-for-5 with 2 doubles and 2 RBIs, Rogers was 2-for-6 with a homer and 2 runs scored and driven in, and Taylor was 5-for-11 with 2 runs and RBIs. At the break, we've scored more runs then every team in the CA, and we rank 1st in all categories except WAR (2nd), extra base hits (4th), walks (t-2nd), strikeouts (6th), and baserunning (3rd). Our lineup is very deep and we've survived the enlistments of Ray Ford, John Lawson, and Carlos Montes, the injuries of Billy Hunter and Rich Langton, and the trade of Freddie Jones. Hunter will be back next week and Langton closer to roster expansion, but I still might try to pick up a center fielder for us. Last thing before the break was our final two draftees signing, but I'm shocked neither ranked in the top 100. 1st Rounder Tommy Seymour ranks 14th in our system and 182nd in the league with 2nd Rounder Al Clement ranked lower at 18 and 203 respectively. All draftees we gave a bonus to currently rank in the leagues top 500, giving a nice breath of light to a system that has seen a lot of players either graduate or traded. Jimmy Hairston (6th, 94th) is the highest listed, followed by Johnny Weaver (8th, 136th), Seymour, Bob Rogers (15th, 190th), Clement, Lefty Jones (19th, 218th), Dick Garcia (23rd, 248th), Bill Holloway (30th, 317th), and Barney Gunnels (41st, 436th). A few draftees on other teams still need to sign, but our system ranks 9th with 6 top 100 Prospects, 23 top 250 prospects, and 46 top 500 prospects. Our system tends to be deep and have at least one top 10 pitchers, but behind Duke Bybee and Otto Christian, there is a lack of star power in the farm, and both of those youngsters are off at war. Looking Ahead After our three game break, we'll get to face the Kings in Brooklyn for four. Brooklyn had a pair of first time All Stars, both who seemed like they'd get more then that when they first debuted. One was well deserved, going to former Cougar ace and current King ace Jim Crawford. The 37-year-old never quite panned out, but he's been elite this season despite just four above average ERA+ seasons since he debuted in 1930. This season has been what I once thought Crawford could do, going 9-8 with a 2.51 ERA (141 ERA+), 1.31 WHIP, 33 walks, and 19 strikeouts in 18 impressive starts. With the Kings at 37-43 and 14.5 games out of first, he could be the next King move, as not only did they send Art White to us, but Al Wheeler (.232, 25, 77) and Bob Cummings (2-9, 4.29, 29) are now Chiefs and Harry Barrell (.287, 0, 32, 6) laces up for the Minutemen. Crawford would be an enticing trade candidate that can add prospects to an already deep Kings system. Their other All Star was former 1st Overall Pick Curly Jones. It sucks the game assigns reliever All Stars in this era, but Jones' 55 innings have gone well. He's got a 2.13 ERA (167 ERA+) and 1.24 WHIP with 26 walks and 22 strikeouts. He's re-found himself as a reliever, but it's not the pitcher most expected he'd turn into. Looking at the series we'll get a look at a familiar face for the first time: Mel Haynes. The 21-year-old was our 1st Round selection in 1940, but I sent him to the Chiefs in the Hank Barnett deal. He was then part of the package for Al Wheeler and Bob Cummings, and he's now made two starts for the Kings. Haynes has a win and no decision, going 15.1 innings with 9 hits, 5 runs, 9 walks, and 7 strikeouts. He's one of many new faces on the Kings, along with former Sailor Merritt Thomas (1-2, 2.36, 5), minor league journeymen Otto Deal (.174) and Hal Reynolds (.250, 5, 21, 5), and 23-year-old rookie Bill McGraw. This is a good team to start the second half with, and after beating better teams the past two weeks, we should do well here. __________________ Check out The Figment Sporting Journal, a collaborative multi-sport effort that dives into the Figment Sports Universe You can also view my solo project, my Dynasty Report on the Chicago Cougars of FABL, the baseball league in the Figment universe

08-16-2022, 09:04 PM	#876
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 2,992	Week 13: June 12th-June 18th Weekly Record: 2-2 Seasonal Record: 55-32 (1st, 1 GA) Stars of the Week Dick Lyons : 2 Wins, 8.1 IP, 1 BB, 1 K, 0.00 ERA Skipper Schneider : 17 AB, 8 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .471 AVG, 1.088 OPS Dick Walker : 14 AB, 4 H, 0 HR, 5 RBI, .286 AVG, 1.164 OPS Schedule 7-15: Loss at Kings (2-4) 7-16: Win at Kings (7-3) 7-17: Loss at Kings (0-4) 7-18: Win at Kings (3-0) Recap 2-2 against a subpar team is a little disappointing, especially when you just rolled off 11 of 12 against teams above .500, but we were on the road and 13-1 in June before the series started. We also held our one game lead over the Cannons, and the Wolves dropped to 3.5 games out, so all in all a decent enough showing. Mel Haynes did his best to show us we shouldn't have let him go (and let's be honest, I really didn't want to), tossing 8 shutout with 3 hits, 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts, with one of those two punchouts of the guy we traded for him, Hank Barnett, who didn't get his hit until Haynes left after eight. More importantly, the All Star game was last sim, but it felt more like the Cougars and Cannons vs. the Fed. Our eight All Stars were instrumental in the 7-3 win, with Dick Lyons (which is why it shows two wins) getting the win, and Johnnie Jones the final three outs. Neither were that great, with Lyons' scoreless frame seeing a walk and hit while Jones allowed 2 hits, a run, and a walk with a punchout in the ninth. The real star was Dick Walker, who went 1-for-2 with 2 walks, 2 RBIs, and a triple. Skipper was 1-for-3 with a double, walk, and 2 RBIs, although he did make an error. Walker, Skipper, and Car turned a Cougar-only double play, but Car was 0-for-3. Hank Barnett was 1-for-3, Leo Mitchell pinch ran and then later drove in a run with a single, and Cliff Moss was 0-for-1, but scored in the third. The game was filled with former Cougars, including the surprise breakout star Johnny McDowell (0-3), Sam Orr (1-4), Luis Sandoval (IP, 2 H, 3 R, ER), and Jim Crawford (2 IP, H). Looking at the actual Cougar games, All Star Dick Lyons continues to dazzle, going 7.1 scoreless innings with 6 hits and a strikeout to lower his ERA to 1.99. Lyons and Rufus Barrell (1.77) are the only pitchers with a sub 2 ERA. The game counted his All Star win as a weekly win, so he took home his first Player of the Week! Totally undeserved, but Lyons becomes the oldest player to ever win his first FABL Player of the Week at 43 years and 33 days. He's been a pitcher of the month and year, but never the week! We got good innings from Joe Brown too, going 7.2 with 10 hits, 4 runs (1 earned), and 5 strikeouts. Jim Lonardo wasn't so good, charged with 9 hits, 4 runs, and 2 walks while recording one fewer out. Art White stayed hot, picking up his third complete game win as a Cougar. The veteran lefty did allow 12 hits and 3 runs (2 earned) with a walk and 2 strikeouts. Ben Curtin was the only other arm to throw, appearing in 3 games. He threw 2.2 innings, picked up a save, and got a walk and strikeout. No start for Johnnie Jones this week as I want to keep his innings down, but after two off days to start the week, he'll pitch one of the double header games in Cleveland on Wednesday. The offense really struggled, but surprisingly our center field duo performed well. Orlin Yates was 3-for-7 with a walk, 2 runs, 2 steals and an RBI while Don Homer was 2-for-6 with a walk and run. Both will see playing time dwindle, as Billy Hunter is on his way back to Chicago. He hit really well in Milwaukee on rehab, slashing .346/.407/.500 (149 OPS+) with 5 doubles, 2 triples, a homer, and 16 RBIs. The one downside was he was 0-for-5 on steals. He wasn't great out in center, but he's getting used to the outfield grass and his bat should be a huge upgrade over Yates and Homer. He'll replace Oscar Panduro on the active roster, and will likely get a few games a week at second and center. He won't quite be an every day player, as that usually causes him to get hurt, but he should be an extremely useful utility man. We got a big week from Skipper, going 7-for-14 with a double, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 2 RBIs. Dick Walker was just 2-for-11 after the All Star game, but both hits were triples and he picked up three more walks. Mead, Car, Barnett, and Mitchell didn't hit much at all, but with how poor the offense performed, we were actually a bit lucky to pick up two wins. Looking Ahead As mentioned, we have two off days to start the week, which could have been far better served somewhere else during the season. That's followed by a three games in two days against the Foresters. Very little has gone right for Cleveland this season, as they are just 28-56 and 25.5 games behind us. The next closest team to them (Montreal) is 6.5 games clear, and with a cellar dweller you would generally expect their All Star to be a pity one. That couldn't be further from the case, as Cal Howe was the easy choice for starting right fielder in the CA. Howe just turned 28, and is hitting an impressive .317/.375/.454 (128 OPS+) with 32 doubles, 5 triples, a homer, 9 steals, and 26 RBIs. Normally this would be a very enticing trade piece, but with how bad they are elsewhere, keeping Howe on the roster could be the best move. It would be better to move a breakout 32-year-old catcher like Mickey Patterson (.336, 1, 18), slugging outfielder Dan Fowler (.243, 7, 29) who has been pretty good at the plate, or team captain Ben Turner (8-9, 4.09, 42). Howe isn't young, but him, Bill Carr (.293, 1, 32), and Bob Mullins (.280, 2, 26, 3) aren't so old that there is a great sense of urgency to move them. We should be able to score a ton of runs in Cleveland, and anything less then a sweep could be costly in what should be a very exciting three team race to the finish. Our road trip continues with the Sailors, where we'll play four games in three days. We finish this week with a double header and get the finale on Monday up in Philly, and we'll look to extend our 10 game lead over them. The Sailors have done well this season, a respectable 45-42 and they've gotten decent production from a lot of their players. On the mound, Paul Richardson (5-5, 2.65, 39), Doc Newell (11-6, 2.53, 55), and Karl Wallace (8-8, 3.37, 51) are an effective 1-2-3, and if Ray McCarthy (2-3, 2.48, 10) can finally stay healthy, they have a really deep rotation. The lineup is more stars and scrubs, headlined by All Stars Marion Boismenu (.323, 3, 28, 4), Joseph Mills (.324, 3, 34), and Woody Stone (.291, 1, 31). Harvey Brown (.298, 1, 41, 6) and Bob Smith (.286, 22, 6) have done alright, but Jim Beard (.233, 2, 36, 2) and waiver claims Ed B. White (.262, 2, 6) and Hal Roberts (.167, 2, 10, 3) aren't starting quality players for a contender. This will be a tough series, even with us taking four of five in Chicago, as the Sailors are a tough team who do really well at home. Minor League Report CF Leo Davis (A Lincoln Legislators): Most players struggle a bit after a promotion, but don't tell that to Leo Davis! The 24-year-old outfielder has been red hot since a promotion to Lincoln, upping his .272/.367/.405 (119 OPS+) line at San Jose to .395/.441/.547 (150 OPS+). Davis had an outstanding week, taking home the weekly award in the Heartland League, going 13-for-30 with 2 homers, 5 RBIs, 6 runs, 2 doubles, and 2 steals. In 18 games for the Legislators, Davis has already tallied 4 doubles, 3 homers, 8 steals, and 13 RBIs, worth 1.3 WAR before recording his 100th PA. The speedy outfielder stole 19 bases in San Jose, and even hit 11 doubles and 5 homers before the promotion. He's also looked really good in center up in A ball, already up to a 4.2 zone rating with a very impressive 1.093 efficiency. His blinding speed is easily his most impressive tool, but he also makes a lot of contact and will frequently find himself sprinting to second or third when he puts the ball in play. This gives him a very high floor, as we're stuck using guys like Orlin Yates who have good speed and defensive skills despite a lack of bat. Davis looks like he'll hit much better in the big leagues, as he's done well at most stops so far. His age may work against him as he was on the older side when drafted, and he's already eligible for the Rule-5 draft. I'm not sure I want to protect him, but a strong end to the season may force my hand. 1B Norm Anderson (A Lincoln Legislators): Despite just one career start before this season, Norm Anderson has done nothing but impress. He started the season in San Jose despite just 46 at bats in C ball, and after putting up a 191 WRC+ in 28 games, he's mashing up in A ball. The 20-year-old first basemen is hitting an impressive .393/.458/.560 (157 OPS+) with 3 doubles, 3 homers, and 22 RBIs through 96 trips to the plate. An imposing 6'3'' lefty who lasted until the 22nd Round of the 1941 draft, all it seems Norm Anderson does is hit the ball hard. He doesn't have much pop and he won't wow you with the bat, but it's hard to ignore the results. It's really came out of nowhere, as his .393 average right now is just 7 points lower then his average as a senior at Enmaus. I've made the decision to force him to start at first, and since our only two other first base prospects are the outspoken 23-year-old Adolph Jacobson and 19-year-old Billy Bigger and his .248 average in La Crosse, there really is nothing standing in Anderson's way. Yes, the 36-year-old Dick Walker never gets injured and could potentially pull a Dave Trowbridge, and the 32-year-old Ray Ford is in the Air Force and will step right back into the lineup when he returns, but neither of them can pay forever. I know the chances of Anderson becoming a big league player is very low, but if you can hit like this, there's no reason to keep you on the bench. __________________ Check out The Figment Sporting Journal, a collaborative multi-sport effort that dives into the Figment Sports Universe You can also view my solo project, my Dynasty Report on the Chicago Cougars of FABL, the baseball league in the Figment universe

08-17-2022, 07:28 PM	#877
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 2,992	Week 14: July 19th-July 25th Weekly Record: 5-2 Seasonal Record: 60-34 (1st, 1 GA) Stars of the Week Hank Barnett : 27 AB, 12 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .444 AVG, 1.151 OPS Johnnie Jones : 2 Wins, 18.0 IP, 8 BB, 12 K, 0.50 ERA Leo Mitchell : 32 AB, 11 H, 0 HR, 5 RBI, .344 AVG, .789 OPS Schedule 7-21: Win at Foresters (5-2) 7-21: Win at Foresters (5-1) 7-22: Win at Foresters (16-1) 7-23: Win at Foresters (4-0) 7-24: Loss at Sailors (2-8) 7-25: Loss at Sailors (3-11) 7-25: Win at Sailors (8-4) Recap A nice 5-2 week helps us hold our one game lead over the Cannons, but we pulled 6.5 games ahead of the struggling Wolves. The Foresters didn't give much resistance, as we swept through them in Cleveland, but we ran into some trouble in Philly. We lost the first two, but managed to stop the surging Sailors win streak at 10 in the second day of the Sunday double header. They are just two games behind the Wolves now, and they may leapfrog them if the trends continue. We did manage to outscore Cleveland 30-4, which really helped our run differential, but the Sailors had no trouble against our staff; even in the win they put up four. We're right at the deadline, and we now have a new need: a corner outfielder. The injury bug continues to bite, taking Cliff Moss yet again. This ailment will cost him five weeks as he recovers from a fractured hand, likely keeping him out until rosters expand. Moss was in the midst of one of his most productive seasons as a ball player, and easily the best as a Cougar, hitting .318/.400/.442 (143 OPS+) with 9 doubles, 6 homers, and 32 RBIs. Both of our right fielders are now out, so for this week we will see Billy Hunter try to shift over to right, splitting time there an in center with lefties Orlin Yates and Chick Browning, who will at least join the Cougars this week. That's because we added an outfielder (after I started writing, but before I finished) in veteran slugger Dan Fowler. The 35-year-old vet helps us in two ways, as he can play center when Langton or Moss returns, and while he has never played right field before, it shouldn't be much of an issue for him. From 1932 to 1938, Fowler was one of the better hitters in the FABL, but he's started to see his production slip a bit. He is hitting alright, batting .239/.365/.365 (102 OPS+), with a much nicer 121 WRC+. Fowler is a three true outcomes type (at lest for this era), with 7 homers, 50 walks, and 25 strikeouts. He's added 9 doubles, a triple, and 31 RBIs while offering passable defense out in center. He also just recorded his 250th homer, now with 251 in 1,643 FABL games. 1,405 of them came in a Foresters uniform, the others with the Minutemen, and he's hit an impressive .268/.365/.442 (121 OPS+) with 211 doubles, 994 RBIs, and 930 walks. In return, we'll give up 1B Adolph Jacobson and RHP Joe Crosby in what is likely going to be our lone deadline acquisition. The extra rest did Johnnie Jones well, as he stretched his complete game victory streak to 10 consecutive starts. Jones was an error away from a shutout against the Foresters, allowing just 5 hits and 4 walks with 6 strikeouts. An error then cost him three runs in his win over the Sailors, where Jones allowed 7 hits, a single earned run, and 4 walks with 6 more strikeouts. Jones is now tied with Butch Smith for the CA win lead at 13 and his 86.7 win percentage is the best in the entire FABL. Of course, Jones is no Dick Lyons, who tossed 8.1 scoreless innings with just one hit and 2 walks. After walking Cal Howe in the first, he set down 24 straight before a walk and double ended his night. We also got a great start from Joe Brown, picking up a complete game win with 7 hits, a run, walk, and 3 strikeouts. It wasn't all good, with a tough outing from Jim Lonardo. He allowed 8 hits, 6 runs, and a walk in just 3.1 innings pitched. Art White wasn't great, but errors did ruin one of his two starts. He beat the Foresters, going all nine with 10 hits, 2 runs, a walk, and a strikeout, but three errors against the Sailors sabotaged him. Only 3 of his 8 runs were earned, as White was charged with 9 hits and a walk with 2 strikeouts in 4.1 innings pitched. Pug Bryan had issues after, allowing 5 hits, 3 runs, and 3 walks with 2 strikeouts in 3.2 innings pitched. This raised his ERA above 2, as before this week, all four members had sub 2 ERAs. Angel Lopez's is now above too, as he allowed 4 hits and 2 runs with 2 strikeouts in 2 innings. Our pitching can't quite match the Cannons, but we rank #2 in most categories and top 4 in everything. Big week at the plate, with a Player of the Week worthy performance from Hank Barnett. Barnett was 12-for-27 with 4 doubles, 4 RBIs, 6 walks, and 7 runs scored. The 33-year-old has caught fire, slashing .326/.417/.578 (158 OPS+) in July and since a dreadful August, his lowest month OPS+ or WRC+ was his matching 145 in June. He's on a 5 WAR pace and owns a .315/.408/.432 (143 OPS+) batting line with 15 doubles, 8 homers, and 49 RBIs. Clark Car had a nice week, 7-for-23 with 2 triples and 3 doubles, runs, walks, and RBIs to go with a stolen base. Orlin Yates showed rare signs of life, 6-for-17 with 2 doubles, 4 RBIs, 5 walks, and 5 runs. Both saw a little of their time go to Billy Hunter, who went 6-for-17 with a double, RBI, 3 walks, and 3 runs in his return to the lineup. Even Harry Mead got in on the fun, 6-for-21 with 2 doubles, a homer, 3 runs, and 6 RBIs. Dick Walker went 7-for-31 with a double, triple, 2 homers, 3 walks, 6 runs, 4 RBIs, and a steal. Leo Mitchell went 11-for-32 with 2 doubles, 6 runs, and 5 RBIs. The only hitter to have struggles was Skipper Schneider, who was just 4-for-25 with 2 runs, 3 walks, and 4 RBIs. Of course, with his defense he can hit however he wants, as he's approaching a 30 zone rating on the season. The bats continue to be a strength for us, and adding Dan Fowler into the mix can only help. Looking Ahead This is a huge week for us as our long roadtrip continues. We'll look to earn the split in Philly, although the scheduled starter is unknown. Doc Newell (11-6, 2.47, 59) will head to the IL due to elbow tendinitis, preventing what would have been his scheduled start. Karl Wallace (9-8, 3.23, 52) pitched three days ago and could be ready to go, but the Sailors could opt to start Tom Cipolla (5-5, 1, 4.62, 43), who has made 9 starts and 10 relief appearances. Veterans Herb Flynn (1-1, 1, 3.69, 10) and Chuck Murphy (4-3, 2, 3.92, 10) are probably past their starting days, but either could be an option. There aren't many surefire starters in AAA San Francisco, but former Cougar farmhand George K Brooks could be brought up to make his big league debut. Whoever they choose will face Joe Brown, who will look to keep the surging Sailors offense in check. They are now tied for second with the Cannons in runs scored, and are fresh off a Player of the Week from Harvey Brown (.310, 1, 45, 7), who I probably would have gone after had the Sailors lost 10 straight instead of won. This is a crucial game here, as the rest of the weak pits us against the Cannons and Wolves. We get an off day after, which is crucial. Not just to recover from the double header, but it will allow us to throw our best three pitchers in Cincinnati. The Cannons are right on our tail, a game behind us due to their elite pitching. Losing Fred Galloway (.268, 2, 25) hurts, but Alf Pestilli (.249, 5, 30) is a quality replacement, filling in at left while pushing Bob Griffith (.279, 1, 35) to center. Sam Brown (.320, 5, 74, 5) has done alright atop a deep lineup with productive bats in Billy Dalton (.308, 10, 60), Chuck Adams (.276, 11, 49), and Adam Mullins (.341, 2, 34) filling out the 3-4-5 part of the lineup. Back to the pitching, which contains two of the three sub 2 ERA arms in the CA. Most would expect Rufus Barrell (12-4, 1.83, 93) to fall in that category, but I'm kicking myself for not going after Butch Smith (13-5, 1.92, 62) in the offseason. Chris Clarke (7-10, 3.15, 44) has a much better ERA in 5 starts for the Cannons (2.54) then his 15 for the Stars (3.39) and former #1 Overall Pick Vic Carroll (7-4, 2.46, 59) is healthy and blossoming into a top of the rotation arm. Even #5 Roger Perry (7-3, 3.12, 22) has been more then reliable, giving the Cannons a chance to win each and every game. First place may be determined by this series, as if either team gets swept they may kiss their pennant dreams good bye. We then finish the week with three games in two days against the Wolves. Toronto has dropped three straight and eight of their last ten, now 52-39 and far closer to the Sailors then us and the Cannons. They are likely staying pat, hoping Chink Stickels (.199, 1, 29, 6) and Charlie Artuso (.229, 2, 32) can turn things around. They've gotten a big season from Walt Pack (.282, 14, 53) and both Juan Pomales (.291, 1, 29, 8; 3-4, 1, 4.72, 13), Clarence Howerton (.279, 2, 40), and Mike Rollison (.291, 2, 34) have given them decent production. There are a lot of holes in the lineup, but ever since Fred McCormick left, the offensive output has been on the weaker side. On the mound, Bernie Johnson (7-6, 3.24, 26) has started to cool off, losing four straight including a pair of starts with 6+ runs in less then 6 innings. He was supposed to be the #2 to Joe Hancock (11-6, 2.77, 67), but that role has instead been filled by 27-year-old rookie Jimmy Gibbs (9-4, 1, 2.75, 26). The former 8th Rounder of Brooklyn started the season in the pen, and even after losing his last two starts, he's still put up very impressive numbers on the season. We've caught the Wolves at the right time, and if we can avoid Hancock I really like our chances here. Minor League Report 3B Johnny Weaver (B San Jose Cougars): After a rough first week in our system, 5th Rounder Johnny Weaver has really started to hit. Starting his pro career in San Jose, Weaver went just 3-for-15, but a 10-for-25 week has brought his season line to .333/.405/.508 (160 OPS+). That was also good enough for Player of the Week, as Weaver added 2 doubles, 2 homers, and 9 RBIs. Those were his first two pro homers, but he does have 5 doubles and 17 RBIs in his first 75 plate appearances. One of our higher rated prospects, the only 1943 draftee above him is Jimmy Hairston (6, 113), as Weaver ranks 9th in our system and 145th overall. Tom Weinstock is a big fan, intrigued by his athleticism and fond of his discipline at the plate. He's got decent pop too, but strikeouts may end up being a big issue for him. He's already struck out 24 times in 19 games, but he is just a walk away from double digits. He doesn't put the ball in play very much, as his contact tool isn't great, but when he connects it is definitely worth the wait. With Otto Christian penciled in as the third basemen of the future, Weaver may have to work on his versatility, and he can handle both first and left as well. He's got the tools to be a big league starter, and the 21-year-old may be able to ascend swiftly up the ladder. __________________ Check out The Figment Sporting Journal, a collaborative multi-sport effort that dives into the Figment Sports Universe You can also view my solo project, my Dynasty Report on the Chicago Cougars of FABL, the baseball league in the Figment universe

08-17-2022, 08:54 PM	#878
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 2,992	Trade News! 4 years ago, if you told me my deadline would consist of trading for Dan Fowler and Frank Crawford, I would have thought that we won the deadline. Or that it was at least one of the bigger deals. But this year, this second deal will be lost in the shuffle in a deadline that saw stars like Red Johnson, Gus Goulding, George Dawson, Jack Cleves, and more on the move, Ira Hawker for Frank Crawford is just a mere footnote. Now 35, the 1939 Allen Winner isn't the same pitcher he once was, as injuries have really taken something out of him. Always expected to be a quality starter, Crawford was taken 10th Overall by the Keystones back in 1926, and then debut in 1931 as a 23-year-old. His first 11 starts went well, as the young southpaw went 8-3 with a 3.15 ERA (135 ERA+), 1.38 WHIP, 28 walks, and 38 strikeouts in just shy of 100 innings pitched. Crawford was an 18 game winner in '32, and tallied 1,248.2 innings with the Keystones before being moved after the 1937 season to help pick up young slugger Hank Koblenz. At the time of the trade, Crawford was 70-63 with a 4.31 ERA (106 ERA+), 1.45 WHIP, 409 walks, and 636 strikeouts in 1,248.2 innings pitched. He took the next step with the Dynamos, going 20-10 with a 3.31 ERA (128 ERA+), 1.25 WHIP, 81 walks, and 144 strikeouts in 263.2 innings pitched while worth a career high 5.9 WAR. He then took it to the next level in 1939, leading the Fed with 25 wins and a 2.58 ERA (161 ERA+). He didn't win the triple crown, striking out just 139 in 285.2 innings pitched. He did lead the league in WHIP (1.13) and was worth an impressive 7.8 wins above replacement. It all went downhill after that, as while his first five starts in 1940 were elite, tore the flexor tendon in his elbow, and he then missed an entire year before returning to the mound after the start of that season. He was never quite the same, as he's put up three consecutive sub-100 ERA+ seasons since his injury. This year he's been a bit better, 6-6 with a 3.66 ERA (95 ERA+), 1.53 WHIP, 27 walks, and 23 strikeouts in 78.2 innings pitched. As you'd expect from a fragile pitcher, he's nursing a finger blister, and he'll start his Cougar career on the IL. All told, the veteran lefty is an out away from 2,200 FABL innings, and 141-104 in 301 career outings. He has an impressive 3.86 ERA (112 ERA+) and 1.37 WHIP with 724 walks and 1,065 strikeouts. He's been worth 35.7 wins above replacement, and he'll give us a very useful depth piece for our rotation. He doesn't have to be an every day starter, as we have a really good five with White, Brown, Lyons, Lonardo, and Jones already. That being said, we're already down Harry Parker and our only real starting options in Milwaukee are Ken Matson and John Little, two guys I'd rather not throw every fifth day. Plus with all the double headers, it's very helpful to have a reliable sixth starter, as it's been tough to manage some weeks. We do get more off days down the stretch, but having a guy like Crawford can really help. Since I didn't dedicate a full post to the Dan Fowler deal, it's worth mentioning him here too. Fowler was always a guy I targeted, dating back to when he was drafted six overall by the Minutemen back in 1929. He then debuted at the start of the 1932 season and it was a season to remember. Fowler burst onto the scene with a .275/.389/.467 (125 OPS+) batting line with 21 doubles, 26 homers, 15 steals, and 88 RBIs with a league high 100 walks. Fowler's time in Boston didn't last too long, as he was sent to the Foresters in a blockbuster at the deadline for Ed Wood, John Wood, Pete Day, Art Spencer, and a 4th Round Pick. Cleveland was trying to catch us, and while Fowler did everything he could to catch us, they Foresters still fell double digit games behind us. Fowler slashed an elite .318/.409/.507 (165 OPS+) with 12 homers and 36 RBIs. Fowler cemented himself in the lineup and was an instrumental member of back-to-back pennants. From 1934-1938, Fowler never had an OPS+ or WRC+ below 124, less then 20 homers, 90 RBIs, and 60 walks. He topped 100 three times, leading the CA in '34 and '36. He was just average for the next two seasons, before showing signs of his old self again in 1941. Fowler hit a strong .271/.348/.472 (126 OPS+) with 23 homers and 68 RBIs, but he followed that with his worst season. It was interrupted for seven weeks with a sprained elbow, which was the then 34-year-olds first injury of longer then a week. This season WRC+ thinks he's back on track, with a 121 in 308 PAs for the Foresters. His 102 OPS+ thinks he's nothing more then average, hitting .239/.365/.365 with 9 doubles, 7 homers, and 31 RBIs. He's walked (50) twice as often as he's struck out (25) and has a bit below average (-4.1, .980) out in center. Like Crawford, Fowler has been an impressive big leaguer, but Fowler will be getting more regular time with us. A career .268/.365/.442 (121 OPS+) hitter, he will be a huge offensive upgrade over Orlin Yates. An extra base machine, Fowler has 211 doubles, 251 homers, and 994 RBIs, and while his speed is a thing of the past, he did hit 40 triples and stole 79 bases. The lefty will take every day center field duties, but I can see him getting some games in right. As of now, Billy Hunter will patrol right, but Orlin Yates is a far better defender then both of them. Against some righties I might want Hunter to rest, and Yates will always get center if any two of those three are in the lineup. Even when Langton and Moss get back, Fowler will get most of the time in center, but I expect Billy Hunter to take a lot of his bats against lefties at that point. Plus Fowler is one of the most popular guys in the clubhouse and his flyball tendencies should play really well in our stadium. He's hit us really well this year and absolutely decimates righties, and I'm really excited to have him as an option for the lineup. __________________ Check out The Figment Sporting Journal, a collaborative multi-sport effort that dives into the Figment Sports Universe You can also view my solo project, my Dynasty Report on the Chicago Cougars of FABL, the baseball league in the Figment universe

08-18-2022, 07:09 PM	#879
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 2,992	Week 15: July 26th-August 1st Weekly Record: 1-6 Seasonal Record: 61-40 (2nd, 3 GB) Stars of the Week None Generated Schedule 7-26: Loss at Sailors (3-5) 7-28: Loss at Cannons (3-8) 7-29: Loss at Cannons (1-8) 7-30: Loss at Cannons (3-8) 7-31: Loss at Wolves (0-4) 8-1: Win at Wolves (2-0): 10 innings 8-1: Loss at Wolves (4-5) Recap Well, it was fun while it lasted! An awful week as we dropped the finale for the Sailors before getting swept by the Cannons. They scored 8 runs in each game and walked all over us, a complete 180 compared to our series with them in Chicago. We then dropped two of three in Toronto, picking up just two wins in our last nine games. The rough start of the week ruined our impressive July, as last week we were 20-5, and we finished the month 20-10. The Cannons are up three on us and the Wolves 2.5 games further behind us. We need to get back on track ASAP, and since our road trip is about to end, I can see our fortunes starting to change. The offense was atrocious this week, and the only bat with even a small semblance of production was Dick Walker. Our leadoff man went 8-for-27 with 2 doubles, a homer, and 4 RBIs. He was also named Batter of the Month in the Continental Association, slashing .283/.381/.522 (160 OPS+) with 7 doubles, 4 triples, 4 homers, 3 steals, and 18 RBIs with an elite 19-to-3 walk-to-strikeout ratio. Walker is having one of his best seasons at 36, slashing .276/.382/.454 (142 OPS+) with 18 doubles, 10 triples, 10 homers, 17 steals, and 47 RBIs. Skipper was the closest to not sucking, 4-for-19 with 5 walks and 2 steals. Car, Mead, Barnett, Hunter, and Yates all struggled, combining to go 20-for-122 with just four extra base hits. I'll blame it all on my daily lineups not working, as none of what I really wanted happened during the week. Adding Dan Fowler should help, but perhaps we needed something more to keep pace with the Cannons. The pitching wasn't any better, and Johnnie Jones finally had his consecutive complete game victory streak snapped. He was hit hard by the Cannons, going 6.1 innings with 6 hits, 7 runs (5 earned), 7 walks, and 5 strikeouts. Despite the awful start, he still took both Pitcher and Rookie of the Month, going 5-1 with a 1.58 ERA (215 ERA+), 1.13 WHIP, 27 walks, and 27 strikeouts. Johnnie is having an excellent rookie season, now 13-3 with a 2.30 ERA (147 ERA+), 1.20 WHIP, 71 walks, and 68 strikeouts through 136.2 innings pitched. Art White also struggled with Cincy, allowing 9 hits and 8 runs with 3 walks and 2 strikeouts in 5.1 innings pitched. Dick Lyons did better, 6 innings with 5 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), 4 walks, and a strikeout in a no decision. He struggled with the Wolves though, tagged with a loss in 6 with 10 hits and 5 runs on short rest. Jim Lonardo wasn't great either, but better then the previous three, going 8 with 10 hits, 4 runs, 2 walks, and a strikeout. Joe Brown picked up the only win, going all 10 in a 2-0 shutout over the Wolves. He allowed 5 hits and 2 walks with 4 strikeouts. He lost his first start up in Philly, going 8.1 with 8 hits, 5 runs, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts. Ben Curtin had a rough week in the pen, allowing 10 hits, 5 runs, and 3 walks with 3 strikeouts in 5.1 innings pitched. I expect better results from our staff next week, but we have to get back on track quickly to stay in the race. Looking Ahead We can still at least split the series with the Wolves, as even though we're off to start the week and then two days after, we still have one more with the Wolves in Toronto. Because of us they're now 57-41, and chances are we're going to have to deal with Joe Hancock (11-7, 2.64, 70). This makes things tough, as we couldn't beat Bob Walls (10-6, 4.17, 29) or Bernie Johnson (9-6, 2.83, 30). They didn't score too much off of us, but lately they've gotten good production from 28-year-old Gus Hall (.270, 3, 29). This will be a tough finale and we'll need to be at our best to survive this one. Two more off days before we return home for three with the Kings. We struggled against them in Brooklyn, but I'm hoping we can set things straight in Chicago. Brooklyn is a bit below .500, sitting at 47-51 and a bit closer to the Foresters (13.5 GA) then the Cannons (15.5 GB). The Kings are in a youth movement, giving innings to talented youngsters such as Jim Kenny (9-5, 2.47, 12), Bill McGraw (3-4, 4.37, 16), and Ike O'Donnell (7-6, 1, 3.19, 33). The latter two are likely back-end at best, but the 22-year-old Kenny could be a mid-rotation piece or even potentially an ace. The lineup could use some work, but 25-year-old Roger Upton (.314, 3, 23) is having a really good rookie season. There isn't much youth behind him and young slugger Tim Hopkins (.253, 11, 35), who despite being the same age is in the midst of his 5th FABL season. There is a lot of hope in the farm, with 9 top 100 prospects including the #8 prospect in this year's 3rd overall selection Pat Petty. It may take a few seasons for the Kings to regain the form of the 1936-1938 CA champs, but they are on the right track. Minor League Report CF Bunny Hufford (AAA Milwaukee Blues): The trade speculation didn't seem to effect Bunny Hufford at all this month, as the 25-year-old outfielder was named the best bat in the Century League. The former 4th Rounder hit an astronomical .382/.479/.549 (184 OPS+) with 9 doubles, a triple, 2 homers, 7 steals, and 18 RBIs while worth an entire 2.2 wins above replacement. It's been a good season for our 4th ranked prospect, who managed to survive another trade deadline. In 55 games with the Blues, Hufford has slashed .327/.420/.468 (145 OPS+) with 18 doubles, 2 triples, 3 homers, 11 steals, and 28 RBIs. It was far better then his 55 PAs up in Chicago, where Bunny was just 9-for-48 with just one extra base hit. Eventually Hufford will split the difference, as he boasts above average contact ability and mixed with good plate discipline and great speed, he profiles as the perfect leadoff hitter. His defense still isn't great, but he could be at least average out in center. His speed really helps, so you hope there is great range, but I'm not quite sure his arm will be great enough to be a top right fielder. He's going to be one of the guys rejoining the team in September, but he's going to have a lot of competition for an outfield spot next Spring. Hufford was also named Player of the Week, going 12-for-26 with a homer, 5 RBIs, and 7 runs scored. RHP John Little (AAA Milwaukee Blues): Yesterday I was talking about how John Little isn't an option to start big league games, and he then goes and proves me wrong by tossing a 4-hit shutout with no walks and 4 strikeouts. Little is in the midst of his best minor league season, going 6-5 with a 2.98 ERA (130 ERA+), 1.24 WHIP, 29 walks, and 53 strikeouts in 127 innings pitched. Now 27, the former 5th Rounder hasn't had the greatest climb up our system, and his 115 FIP- suggests a lot of luck, but he could be useful pen filler at the end of the season. A four pitch pitcher, Little has a high 80s fastball, which might be the best of the four. None are that great, and his repertoire isn't good enough to consistently fool big league hitters. He's done well starting in Milwaukee, but his future looks to be in the pen. His flyball tendencies will cause problems in long starts, but he can eat innings and get his share of strikeouts. RHP Jack Huston (AA Mobile Commodores): It was an excellent month for Jack Huston, who was named Pitcher of the Month in the Dixie League. It was Huston's second straight, following up a 6-1 June with an even better 6-0 July. He dropped his ERA and WHIP from 2.81 (167 ERA+) and 1.06 to 2.17 (216 ERA+) and 1.02 with fewer walks (10) and more strikeouts (34). It's been a huge breakout season for the 23-year-old, who is now 17-3 with a 3.25 ERA (144 ERA+), 1.21 WHIP, 56 walks, and 88 strikeouts in 174.2 innings pitched. The innings eating righty is on pace for over 250 innings, just shy of his innings total since we selected him in the 5th Round of the 1941 draft. The sidewinder doesn't throw all that hard, just 88-90 with his fastball, but he generates a ton of grounders and he's able to pitch deep into games. He's on a nice eight game complete game win streak, and he's topped 150 pitches three times. His curve and slider need some work, as he doesn't always locate them well, but he does a good job missing bats. I don't think he'll head to Milwaukee any time this season, but unless he enlists he'll start '44 as a member of the Blues rotation. Tom and OSA think Huston will be just a spot starter, and he ranks outside our top 30 at #357 in the entire league. There is something said for high current ratings, which based on performance Huston likely does, as potential doesn't mean much if you can't ever reach it. I'd like to see his stuff improve a bit, but he's got some of the tools you look for in a big league starter. Attached Images __________________ Check out The Figment Sporting Journal, a collaborative multi-sport effort that dives into the Figment Sports Universe You can also view my solo project, my Dynasty Report on the Chicago Cougars of FABL, the baseball league in the Figment universe

08-19-2022, 12:12 PM	#880
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 2,992	Week 16: August 2nd-August 8th Weekly Record: 3-1 Seasonal Record: 64-41 (2nd, 2 GB) Stars of the Week Harry Mead : 14 AB, 7 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .500 AVG, 1.205 OPS Art White : 2 Wins, 18.0 IP, 2 BB, 1 K, 2.50 ERA Joe Brown : 1 Win, 9.0 IP, 1 BB, 1 K, 0.00 ERA Schedule 8-3: Win at Wolves (7-3) 8-6: Loss vs Kings (9-1) 8-7: Win vs Kings (0-5) 8-8: Win vs Kings (3-4) Recap A nice 3-1 week cuts the Cannons lead over us to two. We salvaged the split in Toronto, and then the rested Cougars took two of three from the Kings back home. This was the first week with Dan Fowler in our lineup, but it was like he wasn't even there. The 35-year-old vet failed to reach base in all 15 of his plate appearances, striking out six times and driving in one on a sac-fly. At least it can't get worse, but not a good sign when your "big" deadline acquisition doesn't get a hit his first week in a new uniform. The rest of the offense wasn't great, but we got a real pleasant surprise from Harry Mead! He looked like '42 Mead, going 7-for-14 with 2 doubles, 2 walks, 3 runs, and 3 RBIs. Clark Car looked good, 7-for-17 with a double, triple, 2 runs, and 3 RBIs. Billy Hunter went 2-for-9 with a double, triple, run, and 2 walks. Skipper went 5-for-15 with 2 doubles, 2 RBIs, and 3 runs scored. Dick Walker went 5-for-17 with 2 runs, RBIs, and steals. We'll need to see more down the stretch, but we're home all next week too, and the bats tend to heat up in Chicago. Art White started half our games this week, and picked up two of the three wins. Both were of the complete game variety, allowing 6 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), and a walk in Toronto before his first ever game against the Kings. Brooklyn, of course, used a 3rd Rounder on him way back in 1932, and White allowed 7 hits, 3 runs, a walk, and a strikeout in the win. He's pitched a bit better in Brooklyn then in Chicago, now 11-9 on the season with a 2.78 ERA (124 ERA+), 1.24 WHIP, 46 walks, and 44 strikeouts. Johnnie Jones had a rare bad start, charged with 8 hits, 7 runs, and 4 walks with 4 strikeouts in 3.2 innings pitched. Cal Knight relieved him, going 5.1 innings with 4 hits, 2 runs, and 4 strikeouts. The best outing of the week, however, came from Joe Brown. He allowed just 2 hits and a walk with a strikeout in a complete game shutout. That's back-to-back shutouts for Brown, who's now allowed one or fewer earned runs in 7 of his last 8 starts. He's going to be leaned on heavily down the stretch, as him and Art White will start as many games as needed to help us catch the Cannons. Looking Ahead Two off days to start the week before a four game series with the Foresters. I'm hoping this will jumpstart Dan Fowler, who might want some revenge against his former team. Replacing him in the lineup is natural right fielder Lou Balk (.267, 2, 29, 4). He's not bad, just a little angry for not starting, but the Foresters offense has been getting better. Cal Howe (.313, 1, 31, 10) has continued his breakout season, and they've gotten average or better production from Leon Blackridge (260, 11, 2), Bob Mullins (.286, 3, 34, 4), Mickey Patterson (.328, 1, 22), and Bill Carr (.305, 2, 46). One has to wonder if top pick Jim Adams Jr. will join the Foresters sometime this season, as he put together a 5-hit game this week in AA and is hitting .403/.487/.522 (206 OPS+) in 17 games. The pitching remains the weakness, but long time Forester Ben Turner (9-12, 3.73, 53) has been okay atop the rotation. Sure, he's better as a back-end guy, but with all their struggles to get good innings, Turner's leadership and endurance have been crucial. A sweep here is imperative, and I really like our chances. We'll then get half of a four game set with the Wolves, with a double header to finish the week on Sunday. The wins against the Foresters are crucial, as the Wolves are 59-44 and the series comes right before the Cannons come to town. Bernie Johnson (10-6, 2.72, 34) has caught fire, allowing just 1 run in his last 28 innings. We're force to see at least two of him, Joe Hancock (11-8, 2.77, 83), and Jimmy Gibbs (9-6, 1, 2.74, 35), which makes me think runs won't be coming very often in this one. They aren't hitting too well, but their 2-3-4 of Juan Pomales (.290, 2, 30, 10; 3-4, 1, 4.72, 13), Walt Pack (.278, 15, 57), and Mike Rollinson (.302, 2, 41, 2) is very good. I don't talk about bullpens much in this age, but the Wolves have one of the better ones, with an elite back three of Lou Jayson (9-1, 8, 1.43, 34), Bob McRae (3-1, 8, 1.09, 9), and Phil English (1-0, 1.16, 11). It's hard to get runs early on Toronto, and even harder late, so we'll lean heavily on our arms keeping runs off the board. __________________ Check out The Figment Sporting Journal, a collaborative multi-sport effort that dives into the Figment Sports Universe You can also view my solo project, my Dynasty Report on the Chicago Cougars of FABL, the baseball league in the Figment universe