Chicago Cougars (FABL) - Page 47

ayaghmour2 · 10-25-2022, 06:46 PM

Weekly Record: 5-1
Seasonal Record: 40-15 (1st, 7 GA)
Stars of the Week
Hank Barnett : 23 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 7 RBI, .391 AVG, .875 OPS
Leo Mitchell : 24 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .375 AVG, .861 OPS
Art White : 2 Wins, 16.0 IP, 7 BB, 4 K, 2.25 ERA

Schedule
6-6: Win vs Stars (1-2)
6-8: Win vs Stars (1-3)
6-9: Win vs Kings (1-2)
6-10: Loss vs Kings (6-4)
6-11: Win vs Kings (5-6)
6-11: Win vs Kings (4-11)

Recap
At this point I'm afraid to even tough the team, for risk that my fingers might burn off! We held our guests to just a single run in half of our games this week, sweeping the Stars and taking three of four from the Kings to end our homestand an impressive 16-6. We're the first team to 40 wins and hold a seven game lead over the Wolves. It's also the official reveal of the draft pool, and we are set to make the first pick in the 4th Round, with 10 more picks to follow. We'll get amateur reports today of the three we already selected, but the draft won't begin until Thursday. Pretty much since the regional round finished, I knew who I wanted, and it's someone I consider with both my first and second rounder. Looking at the three guys we selected, 1st Rounder Bert Rogers checks in lower then expected at 4.12, but the Chicagoan ranks 11th on Tom Weinstock's new and improved 32 player first round list. 2nd Rounder Tom Jovin checks in at 2.13 and 3rd Rounder Harry Austin at 5.3, with Jovin #20 on Tom's list. The guy I want ranks 17th, and is surprisingly not on the mock.

It was a wonderful week for Art White, who picked up two more wins to improve to a perfect 10-0 on the season. White threw his 9th complete game win against the Stars, allowing just 5 hits, a run, and a walk. His 10th win was the first one where he didn't go the distance, as the lefty went just 7 against his former team. The Kings got 9 hits, 4 runs (3 earned), and 6 walks in a rather stressful start for the veteran lefty, but he did strike out 4 in 7 innings pitched. He now owns a 2.05 ERA (167 ERA+) and 1.08 WHIP with 23 walks and 17 strikeouts. His ERA is tied with Bernie Johnson for second in the CA, just a single point higher then Harry Parker's. White also ranks 2nd in WHIP, this time two points higher then Parker, and despite a 1.1 WAR, his 3.7 rWAR leads all CA pitchers, with stopper Ben Curtin half a win behind him. As you'd expect, White's 10 wins lead all of baseball, two ahead of the Chiefs Rabbit Day, the Dynamos Jimmy Long, and the previously mentioned Ben Curtin. White has been well worth the hefty price tag it cost to acquire him, he should attend his fourth All Star game next month.

Another guy joining him should be Ben Curtin, who has been elite all season long. He made three appearances this week, including a win and save, tossing 7 scoreless frames with 4 hits, a walk, and a strikeout. Curtin has gone 8-1 with 7 saves, a 0.64 ERA (532 ERA+) and 0.90 WHIP with 11 walks and 6 strikeouts in 42 innings pitched. He's been a huge help as we have a lot of guys who can't go the distance and he's shutdown 15 games already. One of the guys that can go the distance, but doesn't always pitch well enough to do so, is Rusty Petrick, who picked up a complete game win. He did strike out 8, but it came with 7 hits, 5 runs, and 3 walks. Dick Lyons didn't go the distance, but he looked good against the Stars, allowing 7 hits, a run, and a walk in 6 innings. He then pitched a perfect frame against the Kings, dropping his season ERA and WHIP to 2.19 (156 ERA+) and 1.14. Mike Murphy did well in his first game against his former team, picking up a win in 7 innings with 6 hits, a run, a walk, and a strikeout. He did leave with a sore ankle, but won't miss a start, the second time this season he's add to leave an outing with discomfort. Harry Parker wasn't as lucky, as errors from both as back-to-back two out errors from Hunter and Skipper cost him 4 runs and the loss. Parker left after 6, charged with 9 hits, 6 runs (2 earned), and a walk with 3 strikeouts. It was another big week for the staff, which now ranks 1st in the CA in each category except hits allowed (2nd, 467), homers allowed (t-2nd, 17), and strikeouts (4th, 159).

The offense wasn't as good as usual, but our two struggling hitters Billy Hunter and Orlin Yates had outstanding weeks. Hunter's error may have cost us a win, but he went 7-for-15 at the plate with a double, walk, 2 RBIs, and 3 runs scored. Yates also had 7 hits, but it came in 27 trips to the plate. He doubled twice, stole two bases, walked four times, and both drove in and scored five times. Hunter brought up his season line to a slightly above average .248/.300/.400 (101 OPS+) while Yates' still sits at a subpar .228/.293/.284 (67 OPS+). We got support from Cliff Moss, who was 4-for-14 with 3 walks, 3 RBIs, 4 runs, and a tied for the league lead 7th home run. Hank Barnett got right back on track, 9-for-23 with a double, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 7 RBIs. Leo Mitchell's average dropped to a still league best .419, going 9-for-24 with a double, 2 RBIs, 3 runs, and 3 walks. Mitchell was riding a hit streak that ended at 21 in the second game of the double header, as he was 0-for-3 with 2 walks. Mitchell has now reached base safely in each game for nearly a month, as the last he failed to do so was on May 16th. Dick Walker was just 2-for-20, but it came with 2 steals, 6 runs, and 8 walks. That's now 70 walks for Walker in 55 games, who is also trying to put together his first 40 steal season, on track for 39. Like the staff, the lineup has been outstanding, now leading the CA in all categories except extra base hits (3rd, 135), strikeouts (3rd, 150), and base running (3rd, +9.3).

Looking Ahead
No rest for the wicked, as we head to Montreal for three with the Saints. We do get an off day after, but with how well we've played recently, I'm not sure I even want time off. The Saints are 22-32 and just two games ahead of the Kings for last. The Saints have added 23-year-old Jackie James (1-0, 1.98, 6) to the rotation, who has looked good in his first two big league starts. They'll need his help as the pitching hasn't been good, but they have gotten good starts from Ed Baker (5-3, 3.23, 15) and Bill Ross (6-3, 3.76, 17) has started to turn things around. If they shake Pat Weakly (4-5, 4.73, 47) our of his sophomore slump, which is probably more bad luck, as evidenced by his 2.80 FIP and 78 FIP-, they should rise up the standings due to their high powered offense. The only CA team that's scored more frequently then them is us, but when you allow even more runs (they're dead last there), it can be tough to win games. The offense is a well balanced attack, let by veteran slugger Vic Crawford (.310, 5, 38), but the top five in their lineup all have above average OPS+ and WRC+. Bernie Green (.315, 14, 4) has been a bright spot while getting regular time for the first time in his career at 36, while Jake Hughes (.314, 25, 9) and Bill Greene (.258, 2, 27, 8) offer a ton of speed ahead of Crawford. Spud Bent (.278, 3, 28) is healthy and looking good and it will be very hard to keep the Saints off the bases. We're built to win shootouts, and I think we should be able to leave town without many scratches.

Our road trip then ends in the Big Apple with four games in three days against the Stars. The Stars are fresh off a road sweep of the Saints, leapfrogging them in the standings. They are now tied with the Foresters in terms of games back (15.5), but at 23-29 they have one fewer win and loss. It's been a rough season for many Stars players, but Mel Hancock may be turning things around, taking home Player of the Week after going 9-for-19 with 3 doubles, a homer, and 5 RBIs. As good as it is, the switch hitting utility man owns just a .238/.312/.311 (76 OPS+) triple slash on the season, and the homer was his first of the year. His double play partner Steve Summers (.303, 19, 4) has been another surprise, putting up average numbers at the plate in 52 games, somewhat like his 53 game sample in New York last year. They recently made a rotation change as well, promoting Ben Watkins (1-2, 4.22, 7) from the pen to the rotation, where two of his three starts have seen just two earned runs allowed. The staff will get a huge boost once Eli Panneton is officially drafted, and the #5 ranked pitcher in the FABL finished 10-2 with a 2.79 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 29 walks, and 99 strikeouts at Aberdeen College. We've done well on the road this season, and based on the competition, this should be yet another winning week for the surging Cougars.

Minor League Report
RHP George Oddo (A Lincoln Legislators): I covered George Oddo yesterday, as he was in a dominant run of starts, but it turns out I should have waited one sim, as our talented 21-year-old was named Pitcher of the Week in the Heartland League. Oddo made two starts, starting with 8 scoreless against Evansville as the Legislators shut them out 3-0. He did allowed 8 hits and 2 walks, but Oddo struck out 8, the third time he's had more then 8 punchouts in a game this season. He made a second start to finish the week, and while he tied his season low with 3 strikeouts, Oddo was arguably more dominant in this one. The former 8th Rounder tossed a 5-hit shutout and walked just one to improve to an impressive 8-1 on the season. Oddo dropped his ERA down to an elite 2.50 (177 ERA+) with a 1.23 WHIP, 28 walks, and 65 strikeouts. The hardworking righty will now make his way up to Mobile, where I have no doubt he will continue to dominate minor league hitters.

LHP Bill Chapman (A Lincoln Legislators): It hasn't been a good season for Bill Chapman, who after finishing last season in Mobile, went down to Lincoln to start his year. When the calendar turned to May, he was just 1-3 with an inflated 6.75 ERA through 8 starts. His first start saw him throw six scoreless for his second win, and then he took it to the next level on the 8th. Chapman kept the Dusters in check all game, hurling a 4-hit shutout with 6 strikeouts in Lincoln's 4-0 win. His now 5.11 ERA (87 ERA+) is a bit more respectable, but FIP (4.18) and FIP- (94) think Chapman has actually been a bit better then the average Heartland League arm. He does have double the strikeouts (36) then walks (18) and a 1.41 WHIP in 61.2 innings, so the 20-year-old may have a few more starts like this one coming up. This is a welcomed sight for our 6th rated prospect, who now checks in at 106th in the league ranks. He's started throwing a bit harder too, going from high 80s to low 90s, but beyond his average fastball, his overall stuff is raw. He does feature six pitches, but it's a story of quantity over quality. His control is good, and when he locates his pitches he's effective, but when you don't have overpowering stuff, you have to be very precise with each offering. Chapman's age will work in his favor, and I'm really hoping a strong second half has him end his season up in Mobile.

Amateur Report
LHP Bert Rogers
School: Wenona
Commit School: Hamman
1944: 9-0, 96.2 IP, 1.30 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 20 BB, 125 K
Career: 30-2, 336.1 IP, 1.23 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 69 BB, 428 K

I wouldn't quite call it a perfect season for Bert Rogers, but the 17-year-old finished his senior season with a 9-0 record in 12 starts, improving to an impressive 30-2 in 42 starts. Rogers matched his personal best 35 FIP- from last season, but he saw most of numbers increase from last season's dominant showing. The three year starter showed a lot of promise at Wenona, generating a ton of groundballs while keeping the ball in the park with frequency. He's not a guy who will overpower you, sitting in the mid 80s, so keeping the ball on the ground a la Dick Lyons will be huge for Rogers. Of course, most people don't see their velo top out before they can drink in a bar, and with his work ethic I'd be shocked if he doesn't end up throwing in the 90s. That being said, he gets a ton of movement on his pitches, so he could survive on low velo, but with how his curve and slider move, a hard fastball could turn him into a top pitcher. Despite the mock not thinking of him as a first rounder, I am very happy with how Rogers is looking, and I trust Tom Weinstock a couple thousand times more then a mock draft that will probably shuffle three or four times before the draft comes around. Rogers may never be an ace, mid rotation is more likely, but I imagine the hard worker will exceed expectations while pitching for his hometown team.

RF Tom Jovin
School: Pocahontas
Commit School: Coastal State
1944: .466/.543/.699, 128 PA, 14 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 32 RBI, 7 SB
Career: .472/.550/.725, 354 PA, 42 2B, 6 3B, 6 HR, 87 RBI, 18 SB

It wasn't a great season for the three year starter, but Tom Jovin did manage to play more this season then the previous two. The downside was he set lows in all three triple slash categories, while striking out more this year (6) then the previous two seasons combined (5). Granted, all the numbers are still relatively close, and there is a lot to like about the young outfielder. A natural right fielder who can handle all three positions, Jovin's bat brings the most appeal, as he could end up .300 hitter with a strong eye and a little pop. Strikeouts could end up an issue, as he doesn't always make contact on off speed pitches, but velocity doesn't scare him and he can hit the ball hard and far. OSA is a huge fan, dubbing the now 18-year-old a future elite right fielder, but they may be a little too optimistic. I think Jovin should develop into a well above average hitter, but more Cliff Moss then Bobby Barrell.

LF Harry Austin
School: New Athens
Commit School: Smithfield College
1944: .525/.541/.747, 109 PA, 12 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 34 RBI, 7 SB
Career: .525/.541/.747, 109 PA, 12 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 34 RBI, 7 SB

Hey, I guess he can hit! It was a huge season at the plate for our regional pick, as 17-year-old Harry Austin was second to just 6th Overall Pick Nick Remillard in batting average for draft eligible players. Sure, Austin doesn't really walk (5), but he strikes out (3) even less and punishes pitchers for leaving the ball in the zone. His .525 average is one of the highest marks overall, and while I'd like to see more the just two homers, he showcased his elite hit tool. Unfortunately he's a one tool prospect, but he's young and raw, and could develop a second tool to a plus or higher level. If he hits he'll start in the big leagues, but with power he could really flourish. I expect him to take some time to adjust to minor league pitchers, but if you need someone to put the ball in play, he's your guy.

ayaghmour2 · 10-26-2022, 07:28 PM

Weekly Record: 5-2
Seasonal Record: 45-17 (1st, 10 GA)
Stars of the Week
Leo Mitchell: 29 AB, 11 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI, .379 AVG, 1.040 OPS
Ken Matson: 1 Win, 1 Saves, 10.0 IP, 4 BB, 5 K, 0.00 ERA
Harry Mead: 21 AB, 7 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .333 AVG, .924 OPS

Schedule
6-12: Win at Saints (3-0)
6-13: Loss at Saints (3-4): 12 innings
6-14: Win at Saints (7-2)
6-16: Win at Stars (8-1)
6-17: Win at Stars (6-4): 10 innings
6-18: Win at Stars (6-4)
6-18: Loss at Stars (1-2)

Recap
I know things eventually have to come back to normal, but can it wait until after the season? Please! We continued to cruise through our schedule, picking up five more wins to expand our lead to double digits over the Wolves. We did this even with dropping both of our one run games, and we have near identical home (22-9) and road (23-8) records which are both better then our 16-7 record in those pesky one run games. We have a ton of momentum built up and it seems like nothing will get in our way. There will be a roster move for the upcoming week, with Lyn Trease returning to Chicago and Chick Browning heading back down. Trease struggled to start his rehab, but the 24-year-old finished his 7 start stint with back-to-back scoreless starts. Browning appeared in 14 games off the bench, going 4-for-12 with a double and steal.

After his nightmare of a week two weeks ago, Ken Matson did a complete 180, dominating the Saints to start the week. He tossed a 4-hit shutout with 4 walks and 5 strikeouts to improve to 3-4 on the season. He then picked up his first save, cleaning up Ben Curtin's mistake after he blew what would have been Art White's 11th win. He allowed a hit, but got a pair of grounders to finish the inning. Matson still has a highly inflated 4.53 ERA (75 ERA+), but his FIP is a much more respectable 3.25 (96 FIP-) and he's back under Petrick for ERA. Rusty did pick up a complete game win, however, despite 7 walks, 4 hits, and 4 runs with 4 strikeouts. I mentioned White should have had an 11th win, as he went 8 with 10 hits, 5 walks, 2 strikeouts, and an unearned run. Ben Curtin had his rare bad outing, allowing 4 hits and 3 runs in the 9th. He did get the win, as we retook the lead in the 10th, and he also picked up his 8th save in the finale in Montreal.

Harry Parker and Mike Murphy both stayed hot and picked up another win. Neither went the distance, with Parker going 7.2 innings with 4 hits, 2 runs, a walk, and 3 strikeouts, while Murphy was an out shy of a complete game, charged with just 3 hits, 4 walks, a run, and 3 strikeouts. Dick Lyons made a pair of starts, but the now 44-year-old picked up a no decision and loss. He went 6 in Montreal, allowing 6 hits, 3 runs, and 2 walks. He then lost the second day of the double header in New York, going just 5 with 8 hits, 2 runs, and a walk. Our trusty vet is starting to show signs of his age, but his 2.47 ERA (137 ERA+) and 1.20 WHIP are still very solid. Lyons has tallied 76.2 innings with just 12 walks and 4 strikeouts, but I'm not sure how many innings he has left. Cal Knight picked up the other loss, allowing 3 hits and 3 walks, with just one run, in an inning plus. Merritt Thomas faired much better, tossing 5 scoreless innings with 5 hits, 2 walks, and a strikeout. A lot of the focus in the pen has been on Curtin, but Thomas has put together seven consecutive scoreless appearances to drop his season ERA to 1.76 (192 ERA+).

It was another big week for Leo Mitchell, who went 11-for-29 with a double, 2 homers, 5 RBIs, 2 walks, and 6 runs scored. It's crazy when a .379 average and .419 OBP lower your season marks, but the FABL's lone .400 hitter is maintaining his historic .415/.454/.541 (187 OPS+) batting line, and he's doing something I never thought I would ever see. Well, other then the .400 part of course. But Mitchell is walking (20) almost as often as he's striking out (27). Harry Mead went 7-for-21 with a double, homer, 3 walks, 4 runs, and 4 RBIs. His backup Mike Taylor was just as effective, 2-for-6 with a double, walk, and RBI. Cliff Moss was just 4-for-19, but with a double, triple, homer, 4 walks, 4 RBIs, and 5 runs scored. Billy Hunter went 6-for-19 with a double, steal, 2 runs, 3 walks, and 5 RBIs. Reserves Jimmie James and Dan Fowler were both 2-for-3, but James' was far more involved, with a double, homer, 2 RBIs, 3 runs, and 4 walks. Dick Walker was just 4-for-27, but it came with 8 walks, 3 doubles, 3 runs, and an RBI. That's 78 walks compared to just 48 hits, as he continues to walk at an unheard of pace.

Looking Ahead
This week is rather boring, as it's almost a carbon copy of last week. Instead of three in Montreal and four in New York, we host both the Saints and Stars for four. The double header is to finish the week, and then we'll get a pair of off days. In universe those two days are for the draft, which in real life will take place tomorrow. No sim Friday as we need to finish the draft, and I am very looking forward to making the first pick. I'm pretty settled on who I want to take, as the guy I'm leaning towards ranks very high on my scouts list, and even though he's exactly the type of player I reach for, I actually think he's the best player available. He's not Duke Bybee, don't get me wrong, but he projects to be an impressive big leaguer. What takes the pressure off a little is we'll also pick 12th, which means I can make a reach pick as their are a lot of guys I have my eye on and depending on how the draft shakes out, I may want to ensure I get them early instead of waiting too long. We have 11 picks to work with, but as always, don't be surprised if we try to pick up a pick or two.

Starting again with the Saints, who have now dropped to 25-36 and almost 20 games out of first. I covered them yesterday, so I won't add too much, but the Saints pitchers are still not getting any production from talented pitchers like Pat Weakley (4-6, 4.89, 51) and Jake DeYoung (3-7, 5.11, 41), while even Bill Ross (6-3, 3.59, 20) has been just average. With four games, we'll get to see most of their staff, and I like our chances scoring off them. Even better, we allowed just 6 runs in the 3 games against the CA's #2 offense, and I'm hoping we can seen more of the same this week. The Stars have began to look a bit better, with Eddie Hite (7-3, 3.35, 14) looking better and Billy Riley (5-7, 3.69, 42) is coming off back-to-back starts with 1-run complete games. They still aren't getting much offense, but Chubby Hall (.249, 6, 30) and Elijah Bourdeau (.266, 19, 4) are starting to turn things around. I'm hoping for a repeat of last week, but I know that sooner then later we will start to slip up.

Minor League Report
RHP Ron Sexton (A Lincoln Legislators): It took him a while to get going, but 23-year-old Ron Sexton is on a nice run of starts, allowing two or fewer runs in each of the last four. The most recent was the best, as Sexton kept the Steelman lineup at bay, tossing a 5-hit shutout with a walk and 3 strikeouts as Lincoln shutdown Gary 7-0. This improved Sexton to 5-3 with a 4.37 ERA (102 ERA+) and 1.36 WHIP in 59.2 innings pitched. He's struck out 25 while walking 18, and while he did look rusty to start the season, things are starting to fall his way. The former 5th Round selection by Pittsburgh back in 1938, his season ended in early May with a torn flexor tendon, and his recovery was setback to further delay his return. This was his fourth injury, which isn't all that bad, but considering it was one of two that lasted more then 8 months and the New Jersey native has missed a lot of time in his young career. When we first acquired him at the age of just 18, I had high hopes for Sexton, but the injuries have taken a hit on his talent. His command isn't great and his stuff won't make up for it, but he has a good slider and wouldn't be lost starting games at the highest level. Sexton profiles more as a filler arm then a reliable starter, but he's Rule-5 eligible and may excite a team enough to give him an extended big league look.

ayaghmour2 · 10-27-2022, 06:08 PM

Well, this is unfortunate... I had a nice big writeup, and then it was lost in the dark void that is the internet. Long story short, draft is underway, and we are now 50-20 after a decent 5-3 week. Art White is undefeated no longer, Leo Mitchell is on a triple crown pace, and Dick Walker finally walked less frequently then he played games for the week. We have an 8 game lead over the Wolves, who we get three games in two days up north to finish the week, after three in Cincy with the Cannons.

ayaghmour2 · 10-27-2022, 11:01 PM

4th Round, 49th Overall: SS George Sutterfield
School: Georgia Baptist
1944: .282/.353/.410, 258 PA, 11 2B, 6 3B, 2 HR, 41 RBI, 32 SB
Career: .282/.353/.410, 258 PA, 11 2B, 6 3B, 2 HR, 41 RBI, 32 SB

We kicked things off in part two of the draft with a player I've had my eye on since January, George Sutterfield. I'm always skeptical of taking guys without stats, which is why I held off, but it definitely helped knowing that the Nashville native could not be a regional selection. Instead, the Georgia Baptist grad will kick off Round 4, after a very good season against some of the best college competition out there. The now 22-year-old shortstop hit .282 with 19 extra base hits and 32 steals in 51 games for the Gators. A talented and hard working infielder, Sutterfield is quick which I'm hoping leads to great range, and he has a really strong throwing arm. His value lies more with his bat, although he should still be an above average defender, as Sutterfield hits the ball hard up the middle. He can get a little pull happy, with a lot of line drives going to left field, but he has good pitch recognition skills and should be able to draw a lot of walks. OSA thinks he's going to be a star, which seems a bit like a pipe dream, but he has the perfect combination of natural talent, athleticism, and work ethic, which really raises the young infielders ceiling. There's no way he'd replace Skipper, but he could push Otto off third before he even returns from the service. I'd like Sutterfield to man short every day in the minors, but depending on how advanced Tom thinks he is, he could be set for Lincoln before rising up the ladder quickly.

4th Round, 60th Overall: RHP Mike Thorpe
School: Americus University
1944: 4-7, 112 IP, 4.66 ERA, 1.72 WHIP, 64 BB, 42 K
Career: 4-7, 112 IP, 4.66 ERA, 1.72 WHIP, 64 BB, 42 K

Pardon me while I grab this step stool so I can reach for my pick! The perks of having an extra fourth round pick is you get to chase upside. Or in this case, a someone who "appears to be a quality arm now who can fill a mid-rotation slot." I'm not sure if the scouting report accuracy is "Very High" or if that's just Tom Weinstock, who despite a mediocre showing at Americus, thinks Thorpe could go straight to the big leagues. Is this the case? I'd hesitate to lock in your bets on a debut, but he does ranks inside Weinstock's top 10 for pitchers. And in terms of readiness, he'll be 22 on draft day and is listed as a current starter. He's a soft tosser and his stuff isn't great, but he has a really good splitter that I'm guessing carries him through games. He has a rubber arm and has great command, so I can see him pitching complete game after complete game, and Dick Lyons has shown that stuff is optional if you can throw slop that's hard to get a hold of. Of course, with our pitching depth, there's no way Thorpe will be penciled into a rotation spot, but I'd love to start him in AA if he doesn't have any red arrows. There's a lot of risk with this pick, but a few of the safer guys I wanted were taken and there isn't another Sutterfield like player available. With all the risk in this pick, I'm likely to go much safer in the 5th Round, but with all the extra picks coming up, I can get creative with my selections.

ayaghmour2 · 10-28-2022, 04:30 PM

5th Round, 76th Overall: RHP Lonnie Sis
School: Winnebago
Commit School: President's College
1944: 8-2, 95.2 IP, 1.32 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 24 BB, 134 K
Career: 12-2, SV, 145 IP, 1.30 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 40 BB, 203 K

When your dad plays major league baseball, you can almost assume you'll get drafted. But when your dad wins nearly 400 FABL games, you're going to be a highly touted prospect no matter how good you throw the ball. Lonnie Sis is no exception, as "The Sizzler" was taken with our 5th Round pick. His dad, Charlie, was a legend with the Wolves, pitching in a whopping 710 games between 1904 and 1921. From 1904 to 1905 he was a Pioneer, and despite a league best 32 wins and 1.48 ERA (169 ERA+), he didn't surface in the majors again until 1909 with Toronto. That's when the St. James Sizzler really made his mark, starting a 9 year run with 44 or more starts. In his 15 year career, the elder Sis led the league in wins four times, ERA four times, games three times, starts five times, innings five times, strikeouts three times, WHIP three times, and WAR four times. All told, Sis went 395-248 with a 2.29 ERA (133 ERA+) and 1.09 WHIP while striking out an FABL best 3,462 batters in 6,031 innings pitched. All time, he ranks 9th in ERA, second in wins, 5th in games (710), 3rd in starts (686), first in shutouts (94), second in innings, and second in WAR (146.36). I'd be very surprised if anyone comes close to any of those ranks other then strikeouts, as a healthy Peter the Heater striking out 250 batters for 14 seasons seems very doable.

Of course, it would be unfair to expect anything close to legendary from Lonnie, and we don't need him to fill in his dad's shoes. We just want him to do what he does best, improve his craft. The soon-to-be 18-year-old from St. James, Minnesota grew up about an hour and a half away from potential future rotation mates Johnny and Donnie Jones, and he put together two solid seasons of high school ball. After splitting time between the pen and rotation last year, Sis started all 13 of his appearances, and maintained his impressive 12.6 K/9 while actually dropping his BB/9 over half a point. His ERA was a bit higher, but he lowered his WHIP and flashed a ton of promise for a young arm. An extremely dedicated worker, Sis' coaches love his work ethic, and they say you wouldn't know his dad was a Hall of Famer by his effort level, as he takes nothing for granted and works tirelessly to improve each day. He's already upped his velocity to the low 90s, and with a few more years I can see him sitting comfortably in the mid-to-high 90s. His stuff is raw, but once fully developed he should feature a whiff inducing change up, knee-buckling curve, and biting cutter that he can attack hitters with up in the zone. He's got to hone in on his command, but his pitches all have a lot of late life, and it's hard to make good contact on his offerings. Right now he profiles more as a back of the rotation arm, but I'm betting on his baseball blood and stellar work ethic, which can be the perfect combination for success in the highest levels.

6th Round, 92nd Overall: CF Dick Pace
School: Greenwood College
1944: .283/.370/.389, 284 PA, 10 2B, 2 3B, 4 HR, 40 RBI, 36 SB
Career: .300/.385/.389, 778 PA, 26 2B, 5 3B, 8 HR, 121 RBI, 110 SB

A three year starter at Greenwood College, Dick Pace had a rather successful college career. In terms of average and OBP, his junior year was the first season below .300/.390, but he matched his freshman personal bests for doubles, triples, and homers. A bit on the older side, Pace is already 22, and will be 23 in December. This could lead to a quick rise up the system, and he likely skips a few minor league levels once he signs. I'm not sure if Pace can stick in center, but we do really like his bat. He can barrel up the ball consistently, and with his speed you can expect a lot of extra base hits. He's got a good eye too, walking far more the he struck out at Greenwood, but I expect these to level out a bit against tougher competitions. Pace should be able to draw a lot of walks, and his speed will help turn those into doubles, making him a very useful table setter. OSA is a huge fan, thinking he's an above average everyday player, while Tom leans towards more average. Unlike some of our earlier picks, I don't expect much growth, as Pace doesn't show the same drive as some of his new teammates. I'm not too worried, as he's a high floor, low ceiling type player, so we don't need him to grow too much.

ayaghmour2 · 10-28-2022, 09:05 PM

7th Round, 97th Overall: 3B Buddy Brumbaugh
School: Wallingford
Commit School: Piedmont University
1944: .430/.513/.580, 119 PA, 12 2B, HR, 28 RBI, 3 SB
Career: .440/.517/.590, 241 PA, 24 2B, 2 HR, 57 RBI, 8 SB

We started out the 7th Round with our first of three picks with a guy I think lasted a bit longer then he should have. That would be 18-year-old third basemen Buddy Brumbaugh, who both OSA and Tom Weinstock are huge fans of. OSA says reliable hitter, Tom think's he deserves a lion's share of the account, but the stats don't quite agree. He didn't impress too much in his two seasons at Wallingford, and he managed just two longballs in 241 trips to the plate. That's not too inspiring for someone who mans at the hot corner, and Buddy is more one of those guys who puts the ball in play all the time. He struck out just 13 times, using his great swing to make consistent contact. He's not a great defender, but well above average at third, as while his range isn't shortstop level, he makes little-to-no errors and he has a very nice arm. Brumbaugh ranks high on Tom's list too, checking right outside the top 30, which more or less translates to a second round pick. We'd like him to show more hustle, but he's young and has a lot of room to grow, and we're excited to work with the youngster.

7th Round, 108th Overall: C Bill Martin
School: St. Francis de Sales
Commit School: Darnell State
1944: .464/.524/.670, 128 PA, 8 2B, 5 HR, 32 RBI, 2 SB
Career: .446/.508/.647, 256 PA, 18 2B, 9 HR, 66 RBI, 10 SB

As a diehard Toronto Blue Jays fan, I almost feel like it is my obligation to follow in my favorite team's footsteps and acquire as many players with big league connections as possible. This one's still playing, as Bill's dad Bob doesn't live to far from Cougars Park, as he suits up every day for the crosstown Chiefs. Since he was selected in the 3rd Round way back in 1925, Bob Martin has been a huge force for the Chiefs, appearing in 2,003 games since a cup of coffee back in 1928. From 1929-1938, "Mr. Automatic" has appeared in 145 or more games, with just the 1938 season coming with less then 150 games. A pair of injuries in ;'39 cost him the streak, and then after a major injury in 1940, Martin has yet to appear in 145 contests again. Despite all that, he's been a consistently well above average hitter, slashing .329/.371/.448 (119 OPS+) with 403 doubles, 127 triples, 110 homers, 262 steals, and 1,030 RBIs. The now 37-year-old has had some issues, dealing with a strained rib cage muscle while hitting just .273/.311/.299 (75 OPS+), but from '29-'38 he was one of the most consistent hitters in baseball, and he holds the Chief's career records for average (.329), at bats (8,310), runs (1,344), hits (2,735), and total bases (3,722), and he's just two games shy of Jim Hampton's 2,005.

Now it would be foolish to expect "Mr. Semi-Automatic" to come anywhere near that level of success, but we are really excited to add the young catcher to our system. A two year starter at St. Francis de Sales, a Catholic school in Chicago, Martin showcased some decent pop, coming a homer away from 10 in his two seasons there. Just like his dad, he should also hit for a high average, but if he can showcase the power in the minors, that would be a huge add. Defense may be his strong suit, however, as both OSA and Tom Weinstock rave about his defense. Tom calls him a natural defender, which may mean he can handle third and first like his dad (and maybe even second!), while OSA raves about his receiving skills and arm. Add in his intensity, poise, and thorough preparation skills, and the sky may be the limit for the young backstop. Tom and OSA both view him more as a bench guy then a starter, but I think they're not giving him enough credit. I think he's got all the tools to play everyday, and while he's not currently a threat to top 50 prospect and likely heir apparent to Harry Mead, you can never have too many quality catching prospects. He'll have La Crosse all to himself, getting everyday time behind the plate, but as time goes by, if there's ever a positional crunch I may try to work him out at first and third as well.

7th Round, 112th Overall: LHP Ron Berry
School: Elm Springs
Commit School: California Catholic
1944: 7-1, 83 IP, 1.19 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 20 BB, 138 K
Career: 19-2, 2 SV, 1.30 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 64 BB, 370 K

We got to start and finish the 7th, grabbing southpaw Ron Berry with the final pick in the round. A three year starter at Elm Springs in Arkansas, Ron Berry took a huge leap from a sophomore to a junior, as after splitting time in the pen and rotation, he finished his high school career with 26 consecutive starts. He was dominant as a junior, going a perfect 9-0 with a 0.94 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, 23 walks, and 176 strikeouts in 95.1 innings pitched. His 0.57 FIP and 14 FIP- were absolutely absurd, as Berry allowed just 2 homers and had a stellar 7.7 K/BB and 6.6 WAR. A three pitch pitcher, it's hard to get to the young southpaw, who has the classic short term memory you need in baseball, as he knows his stuff can get him through any slump or tough inning. His command isn't the greatest, but his changeup is elite and will only get better as he works past the mid 80s. His slider is a plus pitch, and while his fastball is just average, a bump in velo would solve that problem. Berry also isn't built like your prototypical starter, just 5'7'' and weighing 135 soaking wet, but he's got a decent ceiling and could push past just a spot starter. As with any young arm, there is a ton of risk, but his stuff is incredible and he has the chance to put up huge strikeout numbers at each level.

ayaghmour2 · 10-29-2022, 12:22 PM

8th Round, 115th Overall: 2B Bill Cook
School: Fort Lee
Commit School: Georgia Baptist
1944: .427/.517/.625, 119 PA, 10 2B, 3 HR, 27 RBI, 3 SB
Career: .425/.521/.610, 361 PA, 35 2B, 2 3B, 5 HR, 75 RBI, 12 SB

We had three picks again in the 8th including back-to-back picks at 3 and 4. I started with second basemen Bill Cook, who was born in the Big Apple and attended Fort Lee, a bit north of Manhattan in New Jersey. The bat wasn't great, but Cook put up matching 1.8 WARs in each of his three seasons, as well as scoring 32 times each go of it. It was, however, good enough to catch the eye of Georgia Baptist, the alma mater of 4th Rounder George Sutterfield, but we won't let him fulfil that commitment. I was intrigued by the pop he displayed as a senior, hitting three homers after just a single one in each of his first two years. He was known more for his eye, finishing his prep career with a bit more then twice as walks (57) as strikeouts (23). We're betting on Cook's that eye, his athleticism, and hit tool to make up for his lack of speed. He's not one of the more exciting prospects we picked up, but Cook does check in on the Mock as a 4th Rounder, and Tom thinks he could force his way into a lineup. The bat will have to carry him and I hope he can put on some pounds to send a few balls out of the park.

8th Round, 116th Overall: CF Johnny Carlisle
School: Cowpens State
1944: .296/.348/.377, 284 PA, 9 2B, 6 3B, 43 RBI, 38 SB
Career: .308/.356/.433, 811 PA, 34 2B, 19 3B, 7 HR, 135 RBI, 113 SB

A speedy three year starter at Cowpens State, 1944 was a bit of a down year for Johnny Carlisle, as he failed to hit a single homer and didn't reach double digit doubles for the first time in his college career. He did set a personal best with 15 walks, but after a 4-to-1 walk-to-strikeout rate as a freshman, he struck out one more time then he walked in each of the subsequent seasons. Still, the Memphis native has an exciting bat, as he consistently barrels up the ball and with his speed he's always a threat to take the extra base. That also translates to great base stealing and excellent range out in center, as Carlisle's blazing speed is one of his best assets. His pitch recognition skills are strong too, but he's a groundball hitter who will probably end up with more inside the park homers then one's that leave the yard. What's very interesting about Carlisle is that he played a little shortstop, which means he either has really good range or a really strong arm. The 22-year-old has the perfect profile for a super utility guy despite not having any experience at third, second, or first, because he can handle short and center. With his speed and versatility, it will make it hard to keep him out of the lineup, and I think he could turn into a Cy Howard or Arnie Scurlock type player. These guys can play all over the field, and when in our organization, they tended to be "bench" guys who would rotate between many positions. 6th Rounder Dick Pace is likely to get the everyday at bats out in center up in San Jose, so there's not an obvious opening, but we have a lot of spots open for infielders. Al Clement at short is the only locked down position, and we actually have another outfielder, the recently promoted Alex Snyder, playing first every day. Carlisle's versatility will always work into his favor, as he'll have to hit really bad to be kept out of the lineup. Even if he doesn't play every day, he can function as a super utility guy, getting starts regularly just at a different position each time.

8th Round, 124th Overall: RHP Al Robison
School: North Smithfield
Commit School: Maryland State
1944: 7-1, 84.2 IP, 1.38 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 32 BB, 123 K
Career: 14-2, 169.2 IP, 1.49 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 62 BB, 234 K

An imposing 6'4'' figure who won't be 18 for a few more months, Al Robinson is the prototypical projectable pitcher. You bet on his size and strength, and the fact that he can already hit 90 on the radar gun. A two year starter at North Smithfield, Robison took a step forward in year two, matching his 7-1 record with an improve ERA, WHIP, and K/9. He did walk a few more batters, but Robison's stuff was very overpowering, and it's really hard to elevate any of his pitches. He's not very susceptible to the longball and he features a slider that wracks up whiffs. That's easily his headliner, as his fastball, change, and curve are all average at best. Most tall young pitchers add speed as they fill out, so don't be surprised if Robison doesn't top out at 90 forever. He's a hard worker who needs a bit more time, but he enjoys pitching and could work his way into the back-end of a rotation. With improved command, he could also become more effective, as he'll likely never spot an above average walk rate. If we can improve the stuff or command, Robison could be the next George Oddo, another 6'4'' righty who was our 8th Rounder back in 1941. Oddo throws just 88-90 now, but he was sitting in the low 80s as a senior. I expect Robison to be a slow mover, but one that is well worth the wait.

ayaghmour2 · 10-29-2022, 11:49 PM

9th Round, 140th Overall: RHP Cliff Wallace
School: North East
Commit School: Columbia Military Academy
1944: 8-2, 105.2 IP, 1.62 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 40 BB, 149 K
Career: 24-10, 350.1 IP, 1.77 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 121 BB, 443 K

I'll be honest, I didn't even look at our 9th Rounder's commit school, as Cliff Wallace was planning on enrolling at the Columbia Military Academy. I'm not worried about him fulfilling that commitment, but I wonder if that means he's more likely to join Uncle Sam in the war out east. I'd love for the three year starter to stay and pitch with us, as he struck out a career best 149 batters in a career low 105.2 innings pitched. The strikeouts did come with some more walks, but what's not to like about a 6'5'' righty who can strike batters out? Sure, he's a side armer, so I don't expect him to light up the radar gun, but his extension is impressive, and his slider could be a knockout pitch. His command isn't great, but effectively wild could be an interesting profile for Wallace. He sits in the mid 80s now, but I know that won't be his cap. Wallace's fastball isn't anything special, so the increased velocity would be huge, and the faster it gets the more effective his change will become. Tom already thinks he could develop into a back-end starter, which would be impressive value from a late round pick.

10th Round, 156th Overall: Everett Fuller
School: Rainier College
1944: .263/.373/.382, 313 PA, 9 2B, 5 3B, 4 HR, 48 RBI, 35 SB
Career: .269/.379/.384, 880 PA, 26 2B, 13 3B, 11 HR, 117 RBI, 102 SB

I was out all day (which is why this post is so late), so I didn't spend as much time as usual with my last pick. I defaulted to an old reliable pick and grabbed a versatile college kid from a prestigious school. A three year starter at Rainier College, Everett Fuller played all around the diamond, recording starts at second, third, short, center, and right. The speedy Pittsburgh kid is excellent at getting on base, walking (124) more then he strikes out (71), and for him a walk can be as good as a double. Fuller also displays great range in both the infield and outfield, and he's always working on improving his skills. The bat does need some work, as he doesn't hit many line drives, but as a righty he can take advantage of his slow rollers on the pull side. With his versatility there is a lot we can do with him, and while I don't know what position he'll start playing at, I know that it's not going to be the last position he stays at.

ayaghmour2 · 10-31-2022, 06:18 PM

Weekly Record: 1-5
Seasonal Record: 51-25 (1st, 7 GA)
Stars of the Week
Hank Barnett : 24 AB, 8 H, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .333 AVG, .860 OPS
Harry Mead : 18 AB, 7 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .389 AVG, 1.061 OPS
Leo Mitchell : 26 AB, 8 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .308 AVG, .615 OPS

Schedule
6-28: Loss at Cannons (3-4)
6-29: Loss at Cannons (0-1)
6-30: Loss at Cannons (3-4)
7-1: Loss at Wolves (2-8)
7-2: Loss at Wolves (3-7)
7-2: Win at Wolves (5-3): 11 innings

Recap
Well, it finally happened. The Cougars had a bad week. And it was a really bad one at that... I was definitely worried about this week, as we had to deal with both the Cannons and the Wolves on the road. The Cannons swept us, doing something they haven't had much success at, winning all three games by a single run. The Wolves then took two of three, dropping our lead over them to just 7. While 7 is still nice, it's not very comfortable, and we will have to turn things around quickly. The draft gives a nice boost to our system, and we now have a bunch of players to sign. We have to sign each of our picks in the first five rounds, as well as all three of our 7th Rounders, 8th Rounder Al Robison, and our 15th Round Selection. Generally I try to get more impossible guys, but it totally slipped my mind this time, meaning we will have to make a lot of cuts. A decent amount of our picks already cracked the top 500, with 13th Rounder Bob Harris (292nd), 9th Rounder Lou Thomas (293rd), 8th Rounder Johnny Carlisle (308th), 11th Rounder Max Tanner (405th), 9th Rounder Cliff Wallace (445th), 11th Rounder Larry Day (463rd), and 11th Rounder Howie Sharp (498th). I was surprised all three of our 11th Rounders were ranked, and you can read more about them and the rest of the AI picks in a bit. There are big changes coming to the draft next time around, including the entirety being done in January, a lottery for the first two rounds, and the eventual inclusion of draft leagues.

Obviously we had a lot of issues this week, winning just one game, and our high powered offense ran out of gas. Just Harry Mead and Hank Barnett had much success, as Leo Mitchell's average dipped below .400 for the first time all season. The outfielder went just 8-for-26 with, still over .300, to drop his average to a still league best .395. Harry Mead stayed hot, going 7-for-18 with 4 doubles, 2 runs, a walk, and RBI. Hank Barnett was 8-for-24 with a double, homer, 3 runs, and 3 RBIs. Mitchell and Barnett now both have 9 homers and 49 RBIs, sharing the CA lead. Jimmie James looked good in limited time, 3-for-8 with a homer and 3 RBIs. Dick Walker had his worst week of the year, just 4-for-23 with only 3 walks. He did add a triple, steal, RBI, and 3 runs, but he's now on pace for just 178 walks. Our rightfield platoon really struggled, with Langton and Moss going just 3-for-24 despite not a single strikeout. I knew eventually we'd hit a wall, but let's hope that we can get back on our feet quickly.

If you had Rusty Petrick with the only Cougar win on your bingo card, you would have struck gold this week, as the inconsistent slinger carried the Cougars in our 11 inning, lone win of the week. Matson went all 11, allowing just 7 hits and a run, but with 6 walks and just 2 strikeouts. Petrick has now won his last four starts, improving to a shockingly good 6-2 with a 4.23 ERA (81 ERA+) and 1.37 WHIP. He's struck out 58 in 95.2 innings, and his 4.5 BB/9 is the lowest in inning full season of his career. Petrick didn't have the best start of the week, however, that went to Harry Parker, who we could not score for. The talented righty allowed just 4 hits and a run with 2 strikeouts in 8 innings pitched. Parker has as shot for the triple crown, a win (9) and strikeout (62) short of a share of the CA lead with an FABL best 1.84 ERA (185 ERA+). Dick Lyons had a decent start of his own, 5.1 innings with 6 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), and a strikeout. Since turning 44, he's allowed just 4 earned runs in 18.1 innings with a pair of walks and strikeouts.

Of course, in a week where we struggled, there were a lot of poor pitching performances. Art White had his worst start of the season, charged with 8 hits and 8 runs (5 earned) with a single walk and strikeout in 6.2 innings pitched. Mike Murphy also had his worst start, 7 hits, 7 runs, 3 walks, and a strikeout in just 3 innings. With the All Star game coming up, Murphy might have cost himself a spot, but White should join Parker at the game. Ken Matson's start wasn't great, but he was an out away from a complete game, as Charlie Ross finished us off with a sac-fly in the 9th. Matson allowed 10 hits, 4 runs, and 2 walks with 4 strikeouts. The pen was pretty reliable, with Cal Knight tossing 4 scoreless with 3 hits and 3 walks. Lyn Trease made his first start since returning from rehab, allowing 2 hits and 4 walks with 2 strikeouts in 2.1 scoreless frames. Ben Curtin wasn't his sharpest, allowing a run and 4 hits with a walk and 2 strikeouts in 2.2 innings pitched. We'll need to pitch better as we look to shake off this rough week, but at least we'll have the All Star break from the 10th to 14th to recover. As usual, my ballot is stuffed with Cougars, but a lot of them really deserve it.

Looking Ahead
It won't get any easier, as after the off day, we'll have to deal with those pesky Cleveland Foresters. At 35-39, they are having a vastly improved season, seven games clear of the cellar they've been occupying for most of the past few seasons. The breakout of Ducky Davis has been huge, as the Foresters have a legit young arm to build around. A 4th Rounders just under two years ago, Ducky's ten starts have been impressive, going 5-2 with a 2.28 ERA (156 ERA+), 1.19 WHIP, 29 walks, and 32 strikeouts in 83 innings pitched. Davis was even named Pitcher of the Month, going a perfect 5-0 with a 1.41 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 50 impressive innings. Good pitching has been hard to come by lately for Cleveland, so when you combine Ducky's breakout with Johnny Slaney (8-4, 3.70, 44) and George Rotondi's (8-7, 3.32, 51) relative success, the Foresters aren't getting blown out each game anymore. The issue now is that they can't score, dead last in runs scored and bottom half in nearly every offensive category. It hasn't been all bad at the plate, as they hit a lot of extra bases, and the Foresters have got good seasons from Brooks Meeks (.312, 6, 36, 3), Lou Balk (.312, 6, 36, 3), and Jim Adams Jr. (.275, 1, 21, 4). We'll have to be at our best, with four games in three days, but a reversal of fortune could be exactly what we need to get right back on track.

We then finish the week with four more games in three days, concluding the second half with a series in Philadelphia. The Sailors are back over .500, sitting at 37-35 and closer to last (9 GA) then first (12 GB). Karl Wallace has started to implode, as a rough stretch of starts has brought him to 6-5 with a 4.60 ERA (77 ERA+), 1.52 WHIP, 33 walks, and 27 strikeouts. Veteran Doc Newell (4-8, 2.80, 46) is now the only remaining above average pitcher in the rotation in terms of ERA+, but Ray McCarthy (5-3, 3.61, 23) is close and stopper Hannibal Davis (3-1, 10, 2.06, 27) has been very reliable late in games. If we can avoid Newell, we should be able to score a ton of runs, but the Sailors generally score up to their pitching. 4th in runs scored and allowed, the offense is stronger, as they sport one of the best corner infields in baseball. Both Marion Boismenu (.371, 2, 36, 3) and Frank Covarrubias (.342, 1, 17, 2) should be representing the Sailors at the All Star Game, and while he's definitely cooled, Joseph Mills (.282, 6, 36) has continued to slug for a team that doesn't hit many homers. After a rough week, these two series are crucial, as we can't let the Wolves get any closer. The Stars helped us out, sweeping the Wolves in Toronto to finish the month, but they have a much easier task of topping the Saints and Kings to finish off the first half. Technically we could fall out of first if things go absolutely wrong, but your Chicago Cougars should lead the Continental Association for the Midsummer Classic.

Minor League Report
CF Don Lee (AAA Milwaukee Blues): I know, I know, he should be in Chicago, but Yates is a good defender and I really don't want to cut anyone. It's getting to the point where it's next to impossible to keep Don Lee in AAA, as the the talented outfielder was named Batter of the Month in the Century League. Lee hit an impressive .340/.455/.575 (190 OPS+) with 6 doubles, 2 triples, 5 homers, 6 steals, and 23 RBIs, while sporting an impressive 25-to-8 walk-to-strikeout ratio. This upped Lee's season line to an elite .301/.436/.492 (161 OPS+) with double the walks (58) as strikeouts (23) while accumulating nearly a 4 WAR. Rap has recorded 16 doubles, 4 triples, 7 homers, 10 steals, and 42 RBIs with an exactly even 1.000 efficiency out in center. With the All Star break right around the corner, the earliest Lee will get his Cougar threads would be for the week of the 24th. At that time I will reassess things, as Yates is running out of time to improve his .218/.287/.283 (65 OPS+) line, or else he will fade back into fourth outfielder obscurity.

RHP Angel Lopez (AAA Milwaukee Blues): Another monthly award sweep, as the dominant Blues took both Batter and Pitcher of the Month. Angel Lopez finally picked up his first loss of the season, gong 5-1 with a 2.72 ERA (138 ERA+), 1.19 WHIP, 17 walks, and 19 strikeouts. This actually rose his season ERA to 1.85 ERA (203 ERA+) in just over 100 innings pitched. Lopez is now an impressive 12-1 with a 1.11 WHIP, 35 walks, and 39 strikeouts. The 25-year-old has been superb for the Blues, and his name has started to float around in trade talks. The soft tosser's breakout has been thoroughly unexpected, as he was 0-8 with a 6.28 ERA (56 ERA+) and 1.93 WHIP in 61.2 AAA innings back in 1942. Despite his breakout, Lopez doesn't have much of a chance to crack into our rotation, and our pen is filled with guys I can't send down. If he stays with the team until September, he's in line for a callup, but if Lopez wants to start games regularly, it may have to be with another organization.

RHP George Oddo (AA Mobile Commodores): Okay, at this point it's just laughable! Generally when you promote a player, it takes them a few starts to adjust to the league. Even more so when it's a 21-year-old going up to AA. But lucky for us, George Oddo isn't your regular pitcher. In Oddo's 4th start with the Commodores, he was brilliant, tossing a 2-hit shutout with 3 walks and 2 strikeouts as the Commodores edged the Reliables 1-0. Oddo has allowed 2 or fewer runs in each of his four starts, surpassing 130 pitches twice while not being relieved in any of his outings. He has a stellar 1.03 ERA (386 ERA+) and 0.86 WHIP with double the strikeouts (22) then walks (11). Currently ranked as the 30th best prospect in the FABL, Oddo will likely drop a few spots once all the new draftees are signed, but he continues to cement himself in our future rotation plans. Even if he continues this torrid pace, I expect him to finish the season in Mobile, but the hardworking righty is yet another success story to come out of the later rounds of the draft.

RHP Joe Swank (AA Mobile Commodores): Not only is George Oddo not the only 21-year-old pitcher on the Commodores, but he's also not the only one who tossed a shutout in Chattanooga this week! Joe Swank got into the fun, as the former 7th Rounder was gifted 13 runs of support in his 7-hit, 7-strikeout shutout of the Reliables. Swank also walked three, so while he had more strikeouts, he also allowed more baserunners, but it improved his season record to 8-4 with a 3.48 ERA (114 ERA+), 1.31 WHIP, 28 walks, and 57 strikeouts. Currently ranked 15th in our system, Swank has been a rather quick riser, racking up a ton of strikeouts down on the farm despite not being much of a hard thrower. Swank's fastball sits in the 85-87 range, but he's a finesse guy who confuses the opposition with his three pitch mix. His curve and change are excellent offerings, more then making up for the lack of velocity. It's hard to square up his pitches, allowing him to keep the ball in the park and limit hard contact. Swank won't ever be a rotation topper, more a back-end guy, but his emergence makes him a tantalizing trade piece for a middle-of-the-road guy or as part of a package for a bigger piece.

SS Dick Hamilton (A Lincoln Legislators): It hasn't been the smoothest sailing for 1942 4th Rounder Dick Hamilton, but the Legislators shortstop was outstanding in June. Hamilton hit .381/.439/.551 (153 OPS+) with 8 doubles, 3 triples, 2 homers, and 22 RBIs. Now in 277 trips to the plate the 23-year-old has slashed .361/.426/.515 (141 OPS+) with 16 doubles, 6 triples, 3 homers, and 40 RBIs. It's now up to Mobile for Hamilton, as with the new players added from the draft, it's time for those who were in the organization before to start moving up. A bit on the small size, Hamilton is just 5'6'', and he's completely fell out of the top 500. At one point I thought Hamilton would be our starting second basemen with Skipper at short, but things aren't looking as good for him now. He's a decent defender who can fill in all around the infield, and while he showed a lot of pop last season, he hasn't been hitting the ball out of the park nearly as frequently. The increase in his average is nice, and Tom Weinstock thinks Hamilton could hit around .290. He'll need to do more then just hit for a high average to succeed in the big leagues, as right now his future likely lies on the bench.

RHP Tom Irwin (A Lincoln Legislators): Our farm took home a lot of accolades in June, but none was more surprising then Tom Irwin taking home Pitcher of the Month. A 26-year-old reliever, Irwin was brilliant in 28.2 innings, working to a 0.94 ERA with 19 punchouts. He saved 8 games and went 3-1, improving to 5-4 with 14 saves in 51 innings on the season. His 1.94 ERA (229 ERA+) is elite, although the 1.29 whip does leave a lot to be desired. A 13th Rounder back in 1940, Irwin isn't really an exciting prospect, and despite being listed as a starter, he's only started 1 of his 122 appearances in our system. This season has been a huge breakout for him, as in 29.1 innings with the Legislators last year he had a much worse 5.52 ERA (86 ERA+) and 1.73 WHIP. I'm not sure Irwin has revamped himself, as his 4.17 FIP (93 FIP-) thinks he's been just a bit above average, but the lefty is poised under pressure, and could end up a decent late inning reliever.

RHP Bob Petty (B San Jose Cougars): Despite four really good starts in Lincoln last season, I sent Bob Petty back down to San Jose to start the season. But after a great week, Petty will likely never see San Jose again. He started the week about as good as you can, tossing a 4-hit shutout with just 1 walk and a whopping 12 strikeouts in an 8-0 win over the Tacoma Captains. He then followed that up with another 4-hit win, this time going just 6.2 innings, but with a single run, 4 walks, and 10 strikeouts. With those two starts, Petty picked up a rare Player of the Week as a pitcher. The 21-year-old has taken the "Hard Way" up our system, but the former 3rd Rounder finished a 10 start stint with the Cougars 5-2 with a 2.52 ERA (141 ERA+), 1.14 WHIP, 25 walks, and 80 strikeouts in 71.1 innings pitched. I don't expect Petty to necessarily maintain these sky high strike out numbers, but the imposing righty has some really good stuff. His fastball and cutter sit comfortably in the mid 90s, topping out at 97 when he's really feeling it. His secondary pitches are very effective too, as his forkball is arguably the best of his five pitch mix, and he mixes in his curve and change well too. His command has given him trouble in the past, but his 3.2 BB/9 this season is the best of any of his stops with more then 10 innings. Hobbs is facing an uphill battle to debut in Chicago, but his stuff would translate well in the pen, allowing him to hang around as a filler arm if he runs out of chances to start games.

ayaghmour2 · 10-31-2022, 10:59 PM

Before getting to the AI picks of the draft, we did make a trade with the Stars, sending SS Bill Graham to the Big Apple for their 7th Round pick next season. Now 26, we picked up Graham back in 1938 for outfielder Elias Canady. The former 4th Rounder was hitting .252/.382/.352 (107 OPS+) in 61 games with the Blues and may get a chance to play a few games for the Stars.

11th Round, 164th Overall: RHP Max Tanner
School: Albion
1944: 7-2, 97 IP, 1.58 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 19 BB, 100 K
Career: 23-6, 296.1 IP, 1.97 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 65 BB, 273 K

One of the many shocking AI picks to check inside the top 500, I will say Max Tanner is definitely someone I let slip through the cracks, so having three 11th Rounders really helped. Tanner is an imposing 6'5'' righty, but scouts aren't sold on him being a starting pitcher. His fastball isn't very fast, and while his curve is a decent pitch, his splitter isn't anything special. Turner comes with more risk then most, but it's tough to imagine someone his height stays in the low 80s, especially when you factor in the fact that "optional" practices are mandatory to him. The tall righty does have great command, and one one of the few draft eligible players with a BB/9 below 2. If his velocity increases, he could develop into a very good pitcher, but some borderline starters end up turning into two pitch relievers. That's more likely then him becoming an Art White type pitcher, as he could be one of the guys bumped out of a rotation spot when the boys come home.

11th Round, 173rd Overall: LHP Howie Sharp
School: Santa Anna College
1944: 7-4, 102 IP, 3.35 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 23 BB, 57 K
Career: 16-20, 337.2 IP, 4.88 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, 136 BB, 165 K

Howie Sharp was another guy I scouted, as he had a breakout as a junior at Santa Anna after a terrible freshman year and a subpar sophomore season. Tom thought he was worth a lottery ticket, and the prospect pickers decided to sneak him into the top 500. A lefty from Pittsburgh, Sharp has very raw stuff, but his 90 FIP- was encouraging and he posted numerous career bests this season. He's a bit lazy so he might not get too much better, but there are a lot of available rotation spots, so he'll get a chance early on, but he'll have to perform if he wants to keep starting games.

11th Round, 174th Overall: LF Larry Day
School: Miami State
1944: .272/.395/.442, 263 PA, 10 2B 9 HR, 34 RBI, 5 SB
Career: .272/.389/.393, 812 PA, 28 2B, 18 HR, 112 RBI, 23 SB

Larry Day added 3 homers each season at Miami State, finishing with a decent 18 in 161 games with the Redbirds. A decent corner bat, Day has a nice eye at the plate and a knack for barreling up the ball. He hits the ball well to all fields, and succeeds with a high launch angle. A flyball tendency could work well in our park, but it will be tough for Day to get consistent at bats once all our draftees are signed.

12th Round, 189th Overall: RHP Tommy Crowe
School: Atlantic Highlands
1944: 9-3, 118.2 IP, 1.74 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 37 BB, 121 K
Career: 9-3, 118.2 IP, 1.74 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 37 BB, 121 K

He only pitched one year at Atlantic Highlands, and the 17-year-olds numbers weren't all that impressive. He's not one to let tough outings get to him, which will help him if his career consists of soaking up innings in the pen. He does have a nice slider, but unless he throws faster or can hit the zone with more consistency, he won't end up starting many games.

13th Round, 205th Overall: RF Bob Harris
School: Mississippi A&M
1944: .284/.357/.545, 200 PA, 9 2B, 5 3B, 9 HR, 30 RBI, 39 SB
Career: .284/.357/.545, 200 PA, 9 2B, 5 3B, 9 HR, 30 RBI, 39 SB

I shouldn't have been surprised that the highest ranked of our signed draftees would be an outfielder from Outfield A&M, and sure enough Bob Harris checks in surprisingly high at 19th in our system and 267th overall. He only got one season with the Generals, showcasing both a high average and solid power numbers against some of the best pitchers in college. I could probably send him all the way up to Mobile if I wanted, but Harris will start his minor league career with the Legislators. We don't have many corner bats in his way, and Harris could hit his way all the way up to Chicago. He has a nice swing and if he can put up a few double digit homer seasons in the minors it could really elevate his value. At 22, he could be a quick riser, and he has a three year advantage in the age department on our almost top 100 prospect Jimmy Hairston. Cliff Moss is getting old and Rich Langton hasn't looked himself yet this season, so a corner outfield spot could open up sooner then I may have expected.

14th Round, 221st Overall: RHP Ned Smith
School: Killeen State
1944: 6-6, 106 IP, 3.99 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 39 BB, 70 K
Career: 6-6, 106 IP, 3.99 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 39 BB, 70 K

He didn't start until he was a junior, but Ned Smith still held his own. He put up strong strikeout rates despite low velo, as he mixes his four pitches well. His stuff is raw, so I can't see him starting now, but he could probably pitch in the pen up in San Jose if we needed it. He doesn't have a high ceiling now and I don't really see that changing.

15th Round, 237th Overall: LF Owen Burns
School: West Chicago
Commit School: Amarillo Methodist
1944: .448/.546/.664, 117 PA, 18 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 31 RBI, 9 SB
Career: .489/.552/.761, 64 2B, 4 3B, 12 HR, 119 RBI, 28 SB

I forgot to queue up any impossible to sign guys, so the only member of our draft class not joining the organization will be 15th Rounder Owen Burns. A Chicago kid. the 18-year-old switch hitter put together back-to-back .500 seasons as a freshman and sophomore, but he slumped as a junior and didn't do much better as a senior. Burns did show decent pop, even if Tom doesn't think he'll ever hit for enough power as a corner bat. He'll head to Amarillo Methodist, where he'll look to get selected in the human portion next time around.

16th Round, 253rd Overall: RHP Billy Stoddard
School: Lubbock
1944: 6-3, 89 IP, 1.92 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 22 BB, 113 K
Career: 6-3, 89 IP, 1.92 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 22 BB, 113 K

Billy Stoddard didn't pitch at Lubbock until his senior year, but he put up decent strikeout numbers. A flyball pitcher who doesn't throw very hard, he will likely give up far too many home runs. Even worse, he's projected as a reliever, so Stoddard may not spend too much time in our system.

17th Round, 269th Overall: CF Willie Stevens
School: Lexington
1944: .443/.505/.629, 110 PA, 10 2B, 4 3B, 22 RBI, 14 SB
Career: .436/.498/.626, 240 PA, 24 2B, 5 3B, 2 HR, 53 RBI, 34 SB

A two year starter at Lexington, Willie Stevens didn't impress too much with the bat. That means he'll have to be a good defender, and while his speed isn't too great, he's still quicker then most. I don't think he'll be able to stick in center, which could make it hard for him to fill in a bench role. It will also be tough for him to find at bats, as we have plenty of more exciting center fielders ahead of him.

18th Round, 285th Overall: C Bill Michalski
School: Carolina Poly
1944: .262/.306/.381, 314 PA, 9 2B, 3B, 8 HR, 45 RBI, 4 SB
Career: .259/.301/.383, 572 PA, 16 2B, 3B, 16 HR, 84 RBI, 8 SB

Usually the scouts go crazy with taking catchers, but with a really strong crop of catchers, I wonder if there weren't many left at the end. The first one we got in the AI portion was a slugger from Carolina Poly Bill Michalski. The 5'6'' 21-year-old hit 8 homers both years he started, as he puts a lot of balls in air. His contact tool is decent too, and both OSA and Tom Weinstock think he could at least fill a bench role. We need some to backup Al Hurd, so he'll start his time in San Jose, but as a backup catcher he'll get his share of starts. He might not be the best defender, but he does have experience at first, which could help him get extra at bats.

19th Round, 301st Overall: RHP Sam Bass
School: Ashland
1944: 7-2, 88.1 IP, 2.24 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 30 BB, 75 K
Career: 7-2, 88.1 IP, 2.24 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 30 BB, 75 K

This isn't the first time I've heard of Sam Bass, but don't think it's because of his talent. Nicknamed "Fish", Bass has a cool nickname, but that's about it. Bass had an ERA above 2 and a FIP above 3, and combined with a 7.6 K/9 and sub 3 K/BB, you know something just isn't quite right. The nickname will keep the Wisconsin native close to home in La Crosse, but I find it hard pressed to believe he'll ever leave his hometown.

20th Round, 317th Overall: RHP Johnnie Harris
School: Savanna
1944: 6-5, 118.1 IP, 4.49 ERA, 1.75 WHIP, 82 BB, 116 K
Career: 26-16, 451.1 IP, 3.57 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 218 BB, 386 K

While Fish's nickname will keep him around, Harris being an Aurora kid will keep him around. His pitching is really bad, as his high school numbers look more like college numbers. He never had a sub 3 ERA or sub 1.30 WHIP, and his senior season was a nightmare. He won't last long, but at 17 he has the chance to stick around a while while the older guys get cut.

21st Round, 333rd Overall: LF Bill Smith
School: Franklin
1944: .419/.465/.607, 128 PA, 14 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 28 RBI, 10 SB
Career: .426/.499/.668, 475 PA, 51 2B, 5 3B, 12 HR, 110 RBI, 34 SB

His generic name isn't the only that will make you forget about him, as the four year starter at Franklin isn't much of a hitter. He had a sub .400 season as a junior and never hit better then .450, and he can only partial play the corner outfield. He is a hard worker, but he'll have to improve fast as we will have a ton of players to cut in the next few seasons.

22nd Round, 349th Overall: 3B Pete Morris
School: DeKalb
1944: .435/.492/.620, 120 PA, 15 2B, 3B, HR, 28 RBI, 10 SB
Career: .445/.494/.637, 361 PA, 36 2B, 2 3B, 7 HR, 89 RBI, 26 SB

Pete Morris may have been born in New Bedford, but he moved to DeKalb as a toddler and played three years of high school ball there. He didn't hit too much, but he hit four longballs last year. He'll hang around for a bit, but is nothing more then fodder.

23rd Round, 365th Overall: RF Johnny Bingham
School: Hillsborough College
1944: .297/.394/.352, 277 PA, 7 2B, 2 HR, 46 RBI, 15 SB
Career: .296/.394/.359, 786 PA, 22 2B, 3B, 6 HR, 120 RBI, 46 SB

Not too much to like of the tall and muscular corner outfielder, who always likes to be the center of attention. He was at Hillsborough College, where he leadoff the Penmen lineup effectively. As the only draft eligible player from his school, you can understand why he thought he was the center of attention, with FABL scouts actually showing up to watch his team play. They weren't too impressed, as he lasted this long, but Tom Weinstock thinks he has a swing that can be improved and the foundation of a bench bat. If the lefty can fill out a bit, who knows what could happen, but we have to hope our tight knit clubhouses can help humble him a bit.

24th Round, 381st Overall: CF Anders Adriansen
School: Olivia
1944: .394/.484/.586, 125 PA, 8 2B, 3B, 3 HR, 25 RBI, 11 SB
Career: .408/.501/.632, 370 PA, 28 2B, 6 3B, 9 HR, 83 RBI, 52 SB

He may have been our second to last pick, but Anders Adriansen has a lot more value then you would think. The versatile teen played five positions in his three year prep career, but he failed to hit over .420. He had a little pop for a center fielder, and he works the count well, but eventually his versatility won't be enough to keep him around.

25th Round, 397th Overall: LF Ted Bergeron
School: Austin
1944: .412/.466/.544, 131 PA, 12 2B, HR, 27 RBI, 7 SB
Career: .413/.474/.554, 361 PA, 35 2B, 3 3B, HR, 78 RBI, 21 SB

Our last pick of a very large 1944 draft class, Ted Bergeron didn't homer until he was a senior, and he hit below .400 last season. He works the count well, but he's a corner bat who lacks power, and that just doesn't help too much. I don't usually like cutting new draftees, but if we eventually have a roster crunch in La Crosse that can't be solved, he could be one of the first guys to go.

ayaghmour2 · 11-01-2022, 06:05 PM

Weekly Record: 2-6
Seasonal Record: 53-31 (1st, 6 GA)
Stars of the Week
Dick Walker : 31 AB, 12 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .387 AVG, .956 OPS
Cliff Moss : 25 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .360 AVG, .928 OPS
Leo Mitchell : 31 AB, 8 H, 1 HR, 6 RBI, .258 AVG, .738 OPS

Schedule
7-4: Loss at Foresters (2-5)
7-4: Loss at Foresters (1-2)
7-5: Win at Foresters (7-5)
7-6: Win at Foresters (5-3)
7-7: Loss at Sailors (3-6)
7-8: Loss at Sailors (1-2)
7-9: Loss at Sailors (0-3)
7-9: Loss at Sailors (5-10)

Recap
Oh man... Thank God for the All Star break! After a near perfect first two plus months of baseball, the Chicago Cougars have lost their fight. We have lost 13 of our last 16 games, with nearly half of our losses coming since June 25th. Despite all of this, we still have a 6 game lead over the Wolves and a 7 game lead over the Sailors, but we have to turn things around ASAP. There is some good news, as nearly all our draft picks have signed. 1st Rounder Bert Rogers (73rd) and 4th Rounder George Sutterfield (88th) both rank in the top 100, followed by 4th Rounder Mike Thorpe (180th), 7th Rounder Buddy Brumbaugh (261st), 3rd Rounder Harry Austin (338th), and 5th Rounder Lonnie Sis (454th). We also got a ton of representation at the All-Star game, as expected, with yet again seven Cougars heading to the Midsummer Classic. Harry Parker (2nd), Ben Curtin (2nd), Harry Mead (2nd), Hank Barnett (7th), and Leo Mitchell (5th) all won their respective votes while Art White (4th) and Skipper Schneider (4th) made the game as reserves. Plenty of former Cougars joined them, including shocks like Jonah Brown (1st) and Dan Everett (1st), Del Burns (1st), Johnny McDowell (2nd), Hal Wood (1st), and Chink Stickels (2nd).

Art White and Mike Murphy have gone full speed ahead into a brick wall, and while I didn't expect them to keep up their excellent pace, I would have preferred for them not to falter at the same time. Art might have picked up one of the two wins, but it wasn't a good start and his second was quite honestly pathetic. In the win, he did go the distance, so that's cool, but it came with 11 hits, 5 runs (4 earned), and not a single walk or strikeout. The loss saw a walk, but in just 3.2 innings as the Sailors put on 12 hits and 7 runs (6 earned) on the veteran lefty. Since White's first loss of the season, his ERA has shot up from 1.89 to 2.89 (118 ERA+), and he's now 11-4 with a 1.26 WHIP, 38 walks, and 21 strikeouts. Murphy, on the other hand, made just one start, allowing 10 hits and 6 runs with a walk in 5.2 innings pitched. Since becoming 5-1 on June 16th, his ERA has skyrocketed to 3.31 (103 ERA+) and he's lost each of his last three decisions. I'm not quite ready to panic, but we have too much of a lead to stand pat if things start to unravel. The last thing I want is to pull a Mets, and let the Wolves, Sailors, or Cannons fill the role of the Braves.

Harry Parker lost both of his starts, and the unlucky All Star game starter has only received a single run of support in his last three starts. He lost to the Foresters, again, 2-1, with just 5 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts in 8 innings. We then got shutout by the Sailors, as Parker allowed 8 hits, 3 runs, a walk, and 3 strikeouts. The 29-year-old headliner for the Allen leads the league at the midway point in both ERA (1.96) and strikeouts (68), but his 9 wins are two short of his teammate Art White. Parker also leads the league in WAR (4.3), K/BB (2.5), WHIP (0.97), FIP (2.31), ERA+ (174), rWAR (4.8), BABIP (.237), and opponent average (.210). The greatest sign has been his ability to complete games, as he hasn't need relief in any of his last five starts. I still think the best thing is he allowed his 2nd homer of the season in his 17th start. This is the same guy who allowed 30 or more homers in a pair of 30 start seasons, and in his four 200+ inning seasons his previous low was just 23. Not every player is in the top 20 pitchers, as some teams keep their military guys in the minors, but Parker currently ranks 5th and is behind just Ed Bowman for active pitchers. I can't wait until he's the #4 in our rotation, behind Pete Papenfus, Donnie Jones, and Duke Bybee, so I really want him to when the Allen this year as he probably won't get many more chances.

The rest of the pitching wasn't terrible, but of course in a six loss week, there isn't much overall success. Rusty Petrick's string of victories ended, but it was the offense fault, not his, even if he was walked off with two outs in the ninth. Petrick allowed just 4 hits, 2 runs, and 3 walks with 7 strikeouts. He's allowed three or less runs in each of his last three starts, and his 5.6 K/9 is best in the CA, with his 65 strikeouts trailing only Parker. There are also no walls in Dick Lyons' way, as he continues to march along. The 44-year-old went 6 innings in Cleveland with 5 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, and a strikeout. The ageless beauty is now 6-5 with a 2.37 ERA (144 ERA+), 1.15 WHIP, 15 walks, and 7 strikeouts. Ken Matson made a start and a relief appearance, with the relief outing much better. He tossed an inning and a third of perfect ball while adding a strikeout. The start didn't go so well, charged with 10 hits, 5 runs (3 earned), and 7 walks with 3 strikeouts in 6.1 innings pitched. All three pen members allowed a run, and Merritt Thomas had the roughest of his outings. He allowed 3 hits, 2 runs, and a walk in 2.2 innings split between 3 games. Ben Curtin tossed a perfect frame on the 4th, and then picked up a 3 inning save on the 6th. In that one he allowed 3 hits and a run, but the 38-year-old is now 10-1 with 9 saves, a 1.19 ERA (285 ERA+), 1.04 WHIP, 13 walks, and 10 strikeouts in 60.1 innings pitched. Lyn Trease allowed his first run of the season, making a 3.1 inning relief outing with 2 hits, a walk, and a strikeout. The staff could use some rest, but this week was all on the offense.

We didn't hit much this week, but Dick Walker put together a strong showing. He went 12-for-31 with a double, triple, steal, 3 RBIs, 6 runs, and 5 walks. Cliff Moss got back on track, going 9-for-25 with 3 doubles, 4 runs, 4 walks, and 2 RBIs. Leo Mitchell had the lowest weekly average of the season, hitting just .258, dropping his season line to .383, just two points above the Sailor's Marion Boismenu. Mitchell did have a double, homer, 3 runs, 5 walks, and 6 RBIs, leading the league in average, RBIs (55), and tied for the homer lead with Hal Reynolds of the Kings. On the flipside, Hank Barnett had an awful week, just 5-for-35 with a pair of runs and RBIs. Harry Mead came back down to earth, just 5-for-22 with a double, RBI, and two runs scored. We still have the highest scoring offense in the CA, as well as leading nearly every other category, but they'll need to do way better after the quick break.

Looking Ahead
The All Star Game takes place on the 11th, and then we don't play until the weekend. Orlin Yates is dealing with a sore elbow, and he picked the right time for it, as if we had a full slate of games I'd stick him on the IL and start the Don Lee era. Instead, Yates has the week to get healthy, because I'd prefer for Lee to play every day and not make his big league debut after a five day layoff. Yates will also be aided by the fact that we're off next Monday and Tuesday as well. The only games until the 19th will be on the weekend, where we take on the Kings for three in Brooklyn. On paper, this should be a perfect way to start back up, as the Kings are 33-49 and tied with the Saints for last. When you consider our 19 game lead and the fact that we'll line up with Harry Parker, Art White, and Dick Lyons, I really like our chances. Of course, the Kings also get to reset their rotation, and that means we'll get Jim Kenny (9-10, 3.13, 40), Jim Crawford (7-10, 4.04, 21), and Bill McGraw (3-6, 3.31, 48) to kickoff the second half. None of them will join Harry Parker and Art White at the All Star game, as the Kings only representative is 33-year-old Vernon Ruch. Ruch has made 321 trips to the plate, already a personal best since his debut back in 1937. Last year he hit well in a part-time role, slashing .277/.367/.383 (125 OPS+) while worth 2.6 WAR In 102 games. He took advantage of the starting role that the war afforded him, and he has an impressive 143 WRC+ to go with a .293/.400/.419 (128 OPS+) batting line. Ruch matched his 18 doubles from last season, while setting new bests in triples (2), homers (4), RBIs (35), and walks (48). It's nice to see the hardworking journeyman have success for a team with a lot of recent struggles, but perhaps "The Rincon Rifle" would have been a better choice. 24-year-old Orie Martinez is hitting an impressive .304/.370/.467 (132 OPS+) with 19 doubles, 2 triples, 7 homers, and 36 RBIs. Of course, at 24 he has plenty of other opportunities to represent the Kings, so perhaps the rookie is happy his corner outfield mentor got the call this year instead. Jake Shadoan (.341, 1, 23, 8) did have an outside chance, but that trio is about all there is to like about the Kings lineup.

We really need these wins and on paper this should be a sweep, but baseball has a funny way of evening out. Based on how it started, it's unfortunate how the first half ended, but we are matching our expected win record and a lot of our stats are starting to normalize. Still great, but not quite blowing everyone out of the water. Plus we have six more home games then road games left, and are struggles came on the road where we still have an impressive 26-19 (.577) record. The last 13 games of our season come in Chicago, where we are an impressive 27-12 (.692), and historically we preform better in Chi-Town. We haven't had a home winning percentage below .597 since 1939, which would still be first in the league. Even with the recent stumble, we still rank 1st in every category except average (2nd, .272), extra base hits (4th, 198), batting strikeouts (4th, 241), steals (2nd, 38), base running (4th, +12.7), starter's ERA (2nd, 3.00), hits allowed (3rd, 716), homers allowed (2nd, 24), walks (3rd, 233), and strikeouts (4th, 240). Add in the front runner for both the Whitney and the Allen, and it's hard to be anything but happy about how our season started.

Minor League Report
C Gene Lee (AAA Milwaukee Blues): With all the focus on teammate Don Lee, the unrelated Gene Lee's offensive season has gone under the radar. This week the league took notice, naming the 24-year-old catcher the Player of the Week in the Century League. Lee went 10-for-22 with a homer, 4 runs, and 7 RBIs. This increased his season line to .302/.403/.413 (130 OPS+) with 10 doubles, 5 homers, and 39 RBIs with a strong 37-to-13 walk-to-strikeout ratio. A leader on a well oiled 53-17 team, he's trying to hit himself to a big league debut, and as the third catcher on the 40-man roster, all he has to do is stay healthy to make his dream a reality. The 1938 19th Round Pick has defied odds by making it to AAA regardless, and he's taken advantage of the callups around him. He's not a great defender, but his bat is big league ready.

RHP Mike Thorpe (AA Mobile Commodores): He hasn't even pitched a minor league inning, Mike Thorpe has a green arrow all the way up to Chicago, and he ranks as the 7th best starting pitcher in terms of current ratings. That's right behind Art White and right in front of Johnnie Jones. In fact, Clyde Meyer would elevate him all the way up to the three spot, ahead of Lyons, Murphy, Petrick, and Matson. This really makes things interesting, as we basically got a 21-year-old ready to go big league starter without having to give anything up. Now I'm not ready to give Thorpe starts in Chicago, but if he mows down hitters in the farm, and one or more of our rotation members start to struggle, we could see Thorpe get important starts in a pennant race.

LF Henry DeVeaux (B San Jose Cougars): Things have not gone great to start the the career of our highest selected player in the 1942 draft, but things are finally starting to click for Henry DeVeaux. After batting just .205/.300/.285 (69 OPS+) in 104 games for the Cougars last season, the now 24-year-old has completely turned things around. He hit .303/.371/.439 (131 OPS+) in 262 PAs, and with all the new outfielders in our system, he'll make the trip up to Lincoln. DeVeaux is also hitting a lot more extra base hits, with 10 doubles, 6 triples, and 3 homers to go with 6 steals and 34 RBIs. He still is striking out a lot, with 48 already, but it's far better then his 111 last season. A natural center fielder, he's put up excellent numbers in left, but he's likely to see some time in all three outfield spots in Lincoln. He profiles more as a bench player then an every day guy, but he's shown a nice hit tool and he has the speed to cover a ton of ground on the grass. I had high hopes for him at one point, but I don't see him developing into an every day player anymore.

ayaghmour2 · 11-02-2022, 06:01 PM

Weekly Record: 1-2
Seasonal Record: 54-33 (1st, 3.5 GA)
Stars of the Week
Leo Mitchell : 16 AB, 11 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .688 AVG, 1.472 OPS
Hank Barnett : 13 AB, 4 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .308 AVG, 1.067 OPS
Art White : 1 Win, 9.0 IP, 1 BB, 0 K, 2.00 ERA

Schedule
7-15: Loss at Kings (3-4): 10 innings
7-16: Win at Kings (3-2)
7-16: Loss at Kings (8-13)

Recap
Hey guys? Remember when we used to win games? Can we go back to that! Please...

Not even the All Star break could get us back on track, as we struggled in Brooklyn with the last place Kings. They took the opener in 10 and even though we did split the double header, the loss was really bad as we imploded in the double header. The Wolves won all four of their games hosting the Foresters, so our once insurmountable lead is just a mere 3.5 games, and for the first time in what seems like months, a bad week could actually take us out of first place. I can blame some of the rust on the All Star game, but we are starting to run out of excuses. It was a tight 1-0 game that Harry Parker was supposed to start, but he instead threw the 5th and 6th, striking out one and allowing a single. Leo Mitchell started in left and was 1-for-3. Hank Barnett started at third and was 1-for-2. Harry Mead started behind the plate and was 0-for-3. Skipper came off the bench and was 0-for-3. Art White and Ben Curtin didn't pitch.

Our class is now complete, with 13 of our selections ranking inside the leagues top 500. Despite that, our system now ranks 10th in the league, but we are closer to the 4th ranked system (-34) then the 11th (+36). Our last draftee, second rounder Tom Jovin signed, and he was named the 126th prospect in baseball. Not only did Jovin jump Jimmy Hairston in the prospect rankings, but also in the class level, as Jovin does not share a down arrow in San Jose. He'll start every day in right, and he could beat Hairston on a race to Chicago to replace Cliff Moss and Rich Langton. Him and Hairston are four points a part in the prospect rankings, but I expect Jovin's to far surpass the .179/.330/.397 (84 OPS+) line his Hairston hit in 68 games at La Crosse last year.

If there was a bright spot this week, it was Leo Mitcheall, who had two three hit games and one four hit game against the Kings. He doubled, walked twice, drove in two, and scored four times in a great series despite his teammates lack of production. That gave him a Player of the "Week" award, and while his performance truly was excellent, it wasn't really much of a week. He's hitting a tad below .400 at .397/.435/.526 (175 OPS+) with a league high 57 RBIs, but since Hal Reynolds homered off Mike Murphy in our 4-3 loss, he is now a homer behind the triple crown pace. Hank Barnett had a decent showing, 3-for-11 with 2 walks, 2 doubles, 2 runs, a homer, and 4 RBIs. Orlin Yates was healthy and surprisingly effective, 3-for-13 with a double, walk, homer, and 3 runs scored. That was enough to keep his job one more week, but to be fair, a +15.5 zone rating and 1.064 efficiency in center definitely helps. Billy Hunter made two starts, going 2-for-7 with a walk, double, and 2 RBIs while Cliff Moss made one and was 2-for-4 with a walk and three run homer. We didn't score nearly enough this week, but if it wasn't for two bad innings in the second game of the double header, we would have faired a whole lot better.

Those two innings were the fault of Ben Curtin and Ken Matson, as they blew a poor start from Harry Parker. Parker went just 6 with 10 hits, 5 runs (4 earned), 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts. Despite that, we led 8-5 when he left, and generally when Ben Curtin comes in we do well. I think Clyde went to him a bit early, as 3 innings was a lot to ask after 2 hitless frames the day before, and the 38-year-old All Star was not his usual self. He was charged with 5 hits, 5 runs, and a walk in an inning and a third. It was his 4th blown save and second loss of the season. Matson got the final two outs, but it came after 4 hits, 3 runs, and a walk. With our recent skid, I've started to shop around a bit, which [spoiler alert] means Matson may be on his way down to Milwaukee. He was doing well until a dreadful game against the Foresters, and the 26-year-old is now 4-6 with a save, 4.90 ERA (70 ERA+), 1.70 WHIP, 35 walks, and 34 strikeouts in 9 starts and 8 relief appearances.

Our rotation was all scrambled due to the All Star game, but there was really no reason Mike Murphy should have started game one, as Dick Lyons is higher in the rotation and was far more rested. Murphy wasn't bad, but I'm sure Lyons would have been a bit better, going 6 with 5 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, and a strikeout. Art White had a very good start, picking up our only win of the week. He went the distance, allowing 5 hits, 2 runs, and a walk. Merritt Thomas had a rough inning plus, allowing 4 hits, a run, and 2 walks as the Kings walked us off in the 10th. We'll need to be much better back at home, but we get two days off to put this awful road trip behind us.

Looking Ahead
As surprising as it may sound, in just 14 July games, we have already tied our previous two months lost total, and unless we win the rest of our July games, we will have a new monthly high for losses. That road trip really took a lot out of us, as we dropped 13 of 17 road games, dropping our season road record from an impressive 23-7 to a still respectable 27-21. Thankfully the rest of the month will be played in Chicago, and we get a pair of off days so the squad can enjoy a ton of homecooked meals and a few slices of deep dish pizza. What sucks is the month is filled with teams over .500, with just our next opponent losing more games then they've won. That would be the 39-47 Foresters, who are somewhat shockingly still the only team with an above .500 (6-5) record against us. Cleveland has also had a rough month, 5-10 compared to our 4-10, and they were recently swept by the pesky Toronto Wolves. With just three games, I'd love to miss All-Star rookie Ducky Davis (6-2, 2.71, 37), and instead get a full dose of Dave Rankin (3-11, 6.53, 23), Ben Turner (5-10, 4.38, 29), and the struggling Johnny Slaney (8-7, 4.22, 52). With our luck it will be Ducky and George Rotondi (10-8, 3.56, 59), and then Slaney will beat Harry Parker 1-0 to finish off the sweep. Lucky for our staff, the Foresters don't score much, so if we can quell the power of Lou Balk (.308, 7, 44, 3) and Brooks Meeks (.282, 7, 42, 5), we have a good chance at coming out on top. The Foresters are also responsible for half our wins on the month, so I'm hoping they'll also account for half our wins this week.

Our next guest will be the Sailors, who recently swept us out of Philly. At 46-38, they are 6.5 games out of first, but have recently placed ace Doc Newell (6-8, 2.56, 58) on the trade block. He won't be gone for our series, which will be a Saturday opener followed by a Sunday double header. If they move Newell, their only above average SP in terms of ERA+ will be Ray McCarthy (6-3, 3.47, 25) who tossed 8 shutout innings last time out against us to increase his ERA+ to 102. His 129 FIP- thinks that's unsustainable, and Newell aside, our bats should be able to get to their rotation. The offense is a bit trickier, as their 2-3-4 of Frank Covarrubias (.332, 1, 20), Marion Boismenu (.377, 2, 38, 4), and Joseph Mills (.265, 8, 42) is pretty tough to navigate through. Those three don't have much support, but the Sailors are notoriously good at winning games, and are a red hot 11-4 in July.

Minor League Report
LF Harry Austin (C La Crosse Lions): Can you have a better pro debut then Harry Austin? After slashing .525/.541/.747 in 21 games as a senior at New Athens, our last ever regional pick started off his La Crosse career a perfect 6-for-6 with a double, homer, 4 runs, and 5 RBIs as the Lions pummeled the Ottumwa Owls 18-3. Ironically Austin didn't record 6 hits in total the rest of the week, but the 17-year-old from Illinois finished the week 11-for-26 with 7 runs, 6 RBIs, 3 walks, and a second double. We have a bit of a logjam in the corner outfield at the lower levels (I tried moving one in the trade that will be announced later), so Austin will at least start his career as a first basemen. This has already paid dividends, as San Jose first basemen Alex Snyder got hurt, and with Billy Biggar returning from injury, I thought he'd move up to San Jose to take his spot. Instead, it will be Austin, as Biggar has a red arrow and he doesn't. It might be a quick spot, as he could just as easily get demoted and return to La Crosse, but considering more exciting prospects Jimmy Hairston and Bob Rogers have down arrows,

In all honesty, his position won't really matter much, as he can't field much anywhere and his bat is the only thing we are interested in. He projects to be an elite hitter. and I was very encouraged by his walking habits, already just 2 away from his high school season tallies. Any pop we can get from him would be appreciated, but Austin reminds me a lot of a young Leo Mitchell. And no, I'm not saying he'll ever have a season (or even month) like Mitchell is having now, but more a ~130 WRC+ hitter with a .300+ average and a fair amount of doubles. Right now, Austin hits the ball in the air a lot, which could really play well in Chicago, but the kid is extremely raw and has a lot of developing ahead of him. As of today, Austin checks in as our 30th best prospect, which is a bit higher then I expected as one dimensional players like him tend to be undervalued by the prospect people. As long as his hits he'll get to the big leagues, but he'll never be a super valuable or highly touted player, just a reliable bat that shows up everyday.

ayaghmour2 · 11-02-2022, 06:49 PM

Let me make one thing clear; I am not going to watch this one slip away. On June 24th, we had a 10 game lead over the Wolves. Less then a month later the lead is down to just three and a half, and it seems like were starting an epic choke job. On paper, this is our best chance at a championship. The Cannons are without Rufus Barrell, Adam Mullins, and Fred Galloway, the Wolves are without Fred McCormick, Joe Hancock, and George Garrison, and the Stars are without Bill Barrett, Vern Hubbard, and Billy Riley. "Wait, Billy Riley? Didn't he kick off the second half for the Stars? Is he hurt or did good 'ol Uncle Sam snatch him away?" It's even better then that; Riley is now a Cougar.

Despite Harry Parker's dominance, our rotation is full of wholes, with Art White and Mike Murphy hitting walls and Dick Lyons being, well, you know, 44. Rusty Petrick gives us a ton of innings and even more strikeouts, so the odd man out is Ken Matson. I really thought Matson could hold a rotation spot all season, but since his breakdown against the Foresters, he's allowed 47 hits, 20 walks, and 27 runs in 33.1 innings pitched. Riley is an obviously huge upgrade, he has put together a strong seven year career with the Stars. He just recently won his 100th career game, and in 1,554 FABL innings he owns a strong 3.49 ERA (109 ERA+) and 1.30 WHIP with 454 walks and 650 strikeouts.

A pitcher I've been targeting since his debut year back in 1938, we finally were able to pick up the now 30-year-old hurler. A 9th Round selection back in the loaded 1932 class, Riley was someone I really wanted to add to our system after a pair of 225 ERA+ seasons for the San Antonio HS Warriors. Riley took huge steps during the 1937 season, and he debuted in the top 100 at 39 on the 1938 Opening Day prospect list. He split that season between the pen and the rotation, starting 20 of his 35 appearances. It was a great debut for Riley, who finished 15-8 with 2 saves in 167 innings pitched. The then 23-year-old had a 3.23 ERA (123 ERA+) and 1.19 WHIP with 49 walks and 75 strikeouts. Riley then followed that season up with 4 seasons of 200+ innings with above average ERA+s. The best of the years was 1942, but it was his lowest inning total of the period as he missed time with a herniated disc. Despite that, Riley was elite when healthy, 21-5 with a 2.18 ERA (151 ERA+), 1.12 WHIP, 68 walks, and 90 strikeouts, and with a few more starts his 4.9 WAR could have surpassed his previous best 5.5 from the season before. Riley put up an Allen worthy year, but unfortunately for him, that was the year Pete Papenfus blossomed into a star.

Unfortunately for Riley, he showed some signs of that injury the following year, and 1943 was the worst of his big league career, just like a lot of his teammates. Riley went just 7-16 with a 3.83 ERA (87 ERA+), 1.21 WHIP, 56 walks, and 85 strikeouts. Part of this was bad luck, as the Stars defense really struggled and the offense didn't give him much support, and his underlying numbers were much more inspiring. His 89 FIP- was in line with his 88 career mark, and his 2.3 BB/9 and 3.5 K/9 were pretty inline as well. I expected a nice bounce back this year, but he had a rough May where he went 2-4 with a 4.60 ERA (76 ERA+) and 1.47 WHIP. He did manage to right the ship a bit, but he's just an average 8-9 with a 3.62 ERA (96 ERA+), 1.40 WHIP, 44 walks, and 64 strikeouts while on pace to toss 263.2 innings. With more run support and a defense that ranks first instead of last in zone rating, I think we can get better results from the righty if he can keep the ball in the park.

To acquire Riley, we'll tap into our pitching prospect depth, shipping off two of our top 10 prospects in Bill Chapman (8, 109th) and Foster Smith (9, 125th). Both have projected 1946 ETAs, when the Stars plan on competing with the potential return of talented big leaguers Joe Angevine, Vern Hubbard, Lew Seals, and of course, Bill Barrett. Smith is off in the Air Force, but Chapman has been pitching for the Legislators. The 20-year-old southpaw has made 17 starts, and is 7-5 with a 4.56 ERA (97 ERA+) and 69 strikeouts. I think both can be solid big league starters and the pair of 20-year-olds are very well developed for their age, but with all the top level pitching in our system, I imagine they wouldn't be able to crack our rotation. Riley definitely makes our future rotation situation very crowded, and we'll have an embarrassment of riches once the war is over.

ayaghmour2 · 11-03-2022, 12:40 PM

Weekly Record: 2-4
Seasonal Record: 56-37 (2nd, +0.5 GB)
Stars of the Week
Hank Barnett : 20 AB, 9 H, 1 HR, 6 RBI, .450 AVG, 1.188 OPS
Harry Mead : 18 AB, 7 H, 2 HR, 7 RBI, .389 AVG, 1.202 OPS
Skipper Schneider : 24 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .375 AVG, .858 OPS

Schedule
7-19: Win vs Foresters (6-7)
7-20: Loss vs Foresters (7-6)
7-21: Loss vs Foresters (4-3)
7-22: Loss vs Sailors (4-2)
7-23: Loss vs Sailors (4-3)
7-23: Win vs Sailors (0-6)

Recap
Oh how the mighty have fallen... The off days did us no good, as we dropped four of our six contests this week; three by a single run and the fourth by two. Pretty much everything has gone wrong in July, as we've dropped 14 of 20 and for the first time all season, we do not have the highest winning percentage in the CA. The Wolves are a fraction of a percentage higher, but with 3 more wins and 2 more losses, we should technically be half a game ahead (which is why the +0.5 GB looks like a typo). It's probably better we aren't, as we are not playing like a first place team, and things are only going to get tougher. Billy Riley joining the roster really helps, but the only similarity between July and the rest of the season is that we cannot beat the Cleveland Foresters, who have also lost 14 games in July.

Ironically, the lone bright spot of the week came from Ken Matson, who will be on his way down to AAA. The 26-year-old won game two of our double header, tossing a 2-hit shutout with no walks and 4 strikeouts to improve to 5-6 on the season. Matson will likely return to Chicago in September, but his FABL season could end with a 4.35 ERA (78 ERA+), 1.54 WHIP, 35 walks, and 38 strikeouts. The weird/interesting part of the week was near identical starts from Parker, White, and Murphy, who each picked up losses in a 4-run complete game. Parker's came with 8 hits, 4 runs, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts; White's with 13 hits and 4 runs; Murphy's with 7 hits, 4 runs, a walk, and strikeout. Murphy's downslide has been tough, another reason Riley will really help, as after back-to-back sub 2.25 ERA months, he's 0-3 in July with a 7.61 ERA (44 ERA+) and 1.52 WHIP. White's July has been pretty bad too, 2-3 with a 5.06 ERA (67 ERA+) and 1.39 WHIP. It might be too much to ask for both of them to return to their elite form from earlier in the year, but if we can get White back on track, Murphy can have a fair amount of his starts skipped.

Errors hurt our other two starters, taking away what should have been wins. Rusty Petrick was very unlucky, with his first 5 runs coming unearned in the 7th. He finished with 7.2 innings, 2 earned runs, 5 walks, and 7 strikeouts in our 7-6 loss to the Foresters. Dick Lyons only had two unearned runs, but that's because the Foresters got three unearned ones off Merritt Thomas after Lyons left in the 6th. He went 5.1 with 3 hits, 2 walks, a strikeout, and just one earned run. Thomas allowed 5 hits, 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts in 3.2 innings of work, and actually got the win as we rallied in the bottom of the 6th to reclaim the lead. Ben Curtin threw just one pitch, getting a groundout to end the 8th in Petrick's start. Cal Knight walked three, but recorded a strikeout in a scoreless ninth. The pitching has been brutalized all month, as we're losing a lot of our leads in the pitching categories. I'm really starting to sweat, but you have to imagine we'll eventually start to heat up, while the Wolves, Cannons, and Sailors will start to cool down. The trio has won 14, 15, and 16 games this month, and unfortunately we have to deal with all of them during their hot streak. This week is only the Wolves and Cannons, so we control our destiny. I'm definitely worried about the competition, as another 2 win week will send us far away from the Wolves.

I expected more from the offense, but an uncharacteristically bad week from Leo Mitchell was one of the only real negative surprises. He went just 6-for-26 with 2 walks, 2 doubles, and 4 runs scored. Hammerin' Hank was superb, 9-for-20 with a double, homer, 5 runs, 5 walks, and 6 RBIs. Harry Mead did his best to match, 7-for-18 with 2 doubles, 2 homers, 4 runs, and 7 RBIs. The right field duo of Langton and Moss combined to go 8-for-22 with 2 doubles, a homer, 4 walks, and 3 RBIs. Skipper Schneider was 9-for-24 with a triple, 3 runs, and 4 RBIs. Dick Walker was just 3-for-16, but with 8 walks, 3 runs, and a solo homer. Jimmie James was just 2-for-11, but that two was a triple and homer with a walk and 4 RBIs. Can't fault the bats, as they kept us in each game, but we're regressing to the Cougar team that can't win those crucial one run games.

Looking Ahead
Can our nightmare end? We have one more against the red hot Sailors, who have won 16 of their 22 games in July, and are just 3.5 games out of first place. Lucky for us, we'll get either Rube Fields (6-8, 4.69, 40), who is dealing with back spasms, or Dick Tillman (9-8, 4.20, 38), neither of which should be able to keep our offense in check. I still don't understand how the Sailors have scored the second most runs in the CA, but catcher Bill Watson (.265, 2, 31) and outfielder Alex Juris (.255, 5, 39) are really starting to heat up. They have recently brought up last year's 2nd Rounder Les Cunha (.286, 1), a shortstop I was targeting in the draft who ranks inside the league's top 100. I imagine with their distance away from first, they'll hang on to Doc Newell (7-9, 2.69, 62), and we will certainly have our work cut out for us in this one, even with the favorable pitching matchup, as I can't take anything for granted.

Next up is four with the Cannons, who are now 47-41 and just 6 back of first. The Cannons have recently picked up slugger Al Wheeler (.218, 11, 46) who at 36 was struggling for the Chiefs. Wheeler will hit behind a strong 1-2-3 of Bob Griffith (.287, 4, 38, 4), Sam Brown (.331, 3, 20), and Chuck Adams (.299, 8, 53), which should give us and other CA teams a lot of trouble. Another new face in the lineup is former Cougar Nick Wallace (.274, 10) and waiver claim catcher Tommy Morris (.150, 16), but neither are having much success for Cincy. If we can keep the top four under control, we should be able to outscore the Cannons, but they still have solid pitching. Vic Carroll (6-3, 3.29, 55) tore his labrum and will miss the rest of the year, so with him and Deuce out, the rotation has thinned. They still have an excellent top two, as Chris Clarke (7-5, 1, 2.12, 46) has broken out and Butch Smith (10-7, 2.24, 69) continues to put up ace level production. 22-year-old Frank Sears allowed just a single run in his big league debut, but him, Dan Adams (3-6, 3.04, 29), Tom Barrell (3-5, 3.53, 19), and Jake Smith (3-1, 3.09, 13) will likely have trouble with our deep lineup. I'm not sure exactly how their rotation will shake out, but it looks like we're stuck with Smith and may miss Clarke. This will be a tough series, and with the Wolves right after, we need to win these games.

We finish off the week with the first three of a four game series, the opener on Saturday and a double header on Sunday. Toronto comes in red hot, winning their first nine games after the All Star break before dropping the second game of a double header in Brooklyn. They are playing far better on the road (29-13) then at home (24-22), so I'm ready to get swept down to third. Toronto has been very lucky, vastly outperforming their 49-39 expected record at 53-35, so perhaps things will start to flip a bit. Despite his record, Chick Wirtz has been a revelation for the Wolves staff, going 6-7 with a 2.09 ERA (168 ERA+) and 1.19 WHIP with 19 walks and strikeouts in 99 innings pitched. He's done a good job helping Bernie Johnson (11-6, 2.33, 30) while the rest of the rotation has underperformed. The lineup hasn't been all that great either, with Walt Pack (.266, 8, 44) and Juan Pomales (.254, 1, 42, 5) taking huge steps back, but they've still found ways to win. Former Cougar Hal Wood (.312, 3, 34) is putting together another strong offensive season while Charlie Artuso (.278, 3, 27, 5) and Chink Stickels (.277, 4, 28, 10) are both back on track after a rough 1943. Still, on paper we are the better team, but with the way we're playing, I'm not even sure we could beat a team that was actually made out of paper. We've caught the Wolves at the worse possible time, but hopefully both of our luck will start to change.

ayaghmour2 · 11-03-2022, 06:46 PM

We made a pair of trades, but the final outcome was more important then the trades themself. First we sent Dan Fowler to the Chiefs for 19-year-old Howard Miller Jr., a righty who is currently enlisted in the Army. Then we sent Cuno Myer to the Dynamos for a 7th Round Pick. The Myer deal started as something bigger, as I debated sending Rich Langton away. In the end, I decided to hold onto him, as the main reason for moving him would be to open up a roster spot. Instead, I managed to find a quick taker for the veteran slugger Fowler, and I was able to open that roster spot for 1940 2nd Rounder and the current #95 overall prospect Don Lee.

If you've followed this dynasty even a tiny bit, you probably know all about Rap. Ever since debuting for the Lions during the 1940 season, all Don Lee has done is mash. As hard as it is to believe, at any level and for any amount of games, he's never had a sub 130 OPS+ or WRC+. Or more strikeouts then walks. Or a sub .275/.375/.395 batting line. And just one sub 2 WAR stint, and it came in his only sub 200 PA portion. For real! Check this out:

1940 (C): 54 G, .289/.411/.481, 13 2B, 7 3B, 3 HR, 31 RBI, 40 BB, 18 K, 4 SB, 140 OPS, 135 WRC+, 2.1 WAR
1941 (C): 44 G, .360/.483/.596, 5 2B, 6 3B, 7 HR, 34 RBI, 41 BB, 13 K, 10 SB, 197 OPS+, 195 WRC+, 3.8 WAR
1941 (B): 84 G, .303/.384/.545, 25 2B, 7 3B, 13 HR, 65 RBI, 42 BB, 18 K, 10 SB, 144 OPS+, 147 WRC+, 2.8 WAR
1942 (B): 98 G, .275/.423/.396, 17 2B, 11 3B, HR, 34 RBI, 89 BB, 16 K, 12 SB, 130 OPS+, 131 WRC+, 4.2 WAR
1942 (A): 40 G, .313/.398/.423, 7 2B, 4 3B, HR, 17 RBI, 25 BB, 5 K, 3 SB, 130 OPS+, 131 WRC+, 1.4 WAR
1943 (A): 57 G, .330/.452/.569, 14 2B, 3B, 12 HR, 42 RBI, 48 BB, 20 K, 22 SB, 165 OPS+, 166 WRC+, 3.3 WAR
1943 (AA): 81 G, .313/.438/.502, 16 2B, 8 3B, 9 HR, 62 RBI, 72 BB, 27 K, 19 SB, 154 OPS+, 152 WRC+, 4.0 WAR
1944 (AAA): 79 G, .288/.424/.465, 20 2B, 6 3B, 7 HR, 45 RBI, 73 BB, 29 K, 15 SB, 151 OPS+, 160 WRC+, 4.1 WAR

Plain and simple, this kid rakes!

This season was no different, as even though it was his first attempt at AAA, Lee put together one of his best seasons. He was on place for a 7 WAR season in 137 games with 35 doubles, 10 triples, 12 homers, 78 RBIs, 126 walks, and 26 steals. His .431 wOBA is absurd, and even crazier that it was higher last year in AA (.432), A ball (.457), and C ball (.478) way back when he was just 19. Of course, Lee does have a down side, as his glove in center isn't all that great. He kept hovering between a slightly above and slightly below average zone rating, currently sitting at 0.2 and .997 in 640.1 innings. Even crazier, he has an exactly even 1.000 efficiency in 4,351.2 minor league innings. That doesn't really bode well for big league success in center, but he's got elite speed so his range should at least be average. If he had a better glove, he'd have been playing every day since Opening Day, but for now he won't play every day because of Orlin Yates' elite center field play. He will get a majority of the at bats against lefties, and a few games in right as Rich Langton has had issues, while also getting a start or two against righties each week. It'll be an approximately 55/45 share between Yates and him, but if Lee picks off right where he left off at the plate, and his glove doesn't kill us, he'll be starting every day before the season ends. I'm really excited for his debut, and while he has exceeded all expectations with each promotion, I'm going to keep my excitement tempered until he gets his feet wet.

ayaghmour2 · 11-04-2022, 06:59 PM

Weekly Record: 4-4
Seasonal Record: 60-41 (1st, 2.5 GA)
Stars of the Week
Billy Hunter : 18 AB, 13 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .722 AVG, 1.570 OPS
Leo Mitchell : 34 AB, 14 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .412 AVG, .915 OPS
Ben Curtin : 2 Wins, 6.2 IP, 0 BB, 1 K, 0.00 ERA

Schedule
7-24: Win vs Sailors (3-4): 10 innings
7-25: Win vs Cannons (4-5): 10 innings
7-26: Loss vs Cannons (4-0)
7-27: Loss vs Cannons (7-3)
7-28: Loss vs Cannons (9-8)
7-29: Loss vs Wolves (8-2)
7-30: Win vs Wolves (2-3): 10 innings
7-30: Win vs Wolves (2-3)

Recap
So, this was a weird week. We managed to split the series with the Sailors, but then dropped three of four to the Cannons. They're inching closer to first, and they just made a huge trade to pick up Tom Bird and Rabbit Day from the Chiefs as they look to repeat as CA champions. With the Wolves next, it seemed like we were bound to fall off, and after getting crushed in the opener, we managed to sweep the double header with a pair of one run games. We are now shockingly two and a half games above the Wolves, who struggled in New York, and then the Sailors 3.5 and the Cannons 4.5. All four teams are connected, as we have the same amount of losses as the Wolves, they have the same amount of wins as the Sailors, and the Sailors have the same amount of losses as the Cannons. Thankfully for us, July is almost over, and perhaps we will reverse are fortunes.

After a couple rough weeks, Billy Hunter was elite, going an outstanding 13-for-18 with 2 doubles, 2 runs, and 3 RBIs. He had a pair of three hit games and a perfect 4-for-4, increasing his season line to .280/.343/.396 (111 OPS+). Leo Mitchell also turned things around, going 14-for-34 with 2 doubles, 3 RBIs, 2 walks, and 10 runs scored. Harry Mead went 8-for-24 with a homer, 3 walks, 3 runs, and 4 RBIs. Cliff Moss went 6-for-23 with a homer, 2 RBIs, 3 runs, and 4 walks. Skipper was 9-for-31 with a double, homer, 2 walks, and 8 RBIs. Dick Walker was just 4-for-28, but he walked 9 times, stole two bases, and scored twice. Don Lee had an awful debut week, 0-for-9 with 2 strikeouts and 2 RBIs. The offense didn't score many runs, most games 3 or fewer runs, but we managed to extend our division lead for the first time all month.

Our best three pitchers all really struggled, starting with Harry Parker, who hasn't been the same since the All Star game. He struggled against the Cannons, allowing a pair of homers in 7 tough innings. He was charged with 10 hits, 7 runs (6 earned), and a walk with 5 strikeouts. Not only does Parker not lead the league in ERA anymore, but his ERA has inflated up to 2.48 (139 ERA+), which isn't even best on the team. Art White's issues continued, leaving with two outs in the 5th against Cincy. He allowed 10 hits, 6 runs, and 5 walks without recording a strike out. Billy Riley's Cougar debut came out of the pen, and while the scoreless frame was nice, his start against the Wolves went much worse. He left with two outs in the 6th, charged with 7 hits and 8 runs (4 earned) with 2 strikeouts. If we want to hold onto this pennant, we will need this talented trio to produce.

Our two start starters this week were Mike Murphy and Dick Lyons, and it was nice to see Murphy pick up a win. He went 8 innings in both, and we won both games he started. Against the Cannons he allowed 8 hits, 4 runs, a walk, and 3 strikeouts in a no decision. He beat the Wolves with just 4 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts. Lyons got a pair of no decisions in our other two wins. He went 7.2 innings against the Sailors, allowing 5 hits and 3 runs. Errors cost him the win against the Wolves, as both of his runs allowed were unearned. He went just 5.1 innings with 6 hits, a walk, and a strikeout. Lyons' 2.30 ERA (149 ERA+) is best on the team, and he has yet to allow more then three runs in a game. Rusty Petrick lost to one of his old teams, charged with 10 hits, 4 runs, and 2 walks with 4 strikeouts in 8 innings pitched. Merritt Thomas picked up one of the wins, making two appearances with a hit and strikeout in 3.2 innings pitched. Ben Curtin was back to dominating, picking up 2 wins in his 5 outings. He threw 6.2 scoreless innings with a hit and strikeout. He's now tied with Art White and Bernie Johnson for the win lead, while sporting an impressive 1.66 ERA (208 ERA+) in 70.2 innings pitched. Cal Knight got a loss and save, tossing 5 innings with 5 walks, a hit, and 3 earned runs. Lyn Trease made two appearances, but is now dealing with a pulled abdominal muscle. He threw 4.1 scoreless innings with a hit, 2 walks, and 3 strikeouts. I'm debating whether or not I will IL him, as I'm looking for an outside bat to upgrade the bench. I would have turned to Jim Dickinson, but the talented shortstop suffered a concussion this week, and will miss over a month. Huck Hanes would have been ideal, but he's out for at least another week. If we stay in organization, I could grab a third catcher in Gene Lee, a corner bat in Chick Browning, or a defensive replacement in Steve Jones. With the weekend I have a ton of time to decide, but I'd prefer grabbing a more established bat.

Looking Ahead
We end and start the month with the Wolves, who we took the first two of three from. At 55-41, they are 2.5 games behind us with the Sailors and Cannons a game behind each other. With the five game set, we get their entire rotation, ending with Chick Wirtz (7-7, 1.98, 22) and Jimmy Gibbs (8-7, 3.85, 44). One thing that is very interesting about the Wolves is their large amount of saves. Ben Curtin (12-2, 9, 1.66, 13) leads our team with 9 and we have three other guys with one, but Curtin would rank third on the Wolves, behind both Billy Crosby (6-5, 13, 3.16, 11) and Bob McRae (0-2, 10, 3.94, 8). Obviously Curtin has been far more effective, but despite the past two games, the Wolves are far better at closing out close games then we are. On the offensive side, one of the biggest surprises of the season has been the emergence of Gus Hall. The 29-year-old was decent in 126 games last year, but he's taken it to the next level this year with a 147 WRC+ and 3.2 WAR in 86 games. Hall has slashed .302/.381/.478 (135 OPS+) with 27 doubles, 3 triples, 6 homers, and 47 RBIs, and his production has really lengthened their lineup. With Walt Pack (.264, 10, 52) not quite himself, Hall is a big reason that the Wolves will contend for the CA crown the rest of the way.

We'll then rest up for two days before welcoming the Kings into town for a three game series. At 42-58, they are now tied with both the Saints and Foresters for last. I thought we'd have no issues with them after the break, but they managed to take two of three, and we cannot afford for that to happen again. Brooklyn just sent Jim Crawford (8-12, 3.91, 29) to the Cannons, leaving an opening in a weak rotation. I'm not sure who they'll fill that with (I'm hoping Mel Haynes), but Jim Kenny (11-11, 2.87, 54) could use some support. I doubt Ike O'Donnell (4-3, 2.37, 30) will keep up his excellent production, partially evidenced by his 103 FIP-, 24-year-old Bill McGraw (4-6, 3.42, 58) has been average, but their top three pitching prospects are all big league ready and enlisted, so they don't have all their talent at their disposal. Their offense has improved, with a strong rebound from Jake Shadoan (.331, 1, 25, 10) and a breakout rookie season for Orie Martinez (.295, 7, 41). Add in the breakouts from journeyman Vernon Ruch (.295, 5, 44) and rookie backstop George Jones (.296, 1, 18), the Kings lineup can score a few runs if one of our pitchers has a rough inning or two.

Minor League Report
RHP Mike Thorpe (AA Mobile Commodores): It took him a couple starts to get his feet wet, but #3 worked really well for the now 22-year-old. Thorpe was brilliant in Birmingham, tossing a 7-hit shutout with a walk and 2 strikeouts in our 9-0 win over the Ironmen. This isn't enough to make me think he's big league ready, but he's looked decent out of college, allowing 27 hits, 7 runs, and 5 walks with 8 strikeouts in his first 26 pro innings. He topped 100 pitches in all three starts, and hasn't needed to be relieved yet, both really good signs for the 4th Round Pick. There's a lot to like about Thorpe, even if he doesn't throw much harder then I once did, as he won't walk many hitters while preventing hard contact. The prospect people aren't as big of a fan of him as I am, listing him right outside the top 200, but he's probably our 4th best starter right now, and with a few more rough starts from our big league staff, and perhaps he finds his way into the rotation by September.

RHP Lonnie Sis (C La Crosse Lions): In 686 career starts, Charlie Sis tossed 94 shutouts, more then any FABL pitchers, and a record that sure doesn't look like it will be broken. It took his son just four starts to follow in his father's foot steps. "Sizzler" sizzled against the Waterloo Chiefs, as despite just a single run of support, he put together a dominant start. Lonnie allowed just 4 hits and 2 walks while striking out 9 in his first of hopefully many career shutouts. Our 5th Rounder this June, the now 18-year-old from Minnesota has looked pretty good, going 2-2 with a 2.27 ERA (159 ERA+), 1.17 WHIP, 11 walks, and 20 strikeouts in 31.2 innings pitched. Only one of his four starts has seen him throw less then 100 pitches, and it was 99 in 8 innings where he allowed 3 earned and unearned runs. A very hard worker, Sis projects to have excellent stuff. The best of his three pitches is a swing-and-miss change, but he has a nice low 90s cutter and a devastating curve he locates well. He focuses more on deception then power, which makes sense considering the quality of his off-speed pitches. He's young and has a lot of work to do, but I think patience will pay off, and the Hall of Famer's son seems destined to pitch in the big leagues.

ayaghmour2 · 11-07-2022, 07:42 PM

Weekly Record: 2-3
Seasonal Record: 62-44 (1st, 0.5 GA)
Stars of the Week
Hank Barnett : 15 AB, 7 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .467 AVG, 1.063 OPS
Billy Hunter : 17 AB, 6 H, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .353 AVG, .918 OPS
Skipper Schneider : 18 AB, 5 H, 0 HR, 5 RBI, .278 AVG, .667 OPS

Schedule
7-31: Loss vs Wolves (2-0)
8-1: Loss vs Wolves (6-0)
8-4: Win vs Kings (6-10)
8-5: Loss vs Kings (4-2)
8-6: Win vs Kings (1-7)

Recap
So about the playoffs... I don't think we're going to make it...

After taking two of three from the Wolves the previous week, we dropped the next two. And not only did we lose, we couldn't score in either of them. Sure, we took two of three from the Kings after, but our lead is now cut to just half a game over the Wolves, and with the Cannons 11 game win streak, they're now just a game behind Toronto. We can't hit, we can't pitch, and now we're back on the road. Our homestand did not go as planned, going 7-11 and we are now 14-26 since June 26th. About everything that could go wrong has gone wrong, and after this week we'll be lucky to be anywhere other then third.

We didn't do much right, but Harry Parker had a good week! He lost his first start, but that's just because we couldn't score against the Wolves. Parker went 8 with 5 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts. He then pitched even better against the Kings, picking up a complete game win with 4 hits, a run, walk, and 5 strikeouts. Art White picked up our other win, but he was not very good, charged with 15 hits and 6 runs (5 earned) with 2 strikeouts in 8.2 innings pitched. Billy Riley didn't pitch too well either, allowing 9 hits and 4 runs (3 earned) with 5 strikeouts in a complete game loss. Rusty Petrick struggled too, going 8 with 7 hits, 5 runs (4 earned), 6 walks, and 3 strikeouts. We didn't need the pen very much, with three relievers combining for 2.1 innings, 2 hits, a run, and 2 strikeouts. The pitching will need to be better, but if we don't score, it won't matter too much how many runs we allow...

Speaking of run scoring, we really only had two hitters produce. That would be Hank Barnett and Billy Hunter, who both put together decent weeks. Barnett looked good, 7-for-15 with a double, 2 walks, and 4 RBIs. Hunter, who has really started to heat up, was 6-for-17 with a walk, homer, and 3 runs scored. He was one of the few Cougars who had a good July, hitting .353/.400/.441 (140 OPS+) with 6 doubles and 9 RBIs. Most importantly, he's been healthy, something I would never have expected. He's hit well, batting .285/.346/.404 (114 OPS+) and he has an impressive 9.9 zone rating and 1.085 efficiency at second. The only other hitter to have some semblance of production was rookie Don Lee, who was 2-for-7 with 2 runs and 2 walks. Our offense has been really bad lately, but with such a large lead in runs scored, we still manage to rank #1 in the CA.

Looking Ahead
Well, it's not going to get any easier... Another pair of off days, and we'll use the second to hit the road for Cincinnati with the surging Cannons. At 58-43, they have won 11 consecutive games to come within a game and a half of first. This couldn't have come at a worse time for us, as we're losing to everyone we face, and the Cannons are having no trouble with the teams we are faltering against. This will be our first chance to see Tom Bird (.347, 12, 48), who went 8-for-21 with 3 doubles, a homer, and 5 RBIs in his first week as a Cannon. With four games, we might also see former Cannon legend Rabbit Day (13-8, 3.33, 56), a tough veteran righty who was a thorn in our side back in his Baltimore days. I missed out on trading for him twice, something I always regret, but at least this third time he's 40 and just a shell of his dominant self. Don't get me wrong, a shell of Rabbit Day is better then 85% of FABL pitchers, but I just have to make sure he doesn't try to chat with Dick Lyons (6-5, 2.30, 10) to obtain his secret anti-aging sauce.

The Cannons don't need another pitcher to dominate Cougar hitters, as even without Barrell and Carroll (6-3, 3.29, 55), they have Butch Smith (13-7, 1, 2.05, 86) and Chris Clarke (9-5, 1, 2.23, 51), and even Jake Smith (5-1, 2.99, 14) has been effective. They also sport a pair of former Cougars in Tom Barrell (4-6, 3.38, 20) and the recently acquired Jim Crawford (8-12, 3.91, 29). This is not what our offense needs to get back on track, and their offense can provide them with plenty of runs even if we do start scoring again. One good thing for us is star shortstop Jim Hensley (.248, 7, 45) won't he available for the series, as he'll miss the next two weeks with a herniated disc. They may get Jack Cleaves (.249, 2, 21) back, which would shift Tony White (.205, 2, 16) to short, but even combined they have less offensive and defensive value combined then Hensley. Of course, their offense is more then capable without Hensley, getting excellent production from Chuck Adams (.312, 14, 68), Bob Griffith (.281, 4, 45, 5), and Sam Brown (.333, 4, 24), with Al Wheeler (.216, 12, 53) always capable of hitting one out of the park. I'm very worried about this series, as the likely sweep will put a major dent, but perhaps both of our lucks will change in this one!

As if it could get any tougher, we then have to deal with the Wolves in Toronto. We get a double header on Sunday to finish the week, and we'll play two more in Toronto after. At 59-42, the Wolves are half a game behind us, and they could own sole possession of first by time we face them. It's not surprising that the Wolves are good, but what is shocking is Chick Wirtz. Wirtz joined the Wolves in 1935, and from then until 1941, he had an ERA+ of 91, 92, 93, 94, or 96. He broke out in '42, going 11-13 with a 2.91 ERA (113 ERA+) and 1.25 WHIP, but last season his production cratered. Now at 36, Wirtz is making a surprising case for the Allen, going 8-7 with a 1.83 ERA (197 ERA+) and 1.10 WHIP with 19 walks and 24 strikeouts. Him and Bernie Johnson (13-7, 2.59, 34) have made it tough for teams to score, and the only "slacker" in the rotation is Bob Walls (11-7, 3.75, 49), who has been slightly below average, but his 79 FIP- is far more impressive then his 96 ERA+. They key for us will be to keep them off the board, as Walt Pack (.267, 10, 53) hasn't done much other then hit homers, and as good as he's hit, I'm not all that scared of Gus Hall (.297, 7, 50). Still, until we start winning games, I'm kind of just going to assume we'll lose the series. We started the year with a .500 week and then 9 consecutive winning weeks before 4 straight losing ones, a .500 week, and then another losing week here. It's really been a tale of two seasons, but I hope a third one is coming with a return to our run of .500+ weeks.

Minor League Report
LHP Lefty Jones (B San Jose Cougars): Recently promoted to San Jose, Lefty Jones has been extremely effective in his 7 starts with the Cougars. He allowed 2 or 3 runs in each of his first six starts, and then he took things to the next level in #7. The 20-year-old lefty was firing on all cylinders against Tacoma, tossing a 3-hit shutout with 3 walks and 7 strikeouts as we topped the Captains 8-0. This improved Jones to 6-1 on the season with a stellar 2.40 ERA (148 ERA+) and 1.17 WHIP in 60 innings pitched. He's struck out 41 and walked just 22, increasing his K/BB from 1.3 at La Crosse to nearly 2. Our 5th Rounder a year ago, Jones has moved rather high on our prospect lists, currently ranked 10th in our system and 155th overall. Tom Weinstock thinks this ranking may be a bit on the high side, projecting him to be nothing more then a spot starter, but the Oregon native is very young and has a lot of time to improve. A three pitch pitcher, he attacks hitters with is high 80s cutter, and while his change and slider aren't great pitches, they should develop into at least average offerings. As a side armer, the slider is very effective against fellow lefties, but righties can track it rather well. If he can keep his strikeouts up and his walks down, he could be a big league starter, but 70 years from now he would have been the perfect lefty specialist.

ayaghmour2 · 11-08-2022, 07:27 PM

Weekly Record: 4-2
Seasonal Record: 66-46 (1st, 2.5 GA)
Stars of the Week
Billy Hunter : 24 AB, 9 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .375 AVG, .983 OPS
Harry Mead : 22 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 5 RBI, .409 AVG, 1.045 OPS
Hank Barnett : 24 AB, 7 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .292 AVG, .954 OPS

Schedule
8-9: Win at Cannons (4-3)
8-10: Loss at Cannons (2-5)
8-11: Win at Cannons (6-3)
8-12: Loss at Cannons (3-4)
8-13: Win at Wolves (7-4)
8-13: Win at Wolves (7-5)

Recap
Hey guys, check it out! A winning week! I forgot what those are like...

The road treated us kindly, as we picked up our first winning week since June, and it came against the two teams we are fighting for first with. As expected, the Cannons were tough, but we managed to split a series in which both teams picked up 4-3 wins. The Stars helped us a lot this week, taking down the Wolves before we came to town, and then they split the double header with the Cannons. Since we swept the Wolves, we pushed them to third, a game behind the Cannons who are 2.5 behind us. At about the midpoint in August, we are now back to 20 games above .500, and I'm hoping we can hang onto this lead the rest of the way home. It will be a tough task, but we have the talent to do it, and I hope we are finally done playing like a last place team.

For the first time all season, Leo Mitchell does not lead the CA in batting average, as a 6-for-25 week dropped him to .371 on the season. That is two points behind Marion Boismenu for the FABL lead, but there is plenty of time left for Mitchell to surpass him. A triple crown seems impossible at this point, as while he's just a single RBI away from Chuck Adams, he's also 4 home runs behind him. Despite this, Mitchell still seems to be the front runner for the Whitney, as his .897 OPS is the best in the league, and he's slashing .371/.407/.490 (156 OPS+), while leading the CA in both OPS+ and WRC+ (162). Mitchel has added 21 doubles, 11 triples, and 71 RBIs while being worth almost 4 wins above replacement, and he leads the league in slugging, hits (169), total bases (223), and WPA (3.54). Despite his struggles this week, however, we had a ton of production elsewhere, with Billy Hunter continuing his red hot pace. The former 1st Rounder went 9-for-24 with 2 doubles, a homer, 4 runs, and 5 RBIs. Harry Mead performed well too, 9-for-22 with 3 doubles, a triple, and 5 RBIs. Hank Barnett was 7-for-24 with 5 doubles, a triple, 4 runs, and an RBI. Dick Walker walked just 4 times, but was 6-for-23 with 3 triples and 6 runs scored. His 76 runs are best in the CA, and 168 walk pace would still top Alvin Turner's 1892 where he walked 165 times. Don Lee made 5 starts as we faced a bunch of lefties, and the young center fielder went 6-for-21 with 2 doubles, a triple, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 3 RBIs. It was nice seeing the offense perform well most of the week, so the next step is doing it frequently as we did in the first half of the season. We faced two really good pitching staffs, so I was very impressed with the production.

Harry Parker's struggles continue, as he's now lost 7 of his last 8 decisions, with just one no decision sandwiched in the middle. He lost again to the Cannons, charged with 11 hits, 4 runs, and 3 walks with 4 strikeouts in just 6 innings. His pitching hasn't been overly awful, with just one start where he allowed more then 4 runs, but during this stretch his ERA jumped from 1.89 to 2.51 (138 ERA+), and he's now an even 10-10 in 23 starts. In 183 innings, he does have an impressive 1.05 WHIP with 38 walks and a CA high 92 strikeouts. He's been worth almost 5 wins above replacement, and 4 of his 7 homers have came in his last two starts against the Cannons. Art White has also seen his struggles continue, as he went 8 with 6 hits, 5 runs (4 earned), 2 walks, and a strikeout. This start was a bit unlucky, as he didn't allow many base runners, but White has allowed 36 earned runs in his last 58.2 innings pitched. White hasn't quite been the ace we expected when we acquired him, as through 41 starts as a Cougar he's 23-12 with a 3.19 ERA (106 ERA+), 1.26 WHIP, 80 walks, and 56 strikeouts. Sure, the record is nice, but he's allowed a ton of runs and his K/9 rate has plummeted. Discounting his first full season as a starter (1.8), White has never had a sub 2 K/9, and this year it's all the way down to 1.2. Eventually, we'll have a rotation logjam with Pete Papenfus, Donnie Jones, Johnnie Jones, Duke Bybee, and Joe Brown all set to return home, so White may be on his way out to help replenish the farm.

Despite our top two starters losing, the other four managed to pick up some wins. Billy Riley picked up his first win as a Cougar, picking up a complete game victory with 8 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts. Mike Murphy turned things around a bit, going 7 with 9 hits, 4 runs (2 earned), 2 walks, and a strikeout. Rusty Petrick had a rough start, but still won, going 8 with 9 hits, 5 runs, 6 walks, and a strikeout. Dick Lyons picked up win #235 with 7 innings, 6 hits, 3 runs, a walk, and 2 strikeouts. The pen was impressive, with Ben Curtin tossing 5 shutout innings and Merritt Thomas adding two more. Thomas did walk 3, while Curtin had 3 walks, strikeouts, and hits. Curtin also saved a pair of games while Thomas picked up his second of the season. A pair of waiver claims, both have looked very good in the late innings despite being in the late 30s. We didn't pitch all that well, as rotation arm allowed at least 3 runs, but this week it didn't hurt us too much. The Cannons score a lot of runs, and we didn't allow any games to get out of hand, but we did bend a bit against the Wolves.

Looking Ahead
Two more against the Wolves to start the week, but after piling on 6 runs against both Bernie Johnson (13-9, 2.90, 40) and Chick Wirtz (8-8, 2.18, 26), it seems like the hard part is out of the way. Despite that, all the Wolves starters are reliable pitchers, and we'll have to deal with Bob Walls (12-7, 3.66, 51) and Jimmy Gibbs (9-7, 3.43, 52) on four days rest. Gibbs actually shut us out on the first of August, while Walls has allowed 2 runs in each of his last two starts against us, so I won't take anything for granted. The Wolves are in a rough spot after struggling to score much against the Stars, but Juan Pomales (.273, 2, 50, 7) won Player of the Week and has been red hot in August and he's finally managed to bring his WRC+ on the season above 100. If the Wolves are going to want to pass us (and now the Cannons), they'll need more from the talented two-way player, although Pomales has mainly played outfield this season.

Next stop is four in Cleveland with the Foresters, have the best record (8-6) against us this season, and the only team other then the Cannons (10-9) to have a winning record against us. Believe it or not, the Foresters had a worse July then us, going 8-22 to drop out of the first division race. Now at 46-64, they are a game above the Saints for last, but still on pace to top their 55-99 record from last year. They now rank last in runs scored and second to last in runs allowed, as a lot of their earlier successes have started to dry up. Ducky Davis (6-5, 3.27, 47) has still been good, even if he has cooled down a bit. Johnny Slaney (10-9, 4.43, 69), however, has really fallen apart while Ben Turner (7-14, 4.54, 37) has yet to turn things around. At the plate, Lou Balk (.294, 7, 46) has hit well, but he's been out since the 27th and Brooks Meeks (.275, 8, 52, 6) has seen his season line drop to exactly league average. Jim Adams Jr. (.280, 1, 36, 5) has hit well, but his defense at short as left a lot to be desired. These games are crucial for us, and a series win can do a lot to help us on our quest for the pennant.

Last stop of the week is Philly for the first half of a four game series. We play a double header on Sunday, and I'm sure they'll give us some trouble. They are still in the pennant race, sitting 6 games out at 59-51. A big reason for that has been their corner infield duo of Frank Covarrubias and Marion Boismenu (.373, 3, 53, 4). Boismenu being a factor isn't that crazy, he hit .318/.346/.422 (130 OPS+) last season, but Covarrubias has came out of nowhere. Somehow the soon-to-be 33-year-old has been worth 5.6 WAR, and after just one above average season since debuting in 1937, Covarrubias has hit .344/.379/.458 (129 OPS+) with 34 doubles, 7 triples, a homer, 3 steals, and 36 RBIs. His 144 WRC+ is stellar and his defense has been well above average, giving the Sailors a legit weapons. His emergence was a surprise, as they acquired him in the offseason for journeyman shortstop Harry Woodruff, but besides that duo, just Joseph Mills (.265, 8, 45) remains as an above average hitter, and I imagine the Sailors won't be tied for second in runs for much longer. The pitching looks a bit different this time around, as they've brought up highly touted righty Win Lewis (0-2, 3.29, 17). Currently ranked 4th in the system and 37th in the league, the 23-year-old has looked good in his first 4 starts, and he could develop into a top of the rotation arm. A pitching boost is needed, as Doc Newell (8-12, 2.98, 74) has been the only dependable Sailor starter, but he's 36 and might not be effective for much longer. With a bunch of games in the week for them, I'm not sure how their rotation will shake out, but if we can avoid No-Hit Newell, I really like our chances in winning the series.

ayaghmour2 · 11-09-2022, 09:47 PM

Weekly Record: 2-6
Seasonal Record: 68-52 (3rd, 1.5 GB)
Stars of the Week
Leo Mitchell : 30 AB, 10 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, .333 AVG, .842 OPS
Hank Barnett : 31 AB, 7 H, 2 HR, 4 RBI, .226 AVG, .778 OPS
Cliff Moss : 28 AB, 6 H, 2 HR, 3 RBI, .214 AVG, .741 OPS

Schedule
8-14: Loss at Wolves (0-4)
8-15: Loss at Wolves (1-2)
8-16: Win at Foresters (2-1)
8-17: Loss at Foresters (2-3): 10 innings
8-18: Loss at Foresters (3-5)
8-19: Win at Foresters (6-1)
8-20: Loss at Sailors (1-2)
8-20: Loss at Sailors (2-4)

Recap
This is what I get for getting my hopes up...

Our nightmare continues, as despite playing just one team more then twice on the week, we lost to each team we played twice. This not only dropped us out of first, but all the way to third, as we trail both the Wolves and Cannons by a game and a half, with the Sailors, who just swept us in the double header, just three games back. I'm truly at a loss at what is going on, as we have just completely imploded. It's not like we had a big injury, or started playing a lot of tough games, or were stuck on the road. We just stopped being good at baseball. We can't win at home or on the road. We can't score runs. We can't close out games. It doesn't matter who's on the mound or in the lineup. We just can't win anymore. And I'm not sure it matters anymore. At one point we led nearly every offensive and pitching category, and now its just 11 of 27. Everything that could go wrong has, and the teams behind us have put together impressive stretches while we falter. It's sad, but honestly, I think its already over. It's crazy to think we pissed away a 10 game lead, but the Cougars have done nothing to show me that there's any fight left. Baseball is one of those tricky sports where the whole is always far greater then the some of its parts, but despite all the talent, we aren't getting much surplus value. Despite all that, I still have to hold onto a little bit of faith. None of the roster has changed, it's all the same players that were 40-23 in the first three months of the season. You have to imagine things will start to click again.

Sure, most of the week was bad, but Harry Parker was great! He picked up one of the two wins, going 8 against the Foresters with 7 hits, a run, and 2 strikeouts. He made his first relief appearance since he was a rookie earlier in the season, tossing a 6-pitch 1-2-3 8th in our 4-0 loss against the Wolves. Not sure why Clyde Meyer put him in a game we couldn't score, but ya know, its easily the least of our problems. Mike Murphy picked up our other win, going 6 with 5 hits, a run, and 4 walks. Billy Riley was stuck with a no decision in our extra inning loss, going 9 with 8 hits, 2 runs, and 3 strikeouts. Ben Curtin was then walked off in the 10th, allowing a hit and walk while getting just one batter out. He pitched in two other of the games against the Foresters, picking up a save in 2 innings with 2 hits and a run.

Both Art White and Dick Lyons made two starts each, of course, losing both. White really struggled, pitching a pair of 7 inning, 4 run starts. He allowed 12 hits and 11 walks in the two outings, and after starting the season 10-0, he's now just 13-8 with an exactly league average 3.44 ERA (100 ERA+). His complete 180 in production has been a huge factor in our struggles, as he's found a way to be arguably the worst pitcher in baseball the past few months. Lyons looked good in one of his starts, however, going 7 with 6 hits, a walk, and a run. He had no luck against the Sailors, allowing 10 hits, 4 runs, and a walk in just 5 innings. Rusty Petrick was charged with a loss despite pitching well, but we couldn't score him any runs. He got walked off with one out in the 9th in our 2-1 loss to the Sailors, but he allowed just 5 hits and 3 walks with 4 strikeouts. Petrick finally got his season ERA below 4 (3.99), but he's vastly underperformed Jim Lonardo (14-11, 3.00, 35), which I definitely did not expect. In the pen, both Cal Knight and Merritt Thomas made two appearances each, tossing 3 shutout innings with just a single hit. Thomas also picked up a strikeout. The pitching was pretty solid, despite all the losses, but there is a lot of work to do if we want to turn things around. And we're running out of time to do it...

The offense couldn't get it going, period, as evidenced by the trio of Skipper Schneider, Orlin Yates, and Dick Walker. They combined to go just 12-for-86 with 11 strikeouts. Skipper doubled, both Yates and Walker tripled, while Walker also picked up a steal with 5 walks. Not many members of our lineup had much success, but Hank Barnett and Cliff Moss supplied the pop. Both homered twice, while Barnett went 7-for-31 and Moss went 6-for-28. Barnett added a triple, 3 walks, 3 runs, and 4 RBIs while Moss walked 4 times and scored and drove in three runs. Leo Mitchell rebounded a bit, although he dropped further in the batting title race, going 10-for-30 with 2 doubles, a triple, 2 walks, and 4 runs. Obviously, the offense was subpar this week, scoring three or fewer runs in seven of the eight games, and we no longer lead the CA in runs scored. I'm not sure if we can right the ship, and even if we can, it might already be too late...

Looking Ahead
Well, last week we swept the Wolves in a double header and then they took the final two, so maybe we can do that to the Sailors! Now 64-54, we couldn't beat former Cougar farmhand Karl Wallace (13-8, 4.24, 44) and the rookie Win Lewis (1-2, 2.63, 31), so why should we be able to beat Doc Newell (9-12, 2.91, 75), who is still going strong at 36. We should have more luck with Dick Tillman (10-10, 4.90, 52), but with how many runs we've been scoring, we'll make him look like prime William Jones. Our pitching managed to keep Marion Boismenu (.376, 3, 59, 4) in check during the double header, and I'd love a few o'fers to help Leo Mitchell out in the batting race. The Sailors have recently added former 2nd Rounder Les Cunha (.281, 9) in to the lineup, and he had a big 3-for-4 game with a pair of runs scored in their 4-2 win in game two. His bat is a huge upgrade over the incumbent Ed White (.253, 3, 48), but it's yet to be seen if Cunha can replicate his impressive glove work. The bat has always been his strength, as evidenced by his 155 and 169 WRC+ in 36 AA games and 26 AAA games. Adding his name in the lineup card has lengthened the lineup and when you factor in an impressive month and a half from Alex Juris (.254, 5, 42), it is getting harder and harder to keep this team off base. Lucky for us, we can finally rest after that, as I'm sure those two days will be needed for us to lick our wounds.

After 14 games in 12 days, four games in three will feel like nothing, and even more so knowing there is another off day after. The Cougars will be up in Montreal, and hopefully the struggling Saints can help us right our ship. August has been tough for them, as they are 6-13 and have dropped all the way down to the cellar. Plenty has gone wrong for the Sailors, as a lot of their talented youngsters are overseas and their pitching has been hit pretty hard. While a lot has gone wrong, Bill Ross has been a bright spot, as he's been able to shake off an awful start to the season. Ross is 10-9 with a 3.28 ERA (109 ERA+), 1.26 WHIP, 29 walks, and 49 strikeouts as he's on track for surpassing 200 innings for the third time in the past four seasons. The former Cougar 3rd Rounder is the only pitcher giving the Saints above average starts, but they have to be excited about the early results from "The Thin Man" Jackie James. Ranked as high as 22 on the top 100 prospect list back in 1940, the former 2nd Round selection of the Cannons debuted this season and has now played himself off the list. He's made 15 starts for Montreal, going 5-6 with a 3.80 ERA (95 ERA+), 1.44 WHIP, 38 walks, and 39 strikeouts. Tom Weinstock expects him to be a dependable middle rotation arm in a rotation that will see Wally Doyle, Bert Cupid, and "Mr. Right" Pat Weakly (9-10, 4.24, 89). The Saints staff has allowed the most runs and scored second the fewest, as Vic Crawford (.273, 8, 66) and Jake Hughes (.294, 42, 21) have cooled off. I hate to say these are must win games, but if we can't win this series we can kiss the playoffs good bye.

Minor League Report
C Homer Guthrie (AA Mobile Commodores): A lot of Mobile love in this week's minor league report, but leading the way was backstop Homer Guthrie. Our 7th Rounder from 1942, Guthrie was named the most recent Dixie League Player of the Week, going an impressive 13-for-22 with a homer, double, 2 triples, and 6 RBIs. This upped his season line up to an impressive .299/.427/.398 (123 OPS+) line with 14 doubles, 5 runs, 3 homers, and 51 RBIs. The most impressive part, however, may be his 74 walks in 423 trips to the plate. The 23-year-old has one of the best eyes in our system, but he doesn't have the cleanest of swings. His results at this level have been impressive, and even though Gene Lee is blocking him in AAA, he could definitely play every day up there.

RHP Stan Flanders (AA Mobile Commodores): It's been a huge year for the 21-year-old, and his 10th win on the season was a special one. The former 10th Rounder tossed an 8-hit shutout with 3 walks and a strikeout as the Commodores defeated the Atlanta Peaches. Flanders has now thrown a career best 157.2 innings, working to a 3.03 ERA (131 ERA+) and 1.28 WHIP with 44 walks and strikeouts. A bit of a soft tosser, Flanders sits in the 86-88 range, and will have to rely more on his smarts then his stuff. His command still needs work, as he's still walking too many hitters, but for his age the results are extremely encouraging. For Flanders to succeed, he'll either have to paint the corners effectively, or flesh out the quality of his secondary pitches. He profiles as major league depth, someone who can start and relieve wherever he is needed most, but he's a lot further developed then most guys his age, and a high floor is always a huge plus.

RHP George Oddo (AA Mobile Commodores): Speaking of high floor arms... A day after Flanders' shutout, George Oddo decided to match him, holding the Peaches to 7 hits and 3 walks with 5 strikeouts. The also 21-year-old is now 9-3 with a 2.26 ERA (175 ERA+), 0.99 WHIP, 28 walks, and 58 strikeouts in 12 starts with the Commodores. This is in line with his 11 starts in Lincoln, as the 1941 8th Rounder was 8-1 with a 2.50 ERA (180 ERA+), 1.23 WHIP, 28 walks, and 65 strikeouts. Our 3rd ranked prospect and 39th overall, Oddo is likely to finish the season in Mobile, but perhaps he can start next year in Milwaukee. The towering righty has good stuff, featuring a solid high 80s fastball that is overshadowed by a dominant change and curve. The movement he gets on his offspeed pitches is insane, as his arsenal is filled with swing and miss stuff. Oddo does a tremendous job locating pitches, and the kid is max effort all the time. He has no trouble going past the 125 mark, and he has yet to throw less then 100 pitches in any of his outings. This kid is about as good as it gets, but with all the high octane pitching talent in our system, I'm afraid he's going to get lost in the shuffle. Of course, no pitcher is a sure thing, and you can never have too many, but I'd be hard-pressed to believe he'll never pitch in the big leagues.

1B Lou Thomas (A Lincoln Legislators): Our 9th Round selection in the most recent draft, Lou Thomas started his minor league career in Lincoln, and he's already up to Mobile. The 22-year-olds .280/.376/.410 (102 OPS+) batting line was really similar to his triple slash as a senior at North Carolina Tech. Thomas hit 4 homers and drove in 31 runs while adding 7 doubles and a triple. He walked (21) a bit less then he struck out (27), but he's a patient hitter and he'll learn to connect more frequently. Thomas projects to have a plus hit tool and he does a good job squaring up the ball, which leads to a lot of extra base hits. The power will be the key, as it is for any first basemen, so if he can go to a 10 homer hitter to 15 or 20, he'll play a long time in the FABL. We don't have many first base prospects in our system, a lot of time it'll be guys who move from another corner, so Thomas has no one in his way up to Chicago. We sent Cuno Myer (.365, 14) to Detroit, and I just brought Norm Anderson up to play first as Chick Browning will move back to the outfielder. Norm isn't much of a prospect while Thomas actually checks right inside our top 30. As a lefty, he can platoon with Ray Ford once Dick Walker (.214, 2, 27, 21) decides to call it quits, but if he wants to get regular starts, he'll have to make it to the big leagues before we eventually shift Leo Mitchell to first.

ayaghmour2 · 11-10-2022, 02:03 PM

Weekly Record: 4-2
Seasonal Record: 72-54 (t-2nd, 2.5 GB)
Stars of the Week
Billy Hunter : 17 AB, 9 H, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .529 AVG, 1.320 OPS
Art White : 2 Wins, 17.2 IP, 2 BB, 0 K, 1.53 ERA
Cliff Moss : 20 AB, 7 H, 2 HR, 7 RBI, .350 AVG, 1.131 OPS

Schedule
8-21: Loss at Sailors (2-3)
8-22: Win at Sailors (7-0)
8-25: Loss at Saints (1-6)
8-26: Win at Saints (4-3)
8-27: Win at Saints (9-1)
8-27: Win at Saints (11-3)

Recap
There was no second half of the series sweep in Philly, but we were competitive in a one run loss and then shut them out to avoid the sweep. The two off days seemed to rejuvenate us, as even though we dropped the opener, we won a close one run game to even the series before battering the Saints in the final two to take the series. Despite the winning week, we dropped a game back from first, as the Wolves are red hot and lead both us and the Cannons by 2.5 games. We also received our first major injury of the season, and no, it was not the red hot Billy Hunter. It was our Rule-5 pick Lyn Trease. Just a few days before roster callups, Trease tore his flexor tendon, effectively ending his season and potentially his big league career. The 24-year-old was actually surprisingly effective out of our pen, tallying 23 innings with a 1.17 ERA (294 ERA+) and 1.39 WHIP. Walks have always troubled the third generation FABL player, as his 6.3 BB/9 means he was likely overperforming even with solid strike out numbers (13, 5.1). He may not be ready for Spring Training, but Trease likely wouldn't have made the big league club anyways. Still, the Peoria native is a valuable member of the team, and he'll travel with his teammates the rest of the way. Despite subpar talent, Trease is a well respected clubhouse leader, and one of the brightest minds in the sport. For just this next sim, we'll role with three pitchers, but we'll have a few more on hand once September starts. Replacing Trease on the roster will once again be Chick Browning, who has hit .270/.389/.397 (124 OPS+) in 73 games for the Blues. He was likely to come up next sim anyway, but the Chi-town lefty will look to add to his 4-for-12 with the Cougars.

The best news of the week was Art White, who did a complete 180 from his last 12 or so starts. White was brilliant against the Sailors, tossing a 6-hit shutout where all 31 Sailors at bats ended with a ball in play. He then was an out away from a second complete game victory, allowing 12 hits, 2 walks, and 3 runs in our 11-3 win in game two of our double header. This shakes off a stretch of poor performances from the veteran southpaw where he went 3-8 with a 5.80 ERA and 1.81 WHIP. I made a massive blunder this week (which actually caused the Trease injury), accidentally setting Harry Parker's pitch count to 9, so he made two starts and got just 5 outs with 2 hits and a run. Trease relieved him both times, and while he did pitch well in the 3-2 loss to Philly, he didn't get a decision. He went 5 with 7 hits, a run, 2 walks, and strikeout. The issue came in game one of our double header, where he faced three batters before leaving with the injury. Luckily we were able to win that one, but the self-sabotage may come back to bite us in a stretch where we already can't do anything right... Of course, the early hooks caused our pen to pitch a lot, with Cal Knight and Ben Curtin both going five and a third. Knight all came in one game allowed 6 hits and 2 walks, but he didn't allow a run, while Curtin allowed one on 4 hits, 2 walks, and 3 strikeouts split between three appearances. Both picked up a win, with Knight's his first and Curtin his 13th. Merritt Thomas got a loss and save, going 2.2 with 2 hits, a run, and a walk.

No issues with the rest of the staff, but no real strong performances either. Mike Murphy and Rusty Petrick didn't get starts, although Rusty threw an inning split across two games. The righty allowed a hit and walk, but neither managed to score. Billy Riley didn't look too good, allowing 15 hits, 6 runs, and a walk with 4 strikeouts in 7.1 innings pitched. The Stars were criticized a bit for letting Riley go, but the vet hasn't done very well for us, now 1-3 with a 3.95 ERA (87 ERA+) and 1.24 WHIP in 41 innings pitched. He's been a bit unlucky, as he owns impressive BB/9 (0.7) and K/9 (4.2) numbers and a lot of his hits allowed came in his most recent start. Dick Lyons pitched game one of our double header, but went just 6 with 10 hits and 3 runs. The pitching hasn't been great recently, but we held our opponents to three or less runs in five of the six games, and with plenty of off days coming up they should stay fit and well rested.

Billy Hunter continued his assault on baseballs, as the former 1st Rounder put up another excellent week, this time going 9-for-17 with a double, homer, 5 runs, and 2 RBIs. The 29-year-old has now appeared in 98 games on the season, and is on pace for his first 100 game year since 1939 where he appeared in 146 and hit .294/.367/.408 (107 OPS+). In 373 PAs this year, Hunter has hit an even better .296/.354/.433 (124 OPS+) with a career best 8 home runs. Hunter has played excellent defense and is worth 3.6 wins above replacement, while maintaining a strong walk (32) to strikeout (10) ratio with 20 doubles and 46 RBIs. Our right field platoon was impressive as well, with Cliff Moss leading the way with a pair of homers and 7 RBIs. Moss was 7-for-20, adding 2 doubles and 5 runs scored while Rich Langton was 2-for-4 with two walks, a double, triple, steal, 3 runs, and 2 RBIs. Our catching duo was effective too, with Mike Taylor going 2-for-5 and Harry Mead matching Cliff Moss' 7-for-20. Taylor walked, scored a run, and drove in one while Mead mashed three doubles, scored twice, and drove in five. Dick Walker walked just twice, but was 6-for-25 with 3 doubles, a homer, 4 runs, and 4 walks. He's walked a league high 129 times, but he's now on track for just 158, one walk below Bill Barrett's 1942 season which is good for third all time. With our offensive output this week, we're back to first in the league in runs, but we still lack the consistency you need to be a top tier team. All things considered, 2.5 games out is still manageable, and while we'll need some luck to fall our way, the pennant is still in reach.

Looking Ahead
This coming week is one of the strangest I've seen, as we play just one game before the weekend. That will come in Chicago on the 29th where we host the Stars. At 12-12 on the month, this game will determine whether we have our second sub .500 month or our 4th winning month, and we'll get a team that failed to win a game last week. This dropped the Stars to 58-67 and 16 games behind the first place Wolves. Lucky for us, we'll avoid the already elite Eli Panneton, who has been nothing short of elite since joining the team after being selected 4th Overall in the draft. Panneton has gone 8-4 with a 2.18 ERA (162 ERA+), 1.16 WHIP, 22 walks, and 42 strikeouts in an inning shy of 100. The now 23-year-old Canadian is already one of the best pitchers in baseball, and he should anchor the Stars rotation for years to come. I'd love to face "The Pope of Chicago" Larry Gregory (2-3, 2.83, 17), a 1941 first rounder who was high on our draft list, but it's looking like we'll see 41-year-old veteran Eddie Hite (13-9, 3.87, 48) instead. He's the worst of the Stars four starters, and we should be able to put up a lot of runs on him. Offensively, they are pretty solid, leading the CA in both average (.272) and OBP (.339), but they're just fourth in runs scored. The lineup has some strong bats, including former Cougar draftee Chubby Hall (.268, 13, 77), who has a power surge at 27. Jim Honeywood (.371, 24) has mashed after entering the lineup, Ray Cochran (.296, 6, 48, 8) is still very effective at 38, and Elijah Boudreau (.278, 7, 49, 6) has looked solid in his first full season as a big leaguer. Even former Cougar farmhand Bill Graham (.294, 3, 10) has done a great job manning short for them, putting up above average offensive and defensive numbers. But they'll have their work cut out for them as they attempt to best Harry Parker (11-10, 2.46, 95) who I might have cost an Allen Award and/or strikeout title with my pitch count blunder.

After three off days, we finally return to the field on the weekend, hosting the Saints for three games in two days. We could use another three win series here, as the Saints continue to fall in the standings while now sitting at 51-75 and 23.5 games back. They're off for two games before our series, so they may arrange their rotation to avoid giving the struggling Jake DeYoung (5-11, 4.75, 68) or Karl Weiss (6-11, 4.77, 30), both of who started in the double header, another start against us. Pat Weakly (10-10, 4.08, 93) managed to hold us in check this week, but even if Bill Ross (10-9, 3.32, 49) is pitching, I like our chances scoring runs. In the lineup, just Vic Crawford (.275, 8, 73), Bill Greene (.259, 7, 52, 22) and Spud Bent (.281, 5, 56) are having above average offensive seasons, but the trio all fail to surpass the 110 mark in terms of OPS+. This could be a huge week for us, as we have a legit chance of going 4-0, while the Wolves will have three against both the Foresters and Sailors. Some made up ground here would be huge as we enter the final month of the season in what hopefully ends up being a very exciting race to the finish.

10-25-2022, 06:46 PM	#921
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 8: June 5th-June 11th Weekly Record: 5-1 Seasonal Record: 40-15 (1st, 7 GA) Stars of the Week Hank Barnett : 23 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 7 RBI, .391 AVG, .875 OPS Leo Mitchell : 24 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .375 AVG, .861 OPS Art White : 2 Wins, 16.0 IP, 7 BB, 4 K, 2.25 ERA Schedule 6-6: Win vs Stars (1-2) 6-8: Win vs Stars (1-3) 6-9: Win vs Kings (1-2) 6-10: Loss vs Kings (6-4) 6-11: Win vs Kings (5-6) 6-11: Win vs Kings (4-11) Recap At this point I'm afraid to even tough the team, for risk that my fingers might burn off! We held our guests to just a single run in half of our games this week, sweeping the Stars and taking three of four from the Kings to end our homestand an impressive 16-6. We're the first team to 40 wins and hold a seven game lead over the Wolves. It's also the official reveal of the draft pool, and we are set to make the first pick in the 4th Round, with 10 more picks to follow. We'll get amateur reports today of the three we already selected, but the draft won't begin until Thursday. Pretty much since the regional round finished, I knew who I wanted, and it's someone I consider with both my first and second rounder. Looking at the three guys we selected, 1st Rounder Bert Rogers checks in lower then expected at 4.12, but the Chicagoan ranks 11th on Tom Weinstock's new and improved 32 player first round list. 2nd Rounder Tom Jovin checks in at 2.13 and 3rd Rounder Harry Austin at 5.3, with Jovin #20 on Tom's list. The guy I want ranks 17th, and is surprisingly not on the mock. It was a wonderful week for Art White, who picked up two more wins to improve to a perfect 10-0 on the season. White threw his 9th complete game win against the Stars, allowing just 5 hits, a run, and a walk. His 10th win was the first one where he didn't go the distance, as the lefty went just 7 against his former team. The Kings got 9 hits, 4 runs (3 earned), and 6 walks in a rather stressful start for the veteran lefty, but he did strike out 4 in 7 innings pitched. He now owns a 2.05 ERA (167 ERA+) and 1.08 WHIP with 23 walks and 17 strikeouts. His ERA is tied with Bernie Johnson for second in the CA, just a single point higher then Harry Parker's. White also ranks 2nd in WHIP, this time two points higher then Parker, and despite a 1.1 WAR, his 3.7 rWAR leads all CA pitchers, with stopper Ben Curtin half a win behind him. As you'd expect, White's 10 wins lead all of baseball, two ahead of the Chiefs Rabbit Day, the Dynamos Jimmy Long, and the previously mentioned Ben Curtin. White has been well worth the hefty price tag it cost to acquire him, he should attend his fourth All Star game next month. Another guy joining him should be Ben Curtin, who has been elite all season long. He made three appearances this week, including a win and save, tossing 7 scoreless frames with 4 hits, a walk, and a strikeout. Curtin has gone 8-1 with 7 saves, a 0.64 ERA (532 ERA+) and 0.90 WHIP with 11 walks and 6 strikeouts in 42 innings pitched. He's been a huge help as we have a lot of guys who can't go the distance and he's shutdown 15 games already. One of the guys that can go the distance, but doesn't always pitch well enough to do so, is Rusty Petrick, who picked up a complete game win. He did strike out 8, but it came with 7 hits, 5 runs, and 3 walks. Dick Lyons didn't go the distance, but he looked good against the Stars, allowing 7 hits, a run, and a walk in 6 innings. He then pitched a perfect frame against the Kings, dropping his season ERA and WHIP to 2.19 (156 ERA+) and 1.14. Mike Murphy did well in his first game against his former team, picking up a win in 7 innings with 6 hits, a run, a walk, and a strikeout. He did leave with a sore ankle, but won't miss a start, the second time this season he's add to leave an outing with discomfort. Harry Parker wasn't as lucky, as errors from both as back-to-back two out errors from Hunter and Skipper cost him 4 runs and the loss. Parker left after 6, charged with 9 hits, 6 runs (2 earned), and a walk with 3 strikeouts. It was another big week for the staff, which now ranks 1st in the CA in each category except hits allowed (2nd, 467), homers allowed (t-2nd, 17), and strikeouts (4th, 159). The offense wasn't as good as usual, but our two struggling hitters Billy Hunter and Orlin Yates had outstanding weeks. Hunter's error may have cost us a win, but he went 7-for-15 at the plate with a double, walk, 2 RBIs, and 3 runs scored. Yates also had 7 hits, but it came in 27 trips to the plate. He doubled twice, stole two bases, walked four times, and both drove in and scored five times. Hunter brought up his season line to a slightly above average .248/.300/.400 (101 OPS+) while Yates' still sits at a subpar .228/.293/.284 (67 OPS+). We got support from Cliff Moss, who was 4-for-14 with 3 walks, 3 RBIs, 4 runs, and a tied for the league lead 7th home run. Hank Barnett got right back on track, 9-for-23 with a double, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 7 RBIs. Leo Mitchell's average dropped to a still league best .419, going 9-for-24 with a double, 2 RBIs, 3 runs, and 3 walks. Mitchell was riding a hit streak that ended at 21 in the second game of the double header, as he was 0-for-3 with 2 walks. Mitchell has now reached base safely in each game for nearly a month, as the last he failed to do so was on May 16th. Dick Walker was just 2-for-20, but it came with 2 steals, 6 runs, and 8 walks. That's now 70 walks for Walker in 55 games, who is also trying to put together his first 40 steal season, on track for 39. Like the staff, the lineup has been outstanding, now leading the CA in all categories except extra base hits (3rd, 135), strikeouts (3rd, 150), and base running (3rd, +9.3). Looking Ahead No rest for the wicked, as we head to Montreal for three with the Saints. We do get an off day after, but with how well we've played recently, I'm not sure I even want time off. The Saints are 22-32 and just two games ahead of the Kings for last. The Saints have added 23-year-old Jackie James (1-0, 1.98, 6) to the rotation, who has looked good in his first two big league starts. They'll need his help as the pitching hasn't been good, but they have gotten good starts from Ed Baker (5-3, 3.23, 15) and Bill Ross (6-3, 3.76, 17) has started to turn things around. If they shake Pat Weakly (4-5, 4.73, 47) our of his sophomore slump, which is probably more bad luck, as evidenced by his 2.80 FIP and 78 FIP-, they should rise up the standings due to their high powered offense. The only CA team that's scored more frequently then them is us, but when you allow even more runs (they're dead last there), it can be tough to win games. The offense is a well balanced attack, let by veteran slugger Vic Crawford (.310, 5, 38), but the top five in their lineup all have above average OPS+ and WRC+. Bernie Green (.315, 14, 4) has been a bright spot while getting regular time for the first time in his career at 36, while Jake Hughes (.314, 25, 9) and Bill Greene (.258, 2, 27, 8) offer a ton of speed ahead of Crawford. Spud Bent (.278, 3, 28) is healthy and looking good and it will be very hard to keep the Saints off the bases. We're built to win shootouts, and I think we should be able to leave town without many scratches. Our road trip then ends in the Big Apple with four games in three days against the Stars. The Stars are fresh off a road sweep of the Saints, leapfrogging them in the standings. They are now tied with the Foresters in terms of games back (15.5), but at 23-29 they have one fewer win and loss. It's been a rough season for many Stars players, but Mel Hancock may be turning things around, taking home Player of the Week after going 9-for-19 with 3 doubles, a homer, and 5 RBIs. As good as it is, the switch hitting utility man owns just a .238/.312/.311 (76 OPS+) triple slash on the season, and the homer was his first of the year. His double play partner Steve Summers (.303, 19, 4) has been another surprise, putting up average numbers at the plate in 52 games, somewhat like his 53 game sample in New York last year. They recently made a rotation change as well, promoting Ben Watkins (1-2, 4.22, 7) from the pen to the rotation, where two of his three starts have seen just two earned runs allowed. The staff will get a huge boost once Eli Panneton is officially drafted, and the #5 ranked pitcher in the FABL finished 10-2 with a 2.79 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 29 walks, and 99 strikeouts at Aberdeen College. We've done well on the road this season, and based on the competition, this should be yet another winning week for the surging Cougars. Minor League Report RHP George Oddo (A Lincoln Legislators): I covered George Oddo yesterday, as he was in a dominant run of starts, but it turns out I should have waited one sim, as our talented 21-year-old was named Pitcher of the Week in the Heartland League. Oddo made two starts, starting with 8 scoreless against Evansville as the Legislators shut them out 3-0. He did allowed 8 hits and 2 walks, but Oddo struck out 8, the third time he's had more then 8 punchouts in a game this season. He made a second start to finish the week, and while he tied his season low with 3 strikeouts, Oddo was arguably more dominant in this one. The former 8th Rounder tossed a 5-hit shutout and walked just one to improve to an impressive 8-1 on the season. Oddo dropped his ERA down to an elite 2.50 (177 ERA+) with a 1.23 WHIP, 28 walks, and 65 strikeouts. The hardworking righty will now make his way up to Mobile, where I have no doubt he will continue to dominate minor league hitters. LHP Bill Chapman (A Lincoln Legislators): It hasn't been a good season for Bill Chapman, who after finishing last season in Mobile, went down to Lincoln to start his year. When the calendar turned to May, he was just 1-3 with an inflated 6.75 ERA through 8 starts. His first start saw him throw six scoreless for his second win, and then he took it to the next level on the 8th. Chapman kept the Dusters in check all game, hurling a 4-hit shutout with 6 strikeouts in Lincoln's 4-0 win. His now 5.11 ERA (87 ERA+) is a bit more respectable, but FIP (4.18) and FIP- (94) think Chapman has actually been a bit better then the average Heartland League arm. He does have double the strikeouts (36) then walks (18) and a 1.41 WHIP in 61.2 innings, so the 20-year-old may have a few more starts like this one coming up. This is a welcomed sight for our 6th rated prospect, who now checks in at 106th in the league ranks. He's started throwing a bit harder too, going from high 80s to low 90s, but beyond his average fastball, his overall stuff is raw. He does feature six pitches, but it's a story of quantity over quality. His control is good, and when he locates his pitches he's effective, but when you don't have overpowering stuff, you have to be very precise with each offering. Chapman's age will work in his favor, and I'm really hoping a strong second half has him end his season up in Mobile. Amateur Report LHP Bert Rogers School: Wenona Commit School: Hamman 1944: 9-0, 96.2 IP, 1.30 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 20 BB, 125 K Career: 30-2, 336.1 IP, 1.23 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 69 BB, 428 K I wouldn't quite call it a perfect season for Bert Rogers, but the 17-year-old finished his senior season with a 9-0 record in 12 starts, improving to an impressive 30-2 in 42 starts. Rogers matched his personal best 35 FIP- from last season, but he saw most of numbers increase from last season's dominant showing. The three year starter showed a lot of promise at Wenona, generating a ton of groundballs while keeping the ball in the park with frequency. He's not a guy who will overpower you, sitting in the mid 80s, so keeping the ball on the ground a la Dick Lyons will be huge for Rogers. Of course, most people don't see their velo top out before they can drink in a bar, and with his work ethic I'd be shocked if he doesn't end up throwing in the 90s. That being said, he gets a ton of movement on his pitches, so he could survive on low velo, but with how his curve and slider move, a hard fastball could turn him into a top pitcher. Despite the mock not thinking of him as a first rounder, I am very happy with how Rogers is looking, and I trust Tom Weinstock a couple thousand times more then a mock draft that will probably shuffle three or four times before the draft comes around. Rogers may never be an ace, mid rotation is more likely, but I imagine the hard worker will exceed expectations while pitching for his hometown team. RF Tom Jovin School: Pocahontas Commit School: Coastal State 1944: .466/.543/.699, 128 PA, 14 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 32 RBI, 7 SB Career: .472/.550/.725, 354 PA, 42 2B, 6 3B, 6 HR, 87 RBI, 18 SB It wasn't a great season for the three year starter, but Tom Jovin did manage to play more this season then the previous two. The downside was he set lows in all three triple slash categories, while striking out more this year (6) then the previous two seasons combined (5). Granted, all the numbers are still relatively close, and there is a lot to like about the young outfielder. A natural right fielder who can handle all three positions, Jovin's bat brings the most appeal, as he could end up .300 hitter with a strong eye and a little pop. Strikeouts could end up an issue, as he doesn't always make contact on off speed pitches, but velocity doesn't scare him and he can hit the ball hard and far. OSA is a huge fan, dubbing the now 18-year-old a future elite right fielder, but they may be a little too optimistic. I think Jovin should develop into a well above average hitter, but more Cliff Moss then Bobby Barrell. LF Harry Austin School: New Athens Commit School: Smithfield College 1944: .525/.541/.747, 109 PA, 12 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 34 RBI, 7 SB Career: .525/.541/.747, 109 PA, 12 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 34 RBI, 7 SB Hey, I guess he can hit! It was a huge season at the plate for our regional pick, as 17-year-old Harry Austin was second to just 6th Overall Pick Nick Remillard in batting average for draft eligible players. Sure, Austin doesn't really walk (5), but he strikes out (3) even less and punishes pitchers for leaving the ball in the zone. His .525 average is one of the highest marks overall, and while I'd like to see more the just two homers, he showcased his elite hit tool. Unfortunately he's a one tool prospect, but he's young and raw, and could develop a second tool to a plus or higher level. If he hits he'll start in the big leagues, but with power he could really flourish. I expect him to take some time to adjust to minor league pitchers, but if you need someone to put the ball in play, he's your guy.

10-26-2022, 07:28 PM	#922
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 9: June 12th-June 18th Weekly Record: 5-2 Seasonal Record: 45-17 (1st, 10 GA) Stars of the Week Leo Mitchell: 29 AB, 11 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI, .379 AVG, 1.040 OPS Ken Matson: 1 Win, 1 Saves, 10.0 IP, 4 BB, 5 K, 0.00 ERA Harry Mead: 21 AB, 7 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .333 AVG, .924 OPS Schedule 6-12: Win at Saints (3-0) 6-13: Loss at Saints (3-4): 12 innings 6-14: Win at Saints (7-2) 6-16: Win at Stars (8-1) 6-17: Win at Stars (6-4): 10 innings 6-18: Win at Stars (6-4) 6-18: Loss at Stars (1-2) Recap I know things eventually have to come back to normal, but can it wait until after the season? Please! We continued to cruise through our schedule, picking up five more wins to expand our lead to double digits over the Wolves. We did this even with dropping both of our one run games, and we have near identical home (22-9) and road (23-8) records which are both better then our 16-7 record in those pesky one run games. We have a ton of momentum built up and it seems like nothing will get in our way. There will be a roster move for the upcoming week, with Lyn Trease returning to Chicago and Chick Browning heading back down. Trease struggled to start his rehab, but the 24-year-old finished his 7 start stint with back-to-back scoreless starts. Browning appeared in 14 games off the bench, going 4-for-12 with a double and steal. After his nightmare of a week two weeks ago, Ken Matson did a complete 180, dominating the Saints to start the week. He tossed a 4-hit shutout with 4 walks and 5 strikeouts to improve to 3-4 on the season. He then picked up his first save, cleaning up Ben Curtin's mistake after he blew what would have been Art White's 11th win. He allowed a hit, but got a pair of grounders to finish the inning. Matson still has a highly inflated 4.53 ERA (75 ERA+), but his FIP is a much more respectable 3.25 (96 FIP-) and he's back under Petrick for ERA. Rusty did pick up a complete game win, however, despite 7 walks, 4 hits, and 4 runs with 4 strikeouts. I mentioned White should have had an 11th win, as he went 8 with 10 hits, 5 walks, 2 strikeouts, and an unearned run. Ben Curtin had his rare bad outing, allowing 4 hits and 3 runs in the 9th. He did get the win, as we retook the lead in the 10th, and he also picked up his 8th save in the finale in Montreal. Harry Parker and Mike Murphy both stayed hot and picked up another win. Neither went the distance, with Parker going 7.2 innings with 4 hits, 2 runs, a walk, and 3 strikeouts, while Murphy was an out shy of a complete game, charged with just 3 hits, 4 walks, a run, and 3 strikeouts. Dick Lyons made a pair of starts, but the now 44-year-old picked up a no decision and loss. He went 6 in Montreal, allowing 6 hits, 3 runs, and 2 walks. He then lost the second day of the double header in New York, going just 5 with 8 hits, 2 runs, and a walk. Our trusty vet is starting to show signs of his age, but his 2.47 ERA (137 ERA+) and 1.20 WHIP are still very solid. Lyons has tallied 76.2 innings with just 12 walks and 4 strikeouts, but I'm not sure how many innings he has left. Cal Knight picked up the other loss, allowing 3 hits and 3 walks, with just one run, in an inning plus. Merritt Thomas faired much better, tossing 5 scoreless innings with 5 hits, 2 walks, and a strikeout. A lot of the focus in the pen has been on Curtin, but Thomas has put together seven consecutive scoreless appearances to drop his season ERA to 1.76 (192 ERA+). It was another big week for Leo Mitchell, who went 11-for-29 with a double, 2 homers, 5 RBIs, 2 walks, and 6 runs scored. It's crazy when a .379 average and .419 OBP lower your season marks, but the FABL's lone .400 hitter is maintaining his historic .415/.454/.541 (187 OPS+) batting line, and he's doing something I never thought I would ever see. Well, other then the .400 part of course. But Mitchell is walking (20) almost as often as he's striking out (27). Harry Mead went 7-for-21 with a double, homer, 3 walks, 4 runs, and 4 RBIs. His backup Mike Taylor was just as effective, 2-for-6 with a double, walk, and RBI. Cliff Moss was just 4-for-19, but with a double, triple, homer, 4 walks, 4 RBIs, and 5 runs scored. Billy Hunter went 6-for-19 with a double, steal, 2 runs, 3 walks, and 5 RBIs. Reserves Jimmie James and Dan Fowler were both 2-for-3, but James' was far more involved, with a double, homer, 2 RBIs, 3 runs, and 4 walks. Dick Walker was just 4-for-27, but it came with 8 walks, 3 doubles, 3 runs, and an RBI. That's 78 walks compared to just 48 hits, as he continues to walk at an unheard of pace. Looking Ahead This week is rather boring, as it's almost a carbon copy of last week. Instead of three in Montreal and four in New York, we host both the Saints and Stars for four. The double header is to finish the week, and then we'll get a pair of off days. In universe those two days are for the draft, which in real life will take place tomorrow. No sim Friday as we need to finish the draft, and I am very looking forward to making the first pick. I'm pretty settled on who I want to take, as the guy I'm leaning towards ranks very high on my scouts list, and even though he's exactly the type of player I reach for, I actually think he's the best player available. He's not Duke Bybee, don't get me wrong, but he projects to be an impressive big leaguer. What takes the pressure off a little is we'll also pick 12th, which means I can make a reach pick as their are a lot of guys I have my eye on and depending on how the draft shakes out, I may want to ensure I get them early instead of waiting too long. We have 11 picks to work with, but as always, don't be surprised if we try to pick up a pick or two. Starting again with the Saints, who have now dropped to 25-36 and almost 20 games out of first. I covered them yesterday, so I won't add too much, but the Saints pitchers are still not getting any production from talented pitchers like Pat Weakley (4-6, 4.89, 51) and Jake DeYoung (3-7, 5.11, 41), while even Bill Ross (6-3, 3.59, 20) has been just average. With four games, we'll get to see most of their staff, and I like our chances scoring off them. Even better, we allowed just 6 runs in the 3 games against the CA's #2 offense, and I'm hoping we can seen more of the same this week. The Stars have began to look a bit better, with Eddie Hite (7-3, 3.35, 14) looking better and Billy Riley (5-7, 3.69, 42) is coming off back-to-back starts with 1-run complete games. They still aren't getting much offense, but Chubby Hall (.249, 6, 30) and Elijah Bourdeau (.266, 19, 4) are starting to turn things around. I'm hoping for a repeat of last week, but I know that sooner then later we will start to slip up. Minor League Report RHP Ron Sexton (A Lincoln Legislators): It took him a while to get going, but 23-year-old Ron Sexton is on a nice run of starts, allowing two or fewer runs in each of the last four. The most recent was the best, as Sexton kept the Steelman lineup at bay, tossing a 5-hit shutout with a walk and 3 strikeouts as Lincoln shutdown Gary 7-0. This improved Sexton to 5-3 with a 4.37 ERA (102 ERA+) and 1.36 WHIP in 59.2 innings pitched. He's struck out 25 while walking 18, and while he did look rusty to start the season, things are starting to fall his way. The former 5th Round selection by Pittsburgh back in 1938, his season ended in early May with a torn flexor tendon, and his recovery was setback to further delay his return. This was his fourth injury, which isn't all that bad, but considering it was one of two that lasted more then 8 months and the New Jersey native has missed a lot of time in his young career. When we first acquired him at the age of just 18, I had high hopes for Sexton, but the injuries have taken a hit on his talent. His command isn't great and his stuff won't make up for it, but he has a good slider and wouldn't be lost starting games at the highest level. Sexton profiles more as a filler arm then a reliable starter, but he's Rule-5 eligible and may excite a team enough to give him an extended big league look.

10-27-2022, 06:08 PM	#923
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 10: June 19th-June 25th Well, this is unfortunate... I had a nice big writeup, and then it was lost in the dark void that is the internet. Long story short, draft is underway, and we are now 50-20 after a decent 5-3 week. Art White is undefeated no longer, Leo Mitchell is on a triple crown pace, and Dick Walker finally walked less frequently then he played games for the week. We have an 8 game lead over the Wolves, who we get three games in two days up north to finish the week, after three in Cincy with the Cannons.

10-27-2022, 11:01 PM	#924
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	1944 Draft: Round 4 4th Round, 49th Overall: SS George Sutterfield School: Georgia Baptist 1944: .282/.353/.410, 258 PA, 11 2B, 6 3B, 2 HR, 41 RBI, 32 SB Career: .282/.353/.410, 258 PA, 11 2B, 6 3B, 2 HR, 41 RBI, 32 SB We kicked things off in part two of the draft with a player I've had my eye on since January, George Sutterfield. I'm always skeptical of taking guys without stats, which is why I held off, but it definitely helped knowing that the Nashville native could not be a regional selection. Instead, the Georgia Baptist grad will kick off Round 4, after a very good season against some of the best college competition out there. The now 22-year-old shortstop hit .282 with 19 extra base hits and 32 steals in 51 games for the Gators. A talented and hard working infielder, Sutterfield is quick which I'm hoping leads to great range, and he has a really strong throwing arm. His value lies more with his bat, although he should still be an above average defender, as Sutterfield hits the ball hard up the middle. He can get a little pull happy, with a lot of line drives going to left field, but he has good pitch recognition skills and should be able to draw a lot of walks. OSA thinks he's going to be a star, which seems a bit like a pipe dream, but he has the perfect combination of natural talent, athleticism, and work ethic, which really raises the young infielders ceiling. There's no way he'd replace Skipper, but he could push Otto off third before he even returns from the service. I'd like Sutterfield to man short every day in the minors, but depending on how advanced Tom thinks he is, he could be set for Lincoln before rising up the ladder quickly. 4th Round, 60th Overall: RHP Mike Thorpe School: Americus University 1944: 4-7, 112 IP, 4.66 ERA, 1.72 WHIP, 64 BB, 42 K Career: 4-7, 112 IP, 4.66 ERA, 1.72 WHIP, 64 BB, 42 K Pardon me while I grab this step stool so I can reach for my pick! The perks of having an extra fourth round pick is you get to chase upside. Or in this case, a someone who "appears to be a quality arm now who can fill a mid-rotation slot." I'm not sure if the scouting report accuracy is "Very High" or if that's just Tom Weinstock, who despite a mediocre showing at Americus, thinks Thorpe could go straight to the big leagues. Is this the case? I'd hesitate to lock in your bets on a debut, but he does ranks inside Weinstock's top 10 for pitchers. And in terms of readiness, he'll be 22 on draft day and is listed as a current starter. He's a soft tosser and his stuff isn't great, but he has a really good splitter that I'm guessing carries him through games. He has a rubber arm and has great command, so I can see him pitching complete game after complete game, and Dick Lyons has shown that stuff is optional if you can throw slop that's hard to get a hold of. Of course, with our pitching depth, there's no way Thorpe will be penciled into a rotation spot, but I'd love to start him in AA if he doesn't have any red arrows. There's a lot of risk with this pick, but a few of the safer guys I wanted were taken and there isn't another Sutterfield like player available. With all the risk in this pick, I'm likely to go much safer in the 5th Round, but with all the extra picks coming up, I can get creative with my selections. Last edited by ayaghmour2; 10-31-2022 at 09:19 PM.

10-28-2022, 04:30 PM	#925
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	1944 Draft: Rounds 5 and 6 5th Round, 76th Overall: RHP Lonnie Sis School: Winnebago Commit School: President's College 1944: 8-2, 95.2 IP, 1.32 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 24 BB, 134 K Career: 12-2, SV, 145 IP, 1.30 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 40 BB, 203 K When your dad plays major league baseball, you can almost assume you'll get drafted. But when your dad wins nearly 400 FABL games, you're going to be a highly touted prospect no matter how good you throw the ball. Lonnie Sis is no exception, as "The Sizzler" was taken with our 5th Round pick. His dad, Charlie, was a legend with the Wolves, pitching in a whopping 710 games between 1904 and 1921. From 1904 to 1905 he was a Pioneer, and despite a league best 32 wins and 1.48 ERA (169 ERA+), he didn't surface in the majors again until 1909 with Toronto. That's when the St. James Sizzler really made his mark, starting a 9 year run with 44 or more starts. In his 15 year career, the elder Sis led the league in wins four times, ERA four times, games three times, starts five times, innings five times, strikeouts three times, WHIP three times, and WAR four times. All told, Sis went 395-248 with a 2.29 ERA (133 ERA+) and 1.09 WHIP while striking out an FABL best 3,462 batters in 6,031 innings pitched. All time, he ranks 9th in ERA, second in wins, 5th in games (710), 3rd in starts (686), first in shutouts (94), second in innings, and second in WAR (146.36). I'd be very surprised if anyone comes close to any of those ranks other then strikeouts, as a healthy Peter the Heater striking out 250 batters for 14 seasons seems very doable. Of course, it would be unfair to expect anything close to legendary from Lonnie, and we don't need him to fill in his dad's shoes. We just want him to do what he does best, improve his craft. The soon-to-be 18-year-old from St. James, Minnesota grew up about an hour and a half away from potential future rotation mates Johnny and Donnie Jones, and he put together two solid seasons of high school ball. After splitting time between the pen and rotation last year, Sis started all 13 of his appearances, and maintained his impressive 12.6 K/9 while actually dropping his BB/9 over half a point. His ERA was a bit higher, but he lowered his WHIP and flashed a ton of promise for a young arm. An extremely dedicated worker, Sis' coaches love his work ethic, and they say you wouldn't know his dad was a Hall of Famer by his effort level, as he takes nothing for granted and works tirelessly to improve each day. He's already upped his velocity to the low 90s, and with a few more years I can see him sitting comfortably in the mid-to-high 90s. His stuff is raw, but once fully developed he should feature a whiff inducing change up, knee-buckling curve, and biting cutter that he can attack hitters with up in the zone. He's got to hone in on his command, but his pitches all have a lot of late life, and it's hard to make good contact on his offerings. Right now he profiles more as a back of the rotation arm, but I'm betting on his baseball blood and stellar work ethic, which can be the perfect combination for success in the highest levels. 6th Round, 92nd Overall: CF Dick Pace School: Greenwood College 1944: .283/.370/.389, 284 PA, 10 2B, 2 3B, 4 HR, 40 RBI, 36 SB Career: .300/.385/.389, 778 PA, 26 2B, 5 3B, 8 HR, 121 RBI, 110 SB A three year starter at Greenwood College, Dick Pace had a rather successful college career. In terms of average and OBP, his junior year was the first season below .300/.390, but he matched his freshman personal bests for doubles, triples, and homers. A bit on the older side, Pace is already 22, and will be 23 in December. This could lead to a quick rise up the system, and he likely skips a few minor league levels once he signs. I'm not sure if Pace can stick in center, but we do really like his bat. He can barrel up the ball consistently, and with his speed you can expect a lot of extra base hits. He's got a good eye too, walking far more the he struck out at Greenwood, but I expect these to level out a bit against tougher competitions. Pace should be able to draw a lot of walks, and his speed will help turn those into doubles, making him a very useful table setter. OSA is a huge fan, thinking he's an above average everyday player, while Tom leans towards more average. Unlike some of our earlier picks, I don't expect much growth, as Pace doesn't show the same drive as some of his new teammates. I'm not too worried, as he's a high floor, low ceiling type player, so we don't need him to grow too much. Last edited by ayaghmour2; 10-28-2022 at 09:06 PM.

10-28-2022, 09:05 PM	#926
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	1944 Draft: Round 7 7th Round, 97th Overall: 3B Buddy Brumbaugh School: Wallingford Commit School: Piedmont University 1944: .430/.513/.580, 119 PA, 12 2B, HR, 28 RBI, 3 SB Career: .440/.517/.590, 241 PA, 24 2B, 2 HR, 57 RBI, 8 SB We started out the 7th Round with our first of three picks with a guy I think lasted a bit longer then he should have. That would be 18-year-old third basemen Buddy Brumbaugh, who both OSA and Tom Weinstock are huge fans of. OSA says reliable hitter, Tom think's he deserves a lion's share of the account, but the stats don't quite agree. He didn't impress too much in his two seasons at Wallingford, and he managed just two longballs in 241 trips to the plate. That's not too inspiring for someone who mans at the hot corner, and Buddy is more one of those guys who puts the ball in play all the time. He struck out just 13 times, using his great swing to make consistent contact. He's not a great defender, but well above average at third, as while his range isn't shortstop level, he makes little-to-no errors and he has a very nice arm. Brumbaugh ranks high on Tom's list too, checking right outside the top 30, which more or less translates to a second round pick. We'd like him to show more hustle, but he's young and has a lot of room to grow, and we're excited to work with the youngster. 7th Round, 108th Overall: C Bill Martin School: St. Francis de Sales Commit School: Darnell State 1944: .464/.524/.670, 128 PA, 8 2B, 5 HR, 32 RBI, 2 SB Career: .446/.508/.647, 256 PA, 18 2B, 9 HR, 66 RBI, 10 SB As a diehard Toronto Blue Jays fan, I almost feel like it is my obligation to follow in my favorite team's footsteps and acquire as many players with big league connections as possible. This one's still playing, as Bill's dad Bob doesn't live to far from Cougars Park, as he suits up every day for the crosstown Chiefs. Since he was selected in the 3rd Round way back in 1925, Bob Martin has been a huge force for the Chiefs, appearing in 2,003 games since a cup of coffee back in 1928. From 1929-1938, "Mr. Automatic" has appeared in 145 or more games, with just the 1938 season coming with less then 150 games. A pair of injuries in ;'39 cost him the streak, and then after a major injury in 1940, Martin has yet to appear in 145 contests again. Despite all that, he's been a consistently well above average hitter, slashing .329/.371/.448 (119 OPS+) with 403 doubles, 127 triples, 110 homers, 262 steals, and 1,030 RBIs. The now 37-year-old has had some issues, dealing with a strained rib cage muscle while hitting just .273/.311/.299 (75 OPS+), but from '29-'38 he was one of the most consistent hitters in baseball, and he holds the Chief's career records for average (.329), at bats (8,310), runs (1,344), hits (2,735), and total bases (3,722), and he's just two games shy of Jim Hampton's 2,005. Now it would be foolish to expect "Mr. Semi-Automatic" to come anywhere near that level of success, but we are really excited to add the young catcher to our system. A two year starter at St. Francis de Sales, a Catholic school in Chicago, Martin showcased some decent pop, coming a homer away from 10 in his two seasons there. Just like his dad, he should also hit for a high average, but if he can showcase the power in the minors, that would be a huge add. Defense may be his strong suit, however, as both OSA and Tom Weinstock rave about his defense. Tom calls him a natural defender, which may mean he can handle third and first like his dad (and maybe even second!), while OSA raves about his receiving skills and arm. Add in his intensity, poise, and thorough preparation skills, and the sky may be the limit for the young backstop. Tom and OSA both view him more as a bench guy then a starter, but I think they're not giving him enough credit. I think he's got all the tools to play everyday, and while he's not currently a threat to top 50 prospect and likely heir apparent to Harry Mead, you can never have too many quality catching prospects. He'll have La Crosse all to himself, getting everyday time behind the plate, but as time goes by, if there's ever a positional crunch I may try to work him out at first and third as well. 7th Round, 112th Overall: LHP Ron Berry School: Elm Springs Commit School: California Catholic 1944: 7-1, 83 IP, 1.19 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 20 BB, 138 K Career: 19-2, 2 SV, 1.30 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 64 BB, 370 K We got to start and finish the 7th, grabbing southpaw Ron Berry with the final pick in the round. A three year starter at Elm Springs in Arkansas, Ron Berry took a huge leap from a sophomore to a junior, as after splitting time in the pen and rotation, he finished his high school career with 26 consecutive starts. He was dominant as a junior, going a perfect 9-0 with a 0.94 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, 23 walks, and 176 strikeouts in 95.1 innings pitched. His 0.57 FIP and 14 FIP- were absolutely absurd, as Berry allowed just 2 homers and had a stellar 7.7 K/BB and 6.6 WAR. A three pitch pitcher, it's hard to get to the young southpaw, who has the classic short term memory you need in baseball, as he knows his stuff can get him through any slump or tough inning. His command isn't the greatest, but his changeup is elite and will only get better as he works past the mid 80s. His slider is a plus pitch, and while his fastball is just average, a bump in velo would solve that problem. Berry also isn't built like your prototypical starter, just 5'7'' and weighing 135 soaking wet, but he's got a decent ceiling and could push past just a spot starter. As with any young arm, there is a ton of risk, but his stuff is incredible and he has the chance to put up huge strikeout numbers at each level.

10-29-2022, 12:22 PM	#927
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	1944 Draft: Round 8 8th Round, 115th Overall: 2B Bill Cook School: Fort Lee Commit School: Georgia Baptist 1944: .427/.517/.625, 119 PA, 10 2B, 3 HR, 27 RBI, 3 SB Career: .425/.521/.610, 361 PA, 35 2B, 2 3B, 5 HR, 75 RBI, 12 SB We had three picks again in the 8th including back-to-back picks at 3 and 4. I started with second basemen Bill Cook, who was born in the Big Apple and attended Fort Lee, a bit north of Manhattan in New Jersey. The bat wasn't great, but Cook put up matching 1.8 WARs in each of his three seasons, as well as scoring 32 times each go of it. It was, however, good enough to catch the eye of Georgia Baptist, the alma mater of 4th Rounder George Sutterfield, but we won't let him fulfil that commitment. I was intrigued by the pop he displayed as a senior, hitting three homers after just a single one in each of his first two years. He was known more for his eye, finishing his prep career with a bit more then twice as walks (57) as strikeouts (23). We're betting on Cook's that eye, his athleticism, and hit tool to make up for his lack of speed. He's not one of the more exciting prospects we picked up, but Cook does check in on the Mock as a 4th Rounder, and Tom thinks he could force his way into a lineup. The bat will have to carry him and I hope he can put on some pounds to send a few balls out of the park. 8th Round, 116th Overall: CF Johnny Carlisle School: Cowpens State 1944: .296/.348/.377, 284 PA, 9 2B, 6 3B, 43 RBI, 38 SB Career: .308/.356/.433, 811 PA, 34 2B, 19 3B, 7 HR, 135 RBI, 113 SB A speedy three year starter at Cowpens State, 1944 was a bit of a down year for Johnny Carlisle, as he failed to hit a single homer and didn't reach double digit doubles for the first time in his college career. He did set a personal best with 15 walks, but after a 4-to-1 walk-to-strikeout rate as a freshman, he struck out one more time then he walked in each of the subsequent seasons. Still, the Memphis native has an exciting bat, as he consistently barrels up the ball and with his speed he's always a threat to take the extra base. That also translates to great base stealing and excellent range out in center, as Carlisle's blazing speed is one of his best assets. His pitch recognition skills are strong too, but he's a groundball hitter who will probably end up with more inside the park homers then one's that leave the yard. What's very interesting about Carlisle is that he played a little shortstop, which means he either has really good range or a really strong arm. The 22-year-old has the perfect profile for a super utility guy despite not having any experience at third, second, or first, because he can handle short and center. With his speed and versatility, it will make it hard to keep him out of the lineup, and I think he could turn into a Cy Howard or Arnie Scurlock type player. These guys can play all over the field, and when in our organization, they tended to be "bench" guys who would rotate between many positions. 6th Rounder Dick Pace is likely to get the everyday at bats out in center up in San Jose, so there's not an obvious opening, but we have a lot of spots open for infielders. Al Clement at short is the only locked down position, and we actually have another outfielder, the recently promoted Alex Snyder, playing first every day. Carlisle's versatility will always work into his favor, as he'll have to hit really bad to be kept out of the lineup. Even if he doesn't play every day, he can function as a super utility guy, getting starts regularly just at a different position each time. 8th Round, 124th Overall: RHP Al Robison School: North Smithfield Commit School: Maryland State 1944: 7-1, 84.2 IP, 1.38 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 32 BB, 123 K Career: 14-2, 169.2 IP, 1.49 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 62 BB, 234 K An imposing 6'4'' figure who won't be 18 for a few more months, Al Robinson is the prototypical projectable pitcher. You bet on his size and strength, and the fact that he can already hit 90 on the radar gun. A two year starter at North Smithfield, Robison took a step forward in year two, matching his 7-1 record with an improve ERA, WHIP, and K/9. He did walk a few more batters, but Robison's stuff was very overpowering, and it's really hard to elevate any of his pitches. He's not very susceptible to the longball and he features a slider that wracks up whiffs. That's easily his headliner, as his fastball, change, and curve are all average at best. Most tall young pitchers add speed as they fill out, so don't be surprised if Robison doesn't top out at 90 forever. He's a hard worker who needs a bit more time, but he enjoys pitching and could work his way into the back-end of a rotation. With improved command, he could also become more effective, as he'll likely never spot an above average walk rate. If we can improve the stuff or command, Robison could be the next George Oddo, another 6'4'' righty who was our 8th Rounder back in 1941. Oddo throws just 88-90 now, but he was sitting in the low 80s as a senior. I expect Robison to be a slow mover, but one that is well worth the wait.

10-29-2022, 11:49 PM	#928
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	1944 Draft: Rounds 9 and 10 9th Round, 140th Overall: RHP Cliff Wallace School: North East Commit School: Columbia Military Academy 1944: 8-2, 105.2 IP, 1.62 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 40 BB, 149 K Career: 24-10, 350.1 IP, 1.77 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 121 BB, 443 K I'll be honest, I didn't even look at our 9th Rounder's commit school, as Cliff Wallace was planning on enrolling at the Columbia Military Academy. I'm not worried about him fulfilling that commitment, but I wonder if that means he's more likely to join Uncle Sam in the war out east. I'd love for the three year starter to stay and pitch with us, as he struck out a career best 149 batters in a career low 105.2 innings pitched. The strikeouts did come with some more walks, but what's not to like about a 6'5'' righty who can strike batters out? Sure, he's a side armer, so I don't expect him to light up the radar gun, but his extension is impressive, and his slider could be a knockout pitch. His command isn't great, but effectively wild could be an interesting profile for Wallace. He sits in the mid 80s now, but I know that won't be his cap. Wallace's fastball isn't anything special, so the increased velocity would be huge, and the faster it gets the more effective his change will become. Tom already thinks he could develop into a back-end starter, which would be impressive value from a late round pick. 10th Round, 156th Overall: Everett Fuller School: Rainier College 1944: .263/.373/.382, 313 PA, 9 2B, 5 3B, 4 HR, 48 RBI, 35 SB Career: .269/.379/.384, 880 PA, 26 2B, 13 3B, 11 HR, 117 RBI, 102 SB I was out all day (which is why this post is so late), so I didn't spend as much time as usual with my last pick. I defaulted to an old reliable pick and grabbed a versatile college kid from a prestigious school. A three year starter at Rainier College, Everett Fuller played all around the diamond, recording starts at second, third, short, center, and right. The speedy Pittsburgh kid is excellent at getting on base, walking (124) more then he strikes out (71), and for him a walk can be as good as a double. Fuller also displays great range in both the infield and outfield, and he's always working on improving his skills. The bat does need some work, as he doesn't hit many line drives, but as a righty he can take advantage of his slow rollers on the pull side. With his versatility there is a lot we can do with him, and while I don't know what position he'll start playing at, I know that it's not going to be the last position he stays at.

10-31-2022, 06:18 PM	#929
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 11: June 26th-July 2nd Weekly Record: 1-5 Seasonal Record: 51-25 (1st, 7 GA) Stars of the Week Hank Barnett : 24 AB, 8 H, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .333 AVG, .860 OPS Harry Mead : 18 AB, 7 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .389 AVG, 1.061 OPS Leo Mitchell : 26 AB, 8 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .308 AVG, .615 OPS Schedule 6-28: Loss at Cannons (3-4) 6-29: Loss at Cannons (0-1) 6-30: Loss at Cannons (3-4) 7-1: Loss at Wolves (2-8) 7-2: Loss at Wolves (3-7) 7-2: Win at Wolves (5-3): 11 innings Recap Well, it finally happened. The Cougars had a bad week. And it was a really bad one at that... I was definitely worried about this week, as we had to deal with both the Cannons and the Wolves on the road. The Cannons swept us, doing something they haven't had much success at, winning all three games by a single run. The Wolves then took two of three, dropping our lead over them to just 7. While 7 is still nice, it's not very comfortable, and we will have to turn things around quickly. The draft gives a nice boost to our system, and we now have a bunch of players to sign. We have to sign each of our picks in the first five rounds, as well as all three of our 7th Rounders, 8th Rounder Al Robison, and our 15th Round Selection. Generally I try to get more impossible guys, but it totally slipped my mind this time, meaning we will have to make a lot of cuts. A decent amount of our picks already cracked the top 500, with 13th Rounder Bob Harris (292nd), 9th Rounder Lou Thomas (293rd), 8th Rounder Johnny Carlisle (308th), 11th Rounder Max Tanner (405th), 9th Rounder Cliff Wallace (445th), 11th Rounder Larry Day (463rd), and 11th Rounder Howie Sharp (498th). I was surprised all three of our 11th Rounders were ranked, and you can read more about them and the rest of the AI picks in a bit. There are big changes coming to the draft next time around, including the entirety being done in January, a lottery for the first two rounds, and the eventual inclusion of draft leagues. Obviously we had a lot of issues this week, winning just one game, and our high powered offense ran out of gas. Just Harry Mead and Hank Barnett had much success, as Leo Mitchell's average dipped below .400 for the first time all season. The outfielder went just 8-for-26 with, still over .300, to drop his average to a still league best .395. Harry Mead stayed hot, going 7-for-18 with 4 doubles, 2 runs, a walk, and RBI. Hank Barnett was 8-for-24 with a double, homer, 3 runs, and 3 RBIs. Mitchell and Barnett now both have 9 homers and 49 RBIs, sharing the CA lead. Jimmie James looked good in limited time, 3-for-8 with a homer and 3 RBIs. Dick Walker had his worst week of the year, just 4-for-23 with only 3 walks. He did add a triple, steal, RBI, and 3 runs, but he's now on pace for just 178 walks. Our rightfield platoon really struggled, with Langton and Moss going just 3-for-24 despite not a single strikeout. I knew eventually we'd hit a wall, but let's hope that we can get back on our feet quickly. If you had Rusty Petrick with the only Cougar win on your bingo card, you would have struck gold this week, as the inconsistent slinger carried the Cougars in our 11 inning, lone win of the week. Matson went all 11, allowing just 7 hits and a run, but with 6 walks and just 2 strikeouts. Petrick has now won his last four starts, improving to a shockingly good 6-2 with a 4.23 ERA (81 ERA+) and 1.37 WHIP. He's struck out 58 in 95.2 innings, and his 4.5 BB/9 is the lowest in inning full season of his career. Petrick didn't have the best start of the week, however, that went to Harry Parker, who we could not score for. The talented righty allowed just 4 hits and a run with 2 strikeouts in 8 innings pitched. Parker has as shot for the triple crown, a win (9) and strikeout (62) short of a share of the CA lead with an FABL best 1.84 ERA (185 ERA+). Dick Lyons had a decent start of his own, 5.1 innings with 6 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), and a strikeout. Since turning 44, he's allowed just 4 earned runs in 18.1 innings with a pair of walks and strikeouts. Of course, in a week where we struggled, there were a lot of poor pitching performances. Art White had his worst start of the season, charged with 8 hits and 8 runs (5 earned) with a single walk and strikeout in 6.2 innings pitched. Mike Murphy also had his worst start, 7 hits, 7 runs, 3 walks, and a strikeout in just 3 innings. With the All Star game coming up, Murphy might have cost himself a spot, but White should join Parker at the game. Ken Matson's start wasn't great, but he was an out away from a complete game, as Charlie Ross finished us off with a sac-fly in the 9th. Matson allowed 10 hits, 4 runs, and 2 walks with 4 strikeouts. The pen was pretty reliable, with Cal Knight tossing 4 scoreless with 3 hits and 3 walks. Lyn Trease made his first start since returning from rehab, allowing 2 hits and 4 walks with 2 strikeouts in 2.1 scoreless frames. Ben Curtin wasn't his sharpest, allowing a run and 4 hits with a walk and 2 strikeouts in 2.2 innings pitched. We'll need to pitch better as we look to shake off this rough week, but at least we'll have the All Star break from the 10th to 14th to recover. As usual, my ballot is stuffed with Cougars, but a lot of them really deserve it. Looking Ahead It won't get any easier, as after the off day, we'll have to deal with those pesky Cleveland Foresters. At 35-39, they are having a vastly improved season, seven games clear of the cellar they've been occupying for most of the past few seasons. The breakout of Ducky Davis has been huge, as the Foresters have a legit young arm to build around. A 4th Rounders just under two years ago, Ducky's ten starts have been impressive, going 5-2 with a 2.28 ERA (156 ERA+), 1.19 WHIP, 29 walks, and 32 strikeouts in 83 innings pitched. Davis was even named Pitcher of the Month, going a perfect 5-0 with a 1.41 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 50 impressive innings. Good pitching has been hard to come by lately for Cleveland, so when you combine Ducky's breakout with Johnny Slaney (8-4, 3.70, 44) and George Rotondi's (8-7, 3.32, 51) relative success, the Foresters aren't getting blown out each game anymore. The issue now is that they can't score, dead last in runs scored and bottom half in nearly every offensive category. It hasn't been all bad at the plate, as they hit a lot of extra bases, and the Foresters have got good seasons from Brooks Meeks (.312, 6, 36, 3), Lou Balk (.312, 6, 36, 3), and Jim Adams Jr. (.275, 1, 21, 4). We'll have to be at our best, with four games in three days, but a reversal of fortune could be exactly what we need to get right back on track. We then finish the week with four more games in three days, concluding the second half with a series in Philadelphia. The Sailors are back over .500, sitting at 37-35 and closer to last (9 GA) then first (12 GB). Karl Wallace has started to implode, as a rough stretch of starts has brought him to 6-5 with a 4.60 ERA (77 ERA+), 1.52 WHIP, 33 walks, and 27 strikeouts. Veteran Doc Newell (4-8, 2.80, 46) is now the only remaining above average pitcher in the rotation in terms of ERA+, but Ray McCarthy (5-3, 3.61, 23) is close and stopper Hannibal Davis (3-1, 10, 2.06, 27) has been very reliable late in games. If we can avoid Newell, we should be able to score a ton of runs, but the Sailors generally score up to their pitching. 4th in runs scored and allowed, the offense is stronger, as they sport one of the best corner infields in baseball. Both Marion Boismenu (.371, 2, 36, 3) and Frank Covarrubias (.342, 1, 17, 2) should be representing the Sailors at the All Star Game, and while he's definitely cooled, Joseph Mills (.282, 6, 36) has continued to slug for a team that doesn't hit many homers. After a rough week, these two series are crucial, as we can't let the Wolves get any closer. The Stars helped us out, sweeping the Wolves in Toronto to finish the month, but they have a much easier task of topping the Saints and Kings to finish off the first half. Technically we could fall out of first if things go absolutely wrong, but your Chicago Cougars should lead the Continental Association for the Midsummer Classic. Minor League Report CF Don Lee (AAA Milwaukee Blues): I know, I know, he should be in Chicago, but Yates is a good defender and I really don't want to cut anyone. It's getting to the point where it's next to impossible to keep Don Lee in AAA, as the the talented outfielder was named Batter of the Month in the Century League. Lee hit an impressive .340/.455/.575 (190 OPS+) with 6 doubles, 2 triples, 5 homers, 6 steals, and 23 RBIs, while sporting an impressive 25-to-8 walk-to-strikeout ratio. This upped Lee's season line to an elite .301/.436/.492 (161 OPS+) with double the walks (58) as strikeouts (23) while accumulating nearly a 4 WAR. Rap has recorded 16 doubles, 4 triples, 7 homers, 10 steals, and 42 RBIs with an exactly even 1.000 efficiency out in center. With the All Star break right around the corner, the earliest Lee will get his Cougar threads would be for the week of the 24th. At that time I will reassess things, as Yates is running out of time to improve his .218/.287/.283 (65 OPS+) line, or else he will fade back into fourth outfielder obscurity. RHP Angel Lopez (AAA Milwaukee Blues): Another monthly award sweep, as the dominant Blues took both Batter and Pitcher of the Month. Angel Lopez finally picked up his first loss of the season, gong 5-1 with a 2.72 ERA (138 ERA+), 1.19 WHIP, 17 walks, and 19 strikeouts. This actually rose his season ERA to 1.85 ERA (203 ERA+) in just over 100 innings pitched. Lopez is now an impressive 12-1 with a 1.11 WHIP, 35 walks, and 39 strikeouts. The 25-year-old has been superb for the Blues, and his name has started to float around in trade talks. The soft tosser's breakout has been thoroughly unexpected, as he was 0-8 with a 6.28 ERA (56 ERA+) and 1.93 WHIP in 61.2 AAA innings back in 1942. Despite his breakout, Lopez doesn't have much of a chance to crack into our rotation, and our pen is filled with guys I can't send down. If he stays with the team until September, he's in line for a callup, but if Lopez wants to start games regularly, it may have to be with another organization. RHP George Oddo (AA Mobile Commodores): Okay, at this point it's just laughable! Generally when you promote a player, it takes them a few starts to adjust to the league. Even more so when it's a 21-year-old going up to AA. But lucky for us, George Oddo isn't your regular pitcher. In Oddo's 4th start with the Commodores, he was brilliant, tossing a 2-hit shutout with 3 walks and 2 strikeouts as the Commodores edged the Reliables 1-0. Oddo has allowed 2 or fewer runs in each of his four starts, surpassing 130 pitches twice while not being relieved in any of his outings. He has a stellar 1.03 ERA (386 ERA+) and 0.86 WHIP with double the strikeouts (22) then walks (11). Currently ranked as the 30th best prospect in the FABL, Oddo will likely drop a few spots once all the new draftees are signed, but he continues to cement himself in our future rotation plans. Even if he continues this torrid pace, I expect him to finish the season in Mobile, but the hardworking righty is yet another success story to come out of the later rounds of the draft. RHP Joe Swank (AA Mobile Commodores): Not only is George Oddo not the only 21-year-old pitcher on the Commodores, but he's also not the only one who tossed a shutout in Chattanooga this week! Joe Swank got into the fun, as the former 7th Rounder was gifted 13 runs of support in his 7-hit, 7-strikeout shutout of the Reliables. Swank also walked three, so while he had more strikeouts, he also allowed more baserunners, but it improved his season record to 8-4 with a 3.48 ERA (114 ERA+), 1.31 WHIP, 28 walks, and 57 strikeouts. Currently ranked 15th in our system, Swank has been a rather quick riser, racking up a ton of strikeouts down on the farm despite not being much of a hard thrower. Swank's fastball sits in the 85-87 range, but he's a finesse guy who confuses the opposition with his three pitch mix. His curve and change are excellent offerings, more then making up for the lack of velocity. It's hard to square up his pitches, allowing him to keep the ball in the park and limit hard contact. Swank won't ever be a rotation topper, more a back-end guy, but his emergence makes him a tantalizing trade piece for a middle-of-the-road guy or as part of a package for a bigger piece. SS Dick Hamilton (A Lincoln Legislators): It hasn't been the smoothest sailing for 1942 4th Rounder Dick Hamilton, but the Legislators shortstop was outstanding in June. Hamilton hit .381/.439/.551 (153 OPS+) with 8 doubles, 3 triples, 2 homers, and 22 RBIs. Now in 277 trips to the plate the 23-year-old has slashed .361/.426/.515 (141 OPS+) with 16 doubles, 6 triples, 3 homers, and 40 RBIs. It's now up to Mobile for Hamilton, as with the new players added from the draft, it's time for those who were in the organization before to start moving up. A bit on the small size, Hamilton is just 5'6'', and he's completely fell out of the top 500. At one point I thought Hamilton would be our starting second basemen with Skipper at short, but things aren't looking as good for him now. He's a decent defender who can fill in all around the infield, and while he showed a lot of pop last season, he hasn't been hitting the ball out of the park nearly as frequently. The increase in his average is nice, and Tom Weinstock thinks Hamilton could hit around .290. He'll need to do more then just hit for a high average to succeed in the big leagues, as right now his future likely lies on the bench. RHP Tom Irwin (A Lincoln Legislators): Our farm took home a lot of accolades in June, but none was more surprising then Tom Irwin taking home Pitcher of the Month. A 26-year-old reliever, Irwin was brilliant in 28.2 innings, working to a 0.94 ERA with 19 punchouts. He saved 8 games and went 3-1, improving to 5-4 with 14 saves in 51 innings on the season. His 1.94 ERA (229 ERA+) is elite, although the 1.29 whip does leave a lot to be desired. A 13th Rounder back in 1940, Irwin isn't really an exciting prospect, and despite being listed as a starter, he's only started 1 of his 122 appearances in our system. This season has been a huge breakout for him, as in 29.1 innings with the Legislators last year he had a much worse 5.52 ERA (86 ERA+) and 1.73 WHIP. I'm not sure Irwin has revamped himself, as his 4.17 FIP (93 FIP-) thinks he's been just a bit above average, but the lefty is poised under pressure, and could end up a decent late inning reliever. RHP Bob Petty (B San Jose Cougars): Despite four really good starts in Lincoln last season, I sent Bob Petty back down to San Jose to start the season. But after a great week, Petty will likely never see San Jose again. He started the week about as good as you can, tossing a 4-hit shutout with just 1 walk and a whopping 12 strikeouts in an 8-0 win over the Tacoma Captains. He then followed that up with another 4-hit win, this time going just 6.2 innings, but with a single run, 4 walks, and 10 strikeouts. With those two starts, Petty picked up a rare Player of the Week as a pitcher. The 21-year-old has taken the "Hard Way" up our system, but the former 3rd Rounder finished a 10 start stint with the Cougars 5-2 with a 2.52 ERA (141 ERA+), 1.14 WHIP, 25 walks, and 80 strikeouts in 71.1 innings pitched. I don't expect Petty to necessarily maintain these sky high strike out numbers, but the imposing righty has some really good stuff. His fastball and cutter sit comfortably in the mid 90s, topping out at 97 when he's really feeling it. His secondary pitches are very effective too, as his forkball is arguably the best of his five pitch mix, and he mixes in his curve and change well too. His command has given him trouble in the past, but his 3.2 BB/9 this season is the best of any of his stops with more then 10 innings. Hobbs is facing an uphill battle to debut in Chicago, but his stuff would translate well in the pen, allowing him to hang around as a filler arm if he runs out of chances to start games. Attached Images

10-31-2022, 10:59 PM	#930
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	1944 Draft: Round 11-25 Before getting to the AI picks of the draft, we did make a trade with the Stars, sending SS Bill Graham to the Big Apple for their 7th Round pick next season. Now 26, we picked up Graham back in 1938 for outfielder Elias Canady. The former 4th Rounder was hitting .252/.382/.352 (107 OPS+) in 61 games with the Blues and may get a chance to play a few games for the Stars. 11th Round, 164th Overall: RHP Max Tanner School: Albion 1944: 7-2, 97 IP, 1.58 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 19 BB, 100 K Career: 23-6, 296.1 IP, 1.97 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 65 BB, 273 K One of the many shocking AI picks to check inside the top 500, I will say Max Tanner is definitely someone I let slip through the cracks, so having three 11th Rounders really helped. Tanner is an imposing 6'5'' righty, but scouts aren't sold on him being a starting pitcher. His fastball isn't very fast, and while his curve is a decent pitch, his splitter isn't anything special. Turner comes with more risk then most, but it's tough to imagine someone his height stays in the low 80s, especially when you factor in the fact that "optional" practices are mandatory to him. The tall righty does have great command, and one one of the few draft eligible players with a BB/9 below 2. If his velocity increases, he could develop into a very good pitcher, but some borderline starters end up turning into two pitch relievers. That's more likely then him becoming an Art White type pitcher, as he could be one of the guys bumped out of a rotation spot when the boys come home. 11th Round, 173rd Overall: LHP Howie Sharp School: Santa Anna College 1944: 7-4, 102 IP, 3.35 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 23 BB, 57 K Career: 16-20, 337.2 IP, 4.88 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, 136 BB, 165 K Howie Sharp was another guy I scouted, as he had a breakout as a junior at Santa Anna after a terrible freshman year and a subpar sophomore season. Tom thought he was worth a lottery ticket, and the prospect pickers decided to sneak him into the top 500. A lefty from Pittsburgh, Sharp has very raw stuff, but his 90 FIP- was encouraging and he posted numerous career bests this season. He's a bit lazy so he might not get too much better, but there are a lot of available rotation spots, so he'll get a chance early on, but he'll have to perform if he wants to keep starting games. 11th Round, 174th Overall: LF Larry Day School: Miami State 1944: .272/.395/.442, 263 PA, 10 2B 9 HR, 34 RBI, 5 SB Career: .272/.389/.393, 812 PA, 28 2B, 18 HR, 112 RBI, 23 SB Larry Day added 3 homers each season at Miami State, finishing with a decent 18 in 161 games with the Redbirds. A decent corner bat, Day has a nice eye at the plate and a knack for barreling up the ball. He hits the ball well to all fields, and succeeds with a high launch angle. A flyball tendency could work well in our park, but it will be tough for Day to get consistent at bats once all our draftees are signed. 12th Round, 189th Overall: RHP Tommy Crowe School: Atlantic Highlands 1944: 9-3, 118.2 IP, 1.74 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 37 BB, 121 K Career: 9-3, 118.2 IP, 1.74 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 37 BB, 121 K He only pitched one year at Atlantic Highlands, and the 17-year-olds numbers weren't all that impressive. He's not one to let tough outings get to him, which will help him if his career consists of soaking up innings in the pen. He does have a nice slider, but unless he throws faster or can hit the zone with more consistency, he won't end up starting many games. 13th Round, 205th Overall: RF Bob Harris School: Mississippi A&M 1944: .284/.357/.545, 200 PA, 9 2B, 5 3B, 9 HR, 30 RBI, 39 SB Career: .284/.357/.545, 200 PA, 9 2B, 5 3B, 9 HR, 30 RBI, 39 SB I shouldn't have been surprised that the highest ranked of our signed draftees would be an outfielder from Outfield A&M, and sure enough Bob Harris checks in surprisingly high at 19th in our system and 267th overall. He only got one season with the Generals, showcasing both a high average and solid power numbers against some of the best pitchers in college. I could probably send him all the way up to Mobile if I wanted, but Harris will start his minor league career with the Legislators. We don't have many corner bats in his way, and Harris could hit his way all the way up to Chicago. He has a nice swing and if he can put up a few double digit homer seasons in the minors it could really elevate his value. At 22, he could be a quick riser, and he has a three year advantage in the age department on our almost top 100 prospect Jimmy Hairston. Cliff Moss is getting old and Rich Langton hasn't looked himself yet this season, so a corner outfield spot could open up sooner then I may have expected. 14th Round, 221st Overall: RHP Ned Smith School: Killeen State 1944: 6-6, 106 IP, 3.99 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 39 BB, 70 K Career: 6-6, 106 IP, 3.99 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 39 BB, 70 K He didn't start until he was a junior, but Ned Smith still held his own. He put up strong strikeout rates despite low velo, as he mixes his four pitches well. His stuff is raw, so I can't see him starting now, but he could probably pitch in the pen up in San Jose if we needed it. He doesn't have a high ceiling now and I don't really see that changing. 15th Round, 237th Overall: LF Owen Burns School: West Chicago Commit School: Amarillo Methodist 1944: .448/.546/.664, 117 PA, 18 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 31 RBI, 9 SB Career: .489/.552/.761, 64 2B, 4 3B, 12 HR, 119 RBI, 28 SB I forgot to queue up any impossible to sign guys, so the only member of our draft class not joining the organization will be 15th Rounder Owen Burns. A Chicago kid. the 18-year-old switch hitter put together back-to-back .500 seasons as a freshman and sophomore, but he slumped as a junior and didn't do much better as a senior. Burns did show decent pop, even if Tom doesn't think he'll ever hit for enough power as a corner bat. He'll head to Amarillo Methodist, where he'll look to get selected in the human portion next time around. 16th Round, 253rd Overall: RHP Billy Stoddard School: Lubbock 1944: 6-3, 89 IP, 1.92 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 22 BB, 113 K Career: 6-3, 89 IP, 1.92 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 22 BB, 113 K Billy Stoddard didn't pitch at Lubbock until his senior year, but he put up decent strikeout numbers. A flyball pitcher who doesn't throw very hard, he will likely give up far too many home runs. Even worse, he's projected as a reliever, so Stoddard may not spend too much time in our system. 17th Round, 269th Overall: CF Willie Stevens School: Lexington 1944: .443/.505/.629, 110 PA, 10 2B, 4 3B, 22 RBI, 14 SB Career: .436/.498/.626, 240 PA, 24 2B, 5 3B, 2 HR, 53 RBI, 34 SB A two year starter at Lexington, Willie Stevens didn't impress too much with the bat. That means he'll have to be a good defender, and while his speed isn't too great, he's still quicker then most. I don't think he'll be able to stick in center, which could make it hard for him to fill in a bench role. It will also be tough for him to find at bats, as we have plenty of more exciting center fielders ahead of him. 18th Round, 285th Overall: C Bill Michalski School: Carolina Poly 1944: .262/.306/.381, 314 PA, 9 2B, 3B, 8 HR, 45 RBI, 4 SB Career: .259/.301/.383, 572 PA, 16 2B, 3B, 16 HR, 84 RBI, 8 SB Usually the scouts go crazy with taking catchers, but with a really strong crop of catchers, I wonder if there weren't many left at the end. The first one we got in the AI portion was a slugger from Carolina Poly Bill Michalski. The 5'6'' 21-year-old hit 8 homers both years he started, as he puts a lot of balls in air. His contact tool is decent too, and both OSA and Tom Weinstock think he could at least fill a bench role. We need some to backup Al Hurd, so he'll start his time in San Jose, but as a backup catcher he'll get his share of starts. He might not be the best defender, but he does have experience at first, which could help him get extra at bats. 19th Round, 301st Overall: RHP Sam Bass School: Ashland 1944: 7-2, 88.1 IP, 2.24 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 30 BB, 75 K Career: 7-2, 88.1 IP, 2.24 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 30 BB, 75 K This isn't the first time I've heard of Sam Bass, but don't think it's because of his talent. Nicknamed "Fish", Bass has a cool nickname, but that's about it. Bass had an ERA above 2 and a FIP above 3, and combined with a 7.6 K/9 and sub 3 K/BB, you know something just isn't quite right. The nickname will keep the Wisconsin native close to home in La Crosse, but I find it hard pressed to believe he'll ever leave his hometown. 20th Round, 317th Overall: RHP Johnnie Harris School: Savanna 1944: 6-5, 118.1 IP, 4.49 ERA, 1.75 WHIP, 82 BB, 116 K Career: 26-16, 451.1 IP, 3.57 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 218 BB, 386 K While Fish's nickname will keep him around, Harris being an Aurora kid will keep him around. His pitching is really bad, as his high school numbers look more like college numbers. He never had a sub 3 ERA or sub 1.30 WHIP, and his senior season was a nightmare. He won't last long, but at 17 he has the chance to stick around a while while the older guys get cut. 21st Round, 333rd Overall: LF Bill Smith School: Franklin 1944: .419/.465/.607, 128 PA, 14 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 28 RBI, 10 SB Career: .426/.499/.668, 475 PA, 51 2B, 5 3B, 12 HR, 110 RBI, 34 SB His generic name isn't the only that will make you forget about him, as the four year starter at Franklin isn't much of a hitter. He had a sub .400 season as a junior and never hit better then .450, and he can only partial play the corner outfield. He is a hard worker, but he'll have to improve fast as we will have a ton of players to cut in the next few seasons. 22nd Round, 349th Overall: 3B Pete Morris School: DeKalb 1944: .435/.492/.620, 120 PA, 15 2B, 3B, HR, 28 RBI, 10 SB Career: .445/.494/.637, 361 PA, 36 2B, 2 3B, 7 HR, 89 RBI, 26 SB Pete Morris may have been born in New Bedford, but he moved to DeKalb as a toddler and played three years of high school ball there. He didn't hit too much, but he hit four longballs last year. He'll hang around for a bit, but is nothing more then fodder. 23rd Round, 365th Overall: RF Johnny Bingham School: Hillsborough College 1944: .297/.394/.352, 277 PA, 7 2B, 2 HR, 46 RBI, 15 SB Career: .296/.394/.359, 786 PA, 22 2B, 3B, 6 HR, 120 RBI, 46 SB Not too much to like of the tall and muscular corner outfielder, who always likes to be the center of attention. He was at Hillsborough College, where he leadoff the Penmen lineup effectively. As the only draft eligible player from his school, you can understand why he thought he was the center of attention, with FABL scouts actually showing up to watch his team play. They weren't too impressed, as he lasted this long, but Tom Weinstock thinks he has a swing that can be improved and the foundation of a bench bat. If the lefty can fill out a bit, who knows what could happen, but we have to hope our tight knit clubhouses can help humble him a bit. 24th Round, 381st Overall: CF Anders Adriansen School: Olivia 1944: .394/.484/.586, 125 PA, 8 2B, 3B, 3 HR, 25 RBI, 11 SB Career: .408/.501/.632, 370 PA, 28 2B, 6 3B, 9 HR, 83 RBI, 52 SB He may have been our second to last pick, but Anders Adriansen has a lot more value then you would think. The versatile teen played five positions in his three year prep career, but he failed to hit over .420. He had a little pop for a center fielder, and he works the count well, but eventually his versatility won't be enough to keep him around. 25th Round, 397th Overall: LF Ted Bergeron School: Austin 1944: .412/.466/.544, 131 PA, 12 2B, HR, 27 RBI, 7 SB Career: .413/.474/.554, 361 PA, 35 2B, 3 3B, HR, 78 RBI, 21 SB Our last pick of a very large 1944 draft class, Ted Bergeron didn't homer until he was a senior, and he hit below .400 last season. He works the count well, but he's a corner bat who lacks power, and that just doesn't help too much. I don't usually like cutting new draftees, but if we eventually have a roster crunch in La Crosse that can't be solved, he could be one of the first guys to go.

11-01-2022, 06:05 PM	#931
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 12: July 3rd-July 9th Weekly Record: 2-6 Seasonal Record: 53-31 (1st, 6 GA) Stars of the Week Dick Walker : 31 AB, 12 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .387 AVG, .956 OPS Cliff Moss : 25 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .360 AVG, .928 OPS Leo Mitchell : 31 AB, 8 H, 1 HR, 6 RBI, .258 AVG, .738 OPS Schedule 7-4: Loss at Foresters (2-5) 7-4: Loss at Foresters (1-2) 7-5: Win at Foresters (7-5) 7-6: Win at Foresters (5-3) 7-7: Loss at Sailors (3-6) 7-8: Loss at Sailors (1-2) 7-9: Loss at Sailors (0-3) 7-9: Loss at Sailors (5-10) Recap Oh man... Thank God for the All Star break! After a near perfect first two plus months of baseball, the Chicago Cougars have lost their fight. We have lost 13 of our last 16 games, with nearly half of our losses coming since June 25th. Despite all of this, we still have a 6 game lead over the Wolves and a 7 game lead over the Sailors, but we have to turn things around ASAP. There is some good news, as nearly all our draft picks have signed. 1st Rounder Bert Rogers (73rd) and 4th Rounder George Sutterfield (88th) both rank in the top 100, followed by 4th Rounder Mike Thorpe (180th), 7th Rounder Buddy Brumbaugh (261st), 3rd Rounder Harry Austin (338th), and 5th Rounder Lonnie Sis (454th). We also got a ton of representation at the All-Star game, as expected, with yet again seven Cougars heading to the Midsummer Classic. Harry Parker (2nd), Ben Curtin (2nd), Harry Mead (2nd), Hank Barnett (7th), and Leo Mitchell (5th) all won their respective votes while Art White (4th) and Skipper Schneider (4th) made the game as reserves. Plenty of former Cougars joined them, including shocks like Jonah Brown (1st) and Dan Everett (1st), Del Burns (1st), Johnny McDowell (2nd), Hal Wood (1st), and Chink Stickels (2nd). Art White and Mike Murphy have gone full speed ahead into a brick wall, and while I didn't expect them to keep up their excellent pace, I would have preferred for them not to falter at the same time. Art might have picked up one of the two wins, but it wasn't a good start and his second was quite honestly pathetic. In the win, he did go the distance, so that's cool, but it came with 11 hits, 5 runs (4 earned), and not a single walk or strikeout. The loss saw a walk, but in just 3.2 innings as the Sailors put on 12 hits and 7 runs (6 earned) on the veteran lefty. Since White's first loss of the season, his ERA has shot up from 1.89 to 2.89 (118 ERA+), and he's now 11-4 with a 1.26 WHIP, 38 walks, and 21 strikeouts. Murphy, on the other hand, made just one start, allowing 10 hits and 6 runs with a walk in 5.2 innings pitched. Since becoming 5-1 on June 16th, his ERA has skyrocketed to 3.31 (103 ERA+) and he's lost each of his last three decisions. I'm not quite ready to panic, but we have too much of a lead to stand pat if things start to unravel. The last thing I want is to pull a Mets, and let the Wolves, Sailors, or Cannons fill the role of the Braves. Harry Parker lost both of his starts, and the unlucky All Star game starter has only received a single run of support in his last three starts. He lost to the Foresters, again, 2-1, with just 5 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts in 8 innings. We then got shutout by the Sailors, as Parker allowed 8 hits, 3 runs, a walk, and 3 strikeouts. The 29-year-old headliner for the Allen leads the league at the midway point in both ERA (1.96) and strikeouts (68), but his 9 wins are two short of his teammate Art White. Parker also leads the league in WAR (4.3), K/BB (2.5), WHIP (0.97), FIP (2.31), ERA+ (174), rWAR (4.8), BABIP (.237), and opponent average (.210). The greatest sign has been his ability to complete games, as he hasn't need relief in any of his last five starts. I still think the best thing is he allowed his 2nd homer of the season in his 17th start. This is the same guy who allowed 30 or more homers in a pair of 30 start seasons, and in his four 200+ inning seasons his previous low was just 23. Not every player is in the top 20 pitchers, as some teams keep their military guys in the minors, but Parker currently ranks 5th and is behind just Ed Bowman for active pitchers. I can't wait until he's the #4 in our rotation, behind Pete Papenfus, Donnie Jones, and Duke Bybee, so I really want him to when the Allen this year as he probably won't get many more chances. The rest of the pitching wasn't terrible, but of course in a six loss week, there isn't much overall success. Rusty Petrick's string of victories ended, but it was the offense fault, not his, even if he was walked off with two outs in the ninth. Petrick allowed just 4 hits, 2 runs, and 3 walks with 7 strikeouts. He's allowed three or less runs in each of his last three starts, and his 5.6 K/9 is best in the CA, with his 65 strikeouts trailing only Parker. There are also no walls in Dick Lyons' way, as he continues to march along. The 44-year-old went 6 innings in Cleveland with 5 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, and a strikeout. The ageless beauty is now 6-5 with a 2.37 ERA (144 ERA+), 1.15 WHIP, 15 walks, and 7 strikeouts. Ken Matson made a start and a relief appearance, with the relief outing much better. He tossed an inning and a third of perfect ball while adding a strikeout. The start didn't go so well, charged with 10 hits, 5 runs (3 earned), and 7 walks with 3 strikeouts in 6.1 innings pitched. All three pen members allowed a run, and Merritt Thomas had the roughest of his outings. He allowed 3 hits, 2 runs, and a walk in 2.2 innings split between 3 games. Ben Curtin tossed a perfect frame on the 4th, and then picked up a 3 inning save on the 6th. In that one he allowed 3 hits and a run, but the 38-year-old is now 10-1 with 9 saves, a 1.19 ERA (285 ERA+), 1.04 WHIP, 13 walks, and 10 strikeouts in 60.1 innings pitched. Lyn Trease allowed his first run of the season, making a 3.1 inning relief outing with 2 hits, a walk, and a strikeout. The staff could use some rest, but this week was all on the offense. We didn't hit much this week, but Dick Walker put together a strong showing. He went 12-for-31 with a double, triple, steal, 3 RBIs, 6 runs, and 5 walks. Cliff Moss got back on track, going 9-for-25 with 3 doubles, 4 runs, 4 walks, and 2 RBIs. Leo Mitchell had the lowest weekly average of the season, hitting just .258, dropping his season line to .383, just two points above the Sailor's Marion Boismenu. Mitchell did have a double, homer, 3 runs, 5 walks, and 6 RBIs, leading the league in average, RBIs (55), and tied for the homer lead with Hal Reynolds of the Kings. On the flipside, Hank Barnett had an awful week, just 5-for-35 with a pair of runs and RBIs. Harry Mead came back down to earth, just 5-for-22 with a double, RBI, and two runs scored. We still have the highest scoring offense in the CA, as well as leading nearly every other category, but they'll need to do way better after the quick break. Looking Ahead The All Star Game takes place on the 11th, and then we don't play until the weekend. Orlin Yates is dealing with a sore elbow, and he picked the right time for it, as if we had a full slate of games I'd stick him on the IL and start the Don Lee era. Instead, Yates has the week to get healthy, because I'd prefer for Lee to play every day and not make his big league debut after a five day layoff. Yates will also be aided by the fact that we're off next Monday and Tuesday as well. The only games until the 19th will be on the weekend, where we take on the Kings for three in Brooklyn. On paper, this should be a perfect way to start back up, as the Kings are 33-49 and tied with the Saints for last. When you consider our 19 game lead and the fact that we'll line up with Harry Parker, Art White, and Dick Lyons, I really like our chances. Of course, the Kings also get to reset their rotation, and that means we'll get Jim Kenny (9-10, 3.13, 40), Jim Crawford (7-10, 4.04, 21), and Bill McGraw (3-6, 3.31, 48) to kickoff the second half. None of them will join Harry Parker and Art White at the All Star game, as the Kings only representative is 33-year-old Vernon Ruch. Ruch has made 321 trips to the plate, already a personal best since his debut back in 1937. Last year he hit well in a part-time role, slashing .277/.367/.383 (125 OPS+) while worth 2.6 WAR In 102 games. He took advantage of the starting role that the war afforded him, and he has an impressive 143 WRC+ to go with a .293/.400/.419 (128 OPS+) batting line. Ruch matched his 18 doubles from last season, while setting new bests in triples (2), homers (4), RBIs (35), and walks (48). It's nice to see the hardworking journeyman have success for a team with a lot of recent struggles, but perhaps "The Rincon Rifle" would have been a better choice. 24-year-old Orie Martinez is hitting an impressive .304/.370/.467 (132 OPS+) with 19 doubles, 2 triples, 7 homers, and 36 RBIs. Of course, at 24 he has plenty of other opportunities to represent the Kings, so perhaps the rookie is happy his corner outfield mentor got the call this year instead. Jake Shadoan (.341, 1, 23, 8) did have an outside chance, but that trio is about all there is to like about the Kings lineup. We really need these wins and on paper this should be a sweep, but baseball has a funny way of evening out. Based on how it started, it's unfortunate how the first half ended, but we are matching our expected win record and a lot of our stats are starting to normalize. Still great, but not quite blowing everyone out of the water. Plus we have six more home games then road games left, and are struggles came on the road where we still have an impressive 26-19 (.577) record. The last 13 games of our season come in Chicago, where we are an impressive 27-12 (.692), and historically we preform better in Chi-Town. We haven't had a home winning percentage below .597 since 1939, which would still be first in the league. Even with the recent stumble, we still rank 1st in every category except average (2nd, .272), extra base hits (4th, 198), batting strikeouts (4th, 241), steals (2nd, 38), base running (4th, +12.7), starter's ERA (2nd, 3.00), hits allowed (3rd, 716), homers allowed (2nd, 24), walks (3rd, 233), and strikeouts (4th, 240). Add in the front runner for both the Whitney and the Allen, and it's hard to be anything but happy about how our season started. Minor League Report C Gene Lee (AAA Milwaukee Blues): With all the focus on teammate Don Lee, the unrelated Gene Lee's offensive season has gone under the radar. This week the league took notice, naming the 24-year-old catcher the Player of the Week in the Century League. Lee went 10-for-22 with a homer, 4 runs, and 7 RBIs. This increased his season line to .302/.403/.413 (130 OPS+) with 10 doubles, 5 homers, and 39 RBIs with a strong 37-to-13 walk-to-strikeout ratio. A leader on a well oiled 53-17 team, he's trying to hit himself to a big league debut, and as the third catcher on the 40-man roster, all he has to do is stay healthy to make his dream a reality. The 1938 19th Round Pick has defied odds by making it to AAA regardless, and he's taken advantage of the callups around him. He's not a great defender, but his bat is big league ready. RHP Mike Thorpe (AA Mobile Commodores): He hasn't even pitched a minor league inning, Mike Thorpe has a green arrow all the way up to Chicago, and he ranks as the 7th best starting pitcher in terms of current ratings. That's right behind Art White and right in front of Johnnie Jones. In fact, Clyde Meyer would elevate him all the way up to the three spot, ahead of Lyons, Murphy, Petrick, and Matson. This really makes things interesting, as we basically got a 21-year-old ready to go big league starter without having to give anything up. Now I'm not ready to give Thorpe starts in Chicago, but if he mows down hitters in the farm, and one or more of our rotation members start to struggle, we could see Thorpe get important starts in a pennant race. LF Henry DeVeaux (B San Jose Cougars): Things have not gone great to start the the career of our highest selected player in the 1942 draft, but things are finally starting to click for Henry DeVeaux. After batting just .205/.300/.285 (69 OPS+) in 104 games for the Cougars last season, the now 24-year-old has completely turned things around. He hit .303/.371/.439 (131 OPS+) in 262 PAs, and with all the new outfielders in our system, he'll make the trip up to Lincoln. DeVeaux is also hitting a lot more extra base hits, with 10 doubles, 6 triples, and 3 homers to go with 6 steals and 34 RBIs. He still is striking out a lot, with 48 already, but it's far better then his 111 last season. A natural center fielder, he's put up excellent numbers in left, but he's likely to see some time in all three outfield spots in Lincoln. He profiles more as a bench player then an every day guy, but he's shown a nice hit tool and he has the speed to cover a ton of ground on the grass. I had high hopes for him at one point, but I don't see him developing into an every day player anymore.

11-02-2022, 06:01 PM	#932
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 13: July 10th-July 16th Weekly Record: 1-2 Seasonal Record: 54-33 (1st, 3.5 GA) Stars of the Week Leo Mitchell : 16 AB, 11 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .688 AVG, 1.472 OPS Hank Barnett : 13 AB, 4 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .308 AVG, 1.067 OPS Art White : 1 Win, 9.0 IP, 1 BB, 0 K, 2.00 ERA Schedule 7-15: Loss at Kings (3-4): 10 innings 7-16: Win at Kings (3-2) 7-16: Loss at Kings (8-13) Recap Hey guys? Remember when we used to win games? Can we go back to that! Please... Not even the All Star break could get us back on track, as we struggled in Brooklyn with the last place Kings. They took the opener in 10 and even though we did split the double header, the loss was really bad as we imploded in the double header. The Wolves won all four of their games hosting the Foresters, so our once insurmountable lead is just a mere 3.5 games, and for the first time in what seems like months, a bad week could actually take us out of first place. I can blame some of the rust on the All Star game, but we are starting to run out of excuses. It was a tight 1-0 game that Harry Parker was supposed to start, but he instead threw the 5th and 6th, striking out one and allowing a single. Leo Mitchell started in left and was 1-for-3. Hank Barnett started at third and was 1-for-2. Harry Mead started behind the plate and was 0-for-3. Skipper came off the bench and was 0-for-3. Art White and Ben Curtin didn't pitch. Our class is now complete, with 13 of our selections ranking inside the leagues top 500. Despite that, our system now ranks 10th in the league, but we are closer to the 4th ranked system (-34) then the 11th (+36). Our last draftee, second rounder Tom Jovin signed, and he was named the 126th prospect in baseball. Not only did Jovin jump Jimmy Hairston in the prospect rankings, but also in the class level, as Jovin does not share a down arrow in San Jose. He'll start every day in right, and he could beat Hairston on a race to Chicago to replace Cliff Moss and Rich Langton. Him and Hairston are four points a part in the prospect rankings, but I expect Jovin's to far surpass the .179/.330/.397 (84 OPS+) line his Hairston hit in 68 games at La Crosse last year. If there was a bright spot this week, it was Leo Mitcheall, who had two three hit games and one four hit game against the Kings. He doubled, walked twice, drove in two, and scored four times in a great series despite his teammates lack of production. That gave him a Player of the "Week" award, and while his performance truly was excellent, it wasn't really much of a week. He's hitting a tad below .400 at .397/.435/.526 (175 OPS+) with a league high 57 RBIs, but since Hal Reynolds homered off Mike Murphy in our 4-3 loss, he is now a homer behind the triple crown pace. Hank Barnett had a decent showing, 3-for-11 with 2 walks, 2 doubles, 2 runs, a homer, and 4 RBIs. Orlin Yates was healthy and surprisingly effective, 3-for-13 with a double, walk, homer, and 3 runs scored. That was enough to keep his job one more week, but to be fair, a +15.5 zone rating and 1.064 efficiency in center definitely helps. Billy Hunter made two starts, going 2-for-7 with a walk, double, and 2 RBIs while Cliff Moss made one and was 2-for-4 with a walk and three run homer. We didn't score nearly enough this week, but if it wasn't for two bad innings in the second game of the double header, we would have faired a whole lot better. Those two innings were the fault of Ben Curtin and Ken Matson, as they blew a poor start from Harry Parker. Parker went just 6 with 10 hits, 5 runs (4 earned), 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts. Despite that, we led 8-5 when he left, and generally when Ben Curtin comes in we do well. I think Clyde went to him a bit early, as 3 innings was a lot to ask after 2 hitless frames the day before, and the 38-year-old All Star was not his usual self. He was charged with 5 hits, 5 runs, and a walk in an inning and a third. It was his 4th blown save and second loss of the season. Matson got the final two outs, but it came after 4 hits, 3 runs, and a walk. With our recent skid, I've started to shop around a bit, which [spoiler alert] means Matson may be on his way down to Milwaukee. He was doing well until a dreadful game against the Foresters, and the 26-year-old is now 4-6 with a save, 4.90 ERA (70 ERA+), 1.70 WHIP, 35 walks, and 34 strikeouts in 9 starts and 8 relief appearances. Our rotation was all scrambled due to the All Star game, but there was really no reason Mike Murphy should have started game one, as Dick Lyons is higher in the rotation and was far more rested. Murphy wasn't bad, but I'm sure Lyons would have been a bit better, going 6 with 5 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, and a strikeout. Art White had a very good start, picking up our only win of the week. He went the distance, allowing 5 hits, 2 runs, and a walk. Merritt Thomas had a rough inning plus, allowing 4 hits, a run, and 2 walks as the Kings walked us off in the 10th. We'll need to be much better back at home, but we get two days off to put this awful road trip behind us. Looking Ahead As surprising as it may sound, in just 14 July games, we have already tied our previous two months lost total, and unless we win the rest of our July games, we will have a new monthly high for losses. That road trip really took a lot out of us, as we dropped 13 of 17 road games, dropping our season road record from an impressive 23-7 to a still respectable 27-21. Thankfully the rest of the month will be played in Chicago, and we get a pair of off days so the squad can enjoy a ton of homecooked meals and a few slices of deep dish pizza. What sucks is the month is filled with teams over .500, with just our next opponent losing more games then they've won. That would be the 39-47 Foresters, who are somewhat shockingly still the only team with an above .500 (6-5) record against us. Cleveland has also had a rough month, 5-10 compared to our 4-10, and they were recently swept by the pesky Toronto Wolves. With just three games, I'd love to miss All-Star rookie Ducky Davis (6-2, 2.71, 37), and instead get a full dose of Dave Rankin (3-11, 6.53, 23), Ben Turner (5-10, 4.38, 29), and the struggling Johnny Slaney (8-7, 4.22, 52). With our luck it will be Ducky and George Rotondi (10-8, 3.56, 59), and then Slaney will beat Harry Parker 1-0 to finish off the sweep. Lucky for our staff, the Foresters don't score much, so if we can quell the power of Lou Balk (.308, 7, 44, 3) and Brooks Meeks (.282, 7, 42, 5), we have a good chance at coming out on top. The Foresters are also responsible for half our wins on the month, so I'm hoping they'll also account for half our wins this week. Our next guest will be the Sailors, who recently swept us out of Philly. At 46-38, they are 6.5 games out of first, but have recently placed ace Doc Newell (6-8, 2.56, 58) on the trade block. He won't be gone for our series, which will be a Saturday opener followed by a Sunday double header. If they move Newell, their only above average SP in terms of ERA+ will be Ray McCarthy (6-3, 3.47, 25) who tossed 8 shutout innings last time out against us to increase his ERA+ to 102. His 129 FIP- thinks that's unsustainable, and Newell aside, our bats should be able to get to their rotation. The offense is a bit trickier, as their 2-3-4 of Frank Covarrubias (.332, 1, 20), Marion Boismenu (.377, 2, 38, 4), and Joseph Mills (.265, 8, 42) is pretty tough to navigate through. Those three don't have much support, but the Sailors are notoriously good at winning games, and are a red hot 11-4 in July. Minor League Report LF Harry Austin (C La Crosse Lions): Can you have a better pro debut then Harry Austin? After slashing .525/.541/.747 in 21 games as a senior at New Athens, our last ever regional pick started off his La Crosse career a perfect 6-for-6 with a double, homer, 4 runs, and 5 RBIs as the Lions pummeled the Ottumwa Owls 18-3. Ironically Austin didn't record 6 hits in total the rest of the week, but the 17-year-old from Illinois finished the week 11-for-26 with 7 runs, 6 RBIs, 3 walks, and a second double. We have a bit of a logjam in the corner outfield at the lower levels (I tried moving one in the trade that will be announced later), so Austin will at least start his career as a first basemen. This has already paid dividends, as San Jose first basemen Alex Snyder got hurt, and with Billy Biggar returning from injury, I thought he'd move up to San Jose to take his spot. Instead, it will be Austin, as Biggar has a red arrow and he doesn't. It might be a quick spot, as he could just as easily get demoted and return to La Crosse, but considering more exciting prospects Jimmy Hairston and Bob Rogers have down arrows, In all honesty, his position won't really matter much, as he can't field much anywhere and his bat is the only thing we are interested in. He projects to be an elite hitter. and I was very encouraged by his walking habits, already just 2 away from his high school season tallies. Any pop we can get from him would be appreciated, but Austin reminds me a lot of a young Leo Mitchell. And no, I'm not saying he'll ever have a season (or even month) like Mitchell is having now, but more a ~130 WRC+ hitter with a .300+ average and a fair amount of doubles. Right now, Austin hits the ball in the air a lot, which could really play well in Chicago, but the kid is extremely raw and has a lot of developing ahead of him. As of today, Austin checks in as our 30th best prospect, which is a bit higher then I expected as one dimensional players like him tend to be undervalued by the prospect people. As long as his hits he'll get to the big leagues, but he'll never be a super valuable or highly touted player, just a reliable bat that shows up everyday.

11-02-2022, 06:49 PM	#933
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Trade News! Let me make one thing clear; I am not going to watch this one slip away. On June 24th, we had a 10 game lead over the Wolves. Less then a month later the lead is down to just three and a half, and it seems like were starting an epic choke job. On paper, this is our best chance at a championship. The Cannons are without Rufus Barrell, Adam Mullins, and Fred Galloway, the Wolves are without Fred McCormick, Joe Hancock, and George Garrison, and the Stars are without Bill Barrett, Vern Hubbard, and Billy Riley. "Wait, Billy Riley? Didn't he kick off the second half for the Stars? Is he hurt or did good 'ol Uncle Sam snatch him away?" It's even better then that; Riley is now a Cougar. Despite Harry Parker's dominance, our rotation is full of wholes, with Art White and Mike Murphy hitting walls and Dick Lyons being, well, you know, 44. Rusty Petrick gives us a ton of innings and even more strikeouts, so the odd man out is Ken Matson. I really thought Matson could hold a rotation spot all season, but since his breakdown against the Foresters, he's allowed 47 hits, 20 walks, and 27 runs in 33.1 innings pitched. Riley is an obviously huge upgrade, he has put together a strong seven year career with the Stars. He just recently won his 100th career game, and in 1,554 FABL innings he owns a strong 3.49 ERA (109 ERA+) and 1.30 WHIP with 454 walks and 650 strikeouts. A pitcher I've been targeting since his debut year back in 1938, we finally were able to pick up the now 30-year-old hurler. A 9th Round selection back in the loaded 1932 class, Riley was someone I really wanted to add to our system after a pair of 225 ERA+ seasons for the San Antonio HS Warriors. Riley took huge steps during the 1937 season, and he debuted in the top 100 at 39 on the 1938 Opening Day prospect list. He split that season between the pen and the rotation, starting 20 of his 35 appearances. It was a great debut for Riley, who finished 15-8 with 2 saves in 167 innings pitched. The then 23-year-old had a 3.23 ERA (123 ERA+) and 1.19 WHIP with 49 walks and 75 strikeouts. Riley then followed that season up with 4 seasons of 200+ innings with above average ERA+s. The best of the years was 1942, but it was his lowest inning total of the period as he missed time with a herniated disc. Despite that, Riley was elite when healthy, 21-5 with a 2.18 ERA (151 ERA+), 1.12 WHIP, 68 walks, and 90 strikeouts, and with a few more starts his 4.9 WAR could have surpassed his previous best 5.5 from the season before. Riley put up an Allen worthy year, but unfortunately for him, that was the year Pete Papenfus blossomed into a star. Unfortunately for Riley, he showed some signs of that injury the following year, and 1943 was the worst of his big league career, just like a lot of his teammates. Riley went just 7-16 with a 3.83 ERA (87 ERA+), 1.21 WHIP, 56 walks, and 85 strikeouts. Part of this was bad luck, as the Stars defense really struggled and the offense didn't give him much support, and his underlying numbers were much more inspiring. His 89 FIP- was in line with his 88 career mark, and his 2.3 BB/9 and 3.5 K/9 were pretty inline as well. I expected a nice bounce back this year, but he had a rough May where he went 2-4 with a 4.60 ERA (76 ERA+) and 1.47 WHIP. He did manage to right the ship a bit, but he's just an average 8-9 with a 3.62 ERA (96 ERA+), 1.40 WHIP, 44 walks, and 64 strikeouts while on pace to toss 263.2 innings. With more run support and a defense that ranks first instead of last in zone rating, I think we can get better results from the righty if he can keep the ball in the park. To acquire Riley, we'll tap into our pitching prospect depth, shipping off two of our top 10 prospects in Bill Chapman (8, 109th) and Foster Smith (9, 125th). Both have projected 1946 ETAs, when the Stars plan on competing with the potential return of talented big leaguers Joe Angevine, Vern Hubbard, Lew Seals, and of course, Bill Barrett. Smith is off in the Air Force, but Chapman has been pitching for the Legislators. The 20-year-old southpaw has made 17 starts, and is 7-5 with a 4.56 ERA (97 ERA+) and 69 strikeouts. I think both can be solid big league starters and the pair of 20-year-olds are very well developed for their age, but with all the top level pitching in our system, I imagine they wouldn't be able to crack our rotation. Riley definitely makes our future rotation situation very crowded, and we'll have an embarrassment of riches once the war is over.

11-03-2022, 12:40 PM	#934
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 14: July 17th-July 23rd Weekly Record: 2-4 Seasonal Record: 56-37 (2nd, +0.5 GB) Stars of the Week Hank Barnett : 20 AB, 9 H, 1 HR, 6 RBI, .450 AVG, 1.188 OPS Harry Mead : 18 AB, 7 H, 2 HR, 7 RBI, .389 AVG, 1.202 OPS Skipper Schneider : 24 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .375 AVG, .858 OPS Schedule 7-19: Win vs Foresters (6-7) 7-20: Loss vs Foresters (7-6) 7-21: Loss vs Foresters (4-3) 7-22: Loss vs Sailors (4-2) 7-23: Loss vs Sailors (4-3) 7-23: Win vs Sailors (0-6) Recap Oh how the mighty have fallen... The off days did us no good, as we dropped four of our six contests this week; three by a single run and the fourth by two. Pretty much everything has gone wrong in July, as we've dropped 14 of 20 and for the first time all season, we do not have the highest winning percentage in the CA. The Wolves are a fraction of a percentage higher, but with 3 more wins and 2 more losses, we should technically be half a game ahead (which is why the +0.5 GB looks like a typo). It's probably better we aren't, as we are not playing like a first place team, and things are only going to get tougher. Billy Riley joining the roster really helps, but the only similarity between July and the rest of the season is that we cannot beat the Cleveland Foresters, who have also lost 14 games in July. Ironically, the lone bright spot of the week came from Ken Matson, who will be on his way down to AAA. The 26-year-old won game two of our double header, tossing a 2-hit shutout with no walks and 4 strikeouts to improve to 5-6 on the season. Matson will likely return to Chicago in September, but his FABL season could end with a 4.35 ERA (78 ERA+), 1.54 WHIP, 35 walks, and 38 strikeouts. The weird/interesting part of the week was near identical starts from Parker, White, and Murphy, who each picked up losses in a 4-run complete game. Parker's came with 8 hits, 4 runs, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts; White's with 13 hits and 4 runs; Murphy's with 7 hits, 4 runs, a walk, and strikeout. Murphy's downslide has been tough, another reason Riley will really help, as after back-to-back sub 2.25 ERA months, he's 0-3 in July with a 7.61 ERA (44 ERA+) and 1.52 WHIP. White's July has been pretty bad too, 2-3 with a 5.06 ERA (67 ERA+) and 1.39 WHIP. It might be too much to ask for both of them to return to their elite form from earlier in the year, but if we can get White back on track, Murphy can have a fair amount of his starts skipped. Errors hurt our other two starters, taking away what should have been wins. Rusty Petrick was very unlucky, with his first 5 runs coming unearned in the 7th. He finished with 7.2 innings, 2 earned runs, 5 walks, and 7 strikeouts in our 7-6 loss to the Foresters. Dick Lyons only had two unearned runs, but that's because the Foresters got three unearned ones off Merritt Thomas after Lyons left in the 6th. He went 5.1 with 3 hits, 2 walks, a strikeout, and just one earned run. Thomas allowed 5 hits, 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts in 3.2 innings of work, and actually got the win as we rallied in the bottom of the 6th to reclaim the lead. Ben Curtin threw just one pitch, getting a groundout to end the 8th in Petrick's start. Cal Knight walked three, but recorded a strikeout in a scoreless ninth. The pitching has been brutalized all month, as we're losing a lot of our leads in the pitching categories. I'm really starting to sweat, but you have to imagine we'll eventually start to heat up, while the Wolves, Cannons, and Sailors will start to cool down. The trio has won 14, 15, and 16 games this month, and unfortunately we have to deal with all of them during their hot streak. This week is only the Wolves and Cannons, so we control our destiny. I'm definitely worried about the competition, as another 2 win week will send us far away from the Wolves. I expected more from the offense, but an uncharacteristically bad week from Leo Mitchell was one of the only real negative surprises. He went just 6-for-26 with 2 walks, 2 doubles, and 4 runs scored. Hammerin' Hank was superb, 9-for-20 with a double, homer, 5 runs, 5 walks, and 6 RBIs. Harry Mead did his best to match, 7-for-18 with 2 doubles, 2 homers, 4 runs, and 7 RBIs. The right field duo of Langton and Moss combined to go 8-for-22 with 2 doubles, a homer, 4 walks, and 3 RBIs. Skipper Schneider was 9-for-24 with a triple, 3 runs, and 4 RBIs. Dick Walker was just 3-for-16, but with 8 walks, 3 runs, and a solo homer. Jimmie James was just 2-for-11, but that two was a triple and homer with a walk and 4 RBIs. Can't fault the bats, as they kept us in each game, but we're regressing to the Cougar team that can't win those crucial one run games. Looking Ahead Can our nightmare end? We have one more against the red hot Sailors, who have won 16 of their 22 games in July, and are just 3.5 games out of first place. Lucky for us, we'll get either Rube Fields (6-8, 4.69, 40), who is dealing with back spasms, or Dick Tillman (9-8, 4.20, 38), neither of which should be able to keep our offense in check. I still don't understand how the Sailors have scored the second most runs in the CA, but catcher Bill Watson (.265, 2, 31) and outfielder Alex Juris (.255, 5, 39) are really starting to heat up. They have recently brought up last year's 2nd Rounder Les Cunha (.286, 1), a shortstop I was targeting in the draft who ranks inside the league's top 100. I imagine with their distance away from first, they'll hang on to Doc Newell (7-9, 2.69, 62), and we will certainly have our work cut out for us in this one, even with the favorable pitching matchup, as I can't take anything for granted. Next up is four with the Cannons, who are now 47-41 and just 6 back of first. The Cannons have recently picked up slugger Al Wheeler (.218, 11, 46) who at 36 was struggling for the Chiefs. Wheeler will hit behind a strong 1-2-3 of Bob Griffith (.287, 4, 38, 4), Sam Brown (.331, 3, 20), and Chuck Adams (.299, 8, 53), which should give us and other CA teams a lot of trouble. Another new face in the lineup is former Cougar Nick Wallace (.274, 10) and waiver claim catcher Tommy Morris (.150, 16), but neither are having much success for Cincy. If we can keep the top four under control, we should be able to outscore the Cannons, but they still have solid pitching. Vic Carroll (6-3, 3.29, 55) tore his labrum and will miss the rest of the year, so with him and Deuce out, the rotation has thinned. They still have an excellent top two, as Chris Clarke (7-5, 1, 2.12, 46) has broken out and Butch Smith (10-7, 2.24, 69) continues to put up ace level production. 22-year-old Frank Sears allowed just a single run in his big league debut, but him, Dan Adams (3-6, 3.04, 29), Tom Barrell (3-5, 3.53, 19), and Jake Smith (3-1, 3.09, 13) will likely have trouble with our deep lineup. I'm not sure exactly how their rotation will shake out, but it looks like we're stuck with Smith and may miss Clarke. This will be a tough series, and with the Wolves right after, we need to win these games. We finish off the week with the first three of a four game series, the opener on Saturday and a double header on Sunday. Toronto comes in red hot, winning their first nine games after the All Star break before dropping the second game of a double header in Brooklyn. They are playing far better on the road (29-13) then at home (24-22), so I'm ready to get swept down to third. Toronto has been very lucky, vastly outperforming their 49-39 expected record at 53-35, so perhaps things will start to flip a bit. Despite his record, Chick Wirtz has been a revelation for the Wolves staff, going 6-7 with a 2.09 ERA (168 ERA+) and 1.19 WHIP with 19 walks and strikeouts in 99 innings pitched. He's done a good job helping Bernie Johnson (11-6, 2.33, 30) while the rest of the rotation has underperformed. The lineup hasn't been all that great either, with Walt Pack (.266, 8, 44) and Juan Pomales (.254, 1, 42, 5) taking huge steps back, but they've still found ways to win. Former Cougar Hal Wood (.312, 3, 34) is putting together another strong offensive season while Charlie Artuso (.278, 3, 27, 5) and Chink Stickels (.277, 4, 28, 10) are both back on track after a rough 1943. Still, on paper we are the better team, but with the way we're playing, I'm not even sure we could beat a team that was actually made out of paper. We've caught the Wolves at the worse possible time, but hopefully both of our luck will start to change.

11-03-2022, 06:46 PM	#935
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Trade News We made a pair of trades, but the final outcome was more important then the trades themself. First we sent Dan Fowler to the Chiefs for 19-year-old Howard Miller Jr., a righty who is currently enlisted in the Army. Then we sent Cuno Myer to the Dynamos for a 7th Round Pick. The Myer deal started as something bigger, as I debated sending Rich Langton away. In the end, I decided to hold onto him, as the main reason for moving him would be to open up a roster spot. Instead, I managed to find a quick taker for the veteran slugger Fowler, and I was able to open that roster spot for 1940 2nd Rounder and the current #95 overall prospect Don Lee. If you've followed this dynasty even a tiny bit, you probably know all about Rap. Ever since debuting for the Lions during the 1940 season, all Don Lee has done is mash. As hard as it is to believe, at any level and for any amount of games, he's never had a sub 130 OPS+ or WRC+. Or more strikeouts then walks. Or a sub .275/.375/.395 batting line. And just one sub 2 WAR stint, and it came in his only sub 200 PA portion. For real! Check this out: 1940 (C): 54 G, .289/.411/.481, 13 2B, 7 3B, 3 HR, 31 RBI, 40 BB, 18 K, 4 SB, 140 OPS, 135 WRC+, 2.1 WAR 1941 (C): 44 G, .360/.483/.596, 5 2B, 6 3B, 7 HR, 34 RBI, 41 BB, 13 K, 10 SB, 197 OPS+, 195 WRC+, 3.8 WAR 1941 (B): 84 G, .303/.384/.545, 25 2B, 7 3B, 13 HR, 65 RBI, 42 BB, 18 K, 10 SB, 144 OPS+, 147 WRC+, 2.8 WAR 1942 (B): 98 G, .275/.423/.396, 17 2B, 11 3B, HR, 34 RBI, 89 BB, 16 K, 12 SB, 130 OPS+, 131 WRC+, 4.2 WAR 1942 (A): 40 G, .313/.398/.423, 7 2B, 4 3B, HR, 17 RBI, 25 BB, 5 K, 3 SB, 130 OPS+, 131 WRC+, 1.4 WAR 1943 (A): 57 G, .330/.452/.569, 14 2B, 3B, 12 HR, 42 RBI, 48 BB, 20 K, 22 SB, 165 OPS+, 166 WRC+, 3.3 WAR 1943 (AA): 81 G, .313/.438/.502, 16 2B, 8 3B, 9 HR, 62 RBI, 72 BB, 27 K, 19 SB, 154 OPS+, 152 WRC+, 4.0 WAR 1944 (AAA): 79 G, .288/.424/.465, 20 2B, 6 3B, 7 HR, 45 RBI, 73 BB, 29 K, 15 SB, 151 OPS+, 160 WRC+, 4.1 WAR Plain and simple, this kid rakes! This season was no different, as even though it was his first attempt at AAA, Lee put together one of his best seasons. He was on place for a 7 WAR season in 137 games with 35 doubles, 10 triples, 12 homers, 78 RBIs, 126 walks, and 26 steals. His .431 wOBA is absurd, and even crazier that it was higher last year in AA (.432), A ball (.457), and C ball (.478) way back when he was just 19. Of course, Lee does have a down side, as his glove in center isn't all that great. He kept hovering between a slightly above and slightly below average zone rating, currently sitting at 0.2 and .997 in 640.1 innings. Even crazier, he has an exactly even 1.000 efficiency in 4,351.2 minor league innings. That doesn't really bode well for big league success in center, but he's got elite speed so his range should at least be average. If he had a better glove, he'd have been playing every day since Opening Day, but for now he won't play every day because of Orlin Yates' elite center field play. He will get a majority of the at bats against lefties, and a few games in right as Rich Langton has had issues, while also getting a start or two against righties each week. It'll be an approximately 55/45 share between Yates and him, but if Lee picks off right where he left off at the plate, and his glove doesn't kill us, he'll be starting every day before the season ends. I'm really excited for his debut, and while he has exceeded all expectations with each promotion, I'm going to keep my excitement tempered until he gets his feet wet.

11-04-2022, 06:59 PM	#936
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 15: July 24th-July 30th Weekly Record: 4-4 Seasonal Record: 60-41 (1st, 2.5 GA) Stars of the Week Billy Hunter : 18 AB, 13 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .722 AVG, 1.570 OPS Leo Mitchell : 34 AB, 14 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .412 AVG, .915 OPS Ben Curtin : 2 Wins, 6.2 IP, 0 BB, 1 K, 0.00 ERA Schedule 7-24: Win vs Sailors (3-4): 10 innings 7-25: Win vs Cannons (4-5): 10 innings 7-26: Loss vs Cannons (4-0) 7-27: Loss vs Cannons (7-3) 7-28: Loss vs Cannons (9-8) 7-29: Loss vs Wolves (8-2) 7-30: Win vs Wolves (2-3): 10 innings 7-30: Win vs Wolves (2-3) Recap So, this was a weird week. We managed to split the series with the Sailors, but then dropped three of four to the Cannons. They're inching closer to first, and they just made a huge trade to pick up Tom Bird and Rabbit Day from the Chiefs as they look to repeat as CA champions. With the Wolves next, it seemed like we were bound to fall off, and after getting crushed in the opener, we managed to sweep the double header with a pair of one run games. We are now shockingly two and a half games above the Wolves, who struggled in New York, and then the Sailors 3.5 and the Cannons 4.5. All four teams are connected, as we have the same amount of losses as the Wolves, they have the same amount of wins as the Sailors, and the Sailors have the same amount of losses as the Cannons. Thankfully for us, July is almost over, and perhaps we will reverse are fortunes. After a couple rough weeks, Billy Hunter was elite, going an outstanding 13-for-18 with 2 doubles, 2 runs, and 3 RBIs. He had a pair of three hit games and a perfect 4-for-4, increasing his season line to .280/.343/.396 (111 OPS+). Leo Mitchell also turned things around, going 14-for-34 with 2 doubles, 3 RBIs, 2 walks, and 10 runs scored. Harry Mead went 8-for-24 with a homer, 3 walks, 3 runs, and 4 RBIs. Cliff Moss went 6-for-23 with a homer, 2 RBIs, 3 runs, and 4 walks. Skipper was 9-for-31 with a double, homer, 2 walks, and 8 RBIs. Dick Walker was just 4-for-28, but he walked 9 times, stole two bases, and scored twice. Don Lee had an awful debut week, 0-for-9 with 2 strikeouts and 2 RBIs. The offense didn't score many runs, most games 3 or fewer runs, but we managed to extend our division lead for the first time all month. Our best three pitchers all really struggled, starting with Harry Parker, who hasn't been the same since the All Star game. He struggled against the Cannons, allowing a pair of homers in 7 tough innings. He was charged with 10 hits, 7 runs (6 earned), and a walk with 5 strikeouts. Not only does Parker not lead the league in ERA anymore, but his ERA has inflated up to 2.48 (139 ERA+), which isn't even best on the team. Art White's issues continued, leaving with two outs in the 5th against Cincy. He allowed 10 hits, 6 runs, and 5 walks without recording a strike out. Billy Riley's Cougar debut came out of the pen, and while the scoreless frame was nice, his start against the Wolves went much worse. He left with two outs in the 6th, charged with 7 hits and 8 runs (4 earned) with 2 strikeouts. If we want to hold onto this pennant, we will need this talented trio to produce. Our two start starters this week were Mike Murphy and Dick Lyons, and it was nice to see Murphy pick up a win. He went 8 innings in both, and we won both games he started. Against the Cannons he allowed 8 hits, 4 runs, a walk, and 3 strikeouts in a no decision. He beat the Wolves with just 4 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts. Lyons got a pair of no decisions in our other two wins. He went 7.2 innings against the Sailors, allowing 5 hits and 3 runs. Errors cost him the win against the Wolves, as both of his runs allowed were unearned. He went just 5.1 innings with 6 hits, a walk, and a strikeout. Lyons' 2.30 ERA (149 ERA+) is best on the team, and he has yet to allow more then three runs in a game. Rusty Petrick lost to one of his old teams, charged with 10 hits, 4 runs, and 2 walks with 4 strikeouts in 8 innings pitched. Merritt Thomas picked up one of the wins, making two appearances with a hit and strikeout in 3.2 innings pitched. Ben Curtin was back to dominating, picking up 2 wins in his 5 outings. He threw 6.2 scoreless innings with a hit and strikeout. He's now tied with Art White and Bernie Johnson for the win lead, while sporting an impressive 1.66 ERA (208 ERA+) in 70.2 innings pitched. Cal Knight got a loss and save, tossing 5 innings with 5 walks, a hit, and 3 earned runs. Lyn Trease made two appearances, but is now dealing with a pulled abdominal muscle. He threw 4.1 scoreless innings with a hit, 2 walks, and 3 strikeouts. I'm debating whether or not I will IL him, as I'm looking for an outside bat to upgrade the bench. I would have turned to Jim Dickinson, but the talented shortstop suffered a concussion this week, and will miss over a month. Huck Hanes would have been ideal, but he's out for at least another week. If we stay in organization, I could grab a third catcher in Gene Lee, a corner bat in Chick Browning, or a defensive replacement in Steve Jones. With the weekend I have a ton of time to decide, but I'd prefer grabbing a more established bat. Looking Ahead We end and start the month with the Wolves, who we took the first two of three from. At 55-41, they are 2.5 games behind us with the Sailors and Cannons a game behind each other. With the five game set, we get their entire rotation, ending with Chick Wirtz (7-7, 1.98, 22) and Jimmy Gibbs (8-7, 3.85, 44). One thing that is very interesting about the Wolves is their large amount of saves. Ben Curtin (12-2, 9, 1.66, 13) leads our team with 9 and we have three other guys with one, but Curtin would rank third on the Wolves, behind both Billy Crosby (6-5, 13, 3.16, 11) and Bob McRae (0-2, 10, 3.94, 8). Obviously Curtin has been far more effective, but despite the past two games, the Wolves are far better at closing out close games then we are. On the offensive side, one of the biggest surprises of the season has been the emergence of Gus Hall. The 29-year-old was decent in 126 games last year, but he's taken it to the next level this year with a 147 WRC+ and 3.2 WAR in 86 games. Hall has slashed .302/.381/.478 (135 OPS+) with 27 doubles, 3 triples, 6 homers, and 47 RBIs, and his production has really lengthened their lineup. With Walt Pack (.264, 10, 52) not quite himself, Hall is a big reason that the Wolves will contend for the CA crown the rest of the way. We'll then rest up for two days before welcoming the Kings into town for a three game series. At 42-58, they are now tied with both the Saints and Foresters for last. I thought we'd have no issues with them after the break, but they managed to take two of three, and we cannot afford for that to happen again. Brooklyn just sent Jim Crawford (8-12, 3.91, 29) to the Cannons, leaving an opening in a weak rotation. I'm not sure who they'll fill that with (I'm hoping Mel Haynes), but Jim Kenny (11-11, 2.87, 54) could use some support. I doubt Ike O'Donnell (4-3, 2.37, 30) will keep up his excellent production, partially evidenced by his 103 FIP-, 24-year-old Bill McGraw (4-6, 3.42, 58) has been average, but their top three pitching prospects are all big league ready and enlisted, so they don't have all their talent at their disposal. Their offense has improved, with a strong rebound from Jake Shadoan (.331, 1, 25, 10) and a breakout rookie season for Orie Martinez (.295, 7, 41). Add in the breakouts from journeyman Vernon Ruch (.295, 5, 44) and rookie backstop George Jones (.296, 1, 18), the Kings lineup can score a few runs if one of our pitchers has a rough inning or two. Minor League Report RHP Mike Thorpe (AA Mobile Commodores): It took him a couple starts to get his feet wet, but #3 worked really well for the now 22-year-old. Thorpe was brilliant in Birmingham, tossing a 7-hit shutout with a walk and 2 strikeouts in our 9-0 win over the Ironmen. This isn't enough to make me think he's big league ready, but he's looked decent out of college, allowing 27 hits, 7 runs, and 5 walks with 8 strikeouts in his first 26 pro innings. He topped 100 pitches in all three starts, and hasn't needed to be relieved yet, both really good signs for the 4th Round Pick. There's a lot to like about Thorpe, even if he doesn't throw much harder then I once did, as he won't walk many hitters while preventing hard contact. The prospect people aren't as big of a fan of him as I am, listing him right outside the top 200, but he's probably our 4th best starter right now, and with a few more rough starts from our big league staff, and perhaps he finds his way into the rotation by September. RHP Lonnie Sis (C La Crosse Lions): In 686 career starts, Charlie Sis tossed 94 shutouts, more then any FABL pitchers, and a record that sure doesn't look like it will be broken. It took his son just four starts to follow in his father's foot steps. "Sizzler" sizzled against the Waterloo Chiefs, as despite just a single run of support, he put together a dominant start. Lonnie allowed just 4 hits and 2 walks while striking out 9 in his first of hopefully many career shutouts. Our 5th Rounder this June, the now 18-year-old from Minnesota has looked pretty good, going 2-2 with a 2.27 ERA (159 ERA+), 1.17 WHIP, 11 walks, and 20 strikeouts in 31.2 innings pitched. Only one of his four starts has seen him throw less then 100 pitches, and it was 99 in 8 innings where he allowed 3 earned and unearned runs. A very hard worker, Sis projects to have excellent stuff. The best of his three pitches is a swing-and-miss change, but he has a nice low 90s cutter and a devastating curve he locates well. He focuses more on deception then power, which makes sense considering the quality of his off-speed pitches. He's young and has a lot of work to do, but I think patience will pay off, and the Hall of Famer's son seems destined to pitch in the big leagues. Last edited by ayaghmour2; 11-07-2022 at 09:56 AM.

11-07-2022, 07:42 PM	#937
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 16: July 31st-August 6th Weekly Record: 2-3 Seasonal Record: 62-44 (1st, 0.5 GA) Stars of the Week Hank Barnett : 15 AB, 7 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .467 AVG, 1.063 OPS Billy Hunter : 17 AB, 6 H, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .353 AVG, .918 OPS Skipper Schneider : 18 AB, 5 H, 0 HR, 5 RBI, .278 AVG, .667 OPS Schedule 7-31: Loss vs Wolves (2-0) 8-1: Loss vs Wolves (6-0) 8-4: Win vs Kings (6-10) 8-5: Loss vs Kings (4-2) 8-6: Win vs Kings (1-7) Recap So about the playoffs... I don't think we're going to make it... After taking two of three from the Wolves the previous week, we dropped the next two. And not only did we lose, we couldn't score in either of them. Sure, we took two of three from the Kings after, but our lead is now cut to just half a game over the Wolves, and with the Cannons 11 game win streak, they're now just a game behind Toronto. We can't hit, we can't pitch, and now we're back on the road. Our homestand did not go as planned, going 7-11 and we are now 14-26 since June 26th. About everything that could go wrong has gone wrong, and after this week we'll be lucky to be anywhere other then third. We didn't do much right, but Harry Parker had a good week! He lost his first start, but that's just because we couldn't score against the Wolves. Parker went 8 with 5 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts. He then pitched even better against the Kings, picking up a complete game win with 4 hits, a run, walk, and 5 strikeouts. Art White picked up our other win, but he was not very good, charged with 15 hits and 6 runs (5 earned) with 2 strikeouts in 8.2 innings pitched. Billy Riley didn't pitch too well either, allowing 9 hits and 4 runs (3 earned) with 5 strikeouts in a complete game loss. Rusty Petrick struggled too, going 8 with 7 hits, 5 runs (4 earned), 6 walks, and 3 strikeouts. We didn't need the pen very much, with three relievers combining for 2.1 innings, 2 hits, a run, and 2 strikeouts. The pitching will need to be better, but if we don't score, it won't matter too much how many runs we allow... Speaking of run scoring, we really only had two hitters produce. That would be Hank Barnett and Billy Hunter, who both put together decent weeks. Barnett looked good, 7-for-15 with a double, 2 walks, and 4 RBIs. Hunter, who has really started to heat up, was 6-for-17 with a walk, homer, and 3 runs scored. He was one of the few Cougars who had a good July, hitting .353/.400/.441 (140 OPS+) with 6 doubles and 9 RBIs. Most importantly, he's been healthy, something I would never have expected. He's hit well, batting .285/.346/.404 (114 OPS+) and he has an impressive 9.9 zone rating and 1.085 efficiency at second. The only other hitter to have some semblance of production was rookie Don Lee, who was 2-for-7 with 2 runs and 2 walks. Our offense has been really bad lately, but with such a large lead in runs scored, we still manage to rank #1 in the CA. Looking Ahead Well, it's not going to get any easier... Another pair of off days, and we'll use the second to hit the road for Cincinnati with the surging Cannons. At 58-43, they have won 11 consecutive games to come within a game and a half of first. This couldn't have come at a worse time for us, as we're losing to everyone we face, and the Cannons are having no trouble with the teams we are faltering against. This will be our first chance to see Tom Bird (.347, 12, 48), who went 8-for-21 with 3 doubles, a homer, and 5 RBIs in his first week as a Cannon. With four games, we might also see former Cannon legend Rabbit Day (13-8, 3.33, 56), a tough veteran righty who was a thorn in our side back in his Baltimore days. I missed out on trading for him twice, something I always regret, but at least this third time he's 40 and just a shell of his dominant self. Don't get me wrong, a shell of Rabbit Day is better then 85% of FABL pitchers, but I just have to make sure he doesn't try to chat with Dick Lyons (6-5, 2.30, 10) to obtain his secret anti-aging sauce. The Cannons don't need another pitcher to dominate Cougar hitters, as even without Barrell and Carroll (6-3, 3.29, 55), they have Butch Smith (13-7, 1, 2.05, 86) and Chris Clarke (9-5, 1, 2.23, 51), and even Jake Smith (5-1, 2.99, 14) has been effective. They also sport a pair of former Cougars in Tom Barrell (4-6, 3.38, 20) and the recently acquired Jim Crawford (8-12, 3.91, 29). This is not what our offense needs to get back on track, and their offense can provide them with plenty of runs even if we do start scoring again. One good thing for us is star shortstop Jim Hensley (.248, 7, 45) won't he available for the series, as he'll miss the next two weeks with a herniated disc. They may get Jack Cleaves (.249, 2, 21) back, which would shift Tony White (.205, 2, 16) to short, but even combined they have less offensive and defensive value combined then Hensley. Of course, their offense is more then capable without Hensley, getting excellent production from Chuck Adams (.312, 14, 68), Bob Griffith (.281, 4, 45, 5), and Sam Brown (.333, 4, 24), with Al Wheeler (.216, 12, 53) always capable of hitting one out of the park. I'm very worried about this series, as the likely sweep will put a major dent, but perhaps both of our lucks will change in this one! As if it could get any tougher, we then have to deal with the Wolves in Toronto. We get a double header on Sunday to finish the week, and we'll play two more in Toronto after. At 59-42, the Wolves are half a game behind us, and they could own sole possession of first by time we face them. It's not surprising that the Wolves are good, but what is shocking is Chick Wirtz. Wirtz joined the Wolves in 1935, and from then until 1941, he had an ERA+ of 91, 92, 93, 94, or 96. He broke out in '42, going 11-13 with a 2.91 ERA (113 ERA+) and 1.25 WHIP, but last season his production cratered. Now at 36, Wirtz is making a surprising case for the Allen, going 8-7 with a 1.83 ERA (197 ERA+) and 1.10 WHIP with 19 walks and 24 strikeouts. Him and Bernie Johnson (13-7, 2.59, 34) have made it tough for teams to score, and the only "slacker" in the rotation is Bob Walls (11-7, 3.75, 49), who has been slightly below average, but his 79 FIP- is far more impressive then his 96 ERA+. They key for us will be to keep them off the board, as Walt Pack (.267, 10, 53) hasn't done much other then hit homers, and as good as he's hit, I'm not all that scared of Gus Hall (.297, 7, 50). Still, until we start winning games, I'm kind of just going to assume we'll lose the series. We started the year with a .500 week and then 9 consecutive winning weeks before 4 straight losing ones, a .500 week, and then another losing week here. It's really been a tale of two seasons, but I hope a third one is coming with a return to our run of .500+ weeks. Minor League Report LHP Lefty Jones (B San Jose Cougars): Recently promoted to San Jose, Lefty Jones has been extremely effective in his 7 starts with the Cougars. He allowed 2 or 3 runs in each of his first six starts, and then he took things to the next level in #7. The 20-year-old lefty was firing on all cylinders against Tacoma, tossing a 3-hit shutout with 3 walks and 7 strikeouts as we topped the Captains 8-0. This improved Jones to 6-1 on the season with a stellar 2.40 ERA (148 ERA+) and 1.17 WHIP in 60 innings pitched. He's struck out 41 and walked just 22, increasing his K/BB from 1.3 at La Crosse to nearly 2. Our 5th Rounder a year ago, Jones has moved rather high on our prospect lists, currently ranked 10th in our system and 155th overall. Tom Weinstock thinks this ranking may be a bit on the high side, projecting him to be nothing more then a spot starter, but the Oregon native is very young and has a lot of time to improve. A three pitch pitcher, he attacks hitters with is high 80s cutter, and while his change and slider aren't great pitches, they should develop into at least average offerings. As a side armer, the slider is very effective against fellow lefties, but righties can track it rather well. If he can keep his strikeouts up and his walks down, he could be a big league starter, but 70 years from now he would have been the perfect lefty specialist. Attached Images

11-08-2022, 07:27 PM	#938
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 17: August 7th-August 13th Weekly Record: 4-2 Seasonal Record: 66-46 (1st, 2.5 GA) Stars of the Week Billy Hunter : 24 AB, 9 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .375 AVG, .983 OPS Harry Mead : 22 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 5 RBI, .409 AVG, 1.045 OPS Hank Barnett : 24 AB, 7 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .292 AVG, .954 OPS Schedule 8-9: Win at Cannons (4-3) 8-10: Loss at Cannons (2-5) 8-11: Win at Cannons (6-3) 8-12: Loss at Cannons (3-4) 8-13: Win at Wolves (7-4) 8-13: Win at Wolves (7-5) Recap Hey guys, check it out! A winning week! I forgot what those are like... The road treated us kindly, as we picked up our first winning week since June, and it came against the two teams we are fighting for first with. As expected, the Cannons were tough, but we managed to split a series in which both teams picked up 4-3 wins. The Stars helped us a lot this week, taking down the Wolves before we came to town, and then they split the double header with the Cannons. Since we swept the Wolves, we pushed them to third, a game behind the Cannons who are 2.5 behind us. At about the midpoint in August, we are now back to 20 games above .500, and I'm hoping we can hang onto this lead the rest of the way home. It will be a tough task, but we have the talent to do it, and I hope we are finally done playing like a last place team. For the first time all season, Leo Mitchell does not lead the CA in batting average, as a 6-for-25 week dropped him to .371 on the season. That is two points behind Marion Boismenu for the FABL lead, but there is plenty of time left for Mitchell to surpass him. A triple crown seems impossible at this point, as while he's just a single RBI away from Chuck Adams, he's also 4 home runs behind him. Despite this, Mitchell still seems to be the front runner for the Whitney, as his .897 OPS is the best in the league, and he's slashing .371/.407/.490 (156 OPS+), while leading the CA in both OPS+ and WRC+ (162). Mitchel has added 21 doubles, 11 triples, and 71 RBIs while being worth almost 4 wins above replacement, and he leads the league in slugging, hits (169), total bases (223), and WPA (3.54). Despite his struggles this week, however, we had a ton of production elsewhere, with Billy Hunter continuing his red hot pace. The former 1st Rounder went 9-for-24 with 2 doubles, a homer, 4 runs, and 5 RBIs. Harry Mead performed well too, 9-for-22 with 3 doubles, a triple, and 5 RBIs. Hank Barnett was 7-for-24 with 5 doubles, a triple, 4 runs, and an RBI. Dick Walker walked just 4 times, but was 6-for-23 with 3 triples and 6 runs scored. His 76 runs are best in the CA, and 168 walk pace would still top Alvin Turner's 1892 where he walked 165 times. Don Lee made 5 starts as we faced a bunch of lefties, and the young center fielder went 6-for-21 with 2 doubles, a triple, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 3 RBIs. It was nice seeing the offense perform well most of the week, so the next step is doing it frequently as we did in the first half of the season. We faced two really good pitching staffs, so I was very impressed with the production. Harry Parker's struggles continue, as he's now lost 7 of his last 8 decisions, with just one no decision sandwiched in the middle. He lost again to the Cannons, charged with 11 hits, 4 runs, and 3 walks with 4 strikeouts in just 6 innings. His pitching hasn't been overly awful, with just one start where he allowed more then 4 runs, but during this stretch his ERA jumped from 1.89 to 2.51 (138 ERA+), and he's now an even 10-10 in 23 starts. In 183 innings, he does have an impressive 1.05 WHIP with 38 walks and a CA high 92 strikeouts. He's been worth almost 5 wins above replacement, and 4 of his 7 homers have came in his last two starts against the Cannons. Art White has also seen his struggles continue, as he went 8 with 6 hits, 5 runs (4 earned), 2 walks, and a strikeout. This start was a bit unlucky, as he didn't allow many base runners, but White has allowed 36 earned runs in his last 58.2 innings pitched. White hasn't quite been the ace we expected when we acquired him, as through 41 starts as a Cougar he's 23-12 with a 3.19 ERA (106 ERA+), 1.26 WHIP, 80 walks, and 56 strikeouts. Sure, the record is nice, but he's allowed a ton of runs and his K/9 rate has plummeted. Discounting his first full season as a starter (1.8), White has never had a sub 2 K/9, and this year it's all the way down to 1.2. Eventually, we'll have a rotation logjam with Pete Papenfus, Donnie Jones, Johnnie Jones, Duke Bybee, and Joe Brown all set to return home, so White may be on his way out to help replenish the farm. Despite our top two starters losing, the other four managed to pick up some wins. Billy Riley picked up his first win as a Cougar, picking up a complete game victory with 8 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts. Mike Murphy turned things around a bit, going 7 with 9 hits, 4 runs (2 earned), 2 walks, and a strikeout. Rusty Petrick had a rough start, but still won, going 8 with 9 hits, 5 runs, 6 walks, and a strikeout. Dick Lyons picked up win #235 with 7 innings, 6 hits, 3 runs, a walk, and 2 strikeouts. The pen was impressive, with Ben Curtin tossing 5 shutout innings and Merritt Thomas adding two more. Thomas did walk 3, while Curtin had 3 walks, strikeouts, and hits. Curtin also saved a pair of games while Thomas picked up his second of the season. A pair of waiver claims, both have looked very good in the late innings despite being in the late 30s. We didn't pitch all that well, as rotation arm allowed at least 3 runs, but this week it didn't hurt us too much. The Cannons score a lot of runs, and we didn't allow any games to get out of hand, but we did bend a bit against the Wolves. Looking Ahead Two more against the Wolves to start the week, but after piling on 6 runs against both Bernie Johnson (13-9, 2.90, 40) and Chick Wirtz (8-8, 2.18, 26), it seems like the hard part is out of the way. Despite that, all the Wolves starters are reliable pitchers, and we'll have to deal with Bob Walls (12-7, 3.66, 51) and Jimmy Gibbs (9-7, 3.43, 52) on four days rest. Gibbs actually shut us out on the first of August, while Walls has allowed 2 runs in each of his last two starts against us, so I won't take anything for granted. The Wolves are in a rough spot after struggling to score much against the Stars, but Juan Pomales (.273, 2, 50, 7) won Player of the Week and has been red hot in August and he's finally managed to bring his WRC+ on the season above 100. If the Wolves are going to want to pass us (and now the Cannons), they'll need more from the talented two-way player, although Pomales has mainly played outfield this season. Next stop is four in Cleveland with the Foresters, have the best record (8-6) against us this season, and the only team other then the Cannons (10-9) to have a winning record against us. Believe it or not, the Foresters had a worse July then us, going 8-22 to drop out of the first division race. Now at 46-64, they are a game above the Saints for last, but still on pace to top their 55-99 record from last year. They now rank last in runs scored and second to last in runs allowed, as a lot of their earlier successes have started to dry up. Ducky Davis (6-5, 3.27, 47) has still been good, even if he has cooled down a bit. Johnny Slaney (10-9, 4.43, 69), however, has really fallen apart while Ben Turner (7-14, 4.54, 37) has yet to turn things around. At the plate, Lou Balk (.294, 7, 46) has hit well, but he's been out since the 27th and Brooks Meeks (.275, 8, 52, 6) has seen his season line drop to exactly league average. Jim Adams Jr. (.280, 1, 36, 5) has hit well, but his defense at short as left a lot to be desired. These games are crucial for us, and a series win can do a lot to help us on our quest for the pennant. Last stop of the week is Philly for the first half of a four game series. We play a double header on Sunday, and I'm sure they'll give us some trouble. They are still in the pennant race, sitting 6 games out at 59-51. A big reason for that has been their corner infield duo of Frank Covarrubias and Marion Boismenu (.373, 3, 53, 4). Boismenu being a factor isn't that crazy, he hit .318/.346/.422 (130 OPS+) last season, but Covarrubias has came out of nowhere. Somehow the soon-to-be 33-year-old has been worth 5.6 WAR, and after just one above average season since debuting in 1937, Covarrubias has hit .344/.379/.458 (129 OPS+) with 34 doubles, 7 triples, a homer, 3 steals, and 36 RBIs. His 144 WRC+ is stellar and his defense has been well above average, giving the Sailors a legit weapons. His emergence was a surprise, as they acquired him in the offseason for journeyman shortstop Harry Woodruff, but besides that duo, just Joseph Mills (.265, 8, 45) remains as an above average hitter, and I imagine the Sailors won't be tied for second in runs for much longer. The pitching looks a bit different this time around, as they've brought up highly touted righty Win Lewis (0-2, 3.29, 17). Currently ranked 4th in the system and 37th in the league, the 23-year-old has looked good in his first 4 starts, and he could develop into a top of the rotation arm. A pitching boost is needed, as Doc Newell (8-12, 2.98, 74) has been the only dependable Sailor starter, but he's 36 and might not be effective for much longer. With a bunch of games in the week for them, I'm not sure how their rotation will shake out, but if we can avoid No-Hit Newell, I really like our chances in winning the series.

11-09-2022, 09:47 PM	#939
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 18: August 14th-August 20th Weekly Record: 2-6 Seasonal Record: 68-52 (3rd, 1.5 GB) Stars of the Week Leo Mitchell : 30 AB, 10 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, .333 AVG, .842 OPS Hank Barnett : 31 AB, 7 H, 2 HR, 4 RBI, .226 AVG, .778 OPS Cliff Moss : 28 AB, 6 H, 2 HR, 3 RBI, .214 AVG, .741 OPS Schedule 8-14: Loss at Wolves (0-4) 8-15: Loss at Wolves (1-2) 8-16: Win at Foresters (2-1) 8-17: Loss at Foresters (2-3): 10 innings 8-18: Loss at Foresters (3-5) 8-19: Win at Foresters (6-1) 8-20: Loss at Sailors (1-2) 8-20: Loss at Sailors (2-4) Recap This is what I get for getting my hopes up... Our nightmare continues, as despite playing just one team more then twice on the week, we lost to each team we played twice. This not only dropped us out of first, but all the way to third, as we trail both the Wolves and Cannons by a game and a half, with the Sailors, who just swept us in the double header, just three games back. I'm truly at a loss at what is going on, as we have just completely imploded. It's not like we had a big injury, or started playing a lot of tough games, or were stuck on the road. We just stopped being good at baseball. We can't win at home or on the road. We can't score runs. We can't close out games. It doesn't matter who's on the mound or in the lineup. We just can't win anymore. And I'm not sure it matters anymore. At one point we led nearly every offensive and pitching category, and now its just 11 of 27. Everything that could go wrong has, and the teams behind us have put together impressive stretches while we falter. It's sad, but honestly, I think its already over. It's crazy to think we pissed away a 10 game lead, but the Cougars have done nothing to show me that there's any fight left. Baseball is one of those tricky sports where the whole is always far greater then the some of its parts, but despite all the talent, we aren't getting much surplus value. Despite all that, I still have to hold onto a little bit of faith. None of the roster has changed, it's all the same players that were 40-23 in the first three months of the season. You have to imagine things will start to click again. Sure, most of the week was bad, but Harry Parker was great! He picked up one of the two wins, going 8 against the Foresters with 7 hits, a run, and 2 strikeouts. He made his first relief appearance since he was a rookie earlier in the season, tossing a 6-pitch 1-2-3 8th in our 4-0 loss against the Wolves. Not sure why Clyde Meyer put him in a game we couldn't score, but ya know, its easily the least of our problems. Mike Murphy picked up our other win, going 6 with 5 hits, a run, and 4 walks. Billy Riley was stuck with a no decision in our extra inning loss, going 9 with 8 hits, 2 runs, and 3 strikeouts. Ben Curtin was then walked off in the 10th, allowing a hit and walk while getting just one batter out. He pitched in two other of the games against the Foresters, picking up a save in 2 innings with 2 hits and a run. Both Art White and Dick Lyons made two starts each, of course, losing both. White really struggled, pitching a pair of 7 inning, 4 run starts. He allowed 12 hits and 11 walks in the two outings, and after starting the season 10-0, he's now just 13-8 with an exactly league average 3.44 ERA (100 ERA+). His complete 180 in production has been a huge factor in our struggles, as he's found a way to be arguably the worst pitcher in baseball the past few months. Lyons looked good in one of his starts, however, going 7 with 6 hits, a walk, and a run. He had no luck against the Sailors, allowing 10 hits, 4 runs, and a walk in just 5 innings. Rusty Petrick was charged with a loss despite pitching well, but we couldn't score him any runs. He got walked off with one out in the 9th in our 2-1 loss to the Sailors, but he allowed just 5 hits and 3 walks with 4 strikeouts. Petrick finally got his season ERA below 4 (3.99), but he's vastly underperformed Jim Lonardo (14-11, 3.00, 35), which I definitely did not expect. In the pen, both Cal Knight and Merritt Thomas made two appearances each, tossing 3 shutout innings with just a single hit. Thomas also picked up a strikeout. The pitching was pretty solid, despite all the losses, but there is a lot of work to do if we want to turn things around. And we're running out of time to do it... The offense couldn't get it going, period, as evidenced by the trio of Skipper Schneider, Orlin Yates, and Dick Walker. They combined to go just 12-for-86 with 11 strikeouts. Skipper doubled, both Yates and Walker tripled, while Walker also picked up a steal with 5 walks. Not many members of our lineup had much success, but Hank Barnett and Cliff Moss supplied the pop. Both homered twice, while Barnett went 7-for-31 and Moss went 6-for-28. Barnett added a triple, 3 walks, 3 runs, and 4 RBIs while Moss walked 4 times and scored and drove in three runs. Leo Mitchell rebounded a bit, although he dropped further in the batting title race, going 10-for-30 with 2 doubles, a triple, 2 walks, and 4 runs. Obviously, the offense was subpar this week, scoring three or fewer runs in seven of the eight games, and we no longer lead the CA in runs scored. I'm not sure if we can right the ship, and even if we can, it might already be too late... Looking Ahead Well, last week we swept the Wolves in a double header and then they took the final two, so maybe we can do that to the Sailors! Now 64-54, we couldn't beat former Cougar farmhand Karl Wallace (13-8, 4.24, 44) and the rookie Win Lewis (1-2, 2.63, 31), so why should we be able to beat Doc Newell (9-12, 2.91, 75), who is still going strong at 36. We should have more luck with Dick Tillman (10-10, 4.90, 52), but with how many runs we've been scoring, we'll make him look like prime William Jones. Our pitching managed to keep Marion Boismenu (.376, 3, 59, 4) in check during the double header, and I'd love a few o'fers to help Leo Mitchell out in the batting race. The Sailors have recently added former 2nd Rounder Les Cunha (.281, 9) in to the lineup, and he had a big 3-for-4 game with a pair of runs scored in their 4-2 win in game two. His bat is a huge upgrade over the incumbent Ed White (.253, 3, 48), but it's yet to be seen if Cunha can replicate his impressive glove work. The bat has always been his strength, as evidenced by his 155 and 169 WRC+ in 36 AA games and 26 AAA games. Adding his name in the lineup card has lengthened the lineup and when you factor in an impressive month and a half from Alex Juris (.254, 5, 42), it is getting harder and harder to keep this team off base. Lucky for us, we can finally rest after that, as I'm sure those two days will be needed for us to lick our wounds. After 14 games in 12 days, four games in three will feel like nothing, and even more so knowing there is another off day after. The Cougars will be up in Montreal, and hopefully the struggling Saints can help us right our ship. August has been tough for them, as they are 6-13 and have dropped all the way down to the cellar. Plenty has gone wrong for the Sailors, as a lot of their talented youngsters are overseas and their pitching has been hit pretty hard. While a lot has gone wrong, Bill Ross has been a bright spot, as he's been able to shake off an awful start to the season. Ross is 10-9 with a 3.28 ERA (109 ERA+), 1.26 WHIP, 29 walks, and 49 strikeouts as he's on track for surpassing 200 innings for the third time in the past four seasons. The former Cougar 3rd Rounder is the only pitcher giving the Saints above average starts, but they have to be excited about the early results from "The Thin Man" Jackie James. Ranked as high as 22 on the top 100 prospect list back in 1940, the former 2nd Round selection of the Cannons debuted this season and has now played himself off the list. He's made 15 starts for Montreal, going 5-6 with a 3.80 ERA (95 ERA+), 1.44 WHIP, 38 walks, and 39 strikeouts. Tom Weinstock expects him to be a dependable middle rotation arm in a rotation that will see Wally Doyle, Bert Cupid, and "Mr. Right" Pat Weakly (9-10, 4.24, 89). The Saints staff has allowed the most runs and scored second the fewest, as Vic Crawford (.273, 8, 66) and Jake Hughes (.294, 42, 21) have cooled off. I hate to say these are must win games, but if we can't win this series we can kiss the playoffs good bye. Minor League Report C Homer Guthrie (AA Mobile Commodores): A lot of Mobile love in this week's minor league report, but leading the way was backstop Homer Guthrie. Our 7th Rounder from 1942, Guthrie was named the most recent Dixie League Player of the Week, going an impressive 13-for-22 with a homer, double, 2 triples, and 6 RBIs. This upped his season line up to an impressive .299/.427/.398 (123 OPS+) line with 14 doubles, 5 runs, 3 homers, and 51 RBIs. The most impressive part, however, may be his 74 walks in 423 trips to the plate. The 23-year-old has one of the best eyes in our system, but he doesn't have the cleanest of swings. His results at this level have been impressive, and even though Gene Lee is blocking him in AAA, he could definitely play every day up there. RHP Stan Flanders (AA Mobile Commodores): It's been a huge year for the 21-year-old, and his 10th win on the season was a special one. The former 10th Rounder tossed an 8-hit shutout with 3 walks and a strikeout as the Commodores defeated the Atlanta Peaches. Flanders has now thrown a career best 157.2 innings, working to a 3.03 ERA (131 ERA+) and 1.28 WHIP with 44 walks and strikeouts. A bit of a soft tosser, Flanders sits in the 86-88 range, and will have to rely more on his smarts then his stuff. His command still needs work, as he's still walking too many hitters, but for his age the results are extremely encouraging. For Flanders to succeed, he'll either have to paint the corners effectively, or flesh out the quality of his secondary pitches. He profiles as major league depth, someone who can start and relieve wherever he is needed most, but he's a lot further developed then most guys his age, and a high floor is always a huge plus. RHP George Oddo (AA Mobile Commodores): Speaking of high floor arms... A day after Flanders' shutout, George Oddo decided to match him, holding the Peaches to 7 hits and 3 walks with 5 strikeouts. The also 21-year-old is now 9-3 with a 2.26 ERA (175 ERA+), 0.99 WHIP, 28 walks, and 58 strikeouts in 12 starts with the Commodores. This is in line with his 11 starts in Lincoln, as the 1941 8th Rounder was 8-1 with a 2.50 ERA (180 ERA+), 1.23 WHIP, 28 walks, and 65 strikeouts. Our 3rd ranked prospect and 39th overall, Oddo is likely to finish the season in Mobile, but perhaps he can start next year in Milwaukee. The towering righty has good stuff, featuring a solid high 80s fastball that is overshadowed by a dominant change and curve. The movement he gets on his offspeed pitches is insane, as his arsenal is filled with swing and miss stuff. Oddo does a tremendous job locating pitches, and the kid is max effort all the time. He has no trouble going past the 125 mark, and he has yet to throw less then 100 pitches in any of his outings. This kid is about as good as it gets, but with all the high octane pitching talent in our system, I'm afraid he's going to get lost in the shuffle. Of course, no pitcher is a sure thing, and you can never have too many, but I'd be hard-pressed to believe he'll never pitch in the big leagues. 1B Lou Thomas (A Lincoln Legislators): Our 9th Round selection in the most recent draft, Lou Thomas started his minor league career in Lincoln, and he's already up to Mobile. The 22-year-olds .280/.376/.410 (102 OPS+) batting line was really similar to his triple slash as a senior at North Carolina Tech. Thomas hit 4 homers and drove in 31 runs while adding 7 doubles and a triple. He walked (21) a bit less then he struck out (27), but he's a patient hitter and he'll learn to connect more frequently. Thomas projects to have a plus hit tool and he does a good job squaring up the ball, which leads to a lot of extra base hits. The power will be the key, as it is for any first basemen, so if he can go to a 10 homer hitter to 15 or 20, he'll play a long time in the FABL. We don't have many first base prospects in our system, a lot of time it'll be guys who move from another corner, so Thomas has no one in his way up to Chicago. We sent Cuno Myer (.365, 14) to Detroit, and I just brought Norm Anderson up to play first as Chick Browning will move back to the outfielder. Norm isn't much of a prospect while Thomas actually checks right inside our top 30. As a lefty, he can platoon with Ray Ford once Dick Walker (.214, 2, 27, 21) decides to call it quits, but if he wants to get regular starts, he'll have to make it to the big leagues before we eventually shift Leo Mitchell to first.

11-10-2022, 02:03 PM	#940
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 19: August 22nd-August 28th Weekly Record: 4-2 Seasonal Record: 72-54 (t-2nd, 2.5 GB) Stars of the Week Billy Hunter : 17 AB, 9 H, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .529 AVG, 1.320 OPS Art White : 2 Wins, 17.2 IP, 2 BB, 0 K, 1.53 ERA Cliff Moss : 20 AB, 7 H, 2 HR, 7 RBI, .350 AVG, 1.131 OPS Schedule 8-21: Loss at Sailors (2-3) 8-22: Win at Sailors (7-0) 8-25: Loss at Saints (1-6) 8-26: Win at Saints (4-3) 8-27: Win at Saints (9-1) 8-27: Win at Saints (11-3) Recap There was no second half of the series sweep in Philly, but we were competitive in a one run loss and then shut them out to avoid the sweep. The two off days seemed to rejuvenate us, as even though we dropped the opener, we won a close one run game to even the series before battering the Saints in the final two to take the series. Despite the winning week, we dropped a game back from first, as the Wolves are red hot and lead both us and the Cannons by 2.5 games. We also received our first major injury of the season, and no, it was not the red hot Billy Hunter. It was our Rule-5 pick Lyn Trease. Just a few days before roster callups, Trease tore his flexor tendon, effectively ending his season and potentially his big league career. The 24-year-old was actually surprisingly effective out of our pen, tallying 23 innings with a 1.17 ERA (294 ERA+) and 1.39 WHIP. Walks have always troubled the third generation FABL player, as his 6.3 BB/9 means he was likely overperforming even with solid strike out numbers (13, 5.1). He may not be ready for Spring Training, but Trease likely wouldn't have made the big league club anyways. Still, the Peoria native is a valuable member of the team, and he'll travel with his teammates the rest of the way. Despite subpar talent, Trease is a well respected clubhouse leader, and one of the brightest minds in the sport. For just this next sim, we'll role with three pitchers, but we'll have a few more on hand once September starts. Replacing Trease on the roster will once again be Chick Browning, who has hit .270/.389/.397 (124 OPS+) in 73 games for the Blues. He was likely to come up next sim anyway, but the Chi-town lefty will look to add to his 4-for-12 with the Cougars. The best news of the week was Art White, who did a complete 180 from his last 12 or so starts. White was brilliant against the Sailors, tossing a 6-hit shutout where all 31 Sailors at bats ended with a ball in play. He then was an out away from a second complete game victory, allowing 12 hits, 2 walks, and 3 runs in our 11-3 win in game two of our double header. This shakes off a stretch of poor performances from the veteran southpaw where he went 3-8 with a 5.80 ERA and 1.81 WHIP. I made a massive blunder this week (which actually caused the Trease injury), accidentally setting Harry Parker's pitch count to 9, so he made two starts and got just 5 outs with 2 hits and a run. Trease relieved him both times, and while he did pitch well in the 3-2 loss to Philly, he didn't get a decision. He went 5 with 7 hits, a run, 2 walks, and strikeout. The issue came in game one of our double header, where he faced three batters before leaving with the injury. Luckily we were able to win that one, but the self-sabotage may come back to bite us in a stretch where we already can't do anything right... Of course, the early hooks caused our pen to pitch a lot, with Cal Knight and Ben Curtin both going five and a third. Knight all came in one game allowed 6 hits and 2 walks, but he didn't allow a run, while Curtin allowed one on 4 hits, 2 walks, and 3 strikeouts split between three appearances. Both picked up a win, with Knight's his first and Curtin his 13th. Merritt Thomas got a loss and save, going 2.2 with 2 hits, a run, and a walk. No issues with the rest of the staff, but no real strong performances either. Mike Murphy and Rusty Petrick didn't get starts, although Rusty threw an inning split across two games. The righty allowed a hit and walk, but neither managed to score. Billy Riley didn't look too good, allowing 15 hits, 6 runs, and a walk with 4 strikeouts in 7.1 innings pitched. The Stars were criticized a bit for letting Riley go, but the vet hasn't done very well for us, now 1-3 with a 3.95 ERA (87 ERA+) and 1.24 WHIP in 41 innings pitched. He's been a bit unlucky, as he owns impressive BB/9 (0.7) and K/9 (4.2) numbers and a lot of his hits allowed came in his most recent start. Dick Lyons pitched game one of our double header, but went just 6 with 10 hits and 3 runs. The pitching hasn't been great recently, but we held our opponents to three or less runs in five of the six games, and with plenty of off days coming up they should stay fit and well rested. Billy Hunter continued his assault on baseballs, as the former 1st Rounder put up another excellent week, this time going 9-for-17 with a double, homer, 5 runs, and 2 RBIs. The 29-year-old has now appeared in 98 games on the season, and is on pace for his first 100 game year since 1939 where he appeared in 146 and hit .294/.367/.408 (107 OPS+). In 373 PAs this year, Hunter has hit an even better .296/.354/.433 (124 OPS+) with a career best 8 home runs. Hunter has played excellent defense and is worth 3.6 wins above replacement, while maintaining a strong walk (32) to strikeout (10) ratio with 20 doubles and 46 RBIs. Our right field platoon was impressive as well, with Cliff Moss leading the way with a pair of homers and 7 RBIs. Moss was 7-for-20, adding 2 doubles and 5 runs scored while Rich Langton was 2-for-4 with two walks, a double, triple, steal, 3 runs, and 2 RBIs. Our catching duo was effective too, with Mike Taylor going 2-for-5 and Harry Mead matching Cliff Moss' 7-for-20. Taylor walked, scored a run, and drove in one while Mead mashed three doubles, scored twice, and drove in five. Dick Walker walked just twice, but was 6-for-25 with 3 doubles, a homer, 4 runs, and 4 walks. He's walked a league high 129 times, but he's now on track for just 158, one walk below Bill Barrett's 1942 season which is good for third all time. With our offensive output this week, we're back to first in the league in runs, but we still lack the consistency you need to be a top tier team. All things considered, 2.5 games out is still manageable, and while we'll need some luck to fall our way, the pennant is still in reach. Looking Ahead This coming week is one of the strangest I've seen, as we play just one game before the weekend. That will come in Chicago on the 29th where we host the Stars. At 12-12 on the month, this game will determine whether we have our second sub .500 month or our 4th winning month, and we'll get a team that failed to win a game last week. This dropped the Stars to 58-67 and 16 games behind the first place Wolves. Lucky for us, we'll avoid the already elite Eli Panneton, who has been nothing short of elite since joining the team after being selected 4th Overall in the draft. Panneton has gone 8-4 with a 2.18 ERA (162 ERA+), 1.16 WHIP, 22 walks, and 42 strikeouts in an inning shy of 100. The now 23-year-old Canadian is already one of the best pitchers in baseball, and he should anchor the Stars rotation for years to come. I'd love to face "The Pope of Chicago" Larry Gregory (2-3, 2.83, 17), a 1941 first rounder who was high on our draft list, but it's looking like we'll see 41-year-old veteran Eddie Hite (13-9, 3.87, 48) instead. He's the worst of the Stars four starters, and we should be able to put up a lot of runs on him. Offensively, they are pretty solid, leading the CA in both average (.272) and OBP (.339), but they're just fourth in runs scored. The lineup has some strong bats, including former Cougar draftee Chubby Hall (.268, 13, 77), who has a power surge at 27. Jim Honeywood (.371, 24) has mashed after entering the lineup, Ray Cochran (.296, 6, 48, 8) is still very effective at 38, and Elijah Boudreau (.278, 7, 49, 6) has looked solid in his first full season as a big leaguer. Even former Cougar farmhand Bill Graham (.294, 3, 10) has done a great job manning short for them, putting up above average offensive and defensive numbers. But they'll have their work cut out for them as they attempt to best Harry Parker (11-10, 2.46, 95) who I might have cost an Allen Award and/or strikeout title with my pitch count blunder. After three off days, we finally return to the field on the weekend, hosting the Saints for three games in two days. We could use another three win series here, as the Saints continue to fall in the standings while now sitting at 51-75 and 23.5 games back. They're off for two games before our series, so they may arrange their rotation to avoid giving the struggling Jake DeYoung (5-11, 4.75, 68) or Karl Weiss (6-11, 4.77, 30), both of who started in the double header, another start against us. Pat Weakly (10-10, 4.08, 93) managed to hold us in check this week, but even if Bill Ross (10-9, 3.32, 49) is pitching, I like our chances scoring runs. In the lineup, just Vic Crawford (.275, 8, 73), Bill Greene (.259, 7, 52, 22) and Spud Bent (.281, 5, 56) are having above average offensive seasons, but the trio all fail to surpass the 110 mark in terms of OPS+. This could be a huge week for us, as we have a legit chance of going 4-0, while the Wolves will have three against both the Foresters and Sailors. Some made up ground here would be huge as we enter the final month of the season in what hopefully ends up being a very exciting race to the finish.