Chicago Cougars (FABL) - Page 48

ayaghmour2 · 11-12-2022, 10:30 PM

Weekly Record: 2-2
Seasonal Record: 74-56 (3nd, 1.5 GB)
Stars of the Week
Rich Langton : 15 AB, 8 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .533 AVG, 1.333 OPS
Leo Mitchell : 15 AB, 6 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI, .400 AVG, 1.271 OPS
Art White : 1 Win, 9.0 IP, 1 BB, 2 K, 0.00 ERA

Schedule
8-29: Loss vs Stars (8-7): 11 innings
9-2: Loss vs Saints (8-7)
9-3: Win vs Saints (0-10)
9-3: Win vs Saints (0-6)

Recap
Well, this was a strange week. Generally, when you outscore your opponents 30-16, you'd expect to win more games then you lost, but the darn Stars and Saints both beat us 8-7, so we dropped to the third. The only positive there is we actually gained a game on the division lead. The Wolves had a rough week, swept by the Sailors to finish, so they are now tied with the Cannons a top the CA. This is shaping up to be a great pennant race between the three of us, and with nearly all of our games at home, you'd think that would give us an advantage. The Cannons and Wolves will be on the road for almost the entirety of the final month, but both teams are 35-23 (.603) on the road compared to 40-31 (.563) at home. To make things more interesting, we are 37-25 (.596) at home, so all three teams are 12 games over .500 at the location they will finish most of the season at. The Wolves and Cannons match up eight more times, four in Toronto this coming week and four in Cincinnati the week following, while we host both teams for three games back-to-back. I'm very excited for the rest of the season, but it's not quite the final month I expected...

While the first half of the week was embarrassing, the double header to finish the week was dominant. Art White started it off with his second shutout in two games, allowing just 7 hits with a walk and 2 strikeout. White has started to turn things around, and not a moment too soon, allowing just 3 runs in his last 26.2 innings pitched. He also got his first strikeout in over a month (August 10th), giving him just 26 in 220 innings pitched. Harry Parker then capped off the double header with an impressive show of dominance, allowing just 3 hits while striking out 8 Saints to pick up his 12th win on the season. It wasn't his only start, as he struggled a bit against the Stars, charged with 9 hits, 4 runs, and 2 walks with 2 strikeouts in 6.2 innings pitched. Parker reclaimed the CA strikeout lead with 103, and he cracked the 200 inning mark for the fifth time in six years while surpassing the 5 WAR (5.3) mark for the first time in his career. The last start went to Mike Murphy, who lasted just 3 innings after allowing 9 hits, 6 runs, and 2 walks. Rusty Petrick finished off the last 6 innings with 5 hits, 2 runs, 4 walks, and 4 strikeouts. He was one of three pen members to allow two runs, with Ben Curtin and Merritt Thomas falling apart in our extra inning loss. Curtin blew the save first, allowing 4 hits, 2 runs, and 3 walks in 2.1 innings pitched. Thomas relieved him, and was charged with a loss, allowing 3 hits, 2 runs, and a walk in 2 innings. It's a rare misstep for both, and it rose our pen ERA above 2 for the first time in months, still a league best 2.28. Our pitching will need to excel down the stretch if we stand a chance, and I think I trust Parker, White, and Riley to take us to the finish. We have a lot of off days the next three weeks, so I'll be dropping Murphy and Petrick to the pen until we need more starters again.

The offense exploded, so it is a bit unfortunate we only one half our games. Our right field duo had another great week, with Rich Langton leading the way. Langton went 8-for-15 with 2 doubles, a triple, 3 RBIs, and 4 runs to up his WRC+ to a league average 100. With a bunch of lefty starters, Cliff Moss got just 5 at bats, but singled, scored, and hit a solo homer. Leo Mitchell turned things around, 6-for-15 with 2 homers, 5 RBIs, and 7 runs scored. Don Lee showed signs of his minor league bat, going 5-for-13 with a steal, 2 runs, 4 walks, and his first big league home run. Hank Barnett was 5-for-14 with a double, homer, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 6 RBIs. All five of these guys had a weekly OPS+ above 200, and while obviously that can't be kept up, this is huge production from some really talented hitters. Harry Mead and Skipper Schneider couldn't match that 200 mark, but both were well above average. Mead went 5-for-13 with a run, 2 doubles, and 3 RBIs. Skipper was 5-for-15 with a steal, double, triple, 3 runs, and 4 RBIs. It wasn't all good, however, as Dick Walker had a walkless week, going 3-for-18 with an RBI, steal, and 2 runs scored. He still sits at 129 for the season, and is now at a 153 walk pace. Billy Hunter cooled down as well, just 1-for-8 with a walk, steal, RBI, and 2 runs scored. Still can't complain too much about the overall output, and if we can continue to have weeks like this, we will win far more often then we lose. Even if it didn't happen this time.

Looking Ahead
Rosters are now expanded, and as always, I'll cover the callups in the minor league report, so we'll have a deeper pen and bench the rest of the way out. We have a lot of off days as well, as after a double header with the Kings, we will get two days off. Brooklyn is now 60-71 and 16 games out of first, and ever so slightly closer to 4th (6.5 GB) then last (7 GA). I'm really hoping they'll bring Mel Haynes up for the rest of the season. They have a lot of open rotation spots behind Jim Kenny (16-11, 2.80, 66). #5 starter Ike O'Donnell (6-4, 2.57, 41) has overperformed and is walking (42) about as many hitters as he strikes out (41), but the other three rotation members have ERAs above 4. I imagine they'll keep top 100 prospect Clarence Barton (3-4, 4.47, 26) in as he has just 7 big league starts, but 31-year-old Rule-5 Pick Bud Hastings (9-10, 4.12, 52) might lose his spot to a younger callup. The lineup has plenty of more holes, and with Orie Martinez (.288, 11, 56) the lone lineup member below 24, they might want to give some of their prospects a shot. There are plenty of options for the new management to work with, and with their only All Star Vernon Ruch (.290, 6, 48) out since April, there is an extra spot up for grabs. We are facing both of their top pitchers in Kenny and O'Donnell, but I trust Billy Riley (9-10, 3.42, 75) and Dick Lyons (7-7, 2.60, 12) to prevent the Kings from generating hard contact.

Our whole week will be spent in the Big Apple, but three of the next four days will not see any baseball. The Stars will welcome us to town on the 7th, and then we get another day off on the 8th. That sets up a Saturday morning game followed by another Sunday double header, so both teams will will have full use of their rotation. This will mark Riley's return to the organization that drafted him 12 years ago, and I hope the fans at Dyckman Stadium will give him a warm welcome. It would be awesome to see him matched up with budding star Eli Panneton (8-5, 1, 2.44, 45), but they will probably want him pitching before the double header. Panneton isn't the only exciting youngster in the Stars rotation, as Larry Gregory (2-4, 3.38, 17; .310, 7)) is flashing two-way capabilities in 56 innings and 37 plate appearances. There could be a few more youngsters in town, as they have a trio of top 100 prospects in AAA. It's an impressive group, headlined by talented left fielder "Jersey Jack" Welch (.304, 4, 35), but don't underestimate 1940 2nd Rounder Bill Grove (.254, 2, 8) or former Cougar draftee Bill Chapman (5-3, 3.90, 21). I can't see Chapman getting the call, but Grove will be Rule-5 eligible in the offseason and Welch's 158 WRC+ in 62 games leads me to believe that he's big league ready. Ray Cochran (.297, 6, 49, 8) is in left with Chubby Hall (.264, 13, 78) are holding down the corners now, but Cochran can move to first or the hot corner. If he goes to the hot corner, Gary Carmichael (.293, 6, 60) could shift to the keystone and send Mel Hancock (.233, 1, 31) to a utility role. Jim Honeywood (.378, 26) seems safe at first, as he's hit even better since starting to play every day. Him and young Chick MacKnight (.301, 1, 7) put together great August's and have vastly help the team's offseason production. MacKnight debuted the last week of July, and is actually the player selected with the pick we traded for Clark Car and a pair of draft picks. As good as Car has been for us, the 16th pick of the 1942 draft has developed into a quality big leaguer in his own right, currently ranked 53rd in the league while projecting to be a top quality catcher. The Stars are definitely tougher then their 60-70 record indicates, just ask the Wolves, who have lost 13 of the 19 matchups.

Minor League Report
RHP Bill Anderson: After four years in our minor league system, Bill Anderson will return to the big leagues for the first time since he was an Eagle way back in 1939. Anderson has spent most of his time with us out of the pen, but the 35-year-old vet had his best season this year. He made 7 starts in 45 appearances, going 9-3 with 10 saves, a 2.21 ERA (163 ERA+), 1.18 WHIP, 27 walks, and 31 strikeouts. A seven pitch pitcher, Anderson could probably start on some teams, but for us he gives us another reliable pen arm, and I could see him making a resurgence as a late inning arm. In 250 games with the Wolves and Eagles, Anderson went 84-101 with a 4.61 ERA (93 ERA+), 1.49 WHIP, 481 walks, and 548 strikeouts. His best career season was his first in Washington back in 1936, where Anderson went 22-14 with a 4.48 ERA (107 ERA+) and 1.59 WHIP with 77 walks and 123 strikeouts. He led the Fed in FIP- (81) and WAR (7.1), but it was his lone season with a winning record. Anderson had just one option remaining, the one I used this year, so September will be a good chance for him to prove he belongs on the roster.

RHP Angel Lopez: Our Rule-5 selection last season, Angel Lopez had a rough August, where he lost twice as many games (4) in the month then he had all season. That hasn't ruined his overall line much, as Lopez will finish his AAA season 17-6 in 27 starts. A major league callup will be a nice 26th birthday gift to reward his 2.38 ERA (152 ERA+), 1.20 WHIP, 58 walks, and 72 strikeouts. There was a time it wasn't certain that Lopez would even be a Cougar once September came around, as he was floated around in a few trade offers, including the eventual Billy Riley deal. Now he might end up getting a spot start, but more likely he'll fill a long role like he did last season. Lopez was decent enough in our pen last season, going 2-4 with a 3.57 ERA (91 ERA+), 1.48 WHIP, 21 walks, and 18 strikeouts in 45.1 innings pitched. That being said, he definitely took a step forward this year, as in 61.2 AAA innings back in 1942, he was 0-8 with a 6.28 ERA (56 ERA+) and 1.93 WHIP. Depending on who gets called away or how old Lyons pitches like, Lopez could get an opportunity to claim a rotation spot next spring.

RHP Ken Matson: After 8 starts with the Blues, Ken Matson will return to Chicago to fill the pen. The 26-year-old wasn't great, just 2-3 with a 3.22 ERA (112 ERA+), 1.12 WHIP, 22 walks, and 21 strikeouts. Both his strikeouts and walks are up from his Chicago numbers, where he was 2-3 with a 4.35 ERA (80 ERA+), 1.54 WHIP, 35 walks, and 38 strikeouts. His awful start against the Foresters ruined his season numbers, as his 3.28 FIP and 94 FIP- paint a much prettier pitcher. I don't expect many, if any, starts along the way, but his stuff will make him an interesting option out of the pen. Interesting enough, he did better as a starter then a reliever with us earlier, but I think that's more of a sample size thing. That being said, if we fall out of the race, Matson will likely get a start the last week of the season. But let's hope that's not the case...

C Gene Lee: It's always nice to have a third catcher, so Gene Lee will join the club in Chicago. He's cooled down a bit, but the 24-year-old hit a decent enough .254/.356/.334 (98 OPS+) with 16 doubles, 5 homers, and 62 RBIs. Lee also managed twice as many as walks (60) as strikeouts (26), but his defense behind the plate isn't the greatest. Still, the imposing catcher is a decent enough hitter and a leader in the clubhouse. Having him on hand allows Clyde Meyer to be more aggressive when pinch running Mead or Taylor, knowing that Lee is there to replace a catcher if they got hurt. It could also open up pinch hit opportunities for Taylor, who actually has a nice .261/.326/.403 (108 OPS+) batting line with 4 homers and 17 RBIs. Lee now has a shot to make his big league debut, something unexpected for a former 19th Round Pick.

3B Steve Jones: He was supposed to debut last year, but a lineup of mine didn't take, so the now 27-year-old should get a chance sometime this month to make his dream come true. Valued for his glove more then his bat, Jones is hitting just .212/.338/.288 (89 OPS+) in 119 games this year and just a 90 WRC+ in 1,116 career AAA plate appearances. His defense and versatility more then makes up for it, as Jones has well above career numbers at second, third, and short. He has an outstanding arm and good range, and I imagine he'll make a few defensive replacements for Hank Barnett late in close games. He doesn't have the bat for third, which is why a start isn't likely, but with his arm its the best position for him. He does have the range for short, so a team in desperate need of a shortstop could start him there, and while still not average, his bat will play better there. It will be hard for Jones to keep a 40-man spot when all the players at war return, but his glove will always help him secure a role in an organization.
LF Huck Hanes: He may just be coming off the IL, but the former 4th Rounder is more then ready for the big leagues. Now 25, Huck Hanes has spent two and a half seasons in Milwaukee, this year hitting .311/.389/.348 (111 OPS+) with 8 doubles, a homer, and 24 RBIs. The power drop is a bit concerning, as Hanes had 11 homers in 137 games last year, about twice as many games as he played this year. An all bat, no glove prospect, Hanes will be a very useful pinch hitter down the stretch, as he has great discipline and consistently puts the ball in play. At the plate he features a great combination of bat speed and barrel control, and he could put together a few .300 seasons in a full time role. It will be hard for him to start every day with Leo Mitchell in left, but depending on how Dick Walker looks next season, Hanes could start in left and Mitchell could move to first. I do expect him to return to Milwaukee to start next season, but he could easily hit his way back up to Chicago.

CF Leo Davis (AAA Milwaukee Blues): We had an injury in our AAA outfield last week, so Davis got the call despite owning just a .263/.323/.345 (80 OPS+) batting line in 491 trips to the plate. Despite that, the former 8th Round Pick had the week of his season, going 12-for-28 with 5 doubles, a triple, 7 runs, and 5 RBIs. That was good enough for Player of the Week, as the 25-year-old took home his 5th career player of the week. An excellent defender, Davis had a 25.7 zone rating and 1.095 efficiency out in center before promotion. It's helped him be worth nearly 5 wins above replacement between Mobile and Milwaukee with 21 doubles, 8 triples, 3 homers, 46 RBIs, and 19 steals. His speed is his best tool, allowing him to excel in the field and on the bases, but he's too much of a free swinger and he'll strike out more frequently then he'll walk. He's pretty strong too, which you think would lead to more homers or extra base hits, although he did have 20 homers last year and has hit double digits a few other times before. Davis tops out as a 5th outfielder, but his glove is useful enough that he could spend a season or two in the big leagues.

3B Danny Richardson (AA Mobile Commodores): 1944 has been Danny Richardson's season, as the former 3rd Rounder is hitting the best he has sine C ball. He took home another Player of the Week, going 10-for-24 with 4 doubles, 2 homers, 7 walks, and 8 RBIs. In 310 plate appearances for the Commodores, Richardson has hit an impressive .313/.413/.473 (139 OPS+) with 18 doubles, 6 triples, 4 homers, and 42 RBIs. His 153 WRC+ is elite and he's walked (42) far more often then he's struck out (18). The Elgin native will remain Rule-5 eligible, and while I'm not planning on protecting him, his production here could spark interest in a team who needed a third basemen. He will get a change to face tougher competition, moving up to Milwaukee to finish the season. He's definitely ready, but I think Richardson may be at his ceiling, best served as minor league depth or potentially a AAAA player.

LHP Ed Fisler (AA Mobile Commodores): One of the guys on our 40 who isn't getting called up today, the now 23-year-old Fisler got the Reliables bats to fizzle, holding them scoreless in a 6-0 Commodores win. It was his second consecutive complete game victory over the Reliables, and the first one was actually more impressive. He walked 3 and struck out 4 in both, but his previous start saw just a pair of hits and unearned runs. His shutout was a still impressive 8-hitter, but a trio of errors cost him the shutout. The southpaw has been effective in his 22 starts, going 15-7 with a 3.28 ERA (120 ERA+), 1.48 WHIP, 94 walks, and 81 strikeouts. We have room in our Milwaukee rotation, as Fisler will hope to improve on a pair of starts with the Blues back in July. He allowed 18 hits, 10 runs, and 8 walks with just 4 strikeouts in 11.2 innings pitched. I won't rule out a callup after the minor league season ends, but I was him starting every day instead of having him saved for mop up duty. He's not one of the higher touted prospects in our organization, but Tom thinks he'll be a solid back of the rotation starter. He has a really good fastball and his slider and change aren't too shabby, but he'll never be an overpowering arm. His minor league strikeout numbers are pretty solid, but I think FABL hitters won't be fooled as often. He'll need to keep his walks in check, but as long as he strikes out more guys he'll be fine. That hasn't been the case for him this year, which is a bit concerning, but he's facing older competition and isn't at his peak yet. It'll hard for him to break into our rotation, but I think he'll be a better lefty pen option then Cal Knight.

RHP Bill Holloway (B San Jose Cougars): Holloway missed a few weeks earlier in the season with a sore shoulder, but he hasn't let that phase him much. His post-injury numbers were in line with their pre-injury counterparts. Or at least that was until his last start. After allowing just 2 runs in his last 16.1 innings pitched, Holloway then took revenge on the Vancouver Mounties. Last time out he faced them they put on 8 hits and 3 walks worth 6 runs before knocking him out in the fourth. This time around, Holloway didn't allow any free passes, tossing a 7-hit, 5-strikeout shutout to improve to 9-3 on the season. Holloway has been very good through 125 innings with the Cougars, working to a 2.88 ERA (122 ERA+), 1.26 WHIP, 35 walks, and 105 strikeouts. That's an impressive 3.0 K/BB and he's been worth exactly 3 WAR in his 18 starts. A 4th Rounder of ours last season, the Chicago native ranks inside our top 20, and is ranked #231 overall. A four pitch pitcher, the Lincoln College alum has a pretty developed arsenal, as he racks up a ton of strikeouts and could probably even get whiffs from a handful amount of FABL players. He doesn't overpower, occasionally touching 90, but he uses his pitches well and modern day analysis would probably compliment his spin rates. Last year he displayed a lot of walk issues, but he's dropped his BB/9 from 5.9 to 2.5. If he stays there and keeps striking out guys he'll be fine, and maybe he can develop into the #4 or #5 starter OSA predicts. He just turned 22, so I'd like to move him up the ladder quicker, and he'll start next season up in Lincoln for sure. He's a bit raw for a college guy, but he's shown to be a quick learner and I'd love to get him to the big leagues in '46 or '47. As a Chicagoan it will be easy for him to get a callup, but he's got his work cut out for him if he wants to be an everyday guy.

RHP Lonnie Sis (C La Crosse Lions): Like father, like son! Wrack up another shutout for Lonnie Sis, who allowed just 3 hits with 3 walks and strikeouts as the Lions topped them Steamboats 4-0. "Sizzler" has really sizzled in his 8 starts, going 5-3 with a 1.90 ERA (189 ERA+), 1.13 WHIP, 23 walks, and 36 strikeouts. He's done a tremendous job in his early career, as his change up has fooled a ton of young hitters and his curve and cutter are both good pitches as well. He mixes them well together, and should do an excellent job mixing his pitches together. He sits in the low 90s now, and I'd hope to see him throwing a little harder by time he turns 20. With his work ethic you can hope for the best, and even if he doesn't pitch nearly as well as his dad once did, his name will likely carry him to a debut.

ayaghmour2 · 11-14-2022, 07:03 PM

Weekly Record: 1-5
Seasonal Record: 75-61 (3nd, 4.5 GB)
Stars of the Week
Hank Barnett : 20 AB, 7 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI, .350 AVG, 1.200 OPS
Leo Mitchell : 26 AB, 10 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .385 AVG, .907 OPS
Harry Mead : 16 AB, 5 H, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .312 AVG, .978 OPS

Schedule
9-4: Loss at Kings (1-6)
9-4: Loss at Kings (0-3)
9-7: Loss at Stars (1-2)
9-9: Win at Stars (4-2)
9-10: Loss at Stars (4-5)
9-10: Loss at Stars (9-10)

Recap
Well, see you next year!

This was the type of week that nightmares are made of, as we went just 1-5 and dropped to 4.5 games behind the Wolves. We let the Kings sweep us in the double header, scoring just one run off Jim Kenney (17-12, 2.88, 71) and Ike O'Donnell (7-4, 2.39, 43). The Stars series was arguably worse, as even though we won one of the four games, the three losses were all by a single run. Now 5 of our last 7 losses have been by a single run, and since July 1st, we are just 15-21 on the road. Luck for us, 15 of our last 18 games our at home, but at this point, I'm not sure how much that will matter. A few transactional moves as well, starting with Merritt Thomas hitting the IL with a hamstring strain. With a six week recovery time, that effectively ends his season. It was a great one for Thomas, who worked to a 1.96 ERA (176 ERA+) and 1.31 WHIP in 41.1 innings pitched. The 36-year-old vet finished an even 4-4 with 3 saves, 15 walks, and 10 strikeouts. We also added veteran Dan Fowler back on waivers, as the Chiefs cut him after hitting just .107/.138/.214 (-1 OPS+) in 29 trips to the plate for him. I don't expect much from Fowler, but he gives us a lefty bat with some pop off the bench.

Pretty much nothing worked out for us this week, and the pitching was no exception. Don't blame Harry Parker, who tossed 8 scoreless in a no decision. He was charged with 5 hits and 3 walks with 3 strikeouts, and has now thrown 19.2 consecutive scoreless innings. Art White pitched well until the ninth, but if we just scored for him, it wouldn't have mattered. Both of his runs allowed came in the 9th courtesy of a pair of .237 hitters via a Mel Hancock sac-fly and Cliff Ray walk-off single. White allowed 10 hits, 2 runs, and 3 walks with 2 strikeouts while falling to 16-9. Dick Lyons and Billy Riley both made a pair of starts, and they all went poorly. Lyons is starting to show his age, allowing 13 hits, 10 runs, and 3 walks with a strikeout in 9.2 innings pitched. Billy Riley allowed 21 hits, 11 runs (7 earned), and 2 walks with 4 strikeouts in 14 innings pitched. The pen wasn't great either, with bad outings from Ben Curtin and Rusty Petrick. Curtin made two appearances, charged with 7 hits and 3 runs in 3 innings pitched. Petrick threw 2.1 innings with 4 hits, 2 runs, a walk, and 2 strikeouts. Bill Anderson had a nice Cougar debut, throwing 3 innings with 2 hits and a win in 2 appearances. Cal Knight picked up the save, tossing a perfect frame. We still have enough off days for a four man rotation, but I'm not sure how many more starts I want to give Dick Lyons.

We didn't score many runs, but that's not to say we didn't have a lot of production from the lineup. Hammerin' Hank mashed as per usual, going 7-for-20 with a double, 2 homers, 3 runs, 5 RBIs, and 6 walks. Harry Mead went 5-for-16 with 2 doubles, a homer, run, walk, and 2 RBIs. Rich Langton went 6-for-17 with a double, steal, 2 walks, 3 runs, and 3 RBIs. Leo Mitchell helped keep up his batting title hopes, going 10-for-26 with 3 doubles, 2 runs, and an RBI. He's now just a point behind Marion Boismenu in the batting title race while hitting .367/.401/.488 (153 OPS+) with 26 doubles, 13 homers, and 79 RBIs. He leads the league in slugging, OPS (.889), hits (202), total bases (269), OPS+, and WPA (3.88) while ranking top 5 in average, RBIs (4th), OBP (2nd), runs (2nd, 85), and wOBA (2nd, .402). He's going to be crucial for us down the stretch if we want to claw our way back into things, but the 4.5 game deficit is going to be tough to overcome.

Looking Ahead
A much needed off day to start the week, but all five of our games this week come against the Kings. The first two are at home, and then we follow that with another off day to travel to Brooklyn with the Kings. We get three on their turf before the final two off days of our season. I'm still in awe of how the Kings shut us down in the double header, and here is the perfect time for some revenge. I hope we don't see Jim Kenny (17-12, 2.88, 71) or Ike O'Donnell (7-4, 2.39, 43), who has seemed to take my comments personally, more then once, but we're guaranteed to see Kenny. Since Ike is their #5, he may hopefully be skipped, giving us two goes at Bill McGraw (6-11, 4.21, 80), Bud Hastings (10-10, 4.13, 55), or Clarence Barton (3-4, 4.47, 26). The Kings have yet to call up any reinforcements, so they could make some changes, but for now sub-70 WRC+ guys like Hal Reynolds (.197, 17, 64, 5) and Otto Deal (.240, 2, 38) will keep getting at bats. This will be our last chance to play the Kings, who we are 10-7 against. These games are huge, and while a 5 win week seems out of the question, it's about all we can do to get back into the pennant race.

Minor League Report
SS Jim Dickinson: He won't be healthy for another day, but I'm bringing up our former regional pick from 1941. Now 25, the Springfield native is an elite gloveman, working to a 7.3 zone rating and 1.103 efficiency at short this year, and in 383 games at short he boasts elite measures of 57 and 1.094. The bat isn't as developed, but he hit an impressive .285/.413/.382 (116 OPS+) in 137 games with Mobile last year, and he has a nice 116 WRC+ in Mobile this year. Injuries have cost him a majority of the season, appearing in just 59 games for the Blues this year. He hit a respectable .242/.393/.302 (99 OPS+) with 7 doubles, 3 triples, and 30 RBIs with an elite 52-to-17 walk-to-strikeout ratio. His walks and strikeouts have continued to work in the right way, going from 18/43 to 66/80 to 115/61 until his tremendous output this year. "Speck" currently ranks 14th in our system and 241st overall, profiling as an elite shortstop with tremendous plate discipline. He's really just a singles hitter, and he only has 5 homers in 391 minor league games, and it may take him a season or two before he hits his first big league homer. With Skipper at short, we don't have a need for an elite gloveman, but he's got experience at second and third too, and it never hurts to have too many quality defenders. A start at short will only come if we're eliminated, as the Iron Man Skipper has started 135 of our 136 games, and he still appeared in the game he didn't start. Dickinson is in a tough spot; good enough to start, but stuck behind the games best shortstop. He's starting to enter his prime now, but I value his glove far too much to let him start elsewhere. Unless of course, we package him for a player I just can't say no to...

RHP Harry MacRae (AA Mobile Commodores): Sometimes two pitches is all you need, as Harry MacRae continues to dominate the Dixie League. MacRae tossed his second shutout of the season, allowing 10 hits, a walk, and a strikeout. This improved the now 23-year-old to 14-8 on the season with a brilliant 2.72 ERA (145 ERA+) and 1.22 WHIP with 53 walks and 69 strikeouts. MacRae succeeds by keeping the ball on the ground, allowing just 4 homers in 195 innings. MacRae has a rubber arm, and earlier in the season he managed to throw 202(!) pitches in 13.1 innings, he's thrown 100 pitches or more in each start, and failed to pitch 8 or more innings in just one of his 22 starts. It feels like a waste to keep his stamina in the pen, even with just two pitches, and with how good they are, its tough to not let him starts game. He has a strong low 90s fastball and dominant curve, and both pitches have off the charts movement. He pounds the zone and lets the natural run of his pitches do the work, allowing him to miss bats and generate weak contact. He'll finish the season in Mobile, but my guess is he'll start games in Milwaukee next year, and could find himself pitching out of the Chicago pen later in the season.

ayaghmour2 · 11-15-2022, 01:46 PM

Weekly Record: 2-3
Seasonal Record: 77-64 (3nd, 4 GB)
Stars of the Week
Leo Mitchell : 22 AB, 10 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .455 AVG, 1.069 OPS
Harry Mead : 17 AB, 7 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .412 AVG, 1.171 OPS
Ben Curtin : 1 Win, 1 Saves, 5.0 IP, 2 BB, 2 K, 0.00 ERA

Schedule
9-12: Win vs Kings (3-4)
9-13: Win vs Kings (0-4)
9-15: Loss at Kings (3-4)
9-16: Loss at Kings (6-9)
9-17: Loss at Kings (1-5)

Recap
We just cannot win road games. We swept the Kings at home, but we let them sweep us back in Brooklyn. After starting the season 24-13 (.648) on the road, we finished a game under .500 at 38-39 (.493). What makes things worse, is the Cannons beat up the Wolves, so if we didn't mysteriously suck on the road now, we would be closer then just four games back. With 13 games left, we're still technically alive, but I have next to zero faith in any sort of comeback, especially considering almost half (6) of those games come against the Cannons and Wolves. Technically, that could work into our favor if we beat them, but again, I don't think this second half Cougar team can beat two extremely talented squads. Since July 1st we're now just 27-41 and just 5-9 in September. At this point I just can't wait for the season to end, as this has easily been my most least enjoyable season at the helm of the Cougars.

Pitch counts continue to sabotage me, as yet again, Harry Parker is given a single digit pitch count. He made two "perfect" starts, but tallied just an inning and a third of action. It "worked" in our 4-0 win, but sabotaged us in our 5-1 loss. This more or less made it so Ken Matson and Angel Lopez got starts instead of one of the best pitchers in the game. Matson, however, pitched like an ace, tossing 6.2 shutout innings with 2 hits, a walk, and 3 strikeouts. Lopez, on the other hand, was abysmal, allowing 9 hits, 4 runs, and 2 walks with 3 strikeouts in just 3.2 innings pitched. I can't really blame him, as he should never have been pitching, but I continue to find ways to sabotage a team that has done far more then enough sabotage themselves.

Because of this weirdness, the only good start of the week went to Art White, who seems to be back on track. The veteran tossed a complete game victory with 7 hits, 3 runs (1 earned), 2 walks, and a strikeout. Dick Lyons had his second straight start with 4 or fewer innings and 6 or more runs, going 2.2 innings with 6 hits, 6 runs, and 2 walks. One more start like this and it may be the last of his career, but this is the same guy who had a sub 2.50 ERA in each of our first four months of the season. Billy Riley continues to have no luck as a Cougar, getting walked off by the useless Otto Deal's (.243, 2, 41) lucky double with one out in the ninth. Riley allowed 10 hits and 4 runs with a strikeout to drop to 1-6 with a 4.12 ERA (84 ERA+) as a Cougar. His luck has been so bad, that his FIP- matches his ERA+, and he boasts an elite 4.8 K/BB. It hasn't mattered much, as Riley has left plenty to be desired in a Cougar uniform. Starters Rusty Petrick and Mike Murphy both struggled in the pen, but with Lyons' issues, Murphy will get a start this week. He allowed 3 hits and a run with a strikeout in an inning and a third. Petrick faired far worse, allowing 5 hits, 3 runs, and 4 walks in 4.1 innings pitched while failing to record a single strikeout. This was his first appearance all season where he pitched more then an inning and did not strike out a single hitter. Ben Curtin shook off his rough stretch, making three appearances with a win and save. He threw 5 hitless innings with a pair of walks and strikeouts. With no off days after the 20th, our pitching will be tested, and without a solid arm behind Parker and White, we are going to need plenty of luck.

At the plate, Skipper Schneider's bat has gone ice cold, adding another poor week by going just 2-for-20 with a run scored and driven in. Our talented young shortstop hit just .216/.236/.304 (54 OPS+) in August before continuing the slump with a .250/.264/.308 (63 OPS+) line in September. His glove more then makes up for it, as he's still been worth a CA best 6.1 WAR despite his now .267/.305/.355 (89 OPS+) season line. Dick Walker has also been in a dreadful slump, going 3-for-20 with 3 walks, a triple, run, and RBI. Walker's season line has dropped to .207/.371/.297 (92 OPS+) and his August (.168/.288/.316, 73) and September (.155/.246/.207, 30) lines are just as bad as Skipper's. These are two very important members of our lineup, and their complete lack of production has made it extremely hard to win games.

On the other end, Harry Mead has been red hot, going 7-for-17 with a double, homer, 4 walks, 4 RBIs, and 5 runs scored. Mead has slashed an elite .405/.468/.667 (222 OPS+) in September, good for a 241 WRC+. In full, the backstop has slashed .324/.374/.472 (141 OPS+) with 38 doubles, 2 triples, 7 homers, and 58 RBIs. Leo Mitchell has started to separate from Marion Boismenu, taking the batting title lead by 11 points after going 10-for-22 with a homer, 3 runs, and 5 RBIs. My vote for the CA Whitney is now hitting an impressive .370/.404/.492 (156 OPS+) with 26 doubles, 14 homers, and 84 RBIs. He was also somewhat surprisingly the Player of the Week, as Mead had arguably the better seven days. Cliff Moss had a strong week as well, going 5-for-14 with 2 walks, a homer, and 2 RBIs. Billy Hunter went 6-for-15 with a steal and two doubles, runs, and RBIs. Hunter has now started 100 games for the first time since 1939 while hitting an excellent .297/.354/.433 (125 OPS+) with 23 doubles, 8 homers, 6 steals, and 50 RBIs. If we can get a better showing from Hank Barnett (5-19, 2B, RBI, 3 R), we'll be in good shape, but our lineup has too many holes right now, and our staff needs far more help then they've been able to provide.

Looking Ahead
We'll get two days of rest and relaxation before finishing off our season at home. With four series left, each team we host will be the last time we face them in 1944. Lucky for us, those four include the three other teams with a winning record, really making things difficult for us to finish the season. At 77 wins, we're all but guaranteed to win fewer then our 86 wins last year, as 9-4 seems very unlikely. First stop is the Sailors, who are the lowest ranked team still mathematically eliminated, nine games behind the Wolves and Cannons and 5 games behind us. At 72-69, they are also unlikely to surpass their 82 wins from last year, and they've been without ace Doc Newell (10-12, 2.87, 79) since the end of August. Interesting enough, they've brought up veteran William Jones (1-0, 2.53, 1) for the final month, who picked up a complete game win in his first FABL start since 1941. Karl Wallace's (14-9, 3.90, 54) regression has limited the effectiveness of their rotation, but the future looks good for 23-year-old rookie Win Lewis (2-4, 2.39, 35). He's likely to lead the next generation of Sailors, and they're hoping 24-year-old Art Hull (0-2, 3.94, 14) will follow in his footsteps. They haven't added any youngsters to the lineup, but Frank Covarrubias (.314, 2, 46, 5) continues to impress ahead of Marion Boismenu (.359, 3, 67, 5) and Joseph Mills (.252, 9, 53). A bad showing in this series effectively ends our season, as we'll need momentum before our next two series.

Those would be against the Cannons and the Wolves, as we end this week one of the leaders before starting the following week with the other. We'll get the Cannons on the weekend, one game on Saturday and our final double header of the season on Sunday. At 81-60, the Cannons erased a 17.5 game deficit as they look to hold onto a chance to repeat as champions. Veterans Tom Barrell (9-8, 3.22, 33) and Rabbit Day (17-9, 3.22, 67) have been surprisingly effective behind co-aces Butch Smith (17-9, 1, 2.19, 107) and Chris Clarke (11-9, 1, 2.39, 68). Day in particular has really helped since coming over with Tom Bird (.332, 15, 62), going 4-1 with a 2.62 ERA (134 ERA+) and 1.45 WHIP in 7 starts back in a Cannon uniform. Not only do the Cannons allow the fewest amount of runs, but they also score the most, usually a foolproof strategy for winning a pennant. Chuck Adams (.295, 21, 99) is trying to slug his way to a Whitney, Al Wheeler (.228, 18, 71) has looked good since coming over from the Chiefs, and Bob Griffith (.293, 5, 57, 8) and Sam Brown (.346, 9, 54) continue to get the Cannons starting off strong. Denny Andrews (.257, 4, 28) is back and now in the 6th spot, as the Cannons compose the most effective lineup in the game. I really think they'll sweep right through us on their way to a pennant repeat, but I'll hold off hope until that dreaded "e-" proceeds our name in the standings.

Minor League Report
RF Bill Rich (AAA Milwaukee Blues): He has just a week left in Milwaukee before a likely big league debut, and Rich made the most of it. The Quincy native went 14-for-29 with 2 doubles, a triple, homer, steal, and 5 RBIs. He's surprisingly been better in AAA then AA, upping his line from .283/.335/.357 (87 OPS+) to .301/.379/.413 (127 OPS+). Between the two levels he has 21 doubles, 5 triples, 5 homers, 6 steals, and 62 RBIs. Now 25, Rich couldn't match his 18 homers in 1943, but I never quite expected him to maintain that. He's more of a contact hitter, who should hit for a high average, but he's not the most disciplined hitter. His defense will hold him back, as the former center fielder now really only profiles in a corner, and even there he's not that great. He is quick, but his range is limited. Rich could be a decent bench bat, but he'll get a shot to earn his way onto a big league bench.

SS George Sutterfield (AA Mobile Commodores): It was a huge week for the first pick of the last June draft, as George Sutterfield took home one of the first of hopefully many Player of the Weeks. The 22-year-olf went 18-for-30 with 2 doubles, 4 steals, and 6 RBIs. Currently ranked 5th in our system and 58th overall, Sutterfield spent just 17 games in Lincoln before a promotion up to Mobile, and he probably could be raking up in Milwaukee. In just 44 games, Sutterfield has been worth an impressive 3 WAR with a .357/.426/.429 (131 OPS+) line. He has a combined 9 doubles, 5 triples, a homer, 6 steals, and 21 RBIs in 61 games since draft day. A talented defender, he also has an elite 18.2 zone rating and 1.159 efficiency in 544.1 innings at short. The hard working 22-year-old has been outstanding so far, featuring an excellent swing with strong hands, hitting the ball up the middle while using his speed to take extra bases when needed. He won't hit many homers, but with his raw hit tool, excellent speed, and tremendous defense, it won't matter too much. He's shown strong discipline too, walking (19) a bit more then he struck out (16) as a Commodore. He has all the tools to be a star, and he could end up starting in the FABL as early as next season. I'll make room for him wherever I can, but he's still a bit behind Jim Dickinson, and I can't see him surpassing Skipper. I may start to give him time at second, as I'm sure Billy Hunter will miss significant time next season.

ayaghmour2 · 11-16-2022, 07:23 PM

Weekly Record: 4-2
Seasonal Record: 81-66 (3nd, 4 GB)
Stars of the Week
Dick Walker : 23 AB, 9 H, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .391 AVG, 1.264 OPS
Harry Parker : 2 Wins, 15.2 IP, 1 BB, 13 K, 0.00 ERA
Cliff Moss : 15 AB, 6 H, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .400 AVG, 1.204 OPS

Schedule
9-20: Win vs Sailors (2-7)
9-21: Win vs Sailors (5-6)
9-22: Loss vs Sailors (4-2)
9-23: Win vs Cannons (3-7)
9-24: Loss vs Cannons (3-1)
9-24: Win vs Cannons (1-7)

Recap
A rare good week for the Cougars, as we have our first winning week in nearly a month, but it didn't matter too much as we failed to make up ground on the Cannons, despite taking two of three from both them and the Sailors. If the Cannons win 3 games, we need to win 7 to force a tie, so you can pretty much book us for next year. I will still want to win as many games as possible, as winning will help our lottery odds. If we can outperform two of the Kings, Sailors, and Wolves, we'll get two balls in the lottery instead of one. The minor league seasons are now over, so we'll have a few more callups, and I'll have a detailed minor league report either Friday or over the weekend. This week though was all about Harry Parker, who was named Continental Association Player of the Week. He won both his starts, tossing 15.2 innings with 8 hits, a walk, 13 strikeouts, and an unearned run. Parker is now 14-10 with a 2.19 ERA (157 ERA), 0.99 WHIP, 44 walks, and 121 strikeouts in 234.1 innings pitched. The Allen Award hopeful leads all of baseball in ERA, WHIP, FIP (2.57), and ERA+ while leading our circuit in WAR (6.3) and strikeouts.

Billy Riley's bad luck continues, as the righty picked up his league lading 17th loss despite allowing 7 hits, 3 runs, and a walk with a strikeout in 8 solid innings. Dick Lyons pitched better, but lost another start, going 5 with 5 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), a walk, and a strikeout. Art White had a rough start, allowing 10 hits and 5 runs with 2 walks and strikeouts in 8 innings pitched. Mike Murphy picked up a win, going just 7 with 11 hits and 3 runs. The pen got a lot of action, with Bill Anderson throwing 5 innings across two appearances with 4 hits, a walk, and 3 strikeouts. Ben Curtin made three one inning appearances, picking up a win with 2 hits, a run, and a walk. Rusty Petrick allowed a hit, a run, and a walk with 2 strikeouts in 1.2 innings. Ken Matson allowed 3 hits and a run in two thirds of an inning. Since we're still technically alive, I'm going to go with a three man rotation, so hopefully only Parker, White, and Riley start. Lyons, Murphy, and Petrick will all be listed as emergency starters if needed, but I don't feel comfortable with any of them starting a must win game. Riley has been awful for us, losing five straight starts, but there is a good pitcher hidden somewhere inside. At least I hope...

Billy Hunter keeps picking up minor injuries, this time a mild abdominal strain, but the former first rounder still managed to go 5-for-11 with 3 doubles, 2 runs, 2 walks, and an RBI. Dick Walker had a nice rebound week, finishing 9-for-23 with 2 doubles, 2 triples, 2 steals, a homer, 3 RBIs, 4 walks, and 8 runs. Our right field platoon mashed, with Moss and Langton combining to go 9-for-22 with 4 runs and 5 RBIs. Moss hit 2 doubles and a homer while walking twice while Langton hit his 7th triple of the season. Leo Mitchell went just 8-for-26, but his impressive .367 average is still the highest mark in the FABL. Mitchell also doubled, tripled, walked twice and recorded 4 RBIs and 5 runs scored. We have a lot of ground to make up in this final week, and I'm not sure we have the firepower to do it. I'll still hold onto the last bit of hope, but at least our disappointment will end tomorrow.

Looking Ahead
Well, this is it; the final week of the season. Even though we are at home, we have to beat the only two teams with a winning record against us, the Wolves (10-9) and the Foresters (10-8). We start with the Wolves, who after a rough week sit at 83-64 and two games back of the Cannons. If we can pull off the sweep, we'll leapfrog them for second, but anything less and you can pretty much end our season there. Lucky for us, Bernie Johnson (17-12, 2.60, 59) pitched yesterday, but we're still in line to face tough starters in Jimmy Gibbs (12-10, 3.04, 73), Bob Walls (17-10, 3.35, 66), and Chick Wirtz (11-11, 2.81, 40). Our offense will have to be at our bests, while our top three has their work cut out for them. The inconsistent Walt Pack (.265, 14, 75) has had a tremendous second half while Charlie Artuso (.253, 8, 48, 7) and Chink Stickels (.272, 5, 51, 14) have both surpassed the 5 WAR mark on the season. Gus Hall (.282, 7, 59) boasts an impressive 130 WRC+ and Hal Wood (.301, 3, 51) has set many personal bests in his longest season in terms of games (135), starts (130), and plate appearances (540). Depending on the results of this series, the Cannons could have the title all but wrapped up. With a magic number of six, if they sweep the Stars and we sweep the Wolves, they would just need either a Cannon win or a Cougar loss to earn the right to take on Bobby Barrell (.349, 43, 145) and the Philadelphia Keystones.

We finish off the season with four against the Foresters, who sit in 7th at 65-82. Unless things go really wrong for them, they'll stay out of the cellar, as the Saints are five games behind them. Star rookie Jim Adams Jr. (.273, 1, 39, 5) is out for the year with a partially torn labrum, so Chuck Harrington (.211, 8) at short is the only new edition to the lineup. The rotation does have a new face, with 24-year-old Jimmy Collins (5-5, 5.40, 34) getting 11 starts after 5 in Cleveland last year. A former 15th Round Pick, he's not on the same level as Ducky Davis (8-7, 3.42, 64), but he could develop into a decent back-end starter. They haven't gotten much production behind Davis, but a defense that doesn't rank dead less could help Johnny Slaney (14-11, 3.77, 86) and George Rotondi (14-14, 3.96, 83) improve next year. Generally speaking, it should be easy to beat a team that ranks 8th in runs scored and 7th in runs allowed, but Cleveland has given us trouble all season, and we're the only team they have a winning record against. I'm hoping for the best, but I'm sure this series won't end up mattering too much.

Minor League Report
RHP Jack Huston: I knew he wouldn't repeat his dominance from last season, but Jack Huston still put together a strong season with the Blues. In 30 starts, the recently turned 25-year-old went 15-11 with a 3.31 ERA (108 ERA+), 1.36 WHIP, 109 walks, and 98 strikeouts. It was his second consecutive 200+ inning season, but he walked more (4.3 from 3.0) hitters and struck out fewer (3.9 from 4.9), which does explain the drop in production. Huston checks in at 30th in our prospect list and 372nd overall, but he's never gotten much love. I think part of that has to do with his stuff, as he still doesn't have a polished mix, as the slider is really the only offering that he can consistently get swings and misses with. Huston will need to straighten his command out a bit more, but I'm not sure he'll manage. I think Huston's future is as a multi-inning reliever, as the righties slider is very tough for same side hitters to deal with, and he may do better when facing less lefties. He may get an inning or two in the last week, as he'll work middle relief with Knight and Anderson. I think he could break into our pen next year, but it may be better to have the former 5th Rounder continue to start games in Milwaukee next season. We needed a 40 man spot for him, and still have four left.

RF Bill Rich: It wasn't the greatest season for Bill Rich, who hit just .283/.335/.357 (87 OPS+) in 79 games at Mobile, but he was far more productive in Milwaukee. The 25-year-old hit .288/.361/.398 (118 OPS+) in 59 games with the Blues and he looked good defensively in the corners at both stops. Between the levels, Rich recorded 21 doubles, 5 triples, 6 homers, 6 steals, and 66 RBIs with more walks (56) then strikeouts (52). I'm not sure that he'll get an opportunity to play in the final week, but I want to give him an opportunity to debut in the final week. If he had more range he would be in line for a backup outfield role, but I think he'll spend a few more seasons in the minors before fitting into a bench role.

I debated bringing up Ed Fisler and Bill Tuttle, but I'm not sure I want to risk having them pitch important innings if we have any. We'll role with 33 players the final week and I don't think we'll have to worry about protecting any more players, so we'll enter the offseason with plenty of open 40-man spots for waiver claims, trades, or Rule-5 picks.

CF Ducky Cole (A Lincoln Legislators): After a recent promotion to Lincoln, Ducky Cole was struggling a bit, but the 20-year-old had a huge game against the Steelmen. In our 13 inning loss, Ducky went 5-for-7 with a walk and pair of runs scored. After hitting a productive .310/.357/.408 (119 OPS+) down in San Jose, Cole slashed just .278/.311/.365 (74 OPS+) in 26 games. Between the two stops, Cole tallied 24 doubles, 8 triples, 2 homers, and 57 RBIs, but he didn't do too well in the field. He spent most of his time in center, but had just a .974 efficiency and -0.9 zone rating in a little over 600 innings. He wasn't much better in left (229, -1.0, .969) while his small sample in right (111.2, 1.4, 1.042) was pretty decent. I don't think Cole will be able to stick in center, and while he lacks power, his bat is decent enough to carry him to a 4th outfielder role. He has a strong hit tool and makes a lot of contact, but he walked far less this year (28) compared to last (61) with similar strike out numbers. Our 7th Rounder in 1942, he's still young and has plenty of room to grow, and we'll give him another shot at A ball next season.

ayaghmour2 · 11-17-2022, 06:21 PM

Weekly Record: 4-3
Seasonal Record: 85-69 (3nd, 5 GB)
Stars of the Week
None Generated

Schedule
9-25: Loss vs Wolves (4-0)
9-26: Win vs Wolves (3-6)
9-27: Win vs Wolves (3-8)
9-28: Loss vs Foresters (5-0)
9-29: Win vs Foresters (0-8)
9-30: Win vs Foresters (3-7)
10-1: Loss vs Foresters (3-1)

Recap
To nobodies surprise, the Cougars fell short, as while we did take two of three from the Wolves to effectively end their season, we split with the Foresters. This concluded my first season in a very long time where I did not use 7-day lineups. At times I really wanted to, but it would ruin the validity of the "experiment" to see if it makes a difference. Of course, I can't really conclude anything given how crazy this season was, but it makes me wonder if I could have turned things back around if I over-managed. We'll never know, but I will say that setting lineups for each game is far more fun, so I expect to return to that next year. At times I liked the 6-man rotation, but I think next year that will change. I want more starts for Parker, White, and Riley, and we don't have the most stable back of the rotation. When the troops come back, however, we will definitely return to a six man, as we have more then enough capable arms hiding away. We were the only team to sell more then a million tickets this year, so at least we won something, with 1,037,550 fans attending a game at Cougars park this year. No other team topped 820,000, with just the pennant winners drawing more then 800,000. The Sailors drew just 422,236.

Cleveland (12-10) was the only team to finish above .500 against us, but we did finish 11-11 against the Sailors, Cannons, and Wolves as well. Our 85-69 record is one win behind our 1943 record, and after starting 46-17, you would have thought we'd have no problems surpassing it. Of course, we then finished the season 39-52, winning just 10, 12, and 13 games in July, August, and September. Despite the terrible finish, Cougars lined the league leaders, and we had both an Allen and Whitney finalist. The Allen headliner was Harry Parker, who was also named the Pitcher of the Month for September. Parker finished stronger then we could have imagined, going a perfect 5-0 with a 0.72 ERA (476 ERA+) and WHIP with 4 walks and 31 strikeouts. A season removed from a torn flexor tendon in his elbow, Parker rebounded to go 6-10 in 250.1 innings pitched. The 32-year-old had a stellar 2.19 ERA (156 ERA+) and 0.99 WHIP with 44 walks, and 128 strikeouts. Our ace led the FABL in WHIP and FIP (2.56) while falling a few percentage points short of the ERA lead. He also led the CA in WAR (6.7), strikeouts, and K/BB (2.9) while setting personal bests in ERA, starts (35), strikeouts, WHIP, HR/9 (0.4), ERA+, BABIP (.247), and WAR. For the Whitney, my vote would go to Leo Mitchell, who won his second consecutive batting title while hitting .357/.392/.474 (147 OPS+) with 27 doubles, 14 homers, and 90 RBIs. Mitchell led all of baseball in average and hits (224) while pacing the CA in slugging, OPS (.865), OPS+, total bases (297), WPA (4.09), and wOBA (.392). This was Mitchell's first season with an OPS+/WRC+ that was not in the 130-137 range, and he set personal bests in hits, RBIs, average, slugging, and OPS while striking out (71) his fewest since 1937 where he made just 460 trips to the plate. It's the most recent season he didn't make at least 575, and he's appeared in all but four of our games across the past three seasons.

Plenty of other Cougars led categories, including Dick Walker (FABL, 141 BB; CA, 97 R), Orlin Yates (FABL, 26 SH), Hank Barnett (CA, 9 SF), Art White (t-CA, 18) and Rusty Petrick (CA, 5.2 K/9), while plenty filled in top 5s for the CA. That includes average (5th, Mead .324), homers (2nd, Moss 19; 4th, Barnett 16), RBIs (t-2nd, Barnett and Mitchell 90), OBP (2nd, Mitchell .392; 4th, Mead .377), slugging (2nd, Mead .471), OPS (2nd, Mead .848), WAR (2nd, Schneider 6.7; t-5th, Mead 5.7), runs (2nd, Mitchell 94), doubles (5th, Mead 38), triples (t-3rd, Walker 14), total bases (5th, Barnett 256), walks (4th, Barnett 73), ISO (t-4th, Mead .147), OPS+ (2nd, Mead 147; 4th, Barnett 131), WPA (3rd, Moss 2.91), wOBA (5th, Mead .380), ERA (2nd, Parker 2.19), wins (t-5th, Parker and White 16), saves (t-5th, Curtin 13), WAR (3rd, Riley 5.6), innings (3rd, White 272), complete games (4th, Riley 16), shutouts (t-2nd, White 3), strikeouts (4th, Riley 104), K/BB (4th, Riley 1.8), K/9 (3rd, Parker 4.6), BB/9 (t-4th, Lyons and Parker 1.6), WHIP (5th, Lyons 1.24), FIP (3rd, Riley 2.95), ERA+ (2nd, Parker 156), rWAR (2nd, Parker 8.0), BABIP (2nd, Parker .247), OPP AVG (2nd, Parker .222; 3rd, Petrick .241), win % (4th, Parker .615), shutdowns (3rd, Curtin 27), and quality starts (t-2nd, Parker 24). We had a lot of really good individual performers, but once things got bad, we couldn't get it back going.

Looking Ahead
We played well enough down the stretch that we'll at least get two lottery balls, giving us a 15.3% chance at the first overall pick. Very unlikely, of course, but we have a very good chance to pick earlier then 11th. That will likely be the most exciting part of the offseason, a full January draft, but as always, we'll be working the phone lines. Center field was a gaping hole, and neither Orlin Yates or Don Lee filled it well. After a strong .248/.324/.335 (98 OPS+) batting line last year, the now 33-year-old Yates hit just .204/.291/.270 (61 OPS+) with 17 doubles, 3 triples, 3 homers, 9 steals, and 47 RBIs. He did walk (61) more then he struck out (47) and was excellent out in center (+19.2, 1.052), but that wasn't nearly productive enough for a team that wants to win a pennant. I knew Don Lee wouldn't match his .288/.424/.465 (155 OPS+) line from AAA, but in 116 PAs as a Cougar, his .206/.287/.304 (70 OPS+) line wasn't much better then Yates'. Lee is also a subpar defender (-2.9, .947), but the 22-year-old is already a clubhouse leader and he walked (12) twice as much as he struck out (6). If we can't get an outside outfielder, these two will likely break camp in a platoon, but its the most obvious point of upgrade.

The other potential upgrade spot is the rotation. Our front three of Harry Parker (16-10, 2.19, 128), Art White (16-12, 3.18, 31), and Billy Riley (12-17, 3.46, 104) is very good, but I'm not sure it can match up with Rufus Barrell, Butch Smith (19-10, 1, 2.19, 118), and Chris Clarke (12-10, 1, 2.44, 75). Without an upgrade, we do have plenty of options to fill the rotation up, but none excite too much. Lyons (7-10, 3.35, 14), Murphy (9-6, 3.64, 20), and Petrick (7-8, 4.06, 92) all threw between 150 and 160 innings, but all have a ton of question marks surrounding them. We all know Lyons is 44, and despite a dominant start to the season, he showed signs of age in August and was downright awful in September. He could retire, still no word on that, but even if he hangs around I'm not sure he has enough left in the tank to start a full season. Murphy is also getting up their, and the former 2nd Overall Pick will be 37 on Opening Day. Like Lyons, he was great to start the year, but terrible in July and September. Neither guy can strike many batters out, so they have to rely on the defense, which is the exact opposite of Petrick. Rusty easily has the most upside with his dominant stuff, but he's extra inconsistent and has yet to fully put it together. He'll be 29 in November, so it's not too late for him to figure it out, and with his big strikeout numbers and a ton of stamina, he can go out and dominate for stretches. We could also turn to Ken Matson (6-6, 1, 4.09, 41) or even Angel Lopez (0-1, 9.82, 3), but I'm not too excited about any of these options. The only issue is anyone we add would just create a huge logjam later, so let's just hope Peter the Heater gets called home early, and all are problems can be solved!

I miss him so much...

Crazy to think its been 3 years since he last pitched, and he could have had about 750 more strikeouts to his name...

Minor League Report
SS Johnny Bunce (AAA Milwaukee Blues): If I knew how good his September was, I might have given him a promotion, as Johnny Bunce was named Century League Batter of the Month. A former 11th Round selection by the Miners out of a school in the same city where my grandparents reside, the talented defender has never really shown much with the bat, but he hit .386/.485/.434 (164 OPS+) in 23 September games for the Blues. He drove in 19 runs, scored 15 times, and walked 17 times with 4 doubles and 2 steals. Bunce split his season between Mobile and Milwaukee, and actually hit better with the Blues (.259/.340/.294, 82) then the Commodores (.223/.330/.258, 59), although he wasn't really good at either stop. Despite that, he had an efficiency above 1.070 at second, third, and short, and for his career those numbers are above 1.080. Now 26, Bunce could be selected in the Rule-5 draft, but even as good as his glove is, he'd leave a black hole in the lineup. He does have decent plate discipline, but next to no power, just 16 extra base hits in 657 PAs and he didn't hit a single homer.

RHP Joe Swank (AA Mobile Commodores): It was a great end to the season for Joe Swank, who took home Pitcher of the Month in the Dixie League. The 21-year-old hurler finished the month 4-1 with a 1.91 ERA (208 ERA+), 1.19 WHIP, 7 walks, and 22 strikeouts to finish the season 16-10 with a 5.7 WAR in 26 starts. Swank also threw his first 200+ inning (215.2) season while working to a 3.26 ERA (122 ERA+) and 1.34 WHIP with 58 walks and 109 strikeouts. Discounting his 8 starts with La Crosse in his draft year, Swank set personal bests for ERA, innings, walks, WHIP, and WAR with just 1 homer (0.0 HR/9) allowed. The soft tosser excels at both keeping the ball on the ground and generating weak contact, featuring a dominant circle change that has a ton of downward movement. His fastball and curve are pretty solid as well, and the youngster is far more developed then most kids his age. A 7th Round selection back in 1941, Swank currently ranks 11th in our system and 150th overall, and he profiles as a #5 starter with some room to grow. He has a rather high floor for someone his age, and while I'm not sure I want him in Milwaukee to start next season, he'll probably be big league ready next season. Swank has made great strides this season, and he could be a very useful trade piece in a package for a quality center fielder or starting pitcher.

ayaghmour2 · 11-18-2022, 07:45 PM

In the baseball world, the Keystones took the opener on the road, with Allen candidate Red Ross (23-8, 2.57, 130) winning a pitcher's duel over a counterpart in the CA in Butch Smith (19-10, 1, 2.19, 118). Game two, however, felt like a blast from the past, with a 4-hitter from Rabbit Day (18-10, 3.09, 74) and an Al Wheeler (.235, 21, 79) two-run homer as the Cannons evened up the series with an 8-0 win. The series will move to Philly, where Chris Clarke (12-10, 2.44, 75) likely taking on Chicagoan Pepper Tuttle (15-12, 2.85, 115) in game three. It should be another exciting series, but I think Bobby Barrell (.347, 46, 152) is going to help the Keystones take home their third title in the Human era.

AAA Milwaukee Blues (Century League): 91-49, 1st, 16 GA: We only had one title winner, and it was a cruise to the finish for the Milwaukee Blues. That's back-to-back titles in the Century League, something they did in both '34 and '35 and '38 and '39. The 91 wins were also their best since winning 98 in '39, and they were the only team in our system to win more then the 85 from Chicago. As you might expect from a team that won their division by 16 games, they led the league in most categories, including runs against and scored. The offense saw a lot of movement during the season, but the pitching staff remained very constant. Angel Lopez (17-6, 2.38, 72) was flat out elite and Johnny Ruby (12-2, 2.74, 84) was surprisingly dominant despite walking (92) more batters then he struck out. Bill Anderson (9-3, 10, 2.21, 31) did a little bit of everything while Jack Huston (15-11, 3.31, 98) and Bill Tuttle (13-9, 3.47, 79) were consistently reliable starters and a pen comprised of Charlie Kelsey (9-4, 15, 2.03, 38), Rube Finegan (6-2, 4, 1.47, 23), and Grover Donahue (0-1, 3, 1.93, 11) was very effective, making it very difficult to score late on the Blues. The offense saw a lot more change, as top producers Chick Browning (.270, 7, 35) and Don Lee (.288, 7, 45, 15) spent a lot of time in Chicago, while Cuno Myer (.334, 3, 65) and Bill Graham (.252, 3, 36) were shipped off in July. When healthy, Huck Hanes (.311, 1, 24) hit well and Bill Rich (.288, 4, 32) was good post-promotion, but neither came close to qualifying for at bats. It was very impressive that the Blues were able to score a ton of runs without much consistency, but most of the guys that came up to replace had decent success.

AA Mobile Commodores (Dixie League): 84-56, 3rd, 3.5 GB: No fourpeat for the Commodores, who fell behind both New Orleans (88-53) and Knoxville (87-54), who were tied after 140 games and the pennant was decided on a one-game playoff. While the Blues offense needed plenty of reinforcements as the season went on, the Commodores lineup was weakened, and ended up tied for 4th in runs scored. The pitching, led by hopeful future ace George Oddo (13-5, 2.56, 95), was the best in the Dixie League, leading an impressive five man group. Joe Swank (16-10, 3.26, 109), Harry MacRae (15-9, 2.84, 72), Stan Flanders (12-11, 3.17, 55), and Ed Fisler (15-7, 3.28, 81) were all well above average and the pen was needed so infrequently that they only recorded five saves. The lineup lacked power, just 24 total home runs, and Danny Richardson (.313, 4, 42) led the team despite playing just 68 games in Mobile That's not to say the offense wasn't effective at times, as former 7th Rounder Homer Guthrie (.297, 3, 53) didn't just hit well for a catcher, as anyone would enjoy a 133 WRC+, but he was the lone qualifier who offered above average production. Dan Collins (.335, 3, 52) was excellent after a promotion from Lincoln while 9th Rounder Lou Thomas (.380, 1, 12) ripped the cover off the ball in his 33 games with the Commodores. A lot of guys who finished the season in Mobile will be back to repeat the level, with a small sample given to Ed Neal (.200, 11, 8), and partial seasons from Dick Hamilton (.273, 1, 31, 4) and Alex Horning (.274, 2, 38, 6). The trio all performed better in Lincoln (although Neal still struggled there), and should see their production improve with another go about. One guy who won't return is 49th Overall Pick George Sutterfield (.333, 23, 9), who is ready for Milwaukee and potentially a midseason ticket to the show. The Commodores are historically one of our best affiliates, having put together winning seasons each year since 1929, while winning 80 or more games 10 times since.

A Lincoln Legislators (Heartland League): 81-59, 2nd, 6 GB: They won two fewer games in '44, but the Legislators landed ten games closer to the first place Hustlers, who won their first ever Heartland League title. Just like the Commodores, their strength was their pitching, which ranked 1st in runs allowed. 26-year-old Tommy Davis (8-8, 3.10, 81) was dominant in his 20 starts, but the real star of the team was Tom Irwin. The bullpen ace needed one more out to reach the century mark for innings, and he held an elite 1.63 ERA (274 ERA+) and 1.16 WHIP in 56 appearances. He finished 9-5 with 25 saves, 49 walks, and 75 strikeouts. Having him once the starters needed out was huge, and he helped support Jimmy Ballard (9-5, 3.79, 84), Bill Ballantine (3-5, 3.89, 50), and Roscoe Brown (5-2, 4.02, 60). The Lincoln rotation saw a ton of movement, with 9 players starting 10 or more games. This even includes top 100 prospects George Oddo (8-1, 2.50, 65) and the now 77th ranked Bill Chapman (8-5, 4.27, 73). With a stronger offense, we probably would have captured Lincoln's 7th title. A lot of the regulars were better defenders then hitters, part of the reason our pitching did so well, as Joe Dackett (.274, 6, 52), Ed Neal (.252, 3, 45, 13), and Henry DeVeaux (.273, 2, 19) all made up for it on defense. The Legislators offense was hampered by Dick Hamilton's promotion, as he hit an impressive .361/.426/.515 (142 OPS+) with 16 doubles, 6 triples, 3 homers, and 40 RBIs in 63 games before his promotion. Same goes for Dan Collins (.290, 2, 32) and Danny Richardson (.282, 7, 45), but 8th Round Pick Johnny Carlisle (.360, 2, 33, 2) made up for some of it. He did miss most of September, but the versatile 22-year-old appeared in 14 or more games at third, short, center, and right. I'm excited to see what he can do next year, and there could be a big year for the underrated Israel Holmes (.280, 23) who tore up pitching down in San Jose.

B San Jose Cougars (California-Oregon-Washington League): 64-56, 4th, 9 GB: It was a rough year for the baby Cougars too, failing to win 70 games for the first time since they went 63-77 in 1934. The lower levels had a lot of movement all year, and with a lot of teams low on youngsters, there were plenty of older minor leaguers filling up the lower levels. Still, the Cougars staff was the best, allowing the fewest runs in the C-O-W League. Last year's 5th Rounder Lefty Jones (8-5, 2.96, 71) was impressive in his 13 starts and Bill Holloway (9-4, 3.00, 115) pitched well enough to start the season in Lincoln. Promotions to Lincoln took away Bill Ballantine (8-1, 2.11, 59), Roscoe Brown (5-3, 2.66, 89), and Bob Petty (5-2, 2.52, 80). Promotions also took Israel Holmes (.287, 2, 45, 4), Al Hurd (.278, 3, 53), and Bob Griffen (.288, 1, 28), while last year's 2nd Rounder Al Clement (.267, 2, 35, 14) and 1942 9th Rounder Don Jeppsen (.253, 2, 49) led the team in PAs while sporting a matching 80 OPS+. I think Clement should do better next year, and he'll get support from Dick Pace (.274, 1, 8, 1) and hopefully one of Bob Rogers, Tom Jovin (.178, 3), Harry Austin (.190, 1), and Jimmy Hairston (.171, 1, 1) who all spent most of their time in La Crosse. Another set of military callups could force a lot of younger guys up, but regardless San Jose will have a lot of guys better suited for C ball.

C La Crosse Lions (Upper Mississippi Valley Association): 53-67, 6th, 20 GB: *Checks Notes* A losing record? Our minor league teams generally perform well, and the Lions haven't had a record below .500 since a very tough 1933 where they went just 46-94 and a whopping 57 games out of first. The Lions had a roster of nearly entirely teenagers, with a lot of high upside youngsters. It came to various success, as our past two first rounders Tommy Seymour (7-6, 4.75, 45) and Bert Rogers (1-7, 5.26, 26) were completely overmatched, while 5th Rounder Lonnie Sis (5-5, 2.35, 42) and 8th Rounder Al Robison (3-4, 2.42, 29) were extremely effective. Unlike the rest of our affiliates, the Lions allowed the second most runs in the UMVA, as just swingman Russ Cushing (4-4, 3, 2.48, 68) joined Sis and Robison with 60+ innings and an ERA+ above 100. The offense also finished in the bottom half of the league, but the lineup was compose of a lot of talented youngsters who struggled, including Tom Brownleaf (.225, 2, 45, 14), Bob Rogers (.230, 34, 4), Billy Biggar (.290, 1, 37), Jimmy Hairston (.266, 4, 29), Tom Jovin (.261, 7), Harry Austin (.277, 2, 14), and Buddy Brumbaugh (.267, 14). None of the bunch had an OPS+ above 115, and I expect most of them to return to La Crosse to start next season. I'd love to see them have a winning record next season, but Lions fans might have to wait until after the war before they start seeing more wins.

ayaghmour2 · 11-19-2022, 10:25 PM

Catchers
Solly Skidmore (CHI): DNP - Military Service
Harry Mead (CHC): 142 OPS+, 8 HR, 64 RBI, 5.7 WAR
*Ben Richardson (MON): 79 OPS, 27 RBI, 1.3 WAR

Infielders
Arnie Scurlock (WAS): 54 OPS+, 11 RBI, -0.1 WAR
Billy Hunter (CHC): 125 OPS+, 8 HR, 53 RBI, 4.6 WAR
Tommy Wilson (STL): 81 OPS+, 2 HR, 67 RBI, 9 SB, 4.1 WAR
Ducky Jordan (CHI): DNP - Military Service
Hal Wood (TOR): 112 OPS+, 3 HR, 56 RBI, 3 SB, 4.0 WAR
Skipper Schneider (CHC): 89 OPS+, 8 HR, 80 RBI, 3 SB, 6.7 WAR
Eddie Curtis (NYG): 91 OPS+, 36 RBI, 13 SB, 0.6 WAR
*Jimmie James (CHC): 67 OPS, 4 HR, 23 RBI, 0.1 WAR

Outfielders
Leo Mitchell (CHC): 147 OPS+, 14 HR, 90 RBI, 3 SB, 4.3 WAR
Reginald Westfall (TOR): 93 OPS+, 1 HR, 17 RBI, 0.3 WAR
Bunny Hufford (NYG): 100 OPS+, 5 HR, 43 RBI, 9 SB, 2.7 WAR
Rich Langton (CHC): 96 OPS+, 3 HR, 32 RBI, 4 SB, 1.2 WAR
Chink Stickels (NYS): 110 OPS+, 5 HR, 55 RBI, 14 SB, 5.5 WAR
Carlos Montes (CHC): DNP - Military Service
*Don Lee (CHC): 70 OPS+, HR, 6 RBI, 2 SB, -0.2 WAR

Pitchers
Danny Hern (STL): 8-6, 99 ERA+, 71 K, 2.0 WAR
Dean Astle (BOS): 12-10, 121 ERA+, 57 K, 4.1 WAR
Tom Barrell (PIT): 11-8, 120 ERA+, 33 K, 1.0 WAR
Mike Murphy (DET): 9-6, 94 ERA+, 20 K, 1.6 WAR
Pete Papenfus (CHC): DNP - Military Service
Harry Parker (CHC): 16-10, 156 ERA+, 128 K, 6.7 WAR
Dick Lyons (CHC): 7-10, 102 ERA+, 14 K, 1.1 WAR
Sam Hodge (NYG): 2-4, 14 SV, 107 ERA+, 8 K, -0.4 WAR
Ben Curtin (CHC): 15-3, 13 SV, 165 ERA+, 22 K, 1.1 WAR
*Karl Wallace (PHS): 15-10, 91 ERA+, 57 K, 2.9 WAR

Totals
Hitters: 40.8
Pitchers: 20.1
Total: 60.1
Approximate Wins: 83

Notable Prospects/Picks Traded
October 1943: Traded Jim Lonardo, Bunny Hufford, Cy Howard, and Jimmy Maness to the Gothams for Rusty Petrick and a 4th Round Pick
January 1944: Traded Johnny Weaver and Sam Hess to the Dynamos for Mike Murphy
July 1944: Traded Bill Chapman and Foster Smith to the Stars for Billy Riley

I accidentally messed up the "Offseason Moves for 1943" section last season, so I'm just going to make changes to the roster when needed. I don't necessarily want to take away any military guys to limit transactions, so players with a * are military replacements. A lot of Cougars draftees had good seasons, but just like their real life counterparts, this team would have come up short. That might be because a lot of the good season came from Cougars, with a healthy Billy Hunter, big years from Harry Mead and Leo Mitchell, and a wonderful injury recovery from Harry Parker. This is one of the higher war no-trade teams too, as even elders Tom Barrell, Dick Lyons, and Mike Murphy gave solid starts throughout the season.

ayaghmour2 · 11-23-2022, 11:26 AM

It took an exciting game seven, but the Cincinnati Cannons did something that no human GM has yet to accomplish; win back-to-back championships! You can thank us for that, as on June 24th they were 19.5 games out of first place, and then we decided that winning wasn't for us. Whitney Candidate Chuck Adams was named MVP of the series, hitting .455/.538/.818 (277 OPS+) with 2 doubles, 2 homers, and 7 RBIs. It was much of the same during the season, as Adams led the league with 23 homers and 105 RBIs while sporting an above average .290/.324/.462 (119 OPS+) in 153 of the Cannons 154 games. I don't think he'd deserve to win the Whitney, that should be Leo Mitchell (or at least Marion Boismenu), but I imagine the series MVP may sway a few voters.

The offseason will begin on Friday, so we'll get a fresh set of prospects for the weekend. No big trades to announce, yet, but I'll be looking to make some upgrades when possible. There aren't many obvious sellers on the market, but I'm not sure we'll be able to find a difference maker. I'll settle for a guy who doesn't collapse in the second half though...

ayaghmour2 · 11-25-2022, 01:43 PM

Its offseason time! It may not be a fun one for us, as the penny-pinching Ben Hunter cut our budget from a cool $1 million to just $640,000, just barely above our payroll for the coming season. This will make an offseason upgrade tough, and we also have negative cash for the first time ever. We had a handful of retirements too, with Frank Crawford and John Lawson officially calling it a career, as well as our impressive hitting coach Bill Nealy. I thought Dick Lyons would be one of the retirements, but the 44-year-old is still kicking.

Looking to the farm, we now rank 6th (129) in the system rankings, featuring 7 top 100 prospects, 16 in the top 250, and 42 in the top 500. A decent amount of our recent class ranks on the list as well, with our first picks in both halves of the draft ranking in the top 100, and 14 members of the 1944 class ranking in our top 40, with two more (Larry Day, 487th; Cliff Wallace, 498th) in the top 500. As he will continue until he returns from the war, Duke Bybee leads the group, and ranks higher then everyone except the Dynamos' Edwin Hackberry and the Pioneers' Hal Hackney. While 3 of our to 5 prospects are at war, just 3 others in the top 500 are enlisted.

1. LHP Duke Bybee (3rd Overall): 1st/6th
2. RHP George Oddo (31st Overall): 3rd/44th
3. 3B Otto Christian (34th Overall): 2nd/21st
4. SS George Sutterfield (52nd Overall): 49th Overall Pick
5. C Eddie Howard (56th Overall): 4th/70th
6. LHP Bert Rogers (64th Overall): 12th Overall Pick
7. CF Don Lee (95th Overall): 5th/103rd
8. RF Jimmy Hairston (122nd Overall): 6th/112th
9. RF Tom Jovin (126th Overall): 28th Overall Pick
10. RHP Charlie Kelsey (130th Overall): 36th/427th
11. RHP Joe Swank (159th Overall): 24th/305th
12. LHP Lefty Jones (160th Overall): 17th/207th
13. RHP Tommy Seymour (178th Overall): 18th/229th
14. SS Al Clement (202nd Overall): 13th/195th
15. RHP Mike Thorpe (221st Overall): 60th Overall Pick
16. SS Jim Dickinson (225th Overall): 10th/158th
17. RF Harry Austin (268th Overall): 44th Overall Pick
18. RHP Bill Holloway (273rd Overall): 16th/203rd
19. 3B Buddy Brumbaugh (275th Overall): 97th Overall Pick
20. RHP Stan Flanders (288th Overall): 29th/328th
21. RHP Harry MacRae (317th Overall): 21st/249th
22. 1B Lou Thomas (326th Overall): 131st Overall Pick
23. CF Johnny Carlisle (329th Overall): 116th Overall Pick
24. RHP Dick Garcia (331st Overall): 37th/433rd
25. RF Bob Harris (332nd Overall): 205th Overall Pick
26. LF Bob Rogers (340th Overall): 14th/199th
27. RHP Al Robison (353rd Overall): 124th Overall Pick
28. RHP Babe Stinson (354th Overall): 23rd/282nd
29. LHP Bob Hobbs (361st Overall): 33rd/379th
30. RHP Jack Huston (372nd Overall): 32nd/360th
31. SS Tom Brownleaf (379th Overall): 26th/321st
32. RHP Fred Thaxton (403rd Overall): 30th/339th
33. CF Dick Pace (406th Overall): 92nd Overall Pick
34. LHP Ron Berry (416th Overall): 112th Overall Pick
35. LHP Tom Irwin (427th Overall): Not Ranked
36. RHP Lonnie Sis (454th Overall): 76th Overall Pick
37. RHP Jimmy Ballard (460th Overall): 25th/311th
38. RHP Charlie Everett (462nd Overall): 39th/456th
39. RHP Max Tanner (464th Overall): 164th Overall Pick
40. RHP Roscoe Brown (465th Overall): Not Ranked

ayaghmour2 · 11-25-2022, 06:19 PM

LHP Duke Bybee (3rd Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 49th Overall (1940)
Alma Mater: Brooklyn Friends Quakers

There was so much that went wrong this season, and everyone can make similar claims, but imagine if we had Duke Bybee this season... Tom Weinstock has his ceiling ahead of all of our pitchers except Pete Papenfus and Donnie Jones, who ranked #1 and #2 in the top 20 pitchers list all season, and then in line with Harry Parker on current ratings. You know, the same guy that deserves the Allen Award but might not get it (Butch Smith is a very deserving candidate) and led the league in strikeouts, WHIP, K/BB, FIP-, and WAR. It is insane the amount of pitching talent we will get back, but I don't think that's going to stop Bybee from going to straight to the big league rotation. Now 22, Bybee's Marine Corp training have built both his strength and leadership, and his baseball talent is through the roof. He has elite stuff, featuring six average or better pitches, as well as pinpoint command. He has everything you look for in a top of the rotation arm, and I think he's going to be one of the best pitchers in the next decade.

RHP George Oddo (31st Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 8th Round, 125th Overall (1941)
Alma Mater: Pawtucket Raiders

Arguably no pitcher pitched better on the farm then George Oddo, who dominated both A ball and AA. Oddo took a ginormous step forward, as last year with the Legislators he went 5-3 with a 5.35 ERA (89 ERA+), 1.52 WHIP, 41 walks, and 48 strikeouts in 13 starts to finish the year. He started off his season much better, going a near prefect 8-1 in 11 starts. Oddo went deep into games, going 90 innings with an elite 2.50 ERA (178 ERA+), 1.23 WHIP, 28 walks, and 65 strikeouts. That was good enough to earn the call to Mobile, where he didn't seem phased by tougher competition. The former 8th Rounder went 13-5 with a 2.56 ERA (155 ERA+), 1.07 WHIP, 43 walks, and 95 strikeouts in a dominant 154.2 inning sample. He was worth nearly 4 wins above replacement and his FIP- was actually two points lower with the Commodores. Like Duke, he stands at an imposing 6'4''. and he'll turn 22 this November. Oddo is likely ready for AAA, but we have a lot of young pitchers who won't make the big league roster, and he might get a few more starts in AA. There's also a chance Oddo may not be a Cougar this time next season, as he's easily our most enticing trade piece if we need to make an upgrade in the offseason or at the deadline. His change is off the charts and nearly unhittable, while his curveball and fastball have impressive movement. He doesn't throw very hard though, sitting in the 89-91 range, but he's maintained well above average strikeout rates. Add in the fact that he's a max effort guy who can pitch deep into games, and there's really no obvious weakness in his profile. It's always tough moving a young pitcher with top of the rotation potential, but with so many other talented arms in our system he's likely going to be blocked once he's ready for the big leagues. Being the rawest of the bunch, he's the most expendable, but Tom thinks he'll be better then all the pitchers in our current rotation.

3B Otto Christian (34th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 13th Overall (1941)
Alma Mater: Walla Walla Warriors

Now 22, Otto had another season in the Air Force, stopping me from seeing just how many home runs he could hit against minor league pitchers. The "Walla Walla Walloper" still seems a bit raw and will probably start in Lincoln or Mobile when he's back stateside. I'm in no rush to move him to the big leagues, as Hank Barnett isn't showing any signs of decline while putting up back-to-back 5 WAR seasons with WRC+ of 140 or higher. I don't think Christian will ever be able to match up to Barnett's overall talent, but Otto's home run power is unrivaled. I don't think there is a single player in baseball with more raw power, and that should play very well in our park. If he can develop at least average contact and discipline he could be one of the best hitters in the game, but he lacks polish and isn't the most ambitious youngster. Still, the Cougars seem to have a reputation for talented third basemen, ranging from John Kincaid to John Lawson, and Otto should be the next one to follow.

SS George Sutterfield (52nd Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 49th Overall (1944)
Alma Mater: Georgia Baptist Gators

I'm not surprised George Sutterfield was the highest ranked prospect from our recent class, as he was a guy I had my eye on for my first round selection, but figured he'd have a decent chance of sliding out of the first two rounds. Plus, as a Nashville native, he couldn't be a regional round selection, so I knew if he lasted I could grab him with the first pick in the 4th Round. Being a one year starter, there was a lot of risk involved, but he had a strong junior year in a tough conference, and started his season in A ball. He didn't stay for very long, getting a promotion after just 17 games. He looked good in Mobile, slashing .333/.409/.400 (119 OPS+) with 7 doubles, 3 triples, 9 steals, and 23 RBIs. while sporting an elite 18 zone rating and 1.159 efficiency at short. He's ready for Milwaukee, and I think he'll start there next season. He's more then good enough to play short, but with Skipper entrenched there I may start to work Sutterfield out at second. Since Billy Hunter was healthy most of the season, chances are he won't be next year, so Sutterfield could get a lot of time in Chicago next season. The prospect people have his ETA for 1944 while we see green arrows in AAA, but this may be because he's such a good defender. His work ethic is very impressive, so I expect he'll continue to impress as he ages. He has good speed and can hit the ball hard up the middle, but sprinkle in a little power and perhaps we have a star.

C Eddie Howard (56th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 20th Overall (1941)
Alma Mater: St. Joseph Chiefs

With no stats for service players, there's no way to know if he actually developed a lot, but the prospect people think he's big league ready and Tom Weinstock thinks he's already better then Gene Lee, who occupies a 40-man roster spot. Now 21, Tom Weinstock profiles Howard as a premier catcher and projects that he'll be even better then Harry Mead, who hit .324 with a 145 WRC+ and twice as many walks (40) as strikeouts (19). I think Mead is the better defender, but Howard should still be average or better behind the plate. Howard's hit tool is much better, although coming with less power, and he could challenge for a batting title or two. Howard's strong arm also allowed him to pitch a pit, but he only has 10.2 pitched in his season and a half. 9 years the former of Mead, they should be able to coexist, and I expect he'll learn plenty form our veteran All Star.

ayaghmour2 · 11-26-2022, 06:05 PM

LHP Bret Rogers (64th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 12th Overall (1944)
Alma Mater: Wenona Braves

Our first round selection in the most recent draft, Chicagoan Bert Rogers had a rough first season, going just 1-7 in 10 starts across 66.2 innings pitched. He walked (33) more batters then he struck out (26) while sporting elevated ERAs and WHIPs at 5.26 (66 ERA+) and 1.89. That doesn't worry me too much, as he didn't turn 18 until mid August, and he's a hard worker who should use this tough start as motivation for an intensive offseason regimen. The skinny lefty doesn't throw too hard yet, sitting in the 85-87 range with his fastball, but it's the worst pitch of his three. His slider and curve have tremendous break and he does a great job keeping the ball on the ground. Rogers is still very raw as a pitcher, but he has great upside, projecting to fill the middle of a rotation. It won't be any time soon, but I think the local kid will be well worth the wait.

CF Don Lee (95th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 28th Overall (1940)
Alma Mater: Lincoln High School Lions

Well, he finally hit the wall... After slashing .288/.424/.465 (156 OPS+) with 20 doubles, 6 triples, 7 homers, 15 steals, and 45 RBIs in 79 games with the Blues, "Rap" Lee got a much deserved call to the big leagues. It didn't quite pan out as expected, as he didn't hit much better then Orlin Yates, batting just .206/.287/.304 (70 OPS+) in 116 trips to the plate. This was Lee's first sample ever with an OPS+ or WRC+ below 130, and that came in his only other sample of less then 200 PAs. Another concerning aspect of his debut was his play out in center, as he accumulated a -2.9 zone rating and .947 efficiency in just under 200 innings out in center. He's never been a great defender, but with how he hit he'll need to either regain his offensive form or provide at least average defense. I do expect Lee to up his line a little, as he still managed to walk (12) twice as often as he struck out (6), and he's managed to do better then that in each of his previous stops. As much as I'd love to add a center fielder, the market is as barren as ever, so Lee will have a shot to take the starting job from Orlin Yates. Even if he doesn't win the job, we don't have many guys capable of playing center, and he could find himself in the short side of a platoon. He'll be just 23 to start the season, so Rap is far from a finished product despite being wise beyond his years. His teammates love him and he's a natural born leader who always gives 100%. These intangibles will ensure a roster spot for seasons to come, but so will his speed, eye, and hit tool.

RF Jimmy Hairston (122nd Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 61st Overall (1943)
Alma Mater: Bowman Mohawks

Most of the La Crosse teens struggled, but Jimmy Hairston put together a strong season in spite of a lack of power. After slugging 10 longballs in 68 games for the Lions last season, Hairston hit just 4. His .266/.342/.413 (112 OPS+) triple slash was far more impressive this year, and his 124 WRC+ was the best on the team. A lot of his homers last season were doubles, with 29 after 4 last season. Hairston had to fill in for injuries earlier in the year, so 38 of his 368 PAs came in San Jose, but I don't think he's ready for that. If he works hard over the offseason he could start the season back with the Cougars, but I think he's best served getting one more go down in La Crosse. He hits the ball hard and to all fields, and at 6'2'' he should be strong enough to hit home runs. Hairston will turn 20 before Opening Day, so he's far from a finished product, but he'll have to work hard if he wants to be an every day big leaguer.

RF Tom Jovin (126th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 28th Overall (1944)
Alma Mater: Pocahontas Chiefs

Our 2nd Round pick this season, Tom Jovin had an excellent high school career, but struggled at both B and C levels at the plate. He didn't have an extra base hit in 54 PAs with the Cougars while hitting just .261/.359/.307 (87 OPS+) with 4 doubles and 7 RBIs. A natural right fielder, Tom Jovin actually spent more time in center as we had a ton of corner outfielders down in La Crosse. He faired rather well despite being far better suited for a corner, but OSA is crazy enough to say he profiles as a "potential elite center fielder" for a contender. I think they're just looking at his bat, as Jovin has quick hands and could hit for power at the big league level. His plate discipline projects well too, but he's still struggling with off-speed pitches. He's a big baseball guy who loves to play every day, but he tends to keep to himself. He reminds me a lot of Rich Langton, but I hope he'll be quiet instead of intimidating like the 10-year vet.

RHP Charlie Kelsey (130th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 9th Round, 140th Overall (1940)
Alma Mater: Lancaster Buckskins

This year's absurd jumper, Charlie Kelsey is somehow our 10th ranked prospect after making the jump from A ball to AAA. Kelsey managed to have his best season yet, going 9-4 with 15 saves, a 2.03 ERA (176 ERA+) and 1.05 WHIP. He struck out 38 and walked 22 in 88.2 innings, which was far better then I would have expected for the 22-year-old. Since he was drafted five seasons ago, he'll actually be Rule-5 eligible, meaning I might have to protect him. I'm not sold on him being a top prospect, but he has a green arrow up to the majors and I'm sure somewhat would select him. I'd rather sell him to help us with our cash troubles, but if he sticks in the organization he'll have a chance to secure a relief role behind Ben Curtin. Chances are he'll function as the stopper in Milwaukee as he can be optioned while others can't, but if our staff gets hit by injuries, he'd be a top candidate for a call up.

ayaghmour2 · 11-27-2022, 05:20 PM

RHP Joe Swank (159th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 7th Round, 107th Overall (1941)
Alma Mater: Rhodes Rams

Despite being 21 all season long, Joe Swank more then held his won up in AA, going 16-10 in 26 starts with a 3.26 ERA (122 ERA+) and 1.34 WHIP. His 76 FIP- was just slightly higher then Harry Parker's, and swank struck out 109 with 58 walks in 215.2 innings behind George Oddo in the Commodores rotation. Swank tallied an impressive 5.7 WAR as well, and the former 7th Rounder is looking closer and closer to being a big league starter. He's got three solid pitches, with his circle change the bread and butter pitch. His fastball sits in the high 80s and his curve gets good movement, and its tough for opposing hitters to elevate any of his offerings. Expected to be a backend arm, Swank could probably make the jump to Milwaukee next season, but I'm leaning on leaving him in Mobile to start the year. The prospect people think Swank will be big league ready next season, but I'd be surprised to see him in a Cougar uniform next year. He's pretty advanced for someone his age, but he's also not too far from his ceiling.

LHP Lefty Jones (160th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 5th Round, 207th Overall (1943)
Alma Mater: Wilsonville Wildcats

Our 5th Rounder last season, Lefty Jones looked good in his first full season, actually pitching better in his 13 starts in San Jose opposed to the 8 prior in La Crosse. Jones went 8-5 with a 2.96 ERA (118 ERA+), 1.37 WHIP, 53 walks, and 71 strikeouts in 103.1 innings pitched. The 20-year-old has flashed excellent stuff, but he's unable to hone in his control at times. A tall, lefty sidewinder, Jones has a very good slider and his high 80s cutter has a lot of late life. Righties tend to match up against him better, but if he can polish up his change, he'll have a way to miss their bats too. Right now it's not much of an offering, but it should be an average pitch once fully developed. That will determine if he can start in the big leagues or not, as his other pitches are pretty solid. If that doesn't pan out, he could be a very intriguing back of the pen arm, getting tough lefties out with ease.

RHP Tommy Seymour (178th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 13th Overall (1943)
Alma Mater: Olathe Pioneers

After an awful debut season, Tommy Seymour wasn't much better this season, getting roughed up in 21 starts for the Lions. Last year's first rounder went 7-6, but with a 4.75 ERA (74 ERA+), 1.71 WHIP, 79 walks, and 45 strikeouts. An extremely raw pitching prospect, Seymour will likely need another full season at La Crosse, but he's entered the top 200 now and still looks like a future big league starter. This season wasn't perfect, as his strikeout rate plummeted, but he cut his walks nearly in half and his HR/9 fell from 2.4 to a dominant 0.2. A soft tosser, Seymour's fastball sits in the 83-85 range, but I'm sure he'll find ways to add velocity. Until then, his strikeouts will remain low, but he has a decent splitter and a plus-plus change. The harder his fastball gets, the more effective his off-speed offerings will be, and it will help him move up the rotation. I'd like to see him do a better job keeping runs off the board next season, but it will start with forcing weaker contact. I'm not sure he'll develop into a #1 or #2 like I once thought, but he's got all the tools to develop into a middle of the rotation arm, he just has a lot of room to grow.

SS Al Clement (202nd Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 29th Overall (1943)
Alma Mater: De Pere Redbirds

After being taken right after Tommy Seymour last year, Al Clement now ranks right after Seymour in the prospect ranks. It was a tough season for Clement, who was playing up a level in San Jose due to a thin infield picture above. The biggest issue for Clement was the strikeouts, as he was set down 109 times in 120 games. Strikeouts aren't supposed be an issue for the 19-year-old, as he has strong pitch recognition skills and a plus hit tool. Last season he walked (43) about as much as he struck out (53), but his triple slash dropped way down to .267/.321/.309 (80 OPS+) in San Jose. Clement had only 11 extra base hits this season after 13 homers alone in just 61 games in C ball. I knew he couldn't sustain the power, but I thought a lot of those homers would turn into doubles instead of flyouts. With his speed, if he can hit line drives he'll end up with a lot of extra base hits, and he had an impressive 14-for-17 stolen base success rate. His speed is his calling card and should help develop him into a top level player if it can translate into excellent range at short , and if the bat comes together, he could be a productive regular.

RHP Mike Thorpe (221st Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 60th Overall (1944)
Alma Mater: Americus University Hurricanes

The scouts say Mike Thorpe is already a mid rotation level starter, and after a slow start in Mobile, he went on an absolute tear. In 9 starts with the Commodores he finished 5-4 with a 3.24 ERA (123 ERA+) and 1.33 WHIP with 23 walks and 26 strikeouts before a promotion up to Milwaukee. I debated letting him spend September with the big league squad, but I was very happy with his 4 starts with the Blues, allowing runs in just one of his four starts. Thorpe went 3-1 with a 1.57 ERA (227 ERA+), 0.87 WHIP, 11 walks, and 12 strikeouts. In total, Thorpe tossed 106.1 innings pitched, and even tossed the 130 pitch mark three times this season. Already near his ceiling, Thorpe will be in camp to start next season, and with all the question marks in the back of our rotation, he could conceivably earn a spot. Right now Clyde Meyer wants Angel Lopez to man the four spot, so he's likely Thorpe's main competition, as Lyons, Murphy, and Petrick won't have to worry about being optioned to AAA. Even if he doesn't break camp with the big league squad, I expect him to debut during the season, and he could be the first man up in case of injury. He could end up as trade bait if needed, but I'm not sure how comfortable I feel giving a ready made starter to a competitor. He's no Duke Bybee, but Thorpe should be more then capable of mowing through FABL lineups once he's given the chance.

ayaghmour2 · 11-28-2022, 04:43 PM

The Cougars had no luck in the awards, with Harry Parker receiving only my first place vote, and Leo Mitchell failing to capture the Whitney despite having the most first place votes (7) of any CA hitter. It wasn't Chuck Adams who beat him, but Marion Boismenu, in what I would explain as only a gross miscarriage of justice. Other then WAR, Boismenu's numbers pale in comparison to Mitchell, who led the duo in average, slugging, OPS, OPS+, WRC+, doubles, homers, RBIs, runs, wOBA, and WPA all while striking out a little less then Boismenu. A random first place vote to Skipper Schneider could have cost Mitchell the award, as if he got that 8th lead vote, he would have taken home the hardware.

SS Jim Dickinson (225th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 3rd Round, 45th Overall (1941)
Alma Mater: Calumet Catholic Missionaries

Before this season, Jim Dickinson never missed more then two games, but the former 3rd Rounder dealt with a pair of injuries that cost him most of the season. He missed all of June with a herniated disc in his neck and then went under the knife again late July with a concussion. This allowed him to get into just 59 games for the Blues, hitting an adjusted league average .242/.393/.302 with 7 doubles, 3 triples, and 30 RBIs with an excellent 52-to-17 walk-to-strikeout ratio. His 116 WRC+ was much more impressive then his 100 OPS+, and he had an excellent 1.109 efficiency at short. The 25-year-old also made his big league debut on the 20th of September, pinch hitting for Skipper in the 7th of our 7-2 win over the Sailors. The Springfield native is known for his glove, which may help him secure a bench job this Spring. He is a quality defender with a great eye, but his bat isn't fully developed. He won't surpass Skipper anytime soon, but Dickinson is capable of filling a starting shortstop role. He's more useful for us as a utility guy, but his options will work against him this coming season.

RF Harry Austin (268th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 3rd Round, 44th Overall (1944)
Alma Mater: New Athens Yellow Jackets

Our last ever regional pick, Harry Austin spent most of his time down in La Crosse, hitting .277/.349/.393 (108 OPS+) with 10 doubles, 2 triples, 2 homers, and 14 RBIs in 192 trips to the plate. Austin walked (18) more then he struck out (11) and held his own at both first and right. He's not much of a defender, as most of his value comes with the bat, but he could be a capable corner outfielder. His pure hit tool is elite, with the chance to contend for a batting title, but I'm not sure the now 18-year-old will hit many homers. Austin is a one tool guy, which means he really needs to hit his contact potential, but he's very unpolished. If he reaches his lofty ceiling, he'll be one of the best pure hitters in the league, but I'm not sure he'll make it there.

RHP Bill Holloway (273rd Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 5th Round, 56th Overall (1943)
Alma Mater: Lincoln College Presidents

Acquired with one of the picks from the Freddie Jones deal, Bill Holloway had a productive first full season, starting 20 games with the San Jose Cougars. Holloway went 9-4 with a 3.00 ERA (117 ERA+), 1.29 WHIP, 41 walks, and 115 strikeouts in 138 innings pitched. A big strikeout arm, Holloway had a K/9 above 7, and he has a very polished four pitch repertoire. His fastball and sinker sit in the high 80s, and he locates both pitches well. His change and knuckle curve are nice pitches too, but at times his command alludes him. He did manage to cut his walk rate in half to 2.7, which is a huge step forward, and I'm hoping he can keep it on the same level with a promotion to Lincoln. Tom thinks he'll develop into a spot starter while OSA projects a #4 or 5, but if starting games doesn't pan out, his fastball is good enough to award him high leverage innings out of the pen.

3B Buddy Brumbaugh (275th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 7th Round, 97th Overall (1944)
Alma Mater: Wallingford Wild Boars

Taken in the 7th Round of the most recent draft, Tom Weinstock is a huge fan of the 18-year-old third basemen, noting his excellent swing and hit tool ability. He won't ever hit for much power, but Brumbaugh shows some similarities to the surprise Whitney Winner Marion Boismenu. Brumbaugh didn't have a great debut season, hitting just .267/.341/.313 (84 OPS+) with 5 doubles, a triple, and 14 RBIs. He had some strikeout (26) issues, but still drew 16 walks in 172 trips to the plate. Brumbaugh will turn 19 in November, so he's not as young as some of our other prep picks, and he could work his way up to San Jose next season. A solid defensive third basemen, Brumbaugh can also fill in at second and short, making it easier for him to work his way up. With a good eye and strong hit tool, he can survive the low power output. Tom thinks he can be penciled in to a future lineup spot while OSA goes one step forward to label him as a reliable hitter for an organization, both more then I'm expecting from the Hartford native. With a stronger work ethic, he'd be more of a lock to reach his ceiling, but there is a lot to like from the talented infielder.

RHP Stan Flanders (288th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 10th Round, 157th Overall (1941)
Alma Mater: New Haven Bulldogs

22 in December, Stan Flanders had a big season in AA for the Commodores, going a near even 12-11 with a 3.17 ERA (126 ERA+), 1.29 WHIP, 57 walks, and 55 strikeouts in 207.1 innings pitched. It was Flanders' first 200 inning season, and he was worth nearly 4 WAR against tough competition. A three pitch pitcher, Flanders doesn't overpower with stuff, as his fastball sits in the mid 80s. Its his best offering, as his curve and change aren't too reliable. To start in the big leagues, he'll need to work on his off-speed offerings. He makes up for his uninspiring stuff with pinpoint command, allowing him to locate his pitches almost exactly where he wants them. Flanders projects more as a depth role then an every day starter, but it's far more then I expected from a 10th Round Pick.

ayaghmour2 · 11-30-2022, 06:39 PM

Some bad news for the Cougars this week, as the man that should have won the Continental Association Whitney Award, Leo Mitchell, will not return to the Cougar lineup for 1945. Instead, he's enlisting in the Army, which will prevent him from threepeating the CA batting title. As good as Leo is, his loss is definitely replaceable, as Rich Langton will slide into the starting left field role. This also opens the door for some of our younger corner bats to get more time, as Huck Hanes, Cliff Browning, or even Don Lee could slide into a platoon or at least part time role.

RHP Harry MacRae (317th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 7th Round, 112th Overall (1942)
Alma Mater: Topeka State Braves

One of the more interesting pitchers in our system, Harry MacRae is truly an enigma, a two pitch pitcher who has been dominant starting games. Now 23, MacRae features a plus curve and effective low 90s fastball, and since being selected in the 7th Round back in 1942, he has put up above average marks in both ERA+ and FIP-. This year was likely his best, making 24 starts for the Commodores while going 15-9 with a 2.84 ERA (140 ERA+), 1.25 WHIP, 60 walks, and 72 strikeouts in 212 innings pitched. These are remarkable numbers at any level, but before this season he had just 34 starts and only 9 above A ball. MacRae could definitely fill a big league bullpen already, and he can probably set up Ben Curtin if we needed an extra pen arm. Despite that, I'm still pushing him into a starter role, and he's looking like he'll pitch in the Milwaukee rotation to start the season. He'll have a chance to break camp with the team, but a numbers game seems to work against him.

1B Lou Thomas (326th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 9th Round, 131st Overall (1944)
Alma Mater: North Carolina Tech Techsters

Despite falling into the 9th Round of the most recent draft, Lou Thomas started his season in A ball and finished it in AA. He hit a decent .280/.376/.410 (103 OPS+) with the Legislators before improving that line to .380/.481/.481 (160 OPS+) with the Commodores. This a very strong statline, and between the levels he tallied 15 doubles, 2 triples, 5 homers, and 43 RBIs with more walks (47) then strikeouts (41). An advanced hitter for his age, Thomas is a big strong guy, but he doesn't profile as much of a home run hitter. Expect a lot of doubles despite his slow pace, but he works the count well and then punishes pitcher's mistakes. He has a quick swing and squares up the ball well, leading to a lot of hard hit balls that tend to find the outfield grass. As a first basemen, he has very little competition in our system, which made his rise up the levels even easier. Thomas could conceivably pass Dick Walker up for the starting first base job at some point this season, but it'll be Ray Ford's job once he returns from the Air Force. As a lefty, Thomas can take some at bats against righties away from Ford, and if he can push past his potential, eventually claim the job outright. I wouldn't bet on that, but Thomas should be a really good hitter, even if all he ends up as is a useful left handed pinch hitter.

CF Johnny Carlisle (329th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 8th Round, 116th Overall (1944)
Alma Mater: Cowpens State Fighting Green

A natural center fielder, Johnny Carlisle got all around the diamond after being selected in the 8th Round of the most recent draft, appearing in games at second, third, short, center, and right. The versatile righty hit very well too, slashing .360/.411/.496 (133 OPS+) in 56 games with the Legislators. He did strike out (29) a fair amount, but had respectable walk numbers (19) to go with 11 doubles, 7 triples, 2 homers, 2 steals, and 33 RBIs. At 22, he's a lot more developed then some of our other recent draftees, and with his versatility, it will never be an issue for him to find playing time. If we need someone in Mobile, he'd be one of the first to get a promotion, as he can fill in nearly any lineup spot. If not to start the season, he certainly will receive a promotion to Mobile at some point, and he could work his way up to a bench role very quickly. His speed works to his advantage, allowing him to cover plenty of ground in both the infield and the outfield, and he consistently puts the ball in play. This leads to a lot of infield hits and singles turned doubles and doubles turned triples. He's an aggressive hitter, so good breaking pitches can fool him, but with experience he should cut down on the strikeouts. His floor is a Tip Harrison type player with the ceiling of a healthy Billy Hunter, but regardless of how much his bat develops, he will be a useful organizational piece.

RHP Dick Garcia (331st Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 3rd Round, 45th Overall (1943)
Alma Mater: Geneva Vikings

One of the few pitchers with La Crosse last season who didn't struggle, Dick Garcia was pushed up to San Jose and ran into some difficulties. The recently turned 20-year-old spent all season at 19, but finished a respectable 10-10 with a 4.08 ERA (86 ERA+), 1.56 WHIP, 53 walks, and 83 strikeouts in 152.1 innings pitched. While not overly exciting, it was great to see his walk rate cut in half, and he still maintained a K/9 around 5. A hard working gym rat, Garcia threw a bit harder this year compared to last, sitting at 86-88 with his cutter and sinker. His sinker is great for generating grounders, and his change is a quality third pitch. His stuff his still raw, but Garcia won't ever be an overpowering guy. The righty will need to continue to develop weak contact, and as he begins to face tougher hitters, his strikeout rate will start to fall. Garcia projects to be no more then a spot starter, but I wouldn't bet against his work ethic and arm strength. The harder he's able to throw, the more effective his pitches will be, but he could survive by keeping the ball on the ground.

RF Bob Harris (332nd Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 13th Round, 205th Overall (1944)
Alma Mater: Mississippi A&M Generals

A rare AI pick to crack the top prospect lists, Bob Harris is the latest outfielder of Mississippi A&M to be selected by an FABL organization. Harris didn't play before this season, but as a sophomore he was teammates with Henry DeVeaux, our 2nd Rounder back in 1942. 23 in November, Harris played well during his senior season, hitting .284 with 9 homers, 30 RBIs, and 39 steals, which was enough to start him in Lincoln post draft. He held his own, hitting an adjusted league average (according to WRC+) .276/.344/.415 (95 OPS+) with 13 doubles, 11 triples, a homer, and 37 RBIs. I was really surprised with the split of homers to triples, as he's not the fastest runner, but Lincoln Park is very partial to triples (1.130) and tough for homers (.915/.925) as its 431 to center and 410+ in both left and right center. My guess is he'll end up homering more then he triples, as Harris has average pop despite being just 5'7''. Still, he's more of a hit tool prospect, and could hit around .300 with good plate discipline. His bat will have to carry him, as he's a below average defensive corner outfielder, and likely profiles as more of a pinch hitter then a big league regular.

ayaghmour2 · 12-01-2022, 02:48 PM

Enlistments have hit the Cougars hard, as after secret service snatched away the snubbed Whitney Winner Leo Mitchell, our lineup was hit twice as hard as we lost the #1 ranked second basemen and third basemen in Billy Hunter and Hank Barnett. Between the three, 14.2 WAR has vanished from our lineup, and while Mitchell can be replaced with Rich Langton and Hunter with Jimmie James, we don't have an obvious replacement for Hank Barnett. Could this mean that the first pick of the final summer draft George Sutterfield makes the Opening Day roster at third? That's what I'm leaning towards now, but I'd much rather add someone from outside the organization. Everyone is getting hit hard, but it's hard to match the star studded talent leaving the Cougars lineup. Hunter currently ranks as the #4 hitter, Barnett #7, and Mitchell #20.

Here's an updated list of all Cougars in the military, with new enlistments denoted with an asterisk. As always, this list will be edited as opposed to a new post each time we lose guys. We now also have returning guys, who will also have end dates listed.

Army
LHP Rusty Watts (March 31st, 1941)
RHP Ray McNeill (December 22nd, 1941)
SS Jimmy Bach (December 22nd, 1941)
2B Harry Avery (December 22nd, 1941)
CF Max Rucker (December 22nd, 1941)
RF Sammy Dillon (December 22nd, 1941)
RHP Bob Leonard (December 25th, 1941)
RF Harry Harris (January 5th, 1942)
RHP Charlie Everett (January 5th, 1942)
RHP Pat Rhodes (January 5th, 1942)
2B Stu Stasny (January 5th, 1942)
CF Glenn Shepperd (January 6th, 1942)
2B Jim Nickerson (June 22nd, 1942)
1B Bobo Shafer (June 22nd, 1942)
CF Hugh Oubre (June 22nd, 1942)
LF Hippo Carney (June 22nd, 1942)
CF Phil Davis (June 22nd, 1942)
RHP Donnie Jones (November 9th, 1942)
3B Hod Seagroves (November 30th, 1942)
CF Harry Carr (December 28th, 1942)
RHP Joe Stuart (January 4th, 1943)
LHP Hugh Vaughn (January 11th, 1941)
2B Skippy Ellis (January 11th, 1941)
LHP Charlie Harlan (January 18th, 1943)
SS Nick Bryan (January 18th, 1943)
RHP Joe Brown (November 1st, 1943)
LHP Johnnie Jones (November 8th, 1943)
RHP Frank Crawford (November 15th, 1943-November 14th, 1944)
RHP John Little (November 15th, 1943)
RHP Howard Miller Jr. (November 29th, 1943)
*LF Leo Mitchell (October 30th, 1944)
*2B Billy Hunter (November 6th, 1944)
*LHP Johnny Ruby (November 6th, 1944)
*CF Tom Jovin (November 13th, 1944)
*RF Jimmy Hairston (December 4th, 1944)
*LF Ducky Cole (December 11th, 1944)
*1B Lou Thomas (December 18th, 1944)
*C Bill Martin (February 16th, 1945)
*CF Nellie Corbin (April 29th, 1945)

Navy
RHP Pete Papenfus (December 8th, 1941)
RHP Harl Haines (December 8th, 1941)
RF Alex Ingraham (December 8th, 1941-November 27th, 1944)
C Diego Bernal (December 22nd, 1941)
SS Connie Wright (December 27th, 1941)
LHP Art Ramsey (December 31st, 1941)
RHP Walt Leonard (December 31st, 1941)
LHP Jim Fetrow (June 22nd, 1942)
RHP Jim Bob Clark (June 22nd, 1942)
CF Johnny Kirtz (June 22nd, 1942)
3B John Lawson (November 2nd, 1942-October 14th, 1944)
LHP Ed Wilkinson (November 16th, 1942)
CF Carlos Montes (November 16th, 1942)
RHP Fred Thaxton (December 28th, 1942)
2B Bill Hunt (December 28th, 1942)
C Eddie Howard (January 4th, 1943)
C Hugh Elasser (January 11th, 1941)
RHP John Lash (January 18th, 1943)
RHP Bill Lyman (January 18th, 1943)
RHP Chet Williams (January 18th, 1943)
2B Clark Car (November 1st, 1943)
LF Bobby Mills (November 29th, 1943)
3B Morrie Graves (November 29th, 1943)
3B Caleb Humphrey (November 29th, 1943)
*3B Hank Barnett (November 6th, 1944)
*LHP Bert Rogers (November 13th, 1944)
*RHP Cliff Wallace (November 27th, 1944)
*RHP Ron Sexton (December 18th, 1944)

Air Force
RF Fred Vargas (December 8th, 1941)
RHP Tommy Wilcox (December 25th, 1941-October 16th, 1943)
3B Wally Burnett (December 31st, 1941)
C Butch Stone (June 22nd, 1942)
SS Frank Beacham (June 22nd, 1942)
1B Ray Ford (November 2nd, 1942)
3B Otto Christian (November 2nd, 1942)
RHP King Price (November 30th, 1942)
LF Ducky Brown (November 29th, 1943)
*LHP Ron Berry (December 4th, 1944)

Marines Corp
RHP Duke Bybee (December 31st, 1941)
1B Joe Powers (December 31st, 1941)
SS Dave Gilbert (June 22nd, 1942)
CF Ernie Martini (November 30th, 1942)
LHP Bob Hobbs (January 4th, 1943)
RF Dave Bryant (January 11th, 1941)
C Steve Mountain (November 15th, 1943)

Coast Guard
LHP Joe Bement (December 31st, 1941)
LF Skinny O'Hanesian (June 22nd, 1942)
1B Jocko Pollard (November 2nd, 1942)
LHP Joe Ferrara (November 30th, 1942)

ayaghmour2 · 12-01-2022, 06:54 PM

LF Bob Rogers (340th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 6th Round, 93rd Overall (1943)
Alma Mater: Newman Norseman

After cracking the top 200 last year, Bob Rogers slipped in the prospect rankings after a terrible first full season. After hitting over .500 in high school, Rogers hit a meager .230/.307/.272 (62 OPS+) in 403 trips to the plate for the Lions. After 7 homers last season, he didn't hit a single longball, with just 11 doubles, 2 triples, and 34 RBIs. He did walk a but, with 37 compared to 63 strikeouts, but pretty much everything that could have went wrong, went wrong for last year's 6th Rounder. Rogers will turn 20 in January, so he shouldn't have been nearly as overmatched as he was, but he'll get another shot at things in La Crosse next season. He'll have to earn his playing time before the draft, as we have a lot more exciting corner outfield prospects in Tom Jovin, Jimmy Hairston, and Harry Austin all on the roster with him. Still, "Snoot" is an exciting hitter, even if he didn't show it this year, as he should develop an elite contact tool. He has a nice swing and puts the ball in play a lot, but as a bat first prospect, he needs to take a huge step forward next season. Some power production would be ideal, because without it, it will be tough for him to turn into anything more then a bat off the bench.

RHP Al Robison (355th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 8th Round, 124th Overall (1944)
Alma Mater: North Smithfield Northman

I let him last a bit too long in the draft, but I was happy to still snag Al Robison in the 8th Round. Robison reminds me a lot of George Oddo, as the 18-year-old stands at 6'4'' and has plenty of upside on the mound. He looked really good for the Lions despite his 3-4 record in 74.1 innings pitched. Robison had a sparkly 2.42 ERA (145 ERA+) with a 1.41 WHIP, 39 walks, and 21 strikeouts. His run prevention skills were on full display, but we'll like to see him drop his 4.7 BB/9 in his first full season. A groundball pitcher, Robison has a nice four pitch mix, headlined by a wipeout slider. His fastball is a nice pitch too, comfortably in the high 80s while occasionally going a bit past 90. His change is a suitable pitch as well, but his curve needs a lot of work. Even without the curve, he has the stuff to start, but a fourth average or better pitch will make him a very talented starter. The biggest roadblock to Robison's big league success will be his control, which would cap him as a back-end starter, but he gets his work in even if it may take him longer then others. Robison has a long way to go, but there is a lot to like about the young righty.

RHP Babe Stinson (354th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 64th Overall (1942)
Alma Mater: Louisville Coyotes

After spending all of last season in San Jose, former 4th Rounder Babe Stinson was pushed back down to La Crosse, as 16 of his 18 starts came in C ball. Now 20, Babe is a very raw pitcher, who features five pitches that all need some work. A soft tosser, Stinson will never overpower hitters, but he has decent command of his pitches and manages to mix them well. The underlying numbers for Babe were much better then his results, as his 3.81 ERA (92 ERA+) is much higher then his 2.71 FIP (77 FIP-). He didn't allow a single homer in 89.2 innings with the Lions, walking 27 while striking out 46. This gives me hope that Stinson can pitch better in '45 with the Cougars, and last season he was 10-7 with a 3.88 ERA (98 ERA+) and 1.36 WHIP in 125.1 innings pitched. One issue for Stinson is he doesn't pitch deep into games, as he failed to surpass the century mark in any of his starts. This could force Stinson into a pen role, but a lot of pitchers are able to go deeper once they age. Right now Stinson profiles more as a depth arm or spot starter, but if he starts throwing harder, his future role could change drastically.

LHP Bob Hobbs (361st Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 8th Round, 119th Overall (1939)
Alma Mater: Brookhaven Panthers

In year two in the Marines Corps, Bob Hobbs took a huge step forward, seeing his velocity jump from 89-91 to 92-94. This is great news for the lefty, now 23, who would probably be ready for the big leagues next season if he wasn't enlisted. OSA thinks he's 5th starter quality, Tom Weinstock believes more of a filler arm, and I think he could be a nice longman out of the pen. He has huge strikeout numbers that come with a lot of walks, and since he's not Papenfus level overpowering, his profile works better in the pen. When he's on, he's unhittable, but if you get him shaken up he could crumble under the pressure. When he returns, he'll get back on track on the farm, but I'll let him start games until his results tell us he can't.

RHP Jack Huston (372nd Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 5th Round, 77th Overall (1941)
Alma Mater: Bay State Bulldogs

The prospect people have never liked Jack Huston, and while he was elite in '43 with the Commodores, he came back towards the mean in Milwaukee. Huston saw his walk (3.0 to 4.3) and strikeout (4.9 to 3.9) rates go in the wrong direction, going 15-11 with a 3.31 ERA (108 ERA+) and 1.36 WHIP in 30 starts. He surpassed 200 innings again, reaching 225.2, but he walked 109 hitters with just 98 strikeouts. Despite that, the now 25-year-old got a callup to the big leagues for the last week of the season, allowing just one hit in a scoreless inning against the Foresters. Clyde Meyer is a fan of Huston, putting him behind just Ken Matson and Rusty Petrick in the pen. It may be tough for Huston to earn a pen spot, with out of options guys like Bill Anderson, Ben Curtin, Cal Knight, and Merritt Thomas all in camp, plus depth starters like Matson, Petrick, Angel Lopez, and Mike Murphy. What sets Huston apart is that he's a durable, rubber armed pitcher, and there aren't many better options if you need someone to soak up a lot of innings.

ayaghmour2 · 12-02-2022, 07:26 PM

Big news in the FABL, as while more players are continuing to leave for the military, a handful are coming back. No one is more lucky then the Toronto Wolves, who will welcome back one of the best pitchers in baseball George Garrison, making life much more difficult for us. We got two players back, but I'd prefer they'd both stay enlisted, as I have no interest in 38-year-old minor leaguer Alex Ingraham or washed ace Frank Crawford. Ingraham is likely to be cut if we need to trim rosters, while Crawford, recognizing that he is washed, decided to retire. Why couldn't we have welcomed back Peter the Heater... Or Carlos Montes! We do need a center fielder...

Our enlistments were major too, with our first two picks in the most recent draft Bert Rogers and Tom Jovin heading overseas.

SS Tom Brownleaf (379th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 8th Round, 125th Overall (1943)
Alma Mater: Durant Lions

After hitting .201/.286/.332 (56 OPS+) in La Crosse last season, I was hoping Tom Brownleaf would take a step forward in his first full season as a big leaguer. It didn't go quite as I expected, as he hit a very similar .225/.285/.282 (59 OPS+) in 460 trips to the plate. That came with 12 doubles, 3 triples, 2 homers, 14 steals, and 45 RBIs in a tough season for the 19-year-old infielder. If there was any consolation, he did play plus defense at short, working to a 1.038 efficiency and 3.5 zone rating in 113 games. Brownleaf's bat has a lot of work to do, but there are a few things to like about the young infielder. He has a good eye and should draw his share of walks, and while he hasn't showed it yet, he projects to hit for a high average once fully developed. Brownleaf swings a quick bat and hits the ball hard to all fields. As a switch hitter, he will always have the platoon advantage, and he's versatile enough to play anywhere on the diamond. He profiles as a perfect bench player, and I'm sure if I put him on the grass he'd be able to cover ground out there too. He has a long way to go, and may need a season or two more in La Crosse.

RHP Fred Thaxton (403rd Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 7th Round, 97th Overall (1939)
Alma Mater: Tallmadge State Terriers

Another season in the Navy cost Fred Thaxton a chance to debut, and the now 26-year-old could have filled a rotation spot by now. This is probably his last season ranked as a prospect, but he's been fully developed for a full season. A three pitch pitcher, he relies heavily on his high 80s fastball and cutter, which really sets up his best pitch, the change up. He doesn't have great command, likely walking more hitters then he'll strike out, but he mixes his pitches well and generates a lot of infield pop ups and can of corn flyballs. Thaxton is a guy who the war hurts greatly, as his chance for a major league debut will likely pass him up, leaving him to fight to earn starts in the farm.

CF Dick Pace (406th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 6th Round, 92nd Overall (1944)
Alma Mater: Greenwood College Bearcats

Our 6th Round selection in the most recent draft, Dick Pace started in La Crosse, as we needed a center fielder, but he quickly hit his way up. Pace slashed .302/.381/.473 (139 OPS+) with 6 doubles, 5 triples, 2 homers, and 20 RBIs with almost the same amount of walks (17) as strikeouts (18). He didn't hit as well in San Jose, but still managed an average triple slash of .274/.333/.358 (98 OPS+). The rest of the line was more empty, as despite just 26 fewer PAs, he had only 2 doubles, 2 triples, a homer, and 8 RBIs with more then twice as many strikeouts (22) as walks (10). A bit on the older side as well, Pace turns 23 in December, so I was hoping for better production from him with the Cougars. Especially with his bat being more valuable then the glove, as he'll likely never be much more then average in center. At the plate, he consistently puts the ball in play, barreling up most pitches that come his way. The downside from him is he doesn't have the drive to improve, so Pace may not develop into anything more then a 4th outfielder. He does have good pace, pun intended, and should steal more then just the two bases he had this year. OSA and Tom Weinstock are much more excited about his future, with OSA positing he'll be an above average big leaguer and Tom a step below with just average. I'd like to see him work his way up our system quickly, but he's not the most exciting of our prospects.

LHP Ron Berry (416th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 7th Round, 112th Overall (1944)
Alma Mater: Elm Springs Knights

Like many high schoolers, Ron Berry struggled after draft day, but the underlying numbers were better then the results. Berry went 1-4 with a 4.95 ERA (71 ERA+) and 1.44 WHIP, but his 3.24 FIP (92 FIP-) was above average. He made 10 starts and threw 67.1 innings, walking 24 and striking out 46. His 6.1 K/9 was far more impressive then his 3.2 BB/9, so if he doesn't shape up his command, he'll have to maintain his lofty strikeout numbers. Now 19, Berry isn't much of a hard thrower, with his fastball sitting in the 84-86 range. His slider is superb and his change is dominant, so any added velocity will make him a very effective pitcher. His stuff is good enough to pitch his way into a back-end rotation job, but he's got plenty of work in front of him. He'll start the season in La Crosse, but if he can pitch to his FIP, he may jump up to San Jose once the draft rolls by.

LHP Tom Irwin (427th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 13th Round, 203rd Overall (1940)
Alma Mater: Ferguson Wildcats

It is my personal head cannon that Tom Irwin is son of Cougar and Chicago Daily News writer Archie Irwin, which on its own would have been enough to warrant him an organizational spot, but Irwin is actually pitching well himself. The 26-year-old spent most of his season in Lincoln, and he was beyond dominant. The former AI pick went 9-5 with 25 saves, a 1.63 ERA (274 ERA+), 1.16 WHIP, 46 walks, and 75 strikeouts in an out shy of 100 innings. This was Irwin's third stop with 40+ innings and a sub 2.00 ERA, but interesting enough is other two stints with 20 or more innings saw him with an ERA above 5. Irwin seems to be very inconsistent, and it will be interesting to see how he'll fare in a full season with the Commodores. Despite spending most of his time in the pen, Weinstock thinks he can start games, but I think that's more because he has good stuff. Irwin is better suited for the pen, but with a fastball that sits in the 86-88 range, he doesn't quite profile as a reliable back-of-the-pen arm. Irwin will be 27 in January, so its getting harder for him to earn a big league pen role, but a lot of good relievers don't quite show it until they are in their 30s.

ayaghmour2 · 12-05-2022, 03:36 PM

RHP Lonnie Sis (454th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 5th Round, 76th Overall (1944)
Alma Mater: Winnebago Tigers

Son of Hall of Famer Charlie Sis, Lonnie Sis had a tremendous first half season despite his average 5-5 record. He had an exceptional 2.35 ERA (149 ERA+) and 1.16 WHIP with 24 walks and 46 strikeouts. "Sizzler" allowed just a single homer in 80.1 innings pitched, and showed plenty of promise through his 10 starts. Sis never passed 120 pitches, but I don't think it is a stamina thing, as he threw 4 complete games, all with less then 115 pitches. A talented three pitch pitcher, Sis showed impressive strikeout numbers, attacking hitters with his low 90s cutter, but his best pitch is projected to be his swing and miss change. His curve is decent too, and all three offerings should be at least average at the FABL level. When Sis is on, he can dominant, as his stuff is great, but he may develop control issues at higher levels. If he can maintain an approximate 2.0 K/BB like he did this season, he has a good shot to fill a big league rotation.

RHP Jimmy Ballard (460th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 6th Round, 84th Overall (1939)
Alma Mater: Donora Bombers

Ballard was healthy all season, splitting his time between Lincoln and Mobile while setting a personal best with 29 starts. He made 18 with the Legislators and 11 with the Commodores, going 12-11, which much better numbers in A compared to AA. With Lincoln he had a nice 3.79 ERA (117 ERA+) and 1.57 WHIP with 69 walks and 84 strikeouts, but all his numbers declined with the promotion. His ERA and WHIP rose to 4.77 (83 ERA+) and 1.88 while his walk and strikeout rates go in the wrong direction. He walked 61 hitters with just 45 strikeouts, as his BB/9 went from 4.9 to 6.6 and his K/9 from 6.0 to 4.9. It is almost impossible to find success with a 4.9 BB/9, let alone a 6.6, so walks are clearly an issue for the former 6th Rounder. His health and control issues may make it tough for him to start everyday, but he's still only 22, and works rather hard. Based on his struggles in Mobile, he may return to Lincoln next year, but it's going to be harder and harder for him to work his way up to the big leagues.

RHP Charlie Everett (462nd Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 12th Round, 190th Overall (1941)
Alma Mater: Shenandoah Valley State Barons

Almost 25, it was a third season in the Army for Charlie Everett, a former 12th Rounder with just 1.2 innings of C ball experience. A four pitch pitcher, Everett will be one of the more interesting arms when he returns, as Weinstock has become rather fond of him and could jump all the way up to AA. His control isn't great, but Everett has plus stuff and movement, leading Tom to predict him to be a back-end starter. You can never have too many pitchers, especially ones who can start, so it would have been nice if he got at least a season starting before his enlistment.

RHP Max Tanner (464th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 11th Round, 164th Overall (1944)
Alma Mater: Albion Aviators

Recently celebrating his 19th birthday, Max Tanner was one of our three 11th Rounders, and he got to start all 10 of his appearances post draft. It didn't go great, going just 2-7 with a 4.91 ERA (71 ERA+), 1.59 WHIP, 20 walks, and 28 strikeouts. He didn't pitch very deep into games, throwing just 66 innings while getting past the 110 pitch mark just once. Despite the poor results, there is a lot to be excited about, as Tanner is an imposing 6'5'' righty who I can't imagine will top out at his current 83-85 on his fastball. His stuff isn't great now, but his command is excellent and should be one of his best traits. Tanner is a hard worker as well, and he should continue to improve with experience. He'll get another go at La Crosse, which I expect to go much better, but I can't see Tanner pitching much if any time in San Jose. Right now, I expect nothing more then a depth arm, but he's got a ton of potential and I think he has a chance to exceed expectations.

RHP Roscoe Brown (465th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 8th Round, 1113th Overall (1940)
Alma Mater: Covington Cougars

Roscoe Brown started his season in San Jose and made 12 impressive starts. The 22-year-old finished 5-3 with a stellar 2.66 ERA and 1.07 WHIP and an elite 5.6 K/BB. He struck out 89 while walking just 16 in 81.1 innings pitched, dominating C-O-W League competition. This earned him a promotion to Lincoln, where he was still effective in 11 more starts there. His ERA and WHIP were higher, at 4.02 (111 ERA+) and 1.16, with a still great 4.3 K/BB. This time it was 60 strikeouts and 14 walks in 78.1 innings, as Brown seems to have taken a huge step forward this season. He's never had high walk rates, control has always been a plus, but his strikeout numbers are now through the roof. Brown is an overpowering pitcher, featuring a mid-to-high 90s fastball and sinker, and his curve can make even the best hitters whiff. I'd love for Brown to start big league games, but I think part of his performance came from being more experienced then those he faced, and his future likely lies as a high leverage pen arm. Fastball-Sinker isn't the best combo, especially when you aren't a groundballer, but even if Roscoe's K/BB slumps to the 2.5 range, he could still be a very effective hurler.

ayaghmour2 · 12-09-2022, 01:08 PM

We all know it wouldn't be a Cougar offseason without a trade! Nothing major here, but we made what should be a mutually beneficial trade. We lost our star third basemen, Hank Barnett, to the war, while the Pittsburgh Miners lost a bunch of shortstops at the upper levels of their system. We have plenty of shortstops, they have plenty of third basemen, so we swapped a few depth pieces. Former Miner Johnny Bunce will return to Pittsburgh's system, while we acquired a veteran who started 130+ big league games each season from 1936-1939, Ken Mayhugh.

Now 33, Mayhugh has been a player we were once very high on when he came up with Boston and then continued with Baltimore. A former 2nd Rounder of the Kings back in 1932, Mayhugh has been used to acquire two pretty solid pitchers, starting with former Cougar Max Wilder back in 1934 and then John Edwards in 1937. Mayhugh debuted in 1935, hitting a respectable .271/.351/.430 (104 OPS+) with 10 doubles, 7 homers, and 41 RBIs in 99 games for the Minutemen. He followed it up with his best big league season, slashing an impressive .344/.399/.493 (131 OPS+) with 31 doubles, 11 homers, and 91 RBIs. He'd never match this lofty production, but he was above average in each of the next two seasons, one with Boston and one with Baltimore. Things started to go south for Mayhugh during the '39 season, as he appeared in 139 games while hitting just .273/.340/.354 (86 OPS+). That was the last season he appeared in more then 100 games, as he was relegated into a bench role and hasn't even started more then 50 in a season since. Still, he's gotten into a big league game in each season, playing sparingly for the Cannons, Sailors, and Miners.

'44 was his lone season with the Miners, where 41 of his 42 appearances came off the bench. He didn't hit very much, just .250/.318/.275 (64 OPS+) with a double in 44 trips to the plate. This is nothing special, but Mayhugh is a much better hitter then he's shown. In 931 career FABL games, Mayhugh owns a .287/.355/.397 (103 OPS+) triple slash with 140 doubles, 52 homers, and 405 RBIs with an elite 290-to-52 walk-to-strikeout rate. We don't really have any options on hand who can hit and play the hot corner, and Tom thinks Ken can be at least average as an FABL starter. He has outstanding bat-to-ball abilities and will nearly never whiff. He's a bat first guy, but still capable at the hot corner, and he gives us another option to fill the massive Hank Barnett sized hole in our lineup. Mayhugh is the loose favorite, and will need to perform well in camp to hold off the likes of Steve Jones, George Sutterfield, and Jim Dickinson. I'd love to continue to make additions, especially out in center, but this may be the lone move of the offseason.

ayaghmour2 · 12-12-2022, 03:04 PM

Hey, some good news for the Cougars! The old lottery system really hurt the Cougars, as three of the four players we got were guys I wouldn't take period, let alone in the first two rounds, so I expected more of the same. Instead, it really couldn't have gone much better, as we jumped all the way from 11 to 3rd! That means we'll be picking 3rd and 19th overall, before picking 11th in each round following. We also pick 7th and 14th in the 7th Round. Below are the full results:

1. Stars
2. Gothams
3. Cougars
4. Eagles
5. Kings
6. Dynamos
7. Wolves
8. Miners
9. Foresters
10. Chiefs
11. Saints
12. Minutemen
13. Sailors
14. Pioneers
15. Cannons
16. Keystones

We might get a pick in today, but we get a rare chance to add elite level talent to our system. The Cougars haven't picked top five since 1929, when Tom Barrell was named the first selection of the draft.

11-12-2022, 10:30 PM	#941
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 20: August 29th-Septmeber 4th Weekly Record: 2-2 Seasonal Record: 74-56 (3nd, 1.5 GB) Stars of the Week Rich Langton : 15 AB, 8 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .533 AVG, 1.333 OPS Leo Mitchell : 15 AB, 6 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI, .400 AVG, 1.271 OPS Art White : 1 Win, 9.0 IP, 1 BB, 2 K, 0.00 ERA Schedule 8-29: Loss vs Stars (8-7): 11 innings 9-2: Loss vs Saints (8-7) 9-3: Win vs Saints (0-10) 9-3: Win vs Saints (0-6) Recap Well, this was a strange week. Generally, when you outscore your opponents 30-16, you'd expect to win more games then you lost, but the darn Stars and Saints both beat us 8-7, so we dropped to the third. The only positive there is we actually gained a game on the division lead. The Wolves had a rough week, swept by the Sailors to finish, so they are now tied with the Cannons a top the CA. This is shaping up to be a great pennant race between the three of us, and with nearly all of our games at home, you'd think that would give us an advantage. The Cannons and Wolves will be on the road for almost the entirety of the final month, but both teams are 35-23 (.603) on the road compared to 40-31 (.563) at home. To make things more interesting, we are 37-25 (.596) at home, so all three teams are 12 games over .500 at the location they will finish most of the season at. The Wolves and Cannons match up eight more times, four in Toronto this coming week and four in Cincinnati the week following, while we host both teams for three games back-to-back. I'm very excited for the rest of the season, but it's not quite the final month I expected... While the first half of the week was embarrassing, the double header to finish the week was dominant. Art White started it off with his second shutout in two games, allowing just 7 hits with a walk and 2 strikeout. White has started to turn things around, and not a moment too soon, allowing just 3 runs in his last 26.2 innings pitched. He also got his first strikeout in over a month (August 10th), giving him just 26 in 220 innings pitched. Harry Parker then capped off the double header with an impressive show of dominance, allowing just 3 hits while striking out 8 Saints to pick up his 12th win on the season. It wasn't his only start, as he struggled a bit against the Stars, charged with 9 hits, 4 runs, and 2 walks with 2 strikeouts in 6.2 innings pitched. Parker reclaimed the CA strikeout lead with 103, and he cracked the 200 inning mark for the fifth time in six years while surpassing the 5 WAR (5.3) mark for the first time in his career. The last start went to Mike Murphy, who lasted just 3 innings after allowing 9 hits, 6 runs, and 2 walks. Rusty Petrick finished off the last 6 innings with 5 hits, 2 runs, 4 walks, and 4 strikeouts. He was one of three pen members to allow two runs, with Ben Curtin and Merritt Thomas falling apart in our extra inning loss. Curtin blew the save first, allowing 4 hits, 2 runs, and 3 walks in 2.1 innings pitched. Thomas relieved him, and was charged with a loss, allowing 3 hits, 2 runs, and a walk in 2 innings. It's a rare misstep for both, and it rose our pen ERA above 2 for the first time in months, still a league best 2.28. Our pitching will need to excel down the stretch if we stand a chance, and I think I trust Parker, White, and Riley to take us to the finish. We have a lot of off days the next three weeks, so I'll be dropping Murphy and Petrick to the pen until we need more starters again. The offense exploded, so it is a bit unfortunate we only one half our games. Our right field duo had another great week, with Rich Langton leading the way. Langton went 8-for-15 with 2 doubles, a triple, 3 RBIs, and 4 runs to up his WRC+ to a league average 100. With a bunch of lefty starters, Cliff Moss got just 5 at bats, but singled, scored, and hit a solo homer. Leo Mitchell turned things around, 6-for-15 with 2 homers, 5 RBIs, and 7 runs scored. Don Lee showed signs of his minor league bat, going 5-for-13 with a steal, 2 runs, 4 walks, and his first big league home run. Hank Barnett was 5-for-14 with a double, homer, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 6 RBIs. All five of these guys had a weekly OPS+ above 200, and while obviously that can't be kept up, this is huge production from some really talented hitters. Harry Mead and Skipper Schneider couldn't match that 200 mark, but both were well above average. Mead went 5-for-13 with a run, 2 doubles, and 3 RBIs. Skipper was 5-for-15 with a steal, double, triple, 3 runs, and 4 RBIs. It wasn't all good, however, as Dick Walker had a walkless week, going 3-for-18 with an RBI, steal, and 2 runs scored. He still sits at 129 for the season, and is now at a 153 walk pace. Billy Hunter cooled down as well, just 1-for-8 with a walk, steal, RBI, and 2 runs scored. Still can't complain too much about the overall output, and if we can continue to have weeks like this, we will win far more often then we lose. Even if it didn't happen this time. Looking Ahead Rosters are now expanded, and as always, I'll cover the callups in the minor league report, so we'll have a deeper pen and bench the rest of the way out. We have a lot of off days as well, as after a double header with the Kings, we will get two days off. Brooklyn is now 60-71 and 16 games out of first, and ever so slightly closer to 4th (6.5 GB) then last (7 GA). I'm really hoping they'll bring Mel Haynes up for the rest of the season. They have a lot of open rotation spots behind Jim Kenny (16-11, 2.80, 66). #5 starter Ike O'Donnell (6-4, 2.57, 41) has overperformed and is walking (42) about as many hitters as he strikes out (41), but the other three rotation members have ERAs above 4. I imagine they'll keep top 100 prospect Clarence Barton (3-4, 4.47, 26) in as he has just 7 big league starts, but 31-year-old Rule-5 Pick Bud Hastings (9-10, 4.12, 52) might lose his spot to a younger callup. The lineup has plenty of more holes, and with Orie Martinez (.288, 11, 56) the lone lineup member below 24, they might want to give some of their prospects a shot. There are plenty of options for the new management to work with, and with their only All Star Vernon Ruch (.290, 6, 48) out since April, there is an extra spot up for grabs. We are facing both of their top pitchers in Kenny and O'Donnell, but I trust Billy Riley (9-10, 3.42, 75) and Dick Lyons (7-7, 2.60, 12) to prevent the Kings from generating hard contact. Our whole week will be spent in the Big Apple, but three of the next four days will not see any baseball. The Stars will welcome us to town on the 7th, and then we get another day off on the 8th. That sets up a Saturday morning game followed by another Sunday double header, so both teams will will have full use of their rotation. This will mark Riley's return to the organization that drafted him 12 years ago, and I hope the fans at Dyckman Stadium will give him a warm welcome. It would be awesome to see him matched up with budding star Eli Panneton (8-5, 1, 2.44, 45), but they will probably want him pitching before the double header. Panneton isn't the only exciting youngster in the Stars rotation, as Larry Gregory (2-4, 3.38, 17; .310, 7)) is flashing two-way capabilities in 56 innings and 37 plate appearances. There could be a few more youngsters in town, as they have a trio of top 100 prospects in AAA. It's an impressive group, headlined by talented left fielder "Jersey Jack" Welch (.304, 4, 35), but don't underestimate 1940 2nd Rounder Bill Grove (.254, 2, 8) or former Cougar draftee Bill Chapman (5-3, 3.90, 21). I can't see Chapman getting the call, but Grove will be Rule-5 eligible in the offseason and Welch's 158 WRC+ in 62 games leads me to believe that he's big league ready. Ray Cochran (.297, 6, 49, 8) is in left with Chubby Hall (.264, 13, 78) are holding down the corners now, but Cochran can move to first or the hot corner. If he goes to the hot corner, Gary Carmichael (.293, 6, 60) could shift to the keystone and send Mel Hancock (.233, 1, 31) to a utility role. Jim Honeywood (.378, 26) seems safe at first, as he's hit even better since starting to play every day. Him and young Chick MacKnight (.301, 1, 7) put together great August's and have vastly help the team's offseason production. MacKnight debuted the last week of July, and is actually the player selected with the pick we traded for Clark Car and a pair of draft picks. As good as Car has been for us, the 16th pick of the 1942 draft has developed into a quality big leaguer in his own right, currently ranked 53rd in the league while projecting to be a top quality catcher. The Stars are definitely tougher then their 60-70 record indicates, just ask the Wolves, who have lost 13 of the 19 matchups. Minor League Report RHP Bill Anderson: After four years in our minor league system, Bill Anderson will return to the big leagues for the first time since he was an Eagle way back in 1939. Anderson has spent most of his time with us out of the pen, but the 35-year-old vet had his best season this year. He made 7 starts in 45 appearances, going 9-3 with 10 saves, a 2.21 ERA (163 ERA+), 1.18 WHIP, 27 walks, and 31 strikeouts. A seven pitch pitcher, Anderson could probably start on some teams, but for us he gives us another reliable pen arm, and I could see him making a resurgence as a late inning arm. In 250 games with the Wolves and Eagles, Anderson went 84-101 with a 4.61 ERA (93 ERA+), 1.49 WHIP, 481 walks, and 548 strikeouts. His best career season was his first in Washington back in 1936, where Anderson went 22-14 with a 4.48 ERA (107 ERA+) and 1.59 WHIP with 77 walks and 123 strikeouts. He led the Fed in FIP- (81) and WAR (7.1), but it was his lone season with a winning record. Anderson had just one option remaining, the one I used this year, so September will be a good chance for him to prove he belongs on the roster. RHP Angel Lopez: Our Rule-5 selection last season, Angel Lopez had a rough August, where he lost twice as many games (4) in the month then he had all season. That hasn't ruined his overall line much, as Lopez will finish his AAA season 17-6 in 27 starts. A major league callup will be a nice 26th birthday gift to reward his 2.38 ERA (152 ERA+), 1.20 WHIP, 58 walks, and 72 strikeouts. There was a time it wasn't certain that Lopez would even be a Cougar once September came around, as he was floated around in a few trade offers, including the eventual Billy Riley deal. Now he might end up getting a spot start, but more likely he'll fill a long role like he did last season. Lopez was decent enough in our pen last season, going 2-4 with a 3.57 ERA (91 ERA+), 1.48 WHIP, 21 walks, and 18 strikeouts in 45.1 innings pitched. That being said, he definitely took a step forward this year, as in 61.2 AAA innings back in 1942, he was 0-8 with a 6.28 ERA (56 ERA+) and 1.93 WHIP. Depending on who gets called away or how old Lyons pitches like, Lopez could get an opportunity to claim a rotation spot next spring. RHP Ken Matson: After 8 starts with the Blues, Ken Matson will return to Chicago to fill the pen. The 26-year-old wasn't great, just 2-3 with a 3.22 ERA (112 ERA+), 1.12 WHIP, 22 walks, and 21 strikeouts. Both his strikeouts and walks are up from his Chicago numbers, where he was 2-3 with a 4.35 ERA (80 ERA+), 1.54 WHIP, 35 walks, and 38 strikeouts. His awful start against the Foresters ruined his season numbers, as his 3.28 FIP and 94 FIP- paint a much prettier pitcher. I don't expect many, if any, starts along the way, but his stuff will make him an interesting option out of the pen. Interesting enough, he did better as a starter then a reliever with us earlier, but I think that's more of a sample size thing. That being said, if we fall out of the race, Matson will likely get a start the last week of the season. But let's hope that's not the case... C Gene Lee: It's always nice to have a third catcher, so Gene Lee will join the club in Chicago. He's cooled down a bit, but the 24-year-old hit a decent enough .254/.356/.334 (98 OPS+) with 16 doubles, 5 homers, and 62 RBIs. Lee also managed twice as many as walks (60) as strikeouts (26), but his defense behind the plate isn't the greatest. Still, the imposing catcher is a decent enough hitter and a leader in the clubhouse. Having him on hand allows Clyde Meyer to be more aggressive when pinch running Mead or Taylor, knowing that Lee is there to replace a catcher if they got hurt. It could also open up pinch hit opportunities for Taylor, who actually has a nice .261/.326/.403 (108 OPS+) batting line with 4 homers and 17 RBIs. Lee now has a shot to make his big league debut, something unexpected for a former 19th Round Pick. 3B Steve Jones: He was supposed to debut last year, but a lineup of mine didn't take, so the now 27-year-old should get a chance sometime this month to make his dream come true. Valued for his glove more then his bat, Jones is hitting just .212/.338/.288 (89 OPS+) in 119 games this year and just a 90 WRC+ in 1,116 career AAA plate appearances. His defense and versatility more then makes up for it, as Jones has well above career numbers at second, third, and short. He has an outstanding arm and good range, and I imagine he'll make a few defensive replacements for Hank Barnett late in close games. He doesn't have the bat for third, which is why a start isn't likely, but with his arm its the best position for him. He does have the range for short, so a team in desperate need of a shortstop could start him there, and while still not average, his bat will play better there. It will be hard for Jones to keep a 40-man spot when all the players at war return, but his glove will always help him secure a role in an organization. LF Huck Hanes: He may just be coming off the IL, but the former 4th Rounder is more then ready for the big leagues. Now 25, Huck Hanes has spent two and a half seasons in Milwaukee, this year hitting .311/.389/.348 (111 OPS+) with 8 doubles, a homer, and 24 RBIs. The power drop is a bit concerning, as Hanes had 11 homers in 137 games last year, about twice as many games as he played this year. An all bat, no glove prospect, Hanes will be a very useful pinch hitter down the stretch, as he has great discipline and consistently puts the ball in play. At the plate he features a great combination of bat speed and barrel control, and he could put together a few .300 seasons in a full time role. It will be hard for him to start every day with Leo Mitchell in left, but depending on how Dick Walker looks next season, Hanes could start in left and Mitchell could move to first. I do expect him to return to Milwaukee to start next season, but he could easily hit his way back up to Chicago. CF Leo Davis (AAA Milwaukee Blues): We had an injury in our AAA outfield last week, so Davis got the call despite owning just a .263/.323/.345 (80 OPS+) batting line in 491 trips to the plate. Despite that, the former 8th Round Pick had the week of his season, going 12-for-28 with 5 doubles, a triple, 7 runs, and 5 RBIs. That was good enough for Player of the Week, as the 25-year-old took home his 5th career player of the week. An excellent defender, Davis had a 25.7 zone rating and 1.095 efficiency out in center before promotion. It's helped him be worth nearly 5 wins above replacement between Mobile and Milwaukee with 21 doubles, 8 triples, 3 homers, 46 RBIs, and 19 steals. His speed is his best tool, allowing him to excel in the field and on the bases, but he's too much of a free swinger and he'll strike out more frequently then he'll walk. He's pretty strong too, which you think would lead to more homers or extra base hits, although he did have 20 homers last year and has hit double digits a few other times before. Davis tops out as a 5th outfielder, but his glove is useful enough that he could spend a season or two in the big leagues. 3B Danny Richardson (AA Mobile Commodores): 1944 has been Danny Richardson's season, as the former 3rd Rounder is hitting the best he has sine C ball. He took home another Player of the Week, going 10-for-24 with 4 doubles, 2 homers, 7 walks, and 8 RBIs. In 310 plate appearances for the Commodores, Richardson has hit an impressive .313/.413/.473 (139 OPS+) with 18 doubles, 6 triples, 4 homers, and 42 RBIs. His 153 WRC+ is elite and he's walked (42) far more often then he's struck out (18). The Elgin native will remain Rule-5 eligible, and while I'm not planning on protecting him, his production here could spark interest in a team who needed a third basemen. He will get a change to face tougher competition, moving up to Milwaukee to finish the season. He's definitely ready, but I think Richardson may be at his ceiling, best served as minor league depth or potentially a AAAA player. LHP Ed Fisler (AA Mobile Commodores): One of the guys on our 40 who isn't getting called up today, the now 23-year-old Fisler got the Reliables bats to fizzle, holding them scoreless in a 6-0 Commodores win. It was his second consecutive complete game victory over the Reliables, and the first one was actually more impressive. He walked 3 and struck out 4 in both, but his previous start saw just a pair of hits and unearned runs. His shutout was a still impressive 8-hitter, but a trio of errors cost him the shutout. The southpaw has been effective in his 22 starts, going 15-7 with a 3.28 ERA (120 ERA+), 1.48 WHIP, 94 walks, and 81 strikeouts. We have room in our Milwaukee rotation, as Fisler will hope to improve on a pair of starts with the Blues back in July. He allowed 18 hits, 10 runs, and 8 walks with just 4 strikeouts in 11.2 innings pitched. I won't rule out a callup after the minor league season ends, but I was him starting every day instead of having him saved for mop up duty. He's not one of the higher touted prospects in our organization, but Tom thinks he'll be a solid back of the rotation starter. He has a really good fastball and his slider and change aren't too shabby, but he'll never be an overpowering arm. His minor league strikeout numbers are pretty solid, but I think FABL hitters won't be fooled as often. He'll need to keep his walks in check, but as long as he strikes out more guys he'll be fine. That hasn't been the case for him this year, which is a bit concerning, but he's facing older competition and isn't at his peak yet. It'll hard for him to break into our rotation, but I think he'll be a better lefty pen option then Cal Knight. RHP Bill Holloway (B San Jose Cougars): Holloway missed a few weeks earlier in the season with a sore shoulder, but he hasn't let that phase him much. His post-injury numbers were in line with their pre-injury counterparts. Or at least that was until his last start. After allowing just 2 runs in his last 16.1 innings pitched, Holloway then took revenge on the Vancouver Mounties. Last time out he faced them they put on 8 hits and 3 walks worth 6 runs before knocking him out in the fourth. This time around, Holloway didn't allow any free passes, tossing a 7-hit, 5-strikeout shutout to improve to 9-3 on the season. Holloway has been very good through 125 innings with the Cougars, working to a 2.88 ERA (122 ERA+), 1.26 WHIP, 35 walks, and 105 strikeouts. That's an impressive 3.0 K/BB and he's been worth exactly 3 WAR in his 18 starts. A 4th Rounder of ours last season, the Chicago native ranks inside our top 20, and is ranked #231 overall. A four pitch pitcher, the Lincoln College alum has a pretty developed arsenal, as he racks up a ton of strikeouts and could probably even get whiffs from a handful amount of FABL players. He doesn't overpower, occasionally touching 90, but he uses his pitches well and modern day analysis would probably compliment his spin rates. Last year he displayed a lot of walk issues, but he's dropped his BB/9 from 5.9 to 2.5. If he stays there and keeps striking out guys he'll be fine, and maybe he can develop into the #4 or #5 starter OSA predicts. He just turned 22, so I'd like to move him up the ladder quicker, and he'll start next season up in Lincoln for sure. He's a bit raw for a college guy, but he's shown to be a quick learner and I'd love to get him to the big leagues in '46 or '47. As a Chicagoan it will be easy for him to get a callup, but he's got his work cut out for him if he wants to be an everyday guy. RHP Lonnie Sis (C La Crosse Lions): Like father, like son! Wrack up another shutout for Lonnie Sis, who allowed just 3 hits with 3 walks and strikeouts as the Lions topped them Steamboats 4-0. "Sizzler" has really sizzled in his 8 starts, going 5-3 with a 1.90 ERA (189 ERA+), 1.13 WHIP, 23 walks, and 36 strikeouts. He's done a tremendous job in his early career, as his change up has fooled a ton of young hitters and his curve and cutter are both good pitches as well. He mixes them well together, and should do an excellent job mixing his pitches together. He sits in the low 90s now, and I'd hope to see him throwing a little harder by time he turns 20. With his work ethic you can hope for the best, and even if he doesn't pitch nearly as well as his dad once did, his name will likely carry him to a debut. Attached Images Last edited by ayaghmour2; 11-13-2022 at 02:35 PM.

11-14-2022, 07:03 PM	#942
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 21: September 4th-September 10th Weekly Record: 1-5 Seasonal Record: 75-61 (3nd, 4.5 GB) Stars of the Week Hank Barnett : 20 AB, 7 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI, .350 AVG, 1.200 OPS Leo Mitchell : 26 AB, 10 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .385 AVG, .907 OPS Harry Mead : 16 AB, 5 H, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .312 AVG, .978 OPS Schedule 9-4: Loss at Kings (1-6) 9-4: Loss at Kings (0-3) 9-7: Loss at Stars (1-2) 9-9: Win at Stars (4-2) 9-10: Loss at Stars (4-5) 9-10: Loss at Stars (9-10) Recap Well, see you next year! This was the type of week that nightmares are made of, as we went just 1-5 and dropped to 4.5 games behind the Wolves. We let the Kings sweep us in the double header, scoring just one run off Jim Kenney (17-12, 2.88, 71) and Ike O'Donnell (7-4, 2.39, 43). The Stars series was arguably worse, as even though we won one of the four games, the three losses were all by a single run. Now 5 of our last 7 losses have been by a single run, and since July 1st, we are just 15-21 on the road. Luck for us, 15 of our last 18 games our at home, but at this point, I'm not sure how much that will matter. A few transactional moves as well, starting with Merritt Thomas hitting the IL with a hamstring strain. With a six week recovery time, that effectively ends his season. It was a great one for Thomas, who worked to a 1.96 ERA (176 ERA+) and 1.31 WHIP in 41.1 innings pitched. The 36-year-old vet finished an even 4-4 with 3 saves, 15 walks, and 10 strikeouts. We also added veteran Dan Fowler back on waivers, as the Chiefs cut him after hitting just .107/.138/.214 (-1 OPS+) in 29 trips to the plate for him. I don't expect much from Fowler, but he gives us a lefty bat with some pop off the bench. Pretty much nothing worked out for us this week, and the pitching was no exception. Don't blame Harry Parker, who tossed 8 scoreless in a no decision. He was charged with 5 hits and 3 walks with 3 strikeouts, and has now thrown 19.2 consecutive scoreless innings. Art White pitched well until the ninth, but if we just scored for him, it wouldn't have mattered. Both of his runs allowed came in the 9th courtesy of a pair of .237 hitters via a Mel Hancock sac-fly and Cliff Ray walk-off single. White allowed 10 hits, 2 runs, and 3 walks with 2 strikeouts while falling to 16-9. Dick Lyons and Billy Riley both made a pair of starts, and they all went poorly. Lyons is starting to show his age, allowing 13 hits, 10 runs, and 3 walks with a strikeout in 9.2 innings pitched. Billy Riley allowed 21 hits, 11 runs (7 earned), and 2 walks with 4 strikeouts in 14 innings pitched. The pen wasn't great either, with bad outings from Ben Curtin and Rusty Petrick. Curtin made two appearances, charged with 7 hits and 3 runs in 3 innings pitched. Petrick threw 2.1 innings with 4 hits, 2 runs, a walk, and 2 strikeouts. Bill Anderson had a nice Cougar debut, throwing 3 innings with 2 hits and a win in 2 appearances. Cal Knight picked up the save, tossing a perfect frame. We still have enough off days for a four man rotation, but I'm not sure how many more starts I want to give Dick Lyons. We didn't score many runs, but that's not to say we didn't have a lot of production from the lineup. Hammerin' Hank mashed as per usual, going 7-for-20 with a double, 2 homers, 3 runs, 5 RBIs, and 6 walks. Harry Mead went 5-for-16 with 2 doubles, a homer, run, walk, and 2 RBIs. Rich Langton went 6-for-17 with a double, steal, 2 walks, 3 runs, and 3 RBIs. Leo Mitchell helped keep up his batting title hopes, going 10-for-26 with 3 doubles, 2 runs, and an RBI. He's now just a point behind Marion Boismenu in the batting title race while hitting .367/.401/.488 (153 OPS+) with 26 doubles, 13 homers, and 79 RBIs. He leads the league in slugging, OPS (.889), hits (202), total bases (269), OPS+, and WPA (3.88) while ranking top 5 in average, RBIs (4th), OBP (2nd), runs (2nd, 85), and wOBA (2nd, .402). He's going to be crucial for us down the stretch if we want to claw our way back into things, but the 4.5 game deficit is going to be tough to overcome. Looking Ahead A much needed off day to start the week, but all five of our games this week come against the Kings. The first two are at home, and then we follow that with another off day to travel to Brooklyn with the Kings. We get three on their turf before the final two off days of our season. I'm still in awe of how the Kings shut us down in the double header, and here is the perfect time for some revenge. I hope we don't see Jim Kenny (17-12, 2.88, 71) or Ike O'Donnell (7-4, 2.39, 43), who has seemed to take my comments personally, more then once, but we're guaranteed to see Kenny. Since Ike is their #5, he may hopefully be skipped, giving us two goes at Bill McGraw (6-11, 4.21, 80), Bud Hastings (10-10, 4.13, 55), or Clarence Barton (3-4, 4.47, 26). The Kings have yet to call up any reinforcements, so they could make some changes, but for now sub-70 WRC+ guys like Hal Reynolds (.197, 17, 64, 5) and Otto Deal (.240, 2, 38) will keep getting at bats. This will be our last chance to play the Kings, who we are 10-7 against. These games are huge, and while a 5 win week seems out of the question, it's about all we can do to get back into the pennant race. Minor League Report SS Jim Dickinson: He won't be healthy for another day, but I'm bringing up our former regional pick from 1941. Now 25, the Springfield native is an elite gloveman, working to a 7.3 zone rating and 1.103 efficiency at short this year, and in 383 games at short he boasts elite measures of 57 and 1.094. The bat isn't as developed, but he hit an impressive .285/.413/.382 (116 OPS+) in 137 games with Mobile last year, and he has a nice 116 WRC+ in Mobile this year. Injuries have cost him a majority of the season, appearing in just 59 games for the Blues this year. He hit a respectable .242/.393/.302 (99 OPS+) with 7 doubles, 3 triples, and 30 RBIs with an elite 52-to-17 walk-to-strikeout ratio. His walks and strikeouts have continued to work in the right way, going from 18/43 to 66/80 to 115/61 until his tremendous output this year. "Speck" currently ranks 14th in our system and 241st overall, profiling as an elite shortstop with tremendous plate discipline. He's really just a singles hitter, and he only has 5 homers in 391 minor league games, and it may take him a season or two before he hits his first big league homer. With Skipper at short, we don't have a need for an elite gloveman, but he's got experience at second and third too, and it never hurts to have too many quality defenders. A start at short will only come if we're eliminated, as the Iron Man Skipper has started 135 of our 136 games, and he still appeared in the game he didn't start. Dickinson is in a tough spot; good enough to start, but stuck behind the games best shortstop. He's starting to enter his prime now, but I value his glove far too much to let him start elsewhere. Unless of course, we package him for a player I just can't say no to... RHP Harry MacRae (AA Mobile Commodores): Sometimes two pitches is all you need, as Harry MacRae continues to dominate the Dixie League. MacRae tossed his second shutout of the season, allowing 10 hits, a walk, and a strikeout. This improved the now 23-year-old to 14-8 on the season with a brilliant 2.72 ERA (145 ERA+) and 1.22 WHIP with 53 walks and 69 strikeouts. MacRae succeeds by keeping the ball on the ground, allowing just 4 homers in 195 innings. MacRae has a rubber arm, and earlier in the season he managed to throw 202(!) pitches in 13.1 innings, he's thrown 100 pitches or more in each start, and failed to pitch 8 or more innings in just one of his 22 starts. It feels like a waste to keep his stamina in the pen, even with just two pitches, and with how good they are, its tough to not let him starts game. He has a strong low 90s fastball and dominant curve, and both pitches have off the charts movement. He pounds the zone and lets the natural run of his pitches do the work, allowing him to miss bats and generate weak contact. He'll finish the season in Mobile, but my guess is he'll start games in Milwaukee next year, and could find himself pitching out of the Chicago pen later in the season.

11-15-2022, 01:46 PM	#943
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 22: September 11th-September 17th Weekly Record: 2-3 Seasonal Record: 77-64 (3nd, 4 GB) Stars of the Week Leo Mitchell : 22 AB, 10 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .455 AVG, 1.069 OPS Harry Mead : 17 AB, 7 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .412 AVG, 1.171 OPS Ben Curtin : 1 Win, 1 Saves, 5.0 IP, 2 BB, 2 K, 0.00 ERA Schedule 9-12: Win vs Kings (3-4) 9-13: Win vs Kings (0-4) 9-15: Loss at Kings (3-4) 9-16: Loss at Kings (6-9) 9-17: Loss at Kings (1-5) Recap We just cannot win road games. We swept the Kings at home, but we let them sweep us back in Brooklyn. After starting the season 24-13 (.648) on the road, we finished a game under .500 at 38-39 (.493). What makes things worse, is the Cannons beat up the Wolves, so if we didn't mysteriously suck on the road now, we would be closer then just four games back. With 13 games left, we're still technically alive, but I have next to zero faith in any sort of comeback, especially considering almost half (6) of those games come against the Cannons and Wolves. Technically, that could work into our favor if we beat them, but again, I don't think this second half Cougar team can beat two extremely talented squads. Since July 1st we're now just 27-41 and just 5-9 in September. At this point I just can't wait for the season to end, as this has easily been my most least enjoyable season at the helm of the Cougars. Pitch counts continue to sabotage me, as yet again, Harry Parker is given a single digit pitch count. He made two "perfect" starts, but tallied just an inning and a third of action. It "worked" in our 4-0 win, but sabotaged us in our 5-1 loss. This more or less made it so Ken Matson and Angel Lopez got starts instead of one of the best pitchers in the game. Matson, however, pitched like an ace, tossing 6.2 shutout innings with 2 hits, a walk, and 3 strikeouts. Lopez, on the other hand, was abysmal, allowing 9 hits, 4 runs, and 2 walks with 3 strikeouts in just 3.2 innings pitched. I can't really blame him, as he should never have been pitching, but I continue to find ways to sabotage a team that has done far more then enough sabotage themselves. Because of this weirdness, the only good start of the week went to Art White, who seems to be back on track. The veteran tossed a complete game victory with 7 hits, 3 runs (1 earned), 2 walks, and a strikeout. Dick Lyons had his second straight start with 4 or fewer innings and 6 or more runs, going 2.2 innings with 6 hits, 6 runs, and 2 walks. One more start like this and it may be the last of his career, but this is the same guy who had a sub 2.50 ERA in each of our first four months of the season. Billy Riley continues to have no luck as a Cougar, getting walked off by the useless Otto Deal's (.243, 2, 41) lucky double with one out in the ninth. Riley allowed 10 hits and 4 runs with a strikeout to drop to 1-6 with a 4.12 ERA (84 ERA+) as a Cougar. His luck has been so bad, that his FIP- matches his ERA+, and he boasts an elite 4.8 K/BB. It hasn't mattered much, as Riley has left plenty to be desired in a Cougar uniform. Starters Rusty Petrick and Mike Murphy both struggled in the pen, but with Lyons' issues, Murphy will get a start this week. He allowed 3 hits and a run with a strikeout in an inning and a third. Petrick faired far worse, allowing 5 hits, 3 runs, and 4 walks in 4.1 innings pitched while failing to record a single strikeout. This was his first appearance all season where he pitched more then an inning and did not strike out a single hitter. Ben Curtin shook off his rough stretch, making three appearances with a win and save. He threw 5 hitless innings with a pair of walks and strikeouts. With no off days after the 20th, our pitching will be tested, and without a solid arm behind Parker and White, we are going to need plenty of luck. At the plate, Skipper Schneider's bat has gone ice cold, adding another poor week by going just 2-for-20 with a run scored and driven in. Our talented young shortstop hit just .216/.236/.304 (54 OPS+) in August before continuing the slump with a .250/.264/.308 (63 OPS+) line in September. His glove more then makes up for it, as he's still been worth a CA best 6.1 WAR despite his now .267/.305/.355 (89 OPS+) season line. Dick Walker has also been in a dreadful slump, going 3-for-20 with 3 walks, a triple, run, and RBI. Walker's season line has dropped to .207/.371/.297 (92 OPS+) and his August (.168/.288/.316, 73) and September (.155/.246/.207, 30) lines are just as bad as Skipper's. These are two very important members of our lineup, and their complete lack of production has made it extremely hard to win games. On the other end, Harry Mead has been red hot, going 7-for-17 with a double, homer, 4 walks, 4 RBIs, and 5 runs scored. Mead has slashed an elite .405/.468/.667 (222 OPS+) in September, good for a 241 WRC+. In full, the backstop has slashed .324/.374/.472 (141 OPS+) with 38 doubles, 2 triples, 7 homers, and 58 RBIs. Leo Mitchell has started to separate from Marion Boismenu, taking the batting title lead by 11 points after going 10-for-22 with a homer, 3 runs, and 5 RBIs. My vote for the CA Whitney is now hitting an impressive .370/.404/.492 (156 OPS+) with 26 doubles, 14 homers, and 84 RBIs. He was also somewhat surprisingly the Player of the Week, as Mead had arguably the better seven days. Cliff Moss had a strong week as well, going 5-for-14 with 2 walks, a homer, and 2 RBIs. Billy Hunter went 6-for-15 with a steal and two doubles, runs, and RBIs. Hunter has now started 100 games for the first time since 1939 while hitting an excellent .297/.354/.433 (125 OPS+) with 23 doubles, 8 homers, 6 steals, and 50 RBIs. If we can get a better showing from Hank Barnett (5-19, 2B, RBI, 3 R), we'll be in good shape, but our lineup has too many holes right now, and our staff needs far more help then they've been able to provide. Looking Ahead We'll get two days of rest and relaxation before finishing off our season at home. With four series left, each team we host will be the last time we face them in 1944. Lucky for us, those four include the three other teams with a winning record, really making things difficult for us to finish the season. At 77 wins, we're all but guaranteed to win fewer then our 86 wins last year, as 9-4 seems very unlikely. First stop is the Sailors, who are the lowest ranked team still mathematically eliminated, nine games behind the Wolves and Cannons and 5 games behind us. At 72-69, they are also unlikely to surpass their 82 wins from last year, and they've been without ace Doc Newell (10-12, 2.87, 79) since the end of August. Interesting enough, they've brought up veteran William Jones (1-0, 2.53, 1) for the final month, who picked up a complete game win in his first FABL start since 1941. Karl Wallace's (14-9, 3.90, 54) regression has limited the effectiveness of their rotation, but the future looks good for 23-year-old rookie Win Lewis (2-4, 2.39, 35). He's likely to lead the next generation of Sailors, and they're hoping 24-year-old Art Hull (0-2, 3.94, 14) will follow in his footsteps. They haven't added any youngsters to the lineup, but Frank Covarrubias (.314, 2, 46, 5) continues to impress ahead of Marion Boismenu (.359, 3, 67, 5) and Joseph Mills (.252, 9, 53). A bad showing in this series effectively ends our season, as we'll need momentum before our next two series. Those would be against the Cannons and the Wolves, as we end this week one of the leaders before starting the following week with the other. We'll get the Cannons on the weekend, one game on Saturday and our final double header of the season on Sunday. At 81-60, the Cannons erased a 17.5 game deficit as they look to hold onto a chance to repeat as champions. Veterans Tom Barrell (9-8, 3.22, 33) and Rabbit Day (17-9, 3.22, 67) have been surprisingly effective behind co-aces Butch Smith (17-9, 1, 2.19, 107) and Chris Clarke (11-9, 1, 2.39, 68). Day in particular has really helped since coming over with Tom Bird (.332, 15, 62), going 4-1 with a 2.62 ERA (134 ERA+) and 1.45 WHIP in 7 starts back in a Cannon uniform. Not only do the Cannons allow the fewest amount of runs, but they also score the most, usually a foolproof strategy for winning a pennant. Chuck Adams (.295, 21, 99) is trying to slug his way to a Whitney, Al Wheeler (.228, 18, 71) has looked good since coming over from the Chiefs, and Bob Griffith (.293, 5, 57, 8) and Sam Brown (.346, 9, 54) continue to get the Cannons starting off strong. Denny Andrews (.257, 4, 28) is back and now in the 6th spot, as the Cannons compose the most effective lineup in the game. I really think they'll sweep right through us on their way to a pennant repeat, but I'll hold off hope until that dreaded "e-" proceeds our name in the standings. Minor League Report RF Bill Rich (AAA Milwaukee Blues): He has just a week left in Milwaukee before a likely big league debut, and Rich made the most of it. The Quincy native went 14-for-29 with 2 doubles, a triple, homer, steal, and 5 RBIs. He's surprisingly been better in AAA then AA, upping his line from .283/.335/.357 (87 OPS+) to .301/.379/.413 (127 OPS+). Between the two levels he has 21 doubles, 5 triples, 5 homers, 6 steals, and 62 RBIs. Now 25, Rich couldn't match his 18 homers in 1943, but I never quite expected him to maintain that. He's more of a contact hitter, who should hit for a high average, but he's not the most disciplined hitter. His defense will hold him back, as the former center fielder now really only profiles in a corner, and even there he's not that great. He is quick, but his range is limited. Rich could be a decent bench bat, but he'll get a shot to earn his way onto a big league bench. SS George Sutterfield (AA Mobile Commodores): It was a huge week for the first pick of the last June draft, as George Sutterfield took home one of the first of hopefully many Player of the Weeks. The 22-year-olf went 18-for-30 with 2 doubles, 4 steals, and 6 RBIs. Currently ranked 5th in our system and 58th overall, Sutterfield spent just 17 games in Lincoln before a promotion up to Mobile, and he probably could be raking up in Milwaukee. In just 44 games, Sutterfield has been worth an impressive 3 WAR with a .357/.426/.429 (131 OPS+) line. He has a combined 9 doubles, 5 triples, a homer, 6 steals, and 21 RBIs in 61 games since draft day. A talented defender, he also has an elite 18.2 zone rating and 1.159 efficiency in 544.1 innings at short. The hard working 22-year-old has been outstanding so far, featuring an excellent swing with strong hands, hitting the ball up the middle while using his speed to take extra bases when needed. He won't hit many homers, but with his raw hit tool, excellent speed, and tremendous defense, it won't matter too much. He's shown strong discipline too, walking (19) a bit more then he struck out (16) as a Commodore. He has all the tools to be a star, and he could end up starting in the FABL as early as next season. I'll make room for him wherever I can, but he's still a bit behind Jim Dickinson, and I can't see him surpassing Skipper. I may start to give him time at second, as I'm sure Billy Hunter will miss significant time next season.

11-16-2022, 07:23 PM	#944
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 23: September 18th-September 24th Weekly Record: 4-2 Seasonal Record: 81-66 (3nd, 4 GB) Stars of the Week Dick Walker : 23 AB, 9 H, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .391 AVG, 1.264 OPS Harry Parker : 2 Wins, 15.2 IP, 1 BB, 13 K, 0.00 ERA Cliff Moss : 15 AB, 6 H, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .400 AVG, 1.204 OPS Schedule 9-20: Win vs Sailors (2-7) 9-21: Win vs Sailors (5-6) 9-22: Loss vs Sailors (4-2) 9-23: Win vs Cannons (3-7) 9-24: Loss vs Cannons (3-1) 9-24: Win vs Cannons (1-7) Recap A rare good week for the Cougars, as we have our first winning week in nearly a month, but it didn't matter too much as we failed to make up ground on the Cannons, despite taking two of three from both them and the Sailors. If the Cannons win 3 games, we need to win 7 to force a tie, so you can pretty much book us for next year. I will still want to win as many games as possible, as winning will help our lottery odds. If we can outperform two of the Kings, Sailors, and Wolves, we'll get two balls in the lottery instead of one. The minor league seasons are now over, so we'll have a few more callups, and I'll have a detailed minor league report either Friday or over the weekend. This week though was all about Harry Parker, who was named Continental Association Player of the Week. He won both his starts, tossing 15.2 innings with 8 hits, a walk, 13 strikeouts, and an unearned run. Parker is now 14-10 with a 2.19 ERA (157 ERA), 0.99 WHIP, 44 walks, and 121 strikeouts in 234.1 innings pitched. The Allen Award hopeful leads all of baseball in ERA, WHIP, FIP (2.57), and ERA+ while leading our circuit in WAR (6.3) and strikeouts. Billy Riley's bad luck continues, as the righty picked up his league lading 17th loss despite allowing 7 hits, 3 runs, and a walk with a strikeout in 8 solid innings. Dick Lyons pitched better, but lost another start, going 5 with 5 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), a walk, and a strikeout. Art White had a rough start, allowing 10 hits and 5 runs with 2 walks and strikeouts in 8 innings pitched. Mike Murphy picked up a win, going just 7 with 11 hits and 3 runs. The pen got a lot of action, with Bill Anderson throwing 5 innings across two appearances with 4 hits, a walk, and 3 strikeouts. Ben Curtin made three one inning appearances, picking up a win with 2 hits, a run, and a walk. Rusty Petrick allowed a hit, a run, and a walk with 2 strikeouts in 1.2 innings. Ken Matson allowed 3 hits and a run in two thirds of an inning. Since we're still technically alive, I'm going to go with a three man rotation, so hopefully only Parker, White, and Riley start. Lyons, Murphy, and Petrick will all be listed as emergency starters if needed, but I don't feel comfortable with any of them starting a must win game. Riley has been awful for us, losing five straight starts, but there is a good pitcher hidden somewhere inside. At least I hope... Billy Hunter keeps picking up minor injuries, this time a mild abdominal strain, but the former first rounder still managed to go 5-for-11 with 3 doubles, 2 runs, 2 walks, and an RBI. Dick Walker had a nice rebound week, finishing 9-for-23 with 2 doubles, 2 triples, 2 steals, a homer, 3 RBIs, 4 walks, and 8 runs. Our right field platoon mashed, with Moss and Langton combining to go 9-for-22 with 4 runs and 5 RBIs. Moss hit 2 doubles and a homer while walking twice while Langton hit his 7th triple of the season. Leo Mitchell went just 8-for-26, but his impressive .367 average is still the highest mark in the FABL. Mitchell also doubled, tripled, walked twice and recorded 4 RBIs and 5 runs scored. We have a lot of ground to make up in this final week, and I'm not sure we have the firepower to do it. I'll still hold onto the last bit of hope, but at least our disappointment will end tomorrow. Looking Ahead Well, this is it; the final week of the season. Even though we are at home, we have to beat the only two teams with a winning record against us, the Wolves (10-9) and the Foresters (10-8). We start with the Wolves, who after a rough week sit at 83-64 and two games back of the Cannons. If we can pull off the sweep, we'll leapfrog them for second, but anything less and you can pretty much end our season there. Lucky for us, Bernie Johnson (17-12, 2.60, 59) pitched yesterday, but we're still in line to face tough starters in Jimmy Gibbs (12-10, 3.04, 73), Bob Walls (17-10, 3.35, 66), and Chick Wirtz (11-11, 2.81, 40). Our offense will have to be at our bests, while our top three has their work cut out for them. The inconsistent Walt Pack (.265, 14, 75) has had a tremendous second half while Charlie Artuso (.253, 8, 48, 7) and Chink Stickels (.272, 5, 51, 14) have both surpassed the 5 WAR mark on the season. Gus Hall (.282, 7, 59) boasts an impressive 130 WRC+ and Hal Wood (.301, 3, 51) has set many personal bests in his longest season in terms of games (135), starts (130), and plate appearances (540). Depending on the results of this series, the Cannons could have the title all but wrapped up. With a magic number of six, if they sweep the Stars and we sweep the Wolves, they would just need either a Cannon win or a Cougar loss to earn the right to take on Bobby Barrell (.349, 43, 145) and the Philadelphia Keystones. We finish off the season with four against the Foresters, who sit in 7th at 65-82. Unless things go really wrong for them, they'll stay out of the cellar, as the Saints are five games behind them. Star rookie Jim Adams Jr. (.273, 1, 39, 5) is out for the year with a partially torn labrum, so Chuck Harrington (.211, 8) at short is the only new edition to the lineup. The rotation does have a new face, with 24-year-old Jimmy Collins (5-5, 5.40, 34) getting 11 starts after 5 in Cleveland last year. A former 15th Round Pick, he's not on the same level as Ducky Davis (8-7, 3.42, 64), but he could develop into a decent back-end starter. They haven't gotten much production behind Davis, but a defense that doesn't rank dead less could help Johnny Slaney (14-11, 3.77, 86) and George Rotondi (14-14, 3.96, 83) improve next year. Generally speaking, it should be easy to beat a team that ranks 8th in runs scored and 7th in runs allowed, but Cleveland has given us trouble all season, and we're the only team they have a winning record against. I'm hoping for the best, but I'm sure this series won't end up mattering too much. Minor League Report RHP Jack Huston: I knew he wouldn't repeat his dominance from last season, but Jack Huston still put together a strong season with the Blues. In 30 starts, the recently turned 25-year-old went 15-11 with a 3.31 ERA (108 ERA+), 1.36 WHIP, 109 walks, and 98 strikeouts. It was his second consecutive 200+ inning season, but he walked more (4.3 from 3.0) hitters and struck out fewer (3.9 from 4.9), which does explain the drop in production. Huston checks in at 30th in our prospect list and 372nd overall, but he's never gotten much love. I think part of that has to do with his stuff, as he still doesn't have a polished mix, as the slider is really the only offering that he can consistently get swings and misses with. Huston will need to straighten his command out a bit more, but I'm not sure he'll manage. I think Huston's future is as a multi-inning reliever, as the righties slider is very tough for same side hitters to deal with, and he may do better when facing less lefties. He may get an inning or two in the last week, as he'll work middle relief with Knight and Anderson. I think he could break into our pen next year, but it may be better to have the former 5th Rounder continue to start games in Milwaukee next season. We needed a 40 man spot for him, and still have four left. RF Bill Rich: It wasn't the greatest season for Bill Rich, who hit just .283/.335/.357 (87 OPS+) in 79 games at Mobile, but he was far more productive in Milwaukee. The 25-year-old hit .288/.361/.398 (118 OPS+) in 59 games with the Blues and he looked good defensively in the corners at both stops. Between the levels, Rich recorded 21 doubles, 5 triples, 6 homers, 6 steals, and 66 RBIs with more walks (56) then strikeouts (52). I'm not sure that he'll get an opportunity to play in the final week, but I want to give him an opportunity to debut in the final week. If he had more range he would be in line for a backup outfield role, but I think he'll spend a few more seasons in the minors before fitting into a bench role. I debated bringing up Ed Fisler and Bill Tuttle, but I'm not sure I want to risk having them pitch important innings if we have any. We'll role with 33 players the final week and I don't think we'll have to worry about protecting any more players, so we'll enter the offseason with plenty of open 40-man spots for waiver claims, trades, or Rule-5 picks. CF Ducky Cole (A Lincoln Legislators): After a recent promotion to Lincoln, Ducky Cole was struggling a bit, but the 20-year-old had a huge game against the Steelmen. In our 13 inning loss, Ducky went 5-for-7 with a walk and pair of runs scored. After hitting a productive .310/.357/.408 (119 OPS+) down in San Jose, Cole slashed just .278/.311/.365 (74 OPS+) in 26 games. Between the two stops, Cole tallied 24 doubles, 8 triples, 2 homers, and 57 RBIs, but he didn't do too well in the field. He spent most of his time in center, but had just a .974 efficiency and -0.9 zone rating in a little over 600 innings. He wasn't much better in left (229, -1.0, .969) while his small sample in right (111.2, 1.4, 1.042) was pretty decent. I don't think Cole will be able to stick in center, and while he lacks power, his bat is decent enough to carry him to a 4th outfielder role. He has a strong hit tool and makes a lot of contact, but he walked far less this year (28) compared to last (61) with similar strike out numbers. Our 7th Rounder in 1942, he's still young and has plenty of room to grow, and we'll give him another shot at A ball next season.

11-17-2022, 06:21 PM	#945
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 24: September 25th-October 1st Weekly Record: 4-3 Seasonal Record: 85-69 (3nd, 5 GB) Stars of the Week None Generated Schedule 9-25: Loss vs Wolves (4-0) 9-26: Win vs Wolves (3-6) 9-27: Win vs Wolves (3-8) 9-28: Loss vs Foresters (5-0) 9-29: Win vs Foresters (0-8) 9-30: Win vs Foresters (3-7) 10-1: Loss vs Foresters (3-1) Recap To nobodies surprise, the Cougars fell short, as while we did take two of three from the Wolves to effectively end their season, we split with the Foresters. This concluded my first season in a very long time where I did not use 7-day lineups. At times I really wanted to, but it would ruin the validity of the "experiment" to see if it makes a difference. Of course, I can't really conclude anything given how crazy this season was, but it makes me wonder if I could have turned things back around if I over-managed. We'll never know, but I will say that setting lineups for each game is far more fun, so I expect to return to that next year. At times I liked the 6-man rotation, but I think next year that will change. I want more starts for Parker, White, and Riley, and we don't have the most stable back of the rotation. When the troops come back, however, we will definitely return to a six man, as we have more then enough capable arms hiding away. We were the only team to sell more then a million tickets this year, so at least we won something, with 1,037,550 fans attending a game at Cougars park this year. No other team topped 820,000, with just the pennant winners drawing more then 800,000. The Sailors drew just 422,236. Cleveland (12-10) was the only team to finish above .500 against us, but we did finish 11-11 against the Sailors, Cannons, and Wolves as well. Our 85-69 record is one win behind our 1943 record, and after starting 46-17, you would have thought we'd have no problems surpassing it. Of course, we then finished the season 39-52, winning just 10, 12, and 13 games in July, August, and September. Despite the terrible finish, Cougars lined the league leaders, and we had both an Allen and Whitney finalist. The Allen headliner was Harry Parker, who was also named the Pitcher of the Month for September. Parker finished stronger then we could have imagined, going a perfect 5-0 with a 0.72 ERA (476 ERA+) and WHIP with 4 walks and 31 strikeouts. A season removed from a torn flexor tendon in his elbow, Parker rebounded to go 6-10 in 250.1 innings pitched. The 32-year-old had a stellar 2.19 ERA (156 ERA+) and 0.99 WHIP with 44 walks, and 128 strikeouts. Our ace led the FABL in WHIP and FIP (2.56) while falling a few percentage points short of the ERA lead. He also led the CA in WAR (6.7), strikeouts, and K/BB (2.9) while setting personal bests in ERA, starts (35), strikeouts, WHIP, HR/9 (0.4), ERA+, BABIP (.247), and WAR. For the Whitney, my vote would go to Leo Mitchell, who won his second consecutive batting title while hitting .357/.392/.474 (147 OPS+) with 27 doubles, 14 homers, and 90 RBIs. Mitchell led all of baseball in average and hits (224) while pacing the CA in slugging, OPS (.865), OPS+, total bases (297), WPA (4.09), and wOBA (.392). This was Mitchell's first season with an OPS+/WRC+ that was not in the 130-137 range, and he set personal bests in hits, RBIs, average, slugging, and OPS while striking out (71) his fewest since 1937 where he made just 460 trips to the plate. It's the most recent season he didn't make at least 575, and he's appeared in all but four of our games across the past three seasons. Plenty of other Cougars led categories, including Dick Walker (FABL, 141 BB; CA, 97 R), Orlin Yates (FABL, 26 SH), Hank Barnett (CA, 9 SF), Art White (t-CA, 18) and Rusty Petrick (CA, 5.2 K/9), while plenty filled in top 5s for the CA. That includes average (5th, Mead .324), homers (2nd, Moss 19; 4th, Barnett 16), RBIs (t-2nd, Barnett and Mitchell 90), OBP (2nd, Mitchell .392; 4th, Mead .377), slugging (2nd, Mead .471), OPS (2nd, Mead .848), WAR (2nd, Schneider 6.7; t-5th, Mead 5.7), runs (2nd, Mitchell 94), doubles (5th, Mead 38), triples (t-3rd, Walker 14), total bases (5th, Barnett 256), walks (4th, Barnett 73), ISO (t-4th, Mead .147), OPS+ (2nd, Mead 147; 4th, Barnett 131), WPA (3rd, Moss 2.91), wOBA (5th, Mead .380), ERA (2nd, Parker 2.19), wins (t-5th, Parker and White 16), saves (t-5th, Curtin 13), WAR (3rd, Riley 5.6), innings (3rd, White 272), complete games (4th, Riley 16), shutouts (t-2nd, White 3), strikeouts (4th, Riley 104), K/BB (4th, Riley 1.8), K/9 (3rd, Parker 4.6), BB/9 (t-4th, Lyons and Parker 1.6), WHIP (5th, Lyons 1.24), FIP (3rd, Riley 2.95), ERA+ (2nd, Parker 156), rWAR (2nd, Parker 8.0), BABIP (2nd, Parker .247), OPP AVG (2nd, Parker .222; 3rd, Petrick .241), win % (4th, Parker .615), shutdowns (3rd, Curtin 27), and quality starts (t-2nd, Parker 24). We had a lot of really good individual performers, but once things got bad, we couldn't get it back going. Looking Ahead We played well enough down the stretch that we'll at least get two lottery balls, giving us a 15.3% chance at the first overall pick. Very unlikely, of course, but we have a very good chance to pick earlier then 11th. That will likely be the most exciting part of the offseason, a full January draft, but as always, we'll be working the phone lines. Center field was a gaping hole, and neither Orlin Yates or Don Lee filled it well. After a strong .248/.324/.335 (98 OPS+) batting line last year, the now 33-year-old Yates hit just .204/.291/.270 (61 OPS+) with 17 doubles, 3 triples, 3 homers, 9 steals, and 47 RBIs. He did walk (61) more then he struck out (47) and was excellent out in center (+19.2, 1.052), but that wasn't nearly productive enough for a team that wants to win a pennant. I knew Don Lee wouldn't match his .288/.424/.465 (155 OPS+) line from AAA, but in 116 PAs as a Cougar, his .206/.287/.304 (70 OPS+) line wasn't much better then Yates'. Lee is also a subpar defender (-2.9, .947), but the 22-year-old is already a clubhouse leader and he walked (12) twice as much as he struck out (6). If we can't get an outside outfielder, these two will likely break camp in a platoon, but its the most obvious point of upgrade. The other potential upgrade spot is the rotation. Our front three of Harry Parker (16-10, 2.19, 128), Art White (16-12, 3.18, 31), and Billy Riley (12-17, 3.46, 104) is very good, but I'm not sure it can match up with Rufus Barrell, Butch Smith (19-10, 1, 2.19, 118), and Chris Clarke (12-10, 1, 2.44, 75). Without an upgrade, we do have plenty of options to fill the rotation up, but none excite too much. Lyons (7-10, 3.35, 14), Murphy (9-6, 3.64, 20), and Petrick (7-8, 4.06, 92) all threw between 150 and 160 innings, but all have a ton of question marks surrounding them. We all know Lyons is 44, and despite a dominant start to the season, he showed signs of age in August and was downright awful in September. He could retire, still no word on that, but even if he hangs around I'm not sure he has enough left in the tank to start a full season. Murphy is also getting up their, and the former 2nd Overall Pick will be 37 on Opening Day. Like Lyons, he was great to start the year, but terrible in July and September. Neither guy can strike many batters out, so they have to rely on the defense, which is the exact opposite of Petrick. Rusty easily has the most upside with his dominant stuff, but he's extra inconsistent and has yet to fully put it together. He'll be 29 in November, so it's not too late for him to figure it out, and with his big strikeout numbers and a ton of stamina, he can go out and dominate for stretches. We could also turn to Ken Matson (6-6, 1, 4.09, 41) or even Angel Lopez (0-1, 9.82, 3), but I'm not too excited about any of these options. The only issue is anyone we add would just create a huge logjam later, so let's just hope Peter the Heater gets called home early, and all are problems can be solved! I miss him so much... Crazy to think its been 3 years since he last pitched, and he could have had about 750 more strikeouts to his name... Minor League Report SS Johnny Bunce (AAA Milwaukee Blues): If I knew how good his September was, I might have given him a promotion, as Johnny Bunce was named Century League Batter of the Month. A former 11th Round selection by the Miners out of a school in the same city where my grandparents reside, the talented defender has never really shown much with the bat, but he hit .386/.485/.434 (164 OPS+) in 23 September games for the Blues. He drove in 19 runs, scored 15 times, and walked 17 times with 4 doubles and 2 steals. Bunce split his season between Mobile and Milwaukee, and actually hit better with the Blues (.259/.340/.294, 82) then the Commodores (.223/.330/.258, 59), although he wasn't really good at either stop. Despite that, he had an efficiency above 1.070 at second, third, and short, and for his career those numbers are above 1.080. Now 26, Bunce could be selected in the Rule-5 draft, but even as good as his glove is, he'd leave a black hole in the lineup. He does have decent plate discipline, but next to no power, just 16 extra base hits in 657 PAs and he didn't hit a single homer. RHP Joe Swank (AA Mobile Commodores): It was a great end to the season for Joe Swank, who took home Pitcher of the Month in the Dixie League. The 21-year-old hurler finished the month 4-1 with a 1.91 ERA (208 ERA+), 1.19 WHIP, 7 walks, and 22 strikeouts to finish the season 16-10 with a 5.7 WAR in 26 starts. Swank also threw his first 200+ inning (215.2) season while working to a 3.26 ERA (122 ERA+) and 1.34 WHIP with 58 walks and 109 strikeouts. Discounting his 8 starts with La Crosse in his draft year, Swank set personal bests for ERA, innings, walks, WHIP, and WAR with just 1 homer (0.0 HR/9) allowed. The soft tosser excels at both keeping the ball on the ground and generating weak contact, featuring a dominant circle change that has a ton of downward movement. His fastball and curve are pretty solid as well, and the youngster is far more developed then most kids his age. A 7th Round selection back in 1941, Swank currently ranks 11th in our system and 150th overall, and he profiles as a #5 starter with some room to grow. He has a rather high floor for someone his age, and while I'm not sure I want him in Milwaukee to start next season, he'll probably be big league ready next season. Swank has made great strides this season, and he could be a very useful trade piece in a package for a quality center fielder or starting pitcher. Attached Images

11-18-2022, 07:45 PM	#946
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Minor League Report In the baseball world, the Keystones took the opener on the road, with Allen candidate Red Ross (23-8, 2.57, 130) winning a pitcher's duel over a counterpart in the CA in Butch Smith (19-10, 1, 2.19, 118). Game two, however, felt like a blast from the past, with a 4-hitter from Rabbit Day (18-10, 3.09, 74) and an Al Wheeler (.235, 21, 79) two-run homer as the Cannons evened up the series with an 8-0 win. The series will move to Philly, where Chris Clarke (12-10, 2.44, 75) likely taking on Chicagoan Pepper Tuttle (15-12, 2.85, 115) in game three. It should be another exciting series, but I think Bobby Barrell (.347, 46, 152) is going to help the Keystones take home their third title in the Human era. AAA Milwaukee Blues (Century League): 91-49, 1st, 16 GA: We only had one title winner, and it was a cruise to the finish for the Milwaukee Blues. That's back-to-back titles in the Century League, something they did in both '34 and '35 and '38 and '39. The 91 wins were also their best since winning 98 in '39, and they were the only team in our system to win more then the 85 from Chicago. As you might expect from a team that won their division by 16 games, they led the league in most categories, including runs against and scored. The offense saw a lot of movement during the season, but the pitching staff remained very constant. Angel Lopez (17-6, 2.38, 72) was flat out elite and Johnny Ruby (12-2, 2.74, 84) was surprisingly dominant despite walking (92) more batters then he struck out. Bill Anderson (9-3, 10, 2.21, 31) did a little bit of everything while Jack Huston (15-11, 3.31, 98) and Bill Tuttle (13-9, 3.47, 79) were consistently reliable starters and a pen comprised of Charlie Kelsey (9-4, 15, 2.03, 38), Rube Finegan (6-2, 4, 1.47, 23), and Grover Donahue (0-1, 3, 1.93, 11) was very effective, making it very difficult to score late on the Blues. The offense saw a lot more change, as top producers Chick Browning (.270, 7, 35) and Don Lee (.288, 7, 45, 15) spent a lot of time in Chicago, while Cuno Myer (.334, 3, 65) and Bill Graham (.252, 3, 36) were shipped off in July. When healthy, Huck Hanes (.311, 1, 24) hit well and Bill Rich (.288, 4, 32) was good post-promotion, but neither came close to qualifying for at bats. It was very impressive that the Blues were able to score a ton of runs without much consistency, but most of the guys that came up to replace had decent success. AA Mobile Commodores (Dixie League): 84-56, 3rd, 3.5 GB: No fourpeat for the Commodores, who fell behind both New Orleans (88-53) and Knoxville (87-54), who were tied after 140 games and the pennant was decided on a one-game playoff. While the Blues offense needed plenty of reinforcements as the season went on, the Commodores lineup was weakened, and ended up tied for 4th in runs scored. The pitching, led by hopeful future ace George Oddo (13-5, 2.56, 95), was the best in the Dixie League, leading an impressive five man group. Joe Swank (16-10, 3.26, 109), Harry MacRae (15-9, 2.84, 72), Stan Flanders (12-11, 3.17, 55), and Ed Fisler (15-7, 3.28, 81) were all well above average and the pen was needed so infrequently that they only recorded five saves. The lineup lacked power, just 24 total home runs, and Danny Richardson (.313, 4, 42) led the team despite playing just 68 games in Mobile That's not to say the offense wasn't effective at times, as former 7th Rounder Homer Guthrie (.297, 3, 53) didn't just hit well for a catcher, as anyone would enjoy a 133 WRC+, but he was the lone qualifier who offered above average production. Dan Collins (.335, 3, 52) was excellent after a promotion from Lincoln while 9th Rounder Lou Thomas (.380, 1, 12) ripped the cover off the ball in his 33 games with the Commodores. A lot of guys who finished the season in Mobile will be back to repeat the level, with a small sample given to Ed Neal (.200, 11, 8), and partial seasons from Dick Hamilton (.273, 1, 31, 4) and Alex Horning (.274, 2, 38, 6). The trio all performed better in Lincoln (although Neal still struggled there), and should see their production improve with another go about. One guy who won't return is 49th Overall Pick George Sutterfield (.333, 23, 9), who is ready for Milwaukee and potentially a midseason ticket to the show. The Commodores are historically one of our best affiliates, having put together winning seasons each year since 1929, while winning 80 or more games 10 times since. A Lincoln Legislators (Heartland League): 81-59, 2nd, 6 GB: They won two fewer games in '44, but the Legislators landed ten games closer to the first place Hustlers, who won their first ever Heartland League title. Just like the Commodores, their strength was their pitching, which ranked 1st in runs allowed. 26-year-old Tommy Davis (8-8, 3.10, 81) was dominant in his 20 starts, but the real star of the team was Tom Irwin. The bullpen ace needed one more out to reach the century mark for innings, and he held an elite 1.63 ERA (274 ERA+) and 1.16 WHIP in 56 appearances. He finished 9-5 with 25 saves, 49 walks, and 75 strikeouts. Having him once the starters needed out was huge, and he helped support Jimmy Ballard (9-5, 3.79, 84), Bill Ballantine (3-5, 3.89, 50), and Roscoe Brown (5-2, 4.02, 60). The Lincoln rotation saw a ton of movement, with 9 players starting 10 or more games. This even includes top 100 prospects George Oddo (8-1, 2.50, 65) and the now 77th ranked Bill Chapman (8-5, 4.27, 73). With a stronger offense, we probably would have captured Lincoln's 7th title. A lot of the regulars were better defenders then hitters, part of the reason our pitching did so well, as Joe Dackett (.274, 6, 52), Ed Neal (.252, 3, 45, 13), and Henry DeVeaux (.273, 2, 19) all made up for it on defense. The Legislators offense was hampered by Dick Hamilton's promotion, as he hit an impressive .361/.426/.515 (142 OPS+) with 16 doubles, 6 triples, 3 homers, and 40 RBIs in 63 games before his promotion. Same goes for Dan Collins (.290, 2, 32) and Danny Richardson (.282, 7, 45), but 8th Round Pick Johnny Carlisle (.360, 2, 33, 2) made up for some of it. He did miss most of September, but the versatile 22-year-old appeared in 14 or more games at third, short, center, and right. I'm excited to see what he can do next year, and there could be a big year for the underrated Israel Holmes (.280, 23) who tore up pitching down in San Jose. B San Jose Cougars (California-Oregon-Washington League): 64-56, 4th, 9 GB: It was a rough year for the baby Cougars too, failing to win 70 games for the first time since they went 63-77 in 1934. The lower levels had a lot of movement all year, and with a lot of teams low on youngsters, there were plenty of older minor leaguers filling up the lower levels. Still, the Cougars staff was the best, allowing the fewest runs in the C-O-W League. Last year's 5th Rounder Lefty Jones (8-5, 2.96, 71) was impressive in his 13 starts and Bill Holloway (9-4, 3.00, 115) pitched well enough to start the season in Lincoln. Promotions to Lincoln took away Bill Ballantine (8-1, 2.11, 59), Roscoe Brown (5-3, 2.66, 89), and Bob Petty (5-2, 2.52, 80). Promotions also took Israel Holmes (.287, 2, 45, 4), Al Hurd (.278, 3, 53), and Bob Griffen (.288, 1, 28), while last year's 2nd Rounder Al Clement (.267, 2, 35, 14) and 1942 9th Rounder Don Jeppsen (.253, 2, 49) led the team in PAs while sporting a matching 80 OPS+. I think Clement should do better next year, and he'll get support from Dick Pace (.274, 1, 8, 1) and hopefully one of Bob Rogers, Tom Jovin (.178, 3), Harry Austin (.190, 1), and Jimmy Hairston (.171, 1, 1) who all spent most of their time in La Crosse. Another set of military callups could force a lot of younger guys up, but regardless San Jose will have a lot of guys better suited for C ball. C La Crosse Lions (Upper Mississippi Valley Association): 53-67, 6th, 20 GB: Checks Notes A losing record? Our minor league teams generally perform well, and the Lions haven't had a record below .500 since a very tough 1933 where they went just 46-94 and a whopping 57 games out of first. The Lions had a roster of nearly entirely teenagers, with a lot of high upside youngsters. It came to various success, as our past two first rounders Tommy Seymour (7-6, 4.75, 45) and Bert Rogers (1-7, 5.26, 26) were completely overmatched, while 5th Rounder Lonnie Sis (5-5, 2.35, 42) and 8th Rounder Al Robison (3-4, 2.42, 29) were extremely effective. Unlike the rest of our affiliates, the Lions allowed the second most runs in the UMVA, as just swingman Russ Cushing (4-4, 3, 2.48, 68) joined Sis and Robison with 60+ innings and an ERA+ above 100. The offense also finished in the bottom half of the league, but the lineup was compose of a lot of talented youngsters who struggled, including Tom Brownleaf (.225, 2, 45, 14), Bob Rogers (.230, 34, 4), Billy Biggar (.290, 1, 37), Jimmy Hairston (.266, 4, 29), Tom Jovin (.261, 7), Harry Austin (.277, 2, 14), and Buddy Brumbaugh (.267, 14). None of the bunch had an OPS+ above 115, and I expect most of them to return to La Crosse to start next season. I'd love to see them have a winning record next season, but Lions fans might have to wait until after the war before they start seeing more wins.

11-19-2022, 10:25 PM	#947
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	1944 No Trade Team Catchers Solly Skidmore (CHI): DNP - Military Service Harry Mead (CHC): 142 OPS+, 8 HR, 64 RBI, 5.7 WAR Ben Richardson (MON): 79 OPS, 27 RBI, 1.3 WAR Infielders* Arnie Scurlock (WAS): 54 OPS+, 11 RBI, -0.1 WAR Billy Hunter (CHC): 125 OPS+, 8 HR, 53 RBI, 4.6 WAR Tommy Wilson (STL): 81 OPS+, 2 HR, 67 RBI, 9 SB, 4.1 WAR Ducky Jordan (CHI): DNP - Military Service Hal Wood (TOR): 112 OPS+, 3 HR, 56 RBI, 3 SB, 4.0 WAR Skipper Schneider (CHC): 89 OPS+, 8 HR, 80 RBI, 3 SB, 6.7 WAR Eddie Curtis (NYG): 91 OPS+, 36 RBI, 13 SB, 0.6 WAR Jimmie James (CHC): 67 OPS, 4 HR, 23 RBI, 0.1 WAR Outfielders* Leo Mitchell (CHC): 147 OPS+, 14 HR, 90 RBI, 3 SB, 4.3 WAR Reginald Westfall (TOR): 93 OPS+, 1 HR, 17 RBI, 0.3 WAR Bunny Hufford (NYG): 100 OPS+, 5 HR, 43 RBI, 9 SB, 2.7 WAR Rich Langton (CHC): 96 OPS+, 3 HR, 32 RBI, 4 SB, 1.2 WAR Chink Stickels (NYS): 110 OPS+, 5 HR, 55 RBI, 14 SB, 5.5 WAR Carlos Montes (CHC): DNP - Military Service Don Lee (CHC): 70 OPS+, HR, 6 RBI, 2 SB, -0.2 WAR Pitchers* Danny Hern (STL): 8-6, 99 ERA+, 71 K, 2.0 WAR Dean Astle (BOS): 12-10, 121 ERA+, 57 K, 4.1 WAR Tom Barrell (PIT): 11-8, 120 ERA+, 33 K, 1.0 WAR Mike Murphy (DET): 9-6, 94 ERA+, 20 K, 1.6 WAR Pete Papenfus (CHC): DNP - Military Service Harry Parker (CHC): 16-10, 156 ERA+, 128 K, 6.7 WAR Dick Lyons (CHC): 7-10, 102 ERA+, 14 K, 1.1 WAR Sam Hodge (NYG): 2-4, 14 SV, 107 ERA+, 8 K, -0.4 WAR Ben Curtin (CHC): 15-3, 13 SV, 165 ERA+, 22 K, 1.1 WAR Karl Wallace (PHS): 15-10, 91 ERA+, 57 K, 2.9 WAR Totals* Hitters: 40.8 Pitchers: 20.1 Total: 60.1 Approximate Wins: 83 Notable Prospects/Picks Traded October 1943: Traded Jim Lonardo, Bunny Hufford, Cy Howard, and Jimmy Maness to the Gothams for Rusty Petrick and a 4th Round Pick January 1944: Traded Johnny Weaver and Sam Hess to the Dynamos for Mike Murphy July 1944: Traded Bill Chapman and Foster Smith to the Stars for Billy Riley I accidentally messed up the "Offseason Moves for 1943" section last season, so I'm just going to make changes to the roster when needed. I don't necessarily want to take away any military guys to limit transactions, so players with a * are military replacements. A lot of Cougars draftees had good seasons, but just like their real life counterparts, this team would have come up short. That might be because a lot of the good season came from Cougars, with a healthy Billy Hunter, big years from Harry Mead and Leo Mitchell, and a wonderful injury recovery from Harry Parker. This is one of the higher war no-trade teams too, as even elders Tom Barrell, Dick Lyons, and Mike Murphy gave solid starts throughout the season.

11-23-2022, 11:26 AM	#948
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	End of Season It took an exciting game seven, but the Cincinnati Cannons did something that no human GM has yet to accomplish; win back-to-back championships! You can thank us for that, as on June 24th they were 19.5 games out of first place, and then we decided that winning wasn't for us. Whitney Candidate Chuck Adams was named MVP of the series, hitting .455/.538/.818 (277 OPS+) with 2 doubles, 2 homers, and 7 RBIs. It was much of the same during the season, as Adams led the league with 23 homers and 105 RBIs while sporting an above average .290/.324/.462 (119 OPS+) in 153 of the Cannons 154 games. I don't think he'd deserve to win the Whitney, that should be Leo Mitchell (or at least Marion Boismenu), but I imagine the series MVP may sway a few voters. The offseason will begin on Friday, so we'll get a fresh set of prospects for the weekend. No big trades to announce, yet, but I'll be looking to make some upgrades when possible. There aren't many obvious sellers on the market, but I'm not sure we'll be able to find a difference maker. I'll settle for a guy who doesn't collapse in the second half though...

11-25-2022, 01:43 PM	#949
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Top Prospects Its offseason time! It may not be a fun one for us, as the penny-pinching Ben Hunter cut our budget from a cool $1 million to just $640,000, just barely above our payroll for the coming season. This will make an offseason upgrade tough, and we also have negative cash for the first time ever. We had a handful of retirements too, with Frank Crawford and John Lawson officially calling it a career, as well as our impressive hitting coach Bill Nealy. I thought Dick Lyons would be one of the retirements, but the 44-year-old is still kicking. Looking to the farm, we now rank 6th (129) in the system rankings, featuring 7 top 100 prospects, 16 in the top 250, and 42 in the top 500. A decent amount of our recent class ranks on the list as well, with our first picks in both halves of the draft ranking in the top 100, and 14 members of the 1944 class ranking in our top 40, with two more (Larry Day, 487th; Cliff Wallace, 498th) in the top 500. As he will continue until he returns from the war, Duke Bybee leads the group, and ranks higher then everyone except the Dynamos' Edwin Hackberry and the Pioneers' Hal Hackney. While 3 of our to 5 prospects are at war, just 3 others in the top 500 are enlisted. 1. LHP Duke Bybee (3rd Overall): 1st/6th 2. RHP George Oddo (31st Overall): 3rd/44th 3. 3B Otto Christian (34th Overall): 2nd/21st 4. SS George Sutterfield (52nd Overall): 49th Overall Pick 5. C Eddie Howard (56th Overall): 4th/70th 6. LHP Bert Rogers (64th Overall): 12th Overall Pick 7. CF Don Lee (95th Overall): 5th/103rd 8. RF Jimmy Hairston (122nd Overall): 6th/112th 9. RF Tom Jovin (126th Overall): 28th Overall Pick 10. RHP Charlie Kelsey (130th Overall): 36th/427th 11. RHP Joe Swank (159th Overall): 24th/305th 12. LHP Lefty Jones (160th Overall): 17th/207th 13. RHP Tommy Seymour (178th Overall): 18th/229th 14. SS Al Clement (202nd Overall): 13th/195th 15. RHP Mike Thorpe (221st Overall): 60th Overall Pick 16. SS Jim Dickinson (225th Overall): 10th/158th 17. RF Harry Austin (268th Overall): 44th Overall Pick 18. RHP Bill Holloway (273rd Overall): 16th/203rd 19. 3B Buddy Brumbaugh (275th Overall): 97th Overall Pick 20. RHP Stan Flanders (288th Overall): 29th/328th 21. RHP Harry MacRae (317th Overall): 21st/249th 22. 1B Lou Thomas (326th Overall): 131st Overall Pick 23. CF Johnny Carlisle (329th Overall): 116th Overall Pick 24. RHP Dick Garcia (331st Overall): 37th/433rd 25. RF Bob Harris (332nd Overall): 205th Overall Pick 26. LF Bob Rogers (340th Overall): 14th/199th 27. RHP Al Robison (353rd Overall): 124th Overall Pick 28. RHP Babe Stinson (354th Overall): 23rd/282nd 29. LHP Bob Hobbs (361st Overall): 33rd/379th 30. RHP Jack Huston (372nd Overall): 32nd/360th 31. SS Tom Brownleaf (379th Overall): 26th/321st 32. RHP Fred Thaxton (403rd Overall): 30th/339th 33. CF Dick Pace (406th Overall): 92nd Overall Pick 34. LHP Ron Berry (416th Overall): 112th Overall Pick 35. LHP Tom Irwin (427th Overall): Not Ranked 36. RHP Lonnie Sis (454th Overall): 76th Overall Pick 37. RHP Jimmy Ballard (460th Overall): 25th/311th 38. RHP Charlie Everett (462nd Overall): 39th/456th 39. RHP Max Tanner (464th Overall): 164th Overall Pick 40. RHP Roscoe Brown (465th Overall): Not Ranked Last edited by ayaghmour2; 12-02-2022 at 03:21 PM.

11-25-2022, 06:19 PM	#950
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Top Prospects: 1-5 LHP Duke Bybee (3rd Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 49th Overall (1940) Alma Mater: Brooklyn Friends Quakers There was so much that went wrong this season, and everyone can make similar claims, but imagine if we had Duke Bybee this season... Tom Weinstock has his ceiling ahead of all of our pitchers except Pete Papenfus and Donnie Jones, who ranked #1 and #2 in the top 20 pitchers list all season, and then in line with Harry Parker on current ratings. You know, the same guy that deserves the Allen Award but might not get it (Butch Smith is a very deserving candidate) and led the league in strikeouts, WHIP, K/BB, FIP-, and WAR. It is insane the amount of pitching talent we will get back, but I don't think that's going to stop Bybee from going to straight to the big league rotation. Now 22, Bybee's Marine Corp training have built both his strength and leadership, and his baseball talent is through the roof. He has elite stuff, featuring six average or better pitches, as well as pinpoint command. He has everything you look for in a top of the rotation arm, and I think he's going to be one of the best pitchers in the next decade. RHP George Oddo (31st Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 8th Round, 125th Overall (1941) Alma Mater: Pawtucket Raiders Arguably no pitcher pitched better on the farm then George Oddo, who dominated both A ball and AA. Oddo took a ginormous step forward, as last year with the Legislators he went 5-3 with a 5.35 ERA (89 ERA+), 1.52 WHIP, 41 walks, and 48 strikeouts in 13 starts to finish the year. He started off his season much better, going a near prefect 8-1 in 11 starts. Oddo went deep into games, going 90 innings with an elite 2.50 ERA (178 ERA+), 1.23 WHIP, 28 walks, and 65 strikeouts. That was good enough to earn the call to Mobile, where he didn't seem phased by tougher competition. The former 8th Rounder went 13-5 with a 2.56 ERA (155 ERA+), 1.07 WHIP, 43 walks, and 95 strikeouts in a dominant 154.2 inning sample. He was worth nearly 4 wins above replacement and his FIP- was actually two points lower with the Commodores. Like Duke, he stands at an imposing 6'4''. and he'll turn 22 this November. Oddo is likely ready for AAA, but we have a lot of young pitchers who won't make the big league roster, and he might get a few more starts in AA. There's also a chance Oddo may not be a Cougar this time next season, as he's easily our most enticing trade piece if we need to make an upgrade in the offseason or at the deadline. His change is off the charts and nearly unhittable, while his curveball and fastball have impressive movement. He doesn't throw very hard though, sitting in the 89-91 range, but he's maintained well above average strikeout rates. Add in the fact that he's a max effort guy who can pitch deep into games, and there's really no obvious weakness in his profile. It's always tough moving a young pitcher with top of the rotation potential, but with so many other talented arms in our system he's likely going to be blocked once he's ready for the big leagues. Being the rawest of the bunch, he's the most expendable, but Tom thinks he'll be better then all the pitchers in our current rotation. 3B Otto Christian (34th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 13th Overall (1941) Alma Mater: Walla Walla Warriors Now 22, Otto had another season in the Air Force, stopping me from seeing just how many home runs he could hit against minor league pitchers. The "Walla Walla Walloper" still seems a bit raw and will probably start in Lincoln or Mobile when he's back stateside. I'm in no rush to move him to the big leagues, as Hank Barnett isn't showing any signs of decline while putting up back-to-back 5 WAR seasons with WRC+ of 140 or higher. I don't think Christian will ever be able to match up to Barnett's overall talent, but Otto's home run power is unrivaled. I don't think there is a single player in baseball with more raw power, and that should play very well in our park. If he can develop at least average contact and discipline he could be one of the best hitters in the game, but he lacks polish and isn't the most ambitious youngster. Still, the Cougars seem to have a reputation for talented third basemen, ranging from John Kincaid to John Lawson, and Otto should be the next one to follow. SS George Sutterfield (52nd Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 49th Overall (1944) Alma Mater: Georgia Baptist Gators I'm not surprised George Sutterfield was the highest ranked prospect from our recent class, as he was a guy I had my eye on for my first round selection, but figured he'd have a decent chance of sliding out of the first two rounds. Plus, as a Nashville native, he couldn't be a regional round selection, so I knew if he lasted I could grab him with the first pick in the 4th Round. Being a one year starter, there was a lot of risk involved, but he had a strong junior year in a tough conference, and started his season in A ball. He didn't stay for very long, getting a promotion after just 17 games. He looked good in Mobile, slashing .333/.409/.400 (119 OPS+) with 7 doubles, 3 triples, 9 steals, and 23 RBIs. while sporting an elite 18 zone rating and 1.159 efficiency at short. He's ready for Milwaukee, and I think he'll start there next season. He's more then good enough to play short, but with Skipper entrenched there I may start to work Sutterfield out at second. Since Billy Hunter was healthy most of the season, chances are he won't be next year, so Sutterfield could get a lot of time in Chicago next season. The prospect people have his ETA for 1944 while we see green arrows in AAA, but this may be because he's such a good defender. His work ethic is very impressive, so I expect he'll continue to impress as he ages. He has good speed and can hit the ball hard up the middle, but sprinkle in a little power and perhaps we have a star. C Eddie Howard (56th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 20th Overall (1941) Alma Mater: St. Joseph Chiefs With no stats for service players, there's no way to know if he actually developed a lot, but the prospect people think he's big league ready and Tom Weinstock thinks he's already better then Gene Lee, who occupies a 40-man roster spot. Now 21, Tom Weinstock profiles Howard as a premier catcher and projects that he'll be even better then Harry Mead, who hit .324 with a 145 WRC+ and twice as many walks (40) as strikeouts (19). I think Mead is the better defender, but Howard should still be average or better behind the plate. Howard's hit tool is much better, although coming with less power, and he could challenge for a batting title or two. Howard's strong arm also allowed him to pitch a pit, but he only has 10.2 pitched in his season and a half. 9 years the former of Mead, they should be able to coexist, and I expect he'll learn plenty form our veteran All Star.

11-26-2022, 06:05 PM	#951
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Top Prospects: 6-10 LHP Bret Rogers (64th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 12th Overall (1944) Alma Mater: Wenona Braves Our first round selection in the most recent draft, Chicagoan Bert Rogers had a rough first season, going just 1-7 in 10 starts across 66.2 innings pitched. He walked (33) more batters then he struck out (26) while sporting elevated ERAs and WHIPs at 5.26 (66 ERA+) and 1.89. That doesn't worry me too much, as he didn't turn 18 until mid August, and he's a hard worker who should use this tough start as motivation for an intensive offseason regimen. The skinny lefty doesn't throw too hard yet, sitting in the 85-87 range with his fastball, but it's the worst pitch of his three. His slider and curve have tremendous break and he does a great job keeping the ball on the ground. Rogers is still very raw as a pitcher, but he has great upside, projecting to fill the middle of a rotation. It won't be any time soon, but I think the local kid will be well worth the wait. CF Don Lee (95th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 28th Overall (1940) Alma Mater: Lincoln High School Lions Well, he finally hit the wall... After slashing .288/.424/.465 (156 OPS+) with 20 doubles, 6 triples, 7 homers, 15 steals, and 45 RBIs in 79 games with the Blues, "Rap" Lee got a much deserved call to the big leagues. It didn't quite pan out as expected, as he didn't hit much better then Orlin Yates, batting just .206/.287/.304 (70 OPS+) in 116 trips to the plate. This was Lee's first sample ever with an OPS+ or WRC+ below 130, and that came in his only other sample of less then 200 PAs. Another concerning aspect of his debut was his play out in center, as he accumulated a -2.9 zone rating and .947 efficiency in just under 200 innings out in center. He's never been a great defender, but with how he hit he'll need to either regain his offensive form or provide at least average defense. I do expect Lee to up his line a little, as he still managed to walk (12) twice as often as he struck out (6), and he's managed to do better then that in each of his previous stops. As much as I'd love to add a center fielder, the market is as barren as ever, so Lee will have a shot to take the starting job from Orlin Yates. Even if he doesn't win the job, we don't have many guys capable of playing center, and he could find himself in the short side of a platoon. He'll be just 23 to start the season, so Rap is far from a finished product despite being wise beyond his years. His teammates love him and he's a natural born leader who always gives 100%. These intangibles will ensure a roster spot for seasons to come, but so will his speed, eye, and hit tool. RF Jimmy Hairston (122nd Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 61st Overall (1943) Alma Mater: Bowman Mohawks Most of the La Crosse teens struggled, but Jimmy Hairston put together a strong season in spite of a lack of power. After slugging 10 longballs in 68 games for the Lions last season, Hairston hit just 4. His .266/.342/.413 (112 OPS+) triple slash was far more impressive this year, and his 124 WRC+ was the best on the team. A lot of his homers last season were doubles, with 29 after 4 last season. Hairston had to fill in for injuries earlier in the year, so 38 of his 368 PAs came in San Jose, but I don't think he's ready for that. If he works hard over the offseason he could start the season back with the Cougars, but I think he's best served getting one more go down in La Crosse. He hits the ball hard and to all fields, and at 6'2'' he should be strong enough to hit home runs. Hairston will turn 20 before Opening Day, so he's far from a finished product, but he'll have to work hard if he wants to be an every day big leaguer. RF Tom Jovin (126th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 28th Overall (1944) Alma Mater: Pocahontas Chiefs Our 2nd Round pick this season, Tom Jovin had an excellent high school career, but struggled at both B and C levels at the plate. He didn't have an extra base hit in 54 PAs with the Cougars while hitting just .261/.359/.307 (87 OPS+) with 4 doubles and 7 RBIs. A natural right fielder, Tom Jovin actually spent more time in center as we had a ton of corner outfielders down in La Crosse. He faired rather well despite being far better suited for a corner, but OSA is crazy enough to say he profiles as a "potential elite center fielder" for a contender. I think they're just looking at his bat, as Jovin has quick hands and could hit for power at the big league level. His plate discipline projects well too, but he's still struggling with off-speed pitches. He's a big baseball guy who loves to play every day, but he tends to keep to himself. He reminds me a lot of Rich Langton, but I hope he'll be quiet instead of intimidating like the 10-year vet. RHP Charlie Kelsey (130th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 9th Round, 140th Overall (1940) Alma Mater: Lancaster Buckskins This year's absurd jumper, Charlie Kelsey is somehow our 10th ranked prospect after making the jump from A ball to AAA. Kelsey managed to have his best season yet, going 9-4 with 15 saves, a 2.03 ERA (176 ERA+) and 1.05 WHIP. He struck out 38 and walked 22 in 88.2 innings, which was far better then I would have expected for the 22-year-old. Since he was drafted five seasons ago, he'll actually be Rule-5 eligible, meaning I might have to protect him. I'm not sold on him being a top prospect, but he has a green arrow up to the majors and I'm sure somewhat would select him. I'd rather sell him to help us with our cash troubles, but if he sticks in the organization he'll have a chance to secure a relief role behind Ben Curtin. Chances are he'll function as the stopper in Milwaukee as he can be optioned while others can't, but if our staff gets hit by injuries, he'd be a top candidate for a call up.

11-27-2022, 05:20 PM	#952
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Top Prospects: 11-15 RHP Joe Swank (159th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 7th Round, 107th Overall (1941) Alma Mater: Rhodes Rams Despite being 21 all season long, Joe Swank more then held his won up in AA, going 16-10 in 26 starts with a 3.26 ERA (122 ERA+) and 1.34 WHIP. His 76 FIP- was just slightly higher then Harry Parker's, and swank struck out 109 with 58 walks in 215.2 innings behind George Oddo in the Commodores rotation. Swank tallied an impressive 5.7 WAR as well, and the former 7th Rounder is looking closer and closer to being a big league starter. He's got three solid pitches, with his circle change the bread and butter pitch. His fastball sits in the high 80s and his curve gets good movement, and its tough for opposing hitters to elevate any of his offerings. Expected to be a backend arm, Swank could probably make the jump to Milwaukee next season, but I'm leaning on leaving him in Mobile to start the year. The prospect people think Swank will be big league ready next season, but I'd be surprised to see him in a Cougar uniform next year. He's pretty advanced for someone his age, but he's also not too far from his ceiling. LHP Lefty Jones (160th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 5th Round, 207th Overall (1943) Alma Mater: Wilsonville Wildcats Our 5th Rounder last season, Lefty Jones looked good in his first full season, actually pitching better in his 13 starts in San Jose opposed to the 8 prior in La Crosse. Jones went 8-5 with a 2.96 ERA (118 ERA+), 1.37 WHIP, 53 walks, and 71 strikeouts in 103.1 innings pitched. The 20-year-old has flashed excellent stuff, but he's unable to hone in his control at times. A tall, lefty sidewinder, Jones has a very good slider and his high 80s cutter has a lot of late life. Righties tend to match up against him better, but if he can polish up his change, he'll have a way to miss their bats too. Right now it's not much of an offering, but it should be an average pitch once fully developed. That will determine if he can start in the big leagues or not, as his other pitches are pretty solid. If that doesn't pan out, he could be a very intriguing back of the pen arm, getting tough lefties out with ease. RHP Tommy Seymour (178th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 13th Overall (1943) Alma Mater: Olathe Pioneers After an awful debut season, Tommy Seymour wasn't much better this season, getting roughed up in 21 starts for the Lions. Last year's first rounder went 7-6, but with a 4.75 ERA (74 ERA+), 1.71 WHIP, 79 walks, and 45 strikeouts. An extremely raw pitching prospect, Seymour will likely need another full season at La Crosse, but he's entered the top 200 now and still looks like a future big league starter. This season wasn't perfect, as his strikeout rate plummeted, but he cut his walks nearly in half and his HR/9 fell from 2.4 to a dominant 0.2. A soft tosser, Seymour's fastball sits in the 83-85 range, but I'm sure he'll find ways to add velocity. Until then, his strikeouts will remain low, but he has a decent splitter and a plus-plus change. The harder his fastball gets, the more effective his off-speed offerings will be, and it will help him move up the rotation. I'd like to see him do a better job keeping runs off the board next season, but it will start with forcing weaker contact. I'm not sure he'll develop into a #1 or #2 like I once thought, but he's got all the tools to develop into a middle of the rotation arm, he just has a lot of room to grow. SS Al Clement (202nd Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 29th Overall (1943) Alma Mater: De Pere Redbirds After being taken right after Tommy Seymour last year, Al Clement now ranks right after Seymour in the prospect ranks. It was a tough season for Clement, who was playing up a level in San Jose due to a thin infield picture above. The biggest issue for Clement was the strikeouts, as he was set down 109 times in 120 games. Strikeouts aren't supposed be an issue for the 19-year-old, as he has strong pitch recognition skills and a plus hit tool. Last season he walked (43) about as much as he struck out (53), but his triple slash dropped way down to .267/.321/.309 (80 OPS+) in San Jose. Clement had only 11 extra base hits this season after 13 homers alone in just 61 games in C ball. I knew he couldn't sustain the power, but I thought a lot of those homers would turn into doubles instead of flyouts. With his speed, if he can hit line drives he'll end up with a lot of extra base hits, and he had an impressive 14-for-17 stolen base success rate. His speed is his calling card and should help develop him into a top level player if it can translate into excellent range at short , and if the bat comes together, he could be a productive regular. RHP Mike Thorpe (221st Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 60th Overall (1944) Alma Mater: Americus University Hurricanes The scouts say Mike Thorpe is already a mid rotation level starter, and after a slow start in Mobile, he went on an absolute tear. In 9 starts with the Commodores he finished 5-4 with a 3.24 ERA (123 ERA+) and 1.33 WHIP with 23 walks and 26 strikeouts before a promotion up to Milwaukee. I debated letting him spend September with the big league squad, but I was very happy with his 4 starts with the Blues, allowing runs in just one of his four starts. Thorpe went 3-1 with a 1.57 ERA (227 ERA+), 0.87 WHIP, 11 walks, and 12 strikeouts. In total, Thorpe tossed 106.1 innings pitched, and even tossed the 130 pitch mark three times this season. Already near his ceiling, Thorpe will be in camp to start next season, and with all the question marks in the back of our rotation, he could conceivably earn a spot. Right now Clyde Meyer wants Angel Lopez to man the four spot, so he's likely Thorpe's main competition, as Lyons, Murphy, and Petrick won't have to worry about being optioned to AAA. Even if he doesn't break camp with the big league squad, I expect him to debut during the season, and he could be the first man up in case of injury. He could end up as trade bait if needed, but I'm not sure how comfortable I feel giving a ready made starter to a competitor. He's no Duke Bybee, but Thorpe should be more then capable of mowing through FABL lineups once he's given the chance.

11-28-2022, 04:43 PM	#953
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Top Prospects: 16-20 The Cougars had no luck in the awards, with Harry Parker receiving only my first place vote, and Leo Mitchell failing to capture the Whitney despite having the most first place votes (7) of any CA hitter. It wasn't Chuck Adams who beat him, but Marion Boismenu, in what I would explain as only a gross miscarriage of justice. Other then WAR, Boismenu's numbers pale in comparison to Mitchell, who led the duo in average, slugging, OPS, OPS+, WRC+, doubles, homers, RBIs, runs, wOBA, and WPA all while striking out a little less then Boismenu. A random first place vote to Skipper Schneider could have cost Mitchell the award, as if he got that 8th lead vote, he would have taken home the hardware. SS Jim Dickinson (225th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 3rd Round, 45th Overall (1941) Alma Mater: Calumet Catholic Missionaries Before this season, Jim Dickinson never missed more then two games, but the former 3rd Rounder dealt with a pair of injuries that cost him most of the season. He missed all of June with a herniated disc in his neck and then went under the knife again late July with a concussion. This allowed him to get into just 59 games for the Blues, hitting an adjusted league average .242/.393/.302 with 7 doubles, 3 triples, and 30 RBIs with an excellent 52-to-17 walk-to-strikeout ratio. His 116 WRC+ was much more impressive then his 100 OPS+, and he had an excellent 1.109 efficiency at short. The 25-year-old also made his big league debut on the 20th of September, pinch hitting for Skipper in the 7th of our 7-2 win over the Sailors. The Springfield native is known for his glove, which may help him secure a bench job this Spring. He is a quality defender with a great eye, but his bat isn't fully developed. He won't surpass Skipper anytime soon, but Dickinson is capable of filling a starting shortstop role. He's more useful for us as a utility guy, but his options will work against him this coming season. RF Harry Austin (268th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 3rd Round, 44th Overall (1944) Alma Mater: New Athens Yellow Jackets Our last ever regional pick, Harry Austin spent most of his time down in La Crosse, hitting .277/.349/.393 (108 OPS+) with 10 doubles, 2 triples, 2 homers, and 14 RBIs in 192 trips to the plate. Austin walked (18) more then he struck out (11) and held his own at both first and right. He's not much of a defender, as most of his value comes with the bat, but he could be a capable corner outfielder. His pure hit tool is elite, with the chance to contend for a batting title, but I'm not sure the now 18-year-old will hit many homers. Austin is a one tool guy, which means he really needs to hit his contact potential, but he's very unpolished. If he reaches his lofty ceiling, he'll be one of the best pure hitters in the league, but I'm not sure he'll make it there. RHP Bill Holloway (273rd Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 5th Round, 56th Overall (1943) Alma Mater: Lincoln College Presidents Acquired with one of the picks from the Freddie Jones deal, Bill Holloway had a productive first full season, starting 20 games with the San Jose Cougars. Holloway went 9-4 with a 3.00 ERA (117 ERA+), 1.29 WHIP, 41 walks, and 115 strikeouts in 138 innings pitched. A big strikeout arm, Holloway had a K/9 above 7, and he has a very polished four pitch repertoire. His fastball and sinker sit in the high 80s, and he locates both pitches well. His change and knuckle curve are nice pitches too, but at times his command alludes him. He did manage to cut his walk rate in half to 2.7, which is a huge step forward, and I'm hoping he can keep it on the same level with a promotion to Lincoln. Tom thinks he'll develop into a spot starter while OSA projects a #4 or 5, but if starting games doesn't pan out, his fastball is good enough to award him high leverage innings out of the pen. 3B Buddy Brumbaugh (275th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 7th Round, 97th Overall (1944) Alma Mater: Wallingford Wild Boars Taken in the 7th Round of the most recent draft, Tom Weinstock is a huge fan of the 18-year-old third basemen, noting his excellent swing and hit tool ability. He won't ever hit for much power, but Brumbaugh shows some similarities to the surprise Whitney Winner Marion Boismenu. Brumbaugh didn't have a great debut season, hitting just .267/.341/.313 (84 OPS+) with 5 doubles, a triple, and 14 RBIs. He had some strikeout (26) issues, but still drew 16 walks in 172 trips to the plate. Brumbaugh will turn 19 in November, so he's not as young as some of our other prep picks, and he could work his way up to San Jose next season. A solid defensive third basemen, Brumbaugh can also fill in at second and short, making it easier for him to work his way up. With a good eye and strong hit tool, he can survive the low power output. Tom thinks he can be penciled in to a future lineup spot while OSA goes one step forward to label him as a reliable hitter for an organization, both more then I'm expecting from the Hartford native. With a stronger work ethic, he'd be more of a lock to reach his ceiling, but there is a lot to like from the talented infielder. RHP Stan Flanders (288th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 10th Round, 157th Overall (1941) Alma Mater: New Haven Bulldogs 22 in December, Stan Flanders had a big season in AA for the Commodores, going a near even 12-11 with a 3.17 ERA (126 ERA+), 1.29 WHIP, 57 walks, and 55 strikeouts in 207.1 innings pitched. It was Flanders' first 200 inning season, and he was worth nearly 4 WAR against tough competition. A three pitch pitcher, Flanders doesn't overpower with stuff, as his fastball sits in the mid 80s. Its his best offering, as his curve and change aren't too reliable. To start in the big leagues, he'll need to work on his off-speed offerings. He makes up for his uninspiring stuff with pinpoint command, allowing him to locate his pitches almost exactly where he wants them. Flanders projects more as a depth role then an every day starter, but it's far more then I expected from a 10th Round Pick. Last edited by ayaghmour2; 11-30-2022 at 11:12 AM.

11-30-2022, 06:39 PM	#954
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Top Prospects: 21-25 Some bad news for the Cougars this week, as the man that should have won the Continental Association Whitney Award, Leo Mitchell, will not return to the Cougar lineup for 1945. Instead, he's enlisting in the Army, which will prevent him from threepeating the CA batting title. As good as Leo is, his loss is definitely replaceable, as Rich Langton will slide into the starting left field role. This also opens the door for some of our younger corner bats to get more time, as Huck Hanes, Cliff Browning, or even Don Lee could slide into a platoon or at least part time role. RHP Harry MacRae (317th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 7th Round, 112th Overall (1942) Alma Mater: Topeka State Braves One of the more interesting pitchers in our system, Harry MacRae is truly an enigma, a two pitch pitcher who has been dominant starting games. Now 23, MacRae features a plus curve and effective low 90s fastball, and since being selected in the 7th Round back in 1942, he has put up above average marks in both ERA+ and FIP-. This year was likely his best, making 24 starts for the Commodores while going 15-9 with a 2.84 ERA (140 ERA+), 1.25 WHIP, 60 walks, and 72 strikeouts in 212 innings pitched. These are remarkable numbers at any level, but before this season he had just 34 starts and only 9 above A ball. MacRae could definitely fill a big league bullpen already, and he can probably set up Ben Curtin if we needed an extra pen arm. Despite that, I'm still pushing him into a starter role, and he's looking like he'll pitch in the Milwaukee rotation to start the season. He'll have a chance to break camp with the team, but a numbers game seems to work against him. 1B Lou Thomas (326th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 9th Round, 131st Overall (1944) Alma Mater: North Carolina Tech Techsters Despite falling into the 9th Round of the most recent draft, Lou Thomas started his season in A ball and finished it in AA. He hit a decent .280/.376/.410 (103 OPS+) with the Legislators before improving that line to .380/.481/.481 (160 OPS+) with the Commodores. This a very strong statline, and between the levels he tallied 15 doubles, 2 triples, 5 homers, and 43 RBIs with more walks (47) then strikeouts (41). An advanced hitter for his age, Thomas is a big strong guy, but he doesn't profile as much of a home run hitter. Expect a lot of doubles despite his slow pace, but he works the count well and then punishes pitcher's mistakes. He has a quick swing and squares up the ball well, leading to a lot of hard hit balls that tend to find the outfield grass. As a first basemen, he has very little competition in our system, which made his rise up the levels even easier. Thomas could conceivably pass Dick Walker up for the starting first base job at some point this season, but it'll be Ray Ford's job once he returns from the Air Force. As a lefty, Thomas can take some at bats against righties away from Ford, and if he can push past his potential, eventually claim the job outright. I wouldn't bet on that, but Thomas should be a really good hitter, even if all he ends up as is a useful left handed pinch hitter. CF Johnny Carlisle (329th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 8th Round, 116th Overall (1944) Alma Mater: Cowpens State Fighting Green A natural center fielder, Johnny Carlisle got all around the diamond after being selected in the 8th Round of the most recent draft, appearing in games at second, third, short, center, and right. The versatile righty hit very well too, slashing .360/.411/.496 (133 OPS+) in 56 games with the Legislators. He did strike out (29) a fair amount, but had respectable walk numbers (19) to go with 11 doubles, 7 triples, 2 homers, 2 steals, and 33 RBIs. At 22, he's a lot more developed then some of our other recent draftees, and with his versatility, it will never be an issue for him to find playing time. If we need someone in Mobile, he'd be one of the first to get a promotion, as he can fill in nearly any lineup spot. If not to start the season, he certainly will receive a promotion to Mobile at some point, and he could work his way up to a bench role very quickly. His speed works to his advantage, allowing him to cover plenty of ground in both the infield and the outfield, and he consistently puts the ball in play. This leads to a lot of infield hits and singles turned doubles and doubles turned triples. He's an aggressive hitter, so good breaking pitches can fool him, but with experience he should cut down on the strikeouts. His floor is a Tip Harrison type player with the ceiling of a healthy Billy Hunter, but regardless of how much his bat develops, he will be a useful organizational piece. RHP Dick Garcia (331st Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 3rd Round, 45th Overall (1943) Alma Mater: Geneva Vikings One of the few pitchers with La Crosse last season who didn't struggle, Dick Garcia was pushed up to San Jose and ran into some difficulties. The recently turned 20-year-old spent all season at 19, but finished a respectable 10-10 with a 4.08 ERA (86 ERA+), 1.56 WHIP, 53 walks, and 83 strikeouts in 152.1 innings pitched. While not overly exciting, it was great to see his walk rate cut in half, and he still maintained a K/9 around 5. A hard working gym rat, Garcia threw a bit harder this year compared to last, sitting at 86-88 with his cutter and sinker. His sinker is great for generating grounders, and his change is a quality third pitch. His stuff his still raw, but Garcia won't ever be an overpowering guy. The righty will need to continue to develop weak contact, and as he begins to face tougher hitters, his strikeout rate will start to fall. Garcia projects to be no more then a spot starter, but I wouldn't bet against his work ethic and arm strength. The harder he's able to throw, the more effective his pitches will be, but he could survive by keeping the ball on the ground. RF Bob Harris (332nd Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 13th Round, 205th Overall (1944) Alma Mater: Mississippi A&M Generals A rare AI pick to crack the top prospect lists, Bob Harris is the latest outfielder of Mississippi A&M to be selected by an FABL organization. Harris didn't play before this season, but as a sophomore he was teammates with Henry DeVeaux, our 2nd Rounder back in 1942. 23 in November, Harris played well during his senior season, hitting .284 with 9 homers, 30 RBIs, and 39 steals, which was enough to start him in Lincoln post draft. He held his own, hitting an adjusted league average (according to WRC+) .276/.344/.415 (95 OPS+) with 13 doubles, 11 triples, a homer, and 37 RBIs. I was really surprised with the split of homers to triples, as he's not the fastest runner, but Lincoln Park is very partial to triples (1.130) and tough for homers (.915/.925) as its 431 to center and 410+ in both left and right center. My guess is he'll end up homering more then he triples, as Harris has average pop despite being just 5'7''. Still, he's more of a hit tool prospect, and could hit around .300 with good plate discipline. His bat will have to carry him, as he's a below average defensive corner outfielder, and likely profiles as more of a pinch hitter then a big league regular.

12-01-2022, 02:48 PM	#955
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Military Callups Enlistments have hit the Cougars hard, as after secret service snatched away the snubbed Whitney Winner Leo Mitchell, our lineup was hit twice as hard as we lost the #1 ranked second basemen and third basemen in Billy Hunter and Hank Barnett. Between the three, 14.2 WAR has vanished from our lineup, and while Mitchell can be replaced with Rich Langton and Hunter with Jimmie James, we don't have an obvious replacement for Hank Barnett. Could this mean that the first pick of the final summer draft George Sutterfield makes the Opening Day roster at third? That's what I'm leaning towards now, but I'd much rather add someone from outside the organization. Everyone is getting hit hard, but it's hard to match the star studded talent leaving the Cougars lineup. Hunter currently ranks as the #4 hitter, Barnett #7, and Mitchell #20. Here's an updated list of all Cougars in the military, with new enlistments denoted with an asterisk. As always, this list will be edited as opposed to a new post each time we lose guys. We now also have returning guys, who will also have end dates listed. Army LHP Rusty Watts (March 31st, 1941) RHP Ray McNeill (December 22nd, 1941) SS Jimmy Bach (December 22nd, 1941) 2B Harry Avery (December 22nd, 1941) CF Max Rucker (December 22nd, 1941) RF Sammy Dillon (December 22nd, 1941) RHP Bob Leonard (December 25th, 1941) RF Harry Harris (January 5th, 1942) RHP Charlie Everett (January 5th, 1942) RHP Pat Rhodes (January 5th, 1942) 2B Stu Stasny (January 5th, 1942) CF Glenn Shepperd (January 6th, 1942) 2B Jim Nickerson (June 22nd, 1942) 1B Bobo Shafer (June 22nd, 1942) CF Hugh Oubre (June 22nd, 1942) LF Hippo Carney (June 22nd, 1942) CF Phil Davis (June 22nd, 1942) RHP Donnie Jones (November 9th, 1942) 3B Hod Seagroves (November 30th, 1942) CF Harry Carr (December 28th, 1942) RHP Joe Stuart (January 4th, 1943) LHP Hugh Vaughn (January 11th, 1941) 2B Skippy Ellis (January 11th, 1941) LHP Charlie Harlan (January 18th, 1943) SS Nick Bryan (January 18th, 1943) RHP Joe Brown (November 1st, 1943) LHP Johnnie Jones (November 8th, 1943) RHP Frank Crawford (November 15th, 1943-November 14th, 1944) RHP John Little (November 15th, 1943) RHP Howard Miller Jr. (November 29th, 1943) LF Leo Mitchell (October 30th, 1944) 2B Billy Hunter (November 6th, 1944) LHP Johnny Ruby (November 6th, 1944) CF Tom Jovin (November 13th, 1944) RF Jimmy Hairston (December 4th, 1944) LF Ducky Cole (December 11th, 1944) 1B Lou Thomas (December 18th, 1944) C Bill Martin (February 16th, 1945) CF Nellie Corbin (April 29th, 1945) Navy* RHP Pete Papenfus (December 8th, 1941) RHP Harl Haines (December 8th, 1941) RF Alex Ingraham (December 8th, 1941-November 27th, 1944) C Diego Bernal (December 22nd, 1941) SS Connie Wright (December 27th, 1941) LHP Art Ramsey (December 31st, 1941) RHP Walt Leonard (December 31st, 1941) LHP Jim Fetrow (June 22nd, 1942) RHP Jim Bob Clark (June 22nd, 1942) CF Johnny Kirtz (June 22nd, 1942) 3B John Lawson (November 2nd, 1942-October 14th, 1944) LHP Ed Wilkinson (November 16th, 1942) CF Carlos Montes (November 16th, 1942) RHP Fred Thaxton (December 28th, 1942) 2B Bill Hunt (December 28th, 1942) C Eddie Howard (January 4th, 1943) C Hugh Elasser (January 11th, 1941) RHP John Lash (January 18th, 1943) RHP Bill Lyman (January 18th, 1943) RHP Chet Williams (January 18th, 1943) 2B Clark Car (November 1st, 1943) LF Bobby Mills (November 29th, 1943) 3B Morrie Graves (November 29th, 1943) 3B Caleb Humphrey (November 29th, 1943) 3B Hank Barnett (November 6th, 1944) LHP Bert Rogers (November 13th, 1944) RHP Cliff Wallace (November 27th, 1944) RHP Ron Sexton (December 18th, 1944) Air Force RF Fred Vargas (December 8th, 1941) RHP Tommy Wilcox (December 25th, 1941-October 16th, 1943) 3B Wally Burnett (December 31st, 1941) C Butch Stone (June 22nd, 1942) SS Frank Beacham (June 22nd, 1942) 1B Ray Ford (November 2nd, 1942) 3B Otto Christian (November 2nd, 1942) RHP King Price (November 30th, 1942) LF Ducky Brown (November 29th, 1943) LHP Ron Berry (December 4th, 1944) Marines Corp* RHP Duke Bybee (December 31st, 1941) 1B Joe Powers (December 31st, 1941) SS Dave Gilbert (June 22nd, 1942) CF Ernie Martini (November 30th, 1942) LHP Bob Hobbs (January 4th, 1943) RF Dave Bryant (January 11th, 1941) C Steve Mountain (November 15th, 1943) Coast Guard LHP Joe Bement (December 31st, 1941) LF Skinny O'Hanesian (June 22nd, 1942) 1B Jocko Pollard (November 2nd, 1942) LHP Joe Ferrara (November 30th, 1942) Last edited by ayaghmour2; 01-04-2023 at 05:47 PM.

12-01-2022, 06:54 PM	#956
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Top Prospects: 26-30 LF Bob Rogers (340th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 6th Round, 93rd Overall (1943) Alma Mater: Newman Norseman After cracking the top 200 last year, Bob Rogers slipped in the prospect rankings after a terrible first full season. After hitting over .500 in high school, Rogers hit a meager .230/.307/.272 (62 OPS+) in 403 trips to the plate for the Lions. After 7 homers last season, he didn't hit a single longball, with just 11 doubles, 2 triples, and 34 RBIs. He did walk a but, with 37 compared to 63 strikeouts, but pretty much everything that could have went wrong, went wrong for last year's 6th Rounder. Rogers will turn 20 in January, so he shouldn't have been nearly as overmatched as he was, but he'll get another shot at things in La Crosse next season. He'll have to earn his playing time before the draft, as we have a lot more exciting corner outfield prospects in Tom Jovin, Jimmy Hairston, and Harry Austin all on the roster with him. Still, "Snoot" is an exciting hitter, even if he didn't show it this year, as he should develop an elite contact tool. He has a nice swing and puts the ball in play a lot, but as a bat first prospect, he needs to take a huge step forward next season. Some power production would be ideal, because without it, it will be tough for him to turn into anything more then a bat off the bench. RHP Al Robison (355th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 8th Round, 124th Overall (1944) Alma Mater: North Smithfield Northman I let him last a bit too long in the draft, but I was happy to still snag Al Robison in the 8th Round. Robison reminds me a lot of George Oddo, as the 18-year-old stands at 6'4'' and has plenty of upside on the mound. He looked really good for the Lions despite his 3-4 record in 74.1 innings pitched. Robison had a sparkly 2.42 ERA (145 ERA+) with a 1.41 WHIP, 39 walks, and 21 strikeouts. His run prevention skills were on full display, but we'll like to see him drop his 4.7 BB/9 in his first full season. A groundball pitcher, Robison has a nice four pitch mix, headlined by a wipeout slider. His fastball is a nice pitch too, comfortably in the high 80s while occasionally going a bit past 90. His change is a suitable pitch as well, but his curve needs a lot of work. Even without the curve, he has the stuff to start, but a fourth average or better pitch will make him a very talented starter. The biggest roadblock to Robison's big league success will be his control, which would cap him as a back-end starter, but he gets his work in even if it may take him longer then others. Robison has a long way to go, but there is a lot to like about the young righty. RHP Babe Stinson (354th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 64th Overall (1942) Alma Mater: Louisville Coyotes After spending all of last season in San Jose, former 4th Rounder Babe Stinson was pushed back down to La Crosse, as 16 of his 18 starts came in C ball. Now 20, Babe is a very raw pitcher, who features five pitches that all need some work. A soft tosser, Stinson will never overpower hitters, but he has decent command of his pitches and manages to mix them well. The underlying numbers for Babe were much better then his results, as his 3.81 ERA (92 ERA+) is much higher then his 2.71 FIP (77 FIP-). He didn't allow a single homer in 89.2 innings with the Lions, walking 27 while striking out 46. This gives me hope that Stinson can pitch better in '45 with the Cougars, and last season he was 10-7 with a 3.88 ERA (98 ERA+) and 1.36 WHIP in 125.1 innings pitched. One issue for Stinson is he doesn't pitch deep into games, as he failed to surpass the century mark in any of his starts. This could force Stinson into a pen role, but a lot of pitchers are able to go deeper once they age. Right now Stinson profiles more as a depth arm or spot starter, but if he starts throwing harder, his future role could change drastically. LHP Bob Hobbs (361st Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 8th Round, 119th Overall (1939) Alma Mater: Brookhaven Panthers In year two in the Marines Corps, Bob Hobbs took a huge step forward, seeing his velocity jump from 89-91 to 92-94. This is great news for the lefty, now 23, who would probably be ready for the big leagues next season if he wasn't enlisted. OSA thinks he's 5th starter quality, Tom Weinstock believes more of a filler arm, and I think he could be a nice longman out of the pen. He has huge strikeout numbers that come with a lot of walks, and since he's not Papenfus level overpowering, his profile works better in the pen. When he's on, he's unhittable, but if you get him shaken up he could crumble under the pressure. When he returns, he'll get back on track on the farm, but I'll let him start games until his results tell us he can't. RHP Jack Huston (372nd Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 5th Round, 77th Overall (1941) Alma Mater: Bay State Bulldogs The prospect people have never liked Jack Huston, and while he was elite in '43 with the Commodores, he came back towards the mean in Milwaukee. Huston saw his walk (3.0 to 4.3) and strikeout (4.9 to 3.9) rates go in the wrong direction, going 15-11 with a 3.31 ERA (108 ERA+) and 1.36 WHIP in 30 starts. He surpassed 200 innings again, reaching 225.2, but he walked 109 hitters with just 98 strikeouts. Despite that, the now 25-year-old got a callup to the big leagues for the last week of the season, allowing just one hit in a scoreless inning against the Foresters. Clyde Meyer is a fan of Huston, putting him behind just Ken Matson and Rusty Petrick in the pen. It may be tough for Huston to earn a pen spot, with out of options guys like Bill Anderson, Ben Curtin, Cal Knight, and Merritt Thomas all in camp, plus depth starters like Matson, Petrick, Angel Lopez, and Mike Murphy. What sets Huston apart is that he's a durable, rubber armed pitcher, and there aren't many better options if you need someone to soak up a lot of innings.

12-02-2022, 07:26 PM	#957
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Top Prospects: 31-35 Big news in the FABL, as while more players are continuing to leave for the military, a handful are coming back. No one is more lucky then the Toronto Wolves, who will welcome back one of the best pitchers in baseball George Garrison, making life much more difficult for us. We got two players back, but I'd prefer they'd both stay enlisted, as I have no interest in 38-year-old minor leaguer Alex Ingraham or washed ace Frank Crawford. Ingraham is likely to be cut if we need to trim rosters, while Crawford, recognizing that he is washed, decided to retire. Why couldn't we have welcomed back Peter the Heater... Or Carlos Montes! We do need a center fielder... Our enlistments were major too, with our first two picks in the most recent draft Bert Rogers and Tom Jovin heading overseas. SS Tom Brownleaf (379th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 8th Round, 125th Overall (1943) Alma Mater: Durant Lions After hitting .201/.286/.332 (56 OPS+) in La Crosse last season, I was hoping Tom Brownleaf would take a step forward in his first full season as a big leaguer. It didn't go quite as I expected, as he hit a very similar .225/.285/.282 (59 OPS+) in 460 trips to the plate. That came with 12 doubles, 3 triples, 2 homers, 14 steals, and 45 RBIs in a tough season for the 19-year-old infielder. If there was any consolation, he did play plus defense at short, working to a 1.038 efficiency and 3.5 zone rating in 113 games. Brownleaf's bat has a lot of work to do, but there are a few things to like about the young infielder. He has a good eye and should draw his share of walks, and while he hasn't showed it yet, he projects to hit for a high average once fully developed. Brownleaf swings a quick bat and hits the ball hard to all fields. As a switch hitter, he will always have the platoon advantage, and he's versatile enough to play anywhere on the diamond. He profiles as a perfect bench player, and I'm sure if I put him on the grass he'd be able to cover ground out there too. He has a long way to go, and may need a season or two more in La Crosse. RHP Fred Thaxton (403rd Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 7th Round, 97th Overall (1939) Alma Mater: Tallmadge State Terriers Another season in the Navy cost Fred Thaxton a chance to debut, and the now 26-year-old could have filled a rotation spot by now. This is probably his last season ranked as a prospect, but he's been fully developed for a full season. A three pitch pitcher, he relies heavily on his high 80s fastball and cutter, which really sets up his best pitch, the change up. He doesn't have great command, likely walking more hitters then he'll strike out, but he mixes his pitches well and generates a lot of infield pop ups and can of corn flyballs. Thaxton is a guy who the war hurts greatly, as his chance for a major league debut will likely pass him up, leaving him to fight to earn starts in the farm. CF Dick Pace (406th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 6th Round, 92nd Overall (1944) Alma Mater: Greenwood College Bearcats Our 6th Round selection in the most recent draft, Dick Pace started in La Crosse, as we needed a center fielder, but he quickly hit his way up. Pace slashed .302/.381/.473 (139 OPS+) with 6 doubles, 5 triples, 2 homers, and 20 RBIs with almost the same amount of walks (17) as strikeouts (18). He didn't hit as well in San Jose, but still managed an average triple slash of .274/.333/.358 (98 OPS+). The rest of the line was more empty, as despite just 26 fewer PAs, he had only 2 doubles, 2 triples, a homer, and 8 RBIs with more then twice as many strikeouts (22) as walks (10). A bit on the older side as well, Pace turns 23 in December, so I was hoping for better production from him with the Cougars. Especially with his bat being more valuable then the glove, as he'll likely never be much more then average in center. At the plate, he consistently puts the ball in play, barreling up most pitches that come his way. The downside from him is he doesn't have the drive to improve, so Pace may not develop into anything more then a 4th outfielder. He does have good pace, pun intended, and should steal more then just the two bases he had this year. OSA and Tom Weinstock are much more excited about his future, with OSA positing he'll be an above average big leaguer and Tom a step below with just average. I'd like to see him work his way up our system quickly, but he's not the most exciting of our prospects. LHP Ron Berry (416th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 7th Round, 112th Overall (1944) Alma Mater: Elm Springs Knights Like many high schoolers, Ron Berry struggled after draft day, but the underlying numbers were better then the results. Berry went 1-4 with a 4.95 ERA (71 ERA+) and 1.44 WHIP, but his 3.24 FIP (92 FIP-) was above average. He made 10 starts and threw 67.1 innings, walking 24 and striking out 46. His 6.1 K/9 was far more impressive then his 3.2 BB/9, so if he doesn't shape up his command, he'll have to maintain his lofty strikeout numbers. Now 19, Berry isn't much of a hard thrower, with his fastball sitting in the 84-86 range. His slider is superb and his change is dominant, so any added velocity will make him a very effective pitcher. His stuff is good enough to pitch his way into a back-end rotation job, but he's got plenty of work in front of him. He'll start the season in La Crosse, but if he can pitch to his FIP, he may jump up to San Jose once the draft rolls by. LHP Tom Irwin (427th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 13th Round, 203rd Overall (1940) Alma Mater: Ferguson Wildcats It is my personal head cannon that Tom Irwin is son of Cougar and Chicago Daily News writer Archie Irwin, which on its own would have been enough to warrant him an organizational spot, but Irwin is actually pitching well himself. The 26-year-old spent most of his season in Lincoln, and he was beyond dominant. The former AI pick went 9-5 with 25 saves, a 1.63 ERA (274 ERA+), 1.16 WHIP, 46 walks, and 75 strikeouts in an out shy of 100 innings. This was Irwin's third stop with 40+ innings and a sub 2.00 ERA, but interesting enough is other two stints with 20 or more innings saw him with an ERA above 5. Irwin seems to be very inconsistent, and it will be interesting to see how he'll fare in a full season with the Commodores. Despite spending most of his time in the pen, Weinstock thinks he can start games, but I think that's more because he has good stuff. Irwin is better suited for the pen, but with a fastball that sits in the 86-88 range, he doesn't quite profile as a reliable back-of-the-pen arm. Irwin will be 27 in January, so its getting harder for him to earn a big league pen role, but a lot of good relievers don't quite show it until they are in their 30s.

12-05-2022, 03:36 PM	#958
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Top Prospects: 36-40 RHP Lonnie Sis (454th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 5th Round, 76th Overall (1944) Alma Mater: Winnebago Tigers Son of Hall of Famer Charlie Sis, Lonnie Sis had a tremendous first half season despite his average 5-5 record. He had an exceptional 2.35 ERA (149 ERA+) and 1.16 WHIP with 24 walks and 46 strikeouts. "Sizzler" allowed just a single homer in 80.1 innings pitched, and showed plenty of promise through his 10 starts. Sis never passed 120 pitches, but I don't think it is a stamina thing, as he threw 4 complete games, all with less then 115 pitches. A talented three pitch pitcher, Sis showed impressive strikeout numbers, attacking hitters with his low 90s cutter, but his best pitch is projected to be his swing and miss change. His curve is decent too, and all three offerings should be at least average at the FABL level. When Sis is on, he can dominant, as his stuff is great, but he may develop control issues at higher levels. If he can maintain an approximate 2.0 K/BB like he did this season, he has a good shot to fill a big league rotation. RHP Jimmy Ballard (460th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 6th Round, 84th Overall (1939) Alma Mater: Donora Bombers Ballard was healthy all season, splitting his time between Lincoln and Mobile while setting a personal best with 29 starts. He made 18 with the Legislators and 11 with the Commodores, going 12-11, which much better numbers in A compared to AA. With Lincoln he had a nice 3.79 ERA (117 ERA+) and 1.57 WHIP with 69 walks and 84 strikeouts, but all his numbers declined with the promotion. His ERA and WHIP rose to 4.77 (83 ERA+) and 1.88 while his walk and strikeout rates go in the wrong direction. He walked 61 hitters with just 45 strikeouts, as his BB/9 went from 4.9 to 6.6 and his K/9 from 6.0 to 4.9. It is almost impossible to find success with a 4.9 BB/9, let alone a 6.6, so walks are clearly an issue for the former 6th Rounder. His health and control issues may make it tough for him to start everyday, but he's still only 22, and works rather hard. Based on his struggles in Mobile, he may return to Lincoln next year, but it's going to be harder and harder for him to work his way up to the big leagues. RHP Charlie Everett (462nd Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 12th Round, 190th Overall (1941) Alma Mater: Shenandoah Valley State Barons Almost 25, it was a third season in the Army for Charlie Everett, a former 12th Rounder with just 1.2 innings of C ball experience. A four pitch pitcher, Everett will be one of the more interesting arms when he returns, as Weinstock has become rather fond of him and could jump all the way up to AA. His control isn't great, but Everett has plus stuff and movement, leading Tom to predict him to be a back-end starter. You can never have too many pitchers, especially ones who can start, so it would have been nice if he got at least a season starting before his enlistment. RHP Max Tanner (464th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 11th Round, 164th Overall (1944) Alma Mater: Albion Aviators Recently celebrating his 19th birthday, Max Tanner was one of our three 11th Rounders, and he got to start all 10 of his appearances post draft. It didn't go great, going just 2-7 with a 4.91 ERA (71 ERA+), 1.59 WHIP, 20 walks, and 28 strikeouts. He didn't pitch very deep into games, throwing just 66 innings while getting past the 110 pitch mark just once. Despite the poor results, there is a lot to be excited about, as Tanner is an imposing 6'5'' righty who I can't imagine will top out at his current 83-85 on his fastball. His stuff isn't great now, but his command is excellent and should be one of his best traits. Tanner is a hard worker as well, and he should continue to improve with experience. He'll get another go at La Crosse, which I expect to go much better, but I can't see Tanner pitching much if any time in San Jose. Right now, I expect nothing more then a depth arm, but he's got a ton of potential and I think he has a chance to exceed expectations. RHP Roscoe Brown (465th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 8th Round, 1113th Overall (1940) Alma Mater: Covington Cougars Roscoe Brown started his season in San Jose and made 12 impressive starts. The 22-year-old finished 5-3 with a stellar 2.66 ERA and 1.07 WHIP and an elite 5.6 K/BB. He struck out 89 while walking just 16 in 81.1 innings pitched, dominating C-O-W League competition. This earned him a promotion to Lincoln, where he was still effective in 11 more starts there. His ERA and WHIP were higher, at 4.02 (111 ERA+) and 1.16, with a still great 4.3 K/BB. This time it was 60 strikeouts and 14 walks in 78.1 innings, as Brown seems to have taken a huge step forward this season. He's never had high walk rates, control has always been a plus, but his strikeout numbers are now through the roof. Brown is an overpowering pitcher, featuring a mid-to-high 90s fastball and sinker, and his curve can make even the best hitters whiff. I'd love for Brown to start big league games, but I think part of his performance came from being more experienced then those he faced, and his future likely lies as a high leverage pen arm. Fastball-Sinker isn't the best combo, especially when you aren't a groundballer, but even if Roscoe's K/BB slumps to the 2.5 range, he could still be a very effective hurler. Last edited by ayaghmour2; 02-19-2023 at 01:22 PM.

12-09-2022, 01:08 PM	#959
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Trade News! We all know it wouldn't be a Cougar offseason without a trade! Nothing major here, but we made what should be a mutually beneficial trade. We lost our star third basemen, Hank Barnett, to the war, while the Pittsburgh Miners lost a bunch of shortstops at the upper levels of their system. We have plenty of shortstops, they have plenty of third basemen, so we swapped a few depth pieces. Former Miner Johnny Bunce will return to Pittsburgh's system, while we acquired a veteran who started 130+ big league games each season from 1936-1939, Ken Mayhugh. Now 33, Mayhugh has been a player we were once very high on when he came up with Boston and then continued with Baltimore. A former 2nd Rounder of the Kings back in 1932, Mayhugh has been used to acquire two pretty solid pitchers, starting with former Cougar Max Wilder back in 1934 and then John Edwards in 1937. Mayhugh debuted in 1935, hitting a respectable .271/.351/.430 (104 OPS+) with 10 doubles, 7 homers, and 41 RBIs in 99 games for the Minutemen. He followed it up with his best big league season, slashing an impressive .344/.399/.493 (131 OPS+) with 31 doubles, 11 homers, and 91 RBIs. He'd never match this lofty production, but he was above average in each of the next two seasons, one with Boston and one with Baltimore. Things started to go south for Mayhugh during the '39 season, as he appeared in 139 games while hitting just .273/.340/.354 (86 OPS+). That was the last season he appeared in more then 100 games, as he was relegated into a bench role and hasn't even started more then 50 in a season since. Still, he's gotten into a big league game in each season, playing sparingly for the Cannons, Sailors, and Miners. '44 was his lone season with the Miners, where 41 of his 42 appearances came off the bench. He didn't hit very much, just .250/.318/.275 (64 OPS+) with a double in 44 trips to the plate. This is nothing special, but Mayhugh is a much better hitter then he's shown. In 931 career FABL games, Mayhugh owns a .287/.355/.397 (103 OPS+) triple slash with 140 doubles, 52 homers, and 405 RBIs with an elite 290-to-52 walk-to-strikeout rate. We don't really have any options on hand who can hit and play the hot corner, and Tom thinks Ken can be at least average as an FABL starter. He has outstanding bat-to-ball abilities and will nearly never whiff. He's a bat first guy, but still capable at the hot corner, and he gives us another option to fill the massive Hank Barnett sized hole in our lineup. Mayhugh is the loose favorite, and will need to perform well in camp to hold off the likes of Steve Jones, George Sutterfield, and Jim Dickinson. I'd love to continue to make additions, especially out in center, but this may be the lone move of the offseason.

12-12-2022, 03:04 PM	#960
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Draft Lottery! Hey, some good news for the Cougars! The old lottery system really hurt the Cougars, as three of the four players we got were guys I wouldn't take period, let alone in the first two rounds, so I expected more of the same. Instead, it really couldn't have gone much better, as we jumped all the way from 11 to 3rd! That means we'll be picking 3rd and 19th overall, before picking 11th in each round following. We also pick 7th and 14th in the 7th Round. Below are the full results: 1. Stars 2. Gothams 3. Cougars 4. Eagles 5. Kings 6. Dynamos 7. Wolves 8. Miners 9. Foresters 10. Chiefs 11. Saints 12. Minutemen 13. Sailors 14. Pioneers 15. Cannons 16. Keystones We might get a pick in today, but we get a rare chance to add elite level talent to our system. The Cougars haven't picked top five since 1929, when Tom Barrell was named the first selection of the draft. Last edited by ayaghmour2; 12-12-2022 at 04:15 PM.