Chicago Cougars (FABL)

[ayaghmour2]

1st Round, 3rd Overall: CF Johnny Peters
School: Liberty College Bells
1944: .322/.438/.556, 249 PA, 11 2B, 5 3B, 9 HR, 38 RBI, 31 SB
Career: .310/.431/.561, 560 PA, 25 2B, 12 3B, 22 HR, 94 RBI, 70 SB

It may sound weird, but I've always found it extremely difficult to pick early in the draft. Don't get me wrong, I'm more then thrilled, but early on there are just so many good choices its hard to make a decision. The guy I really wanted was Bob Riggins, the 1944 Christian Winner at Grange College who hit .333 with 10 homers, 49 RBIs, and 32 steals, but he went #1 to the Stars. #2 was then traded for by the Stars, and they picked up one of the statless players, SS Ralph Henson, who looks good, but I tend to avoid the statless guys. That left a large group of available prospects, all of whom I'd be more then happy to get, each with their own downsides. First there's Del "Rocket" Johnson (.335, 4, 33, 35), a talented second basemen with an elite bat, but we already have Clark Car and Billy Hunter in the system, who rank as the #1 and #2 second basemen in the FABL. Then there's Ike Perry (.518, 5, 36), a high school catcher who mixes Harry Mead's power and Eddie Howard's hit tool, but with Mead and Howard already in the system, a third top 5 catcher seems a bit redundant. One spot we don't have top prospects at is first base, where Nate Power (.308, 13, 45) should have on lock for the next decade for an FABL franchise. But unlike his last name and college numbers would suggest, Tom and OSA think he'll end up more as a contact hitter then a 15+ home run guy. There's also "The Spark Plug" Paul Williams (.467, 5, 36), a bat first left fielder who I would riot if he wasn't a "Sparkplug" for team chemistry, who despite being very raw, as an extremely lofty ceiling. The last choice would be a reach, the Professor Otis Porter (8-2, 2.45, 121), the ace of the Grange College staff who is as bright as it gets and can be fast-tracked to a top of the rotation spot. But in the end, none of these guys got the call. The first top 5 Cougar pick since Tom Barrell a full 15 years ago would be Liberty College alum Johnny Peters.

21 in just four days, Johnny Peters faced the toughest collegiate pitching out there, but still managed to put up two .990+ OPS seasons for the Bells, slashing .300/.425/.565 as a Freshman and .322/.438/.556 as a sophomore. Peters has plenty of pop as well, launching 22 homers so far and I'd be shocked if he fails to match his 9 in 49 games from last season. A lean and athletic outfielder from Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, there's so much to like about Peters, who Tom thinks has an "extremely promising" future and OSA lauds him as "potentially elite". That's high praise for the speedy center fielder, who walked (94) twice as much as he struck out (47) and projects to hit well above .300. Peters is always looking to advance on the bases, whether taking the extra base or swiping a few, but he's smart at the plate, on the base paths, or in the clubhouse. There's no guarantee the power will translate in the big leagues, but only three draft eligible hitters hit more longballs then him this year, with the NAIA leader Nate Power's 13 matching Peters' total from last year. The only question mark with Peters is his defense, but I'd bet on his speed and intelligence patrolling the outfield grass. My main focus of this draft was to add someone who I thought could contribute to the big league roster this season, and depending on how his Junior year goes he could skip the minors all together. I don't have much faith in Orlin Yates, and I'm not sure Don Lee will offer much defensively, so it wouldn't be all that surprising if Johnny ends the Cougars season as the starting center fielder. This kid oozes with big league talent, and we are very lucky to be able to add a prospect with this much talent.

[ayaghmour2]

We were set to pick third in the second round, but we will also now pick second, as we added the Gothams' second rounder in exchange for a pair of big leaguers in Danny Goff Jr. and Jim Dickinson. I've always been high (and still am) on Goff, who can both pitch and play the outfield, but he's still enlisted and post draft we will have an enviable logjam of arms where Johnnie Jones will be the 8th starter and Rusty Petrick and Ken Matson, who each made double digit starts this year, wouldn't even crack the big league roster. This thins things out a bit in the rotation, and we also gave up Jim Dickinson, who while talented, felt a little redundant. We added Ken Mayhugh to play third, and we have a better, younger and higher upside version in George Sutterfield. This gives us the option to add another talented youngster to the system, which will hopefully return to the top five post draft.

2nd Round, 18th Overall: CF Carl Clark
School: Springfield Panthers
1944: .490/.595/.760, 121 PA, 12 2B, 4 3B, 2 HR, 30 RBI, 21 SB
Career: .459/.550/.760, 360 PA, 36 2B, 12 3B, 8 HR, 85 RBI, 67 SB

I really wanted Nate Power with the pick we traded for, but he was snapped up with the final pick in the first round by the Keystones. Instead, I went with my back up option, grabbing another centerfielder in Carl Clark. Set to be a four year starter for the Panthers, Clark improved in each of his previous seasons, setting the stage for a huge senior year. Each year he improved his triple slash, and he set personal bests in WAR (2.7), walks (23), and wOBA (.572). "Fish" doesn't turn 18 until August, so he's on the younger side, but he's already shown a knack for performing when the game is on the line. He controls the strike zone well, and boasted an elite 57-to-13 walk-to-strikeout ratio in 360 trips to the plate. He should also make consistent contact, potentially putting together a few .300+ seasons in his prime. Since he doesn't whiff much, he'll put the ball in play, and could end up showcasing average or better power as well. OSA is a huge fan, tagging him as an elite starting center fielder, and if he can play great defense as well he could reach that lofty projection. Despite impressive tools, he's got plenty of development ahead of him, and the most likely outcomes see him settling in as an every day player. He's not the fastest guy, which may mean his future is in a corner, but I like his bat enough to take the risk. Tom Weinstock ranks him as his #9 bat, with the previous 8 already taken. Clark definitely comes with risk, but it's hard not to get excited about a potential top bat who can handle big game pressure.

2nd Round, 19th Overall: LHP Dutch Yoak
School: La Porte Renegades
1944: 10-0, 101.1 IP, 0.71 ERA, 0.73 WHIP, 17 BB, 180 K
Career: 31-2, 344.2 IP, 1.36 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 86 BB, 524 K

Regardless of who I took with the Gothams pick (or if I even didn't trade for it), I would have selected Dutch Yoak here. My scout is not a big fan of most of the class, with really just Yoak getting a flattering report. He ranks just 12th on his list, but Tom Weinstock thinks he'll develop into a frontline starter. I think that's pushing it now, but he's easily one of the most interesting arms in the class. As a freshman he struggled, with a middling 2.67 ERA and 1.28 WHIP in 107.2 innings pitched. Unhappy with his performance and aided by a lucky growth spurt, Yoak sprouted up to 6'4'' and upped his velocity from 83-85 to 87-89. The skinny southpaw then dominated the state of Texas, going a perfect 23-0 in the next two seasons. He had a stellar 0.76 ERA and 0.74 WHIP with a 16.0 K/9 and 0.3 BB/9. Yoak has been nothing short of dominant, and his 0.76 ERA and 0.73 WHIP were significantly better then any other draft eligible pitcher, and I can only imagine how dominantly he'll be in his aged 18 season. Yoak can overpower even the best of hitters, with three plus pitches headlined by an elite changeup. If he keep the ball in the park and runners off base, we may have another future ace on our hands. That's a tough ask for any pitcher, but he appears far more developed then most prep arms. We can take our time with him and the young lefty may be one of the few pitchers we add to the system this draft.

[ayaghmour2]

3rd Round, 43rd Overall: 3B Pat Todd
School: University Red Devils
1944: .534/.578/.741, 130 PA, 16 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 39 RBI, 5 SB
Career: .519/.558/.732, 262 PA, 33 2B, 2 3B, 4 HR, 71 RBI, 9 SB

We had a long wait between our 2nd and 3rd Round picks, but we still managed to scoop up one of Tom Weinstock's favorite available bats in Pat Todd. Todd wasn't a varsity starter as a freshman, but he burst onto the scene as a sophomore, hitting .504 with 20 extra base hits, 32 RBIs, and just 3 strikeouts in 132 trips to the plate. Todd followed that up with a tremendous junior year, hitting .534 while setting personal bests in hits (62), RBIs, steals, OPS (1.320), wOBA (.559), WAR (2.7), and all three triple slash categories. He still struck out (4) less then half as often as he walked (10), consistently putting the ball in play and in the air. He seems to be the anti-Otto Christian, boasting an elite hit tool with mediocre power, and while I don't think he'll draw many walks, he should be able to maintain Skipper Schneider-esque strikeout rates. He's not a great defender, as he'll struggle with non-routine grounders, but he has a cannon or an arm I'd rather not waste at first base. The recently turned 18-year-old has the tools to flourish in the big leagues, but don't expect him in Chicago any time soon. Otto is still the third basemen of the future, but if something happens to him, Todd is a more then capable replacement.

4th Round, 59th Overall: SS Jim Mako
School: Erasmus Crusaders
1944: N/A
Career: N/A

After netting a "Fish" in the second round, we went up the chain in the 4th Round to select "The Shark" Jim Mako. There wasn't much shortstop depth in this pool, and with most of the good ones already taken, I decided to take a risk on one of the statless players. 18 in May, the Brooklyn native dominated the town ball league and decided to enroll into Erasmus for his senior year. The versatile Mako can fill in at second, third, short, and center, so I imagine first, left, and right wouldn't be very difficult. He has good speed and range, and fields his position well, leading me to believe he can stick at short. He has a strong arm too, which would bode well at third or right if he can't stay up the middle. Mako has a good approach at the plate, and while I don't expect him to hit for much power, he should develop into what some would call a professional hitter. When he puts the ball in play, it tends to go on a line, and with his speed he could rack up a ton of extra base hits. Tom hasn't seen him play very much, but he still thinks he could be an average big leaguer, while OSA is a bit lower and thinks nothing more then a second division starter. I'll be scouting him frequently until he joins us, and I'm hoping the reports will become favorable.

[ayaghmour2]

5th Round, 75th Overall: C Alex O'Dailey
School: Hartford Bulldogs
1944: .430/.492/.614, 131 PA, 14 2B, 2 3B, HR, 32 RBI, 8 SB
Career: .441/.498/.652, 238 PA, 23 2B, 4 3B, 4 HR, 32 RBI, 12 SB

Our first and potentially only catcher we will take in the human portion of the draft, Alex O'Dailey is a two year starter at Hartford. O'Dailey was about equally productive in each season, but the two years couldn't have been any different. As a sophomore he hit for more home run power and a higher average, but it came with fewer gap hits and walks. I'm hoping he'll take the step forward as a senior, but even if he doesn't, there is plenty to like about the 17-year-old backstop. He hits too many grounders, but has a nice swing that should lead to solid bat to ball skills. His eye is underdeveloped, but closer to his peak he'll start drawing more walks. In a class that already saw 10 backstops selected by FABL clubs, OSA and Tom Weinstock are surprisingly fond of him, with OSA viewing him as a "productive regular on a contending team" and Tom expecting him to be an "above average, everyday big league player." These are lofty projections I don't think he'll live up to, but he's a capable defender who can definitely hit average for a catcher. "Mr. Semi Automatic" Bill Martin will start the season as the everyday catcher in La Crosse, and while I'm not sure he's necessarily ready for San Jose yet, there's no one up there to get in the way of his playing time. Martin and O'Dailey will likely end up fighting for the right to be Eddie Howard's backup, but for now they'll both get every day at bats as they look to make their claim.

6th Round, 91st Overall: RHP Jim N. Smith
School: Georgia Baptist Gators
1944: 5-9, 131.1 IP, 4.52 ERA, 1.64 WHIP, 80 BB, 108 K
Career: 5-9, 131.1 IP, 4.52 ERA, 1.64 WHIP, 80 BB, 108 K

After Dutch Yoak, the remaining pitchers were all pretty interchangeable. There were some good ones, but I knew they wouldn't last 24 picks between our 2nd and 3rd. Despite that, I am actually very excited to add Jim N. Smith to our organization. To distinguish himself from the crowd, the N stands for "Noodles", which was the icing on the cake for selecting the Gators starter. Smith went just 5-9 as a sophomore, but he had a big offseason and really improved his stuff. A five pitch pitcher, Noodles won't overpower, but his bag of tricks houses five quality pitches. His change is the best offering, and really only his mid 80s cutter isn't effective. If he ups his velocity, it'll be a huge boost, but even if this is his cap he's got the chance to be a decent enough innings eater. Smith is one of those low ceiling, high floor pitchers that could end up a back-end starter, and he should be able to start his minor league career in Lincoln. It will be interesting to see how his junior season goes, as I'm sure it will be much better then his sophomore showing.

[ayaghmour2]

7th Round, 103rd Overall: LF Clyde Parker
School: Liberty Bluejays
1944: .512/.584/.860, 102 PA, 11 2B, 2 3B, 5 HR, 29 RBI, 14 SB
Career: .516/.584/.847, 229 PA, 26 2B, 8 3B, 7 HR, 60 RBI, 30 SB

I think I have a penchant for collecting 7th Round Picks, as we've had multiple 7th Rounders in six of the last seven drafts. Am I subconsciously trying to find the next Harry Parker? Perhaps, as before he was our lone 7th Rounder in 1934, we had just one year of multiple 7ths while we now have had seven years in the next eleven with at least two 7th round selections. This year we'll add a trio of youngsters, starting with a Parker! The 18-year-old left fielder Clyde Parker hit .500 in each of his two seasons so far, boasting a tremendous hit tool. Tom Weinstock expects Parker to challenge for batting titles, and the hard worker showed some power potential last season while upping his homer total from 2 to 5. Whether he can maintain that at the big league level is a tough ask, but with ~10 homer potential the lefty could develop into another Leo Mitchell type player. The one difference is the eye, as Clyde should walk more and strikeout less then Mitchell (but to be fair, almost everyone strikes out less). Parker is pretty quick too, and while that doesn't mean he has the range for center, he should be a capable defender in left or right, and he has some experience at first as well. Corner bats aren't in high demand, so it's not overly surprising Parker fell, but the Missouri native still projects to be an average big leaguer. He's got a tough path ahead of him, but never bet against someone with a strong work ethic.

7th Round, 107th Overall: SS Rupert Heinbaugh
School: Weedsport Warriors
1944: .452/.519/.730, 132 PA, 17 2B, 6 3B, HR, 32 RBI, 31 SB
Career: .452/.519/.730, 132 PA, 17 2B, 6 3B, HR, 32 RBI, 31 SB

I really wanted to get Pete Butler, but he went right before me after a long wait. Instead, I grabbed our second shortstop of the draft, adding 18-year-old Rupert Heinbaugh. He didn't play until his junior season, and while his hitting wasn't any special, scouts loved his glove. OSA calls him a defensive asset and Tom thinks he'll be above average at short. His speed relates to his range on the diamond, but he won't steal many bases. That's not a problem, as I'd much rather him display range over base stealing ability. Heinbaugh won't hit for much power, but he has a strong hit tool and could hit .300 a few times if he develops into a big leaguer player. His versatility will always give him a chance to break a roster spot, and if he can keep the whiffs in check and place the ball in play consistently, he could be a threat on the bases. He's on the right track already, striking out just 3 times while drawing 13 walks. He's young, so there's a lot of time for him to develop, but he's got a reasonable floor as as utility guy and a chance to be a second division starter.

7th Round, 110th Overall: RHP Steve Davis
School: Brownwood Lions
1944: 9-1, 108 IP, 1.75 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 43 BB, 146 K
Career: 9-1, 108 IP, 1.75 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 43 BB, 146 K

Finishing the round with a pitcher, we nabbed yet another high schooler in righty Steve Davis. Like Rupert, "Scuff" made his high school debut as a junior, but it wasn't the greatest season. His ERA was below 2, but his FIP was 1.93 and he walked 3.6 batters per nine. His stuff isn't great yet, but he throws six different pitches and he just needs at least three of them to be average or better. He's not the hardest thrower yet, sitting in the 86-88 range with his fastball and sinker. None of the pitches really stand out yet, but he mixes all six well and can really cause hitters fits. He does a good job keeping the ball in the park, but he's not necessarily a ground ball pitcher. His sinker can get ground outs when needed, but he doesn't need to rely on it. His major issue now is control, as walks can be an issue, but there's a lot of room for growth. He's a well liked teammate who is good for clubhouse morale. OSA thinks Davis can be a frontline starter, I think that's a little much, but six pitch 7th Rounder? What's not to like!

8th Round, 123rd Overall: RHP Jim Williams
School: Chicopee Pacers
1944: 4-2, 69 IP, 1.70 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 21 BB, 78 K
Career: 15-3, 219.1 IP, 1.27 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 49 BB, 269 K

With the draft all in January now, the human portion will last just 8 rounds, so this is the last pick for now. After dominating as a freshman and sophomore, Jim Williams took a step back as a Junior. A 1.70 ERA and 1.03 WHIP aren't bad by any means, but after a 1.05 and 1.11 ERA with WHIPs of 0.81 and 0.88 it seems far less impressive. That's not the biggest concern for the towering 6'4'' righty, as he's made just 27 starts in 47 appearances and has yet to top 80 innings in a season. It will be interesting to see if his senior year compares closer to his junior year or his first two dominant seasons. In an ideal world, he'll start more of his games, but I don't think that's the type of player he is. He is throwing a little harder this season, but 88-90 may be his max. An extreme groundballer, he relies heavily on his sinker, but but his curve and circle change are both average. The sinker has very good life, making it really hard to hit his pitches over the fences, and he can live on the corners when he's in the groove. An extraordinarily hard worker, Williams' mantra is "no pain no gain", and with his size he could be one of the better pitchers in the game. If he can fill out a bit more, perhaps he'll pitch deeper into games, and he can push past being just a generic fifth starter. The key to that will be his K/BB, which dropped from 7.3 and 6.4 to just 2.7, and I don't expect him to dominate enough to make that worth it. There is plenty to like about Williams, but he's a huge risk, and we're betting more on his projectability then his raw talent.

[ayaghmour2]

In my solo leagues, I like to look back at my old draft classes after 20 years have passed to judge how successful (or unsuccessful) the specific class was. Generally, 20 years after draft day, all the players are retired and you have their whole careers to judge. Even if they aren't (looking at you 1921 draftee Dick Lyons), there is still plenty to go off of, and you can tell quite easily if they were a bust or steal.

The FABL draft has gone through plenty of changes, but we are now 20 years from the first ever human draft. There are plenty of differences, starting with the simple fact that it was just 15 rounds. Not only that, but all 15 rounds were done in December, we had feeder leagues, and I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. Not only was this my first ever stats-only draft, but I had very little experience playing without ratings. I really wish I had reports back then (not that they would have been any good) to compare what I predicted their careers would end up to be, as opposed to how they actually were. Despite that, we had a decent amount of big leaguers come out of the class, even if the only notable one was the one who came first.

1st Round, 4th Overall: 2B Bill Ashbaugh
School: Washington Huskies
1928 (CHC): .287/.358/.483, 153 G, 679 PA, 13 2B, 13 3B, 25 HR, 101 RBI, 9 SB, 2.9 WAR
1929 (CHC): .346/.399/.577, 124 G, 541 PA, 22 2B, 10 3B, 23 HR, 101 RBI, 13 SB, 150 WRC+, 3.9 WAR
1930 (CHC): .321/.414/.531, 152 G, 657 PA, 21 2B, 24 3B, 16 HR, 131 RBI, 13 SB, 137 WRC+, 5.7 WAR
1931 (CHC): .326/.383/.452, 151 G, 665 PA, 27 2B, 8 3B, 11 HR, 95 RBI, 14 SB, 137 WRC+, 4.6 WAR
1932 (CHC): .319/.384/.470, 153 G, 658 PA, 24 2B, 13 3B, 13 HR, 93 RBI, 9 SB, 138 WRC+, 4.9 WAR
1933 (CHC): .291/.344/.453, 137 G, 585 PA, 24 2B, 15 3B, 11 HR, 75 TBI, 6 SB, 135 WRC+, 3.7 WAR
Career (FABL): .307/.373/.485, 1,242 G, 5,232 PA, 185 2B, 113 3B, 136 HR, 814 RBI, 86 SB, 132 WRC+, 32.6 WAR

Clearly the class of our class, Bill Ashbaugh was one of the most talented bats available in the class, and arguably the best and closest to big league ready. Ashbaugh spent just over a year and a half in the minors, but quickly debuted at 23 during the 1927 season. The talented slugger burst on to the scene, appearing in 78 games and hitting .330/.402/.560 (161 OPS+) with 10 doubles, 7 triples, 15 homers, 55 RBIs, and 8 stolen bases. Ashbaugh seized his lineup spot, whether that meant at second or first, and was a big part of the Cougars lineup from 1928 to 1933. In that period, he had an OPS+ and WRC+ of at least 130, tallying 131 doubles, 83 triples, 99 homers, and 596 RBIs. In '28, '29, and '30, he had 100 or more RBIs, led the league in walks in 1930 with 91, and then was a huge part of the 1931 Cougars team that won the World Championship Series. Unfortunately for Ashbaugh, injuries started to take a tole on him during the '33 season, and after that year he only appeared in 80 or more games once before just 29 games total in '37 and '38. Ashbaugh was eventually cut during the 1939 season, and while he did get 30 games in AAA with the Dynamos affiliate, he called it career at 35 after the '39 season. I've always wanted to know what could have been had Ashbaugh stayed healthy, as he finished his career with a robust 132 WRC+ in over 1,200 big league games, and had 100 or more of each type of extra base hit. He was a very successful first ever Figment pick, and one of the most popular Cougars of his time. Would have loved to hire him as a manager for our system, but the now 40-year-old Ashbaugh has instead decided to enjoy retirement.

2nd Round, 20th Overall: SS Hank Mitchell
School: California Golden Bears
Career (AA): .267/.341/.346, 434 G, 1,577 PA, 72 2B, 7 3B, 1 HR, 163 RBI, 15 SB, 88 WRC+, 3.5 WAR
Career (FABL): .000/.000/.000, 3 G, 8 PA, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 0 SB

Inexperience strikes! I took the safe pick with Ashbaugh in the 1st, but got a little more creative in the 2nd Round, grabbing my favorite type of player; a versatile and athletic switch hitting shortstop. My scout at the time also really liked him, thinking he could be an every day big leaguer, but Mitchell never ended up ranking high on the prospect rankings, and got just a handful of big league games. Mitchell's value came in his versatility, and he played plenty 40 or more games at every position except pitcher and catcher, while appearing in 300 or more at both middle infield spots. Mitchell was an obvious miss, but the second Mitchell we picked up in the 2nd Round? I heard he's pretty good!

3rd Round, 36th Overall: LF Dick Fessel
School: Ole Miss Rebels
1929 (CHC): .306/.365/.394, 108 G, 359 PA, 14 2B, 4 3B, 2 HR, 40 RBI, 13 SB, 94 WRC+, 0.3 WAR
Career (FABL): .296/.363/.389, 261 G, 793 PA, 29 2B, 9 3B, 6 HR, 78 RBI, 22 SB, 102 WRC+, 2.0 WAR

Well if you measure success as playing in the big leagues, we're three-for-three! Yes, Ashbaugh is the only "hit", but Fessel did play for three seasons in the big leagues, including one year with 108 games played. Despite being a third rounder, Fessel didn't start regularly in '26 or '27 (inexperience, yay!), but 1928 was a huge season. He hit well in AA and AAA, and got to debut later that season. Fessel started all 77 of his appearances, and hit a respectable .273/.357/.349 (97 OPS+) with 8 doubles, 2 triples, 3 homers, 25 RBIs, and 8 steals. He got a full season of starts in '29, but it was his last opportunity, as the Cougars started getting good and Fessel was past up by plenty of better players. We cut him in '31, and he bounced around the minors a bit, but he finished his career with an even 100 OPS+, better then most hitters can say.

4th Round, 52nd Overall: C Ken Wyatt
School: Sacramento HS Governors
Career (AAA): .262/.323/.370, 521 G, 1,670 PA, 122 2B, 4 3B, 10 HR, 238 RBI, 1 SB, 81 WRC+, 3.8 WAR
Career (FABL): .167/.286/.167, 6 G, 8 PA, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, 20 WRC+, -0.0 WAR

Four-for-four! Yes, another lame one, as Ken Wyatt played just 6 big league games, all coming off the bench. Wyatt was a minor league lifer, spending all but 8 of his professional games in the minors. After debuting with San Jose in 1926, he managed to play a game in each season until 1941, and his entire career was spent in our organization. Wyatt always had a decent glove, but just couldn't hit. We needed him once as a last resort, but he could never quite grasp and keep a chance.

5th Round, 68th Overall: LHP Phil English
School: Penn State Nittany Lions
1929 (NYS): 11-6, 19 SV, 55 G, 8 GS, 123.2 IP, 3.06 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 38 BB, 58 K, 146 ERA+, 1.2 WAR
1932 (NYS): 1-5, 7 SV, 38 G, 79.1 IP, 3.18 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 27 BB, 39 K, 131 ERA+, 1.1 WAR
1937 (TOR): 2-2, 14 SV, 47 G, 55.1 IP, 1.46 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 23 BB, 33 K, 276 ERA+, 0.9 WAR
Career (NYS): 26-25, 44 SV, 214 G, 8 GS, 423.2 IP, 4.33 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 180 BB, 202 K, 95 ERA+, 1.7 WAR
Career (TOR): 28-21, 53 SV, 294 G, 423.2 IP, 3.08 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 138 BB, 153 K, 133 ERA+, 3.9 WAR
Career (FABL): 54-46, 97 SV, 508 G, 8 GS, 777 IP, 3.76 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 318 BB, 355 K, 110 ERA+, 5.6 WAR

The first pitcher we took also happens to be the only player still active, as a 40-year-old Phil English is still alive and kicking for the Toronto Wolves. The tiny 5'5'' hurler didn't spend too much time in our organization, as he was part of a five player trade with the Stars that brought us Bob McCarty and Pat Schuring. English debuted during the next season, tossing 40.2 innings for the Stars. It didn't go great, but he took it to the next step as a sophomore, tossing 123.2 innings, with 47 of his 55 appearances coming out of the pen. He led the league with 19 saves, and finished 11-6 with a 3.06 ERA (146 ERA+), 1.20 WHIP, 38 walks, and 58 strikeouts. He took a step back the next two seasons, but turned things right back around in 1932 for the Champion Stars. He threw 79.1 innings pitched with a 3.18 ERA (131 ERA+) and 1.31 WHIP with 27 walks and 39 strikeouts. Unfortunately for English, the next two seasons didn't go well, and it looked like the 30-year-old relievers career was coming to a close. The Stars waived him in the offseason, but the Wolves took a chance on him, claiming and keeping a roster spot for the righty.

English revived himself as a Wolf, going 3-4 with 7 saves in 40.2 innings for the Wolves in 1935. He had a nice 3.76 ERA (116 ERA+) and 1.52 WHIP with 14 walks and 23 strikeouts. English improved in '36, saving 11 games with a 3.64 ERA (125 ERA+) and 1.49 WHIP before taking a huge leap forward. English had one of the best seasons for a reliever in the modern era, going 2-2 with 14 saves, a 1.46 ERA (276 ERA+), 1.17 WHIP, 23 walks, and 33 strikeouts in 55.1 innings pitched. For the next four seasons, he's alternated good and bad years, but the veteran has been excellent in the war years. It's came in limited innings, just 16.2, 28.2, and 26.1, but those samples have came with ERA+s of 203, 361, and 130. He'll be 41 to start next season, and it seems he'll still get a chance to pitch a few innings out of the Wolves pen. He'll look to add to his 777 FABL inning total. His 110 ERA+ is a bit above average, but at times English has been a lockdown pen arm. Ashbaugh has been far more successful, but it's tough to beat English's longevity. He was a huge success, even if it didn't come with us, and a pretty nice find in the 5th Round.

6th Round, 84th Overall: SS Clyde Hinzman
School: Washington DC HS Senators
Career (AAA): .286/.356/.403, 638 G, 2,372 PA, 121 2B, 18 3B, 29 HR, 323 RBI, 39 SB, 109 WRC+, 15.5 WAR
Career (TOR): .257/.337/.360, 183 G, 670 PA, 28 2B, 9 3B, 5 HR, 50 RBI, 3 SB, 100 WRC+, 3.0 WAR
Career (FABL): .250/.327/.342, 283 G, 1,039 PA, 44 2B, 10 3B, 7 HR, 97 RBI, 3 SB, 88 WRC+, 2.7 WAR

Despite lasting until the 6th Round, Clyde Hinzman ended up being a rather well regarded prospect, cracking the top 100 in 1928, topping out at 64 while maintaining the top 100 rank until he aged out. Hinzman did debut with us, making 4 appearances in 1930 before we sent him to the Wolves in the offseason for Cy Bryant, who was instrumental in our 1931 Championship. He spent the next three seasons split between the farm and Toronto, before we picked him up in May of 1934 as we were desperate for shortstops. The cost ended up being higher then I expected, as we sent away Reginald Westfall, who still plays for the Wolves now. Hinzman made 68 starts in 80 appearances, slashing just .230/.310/.302 (68 OPS+) before eventually losing the starting job. He got into 1 game the next season for us and 15 more in '36, which ended up being his last appearance in the big leagues. He spent '37 in Milwaukee before we cut him, and he then bounced around team to team until '41 when he eventually retired. Hinzman profiled as an big league regular, and while he never got many shots to play every day, he tended to struggle when he did. Still, most 6th Rounders don't even get a cup of coffee, and Hinzman got the equivalent of two FABL seasons split between seven seasons.

7th Round, 100th Overall: 2B Rabbit Forrest
School: Cleveland HS Barons
1930 (PHI): .342/.388/.422, 147 G, 649 PA, 29 2B, 9 3B, 0 HR, 94 RBI, 3 SB, 114 WRC+, 3.7 WAR
1931 (PHI): .308/.355/.405, 154 G, 695 PA, 28 2B, 17 3B, 0 HR, 85 RBI, 3 SB, 106 WRC+, 3.3 WAR
1933 (PHI): .331/.385/.406, 107 G, 486 PA, 15 2B, 9 3B, 0 HR, 45 RBI, 6 SB, 121 WRC+, 3.8 WAR
Career (AAA): .274/.351/.372, 474 G, 2,039 PA, 75 2B, 43 3B, 5 HR, 168 RBI, 31 SB, 107 WRC+, 11.6 WAR
Career (PHI): .298/.356/.388, 989 G, 3,890 PA, 145 2B, 84 3B, 1 HR, 419 RBI, 36 SB, 101 WRC+, 16.7 WAR
Career (FABL): .296/.355/.386, 1,026 G, 4,017 PA, 150 2B, 85 3B, 1 HR, 429 RBI, 36 SB, 100 WRC+, 17.1 WAR

While technically active, Rabbit Forrest had a major concussion this August, and likely won't get another shot to play in the big leagues. The 100th pick in the 1925 draft, Forrest has appeared in 1,026 FABL games, with all but 37 of them coming with the Keystones. Never known for hitting for power, he hit just one homer in 4,017 FABL PAs, and my guess is that lone homer was of the inside the park variety. Forrest never played in the big leagues for us, as we traded him the summer before his debut. Him and Johnny Douglas went to the Keystones for Joe King and a 2nd Rounder, that ended up being Mel Leonard. On the surface, we probably lost that trade, but Leonard ended up getting us Bobby Sprague, coming back with Orlin Yates and Milt Fritz, and then finally getting us George K. Brooks, who was part of the John Lawson deal.

Forrest had plenty of success with the Keystones, and was a member of the 1933 team who topped us in the finals. His rookie season was arguably the best of the bunch, as he hit .342/.388/.422 (109 OPS+) with 29 doubles, 9 triples, and 94 RBIs. He didn't have a sophomore slump, hitting a similar .308/.355/.405 (103 OPS+) in a career high 695 trips to the plate. Those two years accounted for 2/3rds of his seasons with 100+ games started, with the other coming in '33, where he missed about a month and a half with injury. His 120 OPS+ was the best of his career, and he had only one above average showing in the seasons following. He only had one other stop with more then 400 PAs, transitioning into a mainly bench player who got starts if a spot in the lineup opened up. He finished his Keystone career with a slightly above average 101 WRC+ in 989 games played from 1930-1939. He then took a few years off from the FABL, but surfaced in 1942 with the Dynamos. He hit just .226/.325/.292 (80 OPS+) in 127 PAs, and spent the last two seasons in AAA St. Paul. At 37, he likely won't have much of a market, but an independent team could potentially scoop him up once healthy.

8th Round, 116th Overall: RF Ralph Collier
School: Philadelphia HS Patriots
Career (A): .286/.356/.366, 322 G, 822 PA, 24 2B, 5 3B, 8 HR, 80 RBI, 30 SB, 93 WRC+, 1.7 WAR

The first of our picks to fail to reach the big leagues, Ralph Collier didn't get much playing time, but filled our system from 1926-1934. He spent most of his time in A ball, where he played 322 games. A lot of them came after his time with the Cougars, as he spent time with the Independent Denver Plainsman, Des Moines Bears, and Tulsa Roughnecks. Not much special about Collier, but you can't hit on all your picks.

9th Round, 132nd Overall: RHP Dan Smith
School: North Carolina Tar Heels
Career (A): 37-17, 10 SV, 143 G, 55 GS, 566.2 IP, 2.89 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 235 BB, 465 K, 152 ERA+, 11.3 WAR

After an excellent three year run at North Carolina, Chicagoan Dan Smith was the second pitcher taken by the Cougars in the inaugural human draft. The numbers were great, as he went 12-11 with a 2.49 ERA (174 ERA+) and 1.22 WHIP with 122 walks and 244 strikeouts in 278 innings pitched. He got off to a great start in Lincoln, going 15-7 with a 3.65 ERA (121 ERA+) in 219.2 innings pitched, but the success was short lived. He ended up going on waivers, moving to the Cleveland system, where he spent a pair of seasons in AA before heading to the Gothams system. He threw a no-hitter during the 1930 season, but that was the last highlight for Smith, who retired in 1935 with just 30.2 innings at the AAA level.

10th Round, 148th Overall: LF Curt Ross
School: Los Angeles HS Leopards
Career (AA): .313/.381/.415, 537 G, 2,121 PA, 91 2B, 29 3B, 14 HR, 190 RBI, 150 SB, 111 WRC+, 9.4 WAR
Career (FABL): .000/.000/.000, 2 G, 4 PA, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, -129 WRC+, -0.1 WAR

I totally forgot that it happened, but 10th Rounder Curt Ross did play for the Cougars, making a start and pinch hit appearance in 1933. He went just 0-for-4, and was then DFA'd in the offseason. He was claimed by the Kings, and played 53 games for their AA affiliate, before being cut by the Kings. He spent three and a half seasons with San Antonio of the Lone Star Association and then a final year in El Paso before calling it quits. The speedy outfielder didn't have too much success, but his 1936 season with the Missions was very impressive. Ross hit .356/.420/.460 (136 OPS+) with 19 doubles, 30 steals, 31 walks, and 26 RBIs in 331 trips to the plate.

11th Round, 164th Overall: 1B Luke Nixon
School: Indiana Hoosiers
Career (A): .313/.402/.495, 676 G, 2,693 PA, 129 2B, 31 3B, 75 HR, 385 RBI, 104 SB, 141 WRC+, 19.7 WAR
1929 (CHC): .328/.375/.467, 88 G, 367, 17 2B, 7 3B, 5 HR, 51 RBI, 11 SB, 120 WRC+, 1.5 WAR
Career (CLE): .286/.344/.416, 149 G, 430 PA, 22 2B, 8 3B, 4 HR, 38 RBI, 8 SB, 103 WRC+, 1.7 WAR
Career (FABL): .305/.357/.438, 240 G, 804 PA, 30 2B, 15 3B, 9 HR, 91 RBI, 19 SB, 110 WRC+, 3.2 WAR

Taken in the 11th Round, Luke Nixon spent his first full seasons in Lincoln, recording OPS+ of 101, 152, and 155 before making the jump to AAA at 24 in 1929. Despite the big jump, Nixon didn't have any trouble, slashing .382/.456/.541 (167 OPS+) with 10 doubles, 3 triples, 3 homers, 7 steals, and 27 RBIs in 37 games. His mix of speed and power from the first base position was pretty impressive, and it earned him a callup to Chicago to be our everyday first basemen. Nixon had an impressive rookie season, hitting an impressive .328/.375/.467 (117 OPS+) with 17 doubles, 7 triples, 5 homers, 11 steals, and 51 RBIs in 88 games to finish the season. Nixon's time in Chicago was short-lived, as he was part of a very important trade. We sent Nixon, Harry Parker, Pat Schuring (part of the Forrest trade), and Ben Richardson to the Foresters for Max Wilder and Russ Combs, which helped us win a pair of pennants in '31 and '33. Nixon was given a roster spot for the Foresters, but hit just .276 in 50 games the following season with a 87 WRC+ and just a single homer. His playing time was sporadic the next few seasons, before they waived him an we claimed him. Nixon made 7 PAs in '33, which was the last of his big league experience, but most of that season and the two that followed came in Milwaukee. We cut him before the '36 season, which he sat out, before spending two and a half seasons with the Tulsa Roughnecks of the Western Baseball League. His '37 season was one to remember for Roughnecks fans, as he hit an elite .316/.410/.580 (172 OPS+) with 29 doubles, 27 homers, 86 RBIs, and 34 steals. Nixon was always a talented hitter, but his lack of defensive talent made it hard for him to secure regular playing time.

12th Round, 180th Overall: LF Earl Johnson
School: Chicago HS Wildcats
Career (AAA): .300/.368/.489, 710 G, 3,008 PA, 148 2B, 57 3B, 81 HR, 403 RBI, 188 SB, 126 WRC+, 14.9 WAR
Career (FABL): .222/.311/.315, 40 G, 61 PA, 3 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 5 RBI, 2 SB, 83 WRC+, 0.1 WAR

Another draftee with just a small cup of coffee, Earl Johnson grew up in the Chicagoland area, and was known more for who he was traded for, then himself. The speedy outfielder quickly worked his way up our system, reaching AAA in 1929 after an elite 147 OPS+ in parts of two seasons with the Commodores. He upped that to 148 in 69 games with the Blues the following season, before getting sent to the Gothams with Lou Gaffin for 28-year-old swingman Dick Leudtke. Leudtke was average for us to finish the season, with more of the same in our championship year, but Leudtke broke out in '32. He led the league in wins (19), ERA (2.79), WHIP (1.15), and BABIP (.257) in an Allen worthy season. Unfortunately for Luedtke, that was his peak, but he had a 2.87 ERA (126 ERA+) and 1.22 WHIP the following season as we returned to the World Championship series. It was his last above average season, but Johnson helped us net a pitcher who finished his career with 104 FABL victories and a 23.8 WAR in 1,740 innings pitched.

Johnson, on the other hand, debuted for the Gothams during Luedtke's dominant 1932 season, going 3-for-5 with a double, walk, 2 RBIs, and 2 steals. It was easily the best sample of his career, as he struggled in 33 games for the Gothams the following season. He hit just .184/.259/.265 (46 OPS+) with 2 doubles, a triple, and 3 RBIs. He did put up impressive AAA numbers that season and the two following, but Johnson never got another chance in the big leagues. He was cut after the '35 season, and bounced around a bit before retiring after the '38 season. He had a nice two-year run for the Galveston Gunners, and Johnson was the classic AAAA type player who could succeed in the farm, but not at the games highest level.

13th Round, 196th Overall: RF Ed Rhoden
School: Chicago HS Wildcats
Career (AA): .307/.369/.437, 1,545 G, 6,622 PA, 316 2B, 108 3B, 78 HR, 785 RBI, 252 SB, 122 WRC+, 39.5 WAR
Career (FABL): .169/.268/.211, 25 G, 82 PA, 3 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 6 RBI, 3 SB, 33 WRC+, -0/4 WAR

Speaking of the Galveston Gunners, Ed Rhoden is a living legend for them, appearing in a team high 1,426 games with a team best 1,663 career hits. Rhoden has played 11 seasons for the Gunners, and is ready for a 12th at 37, hitting .304/.367/.429 with 285 doubles, 94 triples, 72 homers, 247 steals, and 720 RBIs while worth an impressive 36.5 wins above replacement. Rhoden is all over the Gunners leaderboard, ranked 4th in average, OBP, and slugging, 1st in WAR, at bats (5,478), runs (858), total bases (2,352), triples, and walks (568), while 2nd in doubles, RBIs, and homers. From '34 to '44, he's had an OPS+ above 100, and is coming off a season he hit .326/.396/.382 (109 OPS+) with 9 doubles, 4 triples, a homer, and 43 RBIs in 403 trips to the plate.

Before he was a Gunners legend, however, Rhoden was a Cougar prospect who worked his way up to Chicago. After splitting his 1930 season between Mobile and Milwaukee, Rhoden got the call to Chicago, earning a cup of coffee in September. He was 2-for-12 with a double, 5 walks, and an RBI, and he got another small sample the next year. It was just 7 PAs, but he doubled, walked twice, and drove in two. Rhoden was back in Milwaukee for the '32 season, but we needed an injury replacement for Russ Combs, so Rhoden was sent to Brooklyn for Arnold Bower. Rhoden was hitting .368/.433/.624 (180 OPS+) at the time of the trade, but slumped to a more average .281/.324/.434 (104 OPS+) in 70 games with AAA Rochester. The Kings still wanted to see what they had, so Rhoden came up later in the season, but he couldn't get it going in Brooklyn. Rhoden got into 16 games, starting all but two, but the 25-year-old hit a rather pitiful .148/.190/.167 (-2 OPS+). He was banished to the farm for the '33 season, and eventually cut Opening Day in 1934. That's when his career took off for the Gunners, and Rhoden has been content mashing in Texas the rest of the way.

14th Round, 212nd Overall: CF Sam Reeves
School: Baltimore HS Terrapins
Career (B): .320/.389/.461, 291 G, 1,076 PA, 71 2B, 21 3B, 7 HR, 133 RBI, 53 SB, 123 WRC+, 5.2 WAR
Career (AA): .292/.330/.431, 326 G, 1,208 PA, 89 2B, 24 3B, 6 HR, 180 RBI, 23 SB, 103 WRC+, 4.6 WAR

A versatile youngster, Reeves got time at first, third, left, center, and right, which helped him spend 11 seasons in the Cougars organization. He was more of a roster filler then an everyday guy, but he made 100 appearances in '29, '31, and '32 before hanging up the cleats after not playing a game during the 1937 season. Reeves got just 14 games in AAA, spending most of his time in San Jose or Mobile.

15th Round, 228th Overall: 3B Frank Johnson
School: Spartanburg HS Spartans
Career (B): .259/.347/.348, 287 G, 717 PA, 35 2B, 1 3B, 6 HR, 79 RBI, 0 SB, 96 WRC+, 3.0 WAR
Career (AA): .281/.344/.374, 233 G, 951 PA, 43 2B, 4 3B, 9 HR, 129 RBI, 1 SB, 83 WRC+, 1.8 WAR

Wrapping up the class was Frank Johnson, who was a 15th Rounder of the Dynamos in 1924 as well. It was hard for Johnson to get much playing time in our system, appearing in 100 games just once back in 1930, where 109 of his 119 games came with the Legislators. He was cut during the '33 season, but then bounced around the independent circuit. Before retiring in 1937, he appeared in games with the Pueblo Mountaineers, Waco Wranglers, Fort Worth Cattlemen, and Denver Plainsman.

Summary
Despite just one star, and an expected one at that with a 4th Overall Pick, the 1925 Cougars draft class was pretty solid. Bill Ashbaugh was an impact player for nine seasons before injuries started to take their toll. Phil English and Rabbit Forrest were both suitable role players and both Dick Fessel and Luke Nixon had solid seasons for some real bad teams, while Nixon and Earl Johnson helped net some really good players. The pitching was weak, but English has been a dependable back-end pen arm and we only selected two pitchers in the first ten rounds. The class could have been better, but all things considered, the '25 class exceeded my expectations.

FABL Totals
Big League Debuts: 10 (of 15)
Parts of 5 Seasons: 5
Parts of 10 Seasons: 3
Parts of 15 Seasons: 1
500 Games: 3
1,000 Games: 2
500 PA Seasons: 9
1,000 Career PAs: 2
2,500 Career PAs: 2
5,000 Career PAs: 1
100 Inning Seasons: 1
500 Career Innings: 1
10 Win Seasons: 1
50 Career Wins: 1
50 Career Saves: 1
4 WAR Seasons: 3
Total WAR: 62.5

[ayaghmour2]

It has felt like years, but baseball is back once again! The air in the Cougar clubhouse is much different this season, as for the first time in I'm not sure how long, I don't think we'll be competing for a pennant. After our pathetic collapse last year, the offseason couldn't have gone much worse. Not only did the Wolves (return of Garrison) and Cannons (return of Barrell and acquisition of Gifford and Sheppard) get quality players back, we lost three of the most valuable hitters in the CA last season. Our top three in the rotation is solid, but we won't score nearly as many runs this season, and with the war coming to a close, I don't really want to add to what's going to be an enviable group of high quality players with not nearly enough spots to put them. Still, we should be competitive, and with a lot of newly opened spots, we will have a very exciting spring with plenty of battles. Here's who is in camp for 1945:

RHP Bill Anderson
RHP Roy Carey
RHP Ben Curtin*
RHP Rube Finegan
LHP Ed Fisler
RHP Art Gilbert
RHP Jack Huston
RHP Charlie Kelsey
LHP Cal Knight
RHP Angel Lopez
LHP Dick Lyons*
RHP Harry MacRae
RHP Ken Matson
RHP George Oddo
RHP Harry Parker*
RHP Rusty Petrick
RHP Billy Riley*
RHP Joe Swank
RHP Merritt Thomas
RHP Mike Thorpe
RHP Bill Tuttle
LHP Art White*
C Homer Guthrie
C Gene Lee
C Harry Mead*
C Mike Taylor*
1B Norm Anderson
1B Chris Smith
1B Dick Walker*
2B Bill Dickens
2B Jimmie James*
2B Walt Layton
3B Steve Jones
3B Ken Mayhugh*
3B Danny Richardson
SS Tip Harrison*
SS Ollie Page
SS Steve Rosko
SS Skipper Schneider*
SS George Sutterfield
LF Huck Hanes
LF Billy Jordan Jr.
LF Rich Langton*
LF Jim Madsen
CF Leo Davis
CF Don Lee*
CF Hop Villers
CF Orlin Yates*
RF Chick Browning
RF Cliff Moss*
RF Bill Rich

*Denotes guaranteed roster spot

Camp Battles
Pitching Staff: 3
Inside Edge: Cal Knight, Ken Matson, Rusty Petrick, Angel Lopez
50/50: Bill Anderson, Merritt Thomas, Jack Huston, Mike Thorpe
Outside Looking In: Harry MacRae, Rube Finegan, Charlie Kelsey

Our pitching staff will be a little, how should I put this, interesting this season. There is a clear disconnect between the top three, Harry Parker, Billy Riley, and Art White, and the rest of the pack. So to account for this and hopefully maximize our production, I will use and abbreviated three man rotation, so the trio can get as many starts as possible. That means that the rest of the staff will contain of Dick Lyons, Ben Curtin, and three others, with all but Curtin likely in line to get starts based on who we are playing, last time they pitched, and how many games we have during the week. In hindsight, I wish Lyons hung up the cleats, as he took a huge step back during the offseason, and is probably going to be the worst pitcher in the FABL this year. Unfortunately, I'm too attached to our ageless wonder, and there's no way I can option or cut him in good conscience. I did make things a little easier for us, sending veteran Mike Murphy back to Detroit for a 10th Rounder. Murphy is still a decent starting option, but we have plenty of younger options I don't want to send down.

That leaves three spots for arms, and far more then three worthy arms to take those spots. Angel Lopez seems likely to start the season as the "4th Starter" and OSA goes far enough to list him in their top 10 for pitchers in their spring training predictions. Lopez only made one big league appearance last year, but was elite in AAA, going 17-6 with a 2.38 ERA (150 ERA+), 1.20 WHIP, 58 walks, and 72 strikeouts in 27 starts. Clyde Meyer slots Lopez into the 4th role, and ranks him far ahead of his closest competition in Rusty Petrick, Ken Matson, Mike Thorpe, and Cal Knight. Thorpe and Matson are penciled into the 5 and 6 spot, but I think Thorpe will be starting the season in Milwaukee. Our 4th Round selection last season, Tom Weinstock has dubbed Thorpe as big league ready since draft day, and he pitched his way up to AAA. Those 4 starts were excellent, as he was 3-1 with a 1.57 ERA (227 ERA+) and 0.87 WHIP. He projects to be a reliable, if unspectacular middle of the rotation arm, but if he struggles I don't want to burn an option when he's not close to being Rule-5 eligible. Matson, on the other hand, has just one option left, and I'd like for him to use that next season when Papenfus, Brown, Bybee, and the Jones brother's make their return. He wasn't great (6-6, 4.09, 41) last season, but he has great stuff and is perfect for the swingman role.

The pen will be an interesting mess on its own, with Rusty Petrick Meyer's choice for stopper. Petrick (7-8, 4.06, 92) has always profiled better as a reliever, with elite stuff and poor control, but he's got a rubber arm and can toss complete game after complete game. That gives him, like Matson, an advantage, as their versatility allows me to maximize their utility with limited roster spots. This works against guys like Cal Knight (1-2, 2, 2.13, 12) and Merritt Thomas (4-4, 3, 1.96, 10), who both are only capable of giving innings out of the pen. Thomas' season ended early with a hamstring strain, but both arms were extremely effective last season. I can't keep all these guys on the roster, but there are plenty more interesting arms in the system who likely won't get a shot to make the opening roster. That includes guys like George Oddo, baseball's 21st ranked prospect, our #8 and #9 specs Charlie Kelsey and Joe Swank, and Harry MacRae. All four are listed by Meyer to be the middle relievers, and all could probably start games at the big league level. Kelsey is the only one on the 40, but unless we're hit with injuries, these guys are all likely going down to the pen.

Camp Battles
Second Base: 1
Inside Edge: Jimmie James
50/50: George Sutterfield, Tip Harrison
Outside Looking In: Walt Layton, Bill Dickens, Ollie Page

The most interesting man in camp might be George Sutterfield, the current #47 prospect in the FABL, who has a chance to earn a starting spot ant second or third. A natural shortstop, Tom Weinstock keeps bouncing back and forth between him and Skipper for highest potential at short. He's not taking Skipper over anytime soon, but Jimmie James is an easier target, and we really have no one at third I'd trust much on an everyday basis. Sutterfield is a defensive marvel, potentially Jim Hensley/Skipper level in terms of range, and while he doesn't hit for any power, he'll almost never strike out due to his elite bat-to-ball skills. He's a handworker and his ceiling is immense, but like with Thorpe, he's not near Rule-5 eligibility and it would hurt spending an option on him this season. His biggest competition is Jimmie James, another former 4th Rounder of ours, who made 44 starts last season keeping Billy Hunter healthy. James slashed .211/.273/.310 (67 OPS+), which leaves a lot to be desired, but the 26-year-old is a capable defender who has a nice swing. He's a switch hitter, which makes him nearly a lock for a bench spot, but I think with regular playing time he could hit much better then he did last season.

Other options for the keystone are less exciting, but we have a few other capable options. Super utility man Tip Harrison had a 110 OPS+ in 35 PAs last season, but his value comes more as a defensive replacement who can play every position but catcher and pitcher. His 46 WRC+ leaves a ton to be desired, but his $22k salary makes it seem like he could be an average big leaguer. Regardless, he'll have a roster spot on the bench, but he could easily end up playing every day. Veteran switch hitter Walt Layton has a chance to steal a starting job, but the now 36-year-old hasn't taken a big league at bat since 1940. He's never hit much, a 73 WRC+ hitter in 905 FABL games, but he's an excellent defender and his hard work and leadership are huge pluses. Ollie Page and Bill Dickens are also glove first players, but Page is on the fringes of the roster and Dickens can be sent down without burning an option. It's been a while since we've had to worry about a middle infield position, but the #1 and #2 ranked second basemen are both overseas.

Camp Battles
Third Base: 1
Inside Edge: Ken Mayhugh, Steve Jones
50/50: George Sutterfield, Tip Harrison
Outside Looking In: Bill Dickens, Ollie Page, Danny Richardson

Another position that hasn't had much thought the past 15 or so years, we've gone from the always reliable John Kincaid to a pair of Hall of Famers in John Lawson and Hank Barnett. Lawson is now retied and Barnett is off to war, leaving a huge hole at the hot corner. While Sutterfield has a shot to claim this job too, I imagine this will be a two-way battle between veteran Ken Mayhugh and journeyman Steve Jones. Mayhugh gives us a much needed bat for the lineup while Jones is an excellent defender all around the infield. I think Mayhugh and his 107 WRC+ has the edge, but he hasn't put above average production up since 1938 for the now moved Baltimore Cannons. Jones, however, hasn't even been above average in the minors since 1942, the only time he's done that other then 55 games in San Jose back in 1939. He hit just .212/.338/.288 (80 OPS+) in Milwaukee last season, but his 91 WRC+ paints a better picture and his defense at third is elite (18.0, 1.073). Tom thinks he can be a middle of the road option at third, but I wonder if that has to do with his 4-for-6 cup of coffee for us last season.

Most of the other options for third are also fighting for second, but 25-year-old Danny Richardson could sneak his way in. He worked his way up to Milwaukee last season, and the now 25-year-old will get his first shot at a big league callup. He's always had a good bat, with the occasional show of power, but his chances may come during the season.

I won't go in depth over all the bench options, with many already mentioned, but we have a few options for the outfield not yet listed. Orlin Yates and Don Lee will tussle for center all season long, with Johnny Peters hopefully making himself known. To supplement the duo and our starting corner outfielders, Huck Hanes, Bill Rich, Chick Browning, and Leo Davis will all be looking to fill the bench. The composition of the bench will likely depend on the outcomes of the second and third base races, as the more NRI's and optionable players that make the team, the harder it will be to keep guys like Ollie Page on the roster.

[ayaghmour2]

We put together another small deal, sending veteran relievers Cal Knight and Bill Anderson to the Miners for their 9th Round Pick. This deal was less about the return (although I love the extra pick), but more because it helps make our pitching staff easier to manage, both this and next year. Both Knight and Anderson are out of options, and both are on the wrong side of 30. Sure, they may be better pen arms now then a Ken Matson or Angel Lopez type, but neither has a chance of cracking the staff when the recruits return and the younger guys all still have options I can use during the 1946 season.

With this trade, our staff is pretty much set. As of now, we'll run with Angel Lopez, Ken Matson, Rusty Petrick, Ben Curtin, and Dick Lyons supporting the strong front three of Harry Parker, Billy Riley, and Art White. The last spot likely goes to Merritt Thomas, but if he struggles or gets hurt again, we could bring up Charlie Kelsey or Harry MacRae, with Rube Finegan being an interesting name as well. OSA ranks him as our top reliever, and Tom thinks he could be a solid bullpen contributor. Finegan tossed 55 innings in Milwaukee last season, going 6-2 with 4 saves, a 1.47 ERA (242 ERA+) and 1.02 WHIP with 17 walks and 23 strikeouts. He'd cost a 40-man spot, but I know one of our nine arms will get hurt, or pitch poorly enough to deserve optioning, and he could be a name to watch. He'll be 28 in May, and unlike a George Oddo or Joe Swank, I don't care if he's not pitching frequently. Kelsey is likely ticketed for the pen in Milwaukee, and MacRae's role will depend more on the rest of our staff, but any of these three could be useful if one of our non-Parker/Riley/White arms needs to be replaced.

[ayaghmour2]

A middling week saw the Cougars finish 3-4, but it seems like they always sport a 3-4 record the first week of Spring. Five other teams are 3-4, so we're technically tied for fourth and last, but spring games are all about position familiarity (looking at you George Sutterfield) and saying healthy.

The rotation pitched rather well, with youngsters Ken Matson and Angel Lopez both allowing a single run in their 4 innings. Matson allowed 3 hits, a walk, and a strikeout while his run was unearned. Lopez's run was earned, and came with 5 hits, 3 walks, and 2 strikeouts. Harry Parker made two starts, throwing 7 innings with 8 hits, 3 runs, a walk, and 2 strikeouts. Billy Riley tossed a gem, four scoreless with 4 hits, a walk, and strikeout. Art White went 4 with 2 hits, 2 walks, and 2 runs. Mike Thorpe had some struggles, walking 4 in 2.2 innings with 2 hits and runs. Looking to the pen, NRI Art Gilbert was roughed up, allowing 4 hits, 3 runs, and 3 walks with 3 strikeouts. Ed Fisler allowed 7 runs (2 earned) off 7 hits and 3 walks in 3 innings. Rusty Petrick went 3 with 2 hits, 3 walks, and an unearned run. Bill Tuttle allowed 4 hits, 3 runs, and 4 walks with 3 strikeouts. Harry MacRae, George Oddo, and Joe Swank each tossed 2 scoreless frames. Rube Finnegan matched them with an extra out. It was nice that every arm got at least one inning, but the performances weren't overall great.

The lineup had a little fun, as our no-hit center field duo of Orlin Yates and Don Lee both went 6-for-14 with 2 doubles and a walk. The only difference was Yates scored and drove in 2 while Lee scored once, stole two bases, and drove in three. Skipper was 5-for-16 with a double, run, and 3 RBIs. Rich Langton was 5-for-12 with a double, 2 walks, 2 RBIs, and 3 runs scored. Harry Mead was 4-for-13 with 2 doubles, a walk, run, and RBI. Ollie Page may have earned himself a roster spot, going 5-for-7 with a walk, steal, 2 runs, and 2 RBIs. Jim Madsen went 3-for-7 with a double, steal, 3 walks, 2 runs, and 2 RBIs. Tip Harrison was 4-for-11 with a double and 2 RBIs. Plenty of other guys struggled, but each hitter got at least a PA, and we won't make many changes for week two.

[ayaghmour2]

As usual, week two was much better then week one, as the Cougars went 4-2 and sit a game behind the Stars and the Wolves. The pitching was beyond elite, with only Angel Lopez allowing more then a single run. He was hit hard, allowing 7 hits, 6 runs, and 3 walks in 4 frames. Harry Parker was his dominant self, tossing a 2-hit, 2-strikeout 6 inning shutout. Billy Riley was perfect, striking out 2 in 4 innings without allowing a hit or walk. Ken Matson threw 5 scoreless this week, another unearned run on his ledger, with 4 hits, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts. Art White didn't walk or strikeout a batter, allowing 3 hits and a run in 5 innings. Even Mike Thorpe got into the fun, as the young righty allowed just a single hit with a strikeout in 4 scoreless frames. Looking towards the pen, Merritt Thomas seemed to solidify his spot in the pen, throwing 5 innings across 2 appearances with 3 hits, a run, 3 walks, and a strikeout. He was the only reliever to throw more then two innings, but every arm on the staff threw an inning or two. Roy Carey, Ben Curtin, Ed Fisler, and Dick Lyons each threw two scoreless frames while youngsters Rube Finegan, Charlie Kelsey, Harry MacRae, George Oddo, and Joe Swank all threw scoreless innings.

We rotated the lineups plenty this week, with no hitter making more then 15 trips to the plate. Don Lee led the team with 14, going 3-for-11 with a homer, 2 runs, 3 walks, and 5 RBIs. Rich Langton went 5-for-11 with a run and double. Steve Jones was 3-for-7 with a double, run, and RBI. Harry Mead was 5-for-8 with a run scored and driven in. Bill Rich was 4-for-5 with 2 doubles and runs. Homer Guthrie went 3-for-9 with a double, run, 2 walks, and 2 RBIs. Jim Madsen was 3-for-7 with a run scored and driven in. It wasn't all great though, as Bill Dickens was 0-for-10 with a walk, run, and RBI and Dick Walker was 2-for-12, although it came with a homer, walk, 2 runs, and 2 RBIs. George Sutterfield was 1-for-10 with a urn, as it appears he's not quite ready to play every day in Chicago. Most lineups around the game aren't scoring very much, so I'm not overly concerned, but no injuries after two weeks are always a good sign.

[ayaghmour2]

Now where have I seen this before? 3-3 to start the Spring followed by two 4-win weeks? Classic Cougar exhibition ball! 4-3 this week as the Cougars sit at 11-9 and a game behind the Stars and Wolves in a tightly packed CA where six teams have between 10 and 12 wins and a seventh at 9.

More solid pitching from the starters, and Angel Lopez quickly bounced back after his rough 6 run start. He was locked in against the Kings, allowing just 3 hits and 4 strikeouts in 4 scoreless frames. Billy Riley tossed a pair of pleasant performances, going 8 with 7 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts. Art White was near perfect, allowing just a single hit in 4 stellar innings. Harry Parker went 4 as well, allowing 2 hits and a run with a punch-out. Mike Thorpe allowed 1 in 4 as well, accompanied by 4 hits, a run, 3 walks, and 2 strikeouts. The "worst" start came from Ken Matson, but he allowed just 4 hits, 2 runs, and a walk with a strikeout in his four frames. The pen, however, had its issues, with Bill Tuttle allowing 9 hits and 8 runs (7 earned) with 3 strikeouts in 2.1 innings pitched. Merritt Thomas allowed 2 hits, 2 runs, and 2 walks with a strikeout in 2 innings pitched. Art Gilbert allowed 3 hits, 3 runs, and 2 walks with 2 strikeouts in 2.1 innings pitched. Even Ben Curtin wasn't his old reliable self, allowing 6 hits and 3 runs (1 earned) with a walk and strikeout in 6 innings pitched. Again, every arm got at least one inning, and while the staff is really starting to shape up, I'm still unsure of the last spot on the staff. Each has their own pluses, as Mike Thorpe can start games and has looked big league ready, Merritt Thomas was excellent last season and comes with a lot of experience, and Rube Finnegan, who OSA has always loved, has thrown 6.1 scoreless innings. I'm half hoping for Thomas to get hurt (still no injuries!) to make my decision easier, but the staff may be a pleasant surprise for us this season.

Don Lee once again led the team in PAs, this time with 16, as he went 3-for-13. On the surface it's not all that impressive, but he recorded 2 doubles, a homer, a walk, 3 runs, and 5 RBIs while fellow center fielder Orlin Yates was just 1-for-13 with a double, walk, and two runs scored. Rich Langton and Harry Mead were both 4-for-13, with Langton picking up a steal, RBI, 2 runs, and 2 walks while Mead walked, homer, and both scored and drove in two. Dick Walker had a nice bounce back, going 5-for-13 with a double, triple, walk, RBI, and 3 runs scored. Cliff Moss went 4-for-8 with a triple, 3 walks, 3 runs, and 4 RBIs. Our expected third base duo struggled, with Steve Jones and Ken Mayhugh combining to go just 2-for-17, with Jones walking twice and driving in one. There are still a fair amount of starting and bench jobs to be claimed, as we hope to patch together a lineup that can withstand the loss of three hitters who were at least 25% better then league average in 1944.

[ayaghmour2]

Nice end to the Spring as the Cougs finished 3-1 and a game behind the Stars for the best record in the CA. The most remarkable part was the club's health, as not a single Cougar got even a day-to-day injury. Most cuts have been made, but a few more will occur over the weekend, with games set for Tuesday. There are a lot of tough decisions, as we really don't want to lose anyone, as most teams haven't needed cuts and are likely to scour the waiver wire for depth.

No pitcher had a better Spring then Billy Riley, who finished the exhibition slate a perfect 3-0 with a 1.12 ERA and 0.88 WHIP while walking 3 and striking out 5. Art White did his best to match, an unlucky 1-0 despite his 1.42 ERA and 0.58 WHIP. The defense did its part, as White walked and struck out just one, but these are extremely encouraging signs for Cougar fans. Harry Parker was expected to dominate, and he was a rather unlucky 1-1 with a still impressive 2.12 ERA, although his 0.76 WHIP, single walk, and 5 strikeouts were outstanding as well. Its impossible for the rest of the staff to match that, but Matson, Lopez, and Thorpe all maintained ERAs below 4. Matson did the best, a perfect 3-0 with a 3.00 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 5 walks, and 8 strikeouts. Lopez's numbers were inflated by a rough outing against the defending champs, but he ended 1-2 with a respectable 3.71 ERA to go with a 1.41 WHIP, 8 walks, and 7 strikeouts. Thorpe, who is ticketed to start the season in Milwaukee, had some walk issues with 9 in 14.2 innings, but he worked around the free passes, going 1-0 with a 3.68 ERA and 1.50 WHIP.

The pen had some issues, but Ben Curtin and Jack Huston put up matching 1.64 ERAs. Huston was dominant, striking out 7 without allowing a walk to go with a sparkly 0.64 WHIP. Curtin had a pair of unearned runs, leading to a higher 1.36 WHIP, and he walked 4 with just a pair of strikeouts. Veteran Dick Lyons had no issues working in relief, going 2-0 with a pair of holds in 8.2 innings with an impressive 2.08 ERA and 1.04 WHIP. Rube Finegan made his push to secure one of the final pen spots, tossing 8.1 scoreless frames with 5 hits, a walk, and 3 strikeouts. George Oddo was brilliant as well, and even though he was always set to start in the minors, the league's 19th ranked prospect threw 7 innings without allowing an earned run, allowing just 5 hits and 2 walks with 7 punchouts. Fellow top prospect Joe Swank was unhittable, with just a single blemish, a walk, with 3 strikeouts in 6 near-perfect innings. Harry MacRae had plenty of success as well, tossing 6 solid frames with 3 hits, a run, and 2 strikeouts. There were plenty of talented arms in camp, and its hard to argue there is any team with as deep of a staff as the Cougars, both currently in the organization and overseas.

The lineup showed some signs of weakness, but the vets came to play. Rich Langton and Harry Mead had matching .391 batting averages, combining for 4 doubles, a triple, 2 homers, 10 RBIs, 13 runs, and 7 walks. Cliff Moss didn't look 38, going 10-for-35 with 7 runs, 7 walks, 5 RBIs, and a pair of triples. Don Lee showed the bat we know he has, going 13-for-44 with 4 doubles, 2 homers, 12 RBIs, 8 runs, 5 walks, and 2 steals. Orlin Yates was pretty productive as well, 11-for-41 with 4 doubles, a homer, 4 steals, 8 runs, and 4 RBIs. Skipper Schneider finished 11-for-39 with a double, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 7 RBIs. Tip Harrison may have earned himself the starting second basemen job, going 12-for-38 with 2 doubles, a homer, 3 walks, 3 RBIs, and 5 runs scored. Mike Taylor continued to prove effective with the bat, an impressive 8-for-25 with a triple, homer, 2 RBIs, and 5 runs. Ollie Page kept his spot, going an impressive 6-for-14 with a double, steal, and 2 walks, runs, and RBIs. Billy Jordan Jr., who started just 8 minor league games since 1941, hit a shocking 6-for-14 as well with a walk, double, and RBI. Longtime Cougar farm hand Chris Smith tried to earn a spot, slashing 8-for-21 with a double, 2 homers, 3 runs, 6 RBIs, and 2 walks.

There were a lot of poor performances, unfortunately, with veteran first basemen Dick Walker was just 8-for-44 with a double, 2 triples, a homer, 2 steals, 6 walks, 3 RBIs, and 7 runs. Utility man Bill Dickens was just 11-for-48, but it did come with 2 homers, 6 runs, 5 RBIs, 2 walks, and a double. Homer Guthrie finished just 6-for-35 with a double, 4 runs, 2 RBIs, and 7 walks. Veteran minor leaguer Walt Layton was 8-for-37 with 3 runs, 3 walks, and 7 RBIs. George Sutterfield didn't hit enough to claim a starting spot, going 9-for-37, although he did add 4 doubles, 3 steals, a walk, 5 runs, and 5 RBIs. Both third base options had it really rough, with Ken Mayhugh 8-for-36 and Steve Jones 5-for-28. Both doubled once, while Mayhugh tallied a walk, 2 runs, and 5 RBIs compared to Jones' 5 walks and 3 runs both scored and driven in. Jimmie James didn't offer much at the plate, 6-for-32 with 2 walks, 2 RBIs, and 4 runs scored. Chick Browning might have scuffled his way to waivers, going 3-for-27 with a homer, 2 runs, 2 RBIs, and 4 walks. There are plenty of tough decisions left before Opening Day, so a trade may happen to make things a bit easier.

[ayaghmour2]

Baseball is back! After a long, and relatively boring offseason, its time for Chicago Cougar baseball once again! Despite all the excitement in the air, this may be the first season since the 1938 season I didn't think we'd win the pennant. Of course, with just one pennant in that time, and plenty of third place finishes, I'd be surprised if we don't finish third yet again this year. Surprisingly, I'm one of the hardest on the Cougars, as half of the other 8 predictors think we'll finish first, and no one thinks we'll finish lower then 3rd. We're good, don't get me wrong, but our top four pitchers and hitters are enlisted, with plenty of other talented players out of service this season. The only thing working for us is the Cannons are really old, so rapid regression can hit, but this is the one season we won't have both a top offense and top staff. I think the staff may be one of the best, but a 3-4-5 of Rich Langton-Cliff Moss-Harry Mead isn't the scariest lineup we've featured. We still have plenty of protection, and a three headed monster in the rotation, and below are the 24 players ready to represent the Cougars in 1945:

RHP Ben Curtin
RHP Angel Lopez
LHP Dick Lyons
RHP Ken Matson
RHP Harry Parker
RHP Rusty Petrick
RHP Billy Riley
RHP Merritt Thomas
LHP Art White
C Harry Mead
C Mike Taylor
1B Dick Walker
2B Tip Harrison
2B Jimmie James
3B Steve Jones
3B Ken Mayhugh
SS Ollie Page
SS Skipper Schneider
LF Huck Hanes
LF Rich Langton
CF Don Lee
CF Orlin Yates
RF Chick Browning
RF Cliff Moss

BNN thinks we'll finish second in the CA, allowing the same amount of runs (520) as the Cannons, but while scoring over 100 fewer. They think we'll finish 92-62, very strong, but still 11 games behind a dominant Cannons squad. All three of our arms rank in the top 10, expecting excellent seasons from Billy Riley (22-12, 3.12, 138), Harry Parker (21-15, 2.90, 150), and Art White (20-14, 3.25, 51). Just two bats, both in the bottom five, with veterans Cliff Moss (.286, 21, 91) and Dick Walker (.255, 13, 57, 40) featured in their top 10. We have plenty of players in the OSA top 20 lists, with Billy Hunter (3rd), Hank Barnett (5th), Clark Car (12th), Skipper Schneider (13th), Harry Mead (18th), Pete Papenfus (1st), Donnie Jones (2nd), and Joe Brown (8th). The only two on the Opening Day roster happened to be the lowest ranked, Skipper and Mead, but I'm sure during the season we'll get new entrants and a drop out or two.

Our farm is much improved, and with a bunch of high draft picks we may push even higher. Surprisingly, we've jumped from 9th last Opening Day all the way up to 3rd, with Duke Bybee leading the way at #4. We now have 6 prospects in the top 50, with Bybee leading George Oddo (23rd), George Sutterfield (34th), Eddie Howard (40th), Bert Rogers (42nd), and Otto Christian (48th). Don Lee (63rd) is our only other top 100 prospect, with 20 in the top 250 and 42 in the top 500. With all these talented young arms, we can add stars at the deadline if needed, but unless a truly game changing player is available, we'll likely continue to stand to pat until what should be a crazy fun offseason.

We start our season at home, hosting the New York Stars for three. The Stars are expected to be much better this season, as they had a great second half and get a full season of Eli Panneton (9-9, 2, 3.11, 64). Dixie Lee, the first player to enlist, has returned stateside, giving them a solid #2 and they picked up Ed Cornett (1-1, 5.22, 23) from the Pioneers in the offseason to add rotation depth. While neither of these guys are starts, they are still above average compared to the rest of the active pitchers, and run prevention could be something they thrive at. The lineup has its holes, but Jim Honeywood (.366, 35) had a breakout season at 32 and they'll get another year of experience for Chubby Hall (.257, 15, 86) and Elijah Boudreau (.271, 7, 50, 6). We tend to play better at home, so I expect a series win to kick things off, but don't expect the Stars to roll over.

Quickly on the road after as we'll head to Montreal for three with the Saints to finish the week. Montreal is coming off another tough season, but they should see better production from young hurlers Pat Weakly (11-15, 4.32, 122) and Jackie James (8-9, 4.11, 52). The rest of the rotation has its question marks, but I doubt Jake DeYoung (5-14, 4.88, 77) will have another sub 75 ERA+ season with a K/BB above 2.5. Former 1st Rounder Hank Eason (.264, 3, 11) cracked his first Opening Day roster after a nice 19 game debut last season, joining some talented bats in Jake Hughes (.287, 50, 26), who finally shifted to third, and Bill Greene (.264, 8, 57, 24). Hughes is at third now because talented shortstop Gordie Perkins won the starting job, as the former 3rd Overall Pick and current #14 prospect will make his big league debut at 22. We definitely could have had a tougher start to the season, and I think we'll manage to pick up a pair of series wins to get things going.

[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 2-4
Seasonal Record: 2-4 (7th, 3 GB)
Stars of the Week
Rich Langton : 25 AB, 10 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .400 AVG, .847 OPS
Cliff Moss : 23 AB, 6 H, 3 HR, 5 RBI, .261 AVG, .946 OPS
Ken Matson : 1 Win, 2.0 IP, 0 BB, 0 K, 0.00 ERA

Schedule
4-17: Win vs Stars (3-4)
4-18: Win vs Stars (6-7): 11 innings
4-19: Loss vs Stars (5-0)
4-20: Loss vs Saints (5-6)
4-21: Loss vs Saints (1-2)
4-22: Loss vs Saints (2-4)

Recap
There are much better ways to start the season then a subpar 2-4 week, but that's how 1945 will kick off for the Cougars. I'd like to blame one run losses, that's how two of our games ended, but both of our wins were of the one run variety as well. Taking two of three from the Stars fit, but the sweep at the hands of the Saints hurt. Not only were we at home, but they were just swept in four games against the Kings. Didn't do us much good, as we start the opening week 3 games out of first and in seventh place.

After pitching so well in the Spring, our starters struggled, with just Harry Parker putting up solid starts. His win on Opening Day was actually worse then his loss against the Saints, as he went just 6.2 innings with 8 hits, 3 runs, a walk, and 3 strikeouts. In the loss, he completed seven innings, charged with 5 hits, 2 runs, and 3 walks with a strikeout. Billy Riley was our other two start starter, picking up a no decision and a loss. The no decision was worse, as Riley allowed 9 hits, 6 runs, and 3 walks with a single strikeout in 6.1 innings pitched. His control eluded him against the Saints, charged with 4 hits and runs with 5 walks and strikeouts in 8 innings pitched. Ken Matson picked up the victory in the no decision, tossing a scoreless 10th and 11th with just a single hit allowed. That performance earned him a start, as Angel Lopez was roughed up in the opener with Montreal. Lopez allowed 8 hits, 6 runs, and 6 walks with a strikeout in 6.2 innings pitched. The last start went to Art White, who left with two outs in the ninth. He allowed 13 hits, 5 runs, and a walk with 3 strikeouts. Rusty Petrick pitched well in relief, throwing 6 innings across 3 outings. Petrick picked up a save, allowing 2 hits and 5 walks with 5 strikeouts. He's adapted well to the stopper role, and while he may earn starts later in the season, if he keeps pitching like this, there's no reason to mess with it. It's hard to pitch as poorly as a team as we did this week, so I'm hoping we can get back on track quickly.

The offense had its issues, but you can't blame the corner outfield. Cliff Moss showcased plenty of pop, hitting three homers in a 6-for-23 week. Moss also doubled, while scoring three times and driving in five. Rich Langton had a welcomed return to the starting lineup, going 10-for-25 with a double, steal, walk, 2 runs, and 3 RBIs. The rest of the starters didn't provide much, but part-timers Don Lee and Ken Mayhugh got off to great starts. Lee went 3-for-7 with a double, 5 walks, and 3 RBIs while Mayhugh was 2-for-6 with a double, 2 runs, and 2 walks. On the other side, Orlin Yates and Steve Jones had the worst weeks, combining to go 2-for-26. Both hits came from Jones while Yates walked twice, but the two gloveman were nearly automatic outs. We'll need to get more runners on base if we want to compete, but there's a reason I wasn't too excited about our offense this season.

Looking Ahead
A much needed off day to start the week, before we head to Brooklyn for what may be a tough three game set with the Kings. Since they swept the Saints, and are now 6-2 and tied with the Cannons for first, we may not have much luck on the road. Even though they're off to start the week, we'll still likely face their 4 and 5 in Bud Hastings (11-12, 4.12, 60) and Clarence Barton (5-5, 3.95, 44), and replacement ace Dick Farmer (1-3, 5.57, 22), now that Jim Kenny (18-14, 2.99, 74) is serving in the Army. On paper, these are very favorable matchups for us, but the offense is not yet a well oiled machine. There's isn't either, but 27-year-od rookie Ben Brazel went 10-for-19 with a double, triple, and steal in his debut week. He doesn't have much help, but they do have a strong corner outfield in Orie Martinez (.285, 13, 74) and Vernon Ruch (.290, 6, 48). We need to get back on track quickly, but the Kings will give us trouble on our first road series.

We'll then get a quick chance at revenge, as the Saints will head back to Chicago for a three game set. I'm hoping we'll miss Pat Weakly (11-15, 4.32, 122) this time, after he allowed just 3 hits, a run, and 3 walks with 5 strikeouts in their 2-1 win. One arm that won't be joining the Saints is Jake DeYoung, who tore his UCL in a 10-9 loss to the Kings. We'll also have to do a better job keeping Vic Crawford in check, as the veteran first basemen was 5-for-12 against us, and 11-for-27 on the week with 2 homers and 10 RBIs. Gordie Perkins had a nice debut week, going 8-for-27 with 2 doubles and 5 RBIs. After such a poor showing, there is nowhere to go but up, and after being so good against the Saints last year, I like our chances in the rematch.

[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 2-4
Seasonal Record: 4-8 (8th, 4.5 GB)
Stars of the Week
Rich Langton : 26 AB, 12 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .462 AVG, 1.000 OPS
Cliff Moss : 22 AB, 7 H, 1 HR, 7 RBI, .318 AVG, .969 OPS
Harry Mead : 24 AB, 7 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .292 AVG, .737 OPS

Schedule
4-24: Win at Kings (9-8)
4-25: Loss at Kings (6-8)
4-26: Win at Kings (4-1)
4-27: Loss vs Saints (6-1)
4-28: Loss vs Saints (4-3)
4-29: Loss vs Saints (4-3)

Recap
Last place, yay! To be fair, it's not as bad as it looks, as once again, we took two of three from a New York team, we were once again swept by the Saints. We've lost all six of our games against Montreal, dropping two more one-run games while being outscored 14-7 in Chicago. We just cannot score runs, ranked dead last in the Continental Association, even less then the Wolves who have played three fewer games. All the production in the lineup has come from Rich Langton and Cliff Moss, who once again has strong weeks. Langton went 12-for-26 with a double, steal, 2 walks, 5 runs, and 2 RBIs to raise his average to a second best .431 in the league. Cliff Moss hit his 4th home run, going 7-for-22 with a triple, 4 walks, 4 runs, and 7 RBIs. We can't be a two man show, so hopefully Harry Mead, who was 7-for-24 with a homer, can try to replicate his 142 WRC+ from last season.

Once again, Ken Mayhugh and Don Lee outperformed their counterparts, earning more starts for the next week. Mayhugh finished 5-for-15 with his first homer of the season, pairing it with 2 runs and 3 RBIs. It was his first big league homer since 1941, and he's hit an impressive .333/.391/.524 (150 OPS+) in 23 trips to the plate. Don Lee was just 3-for-14, but all three hits were doubles, and he drew three walks with an RBI and four runs scored. In contrast, Steve Jones was just 1-for-8 and Orlin Yates 3-for-13. Both doubled, but Jones is hitting .150 and Yates .111. To make matters worse, Jones defense hasn't been too great, which means he could quickly fall into a bench role. Tip Harrison is really struggling in regular time as well, going 0-for-14 with a sac-fly and two walks. This opens the door for Jimmie James or Ollie Page to get more at bats, although I wouldn't be too excited about either playing every day. Skipper Schneider is struggling to reach base as well, but with a 4.4 zone rating already he doesn't have to worry about being replaced. Skipper went just 4-for-18, but it raised his season line to .195/.292/.244 (48 OPS+). It's no wonder we are struggling to score, but he's one of the few bats I'm not all that worried about. The offense has a lot of work to do, but it's already clear we're not going to outscore anyone this season.

Billy Riley finally looked like Billy Riley, picking up his first win of the season in a 4-1 win over the Kings. Riley went 8, allowing 5 hits, 3 walks, and a run with 4 strikeouts. He only made one start, while both Harry Parker and Art White made two. White beat his former employers, but it wasn't a pretty showing, just 6 innings with 10 hits, 6 runs, and 3 walks with a strikeout. 4 of the 6 runs were unearned, including 2 more when Rusty Petrick was in the game. He was better against the Saints, but was charged with a loss in the complete game. The Saints got 7 hits, 4 runs (3 earned), and 5 walks with a single strikeout. No wins for Parker, who got a loss and no decision. He went 6 against the Kings, charged with 9 hits and 5 runs with 5 strikeouts. He was then bested by the Saints a second time, allowing 5 hits, 2 runs, and 2 walks with 4 strikeouts in 7 innings. Parker hasn't been great early on, 1-2 with a 4.05 ERA (99 ERA+) and 1.24 WHIP with 6 walks and 13 strikeouts.

Ken Matson's first start didn't go so well, allowing 10 hits, 6 runs, and 2 walks with 2 strikeouts in just 6.2 innings pitched. With his struggles, starts this week will go to Rusty Petrick and Dick Lyons, as we have a double header to cover on Sunday. Lyons hasn't faced more then two batters in a game, getting two outs on the 19th against the Stars and single outs on the 20th and 27th against the Saints. He faced a single batter each time, getting a double play and two pop outs. Petrick, on the other hand, threw 6 innings in 3 games this week, allowing 5 hits, 6 runs, and 4 walks with 4 strikeouts. The 6 runs are a bit deceiving, as five were unearned, and his 0.75 ERA (534 ERA+) is second in the CA. Our rotation is going to be very fluid, something that isn't normally the case, and after three weeks we'll have seven pitchers start at least one game.

Looking Ahead
Lucky for us, we don't have to deal with the Saints this week, and we'll avoid them until June 5th. Instead, we get the two teams we've actually beat this season, starting with three against the Kings in Chicago. We're one of the few teams to best the Kings so far, as they are 10-5 and leading the Continental Association. Led by Jake Shadoan (.300, 2, 11), Ben Brazel (.452, 3, 2), and Vernon Ruch (.302, 3, 14), the Kings have scored the most runs in the league, but they've allowed the second most runs in the league. They've gotten two strong starts from Clarence Barton (0-1, 1.26, 4), who we are likely to see, and three from Bill McGraw (1-0, 3.00, 8), who I'm hoping we'll miss. Even with their hot start, I like our chances here, but we've disappointed so far, and there is a chance this will continue.

Quickly back on the road as we head to the Big Apple for four games in three days against the Stars. Like us, New York has really struggled to get things going, losing eight games just like us, albeit with two more wins. The offense has been middle of the pack, but the 3-4-5 of Howie Smith (.381, 2, 13), Chubby Hall (.352, 1, 13), and Ray Cochran (.315, 1, 9, 2) have produced a majority of their runs. Jim Honeywood (.237, 1, 7) did hit his first FABL home run since 1939, but his average is almost 100 points lower then his career average and Elijah Bourdeau (.185, 3, 1) has struggled to put the ball in play. Those two should be big parts of their offense, so if they want to compete, they'll need assistance from these two. On the mound, Eli Panneton (2-1, 2.52, 13) is off to an excellent start, while Ed Cornett (1-1, 2.35, 13) has thrived in his first three starts as a Star. Dixie League (1-0, 4.29, 7) has had a bit less success, but still approximately average in his three starts. The rest of the rotation could use some work, but 41-year-old Eddie Hite (1-0, 1.98, 3) continues to defy logic with his dependable performances. If he can function as a dependable fourth starter, the Stars could make a decent run in the first division.

Minor League Report
3B Danny Richardson (AAA Milwaukee Blues): It took just one week of minor league play for a Cougar farmhand to earn Player of the Week, as former 3rd Rounder Danny Richardson took home the award in the Century League. Richardson helped propel them to a 4-1 record in the opening week, going 9-for-17 with 2 doubles, a homer, 5 walks, and 5 RBIs. It's a great start for Richardson, who reached AAA last season and made 20 appearances for the Blues. In just shy of 100 PAs, Richardson hit an average, in terms of WRC+, .210/.354/.284 (87 OPS+) with 4 doubles, a triple, 7 RBIs, and an impressive 18-to-6 walk-to-strikeout ratio. Now 25, Richardson is on the cusp of a big league debut, and with Steve Jones' struggles, Richardson could get some starts at third this year if Ken Mayhugh cools down. He's a good defender with a great eye, but he doesn't have the power for a corner. When Hank Barnett returns, it will be next to impossible for Richardson to get starts, so with an excellent start to the season, he could earn a big league debut before all the soldiers return home.

[ayaghmour2]

First off, I want to start out by thanking everyone who's ever layed eyes on this hobbled-together mess of words I like to call my dynasty report. Rather remarkably, it managed to hit 100,000 views, even if 15% of them are myself. It is far more then I ever expected to see when I started writing this a little over three years ago, and I hope you all have enjoyed this ride as much as I have. If you haven't already notice, writing about baseball and Out of the Park are two of my favorite things to do, and even though the Cougars have been rather disappointing in terms of championships, I have had so much fun taking people through our adventure. Writing these are often a highlight of my day, so hopefully I've brightened up a few minutes of yours! Here's to the next 100,000 views! And plenty more titles!

Weekly Record: 6-1
Seasonal Record: 10-9 (2nd, 1 GB)
Stars of the Week
Cliff Moss : 26 AB, 10 H, 3 HR, 11 RBI, .385 AVG, 1.368 OPS
Billy Riley : 2 Wins, 17.0 IP, 3 BB, 7 K, 1.06 ERA
Rich Langton : 25 AB, 9 H, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .360 AVG, .993 OPS

Schedule
5-1: Win vs Kings (1-5)
5-2: Win vs Kings (2-3)
5-3: Win vs Kings (2-5)
5-4: Win at Stars (7-1)
5-5: Win at Stars (6-2)
5-6: Win at Stars (8-2)
5-6: Loss at Stars (2-10)

Recap
No Saints, no problem! In a complete reversal of fortune, the Cougars ran off six straight before losing the second game of a double header, jumping from dead last to second and just a single game out of first. The CA is a jumble after three weeks, with 5 teams winning 9 or more games and the Sailors (8) are the only team below that mark. No team is more then three games out of first, as the 9-6 Toronto Wolves lead the 13-9 Kings on win percentage while reversed in games back. We've given the Kings five of their losses and have now won more games then the Saints, who have only one three other wins. A lot of this is due to the one-man wrecking crew known as Cliff Moss, who was named Player of the Week in his third Player of the Week worthy week. Moss went 10-for-26 with 2 triples, 3 homers, 5 walks, 5 runs, and 11 RBIs. The 38-year-old vet now paces all CA hitters with 7 homers and 23 RBIs to go with an astronomical .324/.395/.718 (204 OPS+) triple slash in 19 games. One of the few planned starters surviving the war, Moss is coming off an excellent season where he hit .281 with 19 homers, 63 RBIs, and a 148 WRC+. If we want to stay above .500 we'll need some more thunder from his bat, as he's been directly responsible from an impressive 35% of our runs scored.

And while the help behind him is minimal, it would be unfair to say he's doing it all by himself. Moss has a capable sidekick in Rich Langton, who has been well above average all season. Langton went 9-for-25 with a triple, homer, two steals, five runs, four walks, and three RBIs. The 33-year-old trails just fellow Cougar draftee Ed Reyes (.456) in batting average, hitting .408/.447/.500 (162 OPS+) with 2 doubles, a triple, homer, 4 steals, and 8 RBIs. No other batter with more then 50 PAs has both an above average OPS+ and WRC+, so we might have to alter the lineup a bit. The first step is more time for Don Lee, who had a big 5-for-15 week with a double, homer, 4 runs, and 4 RBIs. Lee is four shy of 50, but has hit an impressive .306/.444/.528 (168 OPS+). Orlin Yates is the far superior defender, so when guys like Harry Parker and Billy Riley in, Yates is a must, but with ground ballers the ball won't be hit to center as often. Yates had his first good week, as while he went just 3-for-15, he hit a pair of homers to increase his season line to a still puny .143/.217/.310 (45 OPS+).

A few of the vets produced too, starting with leadoff man Dick Walker. Walker went 6-for-25 with a double, homer, 2 RBIs, 4 walks, and 5 runs scored. Harry Mead went a similar 5-for-18 with a triple, 2 runs, and 2 walks. Walker and Mead now have almost matching WRC+ of 93 and 92, so this is definitely a stretch in the write direction. At 38, I'm not sure how much better Walker can hit, but Mead has produced a WRC+ above 140 in two of the last last three seasons. There's plenty of room for improvement from our talented catcher, but he does like to alternate above and below average seasons at the plate. There's a reason we rank seventh in runs, but I think we'll finish up middle of the pack.

We allowed only 13 earned runs in seven games, and seven of them were charged to a 44-year-old. Dick Lyons made the emergency start in the double header, and last just 3.2 innings. The Stars piled on 8 hits, 7 runs, and 2 walks with a strikeout, ending a stretch of four consecutive scoreless outings. He'll move back to the pen, and likely stay there, as we may have found a reliable enough fourth starter. That would be Rusty Petrick, who was a Skipper Schneider error away from a complete game shutout. In his first start of the season, he allowed just 6 hits, 2 walks, and the unearned run with 6 strikeouts. He's now allowed just one earned run in 21 innings, and his 0.43 ERA is nearly a point and a half lower then the second best Win Lewis at 1.83.

The true star of the week might have been Art White, who saved the pen with a pair of complete game victories. He outdueled his former team in Brooklyn, allowing 9 hits, 2 runs, and a walk in a 3-2 win. He then improved his record to that mark, allowing 8 hits, a run, and 4 walks with a pair of strikeouts in game one of our first double header of the season. White started out great last season, winning his first ten decisions, and once again his ERA (2.83) is far lower then his FIP (4.42). He's going to get a lot of starts for us this season, so we're hoping he doesn't have a second half slump once again. Same can be said for Billy Riley, who has not looked like the pitcher who finished 1944 with us. He picked up a second win against the Kings, allowing 5 hits, 2 walks, and an unearned run while striking our 3 in 8 solid innings. He then dominated the Stars and Dyckman stadium, picking up a complete game win with just 5 hits, 2 runs, a walk, and 4 strikeouts. He's an impressive 3-1 with a 2.97 ERA (132 ERA+) and 1.07 in his first five starts. Riley may have a Wilcox like adjustment, as he struggled post trade but settled down after his first Spring as a Cougar.

While there are fears White and Riley might not keep things up, I'll never worry about Harry Parker. Gone are the automatic complete games, but he finds ways to win games and has kept homers under control. He wasn't his normal self against the Kings, but he held them to just two runs on a walk and nine hits. Parker has yet to get past the 7th, topping out at 107 pitches. I may have to skip some starts for him to give him extra rest, but I'm not sure that would help much. The talent is still there, but I'm starting to entertain the idea of converting him into a stopper as he continues to move past 30. Even with his shorter starts, we didn't need the pen much this week, with 3 innings going to Ben Curtin and 4.1 to Ken Matson. Curtin picked up a save in two outings, allowing just one hit with two strikeouts in 3 innings pitched. Matson mopped up when Lyons left early, allowing 3 hits, walks, and unearned runs with a pair of punchouts in 4.1 innings. We have a long run of games coming up, so Matson may pick up two starts in a run of 12 games in 14 days.

Looking Ahead
We get two off days at home to prepare for a three game series with the Wolves. The Wolves lead the circuit at 9-6, but have played at least three less games then every other team. With the off days we're forced to face their best, and that means we once again have to deal with George Garrison (2-1, 2.20, 18). Now 27, he spent two years in the Navy, but was honorably discharged after his brother died in combat. He's my favorite for the Allen Award this season, and in his last full season he went 22-10 with a 2.52 ERA (131 ERA+), 1.20 WHIP, 70 walks, and 138 strikeouts. That came alongside stars Joe Hancock and Bernie Johnson, but he now leads a rotation that is headlined by Chick Wirtz (2-0, 3.12, 10) and Bob Walls (1-0, 5.95, 5). We'll have to deal with all three of them, making it hard for our weak lineup to rack up the score. Of course, that means they'll also face our best three, and while I'd take Garrison over anyone, Riley and White are far better then Wirtz and Walls. They'll score runs for their staff too, as their middle infield duo of Charlie Artuso (.400, 2, 9) and 31-year-old career minor leaguer Wayne Henderson (.353, 9) have been extraordinarily effective. The rest of the lineup hasn't been great, but Walt Pack (.231, 3, 12) will produce runs and Chink Stickels (.258, 1, 9, 1) and Juan Pomales (.288, 3, 2) protect him well. This will be our toughest test of the season, but at least we'll get to handle it in Chicago.

Based on last seasons results, it will get even tougher, as we host the Cleveland Foresters for three games in two days. They were our undoing last season, and the only team we failed to finish .500 or better against. They are a game behind us in the standings, but they're 6th in run scored and 8th in runs allowed. The back end of the rotation has been dreadful, as Luis Eireos (0-1, 11.57, 1), Ben Turner (1-4, 10.67, 8), and Clarence Linden (0-1, 12.79) all have ERAs over 10. It's a reach on my end, as Eireos and Linden have just a start a piece, but Turner has been thrashed in 27 innings. Their only starter who's been tough to hit, is the young Ducky Davis (3-1, 2.90, 19), so if we miss him I really like our chances to put up big numbers. The lineup has some thump, as an offseason acquisition I considered Hank Stratton has hit .386/.397/.579 (156 OPS+) with 5 doubles, 2 homers, and 11 RBIs. Cal Howe (.293, 9, 2) and Lou Balk (.329, 1, 14, 1) have made up for a slow start from former top pick Jim Adams Jr. (.230, 8), but beyond the top four our staff should have no trouble trying to navigate through it. This is the first half of our first long homestand, and I'd love to get off to a great start here.

[StLee]

Originally Posted by ayaghmour2

First off, I want to start out by thanking everyone who's ever layed eyes on this hobbled-together mess of words I like to call my dynasty report. Rather remarkably, it managed to hit 100,000 views, even if 15% of them are myself. It is far more then I ever expected to see when I started writing this a little over three years ago, and I hope you all have enjoyed this ride as much as I have. If you haven't already notice, writing about baseball and Out of the Park are two of my favorite things to do, and even though the Cougars have been rather disappointing in terms of championships, I have had so much fun taking people through our adventure. Writing these are often a highlight of my day, so hopefully I've brightened up a few minutes of yours! Here's to the next 100,000 views! And plenty more titles!

Congrats on hitting the sixth figure in views! I know I disappear for x (days, weeks, MONTHS) sometimes due to my own ambitious nature, but I have definitely been a regular follower of your dynasty. I love your method for this dynasty and could only wish I could maintain the consistency that you have. My own ambition in my dynasty makes it sometimes a crawl that I just do not have or want to invest the time in. However, this is not about me, but you. And you are in the elite for top dynasty writers here!

Also, congrats on the 6-1 week. Last to 3rd was just a good week away!

[legendsport]

Originally Posted by ayaghmour2

First off, I want to start out by thanking everyone who's ever layed eyes on this hobbled-together mess of words I like to call my dynasty report. Rather remarkably, it managed to hit 100,000 views, even if 15% of them are myself. It is far more then I ever expected to see when I started writing this a little over three years ago, and I hope you all have enjoyed this ride as much as I have. If you haven't already notice, writing about baseball and Out of the Park are two of my favorite things to do, and even though the Cougars have been rather disappointing in terms of championships, I have had so much fun taking people through our adventure. Writing these are often a highlight of my day, so hopefully I've brightened up a few minutes of yours! Here's to the next 100,000 views! And plenty more titles!

Congrats! I would certainly be remiss in my duties as ringmaster of the 16-ring circus we call Figment Baseball if I didn't congratulate you on reaching the milestone of 100,000 views.

You're also a really fine GM and I'd chalk up your disappointment in titles to a combination of really good competition and some bad luck at inopportune times because your team is consistently amongst the best in FABL.

[ayaghmour2]

Originally Posted by StLee

Congrats on hitting the sixth figure in views! I know I disappear for x (days, weeks, MONTHS) sometimes due to my own ambitious nature, but I have definitely been a regular follower of your dynasty. I love your method for this dynasty and could only wish I could maintain the consistency that you have. My own ambition in my dynasty makes it sometimes a crawl that I just do not have or want to invest the time in. However, this is not about me, but you. And you are in the elite for top dynasty writers here!

Also, congrats on the 6-1 week. Last to 3rd was just a good week away!

Thanks for the kind words! It means a lot, I'm always in awe of the world you created, and it's always better when you have time to post.. I think what helps with the consistency is the league is always moving and I don't have to do all the "heavy lifting." I'm a creature of habit, so I can't imagine missing a write up. I've tried big world solo projects, and while it is fun to build a universe, it can be exhausting. It can be tough to keep the motivation for continuing as certain parts of the season can take so much longer then others.

Originally Posted by legendsport

Congrats! I would certainly be remiss in my duties as ringmaster of the 16-ring circus we call Figment Baseball if I didn't congratulate you on reaching the milestone of 100,000 views.

You're also a really fine GM and I'd chalk up your disappointment in titles to a combination of really good competition and some bad luck at inopportune times because your team is consistently amongst the best in FABL.

Thanks! All the great writers in the league, yourself included, gives Figment an immersion like no other. The commitment level of the GMs is impressive and always breeds healthy competition. As fun as it is to win, I rather be competitive year in and year out then endure runs of poor play before or after a title. Despite bringing it down some, the Cougars have the best win percentage in the FABL, and I imagine Cougar fans wouldn't take too well to frequent losing seasons. Besides, I get too attached to some of these players. Mitchell, Hunter, Parker, Skipper, etc. all could have been moved to chase titles, but with only one playoff spot it's impossible to expect to win regularly. Always more then one pennant worthy team, and the close races makes the entire season exciting.

[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 4-2
Seasonal Record: 14-11 (1st, 0.5 GA)
Stars of the Week
Cliff Moss : 20 AB, 10 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI, .500 AVG, 1.392 OPS
Don Lee : 10 AB, 6 H, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .600 AVG, 2.067 OPS
Rusty Petrick : 1 Win, 9.0 IP, 2 BB, 4 K, 0.00 ERA

Schedule
5-9: Loss vs Wolves (6-1)
5-10: Win vs Wolves (0-4)
5-11: Win vs Wolves (3-4)
5-12: Win vs Foresters (0-5)
5-13: Win vs Foresters (1-9)
5-13: Loss vs Foresters (6-4)

Recap
First place? Woooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Another winning week helped push us ahead of the pack, albeit, just by a half game. We leaped over the Kings, who are tied with those pesky Saints, that have finally decided to beat teams that aren't us. They're still responsible for more then half our losses, and the top six teams are separated by just a game and a half. Even the Stars (3) and Foresters (4) aren't too far back, as no one wants to get too far from everyone else. This should make for a very fun pennant race, one that I'm hoping we don't pull away just to collapse.

The biggest surprise of the season has been Rusty Petrick, who dominated the Foresters, tossing a 6-hit shutout with 2 walks and 4 strikeouts. Petrick has now thrown 12 consecutive scoreless innings, while allowing just a single unearned run in 30 innings pitched. His 0.30 ERA (1,263 ERA+) is one of the smallest I've ever seen, and it is 74 points better then the next closest mark in either league. Petrick didn't even have our only shutout, as Billy Riley threw a 6-hitter of his own. Riley did it against the Wolves, striking out 5 to win his fourth consecutive start. He's allowed just four runs in that stretch, striking out 16 while walking just 6. Art White tried to match Petrick's and Riley's shutout, but he allowed 7 hits, 3 runs (1 earned), and a walk in a complete game. Him and Riley both own a share of the CA win lead with 4, and his 2.50 ERA (151 ERA+) is slightly higher then Riley (2.42, 157).

Harry Parker failed to complete his starts, but both times came oh so close. The first I'd prefer he'd have pitched less, as he allowed 10 hits and 6 runs (4 earned) with 3 strikeouts in 8.2 innings. The second one I would have loved for him to go the distance, as we were up 9-1 and he once again just needed one more out. He was firing on all cylinders, allowing just 4 hits, a run, and a walk with 3 strikeouts. He was much better then Ken Matson, who pitched the second game of the double header, allowing 9 hits, 6 runs, and 6 walks with 3 strikeouts in 6 innings pitched. Matson has now allowed six runs in each of his two starts, but we once again need a fifth starter, and I'm not sure Angel Lopez, or Dick Lyons, will handle it much better. The fifth spot isn't going to be stable all season, but I may have to dip into the Milwaukee rotation, where George Oddo, Joe Swank, Mike Thorpe, Jack Huston, and Bill Tuttle are all ready and willing to go.

Cliff Moss continued his affront against CA pitchers, but was unfairly passed on for Player of the Week. Moss added two more homers and five RBIs in an even 10-for-20 performance. He added a double, 3 walks, and 6 RBIs while upping his season line to .363/.429/.747 (228 OPS+) with a league best 9 homers and 28 RBIs. He has three more homers and RBIs then any other CA hitter, and he ranks third in the batting race. His 1.176 OPS is absurdly high, but his atrocious defense (-5.5, .911) has made him worth less (1.0), in terms of WAR, then Skipper (1.3) who's 7.7 zone rating and 1.189 efficiency more then makes up for his 84 WRC+. Skipper was the only other six game player with a weekly OPS+ above 82, going 5-for-20 with a homer, 2 runs, 3 walks, and 4 RBIs. What did work, however, was our center field duo. Don Lee continued to rake, going 6-for-10 with a double, two triples, a homer, walk, 3 runs, and 3 RBIs. The 23-year-old now ranks as the 3rd best center fielder in the FABL, sporting a .370/.491/.717 (239 OPS+) line with 6 doubles, 2 triples, 2 homers, 11 RBIs, and 10 walks. Yates did what he needed to hold a lineup spot, going 6-for-12 with a walk, 2 doubles, 2 RBIs, 3 runs, and 3 steals. Yates is now hitting .333/.379/.630 (182 OPS+) in 7 May games, and he's tallied 3 doubles, 2 homers, 3 steals, and 6 RBIs in 16 games so far. If we can get any offense from him, it's a huge plus, as our weakest position from last season is turning into one of our strongest this year.

Looking Ahead
Just like last week, we'll play all our games at home, and all against new teams. We'll start by hosting the Sailors for four. At 12-12, they are a game and a half behind us. The Sailors have seen struggles from veterans Karl Wallace (1-1, 5.13, 11) and Doc Newell (3-3, 5.20, 17), but their youngsters have more then made up for it. 24-year-old Win Lewis has been dominant, going 3-1 with a 1.71 ERA (231 ERA+), 0.88 WHIP, 10 walks, and 15 strikeouts in his first five starts. His 1.71 ERA is second to just Rusty in the CA, and he's followed up his impressive 13 starts as a rookie. Fellow 24-year-old John Thomas Johnson (3-0, 1, 3.60, 9) has been impressive as well, and both look like long-term pieces in their rotation. The offense has let them down a bit, but their 2-3-4 has been outstanding. Ed Reyes (.383, 1, 11, 1) is shocking the league with his 156 WRC+ and Frank Covarrubias (.347, 3, 13) and Joseph Mills (.314, 15) have built off strong 1944s. The rest of the lineup leaves plenty to be desired, as four of the other five hitters are batting below .220. We should be able to put up some runs, and as good as our rotation has been, I like our chances to prevent runs.

Our long run of games then ends with four games in three days hosting the Cannons. The Cannons share the Sailors 12-12 record, but a lot can be attributed to injuries to Rufus Barrell II (0-0, 0.93, 4) and Sam Sheppard (2-0, 2.20, 6) and the complete collapse of Butch Smith (0-5, 4.21, 22). The reigning Allen Winner has look dreadful in six starts this season, and it will be very tough for him to match his 2.19 ERA (163 ERA+) and 1,07 WHIP from last year. It's a small sample, sure, but his league low .237 BABIP helped a lot, and it's jumped to .308 this season. Remarkably, his 83 FIP- is a point better then last season, so I'm sure he'll turn things around just in time to outduel Harry Parker in Chicago. Those three make up an impressive rotation, and 30-year-old Dan Adams (2-1, 1, 2.75, 7) has pitched well despite his 5 BB/9. Our offense has little-to-no chance of putting up runs on this group, so let's hope that two of the games are against former Cougars Tom Barrell (2-0, 3.96, 10) and Jim Crawford (2-2, 4.68, 2). The lineup doesn't have a weakness, as Sam Brown's (.276, 1, 16) batting average is the lowest of the regular eight, but would rank third between qualified Cougars (although Lee and Mayhugh are hitting .370 and .296 respectively). Former Pioneer Gail Gifford (.313, 2, 8) has yet to walk and has been set down 18 times, but he's still got a 107 WRC+ and his leadership value is unmeasurable. Denny Andrews (.322, 6, 16) is giving Cliff Moss a run for his money at the plate and Al Wheeler (.310, 4, 17) has been providing vintage at bats. Even elite shortstop Jim Hensley (.301, 12) has been well above average at the plate to go with his marvelous defense. Ignore the current records, this team is without a doubt the class of the CA. But as always, there is so much variability during an FABL season, and we know far too well that the best team on paper doesn't always win the championship. We love playing at home, and and old and tired Cannons team may not be able to keep up with our fresher, more youthful legs.