Chicago Cougars (FABL) - Page 51

ayaghmour2 · 01-27-2023, 07:20 PM

Weekly Record: 3-3
Seasonal Record: 69-57 (3rd, 7.5 GB)
Stars of the Week
Ollie Page : 11 AB, 6 H, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .545 AVG, 1.492 OPS
Skipper Schneider : 25 AB, 8 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .320 AVG, .786 OPS
Don Lee : 22 AB, 7 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .318 AVG, .900 OPS

Schedule
8-20: Loss vs Sailors (5-1)
8-21: Loss vs Sailors (8-4)
8-23: Win at Saints (4-3)
8-24: Win vs Saints (7-8)
8-25: Win vs Saints (0-4)
8-26: Loss vs Saints (7-3)

Recap
Well... We're closer to first? I guess that's good...

And we beat the Saints! If only we could beat the Sailors...

After splitting the double header with the Sailors, they beat us the final two times in Chicago, but we won the same amount of games (3) this week against the Saints then we did all season. Two of them were the one run variety, so not too exciting, but hey, we beat the Saints! That's like our World Series this year!

Peter the Heater wasn't Peter the Heater, as while he threw 126 pitches in each of his starts, he was honestly uninspiring. Sure, he struck out 6 both times, but he allowed plenty of runs and hits. The Sailors piled on 6 hits, 5 runs (4 earned), and 5 walks in 7 innings, losing his first appearance since he started game six of the 1941 World Championship series. He beat the Saints, but he didn't pitch very well, allowing 7 hits, 7 runs (5 earned), and 6 walks in 6.2 innings. This is not the Papenfus we've come to know and love, but I guess I shouldn't have expected him to be ready to go out of the gates. His second start was on four days rest, but with three off days this week he'll get a full five between two and three. The extra off days also mean no Duke Bybee this week, as bringing him up and DFA'ing someone to make room wouldn't make much sense. He'll head to Lincoln to make a pair of starts before debuting in September. I'm very excited to see how the #7 prospect will do in the big leagues, likely facing the Sailors in Philly for his debut. Depending on how well he does, the rest of the season may just be Pap-Parker-Riley-Duke, as we have just one double header in our last 15 games.

After pitching two innings on the 21st, Dick Lyons finally announced the inevitable; the 45-year-old will hang up the cleats once the season ends. I expect he'll make a few more appearances, but Lyons will finish his career at the end of this season. His #23 will be retired, joining Calvin Kidd (0), John Dibblee (19), and Jack Long (22) as the only four Cougars to receive this honor. We'll have a nice ceremony for Lyons on our home opener next season, as we raise his number into the rafters. I'll have a nice long tribute for him once his career officially ends, but his longevity is almost unprecedented. He was an effective big league starter for 18 seasons, and has been in the big leagues longer then the lifespans of five of our first six (Carl Clark, Dutch Yoak, Pat Todd, Jim Mako, and Alex O'Dailey) draftees this season, and was drafted before teammates George Oddo, Mike Thorpe, George Sutterfield, and Don Lee were born. The short and now stocky southpaw will finish his FABL career with nearly 4,000 innings and 570 appearances, with an impressive 3.80 ERA (107 ERA+) and 1.36 WHIP. One of my favorite pitcher's I've had the pleasure of watching for nearly two decades, it will feel very weird to not see his name on our Opening Day roster next season.

Too bad we couldn't win him a title...

On to the more boring parts of the week, Billy Riley made a pair of starts, and other then the four runs of support in each game, they couldn't have been much different. Riley had no lucky with the Sailors, allowing 7 hits and runs with 4 walks and a pair of strikeouts. Against the Saints, however, he was classic dominant self, tossing a 3-hit shutout with a walk and 4 strikeouts, to join Eli Panneton at the top of the CA win total with 16. Rusty Petrick struggled in his start, allowing 9 hits, 6 runs, and a walk with 2 strikeouts in our lone loss to the Saints. Since he pitches most recently, he'll move to the pen this week, as we won't need five starters. We barely need four, but since he's pitched well in the pen and George Oddo has only started, I'd rather have him to close out a game if needed. With a double header next Monday, Petrick has a chance for another start shortly, but him and Oddo may be late inning pen guys most of September. The last start went to Harry Parker, who guess what? Threw another complete game! Sure, it was just 98 pitches, but is that a bad thing? That's efficiency! Parker scattered 8 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), and a walk with 2 strikeouts. He improved to 14-9 on the season, and maintained his rank of 2nd in ERA (2.91) and strikeouts (107). The pen did pretty well too, with Merritt Thomas making three appearances. He allowed just one run off 4 hits, a walk, and 2 strikeouts in 6 innings. Mike Thorpe made a nice relief debut, picking up a hold and retiring all four batters he faced. The staff needs to carry, as we don't do anything well offensively other then the three true outcomes (2nd in HR, 1st in walks, 2nd in strikeouts).

We didn't do much hitting, but Don Lee and Dick Walker turned things around. Lee went 7-for-22 with 2 triples, 2 runs, 2 RBIs, and 3 walks. Walker was just 3-for-21, so pretty poor average (.143), but all three hits were solo homers, and he added a steal, six walks, and two additional runs scored. Skipper hit his 3rd homer of the season, and went 8-for-25 with a walk, 4 RBIs, and 5 runs scored. Ollie Page hit his third as well, finishing 6-for-11 with a walk, double, 3 runs, and 2 RBIs. He'll get more time with Ken Mayhugh's recent collapse, and he's hit just .197/.287/.276 (62 OPS+) in August. He'll get some starts at third, mainly against lefties, but Page will get more of the time at the hot corner, and some starts at second over Rabbit Mudd. Mudd has been inconsistent, this week just 3-for-15, but he's hit an arguably elite .312/.389/.484 (149 OPS+) with 2 doubles, 3 triples, a homer, and 7 RBIs in 21 games as a Cougar. He may be crucial to us clawing back into things, as I'm not sure I can rely too much on Rich Langton (.262, 3, 57, 13) or Harry Mead (250, 4, 43). Seven and a half games isn't insurmountable, but we only made up ground because the Cannons struggled, not because we did good. After such a great start in August, we're just 14-12 for the month, losing 10 of our last 15. With a bit over a month left, the past two weeks were the perfect time to make up ground, and we failed to make up for it.

Looking Ahead
It's a weird week with very few games, as we're off to start before two games with the Stars, and after that, two more off days. The Stars come to Chicago at 60-67, and are just 6 behind the Sailors for 4th. I mentioned earlier they have the co-CA Win Leader Eli Panneton (16-10, 3.04, 92), but errors ruined his start against the Kings yesterday. This means we'll miss their talented ace, and instead get Alex Vaughn, a now 35-year-old righty who is throwing his first pitch since a partial UCL tear last May. He hasn't pitched much in the big leagues, throwing 240.1 innings with a big gap in between. He went 7-17 with a 4.79 ERA (88 ERA+) in 104 innings with the Keystones in 1936 and 1937, but then spent the next five seasons in the minors. With the Stars in need of pitchers due to the war, he threw 122.1 innings in 1943 and 14 excellent pre-injury innings the year before. Is the clubhouse leader going to pick off where he left off? Or will a rested Cougar team manage to give him a rude awakening in his return to the mound? Even if we can't score, he'll have to outduel Harry Parker (14-9, 2.91, 107), who does well against any lineup. One batter that may be tough is journeyman outfielder Maury Millsap (.304, 6, 29), who has seized the starting lineup spot Howie Smith (.299, 8, 78, 3) vacated. It's not the deepest lineup, but Bill Grove (.283, 1, 23, 4), Jim Honeywood (.301, 5, 44), Chubby Hall (.294, 8, 79), and Chick MacKnight (.295, 5, 43) are all putting together above average seasons in terms of both WRC+ and OPS+. This is scary because it's missing top pick Bob Riggins (.291, 4, 2) and former top 20 prospect Elijah Bourdeau (.189, 2, 13, 1) to injuries, and you can't forget about the embarrassment of riches enlisted in Bill Barnett, Lew Seals, Joe Angevine, and of course, Big Bad Billy. Cougars fans will get to see the Stars two more times this season, but that lineup will be far different then the scary one we'll see next season. But for now, these are games we should be winning. As long as Panneton isn't pitching...

We'll spend our weekend in Montreal, dealing with the Saints for three games in two days. I won't let last week fool us, and expect wins here, as the Saints have had our number all season. We avoided Pat Weakly (12-8, 3.32, 121), who can even beat the Cannons. He tossed a gem on the 21st against the Cannons, allowing 6 hits, 2 runs, and a walk with 5 strikeouts in a 4-2 complete game. The Saints don't play anyone until we come to town, so he'll be fully rested for the Saturday game. The rust may work to our advantage, as he'll have ten days of rest and hopefully won't have his strikeout pitch working. Based on their rotation order, the double header projects to be Ed Baker (11-10, 4.35, 22) and Jackie James (7-14, 4.89, 68), but they have plenty of time to make adjustments. Regardless, we'll have our hands full with Vic Crawford (.308, 11, 84) and Bill Greene (.274, 15, 78, 15) and I'm ready to leave Montreal as we do so often: disappointed.

Minor League Report
RHP Joe Swank (AAA Milwaukee Blues): Even though both Mike Thorpe and George Oddo got promoted before him, Joe Swank has done excellent in AAA this season. It was his first taste at the highest minor league level, and he's excelled all season. The 22-year-old righty is currently 14-8 with a 3.16 ERA (127 ERA+) and 1.12 WHIP with 43 walks and 105 strikeouts in just over 200 innings pitched. There's so much to like about Swank's production, starting with his excellent 2.4 K/BB, his impressive 82 FIP-, and 4.6 WAR all while being one of the youngest pitchers in the league. A projected future big league rotation member, Swank checks in inside of our top 10 prospects and ranks 155th in the league wide rankings. A rather polished three-pitch pitcher, Swank has a nice high 80s fastball which mixes well with his curve and circle change. His stuff is excellent, leading to plenty of whiffs, and he's featured excellent command that is expected to continue to improve as he matures. Profiling more as a fifth starter then staff leader, Swank's pitches can be a little flat, but he generates a lot of grounders. I'm not sure he can maintain a K/9 above 4 against big leaguers, but he locates his offerings well, and doesn't get rattled on the mound. I want him pitching every day, so he'll spend the rest of the season in Milwaukee, but if he needs to be protected in the Rule-5 draft, I'll make a spot for him. I'm debating on being aggressive in the offseason, and Swank would be a very appealing piece to help us upgrade the lineup.

CF Don Jeppsen (A Lincoln Legislators): After crushing pitchers in the C-O-W League, Don Jeppsen has had plenty of success in Lincoln, slashing .328/.352/.470 (120 OPS+) in 54 games for the Legislators. He's added in 10 doubles, 6 triples, 2 homers, 3 steals, and 28 RBIs, and while he's hit far less homers then he did in San Jose (8), he made up for it with an equal increase in triples. He's spent most of his time in left, which may be his final spot, and he's put up an above average 1.021 efficiency in 48 starts. Now 21, Jeppsen has show the potential to barrel up the ball effectively, and he can hit to all fields. He has good speed and always looks to take the extra base, but he's not going to offer much in the field. He's got a limited ceiling due to that, so he'll have to hit at every level to earn a big league spot. Things are going to get crowded next season, but his age should work into his advantage.

ayaghmour2 · 01-30-2023, 07:33 PM

Weekly Record: 3-2
Seasonal Record: 72-59 (3rd, 7 GB)
Stars of the Week
Rusty Petrick : 2 Wins, 3.0 IP, 0 BB, 2 K, 6.00 ERA
Harry Mead : 15 AB, 6 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .400 AVG, 1.033 OPS
Skipper Schneider : 21 AB, 7 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .333 AVG, .697 OPS

Schedule
8-28: Win vs Stars (4-7)
8-29: Win vs Stars (2-5)
9-1: Loss at Saints (0-5)
9-2: Win at Saints (4-2)
9-2: Loss at Saints (4-5): 10 innings

Recap
Those darn Saints... We let them take two of three from us in Montreal, and since we swept the Stars at home, it was our only two losses of the week. I'm debating petitioning the FABL brass to prevent us from playing them ever again, but we're actually worse against the Cannons (6-12) then the Saints (7-12) now. Both teams have been thorns in our side all season long, with Toronto (9-10) the only other team we're sub .500 against. We also got hit really hard with injuries, and it couldn't have come at a worse time, as we reached roster callups, so all the guys I was forced to cut recently can't help us. The first injury was something that has never happened before; Dick Walker missed games. He suffered a herniated disc on the 28th, and missed the following four games, and will have to sit out for our next three as well. Walker made 2,957 consecutive high school, minor league, and FABL appearances without suffering an injury of any length, with a run of 2,539 consecutive FABL appearances without missing a game due to an ailment. We don't really have another first basemen, but Ken Mayhugh or Chick Browning (and of course Tip Harrison) can cover. Don Lee actually made the starts, with Orlin Yates covering center, as Ray Struble was already covering left. That's because Rich Langton tore a ligament in his thumb, and will miss the next two weeks. We have plenty of guys to fill the outfield spot, with Bill Rich returning to Chicago and Chick Browning and Lee options as well. Even Jimmie James, now returned from rehab, could make a start in a corner if he needs, and since Langton hasn't really hit much, I'm not sure this injury will be too hard to handle. We have a few more callups, and I'll cover most in the Minor League Report today. I'm not stacking the roster yet, as the minor league season has plenty of time left, and we don't have many spare pitchers.

One pitcher that is coming up is Ben Curtin, who went unclaimed, but the big name is Duke Bybee. Even if he didn't dominate in A ball, Bybee would have gotten the call, and he'll make his debut on the 6th against the Sailors. The current #7 prospect in all of baseball, Bybee is a legit ace with oodles of potential, and he was stellar in Lincoln. His first start in nearly four years was a complete game win where he allowed just 5 hits, a run, and 2 walks with 8 strikeouts. He followed that up with eight shutout innings, as Peoria got just 6 hits and 2 walks with 7 more strikeouts. There have been very few more highly anticipated prospects, and the lanky lefty should be a mainstay in our rotation. He might be better then everyone but Pap, but we'll ease him into things, slotting him in the four spot. A six pitch pitcher, Bybee has an elite changeup with elite command, and he'll rack up the strikeouts too. His cutter and fastball top out at 97, and his forkball and slider are all plus pitches as well. His curve is just as good as the change, and no matter what Duke throws, you probably won't hit it. Now 23, he's still got a lot of development ahead of him, but his floor is basically Harry Parker, and Parker currently ranks as the 16th best pitcher in the FABL.

Luck was not on Parker's side, as he got a pair of no decisions despite tremendous pitching. Parker pitched in our 7-4 win over the Stars, going 7 with 6 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), 3 walks, and 3 strikeouts. He also featured in our 4-2 win over the Saints, again going 7, this time with 8 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts. Due to Art Hull's 2.77 ERA (134 ERA+) now qualifying with 133.1 innings pitched, Parker's 2.89 (123 ERA+) is now third, while his strikeouts (112) and WHIP (1.12) are second. Both of Parker's wins went to Rusty Petrick, who made three appearances with a pair of wins and blown saves. He got a loss as well, allowing 6 hits and 2 runs with 2 punchouts in 3 innings. With a double header to start the week, Petrick will start the first game of the double header, before returning back to the pen. Mike Thorpe made a pair of appearances out of the pen, and was the only pitcher other then Petrick to make an appearance from the pen. He struck out one in a perfect 9th against the Stars to pick up his first big league save. He allowed a hit an run in his inning against the Saints, but rolled up three ground balls to keep the game tied.

George Oddo will get another start this week due to a double header on Sunday, and he looked good against the Saints. Oddo went 8 with 10 hits, 3 runs, 3 walks, and 5 strikeouts in our extra inning loss. Oddo has one or two guaranteed starts left this season, with another double header the following week, as I want our top four to pitch as much as possible until we're officially out. Oddo's been rather lucky, as his 4.29 FIP (120 FIP-) implies he's been well below average, but the 22-year-old is an even 6-6 in 15 starts with a strong 3.03 ERA (117 ERA+), 1.16 WHIP, 47 walks, and 58 strikeouts. The 13 homers have been killer, and he's allowed one in five of his last six starts. Billy Riley had the only poor start, going 8 with 6 hits, 5 runs, 4 walks, and 4 strikeouts. The last start of the week went to our fireballer Pete Papenfus, who flashed vintage Peter the Heater stuff. Pap threw 136 pitches in a complete game win, finishing with 6 hits, 2 runs (1 earned), 5 walks, and 9 strikeouts. A few more of these starts, and we can edge closer to the Wolves and Cannons, who sit 4.5 and 7 games ahead of us. The Kings and Foresters are now officially out of it, so things are starting to look grim, but our front four in the rotation has the talent to outpitch nearly every pitcher in the FABL.

Discounting Don Lee, and his 3-for-19 week, we hit very well this week. Harry Mead looked like himself, going 6-for-15 with 2 doubles, 3 walks, 3 runs, and an RBI. Ollie Page has started to really heat up, this week 4-for-12 with 2 steals, 4 runs, and 5 walks. The 35-year-old slashed an outstanding .368/.500/.474 (180 OPS+) in August, and seems likely to man the hot corner the rest of the season. Cliff Moss had a nice week too, 6-for-19 with a double, triple, walk, and 4 runs. Skipper hit well, 7-for-21 with a walk, 2 runs, and 3 RBIs. Ken Mayhugh did alright in limited time, 2-for-6 with a double, run, and RBI. We'll need some more production from the supporting cast this week with Walker out at least three games and Rich Langton gone for the week, but I wouldn't bet on another Don Lee scuffle as he tends to bounce back very quickly.

Looking Ahead
Back at home for a quick double header against the now eliminated Kings, who own a comfortable lead over the cellar dwelling Foresters. The Kings could look a lot different with rosters now expanded, and I'm hoping that will make things even easier for us. I'm a little worried we'll have to face Bill McGraw (10-12, 4.04, 87), who was roughed up on the 1st by the Stars. This caused him to throw just 51 pitches, so the wild righty is rested enough to start one of the double header games. He's walked 121 hitters (5.8 BB/9) in just under 190 innings, but allowed just two runs in 7+ innings in each of his last two starts against us. I know we'll see struggling rookie Dick Farmer (8-15, 5.21, 87), and I'm hoping Clarence Barton (8-7, 3.91, 66), but Barton has won his last three starts and allowed three or fewer runs in nine of his last eleven starts. Offensively, Orie Martinez is hitting average again (.271/.346/.378, 100 OPS+), so they're more then just the Ben Brazel (.320, 45, 9) and Vernon Ruch (.316, 9, 71). Jake Shadoan (.294, 6, 56, 12) is probably in his last effective big league season, and the Kings may look plenty different next season after the war. These are two easy wins, but if there's one thing the Cougars struggle with, its winning games we should.

Off for two days before starting a two week road trip. The first stop is Philadelphia for four with the Sailors. They're the only team in the first division we've handled, but at 69-64 they're definitely capable of beating us. Just 4 games behind us, a rough showing and they'll pass us for third, but a sweep on our side and we may be able to clinch at least third for the 7th consecutive season. The Sailors will get to witness the first of hopefully many Duke Bybee starts, and there's a chance he'll get to face off against longtime Sailor Doc Newell (16-11, 3.16, 87). Him and Win Lewis (12-9, 2.96, 83) make up a capable 1-2 punch, and Art Hull has somehow emerged as an excellent starter. A 25-year-old former 6th Rounder, Hull has started 15 of his 35 appearances, going 6-9 with 4 saves, a 2.77 ERA (134 ERA+) and 1.48 WHIP. He walks (76) more guys then he strikes out (71), and the WHIP is certainly a concern, but Hull has a really nice curve and the Sailors are good at getting the most out of middling pitchers. Even if we're stuck facing the three of them, we'll get a reprieve in the form of Karl Wallace (10-10, 4.50, 64) or Ray McCarthy (8-8, 4.01, 32), who have both endured a tough run of starts. The lineup got a new add, with former 6th Overall Pick Mark Smith returning from the Army. His first week went well, 4-for-13 with 2 doubles, a triple, 2 walks, and 3 runs. It was a nice birthday gift for Smith, who turned 25 on discharge day, and he's got a really good bat for a catcher. The lineup just got longer, as he'll join a strong group comprised of Chick Wilhelm (.258, 7, 50, 12), Joseph Mills (.278, 9, 61), Ed Reyes (.332, 7, 61), and Addie Aleman (.330, 2, 50, 3). I'm definitely nervous about this one, but for the first time all season, we have a really good rotation, and arguably the best in the FABL by a wide margin.

We then finish the week with the first half a four game set against the Foresters. Cleveland was our Achilles Heel last season, but this season we have had the most success (14-4) of them compared to any other team. I'd trade that for last year's in a heartbeat, as we'd be reigning CA winners instead of being even further out of first this year then last. Joining the rotation last week was former #1 pick Hiram Steinberg, who was just as dominant against two teams above .500 as he was when he last pitched in A ball back in 1942. "The Undertaker" tossed complete game wins against the Wolves and Sailors, allowing just 11 hits and 4 earned runs with 5 walks and 6 strikeouts. Him and Richie Hughes (2-8, 3.98, 43) will be a frustrating 1-2 punch for years, and top 50 prospect John Jackson will join them in a season or two. With that trio and Ducky Davis (11-15, 3.79, 73), it won't be nearly as hard to score off of them as it is this year, and while Ben Turner (7-15, 5.36, 42) is retiring, don't be surprised if Jimmy Collins (5-9, 5.65, 49) and the now DFA'd George Rotondi (4-18, 4.56, 74) don't start another game for the Foresters after this season ends. The offense doesn't have as exciting of a future, but they called up former 3rd Rounder Earl Szwed (.125, 1) last week to man short, shifting another former #1 pick Jim Adams Jr. (240, 4, 42, 8) to the keystone. There isn't much else in the Foresters lineup, as Hank Stratton (.301, 4, 43) and Adams are the only hitters with a WRC+ above 100. The games against the Sailors will be tough, but if we can beat the Kings and Foresters like we should, we'll make our way back up the standings.

Minor League Report
C Gene Lee: He only appeared in 18 games for the Blues, and he'll be DFA'd in the offseason, but I love having a third catcher! The 25-year-old is also a leader, so that's pretty cool, but he hit just .171/.227/.195 (20 OPS+). He'll be just in case of emergency, and I don't think the former 19th Rounder will get another FABL start.

3B Steve Jones: Rejoining the Cougars in Chicago is Steve Jones, the all-glove, no-bat infielder who hit an impressive .125/.219/.141 (4 OPS+) in 74 trips to the plate, good enough for an elite 6 WRC+. Of course, he's a very good defensive third basemen, and is dependable in the middle infield too. Jones hit much better in 43 games with the Blues, slashing an adjusted league average .270/.362/.340 with 10 doubles, 18 walks, and 18 RBIs. Will he offer some with the bat when he's back? I doubt it. But he could be a useful late inning substitute.

RF Bill Rich: Returning from the minors, Bill Rich had a nice season in Milwaukee, slashing .281/.349/.387 (109 OPS+) with 18 doubles, 2 triples, 5 homers, and 44 RBIs with one more walk (36) then strike out. The 26-year-old has done well in his first 41 trips to the plate as a big leaguer, slashing .351/.415/.459 (150 OPS+) with a double, homer, and 7 RBIs. Now with Langton on the IL, Rich will start in left against lefties, as he's more then hit well enough to earn the starting spot. With an option left, Rich is likely to start next season in the minors, but the bat has looked very strong, and that could help him earn more of a long term bench spot.

RHP Stan Flanders (AA Mobile Commodores): It's been another great season for Stan Flanders in AA, as the young righty is 11-9 entering the final month. His most recent start was brilliant, a 7-hit shutout to lower his season ERA to 3.13 (127 ERA+). He's supplemented that with a 1.39 WHIP, but he's walked (47) a few more batters (41) then he's struck out. It's not the biggest concern, as Flanders is more of a pitch to contact guy, and his 2.3 BB/9 is pretty solid. Unfortunately for Flanders, Tom has soured on his pitches a little, dropping him from borderline starter to bullpen as a projected role, making me believe that his high 80s fastball is the only reliable offering of his three pitches. He does command his curve and change well, but don't expect him to miss many bats with either. Despite his age, this may be Flanders' last season, as a pen role may be his best fit. He could get the occasional spot start, but I don't think he'll be make many big league starts.

RHP Harry Sharp (A Lincoln Legislators): After a 13 hit, 8 run outing where he left in the 5th, Harry Sharp bounced back quickly when he got another go at the Pastimers. He was outstanding, tossing a 5-hit shutout with 2 walks and 5 strikeouts. He's been a bit unlucky, now 5-9, but that goes with a nice 3.49 ERA (117 ERA+) and 1.35 WHIP in 17 starts for the Legislators. He's struck out 58 and walked 39 in 123.2 innings pitched, and the former 11th Rounder is doing his best to keep a rotation spot. He's not much of a stuff guy, but he has a strong 4.2 K/9 and he commands his pitches well. His issue this season has been with the longball, allowing 11 already. If the lefty can start throwing harder, he may be able to cut that down a bit, but the now 23-year-old is a bit behind in the development path. It will be tough for him to carve out a big league job, but I think he's done enough to get another go at starting games in our system. I wish he had a bit more hustle in him, as I'm not sure he has what it takes to better himself.

ayaghmour2 · 01-31-2023, 07:01 PM

Weekly Record: 3-5
Seasonal Record: 75-64 (3rd, 10 GB)
Stars of the Week
Skipper Schneider : 30 AB, 10 H, 0 HR, 5 RBI, .333 AVG, .845 OPS
Cliff Moss : 33 AB, 8 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .242 AVG, .597 OPS
Don Lee : 34 AB, 7 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .206 AVG, .613 OPS

Schedule
9-3: Loss vs Kings (4-3): 10 innings
9-3: Loss vs Kings (1-0): 12 innings
9-5: Win at Sailors (7-4)
9-6: Loss at Sailors (1-8)
9-7: Win at Sailors (5-2): 10 innings
9-8: Loss at Sailors (1-2)
9-9: Loss at Foresters (1-3)
9-9: Win at Foresters (7-3)

Recap
Yep, it's that time of year already...

The time where we have to look forward to next year...

In the most crippling blow to our slim title chances, we dropped not one, but two one-run extra-inning home games to the Brooklyn Kings where we scored just three runs in 22 innings. Yay! We did split with the Sailors, which I thought would be what would do us in, but splitting with the Foresters as well really hurt. The final nail in the coffin was that four of our five losses saw us score one or fewer runs, as the offense was nowhere to be found. Now 10 out and technically still eligible for the postseason, there's really not much to do other then hope we stay healthy and call up a few more reinforcements once the minor league season ends.

Duke Bybee made his big league debut, and while it started out great, things did not end too well. Bybee was cruising against the Sailors, tossing five scoreless frames with 3 hits and a walk. Things fell apart in the second where Bybee himself tried to get out of the inning with a double play, but the 6'4'' lefties throw to his 5'6'' shortstop was way too high. This sparked a Sailors rally in a 1-0 game, as they put up 7 runs (2 earned) on 5 hits and 3 walks before Bybee left with two on and two outs. He did strike out four, but was charged with the loss as we didn't score after the first inning. He'll be right back out on Monday against the Foresters before being saddled with the Wolves on Friday.

Peter the Heater had some bad luck this week, as despite two dominant starts, he didn't win a single game. The first game was the offenses fault, as he tossed what should have been a 2-hit shutout with 2 walks and 8 strikeouts, but we couldn't score a single run when he was on the mound. We couldn't score after he left either, as the Kings topped us 1-0 in 12 despite the fact that we out hit them 10-7. Mike Thorpe was charged with the loss, allowing 3 hits and a run in the 12th after Ben Curtin threw two scoreless frames with just two hits. Curtin actually lost game one of the double header, dropping to 0-6, and he finished the week with 4.1 innings, 4 hits, a run, and a strikeout. Papenfus then lost his second start, going 8 with 8 hits, 2 runs, and 8 strikeouts. In his last three starts he's allowed just 3 earned runs in 26 innings with 16 hits, 7 walks, and 25 strikeouts, but has just one win to show for it. He's gotten one run of support or fewer in three of his five starts since returning, and more then half (8 of 15) came in the start he allowed 7. Not quite the welcome back I expected we'd show him, but he's already struck out (37) more batters in 39.2 innings then Art White (33) has in over 230.

Billy Riley made a pair of starts, topping the Sailors while getting Papenfus-like run support against Cleveland. He was actually better in Cleveland, going 8 with 7 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts. In the win, he went an inning shorter with more hits (8), runs (4), and walks (4) with half as many strikeouts (2). In 32 starts he's 17-11, tied for second in the CA in wins with Doc Newell, while leading the circuit with six shutouts. His 1.16 WHIP is behind just Rufus (1.06) and Harry Parker (1.12), but his 3.35 ERA (105 ERA+) isn't all that impressive. Rusty Petrick picked up his 14th win, but it didn't come in his start, as the Kings got 9 hits, 3 runs, and 7 walks in a complete game loss. Petrick did strike out 5, and then beat the Sailors with 2 innings out of the pen, allowing just two hits with another strikeout. Petrick seems ticketed for the pen the rest of the way, but he's a respectable 14-12 with a 3.19 ERA (110 ERA+) and 1.38 WHIP. George Oddo came an out away from a complete game victory, allowing 6 hits, 3 runs, and 2 walks with 7 strikeouts against the Foresters. He also didn't allow a home run, improving to 7-6 in 16 starts. Oddo has a start lined up against the Cannons in our Sunday double header, but with just seven games in fourteen days to finish the season after the double header, he'll likely end his season two weeks early. Harry Parker looked good in a no decision, going 7 with 6 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts. The towering righty has now allowed exactly two earned runs in each of his last five starts, and two or fewer in 9 of his last 10. Can't blame the pitching for our collapse, as we rank 1st or 2nd in each category except WAR (6th), homers (7th), and walks (6th).

The crazy thing about the offense is we didn't even hit that bad, we just couldn't score runs. Don't get me wrong, there was no non-stop mashing, but we did have a few hitters who produced well. Skipper Schneider had a big week, going 10-for-30 with 3 doubles, 5 RBIs, 4 walks, and a run scored. Ray Struble had a decent week filling in, and while he was just 4-for-19, it came with a triple, homer, steal, 2 walks, 2 runs, and 2 RBIs. Ollie Page continued to hit, 5-for-17 with 4 walks and a run. Dick Walker didn't show any signs of fatigue after his herniated disc, going 5-for-19 with a homer, 2 walks, 2 RBIs, and 3 runs. Rabbit Mudd went 4-for-17 with a homer, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 2 RBIs. Mike Taylor was effective off the bench, 3-for-8 with 2 runs and 4 walks. It was far better then Harry Mead, who was a poor 4-for-25 with a walk, run, and pair of RBIs. The lack of run scoring really set us back, as we're now 6th in runs scored with a little less then a month left to go.

Looking Ahead
Not much to look forward to, as after two with the Foresters, you can pretty much pencil in "Ls" the rest of the week. At 50-86, they seem like a lock for another last place finish, with the Kings five games clear of the cellar. We'll start the week with Jimmy Collins (5-10, 5.75, 53), who even our putrid offense should be able to put some runs on. After Collins its a tougher task in Ducky Davis (13-15, 3.52, 80), who tossed a 10 inning shutout against the Stars his last time out. No major callups for the Foresters, but for some reason they put Chuck Harrington (.203, 1, 16) back in the lineup at short. I'm not the least bit scared of their lineup, as they've managed to score 99 fewer runs then we have. Brooks Meeks (.287, 9, 46, 4) may come off the IL this week, which would push Harrington right back out of the lineup, with Jim Adams Jr. (.242, 4, 46, 9) returning to short. They did callup soon-to-be 24-year-old Pete Sigmund (.143, 1) after he returned from the Coast Guard, but he didn't hit all that much in 3 starts and 3 appearances off the bench. The switch hitter is a very patient hitter who can hit the ball hard and far, and is one of the few young bats they have close to the majors that isn't enlisted. The only other intriguing youngster fitting that bill is this year's 5th rounder Ivey Henley, a top 100 prospect who had a 163 OPS+ in AA and a 125 in AAA. I doubt he'll get the call this season, but he can shift Hank Stratton over to third, and open 1946 as the Foresters first basemen. It might take the Foresters a few seasons to get out of the second division, but I don't think they'll be finishing 7th or 8th for much longer.

The road trip continues with three in Toronto, but the Wolves have started to scuffle themselves. Now 3.5 games out of first, they're running out of time to dethrone the Cannons, who seem set on a third wartime pennant. Part of this is due to a tough August from George Garrison (16-8, 3.07, 114), but the former 3rd Overall Selection allowed just a single run in a complete game win over the Stars in his last start. He leads a rotation with five above average arms, as Jim Laurita's (9-12, 3.48, 78) 105 ERA+ is the worst of the bunch. Chick Wirtz (14-9, 3.03, 71) has shown last year was no fluke and Bob Walls (12-4, 3.44, 39) has done a complete 180, as his ERA was above 5 when June started. They score plenty of runs too, as Fred McCormick (.267, 11, 38, 3) cracked double-digit homers for the 8th time in his career and Walt Pack (.308, 28, 90) leads the Conti with nearly 30. Charlie Artuso (.284, 8, 64, 9) is trying to catch Skipper to be the CA WAR lord, and is on pace to top 10 for the first time in his career. If there is a weakness, its Gus Hall (.228, 8, 75) in right, as even Clarence Howerton (.248, 2, 42, 6) provides plenty of value to the pitching staff and clubhouse. I'd love to see the Wolves catch the Cannons, but that means we have to lose to them and beat the Cannons. And I think we'll only manage one of those...

We'll spend our weekend in Cincinnati with three games of a four game set. It's a double header on Sunday with the likely first place Cannons, who sit at 83-52 and 3.5 games above the Wolves. Injuries have started to pile up on the Cannons, as they'll be without resurgent Tom Barrell (16-5, 3.26, 53) for the rest of the season with a strained hamstring. "Jersey Jim" Anderson (1-2, 3.62, 12) suffered a more minor strain, and may be back after a week, but their rotation will look plenty different when we come to town. We're likely stuck dealing with Rufus Barrell II (15-5, 2.34, 91), as we seem to always catch him, but guys like Dan Adams (14-8, 1, 3.07, 78) and Red Hampton (10-12, 3.31, 53) give them plenty of good starts too. I'm not overly worried about the staff, as we can't really hit anyone, but the lineup is beyond scary. When Denny Andrews (.268, 13, 48) and his 88 walks is sitting in the six hole, you know the lineup is strong, and they have two serious sluggers in Chuck Adams (.302, 25, 99) and Al Wheeler (.308, 26, 87). Mix in outfielders Gail Gifford (.319, 9, 55, 18) and Fred Galloway (.281, 7, 35) with Ten Time Tom (.269, 8, 56), our defense will be plenty busy. It'll be fun to see how Peter the Heater handles the Cannons, but he may be the only guy to survive Cincy, as he can make even the best hitters look silly at the plate.

Minor League Report
RHP Lonnie Sis (C La Crosse Lions): After a dominant first season in C ball, Lonnie Sis has really struggled this season. Last year he owned a 2.35 ERA (149 ERA+) and 1.16 WHIP, but those have jumped to 3.79 (79 ERA+) and 1.34 in his 12 starts this season. The "Sizzler" did sizzle in his last outing, however, tossing a brilliant 4-hit shutout with a walk and 6 strikeouts. It's a step in the right direction for the 19-year-old, who's actually throwing a bit harder (90-92 to 91-93) this season then last year. He's given up a lot more runs, but he's walked 26 and struck out 50 in 2 innings fewer then last year. That's compared to 24 and 42 in '44, giving him a higher BB/9 (3.0) and K/9 (5.7), with the increase in K/9 (+1.0) much larger then the BB/9 (+0.3). A hard working righty, Sis has a nice low 90s cutter to pair with a good change and nice curve. Those pitches are very underdeveloped, but should eventually surpass his cutter as he continues to polish up his stuff. His command isn't great, so walks may be an issue, but at times he can overcome it with strikeouts. He's got plenty of work to do, but I'll bet on the St. James native making the big leagues before its all said and done.

ayaghmour2 · 02-01-2023, 08:50 PM

Weekly Record: 3-5
Seasonal Record: 78-69 (3rd, 13 GB)
Stars of the Week
None Generated

Schedule
9-10: Loss at Foresters (3-7)
9-11: Loss at Foresters (2-3)
9-12: Win at Wolves (4-1)
9-13: Loss at Wolves (1-4)
9-14: Win at Wolves (8-7)
9-15: Win at Cannons (5-4)
9-16: Loss at Cannons (1-8)
9-16: Loss at Cannons (0-3)

Recap
And with another 3-5 week, the Chicago Cougars have been officially eliminated from postseason contention. What makes it even worse is we're barely holding on to third place, just half a game above the Sailors. We've secured a .500 or better record for the ninth consecutive season, but we're at risk of snapping our six season streak of finishing in the top three spots. Dropping both games in Cleveland was pathetic, and of course, we beat the Wolves (2) more then the Cannons (1). That helped the Cannons maintain their 3.5 game lead, as both teams finished the week an impressive 6-2. We have just four games this week and three the following week, so the boys will get plenty of rest to finish off the season. I still want to win every game left; there is both pride and a stronger draft spot at stake, so don't expect backups to flood the lineup. This week will be all about Dick Lyons, who will make his 563rd appearance and final appearance as a Chicago Cougar on the 23rd in our final home game of the season. We'll have a nice big number retirement ceremony for the beloved southpaw who is the only remaining player from the pre-human era to stay with the same organization they started with. In a season with not much to celebrate, this will be our World Series, and I hope we can win him one last game. His 237 wins are second most in Cougar history (crazy enough Harry Parker is 5th with 114), and despite not looking himself this year, he's been a dependable starter for 18 seasons. It will feel weird without him next season, but he'll be officially passing the torch to the youngsters Duke Bybee and George Oddo, and he'll have veteran Mike Taylor, his teammate for the last 13 and a half seasons catch him. Their combined 84 years and 227 days will be tough to top, and their combined leadership has helped us consistently win more then we lose. In the 13 full seasons they were teammates, we had just two (1935, 1936) losing seasons, equal to the amount of 97 win (1933, 1941) seasons during their tenure.

Tough week all around, but George Oddo's likely final start of the season went pretty well. The 10 hits in 7 innings wasn't great, but he allowed just 3 runs (2 earned) and 2 walks with 6 strikeouts against a potent Cannons offense. The 22-year-old made 17 starts for us this season, an even 7-7 with a 3.02 ERA (117 ERA+), 1.17 WHIP, 51 walks, and 71 strikeouts. These were excellent numbers for the talented rookie that Tom Weinstock believes will develop into an ace. With Papenfus, the Jones Brothers, Joe Brown, Harry Parker, and Joe Brown all in line for starts next season, there's no obvious spot for Oddo. There's also Duke Bybee, who may join Oddo in Milwaukee, as he's looked overmatched so far. It's just three starts, but his two this week were very bad. The Foresters piled on 9 hits, 6 runs, and 6 walks with just 3 strikeouts in 6.2 innings pitched. Against the Wolves he walked 6 more, leaving after 7 with 11 hits, 7 runs (6 earned), and 2 strikeouts. Despite his struggles, I can't get too mad at him, as he has just 2 starts above C ball before his debut, and he hasn't pitched in years. We have so much talent in the rotation that we can afford to take things slow with Duke, who's hopped back up a spot to 6th in the prospect rankings.

Pete Papenfus made a pair of starts, beating the Wolves while being hit hard by the Cannons. He went all nine in Toronto, allowing just 7 hits, a run, and 4 walks with 6 strikeouts. He fell apart in Cincinnati, just 7.1 innings with 9 hits, 8 runs (7 earned), 5 walks, and 4 strikeouts. It was his first start this season with more walks then strikeouts, but he's still struck out (47) 20 more hitters then he's walked. Harry Parker made a pair of starts as well, including our only win against the Cannons. Parker went 7 with 7 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), 3 walks, and 3 strikeouts. It was his first decision in five starts, as he couldn't top the Foresters earlier in the week. We didn't give him much support, as he left with one out in the 7th after allowing 9 hits, a run, and 3 walks with 6 strikeouts. Parker's next (and likely last) start of the season will be #35, and he surpassed 250 innings (250.2) for the fifth time in six seasons. The last start went to Billy Riley, who went 7 with 6 hits, 2 runs (1 earned), 5 walks, and 3 strikeouts. Rusty Petrick was active out of the pen, making 4 appearances and throwing 6.2 innings. He got a win and save, charged with 6 hits, 4 runs, and 2 walks while striking out just one. Mike Thorpe made three appearances but recorded just five outs, tagged with a loss, 2 hits, and a run. With just seven more games and plenty of off days, I doubt we'll need the pen much more, but I haven't yet decided if we'll bring up a few extra arms for the last week. Guys like Charlie Kelsey, Bill Tuttle, and Angel Lopez deserve a shot, but there aren't many games left and they deserve to win a Century League pennant instead of just wasting away in our pen.

The lineup will get Rich Langton back this week, but that means less time for Ray Struble, who was one of two effective hitters this week. Struble went 6-for-18 with a homer, 2 RBIs, 2 runs, 3 walks, and 2 steals. The other was the red hot Skipper Schneider, who was 10-for-29 with a double, 3 (!!) homers, 2 walks, 4 RBIs, and 6 runs. That doubled Skipper's homer total for the season, and he's just a tenth of a win away from his first 10 WAR season. 25 in October, Skipper is close to finishing his six big league season, and his .291/.351/.391 (113 OPS+) triple slash could end up the best in his young career. We could technically add a third player to the list of effectiveness, as George Sutterfield made the most of his three starts. While not otherworldly, he was 3-for-10 with a double, walk, run, and steal. His rookie season hasn't gone according to plan, hitting just .227/.277/.293 (64 OPS+) in 83 trips to the plate, and the Nashville native is ticketed for Milwaukee next season with the return of infielders Billy Hunter, Ray Ford, Hank Barnett, and Clark Car. At least next season we'll have plenty of firepower, and there is no way we finish bottom three in runs next year. For a team that's consistently finished top three (generally two), we're on track to finish with our fewest run total since 1919 when the Cougars scored just 495.

Looking Ahead
Our long and painful road trip ends with the finale in Cincinnati, as the Cannons look to extend their 3.5 game lead over Toronto. With the Wolves in Toronto next, they may look to skip over Red Hampton (11-12, 3.17, 56) and instead give the start to Jim Anderson (1-2, 2.95, 16) as Toronto's offense is far stronger then ours. They'll have to face Billy Riley (17-12, 3.29, 110), but since they just walloped Papenfus, Riley shouldn't be all that difficult. Chuck Adams (.305, 25, 104) bruised his thigh against the Stars, but it didn't stop him from recording his 100th RBI off Harry Parker the day after. He might be the only CA hitter to reach that mark this season, but Walt Pack (.306, 30, 96) and Vic Crawford (.320, 14, 95) are closing in on the century mark. Adams and Al Wheeler (.306, 28, 92) have been chasing Pack for the home run crown, a duo that has more homers then five FABL organizations. Add in Denny Andrews (.261, 14, 53) and that number jumps to ten. They do have a weakness, as the old bones can't steal many bases, with Dick Walker's 26 one behind the Cannons team totals. Of course, when you can score 5 runs a game, you don't have to do much stealing to win...

We then return home for six days, but we play just three games during that period. The first is Wednesday against the Saints, who have dropped to 69-76 and 21 out of first. They need to go 8-1 for their first .500 season since 1930, but since we only get three more against them, that seems like a tall task. Pat Weakly's (13-9, 3.25, 128) sore wrist set them back last week, and since he'll be healthy when they come to town, we'll get the pleasure of facing the CA's top strikeout arm. Lucky for us, Crawford is hurt, leaving Bill Greene (.283, 17, 92, 17) and Jake Hughes (.315, 5, 62, 32) to pick up the slack. 27-year-old Ted Brown may help too, as he's put up a rather shocking .336/.357/.480 (130 OPS+) line in 77 games with 20 doubles, 7 triples, 3 homers, and 45 RBIs. This will be a tough game for us to win, and I'm keeping my expectations low the rest of the way.

For the weekend we welcome the Stars to town, and I just hope they don't spoil Lyons' big day. At 69-81, they're just a few games behind the Saints for 5th, and have a potential 20 game winner in Eli Panneton (19-12, 2.94, 103). He's carried the rotation after Dixie Lee (17-11, 2.49, 77) left, as Ed Cornett (9-15, 4.14, 84) has had a rough second half. Despite losing his last five starts, Johnny Cook's (7-9, 2.79, 40) ERA hasn't moved too much, but the 35-year-old vet doesn't strike much fear into opposing hitters. They do hit well, recently welcoming back Bob Riggins (.302, 4, 2) to the lineup, while Bill Grove (.276, 2, 30, 6) continues his strong rookie season and Maury Millsap (.292, 8, 41) continues his breakout at 31. Jim Honeywood (.301, 7, 57, 4) and Chubby Hall (.288, 10, 94) are doing their best to keep lineup spots when the troops come home, but the Stars will be one of the more interesting teams to watch next season. Are they a pennant worthy team? Well, any team with Bill Barrett can compete, and that lineup sure will be scary. The pitching has some question marks, as Chuck Cole will be 36 and Lou Robertson and Vern Hubbard are both past 30. Don't forget, they are the last non-Cannon team to win the CA after they won a whopping 103 games in 1942...

Yeah, we really messed things up last year...

Minor League Report
LHP Ed Fisler: Ed Fisler is a lucky guy! I didn't plan on any more promotions, but Bill Ballantine came off the IL, and I didn't want to cut anyone with one week left in the season. There were options in AAA, but with so few games, I'd much rather Kelsey, Lopez, etc. make another start instead of some random inning in a blow out. One option to promote was Jack Huston (11-9, 4.21, 78), but he hasn't pitched well enough to warrant one and I don't want one of my AA pitchers to have one random AAA start. That leaves a spot in Chicago for the only AA pitcher on the 40-man roster! Acquired in the Freddie Jones deal, the now 24-year-old southpaw will have a chance to debut in the big leagues. The former 10th Rounder had a pretty good minor league track record, and was really good in Mobile last season. This year was far different, as he went 12-11 with a 4.28 ERA (93 ERA+) and 1.55 WHIP with 106 walks and 109 strikeouts. Last season he actually walked (94) more guys then he struck out (81), but was a far more impressive 15-7 with a 3.28 ERA (121 ERA+) and 1.48 WHIP. Fisler won't get a start, so it may be tough for him to get an inning, but he'll spend seven days in our pen and I can't imagine Dick Lyons going very far in his last start.

RHP Joe Swank (AAA Milwaukee Blues): He definitely deserved it, but there's no late season callup in line for Joe Swank. He wasn't deterred one bit, responding with a pair of dominant starts to guide the Milwaukee Blues to a third consecutive Century League pennant. One of those victories was a 4-hit shutout against the Fort Wayne Warriors and he allowed just 8 hits, 2 runs, and 2 walks in 17 top-notch innings. Currently ranked as the 145th best prospect in the FABL, Swank sports a stellar 2.67 ERA (135 ERA+) and 1.09 WHIP as a 22-year-old pitching in the top rung of the minor league ladder. With 123 strikeouts and just 48 walks, he improved both his K/9 (4.5 to 4.7) and BB/9 (2.4 to 1.8) in a career high 235.2 innings pitched. His 135 ERA+, 80 FIP-, and 5.6 WAR are all near personal bests, but he's already won his most games and is a near lock for lowest WHIP as the next closest was his 1.27 WHIP in 175 innings with the Legislators two seasons ago. I'm not sure if we're having a Rule-5 draft or if he's going to be eligible, but I won't leave him unprotected. Whether that means providing him with a 40-man roster spot or using him as trade bait is yet to be determined, but one way or another the former 7th Rounder will get a chance to crack an FABL rotation. Swank reminds me a bit for a former Cougar prospect Joe Foote, who I got a look at when compiling an offseason report on the Cougars 2035 Top Prospect list. Both were high school pitchers taken in the second half of the human portion of the draft who consistently played at higher levels then their age would suggest. Both righties do a good job preventing homers, but the advantage Swank has is he strikes out batters. What's to be determined is if all the whiffs are due to his stuff or due to the depleted minor leagues. A team with less young pitchers could rush him to the majors, but other then the occasional September callup, Swank isn't likely to see many big league innings. He's best off starting every day, and Milwaukee's rotation will be crowded, so he may get an undeserved demotion due to the influx of war vets. He's got a green arrow to Chicago and is ready to face big league batters, so don't be surprised if he pitches his way onto the Cougars roster by this time next year.

CF Alex Horning (AA Mobile Commodores): In game 22, an 0-for-3 snapped Alex Horning's hit streak at 21 in a 2-1 loss to the Chattanooga Rebels. Worst part is it wasn't even a bad game, as Horning drew two walks, and improved his season line to .269/.353/.383 (98 OPS+) in 129 games for the Commodores. Horning's 104 WRC+ is a bit better, and the speedy outfielder hit 16 doubles, 15 triples, and 5 homers while swiping 10 bags and driving in 64 runs with more walks (69) and strikeouts (53). The 25-year-old spent more time in left (90) then his natural center field (45) position, but he was excellent in both spots. An 11th Round Pick from 1941, Horning has taken advantage of the overseas conflict, appearing in 100 or more games in four consecutive seasons. This came after just 46 games his draft year, where all but 8 came as an in-game replacement. His laziness may work against him, however, as he'll have plenty of competition for every day at bats now that the war is over. Having never profiled as much more then a 4th outfielder, higher ceiling guys will get a priority. To his credit, his speed and versatility will keep him around, so some good off the bench at bats could help him take the inevitable open spot when someone gets hurt.

ayaghmour2 · 02-02-2023, 07:44 PM

Weekly Record: 3-1
Seasonal Record: 81-70 (3rd, 11 GB)
Stars of the Week
Skipper Schneider : 18 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .500 AVG, 1.167 OPS
Dick Walker : 17 AB, 6 H, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .353 AVG, 1.068 OPS
Billy Riley : 1 Win, 8.0 IP, 3 BB, 5 K, 0.00 ERA

Schedule
9-17: Win at Cannons (2-0)
9-19: Loss vs Saints (4-1): 12 innings
9-22: Win vs Stars (5-6): 11 innings
9-23: Win vs Stars (2-3)

Recap
Get this! Billy Riley allowed just one run in a shutout of the Cannons, but we again lost to the Saints! Again! We are done with the Cannons, who finished 14-8 against us, but we still have two more against the Saints, who are an even better 13-7. Those two teams prevented us from competing, as we were .500 or better against every other Continental Association squad. We also now have 81 wins, so we will finish with 80 or more wins for seven consecutive seasons, and 79 or more wins for nine in a row. We have one more consecutive 80 win season then the Cannons, who are the closest team to us there. Of course, I'd trade the streak for three (likely) consecutive pennants, but we've been as consistent as it gets.

But no complaining today. Today is about Dick Lyons.

Yes, we couldn't capture the win for Lyons, but it's hard to ask for much better of a final start. In our last home game of the season, we honored our rotation stalwart with a jersey retirement ceremony. In front of 13,000 fans, Lyons twirled one of his patented quality starts, 6 innings with 4 hits, 2 runs (1 earned), and a walk in a 3-2 win over the Stars. Ollie Page's 16th error on the season cost him the win, but it was a fitting end to the Cougar legends big league career.

A respected clubhouse leader, franchise icon, and popular pitcher to both fans, teammates, and competitors, the 5-Time All Star, was the last remaining Cougar (and has been for a while) from the days before humans. A 2nd Round selection in 1921, Lyons had an impressive season in Mobile in 1925, going 13-13 with a 3.38 ERA (137 ERA+), 1.25 WHIP, 44 walks, and 90 strikeouts in 266 innings pitched. He was probably ready for the big leagues, but since I was just getting used to how stats only worked, the 25-year-old started the season in Milwaukee, and the young lefty was impressive. Lyons was a bit unlucky, just 7-7, but with a dominant 2.97 ERA (153 ERA+) and 1.22 WHIP with 30 walks and a remarkable 144 strikeouts. The strikeouts never stuck, but he was awarded well earned debut to end the season, but unfortunately for Lyons it didn't go very well. He made four starts and two relief outings, but allowed 45 hits and 25 runs in 27.1 innings pitched. He walked and struck out 8, and his 1.94 WHIP was just as bad as the 8.23 ERA (49 ERA+). This gave him a five game stint with the Blues the following season, but that was the last time he pitched in the minor leagues.

Lyons had an average rookie season for a 7th place Cougars team, going 11-6 with a 4.00 ERA (99 ERA+) and 1.51 WHIP with 40 walks and 46 strikeouts in 20 starts and 7 relief outings. His 3.55 FIP (89 FIP-) explained that he was a bit unlucky, and it was the first of 13 consecutive seasons where Lyons had an above average FIP. Bad Cougar teams cost Lyons wins early on in his career, as he was 9-18 despite a 3.88 ERA (103 ERA+) and league low 0.3 HR/9 in just shy of 250 innings pitched. Again, his FIP (3.54, 88) was better then his ERA, and Lyons seemed to breakout despite the nightmare that was the 1929 Cougars Pitching staff. I did a really good look-back of that terrible staff, but it turned into a "wow this Dick Lyons guy was really good" after his 1933 breakout season.

Lyons was a useful member of the '31 and '32 staffs that won a pennant and 188 combined games, but he was part of the elite rotation that contained eventual Allen Award winner Tommy Wilcox (21-11, 2.58, 113), Chief's Pitching Coach Max Wilder (15-10, 2.70, 102), and the reigning win leader Dick Leudtke (17-11, 2.87, 89), a group that won 589 FABL games (although if you told me Wilcox's 91 would be the lowest career total of that group in 1933, I'd have called you crazy). Lyons was selected to his first career All Star game, going 17-11 with a personal best 2.83 ERA (127 ERA+) and 1.11 WHIP with a league low 1.3 BB/9. Lyons was worth 5.4 WAR, a personal best he broke the next season (5.5) with a personal low 81 FIP- despite his elevated 4.14 ERA (102 ERA+). We all know 1934 was one of the worst seasons in Cougar history, as after the championship collapse, Tommy Wilcox's elbow exploded and the Cougars won just 78 games.

Things got worse for Lyons and the Cougars, had he was hit very hard in our two most recent sub-.500 seasons. In '35 he had a career worst 5.50 ERA (79 ERA+) and 1.70 WHIP before going 8-12 with an again elevated 4.90 ERA and 1.54 WHIP. Part of this wasn't his fault, as his FIP- (93, 89) was above average both seasons, as the double play duo of Bill Ashbaugh and Ollie Page left plenty to be desired.

The Cougars were completive again in 1937, and things started to go right for Lyons. He was an impressive 15-5 with a 3.84 ERA (105 ERA+) and 1.23 WHIP with 36 walks and 45 strikeouts in 187.2 innings pitched. He was selected to his second All Star game, but took the next step as a 37-year-old. Lyons led the league in ERA (2.59, 153) and WHIP (1.15) and was named not just an All Star, but the CA's Allen Winner. He allowed just 6 hits in 250 innings pitched, and was worth 5.4 wins above replacement and his 83 FIP- was the best of his career. Despite going just 13-14 the following season, Lyons put together another 5 WAR season and a fourth All-Star selection. His 3.67 ERA (117 ERA+) and 1.27 WHIP were well above average, and he struck out 54 in 257.1 innings pitched. 1940 was his 5th and final All-Star selection in a season where he turned 40. He was a win away from his second 20-win campaign in three years, working to a 3.46 ERA (116 ERA+) and 1.19 WHIP with a league best .243 BABIP.

He put together back-to-back above seasons, defying age with excellent starts at 40 and 41. It seemed he'd never stop pitching, and in 1943, Lyons went 11-11 with a 2.65 ERA (123 ERA+) and 1.08 WHIP with a league best 1.5 BB/9. This was a season where he turned 43 in June, and finished with a 3.8 WAR, 89 FIP-, and 30 strikeouts in 203.2 innings pitched. It was his last 200 inning season, but Lyons was above average until 44, as he went 7-10 with a 3.35 ERA (104 ERA+) and 1.24 WHIP in 155.2 innings pitched. This season Lyons didn't throw many innings, just 32.2 in 2 starts and 9 relief outings, but still managed to finish 2-1 with a 3.58 ERA (98 ERA+) and 1.22 WHIP. The 45-year-old beat the Sailors on the 19th of August, and is widely believed to be the oldest pitcher to win a game in FABL history. When him and Mike Taylor pitched this Sunday, they are assumed to be the oldest battery with nearly 85 years of life between the two vets.

There's little shot of Lyons entering the Hall of Fame, but he's solidified himself as one of the best Cougars of All Time. He tallied 3,972 innings in 563 career games, going 237-187 with a 3.80 ERA (107 ERA+), 1.35 WHIP, 848 walks, and 970 strikeouts. Lyons has been worth 67.6 wins above replacement, and ranks top 10 in numerous Cougar related pitching categories. He leads all Cougars in starts (532) and checks in at second for wins, WAR, innings, and games, third in rWAR (63.9), fifth in strikeouts, tied for fifth in BB/9 (1.9), tied for sixth in shutouts (16), and ninth in complete games (125). For pitchers that debuted in the human era, he ranks 4th All Time in innings and wins, but the most impressive part of his career was his ability to perform at a high level even in advanced age. Likely Hall of Famer Rabbit Day retired at 40 and wasn't the same pitcher after 35, Charlie Stedman decided to hang up the cleats at 41, and Jim Lonardo (11-7, 3.28, 24) are the three guys ahead of him, and while Lonardo did have a good season at 40, he'll need at least three more good seasons to match Lyons' longevity.

In fact, he's lasted so long, that Lyons was the first thing I wrote about in my first post of this dynasty, and while he predated the 1929 Opening Day roster, he pitched long enough for his career to span over 1,000 posts in the thread. It will feel very weird with him not on the roster next season, but he's given me plenty of enjoyment the past three years of real life time.

Good bye Dick Lyons, it was fun well it lasted!

Looking Ahead
Just three games left in the season, as we'll look to hold off the Sailors for third place in the Continental Association. At 80-71, they're a game behind us, but not only is third at stake, but extra lottery balls. Were neck-and-neck with the Stars for two balls again. We end the season in New York, which is their only remaining game. They won 72 games last year and have 70 this season, while we won 85 and are currently at 81. If we beat them and the Saints once, we'll hold the tiebreaker due to place in the standings, as both teams would be -2. Montreal will be tough, but only one win is needed before what could be a duel between Pete Papenfus (3-3, 3.43, 51) and Allen hopeful Eli Panneton (19-13, 2.96, 110). In Montreal, however, we're stuck facing Pat Weakly (13-9, 3.16, 131), who just threw 9 excellent innings in Chicago with 9 hits, a run, 4 walks, and 3 strikeouts. Losing to him won't kill us, as game two will likely be against Ben Watkins (12-10, 4.08, 57), their #5 starter. Montreal is a lock for three balls, so they may rest some starters, with guys like Art McMahon (.294, 6, 43, 13), Vic Crawford (.320, 14, 95), Bill Greene (.276, 18, 94, 17), Jake Hughes (.311, 5, 63, 33), and Gordie Perkins (.291, 4, 49) all candidates for a day off. Of course, they could be like me and want to win no matter what, and I don't like our chances against their regular eight.

With the weekend coming up, I have plenty to write about, as we wait until what could be the most hectic offseason. We'll get a full minor league report and a no-trade team, but I've also been working on a three part piece on our top 30 prospects after the 1935 season. I'll release that during the playoffs, before kicking things back up with our annual top prospect list and a potential roster preview for how the Cougars will look post-war. As always, there's the chance of trades, especially as we look like we're going to be a mess financially. The offseason may be long, but I have plenty of ideas I can't wait to get on paper.

ayaghmour2 · 02-03-2023, 07:28 PM

Weekly Record: 1-2
Seasonal Record: 82-72 (3rd, 13 GB)
Stars of the Week
Harry Mead : 12 AB, 7 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .583 AVG, 1.476 OPS
Don Lee : 12 AB, 4 H, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .333 AVG, 1.095 OPS
Skipper Schneider : 11 AB, 4 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, .364 AVG, 1.007 OPS

Schedule
9-25: Win at Saints (8-4)
9-26: Loss at Saints (2-3): 12 innings
9-30: Loss at Stars (3-5)

Recap
Well, at least it's over! We didn't get the extra lottery balls as we lost to the Stars, but we managed to hang onto third for the seventh consecutive season. The biggest news was Skipper Schneider, who nearly accumulated 11 WAR in the best season of his career. He missed out on keeping up his crazy streak of consistency, as he tripled off Eli Panneton with two outs in the ninth inning of game 154. That was his 5th triple, a career high after tripling four times in each of his first five seasons. The CA War Lord finished with an excellent .299/.357/.402 (118 OPS+) with 34 doubles, 6 homers, 11 steals, 66 RBIs, and 82 runs with more then twice as many walks (57) as strikeouts (22). It's hard to believe that he's just 24 years old, and has already played 858 FABL games while accumulating 39.9 wins above replacement. Is Skipper worthy of a Whitney? I'd say not, but he currently ranks as the 3rd best player in the FABL behind Bobby Barrell (.331, 39, 126, 6) and Charlie Artuso (.283, 9, 71, 10). He was definitely our MVP, but he didn't really have a high bar to surpass.

Another option would be rookie center fielder Don Lee, who hit .275/.374/.429 (130 OPS+) with 29 doubles, 9 triples, 10 homers, 63 RBIs, and 25 walks with an elite 81-to-33 walk-to-strikeout ratio. Lee isn't the defender Skipper is, but in 99 games out in center he had a slightly below average .993 efficiency and accumulated 5.1 WAR in 140 games. Lee was one of ore more consistent performers, but vets Cliff Moss and Dick Walker offered plenty at the plate. Moss missed some time this year, appearing in just 115 games, but the now 39-year-old hit .300/.370/.465 (139 OPS+) with 12 doubles, 4 triples, 16 homers, and 71 RBIs. With Lee's emergence and all the troops coming home, it may be tough for him to crack the 100 game mark next season, especially as his defensive abilities are almost completely gone. Dick Walker isn't likely to surpass his 147 games this season either, as Ray Ford's return will take some starts away from him. Walker's 108 walks were the best in the CA, and he slashed .243/.365/.380 (114 OPS+) while worth 4.5 wins above replacement. He produced a well above average 125 WRC+ and tallied 94 runs, 18 doubles, 7 triples, 15 homers, 49 RBIs, and 27 steals. 39 in September, Walker still has some good seasons left in him, but he's getting close to the age where skill are almost destined to decline. Lucky for him, his keen eye shouldn't go away, but I'm not sure how many more 20 steal seasons Walker has got in him.

What held us back this season was the lack of a supporting cast, and Harry Mead was back to his below average seasons following an excellent one. His batting line dropped from .324/.377/.471 (143 OPS+) to .249/.324/.330 (88 OPS+), and he hit just 18 doubles, 4 triples, and 4 homers with 47 runs, 50 RBIs, and 49 walks. His WAR dropped a full 3 points while his extra base hits cut in half. He wasn't the only guy to underperform, with Rich Langton (.267, 3, 57, 13), Ken Mayhugh (.242, 5, 55), Jimmie James (.275, 8), Orlin Yates (.190, 3, 21, 3), Steve Jones (.138, 6), and Tip Harrison (.190, 1, 9, 3) all failing to meet expectations. Later in the season Ollie Page (.284, 4, 25, 3) emerged as a legit starting bat while deadline pickups Rabbit Mudd (.268, 2, 16) and Ray Struble (.228, 11, 66, 13) ended the season well. Of this large group, just Harry Mead is likely to see much playing time next season, which bodes really well for our chances next year. Ray Ford, Clark Car, Billy Hunter, Hank Barnett, Leo Mitchell, Carlos Montes, and Fred Vargas all return to the mix, and the only member in that group who hasn't produced a 125 WRC+ or better in an 100+ game sample is Vargas, but in 65 FABL games he has an excellent 148 WRC+. Each hitter has a career WRC+ above 100, and Car is the only one below 110. There will be plenty of firepower next season at full strength, and I am very excited to see what we can cook up.

The pitching will get a big boost, but we had a near 20-game winner in Billy Riley, and the reliable Harry Parker who finished top three in ERA (3rd, 2.77), strikeouts (3rd, 130), K/BB (3rd, 2.2), WHIP (2nd, 1.13), rWAR (3rd, 7.3), and quality starts (1st, 27). Parker was the better of the two, finishing an impressive 15-9 in a league high 36 starts, but Riley's 6 shutouts paced the league. His 3.21 ERA (109 ERA+) and 1.15 WHIP were a bit higher, and he struck out (120) just a few less hitters, but they were a very impressive 1-2 punch that will fill out the latter half of our rotation next season. Our rotation is going to be very crowded, with plenty of capable arms who can make starts. That means Rusty Petrick is likely ticketed for the pen despite a really good season. The 29-year-old righty made 41 appearances (22 starts), going 16-12 with 3 saves, a 3.18 ERA (110 ERA+), 1.38 WHIP, 121 walks, and 104 strikeouts in 220.2 innings pitched.

Beyond Riley, Parker, Petrick, and the traded Art White, there weren't many other innings soaked up by the staff. The majority came from George Oddo, who was really impressive in his first 17 big league starts. The 22-year-old was an even 7-7 with a 3.02 ERA (116 ERA+) and 1.17 WHIP. Oddo struck out 71 and walked 51, but the one concern for the former 8th Rounder was the homers. He allowed 13 in 131.1 innings pitched, and ranked third on the staff behind just the extreme flyballers Parker (18) and Riley (17), although there's came in double the innings. Oddo is definitely big league ready, as is fellow youngster Mike Thorpe (1-4, 2, 4.26, 10), but both will be better suited making regular starts in Milwaukee. Thorpe could be a potential trade piece for a team in need of big league pitching now, but I can't imagine any situation where Oddo leaves our system before Opening Day. The pen will look plenty different, as Ben Curtin (0-7, 18, 4.13, 17) and Merritt Thomas (5-2, 1, 2.68, 18) might decide to retire, and if they don't I'll probably cut them to save payroll space. Then there is the last remaining pen member, Ken Matson (3-2, 2, 3.56, 46), who's option may work against him. We usually roll with a nine man staff, and six spots are already reserved for Pap, Parker, Riley, Joe Brown, and the Jones Brothers, and a seventh likely going to Rusty Petrick. The wild card is Duke Bybee (0-2, 6.52, 16), who may be better then everyone other then Pap and Donnie Jones, but he was hit hard in his first three starts and just could not find the zone (7.4 BB/9). We're in an enviable position, with more FABL quality starters then staff spots, and I'm really not sure I want to move any of them. We've played second fiddle for long enough, and it's about time the Cougars find themselves back on top once again.

ayaghmour2 · 02-03-2023, 09:55 PM

Catchers
Solly Skidmore (CHI): 116 WRC+, HR, 8 RBI, 0.5 WAR
Harry Mead (CHC): 94 OPS+, 4 HR, 50 RBI, SB, 2.6 WAR
*Ben Richardson (MON): 76 WRC+, 4 HR, 34 RBI, 2 SB, 1.3 WAR

Infielders
Arnie Scurlock (WAS): 54 WRC+, 7 RBI, -0.2 WAR
Billy Hunter (CHC): DNP - Military Service
Tommy Wilson (STL): 89 WRC+, 3 HR, 44 RBI, 7 SB, 2.4 WAR
Ducky Jordan (CHI): DNP - Military Service
Hal Wood (TOR): DNP - Military Service
Skipper Schneider (CHC): 119 WRC+, 6 HR, 66 RBI, 11 SB, 10.9 WAR
Eddie Curtis (NYG): 80 WRC+, HR, 24 RBI, 4 SB, 0.5 WAR
*Jimmie James (CHC): 75 WRC+, 8 RBI, 0.2 WAR
*Ed Reyes (PHS): 143 WRC+, 7 HR, 73 RBI, SB, 3.1 WAR
*Elmer Hutchins (CHI): 152 WRC+, 7 HR, 55 RBI, 2.6 WAR

Outfielders
Leo Mitchell (CHC): DNP - Military Service
Reginald Westfall (TOR): DNP - Military Service
Bunny Hufford (NYG): 120 WRC+, 5 HR, 45 RBI, 9 SB, 2.6 WAR
Rich Langton (CHC): 100 WRC+, 3 HR, 57 RBI, 13 SB, 1.6 WAR
Chink Stickels (NYS): 111 WRC+, 8 HR, 70 RBI, 16 SB, 5.6 WAR
Carlos Montes (CHC): DNP - Military Service
*Don Lee (CHC): 138 WRC+, 10 HR, 63 RBI, 25 SB, 5.1 WAR
*Chick Browning (CHC): 114 WRC+, 3 HR, 22 RBI, 0.6 WAR

Pitchers
Danny Hern (STL): 14-17, 108 ERA+, 128 K, 6.1 WAR
Dean Astle (BOS): 12-7, 120 ERA+, 59 K, 4.2 WAR
Tom Barrell (CIN): 16-5, 110 ERA+, 53 K, 2.7 WAR
Mike Murphy (DET): 1-6, SV, 67 ERA+, 4 K, 0.2 WAR
Pete Papenfus (CHC): 3-4, 105 ERA+, 59 K, 1.4 WAR
Harry Parker (CHC): 15-9, 127 ERA+, 130 K, 5.3 WAR
Dick Lyons (CHC): 2-1, 98 ERA+, 3 K, 0.3 WAR
Sam Hodge (NYG): 1-3, 3 SV, 116 ERA+, 14 K, 0.5 WAR
Ben Curtin (CHC): 0-7, 18 SV, 85 ERA+, 17 K, -0.6 WAR

Totals
Hitters: 39.4
Pitchers: 20.1
Total: 59.5
Approximate Wins: 97

Notable Prospects/Picks Traded
January 1945: Traded Danny Goff Jr. and Jim Dickinson to the Gothams for a 2nd Round Pick

This Cougars team would have topped the Cannons by a mere two games, as we get to keep our most valuable hitter and pitcher and upgrade at almost every other spot.

ayaghmour2 · 02-04-2023, 05:43 PM

The World Series has already kicked off, and the Keystones are shockingly up two games to none, quickly disproving my expected "Cannons in 5" prediction. Game one was quick and easy, as George Brooks (18-5, 3, 2.07, 130) outdueled Rufus Barrell (18-5, 2.41, 111) in a 4-1 win in Philly. Game two was crazy, as while there was plenty of scoring early, the 2-2 score after 3 remained through nine. This forced extras, and in the bottom of the 11th with two outs and Red Hampton (11-13, 2.98, 60) still on the mound, pinch hitter Bobby McHenry (.218, 5, 1), dubbed the Keystones "24th Man" tripled to right-center, putting the winning run just 90 feet away. This brough up leadoff man Hank McKay (.258, 4, 36, 26), who lined what probably would have been an extra base hit over Denny Andrews (.258, 14, 55) to send the hometown fans home happy. We know all too well how useless 2-0 leads are, blowing them to both the Keystones and Minutemen, so it's far too early to count the Cannons out.

AAA Milwaukee Blues (Century League): 88-52, 1st, 8 GA: While most teams ran out of younger players to stack their system, and preferred using veteran castoffs, we were in the opposite situation. Instead of having guys playing lower then they should, we pushed up plenty of prospects, so it really is no surprise that the Blues were our only team to win a pennant, and one of just two to finish above .500. While most AAA teams were filled with journeymen and vets, the Blues secured their third straight pennant with plenty of young talent. The rotation was led by youngsters, all of which were big league ready, starting with one of our two fourth rounders from last season that started the year in Milwaukee, and finished in Chicago. Mike Thorpe was elite, going 12-1 with a 2.76 ERA (130 ERA+), 1.20 WHIP, 43 walks, and 32 strikeouts in 20 starts pre-promotion. After he left, Joe Swank, took the lead, and was 17-10 with a 2.74 ERA (131 ERA+), 1.10 WHIP, 49 walks, and 128 strikeouts in just shy of 250 innings. Bill Tuttle (9-10, 3.38, 82) provided plenty of quality starts, while Angel Lopez (6-5, 2.43, 49) was much better with the Blues then he was with the Cougars. Charlie Kelsey (12-10, 22, 2.31, 84) was lockdown both as a starter and stopper, and Rube Finegan (8-6, 14, 2.85, 47) was excellent in the late innings as well.

Despite not hitting many homers, the offense was very good too, led by guys who finished the season in Chicago like Bill Rich (.281, 5, 44) and George Sutterfield (.296, 3, 43, 5). The real start of the lineup, however, may have been catcher Homer Guthrie, who has positioned himself to be our back catcher once Mike Taylor is ready to call it quits. The former 7th Rounder hit an impressive .275/.390/.351 (111 OPS+) with 21 doubles, 2 triples, 3 homers, and 62 RBIs with almost twice as many walks (80) as strikeouts (43), leading to an excellent 123 WRC+ and 4.9 WAR in 131 games. 22nd Rounder Norm Anderson (.282, 4, 53) recently turned 23 and is starting to look big league ready, same with Danny Richardson (.254, 5, 48) prior to a concussion ending his season and costing him a potential September callup. With so many talented players like Thorpe, Sutterfield, Rich, George Oddo (4-0, 1.42, 26), and at least some of Ken Matson, Jimmie James, and Duke Bybee, plus whichever guys we waive that accept minor league assignment, the Blues are the favorite for a fourth consecutive title.

AA Mobile Commodores (Dixie League): 75-65, 3rd, 3.5 GB: The other team to finish above .500, the Commodores were once again 3.5 games out of first, despite winning almost ten fewer games then the previous season. Despite finishing three games behind New Orleans, and the eventual tie-breaking winner Nashville, the Commodores had another productive season. The lineup was strong, led by Bob Griffen (.319, 4, 74, 11) in what may be last season as a regular in the lineup, and Dan Collins (.327, 3, 44, 3) when he wasn't up with the Blues. Joe Dackett (.286, 4, 37, 2) hit very well pre-promotion, and Griffen had plenty of support from Dick Hamilton (.286, 5, 65, 12), Bob Harris (.293, 5, 50, 9), Israel Holmes (.271, 5, 63, 4), and Alex Horning (.264, 5, 67, 11). The best part for the position players was the defense they provided, which really helped the Commodores pitching staff. Ace Bill Ballantine didn't get the run support he deserved, going just 11-10 in 23 starts, but he had a great 3.31 ERA (121 ERA+), 1.33 WHIP, 73 walks, and 81 strikeouts. Stan Flanders (12-11, 3.04, 48) and Jimmy Ballard (15-12, 3.83, 106) were very reliable in what could be there last season as full time starters, but I was really surprised to see Harry MacRae (12-12, 4.03, 60) struggle so much. The Commodores were a very well rounded team this season, and I expect they'll be poised to win their fourth title since 1941.

A Lincoln Legislators (Heartland League): 50-82, 7th, 32 GB: Sure the Legislators haven't won a title since 1938, but each season since then they've finished second or third. That couldn't have been further from what happened this season, as they lost more then 80 games for the first time since 1922. The last time they finished below .500 was 1934, so the poor performance was much different then fans at Lincoln Park are used to seeing. They didn't do much scoring or run prevention, and really struggled July on with all the promotions. They did get to enjoy 3rd Overall Pick Johnny Peters, who hit .275/.383/.415 (114 OPS+) and produced a 124 WRC+ in 75 games. He added 23 doubles, 4 triples, 2 homers, 7 steals, and 36 RBIs, but he didn't hit for much power and his defense in center was subpar. Bob Harris (.349, 7, 34) was one of the only other productive hitters, but he spent 81 of his 139 games this year in Mobile. Al Hurd (.258, 4, 66), Johnny Carlisle (.283, 3, 32, 11), and Don Jeppsen (.310, 3, 42, 5) performed well, but it was nothing to write home about. Al Clement (.252, 2, 32, 9), Everett Fuller (.253, 1, 20), and Alex Snyder (.242, 2, 38, 33) really struggled in A ball, but both Clement and Fuller were much more productive in San Jose. What will bode well for Lincoln, is a lot of the prospects who finished in Mobile will return, and the offense should be much better.

Same for the pitching, and they only really got good starts from Howie Sharp (6-11, 4.00, 71) and Bill Holloway (11-14, 4.52, 124), and Holloway's success was more his strikeouts, and less his run prevention. Former 5th Rounder Lefty Jones (4-12, 5.62, 43) had an awful 23 start stretch and Tommy Seymour (1-7, 7.93, 22) was terrible in his 10. A lot of the guys who started at the end of the season will likely head down to San Jose, but that means some of their better starters who left will make their return. That includes Bob Petty, who was 7-2 with a 2.25 ERA (184 ERA+) and 1.19 WHIP with 70 strikeouts in 108 innings pitched. I'm not sure they'll return to a .500 team, but we have too many talented youngsters in need of roster spots for the Legislators to have as poor of a season this year in the next few seasons.

B San Jose Cougars (California-Oregon-Washington League): 53-67, t-7th, 22 GB: After failing to win 70 games for the first time in a decade last season, the Cougars had their first sub .500 finish that 1934 season, and finished last (well, tied for it), for the first time since the inaugural C-O-W season in 1926. They didn't hit or pitch much, but San Jose natives did get to witness an elite performance from Billy Biggar. The 1942 10th Rounder from Canada hit an astronomical .359/.413/.518 (171 OPS+) with 32 doubles, 11 homers, and 64 RBIs in 106 appearances. Don Jeppsen (.355, 8, 31, 8) had an absurd 188 WRC+, but that came in an absurd 46 game sample where he demolished almost everything. The closest thing they had to average past those two was Larry Day (.195, 9, 38), who's .321 OBP was higher then his .316 slugging, and had a 92 WRC+ despite a sub .200 average. The lineup rotated plenty, with many guys going up and down from La Crosse, struggling sometimes in both levels. The pitching wasn't great either, but Tommy Seymour (4-8, 3.29, 69), Babe Stinson (5-4, 3.33, 65), and Max Tanner (4-9, 3.36, 47) pitched well while in San Jose and Dick Garcia (11-5, 3.82, 95) managed to win most of his starts. The star of the staff was this year's 6th Rounder Jim Smith, as Noodles finished 4-5 with a nice 2.45 ERA (142 ERA+) and 1.10 WHIP to go with 75 strikeouts and 31 walks in 13 starts. There was very little to be excited about, but Cougar fans in San Jose next year will likely see Seymour, Al Clement (.329, 7, 21, 18), and Johnny Carlisle (.283, 3, 32, 11) return, while the holdouts will all be a year older. With class C transitioning to a short season league, we may see a lot of different players go up and down to start the season, with a more stable roster finalized after the midseason draft.

C La Crosse Lions (Upper Mississippi Valley Association): 35-49, t-6th, 15 GB: The last of our five minor league teams finished in a three way tie for last in the first season of short season ball. Nearly every Lion who took the field was a teenager, so I can't really be surprised with the results. While nearly every hitter finished with a below average WRC+ and/or OPS+, the bright spot on the team was now 19-year-old Al Robison's 15 starts. He went 6-4 with a beautiful 1.82 ERA (167 ERA+) and 1.09 WHIP with 36 walks and 67 strikeouts in 103.2 impressive innings. Dutch Yoak (4-7, 2.98, 53) didn't quite dominate how he did in high school, but the 18-year-old more then held his own against players four plus years older then him. Fellow 2nd Rounder Carl Clark (.263, 25, 6) held his own, as did third rounder Pat Todd (.240, 2, 26), but our teens were overmatched all season long. The only qualified hitter with a WRC+ above 100 was Bill Cook (.243, 17), but he didn't hit a single homer and played really poor defense at second. Our draft class was very heavily high school skewed, and I expect Yoak, Clark, Todd, Cal Rice (.243, 1, 15), Rupert Heinbaugh (.230, 2, 13, 4), Alex O'Dailey (.250, 2, 30), Jim Mako (.223, 1, 13, 4), Jim Williams (3-4, 3.88, 38), and Wally Eversole (2-5, 3.61, 31) to look much better next season. One to watch may be stopper Ray Warren (5-4, 6, 2.91, 29), our 9th Round Pick who stopped most of the season, and could be in line for starts next season. There is plenty of talent on the La Crosse roster, the issue is just that they're all very young, and have a lot of development ahead of them.

ayaghmour2 · 02-05-2023, 09:29 PM

The Cannons were on the brink of elimination, surprisingly down 3-0, as the offense couldn't get anything going. Down, but not out, they won a crazy double play filled extra inning game to at least avoid the sweep. They then took it another step, as the bats came to play in game five, beating down the visitors 8-4 to force a return to the City of Brotherly Love. Game six might happen tonight, but even if we declare a winner, it may be a bit before the offseason starts. Our commish is going to be on vacation, so we may be on hiatus all of next week. That could leave plenty of time for trading, but it will be a very long week. To help a bit, I've broken up my project into six parts. To be fair, if it was just three, each post would be very long, as for some prospects I did a ton of writing, and I wanted to copy in the original writings. The next six posts (unless a major trade interrupts) will take a look at something I wrote about a year and a half ago, covering our top 30 prospects from the 1935 season.

1935 was a far different time then now, although one thing is the same, the Chicago Cougars had five championships. That fifth came four years prior, which started what some thought would be a run of success. The Cougars then won 97 games in each of the next two seasons, but fell two short to a John Lawson led Stars team for the '32 pennant. That season had plenty of heartbreak, as deadline acquisition Tommy Wilcox was awful while Tom Barrell was dominating for the Kings. Wilcox proved it was a fluke, and helped lead the Cougars to a commanding pennant in '33. Up 2-0 in against the Keystones, things looked great, but that's when it all started to fall apart. Head Sports Writer at The Figment Sporting Journal published an article titled "Cougars Maul Opponents on the Field and the Trade Table" which had quotes such as the Cougars "are on the verge on winning their second World Championship Series in 3 years" and when talking about the Wilcox-Barrell trade "the Kings will quite possibly look back at this day as a franchise altering moment that cost them the opportunity to win several pennants - pennants that it appears will reside in Chicago quite regularly over the next few years." Of course, we all know what happened, and the Cougars blew their commanding league going into the Windy City, and the championships never came to town. After this devastation, the Cougars fell apart, sitting below .500 in July and double digits games out of first. As if that wasn't bad enough, the Iron Man Tommy Wilcox, who never missed a start, ruptured his UCL after manager Dick Pozza overworked the reigning Allen Winner. At the time of the injury, Wilcox held a 2.93 ERA (144 ERA+) and 1.19 WHIP in 153.2 innings pitched. The Cougars managed to finish the season above .500, but for the first time in a while their was an air of concern in Chicago.

This was the season it really hurt, but it started full with optimism. Wilcox was recovering well, and in May I even thought "he's going to be okay!" after receiving a scouting report on him. Unfortunately, the team was struggling and so was Tommy, and he dealt with four injuries from June on. Wilcox finished the season with an ERA near 5, and the depleted Cougars roster ended up as a seller in July. Tom Taylor, Lou Kelly, and John Kincaid. The Cougars finished the season below .500 for the first time since 1929, and Cougars fans were already getting anxious. Even though things looked bleak at the time, there was a ton of talent just waiting for a chance. The system was filled with talent, producing multiple starters for us while others were used to bring in top quality talent, and ten years later eight of the players are still in the organization.

Below are the totals from this talent filled class:

FABL Totals
Big League Debuts: 27
Parts of 5 Seasons: 22
Parts of 9 Seasons: 7
All-Star Appearances: 17
4 WAR Seasons: 25
Total WAR: 302

Hitters
500 Games: 11
1,000 Games: 4
500 PA Seasons: 45
1,000 Career PAs: 12
2,500 Career PAs: 9
5,000 Career PAs: 3

Pitchers
100 Inning Seasons: 28
250 Inning Seasons: 6
500 Career Innings: 5
1,000 Career Innings: 3
1,500 Career Innings: 2
10 Win Seasons: 17
20 Win Seasons: 2
50 Career Wins: 2
100 Career Wins: 1

What really stands out is the total WAR. 302! That means in the past 10 seasons, each member of our top 30 was worth 1 WAR each season for the past ten years. That's a crazy amount of value from a team's top prospects, and sure some of these guys fizzled out, there are plenty that have multiple seasons of productivity left, especially the top five on that list. Let's see how many of them I projected relatively well:

2B Ray Ford (8th Overall)
Acquired: Via Trade with Chicago (7-16-1934)
Drafted: 14th Round, 217th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Coastal Carolina Dolphins

"He may have dropped a few spots in the rankings, but that doesn't mean I like Ford any less. In fact, I actually like him more now then before. Now that I know that he could potentially play left field, it gives me a few more options to use the 24-year-old. He's not Rule-5 eligible yet, but that won't stop him from trying to earn an Opening Day roster spot. He'll be getting reps at second and will compete against Bill Ashbaugh, as with Doc Love still in Chicago left field isn't open. Ford even started the season in A ball, but spent about half the season in AAA. It was the "worst" showing for him, hitting just .365/.458/.582 (151 OPS+) with 12 homers and 63 RBI's in one plate appearance shy of 300. Ford has always shown the ability to hit well, but defense will always be a struggled for him. He was passable in 62 AAA games in left, but I tried to play him at third in Mobile and it did not work at all. He's been awful at second too, but he's got the potential to be one of the games best hitters. The sky is truly the limit for Ford, and I'm really hoping he plays well enough to spend his entire 1936 in Chicago."

That darn war... The sky really was the limit for Ray Ford, who was one of the most consistent and talented hitters in the Continental Association. Debuting in 1946, Ford seized the starting first base job, and hit .319/.371/.430 (112 OPS+) with 38 doubles, 7 triples, 5 homers, and 87 RBIs. The power came later, as the only subsequent season he didn't reach double digit homers was 1941, where injuries held him to a then career low 441 PAs. Before enlisting into the Air Force, Ford was on a string of seven consecutive seasons with an OPS+ and WRC+ above 100, including five seasons with a 125 or better WRC+. Now 34, Ford played 927 games in his aged 24 to 30 seasons, slashing a robust .305/.361/.449 (123 OPS+) with 202 doubles, 84 homers, and 528 RBIs. Considering all it costed was Johnny Cox, any big league production from Ford would have been a win, but how many hitters have 300 or more strikeouts with less then 100 walks? There's 5! Bonus point if you can guess the current Cougar who also shares that distinction?

1B Leo Mitchell (12th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 28th Overall (1931)
Alma Mater: Atlanta HS Peaches

"He's a big leaguer now! He started the season in AAA and hit an impressive .348/.423/.524 (129 OPS+) batting line with 11 homers and 70 RBI's in 407 trips to the plate. I decided that it would be time for the 22-year-old to start his Cougar career, and he managed a slightly above league average .316/.376/.399 (101 OPS+) line with 4 homers and 18 RBI's in 250 trips to the plate. Mitchell was extremely adept with the glove too, tallying an impressive +4.4 zone rating and 1.085 efficiency at first. Unless something crazy happens, we'll see Mitchell manning first base most of 1936. He's got significant contact potential and leadership well beyond his years. He currently ranks as the 15th best first basemen in the league, but I wouldn't be surprised if that jumps up to top 5 by this time next year.
"

I'm not sure if Mitchell ever reached top 5 first basemen status, but there were times he was the #1 left fielder and still ranks 5th despite not making a single trip to the plate this season. It's crazy to think that Mitchell went from the guy I took because he played high school ball with Harry Barrell to my favorite position player on the team. Mitchell was already a big leaguer at this time, but didn't become a fulltime starter until the 1937 season. It was a huge breakout for Mitchell, who split time between first (60), left (20), and right (35), hitting .327/.393/.429 (130 OPS+) with 20 doubles, 2 triples, 6 homers, 5 steals, and 41 RBIs. Mitchell didn't become an every day Left Fielder until his first All-Star appearance in 1939, and he finished with an outstanding .352/.397/.466 (130 OPS+) line with 39 doubles, 10 homers, and 86 RBIs. From then on out, he's pretty much played every game out in left, never missing more then a week of gametime.

Robbed of the Whitney Award last season, Mitchell has been selected to 5-All Star games and won back-to-back batting titles. The most consistent hitter in baseball, Mitchell put up an OPS+ of either 130, 131, 132, or 135 in each season from 1937 to 1943. Mitchell has never hit below .310/.350/.395 since debuting in 1935, and the 32-year-old outfielder owns a .336/.380/.445 (132 OPS+) batting line in 1,261 career games as a Cougar. Strikeouts have always been a semi-issue for Mitchell, who surpassed 100 three times and has been set down exactly 800 times in his career. He's tallied 226 doubles, 95 homers, and 632 RBIs, and his name is all over the Cougar record books. Of course, no Cougar has struck out more then Mitchell, but he also ranks top 10 in average (4th), OBP (6th), slugging (10), OPS (9th, .826), games (10th), at-bats (7th, 4,910), runs (7th, 754), hits (4th, 1,650), total bases (6th, 2,187), singles (4th, 1,316), doubles (9th), and homers (5th). The Cougars consistently have top three offenses with him, and the first season without him we're not even top half. I can't wait for him to come home, as he continues to move up in our team bests.

SS Billy Hunter (13th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 14th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Cincinnati HS Tigers

"Sure Ford and Mitchell are ranked higher, but Billy Hunter is the one I'm much more excited for. He turns 21 in November, but Hunter was very effective with Lincoln this year. He hit .323/.388/.501 (112 OPS+) with 11 homers, 9 steals, and 79 RBI's in 526 plate appearances. My scout thinks he's going to be a great defensive shortstop, and he did look good there this season. He did get some reps at second, but that's just because teammate Freddie Bennett is an extremely gifted shortstop. Hunter has a higher upside then even Ollie Page, but he's still got a long way to go. He's got strong footspeed, makes consistent contact, and has shown decent power. I'm expecting him to start next season in AA, but I imagine Hunter is still a year or two away from his debut. I have no need to rush him with Page at short and Ford lined up for second, but eventually I imagine Page and Hunter forming a really strong double play combo."

If only he could stay healthy...

I was right about a few things, Hunter needed a bit more time, his upside is far higher then Ollie Page, and they did for a strong double play duo. Since debuting in 1937, Hunter appeared in 130 games just twice, with less then 60 in five of the other six. When healthy he's great, with an above average OPS+ and WRC+ in each season, and while his defense at short wasn't great, he's well above average at second. The bat more then makes up for it, as he hit .298/.356/.430 (126 OPS+) before being drafted into the Army. His .300/.354/.432 (120 OPS+) career line is similar, and Hunter has hit 135 doubles, 42 triples, 28 homers, and 291 RBIs while walking (201) far more often then he strikes out (70). Hunter will be 31 when he returns, but he's one of the games best middle infielders and he ranked in the top 20 for parts of this season and last. Him, Clark Car, and Hank Barnett will all be vying for playing time. There's plenty of at bats to go around, as he'll need days off to stay healthy, and Barnett will be 36 on Opening Day.

RF Rich Langton (33rd Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 3rd Round, 46th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Detroit City College Knights

"It feels weird still calling him a prospect, but Langton has less then 75 days of major league service. In his 70 days, he hit an outstanding .344/.384/.576 (146 OPS+) with 11 homers and 45 RBI's and he gave the league a glimpse of the future star power in Chicago. He was working out in right with Love still in left, but I do think Langton will be excellent in whichever corner he ends up. Still, the real appeal is the hit, and even though he's just 5'9'', this kid has elite contact tools and well above average power. In Chicago, he could potentially hit 30 homers a season and he's got the speed to swipe 20 bases as well. With him, Mitchell, and Love in the middle of the order next year, I'm expecting a lot of homers and a lot of runs scored."

Ha! 30 homers... Another guy with injury problems, Langton topped out with 14 homers, but he was a doubles machine, hitting 40 of them in his 1939 season. I was hoping Langton would be a huge part of our offense this season, but the now 34-year-old hit just .267/.333/.346 (95 OPS+) with 21 doubles, 5 triples, 3 homers, 57 RBIs, and 13 steals. Langton owns a career 119 WRC+ and has never had a season with less then 90, and his 100 this season was the 9th average or better WRC+ in his ten FABL seasons. He generally puts the ball in play with regularity and will walk far more then he'll strike out. In 1,209 career games, Langton has hit 211 doubles, 83 triples, and 76 homers with 376 walks and 583 RBIs. The former 3rd Rounder has been a fixture on our roster, but he could be approaching the end of his career. He's not in danger of losing a roster spot, but it will be tougher for him to get at bats. He's behind Mitchell, Lee, Moss, and Montes, and I think Fred Vargas will replace Cliff Moss once he's ready to call it quits. Langton was defintley a productive big leaguer, but I thought things would have turned out a bit differently for him.

C Harry Mead (38th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 58th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Memphis HS Pharaohs

"It's looking more and more likely that the Chicago Cougars will have a lefty catcher! It's probably a few years out, but the Harvey, Illinois native has really started to blossom into an excellent catcher behind the plate and he's held his own at the plate. In likely his only season in San Jose, Mead hit .280/.348/.394 (97 OPS+) with 6 homers and 74 RBI's in 541 trips to the plate. He should eventually hit for a high average, but his eye has really started to develop well. He walked five more times (49) then he struck out (54) and this trend should continue as he gets older. Mike Taylor seems to have fallen off a cliff, so there may be a little rush to get Mead up, but for now I plan on him spending the season in Lincoln."

Mead debuted two seasons later, but didn't really get significant time until the following season. It did not go well, as the lefty catcher hit just .204/.273/.250 (48 OPS+) in 67 games. That was a low for the 23-year-old, who's never hit that poorly again. He alternated between seasons with a WRC+ in the 90d and seasons with one above 115. A 2-Time All Star, Mead has produced a pair of 5+ WAR seasons with a WRC+ above 140. This season didn't go so well, as his 94 WRC+ was 50 points lower then last season. Even when he doesn't hit much, Mead has always been an outstanding catcher. He's been a gift for the pitching staff, and Mead owns an impressive .268/.339/.383 (107 OPS+) career line with 177 doubles, 44 homers, and 397 RBIs. A consistent top five catcher, his bat comes and goes, but the rare lefty throw ing catcher has lived up to his high prospect ranking.

ayaghmour2 · 02-06-2023, 07:13 PM

RHP Cy Sullivan (44th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 60th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Austin HS Senators

"Two picks after Harry Mead I took the gamble on the 6'6'' righty Cy Sullivan. He was stuck with no shortstop his senior year, and actually started most of his teams games there. Sullivan struggled a little in Lincoln this season, but was excellent in 7 La Crosse starts and 14 San Jose starts. He was 5-1 with a 3.98 ERA (136 ERA+) with a 1.14 WHIP, 12 walks, and 21 strikeouts in 54.1 innings with the Lions. With the Cougars he was 5-6 with a 2.74 ERA (165 ERA+), 1.14 WHIP, 29 walks, and 39 strikeouts. I've loved watching Sullivan develop, as he now sits 87-89 with his fastball and his slider has really turned into a strong pitch. He does an excellent job keeping the ball on the ground and he effortlessly paints the corners. He's still young, just 21, but Sullivan should anchor our rotation for a long time."

Can you believe there was a time when pitchers didn't front our prospect lists? This season the top five were hitters, and since we drafted Peter the Heater following season, our #1 prospect has been a pitcher. With Duke Bybee likely to graduate during the 1946 season, that stretch may end next offseason, but Sullivan still ranked in the top 50 and had a ton of upside. He never anchored our rotation, but the tall and cranky right did make 35 starts for us during the '38 and '39 season. His rookie season wasn't bad, going 5-7 with a 4.21 ERA (94 ERA+) and 1.47 WHIP with 37 walks and 27 strikeouts. He had a much better record (13-5) as a sophomore, but his ERA jumped to 5.00 (86 ERA+) and he walked 51 in 162 innings with a 1.56 WHIP..

During the 39 offseason, Sullivan was moved with Tony Mullis and a 4th Round pick in the ill-fated Leon Drake deal. That didn't work out too well for us, as Drake was terrible as a Cougar, and Cy was a decent starter. He got just one out as a 26-year-old, but put up back-to-back 200 inning seasons with the Dynamos. Midway through the 1944 season, he was shipped to the Gothams, where he's started 37 games in a season and a half. Sullivan owns a career 55-77 record with a 4.11 ERA (90 ERA+) and 1.42 WHIP in 198 appearances (138 starts). The 31-year-old led the Fed in losses with 18 this season, but his 103 FIP- was inline with his career mark. Sullivan never lived up to his lofty potential, but there's nothing wrong with a dependable starting pitcher who can eat innings and stay healthy.

CF Chink Stickels (45th Overall)
Acquired: Via Independent Draft (1935)
Drafted: 5th Round, 71st Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: George Fox Reds

"Acquired from the Class A Denver Plainsman in the independent draft this year, Chink Stickels put together a strong 485 plate appearances with Mobile where he hit .285/.348/.490 (115 OPS+) with 7 homers, 12 steals, and 48 RBI's, he got a callup to AAA. He hit .339/.371/.542 (119 OPS+) in 62 trips to the plate, but it was a short trip. With the injury to Roy Moore I decided to give a shot to Stickels who was already on the 40-man roster. It did not go well, unfortunately, as he hit just .178/.208/.247 (17 OPS+) with 2 steals and 2 triples in 77 trips to the plate. I didn't expect too much, but obviously, I wanted better. Still, I'm a big fan of Stickels and he'll get to compete in camp next Spring for the wide open center field job. He looked really good in the field and has the potential to hit .330 in the big leagues. I love his potential and while I do think he may need a little more seasoning, Stickels is going to outwork anyone and will eventually secure a big league spot."

Secure that spot he did! He didn't hit .330, but his .322 in 1938 was close, and Stickels owns a very productive .272/.345/.410 (112 OPS+) line in over 5,000 FABL plate appearances. Stickels was one of the few Cougars on the list who already debuted, but his 17 games this season were the only he spent in the Cougars organization. Stickels was the headliner in a four player package before the 1936 season started that landed Hall of Famer John Lawson. Stickels became the Stars every day center fielder in 1938, and had a breakout 6 WAR season. Stickels posted an elite .322/.388/.526 (155 OPS+) batting line and represented the Stars as a rookie at the All Star Game. He produced an elite 161 WRC+ with 48 doubles, 8 homers, 73 RBIs, 13 steals, and a league high 19 triples. He walked (57) far more then he struck out (24), and he's yet to post a season with 20 or more games and less walks then strikeouts. He spent the next four and a half seasons patrolling center there, ending his Stars career with an impressive .274/.347/.424 (115 OPS+) with 197 doubles, 88 triples, 43 homers, 65 steals, and 420 RBIs.

With Bill Barrett off to war, the Stars did a retooling, and I did inquire on Stickels before they shipped him off to the Wolves. He was struggling at the time, hitting just .186/.248/.275 (57 OPS+) with just 7 doubles, 4 triples, a homer, 3 steals, and 18 RBI in 54 games. This scared me away a bit, but he ended up hitting an above average .261/.341/.333 (103 OPS+) for the Wolves the rest oft the way. In his two full seasons with the Wolves, he's put up 5 WAR each time. Stickels put up 5.4 WAR last season for the Wolves, and produced a 111 WRC+ with 28 doubles, 14 triples, 82 homers, 16 steals, and 70 RBIs in 146 games this season. The 34-year-old is still a solid defender out in center, and has been selected to two All-Star games. His 89 WRC+ in the season he was traded was the only time it fell below 100 in a full season. Sure, he helped our rivals win for most of his career, but John Lawson was elite pretty much until the end, and all Stickels cost to acquire was an AI pick Bob Crocker. He's one of the few prospects we've traded that we've had to watch perform well for a rival, and Cougar fans will still have to watch him a few more seasons when the Wolves come to town.

RHP Karl Wallace (58th Overall)
Acquired: Via Trade with Boston (1934)
Drafted: 6th Round, 91st Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Milwaukee HS Maroons

"In what could be one of the better trades we've made, I added Johnny Cox and Karl Wallace from the Boston Minutemen. Cox didn't stay long, I sent him to Chicago for Ray Ford, and he's turned into a nice add, but Wallace was the main target. I'm a big fan of the right who consistently sits in the mid 90s with a strong fastball and cutter. The 21-year-old has a nice four pitch arsenal and he controls all his pitches well. He really struggled last season in San Jose, but in his 12 starts this year he was much better. Wallace was 7-4 with a 2.98 ERA (152 ERA+), 1.18 WHIP, 17 walks, and 47 strikeouts before getting a midseason promotion to Lincoln. He handled his own in 12 starts there, going 5-4 with a 4.79 ERA (115 ERA+), 1.47 WHIP, 23 walks, and 34 strikeouts. I'm not sure yet if I'll start him in Mobile or Lincoln, but I know he won't finish back down here. I'm really excited for this kid's future and I think he's going to be a really important piece of our rotation."

Originally a 6th Round Pick of the Minutemen, he came to our organization in a very useful trade that also brought Johnny Cox for a grizzled Max Wilder. Wallace never started a game for us, let alone became an important piece, as he was then part of another big trade that brought in Juan Pomales and Del Burns. More trade fun for Wallace, as he spent just half a season in the Dynamos season, but did go 2-1 in 3 starts for them in September. Time for another major trade, as he was part of the three piece package that brought current Cougar Hank Barnett to Detroit in his brief stop in the Dynamos organization. Wallace had an excellent rookie season, going 13-13 with a 3.44 ERA (115 ERA+), 1.35 WHIP, 98 walks, and 88 strikeouts in just under 250 innings pitched. He never really got much of a chance in the Saints organization, but he did have a major sophomore slump. He was even waived prior to the 1942 season, and while I wanted to claim him, the Sailors had higher priority.

Wallace was the next of many pitchers the Sailors have had success with, winning 20 games with a sub 3 ERA in 30 impressive starts. Wallace followed that up with a similar campaign, tossing a career high 268 innings with a rather unlucky 15-15 record. That didn't match his career best 2.96 ERA (115 ERA+), 5.0 WAR, and 3.19 FIP (89) with 107 walks, 88 strikeouts, and a 1.36 WHIP. He hasn't replicated that since, and has struggled a bit this season. The 31-year-old was 11-10 with a 4.31 ERA (85 ERA+) and 1.41 WHIP with 65 walks and strikeouts. Wallace has been a reliable innings eater who had yet to have an ailment last longer then three days before scar tissue in his shoulder ended his season in early September. He's 8 wins away from 100, but the Sailors rotation will get a lot more crowded next season when more players return from the war. At this point in his career, he owns a 3.67 ERA (102 ERA+) and 1.39 WHIP with 607 walks and 402 strikeouts in 1,611.2 innings pitched.

CF Carlos Montes (60th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 12th Overall (1934)
Alma Mater: Citronelle

"If you told me Montes would be in AAA at the end of the season when I selected him last year, I wouldn't have believed you. But somehow the 19-year-old's last 87 plate appearances were up in Milwaukee and he hit an insane .408/.488/.831 (215 OPS+) with 5 homers, 2 steals, and 27 RBI's. His worst performance came in Lincoln where he hit just .254/.361/.465 (97 OPS+) in 169 plate appearances with 10 steals, 7 homers, and 38 RBI's. He looked good in Mobile, finishing with a .342/.400/.470 (125 OPS+) line in 228 trips to the plate. My scout thinks Montes is the most developed center fielder in our organization and he's going to get a shot to try and earn the starting job up in Chicago. I'd prefer to start him out in AAA, but we don't have that many options right now. I'm hoping to add external options, but that's not because of Montes. This kid has huge upside, with excellent defensive ability, a great eye at the plate, and blazing speed on the bases and in the field. He's already gotten a boost in the prospect rankings since the original post, and I am really happy I got him last year. And much more happy then I am with who I got this year (although he is pretty good still)."

Montes did have huge upside, and when he wasn't serving in the war, he showcased great speed, outstanding defense out in center, and a very good eye. The only issue is for Montes has been his injury proneness, as since debuting at 21 in 1937, his career high in games is just the 127 he got into before being drafted into the Navy. Despite the troubles with staying on the field, Montes has been an extremely productive ballplayer, hitting .263/.332/.407 (107 OPS+) with 108 doubles, 46 triples, 55 homers, 70 steals, and 287 RBIs in 657 career games. He's also tallied an impressive 86.5 zone rating with a 1.052 efficiency out in center. With Montes leaving after the '42 season, he left a huge hole in center that has now been filled rather well with Don Lee. Montes is a far superior defender, but Lee already looks to be twice the hitter Montes ever was. It's never an issue to have two capable center fielders, but with Moss' old age, Lee seems likely to shift to right. I'm a little worried the time off has eroded his skills a bit, but the Cuban born center fielder turned into a great center fielder and should have a few seasons left in him.

SS Ducky Jordan (71st Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 6th Round, 92nd Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Little Rock HS Pioneers

"A 1930 National Champion at Little Rock HS, the "Hot Springs Hotshot" may not get the rep he deserves. He's a tiny switch hitting shortstop, but he works as hard as anybody and it's shown. My scout keeps waffling over if he's a shortstop or a center fielder, so I'll send Jordan back down to AA and let him play both. It was the only of the three levels he hit above average, slashing .311/.339/.453 (104 OPS+) with 5 steals and 13 RBI's in 115 trips to the plate. He's a really raw prospect, and I might have rushed him a little, but my scout thinks he's ready for the majors. He's got a lot of talent and the athletic ability to play anywhere on the field. I think the bat is going to develop and Jordan should be a dependable big league starter, I'm just not sure if that's going to be at short, or center, or maybe even third."

Our top 10 prospects have already accumulated over 200 WAR (208.6) in their combined FABL careers. Ducky Jordan (0.1) accounts for less then a tenth of a percent of it. I'm not too sure what went wrong with Ducky, as he never did much hitting. Ducky got a cup of coffee in both 1937 and 1938, but him and Art Courtney went across town to the Chiefs in July to acquire former Allen Winner Jim Lonardo. The Chiefs put him on the active roster, but the former 6th Rounder hit just .196/.289/.268 (52 OPS+) in 33 games for the Chiefs. He did appear in a game each season from 1937 until 1943 when he was drafted into the Air Force, and he's been a capable utility man I've even tried to re-acquire a few times. His career .222/.287/.301 (67 OPS+) line isn't very impressive, but he provides plus defense at all three infield spots. He's the first real bust of the group, but he's approaching 500 FABL games, and that's nothing to sneeze at.

ayaghmour2 · 02-07-2023, 08:33 PM

3B Hank Stratton (73rd Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 5th Round, 78th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Chicago HS Wildcats

"Third base is wide open right now, but Hank Stratton will have to fend off the middle infielders in the organization as well if he wants to be the Cougars third basemen of the future. He put together a strong season in Lincoln, batting .333/.366/.515 (109 OPS+) with 11 homers and 115 RBI's. "Jitters" also got some time at first when Phil McKenna was there with him, but he has looked okay so far at third. The most impressive part, however, were the 64 doubles! It was close to one every other game and he does an excellent job spraying the ball around the field. He hits well to all fields and continuously hits line drives in stead of flyballs. His spray charts are truly beautiful, and I think he's going to be a really excellent big league hitter."

"Excellent" hitter may be a stretch, but Hank Stratton has put together a pretty solid career for the Foresters. The Foresters have been really bad the past couple of seasons, but Stratton has been a mainstay on the roster, appearing in 125 or more games in each season since 125, and he owns a productive .287/.315/.392 (103 OPS+) triple slash in 797 games with the Foresters. He had himself a breakout in 1942, hitting a very good .313/.338/.432 (132 OPS+) with 2 homers and 60 RBIs while worth a personal best 4.1 WAR. He doesn't have much home run power, but "Jitters" led the CA with 54 doubles in '42, and again in '44 with 47. After a decline in production during the 1943 season, he's put together back-to-back above average seasons in a lineup that has little-to-no support. He had a 117 WRC+ this year for Cleveland which ranked second for players who appeared in more then 70 games for the Foresters. Now 31, he's one of the only lineup members who should have a spot guaranteed for them next season, as he consistently puts the ball in play and provides solid defense at both corners. Stratton never debuted for us, as we sent him to Cleveland for Dan Everett and a 2nd Round Pick the offseason before his debut. We got great value for the former 5th Rounder that was part of the loaded 1932 draft class, and while no All-Stars, he's a dependable every day starter.

RHP Stumpy Beaman (95th Overall)
Acquired: Via Trade with the Sailors (1935)
Drafted: 7th Round, 104th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Austin HS Senators

"The big pull in the John Kincaid trade, Stumpy Beaman spent his time with the Sailors in C ball, but I brought him up to San Jose for 8 starts to end the season. He looked excellent, working to a 3.18 ERA (143 ERA+) and 1.18 WHIP with 17 walks and 23 strikeouts in 56.2 innings pitched. He'll turn 22 at the end of April, so I might be moving him up to Lincoln to start next season. He is a "stumpy" little guy, but the ball is always on the ground and he comfortably sits in the upper 80s with his fastball and sinker. I love his command, and if he can polish his slider out as an out pitch he should be able to keep up his strong strikeout numbers. I think he's loaded with potential and should be one of the more reliable big league arms in the league."

Originally a 7th Round selection by the Sailors in 1932, he was acquired in the 1935 selloff with Bill Dickens for longtime third basemen John Kincaid. Stumpy spent just one full season in the Cougars organization, as he was quickly used in a second big deal. Him and fellow top 100 prospect Karl Wallace were sent to the Dynamos to acquire Juan Pomales and Del Burns. He debuted later that season, making three starts and relief appearances for Detroit. It didn't go great, but he won a rotation spot next spring, and put together a very solid rookie season. Stumpy went 7-10 with 3 saves, a 4.15 ERA (102 ERA+), 1.55 WHIP, 101 walks, and 59 strikeouts in 190.2 innings pitched. An improving Dynamos team then pushed him to AAA Newark the following season, and they used him to land two All-Stars in Joe Shaffner and Frank Vance. Stumpy was joined in Brooklyn by Frank LeMieux and Ike O'Donnell, and of which are still with the club today.

Stumpy spent the rest of the season in the Kings rotation, where he had a spot for the next four years. The now 31-year-old made 83 starts and 8 relief outings, going 36-42 with a 3.99 ERA (94 ERA+) and 3.80 FIP (100 FIP-). He hasn't pitched since the '42 season, which was the worst of his career so far. He went 8-16 with a 3.97 ERA (83 ERA+) before enlisting in the Air Force. For his career, Beaman has gone 44-54 with a 4.07 ERA (96 ERA+), 1.51 WHIP, 391 walks, and 224 strikeouts in 829.2 innings between the Kings and Dynamos. That slider never quite developed, so the strikeouts (2.4 K/9) were low, but Beaman has been a basically leave average pitcher (101 FIP-) despite it. No one would mistake him for one of the more reliable arms in the league, but he offers dull consistency and will get a shot to rejoin the Kings rotation that won't have many other established pitchers.

LF Bobby Mills (99th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 6th Round, 90th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: San Antonio HS Warriors

"I feel like I spend more time trying to trade Mills then mentioning how good he is, but Mills has always hit. After a quick trip in San Jose, he spent 62 games with Lincoln and 52 with Mobile. With Lincoln he hit .380/.416/.616 (145 OPS+) with 14 homers and 64 RBI's in 279 trips to the plate. He didn't quite keep that up with Mobile, but still hit .342/.366/.462 (114 OPS+) with 2 homers and 38 RBI's. I was sad to see the power drop, but 14 in 62 games is really impressive. I'm not sure if the power is going to stay, I still see him as a Vince York type player not Doc Love, but for now there's no room for Mills on our big league roster. I think I'll give him a run back for AA next season."

Can't believe Bobby Mills was a top 100 prospect! I always remember him as a strictly depth bat, but turns out at one point he was one of the more highly touted prospects in the FABL. A 6th Round selection in 1932, Mills hasn't appeared in the big leagues since 1941, and he spent the the last two seasons in the Navy. Mills appeared in 97 games split between five consecutive seasons, but made just 160 trips to the plate. He hit pretty well, .279/.321/.456 (112 OPS+) with 6 homers and 27 RBIs. A regular on the Blues, however, Mills slashed an elite .329/.405/.495 (150 OPS+) with 133 doubles, 50 homers, and 334 RBIs in over 2,000 plate appearances. I'm not sure he'll get many, if any, more big league at bats, but he's a great clubhouse guy who will likely stick around for depth. I'm curious to think if he was still around, if he could have competed for a bench job as he was always able to hit.

RHP Frank Gordon (121st Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 18th Round, 287th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Trenton HS Titans

"I can thank my scout and development team for Frank Gordon. I didn't even think about of picking him, but to be fair, he wasn't that good when we got him. Since the draft, Gordon's fastball velocity has gone from 84-86 to 91-93 and he's developed excellent groundball tendencies already. He started the season in San Jose, got a demotion for a few starts to get back on track, and then finished back with the Cougars. He made 17 starts, going 6-4 with a 5.42 ERA (84 ERA+), 1.51 WHIP, 35 walks, and 38 strikeouts. He'll return to San Jose next season as he continues to polish his skills. He did have a little bit of a statistical setback, but he continues to see his speed climb and my scout likes him more and more with each report."

Gordon is one of the most experienced war vets, having served in the Army since the 1941 offseason. Gordon was coming off a season where he led the Fed with 16 saves as the Dynamos stopper. The 27-year-old had a nice 3.21 ERA (125 ERA+) in 73 innings pitched and missed out on either starting some games for a pitching needy team or continuing as an effective stopper. Both are positive outcomes for a pitcher selected in the 18th Round as part of a very loaded 1932 Cougars class. Like Chink Stickels, Gordon was part of the John Lawson package, and debuted for the Stars in 1938. He didn't pitch in the majors next season, and was then part of a seven piece trade that brought William Jones and Lou Robertson to the Stars. Tom Weinstock thinks Gordon could still fill the back-end of a rotation, but my guess would be the Dynamos re-install him as their stopper.

RHP Joe Foote (122nd Overall)
Acquired: Via Trade with Montreal (1934)
Draft: 6th Round, 84th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Greensboro HS Giants

"Acquired in the Bobby Sprague deal with Woody Armstrong, the 21-year-old Foote spent the entire season in Lincoln. He made 24 starts and was 9-7 with a 4.95 ERA (111 ERA+), 1.43 WHIP, 31 walks, and 44 strikeouts in 134.2 innings pitched. Foote is a three pitch pitcher, with a really nice mid 90s sinker, a nice slider, and a decent curveball. He can throw them all for strikes in any count and he does an excellent job keeping the ball on the ground. He's pretty developed for someone his age, and I could potentially see him joining our staff sooner then expected. My scout is a huge fan and I think he's going to be an excellent big league starter."

I'll be honest, I really thought Joe Foote would have been much better then he ended up. After pitching parts of three seasons with the Minutemen from 1939-1941, he was cut the following May, and has spent the last four seasons with the Dallas Centurions. He's been a mainstay in their rotation, going 45-36 with a 3.42 ERA and 318 strikeouts in 701 innings pitched. Originally drafted by the Saints, Foote came with Woody Armstrong in the Bobby Sprague trade, and he pitched really well in our system post-trade. He never debuted for us (although he was a September callup in 1927) as we sent Foote to the Minutemen for their 2nd Round Pick (technically a 4th due to the lottery) in the 1938 Draft. Foote threw just 136 innings with the Minutemen, almost exclusively out of the pen, and worked to a 4.10 ERA (95 ERA+) and 1.48 WHIP. He may be stuck in Dallas the rest of his career, and with a -1.0 WAR, he's one of the least valuable FABL players ever. He's a good "what could have happen" pitcher that never quite lived up to his potential, and one of the few major swings and misses from this group.

ayaghmour2 · 02-08-2023, 11:05 PM

RHP Harry Parker (126st Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 7th Round, 108th Overall (1934)
Alma Mater: Bushwick

Despite being a 7th Round selection, I've given a lot of love to Harry Parker in my report already. He was a guy I bet really hard on last draft, and of those picks, just last year's first Carlos Montes ranks ahead of him. I do think Pug Bryan is the better pitcher, but Parker has really blossomed in his first season with us. He's sitting comfortably in the 91-93 range with his fastball and cutter, but he has three really good secondary pitch. He also throws a curveball, the only pitch my scout doesn't think is average or better. That may not sound like much, but since we are in the 30s, the stuff ratings of our pitchers are very low. The fact that my scout says Parker has four average pitches and a good changeup, is a pretty high compliment. Parker is 20, so a little older then most high school draftees, but that's really helped him climb the ladder. The 6'6'' righty started the year in San Jose and made 9 strong starts. He was 6-3 with a 2.39 ERA (190 ERA+), 0.94 WHIP, 13 walks, and 36 strikeouts in 75.1 innings before a promotion up to Class A Lincoln. Parker continued to excel there, and even against the tougher competition was 6-5 with a 4.15 ERA (133 ERA+), 1.43 WHIP, 29 walks, and 48 strikeouts in 93.1 innings pitched. Parker's strikeout numbers are really strong and he did a great job limiting walks. Of course, there is a downside to every pitcher, and for Parker, it's his flyball tendencies. Still, I'm not even phased. He may be good enough that it won't even matter.

While I'm pretty confident of nearly every player I ever draft, I don't think I've ever been so convinced from draft day that a late round pick would develop into one. It all started in the later rounds of the 1934 draft, when I was browsing the pitchers for guys with a current role of "Starter" in the pool. While that alone is no guarantee of talent, in Stats Only, you take what you can get. To be a current starter, you (generally) have to have three big league quality pitches, but very few draft eligible players ever get this high mark. While clicking through some hundred arms, I stumbled on an absolute unit of a man from New Jersey who had that mark. But what really stood out was the age; he was still in high school.

I'm not sure how Parker slipped through the cracks and 107 players were selected before him, but all I can do is be thankful that we were able to snag such an outstanding young pitcher. Parker wasn't always a top 100 prospect, but after dominance at 20 in San Jose (6-3, 2.39, 36) and Lincoln (6-5, 4.15, 48) in his first pro season, Parker cracked the top 200 for the 1935 offseason. In his first two seasons, his 134 ERA+ in Lincoln in '34 was his lowest ERA+ in four stints, and he reached AAA as a 22-year-old in 1937 where he had an absurd 65 FIP- and 4.9 WAR in 152.2 innings pitched. Despite that, he returned to Milwaukee for 14 more starts, going 7-5 with a 3.79 ERA (118 ERA+), 1.21 WHIP, 24 walks, and 57 strikeouts. Those proved to be the last starts he'd ever make in the minors, and Parker got a midseason callup in 1938 at 23. He struggled, as he often does, with the longball, allowing 15 in 130.2 innings pitched, but he held his own on the mound. The intimidating six pitch righty finished 7-8 with a 3.99 ERA (99 ERA+) and 1.15 WHIP with 29 walks and 69 strikeouts. While average overall, there was plenty to be excited by, as the WHIP was great, his 4.8 K/9 was excellent, and his 2.4 K/BB was among the best in the league.

From that day on, Parker became a mainstay in the rotation, and since 1939 he's put up an above average or better ERA+ in each subsequent season. As a sophomore the home run issues lingered, as he allowed a league high 36, but the durable giant went 14-11 with a 4.19 ERA (102 ERA+) and 1.32 WHIP. His K/BB dropped to 1.5, as he walked 68 while striking out 103. The 2.6 BB/9 is still the highest mark he's put together, and he's just once past 2.0 since. Year three Parker took another step forward, but still led the CA with 30 homers allowed. He dropped his BB/9 to 1.7, and finished 16-10 with a 3.67 ERA (109 ERA+), 1.23 WHIP, 49 walks, and 108 strikeouts. He cracked 250 innings (255.1) for the first time in his young career, and he led the league with 21 complete games.

Parker fully broke out in 1941, where he was selected to his first of shockingly just two All-Star games, going 19-10 with a 3.19 ERA (124 ERA+), 1.18 WHIP, 66 walks, and 107 strikeouts. He once again led the league in complete games, this time with 24 in 31 starts, threw a then personal most 262.1 innings, and was a crucial member of our pennant winning staff. With Peter the Heater enlisting after our embarrassing title defeat, Parker was the staff ace, and won 21 games to go with a 2.92 ERA (113 ERA+), 1.13 WHIP, 40 walks, 105 strikeouts, and an elite 2.6 K/BB. His 0.8 HR/9 in 258.2 innings pitched. Parker was off to a similar start in 1943, working to a 2.89 ERA (113 ERA+) and 1.14 WHIP, but he dealt with a sore shoulder in May, his first injury lasting more then five days. That was a harbinger of chaos, as Parker left his 12th start of the season with a torn flexor tendon, ending his season and the Cougars pennant hopes.

That brought plenty of anxiety for the 1944 season, where the 29-year-old was healthy enough to return to the rotation. There were plenty of worries about his quality, but Parker quickly silenced the doubters. Selected to another All-Star game, Parker was robbed of a much deserved Allen Award, and shockingly received just one first place vote despite having much better stats then eventual winner Butch Smith. What hurt Parker was his record, just 16-10 while Smith won 20 games, but he had an elite 2.19 ERA (159 ERA+) in 250.1 innings pitched with league best's in WHIP (0.99), K/BB (2.9), FIP- (74), and WAR (6.7) while just a few outs shy of Smith's matching 2.19 ERA. The thing was, Parker was not the same pitcher as he was pre-injury, as his 13 complete games were lower then each previous season excluding his 16 start debut year and 12 start injury-shortened season.

While Smith endured an awful 1945 season, Parker was still one of the best pitchers in the FABL, but was not represented as an All-Star in Chicago. Parker made a league high 36 starts and led the league with 27 quality starts, but his 4 complete games were even less then his 6 in the injury shortened year. The rest of the numbers were great, as the 30-year-old went 15-9 with a 2.77 ERA (127 ER), 1.13 WHIP, 58 walks, and 130 strikeouts in a career high 266.2 innings. He had an excellent 87 FIP- and 5.3 WAR to go with his 2.2 K/BB, the fourth consecutive season where he's struck out twice as many batters as he walked. Parker ranked top three in ERA, strikeouts, K/BB, WHIP, and rWAR (7.3), and was one of the few bright spots on a Cougar team that did not have much luck.

Despite potentially a decade more of pitching, Parker is already one of the best Cougars pitchers, 114-71 in 222 starts and 3 relief appearances. His 3.1 ERA (118 ERA+) and 1.16 WHIP are impressive for a 1,760.2 inning sample, and he's struck out 801 batters with just 372 walks. He's tied for 1st in K/BB (2.2), 4th in WHIP, tied for 4th win Allen Award namesake Allen Allen in shutouts (17) despite half as many innings pitched, 5th in wins and rWAR (40.6), tied for 6th in BB/9 (1.9), 7th in strikeouts and K/9 (4.1), 8th in winning percentage (.616) and innings, 9th in WAR (26.8) and starts, 10th in complete games (121). Parker has emerged as one of the most talented and reliable starters in the FABL, and will be a member of our staff for years to come. No matter how the rest of his career, he'll get Dick Lyons treatment, and I'd be surprised if Parker's #48 isn't hanging at Cougars Park once he's ready to call it quits. There have been very few OOTP players I've ever been as attached to as I am to Parker, and I'm hoping he can solidify our rotation for at least eight more years.

2B Tommy Wilson (129th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 31st Overall (1933)
Alma Mater: Elmira HS Emeralds

I really thought the 1933 draft class was going to be a decent one, until I realized all the guys I thought were good were actually eligible for the 1934 draft. That really threw off my draft strategy, so the fact that I was able to salvage Tommy Wilson in the 2nd is a blessing. A natural shortstop, the recently turned 20-year-old spent nearly all season at second base with the extremely gifted fielder (and next ranked prospect) Ivan Cameron spending time at short. I do think Wilson has the glove to stick at short, and his numbers at second (with no prior experience) were elite. He had a +13.2 zone rating and 1.069 efficiency. He had an okay season at the plate, batting .277/.349/.456 (89 OPS+) with 13 homers, 14 steals, and 76 RBI's. It can take a few seasons for a young hitter to get off the ground in C ball as there tend to be a lot of older prospects on the mound, but Wilson has shown strong plate discipline, 102 strikeouts and walks in his two seasons with the Lions. I'm not yet sure if he's going to move up before the season starts, but I do know that even with a lot of new bodies entering the system, Wilson will not get lost in the shuffle.

A part of the blockbuster deal for Freddie Jones that included the next prospect, Ivan Cameron, Tommy Wilson was shipped off in the 1938 offseason and spent every day sense play for the St. Louis Pioneers. Now 30, Wilson has proved himself as one of the premier defensive third basemen in the FABL, and 1945 was the first season he failed to appear in 140 or more games. "Weed" debuted as a 23-year-old, and hit a respectable .276/.341/.375 (93 OPS+) with 24 doubles, 8 triples, 6 homers, 66 RBIs, and 12 steals. He walked (59) more then he struck out (30), and was worth 3.5 WAR due to a 3.7 zone rating and second and a 5.5 at third. Wilson did have a sophomore slump, and it was his worst season to date. He hit just .223/.300/.300 (70 OPS+) in 142 games, but the rebuilding squad gave him time to fix things up.

The former 2nd Rounder had a breakout in 1941, slashing .290/.360/.418 (115 OPS+) with 29 doubles, 8 triples, 9 homers, and 75 RBIs as he made an appearance in all 154 of the Pioneers games. He had a matching 115 WRC+ to go with a 16.9 zone rating and 1.086 efficiency at the hot corner, leading to his first five WAR season. Wilson took it to one step further and represented the Pioneers at the All Star Game. Wilson finished the season worth 6.7 wins above replacement and a 123 WRC+, starting all but one of the Pioneers games. He hit 34 doubles, 9 triples, 4 homers, and 68 RBIs with an outstanding 72-to-36 walk-to-strikeout ratio. His .281/.359/.394 (118 OPS+) batting line was a career best in terms of OPS+, WRC+, and wOBA (.355).

Wilson has yet to match that production, as he put together back-to-back below average seasons (95 and 93 WRC+) at the plate. He did provide stellar defense, leading to a combined 7.8 WAR and 27.1 zone rating at third, and contributed 88 extra base hits while still walking (134) more frequently then he struck out (99). This year didn't go to well for him either, hitting just .243/.307/.350 (81 OPS+) in a career low 529 trips to the plate. The pioneers have show confidence in Wilson, recently declaring third base his position, and the veteran has definitely deserved it. He owns a career .259/.332/.361 (96 OPS+) batting line with a 99 WRC+ and has accumulated nearly 100 (95.5) zone rating in 907 games at third. He's still an elite defender too, with his 1.082 efficiency tied for second best in his career. While it would have been nice to hold onto him, Freddie Jones did give us solid production at the plate and third base was covered by All-Stars John Lawson and Hank Barnett.

SS Ivan Cameron (131st Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 3rd Round, 74th Overall (1934)
Alma Mater: Meridian

I really thought the 1933 draft class was going to be a decent one, until I realized all the guys I thought were good were actually eligible for the 1934 draft. That really threw off my draft strategy, so the fact that I was able to salvage Tommy Wilson in the 2nd is a blessing. A natural shortstop, the recently turned 20-year-old spent nearly all season at second base with the extremely gifted fielder (and next ranked prospect) Ivan Cameron spending time at short. I do think Wilson has the glove to stick at short, and his numbers at second (with no prior experience) were elite. He had a +13.2 zone rating and 1.069 efficiency. He had an okay season at the plate, batting .277/.349/.456 (89 OPS+) with 13 homers, 14 steals, and 76 RBI's. It can take a few seasons for a young hitter to get off the ground in C ball as there tend to be a lot of older prospects on the mound, but Wilson has shown strong plate discipline, 102 strikeouts and walks in his two seasons with the Lions. I'm not yet sure if he's going to move up before the season starts, but I do know that even with a lot of new bodies entering the system, Wilson will not get lost in the shuffle.

One thing I'll never understand is why Ivan Cameron was so bad at shortstop. In the minors he was amazing, putting up efficiencies above 1.100 in three separate 100 games samples, but that didn't translate to gameplay in the Fed. He never had a zone rating above 0, even posting a -17.6 (.916 efficiency) in a full time role in 1940. Also part of the Freddie Jones trade, he debuted in 1939, and has appeared in a game in six of the last seven seasons. His best season came as a rookie, where he appeared in every game and hit .276/.340/.369 (92 OPS+) with 33 doubles, 2 triples, 5 homers, and 71 RBIs. He hasn't matched that production since, and owns a career .250/.311/.312 (76 OPS+) batting line in exactly 2,400 trips to the plate. He's added 96 doubles, 5 triples, 10 homers, and 232 RBIs with 183 walks and 86 strikeouts. With players returning from the war and his lack of upside, his FABL career may stop right where he is.

RF Marty Roberts (135th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 23rd Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Brunswick Knights

Not too long ago Roberts was a top 70 prospect, but has dropped a lot since the season started. Roberts is a natural center fielder, but he struggled a little in Mobile last season so we moved him to right for this year. He spent about two thirds of his season with the Commodores, batting .282/.373/.443 (111 OPS+) with 7 homers, 6 steals, and 40 RBI's. The power dropped when he moved up to Milwaukee, but he doubled his steal total. His .289/.393/.397 (93 OPS+) batting line was deflated a bit as the power disappeared, but I'm hoping it's just adjusting to the competition. Last year in the same amount of games with AA Mobile (81), he also had just one homer and saw that jump up when he repeated the level. He's 24. and with the ability to play center, he'll have just as much of a shot as anyone to win the starting job. One thing he does do a good job of his walking, a combined 80 walks to just 21 strikeouts this season. He's patient, fast, and consistently drives and lines the ball through the left side of the infield. Even though the prospect evaluators have dimmed their view of Roberts, my opinion has not changed very much. I do think he'll end up in right now and the early results have been extremely promising.

Our 2nd Round pick in the 1932 class, he was one of the lower performing big leaguers, with guys like Rich Langton and Harry Mead selected in the next two rounds. Roberts debuted in 1936, hitting an impressive .306/.397/.510 (139 OPS+) with a double, 3 triples, a homer, and 9 RBIs. He didn't return to Chicago, as we sent the then 25-year-old to the Sailors at the 1937 deadline for now Dynamo Tony Mullis. He spent the rest of the season in Philly, but only made 58 trips to the plate. He made just nine the next season and none in 1939, but got a more permanent bench role in 1940. He hit an impressive .296/.374/.426 (122 OPS+) with 15 doubles, 6 triples, a homer, and 4 steals with 40 RBIs. He walked 30 times and struck out just 8 in 265 trips to the plate. It was his most productive season as a Sailor, but still got plenty of time the following season. Roberts hit .256/.328/.364 (92 OPS+) in a career high 271 trips to the plate. He appeared in just 35 games the next season, and has spent the last three seasons in the minor leagues. 34 in November, he's probably played his last big league game, likely retiring with a respectable .269./338/.394 (104 OPS+) batting line in 279 FABL games.

CF Roy Moore (137th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 63rd Overall (1931)
Alma Mater: Hartford HS Blue Sox

A poorly timed oblique strain cost him a late season callup to be the starting center fielder for the Chicago Cougars, but even though the 22-year-old is extremely adept with the glove, he didn't hit all that well this year. His .317/.380/.387 (87 OPS+) line wasn't that inspiring, and he watched his strikeouts spike up to 80 as it looked like he got them back down. Still, he swiped 30 bags and had a nice +8.0 zone rating and 1.054 efficiency out in center. He's a high intensity player with great instincts, but he's not as naturally talented as most prospects that reach AAA. I still have faith the bat will come around, but it may take a season or two of fighting big league pitchers before it happens. Like Roberts, Moore will be in the hunt for our starting center field job, and I'd argue Moore is one of the favorites.

Roy Moore did get plenty of starts in center for the Cougars in 1936, but that was really the only season he factors in the big leagues. Then 23, Moore hit .309/.356/.350 (88 OPS+) in 96 games. There were plenty of issues, as more hit just 8 extra base hits in 378 trips to the plate, and he struck out (68) more then twice as often as he walked (25). He did look good in the field, producing a 9.9 zone rating and 1.041 efficiency in 777 innings patrolling center. He spent the next two seasons shuffling between Chicago and Milwaukee, before being sent to the Miners before the 1939 season in a three piece package. He got very limited time with the Miners the next two seasons, and was waived prior to the 1942 season. He was claimed by the Dynamos, but made just 8 appearances before being released in July. He then signed with the Fort Worth Cattleman, and he's spent the last three and a half seasons in their lineup. He's actually put up back-to-back 4 WAR seasons in the Lone Star Association, which is equivalent to AA. He hit an impressive .369/.422/.452 (143 OPS+) last season with 23 doubles, 7 triples, a homer, 16 steals, and 57 RBIs. He could be a regular for the Cattleman, as he won't likely garner a big league role anytime soon.

ayaghmour2 · 02-09-2023, 07:36 PM

RHP Pug Bryan (140th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 28th Overall (1934)
Alma Mater: Lincoln College

"This kid is underrated. I don't care what OSA says. I don't care what my scout says. Pug Bryan is going to be a really good pitcher. I took him in the 2nd Round last year out of Lincoln College which is in Springfield, Illinois and he started his season in San Jose. Bryan pitched to a 2.73 ERA (166 ERA+), 1.06 WHIP, 4 walks, and 26 strikeouts in 33 innings. After that it was off to Lincoln, where he tossed 75.1 innings. He was 6-2 with a 3.11 ERA (177 ERA+), 1.29 WHIP, 31 walks, and 36 strikeouts. I got a little bold, moving him up to Mobile for September. Bryan responded with 4 dominant starts, just 19 hits, 3 runs, 11 walks, and 25 strikeouts in 36 innings. That's a 0.75 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 2.8 BB/9, and 6.3 K/9. Oh yeah, and he won all four starts too. Simply put, Pug was unhittable this year. He's going to be 23 in April and by 24 he might already have some FABL innings under his belt. I like almost everything about him, he throws in the high 80s with his fastball and generates a ton of groundballs with his sinker. Best part is, his best pitch is supposed to be his change up which is likely far from developed now. He'll be back in Mobile to start next season, but based on how quickly he moved up, he might not be there for that long. I may also bring him to Chicago for training camp."

Oh Pug... What could've been...

When he debuted in 1937, the former 2nd Rounder looked like a long-term building block in our rotation. The 24-year-old had an impressive rookie season, going 8-9 with a 3.69 ERA (110 ERA+), 1.33 WHIP, 64 walks, and 68 strikeouts, and was worth a full two wins above replacement in 158.2 innings. Unfortunately for Pug, he set many personal bests, including WAR and innings, and for samples of more then 25 innings, ERA, ERA+, FIP- (101), WHIP, strikeouts, BB/9 (3.6), and K/BB (1.1). Entering 1938, he was a member of the rotation, but he got demoted to the pen and eventually demoted to Milwaukee due to poor performance. In 11 starts and 11 relief appearances, Pug went just 4-9 with 2 saves, a 5.03 ERA (79 ERA+) and 1.61 WHIP. He walked (46) more batters then he struck out (39), but Bryan was effective in 12 starts for the Blues. He went 5-3 with a nice 3.78 ERA (118 ERA+) and even better 3.40 FIP (76 FIP-), striking out 42 with just 19 walks in 66.2 innings pitched.

No longer really considered a starter, Pug did start 12 games in Milwaukee the following season, but his next 68 appearances all came in a Cougar uniform, and all out of the pen. He didn't really establish himself there, but he was out of options, and I couldn't cut the pitcher I became so attached to, and had such high hopes for. He had mixed results in the pen, but never really got into many games. In '42 and '43 he was pretty solid, working to a 2.22 (149 ERA+) and 2.66 ERA (123 ERA+), but it came in just 44.2 combined innings. His time on the roster was ticking down, but there were plenty of pitching needy teams in the war, and he had some nice qualities. He doesn't allow many homers, strikes out a fair amount of batters, generates a lot of groundballs, and most importantly, can start games. The Dynamos were in need of starters, and we sent Pug to Detroit for their 8th Round Pick, which ended up being the versatile Johnny Carlisle. Pug didn't enter the rotation right away, but he started 18 of his 30 appearances with the Dynamos, winning a personal best 10 games with a pair of saves. He had a respectable 3.73 ERA (92 ERA+) and 1.45 WHIP, but had far too many walks (74) in 140 innings pitched. That winter he was called into the Navy, leaving plenty of open spots in Detroit, including one that was filled with Art White. Pug will be in the post-war mix, but it will be tough for him to earn a long-term spot. Still, he's cracked the 500 inning mark (505) and his 4.26 ERA (90 ERA+) isn't terrible, and he could still eat some innings out of the pen.

LF Larry Robison (155th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 19th Round, 303rd Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Queens HS

"Robison had to fight off a fractured hand that cost him most of the season, so he just got into 26 games with the Legislators. He hit .356/.444/.505 (128 OPS+) with a homer, 6 RBI's, and 16 steals. Yeah, 16 steals in 26 games. Not sure what got into him, just 10 last year in 123 games, but speed is his thing. He's an "elite menace on the basepaths", but unfortunately that doesn't translate into being good at center field. He's really only just average in left, but has always shown above average contact potential at the plate. I'm shocked he was only a 19th rounder as he had really impressive high school numbers."

Robison's speed was his only tool, as he had a 72 steal season for us in 1937. He even made a plate appearance for us in 1939, drawing a walk on his debut. The former 19th Rounder deserved it, hitting .323/.378/.468 (133 OPS+) in 127 games for the Blues. The Eagles decided to take a chance on that production, sending us a 5th Round pick for the 1940 draft. He then struggled in limited time, hitting just .204/.254/.315 (60 OPS+) in 60 trips to the plate. He didn't return to the majors, and was cut before Opening Day 1941. He's now spent the last five seasons with the Houston Bulls of the LSA, and is coming off a 152 WRC+ season where he was worth just slightly less then 5. He's one of those guys who crushes minor league pitching, but when it comes to the best of the best, he just can't quite hang.

LF Dave Haight (157th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 13th Round, 207th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Dallas HS

"With all the depth we have in the outfield, Dave Haight was stuck in La Crosse the past three seasons. That didn't stop him from playing well, however, as he slashed .397/.447/.582 (142 OPS+) with 7 homers, 78 RBI's, and 34 steals in 490 trips to the plate. He'll be up in San Jose next year, and may again see time in both left and right. Haight does have something really cool about him; he's from Juneau, Alaska! Not sure the FABL has any representatives from Alaska, but Haight's got a tough uphill climb if he wants to be the first. He's got the tools, excellent speed, an excellent hit tool, and okay defense, but he lacks the power that most corner outfielders can offer. Still, he managed to cut down on his strikeouts this year and is a good influence in the clubhouse."

He did it! The Alaska native made it all the way up to the FABL, but the debut didn't come with the Cougars. Looking to upgrade at third base heading into the 1938 season, Dave Haight and quarterback Del Thomas were shipped off to New York to acquire Gotham's third basemen Johnny McDowell. That trade felt like a failure, as McDowell scuffled for us, was let go for basically nothing, and then got selected to three straight All-Star games and his 158 WRC+ this season would have been huge in a lineup that sees Ken Mayhugh (95), Steve Jones (6), and George Sutterfield (48) handle most of the starts at the hot corner. Not only that, the then 24-year-old rookie outhit McDowell (.270/.315/.354, 88 OPS+), slashing 308/.364/.453 (121 OPS+) with 31 doubles, 12 triples, 5 homers, 77 RBIs, and 8 steals in 147 games. Haight also boasted an absurd 44-to-6 walk-to-strikeout ratio, as that hit tool surely was excellent. He wasn't as productive the following season, but it's hard to call a .310/.349/.422 (108 OPS+) batting line a sophomore slump. He didn't have as many extra base hits (21, 7, 5), but he stole (21) more then twice as many bases and still walked (28) far more then he struck out (10).

Unfortunately for Haight, the '39 season was the last time he was useful, and his production plummeted in 1940. He appeared in just 70 games and hit a pitiful .233/.260/.307 (60 OPS+) and actually struck out (10) more often then he walked (8). He was waived prior to 1941's Opening Day, and grabbed by the Dynamos in an effort to boost their outfield depth. He didn't debut in the majors, stashed in their system, but he was DFA'd again in August. The Cannons picked him up, and placed him on the big league roster for September. He came off the bench a decent amount, appearing in just 11 games for Cincinnati, but he went just 5-for-17. He did have with 3 doubles, a walk, and no strikeouts, but he didn't last the offseason. He was DFA'd in October, this time claimed by the other New York team, the Stars. He didn't appear in 1942, but he spent the 1943 season on the Stars bench. He came off the bench a lot for speed and defense, and made a PA just 45 times despite appearing in 71 games. A .244/.234/.267 (50 OPS+) triple slash will do that for you, and he failed to draw a single walk. If it wasn't for a call to the Army, Haight would probably have been DFA'd one again, and the Juneau native likely played his last FABL game.

2B Gene Evans (163rd Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 10th Round, 159th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Worcester HS

"Evans started the season in San Jose and hit .308/.371/.493 (128 OPS+) with 8 homers, 5 steals, and 49 RBI's in 320 trips to the plate. He then got a promotion to Lincoln, but the competition was tough there. He hit just .278/.335/.439 (85 OPS+) with 4 homers, 6 steals, and 30 RBI's in 243 trips to the plate. Not sure where he'll start next season, but Evans has had issues with defending at second. He has decent speed and he hits the ball pretty well, but he never added any strength or size. Almost 22, he's still just 5'10'' 160, and likely won't hit many homers."

I never really thought Gene Evans would be anything special, so it's no surprise he's one of the few who didn't debut. We let him go in the 1938 Independent League draft for Bots Shearer, but it was the lone season Evans played for the Portland Green Sox. It was a bit surprising, as he hit a productive .317/.369/.434 (118 OPS+) against AAA pitchers. He's bounced around a lot since, and currently plays in the Cleveland Foresters organization. He hit pretty well in A (64, 155 WRC+) and AA (58, 157 WRC+). At 31, he doesn't have much of a future, and I doubt the former 10th Rounder will ever get the chance to play in the majors.

RF Dick Earl (176th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 17th Round, 271st Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Meridian HS

"Another 1932 draftee, Earl flat out mashed in La Cross when the year began. He hit .421/.482/.771 with 22 homers, 104 RBI's, and 34 walks in 338 trips to the plate. Up in San Jose he calmed down a bit, but still hit .276/.374/.405 (107 OPS+) in 214 trips to the plate. The homers, however, disappeared, just one in 51 games after the 22 in 67. Earl has a cannon out in right and he's got excellent patience at the plate."

Dick Earl has managed to work his way all the way back to Chicago, as after the Dynamos cut him in July, I picked him up a month later. He made just 12 appearances off the bench split between Mobile and Milwaukee, returning to to The organization that game him three games in 1940. Earl is best known for being part of the John Lawson deal, and tore up the Stars minor league season. He had four well above average seasons before coming back to us in a salary dump, and spent a few weeks in the majors as we were dealing with an injury. We cut him soon after, and that's when he joined the Dynamos. He's at risk of being cut prior to next season, and will likely retire before recording his first hit.

ayaghmour2 · 02-10-2023, 08:58 PM

CF Elias Canady (201st Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 8th Round, 126th Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Portland HS

"There was a time I thought Elias Canady was going to be a superstar and first round pick. Instead, he ended up an 8th Round pick and I don't see think about him being a superstar anymore. It took Canady two and a half seasons in La Crosse before his first promotion, and he did okay with San Jose. He hit .256/.350/.363 (90 OPS+) with 4 homers, 2 steals, and 37 RBI's in 311 trips to the plate. He's still young, just 21, and has great plate discipline and a decent contact tool. The big draw is the glove, however, with Canady compiling a +41.8 zone rating in his first three pro seasons. The glove makes him a favorite of mine, so expect him to at least end up a fourth outfielder."

A very talented defender, Elias Canady rather remarkably never had an efficiency below 1.000 at any level in center field. This helped him earn a callup in 1938 after hitting .313/.391/.463 (127 OPS+) in 83 games for the Blues. He got into 12 games for us, and hit a rather impressive .250/.357/.500 (139 OPS+) with 3 doubles, 2 homers, 6 walks, and 3 RBIs. This caught the attention of the Chiefs, as with Carlos Montes entrenched in center, Canady didn't have an obvious role on our club. We shipped him out for gloveman Bill Graham, and the Chiefs employed Canady in AAA to start the next season. He got into 30 games for the Chiefs, but hit just .236/.339/.326 (81 OPS+) with a homer and 14 RBIs. He did get into five games the following season, but spent a majority of the next two years in AAA Fort Wayne. After the 1941 season, the 26-year-old enlisted in the Army, which may have ended his big league career. Likely still a capable defender, that could help him stick around as depth, but at 31 in November, his best years may be behind him.

3B Phil McKenna (204th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 5th Round, 76th Overall (1934)
Alma Mater: Coastal Carolina

"A 5th Round pick last year, McKenna was also someone I once expected to be an early pick. He played at three levels this season, topping out at AA Mobile. The best of the approximately even three stays was in Lincoln, batting .352/.469/.610 (157 OPS+) with 10 homers and 31 RBI's in 195 trips to the plate. The longest stay was his last, in Mobile, where he hit .312/.402/.428 (116 OPS+) with 4 homers and 21 RBI's in 251 trips to the plate. The cool thing was the walk increase at each level, from 21 to 29 to 33. He also didn't pass 10 strikeouts at any level, the closest call actually in San Jose where he did it nine times. He hasn't looked good defensively, so the bat has to be well above average. Not sure if he'll ever hit for much power, but he's a smart hitter and should find a way on base."

While it's not all said and done, Phil McKenna is one of three prospects from our top 30 list to not make a big league debut. A 5th Round Pick back in 1934, Phil McKenna had superb minor league hitting numbers, with a 115 WRC+ or higher at each minor league stop before we shipped him to the Dynamos prior to the 1937 season. McKenna continued to hit in the Dynamos system, with just a 101 WRC+ in 65 AAA games at 25 failing to surpass the 115 mark he set in our system. Playing time started to dwindle in '42 and '43, as despite WRC+ of 135 and 146, he started just 129 of his 204 contests. He was then drafted into the Air Force, making it tough for the 32 year old to fulfil his dream of playing FABL baseball.

1B Cuno Myer (238th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 22nd Round, 351st Overall (1932)
Alma Mater: Norfolk HS

"I'm not the biggest fan of the switch hitter Myer, but part of that is because he's nothing compared to Leo Mitchell. Myer spent his first two seasons in La Crosse, but then started 140 games in San Jose this year. He hit just .289/.326/.404 (93 OPS+) with 7 homers and 86 RBI's. Myer cannot play defense, somehow managing a -19.4 zone rating and .858 efficiency this season. That means he'll have to hit like he did last season with his impressive 130 OPS+ in 323 plate appearances in La Crosse. Unfortunately for him, he can only play first, so he might see his playing time drop back down again."

Another guy who always hit, Cuno Myer endured nearly 11 seasons of minor league baseball before finally receiving the call to the manager's office he was looking for. A bat only first basemen, Myer owned an elite .333/.400/.447 (142 OPS+) batting line in 522 games with the Blues, walking (165) over 100 times more then he struck out (63). He added 86 doubles, 5 triples, 21 homers, and 263 RBIs, but despite the excellent offensive numbers, he didn't always play every day, with 86 starts in 1940 his most as a member of the Blues. Myer spent September of 1943 with the Cougars, and went 5-for-17 in 11 games. With Dick Walker entrenched at first, we didn't really have a spot for Myer, but the first basemen needy Dynamos sent us a 7th Rounder for Myer the following July. They instilled him right into the starting spot, and the 30-year-old vet hit .306/.371/.339 (110 OPS+) to finish the season. He appeared in 144 of the Dynamos games this season, leading the Fed with 35 doubles. He hit 5 triples, 5 homers, and 70 RBIs with 63 walks in 610 trips to the plate. His .269/.343/.379 (105 OPS+) batting line produced a 116 WRC+, and he was worth nearly 2 WAR despite awful defense at first (-7.6, .936). After acquiring Mack Sutton from the Minutemen, Frank Vance has seen more time at first, as at 43 he can't really do much defense. The Dynamos don't have any other obvious choices for first, so Myer still has a chance to start in the post-war game.

RHP Bill Scott (240th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 7th Round, 111th Overall (1933)
Alma Mater: Holyoke HS

"It's been a little tough to find innings for Scott, but the 20-year-old looked really good in La Crosse this year. He was 8-4 with a 3.89 ERA (139 ERA+), 1.68 WHIP, 34 walks, and 43 strikeouts in 74 innings pitched. He was an excellent pitcher in high school and so far in the minors, so perhaps I need to be finding more ways to get him time. I have a lot of arms I really like, so I'm expecting a lot of rotation, but I don't think Scott will be pitching in the pen much anymore. He's increased his fastball to 91-93 and his curve and slider are already big league quality pitches. He's got great raw stuff and my scout actually thinks he'll be a back of the rotation starter. I guess I was sort of right about Scott, and after adding ten pounds he's already jumped up our system ladder:"

Remember Bill Scott? A 7th Round Pick in 1933, Scott started sparingly his first two seasons in our system, with a few more relief appearances (19) then starts (14). He made huge strides with his stuff during the season, adding muscle and velocity to improve his stuff. Injuries hampered his 1936 season, finally ending it in August with a strained forearm. This left him with 11 starts in La Crosse and 6 in San Jose, and while his ERAs were high, he had a 77 FIP- with the Lions and a 75 with San Jose. This vaulted him up top prospect lists, and he checked in at 74th in the '36 offseason list and the 47th on the 1937 Opening Day list.

Expected to be the next in a long list of productive big league starters, the 21-year-old started his season in Lincoln. His average production was impressive considering age, injury, and lack of experience, and he went 5-5 with a 4.69 ERA (98 ERA+) and 1.41 WHIP with 22 walks and 51 strikeouts in 14 starts. A herniated disc in his back ended his season in July, dropping him to 49th in the offseason prospect rankings. It turns out that injuries weighted to heavily on Scott, who was also a star basketball player at Holyoke High School. While most New Years resolutions aren't long-lasting, Scott's was, as he made the shocking decision to hang up the cleats and joined the upstart basketball league. This was a huge blow for us as the 22-year-old featured a blistering high 90s fastball and I thought him, Joe Brown, and Peter the Heater would make up a very high octane rotation in terms of velocity. Interesting enough, he broke our rotation, we would have had back-to-back 7th Rounders in the rotation as he was taken the draft before Harry Parker. It's an interesting "what could have been" scenario if Scott decided to stick with baseball, as we would have had yet another talented starter in our cupboard.

CF Orlin Yates (242nd Overall)
Acquired: Via Trade with the Gothams (1934)
Drafted: 9th Round, 131st Overall (1933)
Alma Mater: Travis College

"Rounding out our top 30 is the third pieces of the Tom Taylor trade, 24-year-old Orlin Yates. Yates is a brilliant defender, with a +17.0 zone rating and 1.112 efficiency this year out in center. He struggled with the AA affiliate of the Gothams organization, but in our system with Mobile he hit .321/.389/.397 (105 OPS+) with 2 steals and 15 RBI's in 177 trips to the plate. My scout thinks he's ready for the big leagues, but I'm not ready for Yates to skip AAA. He'll probably start the season there or in Mobile next year, but expect Yates to fight for a spot in camp too. I love the glove and my scout likes his hit tool, so even if there are a lot of guys ahead of him, I'm rooting for Yates. I don't think he'll ever hit that much in the big leagues, but potentially he can develop into a Cy Bryant type player. Just minus the chastising."

Well, there was no chastising, but Yates was definitely lazy and unmotivated...

Always an excellent defender, Orlin Yates made his big league debut in 1937, and has appeared in a game for each of the last nine seasons. Then 25, Yates didn't hit very much, just .200/.289/.225 (45 OPS+), but he did a great job drawing walks and his defense out in center was superb. Yates secured a bench role for the 1938 season, and hit an adjusted league average .265/.370/.336 with 5 doubles, a homer, 6 RBIs, and 18 walks in 98 games but just 137 trips to the plate. In the next four seasons, Yates played sparingly off the bench, functioning as Carlos Montes' replacement in center. When Montes was called into the Navy following the 1942 season, a job opened for the glove first outfielder.

At 31, Yates had his best season of his career, slashing a just below average .248/.324/.335 (98 OPS+) with 13 doubles, 4 triples, 2 homers, 34 RBIs, and 6 steals in 106 games. He was worth just shy of 3 WAR and accumulated a 12.0 zone rating (1.038 efficiency) patrolling center. Unfortunately for Yates, the bat disappeared the following season, and he hit just .204/.291/.270 (62 OPS+) in a career high 579 trips to the plate. As the season wound down, he ceded part of the starting job to Don Lee, but provided excellent defense to go with 17 doubles, 3 triples, 3 homers, 47 RBIs, 61 walks, and 9 steals. Since Lee didn't hit much last season, Yates started 1945 as the every day center fielder, but as he couldn't hit much better then most pitchers while "Rap" was launching liner after liner, he only got into 86 games with less then half (40) coming from the starting lineup. His .190/.267/.270 (55 OPS+) batting line was very similar to his pitiful triple slash as a rookie, but he still was effective (5.1, 1.042) out in center.

Now 34, Yates may have played his last game as a Cougar, as we have plenty of younger and better bats returning from the service, and he's both costly and out of options. For his career, the former 9th Round Pick has appeared in 676 FABL games, batting a well below average .225/.315/.298 (76 OPS+) with 388 doubles, 13 triples, 12 homers, 31 steals, 173 RBIs, and 221 walks. He has accumulated an impressive 49 zone rating out in center, which coincides to a 1.043 efficiency. His excellent defense may entice a team to hold a roster spot for him, but the Cougars clubhouse may be the only FABL clubhouse he'll ever occupy.

ayaghmour2 · 02-13-2023, 11:44 AM

Time for another offseason! It will be another long one, but this time instead of losing players, we get a bunch back! Well, that's sort of not true, as we had some very shocking retirements. Sure, Dick Lyons (237-187, 3.80, 970) and Ben Curtin (82-63, 126, 3.76, 334) were expected, but Cliff Moss (.290, 284, 1,166)? You gotta be kidding me...

Sure he's 39, but Moss is coming off a season where he hit .300/.370/.465 (139 OPS+) with 16 homers and 71 RBIs this season. He was in line to be our starting right fielder next season, but lucky for us, we have the depth to cover. The first thought is moving Billy Hunter to right, with Clark Car taking second, but there are plenty of other options. Fred Vargas could take an every day role in right, as could Don Lee, or Dick Walker can keep first, Ray Ford move to left, and Leo Mitchell to right. We have plenty of options, but I expect a lot of rotation, as Hunter loves to get hurt, and we have more then enough capable starters to fill a lineup. Our 40 is down to 39, a huge plus, due to the retirements of Mike Taylor (.281, 180, 1,004) and Tip Harrison (.193, 2, 18, 4). The 40th spot will be filled by a catcher, whether that is Steve Mountain, Gene Lee (who I DFA'd before I knew we'd have open spots), Homer Guthrie, or an outside addition.

Looking at our new group of prospects, I was a bit surprised our system still ranked 6th, with a pair of top 25 prospects in George Oddo and George Sutterfield graduating during the season. Duke Bybee leads the group at #6, and while we have just two remaining top 25 prospects, we have 7 in the top 100, 21 in the top 250, and 46 in the top 500. Even better, 12 of our recent draftees crack the top 40, including a trio in the top 100.

1. LHP Duke Bybee (6th Overall): 1st/3rd
2. CF Johnny Peters (14th Overall): 3rd Overall Pick
3. C Eddie Howard (44th Overall): 5th/56th
4. 3B Otto Christian (47th Overall): 3rd/34th
5. CF Carl Clark (54th Overall): 18th Overall Pick
6. LHP Bert Rogers (55th Overall): 6th/64th
7. 3B Pat Todd (79th Overall): 43rd Overall Pick
8. RHP Joe Swank (142nd Overall): 11th/159th
9. RHP Charlie Kelsey (150th Overall): 10th/130th
10. RF Jimmy Hairston (161st Overall): 8th/122nd
11. SS Bill Perrin (164th Overall): Acquired in trade with Detroit
12. LF Clyde Parker (166th Overall): 103rd Overall Pick
13. 2B Bob Schmelz (193rd Overall): Acquired in trade with Detroit
14. LHP Lefty Jones (205th Overall): 12th/160th
15. SS Al Clement (207th Overall): 14th/202nd
16. 1B Cal Rice (214th Overall): 158th Overall Pick
17. LHP Dutch Yoak (222nd Overall): 19th Overall Pick
18. CF Tom Jovin (227th Overall): 9th/126th
19. SS Jim Mako (229th Overall): 59th Overall Pick
20. RHP Tommy Seymour (236th Overall): 13th/178th
21. RHP Mike Thorpe (240th Overall): 15th/221st
22. RHP Stan Flanders (265th Overall): 20th/288th
23. SS Rupert Heinbaugh (267th Overall): 107th Overall Pick
24. RHP Jim Williams (322nd Overall): 123rd Overall Pick
25. RHP Babe Stinson (328th Overall): 28th/282nd
26. RHP Gene Madison (333rd Overall): Acquired in trade with Detroit
27. C Alex O'Dailey (338th Overall): 75th Overall Pick
28. RHP Harry MacRae (350th Overall): 21st/317th
29. LHP Bob Hobbs (354th Overall): 29th/361st
30. RF Bob Rogers (363rd Overall): 26th/340th
31. SS Tom Brownleaf (367th Overall): 31st/379th
32. RHP Dick Garcia (410th Overall): 24th/331st
33. RHP Jimmy Ballard (415th Overall): 37th/460th
34. LF Harry Austin (427th Overall): 17th/268th
35. RF Bill Rich (429th Overall): Not Ranked
36. RHP Bill Holloway (442nd Overall): 18th/273rd
37. 3B Buddy Brumbaugh (444th Overall): 19th/275th
38. C Homer Guthrie (446th Overall): Not Ranked
39. RHP Ray Warren (451st Overall): 141st Overall Pick
40. RHP Wally Eversole (469th Overall): 143rd Overall Pick

ayaghmour2 · 02-13-2023, 07:12 PM

LHP Duke Bybee (6th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 49th Overall (1940)
Alma Mater: Brooklyn Friends Quakers

Currently ranked below just five other prospects in the entire FABL, Duke Bybee spent the last month or so stateside after nearly four years in the Marines Corp. He made two starts in Lincoln before being called up when rosters expanded, allowing just 11 hits and 4 walks with 15 strikeouts and just one earned run in 17 dominant innings pitched. His time with the Cougars didn't look anything like that, as he allowed 28 hits, 14 runs, and 16 walks with 9 strikeouts in a rough 19.1 inning sample. While certainly a minor setback, Bybee still is one of the most exciting young pitchers in the game, as has everything you look for in an ace. He has stellar command, jaw-dropping movement, and elite stuff, all while throwing in the mid-to-upper 90s. Add in his leadership and work ethic, and it's hard to craft a more talented pitcher then Bybee. Rather unlucky for him, Clyde Meyer ranks him as our #7 starter, which means the 23-year-old will likely start the next season in Mobile or Milwaukee. It won't be a long trip, as he's definitely going to end up in Chicago at some point, but unless we get a major injury or trade, there's no rotation spot open for him in 1946. That's not to say he won't force his way in, as if Joe Brown, Billy Riley, and/or Johnnie Jones start to struggle, Bybee will get be ready to grab a rotation spot and I can't see the towering southpaw ever letting go.

CF Johnny Peters (14th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 3rd Overall (1945)
Alma Mater: Liberty College Bells

The first ever draft lottery treated us very well, as we jumped from 11th to 3rd, and got to acquire a potentially elite talent in Johnny Peters. On draft day, I thought Peters might be able to go straight to the majors, but that turned out to be far more optimistic then what reality had in mind. He struggled a bit to start the season, but Peters flashed some of the bat talent I expected in A ball, slashing .275/.383/.415 (114 OPS+) in 75 games. While there was some stuff to like, there were a fair share of worries. I always knew defense wouldn't be his strong suit, but the 21-year-old posted a -11.2 zone rating and .956 efficiency out in center. That doesn't mean he's destined for a corner, not everyone comes in with a high positional rating, but this leads me to believe a corner is just as likely as him sticking in center. The bigger concern was the drop in power, as after 10 longballs as a junior, he hit just two in 313 trips to the plate. He did have 23 doubles and 4 triples, but Peters was projected to be a big league slugger. He also struck out (67) more often then he walked (47), completing the trio of three things I really didn't expect from Peters' first taste of minor league baseball.

Time to panic? Of course not!

Peters is oozing with big league potential, and it's a bit unfair to expect every potential star to hit the ground running. Peters is a strong and lean fighting machine who's got the brains of a bookworm and the charisma of a motivational speaker. At the plate, he features plus contact potential and does a tremendous job controlling the strike zone. He shouldn't strike out nearly as much as he did in his first stint, and he projects to walk far more frequently then he strikes out. He has good speed and should steal double digit bases a season, and I really think he'll develop the range to stick in center. Add in at least average power, which I think should be plus or better, and you have the makings of an elite center fielder. Tom, OSA, and the prospect people all believe it, and things are looking very promising for our young outfielder of the future.

C Eddie Howard (44th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 20th Overall (1941)
Alma Mater: St. Joseph Chiefs

He's back! After three years overseas, our catcher of the future returns, and I am very excited to welcome back the likely big league ready backstop Eddie Howard. He won't debut right away, Harry Mead is still our catcher in the short term, but his potential is unmatched in our system and he's getting closer to passing up the rest of the depth behind the plate. I'm not sure where he'll start, as he went just 6-for-23 with the Legislators in a 7 game stint, but the now 22-year-old could fill in anywhere from Lincoln to Milwaukee. What makes Howard special is that he can also pitch, with Tom Weinstock viewing him as a potential lockdown closer with an excellent sinker. This should help him manage a staff well, as he doesn't need to get into the heads of pitchers, he is one! Most of his value is at the plate, however, as he has batting title contact potential with a nice eye and plenty of gap power. Howard won't hit many homers, but he'll live on the basepaths, and will drive in plenty of runs. Add in great value behind the plate, and Howard could be one of the best two-way catchers in the league. I'm hoping the time he spent in the Navy will help buff him up a bit, as add in some home runs and Howard could be a very dangerous player.

3B Otto Christian (47th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 13th Overall (1941)
Alma Mater: Walla Walla Warriors

The "Walla Walla Walloper" returns! Of all the guys who were overseas as prospects, Otto is the one I wish we got more time with. I have absolutely no idea what to expect with him when he comes back. Is it the prolific slugger? Did he stall out? Something in between? Can he hit big leaguers? Or are the minor ones still giving him fits?

Recently 23, Otto doesn't have much ambition, so I'm not sold that he was working all that hard away from his coaches. That may slow him down a bit, but with Hank Barnett entrenched at third, there's no immediate rush to get Christian walloping in Chicago. A potential game changer at the plate, Tom Taylor's 31 homers in 1934 seem destined to be broken by Otto before he turns 30. Tom is still a big fan, expecting him to be a reliable big leaguer, but what will take him from slugger to Bobby Barrell-esque game changer is the hit tool. He swings the bat hard and fast, but we don't yet know if he's going to whiff too much. In his last gametime in 1942, he struck out just 22 times in 76 games in C Ball, but that jumped to 31 in 63 in San Jose. He should do a good job knowing when to swing and when to take, but the lack of experience may hurt him. His glove is solid at the hot corner too, so while he may spend time at first due to guys like Barnett or even George Sutterfield, he'll always have the ability to field his position. If everything goes right, he could end up in Chicago by season's end, but my guess is his big league debut is still ways away. But when he reaches the show, we might need to invest a lot more in batting practice balls as he's sure to deposit plenty to early birds at Cougars Park.

CF Carl Clark (54th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 18th Overall (1945)
Alma Mater: Springfield Panthers

The second of three 1945 draftees to crack the top 100, the now 18-year-old Carl Clark had one of the better seasons from our prep-heavy class down in La Crosse. Appearing in 81 games, "Fish" hit just .263/.336/.294 (84 OPS+), but he was 17 most of the season and facing guys who have been toiling around systems for a few seasons. His 92 WRC+ was better, and he added 5 doubles, 2 triples, 6 steals, and 25 RBIs with 33 walks. He played passable defense in center, and I expect that to improve as the youngster gets more time on the grass. I'm more excited for the bat, however, as Clark projects to be an elite contact hitter with excellent command of the strike zone. He'll end up walking more then he strikes out, something he almost did this season, and he hits the ball hard on a line. He's cool under pressure, and while he won't hit many homers on the fly, he could leg out a few if placed well or a lesser outfielder misplays it. He'll get another go of things with the Lions next year, and I'd bet he'll have plenty of success with another year under his belt.

ayaghmour2 · 02-14-2023, 07:25 PM

LHP Bret Rogers (55th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 12th Overall (1944)
Alma Mater: Wenona Braves

After a year off in the service, our 1st Rounder from last year Bert Rogers will return to the system, likely returning to La Crosse where he left off. He'll be 19 on Opening Day, and the young Chicagoan will likely spent the rest of his season in the lowest level of our system. He struggled in his 10 start sample, going just 1-7 with a 5.26 ERA (66 ERA+) and 1.89 WHIP with more walks (33) then strikeouts (26). A three pitch southpaw, Rogers projects to be a mid-rotation arm, and he'll be throwing a bit harder (86-88) then he did when he left. His curveball will make even the best hitters miss, his slider is excellent, and his fastball is decent and improving. All three offerings have plenty of movement, and he does a great job keeping the ball on the ground. Rogers is a bit quiet, and he tends to keep to himself, but he works hard and has all the tools that you look for in a big league arm. It's going to be a slow climb up the system for Rogers, but with our wealth of pitching depth, we can wait for him to mature.

3B Pat Todd (79th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 3rd Round, 43rd Overall (1945)
Alma Mater: University Red Devils

It's somewhat fitting that our third round pick would be our third member of the Class of 1945 to rank inside the league's top 100. 19 in December, Todd struggled less then most in La Crosse, hitting .240/.313/.325 (86 OPS+) in 275 PAs, and due to our thin lower minors depth, he even went 5-for-49 in 14 games up in San Jose. His defense at the hot corner was elite, generating a 13.5 zone rating with a 1.145 efficiency, leading him to be worth a hair under 3 WAR. I always knew he could be an outstanding third basemen, but with how much range he displayed manning third, perhaps he could handle short! We don't have a pressing need at short, with plenty of others in the lower minors that can handle short, but increasing versatility is a plus. He's also a really good hitter, despite how young he is, as he has a quick swing and great bat control that allows him to handle all levels of velocity. Off-speed stuff can still trip him up, but I'm sure he'll handle it well as he grows into himself. He's sort of a reserve Otto Christian, little power, high contact, elite defense (although Otto is still plus), and both have the skills to excel in the majors. Todd has a lot of risk, as he's got a lot of developing to do, but he looks to have been a nice addition to the roster in a round that until last year only produced regional guys.

RHP Joe Swank (142nd Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 7th Round, 107th Overall (1941)
Alma Mater: Rhodes Rams

After listing seven prospects in the first 80 slots, we had a huge gap to follow, with 63 prospects between Todd and Joe Swank. I'd argue Swank is on the underrated side, as the 22-year-old dominated the Century League, going 17-10 with a 2.74 ERA (131 ERA+), 1.10 WHIP, 49 walks, and 128 strikeouts in nearly 250 innings for the Blues. He posted an elite K/BB (2.6) and FIP- (79) and was worth nearly 6 (5.9) WAR, somehow managing to top his dominant season at Mobile in '44 where he posted a 3.26 ERA (122 ERA+) with 109 strikeouts in 26 starts. A former 7th Round Pick back in 1941, Swank is one of the seemingly thousands of players eligible for the Rule-5 Draft, and while we have plenty of talented pitchers, there is no way I'm leaving Cleveland native unprotected. Very advanced for his age, he had a green arrow to Chicago all season, and he's probably already better then big league starters like Ben Watkins (12-11, 4.27, 59) or John Douglas (10-14, 1, 3.70, 51), and with a little more upside too. He won't front any rotation, but Swank excellent stuff, featuring a whif-inducing circle change and a nice curve and fastball. He doesn't throw all that hard, sitting in the high 80s with the occasional fastball at 90, but he keeps the ball on the ground and limits hard contact. He allowed just one homer in 215.2 innings last season, and while that jumped to 12 this year, it corresponds to a HR/9 below 0.5. OSA is fonder of Swank then Tom Weinstock, calling him a mid-rotation arm versus just a number five, and I think OSA is closer to his peak. Swank could probably give you more then what you're looking for in a five now, but I don't know how much higher his ceiling is then his floor. We have a crowded system, especially at the top for pitchers, so he may be with Oddo and Bybee in AA while they all deserve to be in Chicago. We get at least three seasons before Swank runs out of options, but he may be most useful for us as trade bait. I don't envision us needing any spot starters next season, with an expected six-man rotation and Rusty Petrick in the pen, but if injuries decide to devastate us, even our starters in the double digits of the pecking order like Swank can deliver quality innings.

RHP Charlie Kelsey (150th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 9th Round, 140th Overall (1940)
Alma Mater: Lancaster Buckskins

The real surprise of last year's prospect rankings, Charlie Kelsey certainly lived up to the hype in 1945. The 23-year-old spent most of the season in the pen, but he did start 12 of his 57 appearances, and regardless of whether he started or finished the game, he was truly brilliant. Kelsey went 12-10 and saved 22 games in 171.2 innings of work. He had a superb 2.31 ERA (156 ERA+) with 56 walks, 84 strikeouts, and a 1.21 WHIP for the Blues, and maintained the current role of "Starter" all through the season. With a lot of upper minors rotation depth this season, Kelsey didn't quite get the chance he deserved, but the former 9th Rounder has officially solidified himself as a starting pitcher now. It's tough for a three pitch guy to succeed with just one offspeed pitch, but Kelsey has an excellent change, and his hard stuff works well together. His best pitch is his high 80s fastball, which he uses to attack hitters up in the zone, and it moves well enough that it's a tough pitch to square up. His sinker then commands the bottom of the zone, catering to his extreme groundball tendencies and keeping his catcher busy behind the plate. His stuff is his strongest asset, but his movement and control are both average, and he showed no trouble going deep into games. I'm not sure if he has what it takes to be a starter in our rotation, and that's plenty okay, but Kelsey's floor is an elite back-of-the-pen arm and his ceiling his a mid-rotation starter. He seems like a dependable guy who won't hurt you when he starts, but someone you're comfortable upgrading on if you want to make a splash. Next season will likely be his first as a full time starter, but since our pen isn't quite nailed down, he'll get a shot to claim the vacated stopper role.

RF Jimmy Hairston (161st Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 61st Overall (1943)
Alma Mater: Bowman Mohawks

Our 4th Round selection back in 1943, Hairston spent two seasons in the minors before enlisting in the Army for the 1945 season, and he'll start next year as a 21-year-old. We have a lot of outfield depth, so Hairston may be in San Jose or La Crosse, but wherever he starts, he'll be playing regularly. A corner outfielder from South Carolina, Hairston hit an impressive .266/.342/.413 (123 OPS+) with the Lions last year, and he projects to be a very good big league hitter. Power is probably his worst tool, and it should still be average, as he's a very disciplined hitter who puts the ball in play consistently. Close pitches will give him some trouble, as he knows better the some umps on which pitches are strikes, so he may need to learn a quality two strike swing. His defense isn't anything to write home about, but he should be at worst a Leo Mitchell type fielder, and his bat more then makes up for it. He does carry some risk, as he's very raw and not one to stay around for extra work, but sometimes talent wins through. He's no All-Star, but he could profile similar to Rich Langton, just trading away the speed for more homers. We might have to take it a bit slower with him, but with guys like Mitchell, Don Lee, Fred Vargas, and Billy Hunter all competing for reps in the corner outfield, and Johnny Peters not too far behind them, Hairston will have all the time he needs to develop into a productive big league regular.

ayaghmour2 · 02-15-2023, 08:30 PM

SS Bill Perrin (164th Overall)
Acquired: Via Trade with Detroit (1945)
Drafted: 5th Round, 78th Overall (1945)
Alma Mater: Eastern Crusaders

One of the four pieces in the Art White trade, Bill Perrin was a guy I had my eye on in the draft, but instead opted to go with Jim Mako in the 4th. Had the Dynamos not used their 5th Rounder on him, we might not have had Rupert Heinbaugh or Alex O'Dailey in the system, but instead we have the whole group. Perrin ranks higher then the previously mentioned trio, and the highest of his three prospects we added. Despite being just 18, I had him pushed up to San Jose, and let's just say... It did not go well...

I didn't have any expectations due to his age, but almost anything is better then the .124/.201/.149 (3 OPS+) batting line he produced. He had just 3 doubles in 134 trips to the plate, and he had 50 strikeouts to just 12 walks. Despite that, Perrin never let that get him down, and the Cleveland Heights native was still the first man to the park and last one to leave. A dedicated "baseball rat" like himself will be a favorite in whatever clubhouse he participates in next year. We have too many talented low minors guys, so I expect guys like Perrin will get shuffled back and forth between La Crosse and San Jose to see who can stick. Perrin may not show it yet, but I think he has the tools to be an impressive infielder both in the field and at the plate. He's a disciplined hitter who should draw plenty of walks, and as a hitter he has the perfect combination of bat speed and barrel control. He's handled short well so far, and while I'm not sure he'll ever be more then average there at the big league level, the bat may make up for it. Eventually, we'll stop seeing shortstops like Skipper Schneider, Charlie Artuso, Jim Hensley, and Harry Barrell who can do everything, giving guys like Perrin a fair shake. He's definitely a project, but if I was a betting man, I'd put my money on Perrin developing into a quality big leaguer.

LF Clyde Parker (166th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 7th Round, 103rd Overall (1945)
Alma Mater: Liberty Bluejays

Clyde Parker is what I like to call Leo Mitchell lite, as this year's 7th Rounder could be an excellent big league hitter. One of the few prospects from this class who actually hit a bit, Parker managed to post average numbers at both La Crosse and San Jose, despite not putting the ball in play as much as I would have thought. A three year starter at Liberty, Parker hit .512 or better in each of his three seasons, he hit just .218 with La Crosse and .225 with San Jose. I definitely expect him to hit for higher averages later on, but he more then made up for it with his extra base power. Parker hit 16 doubles, 7 triples, and 5 homers in his 67 games, allowing him to produce WRC+ of 109 and 108 at his respected levels. Having turned just 19 in September, he more then held his own against tough competition, and has a chance to start next season in the Cougars opening day lineup. A bat first prospect, Parker isn't a bad defensive corner outfielder, but the brunt of his production will come at the plate. The lefty hits to all fields, sending liner after liner over the infield, and when he really gets a hold of a mistake, he as a ton of pull side home run pop. He has a good eye and can run a bit, giving him multiple ways to beat a defense. He's got ways to go, but he's got a higher ceiling then most prep picks and he's extremely hard working. He has the tools and potential to flourish in the big leagues, and there are very few youngsters in our system who project to hit better then him.

2B Bob Schmelz (193rd Overall)
Acquired: Via Trade with Detroit (1945)
Drafted: 1st Round, 11th Overall (1942)
Alma Mater: Dravosburg Flyers

Another one of the pieces acquired in the Art White deal, Schmelz was serving in the army. He got himself an early discharge, making his first of twenty appearances on the 3rd of September. With callups, a spot was open in Lincoln, and well I knew he'd be overmatched, the soon-to-be 21-year-old had a better chance then most of our other youngsters that are old enough to serve their country, but not buy a beer. As expected, Schmelz struggled with the competition, as he had to face some pitchers in their 30s during him time with the Legislators. He finished just 13-for-75 with 3 doubles, a homer, and 7 RBIs. This produced a 48 WRC+, but pales in comparison to his -7.6 zone rating and .742 efficiency at the keystone. But the best part is, he doesn't have a down arrow! For a guy who hasn't picked up a bat since he was 17, I would have honestly expected much worse. Don't get me wrong, Schmelz isn't going to set the world on fire, but with a chance to shake off some rust and a chance to face more age appropriate competition I think he'll preform well. The numbers game may bounce him down to San Jose, but I really want him facing A ball pitchers next season.

Schmelz is a bat only prospect, likely Ray Ford level defense at second, so he may have to transition to first base. We don't have many first base prospects, leaving potential at bats for someone like Schmelz to take. Even if he doesn't play every game at one position, I'd be comfortable splitting time between first and second, allowing more players to get involved in the lineup. He'll still get six or so starts a week, and he'll hit to earn his spot. He's a little short for first, but he's strong and hits the ball hard, projecting to hit around .300 while maintaining a high on-base percentage. He doesn't really strike me as a home run hitter, but in our park a lot of well hit balls will leave the yard. He's really young and carries plenty of risk, but he has plenty of upside in a position we generally don't hold much depth.

LHP Lefty Jones (205th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 5th Round, 207th Overall (1943)
Alma Mater: Wilsonville Wildcats

1945 was a tough season for Lefty Jones, who was pushed a bit too hard this season. After going 8-5 with a 2.96 ERA (118 ERA+) and 71 strikeouts in 13 starts with San Jose, he spent his season getting hit hard in A and AA. Most of the innings came in Lincoln, where he went just 4-12 with a 5.62 ERA (73 ERA+) and 1.85 WHIP with 83 walks and just 43 strikeouts. Walks have always caused Lefty trouble, but his strikeouts were never this low. His 2.5 K/9 was a personal low, and other then his 25.2 innings with the Commodores this season, he's never held one below 5. I'm not concerned yet, but 1946 will be a big season for him. He'll likely get a more fair shot at A ball next season, but the numbers game has a chance of sending him down a level. It's tough for side armers to pitch every day, but his tools are enticing enough to make it work. He has a solid high 80s cutter and his slider is devastating for lefties. The trouble will be the change. If he can use it effectively against righties, Jones can toe the rubber every five days. The issue now is his command, as he can't locate any of his pitches, leading to high pitch counts and short outings. Jones has plenty of risk, and considering we already have two on the big league staff, a third would seem like overkill. He's a bit before his time, as in a modern day league he'd be a deadly lefty late inning arm, but instead, he'll be lucky to get more then a handful of big league starts.

SS Al Clement (207th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 29th Overall (1943)
Alma Mater: De Pere Redbirds

It was a tale of two seasons for Clement, who raked with the Cougars and scuffled against the Legislators. His first third came in San Jose, where he hit an excellent .329/.394/.478 (154 OPS+) with 7 homers and 21 RBIs. The rest came in Lincoln, where his line dropped to .252/.306/.325 (70 OPS+). The former 2nd Rounder combined for 10 doubles, 5 triples, and 53 RBIs, which does leave some to be desired. He did swipe 37 bases, as speed is a huge asset of his, but I expected more doubles and triples. He's not putting the ball in play enough yet, and he's also been striking out far more then he's walked. When he's fully developed, scouts expect above average contact and eye tools. He'll hit his share of extra base hits, but we'll be lucky to get five homers from him in a season. His speed more then makes up for it, and while he hasn't played great defense yet, he doesn't turn 21 until March and has plenty of time to improve. I think he'll be a strong shortstop, and he's handled second and third, but I may mix in some center field next season. He definitely has the speed for it, so if short proves difficult, he has plenty of fallback positions where he should be plus or better. His versatility will earn him a big league spot, but a starting role is tough to come by on the Cougars.

ayaghmour2 · 02-16-2023, 07:19 PM

1B Cal Rice (214th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 10th Round, 158th Overall (1945)
Alma Mater: Farmington Tigers

A steal in the draft, all 16 FABL GMs passed on Cal Rice in the Winter portion of the draft, and then lasted nearly three rounds before Tom Weinstock decided to go with him. The now 18-year-old first basemen looks to be a gem that I missed, projecting to be an above average big leaguer. He has an exciting bat, featuring the potential to post above average contact and power potential. Another plus is his eye, as he should draw plenty of walks, and will end up being a hard batter to strike out. Rice also has the build of a slugger, 6'3'' 200 pounds of muscle from the left side of the plate. He hit just one homer with the Lions, but had one of the better batting lines from our draftees. He had a 95 WRC+ with 7 doubles, 3 triples, and 15 RBIs with 42 walks in 313 trips to the plate. His .243 average and .302 slugging are concerning, but next year he'll face more reasonable competition. We don't have many first base prospects, and I can't see adding one in the coming draft, so Rice will have the first base job locked up down in La Crosse. If one of George Sutterfield or Otto Christian don't hit, Rice could take the first base job once Ford and Walker retire. His bat is very exciting, but with limited versatility, Rice taking the Cuno Myer path is equally likely to him being an every day player.

LHP Dutch Yoak (222nd Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 19th Overall (1945)
Alma Mater: La Porte Renegades

After three seasons of perfection at La Porte, Dutch Yoak finally ran into struggles in his first year of affiliated ball. I didn't expect the skinny 6'4'' southpaw to rank very high on the prospect lists, but I was hoping Yoak would at least be on the right side of the top 200. He had reasonable success in his first pro season, going 4-7 with a 2.98 ERA (102 ERA+) and 1.35 WHIP. He struck out (53) more hitters then he walked (41) and surpassed the 100 inning mark (102.2) in 13 effective starts. A three pitch pitcher, Yoak does allow a lot of flyballs, which could lead to plenty of longballs. His stuff and control should make up for it, as he has a knack for the strike zone and a wicked curveball. For now he'll add in the additional meatball, but since his fastball can hit 90, he can get away with some mistakes. His pitches don't move all that much, but he has deception in his windup and mixes his pitches well. As he matures, I expect him to gain velocity and limit his mistake pitches, which could turn him into a very impressive big league starter. I wouldn't bet against his work ethic either, as Yoak wants to be the best player he can be. I'm a lot higher on the youngster then the scouts are, as spot starter seems like more of a floor then ceiling. Our coaches do well with young hurlers, and I think Yoak will follow in the footsteps of the many before him.

RF Tom Jovin (227th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 28th Overall (1944)
Alma Mater: Pocahontas Chiefs

Our 2nd Rounder last season, Tom Jovin spent his year in the Army, missing out on plenty of available at bats this season. 20 in May, Jovin had a rough debut season, and may have to return to San Jose where he was just 8-for-45 in 16 games. What works in his favor is that Jovin can handle all three outfield spots, with my best guess being he ends up in right. His best tool is his hit tool, and OSA goes as far to declare he can compete for batting titles. I think that's a stretch, but he puts the ball in play enough to hit comfortably over .300, as he makes consistent contact while staying in the zone. He'll draw his walks as well, as Jovin is an expert at working the count. He does come with plenty of risk, as he's very raw and underdeveloped, and our system is pretty crowded with outfielders. His age will help keep him around, but the missed season will cause an uphill battle for Jovin, as he looks to work his way into our future plans.

SS Jim Mako (229th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 59th Overall (1945)
Alma Mater: Erasmus Crusaders

Jim Mako didn't play baseball until he was a senior at Erasmus, so when we selected him in the 4th Round, it was before he even made an official plate appearance. The inexperience showed, as he hit .429/.504/.750 with 18 doubles, 3 triples, 4 homers, 17 steals, and 31 RBIs. The 18-year-old then spent most of his time after the draft in La Crosse, hitting just .223/.271/.324 (74 OPS+) in just under 200 PAs. A natural shortstop, "The Shark" spent most of his time out in right field, but made appearances at short, second, and center as well, while also spending a little time at third in high school. His versatility will benefit him, as I expect Mako to give most of the every day players an occasional day off. I'll give him some time in left, which he should pick up fine, and with his speed I think he can be at least average at all seven spots. His bat shows promise too, as he works the count well and projects to hit around .270. Mako is young, but has the tools to develop into an everyday player in the FABL. His versatility will allow him to crack a roster at least as a Tip Harrison type, but if a spot opens up for him, I think Mako will take hold of it for a few seasons.

RHP Tommy Seymour (236th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 13th Overall (1943)
Alma Mater: Olathe Pioneers

Like Yoak, Tommy Seymour is a guy I'm much higher on then OSA and Tom Weinstock, but after a nightmare season and a half, I was not surprised to see Seymour drop out of the top 200. Taken 13th Overall last season, Seymour was pushed up to San Jose despite a 5.99 ERA (68 ERA+) in 32 C ball starts. The then 19-year-old impressed, going 4-8 with a 3.29 ERA (106 ERA+) and 1.33 WHIP with 41 walks and 69 strikeouts. He made 16 starts and threw 104 innings, before getting a promotion to Lincoln. That, as expected, did not work out well, as Seymour went 1-7 in 10 starts. His 7.93 ERA (53 ERA+) and 2.25 WHIP left plenty to be desired, and he walked 45 hitters in 59 innings. With the troops returning, Seymour won't have to deal with A ball to start the season, with the 20-year-old penciled into the Cougars rotation in Class B. I wouldn't, however, be surprised with Seymour finishing the year in Lincoln, as I expect him to improve on his numbers with San Jose this season. I'm also hoping to see a velocity bump for him this offseason, as his fastball sits in the 84-86 range. The harder he throws, the better his change will be, and the pitch already projects to be dominant. His splitter should be pretty solid too, but his current fastball isn't good enough to make the off-speed effective. Despite that, the change and curve move well enough to miss bats, but when he can't locate his fastball, hitters can sit on those pitches. Seymour has plenty of risk, and could quite conceivably flame out before cracking the big leagues, but I have a sneaking suspicion that he'll be one of our more highly touted prospects once he's closer to the majors.

ayaghmour2 · 02-17-2023, 07:27 PM

RHP Mike Thorpe (240th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 60th Overall (1944)
Alma Mater: Americus University Hurricanes

The second of two fourth rounders from last season who debuted this year, I expected a bit more from Thorpe. Since he was drafted, he's flaunted a green arrow to the majors and an FABL ETA of the current season. He looked every bit like a big league starter in Milwaukee, going a near perfect 12-1 through 130.1 innings pitched. Thorpe wielded a 2.76 ERA (130 ERA+) and 1.20 WHIP. The underlying numbers were a fan too, has his 3.12 FIP (86 FIP-) was well above average as well. With plenty of impressive starts, I was ready to give him a shot in a pennant race, shipping a captain in Art White to the Dynamos to give him a regular spot in our rotation.

The 23-year-old had a rough first start in Brooklyn, allowing 10 hits, 8 runs, and 3 walks, being forced out with a runner on first and two outs in the fifth. He did quickly bounce back, just 2 earned runs in each of his next two outings despite walking 10 batters in an out short of two complete games. Just when it seemed like he was getting in the hang of things, we got the good new of Peter the Heater's return, which pushed Thorpe out of the rotation. He made just one more start, going almost 8 in a no decision versus the Sailors, but he played a big role out of the pen the rest of the way. He threw 8 innings with 7 hits, 3 runs, a walk, and 3 strikeouts, and Thorpe managed to pick up a pair of saves as well. With three rotation members returning stateside, there aren't many rotation spots available, so Thorpe will be stuck in AAA for the foreseeable future. His performance there could shape his future, as If we need to make a big upgrade at the deadline, a promising young pitcher dominating the Century League could be a very enticing trade piece.

Thorpe's greatest trait is his ability to limit the longball, as the soft tosser has not allowed a single home run in 386.2 innings in college, AA, AAA, and FABL. His pitches are slow but deadly, as they float all around the zone. Unlike a lot of the projected members of our rotation, he's more of a Dick Lyons or Art White then Donnie Jones or Joe Brown. He won't strike out more then a handful of hitters a game, so he'll need to master control like White and Lyons did. Since he's already shown he can handle himself at the highest levels, he has the floor of a big league pitcher, but the ceiling might not get much higher. He'll never be the best member of a rotation, but if you need someone to give you a chance day in and day out, he's your guy. The perfect #4 or #5, and potentially a highly traded asset, Thorpe should be able to settle into a back-end rotation role until his pitches stop working. Since he doesn't throw hard his risk of injury is much lower, and he hasn't missed a start yet. 1946 will be a huge year for Thorpe, and I think he's going to turn some heads.

RHP Stan Flanders (265th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 10th Round, 157th Overall (1941)
Alma Mater: New Haven Bulldogs

One of the toughest decisions I have to make all winter is whether Stan Flanders gets a 40-Man Roster spot. With far more then 40 worthy candidates, there will be good players left out. A 10th Rounder back in 1941, Flanders followed up a 12-11 season with a 3.17 ERA (126 ERA+) with a 12-11 season with a 3.04 ERA (131 ERA+). Both outputs came with the Commodores, with Flanders throwing a personal high 213 innings with a 1.35 WHIP, 53 walks, and 48 strikeouts. 23 in December, Flanders was converted from catcher to pitcher, and it's looked to have been a smart change. That being said, he did put up decent offensive numbers this season too, slashing .277/.402/.410 (118 OPS+) with 8 doubles, a homer, and 18 RBIs, with more walks (18) then strikeouts (4) and a very impressive 135 WRC+. He could be a decent gimmick player, functioning as a catcher and reliever, but some teams may want to give him a chance to start. His stuff isn't great, but he gives you innings and won't make too many mistakes. We have an open spot, but there are plenty of players vying for that spot.

SS Rupert Heinbaugh (367th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 7th Round, 107th Overall (1945)
Alma Mater: Weedsport Warriors

Our 7th Rounder in the most recent draft, Rupert Heinbaugh spent most of the season starting at shortstop for the Lions after the draft. He played well defensively, but hit just ..230/.281/.314 (74 OPS+) with 7 doubles, 3 triples, 2 homers, 4 steals, and 13 RBIs. A smooth defender at short, Heinbaugh won't have to hit too well to earn a bench spot, but he does swing a decent bat. He has above average bat speed and with his speed he'll slap his share of doubles and triples. He struck out a fair amount this season, but I think he'll keep them down as he grows as a hitter. He could end up hitting for a high average as well, but don't expect any home runs from this 18-year-old. He'll head back to La Crosse next season, but my guess is he'll rotate position more, likely getting some time at second and third as well. A talented youngster Tom Weinstock expects him to be a frontrunner in any audition for a spot at short, but in this organization, no one gets past Skipper. Heinbaugh's versatility will earn him a shot to stay on a big league roster, but it might not be with us.

RHP Jim Williams (322nd Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 8th Round, 123rd Overall (1945)
Alma Mater: Chicopee Pacers

Our 8th Round selection this most recent year, Jim Williams had a rough go of things down in La Crosse, finishing his 12 starts 3-4 with a 3.88 ERA (79 ERA+), 1.50 WHIP, 29 walks, and 38 strikeouts. A hard working righty, I'm hoping the now 19-year-old uses his early career struggles as a motivator. A three pitch pitcher, Williams has a nice high 80s sinker that generates plenty of grounders and keeps the ball in the park. He has good command of his all three offerings, as the sinker goes with a potentially decent curve and circle-change. The curve is his weakest pitch, and will be his make-or-break pitch if he wants to start at the big league level. He has the command to avoid silly mistakes, and at 6'4'' he could add velocity as he fills out. Right now he's more of an emergency starter then rotation member, but you know who else was a tall 8th Rounder?

George Oddo!

Ahh, the offseason! Unlimited optimism!

RHP Babe Stinson (328th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 64th Overall (1942)
Alma Mater: Louisville Coyotes

After making two starts in San Jose last season, Babe Stinson started there this year. He looked pretty good, going 5-4 with a 3.33 ERA (104 ERA+) and 1.14 WHIP with 22 walks and 65 strikeouts. There were some concerns, as his 14 starts went for just 83.2 innings, but he had a stellar 3.0 K/BB. This earned him a promotion to Lincoln, and while the overall numbers were similar, his walks (30) and strikeouts (23) went the wrong direction in the 11 starts. Babe went 4-3 with a 3.99 ERA (104 ERA+) and 1.57 WHIP, as A ball hitters were able to get on base against him much more frequently. A five pitch pitcher, Stinson has very raw stuff, and uses his wits rather then arm speed to record outs. This makes me likely to believe the impressive strikeout numbers from San Jose won't stick, and he'll have to iron out his command to pitch in a rotation. Just 21, he'll likely head back down to San Jose to begin the season. Ideally he'll get starts, but his stamina may work against him, as he could transition into a stopper role if we have too many other potential starters.

01-27-2023, 07:20 PM	#1001
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,000	Week 20: August 20th-August 26th Weekly Record: 3-3 Seasonal Record: 69-57 (3rd, 7.5 GB) Stars of the Week Ollie Page : 11 AB, 6 H, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .545 AVG, 1.492 OPS Skipper Schneider : 25 AB, 8 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .320 AVG, .786 OPS Don Lee : 22 AB, 7 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .318 AVG, .900 OPS Schedule 8-20: Loss vs Sailors (5-1) 8-21: Loss vs Sailors (8-4) 8-23: Win at Saints (4-3) 8-24: Win vs Saints (7-8) 8-25: Win vs Saints (0-4) 8-26: Loss vs Saints (7-3) Recap Well... We're closer to first? I guess that's good... And we beat the Saints! If only we could beat the Sailors... After splitting the double header with the Sailors, they beat us the final two times in Chicago, but we won the same amount of games (3) this week against the Saints then we did all season. Two of them were the one run variety, so not too exciting, but hey, we beat the Saints! That's like our World Series this year! Peter the Heater wasn't Peter the Heater, as while he threw 126 pitches in each of his starts, he was honestly uninspiring. Sure, he struck out 6 both times, but he allowed plenty of runs and hits. The Sailors piled on 6 hits, 5 runs (4 earned), and 5 walks in 7 innings, losing his first appearance since he started game six of the 1941 World Championship series. He beat the Saints, but he didn't pitch very well, allowing 7 hits, 7 runs (5 earned), and 6 walks in 6.2 innings. This is not the Papenfus we've come to know and love, but I guess I shouldn't have expected him to be ready to go out of the gates. His second start was on four days rest, but with three off days this week he'll get a full five between two and three. The extra off days also mean no Duke Bybee this week, as bringing him up and DFA'ing someone to make room wouldn't make much sense. He'll head to Lincoln to make a pair of starts before debuting in September. I'm very excited to see how the #7 prospect will do in the big leagues, likely facing the Sailors in Philly for his debut. Depending on how well he does, the rest of the season may just be Pap-Parker-Riley-Duke, as we have just one double header in our last 15 games. After pitching two innings on the 21st, Dick Lyons finally announced the inevitable; the 45-year-old will hang up the cleats once the season ends. I expect he'll make a few more appearances, but Lyons will finish his career at the end of this season. His #23 will be retired, joining Calvin Kidd (0), John Dibblee (19), and Jack Long (22) as the only four Cougars to receive this honor. We'll have a nice ceremony for Lyons on our home opener next season, as we raise his number into the rafters. I'll have a nice long tribute for him once his career officially ends, but his longevity is almost unprecedented. He was an effective big league starter for 18 seasons, and has been in the big leagues longer then the lifespans of five of our first six (Carl Clark, Dutch Yoak, Pat Todd, Jim Mako, and Alex O'Dailey) draftees this season, and was drafted before teammates George Oddo, Mike Thorpe, George Sutterfield, and Don Lee were born. The short and now stocky southpaw will finish his FABL career with nearly 4,000 innings and 570 appearances, with an impressive 3.80 ERA (107 ERA+) and 1.36 WHIP. One of my favorite pitcher's I've had the pleasure of watching for nearly two decades, it will feel very weird to not see his name on our Opening Day roster next season. Too bad we couldn't win him a title... On to the more boring parts of the week, Billy Riley made a pair of starts, and other then the four runs of support in each game, they couldn't have been much different. Riley had no lucky with the Sailors, allowing 7 hits and runs with 4 walks and a pair of strikeouts. Against the Saints, however, he was classic dominant self, tossing a 3-hit shutout with a walk and 4 strikeouts, to join Eli Panneton at the top of the CA win total with 16. Rusty Petrick struggled in his start, allowing 9 hits, 6 runs, and a walk with 2 strikeouts in our lone loss to the Saints. Since he pitches most recently, he'll move to the pen this week, as we won't need five starters. We barely need four, but since he's pitched well in the pen and George Oddo has only started, I'd rather have him to close out a game if needed. With a double header next Monday, Petrick has a chance for another start shortly, but him and Oddo may be late inning pen guys most of September. The last start went to Harry Parker, who guess what? Threw another complete game! Sure, it was just 98 pitches, but is that a bad thing? That's efficiency! Parker scattered 8 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), and a walk with 2 strikeouts. He improved to 14-9 on the season, and maintained his rank of 2nd in ERA (2.91) and strikeouts (107). The pen did pretty well too, with Merritt Thomas making three appearances. He allowed just one run off 4 hits, a walk, and 2 strikeouts in 6 innings. Mike Thorpe made a nice relief debut, picking up a hold and retiring all four batters he faced. The staff needs to carry, as we don't do anything well offensively other then the three true outcomes (2nd in HR, 1st in walks, 2nd in strikeouts). We didn't do much hitting, but Don Lee and Dick Walker turned things around. Lee went 7-for-22 with 2 triples, 2 runs, 2 RBIs, and 3 walks. Walker was just 3-for-21, so pretty poor average (.143), but all three hits were solo homers, and he added a steal, six walks, and two additional runs scored. Skipper hit his 3rd homer of the season, and went 8-for-25 with a walk, 4 RBIs, and 5 runs scored. Ollie Page hit his third as well, finishing 6-for-11 with a walk, double, 3 runs, and 2 RBIs. He'll get more time with Ken Mayhugh's recent collapse, and he's hit just .197/.287/.276 (62 OPS+) in August. He'll get some starts at third, mainly against lefties, but Page will get more of the time at the hot corner, and some starts at second over Rabbit Mudd. Mudd has been inconsistent, this week just 3-for-15, but he's hit an arguably elite .312/.389/.484 (149 OPS+) with 2 doubles, 3 triples, a homer, and 7 RBIs in 21 games as a Cougar. He may be crucial to us clawing back into things, as I'm not sure I can rely too much on Rich Langton (.262, 3, 57, 13) or Harry Mead (250, 4, 43). Seven and a half games isn't insurmountable, but we only made up ground because the Cannons struggled, not because we did good. After such a great start in August, we're just 14-12 for the month, losing 10 of our last 15. With a bit over a month left, the past two weeks were the perfect time to make up ground, and we failed to make up for it. Looking Ahead It's a weird week with very few games, as we're off to start before two games with the Stars, and after that, two more off days. The Stars come to Chicago at 60-67, and are just 6 behind the Sailors for 4th. I mentioned earlier they have the co-CA Win Leader Eli Panneton (16-10, 3.04, 92), but errors ruined his start against the Kings yesterday. This means we'll miss their talented ace, and instead get Alex Vaughn, a now 35-year-old righty who is throwing his first pitch since a partial UCL tear last May. He hasn't pitched much in the big leagues, throwing 240.1 innings with a big gap in between. He went 7-17 with a 4.79 ERA (88 ERA+) in 104 innings with the Keystones in 1936 and 1937, but then spent the next five seasons in the minors. With the Stars in need of pitchers due to the war, he threw 122.1 innings in 1943 and 14 excellent pre-injury innings the year before. Is the clubhouse leader going to pick off where he left off? Or will a rested Cougar team manage to give him a rude awakening in his return to the mound? Even if we can't score, he'll have to outduel Harry Parker (14-9, 2.91, 107), who does well against any lineup. One batter that may be tough is journeyman outfielder Maury Millsap (.304, 6, 29), who has seized the starting lineup spot Howie Smith (.299, 8, 78, 3) vacated. It's not the deepest lineup, but Bill Grove (.283, 1, 23, 4), Jim Honeywood (.301, 5, 44), Chubby Hall (.294, 8, 79), and Chick MacKnight (.295, 5, 43) are all putting together above average seasons in terms of both WRC+ and OPS+. This is scary because it's missing top pick Bob Riggins (.291, 4, 2) and former top 20 prospect Elijah Bourdeau (.189, 2, 13, 1) to injuries, and you can't forget about the embarrassment of riches enlisted in Bill Barnett, Lew Seals, Joe Angevine, and of course, Big Bad Billy. Cougars fans will get to see the Stars two more times this season, but that lineup will be far different then the scary one we'll see next season. But for now, these are games we should be winning. As long as Panneton isn't pitching... We'll spend our weekend in Montreal, dealing with the Saints for three games in two days. I won't let last week fool us, and expect wins here, as the Saints have had our number all season. We avoided Pat Weakly (12-8, 3.32, 121), who can even beat the Cannons. He tossed a gem on the 21st against the Cannons, allowing 6 hits, 2 runs, and a walk with 5 strikeouts in a 4-2 complete game. The Saints don't play anyone until we come to town, so he'll be fully rested for the Saturday game. The rust may work to our advantage, as he'll have ten days of rest and hopefully won't have his strikeout pitch working. Based on their rotation order, the double header projects to be Ed Baker (11-10, 4.35, 22) and Jackie James (7-14, 4.89, 68), but they have plenty of time to make adjustments. Regardless, we'll have our hands full with Vic Crawford (.308, 11, 84) and Bill Greene (.274, 15, 78, 15) and I'm ready to leave Montreal as we do so often: disappointed. Minor League Report RHP Joe Swank (AAA Milwaukee Blues): Even though both Mike Thorpe and George Oddo got promoted before him, Joe Swank has done excellent in AAA this season. It was his first taste at the highest minor league level, and he's excelled all season. The 22-year-old righty is currently 14-8 with a 3.16 ERA (127 ERA+) and 1.12 WHIP with 43 walks and 105 strikeouts in just over 200 innings pitched. There's so much to like about Swank's production, starting with his excellent 2.4 K/BB, his impressive 82 FIP-, and 4.6 WAR all while being one of the youngest pitchers in the league. A projected future big league rotation member, Swank checks in inside of our top 10 prospects and ranks 155th in the league wide rankings. A rather polished three-pitch pitcher, Swank has a nice high 80s fastball which mixes well with his curve and circle change. His stuff is excellent, leading to plenty of whiffs, and he's featured excellent command that is expected to continue to improve as he matures. Profiling more as a fifth starter then staff leader, Swank's pitches can be a little flat, but he generates a lot of grounders. I'm not sure he can maintain a K/9 above 4 against big leaguers, but he locates his offerings well, and doesn't get rattled on the mound. I want him pitching every day, so he'll spend the rest of the season in Milwaukee, but if he needs to be protected in the Rule-5 draft, I'll make a spot for him. I'm debating on being aggressive in the offseason, and Swank would be a very appealing piece to help us upgrade the lineup. CF Don Jeppsen (A Lincoln Legislators): After crushing pitchers in the C-O-W League, Don Jeppsen has had plenty of success in Lincoln, slashing .328/.352/.470 (120 OPS+) in 54 games for the Legislators. He's added in 10 doubles, 6 triples, 2 homers, 3 steals, and 28 RBIs, and while he's hit far less homers then he did in San Jose (8), he made up for it with an equal increase in triples. He's spent most of his time in left, which may be his final spot, and he's put up an above average 1.021 efficiency in 48 starts. Now 21, Jeppsen has show the potential to barrel up the ball effectively, and he can hit to all fields. He has good speed and always looks to take the extra base, but he's not going to offer much in the field. He's got a limited ceiling due to that, so he'll have to hit at every level to earn a big league spot. Things are going to get crowded next season, but his age should work into his advantage.

01-30-2023, 07:33 PM	#1002
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,000	Week 21: August 27th-September 2nd Weekly Record: 3-2 Seasonal Record: 72-59 (3rd, 7 GB) Stars of the Week Rusty Petrick : 2 Wins, 3.0 IP, 0 BB, 2 K, 6.00 ERA Harry Mead : 15 AB, 6 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .400 AVG, 1.033 OPS Skipper Schneider : 21 AB, 7 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .333 AVG, .697 OPS Schedule 8-28: Win vs Stars (4-7) 8-29: Win vs Stars (2-5) 9-1: Loss at Saints (0-5) 9-2: Win at Saints (4-2) 9-2: Loss at Saints (4-5): 10 innings Recap Those darn Saints... We let them take two of three from us in Montreal, and since we swept the Stars at home, it was our only two losses of the week. I'm debating petitioning the FABL brass to prevent us from playing them ever again, but we're actually worse against the Cannons (6-12) then the Saints (7-12) now. Both teams have been thorns in our side all season long, with Toronto (9-10) the only other team we're sub .500 against. We also got hit really hard with injuries, and it couldn't have come at a worse time, as we reached roster callups, so all the guys I was forced to cut recently can't help us. The first injury was something that has never happened before; Dick Walker missed games. He suffered a herniated disc on the 28th, and missed the following four games, and will have to sit out for our next three as well. Walker made 2,957 consecutive high school, minor league, and FABL appearances without suffering an injury of any length, with a run of 2,539 consecutive FABL appearances without missing a game due to an ailment. We don't really have another first basemen, but Ken Mayhugh or Chick Browning (and of course Tip Harrison) can cover. Don Lee actually made the starts, with Orlin Yates covering center, as Ray Struble was already covering left. That's because Rich Langton tore a ligament in his thumb, and will miss the next two weeks. We have plenty of guys to fill the outfield spot, with Bill Rich returning to Chicago and Chick Browning and Lee options as well. Even Jimmie James, now returned from rehab, could make a start in a corner if he needs, and since Langton hasn't really hit much, I'm not sure this injury will be too hard to handle. We have a few more callups, and I'll cover most in the Minor League Report today. I'm not stacking the roster yet, as the minor league season has plenty of time left, and we don't have many spare pitchers. One pitcher that is coming up is Ben Curtin, who went unclaimed, but the big name is Duke Bybee. Even if he didn't dominate in A ball, Bybee would have gotten the call, and he'll make his debut on the 6th against the Sailors. The current #7 prospect in all of baseball, Bybee is a legit ace with oodles of potential, and he was stellar in Lincoln. His first start in nearly four years was a complete game win where he allowed just 5 hits, a run, and 2 walks with 8 strikeouts. He followed that up with eight shutout innings, as Peoria got just 6 hits and 2 walks with 7 more strikeouts. There have been very few more highly anticipated prospects, and the lanky lefty should be a mainstay in our rotation. He might be better then everyone but Pap, but we'll ease him into things, slotting him in the four spot. A six pitch pitcher, Bybee has an elite changeup with elite command, and he'll rack up the strikeouts too. His cutter and fastball top out at 97, and his forkball and slider are all plus pitches as well. His curve is just as good as the change, and no matter what Duke throws, you probably won't hit it. Now 23, he's still got a lot of development ahead of him, but his floor is basically Harry Parker, and Parker currently ranks as the 16th best pitcher in the FABL. Luck was not on Parker's side, as he got a pair of no decisions despite tremendous pitching. Parker pitched in our 7-4 win over the Stars, going 7 with 6 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), 3 walks, and 3 strikeouts. He also featured in our 4-2 win over the Saints, again going 7, this time with 8 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts. Due to Art Hull's 2.77 ERA (134 ERA+) now qualifying with 133.1 innings pitched, Parker's 2.89 (123 ERA+) is now third, while his strikeouts (112) and WHIP (1.12) are second. Both of Parker's wins went to Rusty Petrick, who made three appearances with a pair of wins and blown saves. He got a loss as well, allowing 6 hits and 2 runs with 2 punchouts in 3 innings. With a double header to start the week, Petrick will start the first game of the double header, before returning back to the pen. Mike Thorpe made a pair of appearances out of the pen, and was the only pitcher other then Petrick to make an appearance from the pen. He struck out one in a perfect 9th against the Stars to pick up his first big league save. He allowed a hit an run in his inning against the Saints, but rolled up three ground balls to keep the game tied. George Oddo will get another start this week due to a double header on Sunday, and he looked good against the Saints. Oddo went 8 with 10 hits, 3 runs, 3 walks, and 5 strikeouts in our extra inning loss. Oddo has one or two guaranteed starts left this season, with another double header the following week, as I want our top four to pitch as much as possible until we're officially out. Oddo's been rather lucky, as his 4.29 FIP (120 FIP-) implies he's been well below average, but the 22-year-old is an even 6-6 in 15 starts with a strong 3.03 ERA (117 ERA+), 1.16 WHIP, 47 walks, and 58 strikeouts. The 13 homers have been killer, and he's allowed one in five of his last six starts. Billy Riley had the only poor start, going 8 with 6 hits, 5 runs, 4 walks, and 4 strikeouts. The last start of the week went to our fireballer Pete Papenfus, who flashed vintage Peter the Heater stuff. Pap threw 136 pitches in a complete game win, finishing with 6 hits, 2 runs (1 earned), 5 walks, and 9 strikeouts. A few more of these starts, and we can edge closer to the Wolves and Cannons, who sit 4.5 and 7 games ahead of us. The Kings and Foresters are now officially out of it, so things are starting to look grim, but our front four in the rotation has the talent to outpitch nearly every pitcher in the FABL. Discounting Don Lee, and his 3-for-19 week, we hit very well this week. Harry Mead looked like himself, going 6-for-15 with 2 doubles, 3 walks, 3 runs, and an RBI. Ollie Page has started to really heat up, this week 4-for-12 with 2 steals, 4 runs, and 5 walks. The 35-year-old slashed an outstanding .368/.500/.474 (180 OPS+) in August, and seems likely to man the hot corner the rest of the season. Cliff Moss had a nice week too, 6-for-19 with a double, triple, walk, and 4 runs. Skipper hit well, 7-for-21 with a walk, 2 runs, and 3 RBIs. Ken Mayhugh did alright in limited time, 2-for-6 with a double, run, and RBI. We'll need some more production from the supporting cast this week with Walker out at least three games and Rich Langton gone for the week, but I wouldn't bet on another Don Lee scuffle as he tends to bounce back very quickly. Looking Ahead Back at home for a quick double header against the now eliminated Kings, who own a comfortable lead over the cellar dwelling Foresters. The Kings could look a lot different with rosters now expanded, and I'm hoping that will make things even easier for us. I'm a little worried we'll have to face Bill McGraw (10-12, 4.04, 87), who was roughed up on the 1st by the Stars. This caused him to throw just 51 pitches, so the wild righty is rested enough to start one of the double header games. He's walked 121 hitters (5.8 BB/9) in just under 190 innings, but allowed just two runs in 7+ innings in each of his last two starts against us. I know we'll see struggling rookie Dick Farmer (8-15, 5.21, 87), and I'm hoping Clarence Barton (8-7, 3.91, 66), but Barton has won his last three starts and allowed three or fewer runs in nine of his last eleven starts. Offensively, Orie Martinez is hitting average again (.271/.346/.378, 100 OPS+), so they're more then just the Ben Brazel (.320, 45, 9) and Vernon Ruch (.316, 9, 71). Jake Shadoan (.294, 6, 56, 12) is probably in his last effective big league season, and the Kings may look plenty different next season after the war. These are two easy wins, but if there's one thing the Cougars struggle with, its winning games we should. Off for two days before starting a two week road trip. The first stop is Philadelphia for four with the Sailors. They're the only team in the first division we've handled, but at 69-64 they're definitely capable of beating us. Just 4 games behind us, a rough showing and they'll pass us for third, but a sweep on our side and we may be able to clinch at least third for the 7th consecutive season. The Sailors will get to witness the first of hopefully many Duke Bybee starts, and there's a chance he'll get to face off against longtime Sailor Doc Newell (16-11, 3.16, 87). Him and Win Lewis (12-9, 2.96, 83) make up a capable 1-2 punch, and Art Hull has somehow emerged as an excellent starter. A 25-year-old former 6th Rounder, Hull has started 15 of his 35 appearances, going 6-9 with 4 saves, a 2.77 ERA (134 ERA+) and 1.48 WHIP. He walks (76) more guys then he strikes out (71), and the WHIP is certainly a concern, but Hull has a really nice curve and the Sailors are good at getting the most out of middling pitchers. Even if we're stuck facing the three of them, we'll get a reprieve in the form of Karl Wallace (10-10, 4.50, 64) or Ray McCarthy (8-8, 4.01, 32), who have both endured a tough run of starts. The lineup got a new add, with former 6th Overall Pick Mark Smith returning from the Army. His first week went well, 4-for-13 with 2 doubles, a triple, 2 walks, and 3 runs. It was a nice birthday gift for Smith, who turned 25 on discharge day, and he's got a really good bat for a catcher. The lineup just got longer, as he'll join a strong group comprised of Chick Wilhelm (.258, 7, 50, 12), Joseph Mills (.278, 9, 61), Ed Reyes (.332, 7, 61), and Addie Aleman (.330, 2, 50, 3). I'm definitely nervous about this one, but for the first time all season, we have a really good rotation, and arguably the best in the FABL by a wide margin. We then finish the week with the first half a four game set against the Foresters. Cleveland was our Achilles Heel last season, but this season we have had the most success (14-4) of them compared to any other team. I'd trade that for last year's in a heartbeat, as we'd be reigning CA winners instead of being even further out of first this year then last. Joining the rotation last week was former #1 pick Hiram Steinberg, who was just as dominant against two teams above .500 as he was when he last pitched in A ball back in 1942. "The Undertaker" tossed complete game wins against the Wolves and Sailors, allowing just 11 hits and 4 earned runs with 5 walks and 6 strikeouts. Him and Richie Hughes (2-8, 3.98, 43) will be a frustrating 1-2 punch for years, and top 50 prospect John Jackson will join them in a season or two. With that trio and Ducky Davis (11-15, 3.79, 73), it won't be nearly as hard to score off of them as it is this year, and while Ben Turner (7-15, 5.36, 42) is retiring, don't be surprised if Jimmy Collins (5-9, 5.65, 49) and the now DFA'd George Rotondi (4-18, 4.56, 74) don't start another game for the Foresters after this season ends. The offense doesn't have as exciting of a future, but they called up former 3rd Rounder Earl Szwed (.125, 1) last week to man short, shifting another former #1 pick Jim Adams Jr. (240, 4, 42, 8) to the keystone. There isn't much else in the Foresters lineup, as Hank Stratton (.301, 4, 43) and Adams are the only hitters with a WRC+ above 100. The games against the Sailors will be tough, but if we can beat the Kings and Foresters like we should, we'll make our way back up the standings. Minor League Report C Gene Lee: He only appeared in 18 games for the Blues, and he'll be DFA'd in the offseason, but I love having a third catcher! The 25-year-old is also a leader, so that's pretty cool, but he hit just .171/.227/.195 (20 OPS+). He'll be just in case of emergency, and I don't think the former 19th Rounder will get another FABL start. 3B Steve Jones: Rejoining the Cougars in Chicago is Steve Jones, the all-glove, no-bat infielder who hit an impressive .125/.219/.141 (4 OPS+) in 74 trips to the plate, good enough for an elite 6 WRC+. Of course, he's a very good defensive third basemen, and is dependable in the middle infield too. Jones hit much better in 43 games with the Blues, slashing an adjusted league average .270/.362/.340 with 10 doubles, 18 walks, and 18 RBIs. Will he offer some with the bat when he's back? I doubt it. But he could be a useful late inning substitute. RF Bill Rich: Returning from the minors, Bill Rich had a nice season in Milwaukee, slashing .281/.349/.387 (109 OPS+) with 18 doubles, 2 triples, 5 homers, and 44 RBIs with one more walk (36) then strike out. The 26-year-old has done well in his first 41 trips to the plate as a big leaguer, slashing .351/.415/.459 (150 OPS+) with a double, homer, and 7 RBIs. Now with Langton on the IL, Rich will start in left against lefties, as he's more then hit well enough to earn the starting spot. With an option left, Rich is likely to start next season in the minors, but the bat has looked very strong, and that could help him earn more of a long term bench spot. RHP Stan Flanders (AA Mobile Commodores): It's been another great season for Stan Flanders in AA, as the young righty is 11-9 entering the final month. His most recent start was brilliant, a 7-hit shutout to lower his season ERA to 3.13 (127 ERA+). He's supplemented that with a 1.39 WHIP, but he's walked (47) a few more batters (41) then he's struck out. It's not the biggest concern, as Flanders is more of a pitch to contact guy, and his 2.3 BB/9 is pretty solid. Unfortunately for Flanders, Tom has soured on his pitches a little, dropping him from borderline starter to bullpen as a projected role, making me believe that his high 80s fastball is the only reliable offering of his three pitches. He does command his curve and change well, but don't expect him to miss many bats with either. Despite his age, this may be Flanders' last season, as a pen role may be his best fit. He could get the occasional spot start, but I don't think he'll be make many big league starts. RHP Harry Sharp (A Lincoln Legislators): After a 13 hit, 8 run outing where he left in the 5th, Harry Sharp bounced back quickly when he got another go at the Pastimers. He was outstanding, tossing a 5-hit shutout with 2 walks and 5 strikeouts. He's been a bit unlucky, now 5-9, but that goes with a nice 3.49 ERA (117 ERA+) and 1.35 WHIP in 17 starts for the Legislators. He's struck out 58 and walked 39 in 123.2 innings pitched, and the former 11th Rounder is doing his best to keep a rotation spot. He's not much of a stuff guy, but he has a strong 4.2 K/9 and he commands his pitches well. His issue this season has been with the longball, allowing 11 already. If the lefty can start throwing harder, he may be able to cut that down a bit, but the now 23-year-old is a bit behind in the development path. It will be tough for him to carve out a big league job, but I think he's done enough to get another go at starting games in our system. I wish he had a bit more hustle in him, as I'm not sure he has what it takes to better himself. Attached Images

01-31-2023, 07:01 PM	#1003
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,000	Week 22: September 3rd-September 9th Weekly Record: 3-5 Seasonal Record: 75-64 (3rd, 10 GB) Stars of the Week Skipper Schneider : 30 AB, 10 H, 0 HR, 5 RBI, .333 AVG, .845 OPS Cliff Moss : 33 AB, 8 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .242 AVG, .597 OPS Don Lee : 34 AB, 7 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .206 AVG, .613 OPS Schedule 9-3: Loss vs Kings (4-3): 10 innings 9-3: Loss vs Kings (1-0): 12 innings 9-5: Win at Sailors (7-4) 9-6: Loss at Sailors (1-8) 9-7: Win at Sailors (5-2): 10 innings 9-8: Loss at Sailors (1-2) 9-9: Loss at Foresters (1-3) 9-9: Win at Foresters (7-3) Recap Yep, it's that time of year already... The time where we have to look forward to next year... In the most crippling blow to our slim title chances, we dropped not one, but two one-run extra-inning home games to the Brooklyn Kings where we scored just three runs in 22 innings. Yay! We did split with the Sailors, which I thought would be what would do us in, but splitting with the Foresters as well really hurt. The final nail in the coffin was that four of our five losses saw us score one or fewer runs, as the offense was nowhere to be found. Now 10 out and technically still eligible for the postseason, there's really not much to do other then hope we stay healthy and call up a few more reinforcements once the minor league season ends. Duke Bybee made his big league debut, and while it started out great, things did not end too well. Bybee was cruising against the Sailors, tossing five scoreless frames with 3 hits and a walk. Things fell apart in the second where Bybee himself tried to get out of the inning with a double play, but the 6'4'' lefties throw to his 5'6'' shortstop was way too high. This sparked a Sailors rally in a 1-0 game, as they put up 7 runs (2 earned) on 5 hits and 3 walks before Bybee left with two on and two outs. He did strike out four, but was charged with the loss as we didn't score after the first inning. He'll be right back out on Monday against the Foresters before being saddled with the Wolves on Friday. Peter the Heater had some bad luck this week, as despite two dominant starts, he didn't win a single game. The first game was the offenses fault, as he tossed what should have been a 2-hit shutout with 2 walks and 8 strikeouts, but we couldn't score a single run when he was on the mound. We couldn't score after he left either, as the Kings topped us 1-0 in 12 despite the fact that we out hit them 10-7. Mike Thorpe was charged with the loss, allowing 3 hits and a run in the 12th after Ben Curtin threw two scoreless frames with just two hits. Curtin actually lost game one of the double header, dropping to 0-6, and he finished the week with 4.1 innings, 4 hits, a run, and a strikeout. Papenfus then lost his second start, going 8 with 8 hits, 2 runs, and 8 strikeouts. In his last three starts he's allowed just 3 earned runs in 26 innings with 16 hits, 7 walks, and 25 strikeouts, but has just one win to show for it. He's gotten one run of support or fewer in three of his five starts since returning, and more then half (8 of 15) came in the start he allowed 7. Not quite the welcome back I expected we'd show him, but he's already struck out (37) more batters in 39.2 innings then Art White (33) has in over 230. Billy Riley made a pair of starts, topping the Sailors while getting Papenfus-like run support against Cleveland. He was actually better in Cleveland, going 8 with 7 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts. In the win, he went an inning shorter with more hits (8), runs (4), and walks (4) with half as many strikeouts (2). In 32 starts he's 17-11, tied for second in the CA in wins with Doc Newell, while leading the circuit with six shutouts. His 1.16 WHIP is behind just Rufus (1.06) and Harry Parker (1.12), but his 3.35 ERA (105 ERA+) isn't all that impressive. Rusty Petrick picked up his 14th win, but it didn't come in his start, as the Kings got 9 hits, 3 runs, and 7 walks in a complete game loss. Petrick did strike out 5, and then beat the Sailors with 2 innings out of the pen, allowing just two hits with another strikeout. Petrick seems ticketed for the pen the rest of the way, but he's a respectable 14-12 with a 3.19 ERA (110 ERA+) and 1.38 WHIP. George Oddo came an out away from a complete game victory, allowing 6 hits, 3 runs, and 2 walks with 7 strikeouts against the Foresters. He also didn't allow a home run, improving to 7-6 in 16 starts. Oddo has a start lined up against the Cannons in our Sunday double header, but with just seven games in fourteen days to finish the season after the double header, he'll likely end his season two weeks early. Harry Parker looked good in a no decision, going 7 with 6 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts. The towering righty has now allowed exactly two earned runs in each of his last five starts, and two or fewer in 9 of his last 10. Can't blame the pitching for our collapse, as we rank 1st or 2nd in each category except WAR (6th), homers (7th), and walks (6th). The crazy thing about the offense is we didn't even hit that bad, we just couldn't score runs. Don't get me wrong, there was no non-stop mashing, but we did have a few hitters who produced well. Skipper Schneider had a big week, going 10-for-30 with 3 doubles, 5 RBIs, 4 walks, and a run scored. Ray Struble had a decent week filling in, and while he was just 4-for-19, it came with a triple, homer, steal, 2 walks, 2 runs, and 2 RBIs. Ollie Page continued to hit, 5-for-17 with 4 walks and a run. Dick Walker didn't show any signs of fatigue after his herniated disc, going 5-for-19 with a homer, 2 walks, 2 RBIs, and 3 runs. Rabbit Mudd went 4-for-17 with a homer, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 2 RBIs. Mike Taylor was effective off the bench, 3-for-8 with 2 runs and 4 walks. It was far better then Harry Mead, who was a poor 4-for-25 with a walk, run, and pair of RBIs. The lack of run scoring really set us back, as we're now 6th in runs scored with a little less then a month left to go. Looking Ahead Not much to look forward to, as after two with the Foresters, you can pretty much pencil in "Ls" the rest of the week. At 50-86, they seem like a lock for another last place finish, with the Kings five games clear of the cellar. We'll start the week with Jimmy Collins (5-10, 5.75, 53), who even our putrid offense should be able to put some runs on. After Collins its a tougher task in Ducky Davis (13-15, 3.52, 80), who tossed a 10 inning shutout against the Stars his last time out. No major callups for the Foresters, but for some reason they put Chuck Harrington (.203, 1, 16) back in the lineup at short. I'm not the least bit scared of their lineup, as they've managed to score 99 fewer runs then we have. Brooks Meeks (.287, 9, 46, 4) may come off the IL this week, which would push Harrington right back out of the lineup, with Jim Adams Jr. (.242, 4, 46, 9) returning to short. They did callup soon-to-be 24-year-old Pete Sigmund (.143, 1) after he returned from the Coast Guard, but he didn't hit all that much in 3 starts and 3 appearances off the bench. The switch hitter is a very patient hitter who can hit the ball hard and far, and is one of the few young bats they have close to the majors that isn't enlisted. The only other intriguing youngster fitting that bill is this year's 5th rounder Ivey Henley, a top 100 prospect who had a 163 OPS+ in AA and a 125 in AAA. I doubt he'll get the call this season, but he can shift Hank Stratton over to third, and open 1946 as the Foresters first basemen. It might take the Foresters a few seasons to get out of the second division, but I don't think they'll be finishing 7th or 8th for much longer. The road trip continues with three in Toronto, but the Wolves have started to scuffle themselves. Now 3.5 games out of first, they're running out of time to dethrone the Cannons, who seem set on a third wartime pennant. Part of this is due to a tough August from George Garrison (16-8, 3.07, 114), but the former 3rd Overall Selection allowed just a single run in a complete game win over the Stars in his last start. He leads a rotation with five above average arms, as Jim Laurita's (9-12, 3.48, 78) 105 ERA+ is the worst of the bunch. Chick Wirtz (14-9, 3.03, 71) has shown last year was no fluke and Bob Walls (12-4, 3.44, 39) has done a complete 180, as his ERA was above 5 when June started. They score plenty of runs too, as Fred McCormick (.267, 11, 38, 3) cracked double-digit homers for the 8th time in his career and Walt Pack (.308, 28, 90) leads the Conti with nearly 30. Charlie Artuso (.284, 8, 64, 9) is trying to catch Skipper to be the CA WAR lord, and is on pace to top 10 for the first time in his career. If there is a weakness, its Gus Hall (.228, 8, 75) in right, as even Clarence Howerton (.248, 2, 42, 6) provides plenty of value to the pitching staff and clubhouse. I'd love to see the Wolves catch the Cannons, but that means we have to lose to them and beat the Cannons. And I think we'll only manage one of those... We'll spend our weekend in Cincinnati with three games of a four game set. It's a double header on Sunday with the likely first place Cannons, who sit at 83-52 and 3.5 games above the Wolves. Injuries have started to pile up on the Cannons, as they'll be without resurgent Tom Barrell (16-5, 3.26, 53) for the rest of the season with a strained hamstring. "Jersey Jim" Anderson (1-2, 3.62, 12) suffered a more minor strain, and may be back after a week, but their rotation will look plenty different when we come to town. We're likely stuck dealing with Rufus Barrell II (15-5, 2.34, 91), as we seem to always catch him, but guys like Dan Adams (14-8, 1, 3.07, 78) and Red Hampton (10-12, 3.31, 53) give them plenty of good starts too. I'm not overly worried about the staff, as we can't really hit anyone, but the lineup is beyond scary. When Denny Andrews (.268, 13, 48) and his 88 walks is sitting in the six hole, you know the lineup is strong, and they have two serious sluggers in Chuck Adams (.302, 25, 99) and Al Wheeler (.308, 26, 87). Mix in outfielders Gail Gifford (.319, 9, 55, 18) and Fred Galloway (.281, 7, 35) with Ten Time Tom (.269, 8, 56), our defense will be plenty busy. It'll be fun to see how Peter the Heater handles the Cannons, but he may be the only guy to survive Cincy, as he can make even the best hitters look silly at the plate. Minor League Report RHP Lonnie Sis (C La Crosse Lions): After a dominant first season in C ball, Lonnie Sis has really struggled this season. Last year he owned a 2.35 ERA (149 ERA+) and 1.16 WHIP, but those have jumped to 3.79 (79 ERA+) and 1.34 in his 12 starts this season. The "Sizzler" did sizzle in his last outing, however, tossing a brilliant 4-hit shutout with a walk and 6 strikeouts. It's a step in the right direction for the 19-year-old, who's actually throwing a bit harder (90-92 to 91-93) this season then last year. He's given up a lot more runs, but he's walked 26 and struck out 50 in 2 innings fewer then last year. That's compared to 24 and 42 in '44, giving him a higher BB/9 (3.0) and K/9 (5.7), with the increase in K/9 (+1.0) much larger then the BB/9 (+0.3). A hard working righty, Sis has a nice low 90s cutter to pair with a good change and nice curve. Those pitches are very underdeveloped, but should eventually surpass his cutter as he continues to polish up his stuff. His command isn't great, so walks may be an issue, but at times he can overcome it with strikeouts. He's got plenty of work to do, but I'll bet on the St. James native making the big leagues before its all said and done.

02-01-2023, 08:50 PM	#1004
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,000	Week 23: September 10th-September 16th Weekly Record: 3-5 Seasonal Record: 78-69 (3rd, 13 GB) Stars of the Week None Generated Schedule 9-10: Loss at Foresters (3-7) 9-11: Loss at Foresters (2-3) 9-12: Win at Wolves (4-1) 9-13: Loss at Wolves (1-4) 9-14: Win at Wolves (8-7) 9-15: Win at Cannons (5-4) 9-16: Loss at Cannons (1-8) 9-16: Loss at Cannons (0-3) Recap And with another 3-5 week, the Chicago Cougars have been officially eliminated from postseason contention. What makes it even worse is we're barely holding on to third place, just half a game above the Sailors. We've secured a .500 or better record for the ninth consecutive season, but we're at risk of snapping our six season streak of finishing in the top three spots. Dropping both games in Cleveland was pathetic, and of course, we beat the Wolves (2) more then the Cannons (1). That helped the Cannons maintain their 3.5 game lead, as both teams finished the week an impressive 6-2. We have just four games this week and three the following week, so the boys will get plenty of rest to finish off the season. I still want to win every game left; there is both pride and a stronger draft spot at stake, so don't expect backups to flood the lineup. This week will be all about Dick Lyons, who will make his 563rd appearance and final appearance as a Chicago Cougar on the 23rd in our final home game of the season. We'll have a nice big number retirement ceremony for the beloved southpaw who is the only remaining player from the pre-human era to stay with the same organization they started with. In a season with not much to celebrate, this will be our World Series, and I hope we can win him one last game. His 237 wins are second most in Cougar history (crazy enough Harry Parker is 5th with 114), and despite not looking himself this year, he's been a dependable starter for 18 seasons. It will feel weird without him next season, but he'll be officially passing the torch to the youngsters Duke Bybee and George Oddo, and he'll have veteran Mike Taylor, his teammate for the last 13 and a half seasons catch him. Their combined 84 years and 227 days will be tough to top, and their combined leadership has helped us consistently win more then we lose. In the 13 full seasons they were teammates, we had just two (1935, 1936) losing seasons, equal to the amount of 97 win (1933, 1941) seasons during their tenure. Tough week all around, but George Oddo's likely final start of the season went pretty well. The 10 hits in 7 innings wasn't great, but he allowed just 3 runs (2 earned) and 2 walks with 6 strikeouts against a potent Cannons offense. The 22-year-old made 17 starts for us this season, an even 7-7 with a 3.02 ERA (117 ERA+), 1.17 WHIP, 51 walks, and 71 strikeouts. These were excellent numbers for the talented rookie that Tom Weinstock believes will develop into an ace. With Papenfus, the Jones Brothers, Joe Brown, Harry Parker, and Joe Brown all in line for starts next season, there's no obvious spot for Oddo. There's also Duke Bybee, who may join Oddo in Milwaukee, as he's looked overmatched so far. It's just three starts, but his two this week were very bad. The Foresters piled on 9 hits, 6 runs, and 6 walks with just 3 strikeouts in 6.2 innings pitched. Against the Wolves he walked 6 more, leaving after 7 with 11 hits, 7 runs (6 earned), and 2 strikeouts. Despite his struggles, I can't get too mad at him, as he has just 2 starts above C ball before his debut, and he hasn't pitched in years. We have so much talent in the rotation that we can afford to take things slow with Duke, who's hopped back up a spot to 6th in the prospect rankings. Pete Papenfus made a pair of starts, beating the Wolves while being hit hard by the Cannons. He went all nine in Toronto, allowing just 7 hits, a run, and 4 walks with 6 strikeouts. He fell apart in Cincinnati, just 7.1 innings with 9 hits, 8 runs (7 earned), 5 walks, and 4 strikeouts. It was his first start this season with more walks then strikeouts, but he's still struck out (47) 20 more hitters then he's walked. Harry Parker made a pair of starts as well, including our only win against the Cannons. Parker went 7 with 7 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), 3 walks, and 3 strikeouts. It was his first decision in five starts, as he couldn't top the Foresters earlier in the week. We didn't give him much support, as he left with one out in the 7th after allowing 9 hits, a run, and 3 walks with 6 strikeouts. Parker's next (and likely last) start of the season will be #35, and he surpassed 250 innings (250.2) for the fifth time in six seasons. The last start went to Billy Riley, who went 7 with 6 hits, 2 runs (1 earned), 5 walks, and 3 strikeouts. Rusty Petrick was active out of the pen, making 4 appearances and throwing 6.2 innings. He got a win and save, charged with 6 hits, 4 runs, and 2 walks while striking out just one. Mike Thorpe made three appearances but recorded just five outs, tagged with a loss, 2 hits, and a run. With just seven more games and plenty of off days, I doubt we'll need the pen much more, but I haven't yet decided if we'll bring up a few extra arms for the last week. Guys like Charlie Kelsey, Bill Tuttle, and Angel Lopez deserve a shot, but there aren't many games left and they deserve to win a Century League pennant instead of just wasting away in our pen. The lineup will get Rich Langton back this week, but that means less time for Ray Struble, who was one of two effective hitters this week. Struble went 6-for-18 with a homer, 2 RBIs, 2 runs, 3 walks, and 2 steals. The other was the red hot Skipper Schneider, who was 10-for-29 with a double, 3 (!!) homers, 2 walks, 4 RBIs, and 6 runs. That doubled Skipper's homer total for the season, and he's just a tenth of a win away from his first 10 WAR season. 25 in October, Skipper is close to finishing his six big league season, and his .291/.351/.391 (113 OPS+) triple slash could end up the best in his young career. We could technically add a third player to the list of effectiveness, as George Sutterfield made the most of his three starts. While not otherworldly, he was 3-for-10 with a double, walk, run, and steal. His rookie season hasn't gone according to plan, hitting just .227/.277/.293 (64 OPS+) in 83 trips to the plate, and the Nashville native is ticketed for Milwaukee next season with the return of infielders Billy Hunter, Ray Ford, Hank Barnett, and Clark Car. At least next season we'll have plenty of firepower, and there is no way we finish bottom three in runs next year. For a team that's consistently finished top three (generally two), we're on track to finish with our fewest run total since 1919 when the Cougars scored just 495. Looking Ahead Our long and painful road trip ends with the finale in Cincinnati, as the Cannons look to extend their 3.5 game lead over Toronto. With the Wolves in Toronto next, they may look to skip over Red Hampton (11-12, 3.17, 56) and instead give the start to Jim Anderson (1-2, 2.95, 16) as Toronto's offense is far stronger then ours. They'll have to face Billy Riley (17-12, 3.29, 110), but since they just walloped Papenfus, Riley shouldn't be all that difficult. Chuck Adams (.305, 25, 104) bruised his thigh against the Stars, but it didn't stop him from recording his 100th RBI off Harry Parker the day after. He might be the only CA hitter to reach that mark this season, but Walt Pack (.306, 30, 96) and Vic Crawford (.320, 14, 95) are closing in on the century mark. Adams and Al Wheeler (.306, 28, 92) have been chasing Pack for the home run crown, a duo that has more homers then five FABL organizations. Add in Denny Andrews (.261, 14, 53) and that number jumps to ten. They do have a weakness, as the old bones can't steal many bases, with Dick Walker's 26 one behind the Cannons team totals. Of course, when you can score 5 runs a game, you don't have to do much stealing to win... We then return home for six days, but we play just three games during that period. The first is Wednesday against the Saints, who have dropped to 69-76 and 21 out of first. They need to go 8-1 for their first .500 season since 1930, but since we only get three more against them, that seems like a tall task. Pat Weakly's (13-9, 3.25, 128) sore wrist set them back last week, and since he'll be healthy when they come to town, we'll get the pleasure of facing the CA's top strikeout arm. Lucky for us, Crawford is hurt, leaving Bill Greene (.283, 17, 92, 17) and Jake Hughes (.315, 5, 62, 32) to pick up the slack. 27-year-old Ted Brown may help too, as he's put up a rather shocking .336/.357/.480 (130 OPS+) line in 77 games with 20 doubles, 7 triples, 3 homers, and 45 RBIs. This will be a tough game for us to win, and I'm keeping my expectations low the rest of the way. For the weekend we welcome the Stars to town, and I just hope they don't spoil Lyons' big day. At 69-81, they're just a few games behind the Saints for 5th, and have a potential 20 game winner in Eli Panneton (19-12, 2.94, 103). He's carried the rotation after Dixie Lee (17-11, 2.49, 77) left, as Ed Cornett (9-15, 4.14, 84) has had a rough second half. Despite losing his last five starts, Johnny Cook's (7-9, 2.79, 40) ERA hasn't moved too much, but the 35-year-old vet doesn't strike much fear into opposing hitters. They do hit well, recently welcoming back Bob Riggins (.302, 4, 2) to the lineup, while Bill Grove (.276, 2, 30, 6) continues his strong rookie season and Maury Millsap (.292, 8, 41) continues his breakout at 31. Jim Honeywood (.301, 7, 57, 4) and Chubby Hall (.288, 10, 94) are doing their best to keep lineup spots when the troops come home, but the Stars will be one of the more interesting teams to watch next season. Are they a pennant worthy team? Well, any team with Bill Barrett can compete, and that lineup sure will be scary. The pitching has some question marks, as Chuck Cole will be 36 and Lou Robertson and Vern Hubbard are both past 30. Don't forget, they are the last non-Cannon team to win the CA after they won a whopping 103 games in 1942... Yeah, we really messed things up last year... Minor League Report LHP Ed Fisler: Ed Fisler is a lucky guy! I didn't plan on any more promotions, but Bill Ballantine came off the IL, and I didn't want to cut anyone with one week left in the season. There were options in AAA, but with so few games, I'd much rather Kelsey, Lopez, etc. make another start instead of some random inning in a blow out. One option to promote was Jack Huston (11-9, 4.21, 78), but he hasn't pitched well enough to warrant one and I don't want one of my AA pitchers to have one random AAA start. That leaves a spot in Chicago for the only AA pitcher on the 40-man roster! Acquired in the Freddie Jones deal, the now 24-year-old southpaw will have a chance to debut in the big leagues. The former 10th Rounder had a pretty good minor league track record, and was really good in Mobile last season. This year was far different, as he went 12-11 with a 4.28 ERA (93 ERA+) and 1.55 WHIP with 106 walks and 109 strikeouts. Last season he actually walked (94) more guys then he struck out (81), but was a far more impressive 15-7 with a 3.28 ERA (121 ERA+) and 1.48 WHIP. Fisler won't get a start, so it may be tough for him to get an inning, but he'll spend seven days in our pen and I can't imagine Dick Lyons going very far in his last start. RHP Joe Swank (AAA Milwaukee Blues): He definitely deserved it, but there's no late season callup in line for Joe Swank. He wasn't deterred one bit, responding with a pair of dominant starts to guide the Milwaukee Blues to a third consecutive Century League pennant. One of those victories was a 4-hit shutout against the Fort Wayne Warriors and he allowed just 8 hits, 2 runs, and 2 walks in 17 top-notch innings. Currently ranked as the 145th best prospect in the FABL, Swank sports a stellar 2.67 ERA (135 ERA+) and 1.09 WHIP as a 22-year-old pitching in the top rung of the minor league ladder. With 123 strikeouts and just 48 walks, he improved both his K/9 (4.5 to 4.7) and BB/9 (2.4 to 1.8) in a career high 235.2 innings pitched. His 135 ERA+, 80 FIP-, and 5.6 WAR are all near personal bests, but he's already won his most games and is a near lock for lowest WHIP as the next closest was his 1.27 WHIP in 175 innings with the Legislators two seasons ago. I'm not sure if we're having a Rule-5 draft or if he's going to be eligible, but I won't leave him unprotected. Whether that means providing him with a 40-man roster spot or using him as trade bait is yet to be determined, but one way or another the former 7th Rounder will get a chance to crack an FABL rotation. Swank reminds me a bit for a former Cougar prospect Joe Foote, who I got a look at when compiling an offseason report on the Cougars 2035 Top Prospect list. Both were high school pitchers taken in the second half of the human portion of the draft who consistently played at higher levels then their age would suggest. Both righties do a good job preventing homers, but the advantage Swank has is he strikes out batters. What's to be determined is if all the whiffs are due to his stuff or due to the depleted minor leagues. A team with less young pitchers could rush him to the majors, but other then the occasional September callup, Swank isn't likely to see many big league innings. He's best off starting every day, and Milwaukee's rotation will be crowded, so he may get an undeserved demotion due to the influx of war vets. He's got a green arrow to Chicago and is ready to face big league batters, so don't be surprised if he pitches his way onto the Cougars roster by this time next year. CF Alex Horning (AA Mobile Commodores): In game 22, an 0-for-3 snapped Alex Horning's hit streak at 21 in a 2-1 loss to the Chattanooga Rebels. Worst part is it wasn't even a bad game, as Horning drew two walks, and improved his season line to .269/.353/.383 (98 OPS+) in 129 games for the Commodores. Horning's 104 WRC+ is a bit better, and the speedy outfielder hit 16 doubles, 15 triples, and 5 homers while swiping 10 bags and driving in 64 runs with more walks (69) and strikeouts (53). The 25-year-old spent more time in left (90) then his natural center field (45) position, but he was excellent in both spots. An 11th Round Pick from 1941, Horning has taken advantage of the overseas conflict, appearing in 100 or more games in four consecutive seasons. This came after just 46 games his draft year, where all but 8 came as an in-game replacement. His laziness may work against him, however, as he'll have plenty of competition for every day at bats now that the war is over. Having never profiled as much more then a 4th outfielder, higher ceiling guys will get a priority. To his credit, his speed and versatility will keep him around, so some good off the bench at bats could help him take the inevitable open spot when someone gets hurt.

02-02-2023, 07:44 PM	#1005
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,000	Week 24: September 17th-September 23rd Weekly Record: 3-1 Seasonal Record: 81-70 (3rd, 11 GB) Stars of the Week Skipper Schneider : 18 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .500 AVG, 1.167 OPS Dick Walker : 17 AB, 6 H, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .353 AVG, 1.068 OPS Billy Riley : 1 Win, 8.0 IP, 3 BB, 5 K, 0.00 ERA Schedule 9-17: Win at Cannons (2-0) 9-19: Loss vs Saints (4-1): 12 innings 9-22: Win vs Stars (5-6): 11 innings 9-23: Win vs Stars (2-3) Recap Get this! Billy Riley allowed just one run in a shutout of the Cannons, but we again lost to the Saints! Again! We are done with the Cannons, who finished 14-8 against us, but we still have two more against the Saints, who are an even better 13-7. Those two teams prevented us from competing, as we were .500 or better against every other Continental Association squad. We also now have 81 wins, so we will finish with 80 or more wins for seven consecutive seasons, and 79 or more wins for nine in a row. We have one more consecutive 80 win season then the Cannons, who are the closest team to us there. Of course, I'd trade the streak for three (likely) consecutive pennants, but we've been as consistent as it gets. But no complaining today. Today is about Dick Lyons. Yes, we couldn't capture the win for Lyons, but it's hard to ask for much better of a final start. In our last home game of the season, we honored our rotation stalwart with a jersey retirement ceremony. In front of 13,000 fans, Lyons twirled one of his patented quality starts, 6 innings with 4 hits, 2 runs (1 earned), and a walk in a 3-2 win over the Stars. Ollie Page's 16th error on the season cost him the win, but it was a fitting end to the Cougar legends big league career. A respected clubhouse leader, franchise icon, and popular pitcher to both fans, teammates, and competitors, the 5-Time All Star, was the last remaining Cougar (and has been for a while) from the days before humans. A 2nd Round selection in 1921, Lyons had an impressive season in Mobile in 1925, going 13-13 with a 3.38 ERA (137 ERA+), 1.25 WHIP, 44 walks, and 90 strikeouts in 266 innings pitched. He was probably ready for the big leagues, but since I was just getting used to how stats only worked, the 25-year-old started the season in Milwaukee, and the young lefty was impressive. Lyons was a bit unlucky, just 7-7, but with a dominant 2.97 ERA (153 ERA+) and 1.22 WHIP with 30 walks and a remarkable 144 strikeouts. The strikeouts never stuck, but he was awarded well earned debut to end the season, but unfortunately for Lyons it didn't go very well. He made four starts and two relief outings, but allowed 45 hits and 25 runs in 27.1 innings pitched. He walked and struck out 8, and his 1.94 WHIP was just as bad as the 8.23 ERA (49 ERA+). This gave him a five game stint with the Blues the following season, but that was the last time he pitched in the minor leagues. Lyons had an average rookie season for a 7th place Cougars team, going 11-6 with a 4.00 ERA (99 ERA+) and 1.51 WHIP with 40 walks and 46 strikeouts in 20 starts and 7 relief outings. His 3.55 FIP (89 FIP-) explained that he was a bit unlucky, and it was the first of 13 consecutive seasons where Lyons had an above average FIP. Bad Cougar teams cost Lyons wins early on in his career, as he was 9-18 despite a 3.88 ERA (103 ERA+) and league low 0.3 HR/9 in just shy of 250 innings pitched. Again, his FIP (3.54, 88) was better then his ERA, and Lyons seemed to breakout despite the nightmare that was the 1929 Cougars Pitching staff. I did a really good look-back of that terrible staff, but it turned into a "wow this Dick Lyons guy was really good" after his 1933 breakout season. Lyons was a useful member of the '31 and '32 staffs that won a pennant and 188 combined games, but he was part of the elite rotation that contained eventual Allen Award winner Tommy Wilcox (21-11, 2.58, 113), Chief's Pitching Coach Max Wilder (15-10, 2.70, 102), and the reigning win leader Dick Leudtke (17-11, 2.87, 89), a group that won 589 FABL games (although if you told me Wilcox's 91 would be the lowest career total of that group in 1933, I'd have called you crazy). Lyons was selected to his first career All Star game, going 17-11 with a personal best 2.83 ERA (127 ERA+) and 1.11 WHIP with a league low 1.3 BB/9. Lyons was worth 5.4 WAR, a personal best he broke the next season (5.5) with a personal low 81 FIP- despite his elevated 4.14 ERA (102 ERA+). We all know 1934 was one of the worst seasons in Cougar history, as after the championship collapse, Tommy Wilcox's elbow exploded and the Cougars won just 78 games. Things got worse for Lyons and the Cougars, had he was hit very hard in our two most recent sub-.500 seasons. In '35 he had a career worst 5.50 ERA (79 ERA+) and 1.70 WHIP before going 8-12 with an again elevated 4.90 ERA and 1.54 WHIP. Part of this wasn't his fault, as his FIP- (93, 89) was above average both seasons, as the double play duo of Bill Ashbaugh and Ollie Page left plenty to be desired. The Cougars were completive again in 1937, and things started to go right for Lyons. He was an impressive 15-5 with a 3.84 ERA (105 ERA+) and 1.23 WHIP with 36 walks and 45 strikeouts in 187.2 innings pitched. He was selected to his second All Star game, but took the next step as a 37-year-old. Lyons led the league in ERA (2.59, 153) and WHIP (1.15) and was named not just an All Star, but the CA's Allen Winner. He allowed just 6 hits in 250 innings pitched, and was worth 5.4 wins above replacement and his 83 FIP- was the best of his career. Despite going just 13-14 the following season, Lyons put together another 5 WAR season and a fourth All-Star selection. His 3.67 ERA (117 ERA+) and 1.27 WHIP were well above average, and he struck out 54 in 257.1 innings pitched. 1940 was his 5th and final All-Star selection in a season where he turned 40. He was a win away from his second 20-win campaign in three years, working to a 3.46 ERA (116 ERA+) and 1.19 WHIP with a league best .243 BABIP. He put together back-to-back above seasons, defying age with excellent starts at 40 and 41. It seemed he'd never stop pitching, and in 1943, Lyons went 11-11 with a 2.65 ERA (123 ERA+) and 1.08 WHIP with a league best 1.5 BB/9. This was a season where he turned 43 in June, and finished with a 3.8 WAR, 89 FIP-, and 30 strikeouts in 203.2 innings pitched. It was his last 200 inning season, but Lyons was above average until 44, as he went 7-10 with a 3.35 ERA (104 ERA+) and 1.24 WHIP in 155.2 innings pitched. This season Lyons didn't throw many innings, just 32.2 in 2 starts and 9 relief outings, but still managed to finish 2-1 with a 3.58 ERA (98 ERA+) and 1.22 WHIP. The 45-year-old beat the Sailors on the 19th of August, and is widely believed to be the oldest pitcher to win a game in FABL history. When him and Mike Taylor pitched this Sunday, they are assumed to be the oldest battery with nearly 85 years of life between the two vets. There's little shot of Lyons entering the Hall of Fame, but he's solidified himself as one of the best Cougars of All Time. He tallied 3,972 innings in 563 career games, going 237-187 with a 3.80 ERA (107 ERA+), 1.35 WHIP, 848 walks, and 970 strikeouts. Lyons has been worth 67.6 wins above replacement, and ranks top 10 in numerous Cougar related pitching categories. He leads all Cougars in starts (532) and checks in at second for wins, WAR, innings, and games, third in rWAR (63.9), fifth in strikeouts, tied for fifth in BB/9 (1.9), tied for sixth in shutouts (16), and ninth in complete games (125). For pitchers that debuted in the human era, he ranks 4th All Time in innings and wins, but the most impressive part of his career was his ability to perform at a high level even in advanced age. Likely Hall of Famer Rabbit Day retired at 40 and wasn't the same pitcher after 35, Charlie Stedman decided to hang up the cleats at 41, and Jim Lonardo (11-7, 3.28, 24) are the three guys ahead of him, and while Lonardo did have a good season at 40, he'll need at least three more good seasons to match Lyons' longevity. In fact, he's lasted so long, that Lyons was the first thing I wrote about in my first post of this dynasty, and while he predated the 1929 Opening Day roster, he pitched long enough for his career to span over 1,000 posts in the thread. It will feel very weird with him not on the roster next season, but he's given me plenty of enjoyment the past three years of real life time. Good bye Dick Lyons, it was fun well it lasted! Looking Ahead Just three games left in the season, as we'll look to hold off the Sailors for third place in the Continental Association. At 80-71, they're a game behind us, but not only is third at stake, but extra lottery balls. Were neck-and-neck with the Stars for two balls again. We end the season in New York, which is their only remaining game. They won 72 games last year and have 70 this season, while we won 85 and are currently at 81. If we beat them and the Saints once, we'll hold the tiebreaker due to place in the standings, as both teams would be -2. Montreal will be tough, but only one win is needed before what could be a duel between Pete Papenfus (3-3, 3.43, 51) and Allen hopeful Eli Panneton (19-13, 2.96, 110). In Montreal, however, we're stuck facing Pat Weakly (13-9, 3.16, 131), who just threw 9 excellent innings in Chicago with 9 hits, a run, 4 walks, and 3 strikeouts. Losing to him won't kill us, as game two will likely be against Ben Watkins (12-10, 4.08, 57), their #5 starter. Montreal is a lock for three balls, so they may rest some starters, with guys like Art McMahon (.294, 6, 43, 13), Vic Crawford (.320, 14, 95), Bill Greene (.276, 18, 94, 17), Jake Hughes (.311, 5, 63, 33), and Gordie Perkins (.291, 4, 49) all candidates for a day off. Of course, they could be like me and want to win no matter what, and I don't like our chances against their regular eight. With the weekend coming up, I have plenty to write about, as we wait until what could be the most hectic offseason. We'll get a full minor league report and a no-trade team, but I've also been working on a three part piece on our top 30 prospects after the 1935 season. I'll release that during the playoffs, before kicking things back up with our annual top prospect list and a potential roster preview for how the Cougars will look post-war. As always, there's the chance of trades, especially as we look like we're going to be a mess financially. The offseason may be long, but I have plenty of ideas I can't wait to get on paper.

02-03-2023, 07:28 PM	#1006
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,000	Week 24: September 24th-September 30th Weekly Record: 1-2 Seasonal Record: 82-72 (3rd, 13 GB) Stars of the Week Harry Mead : 12 AB, 7 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .583 AVG, 1.476 OPS Don Lee : 12 AB, 4 H, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .333 AVG, 1.095 OPS Skipper Schneider : 11 AB, 4 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, .364 AVG, 1.007 OPS Schedule 9-25: Win at Saints (8-4) 9-26: Loss at Saints (2-3): 12 innings 9-30: Loss at Stars (3-5) Recap Well, at least it's over! We didn't get the extra lottery balls as we lost to the Stars, but we managed to hang onto third for the seventh consecutive season. The biggest news was Skipper Schneider, who nearly accumulated 11 WAR in the best season of his career. He missed out on keeping up his crazy streak of consistency, as he tripled off Eli Panneton with two outs in the ninth inning of game 154. That was his 5th triple, a career high after tripling four times in each of his first five seasons. The CA War Lord finished with an excellent .299/.357/.402 (118 OPS+) with 34 doubles, 6 homers, 11 steals, 66 RBIs, and 82 runs with more then twice as many walks (57) as strikeouts (22). It's hard to believe that he's just 24 years old, and has already played 858 FABL games while accumulating 39.9 wins above replacement. Is Skipper worthy of a Whitney? I'd say not, but he currently ranks as the 3rd best player in the FABL behind Bobby Barrell (.331, 39, 126, 6) and Charlie Artuso (.283, 9, 71, 10). He was definitely our MVP, but he didn't really have a high bar to surpass. Another option would be rookie center fielder Don Lee, who hit .275/.374/.429 (130 OPS+) with 29 doubles, 9 triples, 10 homers, 63 RBIs, and 25 walks with an elite 81-to-33 walk-to-strikeout ratio. Lee isn't the defender Skipper is, but in 99 games out in center he had a slightly below average .993 efficiency and accumulated 5.1 WAR in 140 games. Lee was one of ore more consistent performers, but vets Cliff Moss and Dick Walker offered plenty at the plate. Moss missed some time this year, appearing in just 115 games, but the now 39-year-old hit .300/.370/.465 (139 OPS+) with 12 doubles, 4 triples, 16 homers, and 71 RBIs. With Lee's emergence and all the troops coming home, it may be tough for him to crack the 100 game mark next season, especially as his defensive abilities are almost completely gone. Dick Walker isn't likely to surpass his 147 games this season either, as Ray Ford's return will take some starts away from him. Walker's 108 walks were the best in the CA, and he slashed .243/.365/.380 (114 OPS+) while worth 4.5 wins above replacement. He produced a well above average 125 WRC+ and tallied 94 runs, 18 doubles, 7 triples, 15 homers, 49 RBIs, and 27 steals. 39 in September, Walker still has some good seasons left in him, but he's getting close to the age where skill are almost destined to decline. Lucky for him, his keen eye shouldn't go away, but I'm not sure how many more 20 steal seasons Walker has got in him. What held us back this season was the lack of a supporting cast, and Harry Mead was back to his below average seasons following an excellent one. His batting line dropped from .324/.377/.471 (143 OPS+) to .249/.324/.330 (88 OPS+), and he hit just 18 doubles, 4 triples, and 4 homers with 47 runs, 50 RBIs, and 49 walks. His WAR dropped a full 3 points while his extra base hits cut in half. He wasn't the only guy to underperform, with Rich Langton (.267, 3, 57, 13), Ken Mayhugh (.242, 5, 55), Jimmie James (.275, 8), Orlin Yates (.190, 3, 21, 3), Steve Jones (.138, 6), and Tip Harrison (.190, 1, 9, 3) all failing to meet expectations. Later in the season Ollie Page (.284, 4, 25, 3) emerged as a legit starting bat while deadline pickups Rabbit Mudd (.268, 2, 16) and Ray Struble (.228, 11, 66, 13) ended the season well. Of this large group, just Harry Mead is likely to see much playing time next season, which bodes really well for our chances next year. Ray Ford, Clark Car, Billy Hunter, Hank Barnett, Leo Mitchell, Carlos Montes, and Fred Vargas all return to the mix, and the only member in that group who hasn't produced a 125 WRC+ or better in an 100+ game sample is Vargas, but in 65 FABL games he has an excellent 148 WRC+. Each hitter has a career WRC+ above 100, and Car is the only one below 110. There will be plenty of firepower next season at full strength, and I am very excited to see what we can cook up. The pitching will get a big boost, but we had a near 20-game winner in Billy Riley, and the reliable Harry Parker who finished top three in ERA (3rd, 2.77), strikeouts (3rd, 130), K/BB (3rd, 2.2), WHIP (2nd, 1.13), rWAR (3rd, 7.3), and quality starts (1st, 27). Parker was the better of the two, finishing an impressive 15-9 in a league high 36 starts, but Riley's 6 shutouts paced the league. His 3.21 ERA (109 ERA+) and 1.15 WHIP were a bit higher, and he struck out (120) just a few less hitters, but they were a very impressive 1-2 punch that will fill out the latter half of our rotation next season. Our rotation is going to be very crowded, with plenty of capable arms who can make starts. That means Rusty Petrick is likely ticketed for the pen despite a really good season. The 29-year-old righty made 41 appearances (22 starts), going 16-12 with 3 saves, a 3.18 ERA (110 ERA+), 1.38 WHIP, 121 walks, and 104 strikeouts in 220.2 innings pitched. Beyond Riley, Parker, Petrick, and the traded Art White, there weren't many other innings soaked up by the staff. The majority came from George Oddo, who was really impressive in his first 17 big league starts. The 22-year-old was an even 7-7 with a 3.02 ERA (116 ERA+) and 1.17 WHIP. Oddo struck out 71 and walked 51, but the one concern for the former 8th Rounder was the homers. He allowed 13 in 131.1 innings pitched, and ranked third on the staff behind just the extreme flyballers Parker (18) and Riley (17), although there's came in double the innings. Oddo is definitely big league ready, as is fellow youngster Mike Thorpe (1-4, 2, 4.26, 10), but both will be better suited making regular starts in Milwaukee. Thorpe could be a potential trade piece for a team in need of big league pitching now, but I can't imagine any situation where Oddo leaves our system before Opening Day. The pen will look plenty different, as Ben Curtin (0-7, 18, 4.13, 17) and Merritt Thomas (5-2, 1, 2.68, 18) might decide to retire, and if they don't I'll probably cut them to save payroll space. Then there is the last remaining pen member, Ken Matson (3-2, 2, 3.56, 46), who's option may work against him. We usually roll with a nine man staff, and six spots are already reserved for Pap, Parker, Riley, Joe Brown, and the Jones Brothers, and a seventh likely going to Rusty Petrick. The wild card is Duke Bybee (0-2, 6.52, 16), who may be better then everyone other then Pap and Donnie Jones, but he was hit hard in his first three starts and just could not find the zone (7.4 BB/9). We're in an enviable position, with more FABL quality starters then staff spots, and I'm really not sure I want to move any of them. We've played second fiddle for long enough, and it's about time the Cougars find themselves back on top once again. Attached Images

02-03-2023, 09:55 PM	#1007
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,000	1945 No Trade Team Catchers Solly Skidmore (CHI): 116 WRC+, HR, 8 RBI, 0.5 WAR Harry Mead (CHC): 94 OPS+, 4 HR, 50 RBI, SB, 2.6 WAR Ben Richardson (MON): 76 WRC+, 4 HR, 34 RBI, 2 SB, 1.3 WAR Infielders* Arnie Scurlock (WAS): 54 WRC+, 7 RBI, -0.2 WAR Billy Hunter (CHC): DNP - Military Service Tommy Wilson (STL): 89 WRC+, 3 HR, 44 RBI, 7 SB, 2.4 WAR Ducky Jordan (CHI): DNP - Military Service Hal Wood (TOR): DNP - Military Service Skipper Schneider (CHC): 119 WRC+, 6 HR, 66 RBI, 11 SB, 10.9 WAR Eddie Curtis (NYG): 80 WRC+, HR, 24 RBI, 4 SB, 0.5 WAR Jimmie James (CHC): 75 WRC+, 8 RBI, 0.2 WAR Ed Reyes (PHS): 143 WRC+, 7 HR, 73 RBI, SB, 3.1 WAR Elmer Hutchins (CHI): 152 WRC+, 7 HR, 55 RBI, 2.6 WAR Outfielders* Leo Mitchell (CHC): DNP - Military Service Reginald Westfall (TOR): DNP - Military Service Bunny Hufford (NYG): 120 WRC+, 5 HR, 45 RBI, 9 SB, 2.6 WAR Rich Langton (CHC): 100 WRC+, 3 HR, 57 RBI, 13 SB, 1.6 WAR Chink Stickels (NYS): 111 WRC+, 8 HR, 70 RBI, 16 SB, 5.6 WAR Carlos Montes (CHC): DNP - Military Service Don Lee (CHC): 138 WRC+, 10 HR, 63 RBI, 25 SB, 5.1 WAR Chick Browning (CHC): 114 WRC+, 3 HR, 22 RBI, 0.6 WAR Pitchers Danny Hern (STL): 14-17, 108 ERA+, 128 K, 6.1 WAR Dean Astle (BOS): 12-7, 120 ERA+, 59 K, 4.2 WAR Tom Barrell (CIN): 16-5, 110 ERA+, 53 K, 2.7 WAR Mike Murphy (DET): 1-6, SV, 67 ERA+, 4 K, 0.2 WAR Pete Papenfus (CHC): 3-4, 105 ERA+, 59 K, 1.4 WAR Harry Parker (CHC): 15-9, 127 ERA+, 130 K, 5.3 WAR Dick Lyons (CHC): 2-1, 98 ERA+, 3 K, 0.3 WAR Sam Hodge (NYG): 1-3, 3 SV, 116 ERA+, 14 K, 0.5 WAR Ben Curtin (CHC): 0-7, 18 SV, 85 ERA+, 17 K, -0.6 WAR Totals Hitters: 39.4 Pitchers: 20.1 Total: 59.5 Approximate Wins: 97 Notable Prospects/Picks Traded January 1945: Traded Danny Goff Jr. and Jim Dickinson to the Gothams for a 2nd Round Pick This Cougars team would have topped the Cannons by a mere two games, as we get to keep our most valuable hitter and pitcher and upgrade at almost every other spot. Last edited by ayaghmour2; 04-21-2023 at 11:57 AM.

02-04-2023, 05:43 PM	#1008
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,000	Minor League Report The World Series has already kicked off, and the Keystones are shockingly up two games to none, quickly disproving my expected "Cannons in 5" prediction. Game one was quick and easy, as George Brooks (18-5, 3, 2.07, 130) outdueled Rufus Barrell (18-5, 2.41, 111) in a 4-1 win in Philly. Game two was crazy, as while there was plenty of scoring early, the 2-2 score after 3 remained through nine. This forced extras, and in the bottom of the 11th with two outs and Red Hampton (11-13, 2.98, 60) still on the mound, pinch hitter Bobby McHenry (.218, 5, 1), dubbed the Keystones "24th Man" tripled to right-center, putting the winning run just 90 feet away. This brough up leadoff man Hank McKay (.258, 4, 36, 26), who lined what probably would have been an extra base hit over Denny Andrews (.258, 14, 55) to send the hometown fans home happy. We know all too well how useless 2-0 leads are, blowing them to both the Keystones and Minutemen, so it's far too early to count the Cannons out. AAA Milwaukee Blues (Century League): 88-52, 1st, 8 GA: While most teams ran out of younger players to stack their system, and preferred using veteran castoffs, we were in the opposite situation. Instead of having guys playing lower then they should, we pushed up plenty of prospects, so it really is no surprise that the Blues were our only team to win a pennant, and one of just two to finish above .500. While most AAA teams were filled with journeymen and vets, the Blues secured their third straight pennant with plenty of young talent. The rotation was led by youngsters, all of which were big league ready, starting with one of our two fourth rounders from last season that started the year in Milwaukee, and finished in Chicago. Mike Thorpe was elite, going 12-1 with a 2.76 ERA (130 ERA+), 1.20 WHIP, 43 walks, and 32 strikeouts in 20 starts pre-promotion. After he left, Joe Swank, took the lead, and was 17-10 with a 2.74 ERA (131 ERA+), 1.10 WHIP, 49 walks, and 128 strikeouts in just shy of 250 innings. Bill Tuttle (9-10, 3.38, 82) provided plenty of quality starts, while Angel Lopez (6-5, 2.43, 49) was much better with the Blues then he was with the Cougars. Charlie Kelsey (12-10, 22, 2.31, 84) was lockdown both as a starter and stopper, and Rube Finegan (8-6, 14, 2.85, 47) was excellent in the late innings as well. Despite not hitting many homers, the offense was very good too, led by guys who finished the season in Chicago like Bill Rich (.281, 5, 44) and George Sutterfield (.296, 3, 43, 5). The real start of the lineup, however, may have been catcher Homer Guthrie, who has positioned himself to be our back catcher once Mike Taylor is ready to call it quits. The former 7th Rounder hit an impressive .275/.390/.351 (111 OPS+) with 21 doubles, 2 triples, 3 homers, and 62 RBIs with almost twice as many walks (80) as strikeouts (43), leading to an excellent 123 WRC+ and 4.9 WAR in 131 games. 22nd Rounder Norm Anderson (.282, 4, 53) recently turned 23 and is starting to look big league ready, same with Danny Richardson (.254, 5, 48) prior to a concussion ending his season and costing him a potential September callup. With so many talented players like Thorpe, Sutterfield, Rich, George Oddo (4-0, 1.42, 26), and at least some of Ken Matson, Jimmie James, and Duke Bybee, plus whichever guys we waive that accept minor league assignment, the Blues are the favorite for a fourth consecutive title. AA Mobile Commodores (Dixie League): 75-65, 3rd, 3.5 GB: The other team to finish above .500, the Commodores were once again 3.5 games out of first, despite winning almost ten fewer games then the previous season. Despite finishing three games behind New Orleans, and the eventual tie-breaking winner Nashville, the Commodores had another productive season. The lineup was strong, led by Bob Griffen (.319, 4, 74, 11) in what may be last season as a regular in the lineup, and Dan Collins (.327, 3, 44, 3) when he wasn't up with the Blues. Joe Dackett (.286, 4, 37, 2) hit very well pre-promotion, and Griffen had plenty of support from Dick Hamilton (.286, 5, 65, 12), Bob Harris (.293, 5, 50, 9), Israel Holmes (.271, 5, 63, 4), and Alex Horning (.264, 5, 67, 11). The best part for the position players was the defense they provided, which really helped the Commodores pitching staff. Ace Bill Ballantine didn't get the run support he deserved, going just 11-10 in 23 starts, but he had a great 3.31 ERA (121 ERA+), 1.33 WHIP, 73 walks, and 81 strikeouts. Stan Flanders (12-11, 3.04, 48) and Jimmy Ballard (15-12, 3.83, 106) were very reliable in what could be there last season as full time starters, but I was really surprised to see Harry MacRae (12-12, 4.03, 60) struggle so much. The Commodores were a very well rounded team this season, and I expect they'll be poised to win their fourth title since 1941. A Lincoln Legislators (Heartland League): 50-82, 7th, 32 GB: Sure the Legislators haven't won a title since 1938, but each season since then they've finished second or third. That couldn't have been further from what happened this season, as they lost more then 80 games for the first time since 1922. The last time they finished below .500 was 1934, so the poor performance was much different then fans at Lincoln Park are used to seeing. They didn't do much scoring or run prevention, and really struggled July on with all the promotions. They did get to enjoy 3rd Overall Pick Johnny Peters, who hit .275/.383/.415 (114 OPS+) and produced a 124 WRC+ in 75 games. He added 23 doubles, 4 triples, 2 homers, 7 steals, and 36 RBIs, but he didn't hit for much power and his defense in center was subpar. Bob Harris (.349, 7, 34) was one of the only other productive hitters, but he spent 81 of his 139 games this year in Mobile. Al Hurd (.258, 4, 66), Johnny Carlisle (.283, 3, 32, 11), and Don Jeppsen (.310, 3, 42, 5) performed well, but it was nothing to write home about. Al Clement (.252, 2, 32, 9), Everett Fuller (.253, 1, 20), and Alex Snyder (.242, 2, 38, 33) really struggled in A ball, but both Clement and Fuller were much more productive in San Jose. What will bode well for Lincoln, is a lot of the prospects who finished in Mobile will return, and the offense should be much better. Same for the pitching, and they only really got good starts from Howie Sharp (6-11, 4.00, 71) and Bill Holloway (11-14, 4.52, 124), and Holloway's success was more his strikeouts, and less his run prevention. Former 5th Rounder Lefty Jones (4-12, 5.62, 43) had an awful 23 start stretch and Tommy Seymour (1-7, 7.93, 22) was terrible in his 10. A lot of the guys who started at the end of the season will likely head down to San Jose, but that means some of their better starters who left will make their return. That includes Bob Petty, who was 7-2 with a 2.25 ERA (184 ERA+) and 1.19 WHIP with 70 strikeouts in 108 innings pitched. I'm not sure they'll return to a .500 team, but we have too many talented youngsters in need of roster spots for the Legislators to have as poor of a season this year in the next few seasons. B San Jose Cougars (California-Oregon-Washington League): 53-67, t-7th, 22 GB: After failing to win 70 games for the first time in a decade last season, the Cougars had their first sub .500 finish that 1934 season, and finished last (well, tied for it), for the first time since the inaugural C-O-W season in 1926. They didn't hit or pitch much, but San Jose natives did get to witness an elite performance from Billy Biggar. The 1942 10th Rounder from Canada hit an astronomical .359/.413/.518 (171 OPS+) with 32 doubles, 11 homers, and 64 RBIs in 106 appearances. Don Jeppsen (.355, 8, 31, 8) had an absurd 188 WRC+, but that came in an absurd 46 game sample where he demolished almost everything. The closest thing they had to average past those two was Larry Day (.195, 9, 38), who's .321 OBP was higher then his .316 slugging, and had a 92 WRC+ despite a sub .200 average. The lineup rotated plenty, with many guys going up and down from La Crosse, struggling sometimes in both levels. The pitching wasn't great either, but Tommy Seymour (4-8, 3.29, 69), Babe Stinson (5-4, 3.33, 65), and Max Tanner (4-9, 3.36, 47) pitched well while in San Jose and Dick Garcia (11-5, 3.82, 95) managed to win most of his starts. The star of the staff was this year's 6th Rounder Jim Smith, as Noodles finished 4-5 with a nice 2.45 ERA (142 ERA+) and 1.10 WHIP to go with 75 strikeouts and 31 walks in 13 starts. There was very little to be excited about, but Cougar fans in San Jose next year will likely see Seymour, Al Clement (.329, 7, 21, 18), and Johnny Carlisle (.283, 3, 32, 11) return, while the holdouts will all be a year older. With class C transitioning to a short season league, we may see a lot of different players go up and down to start the season, with a more stable roster finalized after the midseason draft. C La Crosse Lions (Upper Mississippi Valley Association): 35-49, t-6th, 15 GB: The last of our five minor league teams finished in a three way tie for last in the first season of short season ball. Nearly every Lion who took the field was a teenager, so I can't really be surprised with the results. While nearly every hitter finished with a below average WRC+ and/or OPS+, the bright spot on the team was now 19-year-old Al Robison's 15 starts. He went 6-4 with a beautiful 1.82 ERA (167 ERA+) and 1.09 WHIP with 36 walks and 67 strikeouts in 103.2 impressive innings. Dutch Yoak (4-7, 2.98, 53) didn't quite dominate how he did in high school, but the 18-year-old more then held his own against players four plus years older then him. Fellow 2nd Rounder Carl Clark (.263, 25, 6) held his own, as did third rounder Pat Todd (.240, 2, 26), but our teens were overmatched all season long. The only qualified hitter with a WRC+ above 100 was Bill Cook (.243, 17), but he didn't hit a single homer and played really poor defense at second. Our draft class was very heavily high school skewed, and I expect Yoak, Clark, Todd, Cal Rice (.243, 1, 15), Rupert Heinbaugh (.230, 2, 13, 4), Alex O'Dailey (.250, 2, 30), Jim Mako (.223, 1, 13, 4), Jim Williams (3-4, 3.88, 38), and Wally Eversole (2-5, 3.61, 31) to look much better next season. One to watch may be stopper Ray Warren (5-4, 6, 2.91, 29), our 9th Round Pick who stopped most of the season, and could be in line for starts next season. There is plenty of talent on the La Crosse roster, the issue is just that they're all very young, and have a lot of development ahead of them.

02-05-2023, 09:29 PM	#1009
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,000	A Look Back at the Cougars 1935 Top Prospects: Part 1 The Cannons were on the brink of elimination, surprisingly down 3-0, as the offense couldn't get anything going. Down, but not out, they won a crazy double play filled extra inning game to at least avoid the sweep. They then took it another step, as the bats came to play in game five, beating down the visitors 8-4 to force a return to the City of Brotherly Love. Game six might happen tonight, but even if we declare a winner, it may be a bit before the offseason starts. Our commish is going to be on vacation, so we may be on hiatus all of next week. That could leave plenty of time for trading, but it will be a very long week. To help a bit, I've broken up my project into six parts. To be fair, if it was just three, each post would be very long, as for some prospects I did a ton of writing, and I wanted to copy in the original writings. The next six posts (unless a major trade interrupts) will take a look at something I wrote about a year and a half ago, covering our top 30 prospects from the 1935 season. 1935 was a far different time then now, although one thing is the same, the Chicago Cougars had five championships. That fifth came four years prior, which started what some thought would be a run of success. The Cougars then won 97 games in each of the next two seasons, but fell two short to a John Lawson led Stars team for the '32 pennant. That season had plenty of heartbreak, as deadline acquisition Tommy Wilcox was awful while Tom Barrell was dominating for the Kings. Wilcox proved it was a fluke, and helped lead the Cougars to a commanding pennant in '33. Up 2-0 in against the Keystones, things looked great, but that's when it all started to fall apart. Head Sports Writer at The Figment Sporting Journal published an article titled "Cougars Maul Opponents on the Field and the Trade Table" which had quotes such as the Cougars "are on the verge on winning their second World Championship Series in 3 years" and when talking about the Wilcox-Barrell trade "the Kings will quite possibly look back at this day as a franchise altering moment that cost them the opportunity to win several pennants - pennants that it appears will reside in Chicago quite regularly over the next few years." Of course, we all know what happened, and the Cougars blew their commanding league going into the Windy City, and the championships never came to town. After this devastation, the Cougars fell apart, sitting below .500 in July and double digits games out of first. As if that wasn't bad enough, the Iron Man Tommy Wilcox, who never missed a start, ruptured his UCL after manager Dick Pozza overworked the reigning Allen Winner. At the time of the injury, Wilcox held a 2.93 ERA (144 ERA+) and 1.19 WHIP in 153.2 innings pitched. The Cougars managed to finish the season above .500, but for the first time in a while their was an air of concern in Chicago. This was the season it really hurt, but it started full with optimism. Wilcox was recovering well, and in May I even thought "he's going to be okay!" after receiving a scouting report on him. Unfortunately, the team was struggling and so was Tommy, and he dealt with four injuries from June on. Wilcox finished the season with an ERA near 5, and the depleted Cougars roster ended up as a seller in July. Tom Taylor, Lou Kelly, and John Kincaid. The Cougars finished the season below .500 for the first time since 1929, and Cougars fans were already getting anxious. Even though things looked bleak at the time, there was a ton of talent just waiting for a chance. The system was filled with talent, producing multiple starters for us while others were used to bring in top quality talent, and ten years later eight of the players are still in the organization. Below are the totals from this talent filled class: FABL Totals Big League Debuts: 27 Parts of 5 Seasons: 22 Parts of 9 Seasons: 7 All-Star Appearances: 17 4 WAR Seasons: 25 Total WAR: 302 Hitters 500 Games: 11 1,000 Games: 4 500 PA Seasons: 45 1,000 Career PAs: 12 2,500 Career PAs: 9 5,000 Career PAs: 3 Pitchers 100 Inning Seasons: 28 250 Inning Seasons: 6 500 Career Innings: 5 1,000 Career Innings: 3 1,500 Career Innings: 2 10 Win Seasons: 17 20 Win Seasons: 2 50 Career Wins: 2 100 Career Wins: 1 What really stands out is the total WAR. 302! That means in the past 10 seasons, each member of our top 30 was worth 1 WAR each season for the past ten years. That's a crazy amount of value from a team's top prospects, and sure some of these guys fizzled out, there are plenty that have multiple seasons of productivity left, especially the top five on that list. Let's see how many of them I projected relatively well: 2B Ray Ford (8th Overall) Acquired: Via Trade with Chicago (7-16-1934) Drafted: 14th Round, 217th Overall (1932) Alma Mater: Coastal Carolina Dolphins "He may have dropped a few spots in the rankings, but that doesn't mean I like Ford any less. In fact, I actually like him more now then before. Now that I know that he could potentially play left field, it gives me a few more options to use the 24-year-old. He's not Rule-5 eligible yet, but that won't stop him from trying to earn an Opening Day roster spot. He'll be getting reps at second and will compete against Bill Ashbaugh, as with Doc Love still in Chicago left field isn't open. Ford even started the season in A ball, but spent about half the season in AAA. It was the "worst" showing for him, hitting just .365/.458/.582 (151 OPS+) with 12 homers and 63 RBI's in one plate appearance shy of 300. Ford has always shown the ability to hit well, but defense will always be a struggled for him. He was passable in 62 AAA games in left, but I tried to play him at third in Mobile and it did not work at all. He's been awful at second too, but he's got the potential to be one of the games best hitters. The sky is truly the limit for Ford, and I'm really hoping he plays well enough to spend his entire 1936 in Chicago." That darn war... The sky really was the limit for Ray Ford, who was one of the most consistent and talented hitters in the Continental Association. Debuting in 1946, Ford seized the starting first base job, and hit .319/.371/.430 (112 OPS+) with 38 doubles, 7 triples, 5 homers, and 87 RBIs. The power came later, as the only subsequent season he didn't reach double digit homers was 1941, where injuries held him to a then career low 441 PAs. Before enlisting into the Air Force, Ford was on a string of seven consecutive seasons with an OPS+ and WRC+ above 100, including five seasons with a 125 or better WRC+. Now 34, Ford played 927 games in his aged 24 to 30 seasons, slashing a robust .305/.361/.449 (123 OPS+) with 202 doubles, 84 homers, and 528 RBIs. Considering all it costed was Johnny Cox, any big league production from Ford would have been a win, but how many hitters have 300 or more strikeouts with less then 100 walks? There's 5! Bonus point if you can guess the current Cougar who also shares that distinction? 1B Leo Mitchell (12th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 28th Overall (1931) Alma Mater: Atlanta HS Peaches "He's a big leaguer now! He started the season in AAA and hit an impressive .348/.423/.524 (129 OPS+) batting line with 11 homers and 70 RBI's in 407 trips to the plate. I decided that it would be time for the 22-year-old to start his Cougar career, and he managed a slightly above league average .316/.376/.399 (101 OPS+) line with 4 homers and 18 RBI's in 250 trips to the plate. Mitchell was extremely adept with the glove too, tallying an impressive +4.4 zone rating and 1.085 efficiency at first. Unless something crazy happens, we'll see Mitchell manning first base most of 1936. He's got significant contact potential and leadership well beyond his years. He currently ranks as the 15th best first basemen in the league, but I wouldn't be surprised if that jumps up to top 5 by this time next year. " I'm not sure if Mitchell ever reached top 5 first basemen status, but there were times he was the #1 left fielder and still ranks 5th despite not making a single trip to the plate this season. It's crazy to think that Mitchell went from the guy I took because he played high school ball with Harry Barrell to my favorite position player on the team. Mitchell was already a big leaguer at this time, but didn't become a fulltime starter until the 1937 season. It was a huge breakout for Mitchell, who split time between first (60), left (20), and right (35), hitting .327/.393/.429 (130 OPS+) with 20 doubles, 2 triples, 6 homers, 5 steals, and 41 RBIs. Mitchell didn't become an every day Left Fielder until his first All-Star appearance in 1939, and he finished with an outstanding .352/.397/.466 (130 OPS+) line with 39 doubles, 10 homers, and 86 RBIs. From then on out, he's pretty much played every game out in left, never missing more then a week of gametime. Robbed of the Whitney Award last season, Mitchell has been selected to 5-All Star games and won back-to-back batting titles. The most consistent hitter in baseball, Mitchell put up an OPS+ of either 130, 131, 132, or 135 in each season from 1937 to 1943. Mitchell has never hit below .310/.350/.395 since debuting in 1935, and the 32-year-old outfielder owns a .336/.380/.445 (132 OPS+) batting line in 1,261 career games as a Cougar. Strikeouts have always been a semi-issue for Mitchell, who surpassed 100 three times and has been set down exactly 800 times in his career. He's tallied 226 doubles, 95 homers, and 632 RBIs, and his name is all over the Cougar record books. Of course, no Cougar has struck out more then Mitchell, but he also ranks top 10 in average (4th), OBP (6th), slugging (10), OPS (9th, .826), games (10th), at-bats (7th, 4,910), runs (7th, 754), hits (4th, 1,650), total bases (6th, 2,187), singles (4th, 1,316), doubles (9th), and homers (5th). The Cougars consistently have top three offenses with him, and the first season without him we're not even top half. I can't wait for him to come home, as he continues to move up in our team bests. SS Billy Hunter (13th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 14th Overall (1932) Alma Mater: Cincinnati HS Tigers "Sure Ford and Mitchell are ranked higher, but Billy Hunter is the one I'm much more excited for. He turns 21 in November, but Hunter was very effective with Lincoln this year. He hit .323/.388/.501 (112 OPS+) with 11 homers, 9 steals, and 79 RBI's in 526 plate appearances. My scout thinks he's going to be a great defensive shortstop, and he did look good there this season. He did get some reps at second, but that's just because teammate Freddie Bennett is an extremely gifted shortstop. Hunter has a higher upside then even Ollie Page, but he's still got a long way to go. He's got strong footspeed, makes consistent contact, and has shown decent power. I'm expecting him to start next season in AA, but I imagine Hunter is still a year or two away from his debut. I have no need to rush him with Page at short and Ford lined up for second, but eventually I imagine Page and Hunter forming a really strong double play combo." If only he could stay healthy... I was right about a few things, Hunter needed a bit more time, his upside is far higher then Ollie Page, and they did for a strong double play duo. Since debuting in 1937, Hunter appeared in 130 games just twice, with less then 60 in five of the other six. When healthy he's great, with an above average OPS+ and WRC+ in each season, and while his defense at short wasn't great, he's well above average at second. The bat more then makes up for it, as he hit .298/.356/.430 (126 OPS+) before being drafted into the Army. His .300/.354/.432 (120 OPS+) career line is similar, and Hunter has hit 135 doubles, 42 triples, 28 homers, and 291 RBIs while walking (201) far more often then he strikes out (70). Hunter will be 31 when he returns, but he's one of the games best middle infielders and he ranked in the top 20 for parts of this season and last. Him, Clark Car, and Hank Barnett will all be vying for playing time. There's plenty of at bats to go around, as he'll need days off to stay healthy, and Barnett will be 36 on Opening Day. RF Rich Langton (33rd Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 3rd Round, 46th Overall (1932) Alma Mater: Detroit City College Knights "It feels weird still calling him a prospect, but Langton has less then 75 days of major league service. In his 70 days, he hit an outstanding .344/.384/.576 (146 OPS+) with 11 homers and 45 RBI's and he gave the league a glimpse of the future star power in Chicago. He was working out in right with Love still in left, but I do think Langton will be excellent in whichever corner he ends up. Still, the real appeal is the hit, and even though he's just 5'9'', this kid has elite contact tools and well above average power. In Chicago, he could potentially hit 30 homers a season and he's got the speed to swipe 20 bases as well. With him, Mitchell, and Love in the middle of the order next year, I'm expecting a lot of homers and a lot of runs scored." Ha! 30 homers... Another guy with injury problems, Langton topped out with 14 homers, but he was a doubles machine, hitting 40 of them in his 1939 season. I was hoping Langton would be a huge part of our offense this season, but the now 34-year-old hit just .267/.333/.346 (95 OPS+) with 21 doubles, 5 triples, 3 homers, 57 RBIs, and 13 steals. Langton owns a career 119 WRC+ and has never had a season with less then 90, and his 100 this season was the 9th average or better WRC+ in his ten FABL seasons. He generally puts the ball in play with regularity and will walk far more then he'll strike out. In 1,209 career games, Langton has hit 211 doubles, 83 triples, and 76 homers with 376 walks and 583 RBIs. The former 3rd Rounder has been a fixture on our roster, but he could be approaching the end of his career. He's not in danger of losing a roster spot, but it will be tougher for him to get at bats. He's behind Mitchell, Lee, Moss, and Montes, and I think Fred Vargas will replace Cliff Moss once he's ready to call it quits. Langton was defintley a productive big leaguer, but I thought things would have turned out a bit differently for him. C Harry Mead (38th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 58th Overall (1932) Alma Mater: Memphis HS Pharaohs "It's looking more and more likely that the Chicago Cougars will have a lefty catcher! It's probably a few years out, but the Harvey, Illinois native has really started to blossom into an excellent catcher behind the plate and he's held his own at the plate. In likely his only season in San Jose, Mead hit .280/.348/.394 (97 OPS+) with 6 homers and 74 RBI's in 541 trips to the plate. He should eventually hit for a high average, but his eye has really started to develop well. He walked five more times (49) then he struck out (54) and this trend should continue as he gets older. Mike Taylor seems to have fallen off a cliff, so there may be a little rush to get Mead up, but for now I plan on him spending the season in Lincoln." Mead debuted two seasons later, but didn't really get significant time until the following season. It did not go well, as the lefty catcher hit just .204/.273/.250 (48 OPS+) in 67 games. That was a low for the 23-year-old, who's never hit that poorly again. He alternated between seasons with a WRC+ in the 90d and seasons with one above 115. A 2-Time All Star, Mead has produced a pair of 5+ WAR seasons with a WRC+ above 140. This season didn't go so well, as his 94 WRC+ was 50 points lower then last season. Even when he doesn't hit much, Mead has always been an outstanding catcher. He's been a gift for the pitching staff, and Mead owns an impressive .268/.339/.383 (107 OPS+) career line with 177 doubles, 44 homers, and 397 RBIs. A consistent top five catcher, his bat comes and goes, but the rare lefty throw ing catcher has lived up to his high prospect ranking. Last edited by ayaghmour2; 02-06-2023 at 07:18 PM. Reason: Link to quoted post: https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/showpost.php?p=4755540&postcount=385

02-06-2023, 07:13 PM	#1010
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,000	A Look Back at the Cougars 1935 Prospects: Part 2 RHP Cy Sullivan (44th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 60th Overall (1932) Alma Mater: Austin HS Senators "Two picks after Harry Mead I took the gamble on the 6'6'' righty Cy Sullivan. He was stuck with no shortstop his senior year, and actually started most of his teams games there. Sullivan struggled a little in Lincoln this season, but was excellent in 7 La Crosse starts and 14 San Jose starts. He was 5-1 with a 3.98 ERA (136 ERA+) with a 1.14 WHIP, 12 walks, and 21 strikeouts in 54.1 innings with the Lions. With the Cougars he was 5-6 with a 2.74 ERA (165 ERA+), 1.14 WHIP, 29 walks, and 39 strikeouts. I've loved watching Sullivan develop, as he now sits 87-89 with his fastball and his slider has really turned into a strong pitch. He does an excellent job keeping the ball on the ground and he effortlessly paints the corners. He's still young, just 21, but Sullivan should anchor our rotation for a long time." Can you believe there was a time when pitchers didn't front our prospect lists? This season the top five were hitters, and since we drafted Peter the Heater following season, our #1 prospect has been a pitcher. With Duke Bybee likely to graduate during the 1946 season, that stretch may end next offseason, but Sullivan still ranked in the top 50 and had a ton of upside. He never anchored our rotation, but the tall and cranky right did make 35 starts for us during the '38 and '39 season. His rookie season wasn't bad, going 5-7 with a 4.21 ERA (94 ERA+) and 1.47 WHIP with 37 walks and 27 strikeouts. He had a much better record (13-5) as a sophomore, but his ERA jumped to 5.00 (86 ERA+) and he walked 51 in 162 innings with a 1.56 WHIP.. During the 39 offseason, Sullivan was moved with Tony Mullis and a 4th Round pick in the ill-fated Leon Drake deal. That didn't work out too well for us, as Drake was terrible as a Cougar, and Cy was a decent starter. He got just one out as a 26-year-old, but put up back-to-back 200 inning seasons with the Dynamos. Midway through the 1944 season, he was shipped to the Gothams, where he's started 37 games in a season and a half. Sullivan owns a career 55-77 record with a 4.11 ERA (90 ERA+) and 1.42 WHIP in 198 appearances (138 starts). The 31-year-old led the Fed in losses with 18 this season, but his 103 FIP- was inline with his career mark. Sullivan never lived up to his lofty potential, but there's nothing wrong with a dependable starting pitcher who can eat innings and stay healthy. CF Chink Stickels (45th Overall) Acquired: Via Independent Draft (1935) Drafted: 5th Round, 71st Overall (1932) Alma Mater: George Fox Reds "Acquired from the Class A Denver Plainsman in the independent draft this year, Chink Stickels put together a strong 485 plate appearances with Mobile where he hit .285/.348/.490 (115 OPS+) with 7 homers, 12 steals, and 48 RBI's, he got a callup to AAA. He hit .339/.371/.542 (119 OPS+) in 62 trips to the plate, but it was a short trip. With the injury to Roy Moore I decided to give a shot to Stickels who was already on the 40-man roster. It did not go well, unfortunately, as he hit just .178/.208/.247 (17 OPS+) with 2 steals and 2 triples in 77 trips to the plate. I didn't expect too much, but obviously, I wanted better. Still, I'm a big fan of Stickels and he'll get to compete in camp next Spring for the wide open center field job. He looked really good in the field and has the potential to hit .330 in the big leagues. I love his potential and while I do think he may need a little more seasoning, Stickels is going to outwork anyone and will eventually secure a big league spot." Secure that spot he did! He didn't hit .330, but his .322 in 1938 was close, and Stickels owns a very productive .272/.345/.410 (112 OPS+) line in over 5,000 FABL plate appearances. Stickels was one of the few Cougars on the list who already debuted, but his 17 games this season were the only he spent in the Cougars organization. Stickels was the headliner in a four player package before the 1936 season started that landed Hall of Famer John Lawson. Stickels became the Stars every day center fielder in 1938, and had a breakout 6 WAR season. Stickels posted an elite .322/.388/.526 (155 OPS+) batting line and represented the Stars as a rookie at the All Star Game. He produced an elite 161 WRC+ with 48 doubles, 8 homers, 73 RBIs, 13 steals, and a league high 19 triples. He walked (57) far more then he struck out (24), and he's yet to post a season with 20 or more games and less walks then strikeouts. He spent the next four and a half seasons patrolling center there, ending his Stars career with an impressive .274/.347/.424 (115 OPS+) with 197 doubles, 88 triples, 43 homers, 65 steals, and 420 RBIs. With Bill Barrett off to war, the Stars did a retooling, and I did inquire on Stickels before they shipped him off to the Wolves. He was struggling at the time, hitting just .186/.248/.275 (57 OPS+) with just 7 doubles, 4 triples, a homer, 3 steals, and 18 RBI in 54 games. This scared me away a bit, but he ended up hitting an above average .261/.341/.333 (103 OPS+) for the Wolves the rest oft the way. In his two full seasons with the Wolves, he's put up 5 WAR each time. Stickels put up 5.4 WAR last season for the Wolves, and produced a 111 WRC+ with 28 doubles, 14 triples, 82 homers, 16 steals, and 70 RBIs in 146 games this season. The 34-year-old is still a solid defender out in center, and has been selected to two All-Star games. His 89 WRC+ in the season he was traded was the only time it fell below 100 in a full season. Sure, he helped our rivals win for most of his career, but John Lawson was elite pretty much until the end, and all Stickels cost to acquire was an AI pick Bob Crocker. He's one of the few prospects we've traded that we've had to watch perform well for a rival, and Cougar fans will still have to watch him a few more seasons when the Wolves come to town. RHP Karl Wallace (58th Overall) Acquired: Via Trade with Boston (1934) Drafted: 6th Round, 91st Overall (1932) Alma Mater: Milwaukee HS Maroons "In what could be one of the better trades we've made, I added Johnny Cox and Karl Wallace from the Boston Minutemen. Cox didn't stay long, I sent him to Chicago for Ray Ford, and he's turned into a nice add, but Wallace was the main target. I'm a big fan of the right who consistently sits in the mid 90s with a strong fastball and cutter. The 21-year-old has a nice four pitch arsenal and he controls all his pitches well. He really struggled last season in San Jose, but in his 12 starts this year he was much better. Wallace was 7-4 with a 2.98 ERA (152 ERA+), 1.18 WHIP, 17 walks, and 47 strikeouts before getting a midseason promotion to Lincoln. He handled his own in 12 starts there, going 5-4 with a 4.79 ERA (115 ERA+), 1.47 WHIP, 23 walks, and 34 strikeouts. I'm not sure yet if I'll start him in Mobile or Lincoln, but I know he won't finish back down here. I'm really excited for this kid's future and I think he's going to be a really important piece of our rotation." Originally a 6th Round Pick of the Minutemen, he came to our organization in a very useful trade that also brought Johnny Cox for a grizzled Max Wilder. Wallace never started a game for us, let alone became an important piece, as he was then part of another big trade that brought in Juan Pomales and Del Burns. More trade fun for Wallace, as he spent just half a season in the Dynamos season, but did go 2-1 in 3 starts for them in September. Time for another major trade, as he was part of the three piece package that brought current Cougar Hank Barnett to Detroit in his brief stop in the Dynamos organization. Wallace had an excellent rookie season, going 13-13 with a 3.44 ERA (115 ERA+), 1.35 WHIP, 98 walks, and 88 strikeouts in just under 250 innings pitched. He never really got much of a chance in the Saints organization, but he did have a major sophomore slump. He was even waived prior to the 1942 season, and while I wanted to claim him, the Sailors had higher priority. Wallace was the next of many pitchers the Sailors have had success with, winning 20 games with a sub 3 ERA in 30 impressive starts. Wallace followed that up with a similar campaign, tossing a career high 268 innings with a rather unlucky 15-15 record. That didn't match his career best 2.96 ERA (115 ERA+), 5.0 WAR, and 3.19 FIP (89) with 107 walks, 88 strikeouts, and a 1.36 WHIP. He hasn't replicated that since, and has struggled a bit this season. The 31-year-old was 11-10 with a 4.31 ERA (85 ERA+) and 1.41 WHIP with 65 walks and strikeouts. Wallace has been a reliable innings eater who had yet to have an ailment last longer then three days before scar tissue in his shoulder ended his season in early September. He's 8 wins away from 100, but the Sailors rotation will get a lot more crowded next season when more players return from the war. At this point in his career, he owns a 3.67 ERA (102 ERA+) and 1.39 WHIP with 607 walks and 402 strikeouts in 1,611.2 innings pitched. CF Carlos Montes (60th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 12th Overall (1934) Alma Mater: Citronelle "If you told me Montes would be in AAA at the end of the season when I selected him last year, I wouldn't have believed you. But somehow the 19-year-old's last 87 plate appearances were up in Milwaukee and he hit an insane .408/.488/.831 (215 OPS+) with 5 homers, 2 steals, and 27 RBI's. His worst performance came in Lincoln where he hit just .254/.361/.465 (97 OPS+) in 169 plate appearances with 10 steals, 7 homers, and 38 RBI's. He looked good in Mobile, finishing with a .342/.400/.470 (125 OPS+) line in 228 trips to the plate. My scout thinks Montes is the most developed center fielder in our organization and he's going to get a shot to try and earn the starting job up in Chicago. I'd prefer to start him out in AAA, but we don't have that many options right now. I'm hoping to add external options, but that's not because of Montes. This kid has huge upside, with excellent defensive ability, a great eye at the plate, and blazing speed on the bases and in the field. He's already gotten a boost in the prospect rankings since the original post, and I am really happy I got him last year. And much more happy then I am with who I got this year (although he is pretty good still)." Montes did have huge upside, and when he wasn't serving in the war, he showcased great speed, outstanding defense out in center, and a very good eye. The only issue is for Montes has been his injury proneness, as since debuting at 21 in 1937, his career high in games is just the 127 he got into before being drafted into the Navy. Despite the troubles with staying on the field, Montes has been an extremely productive ballplayer, hitting .263/.332/.407 (107 OPS+) with 108 doubles, 46 triples, 55 homers, 70 steals, and 287 RBIs in 657 career games. He's also tallied an impressive 86.5 zone rating with a 1.052 efficiency out in center. With Montes leaving after the '42 season, he left a huge hole in center that has now been filled rather well with Don Lee. Montes is a far superior defender, but Lee already looks to be twice the hitter Montes ever was. It's never an issue to have two capable center fielders, but with Moss' old age, Lee seems likely to shift to right. I'm a little worried the time off has eroded his skills a bit, but the Cuban born center fielder turned into a great center fielder and should have a few seasons left in him. SS Ducky Jordan (71st Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 6th Round, 92nd Overall (1932) Alma Mater: Little Rock HS Pioneers "A 1930 National Champion at Little Rock HS, the "Hot Springs Hotshot" may not get the rep he deserves. He's a tiny switch hitting shortstop, but he works as hard as anybody and it's shown. My scout keeps waffling over if he's a shortstop or a center fielder, so I'll send Jordan back down to AA and let him play both. It was the only of the three levels he hit above average, slashing .311/.339/.453 (104 OPS+) with 5 steals and 13 RBI's in 115 trips to the plate. He's a really raw prospect, and I might have rushed him a little, but my scout thinks he's ready for the majors. He's got a lot of talent and the athletic ability to play anywhere on the field. I think the bat is going to develop and Jordan should be a dependable big league starter, I'm just not sure if that's going to be at short, or center, or maybe even third." Our top 10 prospects have already accumulated over 200 WAR (208.6) in their combined FABL careers. Ducky Jordan (0.1) accounts for less then a tenth of a percent of it. I'm not too sure what went wrong with Ducky, as he never did much hitting. Ducky got a cup of coffee in both 1937 and 1938, but him and Art Courtney went across town to the Chiefs in July to acquire former Allen Winner Jim Lonardo. The Chiefs put him on the active roster, but the former 6th Rounder hit just .196/.289/.268 (52 OPS+) in 33 games for the Chiefs. He did appear in a game each season from 1937 until 1943 when he was drafted into the Air Force, and he's been a capable utility man I've even tried to re-acquire a few times. His career .222/.287/.301 (67 OPS+) line isn't very impressive, but he provides plus defense at all three infield spots. He's the first real bust of the group, but he's approaching 500 FABL games, and that's nothing to sneeze at. Last edited by ayaghmour2; 02-09-2023 at 07:34 PM. Reason: Link to quoted post: https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/showpost.php?p=4734649&postcount=327

02-07-2023, 08:33 PM	#1011
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,000	A Look Back at the Cougars 1935 Prospects: Part 3 3B Hank Stratton (73rd Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 5th Round, 78th Overall (1932) Alma Mater: Chicago HS Wildcats "Third base is wide open right now, but Hank Stratton will have to fend off the middle infielders in the organization as well if he wants to be the Cougars third basemen of the future. He put together a strong season in Lincoln, batting .333/.366/.515 (109 OPS+) with 11 homers and 115 RBI's. "Jitters" also got some time at first when Phil McKenna was there with him, but he has looked okay so far at third. The most impressive part, however, were the 64 doubles! It was close to one every other game and he does an excellent job spraying the ball around the field. He hits well to all fields and continuously hits line drives in stead of flyballs. His spray charts are truly beautiful, and I think he's going to be a really excellent big league hitter." "Excellent" hitter may be a stretch, but Hank Stratton has put together a pretty solid career for the Foresters. The Foresters have been really bad the past couple of seasons, but Stratton has been a mainstay on the roster, appearing in 125 or more games in each season since 125, and he owns a productive .287/.315/.392 (103 OPS+) triple slash in 797 games with the Foresters. He had himself a breakout in 1942, hitting a very good .313/.338/.432 (132 OPS+) with 2 homers and 60 RBIs while worth a personal best 4.1 WAR. He doesn't have much home run power, but "Jitters" led the CA with 54 doubles in '42, and again in '44 with 47. After a decline in production during the 1943 season, he's put together back-to-back above average seasons in a lineup that has little-to-no support. He had a 117 WRC+ this year for Cleveland which ranked second for players who appeared in more then 70 games for the Foresters. Now 31, he's one of the only lineup members who should have a spot guaranteed for them next season, as he consistently puts the ball in play and provides solid defense at both corners. Stratton never debuted for us, as we sent him to Cleveland for Dan Everett and a 2nd Round Pick the offseason before his debut. We got great value for the former 5th Rounder that was part of the loaded 1932 draft class, and while no All-Stars, he's a dependable every day starter. RHP Stumpy Beaman (95th Overall) Acquired: Via Trade with the Sailors (1935) Drafted: 7th Round, 104th Overall (1932) Alma Mater: Austin HS Senators "The big pull in the John Kincaid trade, Stumpy Beaman spent his time with the Sailors in C ball, but I brought him up to San Jose for 8 starts to end the season. He looked excellent, working to a 3.18 ERA (143 ERA+) and 1.18 WHIP with 17 walks and 23 strikeouts in 56.2 innings pitched. He'll turn 22 at the end of April, so I might be moving him up to Lincoln to start next season. He is a "stumpy" little guy, but the ball is always on the ground and he comfortably sits in the upper 80s with his fastball and sinker. I love his command, and if he can polish his slider out as an out pitch he should be able to keep up his strong strikeout numbers. I think he's loaded with potential and should be one of the more reliable big league arms in the league." Originally a 7th Round selection by the Sailors in 1932, he was acquired in the 1935 selloff with Bill Dickens for longtime third basemen John Kincaid. Stumpy spent just one full season in the Cougars organization, as he was quickly used in a second big deal. Him and fellow top 100 prospect Karl Wallace were sent to the Dynamos to acquire Juan Pomales and Del Burns. He debuted later that season, making three starts and relief appearances for Detroit. It didn't go great, but he won a rotation spot next spring, and put together a very solid rookie season. Stumpy went 7-10 with 3 saves, a 4.15 ERA (102 ERA+), 1.55 WHIP, 101 walks, and 59 strikeouts in 190.2 innings pitched. An improving Dynamos team then pushed him to AAA Newark the following season, and they used him to land two All-Stars in Joe Shaffner and Frank Vance. Stumpy was joined in Brooklyn by Frank LeMieux and Ike O'Donnell, and of which are still with the club today. Stumpy spent the rest of the season in the Kings rotation, where he had a spot for the next four years. The now 31-year-old made 83 starts and 8 relief outings, going 36-42 with a 3.99 ERA (94 ERA+) and 3.80 FIP (100 FIP-). He hasn't pitched since the '42 season, which was the worst of his career so far. He went 8-16 with a 3.97 ERA (83 ERA+) before enlisting in the Air Force. For his career, Beaman has gone 44-54 with a 4.07 ERA (96 ERA+), 1.51 WHIP, 391 walks, and 224 strikeouts in 829.2 innings between the Kings and Dynamos. That slider never quite developed, so the strikeouts (2.4 K/9) were low, but Beaman has been a basically leave average pitcher (101 FIP-) despite it. No one would mistake him for one of the more reliable arms in the league, but he offers dull consistency and will get a shot to rejoin the Kings rotation that won't have many other established pitchers. LF Bobby Mills (99th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 6th Round, 90th Overall (1932) Alma Mater: San Antonio HS Warriors "I feel like I spend more time trying to trade Mills then mentioning how good he is, but Mills has always hit. After a quick trip in San Jose, he spent 62 games with Lincoln and 52 with Mobile. With Lincoln he hit .380/.416/.616 (145 OPS+) with 14 homers and 64 RBI's in 279 trips to the plate. He didn't quite keep that up with Mobile, but still hit .342/.366/.462 (114 OPS+) with 2 homers and 38 RBI's. I was sad to see the power drop, but 14 in 62 games is really impressive. I'm not sure if the power is going to stay, I still see him as a Vince York type player not Doc Love, but for now there's no room for Mills on our big league roster. I think I'll give him a run back for AA next season." Can't believe Bobby Mills was a top 100 prospect! I always remember him as a strictly depth bat, but turns out at one point he was one of the more highly touted prospects in the FABL. A 6th Round selection in 1932, Mills hasn't appeared in the big leagues since 1941, and he spent the the last two seasons in the Navy. Mills appeared in 97 games split between five consecutive seasons, but made just 160 trips to the plate. He hit pretty well, .279/.321/.456 (112 OPS+) with 6 homers and 27 RBIs. A regular on the Blues, however, Mills slashed an elite .329/.405/.495 (150 OPS+) with 133 doubles, 50 homers, and 334 RBIs in over 2,000 plate appearances. I'm not sure he'll get many, if any, more big league at bats, but he's a great clubhouse guy who will likely stick around for depth. I'm curious to think if he was still around, if he could have competed for a bench job as he was always able to hit. RHP Frank Gordon (121st Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 18th Round, 287th Overall (1932) Alma Mater: Trenton HS Titans "I can thank my scout and development team for Frank Gordon. I didn't even think about of picking him, but to be fair, he wasn't that good when we got him. Since the draft, Gordon's fastball velocity has gone from 84-86 to 91-93 and he's developed excellent groundball tendencies already. He started the season in San Jose, got a demotion for a few starts to get back on track, and then finished back with the Cougars. He made 17 starts, going 6-4 with a 5.42 ERA (84 ERA+), 1.51 WHIP, 35 walks, and 38 strikeouts. He'll return to San Jose next season as he continues to polish his skills. He did have a little bit of a statistical setback, but he continues to see his speed climb and my scout likes him more and more with each report." Gordon is one of the most experienced war vets, having served in the Army since the 1941 offseason. Gordon was coming off a season where he led the Fed with 16 saves as the Dynamos stopper. The 27-year-old had a nice 3.21 ERA (125 ERA+) in 73 innings pitched and missed out on either starting some games for a pitching needy team or continuing as an effective stopper. Both are positive outcomes for a pitcher selected in the 18th Round as part of a very loaded 1932 Cougars class. Like Chink Stickels, Gordon was part of the John Lawson package, and debuted for the Stars in 1938. He didn't pitch in the majors next season, and was then part of a seven piece trade that brought William Jones and Lou Robertson to the Stars. Tom Weinstock thinks Gordon could still fill the back-end of a rotation, but my guess would be the Dynamos re-install him as their stopper. RHP Joe Foote (122nd Overall) Acquired: Via Trade with Montreal (1934) Draft: 6th Round, 84th Overall (1932) Alma Mater: Greensboro HS Giants "Acquired in the Bobby Sprague deal with Woody Armstrong, the 21-year-old Foote spent the entire season in Lincoln. He made 24 starts and was 9-7 with a 4.95 ERA (111 ERA+), 1.43 WHIP, 31 walks, and 44 strikeouts in 134.2 innings pitched. Foote is a three pitch pitcher, with a really nice mid 90s sinker, a nice slider, and a decent curveball. He can throw them all for strikes in any count and he does an excellent job keeping the ball on the ground. He's pretty developed for someone his age, and I could potentially see him joining our staff sooner then expected. My scout is a huge fan and I think he's going to be an excellent big league starter." I'll be honest, I really thought Joe Foote would have been much better then he ended up. After pitching parts of three seasons with the Minutemen from 1939-1941, he was cut the following May, and has spent the last four seasons with the Dallas Centurions. He's been a mainstay in their rotation, going 45-36 with a 3.42 ERA and 318 strikeouts in 701 innings pitched. Originally drafted by the Saints, Foote came with Woody Armstrong in the Bobby Sprague trade, and he pitched really well in our system post-trade. He never debuted for us (although he was a September callup in 1927) as we sent Foote to the Minutemen for their 2nd Round Pick (technically a 4th due to the lottery) in the 1938 Draft. Foote threw just 136 innings with the Minutemen, almost exclusively out of the pen, and worked to a 4.10 ERA (95 ERA+) and 1.48 WHIP. He may be stuck in Dallas the rest of his career, and with a -1.0 WAR, he's one of the least valuable FABL players ever. He's a good "what could have happen" pitcher that never quite lived up to his potential, and one of the few major swings and misses from this group. Last edited by ayaghmour2; 02-09-2023 at 07:33 PM. Reason: Link to quoted post: https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/showpost.php?p=4735119&postcount=328

02-08-2023, 11:05 PM	#1012
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,000	A Look Back at the Cougars 1935 Prospects: Part 4 RHP Harry Parker (126st Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 7th Round, 108th Overall (1934) Alma Mater: Bushwick Despite being a 7th Round selection, I've given a lot of love to Harry Parker in my report already. He was a guy I bet really hard on last draft, and of those picks, just last year's first Carlos Montes ranks ahead of him. I do think Pug Bryan is the better pitcher, but Parker has really blossomed in his first season with us. He's sitting comfortably in the 91-93 range with his fastball and cutter, but he has three really good secondary pitch. He also throws a curveball, the only pitch my scout doesn't think is average or better. That may not sound like much, but since we are in the 30s, the stuff ratings of our pitchers are very low. The fact that my scout says Parker has four average pitches and a good changeup, is a pretty high compliment. Parker is 20, so a little older then most high school draftees, but that's really helped him climb the ladder. The 6'6'' righty started the year in San Jose and made 9 strong starts. He was 6-3 with a 2.39 ERA (190 ERA+), 0.94 WHIP, 13 walks, and 36 strikeouts in 75.1 innings before a promotion up to Class A Lincoln. Parker continued to excel there, and even against the tougher competition was 6-5 with a 4.15 ERA (133 ERA+), 1.43 WHIP, 29 walks, and 48 strikeouts in 93.1 innings pitched. Parker's strikeout numbers are really strong and he did a great job limiting walks. Of course, there is a downside to every pitcher, and for Parker, it's his flyball tendencies. Still, I'm not even phased. He may be good enough that it won't even matter. While I'm pretty confident of nearly every player I ever draft, I don't think I've ever been so convinced from draft day that a late round pick would develop into one. It all started in the later rounds of the 1934 draft, when I was browsing the pitchers for guys with a current role of "Starter" in the pool. While that alone is no guarantee of talent, in Stats Only, you take what you can get. To be a current starter, you (generally) have to have three big league quality pitches, but very few draft eligible players ever get this high mark. While clicking through some hundred arms, I stumbled on an absolute unit of a man from New Jersey who had that mark. But what really stood out was the age; he was still in high school. I'm not sure how Parker slipped through the cracks and 107 players were selected before him, but all I can do is be thankful that we were able to snag such an outstanding young pitcher. Parker wasn't always a top 100 prospect, but after dominance at 20 in San Jose (6-3, 2.39, 36) and Lincoln (6-5, 4.15, 48) in his first pro season, Parker cracked the top 200 for the 1935 offseason. In his first two seasons, his 134 ERA+ in Lincoln in '34 was his lowest ERA+ in four stints, and he reached AAA as a 22-year-old in 1937 where he had an absurd 65 FIP- and 4.9 WAR in 152.2 innings pitched. Despite that, he returned to Milwaukee for 14 more starts, going 7-5 with a 3.79 ERA (118 ERA+), 1.21 WHIP, 24 walks, and 57 strikeouts. Those proved to be the last starts he'd ever make in the minors, and Parker got a midseason callup in 1938 at 23. He struggled, as he often does, with the longball, allowing 15 in 130.2 innings pitched, but he held his own on the mound. The intimidating six pitch righty finished 7-8 with a 3.99 ERA (99 ERA+) and 1.15 WHIP with 29 walks and 69 strikeouts. While average overall, there was plenty to be excited by, as the WHIP was great, his 4.8 K/9 was excellent, and his 2.4 K/BB was among the best in the league. From that day on, Parker became a mainstay in the rotation, and since 1939 he's put up an above average or better ERA+ in each subsequent season. As a sophomore the home run issues lingered, as he allowed a league high 36, but the durable giant went 14-11 with a 4.19 ERA (102 ERA+) and 1.32 WHIP. His K/BB dropped to 1.5, as he walked 68 while striking out 103. The 2.6 BB/9 is still the highest mark he's put together, and he's just once past 2.0 since. Year three Parker took another step forward, but still led the CA with 30 homers allowed. He dropped his BB/9 to 1.7, and finished 16-10 with a 3.67 ERA (109 ERA+), 1.23 WHIP, 49 walks, and 108 strikeouts. He cracked 250 innings (255.1) for the first time in his young career, and he led the league with 21 complete games. Parker fully broke out in 1941, where he was selected to his first of shockingly just two All-Star games, going 19-10 with a 3.19 ERA (124 ERA+), 1.18 WHIP, 66 walks, and 107 strikeouts. He once again led the league in complete games, this time with 24 in 31 starts, threw a then personal most 262.1 innings, and was a crucial member of our pennant winning staff. With Peter the Heater enlisting after our embarrassing title defeat, Parker was the staff ace, and won 21 games to go with a 2.92 ERA (113 ERA+), 1.13 WHIP, 40 walks, 105 strikeouts, and an elite 2.6 K/BB. His 0.8 HR/9 in 258.2 innings pitched. Parker was off to a similar start in 1943, working to a 2.89 ERA (113 ERA+) and 1.14 WHIP, but he dealt with a sore shoulder in May, his first injury lasting more then five days. That was a harbinger of chaos, as Parker left his 12th start of the season with a torn flexor tendon, ending his season and the Cougars pennant hopes. That brought plenty of anxiety for the 1944 season, where the 29-year-old was healthy enough to return to the rotation. There were plenty of worries about his quality, but Parker quickly silenced the doubters. Selected to another All-Star game, Parker was robbed of a much deserved Allen Award, and shockingly received just one first place vote despite having much better stats then eventual winner Butch Smith. What hurt Parker was his record, just 16-10 while Smith won 20 games, but he had an elite 2.19 ERA (159 ERA+) in 250.1 innings pitched with league best's in WHIP (0.99), K/BB (2.9), FIP- (74), and WAR (6.7) while just a few outs shy of Smith's matching 2.19 ERA. The thing was, Parker was not the same pitcher as he was pre-injury, as his 13 complete games were lower then each previous season excluding his 16 start debut year and 12 start injury-shortened season. While Smith endured an awful 1945 season, Parker was still one of the best pitchers in the FABL, but was not represented as an All-Star in Chicago. Parker made a league high 36 starts and led the league with 27 quality starts, but his 4 complete games were even less then his 6 in the injury shortened year. The rest of the numbers were great, as the 30-year-old went 15-9 with a 2.77 ERA (127 ER), 1.13 WHIP, 58 walks, and 130 strikeouts in a career high 266.2 innings. He had an excellent 87 FIP- and 5.3 WAR to go with his 2.2 K/BB, the fourth consecutive season where he's struck out twice as many batters as he walked. Parker ranked top three in ERA, strikeouts, K/BB, WHIP, and rWAR (7.3), and was one of the few bright spots on a Cougar team that did not have much luck. Despite potentially a decade more of pitching, Parker is already one of the best Cougars pitchers, 114-71 in 222 starts and 3 relief appearances. His 3.1 ERA (118 ERA+) and 1.16 WHIP are impressive for a 1,760.2 inning sample, and he's struck out 801 batters with just 372 walks. He's tied for 1st in K/BB (2.2), 4th in WHIP, tied for 4th win Allen Award namesake Allen Allen in shutouts (17) despite half as many innings pitched, 5th in wins and rWAR (40.6), tied for 6th in BB/9 (1.9), 7th in strikeouts and K/9 (4.1), 8th in winning percentage (.616) and innings, 9th in WAR (26.8) and starts, 10th in complete games (121). Parker has emerged as one of the most talented and reliable starters in the FABL, and will be a member of our staff for years to come. No matter how the rest of his career, he'll get Dick Lyons treatment, and I'd be surprised if Parker's #48 isn't hanging at Cougars Park once he's ready to call it quits. There have been very few OOTP players I've ever been as attached to as I am to Parker, and I'm hoping he can solidify our rotation for at least eight more years. 2B Tommy Wilson (129th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 31st Overall (1933) Alma Mater: Elmira HS Emeralds I really thought the 1933 draft class was going to be a decent one, until I realized all the guys I thought were good were actually eligible for the 1934 draft. That really threw off my draft strategy, so the fact that I was able to salvage Tommy Wilson in the 2nd is a blessing. A natural shortstop, the recently turned 20-year-old spent nearly all season at second base with the extremely gifted fielder (and next ranked prospect) Ivan Cameron spending time at short. I do think Wilson has the glove to stick at short, and his numbers at second (with no prior experience) were elite. He had a +13.2 zone rating and 1.069 efficiency. He had an okay season at the plate, batting .277/.349/.456 (89 OPS+) with 13 homers, 14 steals, and 76 RBI's. It can take a few seasons for a young hitter to get off the ground in C ball as there tend to be a lot of older prospects on the mound, but Wilson has shown strong plate discipline, 102 strikeouts and walks in his two seasons with the Lions. I'm not yet sure if he's going to move up before the season starts, but I do know that even with a lot of new bodies entering the system, Wilson will not get lost in the shuffle. A part of the blockbuster deal for Freddie Jones that included the next prospect, Ivan Cameron, Tommy Wilson was shipped off in the 1938 offseason and spent every day sense play for the St. Louis Pioneers. Now 30, Wilson has proved himself as one of the premier defensive third basemen in the FABL, and 1945 was the first season he failed to appear in 140 or more games. "Weed" debuted as a 23-year-old, and hit a respectable .276/.341/.375 (93 OPS+) with 24 doubles, 8 triples, 6 homers, 66 RBIs, and 12 steals. He walked (59) more then he struck out (30), and was worth 3.5 WAR due to a 3.7 zone rating and second and a 5.5 at third. Wilson did have a sophomore slump, and it was his worst season to date. He hit just .223/.300/.300 (70 OPS+) in 142 games, but the rebuilding squad gave him time to fix things up. The former 2nd Rounder had a breakout in 1941, slashing .290/.360/.418 (115 OPS+) with 29 doubles, 8 triples, 9 homers, and 75 RBIs as he made an appearance in all 154 of the Pioneers games. He had a matching 115 WRC+ to go with a 16.9 zone rating and 1.086 efficiency at the hot corner, leading to his first five WAR season. Wilson took it to one step further and represented the Pioneers at the All Star Game. Wilson finished the season worth 6.7 wins above replacement and a 123 WRC+, starting all but one of the Pioneers games. He hit 34 doubles, 9 triples, 4 homers, and 68 RBIs with an outstanding 72-to-36 walk-to-strikeout ratio. His .281/.359/.394 (118 OPS+) batting line was a career best in terms of OPS+, WRC+, and wOBA (.355). Wilson has yet to match that production, as he put together back-to-back below average seasons (95 and 93 WRC+) at the plate. He did provide stellar defense, leading to a combined 7.8 WAR and 27.1 zone rating at third, and contributed 88 extra base hits while still walking (134) more frequently then he struck out (99). This year didn't go to well for him either, hitting just .243/.307/.350 (81 OPS+) in a career low 529 trips to the plate. The pioneers have show confidence in Wilson, recently declaring third base his position, and the veteran has definitely deserved it. He owns a career .259/.332/.361 (96 OPS+) batting line with a 99 WRC+ and has accumulated nearly 100 (95.5) zone rating in 907 games at third. He's still an elite defender too, with his 1.082 efficiency tied for second best in his career. While it would have been nice to hold onto him, Freddie Jones did give us solid production at the plate and third base was covered by All-Stars John Lawson and Hank Barnett. SS Ivan Cameron (131st Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 3rd Round, 74th Overall (1934) Alma Mater: Meridian I really thought the 1933 draft class was going to be a decent one, until I realized all the guys I thought were good were actually eligible for the 1934 draft. That really threw off my draft strategy, so the fact that I was able to salvage Tommy Wilson in the 2nd is a blessing. A natural shortstop, the recently turned 20-year-old spent nearly all season at second base with the extremely gifted fielder (and next ranked prospect) Ivan Cameron spending time at short. I do think Wilson has the glove to stick at short, and his numbers at second (with no prior experience) were elite. He had a +13.2 zone rating and 1.069 efficiency. He had an okay season at the plate, batting .277/.349/.456 (89 OPS+) with 13 homers, 14 steals, and 76 RBI's. It can take a few seasons for a young hitter to get off the ground in C ball as there tend to be a lot of older prospects on the mound, but Wilson has shown strong plate discipline, 102 strikeouts and walks in his two seasons with the Lions. I'm not yet sure if he's going to move up before the season starts, but I do know that even with a lot of new bodies entering the system, Wilson will not get lost in the shuffle. One thing I'll never understand is why Ivan Cameron was so bad at shortstop. In the minors he was amazing, putting up efficiencies above 1.100 in three separate 100 games samples, but that didn't translate to gameplay in the Fed. He never had a zone rating above 0, even posting a -17.6 (.916 efficiency) in a full time role in 1940. Also part of the Freddie Jones trade, he debuted in 1939, and has appeared in a game in six of the last seven seasons. His best season came as a rookie, where he appeared in every game and hit .276/.340/.369 (92 OPS+) with 33 doubles, 2 triples, 5 homers, and 71 RBIs. He hasn't matched that production since, and owns a career .250/.311/.312 (76 OPS+) batting line in exactly 2,400 trips to the plate. He's added 96 doubles, 5 triples, 10 homers, and 232 RBIs with 183 walks and 86 strikeouts. With players returning from the war and his lack of upside, his FABL career may stop right where he is. RF Marty Roberts (135th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 23rd Overall (1932) Alma Mater: Brunswick Knights Not too long ago Roberts was a top 70 prospect, but has dropped a lot since the season started. Roberts is a natural center fielder, but he struggled a little in Mobile last season so we moved him to right for this year. He spent about two thirds of his season with the Commodores, batting .282/.373/.443 (111 OPS+) with 7 homers, 6 steals, and 40 RBI's. The power dropped when he moved up to Milwaukee, but he doubled his steal total. His .289/.393/.397 (93 OPS+) batting line was deflated a bit as the power disappeared, but I'm hoping it's just adjusting to the competition. Last year in the same amount of games with AA Mobile (81), he also had just one homer and saw that jump up when he repeated the level. He's 24. and with the ability to play center, he'll have just as much of a shot as anyone to win the starting job. One thing he does do a good job of his walking, a combined 80 walks to just 21 strikeouts this season. He's patient, fast, and consistently drives and lines the ball through the left side of the infield. Even though the prospect evaluators have dimmed their view of Roberts, my opinion has not changed very much. I do think he'll end up in right now and the early results have been extremely promising. Our 2nd Round pick in the 1932 class, he was one of the lower performing big leaguers, with guys like Rich Langton and Harry Mead selected in the next two rounds. Roberts debuted in 1936, hitting an impressive .306/.397/.510 (139 OPS+) with a double, 3 triples, a homer, and 9 RBIs. He didn't return to Chicago, as we sent the then 25-year-old to the Sailors at the 1937 deadline for now Dynamo Tony Mullis. He spent the rest of the season in Philly, but only made 58 trips to the plate. He made just nine the next season and none in 1939, but got a more permanent bench role in 1940. He hit an impressive .296/.374/.426 (122 OPS+) with 15 doubles, 6 triples, a homer, and 4 steals with 40 RBIs. He walked 30 times and struck out just 8 in 265 trips to the plate. It was his most productive season as a Sailor, but still got plenty of time the following season. Roberts hit .256/.328/.364 (92 OPS+) in a career high 271 trips to the plate. He appeared in just 35 games the next season, and has spent the last three seasons in the minor leagues. 34 in November, he's probably played his last big league game, likely retiring with a respectable .269./338/.394 (104 OPS+) batting line in 279 FABL games. CF Roy Moore (137th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 63rd Overall (1931) Alma Mater: Hartford HS Blue Sox A poorly timed oblique strain cost him a late season callup to be the starting center fielder for the Chicago Cougars, but even though the 22-year-old is extremely adept with the glove, he didn't hit all that well this year. His .317/.380/.387 (87 OPS+) line wasn't that inspiring, and he watched his strikeouts spike up to 80 as it looked like he got them back down. Still, he swiped 30 bags and had a nice +8.0 zone rating and 1.054 efficiency out in center. He's a high intensity player with great instincts, but he's not as naturally talented as most prospects that reach AAA. I still have faith the bat will come around, but it may take a season or two of fighting big league pitchers before it happens. Like Roberts, Moore will be in the hunt for our starting center field job, and I'd argue Moore is one of the favorites. Roy Moore did get plenty of starts in center for the Cougars in 1936, but that was really the only season he factors in the big leagues. Then 23, Moore hit .309/.356/.350 (88 OPS+) in 96 games. There were plenty of issues, as more hit just 8 extra base hits in 378 trips to the plate, and he struck out (68) more then twice as often as he walked (25). He did look good in the field, producing a 9.9 zone rating and 1.041 efficiency in 777 innings patrolling center. He spent the next two seasons shuffling between Chicago and Milwaukee, before being sent to the Miners before the 1939 season in a three piece package. He got very limited time with the Miners the next two seasons, and was waived prior to the 1942 season. He was claimed by the Dynamos, but made just 8 appearances before being released in July. He then signed with the Fort Worth Cattleman, and he's spent the last three and a half seasons in their lineup. He's actually put up back-to-back 4 WAR seasons in the Lone Star Association, which is equivalent to AA. He hit an impressive .369/.422/.452 (143 OPS+) last season with 23 doubles, 7 triples, a homer, 16 steals, and 57 RBIs. He could be a regular for the Cattleman, as he won't likely garner a big league role anytime soon. Last edited by ayaghmour2; 02-09-2023 at 07:33 PM. Reason: Link to quoted post: https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/showpost.php?p=4757023&postcount=392

02-09-2023, 07:36 PM	#1013
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,000	A Look Back at the Cougars 1935 Prospects: Part 5 RHP Pug Bryan (140th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 28th Overall (1934) Alma Mater: Lincoln College "This kid is underrated. I don't care what OSA says. I don't care what my scout says. Pug Bryan is going to be a really good pitcher. I took him in the 2nd Round last year out of Lincoln College which is in Springfield, Illinois and he started his season in San Jose. Bryan pitched to a 2.73 ERA (166 ERA+), 1.06 WHIP, 4 walks, and 26 strikeouts in 33 innings. After that it was off to Lincoln, where he tossed 75.1 innings. He was 6-2 with a 3.11 ERA (177 ERA+), 1.29 WHIP, 31 walks, and 36 strikeouts. I got a little bold, moving him up to Mobile for September. Bryan responded with 4 dominant starts, just 19 hits, 3 runs, 11 walks, and 25 strikeouts in 36 innings. That's a 0.75 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 2.8 BB/9, and 6.3 K/9. Oh yeah, and he won all four starts too. Simply put, Pug was unhittable this year. He's going to be 23 in April and by 24 he might already have some FABL innings under his belt. I like almost everything about him, he throws in the high 80s with his fastball and generates a ton of groundballs with his sinker. Best part is, his best pitch is supposed to be his change up which is likely far from developed now. He'll be back in Mobile to start next season, but based on how quickly he moved up, he might not be there for that long. I may also bring him to Chicago for training camp." Oh Pug... What could've been... When he debuted in 1937, the former 2nd Rounder looked like a long-term building block in our rotation. The 24-year-old had an impressive rookie season, going 8-9 with a 3.69 ERA (110 ERA+), 1.33 WHIP, 64 walks, and 68 strikeouts, and was worth a full two wins above replacement in 158.2 innings. Unfortunately for Pug, he set many personal bests, including WAR and innings, and for samples of more then 25 innings, ERA, ERA+, FIP- (101), WHIP, strikeouts, BB/9 (3.6), and K/BB (1.1). Entering 1938, he was a member of the rotation, but he got demoted to the pen and eventually demoted to Milwaukee due to poor performance. In 11 starts and 11 relief appearances, Pug went just 4-9 with 2 saves, a 5.03 ERA (79 ERA+) and 1.61 WHIP. He walked (46) more batters then he struck out (39), but Bryan was effective in 12 starts for the Blues. He went 5-3 with a nice 3.78 ERA (118 ERA+) and even better 3.40 FIP (76 FIP-), striking out 42 with just 19 walks in 66.2 innings pitched. No longer really considered a starter, Pug did start 12 games in Milwaukee the following season, but his next 68 appearances all came in a Cougar uniform, and all out of the pen. He didn't really establish himself there, but he was out of options, and I couldn't cut the pitcher I became so attached to, and had such high hopes for. He had mixed results in the pen, but never really got into many games. In '42 and '43 he was pretty solid, working to a 2.22 (149 ERA+) and 2.66 ERA (123 ERA+), but it came in just 44.2 combined innings. His time on the roster was ticking down, but there were plenty of pitching needy teams in the war, and he had some nice qualities. He doesn't allow many homers, strikes out a fair amount of batters, generates a lot of groundballs, and most importantly, can start games. The Dynamos were in need of starters, and we sent Pug to Detroit for their 8th Round Pick, which ended up being the versatile Johnny Carlisle. Pug didn't enter the rotation right away, but he started 18 of his 30 appearances with the Dynamos, winning a personal best 10 games with a pair of saves. He had a respectable 3.73 ERA (92 ERA+) and 1.45 WHIP, but had far too many walks (74) in 140 innings pitched. That winter he was called into the Navy, leaving plenty of open spots in Detroit, including one that was filled with Art White. Pug will be in the post-war mix, but it will be tough for him to earn a long-term spot. Still, he's cracked the 500 inning mark (505) and his 4.26 ERA (90 ERA+) isn't terrible, and he could still eat some innings out of the pen. LF Larry Robison (155th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 19th Round, 303rd Overall (1932) Alma Mater: Queens HS "Robison had to fight off a fractured hand that cost him most of the season, so he just got into 26 games with the Legislators. He hit .356/.444/.505 (128 OPS+) with a homer, 6 RBI's, and 16 steals. Yeah, 16 steals in 26 games. Not sure what got into him, just 10 last year in 123 games, but speed is his thing. He's an "elite menace on the basepaths", but unfortunately that doesn't translate into being good at center field. He's really only just average in left, but has always shown above average contact potential at the plate. I'm shocked he was only a 19th rounder as he had really impressive high school numbers." Robison's speed was his only tool, as he had a 72 steal season for us in 1937. He even made a plate appearance for us in 1939, drawing a walk on his debut. The former 19th Rounder deserved it, hitting .323/.378/.468 (133 OPS+) in 127 games for the Blues. The Eagles decided to take a chance on that production, sending us a 5th Round pick for the 1940 draft. He then struggled in limited time, hitting just .204/.254/.315 (60 OPS+) in 60 trips to the plate. He didn't return to the majors, and was cut before Opening Day 1941. He's now spent the last five seasons with the Houston Bulls of the LSA, and is coming off a 152 WRC+ season where he was worth just slightly less then 5. He's one of those guys who crushes minor league pitching, but when it comes to the best of the best, he just can't quite hang. LF Dave Haight (157th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 13th Round, 207th Overall (1932) Alma Mater: Dallas HS "With all the depth we have in the outfield, Dave Haight was stuck in La Crosse the past three seasons. That didn't stop him from playing well, however, as he slashed .397/.447/.582 (142 OPS+) with 7 homers, 78 RBI's, and 34 steals in 490 trips to the plate. He'll be up in San Jose next year, and may again see time in both left and right. Haight does have something really cool about him; he's from Juneau, Alaska! Not sure the FABL has any representatives from Alaska, but Haight's got a tough uphill climb if he wants to be the first. He's got the tools, excellent speed, an excellent hit tool, and okay defense, but he lacks the power that most corner outfielders can offer. Still, he managed to cut down on his strikeouts this year and is a good influence in the clubhouse." He did it! The Alaska native made it all the way up to the FABL, but the debut didn't come with the Cougars. Looking to upgrade at third base heading into the 1938 season, Dave Haight and quarterback Del Thomas were shipped off to New York to acquire Gotham's third basemen Johnny McDowell. That trade felt like a failure, as McDowell scuffled for us, was let go for basically nothing, and then got selected to three straight All-Star games and his 158 WRC+ this season would have been huge in a lineup that sees Ken Mayhugh (95), Steve Jones (6), and George Sutterfield (48) handle most of the starts at the hot corner. Not only that, the then 24-year-old rookie outhit McDowell (.270/.315/.354, 88 OPS+), slashing 308/.364/.453 (121 OPS+) with 31 doubles, 12 triples, 5 homers, 77 RBIs, and 8 steals in 147 games. Haight also boasted an absurd 44-to-6 walk-to-strikeout ratio, as that hit tool surely was excellent. He wasn't as productive the following season, but it's hard to call a .310/.349/.422 (108 OPS+) batting line a sophomore slump. He didn't have as many extra base hits (21, 7, 5), but he stole (21) more then twice as many bases and still walked (28) far more then he struck out (10). Unfortunately for Haight, the '39 season was the last time he was useful, and his production plummeted in 1940. He appeared in just 70 games and hit a pitiful .233/.260/.307 (60 OPS+) and actually struck out (10) more often then he walked (8). He was waived prior to 1941's Opening Day, and grabbed by the Dynamos in an effort to boost their outfield depth. He didn't debut in the majors, stashed in their system, but he was DFA'd again in August. The Cannons picked him up, and placed him on the big league roster for September. He came off the bench a decent amount, appearing in just 11 games for Cincinnati, but he went just 5-for-17. He did have with 3 doubles, a walk, and no strikeouts, but he didn't last the offseason. He was DFA'd in October, this time claimed by the other New York team, the Stars. He didn't appear in 1942, but he spent the 1943 season on the Stars bench. He came off the bench a lot for speed and defense, and made a PA just 45 times despite appearing in 71 games. A .244/.234/.267 (50 OPS+) triple slash will do that for you, and he failed to draw a single walk. If it wasn't for a call to the Army, Haight would probably have been DFA'd one again, and the Juneau native likely played his last FABL game. 2B Gene Evans (163rd Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 10th Round, 159th Overall (1932) Alma Mater: Worcester HS "Evans started the season in San Jose and hit .308/.371/.493 (128 OPS+) with 8 homers, 5 steals, and 49 RBI's in 320 trips to the plate. He then got a promotion to Lincoln, but the competition was tough there. He hit just .278/.335/.439 (85 OPS+) with 4 homers, 6 steals, and 30 RBI's in 243 trips to the plate. Not sure where he'll start next season, but Evans has had issues with defending at second. He has decent speed and he hits the ball pretty well, but he never added any strength or size. Almost 22, he's still just 5'10'' 160, and likely won't hit many homers." I never really thought Gene Evans would be anything special, so it's no surprise he's one of the few who didn't debut. We let him go in the 1938 Independent League draft for Bots Shearer, but it was the lone season Evans played for the Portland Green Sox. It was a bit surprising, as he hit a productive .317/.369/.434 (118 OPS+) against AAA pitchers. He's bounced around a lot since, and currently plays in the Cleveland Foresters organization. He hit pretty well in A (64, 155 WRC+) and AA (58, 157 WRC+). At 31, he doesn't have much of a future, and I doubt the former 10th Rounder will ever get the chance to play in the majors. RF Dick Earl (176th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 17th Round, 271st Overall (1932) Alma Mater: Meridian HS "Another 1932 draftee, Earl flat out mashed in La Cross when the year began. He hit .421/.482/.771 with 22 homers, 104 RBI's, and 34 walks in 338 trips to the plate. Up in San Jose he calmed down a bit, but still hit .276/.374/.405 (107 OPS+) in 214 trips to the plate. The homers, however, disappeared, just one in 51 games after the 22 in 67. Earl has a cannon out in right and he's got excellent patience at the plate." Dick Earl has managed to work his way all the way back to Chicago, as after the Dynamos cut him in July, I picked him up a month later. He made just 12 appearances off the bench split between Mobile and Milwaukee, returning to to The organization that game him three games in 1940. Earl is best known for being part of the John Lawson deal, and tore up the Stars minor league season. He had four well above average seasons before coming back to us in a salary dump, and spent a few weeks in the majors as we were dealing with an injury. We cut him soon after, and that's when he joined the Dynamos. He's at risk of being cut prior to next season, and will likely retire before recording his first hit. Last edited by ayaghmour2; 02-09-2023 at 07:37 PM. Reason: Link to quoted post: https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/showpost.php?p=4759203&postcount=395

02-10-2023, 08:58 PM	#1014
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,000	A Look Back at the Cougars 1935 Prospects: Part 6 CF Elias Canady (201st Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 8th Round, 126th Overall (1932) Alma Mater: Portland HS "There was a time I thought Elias Canady was going to be a superstar and first round pick. Instead, he ended up an 8th Round pick and I don't see think about him being a superstar anymore. It took Canady two and a half seasons in La Crosse before his first promotion, and he did okay with San Jose. He hit .256/.350/.363 (90 OPS+) with 4 homers, 2 steals, and 37 RBI's in 311 trips to the plate. He's still young, just 21, and has great plate discipline and a decent contact tool. The big draw is the glove, however, with Canady compiling a +41.8 zone rating in his first three pro seasons. The glove makes him a favorite of mine, so expect him to at least end up a fourth outfielder." A very talented defender, Elias Canady rather remarkably never had an efficiency below 1.000 at any level in center field. This helped him earn a callup in 1938 after hitting .313/.391/.463 (127 OPS+) in 83 games for the Blues. He got into 12 games for us, and hit a rather impressive .250/.357/.500 (139 OPS+) with 3 doubles, 2 homers, 6 walks, and 3 RBIs. This caught the attention of the Chiefs, as with Carlos Montes entrenched in center, Canady didn't have an obvious role on our club. We shipped him out for gloveman Bill Graham, and the Chiefs employed Canady in AAA to start the next season. He got into 30 games for the Chiefs, but hit just .236/.339/.326 (81 OPS+) with a homer and 14 RBIs. He did get into five games the following season, but spent a majority of the next two years in AAA Fort Wayne. After the 1941 season, the 26-year-old enlisted in the Army, which may have ended his big league career. Likely still a capable defender, that could help him stick around as depth, but at 31 in November, his best years may be behind him. 3B Phil McKenna (204th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 5th Round, 76th Overall (1934) Alma Mater: Coastal Carolina "A 5th Round pick last year, McKenna was also someone I once expected to be an early pick. He played at three levels this season, topping out at AA Mobile. The best of the approximately even three stays was in Lincoln, batting .352/.469/.610 (157 OPS+) with 10 homers and 31 RBI's in 195 trips to the plate. The longest stay was his last, in Mobile, where he hit .312/.402/.428 (116 OPS+) with 4 homers and 21 RBI's in 251 trips to the plate. The cool thing was the walk increase at each level, from 21 to 29 to 33. He also didn't pass 10 strikeouts at any level, the closest call actually in San Jose where he did it nine times. He hasn't looked good defensively, so the bat has to be well above average. Not sure if he'll ever hit for much power, but he's a smart hitter and should find a way on base." While it's not all said and done, Phil McKenna is one of three prospects from our top 30 list to not make a big league debut. A 5th Round Pick back in 1934, Phil McKenna had superb minor league hitting numbers, with a 115 WRC+ or higher at each minor league stop before we shipped him to the Dynamos prior to the 1937 season. McKenna continued to hit in the Dynamos system, with just a 101 WRC+ in 65 AAA games at 25 failing to surpass the 115 mark he set in our system. Playing time started to dwindle in '42 and '43, as despite WRC+ of 135 and 146, he started just 129 of his 204 contests. He was then drafted into the Air Force, making it tough for the 32 year old to fulfil his dream of playing FABL baseball. 1B Cuno Myer (238th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 22nd Round, 351st Overall (1932) Alma Mater: Norfolk HS "I'm not the biggest fan of the switch hitter Myer, but part of that is because he's nothing compared to Leo Mitchell. Myer spent his first two seasons in La Crosse, but then started 140 games in San Jose this year. He hit just .289/.326/.404 (93 OPS+) with 7 homers and 86 RBI's. Myer cannot play defense, somehow managing a -19.4 zone rating and .858 efficiency this season. That means he'll have to hit like he did last season with his impressive 130 OPS+ in 323 plate appearances in La Crosse. Unfortunately for him, he can only play first, so he might see his playing time drop back down again." Another guy who always hit, Cuno Myer endured nearly 11 seasons of minor league baseball before finally receiving the call to the manager's office he was looking for. A bat only first basemen, Myer owned an elite .333/.400/.447 (142 OPS+) batting line in 522 games with the Blues, walking (165) over 100 times more then he struck out (63). He added 86 doubles, 5 triples, 21 homers, and 263 RBIs, but despite the excellent offensive numbers, he didn't always play every day, with 86 starts in 1940 his most as a member of the Blues. Myer spent September of 1943 with the Cougars, and went 5-for-17 in 11 games. With Dick Walker entrenched at first, we didn't really have a spot for Myer, but the first basemen needy Dynamos sent us a 7th Rounder for Myer the following July. They instilled him right into the starting spot, and the 30-year-old vet hit .306/.371/.339 (110 OPS+) to finish the season. He appeared in 144 of the Dynamos games this season, leading the Fed with 35 doubles. He hit 5 triples, 5 homers, and 70 RBIs with 63 walks in 610 trips to the plate. His .269/.343/.379 (105 OPS+) batting line produced a 116 WRC+, and he was worth nearly 2 WAR despite awful defense at first (-7.6, .936). After acquiring Mack Sutton from the Minutemen, Frank Vance has seen more time at first, as at 43 he can't really do much defense. The Dynamos don't have any other obvious choices for first, so Myer still has a chance to start in the post-war game. RHP Bill Scott (240th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 7th Round, 111th Overall (1933) Alma Mater: Holyoke HS "It's been a little tough to find innings for Scott, but the 20-year-old looked really good in La Crosse this year. He was 8-4 with a 3.89 ERA (139 ERA+), 1.68 WHIP, 34 walks, and 43 strikeouts in 74 innings pitched. He was an excellent pitcher in high school and so far in the minors, so perhaps I need to be finding more ways to get him time. I have a lot of arms I really like, so I'm expecting a lot of rotation, but I don't think Scott will be pitching in the pen much anymore. He's increased his fastball to 91-93 and his curve and slider are already big league quality pitches. He's got great raw stuff and my scout actually thinks he'll be a back of the rotation starter. I guess I was sort of right about Scott, and after adding ten pounds he's already jumped up our system ladder:" Remember Bill Scott? A 7th Round Pick in 1933, Scott started sparingly his first two seasons in our system, with a few more relief appearances (19) then starts (14). He made huge strides with his stuff during the season, adding muscle and velocity to improve his stuff. Injuries hampered his 1936 season, finally ending it in August with a strained forearm. This left him with 11 starts in La Crosse and 6 in San Jose, and while his ERAs were high, he had a 77 FIP- with the Lions and a 75 with San Jose. This vaulted him up top prospect lists, and he checked in at 74th in the '36 offseason list and the 47th on the 1937 Opening Day list. Expected to be the next in a long list of productive big league starters, the 21-year-old started his season in Lincoln. His average production was impressive considering age, injury, and lack of experience, and he went 5-5 with a 4.69 ERA (98 ERA+) and 1.41 WHIP with 22 walks and 51 strikeouts in 14 starts. A herniated disc in his back ended his season in July, dropping him to 49th in the offseason prospect rankings. It turns out that injuries weighted to heavily on Scott, who was also a star basketball player at Holyoke High School. While most New Years resolutions aren't long-lasting, Scott's was, as he made the shocking decision to hang up the cleats and joined the upstart basketball league. This was a huge blow for us as the 22-year-old featured a blistering high 90s fastball and I thought him, Joe Brown, and Peter the Heater would make up a very high octane rotation in terms of velocity. Interesting enough, he broke our rotation, we would have had back-to-back 7th Rounders in the rotation as he was taken the draft before Harry Parker. It's an interesting "what could have been" scenario if Scott decided to stick with baseball, as we would have had yet another talented starter in our cupboard. CF Orlin Yates (242nd Overall) Acquired: Via Trade with the Gothams (1934) Drafted: 9th Round, 131st Overall (1933) Alma Mater: Travis College "Rounding out our top 30 is the third pieces of the Tom Taylor trade, 24-year-old Orlin Yates. Yates is a brilliant defender, with a +17.0 zone rating and 1.112 efficiency this year out in center. He struggled with the AA affiliate of the Gothams organization, but in our system with Mobile he hit .321/.389/.397 (105 OPS+) with 2 steals and 15 RBI's in 177 trips to the plate. My scout thinks he's ready for the big leagues, but I'm not ready for Yates to skip AAA. He'll probably start the season there or in Mobile next year, but expect Yates to fight for a spot in camp too. I love the glove and my scout likes his hit tool, so even if there are a lot of guys ahead of him, I'm rooting for Yates. I don't think he'll ever hit that much in the big leagues, but potentially he can develop into a Cy Bryant type player. Just minus the chastising." Well, there was no chastising, but Yates was definitely lazy and unmotivated... Always an excellent defender, Orlin Yates made his big league debut in 1937, and has appeared in a game for each of the last nine seasons. Then 25, Yates didn't hit very much, just .200/.289/.225 (45 OPS+), but he did a great job drawing walks and his defense out in center was superb. Yates secured a bench role for the 1938 season, and hit an adjusted league average .265/.370/.336 with 5 doubles, a homer, 6 RBIs, and 18 walks in 98 games but just 137 trips to the plate. In the next four seasons, Yates played sparingly off the bench, functioning as Carlos Montes' replacement in center. When Montes was called into the Navy following the 1942 season, a job opened for the glove first outfielder. At 31, Yates had his best season of his career, slashing a just below average .248/.324/.335 (98 OPS+) with 13 doubles, 4 triples, 2 homers, 34 RBIs, and 6 steals in 106 games. He was worth just shy of 3 WAR and accumulated a 12.0 zone rating (1.038 efficiency) patrolling center. Unfortunately for Yates, the bat disappeared the following season, and he hit just .204/.291/.270 (62 OPS+) in a career high 579 trips to the plate. As the season wound down, he ceded part of the starting job to Don Lee, but provided excellent defense to go with 17 doubles, 3 triples, 3 homers, 47 RBIs, 61 walks, and 9 steals. Since Lee didn't hit much last season, Yates started 1945 as the every day center fielder, but as he couldn't hit much better then most pitchers while "Rap" was launching liner after liner, he only got into 86 games with less then half (40) coming from the starting lineup. His .190/.267/.270 (55 OPS+) batting line was very similar to his pitiful triple slash as a rookie, but he still was effective (5.1, 1.042) out in center. Now 34, Yates may have played his last game as a Cougar, as we have plenty of younger and better bats returning from the service, and he's both costly and out of options. For his career, the former 9th Round Pick has appeared in 676 FABL games, batting a well below average .225/.315/.298 (76 OPS+) with 388 doubles, 13 triples, 12 homers, 31 steals, 173 RBIs, and 221 walks. He has accumulated an impressive 49 zone rating out in center, which coincides to a 1.043 efficiency. His excellent defense may entice a team to hold a roster spot for him, but the Cougars clubhouse may be the only FABL clubhouse he'll ever occupy. Last edited by ayaghmour2; 02-10-2023 at 08:59 PM. Reason: Link to quoted post: https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/showpost.php?p=4759454&postcount=396

02-13-2023, 11:44 AM	#1015
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,000	Top Prospects! Time for another offseason! It will be another long one, but this time instead of losing players, we get a bunch back! Well, that's sort of not true, as we had some very shocking retirements. Sure, Dick Lyons (237-187, 3.80, 970) and Ben Curtin (82-63, 126, 3.76, 334) were expected, but Cliff Moss (.290, 284, 1,166)? You gotta be kidding me... Sure he's 39, but Moss is coming off a season where he hit .300/.370/.465 (139 OPS+) with 16 homers and 71 RBIs this season. He was in line to be our starting right fielder next season, but lucky for us, we have the depth to cover. The first thought is moving Billy Hunter to right, with Clark Car taking second, but there are plenty of other options. Fred Vargas could take an every day role in right, as could Don Lee, or Dick Walker can keep first, Ray Ford move to left, and Leo Mitchell to right. We have plenty of options, but I expect a lot of rotation, as Hunter loves to get hurt, and we have more then enough capable starters to fill a lineup. Our 40 is down to 39, a huge plus, due to the retirements of Mike Taylor (.281, 180, 1,004) and Tip Harrison (.193, 2, 18, 4). The 40th spot will be filled by a catcher, whether that is Steve Mountain, Gene Lee (who I DFA'd before I knew we'd have open spots), Homer Guthrie, or an outside addition. Looking at our new group of prospects, I was a bit surprised our system still ranked 6th, with a pair of top 25 prospects in George Oddo and George Sutterfield graduating during the season. Duke Bybee leads the group at #6, and while we have just two remaining top 25 prospects, we have 7 in the top 100, 21 in the top 250, and 46 in the top 500. Even better, 12 of our recent draftees crack the top 40, including a trio in the top 100. 1. LHP Duke Bybee (6th Overall): 1st/3rd 2. CF Johnny Peters (14th Overall): 3rd Overall Pick 3. C Eddie Howard (44th Overall): 5th/56th 4. 3B Otto Christian (47th Overall): 3rd/34th 5. CF Carl Clark (54th Overall): 18th Overall Pick 6. LHP Bert Rogers (55th Overall): 6th/64th 7. 3B Pat Todd (79th Overall): 43rd Overall Pick 8. RHP Joe Swank (142nd Overall): 11th/159th 9. RHP Charlie Kelsey (150th Overall): 10th/130th 10. RF Jimmy Hairston (161st Overall): 8th/122nd 11. SS Bill Perrin (164th Overall): Acquired in trade with Detroit 12. LF Clyde Parker (166th Overall): 103rd Overall Pick 13. 2B Bob Schmelz (193rd Overall): Acquired in trade with Detroit 14. LHP Lefty Jones (205th Overall): 12th/160th 15. SS Al Clement (207th Overall): 14th/202nd 16. 1B Cal Rice (214th Overall): 158th Overall Pick 17. LHP Dutch Yoak (222nd Overall): 19th Overall Pick 18. CF Tom Jovin (227th Overall): 9th/126th 19. SS Jim Mako (229th Overall): 59th Overall Pick 20. RHP Tommy Seymour (236th Overall): 13th/178th 21. RHP Mike Thorpe (240th Overall): 15th/221st 22. RHP Stan Flanders (265th Overall): 20th/288th 23. SS Rupert Heinbaugh (267th Overall): 107th Overall Pick 24. RHP Jim Williams (322nd Overall): 123rd Overall Pick 25. RHP Babe Stinson (328th Overall): 28th/282nd 26. RHP Gene Madison (333rd Overall): Acquired in trade with Detroit 27. C Alex O'Dailey (338th Overall): 75th Overall Pick 28. RHP Harry MacRae (350th Overall): 21st/317th 29. LHP Bob Hobbs (354th Overall): 29th/361st 30. RF Bob Rogers (363rd Overall): 26th/340th 31. SS Tom Brownleaf (367th Overall): 31st/379th 32. RHP Dick Garcia (410th Overall): 24th/331st 33. RHP Jimmy Ballard (415th Overall): 37th/460th 34. LF Harry Austin (427th Overall): 17th/268th 35. RF Bill Rich (429th Overall): Not Ranked 36. RHP Bill Holloway (442nd Overall): 18th/273rd 37. 3B Buddy Brumbaugh (444th Overall): 19th/275th 38. C Homer Guthrie (446th Overall): Not Ranked 39. RHP Ray Warren (451st Overall): 141st Overall Pick 40. RHP Wally Eversole (469th Overall): 143rd Overall Pick Last edited by ayaghmour2; 02-21-2023 at 10:27 AM.

02-13-2023, 07:12 PM	#1016
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,000	Top Prospects: 1-5 LHP Duke Bybee (6th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 49th Overall (1940) Alma Mater: Brooklyn Friends Quakers Currently ranked below just five other prospects in the entire FABL, Duke Bybee spent the last month or so stateside after nearly four years in the Marines Corp. He made two starts in Lincoln before being called up when rosters expanded, allowing just 11 hits and 4 walks with 15 strikeouts and just one earned run in 17 dominant innings pitched. His time with the Cougars didn't look anything like that, as he allowed 28 hits, 14 runs, and 16 walks with 9 strikeouts in a rough 19.1 inning sample. While certainly a minor setback, Bybee still is one of the most exciting young pitchers in the game, as has everything you look for in an ace. He has stellar command, jaw-dropping movement, and elite stuff, all while throwing in the mid-to-upper 90s. Add in his leadership and work ethic, and it's hard to craft a more talented pitcher then Bybee. Rather unlucky for him, Clyde Meyer ranks him as our #7 starter, which means the 23-year-old will likely start the next season in Mobile or Milwaukee. It won't be a long trip, as he's definitely going to end up in Chicago at some point, but unless we get a major injury or trade, there's no rotation spot open for him in 1946. That's not to say he won't force his way in, as if Joe Brown, Billy Riley, and/or Johnnie Jones start to struggle, Bybee will get be ready to grab a rotation spot and I can't see the towering southpaw ever letting go. CF Johnny Peters (14th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 3rd Overall (1945) Alma Mater: Liberty College Bells The first ever draft lottery treated us very well, as we jumped from 11th to 3rd, and got to acquire a potentially elite talent in Johnny Peters. On draft day, I thought Peters might be able to go straight to the majors, but that turned out to be far more optimistic then what reality had in mind. He struggled a bit to start the season, but Peters flashed some of the bat talent I expected in A ball, slashing .275/.383/.415 (114 OPS+) in 75 games. While there was some stuff to like, there were a fair share of worries. I always knew defense wouldn't be his strong suit, but the 21-year-old posted a -11.2 zone rating and .956 efficiency out in center. That doesn't mean he's destined for a corner, not everyone comes in with a high positional rating, but this leads me to believe a corner is just as likely as him sticking in center. The bigger concern was the drop in power, as after 10 longballs as a junior, he hit just two in 313 trips to the plate. He did have 23 doubles and 4 triples, but Peters was projected to be a big league slugger. He also struck out (67) more often then he walked (47), completing the trio of three things I really didn't expect from Peters' first taste of minor league baseball. Time to panic? Of course not! Peters is oozing with big league potential, and it's a bit unfair to expect every potential star to hit the ground running. Peters is a strong and lean fighting machine who's got the brains of a bookworm and the charisma of a motivational speaker. At the plate, he features plus contact potential and does a tremendous job controlling the strike zone. He shouldn't strike out nearly as much as he did in his first stint, and he projects to walk far more frequently then he strikes out. He has good speed and should steal double digit bases a season, and I really think he'll develop the range to stick in center. Add in at least average power, which I think should be plus or better, and you have the makings of an elite center fielder. Tom, OSA, and the prospect people all believe it, and things are looking very promising for our young outfielder of the future. C Eddie Howard (44th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 20th Overall (1941) Alma Mater: St. Joseph Chiefs He's back! After three years overseas, our catcher of the future returns, and I am very excited to welcome back the likely big league ready backstop Eddie Howard. He won't debut right away, Harry Mead is still our catcher in the short term, but his potential is unmatched in our system and he's getting closer to passing up the rest of the depth behind the plate. I'm not sure where he'll start, as he went just 6-for-23 with the Legislators in a 7 game stint, but the now 22-year-old could fill in anywhere from Lincoln to Milwaukee. What makes Howard special is that he can also pitch, with Tom Weinstock viewing him as a potential lockdown closer with an excellent sinker. This should help him manage a staff well, as he doesn't need to get into the heads of pitchers, he is one! Most of his value is at the plate, however, as he has batting title contact potential with a nice eye and plenty of gap power. Howard won't hit many homers, but he'll live on the basepaths, and will drive in plenty of runs. Add in great value behind the plate, and Howard could be one of the best two-way catchers in the league. I'm hoping the time he spent in the Navy will help buff him up a bit, as add in some home runs and Howard could be a very dangerous player. 3B Otto Christian (47th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 13th Overall (1941) Alma Mater: Walla Walla Warriors The "Walla Walla Walloper" returns! Of all the guys who were overseas as prospects, Otto is the one I wish we got more time with. I have absolutely no idea what to expect with him when he comes back. Is it the prolific slugger? Did he stall out? Something in between? Can he hit big leaguers? Or are the minor ones still giving him fits? Recently 23, Otto doesn't have much ambition, so I'm not sold that he was working all that hard away from his coaches. That may slow him down a bit, but with Hank Barnett entrenched at third, there's no immediate rush to get Christian walloping in Chicago. A potential game changer at the plate, Tom Taylor's 31 homers in 1934 seem destined to be broken by Otto before he turns 30. Tom is still a big fan, expecting him to be a reliable big leaguer, but what will take him from slugger to Bobby Barrell-esque game changer is the hit tool. He swings the bat hard and fast, but we don't yet know if he's going to whiff too much. In his last gametime in 1942, he struck out just 22 times in 76 games in C Ball, but that jumped to 31 in 63 in San Jose. He should do a good job knowing when to swing and when to take, but the lack of experience may hurt him. His glove is solid at the hot corner too, so while he may spend time at first due to guys like Barnett or even George Sutterfield, he'll always have the ability to field his position. If everything goes right, he could end up in Chicago by season's end, but my guess is his big league debut is still ways away. But when he reaches the show, we might need to invest a lot more in batting practice balls as he's sure to deposit plenty to early birds at Cougars Park. CF Carl Clark (54th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 18th Overall (1945) Alma Mater: Springfield Panthers The second of three 1945 draftees to crack the top 100, the now 18-year-old Carl Clark had one of the better seasons from our prep-heavy class down in La Crosse. Appearing in 81 games, "Fish" hit just .263/.336/.294 (84 OPS+), but he was 17 most of the season and facing guys who have been toiling around systems for a few seasons. His 92 WRC+ was better, and he added 5 doubles, 2 triples, 6 steals, and 25 RBIs with 33 walks. He played passable defense in center, and I expect that to improve as the youngster gets more time on the grass. I'm more excited for the bat, however, as Clark projects to be an elite contact hitter with excellent command of the strike zone. He'll end up walking more then he strikes out, something he almost did this season, and he hits the ball hard on a line. He's cool under pressure, and while he won't hit many homers on the fly, he could leg out a few if placed well or a lesser outfielder misplays it. He'll get another go of things with the Lions next year, and I'd bet he'll have plenty of success with another year under his belt.

02-14-2023, 07:25 PM	#1017
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,000	Top Prospects: 6-10 LHP Bret Rogers (55th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 12th Overall (1944) Alma Mater: Wenona Braves After a year off in the service, our 1st Rounder from last year Bert Rogers will return to the system, likely returning to La Crosse where he left off. He'll be 19 on Opening Day, and the young Chicagoan will likely spent the rest of his season in the lowest level of our system. He struggled in his 10 start sample, going just 1-7 with a 5.26 ERA (66 ERA+) and 1.89 WHIP with more walks (33) then strikeouts (26). A three pitch southpaw, Rogers projects to be a mid-rotation arm, and he'll be throwing a bit harder (86-88) then he did when he left. His curveball will make even the best hitters miss, his slider is excellent, and his fastball is decent and improving. All three offerings have plenty of movement, and he does a great job keeping the ball on the ground. Rogers is a bit quiet, and he tends to keep to himself, but he works hard and has all the tools that you look for in a big league arm. It's going to be a slow climb up the system for Rogers, but with our wealth of pitching depth, we can wait for him to mature. 3B Pat Todd (79th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 3rd Round, 43rd Overall (1945) Alma Mater: University Red Devils It's somewhat fitting that our third round pick would be our third member of the Class of 1945 to rank inside the league's top 100. 19 in December, Todd struggled less then most in La Crosse, hitting .240/.313/.325 (86 OPS+) in 275 PAs, and due to our thin lower minors depth, he even went 5-for-49 in 14 games up in San Jose. His defense at the hot corner was elite, generating a 13.5 zone rating with a 1.145 efficiency, leading him to be worth a hair under 3 WAR. I always knew he could be an outstanding third basemen, but with how much range he displayed manning third, perhaps he could handle short! We don't have a pressing need at short, with plenty of others in the lower minors that can handle short, but increasing versatility is a plus. He's also a really good hitter, despite how young he is, as he has a quick swing and great bat control that allows him to handle all levels of velocity. Off-speed stuff can still trip him up, but I'm sure he'll handle it well as he grows into himself. He's sort of a reserve Otto Christian, little power, high contact, elite defense (although Otto is still plus), and both have the skills to excel in the majors. Todd has a lot of risk, as he's got a lot of developing to do, but he looks to have been a nice addition to the roster in a round that until last year only produced regional guys. RHP Joe Swank (142nd Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 7th Round, 107th Overall (1941) Alma Mater: Rhodes Rams After listing seven prospects in the first 80 slots, we had a huge gap to follow, with 63 prospects between Todd and Joe Swank. I'd argue Swank is on the underrated side, as the 22-year-old dominated the Century League, going 17-10 with a 2.74 ERA (131 ERA+), 1.10 WHIP, 49 walks, and 128 strikeouts in nearly 250 innings for the Blues. He posted an elite K/BB (2.6) and FIP- (79) and was worth nearly 6 (5.9) WAR, somehow managing to top his dominant season at Mobile in '44 where he posted a 3.26 ERA (122 ERA+) with 109 strikeouts in 26 starts. A former 7th Round Pick back in 1941, Swank is one of the seemingly thousands of players eligible for the Rule-5 Draft, and while we have plenty of talented pitchers, there is no way I'm leaving Cleveland native unprotected. Very advanced for his age, he had a green arrow to Chicago all season, and he's probably already better then big league starters like Ben Watkins (12-11, 4.27, 59) or John Douglas (10-14, 1, 3.70, 51), and with a little more upside too. He won't front any rotation, but Swank excellent stuff, featuring a whif-inducing circle change and a nice curve and fastball. He doesn't throw all that hard, sitting in the high 80s with the occasional fastball at 90, but he keeps the ball on the ground and limits hard contact. He allowed just one homer in 215.2 innings last season, and while that jumped to 12 this year, it corresponds to a HR/9 below 0.5. OSA is fonder of Swank then Tom Weinstock, calling him a mid-rotation arm versus just a number five, and I think OSA is closer to his peak. Swank could probably give you more then what you're looking for in a five now, but I don't know how much higher his ceiling is then his floor. We have a crowded system, especially at the top for pitchers, so he may be with Oddo and Bybee in AA while they all deserve to be in Chicago. We get at least three seasons before Swank runs out of options, but he may be most useful for us as trade bait. I don't envision us needing any spot starters next season, with an expected six-man rotation and Rusty Petrick in the pen, but if injuries decide to devastate us, even our starters in the double digits of the pecking order like Swank can deliver quality innings. RHP Charlie Kelsey (150th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 9th Round, 140th Overall (1940) Alma Mater: Lancaster Buckskins The real surprise of last year's prospect rankings, Charlie Kelsey certainly lived up to the hype in 1945. The 23-year-old spent most of the season in the pen, but he did start 12 of his 57 appearances, and regardless of whether he started or finished the game, he was truly brilliant. Kelsey went 12-10 and saved 22 games in 171.2 innings of work. He had a superb 2.31 ERA (156 ERA+) with 56 walks, 84 strikeouts, and a 1.21 WHIP for the Blues, and maintained the current role of "Starter" all through the season. With a lot of upper minors rotation depth this season, Kelsey didn't quite get the chance he deserved, but the former 9th Rounder has officially solidified himself as a starting pitcher now. It's tough for a three pitch guy to succeed with just one offspeed pitch, but Kelsey has an excellent change, and his hard stuff works well together. His best pitch is his high 80s fastball, which he uses to attack hitters up in the zone, and it moves well enough that it's a tough pitch to square up. His sinker then commands the bottom of the zone, catering to his extreme groundball tendencies and keeping his catcher busy behind the plate. His stuff is his strongest asset, but his movement and control are both average, and he showed no trouble going deep into games. I'm not sure if he has what it takes to be a starter in our rotation, and that's plenty okay, but Kelsey's floor is an elite back-of-the-pen arm and his ceiling his a mid-rotation starter. He seems like a dependable guy who won't hurt you when he starts, but someone you're comfortable upgrading on if you want to make a splash. Next season will likely be his first as a full time starter, but since our pen isn't quite nailed down, he'll get a shot to claim the vacated stopper role. RF Jimmy Hairston (161st Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 61st Overall (1943) Alma Mater: Bowman Mohawks Our 4th Round selection back in 1943, Hairston spent two seasons in the minors before enlisting in the Army for the 1945 season, and he'll start next year as a 21-year-old. We have a lot of outfield depth, so Hairston may be in San Jose or La Crosse, but wherever he starts, he'll be playing regularly. A corner outfielder from South Carolina, Hairston hit an impressive .266/.342/.413 (123 OPS+) with the Lions last year, and he projects to be a very good big league hitter. Power is probably his worst tool, and it should still be average, as he's a very disciplined hitter who puts the ball in play consistently. Close pitches will give him some trouble, as he knows better the some umps on which pitches are strikes, so he may need to learn a quality two strike swing. His defense isn't anything to write home about, but he should be at worst a Leo Mitchell type fielder, and his bat more then makes up for it. He does carry some risk, as he's very raw and not one to stay around for extra work, but sometimes talent wins through. He's no All-Star, but he could profile similar to Rich Langton, just trading away the speed for more homers. We might have to take it a bit slower with him, but with guys like Mitchell, Don Lee, Fred Vargas, and Billy Hunter all competing for reps in the corner outfield, and Johnny Peters not too far behind them, Hairston will have all the time he needs to develop into a productive big league regular.

02-15-2023, 08:30 PM	#1018
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,000	Top Prospects: 11-15 SS Bill Perrin (164th Overall) Acquired: Via Trade with Detroit (1945) Drafted: 5th Round, 78th Overall (1945) Alma Mater: Eastern Crusaders One of the four pieces in the Art White trade, Bill Perrin was a guy I had my eye on in the draft, but instead opted to go with Jim Mako in the 4th. Had the Dynamos not used their 5th Rounder on him, we might not have had Rupert Heinbaugh or Alex O'Dailey in the system, but instead we have the whole group. Perrin ranks higher then the previously mentioned trio, and the highest of his three prospects we added. Despite being just 18, I had him pushed up to San Jose, and let's just say... It did not go well... I didn't have any expectations due to his age, but almost anything is better then the .124/.201/.149 (3 OPS+) batting line he produced. He had just 3 doubles in 134 trips to the plate, and he had 50 strikeouts to just 12 walks. Despite that, Perrin never let that get him down, and the Cleveland Heights native was still the first man to the park and last one to leave. A dedicated "baseball rat" like himself will be a favorite in whatever clubhouse he participates in next year. We have too many talented low minors guys, so I expect guys like Perrin will get shuffled back and forth between La Crosse and San Jose to see who can stick. Perrin may not show it yet, but I think he has the tools to be an impressive infielder both in the field and at the plate. He's a disciplined hitter who should draw plenty of walks, and as a hitter he has the perfect combination of bat speed and barrel control. He's handled short well so far, and while I'm not sure he'll ever be more then average there at the big league level, the bat may make up for it. Eventually, we'll stop seeing shortstops like Skipper Schneider, Charlie Artuso, Jim Hensley, and Harry Barrell who can do everything, giving guys like Perrin a fair shake. He's definitely a project, but if I was a betting man, I'd put my money on Perrin developing into a quality big leaguer. LF Clyde Parker (166th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 7th Round, 103rd Overall (1945) Alma Mater: Liberty Bluejays Clyde Parker is what I like to call Leo Mitchell lite, as this year's 7th Rounder could be an excellent big league hitter. One of the few prospects from this class who actually hit a bit, Parker managed to post average numbers at both La Crosse and San Jose, despite not putting the ball in play as much as I would have thought. A three year starter at Liberty, Parker hit .512 or better in each of his three seasons, he hit just .218 with La Crosse and .225 with San Jose. I definitely expect him to hit for higher averages later on, but he more then made up for it with his extra base power. Parker hit 16 doubles, 7 triples, and 5 homers in his 67 games, allowing him to produce WRC+ of 109 and 108 at his respected levels. Having turned just 19 in September, he more then held his own against tough competition, and has a chance to start next season in the Cougars opening day lineup. A bat first prospect, Parker isn't a bad defensive corner outfielder, but the brunt of his production will come at the plate. The lefty hits to all fields, sending liner after liner over the infield, and when he really gets a hold of a mistake, he as a ton of pull side home run pop. He has a good eye and can run a bit, giving him multiple ways to beat a defense. He's got ways to go, but he's got a higher ceiling then most prep picks and he's extremely hard working. He has the tools and potential to flourish in the big leagues, and there are very few youngsters in our system who project to hit better then him. 2B Bob Schmelz (193rd Overall) Acquired: Via Trade with Detroit (1945) Drafted: 1st Round, 11th Overall (1942) Alma Mater: Dravosburg Flyers Another one of the pieces acquired in the Art White deal, Schmelz was serving in the army. He got himself an early discharge, making his first of twenty appearances on the 3rd of September. With callups, a spot was open in Lincoln, and well I knew he'd be overmatched, the soon-to-be 21-year-old had a better chance then most of our other youngsters that are old enough to serve their country, but not buy a beer. As expected, Schmelz struggled with the competition, as he had to face some pitchers in their 30s during him time with the Legislators. He finished just 13-for-75 with 3 doubles, a homer, and 7 RBIs. This produced a 48 WRC+, but pales in comparison to his -7.6 zone rating and .742 efficiency at the keystone. But the best part is, he doesn't have a down arrow! For a guy who hasn't picked up a bat since he was 17, I would have honestly expected much worse. Don't get me wrong, Schmelz isn't going to set the world on fire, but with a chance to shake off some rust and a chance to face more age appropriate competition I think he'll preform well. The numbers game may bounce him down to San Jose, but I really want him facing A ball pitchers next season. Schmelz is a bat only prospect, likely Ray Ford level defense at second, so he may have to transition to first base. We don't have many first base prospects, leaving potential at bats for someone like Schmelz to take. Even if he doesn't play every game at one position, I'd be comfortable splitting time between first and second, allowing more players to get involved in the lineup. He'll still get six or so starts a week, and he'll hit to earn his spot. He's a little short for first, but he's strong and hits the ball hard, projecting to hit around .300 while maintaining a high on-base percentage. He doesn't really strike me as a home run hitter, but in our park a lot of well hit balls will leave the yard. He's really young and carries plenty of risk, but he has plenty of upside in a position we generally don't hold much depth. LHP Lefty Jones (205th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 5th Round, 207th Overall (1943) Alma Mater: Wilsonville Wildcats 1945 was a tough season for Lefty Jones, who was pushed a bit too hard this season. After going 8-5 with a 2.96 ERA (118 ERA+) and 71 strikeouts in 13 starts with San Jose, he spent his season getting hit hard in A and AA. Most of the innings came in Lincoln, where he went just 4-12 with a 5.62 ERA (73 ERA+) and 1.85 WHIP with 83 walks and just 43 strikeouts. Walks have always caused Lefty trouble, but his strikeouts were never this low. His 2.5 K/9 was a personal low, and other then his 25.2 innings with the Commodores this season, he's never held one below 5. I'm not concerned yet, but 1946 will be a big season for him. He'll likely get a more fair shot at A ball next season, but the numbers game has a chance of sending him down a level. It's tough for side armers to pitch every day, but his tools are enticing enough to make it work. He has a solid high 80s cutter and his slider is devastating for lefties. The trouble will be the change. If he can use it effectively against righties, Jones can toe the rubber every five days. The issue now is his command, as he can't locate any of his pitches, leading to high pitch counts and short outings. Jones has plenty of risk, and considering we already have two on the big league staff, a third would seem like overkill. He's a bit before his time, as in a modern day league he'd be a deadly lefty late inning arm, but instead, he'll be lucky to get more then a handful of big league starts. SS Al Clement (207th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 29th Overall (1943) Alma Mater: De Pere Redbirds It was a tale of two seasons for Clement, who raked with the Cougars and scuffled against the Legislators. His first third came in San Jose, where he hit an excellent .329/.394/.478 (154 OPS+) with 7 homers and 21 RBIs. The rest came in Lincoln, where his line dropped to .252/.306/.325 (70 OPS+). The former 2nd Rounder combined for 10 doubles, 5 triples, and 53 RBIs, which does leave some to be desired. He did swipe 37 bases, as speed is a huge asset of his, but I expected more doubles and triples. He's not putting the ball in play enough yet, and he's also been striking out far more then he's walked. When he's fully developed, scouts expect above average contact and eye tools. He'll hit his share of extra base hits, but we'll be lucky to get five homers from him in a season. His speed more then makes up for it, and while he hasn't played great defense yet, he doesn't turn 21 until March and has plenty of time to improve. I think he'll be a strong shortstop, and he's handled second and third, but I may mix in some center field next season. He definitely has the speed for it, so if short proves difficult, he has plenty of fallback positions where he should be plus or better. His versatility will earn him a big league spot, but a starting role is tough to come by on the Cougars.

02-16-2023, 07:19 PM	#1019
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,000	Top Prospects: 16-20 1B Cal Rice (214th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 10th Round, 158th Overall (1945) Alma Mater: Farmington Tigers A steal in the draft, all 16 FABL GMs passed on Cal Rice in the Winter portion of the draft, and then lasted nearly three rounds before Tom Weinstock decided to go with him. The now 18-year-old first basemen looks to be a gem that I missed, projecting to be an above average big leaguer. He has an exciting bat, featuring the potential to post above average contact and power potential. Another plus is his eye, as he should draw plenty of walks, and will end up being a hard batter to strike out. Rice also has the build of a slugger, 6'3'' 200 pounds of muscle from the left side of the plate. He hit just one homer with the Lions, but had one of the better batting lines from our draftees. He had a 95 WRC+ with 7 doubles, 3 triples, and 15 RBIs with 42 walks in 313 trips to the plate. His .243 average and .302 slugging are concerning, but next year he'll face more reasonable competition. We don't have many first base prospects, and I can't see adding one in the coming draft, so Rice will have the first base job locked up down in La Crosse. If one of George Sutterfield or Otto Christian don't hit, Rice could take the first base job once Ford and Walker retire. His bat is very exciting, but with limited versatility, Rice taking the Cuno Myer path is equally likely to him being an every day player. LHP Dutch Yoak (222nd Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 19th Overall (1945) Alma Mater: La Porte Renegades After three seasons of perfection at La Porte, Dutch Yoak finally ran into struggles in his first year of affiliated ball. I didn't expect the skinny 6'4'' southpaw to rank very high on the prospect lists, but I was hoping Yoak would at least be on the right side of the top 200. He had reasonable success in his first pro season, going 4-7 with a 2.98 ERA (102 ERA+) and 1.35 WHIP. He struck out (53) more hitters then he walked (41) and surpassed the 100 inning mark (102.2) in 13 effective starts. A three pitch pitcher, Yoak does allow a lot of flyballs, which could lead to plenty of longballs. His stuff and control should make up for it, as he has a knack for the strike zone and a wicked curveball. For now he'll add in the additional meatball, but since his fastball can hit 90, he can get away with some mistakes. His pitches don't move all that much, but he has deception in his windup and mixes his pitches well. As he matures, I expect him to gain velocity and limit his mistake pitches, which could turn him into a very impressive big league starter. I wouldn't bet against his work ethic either, as Yoak wants to be the best player he can be. I'm a lot higher on the youngster then the scouts are, as spot starter seems like more of a floor then ceiling. Our coaches do well with young hurlers, and I think Yoak will follow in the footsteps of the many before him. RF Tom Jovin (227th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 28th Overall (1944) Alma Mater: Pocahontas Chiefs Our 2nd Rounder last season, Tom Jovin spent his year in the Army, missing out on plenty of available at bats this season. 20 in May, Jovin had a rough debut season, and may have to return to San Jose where he was just 8-for-45 in 16 games. What works in his favor is that Jovin can handle all three outfield spots, with my best guess being he ends up in right. His best tool is his hit tool, and OSA goes as far to declare he can compete for batting titles. I think that's a stretch, but he puts the ball in play enough to hit comfortably over .300, as he makes consistent contact while staying in the zone. He'll draw his walks as well, as Jovin is an expert at working the count. He does come with plenty of risk, as he's very raw and underdeveloped, and our system is pretty crowded with outfielders. His age will help keep him around, but the missed season will cause an uphill battle for Jovin, as he looks to work his way into our future plans. SS Jim Mako (229th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 59th Overall (1945) Alma Mater: Erasmus Crusaders Jim Mako didn't play baseball until he was a senior at Erasmus, so when we selected him in the 4th Round, it was before he even made an official plate appearance. The inexperience showed, as he hit .429/.504/.750 with 18 doubles, 3 triples, 4 homers, 17 steals, and 31 RBIs. The 18-year-old then spent most of his time after the draft in La Crosse, hitting just .223/.271/.324 (74 OPS+) in just under 200 PAs. A natural shortstop, "The Shark" spent most of his time out in right field, but made appearances at short, second, and center as well, while also spending a little time at third in high school. His versatility will benefit him, as I expect Mako to give most of the every day players an occasional day off. I'll give him some time in left, which he should pick up fine, and with his speed I think he can be at least average at all seven spots. His bat shows promise too, as he works the count well and projects to hit around .270. Mako is young, but has the tools to develop into an everyday player in the FABL. His versatility will allow him to crack a roster at least as a Tip Harrison type, but if a spot opens up for him, I think Mako will take hold of it for a few seasons. RHP Tommy Seymour (236th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 13th Overall (1943) Alma Mater: Olathe Pioneers Like Yoak, Tommy Seymour is a guy I'm much higher on then OSA and Tom Weinstock, but after a nightmare season and a half, I was not surprised to see Seymour drop out of the top 200. Taken 13th Overall last season, Seymour was pushed up to San Jose despite a 5.99 ERA (68 ERA+) in 32 C ball starts. The then 19-year-old impressed, going 4-8 with a 3.29 ERA (106 ERA+) and 1.33 WHIP with 41 walks and 69 strikeouts. He made 16 starts and threw 104 innings, before getting a promotion to Lincoln. That, as expected, did not work out well, as Seymour went 1-7 in 10 starts. His 7.93 ERA (53 ERA+) and 2.25 WHIP left plenty to be desired, and he walked 45 hitters in 59 innings. With the troops returning, Seymour won't have to deal with A ball to start the season, with the 20-year-old penciled into the Cougars rotation in Class B. I wouldn't, however, be surprised with Seymour finishing the year in Lincoln, as I expect him to improve on his numbers with San Jose this season. I'm also hoping to see a velocity bump for him this offseason, as his fastball sits in the 84-86 range. The harder he throws, the better his change will be, and the pitch already projects to be dominant. His splitter should be pretty solid too, but his current fastball isn't good enough to make the off-speed effective. Despite that, the change and curve move well enough to miss bats, but when he can't locate his fastball, hitters can sit on those pitches. Seymour has plenty of risk, and could quite conceivably flame out before cracking the big leagues, but I have a sneaking suspicion that he'll be one of our more highly touted prospects once he's closer to the majors.

02-17-2023, 07:27 PM	#1020
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,000	Top Prospects: 21-25 RHP Mike Thorpe (240th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 60th Overall (1944) Alma Mater: Americus University Hurricanes The second of two fourth rounders from last season who debuted this year, I expected a bit more from Thorpe. Since he was drafted, he's flaunted a green arrow to the majors and an FABL ETA of the current season. He looked every bit like a big league starter in Milwaukee, going a near perfect 12-1 through 130.1 innings pitched. Thorpe wielded a 2.76 ERA (130 ERA+) and 1.20 WHIP. The underlying numbers were a fan too, has his 3.12 FIP (86 FIP-) was well above average as well. With plenty of impressive starts, I was ready to give him a shot in a pennant race, shipping a captain in Art White to the Dynamos to give him a regular spot in our rotation. The 23-year-old had a rough first start in Brooklyn, allowing 10 hits, 8 runs, and 3 walks, being forced out with a runner on first and two outs in the fifth. He did quickly bounce back, just 2 earned runs in each of his next two outings despite walking 10 batters in an out short of two complete games. Just when it seemed like he was getting in the hang of things, we got the good new of Peter the Heater's return, which pushed Thorpe out of the rotation. He made just one more start, going almost 8 in a no decision versus the Sailors, but he played a big role out of the pen the rest of the way. He threw 8 innings with 7 hits, 3 runs, a walk, and 3 strikeouts, and Thorpe managed to pick up a pair of saves as well. With three rotation members returning stateside, there aren't many rotation spots available, so Thorpe will be stuck in AAA for the foreseeable future. His performance there could shape his future, as If we need to make a big upgrade at the deadline, a promising young pitcher dominating the Century League could be a very enticing trade piece. Thorpe's greatest trait is his ability to limit the longball, as the soft tosser has not allowed a single home run in 386.2 innings in college, AA, AAA, and FABL. His pitches are slow but deadly, as they float all around the zone. Unlike a lot of the projected members of our rotation, he's more of a Dick Lyons or Art White then Donnie Jones or Joe Brown. He won't strike out more then a handful of hitters a game, so he'll need to master control like White and Lyons did. Since he's already shown he can handle himself at the highest levels, he has the floor of a big league pitcher, but the ceiling might not get much higher. He'll never be the best member of a rotation, but if you need someone to give you a chance day in and day out, he's your guy. The perfect #4 or #5, and potentially a highly traded asset, Thorpe should be able to settle into a back-end rotation role until his pitches stop working. Since he doesn't throw hard his risk of injury is much lower, and he hasn't missed a start yet. 1946 will be a huge year for Thorpe, and I think he's going to turn some heads. RHP Stan Flanders (265th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 10th Round, 157th Overall (1941) Alma Mater: New Haven Bulldogs One of the toughest decisions I have to make all winter is whether Stan Flanders gets a 40-Man Roster spot. With far more then 40 worthy candidates, there will be good players left out. A 10th Rounder back in 1941, Flanders followed up a 12-11 season with a 3.17 ERA (126 ERA+) with a 12-11 season with a 3.04 ERA (131 ERA+). Both outputs came with the Commodores, with Flanders throwing a personal high 213 innings with a 1.35 WHIP, 53 walks, and 48 strikeouts. 23 in December, Flanders was converted from catcher to pitcher, and it's looked to have been a smart change. That being said, he did put up decent offensive numbers this season too, slashing .277/.402/.410 (118 OPS+) with 8 doubles, a homer, and 18 RBIs, with more walks (18) then strikeouts (4) and a very impressive 135 WRC+. He could be a decent gimmick player, functioning as a catcher and reliever, but some teams may want to give him a chance to start. His stuff isn't great, but he gives you innings and won't make too many mistakes. We have an open spot, but there are plenty of players vying for that spot. SS Rupert Heinbaugh (367th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 7th Round, 107th Overall (1945) Alma Mater: Weedsport Warriors Our 7th Rounder in the most recent draft, Rupert Heinbaugh spent most of the season starting at shortstop for the Lions after the draft. He played well defensively, but hit just ..230/.281/.314 (74 OPS+) with 7 doubles, 3 triples, 2 homers, 4 steals, and 13 RBIs. A smooth defender at short, Heinbaugh won't have to hit too well to earn a bench spot, but he does swing a decent bat. He has above average bat speed and with his speed he'll slap his share of doubles and triples. He struck out a fair amount this season, but I think he'll keep them down as he grows as a hitter. He could end up hitting for a high average as well, but don't expect any home runs from this 18-year-old. He'll head back to La Crosse next season, but my guess is he'll rotate position more, likely getting some time at second and third as well. A talented youngster Tom Weinstock expects him to be a frontrunner in any audition for a spot at short, but in this organization, no one gets past Skipper. Heinbaugh's versatility will earn him a shot to stay on a big league roster, but it might not be with us. RHP Jim Williams (322nd Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 8th Round, 123rd Overall (1945) Alma Mater: Chicopee Pacers Our 8th Round selection this most recent year, Jim Williams had a rough go of things down in La Crosse, finishing his 12 starts 3-4 with a 3.88 ERA (79 ERA+), 1.50 WHIP, 29 walks, and 38 strikeouts. A hard working righty, I'm hoping the now 19-year-old uses his early career struggles as a motivator. A three pitch pitcher, Williams has a nice high 80s sinker that generates plenty of grounders and keeps the ball in the park. He has good command of his all three offerings, as the sinker goes with a potentially decent curve and circle-change. The curve is his weakest pitch, and will be his make-or-break pitch if he wants to start at the big league level. He has the command to avoid silly mistakes, and at 6'4'' he could add velocity as he fills out. Right now he's more of an emergency starter then rotation member, but you know who else was a tall 8th Rounder? George Oddo! Ahh, the offseason! Unlimited optimism! RHP Babe Stinson (328th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 64th Overall (1942) Alma Mater: Louisville Coyotes After making two starts in San Jose last season, Babe Stinson started there this year. He looked pretty good, going 5-4 with a 3.33 ERA (104 ERA+) and 1.14 WHIP with 22 walks and 65 strikeouts. There were some concerns, as his 14 starts went for just 83.2 innings, but he had a stellar 3.0 K/BB. This earned him a promotion to Lincoln, and while the overall numbers were similar, his walks (30) and strikeouts (23) went the wrong direction in the 11 starts. Babe went 4-3 with a 3.99 ERA (104 ERA+) and 1.57 WHIP, as A ball hitters were able to get on base against him much more frequently. A five pitch pitcher, Stinson has very raw stuff, and uses his wits rather then arm speed to record outs. This makes me likely to believe the impressive strikeout numbers from San Jose won't stick, and he'll have to iron out his command to pitch in a rotation. Just 21, he'll likely head back down to San Jose to begin the season. Ideally he'll get starts, but his stamina may work against him, as he could transition into a stopper role if we have too many other potential starters.