Chicago Cougars (FABL) - Page 7

ayaghmour2 · 05-20-2020, 05:18 PM

The spring is about to end and minor league baseball is kicking off, so I sent a handful of my younger prospects like Tom Barrell to Class A Lincoln for extended Spring Training. The rest of roster cuts will be made shortly as we ready for Opening Day, and most of the roster is accounted for. I'm still debating on how I'm going to shape up the pitching staff or fill out the bench, but I don't expect to lose any players of importance.

Who's Hot?
Jim Crawford (3 starts, 12 IP, 2-0, 0.75 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 2 K)
Tommy Russel (3 starts, 12 IP, 2-1, 2.24 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 6 K)
Dick Kadlec (7 IP, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 4 K)
Bill Ashbaugh (48 PA, 3 HR, 12 RBI, .409/.458/.773)
Vince York (39 PA, 4 RBI, .412/.462/.588)
Ed Rhoden (23 PA, 4 RBI, .476/.500/.619)
Tom Thomas (25 PA, 2 RBI, .348/.375/.348)

Who's Not?
Steve Castellini (4 starts, 11.2 IP, 1-2, 15.43 ERA, 2.57 WHIP, 8 K)
Max Wilder (3 starts, 12 IP, 0-0, 6.75 ERA, 1.92 WHIP, 2 K)
Fred Barrell (38 PA, 4 RBI, .143/.211/.143)
Slim Bloom (19 PA, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .176/.263/.353
Harry Simmons (39 PA, 2 RBI, .228/.308/.343

Minor League Report

SP Joe King: In three starts in Lincoln for extended spring training, Joe King is one of the few starters pitching well. In 16.1 innings, he's 1-1 with a nice 3.86 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, and 18 strikeouts to just 3 walks. King, 24, is a former Keystone pitcher we acquired in 1929 who spent all of last season with AA Mobile. He had a bit of a down year, just 10-11 with a 4.95 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, and 54 strikeouts in 180 innings pitched. He's likely going to return to AA this season, but I wanted him to get innings in before the season starts. This will be King's 4th season in the minors, but the first repeat level. He's ranked as the 27th best prospect in our system and the 388th best in the league. He's got two really good pitches and despite not having a third, he's had general success as a starter. He's a year or two away from the majors, but he seems like a safe prospect.

CF Joe Johnson: Ranked as the #1 hitter prospect in our system and 26th overall in the FABL, former 2nd Round selection Joe Johnson is set to start his second professional season. He started in Lincoln last year and hit .263/.337/.403 (107 OPS+) with 6 homers, 16 steals, and 66 RBI's before a late season promotion to Mobile. Shockingly, he did much better there, hitting .386/.462/.591 (180 OPS+) with a steal, 2 homers, and 24 RBI's. He's off to a hot start in the spring, hitting .360/.515/.520 with 2 steals and 3 RBI's in 33 trips to the plate. The switch hitting Johnson has tremendous upside and a shot to be one of the elite center fielders in the game. It's a weak spot in the majors, with no CF ranked in the top 20 for position players. He's currently the 4th best CF prospect, but he's arguably the best defender of all of them. He had a combined +13.7 zone rating out in center and most definitely can stick there long term. He's a high risk, high reward prospect who's likely gong to head to Mobile once the Spring ends and he may see himself in the majors before we know it.

Amateur Report

CF Charlie DeMars (St. Pancras Lions): One of the top freshman this season, Charlie DeMars is having an excellent start to his collegiaite career. The lefty is hitting an impressive .455/.500/.800 (229 OPS+) with 4 homers, 5 steals, and 14 RBI's. He's a big reason St. Pancras is tied for first place right now as the look to repeat as division champions. DeMars is an excellent runner who should have the range to stick out in center. He's got an excellent eye at the plate and has a little pop. He's raw and young, but most players don't have this electric of a start to their high school career. He's got a long time before being considered a draft prospect, but he's done everything he can to start the hype now.

CF Elias Canady (Portland HS Lumberjacks): The High School season just started this week, and no one had a better week then Elias Canaday. Possibly the hottest freshman last season, he had a dominant season where he hit .376/.438/.679 (210 OPS+) with 12 homers and 45 RBI's. In the high school leagues, it's very rare for a freshman to start and even rarer for them to put up this performance. In 5 games he hit 9-for-22 with 4 homers and 11 RBI's. Canady is one of my way-to-early potential #1 picks for the 1933 draft as he is filled to the brim with potential. He's got elite power and a keen eye which limits his strikeouts. Pitcher's don't usually want to throw to him, but it's really hard to get Canady to chase. It also appears he might be a decent defender as well and has the potential to stay in center long term. If he does, he's likely going to be one of the best CF of the 1940s in the FABL.

LF Ed Reyes (Atlanta HS Peaches): One of the top prep players available in this year's draft, the senior Ed Reyes has also gotten off to a decent start. He's 6-for-20 with a homer and 3 RBI's in the first 5 games of the season. Reyes is a returning member of the dominant 31-9 Atlanta HS Peaches team last year that features top prospects like Harry Barrell, Leo Mitchell, and Loren Conover. Reyes doesn't have the most power for a corner outfielder, with just 5 career homers in just over 400 trips to the plate, but he has extra base power and a nice contact tool. A strong senior season will be important for Reyes if he wants to be a 1st Round selection with a nice big bonus.

ayaghmour2 · 05-21-2020, 03:05 PM

As Opening Day is just around the corner, the Chicago Cougars have formalized their 23-man roster. Players will be listed with their age and career statistics:

SP Steve Castellini (36, 139-97, 2,157 IP, 701 K, 1.29 WHIP, 125 ERA+)
SP Jim Crawford (25, 7-4, 135 IP, 46 K, 1.41 WHIP, 108 ERA+)
SP Dick Leudtke (29, 18-10, 275.2 IP, 103 K, 1.32 WHIP, 122 ERA+)
SP Dick Lyons (30, 48-53, 916 IP, 284 K, 1.52 WHIP, 103 ERA+)
SP Tommy Russell (28, 58-51, 996 IP, 263 K, 1.44 WHIP, 104 ERA+)
SP Max Wilder (33, 100-87, 1,772 IP, 704 K, 1.33 WHIP, 112 ERA+)
RP Taylor Collins (24, No FABL experience)
RP Dick Kadlec (26, 18-27, 6 SV, 361.1 IP, 144 K, 1.72 WHIP, 89 ERA+)
RP Chick Meehan (25-29, 29 SV, 313 IP, 128 K, 1.53 WHIP, 104 ERA+)
C Fred Barrell (25, 924 PA, .296/.362/.440, 16 HR, 149 RBI, 100 OPS+)
C Jim Kyle (24, 307 PA, .248/.307/.352, 1 HR, 28 RBI, 87 OPS+)
1B Bill Ashbaugh (27, 2,231 PA, .319/.392/.533, 79 HR, 388 RBI, 43 SB, 137 OPS+)
1B Phil Vaughan (26, No FABL experience)
2B Harry Simmons (26, 1,202 PA, .340/.381/.436, 4 HR, 147 RBI, 35 SB, 105 OPS+)
3B John Kincaid (26, 2,536 PA, .331/.370/.459, 14 HR, 264 RBI, 66 SB, 117 OPS+)
SS Slim Bloom (25, 59 PA, .327/.345/.436, 0 HR, 5 RBI, 95 OPS+)
SS Russ Combs (27, 1,844 PA, .307/.361/.452, 29 HR, 215 RBI, 80 SB, 114 OPS+)
SS Lee Sparks (26, No FABL experience)
LF John Dibblee (42, 8,124 PA, .346/.426/.511, 85 HR, 1,508 RBI, 752 SB, 170 OPS+)
LF Vince York (24, 767 PA, .372/.414/.530, 15 HR, 120 RBI, 10 SB, 134 OPS+)
CF Cy Bryant (24, 410 PA, .283/.327/.401, 1 HR, 47 RBI, 12 SB, 97 OPS+)
CF Bob McCarty (28, 1,281 PA, .294/.356/.397, 5 HR, 121 RBI, 21 SB, 93 OPS+)
RF Tom Taylor (26, 1,842 PA, .321/.400/.593, 97 HR, 345 RBI, 70 SB, 171 OPS+)

Despite having the oldest player in the league in John Dibblee, we have one of the youngest teams in the entire FABL. The oldest offensive starter on our team is Ross Combs, who turned just 27 on February 8th. As a whole, we only have one offensive player over 30, the 42-year-old Dibblee, and the 28-year-old McCarty is the second oldest offensive player. The pitching staff has some age, with longtime veterans Steve Castellini, Max Wilder, and Chick Meehan while Crawford and Collins are the only 25-or-younger pitchers.

I'm obviously biased, but I truly think we are going to win the Continental Association this year. We rank top 8 in all position groups and top four at catcher, first, second, third, short, and center. Tom Taylor ranks only 6th at right field, but I think a major part of that has to do with his down season last year. If he regains his MVP form, there probably isn't another right fielder in the league better then him. We don't have any players ranked in the top 15 in the league, but Taylor, Combs, Kincaid, and Barrell rank 17th through 20th. I'm super excited for this season and I'm ready for the Cougars to become a top competitor for the first time in years.

ayaghmour2 · 05-22-2020, 04:35 PM

We're about an hour away from Opening Day, but before then, here are the in-game Preseason Predictions. Obviously, I'm thrilled with the predictions, but we still have to actually play baseball games before I can crown myself a pennant winner. The CA looks to be separated into three close groups, the bottom feeders (Wolves, Foresters, and Saints), the one piece away group (Stars, Kings, Sailors, and Cannons), and the (hopeful) champion Cougars. We have more top position players (4) then any other team and the same amount of top pitchers (3) as both Philadelphia teams. We're predicted to finish first in the CA in runs scored (848) and second in runs allowed (651) which would be a good recipe for success.

Honestly, as much as I love my team and think we are the best in the league, I do not expect us to run away with the division. There are a lot of good teams in the CA and I'm expecting a closer pennant race then the game projects. Not only that, injuries can happen at any time and every other CA team has a better farm system then me, including the #2 system in Baltimore. Regardless, I like our chances and so does the game. One thing I am certain is that I can't wait for fake baseball to return!

ayaghmour2 · 05-23-2020, 09:32 AM

April 14th, 1931
Philadelphia Sailors (1-0): 8
Chicago Cougars (0-1): 4

W: William Jones (1-0)
L: Max Wilder (0-1)

Baseball is back! The Cougar fans packed North Side Ground with over 22,000 fans excited for baseball to return to Chi-Town. We hosted the reigning champion Philadelphia Sailors, and Tom Taylor instantly got to face his old team while Mack Deal hit leadoff for the Sailors and started the season with a single off Wilder. Unfortunately, the game didn't quite go as planned, and the Sailors spoiled Opening Day with an 8-4 win. It was no fault of Harry Simmons', who went a perfect 4-for-4 with a double, run scored, and RBI. Russ Combs went 4-for-5 with a double and RBI. Bill Ashbaugh was 3-for-5 with a double, triple, and three runs scored. Taylor was 1-for-5 in his Cougar debut and Cy Bryant was 0-for-3 with a walk and RBI. Mac Wilder went 6.2 innings with 6 hits, 8 runs (7 earned), 4 walks, and 3 strikeouts. Taylor Collins also made his debut in the 9th, allowing a hit and walk in a scoreless frame.

April 15th, 1931
Philadelphia Sailors (1-1): 8
Chicago Cougars (1-1): 16

W: Tommy Russel (1-0)
L: Russ Reel (0-1)

Game two saw Steve Castellini make his return to Chicago, but it, like most of the spring, he did not have his best stuff. He left after three with a sore thumb, allowing 8 hits, 6 runs, and a walk before Tommy Russel came in. Russel was great, going 6 innings with 4 hits, 2 runs, and a strikeout as we crushed the Sailors 16-8 to pick up our first win on the season. Tom Taylor crushed his former team, 2-for-4 with 3 runs, 2 RBI's, 2 walks, and 2 homers. Cy Bryant was 4-for-5 with a triple, 2 runs, and an RBI. John Kincaid was 3-for-5 with a triple, 2 runs, and 2 RBI's. Russ Combs was 2-for-6 with a double, 2 runs, and 2 RBI's. Fred Barrell was 3-for-5 with a run scored and 2 RBI's. Bill Ashbuagh was 3-for-5 with a run scored, double, and 3 RBI's. Lee Sparks got a pinch-hit RBI double in his first big league appearance.

April 16th, 1931
Philadelphia Sailors (2-1): 7
Chicago Cougars (1-2): 3

W: Oscar Morse (1-0)
L: Dick Lyons (0-1)

The offense kind of fell asleep after the explosion last year, dropping the third of four 7-3. Dick Lyons had a rough outing, 12 hits and 7 runs with 3 walks and 3 strikeouts in 6 innings. Vince York went 3-for-4 with an RBI. John Kincaid was 2-for-5 with a run scored and RBI. Russ Combs was 2-for-5 with a run scored.

April 17th, 1931
Philadelphia Sailors (2-2): 3
Chicago Cougars (2-2): 7

W: Dick Leudtke (1-0)
L: Rollie Beal (0-1)

We did all our scoring in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th, and flipped the score on the Sailors to finish the series with a split. We finally had a good outing from out starting rotation, tossing a complete game with 6 hits, 3 runs, 4 walks, and 2 strikeouts. Vince York was 3-for-4 with a double and 2 RBI's. Russ Combs was 1-for-4 with a run scored, sac-fly, and 2 RBI's. Bill Ashbaugh was 1-for-3 with a walk, 2 runs, a triple, and 2 RBI's. Cy Bryant was 1-for-4 with a steal and run scored.

April 18th, 1931
Toronto Wolves (2-3): 1
Chicago Cougars (3-2): 8

W:Jim Crawford (1-0)
L: Harry Myers (0-1)

The second half of our homestand began with a four games series with the Toronto Wolves. Jim Crawford tossed a gem, 5 hits, a run, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts in a complete game victory. He was also 2-for-3 with a sac-bunt and RBI. Vince York was 3-for-5 with a double, 2 runs, and an RBI. John Kincaid was 3-for-5 with a run scored and driven in. Tom Taylor was 2-for-4 with a solo homer, walk, and 2 runs scored. Fred Barrell was 2-for-4 with a double, run scored, and 2 RBI's. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-4 with a run scored and two driven in. Cy Bryant was 2-for-3 with a walk and run scored.

April 19th, 1931
Toronto Wolves (3-3): 6
Chicago Cougars (3-3): 2

W:Art Harvey (1-1)
L: Max Wilder (0-2)

It was another poor outing for ace Max Wilder as the Wolves evened up the series with a 6-2 win. He allowed 12 hits and 6 runs with a walk and 4 strikeouts in 7 innings. Fred Barrell was 2-for-3 with a walk, run scored, RBI, and two doubles. Vince York was 3-for-4 with a run scored. Tom Taylor was 1-for-3 with a walk.

Stars of the Week
Vince York : 27 AB, 14 H, 0 HR, 5 RBI, .519 AVG, 1.111 OPS
Tom Taylor : 23 AB, 9 H, 3 HR, 3 RBI, .391 AVG, 1.283 OPS
Bill Ashbaugh : 25 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 7 RBI, .360 AVG, .985 OPS

Weekly Summary
A three and three week is not what I was hoping for, but it could have been much worse. Castellini's injury was minor and he'll start the upcoming game against the Wolves. The offense has been excellent and new Cougars Cy Bryant and Tom Taylor have started off on the right foot. Taylor already has more homers in just one week then I think anyone on the team had all of April last year. Vince York has torn the cover off the ball and everyone else other then Harry Simmons have hit well in the early going. The pitching has been rough, but Jim Crawford tossed an absolute gem in his start.

We'll finish our four game series with the Wolves (3-3) before heading on the road for the first time this season. We'll see the Sailors (4-2) again for four more before heading to Cleveland for four with the Foresters (2-4).

Minor League Report

LF Billy Marshall (C La Crosse Lions): C Ball has been going on longer then the majors, and the Lions have gotten off to an awful 3-14 start. Billy Marshall, however, has been excellent. Last year's 10th Round pick has started getting reps in left as opposed to center, and is hitting an impressive .343/.425/.457 (146 OPS+) with 2 homers, 4 steals, and 6 RBI's. Marshall is an excellent runner who should turn into a pretty solid left fielder, but he doesn't have the power potential of most corner outfielder. He hit just 3 homers all of last season, so the 2 he has already likely won't increase too much. Marshall has rose up our system, ranking 11th in our organization and 194th in the league. He currently ranks as our top left field prospect, but I'm not sure he'll ever grow passed Vince York.

RF James DeMastus (C La Crosse Lions): Our first round pick this year, James DeMastus is a catcher by trade, but I'm not sure he'll ever get much time as a catcher. I'm working him out in right field, but I really don't know where he's going to end up defensively. Luckily for him, the bat will always find him a spot in the lineup. In 64 trips to the plate with the Lions, he's slashing .356/.406/.576 (171 OPS+) with 3 homers and 6 RBI's. The 19-year-old can absolutely rake, and has enormous power potential. He's a big strong guy with long arms and a pure swing and he's able to drive the ball out of the park. He's going to be an interesting prospect to follow and if I can find a spot where he's at least passable on defense, he could be a great big league asset.

Amateur Report

LF Buck Marshall (St. Pancras Lions): One of the top college prospects in the 1932 class, Buck Marshall has built off a strong freshman season with an even better sophomore year. He's hitting .374/.412/.593 (155 OPS+) with 3 homers and 16 RBI's in just under 100 trips to the plate. The lefty swinger has top contact skills and is a passable defender out in left. He's not a power hitter, but he hits the gaps well and can knock a few out of the park as well. He's a relatively safe prospect who you can find in the 3rd through 5th rounds of the draft. The Lions are a talented team with a lot of good players in their lineup, but Marshall might be the best of the bunch.

SP Billy Stall (Nashville HS Hawks): A junior at Nashville HS, the southpaw Billy Stall is in the midst of his 3rd straight season with a sub 3 ERA. In just over 30 innings, he's 2-2 with a 2.84 ERA (129 ERA+), 0.82 WHIP, and 27 strikeouts with just 4 walks. His career numbers are solid as well, 10-12 with a 2.60 ERA (138 ERA+), 1.07 WHIP, and 75 strikeouts in 163 innings. Stall sits in the high 80s with a cutter, and he mixes in a change and curve. He's working on polishing his secondary stuff, and if he can, he'll have all the tools to start. Stall is a rare prep arm who has been consistent his whole high school career which means he likely has less risk then most prep arms. He's got about 15 more high school starts to boost his stock, but he could be a nice pickup in the 6th-10th round in next year's draft.

SS Cal Ruth (Ellery Bruins): After an excellent freshman year, Ruth had a rough sophomore year that made his FABL future a little cloudy. This year has gone much better, as he's hitting .274/.358/.595 (139 OPS+) with 7 homers, 5 steals, and 23 RBI's. It's not at the same level of his freshman year, but it's a nice improvement and solid showing for a draft eligible junior. His freshman year numbers were great, as he knocked out 16 homers and drove in 49 runs while hitting .299/.377/.609 (158 OPS) in 223 trips to the plate. One thing that has changed since freshman year, however, is his signifianct improvements defensively. After a -15.2 ZR and .853 efficiency, he rebounded to +1.5 and 1.011 last year and has a +2.3 and 1.048 this season. Ruth is a very disciplined hitter with a lot of power, and if the defensive improvements are legit, he could be a very attractive draft pick come December.

ayaghmour2 · 05-25-2020, 06:49 PM

April 20th, 1931
Toronto Wolves (3-4): 3
Chicago Cougars (4-3): 11

W: Steve Castellini (1-0)
L: Frank Howk (0-1)

For some reason the box score wasn't created for this game. We got a lot of runs and Castellini allowed just 2 in 7.1 innings in a much better outing then the last. Tom Taylor also hit his 4th homer of the season.

April 21st, 1931
Toronto Wolves (3-5): 3
Chicago Cougars (5-3): 5

W: Dick Lyons (1-1)
L: Birdie Smith (1-1)
SV: Dick Kadlec (1)

The finale went our way and we left Chicago with a nice four game series win. Dick Lyons pitched a strong 6 innings with 10 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), a walk, and 2 strikeouts. Dick Kadlec tossed 3 scoreless innings with 2 hits and 2 walks to earn his first save of the season. Russ Combs was 3-for-4 with a run scored and RBI. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-3 with a sac-fly and run scored. Fred Barrell was 1-for-2 with 2 walks, 2 RBI's, and a run scored. Vince York was 2-for-4 with a run scored.

April 22nd, 1931
Chicago Cougars (6-3): 6
Philadelphia Sailors (5-3): 1

W: Dick Leudtke (2-0)
L: Oscar Morse (1-1)

We started our first road trip of the season with a four game series in Philadelphia. Dick Leudtke tossed a gem, a complete game win with 6 hits, a run, and 3 strikeouts. Tom Taylor had an excellent return to Philly, going 4-for-5 with a double, run scored, and RBI. Fred Barrell was 2-for-4 with a double and 2 RBI's. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-4 with a run scored and driven in. John Kincaid was 2-for-5 with a double and run scored.

April 23rd, 1931
Chicago Cougars (6-4): 3
Philadelphia Sailors (6-3): 6

W: Rollie Beal (1-1)
L: Jim Crawford (1-1)
SV: Maurice Demby (3)

The Sailors managed to even the series with a 6-3 win to improve to 6-3 on the season. Jim Crawford went 8 with 14 hits, 6 runs, 3 walks, and 2 strikeouts. He was also 1-for-2 with a double, run scored, and sac-bunt. Russ Combs was 2-for-4 with a triple, run scored, hit by pitch, and RBI. Harry Simmons was 1-for-4 with a walk and RBI.

April 24th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (6-5): 2
Philadelphia Sailors (7-3): 7

W: Herb Lowman (2-0)
L: Max Wilder (0-3)

They scored five quick runs in the first which proved to be enough and the Sailors took this one 7-2. All five of those runs were unearned, ruining Max Wilder's start. Only 2 of the 7 were earned and allowed 6 hits and 3 walks with 2 strikeouts. Vince York was 2-for-4 with a triple and run scored. Harry Simmons was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Slim Bloom was 1-for-4 with a triple, run scored, and RBI.

April 25th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (6-6): 4
Philadelphia Sailors (8-3): 7

W: William Jones (3-0)
L: Steve Castellini (1-1)
SV: Maurice Demby (4)

The losses kept piling up and the Sailors took the finale 7-4. Castellini had a rough outing, 5 innings with 9 hits, 6 runs, 3 walks, and a strikeout, but was 1-for-2 at the plate. Chick Meehan tossed 3 innings of mop up with a hit, run, walk, and 2 strikeouts. Fred Barrell was 2-for-3 with a walk, run scored, and 2 RBI's. Phil Vaughan was 1-for-3 with a double, walk, and RBI, with the double the first hit of his big league career.

April 26th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (7-6): 9
Cleveland Foresters (5-7): 5

W: Dick Lyons (2-1)
L: Karl Johnson (0-2)

Our road trip brought us to Cleveland for a four game set against the Foresters. We made ourselves at home, and piled on 15 hits in a 9-5 victory in the opener. Former Forester Russ Combs led the offense, going 2-for-6 with a homer and 4 RBI's. Slim Bloom was 2-for-4 with a double, 2 runs, and 3 RBI's. Harry Simmons was 2-for-5 with a double, run scored, and RBI. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-5 with a triple and run scored. Dick Lyons made the start, 6 innings with 4 hits, 4 runs, 4 walks, and 3 strikeouts. Tommy Russel struck out one in two perfect frames before leaving the game with a shoulder injury.

Stars of the Week
Fred Barrell : 16 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 8 RBI, .563 AVG, 1.383 OPS
Russ Combs : 30 AB, 11 H, 1 HR, 9 RBI, .367 AVG, .920 OPS
Harry Simmons : 30 AB, 11 H, 0 HR, 6 RBI, .367 AVG, .820 OPS

Weekly Summary
It was a week over .500, but it felt disappointing as we barely showed up for the series against the Sailors. They do have the best pitching in the league, but we didn't score more then five runs in any of the four games. If we want to win the pennant, we have to beat the good teams and we couldn't. Luckily, we took three of four from the Wolves and I'm expecting more of the same with Cleveland.

We'll continue our series with the Foresters (5-7) before finishing our road trip with four games in Toronto (4-9). The road trip ends there, but we don't get an off day, as we have to head home to host those Foresters. It'll be a four game series and then we get our first off day of the season. It's a much needed day off, as we will have played 24 consecutive games. It's a rough start to the season and we've already got bad news on the player front.

Both Tommy Russel and top prospect Tom Barrell suffered major injuries. Russel will miss 5-6 months with shoulder inflammation and might not pitch again this years. The 23-year-old Barrell suffered the same injury, but he's likely missing 6-7 months. It's a tough blow for Barrell, who was in the middle of a complete game shutout. He got hurt trying to get the second to last out, and allowed just 5 hits with 2 walks and 6 strikeouts. This is a major injury that really scares me.

In more positive news, Vince York has been off to an excellent start to the season. He's hitting an impressive .472/.481/.547 (157 OPS+) with 5 RBI's in 54 trips to the plate. His .472 batting average is the best in the league so far. The #3 average hitter in the league might be having a better season, and that's Fred Barrell. The 25-year-old is hitting .436/.542/.564 (177 OPS+) with 14 RBI's, which is also the third best in the league.

Injury Report
SP Tommy Russel (Chicago Cougars): Shoulder inflammation (5-6 months)
3B John Kincaid (Chicago Cougars): Thigh mussel strain (1 days)
SP Tom Barrell (Mobile Commodores): Shoulder inflammation (6-7 months)
SP Ike Quinn (San Jose Cougars): Partially Torn UCL (elbow) (6 months)

Transactions
Recalled RP Claude Purvis from AAA Milwaukee
Cleveland claimed RP Ray Powell off waivers
New York claimed LF Art Panko off waivers
Brooklyn claimed RP Karl Clasby off waivers
Claimed 3B Joe Miller off the waivers from the Keystones

Minor League Report

2B Elmer Hutchins (C La Crosse Lions): A former 8th Round pick back in 1929, Hutchins had a rough first season in affiliated ball last year. This season has started much better, as he's hitting .326/.404/.478 (141 OPS+) with 2 homers, 2 steals, and 13 RBI's in 104 plate appearances. Hutchins is rated as the 18th best prospect in our system and 273rd in all of baseball. He's a decent defender who should hit for a high average. He doesn't usually hit for much power, but he's already half way to his mark last season. He's just 20 and has a lot of room to grow, but he could develop into a decent bench player.

SP Fred Collins (C La Crosse Lions): Taken in the 5th round of the most recent draft, Fred Collins doesn't get the prospect hype of Mel Leonard, but he's turned in four excellent starts for the Lions. He's 1-2, but with a 1.91 ERA (201 ERA+), 1.03 WHIP, and 35 strikeouts in 33 innings pitched. The righty has a nice four pitch arsenal, featuring an 88-90 MPH cutter. He works well down in the zone and is able to get a lot of ground ball outs. He's got a lot of movement on his pitches and the potential to start at the highest level.

Amateur Report

SP Bob Cummings (College of San Diego Friars): One of the best freshman arms in baseball, Bob Cummings has had an excellent season even when his team has struggled. He's 7-1 with a 2.51 ERA (175 ERA+), 0.82 WHIP, and 54 strikeouts. A native off Chicago, Cummings has shown the potential to become an excellent big league starter. He's a groundballer who throws four pitches, but he still hasn't developed much velocity. He's got decent control and should be able to pitch deep into games. He's far off from his draft day, but a strong freshman year is the perfect way to start your collegiate career.

LF Red Bond (Toledo HS Wildcats): It's been a strong senior year for Red Bond, who's hitting .276/.375/.506 (148 OPS+) in just over 100 trips to the plate for the Toledo HS Wildcats. He's also launched 6 homers and drove in 16 runs in his final season in high school. For his career he owns a .304/.398/.500 (162 OPS+) batting line with 20 homers and 71 RBI's. He's a solid defender out in left field who projects to have above average power. He's got a nice smooth swing with the potential to become an FABL starter. He's one of the top prep outfielders and could be a potential first or second round pick.

ayaghmour2 · 05-26-2020, 10:14 PM

April 27th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (8-6): 5
Cleveland Foresters (5-8): 2

W: Dick Leudtke (3-0)
L: Allen Purvis (0-2)

We started our week with a 5-2 win as Dick Leudtke continued his strong start to the season. He allowed just 2 hits and 2 runs with a strikeout in the complete game victory. He was also 1-for-2 with an RBI and pair of sac-bunts. Harry Simmons was 4-for-5 with a run scored and driven in. Fred Barrell was 2-for-3 with 2 RBI's and 2 walks.

April 28th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (9-6): 4
Cleveland Foresters (5-9): 3
10 Innings

W: Jim Crawford (2-1)
L: Eddie Gray (1-2)
SV: Dick Kadlec (2)

The game stayed tied after nine, but Tom Taylor didn't want to stay for much more. He drove home John Kincaid in the top half of the 10th, and we finished them off in the bottom half to set up a road sweep. Taylor was 2-for-5 with a pair of RBI's. Russ Combs was 3-for-5 with a run scored and steal. Kincaid was 2-for-5 with a double, RBI, and 2 runs scored. Jim Crawford picked up the win, tossing 9.2 innings with 10 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), 4 walks and 5 strikeouts. Dick Kadlec allowed a single and then got a ground out to finish the game.

April 29th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (10-6): 9
Cleveland Foresters (5-10): 4

W: Max Wilder (1-3)
L: Rube McCormick (1-1)

We finished the series strong with a nice 9-4 win to finish the sweep. Our next step is Toronto, where I like our chances. Bill Ashbaugh was 3-for-4 with a walk, steal, homer, 2 runs, and 4 RBI's. The homer was the first of the season for him. Russ Combs was 3-for-5 with 2 steals, 3 runs, and 2 RBI's. Harry Simmons was 2-for-4 with a walk and run scored. Max Wilder had a decent start, 7 innings with 6 hits, 4 runs (2 earned), 6 walks, and 4 strikeouts.

April 30th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (10-7): 0
Toronto Wolves (6-11): 2

W: Frank Howk (1-2)
L: Steve Castellini (1-2)

We arrived North of the border, but decided to leave our bats back in the states as the Wolves shut us out 2-0. Castellini threw fine, 7 innings with 8 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts. Russ Combs was 2-for-4 with a triple. Fred Barrell was 1-for-3 with a double.

May 1st, 1931
Chicago Cougars (10-8): 3
Toronto Wolves (7-11): 4

W: Bert Sweet (1-0)
L: Dick Lyons (2-2)

May started how April ended, and the Wolves managed top beat us again, this time 4-3. We should have won, as 3 of the 4 runs were unearned courtesy of a Fred Barrell error. He didn't strike anyone out, but allowed 7 hits and 5 walks in 8 innings. Harry Simmons was 2-for-3 with a walk and run scored. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-4 with a double and RBI.

May 2nd, 1931
Chicago Cougars (10-9): 5
Toronto Wolves (8-11): 10

W: Art Harvey (2-3)
L: Dick Leudtke (3-1)

The losses keep adding up and I'm just not sure why we can't beat the Wolves. This time, they topped us 10-5, but worst of all, Russ Combs left with an injury. Leudtke had his first bad outing, allowing 12 hits and 9 runs (8 earned) with 2 walks and a strikeout in 6.1 innings. Claude Purvis went 1.1 innings with 2 hits and a run. Tom Taylor was 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI's. John Kincaid was 2-for-4 with a walk, double, RBI, and two runs scored. John Dibblee was 2-for-4 with a double and 2 RBI's.

May 3rd, 1931
Chicago Cougars (10-10): 1
Toronto Wolves (9-11): 7

W: Birdie Smith (2-3)
L: Jim Crawford (2-2)

We just could not hit and the Wolves handled us 7-1 to finish off the sweep. I cannot believe we got swept by the team that had the worst record in the league last year. Granted, it was on the road and we've played a lot of days in a row, but we have to win games like this if we want to be a serious threat.

Jim Crawford went 6 with 6 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, and a strikeout. Dick Kadlec was roughed up, 5 hits and 4 runs with a walk in 2 innings. John Kincaid was 3-for-5 with a double and RBI. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-4 with a double.

Stars of the Week
Russ Combs : 26 AB, 12 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .462 AVG, 1.115 OPS
Harry Simmons : 26 AB, 11 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .423 AVG, .983 OPS
Bill Ashbaugh : 28 AB, 9 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .321 AVG, .887 OPS

Weekly Summary
I thought a week starting with a sweep of the Foresters would be a good one, but instead we decided to throw away all four games in Toronto. We played absolutely horrible and the offense was bad. We are definitely tired, and now we're going to be without Russ Combs for a significant amount of time.

Combs strained his ACL and will miss 4-5 weeks. He was having an amazing season, hitting .400/.402/.541 (139 OPS+) with a homer, 5 steals, and 16 RBI's in just 87 plate appearances. He was leading the CA in batting average and tied for the second most steals. Filling that production will be tough and I sort of wish I had kept Mack Deal to fill in with an injury. I'll instead have to rely on Slim Bloom who's 5-for-21 with 5 RBI's to start the season.

Our first off day is finally coming up, but we'll host the Foresters (7-12) for four in Chicago first. After the off day we'll head back to Canada, this time to face the Saints (4-16) in Montreal who have been having a really rough season. These games here are extremely crucial as we need to win against teams below .500. We already threw away four to the Wolves and we can't let the losses pile up. Baltimore (14-6) and Philadelphia (13-6) are 4 and 3.5 games ahead of us already, and we can't afford to slip anymore.

Injury Report
SS Russ Combs (FABL Chicago Cougars): strained anterior cruciate ligament (4-5 weeks)
3B John Kane (A Lincoln Legislators): strained forearm (seven weeks)

Transactions
Recalled SS Tom Rogers from AAA Milwaukee

Amateur Report

2B Red Moore (Frankford State Owls): It was a solid sophomore year for Red Moore, but his season was cut short with a sprained ankle. The 19-year-old was hitting .319/.392/.504 (131 OPS+) with 4 homers, 7 steals, and 27 RBI's in 153 trips to the plate. Moore is a great defender at second and makes consistent at the plate. He's lucky he's getting hurt this year instead of next, as this would have been a tough season to have in a draft year. One of the top prospects at second base, Moore will have a chance to bounce back next year.

SP Preacher Pietsch (Louisville HS Titans): Most high school freshman never see the field, but you would not be able to tell that Preacher Pietsch was a freshman. The 14-year-old is a perfect 5-0 with a 1.07 ERA (339 ERA+), 0.61 WHIP, and 64 strikeouts in 58.2 innings. Pietsch is leading the rotation of a team just a game out of first in their division. He's an excellent young pitcher who keeps the ball on the ground. He has decent enough command and a nifty four pitch arsenal. He has a lot of time to add speed to his 83-85 MPH fastball, but will have to stay healthy. As is, he could be a top of the rotation arm, but one bad arm injury could throw his FABL career off.

SP Fritz Kendrick (Tulsa HS Tomcats): If you thought Pietsch was good, Fritz Kendrick may even be better. Another dominant freshman, he's 6-1 with a 1.04 ERA (340 ERA+), 0.71 WHIP, and 76 strikeouts in 69 innings. The lefty is a sinkerballer who like Preacher, has a lot of time to add velocity on his pitches. Unlike him, Kendrick features a dominant change up with massive downward movement. He's got excellent command of all four pitchers and could front a major league rotation.

ayaghmour2 · 05-27-2020, 08:01 PM

May 4th, 1931
Cleveland Foresters (7-13): 1
Chicago Cougars (11-10): 4

W: Max Wilder (2-3)
L: Rube McCormick (1-2)

The home cooking tasted just right, as Bill Ashbaugh was a perfect 5-for-5 with a steal, home run, and 2 RBI's. Slim Bloom was 4-for-4. Jim Kyle was 1-for-2 with 2 walks and a run scored. Max Wilder allowed just one unearned run in a complete game victory. He allowed 6 hits, walked 2, and struck out 4.

May 5th, 1931
Cleveland Foresters (7-14): 2
Chicago Cougars (12-10): 8

W: Steve Castellini (2-2)
L: George Baker (1-2)

Both teams doubled their production and we took this one 8-2. Cy Bryant had a productive game, 2-for-4 with a run scored, triple, and 4 RBI's. John Kincaid was 2-for-3 with a run scored, RBI, and 2 walks. Bill Ashbaugh was 3-for-5 with a run scored and driven in. Tom Taylor was 1-for-5, but with 2 runs, 2 RBI's, a double, and steal. Steve Castellini went all 9, allowing 2 runs, 7 hits, and 3 walks with 2 strikeouts.

May 6th, 1931
Cleveland Foresters (8-14): 7
Chicago Cougars (12-11): 3

W: Allan Purvis (2-1)
L: Dick Lyons (2-3)

We outhit the Foresters 14 to 8, but they made the most of four Cougar errors. Dick Lyons allowed 7 runs, but just one of them was earned. He allowed 7 hits, walked 2, and struck out 3. Taylor Collins struck out 2 in 2 perfect innings. John Dibblee was 3-for-5 with a double and RBI. John Kincaid was 3-for-5 with a run scored. Fred Barrell was 1-for-3, but was injured stretching a single into a double.

May 7th, 1931
Cleveland Foresters (8-15): 3
Chicago Cougars (13-11): 10

W: Dick Leudtke (4-1)
L: Karl Johnson (0-3)

Our run of 24 consecutive games finally comes to an end, as we blew the Foresters out 10-3. Dick Leudtke pitched an excellent game, with all three of the runs he allowed in the 9th. He walked just 1, gave up 9 hits, and struck out 3 while hitting 1-for-3 with 2 sac bunts, 2 runs, and an RBI. Bill Ashbaugh was a perfect 3-for-3 with a triple, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 2 RBI's. John Kincaid was 3-for-6 with an RBI. Slim Bloom was 2-for-4 with a walk, 2 runs, and an RBI. Vince York was 2-for-4 with a walk, sac-fly, and 3 RBI's.

May 9th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (14-11): 2
Montreal Saints (6-18): 1

W: Jim Crawford (3-2)
L: John Bennett (0-3)

We had our first day off prior to starting a four game series in Montreal. We seemed to leave our bats in Chicago, but Jim Crawford was excellent on the mound, and we took the opener just 2-1. Crawford was by far the MVP of the game, going 3-for-3 with an RBI while allowing 11 hits and 2 walks with 4 strikeouts in the complete game. Tom Taylor was 1-for-4 with a solo homer.

May 10th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (15-11): 6
Montreal Saints (6-19): 1

W: Max Wilder (3-3)
L: Walker Moore (2-4)

The pitching was excellent again, as Max Wilder was brilliant against his former team. He went 8 with 5 hits, a run, 4 walks, and 2 strikeouts in a 6-1 victory. Slim Bloom was 2-for-4 with a triple, run scored, and 3 RBI's. Vince York was 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and a run scored. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-5 with an run scored.

Stars of the Week
Bill Ashbaugh : 27 AB, 15 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .556 AVG, 1.364 OPS
Max Wilder : 2 Wins, 17.0 IP, 6 BB, 6 K, 0.53 ERA
Slim Bloom : 17 AB, 8 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .471 AVG, 1.138 OPS

Awards
Player of the Week: 1B Bill Ashbaugh

Weekly Summary
Six games against the worst two teams in the CA, and we came away with five wins. I'm happy that we took advantage of this opportunity, as we're going to need every win we need. Philadelphia (16-8), New York (16-9), and Baltimore (16-9) are all a lready ahead of us, and the Sailors are the only of those three teams we've played.

We did get some bad news, as Fred Barrell will miss about a month with plantar fascitis. It's our fourth major injury this season, and second one where I traded a replacement in the offseason. This time it's Jim Stevens, who like Mack Deal, is now a Sailor. Jim Kyle will have to take the starting job, but he's hitting just 2-for-22 this season. I don't really have a good backup, so Kyle will get most of the reps until Barrell's healthy. Hopefully Kyle performs as well as Slim Bloom has, who hit 8-for-17 with 4 RBI's and a steal this week.

Speaking of the trade with the Sailors, Tom Taylor hasn't quite performed as I expected. He's hitting just .265/.342/.451 (102 OPS+) with 5 homers, 3 steals, and 15 RBI's in 114 trips to the plate. It's still early, so there is no need to panic, but I would have loved to see him start out hot.

We get two more against the Saints (6-19) before a trip to New York. We'll start in Brooklyn (12-14) before facing the Stars (16-9) for the first time this season. Both series will be three games, but the Stars series starts with a double header before an off day.

Injury Report
C Fred Barrell (FABL Chicago Cougars): plantar fascitis (4 weeks)
SP Fred Collins (C La Crosse Lions): partially torn labrum (3-4 months)

Transactions
Purchased the contract of C Herman Rachford from AAA Milwaukee.
Claimed SS Jack Rogers off waivers from Cleveland, optioned him to AAA Milwaukee.

Minor League Report

SP Billy LeBeau (B San Jose Cougars): It took just four starts in La Crosse before LeBeau received the promotion to San Jose, and his first two starts with the Cougars have been as good as you could imagine. He's 1-1, but with a 1.13 ERA (361 ERA+), 0.88 WHIP, and 6 strikeouts in 16 innings pitched. LeBeau was taken in the 5th Round by us this draft, and has already started his minor league career strong. A college arm from Boulder State, Lebeau seemed to be a pretty developed arm on draft day. He's got the stamina to start, but he has to work on refining his pitches. His fastball is strong, and he has time to add some velocity to push it into the 90s. He's got a chance to be a big league starter, but the worst case for him is to be an effective late inning arm.

Amateur Report

1B Bill Moore (Lubbock State Hawks): After jacking three homers in a win over North California, Bill Moore now has 17 in his sophomore season. He's hitting an outworldly .451/.543/.903 (260 OPS+) with 42 RBI's in 175 plate appearances. The sophomore in the midst of one of the most impressive college seasons ever, and the lefty slugger has to be one of the top prospects in the 1932 draft. He's loaded with talent and probably lace a big league fastball 400 feet. He's about as safe of a draft prospect as it gets, but his upside is limited by his limitation to just first base. If it wasn't for that, Moore would likely go number one overall, but whoever gets him will have a franchise cornerstone.

SP Jack Stemm (St. Pancras Lions): One of the top junior arms in the draft, Stemm is an impressive 5-1 with a 2.33 ERA (191 ERA+), 1.09 WHIP, and 55 strikeouts in 73.1 innings. He'll make a few more starts, but his current career total are very good. He's 15-8 with a 3.08 ERA (155 ERA+), 1.29 WHIP, and 195 strikeouts in 73.1 innings pitched. He's a groundball pitcher who can hit the mid 90s with his cutter. It's the best of his four pitches, all of which project to be solid. Stemm's future lies in the rotation, and perhaps he could develop into an ace.

SP Danny Devol (Macon HS Musketeers): He's only made 5 high school starts, but Danny Devol has looked really good. He's 4-1 with a 0.78 ERA (460 ERA+), 0.59 WHIP, and 41 strikeouts. The only concerning thing is Devol is a Junior, and this is the only season he's pitched in. He spent the offseason working on his control, and it seems to be paying off. He's walked just 4 batters in 46 innings. This could be a lucky run, but he's a name to keep an eye on.

RF Ben McDonald (Swoyersville HS Kings): Tied for second in the legue for homers, senior Ben McDonald has launched 14 and drove in 27 runs as the high school season is just a week away from finishing. He's got a .220/.331/.591 (156 OPS+) line. McDonald has a ton of power with excellent bat speed, but he's very prone to swinging and missing. The lefty from Canada has hit 30 career homers, and has just five more games to add onto that total. This year's draft class is shaping out to be a little on the weaker side, and McDonald is one of the most interesting power bats available.

ayaghmour2 · 05-28-2020, 10:09 PM

May 11th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (16-11): 10
Montreal Saints (6-20): 0

W: Steve Castellini (3-2)
L: Dave Paynter (1-4)

Steve Castellini showed signs of is last season's self, as the veteran tossed a complete game shutout as we beat the Saints 10-0. He allowed just 5 hits and a walk with 2 strikeouts in the shutout victory. The recently added to the lineup Jim Kyle was 3-for-4 with a triple, walk, run scored, and 3 RBI's. Bill Ashbaugh was 3-for-5 with a double, 2 runs, and an RBI. Cy Bryant was 2-for-5 with an RBI. Harry Simmons was 2-for-4 with a walk and a pair of runs scored.

May 12th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (17-11): 3
Montreal Saints (6-21): 0

W: Dick Lyons (3-3)
L: Charlie Stedman (2-4)

The pitching was great once again, and we finished off a road sweep with a 3-0 shutout victory. This time it was Dick Lyons on the mound, who allowed 7 hits with a walk and three strikeouts in his complete game shutout. He was also 1-for-4 with an RBI. Cy Bryant was 2-for-4 with a run scored and driven in. John Kincaid was 2-for-4 with a run scored.

May 13th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (17-12): 2
Brooklyn Kings (13-16): 5

W: Tommy Wilcox (4-4)
L: Dick Leudtke (4-2)

We arrived in Brooklyn for a three game series against the Kings. We got the displeasure of facing Tommy Wilcox, who tossed another excellent game in a 5-2 Kings win. Dick Leudtke made the start for us, going 8 innings with 9 hits, 5 runs, 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts. John Kincaid and Bill Ashbaugh were both 2-for-4. Harry Simmons was 2-for-3 with a walk and run scored.

May 14th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (17-13): 3
Brooklyn Kings (14-16): 4

W: Lyman Weigel (4-3)
L: Max Wilder (3-4)

Up 3-1 in the 9th, Harry Simmons made an error, the cause of three unearned runs. The third was the worst, a walk-off single courtesy of Kings starter Lyman Weigel. Max Wilder was the unlucky loser, 8.2 innings with 7 hits, just one earned run, 3 walks, and 5 strikeouts. He was also 1-for-4 with an RBI. Slim Bloom was 1-for-2 with a double, 2 walks, and a run scored. Vince York was 1-for-4 with a solo homer, his first homer of the season.

May 15th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (17-14): 4
Brooklyn Kings (15-16): 8

W: Del Lyons (2-5)
L: Jim Crawford (3-3)

The Kings made quick work of us in the finale, and we'll leave Brooklyn after getting swept. This is the second time we've been swept this season. Jim Crawford had a rough start, 7.1 innings with 13 hits, 8 runs (6 earned), 2 walks, and just 1 strikeout. Slim Bloom was 2-for-4 with a two run homer. Cy Bryant was 3-for-4 with a double and RBI. Vince York was 1-for-3 with a walk and run scored.

May 16th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (18-14): 7
New York Stars (18-13): 6
Game 1
11 Innings

W: Chick Meehan (1-0)
L: Earl Slater (2-1)
SV: Claude Purvis (1)

We didn't have to travel too far for our next match, as we were in New York to face the Stars. We started our first series against the Stars with a double header today. It's never a good sign when the double header goes into extras, but we made it happen with 2 in the 7th, one in the 8th, and one more in the 9th. We didn't score in the 10th, but in the 11th a pinch hitting Bob McCarty drove home Cy Bryant, who tripled to lead off the inning. Bryant was 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored. Tom Taylor was 2-for-4 with a homer, 2 runs, 2 RBI's, and a walk. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-5 with a run scored and driven in. Steve Castellini made the start, 6 innings with 11 hits, 6 runs, a walk, and 2 strikeouts. Claude Purvis picked up the first save of his career, allowing just a single in a scoreless 11th.

May 16th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (19-14): 8
New York Stars (18-14): 7
Game 2

W: Chick Meehan (1-0)
L: Earl Slater (2-1)
SV: Claude Purvis (1)

It was another nail biter, as both teams scored a singe run in the 9th. We came away the winners in a closer 8-7 game, and will get the next day off to rest before finishing the series. Vince York was 2-for-4 with a homer, sac-fly, walk, and 3 RBI's. Cy Bryant was 2-for-5 with a triple and run scored. Tom Taylor was 2-for-4 with a walk, run scored, and RBI. Jim Kyle was 2-for-3 with a sac-bunt, walk, and run scored.

Stars of the Week
Cy Bryant : 31 AB, 14 H, 0 HR, 5 RBI, .452 AVG, 1.097 OPS
Dick Lyons : 2 Wins, 16.0 IP, 3 BB, 5 K, 2.25 ERA
Bill Ashbaugh : 32 AB, 11 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .344 AVG, .820 OPS

Weekly Summary
It was a middling week, just 4-3, but the good news is no one important was hurt this week. The off day was nice, but we have to continue our roadtrip with the final game in the Stars series. After that we're off to Baltimore (21-11) to take on the first place Cannons. This is a huge series, as if we can take two of three we can take a nice jump in the standings. Philadelphia (20-11) is the only team between the Cannons and us right now, but the Stars are still on our tail. After the Cannons series we are off again. We'll use this game to travel home before a three game series with the previously mentioned Sailors.

The offense has started to slump recently, but we currently have the best rotation and bullpen ERA in the CA. Castellini is the only pitcher on the active roster with a below average ERA+, and that's because of his recent outing in the double header. Max Wilder is on a stretch of five consecutive starts with two or less earned runs. It's been a solid season for the 33-year-old who is 3-4 with a 3.21 ERA (136 ERA+), 1.31 WHIP, and 24 strikeouts in 53.1 innings pitched.

This upcoming stretch is going to be a good test, as we'll face our fellow pennant contenders. If we can take four of six here, it will really help put us back towards the top. I expect the offense to turn improve, especially with Russ Combs' return nearing. He's hopefully two weeks away from starting a rehab assignment. Slim Bloom has done well in his absence, hitting .308/.392/.446 (113 OPS+) with a homer and 14 RBI's in 74 trips to the plate. Combs is a much better hitter, but having Bloom put up respectable production in his absence has been crucial. Even when Combs returns, I expect Bloom to function like Mack Deal did last season I think it might be a good idea to give Russ Combs days off once he's healthy.

Injury Report
2B Red O'Neal (AAA Milwaukee Blues): sprained knee (2-3 weeks)
RP Bill Hartfield (A Lincoln Legislators): elbow strain (2 weeks)
SP Cy Plummer (C La Crosse Lions): returned from the DL

Minor League Report

SP Ace McSherry (AAA Milwaukee Blues): One of the reasons Ace McSherry didn't make the opening day roster was he had options and he missed most of last seasons with an injury. He wouldn't have gotten starts in the majors, but is pitching every 5 days in Milwaukee. It's gone well, as he's got an impressive 1.96 ERA (226 ERA+), 1.26 WHIP, and 24 strikeouts in 4 starts. McSherry is still throwing in the high 90s, and the 27-year-old is making it hard for me to keep him in the minors. Russel likely isn't coming back, so an injury to the rotation makes McSherry an option to take the starts. He's also experienced in the pen, recording 18 saves as a rookie in 1929.

SS Dave Griffin (A Lincoln Legislators): After a great start in San Jose, Dave Griffin earned himself a promotion to A Lincoln. In 76 trips to the plate with the Cougars, Griffin hit .357/.400/.457 (134 OPS+) with 3 steals and 11 RBI's. The former 18th Round selection has been a solid defender in the past, but it's been a rough season for him so far. He appears to have the range to stick, but he just needs more time at the position. He ranks as the third best shortstop prospect in our organization, but he's doing his best to push his way up the depth chart.

Amateur Report

2B Freddie Jones (Central Ohio Aviators): Easily one of the best college players in the game, Freddie Jones is doing all he can to keep the Aviators in first place. As a junior, this may be his last season with the Aviators, who have yet to make the postseason with Jones on the team. When Jones was a freshman, he hit .486/.625/.665 (257 OPS+) with 6 homers, 41 RBI's, and 10 steals in 248 plate appearances. He hasn't been able to match that production, but he's hitting a still impressive .355/.472/.533 (168 OPS+) with 4 homers and 28 RBI's. With just 9 games left in the season, the Lincoln Presidents are just one game back. Back to Jones, he's an excellent defender with excellent speed and the potential to win batting titles. I'd consider him the best college bat in the draft this year, and he should easily be a first round pick. I'm hoping not to have a pick high enough to select him, but he'd be my ideal first round selection.

SP Pug Bryan (Lincoln Presidents): While a junior is leading the Aviators, a freshman is leading the second place Lincoln Presidents. Pug Bryant is having an excellent season on the mound, going 9-1 with a 1.48 ERA (299 ERA+), 0.95 WHIP, and 80 strikeouts in 91.1 innings pitched. He's got an elite swing and miss change up with nice command of his arsenal. He doesn't throw too hard, but the sinker baller generates a ton of ground outs. He's still young, but Bryan seems like a future ace. He'll have two more seasons, but a playoff appearance as a freshman could be good for his development.

CF Bill May (Greensboro HS Giants): Greensboro HS fell just one game short of the playoffs, so the career of superstar center fielder Bill May will come to an end. In three season with the Giants, he hit .360/.432/.520 (184 OPS+) with 9 homers, 61 steals, and 58 RBI's in 564 plate appearances. He's a elite defender as well, recording a +22.2 ZR and 1.089 efficiency in 1,085 innings out in center. Possibly the best prep hitter in the 1931 class, May his filled to the brim with potential. He's got the potential to be one of the best defenders in the FABL with range that is almost unseen. He's even great at the plate, with the potential to be an excellent hitter as well. May's got superstar written all over him and should end up a first round selection this year.

SP John Hartz (Denver HS Mountaineers): Another player who saw his high school career end, righty John Hartz had a dominant senior season. He was 3-4, but with a 1.88 ERA (183 ERA+), 1.00 WHIP, and 62 strikeouts in 72 innings. This was a huge season for Hartz, who only first started playing as a junior. He doesn't have a lot of experience, so he's an extremely risky prospect, but the talent is there. He's 6 foot and already throws in the mid to high 80s with his fastball. It's one of four solid pitches as Hartz has all the tools to start in the majors. It'll be interesting to see where he commits to, as the location of that school could determine if he signs or not.

ayaghmour2 · 05-30-2020, 03:20 PM

May 18th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (19-15): 4
New York Stars (19-14): 5
11 Innings

W: Earl Slater (3-1)
L: Dick Kadlec (0-1)

Both teams scored a run in the 7th to tie the game at third, but neither team could score a run in the 8th or 9th. We got one in the 11th, but they got a pair of Kadlec in the 9th to avoid the sweep. Kadlec allowed 3 hits, 2 walks, and 2 runs without getting a batter out. Dick Leudtke made a great start, 10 innings with 5 hits, 3 runs, 5 walks, and 4 strikeouts. He was also 1-for-3 with a sac-bunt and run scored. John Kincaid was 4-for-6 with a run scored and two doubles. Tom Taylor was 2-for-6 with 2 RBI's.

May 19th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (20-15): 10
Baltimore Cannons (22-12): 3

W: Bob Miller (4-4)
L: Max Wilder (4-4)

Our road trip came to Baltimore, where we were hosted by the first place Cannons. We piled on 10 runs in the first, and took the opener 10-3. Harry Simmons was 4-for-5 with 3 runs, a steal, and RBI. Slim Bloom was 2-for-3 with 2 walks, a run scored, and 2 RBI's. John Dibblee was 2-for-5 with an RBI. Vince York was 1-for-3 with a walk, hit by pitch, and two runs scored. Max Wildier, the starter, was 2-for-4 with a walk, run scored, and 3 RBI's. He was also good on the mound, 9 innings with 10 hits, 3 runs, 3 walks, and 4 strikeouts.

May 20th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (21-15): 4
Baltimore Cannons (22-13): 0

W: Jim Crawford (4-3)
L: Ken Carpenter (7-2)

Jim Crawford was flat out dominate, allowing just 3 hits in a complete game shutout. He was also 1-for-4 with an RBI. Slim Bloom was 2-for-4 with a triple, steal, RBI, and two runs scored. Tom Taylor was 1-for-4 with a solo homer. Harry Simmons was 1-for-2 with 2 walks and a run scored.

May 21st, 1931
Chicago Cougars (21-16): 1
Baltimore Cannons (23-13): 4

W: Dutch Leverett (4-2)
L: Steve Castellini (3-3)

Just like in the Stars series, we couldn't finish the sweep, and the Cannons took the finale 4-1. Steve Castellini went 7 innings with 11 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), and a strikeout.Chick Meehan went an inning with a hit and run scored. Slim Bloom was 1-for-3 with a triple. Jim Kyle was 1-for-4 with a triple. Harry Simmons was 1-for-4 with a double and RBI. John Kincaid was 1-for-3 with a double and walk.

May 23rd, 1931
Philadelphia Sailors (22-14): 7
Chicago Cougars (22-16): 8
10 Innings

W: Chick Meehan (2-0)
L: Russ Reel (1-2)

We got a day off after finishing the Cannons series, and headed home for a quick three game set with the second place Sailors. Up 6-4 in the 9th, Dick Kadlec allowed 2 hits, 3 runs, and 4 walks in the 9th and the Sailors took a 7-6 lead. We managed to score a single run in the 9th to force extras. In the bottom of the 10th, like he did so frequently to us in the past, Tom Taylor ended the game with a walk-off hit, and we took the finale 8-7. Dick Lyons went 8 innings with 12 hits, 4 runs, a walk, and 6 strikeouts in a solid start. He was also 2-for-3 with a run scored. Jim Kyle was 3-for-5 with a homer and 3 RBI's. Vince York was 2-for-4 with a double, walk, and two runs scored. Tom Taylor was 2-for-5 with a walk and 2 RBI's. Harry Simmons was 2-for-5 with a run scored and driven in.

May 24th, 1931
Philadelphia Sailors (22-15): 5
Chicago Cougars (24-16): 7

W: Max Wilder (5-4)
L: Rollie Beal (3-4)
SV: Dick Kadlec (3)

Game two was close as well, and we came on top again 7-5 to set up a sweep. John Kincaid was 4-for-5 with 3 doubles, a triple, and two runs scored. Cy Bryant was 2-for-4 with a steal, walk, run scored, and RBI. Tom Taylor was 2-for-4 with a homer, double, walk, 3 runs, and 2 RBI's. Slim Bloom was 1-for-4 with a walk and solo homer. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-5 with 2 RBI's. Max Wilder made the start, 7 innings with 9 hits, 5 runs, 2 walks, and 3 strikeouts. Dick Kadlec picked up a 2 inning save, allowing 2 hits and a walk with 2 strikeouts.

Stars of the Week
John Kincaid : 27 AB, 11 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .407 AVG, 1.137 OPS
Harry Simmons : 26 AB, 11 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .423 AVG, .926 OPS
Tom Taylor : 26 AB, 8 H, 2 HR, 8 RBI, .308 AVG, .977 OPS

Weekly Summary
It was a nice 4-2 week for us against the three other teams in the top half of the division. We're now tied with the Sailors for second, 1.5 games behind the Cannons. We get one more with the Sailors, and if we win we finish the sweep, before heading back on the road. We get three with the Foresters (15-23) before a weird four game series with the Sailors. It's three road games with a double header the second game, before a single home game back in Chicago. We're off again after that.

We're almost done with May, and Jim Crawford ranks third in the CA with a 2.95 ERA (149 ERA+). He's been excellent in his 7 starts this season, going 4-3 with a 1.33 WHIP and 17 strikeouts. It's been an excellent second season in the league for Crawford, who was 7-4 with a 4.53 ERA (108 ERA+), 1.41 WHIP, and 46 strikeouts in 135 innings pitched. If we keep getting production like this from him, it's really going to help us on our pennant pursuit.

Injury Report
SP Gordie Thompson (A Lincoln Legislators): Torn labrum (4-5 months)
CF Pete Slater (A Lincoln Legislators): Torn hamstring (5 weeks)
LF Harry Humphrey (A Lincoln Legislators): Back spasms (uncertain return)

Minor League Report

SP Gordie Thompson (A Lincoln Legislators): We got bad news as former 5th Rounder Gordie Thompson will miss the rest of the season with a torn labrum in his shoulder. Thompson ranks 23rd in our organization and 358th in the league, and is now the second pitcher from the 1929 draft class to miss the rest of the season. He was great in his 6 starts, 2-2 with a 1.35 ERA (285 ERA+), 0.78 WHIP, and 26 strikeouts in 40 innings with A Lincoln. The 23-year-old has a nice four pitch arsenal, headlined by a 91-93 MPH fastball. He's got nice stuff and gets a lot of strikeouts, and with this being the first injury of his career, I'm not expecting this to hurt him too much. Of course, major injuries like this are never a good thing, and it could prove to limit his future potential.

Amateur Report

SP Dick Strunk (Niagara Falls HS Sailors): High School playoff season is underway, and Niagara Falls HS is one of the teams who made it out of the first round. Dick Strunk tossed a key 6-hit shutout in a win over the Holyoke HS Oaks. It's been a strong junior year for Strunk, who's 5-0 with a 2.21 ERA (157 ERA+), 1.02 WHIP, and 51 strikeouts in 73.1 innings pitched. It's his second consecutive year with a sub-3 ERA, and a strong senior year next season will secure him a high draft pick. The 17-year-old doesn't throw too hard, but he does have quality off speed pitches. He's got a future in the rotation, but he's a very raw prospect.

SP Bud Hastings (Pittsburgh HS Pipers): He may not even be the best pitcher on his team, but that's one of the reasons Pittsburgh HS had such a good season. Senior Bud Hastings had a dominant last season, going 4-1 with a 1.11 ERA (326 ERA+), 0.78 WHIP, and 39 strikeouts in 48.2 innings for the division winning Pipers. Hastings can reach the 90s with his cutter, but occasionally a hitter can get a hold of one and hit it far. For his career, Hastings is 6-9, but with a 2.05 ERA (202 ERA+), 1.00 WHIP, and 161 strikeouts in 166.2 innings pitched. He doesn't have the stuff of a top pick, but he's definitely worth taking a risk on in the later rounds.

SS Cal Ruth (Ellery Bruins): With just 4 games left in the season, the Ellery Bruins are tied with Grafton and Henry Hudson for first place in the Academia Alliance division. Cal Ruth will be doing everything he can to make sure that his college career lasts more then the 4 days. The junior bounced back from a rough sophomore season, hitting .283/.359/.617 (157 OPS+) with 15 homers and 48 RBI's, both of which are just one short of his tallies from his freshman season. Ruth is an excellent defender who steals a lot of bases, and has a ton of power for a shortstop. He's hit 39 homers and drove in 135 runs in 647 plate appearances as a Bruin. He's got big league potential, but I'm not sure he'll be a first rounder like his old teammate Jim Mason. There are a few decent college shortstops, but Ruth is definitely in the top tier due to his power.

ayaghmour2 · 06-01-2020, 09:54 PM

May 25th, 1931
Philadelphia Sailors (23-15): 1
Chicago Cougars (24-15): 0

W: Oscar Morse (6-3)
L: Dick Leudtke (4-3)

We had so many chances to win this game and get the sweep, but we just could not score off Oscar Morse and the Sailors left Chicago with a 1-0 win. Dick Leudtke had a pretty lucky outing, 8.1 innings with 10 hits, an unearned run, 7 walks, and just 2 strikeouts. Slim Bloom was 2-for-4 with a double. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-4, but he made the error that led to the only run in the game.

May 26th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (24-17): 4
Cleveland Foresters (16-24): 2

W: Jim Crawford (5-3)
L: Rube McCormick (2-5)
SV: Dick Lyons (4)

Back on the road and the schedule took us to Cleveland for three games with the Foresters. Jim Crawford had another excellent start, 7 innings with 6 hits, 2 runs (1 earned), 2 walks, and a strikeout. Dick Kadlec struck out two in two perfect innings to pick up the save. John Kincaid was 3-for-5 with a double, run scored, and 2 RBI's. Cy Bryant was 2-for-4 with a steal, sac-bunt, and RBI. Slim Bloom was 2-for-4 with a double, run scored, and RBI.

May 27th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (24-18): 2
Cleveland Foresters (17-24): 5

W: George Baker (4-3)
L: Steve Castellini (3-4)

Tied at 2 in the 8th, the Foresters rallied for three, and our offense failed to answer back as the hosts got the series split. Steve Castellini got the loss, 7.2 innings with 10 hits, 5 runs, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts. Tom Taylor was 3-for-4 with a double and run scored. Vince York was 2-for-4 with a run scored, RBI, and pair of doubles.

May 28th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (25-18): 5
Cleveland Foresters (17-25): 2

W: Dick Lyons (5-3)
L: Allen Purvis (2-5)

The runs still aren't coming around like I want them to, but we flipped the score in the finale and took the series with a 5-2 win. Dick Lyons allowed 10 hits in the complete game victory with 2 hits, a walk, and a strikeout. John Dibble showed he still has it, 2-for-5 with a double, 2 runs, and 2 RBI's. Cy Bryant was 2-for-4 wit a steal and run scored. Harry Simmons was 1-for-3 with a double, walk, and RBI.

May 29th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (26-18): 7
Philadelphia Sailors (26-16): 3

W: Max Wilder (6-4)
L: Cotton Taylor (1-2)

Our travels brought us to Philadelphia for three games in two days. We actually got some runs in this one, and took the opener 7-3 against former Cougar Cotton Taylor. The Sailors claimed him off waivers from the Detroit, who I traded Taylor to in the offseason. It hasn't gone well for Taylor, who's 1-2 with a 7.11 ERA (57 ERA+), 1.67 WHIP, and 11 strikeouts (13 walks) in 31.2 innings. The Sailors also lost star CF David Merchant for 2 weeks with a sore elbow.

Max Wilder made the start for us, 8 innings with 9 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, and a strikeout. He was also 1-for-4 with a double and run scored. Vince York was 2-for-4 with a double, walk, run, and 2 RBI's. Harry Simmons was 2-for-3 with a double, 2 walks, and 3 RBI's. Tom Taylor was 2-for-5 with a steal and pair of runs scored.

May 30th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (27-18): 3
Philadelphia Sailors (26-17): 1
Game 1

W: Dick Luedtke (5-3)
L: Oscar Morse (6-4)

The first game of a double header saw a rematch of Monday's starting pitching matchup. Leudtke outdueled Morse this time, just 4 hits, a run, 2 walks, and 3 strikeouts in the complete game victory. Jim Kyle was a perfect 3-for-3 with a walk, double, triple, and RBI. John Kincaid was 3-for-5 with a steal and run scored. Bill Ashbaugh was 1-for-3 with a walk and RBI. Harry Simmons was 1-for-4 with a run scored, walk, and steal.

May 30th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (27-19): 1
Philadelphia Sailors (27-17): 2
Game 2

W: Russ Reel (2-2)
L: Jim Crawford (5-4)

Game two saw even less scoring, and we held a 1-0 lead headed to the 9th. Bobby Bond singled off Jim Crawford, and the Sailors tied it at one to force extras. 2 innings later, Bond was up again, and hit a deep fly to center. It was caught, but Jack Cleaves scored and the Sailors walked off 2-1 winners. Crawford pitched 11.2 innings, allowing 5 hits, 2 runs, and 2 walks with 5 strikeouts. He was also 2-for-3 with 2 sac-bunts. His now 2.62 ERA is actually the best in all of baseball. Vince York was all the offense, 3-for-5 with a solo homer and two doubles. Harry Simmons was 2-for-4 with a double and walk.

May 31st, 1931
Philadelphia Sailors (27-18): 0
Chicago Cougars (28-19): 5

W: Steve Castellni (4-4)
L: Herb Lowman (5-3)

Real interesting scheduling quirk: we're in Chicago after a double header for just one game.The Sailors offense was exhausted and somehow we managed five runs to take three of four for the Sailors. Steve Castellini made an interesting start. He faced 31 batters and didn't walk or strike out a single batter. He allowed 8 hits in 8 shutout innings. Vince York was 3-for-4 with a triple, run scored, and driven in. Jim Kyle was 3-for-4 with an RBI. Cy Bryant was 2-for-3 with a steal, walk, and run scored. Tom Taylor was 1-for-4 with a two run homer.

Stars of the Week
Vince York : 30 AB, 12 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .400 AVG, 1.204 OPS
Tom Taylor : 30 AB, 9 H, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .300 AVG, .797 OPS
John Kincaid : 32 AB, 10 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .313 AVG, .715 OPS

Weekly Summary
We had a busy week with 8 games in seven days in four different cities, and we came out with five wins. We're now tied for second with the Sailors and just one game behind the Cannons (28-17). We're starting to string wins together, and we finished May an impressive 18-12. We've allowed the least amount of runs and scored the second most, but the first place Cannons have scored 30 more then us already. I got to say though, if Combs and Barrell were healthy, I have to believe we'd still have the most runs scored.

Speaking of Combs, he's hurt for just 1 day, so I'll miss out on a whole week of his play because I won't be able to start a rehab assignment. It's not the biggest worry, since Silm Bloom was replacing him well, but I want Combs in the lineup as soon as possible and I wanted him to shake the rust off in minor league games first. Bloom has hit well, batting .283/.391/.442 (112 OPS+) with 2 steals, 2 homers, and 19 RBI's in 133 trips to the plate. He hasn't done too great defensively at short, so I'm going to move him to second and let Simmons play short.

We've got a really helpful day off to start the week, and will get to stay home as the Kings (21-25) come to town on a day off of their own. This is the start of 15 straight home games. After the Kings, we get the last place Saints (16-29). We'll have two sub .500 opponents and we should be able to pick up these wins at home. With it being a four game series with Brooklyn, we will no matter what get both Fritz and Wilcox, which will be tough matchups for our hitters. I'd love to see a spark from the offense now that we are back home. With Combs and Barrell almost back healthy, the lineup will get a nice boost shortly.

Injury Report
RP Elmer Wood (AAA Milwaukee Blues): Bone spurn (4-5 weeks)
RP Bill Hartfield (A Lincoln Legislators): Returned from the DL

Minor League Report

SP George DeForest (B San Jose Cougars): Our top pitching prospect who is healthy, DeForest has started the season in San Jose as I look to keep his innings down. It's served him well, as on the 25th of May DeForest tossed a no-hitter against the Fresno Falcons. San Jose won 4-1, as DeForest allowed an unearned run and 2 walks with 9 strikeouts in the no-hitter. While this start was amazing, it has been a really solid season for the 22-year-old. He's 4-3 with a 3.14 ERA (137 ERA+), 1.10 WHIP, and 79 strikeouts in 63 innings with the Cougars. DeForest as the future to be a #2 in the rotation, and ranks as the 64th best prospect in all of baseball.

SP Mel Leonard (C La Cross Lions): Another one of our top prospects, recent 2nd Round selection Mel Leonard tossed a 4-hit shutout in his last start with La Crosse. He walked 5 and struck out 8 in the complete game victory. Our 4th best prospect and 73rd best in the league, Leonard has had an excellent first season. He''s 4-4 with a 2.17 ERA (171 ERA+), 1.12 WHIP, 60 strikeouts. Leonard has huge potential and could be a front line pitcher. Leonard gets a lot of strikeouts and has a nice three pitch arsenal. His fastball sits in the high 80s and he doesn't allow too many home runs. He's got a lot of potential, but he's got a lot of developing left. This is a good thing, as there's no room for a starter currently, but we probably will need someone 3-4 years down the road.

CF Ken Allen (A Lincoln Legislators): He'sunder the radar in our organization for two reasons. He's in the same draft class as top prospect Joe Johnson and he plays the same position as Joe Johnson. The 23-year-old Allen is stuck in Lincoln while Johnson is in Mobile, but he's making the most of it. The 4th Rounder took home Player of the Week, going 12-for-27 with 3 homers and 11 RBI's. Allen is an excellent hitter, with great pitch recognition and the potential to contest for batting titles. He's got outstanding range out in center and great speed on the bases. It'll be hard for Allen to start in center with us, but he's got the talent to be a great big leaguer.

Amateur Report

SP Sam Rogers (Cumberland Express): Sam Rogers had one of the best seasons for freshman in 1929. He was 8-2 with a 2.33 ERA (198 ERA+), 1.08 WHIP, and 127 strikeouts in 104.1 innings pitched. His junior year was one to forget, as he was 5-3 with a 4.15 ERA (106 ERA+), 1.40 WHIP, and 40 strikeouts in 69.1 innings pitched. It ended strong, however, as the likely last start in his college career was a 6-hit shutout of North Carolina Tech. Rogers did have skill, a 91-93 MPH fastball with a devastating sinker that generates a ton of groundballs. The only problem is he doesn't have good secondary stuff. He fooled a lot of hitters when he first came up, but now that he's pitched longer it's been easier to hit him. He's got to work on making the splitter or screwball his third pitch if he wants to have a shot starting in the FABL.

SP Sam Sullivan (Brunswick Knights): For some reason, Sam Sullivan did not make a single start for Brunswick last season. He didn't even throw a single pitch. This year, he had a league best 1.28 ERA (329 ERA+) with a 0.85 WHIP and 137 strikeouts in 119.2 innings pitched. It was an amazing season for Sullivan, who was worth a full 6.2 WAR in the equivalent of half a regular season. The key to Sullivan's success is a dominant downward sinker that sits in the mid the high 80s. He gets batters to swing right over it and they either make week contact or miss. He's got a ton of secondary pitches, including a curve, slider, change, and forkball. Sullivan is probably one of the best pitching prospects in the game, and he should be the early favorite for a first round selection in the 1932 draft. There are a lot of talented college pitchers, but Sullivan may be the best.

RF Joey Binette (Decatur HS Demons): No high schooler hit more home runs then Joey Binette's 18, which is even less then the 23 he hit last season. Binette had a third strong season with a .282/.345/.673 (178 OPS+) line. For his high school career, he had a .285/.355/.654 (181 OPS+) batting line with 46 homers and 131 RBI's in 524 trips to the plate. He doesn't profile as much of a defender in right, but that shouldn't take away too much from his value. He's got a ton of power and a lot of strength in his steal. I think he should go pretty early in this draft, but I'm avoiding him because I'm not a fan of his defense.

ayaghmour2 · 06-02-2020, 09:19 PM

June 2nd, 1931
Brooklyn Kings (21-26): 7
Chicago Cougars (29-19): 8

W: Dick Lyons (6-3)
L: Del Lyons (3-7)
SV: Dick Kadlec (5)

The Kings were in town for four and game one was a close one we managed to win 8-7. It wasn't a great start for Dick Lyons, 7 innings with 13 hits, 7 runs (5 earned), a walk, and 2 strikeouts. He was also 1-for-2 with a sac-bunt, double, and run scored. Dick Kadlec picked up the save, 2 innings with 2 hits and 2 strikeouts. Jim Kyle was 3-for-4 with a solo homer and two runs scored. Bill Ashbaugh was 3-for-4 with a walk, double, run scored, and 3 driven in. John Kincaid was 1-for-3 with a sac-fly, walk, and two runs scored. Vince York was 2-for-5 with an RBI.

June 3rd, 1931
Brooklyn Kings (22-26): 3
Chicago Cougars (29-20): 1

W: Tommy Wilocx (7-6)
L: Max Wilder (6-5)

Just when it looked like the offense was back, we just got one off ace Tommy Wilcox and the Kings evened the series with a 3-1 win. Max Wilder pitched well, 8 strikeouts in 8 innings with 10 hits, 3 runs, and a walk. Silm Bloom was 1-for-3 with a double and run scored. Cy Bryant was 2-for-4.

June 3rd, 1931
Brooklyn Kings (23-26): 9
Chicago Cougars (29-21): 6

W: Milt Fritz (8-4)
L: Steve Castellini (4-5)
SV: Del Lyons (1)

Even though we did get six, it didn't really feel like that as they all came after nine King runs. Steve Castellini had a bad outing, 6 innings with 14 hits, 7 runs (5 earned), and 2 strikeouts. Taylor Collins allowed 3 hits, 2 runs, and 2 walks with just 1 strikeout in 3 innings of mop up. What's better is his base clearing double in the 7th. Vince York was 2-for-2 with a steal and run scored. Cy Bryant was 2-for-5 with a double. Slim Bloom was 1-for-4 with a run scored and driven in. Tom Rogers was 1-for-2 with a double and 2 runs scored off the bench.

June 5th, 1931
Brooklyn Kings (23-27): 10
Chicago Cougars (29-22): 1

W: Lyman Weigel (6-6)
L: Dick Leudtke (5-4)

This game was just awful... The Kings just destroyed us in the finale, and they took three of four from us at home. It was an unacceptable series as we should have been the one with three out of four wins. It was a rare rough start for Dick Leudtke, 11 hits and 7 runs with 6 walks and 3 strikeouts in 6.1 innings pitched. Taylor Collins, who probably deserved an off day, allowed 3 unearned runs with 6 hits, a walk, and 3 strikeouts in 2.2 innings of mop up. John Kincaid was 3-for-4 with a double and run scored. Bill Ashbaugh was 1-for-3 with an RBI.

June 6th, 1931
Montreal Saints (20-30): 12
Chicago Cougars (29-23): 10

W: Randy Taylor (2-3)
L: Dick Kadlec (0-2)
SV: Sam Young (1)

The Saints were in town to start a four game series, and they out slugged us in a 12-10 shootout. The shocking part was Jim Crawford's rough start, 6 innings with 11 hits, 7 runs (5 earned), 3 walks, and 3 strikeouts. Dick Kadlec, however, picked up the loss with 5 hits and 5 runs in 2.2 innings. He also walked and struck out one. Tom Taylor was 2-for-4 with a walk, two runs, and his 10th homer of the year. Vince York was 3-for-4 with a walk, run, double, and 3 RBI's. Slim Bloom was 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, a run scored, and RBI. John Kincaid was 2-for-5 with a double and run scored. Jim Kyle was 2-for-5 with a walk and run scored.

June 7th, 1931
Montreal Saints (20-30): 4
Chicago Cougars (29-23): 1

W: Charlie Stedman (6-5)
L: Max Wilder (6-6)

Neither offense was awake today, and the Saints stretched out losing streak to five after beating us 4-1. Max Wilder made the start, 8 innings with 6 hits, 4 runs, 5 walks, and 3 strikeouts. Harry Simmons was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Vince York was 1-for-4 with a double and run scored. Jim Kyle was 1-for-4 with a double. Cy Bryant was 1-for-3 with a walk and run scored.

Stars of the Week
Vince York : 23 AB, 8 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .348 AVG, .810 OPS
Jim Kyle : 24 AB, 8 H, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .333 AVG, .833 OPS
John Kincaid : 25 AB, 8 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .320 AVG, .733 OPS

Weekly Summary
Well this week just sucked... I miss May...

A 1-5 week was the last thing we needed and we are now in fourth and 3 games behind the Sailors (31-20) with Baltimore (30-22) and New York (29-21) are 1.5 games ahead of us. The Stars will be in town for four after the Saints (21-30) series and then the Cannons come in for three before an off day. The homestand hasn't treated us too well as the sub .500 teams will be at worst 3-5 against us if we win both games against Montreal.

I've decided to take some drastic measures and will bring both Barrell and Combs back without rehab assignments. Herman Rachford and Tom Rogers will head down to AAA, but neither of them really made an impact in their time on the roster. I'm hoping adding two great bats to the lineup will help wake us up from this slump. Both guys will get extra days off as I really don't want another injury.

Tom Taylor just slugged his 10th home run of the season. If he hits just six more, he'll already tie Bill Ashbaugh's team best 16 last season and pass his own total from last season. It hasn't been a perfect first season in Chicago for Taylor, who's hitting a league average .271/.346/.443 (100 OPS+), but the 10 homers have been a huge boost to a team without power. No one else in the lineup even has 4, and we're not even last (6th) in the league in homers. There's still a lot of time for Taylor to heat up, but at least the power is back.

Injury Report
SS Russ Combs (FABL Chicago Cougars): Activated from the DL
C Fred Barrell (FABL Chicago Cougars): Activated from the DL
2B Red O'Neal (AAA Milwaukee Blues): Activated from the DL
LF Harry Humphrey (A Lincoln Legislators): Activated from the DL
SP Pete Carey (A Lincoln Legislators): Ruptured disc (8 months)
SP Billy LeBeau (B San Jose Cougars): Strained triceps (4 weeks)
SP Roy Byrd (C La Crosse Lions): Back spasms (6 days)

Transactions
C Herman Rachford and SS Tom Rogers were both optioned to AAA Milwaukee

Minor League Report

1B Jim Hatfield (A Lincoln Legislators): Even at 19, Jim Hatfield had an excellent 43 game stretch that earned him a promotion out of San Jose. Hatfield hit .274/.324/.482 (116 OPS+) with 6 homers, 7 steals, and 24 RBI's in 182 trips to the plate. "The Bandit" has plus speed on the bases and steals bases with ease, giving way to his nickname. Not only that, he can hit the ball with consistency and it can just fly off the bat. I've thought about trying him somewhere other then first, but it's hard to find a position for him since it's all he played and there are no ratings. He could probably play the outfield well, but I'm thinking maybe he can shift to second base if I need to find more playing time for him. He's young so he has time to develop and he could eventually replace Ashbaugh, who's 8 years older then him.

Amateur Report
For this Amateur Report I'm going to cover the High School Champion Portland HS Lumberjacks. I'm actually pretty shocked they won as they don't have a very deep or talented team. These are really the only prospects of note:

CF Elias Canady: Easily the best player on the roster, the sophomore is one of the best youngsters in the league. He hit .304/.372/.652 (183 OPS+) with 15 homers and 42 RBI's in another excellent season. The first was even better, as he hit .376/.438/.679 (210 OPS+) with 12 homers and 45 RBI's. Canady is extremely talented, a plus defender and amazing hitter. Not only do pitcher's hate facing him, he can draw a ton of walks with excellent plate discipline. He can hit any pitch and strikeouts should never be much of a problem for him. He's got the talent to be a franchise cornerstone and whatever team selects him in 1933 will be extremely lucky to have him.

SP Tom Phelps: He didn't pitch his first two seasons in high school, but Phelps was one of the co-aces in a strong rotation. He was 2-4, but with a 2.50 ERA (145 ERA+), 1.33 WHIP, and 59 strikeouts in 75.2 innings pitched. He doesn't throw too hard, but at 6'1'', he gets good downward motion on his fastball. He's still young too, and can easily add a few miles on to his pitches. He's got a decent hold of all three of his pitches and he has the potential to fill a big league staff.

SP El Long: Like Phelps, he didn't pitch in his first two seasons. And like Phelps, year three was pretty good. He was 4-2 with a 2.60 ERA (140 ERA+), 0.95 WHIP, and 40 strikeouts in 62.1 innings. Long throws an excellent change up that compliments a mid 80s cutter. When he needs a hitter to chase, the curveball is sharp and fools most hitters. Like Phelps, he's got the future to pitch in a big league rotation.

ayaghmour2 · 06-03-2020, 08:39 PM

June 8th, 1931
Montreal Saints (22-30): 9
Chicago Cougars (29-25): 8
18 Innings

W: Dave Paynter (4-6)
L: Taylor Collins (0-1)

Well I just think this is a bad omen...

There was a lot of late scoring, but we had a 7-5 lead headed to the 9th. Dick Kadlec, who I debated optioning (and probably should have) walked 4 and allowed 3 runs as the Saints took an 8-7 lead. We didn't give up there, as Phil Vaughan took an 0-2 mistake and deposited it 366 feet from home plate to tie the game. But then, despite both teams averaging nearly a run an inning, the 10th through 17th(!) innings didn't see a single run. Not only that, we had just one base runner (a walk) from the 13th on. We cracked first, as Dave Paynter delivered a tie breaking single.

Dave Paynter is the Saints #3 starter and he had himself a game. They ran out of relievers, and not only did he deliver the go ahead single, he threw 6 innings with 5 strikeouts and just one walk.

Hours before the game ended, Dick Lyons made the start. He went 7.2 innings with 13 hits, 5 runs (3 earned), and 6 strikeouts. Taylor Collins got the loss, but pitched rather well, 4 innings with 4 hits, a run, 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts. Claude Purvis tossed 3 innings with a hit, walk, and strikeout. John Kincaid was 4-for-8 with 2 doubles and RBI's. Harry Simmons was 3-for-6 with a triple, 2 walks, an RBI, and 2 runs scored. Fred Barrell was 2-for-8 with a double and 2 runs scored in his return to the lineup. Russ Combs was 2-for-8 with a double, walk, run scored, and RBI in his return, but he made two errors that really killed us. Cy Bryant was 2-for-7 with 2 doubles and an RBI.

June 9th, 1931
Montreal Saints (23-30): 4
Chicago Cougars (29-26): 3

W: Rich Fisher (6-1)
L: Steve Castellini (4-6)
SV: Randy Taylor (3)

And that's seven...

All at home...

The formerly last place Saints came to town and took all four games from us...

Steve Castellini allowed 12 hits, 4 runs, and 2 walks with just 1 strikeout in the complete game. Slim Bloom was 2-for-3 with a double, walk, run scored, and RBI. Tom Taylor was 2-for-4 with a steal and run scored. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-4 with a triple and RBI. Russ Combs was 2-for-5 with an RBI. Tom Taylor was 2-for-4 with a steal and run scored.

June 10th, 1931
New York Stars (31-22): 14
Chicago Cougars (29-27): 1

W: Mutt Pharr (4-3)
L: Dick Leudtke (5-5)

I'm speechless...

It was an awful start for Dick Leudtke, who allowed 11 hits and 9 runs (8 earned), with a walk in just 3.2 innings pitched. Taylor Collins allowed 5 hits and 5 runs with 2 walks and a strikeout in 3.1 innings pitched. John Kincaid was 3-for-4 with a double and run scored.

This was a bad one...

June 11th, 1931
New York Stars (31-23): 1
Chicago Cougars (30-27): 3

W: Jim Crawford (6-4)
L: Gene Stevens (3-6)

Oh man!

Oh MAN!

OH MANNNNNNN!!!!

WE WON AGAIN!!!!!!

Our losing streak will stop at eight, which is giving me flashbacks from the 1929 season. Jim Crawford tossed an absolute gem, 7 hits, a run, walk, and 4 strikeouts in a complete game victory. Harry Simmons was 2-for-3 with a double and RBI. Tom Taylor was 1-for-4 with a solo shot.

June 12th, 1931
New York Stars (31-24): 7
Chicago Cougars (31-27): 8

W: Earl Slater (1-2)
L: Dick Kadlec (3-2)

When the 9th inning started, it was 7-3. And the Stars were winning. Most of the 20,000 were dejected because not only did Russ Combs leave the game with an injury in the 6th, it was about to be the start of another eight game losing streak. Earl Slater walked back out to the mound and it seemed pretty obvious this game was over.

But, then something magical happened. First Kincaid walked. Then Taylor singled. Then Ashbaugh drove Kincaid home with a double and it looked like something might happen. York singled home Taylor, then Barrell singled home Ashbaugh. Just like that, we were just down by one round. I want to shoot my manager for making Cy Bryant bunt, giving them the first out of the inning, but it is how the game was played back then. Harry Simmons was, but grounded out to first and no runners could advance. Slater intentionally walked Phil Vaughan to bring up Lee Sparks. Sparks hit a soft ground ball, he hustled to first and beat it out, as York scored the game tieing run. Now tied at seven we're back where it started with John Kincaid up to bat. He lined the first pitch to left and the crowd erupted as Fred Barrell touched home plate.

WE DID IT!!!

IT FEELS LIKE THE WORLD SERIES!!!

Whew...

Kincaid had the two singles, a hit by pitch, run scored, and the game winning RBI in five trips to the plate. Vince York was 2-for-5 with 2 runs scored and driven in. Barrell was 2-for-5 with a run scored and two driven in. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-3 with a double, steal, walk, and run scored. Max Wilder had a rough start, 16 hits and 6 runs with 2 walks and 3 strikeouts in 8 innings pitched. Kadlec allowed 2 hits, a walk, and run in the 9th.

June 13th, 1931
New York Stars (31-25): 3
Chicago Cougars (32-27): 6

W: Dick Lyons (7-3)
L: Lou Martino (7-2)

The finale was ours, as we managed to string three wins together to take the series. So we can beat the good teams, but not the bad ones? Dick Lyons made an excellent start, 7 scoreless with 6 hits, a walk, and 2 strikeouts. Taylor Collins allowed 4 hits, 3 runs, and 2 walks with 2 strikeouts in 2 innings. Tom Taylor was 3-for-4 with a double, run scored, and 2 RBI's. John Kincaid was 2-for-4 with 2 doubles and 2 runs scored. Vince York was 2-for-4 with a double and 2 RBI's. Harry Simmons was 2-for-5 with a run scored.

June 14th, 1931
Baltimore Cannons (34-25): 4
Chicago Cougars (32-28): 3

W: Ken Carpenter (10-5)
L: Steve Castellini (4-7)

We welcomed the second place Cannons to town for three in our last series before a day off. We did all our scoring in the 8th, but it wasn't enough as the Cannons topped us 4-3 in the opener. To make matters worth, Fred Barrell left with back stiffness...

Castellini made the start, 8 innings with 10 hits, 4 runs (2 earned), and 4 strikeouts. John Kincaid was 2-for-4 with a walk. Cy Bryant and Slim Bloom were both 2-for-4 without the walk.

Stars of the Week
John Kincaid : 33 AB, 14 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .424 AVG, 1.048 OPS
Harry Simmons : 26 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .346 AVG, .875 OPS
Tom Taylor : 31 AB, 9 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .290 AVG, .753 OPS

Weekly Summary
When this week started, I thought I was going to have get rid of all my players and coaching staff after a 12 game losing streak that still isn't over. I'm not sure how the Saints swept us, but baseball can be like that sometimes. We've fallen to 4.5 games out of first with the Sailors (35-22) still on top. Baltimore (34-25) and New York (32-25) sit between us and them.

After we finish the three game set with the Cannons, we'll get out first off day of a 4-9 June. We'd then head to Brooklyn (29-29) and Montreal (24-34) for hopefully some road revenge after they took seven out of eight from us in Chicago.

Both Combs and Barrell hit well in their returns, but they also both got hurt again. Neither injury is major, so no DL stint needed, but I will be giving them alternate days off. If either get a more serious injury next sim, it'll be hard to forgive myself, but I just can't afford to keep their bats out of the lineup.

I'll be moving on from Dick Kadlec as stopper, and he'll be sent down to AAA Milwaukee. Instead of appointing another closer it will be an open audition for the 9th inning role. Kadlec was in the midst of an awful season. He was 1-2 with 5 saves, but an astronomical 7.04 ERA (61 ERA+) and 2.04 WHIP with more walks (19) then strikeouts (12). It looks like the pen may not be the future for him, so I'll let him start in Milwaukee for now.

Injury Report
SS Russ Combs (FABL Chicago Cougars): Sore back (one week)
C Fred Barrell (FABL Chicago Cougars): Back stiffness (5 days)
CF Tom Thomas (AAA Milwaukee Blues): Oblique strain (5-6 weeks)
LF Harry Humphrey (A Lincoln Legislators): Back spasms (uncertain)
SP Roy Arnold (B San Jose Cougars): Mild shoulder strain (6 days)

Transactions
Optioned CL Dick Kadlec to AAA Milwaukee. Recalled SP Ace McSherry from AAA Milwaukee.

Minor League Report

RF Ed Rhoden (AAA Milwaukee Blues): With Tom Thomas heading to the DL, Ed Rhoden is going to get some reps out in center. He has experience in all three outfield spots, but most of his innings have come out in right. I want to give him more experience here as Rhoden could be a very valuable bench piece for us if he can handle center. There's no question he can hit, however, and he's slashing .320/.375/.470 (120 OPS+) with 6 homers, 10 steals, and 26 RBI's in 227 plate appearances. Since he's on the 40-Man roster, there's a really good chance we'll see him in Chicago some time this year. I won't bring him up any time soon since I want him to have time in center, but he's definitely got a shot to win a bench spot next season.

SP Johnny Walker (A Lincoln Legislators): As a High School senior, Johnny Walker struck out 136 batters in 83.1 innings pitched to set the Berkley Bears single season record and the second most in a season All-Time. With that, I thought he could be the next Rabbit Day and took him in the third round. He's had a solid minor league career, but this season he's really broken out. In 10 starts, he's 5-3 with a 1.42 ERA (273 ERA+), 0.89 WHIP, and 89 strikeouts in 82.1 innings pitched. He's just 21, so I'm not quite sure if he's ready for AA, but Walker might be moving up soon. He's an extremely talented lefty who throws a nice 92-94 MPH fastball. What gets the strikeout is his huge breaking ball which looks like it's down the middle one second and then on home plate when you start swinging. The movement is just as impressive on the fastball and change, and he generates a ton of ground ball outs. Walker is a tiny guy, just 5'8'' 145, so he doesn't fit the prototypical mold of big league starters, but very few pitchers can strike out batters like he can. He doesn't have much prospect hype, but I think he's going to be an excellent major leaguer.

Amateur Report

The College finals are taking place this week between the Henry Hudson Explorers (29-21) and Central Ohio Aviators (33-17). I'll cover the Explorers FABL hopefuls today and the Aviators hopefuls tomorrow.

SP Curly Jones: Henry Hudson is known for their excellent rotation. Jones is the ace of a staff that includes the 2nd, 4th, and 8th best prospects in College and the top three pitchers. The sophomore Jones is the probably the best amateur pitcher in the world, and he had an excellent second season. He was 8-5 with a 2.29 ERA (194 ERA+), 0.90 WHIP, and 144 strikeouts in 133.1 innings pitched. Jones can throw flat out gas, reaching 98 with his fastball and sometimes he can put on a little more to graze triple digits. He has an excellent cutter and change up as well as maybe he's called Curly because of how the ball curls on it's way to home plate. He can hit any quadrant of the strike zone and sometimes it looks like he can put the ball where he wants. He's got ace potential and could possibly be the #1 pick next year.

SP George Gilliard: There might not be any team that has an ace with as much potential as Gilliard. And he doesn't even get to be the ace on his own team. Like Allen, he's a sophomore, but Gilliard is much less developed then Allen and his allure is more on his potential then his current performance. That's not to say this year wasn't good, as he was a respectable 7-5 with a 3.33 ERA (134 ERA+), 1.07 WHIP, and 98 strikeouts. Gilliard is a siedarmed groundballer who gets crazy movement on his pitches. He has excellent command of his four pitch arsenal and when he's on he's almost unhittable. The only problem for him he's occasionally prone for rough outings when a pitch or two gets a way from him and lands right in the center of the plate. He's got ace potential as well, but he's a lost more risky then most college starters. I can see him falling out of the first round if he doesn't have a breakout senior year, but I'm not sure I would let him get past me.

SP Joe Hancock: The best freshman pitcher in baseball happens to pitch for a team with two other aces. Hancock can't throw in the 90s like Jones and Gilliard, but he's still an excellent arm. He was 5-6 with a 3.06 ERA (146 ERA+), 1.12 WHIP, and 76 strikeouts in 100 innings pitched in his first college season. "Nutso" has brilliant control and an excellent change up and he very rarely gives up a long ball. He's overshadowed now with Jones and Gilliard in front of him, but don't be surprised if he has a huge Junior year when he's all by himself. Well, not completely, as another top freshman arm in lefty Jack Wood. He didn't get to pitch this year, but Wood also has big league potential himself.

C Bill Malachi: The team is really all pitching, but they have a valuable piece on offense in catcher Bill Malachi. He's going to be Jones and Gilliard's battery make for all three seasons as he's a sophomore as well. He has a nice .291/.407/.487 (130 OPS+) batting line with 3 homers and 23 RBI's in a nice sophomore season. He's got great plate discipline and it's really hard for pitchers to fool him. He makes good contact and will hit the occasional home run and pitchers seem to like throwing to him. He's not an excellent hitter, but he's a dependable hitter with a future as a major league catcher.

ayaghmour2 · 06-04-2020, 09:17 PM

June 15th, 1931
Baltimore Cannons (34-26): 2
Chicago Cougars (33-28): 5

W: Dick Leudtke (6-5)
L: Rabbit Day (7-7)

We shook of the loss quickly as an excellent outing by Dick Leudtke helped us take the middle game 5-2. He went all nine with 7 hits, 2 runs, a walk, and 2 strikeouts as he shook off a few recent rough starts. Harry Simmons was 2-for-4 with a steal and RBI. Bill Ashbaugh was 1-for-2 with a walk, run, sac-fly, and steal. Cy Bryant was 1-for-3 with a walk and run scored.

June 16th, 1931
Baltimore Cannons (34-27): 1
Chicago Cougars (34-28): 4

W: Jim Crawford (7-4)
L: Dutch Leverett (7-5)

Jim Crawford was near unhittable in the rubber match, and we took the series with a nice 4-1 win. He allowed just one earned run with 4 hits, a walk, and 4 strikeouts in the complete game victory. Rule-5 Pick Phil Vaughan was the entirety of the offense, going 2-for-4 with a walk, solo homer, and three run homer. Fred Barrell was 1-for-4 with a double. Vince York was 1-for-3 with a walk and run scored.

We're off tomorrow, but I think I know the strategy for winning when we get back to playing baseball: Don't play the Kings or Saints.

Oh wait...

June 18th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (35-28): 8
Brooklyn Kings (32-30): 2

W: Max Wilder (7-6)
L: Lou Loiselle (1-1)

Last time we played the Kings was in Chicago and they did most of the winning. This time we are in Brooklyn for four. Now that they're over .500, we decided that we can beat them, and piled on 8 runs in an 8-2 victory. Tom Taylor was 2-for-4 with a homer, walk, 3 runs, and 3 RBI's. Vince York was 2-for-5 with 3 RBI's. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-5 with a double, run scored, and driven in. Slim Bloom was 2-for-5 with a double and run scored. Cy Bryant was 1-for-4 with a walk, double, and run. Cy Bryant was 1-for-4 with a double, walk, and run scored. Max Wilder continued the run of impressive starts, 8.2 innings with 6 hits, 2 runs, 3 walks, and 4 strikeouts.

June 19th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (36-28): 6
Brooklyn Kings (32-31): 1

W: Dick Lyons (8-3)
L: Lyman Weigel (7-7)

The run of starts with 2 or less runs allowed continued, as this time it was Dick Lyons who pitched the gem as we topped the hosts 6-1 and every hitter in our lineup got a hit. He allowed 4 hits, a run, and a walk with a pair of punch outs in the complete game victory. He was also 2-for-4 with a run scored and driven in. Harry Simmons was 2-for-5 with 2 doubles and RBI's. Tom Taylor was 2-for-4 with a walk, steal, and run scored. Jim Kyle was 2-for-4 with a run scored.

June 20th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (37-28): 9
Brooklyn Kings (32-32): 6

W: Steve Castellini (5-7)
L: Tommy Wilcox (10-7)

The run of effective starts ended here, but our win streak is now up to five and we set up a four game road sweep. Vince York led the way with 3 doubles, 2 runs, and 2 RBI's in five at bats. Harry Simmons was 3-for-4 with a run scored, walk, and RBI. John Dibblee was 2-for-6 with a triple, run scored, and two driven in. Cy Bryant was 1-for-3 with 2 walks and 2 runs. Steve Castellini made the start, 8 innings with 11 hits, 5 runs, and a walk. Chick Meehan allowed 2 hits, a run, and walk with a strikeout in an inning of work.

June 21st, 1931
Chicago Cougars (37-29): 2
Brooklyn Kings (33-32): 7

W: Milt Fritz (11-6)
L: Jim Crawford (7-5)

Now that the Kings are no longer over .500, we forgot how to win, and they salvaged the finale with a 7-2 win. It was a rare rough outing for Jim Crawford, 7.2 innings with 12 hits, 7 runs (6 earned), 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts. Tom Taylor was 2-for-4 with a double and RBI. Harry Simmons was 1-for-3 with a double and run scored. Bill Ashbaugh was 1-for-3 with a walk and run scored.

Stars of the Week
Harry Simmons : 23 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 6 RBI, .391 AVG, 1.027 OPS
Tom Taylor : 24 AB, 8 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .333 AVG, .907 OPS
Vince York : 23 AB, 8 H, 0 HR, 7 RBI, .348 AVG, .901 OPS

Weekly Summary
A 5-1 week is just what the Doctor ordered, but we didn't really gain too much ground on the pack. We're tied with the Sailors (36-28) for third while Baltimore (38-27) is back in first after sweeping the Wolves. New York (36-27) is right behind after a four game sweep of the Foresters. After three games in Montreal (28-36), we have to go to both Baltimore and New York for four games before a day off to end our roadtrip.

I think the biggest shock of the season so far is how it's been our pitching that's led the team instead of the offense. We've fallen to 4th in runs scored, but we're up to 2nd in runs against and we have the best rotation in the league. A big part of that is the breakout of 25-year-old Jim Crawford. He's just 7-5, but he's got an elite 2.85 ERA (151 ERA+), 1.24 WHIP, and 36 strikeouts in 107.1 innings pitched. Just three pitchers have a better ERA then him in the CA, and just ERA leader Rich Fisher (193) has a higher ERA+.

Steve Castellini just turned 37 on June 17th, but his return to Chicago hasn't gone as planned. He's not having a bad season per say, but his 5-7 record, 4.23 ERA (102 ERA+), and 1.54 WHIP aren't at the level they should be. Last year he lead the league in BB/9 (1.0) with the Gothams, but he's already at 19 walks compared to 28 last year and his K/9 rate has dropped from 3.1 to 2.0. One reason for this could be attributed to his velocity drop. When I traded for him in November, he was throwing 91-93, but come Opening Day he dropped all the way down to 87-89. I was worried this trend would continue, but thankfully he hasn't dropped anymore. I'm not sure Castellini can pitch more then two more seasons, but I think he'll hold up for the rest of the year. His acquisition would look worse if Russel wasn't injured, but Castellini has still provided us with dependable innings. In a few years, perhaps I regret letting Ben Turner go (who's having an excellent season in AA), but I don't have any buyers remorse as I knew it was a risky pickup.

Injury Report
LF Harry Humphrey (A Lincoln Legislators): Activated from the DL
SP Roy Arnold (B San Jose Cougars): Activated from the DL

Amateur Report
Henry Hudson's pitching was too good, as the Explorers took two our of three from the Central Ohio Aviators. I covered the Explorers yesterday, so here's the runner up Aviators:

2B Freddie Jones: By now, you probably know who Freddie Jones is. The 21-year-old is the favorite for the #1 overall selection this season, and this season was the first year he didn't hit over .400. Jones will finish his college career with a .425/.550/.601 (210! OPS+) batting line with 16 homers, 102 RBI's, and 22 steals. Jones had a famous Freshman season where he hit an astronomical .486/.625/.665 (257 OPS+) where he set the single season on base percentage and walk (64) record. Jones is an extremely talented baseball player who can flat out hit. It's nearly impossible to get him to swing and miss as he only struck out 19 times in almost 700 plate appearances. There really aren't many prospects that could make the jump from college straight to the majors, but I think Jones could probably start at second for almost any team in the league right now.

SP Joe Stevens: Like Jones, Joe Stevens is also draft eligible, but he's going to be taken a lot of picks behind him. That's not to say he isn't good, as he's tallied 284 collegiate innings with a 3.33 ERA (141 ERA+) and 1.16 WHIP. He's 21-11 with 274 strikeouts, and struck out 100 or more batters as a freshman and junior. This season was probably the best for him, as he finished 9-6 with a 2.72 ERA (158 ERA+), 1.16 WHIP, and 112 strikeouts in 116 innings pitched. Stevens is a tall righty who sits comfortably in the low to mid 90s with a pretty solid fastball. He's got good control and won't make too many mistakes when on the mound. He's got a lot of upside and could fit nicely in the middle of an FABL team's rotation.

SP Jim Taylor: His junior season was the worst of his college career, and it ended with a herniated disc. Jim Taylor went 6-3 with a 3.66 ERA (117 ERA+), 1.23 WHIP, and 45 strikeouts in 10 starts before the injury so he didn't get to pitch in the postseason. He finished his college career 17-11 with a 3.22 ERA (145 ERA+), 1.20 WHIP, and 253 strikeouts in 279.1 innings pitched. Taylor features a really good low 90s sinker and he is a groundball artist. The injury hurt his draft stock a bit, but he should still be a nice middle round pickup for someone.

CF Levi Redding: A native of Chicago, Levi Redding is an athletic center fielder who can steal a ton of bases and has excellent range in the grass. The sophomore had a nice season, hitting .350/.402/.486 (137 OPS+) with 5 homers, 20 steals, and 27 RBI's. The lefty is an excellent leadoff hitter with the potential to hit well over .300 in the majors. Not only that, he does a good job getting on base, and that's where he's most dangerous. He can steal bases effortlessly and already has 33 in just two seasons. He's got a little pop too and should hit double digit homers a year. He's got a lot of upside and should patrol center for decades on a big league club.

SS Tony White: Another really good sophomore, Tony White hit .345/.419/.461 (136 OPS+) with 5 homers, 12 steals, and 31 RBI's in 206 at bats. White is an extremely versatile player, who can man second, third, short, and left. His freshman year he struggled at short, but he turned things around this season with a +5.1 ZR and 1.040 efficiency. He's got good speed and a lot of range in the infield and there seems to be no limit to the balls he can get to. At the plate he's extremely patient and will make the pitcher work. It helps hitting before Freddie Jones, but next season him and Redding will have to carry a larger portion of the offense. White has the talent to be a great shortstop for years to come.

LF Bob Gillespie: It was a "down" year of sorts for Gillespie, as he couldn't match his .399/.455/.649 (183 OPS+) batting line as a freshman. And while he hit "just" .322/.391/.541 (148 OPS+), he doubled his homers from 4 to 8 and drove in 58 runs in 230 trips to the plate. Gillespie adjusted his approach to add more power to his bat, but he also saw his strikeouts jump from 5 to 11. Gillespie has a lot of offensive talent and a big league future, but his upside is different from White and Redding. They are both provide excellent defensive value, while Gillespie is just a passable defender out in left. His value is tied completely to his bat, which makes him a little less valuable. Even then, he's a far better hitter who will likely replace the graduating Jones in the 3 hole.

1B Tom Cannon: They may be losing Freddie Jones next season, but the Sophomore class at Central Ohio is just so deep. Slugger Tom Cannon will likely cleanup next year after hitting .260/.341/.531 (130 OPS+) with 12 homers and 42 RBI's. It's a big improvement on a Freshman campaign where he hit just .226/.308/.417 (86 OPS+) with 5 homers and 25 RBI's. Cannon has a decent eye, but he takes big cuts which turn into a lot of swings and misses. He's loaded with power potential and provides a lot of thump. He's not a top prospect, but Cannons looks draft worthy and he could work his way onto a big league roster.

RF Chick Merritt: Yep, another sophomore! Chick Merritt has a nice .297/.358/.496 (122 OPS+) career batting line with 15 homers and 67 RBI's in 436 plate appearances. A lefty slugger, Merritt does a good job of only swinging at the strikes and uses every inch of his 6'3'', 200 pound frame when he unleashes a swing. When he makes contact, the ball absolutely flies and he lines shots all around the field. He's a little awkward out in right, but he's got a nice arm and with a little work he could be an alright defender. He's been consistent, but he'll need a strong Junior year if he wants to be selected early.

SP Ed Owens: Undrafted last year, Ed Owens decided to attend Central Ohio and it's one of the best decisions he could have made. As a high school senior, he had a 9.00 ERA (45 ERA+) and 2.29 WHIP with 21 strikeouts in 24 innings for Reading HS. One year later, the Southpaw went 4-1 with a 2.61 ERA (164 ERA+), 1.50 WHIP, and 28 strikeouts in 62 innings pitched. Could it be a fluke? Perhaps, but he added a little velocity on his fastball and cutter which made his change up look a little bit better. He's young and has a lot of time to develop, but the Aviators may have found a gem here for their staff.

ayaghmour2 · 06-06-2020, 03:18 PM

June 22nd, 1931
Chicago Cougars (37-30): 4
Montreal Saints (29-36): 6

W: Walker Moore (7-7)
L: Dick Leudtke (6-6)

We're north of the border in Montreal to face our new arch-nemesis Saints. A big three run 7th gave the Saints a 6-4 lead they'd carry to the finish. Bill Ashbaugh did all he could, gong 3-for-3 with a walk, two homers, and 3 RBI's. John Kincaid was 2-for-5 with a run scored. Fred Barrell was 1-for-3 with a double, hit by pitch, and run scored. Dick Leudtke made the start, 8 innings with 8 hits, 6 runs (4 earned), 3 walks, and 4 strikeouts.

June 23rd, 1931
Chicago Cougars (38-30): 4
Montreal Saints (29-37): 3

W: Max Wilder (8-6)
L: Dave Paynter (5-8)
SV: Chick Meehan (2)

We evened up the series with a nail biting 4-3 victory. Vince York was 3-for-4 with a double, triple, and 3 RBI's. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored. Russ Combs was 2-for-5 with a steal and run scored. Tom Taylor was 1-for-3 with a double, walk, and run scored. Max Wilder picked up the win, 8 innings with 7 hits, 2 runs, a walk, and 4 strikeouts. Chick Meehan picked up the save despite 2 hits and a run in the 9th.

June 24th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (38-31): 3
Montreal Saints (30-37): 13

W: Rich Fisher (8-1)
L: Dick Lyons (8-4)

The pitching imploded today, and the Saints crushed us 13-3. Dick Lyons allowed 11 hits and 9 runs with 2 walks and a strikeout in 5.2 innings pitched. Taylor Collins went 2.1 innings with 5 hits, 4 runs, and 2 walks. John Kincaid was a perfect 4-for-4 with a run scored. Vince York was 3-for-4 with 2 runs, 2 RBI's,a double, and homer. Slim Bloom was 1-for-3 with a walk and RBI.

June 25th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (38-32): 1
Baltimore Cannons (42-27): 13

W: Dutch Leverett (9-5)
L: Steve Castellini (5-8)

Off to Baltimore for a series with the first place Cannons. They absolutely demolished us in the opener and crushed us 13-1. Steve Castellini had another rough start, 11 hits and 7 runs with 2 walks and 2 strikeouts in 6.2 innings pitched. Taylor Collins, who shouldn't have pitched today, allowed 5 hits, 6 runs, and a walk with a strikeout in an inning pitched. Cy Bryant was 2-for-3 with a double. Vince York was 2-for-4. Phil Vaughan was 1-for-4 with a run scored.

June 26th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (38-33): 1
Baltimore Cannons (43-27): 2

W: Ken Carpenter (12-5)
L: Jim Crawford (7-6)

The pitching recovered with Jim Crawford on the mound, but the offense was completely non-existent. Crawford went 8 with 7 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 3 strikeouts. Russ Combs was 2-for-4 with a solo homer. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-4 with a double. John Kincaid was 1-for-3 with a sac-bunt.

June 27th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (39-33): 8
Baltimore Cannons (43-28): 4

W: Dick Leudtke (7-6)
L: Bob Miller (7-9)

It looked like four losses in a row before we rallied for five in the 8th to at least salvage one of the four games in Baltimore. Dick Leudtke pitched fine, 9 innings with 6 hits, 4 runs (3 earned), 4 walks, and 3 strikeouts. He was also 1-for-3 with a sac-bunt, hit by pitch, double, run scored, and RBI. Fred Barrell was 3-for-5 with a double and run scored. Harry Simmons was 3-for-4 with a RBI and two runs scored. John Kincaid was 2-for-4 with an RBI and sac-bunt. Cy Bryant was 1-for-4 with a double, walk, and run scored. Lee Sparks was 1-for-3 with a run scored, walk, and RBI.

June 28th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (39-34): 2
Baltimore Cannons (44-28): 3

W: Rabbit Day (9-7)
L: Max Wilder (8-7)
SV: Paul Vandenberg (3)

The finale, however, was more of the same, and we finished off a rough week with another loss. Max Wilder had a good outing, 7 innings with 6 hits, 2 runs, a walk, and 2 strikeouts. Chick Meehan allowed a hit and run in the 8th.Bill Ashbaugh was 3-for-5 with a solo homer. John Kincaid was 2-for-4 with a walk and run scored. Fred Barrell and Tom Taylor were both 2-for-5.

Stars of the Week
Bill Ashbaugh : 28 AB, 12 H, 3 HR, 6 RBI, .429 AVG, 1.252 OPS
Vince York : 29 AB, 11 H, 1 HR, 6 RBI, .379 AVG, 1.021 OPS
John Kincaid : 29 AB, 12 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .414 AVG, .847 OPS

Weekly Summary
I think the only good thing about this week was the performance of Bill Ashbaugh. He was 12-for-18 and doubled his season home run total from three to six. Even with this week though, Ashbaugh has had by far the worst year of his career. He's hitting just .329/.380/.466 (115 OPS+) with 6 steals and 42 RBI's. It doesn't look like a bad line, but it's far from his career .320/.390/.524 (134 OPS+) line and this year's OPS+ is 10 points worse then the lowest he's had in five FABL seasons.

Losing five of seven this week really hurt, and now we have four games against the second place Stars (40-30). All the losing we did to the Cannons has given them a three game lead over New York and three and a half over Philly (40-31). Now a full five and a half out, things are starting to get bad really fast. I'm starting to worry a little as we're almost in July and we're just five games over .500. I definitely expected to be in Baltimore's spot, not ours, and we may already be too far back. It's too early to panic, but I might have to make a few trades.

The hard part is that a lot of the spots that need to be upgraded have starters that I can't really upgrade on. I can't put Tom Taylor, John Kincaid, or Fred Barrell on the bench, so the only spots I can really make upgrades on are second and center.

Starting with center, Cy Bryant hasn't done well since coming over from Toronto. He's hitting just .273/.322/.351 (72 OPS+) with 7 steals and 27 RBI's. I got him to make an improvement over Bob McCarty and George Jordan, but he's almost replicated their lines just with steals instead of homers. And at second, Simmons hasn't been bad by any means, but adding another infielder could allow us to give Combs more days off and rotate rested players in. Since I'm not looking to upgrade now, I'm going to try to solve this by working in a loose platoon at short and second. With Combs getting injured seemingly every day, I'm going to start giving Harry Simmons starts at short against righties to give Combs days off. I'm also going to use Slim Bloom at second against lefties to give Harry Simmons days off. The three players are going to rotate between the middle infield positions, while Simmons may also see time at third to give Kincaid days off.

After four games in New York, we're finally going to get an off day. We'll get to return home, but we then have a one day double header against the last place Foresters (27-45). Then Toronto (28-43), the second to last place team, will come to three before another off day. We cannot afford to lose anymore games and we really need a good week.

Injury Report
SS Russ Combs (FABL Chicago Cougars): Sore back (5 days)
RP Pete Walker (AAA Milwaukee Blues): Back spasms (one week)
CF Pete Slater (A Lincoln Legislators): Returned from the DL
SP Roy Byrd (C La Crosse Lions): Returned from the DL

Minor League Report

SP Dick Kadlec (AAA Milwaukee Blues): Most players don't take being demoted well. Others, however, use it as motivation. Dick Kadlec has made just three starts since demotion, but he's been dominant. In 26.2 innings pitched he has a minuscule 0.34 ERA (1304 ERA+), 0.97 WHIP, and 26 strikeouts. The only run he allowed was a solo homer in the first inning of his third start. This doesn't mean I plan on bringing him up anytime soon, but if he keeps pitching like this it might be hard to keep him in AAA for long.

SP Mel Leonard (B San Jose Cougars): After 15 starts with La Crosse, it was time to see if #71 overall prospect Mel Leonard was ready for his first promotion. He was 6-6 with a 2.61 ERA (144 ERA+), 1.16 WHIP, and 92 strikeouts in 117.1 innings with the Lions. The 19-year-old is on his way up to join fellow top 100 prospect George DeForest in San Jose. Leonard has a ton of potential and should find himself in the middle of a big league rotation. He can throw in the high 80s with a hard fastball and he does an excellent job keeping the ball on the ground.

ayaghmour2 · 06-08-2020, 07:30 PM

June 29th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (40-34): 11
New York Stars (40-31): 8
13 Innings

W: Ace McSherry (1-0)
L: Boyd Harper (2-5)

We started a four game series in New York with the second place Stars. We put up 6 runs in the 1st and it looked like this would be an easy win. In the bottom of the 8th, Taylor Collins allowed 5 runs and allowed the Stars to tie the game. It took extra frames to declare a winner, but Jim Kyle's base clearing triple gave us an 11-8 lead we managed to hang onto. Kyle had himself a game, 4-for-7 with 2 triples, a run scored, and 5 RBI's.Tom Taylor was 4-for-7 with a steal, 2 runs, and an RBI. Vince York was 2-for-5 with 2 runs, 2 walks, and an RBI. Dick Lyons, who made the start, was 1-for-2 with an RBI and sac-bunt. On the mound, he tossed 7 innings with 5 hits, 3 runs (1 earned), a walk, and strikeout. Collins didn't get an out, 4 hits and 5 runs with a walk. Ace McSherry made his season debut and picked up the win with a strikeout in two perfect frames.

June 30th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (40-35): 2
New York Stars (41-31): 8

W: Dick Richards (9-2)
L: Steve Castellini (5-8)

The offense took a night off as we ended our rough June 12-16. It was another rough outing for Castellini, 15 hits and 8 runs with 3 walks and 2 strikeouts in 7.1 innings pitched. Cy Bryant was 2-for-2 with a walk and sac-bunt. Slim Bloom was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Fred Barrell was 1-for-3 with a double, walk, and run scored. Vince York was 1-for-4 with a steal and run scored.

July 1st, 1931
Chicago Cougars (40-36): 2
New York Stars (42-31): 6

W: Mutt Pharr (5-4)
L: Jim Crawford (7-7)

We started July just like we ended June, scoring two runs in a loss to the Stars. Jim Crawford allowed 14 hits and 6 runs with 3 walks and 3 strikeouts in the 8 inning start. Lee Sparks was 2-for-3 with a double and 2 RBI's. Phil Vaughan was 1-for-2 with a pair of walks. Bill Ashbaugh was 1-for-4 with a run scored in his first FABL start at third.

July 2nd, 1931
Chicago Cougars (41-36): 2
New York Stars (42-32): 1

W: Dick Leudtke (8-6)
L: Gene Stevens (4-9)

We managed to salvage the finale after a gem start from Dick Leudtke. He went all nine with 7 hits, a run, walk, and two strikeouts. John Dibblee was the hero of the offense, 2-for-4 with a two run double. Cy Bryant was 1-for-2 with a run scored and two walks. Harry Simmons was 2-for-4. We're off after this one, and will head home to host the Foresters for a quick double header.

July 4th, 1931
Cleveland Foresters (27-50): 1
Chicago Cougars (42-36): 11
Game 1

W: Max Wilder (9-7)
L: George Barker (6-6)

We only get the Foresters for one day, and will play them twice. Game 1 couldn't have gone much better, as we crushed our guests 11-1. Harry Simmons was 3-for-5 with 2 doubles, 2 runs, and 5 RBI's. Fred Barrell was 3-for-4 with a double, walk, two runs, and two RBI's. Cy Bryant was 3-for-4 with a run scored and driven in. Vince York was 3-for-4 with a walk, RBI, and three runs scored. Tom Taylor was 1-for-3 with a steal, 2 walks, and 2 runs scored.

July 4th, 1931
Cleveland Foresters (27-51): 5
Chicago Cougars (43-36): 6
Game 2

W: Dick Lyons (9-4)
L: Karl Johnson (2-10)
SV: Chick Meehan (3)

Game two was much closer, but we managed to hold off a late 9th inning rally to sweep the double header with a 6-5 win. Dick Lyons pitched well in the start, 8 innings with 10 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), 2 walks, and 5 strikeouts. He was also 1-for-2 with a double, sac-bunt, run, and 2 RBI's. Chick Meehan had a rough ninth, but still picked up the save. He allowed 2 runs (1 earned) with 3 hits and a walk in the 9th. John Kincaid was 2-for-3 with a double, walk, run, and 2 RBI's. Harry Simmons was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Jim Kyle was 1-for-3 with a sac-fly and run scored.

July 5th, 1931
Toronto Wolves (32-48): 4
Chicago Cougars (44-36): 5

W: Dick Leudtke (9-6)
L: Birdie Smith (5-11)

We welcomed the Wolves to town for a three game series. Tied at four in the 9th, Manager Dick Pozza let Dick Leudtke hit for himself, and he drove home Cy Bryant to help us walk-off 5-4 winners. Only one of the four runs Leudtke allowed were earned, and he had just 5 hits, a walk, and a strikeout. Russ Combs was 3-for-4 with a triple and run scored. Vince York was 2-for-3 with a walk, triple, double, and run scored. John Kincaid was 2-for-4 with a double, run scored, and RBI. Cy Bryant was 2-for-4 with a run scored and driven in. Tom Taylor was 1-for-4 with a walk and run scored.

Stars of the Week
Vince York : 27 AB, 10 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .370 AVG, .950 OPS
Cy Bryant : 23 AB, 10 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .435 AVG, .953 OPS
Dick Luedtke : 2 Wins, 18.0 IP, 2 BB, 3 K, 1.00 ERA

Weekly Summary
It wasn't a perfect week, but a split with the Stars is enough as we actually managed to win our games against the bad teams. It's a quick homestand we're on, as after we finish the Wolves series we'll use our off day to travel to Philly (43-36) for three with the now fifth place Sailors. The Kings (46-34) have been on a tear, and a 12 game wining streak has put them in second place behind just Baltimore (48-31). This makes things even harder for us, as now five teams are within five games of first place.

It was an excellent week for starter Dick Leudtke who tossed two complete games with just two earned runs. He's technically are fourth starter despite being 9-6 with a 3.55 ERA (121 ERA+), 1.20 WHIP, and 36 strikeouts in 132 innings. I think with how well him and the rest of the rotation has done, Steve Castellini will get his starts skipped whenever I can. Unlike his former teammate, Castellini has endured a rough season. He's now 5-9 with a 4.89 ERA (88 ERA+), 1.62 WHIP, and 26 strikeouts in 114 innings pitched.

And speaking of struggles, it's really hard to keep Taylor Collins on the active roster with how poor he's pitched. He's allowed 41 hits, 27 runs, and 16 walks in 27 innings and he's the only reason we have the worst bullpen ERA in the league. I think he's got excellent potential, but it's getting really tempting to release him. If I do, there are a lot of young options in AAA that I can bring up. Bill Kline, Mike Murphy, Ed Stevens, and Gus Cain are all MLB ready arms that are having solid seasons in Milwaukee. I won't be moving on from Collins yet, but if we start to slip, I may have to make a bold decision.

One last note is on the coaching staff. I've extended all my minor league coaches, but Assistant GM Dan Richards and Bench Coach Hank Sims are due for their contracts to expire. Sims was our former manager who has a good relationship with the team and Richards has been assistant since 1927. I'm comfortable with extending both of them. Richards will get five years, Sims three.

Injury Report
RP Elmer Wood (AAA Milwaukee Blues): Returned from the DL
2B Red O'Neal (AAA Milwaukee Blues): Back stiffness (6 days)
3B John Kane (A Lincoln Legislators): Returned from the DL
LF Dave Ward (B San Jose Cougars): Strained hamstring (8 weeks)
2B Tom Handy (C La Crosse Lions): Fractured foot (3-4 weeks)
RP Lee Ralph (C La Crosse Lions): Forearm tendinitis (5 days)

Minor League Report

LF Joe Davis (AA Mobile Commodores): While June was a rough month for the big league, it was not for Joe Davis. He took home Player of the Month while hitting .387 with 2 homers, 22 RBI's, and 33 runs scored. The season has gone great for him, as he's hit .337/.418/.523 (144 OPS+) with 6 homers, 7 steals, and 46 RBI's. He lost his 40-Man spot in the offseaosn, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have a path to the majors. Davis can handle all three outfield positions and has even had some success in the past out in center. And in 205 FABL PA's, he's got an alright .287/.347/.448 (97 OPS+) with 2 homers, 8 steals, and 28 RBI's. He's low in the depth chart, but Month's like these tend to shake things up.

SP Bobby Love (A Lincoln Legislators): It's been an excellent season in Lincoln for former 2nd Rounder Bobby Love. After six elite starts in San Jose, he's made seven really good ones in Lincoln. He's 4-1 with a 2.57 ERA (149 ERA+), 1.09 WHIP, and 56 strikeouts in 46.2 innings. Love has fallen back a little in the prospect chart, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have a big league future. He's got a nice low 90s fastball, but he has to work through his command issues. He's still got ways to go before being ready for the majors, but he may find himself in AA once the seasons ends.

ayaghmour2 · 06-09-2020, 09:41 PM

July 6th, 1931
Toronto Wolves (32-49): 5
Chicago Cougars (45-36): 12

W: Jim Crawford (8-7)
L: Barry Wood (6-6)

The offense exploded for 21 hits which each player recording at least one in a 12-5 win. Jim Kyle was 4-for-5 with 3 runs, 3 RBI's, and just a triple short of the cycle. John Kincaid was 4-for-6 with a double and two runs scored. Russ Combs was 3-for-5 with a steal, walk, run scored, and RBI. Vince York was 3-for-5 with two runs scored and driven in. Harry Simmons was 2-for-5 with a triple, run scored, and RBI. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored. Jim Crawford made the start, although he wasn't too sharp. He pitched all nine, but allowed 9 hits, 5 runs, and 5 walks with 3 strikeouts.

July 7th, 1931
Toronto Wolves (33-49): 10
Chicago Cougars (45-37): 5

W: Buddy Adams (4-2)
L: W: Steve Castellini (5-10)

We couldn't finish the sweep as the Wolves topped us 10-5 in the finale. Of course, Steve Castellini made the start, and he was roughed up for 10 hits and 9 runs with 2 walks and 3 strikeouts in 5.2 innings pitched. Tom Taylor was 3-for-5 with a double and 2 RBI's. John Kincaid was 3-for-5 with a double, run scored, and driven in. Fred Barrell was 1-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored.

We used the off day for travel and made our way to Philly for four with the Sailors.

July 9th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (45-38): 1
Philadelphia Sailors (46-37): 2

W: Rollie Beal (11-6)
L: Max Wilder (9-8)

The Sailor faithful were treated to an excellent pitcher's duel between Rollie Beal and Max Wilder. We were up 1-0 in the 8th, but the Sailors put together two runs in the bottom half to take the opener 2-1. Wilder looked good the rest of the game, just 6 hits, 2 runs, and 2 walks with 4 strikeouts in 8 strong innings. Tom Taylor was 3-for-4 with 2 steals and an RBI in his old home park. Harry Simmons was 1-for-2 with a walk. Cy Bryant was 1-for-2 with a double and sac-bunt.

July 10th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (46-38): 3
Philadelphia Sailors (46-38): 1

W: Dick Lyons (10-4)
L: Herb Lowman (8-6)

Another low scoring affair in this one, but we came out on top this time 3-1. Dick Lyons pitched to another complete game victory, allowing 9 hits and just one run with 6 strikeouts as he became the first Cougar to 10 wins. John Kincaid was 3-for-5 with a double and pair of RBI's. Tom Taylor was 2-for-5 with a solo homer. Russ Combs was 2-for-5 with a run scored. Cy Bryant and Fred Barrell were both 1-for-4 with a double.

July 11th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (47-38): 2
Philadelphia Sailors (46-39): 1

W: Dick Leudtke(10-6)
L: Oscar Morse (11-9)

All three games in the series the loser scored just one run, and today we got our second pitcher to reach double digit wins. Dick Leudtke pitched a great game, 5 hits, a run, and 3 strikeouts in the complete game victory. Phil Vaughan was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Cy Bryant was 1-for-3 with a run scored and sac-bunt.

July 11th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (48-38): 6
Toronto Wolves (34-52): 5

W: Jim Crawford (9-7)
L: Barry Wood (6-7)

Our road trip would bring us North of the border, starting with two games with the Wolves on their turf this time. It was a tight one, but we held off a late Toronto rally to win the opener 6-5. Crawford went all nine, with three of the five runs he allowed unearned. He allowed 10 hits and struck out just one and went 1-for-3 with a sac-bunt and two run double. Former Wolf Cy Bryant was 2-for-3 with a walk and 2 runs scored. Fred Barrell was 2-for-4 with a double, run scored, and driven in. Vince York was 2-for-4 with 2 doubles and a run scored. John Kincaid was 1-for-4 with a double, run scored, and two driven in.

Stars of the Week
Tom Taylor : 26 AB, 11 H, 1 HR, 6 RBI, .423 AVG, 1.098 OPS
John Kincaid : 27 AB, 12 H, 0 HR, 5 RBI, .444 AVG, 1.074 OPS
Jim Kyle : 6 AB, 4 H, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .667 AVG, 2.000 OPS

Awards
Player of the Week: RF Tom Taylor

Weekly Summary
It was a nice 4-2 week, but we're still five games behind the Cannons (53-33) who don't like to lose too much. Brooklyn (47-40) slumped and we pushed our way past the Sailors (46-40), so just New York (51-35) stands between us and Baltimore.

After we finish the quick two game set with the Wolves, we'll head home for four with Montreal (34-51) to start a homestand. We'll then get four with the Kings who have slumped a little after their 12 game win streak. That's the first half of a homestand that takes us towards the end of the month. The second leg is much tougher, as we'll get both Baltimore and New York. We need to win both those series so we can get closer to first.

I spent all off season trying to trade Dick Lyons, but no one really showed much interest. He was coming off the worst season in his four year career, finishing 12-13 with a 4.99 ERA (98 ERA+), 1.57 WHIP, and 72 strikeouts in 230.2 innings pitched. This year, however, he's completely rebounded. As our first ten game winner, he's 10-4 with a 3.38 ERA (127 ERA+), 1.41 WHIP, and 48 strikeouts in 125.1 innings pitched. Lyons has been excellent all season and has allowed five or more runs in just three of his seventeen starts and he's only failed to get out of the 6th inning once all season. I'm glad I couldn't move him, as with Russel's injury and Castellini's struggles, Lyons has been crucial for us.

I was actually pretty surprised Taylor was voted Player of the Week. He hit well, 11-for-26 (.423) with a homer and 6 RBI's, but it wasn't too spectacular of a week. I'm hoping it's a sign of better things to come, as Taylor is hitting a mediocre .280/.345/.431 (97 OPS+) with 13 homers, 13 steals, and 49 RBI's a little past the half way point in the season. He his third in the CA in homer and on pace for another 20/20 season, but last year's drop in production seems to be exactly how good Taylor is. Still, at just 26, I'm hoping Taylor can regain some of his 1928/1929 form down the stretch as we looked to try to win the pennant.

Injury Report
RP Pete Walker (AAA Milwaukee Blues): Returned from the DL
RP Bob Bliss (A Lincoln Legislators): Herniated disc (one week)
LF Harry Humphrey (A Lincoln Legislators): Strained oblique (3-4 weeks)
RF Bill De Berarinis (B San Jose Cougars): Bone marrow edema (5 weeks)
RP Lee Ralph (C La Crosse Lions): Returned from the DL

ayaghmour2 · 06-11-2020, 04:04 PM

July 13th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (49-38): 6
Toronto Wolves (34-53): 3

W: Steve Castellini (6-10)
L: Babe Adams (4-3)

We finished off the quick two game series with a 6-3 victory and sweep of the host Wolves. Steve Castellini had his first good start in at least a month, 8 innings with 8 hits, 2 runs, a walk, and 3 strikeouts.Chick Meehan was going to get the save, but he left after a hit and ground out before leaving with injury. John Kincaid was 3-for-4 with a sac-bunt, two steals, and a run scored. Fred Barrell was 3-for-4 with a double, run scored, and 3 RBI's. Phil Vaughan was 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored.

July 14th, 1931
Montreal Saints (34-52): 3
Chicago Cougars (50-38): 17

W: Max Wilder (10-8)
L: Dave Paynter (5-11)

We got to head home to host the other Canadian team, the Saints, for a four game set. The offense finally had the explosion I was waiting for all season, 23 hits and 17 runs in a blow out win for #50 on the season. Tom Taylor had a big game, 3-for-5 with a homer, run scored, and 5 RBI's. Russ Combs was 3-for-3 with a double, walk, 2 runs, and 2 RBI's. Fred Barrell was 3-for-5 with 3 doubles, 3 runs, and 2 RBI's. Vince York was 3-for-4 with a walk, run scored, and RBI. John Kincaid was 3-for-6 with two runs scored. John Dibblee was 2-for-4 with a walk, run scored, and 2 RBI's. Bob McCarty came off the bench and was 1-for-2 with a double, run scored, and 2 RBI's.

July 15th, 1931
Montreal Saints (34-53): 5
Chicago Cougars (51-38): 6

W: Chick Meehan (3-0)
L: Randy Taylor (3-6)
SV: Claude Purvis (2)

Game two was much closer, but we scored two in the 7th and 8th to eek away with a 6-5 victory. Tom Taylor was 2-for-4 with a walk and solo homer. Russ Combs was 2-for-5 with a double, run scored, and RBI. Harry Simmons was 2-for-4 with 2 doubles and a run scored. Jim Kyle was 2-for-4 with a double. Phil Vaughan had a pinch hit RBI double and later scored. Dick Lyons made the start, 7 innings with 12 hits, 5 runs, 2 walks and 3 strikeouts. Meehan got the win, Purvis the save, both with just 1 hit in a scoreless frame.

July 16th, 1931
Montreal Saints (34-54): 6
Chicago Cougars (52-38): 7

W: Dick Leudtke (11-6)
L: Walker Moore (7-11)

Another one run game, and we came out on top to stretch our win streak to seven. Dick Leudtke made the start, but it wasn't a very good one. He went all nine, but allowed 9 hits, 6 runs, and 2 walks with 5 strikeouts. He was also 1-for-3 with a pair of RBI's. Tom Taylor continued his hot streak, 2-for-4 with a triple, run scored, RBI, and steal. John Kincaid was 2-for-3 with 2 runs and a hit by pitch. Harry Simmons was 1-for-2 with a walk and RBI.

July 17th, 1931
Montreal Saints (35-54): 10
Chicago Cougars (52-39): 7

W: John Barrie (2-1)
L: Jim Crawford (9-8)
SV: Sam Young (3)

We couldn't finish off the sweep as the Saints piled on 10 in the finale. Jim Crawford was roughed up for 13 hits and 9 runs (6 earned) with 5 walks and 5 strikeouts. Ace McSherry allowed 2 hits, a walk, and an unearned run in 1.1 innings pitched. John Kincaid was 3-for-5 with 2 doubles, a run scored, and RBI. Cy Bryant was 2-for-3 with a homer, walk, 2 runs, and 2 RBI's. Tom Taylor was 2-for-4 with a homer, walk, RBI, 2 runs, and 2 steals.

July 18th, 1931
Brooklyn Kings (51-41): 14
Chicago Cougars (52-40): 2

W: Milt Fritz (16-8)
L: Steve Castellini (6-11)

The Kings were in town for four, and they're right behind us in the standings. They made theirselves welcome, crushing us 14-2 in the opener. And guess who was on the mound? Good ol' Castellini allowed 11 hits and 7 runs (6 earned) with 11 hits, a walk, and 4 strikeouts. Taylor Collins may have signed his own pink slip, 5 hits and 5 runs with 2 walks in just 0.2 innings. Ace McSherry allowed 3 hits and 2 runs with a strikeout in a inning. Russ Combs was a perfect 4-for-4 with an RBI. Cy Bryant was 3-for-4 with a steal and run scored.

July 19th, 1931
Brooklyn Kings (52-41): 8
Chicago Cougars (52-41): 3

W: Tommy Wilcox (13-10)
L: Max Wilder (10-9)

The second game didn't go well either, and now the Kings are tied with us for third. Max Wilder picked up the loss, 7.1 innings with 11 hits, 7 runs (5 earned), 3 walks, and a strikeout. Collins allowed a hit and run in 1.2 innings pitched. Cy Bryant was 3-for-4 with a double and run scored. Jim Kyle was 1-for-4 with 2 runs scored. Vince York was 2-for-4.

Stars of the Week
Tom Taylor : 26 AB, 11 H, 3 HR, 10 RBI, .423 AVG, 1.346 OPS
Russ Combs : 20 AB, 11 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .550 AVG, 1.241 OPS
John Kincaid : 31 AB, 13 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .419 AVG, .938 OPS

Awards
RF Tom Taylor (Player of the Week)

Weekly Summary
Has he finally turned the corner? That's back-to-back Player of the Weeks for Tom Taylor who's in the midst of an elite July. He's hitting .358/.419/.627 with 4 homers, 7 steals, and 16 RBI's in 17 July games. This week was easily the best of his in a while, hitting .423 with 3 homers and 10 RBI's. His season numbers continue to improve, and now at the 90 game mark he's hitting .290/.356/.460 (107 OPS+) with 16 homers, 16 steals, and 59 RBI's. Still far from his MVP numbers, Taylor is finally turning the corner and maybe he will ride it to the finish line. We need something to click for us to make up the five game deficit we find ourselves in, and an MVP in Taylor would be perfect.

If Ross Combs played all season, he'd lead the CA in batting average by over 20 points. Instead, he's made just 180 trips to the plate, but his .374/.389/.489 (123 OPS+) batting line is just what we've needed from him. He's also added 8 steals, hit two homers, and drove in 25 runs in the 39 games he's played. He's struggled a little defensively this season, but a lot of it has to do with the time he was playing injured. Like a resurgent Taylor, a healthy Combs is part of the recipe to making the postseason.

It gets tougher from this point on, as after the final two games with Brooklyn Both the first place Cannons (56-35) and second place Stars (56-37) come to town for four game series. This could be a nightmarish run or our lucky day. If we can manage to split with Brooklyn and then take both the Baltimore and New York series, we could find ourselves right back in the race. We can take games from the teams ahead of us, but we got to start winning. I have some faith in the Brooklyn series, as we already lost to both Fritz and Wilcox and the rest of their staff isn't as good. New York and Baltimore is going to be tough, but if Taylor keeps up his streak I like our chances.

Injury Report
2B Red O'Neal (AAA Milwaukee Blues): Returned from the DL
RP John Peterson (AA Mobile Commodores): Forearm stiffness (4 days)

ayaghmour2 · 06-11-2020, 10:50 PM

July 20th, 1931
Brooklyn Kings (52-42): 5
Chicago Cougars (53-41): 10

W: Dick Lyons (11-4)
L: Lyman Weigel (13-9)

We managed to at least get one win, taking the third of four 10-5. Bill Ashbaugh had a big game, 3-for-5 with a steal, 2 triples, 2 runs, and 2 RBI's. Vince York was 3-for-4 with a homer, triple, 2 runs, and 4 RBI's. Harry Simmons was 4-for-5 with a double, 2 runs, and a RBI. Cy Bryant was 2-for-5 with a double, steal, run scored, and RBI. John Kincaid was 2-for-5 with a double and 2 RBI's. Dick Lyons went 8 with 9 hits, 5 runs, and 5 strikeouts.

July 21st, 1931
Brooklyn Kings (53-42): 9
Chicago Cougars (53-42): 2

W: Heinie Bretz (2-0)
L: Dick Leudtke (11-7)

Former Cougar farmhand Heinie Bretz bested us in the finale, and the Kings won 9-2. Dick Leudtke had a rough start, 4.1 innings with 12 hits, 9 runs (6 earned), and 3 walks. Taylor Collins may have staved off his demise a little more with 4 innings of 3 hit and 1 strikeout ball. Bill Ashbaugh was 3-for-4 with a steal. Cy Bryant was 3-for-4 with an RBI.

July 22nd, 1931
Baltimore Cannons (57-37): 2
Chicago Cougars (54-42): 5

W: Jim Crawford (10-8)
L: Dutch Leverett (12-9)

The first place Cannons were in town for four. Jim Crawford pitched well in the opener, just 2 runs and 11 hits with a walk and 3 strikeouts in the complete game victory. He was also 1-for-2 with 2 walks and a run scored. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-4 with a solo homer and two runs scored. Fred Barrell was 2-for-4 with a double and run scored. Vince York was 2-for-5 with an RBI.

July 23rd, 1931
Baltimore Cannons (58-37): 4
Chicago Cougars (54-43): 3

W: Rabbit Day (12-8)
L: Steve Castellini (6-12)
SV: Lee Drouillard (11)

The Cannons evened up the series with a closer 4-3 win. Castellini pitched okay, 12 hits and 4 runs with 2 walks and a strikeout in the complete game loss. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-4 with a run scored and driven in. John Kincaid was 1-for-3 with two walks, a steal, and run scored. Cy Bryant was 1-for-3 with a walk.

July 24th, 1931
Baltimore Cannons (59-37): 10
Chicago Cougars (54-44): 4

W: Ken Carpenter (15-9)
L: Max Wilder (10-10)

The Cannons piled on 10 runs and they certainly looked like the better team in this one. Max Wilder was roughed up for 12 hits and 7 runs (5 earned) with 3 walks in 8 innings. Taylor Collins allowed 3 hits and 3 runs with 2 walks in the 9th. John Kincaid was 2-for-5 with a double, run scored, and RBI. Tom Taylor was 2-for-5 with 2 RBI's. Cy Bryant was 2-for-4 with a run scored.

July 25th, 1931
Baltimore Cannons (59-38): 1
Chicago Cougars (55-44): 4

W: Dick Lyons (12-4)
L: Bob Miller (10-11)

Dick Lyons responded in a big way, and we took the finale with a 4-1 victory. He allowed just one unearned run with 4 hits and 2 strikeouts in the complete game win. Harry Simmons was 3-for-4 with a triple and run scored. Vince York was 2-for-2 with 2 walks and an RBI. Russ Combs was 2-for-5 with an RBI. Tom Taylor was 1-for-4 with a double, walk, run scored, and RBI.

July 26th, 1931
New York Stars (59-38): 5
Chicago Cougars (56-44): 6

W: Dick Leudtke (12-7)
L: Earl Slater (5-4)

We welcomed the second place starts to town next, and it was a good one. Down 5-1 headed to the bottom of the 7th, we scored 2 in the 7th and one in the 8th to bring the game to 5-4. We tied it in the 9th, and then Bill Ashbaugh won it with a walk-off single. He was 3-for-5 with the game winning RBI. John Kincaid was 3-for-4 with a sac-bunt, steal, and RBI. Harry Simmons was 3-for-4 with a double, run scored, and driven in. Fred Barrell was 1-for-3 with a hit by pitch, double, and three runs scored. Dick Leudtke allowed 14 hits and 5 runs with a walk and 3 strikeouts in a rather shaky complete game win. He was also 2-for-3 with 2 RBI's.

Stars of the Week
Bill Ashbaugh : 31 AB, 15 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .484 AVG, 1.194 OPS
Harry Simmons : 28 AB, 12 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .429 AVG, 1.020 OPS
John Kincaid : 29 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .310 AVG, .791 OPS

Weekly Summary
It wasn't a great week, and we're still five games out of first. We split with the Cannons (60-38) who hold a two game lead over the Stars (59-41). We're in third now, and we have three more with the Stars before finishing the month with two games in Toronto (39-61). That's when the trade deadline will occur, but with very few sellers in the league right now, I may not be able to make any moves. We'll start August in Chicago hosting the Wolves. We'll then finish a long stretch of games without a day off with three hosting the Foresters (38-61) who sit in last place. The off day on August 6th will be the first since July 8th.

In other news, it's been a weird year for Fred Barrell. The 25-year-old hit 10 homers and drove in 101 runs last year, but none of that power has shown this year. In 239 plate appearances he has yet to hit a home run. This power drought is concerning, as Barrell has generally hit double digit home runs. It hasn't been a bad season for him, as he is hitting .305/.381/.408 (102 OPS+) with 30 RBI's. What could be bigger then any deadline acquisition would be a power surge from Barrell. He did have to deal with a foot injury, but he should be healthy enough now to start hitting the ball farther.

I have also decided to cut ties with Taylor Collins and send him back to the Gothams. He has a lot of potential, but he was just getting killed on the mound. In 38.1 innings, he had a 8.69 ERA (49 ERA+), 1.96 WHIP, and more walks (20) then strikeouts (16). Replacing him will be 1926 2nd Round selection Bill Kline. The southpaw has been decent in AAA, going 9-5 with 11 saves in 84 innings pitched. He's got a 4.39 ERA (101 ERA+), 1.31 WHIP, and 76 strikeouts in 44 appearances. My scout thinks he could be an excellent swing man or multi inning arm. He ranks 20th in our top prospect list.

Transactions
Returned Rule-5 Draft Pick RP Taylor Collins to the Detroit Gothams. Recalled RP Bill Kline from AAA Milwaukee.

Injury Report
RP John Peterson (AA Mobile Commodores): Returned from the DL
RP Bob Bliss (A Lincoln Legislators): Returned from the DL
CF Pete Slater (A Lincoln Legislators): Bone bruise (2 weeks)

Minor League Report

3B Tom Spitzer (B San Jose Cougars): Currently our 7th Ranked prospect, 1929 7th Round Selection Tom Spitzer is having a solid start to Class B. In 24 games he's hitting .299/.340/.443 (114 OPS+) with 3 homers, 2 steals, and 20 RBI's. It's been a good year for the 20-year-old infielder who's been getting reps in at third. Drafted as a shortstop, I never really viewed him there longterm. I think third is the position for him, since he has a good arm and not the best range. He's got a lot of speed though, and will hit for a high average. He reminds me a little of Mack Deal, although Deal had much more upside then Spitzer has shown.

SP Gus Cain (AAA Milwaukee Blues): He may have been passed up on for a promotion, but Gus Cain is having a great season in AAA. He's 9-3 with a 2.68 ERA (165 ERA+), 1.10 WHIP, and 138 strikeouts in 117.2 innings pitched. The 27-year-old Cain had a rough spring, but he's looked really good in AAA. He was just as good last year, 15-4 with a 2.65 ERA (158 ERA+), 1.14 WHIP, and 180 strikeouts in 159.1 innings pitched. He doesn't have too much upside, but the Illinois native has a good minor league track record. If Castellini's struggles become too much, I may have an in house solution in Cain.

ayaghmour2 · 06-13-2020, 05:29 PM

July 27th, 1931
New York Stars (59-42): 2
Chicago Cougars (57-44): 5

W: Jim Crawford (11-8)
L: Lou Martino (14-3)

A high octane pitching matchup between Jim Crawford and Lou Martino was a great way to start the week for baseball fans. Neither pitcher was as sharp as they usually are, but was managed to give the Stars ace just his third loss of the season. Crawford went all nine with 11 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, and a strikeout. Russ Combs was 2-for-4 with a double, run scored, and two driven in. Slim Bloom was 2-for-4 with a double, run scored, and RBI. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-4 with a steal and run scored. John Dibblee was 1-for-4 with a double and RBI.

July 28th, 1931
New York Stars (59-43): 4
Chicago Cougars (58-44): 5

W: Steve Castellini (7-12)
L: Dick Richards (13-4)
SV: Claude Purvis (3)

We scored four quick runs in the first, but the Stars shaved off the lead little by little. We bended, but wouldn't break, and set up a four game sweep with a 5-4 win. Steve Castellini made a fine start, 8 innings with 5 hits, a walk, and 2 strikeouts with just half of the four runs allowed earned. Claude Purvis picked up the save, a hit and a walk in a scoreless inning. Harry Simmons was 3-for-4 with an RBI, but he made four errors at short. Fred Barrell was 1-for-4 with a base clearing double and run scored. Phil Vaughan was 2-for-3 with a walk and run scored. Tom Taylor was 2-for-4 with a run scored and driven in.

July 29th, 1931
New York Stars (59-44): 4
Chicago Cougars (59-44): 7

W: Max Wilder (11-10)
L: Mutt Pharr (8-7)

SSSSSSSSSSSSWWWWWWWWWWWEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!

After a 7-4 win we swept the Stars right out of town and are now tied with them for second in the CA. John Kincaid was 3-for-5 with a double, RBI, and three runs scored. Vince York was 2-for-5 with a homer and 3 RBI's. Bill Ashbaugh was 1-for-3 with a hit by pitch, walk, run scored, and RBI. Russ Combs was 1-for-3 with a steal, run scored, and a pair of walks. Max Wilder went all nine in the win, allowing 11 hits and 4 runs with a walk and 5 strikeouts.

July 30th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (59-45): 2
Toronto Wolves (42-62): 3

W: Ray Howk (8-14)
L: Claude Purvis (0-1)

Our road trip ended and we were off to Toronto for a home and home with the Wolves. We'd play two in Toronto before two in Chicago. Down 1-0 in the 9th, Fred Barrell drove two home with a double to give us a 2-1 lead. In the 9th, however, Claude Purvis couldn't hold on, and the Wolves won off a walk-off ground out. Purvis allowed 3 hits and 2 runs with a strikeout in 1.1 innings pitched. It ruined an excellent Dick Lyons start where he went 7 with 4 hits, just 1 run, 3 walks, and 2 strikeouts. Barrell was 2-for-4 with the two run double. Bill Ashbaugh was 1-for-4 with a run scored.

July 31st, 1931
Chicago Cougars (60-45): 8
Toronto Wolves (42-63): 6

W: Claude Purvis (1-1)
L: Birdie Smith (7-13)

July will end with our 60th win on the season as we split the road part of the series with the Wolves. Claude Purvis found himself on the other side of the ledger, picking up the win after 2 perfect frames. Dick Leudtke made the start, but he allowed 11 hits and 6 runs (3 earned) with 3 walks and 2 strikeouts. Bill Ashbaugh was 3-for-5 with 2 doubles, a run, and an RBI. John Kincaid was 3-for-6 with a double. Russ Combs was 3-for-6 with an RBI. Vince York was 2-for-4 with a double, sac-fly, 2 RBI's, and a run scored. Tom Taylor was 2-for-4 with a walk, RBI, and two runs scored. Fred Barrell was 2-for-5 with a run scored and driven in.

August 1st, 1931
Chicago Cougars (60-46): 2
Toronto Wolves (43-63): 5

W: Buddy Adams (7-4)
L: Jim Crawford (11-9)

We started out another month with another loss, as the Wolves took the opener 5-2. They managed to pile on 13 hits on Jim Crawford, who allowed 5 runs (4 earned) and a walk with just two strikeouts in the return home. Vince York was 1-for-3 with a walk and solo homer. Harry Simmons was 2-for-4 with a run scored and Russ Combs was 2-for-4 with an RBI.

August 2nd, 1931
Chicago Cougars (60-45): 3
Toronto Wolves (44-63): 2
13 Innings

W: Frank Williams (2-5)
L: Chick Meehan (3-1)

What a disappointment...

We sweep the Stars, but then let the Wolves take three out of four from us?

Even worse, we were up 2-1 in the 9th, but instead of going to Purvis for the final three outs, Castellini was kept in. He let them tie it up, and the Meehan let them win it in the 13th. Backup catcher with a 81 OPS+ Dick McGregor hit a walk-off single and the Wolves somehow swept us at home.

Vince York did all he could in this one, going 5-for-6 with a steal, 2 doubles, and 2 runs scored. Fred Barrell was 2-for-6 with 2 RBI's. Bill Ashbaugh was 1-for-4 with a double and two walks. Castellini managed to pitch 9 innings without walking or striking out a single hitter. He allowed 9 hits and 2 runs in what would have been a good start had it ended in the 8th. Claude Purvis pitched two perfect frames after, but Chick Meehan allowed a hit, a run, and 2 walks with a strikeout in 2 innings of his own.

Weekly Summary
This could have been such an amazing week. We swept the Stars, but then managed to let the Wolves take three of four from us in the home and home series. We should have been able to take all four, if not at least three of those games. What's worse is the Cannons (62-42) lost the last two games to Montreal, and we could have just been one and a half game out. Cleveland (41-64) will be in town for three before a much needed day off, and we cannot afford to throw these games away. We're sitting three and a half games out, but we should be right on Baltimore's tail.

All in all, July was an excellent month for us. After the poor 12-16 June, we were 20-10 in a month where we had just two off days. Even better, August is the exact same, just three off days on the 6th, 10th, and 28th. The schedule has been rough on us, but we have to find a way to power through it.

July was an excellent month for Dick Lyons, who was a perfect 4-0 with a 2.63 ERA (162 ERA+), 1.15 WHIP, and 23 strikeouts in 48 innings pitched. His bounce back has been huge for us this year, as he's 12-4 with a 3.34 ERA (128 ERA+), 1.35 WHIP, and 60 strikeouts in 156.1 innings across 21 starts. It's a much different statline then last year when he was 12-13 with a 4.99 ERA (98 ERA+), 1.57 WHIP, and 72 strikeouts in 230.2 innings pitched. A big part of the success has been Lyons' jump in strikeouts, with his K/9 up seven points. He's also been benefited by a .299 BABIP, the lowest of his career. Some of that could be luck, but a lot could be the defensive upgrades in the outfield. Even though he's a ground baller, Lyons' H/9 have dropped from 12.1 last year to 10.2 this year, much more in line with his 1929 season (10.3). I'm hoping Lyons can keep up the pace as he has turned into an extremely reliable arm.

I've been giving some at bats to Rule-5 pick Phil Vaughan and I might just have to keep on giving them to him. He's hitting an impressive .365/.478/.554 (163 OPS+) with 3 homers and 11 RBI's in just 90 plate appearances. In a smaller 27 at bats sample in July, he's hitting an insane .519/.594/.593 (204 OPS+) with 3 RBI's. It's hard to find a spot for him in the lineup, but I've been giving him starts at first with Bill Ashbaugh moving over to second. He's actually held his own at second, but he's developed into a really good first basemen. The bat hasn't been there, as he's hitting just .316/.365/.436 (104 OPS+) with 7 homers, 10 steals, and 57 RBI's in 477 plate appearances. He might see a few starts lost to Vaughan if he can't turn things back around.

A little bad news is Steve Castellini has seen his fastball speed drop again. He's down from 87-89 to 86-88, a lot slower then the 91-93 when he was acquired. I knew trading for someone his age was a risk, but the fans love him and he was a great boost to interest and attendance. He did have two good starts this week, but with the off day after the Foresters series, he won't see a start this week. After that off day we'll be back in Toronto (44-64) where we'll look for redemption. We have a long road trip ahead of us, and we really need to beat the bad teams.

Injury Report
RP Roger Arnold (A Lincoln Legislators): Herniated Disc (4 days)
2B Tom Handy (C La Crosse Lions): Activated from the DL
CF Flip Lafferty (C La Crosse Lions): Fractured thumb (4 weeks)

Minor League Report

1B Jim Fisher (AAA Milwaukee Blues): Fisher spent just 24 games in Mobile before his promotion to Milwaukee, but he's been even better in AAA then AA. Fresh of a Player of the July award, he's hitting .319/.377/.553 (139 OPS+) with 11 homers and 56 RBI's in exactly 300 plate appearances. His July numbers were crazing, hitting .522 with a homer and 6 RBI's in 23 at bats. Fisher was an undrafted free agent who now ranks 11th in our organization and 184th in the league. At just 23, he's had a rather quick rise up the ladder in recent years as just two seasons ago he was in A ball. Fisher is eligible for the Rule-5 draft and will be protected for sure, but he might get a few at bats later in the year.

CF Ken Allen (A Lincoln Legislators): Another Player of the Month was 23-year-old Ken Allen. The former 4th Rounder hit .632 with a homer and 5 RBI's in a productive month. This is just his second pro season, and he's hitting .289/.333/.411 (115 OPS+) with 9 homers, 13 steals, and 44 RBI's in 391 plate appearances. Unfortunately for Allen, he plays the same position as top prospect Joe Johnson who's right above him in Mobile. Both he and Johnson will be on their way up, and Allen will get his first shot at AA. Allen doesn't have nearly as much upside as Johnson, but he's a good enough defender that I want to try to keep him in center. He's got big league potential and should fill a major league lineup, it just may not be ours.

ayaghmour2 · 06-16-2020, 09:53 AM

August 3rd, 1931
Cleveland Foresters (41-65): 5
Chicago Cougars (61-47): 13

W: Max Wilder (12-10)
L: Max Dowless (1-1)

We welcomed the Foresters to town for three in our last home series for a long time. We piled on 13 runs to take the opener for our first win of August. Vince York was 3-for-4 with a double, homer, steal, walk, 3 runs, and 4 RBI's. Tom Taylor was 3-for-4 with a triple, homer, 3 runs, and 2 RBI's. Fred Barrell was 3-for-5 with a double, run scored, and RBI. John Kincaid was 1-for-4 with a walk, steal, run scored, and RBI. Starter Max Wilder was 1-for-4 with a double and run scored. He also pitched all nine, allowing 8 hits, 5 runs (3 earned), 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts.

August 4th, 1931
Cleveland Foresters (41-66): 5
Chicago Cougars (62-47): 7

W: Dick Lyons (13-4)
L: George Barker (7-9)

The middle game was much closer, but we survived a late Forester rally to set up a sweep. Dick Lyons pitched another great start, 8 innings with 7 hits, 3 runs, and 4 strikeouts. Chick Meehan allowed 2 runs, a walk, and hit in the 9th. Slim Bloom was 3-for-4 with a double, walk, and three runs scored. Vince York was 2-for-5 with a run scored and two driven in. Tom Taylor was 1-for-3 with a walk, hit by pitch, and two run homer. John Kincaid was 2-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored. Fred Barrell was 1-for-4 with a double and 2 RBI's.

August 5th, 1931
Cleveland Foresters (41-67): 7
Chicago Cougars (63-47): 8
10 Innings

W: Dick Lyons (13-4)
L: George Barker (7-9)

We were up 7-3 when we started the 7th, but they piled on four runs to tie the game up. There was no more scoring after nine innings finished, so we needed to play extra baseball. Former Forester Russ Combs sent the home crowd home happy with a walk-off single to finish off the sweep. Combs was 3-for-6 with an RBI and two walks. Bill Ashbaugh was 3-for-4 with a walk, run scored, and 2 RBI's. Bill Ashbaugh was 3-for-4 with a walk, run scored, and two driven in. Fred Barrell was 3-for-5 with an RBI. John Kincaid was 2-for-5 with a double and two runs scored. Vince York was 2-for-5 with a run and RBI. Tom Taylor was just 1-for-5, but he continued his consecutive home run streak with a two run blast.

August 7th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (64-47): 7
Toronto Wolves (47-64): 3

W: Jim Crawford (12-9)
L: Birdie Smith (7-14)

We had a day off and used it to travel to Toronto to start a long road trip. We made ourselves welcome, and took the opener 7-3. Jim Crawford went all nine, allowing 7 hits, 3 runs (1 earned), 2 walks, and a strikeout. Russ Combs was 3-for-5 with two runs scored. Cy Bryant was 2-for-4 with a triple and run scored. Tom Taylor was 2-for-5 with a double and RBI. Fred Barrell was 1-for-4 with a double, run scored, and RBI. John Kincaid was 1-for-4 with a sac-bunt, run, and RBI. And just like that, we're just half a game out of first!

August 8th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (64-48): 3
Toronto Wolves (48-64): 8

W: Barry Wood (8-9)
L: Max Wilder (12-11)

The Wolves continue to be an unnecessary thorn in our side, and they tie the series up with an 8-3 victory. It was a rough outing for Wilder who allowed 11 hits and 8 runs (5 earned) with 3 walks and 4 strikeouts in 7.1 innings pitched. Bill Kline finally made his big league debut, and he just needed three pitches to get two outs. Add another for Tom Taylor, who was 1-for-3 with a solo homer and a walk. Bill Ashbaugh was 1-for-2 with 2 walks and a double. Vince York was 1-for-4 with a double, run scored, and RBI.

August 9th, 1931
Chicago Cougars (64-49): 3
Toronto Wolves (49-64): 4
10 Innings

W: Harry Myers (5-3)
L: Claude Purvis (2-2)

I just don't get this team...

WHY CAN'T WE BEAT A TEAM WHO DOESN'T EVEN HAVE 50 WINS YET...

THAT'S FIVE OF THE LAST SEVEN...

And now we're back to two and a half out...

Of course, we were actually up 3-0 to start the game, but the Wolves just kept chipping away. Dick Lyons allowed 9 hits, 3 runs, and 3 walks with jsut one strikeout in nine innings pitched. Claude Purvis got the loss, a hit, run, and two walks while recording two outs in the ninth. Fred Barrell was 1-for-4 with a triple, run scored, and RBI. John Kincaid was 1-for-4 with a double and run scored. Vince York was 1-for-3 with a walk and run scored. John Kincaid was 1-for-4 with a double and run scored.

Stars of the Week
Tom Taylor : 23 AB, 9 H, 4 HR, 8 RBI, .391 AVG, 1.525 OPS
Vince York : 26 AB, 10 H, 1 HR, 9 RBI, .385 AVG, 1.082 OPS
Fred Barrell : 26 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 6 RBI, .346 AVG, .885 OPS

Weekly Summary
We were just half a game out... Even if we won both games we'd still be in second since Baltimore (65-45) won both games, but we were so close to being on top we could almost reach out and grab it. New York (63-49) is right on our tail and Brooklyn (61-51) and Philly (59-53) are still in the hunt. We get a day off before continuing our road trip. It's going to be the roughest three series we could imagine as we're about to go visit New York, Baltimore, and Brooklyn consecutively. The road trip won't end there, as we continue to Montreal (44-66) who at least doesn't have 60 wins before a final game in Philly. This is huge going to be a grind, but it gets better in September. In August, we have 20 consecutive road games, but just four to start September in Cleveland. We end the season with 18 straight home games which could end up saving us in the end if we drop too many of the upcoming contests.

And you know what the best part is? NO MORE TORONTO!!! We are finally done with the team that seems to beat us for no reason other then to cause me stress. The Wolves haven't completed their season series with anyone else, but guess what? There is only one team they have a winning record against (11-9), us... Even the Foresters have split the 18 games they've played and the rest of the league has two or three more wins over them. If it wasn't for us, the Wolves would probably picking first in the upcoming draft.

But, with a 4-2 week I probably should focus on what's going well. Tom Taylor had another excellent week (he probably deserved Player of the Week, but oh well...), launching four long balls in just six games. He's now up to 20 on the season which is second most in the CA. He has nearly half of our 46 home runs on the season and he's just the third Cougar (Spencer Harding 1906, Bill Ashbaugh 1928 and 1929) to reach the 20 home run mark. His batting line is starting to rise as well as he's up to .292/.362/.471 (112 OPS+) with 20 homers, 16 steals, and 75 RBI's and he's on pace for 7 WAR (would lead the CA), almost the exact midpoint between his 1929 and 1930 seasons. His bat is coming alive at the right time, and we're really going to need him to keep on mashing this week.

Another player on the leaderboards is Vince York, who ranks third in OPS (.897) and tied for second in batting average (.349) with Brooklyn's Doug Lightbody. York's hitting a nice .349/.394/.503 (128 OPS+) which is just a hair lower then his totals last season. He's also hit 8 homers, stole 5 bases, and drove in 72 runs in 480 trips to the plate. He still doesn't provide much value on defense, but with elite defenders in Bryant and Taylor manning the outfield with him, he just needs to catch the balls hit to him out in left.

Injury Report
CF Tom Thomas (AAA Milwaukee Blues): Returned from the DL
RP Roger Wagner (A Lincoln Legislators): Returned from the DL
CF Pete Slater (A Lincoln Legislators): Returned from the DL
SP Billy LeBeau (B San Jose Cougars): Bone chips (2 months)
3B Tom Spitzer (B San Jose Cougars): Hamstring soreness (5 days)
SS Larry Burns (B San Jose Cougars): Strained oblique (6 days)

Minor League Report

SP Johnny Walker (A Lincoln Legislators): The strikeout machine won't reach 200 strikeouts with Lincoln this year, but it's not for a lack of trying. He's struck out 194 in 165.1 innings pitched, but he won't be pitching any more innings with a Legislators jersey. After working to a minuscule 1.69 ERA (216 ERA+) and 0.94 WHIP, the 21-year-old Walker is on his way up to AA Mobile to join the Commodores rotation. The lefties worked to improve his velocity in the offseason, and it's made a noticeable difference. His K/9 rate is up to 10.6 from 9.5 the previous year and he dropped his BB/9 almost a full point to 2.3. I'm really liking the way he has been developing, and I think the future is extremely bright for the former 3rd Round selection.

CF Chuck Bouillon (B San Jose Cougars): On August 6th, San Jose crushed the Berkely Bears 17-0 as part of a George DeForest shutout. The biggest news out of the game, however, was the three homer outburst by Chuck Bouillon, one of the few players in my organization that I didn't really realize I had. Acquired as a minor league free agent in the offseason, he's only taken 32 plate appearances and has only entered the lineup because of the Ken Allen/Joe Johnson promotions. Tom Thomas was actiavetd from the AAA DL, so that pushed Johnson and Allen back down which may make it tough to get Bouillon time. He has an uneven .219/.316/.656 (161 OPS+) batting line, but I'm not sure if this power surge is a fluke or the start of something new.

05-20-2020, 05:18 PM	#121
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Spring Training Report The spring is about to end and minor league baseball is kicking off, so I sent a handful of my younger prospects like Tom Barrell to Class A Lincoln for extended Spring Training. The rest of roster cuts will be made shortly as we ready for Opening Day, and most of the roster is accounted for. I'm still debating on how I'm going to shape up the pitching staff or fill out the bench, but I don't expect to lose any players of importance. Who's Hot? Jim Crawford (3 starts, 12 IP, 2-0, 0.75 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 2 K) Tommy Russel (3 starts, 12 IP, 2-1, 2.24 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 6 K) Dick Kadlec (7 IP, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 4 K) Bill Ashbaugh (48 PA, 3 HR, 12 RBI, .409/.458/.773) Vince York (39 PA, 4 RBI, .412/.462/.588) Ed Rhoden (23 PA, 4 RBI, .476/.500/.619) Tom Thomas (25 PA, 2 RBI, .348/.375/.348) Who's Not? Steve Castellini (4 starts, 11.2 IP, 1-2, 15.43 ERA, 2.57 WHIP, 8 K) Max Wilder (3 starts, 12 IP, 0-0, 6.75 ERA, 1.92 WHIP, 2 K) Fred Barrell (38 PA, 4 RBI, .143/.211/.143) Slim Bloom (19 PA, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .176/.263/.353 Harry Simmons (39 PA, 2 RBI, .228/.308/.343 Minor League Report SP Joe King: In three starts in Lincoln for extended spring training, Joe King is one of the few starters pitching well. In 16.1 innings, he's 1-1 with a nice 3.86 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, and 18 strikeouts to just 3 walks. King, 24, is a former Keystone pitcher we acquired in 1929 who spent all of last season with AA Mobile. He had a bit of a down year, just 10-11 with a 4.95 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, and 54 strikeouts in 180 innings pitched. He's likely going to return to AA this season, but I wanted him to get innings in before the season starts. This will be King's 4th season in the minors, but the first repeat level. He's ranked as the 27th best prospect in our system and the 388th best in the league. He's got two really good pitches and despite not having a third, he's had general success as a starter. He's a year or two away from the majors, but he seems like a safe prospect. CF Joe Johnson: Ranked as the #1 hitter prospect in our system and 26th overall in the FABL, former 2nd Round selection Joe Johnson is set to start his second professional season. He started in Lincoln last year and hit .263/.337/.403 (107 OPS+) with 6 homers, 16 steals, and 66 RBI's before a late season promotion to Mobile. Shockingly, he did much better there, hitting .386/.462/.591 (180 OPS+) with a steal, 2 homers, and 24 RBI's. He's off to a hot start in the spring, hitting .360/.515/.520 with 2 steals and 3 RBI's in 33 trips to the plate. The switch hitting Johnson has tremendous upside and a shot to be one of the elite center fielders in the game. It's a weak spot in the majors, with no CF ranked in the top 20 for position players. He's currently the 4th best CF prospect, but he's arguably the best defender of all of them. He had a combined +13.7 zone rating out in center and most definitely can stick there long term. He's a high risk, high reward prospect who's likely gong to head to Mobile once the Spring ends and he may see himself in the majors before we know it. Amateur Report CF Charlie DeMars (St. Pancras Lions): One of the top freshman this season, Charlie DeMars is having an excellent start to his collegiaite career. The lefty is hitting an impressive .455/.500/.800 (229 OPS+) with 4 homers, 5 steals, and 14 RBI's. He's a big reason St. Pancras is tied for first place right now as the look to repeat as division champions. DeMars is an excellent runner who should have the range to stick out in center. He's got an excellent eye at the plate and has a little pop. He's raw and young, but most players don't have this electric of a start to their high school career. He's got a long time before being considered a draft prospect, but he's done everything he can to start the hype now. CF Elias Canady (Portland HS Lumberjacks): The High School season just started this week, and no one had a better week then Elias Canaday. Possibly the hottest freshman last season, he had a dominant season where he hit .376/.438/.679 (210 OPS+) with 12 homers and 45 RBI's. In the high school leagues, it's very rare for a freshman to start and even rarer for them to put up this performance. In 5 games he hit 9-for-22 with 4 homers and 11 RBI's. Canady is one of my way-to-early potential #1 picks for the 1933 draft as he is filled to the brim with potential. He's got elite power and a keen eye which limits his strikeouts. Pitcher's don't usually want to throw to him, but it's really hard to get Canady to chase. It also appears he might be a decent defender as well and has the potential to stay in center long term. If he does, he's likely going to be one of the best CF of the 1940s in the FABL. LF Ed Reyes (Atlanta HS Peaches): One of the top prep players available in this year's draft, the senior Ed Reyes has also gotten off to a decent start. He's 6-for-20 with a homer and 3 RBI's in the first 5 games of the season. Reyes is a returning member of the dominant 31-9 Atlanta HS Peaches team last year that features top prospects like Harry Barrell, Leo Mitchell, and Loren Conover. Reyes doesn't have the most power for a corner outfielder, with just 5 career homers in just over 400 trips to the plate, but he has extra base power and a nice contact tool. A strong senior season will be important for Reyes if he wants to be a 1st Round selection with a nice big bonus.

05-21-2020, 03:05 PM	#122
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Opening Day Roster As Opening Day is just around the corner, the Chicago Cougars have formalized their 23-man roster. Players will be listed with their age and career statistics: SP Steve Castellini (36, 139-97, 2,157 IP, 701 K, 1.29 WHIP, 125 ERA+) SP Jim Crawford (25, 7-4, 135 IP, 46 K, 1.41 WHIP, 108 ERA+) SP Dick Leudtke (29, 18-10, 275.2 IP, 103 K, 1.32 WHIP, 122 ERA+) SP Dick Lyons (30, 48-53, 916 IP, 284 K, 1.52 WHIP, 103 ERA+) SP Tommy Russell (28, 58-51, 996 IP, 263 K, 1.44 WHIP, 104 ERA+) SP Max Wilder (33, 100-87, 1,772 IP, 704 K, 1.33 WHIP, 112 ERA+) RP Taylor Collins (24, No FABL experience) RP Dick Kadlec (26, 18-27, 6 SV, 361.1 IP, 144 K, 1.72 WHIP, 89 ERA+) RP Chick Meehan (25-29, 29 SV, 313 IP, 128 K, 1.53 WHIP, 104 ERA+) C Fred Barrell (25, 924 PA, .296/.362/.440, 16 HR, 149 RBI, 100 OPS+) C Jim Kyle (24, 307 PA, .248/.307/.352, 1 HR, 28 RBI, 87 OPS+) 1B Bill Ashbaugh (27, 2,231 PA, .319/.392/.533, 79 HR, 388 RBI, 43 SB, 137 OPS+) 1B Phil Vaughan (26, No FABL experience) 2B Harry Simmons (26, 1,202 PA, .340/.381/.436, 4 HR, 147 RBI, 35 SB, 105 OPS+) 3B John Kincaid (26, 2,536 PA, .331/.370/.459, 14 HR, 264 RBI, 66 SB, 117 OPS+) SS Slim Bloom (25, 59 PA, .327/.345/.436, 0 HR, 5 RBI, 95 OPS+) SS Russ Combs (27, 1,844 PA, .307/.361/.452, 29 HR, 215 RBI, 80 SB, 114 OPS+) SS Lee Sparks (26, No FABL experience) LF John Dibblee (42, 8,124 PA, .346/.426/.511, 85 HR, 1,508 RBI, 752 SB, 170 OPS+) LF Vince York (24, 767 PA, .372/.414/.530, 15 HR, 120 RBI, 10 SB, 134 OPS+) CF Cy Bryant (24, 410 PA, .283/.327/.401, 1 HR, 47 RBI, 12 SB, 97 OPS+) CF Bob McCarty (28, 1,281 PA, .294/.356/.397, 5 HR, 121 RBI, 21 SB, 93 OPS+) RF Tom Taylor (26, 1,842 PA, .321/.400/.593, 97 HR, 345 RBI, 70 SB, 171 OPS+) Despite having the oldest player in the league in John Dibblee, we have one of the youngest teams in the entire FABL. The oldest offensive starter on our team is Ross Combs, who turned just 27 on February 8th. As a whole, we only have one offensive player over 30, the 42-year-old Dibblee, and the 28-year-old McCarty is the second oldest offensive player. The pitching staff has some age, with longtime veterans Steve Castellini, Max Wilder, and Chick Meehan while Crawford and Collins are the only 25-or-younger pitchers. I'm obviously biased, but I truly think we are going to win the Continental Association this year. We rank top 8 in all position groups and top four at catcher, first, second, third, short, and center. Tom Taylor ranks only 6th at right field, but I think a major part of that has to do with his down season last year. If he regains his MVP form, there probably isn't another right fielder in the league better then him. We don't have any players ranked in the top 15 in the league, but Taylor, Combs, Kincaid, and Barrell rank 17th through 20th. I'm super excited for this season and I'm ready for the Cougars to become a top competitor for the first time in years.

05-22-2020, 04:35 PM	#123
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Preseason Predictions We're about an hour away from Opening Day, but before then, here are the in-game Preseason Predictions. Obviously, I'm thrilled with the predictions, but we still have to actually play baseball games before I can crown myself a pennant winner. The CA looks to be separated into three close groups, the bottom feeders (Wolves, Foresters, and Saints), the one piece away group (Stars, Kings, Sailors, and Cannons), and the (hopeful) champion Cougars. We have more top position players (4) then any other team and the same amount of top pitchers (3) as both Philadelphia teams. We're predicted to finish first in the CA in runs scored (848) and second in runs allowed (651) which would be a good recipe for success. Honestly, as much as I love my team and think we are the best in the league, I do not expect us to run away with the division. There are a lot of good teams in the CA and I'm expecting a closer pennant race then the game projects. Not only that, injuries can happen at any time and every other CA team has a better farm system then me, including the #2 system in Baltimore. Regardless, I like our chances and so does the game. One thing I am certain is that I can't wait for fake baseball to return! Attached Images

05-23-2020, 09:32 AM	#124
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 1: April 14th-April 19th April 14th, 1931 Philadelphia Sailors (1-0): 8 Chicago Cougars (0-1): 4 W: William Jones (1-0) L: Max Wilder (0-1) Baseball is back! The Cougar fans packed North Side Ground with over 22,000 fans excited for baseball to return to Chi-Town. We hosted the reigning champion Philadelphia Sailors, and Tom Taylor instantly got to face his old team while Mack Deal hit leadoff for the Sailors and started the season with a single off Wilder. Unfortunately, the game didn't quite go as planned, and the Sailors spoiled Opening Day with an 8-4 win. It was no fault of Harry Simmons', who went a perfect 4-for-4 with a double, run scored, and RBI. Russ Combs went 4-for-5 with a double and RBI. Bill Ashbaugh was 3-for-5 with a double, triple, and three runs scored. Taylor was 1-for-5 in his Cougar debut and Cy Bryant was 0-for-3 with a walk and RBI. Mac Wilder went 6.2 innings with 6 hits, 8 runs (7 earned), 4 walks, and 3 strikeouts. Taylor Collins also made his debut in the 9th, allowing a hit and walk in a scoreless frame. April 15th, 1931 Philadelphia Sailors (1-1): 8 Chicago Cougars (1-1): 16 W: Tommy Russel (1-0) L: Russ Reel (0-1) Game two saw Steve Castellini make his return to Chicago, but it, like most of the spring, he did not have his best stuff. He left after three with a sore thumb, allowing 8 hits, 6 runs, and a walk before Tommy Russel came in. Russel was great, going 6 innings with 4 hits, 2 runs, and a strikeout as we crushed the Sailors 16-8 to pick up our first win on the season. Tom Taylor crushed his former team, 2-for-4 with 3 runs, 2 RBI's, 2 walks, and 2 homers. Cy Bryant was 4-for-5 with a triple, 2 runs, and an RBI. John Kincaid was 3-for-5 with a triple, 2 runs, and 2 RBI's. Russ Combs was 2-for-6 with a double, 2 runs, and 2 RBI's. Fred Barrell was 3-for-5 with a run scored and 2 RBI's. Bill Ashbuagh was 3-for-5 with a run scored, double, and 3 RBI's. Lee Sparks got a pinch-hit RBI double in his first big league appearance. April 16th, 1931 Philadelphia Sailors (2-1): 7 Chicago Cougars (1-2): 3 W: Oscar Morse (1-0) L: Dick Lyons (0-1) The offense kind of fell asleep after the explosion last year, dropping the third of four 7-3. Dick Lyons had a rough outing, 12 hits and 7 runs with 3 walks and 3 strikeouts in 6 innings. Vince York went 3-for-4 with an RBI. John Kincaid was 2-for-5 with a run scored and RBI. Russ Combs was 2-for-5 with a run scored. April 17th, 1931 Philadelphia Sailors (2-2): 3 Chicago Cougars (2-2): 7 W: Dick Leudtke (1-0) L: Rollie Beal (0-1) We did all our scoring in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th, and flipped the score on the Sailors to finish the series with a split. We finally had a good outing from out starting rotation, tossing a complete game with 6 hits, 3 runs, 4 walks, and 2 strikeouts. Vince York was 3-for-4 with a double and 2 RBI's. Russ Combs was 1-for-4 with a run scored, sac-fly, and 2 RBI's. Bill Ashbaugh was 1-for-3 with a walk, 2 runs, a triple, and 2 RBI's. Cy Bryant was 1-for-4 with a steal and run scored. April 18th, 1931 Toronto Wolves (2-3): 1 Chicago Cougars (3-2): 8 W:Jim Crawford (1-0) L: Harry Myers (0-1) The second half of our homestand began with a four games series with the Toronto Wolves. Jim Crawford tossed a gem, 5 hits, a run, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts in a complete game victory. He was also 2-for-3 with a sac-bunt and RBI. Vince York was 3-for-5 with a double, 2 runs, and an RBI. John Kincaid was 3-for-5 with a run scored and driven in. Tom Taylor was 2-for-4 with a solo homer, walk, and 2 runs scored. Fred Barrell was 2-for-4 with a double, run scored, and 2 RBI's. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-4 with a run scored and two driven in. Cy Bryant was 2-for-3 with a walk and run scored. April 19th, 1931 Toronto Wolves (3-3): 6 Chicago Cougars (3-3): 2 W:Art Harvey (1-1) L: Max Wilder (0-2) It was another poor outing for ace Max Wilder as the Wolves evened up the series with a 6-2 win. He allowed 12 hits and 6 runs with a walk and 4 strikeouts in 7 innings. Fred Barrell was 2-for-3 with a walk, run scored, RBI, and two doubles. Vince York was 3-for-4 with a run scored. Tom Taylor was 1-for-3 with a walk. Stars of the Week Vince York : 27 AB, 14 H, 0 HR, 5 RBI, .519 AVG, 1.111 OPS Tom Taylor : 23 AB, 9 H, 3 HR, 3 RBI, .391 AVG, 1.283 OPS Bill Ashbaugh : 25 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 7 RBI, .360 AVG, .985 OPS Weekly Summary A three and three week is not what I was hoping for, but it could have been much worse. Castellini's injury was minor and he'll start the upcoming game against the Wolves. The offense has been excellent and new Cougars Cy Bryant and Tom Taylor have started off on the right foot. Taylor already has more homers in just one week then I think anyone on the team had all of April last year. Vince York has torn the cover off the ball and everyone else other then Harry Simmons have hit well in the early going. The pitching has been rough, but Jim Crawford tossed an absolute gem in his start. We'll finish our four game series with the Wolves (3-3) before heading on the road for the first time this season. We'll see the Sailors (4-2) again for four more before heading to Cleveland for four with the Foresters (2-4). Minor League Report LF Billy Marshall (C La Crosse Lions): C Ball has been going on longer then the majors, and the Lions have gotten off to an awful 3-14 start. Billy Marshall, however, has been excellent. Last year's 10th Round pick has started getting reps in left as opposed to center, and is hitting an impressive .343/.425/.457 (146 OPS+) with 2 homers, 4 steals, and 6 RBI's. Marshall is an excellent runner who should turn into a pretty solid left fielder, but he doesn't have the power potential of most corner outfielder. He hit just 3 homers all of last season, so the 2 he has already likely won't increase too much. Marshall has rose up our system, ranking 11th in our organization and 194th in the league. He currently ranks as our top left field prospect, but I'm not sure he'll ever grow passed Vince York. RF James DeMastus (C La Crosse Lions): Our first round pick this year, James DeMastus is a catcher by trade, but I'm not sure he'll ever get much time as a catcher. I'm working him out in right field, but I really don't know where he's going to end up defensively. Luckily for him, the bat will always find him a spot in the lineup. In 64 trips to the plate with the Lions, he's slashing .356/.406/.576 (171 OPS+) with 3 homers and 6 RBI's. The 19-year-old can absolutely rake, and has enormous power potential. He's a big strong guy with long arms and a pure swing and he's able to drive the ball out of the park. He's going to be an interesting prospect to follow and if I can find a spot where he's at least passable on defense, he could be a great big league asset. Amateur Report LF Buck Marshall (St. Pancras Lions): One of the top college prospects in the 1932 class, Buck Marshall has built off a strong freshman season with an even better sophomore year. He's hitting .374/.412/.593 (155 OPS+) with 3 homers and 16 RBI's in just under 100 trips to the plate. The lefty swinger has top contact skills and is a passable defender out in left. He's not a power hitter, but he hits the gaps well and can knock a few out of the park as well. He's a relatively safe prospect who you can find in the 3rd through 5th rounds of the draft. The Lions are a talented team with a lot of good players in their lineup, but Marshall might be the best of the bunch. SP Billy Stall (Nashville HS Hawks): A junior at Nashville HS, the southpaw Billy Stall is in the midst of his 3rd straight season with a sub 3 ERA. In just over 30 innings, he's 2-2 with a 2.84 ERA (129 ERA+), 0.82 WHIP, and 27 strikeouts with just 4 walks. His career numbers are solid as well, 10-12 with a 2.60 ERA (138 ERA+), 1.07 WHIP, and 75 strikeouts in 163 innings. Stall sits in the high 80s with a cutter, and he mixes in a change and curve. He's working on polishing his secondary stuff, and if he can, he'll have all the tools to start. Stall is a rare prep arm who has been consistent his whole high school career which means he likely has less risk then most prep arms. He's got about 15 more high school starts to boost his stock, but he could be a nice pickup in the 6th-10th round in next year's draft. SS Cal Ruth (Ellery Bruins): After an excellent freshman year, Ruth had a rough sophomore year that made his FABL future a little cloudy. This year has gone much better, as he's hitting .274/.358/.595 (139 OPS+) with 7 homers, 5 steals, and 23 RBI's. It's not at the same level of his freshman year, but it's a nice improvement and solid showing for a draft eligible junior. His freshman year numbers were great, as he knocked out 16 homers and drove in 49 runs while hitting .299/.377/.609 (158 OPS) in 223 trips to the plate. One thing that has changed since freshman year, however, is his signifianct improvements defensively. After a -15.2 ZR and .853 efficiency, he rebounded to +1.5 and 1.011 last year and has a +2.3 and 1.048 this season. Ruth is a very disciplined hitter with a lot of power, and if the defensive improvements are legit, he could be a very attractive draft pick come December.

05-25-2020, 06:49 PM	#125
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 2: April 20th-April 26th April 20th, 1931 Toronto Wolves (3-4): 3 Chicago Cougars (4-3): 11 W: Steve Castellini (1-0) L: Frank Howk (0-1) For some reason the box score wasn't created for this game. We got a lot of runs and Castellini allowed just 2 in 7.1 innings in a much better outing then the last. Tom Taylor also hit his 4th homer of the season. April 21st, 1931 Toronto Wolves (3-5): 3 Chicago Cougars (5-3): 5 W: Dick Lyons (1-1) L: Birdie Smith (1-1) SV: Dick Kadlec (1) The finale went our way and we left Chicago with a nice four game series win. Dick Lyons pitched a strong 6 innings with 10 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), a walk, and 2 strikeouts. Dick Kadlec tossed 3 scoreless innings with 2 hits and 2 walks to earn his first save of the season. Russ Combs was 3-for-4 with a run scored and RBI. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-3 with a sac-fly and run scored. Fred Barrell was 1-for-2 with 2 walks, 2 RBI's, and a run scored. Vince York was 2-for-4 with a run scored. April 22nd, 1931 Chicago Cougars (6-3): 6 Philadelphia Sailors (5-3): 1 W: Dick Leudtke (2-0) L: Oscar Morse (1-1) We started our first road trip of the season with a four game series in Philadelphia. Dick Leudtke tossed a gem, a complete game win with 6 hits, a run, and 3 strikeouts. Tom Taylor had an excellent return to Philly, going 4-for-5 with a double, run scored, and RBI. Fred Barrell was 2-for-4 with a double and 2 RBI's. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-4 with a run scored and driven in. John Kincaid was 2-for-5 with a double and run scored. April 23rd, 1931 Chicago Cougars (6-4): 3 Philadelphia Sailors (6-3): 6 W: Rollie Beal (1-1) L: Jim Crawford (1-1) SV: Maurice Demby (3) The Sailors managed to even the series with a 6-3 win to improve to 6-3 on the season. Jim Crawford went 8 with 14 hits, 6 runs, 3 walks, and 2 strikeouts. He was also 1-for-2 with a double, run scored, and sac-bunt. Russ Combs was 2-for-4 with a triple, run scored, hit by pitch, and RBI. Harry Simmons was 1-for-4 with a walk and RBI. April 24th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (6-5): 2 Philadelphia Sailors (7-3): 7 W: Herb Lowman (2-0) L: Max Wilder (0-3) They scored five quick runs in the first which proved to be enough and the Sailors took this one 7-2. All five of those runs were unearned, ruining Max Wilder's start. Only 2 of the 7 were earned and allowed 6 hits and 3 walks with 2 strikeouts. Vince York was 2-for-4 with a triple and run scored. Harry Simmons was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Slim Bloom was 1-for-4 with a triple, run scored, and RBI. April 25th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (6-6): 4 Philadelphia Sailors (8-3): 7 W: William Jones (3-0) L: Steve Castellini (1-1) SV: Maurice Demby (4) The losses kept piling up and the Sailors took the finale 7-4. Castellini had a rough outing, 5 innings with 9 hits, 6 runs, 3 walks, and a strikeout, but was 1-for-2 at the plate. Chick Meehan tossed 3 innings of mop up with a hit, run, walk, and 2 strikeouts. Fred Barrell was 2-for-3 with a walk, run scored, and 2 RBI's. Phil Vaughan was 1-for-3 with a double, walk, and RBI, with the double the first hit of his big league career. April 26th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (7-6): 9 Cleveland Foresters (5-7): 5 W: Dick Lyons (2-1) L: Karl Johnson (0-2) Our road trip brought us to Cleveland for a four game set against the Foresters. We made ourselves at home, and piled on 15 hits in a 9-5 victory in the opener. Former Forester Russ Combs led the offense, going 2-for-6 with a homer and 4 RBI's. Slim Bloom was 2-for-4 with a double, 2 runs, and 3 RBI's. Harry Simmons was 2-for-5 with a double, run scored, and RBI. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-5 with a triple and run scored. Dick Lyons made the start, 6 innings with 4 hits, 4 runs, 4 walks, and 3 strikeouts. Tommy Russel struck out one in two perfect frames before leaving the game with a shoulder injury. Stars of the Week Fred Barrell : 16 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 8 RBI, .563 AVG, 1.383 OPS Russ Combs : 30 AB, 11 H, 1 HR, 9 RBI, .367 AVG, .920 OPS Harry Simmons : 30 AB, 11 H, 0 HR, 6 RBI, .367 AVG, .820 OPS Weekly Summary It was a week over .500, but it felt disappointing as we barely showed up for the series against the Sailors. They do have the best pitching in the league, but we didn't score more then five runs in any of the four games. If we want to win the pennant, we have to beat the good teams and we couldn't. Luckily, we took three of four from the Wolves and I'm expecting more of the same with Cleveland. We'll continue our series with the Foresters (5-7) before finishing our road trip with four games in Toronto (4-9). The road trip ends there, but we don't get an off day, as we have to head home to host those Foresters. It'll be a four game series and then we get our first off day of the season. It's a much needed day off, as we will have played 24 consecutive games. It's a rough start to the season and we've already got bad news on the player front. Both Tommy Russel and top prospect Tom Barrell suffered major injuries. Russel will miss 5-6 months with shoulder inflammation and might not pitch again this years. The 23-year-old Barrell suffered the same injury, but he's likely missing 6-7 months. It's a tough blow for Barrell, who was in the middle of a complete game shutout. He got hurt trying to get the second to last out, and allowed just 5 hits with 2 walks and 6 strikeouts. This is a major injury that really scares me. In more positive news, Vince York has been off to an excellent start to the season. He's hitting an impressive .472/.481/.547 (157 OPS+) with 5 RBI's in 54 trips to the plate. His .472 batting average is the best in the league so far. The #3 average hitter in the league might be having a better season, and that's Fred Barrell. The 25-year-old is hitting .436/.542/.564 (177 OPS+) with 14 RBI's, which is also the third best in the league. Injury Report SP Tommy Russel (Chicago Cougars): Shoulder inflammation (5-6 months) 3B John Kincaid (Chicago Cougars): Thigh mussel strain (1 days) SP Tom Barrell (Mobile Commodores): Shoulder inflammation (6-7 months) SP Ike Quinn (San Jose Cougars): Partially Torn UCL (elbow) (6 months) Transactions Recalled RP Claude Purvis from AAA Milwaukee Cleveland claimed RP Ray Powell off waivers New York claimed LF Art Panko off waivers Brooklyn claimed RP Karl Clasby off waivers Claimed 3B Joe Miller off the waivers from the Keystones Minor League Report 2B Elmer Hutchins (C La Crosse Lions): A former 8th Round pick back in 1929, Hutchins had a rough first season in affiliated ball last year. This season has started much better, as he's hitting .326/.404/.478 (141 OPS+) with 2 homers, 2 steals, and 13 RBI's in 104 plate appearances. Hutchins is rated as the 18th best prospect in our system and 273rd in all of baseball. He's a decent defender who should hit for a high average. He doesn't usually hit for much power, but he's already half way to his mark last season. He's just 20 and has a lot of room to grow, but he could develop into a decent bench player. SP Fred Collins (C La Crosse Lions): Taken in the 5th round of the most recent draft, Fred Collins doesn't get the prospect hype of Mel Leonard, but he's turned in four excellent starts for the Lions. He's 1-2, but with a 1.91 ERA (201 ERA+), 1.03 WHIP, and 35 strikeouts in 33 innings pitched. The righty has a nice four pitch arsenal, featuring an 88-90 MPH cutter. He works well down in the zone and is able to get a lot of ground ball outs. He's got a lot of movement on his pitches and the potential to start at the highest level. Amateur Report SP Bob Cummings (College of San Diego Friars): One of the best freshman arms in baseball, Bob Cummings has had an excellent season even when his team has struggled. He's 7-1 with a 2.51 ERA (175 ERA+), 0.82 WHIP, and 54 strikeouts. A native off Chicago, Cummings has shown the potential to become an excellent big league starter. He's a groundballer who throws four pitches, but he still hasn't developed much velocity. He's got decent control and should be able to pitch deep into games. He's far off from his draft day, but a strong freshman year is the perfect way to start your collegiate career. LF Red Bond (Toledo HS Wildcats): It's been a strong senior year for Red Bond, who's hitting .276/.375/.506 (148 OPS+) in just over 100 trips to the plate for the Toledo HS Wildcats. He's also launched 6 homers and drove in 16 runs in his final season in high school. For his career he owns a .304/.398/.500 (162 OPS+) batting line with 20 homers and 71 RBI's. He's a solid defender out in left field who projects to have above average power. He's got a nice smooth swing with the potential to become an FABL starter. He's one of the top prep outfielders and could be a potential first or second round pick.

05-26-2020, 10:14 PM	#126
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 3: April 27th-May 3rd April 27th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (8-6): 5 Cleveland Foresters (5-8): 2 W: Dick Leudtke (3-0) L: Allen Purvis (0-2) We started our week with a 5-2 win as Dick Leudtke continued his strong start to the season. He allowed just 2 hits and 2 runs with a strikeout in the complete game victory. He was also 1-for-2 with an RBI and pair of sac-bunts. Harry Simmons was 4-for-5 with a run scored and driven in. Fred Barrell was 2-for-3 with 2 RBI's and 2 walks. April 28th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (9-6): 4 Cleveland Foresters (5-9): 3 10 Innings W: Jim Crawford (2-1) L: Eddie Gray (1-2) SV: Dick Kadlec (2) The game stayed tied after nine, but Tom Taylor didn't want to stay for much more. He drove home John Kincaid in the top half of the 10th, and we finished them off in the bottom half to set up a road sweep. Taylor was 2-for-5 with a pair of RBI's. Russ Combs was 3-for-5 with a run scored and steal. Kincaid was 2-for-5 with a double, RBI, and 2 runs scored. Jim Crawford picked up the win, tossing 9.2 innings with 10 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), 4 walks and 5 strikeouts. Dick Kadlec allowed a single and then got a ground out to finish the game. April 29th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (10-6): 9 Cleveland Foresters (5-10): 4 W: Max Wilder (1-3) L: Rube McCormick (1-1) We finished the series strong with a nice 9-4 win to finish the sweep. Our next step is Toronto, where I like our chances. Bill Ashbaugh was 3-for-4 with a walk, steal, homer, 2 runs, and 4 RBI's. The homer was the first of the season for him. Russ Combs was 3-for-5 with 2 steals, 3 runs, and 2 RBI's. Harry Simmons was 2-for-4 with a walk and run scored. Max Wilder had a decent start, 7 innings with 6 hits, 4 runs (2 earned), 6 walks, and 4 strikeouts. April 30th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (10-7): 0 Toronto Wolves (6-11): 2 W: Frank Howk (1-2) L: Steve Castellini (1-2) We arrived North of the border, but decided to leave our bats back in the states as the Wolves shut us out 2-0. Castellini threw fine, 7 innings with 8 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts. Russ Combs was 2-for-4 with a triple. Fred Barrell was 1-for-3 with a double. May 1st, 1931 Chicago Cougars (10-8): 3 Toronto Wolves (7-11): 4 W: Bert Sweet (1-0) L: Dick Lyons (2-2) May started how April ended, and the Wolves managed top beat us again, this time 4-3. We should have won, as 3 of the 4 runs were unearned courtesy of a Fred Barrell error. He didn't strike anyone out, but allowed 7 hits and 5 walks in 8 innings. Harry Simmons was 2-for-3 with a walk and run scored. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-4 with a double and RBI. May 2nd, 1931 Chicago Cougars (10-9): 5 Toronto Wolves (8-11): 10 W: Art Harvey (2-3) L: Dick Leudtke (3-1) The losses keep adding up and I'm just not sure why we can't beat the Wolves. This time, they topped us 10-5, but worst of all, Russ Combs left with an injury. Leudtke had his first bad outing, allowing 12 hits and 9 runs (8 earned) with 2 walks and a strikeout in 6.1 innings. Claude Purvis went 1.1 innings with 2 hits and a run. Tom Taylor was 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI's. John Kincaid was 2-for-4 with a walk, double, RBI, and two runs scored. John Dibblee was 2-for-4 with a double and 2 RBI's. May 3rd, 1931 Chicago Cougars (10-10): 1 Toronto Wolves (9-11): 7 W: Birdie Smith (2-3) L: Jim Crawford (2-2) We just could not hit and the Wolves handled us 7-1 to finish off the sweep. I cannot believe we got swept by the team that had the worst record in the league last year. Granted, it was on the road and we've played a lot of days in a row, but we have to win games like this if we want to be a serious threat. Jim Crawford went 6 with 6 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, and a strikeout. Dick Kadlec was roughed up, 5 hits and 4 runs with a walk in 2 innings. John Kincaid was 3-for-5 with a double and RBI. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-4 with a double. Stars of the Week Russ Combs : 26 AB, 12 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .462 AVG, 1.115 OPS Harry Simmons : 26 AB, 11 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .423 AVG, .983 OPS Bill Ashbaugh : 28 AB, 9 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .321 AVG, .887 OPS Weekly Summary I thought a week starting with a sweep of the Foresters would be a good one, but instead we decided to throw away all four games in Toronto. We played absolutely horrible and the offense was bad. We are definitely tired, and now we're going to be without Russ Combs for a significant amount of time. Combs strained his ACL and will miss 4-5 weeks. He was having an amazing season, hitting .400/.402/.541 (139 OPS+) with a homer, 5 steals, and 16 RBI's in just 87 plate appearances. He was leading the CA in batting average and tied for the second most steals. Filling that production will be tough and I sort of wish I had kept Mack Deal to fill in with an injury. I'll instead have to rely on Slim Bloom who's 5-for-21 with 5 RBI's to start the season. Our first off day is finally coming up, but we'll host the Foresters (7-12) for four in Chicago first. After the off day we'll head back to Canada, this time to face the Saints (4-16) in Montreal who have been having a really rough season. These games here are extremely crucial as we need to win against teams below .500. We already threw away four to the Wolves and we can't let the losses pile up. Baltimore (14-6) and Philadelphia (13-6) are 4 and 3.5 games ahead of us already, and we can't afford to slip anymore. Injury Report SS Russ Combs (FABL Chicago Cougars): strained anterior cruciate ligament (4-5 weeks) 3B John Kane (A Lincoln Legislators): strained forearm (seven weeks) Transactions Recalled SS Tom Rogers from AAA Milwaukee Amateur Report 2B Red Moore (Frankford State Owls): It was a solid sophomore year for Red Moore, but his season was cut short with a sprained ankle. The 19-year-old was hitting .319/.392/.504 (131 OPS+) with 4 homers, 7 steals, and 27 RBI's in 153 trips to the plate. Moore is a great defender at second and makes consistent at the plate. He's lucky he's getting hurt this year instead of next, as this would have been a tough season to have in a draft year. One of the top prospects at second base, Moore will have a chance to bounce back next year. SP Preacher Pietsch (Louisville HS Titans): Most high school freshman never see the field, but you would not be able to tell that Preacher Pietsch was a freshman. The 14-year-old is a perfect 5-0 with a 1.07 ERA (339 ERA+), 0.61 WHIP, and 64 strikeouts in 58.2 innings. Pietsch is leading the rotation of a team just a game out of first in their division. He's an excellent young pitcher who keeps the ball on the ground. He has decent enough command and a nifty four pitch arsenal. He has a lot of time to add speed to his 83-85 MPH fastball, but will have to stay healthy. As is, he could be a top of the rotation arm, but one bad arm injury could throw his FABL career off. SP Fritz Kendrick (Tulsa HS Tomcats): If you thought Pietsch was good, Fritz Kendrick may even be better. Another dominant freshman, he's 6-1 with a 1.04 ERA (340 ERA+), 0.71 WHIP, and 76 strikeouts in 69 innings. The lefty is a sinkerballer who like Preacher, has a lot of time to add velocity on his pitches. Unlike him, Kendrick features a dominant change up with massive downward movement. He's got excellent command of all four pitchers and could front a major league rotation. Attached Images

05-27-2020, 08:01 PM	#127
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 4: May 4th-May 10th May 4th, 1931 Cleveland Foresters (7-13): 1 Chicago Cougars (11-10): 4 W: Max Wilder (2-3) L: Rube McCormick (1-2) The home cooking tasted just right, as Bill Ashbaugh was a perfect 5-for-5 with a steal, home run, and 2 RBI's. Slim Bloom was 4-for-4. Jim Kyle was 1-for-2 with 2 walks and a run scored. Max Wilder allowed just one unearned run in a complete game victory. He allowed 6 hits, walked 2, and struck out 4. May 5th, 1931 Cleveland Foresters (7-14): 2 Chicago Cougars (12-10): 8 W: Steve Castellini (2-2) L: George Baker (1-2) Both teams doubled their production and we took this one 8-2. Cy Bryant had a productive game, 2-for-4 with a run scored, triple, and 4 RBI's. John Kincaid was 2-for-3 with a run scored, RBI, and 2 walks. Bill Ashbaugh was 3-for-5 with a run scored and driven in. Tom Taylor was 1-for-5, but with 2 runs, 2 RBI's, a double, and steal. Steve Castellini went all 9, allowing 2 runs, 7 hits, and 3 walks with 2 strikeouts. May 6th, 1931 Cleveland Foresters (8-14): 7 Chicago Cougars (12-11): 3 W: Allan Purvis (2-1) L: Dick Lyons (2-3) We outhit the Foresters 14 to 8, but they made the most of four Cougar errors. Dick Lyons allowed 7 runs, but just one of them was earned. He allowed 7 hits, walked 2, and struck out 3. Taylor Collins struck out 2 in 2 perfect innings. John Dibblee was 3-for-5 with a double and RBI. John Kincaid was 3-for-5 with a run scored. Fred Barrell was 1-for-3, but was injured stretching a single into a double. May 7th, 1931 Cleveland Foresters (8-15): 3 Chicago Cougars (13-11): 10 W: Dick Leudtke (4-1) L: Karl Johnson (0-3) Our run of 24 consecutive games finally comes to an end, as we blew the Foresters out 10-3. Dick Leudtke pitched an excellent game, with all three of the runs he allowed in the 9th. He walked just 1, gave up 9 hits, and struck out 3 while hitting 1-for-3 with 2 sac bunts, 2 runs, and an RBI. Bill Ashbaugh was a perfect 3-for-3 with a triple, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 2 RBI's. John Kincaid was 3-for-6 with an RBI. Slim Bloom was 2-for-4 with a walk, 2 runs, and an RBI. Vince York was 2-for-4 with a walk, sac-fly, and 3 RBI's. May 9th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (14-11): 2 Montreal Saints (6-18): 1 W: Jim Crawford (3-2) L: John Bennett (0-3) We had our first day off prior to starting a four game series in Montreal. We seemed to leave our bats in Chicago, but Jim Crawford was excellent on the mound, and we took the opener just 2-1. Crawford was by far the MVP of the game, going 3-for-3 with an RBI while allowing 11 hits and 2 walks with 4 strikeouts in the complete game. Tom Taylor was 1-for-4 with a solo homer. May 10th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (15-11): 6 Montreal Saints (6-19): 1 W: Max Wilder (3-3) L: Walker Moore (2-4) The pitching was excellent again, as Max Wilder was brilliant against his former team. He went 8 with 5 hits, a run, 4 walks, and 2 strikeouts in a 6-1 victory. Slim Bloom was 2-for-4 with a triple, run scored, and 3 RBI's. Vince York was 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and a run scored. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-5 with an run scored. Stars of the Week Bill Ashbaugh : 27 AB, 15 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .556 AVG, 1.364 OPS Max Wilder : 2 Wins, 17.0 IP, 6 BB, 6 K, 0.53 ERA Slim Bloom : 17 AB, 8 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .471 AVG, 1.138 OPS Awards Player of the Week: 1B Bill Ashbaugh Weekly Summary Six games against the worst two teams in the CA, and we came away with five wins. I'm happy that we took advantage of this opportunity, as we're going to need every win we need. Philadelphia (16-8), New York (16-9), and Baltimore (16-9) are all a lready ahead of us, and the Sailors are the only of those three teams we've played. We did get some bad news, as Fred Barrell will miss about a month with plantar fascitis. It's our fourth major injury this season, and second one where I traded a replacement in the offseason. This time it's Jim Stevens, who like Mack Deal, is now a Sailor. Jim Kyle will have to take the starting job, but he's hitting just 2-for-22 this season. I don't really have a good backup, so Kyle will get most of the reps until Barrell's healthy. Hopefully Kyle performs as well as Slim Bloom has, who hit 8-for-17 with 4 RBI's and a steal this week. Speaking of the trade with the Sailors, Tom Taylor hasn't quite performed as I expected. He's hitting just .265/.342/.451 (102 OPS+) with 5 homers, 3 steals, and 15 RBI's in 114 trips to the plate. It's still early, so there is no need to panic, but I would have loved to see him start out hot. We get two more against the Saints (6-19) before a trip to New York. We'll start in Brooklyn (12-14) before facing the Stars (16-9) for the first time this season. Both series will be three games, but the Stars series starts with a double header before an off day. Injury Report C Fred Barrell (FABL Chicago Cougars): plantar fascitis (4 weeks) SP Fred Collins (C La Crosse Lions): partially torn labrum (3-4 months) Transactions Purchased the contract of C Herman Rachford from AAA Milwaukee. Claimed SS Jack Rogers off waivers from Cleveland, optioned him to AAA Milwaukee. Minor League Report SP Billy LeBeau (B San Jose Cougars): It took just four starts in La Crosse before LeBeau received the promotion to San Jose, and his first two starts with the Cougars have been as good as you could imagine. He's 1-1, but with a 1.13 ERA (361 ERA+), 0.88 WHIP, and 6 strikeouts in 16 innings pitched. LeBeau was taken in the 5th Round by us this draft, and has already started his minor league career strong. A college arm from Boulder State, Lebeau seemed to be a pretty developed arm on draft day. He's got the stamina to start, but he has to work on refining his pitches. His fastball is strong, and he has time to add some velocity to push it into the 90s. He's got a chance to be a big league starter, but the worst case for him is to be an effective late inning arm. Amateur Report 1B Bill Moore (Lubbock State Hawks): After jacking three homers in a win over North California, Bill Moore now has 17 in his sophomore season. He's hitting an outworldly .451/.543/.903 (260 OPS+) with 42 RBI's in 175 plate appearances. The sophomore in the midst of one of the most impressive college seasons ever, and the lefty slugger has to be one of the top prospects in the 1932 draft. He's loaded with talent and probably lace a big league fastball 400 feet. He's about as safe of a draft prospect as it gets, but his upside is limited by his limitation to just first base. If it wasn't for that, Moore would likely go number one overall, but whoever gets him will have a franchise cornerstone. SP Jack Stemm (St. Pancras Lions): One of the top junior arms in the draft, Stemm is an impressive 5-1 with a 2.33 ERA (191 ERA+), 1.09 WHIP, and 55 strikeouts in 73.1 innings. He'll make a few more starts, but his current career total are very good. He's 15-8 with a 3.08 ERA (155 ERA+), 1.29 WHIP, and 195 strikeouts in 73.1 innings pitched. He's a groundball pitcher who can hit the mid 90s with his cutter. It's the best of his four pitches, all of which project to be solid. Stemm's future lies in the rotation, and perhaps he could develop into an ace. SP Danny Devol (Macon HS Musketeers): He's only made 5 high school starts, but Danny Devol has looked really good. He's 4-1 with a 0.78 ERA (460 ERA+), 0.59 WHIP, and 41 strikeouts. The only concerning thing is Devol is a Junior, and this is the only season he's pitched in. He spent the offseason working on his control, and it seems to be paying off. He's walked just 4 batters in 46 innings. This could be a lucky run, but he's a name to keep an eye on. RF Ben McDonald (Swoyersville HS Kings): Tied for second in the legue for homers, senior Ben McDonald has launched 14 and drove in 27 runs as the high school season is just a week away from finishing. He's got a .220/.331/.591 (156 OPS+) line. McDonald has a ton of power with excellent bat speed, but he's very prone to swinging and missing. The lefty from Canada has hit 30 career homers, and has just five more games to add onto that total. This year's draft class is shaping out to be a little on the weaker side, and McDonald is one of the most interesting power bats available.

05-28-2020, 10:09 PM	#128
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 5: May 11th-May 17th May 11th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (16-11): 10 Montreal Saints (6-20): 0 W: Steve Castellini (3-2) L: Dave Paynter (1-4) Steve Castellini showed signs of is last season's self, as the veteran tossed a complete game shutout as we beat the Saints 10-0. He allowed just 5 hits and a walk with 2 strikeouts in the shutout victory. The recently added to the lineup Jim Kyle was 3-for-4 with a triple, walk, run scored, and 3 RBI's. Bill Ashbaugh was 3-for-5 with a double, 2 runs, and an RBI. Cy Bryant was 2-for-5 with an RBI. Harry Simmons was 2-for-4 with a walk and a pair of runs scored. May 12th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (17-11): 3 Montreal Saints (6-21): 0 W: Dick Lyons (3-3) L: Charlie Stedman (2-4) The pitching was great once again, and we finished off a road sweep with a 3-0 shutout victory. This time it was Dick Lyons on the mound, who allowed 7 hits with a walk and three strikeouts in his complete game shutout. He was also 1-for-4 with an RBI. Cy Bryant was 2-for-4 with a run scored and driven in. John Kincaid was 2-for-4 with a run scored. May 13th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (17-12): 2 Brooklyn Kings (13-16): 5 W: Tommy Wilcox (4-4) L: Dick Leudtke (4-2) We arrived in Brooklyn for a three game series against the Kings. We got the displeasure of facing Tommy Wilcox, who tossed another excellent game in a 5-2 Kings win. Dick Leudtke made the start for us, going 8 innings with 9 hits, 5 runs, 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts. John Kincaid and Bill Ashbaugh were both 2-for-4. Harry Simmons was 2-for-3 with a walk and run scored. May 14th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (17-13): 3 Brooklyn Kings (14-16): 4 W: Lyman Weigel (4-3) L: Max Wilder (3-4) Up 3-1 in the 9th, Harry Simmons made an error, the cause of three unearned runs. The third was the worst, a walk-off single courtesy of Kings starter Lyman Weigel. Max Wilder was the unlucky loser, 8.2 innings with 7 hits, just one earned run, 3 walks, and 5 strikeouts. He was also 1-for-4 with an RBI. Slim Bloom was 1-for-2 with a double, 2 walks, and a run scored. Vince York was 1-for-4 with a solo homer, his first homer of the season. May 15th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (17-14): 4 Brooklyn Kings (15-16): 8 W: Del Lyons (2-5) L: Jim Crawford (3-3) The Kings made quick work of us in the finale, and we'll leave Brooklyn after getting swept. This is the second time we've been swept this season. Jim Crawford had a rough start, 7.1 innings with 13 hits, 8 runs (6 earned), 2 walks, and just 1 strikeout. Slim Bloom was 2-for-4 with a two run homer. Cy Bryant was 3-for-4 with a double and RBI. Vince York was 1-for-3 with a walk and run scored. May 16th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (18-14): 7 New York Stars (18-13): 6 Game 1 11 Innings W: Chick Meehan (1-0) L: Earl Slater (2-1) SV: Claude Purvis (1) We didn't have to travel too far for our next match, as we were in New York to face the Stars. We started our first series against the Stars with a double header today. It's never a good sign when the double header goes into extras, but we made it happen with 2 in the 7th, one in the 8th, and one more in the 9th. We didn't score in the 10th, but in the 11th a pinch hitting Bob McCarty drove home Cy Bryant, who tripled to lead off the inning. Bryant was 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored. Tom Taylor was 2-for-4 with a homer, 2 runs, 2 RBI's, and a walk. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-5 with a run scored and driven in. Steve Castellini made the start, 6 innings with 11 hits, 6 runs, a walk, and 2 strikeouts. Claude Purvis picked up the first save of his career, allowing just a single in a scoreless 11th. May 16th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (19-14): 8 New York Stars (18-14): 7 Game 2 W: Chick Meehan (1-0) L: Earl Slater (2-1) SV: Claude Purvis (1) It was another nail biter, as both teams scored a singe run in the 9th. We came away the winners in a closer 8-7 game, and will get the next day off to rest before finishing the series. Vince York was 2-for-4 with a homer, sac-fly, walk, and 3 RBI's. Cy Bryant was 2-for-5 with a triple and run scored. Tom Taylor was 2-for-4 with a walk, run scored, and RBI. Jim Kyle was 2-for-3 with a sac-bunt, walk, and run scored. Stars of the Week Cy Bryant : 31 AB, 14 H, 0 HR, 5 RBI, .452 AVG, 1.097 OPS Dick Lyons : 2 Wins, 16.0 IP, 3 BB, 5 K, 2.25 ERA Bill Ashbaugh : 32 AB, 11 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .344 AVG, .820 OPS Weekly Summary It was a middling week, just 4-3, but the good news is no one important was hurt this week. The off day was nice, but we have to continue our roadtrip with the final game in the Stars series. After that we're off to Baltimore (21-11) to take on the first place Cannons. This is a huge series, as if we can take two of three we can take a nice jump in the standings. Philadelphia (20-11) is the only team between the Cannons and us right now, but the Stars are still on our tail. After the Cannons series we are off again. We'll use this game to travel home before a three game series with the previously mentioned Sailors. The offense has started to slump recently, but we currently have the best rotation and bullpen ERA in the CA. Castellini is the only pitcher on the active roster with a below average ERA+, and that's because of his recent outing in the double header. Max Wilder is on a stretch of five consecutive starts with two or less earned runs. It's been a solid season for the 33-year-old who is 3-4 with a 3.21 ERA (136 ERA+), 1.31 WHIP, and 24 strikeouts in 53.1 innings pitched. This upcoming stretch is going to be a good test, as we'll face our fellow pennant contenders. If we can take four of six here, it will really help put us back towards the top. I expect the offense to turn improve, especially with Russ Combs' return nearing. He's hopefully two weeks away from starting a rehab assignment. Slim Bloom has done well in his absence, hitting .308/.392/.446 (113 OPS+) with a homer and 14 RBI's in 74 trips to the plate. Combs is a much better hitter, but having Bloom put up respectable production in his absence has been crucial. Even when Combs returns, I expect Bloom to function like Mack Deal did last season I think it might be a good idea to give Russ Combs days off once he's healthy. Injury Report 2B Red O'Neal (AAA Milwaukee Blues): sprained knee (2-3 weeks) RP Bill Hartfield (A Lincoln Legislators): elbow strain (2 weeks) SP Cy Plummer (C La Crosse Lions): returned from the DL Minor League Report SP Ace McSherry (AAA Milwaukee Blues): One of the reasons Ace McSherry didn't make the opening day roster was he had options and he missed most of last seasons with an injury. He wouldn't have gotten starts in the majors, but is pitching every 5 days in Milwaukee. It's gone well, as he's got an impressive 1.96 ERA (226 ERA+), 1.26 WHIP, and 24 strikeouts in 4 starts. McSherry is still throwing in the high 90s, and the 27-year-old is making it hard for me to keep him in the minors. Russel likely isn't coming back, so an injury to the rotation makes McSherry an option to take the starts. He's also experienced in the pen, recording 18 saves as a rookie in 1929. SS Dave Griffin (A Lincoln Legislators): After a great start in San Jose, Dave Griffin earned himself a promotion to A Lincoln. In 76 trips to the plate with the Cougars, Griffin hit .357/.400/.457 (134 OPS+) with 3 steals and 11 RBI's. The former 18th Round selection has been a solid defender in the past, but it's been a rough season for him so far. He appears to have the range to stick, but he just needs more time at the position. He ranks as the third best shortstop prospect in our organization, but he's doing his best to push his way up the depth chart. Amateur Report 2B Freddie Jones (Central Ohio Aviators): Easily one of the best college players in the game, Freddie Jones is doing all he can to keep the Aviators in first place. As a junior, this may be his last season with the Aviators, who have yet to make the postseason with Jones on the team. When Jones was a freshman, he hit .486/.625/.665 (257 OPS+) with 6 homers, 41 RBI's, and 10 steals in 248 plate appearances. He hasn't been able to match that production, but he's hitting a still impressive .355/.472/.533 (168 OPS+) with 4 homers and 28 RBI's. With just 9 games left in the season, the Lincoln Presidents are just one game back. Back to Jones, he's an excellent defender with excellent speed and the potential to win batting titles. I'd consider him the best college bat in the draft this year, and he should easily be a first round pick. I'm hoping not to have a pick high enough to select him, but he'd be my ideal first round selection. SP Pug Bryan (Lincoln Presidents): While a junior is leading the Aviators, a freshman is leading the second place Lincoln Presidents. Pug Bryant is having an excellent season on the mound, going 9-1 with a 1.48 ERA (299 ERA+), 0.95 WHIP, and 80 strikeouts in 91.1 innings pitched. He's got an elite swing and miss change up with nice command of his arsenal. He doesn't throw too hard, but the sinker baller generates a ton of ground outs. He's still young, but Bryan seems like a future ace. He'll have two more seasons, but a playoff appearance as a freshman could be good for his development. CF Bill May (Greensboro HS Giants): Greensboro HS fell just one game short of the playoffs, so the career of superstar center fielder Bill May will come to an end. In three season with the Giants, he hit .360/.432/.520 (184 OPS+) with 9 homers, 61 steals, and 58 RBI's in 564 plate appearances. He's a elite defender as well, recording a +22.2 ZR and 1.089 efficiency in 1,085 innings out in center. Possibly the best prep hitter in the 1931 class, May his filled to the brim with potential. He's got the potential to be one of the best defenders in the FABL with range that is almost unseen. He's even great at the plate, with the potential to be an excellent hitter as well. May's got superstar written all over him and should end up a first round selection this year. SP John Hartz (Denver HS Mountaineers): Another player who saw his high school career end, righty John Hartz had a dominant senior season. He was 3-4, but with a 1.88 ERA (183 ERA+), 1.00 WHIP, and 62 strikeouts in 72 innings. This was a huge season for Hartz, who only first started playing as a junior. He doesn't have a lot of experience, so he's an extremely risky prospect, but the talent is there. He's 6 foot and already throws in the mid to high 80s with his fastball. It's one of four solid pitches as Hartz has all the tools to start in the majors. It'll be interesting to see where he commits to, as the location of that school could determine if he signs or not.

05-30-2020, 03:20 PM	#129
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 6: May 18th-May 24th May 18th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (19-15): 4 New York Stars (19-14): 5 11 Innings W: Earl Slater (3-1) L: Dick Kadlec (0-1) Both teams scored a run in the 7th to tie the game at third, but neither team could score a run in the 8th or 9th. We got one in the 11th, but they got a pair of Kadlec in the 9th to avoid the sweep. Kadlec allowed 3 hits, 2 walks, and 2 runs without getting a batter out. Dick Leudtke made a great start, 10 innings with 5 hits, 3 runs, 5 walks, and 4 strikeouts. He was also 1-for-3 with a sac-bunt and run scored. John Kincaid was 4-for-6 with a run scored and two doubles. Tom Taylor was 2-for-6 with 2 RBI's. May 19th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (20-15): 10 Baltimore Cannons (22-12): 3 W: Bob Miller (4-4) L: Max Wilder (4-4) Our road trip came to Baltimore, where we were hosted by the first place Cannons. We piled on 10 runs in the first, and took the opener 10-3. Harry Simmons was 4-for-5 with 3 runs, a steal, and RBI. Slim Bloom was 2-for-3 with 2 walks, a run scored, and 2 RBI's. John Dibblee was 2-for-5 with an RBI. Vince York was 1-for-3 with a walk, hit by pitch, and two runs scored. Max Wildier, the starter, was 2-for-4 with a walk, run scored, and 3 RBI's. He was also good on the mound, 9 innings with 10 hits, 3 runs, 3 walks, and 4 strikeouts. May 20th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (21-15): 4 Baltimore Cannons (22-13): 0 W: Jim Crawford (4-3) L: Ken Carpenter (7-2) Jim Crawford was flat out dominate, allowing just 3 hits in a complete game shutout. He was also 1-for-4 with an RBI. Slim Bloom was 2-for-4 with a triple, steal, RBI, and two runs scored. Tom Taylor was 1-for-4 with a solo homer. Harry Simmons was 1-for-2 with 2 walks and a run scored. May 21st, 1931 Chicago Cougars (21-16): 1 Baltimore Cannons (23-13): 4 W: Dutch Leverett (4-2) L: Steve Castellini (3-3) Just like in the Stars series, we couldn't finish the sweep, and the Cannons took the finale 4-1. Steve Castellini went 7 innings with 11 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), and a strikeout.Chick Meehan went an inning with a hit and run scored. Slim Bloom was 1-for-3 with a triple. Jim Kyle was 1-for-4 with a triple. Harry Simmons was 1-for-4 with a double and RBI. John Kincaid was 1-for-3 with a double and walk. May 23rd, 1931 Philadelphia Sailors (22-14): 7 Chicago Cougars (22-16): 8 10 Innings W: Chick Meehan (2-0) L: Russ Reel (1-2) We got a day off after finishing the Cannons series, and headed home for a quick three game set with the second place Sailors. Up 6-4 in the 9th, Dick Kadlec allowed 2 hits, 3 runs, and 4 walks in the 9th and the Sailors took a 7-6 lead. We managed to score a single run in the 9th to force extras. In the bottom of the 10th, like he did so frequently to us in the past, Tom Taylor ended the game with a walk-off hit, and we took the finale 8-7. Dick Lyons went 8 innings with 12 hits, 4 runs, a walk, and 6 strikeouts in a solid start. He was also 2-for-3 with a run scored. Jim Kyle was 3-for-5 with a homer and 3 RBI's. Vince York was 2-for-4 with a double, walk, and two runs scored. Tom Taylor was 2-for-5 with a walk and 2 RBI's. Harry Simmons was 2-for-5 with a run scored and driven in. May 24th, 1931 Philadelphia Sailors (22-15): 5 Chicago Cougars (24-16): 7 W: Max Wilder (5-4) L: Rollie Beal (3-4) SV: Dick Kadlec (3) Game two was close as well, and we came on top again 7-5 to set up a sweep. John Kincaid was 4-for-5 with 3 doubles, a triple, and two runs scored. Cy Bryant was 2-for-4 with a steal, walk, run scored, and RBI. Tom Taylor was 2-for-4 with a homer, double, walk, 3 runs, and 2 RBI's. Slim Bloom was 1-for-4 with a walk and solo homer. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-5 with 2 RBI's. Max Wilder made the start, 7 innings with 9 hits, 5 runs, 2 walks, and 3 strikeouts. Dick Kadlec picked up a 2 inning save, allowing 2 hits and a walk with 2 strikeouts. Stars of the Week John Kincaid : 27 AB, 11 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .407 AVG, 1.137 OPS Harry Simmons : 26 AB, 11 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .423 AVG, .926 OPS Tom Taylor : 26 AB, 8 H, 2 HR, 8 RBI, .308 AVG, .977 OPS Weekly Summary It was a nice 4-2 week for us against the three other teams in the top half of the division. We're now tied with the Sailors for second, 1.5 games behind the Cannons. We get one more with the Sailors, and if we win we finish the sweep, before heading back on the road. We get three with the Foresters (15-23) before a weird four game series with the Sailors. It's three road games with a double header the second game, before a single home game back in Chicago. We're off again after that. We're almost done with May, and Jim Crawford ranks third in the CA with a 2.95 ERA (149 ERA+). He's been excellent in his 7 starts this season, going 4-3 with a 1.33 WHIP and 17 strikeouts. It's been an excellent second season in the league for Crawford, who was 7-4 with a 4.53 ERA (108 ERA+), 1.41 WHIP, and 46 strikeouts in 135 innings pitched. If we keep getting production like this from him, it's really going to help us on our pennant pursuit. Injury Report SP Gordie Thompson (A Lincoln Legislators): Torn labrum (4-5 months) CF Pete Slater (A Lincoln Legislators): Torn hamstring (5 weeks) LF Harry Humphrey (A Lincoln Legislators): Back spasms (uncertain return) Minor League Report SP Gordie Thompson (A Lincoln Legislators): We got bad news as former 5th Rounder Gordie Thompson will miss the rest of the season with a torn labrum in his shoulder. Thompson ranks 23rd in our organization and 358th in the league, and is now the second pitcher from the 1929 draft class to miss the rest of the season. He was great in his 6 starts, 2-2 with a 1.35 ERA (285 ERA+), 0.78 WHIP, and 26 strikeouts in 40 innings with A Lincoln. The 23-year-old has a nice four pitch arsenal, headlined by a 91-93 MPH fastball. He's got nice stuff and gets a lot of strikeouts, and with this being the first injury of his career, I'm not expecting this to hurt him too much. Of course, major injuries like this are never a good thing, and it could prove to limit his future potential. Amateur Report SP Dick Strunk (Niagara Falls HS Sailors): High School playoff season is underway, and Niagara Falls HS is one of the teams who made it out of the first round. Dick Strunk tossed a key 6-hit shutout in a win over the Holyoke HS Oaks. It's been a strong junior year for Strunk, who's 5-0 with a 2.21 ERA (157 ERA+), 1.02 WHIP, and 51 strikeouts in 73.1 innings pitched. It's his second consecutive year with a sub-3 ERA, and a strong senior year next season will secure him a high draft pick. The 17-year-old doesn't throw too hard, but he does have quality off speed pitches. He's got a future in the rotation, but he's a very raw prospect. SP Bud Hastings (Pittsburgh HS Pipers): He may not even be the best pitcher on his team, but that's one of the reasons Pittsburgh HS had such a good season. Senior Bud Hastings had a dominant last season, going 4-1 with a 1.11 ERA (326 ERA+), 0.78 WHIP, and 39 strikeouts in 48.2 innings for the division winning Pipers. Hastings can reach the 90s with his cutter, but occasionally a hitter can get a hold of one and hit it far. For his career, Hastings is 6-9, but with a 2.05 ERA (202 ERA+), 1.00 WHIP, and 161 strikeouts in 166.2 innings pitched. He doesn't have the stuff of a top pick, but he's definitely worth taking a risk on in the later rounds. SS Cal Ruth (Ellery Bruins): With just 4 games left in the season, the Ellery Bruins are tied with Grafton and Henry Hudson for first place in the Academia Alliance division. Cal Ruth will be doing everything he can to make sure that his college career lasts more then the 4 days. The junior bounced back from a rough sophomore season, hitting .283/.359/.617 (157 OPS+) with 15 homers and 48 RBI's, both of which are just one short of his tallies from his freshman season. Ruth is an excellent defender who steals a lot of bases, and has a ton of power for a shortstop. He's hit 39 homers and drove in 135 runs in 647 plate appearances as a Bruin. He's got big league potential, but I'm not sure he'll be a first rounder like his old teammate Jim Mason. There are a few decent college shortstops, but Ruth is definitely in the top tier due to his power.

06-01-2020, 09:54 PM	#130
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 7: May 25th-May 31st May 25th, 1931 Philadelphia Sailors (23-15): 1 Chicago Cougars (24-15): 0 W: Oscar Morse (6-3) L: Dick Leudtke (4-3) We had so many chances to win this game and get the sweep, but we just could not score off Oscar Morse and the Sailors left Chicago with a 1-0 win. Dick Leudtke had a pretty lucky outing, 8.1 innings with 10 hits, an unearned run, 7 walks, and just 2 strikeouts. Slim Bloom was 2-for-4 with a double. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-4, but he made the error that led to the only run in the game. May 26th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (24-17): 4 Cleveland Foresters (16-24): 2 W: Jim Crawford (5-3) L: Rube McCormick (2-5) SV: Dick Lyons (4) Back on the road and the schedule took us to Cleveland for three games with the Foresters. Jim Crawford had another excellent start, 7 innings with 6 hits, 2 runs (1 earned), 2 walks, and a strikeout. Dick Kadlec struck out two in two perfect innings to pick up the save. John Kincaid was 3-for-5 with a double, run scored, and 2 RBI's. Cy Bryant was 2-for-4 with a steal, sac-bunt, and RBI. Slim Bloom was 2-for-4 with a double, run scored, and RBI. May 27th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (24-18): 2 Cleveland Foresters (17-24): 5 W: George Baker (4-3) L: Steve Castellini (3-4) Tied at 2 in the 8th, the Foresters rallied for three, and our offense failed to answer back as the hosts got the series split. Steve Castellini got the loss, 7.2 innings with 10 hits, 5 runs, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts. Tom Taylor was 3-for-4 with a double and run scored. Vince York was 2-for-4 with a run scored, RBI, and pair of doubles. May 28th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (25-18): 5 Cleveland Foresters (17-25): 2 W: Dick Lyons (5-3) L: Allen Purvis (2-5) The runs still aren't coming around like I want them to, but we flipped the score in the finale and took the series with a 5-2 win. Dick Lyons allowed 10 hits in the complete game victory with 2 hits, a walk, and a strikeout. John Dibble showed he still has it, 2-for-5 with a double, 2 runs, and 2 RBI's. Cy Bryant was 2-for-4 wit a steal and run scored. Harry Simmons was 1-for-3 with a double, walk, and RBI. May 29th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (26-18): 7 Philadelphia Sailors (26-16): 3 W: Max Wilder (6-4) L: Cotton Taylor (1-2) Our travels brought us to Philadelphia for three games in two days. We actually got some runs in this one, and took the opener 7-3 against former Cougar Cotton Taylor. The Sailors claimed him off waivers from the Detroit, who I traded Taylor to in the offseason. It hasn't gone well for Taylor, who's 1-2 with a 7.11 ERA (57 ERA+), 1.67 WHIP, and 11 strikeouts (13 walks) in 31.2 innings. The Sailors also lost star CF David Merchant for 2 weeks with a sore elbow. Max Wilder made the start for us, 8 innings with 9 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, and a strikeout. He was also 1-for-4 with a double and run scored. Vince York was 2-for-4 with a double, walk, run, and 2 RBI's. Harry Simmons was 2-for-3 with a double, 2 walks, and 3 RBI's. Tom Taylor was 2-for-5 with a steal and pair of runs scored. May 30th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (27-18): 3 Philadelphia Sailors (26-17): 1 Game 1 W: Dick Luedtke (5-3) L: Oscar Morse (6-4) The first game of a double header saw a rematch of Monday's starting pitching matchup. Leudtke outdueled Morse this time, just 4 hits, a run, 2 walks, and 3 strikeouts in the complete game victory. Jim Kyle was a perfect 3-for-3 with a walk, double, triple, and RBI. John Kincaid was 3-for-5 with a steal and run scored. Bill Ashbaugh was 1-for-3 with a walk and RBI. Harry Simmons was 1-for-4 with a run scored, walk, and steal. May 30th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (27-19): 1 Philadelphia Sailors (27-17): 2 Game 2 W: Russ Reel (2-2) L: Jim Crawford (5-4) Game two saw even less scoring, and we held a 1-0 lead headed to the 9th. Bobby Bond singled off Jim Crawford, and the Sailors tied it at one to force extras. 2 innings later, Bond was up again, and hit a deep fly to center. It was caught, but Jack Cleaves scored and the Sailors walked off 2-1 winners. Crawford pitched 11.2 innings, allowing 5 hits, 2 runs, and 2 walks with 5 strikeouts. He was also 2-for-3 with 2 sac-bunts. His now 2.62 ERA is actually the best in all of baseball. Vince York was all the offense, 3-for-5 with a solo homer and two doubles. Harry Simmons was 2-for-4 with a double and walk. May 31st, 1931 Philadelphia Sailors (27-18): 0 Chicago Cougars (28-19): 5 W: Steve Castellni (4-4) L: Herb Lowman (5-3) Real interesting scheduling quirk: we're in Chicago after a double header for just one game.The Sailors offense was exhausted and somehow we managed five runs to take three of four for the Sailors. Steve Castellini made an interesting start. He faced 31 batters and didn't walk or strike out a single batter. He allowed 8 hits in 8 shutout innings. Vince York was 3-for-4 with a triple, run scored, and driven in. Jim Kyle was 3-for-4 with an RBI. Cy Bryant was 2-for-3 with a steal, walk, and run scored. Tom Taylor was 1-for-4 with a two run homer. Stars of the Week Vince York : 30 AB, 12 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .400 AVG, 1.204 OPS Tom Taylor : 30 AB, 9 H, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .300 AVG, .797 OPS John Kincaid : 32 AB, 10 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .313 AVG, .715 OPS Weekly Summary We had a busy week with 8 games in seven days in four different cities, and we came out with five wins. We're now tied for second with the Sailors and just one game behind the Cannons (28-17). We're starting to string wins together, and we finished May an impressive 18-12. We've allowed the least amount of runs and scored the second most, but the first place Cannons have scored 30 more then us already. I got to say though, if Combs and Barrell were healthy, I have to believe we'd still have the most runs scored. Speaking of Combs, he's hurt for just 1 day, so I'll miss out on a whole week of his play because I won't be able to start a rehab assignment. It's not the biggest worry, since Silm Bloom was replacing him well, but I want Combs in the lineup as soon as possible and I wanted him to shake the rust off in minor league games first. Bloom has hit well, batting .283/.391/.442 (112 OPS+) with 2 steals, 2 homers, and 19 RBI's in 133 trips to the plate. He hasn't done too great defensively at short, so I'm going to move him to second and let Simmons play short. We've got a really helpful day off to start the week, and will get to stay home as the Kings (21-25) come to town on a day off of their own. This is the start of 15 straight home games. After the Kings, we get the last place Saints (16-29). We'll have two sub .500 opponents and we should be able to pick up these wins at home. With it being a four game series with Brooklyn, we will no matter what get both Fritz and Wilcox, which will be tough matchups for our hitters. I'd love to see a spark from the offense now that we are back home. With Combs and Barrell almost back healthy, the lineup will get a nice boost shortly. Injury Report RP Elmer Wood (AAA Milwaukee Blues): Bone spurn (4-5 weeks) RP Bill Hartfield (A Lincoln Legislators): Returned from the DL Minor League Report SP George DeForest (B San Jose Cougars): Our top pitching prospect who is healthy, DeForest has started the season in San Jose as I look to keep his innings down. It's served him well, as on the 25th of May DeForest tossed a no-hitter against the Fresno Falcons. San Jose won 4-1, as DeForest allowed an unearned run and 2 walks with 9 strikeouts in the no-hitter. While this start was amazing, it has been a really solid season for the 22-year-old. He's 4-3 with a 3.14 ERA (137 ERA+), 1.10 WHIP, and 79 strikeouts in 63 innings with the Cougars. DeForest as the future to be a #2 in the rotation, and ranks as the 64th best prospect in all of baseball. SP Mel Leonard (C La Cross Lions): Another one of our top prospects, recent 2nd Round selection Mel Leonard tossed a 4-hit shutout in his last start with La Crosse. He walked 5 and struck out 8 in the complete game victory. Our 4th best prospect and 73rd best in the league, Leonard has had an excellent first season. He''s 4-4 with a 2.17 ERA (171 ERA+), 1.12 WHIP, 60 strikeouts. Leonard has huge potential and could be a front line pitcher. Leonard gets a lot of strikeouts and has a nice three pitch arsenal. His fastball sits in the high 80s and he doesn't allow too many home runs. He's got a lot of potential, but he's got a lot of developing left. This is a good thing, as there's no room for a starter currently, but we probably will need someone 3-4 years down the road. CF Ken Allen (A Lincoln Legislators): He'sunder the radar in our organization for two reasons. He's in the same draft class as top prospect Joe Johnson and he plays the same position as Joe Johnson. The 23-year-old Allen is stuck in Lincoln while Johnson is in Mobile, but he's making the most of it. The 4th Rounder took home Player of the Week, going 12-for-27 with 3 homers and 11 RBI's. Allen is an excellent hitter, with great pitch recognition and the potential to contest for batting titles. He's got outstanding range out in center and great speed on the bases. It'll be hard for Allen to start in center with us, but he's got the talent to be a great big leaguer. Amateur Report SP Sam Rogers (Cumberland Express): Sam Rogers had one of the best seasons for freshman in 1929. He was 8-2 with a 2.33 ERA (198 ERA+), 1.08 WHIP, and 127 strikeouts in 104.1 innings pitched. His junior year was one to forget, as he was 5-3 with a 4.15 ERA (106 ERA+), 1.40 WHIP, and 40 strikeouts in 69.1 innings pitched. It ended strong, however, as the likely last start in his college career was a 6-hit shutout of North Carolina Tech. Rogers did have skill, a 91-93 MPH fastball with a devastating sinker that generates a ton of groundballs. The only problem is he doesn't have good secondary stuff. He fooled a lot of hitters when he first came up, but now that he's pitched longer it's been easier to hit him. He's got to work on making the splitter or screwball his third pitch if he wants to have a shot starting in the FABL. SP Sam Sullivan (Brunswick Knights): For some reason, Sam Sullivan did not make a single start for Brunswick last season. He didn't even throw a single pitch. This year, he had a league best 1.28 ERA (329 ERA+) with a 0.85 WHIP and 137 strikeouts in 119.2 innings pitched. It was an amazing season for Sullivan, who was worth a full 6.2 WAR in the equivalent of half a regular season. The key to Sullivan's success is a dominant downward sinker that sits in the mid the high 80s. He gets batters to swing right over it and they either make week contact or miss. He's got a ton of secondary pitches, including a curve, slider, change, and forkball. Sullivan is probably one of the best pitching prospects in the game, and he should be the early favorite for a first round selection in the 1932 draft. There are a lot of talented college pitchers, but Sullivan may be the best. RF Joey Binette (Decatur HS Demons): No high schooler hit more home runs then Joey Binette's 18, which is even less then the 23 he hit last season. Binette had a third strong season with a .282/.345/.673 (178 OPS+) line. For his high school career, he had a .285/.355/.654 (181 OPS+) batting line with 46 homers and 131 RBI's in 524 trips to the plate. He doesn't profile as much of a defender in right, but that shouldn't take away too much from his value. He's got a ton of power and a lot of strength in his steal. I think he should go pretty early in this draft, but I'm avoiding him because I'm not a fan of his defense. Attached Images

06-02-2020, 09:19 PM	#131
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 8: June 1st-June 7th June 2nd, 1931 Brooklyn Kings (21-26): 7 Chicago Cougars (29-19): 8 W: Dick Lyons (6-3) L: Del Lyons (3-7) SV: Dick Kadlec (5) The Kings were in town for four and game one was a close one we managed to win 8-7. It wasn't a great start for Dick Lyons, 7 innings with 13 hits, 7 runs (5 earned), a walk, and 2 strikeouts. He was also 1-for-2 with a sac-bunt, double, and run scored. Dick Kadlec picked up the save, 2 innings with 2 hits and 2 strikeouts. Jim Kyle was 3-for-4 with a solo homer and two runs scored. Bill Ashbaugh was 3-for-4 with a walk, double, run scored, and 3 driven in. John Kincaid was 1-for-3 with a sac-fly, walk, and two runs scored. Vince York was 2-for-5 with an RBI. June 3rd, 1931 Brooklyn Kings (22-26): 3 Chicago Cougars (29-20): 1 W: Tommy Wilocx (7-6) L: Max Wilder (6-5) Just when it looked like the offense was back, we just got one off ace Tommy Wilcox and the Kings evened the series with a 3-1 win. Max Wilder pitched well, 8 strikeouts in 8 innings with 10 hits, 3 runs, and a walk. Silm Bloom was 1-for-3 with a double and run scored. Cy Bryant was 2-for-4. June 3rd, 1931 Brooklyn Kings (23-26): 9 Chicago Cougars (29-21): 6 W: Milt Fritz (8-4) L: Steve Castellini (4-5) SV: Del Lyons (1) Even though we did get six, it didn't really feel like that as they all came after nine King runs. Steve Castellini had a bad outing, 6 innings with 14 hits, 7 runs (5 earned), and 2 strikeouts. Taylor Collins allowed 3 hits, 2 runs, and 2 walks with just 1 strikeout in 3 innings of mop up. What's better is his base clearing double in the 7th. Vince York was 2-for-2 with a steal and run scored. Cy Bryant was 2-for-5 with a double. Slim Bloom was 1-for-4 with a run scored and driven in. Tom Rogers was 1-for-2 with a double and 2 runs scored off the bench. June 5th, 1931 Brooklyn Kings (23-27): 10 Chicago Cougars (29-22): 1 W: Lyman Weigel (6-6) L: Dick Leudtke (5-4) This game was just awful... The Kings just destroyed us in the finale, and they took three of four from us at home. It was an unacceptable series as we should have been the one with three out of four wins. It was a rare rough start for Dick Leudtke, 11 hits and 7 runs with 6 walks and 3 strikeouts in 6.1 innings pitched. Taylor Collins, who probably deserved an off day, allowed 3 unearned runs with 6 hits, a walk, and 3 strikeouts in 2.2 innings of mop up. John Kincaid was 3-for-4 with a double and run scored. Bill Ashbaugh was 1-for-3 with an RBI. June 6th, 1931 Montreal Saints (20-30): 12 Chicago Cougars (29-23): 10 W: Randy Taylor (2-3) L: Dick Kadlec (0-2) SV: Sam Young (1) The Saints were in town to start a four game series, and they out slugged us in a 12-10 shootout. The shocking part was Jim Crawford's rough start, 6 innings with 11 hits, 7 runs (5 earned), 3 walks, and 3 strikeouts. Dick Kadlec, however, picked up the loss with 5 hits and 5 runs in 2.2 innings. He also walked and struck out one. Tom Taylor was 2-for-4 with a walk, two runs, and his 10th homer of the year. Vince York was 3-for-4 with a walk, run, double, and 3 RBI's. Slim Bloom was 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, a run scored, and RBI. John Kincaid was 2-for-5 with a double and run scored. Jim Kyle was 2-for-5 with a walk and run scored. June 7th, 1931 Montreal Saints (20-30): 4 Chicago Cougars (29-23): 1 W: Charlie Stedman (6-5) L: Max Wilder (6-6) Neither offense was awake today, and the Saints stretched out losing streak to five after beating us 4-1. Max Wilder made the start, 8 innings with 6 hits, 4 runs, 5 walks, and 3 strikeouts. Harry Simmons was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Vince York was 1-for-4 with a double and run scored. Jim Kyle was 1-for-4 with a double. Cy Bryant was 1-for-3 with a walk and run scored. Stars of the Week Vince York : 23 AB, 8 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .348 AVG, .810 OPS Jim Kyle : 24 AB, 8 H, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .333 AVG, .833 OPS John Kincaid : 25 AB, 8 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .320 AVG, .733 OPS Weekly Summary Well this week just sucked... I miss May... A 1-5 week was the last thing we needed and we are now in fourth and 3 games behind the Sailors (31-20) with Baltimore (30-22) and New York (29-21) are 1.5 games ahead of us. The Stars will be in town for four after the Saints (21-30) series and then the Cannons come in for three before an off day. The homestand hasn't treated us too well as the sub .500 teams will be at worst 3-5 against us if we win both games against Montreal. I've decided to take some drastic measures and will bring both Barrell and Combs back without rehab assignments. Herman Rachford and Tom Rogers will head down to AAA, but neither of them really made an impact in their time on the roster. I'm hoping adding two great bats to the lineup will help wake us up from this slump. Both guys will get extra days off as I really don't want another injury. Tom Taylor just slugged his 10th home run of the season. If he hits just six more, he'll already tie Bill Ashbaugh's team best 16 last season and pass his own total from last season. It hasn't been a perfect first season in Chicago for Taylor, who's hitting a league average .271/.346/.443 (100 OPS+), but the 10 homers have been a huge boost to a team without power. No one else in the lineup even has 4, and we're not even last (6th) in the league in homers. There's still a lot of time for Taylor to heat up, but at least the power is back. Injury Report SS Russ Combs (FABL Chicago Cougars): Activated from the DL C Fred Barrell (FABL Chicago Cougars): Activated from the DL 2B Red O'Neal (AAA Milwaukee Blues): Activated from the DL LF Harry Humphrey (A Lincoln Legislators): Activated from the DL SP Pete Carey (A Lincoln Legislators): Ruptured disc (8 months) SP Billy LeBeau (B San Jose Cougars): Strained triceps (4 weeks) SP Roy Byrd (C La Crosse Lions): Back spasms (6 days) Transactions C Herman Rachford and SS Tom Rogers were both optioned to AAA Milwaukee Minor League Report 1B Jim Hatfield (A Lincoln Legislators): Even at 19, Jim Hatfield had an excellent 43 game stretch that earned him a promotion out of San Jose. Hatfield hit .274/.324/.482 (116 OPS+) with 6 homers, 7 steals, and 24 RBI's in 182 trips to the plate. "The Bandit" has plus speed on the bases and steals bases with ease, giving way to his nickname. Not only that, he can hit the ball with consistency and it can just fly off the bat. I've thought about trying him somewhere other then first, but it's hard to find a position for him since it's all he played and there are no ratings. He could probably play the outfield well, but I'm thinking maybe he can shift to second base if I need to find more playing time for him. He's young so he has time to develop and he could eventually replace Ashbaugh, who's 8 years older then him. Amateur Report For this Amateur Report I'm going to cover the High School Champion Portland HS Lumberjacks. I'm actually pretty shocked they won as they don't have a very deep or talented team. These are really the only prospects of note: CF Elias Canady: Easily the best player on the roster, the sophomore is one of the best youngsters in the league. He hit .304/.372/.652 (183 OPS+) with 15 homers and 42 RBI's in another excellent season. The first was even better, as he hit .376/.438/.679 (210 OPS+) with 12 homers and 45 RBI's. Canady is extremely talented, a plus defender and amazing hitter. Not only do pitcher's hate facing him, he can draw a ton of walks with excellent plate discipline. He can hit any pitch and strikeouts should never be much of a problem for him. He's got the talent to be a franchise cornerstone and whatever team selects him in 1933 will be extremely lucky to have him. SP Tom Phelps: He didn't pitch his first two seasons in high school, but Phelps was one of the co-aces in a strong rotation. He was 2-4, but with a 2.50 ERA (145 ERA+), 1.33 WHIP, and 59 strikeouts in 75.2 innings pitched. He doesn't throw too hard, but at 6'1'', he gets good downward motion on his fastball. He's still young too, and can easily add a few miles on to his pitches. He's got a decent hold of all three of his pitches and he has the potential to fill a big league staff. SP El Long: Like Phelps, he didn't pitch in his first two seasons. And like Phelps, year three was pretty good. He was 4-2 with a 2.60 ERA (140 ERA+), 0.95 WHIP, and 40 strikeouts in 62.1 innings. Long throws an excellent change up that compliments a mid 80s cutter. When he needs a hitter to chase, the curveball is sharp and fools most hitters. Like Phelps, he's got the future to pitch in a big league rotation.

06-03-2020, 08:39 PM	#132
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 9: June 8th-June 14th June 8th, 1931 Montreal Saints (22-30): 9 Chicago Cougars (29-25): 8 18 Innings W: Dave Paynter (4-6) L: Taylor Collins (0-1) Well I just think this is a bad omen... There was a lot of late scoring, but we had a 7-5 lead headed to the 9th. Dick Kadlec, who I debated optioning (and probably should have) walked 4 and allowed 3 runs as the Saints took an 8-7 lead. We didn't give up there, as Phil Vaughan took an 0-2 mistake and deposited it 366 feet from home plate to tie the game. But then, despite both teams averaging nearly a run an inning, the 10th through 17th(!) innings didn't see a single run. Not only that, we had just one base runner (a walk) from the 13th on. We cracked first, as Dave Paynter delivered a tie breaking single. Dave Paynter is the Saints #3 starter and he had himself a game. They ran out of relievers, and not only did he deliver the go ahead single, he threw 6 innings with 5 strikeouts and just one walk. Hours before the game ended, Dick Lyons made the start. He went 7.2 innings with 13 hits, 5 runs (3 earned), and 6 strikeouts. Taylor Collins got the loss, but pitched rather well, 4 innings with 4 hits, a run, 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts. Claude Purvis tossed 3 innings with a hit, walk, and strikeout. John Kincaid was 4-for-8 with 2 doubles and RBI's. Harry Simmons was 3-for-6 with a triple, 2 walks, an RBI, and 2 runs scored. Fred Barrell was 2-for-8 with a double and 2 runs scored in his return to the lineup. Russ Combs was 2-for-8 with a double, walk, run scored, and RBI in his return, but he made two errors that really killed us. Cy Bryant was 2-for-7 with 2 doubles and an RBI. June 9th, 1931 Montreal Saints (23-30): 4 Chicago Cougars (29-26): 3 W: Rich Fisher (6-1) L: Steve Castellini (4-6) SV: Randy Taylor (3) And that's seven... All at home... The formerly last place Saints came to town and took all four games from us... Steve Castellini allowed 12 hits, 4 runs, and 2 walks with just 1 strikeout in the complete game. Slim Bloom was 2-for-3 with a double, walk, run scored, and RBI. Tom Taylor was 2-for-4 with a steal and run scored. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-4 with a triple and RBI. Russ Combs was 2-for-5 with an RBI. Tom Taylor was 2-for-4 with a steal and run scored. June 10th, 1931 New York Stars (31-22): 14 Chicago Cougars (29-27): 1 W: Mutt Pharr (4-3) L: Dick Leudtke (5-5) I'm speechless... It was an awful start for Dick Leudtke, who allowed 11 hits and 9 runs (8 earned), with a walk in just 3.2 innings pitched. Taylor Collins allowed 5 hits and 5 runs with 2 walks and a strikeout in 3.1 innings pitched. John Kincaid was 3-for-4 with a double and run scored. This was a bad one... June 11th, 1931 New York Stars (31-23): 1 Chicago Cougars (30-27): 3 W: Jim Crawford (6-4) L: Gene Stevens (3-6) Oh man! Oh MAN! OH MANNNNNNN!!!! WE WON AGAIN!!!!!! Our losing streak will stop at eight, which is giving me flashbacks from the 1929 season. Jim Crawford tossed an absolute gem, 7 hits, a run, walk, and 4 strikeouts in a complete game victory. Harry Simmons was 2-for-3 with a double and RBI. Tom Taylor was 1-for-4 with a solo shot. June 12th, 1931 New York Stars (31-24): 7 Chicago Cougars (31-27): 8 W: Earl Slater (1-2) L: Dick Kadlec (3-2) When the 9th inning started, it was 7-3. And the Stars were winning. Most of the 20,000 were dejected because not only did Russ Combs leave the game with an injury in the 6th, it was about to be the start of another eight game losing streak. Earl Slater walked back out to the mound and it seemed pretty obvious this game was over. But, then something magical happened. First Kincaid walked. Then Taylor singled. Then Ashbaugh drove Kincaid home with a double and it looked like something might happen. York singled home Taylor, then Barrell singled home Ashbaugh. Just like that, we were just down by one round. I want to shoot my manager for making Cy Bryant bunt, giving them the first out of the inning, but it is how the game was played back then. Harry Simmons was, but grounded out to first and no runners could advance. Slater intentionally walked Phil Vaughan to bring up Lee Sparks. Sparks hit a soft ground ball, he hustled to first and beat it out, as York scored the game tieing run. Now tied at seven we're back where it started with John Kincaid up to bat. He lined the first pitch to left and the crowd erupted as Fred Barrell touched home plate. WE DID IT!!! IT FEELS LIKE THE WORLD SERIES!!! Whew... Kincaid had the two singles, a hit by pitch, run scored, and the game winning RBI in five trips to the plate. Vince York was 2-for-5 with 2 runs scored and driven in. Barrell was 2-for-5 with a run scored and two driven in. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-3 with a double, steal, walk, and run scored. Max Wilder had a rough start, 16 hits and 6 runs with 2 walks and 3 strikeouts in 8 innings pitched. Kadlec allowed 2 hits, a walk, and run in the 9th. June 13th, 1931 New York Stars (31-25): 3 Chicago Cougars (32-27): 6 W: Dick Lyons (7-3) L: Lou Martino (7-2) The finale was ours, as we managed to string three wins together to take the series. So we can beat the good teams, but not the bad ones? Dick Lyons made an excellent start, 7 scoreless with 6 hits, a walk, and 2 strikeouts. Taylor Collins allowed 4 hits, 3 runs, and 2 walks with 2 strikeouts in 2 innings. Tom Taylor was 3-for-4 with a double, run scored, and 2 RBI's. John Kincaid was 2-for-4 with 2 doubles and 2 runs scored. Vince York was 2-for-4 with a double and 2 RBI's. Harry Simmons was 2-for-5 with a run scored. June 14th, 1931 Baltimore Cannons (34-25): 4 Chicago Cougars (32-28): 3 W: Ken Carpenter (10-5) L: Steve Castellini (4-7) We welcomed the second place Cannons to town for three in our last series before a day off. We did all our scoring in the 8th, but it wasn't enough as the Cannons topped us 4-3 in the opener. To make matters worth, Fred Barrell left with back stiffness... Castellini made the start, 8 innings with 10 hits, 4 runs (2 earned), and 4 strikeouts. John Kincaid was 2-for-4 with a walk. Cy Bryant and Slim Bloom were both 2-for-4 without the walk. Stars of the Week John Kincaid : 33 AB, 14 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .424 AVG, 1.048 OPS Harry Simmons : 26 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .346 AVG, .875 OPS Tom Taylor : 31 AB, 9 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .290 AVG, .753 OPS Weekly Summary When this week started, I thought I was going to have get rid of all my players and coaching staff after a 12 game losing streak that still isn't over. I'm not sure how the Saints swept us, but baseball can be like that sometimes. We've fallen to 4.5 games out of first with the Sailors (35-22) still on top. Baltimore (34-25) and New York (32-25) sit between us and them. After we finish the three game set with the Cannons, we'll get out first off day of a 4-9 June. We'd then head to Brooklyn (29-29) and Montreal (24-34) for hopefully some road revenge after they took seven out of eight from us in Chicago. Both Combs and Barrell hit well in their returns, but they also both got hurt again. Neither injury is major, so no DL stint needed, but I will be giving them alternate days off. If either get a more serious injury next sim, it'll be hard to forgive myself, but I just can't afford to keep their bats out of the lineup. I'll be moving on from Dick Kadlec as stopper, and he'll be sent down to AAA Milwaukee. Instead of appointing another closer it will be an open audition for the 9th inning role. Kadlec was in the midst of an awful season. He was 1-2 with 5 saves, but an astronomical 7.04 ERA (61 ERA+) and 2.04 WHIP with more walks (19) then strikeouts (12). It looks like the pen may not be the future for him, so I'll let him start in Milwaukee for now. Injury Report SS Russ Combs (FABL Chicago Cougars): Sore back (one week) C Fred Barrell (FABL Chicago Cougars): Back stiffness (5 days) CF Tom Thomas (AAA Milwaukee Blues): Oblique strain (5-6 weeks) LF Harry Humphrey (A Lincoln Legislators): Back spasms (uncertain) SP Roy Arnold (B San Jose Cougars): Mild shoulder strain (6 days) Transactions Optioned CL Dick Kadlec to AAA Milwaukee. Recalled SP Ace McSherry from AAA Milwaukee. Minor League Report RF Ed Rhoden (AAA Milwaukee Blues): With Tom Thomas heading to the DL, Ed Rhoden is going to get some reps out in center. He has experience in all three outfield spots, but most of his innings have come out in right. I want to give him more experience here as Rhoden could be a very valuable bench piece for us if he can handle center. There's no question he can hit, however, and he's slashing .320/.375/.470 (120 OPS+) with 6 homers, 10 steals, and 26 RBI's in 227 plate appearances. Since he's on the 40-Man roster, there's a really good chance we'll see him in Chicago some time this year. I won't bring him up any time soon since I want him to have time in center, but he's definitely got a shot to win a bench spot next season. SP Johnny Walker (A Lincoln Legislators): As a High School senior, Johnny Walker struck out 136 batters in 83.1 innings pitched to set the Berkley Bears single season record and the second most in a season All-Time. With that, I thought he could be the next Rabbit Day and took him in the third round. He's had a solid minor league career, but this season he's really broken out. In 10 starts, he's 5-3 with a 1.42 ERA (273 ERA+), 0.89 WHIP, and 89 strikeouts in 82.1 innings pitched. He's just 21, so I'm not quite sure if he's ready for AA, but Walker might be moving up soon. He's an extremely talented lefty who throws a nice 92-94 MPH fastball. What gets the strikeout is his huge breaking ball which looks like it's down the middle one second and then on home plate when you start swinging. The movement is just as impressive on the fastball and change, and he generates a ton of ground ball outs. Walker is a tiny guy, just 5'8'' 145, so he doesn't fit the prototypical mold of big league starters, but very few pitchers can strike out batters like he can. He doesn't have much prospect hype, but I think he's going to be an excellent major leaguer. Amateur Report The College finals are taking place this week between the Henry Hudson Explorers (29-21) and Central Ohio Aviators (33-17). I'll cover the Explorers FABL hopefuls today and the Aviators hopefuls tomorrow. SP Curly Jones: Henry Hudson is known for their excellent rotation. Jones is the ace of a staff that includes the 2nd, 4th, and 8th best prospects in College and the top three pitchers. The sophomore Jones is the probably the best amateur pitcher in the world, and he had an excellent second season. He was 8-5 with a 2.29 ERA (194 ERA+), 0.90 WHIP, and 144 strikeouts in 133.1 innings pitched. Jones can throw flat out gas, reaching 98 with his fastball and sometimes he can put on a little more to graze triple digits. He has an excellent cutter and change up as well as maybe he's called Curly because of how the ball curls on it's way to home plate. He can hit any quadrant of the strike zone and sometimes it looks like he can put the ball where he wants. He's got ace potential and could possibly be the #1 pick next year. SP George Gilliard: There might not be any team that has an ace with as much potential as Gilliard. And he doesn't even get to be the ace on his own team. Like Allen, he's a sophomore, but Gilliard is much less developed then Allen and his allure is more on his potential then his current performance. That's not to say this year wasn't good, as he was a respectable 7-5 with a 3.33 ERA (134 ERA+), 1.07 WHIP, and 98 strikeouts. Gilliard is a siedarmed groundballer who gets crazy movement on his pitches. He has excellent command of his four pitch arsenal and when he's on he's almost unhittable. The only problem for him he's occasionally prone for rough outings when a pitch or two gets a way from him and lands right in the center of the plate. He's got ace potential as well, but he's a lost more risky then most college starters. I can see him falling out of the first round if he doesn't have a breakout senior year, but I'm not sure I would let him get past me. SP Joe Hancock: The best freshman pitcher in baseball happens to pitch for a team with two other aces. Hancock can't throw in the 90s like Jones and Gilliard, but he's still an excellent arm. He was 5-6 with a 3.06 ERA (146 ERA+), 1.12 WHIP, and 76 strikeouts in 100 innings pitched in his first college season. "Nutso" has brilliant control and an excellent change up and he very rarely gives up a long ball. He's overshadowed now with Jones and Gilliard in front of him, but don't be surprised if he has a huge Junior year when he's all by himself. Well, not completely, as another top freshman arm in lefty Jack Wood. He didn't get to pitch this year, but Wood also has big league potential himself. C Bill Malachi: The team is really all pitching, but they have a valuable piece on offense in catcher Bill Malachi. He's going to be Jones and Gilliard's battery make for all three seasons as he's a sophomore as well. He has a nice .291/.407/.487 (130 OPS+) batting line with 3 homers and 23 RBI's in a nice sophomore season. He's got great plate discipline and it's really hard for pitchers to fool him. He makes good contact and will hit the occasional home run and pitchers seem to like throwing to him. He's not an excellent hitter, but he's a dependable hitter with a future as a major league catcher.

06-04-2020, 09:17 PM	#133
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 10: June 15th-June 21st June 15th, 1931 Baltimore Cannons (34-26): 2 Chicago Cougars (33-28): 5 W: Dick Leudtke (6-5) L: Rabbit Day (7-7) We shook of the loss quickly as an excellent outing by Dick Leudtke helped us take the middle game 5-2. He went all nine with 7 hits, 2 runs, a walk, and 2 strikeouts as he shook off a few recent rough starts. Harry Simmons was 2-for-4 with a steal and RBI. Bill Ashbaugh was 1-for-2 with a walk, run, sac-fly, and steal. Cy Bryant was 1-for-3 with a walk and run scored. June 16th, 1931 Baltimore Cannons (34-27): 1 Chicago Cougars (34-28): 4 W: Jim Crawford (7-4) L: Dutch Leverett (7-5) Jim Crawford was near unhittable in the rubber match, and we took the series with a nice 4-1 win. He allowed just one earned run with 4 hits, a walk, and 4 strikeouts in the complete game victory. Rule-5 Pick Phil Vaughan was the entirety of the offense, going 2-for-4 with a walk, solo homer, and three run homer. Fred Barrell was 1-for-4 with a double. Vince York was 1-for-3 with a walk and run scored. We're off tomorrow, but I think I know the strategy for winning when we get back to playing baseball: Don't play the Kings or Saints. Oh wait... June 18th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (35-28): 8 Brooklyn Kings (32-30): 2 W: Max Wilder (7-6) L: Lou Loiselle (1-1) Last time we played the Kings was in Chicago and they did most of the winning. This time we are in Brooklyn for four. Now that they're over .500, we decided that we can beat them, and piled on 8 runs in an 8-2 victory. Tom Taylor was 2-for-4 with a homer, walk, 3 runs, and 3 RBI's. Vince York was 2-for-5 with 3 RBI's. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-5 with a double, run scored, and driven in. Slim Bloom was 2-for-5 with a double and run scored. Cy Bryant was 1-for-4 with a walk, double, and run. Cy Bryant was 1-for-4 with a double, walk, and run scored. Max Wilder continued the run of impressive starts, 8.2 innings with 6 hits, 2 runs, 3 walks, and 4 strikeouts. June 19th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (36-28): 6 Brooklyn Kings (32-31): 1 W: Dick Lyons (8-3) L: Lyman Weigel (7-7) The run of starts with 2 or less runs allowed continued, as this time it was Dick Lyons who pitched the gem as we topped the hosts 6-1 and every hitter in our lineup got a hit. He allowed 4 hits, a run, and a walk with a pair of punch outs in the complete game victory. He was also 2-for-4 with a run scored and driven in. Harry Simmons was 2-for-5 with 2 doubles and RBI's. Tom Taylor was 2-for-4 with a walk, steal, and run scored. Jim Kyle was 2-for-4 with a run scored. June 20th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (37-28): 9 Brooklyn Kings (32-32): 6 W: Steve Castellini (5-7) L: Tommy Wilcox (10-7) The run of effective starts ended here, but our win streak is now up to five and we set up a four game road sweep. Vince York led the way with 3 doubles, 2 runs, and 2 RBI's in five at bats. Harry Simmons was 3-for-4 with a run scored, walk, and RBI. John Dibblee was 2-for-6 with a triple, run scored, and two driven in. Cy Bryant was 1-for-3 with 2 walks and 2 runs. Steve Castellini made the start, 8 innings with 11 hits, 5 runs, and a walk. Chick Meehan allowed 2 hits, a run, and walk with a strikeout in an inning of work. June 21st, 1931 Chicago Cougars (37-29): 2 Brooklyn Kings (33-32): 7 W: Milt Fritz (11-6) L: Jim Crawford (7-5) Now that the Kings are no longer over .500, we forgot how to win, and they salvaged the finale with a 7-2 win. It was a rare rough outing for Jim Crawford, 7.2 innings with 12 hits, 7 runs (6 earned), 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts. Tom Taylor was 2-for-4 with a double and RBI. Harry Simmons was 1-for-3 with a double and run scored. Bill Ashbaugh was 1-for-3 with a walk and run scored. Stars of the Week Harry Simmons : 23 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 6 RBI, .391 AVG, 1.027 OPS Tom Taylor : 24 AB, 8 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .333 AVG, .907 OPS Vince York : 23 AB, 8 H, 0 HR, 7 RBI, .348 AVG, .901 OPS Weekly Summary A 5-1 week is just what the Doctor ordered, but we didn't really gain too much ground on the pack. We're tied with the Sailors (36-28) for third while Baltimore (38-27) is back in first after sweeping the Wolves. New York (36-27) is right behind after a four game sweep of the Foresters. After three games in Montreal (28-36), we have to go to both Baltimore and New York for four games before a day off to end our roadtrip. I think the biggest shock of the season so far is how it's been our pitching that's led the team instead of the offense. We've fallen to 4th in runs scored, but we're up to 2nd in runs against and we have the best rotation in the league. A big part of that is the breakout of 25-year-old Jim Crawford. He's just 7-5, but he's got an elite 2.85 ERA (151 ERA+), 1.24 WHIP, and 36 strikeouts in 107.1 innings pitched. Just three pitchers have a better ERA then him in the CA, and just ERA leader Rich Fisher (193) has a higher ERA+. Steve Castellini just turned 37 on June 17th, but his return to Chicago hasn't gone as planned. He's not having a bad season per say, but his 5-7 record, 4.23 ERA (102 ERA+), and 1.54 WHIP aren't at the level they should be. Last year he lead the league in BB/9 (1.0) with the Gothams, but he's already at 19 walks compared to 28 last year and his K/9 rate has dropped from 3.1 to 2.0. One reason for this could be attributed to his velocity drop. When I traded for him in November, he was throwing 91-93, but come Opening Day he dropped all the way down to 87-89. I was worried this trend would continue, but thankfully he hasn't dropped anymore. I'm not sure Castellini can pitch more then two more seasons, but I think he'll hold up for the rest of the year. His acquisition would look worse if Russel wasn't injured, but Castellini has still provided us with dependable innings. In a few years, perhaps I regret letting Ben Turner go (who's having an excellent season in AA), but I don't have any buyers remorse as I knew it was a risky pickup. Injury Report LF Harry Humphrey (A Lincoln Legislators): Activated from the DL SP Roy Arnold (B San Jose Cougars): Activated from the DL Amateur Report Henry Hudson's pitching was too good, as the Explorers took two our of three from the Central Ohio Aviators. I covered the Explorers yesterday, so here's the runner up Aviators: 2B Freddie Jones: By now, you probably know who Freddie Jones is. The 21-year-old is the favorite for the #1 overall selection this season, and this season was the first year he didn't hit over .400. Jones will finish his college career with a .425/.550/.601 (210! OPS+) batting line with 16 homers, 102 RBI's, and 22 steals. Jones had a famous Freshman season where he hit an astronomical .486/.625/.665 (257 OPS+) where he set the single season on base percentage and walk (64) record. Jones is an extremely talented baseball player who can flat out hit. It's nearly impossible to get him to swing and miss as he only struck out 19 times in almost 700 plate appearances. There really aren't many prospects that could make the jump from college straight to the majors, but I think Jones could probably start at second for almost any team in the league right now. SP Joe Stevens: Like Jones, Joe Stevens is also draft eligible, but he's going to be taken a lot of picks behind him. That's not to say he isn't good, as he's tallied 284 collegiate innings with a 3.33 ERA (141 ERA+) and 1.16 WHIP. He's 21-11 with 274 strikeouts, and struck out 100 or more batters as a freshman and junior. This season was probably the best for him, as he finished 9-6 with a 2.72 ERA (158 ERA+), 1.16 WHIP, and 112 strikeouts in 116 innings pitched. Stevens is a tall righty who sits comfortably in the low to mid 90s with a pretty solid fastball. He's got good control and won't make too many mistakes when on the mound. He's got a lot of upside and could fit nicely in the middle of an FABL team's rotation. SP Jim Taylor: His junior season was the worst of his college career, and it ended with a herniated disc. Jim Taylor went 6-3 with a 3.66 ERA (117 ERA+), 1.23 WHIP, and 45 strikeouts in 10 starts before the injury so he didn't get to pitch in the postseason. He finished his college career 17-11 with a 3.22 ERA (145 ERA+), 1.20 WHIP, and 253 strikeouts in 279.1 innings pitched. Taylor features a really good low 90s sinker and he is a groundball artist. The injury hurt his draft stock a bit, but he should still be a nice middle round pickup for someone. CF Levi Redding: A native of Chicago, Levi Redding is an athletic center fielder who can steal a ton of bases and has excellent range in the grass. The sophomore had a nice season, hitting .350/.402/.486 (137 OPS+) with 5 homers, 20 steals, and 27 RBI's. The lefty is an excellent leadoff hitter with the potential to hit well over .300 in the majors. Not only that, he does a good job getting on base, and that's where he's most dangerous. He can steal bases effortlessly and already has 33 in just two seasons. He's got a little pop too and should hit double digit homers a year. He's got a lot of upside and should patrol center for decades on a big league club. SS Tony White: Another really good sophomore, Tony White hit .345/.419/.461 (136 OPS+) with 5 homers, 12 steals, and 31 RBI's in 206 at bats. White is an extremely versatile player, who can man second, third, short, and left. His freshman year he struggled at short, but he turned things around this season with a +5.1 ZR and 1.040 efficiency. He's got good speed and a lot of range in the infield and there seems to be no limit to the balls he can get to. At the plate he's extremely patient and will make the pitcher work. It helps hitting before Freddie Jones, but next season him and Redding will have to carry a larger portion of the offense. White has the talent to be a great shortstop for years to come. LF Bob Gillespie: It was a "down" year of sorts for Gillespie, as he couldn't match his .399/.455/.649 (183 OPS+) batting line as a freshman. And while he hit "just" .322/.391/.541 (148 OPS+), he doubled his homers from 4 to 8 and drove in 58 runs in 230 trips to the plate. Gillespie adjusted his approach to add more power to his bat, but he also saw his strikeouts jump from 5 to 11. Gillespie has a lot of offensive talent and a big league future, but his upside is different from White and Redding. They are both provide excellent defensive value, while Gillespie is just a passable defender out in left. His value is tied completely to his bat, which makes him a little less valuable. Even then, he's a far better hitter who will likely replace the graduating Jones in the 3 hole. 1B Tom Cannon: They may be losing Freddie Jones next season, but the Sophomore class at Central Ohio is just so deep. Slugger Tom Cannon will likely cleanup next year after hitting .260/.341/.531 (130 OPS+) with 12 homers and 42 RBI's. It's a big improvement on a Freshman campaign where he hit just .226/.308/.417 (86 OPS+) with 5 homers and 25 RBI's. Cannon has a decent eye, but he takes big cuts which turn into a lot of swings and misses. He's loaded with power potential and provides a lot of thump. He's not a top prospect, but Cannons looks draft worthy and he could work his way onto a big league roster. RF Chick Merritt: Yep, another sophomore! Chick Merritt has a nice .297/.358/.496 (122 OPS+) career batting line with 15 homers and 67 RBI's in 436 plate appearances. A lefty slugger, Merritt does a good job of only swinging at the strikes and uses every inch of his 6'3'', 200 pound frame when he unleashes a swing. When he makes contact, the ball absolutely flies and he lines shots all around the field. He's a little awkward out in right, but he's got a nice arm and with a little work he could be an alright defender. He's been consistent, but he'll need a strong Junior year if he wants to be selected early. SP Ed Owens: Undrafted last year, Ed Owens decided to attend Central Ohio and it's one of the best decisions he could have made. As a high school senior, he had a 9.00 ERA (45 ERA+) and 2.29 WHIP with 21 strikeouts in 24 innings for Reading HS. One year later, the Southpaw went 4-1 with a 2.61 ERA (164 ERA+), 1.50 WHIP, and 28 strikeouts in 62 innings pitched. Could it be a fluke? Perhaps, but he added a little velocity on his fastball and cutter which made his change up look a little bit better. He's young and has a lot of time to develop, but the Aviators may have found a gem here for their staff.

06-06-2020, 03:18 PM	#134
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 11: June 22nd-June 28th June 22nd, 1931 Chicago Cougars (37-30): 4 Montreal Saints (29-36): 6 W: Walker Moore (7-7) L: Dick Leudtke (6-6) We're north of the border in Montreal to face our new arch-nemesis Saints. A big three run 7th gave the Saints a 6-4 lead they'd carry to the finish. Bill Ashbaugh did all he could, gong 3-for-3 with a walk, two homers, and 3 RBI's. John Kincaid was 2-for-5 with a run scored. Fred Barrell was 1-for-3 with a double, hit by pitch, and run scored. Dick Leudtke made the start, 8 innings with 8 hits, 6 runs (4 earned), 3 walks, and 4 strikeouts. June 23rd, 1931 Chicago Cougars (38-30): 4 Montreal Saints (29-37): 3 W: Max Wilder (8-6) L: Dave Paynter (5-8) SV: Chick Meehan (2) We evened up the series with a nail biting 4-3 victory. Vince York was 3-for-4 with a double, triple, and 3 RBI's. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored. Russ Combs was 2-for-5 with a steal and run scored. Tom Taylor was 1-for-3 with a double, walk, and run scored. Max Wilder picked up the win, 8 innings with 7 hits, 2 runs, a walk, and 4 strikeouts. Chick Meehan picked up the save despite 2 hits and a run in the 9th. June 24th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (38-31): 3 Montreal Saints (30-37): 13 W: Rich Fisher (8-1) L: Dick Lyons (8-4) The pitching imploded today, and the Saints crushed us 13-3. Dick Lyons allowed 11 hits and 9 runs with 2 walks and a strikeout in 5.2 innings pitched. Taylor Collins went 2.1 innings with 5 hits, 4 runs, and 2 walks. John Kincaid was a perfect 4-for-4 with a run scored. Vince York was 3-for-4 with 2 runs, 2 RBI's,a double, and homer. Slim Bloom was 1-for-3 with a walk and RBI. June 25th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (38-32): 1 Baltimore Cannons (42-27): 13 W: Dutch Leverett (9-5) L: Steve Castellini (5-8) Off to Baltimore for a series with the first place Cannons. They absolutely demolished us in the opener and crushed us 13-1. Steve Castellini had another rough start, 11 hits and 7 runs with 2 walks and 2 strikeouts in 6.2 innings pitched. Taylor Collins, who shouldn't have pitched today, allowed 5 hits, 6 runs, and a walk with a strikeout in an inning pitched. Cy Bryant was 2-for-3 with a double. Vince York was 2-for-4. Phil Vaughan was 1-for-4 with a run scored. June 26th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (38-33): 1 Baltimore Cannons (43-27): 2 W: Ken Carpenter (12-5) L: Jim Crawford (7-6) The pitching recovered with Jim Crawford on the mound, but the offense was completely non-existent. Crawford went 8 with 7 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 3 strikeouts. Russ Combs was 2-for-4 with a solo homer. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-4 with a double. John Kincaid was 1-for-3 with a sac-bunt. June 27th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (39-33): 8 Baltimore Cannons (43-28): 4 W: Dick Leudtke (7-6) L: Bob Miller (7-9) It looked like four losses in a row before we rallied for five in the 8th to at least salvage one of the four games in Baltimore. Dick Leudtke pitched fine, 9 innings with 6 hits, 4 runs (3 earned), 4 walks, and 3 strikeouts. He was also 1-for-3 with a sac-bunt, hit by pitch, double, run scored, and RBI. Fred Barrell was 3-for-5 with a double and run scored. Harry Simmons was 3-for-4 with a RBI and two runs scored. John Kincaid was 2-for-4 with an RBI and sac-bunt. Cy Bryant was 1-for-4 with a double, walk, and run scored. Lee Sparks was 1-for-3 with a run scored, walk, and RBI. June 28th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (39-34): 2 Baltimore Cannons (44-28): 3 W: Rabbit Day (9-7) L: Max Wilder (8-7) SV: Paul Vandenberg (3) The finale, however, was more of the same, and we finished off a rough week with another loss. Max Wilder had a good outing, 7 innings with 6 hits, 2 runs, a walk, and 2 strikeouts. Chick Meehan allowed a hit and run in the 8th.Bill Ashbaugh was 3-for-5 with a solo homer. John Kincaid was 2-for-4 with a walk and run scored. Fred Barrell and Tom Taylor were both 2-for-5. Stars of the Week Bill Ashbaugh : 28 AB, 12 H, 3 HR, 6 RBI, .429 AVG, 1.252 OPS Vince York : 29 AB, 11 H, 1 HR, 6 RBI, .379 AVG, 1.021 OPS John Kincaid : 29 AB, 12 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .414 AVG, .847 OPS Weekly Summary I think the only good thing about this week was the performance of Bill Ashbaugh. He was 12-for-18 and doubled his season home run total from three to six. Even with this week though, Ashbaugh has had by far the worst year of his career. He's hitting just .329/.380/.466 (115 OPS+) with 6 steals and 42 RBI's. It doesn't look like a bad line, but it's far from his career .320/.390/.524 (134 OPS+) line and this year's OPS+ is 10 points worse then the lowest he's had in five FABL seasons. Losing five of seven this week really hurt, and now we have four games against the second place Stars (40-30). All the losing we did to the Cannons has given them a three game lead over New York and three and a half over Philly (40-31). Now a full five and a half out, things are starting to get bad really fast. I'm starting to worry a little as we're almost in July and we're just five games over .500. I definitely expected to be in Baltimore's spot, not ours, and we may already be too far back. It's too early to panic, but I might have to make a few trades. The hard part is that a lot of the spots that need to be upgraded have starters that I can't really upgrade on. I can't put Tom Taylor, John Kincaid, or Fred Barrell on the bench, so the only spots I can really make upgrades on are second and center. Starting with center, Cy Bryant hasn't done well since coming over from Toronto. He's hitting just .273/.322/.351 (72 OPS+) with 7 steals and 27 RBI's. I got him to make an improvement over Bob McCarty and George Jordan, but he's almost replicated their lines just with steals instead of homers. And at second, Simmons hasn't been bad by any means, but adding another infielder could allow us to give Combs more days off and rotate rested players in. Since I'm not looking to upgrade now, I'm going to try to solve this by working in a loose platoon at short and second. With Combs getting injured seemingly every day, I'm going to start giving Harry Simmons starts at short against righties to give Combs days off. I'm also going to use Slim Bloom at second against lefties to give Harry Simmons days off. The three players are going to rotate between the middle infield positions, while Simmons may also see time at third to give Kincaid days off. After four games in New York, we're finally going to get an off day. We'll get to return home, but we then have a one day double header against the last place Foresters (27-45). Then Toronto (28-43), the second to last place team, will come to three before another off day. We cannot afford to lose anymore games and we really need a good week. Injury Report SS Russ Combs (FABL Chicago Cougars): Sore back (5 days) RP Pete Walker (AAA Milwaukee Blues): Back spasms (one week) CF Pete Slater (A Lincoln Legislators): Returned from the DL SP Roy Byrd (C La Crosse Lions): Returned from the DL Minor League Report SP Dick Kadlec (AAA Milwaukee Blues): Most players don't take being demoted well. Others, however, use it as motivation. Dick Kadlec has made just three starts since demotion, but he's been dominant. In 26.2 innings pitched he has a minuscule 0.34 ERA (1304 ERA+), 0.97 WHIP, and 26 strikeouts. The only run he allowed was a solo homer in the first inning of his third start. This doesn't mean I plan on bringing him up anytime soon, but if he keeps pitching like this it might be hard to keep him in AAA for long. SP Mel Leonard (B San Jose Cougars): After 15 starts with La Crosse, it was time to see if #71 overall prospect Mel Leonard was ready for his first promotion. He was 6-6 with a 2.61 ERA (144 ERA+), 1.16 WHIP, and 92 strikeouts in 117.1 innings with the Lions. The 19-year-old is on his way up to join fellow top 100 prospect George DeForest in San Jose. Leonard has a ton of potential and should find himself in the middle of a big league rotation. He can throw in the high 80s with a hard fastball and he does an excellent job keeping the ball on the ground.

06-08-2020, 07:30 PM	#135
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 12: June 29th-July 5th June 29th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (40-34): 11 New York Stars (40-31): 8 13 Innings W: Ace McSherry (1-0) L: Boyd Harper (2-5) We started a four game series in New York with the second place Stars. We put up 6 runs in the 1st and it looked like this would be an easy win. In the bottom of the 8th, Taylor Collins allowed 5 runs and allowed the Stars to tie the game. It took extra frames to declare a winner, but Jim Kyle's base clearing triple gave us an 11-8 lead we managed to hang onto. Kyle had himself a game, 4-for-7 with 2 triples, a run scored, and 5 RBI's.Tom Taylor was 4-for-7 with a steal, 2 runs, and an RBI. Vince York was 2-for-5 with 2 runs, 2 walks, and an RBI. Dick Lyons, who made the start, was 1-for-2 with an RBI and sac-bunt. On the mound, he tossed 7 innings with 5 hits, 3 runs (1 earned), a walk, and strikeout. Collins didn't get an out, 4 hits and 5 runs with a walk. Ace McSherry made his season debut and picked up the win with a strikeout in two perfect frames. June 30th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (40-35): 2 New York Stars (41-31): 8 W: Dick Richards (9-2) L: Steve Castellini (5-8) The offense took a night off as we ended our rough June 12-16. It was another rough outing for Castellini, 15 hits and 8 runs with 3 walks and 2 strikeouts in 7.1 innings pitched. Cy Bryant was 2-for-2 with a walk and sac-bunt. Slim Bloom was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Fred Barrell was 1-for-3 with a double, walk, and run scored. Vince York was 1-for-4 with a steal and run scored. July 1st, 1931 Chicago Cougars (40-36): 2 New York Stars (42-31): 6 W: Mutt Pharr (5-4) L: Jim Crawford (7-7) We started July just like we ended June, scoring two runs in a loss to the Stars. Jim Crawford allowed 14 hits and 6 runs with 3 walks and 3 strikeouts in the 8 inning start. Lee Sparks was 2-for-3 with a double and 2 RBI's. Phil Vaughan was 1-for-2 with a pair of walks. Bill Ashbaugh was 1-for-4 with a run scored in his first FABL start at third. July 2nd, 1931 Chicago Cougars (41-36): 2 New York Stars (42-32): 1 W: Dick Leudtke (8-6) L: Gene Stevens (4-9) We managed to salvage the finale after a gem start from Dick Leudtke. He went all nine with 7 hits, a run, walk, and two strikeouts. John Dibblee was the hero of the offense, 2-for-4 with a two run double. Cy Bryant was 1-for-2 with a run scored and two walks. Harry Simmons was 2-for-4. We're off after this one, and will head home to host the Foresters for a quick double header. July 4th, 1931 Cleveland Foresters (27-50): 1 Chicago Cougars (42-36): 11 Game 1 W: Max Wilder (9-7) L: George Barker (6-6) We only get the Foresters for one day, and will play them twice. Game 1 couldn't have gone much better, as we crushed our guests 11-1. Harry Simmons was 3-for-5 with 2 doubles, 2 runs, and 5 RBI's. Fred Barrell was 3-for-4 with a double, walk, two runs, and two RBI's. Cy Bryant was 3-for-4 with a run scored and driven in. Vince York was 3-for-4 with a walk, RBI, and three runs scored. Tom Taylor was 1-for-3 with a steal, 2 walks, and 2 runs scored. July 4th, 1931 Cleveland Foresters (27-51): 5 Chicago Cougars (43-36): 6 Game 2 W: Dick Lyons (9-4) L: Karl Johnson (2-10) SV: Chick Meehan (3) Game two was much closer, but we managed to hold off a late 9th inning rally to sweep the double header with a 6-5 win. Dick Lyons pitched well in the start, 8 innings with 10 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), 2 walks, and 5 strikeouts. He was also 1-for-2 with a double, sac-bunt, run, and 2 RBI's. Chick Meehan had a rough ninth, but still picked up the save. He allowed 2 runs (1 earned) with 3 hits and a walk in the 9th. John Kincaid was 2-for-3 with a double, walk, run, and 2 RBI's. Harry Simmons was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Jim Kyle was 1-for-3 with a sac-fly and run scored. July 5th, 1931 Toronto Wolves (32-48): 4 Chicago Cougars (44-36): 5 W: Dick Leudtke (9-6) L: Birdie Smith (5-11) We welcomed the Wolves to town for a three game series. Tied at four in the 9th, Manager Dick Pozza let Dick Leudtke hit for himself, and he drove home Cy Bryant to help us walk-off 5-4 winners. Only one of the four runs Leudtke allowed were earned, and he had just 5 hits, a walk, and a strikeout. Russ Combs was 3-for-4 with a triple and run scored. Vince York was 2-for-3 with a walk, triple, double, and run scored. John Kincaid was 2-for-4 with a double, run scored, and RBI. Cy Bryant was 2-for-4 with a run scored and driven in. Tom Taylor was 1-for-4 with a walk and run scored. Stars of the Week Vince York : 27 AB, 10 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .370 AVG, .950 OPS Cy Bryant : 23 AB, 10 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .435 AVG, .953 OPS Dick Luedtke : 2 Wins, 18.0 IP, 2 BB, 3 K, 1.00 ERA Weekly Summary It wasn't a perfect week, but a split with the Stars is enough as we actually managed to win our games against the bad teams. It's a quick homestand we're on, as after we finish the Wolves series we'll use our off day to travel to Philly (43-36) for three with the now fifth place Sailors. The Kings (46-34) have been on a tear, and a 12 game wining streak has put them in second place behind just Baltimore (48-31). This makes things even harder for us, as now five teams are within five games of first place. It was an excellent week for starter Dick Leudtke who tossed two complete games with just two earned runs. He's technically are fourth starter despite being 9-6 with a 3.55 ERA (121 ERA+), 1.20 WHIP, and 36 strikeouts in 132 innings. I think with how well him and the rest of the rotation has done, Steve Castellini will get his starts skipped whenever I can. Unlike his former teammate, Castellini has endured a rough season. He's now 5-9 with a 4.89 ERA (88 ERA+), 1.62 WHIP, and 26 strikeouts in 114 innings pitched. And speaking of struggles, it's really hard to keep Taylor Collins on the active roster with how poor he's pitched. He's allowed 41 hits, 27 runs, and 16 walks in 27 innings and he's the only reason we have the worst bullpen ERA in the league. I think he's got excellent potential, but it's getting really tempting to release him. If I do, there are a lot of young options in AAA that I can bring up. Bill Kline, Mike Murphy, Ed Stevens, and Gus Cain are all MLB ready arms that are having solid seasons in Milwaukee. I won't be moving on from Collins yet, but if we start to slip, I may have to make a bold decision. One last note is on the coaching staff. I've extended all my minor league coaches, but Assistant GM Dan Richards and Bench Coach Hank Sims are due for their contracts to expire. Sims was our former manager who has a good relationship with the team and Richards has been assistant since 1927. I'm comfortable with extending both of them. Richards will get five years, Sims three. Injury Report RP Elmer Wood (AAA Milwaukee Blues): Returned from the DL 2B Red O'Neal (AAA Milwaukee Blues): Back stiffness (6 days) 3B John Kane (A Lincoln Legislators): Returned from the DL LF Dave Ward (B San Jose Cougars): Strained hamstring (8 weeks) 2B Tom Handy (C La Crosse Lions): Fractured foot (3-4 weeks) RP Lee Ralph (C La Crosse Lions): Forearm tendinitis (5 days) Minor League Report LF Joe Davis (AA Mobile Commodores): While June was a rough month for the big league, it was not for Joe Davis. He took home Player of the Month while hitting .387 with 2 homers, 22 RBI's, and 33 runs scored. The season has gone great for him, as he's hit .337/.418/.523 (144 OPS+) with 6 homers, 7 steals, and 46 RBI's. He lost his 40-Man spot in the offseaosn, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have a path to the majors. Davis can handle all three outfield positions and has even had some success in the past out in center. And in 205 FABL PA's, he's got an alright .287/.347/.448 (97 OPS+) with 2 homers, 8 steals, and 28 RBI's. He's low in the depth chart, but Month's like these tend to shake things up. SP Bobby Love (A Lincoln Legislators): It's been an excellent season in Lincoln for former 2nd Rounder Bobby Love. After six elite starts in San Jose, he's made seven really good ones in Lincoln. He's 4-1 with a 2.57 ERA (149 ERA+), 1.09 WHIP, and 56 strikeouts in 46.2 innings. Love has fallen back a little in the prospect chart, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have a big league future. He's got a nice low 90s fastball, but he has to work through his command issues. He's still got ways to go before being ready for the majors, but he may find himself in AA once the seasons ends. Attached Images

06-09-2020, 09:41 PM	#136
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 13: July 6th-July 12th July 6th, 1931 Toronto Wolves (32-49): 5 Chicago Cougars (45-36): 12 W: Jim Crawford (8-7) L: Barry Wood (6-6) The offense exploded for 21 hits which each player recording at least one in a 12-5 win. Jim Kyle was 4-for-5 with 3 runs, 3 RBI's, and just a triple short of the cycle. John Kincaid was 4-for-6 with a double and two runs scored. Russ Combs was 3-for-5 with a steal, walk, run scored, and RBI. Vince York was 3-for-5 with two runs scored and driven in. Harry Simmons was 2-for-5 with a triple, run scored, and RBI. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored. Jim Crawford made the start, although he wasn't too sharp. He pitched all nine, but allowed 9 hits, 5 runs, and 5 walks with 3 strikeouts. July 7th, 1931 Toronto Wolves (33-49): 10 Chicago Cougars (45-37): 5 W: Buddy Adams (4-2) L: W: Steve Castellini (5-10) We couldn't finish the sweep as the Wolves topped us 10-5 in the finale. Of course, Steve Castellini made the start, and he was roughed up for 10 hits and 9 runs with 2 walks and 3 strikeouts in 5.2 innings pitched. Tom Taylor was 3-for-5 with a double and 2 RBI's. John Kincaid was 3-for-5 with a double, run scored, and driven in. Fred Barrell was 1-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored. We used the off day for travel and made our way to Philly for four with the Sailors. July 9th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (45-38): 1 Philadelphia Sailors (46-37): 2 W: Rollie Beal (11-6) L: Max Wilder (9-8) The Sailor faithful were treated to an excellent pitcher's duel between Rollie Beal and Max Wilder. We were up 1-0 in the 8th, but the Sailors put together two runs in the bottom half to take the opener 2-1. Wilder looked good the rest of the game, just 6 hits, 2 runs, and 2 walks with 4 strikeouts in 8 strong innings. Tom Taylor was 3-for-4 with 2 steals and an RBI in his old home park. Harry Simmons was 1-for-2 with a walk. Cy Bryant was 1-for-2 with a double and sac-bunt. July 10th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (46-38): 3 Philadelphia Sailors (46-38): 1 W: Dick Lyons (10-4) L: Herb Lowman (8-6) Another low scoring affair in this one, but we came out on top this time 3-1. Dick Lyons pitched to another complete game victory, allowing 9 hits and just one run with 6 strikeouts as he became the first Cougar to 10 wins. John Kincaid was 3-for-5 with a double and pair of RBI's. Tom Taylor was 2-for-5 with a solo homer. Russ Combs was 2-for-5 with a run scored. Cy Bryant and Fred Barrell were both 1-for-4 with a double. July 11th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (47-38): 2 Philadelphia Sailors (46-39): 1 W: Dick Leudtke(10-6) L: Oscar Morse (11-9) All three games in the series the loser scored just one run, and today we got our second pitcher to reach double digit wins. Dick Leudtke pitched a great game, 5 hits, a run, and 3 strikeouts in the complete game victory. Phil Vaughan was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Cy Bryant was 1-for-3 with a run scored and sac-bunt. July 11th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (48-38): 6 Toronto Wolves (34-52): 5 W: Jim Crawford (9-7) L: Barry Wood (6-7) Our road trip would bring us North of the border, starting with two games with the Wolves on their turf this time. It was a tight one, but we held off a late Toronto rally to win the opener 6-5. Crawford went all nine, with three of the five runs he allowed unearned. He allowed 10 hits and struck out just one and went 1-for-3 with a sac-bunt and two run double. Former Wolf Cy Bryant was 2-for-3 with a walk and 2 runs scored. Fred Barrell was 2-for-4 with a double, run scored, and driven in. Vince York was 2-for-4 with 2 doubles and a run scored. John Kincaid was 1-for-4 with a double, run scored, and two driven in. Stars of the Week Tom Taylor : 26 AB, 11 H, 1 HR, 6 RBI, .423 AVG, 1.098 OPS John Kincaid : 27 AB, 12 H, 0 HR, 5 RBI, .444 AVG, 1.074 OPS Jim Kyle : 6 AB, 4 H, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .667 AVG, 2.000 OPS Awards Player of the Week: RF Tom Taylor Weekly Summary It was a nice 4-2 week, but we're still five games behind the Cannons (53-33) who don't like to lose too much. Brooklyn (47-40) slumped and we pushed our way past the Sailors (46-40), so just New York (51-35) stands between us and Baltimore. After we finish the quick two game set with the Wolves, we'll head home for four with Montreal (34-51) to start a homestand. We'll then get four with the Kings who have slumped a little after their 12 game win streak. That's the first half of a homestand that takes us towards the end of the month. The second leg is much tougher, as we'll get both Baltimore and New York. We need to win both those series so we can get closer to first. I spent all off season trying to trade Dick Lyons, but no one really showed much interest. He was coming off the worst season in his four year career, finishing 12-13 with a 4.99 ERA (98 ERA+), 1.57 WHIP, and 72 strikeouts in 230.2 innings pitched. This year, however, he's completely rebounded. As our first ten game winner, he's 10-4 with a 3.38 ERA (127 ERA+), 1.41 WHIP, and 48 strikeouts in 125.1 innings pitched. Lyons has been excellent all season and has allowed five or more runs in just three of his seventeen starts and he's only failed to get out of the 6th inning once all season. I'm glad I couldn't move him, as with Russel's injury and Castellini's struggles, Lyons has been crucial for us. I was actually pretty surprised Taylor was voted Player of the Week. He hit well, 11-for-26 (.423) with a homer and 6 RBI's, but it wasn't too spectacular of a week. I'm hoping it's a sign of better things to come, as Taylor is hitting a mediocre .280/.345/.431 (97 OPS+) with 13 homers, 13 steals, and 49 RBI's a little past the half way point in the season. He his third in the CA in homer and on pace for another 20/20 season, but last year's drop in production seems to be exactly how good Taylor is. Still, at just 26, I'm hoping Taylor can regain some of his 1928/1929 form down the stretch as we looked to try to win the pennant. Injury Report RP Pete Walker (AAA Milwaukee Blues): Returned from the DL RP Bob Bliss (A Lincoln Legislators): Herniated disc (one week) LF Harry Humphrey (A Lincoln Legislators): Strained oblique (3-4 weeks) RF Bill De Berarinis (B San Jose Cougars): Bone marrow edema (5 weeks) RP Lee Ralph (C La Crosse Lions): Returned from the DL

06-11-2020, 04:04 PM	#137
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 14: July 13th-July 19th July 13th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (49-38): 6 Toronto Wolves (34-53): 3 W: Steve Castellini (6-10) L: Babe Adams (4-3) We finished off the quick two game series with a 6-3 victory and sweep of the host Wolves. Steve Castellini had his first good start in at least a month, 8 innings with 8 hits, 2 runs, a walk, and 3 strikeouts.Chick Meehan was going to get the save, but he left after a hit and ground out before leaving with injury. John Kincaid was 3-for-4 with a sac-bunt, two steals, and a run scored. Fred Barrell was 3-for-4 with a double, run scored, and 3 RBI's. Phil Vaughan was 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored. July 14th, 1931 Montreal Saints (34-52): 3 Chicago Cougars (50-38): 17 W: Max Wilder (10-8) L: Dave Paynter (5-11) We got to head home to host the other Canadian team, the Saints, for a four game set. The offense finally had the explosion I was waiting for all season, 23 hits and 17 runs in a blow out win for #50 on the season. Tom Taylor had a big game, 3-for-5 with a homer, run scored, and 5 RBI's. Russ Combs was 3-for-3 with a double, walk, 2 runs, and 2 RBI's. Fred Barrell was 3-for-5 with 3 doubles, 3 runs, and 2 RBI's. Vince York was 3-for-4 with a walk, run scored, and RBI. John Kincaid was 3-for-6 with two runs scored. John Dibblee was 2-for-4 with a walk, run scored, and 2 RBI's. Bob McCarty came off the bench and was 1-for-2 with a double, run scored, and 2 RBI's. July 15th, 1931 Montreal Saints (34-53): 5 Chicago Cougars (51-38): 6 W: Chick Meehan (3-0) L: Randy Taylor (3-6) SV: Claude Purvis (2) Game two was much closer, but we scored two in the 7th and 8th to eek away with a 6-5 victory. Tom Taylor was 2-for-4 with a walk and solo homer. Russ Combs was 2-for-5 with a double, run scored, and RBI. Harry Simmons was 2-for-4 with 2 doubles and a run scored. Jim Kyle was 2-for-4 with a double. Phil Vaughan had a pinch hit RBI double and later scored. Dick Lyons made the start, 7 innings with 12 hits, 5 runs, 2 walks and 3 strikeouts. Meehan got the win, Purvis the save, both with just 1 hit in a scoreless frame. July 16th, 1931 Montreal Saints (34-54): 6 Chicago Cougars (52-38): 7 W: Dick Leudtke (11-6) L: Walker Moore (7-11) Another one run game, and we came out on top to stretch our win streak to seven. Dick Leudtke made the start, but it wasn't a very good one. He went all nine, but allowed 9 hits, 6 runs, and 2 walks with 5 strikeouts. He was also 1-for-3 with a pair of RBI's. Tom Taylor continued his hot streak, 2-for-4 with a triple, run scored, RBI, and steal. John Kincaid was 2-for-3 with 2 runs and a hit by pitch. Harry Simmons was 1-for-2 with a walk and RBI. July 17th, 1931 Montreal Saints (35-54): 10 Chicago Cougars (52-39): 7 W: John Barrie (2-1) L: Jim Crawford (9-8) SV: Sam Young (3) We couldn't finish off the sweep as the Saints piled on 10 in the finale. Jim Crawford was roughed up for 13 hits and 9 runs (6 earned) with 5 walks and 5 strikeouts. Ace McSherry allowed 2 hits, a walk, and an unearned run in 1.1 innings pitched. John Kincaid was 3-for-5 with 2 doubles, a run scored, and RBI. Cy Bryant was 2-for-3 with a homer, walk, 2 runs, and 2 RBI's. Tom Taylor was 2-for-4 with a homer, walk, RBI, 2 runs, and 2 steals. July 18th, 1931 Brooklyn Kings (51-41): 14 Chicago Cougars (52-40): 2 W: Milt Fritz (16-8) L: Steve Castellini (6-11) The Kings were in town for four, and they're right behind us in the standings. They made theirselves welcome, crushing us 14-2 in the opener. And guess who was on the mound? Good ol' Castellini allowed 11 hits and 7 runs (6 earned) with 11 hits, a walk, and 4 strikeouts. Taylor Collins may have signed his own pink slip, 5 hits and 5 runs with 2 walks in just 0.2 innings. Ace McSherry allowed 3 hits and 2 runs with a strikeout in a inning. Russ Combs was a perfect 4-for-4 with an RBI. Cy Bryant was 3-for-4 with a steal and run scored. July 19th, 1931 Brooklyn Kings (52-41): 8 Chicago Cougars (52-41): 3 W: Tommy Wilcox (13-10) L: Max Wilder (10-9) The second game didn't go well either, and now the Kings are tied with us for third. Max Wilder picked up the loss, 7.1 innings with 11 hits, 7 runs (5 earned), 3 walks, and a strikeout. Collins allowed a hit and run in 1.2 innings pitched. Cy Bryant was 3-for-4 with a double and run scored. Jim Kyle was 1-for-4 with 2 runs scored. Vince York was 2-for-4. Stars of the Week Tom Taylor : 26 AB, 11 H, 3 HR, 10 RBI, .423 AVG, 1.346 OPS Russ Combs : 20 AB, 11 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .550 AVG, 1.241 OPS John Kincaid : 31 AB, 13 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .419 AVG, .938 OPS Awards RF Tom Taylor (Player of the Week) Weekly Summary Has he finally turned the corner? That's back-to-back Player of the Weeks for Tom Taylor who's in the midst of an elite July. He's hitting .358/.419/.627 with 4 homers, 7 steals, and 16 RBI's in 17 July games. This week was easily the best of his in a while, hitting .423 with 3 homers and 10 RBI's. His season numbers continue to improve, and now at the 90 game mark he's hitting .290/.356/.460 (107 OPS+) with 16 homers, 16 steals, and 59 RBI's. Still far from his MVP numbers, Taylor is finally turning the corner and maybe he will ride it to the finish line. We need something to click for us to make up the five game deficit we find ourselves in, and an MVP in Taylor would be perfect. If Ross Combs played all season, he'd lead the CA in batting average by over 20 points. Instead, he's made just 180 trips to the plate, but his .374/.389/.489 (123 OPS+) batting line is just what we've needed from him. He's also added 8 steals, hit two homers, and drove in 25 runs in the 39 games he's played. He's struggled a little defensively this season, but a lot of it has to do with the time he was playing injured. Like a resurgent Taylor, a healthy Combs is part of the recipe to making the postseason. It gets tougher from this point on, as after the final two games with Brooklyn Both the first place Cannons (56-35) and second place Stars (56-37) come to town for four game series. This could be a nightmarish run or our lucky day. If we can manage to split with Brooklyn and then take both the Baltimore and New York series, we could find ourselves right back in the race. We can take games from the teams ahead of us, but we got to start winning. I have some faith in the Brooklyn series, as we already lost to both Fritz and Wilcox and the rest of their staff isn't as good. New York and Baltimore is going to be tough, but if Taylor keeps up his streak I like our chances. Injury Report 2B Red O'Neal (AAA Milwaukee Blues): Returned from the DL RP John Peterson (AA Mobile Commodores): Forearm stiffness (4 days)

06-11-2020, 10:50 PM	#138
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 15: July 20th-July 26th July 20th, 1931 Brooklyn Kings (52-42): 5 Chicago Cougars (53-41): 10 W: Dick Lyons (11-4) L: Lyman Weigel (13-9) We managed to at least get one win, taking the third of four 10-5. Bill Ashbaugh had a big game, 3-for-5 with a steal, 2 triples, 2 runs, and 2 RBI's. Vince York was 3-for-4 with a homer, triple, 2 runs, and 4 RBI's. Harry Simmons was 4-for-5 with a double, 2 runs, and a RBI. Cy Bryant was 2-for-5 with a double, steal, run scored, and RBI. John Kincaid was 2-for-5 with a double and 2 RBI's. Dick Lyons went 8 with 9 hits, 5 runs, and 5 strikeouts. July 21st, 1931 Brooklyn Kings (53-42): 9 Chicago Cougars (53-42): 2 W: Heinie Bretz (2-0) L: Dick Leudtke (11-7) Former Cougar farmhand Heinie Bretz bested us in the finale, and the Kings won 9-2. Dick Leudtke had a rough start, 4.1 innings with 12 hits, 9 runs (6 earned), and 3 walks. Taylor Collins may have staved off his demise a little more with 4 innings of 3 hit and 1 strikeout ball. Bill Ashbaugh was 3-for-4 with a steal. Cy Bryant was 3-for-4 with an RBI. July 22nd, 1931 Baltimore Cannons (57-37): 2 Chicago Cougars (54-42): 5 W: Jim Crawford (10-8) L: Dutch Leverett (12-9) The first place Cannons were in town for four. Jim Crawford pitched well in the opener, just 2 runs and 11 hits with a walk and 3 strikeouts in the complete game victory. He was also 1-for-2 with 2 walks and a run scored. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-4 with a solo homer and two runs scored. Fred Barrell was 2-for-4 with a double and run scored. Vince York was 2-for-5 with an RBI. July 23rd, 1931 Baltimore Cannons (58-37): 4 Chicago Cougars (54-43): 3 W: Rabbit Day (12-8) L: Steve Castellini (6-12) SV: Lee Drouillard (11) The Cannons evened up the series with a closer 4-3 win. Castellini pitched okay, 12 hits and 4 runs with 2 walks and a strikeout in the complete game loss. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-4 with a run scored and driven in. John Kincaid was 1-for-3 with two walks, a steal, and run scored. Cy Bryant was 1-for-3 with a walk. July 24th, 1931 Baltimore Cannons (59-37): 10 Chicago Cougars (54-44): 4 W: Ken Carpenter (15-9) L: Max Wilder (10-10) The Cannons piled on 10 runs and they certainly looked like the better team in this one. Max Wilder was roughed up for 12 hits and 7 runs (5 earned) with 3 walks in 8 innings. Taylor Collins allowed 3 hits and 3 runs with 2 walks in the 9th. John Kincaid was 2-for-5 with a double, run scored, and RBI. Tom Taylor was 2-for-5 with 2 RBI's. Cy Bryant was 2-for-4 with a run scored. July 25th, 1931 Baltimore Cannons (59-38): 1 Chicago Cougars (55-44): 4 W: Dick Lyons (12-4) L: Bob Miller (10-11) Dick Lyons responded in a big way, and we took the finale with a 4-1 victory. He allowed just one unearned run with 4 hits and 2 strikeouts in the complete game win. Harry Simmons was 3-for-4 with a triple and run scored. Vince York was 2-for-2 with 2 walks and an RBI. Russ Combs was 2-for-5 with an RBI. Tom Taylor was 1-for-4 with a double, walk, run scored, and RBI. July 26th, 1931 New York Stars (59-38): 5 Chicago Cougars (56-44): 6 W: Dick Leudtke (12-7) L: Earl Slater (5-4) We welcomed the second place starts to town next, and it was a good one. Down 5-1 headed to the bottom of the 7th, we scored 2 in the 7th and one in the 8th to bring the game to 5-4. We tied it in the 9th, and then Bill Ashbaugh won it with a walk-off single. He was 3-for-5 with the game winning RBI. John Kincaid was 3-for-4 with a sac-bunt, steal, and RBI. Harry Simmons was 3-for-4 with a double, run scored, and driven in. Fred Barrell was 1-for-3 with a hit by pitch, double, and three runs scored. Dick Leudtke allowed 14 hits and 5 runs with a walk and 3 strikeouts in a rather shaky complete game win. He was also 2-for-3 with 2 RBI's. Stars of the Week Bill Ashbaugh : 31 AB, 15 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .484 AVG, 1.194 OPS Harry Simmons : 28 AB, 12 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .429 AVG, 1.020 OPS John Kincaid : 29 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .310 AVG, .791 OPS Weekly Summary It wasn't a great week, and we're still five games out of first. We split with the Cannons (60-38) who hold a two game lead over the Stars (59-41). We're in third now, and we have three more with the Stars before finishing the month with two games in Toronto (39-61). That's when the trade deadline will occur, but with very few sellers in the league right now, I may not be able to make any moves. We'll start August in Chicago hosting the Wolves. We'll then finish a long stretch of games without a day off with three hosting the Foresters (38-61) who sit in last place. The off day on August 6th will be the first since July 8th. In other news, it's been a weird year for Fred Barrell. The 25-year-old hit 10 homers and drove in 101 runs last year, but none of that power has shown this year. In 239 plate appearances he has yet to hit a home run. This power drought is concerning, as Barrell has generally hit double digit home runs. It hasn't been a bad season for him, as he is hitting .305/.381/.408 (102 OPS+) with 30 RBI's. What could be bigger then any deadline acquisition would be a power surge from Barrell. He did have to deal with a foot injury, but he should be healthy enough now to start hitting the ball farther. I have also decided to cut ties with Taylor Collins and send him back to the Gothams. He has a lot of potential, but he was just getting killed on the mound. In 38.1 innings, he had a 8.69 ERA (49 ERA+), 1.96 WHIP, and more walks (20) then strikeouts (16). Replacing him will be 1926 2nd Round selection Bill Kline. The southpaw has been decent in AAA, going 9-5 with 11 saves in 84 innings pitched. He's got a 4.39 ERA (101 ERA+), 1.31 WHIP, and 76 strikeouts in 44 appearances. My scout thinks he could be an excellent swing man or multi inning arm. He ranks 20th in our top prospect list. Transactions Returned Rule-5 Draft Pick RP Taylor Collins to the Detroit Gothams. Recalled RP Bill Kline from AAA Milwaukee. Injury Report RP John Peterson (AA Mobile Commodores): Returned from the DL RP Bob Bliss (A Lincoln Legislators): Returned from the DL CF Pete Slater (A Lincoln Legislators): Bone bruise (2 weeks) Minor League Report 3B Tom Spitzer (B San Jose Cougars): Currently our 7th Ranked prospect, 1929 7th Round Selection Tom Spitzer is having a solid start to Class B. In 24 games he's hitting .299/.340/.443 (114 OPS+) with 3 homers, 2 steals, and 20 RBI's. It's been a good year for the 20-year-old infielder who's been getting reps in at third. Drafted as a shortstop, I never really viewed him there longterm. I think third is the position for him, since he has a good arm and not the best range. He's got a lot of speed though, and will hit for a high average. He reminds me a little of Mack Deal, although Deal had much more upside then Spitzer has shown. SP Gus Cain (AAA Milwaukee Blues): He may have been passed up on for a promotion, but Gus Cain is having a great season in AAA. He's 9-3 with a 2.68 ERA (165 ERA+), 1.10 WHIP, and 138 strikeouts in 117.2 innings pitched. The 27-year-old Cain had a rough spring, but he's looked really good in AAA. He was just as good last year, 15-4 with a 2.65 ERA (158 ERA+), 1.14 WHIP, and 180 strikeouts in 159.1 innings pitched. He doesn't have too much upside, but the Illinois native has a good minor league track record. If Castellini's struggles become too much, I may have an in house solution in Cain.

06-13-2020, 05:29 PM	#139
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 16: July 27th-August 2nd July 27th, 1931 New York Stars (59-42): 2 Chicago Cougars (57-44): 5 W: Jim Crawford (11-8) L: Lou Martino (14-3) A high octane pitching matchup between Jim Crawford and Lou Martino was a great way to start the week for baseball fans. Neither pitcher was as sharp as they usually are, but was managed to give the Stars ace just his third loss of the season. Crawford went all nine with 11 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, and a strikeout. Russ Combs was 2-for-4 with a double, run scored, and two driven in. Slim Bloom was 2-for-4 with a double, run scored, and RBI. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-4 with a steal and run scored. John Dibblee was 1-for-4 with a double and RBI. July 28th, 1931 New York Stars (59-43): 4 Chicago Cougars (58-44): 5 W: Steve Castellini (7-12) L: Dick Richards (13-4) SV: Claude Purvis (3) We scored four quick runs in the first, but the Stars shaved off the lead little by little. We bended, but wouldn't break, and set up a four game sweep with a 5-4 win. Steve Castellini made a fine start, 8 innings with 5 hits, a walk, and 2 strikeouts with just half of the four runs allowed earned. Claude Purvis picked up the save, a hit and a walk in a scoreless inning. Harry Simmons was 3-for-4 with an RBI, but he made four errors at short. Fred Barrell was 1-for-4 with a base clearing double and run scored. Phil Vaughan was 2-for-3 with a walk and run scored. Tom Taylor was 2-for-4 with a run scored and driven in. July 29th, 1931 New York Stars (59-44): 4 Chicago Cougars (59-44): 7 W: Max Wilder (11-10) L: Mutt Pharr (8-7) SSSSSSSSSSSSWWWWWWWWWWWEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!! After a 7-4 win we swept the Stars right out of town and are now tied with them for second in the CA. John Kincaid was 3-for-5 with a double, RBI, and three runs scored. Vince York was 2-for-5 with a homer and 3 RBI's. Bill Ashbaugh was 1-for-3 with a hit by pitch, walk, run scored, and RBI. Russ Combs was 1-for-3 with a steal, run scored, and a pair of walks. Max Wilder went all nine in the win, allowing 11 hits and 4 runs with a walk and 5 strikeouts. July 30th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (59-45): 2 Toronto Wolves (42-62): 3 W: Ray Howk (8-14) L: Claude Purvis (0-1) Our road trip ended and we were off to Toronto for a home and home with the Wolves. We'd play two in Toronto before two in Chicago. Down 1-0 in the 9th, Fred Barrell drove two home with a double to give us a 2-1 lead. In the 9th, however, Claude Purvis couldn't hold on, and the Wolves won off a walk-off ground out. Purvis allowed 3 hits and 2 runs with a strikeout in 1.1 innings pitched. It ruined an excellent Dick Lyons start where he went 7 with 4 hits, just 1 run, 3 walks, and 2 strikeouts. Barrell was 2-for-4 with the two run double. Bill Ashbaugh was 1-for-4 with a run scored. July 31st, 1931 Chicago Cougars (60-45): 8 Toronto Wolves (42-63): 6 W: Claude Purvis (1-1) L: Birdie Smith (7-13) July will end with our 60th win on the season as we split the road part of the series with the Wolves. Claude Purvis found himself on the other side of the ledger, picking up the win after 2 perfect frames. Dick Leudtke made the start, but he allowed 11 hits and 6 runs (3 earned) with 3 walks and 2 strikeouts. Bill Ashbaugh was 3-for-5 with 2 doubles, a run, and an RBI. John Kincaid was 3-for-6 with a double. Russ Combs was 3-for-6 with an RBI. Vince York was 2-for-4 with a double, sac-fly, 2 RBI's, and a run scored. Tom Taylor was 2-for-4 with a walk, RBI, and two runs scored. Fred Barrell was 2-for-5 with a run scored and driven in. August 1st, 1931 Chicago Cougars (60-46): 2 Toronto Wolves (43-63): 5 W: Buddy Adams (7-4) L: Jim Crawford (11-9) We started out another month with another loss, as the Wolves took the opener 5-2. They managed to pile on 13 hits on Jim Crawford, who allowed 5 runs (4 earned) and a walk with just two strikeouts in the return home. Vince York was 1-for-3 with a walk and solo homer. Harry Simmons was 2-for-4 with a run scored and Russ Combs was 2-for-4 with an RBI. August 2nd, 1931 Chicago Cougars (60-45): 3 Toronto Wolves (44-63): 2 13 Innings W: Frank Williams (2-5) L: Chick Meehan (3-1) What a disappointment... We sweep the Stars, but then let the Wolves take three out of four from us? Even worse, we were up 2-1 in the 9th, but instead of going to Purvis for the final three outs, Castellini was kept in. He let them tie it up, and the Meehan let them win it in the 13th. Backup catcher with a 81 OPS+ Dick McGregor hit a walk-off single and the Wolves somehow swept us at home. Vince York did all he could in this one, going 5-for-6 with a steal, 2 doubles, and 2 runs scored. Fred Barrell was 2-for-6 with 2 RBI's. Bill Ashbaugh was 1-for-4 with a double and two walks. Castellini managed to pitch 9 innings without walking or striking out a single hitter. He allowed 9 hits and 2 runs in what would have been a good start had it ended in the 8th. Claude Purvis pitched two perfect frames after, but Chick Meehan allowed a hit, a run, and 2 walks with a strikeout in 2 innings of his own. Weekly Summary This could have been such an amazing week. We swept the Stars, but then managed to let the Wolves take three of four from us in the home and home series. We should have been able to take all four, if not at least three of those games. What's worse is the Cannons (62-42) lost the last two games to Montreal, and we could have just been one and a half game out. Cleveland (41-64) will be in town for three before a much needed day off, and we cannot afford to throw these games away. We're sitting three and a half games out, but we should be right on Baltimore's tail. All in all, July was an excellent month for us. After the poor 12-16 June, we were 20-10 in a month where we had just two off days. Even better, August is the exact same, just three off days on the 6th, 10th, and 28th. The schedule has been rough on us, but we have to find a way to power through it. July was an excellent month for Dick Lyons, who was a perfect 4-0 with a 2.63 ERA (162 ERA+), 1.15 WHIP, and 23 strikeouts in 48 innings pitched. His bounce back has been huge for us this year, as he's 12-4 with a 3.34 ERA (128 ERA+), 1.35 WHIP, and 60 strikeouts in 156.1 innings across 21 starts. It's a much different statline then last year when he was 12-13 with a 4.99 ERA (98 ERA+), 1.57 WHIP, and 72 strikeouts in 230.2 innings pitched. A big part of the success has been Lyons' jump in strikeouts, with his K/9 up seven points. He's also been benefited by a .299 BABIP, the lowest of his career. Some of that could be luck, but a lot could be the defensive upgrades in the outfield. Even though he's a ground baller, Lyons' H/9 have dropped from 12.1 last year to 10.2 this year, much more in line with his 1929 season (10.3). I'm hoping Lyons can keep up the pace as he has turned into an extremely reliable arm. I've been giving some at bats to Rule-5 pick Phil Vaughan and I might just have to keep on giving them to him. He's hitting an impressive .365/.478/.554 (163 OPS+) with 3 homers and 11 RBI's in just 90 plate appearances. In a smaller 27 at bats sample in July, he's hitting an insane .519/.594/.593 (204 OPS+) with 3 RBI's. It's hard to find a spot for him in the lineup, but I've been giving him starts at first with Bill Ashbaugh moving over to second. He's actually held his own at second, but he's developed into a really good first basemen. The bat hasn't been there, as he's hitting just .316/.365/.436 (104 OPS+) with 7 homers, 10 steals, and 57 RBI's in 477 plate appearances. He might see a few starts lost to Vaughan if he can't turn things back around. A little bad news is Steve Castellini has seen his fastball speed drop again. He's down from 87-89 to 86-88, a lot slower then the 91-93 when he was acquired. I knew trading for someone his age was a risk, but the fans love him and he was a great boost to interest and attendance. He did have two good starts this week, but with the off day after the Foresters series, he won't see a start this week. After that off day we'll be back in Toronto (44-64) where we'll look for redemption. We have a long road trip ahead of us, and we really need to beat the bad teams. Injury Report RP Roger Arnold (A Lincoln Legislators): Herniated Disc (4 days) 2B Tom Handy (C La Crosse Lions): Activated from the DL CF Flip Lafferty (C La Crosse Lions): Fractured thumb (4 weeks) Minor League Report 1B Jim Fisher (AAA Milwaukee Blues): Fisher spent just 24 games in Mobile before his promotion to Milwaukee, but he's been even better in AAA then AA. Fresh of a Player of the July award, he's hitting .319/.377/.553 (139 OPS+) with 11 homers and 56 RBI's in exactly 300 plate appearances. His July numbers were crazing, hitting .522 with a homer and 6 RBI's in 23 at bats. Fisher was an undrafted free agent who now ranks 11th in our organization and 184th in the league. At just 23, he's had a rather quick rise up the ladder in recent years as just two seasons ago he was in A ball. Fisher is eligible for the Rule-5 draft and will be protected for sure, but he might get a few at bats later in the year. CF Ken Allen (A Lincoln Legislators): Another Player of the Month was 23-year-old Ken Allen. The former 4th Rounder hit .632 with a homer and 5 RBI's in a productive month. This is just his second pro season, and he's hitting .289/.333/.411 (115 OPS+) with 9 homers, 13 steals, and 44 RBI's in 391 plate appearances. Unfortunately for Allen, he plays the same position as top prospect Joe Johnson who's right above him in Mobile. Both he and Johnson will be on their way up, and Allen will get his first shot at AA. Allen doesn't have nearly as much upside as Johnson, but he's a good enough defender that I want to try to keep him in center. He's got big league potential and should fill a major league lineup, it just may not be ours. Attached Images

06-16-2020, 09:53 AM	#140
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Week 17: August 3rd-August 9th August 3rd, 1931 Cleveland Foresters (41-65): 5 Chicago Cougars (61-47): 13 W: Max Wilder (12-10) L: Max Dowless (1-1) We welcomed the Foresters to town for three in our last home series for a long time. We piled on 13 runs to take the opener for our first win of August. Vince York was 3-for-4 with a double, homer, steal, walk, 3 runs, and 4 RBI's. Tom Taylor was 3-for-4 with a triple, homer, 3 runs, and 2 RBI's. Fred Barrell was 3-for-5 with a double, run scored, and RBI. John Kincaid was 1-for-4 with a walk, steal, run scored, and RBI. Starter Max Wilder was 1-for-4 with a double and run scored. He also pitched all nine, allowing 8 hits, 5 runs (3 earned), 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts. August 4th, 1931 Cleveland Foresters (41-66): 5 Chicago Cougars (62-47): 7 W: Dick Lyons (13-4) L: George Barker (7-9) The middle game was much closer, but we survived a late Forester rally to set up a sweep. Dick Lyons pitched another great start, 8 innings with 7 hits, 3 runs, and 4 strikeouts. Chick Meehan allowed 2 runs, a walk, and hit in the 9th. Slim Bloom was 3-for-4 with a double, walk, and three runs scored. Vince York was 2-for-5 with a run scored and two driven in. Tom Taylor was 1-for-3 with a walk, hit by pitch, and two run homer. John Kincaid was 2-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored. Fred Barrell was 1-for-4 with a double and 2 RBI's. August 5th, 1931 Cleveland Foresters (41-67): 7 Chicago Cougars (63-47): 8 10 Innings W: Dick Lyons (13-4) L: George Barker (7-9) We were up 7-3 when we started the 7th, but they piled on four runs to tie the game up. There was no more scoring after nine innings finished, so we needed to play extra baseball. Former Forester Russ Combs sent the home crowd home happy with a walk-off single to finish off the sweep. Combs was 3-for-6 with an RBI and two walks. Bill Ashbaugh was 3-for-4 with a walk, run scored, and 2 RBI's. Bill Ashbaugh was 3-for-4 with a walk, run scored, and two driven in. Fred Barrell was 3-for-5 with an RBI. John Kincaid was 2-for-5 with a double and two runs scored. Vince York was 2-for-5 with a run and RBI. Tom Taylor was just 1-for-5, but he continued his consecutive home run streak with a two run blast. August 7th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (64-47): 7 Toronto Wolves (47-64): 3 W: Jim Crawford (12-9) L: Birdie Smith (7-14) We had a day off and used it to travel to Toronto to start a long road trip. We made ourselves welcome, and took the opener 7-3. Jim Crawford went all nine, allowing 7 hits, 3 runs (1 earned), 2 walks, and a strikeout. Russ Combs was 3-for-5 with two runs scored. Cy Bryant was 2-for-4 with a triple and run scored. Tom Taylor was 2-for-5 with a double and RBI. Fred Barrell was 1-for-4 with a double, run scored, and RBI. John Kincaid was 1-for-4 with a sac-bunt, run, and RBI. And just like that, we're just half a game out of first! August 8th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (64-48): 3 Toronto Wolves (48-64): 8 W: Barry Wood (8-9) L: Max Wilder (12-11) The Wolves continue to be an unnecessary thorn in our side, and they tie the series up with an 8-3 victory. It was a rough outing for Wilder who allowed 11 hits and 8 runs (5 earned) with 3 walks and 4 strikeouts in 7.1 innings pitched. Bill Kline finally made his big league debut, and he just needed three pitches to get two outs. Add another for Tom Taylor, who was 1-for-3 with a solo homer and a walk. Bill Ashbaugh was 1-for-2 with 2 walks and a double. Vince York was 1-for-4 with a double, run scored, and RBI. August 9th, 1931 Chicago Cougars (64-49): 3 Toronto Wolves (49-64): 4 10 Innings W: Harry Myers (5-3) L: Claude Purvis (2-2) I just don't get this team... WHY CAN'T WE BEAT A TEAM WHO DOESN'T EVEN HAVE 50 WINS YET... THAT'S FIVE OF THE LAST SEVEN... And now we're back to two and a half out... Of course, we were actually up 3-0 to start the game, but the Wolves just kept chipping away. Dick Lyons allowed 9 hits, 3 runs, and 3 walks with jsut one strikeout in nine innings pitched. Claude Purvis got the loss, a hit, run, and two walks while recording two outs in the ninth. Fred Barrell was 1-for-4 with a triple, run scored, and RBI. John Kincaid was 1-for-4 with a double and run scored. Vince York was 1-for-3 with a walk and run scored. John Kincaid was 1-for-4 with a double and run scored. Stars of the Week Tom Taylor : 23 AB, 9 H, 4 HR, 8 RBI, .391 AVG, 1.525 OPS Vince York : 26 AB, 10 H, 1 HR, 9 RBI, .385 AVG, 1.082 OPS Fred Barrell : 26 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 6 RBI, .346 AVG, .885 OPS Weekly Summary We were just half a game out... Even if we won both games we'd still be in second since Baltimore (65-45) won both games, but we were so close to being on top we could almost reach out and grab it. New York (63-49) is right on our tail and Brooklyn (61-51) and Philly (59-53) are still in the hunt. We get a day off before continuing our road trip. It's going to be the roughest three series we could imagine as we're about to go visit New York, Baltimore, and Brooklyn consecutively. The road trip won't end there, as we continue to Montreal (44-66) who at least doesn't have 60 wins before a final game in Philly. This is huge going to be a grind, but it gets better in September. In August, we have 20 consecutive road games, but just four to start September in Cleveland. We end the season with 18 straight home games which could end up saving us in the end if we drop too many of the upcoming contests. And you know what the best part is? NO MORE TORONTO!!! We are finally done with the team that seems to beat us for no reason other then to cause me stress. The Wolves haven't completed their season series with anyone else, but guess what? There is only one team they have a winning record against (11-9), us... Even the Foresters have split the 18 games they've played and the rest of the league has two or three more wins over them. If it wasn't for us, the Wolves would probably picking first in the upcoming draft. But, with a 4-2 week I probably should focus on what's going well. Tom Taylor had another excellent week (he probably deserved Player of the Week, but oh well...), launching four long balls in just six games. He's now up to 20 on the season which is second most in the CA. He has nearly half of our 46 home runs on the season and he's just the third Cougar (Spencer Harding 1906, Bill Ashbaugh 1928 and 1929) to reach the 20 home run mark. His batting line is starting to rise as well as he's up to .292/.362/.471 (112 OPS+) with 20 homers, 16 steals, and 75 RBI's and he's on pace for 7 WAR (would lead the CA), almost the exact midpoint between his 1929 and 1930 seasons. His bat is coming alive at the right time, and we're really going to need him to keep on mashing this week. Another player on the leaderboards is Vince York, who ranks third in OPS (.897) and tied for second in batting average (.349) with Brooklyn's Doug Lightbody. York's hitting a nice .349/.394/.503 (128 OPS+) which is just a hair lower then his totals last season. He's also hit 8 homers, stole 5 bases, and drove in 72 runs in 480 trips to the plate. He still doesn't provide much value on defense, but with elite defenders in Bryant and Taylor manning the outfield with him, he just needs to catch the balls hit to him out in left. Injury Report CF Tom Thomas (AAA Milwaukee Blues): Returned from the DL RP Roger Wagner (A Lincoln Legislators): Returned from the DL CF Pete Slater (A Lincoln Legislators): Returned from the DL SP Billy LeBeau (B San Jose Cougars): Bone chips (2 months) 3B Tom Spitzer (B San Jose Cougars): Hamstring soreness (5 days) SS Larry Burns (B San Jose Cougars): Strained oblique (6 days) Minor League Report SP Johnny Walker (A Lincoln Legislators): The strikeout machine won't reach 200 strikeouts with Lincoln this year, but it's not for a lack of trying. He's struck out 194 in 165.1 innings pitched, but he won't be pitching any more innings with a Legislators jersey. After working to a minuscule 1.69 ERA (216 ERA+) and 0.94 WHIP, the 21-year-old Walker is on his way up to AA Mobile to join the Commodores rotation. The lefties worked to improve his velocity in the offseason, and it's made a noticeable difference. His K/9 rate is up to 10.6 from 9.5 the previous year and he dropped his BB/9 almost a full point to 2.3. I'm really liking the way he has been developing, and I think the future is extremely bright for the former 3rd Round selection. CF Chuck Bouillon (B San Jose Cougars): On August 6th, San Jose crushed the Berkely Bears 17-0 as part of a George DeForest shutout. The biggest news out of the game, however, was the three homer outburst by Chuck Bouillon, one of the few players in my organization that I didn't really realize I had. Acquired as a minor league free agent in the offseason, he's only taken 32 plate appearances and has only entered the lineup because of the Ken Allen/Joe Johnson promotions. Tom Thomas was actiavetd from the AAA DL, so that pushed Johnson and Allen back down which may make it tough to get Bouillon time. He has an uneven .219/.316/.656 (161 OPS+) batting line, but I'm not sure if this power surge is a fluke or the start of something new.