Chicago Cougars (FABL)

[ayaghmour2]

As is custom with nearly every offseason, we deal away from our pitching depth to either fill a hole or improve the farm system. This year it was almost the exact opposite of last year, as instead of a 3-for-2 with the Kings, we did a 2-for-3 with the Kings. And instead of adding FABL talent, we subtracted.

It was the long awaited move of one of our six starting pitchers, with George Oddo and former 1st Rounder Tommy Seymour heading to the Kings for a trio of prospects. Oddo, a former 8th Round Pick, debuted for us in 1945, and went 7-7 with a 3.02 ERA (102 ERA+), 1.17 WHIP, and 71 strikeouts. He didn't pitch the following season, but made two starts in '47 before 20 or more in each of the past three seasons. An excellent stuff pitcher, he has a 12.8 K% in 681.1 FABL innings, and his 1.5 K/BB is quite impressive. The issue for Oddo has always been the longball, so much so that a stretch of eight starts saw him allow two homers in seven of the eight starts. Yes, 14 homers in 8 games. This necessitated the Jim Morrison acquisition, sending Oddo to AAA, where he won all six of his decisions. And since a 28-year-old is far more appealing then a 35-year-old, Oddo was the odd(o) man out. I'm fully ready for him to do what Ron Berry did and have a great season, but it's a risk I'm willing to take.

The return is three prospects outside of the top 100, though considering Jimmy Isgro ranks 101st, is nothing more then semantics. A 21-year-old righty, Isgro had a rough season with Class A Springfield, going 3-17 with a 6.49 ERA (60 ERA+), 1.81 WHIP, and more walks (88) then strikeouts (73). Concerning, right? Nah... He was just 20! Well, for 22 of his 24 starts, and the former 1st Rounder has always been a guy I wanted in our system. He was absurd in high school, 19-0 with a 0.70 ERA, 0.74 WHIP, and 351 strikeouts in 192 innings pitched. A four pitch pitcher who stands 6'3'', he's got a real nice sinker that helps him keep the ball on the ground. He's still working through the command part, but it's tough to elevate his pitches. His splitter is a real nice strikeout pitch, and he attacks hitters with his cutter and fastball. Generally I'm not the biggest fan of guys with three fastballs, but he's already in the 89-91 range, and the cutter almost functions as a harder sinker. It may be his best pitch, and if we can keep him out of the center of the plate, I think he's going to be a very effective starting pitcher.

The second prospect ranks 5th in the Kings organization, a spot below Isgro, and 130th overall. That would be Buddy Byrd, a second basemen who they took 9th in the 1949 draft. "Tweety" had a rough go of it in Class B, hitting just .212/.250/.251 (33 OPS+) in 536 trips to the plate. While that looks scary, he turned 19 in May, and was probably pushed a bit higher then he should of. A speedy infielder who we may move to the hot corner, Byrd did swipe 27 bags, somewhat making up for just 12 extra base hits. His -2.1 WAR is actually quite impressive, and lucky for us it can only go up! I think that should happen as soon as next season, and even though it's probably a bad idea, part of me wants to place him right back in Class B. He has a really nice swing and makes a ton of contact, allowing him to hit a ton of line drives, making him the ideal leadoff hitter. He didn't draw many walks this season, just a 4.1 BB%, but he's never going to strike out almost 20% of the time (18.1) again. He has too good of a contact tool for this to be anymore then a blimp, and I'm excited to see what he does in year one as a Cougar.

The last piece is another guy I've wanted for a while, even if he's not a higher ranked prospect. A former Gothams 5th Rounder, Tommy Wilde came to the Kings in July of 1949, with former Cougar draftee Carl Clark for former Cougar draftee Pinch Lenhart. A four pitch lefty, Wilde turned 21 in July, and like the other two joining us, he had a rough 1950. He was 7-15 with a 7.68 ERA (51 ERA+) and 2.07 WHIP, walking 87 and striking out 54 in 125.1 innings pitched. "Slick" seemed quite overmatched, but the towering 6'5'' lefty is an all stuff sidearmer who could have one of the most devastating sliders for lefty hitters. It looks like it's going to hit you, and then it's on the corner of the strike zone and you're walking back to the bench. Or you know, it actually hits you, because his command still isn't that great yet. That's something we'll have to polish, as aside from his sinker, he doesn't locate his pitches well. Even without much control, I think he can be a useful sinker/slider pitcher out of the pen, and with our pitching depth that may be the best use of him.

[ayaghmour2]

1st Round, 11th Overall: 3B Jack Craft
School: New Albany Wildcats
1949: .483/.556/.724, 108 PA, 9 2B, 4 HR, 27 RBI, 2 SB
Career: .483/.556/.724, 108 PA, 9 2B, 4 HR, 27 RBI, 2 SB

As always, it seems the guy I want gets taken right before I'm up, though at least time I slept through picks three to ten, so there was no crushing blow of seeing the guy I want snapped up as I was anxiously awaiting my pick. The player in question was Chicagoan Mike Quigley, a five pitch extreme groundballer who went 11-0 with a 0.64 ERA, 0.74 WHIP, and 206 strikeouts in 111.2 innings pitched. I'm really hoping this is a repeat of 1946, when the Minutemen snapped up Yank Taylor right before Bob Allen, as the Minutemen again were the team to ruin our dreams, just for them to be quickly waken back up once I truly realized just how amazing Allen was.

Our consolation prize is again quite good, as we'll end up with a young switch hitting third basemen in Jack Craft. 18 in July, Craft didn't have a standout greatest junior year, hitting just .483/.556/.724 with 9 doubles, 4 homers, and 27 RBIs, but he's become a scouting darling due to his power. I will say I'm a little concerned that he's a groundball hitter, but when OSA says flashes of "light-tower power" and Dixie Marsh says he has the potential to "hit the ball out of the park every time he comes up to the plate," my fears were quickly alleviated. Add on the fact that it's not the only thing they comment on, and it gets me even more excited. Dixie comments on his "plus eye" and projects him to "hit for a .330 batting average." OSA agrees, at least that he has a plus eye and above average contact tool, commenting on how if "he fulfills his potential, he could make multiple trips to the All-Star Game." Dixie says he "has a high ceiling and projects well on the field and plate," giving him about as high praise as he does anyone else in the pool.

So is there more to like? You betcha!

Craft has an excellent work ethic and his high school teammates complain about how often he challenges them in drills. I know his currents are low, as with most high school draftees, but he's not the type of guy who's going to be complacent about his development. He's going to be a early candidate for the dev lab next season, and if everything goes to plan, he's going to be everything Otto Christian wasn't. And more!

[ayaghmour2]

2nd Round, 27th Overall: LHP Allie Eddy
School: Temple Tigers
1950: 8-2, 103.1 IP, 1.05 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 17 BB, 149 K
Career: 8-2, 103.1 IP, 1.05 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 17 BB, 149 K

There's always a run on pitchers early on, and I have to admit, I was quite surprised Allie Eddy wasn't one of them. "Okie Dokey" is exactly the type of pitcher I target, deep arsenal (guess how many pitches!) and great stuff, and when you add in the height (6'2''), work ethic, and intelligence, and you got an excellent young pitcher who can fit in any rotation.

What makes him different then the average Cougar pitcher is the command, as he locates all five of his pitches well. Aside from fastball and changeup, the pitches aren't too great, but the change is a legit weapon and should allow him to miss many bats. What makes his arsenal so effective is how well he places his pitches, as he almost leaves nothing over the heart of the zone. He's not the type to get punished by mistakes, and since he's already hitting 90 with his fastball, I think he'll end up being able to blow by a few lesser bats. Especially since they're always going to have to give respect to the off-speed stuff. He can beat guys in so many ways, and Dixie thinks he "has #2 starter potential with his deep arsenal." That's great value in the 2nd Round, and even though '25 doesn't like pitchers much, I think he has a good shot to crack the top 100 or 150. With his work ethic and intelligence combined with the natural talent, it's going to be hard to bet against him, and I think a few seasons from now a lot of teams that took pitchers in front of him will quickly regret it.

And to think we'd never have got him if Quigley fell to us! Maybe it was all for the best!

[ayaghmour2]

3rd Round, 39th Overall: RHP Harry Rollins
School: Newtown Pioneers
1950: 4-0, 44.2 IP, 1.01 ERA, 0.78 WHIP, 9 BB, 73 K
Career: 4-0, 44.2 IP, 1.01 ERA, 0.78 WHIP, 9 BB, 73 K

I didn't really want to go back-to-back pitchers, but one of the three guys left that I really liked was taken, and none of the bats are interesting enough that I'd feel like I was missing out. Most of the guys play non-premium positions, with pretty much all the good shortstops gone, so I took a gamble on a very enticing young pitcher from Yonkers.

18 as of this November, Harry Rollins is on the older side for prep prospects, which could allow him to rise up the system quite quickly. An imposing 6'4'' pitcher, Rollins has a deep five pitch mix, headlined by an excellent change up. His repertoire is still developing, but they should all be average or better offerings. The sinker is why I'm intrigued, as he uses it to generate ample ground ball chances. It's currently sitting in the 88-90 range, and I have to imagine its only a matter of time before he's consistently in the 90s. The harder he throws, the better his change is going to be, and the same should be said about the rest of his breaking pitches. He mixes in a slider, splitter, and curve as well, giving him multiple pitches to make hitters uncomfortable. To me, this is more of a projectable pick then a ability pick, especially with his excellent work ethic, but both Dixie and OSA think he can fill the back of a rotation. I think that's a fair assessment now, but if he keeps adding to his velocity, he could quickly move up. His command needs some work to, but he has the building blocks for success already, and he could really become dangerous if we can get him to limit the mistake pitches.

4th Round, 55th Overall: CF Morrie Phillips
School: Forest Park Senators
1949: .430/.496/.632, 131 PA, 9 2B, 3B, 4 HR, 31 RBI, 14 SB
Career: .439/.507/.673, 359 PA, 28 2B, 6 3B, 11 HR, 92 RBI, 44 SB

It was only a matter of time before we added a center fielder, and Morrie Phillips is more or less a local kid. Sure, he's not from Chicago, but he was born in Hammond, Indiana, and is set to become a four year starter at Forest Park, a western suburb that isn't too far from Chicago's city limits. He's done okay with the Senators, hitting .439/.507/.673 in 71 games, but we aren't drafting him for a high average (although both OSA and Dixie do like his contact too). We're interested in the power. 11 homers is pretty solid, especially for a high school center fielder, but Dixie and OSA love his ability to knock the ball out of the park. What's nice too is Dixie has noticed he's started to draw more walks, only increasing his offensive value as he works on his overall game. Like our other picks so far, he's a great worker, and he's the curious type who coaches love when he's not driving them crazy. His athleticism should help him continue to hit the ball hard, but the only concern I have with his power is the size. He's just 5'11, 155, not quite the type of hitter that can blast one into the seats, so I'd love to see him bulk up some in his last year of high school. We're taking quite a risk on Morrie here, even passing over a safer college bat I like, but we don't really need any immediate help, and the upside here was too much to pass up.

[ayaghmour2]

5th Round, 71st Overall: RHP Joe Holt
School: Oliver Bears
1950: 9-1, 102.1 IP, 1.23 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 17 BB, 140 K
Career: 26-2, 279.1 IP, 1.10 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 49 BB, 416 K

I didn't really expect to take three pitchers with our first five picks, but this draft thinned out real quickly, and the pitchers left were actually more interesting then most of the bats. Hopefully the last arm we take, at least maybe until the 9th or 10th, Joe Holt is set to be a four year starter at Oliver High School in Pittsburgh. His best season came as a freshman, where he went a perfect 8-0 with a 0.77 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, and 133 strikeouts. He struck out nearly 40% of hitters (39.8) that season, and has maintained K rates above 30 with walk rates below 5. Dixie thinks command might end up being a weak point, but so far he's done a good job staying in the zone, and I think that's going to be fine. What I'm more worried about is potential home run issues, as his mistakes are hittable, and his movement isn't great. What is great is his cutter, sitting 89-91, and profiles as a plus to plus-plus pitch. He also has a straight fastball that works well up in the zone, while he can use his change to generate whiffs in the bottom the zone. Both of those pitches could use some work, but are expected to be average or better offerings. One of the smarter guys out there, I'm betting on him developing his pitches well, and while you can never plan for it, he seems like the type who can add a pitch to his arsenal. As is, Dixie thinks he could pitch into a back-end role, while OSA sees more spot starter, but I'm a big fan of his cuter and I think worst case he could be a useful multi-inning pen arm.

6th Round, 87th Overall: 2B Joe Dorsch
School: Frankford College Thoroughbreds
1950: N/A
Career: N/A

It took awhile, but we finally have our first college pick! Well, technically...

A town ball standout in St. Louis, Joe Dorsch will head to campus this spring to attend Frankford College, where he could be used almost anywhere around the diamond. A natural second basemen, Dorsch has also gotten time at first, third, short, and left, and while center may be a stretch, right doesn't seem out of the question. He is quite athletic, so perhaps center isn't a reach, but I think most of his value is going to come at the plate. That's where he projects to hit over .300 with an OBP over .400, so even if he's not hitting many homers, he could be a very useful table setter. There's a lot of unknowns when taking a guy like this, but at this point of the draft you can say that about almost anyone else. OSA is a huge fan, declaring him to be an above average, everyday player, which would be a huge steal at this point in the draft. I'd temper my expectations, Dixie hasn't gotten a chance to look at him yet, and I'd be happy with capable utility infielder. Depending on how his collegiate season goes, he could find himself as high as Lincoln after the draft, but my guess is his initial starting spot will be determined more by what the other players in the organization need.

7th Round, 103rd Overall: C Jim Hauer
School: Lincoln Cardinals
1949: .448/.505/.604, 109 PA, 9 2B, 2 HR, 29 RBI, SB
Career: .441/.494/.622. 360 PA, 33 2B, 3 3B, 6 HR, 88 RBI, 19 SB

Back to the prep ranks we go, as we select 17-year-old catcher Jim Hauer with our 7th Round pick. Another four year starter, Hauer has hit .441/.494/.622 with the Cardinals, producing 42 extra base hits with 117 runs and 88 RBIs in 72 games. He's an aggressive hitter at the plate, featuring above average power potential and an average hit tool. Strikeouts could end up being an issue, and I don't think he's going to walk much, limiting his future to a backup catcher. For that to happen, he's going to need to either offer plus defense behind the plate or hit above his weight, ideally with 5-10 homers in his limited sample. That may be a stretch, but Dixie really likes him, ranking him in a tie for the second best catcher in the pool. I hope he sees something I don't, as with all the other GMs, as Hauer was the 7th catcher selected. We already have Ed Freeman in La Crosse, so Hauer is set for a timeshare early on, but I will give him a shot to hit his way into one of our farm clubs lineups.

[ayaghmour2]

8th Round, 1119th Overall: SS Warren Ross
School: Central Ohio Aviators
1949: .270/.360/.378, 214 PA, 10 2B, 5 3B, 27 RBI, 39 SB
Career (COL): 267/.355/.376, 485 PA, 21 2B, 11 3B, HR, 62 RBI, 72 SB
Career (HS): .434/.515/.653, 266 PA, 27 2B, 9 3B, HR, 57 RBI, 66 SB

It took eight rounds until we brought in our first shortstop, as this pool had maybe five I liked, and they were all gone quite quick. I opted for Central Ohio's shortstop Warren Ross, who went to the same school as former Cougar Freddie Jones, and is a switch hitter who has been drafted before. And you know what team that was? You guessed it, the Chicago Cougars!

A 16th Round pick at the time, I actually considered signing him, as he was a switch hitter and projected to be a decent bench piece. That's pretty much still the case, though he's greatly improved his plate discipline and he's shown to make solid contact. Not much power, but he did have 33 extra base hits in 97 games, and I'm hoping he's worked on his defense as well. He's spent time at the three main infield positions, though neither OSA or Dixie comment on his defensive prowess. A nice improvement is his leadership, as Ross has developed into an excellent young man. He's the guy that can get people to shut up when they should be focused, as they're always interested in what he has to say. That trait is huge for someone who may never be a star, and it should help him stick around even after his regular at bats inevitably disappear

9th Round, 135th Overall: RHP Ben Helm
School: Sumter College Wildcats
1950: 6-4, 93.1 IP, 3.76 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 37 BB, 89 K
Career: 16-8, 226.2 IP, 3.53 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 83 BB, 217 K

I really didn't expect to select another pitcher, but like I said, the pool isn't too interesting at this point and Ben Helm actually is. Set to be a three year starter at Sumter College, Helm had a pretty impressive freshman season, where he went 10-4 with a 3.37 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, and 128 strikeouts. That's impressive work in a tough division, but in year two most of his numbers went in the wrong direction. His junior season will be big for him, as I want to see some positive regression, though OSA and Dixie are already somewhat fond of him. Both have him as a back-end starter, and if they're like me, they're a fan of his five pitch arsenal. OSA thinks all five of his pitches are solid, which may be a bit too generous, but the change and curve are the real headliners. They could be dominant pitches, and his high 80s cutter gives him three solid pitches to work with. The stuff is quite good, and possibly his only trait that's better then average, though I'm not sure that's enough to earn him a rotation spot. He'll be an interesting guy to watch, and I'd like to see what he can do in San Jose once he signs.

10th Round, 151st Overall: CF Alex Caraballo
School: Murphy Eagles
1950: N/A
Career: N/A

Finishing things out is Alex Caraballo, which could be the best or worst pick of the draft. Listed a center fielder, but without a positional rating at center field, Caraballo has yet to take a prep at bat, making him a great mystery to everyone. OSA is a fan, even with a quick scouting report, and you know what, here is the most important parts: "He has a lot of talent, and grades out as a plus contact hitter. He has raw above average power. Caraballo is projected to be an above average, everyday big league player."

I like the sounds of that! Sign me up!

Oh, I guess I already signed up by drafting him, huh?

Assuming he signs, I don't think he'll play much center field, likely finding himself in one of the corners. One thing I'm really excited to find out with him is his speed, as that added tool would increase his value immensely. I'll be scouting him a few times before the draft, the first report is expected in two weeks, and I'm hoping Dixie sees a lot of the same things OSA is excited by. Even if he doesn't, I won't be too upset, and worst comes the worse I don't even have to sign him. I doubt he'll fall that low, but at this point he felt worth the risk, and all that's left is to sit back and watch his eventual development.

[ayaghmour2]

CF Jerry Smith (#9 Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 5th Overall (1947)
AA: .277/.369/.427 (111 OPS+), 241 PA, 8 2B, 7 3B, 3 HR, 30 RBI, 6 SB
A: .302/.368/.505 (139 OPS+), 340 PA, 24 2B, 4 3B, 10 HR, 61 RBI, 3 SB
CWL: .250/.366/.343 (73 OPS+), 131 PA, 2 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 17 RBI, 11 SB

It hasn't been the greatest winter for top ten prospect Jerry Smith, but things may be starting to look up. Smith has recorded a hit in each of his last nine games, which has helped raise his triple slash to a still well below average .250/.366/.343 (73 OPS+) in 27 games. This is honestly quite shocking to me, as I thought Smith would have an effective winter, especially with the Crocs penciling him in to the two spot in the lineup. On the plus side, his 15 games in center have gone well (1.9, 1.033), and he's 11-for-11 on stolen base attempts, but the former 5th Pick has been swinging and missing way too much. He's always had some trouble with strikeouts, so maybe I shouldn't be too surprised, but a 22.9 K% seems quite high. He's walking a bit more then twice a game, and even though he's walked 21 times, his 82 WRC+ is still an undesirable figure. The good thing is OSA still thinks he'd be big league ready by this season, so perhaps the final hurdle is the strikeouts. We've been trying to improve his quality of contact, and he's done a good job there so far, but perhaps his focus should have been on limiting whiffs. I don't think it's going to prevent him from being the star he was born to be, but it's something to keep an eye on this coming year.

[ayaghmour2]

CF Jerry Smith (#8 Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 5th Overall (1947)
AA: .277/.369/.427 (111 OPS+), 241 PA, 8 2B, 7 3B, 3 HR, 30 RBI, 6 SB
A: .302/.368/.505 (139 OPS+), 340 PA, 24 2B, 4 3B, 10 HR, 61 RBI, 3 SB
CWL: .270/.369/.468 (103 OPS+), 149 PA, 2 2B, 3, 7 HR, 23 RBI, 11 SB

I should have waited a day for my first Jerry Smith feature! Or maybe he saw this and had to respond!

The Crocodiles may have dropped the 8-6 contest to the Santiago Scorpions, but our now #1 ranked prospect (I'm sure it will go back to Allen again tomorrow...) launched three homers, it was just unfortunate that for all three of them no one was on base. Then the next day he was 2-for-4 with a pair of singles, and while he wasn't able to produce any runs, the Crocs supported former Cougar Tommy Seymour (7.2 IP, 3 H, 4 BB, 6 K) and this year's second rounder Ernie Tisdale (1.1 IP, K) two extra runs of support in a combined shutout. He's now recorded a hit in thirteen straight games, and in just the four games this week he raised his WRC+ 24 points. Obviously the homers help, but I was impressed with just three strikeouts in eighteen trips to the plate. It's nothing but excitement for Smith, who the native fans have taken quite fondly to, and if he can do what Johnny Peters did and finish his winter on a high note, a comeback type award for the team seems quite likely in his future.

Cienfuegos has eleven games left on the ledger, and find themselves just a game out, so sustaining top level performance could be the deciding factor of an extremely tight race. We never won in our years with the Eagles on the Stallions, so it's ironic they're who our Chicago club has to defeat, meaning either the Cougars prospects or the Stallions win their first Western division final. Joe Wood (.345, 12, 26) is showing everyone why they call him "The Sioux Falls Sensation," putting up the best individual performance of any CWL player. It's going to be tough to keep pace with him, but Smith (.270, 7, 23, 11), Elmer Grace (.310, 9, 22), and the Chiefs Don Smith (.358, 3, 14) will do their best to keep up.

[ayaghmour2]

SS Elmer Grace (#81 Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 52nd Overall (1948)
AAA: .289/.375/.476 (135 OPS+), 579 PA, 25 2B, 5 3B, 20 HR, 69 RBI
CWL: .294/.457/.587 (152 OPS+), 164 PA, 5 2B, 3B, 10 HR, 23 RBI

The first member of the Cienfuegos roster to reach double digits for homers, Elmer Grace took the Saints' Ted Coffin deep in the Crocs 10-7 win over the Bucs, finishing the game 2-for-3 with a triple, two walks, and two runs scored. He was hitless the next two games, and the game before, but he's hit an impressive .294/.457/.587 (152 OPS+) in 35 games so far. His 161 WRC+ is aided by an excellent 23.2 BB%, as he's drawn 38 walks to just 15 strikeouts. This has helped him accumulate a full two wins above replacement, as Grace is the perfect combination of a great hitter and great defender. His 4.7 zone rating and 1.068 efficiency aren't too far from the 18.6 and 1.083 in AAA, and he's three homers away from his CWL leading 13 from last year. He's got two weeks to hit those three homers, which will be tough, but if Cienfuegos wants to make up their two game lead, a few more graceful homers could do the trick!

[ayaghmour2]

CF Frank Reece (#53 Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 20th Overall (1946)
AA: .285/.346/.460 (113 OPS+), 615 PA, 33 2B, 11 3B, 14 HR, 65 RBI, 25 SB
CWL: .333/.453/.549 (143 OPS+), 179 PA, 6 2B, 2 3B, 7 HR, 25 RBI, 5 SB

Despite a rough week in the win column, Frank Reece did all. he could, putting together three multi-hit games while slashing .600/.700/.867 (280 OPS+) with five walks and three extra base hits. The best performance came in the win, coming a homer away from the cycle in his 3-for-5 effort. He added a walk, steal, RBI, and two runs, and is now hitting an impressive .333/.453/.549 (143 OPS+) with 6 doubles, 2 triples, 7 homers, 25 RBIs, 33 walks, and 5 steals. He only has so much time to add to his resume, but the new 40-man roster addition has definitely increased his trade stock and prospect value. Back as a top 100 prospect, Reece has already got more eyes on him, but by performing at such a high level this winter, he's positioned himself into a big league role as early as next season.

SS Elmer Grace (#81 Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 52nd Overall (1948)
AAA: .289/.375/.476 (135 OPS+), 579 PA, 25 2B, 5 3B, 20 HR, 69 RBI
CWL: .312/.470/.624 (164 OPS+), 183 PA, 6 2B, 3B, 12 HR, 27 RBI

The Crocs may have fallen out of the race, dropping three of the last four to shrink the Stallions magic number to one, but there has been no slowdown in the production of Elmer Grace. With homers in ach of his last two games, Grace now has twelve, one shy of his total from last season. The 12th homer came in a big 11-3 win over the Coyotes, where Grace was a perfect 4-for-4 and just a triple away from the cycle. He drove in three runs, scored three times, and even walked twice, upping his CWL line to an impressive .312/.470/.624 (164 OPS+). There really is no room for him in Chicago, but with how great he's done, it's going to be real hard to keep in Milwaukee. At this point Grace has done everything we wanted, and more, and has been the best CWL prospect we have by a landslide.

[ayaghmour2]

With the CWL now over, at least for us since we finished four games back of the Stallions, we'll use the weekly post for our best hitter and pitcher.

Best Pitcher: RHP Ernie Tisdale
3-2, 7 SV, 49 IP, 4.59 ERA (108 ERA+), 1.53 WHIP, 31 BB, 24 K, 0.3 WAR

Our pitchers really struggled this winter, so the award is going to go to the guy in the pen, Ernie Tisdale. The only pitcher of ours with an ERA+ above 100, Tisdale threw 49 innings out of the pen, working to a 4.59 ERA (108 ERA+) and 1.53 WHIP in his 29 appearances. He did walk more guys then he struck out, but Tisdale picked up 7 saves and went 3-2, doing a good job securing games for the Crocs or at least keeping them in the close ones. The overall numbers were quite good for someone who was pitching against college kids half a year ago, and he built off a strong ten start stint in San Jose. With his impressive work in the winter, I don't see him returning to the club where he went 6-2 with a 3.32 ERA (133 ERA+), 1.36 WHIP, and 56 strikeouts. Tisdale did a great job using all five of his pitches, even out of the pen, and if he builds off this performance he could find himself up in Mobile by season's end, before likely returning to the CWL next winter.

Best Hitter: SS Elmer Grace
.307/.465/.614 (160 OPS+), 198 PA, 6 2B, 3B, 13 HR, 31 RBI, 164 WRC+, 2.6 WAR

It's no surprise Elmer Grace was named Best Hitter for the second consecutive season, as he again hit 13 home runs in 42 CWL games. The talented shortstop hit an impressive .307/465/.614 (160 OPS+), adding in 20 extra base hits with an excellent 45-to-17 walk-to-strikeout ratio. With a 5.0 zone rating and 1.061 efficiency, he was able to wrack up 2.6 WAR, showcasing exactly why he's such a highly touted shortstop prospect. He's got a great swing and hits the ball hard, leading me to believe he could be a 20 home run hitter at the FABL level. The eye is going to help him keep the home run total up, as he'll work the count and force pitchers to try to beat him. This will lead to mistake pitches, ones Grace has shown he can handle, and I think at some point this year we'll see Grace in Chicago. That is, unless a suitor comes looking for his services.

He's a FABL quality shortstop! He's just not Skipper Schneider...

[ayaghmour2]

It was a great day in the sports world for Chicago sports fans, as three players with a connection to the city were announced into the Hall-of-Fame. Perhaps it could have been a bit better had Dick Walker not fallen one vote short of induction (we'll get him next year!), but all three members of the the 1951 Hall-of-Fame Class can thank the city for at least a portion of their career.

The first inductee was arguably overdo, as after failing three times Tom Bird made it in go four, as the 10-Time All-Star proudly donned the Chicago Chiefs cap when the announcement was made. It's nice on a personal level for me as well, as I campaigned hard for Bird, who may not have had the counting stats you desire in a Hall-of-Famer, but his ten year run, almost all with the Chiefs, was something that we haven't seen often from the catching position, and a 147 career WRC+ is truly remarkable. The second had a more personal connection, then city connection, as former Cougar #1 selection Tom Barrell was inducted despite his career that epitomized high highs and low lows. I've written plenty about both, which you can read about Bird here and Barrell here, but one guy I haven't said enough about is the one who spent almost entire career with the Cougars: Gil Hice.

A rather unknown commodity due to when he played ball, Gill Hice bounced around a ton in his early career, but once he secured a lineup spot for the 1897 Cougars, he did not look back. Inducted by the veteran's committee, Hice was best known for his elite defense at third and short, but his .280/.340/.361 (111 OPS+) career line wasn't too shabby. If he could hit home runs, something he did just 23 times in his career, that line would look even better, when you look at his 133 WAR in 2,201 career games, it's easy to understand what made him great. He could pick it better then almost anyone else.

One could only imagine how much higher his career 449.2 zone rating (1.173 efficiency) at short could have gotten had he not spent seven seasons at the hot corner, as when Hice became a regular in 1897, there was already a Hall-of-Famer Calvin Kidd at short. "The Wizard of Wausau" was a gifted gloveman himself, as his 765.7 zone rating and 1.198 efficiency were actually better, though he got to play his started playing short from 23 to 37, and considering a 36-year-old Kidd had a 52.8 and 1.136 efficiency, he didn't really lose a step with age. Nearly all of Tice's time at short was when he was in his 30s, and as we got closer to the modern era teams started valuing defense at shortstop more.

Though the best part about Hice's career might have been the fact that the Cougars cut him five times before eventually holding onto him for good. In year two he even got games with the Boston Brahmins (now Minutemen) and St. Louis Pioneers, and the Cougars weren't the last team to employ him in 1896. He signed back once more in the offseason, and then got into 119 games for the '97 Cougars. His .304/.382/.391 (135 OPS+) triple slash was quite good, and he led the league with 27 triples. Hice picked up 13 steals, 22 doubles, 4 homers, 62 runs, 56 walks, and 86 RBIs, and earned himself a spot on the left side of the infield with the previously mentioned Kidd. Hice follow up his 23-year-old season with WRC+ of 130, 130, 121, and 129, and was a huge part of the 1899/1900 team that repeated as champions. Tice later won a third championship in 1910, playing with 21-year-old future Hall-of-Famer John Dibblee (.392, 1, 85, 68) and 300 game winner Jack Long (23-17, 2.95, 64).

Now 77, Hice joins some of his great teammates in baseball immortality, and with his impressive career he certainly deserves it. From his four year stretch with 11.5 or more WAR to his five seasons with a zone rating above 60, Hice was an expert at collecting counting stats, finishing with 2,264 hits, 291 doubles, 151 triples, 962 runs, 1,051 RBIs, 696 walks, 226 steals, and a 133 WAR. That WAR ranks tenth All-Time, though his 132.8 WAR as a Cougar is actually third in team history, as Kidd (138.2) and Dibblee (177.3) were also excellent players with lengthy careers. Hice also ranks 4th in runs (640), hits (2,259), and doubles (290), 2nd in triples (149), 3rd in RBIs (1,045) and walks (696), and 9th in steals (226). He has three of the most valuable seasons as a Cougar in terms of WAR (3rd, 14.9; 4th, 14.5; 7th, 12.2), and on a team without so many long-term stars he'd have many more records. It's nice for a guy who was stuck playing with another great get recognized, and we'll do our best to celebrate him this season.

Whether was was inducted to the Hall or not, Hice was scheduled to be inducted into the Cougar Hall-of-Fame, and while his #0 can't be retired since Calvin Kidd got it retired once Hice's career ended, he will be included on the 0 plaque that hangs at Cougars Stadium. The 77-year-old will be honored before first pitch in the finale of our Opening Week series against the Stars, and I'm hoping it can prelude an early season sweep. We could use a little luck in this coming season, and honoring a club legend should gives us some good karma. Plus its nice to remember Cougar fans of better times. We used to went titles! Maybe that can happen again soon!

[ayaghmour2]

Baseball is back! We don't get games started until Friday, as two weeks were accidentally simmed today, but all our players have reached camp as they look to fight for one of our 24 Opening Day roster spots. Not many of these spots are available, but after the George Oddo trade, the bullpen is wide open behind stopper David Molina, and the bench is always an interesting battle. This year in particular, with a lot of veteran castoffs, young up-and-comers, and FABL quality starters who are stuck behind our depth. Despite the awful end to last season, we rank top half in all positions except catcher, where Eddie Howard surprisingly ranks tenth among backstops. Funny enough, our "top" player is Leo Mitchell, who ranks just 7th among left fielders as we reach the spring, while Red Bond and 4/5th of the rotation ranking checks in the top 20.

Here's who we are bringing to camp this year, with * given to any locks:

RHP Bob Allen
RHP Bill Ballantine
LHP Duke Bybee*
RHP Dizzy Danforth
RHP Joe Foote
LHP Dixie Gaines
RHP Jack Hale
LHP Bob Hobbs
RHP Donnie Jones*
LHP Johnnie Jones*
RHP Charlie Kelsey
LHP Jim Kenny
RHP David Molina*
RHP Jim Morrison*
RHP Pete Papenfus*
RHP Tony Puccinello
RHP Joe Quade
LHP Bert Rogers
RHP Max Tanner
RHP Fred Terry
RHP Buzz Turner
RHP Jim Williams
C Bobby Beavers
C Mike Bordes
C Carl Evans
C Eddie Howard*
C Harry Mead*
1B Harry Austin
1B Billy Biggar
1B Red Bond*
2B Clark Car
2B Rupert Heinbaugh
2B Billy Hunter*
2B Bob Stout
2B George Sutterfield*
2B Charlie Woodbury
3B Otto Christian
3B Al Clement
3B Bill Nash
3B Hank Stratton
3B Hal Wood*
SS Frank Davis
SS Elmer Grace
SS Skipper Schneider*
LF Billy Brown
LF Chubby Hall
LF Leo Mitchell*
LF Clyde Parker
CF Rupert Abbott
CF Don Lee*
CF John Moss*
CF Frank Reece
CF Clyde Zimmerman
RF Jimmy Hairston
RF Sal Pestilli*

This coming season is one of the few where I don't rally have high hopes for the squad, as we were quite embarrassing last season and there are a lot of good and improving CA teams. That's what makes failing in '49 and '50 hurt so much, is we were the clear best team and didn't perform anywhere near our standard. At least with less expectations, the inevitable failure will hurt less. On the bright side, we should be a .500+ team yet again, and we should play a key role in the pennant race all season long.

[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 4-3
Overall Record: 4-3 (2 GB)

Slow Start for Aces: Donnie Jones didn't allow a single earned runs last spring. This year he's already allowed seven.

The Cannons chased him out after just 2 innings, allowing 5 hits, 5 runs, and 3 walks without a single strikeout. That might be the worst Donnie Jones outing since 1942, as he was still in offseason mode here. He was better in his second start, but he still allowed 4 hits and 2 runs with 2 strikeouts in his 4 innings. This has led to a surprisingly high 10.50 ERA, an unexpected sight even if the sample is quite small. Pete Papenfus didn't have much luck either, allowing 3 runs off 2 hits and 2 walks with 4 strikeouts in his 3 innings. That's not too bad, and the strikeout numbers are good, but it's shocking to see such high ERAs from guys who are not only extremely talented, but generally dominant spring starters.

Veteran Bats Start Hot: With a veteran team, there's always the risk of age catching up, but some of our older vets have quickly put those thoughts to rest. Leo Mitchell (5-13, 2B, 2 R, BB), Sal Pestilli (6-14, HR, 5 RBI, R, SB), Billy Hunter (5-12, 2 2B, 4 RBI, 2 R), Skipper Schneider (3-11, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, R, BB, SB), Chubby Hall (5-10, HR, 3 RBI, R, BB), and Red Bond (3-7, 2B, 2 RBI, BB) all had weekly WRC+ above 150 on the week. Same goes for a few of last year's waiver claims, as Frank Davis (3-10, 2B, 3 RBI, 2 R, 3 BB, SB) and Billy Brown (4-7, 2B, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R) have gotten off to excellent starts. Both are on the fringes of the roster, and since there are only so many at bats in the spring, a hot week like this could make even five mediocre weeks end up looking good. There's a lot of competition on the bench, but these starts could protect them from some of the out of options options.

Allen Turning Eyes: The game generated a nice article about our young pitcher Bob Allen. The "Friends and Foe Alike Rave About Allen" one:



It's encouraging to see a Whitney winner like Sal speak so highly of Allen, who will make a spring start this week in place of Joe Quade (3.2 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, BB, K), who got the first turn in the six spot. Allen made two pen appearances, one good (2 IP, BB) and one not-so-good (2 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, BB, K), and he'll like to rebound a bit after a tough winter. After a solid start, he ended 5-7 with a 5.57 ERA (89 ERA+), 1.60 WHIP, 47 walks, and 53 strikeouts in 72.2 innings. Ticketed for Little Rock, he had a chance to force himself up a level, but that seems unlikely barring an elite spring. This next start may be his only one of the spring, we have plenty of guys I'd like to see start, but even with the praise from his teammate, Cougar fans will have to temper their expectations on seeing the future ace. No need to rush it!

[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 2-4
Overall Record: 6-7 (4 GB)

Donnie Bounces Back: After two rough Donnie Jones starts our co-ace quicky looked reinvigorated in what ended up being an all-around poor week. He at least finished the week off with a start resembling his 1950 spring, throwing 4 hitless innings with 2 walks and 5 strikeouts. This more then doubles his two strikeouts in his first six innings, where he allowed 9 hits, 7 runs, and 3 walks. We're now basically at a full start in the spring, as his three abbreviated outings have led to 10 innings with 9 hits, 7 runs, 5 walks, and 7 strikeouts. He's kept the ball in the park, so his 3.30 FIP (83 FIP-) is fat better then his 6.30 ERA (63 ERA+), but stats like that don't mean too much now. All I want from Donnie is health and innings, as whether he allowed six runs or none next time out, I have full faith that every game he pitches we have a legitimate chance of winning.

Super Sal Returns?: In 117 games last season Sal Pestilli hit just 6 home runs. In his 11th spring game he reached a third of that. Yes, spring games don't matter one bit, but it's nice seeing the 35-year-old hitting homers again, even if the results don't matter. An added bonus has been the .385/.407/.769 batting line and 226 WRC+, which looks like a stretch the 1938 Whitney Winner should be capable of doing a few times in the season. One of the biggest reasons we were so poor last season, Pestilli dealt with injury and made just 506 trips to the plate, coming after 661 and 683 in in his first two full seasons as a Cougar. Between the absences, the lack of power, and general inconsistency, he never quite got going, but what makes him so good is all the ways he impacts the game.

He's not necessarily a smart guy, but he's a smart player, and has one of the highest baseball IQs on the team. This shows up in the field, where he quickly adapted to right field (15.8, 1.076), and he effortlessly covered center (0.6, 1.020) when John Moss got hurt. Then there's the work he does on the bases, as he swiped 28 bases in just 37 attempts, which is very impressive in this day. Only former Cougar Joe Austin had more steals (29), but he was caught (16) almost twice as often, and among members of the top five in steals Sal had the best percentage. If we want any chance of competing, we'll need our star to be at his best, and another 20 home run season would help further our cause. That might be a lot to expect from the average leadoff hitter, but Sal is far from average. The power is legit and our stadium is one where you can hit a bunch out. Between him, Red Bond, and Leo Mitchell, we could have a trio of twenty home run hitters, which would do wonders for our declining run production.

[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 3-4
Overall Record: 9-11 (4 GB)

Peter is Heating!: Like Donnie Jones, Pete Papenfus had a rough start to his spring, but like his co-ace, Peter the Heater is starting to heat up! This week he made two starts, and while he struck out just one hitter total, he provided us with four scoreless innings each time out. We won both games, and he's won his last three starts, allowing just 7 hits, a run, and 6 walks in 11 innings. The issue is again the strikeouts, just one in those three games, which is the exact opposite of what we expect from our durable fireballer. Could part of this be upgrading versions? Maybe... But the scouting reports are arguably more glowing now then before, and Dixie and OSA comment on his ability to generate swing and misses. My guess is no need to worry, and as long as our guys stay healthy, there shouldn't be much concern with the quality of pitching. Aside from Jones, who has an inflated 5.14 ERA, the other four starters now all have ERAs below 3.30, with Jim Morrison's 0.79 mark leading the charge. He's coming off 4 scoreless himself, just 1 run and 6 strikeouts in his 11.1 innings pitched.

The Offense is Alive!: After a mediocre showing last week, the bats really picked things up, as we had seven hitters with eight or more PAs and a WRC+ above 200. There were two others right below at 197 and 196, as we had a ton of high level production in the lineup. The most exciting was Otto Christian, who after a slow start went 4-for-11 with a double, homer, 2 walks, 2 RBIs, and 3 runs. Leo Mitchell did well too, 4-for-12 with a double, homer, and 2 runs, walks, RBIs, and steals. Yes, he stole two bases. But the best was probably Eddie Howard. Our surprisingly fifth year catcher was 9-for-17, adding 2 doubles, 2 runs, 3 walks, and 5 RBIs. Others who did well were former Chiefs Frank Davis (4-10, HR, 2 R, BB) and Billy Brown (2-7, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, BB), CWL standout Elmer Grace (4-8, 2B, 3 R, 3 RBI, BB), and everyday second basemen George Sutterfield (4-8, 2B, 3B, RBI, R, SB). Our offense will determine our success this season, as its been a while since it's really been feared, so even with meaningless spring games, its great seeing us put up productive at bats.

[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 1-5
Overall Record: 10-16 (7 GB)

First Injury of the Spring: Don't worry. It's not Peter the Heater. Or one of the Jones Brothers. Or Leo Mitchell, Skipper Schneider, or Sal Pestilli. It's not any of the guys you think, though if you think about who might be one of our most valuable hitters this spring, you may be able to guess who this!

If you guessed Billy Brown, I'd be quite impressed, as the rarely mentioned backup outfielder who hit .105/.268/.123 (9 OPS+) in 71 PAs after a waiver claim last season isn't what you would call a household name. That didn't stop him from getting mentions twice this spring, as the 28-year-old was slashing .348/.423/.870 and seemed to have a bench spot locked up. His 252 WRC+ came with three doubles, homers, and walks, scoring five times in his 26 trips to the plate. He'll now miss at least two months with a torn thumb ligament, making a return to the majors coming in June at the earliest. Not that their spots were ever at risk, I think this guarantees Chubby Hall (.267, 1, 3) and Jimmy Hairston (.412, 1, 4) spots on the roster. A seventh outfielder seems like a lot, but we have plenty of infield versatility, so carrying Brown with those two wouldn't be the worst thing. I don't see an outfielder like that available that'd be worth the limited role, so the rest of the spots will go to the infield.

Rule-5 Picks Impress: No pair benefited more from the George Oddo trade then Buzz Turner and Dizzy Danforth, the two arms we took in the Rule-5 Draft. Both have pitched well, with Danforth actually making a few starts. He went 4 against the defending champs, allowing 3 hits, a run, and a walk with a strikeout in an 8-3 win. He followed the victory with a no decision, allowing 4 hits and 2 runs with 2 strikeouts in another 4 inning start. Combined with his work in the pen, the former Cannons has allowed 9 hits, 3 runs, and a walk with 5 strikeouts in 10.1 innings pitched. He'll now head to the pen, as we'll let Buzz Turner have a shot in the same situation. He's thrown 7 solid innings of his own, allowing 5 hits, 2 runs, and 2 walks with 4 strikeouts. Turner, who is two years younger, came from the Foresters, and he got a strikeout in a scoreless inning against his former organization. I hope he's the one that starts against them on the 7th, but more importantly that he gets a start in each of the final two weeks. It may be impossible to keep both, but I think one of these guys will make camp, backing up our two high leverage arms David Molina and Jim Kenny.

First Round of Cuts: The roster shrunk from 55 to 48, as I let some of the super longshot guys go early so the rest can feel like they survived. Among the notable were former 1st Rounder Bert Rogers, former everyday second basemen Clark Car, and Billy Riley prospect piece Rupert Abbott. Top pitching prospect Bob Allen is still in camp, and even though he put together a pair of scoreless relief outings, he's unlikely to see himself breaking camp in Chicago. The other exciting prospect left is Elmer Grace and his .395/.410/.526 batting line, coming with a 168 WRC+, 2 doubles, a homer, and 7 RBIs. With Brown now hurt, there's an argument to be made that Grace should be the 24th man, as he's got nothing left to prove. Semi-regular time would be tough, Skipper and Sutterfield rank 4th at their respective positions, and there's likely guys like Billy Hunter, Otto Christian, and Charlie Woodbury on had to take the limited role. 24 in June, he's almost destined for a major league debut this season, but if moved he's still not eligible for the Rule-5 Draft.

[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 4-3
Overall Record: 14-17 (7 GB)

Top Three Done for Spring: Donnie Jones, Pete Papenfus, and Johnnie Jones all finished their springs this week, with the potential top three arms in our rotation actually doing fair worse then two guys with a start left. Pap and Johnnie weren't bad, but saying Donnie was inconsistent was an understatement. He was either great or awful, with a pair of shutout outings and a pair with five plus runs. The other two were decent, so I guess there was some middle ground, but the bad seemingly outweighed the good. He allowed 24 hits, 14 runs, and 9 walks with just 11 strikeouts, finishing with a 5.48 ERA (72 ERA+) and 1.43 WHIP. On the plus side, he did stay healthy, and our co-ace did have a nice 3.42 FIP (86 FIP-). Pap and Johnnie both had sub 4 ERAs, with Pap an impressive 4-1 in his 6 starts. He had a 3.75 ERA (106 ERA+) and 1.25 WHIP, but struck out and walked 12 hitters. Johnnie had the lowest ERA at 3.60 (110 ERA+), but like Pap he had equal walks and strikeouts (10) with a 1.48 WHIP that was higher then his brother.

Spots Still Up for Grabs: Just three more exhibition games before the results start to matter, and it's going to be nice to have the weekend to decide who survives. On the pitching side, it's probably not Buzz Turner, as he allowed 6 hits, 5 runs (3 earned), and a walk, allowing a pair of homers without getting a strikeout in his 2 innings. Dizzy Danforth did better in his starts, but he's allowed a run in each of his two relief outings. I still think he has the inside edge on the 9th spot on the staff, which would lead to the DFA'ing of Charlie Kelsey (2-1, SV, 13.2 IP, 13 H, 5 ER, 5 BB, 4 K) or Joe Quade (0-1, 12.1 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 8 K). Both have pitched well, so these last three games are crucial for everyone involved. Otherwise the only real question is the backup infield, as we have a lot of guys with big league experience. I'd give insight on who has the edge right now, but part of me is hoping a Billy Hunter injury makes it possible to carry everyone who can't be optioned. We'll see what happens, but I'm expecting to make some tough choices before Opening Day.

[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 3-0
Overall Record: 17-17 (5 GB)

Excellent End Bodes Well for 1951: In the aggregate, the Cougars spring training was pretty meh, but winning five straight to ends it makes me excited for the season to start. Not that I needed any more excitement, the anticipation has been tough to keep in, but winning like this is always fun. We got absolute gems from Jim Morrison (5 IP, 5 H, BB, 4 K) and Duke Bybee (5 IP, H, 2 BB, 2 K) to finish things off, and if it wasn't for an error, you might have been able to say the same about Buzz Turner (5 IP, 5 H, 3 R, ER, BB, K). The pitching will always be a strength of this team, and probably almost every future Cougar team, but its always great to see a nice hot finish when things tends to go wrong.

Roster Shrinks to 28: Most of the notable cuts were made, but we still need to shed two relievers and two infielders. I toyed with Elmer Grace making the team, but there were just too many other guys we'd have to lose, and I just wasn't really ready for that. Right now it seems simple: one of Buzz Turner, Dizzy Danforth, or Charlie Kelsey is going to make the team. And then two of Otto Christian, Al Clement, Charlie Woodbury, and Frank Davis isn't. Though which I choose? That will be tough. On the pitching side, it's really a toss up. Quade has FABL starting experience, Turner is a lefty with upside, and Danforth is probably the best as a reliever. None are game changers, yet none are scrubs either, making things difficult. The infield is even tougher. I really thought Billy Hunter would get hurt, and now I have to choose between high draft picks and solid vets. Maybe Frank Davis will let me option him? Same with Woodbury. Though I can't see that happening. Would Otto and his 27 WRC+ from last year clear? Maybe? I mean it was 143 the year before and he's got arguably the most raw power in the game. Clement is probably the easiest to clear, but he hit .444/.500/.667 this spring.

I guess this is why GMs get paid the big bucks...

[ayaghmour2]

Well the infield decision got a little easier! We managed to find a trading partner for Charlie Woodbury, sending him to the Stars for young third basemen Jack Lowe. Woodbury had a great season last year, batting .320/.398/.486 (145 OPS+), but he's a 1B/2B who only really got a few games at first last year. Sure, 17 doubles, 6 homers, and 32 RBIs in 254 PAs is nice too, but he doesn't really have a spot and was already upset about his expected bench role. After a year and a half in Chicago, he'll head back to New York, but instead of Brooklyn it will be New York City where he could take time from last year's starter Ed Holmes. We'll see Woodbury almost instantly, as the Stars are our opponent on the 17th in Chicago.

Taken in the 13th Round in 1948, Lowe played sparingly in C ball, but he's a handworker, a few seasons from being Rule-5 eligible, and my scout actually kind of likes him. There's holes in his game, mainly his swing, as he'll whiff a lot. But the eye is good, he's strong, and should develop into an above average hitter. He's risky and far off, and has yet to be challenged, but I think I'm going to start him in San Jose. A surprisingly high ranked prospect, Lowe checks in at 8th in their system and 163rd overall. In our system, that would be 17th, as on the day before Opening Day we have 11 prospects in the top 100.