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Tiger Fan · 12-13-2019, 01:09 AM

KINGS ORGANIZATIONAL DEPTH CHART

PART 2: PITCHING

I have never felt really good about our pitching and while I still think we may have some issues this year at the major league level there is finally some hope for the future. I identified TOMMY WILCOX as the premier pitcher available in the draft and perhaps a talent that only comes around every few years so once we fell out of contention in June most of my deadline deals were made with an eye towards trying to acquire Wilcox or lefthander Mike Murphy, a Brooklyn State pitcher I also liked and felt had a more reasonable shot at getting.

Things fell into place and I landed Wilcox and he is now in the organization. Initial scouting reports both internally and from the league service confirm my hopes - Wilcox debuted as the top pitcher in the BNN 100 prospects list right after he signed. He will start the season at Class A Omaha and is in my mind a future top of the rotation ace. He is the only such arm we have but we do finally have a couple of #2 or #3 starter prospects in 20 year old GEORGE JOHNSON and 23 year old DEL LYONS.

A 1926 first round pick (6th overall), Johnson was acquired from the Chicago Chiefs in exchange for veteran pitcher Cal Williams at the deadline. He was 6-15 with a 6.63 era but most of those numbers were in the homer happy COW League. I am going to start him at Omaha with Wilcox but am not afraid to back him down a level if need be. Being a high school arm I want to take things slow with him and a Brooklyn debut is likely not until 1931 at the earliest and quite possibly later.

Lyons was my second round pick out of St. Matthew's College in 1926 and I used him in the bullpen at Omaha as a rookie pro where he had 19 saves but also gave up a ton of homeruns. He improved the homer numbers last season at AA Knoxville, where he started and went 11-10 with a 3.99 era and got a late promotion to AAA. I think he is ready for AAA full time this year and I will start him in the pen but likely move him to the rotation at some point. Not as highly thought of by the league scouting service as Johnson, I see him as my #3 starter in a couple of seasons as the three of them will ideally give me a good start on a rotation that rivals any in the league.

Those 3 are my prize prospects. There are some others I like such as MICKEY BEAVERS, SCOTTY GROSSMAN, FRANK PARSONS, DAVE RANKIN, ART BLAKE and last month's second round pick JOE RUSSELL but they all grade out as back of the rotation talents.

It is at the major league level where I think we may still have problems. Hopefully 25 year old BUZZ HAM's season was the start of a trend and not just a one-off type of thing. The lefthander came over in early June from the Chicago Cougars and led the Continental Association with a 2.57 era while going 8-5. He spent much of the year in the pen but was switched to the rotation and made 12 starts. He has posted solid numbers throughout his career going back to his days at Golden Gate University. The Cougars drafted him in the 5th round in 1924. He has in my mind the potential to be a solid number 2 starter but our problem is we don't have a number one.

I think we do have some depth with several young veterans that can fill the big end of a rotation such as 27 year old HARVEY RODGERS (13-12, 4.99), 29 year old TOPSY MORAN (9-11, 4.91) and 28 year old LEON THOMPSON (8-6, 4.84) as well as the recently signed 35 year old BOB SCHMID (18-11, 3.03 in AAA) who was a long-time Kings pitcher before being dealt to the New York Gothams several years ago.

BILL DENGLER is now 24 and has pitched fairly well in Brooklyn when given the chance while more was expected of 26 year old CLARENCE FLANDERS, who was acquired after a 17-9, 3.86 season as a 23 year old with independent Portland of the Great West League. Flanders did look very good out of the pen as a September call-up so hopefully that is a sign he is ready. 23 year old Rule V draft pick JIM LANGLEY also fits into the group of guys who can fill out or pen or perhaps compete for a starting job.

SUMMARY

We are still thin overall at pitcher and lack a #1 at the big league level but with Wilcox, Lyons and Johnson their finally is hope in Brooklyn. We need to resist the temptation to rush Wilcox and look to get one or two more young arms with a high ceiling.

If things go right with our staff this year I believe we can compete for a pennant at the big league level but we are a young team (both on the mound and in the field) and the goal is to build a multiple year contender, but that might be 1 or 2 more seasons away. There is a ton of pressure on Wilcox to live up to expectations but finally, there is hope we can build a team with a pitching staff that can compare to the quality of our offense.

12-13-2019, 01:09 AM	#139
Tiger Fan Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Ontario Canada Posts: 9,873	1929 Brooklyn Kings depth chart : Pitching KINGS ORGANIZATIONAL DEPTH CHART PART 2: PITCHING I have never felt really good about our pitching and while I still think we may have some issues this year at the major league level there is finally some hope for the future. I identified TOMMY WILCOX as the premier pitcher available in the draft and perhaps a talent that only comes around every few years so once we fell out of contention in June most of my deadline deals were made with an eye towards trying to acquire Wilcox or lefthander Mike Murphy, a Brooklyn State pitcher I also liked and felt had a more reasonable shot at getting. Things fell into place and I landed Wilcox and he is now in the organization. Initial scouting reports both internally and from the league service confirm my hopes - Wilcox debuted as the top pitcher in the BNN 100 prospects list right after he signed. He will start the season at Class A Omaha and is in my mind a future top of the rotation ace. He is the only such arm we have but we do finally have a couple of #2 or #3 starter prospects in 20 year old GEORGE JOHNSON and 23 year old DEL LYONS. A 1926 first round pick (6th overall), Johnson was acquired from the Chicago Chiefs in exchange for veteran pitcher Cal Williams at the deadline. He was 6-15 with a 6.63 era but most of those numbers were in the homer happy COW League. I am going to start him at Omaha with Wilcox but am not afraid to back him down a level if need be. Being a high school arm I want to take things slow with him and a Brooklyn debut is likely not until 1931 at the earliest and quite possibly later. Lyons was my second round pick out of St. Matthew's College in 1926 and I used him in the bullpen at Omaha as a rookie pro where he had 19 saves but also gave up a ton of homeruns. He improved the homer numbers last season at AA Knoxville, where he started and went 11-10 with a 3.99 era and got a late promotion to AAA. I think he is ready for AAA full time this year and I will start him in the pen but likely move him to the rotation at some point. Not as highly thought of by the league scouting service as Johnson, I see him as my #3 starter in a couple of seasons as the three of them will ideally give me a good start on a rotation that rivals any in the league. Those 3 are my prize prospects. There are some others I like such as MICKEY BEAVERS, SCOTTY GROSSMAN, FRANK PARSONS, DAVE RANKIN, ART BLAKE and last month's second round pick JOE RUSSELL but they all grade out as back of the rotation talents. It is at the major league level where I think we may still have problems. Hopefully 25 year old BUZZ HAM's season was the start of a trend and not just a one-off type of thing. The lefthander came over in early June from the Chicago Cougars and led the Continental Association with a 2.57 era while going 8-5. He spent much of the year in the pen but was switched to the rotation and made 12 starts. He has posted solid numbers throughout his career going back to his days at Golden Gate University. The Cougars drafted him in the 5th round in 1924. He has in my mind the potential to be a solid number 2 starter but our problem is we don't have a number one. I think we do have some depth with several young veterans that can fill the big end of a rotation such as 27 year old HARVEY RODGERS (13-12, 4.99), 29 year old TOPSY MORAN (9-11, 4.91) and 28 year old LEON THOMPSON (8-6, 4.84) as well as the recently signed 35 year old BOB SCHMID (18-11, 3.03 in AAA) who was a long-time Kings pitcher before being dealt to the New York Gothams several years ago. BILL DENGLER is now 24 and has pitched fairly well in Brooklyn when given the chance while more was expected of 26 year old CLARENCE FLANDERS, who was acquired after a 17-9, 3.86 season as a 23 year old with independent Portland of the Great West League. Flanders did look very good out of the pen as a September call-up so hopefully that is a sign he is ready. 23 year old Rule V draft pick JIM LANGLEY also fits into the group of guys who can fill out or pen or perhaps compete for a starting job. SUMMARY We are still thin overall at pitcher and lack a #1 at the big league level but with Wilcox, Lyons and Johnson their finally is hope in Brooklyn. We need to resist the temptation to rush Wilcox and look to get one or two more young arms with a high ceiling. If things go right with our staff this year I believe we can compete for a pennant at the big league level but we are a young team (both on the mound and in the field) and the goal is to build a multiple year contender, but that might be 1 or 2 more seasons away. There is a ton of pressure on Wilcox to live up to expectations but finally, there is hope we can build a team with a pitching staff that can compare to the quality of our offense. Attached Images __________________ Cliff Markle HOB1 greatest pitcher 360-160, 9 Welch Awards, 11 WS titles