[ayaghmour2]

This is a long one, but today is like my "Friday" so I have a lot of time to just watch playoff baseball and write about fake baseball.

May 29th, 1933
Chicago Cougars (30-14): 4
Cleveland Foresters (20-25): 2

W: Jim Crawford (5-3)
L: Dean Astle (2-2)

The wins keep piling on and we beat former Cougar farmhand Dean Astle in a nice 4-1 win. Jim Crawford wasn't perfect, but he allowed just 1 run despite 12 hits and a walk. He also struck out seven and was 2-for-4 with an RBI at the plate. John Kincaid was 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored. Mike Taylor was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Russ Combs was 1-for-4 with a double and run scored.

May 30th, 1933
Chicago Cougars (32-14): 7
Cleveland Foresters (20-26): 1

W: Dick Leudtke (8-1)
L: Ben Turner (3-6)

Another game with two or less allowed and we capped off a sweep of the Foresters with a 7-1 victory. Again, we face a Cougar farmhand in Ben Turner. Bill Ashbaugh had another big game, 4-for-5 with a double, triple, run, and RBI. Russ Combs was 3-for-5 with a run, triple, and 2 RBI's. Mike Taylor was 2-for-5 with a run scored. Tom Taylor was 1-for-4 with a walk, double, run, and RBI. Of course, since Dick Leudtke was on the mound, he threw a gem. A complete game victory with 7 hits, a run, 3 walks, and 3 strikeouts.

June 1st, 1933
Chicago Cougars (33-14): 7
Toronto Wolves (18-29): 5

W: Eddie Quinn (6-2)
L: Dick Lyons (5-6)

We were off the last day of May, and we started our June in Toronto. We'd see the struggling Wolves for three. They put up a fight in the opener, but the offense put up 7 to take the opener. Bill Ashbaugh did it again, 4-for-5 with a double, triple, and 3 RBI's. Russ Combs was 2-for-5 with a run scored. Mike Taylor was 1-for-3 with 3 walks, 2 runs, and an RBI. John Kincaid was 1-for-3 with a double, sac bunt, hit by pitch, walk, run, and RBI. Starter Dick Lyons got into the fun too, 1-for-4 with a sac-bunt, run scored, and run drive in. He did struggled in the complete game victory on the mound, allowing 10 hits, 5 runs, and 3 walks.

June 2nd, 1933
Chicago Cougars (34-14): 4
Toronto Wolves (18-30): 0

W: Tommy Wilcox (9-2)
L: Barry Wood (1-1)

I literally just wanted this once last year. Like obviously I wanted it every start (and still do of course), but this is all I needed last year to win the World Series. One game where Tommy Wilcox just flat out dominates. And it makes sense. I'll try to put this into perspective, but imagine your a 24-year-old in 1933 playing for less then $5,000 a game and you get to the field and you find out Tommy Wilcox is pitching. You're definitely a little scared. This dude is 6'4'' (Again, 1933) over 200 pounds. He's a big old righty who throws sidearm, and not only does he sit in the 90s with his fastballs, but he has 7 excellent big league pitches. Oh yeah, there's also a sinker that everyone beats straight into the ground and creates double plays if there is a competent defense (I like to think Combs, Kincaid, and Bower) behind him there will be a lot of double plays. But he also can strike you out with his curveball, forkball, or screwball. And his change-up just falls out at the end. Oh yeah. He also has a knuckleball. This guy should break records.

Anyways, in this game, he allowed just 5 hits and struck out 4 in a complete game shutout. He also was 1-for-4 with an RBI, so he provided enough offense himself for this one. That's not to say he didn't have help, as Arnold Bower was 2-for-3 with 2 runs, a walk, and a triple. Russ Combs was 2-for-4 with a sac-bunt, double, and RBI.

June 3rd, 1933
Chicago Cougars (35-14): 10
Toronto Wolves (18-32): 4

W: Jim Crawford (6-3)
L: Buddy Adams (3-8)

Didn't even realize it, but we just won 11 in a row. The offense did the work in this won, scoring 10 to finish off the Wolves in a three game road sweep. John Kincaid was 3-for-4 with 2 doubles, a walk, run, and 3 RBI's. Mike Taylor was 3-for-4 with a sac-fly, run scored, and two driven in. Bill Ashbaugh was 2-for-5 with a double, triple, 2 runs, and 2 RBI's. Tom Taylor was 2-for-5 with a double, 2 runs, and an RBI. Russ Combs was 2-for-5 with 2 runs and an RBI.

June 4th, 1933
Cleveland Foresters (22-28): 4
Chicago Cougars (35-15): 2

W: Roger Perry (7-3)
L: Dick Leudtke (8-2)
SV: Bob Boyd (1)

Maybe we should have stayed on the road? We returned from our road trip and proceeded to lose the opener to the visiting Foresters who we swept in Cleveland. Granted, we faced one of the best pitchers in the league, and Perry and the Foresters took the opener 4-2. Russ Combs was 4-for-4 against his former team. Tom Taylor was 3-for-4 with an RBI. Cy Bryant doubled and tripled. Dick Leudtke had an okay start, 8 innings with 10 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, and 3 strikeouts. Chick Meehan allowed a hit and a run in the 9th.

Stars of the Week
Russ Combs : 27 AB, 14 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .519 AVG, 1.292 OPS
Bill Ashbaugh : 26 AB, 11 H, 0 HR, 7 RBI, .423 AVG, 1.236 OPS
Tom Taylor : 26 AB, 10 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .385 AVG, .890 OPS

Awards
2B Russ Combs: Player of the Week

Transactions
Acquired RF Ed Calvert from the Boston Minutemen for SS Charlie Reed and an 11th Round Draft Pick
Acquired 2B Russ Franklin from the Cleveland Foresters for a 5th Round Draft Pick
Optioned SS Lee Sparks to AAA Milwaukee.

Injury Report
SS Charlie Gamble (AAA Milwaukee Blues): High ankle sprain (2-3 weeks)
RP Cy Plummer (A Lincoln Legislators): Oblique strain (3 weeks)
RF Lou Roach (A Lincoln Legislators): Shoulder inflammation (3 weeks)
RP Bob Bliss (B San Jose Cougars): Activated from the DL
SP Jon Hartz (B San Jose Cougars): Hamstring soreness (one week)
SP El Long (C La Crosse Lions): Activated from the DL

Weekly Summary
Well, we brought our win streak to eleven before dropping the opener back home. We also finished May 19-10 (.655), relatively worse then April where we were 13-4 (.765). The hot run at the end helped, as we won nine of our last ten May games. We've done well both at home in the road, but are 16-7 (.696) in Chicago and 19-8 (.704) everywhere else. As a team, we rank top 4 in all the major categories in the CA and rank 1st in OBP (.352), WAR (11.9), runs scored (250), strikeouts (122), steals (28), base running (+10.0), ERA (2.72), starter's ERA (2.82), bullpen ERA (1.54), runs allowed (158), WAR (8.7), hits (430), walks (120), defensive efficiency (.721), and zone rating (+31.5). I felt the zone rating was really high, and I may be right. The next best team in all of baseball is Montreal at +17.8.

Montreal (31-20) is sort of in the place we were last year. They've played really well in May, but we played just a little better. We're now up 4.5 over them in what is looking like a two team race. The defending champions are in third, but at 25-25 they are already 10 games out. We don't see Montreal until June 16th, so the standings could be much closer at that matchup.

We finish this two game set with the Foresters before another day off. Then it's the Stars (25-25) who will play four in Chicago. We haven't done well against them, just 3-3 on the year. After, Baltimore (24-26), who sits in 4th, comes to town for four.

Oh yeah, and we won another Player of the Week. In our World Series year, I think we have maybe three player of the week awards, but now we've got back-to-back with Russ Combs winning this week. Healthy again, Combs was 14-for-27 (.519) with 4 RBI's in his return for the lineup. His batting line looks much improved now, up to .330/.361/.485 (126 OPS+) with a steal, homer, and 11 RBI's. I'm keeping his playing time down a bit, but the off day in the middle of the week will really help.

A little about the arms we faced against the Foresters. Turner and Astle both came to the Foresters from a big blockbuster trade with the Gothams. Cleveland sent star outfielder Joe Perret (who I actually wanted to trade for) to the big apple in a three player trade. Those three prospects were Astle and Turner plus second basemen John Turner. And Turner might be the best of them.

The trade happened in the offseason, and Perrett was coming off an impressive year where he hit .356/.403/.564 (148 OPS+) with 11 triples, 14 homers, 64 RBI's, and 12 steals in 474 trips to the plate. This wasn't even his best season, as he was even better his first two seasons in the league. The 27-year-old was a top player and he got three really good prospects. He went on to hit .322/.377/.524 (144 OPS+) with 14 homers and 51 RBI's with 19 steals in just under 450 trips to the plate. Perrett has always dealt with injuries, and it was another year where one stopped him from playing. As a rookie in 1928, he played 150 games. It was the only season so far he'd play more then 125 and he hasn't reached 100 since his last year in Cleveland. He's an extremely talented hitter with a career .339/389/.540 (150 OPS+) with 80 homers, 50 triples, 389 RBI's, and 82 steals in 2,398 career at bats. The 1921 2nd Rounder is currently on the DL with recurring back spasms and will likely miss the all of June. Even so, Perrett was a critical part of the Gothams pennants.

Now Astle and Turner botch arrive in the Joe Perrett trade, but both arrived in New York a different way. Astle was sent to the Gothams October 18th, 1929 with Ben Curtin and Erv Frith for John Kincaid. Turner was traded straight up for Steve Castellini on November 3rd, 1930 in a deal that didn't work all too well for us. Turner hasn't been great, but the 25-year-old looks like a future dependable back of the rotation arm. Castellini was awful for us and actually announced his retirement this year. Traded to the Miners in the Spring for a 7th Round Pick, the 38-year-old will hang up the cleats after the 1933 season. He's pitched out of the pen for Pittsburgh, going 1-0 with a 3.60 ERA (103 ERA+), 1.33 WHIP, and 2 strikeouts in 15 innings. Before I was the Cougars GM, Castellini was a really good pitcher for the Cougars. He had a ton of talent, but the AI GM foolishly traded him to the Gothams at the deadline before human control. He was 8-6 with a 2.83 ERA (153 ERA+), 1.13 WHIP, and 37 strikeouts in 146.1 innings before the deal. In return, the Cougars got a corner outfielder Richie Marshall who was never used as an everyday starter.

Astle on the other hand was part of a trade that worked really well for us. We sent him, Ben Curtin, and Erv Firth to the Gothams for our current starting third basemen John Kincaid. Kincaid was one of my first buy moves, as I went to acquire him because the former 4th Overall pick had competition, current Gothams starting third basemen Don Ward. Kincaid has been one of my personal favorite players, and has been very valuable to the team. He's a really good defender and has never had a below average offensive season. From 1927-1933 with both us and the Gothams, he's hitting .335/.375/.453 (118 OPS+) with 95 steals, 73 triples, 18 homers, and 436 RBI's. He's been really dependable for us, 145+ games in each of his three seasons here and he's on pace for 151 in year four. He's hitting .343/.396/.435 (123 OPS+) with a homer, steal, and 23 RBI's in 228 trips to the plate. And of course, he's doing well defensively, with a +1.4 zone rating and 1.028 efficiency in 49 games.

Astle is just 23 and has ranked in the top 25 FABL prospects. He's actually hurt now, but in 4 starts he was 2-2 with a 2.60 ERA (147 ERA+), 1.18 WHIP, and 10 strikeouts in 34.2 innings pitched. It was a nice find by me, as he was my 9th round selection in 1927. When I traded him in 1929 he was a top 50 prospect and ranks 16 right now. He is probably going to turn into a really good pitcher, but with the rotation I have now someone would have had to move. I have five really good starters and even if I had him now he'd be wasting time in AAA with Art Black.

I also made a pair of trades, one before the sim and one after. The one before was getting the glove of Ed Calvert. I had to give up a former 2nd Rounder in Charlie Reed who is a promising young middle infielder. But, with Billy Hunter now blocking his path to the majors, I used him to get a really good defender for the big league team. Calvert can play second and short, but he's much better suited for the outfield. Last year, in just 900 innings with the Minutemen, he had a +20.8 zone rating and 1.124 efficiency. He does have a little experience in center, but he basically lets me keep Tom Taylor's glove on the field when he fills in for Bryant in center. I don't expect Calvert to hit much at all, but he's an excellent defender with really good speed we can rely on.

Mike Smith will stay with team for now, but he's headed to AAA once Russ Franklin gets to town. Smith was hitting just .182/.217/.182 (8 OPS+) with a steal and RBI in 23 trips to the plate. He was much better last year, hitting .394/.436/.617 (175 OPS+) with 4 homers, a steal, and 15 RBI's in 101 PA's. It's a much larger sample, but still small and I didn't expect this. He has options, so I'll decide what to do with him in the minors next sim.

Franklin is a 26-year-old who St. Louis took 8th overall in 1924. I don't remember him from that draft (before our time), but I remember him from the 1929 Rule-5 draft where I really wanted him. He hit really well as a rookie, batting .307/.369/.441 (109 OPS+) with 4 homers, 10 steals, and 42 RBI's in 420 trips to the plate. This year has been tough for Franklin, but since debuting, he's hit .291/.350/.427 (108 OPS+) with 9 homers, 22 steals, and 105 RBI's. The Foresters have used him a lot at second basemen, but I think I'm going to use him more as an outfielder. He has option years, so I may send him to AAA to play center field.

Minor League Report
1B Jim Hatfield (AA Mobile Commodores): Hatfield was just named Batter of the Month in the Dixie League after hitting .417 with a homer, 27 RBI's, and 29 runs scored. He's having a great year, slashing .377/.423/.491 (139 OPS+) with 5 steals, the homer, and 29 RBI's in 178 trips to the plate. The 21-year-old is a really fast runner and is one of those guys that would be able to play shortstop if they weren't a lefty. He's an excellent defender and while he doesn't hit for much power, he has a really strong hit tool. I think he's got a lot of potential and should be a nice eventual replacement for Bill Ashbaugh.