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ayaghmour2 · 08-07-2021, 02:44 PM

No injuries again! And even better, we had a nice week, finishing 5-2 as good 'ol Peter the Heater set down 10 to extend his league best strikeout total to 24. No other pitcher has more then 20, and he holds a 6 strikeout lead over Wolves' ace Joe Hancock. The Cougars also sit at a respectable 11-9, part of a four way tie for second place in the CA and Papenfus is 1-2 with 3 saves, a 2.11 ERA and 1.45 WHIP in 21.1 innings pitched. Most of our arms were effective this week, but it was another awful start for Dave Rankin. The vet allowed 8 hits and 4 runs with a strikeout in just three innings. Oscar Morse finally allowed a run, but it was just one with 3 hits and 2 strikeouts in 4 solid innings. Pug continued to match him, a lone run in 4 innings, but with 4 hits, 2 walks, and a strikeout. Dick Lyons tossed a 3-hit, 4 inning shutout while Milt Fritz got one more out, but also with 2 walks and a strikeout. John Hartz finally got some action, a start and a relief outing, combining for 6 innings, 5 hits, a run, walk, and 2 strikeouts. Del Burns also made a start, but it was a little shaky, 3 hits, 4 walks, 2 runs (1 earned), but 3 strikeouts in four frames. Allen Purvis tossed 4 shutout innings with 4 hits, a walk, and a strikeout. Clarence Crane tossed 3.2 hitless innings with a pair of walks and strikeouts. Chet Peacock was scoreless for 5.1 frames, just a hit with three strikeouts and a save. Rusty Watts tossed 7 innings with 5 hits, a run, 2 walks, and 5 strikeouts. And this week, everyone except Joe Brown got a frame. Bill Kline, however, probably wishes he didn't, allowing 9 hits and 7 runs (3 earned) while potentially putting his pen job in jeopardy.

I think it's official, Johnny McDowell will start the season at second base. Despite making an error on the first ball hit to him this spring, he has not made another. He started hot on the field, but after a 1-for-9 week with 4 strikeouts, his line dropped .286/.394/.321 for the Spring. Ray Ford, however, hasn't even attempted to slow down, this week 8-for-14 with a double, 3 runs, 4 walks, and an RBI. Rich Langton and Billy Hunter both hit homers, but most of the other starters also struggled to hit. Likely Opening Day Cougar Johnny Waters was 5-for-10 with a double, walk, run, and two RBIs. Orlin Yates was 4-for-10 with a walk, run, and RBI. Leo Mitchell was 3-for-9 with a homer, run, RBI, and three walks. This week, every position player got a PA, even Lave Young who was 1-for-2 with a double, walk, run, and 3 RBIs.

With just four games left in the Spring, it is time for a few cuts. Leaving the roster will be the following:

RHP Del Burnes
RHP Harry Parker
RHP/CF Juan Pomales
C Lave Young
1B Chris Smith
2B Tommy Wilson
SS Ivan Cameron
LF Red Looney
RF Henry Cox

This leaves us with 45 players, but there are still a few guys on hand I don't expect to make the team that I'm hanging onto just to be safe. The biggest battles left will be for the bullpen spots, backup catcher, and the remaining bench spots. The lineup is now set, but a lot of moving pieces still to be determined. What makes my life 1,000 times easier is only three guys are out of options; Dave Rankin, Allen Purvis, and Bill Kline. Of course, even if he does have a 7.36 ERA (or higher...), Dave Rankin will not be waived. And I'll have not regrets waiving a 30+ year old reliever either, so for once, options will have little-to-no factor on the final roster composition.

A little prospect update before finishing: Papenfus currently ranks as our 8th most developed starting pitcher, behind the five man rotation, Allen Purvis, and Harry Parker. I had no plans of Pete starting the year in Chicago, but it is at least something I will have to mull over the weekend. He's definitely going to be in Chicago this year, but before his 20th birthday on the 26th of April? We'll see... Some other encouraging news includes the meteoric rise of both Preacher Pietsch and Danny Hern. Pietsch makes sense, he was the #2 ranked pitcher in last year's draft if you believe the Mock Draft is the law, but for some reason failed to rank in the top 500. Fast forward to April 11th, and the righty checks in at 12th in our system and 123rd in the league. Hern, however, is much more surprising, as the southpaw was a 14th Round pick in 1935 who cuts corners in workouts and wasn't a full time starter is first season. He's now 14th and 134th respectively and OSA is starting to warm up to him. I actually tried pawning off Hern repeatedly in the offseason to no avail, so this may be another Bill Scott situation, just hopefully Hern doesn't decide basketball is for him. It's not all good, however, with Hal Wood dropping way off (at least in the rankings), down to 15th and 137th. The only thing I can rationalize is that he's now 23, with age contributing to the drop, as Marv doesn't see him any different then in January where he was comfortably in the top 100. The system as a whole has trended up a bit, now tied for fourth with the Wolves. When Pete graduates we'll definitely take a hit, but I still think our system is as deep as any. We have exactly 10% of the top 200 prospects, with only Montreal having a higher proportion and the Keystones matching our mark.

08-07-2021, 02:44 PM	#563
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,033	Spring Week 3 No injuries again! And even better, we had a nice week, finishing 5-2 as good 'ol Peter the Heater set down 10 to extend his league best strikeout total to 24. No other pitcher has more then 20, and he holds a 6 strikeout lead over Wolves' ace Joe Hancock. The Cougars also sit at a respectable 11-9, part of a four way tie for second place in the CA and Papenfus is 1-2 with 3 saves, a 2.11 ERA and 1.45 WHIP in 21.1 innings pitched. Most of our arms were effective this week, but it was another awful start for Dave Rankin. The vet allowed 8 hits and 4 runs with a strikeout in just three innings. Oscar Morse finally allowed a run, but it was just one with 3 hits and 2 strikeouts in 4 solid innings. Pug continued to match him, a lone run in 4 innings, but with 4 hits, 2 walks, and a strikeout. Dick Lyons tossed a 3-hit, 4 inning shutout while Milt Fritz got one more out, but also with 2 walks and a strikeout. John Hartz finally got some action, a start and a relief outing, combining for 6 innings, 5 hits, a run, walk, and 2 strikeouts. Del Burns also made a start, but it was a little shaky, 3 hits, 4 walks, 2 runs (1 earned), but 3 strikeouts in four frames. Allen Purvis tossed 4 shutout innings with 4 hits, a walk, and a strikeout. Clarence Crane tossed 3.2 hitless innings with a pair of walks and strikeouts. Chet Peacock was scoreless for 5.1 frames, just a hit with three strikeouts and a save. Rusty Watts tossed 7 innings with 5 hits, a run, 2 walks, and 5 strikeouts. And this week, everyone except Joe Brown got a frame. Bill Kline, however, probably wishes he didn't, allowing 9 hits and 7 runs (3 earned) while potentially putting his pen job in jeopardy. I think it's official, Johnny McDowell will start the season at second base. Despite making an error on the first ball hit to him this spring, he has not made another. He started hot on the field, but after a 1-for-9 week with 4 strikeouts, his line dropped .286/.394/.321 for the Spring. Ray Ford, however, hasn't even attempted to slow down, this week 8-for-14 with a double, 3 runs, 4 walks, and an RBI. Rich Langton and Billy Hunter both hit homers, but most of the other starters also struggled to hit. Likely Opening Day Cougar Johnny Waters was 5-for-10 with a double, walk, run, and two RBIs. Orlin Yates was 4-for-10 with a walk, run, and RBI. Leo Mitchell was 3-for-9 with a homer, run, RBI, and three walks. This week, every position player got a PA, even Lave Young who was 1-for-2 with a double, walk, run, and 3 RBIs. With just four games left in the Spring, it is time for a few cuts. Leaving the roster will be the following: RHP Del Burnes RHP Harry Parker RHP/CF Juan Pomales C Lave Young 1B Chris Smith 2B Tommy Wilson SS Ivan Cameron LF Red Looney RF Henry Cox This leaves us with 45 players, but there are still a few guys on hand I don't expect to make the team that I'm hanging onto just to be safe. The biggest battles left will be for the bullpen spots, backup catcher, and the remaining bench spots. The lineup is now set, but a lot of moving pieces still to be determined. What makes my life 1,000 times easier is only three guys are out of options; Dave Rankin, Allen Purvis, and Bill Kline. Of course, even if he does have a 7.36 ERA (or higher...), Dave Rankin will not be waived. And I'll have not regrets waiving a 30+ year old reliever either, so for once, options will have little-to-no factor on the final roster composition. A little prospect update before finishing: Papenfus currently ranks as our 8th most developed starting pitcher, behind the five man rotation, Allen Purvis, and Harry Parker. I had no plans of Pete starting the year in Chicago, but it is at least something I will have to mull over the weekend. He's definitely going to be in Chicago this year, but before his 20th birthday on the 26th of April? We'll see... Some other encouraging news includes the meteoric rise of both Preacher Pietsch and Danny Hern. Pietsch makes sense, he was the #2 ranked pitcher in last year's draft if you believe the Mock Draft is the law, but for some reason failed to rank in the top 500. Fast forward to April 11th, and the righty checks in at 12th in our system and 123rd in the league. Hern, however, is much more surprising, as the southpaw was a 14th Round pick in 1935 who cuts corners in workouts and wasn't a full time starter is first season. He's now 14th and 134th respectively and OSA is starting to warm up to him. I actually tried pawning off Hern repeatedly in the offseason to no avail, so this may be another Bill Scott situation, just hopefully Hern doesn't decide basketball is for him. It's not all good, however, with Hal Wood dropping way off (at least in the rankings), down to 15th and 137th. The only thing I can rationalize is that he's now 23, with age contributing to the drop, as Marv doesn't see him any different then in January where he was comfortably in the top 100. The system as a whole has trended up a bit, now tied for fourth with the Wolves. When Pete graduates we'll definitely take a hit, but I still think our system is as deep as any. We have exactly 10% of the top 200 prospects, with only Montreal having a higher proportion and the Keystones matching our mark.