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reds1 · 12-25-2021, 05:30 PM

December 1, 1955

Western League: Pulberry, Cambria Remain Cream of the Crop

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Offense: .260/.344/.430 (3rd/2nd/1st)
Pitching: 3.14/3.23/2.74 (1st/1st/2nd)
Defense: .730 (1st)

After two disappointing playoff runs, the Pulberry Trolleys appear to be doubling down in their efforts to build a more complete team. In addition to their established stars, they also have young players in their lineup and pitching staff that are off to incredible starts. That bodes well for a team still looking for that elusive first pennant.

While two-time defending Babe Ruth Award winner, 27-year old LF Aidan Thirkettle (.285/.397/.637, 18 HR, 43 HR, 30 BB, 3 SB, 2.5 WAR), continues to rake, he is far from alone in giving pitchers nightmares. 28-year old CF Cooper Tyson (.313/.425/.469, 5 HR, 20 RBI, 34 BB, 5 SB, 3.3 WAR) continues his incredible all-around play from last season. 29-year old 1B Gerard Koerner (.333/.413/.561, 10 HR, 32 RBI, 25 BB, 2.6 WAR) is off to his best start by far and is currently rated No. 2 among first basemen, behind only Cambria’s Carlos Corea. Now in his sixth season, Koerner has never racked up more than 2.9 WAR; this season he is on pace for 7.4. Off to his best start as well is 4-year veteran, 25-year old C Paul England (.302/.386/.488, 7 HR, 27 RBI, 29 BB, 1.2 WAR). The No. 4-rated catcher is on pace for 6.1 WAR; his previous best was 3.6 reached last season.

But Pulberry is also receiving a boost from their rookie shortstop, 23-year old Sean Abercrombie (.262/.342/.463, 6 HR, 19 RBI, 21 BB, 2 SB, 1.5 WAR – 51/71). He has already been installed as the team’s captain. His play has forced 30-year old Francis Jones (.280/.368/.466, 5 HR, 15 RBI, 16 BB, 3 SB, 1.5 WAR) to third base, relegating 28-year old Makani Kahale (.210/.291/.295, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 12 BB, 0.2 WAR – 62/62) to back-up duties. Pulberry’s lone weak spot is at second base, where 30-year old Paul Heisler (.193/.274/.319, 3 HR, 15 RBI, 13 BB, -0.3 WAR) is struggling. Although he is not strong at 2B defensively (35), I would expect Kahale to take over there at some point, as his bat is too good to just sit on the bench.

The pitching staff has ably supported the offense thus far, with 20-year old LHP Bart Ohara (5-5, 2.90 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 129 ERA+ - 54/80) making his presence felt, winning Rookie of the Month honours in November. Ohara has always been rated as a top prospect since he was drafted in the 4th round back in 1953-54, but OOTP22 seems to really like him. Its not hard seeing him challenging for a Satchel Paige Award at some point. Perhaps overlooked a bit is 26-year old LHP Dermott Rathbone (8-0, 5 SV, 1.75 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 215 ERA+ - 48/58), who is off to an incredible start in his own right. Since moving into the rotation full-time in early November, he has won 5 straight starts. The infusion of young talent in the rotation has seen 34-year old veteran RHP Alexander Ellacott (6-2, 6 SV, 3.81 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 99 ERA+) transition to the stopper role.

Player of the Week Awards:

October 10 – CF Cooper Tyson (.520, 13 H, 2 HR, 8 RBI)

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Offense: .261/.345/.416 (2nd/1st/2nd)
Pitching: 3.88/4.28/2.35 (4th/6th/1st)
Defense: .698 (7th)

The Cambria Cannons jumped out to an 7-0 start before losing 4 of the next 5 to quickly fall back to second place where they remain after the first two months. The Cannons are unquestionably one of the top teams in the United Leagues and could be even better if only their rotation was firing on all cylinders.

The lineup remains one of the most potent, even with 26-year old CF Sam Tite (.291/.406/.605, 6 HR, 16 RBI, 17 BB, 2 SB, 1.2 WAR) out of the lineup for an extended period. 24-year old LF Calvin Hanbridge (.295/.449/.462, 6 HR, 25 HR, 51 BB, 3 SB, 2.6 WAR) is emerging as a bona fide elite player while 31-year old 3B Luis Torres (.327/.406/.527, 9 HR, 41 RBI, 25 BB, 2.0 WAR) has been wildly productive batting lower in the lineup. 29-year old 1B Carlos Corea (.300/.371/.567, 11 HR, 30 RBI, 16 BB, 1.7 WAR) continues to rake even if his defense remains suspect. But he is far from alone in that department.

While Cambria’s farm system is in the middle of the pack (8th overall), they have two impressive rookies on the major league roster that could soon make a major league impact. 21-year old CF Kilipeka Maleko (39/63), a 2nd-overall pick from 1952-53, is getting starts facing left-handed pitchers. But with Sam Tite (75/75) nearing a return from injury, Maleko’s playing time may be severely limited, as he rated mainly for centerfield (65) and perhaps rightfield (25). But he’s got great range (70) and arm (55). In the infield, Cambria has 24-year old 2B Chai-liang Fang (48/56), a 13th-overall pick from 1953-54. The Taiwanese Fang projects to be an above average player with outstanding defensive ratings, something that the Cannons sorely need.

The rotation has been a relatively weak link in the early going. Right now, only 27-year old RHP Ray Lambright (8-4, 3.15 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 120 ERA+) has been consistent. The bullpen, however, has been impressive, with 30-year old stopper RHP Keith Roche (5-1, 9 SV, 0.54 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 700 ERA+) giving up only two earned runs so far this season, through 33.1 IP.

Player of the Week Awards:

October 31 – 1B Carlos Corea (.455, 10 H, 4 HR, 10 RBI)
November 28 – LF Calvin Handridge (.550, 11 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI)

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Offense: .265/.338/.384 (1st/3rd/3rd)
Pitching: 3.49/3.35/4.15 (3rd/2nd/6th)
Defense: .719 (4th)

The Sherburn Tigers finished November with a 4-game winning streak to remain 2.5 games back of the wildcard spot. If there is a team poised to make a big leap forward in the immediate future, it’s the Tigers. A few seasons ago, Sherburn’s roster was practically devoid of impact players. Today, its brimming with young talent. If they all can hit their stride, the Tigers could be a force to reckon with in the West very soon.

Case in point is the previously unheralded LF Ross Shewman (.289/.398/.548, 11 HR, 39 RBI, 29 BB, 2.7 WAR – 60/60), the 25-year old Canadian the Tigers selected in the 2nd round back in 1952-53. Only in his second season, he is already one of the top leftfielders in the Leagues and is enjoying an all-star season. An elite defender at his position, it would be no surprise if he should pick up some Ball Hawk awards in his career. Also making an impact this year is 26-year old SS Dwayne Vick (.352/.383/.426, 10-2B, 20 RBI, 11 BB, 2.5 WAR – 65/65). Vick is a two-time all-star and two-time Ball Hawk award winner; he is on pace to make it three each this season.

But that is just the tip of the iceberg. Sherburn also has 25-year old RF Albert Sulley (.264/.357/.371, 3 HR, 23 RBI, 30 BB, 9 SB, 1.8 WAR – 67/72), 26-year old 3B Adrian Flynn (.301/.378/.460, 5 HR, 25 RBI, 21 BB, 1.5 WAR – 65/65), 23-year old CF Leon Albrecht (.234/.353/.354, 3 HR, 17 RBI, 28 BB, 2 SB, 1.0 WAR – 56/80) and 25-year old 2B Bernard Kerkin (.288/.327/.374, 3 HR, 15 RBI, 11 BB, 0.8 WAR – 55/55) currently in the lineup. Both Albrecht and Kerkin are former 1st overall picks, with Albrecht currently rated as the top prospect in the United Leagues. That’s a lot of young talent that could make Sherburn’s lineup one of the most fearsome if they can all hit their stride.

The pitching staff is more than holding its own, as 31-year old ace RHP Jesús Chapa (7-1, 1.87 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 223 ERA+) has returned to the award-winning level he enjoyed in the late 1940s when he won back-to-back Satchel Paige Awards. 28-year old RHP Ben Buschlen (6-2, 2.86 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 135 ERA+) remains one the best No. 2 starters in the business. 23-year old LHP Brendan Wombell (7-5, 3.50 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 111 ERA+) has provided some solid outings, but the Tigers are eager to get 22-year old RHP Kozue Saito (2-5, 3.70 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 105 ERA+ - 42/69) back from injury so that the former 2nd-round pick can continue to develop.

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Offense: .259/.322/.368 (4th/6th/5th)
Pitching: 3.38/3.36/3.48 (2nd/3rd/5th)
Defense: .729 (2nd)

The Fort Richmond Generals bucked the early predictions by getting off to a strong start in October, finishing the month just 3 games out of first place. But a rough 4-11 start to November saw them fall back to perhaps more realistic expectations. The Generals simply do not have the impact players they need in the lineup to compete over the course of the season. They also have the second-worst rated farm system at the moment with precious few highly-rated prospects in the system.

Right now, 24-year old C Scott Sheelah (.273/.360/.406, 4 HR, 18 RBI, 23 BB, 1.4 WAR) and 28-year old 1B Jacob Gadsden (.296/.348/.472, 6 HR, 19 RBI, 11 BB, 2 SB, 1.1 WAR) lead a very hum-drum lineup, with 23-year old rookie Uki Edewada (.318/.364/.477, 5-2B, 18 RBI, 10 BB, 4 SB, 1.3 WAR – 39/55) getting regular starts at rightfield and batting out of the No. 3 spot against left-handers.

The pitching features mainly two standouts in the rotation. 32-year old RHP Nicky Sherlock (6-4, 1.79 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 210 ERA+) has bounced back nicely from an injury-plagued season last year while 29-year old RHP Kazunori Fujimoto (6-3, 2.40 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 156 ERA+) is off to the best start of his 5-year career. But outside of 31-year old stopper RHP José Rodríguez (1-2, 5 SV, 3.04 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 123 ERA+), the pitching staff is not as formidable as previous Generals’ staffs were in years past. But they do have 22-year old LHP John Witheycombe (3-0, 3.75 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 100 ERA+ - 48/61), a 2nd-round pick from 1951-52 in the bullpen. If he can develop his third pitch (circle change – 25/50), he may be able to move into the rotation one day.

Player of the Week Awards:

November 21 – 2B Derek Reed (.524, 11 H, 2 RBI)

Noteworthy:

October 16 – The Generals swept the visiting Wolseley Unions in a 3-game set, a series that saw back-to-back 1-0 victories in the final two games. In the second game, the Generals won when they finally pushed a run across the plate in the bottom of the 13th inning. While that game saw seven pitchers take the mound, Game 3 witnessed a brilliant matchup between two pitchers that each went the distance. For the Unions, 37-year old RHP Bill Blair pitched 8 innings, giving up 4 hits, one earned run and 4 strikeouts on 90 pitches (GS: 74). But Fort Richmond’s RHP Nicky Sherlock outdid him, pitching the United Leagues’ 11th no-hitter and first in nearly 3 years (9.0 IP, 1 BB, 4 K, 103 PI, GS: 90). Sherlock’s only blemish came early, when LF Carlton Hawking drew a two-out walk in the first inning. The only other baserunner for Wolseley was when 24-year old 2B Koto Honma reached safely on a throwing error in the 5th inning. But two pitches later, he was caught stealing at 2B to end the inning. The only run in the game was scored by 1B Jacob Gadsden, who launched a one-out solo home run in the bottom of the 7th.

October 19 – It was a tough day at the office for the pitchers, as the Fort Richmond Generals and Kingston Pelicans scored 20 runs off 29 hits. But the Generals got the lion’s share, defeating the Pelicans 13-7 on 19 hits. While Kingston’s 25-year old C Ronald Armstrong went 3 for 4 with 2 HR, 2 R and 5 RBI in a losing cause, Fort Richmond’s 26-year old LF Tom Lind (.281/.293/.404, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 1 BB, 0.0 WAR) when 5 for 6 with 5 singles, 1 R and 1 RBI. Lind’s teammate, 30-year old SS Derek Reed (.312/.344/.392, 1 HR, 16 RBI, 5 BB, 0.7 WAR) went 4 for 4 with a double, 1 R, 2 BB, and 2 RBI.

October 27 – 28-year old LHP Diarmid Rowet (4-5, 4.46 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, 84 ERA+) was on his ‘A’ game, as he blanked the visiting Kingston Pelicans 5-0 on 2 hits, allowing the Generals to take their 4-game matchup against Kingston, 3 games to one. Rowet’s no-hitter was broken up in the 6th inning when 33-year old 2B Dwayne Stace led off with a line drive single into right centerfield. Rowet walked 5 and struck out 7 on 137 PI (GS: 85).

November 28 – The Generals opened their 3-game home series against the Embro Suns with a 5-0 victory. The player of the game was RHP Kazunori Fujimoto who pitched a 2-hitter on 114 PI. Embro’s first hit came in the top of the 5th, when 29-year old 2B Robert Jameson led off with a single into rightfield. Fujimoto walked 2 and struck out 3 on the day (GS: 84).

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Offense: .253/.327/.359 (5th/5th/7th)
Pitching: 4.00/4.52/2.76 (5th/8th/3rd)
Defense: .703 (6th)

The Kingston Pelicans stumbled out of the gate, going 1-6 to start the season, before recovering somewhat to finish close to .500 at the end of November. The Pelicans are another team with a rather hum-drum cast of characters, although they are off to slightly better start than they did last season where they won only 60 games, their worst performance to date.

While the lineup has been lackluster, second-year player, 3B Mark Johnson (.275/.390/.392, 5 HR, 18 RBI, 31 BB, 1.9 WAR) has emerged as Kingston’s best overall player so far this season. The 28-year old was drafted in the 5th round back in 1949-50 and has been on the Pelicans’ roster for the past 4 seasons, but this is the first productive one and is getting regular starts. 29-year old C Carlos Camasura (.276/.402/.356, 2 HR, 19 RBI, 35 BB, 1.4 WAR – 74/74) and 25-year old CF Chris Ramsbottom (.286/.344/.469, 6 HR, 23 RBI, 14 BB, 6 SB, 1.3 WAR – 62/63) have also been productive, but it feels like they are capable of much more as Kingston designated offensive leaders.

The rotation has been a trainwreck, with only 30-year old ace RHP Kieran Bunce (6-3, 2.54 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 152 ERA+) being effective. In the bullpen, 31-year old stopper RHP Kaula Mafileo (4-3, 5 SV, 3.13 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 123 ERA+) remains his reliable self, while 26-year old RHP Lester Beddoes (1-2, 6 SV, 2.17 ERA, 1.51 WHIP, 178 ERA+) has bounced back from a poor season last year.

Player of the Week Awards:

October 17 – 2B Dwayne Stacey (.478, 11 H, 3 HR, 9 RBI)
October 24 – CF Chris Ramsbottom (.522, 12 H, 6 RBI)

Noteworthy:

October 17 – The Pelicans took two of three from the Fort Richmond Generals in their first matchup of the season. Game 1 witnessed an impressive pitching performance by 21-year old rookie LHP Ronald Dulihanty (4-4, 1 SV, 5.12 ERA, 1.78 WHIP, 75 ERA+) in just his third career start. He pitched a 2-hitter, blanking the Generals 2-0 (5 BB, 5 K, 115 PI, GS: 83). Dulihanty carried a no-hitter into the top of the 9th, when he surrendered singles to 31-year old SS Nobuyoshi Yoshida and fellow rookie 23-year old RF Uki Edewada. All the scoring took place in the bottom the 5th, when 27-year old SS Charlie Cockin (.261/.329/.353, 4 HR, 28 RBI, 20 BB, 1.0 WAR) belted out a one-out two-run homer off Fort Richmond’s 28-year old LHP Diarmid Rowet.

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Offense: .250/.319/.361 (7th/7th/6th)
Pitching: 4.15/4.14/4.19 (8th/5th/7th)
Defense: .726 (3rd)

Expectations were not high for the Balmoral Giants this season and a 0-7 start in October certainly bore that out. But after going 4-12, they finished the month strong, going 11-2. But a disastrous November has certainly dashed any realistic hope that Balmoral could build upon their 82-72 record and 3rd-place finish last season.

35-year old LF Ángel Costa (.294/.387/.553, 12 HR, 31 RBI, 24 BB, 2.0 WAR) remains Balmoral’s top player while 29-year old C Alexander Pyatt (.316/.352/.413, 3 HR, 24 RBI, 9 BB, 1.4 WAR) continues to contribute, but overall, this is not a strong lineup. The Giants have installed their top prospect, 22-year old CF Quido De Jesús (.207/.257/.274, 1 HR, 13 RBI, 8 BB, 1 SB, 0.1 WAR – 43/70) at centerfield and at the top of the lineup. The 3rd-overall pick from 1953-54 is projected to become a ‘first-division starter’ by scouts.

The pitching staff is really struggling, with only 28-year old journeyman RHP Harry Dinsmore (3-5, 3.29 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 116 ERA+) pitching with any kind of consistency in his first season with Giants. The bullpen has been erratic as well, but both 31-year old stopper Bonie Bandong (0-2, 12 SV, 2.53 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 151 ERA+) and 27-year old RHP Robert Embley (4-0, 2.42 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 157 ERA+) are offering a fine solid tandem that can help try to stabilize things.

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Offense: .251/.327/.369 (6th/4th/4th)
Pitching: 4.09/4.35/3.32 (6th/7th/4th)
Defense: .694 (8th)

The Wolseley Unions have simply picked up where they left off last season, when they finished with 61 wins, their worst showing in their previous 18 seasons. They are on course for no better than 62 wins this year and the reason is simple. After years of winning, age and a lack of premium talent in the pipeline have caught up with them. With the 3rd-worst rated farm system, the Unions have barely just begun their rebuild.

The lone bright spot in the lineup is 26-year old 1B Carlos Ortíz (.311/.381/.592, 12 HR, 41 RBI, 24 BB, 2.4 WAR), who is off to the best start of his 6-year career. 28-year old rookie CF Josh Eggert (.255/.301/.412, 4 HR, 24 RBI, 12 BB, 1.2 WAR – 41/43) saw his play improve in November. Eggert was drafted by the Unions in the 2nd-round of the 1950-51 draft as a pitcher/outfielder and saw success in the minors. Besides winning a playoff MVP award and a league championship, he won two Ball Hawk awards in the same season as pitcher and right fielder. In October 1953, he hit for the cycle and won a second Ball Hawk award as an outfielder before being released by the Unions organization in December 1954. But just 6 days later, he was signed by Wolseley’s AAA farm team, the Caledonia Jets. He finally reached the majors this season with the team that originally drafted him and has since won a Player of the Week award.

One curious move is the demotion of 34-year old SS/3B George Kimpton (.326/.375/.504, 5 HR, 24 RBI, 10 BB, 1.2 WAR) to being a utility player. He appears to be still more productive than either 27-year old SS Lenny McQuhirr (.283/.327/.413, 2 HR, 14 RBI, 10 BB, 0.3 WAR) or 30-year old 3B Paddy Leseberg (.175/.308/.192, 2-2B, 6 RBI, 22 BB, -0.1 WAR).

Like the offense, the pitching staff is a far cry from the dominant force it once was. 30-year old ace RHP Robert Garza (5-6, 3.61 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 107 ERA+) has been effective, especially in November (2-2, 2.61 ERA), as has 37-year old RHP Bill Blair (3-2, 2.37 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 159 ERA+). 34-year old Shou-xin Chin (2-5, 4 SV, 2.91 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 133 ERA+) remains an effective stopper.

Player of the Week Awards:

November 7 – 1B Carlos Ortíz (.421, 8 H, 4 HR, 6 RBI, 5 R)
November 14 – CF Josh Eggert (.519, 14 H, 7 RBI, 6 R)

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Offense: .246/.317/.348 (8th/8th/8th)
Pitching: 4.09/4.05/4.39 (7th/4th/8th)
Defense: .704 (5th)

A 9-20 October would be alarming for most teams, but for the Hespeler Stars its just another day at the office. The projections for this season were not very lofty for the Stars to begin with but their performance thus far has been even worse, despite the couple of trades Hespeler made in the offseason to bolster their roster. It could still happen, but you wonder if the Stars are ever going to get it right.

Hespeler has three rookies in the lineup at the moment, so growing pains is not totally unexpected. Leading off is 24-year old LF Douggie Dallimore (.278/.365/.361, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 21 BB, 9 SB, 1.2 WAR – 49/54) who came over from Kingston along with SP Patrick Denman in a late July trade. Although Dallimore has no power, he is lights-out fast with decent contact and solid defensive skills. At the bottom of the lineup, the Stars are easing in both 23-year old C Aidan Bennie (.211/.267/.276, 5-2B, 6 RBI, 7 BB, -0.2 WAR – 48/74) and 24-year old 2B Shigemori Saikawa (.265/.265/.324, 2-2B, 4 RBI, 0.0 WAR – 40/49). Bennie, a 2nd-overall pick from 1954-55, is rated No. 2 among all prospects. Saikawa was a 7th-overall pick from 1953-54 and is more or less holding down the fort until 30-year old 2B Vic Lewis (.217/.283/.289, 2 HR, 19 RBI, 11 BB, 2 SB, -0.1 WAR) can come back from injury.

Hespeler’s best player in the early going has been 24-year old 3B Clive Yarwood (.333/.422/.535, 7 HR, 22 RBI, 19 BB, 2.0 WAR), while 4-time all-star, 32-year old SS Zhao-hui Qian (.298/.349/.399, 3 HR, 20 RBI, 16 BB, 1.5 WAR) is a bit off the hot pace he enjoyed over his previous two seasons.

Hespeler’s pitching has been uneven to say the least. However, 27-year old RHP Battista Carotta (5-4, 2.97 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 131 ERA+) has been pitching like an ace and make pick up his first all-star selection if he can stay healthy. 26-year old sophomore LHP Amoka Kalea (2-7, 3.56 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 109 ERA+) has shown promise despite a rough November (0-4, 4.15 ERA). He was another trade acquisition in the off-season, from the Queensland Eagles.

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12-25-2021, 05:30 PM	#725
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,927	December 1, 1955 Western League: Pulberry, Cambria Remain Cream of the Crop -------- Offense: .260/.344/.430 (3rd/2nd/1st) Pitching: 3.14/3.23/2.74 (1st/1st/2nd) Defense: .730 (1st) After two disappointing playoff runs, the Pulberry Trolleys appear to be doubling down in their efforts to build a more complete team. In addition to their established stars, they also have young players in their lineup and pitching staff that are off to incredible starts. That bodes well for a team still looking for that elusive first pennant. While two-time defending Babe Ruth Award winner, 27-year old LF Aidan Thirkettle (.285/.397/.637, 18 HR, 43 HR, 30 BB, 3 SB, 2.5 WAR), continues to rake, he is far from alone in giving pitchers nightmares. 28-year old CF Cooper Tyson (.313/.425/.469, 5 HR, 20 RBI, 34 BB, 5 SB, 3.3 WAR) continues his incredible all-around play from last season. 29-year old 1B Gerard Koerner (.333/.413/.561, 10 HR, 32 RBI, 25 BB, 2.6 WAR) is off to his best start by far and is currently rated No. 2 among first basemen, behind only Cambria’s Carlos Corea. Now in his sixth season, Koerner has never racked up more than 2.9 WAR; this season he is on pace for 7.4. Off to his best start as well is 4-year veteran, 25-year old C Paul England (.302/.386/.488, 7 HR, 27 RBI, 29 BB, 1.2 WAR). The No. 4-rated catcher is on pace for 6.1 WAR; his previous best was 3.6 reached last season. But Pulberry is also receiving a boost from their rookie shortstop, 23-year old Sean Abercrombie (.262/.342/.463, 6 HR, 19 RBI, 21 BB, 2 SB, 1.5 WAR – 51/71). He has already been installed as the team’s captain. His play has forced 30-year old Francis Jones (.280/.368/.466, 5 HR, 15 RBI, 16 BB, 3 SB, 1.5 WAR) to third base, relegating 28-year old Makani Kahale (.210/.291/.295, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 12 BB, 0.2 WAR – 62/62) to back-up duties. Pulberry’s lone weak spot is at second base, where 30-year old Paul Heisler (.193/.274/.319, 3 HR, 15 RBI, 13 BB, -0.3 WAR) is struggling. Although he is not strong at 2B defensively (35), I would expect Kahale to take over there at some point, as his bat is too good to just sit on the bench. The pitching staff has ably supported the offense thus far, with 20-year old LHP Bart Ohara (5-5, 2.90 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 129 ERA+ - 54/80) making his presence felt, winning Rookie of the Month honours in November. Ohara has always been rated as a top prospect since he was drafted in the 4th round back in 1953-54, but OOTP22 seems to really like him. Its not hard seeing him challenging for a Satchel Paige Award at some point. Perhaps overlooked a bit is 26-year old LHP Dermott Rathbone (8-0, 5 SV, 1.75 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 215 ERA+ - 48/58), who is off to an incredible start in his own right. Since moving into the rotation full-time in early November, he has won 5 straight starts. The infusion of young talent in the rotation has seen 34-year old veteran RHP Alexander Ellacott (6-2, 6 SV, 3.81 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 99 ERA+) transition to the stopper role. Player of the Week Awards: October 10 – CF Cooper Tyson (.520, 13 H, 2 HR, 8 RBI) -------- Offense: .261/.345/.416 (2nd/1st/2nd) Pitching: 3.88/4.28/2.35 (4th/6th/1st) Defense: .698 (7th) The Cambria Cannons jumped out to an 7-0 start before losing 4 of the next 5 to quickly fall back to second place where they remain after the first two months. The Cannons are unquestionably one of the top teams in the United Leagues and could be even better if only their rotation was firing on all cylinders. The lineup remains one of the most potent, even with 26-year old CF Sam Tite (.291/.406/.605, 6 HR, 16 RBI, 17 BB, 2 SB, 1.2 WAR) out of the lineup for an extended period. 24-year old LF Calvin Hanbridge (.295/.449/.462, 6 HR, 25 HR, 51 BB, 3 SB, 2.6 WAR) is emerging as a bona fide elite player while 31-year old 3B Luis Torres (.327/.406/.527, 9 HR, 41 RBI, 25 BB, 2.0 WAR) has been wildly productive batting lower in the lineup. 29-year old 1B Carlos Corea (.300/.371/.567, 11 HR, 30 RBI, 16 BB, 1.7 WAR) continues to rake even if his defense remains suspect. But he is far from alone in that department. While Cambria’s farm system is in the middle of the pack (8th overall), they have two impressive rookies on the major league roster that could soon make a major league impact. 21-year old CF Kilipeka Maleko (39/63), a 2nd-overall pick from 1952-53, is getting starts facing left-handed pitchers. But with Sam Tite (75/75) nearing a return from injury, Maleko’s playing time may be severely limited, as he rated mainly for centerfield (65) and perhaps rightfield (25). But he’s got great range (70) and arm (55). In the infield, Cambria has 24-year old 2B Chai-liang Fang (48/56), a 13th-overall pick from 1953-54. The Taiwanese Fang projects to be an above average player with outstanding defensive ratings, something that the Cannons sorely need. The rotation has been a relatively weak link in the early going. Right now, only 27-year old RHP Ray Lambright (8-4, 3.15 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 120 ERA+) has been consistent. The bullpen, however, has been impressive, with 30-year old stopper RHP Keith Roche (5-1, 9 SV, 0.54 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 700 ERA+) giving up only two earned runs so far this season, through 33.1 IP. Player of the Week Awards: October 31 – 1B Carlos Corea (.455, 10 H, 4 HR, 10 RBI) November 28 – LF Calvin Handridge (.550, 11 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI) -------- Offense: .265/.338/.384 (1st/3rd/3rd) Pitching: 3.49/3.35/4.15 (3rd/2nd/6th) Defense: .719 (4th) The Sherburn Tigers finished November with a 4-game winning streak to remain 2.5 games back of the wildcard spot. If there is a team poised to make a big leap forward in the immediate future, it’s the Tigers. A few seasons ago, Sherburn’s roster was practically devoid of impact players. Today, its brimming with young talent. If they all can hit their stride, the Tigers could be a force to reckon with in the West very soon. Case in point is the previously unheralded LF Ross Shewman (.289/.398/.548, 11 HR, 39 RBI, 29 BB, 2.7 WAR – 60/60), the 25-year old Canadian the Tigers selected in the 2nd round back in 1952-53. Only in his second season, he is already one of the top leftfielders in the Leagues and is enjoying an all-star season. An elite defender at his position, it would be no surprise if he should pick up some Ball Hawk awards in his career. Also making an impact this year is 26-year old SS Dwayne Vick (.352/.383/.426, 10-2B, 20 RBI, 11 BB, 2.5 WAR – 65/65). Vick is a two-time all-star and two-time Ball Hawk award winner; he is on pace to make it three each this season. But that is just the tip of the iceberg. Sherburn also has 25-year old RF Albert Sulley (.264/.357/.371, 3 HR, 23 RBI, 30 BB, 9 SB, 1.8 WAR – 67/72), 26-year old 3B Adrian Flynn (.301/.378/.460, 5 HR, 25 RBI, 21 BB, 1.5 WAR – 65/65), 23-year old CF Leon Albrecht (.234/.353/.354, 3 HR, 17 RBI, 28 BB, 2 SB, 1.0 WAR – 56/80) and 25-year old 2B Bernard Kerkin (.288/.327/.374, 3 HR, 15 RBI, 11 BB, 0.8 WAR – 55/55) currently in the lineup. Both Albrecht and Kerkin are former 1st overall picks, with Albrecht currently rated as the top prospect in the United Leagues. That’s a lot of young talent that could make Sherburn’s lineup one of the most fearsome if they can all hit their stride. The pitching staff is more than holding its own, as 31-year old ace RHP Jesús Chapa (7-1, 1.87 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 223 ERA+) has returned to the award-winning level he enjoyed in the late 1940s when he won back-to-back Satchel Paige Awards. 28-year old RHP Ben Buschlen (6-2, 2.86 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 135 ERA+) remains one the best No. 2 starters in the business. 23-year old LHP Brendan Wombell (7-5, 3.50 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 111 ERA+) has provided some solid outings, but the Tigers are eager to get 22-year old RHP Kozue Saito (2-5, 3.70 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 105 ERA+ - 42/69) back from injury so that the former 2nd-round pick can continue to develop. -------- Offense: .259/.322/.368 (4th/6th/5th) Pitching: 3.38/3.36/3.48 (2nd/3rd/5th) Defense: .729 (2nd) The Fort Richmond Generals bucked the early predictions by getting off to a strong start in October, finishing the month just 3 games out of first place. But a rough 4-11 start to November saw them fall back to perhaps more realistic expectations. The Generals simply do not have the impact players they need in the lineup to compete over the course of the season. They also have the second-worst rated farm system at the moment with precious few highly-rated prospects in the system. Right now, 24-year old C Scott Sheelah (.273/.360/.406, 4 HR, 18 RBI, 23 BB, 1.4 WAR) and 28-year old 1B Jacob Gadsden (.296/.348/.472, 6 HR, 19 RBI, 11 BB, 2 SB, 1.1 WAR) lead a very hum-drum lineup, with 23-year old rookie Uki Edewada (.318/.364/.477, 5-2B, 18 RBI, 10 BB, 4 SB, 1.3 WAR – 39/55) getting regular starts at rightfield and batting out of the No. 3 spot against left-handers. The pitching features mainly two standouts in the rotation. 32-year old RHP Nicky Sherlock (6-4, 1.79 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 210 ERA+) has bounced back nicely from an injury-plagued season last year while 29-year old RHP Kazunori Fujimoto (6-3, 2.40 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 156 ERA+) is off to the best start of his 5-year career. But outside of 31-year old stopper RHP José Rodríguez (1-2, 5 SV, 3.04 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 123 ERA+), the pitching staff is not as formidable as previous Generals’ staffs were in years past. But they do have 22-year old LHP John Witheycombe (3-0, 3.75 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 100 ERA+ - 48/61), a 2nd-round pick from 1951-52 in the bullpen. If he can develop his third pitch (circle change – 25/50), he may be able to move into the rotation one day. Player of the Week Awards: November 21 – 2B Derek Reed (.524, 11 H, 2 RBI) Noteworthy: October 16 – The Generals swept the visiting Wolseley Unions in a 3-game set, a series that saw back-to-back 1-0 victories in the final two games. In the second game, the Generals won when they finally pushed a run across the plate in the bottom of the 13th inning. While that game saw seven pitchers take the mound, Game 3 witnessed a brilliant matchup between two pitchers that each went the distance. For the Unions, 37-year old RHP Bill Blair pitched 8 innings, giving up 4 hits, one earned run and 4 strikeouts on 90 pitches (GS: 74). But Fort Richmond’s RHP Nicky Sherlock outdid him, pitching the United Leagues’ 11th no-hitter and first in nearly 3 years (9.0 IP, 1 BB, 4 K, 103 PI, GS: 90). Sherlock’s only blemish came early, when LF Carlton Hawking drew a two-out walk in the first inning. The only other baserunner for Wolseley was when 24-year old 2B Koto Honma reached safely on a throwing error in the 5th inning. But two pitches later, he was caught stealing at 2B to end the inning. The only run in the game was scored by 1B Jacob Gadsden, who launched a one-out solo home run in the bottom of the 7th. October 19 – It was a tough day at the office for the pitchers, as the Fort Richmond Generals and Kingston Pelicans scored 20 runs off 29 hits. But the Generals got the lion’s share, defeating the Pelicans 13-7 on 19 hits. While Kingston’s 25-year old C Ronald Armstrong went 3 for 4 with 2 HR, 2 R and 5 RBI in a losing cause, Fort Richmond’s 26-year old LF Tom Lind (.281/.293/.404, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 1 BB, 0.0 WAR) when 5 for 6 with 5 singles, 1 R and 1 RBI. Lind’s teammate, 30-year old SS Derek Reed (.312/.344/.392, 1 HR, 16 RBI, 5 BB, 0.7 WAR) went 4 for 4 with a double, 1 R, 2 BB, and 2 RBI. October 27 – 28-year old LHP Diarmid Rowet (4-5, 4.46 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, 84 ERA+) was on his ‘A’ game, as he blanked the visiting Kingston Pelicans 5-0 on 2 hits, allowing the Generals to take their 4-game matchup against Kingston, 3 games to one. Rowet’s no-hitter was broken up in the 6th inning when 33-year old 2B Dwayne Stace led off with a line drive single into right centerfield. Rowet walked 5 and struck out 7 on 137 PI (GS: 85). November 28 – The Generals opened their 3-game home series against the Embro Suns with a 5-0 victory. The player of the game was RHP Kazunori Fujimoto who pitched a 2-hitter on 114 PI. Embro’s first hit came in the top of the 5th, when 29-year old 2B Robert Jameson led off with a single into rightfield. Fujimoto walked 2 and struck out 3 on the day (GS: 84). -------- Offense: .253/.327/.359 (5th/5th/7th) Pitching: 4.00/4.52/2.76 (5th/8th/3rd) Defense: .703 (6th) The Kingston Pelicans stumbled out of the gate, going 1-6 to start the season, before recovering somewhat to finish close to .500 at the end of November. The Pelicans are another team with a rather hum-drum cast of characters, although they are off to slightly better start than they did last season where they won only 60 games, their worst performance to date. While the lineup has been lackluster, second-year player, 3B Mark Johnson (.275/.390/.392, 5 HR, 18 RBI, 31 BB, 1.9 WAR) has emerged as Kingston’s best overall player so far this season. The 28-year old was drafted in the 5th round back in 1949-50 and has been on the Pelicans’ roster for the past 4 seasons, but this is the first productive one and is getting regular starts. 29-year old C Carlos Camasura (.276/.402/.356, 2 HR, 19 RBI, 35 BB, 1.4 WAR – 74/74) and 25-year old CF Chris Ramsbottom (.286/.344/.469, 6 HR, 23 RBI, 14 BB, 6 SB, 1.3 WAR – 62/63) have also been productive, but it feels like they are capable of much more as Kingston designated offensive leaders. The rotation has been a trainwreck, with only 30-year old ace RHP Kieran Bunce (6-3, 2.54 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 152 ERA+) being effective. In the bullpen, 31-year old stopper RHP Kaula Mafileo (4-3, 5 SV, 3.13 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 123 ERA+) remains his reliable self, while 26-year old RHP Lester Beddoes (1-2, 6 SV, 2.17 ERA, 1.51 WHIP, 178 ERA+) has bounced back from a poor season last year. Player of the Week Awards: October 17 – 2B Dwayne Stacey (.478, 11 H, 3 HR, 9 RBI) October 24 – CF Chris Ramsbottom (.522, 12 H, 6 RBI) Noteworthy: October 17 – The Pelicans took two of three from the Fort Richmond Generals in their first matchup of the season. Game 1 witnessed an impressive pitching performance by 21-year old rookie LHP Ronald Dulihanty (4-4, 1 SV, 5.12 ERA, 1.78 WHIP, 75 ERA+) in just his third career start. He pitched a 2-hitter, blanking the Generals 2-0 (5 BB, 5 K, 115 PI, GS: 83). Dulihanty carried a no-hitter into the top of the 9th, when he surrendered singles to 31-year old SS Nobuyoshi Yoshida and fellow rookie 23-year old RF Uki Edewada. All the scoring took place in the bottom the 5th, when 27-year old SS Charlie Cockin (.261/.329/.353, 4 HR, 28 RBI, 20 BB, 1.0 WAR) belted out a one-out two-run homer off Fort Richmond’s 28-year old LHP Diarmid Rowet. -------- Offense: .250/.319/.361 (7th/7th/6th) Pitching: 4.15/4.14/4.19 (8th/5th/7th) Defense: .726 (3rd) Expectations were not high for the Balmoral Giants this season and a 0-7 start in October certainly bore that out. But after going 4-12, they finished the month strong, going 11-2. But a disastrous November has certainly dashed any realistic hope that Balmoral could build upon their 82-72 record and 3rd-place finish last season. 35-year old LF Ángel Costa (.294/.387/.553, 12 HR, 31 RBI, 24 BB, 2.0 WAR) remains Balmoral’s top player while 29-year old C Alexander Pyatt (.316/.352/.413, 3 HR, 24 RBI, 9 BB, 1.4 WAR) continues to contribute, but overall, this is not a strong lineup. The Giants have installed their top prospect, 22-year old CF Quido De Jesús (.207/.257/.274, 1 HR, 13 RBI, 8 BB, 1 SB, 0.1 WAR – 43/70) at centerfield and at the top of the lineup. The 3rd-overall pick from 1953-54 is projected to become a ‘first-division starter’ by scouts. The pitching staff is really struggling, with only 28-year old journeyman RHP Harry Dinsmore (3-5, 3.29 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 116 ERA+) pitching with any kind of consistency in his first season with Giants. The bullpen has been erratic as well, but both 31-year old stopper Bonie Bandong (0-2, 12 SV, 2.53 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 151 ERA+) and 27-year old RHP Robert Embley (4-0, 2.42 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 157 ERA+) are offering a fine solid tandem that can help try to stabilize things. -------- Offense: .251/.327/.369 (6th/4th/4th) Pitching: 4.09/4.35/3.32 (6th/7th/4th) Defense: .694 (8th) The Wolseley Unions have simply picked up where they left off last season, when they finished with 61 wins, their worst showing in their previous 18 seasons. They are on course for no better than 62 wins this year and the reason is simple. After years of winning, age and a lack of premium talent in the pipeline have caught up with them. With the 3rd-worst rated farm system, the Unions have barely just begun their rebuild. The lone bright spot in the lineup is 26-year old 1B Carlos Ortíz (.311/.381/.592, 12 HR, 41 RBI, 24 BB, 2.4 WAR), who is off to the best start of his 6-year career. 28-year old rookie CF Josh Eggert (.255/.301/.412, 4 HR, 24 RBI, 12 BB, 1.2 WAR – 41/43) saw his play improve in November. Eggert was drafted by the Unions in the 2nd-round of the 1950-51 draft as a pitcher/outfielder and saw success in the minors. Besides winning a playoff MVP award and a league championship, he won two Ball Hawk awards in the same season as pitcher and right fielder. In October 1953, he hit for the cycle and won a second Ball Hawk award as an outfielder before being released by the Unions organization in December 1954. But just 6 days later, he was signed by Wolseley’s AAA farm team, the Caledonia Jets. He finally reached the majors this season with the team that originally drafted him and has since won a Player of the Week award. One curious move is the demotion of 34-year old SS/3B George Kimpton (.326/.375/.504, 5 HR, 24 RBI, 10 BB, 1.2 WAR) to being a utility player. He appears to be still more productive than either 27-year old SS Lenny McQuhirr (.283/.327/.413, 2 HR, 14 RBI, 10 BB, 0.3 WAR) or 30-year old 3B Paddy Leseberg (.175/.308/.192, 2-2B, 6 RBI, 22 BB, -0.1 WAR). Like the offense, the pitching staff is a far cry from the dominant force it once was. 30-year old ace RHP Robert Garza (5-6, 3.61 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 107 ERA+) has been effective, especially in November (2-2, 2.61 ERA), as has 37-year old RHP Bill Blair (3-2, 2.37 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 159 ERA+). 34-year old Shou-xin Chin (2-5, 4 SV, 2.91 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 133 ERA+) remains an effective stopper. Player of the Week Awards: November 7 – 1B Carlos Ortíz (.421, 8 H, 4 HR, 6 RBI, 5 R) November 14 – CF Josh Eggert (.519, 14 H, 7 RBI, 6 R) -------- Offense: .246/.317/.348 (8th/8th/8th) Pitching: 4.09/4.05/4.39 (7th/4th/8th) Defense: .704 (5th) A 9-20 October would be alarming for most teams, but for the Hespeler Stars its just another day at the office. The projections for this season were not very lofty for the Stars to begin with but their performance thus far has been even worse, despite the couple of trades Hespeler made in the offseason to bolster their roster. It could still happen, but you wonder if the Stars are ever going to get it right. Hespeler has three rookies in the lineup at the moment, so growing pains is not totally unexpected. Leading off is 24-year old LF Douggie Dallimore (.278/.365/.361, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 21 BB, 9 SB, 1.2 WAR – 49/54) who came over from Kingston along with SP Patrick Denman in a late July trade. Although Dallimore has no power, he is lights-out fast with decent contact and solid defensive skills. At the bottom of the lineup, the Stars are easing in both 23-year old C Aidan Bennie (.211/.267/.276, 5-2B, 6 RBI, 7 BB, -0.2 WAR – 48/74) and 24-year old 2B Shigemori Saikawa (.265/.265/.324, 2-2B, 4 RBI, 0.0 WAR – 40/49). Bennie, a 2nd-overall pick from 1954-55, is rated No. 2 among all prospects. Saikawa was a 7th-overall pick from 1953-54 and is more or less holding down the fort until 30-year old 2B Vic Lewis (.217/.283/.289, 2 HR, 19 RBI, 11 BB, 2 SB, -0.1 WAR) can come back from injury. Hespeler’s best player in the early going has been 24-year old 3B Clive Yarwood (.333/.422/.535, 7 HR, 22 RBI, 19 BB, 2.0 WAR), while 4-time all-star, 32-year old SS Zhao-hui Qian (.298/.349/.399, 3 HR, 20 RBI, 16 BB, 1.5 WAR) is a bit off the hot pace he enjoyed over his previous two seasons. Hespeler’s pitching has been uneven to say the least. However, 27-year old RHP Battista Carotta (5-4, 2.97 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 131 ERA+) has been pitching like an ace and make pick up his first all-star selection if he can stay healthy. 26-year old sophomore LHP Amoka Kalea (2-7, 3.56 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 109 ERA+) has shown promise despite a rough November (0-4, 4.15 ERA). He was another trade acquisition in the off-season, from the Queensland Eagles. -------- __________________ United Leagues of Braeland Last edited by reds1; 12-27-2021 at 06:38 PM.