[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 5-2
Seasonal Record: 45-17 (1st, 10 GA)
Stars of the Week
Leo Mitchell: 29 AB, 11 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI, .379 AVG, 1.040 OPS
Ken Matson: 1 Win, 1 Saves, 10.0 IP, 4 BB, 5 K, 0.00 ERA
Harry Mead: 21 AB, 7 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .333 AVG, .924 OPS

Schedule
6-12: Win at Saints (3-0)
6-13: Loss at Saints (3-4): 12 innings
6-14: Win at Saints (7-2)
6-16: Win at Stars (8-1)
6-17: Win at Stars (6-4): 10 innings
6-18: Win at Stars (6-4)
6-18: Loss at Stars (1-2)

Recap
I know things eventually have to come back to normal, but can it wait until after the season? Please! We continued to cruise through our schedule, picking up five more wins to expand our lead to double digits over the Wolves. We did this even with dropping both of our one run games, and we have near identical home (22-9) and road (23-8) records which are both better then our 16-7 record in those pesky one run games. We have a ton of momentum built up and it seems like nothing will get in our way. There will be a roster move for the upcoming week, with Lyn Trease returning to Chicago and Chick Browning heading back down. Trease struggled to start his rehab, but the 24-year-old finished his 7 start stint with back-to-back scoreless starts. Browning appeared in 14 games off the bench, going 4-for-12 with a double and steal.

After his nightmare of a week two weeks ago, Ken Matson did a complete 180, dominating the Saints to start the week. He tossed a 4-hit shutout with 4 walks and 5 strikeouts to improve to 3-4 on the season. He then picked up his first save, cleaning up Ben Curtin's mistake after he blew what would have been Art White's 11th win. He allowed a hit, but got a pair of grounders to finish the inning. Matson still has a highly inflated 4.53 ERA (75 ERA+), but his FIP is a much more respectable 3.25 (96 FIP-) and he's back under Petrick for ERA. Rusty did pick up a complete game win, however, despite 7 walks, 4 hits, and 4 runs with 4 strikeouts. I mentioned White should have had an 11th win, as he went 8 with 10 hits, 5 walks, 2 strikeouts, and an unearned run. Ben Curtin had his rare bad outing, allowing 4 hits and 3 runs in the 9th. He did get the win, as we retook the lead in the 10th, and he also picked up his 8th save in the finale in Montreal.

Harry Parker and Mike Murphy both stayed hot and picked up another win. Neither went the distance, with Parker going 7.2 innings with 4 hits, 2 runs, a walk, and 3 strikeouts, while Murphy was an out shy of a complete game, charged with just 3 hits, 4 walks, a run, and 3 strikeouts. Dick Lyons made a pair of starts, but the now 44-year-old picked up a no decision and loss. He went 6 in Montreal, allowing 6 hits, 3 runs, and 2 walks. He then lost the second day of the double header in New York, going just 5 with 8 hits, 2 runs, and a walk. Our trusty vet is starting to show signs of his age, but his 2.47 ERA (137 ERA+) and 1.20 WHIP are still very solid. Lyons has tallied 76.2 innings with just 12 walks and 4 strikeouts, but I'm not sure how many innings he has left. Cal Knight picked up the other loss, allowing 3 hits and 3 walks, with just one run, in an inning plus. Merritt Thomas faired much better, tossing 5 scoreless innings with 5 hits, 2 walks, and a strikeout. A lot of the focus in the pen has been on Curtin, but Thomas has put together seven consecutive scoreless appearances to drop his season ERA to 1.76 (192 ERA+).

It was another big week for Leo Mitchell, who went 11-for-29 with a double, 2 homers, 5 RBIs, 2 walks, and 6 runs scored. It's crazy when a .379 average and .419 OBP lower your season marks, but the FABL's lone .400 hitter is maintaining his historic .415/.454/.541 (187 OPS+) batting line, and he's doing something I never thought I would ever see. Well, other then the .400 part of course. But Mitchell is walking (20) almost as often as he's striking out (27). Harry Mead went 7-for-21 with a double, homer, 3 walks, 4 runs, and 4 RBIs. His backup Mike Taylor was just as effective, 2-for-6 with a double, walk, and RBI. Cliff Moss was just 4-for-19, but with a double, triple, homer, 4 walks, 4 RBIs, and 5 runs scored. Billy Hunter went 6-for-19 with a double, steal, 2 runs, 3 walks, and 5 RBIs. Reserves Jimmie James and Dan Fowler were both 2-for-3, but James' was far more involved, with a double, homer, 2 RBIs, 3 runs, and 4 walks. Dick Walker was just 4-for-27, but it came with 8 walks, 3 doubles, 3 runs, and an RBI. That's 78 walks compared to just 48 hits, as he continues to walk at an unheard of pace.

Looking Ahead
This week is rather boring, as it's almost a carbon copy of last week. Instead of three in Montreal and four in New York, we host both the Saints and Stars for four. The double header is to finish the week, and then we'll get a pair of off days. In universe those two days are for the draft, which in real life will take place tomorrow. No sim Friday as we need to finish the draft, and I am very looking forward to making the first pick. I'm pretty settled on who I want to take, as the guy I'm leaning towards ranks very high on my scouts list, and even though he's exactly the type of player I reach for, I actually think he's the best player available. He's not Duke Bybee, don't get me wrong, but he projects to be an impressive big leaguer. What takes the pressure off a little is we'll also pick 12th, which means I can make a reach pick as their are a lot of guys I have my eye on and depending on how the draft shakes out, I may want to ensure I get them early instead of waiting too long. We have 11 picks to work with, but as always, don't be surprised if we try to pick up a pick or two.

Starting again with the Saints, who have now dropped to 25-36 and almost 20 games out of first. I covered them yesterday, so I won't add too much, but the Saints pitchers are still not getting any production from talented pitchers like Pat Weakley (4-6, 4.89, 51) and Jake DeYoung (3-7, 5.11, 41), while even Bill Ross (6-3, 3.59, 20) has been just average. With four games, we'll get to see most of their staff, and I like our chances scoring off them. Even better, we allowed just 6 runs in the 3 games against the CA's #2 offense, and I'm hoping we can seen more of the same this week. The Stars have began to look a bit better, with Eddie Hite (7-3, 3.35, 14) looking better and Billy Riley (5-7, 3.69, 42) is coming off back-to-back starts with 1-run complete games. They still aren't getting much offense, but Chubby Hall (.249, 6, 30) and Elijah Bourdeau (.266, 19, 4) are starting to turn things around. I'm hoping for a repeat of last week, but I know that sooner then later we will start to slip up.

Minor League Report
RHP Ron Sexton (A Lincoln Legislators): It took him a while to get going, but 23-year-old Ron Sexton is on a nice run of starts, allowing two or fewer runs in each of the last four. The most recent was the best, as Sexton kept the Steelman lineup at bay, tossing a 5-hit shutout with a walk and 3 strikeouts as Lincoln shutdown Gary 7-0. This improved Sexton to 5-3 with a 4.37 ERA (102 ERA+) and 1.36 WHIP in 59.2 innings pitched. He's struck out 25 while walking 18, and while he did look rusty to start the season, things are starting to fall his way. The former 5th Round selection by Pittsburgh back in 1938, his season ended in early May with a torn flexor tendon, and his recovery was setback to further delay his return. This was his fourth injury, which isn't all that bad, but considering it was one of two that lasted more then 8 months and the New Jersey native has missed a lot of time in his young career. When we first acquired him at the age of just 18, I had high hopes for Sexton, but the injuries have taken a hit on his talent. His command isn't great and his stuff won't make up for it, but he has a good slider and wouldn't be lost starting games at the highest level. Sexton profiles more as a filler arm then a reliable starter, but he's Rule-5 eligible and may excite a team enough to give him an extended big league look.