[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 1-5
Seasonal Record: 51-25 (1st, 7 GA)
Stars of the Week
Hank Barnett : 24 AB, 8 H, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .333 AVG, .860 OPS
Harry Mead : 18 AB, 7 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .389 AVG, 1.061 OPS
Leo Mitchell : 26 AB, 8 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .308 AVG, .615 OPS

Schedule
6-28: Loss at Cannons (3-4)
6-29: Loss at Cannons (0-1)
6-30: Loss at Cannons (3-4)
7-1: Loss at Wolves (2-8)
7-2: Loss at Wolves (3-7)
7-2: Win at Wolves (5-3): 11 innings

Recap
Well, it finally happened. The Cougars had a bad week. And it was a really bad one at that... I was definitely worried about this week, as we had to deal with both the Cannons and the Wolves on the road. The Cannons swept us, doing something they haven't had much success at, winning all three games by a single run. The Wolves then took two of three, dropping our lead over them to just 7. While 7 is still nice, it's not very comfortable, and we will have to turn things around quickly. The draft gives a nice boost to our system, and we now have a bunch of players to sign. We have to sign each of our picks in the first five rounds, as well as all three of our 7th Rounders, 8th Rounder Al Robison, and our 15th Round Selection. Generally I try to get more impossible guys, but it totally slipped my mind this time, meaning we will have to make a lot of cuts. A decent amount of our picks already cracked the top 500, with 13th Rounder Bob Harris (292nd), 9th Rounder Lou Thomas (293rd), 8th Rounder Johnny Carlisle (308th), 11th Rounder Max Tanner (405th), 9th Rounder Cliff Wallace (445th), 11th Rounder Larry Day (463rd), and 11th Rounder Howie Sharp (498th). I was surprised all three of our 11th Rounders were ranked, and you can read more about them and the rest of the AI picks in a bit. There are big changes coming to the draft next time around, including the entirety being done in January, a lottery for the first two rounds, and the eventual inclusion of draft leagues.

Obviously we had a lot of issues this week, winning just one game, and our high powered offense ran out of gas. Just Harry Mead and Hank Barnett had much success, as Leo Mitchell's average dipped below .400 for the first time all season. The outfielder went just 8-for-26 with, still over .300, to drop his average to a still league best .395. Harry Mead stayed hot, going 7-for-18 with 4 doubles, 2 runs, a walk, and RBI. Hank Barnett was 8-for-24 with a double, homer, 3 runs, and 3 RBIs. Mitchell and Barnett now both have 9 homers and 49 RBIs, sharing the CA lead. Jimmie James looked good in limited time, 3-for-8 with a homer and 3 RBIs. Dick Walker had his worst week of the year, just 4-for-23 with only 3 walks. He did add a triple, steal, RBI, and 3 runs, but he's now on pace for just 178 walks. Our rightfield platoon really struggled, with Langton and Moss going just 3-for-24 despite not a single strikeout. I knew eventually we'd hit a wall, but let's hope that we can get back on our feet quickly.

If you had Rusty Petrick with the only Cougar win on your bingo card, you would have struck gold this week, as the inconsistent slinger carried the Cougars in our 11 inning, lone win of the week. Matson went all 11, allowing just 7 hits and a run, but with 6 walks and just 2 strikeouts. Petrick has now won his last four starts, improving to a shockingly good 6-2 with a 4.23 ERA (81 ERA+) and 1.37 WHIP. He's struck out 58 in 95.2 innings, and his 4.5 BB/9 is the lowest in inning full season of his career. Petrick didn't have the best start of the week, however, that went to Harry Parker, who we could not score for. The talented righty allowed just 4 hits and a run with 2 strikeouts in 8 innings pitched. Parker has as shot for the triple crown, a win (9) and strikeout (62) short of a share of the CA lead with an FABL best 1.84 ERA (185 ERA+). Dick Lyons had a decent start of his own, 5.1 innings with 6 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), and a strikeout. Since turning 44, he's allowed just 4 earned runs in 18.1 innings with a pair of walks and strikeouts.

Of course, in a week where we struggled, there were a lot of poor pitching performances. Art White had his worst start of the season, charged with 8 hits and 8 runs (5 earned) with a single walk and strikeout in 6.2 innings pitched. Mike Murphy also had his worst start, 7 hits, 7 runs, 3 walks, and a strikeout in just 3 innings. With the All Star game coming up, Murphy might have cost himself a spot, but White should join Parker at the game. Ken Matson's start wasn't great, but he was an out away from a complete game, as Charlie Ross finished us off with a sac-fly in the 9th. Matson allowed 10 hits, 4 runs, and 2 walks with 4 strikeouts. The pen was pretty reliable, with Cal Knight tossing 4 scoreless with 3 hits and 3 walks. Lyn Trease made his first start since returning from rehab, allowing 2 hits and 4 walks with 2 strikeouts in 2.1 scoreless frames. Ben Curtin wasn't his sharpest, allowing a run and 4 hits with a walk and 2 strikeouts in 2.2 innings pitched. We'll need to pitch better as we look to shake off this rough week, but at least we'll have the All Star break from the 10th to 14th to recover. As usual, my ballot is stuffed with Cougars, but a lot of them really deserve it.

Looking Ahead
It won't get any easier, as after the off day, we'll have to deal with those pesky Cleveland Foresters. At 35-39, they are having a vastly improved season, seven games clear of the cellar they've been occupying for most of the past few seasons. The breakout of Ducky Davis has been huge, as the Foresters have a legit young arm to build around. A 4th Rounders just under two years ago, Ducky's ten starts have been impressive, going 5-2 with a 2.28 ERA (156 ERA+), 1.19 WHIP, 29 walks, and 32 strikeouts in 83 innings pitched. Davis was even named Pitcher of the Month, going a perfect 5-0 with a 1.41 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 50 impressive innings. Good pitching has been hard to come by lately for Cleveland, so when you combine Ducky's breakout with Johnny Slaney (8-4, 3.70, 44) and George Rotondi's (8-7, 3.32, 51) relative success, the Foresters aren't getting blown out each game anymore. The issue now is that they can't score, dead last in runs scored and bottom half in nearly every offensive category. It hasn't been all bad at the plate, as they hit a lot of extra bases, and the Foresters have got good seasons from Brooks Meeks (.312, 6, 36, 3), Lou Balk (.312, 6, 36, 3), and Jim Adams Jr. (.275, 1, 21, 4). We'll have to be at our best, with four games in three days, but a reversal of fortune could be exactly what we need to get right back on track.

We then finish the week with four more games in three days, concluding the second half with a series in Philadelphia. The Sailors are back over .500, sitting at 37-35 and closer to last (9 GA) then first (12 GB). Karl Wallace has started to implode, as a rough stretch of starts has brought him to 6-5 with a 4.60 ERA (77 ERA+), 1.52 WHIP, 33 walks, and 27 strikeouts. Veteran Doc Newell (4-8, 2.80, 46) is now the only remaining above average pitcher in the rotation in terms of ERA+, but Ray McCarthy (5-3, 3.61, 23) is close and stopper Hannibal Davis (3-1, 10, 2.06, 27) has been very reliable late in games. If we can avoid Newell, we should be able to score a ton of runs, but the Sailors generally score up to their pitching. 4th in runs scored and allowed, the offense is stronger, as they sport one of the best corner infields in baseball. Both Marion Boismenu (.371, 2, 36, 3) and Frank Covarrubias (.342, 1, 17, 2) should be representing the Sailors at the All Star Game, and while he's definitely cooled, Joseph Mills (.282, 6, 36) has continued to slug for a team that doesn't hit many homers. After a rough week, these two series are crucial, as we can't let the Wolves get any closer. The Stars helped us out, sweeping the Wolves in Toronto to finish the month, but they have a much easier task of topping the Saints and Kings to finish off the first half. Technically we could fall out of first if things go absolutely wrong, but your Chicago Cougars should lead the Continental Association for the Midsummer Classic.

Minor League Report
CF Don Lee (AAA Milwaukee Blues): I know, I know, he should be in Chicago, but Yates is a good defender and I really don't want to cut anyone. It's getting to the point where it's next to impossible to keep Don Lee in AAA, as the the talented outfielder was named Batter of the Month in the Century League. Lee hit an impressive .340/.455/.575 (190 OPS+) with 6 doubles, 2 triples, 5 homers, 6 steals, and 23 RBIs, while sporting an impressive 25-to-8 walk-to-strikeout ratio. This upped Lee's season line to an elite .301/.436/.492 (161 OPS+) with double the walks (58) as strikeouts (23) while accumulating nearly a 4 WAR. Rap has recorded 16 doubles, 4 triples, 7 homers, 10 steals, and 42 RBIs with an exactly even 1.000 efficiency out in center. With the All Star break right around the corner, the earliest Lee will get his Cougar threads would be for the week of the 24th. At that time I will reassess things, as Yates is running out of time to improve his .218/.287/.283 (65 OPS+) line, or else he will fade back into fourth outfielder obscurity.

RHP Angel Lopez (AAA Milwaukee Blues): Another monthly award sweep, as the dominant Blues took both Batter and Pitcher of the Month. Angel Lopez finally picked up his first loss of the season, gong 5-1 with a 2.72 ERA (138 ERA+), 1.19 WHIP, 17 walks, and 19 strikeouts. This actually rose his season ERA to 1.85 ERA (203 ERA+) in just over 100 innings pitched. Lopez is now an impressive 12-1 with a 1.11 WHIP, 35 walks, and 39 strikeouts. The 25-year-old has been superb for the Blues, and his name has started to float around in trade talks. The soft tosser's breakout has been thoroughly unexpected, as he was 0-8 with a 6.28 ERA (56 ERA+) and 1.93 WHIP in 61.2 AAA innings back in 1942. Despite his breakout, Lopez doesn't have much of a chance to crack into our rotation, and our pen is filled with guys I can't send down. If he stays with the team until September, he's in line for a callup, but if Lopez wants to start games regularly, it may have to be with another organization.

RHP George Oddo (AA Mobile Commodores): Okay, at this point it's just laughable! Generally when you promote a player, it takes them a few starts to adjust to the league. Even more so when it's a 21-year-old going up to AA. But lucky for us, George Oddo isn't your regular pitcher. In Oddo's 4th start with the Commodores, he was brilliant, tossing a 2-hit shutout with 3 walks and 2 strikeouts as the Commodores edged the Reliables 1-0. Oddo has allowed 2 or fewer runs in each of his four starts, surpassing 130 pitches twice while not being relieved in any of his outings. He has a stellar 1.03 ERA (386 ERA+) and 0.86 WHIP with double the strikeouts (22) then walks (11). Currently ranked as the 30th best prospect in the FABL, Oddo will likely drop a few spots once all the new draftees are signed, but he continues to cement himself in our future rotation plans. Even if he continues this torrid pace, I expect him to finish the season in Mobile, but the hardworking righty is yet another success story to come out of the later rounds of the draft.

RHP Joe Swank (AA Mobile Commodores): Not only is George Oddo not the only 21-year-old pitcher on the Commodores, but he's also not the only one who tossed a shutout in Chattanooga this week! Joe Swank got into the fun, as the former 7th Rounder was gifted 13 runs of support in his 7-hit, 7-strikeout shutout of the Reliables. Swank also walked three, so while he had more strikeouts, he also allowed more baserunners, but it improved his season record to 8-4 with a 3.48 ERA (114 ERA+), 1.31 WHIP, 28 walks, and 57 strikeouts. Currently ranked 15th in our system, Swank has been a rather quick riser, racking up a ton of strikeouts down on the farm despite not being much of a hard thrower. Swank's fastball sits in the 85-87 range, but he's a finesse guy who confuses the opposition with his three pitch mix. His curve and change are excellent offerings, more then making up for the lack of velocity. It's hard to square up his pitches, allowing him to keep the ball in the park and limit hard contact. Swank won't ever be a rotation topper, more a back-end guy, but his emergence makes him a tantalizing trade piece for a middle-of-the-road guy or as part of a package for a bigger piece.

SS Dick Hamilton (A Lincoln Legislators): It hasn't been the smoothest sailing for 1942 4th Rounder Dick Hamilton, but the Legislators shortstop was outstanding in June. Hamilton hit .381/.439/.551 (153 OPS+) with 8 doubles, 3 triples, 2 homers, and 22 RBIs. Now in 277 trips to the plate the 23-year-old has slashed .361/.426/.515 (141 OPS+) with 16 doubles, 6 triples, 3 homers, and 40 RBIs. It's now up to Mobile for Hamilton, as with the new players added from the draft, it's time for those who were in the organization before to start moving up. A bit on the small size, Hamilton is just 5'6'', and he's completely fell out of the top 500. At one point I thought Hamilton would be our starting second basemen with Skipper at short, but things aren't looking as good for him now. He's a decent defender who can fill in all around the infield, and while he showed a lot of pop last season, he hasn't been hitting the ball out of the park nearly as frequently. The increase in his average is nice, and Tom Weinstock thinks Hamilton could hit around .290. He'll need to do more then just hit for a high average to succeed in the big leagues, as right now his future likely lies on the bench.

RHP Tom Irwin (A Lincoln Legislators): Our farm took home a lot of accolades in June, but none was more surprising then Tom Irwin taking home Pitcher of the Month. A 26-year-old reliever, Irwin was brilliant in 28.2 innings, working to a 0.94 ERA with 19 punchouts. He saved 8 games and went 3-1, improving to 5-4 with 14 saves in 51 innings on the season. His 1.94 ERA (229 ERA+) is elite, although the 1.29 whip does leave a lot to be desired. A 13th Rounder back in 1940, Irwin isn't really an exciting prospect, and despite being listed as a starter, he's only started 1 of his 122 appearances in our system. This season has been a huge breakout for him, as in 29.1 innings with the Legislators last year he had a much worse 5.52 ERA (86 ERA+) and 1.73 WHIP. I'm not sure Irwin has revamped himself, as his 4.17 FIP (93 FIP-) thinks he's been just a bit above average, but the lefty is poised under pressure, and could end up a decent late inning reliever.

RHP Bob Petty (B San Jose Cougars): Despite four really good starts in Lincoln last season, I sent Bob Petty back down to San Jose to start the season. But after a great week, Petty will likely never see San Jose again. He started the week about as good as you can, tossing a 4-hit shutout with just 1 walk and a whopping 12 strikeouts in an 8-0 win over the Tacoma Captains. He then followed that up with another 4-hit win, this time going just 6.2 innings, but with a single run, 4 walks, and 10 strikeouts. With those two starts, Petty picked up a rare Player of the Week as a pitcher. The 21-year-old has taken the "Hard Way" up our system, but the former 3rd Rounder finished a 10 start stint with the Cougars 5-2 with a 2.52 ERA (141 ERA+), 1.14 WHIP, 25 walks, and 80 strikeouts in 71.1 innings pitched. I don't expect Petty to necessarily maintain these sky high strike out numbers, but the imposing righty has some really good stuff. His fastball and cutter sit comfortably in the mid 90s, topping out at 97 when he's really feeling it. His secondary pitches are very effective too, as his forkball is arguably the best of his five pitch mix, and he mixes in his curve and change well too. His command has given him trouble in the past, but his 3.2 BB/9 this season is the best of any of his stops with more then 10 innings. Hobbs is facing an uphill battle to debut in Chicago, but his stuff would translate well in the pen, allowing him to hang around as a filler arm if he runs out of chances to start games.