[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 5-2
Seasonal Record: 72-53 (2nd, 4.5 GB)
Stars of the Past Two Weeks
Hal Sharp : 33 AB, 14 H, 1 HR, 9 RBI, .424 AVG, 1.063 OPS
Dick Walker : 39 AB, 12 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .308 AVG, 1.039 OPS
Ray Ford : 22 AB, 10 H, 1 HR, 6 RBI, .455 AVG, 1.111 OPS

Schedule
8-20: Loss at Sailors (3-6)
8-21: Loss at Sailors (3-8)
8-22: Win at Foresters (4-3): 16 innings
8-23: Win at Foresters (5-3)
8-24: Win at Foresters (5-3)
8-25: Win at Wolves (4-3)
8-25: Win at Wolves (4-3)

Recap
We had no success with the Sailors this week, but luckily, they only faced us in two of our seven games. The rest of the week came in Cleveland or Toronto, where we swept the Foresters and swept the double header against the Wolves. As happy as I am with a 5-2 win, as well as making up another game in the standings, there was plenty to be concerned about. Or maybe happy about? We won close games! Three of them were by a single run, the other two by two, as our expected record went below -6 for the first time in, like, three months? Now the Minutemen (-6) are the most underperforming team, but they're (72-54) 2.5 games behind the Eagles (75-52) and much closer to the playoffs then we are. With just a few games left in August, the Stars have already won 17 games, two more then we have. With five weeks left, we need to make up a game a week, and we're on the right track already.

Our first base duo was tremendous, with both posting OPS+ above 250. Dick Walker went 7-for-19 with 2 doubles, 2 triples, a homer, 2 walks, 3 RBIs, and 4 runs scored. Ray Ford went 8-for-16 with a homer, 2 walks, 2 runs, and 3 RBIs. After a slow start, Ford has finally brought his season above average, hitting .283/.362/.341 (103 OPS+) in 200 trips to the plate. I expected him to play more this season, but with his struggles and Walker's success, playing time hasn't come as easily for Ford. Walker, on the other hand, is slashing a still elite .269/.370/.499 (148 OPS+) with 19 doubles, 15 triples, 11 homers, 14 steals, 43 RBIs, and 56 walks, worth 4 WAR in 104 games. Carlos Montes had to deal with a sore back, so Ray Struble got to make his first three starts of the season. He was one of the few non first basemen to hit much of anything, 4-for-12 with a run, RBI, 2 doubles, and 6 walks. Hank Barnett was just 5-for-21, but it came with an RBI, 3 runs, 3 RBIs, 6 walks, and his first steal of the season. Recently 37, Barnett's 96 WRC+ would be a career low, and I doubt he'll be able to bring that up to 115 to prevent one. With not much time left, we need all the help we can get, and a resurgence from a Whitney Winner and 7-Time All-Star is just what the doctor ordered. Wasn't a great week for Leo Mitchell, just 7-for-28, but he hit his 20th homer of the season. The last time we had a 20 home run hitter was John Lawson in 1941, and a 21st would put him tied for 9th most in a season with Lawson (1939) and Doc Love (1934), both teammates of Mitchell's. A batting title seems unlikely, but his 159 WRC+ trails only Fred McCormick, while Mitchell paces the Reticent Reaper in homers and RBIs. Right now I'd give him my Whitney vote, but that's more because of my love for him then overall output. It's a tossup now, and unless Mitchell heats back up, he may be on the outside looking in once again.

Alright, can someone tell me what happened to Donnie Jones? The 26-year-old was hit hard yet again, allowing 12 hits, 8 runs, and 2 walks with just 1 strikeout in a six inning loss. Jones has been awful since the All-Star break, going from 11-4 with a 2.43 ERA to 15-9 with a barely above average 3.29 (102 ERA+). He's now thrown 205 innings in his 24 starts, with a still quality 1.08 WHIP and 114 strikeouts to 59 walks. If we got classic Donnie Jones the past two months, we might be in first place by a game or two, but I just have no idea why he stopped performing. We have to keep running him out, as he's one of the best pitchers in the game, but if we end up falling short, it's yet another thing we can point to as an excuse.

Can't point to Pap, who tossed yet another complete game victory, allowing 10 hits, 3 runs, and a walk with 5 strikeouts to own possession of all three triple crown categories (17, 2.23, 156). Joe Brown has done well himself, allowing 11 hits and 3 runs (2 earned) with a strikeout in a complete game win. Same for Harry Parker, who went 8 with 9 hits, 3 runs, a walk, and 4 strikeouts. Billy Riley got the no decision in our 16 inning win, going 8.1 innings with 8 hits, 3 runs, 3 walks, and 4 strikeouts. Johnnie Jones made a pair of starts, losing to the Sailors and beating the Wolves. In Philly he really struggled, 6 innings with 8 hits, 6 runs, and 4 walks to go with just a single strikeout. He rebounded against the Wolves, earning a complete game victory with 9 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts. We had to use the pen a lot with the extra inning game, with each reliever getting two or more runs. Harry MacRae's save streak was snapped, as he was the first to relieve Riley, but he did close out the 5-3 win over the Foresters. He threw 2.2 hitless innings with just one walk. Rusty Watts finally looked like a reliable fireballer in the pen, six innings in two appearances with 3 hits, a walk, and 3 strikeouts. The last 4 innings went to Ken Matson, who allowed just one hit and struck out 2. We now rank 1st in every pitching category except pen ERA (2nd, 2.59), WAR (2nd, 18.8), walks (2nd, 379), and homers allowed (t-3rd, 60). If we're making the playoffs, it's on the back of the staff, which continues to be the best in the league.

Looking Ahead
One more in Toronto to start the week, and while I'm not opposed to winning 4-3 again, I'd prefer a, you know, more comfortable win. We've got a good chance of scoring more then four runs today, as we'll face Jimmy Gibbs (8-7, 3.40, 50), instead of a George Garrison (10-12, 3.02, 78), Joe Hancock (9-12, 3.62, 64), or even Cookie Myers (6-4, 2.59, 16). The determinant of us winning will be Fred McCormick, as if we can keep him in check, I like our chances. He's 0-for-8 so far in the series, dropping his season line to a still elite .288/.403/.507 (150 OPS+) with 24 doubles, 6 triples, 15 homers, and 52 RBIs with more walks (70) then strike outs (60). They've gotten good performances from Hal Wood (.324, 1, 36) and Hank Giordano (.306, 5, 67, 16), but the rest of the lineup needs to pick up the slack. Its another must win game, and I think we can stay hot and leave town with another sweep.

We have plenty of off days this week, with one before the Cannons series and one after. It's just a two game series, with a struggling Cannons team dropping to 63-60 and 12.5 games outside of first. It's a huge drop for a dominant Cannons team, who's age has really showed. Lucky for us, Rufus Barrell (13-7, 2.56, 92) pitches the finale in Montreal, so things are looking good for a quick sweep. Despite his success against us, I like our chances against Bob Arman (12-5, 3.74, 82), and 1944 Allen Winner Butch Smith (8-14, 3.43, 71) doesn't pitch like an Allen winner anymore. They do score plenty of runs, even with a down year from Al Wheeler (.238, 13, 51), as they've gotten huge numbers from Sam Brown (.333, 4, 45), Denny Andrews (.280, 12, 61), Fred Galloway (.264, 5, 55), and Chuck Adams (.261, 23, 81). They've been without Adam Mullins (.269, 5, 33), who broke his hand and will miss the rest of the year, but backup Joe Green (.282, 1, 22) has a nice 120 WRC+. They've finished each of the previous two months below .500, and at 10-11, there's a chance it happens again. I'm not sure exactly what's going to happen here, but if form means anything in baseball, I really like our chances.

Our weekend will be spent in Montreal with two against the Saints. They've also struggled a bit, dropping to 59-65 and 17 games out of first. Bill Greene (.242, 17, 59, 13) is two steals away from back-to-back 15/15 seasons, while looking to hit 5 WAR for the second time as well. Red Bond (.303, 13, 53) is the only other hitter with more then three homers, and those two sluggers account for 30 of the teams 47 home runs. Ernie McCoy (.321, 1, 13) returned from the IL two weeks ago, but he's already heading back, fracturing his shoulder blade and potentially endangering the rest of his season. Offense has been tough to come by, and this won't make things any easier. The pitching does have a lot of young talent, with Wally Reif (8-3, 2.26, 56) has been one of the best pitchers in the game, while Bert Cupid (12-7, 3.53, 102) has a FIP (2.65) nearly a full run lower then his ERA. Pat Weakly (10-14, 3.89, 114) and Wally Doyle (11-11, 3.59, 119) can set down batters like its nothing, but they put just about as many on base. If we can stay disciplined, we can pick up two more, and all the wins are needed with the Stars lurking around the corner.

Two big events are coming up as well, as we reached the draft pick signing deadline, and are approaching roster expansion. I signed three more guys, with late round pitchers Joe Ament and Matt Stinson agreeing to deals, as well as shortstop Ike Cartwright. As expected, neither pitcher rank in the top 500, and while Ike doesn't yet, it could just be because he signed on the current day, so he wouldn't be included in the list until tomorrow. I wanted to sign 15th Rounder Lee Parker, but I may have sabotaged myself, as I thought I met his $450 demand, but instead sent $100 less. I tried to bring it back to $450, but with one day left, he may go to college. If he signs, we'll have just $99 of free space, and if he doesn't, eleven of our twenty-nine man draft class will not join the system. In tomorrow's report I'll give an update on the rankings of the draftees, as we currently have a 40 point lead over the next best system, the Detroit Dynamos (159). We're a point away from 200, one of more impressive showings of a system in recent memory.