[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 4-2
Seasonal Record: 66-64 (4th, 15 GB)
Stars of the Week
Red Bond : 19 AB, 9 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI, .474 AVG, 1.388 OPS
Chubby Hall : 22 AB, 7 H, 3 HR, 4 RBI, .318 AVG, 1.196 OPS
Elmer Grace : 17 AB, 7 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .412 AVG, 1.053 OPS

Schedule
8-27: Win vs Sailors (0-10)
8-28: Loss vs Foresters (6-5)
8-29: Win vs Foresters (1-3)
8-30: Win vs Foresters (3-6)
9-1: Win at Saints (3-2)
9-2: Loss at Saints (0-1)

Recap
It actually happened!!!!!!!! We thrashed the fraud!!!!!!!

Okay "thrash" and "fraud" may be a stretch, as only five of the ten runs were charged to JTJ (7.1 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 2 HR, 2 BB, 2 K), but we did thrash the Sailors in a dominant 10-0 win where we're finally starting to look like a team that can win baseball games. Sure, we lost two one-run games for good measure, as our pythagorean record swelled to 71-59 with our fourth consecutive 4-2 week. We took two of three from Cleveland before splitting the road games in Montreal.

Aside from the blowout win, the offense was a three man show this week, as Red Bond had one of his best weeks of the season. No Player of the Week, I get why Larry McClure (13-24, 3 HR, 9 RBI) got it instead, but that shouldn't diminish the week Bond had. The 38-year-old went 9-for-19 with a double, 2 homers, 3 walks, 5 runs, and 5 RBIs, giving him 27 homers and 80 RBIs on the season. This ties his mark from the past three seasons, giving him a current tie for 6th All-Time in a single Cougar season. He's on pace for 32, one shy of Sal Pestilli's record 33 in 1948, and he's looking to join Sal and Tom Taylor (31, 1934; 30, 1932) as the only two Cougars to hit 30 homers in a season. Chubby Hall out-homered him on the week, three in six starts, giving the former 3rd Rounder 11 in 114 games. Chubby was 7-for-22, adding a double, 4 walks, 4 RBIs, and 5 runs. I'm sure you can guess who the third was, as Elmer Grace continues to stay hot. 7-for-17 in his five starts, Grace provided a pair of doubles, runs, RBIs, intentional walks, and unintentional walks, as he surpassed the 2 WAR mark (2.1) before his 200th plate appearance. In more or less everyday time, he's hit .356/.446/.519 (154 OPS+), already accumulating 10 doubles, 2 triples, 4 homers, 19 runs, 27 RBIs, and 25 walks. I'm glad we weren't able to find a deal for him, there were a few options I thought would work, as this rookie season can only bolster his trade value. Same goes for the Rookie of the Month award, an award I can't remember the last time we won one. Grace doesn't have a chance for the Kellogg, but he hit .424/.541/.661 (216 OPS+) which could have been Player of the Month worthy if he played a bit more. With 5 doubles, 3 homers, 12 runs, and 13 RBIs he doesn't quite have the counting stats, but it was a stellar showing from the two-month vet.

There was one bad start, we won't get in to that, but George Polk made two great ones. The first came in our 10-0 thrashing, as he held the #1 offense scoreless for 7 innings. Polk scattered 5 hits and 2 walks, striking out 3 to improve to 4-5 on the season. Then, in a bout of bad luck, he was charged with a loss, as he allowed 4 hits, 5 walks, and a run with 3 strikeouts in 6 innings. The loss came since we couldn't score off Pat Weakly, who twirled a 6-hit shutout in the finale. Polk now has an absurd 2.09 ERA (198 ERA+) in 77.1 innings as a Cougar. Bob Allen is still coming up, more on that later, but there is no way he doesn't start more games this year. Sure, he may not this week, pitching on Sunday while we have an off day on Tuesday, but one way or another, he's getting starts the rest of the way through. Even if it has to be every sixth game.

The issue is, that might make things hard for Duke Bybee, as I really want our supposed 4th best pitcher to capture the Allen. Even the defending champs couldn't touch him, as he allowed just 1 run off 5 hits, 5 walks, and 3 strikeouts in 8.1 innings pitched. Bybee has allowed just 2 runs in his last 37 innings, and it's easy to forget just how hard it is to hit 95-97 when Donnie Jones throws just as hard and Peter the Heater, well, has that heater! Bybee unluckily has just the second best WHIP at 1.09, as stupid Lloyd Stevens is at 1.08. The unfair part is, like George Polk he struggles with the Keystones, and his 1.89 WHIP in 53 innings looks a lot like Polk's. That was still an obvious fluke, he's a career 1.42 WHIP guy and the combined 186.1 innings are a more logical 1.31, ranked 16th among all qualified pitchers. That's before Pap's 1.33 and right behind his replacement Sam Ivey (a slightly lower 1.31 based on hundredths). The closest there to Bybee is Gotham great Ed Bowman (1.11), with Saint Pete Ford (1.19) a full point back. Bybee continues to lead the CA with his 2.55 ERA and 162 ERA+), but now only crosstown ace John Stallings (2.52, 166) leads him overall. Bybee's always pitched like an ace, and if he can just give it his best his last four starts he better come home with a shiny new trophy to go with his Pitcher of the Month. 4-1. 2.02 ERA (205 ERA+). 1.14 WHIP. His lowest ERA of the season but he hasn't had a month above 3.10. Give this guy the award!

None of our other pitchers deserve it, but at least Johnnie Jones has straightened himself out. Usually a hot starter, Johnnie has pretty much improved each month since his awful May and since the overall results don't matter much anymore, I hadn't really noticed the nice streak he was on. He's allowed three of fewer runs in each of his last five games. This technically wasn't his best start, but he allowed just 5 hits, 2 runs (1 earned), and 4 walks with 2 strikeouts in a big 3-2 win over the Saints. Now 11-9, he's got a chance to finish above .500 for the fourth time in the last five seasons. Brother Donnie made an effort there as well, with a complete game win over the Foresters. He struck out 6 while allowing 8 hits and 3 runs, as both Larry McClure (12) and Frenchy Sonntag (23) took him out of our tiny park. That accounted for all three runs, and with no walks it's safe to call that a dominant performance. 13-10 with a 3.45 ERA (120 ERA+) is a typical season, and it may end up better then a few of the seasons he was an All-Star.

Oh yeah, and David Molina "might" be back. He finally had a month where his monthly ERA (2.76) was lower then his career ERA (3.42)! In 16.1 innings he allowed 11 hits, 5 runs, and 7 walks, striking out 9 while finishing 3-1 with 2 saves and a hold. He's allowed just one run in his last eight outings, and that came in a three inning effort in extras. If he's back to himself in 1952, everyone better watch out!

Looking Ahead
With rosters now extended, players are coming up to the big league club, and all the eyes will be on Bob Allen and Jerry Smith. Technically the new face of the offense and pitching, these two guys will have all the eyes on them, and they couldn't handle it any different. Taken 5th Overall in a deep draft that saw Les Ledbetter (3-7, 5.33, 50), Irv Clifford (.347, 2, 59, 13), Ken Newman (.300, 9, 65), and John Morrison (47th ranked prospect involved in the Ralph Johnson blockbuster) go before him, Smith was pretty much touted a star from the second he hit .523/.581/.1.116 with 11 doubles, 10 homers, and 18 steals as a sophomore. He was the first outfielder selected, and Smith is one of the last debut. That's because we had Sal Pestilli (.235, 8, 37, 20) and John Moss (.267, 13, 53, 7) in center to block him, allowing Marshall Thomas (6th, .295, 6, 26), Frenchy Sonntag (7th, .323, 24, 87), Cecil LaBonte (8th, .309, 3, 58, 7), Al Farmer (9th, .307, 15, 71), Charlie Rogers (10th, .346, 5, 45, 21), Tony Britten (11th, 12-12, 4.43, 88), Paul Watson (15th, .291, 15, 56), and Dan Smith (16th, .269, 13, 66) get there before him. He has plenty of time to pass them up, and everybody who sees him thinks that he's going to be the kind of guy who can change games.

Ranked as high as the 5th best prospect, Smith is already popular locally and well known nationally. There was the time his personality said he had it and now he's a "fan favorite always signing autographs" which are absolutely the traits you want in a guy who hits 34 doubles, 15 triples, 17 homers, 77 RBIs with 102 runs, 80 walks, 16 steals, and a 8.2 WAR. That's what he did in just 114 games between AA and AAA, and he'll get a chance to add to those totals as the season comes to an end. Right now Frank Reece is the every day center fielder, but he'll make about a third of the starts to begin with. Reece has held his own, producing a 106 WRC+ in 94 trips to the plate, but that's not the largest hurdle to jump. I'm sure each will get some work in the corners too, and they can definitely co-exist if both are hitting.

Like you can never have too many good hitters.

Allen, on the other hand, is an unassuming little guy who you'd have no idea played baseball. It's a perfect contrast to the made for the spotlight Smith, and I think it can be. The pitching, like Allen, won't be showy. But it will get you outs and keep things close. And while it isn't one now, I want our park to have some flashy hitters who can hit it a mile, as we need some personalities in the lineup that can get things going.

In his own right, Allen can do flash too, striking out 12 in a no decision earlier in the month, and the top ranked pitching prospect ranked threw a no-hitter in his last July start. The former 10th Round pick was remarkably better in the Century League then the Dixie League, and he only made one fewer start in AAA. His 1.68 ERA (196 ERA+), 2.77 FIP (84 FIP-), 1.03 WHIP, and 16.0 K% are all better, though it's not like he was terrible in the Dixie League either. In 13.1 more innings, he was 8-3 with a 3.36 ERA (123 ERA+), 1.30 WHIP, and 53 strikeouts, and his 9.9 BB% was a bit better then what he commanded with the Blues (10.3). In a larger run scoring environment his 3.57 FIP (86 FIP-) was just two percent lower, and I like the consistency it shows. Getting through these next few starts will be the toughest challenge he's faced yet, and even if it doesn't happen instantly, he seems to rise to the challenge when ready.

The duo's first test will be a double header, though Allen pitched two days ago and won't be ready until later in the week. We're back at home against the Kings, causing a short rest start despite an off day tomorrow. If I was smart, I would have sequenced Allen's starts to the double header, but the thought didn't cross my mind till right now. Considered our fifth best starter, he'll hold that spot for now, but I think the plan is to rotate the non-Bybee starters by putting the guy who just pitched in the sixth spot. I've been letting Max Wilder take the reigns for a bit, so the fate for the week is in the hands of the manager. With five in a row later in the week, the fifth guy is guaranteed a go, and he'll always be more rested then Polk. Brooklyn is line to get a fully rested Duke Bybee (14-6, 2.55, 82) and a short rest Donnie Jones (13-10, 3.45, 125), a tough draw for the Charlie Rogers (.346, 4, 45, 21) led lineup. Ken Newman, Fred Miller (.336, 15, 87, 57), Chuck Collins (.289, 19, 76), and Johnson replacement Bob Craig (.310, 3, 22), who's actually hit well even if he isn't the guy he replaced. The recently turned 24-year-old Miller is making a bid to be the new star right fielder, as he has an impressive 144 WRC+. He's on pace for 24 doubles, 15 triples, 18 homers, 109 runs, 102 RBIs, 66 walks, and 18 steals, a Whitney worthy season in certain years. They've been running a six man themselves, making nemesis Ron Berry (7-9, 5.31, 86) and ace Joe Potts (13-10, 3.49, 73) the full rest entrants, making things difficult for even the well performing Cougars to come away with wins.

We then finish the week with three against the Stars and two against the Saints, as we look to improve or at least maintain our 41-27 home record. Unfortunately for us, we'll have just two home games after this week, making it a good thing we aren't in the middle of a heated pennant race. The Stars have dropped to seventh with Bill Barrett's (.275, 21, 80) uncharacteristic down season, as his current 3.5 BB% would be almost a third of his previous career low of 9.4. Coincidentally the only season before this year he found himself in single digits. This makes no sense, but baseball is silly some times, and he could just as easily be leading the Stars to a pennant next season. Same can be said for the Saint's Pestilli, who's hit just .212/.303/.269 (52 OPS+) since the trade. The center field defense is great (5.1, 1.088), and he has stolen 9 bags in 29 games, but the Saints have slipped to 9.5 back and are trending downward since they got swept in a short two game set at home against the Wolves. Now that I kind of want to beat them, I'm sure we'll lose, but there is a chance our stellar play at home and the infusion of young talent could help us stay hot.

We just can't be 4-2 next week! It's seven games!

Minor League Report
RHP Jack Hale: The pen can always use an extra arm, and I'll go with 37-year-old Jack Hale, who spent each of the past four seasons with the Blues. He pitched a few innings for them in 1946 too, but from 1941 to 1945 he pitched with the Foresters. There was some AAA time sprinkled in, though most of his innings came in 26 starts as a 27-year-old rookie. The former 2nd Round pick did not do well, 8-14 with a 4.78 ERA (83 ERA+) and 1.65 WHIP, walking 91 hitters with just 45 strikeouts. He made a solid 6.1 inning start the following season, but that's the last time he'll make a FABL start. He pitched to varying success out of the pen the next three seasons, and enters the week with a 4.56 ERA (85 ERA+) and 1.61 WHIP. As uninspiring as that looks, he's been flat out dominant in Milwaukee this year, and for some reason Dixie Marsh thinks he's our third best reliever. This was even before the 0.64 ERA (512 ERA+) and 1.18 WHIP, as until recently he was even ahead of Steve Groves and ranked second when the year began. As shiny as the ERA is, he was probably better in 52.2 innings last year, where he was 5-1 with a 2.39 ERA (149 ERA+) and 2.82 FIP (79 FIP-) with a 1.12 WHIP, 8 walks, and 23 strikeouts. He deserves one last hurrah, and who knows? Maybe it sticks?

C Mike Bordes: I love my third catchers in September, and that means Mike Bordes will finish his last season on optional assignment in Chicago with the big league club. Set to be the replacement to Harry Mead next season, Bordes fought injury during the season, limiting him to just 79 games. He hit an average .242/.360/.330 (99 OPS+) with a stronger 108 WRC+. The big red flag was the home runs, as after double digit bombs in every season since he joined the organization, he hit just one homer in 328 trips to the plate. I have a sneaking suspicion he'll hit another before the year ends, and I want him to get some starts in the final month. I need to see if he's ready to replace Mead, and if he can't hit here I can't imagine anyone claiming him if waived. Catching is a weak position, and Bordes does have a great eye, but if the power is gone he'll struggle to be an average FABL hitter. He did at least double 19 times, so that should add some value, but he's not a good enough defender to be a poor hitter too. Offense is his key to sticking, and the eventual 40-man roster addition Garland Phelps will certainly find a way to push him off.

3B Al Clement: I hated DFA'ing former 2nd Rounder Al Clement, so he'll come back up from Milwaukee to return to a backup infield role. The 26-year-old made just 50 trips to the plate after his demotion, but the .390/.500/.659 (231 OPS+) line is about a thousand times better then I expected. He had 3 doubles, a triple, 2 homers, 2 steals, 7 RBIs, and 9 walks, making the most of the limited time. I don't think he'll see the field too much, but he'll help keep guys fresh and play better first base then Red Bond, so if we have a comfortable lead and Bond just batted he can finish off the ninth inning. Or maybe Jerry Smith might. Max does like him there...

Little Rock Governors: Wow... Even the pitchers hit... Andy Felton went 5-for-5 in a 16-3 complete game win. He had two doubles and four RBIs, allowing 7 hits, 3 runs, and 3 walks with 4 strikeouts. That was earlier in the week, but they won three straight to finish 90-30. This includes a big 5-hit outing from Harley Dollar, who came up on the 8th. Dollar has hit an absurd .412/.500/.565 (176 OPS+) in 102 trips to the plate, perfectly fitting the next man up mentality. At some point they clinched the top of the Dixie League standings, as the team with 17 shutouts has still yet to lose more then ten games in a month. This is all through numerous promotions, as nearly everyone that plays is having their best season yet. If only the big league team could be this good!