OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post

reds1 · 03-26-2026, 05:18 PM

February 1, 1959

Eastern League: Athletics Hanging on to First

--------

The Wellington Athletics reclaimed first place in early December but quickly lost their footing, thanks to the strong play of both the Downie Chiefs and Braeland City Monarchs. By the 26th, they had fallen as much as 4-1/2 games behind. But a 9-game winning streak that began the next day catapulted them back into top spot early in the new year. They held a 5-game lead on January 18th, but the Monarchs continue to chip away, leaving the Athletics with little breathing room with two months to go. Wellington ranks highly in a number of batting, pitching and defensive rankings as a team in the East but they played barely .500 ball in December/January. And it’s what you do in the standings that ultimately count. Their inability to separate themselves from the rest of the League now may cost them dearly by season’s end.

Notable Performers

23-year old RF Wan-hua Gu (.340/.377/.551, 18 HR, 74 RBI, 25 BB, 11 SB, 155 OPS+, 5.4 WAR)
31-year old LF Matthew Floyd (.300/.370/.511, 16 HR, 52 RBI, 42 BB, 10 SB, 143 ERA+, 3.5 WAR)
26-year old CF Greg Yates (.308/383/507, 9 HR, 35 RBI, 26 BB, 146 OPS+, 3.1 WAR)
32-year old 1B Carlos Camasura (.322/.405/.429, 5 HR, 45 RBI, 46 BB, 133 OPS+, 2.2 WAR)

Rotation

27-year old RHP Mike Murray (8-7, 2.85 ERA, 161.1 IP, 1.14 WHIP, 3.58 FIP, 123 ERA+)

Bullpen

25-year old stopper RHP Christian Wiley (6-5, 19 SV, 2.44 ERA, 77.1 IP, 1.09 WHIP, 3.22 FIP, 143 ERA+)
39-year old RHP Rizal Doctolero (1-2, 5 SV, 2.60 ERA, 45.0 IP, 1.09 WHIP, 3.58 FIP, 134 ERA+)

All-Star Selections:

SP Mike Murray (1st)
ST Christian Wiley (2nd)
C Declan Bugbie (3rd)
1B Carlos Camasura (7th)
LF Matthew Floyd (8th)
RF Wan-hua Gu (1st)

Player of the Week Awards:

January 5 – RF Wan-hua Gu (.583, 7 H, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 R)
January 12 – RF Wan-hua Gu (.500, 11 H, 3 HR, 11 RBI)

Noteworthy:

December 17 – The Athletics and Queensland Eagles engaged in a wild shoot-out with Wellington pulling out a come from behind 13-10 road win. The teams combined for 35 hits with the Athletics collecting 23 of them, while both teams committed 2 errors each. The Eagles led 9-3 heading into the 5th inning, thanks to a Grand Slam home run by 2B Dennis Purcell off RHP Kaszunori Fujimoto in a 5-run 4th inning. But the Athletics would claw their way back, scoring a total of 9 runs in the 5th, 6th and 7th innings, including 5 in the 6th alone. Leading the way was clean-up hitter RF Wan-hua Gu, who went 5 for 6 with 2 doubles and 2 home runs, to go along with 4 R and 5 RBI. Gu singled in the 1st, hit a 2-run homer off RHP Kevin Jones in the 3rd, doubled in the 5th, hit a 2-run home run off RHP Nicky Sherlock in the 6th, hit an RBI double in the 7th before striking out in the 9th. Gu’s game score on the day was 109, the top performance in the ULB thus far this season.

--------

The Braeland City Monarchs were the United Leagues’ version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde over the course of December/January. Losing 7-straight games to start December, they then rattled off 6-straight victories before stumbling again, going 3-10 the rest of the way. That pushed them to just one game above .500 and 4 games back of 1st place. But they rebounded in the new year and finished January riding a 7-game winning streak to put them just two games back of first and three up on the third place Brunswick Legends.

After a rough December (1-4, 5.88 ERA, 41.1 IP, 1.73 WHIP), RHP Jonathan Brookins got back on track in January to win his second Pitcher of the Month honour. He currently leads the East in Wins (13), WIN% (.684) and QS (18).

Notable Performers

33-year old 2B Patrick Lidgate (.260/.365/.506, 16 HR, 51 RBI, 54 BB, 9 SB, 135 OPS+, 3.3 WAR)
35-year old 1B Dean Witherden (.307/.365/.489, 13 HR, 45 RBI, 30 BB, 131 OPS+, 2.5 WAR)
29-year old LF Hayden Goodale (.264/.344/.440, 17 HR, 69 RBI, 45 BB, 112 OPS+, 2.2 WAR)

Rotation

25-year old RHP Jonathan Brookins (13-6, 3.34 ERA, 172.1 IP, 1.25 WHIP, 3.14 FIP, 118 ERA+)
22-year old LHP Charlie Honeysett (7-11, 3.51 ERA, 143.2 IP, 1.29 WHIP, 3.77 FIP, 112 ERA+)
27-year old RHP Dara Eaddy (12-7, 3.64 ERA, 143.1 IP, 1.39 WHIP, 4.17 FIP, 108 ERA+)

Bullpen

23-year old RHP Ramón González (6-4, 21 SV, 1.97 ERA, 73.0 IP, 0.96 WHIP, 2.97 FIP, 199 ERA+)

All-Star Selections:

ST Ramón González (1st)
1B Dean Witherden (9th)
2B Patrick Lidgate (10th)

Player of the Week Awards:

December 22 – LF Hayden Goodale (.440, 11 H, 3 HR, 8 RBI)

Noteworthy:

January 25 – The Monarchs romped into Embro and swept all three games against the hapless Suns. In the final game, they blanked the Suns 2-0, thanks to a 2-hit shutout by RHP Jonathan Brookins. The 25-year old ace kept the Suns hitless until the bottom of the 9th, when he surrendered a lead-off single to PH William Beresford and a double by LF Jesús Abreu. But Brookins got the next three batters to go down in order to end the game and preserve the shutout. The Suns only other two baserunners reached base via an HBP and an error. Brookins line on the afternoon was 9.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K, 104 PI, GS: 89. The Monarchs two runs came in the 4th and 5th innings, thanks to two lead-off triples by CF Bernard Burkitt and LF Stewart Wych respectively. Burkitt scored on a 1B Dean Witherden single while Wych was plated by a sac fly from 3B Jonathan Crang.

Key Trade: January 27 with the Fort Richmond Generals:

To Braeland City – 30-year old 3B Mason Geake (55/55)

To Fort Richmond – 24-year old minor league RF Paul Provost (46/58) and 23-year old minor league RHP Dane Sharp (42/43)

Knee-jerk reaction: With the club in a serious playoff race for the first time in five years, the Monarchs make a move to shore up a glaring weakness. Braeland City’s current crop of available third basemen all rank at the bottom of the ULB rankings and play like it. Thus, any player acquisition would count as an improvement. Mason Geake (.267/.310/.352, 2 HR, 42 RBI, 21 BB, 84 OPS+, 1.6 WAR) has seen better days offensively, but he still has a quick bat and can make consistent contact. A Ball Hawk Award winner for four of the past five seasons, he should be able to hold his own at the hot corner. He is rated 6th overall among third basemen in the United Leagues.

The Generals on the other hand, are on course to miss the playoffs for the fifth straight season. In return for the 7-year veteran Geake, Fort Richmond receives a mid-level prospect (#39 overall) in Provost. The 24-year old Canadian is projected to have very good contact (60/65) with some gap power (55/55) and speed to burn. However, he may have trouble drawing walks (35/40). But he has been lighting it up in Triple-A this season (.337/.372/.522, 11 HR, 48 RBI, 19 BB, 143 ERA+, 3.1 WAR) and has been promoted to the major league roster. He is now the highest ranked right fielder in the organization and should soon take over for the struggling 34-year old Nobuyoshi Yoshida (.209/.249/.289, 2 HR, 32 RBI, 11 BB, 49 ERA+, -1.3 WAR).

Sharp, a 5th-round pick from 1955-56 has also been promoted to the major league roster to try and help a struggling bullpen. He has tremendous stuff (65/70) but is mediocre in everything else. He becomes the Generals’ long reliever.

--------

Like the Monarchs, the Brunswick Legends have been up and down this season. After finding themselves six games below .500 after the first two months, they came alive in December, winning 19 games and getting to within 2.5 games of first. But they nearly imploded in January, going just 4-12 before finishing the month with nine straight wins, the longest current winning streak in the ULB.

When 2B Harley Truman, who was enjoying a break-out year, fell to an extended injury in mid-December, Brunswick desperately needed someone to step up and fill the void. 1B Jay Mitchell has been that somebody. He has so far won two Player of the Week Awards this season, the first two of his 6-year career, and leads the club in 16 offensive categories and is on pace for hitting 30 home runs, one more than he hit in the 1956-57 season, his best season thus far.

Notable Performers

31-year old 2B Harley Truman (.326/.378/.633, 14 HR, 51 RBI, 18 BB, 4 SB, 171 OPS+, 3.9 WAR)
28-year old 1B Jay Mitchell (.294/.352/.534, 20 RBI, 68 RBI, 32 BB, 7 SB, 138 OPS+, 2.5 WAR)
24-year old CF Yae-hyang Lee (.309/.359/.436, 4 HR, 37 RBI, 20 BB, 116 OPS+, 2.7 WAR)
24-year old RF Eitoku Akiyama (.290/.345/.462, 9 HR, 37 RBI, 21 BB, 121 OPS+, 2.8 WAR)

Rotation

26-year old RHP Dave Ball (7-10, 3.23 ERA, 167.1 IP, 1.25 WHIP, 3.50 FIP, 121 ERA+)

Bullpen

33-year old RHP Byron Ollson (5-5, 7 SV, 3.04 ERA, 53.1 IP, 1.31 WHIP, 3.18 FIP, 128 ERA+)
27-year old RHP Pedro Peña (7-6, 3.54 ERA, 94.0 IP, 1.44 WHIP, 3.73 FIP, 111 ERA+)

All-Star Selections:

1B Jay Mitchell (3rd)
2B Harley Truman (1st)
CF Tae-hyang Lee (1st)

Player of the Week Awards:

December 8 – 1B Jay Mitchell (.429, 9 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 6 R)
January 26 – 1B Jay Mitchell (.414, 12 H, 4 HR, 10 RBI, 6 R)

Key Trade: January 31 with the Queensland Eagles:

To Brunswick – 26-year old minor league LHP Adrian Buffey (52/52) and 24-year old minor league RF Eitoku Akiyama (48/48)

To Queensland – 26-year old LF Terry Anderson (50/55) and 24-year old minor league RHP Marco Butcher (47/47)

Knee-jerk reaction: Queensland and Brunswick, two teams in the midst of a wild card chase, pull the trigger at the trade deadline on a 4-player deal to try and address their immediate needs. Queensland especially, looks to add depth to their struggling rotation as well as the outfield. The Californian-born Anderson (.234/.323/.390, 6 HR, 19 RBI, 93 OPS+, 0.4 WAR) is added as a fourth outfielder – for now. But he may soon take over leftfield full-time as 30-year old John Oldknow (.256/.316/.312, 2 HR, 15 RBI, 19 BB, 75 OPS+, 0.2 WAR), a former 2nd-overall pick from 1946-47, has never delivered on his early promise and is now constantly dealing with nagging injuries. Anderson has the chance to be a league average outfielder with OK contact (45/50) to go along with solid power (60/60) and eye (55/60). He is a good defensive corner outfielder (55) with speed (60).

But the acquisition of RHP Butcher is an interesting one. The former 8th-round pick has spent the previous 6-1/2 seasons toiling in the minors. But with the Eagles, he immediately becomes their No. 3 starter and is scheduled to make his major league debut on February 1 against the Wolseley Unions. Such is the pitiable state of Queensland’s rotation, especially after their Nos. 1 and 2 starters. Butcher is a power pitcher whose fastball is projected to top out around 98 mph. He is an extreme groundball pitcher with three (out of four) impressive pitches: fastball (50/60), curveball (55/55) and changeup (60/70). However, he may struggle with walks/control (40/40).

But giving up on the LHP Buffey is a curious move on Queensland’s part, at least on the surface. After going 11-3, 1.84 ERA, 1.00 ERA, 207 ERA+ in Triple-A to start the season, it was clear Buffy had nothing left to prove. But after just one major league start back in October (7.0 IP, 3 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 3.86 ERA in a no-decision), the Eagles have shipped him off to Brunswick. He is slotted in as their No. 5 starter. His stuff, movement and control all rate a little better than Butcher the pitcher he is replacing, but his pitches are not as impressive at the moment. His fastball is only so-so (40/40) and his splitter is still a work in progress (30/65). But he does boast of the best circle changeups in the Leagues (80/80).

The other promising rookie that the Legends received is 24-year Eitoku Akiyama. The Japanese-born outfielder has the chance to be an award-winner defender anywhere in the outfield, but he will need to continue developing his raw potential at the plate. But he performed admirably when OF Hal Dhu went down to injury and was named Rookie of the Month in January. He takes over rightfield from a slumping 29-year old OF Joshua Witherden (.203/.286/.350, 9 HR, 31 RBI, 35 BB, 5 SB, 73 OPS+, 0.4 WAR) and will bat out of the No. 4 spot going forward.

--------

After four consecutive winning seasons, including a 96-win season last year where they ended just 1 win short of winning the United Cup, the Queensland Eagles have seen it all crumble this year. The Eagles sport the worst run differential in the East (-34), and their suddenly porous defense and pitching are largely to blame. Still, the playoffs are not out of reach as they sit at .500 with 52 games to go. If they can find some stability on the mound behind their two aces (Belsey and Micklethwait) and correct some sloppy fielding, they have a chance to salvage the season.

Notable Performers

32-year old 1B Rod Dennis (.310/.394/.562, 23 HR, 71 HR, 52 BB, 162 OPS+, 3.6 WAR)
26-year old 2B Dennis Purcell (.295/.390/.537, 19 HR, 80 RBI, 54 BB, 154 OPS+, 4.3 WAR)
29-year old 3B Apia Yarrah (.313/.365/.432, 7 HR, 26 RBI, 25 BB, 14 SB, 120 OPS+, 2.3 WAR)
28-year old CF Matsuo Oyama (.262/.340/.476, 14 HR, 38 RBI, 30 BB, 123 OPS+, 1.9 WAR)
25-year old RF Hal Dhu (.270/.321/.446, 8 HR, 26 RBI, 16 BB, 110 ERA+, 1.2 WAR)

Rotation

31-year old RHP Stiofan Micklethwait (11-9, 3.34 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 3.29 FIP, 110 ERA+)
33-year old RHP Logan Belsey (12-8, 3.58 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 3.32 FIP, 103 ERA+)

Bullpen

35-year old RHP Jeremy Albury (7-3, 3.36 ERA, 69.2 IP, 1.12 WHIP, 3.36 FIP, 110 ERA+
26-year old stopper RHP Derek Tarn (1-2, 9 SV, 3.60 ERA, 55.0 IP, 1.45 WHIP, 5.18 FIP, 102 ERA+)

All-Star Selections:

SP Logan Belsey (8th)
SP Stiofan Micklethwait (5th)
RP Jeremy Albury (4th)
1B Rod Dennis (8th)
2B Dennis Purcell (3rd)
RF Eitoku Akiyama (1st)

Player of the Week Awards:

January 19 – CF Matsuo Oyama (.562, 9 H, 2 HR, 2 RBI)

Noteworthy:

December 16 – Although RHP Logan Belsey did not have his best outing against the Wellington Athletics (8.0 IP, 11 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 3 HR, 139 PI, GS: 42), taking the loss 7-3 home defeat, his 6 strikeouts were significant. If fact, his strikeout of lead-off hitter CF Jack Jefferson in the top of the 2nd inning – his third of the game – represented the 2000th strikeout of his career. Belsey becomes the first pitcher in United Leagues’ history to reach that lofty mark.

January 19 – In the first game of a 4-game set against the Downie Chiefs, RHP Stiofan Micklethwait led the Eagles to a 1-0 victory on the strength of his 2-hit shut-out. Both hits came off the bat of LF Jon Berose, who hit a one-out double in the 4th and a one-out single in the 9th. The other three baserunners for Downie all reached base on separate errors. The Eagles’ lone run also scored on an error in the second inning. Micklethwait’s line on the day was 9.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 6 K, 103 PI, GS: 89.

--------

The Cobourg Redlegs’ inconsistency continues, as they are unable to gain any traction in the standings as the season enters its final two months. Typical is their performance in December. They started the month 2-11; then immediately went on a 9-2 tear. January was more of the same. After a hot stretch around the All-Star break where they went 10-3, they then lost 7 of the next 10 games to finish the month. One season removed from when they won 96 games and the wild card, it looks as though their core is beginning to show its age, despite the outstanding performance of OF Raymond Williams, who won back-to-back Player of the Month Awards.

Notable Performers

27-year old SS Douglas Jones (.273/.358/.471, 17 HR, 50 RBI, 46 BB, 5 SB, 124 OPS+, 3.7 WAR)
32-year old LF Raymond Williams (.285/.362/.564, 26 HR, 75 RBI, 41 BB, 10 SB, 149 OPS+, 4.1 WAR)

Rotation

30-year old LHP Bill Budd (11-8, 2.82 ERA, 175.2 IP, 1.18 WHIP, 3.09 FIP, 135 ERA+)
24-year old LHP Lachlan Lloyd (8-4, 2.68 ERA, 151.1 IP, 1.22 WHIP, 3.82 FIP, 142 ERA+)

Bullpen

34-year old RHP Domingas Frias (3-2, 5 SV, 2.92 ERA, 52.1 IP, 1.59 WHIP, 4.08 FIP, 130 ERA+

All-Star Selections:

SP Bill Budd (6th)
SP Lachlan Lloyd (1st)
C Yoshiake Ikeda (1st)
SS Douglas Jones (3rd)
LF Raymond Williams (12th)

Player of the Week Awards:

December 29 – LF Raymond Williams (.524, 11 H, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 5 R)

Key Trade: January 18 with the Downie Chiefs:

To Cobourg – 26-year old 3B Noah Palmer (45/45)

To Downie – 26-year old minor league RHP Shunen Minamimure (49/51) and 24-year old minor league 2B Michael Heyrick (37/40)

Knee-jerk reaction: The Redlegs, struggling to stay relevant in the playoff chase, are facing the reality of an aging core that may force them to take drastic measures in the near future. In the meantime, they are taking a patchwork approach to try and prop things up, but with little success so far. 37-year old Alexander Tolmie (.321/.361/.507, 5 HR, 18 RBI, 9 BB, 1.2 WAR), who was entrenched as Cobourg’s third baseman for over 12 seasons, is now reduced to starting at first base when facing lefties. 31-year old Mark Johnson (.213/.292/271, 2 HR, 22 RBI, 23 BB, -0.2 WAR), who was acquired from the Kingston Pelicans last January, as well as 26-year old Harold Prudom (.125/.222/.208, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 5 BB, -0.4 WAR) are both solid defensively, but have been abysmal at the plate. Thus, the trade now to acquire another third baseman. Rookie Noah Palmer (.265/.295/.424, 4 HR, 22 RBI, 6 BB, 0.7 WAR) was a depth player with Downie and on the surface does not seem to be much of an upgrade. While he has a good eye (55/55) and is an excellent defender (65), he struggles with making good contact (45/50). In my mind, it would seem the Redlegs’ best bet was to stay inhouse and restore Tolmie back to third as he is still effective at the plate.

In exchange for Palmer, the Chiefs receive the still-developing Minamimure (0-2, 4.20 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 3.38 FIP, 89 ERA+). The 2nd-round pick from 1955-56 has decent stuff (55/60) and control (50/50) but iffy movement (45/45) to go along with three out of four very good pitches (curveball-55/55, changeup-80/80 and knuckle-curve-60/60). With Cobourg’s deep rotation, Minamimure was stuck in Triple-A this year, despite going 4-0, 2.87, 31.1 IP last season. Downie’s rotation has been very good this year as well, but they still found room in the rotation for the Japanese native. He will pitch out of the No. 4 spot.

Downie also receives the British-born Heyrick, a 4th-rounder from 1956-57. He is outstanding defensively with speed to spare but with limited batting skills, it would appear his ceiling will be little more than a bench player.

--------

Despite cooling off in November and December, the Downie Chiefs still clung to top spot in the East, tied with the Wellington Athletics. But that all came crashing down with a disastrous January, where they won all of 7 games. In fact, since December 27, they have gone 7-23 and have tumbled 7 games out of a playoff spot. Still, they are not a lost cause. After winning an average of just 58 games over the previous two seasons, they still have a shot of finishing with a least a winning season for this first time in 7 years. In 1951-52, they won 79 games and the wild card. But they will have to right the ship and find some consistency if they want to repeat that performance. They can start by being more successful at home. So far, they are only 19-29, .396 at home (31-24, .564 on the road), the worst in the ULB. February will be a perfect time to turn that home record around: because of accidently using an old, unmodified schedule, they will play 23-straight home games (all against Western League teams) before finally heading back on the road.

Notable Performers

24-year old rookie LF Jon Berose (.292/.369/.463, 10 HR, 50 RBI, 45 BB, 128 OPS+, 3.9 WAR)
29-year old 2B José Olivarez (.280/.322/.428, 11 HR, 29 RBI, 20 BB, 105 OPS+, 2.6 WAR)
30-year old 1B Louie Revill (.271/.319/.485, 22 HR, 67 RBI, 24 BB, 118 OPS+, 2.1 WAR)
27-year old RF Ewan Komaki (.258/.337/.445, 12 HR, 47 RBI, 42 BB, 114 OPS+, 2.0 WAR)
30-year old CF Greg Cusack (.301/.359/.393, 6 HR, 34 RBI, 34 BB, 8 SB, 109 OPS+, 2.7 WAR)

Rotation

31-year old RHP Eddie Stannard (8-5, 3.14 ERA, 109.0 IP, 1.28 WHIP, 3.60 FIP, 119 ERA+)
27-year old RHP Stefan Rankin (12-6, 3.25 ERA, 166.1 IP, 1.30 WHIP, 3.34 FIP, 115 ERA+)

All-Star Selections:

1B Louie Revill (3rd)
2B José Olivarez (1st)
LF Jon Berose (1st)

Key Trade: January 31 with the Fort Richmond Generals:

To Downie – 30-year old CF Greg Cusack (59/59)

To Fort Richmond – 24-year old minor league C Bill Cross (34/39) and 23-year old minor league RHP Ernesto Hale (34/34)

Knee-jerk reaction: The Chiefs have been in dire need of a solid center fielder ever since they traded away their franchise player, Alfonso León, back in January of 1956. Ben Darvill and then Arnold Murray attempted to fill his shoes but did not come remotely close (Darvill returned to the minors and Murray retired this past off-season). Finally, Downie has made a move to shore up the position by acquiring three-time all-star, Greg Cusack (.301/.359/.393, 6 HR, 34 RBI, 34 BB, 8 SB, 109 ERA+, 2.7 WAR). Cusack is not the hitter León was, but he has decent contact (55/55) to go along with tremendous speed (70) and stealing ability (65) and excellent defensive skills anywhere in the outfield. He is rated 7th-overall among centerfielders in the United Leagues and takes over the lead-off spot in the Chiefs’ lineup.

And Downie gives up relatively little in return. Neither Cross nor Hale are impressive and are destined to ride the bench or perform mop-up duty at best respectively.

--------

The Stratford Barons are in danger of doing something they have only done 4 times before in their 22-year history: finishing with a losing record. Their worst showing before this season was in 1951-52, when they finished in 7th place with 71 wins and 83 losses. This season they are on pace for only 69 victories. While the pitching staff has remained competitive, the offense has been lackluster. While 11-time All-Star 33-year old CF Alfonso León (.248/.313/.376, 8 HR, 31 RBI, 33 BB, 90 OPS+, 0.6 WAR), has picked up his game over the past two months (.295/.361/.439), 39-year old C Aaron Skidmore (.194/.311/.269, 3 HR, 13 RBI, 37 BB, 62 OPS+, 0.1 WAR) continues his struggles this season. And there is little relief coming soon: the Barons’ farm system is currently ranked 14th out of the 16 clubs.

Notable Performers

30-year old 2B Matthew Channing (.270/.329/.464, 16 HR, 57 RBI, 32 BB, 8 SB, 116 OPS+, 3.9 WAR)

Rotation

34-year old RHP Stephan Tindall (8-8, 2.92 ERA, 157.0 IP, 1.17 WHIP, 3.55 FIP, 126 ERA+)

Bullpen

29-year old RHP Glen Limon (4-2, 2 SV, 2.44 ERA, 44.1 IP, 1.17 WHIP, 3.10 FIP, 151 ERA+)

All-Star Selections:

SP Stephen Tindall (2nd)
SP Robin Wadsworth (5th)
2B Matthew Channing (6th)
3B Walter Beauvais (1st)
SS Callum Spalton (4th)

Player of the Week Awards:

December 15 – 2B Matthew Channing (.464, 13 H, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 6 R)

--------

The Embro Suns saw modest improvement in their overall performance but still remain stuck in last place, a place where they have never finished a season before. Offense is the not the problem – they lead the East or are a close second in multiple categories. It’s the pitching and defense that has dragged them down. Their top two pitchers, RHP Bradley Strawson (2-1, 2.17 ERA, 1.08 WHIP) and RHP Bob Nord (3-2, 2.82 ERA, 1.23 WHIP) really picked up their game in January, but the Suns will need more out of the pitching staff if they want to avoid finishing in the cellar for the first time in team history.

Notable Performers

30-year old 3B Moromao Nakagawa (.309/.367/.518, 9 HR, 39 RBI, 21 BB, 142 OPS+, 2.2 WAR)
29-year old LF Jesús Abreu (.291/.383/.454, 4 HR, 39 RBI, 47 BB, 5 SB, 130 OPS+, 2.5 WAR)
28-year old RF Bill Spaeth (.295/.353/.520, 13 HR, 48 RBI, 21 BB, 138 OPS+, 1.2 WAR)
31-year old 2B Napana Mamo (.284/.353/.430, 10 HR, 50 HR, 36 BB, 115 OPS+, 2.0 WAR)
25-year old 1B Damien Whetter (.299/.394/.472, 9 HR, 47 RBI, 42 BB, 138 OPS+, 2.4 WAR)

Rotation

31-year old RHP Bradley Strawson (8-8, 3.59 ERA, 173.0 IP, 1.29 WHIP, 2.76 FIP, 103 ERA+)
28-year old RHP Bob Nord (7-7, 3.30 ERA, 160.2 IP, 1.34 WHIP, 4.18 FIP, 112 ERA+)

Bullpen

28-year old RHP Rob Gladstone (7-5, 6 SV, 3.27 ERA, 77.0 IP, 1.30 WHIP, 4.10 FIP, 113 ERA+)

All-Star Selections:

C Gareth Mawle (4th)
1B Damien Whetter (2nd)
RF Bill Spaeth (2nd)

Noteworthy:

December 26 – In the first game of a 3-game matchup against the Stratfor Barons, the Suns’ offense lit up the Barons’ pitching to the tune of a 10-1 victory. Leading the demolition was 28-year old RF Bill Spaeth, who hit 3 home runs. The clean-up batter hit a 2-run home run in the 1st, a 3-run homer in the 3rd and a 2-run home run in the 5th, all against LHP Robin Wadsworth. In all, Spaeth went 3 for 4 with 3 R and 7 RBI and becomes the 23rd player in ULB history and just the 2nd Embro Sun to accomplish the feat. IF Kian Meadmore last accomplished it for Embro back in February 1942.

January 31 – The Embro Suns began their 24-game matchup against Western League teams on a high note, when they trounced the visiting Sherburn Tigers, 17-1 on 19 hits. Seven players had multi-hit games, including 2B Napana Mamo (.284/.353/.430, 10 HR, 50 RBI, 36 BB, 2.0 WAR) who went 4 for 6 with 1 HR, 1-2B, 4 RBI, 4 R as well as OF Ron Bell (.241/.306/.434, 7 HR, 31 RBI, 16 BB, 0.9 WAR) who went 3 for 6 with 2-2B, 5 RBI, 2 R. In all, the Suns belted out 8 doubles and 2 home runs on the afternoon scoring 4 runs in the 1st, 3 runs in the 2nd, 4 runs in the 3rd, 5 runs in the 6th and a run in the 8th.

--------

03-26-2026, 05:18 PM	#864
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,985	February 1, 1959 Eastern League: Athletics Hanging on to First -------- The Wellington Athletics reclaimed first place in early December but quickly lost their footing, thanks to the strong play of both the Downie Chiefs and Braeland City Monarchs. By the 26th, they had fallen as much as 4-1/2 games behind. But a 9-game winning streak that began the next day catapulted them back into top spot early in the new year. They held a 5-game lead on January 18th, but the Monarchs continue to chip away, leaving the Athletics with little breathing room with two months to go. Wellington ranks highly in a number of batting, pitching and defensive rankings as a team in the East but they played barely .500 ball in December/January. And it’s what you do in the standings that ultimately count. Their inability to separate themselves from the rest of the League now may cost them dearly by season’s end. Notable Performers 23-year old RF Wan-hua Gu (.340/.377/.551, 18 HR, 74 RBI, 25 BB, 11 SB, 155 OPS+, 5.4 WAR) 31-year old LF Matthew Floyd (.300/.370/.511, 16 HR, 52 RBI, 42 BB, 10 SB, 143 ERA+, 3.5 WAR) 26-year old CF Greg Yates (.308/383/507, 9 HR, 35 RBI, 26 BB, 146 OPS+, 3.1 WAR) 32-year old 1B Carlos Camasura (.322/.405/.429, 5 HR, 45 RBI, 46 BB, 133 OPS+, 2.2 WAR) Rotation 27-year old RHP Mike Murray (8-7, 2.85 ERA, 161.1 IP, 1.14 WHIP, 3.58 FIP, 123 ERA+) Bullpen 25-year old stopper RHP Christian Wiley (6-5, 19 SV, 2.44 ERA, 77.1 IP, 1.09 WHIP, 3.22 FIP, 143 ERA+) 39-year old RHP Rizal Doctolero (1-2, 5 SV, 2.60 ERA, 45.0 IP, 1.09 WHIP, 3.58 FIP, 134 ERA+) All-Star Selections: SP Mike Murray (1st) ST Christian Wiley (2nd) C Declan Bugbie (3rd) 1B Carlos Camasura (7th) LF Matthew Floyd (8th) RF Wan-hua Gu (1st) Player of the Week Awards: January 5 – RF Wan-hua Gu (.583, 7 H, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 R) January 12 – RF Wan-hua Gu (.500, 11 H, 3 HR, 11 RBI) Noteworthy: December 17 – The Athletics and Queensland Eagles engaged in a wild shoot-out with Wellington pulling out a come from behind 13-10 road win. The teams combined for 35 hits with the Athletics collecting 23 of them, while both teams committed 2 errors each. The Eagles led 9-3 heading into the 5th inning, thanks to a Grand Slam home run by 2B Dennis Purcell off RHP Kaszunori Fujimoto in a 5-run 4th inning. But the Athletics would claw their way back, scoring a total of 9 runs in the 5th, 6th and 7th innings, including 5 in the 6th alone. Leading the way was clean-up hitter RF Wan-hua Gu, who went 5 for 6 with 2 doubles and 2 home runs, to go along with 4 R and 5 RBI. Gu singled in the 1st, hit a 2-run homer off RHP Kevin Jones in the 3rd, doubled in the 5th, hit a 2-run home run off RHP Nicky Sherlock in the 6th, hit an RBI double in the 7th before striking out in the 9th. Gu’s game score on the day was 109, the top performance in the ULB thus far this season. -------- The Braeland City Monarchs were the United Leagues’ version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde over the course of December/January. Losing 7-straight games to start December, they then rattled off 6-straight victories before stumbling again, going 3-10 the rest of the way. That pushed them to just one game above .500 and 4 games back of 1st place. But they rebounded in the new year and finished January riding a 7-game winning streak to put them just two games back of first and three up on the third place Brunswick Legends. After a rough December (1-4, 5.88 ERA, 41.1 IP, 1.73 WHIP), RHP Jonathan Brookins got back on track in January to win his second Pitcher of the Month honour. He currently leads the East in Wins (13), WIN% (.684) and QS (18). Notable Performers 33-year old 2B Patrick Lidgate (.260/.365/.506, 16 HR, 51 RBI, 54 BB, 9 SB, 135 OPS+, 3.3 WAR) 35-year old 1B Dean Witherden (.307/.365/.489, 13 HR, 45 RBI, 30 BB, 131 OPS+, 2.5 WAR) 29-year old LF Hayden Goodale (.264/.344/.440, 17 HR, 69 RBI, 45 BB, 112 OPS+, 2.2 WAR) Rotation 25-year old RHP Jonathan Brookins (13-6, 3.34 ERA, 172.1 IP, 1.25 WHIP, 3.14 FIP, 118 ERA+) 22-year old LHP Charlie Honeysett (7-11, 3.51 ERA, 143.2 IP, 1.29 WHIP, 3.77 FIP, 112 ERA+) 27-year old RHP Dara Eaddy (12-7, 3.64 ERA, 143.1 IP, 1.39 WHIP, 4.17 FIP, 108 ERA+) Bullpen 23-year old RHP Ramón González (6-4, 21 SV, 1.97 ERA, 73.0 IP, 0.96 WHIP, 2.97 FIP, 199 ERA+) All-Star Selections: ST Ramón González (1st) 1B Dean Witherden (9th) 2B Patrick Lidgate (10th) Player of the Week Awards: December 22 – LF Hayden Goodale (.440, 11 H, 3 HR, 8 RBI) Noteworthy: January 25 – The Monarchs romped into Embro and swept all three games against the hapless Suns. In the final game, they blanked the Suns 2-0, thanks to a 2-hit shutout by RHP Jonathan Brookins. The 25-year old ace kept the Suns hitless until the bottom of the 9th, when he surrendered a lead-off single to PH William Beresford and a double by LF Jesús Abreu. But Brookins got the next three batters to go down in order to end the game and preserve the shutout. The Suns only other two baserunners reached base via an HBP and an error. Brookins line on the afternoon was 9.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K, 104 PI, GS: 89. The Monarchs two runs came in the 4th and 5th innings, thanks to two lead-off triples by CF Bernard Burkitt and LF Stewart Wych respectively. Burkitt scored on a 1B Dean Witherden single while Wych was plated by a sac fly from 3B Jonathan Crang. Key Trade: January 27 with the Fort Richmond Generals: To Braeland City – 30-year old 3B Mason Geake (55/55) To Fort Richmond – 24-year old minor league RF Paul Provost (46/58) and 23-year old minor league RHP Dane Sharp (42/43) *Knee-jerk reaction:* With the club in a serious playoff race for the first time in five years, the Monarchs make a move to shore up a glaring weakness. Braeland City’s current crop of available third basemen all rank at the bottom of the ULB rankings and play like it. Thus, any player acquisition would count as an improvement. Mason Geake (.267/.310/.352, 2 HR, 42 RBI, 21 BB, 84 OPS+, 1.6 WAR) has seen better days offensively, but he still has a quick bat and can make consistent contact. A Ball Hawk Award winner for four of the past five seasons, he should be able to hold his own at the hot corner. He is rated 6th overall among third basemen in the United Leagues. The Generals on the other hand, are on course to miss the playoffs for the fifth straight season. In return for the 7-year veteran Geake, Fort Richmond receives a mid-level prospect (#39 overall) in Provost. The 24-year old Canadian is projected to have very good contact (60/65) with some gap power (55/55) and speed to burn. However, he may have trouble drawing walks (35/40). But he has been lighting it up in Triple-A this season (.337/.372/.522, 11 HR, 48 RBI, 19 BB, 143 ERA+, 3.1 WAR) and has been promoted to the major league roster. He is now the highest ranked right fielder in the organization and should soon take over for the struggling 34-year old Nobuyoshi Yoshida (.209/.249/.289, 2 HR, 32 RBI, 11 BB, 49 ERA+, -1.3 WAR). Sharp, a 5th-round pick from 1955-56 has also been promoted to the major league roster to try and help a struggling bullpen. He has tremendous stuff (65/70) but is mediocre in everything else. He becomes the Generals’ long reliever. -------- Like the Monarchs, the Brunswick Legends have been up and down this season. After finding themselves six games below .500 after the first two months, they came alive in December, winning 19 games and getting to within 2.5 games of first. But they nearly imploded in January, going just 4-12 before finishing the month with nine straight wins, the longest current winning streak in the ULB. When 2B Harley Truman, who was enjoying a break-out year, fell to an extended injury in mid-December, Brunswick desperately needed someone to step up and fill the void. 1B Jay Mitchell has been that somebody. He has so far won two Player of the Week Awards this season, the first two of his 6-year career, and leads the club in 16 offensive categories and is on pace for hitting 30 home runs, one more than he hit in the 1956-57 season, his best season thus far. Notable Performers 31-year old 2B Harley Truman (.326/.378/.633, 14 HR, 51 RBI, 18 BB, 4 SB, 171 OPS+, 3.9 WAR) 28-year old 1B Jay Mitchell (.294/.352/.534, 20 RBI, 68 RBI, 32 BB, 7 SB, 138 OPS+, 2.5 WAR) 24-year old CF Yae-hyang Lee (.309/.359/.436, 4 HR, 37 RBI, 20 BB, 116 OPS+, 2.7 WAR) 24-year old RF Eitoku Akiyama (.290/.345/.462, 9 HR, 37 RBI, 21 BB, 121 OPS+, 2.8 WAR) Rotation 26-year old RHP Dave Ball (7-10, 3.23 ERA, 167.1 IP, 1.25 WHIP, 3.50 FIP, 121 ERA+) Bullpen 33-year old RHP Byron Ollson (5-5, 7 SV, 3.04 ERA, 53.1 IP, 1.31 WHIP, 3.18 FIP, 128 ERA+) 27-year old RHP Pedro Peña (7-6, 3.54 ERA, 94.0 IP, 1.44 WHIP, 3.73 FIP, 111 ERA+) All-Star Selections: 1B Jay Mitchell (3rd) 2B Harley Truman (1st) CF Tae-hyang Lee (1st) Player of the Week Awards: December 8 – 1B Jay Mitchell (.429, 9 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 6 R) January 26 – 1B Jay Mitchell (.414, 12 H, 4 HR, 10 RBI, 6 R) Key Trade: January 31 with the Queensland Eagles: To Brunswick – 26-year old minor league LHP Adrian Buffey (52/52) and 24-year old minor league RF Eitoku Akiyama (48/48) To Queensland – 26-year old LF Terry Anderson (50/55) and 24-year old minor league RHP Marco Butcher (47/47) *Knee-jerk reaction:* Queensland and Brunswick, two teams in the midst of a wild card chase, pull the trigger at the trade deadline on a 4-player deal to try and address their immediate needs. Queensland especially, looks to add depth to their struggling rotation as well as the outfield. The Californian-born Anderson (.234/.323/.390, 6 HR, 19 RBI, 93 OPS+, 0.4 WAR) is added as a fourth outfielder – for now. But he may soon take over leftfield full-time as 30-year old John Oldknow (.256/.316/.312, 2 HR, 15 RBI, 19 BB, 75 OPS+, 0.2 WAR), a former 2nd-overall pick from 1946-47, has never delivered on his early promise and is now constantly dealing with nagging injuries. Anderson has the chance to be a league average outfielder with OK contact (45/50) to go along with solid power (60/60) and eye (55/60). He is a good defensive corner outfielder (55) with speed (60). But the acquisition of RHP Butcher is an interesting one. The former 8th-round pick has spent the previous 6-1/2 seasons toiling in the minors. But with the Eagles, he immediately becomes their No. 3 starter and is scheduled to make his major league debut on February 1 against the Wolseley Unions. Such is the pitiable state of Queensland’s rotation, especially after their Nos. 1 and 2 starters. Butcher is a power pitcher whose fastball is projected to top out around 98 mph. He is an extreme groundball pitcher with three (out of four) impressive pitches: fastball (50/60), curveball (55/55) and changeup (60/70). However, he may struggle with walks/control (40/40). But giving up on the LHP Buffey is a curious move on Queensland’s part, at least on the surface. After going 11-3, 1.84 ERA, 1.00 ERA, 207 ERA+ in Triple-A to start the season, it was clear Buffy had nothing left to prove. But after just one major league start back in October (7.0 IP, 3 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 3.86 ERA in a no-decision), the Eagles have shipped him off to Brunswick. He is slotted in as their No. 5 starter. His stuff, movement and control all rate a little better than Butcher the pitcher he is replacing, but his pitches are not as impressive at the moment. His fastball is only so-so (40/40) and his splitter is still a work in progress (30/65). But he does boast of the best circle changeups in the Leagues (80/80). The other promising rookie that the Legends received is 24-year Eitoku Akiyama. The Japanese-born outfielder has the chance to be an award-winner defender anywhere in the outfield, but he will need to continue developing his raw potential at the plate. But he performed admirably when OF Hal Dhu went down to injury and was named Rookie of the Month in January. He takes over rightfield from a slumping 29-year old OF Joshua Witherden (.203/.286/.350, 9 HR, 31 RBI, 35 BB, 5 SB, 73 OPS+, 0.4 WAR) and will bat out of the No. 4 spot going forward. -------- After four consecutive winning seasons, including a 96-win season last year where they ended just 1 win short of winning the United Cup, the Queensland Eagles have seen it all crumble this year. The Eagles sport the worst run differential in the East (-34), and their suddenly porous defense and pitching are largely to blame. Still, the playoffs are not out of reach as they sit at .500 with 52 games to go. If they can find some stability on the mound behind their two aces (Belsey and Micklethwait) and correct some sloppy fielding, they have a chance to salvage the season. Notable Performers 32-year old 1B Rod Dennis (.310/.394/.562, 23 HR, 71 HR, 52 BB, 162 OPS+, 3.6 WAR) 26-year old 2B Dennis Purcell (.295/.390/.537, 19 HR, 80 RBI, 54 BB, 154 OPS+, 4.3 WAR) 29-year old 3B Apia Yarrah (.313/.365/.432, 7 HR, 26 RBI, 25 BB, 14 SB, 120 OPS+, 2.3 WAR) 28-year old CF Matsuo Oyama (.262/.340/.476, 14 HR, 38 RBI, 30 BB, 123 OPS+, 1.9 WAR) 25-year old RF Hal Dhu (.270/.321/.446, 8 HR, 26 RBI, 16 BB, 110 ERA+, 1.2 WAR) Rotation 31-year old RHP Stiofan Micklethwait (11-9, 3.34 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 3.29 FIP, 110 ERA+) 33-year old RHP Logan Belsey (12-8, 3.58 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 3.32 FIP, 103 ERA+) Bullpen 35-year old RHP Jeremy Albury (7-3, 3.36 ERA, 69.2 IP, 1.12 WHIP, 3.36 FIP, 110 ERA+ 26-year old stopper RHP Derek Tarn (1-2, 9 SV, 3.60 ERA, 55.0 IP, 1.45 WHIP, 5.18 FIP, 102 ERA+) All-Star Selections: SP Logan Belsey (8th) SP Stiofan Micklethwait (5th) RP Jeremy Albury (4th) 1B Rod Dennis (8th) 2B Dennis Purcell (3rd) RF Eitoku Akiyama (1st) Player of the Week Awards: January 19 – CF Matsuo Oyama (.562, 9 H, 2 HR, 2 RBI) Noteworthy: December 16 – Although RHP Logan Belsey did not have his best outing against the Wellington Athletics (8.0 IP, 11 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 3 HR, 139 PI, GS: 42), taking the loss 7-3 home defeat, his 6 strikeouts were significant. If fact, his strikeout of lead-off hitter CF Jack Jefferson in the top of the 2nd inning – his third of the game – represented the 2000th strikeout of his career. Belsey becomes the first pitcher in United Leagues’ history to reach that lofty mark. January 19 – In the first game of a 4-game set against the Downie Chiefs, RHP Stiofan Micklethwait led the Eagles to a 1-0 victory on the strength of his 2-hit shut-out. Both hits came off the bat of LF Jon Berose, who hit a one-out double in the 4th and a one-out single in the 9th. The other three baserunners for Downie all reached base on separate errors. The Eagles’ lone run also scored on an error in the second inning. Micklethwait’s line on the day was 9.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 6 K, 103 PI, GS: 89. -------- The Cobourg Redlegs’ inconsistency continues, as they are unable to gain any traction in the standings as the season enters its final two months. Typical is their performance in December. They started the month 2-11; then immediately went on a 9-2 tear. January was more of the same. After a hot stretch around the All-Star break where they went 10-3, they then lost 7 of the next 10 games to finish the month. One season removed from when they won 96 games and the wild card, it looks as though their core is beginning to show its age, despite the outstanding performance of OF Raymond Williams, who won back-to-back Player of the Month Awards. Notable Performers 27-year old SS Douglas Jones (.273/.358/.471, 17 HR, 50 RBI, 46 BB, 5 SB, 124 OPS+, 3.7 WAR) 32-year old LF Raymond Williams (.285/.362/.564, 26 HR, 75 RBI, 41 BB, 10 SB, 149 OPS+, 4.1 WAR) Rotation 30-year old LHP Bill Budd (11-8, 2.82 ERA, 175.2 IP, 1.18 WHIP, 3.09 FIP, 135 ERA+) 24-year old LHP Lachlan Lloyd (8-4, 2.68 ERA, 151.1 IP, 1.22 WHIP, 3.82 FIP, 142 ERA+) Bullpen 34-year old RHP Domingas Frias (3-2, 5 SV, 2.92 ERA, 52.1 IP, 1.59 WHIP, 4.08 FIP, 130 ERA+ All-Star Selections: SP Bill Budd (6th) SP Lachlan Lloyd (1st) C Yoshiake Ikeda (1st) SS Douglas Jones (3rd) LF Raymond Williams (12th) Player of the Week Awards: December 29 – LF Raymond Williams (.524, 11 H, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 5 R) Key Trade: January 18 with the Downie Chiefs: To Cobourg – 26-year old 3B Noah Palmer (45/45) To Downie – 26-year old minor league RHP Shunen Minamimure (49/51) and 24-year old minor league 2B Michael Heyrick (37/40) *Knee-jerk reaction:* The Redlegs, struggling to stay relevant in the playoff chase, are facing the reality of an aging core that may force them to take drastic measures in the near future. In the meantime, they are taking a patchwork approach to try and prop things up, but with little success so far. 37-year old Alexander Tolmie (.321/.361/.507, 5 HR, 18 RBI, 9 BB, 1.2 WAR), who was entrenched as Cobourg’s third baseman for over 12 seasons, is now reduced to starting at first base when facing lefties. 31-year old Mark Johnson (.213/.292/271, 2 HR, 22 RBI, 23 BB, -0.2 WAR), who was acquired from the Kingston Pelicans last January, as well as 26-year old Harold Prudom (.125/.222/.208, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 5 BB, -0.4 WAR) are both solid defensively, but have been abysmal at the plate. Thus, the trade now to acquire another third baseman. Rookie Noah Palmer (.265/.295/.424, 4 HR, 22 RBI, 6 BB, 0.7 WAR) was a depth player with Downie and on the surface does not seem to be much of an upgrade. While he has a good eye (55/55) and is an excellent defender (65), he struggles with making good contact (45/50). In my mind, it would seem the Redlegs’ best bet was to stay inhouse and restore Tolmie back to third as he is still effective at the plate. In exchange for Palmer, the Chiefs receive the still-developing Minamimure (0-2, 4.20 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 3.38 FIP, 89 ERA+). The 2nd-round pick from 1955-56 has decent stuff (55/60) and control (50/50) but iffy movement (45/45) to go along with three out of four very good pitches (curveball-55/55, changeup-80/80 and knuckle-curve-60/60). With Cobourg’s deep rotation, Minamimure was stuck in Triple-A this year, despite going 4-0, 2.87, 31.1 IP last season. Downie’s rotation has been very good this year as well, but they still found room in the rotation for the Japanese native. He will pitch out of the No. 4 spot. Downie also receives the British-born Heyrick, a 4th-rounder from 1956-57. He is outstanding defensively with speed to spare but with limited batting skills, it would appear his ceiling will be little more than a bench player. -------- Despite cooling off in November and December, the Downie Chiefs still clung to top spot in the East, tied with the Wellington Athletics. But that all came crashing down with a disastrous January, where they won all of 7 games. In fact, since December 27, they have gone 7-23 and have tumbled 7 games out of a playoff spot. Still, they are not a lost cause. After winning an average of just 58 games over the previous two seasons, they still have a shot of finishing with a least a winning season for this first time in 7 years. In 1951-52, they won 79 games and the wild card. But they will have to right the ship and find some consistency if they want to repeat that performance. They can start by being more successful at home. So far, they are only 19-29, .396 at home (31-24, .564 on the road), the worst in the ULB. February will be a perfect time to turn that home record around: because of accidently using an old, unmodified schedule, they will play 23-straight home games (all against Western League teams) before finally heading back on the road. Notable Performers 24-year old rookie LF Jon Berose (.292/.369/.463, 10 HR, 50 RBI, 45 BB, 128 OPS+, 3.9 WAR) 29-year old 2B José Olivarez (.280/.322/.428, 11 HR, 29 RBI, 20 BB, 105 OPS+, 2.6 WAR) 30-year old 1B Louie Revill (.271/.319/.485, 22 HR, 67 RBI, 24 BB, 118 OPS+, 2.1 WAR) 27-year old RF Ewan Komaki (.258/.337/.445, 12 HR, 47 RBI, 42 BB, 114 OPS+, 2.0 WAR) 30-year old CF Greg Cusack (.301/.359/.393, 6 HR, 34 RBI, 34 BB, 8 SB, 109 OPS+, 2.7 WAR) Rotation 31-year old RHP Eddie Stannard (8-5, 3.14 ERA, 109.0 IP, 1.28 WHIP, 3.60 FIP, 119 ERA+) 27-year old RHP Stefan Rankin (12-6, 3.25 ERA, 166.1 IP, 1.30 WHIP, 3.34 FIP, 115 ERA+) All-Star Selections: 1B Louie Revill (3rd) 2B José Olivarez (1st) LF Jon Berose (1st) Key Trade: January 31 with the Fort Richmond Generals: To Downie – 30-year old CF Greg Cusack (59/59) To Fort Richmond – 24-year old minor league C Bill Cross (34/39) and 23-year old minor league RHP Ernesto Hale (34/34) *Knee-jerk reaction:* The Chiefs have been in dire need of a solid center fielder ever since they traded away their franchise player, Alfonso León, back in January of 1956. Ben Darvill and then Arnold Murray attempted to fill his shoes but did not come remotely close (Darvill returned to the minors and Murray retired this past off-season). Finally, Downie has made a move to shore up the position by acquiring three-time all-star, Greg Cusack (.301/.359/.393, 6 HR, 34 RBI, 34 BB, 8 SB, 109 ERA+, 2.7 WAR). Cusack is not the hitter León was, but he has decent contact (55/55) to go along with tremendous speed (70) and stealing ability (65) and excellent defensive skills anywhere in the outfield. He is rated 7th-overall among centerfielders in the United Leagues and takes over the lead-off spot in the Chiefs’ lineup. And Downie gives up relatively little in return. Neither Cross nor Hale are impressive and are destined to ride the bench or perform mop-up duty at best respectively. -------- The Stratford Barons are in danger of doing something they have only done 4 times before in their 22-year history: finishing with a losing record. Their worst showing before this season was in 1951-52, when they finished in 7th place with 71 wins and 83 losses. This season they are on pace for only 69 victories. While the pitching staff has remained competitive, the offense has been lackluster. While 11-time All-Star 33-year old CF Alfonso León (.248/.313/.376, 8 HR, 31 RBI, 33 BB, 90 OPS+, 0.6 WAR), has picked up his game over the past two months (.295/.361/.439), 39-year old C Aaron Skidmore (.194/.311/.269, 3 HR, 13 RBI, 37 BB, 62 OPS+, 0.1 WAR) continues his struggles this season. And there is little relief coming soon: the Barons’ farm system is currently ranked 14th out of the 16 clubs. Notable Performers 30-year old 2B Matthew Channing (.270/.329/.464, 16 HR, 57 RBI, 32 BB, 8 SB, 116 OPS+, 3.9 WAR) Rotation 34-year old RHP Stephan Tindall (8-8, 2.92 ERA, 157.0 IP, 1.17 WHIP, 3.55 FIP, 126 ERA+) Bullpen 29-year old RHP Glen Limon (4-2, 2 SV, 2.44 ERA, 44.1 IP, 1.17 WHIP, 3.10 FIP, 151 ERA+) All-Star Selections: SP Stephen Tindall (2nd) SP Robin Wadsworth (5th) 2B Matthew Channing (6th) 3B Walter Beauvais (1st) SS Callum Spalton (4th) Player of the Week Awards: December 15 – 2B Matthew Channing (.464, 13 H, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 6 R) -------- The Embro Suns saw modest improvement in their overall performance but still remain stuck in last place, a place where they have never finished a season before. Offense is the not the problem – they lead the East or are a close second in multiple categories. It’s the pitching and defense that has dragged them down. Their top two pitchers, RHP Bradley Strawson (2-1, 2.17 ERA, 1.08 WHIP) and RHP Bob Nord (3-2, 2.82 ERA, 1.23 WHIP) really picked up their game in January, but the Suns will need more out of the pitching staff if they want to avoid finishing in the cellar for the first time in team history. Notable Performers 30-year old 3B Moromao Nakagawa (.309/.367/.518, 9 HR, 39 RBI, 21 BB, 142 OPS+, 2.2 WAR) 29-year old LF Jesús Abreu (.291/.383/.454, 4 HR, 39 RBI, 47 BB, 5 SB, 130 OPS+, 2.5 WAR) 28-year old RF Bill Spaeth (.295/.353/.520, 13 HR, 48 RBI, 21 BB, 138 OPS+, 1.2 WAR) 31-year old 2B Napana Mamo (.284/.353/.430, 10 HR, 50 HR, 36 BB, 115 OPS+, 2.0 WAR) 25-year old 1B Damien Whetter (.299/.394/.472, 9 HR, 47 RBI, 42 BB, 138 OPS+, 2.4 WAR) Rotation 31-year old RHP Bradley Strawson (8-8, 3.59 ERA, 173.0 IP, 1.29 WHIP, 2.76 FIP, 103 ERA+) 28-year old RHP Bob Nord (7-7, 3.30 ERA, 160.2 IP, 1.34 WHIP, 4.18 FIP, 112 ERA+) Bullpen 28-year old RHP Rob Gladstone (7-5, 6 SV, 3.27 ERA, 77.0 IP, 1.30 WHIP, 4.10 FIP, 113 ERA+) All-Star Selections: C Gareth Mawle (4th) 1B Damien Whetter (2nd) RF Bill Spaeth (2nd) Noteworthy: December 26 – In the first game of a 3-game matchup against the Stratfor Barons, the Suns’ offense lit up the Barons’ pitching to the tune of a 10-1 victory. Leading the demolition was 28-year old RF Bill Spaeth, who hit 3 home runs. The clean-up batter hit a 2-run home run in the 1st, a 3-run homer in the 3rd and a 2-run home run in the 5th, all against LHP Robin Wadsworth. In all, Spaeth went 3 for 4 with 3 R and 7 RBI and becomes the 23rd player in ULB history and just the 2nd Embro Sun to accomplish the feat. IF Kian Meadmore last accomplished it for Embro back in February 1942. January 31 – The Embro Suns began their 24-game matchup against Western League teams on a high note, when they trounced the visiting Sherburn Tigers, 17-1 on 19 hits. Seven players had multi-hit games, including 2B Napana Mamo (.284/.353/.430, 10 HR, 50 RBI, 36 BB, 2.0 WAR) who went 4 for 6 with 1 HR, 1-2B, 4 RBI, 4 R as well as OF Ron Bell (.241/.306/.434, 7 HR, 31 RBI, 16 BB, 0.9 WAR) who went 3 for 6 with 2-2B, 5 RBI, 2 R. In all, the Suns belted out 8 doubles and 2 home runs on the afternoon scoring 4 runs in the 1st, 3 runs in the 2nd, 4 runs in the 3rd, 5 runs in the 6th and a run in the 8th. -------- __________________ United Leagues of Braeland Last edited by reds1; 04-04-2026 at 12:12 AM.