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reds1 · 04-16-2026, 01:10 AM

March 31, 1959

Western League: Pulberry, Sherburn Set to Battle for Pennant for Fourth Year in a Row

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The Pulberry Trolleys shook off a shaky February where they got roughed up by their Eastern League counterparts and powered their way to first place by winning an impressive 21 games in March. They secured a playoff spot on the 18th and locked up top spot in the West two days later, with 9 games left to play. It’s their 6th consecutive first-place finish, the longest stretch of consecutive first-place finishes in the United Leagues. The next longest is 4 straight seasons by the Wolseley Unions, from 1949 to 1952. However, the Kingston Pelicans still hold the record for most first-place finishes overall with 7. Pulberry is tied with the Stratford Barons with 6. Their 94 victories this season represents the 5th straight season where they have won 90 or more and the third time during that stretch that they have won exactly 94.

The Trolleys’ starting lineup is perhaps the most formidable in the United Leagues. No starting player has an OPS+ lower than 101 and the offense as a whole generated 4.78 R/G. Only the Embro Suns surpassed that mark with 4.88 R/G.

Two of their offensive players are ranked 1st overall at their respective position: 28-year old C Paul England (.285/.360/.489, 18 HR, 87 RBI, 41 BB, 134 OPS+, 4.4 WAR) and 30-year old LF Aidan Thirkettle (.300/.403/.542, 29 HR, 101 RBI, 86 BB, 15 SB, 161 ERA+, 7.7 WAR). England led the ULB in WPA (5.16), while Thirkettle led the West in OPB (.403) and OPS+ (161).

But four other players enjoyed terrific seasons as well:

34-year old 1B Ellis Dibble (.298/.366/.461, 16 HR, 68 RBI, 65 BB, 129 OPS+, 5.0 WAR), who won his first Batter of the Month honour for March.

30-year old 2B Yoshimi Sekozawa (.281/.343/.442, 16 HR, 76 RBI, 54 BB, 117 OPS+, 4.2 WAR)

32-year old CF Cooper Tyson (.292/.353/.454, 13 HR, 67 RBI, 48 BB, 11 SB, 123 OPS+, 6.7 WAR)

23-year old RF Joe Riding (.270/.348/.429, 14 HR, 71 RBI, 59 BB, 17 SB, 115 OPS+, 4.7 WAR). Riding won his first Player of the Week Award in March.

The one area of concern is the bullpen, which remains one of the weakest units in the United Leagues. 34-year old stopper RHP Quintiliano Galeo (9-13, 22 SV, 4.38 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, 4.26 FIP, 80 ERA+) did lead the Western League in saves but had an uneven season otherwise to say the least. However, the Trolleys have moved No. 5 starter, 37-year old RHP Alexander Ellacott (8-4, 5 SV, 3.26 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 3.81 FIP, 108 ERA+), to the bullpen for the playoffs, which should provide some short-term help.

53-year old manager Ryo Ichikawa announced Pulberry’s playoff rotation:

23-year old LHP Bart Ohara (20-8, 2.69 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 2.79 FIP, 130 ERA+). Ohara led the League in ERA (2.69), P-WAR (7.0), WHIP (1.08), FIP (2.79), ERA+ (130), rWAR (7.2) and OppAVG (.226).

31-year old RHP Taylor Folkard (22-7, 2.76 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 3.15 FIP, 127 ERA+). Folkard led the West in W (22), BB/9 (1.6) and WIN% (.759).

29-year old LHP Dermott Rathbone (10-13, 3.47 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 3.41 FIP, 101 ERA+)

38-year old RHP Robin Medellin (26-10, 3.81 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 3.62 FIP, 92 ERA+)

Player of the Week Awards:

February 9 –LF Aidan Thirkettle (.440, 11 H, 4 HR, 12 RBI, 6 R)
March 23 – RF Joe Riding (.500, 11 H, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 8 R)

First Round Draft Pick Update:

16th overall – IF/RF Hal Saunders (31/48). Saunders showed promise in Double-A, hitting .234/.301/.346, 5 HR, 35 RBI, 26 BB, 52 SO, 10 SB, 79 OPS+, 1.4 WAR in 85 GS and 321 AB. His focus will continue to be on improving at the plate, but he was very good in the field, playing the majority of the time at second base (.979 PCT, 6.02 RNG, 8.0 ZR, 1.069 EFF in 686.1 INN). Current prospect ranking: #86.

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Like the Trolleys, the Sherburn Tigers endured a rough month of February facing the Eastern League teams but rebounded in March, winning 18 games to pull away from both the Balmoral Giants and Cambria Cannons and take the upper hand in the wild card chase. They were as much as 4 games ahead of the Giants on the 27th, the day the Tigers punched their ticket to the playoffs for the 4th straight season.

Sherburn is a nicely balanced team but like the previous three seasons, they were not able to keep pace with the Trolleys. But unlike the previous three seasons, they did not run away with the wild card. Their having to fend off not one but two other teams to return to the playoffs may signal that the Tigers’ playoff window may be closing – as other teams appear to be finally closing in on them.

This season, Sherburn boasted four players in the lineup with 20 or more home runs, just as they did last season. The record for most players with 20 or more home runs in a season is five, set by the Braeland City Monarchs in 1953-54. Both 30-year old C Robert Kersey (.273/.355/.461, 22 HR, 76 RBI, 60 BB, 119 OPS+, 4.4 WAR) and 29-year old SS Dwayne Vick (.312/.351/.403, 3 HR, 54 RBI, 31 BB, 104 OPS+, 6.7 WAR) are rated 2nd overall at their respective positions in the ULB. Vick was particularly outstanding on defense (.979 PCT, 5.84 RNG, 29.2 ZR, 1.086 EFF in 1242.0 INN). Other contributors to Sherburn’s success this season were:

Lead-off hitter 27-year old CF Leon Albrecht (.295/.392/.476, 19 HR, 62 RBI, 90 BB, 134 OPS+, 5.0 WAR) had a bit of a down season for him but still led the Western League in Runs (103) for the second season in a row.

29-year old 3B Adrian Flynn (.282/.340/.464, 20 HR, 102 RBI, 49 BB, 115 OPS+, 3.5 WAR)

30-year old 1B Jay Durham (.269/.344/.453, 21 HR, 63 RBI, 61 BB, 114 OPS+, 2.6 WAR). Durham won his first Player of the Week Award in February.

28-year old LF Ross Shewman (.270/.345/.469, 24 HR, 93 RBI, 54 BB, 118 OPS+, 3.6 WAR)

45-year old rookie manager Lee Ayling revealed Sherburn’s playoff rotation:

35-year old RHP Jesús Chapa (15-11, 3.00 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 3.00 FIP, 129 ERA+). On February 13 against the Braeland City Monarchs, Chapa became the second pitcher in ULB history to reach 2000 K.

34-year old RHP Kieran Bunce (14-8, 3.82 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 3.44 FIP, 101 ERA+). He won his second career Pitcher of the Month Award in March.

34-year old RHP Paul Woodruff (12-4, 4.04 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 4.17 FIP, 96 ERA+)

26-year old LHP Kozue Saito (10-12, 10 SV, 4.19 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, 4.78 FIP, 92 ERA+)

Player of the Week Awards:

February 16 –1B Jay Durham (.435, 10 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 6 R)

Noteworthy:

March 17 – CF Leon Albrecht showed why he is Sherburn’s lead-off hitter in a game against the Wolseley Unions, by going 5 for 6, leading the Tigers to a 4-2 road victory. Albrecht collected five singles, including a 2-run single in the 2nd inning. He grounded out in the 9th.

First Round Draft Pick Update:

13th overall – 2B Colin Lutz (34/50). The 23-year old infielder enjoyed a decent first year in the minors, batting .265/.309/.315, 3 HR, 24 RBI, 19 BB, 25 SO, 70 OPS+, 0.3 WAR in 85 GS and 317 AB. He will need more experience against quality pitching in the minors before he can advance. However, he was solid in the field at the keystone position (.991 PCT, 5.31 RNG, 1.6 ZR, 1.010 EFF in 717.0 INN). Current prospect ranking: #78.

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The Balmoral Giants made a serious push for the wild card in the final half of the regular season, but in the end, they just could not keep up with a resurgent Sherburn Tigers team and ultimately missed the playoffs for the 15th straight season. Still, their 81 victories are the most in a season since 1954-55 when they won 82 and their competitiveness may be taken as an encouraging sign and something to build on for next season.

Why They Missed the Playoffs: When one looks under the hood, this team was not much different from last season when they won only 71 games and finished 16 games behind the wild card. Thus, one is led to believe that the Giants benefited more from mediocre competition within the Western League this year than any great internal improvements.

What they need to do: Balmoral has some fine players but a number of them are either well over 30 or will be turning 30 by the time the next season comes around. They do have a few promising young players on the major league roster, but not nearly enough to build any lasting success on. With a farm system that is ranked only 12th overall and few highly regarded prospects at Triple-A, they will need to beef up their prospect pool, something they should have been doing all these years when they have been toiling in the second division.

Notable Position Players

29-year old 2B Morgan Tyreman (.281/.359/.490, 26 HR, 72 RBI, 58 BB, 133 OPS+, 6.4 WAR)

25-year old CF Quido De Jesús (.284/.366/.425, 8 HR, 62 RBI, 64 BB, 119 OPS+, 5.5 WAR). De Jesús led the West in 2B (34).

29-year old LF Danny Jevons (.230/.325/.419, 21 HR, 54 RBI, 66 BB, 17 SB, 104 OPS+, 3.0 WAR)

38-year old 1B Ángel Costa (.287/.356/.492, 14 HR, 44 RBI, 27 BB, 132 OPS+, 1.7 WAR)

25-year old C Ellis Ford (.232/.323/.407, 18 HR, 74 RBI, 59 BB, 101 OPS+, 2.7 WAR). Ford led the League in K (120).

Notable Pitchers

23-year old RHP Ashley Tazewell (17-13, 3.65 ERA, 283.1 IP, 1.24 WHIP, 3.26 FIP, 99 OPS+). Tazewell won his first Pitcher of the Month Award in January. He also led the West in IP (283.1) and CG (14).

24-year old RHP Clive Kerwin (11-6, 3.70 ERA, 194.1 IP, 1.44 WHIP, 4.35 FIP, 98 ERA+). Kewin led the League in BB (120) and BABIP (.256).

26-year old LHP Christopher Baul (5-1, 5 SV, 2.20 ERA, 45.0 IP, 1.36 WHIP, 3.41 FIP, 165 ERA+)

32-year old LHP Carl McBroom (5-1, 2.40 ERA, 60.0 IP, 1.25 WHIP, 3.69 FIP, 141 ERA+)

First Round Draft Pick Update:

6th overall – IF Edward Coxall (24/64). The 19-year old enjoyed a fine start in Double-A, batting .286/.336/.385, 6 HR, 18 RBI, 21 BB, 76 SO, 102 OPS+, 1.5 WAR in 87 GS and 304 AB. He played the majority of his games at third base and was solid (.981 PCT, 2.77 RNG, 3.2 ZR, 1.017 EFF in 506.0 INN). Current prospect ranking: #19.

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The Cambria Cannons hung around the wild card chase for most the season and were tied with Sherburn for 2nd place as late as March 7th, but a 6-game losing streak that started immediately thereafter and a 7-13 finish knocked them out of contention and they were officially eliminated on March 24. While they managed to finish at .500, they miss the playoffs for the 4th-straight season.

Why They Missed the Playoffs: The Cannons have been a very capable offensive squad for several years now, but their glaring weakness has always been their pitching and defense. That was no different this season, but there finally might be signs that improvements are close at hand, at least in terms of pitching.

What they need to do: Although the Cannons’ farm system is ranked in the middle of the pack, there are a number of promising prospects either on the major league roster or in Triple-A. A couple of these prospects are pitchers. Thus, Cambria will do well to give these kids playing time when they reach the majors with the goal of supporting the starting lineup. If they can turn their rotation into a strength instead of the liability it has been for several years now, the Cannons may once again make some noise in the West.

In addition to this year’s first-round pick SP Spencer Dicker described below, the Cannons also have 1955-56 2nd-round pick RHP Tom Roberts (0-0, 6.10 ERA, 10.1 IP, 1.84 WHIP, 3.58 FIP, 61 ERA+, 39/56) on the roster, after promoting him from Triple-A in March. Roberts is projected to become a mid-rotation starter with an outstanding changeup (60/80), cutter (55/60) and stuff (65/75). Current prospect ranking: #28.

Notable Position Players

After a couple of disappointing seasons, 32-year old 1B Carlos Corea (.354/.398/.549, 22 HR, 82 RBI, 35 BB, 157 OPS+, 5.7 WAR) rebounded in a big way, leading the Western League in four batting categories: AVG (.354), SLG (.549), OPS (.946) and wOBA (.418) and winning five Player of the Week Awards and one Batter of the Month honour. He even improved his defense for the first time in his career: .994 PCT, 9.86 RNG, 0.3 ZR, .997 EFF in 1118.2 INN.

29-year old RF Sam Tite (.263/.357/.518, 34 HR, 103 RBI, 81 BB, 7 SB, 137 OPS+, 5.7 WAR) led the West in HR (34), RBI (103) and ISO (.255). He also won All-Star Game MVP honours this year.

27-year old 2B Doug Martin (.294/.352/.409, 6 HR, 53 RBI, 55 BB, 17 SB, 108 OPS+, 3.3 WAR)

25-year old CF Kuauli Walenekino (.239/.333/.484, 30 HR, 69 RBI, 58 BB, 121 OPS+, 3.2 WAR)

28-year old LF Calvin Hanbridge (.260/.335/.463, 13 HR, 53 RBI, 35 BB, 116 OPS+, 1.6 WAR)

26-year old C Mick Clark (.273/.322/.435, 15 HR, 77 RBI, 34 BB, 106 OPS+, 3.8 WAR)

Notable Pitchers

23-year old RHP Leo Lukies (13-14, 3.25 ERA, 238.1 IP, 1.29 WHIP, 3.24 FIP, 115 ERA+). Lukies won Rookie of the Month honours twice this season.

36-year old RHP Kelii Pelanekelina (4-4, 3.40 ERA, 98.0 IP, 1.39 WHIP, 3.56 FIP, 110 ERA+)

30-year old RHP Ray Lambright (8-4, 3 SV, 3.19 ERA, 118.1 IP, 1.49 WHIP, 3.13 FIP, 117 ERA+)

Player of the Week Awards:

February 23 – LHP Derek Willday (2-0, 0.53 ERA, 17.0 IP, 9 K)
March 2 – 2B Doug Martin (.500, 13 H, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 6 R)
March 9 – 1B Carlos Corea (.423, 11 H, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 7 R)

First Round Draft Pick Update:

9th overall – SP Spencer Dicker (38/69). The 22-year old southpaw pitched 58.2 innings and 7 GS in Double-A (4-3, 3.38 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 2.12 FIP, 113 ERA+) before getting the call up to Triple-A. He certainly appeared ready for the advancement, going 6-7, 3.08 ERA, 111.0 IP, 1.15 WHIP, 3.01 FIP, 114 ERA+ in 14 starts, including a pair of shutouts (a 2-hitter & a 7-hitter). Current prospect ranking: #5.

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The Wolseley Unions surpassed the 70-win mark for the first time in 5 years and were even in the thick of the wild card chase for the first half of the season but a disastrous January where they won all of 9 games knocked them out of contention for good. On March 17, on the heels of a 5-game losing streak, they were officially eliminated.

Why They Missed the Playoffs: An inability to score runs and a propensity for sloppy play in the field doomed their season. The good news is that their Triple-A farm club is brimming with prospects that are on the cusp of reaching the majors.

What they need to do: Embrace the rookies when they start to arrive. The Unions have no less than six prospects (four position players, two pitchers) in Triple-A that could soon make an impact on their major league roster. That’s in addition to their top-ranked player, RF Jonathan Higgins (2nd overall pick, 1955-56 - 62/62) as well as LF Steven Burkill (6th-round pick, 1953/54 - 55/55) and 24-year old CF Jack Jarrom (.241/.291/.394, 8 HR, 36 RBI, 23 BB, 85 OPS+, 1.5 WAR - 1st overall pick, 1956/57 – 46/65) who are in the midst of establishing themselves in the majors. If these players can all deliver on their promise, the Unions will have enviable depth across their entire roster to say the least. Here are the six prospects that could be getting the call-up soon:

21-year old OF Sam Cloherty – see separate discussion farther below.

22-year old LHP Isaac Witt (2nd-round pick, 1958-59 - 36/59). Projected to be a future No. 2 starter. Current prospect ranking: #10.

24-year old OF Carlton Monroe (5th overall pick, 1957-58 - 41/62). Projected to be a future starter in centerfield. Current prospect ranking: #21.

21-year old LHP Jejomar Galvez (2nd-round pick, 1957-58 - 42/50). Projected to be a future mid-rotation starter. Current prospect ranking: #23.

22-year old OF Fergus Rickard (4th-round pick, 1955-57 - 34/54). Projected to ‘flourish’ as a future centerfielder. Current prospect ranking: #41.

23-year old IF/OF Ashley Welch (13th overall pick, 1954-57 - 46/57). Tremendous contact hitter with power and nothing left to prove. Current prospect ranking: #54.

Notable Position Players

24-year old RF Jonathan Higgins (.270/.344/.411, 15 HR, 54 RBI, 60 BB, 12 SB, 105 OPS+, 3.6 WAR). Higgins led the League in triples (11).

24-year old LF Steven Burkill (.257/.342/.452, 24 HR, 90 RBI, 59 BB, 114 OPS+, 3.6 WAR)

37-year old 3B George Kimpton (.286/.353/.443, 14 HR, 62 RBI, 58 BB, 27 SB, 115 OPS+, 3.1 WAR) Kimpton led the United Leagues in SB (27).

37-year old 1B Carlton Hawking (.271/.371/.419, 19 HR, 75 RBI, 92 BB, 115 OPS+, 1.6 WAR). Hawking led the West in BB (92). He now leads the United Leagues in career games played (2,408) and hits (2,690).

Notable Pitchers

33-year old RHP Roberto Garza (13-11, 3.23 ERA, 250.2 IP, 1.10 WHIP, 3.25 FIP, 120 ERA+)

23-year old RHP Theo Morse (13-14, 3.38 ERA, 253.1 IP, 1.18 WHIP, 3.21 FIP, 115 ERA+)

26-year old RHP Yasuo Yamauchi (10-15, 3.41 ERA, 221.2 IP, 1.42 WHIP, 3.81 FIP, 114 ERA+)

24-year old RHP Ekemona Koorong (10-10, 3.34 ERA, 204.2 IP, 1.31 WHIP, 3.75 FIP, 116 ERA+)

Noteworthy:

February 24 – RHP Ekemona Koorong (3rd-round pick, 1956-57, 49/52) put on a pitching clinic against the home team, the Downie Chiefs, blanking them on 2-hits and taking the win, 9-0. Koorong carried a no-hitter into the bottom of the 7th inning, where CF Jon Berose punched a one-out single into shallow leftfield. In all, the Palauan-native surrendered two singles, going 9.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 112 PI, GS: 88. Koorong got help from SS Kane Viccars and 3B George Kimpton who both hit solo home runs. The Unions also scored 4 runs in the top of the 8th, when RHP Eddie Stannard walked the first four batters and then surrendered two singles and a sac fly.

First Round Draft Pick Update:

3rd overall – OF Sam Cloherty (34/68). The young outfielder was absolutely sensational in Double-A, batting .329/.363/.565, 7 HR, 25 RBI, 8 BB, 22 SO, 3 SB, 153 OPS+, 2.3 WAR in 46 GS and 170 AB. He spent time at all three outfield positions, but the majority of the time was in centerfield (.977 PCT, 2.67 RNG, -2.6 ZR, .972 EFF in 428.0 INN). The 21-year old Australian was subsequently promoted to Triple-A and started 41 games with 154 AB, going .240/.286/.377, 3 HR, 18 RBI, 11 BB, 23 SO, 74 OPS+, 0.0 WAR. Current prospect ranking: #7.

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The Fort Richmond Generals remained firmly in the second division all season. Still, toward the end of January they remained just 8 games below .500 and 7 games behind second place. While obviously not a very good team, they nevertheless remained on the fringe of the wild card chase. But a disastrous February pierced even that faint playoff hope. The Generals were officially eliminated on March 17, the same day as the Unions. Despite missing the playoffs for the 5th straight season, their 68 victories count as some progress as it represents the most since they won 79 in 1954-55. Also providing some optimism for the future is a farm system that is currently ranked 2nd overall.

Why They Missed the Playoffs: The Generals boast the most anemic offense in the United Leagues, and they have done so for the past four seasons. Over the past three seasons, they have averaged just 3.7 R/G. The season before that, in 1955-56, they averaged 3.9 R/G. Coupled with an unimpressive pitching staff overall, it’s a wonder they even managed to win 68 games.

What they need to do: Get some players that can produce at the plate. Fort Richmond has 1B Takuji Kanno (10th overall pick, 1953-54 - 61/61) and CF José Ibarra (4th-round pick by Queensland, 1953-54 - 57/57) batting out of the 2nd and 3rd spots respectively, but there is a steep drop off after them. 27-year old C Scott Sheelah (.215/.311/.306, 9 HR, 44 RBI, 60 BB, 73 OPS+, 1.6 WAR – 60/60), who batted out of the cleanout spot for most of the season, was a huge disappointment. Last season, he hit 21 HR, 140 OPS+ and 6.7 WAR. Hopefully, he can rebound next year.

Help may soon be on the way. In addition to Kanno, Ibarra and RHP Kenete Yuri (2nd overall pick, 1956-57 - 63/68), the Generals have 5 prospects (1 pitcher, 4 position players) that can soon make an impact. In fact, they boast the Nos. 1 & 2 ranked prospects in Yasuda and Michel:

20-year old C Yugoro Yasuda – see separate discussion farther below.

22-year old LHP Ken Tester (2nd-round pick, 1958-59 - 47/74). Currently in the bullpen but projected to be an ‘impact’ starter.

23-year old OF Sami Michel (2nd overall pick, 1957-58 - 45/78). Projected to be a sensational centerfielder but is currently dealing with a nagging injury. Current prospect ranking: #2.

22-year old IF/OF Kinnard Patching (2nd-round pick, 1956-57 - 40/60). Already on the major league roster playing leftfield. Considered a future everyday starter. Current prospect ranking: #24.

21-year old C Shane Acton (10th overall pick, 1955-56 - 37/60). Developing nicely in Triple-A with an impressive eye and power/gap power. Current prospect ranking: #32.

Notable Position Players

26-year old 1B Takuji Kanno (.316/.380/.494, 15 HR, 66 RBI, 42 BB, 141 OPS+, 3.9 WAR)

28-year old CF José Ibarra (.318/.380/.562, 18 HR, 67 RBI, 35 BB, 158 OPS+, 3.1 WAR)

Notable Pitchers

25-year old RHP Kenete Yuri (13-10, 2.83 ERA, 261.0 IP, 1.11 WHIP, 2.80 FIP, 127 ERA+). Yuri led the West in K (199), K/BB (3.2), K/9 (6.9) and Quality Starts (27).

28-year old LHP Ethan Hoyes (2-2, 6 SV, 3.07 ERA, 55.2 IP, 1.58 WHIP, 4.17 FIP, 117 ERA+)

32-year old LHP Larry Kovnats (5-3, 3.21 ERA, 56.0 IP, 1.39 WHIP, 3.50 FIP, 111 ERA+ for Fort Richmond, 13-11, 1 SV, 4.21 ERA, 216.0 IP, 1.47 WHIP, 4.06 FIP, 91 ERA+ overall)

Noteworthy:

February 25 – The Generals salvaged a win against the Stratford Barons, taking the third game of the 3-game series, 3-0. RHP Kenete Yuri was the star of the game, as he pitched a one-hitter. Yuri went 9.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 96 PI, GS: 87 on the afternoon. The only hit he allowed was a two-out, line drive single into rightfield by LHP Robin Wadsworth in the bottom of the 4th inning. After scoring a run in the top of the 1st inning, the Generals added to their lead in the top of the 9th when they hit 4 consecutive one-out singles, driving in two more runs.

March 8 – LHP Larry Kovnats, who was claimed off waivers on February 15 from the Braeland City Monarchs, rewarded that move by pitching a 2-hitter against the Kingston Pelicans. His bid for a no-hitter was broken up in the top of the 7th inning when SS Vance Fendley punched a grounder into shallow leftfield with two out. On the mound, Kovnats went 9.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 5 K, 107 PI, GS: 84. All of Fort Richmond’s four runs came off of home runs, including a 2-run homer by Kovnats in the 5th inning off RHP Ernesto Luna, one that landed 337 ft. into the leftfield bleachers. It was Kovnats’ first career home run.

First Round Draft Pick Update:

1st overall – C Yugoro Yasuda (31/80). The 20-year old back-stopper enjoyed a solid first season in Double-A, hitting .267/.331/.396, 7 HR, 25 RBI, 20 BB, 21 SO, 101 OPS+, 1.6 WAR in 60 GS and 225 AB. All his starts were behind the plate, where his defense was .995 PCT, 7.25 RNG, 0.0 ZR, .989 EFF in 524.0 INN. Current prospect ranking: #1.

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The promise of a 15-11 January gave way to reality in February and March, as the Kingston Pelicans could only muster 18 victories over the remaining 51 games. In fact, the Pelicans could only manage nine wins per month for four out of the six months of the season and won 10 fewer games than they did last year. They were officially eliminated from the playoffs on March 14. They have now missed the playoffs for the 7th consecutive season and there are questions about whether they can turn their fortunes around anytime soon.

Why They Missed the Playoffs: The Pelicans are in desperate need of a stout pitching staff. They allowed 4.8 R/G, the second worst average in the United Leagues. What’s more, they do not have any promising pitching prospects in their farm system. That is a concern, as Kingston has potentially one of the most explosive lineups in the making.

What they need to do: Get some decent pitchers by one means or another pronto, to take advantage of their promising young position players. Their ‘ace’ at the moment is 22-year old RHP Ernesto Luna (3-2, 3.13 ERA, 63.1 IP, 1.09 WHIP, 4.55 FIP, 124 ERA+ - 44/45), a 5th-round pick from 1953-54 that they acquired from the Pulberry Trolleys in a trade back in July 1956. Also in the rotation are 22-year old RHP Wayne Beardsall (1-5, 3.90 ERA, 55.1 IP, 1.36 WHIP, 3.89 FIP, 99 ERA+ - 46/46) and 24-year old LHP Logan Hoadley (8-11, 4.23 ERA, 189.1 IP, 1.37 WHIP, 4.09 FIP, 92 ERA+ - 46/46), but neither are considered more than future spot starters at best. Other than those three, they have 20-year old RHP Kyle Sherwin (3rd-round pick, 1957-58 – 30/48) in Triple-A, who is one quality pitch away from being a potential starter in the majors. That’s it. The rest of the prospects are young position players, some that Kingston already has plenty of:

19-year old OF Puck Zwager (4th overall pick, 1956-57 - 27/67). Considered a future dynamic offensive player in the making. Current prospect ranking: #13.

23-year old OF David Derry – see separate discussion farther below.

21-year old IF/OF Michinaga Iida (7th-round pick, 1954-55 - 38/59). Projected to become a reliable hitter with plenty of power and speed. Current prospect ranking: #51.

Notable Position Players

25-year old CF Dan Hesketh (.326/.385/.535, 25 HR, 98 RBI, 56 BB, 9 SB, 148 OPS+, 8.3 WAR). Hesketh led the League in WAR (8.3), H (194), TB (319) and EBH (66).

23-year old rookie SS Ivar Nuyten (.300/.354/.481, 15 HR, 48 RBI, 30 BB, 125 OPS+, 4.7 WAR)

28-year old C Ronald Armstrong (.264/.353/.464, 22 HR, 88 RBI, 67 BB, 121 OPS+, 4.6 WAR)

26-year old 1B Ira Bannatyne (.311/.379/.511, 18 HR, 80 RBI, 55 BB, 140 OPS+, 3.9 WAR)

28-year old RF Chris Ramsbottom (.277/.341/.398, 12 HR, 44 RBI, 52 BB, 17 SB, 101 OPS+, 2.9 WAR)

Notable Pitchers

29-year old RHP Lester Beddoes (9-5, 4 SV, 2.87 ERA, 119.0 IP, 1.33 WHIP, 3.43 FIP, 135 ERA+)

29-year old stopper RHP Vinnie Arnott (8-12, 18 SV, 3.58 ERA, 135.2 IP, 1.43 WHIP, 4.32 FIP, 108 ERA+)

Player of the Week Awards:

February 2 – C Ronald Armstrong (.438, 7 H, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 4 R)
March 16 – 1B Ira Bannatyne (.524, 11 H, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 4 R)

Noteworthy:

February 11 – It took 10 innings, but the Pelicans triumphed over the Embro Suns, 8-6. Leading the way for Kingston was their lead-off hitter, RF Chris Ramsbottom, who Hit for the Cycle, going 4 for 6. It was the 35th Cycle in ULB history and just the second in Pelicans’ history (1B Ira Bannatyne hit the first back in October 1956). Ramsbottom hit a solo home run off RHP Stefan Evans in the 3rd inning, doubled in the 5th and hit an RBI single in the 6th. But after Embro’s 2B Napano Mamo hit a game-tying solo home run with one out in the bottom the of the 9th inning, Ramsbottom stepped up to the plate in the top of the 10th with two on and two out and smashed a triple into the gap in right-centerfield to score both runners. This time the lead held up as the Pelicans went on to win their 49th game of the season.

February 19 – The Pelicans took two of three from the first-place Wellington Athletics and capped off the series with a 5-0 win in Wellington. RHP Ernesto Luna was the hero, as he threw a compete game 2-hitter. Luna’s no-hitter was broken up by RF Wan-hua Gu, who led off the bottom of the 7th with line drive single into leftfield. Luna went 9.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 104 PI, GS: 84. Kingston scored all its runs in the top of the 8th with two out, highlighted by a 3-run home run by PH Malcolm Wise off RHP Bert Desforges.

March 1 – Not only did the Balmoral Giants sweep their two-game series against the Pelicans, but they also ended 1B Ira Bannatyne’s 22-game hitting streak in the second game, which the Giants won, 7-5. Bannatyne went 0-2 on the day with one walk. Modest as the hitting streak was, it was the longest such streak in the United Leagues since RF Aidan Trembath of the Braeland City Monarchs hit safely in 28 straight games in 1956. The longest hitting streak in ULB history is 39, set by SS Jake Walker of the Stratford Barons back in 1946.

March 18 – The Pelicans came from behind to beat the Cambria Cannons, 5-4 in the bottom of the 9th inning, thanks to a pair of lead-off doubles, a 4-pitch walk and a pair of singles, including a walk-off single by 3B Andy Wearne. Cambria was unable to get an out in that fateful inning. The other player who singled in that inning was 2B Denzel Daintry who went 5 for 5 on the day. In fact, all his hits were singles. He also collected 2 R.

March 23 – RHP Ernesto Luna was sensational against the Hespeler Stars, pitching 9 innings of scoreless ball while giving up just 1 H, 1 BB and striking out 10 (108 PI, GS: 94). But he was stuck with the no-decision, as the Stars’ pitchers matched his zeros, forcing the game into extras. Finally, in the bottom of the 13th inning, Hespeler’s SS Jean-Pierre Ferré led off with a double while facing Kingston’s RHP Lester Beddoes and scored the winning run from third base when RF John Anthony singled him home with two out as Hespeler walked it off, 1-0.

First Round Draft Pick Update:

8th overall – OF David Derry (35/58). The 23-year old Queensland-native showed some poise at the plate in Double-A, hitting .266/.343/.424, 5 HR, 19 RBI, 21 BB, 35 SO, 112 OPS+, 0.4 WAR in 40 GS and 177 AB. He was then promoted to Triple-A and batted .339/.377/.645, 4 HR, 11 RBI, 5 BB, 12 SO, 178 OPS+, 0.7 WAR. On the other hand, he still has some kinks to work out defensively. He played mostly rightfield in both Double & Triple-A (.987 PCT, 1.62 RNG, -8.5 ZR, .888 EFF in 416.2 INN). Current prospect ranking: #38.

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As what has become typical in recent years, the Hespeler Stars flirted with respectability in the first half of the season only to fall completely apart in the second half. On December 31st, the Stars sat in 6th place in the West and just 6 games back of the wild card with a 37-40 record. But as soon as the calendar flipped over to the new year, they went just 21-46 the rest of the way. Hespeler was pathetic on both sides of the ball, averaging just 4.0 R/G on offense, while allowing a United Leagues’ worst 4.9 R/G. The result was one of their worst seasons ever. Their 58 wins is their lowest win total since they lost 58 games back in 1939-40. Remarkably, they have never reached the 100-loss mark, at least not yet. So far, only the Cobourg Redlegs (103 losses in 1940-41; 101 losses in 1941-42) and the Pulberry Trolleys (100 losses in 1949-50) have reached that dubious milestone. Not surprisingly, Hespeler was the first team eliminated from playoff contention, on March 10th with 18 games left in the season.

Why They Missed the Playoffs: It’s become abundantly clear that no one in the organization has a clue as to what they’re doing. For all of the Stars’ 22-year existence, they haven’t come even remotely close to making the playoffs. Their best finish was in 1937-38, when they went 79-75 – their only winning season – and finished 8 games back of the wild card. With all that losing, you would think that they would have built up a tremendous amount of draft capital and be overflowing with highly talented self-groomed stars. But unlike every other club, that has hasn’t happened with the exception of one – one – player, C Aidan Bennie (2nd overall pick, 1954-55 – 80/80). The rest of their prospects have either been seemingly mismanaged and ‘petered out’ or traded away before blossoming elsewhere soon thereafter. In its own way, it’s a remarkable achievement the likes of which I have never seen in all my years of playing OOTP.

What they need to do: Everything. First by going back to the drawing board and drafting smartly and then developing smartly. In OOTP that’s got to happen sooner or later, shouldn’t it? The owner is fiscally charitable, demanding, hands-off and wants to team to achieve a winning record. Perhaps he shouldn’t be so hands-off? Perhaps he needs to be charitable enough to go out and get managers, coaches and scouting directors that have a reputation that is ‘good’ or better, rather than just ‘OK’, ‘Fair’ or ‘Average’. Hespeler has none that are ‘good’ or better throughout their system.

In fairness, the organization is not completely devoid of up-and-coming talent, but will they finally break the trend and deliver on their promise? Here are the top players in Hespeler’s cupboard:

21-year old IF/OF Arthur Clack (7th overall pick, 1957-58 - 33/68). Showed progress in his first full season in Double-A. Considered a future key player for a contending team, especially at third base. Current prospect ranking: #4.

21-year old SS Brad Common – see separate discussion farther below.

22-year old 2B Hidekazu Kudo (5th overall pick, 1956-57 - 43/60). Projected to become an above average contact hitter with jaw-dropping speed and a superb defender. Current prospect ranking: #25.

21-year old SS Lucas Balmforth (2nd-round pick, 1958-59 – 31/54). Displayed an advanced approach at the plate with outstanding bat-to-ball skills in college. Projected to become a reliable hitter. Current prospect ranking: #52.

Notable Position Players

26-year old C Aidan Bennie (.284/.340/.416, 15 HR, 57 RBI, 43 BB, 102 OPS+, 4.0 WAR)

27-year old 3B Clive Yarwood (.271/.352/.441, 18 HR, 52 RBI, 62 BB, 112 OPS+, 3.3 WAR)

35-year old 2B Zhao-hui Qian (.261/.309/.402, 14 HR, 59 RBI, 35 BB, 90 OPS+, 1.1 WAR)

After being on pace for 29 stolen bases on the season at the end of February, 31-year old CF Cedric Bristow (.244/.344/.318, 5 HR, 31 RBI, 66 BB, 25 SB, 80 OPS+, 1.8 WAR) became essentially a ‘no-show’ (like many of his teammates) and stole only one more base in March to finish 2nd in the West.

Notable Pitchers

22-year old LHP Nico van de Ham (12-15, 3.91 ERA, 239.1 IP, 1.28 WHIP, 3.55 FIP, 102 ERA+)

First Round Draft Pick Update:

5th overall – SS Brad Common (36/65). The 21-year old infielder struggled at the plate in his first season in Double-A, hitting .223/.283/.290, 4 HR, 25 RBI, 25 BB, 60 SO, 57 OPS+, 1.9 WAR in 88 GS and 345 AB. But he was sensational defensively, going .979 PCT, 4.94 RNG, 19.3 ZR, 1.147 EFF in 760.0 INN, all at shortstop. Current prospect ranking: #9.

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04-16-2026, 01:10 AM	#870
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,985	March 31, 1959 Western League: Pulberry, Sherburn Set to Battle for Pennant for Fourth Year in a Row -------- The Pulberry Trolleys shook off a shaky February where they got roughed up by their Eastern League counterparts and powered their way to first place by winning an impressive 21 games in March. They secured a playoff spot on the 18th and locked up top spot in the West two days later, with 9 games left to play. It’s their 6th consecutive first-place finish, the longest stretch of consecutive first-place finishes in the United Leagues. The next longest is 4 straight seasons by the Wolseley Unions, from 1949 to 1952. However, the Kingston Pelicans still hold the record for most first-place finishes overall with 7. Pulberry is tied with the Stratford Barons with 6. Their 94 victories this season represents the 5th straight season where they have won 90 or more and the third time during that stretch that they have won exactly 94. The Trolleys’ starting lineup is perhaps the most formidable in the United Leagues. No starting player has an OPS+ lower than 101 and the offense as a whole generated 4.78 R/G. Only the Embro Suns surpassed that mark with 4.88 R/G. Two of their offensive players are ranked 1st overall at their respective position: 28-year old C Paul England (.285/.360/.489, 18 HR, 87 RBI, 41 BB, 134 OPS+, 4.4 WAR) and 30-year old LF Aidan Thirkettle (.300/.403/.542, 29 HR, 101 RBI, 86 BB, 15 SB, 161 ERA+, 7.7 WAR). England led the ULB in WPA (5.16), while Thirkettle led the West in OPB (.403) and OPS+ (161). But four other players enjoyed terrific seasons as well: 34-year old 1B Ellis Dibble (.298/.366/.461, 16 HR, 68 RBI, 65 BB, 129 OPS+, 5.0 WAR), who won his first Batter of the Month honour for March. 30-year old 2B Yoshimi Sekozawa (.281/.343/.442, 16 HR, 76 RBI, 54 BB, 117 OPS+, 4.2 WAR) 32-year old CF Cooper Tyson (.292/.353/.454, 13 HR, 67 RBI, 48 BB, 11 SB, 123 OPS+, 6.7 WAR) 23-year old RF Joe Riding (.270/.348/.429, 14 HR, 71 RBI, 59 BB, 17 SB, 115 OPS+, 4.7 WAR). Riding won his first Player of the Week Award in March. The one area of concern is the bullpen, which remains one of the weakest units in the United Leagues. 34-year old stopper RHP Quintiliano Galeo (9-13, 22 SV, 4.38 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, 4.26 FIP, 80 ERA+) did lead the Western League in saves but had an uneven season otherwise to say the least. However, the Trolleys have moved No. 5 starter, 37-year old RHP Alexander Ellacott (8-4, 5 SV, 3.26 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 3.81 FIP, 108 ERA+), to the bullpen for the playoffs, which should provide some short-term help. 53-year old manager Ryo Ichikawa announced Pulberry’s playoff rotation: 23-year old LHP Bart Ohara (20-8, 2.69 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 2.79 FIP, 130 ERA+). Ohara led the League in ERA (2.69), P-WAR (7.0), WHIP (1.08), FIP (2.79), ERA+ (130), rWAR (7.2) and OppAVG (.226). 31-year old RHP Taylor Folkard (22-7, 2.76 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 3.15 FIP, 127 ERA+). Folkard led the West in W (22), BB/9 (1.6) and WIN% (.759). 29-year old LHP Dermott Rathbone (10-13, 3.47 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 3.41 FIP, 101 ERA+) 38-year old RHP Robin Medellin (26-10, 3.81 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 3.62 FIP, 92 ERA+) Player of the Week Awards: February 9 –LF Aidan Thirkettle (.440, 11 H, 4 HR, 12 RBI, 6 R) March 23 – RF Joe Riding (.500, 11 H, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 8 R) First Round Draft Pick Update: 16th overall – IF/RF Hal Saunders (31/48). Saunders showed promise in Double-A, hitting .234/.301/.346, 5 HR, 35 RBI, 26 BB, 52 SO, 10 SB, 79 OPS+, 1.4 WAR in 85 GS and 321 AB. His focus will continue to be on improving at the plate, but he was very good in the field, playing the majority of the time at second base (.979 PCT, 6.02 RNG, 8.0 ZR, 1.069 EFF in 686.1 INN). Current prospect ranking: #86. -------- Like the Trolleys, the Sherburn Tigers endured a rough month of February facing the Eastern League teams but rebounded in March, winning 18 games to pull away from both the Balmoral Giants and Cambria Cannons and take the upper hand in the wild card chase. They were as much as 4 games ahead of the Giants on the 27th, the day the Tigers punched their ticket to the playoffs for the 4th straight season. Sherburn is a nicely balanced team but like the previous three seasons, they were not able to keep pace with the Trolleys. But unlike the previous three seasons, they did not run away with the wild card. Their having to fend off not one but two other teams to return to the playoffs may signal that the Tigers’ playoff window may be closing – as other teams appear to be finally closing in on them. This season, Sherburn boasted four players in the lineup with 20 or more home runs, just as they did last season. The record for most players with 20 or more home runs in a season is five, set by the Braeland City Monarchs in 1953-54. Both 30-year old C Robert Kersey (.273/.355/.461, 22 HR, 76 RBI, 60 BB, 119 OPS+, 4.4 WAR) and 29-year old SS Dwayne Vick (.312/.351/.403, 3 HR, 54 RBI, 31 BB, 104 OPS+, 6.7 WAR) are rated 2nd overall at their respective positions in the ULB. Vick was particularly outstanding on defense (.979 PCT, 5.84 RNG, 29.2 ZR, 1.086 EFF in 1242.0 INN). Other contributors to Sherburn’s success this season were: Lead-off hitter 27-year old CF Leon Albrecht (.295/.392/.476, 19 HR, 62 RBI, 90 BB, 134 OPS+, 5.0 WAR) had a bit of a down season for him but still led the Western League in Runs (103) for the second season in a row. 29-year old 3B Adrian Flynn (.282/.340/.464, 20 HR, 102 RBI, 49 BB, 115 OPS+, 3.5 WAR) 30-year old 1B Jay Durham (.269/.344/.453, 21 HR, 63 RBI, 61 BB, 114 OPS+, 2.6 WAR). Durham won his first Player of the Week Award in February. 28-year old LF Ross Shewman (.270/.345/.469, 24 HR, 93 RBI, 54 BB, 118 OPS+, 3.6 WAR) 45-year old rookie manager Lee Ayling revealed Sherburn’s playoff rotation: 35-year old RHP Jesús Chapa (15-11, 3.00 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 3.00 FIP, 129 ERA+). On February 13 against the Braeland City Monarchs, Chapa became the second pitcher in ULB history to reach 2000 K. 34-year old RHP Kieran Bunce (14-8, 3.82 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 3.44 FIP, 101 ERA+). He won his second career Pitcher of the Month Award in March. 34-year old RHP Paul Woodruff (12-4, 4.04 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 4.17 FIP, 96 ERA+) 26-year old LHP Kozue Saito (10-12, 10 SV, 4.19 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, 4.78 FIP, 92 ERA+) Player of the Week Awards: February 16 –1B Jay Durham (.435, 10 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 6 R) Noteworthy: March 17 – CF Leon Albrecht showed why he is Sherburn’s lead-off hitter in a game against the Wolseley Unions, by going 5 for 6, leading the Tigers to a 4-2 road victory. Albrecht collected five singles, including a 2-run single in the 2nd inning. He grounded out in the 9th. First Round Draft Pick Update: 13th overall – 2B Colin Lutz (34/50). The 23-year old infielder enjoyed a decent first year in the minors, batting .265/.309/.315, 3 HR, 24 RBI, 19 BB, 25 SO, 70 OPS+, 0.3 WAR in 85 GS and 317 AB. He will need more experience against quality pitching in the minors before he can advance. However, he was solid in the field at the keystone position (.991 PCT, 5.31 RNG, 1.6 ZR, 1.010 EFF in 717.0 INN). Current prospect ranking: #78. -------- The Balmoral Giants made a serious push for the wild card in the final half of the regular season, but in the end, they just could not keep up with a resurgent Sherburn Tigers team and ultimately missed the playoffs for the 15th straight season. Still, their 81 victories are the most in a season since 1954-55 when they won 82 and their competitiveness may be taken as an encouraging sign and something to build on for next season. Why They Missed the Playoffs: When one looks under the hood, this team was not much different from last season when they won only 71 games and finished 16 games behind the wild card. Thus, one is led to believe that the Giants benefited more from mediocre competition within the Western League this year than any great internal improvements. What they need to do: Balmoral has some fine players but a number of them are either well over 30 or will be turning 30 by the time the next season comes around. They do have a few promising young players on the major league roster, but not nearly enough to build any lasting success on. With a farm system that is ranked only 12th overall and few highly regarded prospects at Triple-A, they will need to beef up their prospect pool, something they should have been doing all these years when they have been toiling in the second division. Notable Position Players 29-year old 2B Morgan Tyreman (.281/.359/.490, 26 HR, 72 RBI, 58 BB, 133 OPS+, 6.4 WAR) 25-year old CF Quido De Jesús (.284/.366/.425, 8 HR, 62 RBI, 64 BB, 119 OPS+, 5.5 WAR). De Jesús led the West in 2B (34). 29-year old LF Danny Jevons (.230/.325/.419, 21 HR, 54 RBI, 66 BB, 17 SB, 104 OPS+, 3.0 WAR) 38-year old 1B Ángel Costa (.287/.356/.492, 14 HR, 44 RBI, 27 BB, 132 OPS+, 1.7 WAR) 25-year old C Ellis Ford (.232/.323/.407, 18 HR, 74 RBI, 59 BB, 101 OPS+, 2.7 WAR). Ford led the League in K (120). Notable Pitchers 23-year old RHP Ashley Tazewell (17-13, 3.65 ERA, 283.1 IP, 1.24 WHIP, 3.26 FIP, 99 OPS+). Tazewell won his first Pitcher of the Month Award in January. He also led the West in IP (283.1) and CG (14). 24-year old RHP Clive Kerwin (11-6, 3.70 ERA, 194.1 IP, 1.44 WHIP, 4.35 FIP, 98 ERA+). Kewin led the League in BB (120) and BABIP (.256). 26-year old LHP Christopher Baul (5-1, 5 SV, 2.20 ERA, 45.0 IP, 1.36 WHIP, 3.41 FIP, 165 ERA+) 32-year old LHP Carl McBroom (5-1, 2.40 ERA, 60.0 IP, 1.25 WHIP, 3.69 FIP, 141 ERA+) First Round Draft Pick Update: 6th overall – IF Edward Coxall (24/64). The 19-year old enjoyed a fine start in Double-A, batting .286/.336/.385, 6 HR, 18 RBI, 21 BB, 76 SO, 102 OPS+, 1.5 WAR in 87 GS and 304 AB. He played the majority of his games at third base and was solid (.981 PCT, 2.77 RNG, 3.2 ZR, 1.017 EFF in 506.0 INN). Current prospect ranking: #19. -------- The Cambria Cannons hung around the wild card chase for most the season and were tied with Sherburn for 2nd place as late as March 7th, but a 6-game losing streak that started immediately thereafter and a 7-13 finish knocked them out of contention and they were officially eliminated on March 24. While they managed to finish at .500, they miss the playoffs for the 4th-straight season. Why They Missed the Playoffs: The Cannons have been a very capable offensive squad for several years now, but their glaring weakness has always been their pitching and defense. That was no different this season, but there finally might be signs that improvements are close at hand, at least in terms of pitching. What they need to do: Although the Cannons’ farm system is ranked in the middle of the pack, there are a number of promising prospects either on the major league roster or in Triple-A. A couple of these prospects are pitchers. Thus, Cambria will do well to give these kids playing time when they reach the majors with the goal of supporting the starting lineup. If they can turn their rotation into a strength instead of the liability it has been for several years now, the Cannons may once again make some noise in the West. In addition to this year’s first-round pick SP Spencer Dicker described below, the Cannons also have 1955-56 2nd-round pick RHP Tom Roberts (0-0, 6.10 ERA, 10.1 IP, 1.84 WHIP, 3.58 FIP, 61 ERA+, 39/56) on the roster, after promoting him from Triple-A in March. Roberts is projected to become a mid-rotation starter with an outstanding changeup (60/80), cutter (55/60) and stuff (65/75). Current prospect ranking: #28. Notable Position Players After a couple of disappointing seasons, 32-year old 1B Carlos Corea (.354/.398/.549, 22 HR, 82 RBI, 35 BB, 157 OPS+, 5.7 WAR) rebounded in a big way, leading the Western League in four batting categories: AVG (.354), SLG (.549), OPS (.946) and wOBA (.418) and winning five Player of the Week Awards and one Batter of the Month honour. He even improved his defense for the first time in his career: .994 PCT, 9.86 RNG, 0.3 ZR, .997 EFF in 1118.2 INN. 29-year old RF Sam Tite (.263/.357/.518, 34 HR, 103 RBI, 81 BB, 7 SB, 137 OPS+, 5.7 WAR) led the West in HR (34), RBI (103) and ISO (.255). He also won All-Star Game MVP honours this year. 27-year old 2B Doug Martin (.294/.352/.409, 6 HR, 53 RBI, 55 BB, 17 SB, 108 OPS+, 3.3 WAR) 25-year old CF Kuauli Walenekino (.239/.333/.484, 30 HR, 69 RBI, 58 BB, 121 OPS+, 3.2 WAR) 28-year old LF Calvin Hanbridge (.260/.335/.463, 13 HR, 53 RBI, 35 BB, 116 OPS+, 1.6 WAR) 26-year old C Mick Clark (.273/.322/.435, 15 HR, 77 RBI, 34 BB, 106 OPS+, 3.8 WAR) Notable Pitchers 23-year old RHP Leo Lukies (13-14, 3.25 ERA, 238.1 IP, 1.29 WHIP, 3.24 FIP, 115 ERA+). Lukies won Rookie of the Month honours twice this season. 36-year old RHP Kelii Pelanekelina (4-4, 3.40 ERA, 98.0 IP, 1.39 WHIP, 3.56 FIP, 110 ERA+) 30-year old RHP Ray Lambright (8-4, 3 SV, 3.19 ERA, 118.1 IP, 1.49 WHIP, 3.13 FIP, 117 ERA+) Player of the Week Awards: February 23 – LHP Derek Willday (2-0, 0.53 ERA, 17.0 IP, 9 K) March 2 – 2B Doug Martin (.500, 13 H, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 6 R) March 9 – 1B Carlos Corea (.423, 11 H, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 7 R) First Round Draft Pick Update: 9th overall – SP Spencer Dicker (38/69). The 22-year old southpaw pitched 58.2 innings and 7 GS in Double-A (4-3, 3.38 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 2.12 FIP, 113 ERA+) before getting the call up to Triple-A. He certainly appeared ready for the advancement, going 6-7, 3.08 ERA, 111.0 IP, 1.15 WHIP, 3.01 FIP, 114 ERA+ in 14 starts, including a pair of shutouts (a 2-hitter & a 7-hitter). Current prospect ranking: #5. -------- The Wolseley Unions surpassed the 70-win mark for the first time in 5 years and were even in the thick of the wild card chase for the first half of the season but a disastrous January where they won all of 9 games knocked them out of contention for good. On March 17, on the heels of a 5-game losing streak, they were officially eliminated. Why They Missed the Playoffs: An inability to score runs and a propensity for sloppy play in the field doomed their season. The good news is that their Triple-A farm club is brimming with prospects that are on the cusp of reaching the majors. What they need to do: Embrace the rookies when they start to arrive. The Unions have no less than six prospects (four position players, two pitchers) in Triple-A that could soon make an impact on their major league roster. That’s in addition to their top-ranked player, RF Jonathan Higgins (2nd overall pick, 1955-56 - 62/62) as well as LF Steven Burkill (6th-round pick, 1953/54 - 55/55) and 24-year old CF Jack Jarrom (.241/.291/.394, 8 HR, 36 RBI, 23 BB, 85 OPS+, 1.5 WAR - 1st overall pick, 1956/57 – 46/65) who are in the midst of establishing themselves in the majors. If these players can all deliver on their promise, the Unions will have enviable depth across their entire roster to say the least. Here are the six prospects that could be getting the call-up soon: 21-year old OF Sam Cloherty – see separate discussion farther below. 22-year old LHP Isaac Witt (2nd-round pick, 1958-59 - 36/59). Projected to be a future No. 2 starter. Current prospect ranking: #10. 24-year old OF Carlton Monroe (5th overall pick, 1957-58 - 41/62). Projected to be a future starter in centerfield. Current prospect ranking: #21. 21-year old LHP Jejomar Galvez (2nd-round pick, 1957-58 - 42/50). Projected to be a future mid-rotation starter. Current prospect ranking: #23. 22-year old OF Fergus Rickard (4th-round pick, 1955-57 - 34/54). Projected to ‘flourish’ as a future centerfielder. Current prospect ranking: #41. 23-year old IF/OF Ashley Welch (13th overall pick, 1954-57 - 46/57). Tremendous contact hitter with power and nothing left to prove. Current prospect ranking: #54. Notable Position Players 24-year old RF Jonathan Higgins (.270/.344/.411, 15 HR, 54 RBI, 60 BB, 12 SB, 105 OPS+, 3.6 WAR). Higgins led the League in triples (11). 24-year old LF Steven Burkill (.257/.342/.452, 24 HR, 90 RBI, 59 BB, 114 OPS+, 3.6 WAR) 37-year old 3B George Kimpton (.286/.353/.443, 14 HR, 62 RBI, 58 BB, 27 SB, 115 OPS+, 3.1 WAR) Kimpton led the United Leagues in SB (27). 37-year old 1B Carlton Hawking (.271/.371/.419, 19 HR, 75 RBI, 92 BB, 115 OPS+, 1.6 WAR). Hawking led the West in BB (92). He now leads the United Leagues in career games played (2,408) and hits (2,690). Notable Pitchers 33-year old RHP Roberto Garza (13-11, 3.23 ERA, 250.2 IP, 1.10 WHIP, 3.25 FIP, 120 ERA+) 23-year old RHP Theo Morse (13-14, 3.38 ERA, 253.1 IP, 1.18 WHIP, 3.21 FIP, 115 ERA+) 26-year old RHP Yasuo Yamauchi (10-15, 3.41 ERA, 221.2 IP, 1.42 WHIP, 3.81 FIP, 114 ERA+) 24-year old RHP Ekemona Koorong (10-10, 3.34 ERA, 204.2 IP, 1.31 WHIP, 3.75 FIP, 116 ERA+) Noteworthy: February 24 – RHP Ekemona Koorong (3rd-round pick, 1956-57, 49/52) put on a pitching clinic against the home team, the Downie Chiefs, blanking them on 2-hits and taking the win, 9-0. Koorong carried a no-hitter into the bottom of the 7th inning, where CF Jon Berose punched a one-out single into shallow leftfield. In all, the Palauan-native surrendered two singles, going 9.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 112 PI, GS: 88. Koorong got help from SS Kane Viccars and 3B George Kimpton who both hit solo home runs. The Unions also scored 4 runs in the top of the 8th, when RHP Eddie Stannard walked the first four batters and then surrendered two singles and a sac fly. First Round Draft Pick Update: 3rd overall – OF Sam Cloherty (34/68). The young outfielder was absolutely sensational in Double-A, batting .329/.363/.565, 7 HR, 25 RBI, 8 BB, 22 SO, 3 SB, 153 OPS+, 2.3 WAR in 46 GS and 170 AB. He spent time at all three outfield positions, but the majority of the time was in centerfield (.977 PCT, 2.67 RNG, -2.6 ZR, .972 EFF in 428.0 INN). The 21-year old Australian was subsequently promoted to Triple-A and started 41 games with 154 AB, going .240/.286/.377, 3 HR, 18 RBI, 11 BB, 23 SO, 74 OPS+, 0.0 WAR. Current prospect ranking: #7. -------- The Fort Richmond Generals remained firmly in the second division all season. Still, toward the end of January they remained just 8 games below .500 and 7 games behind second place. While obviously not a very good team, they nevertheless remained on the fringe of the wild card chase. But a disastrous February pierced even that faint playoff hope. The Generals were officially eliminated on March 17, the same day as the Unions. Despite missing the playoffs for the 5th straight season, their 68 victories count as some progress as it represents the most since they won 79 in 1954-55. Also providing some optimism for the future is a farm system that is currently ranked 2nd overall. Why They Missed the Playoffs: The Generals boast the most anemic offense in the United Leagues, and they have done so for the past four seasons. Over the past three seasons, they have averaged just 3.7 R/G. The season before that, in 1955-56, they averaged 3.9 R/G. Coupled with an unimpressive pitching staff overall, it’s a wonder they even managed to win 68 games. What they need to do: Get some players that can produce at the plate. Fort Richmond has 1B Takuji Kanno (10th overall pick, 1953-54 - 61/61) and CF José Ibarra (4th-round pick by Queensland, 1953-54 - 57/57) batting out of the 2nd and 3rd spots respectively, but there is a steep drop off after them. 27-year old C Scott Sheelah (.215/.311/.306, 9 HR, 44 RBI, 60 BB, 73 OPS+, 1.6 WAR – 60/60), who batted out of the cleanout spot for most of the season, was a huge disappointment. Last season, he hit 21 HR, 140 OPS+ and 6.7 WAR. Hopefully, he can rebound next year. Help may soon be on the way. In addition to Kanno, Ibarra and RHP Kenete Yuri (2nd overall pick, 1956-57 - 63/68), the Generals have 5 prospects (1 pitcher, 4 position players) that can soon make an impact. In fact, they boast the Nos. 1 & 2 ranked prospects in Yasuda and Michel: 20-year old C Yugoro Yasuda – see separate discussion farther below. 22-year old LHP Ken Tester (2nd-round pick, 1958-59 - 47/74). Currently in the bullpen but projected to be an ‘impact’ starter. 23-year old OF Sami Michel (2nd overall pick, 1957-58 - 45/78). Projected to be a sensational centerfielder but is currently dealing with a nagging injury. Current prospect ranking: #2. 22-year old IF/OF Kinnard Patching (2nd-round pick, 1956-57 - 40/60). Already on the major league roster playing leftfield. Considered a future everyday starter. Current prospect ranking: #24. 21-year old C Shane Acton (10th overall pick, 1955-56 - 37/60). Developing nicely in Triple-A with an impressive eye and power/gap power. Current prospect ranking: #32. Notable Position Players 26-year old 1B Takuji Kanno (.316/.380/.494, 15 HR, 66 RBI, 42 BB, 141 OPS+, 3.9 WAR) 28-year old CF José Ibarra (.318/.380/.562, 18 HR, 67 RBI, 35 BB, 158 OPS+, 3.1 WAR) Notable Pitchers 25-year old RHP Kenete Yuri (13-10, 2.83 ERA, 261.0 IP, 1.11 WHIP, 2.80 FIP, 127 ERA+). Yuri led the West in K (199), K/BB (3.2), K/9 (6.9) and Quality Starts (27). 28-year old LHP Ethan Hoyes (2-2, 6 SV, 3.07 ERA, 55.2 IP, 1.58 WHIP, 4.17 FIP, 117 ERA+) 32-year old LHP Larry Kovnats (5-3, 3.21 ERA, 56.0 IP, 1.39 WHIP, 3.50 FIP, 111 ERA+ for Fort Richmond, 13-11, 1 SV, 4.21 ERA, 216.0 IP, 1.47 WHIP, 4.06 FIP, 91 ERA+ overall) Noteworthy: February 25 – The Generals salvaged a win against the Stratford Barons, taking the third game of the 3-game series, 3-0. RHP Kenete Yuri was the star of the game, as he pitched a one-hitter. Yuri went 9.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 96 PI, GS: 87 on the afternoon. The only hit he allowed was a two-out, line drive single into rightfield by LHP Robin Wadsworth in the bottom of the 4th inning. After scoring a run in the top of the 1st inning, the Generals added to their lead in the top of the 9th when they hit 4 consecutive one-out singles, driving in two more runs. March 8 – LHP Larry Kovnats, who was claimed off waivers on February 15 from the Braeland City Monarchs, rewarded that move by pitching a 2-hitter against the Kingston Pelicans. His bid for a no-hitter was broken up in the top of the 7th inning when SS Vance Fendley punched a grounder into shallow leftfield with two out. On the mound, Kovnats went 9.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 5 K, 107 PI, GS: 84. All of Fort Richmond’s four runs came off of home runs, including a 2-run homer by Kovnats in the 5th inning off RHP Ernesto Luna, one that landed 337 ft. into the leftfield bleachers. It was Kovnats’ first career home run. First Round Draft Pick Update: 1st overall – C Yugoro Yasuda (31/80). The 20-year old back-stopper enjoyed a solid first season in Double-A, hitting .267/.331/.396, 7 HR, 25 RBI, 20 BB, 21 SO, 101 OPS+, 1.6 WAR in 60 GS and 225 AB. All his starts were behind the plate, where his defense was .995 PCT, 7.25 RNG, 0.0 ZR, .989 EFF in 524.0 INN. Current prospect ranking: #1. -------- The promise of a 15-11 January gave way to reality in February and March, as the Kingston Pelicans could only muster 18 victories over the remaining 51 games. In fact, the Pelicans could only manage nine wins per month for four out of the six months of the season and won 10 fewer games than they did last year. They were officially eliminated from the playoffs on March 14. They have now missed the playoffs for the 7th consecutive season and there are questions about whether they can turn their fortunes around anytime soon. Why They Missed the Playoffs: The Pelicans are in desperate need of a stout pitching staff. They allowed 4.8 R/G, the second worst average in the United Leagues. What’s more, they do not have any promising pitching prospects in their farm system. That is a concern, as Kingston has potentially one of the most explosive lineups in the making. What they need to do: Get some decent pitchers by one means or another pronto, to take advantage of their promising young position players. Their ‘ace’ at the moment is 22-year old RHP Ernesto Luna (3-2, 3.13 ERA, 63.1 IP, 1.09 WHIP, 4.55 FIP, 124 ERA+ - 44/45), a 5th-round pick from 1953-54 that they acquired from the Pulberry Trolleys in a trade back in July 1956. Also in the rotation are 22-year old RHP Wayne Beardsall (1-5, 3.90 ERA, 55.1 IP, 1.36 WHIP, 3.89 FIP, 99 ERA+ - 46/46) and 24-year old LHP Logan Hoadley (8-11, 4.23 ERA, 189.1 IP, 1.37 WHIP, 4.09 FIP, 92 ERA+ - 46/46), but neither are considered more than future spot starters at best. Other than those three, they have 20-year old RHP Kyle Sherwin (3rd-round pick, 1957-58 – 30/48) in Triple-A, who is one quality pitch away from being a potential starter in the majors. That’s it. The rest of the prospects are young position players, some that Kingston already has plenty of: 19-year old OF Puck Zwager (4th overall pick, 1956-57 - 27/67). Considered a future dynamic offensive player in the making. Current prospect ranking: #13. 23-year old OF David Derry – see separate discussion farther below. 21-year old IF/OF Michinaga Iida (7th-round pick, 1954-55 - 38/59). Projected to become a reliable hitter with plenty of power and speed. Current prospect ranking: #51. Notable Position Players 25-year old CF Dan Hesketh (.326/.385/.535, 25 HR, 98 RBI, 56 BB, 9 SB, 148 OPS+, 8.3 WAR). Hesketh led the League in WAR (8.3), H (194), TB (319) and EBH (66). 23-year old rookie SS Ivar Nuyten (.300/.354/.481, 15 HR, 48 RBI, 30 BB, 125 OPS+, 4.7 WAR) 28-year old C Ronald Armstrong (.264/.353/.464, 22 HR, 88 RBI, 67 BB, 121 OPS+, 4.6 WAR) 26-year old 1B Ira Bannatyne (.311/.379/.511, 18 HR, 80 RBI, 55 BB, 140 OPS+, 3.9 WAR) 28-year old RF Chris Ramsbottom (.277/.341/.398, 12 HR, 44 RBI, 52 BB, 17 SB, 101 OPS+, 2.9 WAR) Notable Pitchers 29-year old RHP Lester Beddoes (9-5, 4 SV, 2.87 ERA, 119.0 IP, 1.33 WHIP, 3.43 FIP, 135 ERA+) 29-year old stopper RHP Vinnie Arnott (8-12, 18 SV, 3.58 ERA, 135.2 IP, 1.43 WHIP, 4.32 FIP, 108 ERA+) Player of the Week Awards: February 2 – C Ronald Armstrong (.438, 7 H, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 4 R) March 16 – 1B Ira Bannatyne (.524, 11 H, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 4 R) Noteworthy: February 11 – It took 10 innings, but the Pelicans triumphed over the Embro Suns, 8-6. Leading the way for Kingston was their lead-off hitter, RF Chris Ramsbottom, who Hit for the Cycle, going 4 for 6. It was the 35th Cycle in ULB history and just the second in Pelicans’ history (1B Ira Bannatyne hit the first back in October 1956). Ramsbottom hit a solo home run off RHP Stefan Evans in the 3rd inning, doubled in the 5th and hit an RBI single in the 6th. But after Embro’s 2B Napano Mamo hit a game-tying solo home run with one out in the bottom the of the 9th inning, Ramsbottom stepped up to the plate in the top of the 10th with two on and two out and smashed a triple into the gap in right-centerfield to score both runners. This time the lead held up as the Pelicans went on to win their 49th game of the season. February 19 – The Pelicans took two of three from the first-place Wellington Athletics and capped off the series with a 5-0 win in Wellington. RHP Ernesto Luna was the hero, as he threw a compete game 2-hitter. Luna’s no-hitter was broken up by RF Wan-hua Gu, who led off the bottom of the 7th with line drive single into leftfield. Luna went 9.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 104 PI, GS: 84. Kingston scored all its runs in the top of the 8th with two out, highlighted by a 3-run home run by PH Malcolm Wise off RHP Bert Desforges. March 1 – Not only did the Balmoral Giants sweep their two-game series against the Pelicans, but they also ended 1B Ira Bannatyne’s 22-game hitting streak in the second game, which the Giants won, 7-5. Bannatyne went 0-2 on the day with one walk. Modest as the hitting streak was, it was the longest such streak in the United Leagues since RF Aidan Trembath of the Braeland City Monarchs hit safely in 28 straight games in 1956. The longest hitting streak in ULB history is 39, set by SS Jake Walker of the Stratford Barons back in 1946. March 18 – The Pelicans came from behind to beat the Cambria Cannons, 5-4 in the bottom of the 9th inning, thanks to a pair of lead-off doubles, a 4-pitch walk and a pair of singles, including a walk-off single by 3B Andy Wearne. Cambria was unable to get an out in that fateful inning. The other player who singled in that inning was 2B Denzel Daintry who went 5 for 5 on the day. In fact, all his hits were singles. He also collected 2 R. March 23 – RHP Ernesto Luna was sensational against the Hespeler Stars, pitching 9 innings of scoreless ball while giving up just 1 H, 1 BB and striking out 10 (108 PI, GS: 94). But he was stuck with the no-decision, as the Stars’ pitchers matched his zeros, forcing the game into extras. Finally, in the bottom of the 13th inning, Hespeler’s SS Jean-Pierre Ferré led off with a double while facing Kingston’s RHP Lester Beddoes and scored the winning run from third base when RF John Anthony singled him home with two out as Hespeler walked it off, 1-0. First Round Draft Pick Update: 8th overall – OF David Derry (35/58). The 23-year old Queensland-native showed some poise at the plate in Double-A, hitting .266/.343/.424, 5 HR, 19 RBI, 21 BB, 35 SO, 112 OPS+, 0.4 WAR in 40 GS and 177 AB. He was then promoted to Triple-A and batted .339/.377/.645, 4 HR, 11 RBI, 5 BB, 12 SO, 178 OPS+, 0.7 WAR. On the other hand, he still has some kinks to work out defensively. He played mostly rightfield in both Double & Triple-A (.987 PCT, 1.62 RNG, -8.5 ZR, .888 EFF in 416.2 INN). Current prospect ranking: #38. -------- As what has become typical in recent years, the Hespeler Stars flirted with respectability in the first half of the season only to fall completely apart in the second half. On December 31st, the Stars sat in 6th place in the West and just 6 games back of the wild card with a 37-40 record. But as soon as the calendar flipped over to the new year, they went just 21-46 the rest of the way. Hespeler was pathetic on both sides of the ball, averaging just 4.0 R/G on offense, while allowing a United Leagues’ worst 4.9 R/G. The result was one of their worst seasons ever. Their 58 wins is their lowest win total since they lost 58 games back in 1939-40. Remarkably, they have never reached the 100-loss mark, at least not yet. So far, only the Cobourg Redlegs (103 losses in 1940-41; 101 losses in 1941-42) and the Pulberry Trolleys (100 losses in 1949-50) have reached that dubious milestone. Not surprisingly, Hespeler was the first team eliminated from playoff contention, on March 10th with 18 games left in the season. Why They Missed the Playoffs: It’s become abundantly clear that no one in the organization has a clue as to what they’re doing. For all of the Stars’ 22-year existence, they haven’t come even remotely close to making the playoffs. Their best finish was in 1937-38, when they went 79-75 – their only winning season – and finished 8 games back of the wild card. With all that losing, you would think that they would have built up a tremendous amount of draft capital and be overflowing with highly talented self-groomed stars. But unlike every other club, that has hasn’t happened with the exception of one – one – player, C Aidan Bennie (2nd overall pick, 1954-55 – 80/80). The rest of their prospects have either been seemingly mismanaged and ‘petered out’ or traded away before blossoming elsewhere soon thereafter. In its own way, it’s a remarkable achievement the likes of which I have never seen in all my years of playing OOTP. What they need to do: Everything. First by going back to the drawing board and drafting smartly and then developing smartly. In OOTP that’s got to happen sooner or later, shouldn’t it? The owner is fiscally charitable, demanding, hands-off and wants to team to achieve a winning record. Perhaps he shouldn’t be so hands-off? Perhaps he needs to be charitable enough to go out and get managers, coaches and scouting directors that have a reputation that is ‘good’ or better, rather than just ‘OK’, ‘Fair’ or ‘Average’. Hespeler has none that are ‘good’ or better throughout their system. In fairness, the organization is not completely devoid of up-and-coming talent, but will they finally break the trend and deliver on their promise? Here are the top players in Hespeler’s cupboard: 21-year old IF/OF Arthur Clack (7th overall pick, 1957-58 - 33/68). Showed progress in his first full season in Double-A. Considered a future key player for a contending team, especially at third base. Current prospect ranking: #4. 21-year old SS Brad Common – see separate discussion farther below. 22-year old 2B Hidekazu Kudo (5th overall pick, 1956-57 - 43/60). Projected to become an above average contact hitter with jaw-dropping speed and a superb defender. Current prospect ranking: #25. 21-year old SS Lucas Balmforth (2nd-round pick, 1958-59 – 31/54). Displayed an advanced approach at the plate with outstanding bat-to-ball skills in college. Projected to become a reliable hitter. Current prospect ranking: #52. Notable Position Players 26-year old C Aidan Bennie (.284/.340/.416, 15 HR, 57 RBI, 43 BB, 102 OPS+, 4.0 WAR) 27-year old 3B Clive Yarwood (.271/.352/.441, 18 HR, 52 RBI, 62 BB, 112 OPS+, 3.3 WAR) 35-year old 2B Zhao-hui Qian (.261/.309/.402, 14 HR, 59 RBI, 35 BB, 90 OPS+, 1.1 WAR) After being on pace for 29 stolen bases on the season at the end of February, 31-year old CF Cedric Bristow (.244/.344/.318, 5 HR, 31 RBI, 66 BB, 25 SB, 80 OPS+, 1.8 WAR) became essentially a ‘no-show’ (like many of his teammates) and stole only one more base in March to finish 2nd in the West. Notable Pitchers 22-year old LHP Nico van de Ham (12-15, 3.91 ERA, 239.1 IP, 1.28 WHIP, 3.55 FIP, 102 ERA+) First Round Draft Pick Update: 5th overall – SS Brad Common (36/65). The 21-year old infielder struggled at the plate in his first season in Double-A, hitting .223/.283/.290, 4 HR, 25 RBI, 25 BB, 60 SO, 57 OPS+, 1.9 WAR in 88 GS and 345 AB. But he was sensational defensively, going .979 PCT, 4.94 RNG, 19.3 ZR, 1.147 EFF in 760.0 INN, all at shortstop. Current prospect ranking: #9. -------- __________________ United Leagues of Braeland