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reds1 · 06-22-2015, 08:13 PM

January 31, 1938

Western League: Pelicans Flying High in the West

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After cooling off just a bit in December, at least for them, with a 15-11 record, the Kingston Pelicans heated up again in January, pacing the Western League with a17-8 record. In fact, their pitching ace, Joey Cumberledge, won Pitcher of the Month honours. As the calendar turns to February, the Pelicans sit 6 games up on the second place Sherburn Tigers, who at this point, remain their only real competitor for top spot. Tellingly, the Pelicans swept the three games they played this month against the Tigers (5-4, 5-0 and 8-3 scores). Incredibly strong on both sides of the ball, the Pelicans are the class of the League. But if their major trade with Sherburn is any indication, they are not taking anything for granted.

Key Injuries: None. The Pelicans suffered no injuries whatsoever in January.

Performance Highlight: 3B Albert Howard went 5-5 against the Wolseley Unions on January 19. Despite his performance, the Unions took the game 10-5 in Kingston. Howard tripled in the 1st, singled in the 3rd, hit an RBI single in the 4th, singled in the 7th, hit a solo-home run in the 9th and grounded out in the 10th.

Key Trade: The Pelicans and Tigers pulled the trigger on a huge trade leading up to the trade deadline. Sherburn shipped 29-year old Fergus Chitty, the top-rated 1B in the United Leagues and who just happened to win Hitter of the Month honours in January, along with 30-year old minor league reliever RHP Doug Cundy (43/43) to the Pelicans. In exchange, the Tigers received 27-year old LF Robin Harney and 19-year old 1B Guillermo Anglada (21/52).
Chitty was the Tigers’ leader in home runs (17) and RBIs (85). While Harney is a fine player in his own right (leading the Pelicans in stolen bases with 26) and will definitely be an upgrade in their outfield, he is not quite the impact player Chitty has been thus far. It will be interesting to see how this trade plays out, whether the move will help Sherburn close the gap, or if they’ve essentially handed the pennant to the Pelicans. As of now, the Tigers have Jeaic Risbrough (.235/.299/.338, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 11 R, 7 BB) playing first.

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The Sherburn Tigers won as many games as Kingston did in January, albeit with two additional losses (17-10), to fall 6 games back of the Pelicans. Nevertheless, after going 13-13 in December, their improved play is a positive sign that they will not let Kingston run away with the pennant without a fight.
The Tigers are admirably balanced on both sides of the ball, if not quite as dominant as Kingston. As discussed in the Kingston Pelicans comments, it remains to be seen if the acquisition of LF Robin Harney for 1B Fergus Chitty will pay dividends for the team. In fairness, he rates as their second best player (behind #1 rated shortstop Gary Watkinson) and fifth best leftfielder overall in the league.

Key Injuries: RF Dong-min Lee (.263/.400/.329, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 11 R, 16 BB) broke his hand in November. He is out for another 6 weeks. 2B Roy Abe (.257/.317/.351, 2 HR, 44 RBI, 55 R, 31 BB, 15 SB) suffered an oblique strain in a game against the Kingston Pelicans on January 25. He is out for 5-6 weeks.

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The Hespeler Stars have been the ‘best of the rest’ in the Western League, which isn’t saying much, as they trail the Sherburn Tigers by 9 games for the wild card. The Stars went 13-12 in January, and they are very much a middle of the road team in terms of batting and pitching/defense stats.

Key Injuries: IF Toby Reakes (.339/.433/.466, 2 HR, 25 RBI, 59 R, 49 BB, 20 SB) is having a difficult time keeping healthy. After missing 3 weeks in late November and early December with a herniated disc, he bruised his foot in a game back on December 28 and missed almost two weeks. Shortly after his return, he experienced back tightness after a collision at second base on January 8. He missed another two weeks of action. SS Héctor Pagán (.308/.354/.399; 24 RBI, 29 R, 16 BB) is still out for another 5 months after suffering a torn labrum in December.

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Considering how decimated the Wolseley Unions have been due to injuries, its remarkable how they have been able to maintain a record close to .500. The Unions went 13-14 in January and if they don’t get healthy soon, it may be a sign of things to come for the final two months of the campaign. The Unions have just not been getting the pitching needed to compete, and with long-term injuries to their better pitchers, it is making matters only more desperate.

Key Injuries: OF Terence Durney (.268/.365/.482, 9 HR, 46 RBI, 54 R, 44 BB, 15 SB) suffered an oblique strain while running the bases back on January 2. He suffered a setback in his recovery later in the month and is out for at least another 3 weeks. SP Augusto Rocha (10-7, 3.68) strained his forearm on January 13; he is out for another 2-3 months. Those are in addition to LHP Edward Hill (63/67), who has been out since early October with a ruptured bicep tendon; he is out for another 3 months. Relief pitcher RHP Dylan Tinlsey fractured his ankle back in December. He is out for 5 more weeks.

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The Fort Richmond Generals are a team stuck in the middle: they are nowhere near to being a good team, but neither are they a really bad one. Unfortunately, it would appear that they are starting to seriously fade in the standings, going 11-15 in January, after an 11-16 December. Injuries, again, are a culprit. In fact, the Generals became the first team to lose a key player to a career-ending injury. It’s a shame really; the immature school boy in me would love to write more about the exploits of a team that has players named Louis Paycocke (.281/.363/.386, 4 HR, 29 RBI, 37 R, 37 BB) and Francis Slocock (14-7, 2.80). There’s even a starting pitcher named Hideki Matsui (6-10, 5.07) thrown in for good measure.

Key Injuries: RF Tyler Bainbridge (68/68 - .295/.317/.427, 5 HR, 24 RBI, 34 R, 9 BB, 0.6 WAR) injured himself on a defensive play in a game against the Cobourg Red Stockings on January 25. Two days later came the bad news: he suffered a torn labrum and his brief baseball career is over. LF Héctor Nájera (.276/.434/477, 11 HR, 44 RBI, 56 R, 77 BB) injured his hamstring on a defensive play against the Downie Chiefs. He is expected to return in a week.

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After a promising December in which they went 17-10, the Cambria Cannons returned to form in January, going 10-15 and falling 17 games back of the wild card. Like the Generals, the Cannons are a team that are not exactly terrible; in fact, they have been quite respectable in pitching and defense. Offense is where they are weak, but they don’t rank dead last in any major category.

Key Injuries: LF Joe Olver (.297/.336/.437, 8 HR, 50 RBI, 50 R, 21 BB) injured himself in a game on January 30 against the Downie Chiefs. He will be out 3 weeks with an oblique strain. Starter RHP Bradley Dodson (5-8, 4.30) is still out for another 7-8 weeks after suffering elbow inflammation back in late December. In the unusual category, backup 3B Jack Towse (.386/.413/.614, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 7 R, 21 BB) was out of action for one week in January with a bruised knee. Rumor is his wife hit him with a frying pan during an argument. His wife must be very short.

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A 10-15 record in January sunk the Balmoral Giants further down the standings, 20 games back of Sherburn for the wild card. Both C Nobuhito Gato (.288/.346/.359, 1 HR, 14 RBI, 15 R, 18 BB) and 1B Roger Tyler (.292/.362/.412, 6 HR, 39 RBI, 43 R, 30 BB) have performed well for the Giants, but it has not been enough to provide a lift to the anemic offense. And with the trade of 3BVince Bailey to Brunswick in exchange for IF/OF Danny Filmer and 19-year old prospect OF Jason Pollock (23/76), it would seem that the Giants are resigned to look to the future.

Key Injuries: Starter SP Masahiro Sugano (2-6, 4.52) remains out for another 7 months with a torn elbow ligament.

The Pulberry Trolleys’ season continues to lurch forward after another lacklustre month, where they went 11-16. They sit 27.5 games out of first place.

Key Injuries: CF Rio Gidley (.264/.308/.456, 6 HR, 51 RBI, 58 R, 26 BB, 16 SB) suffered a foot contusion on January 28 against the Sherburn Tigers. He is out of the lineup for another 5 days. SP Nick Paddock is still out for 5 months; he suffered a ruptured bicep tendon in late November.

Performance Highlight: CF Rio Gidley went 5-5 against the Balmoral Giants on January 5. However, the Trolleys lost 1-0 despite Gidley’s heroics. Gidley tripled in 2nd, singled in the 3rd, singled in the 5th, singled in the 6th and singled in the 8th.

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06-22-2015, 08:13 PM	#77
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,863	January 31, 1938 Western League: Pelicans Flying High in the West -------- After cooling off just a bit in December, at least for them, with a 15-11 record, the Kingston Pelicans heated up again in January, pacing the Western League with a17-8 record. In fact, their pitching ace, Joey Cumberledge, won Pitcher of the Month honours. As the calendar turns to February, the Pelicans sit 6 games up on the second place Sherburn Tigers, who at this point, remain their only real competitor for top spot. Tellingly, the Pelicans swept the three games they played this month against the Tigers (5-4, 5-0 and 8-3 scores). Incredibly strong on both sides of the ball, the Pelicans are the class of the League. But if their major trade with Sherburn is any indication, they are not taking anything for granted. Key Injuries: None. The Pelicans suffered no injuries whatsoever in January. Performance Highlight: 3B Albert Howard went 5-5 against the Wolseley Unions on January 19. Despite his performance, the Unions took the game 10-5 in Kingston. Howard tripled in the 1st, singled in the 3rd, hit an RBI single in the 4th, singled in the 7th, hit a solo-home run in the 9th and grounded out in the 10th. Key Trade: The Pelicans and Tigers pulled the trigger on a huge trade leading up to the trade deadline. Sherburn shipped 29-year old Fergus Chitty, the top-rated 1B in the United Leagues and who just happened to win Hitter of the Month honours in January, along with 30-year old minor league reliever RHP Doug Cundy (43/43) to the Pelicans. In exchange, the Tigers received 27-year old LF Robin Harney and 19-year old 1B Guillermo Anglada (21/52). Chitty was the Tigers’ leader in home runs (17) and RBIs (85). While Harney is a fine player in his own right (leading the Pelicans in stolen bases with 26) and will definitely be an upgrade in their outfield, he is not quite the impact player Chitty has been thus far. It will be interesting to see how this trade plays out, whether the move will help Sherburn close the gap, or if they’ve essentially handed the pennant to the Pelicans. As of now, the Tigers have Jeaic Risbrough (.235/.299/.338, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 11 R, 7 BB) playing first. -------- The Sherburn Tigers won as many games as Kingston did in January, albeit with two additional losses (17-10), to fall 6 games back of the Pelicans. Nevertheless, after going 13-13 in December, their improved play is a positive sign that they will not let Kingston run away with the pennant without a fight. The Tigers are admirably balanced on both sides of the ball, if not quite as dominant as Kingston. As discussed in the Kingston Pelicans comments, it remains to be seen if the acquisition of LF Robin Harney for 1B Fergus Chitty will pay dividends for the team. In fairness, he rates as their second best player (behind #1 rated shortstop Gary Watkinson) and fifth best leftfielder overall in the league. Key Injuries: RF Dong-min Lee (.263/.400/.329, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 11 R, 16 BB) broke his hand in November. He is out for another 6 weeks. 2B Roy Abe (.257/.317/.351, 2 HR, 44 RBI, 55 R, 31 BB, 15 SB) suffered an oblique strain in a game against the Kingston Pelicans on January 25. He is out for 5-6 weeks. -------- The Hespeler Stars have been the ‘best of the rest’ in the Western League, which isn’t saying much, as they trail the Sherburn Tigers by 9 games for the wild card. The Stars went 13-12 in January, and they are very much a middle of the road team in terms of batting and pitching/defense stats. Key Injuries: IF Toby Reakes (.339/.433/.466, 2 HR, 25 RBI, 59 R, 49 BB, 20 SB) is having a difficult time keeping healthy. After missing 3 weeks in late November and early December with a herniated disc, he bruised his foot in a game back on December 28 and missed almost two weeks. Shortly after his return, he experienced back tightness after a collision at second base on January 8. He missed another two weeks of action. SS Héctor Pagán (.308/.354/.399; 24 RBI, 29 R, 16 BB) is still out for another 5 months after suffering a torn labrum in December. -------- Considering how decimated the Wolseley Unions have been due to injuries, its remarkable how they have been able to maintain a record close to .500. The Unions went 13-14 in January and if they don’t get healthy soon, it may be a sign of things to come for the final two months of the campaign. The Unions have just not been getting the pitching needed to compete, and with long-term injuries to their better pitchers, it is making matters only more desperate. Key Injuries: OF Terence Durney (.268/.365/.482, 9 HR, 46 RBI, 54 R, 44 BB, 15 SB) suffered an oblique strain while running the bases back on January 2. He suffered a setback in his recovery later in the month and is out for at least another 3 weeks. SP Augusto Rocha (10-7, 3.68) strained his forearm on January 13; he is out for another 2-3 months. Those are in addition to LHP Edward Hill (63/67), who has been out since early October with a ruptured bicep tendon; he is out for another 3 months. Relief pitcher RHP Dylan Tinlsey fractured his ankle back in December. He is out for 5 more weeks. -------- The Fort Richmond Generals are a team stuck in the middle: they are nowhere near to being a good team, but neither are they a really bad one. Unfortunately, it would appear that they are starting to seriously fade in the standings, going 11-15 in January, after an 11-16 December. Injuries, again, are a culprit. In fact, the Generals became the first team to lose a key player to a career-ending injury. It’s a shame really; the immature school boy in me would love to write more about the exploits of a team that has players named Louis Paycocke (.281/.363/.386, 4 HR, 29 RBI, 37 R, 37 BB) and Francis Slocock (14-7, 2.80). There’s even a starting pitcher named Hideki Matsui (6-10, 5.07) thrown in for good measure. Key Injuries: RF Tyler Bainbridge (68/68 - .295/.317/.427, 5 HR, 24 RBI, 34 R, 9 BB, 0.6 WAR) injured himself on a defensive play in a game against the Cobourg Red Stockings on January 25. Two days later came the bad news: he suffered a torn labrum and his brief baseball career is over. LF Héctor Nájera (.276/.434/477, 11 HR, 44 RBI, 56 R, 77 BB) injured his hamstring on a defensive play against the Downie Chiefs. He is expected to return in a week. -------- After a promising December in which they went 17-10, the Cambria Cannons returned to form in January, going 10-15 and falling 17 games back of the wild card. Like the Generals, the Cannons are a team that are not exactly terrible; in fact, they have been quite respectable in pitching and defense. Offense is where they are weak, but they don’t rank dead last in any major category. Key Injuries: LF Joe Olver (.297/.336/.437, 8 HR, 50 RBI, 50 R, 21 BB) injured himself in a game on January 30 against the Downie Chiefs. He will be out 3 weeks with an oblique strain. Starter RHP Bradley Dodson (5-8, 4.30) is still out for another 7-8 weeks after suffering elbow inflammation back in late December. In the unusual category, backup 3B Jack Towse (.386/.413/.614, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 7 R, 21 BB) was out of action for one week in January with a bruised knee. Rumor is his wife hit him with a frying pan during an argument. His wife must be very short. -------- A 10-15 record in January sunk the Balmoral Giants further down the standings, 20 games back of Sherburn for the wild card. Both C Nobuhito Gato (.288/.346/.359, 1 HR, 14 RBI, 15 R, 18 BB) and 1B Roger Tyler (.292/.362/.412, 6 HR, 39 RBI, 43 R, 30 BB) have performed well for the Giants, but it has not been enough to provide a lift to the anemic offense. And with the trade of 3BVince Bailey to Brunswick in exchange for IF/OF Danny Filmer and 19-year old prospect OF Jason Pollock (23/76), it would seem that the Giants are resigned to look to the future. Key Injuries: Starter SP Masahiro Sugano (2-6, 4.52) remains out for another 7 months with a torn elbow ligament. The Pulberry Trolleys’ season continues to lurch forward after another lacklustre month, where they went 11-16. They sit 27.5 games out of first place. Key Injuries: CF Rio Gidley (.264/.308/.456, 6 HR, 51 RBI, 58 R, 26 BB, 16 SB) suffered a foot contusion on January 28 against the Sherburn Tigers. He is out of the lineup for another 5 days. SP Nick Paddock is still out for 5 months; he suffered a ruptured bicep tendon in late November. Performance Highlight: CF Rio Gidley went 5-5 against the Balmoral Giants on January 5. However, the Trolleys lost 1-0 despite Gidley’s heroics. Gidley tripled in 2nd, singled in the 3rd, singled in the 5th, singled in the 6th and singled in the 8th. -------- __________________ United Leagues of Braeland Last edited by reds1; 07-01-2017 at 12:22 PM.