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reds1 · 08-09-2019, 01:01 PM

December 1, 1951

Western League: Unions Taking the Upper Hand

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Offense: .276/.361/.422 (1st/1st/1st)
Pitching: 3.40/3.63/2.24 (1st/1st/1st)
Defense: .709 (4th)

On November 2, the Wolseley Unions were sitting 4.5 games out of first place, behind a red-hot Pulberry team. But the Unions then ramped up the heat, ripping off a 9-game winning streak and go 20-5 to finish the month. At month’s end, they sit 5.5 games ahead of those same upstart Trolleys. In a League with an abundance of impressive starts, Wolseley’s is the most impressive. The defending United Cup Champions have dominated practically all facets of the game.

There’s perhaps no hotter player in the United Leagues right now than 30-year old LF Carlton Hawking (.340/.486/.539, 7 HR, 42 RBI, 55 BB, 3.2 WAR), as exemplified by his back-to-back Player of the Month honors. Over the past three seasons, he’s earned 7.0, 6.9 and 6.9 WAR respectively. This year he’s on pace for 9.1. Even his defensive play, long below average, is strong: .986 PCT, 2.80 RNG, +2.7 ZR, .987 EFF.

But this offense is not a one-trick pony. The line-up is stacked, with the likes of No. 2 batter, 22-year old 3B Carlos Ortíz (.299/.377/.445, 9 HR, 42 RBI, 29 BB, 2.2 WAR), building on his Rookie of the Year season.

The pitching is simply jaw-dropping. Free agent signing, 26-year old RHP Roberto Garza (6-3, 2.53 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 2.70 FIP), has not disappointed and perhaps has had the most auspicious start to a career in ULB history as noted below. He is now Wolseley’s No. 1 starter, ably supported by the likes of 28-year old RHP Jeremy Albury (8-1, 2.70 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 3.41 FIP) and 33-year old RHP Bill Blair (6-1, 3.38 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 3.49 FIP). Wolseley has so many dominant starters in the rotation right now that 26-year old LHP Axel MacKay (0-1, 1 SV, 3.18 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 3.02 FIP), a 15-game winner last year is now pitching out of the bullpen. If 35-year old LHP Anastasio Rodríguez (5-4, 4.81 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 3.36 FIP) can find his groove in the ensuing months, then watch out.

Player of the Week Awards:

November 5 – RF Howard Ockey (.450, 9 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI)
November 19 – 3B Carlos Ortíz (.478, 11 H, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 8 R)

Noteworthy:

October 7 –RHP Roberto Garza was impressive in his first major league start back on October 2, where he went 7.0 innings and gave up just 2 hits and no earned runs (along with 1 BB, 6 K) in Wolseley’s 3-2 victory over Kingston.
But that only set the stage for his second major league start on October 7 against the Sherburn Tigers. Garza pitched the 9th NO-HITTER in United Leagues’ history and the first in nearly two years. Garza faced 29 batters and threw 101 pitches, 60 of them for strikes, as he breezed through the Tigers’ lineup for a 6-0 victory. He struck out 5 batters and issued two walks in his masterpiece, finishing with a game score of 90, the highest thus far in the United Leagues. 27-year old C Éric Denis (.303/.333/.500, 9 HR, 33 RBI, 10 BB, 1.5 WAR) led the offense with a two-run home run in the 1st inning and a run-scoring double in the 5th.

Current Injuries: None.

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Offense: .272/.344/.400 (2nd/2nd/3rd)
Pitching: 3.87/3.69/4.54 (4th/3rd/6th)
Defense: .733 (1st)

The Pulberry Trolleys are getting better at fast starts. Last year, they finished the first week of the regular season tied for first place with the Wolseley Unions before fading the rest of the way. This season they were scorching hot, getting out to an incredible 23-7 start, capped with an 8-game winning streak. Alas, they could not keep it up. After taking the first game of a 4-game set against the Wolseley Unions for their eighth consecutive win, the Trolleys dropped the next three and then got swept 3-straight by the Kingston Pelicans. They recovered somewhat, finishing the rest of November 10-9.

The abundance of young talent on the roster appears to be delivering this season. Free agent signing, 22-year old LHP Ramón Castro (2-2, 2.72 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 3.27 FIP), is already Pulberry’s No. 1 starter and should get stronger as the season wears on. The rest of the rotation could be better, but No. 5 starter, 33-year old RHP Lenny Tennison (3-3, 2.64 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 4.35 FIP) is off to the best start of his 7-year career. Tennison has yet to finish a season with a winning record. 24-year old RHP Harley Rodman (5-2, 3.52 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 4.21 FIP) has been solid pitching out of the bullpen. Rodman was a 6th-round pick back in 1945-46.

At the beginning of the season, it was expected that the starting outfield would comprise Pulberry’s top young studs: 23-year old LF Aidan Thirkettle (2.62/.364/.460, 2 HR, 26 RBI, 21 BB, 0.9 WAR), 24-year old CF Cooper Tyson (.284/.379/.438, 5 HR, 26 RBI, 31 BB, 2.8 WAR) and 23-year old OF John Oldknow (.306/.370/.468, 3 HR, 14 RBI, 11 BB, 1.0 WAR). But Oldknow has been relegated to back-up duty against RHP in favor of 26-year old RF Ellis Dibble (3.42/.401/.490, 4 HR, 37 RBI, 24 BB, 1.7 WAR). The four-year veteran has been improving with each passing season, but it will be interesting to see how much longer he can keep a regular spot in the lineup. For now, Oldnow is starting against LHP with Dibble replacing Thirkettle at LF.

But its not all about the outfield. 24-year old Makani Kahale (.347/.384/.500, 3 HR, 37 RBI, 13 BB, 2.1 WAR) is off to an incredible start in just his third season and is second only to Cobourg Red Stockings’ Alexander Tolmie among third basemen in the ULB.

Current Injuries: None.

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Offense: .251/.327/.391 (8th/5th/4th)
Pitching: 3.90/4.20/2.66 (5th/6th/2nd)
Defense: .704 (6th)

The Kingston Pelicans struggled in October, starting off with a 5-10 record before turning it around and getting back to .500 by month’s end. The turning point of their season may have been the October 18 game against the Cambria Cannons, where they crushed the home-town team 23-2 on 18 hits. 27-year old RF Mo Spenceley (.301/.379/.579, 11 HR, 34 RBI, 24 BB, 1.5 WAR) paced the team, going 3 for 6 with a 3-run home, a 2-run double and a Western League record of 9 RBI. Spenceley is Kingston’s top offensive player thus far; the rest of the lineup has been rather lackluster. But Kingston finally saw fit to place 33-year old back-up C Danny Trowbridge (.308/.400/.692, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 2 BB, 0.2 WAR – 47/47) on the trading block on October 24. So perhaps the Pelicans can get some additional offensive talent in return and give the 9-time all-star a chance to start again with someone else.

The pitching staff is currently buoyed by a few excellent starts. 26-year old RHP Kieran Bunce (7-3, 3.34 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 3.62 FIP) is enjoying the best start of his 3-year major-league career. The former 16th overall pick from 1947-48 was recently promoted to the No. 1 spot in the rotation. No. 5 starter 25-year old LHP Rob Hutchence (5-1, 2.11 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 4.60 FIP) is also enjoying a terrific start in his second year. A torn UCL cut short his rookie season. Finally, 27-year old RH stopper Kaula Mafileo (3-5, 9 SV, 2.22 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 3.98 FIP) is far and away enjoying the best start of his 4-year career.

Player of the Week Awards:

October 22 – LHP Rob Hutchence (2-0, 10.1 IP, 2 K, 0.87 ERA)
October 29 – RF Mo Spenceley (.400, 10 H, 2 HR, 7 RBI)

Current Injuries:

RHP Ben Currall – October 16 – strained hamstring. Out for: 6 more weeks.

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Offense: .260/.320/.366 (5th/7th/7th)
Pitching: 3.82/3.87/3.51 (3rd/4th/3rd)
Defense: .729 (2nd)

The Fort Richmond Generals got off to a sluggish start, hovering near the bottom of the Western League standings before picking things up in November. An 8-game winning streak against Eastern League teams didn’t hurt.

Both the pitching and offense have been slow to start the season. 30-year old C Louis Wearne (.236/.310/335, 4 HR, 23 RBI, 19 BB, 0.7 WAR), who won the WL Babe Ruth Award last season, has really struggled in the early going. 27-year old SS Nobuyoshi Yoshida (.307/.373/.396, 2 HR, 28 RBI, 21 BB, 2.1 WAR) and a resurgent 29-year old CF Dylan Moyne (.304/.361/.449, 7 HR, 26 RBI, 18 BB, 5 SB, 2.1 WAR) have been the leaders on offense thus far.

On the pitching side of things, 32-year old ace RHP Roberto Taváres (4-6, 3.90 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 3.41 FIP) is struggling a bit to find his award-winning form as well. But No. 2 starter, 31-year old LHP Nicholas Grimes (8-1, 1.93 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 3.40 FIP), has been sensational.

Player of the Week Awards:

November 12 – LF Daniel Paterson (.458, 11 H, 4 HR, 6 RBI)

Current Injuries: None.

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Offense: .267/.332/.407 (3rd/4th/2nd)
Pitching: 4.28/4.05/4.94 (6th/5th/8th)
Defense: .684 (7th)

The Cambria Cannons are a team in transition, with some fresh blood in the lineup. However, they will need to beef up their pitching if they hope to contend soon. Losing No. 1 prospect, 22-year old CF Sam Tite (.245/.269/.408, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 2 BB, 0.3 WAR – 47/80), to a long-term injury certainly doesn’t help.

The pitching staff has been nothing to write home about. Nevertheless, No. 3 starter, 33-year old LHP Callum Stonehouse (6-2, 3.57 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 3.46 FIP) is off to his best start since the 1946-47 season, when he went 13-11, 2.81 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 3.44 FIP. Stonehouse was claimed on waivers from the Balmoral Giants back on October 3; Cambria had previously traded him to Balmoral in December 1949. 26-year old RH stopper Keith Roche (1-2, 11 SV, 2.67 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 3.49 FIP) is off to the best start of his 3-year career.

31-year old SS César Ruíz (.305/.413/.561, 12 HR, 32 RBI, 32 BB, 2.0 WAR) continues his elite ways. But he has been joined by a couple of youngsters. Lead-off hitter, 23-year old RF Seung-jae Park (.329/.354/.460, 2 HR, 32 RBI, 9 BB, 1.1 WAR), appears to have finally emerged as a solid offensive player. And 30-year old rookie, 3B Alberto Esquivel (.299/.358/.493, 6 HR, 25 RBI, 14 BB, 1.4 WAR) has emerged as Cambria’s second-best position player. The free agent from Venezuela was signed to a minor-league contract back in May and was quickly installed as the Cannons’ starting third baseman. He has been outstanding from the get-go, winning a Rookie of the Month honor in October.

Player of the Week Awards:

October 8 – 1B Carlos Correa (.483, 14 H, 1 HR, 3 RBI)
October 15 – SS César Ruíz (.375, 9 H, 4 HR, 12 RBI, 9 R)

Noteworthy:

October 13 – The top-ranked position player in the ULB, SS César Ruíz, demonstrated why he is ranked so highly. Ruíz brought an 8-game hitting streak into the new season and extended it to 21 games before being held hitless by the Sherburn Tigers. Ruíz went 0-4 with a walk and a run. However, the Cannons still prevailed, defeating Sherburn, 10-3.

Current Injuries:

CF Sam Tite – October 20 – post-concussion syndrome. Out for: 2-3 more months.

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Offense: .251/.324/.357 (7th/6th/8th)
Pitching: 3.76/3.68/4.12 (2nd/2nd/5th)
Defense: .715 (3rd)

It’s a familiar story with the Balmoral Giants, as their pitching staff continues to excel (or overachieve depending on how you look at it) while their offense sputters. Although a couple of veterans achieved milestones as noted below, the lineup is decidedly ho-hum. Paired with the second-worst ranked farm system in the ULB, things could get even bleaker before too long.

Only 23-year old rookie 2B Erik Perry (.286/.333/.500, 3-2B, 9 RBI, 3 BB, 0.4 WAR – 44/64) is generating any sort of a spark. The 7th overall pick from last season stepped into the starting lineup in mid-November after 28-year old Sean Brearton (.285/.372/.364, 1 HR, 16 RBI, 19 BB, 0.9 WAR) went down to injury.

31-year old LHP Ricardo Cruz (6-0, 0.99 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, 2.89 FIP) was absolutely jaw-dropping in October, picking up Pitching of the Month honors; alas he will miss significant playing time due to injury. However, 28-year old LHP Ron Albin (4-4, 3.45 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 3.30 FIP) has had his moments since stepping into the rotation from the bullpen after Cruz went down. Albin just needs to string together some consistent starts.

Noteworthy:

October 11 & November 7 – A pair of Balmoral legends reached a similar milestone nearly one month apart. 33-year old SS Francisco Rodríguez (.292/.333/.359, 10-2B, 12 RBI, 11 BB, 1.0 WAR) and 33-year old LF Carlton Broadbent (.264/.337/.493, 9 HR, 37 RBI, 17 BB, 0.1 WAR) have 17 all-star selections between over their respective 13-year careers. Now they both reached the 2000 Career Hit milestone.
Rodríguez first reached it in a game against the Wolseley Unions. In the bottom of the 4th inning at Balmoral’s Foster Field, Rodríguez led off with a single into right-centerfield off LHP Anastasio Rodríguez to reach the mark. He would go 3 for 5 with two runs on the day; however, the Unions prevailed 8-6.
In a game against the Brunswick Legends at Babe Ruth Park on November 7, Carlton Broadbent came up big, going 2 for 3 with 2 RBI and 2 BB as the led the Giants to a 5-2 victory. His first hit of the day was his 2000th, a two run, two-out line drive single to left field.

Current Injuries:

RF Roy Belknap – October 10 – broken hand. Out for: 5 more weeks.
LHP Ricardo Cruz – November 2 – elbow tendinitis. Out for: 3 more weeks.
2B Sean Brearton – November 14 – herniated disc. Out for: 2-3 more weeks.

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Offense: .253/.332/.380 (6th/3rd/5th)
Pitching: 4.39/4.60/3.60 (7th/8th/4th)
Defense: .708 (5th)

The Hespeler Stars picked things up a bit in November, but it appears once again that it will be a long season in the ‘Hes’. The Stars have built up a long history now of selecting young, promising players only to see them wilt and fade by the time they get to the majors. Or at least it has appeared that way.

The latest candidates are 25-year old LHP Larry Kovnats (2-8, 6.14 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, 3.73 FIP) and 24-year old CF John McMurray (.255/.317/.399, 4 HR, 16 RBI, 17 BB, 0.8 WAR). Kovnats, a former 3rd overall pick from 1948-49, has never delivered on his initial promise and likely never will. McMurray, who was selected first overall in 1949-50, is just in his second season so there is no need to write him off anytime soon. Still, his recent struggles seem all too familiar to the Stars.

But there is some room for optimism that things could change. 29-year old RF Kominiko Hokulani (.147/.244/.267, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 8 BB, -0.0 WAR), another former first-round draft pick whose performance has cratered, has been replaced in the starting lineup by 22-year old rookie RF Tim Beattie (.293/.382/.383, 1 HR, 12 RBI, 18 BB, 0.7 WAR – 49/80). Beattie, Hespeler’s No. 2 overall prospect was originally selected 7th overall in 1947-48. And 26-year old Vic Lewis (.311/.388/.495, 9 HR, 33 RBI, 22 BB, 2.1 WAR), a second-round pick from 1946-47 now in his fourth season, is off to an outstanding start. He has already matched his WAR output from last season.
But Hespeler’s best player continues to be 28-year old SS Zhao-hui Qian (.313/.370/.457, 5 HR, 27 RBI, 20 BB, 2.7 WAR). He was outstanding last season (6.2 WAR), his first full year with Hespeler, but he’s on pace to top that.

The pitching staff though, is forgettable. But 27-year old ace RHP Stephen Tindall (6-5, 3.35 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 3.97 FIP) is that rare Hespeler-groomed player that has lived up to his high draft selection (7th overall in 1943-44).

Player of the Week Awards:

November 26 – 2B Vic Lewis (.500, 13 H, 4 HR, 8 RBI)

Current Injuries:

RHP Stephen Tindall – November 18 – back stiffness. Out for: Dtd, unknown.
RHP Rodney Gabrielson – November 21 – acute elbow soreness. Out for: 2 more months.

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Offense: .262/.320/.371 (4th/8th/6th)
Pitching: 4.57/4.45/4.92 (8th/7th/7th)
Defense: .679 (8th)

While neither Balmoral or Hespeler are great teams, the only truly awful team in the West this year is the Sherburn Tigers. Predicted to finish near .500, the Tigers are already 16 games below that mark and are sinking farther. While they are not entirely devoid of talent, they just do not have enough to compete in the tough Western League, especially on the pitching and defensive side of things. But they do have a couple of individual performances worthy of note.

27-year old RHP Jesús Chapa (4-6, 2.80 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 3.59 FIP) is one of the best pitchers in the United Leagues today (ranked 3rd overall) and his outstanding play continues into this season. One can only imagine how he would fare on a more competitive team. The rest of the staff is largely forgettable, but Sherburn has a couple youngsters that could give the club a much-needed boost. 24-year old RHP Bradley Strawson (4-6, 4.65 ERA, 1.61 WHIP, 3.69 FIP – 50/60) is slowing but steadily improving in his second year. But he could certainly benefit from a sounder defensive team behind him. The former 4th overall pick from last year is now the Tigers’ No. 3 starter. And 23-year old RHP Roy Hay (1-2, 3 SV, 2.70 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 3.99 FIP) is the Tigers’ lone outstanding reliever right now. He is in his second season after being selected in the 3rd round in 1946-47.

The offense hasn’t been much better but 25-year old 2B Jack Burt (.354/.403/.500, 1 HR, 23 RBI, 13 BB, 2.8 WAR) has been a revelation. The former second-overall pick from 1947-48 appears to be finally joining the upper echelon of players in the ULB. He averaged 3.4 WAR over his first three seasons.

Noteworthy:

November 26 –2B Jack Burt was held hitless by the Braeland City Monarchs in a 4-1 loss at The Paramount in Sherburn. It was the first time in 22 games he failed to hit safely, going 0-4 on the day.

Current Injuries: None.

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08-09-2019, 01:01 PM	#523
reds1 Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 3,861	December 1, 1951 Western League: Unions Taking the Upper Hand -------- Offense: .276/.361/.422 (1st/1st/1st) Pitching: 3.40/3.63/2.24 (1st/1st/1st) Defense: .709 (4th) On November 2, the Wolseley Unions were sitting 4.5 games out of first place, behind a red-hot Pulberry team. But the Unions then ramped up the heat, ripping off a 9-game winning streak and go 20-5 to finish the month. At month’s end, they sit 5.5 games ahead of those same upstart Trolleys. In a League with an abundance of impressive starts, Wolseley’s is the most impressive. The defending United Cup Champions have dominated practically all facets of the game. There’s perhaps no hotter player in the United Leagues right now than 30-year old LF Carlton Hawking (.340/.486/.539, 7 HR, 42 RBI, 55 BB, 3.2 WAR), as exemplified by his back-to-back Player of the Month honors. Over the past three seasons, he’s earned 7.0, 6.9 and 6.9 WAR respectively. This year he’s on pace for 9.1. Even his defensive play, long below average, is strong: .986 PCT, 2.80 RNG, +2.7 ZR, .987 EFF. But this offense is not a one-trick pony. The line-up is stacked, with the likes of No. 2 batter, 22-year old 3B Carlos Ortíz (.299/.377/.445, 9 HR, 42 RBI, 29 BB, 2.2 WAR), building on his Rookie of the Year season. The pitching is simply jaw-dropping. Free agent signing, 26-year old RHP Roberto Garza (6-3, 2.53 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 2.70 FIP), has not disappointed and perhaps has had the most auspicious start to a career in ULB history as noted below. He is now Wolseley’s No. 1 starter, ably supported by the likes of 28-year old RHP Jeremy Albury (8-1, 2.70 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 3.41 FIP) and 33-year old RHP Bill Blair (6-1, 3.38 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 3.49 FIP). Wolseley has so many dominant starters in the rotation right now that 26-year old LHP Axel MacKay (0-1, 1 SV, 3.18 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 3.02 FIP), a 15-game winner last year is now pitching out of the bullpen. If 35-year old LHP Anastasio Rodríguez (5-4, 4.81 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 3.36 FIP) can find his groove in the ensuing months, then watch out. Player of the Week Awards: November 5 – RF Howard Ockey (.450, 9 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI) November 19 – 3B Carlos Ortíz (.478, 11 H, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 8 R) Noteworthy: October 7 –RHP Roberto Garza was impressive in his first major league start back on October 2, where he went 7.0 innings and gave up just 2 hits and no earned runs (along with 1 BB, 6 K) in Wolseley’s 3-2 victory over Kingston. But that only set the stage for his second major league start on October 7 against the Sherburn Tigers. Garza pitched the 9th NO-HITTER in United Leagues’ history and the first in nearly two years. Garza faced 29 batters and threw 101 pitches, 60 of them for strikes, as he breezed through the Tigers’ lineup for a 6-0 victory. He struck out 5 batters and issued two walks in his masterpiece, finishing with a game score of 90, the highest thus far in the United Leagues. 27-year old C Éric Denis (.303/.333/.500, 9 HR, 33 RBI, 10 BB, 1.5 WAR) led the offense with a two-run home run in the 1st inning and a run-scoring double in the 5th. Current Injuries: None. -------- Offense: .272/.344/.400 (2nd/2nd/3rd) Pitching: 3.87/3.69/4.54 (4th/3rd/6th) Defense: .733 (1st) The Pulberry Trolleys are getting better at fast starts. Last year, they finished the first week of the regular season tied for first place with the Wolseley Unions before fading the rest of the way. This season they were scorching hot, getting out to an incredible 23-7 start, capped with an 8-game winning streak. Alas, they could not keep it up. After taking the first game of a 4-game set against the Wolseley Unions for their eighth consecutive win, the Trolleys dropped the next three and then got swept 3-straight by the Kingston Pelicans. They recovered somewhat, finishing the rest of November 10-9. The abundance of young talent on the roster appears to be delivering this season. Free agent signing, 22-year old LHP Ramón Castro (2-2, 2.72 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 3.27 FIP), is already Pulberry’s No. 1 starter and should get stronger as the season wears on. The rest of the rotation could be better, but No. 5 starter, 33-year old RHP Lenny Tennison (3-3, 2.64 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 4.35 FIP) is off to the best start of his 7-year career. Tennison has yet to finish a season with a winning record. 24-year old RHP Harley Rodman (5-2, 3.52 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 4.21 FIP) has been solid pitching out of the bullpen. Rodman was a 6th-round pick back in 1945-46. At the beginning of the season, it was expected that the starting outfield would comprise Pulberry’s top young studs: 23-year old LF Aidan Thirkettle (2.62/.364/.460, 2 HR, 26 RBI, 21 BB, 0.9 WAR), 24-year old CF Cooper Tyson (.284/.379/.438, 5 HR, 26 RBI, 31 BB, 2.8 WAR) and 23-year old OF John Oldknow (.306/.370/.468, 3 HR, 14 RBI, 11 BB, 1.0 WAR). But Oldknow has been relegated to back-up duty against RHP in favor of 26-year old RF Ellis Dibble (3.42/.401/.490, 4 HR, 37 RBI, 24 BB, 1.7 WAR). The four-year veteran has been improving with each passing season, but it will be interesting to see how much longer he can keep a regular spot in the lineup. For now, Oldnow is starting against LHP with Dibble replacing Thirkettle at LF. But its not all about the outfield. 24-year old Makani Kahale (.347/.384/.500, 3 HR, 37 RBI, 13 BB, 2.1 WAR) is off to an incredible start in just his third season and is second only to Cobourg Red Stockings’ Alexander Tolmie among third basemen in the ULB. Current Injuries: None. -------- Offense: .251/.327/.391 (8th/5th/4th) Pitching: 3.90/4.20/2.66 (5th/6th/2nd) Defense: .704 (6th) The Kingston Pelicans struggled in October, starting off with a 5-10 record before turning it around and getting back to .500 by month’s end. The turning point of their season may have been the October 18 game against the Cambria Cannons, where they crushed the home-town team 23-2 on 18 hits. 27-year old RF Mo Spenceley (.301/.379/.579, 11 HR, 34 RBI, 24 BB, 1.5 WAR) paced the team, going 3 for 6 with a 3-run home, a 2-run double and a Western League record of 9 RBI. Spenceley is Kingston’s top offensive player thus far; the rest of the lineup has been rather lackluster. But Kingston finally saw fit to place 33-year old back-up C Danny Trowbridge (.308/.400/.692, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 2 BB, 0.2 WAR – 47/47) on the trading block on October 24. So perhaps the Pelicans can get some additional offensive talent in return and give the 9-time all-star a chance to start again with someone else. The pitching staff is currently buoyed by a few excellent starts. 26-year old RHP Kieran Bunce (7-3, 3.34 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 3.62 FIP) is enjoying the best start of his 3-year major-league career. The former 16th overall pick from 1947-48 was recently promoted to the No. 1 spot in the rotation. No. 5 starter 25-year old LHP Rob Hutchence (5-1, 2.11 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 4.60 FIP) is also enjoying a terrific start in his second year. A torn UCL cut short his rookie season. Finally, 27-year old RH stopper Kaula Mafileo (3-5, 9 SV, 2.22 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 3.98 FIP) is far and away enjoying the best start of his 4-year career. Player of the Week Awards: October 22 – LHP Rob Hutchence (2-0, 10.1 IP, 2 K, 0.87 ERA) October 29 – RF Mo Spenceley (.400, 10 H, 2 HR, 7 RBI) Current Injuries: RHP Ben Currall – October 16 – strained hamstring. Out for: 6 more weeks. -------- Offense: .260/.320/.366 (5th/7th/7th) Pitching: 3.82/3.87/3.51 (3rd/4th/3rd) Defense: .729 (2nd) The Fort Richmond Generals got off to a sluggish start, hovering near the bottom of the Western League standings before picking things up in November. An 8-game winning streak against Eastern League teams didn’t hurt. Both the pitching and offense have been slow to start the season. 30-year old C Louis Wearne (.236/.310/335, 4 HR, 23 RBI, 19 BB, 0.7 WAR), who won the WL Babe Ruth Award last season, has really struggled in the early going. 27-year old SS Nobuyoshi Yoshida (.307/.373/.396, 2 HR, 28 RBI, 21 BB, 2.1 WAR) and a resurgent 29-year old CF Dylan Moyne (.304/.361/.449, 7 HR, 26 RBI, 18 BB, 5 SB, 2.1 WAR) have been the leaders on offense thus far. On the pitching side of things, 32-year old ace RHP Roberto Taváres (4-6, 3.90 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 3.41 FIP) is struggling a bit to find his award-winning form as well. But No. 2 starter, 31-year old LHP Nicholas Grimes (8-1, 1.93 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 3.40 FIP), has been sensational. Player of the Week Awards: November 12 – LF Daniel Paterson (.458, 11 H, 4 HR, 6 RBI) Current Injuries: None. -------- Offense: .267/.332/.407 (3rd/4th/2nd) Pitching: 4.28/4.05/4.94 (6th/5th/8th) Defense: .684 (7th) The Cambria Cannons are a team in transition, with some fresh blood in the lineup. However, they will need to beef up their pitching if they hope to contend soon. Losing No. 1 prospect, 22-year old CF Sam Tite (.245/.269/.408, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 2 BB, 0.3 WAR – 47/80), to a long-term injury certainly doesn’t help. The pitching staff has been nothing to write home about. Nevertheless, No. 3 starter, 33-year old LHP Callum Stonehouse (6-2, 3.57 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 3.46 FIP) is off to his best start since the 1946-47 season, when he went 13-11, 2.81 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 3.44 FIP. Stonehouse was claimed on waivers from the Balmoral Giants back on October 3; Cambria had previously traded him to Balmoral in December 1949. 26-year old RH stopper Keith Roche (1-2, 11 SV, 2.67 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 3.49 FIP) is off to the best start of his 3-year career. 31-year old SS César Ruíz (.305/.413/.561, 12 HR, 32 RBI, 32 BB, 2.0 WAR) continues his elite ways. But he has been joined by a couple of youngsters. Lead-off hitter, 23-year old RF Seung-jae Park (.329/.354/.460, 2 HR, 32 RBI, 9 BB, 1.1 WAR), appears to have finally emerged as a solid offensive player. And 30-year old rookie, 3B Alberto Esquivel (.299/.358/.493, 6 HR, 25 RBI, 14 BB, 1.4 WAR) has emerged as Cambria’s second-best position player. The free agent from Venezuela was signed to a minor-league contract back in May and was quickly installed as the Cannons’ starting third baseman. He has been outstanding from the get-go, winning a Rookie of the Month honor in October. Player of the Week Awards: October 8 – 1B Carlos Correa (.483, 14 H, 1 HR, 3 RBI) October 15 – SS César Ruíz (.375, 9 H, 4 HR, 12 RBI, 9 R) Noteworthy: October 13 – The top-ranked position player in the ULB, SS César Ruíz, demonstrated why he is ranked so highly. Ruíz brought an 8-game hitting streak into the new season and extended it to 21 games before being held hitless by the Sherburn Tigers. Ruíz went 0-4 with a walk and a run. However, the Cannons still prevailed, defeating Sherburn, 10-3. Current Injuries: CF Sam Tite – October 20 – post-concussion syndrome. Out for: 2-3 more months. -------- Offense: .251/.324/.357 (7th/6th/8th) Pitching: 3.76/3.68/4.12 (2nd/2nd/5th) Defense: .715 (3rd) It’s a familiar story with the Balmoral Giants, as their pitching staff continues to excel (or overachieve depending on how you look at it) while their offense sputters. Although a couple of veterans achieved milestones as noted below, the lineup is decidedly ho-hum. Paired with the second-worst ranked farm system in the ULB, things could get even bleaker before too long. Only 23-year old rookie 2B Erik Perry (.286/.333/.500, 3-2B, 9 RBI, 3 BB, 0.4 WAR – 44/64) is generating any sort of a spark. The 7th overall pick from last season stepped into the starting lineup in mid-November after 28-year old Sean Brearton (.285/.372/.364, 1 HR, 16 RBI, 19 BB, 0.9 WAR) went down to injury. 31-year old LHP Ricardo Cruz (6-0, 0.99 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, 2.89 FIP) was absolutely jaw-dropping in October, picking up Pitching of the Month honors; alas he will miss significant playing time due to injury. However, 28-year old LHP Ron Albin (4-4, 3.45 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 3.30 FIP) has had his moments since stepping into the rotation from the bullpen after Cruz went down. Albin just needs to string together some consistent starts. Noteworthy: October 11 & November 7 – A pair of Balmoral legends reached a similar milestone nearly one month apart. 33-year old SS Francisco Rodríguez (.292/.333/.359, 10-2B, 12 RBI, 11 BB, 1.0 WAR) and 33-year old LF Carlton Broadbent (.264/.337/.493, 9 HR, 37 RBI, 17 BB, 0.1 WAR) have 17 all-star selections between over their respective 13-year careers. Now they both reached the 2000 Career Hit milestone. Rodríguez first reached it in a game against the Wolseley Unions. In the bottom of the 4th inning at Balmoral’s Foster Field, Rodríguez led off with a single into right-centerfield off LHP Anastasio Rodríguez to reach the mark. He would go 3 for 5 with two runs on the day; however, the Unions prevailed 8-6. In a game against the Brunswick Legends at Babe Ruth Park on November 7, Carlton Broadbent came up big, going 2 for 3 with 2 RBI and 2 BB as the led the Giants to a 5-2 victory. His first hit of the day was his 2000th, a two run, two-out line drive single to left field. Current Injuries: RF Roy Belknap – October 10 – broken hand. Out for: 5 more weeks. LHP Ricardo Cruz – November 2 – elbow tendinitis. Out for: 3 more weeks. 2B Sean Brearton – November 14 – herniated disc. Out for: 2-3 more weeks. -------- Offense: .253/.332/.380 (6th/3rd/5th) Pitching: 4.39/4.60/3.60 (7th/8th/4th) Defense: .708 (5th) The Hespeler Stars picked things up a bit in November, but it appears once again that it will be a long season in the ‘Hes’. The Stars have built up a long history now of selecting young, promising players only to see them wilt and fade by the time they get to the majors. Or at least it has appeared that way. The latest candidates are 25-year old LHP Larry Kovnats (2-8, 6.14 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, 3.73 FIP) and 24-year old CF John McMurray (.255/.317/.399, 4 HR, 16 RBI, 17 BB, 0.8 WAR). Kovnats, a former 3rd overall pick from 1948-49, has never delivered on his initial promise and likely never will. McMurray, who was selected first overall in 1949-50, is just in his second season so there is no need to write him off anytime soon. Still, his recent struggles seem all too familiar to the Stars. But there is some room for optimism that things could change. 29-year old RF Kominiko Hokulani (.147/.244/.267, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 8 BB, -0.0 WAR), another former first-round draft pick whose performance has cratered, has been replaced in the starting lineup by 22-year old rookie RF Tim Beattie (.293/.382/.383, 1 HR, 12 RBI, 18 BB, 0.7 WAR – 49/80). Beattie, Hespeler’s No. 2 overall prospect was originally selected 7th overall in 1947-48. And 26-year old Vic Lewis (.311/.388/.495, 9 HR, 33 RBI, 22 BB, 2.1 WAR), a second-round pick from 1946-47 now in his fourth season, is off to an outstanding start. He has already matched his WAR output from last season. But Hespeler’s best player continues to be 28-year old SS Zhao-hui Qian (.313/.370/.457, 5 HR, 27 RBI, 20 BB, 2.7 WAR). He was outstanding last season (6.2 WAR), his first full year with Hespeler, but he’s on pace to top that. The pitching staff though, is forgettable. But 27-year old ace RHP Stephen Tindall (6-5, 3.35 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 3.97 FIP) is that rare Hespeler-groomed player that has lived up to his high draft selection (7th overall in 1943-44). Player of the Week Awards: November 26 – 2B Vic Lewis (.500, 13 H, 4 HR, 8 RBI) Current Injuries: RHP Stephen Tindall – November 18 – back stiffness. Out for: Dtd, unknown. RHP Rodney Gabrielson – November 21 – acute elbow soreness. Out for: 2 more months. -------- Offense: .262/.320/.371 (4th/8th/6th) Pitching: 4.57/4.45/4.92 (8th/7th/7th) Defense: .679 (8th) While neither Balmoral or Hespeler are great teams, the only truly awful team in the West this year is the Sherburn Tigers. Predicted to finish near .500, the Tigers are already 16 games below that mark and are sinking farther. While they are not entirely devoid of talent, they just do not have enough to compete in the tough Western League, especially on the pitching and defensive side of things. But they do have a couple of individual performances worthy of note. 27-year old RHP Jesús Chapa (4-6, 2.80 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 3.59 FIP) is one of the best pitchers in the United Leagues today (ranked 3rd overall) and his outstanding play continues into this season. One can only imagine how he would fare on a more competitive team. The rest of the staff is largely forgettable, but Sherburn has a couple youngsters that could give the club a much-needed boost. 24-year old RHP Bradley Strawson (4-6, 4.65 ERA, 1.61 WHIP, 3.69 FIP – 50/60) is slowing but steadily improving in his second year. But he could certainly benefit from a sounder defensive team behind him. The former 4th overall pick from last year is now the Tigers’ No. 3 starter. And 23-year old RHP Roy Hay (1-2, 3 SV, 2.70 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 3.99 FIP) is the Tigers’ lone outstanding reliever right now. He is in his second season after being selected in the 3rd round in 1946-47. The offense hasn’t been much better but 25-year old 2B Jack Burt (.354/.403/.500, 1 HR, 23 RBI, 13 BB, 2.8 WAR) has been a revelation. The former second-overall pick from 1947-48 appears to be finally joining the upper echelon of players in the ULB. He averaged 3.4 WAR over his first three seasons. Noteworthy: November 26 –2B Jack Burt was held hitless by the Braeland City Monarchs in a 4-1 loss at The Paramount in Sherburn. It was the first time in 22 games he failed to hit safely, going 0-4 on the day. Current Injuries: None. -------- __________________ United Leagues of Braeland