Baseball's Rebirth in the Old North State (1945- )

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1948 Albemarle Rockets (!) – Preseason Transactions



Checking in on roster movement with the newly reminted Albemarle Rockets (formerly Landis Millers), managed by Boone Tucker (i.e. me, the human player):

Players not re-signed by the club:
1B John Johnson
RHP Hector Ramos
RHP Kevin Meadows

We tried to keep Meadows but he was asking for a bit more than we wanted to part with.

Player Trades
1) We moved on from shortstop Eric Gossett, trading him to Smithfield-Selma for 30-year-old hotshot 2B Cody Nutter, one of the stars for the Tobacco League champs in 1947. We think he can be the spark our offense needs (137 hits, 33 doubles, 5 triples, 14 home runs, 67 RBIs, 99 walks (!), .447 OBP for the Leafs in 1947) … Good speed, good defense, good ratings (Eye 59, Gap 88, Power 72, Contact 49, Avoid Ks 46). Excited about this pickup.

2) We moved RHP Abraham Urbano and SS Elliot Osten (prospect) to the Clinton Blues for 24-year-old starting pitcher Jared Roy (LHP). He’s got pinpoint control (which we need, desperately) and a captain’s personality (which never hurts). He went 15-9, 2.42 ERA in the Tobacco State League. Will his skill set translate moving “up” a level?

Free Agent Signings
Relief pitcher Kevin Meadows: We got him back! And at our price. He was 5-1 with 5 saves, 2.41 ERA in 1947. We need his control in the bullpen …

Reliever Kyle Bennett: Recorded 20 saves for Rocky Mount in 1947 – we’re looking for someone who won’t blow up an inning and will keep the ball in the park…

Lefty reliever Danny Case: This is our flame thrower (97-99 mph) … Great slider and sinker, and doesn’t issue a lot of walks … He played (and closed) for Wilson last year.

Shortstop Kevin Murphy: A late pick-up. Steady defensive player, boring overall, insurance for our young new starter at SS Victor Estrada as he gets his feet wet.

*** One notable FA signing I saw: Concord closer Tim Carlsen (40 saves the past two seasons) signed with Winston-Salem of the flagship Carolina League. The Cardinals are going to use him as a starter. Also saw where Carlsen is pretty much a jerk, personality wise.

Spring training is calling…Let’s go!!

(Fade out to Take Me Out to the Ballgame, played by an Appalachian bluegrass band)

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1948 Carolina League – Preseason Predictions



Pundits pick Winston-Salem to win it all in '48

Here is how the baseball experts across the Old North State see the 1948 season playing out in the Carolina League:

Predicted Order of Finish
Winston-Salem Cardinals 92-49 (wow!)
Asheville Tourists 85-55 (defending champs)
Raleigh Capitals 82-59
Burlington Bees 80-60 (1945 champs)
Greensboro Patriots 80-60 (1946 champs, 1947 regular season champs)
Charlotte Hornets 68-73
Durham Bulls 61-79
Leaksville-Draper-Spray Triplets 58-82
Fayetteville Cubs 50-91
Reidsville Luckies 46-94


Preseason MVPs
Hitter: LF Jerry “Wilson” Franco (Reidsville) – The Luckies paid a hefty sum for the 29-year-old newcomer to North Carolina baseball, one of the biggest contracts in the young history of the league (7 years, $16,800 per year)
Pitcher: RHP Adam “Bird Dog” Parrish (Winston-Salem) – 26 wins the past two seasons, emerging star

Notebook: Asheville standouts TJ Hoover and Mario Lopez set for another big year defending the Tourists’ title. Pitchers Bob Sustarsic and Justin Pearson also return … Watch for Raleigh, with three pitchers listed in the top 10 preseason MVP favorites…

Who's your pick?

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1948 Coastal Plain League – Preseason Predictions



Greenville, Rocky Mount, Goldsboro looking to unseat two-time champion Kinston at the top

Predicted Order of Finish
Greenville Greenies 77-63 (1946 regular season champs)
Rocky Mount Leafs 76-64 (1947 runners-up)
Goldsboro Goldbugs 73-67 (beware the bugs)
New Bern Bears 70-70
Tarboro Tars 70-70
Kinston Eagles 69-71 (wow, no respect for the Eagles)
Roanoke Rapids Jays 68-72
Wilson Tobs 59-81




Preseason MVPs
Hitter: CF Josh Nelson (New Bern) – Hit .251 with 174 RBIs, 24 triples, 14 homers in three seasons with the Durham Bulls

Pitcher: 35-year-old starter Ryan Alcala (Tarboro) – Won 23 games over three seasons in the Carolina League with Charlotte and Leaksville.

Notebook: Kinston outfielder Phil Durham (former Landis star) not mentioned among top-10 hitters but is back hitting leadoff for the Eagles. Teammates Tris Boone (1B) and Kalif Shahidi (CF) do make the list … My favorite CPL player, catcher Darius Davis, is back with Roanoke Rapids. Davis smashed 29 HRs last season. “Has a decency about him that endears him to the fans.” – Yep.

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1948 North Carolina State League – Preseason Predictions



Can Concord win a fourth title in a row? Pundits think so
Everybody’s chasing the Concord Weavers, winners of the league championship in 1945, 1946 and 1947. The OOTP prediction engine sees the pesky Weavers as the team to beat again, but the battle for the top spots could be tight. Only two will make the playoffs.

Predicted Order of Finish
Concord Weavers 66-44
Mooresville Moors 65-45 (runner-up last season)
Mount Airy Graniteers 63-47 (late swoon kept them out of last year’s playoffs)
Statesville Owls 63-47
Albemarle Rockets 61-49 (temporarily relocated from Landis for ‘48 season)
High Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms 59-51
Lexington A’s 51-59
Salisbury Pirates 51-59 (they quickly shifted away from being our chief rival)
Hickory Rebels 48-62
North Wilkesboro Flashers 24-86 (cobbled together a team of misfits at the last minute)




Preseason MVPs
Hitter: CF Nick Pfau (Concord) – He has haunted us for three seasons and looks ready to do it again.

Pitcher: Steve Allen (Concord) – Only 24, he feels like he has been around forever (28-10 the last two seasons with sub 3.00 ERA.

Quick hits: None of Boone Tucker's Albemarle Rockets players are mentioned in either preseason top 10 players list … I think our newly acquired 2B Cody Nutter can make some waves but this is a bit disconcerting...

Editor's Note: I really like the Concord uniform concept I came up with.

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1948 Western Carolina League – Preseason Predictions



It's Lenoir and the seven dwarves in the inaugural WCL season

Here is the first look at North Carolina's newest baseball circuit, the Western Carolina League. This is a step down from the North Carolina State League and Coastal Plain League and a step above the Tobacco State League in terms of prestige/finances. We'll see how things play out on the field.

The Lenoir Red Sox, moving “down” from the NCSL, are the easy pick to win the circuit. This is a true wild-card baseball league right now – the land of misfit toys – since I created these teams and the league as a whole AFTER the new player draft.

Aside from the Red Sox, these teams are pretty much whoever could be cobbled together from existing free agents at the last minute.

Predicted Order of Finish
Lenoir Red Sox 82-26 (whoa!)
Morganton Aggies 54-54
Hendersonville Skylarks 53-55
Marion Marauders 52-56
Forest City Owls 50-58
Newton-Conover Twins 50-58
Lincolnton Cardinals 49-59
Shelby Farmers 45-63

Preseason MVPs:
Hitter: Mike Rivera (Lenoir) – Scouts see the 24-year-old having a breakout season after hitting .255 with 47 RBIs in 1947. Gap hitter, not much of a power-threat.

Pitcher: David Brown (Lenoir) – The 25-year-old posted a misleading 7-14 record in his NCSL debut after spending two years of spot rotation time in the Carolina League. His ERA was low and he keeps the ball in the park. He could dominate at this level for awhile…

Notebook: This will be an interesting test of my game engine … Lenoir spent two seasons in the North Carolina State League but entered the WCL with a decided financial and talent advantage. Are they set up to be a dynasty for awhile? All five starting pitchers are listed in the preseason top 10, including four who are in the top five…

Unique Playoff Format Adopted
The Western Carolina League has decided in its inaugural season that all eight teams will make the playoffs! The quarterfinals and semifinals will be best-of-five series, with the championship round best of seven.

“We’re new, we figured the fans might appreciate everyone having a shot at winning a title, even if you brought up the rear in the standings,” one official said. Some fans don’t like the idea and think it cheapens the regular season. But isn't it hard to cheapen something that has never happened before? We shall see!

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1948 Tobacco State League – Preseason Predictions



Smithfield-Selma aims to defend championship; Wilmington & Dunn-Erwin on the prowl to knock them off

The more things change, the more they stay the same … Three teams that have ruled the league so far look to stay on top …

Predicted Order of Finish
Smithfield-Selma Leafs 90-50 (1947 champs)
Wilmington Pirates 90-50 (1946, 1947 runners-up)
Dunn-Erwin Twins 89-51 (1946 champs)
Sanford Spinners 79-61
Warsaw Red Sox 59-81
Lumberton Auctioneers 52-88
Red Springs Red Robins 52-88
Clinton Blues 51-89



Preseason MVPs
Hitter: RF Marten Lennon (Dunn-Erwin) – 25-year-old from Kill Devil Hills hit 26 homers in 1947 and 20 in 1946 … 165 RBIs the past two seasons … One-swing game changer …

Pitcher: Danny Ostry (Dunn-Erwin) – 30-year-old starter went 11-9 with 4.01 ERA for the Twins in 1947 …

Notebook: Wilmington trying to be a champ after being a bridesmaid the past two seasons. Hitters Shane Moore and Jesse Winchell listed among league’s best … Dunn-Erwin also returns Jim Bogle (49 HRs the past two seasons) and Mike Brady (29 HRs). Twins believe power wins championships… We’ll be watching the defending champion Leafs. We traded SS Eric Gossett to Smithfield-Selma. Hope he has a great season (but not so good it makes us look bad for letting him go).

OK, enough chatter - on to the 1948 baseball season

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If you are just tuning in or have forgotten, a quick refresher on the universe I am building.

I started in 1945 with two main leagues: The Carolina League and the North Carolina State League. Now it is 1948, we have five independent "major" leagues all operating within the same North Carolina ecosystem, adding the Coastal Plain League, the Tobacco State League and the Western Carolina League. This mimics what was really going on in my state during this time, with the main difference being that many of the real-life teams were affiliates of Major League clubs, whereas in this world all teams and leagues stand on their own.

Here is the hierarchy:

* The Carolina League is the flagship: the biggest teams, the biggest stadiums, the best finances, etc. In college football terms, think SEC and Big Ten.

* The North Carolina State League and Coastal Plain League are the next steps down, with finances about 65-70 percent of the Carolina League. Think G6 programs in college football terms.

* The Western Carolina League is a step down from the NCSL and CPL. Think FCS in college football terms.

* The Tobacco State League is the hometown circuit. Think Division II college football, with finances maybe 25 percent of the Carolina League.

All five leagues compete for their own championships. And I'm also tinkering around with a Champion of Champions tournament idea where the top team from each league competes in a special playoff at the end to see who the real "Best Team in North Carolina" is.

Thanks for reading along!