The Finger Lakes League

[Big Six]

1909 Season Summary

TEAM           W   L   PCT  GB   RS   RA   OPS  ERA
Waterloo      97  53  .647  --  690  533  .695  2.52
Watkins Glen  84  66  .560  13  695  675  .685  3.08
Geneva        83  67  .553  14  635  610  .687  3.02
Penn Yan      70  80  .467  27  663  678  .667  3.12
Seneca Falls  62  88  .413  35  631  663  .647  3.16
Canandaigua   54  96  .360  43  554  709  .663  3.59

After two seasons spent flirting with real success, the Waterloo Finches broke through in 1909, setting a new record for victories in a season and winning their first Seneca Cup Series, beating Watkins Glen 4 games to 2.

LF Fernando Molina hit .377 to establish a new league record, scoring 112 runs, stealing 63 bases, and winning the Outstanding Batter prize. The rest of the Finches lineup was filled with potent bats, including RF Duane Blackburn (281-1-66), 1B Matt Parkhill (.313-3-84), and youngsters like CF Paul O'Connor (.269-3-82, 41 SB) and C Al Williams (.308-1-52). Blackburn won his seventh straight Gold Glove.

Ernesto Santos, the league's Outstanding Pitcher, went 28-9 with a 1.86 ERA. His victory total and his 82.5 VORP were both league records. Billy Edgar, Billy Patrick, and newly acquired LHP Mark Thomas all won at least 18 games, and Javier Galvan racked up 16 saves.

Watkins Glen won a dandy fight for second place, edging Geneva by a single game. Veteran Michael Watkins (20-14), was strong as ever, and a 16-8 season from 35-year-old southpaw Jeff Jones offset a disappointing 13-14 year from Edward Daybell.

A balanced hitting attack saw six Bucks drive in between 58 and 74 runs. RF Mike Young (.305-6-63) and CF Donnie Oliver (.259-2-74, 46 doubles, 16 triples) enjoyed strong seasons, and rookie SS Geoffrey Veeck hit .290 in 290 at-bats.

Rookie of the Year LF Alan Carpenter (.306-2-52) was a pleasant surprise for the Geneva Green Sox, who also got good production from RF Mike Gamble (.291-3-77) and 3B Tony Powell (.275-5-57). Shortstop Dan Morrison hit .298 with 67 extra-base hits, and stole 32 bases. CF Karl Winston stole 73 to lead the league, but hit only .210.

As usual, however, the twirlers were the big stars in Geneva. Righties Casey Ladner (21-13, 2.30, 207 K) and Raul Alonso (18-17, 2.36, 187 K) were the league's most dominant one-two pitching punch.

All four Penn Yan starters won either 16 or 17 games, including Hayden Williams and Denny Myers, who posted a fine 2.33 ERA. The Brawlers, long known for creating potent outfield combinations, fully unveiled their latest version: LF Ronald Brady (.319-4-113, 63 doubles, 18 triples), CF Francisco Rivera (.313, .402 OBP), and RF Neil Byers (.300-3-83). Add in 2B Nick Wells, who hit .288 with 98 walks, spice with Gold Gloves from Brady and Wells, and you have a recipe for better days ahead at the head of Keuka Lake.

Seneca Falls fans had to wonder what was wrong with Will Kirk (10-23), but they could cheer Roger Hopkins (15-12, 2.73) as he returned to winning form. Southpaw Dennis Williams gutted through a 16-16 season, while CF Ryan Hill (.272) continued to slump. Even Robby Ward (.294-0-63), the picture of consistency, had a subpar year, by Ward's standards.

The Canandaigua Ice Cats endured a nightmarish season. LF Claudio Navarro hit .304, but he was the only bright spot of the year for the 'Cats. Even Joe Norris, whose record was a ghastly 3-29, failed to escape the gloom surrounding the Canandaigua franchise.

The Seneca League (AAA) crowned its first champion, the Montour Falls Pioneers. The Watkins Glen affiliate defeated Clyde (Seneca Falls) to win the inaugural title.

The Pioneers were led by RF Enrique "Riverboat" Ramos (.306, 44 steals), the Bucks' first-round pick in the 1908 draft. Palmyra RF Brenton Kelly (.313-5-50) also looked like a future star--a fact that might put a smile on the faces of some beleaguered Canandaigua fans.

[Big Six]

1910 Season Summary

TEAM          W   L    PCT  GB  RS   RA    OPS  ERA
Waterloo      92  58  .613  --  583  493  .651  2.32
Geneva        84  66  .595   8  595  475  .637  2.01
Penn Yan      75  75  .500  17  587  621  .621  2.75
Seneca Falls  70  80  .467  22  558  573  .622  2.77
Canandaigua   65  85  .433  27  575  653  .613  3.01
Watkins Glen  64  86  .427  28  563  646  .637  3.12

For the first time in its history, the Finger Lakes League crowned a repeat champion. The Waterloo Finches won a tremendous Seneca Cup Series over regular-season runner up Geneva in seven games, five of which were decided by a single run.

LF Fernando Molina (.376/.429/.441) slashed a record-setting 212 hits, stole 72 bases, scored 98 times, and was a deserving Outstanding Hitter Award winner for the second time. The rest of the Finches' attack wasn't as potent as it had been in '09; RF Duane Blackburn hit .263, C Al Williams .279. Injuries dogged 1B Matt Parkhill and CF Paul O'Connor all season long.

Billy Edgar won 22 games with a 2.12 ERA to pace the Waterloo staff, while Ernesto Santos (18-8, 2.20) and reliever Dan Sawyer (10-3, 7 saves) provided first-class support.

The Finches' success overshadowed the strange slide of "Electric Billy" Patrick. His Stuff fading inexplicably, Patrick was sent to Lyons of the Seneca League. There, he pitched well out of the bullpen, striking out 14 men in 10 innings. However, on July 2, the Finches released him. As 1910 ended, Patrick had yet to find a team willing to sign him.

According to Pythagoras, Geneva was six games better than Waterloo. Casey Ladner (22-16, 1.92, 213 K) continued to mow down Finger Lakes League hitters, and took home his first Outstanding Pitcher award. Raul Alonso, the league's best wingman, went 17-17 with 202 Ks, and Ben Jones (14-4, 165 K in 21 starts) was the league's Rookie of the Year. Kent Allen and Paul Oliver teamed up for 15 saves to give the Green Sox the league's best bullpen.

Geneva fans, too, had a mystery to ponder during the 1910 season. Nick Myers went 8-7 with a 1.83 ERA, working both as a starter and in relief. In early June, Myers fired three straight shutouts. On September 13, as the Seneca Cup Series approached, the Green Sox released him.

At age 28, Myers appeared to be at the height of his powers. Rumors of illness, criminal activity, and a love affair gone wrong quickly began to swirl about. The real reason for Myers' sudden departure may never be known...

Less mysterious were the performances of LF Alan Carpenter (.287-4-72, 14 triples) and 3B Tony Powell (.296, 65 RBI). Exciting CF Don Stone emerged on the scene, hitting .316 in 225 AB and stealing 28 bases, all before his 20th birthday.

Ageless Hayden Williams, 41, won 16 games with a 2.49 ERA for resurgent Penn Yan, who cheered the long-awaited debut of LHP Patrick Davis (10-8, 87 K/160 IP), the #1 overall pick in the 1908 draft.

Another rookie, 23-year-old 1B Jim Stewart, bashed 11 home runs to set a new record. 2B Nick Wells hit only .246, but his 140 walks gave him an OBP of .415, and he scored 98 runs. LF Ronald Brady (.293-1-74) turned in another good season, if not as spectacular as his 113-RBI breakout of '09. Outfielder Gerald Tanner arrived in a midseason trade with Watkins Glen and hit .317 with 52 RBI as a Brawler. Tanner's arrival softened the blow of RF Neil Byers' fractured kneecap, which held him to 33 games.

Ryan Hill delighted his fans by bouncing back with a terrific .349 season for Seneca Falls; he set new career highs in home runs with 5 and in RBI with 74. Hill shifted to right to make room for new acquisition Donnie Oliver, who was acquired from Watkins Glen in a blockbuster April deal that sent Robby Ward to the Bucks. Oliver hit .273 with the Sheepdogs, who also picked up prize prospect SS Geoffrey Veeck in a separate trade with Watkins Glen. Highly touted 21-year-old southpaw Eric Groves went 7-10, but posted a fine 2.81 ERA.

Canandaigua climbed one spot to fifth, as Joe Norris (20-14, 2.51, 173 K) rebounded from the nightmare that was 1909. The Ice Cats acquired RHP Roger Hopkins from Seneca Falls for a trio of prospects, but Hopkins (9-16, 3.55) tore a triceps muscle in August and might not return until late in the 1911 season.

Veteran LF Claudio Navarro hit .287 and walked 90 times for the 'Cats, setting the table for 6'7" 1B Mal Chase (.288-3-55), an exciting 23-year-old rookie.

Watkins Glen's season might have been wrecked on the June day when RF Mike Young tore his groin. He was on his way to a typical Mike Young season, hitting .316 at the time of his injury. At age 38, will Young be able to return from an injury of this magnitude, or will his fine career be over?

Michael Watkins (17-15, 2.71) proved he still had plenty of stuff at age 37, but Edward Daybell (8-21) and well-traveled Will Kirk (9-22) were less effective. Robby Ward hit .283 with 89 walks for his new club.

Seneca League Highlights

The Palmyra Prophets defeated defending champion Montour Falls to win the 1910 Seneca League title. Palmyra, the Canandaigua affiliate, rode the strong right arm of Jimmy "Punk" Johnson (16-6) to the championship. Johnson, a product of Marcus Whitman High School, was Canandaigua's first round choice in the 1919 rookie draft.

Johnson won a duel of aces with Montour Falls' Garland Taylor, who somehow managed to lose five of his fifteen decisions despite an ERA of 0.72. Taylor, an 18-year-old Louisiana country boy whose nickname "Redeye" alludes to his habit of consuming huge plates full of biscuits and gravy before each start, should provide Watkins Glen fans with plenty of enjoyment when he arrives there.

[Big Six]

1911 Season Summary

TEAM           W   L    PCT  GB  RS   RA    OPS  ERA
Geneva        110  40  .733  --  813  513  .724  2.49
Waterloo       76  74  .507  34  763  701  .759  3.46 
Seneca Falls   74  76  .493  36  641  745  .669  3.87
Watkins Glen   67  83  .447  43  744  766  .720  3.54
Penn Yan       67  83  .447  43  728  791  .710  3.77
Canandaigua    56  94  .373  54  647  820  .649  3.89

The 1911 season witnessed the emergence of a superteam. The Geneva Green Sox won the regular season by an amazing 34 games, dominating the season so thoroughly that only one other team managed to win as many as half its games. Waterloo, in its bid for a third straight championship, fought bravely in the Seneca Cup Series, but eventually lost to the fearsome Green Sox, 4 games to 2.

Ace Casey Ladner won his second consecutive Outstanding Pitcher Award, going 27-11 with a 2.06 ERA and 226 strikeouts; his 88.5 VORP was the best in the league's history. Raul Alonso (25-8, 2.60) set a new record for strikeouts, punching out 236 enemy batters. However, the real key to the success of the Green Sox staff might have been another man who came to the team in an astute off-season trade.

The Sox packaged three good young players, including infielder Doyle Scurlock, and sent them to Seneca Falls for Dennis Williams. No longer burdened by the demands of being his staff's only ace, Williams exploded, posting a 28-8 record and a 2.69 ERA.

Paul Oliver and Kent Allen combined for a 12-2 record in relief. Allen's ERA was 1.60; Oliver's even better at 0.99.

Three youngsters injected new life into the Geneva attack. OF Don Stone hit .295 with 45 steals in his first full season. New CF Carl Nichols hit .335 with 46 RBI, and stole 55 bags in 98 games. Rookie 2B Mike Lewis drove in 76 runs and stole 45 bases. Perennial favorites like RF Mike Gamble (.308-6-68), 3B Tony Powell (.285-5-80), and C Bryant Brafield (61 RBI and his fourth Gold Glove) rounded out a team that will be the standard by which all other champions will be judged for a long, long time.

A third straight outstanding performance from LF Fernando Molina (.358, 200 hits, 55 steals) was the highlight of Waterloo's season. Shortstop Brandon Summers (.283-4-88), CF Paul O'Connor (.306-6-77, 41 SB), and C Al Williams (.293) also swung potent bats, and RF Duane Blackburn hit .309 with 40 RBI in half a season after breaking his foot in spring training.

Billy Edgar (18-12, 3.60) once again paced the Finches' staff, and Will Kirk, modeling his fourth uniform in as many years, bounced back to win 15 games. Javier Galvan went 1-10, but saved 10 games.

Seneca Falls nearly stole second place from Waterloo, storming back from nine games behind the Finches on August 22 and finishing only two games out of the Series.

Had the injury bug not bitten the Sheepdogs so hard, they might well have coasted into second place. Four separate injuries dogged RF Ryan Hill, but he still hit .340-1-53 and stole 38 bases in 114 games. CF Donnie Oliver separated his shoulder, ending his season in July. On a brighter note, young players like SS Geoffrey Veeck (.267, 67 SB) and C Henry Kester (8 home runs) made their presence felt. So did converted reliever Craig Sims, who went 21-12 as a starter, young lefty Eric Groves (16-14) and reliever Owen McLaughlin (6-3, 13 saves, 2.28). The troubles of Roger Hopkins (9-12) continued, causing some to doubt his future in the game.

Watkins Glen climbed back to fourth place, featuring a mixture of graying veterans and callow youngsters. Vets like C "Duck" West (.290-5-87, 55 doubles, age 38) and LF Ken Johnston (.295-6-55, age 38) enjoyed success that reminded long-time fans of days gone by. RF Mike Young (.317-4-60, age 39) recovered from his groin injury and found his stroke intact.

3B Robby Ward (.340-2-59, 99 walks, .443 OBP, age 35) was the best of them all, and narrowly edged Molina for the Outstanding Batter Award. He won a Gold Glove, as did 1B Travis Cantrell (.298-5-72, age 30).

The debuts of youngsters like 2B John Brown (.283-1-59, 98 games), RF Enrique "Riverboat" Ramos (.266, 41 steals) and RHP Chester Smith (18-11, 2.79) provided some contrast to the rest of the aging Bucks roster. Smith, who came from Waterloo in a trade of prospects that sent C Loren Jackson to the Finches, won the Rookie of the Year Award.

And 1911 brought about the farewell of Michael Watkins, who went 14-15 with a 4.39 ERA and retired at the end of the season. Watkins leaves as the all-time leader in victories (148) and ranks third all-time in strikeouts.

Hard-hitting Penn Yan was sparked by LF Ronald Brady (.309-4-110, 53 doubles, 12 triples), CF Francisco Rivera (.354, 51 SB), 1B Jim Stewart (.253-13-85, 41 doubles), and 2B Nick Wells (.290-1-80, 116 BB). Stewart broke his own home run record, set the year before. A thin pitching staff was led by lefty Patrick Davis (12-17, 2.70, 170 K)

Back to the cellar went Canandaigua, despite the efforts of veteran favorite C Hamilton Phillips (.283-2-53), the continued development of 1B Mal Chase (.309-9-68, 53 doubles, 12 triples), the emergence of rookie RF Brenton Kelly (.304-3-56, age 23), and the timely magic of 1B/OF/PH Dave Humphrey (.363-0-28 in 113 AB). Joe Norris (15-20, 2.78, 152 K), one of the league's class acts, continued to bear up manfully under the strains of eight straight seasons in the second division.


Seneca League Highlights

The Montour Falls Pioneers have made the playoffs in each season of the Seneca League's history, and in 1911 they won their second league championship, defeating the Lyons Lancers.

The Pioneers relied heavily on RHP Garland "Redeye" Taylor (15-6, 1.79, 143 K) and Bill "Toast" Baker (15-10, 2.19, 153 K). Lyons had an ace of their own, John "Bingo" Brown (17-11, 1.69, 180 K).

Clyde fans got a chance to see C Ramon Morales, sent down by Seneca Falls to serve as a player-coach. Morales hit .282 with a .444 OBP, drawing 76 walks.


College League Highlights

The University of Rochester won the collegiate league playoffs, defeating Cornell, 3 games to 2. SS Pat Fox hit .343 to lead the Yellowjackets; look for Fox in the 1912 draft pool. Underclassman Dale Johnston went 10-2 with a 2.59 ERA for the Big Red.

The hottest pro prospect in the collegiate ranks might be Ithaca College SS Javier Delgado, who posted a gaudy .354/.475/.578 line. Delgado, a junior, will be returning to Ithaca and will surely be a high choice in the 1912 draft.


High School League Highlights

Behind the powerful right arm of Jerry Wright (9-0, 2.75, 63 K/88 IP), Mynderse Academy won the prep championship over Fairport. Midlakes LF Mark Buchanan hit .479-0-32 at age 16, marking himself as a player to follow in the future.

[Big Six]

1912 Season Highlights

TEAM          W   L    PCT  GB  RS   RA    OPS  ERA
Geneva        93  57  .620  --  713  577  .723  2.95
Waterloo      79  71  .527  14  742  711  .710  3.56
Canandaigua   71  79  .473  22  756  846  .734  4.17
Seneca Falls  71  79  .473  22  706  676  .693  3.26
Penn Yan      69  81  .460  24  714  786  .724  3.75
Watkins Glen  67  83  .447  26  733  768  .724  3.55

The reign of the Geneva Green Sox over the Finger Lakes League was a short one, as the Waterloo Finches came back from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the powerful Genevans in the Seneca Cup Series.

The key to the Finches' resurgence might have been the blockbuster trade in which they sent LF Fernando Molina to Canandaigua for RHP Joe Norris. Finally, Norris got a chance to pitch for a contender. Norris won nine games for the Finches down the stretch and earned a long-awaited championship ring. Combined with Ernesto Santos (18-13, 2.91) and Billy Edgar (12-15, 3.09, 151 K), Norris gave the Waterloo club the tight three-man rotation that usually leads to playoff success.

The emergence of exciting 21-year-old OF Marlon Powell (.313-2-44 in 368 AB) enabled the Finches to trade away Molina, who hit .341 for Waterloo before the deal. RF Duane Blackburn (.324-3-82, 74 BB, 51 XBH) and C Al Williams (.276-2-60) were productive as usual, and so was CF Paul O'Connor, who hit .286 before tearing a triceps muscle in July.

Geneva's pitching staff was once again the best in the league by a wide margin, and it powered the Green Sox to another regular season title. RHP Casey Ladner (25-11, 2.36, 219 K) won an unprecedented third straight Outstanding Pitcher Award. LHP Ben Jones (23-10, 2.44) was superb, as was RHP Raul Alonso (19-14, 2.94, 186 K). When a Green Sox starter faltered, Kent Allen (7-3, 1.05, 17 saves) was there to pick up the pieces.

Geneva has successfully integrated several new players into its everyday lineup over the past two years. Dealing from strength, they swapped veteran RHP Dennis Williams to Watkins Glen for young RF Enrique Ramos, and promptly inserted him into the lineup. Ramos hit .297-7-74 with 45 doubles and 16 triples, stole 64 bases, and won the Rookie of the Year Award. Had the Riverboat not steamed away with that honor, 1B Jimmy Martin (.274-1-59, 39 doubles, 19 triples) could have. Another youngster, LF Jack Berger (.278-6-80) grabbed an everyday job. Old reliable 3B Tony Powell hit .267 with 75 RBI.

The Canandaigua Ice Cats took a big step forward in 1912, finishing in the first division for the first time in the FLL's nine-year history. The key to the 'Cats' progress was their hard-hitting lineup.

LF Fernando Molina (.344) hit as well for the Ice Cats as he did for Waterloo. 1B Mal Chase (.318-12-84, 56 doubles) won the home run crown. CF Anthony Madison (.344-4-78) and RF Brenton Kelly (.332-4-81) enjoyed productive sophomore seasons. 2B Doyle Scurlock (.301-6-90), obtained from the Sheepdogs, emerged as a star.

Will Kirk (12-19), who arrived in a trade that sent 1B Dave Humphrey to Waterloo, has now pitched for five of the six FLL teams. However, the most important new addition to the Ice Cats pitching staff was 19-year-old Garland "Redeye" Taylor (8-15, 3.66 ERA).

Seneca Falls got good seasons from veterans like LF Ryan Hill (.286-3-77, 70 BB, 47 SB) and 1B Jack Robinson (.288-1-81, 42 2B, 16 3B), as well as young RF Marlon Tucker (.320-6-73) and SS Geoffrey Veeck (.299, 111 R, 75 SB). Robinson moved to first base to make room for 2B Randy Lowry (.288-2-76, age 22). LHP Eric Groves (14-13, 2.84, 160 K) was the best of a mediocre lot of Sheepdogs pitchers.

Penn Yan fans could cheer the exploits of LF Ronald Brady (.352-4-87, 48 2B, 19 3B, .914 OPS), which earned him an Outstanding Hitter Award. 2B Nick Wells (.301-0-58, 111 BB, .434 OBP) continued to mature into a star, while CF Francisco Rivera (.327-0-70, 61 SB) turned in another solid season. The Brawlers' pitching staff was thin behind portsiders Lawrence Inman (17-17) and Patrick Davis (14-13, 3.05).

Once-proud Watkins Glen continued to flounder, as aging legends like RF Mike Young (.298-1-41) and C "Duck" West (.264-2-60) tried to recapture their former glory. 3B Robby Ward (.324-5-81, 92 BB) and CF Gunnar Doyle (.336-1-68) still had something left at age 36.

Two young players, 2B John Brown (.308-2-91, 51 2B, 14 3B) and OF Elliott Anderson (.307, 23 SB in 194 AB) provided glimpses of hope for the future, but as long as the Bucks insist on trading away young studs like Enrique Ramos, their rebuilding will move slowly. The player they acquired for Ramos, RHP Dennis Williams, won 18 games for the Bucks--10 fewer than he did for Geneva in 1912.

[Big Six]

Elsewhere in the Finger Lakes League world:

The Seneca League champions for 1912 were the Palmyra Prophets, (CAN)who defeated the Hammondsport Harpoons (PY), 3 games to 1 in the championship series.

Palmyra RHP Dizzy Moran (18-2, 1.02, 176/32 K/BB) mowed down hitters like a scythe moving through tall grass. Seneca Falls farmhand Jeff Collins posted a 1.72 ERA with 118 strikeouts and 34 walks for Clyde.

The most promising young hitter in the league was 20-year-old RF Jeff Lawson of Lyons (.343-3-45), the latest in a long list of talented young Geneva prospects.

The University of Rochester put the finishing touches on a three-peat when it beat Hobart, 3-1, in the college playoffs. U of R senior CF "Shameless Dan" Griffin hit .353 with a .491 OBP, and then hit .278 for Palmyra after Canandaigua drafted him in June.

Keuka College teammates Trey Sexton (7-3, 2.50), a fine lefthanded pitcher, and LF Ricardo Gonzales (.381) established themselves as future prospects with outstanding seasons at age 19.

The champion of the high school league is Midlakes High School, who defeated Penn Yan Academy in the playoffs. LF Mark Buchanan hit .431 for the champion Screaming Eagles.

Keep an eye on Mynderse Academy CF Freddy Dunbar (.465-2-39, 16 2B, 11 3B) and Geneva HS LHP Donnie "Pigpen" O'Brien (48/4 K/BB in 41 IP), a pair of 16-year-old prospects. O'Brien has potential as a power closer, while Dunbar, who moved to the area from Vancouver, British Columbia, could be a batting champion one day.

[Big Six]

July 1, 1913

TEAM          W   L    PCT  GB
Geneva        48  31  .582  --
Penn Yan      46  33  .582   2
Waterloo      45  34  .570   3
Canandaigua   34  45  .430  14
Seneca Falls  34  45  .430  14
Watkins Glen  30  49  .380  18

A dandy three-team race for first place has provided plenty of excitement for Finger Lakes League fans so far this season. Geneva and Waterloo, who have been familiar sights at the top of the tables for the past few years, have been joined by hard-charging Penn Yan.

The Brawlers have been active in the trade market, bringing in players that management believes can lead them to the playoffs. From Seneca Falls, the club acquired RHP Roger Hopkins for two minor leaguers. Hopkins has gone 7-1 with a 1.60 ERA for the Brawlers...but is the fact that he's struck out only 16 batters while walking 17 a sign that hitters might soon catch up with his assortment of breaking stuff?

The most exciting news out of Penn Yan is the return of LF Fernando Molina, who began his career with the Brawlers in 1904 and 1905. Penn Yan acquired Mollina from Canandaigua for veteran LHP Howard Ross and OF prospect Dave Preston. Molina is 34 years old now, but his on-base skills (.353, .436 OBP) remain as sharp as ever.

Reunited with his old friend, CF Francisco Rivera (.346) is hitting like a demon, and LF Ronald Brady (.307-3-48) and 2B Nick Wells (.299-0-43, 54 BB) are as reliable as the sunrise.

Geneva has added stocky RHP Henry Clements, 22 (10-8, 3.67) to its star-studded rotation, fronted as usual by Casey Ladner (10-7) and Raul Alonso (9-10, 2.50). Ladner and Alonso are 1-2 in the league in strikeouts once again.

1B Jim Stewart, now in Waterloo after he was inexplicably released by Penn Yan, leads the league with 53 RBI. Jim is also making much better contact, hitting .321, up from .261 last season.

The big story out of Canandaigua is the tremendous start of rookie CF Robbie Blanchard, who is hitting .410 with 52 stolen bases. Blanchard, only 20, has ripped 128 hits in 70 games, and is taking aim at several single season records. Blanchard qualifies as a major surprise, as he hit only .254 for Clyde in the Seneca League in 1912.

There are plenty of reasons for Finger Lakes fans to pay close attention to the remainder of the 1913 season.

[Let's Play Two]

It looks like you're off to a great start, Big Six. I think the six-team league works well, because it's easy for all of us (including you) to keep up with.

I like the new format, too. Two updates a year work well, and it looks like you'll be able to keep the league moving forward.

I might have to pick a college or high school team to root for, just to be different. At any rate I'll keep reading and enjoying, because you have a talent for making fictional players, teams, and leagues seem real.

Keep up the good work.

[Big Six]

Originally Posted by Let's Play Two

It looks like you're off to a great start, Big Six. I think the six-team league works well, because it's easy for all of us (including you) to keep up with.

I like the new format, too. Two updates a year work well, and it looks like you'll be able to keep the league moving forward.

I might have to pick a college or high school team to root for, just to be different. At any rate I'll keep reading and enjoying, because you have a talent for making fictional players, teams, and leagues seem real.

Keep up the good work.

Thanks, LPT. Keeping up with 12 or 16 teams took a lot of time, and I didn't feel like I could enjoy the league as much. I found myself missing things that happened each season--no-hitters, big trades, the retirement of a star--the kinds of things a real fan of a real league would have known and cared about.

I think I'll keep using the mid-season update/season summary format as my basic method of telling this story. If there are players or teams any of you would like to know more about, please let me know. I enjoy writing "features" like that, too.

I should have the 1913 season finished today, and I'll have some special features in honor of the FLL's 10th season, too.

[Big Six]

November 1, 1913

TEAM           W   L    PCT  GB  RS   RA    OPS   ERA
Geneva         91  59  .607  --  693  581  .713  2.85
Waterloo       89  61  .593   2  730  604  .750  3.16
Seneca Falls   75  75  .500  16  696  665  .702  3.44
Penn Yan       70  80  .467  21  677  744  .687  3.54
Watkins Glen   64  86  .427  27  688  794  .702  3.93
Canandaigua    61  89  .407  30  657  753  .709  4.25

It took a frightful second-half collapse by the Penn Yan Brawlers to make it happen, but for the fourth consecutive season, the Geneva Green Sox and Waterloo Finches met in the Seneca Cup Series. And, although Waterloo has made the Series as the regular season runner-up on three of those occasions, they've also had better success in the Series than the Green Sox. 1913 was no exception, as the Finches beat the Green Sox, 4 games to 2, to capture the Series. Their victory gave the Finches four Series titles, making them the first franchise in Finger Lakes League history to win that many.

The Finches unleashed a fearsome offense, led by fence-busting 1B Jim Stewart (.309-15-111, .537 SLG, 50 2B, 11 3B), dangerous LF Marlon Powell (.343-3-86, 19 3B, 43 SB), and long-time Waterloo fixtures RF Duane Blackburn (. 311-2-68, 43 2B, 18 3B, 36 SB) and CF Paul O'Connor (.293-6-48, 34 SB).

No Waterloo pitcher won 20 games, but five won at least 12, led by Ben Jones (19-13) and Billy Edgar (18-12). Original Finch Ernesto Santos, 38, won 16 games in what would turn out to be his final season.

Geneva's formula for regular season success remains as potent as ever: the league's best pitching staff and just enough offense to keep the pitchers in the game when they don't have their best stuff. Casey Ladner won his second consecutive pitchers' Triple Crown (22-11, 2.20, 213 K) and, not surprisingly, another Outstanding Pitcher Award--his fourth in a row. Henry Clements won 20 games in his first full season, and Raul Alonso submitted another typical Alonso season (19-18, 2.34, 181 K). Kent Allen, the league's most brilliant closer, saved 15 games.

Young 1B Jimmy Martin (.307-0-94) continues to establish his credentials as one of the league's up-and-coming stars; he set a new league record with 27 triples in 1913. Skipper Howard Robinson is managing to keep the Green Sox on top while he plans for the long-term success of the club. Seven of the 11 Geneva players with the most at-bats during the season were 23 or younger, and only one, 3B Tony Powell (.285-5-76, age 33) is in his thirties.

Seneca Falls, with a resurgent RF Ryan Hill batting .338 with a .401 OBP and slugging C Henry Kester (.283-16-82) setting a new league record for home runs, powered past Penn Yan into third place. Robinson Rodriguez, largely forgotten for several years, reasserted himself with a 22-12 record. A number of promising young players like SS Geoffrey Veeck (.293, 52 SB), 2B-3B Randy Lowry (.277, 43 SB), and RF Marlon Tucker (.320-3-71) also make the Sheepdogs an exciting team to watch.

None of Penn Yan's key players were as productive after July 1 as they had been in the first three months of the season. LF Fernando Molina (.322. .402 OBP), CF Francisco Rivera (.329, .410 OBP), RF Ronald Brady (.303-4-91) and 2B Nick Wells (.287-1-73, .387 OBP) all finished the year with good numbers, but they all happened to slump at the same time. However, no Brawler had a worse second half than hapless Roger Hopkins, who went 5-13 after a 7-1 start.

After making the playoffs in each of the FLL's first five seasons, the Watkins Glen Bucks have now finished fifth or sixth in each of the last five years. Bucks fans could applaud the fine performance of 3B Robby Ward (.343-7-77, 112 BB, .461 OBP), whose all-around excellence earned him the second Outstanding Hitter Award of his illustrious career. Ward's OBP was the highest single-season mark in FLL history.

Bucks fans said goodbye to C "Duck" West, who retired at age 40 after hitting .216 in 112 AB. And, they bid an even fonder farewell to RF Mike Young, who turned 41, hit .273 in 264 AB, and laid aside his booming bat for good.

With their team foundering in last place, Canandaigua fans contented themselves with watching rookie CF Robbie Blanchard's quest to hit .400. The 20-year-old phenom actually raised his average to .419 in early August before he slumped; going into the last week of the season, he was still as high as .392 before ending at .374. Still, his mark was good enough to lead the league by almost 30 points; he stole 87 bases, setting a new league record; he scored an even 100 runs; and, not surprisingly, he ran away with the Rookie of the Year Award. RF Brenton Kelly (.338-8-80), LF Anthony Madison (.279-9-69, 48 2B, 17 3B), and 1B Mal Chase (.281-8-69) also swung the bat well for the Ice Cats, and Garland Taylor posted a 3.32 ERA and struck out 151 men.

Thus ended the tenth season of the Finger Lakes League, a campaign in which several new single season standards were achieved. Next, I'll post a ten-year retrospective that will salute some of the most notable accomplishments of the league's first decade.

[Big Six]

In the next two posts, I'll post lists of the career leaders in a variety of important categories for hitters and pitchers. First, the batsmen; 2000 career AB are required to qualify for the leaderboard in the rate stats.

CAREER BATTING LEADERS

BATTING AVERAGE 
Fernando Molina    .350
Ryan Hill          .331
Francisco Rivera   .324
Mike Young         .323
Ronald Brady       .310
Robby Ward         .307
Neil Byers         .307
Mal Chase          .300
Duane Blackburn    .297
Claudio Navarro    .290

OBP
Fernando Molina    .405
Robby Ward         .401
Nick Wells         .401
Mike Young         .395
Francisco Rivera   .390

SLUGGING AVERAGE
Ronald Brady       .456
Mal Chase          .452
Fernando Molina    .426
Mike Young         .419
Ryan Hill          .405

OPS
Fernando Molina    .831
Mal Chase          .815
Mike Young         .814
Ronald Brady       .799
Ryan Hill          .792

HITS
Ryan Hill          1726
Francisco Rivera   1711
Robby Ward         1634
Fernando Molina    1580
Tony Powell        1491

RUNS
Ryan Hill           824
Duane Blackburn     805
Francisco Rivera    803
Robby Ward          783
Fernando Molina     742

HOME RUNS
Jim Stewart          51
Tony Powell          34
Mal Chase            32
Henry Kester         29
Pablo Marrero        26

RUNS BATTED IN 
Tony Powell         688
Jack Robinson       647
Robby Ward          643
Gunnar Doyle        608
Duane Blackburn     594

STOLEN BASES
Francisco Rivera    536
Duane Blackburn     470
Karl Winston        445
Fernando Molina     437
Ryan Hill           417

VORP
Robby Ward         407.2
Ryan Hill          312.8
Fernando Molina    270.5
Mike Young         259.8
Francisco Rivera   252.5

• At age 35, Fernando Molina is perhaps beginning his decline phase. Nevertheless, unless he hangs on for several years while he flat-out stinks, he should retire as the all-time batting leader.
  
• The list of slugging average leaders will look very different in a few years. More home runs mean higher SAs, and several younger guys (Jim Stewart, Brenton Kelly, etc.) will show up here as soon as they accumulate 2000 AB.
  
• In case you haven't noticed yet, Mal Chase is a beast. He's one of a number of good young players Canandaigua has brought along, and if they all continue to improve, the Ice Cats are going to become a much tougher team to beat.
  
• I'm pulling for Ryan Hill to get 3000 hits. He'll be 34 as the 1914 season begins, so he has a shot at it if he can keep raking into his forties. Duane Blackburn, with 1481 hits at age 32, is probably a better bet. Keep an eye on Ronald Brady, too; he'll get his 1000th hit in April, and he'll be just short of his 27th birthday.
  
• Again, the home run and RBI lists will soon start to look a lot different. The top sluggers are reaching double figures soon, so guys like Pablo Marrero, a journeyman with a little bit of pop who's been around since 1904, will soon yield their places to the young guns.
  
• The first 12 spots on the RBI list are held by guys who have, in most cases, simply been good enough to remain in the middle of someone's batting order for a decade. Ronald Brady, who's currently at #13, is driving runs in at a much faster pace than anyone else in the league.
  
• Robby Ward has played most of his career for mediocre teams in Seneca Falls and Watkins Glen. Now 38, he'll retire without a Seneca Series ring, unless the Bucks turn things around in a breathtakingly rapid fashion.

[Big Six]

Now, the all-time leaders in a number of pitching categories. 1500 IP are required to qualify for the leaderboard in the rate stats.

CAREER PITCHING LEADERS

EARNED RUN AVERAGE (1500 IP)
Casey Ladner        2.05
Hayden Williams     2.46
Raul Alonso         2.47
Michael Watkins     2.57
Joe Norris          2.64
Dennis Williams     2.67
Billy Edgar         2.70
Ernesto Santos      2.77
Edward Daybell      2.78
Roger Hopkins       2.82

WINS
Ernesto Santos       180
Raul Alonso          176
Billy Edgar          167
Denny Myers          164
Dennis Williams      163
Joe Norris           159
Michael Watkins      148
Casey Ladner         147
Hayden Williams      135


STRIKEOUTS
Raul Alonso         1681
Casey Ladner        1399
Ernesto Santos      1391
Joe Norris          1353
Billy Edgar         1291

SHUTOUTS
Raul Alonso           36
Casey Ladner          30
Michael Watkins       29
Hayden Williams       29
Dennis Williams       28

SAVES
Javier Galvan        115
Kent Allen           104
Paul Crowley          83
Andres Luyo           79
Hal Nelson            44

WHIP
Casey Ladner        0.95
Joe Norris          1.13
Raul Alonso         1.14
Michael Watkins     1.15
Dennis Williams     1.19

VORP
Raul Alonso        500.6
Billy Edgar        475.7
Ernesto Santos     472.6
Casey Ladner       453.6
Joe Norris         406.5

• Casey Ladner just turned 29, so he is probably in his prime right now. His ERA will undoubtedly rise, both because he'll decline and because there's more offense in the league than there was in the "aughts." Still, I have a feeling that Casey's spot among the all-time greats will only be more secure a decade from now.
  
• Ernesto Santos just retired, which means that next spring, Raul Alonso will pass him to become the winningest pitcher in FLL history. Raul is four months older than his teammate, Ladner, so there's a good chance he'll have 200 wins to his credit before he turns 30. With any luck at all, both he and Ladner will end their careers with over 300 wins and 3000 strikeouts apiece. We might be seeing the greatest pair of pitching teammates in history...even if we keep watching for many years to come.
  
• Javier Galvan and Kent Allen have emerged as the first "closers" in Finger Lakes League history, working the endgame for Waterloo and Geneva, respectively. Galvan holds the single season saves record with 19, set in 1912; Allen has a 1.65 career ERA.
  
• Here's a tip of the cap to Billy Edgar, always good and sometimes spectacular over a decade at the top of the Finches' rotation. He's 32, so we should be able to enjoy him for a few more years to come.
  
• Several of the mound giants of the first years of FLL play--Hayden Williams, Ernesto Santos, Michael Watkins--have retired now, and several more will probably join them soon. These lists, therefore, are about to turn over, as the early stars yield to players who had the luxury of being born late enough to break in when they were in their early 20s, instead of close to 30.

[Big Six]

Here are the composite standings of the first ten seasons of the Finger Lakes League:

TEAM            W    L    PCT  PO  SC
Geneva         882  618  .588   6   1
Waterloo       774  726  .516   6   4
Watkins Glen   748  752  .499   5   3
Seneca Falls   746  754  .497   2   1
Penn Yan       705  795  .470   1   1
Canandaigua    645  855  .430   0   0

PO = number of times the team has played in the Seneca Cup Series playoff
SC = number of Seneca Cup Series the team has won

• Despite Geneva's dominance of the regular season, they can't seem to get it done in the Series. Their 1911 juggernaut won the franchise's only Series, and they've lost five times.
  
• Geneva has never experienced a losing season, and the Green Sox have never finished lower than third.
  
• Waterloo finished below .500 in 1904, 1905, and 1906, but they have reeled off seven straight winning seasons since then.
  
• Watkins Glen's story is a tale of two teams. For six years, they were the league's most successful team. Lately, they've been among the doormats.
  
• Penn Yan won its Series in 1905, and hasn't experienced postseason play since.
  
• Poor Canandaigua is the only FLL team to never make the playoffs. In fact, the Ice Cats have only finished as high as third once, in 1912.

[AZTarHeel]

Hey Big Six, I'm finally getting the chance to get caught up on this one ... this dynasty looks like fun, too ... It's neat to see what story lines develop out of a fictional universe ...

Of course, I decided right away that I liked the Ice Cats and what have they done for me? They are to the Finger Lakes League what the Greensboro Patriots have been in my North Carolina State League dynasty ... just wait till next year!

[Big Six]

Thanks for stopping by, AZ. I have a few ideas that I hope will make the league come even more alive.

You have been a loyal Ice Cats fan from the beginning, and you're not the only one. It hasn't been easy, and you've had to be much more patient than any other fans in the league. However, there could be better days ahead.

Baseball America rates the Canandaigua farm system as the best in the league, by a wide margin. No fewer than five young Cats rank among the top 16 prospects in the league: P LHP Garland "Redeye" Taylor (#1) CF Robbie Blanchard (#5), RHP Mike Mann (#7), 3B George John (#9), and RHP Jason Gibson (#16). Taylor, Blanchard, and John have already made the big club, and as you know, Taylor and Blanchard had terrific seasons in 1913.

As the 1913 holiday season approaches, this positional strength chart brings even more good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all Cats fans:

POS STARTER           AGE  RNK   TOP PROSPECT     AGE  RNK  ORG
 C  Donald Finley      23  3rd   Finley            23  2nd  4th
1B  Mal Chase          27  4th   Mike Jennings     22  3rd  3rd
2B  Lee Gary           22  5th   "Jazz" Medina     19  3rd  3rd
3B  George John        23  1st   John              23  1st  1st
SS  Doyle Scurlock     29  6th   Mauro Carrillo    20  3rd  6th
LF  Anthony Madison    24  4th   Jimmy Bryant      24  1st  2nd
CF  Robbie Blanchard   20  1st   Kevin Wade        23  1st  1st
RF  Brenton Kelly      26  5th   Al De La Garza    22  4th  5th

SP  Garland Taylor     21  2nd   Taylor            21  2nd  2nd
SP  Mike Mann          20        Jason Gibson      20
SP  Howard Ross        33        Bailey Thomas     21
SP  Will Kirk          33        Rod Mayfield      21
RP  Denny Myers        37  T-1   Scott Shelton     21  1st  2nd
CL  Paul Crowley       35  6th   Gilbert Chaney    23  1st  2nd

The Cats will field a litter of Kittens in 1914, and while they may be young, these Kittens have claws and teeth! Older players like C Hamilton Phillips and 3B Ronald Reece, both original Cats, gave way to new men in 1913, and other vets might soon see the same fate. I'm sure some of those journeyman pitchers are looking over their shoulders.

Only at shortstop does the future really look dim, and I think BA is hosing Scurlock. Yeah, he hit .228 in 1913 with a -10.9 VORP, but he's only a year removed from a sweet .301-6-90 line. I'm not convinced Scurlock is really the worst regular shortstop in the league.

Doyle is weak defensively, but the Cats have a young backup, Rafael Cruz, who can pick it, and Carrillo is even better than he is.

The only reason Brenton Kelly ranks fifth among the league's right fielders is the fact that Duane Blackburn, Francisco Rivera, "Riverboat" Ramos, and Marlon Tucker are all currently playing right field for other teams in the league. That's pretty tough company. I don't know a single FLL manager who wouldn't want Kelly on his team.

A 1918 Canandaigua lineup, then, might look like this (1918 ages in parentheses)

 C  Donald Finley  (28)
1B  Mal Chase  (32)
2B  "Jazz" Medina  (24)
3B  George John  (28)
SS  Mauro Carrillo  (25)
LF  Anthony Madison (29)
CF  Robbie Blanchard (25)
RF  Brenton Kelly (31)

SP  Garland Taylor (26)
SP  Mike Mann (25)
SP  Jason Gibson (20)
SP  Bailey Thomas (26)
RP  Scott Shelton (26)
CL  Gilbert Chaney (28)

That looks like a heck of a good team to me. Chase, Madison, and Kelly are already established, talented players, and they'll all still be in their primes in 1918. Blanchard won't hit .370 every year, but he might hit .330. John, Taylor, and Mann are on their way to stardom, and guys like Gibson and Medina might not be far behind them.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Ice Cats climb, in suitably feline fashion, out of the second division in '14, and a winning record might not be a bad bet, either.