Chicago Cougars (FABL)

[ayaghmour2]

I just couldn't help myself! I had to do it! I had to make a trade!

It's a pretty big one too, as I added a former Cougar draft pick and a longtime target of mine. That would be Hal Wood and Jim Morrison, as I made one last effort to get us over the hump. It really hurts, but I had to part with Zane Kelley, who should slot right into the Wolves rotation after the trade. He'll be joined by Ducky Cole, which makes room for Wood on the active roster, while prospects George Carter and Mike Emerson make their way to the Wolves as well. I didn't like parting with young pitchers, but this will make room for some of our draftees, and I just couldn't stand pat and watch us wither off in the second half.

If we wither, it's going to be after pushing more chips in! That's the only way I know!

Wood, who just turned 36 in June, was the 8th Pick of the 1935 Draft, and he began his professional career with us. All 1,228 of his previous games came in Toronto, but he spent four seasons in our system and made his way up to AAA. He was ranked as high as 38 on the prospect list, and right as he was about to make his Cougar debut, he brought in our current ace Donnie Jones.

No matter how you look at that deal now, it was an instant success for the Wolves, as Wood and Juan Pomales both had roles on the 1940 Wolves team that won their first title since 1911. Wood himself wasn't great, hitting .248/.311/.349 (83 OPS+) in 346 trips to the plate, but at 27 in 1942, Wood started a rather impressive streak. The infielder hit .389/.341/.405 (121 OPS+) with 16 doubles, 3 triples, 4 homers, and 36 RBIs. He also produced a 115 WRC+, the first of six consecutive seasons with an above average mark. 1950 would make seven, and the 4-Time All Star is slashing .332/.408/.448 (121 OPS+) with 22 doubles, 4 triples, 3 homers, and 41 RBIs. He has drawn 40 walks to just 21 strikeouts, and his 140 WRC+ would be a career best. He's still held his own defensively at third base (0.4, .984), and he'll join Chubby Hall as former Cougar draftees who were traded before debuting just to return years later.

Prior to the trade, Hall has had a very successful FABL career, batting .298/.365/.395 (114 OPS+) with 214 doubles, 31 triples, 37 homers, and 519 RBIs. Never known for much power, what he brings instead is a lot of line drives and very few strike outs. His 4.6 K% in 4,520 plate appearances is truly inspiring, and only Eddie Howard (4.0%) has a lower mark on the season. This year Wood's is a bit higher, but 5.5 is a comfortable 4th. He will give a lot of good, tough at bats, and our lineup should benefit greatly from his addition.

The other addition is a pitcher I really wanted in the 1936 draft. Rightfully, I took Peter the Heater with the 6th pick, but when pick 22 came (eventually Newt Jackson), I was really hoping Morrison would be available.

Instead, he went 16th to the Wolves, where he spent every moment of his FABL career until today. It took him just a bit over a year to debut, as he made 25 appearances (22 starts) as a 23-year-old in 1938. He was 11-10, but his 4.70 ERA (84 ERA+) was much higher then his 4.12 FIP (103 FIP-). It took him a few seasons to get settled in, but unfortunately for the southpaw, he was one of the first calls to the military. Morrison enlisted in the Army after the 1941 season, spending the next four years away from baseball.

When he returned, it took him a while to get acclimated to pitching again, but things changed in the 1948 season. 33 that year, Morrison threw his first 200 inning season, going 9-10 with a 3.15 ERA (124 ERA+) and 1.31 WHIP. He struck out 81 with 71 walks in his 29 starts, and was worth an impressive 4.9 wins above replacement. He matched that in 1949, where he went a much better 16-8 and earned his first and so far only All Star selection. Morrison finished with a similar 3.38 ERA (120 ERA+) and identical 1.31 WHIP, this time walking 95 while striking out 91 in 240 innings pitched.

35 this May, Morrison is on his way to a third productive season, as despite his 5-9 record, he has a 3.71 ERA (111 ERA+) and 1.56 WHIP. In a move that may have seen absurd at the start of the season, George Oddo will actually be optioned to Milwaukee, as Morrison will take the fifth spot in the rotation. It pains me to say this, but Oddo has been dreadful, as after just 4 homers in his first 11 starts, he's allowed two in six of his last seven.

No, not two total. Two. Per. Game.

I don't know what's wrong, but we can't let this continue, and Morrison gives us a short term stopgap and future depth. Oddo has just one option left, but unless something crazy happens he'll return to the rotation in the 1951 season. It's still his job to lose, but I can't keep watching him struggle in our pennant race, and Morison should be able to give us quality starts. He's never had many home run issues, and two of his six allowed this season came against us. One even came this week, as Sal Pestilli took him deep in the 7th for the only earned run he allowed (three unearned) in his loss. Injuries aside, Morrison finishes the season in our rotation and Otto in Milwaukee, and it is sure to be one of the most interesting storylines to watch next spring.

Especially if we fall short again...

[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 3-3
Seasonal Record: 54-50 (4th, 5 GB)
Stars of the Week
Donnie Jones : 2 Wins, 18.0 IP, 2 BB, 11 K, 1.00 ERA
Charlie Woodbury : 16 AB, 6 H, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .375 AVG, 1.125 OPS
Skipper Schneider : 22 AB, 7 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .318 AVG, .809 OPS

Schedule
8-1: Win vs Sailors (10-0)
8-2: Win vs Sailors (9-1)
8-3: Loss vs Sailors (8-2)
8-4: Loss vs Foresters (5-4)
8-5: Loss vs Foresters (3-2)
8-6: Win vs Foresters (2-3)

Recap
5 games. Two months. That seems doable, right???

Now past the trade deadline, as teams will be limited to their organizational depth for any new additions to the active roster. There's always free agency and waivers, but the players offered there aren't often difference makers. Any major injury could have huge repercussions, but after our latest additions, I'm more confident then ever in our depth.

Despite seeing his brains bashed in two more times in Toronto (trade wasn't processed correctly so he was edited over after the week after allowing 18 hits, 13 runs, and 5 walks in 13.2 innings...), Max Wilder wants Jim Morrison third in the rotation. That doesn't really matter too much, as he won't pitch until later in the week, and right now we just go Donnie Jones and Pete Papenfus as much as their arms allow us. Donnie was just as brilliant as always, beating the Sailors and Foresters in front of his home fans. More people saw the Sunday win where he allowed 5 hits, 2 runs, and 2 walks in a 6-strikeout complete game, improving him to 12-9 on the season. The more impressive start came to start our week, as Jones allowed three hits and no walks in a 5-strikeout shutout as we obliterated the Sailors 10-0. Johnnie followed him with a similar gem, 6 hits, 3 walks, and just one run with 5 strikeouts in a 9-1 victory. That earned him his 10th win in 18 starts, and with just five losses he's got the best win percentage (667) in the rotation. His 3.40 ERA (118 ERA+) is pretty solid, but he's walking (85, 13.3) way more batters then he's striking out (64, 10.4). That always worries me, but since he does a great job keeping the ball in the mark, he can usually get a right to ground out to Skipper, who gets you out of any jam.

As good as the start of our week us, we quickly gave up momentum, as Duke Bybee was hit hard (5 IP, 9 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 4 BB, 2 K) and we dropped two one-run games to the Foresters. David Molina did his job in both, getting scoreless top of the 9th, but the offense seemed to run out of runs. Charlie Woodbury was really the only one who hit the whole week, going 6-for-16 with a double, homer, 4 walks, 4 runs, and 2 RBIs. He doesn't have to worry about the Hal Wood acquisition if he can keep hitting, as Woodbury is providing the offensive spark we need. Only Skipper () really helped him, but John Moss basically won us Johnnie Jones' start, as his grand slam off Sailors ace Win Lewis (6-9, 3.63, 80) in the first made it 5-0 and allowed our southpaw to really relax and focus on getting outs. Moss' .230/.329/.303 (70 OPS+) line has really hurt. It was his last hit of the week, though he did draw three walks, so it appears to not be the spark he needed to wake up.

Looking Ahead
Off again to start the week, but we'll welcome the New York Stars to town for two games to finish our homestand. This could determine first place in the CA, as they're a game behind the Saints. This is all while Vern Hubbard (8-10, 5.43, 51) has been terrible, Bill Barrett (.317, 12, 64) isn't homering, and Ed Cornett (10-4, 3.01, 57) being unironically the clear top performer on the staff. If he somehow redeems the Larry Gregory (.284, 11, 76) trade, as the Pioneers can thank the Stars for a good portion of their back-to-back titles. Even Cornett's 3.46 FIP (85 FIP-) thinks he deserves respect, as it's better then Pap's (3.70, 92) and all the other non-Donnie Jones rotation members. We're stuck facing the guy too, and he may know about my feelings for him, so he could be out to really dominate. He's coming off a 10 hit, 8 run clunker in New York against the Foresters, and we are responsible for his third loss. He's likely followed by ace Eli Panneton (13-9, 4.10, 76), who's well onto his way for another 250 inning season. And with it being in Chicago, Barrett, Bill Barnett (.287, 25, 72), Mack Sutton (.266, 25, 84), and Jack Welch (.269, 21, 63) are all going to homer, but the real gut punch is going to be when Elijah Bourdeau (.259, 2) caps off the sweep with his first homer of the season.

I'm counting on it!

If we survive New York, we won't get past the Kings, as we have to go there of four. I don't care that they went 11-18 in July and are now 51-54, that's just because they didn't play us. We are their Wolves, as they've won eight of the ten matchups so far. Leading their rotation right now is old friend Ron Berry (12-8, 3.87, 98), who would have been in AAA had I not traded him. He's earned it, leading the team in wins while his ERA is now a point higher then Joe Potts (5-11, 3.86, 70), who not only has poor record luck, but also FIP luck (3.27, 79), as he's been quite impressive in a majority of his starts. They're a weird team to pin down right now, as they both score and give up a lot of runs, so you never quite know what you are going to get. Ralph Johnson (.320, 13, 64) can change the game with a swing, and they have a lot of young talent in the lineup that can get on base and drive in runs. One guy in particular that has been helpful is catcher Dan Smith (.279, 12, 49), who like Larry McClure, is hitting good for anyone. His 122 WRC+ is second on the squad, and at 24 he could be a fixture here in the Big Apple. This will be a huge test for us as the games really start mattering, and I'm quite worried we're not going to be up to the task.

No minor league report, but as I somewhat expected Elmer Grace won Player of the Month in the Century League. The switch hitter slashed .378/.435/.673 (202 OPS+) in July with 4 doubles, 2 triples, 7 homers, and 20 RBIs.

[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 3-3
Seasonal Record: 57-53 (4th, 5 GB)
Stars of the Week
Sal Pestilli : 24 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .375 AVG, .819 OPS
Leo Mitchell : 21 AB, 8 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .381 AVG, .810 OPS
Hal Wood : 22 AB, 6 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .273 AVG, .652 OPS

Schedule
8-8: Win vs Stars (2-3)
8-9: Win vs Stars (1-2): 12 innings
8-10: Loss at Kings (2-3)
8-11: Win at Kings (3-2)
8-12: Loss at Kings (4-9)
8-13: Loss at Kings (0-2)

Recap
You would not believe it! We swept the Stars!

But then what you would believe is that the Kings took three of four from us...

What stung worst was the finale, as Ron Berry didn't walk anyone in a 5-strikeout shutout. Lucky for us, the Stars got revenge on the Saints, so we're still one of the four teams with five games of first place. The Stars (64-52) and Cannons (60-49) are much close to the Saints (63-49), but we do have a chance to make an impact this week.

Peter the Heater gave his best efforts, but he wasn't rewarded with a win either time. He allowed just one run in 11 innings against the Stars. It came with 6 hits, 5 strikeouts, and just 1 walk, but we couldn't give him the support needed until after David Molina (IP H, BB, 2 K) entered the game, and new/old Cougar Hal Wood made himself welcomed with a walk-off double. Pap was then the unlucky starter who faced Ron Berry, as he allowed 6 hits, 2 runs, and 4 walks with 4 strikeouts in 8 strong innings. He's now in triple digits for strikeouts, as his 105 punchouts are just one away from Berry himself for second. He's lost his last two decisions, but his 10-8 record and 3.10 ERA (128 ERA+) are quite impressive.

The Jones Brothers had much better luck, as they won their starts. Johnnie went the distance, allowing 8 hits, 2 runs, and 4 walks with 3 strikeouts in our 3-2 win over the Stars. Donnie's victory came in Brooklyn, where he was the only one to best the Kings. Donnie won his fourth straight start, but he got help in the ninth. Donnie left after eight, allowing 7 hits, 2 runs, and 4 walks with 6 strikeouts. He's now 13-9 with a 2.74 ERA (145 ERA+) and 1.08 WHIP, striking out 103 in 200.2 innings pitched. He's launched a serious campaign for his second Allen, leading the CA in WHIP while ranking top five in ERA (2nd), wins (t-2nd), innings (3rd), K/BB (4th, 1.7), and quality starts (t-2nd, 17). He then let David Molina finish things off with a perfect ninth to pick up his 13th save. Aside from a rough debut from Jim Morrison (3.2 IP, 6 H, 7 R, 3 ER, 2 BB), our pitchers did well in the losses, and the offense just wasn't consistent enough to get the job done.

Just two of the bats produced a WRC+ above 100, with Sal Pestilli leading the way for a change. He was 9-for-24 with a steal, 3 walks, and 4 runs, but all nine of hits were singles. I'm not sure where his power went, as he has his twenty homers fewer this year compared to last. I'm not sure what's wrong there, but unless he just saved them all for the end of the season, it's a big reason we haven't done much in the standings. Leo Mitchell did manage to improve his average a bit, going 8-for-21 with a double and 3 RBIs. He's hitting .342/.394/.493 (138 OPS+) with 13 homers and 58 RBIs, leading the association in average, OPS+, and wOBA (.407). If he can lead us to a pennant, I think he'll get legitimate Whitney consideration, and we'll need out longtime star to finish the year strong.

Looking Ahead
There's no sugarcoating it. This is the week that determines are season. Off to start, but then it's three in Montreal with the Saints, before three in Chicago with the Kings. A poor showing here pretty much clinches it, as we're still just barely hanging on over .500. I'm starting to get nervous, as even .500 could make things tough. The Stars or Cannons could jump right past the Saints, leaving us and the rest in the dust. The draft pick deadline also snuck up on me, so hopefully the last few guys I want are able to sign. I don't think it matters too much, but there's a few players available who still have futures with us.

[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 1-5
Seasonal Record: 58-58 (t-4th, 8 GB)
Stars of the Week
Leo Mitchell : 16 AB, 7 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, .438 AVG, 1.096 OPS
Edie Howard : 22 AB, 7 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .318 AVG, .773 OPS
Charlie Woodbury : 15 AB, 5 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .333 AVG, .911 OPS

Schedule
8-15: Loss at Saints (0-2)
8-16: Loss at Saints (5-6)
8-17: Win at Saints (4-3)
8-18: Loss vs Kings (11-0)
8-19: Loss vs Kings (8-0)
8-20: Loss vs Kings (3-2)

Recap
I... Just don't know what to think anymore...

Another wasted season as we watch the Saints take two of three before just completely opting out of the Kings series. I don't get why we're so useless against them, 3-14 this season after being pathetic against them last season, and we basically eliminated ourselves from the playoffs. Now eight back, there's pretty much no hope, and considering we're back at .500, even a winning season seems unlikely.

I really didn't want to do a write up yesterday, so you can imagine how little I wanted to today, as we got humiliated in our most important week to date. Sure, Leo Mitchell (7-16, 2B, 3B, R, BB) did good, but it wasn't nearly enough

Looking Ahead
Three in Philly, thee in Cleveland, one in Toronto. I'm sure we'll even lose to the Wolves now, but I'm petrified of the Foresters, who have surprisingly gone 12-4 against us. I didn't realize this because I was so worried about the Kings, but it is crazy that 26 of our 58 losses are against two teams. Two teams that aren't even good. The Kings are also 58-58, completely boosted by their performance against us, and Cleveland can't even get above .500 even with all our free wins. At 56-59, they're behind everyone but the Wolves, though I'm sure we'll be seventh soon enough.

I guess the biggest news is for the first time in over a decade I'm legitimately considering a tear down. That means everyone. Sal Pestilli. Red Bond. Skipper Schneider...

Yes, even Pap and the Jones Brothers...

Just sick of the underperforming, sick of the inept offense, sick of nothing working...

Minor League Report
Worst part is, we have a bunch of worthy minor leaguers referencing. I just don't have the motivation to care right now. We'll see, maybe I come back later. I mean, Jim Williams has thrown back-to-back shutouts, winning four straight with just three earned runs! That's exciting if you can forget about the stupid big league team for a second.

Which I can't...

[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 5-2
Seasonal Record: 63-60 (4th, 6 GB)
Stars of the Week
Hal Wood : 26 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .346 AVG, .875 OPS
Duke Bybee : 2 Wins, 16.0 IP, 1 BB, 4 K, 3.38 ERA
Red Bond : 20 AB, 5 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI, .250 AVG, .960 OPS

Schedule
8-21: Loss at Sailors (0-7)
8-22: Win at Sailors (9-7)
8-23: Win at Sailors (5-3)
8-24: Loss at Foresters (4-5)
8-25: Win at Foresters (5-2)
8-26: Win at Foresters (2-1)
8-27: Win at Wolves (3-1)

Recap
A 5-2 week sure is nice. We took two of three from the Sailors and Foresters on the road, and as we have done pretty much every time out, we beat the Toronto Wolves. But what is less nice is we are now officially the last team yet to score 500 runs on the season.

What happened to the offense?!?!?!

I wish there was a simple answer to this, but pretty much every one of our hitters is having a below average season in terms of WRC+:
Red Bond (131; 135)
Sal Pestilli (111; 124)
Chubby Hall (87; 112)
John Moss (76; 105)
Skipper Schneider (65; 101)

The only guy who isn't, but is also an above average hitter with more then 275 PAs? Leo Mitchell! That's it!

Yes, I did that purposely to limit Charlie Woodbury (265) and his would be team leading 160 WRC+, but it's quite impressive how poor our players have been! Sure, Eddie Howard (96; 91) and George Sutterfield (96; 90) have been average and provided solid defense, but we have very little production when producing runs, and when you combine that with our highest team ERA since 1939, and it's been a recipe for the disaster.
On the bright side, no one really wants to win the CA, so we're back to just six out with 31 games left to play. That's ... manageable? Assuming we decided to score runs, and with rosters expanding, there's some sort of chance of success?

The most notable callup is one from outside the organization, as last week we claimed former 3rd Overall Pick and 5th Ranked Prospect Joe Quade from the Philadelphia Keystones. "Killer" has been killed by opposing hitters, as the 28-year-old struggled in his 21 starts. Quade went 7-12 with a 4.74 ERA (83 ERA+) and 1.94 WHIP, walking 135 batters with 72 strikeouts. Now in 79 FABL appearances, all but one as the starting pitcher, he's 27-37 with a 4.46 ERA (89 ERA+) and 589 innings pitched. While not overly inspiring numbers, especially the 428 walks to 263 strikeouts, Quade is a live arm who's always working on his craft. He has a great sinker that generates plenty of groundballs, and both his curve and slider have plenty of bite. Honestly, I don't know why he's pitched so badly, as even with his poor control, the stuff and movement appear to be excellent. The hope here is that we can get some use out of him in the pen, though if we needed a spot starter towards the end of the season, there are certainly worse options.

One of our more notable minor leaguers, George Oddo, is not receiving a callup, and we'll let him continue to pitch everyday in Milwaukee. As you might expect, he's done quite well, and he's coming off a beautiful outing where he fanned 10 in 8 shutout innings, improving to 2-0 with a 2.38 ERA (149 ERA+) in his three starts. Other guys will come and go as we reach the end of this annoyingly long season, and any other's coming with Quade will be mentioned in the Minor League report.

I guess I should also mention something about the performance of the players, because you have to play somewhat decent to win more then you lose. Hal Wood has really started to settle in, and after a standing ovation from the nearly 17,000 fans in attendance, he went 3-for-4 in his return to Dominion Stadium. All three hits were off longtime teammate Joe Hancock (9-8, 3.29, 88), who was outdueled by Duke Bybee in our 3-1 victory to finish the week. Bybee did a good job controlling the Wolves lineup, allowing just seven hits and a walk with a run, improving to 11-10. It was his second win of the week, as his offense made up for an error in a crazy 9-7 win over the Sailors. Bybee wasn't great, allowing 9 hits and 7 runs (5 earned), but he struck out two and didn't walk anyone in the Sailors lineup. Sal Pestilli (3-5, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2B), Leo Mitchell (2-5, R, 3 RBI, 2B), and Skipper Schneider (2-2, BB) all providing support, even if Skipper was responsible for two of the three errors. Though the icing on the cake was David Molina closing it out with two scoreless innings. We need more outings like this, where he can come in early and get the job done, though being a former starter, Max Wilder tends to let the rotation get the job done.

Looking Ahead
One more with the Wolves, who announced they will be bringing up former Cougar draftee George Carter this week. I don't think he'll start against us, that looks to be Jimmy Gibbs (6-4, 3, 3.56, 29), who has found his way back into the Wolves rotation after being used mostly out of the pen in 1950. From 1943 to 1949, he made 25 or more starts (excluding a war season in '45 where he was overseas), and until his 4.38 ERA (92 ERA+) last season, his ERA+ was above 100. Now 34, the stuff isn't as sharp, though he's on a four start stretch of two or fewer earned runs. We will also see Ducky Cole (.271, 1, 17) who has struggled since joining the Wolves, though a lot of their young players have really done well. Kirby Copeland (.328, 4, 48, 3) lost his 21-game hit streak because 0-for-3 with a walk isn't enough, even if it did come after back-to-back three hit games. Joe DeMott (.316, 1, 50) shifted to third after the Hal Wood trade, allowing both Harry Finney (.312, 1, 25) and John Wells (.312, 2, 18) to play the middle infield. These three may spend plenty of time on the infield grass together, and aside from the future Hall-of-Famer Fred McCormick (.271, 5, 50), our 26-year-old former draftee is the oldest member of the lineup. Ducky may not be there for too long, as Hank Giordano (.297, 6) is finally healthy following a late April injury, but even if he enters the lineup, the Wolves won't have anyone in their lineup from 30 to 39.

Our road trip then ends with two important game with the Cannons, who are two out of first and trying to top the Saints for first. Off to start the week, Cincy just crossed the 500 run threshold in the second game of a double header with the Stars, though they're off on Monday. This allows them to avoid a spot start, with the expected two pitchers All-Star Mickey Mills (13-5, 3.17, 93) and former All-Star Jim Anderson (12-7, 3.13, 87). A tough test for an inept offense, we'll have our hands full at the plate, though aside from Chuck Adams (.283, 25, 93) there's not much to note about the Cannons lineup. Mike Taylor (.297, 4, 21, 9) has been good when healthy, Dan Scurlock (.294, 7, 42) could be the answer at catcher, and 93rd ranked prospect Buzz McIlwain (.281, 3, 15, 3) has looked good since he took over the leadoff spot, but none of these guys really inspire fear in a pitching staff. One interesting member of their lineup now, however, is their shortstop Jim Mako (.250, 1, 12, 2), who some Cougar fans may be familiar with. "The Shark" was our 4th Round Pick in 1945, though he was traded two seasons later in the Sal Pestilli trade. Unprotected by the Gothams, Cincinnati added him in the Rule-5 draft, and he has looked to survive the long season. The 23-year-old could use some work, but it's nice seeing him produce at least above replacement level (0.3) production so early in his career. I doubt he'll have much impact in the series, though perhaps his inexperience at short can help out his former organization, which needs all the help they can get.

That's further exemplified by their next opponent, as we welcome the first place Saints to town for three to start September. The rest of the CA is lucky they started so poorly, or they would be cruising to the finish instead of trying to hold off the Cannons and Stars. With two games left in August, they can finish no worse then .500 for the month, and one with will give them four consecutive months with a winning record. All they'll care about is staying a top the association, as Pat Weakly (9-5, 2.85, 61), Wally Reif (13-11, 3.11, 89), Gordie Perkins (.290, 5, 39) and Maurice Carter (.270, 24, 85) are doing their best to will their way to a title. I doubt we'll do much to deter their hopes, but Montreal is much better at home (37-22) then on the road (33-33). Sure, we're not very good at home (28-29) ourselves, but if you're going to win a series against the Saints, this is where you do it. You got to keep them off base and hope to score on the staff, and with the small fences in Chicago, I'm worried they'll get more then their share of homers while they visit the Windy City.

Minor League Report
RHP Bill Ballantine: He may have been DFA'd earlier, but I'm giving Bill Ballantine one more chance. I mean, he's "The Windy City Whip" after all! He should be a stopper!!!

Ballantine has been anything but, as even in the minors his 3.63 ERA (98 ERA+) and 1.31 WHIP don't excite. He's struck out 25 and walked 19 in 52 innings this season, his fifth time with the Blues. He's up to 406 innings, owning a 4.30 ERA (99 ERA+) and 1.53 WHIP, walking (202) more batters then he's struck out (164). 16 of his 17 saves came last season, but that's when he was at his worst, working to a 4.92 ERA (83 ERA+) and 6-11 record. He's going to be best served in a mop up role, allowing our better arms to be rested when needed.

1B Billy Biggar: Set for his major league debut, Billy Biggar has spent a year and a half in AAA, batting .304/.358/.411 (109 OPS+) with 44 doubles, 7 triples, 3 homers, 69 RBIs, and 52 walks. 114 of the 175 games came this season, where he had a 107 WRC+, all three of the homers, and a much smaller portion of the WAR (0.8 of 2.2). That's concerning for a 26-year-old, but with two options he'll have more chances to prove himself. A debut would be nice for the former 10th Rounder, who came close last season when the Stars took him in the Rule-5 draft. He didn't make the Opening Day roster, but will now get a little over a month for his debut. We don't really need a lefty first basemen, so a start seems unlikely, but you can never have too many pinch hitters in a tough late inning game.

CF Clyde Zimmerman: He's back for more! Far better in Milwaukee then Chicago, Clyde Zimmerman is worth 3.5 runs above replacement during his 86 games with the Blues, but he went just 2-for-15 when replacing Sal Pestilli. Those two hits came in his debut, one of three games he's started. A decent enough fourth outfielder, he collected 13 doubles, 4 triples, 10 homers, 54 RBIs, 41 walks, and 11 steals, which shows there's a lot of things he can offer. While not highly skilled in a particular asset, he can get on base, run a little, and play good defense. He'll punish mistake pitches and can hit the ball far, and you can't sustain a .154 BABIP. I'm sure he'll get some time late in games, but with another option left he'll need to really show off to earn a bench spot next season.

1B Harry Austin (AA Mobile Commodores): With a bunch of promotions, some players got the benefit of going up, and after a nice Player of the Week victory, Harry Austin was an obvious candidate for promotion. Riding a 22-game hit streak, Austin went 13-for-20 during the week with a double, triple, homer, walk, 3 RBIs, and 4 runs. He's had a somewhat Leo Mitchell like season, hitting .340/.405/.466 (130 OPS+) with 10 doubles, 2 triples, 9 homers, 44 runs, and 45 RBIs. That's pretty solid for a 366 PA sample, and the once regional pick will get his first chance at the highest level of the minors. Now eligible for the Rule-5 draft, he's a plus contact hitter, but that's about all he's good for. He's played left and right too, but he's not much of a defender anywhere, and his best path to the majors is as a pinch hitter. He's perfect if you need the ball put in play, and in the right situations he can have his uses.

[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 3-3
Seasonal Record: 66-63 (t-4th, 4.5 GB)
Stars of the Week
George Sutterfield : 9 AB, 5 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .556 AVG, 1.489 OPS
David Molina : 1 Win, 1 Saves, 4.1 IP, 0 BB, 2 K, 0.00 ERA
Chubby Hall : 15 AB, 4 H, 2 HR, 4 RBI, .267 AVG, .979 OPS

Schedule
8-28: Loss at Wolves (1-2): 13 innings
8-29: Win at Cannons (6-1)
8-30: Loss at Cannons (3-5)
9-1: Win at Saints (3-2)
9-2: Win at Saints (2-1)
9-3: Loss at Saints (1-8)

Recap
Despite losing the game we should have won, it was a more-or-less good week for us, as we split with the Cannons and took two of three from the Saints. Sure, that 13 inning loss against the Wolves really stings, especially since we managed to gain another game and a half in the standings. Beat the Wolves by scoring more then one run in 13 innings seems like something any team should be able to do, but after a good effort from David Molina (2.1 IP, 3 H, K), Jim Kenny (1.2 IP, H, ER, K) continued his miserable season by letting Wally Boyer (.252, 3, 44, 6) walk it off with a single. A win there would have brought us withing three and a half of first, as just like that we're right back in the pennant race!

We'll have to compete without John Moss, at least for the next two weeks, though his absence could at least help the offense. The "gold glove" caliber center fielder is dealing with some back stiffness, and our medical staff expects this to heal in about two weeks. While not quite as good as usual, his 10.2 zone rating and 1.032 efficiency are best among CA center fielders, both are well below his past seasons. Same has been for his .224/.322/.302 (68 OPS+) triple slash, and last year's leader in doubles (39) has just 19 in 523 trips to the plate. This opens right field, as Sal Pestilli will return to center until Moss is healthy. There are plenty of candidates for playing time, including the now healthy Billy Hunter, who joins the active roster. He last played July 23rd, and was hitting .316/.357/.430 (111 OPS+) in 22 games that month. Him, Don Lee, and Chubby Hall will fill in the interim, and whoever hits will get priority as this offense needs a spark in the worst of ways.

While not in contention for time in right field, we also added infielder Jackie Washington off waivers. A long time Pioneer, Washington was a guy I was interested when he was a 6th Round selection in the 1941 draft. He debuted at 21 in 1944, and has hit .244/.327/.285 (70 OPS+) in parts of six seasons. Underwhelming as that may be, he's an excellent defender at third and more then capable enough for short. With options left, he's set for Milwaukee in 1951 if he can hold on to his 40-man roster spot. 28 in October, he's got a chance to develop into a useful bench piece. His cannon of an arm makes him useful late in-games, and since he already has a little experience in left, I'm sure if we really needed to we could use him in right. He gives us nice versatility now and in the future, and anything he can provide with the bat will be a welcomed bonus.

The overall offense may be cold, but George Sutterfield has been red hot, and despite limited time he was easily our best performer of the week. Our infielder went 5-for-9 with a homer, walk, steal, 2 runs, and 4 RBIs, upping his season line to an almost average .270/.327/.413. Though with 12 doubles, 12 triples, 6 homers, 8 steals, 42 RBIs, 48 runs, and 33 walks seems above average, especially when paired with impressive infield defense. Him and Chubby Hall (4-15, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 2 R, BB) really carried the load this week, and both are in line for a bigger role as we continue our road trip.

Our rotation impressed, and newcomer Jim Morrison finally felt himself on the mound. The veteran southpaw did great in Cincinnati, allowing just a single unearned run in what should have been a complete game shutout. He allowed just 4 hits and 2 walks with 2 strikeouts, snapping an eight game losing streak that goes as far back as his most recent start against the Cannons. Donnie Jones was hurt by two unearned runs, and he ended up leaving after 8 strong innings. Donnie walked 3, allowed 5 hits, and struck out 5, improving to 15-10 after a scoreless ninth courtesy of David Molina (IP, H). That earned him his association leading 17th save, though he does have just 55.2 innings after four seasons above 100. That's something I hope to improve on next season, but it's nice seeing him continue to come up clutch for us down the stretch.

Looking Ahead
You know who would be the worst team to play in a double header before starting another road trip?

Why the Brooklyn Kings of course!

That's who we get to start the week, as the fully rested southpaw duo of Jim Morrison (6-14, 4.14, 72) and Johnnie Jones (12-8, 3.29, 78) will take on a fully rested righty duo in Paul Byler (4-4, 4.66, 65) and Bob Arman (14-11, 4.52, 130), in two must win games for both teams. For us, I'd be okay with a split, but with both teams 4.5 games out of first getting swept here could be the final nail. I think it's good for us we'll have lefties, as the top four of Charlie Rogers (.310, 7, 54, 11), Ken Newman (.304, 6, 47), Fred Miller (.266, 5, 30, 2), and Ralph Johnson (.322, 17, 80, 4) all swing from the left side. Second basemen Chuck Lewis (.253, 14, 74) also swings from the left side, and there's a lot of power coming from these five. Johnnie and Morrison keep the ball on the ground, and if they can keep the Kings in the park, we may be able to escape Brooklyn with a crucial series win.

The double header won't mess up our rotations plans, as we have off days on Tuesday and Friday this week, with two games against the Stars in the middle. Since they play near the Kings, we don't have to deal with much travel, so there will be plenty of rest before and after the series. Depending on how their double header goes against the first place Saints, they could be the one's leading the way, as they're 71-62 and a game and a half out of first. The Stars have slumped to start the month, though Bill Barrett has heated up with the summer weather. The 4-Time Whitney Winner hit .367/.426/.615 (172 OPS+) in August, earning Batter of the Month in the Continental Association. Barrett hit 7 homers and drove in 20 runs, adding 2 doubles, 2 triples, 2 steals, 12 walks, and 21 runs scored. 31 in November, Barrett is still having a "down" season, hitting "just" .318/.393/.494 (132 OPS+) in 128 games, and it's actually Bill Barnett (.282, 31, 85) who is leading the team in homers, WRC+ (143), and many other stats you might think that the placement of Barnett was just a typo for Barrett. That's not to say Barrett has struggled, he does have 24 doubles, 18 homers, 63 walks, and 79 runs both scored and driven in, but it's not anywhere near his career norms. One thing that tends to wake him up is games at Cougars Park, though the Stars park is one of the friendliest for Continental sluggers. We really need to keep their sluggers in the park, and while I trust Donnie Jones (15-10, 2.80, 121) to do just that, Duke Bybee (11-10, 3.91, 85) can be prone to multi-homer starts.

Our weekend will be spent in Montreal, with two against the still first place Saints. At 71-59, they're technically in reach, as with six games we could surpass them. They've been hit with the injury bug, first losing former Cougar draftee Joe Austin (.225, 6, 40, 25) before losing starting third basemen Luke Weaver (.290, 8, 48) for the regular season with a few torn ankle ligaments. Those losses will be tough, even if Austin returns at the low end of his 2-3 week estimate, but they are one of the few teams who have been able to consistently hit and pitch during the season. The offense did cool off for a four game skid, so it's crucial they build on their 8-1 win that prevented a sweep on the road. It's time for someone like Bill Elkins (.250, 2, 54), Jerry Richardson (.318, 1, 3), or Weaver replacement Jake Hughes (.196, 21, 4) to spark the lineup, as they look to hold off a still technically seven team race for first.

The Foresters and Sailors are just seven back after all...

It's wide open!

Minor League Report
CF Frank Reece (AA Little Rock Governors): If the Little Rock Governors weren't leading the Dixie League, I'd have promoted Frank Reece by now, but it wouldn't be fair to take away the new affiliates star player. Reece added another accolade to his collection, picking up the Batter of the Month award for July. A Three-Time Player of the Week winner, Reece hit .328/.399/.521 (143 OPS+) with 11 doubles, 3 triples, 2 homers, 17 RBIs, 16 walks, 25 runs, and 4 steals. Now in 126 games for the Governors, Reece has been worth 5.2 WAR with a 119 WRC+, 30 doubles, 10 triples, 12 homers, 58 RBIs, 23 steals, and 45 walks. He's spent most of his time in center, with an impressive 16 zone rating and 1.062 efficiency in 794.2 innings. He has 305 in left where he's been well above average (3.4, 1.051) as expected. A former 2nd Round Pick, Reece now ranks 12th in our system and 132nd Overall, and now that he's eligible for the Rule-5 draft he will be protected in the offseason. A former top 50 prospect, Reece has been overshadowed by some really good outfield prospects, but he's got great speed, a strong hit tool, and excellent range in the outfield. He's sure to stick in center, and aside from John Moss he's probably our best defender there. All he would need is just average offensive production, and with his speed if he puts the ball in play he will be effective.

RHP Tommy Seymour (AA Little Rock Governors): No Cougar farmhand has been hotter then Tommy Seymour, who spun back-to-back shutouts on the road. After matching 3-0 victories, he improved his win streak to five starts, with just five hits and a walk in each outing. The difference was in the strikeout totals, as he struck out 7 Knights and 9 Reliables, giving him 110 in 176 innings. A former 1st Rounder, Seymour just turned 25, and he's starting to keep the free passes under control. He has just 72, leading to a 9.8 BB% in his 22 starts. That's acceptable when you're striking out 15% of the batters you face, and since he's keeping the ball in the park (8 HR), he's been able to maintain an outstanding 3.02 ERA (135 ERA+) and 3.42 FIP (84 FIP-). A three pitch pitcher, Seymour's best pitch is his change up, as his mid 80s fastball can be a mistake waiting to happen. The splitter isn't great either, but both of these pitches could be better. I always thought he'd show improvement, but the top of the rotation talent never materialized as he never ended up becoming a hard thrower.

[StLee]

I was so confused how you went 4-6 in your last 10, worse than the teams above you but gained 1.5 games on 1st. Then, I finally figured out to match the dates. July 31 was nearly a month ago, so the gain was minimal since then. However, the Cougars appear to be a team on the tear.

[ayaghmour2]

Originally Posted by StLee

I was so confused how you went 4-6 in your last 10, worse than the teams above you but gained 1.5 games on 1st. Then, I finally figured out to match the dates. July 31 was nearly a month ago, so the gain was minimal since then. However, the Cougars appear to be a team on the tear.

Yeah we've been crazy streaky. Very few win then losses, more like 5 wins and 5 losses lol. We've been quite lucky the association has been beating up on each other

[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 4-2
Seasonal Record: 70-65 (4th, 4 GB)
Stars of the Week
Sal Pestilli : 27 AB, 9 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI, .333 AVG, .935 OPS
Eddie Howard : 19 AB, 8 H, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .421 AVG, 1.206 OPS
Hal Wood : 21 AB, 8 H, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .381 AVG, 1.024 OPS

Schedule
9-4: Win at Kings (8-3)
9-4: Win at Kings (7-1)
9-6: Loss at Stars (4-6)
9-7: Win at Stars (8-3)
9-9: Win at Saints (6-4)
9-10: Loss at Saints (1-4)

Recap
We beat the Kings twice!?!?!?!

AND Sal Pestilli homered twice!?!?!?!

Are the Cougars ... dare I say it ... back???

Easy answer, probably not, but we improved another half game, now four behind the leading Stars, who we gave their only loss of the week. After the double header sweep, we split with them and Montreal, with all but two of our remaining games coming at Cougars Park. You'd think that would be a good thing, but we've been .500 (30-30) at home and done better away from home all season long.

What hurts most is the way we lost to the Stars, as a pair of errors cost Donnie Jones a four runs and his 16th win. Aside from that, the pitching really stepped up, especially the scalding Duke Bybee. Allowing just a single run for the third straight start, he went 8 with 8 hits, 3 walks, and 5 strikeouts to earn the win. It would have been nice for him to go all nine, but we were up seven and he was at 131 pitches. Johnnie Jones, however, went all nine, and he's the type who can throw 150+ pitches. He only needed 113 against the Kings, allowing 8 hits, a run, and a walk with 3 strikeouts in a huge win. The other double header start was Jim Morrison, who allowed 8 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), and 2 walks with 2 strikeouts in his complete game win. The Saints had more success against him, getting 6 hits, 4 runs, and 3 walks with 3 strikeouts in his 8 innings, but that was still a strong enough effort to keep us in the game. In fact, Pap had a similar start, 8 innings, 9 hits, 4 runs, 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts, but for him we scored six on the Saints. It was really nice to have our pitching keep us in each game this week, and we have to keep our opponents to four or less runs a game to fight our way back in it.

Pestilli may have hit two homers, but the offensive star of the week was Eddie Howard, who was 8-for-19 with 2 doubles, a homer, 3 RBIs, 4 runs, and 4 walks. This upped his season line to a near average .302/.351/.385 (97 OPS+) in his first full year of a starter, and with a 103 WRC+, more walks (29) then strikeouts (21), and solid defensive play, he's been worth 2.4 wins above replacement in 120 games. Hal Wood kept up his good play, 8-for-21 with 3 doubles, a run, 4 RBIs, and 5 walks. Pestilli himself was 9-for-27, scoring and driving in five to up his season line to a shockingly below average .271/.344/.390 (96 OPS+). Even the king of below average hitting, Skipper Schneider, got in on the fun, going 6-for-19 with a pair of doubles and RBIs. Approaching 4,000 total innings at short, Skipper has accumulated over 300 zone rating in that time, and he's on pace to surpass the inning mark later this month, which should come before his 30th birthday. The offensive drought was a concern, but if he can heat up and help push us into first, all will be forgotten

Looking Ahead
Time for a ten game homestand, as after a Monday off day, we'll have to deal with the hottest team in the CA. That's the Cleveland Foresters, who looked to be completely out of it before winning eight of their last ten while the rest of the CA has waited for someone to run away with it. The biggest catalyst has been center fielder Sherry Doyal, who at 22 has already taken command of the offense. The former Pioneer first rounder has hit an impressive .314/.387/.507 (129 OPS+), but if anything, that undersells his production. His 145 WRC+ is higher then the slumping Leo Mitchell (140), and it comes with 30 doubles, 20 homers, 89 RBIs, 84 runs, and 60 walks, as he provides plenty of excitement for Forester fans. Even with the Jim Adams Jr. (.283, 6, 40, 4) injury, they've had no trouble scoring runs lately, getting production from youngsters Jim Urquhart (.279, 1, 52, 7), Larry McClure (.326, 12, 71), Lloyd Coulter (.350, 4, 26) and reigning Player of the Week winner Frenchy Sonntag (.258, 5, 21). Now that sluggers Lorenzo Samuels (.262, 19, 61) and Orie Martinez (.250, 8, 52) are starting to heat up, the lineup has really lengthened, and I'm beyond worried about this series. Three losses here would be heartbreaking, and since we have to deal with reigning Allen Winner Adrian Czerwinski (15-13, 3.71, 94), at least one game is projecting to be difficult for our offense. Good teams when tough series like this, and CA fans will get a glimpse at which one of these two contenders deserves the moniker the rest of the way.

Our next two games are about as must win as possible, as they're both against the last place Wolves. They beat us a third time last game we faced, but with wins here we'll finish 19-3 against Bernie Millard's club. As disappointing as this season has been, there's a lot of optimism when looking at the younger players, even if old friend Zane Kelley (2-4, 5.19, 14) has struggled in the Wolves rotation. Kirby Copeland, a rather unheralded prospect, as started looking like a quality bat, as the 24-year-old has hit .326/.383/.420 (108 OPS+) with a 121 WRC+, 2.7 WAR, 21 doubles, 5 homers, and 56 RBIs in 109 games. He's walked (37) more then he's struck out (29), and that's all with little protection behind him. He's not the only youngster doing well either, as Harry Finney (.320, 1, 29) seems to be the answer at second and Joe DeMott (.307, 1, 55) could be the guy at third. Neither have much pop, but they put the ball in play and get on-base, both desired qualities at a park like Dominion Stadium. The key will be finding the pitching, as Joe Hancock (10-8, 3.07, 100) will be 38 in November, and George Garrison (10-17, 4.03, 85) will need some help. Will that be former #1 pick Les Ledbetter, who is the only pitcher ranked above Bob Allen on the prospect list, or a lesser prospect like former Cougar draftee George Carter (10.80) or high strikeout arm Ray Hatch (1-4, 6.75, 33). It seems that once you get the pitching down, you can compete in FABL, and that's something I'm sure the Wolves organization is looking for.

Our week then ends with the first of two with the Cannons, who have lost 7 of 11 in September and dropped to 2.5 back of the Stars. They've started to hit a bit more, but it's still a pitching led team, with Rufus Barrell (14-12, 2.90, 107) leading an impressive rotation. Even Tony Britten (10-13, 4.09, 82) has a 100 ERA+, and his 3.60 FIP (88 FIP-) is far more palatable. I'll dive deeper into them tomorrow, but it won't get easier anytime soon, as we will have to be on our best the rest of the way if we want our season to end in anything other then heartbreak.

Minor League Report
RHP Bob Allen (AA Little Rock Governors): In case you were wondering, our future ace had no issue with tougher competition. In fact, he's even excelled. His six game winning streak may have been snapped, but the 8th ranked prospect has a 1.77 ERA (228 ERA+) and 1.20 WHIP in his 66 innings. He's struck out 36 and walked 27, and OSA thinks he'll be ready for Chicago in 1952. That seems to be a realistic target, though the former 10th Overall Pick will have to be added to the 40-man roster. Even among our prospects, he's probably not one of the top five in terms of current ability, so he will burn at least one option next season barring a drastic change. As good as Allen will be (Dixie thinks better then Donnie!), he's not ready for big leaguers yet, as his command and overall repertoire need some improvement. Lucky for us, he's an extreme groundballer, and he's yet to allow a Dixie League home run. That's huge in Cougars Park, and we'll always have a good defense up the middle. The best thing for him would be a velocity boost, as he's sitting in the high 80s with his fastball. Up to 91-93 and he could really start cooking, The real prize is his wicked slider, and that would get anyone to look silly. When he's ahead in the count, he can put batters away with it, and it might be one of the best pitches in the entire system. Once he refines his secondary pitches, he's got the talent to fully dominate, and with how close we've been to success his breakout cannot happen soon enough.

LHP Mack Lyons (B San Jose Cougars): He may not be anywhere near the pitcher his dad was, but Mack Lyons is having one heck of a run for the baby Cougars. The younger Lyon was brilliant against the first place Fresno Falcons, who the Cougars have moved within two games of. Even though his offense gave him one run of support, he pitched like he was up ten, allowing just 3 hits and 3 walks with 5 strikeouts. This improved him to 8-3 with a 1.81 ERA (243 ERA+) in his 9 starts. Unlike his dad, he's been walking (56) more hitters then he strikes out (48), so his 1.47 WHIP is on the higher side and his FIP (4.05, 91) is much closer to average. Basically a one-pitch pitcher, Mack has a really nice sinker, with a change and fastball that lag seriously behind. He hits 91 with the stellar sinker, and when he's commanding it well he can be unhittable. As tough to track as it is, better pitchers will eventually connect, so I really want his change to become a weapon. If not, it will be tough for him to start in the majors, and he may have to settle for a pen role.

[ayaghmour2]

Forgot to mention this yesterday, but we're on a little hiatus until at least the 15th. A few days ago, that would have been welcomed news, but I quickly realized that I was just frustrated and the joy of the Cougars quickly brought me back in. If there is a silver lining, I should have time to get the old draft recaps started. I haven't looked at the 1930 class yet, but if there aren't any players still playing, I could have that finished before we resume play.

The last two days without sims has already been hard enough. At least ten more days? I'm going to miss these underperforming losers! We can still make the playoffs! I can't wait to see how we come up short this time!

[ayaghmour2]

So I just decided I'm going to do it! Here's the recap! Even if Bob Ross (and maybe others...) is still pitching in the minors! All the real meat is done, and I'm not going to care if his A ball stats are slightly different then I reported. The hiatus is giving me a lot of time to write about other stuff, but none of that is as fun as the Cougars. They just always drag me back!

Let's just hope I can finish before the games get back! I like when sequenced reports are all back-to-back, but real life always finds away to get in the way! In both good and bad ways of course! Though I don't think anything can keep me away from my Cougs. Even some of the sorry suckers that came from this batch! I don't really have an ETA on when the next part will be, nor how many parts there will be, but I do plan to get everything taken care of before we start simming again.

1st Round, 10th Overall: C James Demastus
School: Nashville HS Hawks
Career (B): .219/.269/.349, 332 G, 1,227 PA, 41 2B, 3 3B, 33 HR, 146 RBI, 58 WRC+, -5.0 WAR
Career (C): .275/.332/.490, 265 G, 1,044 PA, 46 2B, 3B, 51 HR, 188 RBI, 115 WRC+, 1.7 WAR

Case and point!

Even at the time, I knew this was a risky pick, and the guy I wanted, and eventually acquired a while later, Jim Beard, was off the board way before our pick. Considering Rip Curry, one of the guys I was considering, is still playing for the Minutemen, this was a huge swing and a miss. Just like a Demastus at bat!

An all-or-nothing type hitter, Demastus had huge power, but he had a -8 WRC+ as a Junior and struck out in 43.6% of his at bats as a sophomore. The thing is, the power was enticing, and after hitting .361/.414/.558 (175 OPS+) as senior, I fully bought in to the offensive potential. The 1930 draft as a whole was on the weaker side, only five hitters and three pitchers have tallied more then 10 FABL WAR, so as big of a miss as this was, it's not like there was too much we actually missed on.

Demastus never really got going, splitting his first season between La Crosse and San Jose, with 109 of his 142 appearances coming from the lower level. He hit just .234/.275/.393 (92 OPS+), and since he was an awful defender, he was worth -1.9 WAR. He struck out in almost 30% of his plate appearances, though the damage was minimized by 16 doubles and 14 homers. He hit 17 more homers with the Lions the following season, in what ended up being his second best stint. The 20-year-old hit .244/.309/.496 (117 OPS+), adding 12 doubles and 40 RBIs in 275 trips to the plate. He struggled mightily when brough back to San Jose, and then endured to awful full season with the Baby Cougars. By 1935, he was back in La Crosse, and the then 23-year-old hit an outstanding .347/.410/.597 (148 OPS+) against clearly inferior competition, though he had no luck in short A ball (45 G) and AA (6 G) stints. He made four appearances off the bench in 1936, and then was cut the following January. Left unsigned for the year, at just 27, the former first rounder decided to hang up the cleats.

Exactly what you want in your first rounder!

2nd Round, 22nd Overall: RHP Mel Leonard
School: Dallas HS Rangers
Career (FABL): 1-2, 19 G, 44.2 IP, 2.42 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 25 BB, 12 K, 173 ERA+, 0.1 WAR
Career (AA): 51-42, 6 SV, 134 G, 713.2 IP, 4.68 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 308 BB, 215 K, 97 ERA+, 9.8 WAR
Career (A): 63-60, 161 G, 1,106.1 IP, 3.76 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 560 BB, 542 K, 110 ERA+, 15.6 WAR

Our first of two second rounders, Mel Leonard had an uninspiring high school career, but he was the #1 ranked prep arm and my scout at the time expected him to be a middle of the rotation arm. OSA supported that claim, as he was named the #60 prospect in the league, and he spent time around there and even in to the top 50 as he worked his way up the ladder. Featuring a nice slider and curve, Leonard did a great job keeping the ball on the ground, and he showed good strikeout potential.

Starting his career in La Crosse, Leonard had a nice 15 start sample, going 6-6 with a 2.61 ERA (144 ERA+) and 1.16 WHIP, walking 40 with 96 strikeouts. Then 19, he got a promotion to San Jose, where he held his own and finished his 13 starts 5-6. He had a nice 3.70 ERA (112 ERA+) and 1.34 WHIP, striking out 88 with 43 walks. The strikeouts continued the following season, with 110 in 118.1 innings in a dominant stretch with San Jose. He was 10-4 with a tiny 2.36 ERA, promoted after 18 starts. He hit a wall in Lincoln, but Leonard was a high upside arm who was ranked as the 44th best prospect at the start of the 1932 offseason.

Fresh off 1932 season that we don't talk too much about, we made a major trade with the Gothams after coming up short to the Stars. It cost our #1 and #3 ranked prospects, but we sent Leonard and Joe Johnson to New York for Bobby Sprague, who spent two seasons in Chicago. He was huge in 1933 as we returned to the playoffs, worth 5.4 WAR in 153 games after hitting .300/.359/.394 (119 OPS+) with 23 doubles, 7 triples, 5 homers, 61 RBIs, and 13 steals.

Unfortunately for Leonard, his career kind of stalled, as while he was still a highly ranked prospect, he spent a lot of time in AA, where he pitched poorly, was demoted to the pen, and eventually traded back to us in the Tom Taylor deal that also brought in Orlin Yates and Milt Fritz. He was looking decent in Mobile before a stellar four start sample with the Blues. The second time Cougar farmhand went 2-1, allowing just 8 earned runs in 25.2 innings. That ended up the end of part two, as he was sent to the Pioneers for George K. Brooks in the offseason.

St. Louis is where Leonard got his first taste of FABL action, but it took him a while before he got there. His first affiliated season with them came in AA Dayton, where he labored in 239 innings. FIP (4.30; 99) was far more kind to his season, but his 5.31 ERA (81 ERA+) was well below average, and he walked 103 hitters with just 71 strikeouts, finishing 14-15 in 33 starts. He rebounded the next season, going 10-5 with a 3.81 ERA (127 ERA+) and 1.16 WHIP in 18 starts. This earned him a promotion to AAA Oakland, though here he was used strictly out of the pen. He was used frequently, appearing in 33 games and throwing 62 innings despite a 6.68 ERA (62 ERA+), 2.16 WHIP, and 59 walks. Yes, he was walking almost a batter an inning! It was that bad!

For some, that might have been enough to call it a career, and even after a demotion back to AA, a 26-year-old Mel Leonard was still fully committed to making a big league roster. As unthinkable as that might have been at the end of the season, Leonard fought his way up, luckily spending more of his time in Dayton (22 G, 31.2 IP) instead of Oakland (4 G, 7.1 IP), though he did make a quick stop there before his long awaited debut. The young righty appeared in five games, allowing just 12 hits, 4 walks, and a single earned run in 13 innings. That was enough to earn him a full season in the pen, and the 27-year-old threw 31.2 innings for a fourth place Pioneers team. Despite 21 walks, he maintained a 3.13 ERA (133 ERA+), as he allowed just one homer and struck out nine while finishing with a 1-2 record. That record remains unchanged, as Leonard never got another chance, banished to Oakland where he was beat down quite bad (59 ERA+, 43 IP, 31 BB).

He was cut at the start of the offseason, but quickly caught on with the Denver Plainsmen. He pitched four full seasons in their rotation, starting 27 or more games each season and finishing 37-38 with 403 strikeouts. He was a bit inconsistent, impressing in 1941 and 1943 before subpar seasons in 1942 and 1944. After the '44 season, he enlisted in the war effort, though since it was the final year of the conflict he returned to make two more starts. Leonard didn't pitch the following season, spending the 1946 on the reserve roster, and he took that as the sign to hang in up. Including high school, Leonard ended up with 2,506.2 career innings, with the most remarkable part the lack of damage to his arm. Sure, he was never the best pitcher out there, but he always gave his team innings and he was counted on to take the ball every five days. It's a shame he never lived up to his lofty potential, as even one year in I thought he could make up for swinging and missing on Demastus, and considering Bobby Sprague helped bring a pennant and paved the wave for 1934 1st Rounder Carlos Montes to take over the center field job.

2nd Round, 26th Overall: SS Charlie Reed
School: Berkeley Bears
1937 (BOS): .258/.366/.315, 152 G, 625 PA, 10 2B, 4 3B, 4 HR, 67 RBI, 19 SB, 89 WRC+, 2.3 WAR
1947 (DAL): .258/.371/.366, 95 G, 400 PA, 12 2B, 3 3B, 6 HR, 52 RBI, 4 SB, 119 WRC+, 1.4 WAR
Career (FABL/GWL): .251/.348/.328, 857 G, 2,346 PA, 55 2B, 20 HR, 237 RBI, 38 SB, 93 WRC+, 2.5 WAR
Career (BOS): .258/.355/.332, 557 G, 1,279 PA, 28 2B, 10 3B, 11 HR, 138 RBI, 28 SB, 3.4 WAR
Career (DAL): .241/.340/.323, 300 G, 1,067 PA, 27 2B, 10 3B, 9 HR, 99 RBI, 10 SB, 93 WRC+, -0.9 WAR
Career (AAA): .259/.385/.331, 240 G, 1,108 PA, 33 2B, 4 3B, 8 HR, 85 RBI, 84 SB, 100 WRC+, 5.3 WAR

A FABL veteran of exactly 2,000 at bats, Charlie Reed's career started here, where we took him 26th Overall in the 1930 Draft. Known more for his time with the Boston Minutemen, including when he was a member of the 1941 Minutemen squad that beat us with four one run games. He was a disciplined hitter who always gave good at bats, even if the overall talent didn't jump out at you.

Before all that, he spent a little over two seasons in our system, with his best time coming in 1932 with the Legislators. Reed hit .292/.343/.431 (121 OPS+) with 11 doubles, 2 triples, 5 homers, 21 RBIs, and 6 steals in 60 games. He was traded the next year, as I went to acquire a talented defensive outfielder in Ed Calvert, who was basically the equivalent of a rental. Reed then took his reps in the Minutemen farm system, and at 24 he started to show some promise of being a big league starter. Reed appeared in 114 games, all in AAA, hitting .261/.398/.330 (100 OPS+). OPS+ might say that line was league average, but the components were anything but, as he produced a 112 WRC+ and swiped 55 bags. He also had an absurd 90-to-19 walk-to-strikeout ratio, discipline he never quite showed until that season.

That impressed the Minutemen brass, winning the starting shortstop job for the 1937 season. The switch hitter appeared in 152 games as a 25-year-old, batting .258/.366/.315 (83 OPS+) with 10 doubles, 4 triples, 4 homers, 67 RBIs, and 19 walks. The discipline continued to be a strength, as even against Federal Association pitchers he walked (87) more then he struck out (56). Unfortunately he just couldn't get enough base hits, and the Minutemen had a 21-year-old All-Star in-the-making Lloyd McClendon waiting to replace him. McClendon rightfully seized the job in 1938, and put up 145 or more games in six of the next seven seasons. Reed didn't last that long, but he made 85 or more appearances in each of the next three seasons. Unfortunately he wasn't any good at stealing bases (6-for-14), which took away a huge aspect of his game.

After winning the WCS with Boston in 1941, Reed seemed to have a resurgence in 1942 where he hit .254/.350/.377 (111 OPS+) with 6 doubles, a triple, 3 homers, and 17 RBIs in 164 trips to the plate. That winter the Army came calling, and even though he didn't realize it then, that was the end of his FABL career. When he returned after the war ended, there wasn't any room for him in Boston, and he spent eight season as a free agent before we grabbed him on a minor league deal. I was hoping he had something left, but Reed hit just .189/.259/.245 (40 OPS+) in his 60 PA sample, and he did not make it to the next Opening Day.

He spent two months on the free agent list this time, though he managed to make the GWL Dallas Centurions roster. Reed played 95 games from June on, hitting a solid .258/.371/.366 (121 OPS+) with 12 doubles, 3 triples, 6 homers, 52 RBIs, and 4 steals. As you'd expect, more walks (59) then strikeouts (32), and he spent most of his time at his familiar shortstop. His signing sparked the Centurions, and Reed helped lead them to a second place finish, even if they fell short of the Bigsby Cup. Reed was back for the 1936 season, though at 36 he had some struggles. Reed hit just .236/.323/.304 (87 OPS+) and started 151 of his 153 appearances. His defense at short was dreadful (-32, .884) and likely contributed to the teams drop in the standings. He was then used strictly off the bench in 1949, though even if all former FABL GWL players weren't force into retirement, he was probably best served for it anyways. Between the two major leagues, he ended up with 857 games, which is a lot better then you can say about some of these other guys.

Old Draft Writeups
1st Round
2nd Round
3rd Round-5th Round
6th Round-10th Round
11th Round-15th Round
16th Round-25th Round

[ayaghmour2]

3rd Round, 42nd Overall: RHP Bill Ross
School: Providence HS Hawks
1936 (MON): 12-14, 31 G, 237 IP, 4.18 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 63 BB, 82 K, 109 ERA+, 2.7 WAR
1941 (MON): 9-16, 2 SV, 38 G, 218.2 IP, 4.12 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 40 BB, 75 K, 96 ERA+, 2.6 WAR
1943 (MON): 13-8, 31 G, 239 IP, 2.52 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 49 BB, 66 K, 134 ERA+, 4.2 WAR
1944 (MON): 14-11, 32 G, 238.2 IP, 3.85 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 40 BB, 61 K, 94 ERA+, 3.9 WAR
Career (MON): 94-118, 2 SV, 317 G, 2.015.2 IP, 4.12 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 420 BB, 647 K, 19.6 WAR
Career (FABL): 97-120, 2 SV, 332 G, 2,073 IP, 4.14 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 431 BB, 666 K, 94 ERA+, 19.9 WAR

Only two pitchers from the 1930 draft finished their career with more then 15 FABL WAR. Bill Ross was one of them.

A veteran of thirteen years, I was always enamored with Ross' command, so it's no surprise he received multiple entrants to the league's top 100 list before his big league debut. He didn't start there, but once he was named the 87th ranked prospect on Opening Day in 1932, and responded with a 3.41 ERA (121 ERA+), 3.55 FIP (85 FIP-), and 119 strikeouts that did not deserve the 3-12 record that came with it. He stayed on those list until his eligibility was lost, but that came after the end of his Cougar career. He spent three and a half seasons with us before the ill-fated Joe Masters/Dave Rankin trade sent Ross and eight others to the Chiefs in a 100% panic move as we weren't playing well and I wanted to defend our pennant with more then a .500 showing.

Ross then made four starts for the Class A Cedar Rapids Chiefs before an elbow injury ended his season in July. While this was his most severe injury until an eventual torn labrum last year, Ross dealt with injuries throughout his career, though this one seemed to not impact him much talent wise. The Chiefs stuck him in AA for 1935, and the 22-year-old went 4-2 with a 3.94 ERA (116 ERA+) and 1.08 WHIP in a strong 12 start sample. What stood out was the 2.8 BB%, as he walked just 9 hitters while striking out 41 in 77.2 innings pitched. Always aggressive with promotions, the Chiefs noticed the impressive command, and challenged him with a promotion to AAA Fort Worth. Our former third rounder met the challenge and then some, working to an elite 2.86 ERA (185 ERA+), 1.09 WHIP, and 4.5 K/BB in 85 innings pitched. I know this looks great as is, but the Century League had a very high scoring year, so a 4.10 FIP (77 FIP-) is still over 20% average. For comparison, team innings leader and longtime Wolf Bob Walls had a 4.35 ERA, and that was still 22 percent better then the adjusted league average pitcher.

Again, the Chiefs were aggressive with his promotion, and Ross finished the season in their rotation, giving the south siders six solid starts. The top 100 prospect looked like a rotation mainstay already, going 3-2 with a 4.11 ERA (111 ERA+) and 1.30 WHIP in 46 innings. Even Fed hitters couldn't work him for many walks, as Ross allowed just six free passes. He struck out 17, but what hurt him was the seven home runs that inflated his ERA. Chiefs stadium is as homer friendly as ours, and I know all too well how easy it is for young pitchers to give up longballs here, and perhaps the Chiefs were worried about that too. They sent him and trade mate Red Moore (6th Round, 1932) to the Saints in a deal that should/could net the Chiefs a Hall-of-Famer in Tom Bird.

For Ross though, the deal was probably a good thing, as he got to move to the spacious Parc Cartier where there was a rotation spot ready and waiting for him. The 23-year-old had an excellent go through the Saints rotation, going 12-14 with a 4.18 ERA (109 ERA+), 1.46 WHIP, and 82 strikeouts. He did walk 63 batters, though in 237 innings that equates to a more then respectable 6.0 BB% that led qualified pitchers on his staff. Ross was evened named an All-Star that season, a rare accomplishment for a pitcher of his age.

He made himself at home in Montreal, starting 25 or more games in seven of the next eight season. His best season came in 1943, where he finished 13-8 with a 2.52 ERA (134 ERA+) and 1.29 WHIP. It was his sixth season with a K/BB above 1.5, and he set a personal best with 4.2 wins above replacement. Ross earned his second All-Star nod that year as well, and that 2.52 ERA is the lowest for a Saint in a single season since the human era began.

Like many ballplayers, Ross missed some time serving his country, as he spent 1945 in the Navy. When he returned he wasn't quite the same, and ended up demoted to the bullpen in 1936. Just 11 of his 26 appearances were starts, and he had a poor 4.23 ERA and 1.50 WHIP in 112.2 innings pitched. His formerly stellar command disappeared, and in stints of this long or more, his 7.3 BB% would be a career worst. Granted, he still struck out (38) two more hitters then he walked (36), keeping that streak alive in Montreal. Ross pitched one more season with the Saints, making 28 appearances, but they left him off the Opening Day roster for 1948. He finished his Saints career 94-118, ranked tenth in Saints history for wins. He's also six in BB/9 (1.9), starts (264), and innings (2,015.2) and tenth in strikeouts (647). While not quite an ace, he was a reliable and consistent pitcher who gave you good innings, even if he was somewhat susceptive to the longball.

It's impressive to lead the league in homers three times as a member of the Saints!

Ross did not go unclaimed, as he was picked up by the Miners to fill their pen. It didn't go well, as Ross allowed 22 hits, 10 runs, 2 homers, and 5 walks in just 11.1 innings, and was cut before June ended. He spent a few months as a free agent, but he came back to the Cougars and threw an inning in September. He was back, though down in Lincoln for 1949, and left his first and only appearance with a torn labrum. That ended his season then, but he stuck around until this year's Opening Day when he was one of the final roster casualties.

Much to my surprise, the Des Moines Bears snapped him up, and he has a week left in his season. Ross has made 26 starts, 8-10 with a 3.74 ERA (102 ERA+) and 1.33 WHIP. He's back to walking (21) far more batters then he strikes out (70), and he's managed 5 WAR and a 2.72 FIP (71 FIP-) through 171 innings. I'm curious to see if he sticks around for 1951, but it's safe to stay that his FABL career is over. Especially in terms of this class, Ross was a huge success, and the clear most valuable member of our 1930 class. I hit it on the head with his writeup, great control, middling pitches, and he turned into a solid back-of-the rotation arm. I definitely expected more then that, but the stuff was just a tad too hittable, and better hitters could punish him. Even then, he always battled back, and did what he could to give his team a chance to win. It's just too bad it was with past Saints teams, and not a lineup like the one we're stuck facing currently and in the future.

4th Round, 58th Overall: LF Bill Alexander
School: St. Pancras Lions
Career (AA): .281/.330/.386, 204 G, 644 PA, 34 2B, 8 3B, 4 HR, 92 RBI, 8 SB, 93 WRC+, 2.7 WAR
Career (A): .272/.333/.414, 629 G, 2,089 PA, 80 2B, 21 3B, 48 HR, 246 RBI, 56 SB, 101 WRC+, 8.0 WAR

A center fielder in his three seasons at St. Pancras, Bill Alexander played a lot of left field both in and outside the organization, though he made more then a handful of starts in center and right. Never one of our highest touted prospects, he did get a chance to pave a career for himself. In year one, he hit decent in Lincoln, but the 22-year-old hit a pitiful .192/.249/.281 (48 OPS+) in 520 trips to the plate with San Jose. He did swipe 16 bases, but he was caught 13 times, adding 13 doubles, 3 triples, 8 homers, and 40 RBIs while striking out 146 times in 126 games.

Alexander posted below average offensive numbers in full seasons with Lincoln (136 G, 72 WRC+) and Mobile (138, 94 WRC+), giving him three seasons as an everyday player. That's when it ended, at least in his Cougar career, as he made just 28 starts across three levels in three seasons. Alexander was cut mid-August of the 1937 season, and he spent a few weeks as a free agent before joining the Tulsa Roughnecks.

He made 12 appearances down the stretch, but then started 60 or more games in each of the next four seasons. He looked best in 1939, where he hit .330/.413/.481 (140 OPS+) in 395 trips to the plate. In 103 games he totaled 16 doubles, 3 triples, 10 homers, 14 steals, and 59 RBIs. and his 3.5 WAR that season was larger then the rest of his Roughneck career combined. In total, the 4th Rounder hit .288/.352/.423 in 424 games for the independent club, knocking 63 doubles, 18 triples, and 25 homers with 28 steals, 125 walks, 182 runs, and 168 RBIs. Tulsa cut him in December of 1941, and while he did return to our organization for three months of the offseason, he was cut before the 1942 minor league season started, and retired after receiving no offers during the season.

5th Round, 70th Overall: RHP Fred Collins
School: Henry Hudson Explorers
Career (AAA): 15-25, 2 SV, 66 G, 383.2 IP, 4.81 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 124 BB, 151 K, 92 ERA+, 2.9 WAR
Career (A): 14-28, 3 SV, 73 G, 406 IP, 4.43 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 104 BB, 194 K, 96 ERA+, 5.6 WAR

Our first of two fifth rounders, Fred Collins was acquired with the second of two picks received for Heinie Bretz, the other being Mel Leonard in the second round. Unlike Leonard, Collins never cracked a big league staff despite a very strong start to his minor league career. It was just six starts, but in 1931 he had a 1.71 ERA (220 ERA+) and 1.01 WHIP with 46 strikeouts and just 8 walks. He followed that up with 9 more the following season, this time 2.12 (200 ERA+), 1.06, 9 and, 66. Clearly ready for a promotion, he again dominated in San Jose, going 4-2 with a 2.08 ERA (199 ERA+), 0.94 WHIP, 7 walks, and 49 strikeouts in 8 more.

Unfortunately for Collins, things got tougher in A ball, where his final 9 starts came. It was just average, as even though he was 1-4, his 3.86 ERA (101 ERA+) was slightly above average, and he struck out 48 with 17 walks in 58.1 innings. He then spent all of the 1933 season there. The 6-10 record looks worse then it is, as his 3.86 ERA (105 ERA+) and 3.66 FIP (90 FIP-) are both above average. The issue was the drop in strikeouts, as after K% of 18.8 or higher, it was cut to just 7.2 in 140 innings. This signaled the symbolic end for Collins, as what made him so successful early was how many batters he could set down without running victim to free passes.

He did spend two more seasons in the rotation, with a majority of his outings coming in Mobile, but he was demoted both to the pen and Lincoln for the 1936 season. He pitched well, back to miniscule ERA's (1.27, 338), but it came in just 21.1 innings. He was cut before 1937, and then bounced around the independent circuit. From 1937 to 1939, he made stops at Pueblo (A), Richmond (AAA), and Sacramento (AAA) before calling it quits. He spent a lot of time in Sacramento's rotation, going 15-22 in 29 starts and one relief outing. He did give the Governors decent innings, but he had ERA+ of 92 and 94, and was cut following the 1939 season. Interesting enough, Collins waited all of 1940, 1941, and 1942 before finally calling it quits at 33.

5th Round, 74th Overall: RHP Billy LeBeau
School: Boulder State Grizzlies
Career (AAA): 15-12, 23 SV, 225.2 IP, 4.19 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 59 BB, 69 K, 104 ERA+, 1.9 WAR
Career (A): 29-27, 25 SV, 442.2 IP, 3.48 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 88 BB, 125 K, 119 ERA+, 6.6 WAR

After Bill's in the third and fourth round, we added a Billy with our 5th, obtaining what ended up being the definition of an organizational player. Billy LeBeau spent fifteen seasons in our system, making all five of the usual stops. Initially a starter, LeBeau started his first 66 appearances, but the next 298 games came as a reliever. Unfortunately for him, his best work came as a starter, especially his time with the San Jose Cougars. Split between two seasons, LeBeau was an unlucky 6-10, working to a 2.76 ERA (150 ERA+) and 1.21 WHIP with an excellent 102-to-27 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 150 innings pitched.

After that, he somewhat stalled out in Lincoln spending parts of three seasons with the Legislators before earning a promotion to AA. When he got it, it was a relief spot, and he never pitched well enough to make his way into the rotation. It was just 19.1 innings, but he allowed 23 hits, 13 runs, and 10 walks with 6 strikeouts. He then pitched sparingly with the Blues and Commodores in 1934, but the 1935 season was the first real chance for LeBeau to showcase his stuff. He pitched 102.2 innings that season, with 85 of them coming with the Blues. As bad as a 5.08 ERA (108 ERA+) looks, it was slightly above average in the Century League, and he did finish 5-3 with 10 saves. The 6.08 FIP (114 FIP-) painted a gloomier pitcher, as he walked and struck out 23, and 13 balls left the yard when he was on the bound.

Home run issues were actually a rare occurrence for LeBeau, who allowed just 9 homers the rest of the career, including five stints of 40+ innings and a sixth one away at 39. That came in his last year in the organization, as even at 35 he was a member of the 1944 Century League Champion Milwaukee Blues. He had a 3.00 ERA (119 ERA+) and 1.21 WHIP, as not a single batter that faced him managed to clear the fences. Satisfied with his title, LeBeau decided to call it quits, as we probably would have let him stick around for the 1945 season had he wanted. He gave us 991 innings, decent mileage from a 5th Rounder, as for every Jack Elder, Chink Stickels, and Dave Rankin there's an avalanche of guys out of the game by 30. I wish I rewarded LeBeau with a cup of coffee for his service, but I try not to pad my stats, and he was never quite good enough to earn a spot on merit.

[ayaghmour2]

6th Round, 90th Overall: RHP Chet Peacock
School: Lynn HS Legends
Career (FABL): 0-0, SV, 3 G, 11 IP, 8.18 ERA, 1.73 WHIP, 7 BB, 1 K, 48 ERA+, -0.5 WAR
Career (AAA): 50-52, 7 SV, 1,002 IP, 3.65 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 201 BB, 288 K, 113 ERA+, 10.7 WAR
Career (AA): 36-22, 560.1 IP, 3.55 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 119 BB, 124 K, 121 ERA+, 8.8 WAR

Despite being a 6th Rounder, Chet Peacock was the type of guy who was usually featured at the back end of prospect lists, never a highly touted pitcher, but someone exciting enough that there were usually innings for him to get. It all started in La Crosse, where he made 22 of his 31 appearances in year one. Starting all but one of those outings, Peacock was an even 7-7 with a 3.73 ERA (101 ERA+), 1.44 WHIP, 44 walks, and 69 strikeouts. He then went on to San Jose, struggling post-callup and for the next two full seasons before he finally conquered Class B. In one of his best stints as a pro, he made 11 starts there in 1934, finishing 3-1 with a 3.42 ERA (146 ERA+), 1.32 WHIP, 16 walks, and 32 strikeouts.

Again after promotion, Peacock ran into some issues, struggling in his first 13 starts with Lincoln before a rough 1935 that saw him post ERAs above 5 in San Jose (2.2 IP), Lincoln (56.1), and Mobile (106.1), with 8 of his 31 appearances coming out of the pen. Despite the overall struggles, Peacock returned to Mobile in 1936, where he secured a rotation spot and took full advantage of it. In 12 starts he was 7-5 with a 3.02 ERA (152 ERA+), 1.31 WHIP, 24 walks, and 21 strikeouts. As you might expect, he earned a promotion to Milwaukee, and as expected, he did not find much success. He set a career worse with a 7.01 ERA (63 ERA+) in his final 60.1 innings, though at least he struck out 17 with just 10 walks.

After the poor performance, it was no surprise Peacock found himself back in AA, though he was inspired to put up his best production. Now 25, Peacock made 13 starts for the Commodores, working to an impressive 1.93 ERA (165 ERA+) and 1.06 WHIP. Peacock finished 8-3, striking out 19 while walking 24 before a return to Milwaukee. This time he was far more effective, with a lower 1.02 WHIP and respectable 3.15 ERA (106 ERA+) in 71.1 innings. Peacock once more split time between AA and AAA in 1938, though his season for once did not end when the minor leagues finished play. As a member of one of just two Cougar teams since 1937 that didn't win at least 80 games, Peacock was already on our 40 in September, and earned himself what proved to be his only taste of major league action. He pitched 11 innings, allowing 12 hits, 10 runs, and 7 walks with just a single strikeout. As poor as that looks, he actually didn't pitch too bad, as he had an impressive 7.2 innings of mop up work after Milt Fritz left a game with poor performance in the first. Peacock allowed just 2 runs off 7 hits and 2 walks with a strikeout in an admirable mop-up outing.

Still, I wanted one more look at Peacock as a starter, so he was in AA for the 1939 season to do so. That alone should have been a sign that his time was up, and he eventually lost his rotation role, starting 15 of his 22 outings. The 4.11 ERA (113 ERA+) and 1.30 WHIP were nice, but at 27 more is expected against that level of competition. He spent 1940 in the Blues pen, effective in his 37 innings, but he did not receive a callup. Then in July of 1940, after 25.2 innings with the Blues (3.51 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 9 Ks), he was released from the organization. He quickly caught on with the Portland Green Sox, spending the rest of the year in their pen before moving to a rotation role in 1942. He made 19 or more starts and 26 or more appearances in each of the next four years, even winning the Great Western League in 1945.

That was the last season prior to the GWL's attempt at a major league, and with the new league, almost 34-year-old pitchers were not in high demand. The Green Sox hurler was cut before the spring, finishing his career there 43-40 with a 3.52 ERA and 219 strikeouts. His best season was his last, where he was 12-6 with a 3.53 ERA (113 ERA+) and 1.32 WHIP. He walked 36 and struck out 47 in 176 innings, putting up 2.5 or more WAR for the second consecutive season. With no offers after that showing, Peacock hung up the cleats after the 1946 season, though even with his FABL cup of coffee, I'm sure he wishes he could have stuck with Portland while they tried to make things work in the GWL.

8th Round, 122nd Overall: RHP Ken Grosvenor
School: Lubbock State Hawks
Career (AA): 14-17, SV, 303.1 IP, 5.46 ERA, 1.61 WHIP, 93 BB, 90 K, 82 ERA+, 2.7 WAR
Career (A): 12-10, 2 SV, 200.2 IP, 4.31 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 67 BB, 78 K, 107 ERA+, 2.5 WAR

While Peacock and Grosvenor weren't taken in consecutive rounds, 7th Rounder Max Fox never signed, it's back-to-back righties here. Unlike Chet Peacock, Ken Grosvenor did not get a cop of coffee for us, never even reaching Milwaukee in his time with us. It did start out well, as he posted ERAs of 3.02 (125 ERA+) and 3.06 (136 ERA) in La Crosse and San Jose.

Despite the lower ERA+, he was much more dominant in La Crosse, as he struck out 60 and walked just 25 in 59.2 innings pitched. His 2.23 FIP (59 FIP-) is one of the lowest I've seen, and he was more then ready for the eventual promotion. Even with the Cougars, Grosvenor struck out way more hitters (60) then he walked (25), and it feels weird that his 2.4 K/BB was a 50% drop. The then 22-year-old returned next season for his first 20 starts, and they where again quite impressive. An unlucky 5-6, he had a 3.33 ERA (124 ERA+) and 2.89 FIP (69 FIP-), striking out 114 in 94.2 innings. He walked just 22 batters, leading to an outstanding 1.09 WHIP. When we made our callups, he was one of the lucky guys to get a late season promotion, finishing his season with 4 starts in Lincoln. He was 1-1, throwing 19 innings with 8 hits, 6 runs, 10 walks, and 13 strikeouts.

In 1933, Grosvenor dealt with a herniated disc, costing him over three months with the inclusion of a setback. He was limited to just 8 starts, 3 in San Jose and 5 in Lincoln. He didn't look quite back after injury, and that continued through the 1934 season. At both Lincoln and Mobile, he was walking more guys then he struck out, something that would have seen almost impossible in his prior seasons. He did work around it in Lincoln, finishing 7-3 with a 3.28 ERA (142 ERA+) and 1.19 WHIP. The issues came when he found himself in the Dixie League, as despite the 5-4 record, he had a bloated 6.16 ERA (74 ERA+) and 1.61 WHIP.

Looking to put that behind him, he was given a full season in the Commodores rotation, throwing 181.2 innings across 28 starts. He earned a 9-11 record, providing a 4.90 ERA (93 ERA+) and 1.60 WHIP, with again, more walks (57) then strikeouts (54). Now 26, Grosvenor was getting passed over by guys like Harry Parker, Karl Wallace, and Pug Bryan, and was sent to the Legislators pen for the 1936 season. He covered just 16 innings, allowing 13 hits, 6 runs, and 4 walks with 7 strikeouts. He was cut before the 1937 season, pitching for five different independent teams across the next three seasons. The only stint that had any resemblance of success was in 1938, where he was 4-1 with a 3.22 ERA (131 ERA+) and 1.40 WHIP. That came in 36.1 innings for the AAA Sacramento Governors, who were at the time employing 5th Rounder Fred Collins. He did not join Collins for the 1939 season, instead signing with the Oklahoma City Chiefs, and after no deal for 1940 he retired a month before he turned 31.

9th Round, 138th Overall: 2B Tom Handy
School: Mobile HS Commodores
Career (A): .290/.330/.408, 362 G, 475 PA, 13 2B, 7 3B, 8 HR, 54 RBI, SB, 90 WRC+, 4.4 WAR
Career (C): .284/.338/.435, 201 G, 400 PA, 16 2B, 3 3B, 11 HR, 55 RBI, 2 SB, 118 WRC+, 2.7 WAR

As the name might suggest, Tom Handy was a skilled defender, coming off back-to-back 1.100 efficiency seasons at short at Mobile HS, who like our former affiliate, go by the Commodores. The classic "organizational depth" type player, Tom Handy started more then 40 games on just one occasion, where he started 53 of his 69 appearances in his first pro season. The Lions shortstop hit .296/.349/.439 (128 OPS+) with 13 doubles, 5 homers, and 30 RBIs. He spent the next two seasons in La C rose as well, but then bounced from San Jose to Mobile from 1934 to 1935. AA would be his ceiling, just 8 games where he hit .174/.174/.304, and he spent the entirety of the next five seasons on the Legislators roster. He only made 6 appearances in 1937, but there were 56 in 1936 and 62 or 63 the three seasons after. He was cut following the 1940 season, retiring just a week and a half after at 28.

11th Round, 170th Overall: CF Fred Lafferty
School: Sacramento HS Governors
Career (A): .215/.277/.319, 109 G, 430 PA, 16 2B, 6 3B, 4 HR, 42 RBI, 27 SB, 64 WRC+, 1.0 WAR
Career (B): .233/.310/.342, 156 G, 498 PA, 14 2B, 5 3B, 8 HR, 37 RBI, 8 SB, 70 WRC+, 3.4 WAR
Career (C): .229/.302/.309, 175 G, 431 PA, 8 2B, 3B, 7 HR, 37 RBI, 31 SB, 70 WRC+, 2.2 WAR

Despite being an 11th Round Pick, Fred Lafferty was given a starting job his first season in La Crosse, though it did not go well for the 18-year-old. Lafferty hit just .196/.262/.250 (49 OPS+) with 4 doubles, 3 homers, 17 RBIs, and 10 steals in 306 trips to the plate. A skilled defender, he started 82 games out in center, accumulating a 15.1 zone rating (1.108) that made up for a portion of his 47 WRC+. That excellent range helped him stick around for a bit, and he even got another chance to start in 1934. He hit much better, a modest .257/.343/.399 (89 OPS+), and with stellar defense in center (11.5, 1.090), he was even worth a win and a half above replacement. Unfortunately for Lafferty, a starting spot in 1935 was nowhere to be found, and he was cut prior to the 1936 season.

Lafferty spent that season in Independent ball, with most of his time coming with the Pueblo Mountaineers. The then 23-year-old hit a pitiful .212/.277/.307 (61 OPS+), though it did come with 14 doubles, 6 triples, 3 homers, 38 RBIs, and 27 steals. Still, he was cut in August, later signing with the Amarillo Stars where he started the final three games of the season (3-14, 2 R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI). This led to what would be a very busy offseason for the gloveman, cut by the Stars in November. In the next eight months, he was signed and released by twelve teams, and since he didn't field an inning with any of them, he retired after three months of no offers.

12th Round, 186th Overall: C Rusty Stanley
School: Sacramento HS Governors
Career (C): .175/.217/.421, 60 PA, 5 2B, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 81 WRC+, 0.1 WAR

"He had an awful junior year and my scout grabbed him. He was decent last year, so he'll get a shot. But be on a very short leash."

That's all Rusty Stanley got.

To be fair, there was actually a time I was precise and didn't churn out long blocks of text, and that's similar to other picks around him, but Stanley was one of the funky guys the feeders produced that would get drafted. He hit .133/.235/.133 (-2 OPS+) in 34 PAs as a junior, which was somehow good enough for whoever our scout was at the time. Can't remember who came before Marv Branson.

It was quite accurate, as the leash was short. Stanley was pretty poor in 1931, producing a 61 WRC+ in 54 trips to the plate. He did go 2-for-6 with a double the next season, but I cut him twice in two months, and he retired after remaining a free agent the remainder of the season.

[ayaghmour2]

13th Round, 202nd Overall: RHP Earl Drake
School: Whitney College Engineers
Career (AA): 19-14, 302 IP, 3.99 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 126 BB, 108 K, 115 ERA+, 3.3 WAR
Career (A): 16-16, 9 SV, 311 IP, 5.15 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, 143 BB, 174 K, 89 ERA+, 2.0 WAR

A graduate of nearby Whitney College, Earl Drake was a decent swingman in college, and he continued that role in our organization. In each of his three seasons with us, he made four or more starts and relief appearances, but until 1933 he didn't have much success on the mound. Ironically, that was his last season in the organization, as he didn't make it to 1934. He bounced around between more organizations then I can count, before finally finding a home with the Sailors. He pitched a lot down the stretch for the Peoria Pastimers, going 3-2 with 2 saves, a 2.62 ERA (178 ERA+), 1.52 WHIP, 19 walks, and 9 strikeouts in 48 innings.

He even helped them win a championship, and returned to the rotation for the 1935 season. It went well, as the 26-year-old went 10-5 with a 5.04 ERA (110 ERA+) and 1.57 WHIP. He struck out 68 and walked 64 in his 26 starts, though the 4.66 FIP (83 FIP-) was quite impressive. That earned him a promotion to Providence for the 1936 season, where he had the best season of his pro career. The 27-year-old was 13-5 with a 2.95 ERA and 1.20 WHIP, throwing a career high 161.2 innings. Regrettably, things turned bad for Drake, as in his return he allowed the same amount of home runs (20) that he did in past four seasons combined. His ERA skyrocketed to 5.63 (86 ERA+), and by the end of the season he was in the pen. The following season he was bumped back down to Peoria, where he struggled (1-0, 1, 5.70, 13) out of the pen. He was released in August, again going through the independent league carousel, before retiring at 29 when the offseason began.

15th Round, 234th Overall: C Neal Evans
School: Whitney College Engineers
Career (B): .175/.2266/.316, 41 G, 65 PA, 2 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 62 WRC+, 0.1 WAR

A teammate of Earl Drake at Whitney College, Neal Evans was the Engineer's everyday catcher, but a .167/.340/.267 (65 OPS+) batting line pushed him to the bench for his junior year. That was actually his best season, as he hit .346/.438/.654 (170 OPS+) with 2 homers and 12 RBIs in limited time. Shockingly, those RBIs were and remained a career best, despite not even reaching a third of his PAs in his two seasons as a starer. He never hit enough in our system to deserve regular playing time, appearing in just 47 games in his three seasons in our organization. The most of his time came in 1933 with San Jose, where he started 9 of his 14 appearances. Both stats and appearances were level stint highs, but he hit a pathetic .121/.216/.182 (6 OPS+) in 38 trips to the plate. He was cut in March of 1934, and after receiving no offers through the fall, the Chicago native retired a few weeks after his 25th birthday.

16th Round, 250th Overall: LHP Howie Swan
School: Baltimore HS Terrapins
Career (GWL): 0-0, SV, 42.1 IP, 2.76 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 11 BB, 14 K, 118 ERA+, -0.3 WAR
Career (AAA): 18-17, 18 SV, 422.2 IP, 5.41 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 124 BB, 163 K, 88 ERA+, -0.5 WAR
Career (AA): 54-47, 62 SV, 841 IP, 3.25 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 264 BB, 401 K, 118 ERA+, 9.0 WAR

He's-- still going..?

Really???

Who's this Howie Swan guy?

One of the few players I don't recognize, Howie Swan was our 16th Round pick after a pretty successful three year prep career. Swan went 7-8 with a 3.17 ERA (122 ERA+) and 1.29 WHIP. He started all but one of his 22 appearances, striking out 67 and walking 22 in 130.2 innings. Despite his career as a starter, Swan worked strictly as a reliever, throwing twelve innings in back-to-back seasons with the Lions. The second also had 4.1 in San Jose, but he allowed 6 hits and 5 runs with 2 walks and strikeouts. At that point he was cut, getting locked into a continuous churn between independent teams. He didn't play again until 1934, where the Sailors managed to wrestle him away from the many clubs that were signing and releasing him.

He relieved for 46 innings in Class C Gulfport, finishing 7-3 with 2 saves, a 5.48 ERA (96 ERA+), and a sturdy 34-to-8 strikeout-to-walk ratio. That wasn't enough to impress Philly, and they cut bait with him before the 1935 season. He still bounced around some, but this time he got almost a full season in the Charleston Blue Legs pen. He probably wasn't ready for AAA hitters at 22, as he allowed more hits (192) and earned runs (129) then innings pitched (126.2), while Union League hitters took him deep 29 times in 53 appearances. His 9.17 ERA (58 ERA+) and 1.89 WHIP were atrocious, but in his defense, he had fewer then five innings above C ball and none above A ball.

Swan continued to swap organizations, though again in 1936 he found a job for a significant role. 59 of his 61.1 innings came with the Hollywood Heroes, where he looked much better. Stationed in the Great Western League, he picked up a pair of saves with his 4.42 ERA (105 ERA+), 1.37 WHIP, 13 walks, and 18 strikeouts. The Heroes weren't convinced that he could be a long-term role, and in 1937 he shuttled between four teams, throwing 5 to 12.1 innings per stop. He was best with the Amarillo Stars of the Western Baseball League, a Class A affiliate. The 24-year-old was hit for three solo homers, but that was pretty much the only blemish in his 9.1 innings. 1938 he spent his entire season with the Houston Buffaloes, earning an excellent 2.22 ERA (167 ERA+) in 44.2 innings pitched. He struck out 24 and walked just 11, and his overall work was supported by an impressive 2.93 FIP (79 FIP-) and reliable 1.34 WHIP.

Even though that wasn't enough to stay in Houston, Swan finally did enough to convince a team to give him a chance. Finally finding a home, Swan was picked up by the Waco Wranglers, who competed against Houston in the Lone Star Association. He wasn't as dominant as he was with the Buffaloes, but Swan threw 90.1 innings in 55 games, going 5-6 with 6 saves, a 3.69 ERA (122 ERA+), 1.23 WHIP, and 49 strikeouts. This was the first of five consecutive seasons with an ERA+ above 100, and overall he did it six times in seven seasons with the Wranglers. In 1940 he had a tidy 2.00 ERA (162 ERA+), though the 67.2 innings were the lowest in his time with the Wranglers. He was over 100 innings for each of the next five seasons, pitching in a David Molina type role. He went 41-29 with 46 saves, even worth 2.4 WAR in 129 innings during the 1943 season.

1946 was the start of the Great Western League's attempt to be a major one, so Swan and his Wranglers were absorbed by the Portland Green Sox. He never went back to Waco, finishing his Wrangler career with 726.2 innings in 428 appearances. If the GWL never absorbed the LSA, Swan would have a chance to set the record for most appearances as a Wrangler, falling just short of Ernie Warner's 468. Swan totaled a 8.1 WAR to go with his 3.24 ERA and 341 strikeouts. He got 60.2 innings in 1946, which would have been enough for the Wrangler record. In an A ball equivalent, he went 3-5 with 4 saves, a 4.01 ERA (112 ERA+), 1.45 WHIP, 17 walks, and 34 strikeouts.

The biggest surprise is where his 1947 innings came, as the Green Sox actually used him in their pen! He picked up a save, throwing 42.1 innings in 22 appearances, working to a 2.76 ERA (118 ERA+), 1.39 WHIP, and 14 strikeouts. That was all he got in Portland, spending the next two seasons in AA Oklahoma City. They cut him on the last day of February this season, and it's taking all the effort inside of me to not offer the current free agent a minor league deal. 38 in November, I can't imagine him sticking around for 1951, even if his scouting report is better then some FABL relievers. The command is still good and he can eat innings, but the stuff was never overly impressive. I'm sure he could handle minor league hitters fine, but with just over $35,000 in career earnings, I doubt he's too angry he never really got a chance at a FABL contract.

17th Round, 266th Overall: CF Kent Clark
School: Cincinnati HS Tigers
Career (C): .147/.230/.294, 70 G, 114 PA, 3 2B, 4 HR, 5 RBI, 4 SB, 51 WRC+, 0.1 WAR

When you don't hit over .200 in high school, you don't deserve to get drafted, but sure enough 17th Rounder Kent Clark pulled it off. He played in three seasons with the Lions, though the coolest part had to be his 1932 season. He was just 6-for-28, but two of them were doubles and three solo home runs. His .607 slugging was almost three times as high as his .214 average, and he actually had well above average OPS+ (131) and WRC+ (125). He made three starts early on in the 1933 season, but was cut after goin 0-for-9 with a walk and four strikeouts. He remained unsigned during the season, retiring at 21 when the season ended.

18th Round, 282nd Overall: 2B Tom Dodson
School: Omaha HS Plainsmen
Career (B): .277/.362/.532, 55 G, 163 PA, 10 2B, 4 3B, 6 HR, 30 RBI, 3 SB, 115 WRC+, 1.2 WAR
Career (C): .256/.345/.361, 97 G, 206 PA, 4 2B, 5 HR, 24 RBI, 2 SB, 90 WRC+, 0.6 WAR

A switch hitting second basemen, Tom Dodson got a short chance with La Crosse after he was drafted, starting 22 of his 41 appearances as a Lion. The issue was with the results, as he hit just .190/.250/.238 (32 OPS+) with a double, homer, and 10 RBIs. He spent the next three seasons on the Lions and Cougars bench, but was released prior to the 1935 seasons. He spent three months as a free agent until the New York Stars offered him a minor league deal. It was a bench role with the Class C Alexandria Generals, and Dodson hit an adjusted league average .296/.412/.370 (100 OPS+) in 97 trips to the plate. As a 23-year-old he was promoted to Class B Salem and he finished his season in Class A Scranton. Dodson was much better in Salem, with superior OPS+ (122 to 79) and WRC+ (122 to 93). With the Warriors he had 9 doubles, 4 triples, 6 homers, and 28 RBIs, even drawing two more walks (17) then strikeouts (15).

In 1937 he returned to Scranton, where he opened the season with the Silver Stars. Now 24, he was the everyday second basemen, but he hit a woeful .143/.203/.218 (14 OPS+) in 60 trips to the plate. Aside from the two triples, there wasn't much to like, The more he struggled, the less he played, and eventually the one time 18th Rounder was cut towards the end of June. He remained unsigned through the season, and retired at the start of the offseason.

[ayaghmour2]

Good news, on track to be back tomorrow. And even better news, I got all this finished and spaced out pretty well! Still miss those darn Cougs until we go 0-and-whatever tomorrow morning!

19th Round, 298th Overall: LHP Harry Chamberlain
School: Swoyersville HS Kings
Career (A): 53-37, 75 SV, 468.2 IP, 3.46 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 168 BB, 333 K, 126 ERA+, 8.5 WAR
Career (B): 20-13, 29 SV, 169 IP, 3.14 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 52 BB, 154 K, 149 ERA+, 2.0 WAR

Despite being the fourth to lowest selected player we signed, Harry Chamberlain spent 13 seasons in our organization, throwing 725 innings between La Crosse and Mobile. Like many Cougar draftees, it all started in La Crosse, where he threw 22 innings for the Lions at 19. Starting 28 of his 37 high school outings, all eight of Chamberlain's outings came out of the pen. In fact, that's where all his appearances came the rest of the way, as Chamberlain developed into a successful organizational reliever even if it all started with 68 hits, 28 runs, and 13 walks in just 8 games.

In 1932, he was much more better, even with 53.1 of his 61.2 innings coming a level higher in San Jose. Chamberlain made 31 appearances, finishing 9-4 with 7 saves, a 2.53 ERA (164 ERA+), 1.11 WHIP, 19 walks, and 76 strikeouts. Sure, 9 homers were a little concerning, some of that had to be bad luck, and his 4 K/BB does a good job ensuring most of the homers come without men on base. He was back in San Jose for 1933, where has downright dominant in 14 appearances. Chamberlain allowed just a single earned run, working to a 0.63 ERA (724 ERA+) and 0.98 WHIP with 2 saves and a perfect 4-0 record. This earned him a promotion to Lincoln, where he continued in the stopper role. The lefty threw 55.1 innings in 40 appearances, going 7-3 with 11 saves and a 3.90 ERA (104 ERA+). His 3.53 FIP (87 FIP-) was even better, though he walked (35) more hitters then he struck out (32).

He did not return to Lincoln for 1934, and it took another dominant run in San Jose to make his way back. This came in 1935, where Chamberlain was 3-3 with 11 saves, a 2.30 ERA (200 ERA+), 1.02 WHIP, 12 walks, and 38 strikeouts. While not at that level, he did fine in his return, 2-3 with 6 saves, a 4.68 ERA (119 ERA+), 1.60 WHIP, 10 walks, and 20 strikeouts. This came in 25 innings in 15 outings, all before a late season promotion to the Commodores. It was just 3.2 innings, but he was shelled for 9 hits, 7 runs, and 2 walks. 1936 was only spent in Lincoln, though it was one of his best stints as a pitcher. Chamberlain threw 40 innings in 23 appearances, going 5-3 with 3 saves, a 1.80 ERA (238 ERA+) and 1.02 WHIP. He struck out 17 and sported a well above average 3.45 FIP (80 FIP-), but that wasn't enough to get him back to Mobile. He spent almost two full seasons there before a two inning outing in 1938. That was followed by two more seasons in Lincoln, though for the 1940 season he was dominant once more.

The year before the war, Chamberlain threw 55.1 innings in 34 outings, working to a 9-3 record with 10 saves and a stellar 1.79 ERA (226 ERA+). He struck out 31 and walked 21, though the 3.89 FIP (96 FIP-) and 1.34 WHIP didn't quite match the ERA. With players leaving for the 1941 season, Chamberlain was in Mobile for '41 and '43, and those stints were better then the Legislator one in the middle. It was just 15 and 21 innings respectively, striking out 24. Each time he had 5 walks, 3 saves, and a 3.00 ERA, but his ERA+ was higher in '43 (153 to 146). On the '43 team, he won a Dixie League championship, and while he was never cut, he decided to retire a few weeks before the 1944 season. That could have cost him time with the Blues or even in Chicago, as while he was 32, there were a few times we could have used a spare arm.

20th Round, 315th Overall: 1B Guy Gill
School: Houston HS Hurricanes
Career (C): .333/.333/.583, 15 G, 12 PA, HR, 2 RBI, 157 WRC+, 0.1 WAR

Guy Gil's professional career spanned two seasons, a 2-for-8 with the Lions in 1931 and a 2-for-4 with them in '32, with one of those two his first and only home run. Even from his high school time! That easily inflated his career WRC+, though with both his outs being strikeouts, and an overall little tool player at first, he was cut before the 1933 season and retired without gaining a second chance elsewhere.

24th Round, 378th Overall: 3B John Wilson
School: Houston HS Hurricanes
Career (C): .333/.333/.333, 3 G, 3 PA, 98 WRC+, 0.0 WAR

Another guy with a short career, John Wilson was only a part-time player in high school, starting just 9 of his 28 appearances while hitting an abysmal .158/.186/.193 (9 OPS+) in 60 trips to the plate. Still, the AI wanted him for us, and he went on to make three appearances off the bench for the Lions in 1931. He got an at bat per game, singling and striking out twice. He didn't appear during the '32 season, but he lasted until July before being cut, retiring at the end of the campaign.

25th Round, 394th Overall: LHP John Oldham
School: Trenton HS Tiges
Career (C): 3-3, 3 SV, 67 IP, 8.19 ERA, 1.81 WHIP, 25 BB, 46 K, 49 ERA+, -2.4 WAR

Finishing up our class is another lefty reliever, though John Oldham didn't have nearly the success as Harry Chamberlain. A reliever in high school, he continued that role in La Crosse, but he did not find much success. At 18, he had a 8.39 ERA (45 ERA+) and it rose to 9.50 (45 ERA+) the following season. He was able to drop it down to 7.03 (57 ERA+) in 1933. and he finished La Crosse with WHIPs of 1.66, 2.11, and 1.73. That's not going to cut it, especially at the lowest level of the minors, and he was cut that July. He did not sign the rest of the way, but still feeling young, Oldham decided not to hang up the cleats. He signed with the Austin Violets in November, but they quickly regretted it, cutting him the next day. That was the last offer he got, so when he was still unsigned in February of 1934, he decided to call it quits.

FABL Totals
Big League Debuts: 4 of 21 (19%)
Parts of 5 Seasons: 2
Parts of 10 Seasons: 1
500 Games: 1
1,000 Games: 0
500 PA Seasons: 1
1,000 Career PAs: 0
15 HR Seasons: 0
50 Career HR: 0
15 Steal Seasons: 1
25 Start Seasons: 8
30 Start Seasons: 5
150 Career Starts: 1
100 Inning Seasons: 10
200 Inning Seasons: 5
500 Career Innings: 1
1,000 Career Innings: 1
10 Win Seasons: 4
20 Win Seasons: 0
50 Career Wins: 1
4 WAR Seasons: 1
Total WAR: 22.9

GWL Totals
GWL Debuts: 2
Parts of 2 GWL Seasons: 1
Parts of 4 GWL Seasons:
500 Games: 0
500 PA Seasons: 1
750 Career PAs: 1
1,000 Career PAs: 1
15 HR Seasons: 0
15 Steal Seasons: 0
Total WAR: -1.2

FABL Accolades
All-Star Selections: 2
World Championships: 1

On the surface, this class may look pretty poor, but that's more a comment on the quality of the 1930 class as a whole, not on who we selected. Two hitters were worth more the 20 WAR: Rip Curry (39.7 and Jim Beard (27.5). One pitcher crossed that threshold: Jake Smith (28.95). Our Bill Ross was close (19.8), and aside from Ross and the three above 20, only four others were worth double digit WAR. Just look at our first rounders from 1931 to 1941, seven of them managed double digit WAR. Seven! And that doesn't include Leo Mitchell, Tommy Wilson, Harry Mead, Rich Langton, Leo Hayden, Duke Bybee, and more, all from that same time period, who managed double digit WAR. Simply, there wasn't much talent to ring out of this pool, and we got one of the legit big leaguers plus a few prospects we were able to use in trades. I mean in 201 games with the Cougars, Bobby Sprague was worth 6.2 WAR, which would have ranked 11th among all drafted players from that class! We didn't really miss out on anything, and we just finished the last year of what could be considered a "drought" in terms of draft success.

I mean take a look at some of the notable guys coming up in the next five drafts:
1931: Ed Reyes, Leo Mitchell
1932: Billy Hunter, Rich Langton, Harry Mead
1933: Tommy Wilson
1934: Carlos Montes, Harry Parker
1935: Charlie Wheeler, Chubby Hall, Danny Hern
1936: Pete Papenfus

That's a lot of hits! Surely it would lead to some titles...

[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 5-1
Seasonal Record: 76-66 (3rd, 0.5 GB)
Stars of the Week
None Generated this Week

Schedule
9-12: Win vs Foresters (5-6)
9-13: Loss vs Foresters (2-1)
9-14: Win vs Foresters (2-10)
9-15: Win vs Wolves (0-6)
9-16: Win vs Wolves (2-6)
9-17: Win vs Cannons (2-3)

Recap
Oh is it good to be back!

The previously inept and incompetent Chicago Cougars have decided to catch fire at the perfect time, winning five of six this week and nine of our last twelve to move within a half game of first.

Yes, a half game. That's it.

Less then a month ago we were eight out. Eight!

Now, win eight games? We might win the Continental!

In pouncing distance of the co-leading Saints (76-66) and Stars (77-67), all I can think of is the wise words of past me complaining about all the missed opportunities early on that would certainly come back to bite us if we ever got close enough to sniff the elusive Continental Crown.

It's simple. Thirteen games for us to survive seven teams within five and a half games of first is what will most certainly be an all out battle royale that's sure to break fark more hearts then it soothes. Lucky for us, the schedulers are in our favor, as we play eleven of our thirteen games at Cougars Park, with just two more trips. The first is on an off day, our last this Friday the 22nd, and the second will be the return home after a 2:05 local time game in New York. Before that, one with the Cannons and three with the Sailors. On our return, it's two with the Saints, three with the Kings, and two with the Stars, in what I'm sure neutrals are hoping is a battle for first place.

So how did we get here?

Well, the back of the rotation is killing it, with both Duke Bybee and Johnnie Jones red hot. Bybee got an undeserved loss, 5 hits, 2 runs, a walk, and 3 strikeouts in a complete game against the Foresters. He's now allowed two or fewer runs in four straight starts, walking just five with a pair of five strikeout efforts. Bybee now owns a 3.73 ERA (106 ERA+) and 1.20 WHIP with 93 strikeouts, coming full circle from his brutal May. Johnnie on the other hand completely cut out the late season drop this year, as he's been reliable injury aside. He followed up a 1-run complete game with a 6-hit shutout, walking two Wolves while sitting down four with a strikeout. A win away from his previous career highs, Johnnie is 14-8 with a 3.04 ERA (130 ERA+) in fifth consecutive 200 inning season. If these two can keep it up, we're in great shape, but we're even better shape if Jim Morrison keeps striking out nine guys a game. That's what he did to his former team in our 19th and final win against Toronto, finishing 8 with 7 hits, 2 runs (1 earned), and 4 walks. This marks his fourth solid start in a row, and in seven starts he now has a lower ERA (3.66, 108), WHIP (1.30), and BB% (9.2) then he did before the trade.

The offense didn't do too much despite all the wins, but three guys homered and all three played large parts in the scoring. It's nice that one of those guys was Sal Pestilli, who somehow has just 6 homers in 104 games. Pestilli was 8-for-24 in the week, adding a triple, 4 runs, 4 RBIs, a walk, and two steals. That gives him an Association high 26, though the #2 Joe Austin (25) may make a return before the season ends. Red Bond had the second homer, as he hit an even 9-for-18 with 2 doubles, 3 runs, 3 walks, and 5 RBIs. He's been mashing the ball lately, with three and four hit efforts against the Wolves and his triple slash is up to .354/.440/.545 (164 OPS+) for the month.

The third was quite a surprise, as captain and late game replacement Don Lee hit his second of the season. Filling in for John Moss, he went 9-for-19 with 4 doubles, 6 runs, 7 RBIs, and 3 walks. It's just 107 trips to the plate, but he's now hitting .306/.438/.518 (156 OPS+) on the season, supplying 8 doubles, 2 triples, 2 homers, 3 steals, 15 RBIs, 17 runs, and 20 walks in 73 games. With John Moss returning, he's set to lose some playing time, but with no rehab assignment and him not hitting all that well to start with, I'm going to ease Moss back into the lineup. This will allow Lee a few more games in right, with Pestilli effortlessly handling center, and if Moss' bat doesn't wake up I might end up going with the hot hand.

Looking Ahead
It may just be a two game series, but a win to start the week against the Cannons will give us a sweep, as we bested them 3-2 in the opener. That was against Rufus Barrell (15-12, 2.89, 111), setting up #2 Jim Anderson (13-8, 3.41, 97) in this one. Looking at the offense, the Cannons are one of the few teams without a hitter in the 10s for homers, and they may soon be without one in the 20s. That's what a game at Cougar stadium can do for you, and 33-year-old slugger Chuck Adams (.281, 29, 108) is a homer away from 30. Sure, Denny Andrews (.245, 9, 52) could just as easily hit his 10th, but there's not much pop in this Cannon lineup. We couldn't keep them in the park last game, with the runs coming from solo shots to Adams and Jim Hensley (.231, 3, 33), but if we can limit them to just solo homers again, we'll have no one to blame but ourselves if we come up short.

The Series with the Sailors might be the biggest one, as at 70-71 they're one of only two teams below .500 in the CA. They're off to start the week, so that won't change when we face them, and we need to take advantage of these games here. One guy we won't see is rookie George Reynolds (1-1, 5.03, 7), who was then 2nd Overall Pick of the 1946 draft. Ranked 26th on the prospect list, "Pig Iron" picked up his first career win in a 4-1 win over the Stars, going all 9 with 3 hits, a run, 4 walks, and 3 strikeouts. A potential rotation fronter, he has a deep six pitch arsenal, headlined by a sinker with excellent life. Even though he's walked 15 guys in 19.2 FABL innings, he's expected to have excellent command. This year it may be fun to face him, as we do tend to handle inexperienced pitchers that aren't Ron Berry, and we'll instead get their front two in Al Duster (17-7, 2.85, 107) and then Win Lewis (7-13, 3.51, 111). Both tough to beat, they'll then pick whoever they prefer between qualified K% leader Joe Hess (11-9, 8, 3.68, 108) and Charlie Gordon (8-12, 4.46, 73), who has been demoted to the fifth spot.

Whoever we face, the lineup is going to be tough to contain, but I really hope we can drop three o'fers on Marion Boismenu (.342, 3, 46, 4). Leo Mitchell (.328, 13, 70) has been ice cold, and Boismenu is starting to pull away. Both trail Ed Reyes (.360, 2, 34), who unfortunately won't come close to qualifying, and anchors a deep lineup. Cotton Dillon (.302, 6, 39) has hit his way into the lineup, producing a 152 WRC+ in 303 trips to the plate, while Al Farmer (.286, 4, 34), Billy Forbes (.304, 10, 73, 20), and Solly Skidmore (.273, 5, 56) have WRC+ above 110. If the rails didn't fall off in June (10-18), the Sailors could have been on top at this point in the season, but will instead look to make some magic and make up the 5.5 games they are behind.

Our last two road games come on the weekend, where we'll deal with the Stars in what could be a battle for first. They've played 144 games already, leaving them with just ten games to finish the season. They're off two days before we get in, so they'll be well rested for this marquee matchup. On our end, it will be Donnie Jones (16-11, 2.86, 135) and Pete Papenfus (13-10, 3.45, 134). My best bet is that Vern Hubbard (12-11, 4.79, 71) and Ed Cornett (11-9, 3.67, 71) will counter, so it will be up to the bats to give our guys some support. The Stars have four 20-homer sluggers, and the only one of that quartet below 25 is Bill Barrett (.314, 20, 87), and he's the best of the bunch and one of our personal nemeses. Generally a boom-or-bust offense, this time the Stars have a balanced approach, with all four sluggers sporting WRC+ between 125 and 145. There are some holes at the back of the lineup, but they aren't necessarily easy outs. As with any late season game in a pennant race, it's not going to be easy, and even though optimism is sky high, a classic 2-4 week could cause everything to come crashing back down.

Minor League Report
The minor league season is officially over, and while all five of our affiliates finished with a winning record, only the newcomers finished with a pennant. Milwaukee, Lincoln, and San Jose all finished in second, while the Lions were tied for 4th with the Rock Island Steamboats. The more detailed Minor League report will come out at some point this week, either over the weekend or after we get eliminated from the playoffs. Today, we have a few callups to cover, and a common entrant who did another great thing this week.

RHP George Oddo: Is he going to pitch? I'm not sure... But rotation member George Oddo will be back in Chicago, hanging out as an emergency starter in case he's needed. The minors treated him quite well, as he was a perfect 6-0 in his 7 starts, working to a sparkly 1.42 ERA (250 ERA+) and 1.05 WHIP. Even his 2.20 FIP (61 FIP-) was pristine, and he struck out 46 batters with just 10 walks in 57 innings. Clearly a FABL quality pitcher, perhaps all Oddo needed was a wake up call, as he was just awful in his 20 starts with us. He was just 5-11 with a 5.05 ERA (78 ERA+), allowing 18 homers in 149.2 innings pitched. That includes a stretch of seven times in eight starts where he allowed two homers, which did a number on his ERA. His 1.38 WHIP is actually pretty good and he struck out 70 batters (10.9 K%), so his 4.31 FIP (109 FIP-) isn't nearly as revolting as his ERA. The games matter far too much for him to pitch with us down the stretch, but if we fall off this week, I think I'll give him a turn through the rotation in the final week.

C Mike Bordes: Totally forgot to bring up a third catcher, but with a more traditional starter/backup role this year with Eddie Howard and Harry Mead, it wasn't as big of a need. 25 in November, Mike Bordes appeared in 118 games with the Blues, and he should add to his total of 3 FABL games. Acquired in the Billy Riley deal, Bordes had a huge season in AAA, slashing .246/.390/.403 (120 OPS+) in 504 trips to the plate. He was worth an impressive 4.7 WAR with a 135 WRC+, 20 doubles, 13 homers, and 52 RBIs. His 18.7 BB% is what stands out the most, as he drew 94 walks to 60 strikeouts. His discipline is his best tool, and paired with average pop and a decent glove, and you have at least a capable backup. With Harry Mead getting up there in age, Bordes is the heir apparent, though both OSA and Dixie Marsh think that he can "force his way into the lineup." We'll see about that.

3B Al Clement: Up earlier in the season, Al Clement spent the last 85 games in Milwaukee, batting .280/.351/.510 (136 OPS+) with 13 doubles, 4 triples, 17 homers, and 58 RBIs. With good defense all around and a 148 WRC+, he was worth an impressive 4.1 WAR, and he'll look to increase his .143 times three batting line. That's came in 24 appearances, though he made just eight trips to the plate. He had one last year too, so his next will be his tenth, though there's no guarantee that happens this season. Max Wilder loved him at first late in games when he's up, and I expect that's how he'll continue to use him. A versatile bench piece, I'd trust him at first, second, and third, and if you really needed to, he could cover short. It's sad he never developed the glove I was hoping when he was drafted, but the bats really came around, and at 25 he's got a chance to force his way into a lineup.

RF Jimmy Hairston: After a rough start to the season, Jimmy Hairston had matching WRC+ of 141 in August and September, and will now get to finish his season in Chicago. In the aggregate, he hit .265/.352/.378 (103 OPS+), hitting 22 doubles, 12 homers, and 56 RBIs. The biggest concern, however, was a huge drop in walk rate, as he went from 15.2 to 10.7. It did come with a slighter decline in K% (17.2 to 14.6), but for someone who's known for his ability to get on base, he'll need to do a better job working walks. Currently ranked 17th in our system and 179th overall, Hairston has dropped a bit with his down year, and since he'll be 26 in January, it's only going to drop from here. That and the fact that he's out of options makes him a likely graduate, as if we do have to waive him, I can't see him clearing. I don't plan on that, even if we have a lot of good outfielders, as Hairston is a gifted right handed hitter who deserves a shot to play everyday. He has a quick swing and can hit the ball hard, allowing him to make an impact at the plate. The icing on the cake is the eye, so as long as he can put everything together, he's set. Already 25 FABL games to his credit, he currently owns a .282/.408/.359 (114 OPS+) triple slash, and he should add a few more PAs as we look to break our nearly decade long pennant streak.

RHP Jim Williams (AA Little Rock Governors): Five. That's how many shutouts Jim Williams threw in his 24 starts. Sure, the fifth wasn't all that pretty, as he did walk 7 with just one strikeout, but with just two hits allowed, Williams was able to work around the traffic, finishing his season 16-6. In 209 innings, he worked to a stellar 2.33 ERA (172 ERA+) despite walking 97 hitters and striking out just 75. What allowed Williams to find so much success was his ability to limit the longball, as Dixie League hitters swatted just four homers when Williams was on the mound. That's a valuable skill for a pitcher in our park, and Dixie Marsh he has starter quality stuff. Sure, he also thinks he'll never be a full-time rotation member, but his offseason velocity bump has caused him to look much better. A three pitch pitcher, Williams leans on his low 90s sinker, which hitters tend to swing over. Deserving of a rotation role, there may be interest around the league in Williams' service, as he's Rule-5 eligible and would need to be protected with a 40-man spot. I really don't want to use one on him, but with how well he's pitched I can't see him not getting selected. Pitching is always at a premium, and most teams don't have a factory like ours that churns out reliable starter after reliable starter.

[StLee]

Let's go!

[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 3-3
Seasonal Record: 78-69 (3rd, 1.5 GB)
Stars of the Week
Leo Mitchell : 22 AB, 13 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .591 AVG, 1.245 OPS
Red Bond : 19 AB, 5 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI, .263 AVG, .917 OPS
Johnnie Jones : 1 Win, 8.1 IP, 6 BB, 3 K, 0.00 ERA

Schedule
9-18: Loss vs Cannons (7-5)
9-19: Win vs Sailors (3-9)
9-20: Loss vs Sailors (3-2)
9-21: Win vs Sailors (2-0)
9-23: Loss at Stars (3-4): 10 innings
9-24: Win at Stars (8-4)

Recap
We alternated decisions this week, dropping to a game and a half out of first as we enter the final week of the season. The new co-leaders are the New York Stars (80-68) and the surging Cleveland Foresters (80-68), who have won seven straight and nine of their last ten. The last series they lost was the midweek series against us that ended with a 10-2 throttling of 1949 All Star John Jackson (12-14, 4.21, 100) on the 14th. They appear to be the favorite going into the final week, as the reigning pennant winners are off to start the week before starting a three game series in Toronto. They finish the season at home, hosting the seventh place Sailors, who were eliminated by the Foresters four game sweep.

Lucky for us, Leo Mitchell has gotten hot, earning Batter of the Week in the Continental Association. This was made possible by Leo Mitchell's sixth career five hit game, as he contributed to our 9-3 beatdown of Al Duster (10 H, 6 ER, 2 BB) and Art Hull (3 H, 3 ER, 2 BB). Mitchell was 13-for-22 with a double and 3 RBIs, now hitting .341/.389/.467 (129 OPS+). He's a point away from Marion Boismenu (.341, 3, 49), who was just 3-for-11 in four starts. Barring a Cougar pennant led by Mitchell himself, he's not longer a Whitney candidate, currently third in the CA for WRC+ (144), he was no better then average since July, but no one will remember that if he can spark a win streak to steal the crown in a crowded sprint to the finish.

Red Bond deserves some acknowledgement, not only for going 5-for-19, with a double, walk, 3 runs, and 6 RBIs, but because his first of two homers was the 250th of his career. 165 of them came when the 37-year-old was in Montreal, as Bond now has 86 homers in 397 games as a Cougar. He's been our hottest hitter in September, and with two well-timed homers he could match his 27 longballs from the past two seasons. 1950 as been a healthy season for him too, as his 528 plate appearances are already most as a Cougar, and I expect him to play plenty in this final week.

Johnnie Jones and Duke Bybee stayed hot, with Johnnie coming two outs away from a shutout. He was at 142 pitches, and while he allowed just 4 hits, there were 6 walks to 3 strikeouts. David Molina picked up the final two outs, earning his 20th save of the season. Unfortunately Molina blew the Stars game, as he allowed Ed Holmes (.266, 11, 54, 8) to score on a Bob Riggins (.280, 3, 18, 6) double. Molina stayed on for the 10th, but it took just two pitches for Jack Welch (.269, 27, 80) to end it with a 400 foot homer. He finished Bybee's start earlier earlier in the week, as like Johnnie Duke went eight and a third. The 5 walks was unusual, but it was partially countered by six strikeouts and fully saved by nine runs of support. He allowed just 7 hits and 3 runs, improving to 13-11 on the season. This duo has two starts in the most critical week of the season, and while they're not the most talented pitchers in our rotation, they've been cruising down the stretch.

Looking Ahead
Losses can be lethal at this stage of the season, and with a pair of them could be a season ender for either of the teams on display at Cougars Park. Both us and the injury riddled Saints are within two games of the first and cannot afford to drop games at this point. Lucky for us, they're ice cold and without Big Moe Carter (.267, 24, 86), and now lefty Wally Doyle (10-13, 3.98, 135) is done for the year. Even though Joe Austin (.233, 6, 42, 27) they have been without a lot of notable players who are very hard to replace. Hank Smith (.261, 8, 23) has been alright at first, but Carder provides a lot more then that. Bob Jennings (.247, 11) has not been able to replicate Luke Weaver's (.290, 8, 48) bat, and our staff should be able to feast here if we can keep them in the park. Our lineup needs to come up big, and with the Doyle injury we may see a spot starter like Andy Lyon (3-1, 3.55, 37) or top 100 prospect Ted Coffin (0-1, 5.40, 3). More likely we'll see Wally Reif (15-13, 3.26, 99) and Bert Cupid (13-14, 3.74, 118), but both are susceptible to the longball, and may have trouble keeping it in our park.

I think we caught the Saints at the right time, but I'm extremely worried about what comes next, as we'll have three with the Brooklyn Kings. Unless we sweep here, they'll finish 1950 with the most wins against us, as they can at worst tie our 8-14 record with the Foresters. I'm not sure who's going to win the Whitney, but you can't go wrong with Ralph Johnson (.317, 18, 86, 6), who absolutely feasts at Cougars Park. He has two homers and a 183 WRC+ in 8 games there this season, and the 26-year-old is hitting .317/.407/.495 (134 OPS+) on the season. His 150 WRC+ leads the Association, and with 6.4 WAR he's in a race with Billy Forbes (6.3) for what could be his fourth consecutive season as the Continental WAR Lord. Three wins here would do them wonders, as even in fifth they are still three and a half out. A lot can be accounted to Ron Berry (18-11, 3.22, 138) and Charlie Rogers (.315, 7, 60, 17), who are locks to finish top three in the Kellogg Race this season. I'm really hoping Berry pitches and wins the finale against the Stars before the Kings come to town, as we are likely stuck with Joe Potts (11-11, 3.65, 95) in the finale.

It won't get any easier after, as we play two with the New York Stars to finish the regular season. Lucky for us, there's a chance for a pennant to be clinched their, but unlucky for us it's most likely to be for the Stars. Unlucky for them, they've already finished their home allocation, though they have similar win percentages at home (.545) and on the road (.535). Before coming to town, they face the same two teams we do, but with an off day on Friday to rest up for our matchup. I think that means we get Eli Panneton (15-14, 4.13, 93) and Ed Cornett (11-9, 3.67, 71), who I reckon will open the week in Brooklyn. No matter who they throw, I'll remain vigilant of the lineups power, especially CA home run leader Bill Barnett (.284, 33, 92), whose 33rd blast came off Pete Papenfus (14-11, 3.52, 140) in our 8-4 win. Despite being at home, I don't think we can get a worse matchup to end the season then the Kings and Stars, but Champions overcome whatever is ahead of them, and if we can't do that here then we don't deserve to represent our association.

[ayaghmour2]

Weekly Record: 2-5
Seasonal Record: 80-74 (t-5th, 5 GB)
Stars of the Week
Red Bond : 24 AB, 11 H, 2 HR, 7 RBI, .458 AVG, 1.286 OPS
Skipper Schneider : 24 AB, 7 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .292 AVG, .662 OPS
George Sutterfield : 16 AB, 6 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .375 AVG, .787 OPS

Schedule
9-25: Loss vs Saints (12-0)
9-26: Win vs Saints (5-9)
9-27: Win vs Kings (6-9)
9-28: Loss vs Kings (5-2)
9-29: Loss vs Kings (3-0)
9-30: Loss vs Stars (4-2)
10-1: Loss vs Stars (7-1): 12 innings

Recap
I mean, should I really be surprised? Is there anything we do better then falling flat on our faces when it matters most!?!?!?

Don't think so!

Simply put, it was a brutal week, but considering the Foresters won five of six, we would have had to be perfect to even force a tie for first. We pretty much looked pathetic all week long, as if it wasn't for a pair of nine run efforts, we could have gone winless to end it. Instead, we finished with our 11th 80-win season in 12 years, and we've now finished .500 or better in 13 of the past 14 years. All without winning a title!

So what went wrong this week?

Well, Leo Mitchell (5-25) saw his batting title slip away, Eddie Howard and John Moss had three-hit weeks, Sal Pestilli had just four, and Pete Papenfus (9 IP, 3, 4 BB, 6 K), who lost by the way, was our only starter who didn't have a five run start.

Oh yeah, and after five scoreless outings in the week (not sure why he pitched so much...), Jim Kenny allowed 6 runs in the 6th, which explains the weird looking 7-1, 12-inning game.

Looking to the leaderboards, we had multiple top five finishes, though the only leaders were Donnie Jones and his 1.13 WHIP and the 20 saves David Molina recorded in his first season as a Cougar. Jones was a common top five participant, giving him a serious Allen resume, third in ERA (2.97), four in strikeouts (141), fifth in innings (270), and tied for fifth in complete games (16). Molina's 20 saves is the second most in a season by a Cougar and shockingly tied with potential World Champion Joe Brown (11-14, 3.86, 75; 70-57, 20, 3.28, 416) and actual champion Claude Purvis (10-9, 20, 2.97, 44).

Leo Mitchell was third in average (.333) and fifth in wOBA (.386), Hal Wood second in OBP (.401), Red Bond was fourth in OPS+ (129), fifth in slugging (.493) and ISO (.205), and tied for fifth in homers (27), George Sutterfield tied for third in triples (13) and tied for fifth in steals (13), Sal Pestilli was second in steals (28), Johnnie Jones was second in ERA (2.95), , Pete Papenfus was third in strikeouts (146), and Duke Bybee was third in WHIP (1.23). That's a wide variety of high finishers, but we were just far too inconsistent to be taken seriously this season. We almost never had 3-3 weeks, generally winning or losing four or more games at a time. You never quite knew which Cougar team you were getting, A lot of that can be attributed to the injury ridden season from Sal Pestilli, as he appeared in only 117 games. He was clearly limited in the power department, with just 6 homers in 512 trips to the plate. This power outage comes after seasons with 33 and 22 homers, and it was the lowest in his eleven season career. If he was at his best, we would have won more the 90 games, and Cleveland late season surge would have been taken as just a reminder for 1951 that last season was no fluke.

Oh well, what are you going to do? That's baseball for you!

I'm not sure how long the next sim will be, but I'll have the No Trade Team and the Minor League Report before we get to the top prospects. I have a sneaking suspicion that team would have an excellent season, as they'll get a nice boost from Ron Berry (20-11, 3.12, 149), who's not only a Kellogg contender, but an Allen finalist as well. The craziest part is that if we didn't trade him, he wouldn't have been in our Opening Day rotation, and he'll instead end the year as the Kings ace. He could have forced a midseason role when George Oddo (5-11, 5.05, 70) was on his homer binge, but even then he might have got only ten or so starts. As much as it's going to hurt us, I'm really enjoying his emergence as a top arm. Just wish he would show us some gratitude and allow us to score some runs!

Minor League Report
SS Archie Cunningham (AA Little Rock Governors): Since the calendar just turned to October, awards were given out to the minor leaguers, and along with Milwaukee's Ken Matson (2-1, 5 SV, 1.33, 6), who was named Century League Pitcher of the Month, "A.C." Cunningham was the Dixie League Batter of the Month. Archie spent most of his season leading off for the Dixie League's #1 offense, and his .424/.486/.515 (166 OPS+) September line helped the Governors cruise to their first ever Dixie League Championship. Just outside the top 200 (201st) on the final day of the season, he'll get a longer writeup later in the offseason, but some of the switch hitters accomplishments are more then worthy of repeating. A.C. played in 135 games, frequently paired with his brother in the middle, and accumulating 6.7 WAR with 91 runs, 73 walks, 38 extra base hits, and 44 steals. His 109 WRC+ and 1.076 efficiency at short make for an excellent shortstop, and since he turned 24 on the final day of the season, September must have felt like one long birthday gift that ended with a three hit night.

RHP Dutch Jones (B San Jose Cougars): A borderline top-40 prospect, Dutch Jones once started games at nearby Chicago Poly, where he was 15-21 with a 4.66 ERA and 204 strikeouts. Since the numbers aren't too eye catching, it's no surprise he lasted until the 20th Round, and he entered this season with just 17.2 innings out of the pen. 1950 was his second full season, and when given a chance to pitch in a more prominent role, Dutch may have did enough to secure a starting spot. Aside from his first few outings, Dutch was dominant all season, and he took that to another gear in September. He threw 18.1 innings in 9 appearances, going 2-1 with 4 saves. He allowed just two earned runs on 14 hits and 5 walks, striking out 19 to pull of the rare Pitcher of the Month as a reliever. It's a nice accolade for his accomplishments this season, as the 24-year-old righty was 8-5 with 8 saves in 48 appearances. He struck out 65 and walked 34 in his 83.1 innings, earning impressive ERAs, WHIPs, and FIPs of 1.73 (255 ERA+), 1.24, and 2.86 (65 FIP-) respectively. I'm ready to challenge him next season, sending him all the way to AA where he can fight for a spot in the rotation. If it doesn't work out, I don't mind moving him back to the pen or down to Lincoln, but even after considering the weaker competition there's a lot to like. The stuff is good, and his repertoire is deep, but command is an issue that's always plagued him. I'm curious to see how his stuff looks in longer outings, as the more hitters see you, the likelier they are to punish mistakes. As someone who doesn't throw hard (86-88 MPH), he'll have to live on the corners, but the most encouraging sign might be his last outing: 5 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 6 K. If San Jose doesn't score four in the 14th, he's right back out there if we fail to score in the 15th. He might be able to handle this starter thing!w

[ayaghmour2]

Two games into the WCS and we are still tied up. The series shifts to New York, where former Cougar Joe Brown (11-14, 3.86, 75) is expected to take on Ducky Davis (8-13, 3.71, 89). It's not often you see two pitchers with losing records square off in a playoff game, but both guys were unlucky in the rum support difference despite pitching for the #1 respective offenses. Neither offense is too hot, while New York has four runs in both games and Cleveland has scored seven, two in the loss and five in the win.

Catchers
Eddie Howard (CHC): 94 WRC+, HR, 57 RBI, 2.0 WAR
Harry Mead (CHC): 79 WRC+, 3 RBI, 0.2 WAR

Infielders
Billy Hunter (CHC): 85 WRC+, HR, 17 RBI, 0.8 WAR
Joe Austin (MON): 78 WRC+, 6 HR, 44 RBI, 29 SB, -0.7 WAR
Hal Wood (TOR/CHC): 119 WRC+, 3 HR, 58 RBI, SB, 4.1 WAR
Skipper Schneider (CHC): 67 WRC+, 3 HR, 49 RBI, 5 SB, 4.2 WAR
Otto Christian (CHC): 30 WRC+, 5 HR, 17 RBI, -0.8 WAR
Ed Reyes (PHS): 146 WRC+, 2 HR, 36 RBI, 2.4 WAR
George Sutterfield (CHC): 102 WRC+, 7 HR, 54 RBI, 13 SB, 2.5 WAR

Outfielders
Leo Mitchell (CHC): 138 WRC+, 13 HR, 73 RBI, 5 SB, 3.0 WAR
Bunny Hufford (NYG): 106 WRC+, 11 HR, 53 RBI, 5 SB, 2.2 WAR
Chubby Hall (CHC): 85 WRC+, 14 HR, 47 RBI, 0.5 WAR
Chink Stickels (TOR/MON): 70 WRC+, 2 HR, 23 RBI, 0.1 WAR
Carlos Montes (CHC): 88 WRC+, 5 HR, 31 RBI, SB, 1.1 WAR
Don Lee (CHC): 161 WRC+, 2 HR, 15 RBI, 4 SB, 1.0 WAR

Pitchers
Duke Bybee (CHC): 13-13, 105 ERA+, 106 K, 3.8 WAR
Zane Kelley (CHC/TOR): 2-6, 90 ERA+, 16 K, 0.4 WAR
Charlie Kelsey (CHC): 1-0, 73 ERA+, 22 K, -0.3 WAR
Leo Hayden (BRK): 13-13, 95 ERA+, 109 K, 3.3 WAR
Danny Hern (STL): 14-18, 100 ERA+, 90 K, 3.8 WAR
Ron Berry (BRK): 20-11, 130 ERA+, 149 K, 4.3 WAR
George Oddo (CHC): 5-11, 78 ERA+, 70 K, 1.3 WAR
Pete Papenfus (CHC): 14-12, 112 ERA+, 146 K, 4.6 WAR
Harry Parker (CHC): 0-0, 189 ERA+, 0.1 WAR

Totals
Hitters: 22.6
Pitchers: 21.3
Total: 43.9
Approximate Wins: 78

Notable Prospects/Picks Traded
October 1949: Traded Carlos Montes to the Chiefs for Mack Lyons
December 1949: Traded Ron Berry, Tom Brownleaf, and Dutch Yoak to the Kings for John Moss and Jack Moore
January 1950: Traded Harry Beardsley to the Miners for Bill Davis and Johnny Hadley
February 1950: Traded Bob Mundy and Willie Watson to the Kings for Joe Marshall
July 1950: Traded Zane Kelley, George Carter, Ducky Cole, and Mike Emerson to the Wolves for Hal Wood and Jim Morrison

Much to my surprise, this team actually slightly underperformed the current Cougars in terms of WAR, and would have finished in 6th instead of the tie for 5th. What might be most interesting is that Cougar draftees struck out 940 batters this season, well above the CA team average of 623 and the FA average of 544. We finished second in the association with 673, and we employed two of the five Cougar draftees (Bybee and Pap) who struck out more that struck out 90 or more hitters. No Minuteman pitcher managed 90 strikeouts! That's a lot of strikeouts from our draftees!