1947 Draft Preview:

The ‘47 draft is sure to be a doozy, filled with absolute star power top to bottom and multiple pro ready players in this class. Headlined by the glut of top pitching talent, this draft features the generational pro-ready talent of Mikey Horn, an all-American kid who took an extra few years to develop after serving in the war. “Cowboy” Bill Buchanan, a 24 year old Texan with a fastball touching a hundred, is also seen as a pro-ready talent. Some position players ready for the MABL are a young lovable New York shortstop in Lance Byrd, power hitting center fielder Robin “Rock” Adams, and cocky Cincinnati second baseman Sebastian Michaels.

However, the most interesting prospects are the raw talents and the experienced vets; the two extremes are personified by probable first overall pick Rocky Thomas Jr, a young catcher with the best batting potential ever seen for a player of his position. Marlon Andrews, who’s kicked around in the lower unaffiliated eastern leagues and is now in his age 30 season. Other examples of the latter also include Dilbert McPherson, a paranoid second baseman whose mental issues do not supersede his ability to play ball, and Cliff Hanson, a 27-year-old who could already be in the majors if better scouting saw him first.

The first ever draft will consist of a lottery, in which teams will receive weighted odds for each pick going off of the worst record up until this point. The lottery will be revealed to the teams at an earlier date in order to prepare a draft strategy, but will not be released to the public until draft day. Until then, theorize about with mock drafts.

Top 25 Prospects, MABL Scouting Association (age in parentheses):
  1. SP Mikey Horn (23) - Stickman
  2. CF Robin “Rock” Adams (19) - Stickman
  3. SP Johnny Jansen (24) - NoE38
  4. C Rocky Thomas (21) - Stickman
  5. SP Howard Townsley (18) - Scratch
  6. RF Dilbert McPherson (26) - Stickman
  7. SP “Cowboy” Bill Buchanan (24) - Stickman
  8. SS Lance Byrd (20) - Edgeworth
  9. 2B Sebastian Michaels (21) - Sevsdast
10. SS Jonah Lucas (24) - Jayhawk
11. 1B Joseph Senft (22) - Jayhawk
12. SP Gavin Wooden (20) - Stickman
13. SP Cornelius Grant (21) - Darknes
14. 3B Bo Rosendale (22) - Megildur
15. LF David Dillard (21) - ItDoesntMatter
16. RP Maxwell de Jong (21) - ItDoesntMatter
17. RF Russ McDunn (20) - Out of the Park Baseball
18. 3B Marlon Andrews (30) - Stickman
19. CF Elijah Peterson (20) - Dan O’ Mac
20. 3B Nate Hopke (20) - Out of the Park Baseball
21. SS Donald Ciman (22) - ItDoesntMatter
22. RP Gordon Jefferson IV (22) - Stickman
23. 3B Calvin Newton (23) - CCLXXXVIII
24. C Andy Anderson (24) - Stickman
25. CF Adam Vernier (21) - Out of the Park Baseball

Team Needs:
Harbor Athletic Club: C, 3B
Boston Bees Baseball Club: C, SS, LF, RP
Brooklyn Baseball Club: 3B
Chicago Republics Baseball Club: SS, CF, RF, SP
Union Stock Yards Baseball Club: 2B, RP
Cincinnati Reds: LF, CL
Lakers Baseball Club: SS
Detroit United Baseball Club: SP
Louisville Baseball Club: 1B
Manhattan Baseball Club: CF
Milwaukee Baseball Club: RF, SP
New York City Athletic: CF
Centennial Baseball Club: 3B, SS
Pittsburgh Eagles Baseball Club: CL
St. Louis Baseball Club: 2B
Capital City Baseball Club: 1B, 2B, RP

Last edited by H-Town1141 (7/24/2021 10:31 am)

June 1947:
The third month of the year brought forth surprising performances from around the league, but more importantly solidified the pecking order of these squads heading into the inaugural All-Star break.




Brooklyn has been doing Brooklyn things the entire season, and yet find themselves tied at the end of the month. Through the 15 games of June, the Jays saw players like center fielder Noel Kelley tie with the first 2-time Player of the Month Brian Rosenberg for the MABL home run lead of 12, and go 12-3 across that stretch in MABL play. Manhattan, however, found a way to do the same despite dropping 2 of 3 against the Jays. Most of it had to do with their offense doing Giants things, but Sam Coffman found himself Pitcher of the Month after a 4-1, 2.01 ERA June. Pittsburgh has seen their hopes slide away slowly, as the early offensive output of center fielder Paul Sager and third baseman Matt Stiefer have seen drop offs heading into the break. Harbor Athletic is a case of a top heavy order and a lack of real identity, because despite an otherworldly .448 average and 6 round-trippers of Nate Smith and a 1.05 ERA of Kellen Sears, the Harbors still dropped games against poor opponents such as Capital City and NYCA.

Philadelphia has been clawing their way above .500 on the backs of a dominant pitching rotation just recently bolstered by U24 call-up Chris Parra, who’s notched wins already with a 1.17 ERA. Boston is still Boston, with the squad needing a lot of help to become competitive in future years. The real story of the cellar remains to be the preseason dark horse competitors of NYCA and the Blossoms. Although some players on the Boroughers have been able to shine through (perhaps due to New York media exposure) such as catcher J.D. Sarver and second baseman Ryan Miller, Capital City’s star shortstop Jamie Chiarradonna has found himself the unsung hero of a team playing for nothing, and is overshadowed at his position by Manhattan’s Jon Sierra. Luckily for them, the draft odds will be in their favor.

The Midwest has been a story of come-ups from a lot of teams, while some continue to flounder. St Louis has finally wrestled away control of the division for now, with the offense of Sean Lake, Josh Lawhon, and Player of the Month Jonathan Felan complimenting a pitching staff led by Chunky Stanton and fellow Pitcher of the Month Chris Johnson. Cincinnati seems to be over performing, placing 5th in both runs scored and runs allowed, but as long as George Rogers II takes the mound, this team will remain dominant. Louisville saw a sharp decline, as even the likes of Corey Pennington, who is second in the MABL in stolen bases with 24, and Greg Fairbanks couldn’t stop this squad from dropping series to surging Lakers and Packers squads.

Bruce Park, a former reserve player for the Packers, took the field for the squad in May and hasn’t given up his starting role. He’s taken over the star role in town with LaCava slumping, and willing this offense through a poor June for the squad. The Yards’ fate of above .500 baseball for the month wasn’t bestowed upon the Dubs, however, as the team’s offense wasn’t enough to overcome its pitching woes. The Lakers had a dominant month, as U24 call-up Marco Salazar found new life in the bigs and gave this team a 5 undefeated performances, helped by the fantastic offense of both Steve Blaisdell and Ron Levinson (the former receiving Player of the Month honors for an effort featuring a .452 average and Midwest leading 1.167 OPS). They’ve found themselves, alongside a Milwaukee team thought to be dead in the water, back in the division race at the break.

The bottom has fallen out for the Republics. Once simply bad, this team has become near unwatchable. Kykle Sisk’s heroics are the only thing stopping them from becoming Capital City levels of horrendous.




Transaction news: This is a section for transaction news, which heated up considerably near the end of June ahead of the July 4th draft.













The Bees and Milwaukee saw players dumped from their roster for very little obvious reason, with Milwaukee's Zachary Clary the only MBC pitcher above .500 in MABL play at the time of his trade. The Republics, Capital City and Cincinnati sold off pieces that were extremely pricey. Taylor McShane, once thought to the the bright spot in the Republics lineup, has performed horribly, and even then his contract would've made it nearly impossible to play to the standard he needed to reach. Luckily, Mike Parsons looks to be a solid utility infielder. Cincinnati saw the opportunity to dump Allen Chaffee for solid depth pieces from the Black Giants, while Capital City ended up with the worst trade of the bunch. A very bad Bob Byers, whose contract was the highest on the books at $33,000, got traded for nearly nothing as Gorman got immediately released and an 18-year-old closer Justin Cunningham has poor projected development. The best trade of the bunch was Brooklyn, who sent away organizational depth to fill a hole at third base with 34-year-old Kevin Drummond. He looks to be a solid addition to the team, and if the squad feels the need to draft one of the many strong options for the position in the draft, he has the experience to be a mentor and leader.

The regional cups have become more contested, although every MABL team has established themselves as frontrunners in their respective sub-regional divisions. The Republics are still towards the middle of the pack, but are now in the playoff picture heading into the midway point of the season.

Last edited by H-Town1141 (7/24/2021 2:51 pm)

Been watching this for a bit, and suffice to say I'm very interested to see where this is going. Definitely gonna be following NYCAC.

~~and of course, submit only the best prospects~~

Megildur wrote:

Stickman wrote:

9. Harbor: Bo Rosendale 3B

If Bo goes to Harbor, I'll be a Harbor fan until he leaves. Which would work nicely, as I could still root for The Yards in the Midwest and then Harbor in the East. I wouldn't mind seeing Bo go to Brooklyn either, even though they just acquired Drummond.

I love the world-building aspect of this. Could we see what the rest of the lower leagues look like? Or will that be something included in the regional playoffs that I should just be patient for? 

That's one thing I will say that I haven't ironed out entirely. I have plenty of teams and cities in mind, but only a few designed to the point where they can be shown off. I think that will change over time and the world itself becomes more developed, and I'm hoping to have community involvement in the team creation process a little bit later on.

By the way, if y'all wanna see, I have a draft lottery video out! I don't know about the audio channels, and this was my first ever attempt at motion design and video production, so I mean it may be a little rough around the edges but I had fun


 

This draft was a doozy! The surprising result of St. Louis and Cincinnati receiving the top two picks left many in the baseball world in shock, but alas there wasn’t much to be done other than pine for next year, where the draft position will be determined by the 1947 records of each squad.



1- Rocky Thomas Jr. - C - Nashville, TN
Originally a first baseman, the young 21 year-old eventually transitioned to becoming the only the seventh professional left-handed catcher since the dissolution of the Association. There’s a reason for this, too. Thomas has some of the quickest reflexes ever seen by a prospect not already playing professionally, and scouts say his bat is easily the best ever seen by a catcher. The simple kid from Tennessee will have time to develop into a polished product, however, as 1947 all-star catcher Eddy Ramos is approaching his 35th birthday in the coming months.



2- Robin “Rock” Adams - CF - Danville, KY
Although only 19, Adams has shown that he is pro ready immediately. Scouts have noted a specific strength of character in him, cultivated through his young life’s experiences of racism in his community, yet also a very fun-loving spirit. The center fielder is already polished, with a few things such as strikeouts being the only minor concern in his game at the moment. It’s unlikely those will matter, though, as his bat is possibly the best in this draft. The power alone is second to none for a center fielder (save for maybe Noel Kelley of the Jays), and is sure to be one of the most feared in baseball.



3- Elliot DeAngelo - SS - Brooklyn, NY
A strong-willed Italian from Brooklyn, Elliot's a first-generation American who grew up on the game of baseball. He adored watching local teams and has been honing his craft for more than 10 years. However, the lifelong Jays fan will be playing in the development system of one of their deepest rivals, as the project shortstop will likely need time to move to third base in order to keep Blossoms centerpiece Jamie Chiarradonna at the 6. It will be interesting to see how long DeAngelo takes to reach the majors, as the pick was considered a reach with pro-ready talent still on the board.



4- Dilbert McPherson - RF - South Bend, IN
Dilbert has a lot going on upstairs. The extremely talented, and volatile, offense-first outfielder has the strange paranoia of anything “left”, meaning that he will not play third base, left field, shortstop, and will occasionally hold up at second base if it means that he doesn’t have to stand up at third. At 26, he’s been out of baseball until recently due to war and psychiatric treatment, and the New York City Athletic Club has said they will continue assisting McPherson in combating his paranoia. If they hold true, they will be getting one of the best hitters in this class, and a multi-time all-star to boot.



5- Joseph Senft - 1B - Cleveland, OH
Senft is a very intriguing prospect, as his home run prowess while playing around in Cleveland has been unrivalled by even the greatest baseball legends. The Lakers let it be known that they were interested in the hometown kid, but Milwaukee’s leadership saw an opportunity to build this team for the future. Although a little ways away, Senft’s work-ethic and raw power should see him elevated off of the U24 team by as soon as opening day ‘48.



6- Lance Byrd - SS - Syracuse, NY
Byrd’s a player with a lot of talent both at and facing the plate. The 20 year old has shown that he’s a very naturally gifted player with a wide array of skills, including practical jokes in the clubhouse. He’s regarded by most as a defense-first player, but his bat has developed fast enough for him to hit the majors immediately. This puts the Lakers in a strange spot, however, as the Six now has two shortstops, 24 year-old Hunter Kidd and Byrd, ranked in the top 50 under 25. It’ll be a story to watch about whether Byrd shifts over to his poorer defensive position, center field, or whether he stays at short.



7- Sebastian Michaels - 2B - Cincinnati, OH
Michaels, once thought to be at the top of many’s draft boards heading into the pre-draft process, slowly saw his name drop below what he expected when the top prospect list came out. He said in the pre-draft process that the only teams that should take a look at him are the Reds or Travellers, his hometown team or the first overall pick, and when they went in different directions, Michaels saw the writing on the wall. Rumor has it that the Packers will simply not be willing or able to pay Michaels’ contract demands, and he will try to prove his generational ceiling playing semi-pro ball while getting ready for the 1948 draft.



8- Bo Rosendale - 3B - Hunter, NY
Bo has been renowned in the pre-draft process in making players around him better and setting the example. He’s probably the most earnest guy in the draft, and yet he’s not just a locker room guy. He’s a defense-first third baseman with surprising lateral quickness, even for a 22 year-old. His offensive skills are a bit raw, but a year or less in the Bees developmental system should help him reach his potential. On a rebuilding Boston, Bo is a solid young centerpiece that doesn’t have to be rushed to the MABL, but those extra reps early surely couldn’t hurt.



9- Russ McDunn - LF - Sioux City, IA
In semi-pro ball, he was God. Grown men were made into children, reversed to a pre-natal state of being and left helpless from the wrath of lumber which he carried like the executioner does a rifle. Baseballs rained from the sky and the rivers of Iowa ran red from the seams that held together reality. Everyone was mortal, Russ was eternal.

He does need some time in the minors, though, as he still needs to improve his defensive game and grow a bit more into his frame. Whenever needed, Baltimore has a spot for him in the outfield, as Nate can shift over and play a natural center fielder position.



10- Johnny Jansen - P - St. Louis, MO
Sadly for the Republics, who are bad, all surefire young offensive talent had been taken off the board, leaving projects and pitchers. Going with Jansen, the Republics are looking clearly at being a defense- first team in the future. At 24, Jansen needs to get a move on if he’s going to crack a big league roster. He’s powerful, with his fastball touching 95, but not yet major league ready. His control seems to be a bit everywhere as he’s billed himself a “jack of all trades” type of pitcher, with many pitch types in his arsenal and mastery of none at the moment. As a U.S. Navy veteran who saw combat in World War II, he is certainly a player with the mental fortitude of waiting for his time.



11- Mikey Horn - P - Worcester, MA
Mikey is a solid player, tom to bottom. His talent seems unmatched, his power undeniable, and his force unstoppable. While playing at home during part of the war, in which he ended up serving, “The Bull” was noticed by Eastern League scouts as a loud, energetic teenager with a ton of heat but a lack of control. As such, EPL teams left him off of their rosters when the league came back in ‘46 despite his growth, and he has since shown himself very capable of being an incredibly talented, well-rounded, mature pitcher with the knowledge of a veteran. Horn is pro-ready and then some, and at 23, still a few years away from hitting his prime.



12- David Dillard - LF - Aurora, IL
Okay, I’m going to cut the 3rd person sh-t out and tell you how I really feel at this point in time. I hate this pick with every ounce of my being. Brooklyn could’ve had the pitching lineup of Cowboy Buchanan, Gary Hansen, Tim Vogt, Mike Walsh, and Adam Sugg. But NO! Why have the most dominant pitching corps assembled since the Three Pillars back in 1901 when you can have ANOTHER left fielder? It’s not like your outfield of Rosenberg, Kelley, and Mike Kulp isn’t already decidedly one of the youngest (Kulp is the oldest at 26) and THE best in baseball or anything. They felt the need to get a guy, who I should mention is AT LEAST a year and a half away from playing in a MABL game, who plays the EXACT SAME POSITION AS THE BEST PLAYER IN A GENERATION, WHO IS ALREADY ON YOUR TEAM. How is this team first in the East?



13- Elijah Peterson - CF - Oblong, IL
"But H-Town? Why aren’t you mad at this pick?" I hear you asking. "Detroit’s outfield is really good, so good in fact that you won’t shut up about them and Ron Perl being the greatest offense in baseball," you keep saying. Well, dear reader, may I remind you of timelines. Mainly, Peterson is definitely more raw than Dillard and it will likely take him at least 3 years to reach the MABL. By the earliest estimate, Matt Meyer will be 34 but still be in playing shape, allowing Peterson to learn alongside Meyer with a changing of the guard and allow Detroit’s title window to fall squarely into the early 50’s (gave or take pitching). Admittedly this team should’ve gone the route of a pitcher, but at least this pick shows foresight by the organization.



14- Marlon Andrews - 3B - Jim Thorpe, PA
Andrews is the oldest player in the draft by far at 30 years old, but it certainly hasn’t been for a lack of trying. Since having to learn how to throw righty in order to play third base, however, he has decided to do things HIS way. He has been insistent that scouts come to see him play, yet refused showcase invites or lower regional contracts in the hopes that the EPL might be calling, but alas, nothing ever came. He’s another headscratcher pick in a row, with both of the right infield spots given to all-stars Chris Thorp and Jon Sierra. The other option would be for the ambidextrous Andrews to move to first and plug the only hole in the Giants roster, where power hitting Justin Manson can often be a liability in the field and on the basepaths.



15- Donald Ciman - SS - Buffalo, NY
Son of hardworking Italian immigrants, Ciman became one of the brightest young players in the sub-regional, semi-pro league circuits throughout New York and the rest of the northeast. Doing whatever he could to scrape by, he learned the toughness and grit needed to be a true utility infielder, even as a lefty. He’ll eventually be a solid defensive contributor in the MABL, so long as he stays engaged with the game at hand, and his offense might bring him an all-star nod or two. For now, though, he'll be in the minors further honing his craft.



16- Andy Anderson - C - Milwaukee, WI
By far the biggest reach in terms of talent, the Eagles went with a raw catching prospect with the least upside of anyone taken in the first two rounds. However, with all-star catcher David Sturtevant hitting 30 and no organizational depth to help this team continue to compete, the hope is that Anderson will eventually serve as either trade bait or become a top-end defensive catcher who might remain a slight liability at the plate, but is a monster behind it.

And there you have it! The first round of the draft! The rest will be posted later today, as long as a full list of all stars for both the East and Midwest! I hope everyone is staying engaged with the story so far, and be sure to let me know how your team did (I know I sure have lmao)

Last edited by H-Town1141 (7/26/2021 12:11 pm)