The MABL’s first year finished with a bang in the East, but before we get to the finale, it’s important to shine a light on the top stories and players of the year.



The Eastern League was one of front-runners all year long. Brooklyn and New York City took it down to the wire, and for good reason. Both squads have young cores with players who can’t seem to stop getting better. The MVP race is down to David Dillard, who mashed a monster 27 home runs at a .383/.456/.679 clip, and Jared Kaplan, a consistent extra base machine with stellar defensive play, as well. The leaderboards don’t show the plethora of excess talent in New York right now. Each team is loaded top to bottom and have seemed to provide the rivalry with one more push towards the height of baseball, right before the demise of Adam Hirsch.  Hirsch, nearing 90, has run the Brooklyn Baseball Club since its founding in 1884. Although his mind was still sharp, his body was failing him, and in August, he resigned from his duties as Chairman of Baseball Operations. Although many of the current Jays team are under 25, veterans like longtime manager Kevin Denton, as well as pitchers Angel Mojica and Joe Merza are deeply shaken by the news. As a result, their performance collapsed near the end of the season. At the end of the season, the man who was able to bring back a national league was placed in hospice. The search for the new Jays president begins in the offseason. Tom Clark led the “best of the rest”, the group of players who simply didn’t have the fortune of playing for the two best teams in their division. Joe Berg in Capital City shined to close out the year, leaving Capital City as a bittersweet hero after he declined a contract extension to stay with the club. If this season is anything to go by, it might not be so bad for Capitals fans as Darren Price still has years of arbitration left. So long as the Scheevel Estate will pay up, the Capitals will keep an ace. The aforementioned Clark ended the year with an eye-popping 30 home runs, although at 33, it’ll be interesting how much longer his power holds up. Another vet on staff is Jermaine Holmes, whose excellent year might not hold up for much longer at 32. 27-year-old Cliff Hansen turned out to be a welcome surprise after he joined Centennial from the minors in August, and hopefully the Centennials might have a star on their hands. The Giants, although not in any position to compete for a title, are hoping to spend big in the offseason to start catching up to their neighbors, as Ted Newsome has repeatedly gone out and berated his players in the press. We’ll see how that pays off, however, when your players aren’t already under contract. Pittsburgh, Boston, and Baltimore are all looking towards the future, although Blaise Perez would get a nice return in the market if he were dangled out. Too bad Elliot Keeling wasn’t under an extended contract, as the best of Baltimore’s newly mercenary pitchers sails the open waters.

TL;DR: The Jays and Boroughers are heads and shoulders better than everyone else right now, even if the records don’t show it. Tom Clark and Blaise Perez are on woebegone clubs, as is everyone else in Pittsburgh, Boston, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. Joe Berg is ready for his payday, and Manhattan is looking to dole out some cash.

The final series to decide the East is below in the spoiler, hope it lives up to all the reading. Heading into the final series of the season, City Athletic found themselves a game back of the Jays for the top spot in the standings, with a series in lower Manhattan providing the location for the climactic showdown. If Brooklyn won a single game, a one-game playoff would have to occur to crown the Eastern League title. 

Game 1: Brooklyn (58-35) @ New York City (57-36)



With aces Eric Follett and Jonah Lucas both taking the mound for game 1, neither was able to keep the scoring in check. After a top of the first which saw Brandon Sutton smashing a triple into left center field and scoring on a passed ball, Lucas was able to blank the Moles’ ferocious top of the order. The second inning saw the Jays strand Brooklyn native Elliott DeAngelo after his lead-off double, while Follett seemed to get his rhythm back. Another 1-2-3 inning from Lucas gave him his first at-bat at the top of the third, where a successful walk turned even more so when Sutton sent him to second on a single into no-man's land. David Dillard was up next, obliterating a ball into the gap for a double, sending Lucas home while Sutton was stretching around the basepaths. A late throw to the plate gave Brooklyn a 3-0 lead, which was only exacerbated by a Bobby Lee single that shot through the infield and sent Dillard through. As Jonah Lucas mowed down another 3 straight batters, Brooklyn was up, 4-0, after just three innings.

The luck seemed to turn, however, when Brooklyn’s fourth inning began to show cracks in the armor. Having been sat down in order in the top of the inning, Brooklyn’s bottom of the fourth started with Jared Kaplan reaching base on an Elliott DeAngelo error. David Sandoval’s first pitch double sent Kaplan to third, and the hit train kept coming. Dilbert McPherson popped a ball into no-man's land behind second, where Kaplan scored the first run of the game for Athletic. Manuel Gonzalez added to the parade with a single that sent Sandoval home, and the score was 4-2. A ballsy pickoff to get Gonzalez at first and two ground balls later, it was onto the fifth. Another great inning by Follett brought Justin Hicks up to bat in the bottom of the fifth, a strong defensive catcher who squeaked out the starting spot before the year. He was able to start the frame with an 8-pitch at-bat (including four foul balls) that ended in a single. Two quick outs later left Kaplan back at the plate, where an absolute nuke blasted over the wall in left center field, tying the game at 4 a piece. After a Sandoval walk, McPherson drove his own 450 foot shot over the exasperated Brandon Sutton, and just like that, the City grabbed a 6-4 lead. Each starter got one more inning to show their stuff, with the Jays able to steal back a run off of a David Dillard walk and Bobby Lee double, culminating in the score on a Joe Miller groundout. 

The 8th provided the most action of the day, where the Jays were able to take back the lead on a 2-run homer by Dillard, but the Moles weren’t putting their heads in the sand just yet. Reliever Ricardo Franco faced Manuel Gonzalez and was pulled for Rogelio Hernandez, the star closer of the Jays. It didn’t matter, as a barrage of hits at the bottom of the order sent one home and loaded the bases, leaving Kaplan up to bat yet again. A 3-run triple all but sealed it, as the Boroughers won, 10-7. 

Game 2: Brooklyn (58-36) @ New York City (58-36)



 Brooklyn only has to win a single game to keep their season alive past this series. On the mound for them was Angel Mojica, a man who was only recently informed of Adam Hirsch’s step back from the club. In the pivotal game of the series, Mojica gives up a run through four, letting the Brooklyn bats do the work as they run up a 4-0 lead, thanks to a monster top of the third. Mojica reaches himself with a leadoff single, while Jon Gibbs bats him over to second with his own. Brandon Sutton’s following double puts Gibbs on third, and moments later, he’s also around the bases thanks to a David Dillard single. The following Elliot DeAngelo triple would have been backbreaking if Dillard hadn’t got caught stealing the bases for a fifteenth time this season, and if Bobby Lee hadn’t struck out three pitches later. The lead was cushioned but turned 4-1 with a David Sandoval solo shot in the 3rd.  The Jays and Moles traded blanks in the 4th, and the fifth inning was set up to be pivotal.

Dillard started things off with a first pitch single, and quickly batted to second thanks to Lee’s line drive into right. After a DeAngelo strikeout, Zach Riley was able to draw a walk on a 10 pitch at-bat, leaving the bases loaded for Joe Miller. Facing strikeout wiz Bill Segoviano, Miller got down in the count 0-2 before a keen eye was able to get him back to an even count. On the 5th pitch, a smack echoed towards Brooklyn. Gonzalez and Kaplan could only look up as the ball sailed out of the field on a grand slam, putting the Jays up 8-1. 

Any other team would’ve given up, but not this team. Not the Moles. After years and years of being second fiddle to the goddamn Brooklyn Jays, old friend of Hirsch Chris Wester looked on as his team started to storm back. A pitching change to Geoff Morrow got the final two outs, and the Boroughers headed back to the plate. Mojica was gassed and figured he was pitching with enough of a cushion, and with the weight of his city on his shoulders, he looked to be in good position. Getting two quick outs brought Kaplan back up to the plate, where he was able to shoot a double into the gap to keep the inning alive. David Sandoval was up next and got down 0-2 before a double of his own sent Kaplan home. In the heart of the lineup, backs against the wall, the Moles hunkered down. A McPherson walk on full count brought up Manuel Gonzalez, who answered Miller’s grand slam with a 3 run blast of his own. The inning was quickly over, but New York City had stabilized the momentum. 

Things stayed dormant until the bottom of the 7th, where Travis Cronk was set up to pitch his second inning of duty. Denton got fancy and got defensive specialists Brandon Wheeling and Francisco Moreno on the field at first and second, but it didn’t matter. A quick Gonzalez single was turned into a 2-run homer by deadline acquisition Troy Fenske. Thanks to a Rafael Luna two-out double, Jared Kaplan was able to tie up the game with a double along the third base line. The 8th and 9th were down the order for both clubs, so off to extras it was. 

The top of the 10th could’ve been pivotal, but alas, Bill Cox was able to keep a Joe Miller double from reaching home thanks to stellar pitching down the stretch. After pinch hitter TJ DeVree walked to reset the order, Jon Gibbs grounded into a fielder’s choice that moved Miller to third. With a quick Jon Gibbs steal later, Brandon Sutton had the chance to play hero ball. On a 2-2 count, Sutton whacked one high and long, back, back, and… right into the glove of Manuel Gonzalez to end the inning with no harm done. Rogelio Hernandez was gassed from the previous day’s outing but insisted on pitching the final inning. Pinch Hitter James Melvin reached on a single, but more importantly, set up the perfect 5-4-3 double play from the bat of Jared Kaplan. Up came Sandoval.

Two outs. Three balls. Two Strikes.

The Boroughers torment stretches back decades. For years, the squad was never able to catch a break in the Eastern Premier Championship. And for years, as the sun sets on the season in the dreary months of fall and rises in the renweal of spring, there was no new fortune for New York. Their fate was set, their course immovable, their lot secured. Their destiny lied beyond the walls of Wester Park, but never could they get the ball that far. Brooklyn, on the other hand, endured the greatest success of any team in the history of the sport by turning the rest of the entire eastern seaboard into a punching bag. It's here, at this crossroads, at which David Sandoval's bat holds the final opportunity to change that course. Hernandez's pitch hangs in the air for what seems like an hour, a slider that just got away from him. Sandoval torques, lowers his bat, and makes a *crack* that could be heard across the river. Over the walls did their fates lie.

There was no God willing to bring joy to an entire city’s despot. The crowd roared after the crack of the bat and would not give a decibel until Sandoval reached home. The ball landed in the right field bleachers, giving the Boroughers their first Eastern League lead since 1941. David Sandoval was mobbed at home plate, joined by a field storming that held the energy of the hit for what must've been years. Demons were excorcised, but there was still one more game to play. 

Game 3: Brooklyn (58-36) @ New York City (59-36) 



This one was far less entertaining. The game took until Wednesday to play thanks to rain delays, but the Boroughers were able to take a lead early and pad it to win the Eastern Region for the first time since the Association.  Thanks to masterful pitching with runners in scoring position, Jorge Cordova was able to stave off 10 Brooklyn hits and only let them manifest 3 runs. Joe Merza came in with no energy, as the Boroughers shelled him for 6.1 innings, giving up 8 runs which Brooklyn couldn’t hope to muster. The Boroughers had secured their victory in the East and would look towards the Lakers of Cleveland and the Roosevelt Cup Series.

Last edited by H-Town1141 (3/22/2024 4:44 pm)

glad the mabl is back, and it's looking great so far! the brooklyn-nyc writeup was fantastic. that said, I'm curious what happened in the west, since it looks like lakers tied with republic at the top. I assume there was a tiebreaker somewhere in the mix, but it wasn't explained, and I would've thought we would've gotten some sort of highlight of what happened down the stretch with those teams like we got in the east. anyway, this has been enthralling so far and I'm excited for the bees to win all of the championships after 1947

Game 1: 



The opening game of the series was one to credit the expectations. Fuentes and Follett lined up for a pitchers duel that lasted through the game, each giving everything they could to the other side. 

The first action started in the top of the second, when Manuel Gonzalez caught hold of a Fuentes fastball and sent it to the wall for a triple. Shortstop Miguel Acosta, not known for power, sent a scorching 2 run blast over the fence for Althetic to take a 2-0 lead.  

Things heated up again in the third, as Fuentes got himself into a bases-loaded, no out jam. With Kaplan, McPherson, and Sandoval on base, Manuel Gonzalez grounded into a double play that sent Kaplan home for a 3-0 lead. Cleveland’s bats remained anemic, and Fuentes saw his fourth inning turn into much of the same with another bases-loaded situation. Thanks to some help from the umpire on a sketchy 3rd strike call, he was able to get out of the 4th, still down 3-0. 

The scoring was kept at bay until the 8th, when Cleveland got their first crack with a rally started by catche Rich Besser. A double into the gap soon let him head to third on a dribbler by Carlos Rivera. After outfielder Josh Shoemaker struck out, it was up to mid-season call-up Salvador Rubiano to send Besser home on a single that put Cleveland on the board for the first time. A quick fly-out ended the rally with a man left on base, and it was smooth sailing the rest of the way with New York taking a 1-0 series lead. 

Game 2: 



The second game at Wester Park was an onslaught from the first pitch for the Boroughers.  

A Lance Byrd double in the top of the first was quickly put to bed by two Segoviano strikeouts, while Matt Smith’s first frame was a sign of things to come. Two quick outs put the Boroughers in a hole, but the Moles seem to like it that way. McPherson got on with a walk and stretched a Manuel Gonzalez single to 3rd, setting up backup first baseman Josh Olson to drive them home. That chance was taken a pitch later, but it was a passed ball that sent McPherson sliding into the plate and Gonzalez to third. Olson soon cracked a single into right that left the Boroughers up 2-0 early. 

Josh Shoemaker got a solo shot in the second, sending the ball away on a towering 430 feet shot to deep center, and New York again had their turn at the dish. Things looked fine to start for Smith, as the Boroughers got down to their final strike in the inning before pitcher Bill Segoviano located and struck a pitch to shallow center for a single. Back at the top of the order, Jared Kaplan hit a single himself that sent Segoviano flying around the basepaths. Sandoval missed his location on an 0-2 pitch, but contact was nonetheless made, and a weird hop towards Shoemaker let Segoviano score on an error. 3-1, New York. 

Another 2-out rally in the bottom of the third ends Smith’s day. Justin Hicks and Rafael Luna’s back to back doubles are followed by a nightmare, as Segoviano goes 2-2 on the day on a single that drives Luna home, safe on a bang-bang call at the plate. Kaplan squares up to bat but hit by a pitch, leaving David Sandoval to drive home Segoviano on a single and bring in Tommy LcLaughlin to pitch. It’s no use, as the Boroughers send two more home thanks to McPherson and Gonzalez to take an 8-1 lead.  

Cleveland scores another run, but from there it’s all NYC. Five runs later, the Boroughers take the game 13-2. 

For the fifth time in as many games, New York defended their home field to take the win and a commanding 2-0 series lead. 

Game 3: 



With the games moving out to Cleveland momentum seemed to swing their way. Jorge Cordova couldn’t even get out of the first before disaster struck; an early Ethan Cannady walk was followed up by a Lance Byrd single that drove him to second. After a quick Ryan Ayres out, Rich Besser drove a ground ball single through the infield that drove Kennedy home for a quick score. Carlos Rivera’s turn on the plate drove in two to put Cleveland up 3-0 before the second inning started. Josh Olsen’s solo shot to put the moles on the board, But Cleveland was able to tack another one on before a scoreless 3rd. Thanks to a Gonzalez home run in the 4th, Althetic climbed back to a one run-deficit, but it was silent from there.  

Another insurance run sent home by Carlos Rivera in the 6th ended the scoring for the day, and Cleveland would, at the very least,enjoy a gentlemen’s sweep. 

Game 4: 



Ryan Gillespie was a late season call-up for the Lakers, only appearing in 9 games for the MABL squad. Still, he got the ball in game four with an objective to even the series. An early jam was avoided when, with runners on 2nd and 3rd, Gillespie struck out the side to send Cleveland their first shot to score. Cannady got a hold of Brandon Miles’ fastball and took it deep, giving the Lakers a 1-0 lead after one.  


New York fired back in the third, when a hit barrage started by Dilbert McPherson got Jared Kaplan to home on a go-ahead single. Justin Hicks left 3 on base, but New York was keen on taking away the advantage. 

Until the fourth. A Ryan Ayers double left him in scoring position when Besser came up to the plate. Digging around third, Ayer’s beat the throw home on a single through the infield to tie up the game. Rivera was able to bunt himself on, followed by a critical error by Miguel Acosta that turned a double play into a bases-loaded, no-out jam. Up came Rubiano, whose home run the game prior left him with as many postseason dingers as the regular season. On a 2-2 pitch, he sends a high fly ball into the centerfield scoreboard for a grand slam. 6-2, Cleveland.  

An insurance run in the fifth is matched by a Manuel Gonzalez moonshot in the 7th, but the surprise quality start from Gillespie officially ties up the series. 

Game 5: 



With each team’s aces on the mound for the final start in Cleveland, the Lakers looked to be in trouble early when Oscar Fuentes got into a bases loaded situation in the first. An opening triple by Kaplan was followed up by a quick single by McPherson to drive him home. shallow singles by Sandoval and Gonzalez put the runners full, but a flyout by Olson gave the opportunity to Miguel Acosta. On a sac fly deep to center field, McPherson tagged up to extend the lead to 2-0. 

The third inning picked up where the first had started for the Moles, with Gonzalez and Olson getting on to start the inning. Acosta's Following grounder into a double play left only one man on for Justin Hicks to launch a ball over the outstretched glove of Jake Wickwire for a 2-run homer, extending the lead to 4-0. 

The Lakers, however, started chipping away at the lead. A solid shot by Rubiano put the Lakers within 3, and the fourth saw Lance Byrd stretch for first to third to put himself in position to score. With Carlos Rivera up to bat, a single ripped down the first base line gave Byrd the chance to cut the lead to two.  

Things stayed silent until the 6th, when a Ryan Ayers walk began the trouble. After Rich Besser got on and subsequently out after a Carlos Rivera FC, it was up to Joe Shoemaker to send his boys home. On a 1-0 count, a Follett fastball was left right in the zone for the utility-man, and scorched off the end of his bat for a stand-up triple, tying the game. Oscar Fuentes got in on the fun as well, when his clutch single gave the Lakers the go-ahead run. 

The last great chance for the Moles came in the 7th, when Manuela Gonzalez ripped a ball just opposite of the foul pole with two men on. On the next pitch, Fuentes got him looking, and it was settled from there.  

Cleveland dug themselves out of a 2-0 hole to go up 3-2 and take home field advantage back from the Moles. It’ll be up to City to turn the tides. 

Game 6: 



SNOOOZERRRR. The Moles, thanks to Manuel Gonzalez and his monster outing ending with a grand slam and RBI triple, gave the Boroughers a new life after a disaster away from home. Undefeated at home since mid-September and miraculous in do-or-die games, the Moles have one more game to put it together and win their first League Championship since the 1920’s. 

Game 7: 



In a do-or-die final game, the Lakers did everything they wanted. After a scoreless first, the Lakers put together two runs in the second thanks to pitcher Ron Elliott, who put a single into the outfield grass with two on and two out. The party continued in the third, as Carlos Rivera smacked a two-run single through the infield gap to put his team up 4-0. After a stolen base by Rivera, Shoemaker followed it up with a single of his own, sending Rivera home and setting up an insurmountable 5-0 lead. 

The only runner in scoring position all day for the Moles was after Jared Kaplan’s triple, but otherwise, the bats went silent.  

A 5-hit, 6 strikeout, 2 RBI performance gave Ron Elliott legendary status in Cleveland, and proved the Eastern doubters that the Midwest featured elite baseball talent. Ethan Cannady’s performance gave him the RCS series MVP after filling in for Joe Wells, but as an auxiliary piece to their core, it’ll be interesting to see what the Lakers do with him in the offseason. 

For the Boroughers, their season wasn’t a disappointment. Although they lost the RCS, their Eastern victory over the Jays is etched in the mind of every New Yorker. “The Hit” holds far more value to them than anything from the season, and they’re geared up to run it back. 

And there you have it! The Lakers Baseball Club has won the first ever Roosevelt Cup series in a dramatic 7 game series. The offseason provides fodder for plenty of things, including player movement, new logos and free agency. Brooklyn is looking for a new President (send suggestions in the comments) and MABL scouts are scouring the country for potential prospects (send your draft prospects in the form at the top of the thread). If you're a fan of a team, most likely you'd be an owner! (sorry, Packers fans). Send ideas for ways to improve the clubs or change their brand, as this is the 40's, after all, and there are no wrong ideas.

Last edited by H-Town1141 (3/22/2024 5:33 pm)

1948 Player Movement



The 1948 offseason started with a bang, as the new trading window brought plenty of teams into the fold.  

The trades were plenty, moving players around from team to team with near reckless abandon.  

The most notable was a Jeremy Maddox sign-and-trade that saw NYC lock up Maddox until his age 40 season, sending back Brian Gault and a second round pick. Another Milwaukee-Moles trade saw all-star Danny Castaneda head to lower Manhattan in exchange for outfield prospect Frank Brewer.  

New York wasn’t done, yet, however, and sent Baltimore a pair of prospects for Elliot Keeling, the last Baltiimore pitcher worth a damn that didn't leave in free agency. Keeling is hoping to replicate his 1947 season in New York, and with a bolstered pitching rotation, the Boroughers are looking towards a repeat. 

Minor leaguer Ron Bartlett was shipped out from Chicago to Pittsburgh, where catcher Ken Peterson is expected to slot into the starting lineup. The Republics weren’t done adding, as the team is going for broke in ‘48. Eagles All-Star Alex Jaramillo was sent the the Republics, as well, in exchange for catcher prospect Todd Rockburn. 

Cleveland was able to sell high on Ethan Cannady, the 1947 RCS MVP, by getting everyday starter Mike Cooper in return for the left fielder. Both look to be solid editions to their roster, but Cannady’s upside rests on a very small sample size. 

Capital City’s Hunter Ricketts, a former top prospect who showed flashes near the end of the season, is now in Manhattan in exchange for Matt Dale, a 31 year old outfielder whose 15 home runs last year led the Giants, alongside $38,000 in cash. 

The Blossoms kept buying, as their biggest trade snagged Enrique Stone from the Packers in a 1-year rental, giving up a prospect haul and middling starter Justin Conerly in return. They also swung a trade for Luis Hernandez, clearing out their farm system even further for top pitching talent on underserved teams. 

Stock Yards found their Stone replacement in a big trade, giving up the recently acquired de la Cruz and a few other top prospects to their cross-town rival for the Republics’ Vinny Perez. Although solid last year, Perez’s $75,000 contract only runs through the end of the season, and with a breadth of starting pitching talent, the Republics figure it would be best to get something back for him now.  

Near the end of the preseason, Frank Brewer was flipped to Manhattan alongside other prospects in exchange for Mark Rodi and Will Rubio, who Milwaukee hopes can foster a solid starting rotation and bolster a weak bottom of the lineup. 

Arguably the biggest trade came near the end of the offseason, when top rookie Cliff Hansen was traded from Centennial to Chicago for outfielder Chuck Pickett and prospect Mike Price. Chicago received an arguable upgrade for an offensive approach based on speed and player movement on the basepaths, and it’ll be seen how well Picket does in Philadelphia.



1948 Free Agency The top free agents on everyone’s board were Joe Berg and Omar Flores. Berg, reigning Lisiewicz Award Winner and top pitcher going into the ‘48 season, was expected to charge a pretty penny despite his age. Manhattan spent like hell, grabbing Berg for a near $1 million commitment, and picking up a few others along the way. 

Victor Badilla, another Stock Yards signing, saw the writing on the wall for a team seemingly going nowhere and spurned a massive offer from the Packers and signed with Manhattan, as well, for nearly $100,000/year. 

Javier Ortega, Milwaukee’s all-star second baseman, went to the Giants as well for a big payday. The three signings combined ballooned the overall payroll of New York’s third team, and their age has the rest of the league calling them “the Geezers.” Expect Ted Newsome to start yapping if (or when) sh-t hits the fan. 

Omar Flores found his home in lower Manhattan as the Boroughers gave out a $103,000/year contract running through his age 36 season. Flores, whose .325/.360/.463 slash line was added to by 11 home runs, is seen as one of the best offensive catchers in baseball and should give the Moles a solid, if not a bit weak, defensive presence behind the plate. 

Luis Soto was up for a new team after a midseason trade that dealt him to Cleveland, receiving a similar deal to Badilla. Soto is 33 and coming off a strong second half last season, ending up with a 3.19 ERA and 59 strikeouts across 12 starts for the Lakers. 

The Republics, however, grabbed onto a trend in a big way. The Great Pacific League, the one spurned from MABL amalgamation, still has extremely quality talent. More lax contract stipulations give GPL players only 6 years until they hit free agency, which many of them did. The MABL, offering the larger pay, ransacked some of the best available talent in the Far West and led GPL executives and owners into panic mode. The rules for the Great Pacific will change following a unanimous vote this offseason to 10 years before free agency and 5 before arbitration, making the league’s arbitration rules slightly stricter than the MABL. As Los Angeles Stars owner and former Golden Age actor Shane Holland said, “These moves are to protect the Major League Caliber and Quality of our league in the West, and protect the encroachment on our players from the East.”  

However, this wasn’t before eight players were snagged from the GPL, the top 3 going to Chicago’s premier team. Mike Klockow, Oakland’s hit machine and extra-base masher enters into the MABL on a 9-year contract. Klockow is expected to hit more than his single home run this year in smaller MABL parks, but his slash of .345/.425/.517 is nothing to sneeze at.

David Russ, a solid reliever who last year’s outings netted him a 2.84 ERA, should be a bump in the later innings for the Republics, and at 32, his 2 year deal is expensive but no surprise to those in the know. A wicked 98 MPH four-seamer is paired with a nasty slider, and he’s expected to contribute heavily to the Republics’ push. 

The unhittable closer for Seattle last season, came over on a cheaper 2-year prove-it deal for the Republics. Although dominant in 1946, Harmon was unable to see the field in the 1947 season due to what he calls “personal matters”. A wizard of the offspeed, the closeout guy for Chicago should get them out of games, but the key word there is “should”. 

Major departures from the MABL ranks include former Pittsburgh All-Star Nate Stachelski, Victor Badilla's Manhattan predecessor Adam Kennedy, Brooklyn's unused rental Angel Ortiz, Cleveland's Ryan Ayers and Jake Wickwire, and midseason Lakers acquisition Tommy McLaughlin.



1948 Front Office Changes and Regional Player Buyouts 

Brooklyn’s major offseason acquisition was new president Reuben Mackey, who was hand picked by Hirsch due to his connections to the Eastern talent pool. This year, a few star players didn’t enter the draft for worry that the MABL wouldn’t give them contracts worth their total talent level. Halifax and Hartford sold pitchers Bob Lucie and Matron Sproul to the Jays as Brooklyn looks to have a revitalizated starting rotation heading into the season. Midwestern second baseman Travis Quinten replaces Nick Healy, who left for a starting role in the Eastern 3rd league, and shoulders plenty of expectations desptie his age. Brooklyn, with cash to burn from the Hirsch estate, took a gamble and bought out their contracts along with the $40,000 exit fees required. Although each of them are under 25 and never played a pitch at the major league level, Mackey is betting all-in to fix the holes in his roster. 


1948 Draft Preview

H-Town here! Due to my own stupidity, all MABL prospects submitted will be entered into the 1949 draft. For what it's worth, if you’ve submitted a player who is a star or Legend, they’ll already be quite good unless you make them “raw” development-wise. Keep this in mind if you’re thinking of submitting prospects in the future. 

The 1948 Draft features some solid players are the semi-pro and college ranks, as well as those who got their feet wet in other leagues without the minimum service time to to consider them “Major League” players. Headlining the group is two-way pitcher Pat Roszell, a standout prospect who’s most likely going to need a few years to adjust to even minor league competition.  

1948 Mock Draft:
[list=1]
[*]Baltimore: LF, P Pat Roszell, 18 - Chilhowie, VA
[*]Pittsburgh: 3B Nick Dodd, 21 - Charleston, SC
[*]Louisville: RF Tyler Joseph, 20 - Shippensburgh, PA
[*]St. Louis: 2B Mike Jordan, 20 - Ruston, LA
[*]Boston: LF Steve Sherman, 17 - Andover, NH
[*]Manhattan: CF Mike Giordano, 20 - Jacksonville, FL
[*]USYBC: 2B Ryan Fletcher, 18 - St. Louis Park, MN
[*]Detroit: RF Noah Knight, 20 - Lexington, KY
[*]Milwaukee: CF Emmanuel Farfan, 18 - Chicago, IL
[*]Centennial: 1B Vince Konz, 21 - Cortlandt,NY
[*]Cincinnati: CF David Satterlee, 17 - Bayside, NY
[*]Capital City: CF Joe Russell, 21 - Tallahassee, FL
[*]CRBC: C Dillon Perea, 21 - Mansfield, PA
[*]Brooklyn: 2B Matt Cardinal, 18 - Fort Lee, NJ
[*]Cleveland: SP Jason Rack, 17 - Mililani, HI
[*]New York City: SP Ricky Flores, 18 - Moorestown, NJ
[/list]

Last edited by H-Town1141 (3/30/2024 11:06 pm)

I love the prospect of a two-way player in Milwaukee!