Alternate History Sports » The Major American Baseball League

ItDoesntMatter · 5/16/2024 9:49 pm

man, ggs to the jays. I was hoping chicago could take at least a game off em but I can't say I'm all that surprised. looking forward to the open, and manifesting some offseason malarkey to nerf brooklyn a little bit

QCS wrote:
these Jays could very well be one of the best teams we've ever seen here on AHSports

H-Town1141 · 5/17/2024 7:19 pm

The Eastern Open Playoffs

With all of the Eastern MABL teams reaching the Open playoffs, the expectation was that the left side of the bracket was in control of the vaunted Jays, while the right side would be Capital City’s to lose. These teams had been plucked from the top of the EPL two years prior, and because of that, it wasn’t hard to conceive of an all-MABL final in the East. However, the top finishers in the EPL this year, Toronto’s Dominion Sporting Club and Club Athlétique de Montréal, would be considerable challengers for anyone facing them.

Opening Round:

The Opening Round featured a major upset, as the expected quarterfinalist New York City Athletic losing to Ottawa on their home soil. A relative unknown, 19-year old Gil Leroux, was able to hold the mighty Moles to just 2 runs in 7 innings of work, while Bill Segoviano relinquished 3 runs in the first and that was it. Dreams of the Boroughers’ future were dashed just as soon as they began to appear, as their prized offseason acquisitions of Maddox, Flores, and Castaneda all exercised their contract opt-outs after the loss. It’s up to Lyle Wester in the offseason to retool a team still expected to compete by both their fans and the board, and green lights have been given to Wester and manager Greg King to trade any prospects necessary to compete in ‘49.

Second Round:

The second round featured byes from mostly expected squads, but it was the MABL’s Eagles who had the first intraleague challenge. Manhattan’s Ted Newsome began to aggrandize the tournament through his media connections as early as mid-June, as soon as it was clear that his squad wouldn’t even finish in the top half of the Eastern table. It was clear that the Giants had put their eggs in a single basket, and anything less than a semifinal berth was unacceptable given this bracket.

In a surprising turn of events, Manhattan was able to climb out of a 3-1 deficit in the 6th thanks to a pitching change by Eagles manager Dirk Spencer, leading to a three run homer by Bo Rosendale to put the Giants up for good. With the season on the line, the Giants kept mashing down the stretch and finally showed that the Geezers still had some life.

Ottawa’s string of upsets looked like it could continue late into their game against a second-straight MABL opponent, as Centennial’s offense got off to a slow start. However, a Chris Charles home run in the bottom of the 6th sent home one of the best teams in the EPL with their heads still held high. It remains to be seen if Ottowa will lose any players to a contract buyout, but the squad looks to show promise heading into next season.

As does Edison, who was able to extend their run into the semifinals after becoming the first EBA team to find a win against a MABL team. The Boston Bees were playing to keep around their leading home run hitter, Chris Erwin, but Victor Castro’s four-run first inning stopped them right in their tracks. Despite a 2-RBI homer from Erwin to give the team some juice late, the Bees loss to an EBA team has many in Boston thinking it’s time for a change, especially with supposedly good prospects around the corner.

Quarterfinals:

The Quarterfinal matchups featured some odd pairings, to say the least. Providence, one of the best teams in the EPL, had the fortune of drawing the squad from Edison rather than a MABL team like expected. The wins didn’t come easy, including an 11th inning walk-off by up-and-coming Zach Lange to decide the series, but wins are wins nonetheless. Providence advanced to the semifinals and awaited the winner of the top right bracket.

To challenge Providence was either Montréal or Capital City. While the series was a toss-up on paper, many in the media still expected the more-resourced Capitals to blow through the right bracket and claim a spot in the finals. Early victories against Paterson and Toronto’s DSC gave the impression that the team could beat up on bad teams and hold up against the best of the EPL, but at the end of the day, the games still had to be played. Montréal’s starting rotation features a number of players expected to be purchased in future seasons, and their offense is held down by a young man named Mike Turner. The mostly-Canadian team turned heads in the Eastern Premier League by winning the their second championship in a row, and the club is out to prove that their dominance extends beyond the regionals.

Capital City’s Darren Price faced off against end of the rotation pitcher John Kirkham in game 1, which was locked in a 2-2 deadlock until the 14th when MABL talent prevailed. Mike Schad launched a ball into the stratosphere against closer Adrian Clement to give the first game to the Blossoms at home. Game two featured Greg Read on the mound for Montréal, who gave up 2 runs in just over 7 innings as the CA offense was bolstered by a Mike Turner home run to tie up the series for a decisive game 3.

In the final game, Capitals ace Enrique Stone looked like an EL3 pitcher after giving up 5 runs before being yanked in the 3rd, and Montréal was able to place themselves in the semis against Providence.

Washington’s fans were devastated. Given the media’s portrayal of MABL superiority, many expected an easy series victory against the poorly perceived opponent. The Scheevel Estate showed general apathy after the loss and declared that they would not hesitate to find someone with “genuine interest” in running the organization.

Brooklyn continued their smooth sailing through the bracket with an easy series win over the Centennials. The Jays, however, were murky underneath. Martin Sproul didn’t get the ball to start in the Centennial series and went on a tirade throughout the locker room before Game 2. The Lisiewicz Award winner was heard screaming from out of the tunnel before the first pitch, and news reporters from Brooklyn’s daily paper, The Beacon, began an investigation into the outburst that would last until after the tournament’s conclusion.

A mid-table Hartford was able to knock out MABL-bottomfeeder Harbor Athletic Club in the second round, giving them some hope going into a best-of-3 series against their second straight MABL opponent in the Giants. All hope was lost after the first inning, where the Giants put up 10 runs and all but extinguished any hope for the rest of the series. A second loss in Manhattan, thanks to a 9th-inning home run from Phil Davis, sent Hartford packing and gave the Giants a spot in the semifinals against the Jays.

Semifinals:

Brooklyn, for their part, was able to right the ship in time for the semifinal series against Manhattan, whose layover day saw manager Kevin Denton work to pull apart Sproul and Lucie in what seemed to be another altercation between the two budding stars. The offense remained unaffected, however, and absolutely crushed an overmatched Giants rotation that went 4-11 against the Jays during MABL play. The decisive Game 3 was even more potent, as David Dillard hit 2 home runs and drove in 7 for an easy victory. Everything seemed to be in control for the Jays, and that included a Game 2 start for Sproul, who went the full nine in a 7 hit, 2-run rout at home to snuff out any hope from Upper Manhattan.

Newsome, eager to sic his media cronies on Brooklyn any way he could, began to publish salacious stories in the tabloids about both Sproul and Lucie. Although nothing was substantiated, Newsome’s hope was that these stories would further rock the boat and give the Jays a bad name throughout the country as a team full of deviants and scoundrels. The Beacon, in response to an Open Letter from Newsome himself in the Daily News, began to separately investigate the Manhattan owner for potential allegations of libel.

Providence and Montréal’s series was much more focused on the games at hand. Due to the rules set up for the semis, the home games were determined to be all in one place, decided by a coin flip. Providence won the toss and thus were able to secure home field for each game of the series. Undaunted, Les Marrons were ready for the challenge. Bob King got the first start for Montréal and threw absolute gas, striking out 5 in seven innings of shutout ball as Providence’s Israel Villa was hopeless against the Maroons’ lineup. Games 2 and 3 were both extremely close, as each time a late inning rally let Providence come out victorious against strong Montréal pitching performances.

Club Athlétique wasn’t going out without a fight, however, and Game 4 showed just that. Ace Greg Read took the mound for a 3-hit shutout and the offense went to work. Against Manny Baldwin, catcher Bill Ashton took one deep in the 6th to put the game out of reach, and ended with player of the game honors for his 4-RBI performance. Interestingly, many MABL teams eliminated from the tournament were in attendance, notably Boston, Baltimore, and Athletic.

The same was true of Game 5, both teams were determined to put on an offensive clinic. A 3-3 tie going into the fifth was the precession to a monster inning, where Bill Ashton again came in clutch with a bases-loaded 2-RBI single, followed by a crucial 2-out bases loaded walk to Joel Corbitt that secured the lead for good. Providence wasn’t going without a fight, however, as the bottom of Providence’s lineup rallied with Tom Duffy’s two-out RBI triple and a Victor Hernandez double to send Duffy home. Reliever Alfred Peckford was able to get out of the inning without surrendering the lead, however, and a solo home run from Bill Ashton added security as Montréal went on to win, 7-5.

For Les Marrons, as they’re called in Montréal, the series victory seemed to be a clear assertion that baseball wasn’t just an Anglophile’s game, and that the sport would begin to occupy the summer months with more ferocity than ever before.

The Finals:

The term “Jays sweep the Open to win first Eastern title” is deceiving in a few ways. Firstly, Brooklyn’s Eastern titles stretch as far back as the creation of the Eastern League in 1920, and even farther if you count the Association. Second, Montréal kept the Jays on the ropes with absolutely top-class pitching. Problem was, Brooklyn’s pitching was just that much better.

Game 1:

Game 1 proved to be the theme of the series. Martin Sproul took the mound against Montréal’s Joe Taggart, but the Broooklyn ace looked like he was falling apart on the mound. Although 3 runs in 6 innings looks tidy on the box score, Sproul walked an astounding 6 batters and seemed completely dejected every moment he wasn’t on the mound. Rogelio Hernandez had to fill in and produced 3 innings of shutout ball before the Jays got to face Marrons closer Kyle Decoste in the bottom of the 9th. Pinch-hitter Brendan Gaudreau was able to draw a walk to start the inning and speedster Jon Gibbs approached the plate. On a 2-2 count, Gibbs dribbled a ball down the third base line on a grounder he just couldn’t outrun, but was able to advance Gaudreau to second. A first pitch single from Brandon Sutton sent up David Dillard with runners on the corners with one out and a chance to win the game.

Decoste, who had already blown a save in the Providence series, readied himself as Dillard stepped into the box. Dillard had the weight of 33,000 people resting on his shoulder, waiting breathlessly to see the dominance continue and prove the infallibility of the MABL experiment to everyone in the East. The pitch location was perfect. It was a breaking ball that glided to the outside corner with such grace you could see the ball spinning in midair, but unsure of its direction until veering towards the edge of the plate. Dillard, perhaps due to the raucous in the locker room, barely got the end of the bat on a grounder that traveled in what seemed like slow motion. Already with a good lead, Gaudreau took off from third, violently pounding the dirt as he chugged towards the plate. Montréal second baseman Ron Forbes was looking to make up for a poor night at the plate, snagged the ball and whipped it towards Ashton to keep the game from falling to the Jays.

The throw was low and towards the runner’s path. Too far towards it, in fact. As Ashton caught the ball, he could see a shadow cross over his face. It was Gaudreau, hurdling over the catcher and landing triumphantly on home plate. Mobbed at home plate by his teammates, the Jays had wavered their first storm and kept their aura. Three more to go.

Game 2:

As Much as Sproul was reeling, Lucie seemed to be taking the unknown disagreement especially hard. The pitcher got through 5 with just 4 hits, but gave up 3 runs to what should have been an outclassed lineup. Brad Ladner and Bill Ashton were able to combine for 3 RBI and give Montréal a 3-1 lead before Brooklyn was able to start a late inning rally. A Bobby Lee double scored David Dillard in the 6th, and Elliot DeAngelo and Travis Quentin combined for scores when they sent in Sutton and Dillard respectively. Hernandez and Eddie Ramirez were able to shut down the side in the 8th and 9th innings, and Brooklyn was able to take a 2-0 series lead following disappointing performances from their starters.

Game 3:

Jonah Lucas took the mound for the Jays hoping to provide some stability from their staff, and he was able to in spades. The 1947 Ace put together a top notch performance, going 8.1 innings in a 3 hit masterpiece. He even added on with his bat, scoring Joe Miller on a go-ahead double in the 5th to put his team up 2-0. Greg Read had a three-hit game going through 6 innings before reliever Kurt Toope took over and threw 3 innings of no-hit ball. He set the table for a bottom of the 9th with Lucas having allowed just one hit across 8 innings of work.

Hit. Double into the gap.
Hit. Single through the left infield.
Sac-fly. Deep fly ball to the warning track in center field.

Okay, Lucas was done. Rogelio Hernandez was left with a runner on first with 1 out, and the all-star closer was not having any of it. After a slider missed the zone by what looked like millimeters, Hernandez sent another looking for weak contact. Joel Corbitt, whose walk in the Providence series provided the extra run support needed, couldn’t resist the chase.

Contact. Laser beam sent straight toward Riley.
Throw to second. Out.
Throw to first. Out.

The Jays had survived again. It seemed that every story in the paper would just add to their resilience. This team was just too good, too grounded, and too goddamn mad to let a game slip away from them. All Newsome and the rest of the MABL scouts in attendance could do was watch this team avoid their comeuppance. It was fate.

Game 4:

In Brooklyn’s attempt to start moving on from the damage caused by the Sproul-Lucie scuffle, the team contacted Newark about buying the contract of the EPL’s pitcher of the year. At 26 years old, Danny Ibarra played his first professional season and it was spectacular. In 30 starts with Newark, the rookie had a 2.26 ERA and 134 strikeouts, and despite just a 14-11 record, was simply too good for the MABL frontrunners to resist. Although hesitant, Newark and Brooklyn were able to hammer out the details of the contract buyout the day before the last Eastern Open game. Objections were made by Montréal, who’d faced Ibarra twice and went 1-1 against him, but the teams pressed on with Air Bud-esque reason. If Sproul and Lucie need to be shipped out, Ibarra is next man up.

Ibarra had faced Club Athlétique twice during his time in Newark, and this game seemed to be a redux of his first go-around. After a Gibbs single and two steals set Dillard up to drive him home on a groundout, it was Montréal’s turn to do some damage. Ibarra gave up an RBI triple in the first to Mike Turner, who is getting considerable coverage in Baltimore as talks intensify between the two clubs, and an RBI double later in the inning to Joel Corbitt to give Montréal the stranglehold on a lead too precious to relinquish. A safety run was added by a Stone Fleming solo shot to give Montréal a 3-1 lead heading into the top of the ninth, with none other than Kyle Decoste getting the ball on the mound.

Brandon Sutton has had enough of this Montréal home crowd. In a packed stadium with over 30,000 recorded and plenty more watching the outdoor scoreboard, he takes the first pitch before driving a hanging curveball deep into right field and over the wall. Now down 1, Dillard has the chance to be a hero once again.

On a 1-2 count, Decoste delivers the Eastern MVP a meatball. It seems like a sure-thing home run until it hits the bat, dragging awkwardly and popping up just beyond first base. Backup Right Fielder Martin Sanford tried to call off fellow replacement Colby Amburgey, but the crowd noise along the line was so deafening that no one is sure whose it was. Both of them watched on as the ball hit the grass and bounced over the foul line, past Sanford and into the wall. David Dillard had just hit a double, and it spelled doom for Montréal.

DeAngelo gives Decoste a groundout to end a 6-pitch at-bat, but moving Dillard to third gives Brooklyn just that much more of a chance to tie the game. Travis Quentin, whose disappearance in clutch moments has become a recurring theme, is unable to execute a sacrifice fly and left Bobby Lee the chance to send the game to extras.

Lee, a Chinese-American from California, hasn’t enjoyed his stay in French Canada. Facing racism back home in New York and again in Montréal, the first baseman is likely to soon be chased out of his job by Brooklyn’s two top prospects. With such anger, it’s easy to see why he swung at the first pitch he got, lining it through the infield gap and tying the game for Brooklyn. Amongst a chorus of boos, he can hear the cheering from the away-side dugout, where the rift that has plagued the Jays most of this tournament momentarily gave way to the elation of their fleeting hero.

The bottom of the ninth features a scare when Hernandez leaves a ball hanging for John Kerry (no relation), who sails it to the warning track to end the inning. Into extras we go.

A pinch-hitting Robby Henderson singles before fellow pinch hitter Bill Gomez grounds out into a double play. With two outs, Jon Gibbs isn’t able to send the ball over the wall by a hair in right center field, ending the Jays first crack at victory. New pitcher Bradford Ivany coaxed 3 straight harmless flyouts from the heart of the Montréal lineup, and Brooklyn was back to the heart of theirs in the 11th. Alfred Peckford strolled up to the mound hoping to survive.

Sutton: Single.
Dillard: Intentional walk on a 3-1 count
DeAngelo: groundout, Sutton to second, Dillard to third.
Travis Quentin was back up with a chance to be a hero, and again he failed. On a drive to third, Sutton attempted to go home in expectation of a throw to first. Before he could reach halfway home, the ball was already to the catcher, and a pickle gave Bobby Lee another chance to end it. Another first pitch swing driven even harder than the last was an absolute beauty, but it just so happened to enter the glove of Ron Forbes for the final out of the frame. Ivany has no such trouble with the Montréal lineup, however, and after a 9-pitch walk to Vincent Chappel turns into nothing, Brooklyn is back at the plate.

The 12th starts off with a Zach Riley walk before relief catcher Tyler Langan strikes out to turn the tide for Montréal. Pinch-hitter Milt Johns wasn’t able to get it done either as Montréal turned a fielder's choice into the second out.

Up comes the top of the order. Gibbs drew a four pitch walk that sent Kurt Toope to the mound in relief. Having played three innings just the day before, Toope is exhausted. His top-end stuff isn’t there and everyone knows it. Including Brandon Sutton, who gets a ball through the infield gap and loads the bases for his partner in crime.

Now, I’m going to break character for a second here. It is two outs, at home, in the top of the 12th inning of an elimination game. I don’t care about many people are on base, I don’t care who’s at bat, what Montréal did is likely the most inexcusable act of cowardice I have ever seen in my life.

They intentionally walked David Dillard to give Brooklyn a 4-3 lead.

Club Athlétique manager Bernard Rouzet would say after the game that he weighed the options and trusted his offense to get the run back. THAT DOESN’T HELP YOU. YOU NOW HAVE TO SCORE 2 RUNS TO WIN.

DeAngelo flew out to end the inning, thankfully, and Emilio Sanchez would be in charge of closing down Les Marrons.

After just 3 pitches, it looked like he would do just that. Two quick at-bats had Montréal down to their final out when Martin Sanford drove a single into shallow center, giving the previously lifeless crowd something to cheer about. With Mike Turner now up, Sanchez delivers a cutter that just barely connects, rolling through the infield to a deep Brandon Sutton, whose throw to third isn’t in time for an advancing Sanford. Stone Fleming comes to the plate with runners on the corners and two outs.

Two quick balls put Fleming ahead in the count when a fastball charged off the bat like a rifle. Lee tries for the diving grab but just misses as it rolls, harmlessly, to the right of first and into foul territory. The next pitch saw the ball drilled just as hard as before, but a charging DeAngelo’s whip to second ends the game.

Montreal’s crowd is stunned. The entire city fell silent as they had no clue what they’d been witness to. The sea of Maroon that draped over Saint-Laurent Park dissipated as soon as DeAngelo had bare-handed the ball at third. This was an inexcusable way to lose a series that they had fought tooth-and-nail to get to, let alone one where they hung with the greatest team ever until the last out. The entire baseball world, which was once hopefully gazing towards the Western Open Finals, has to return once again to witness the most incredible managerial blunder seen in such a high leverage situation. Newsome’s media cronies aren’t able to use the sports page as a full-on attack ad anymore because of how inconceivably awful the events were to end such a great series. Don’t get it twisted, however. Montreal will be back again if they have the players to do it.

TL;DR: Brooklyn’s reign of terror continued early as the Jays swept through their first few opponents before a locker room altercation in the quarterfinals between Sproul and Lucie threatened to derail their Eastern Open. Manhattan drew a lucky run to the semifinals and took care of business before their series in Brooklyn, unlike Boston and Athletic, who are now poised to lose notable players this offseason due to early round upsets. Capital City’s quarterfinals upset against Montréal showed that the top of the EPL was for real, where the victors won a tight 5 game series to face the Jays. A close Eastern Open Finals was a sweep in name only as Brooklyn needed a hurdle, a game ending double play, an EPL pitcher bought the day before the final game, and an insane game 4 finish to win the series. Tied 3-3 with bases loaded in the 12th, Montréal intentionally walked David Dillard to give the Jays the lead that they would hold to close out the series.

What a series! Brooklyn’s close calls don’t catch up with them, and now they’re the target of the baseball world. Who knows what this offseason will bring in the East, as many of the regional league teams have already begun negotiations on contract buyouts. Brooklyn needs to do something about Sproul and Lucie, and although an offseason might not be enough time for the Jays to change their image, it might be one where a fresh coat of paint can hide the cracks.

Last edited by H-Town1141 (6/15/2024 3:32 am)

H-Town1141 · 5/20/2024 7:28 pm

The Western Open Playoffs

The opening round of the Western Open was supposed to be a coronation of sorts. In the more accepted hierarchy of haves and have-nots in the Midwest, the expectation was that even the lowly Indians would be able to advance until facing a MABL opponent.

Opening Round:

Good news for Louisville, as their 14-2 victory over Aurora put them in the next round, where they had to face… The Republics. The Windy City’s other MABL team didn’t get so lucky, however, and the first major upset came at the hands of Springfield in a game that was embarrassing from the jump. Dave Perrin’s squad was absolutely atrocious and couldn’t get anything done against even a middling Midwestern Premier team. Fans on the South Side have been looking to collect the funds to turn the squad into a supporters’ club, but Perrin has consistently raised the price due to the team’s perceived value in the MABL. While still solvent, the Yards will have to compete for fans in a city with heaps of major league talent and teams looking for a way into the Big League.

Another first round shock was the first no-hitter thrown by a MABL pitcher, as Howard Townsley kept up his masterful performances with a six-strikeout performance against Cincinnati’s crosstown rival in the first intracity game of either Open tournament.

Second Round:

The second major upset of the tournament came when those lowly Indians usurped the Western League Champions in a game that wasn’t particularly close. Ace Eric Corbitt came out and pitched well, allowing 3 runs to the Republics before Brandon Bruno finished the job in relief. The MABL’s worst offense suddenly came to life, with Ewan Kent getting the better of Nelson Velazquez on a homer in the 4th and 2-RBI double in the 5th.

Minneapolis’s MWPL team was the best of the rest when forming the MABL, and they went out for blood the first chance they got. Danny Hernandez got lit up early into his first tournament start, and Minneapolis’s own young pitching phenom in Cameron Barker was able to silence the already quiet Cincinnati offense.

Springfield’s party was over as soon as it began, with the second tier Cedar Rapids squad advancing thanks to a great pitching performance by 22 year-old Jason Abbott. Abbott has been on some teams’ radar for a while now, but it’s expected that he’ll only favor a contract buyout under the circumstance that he remains an ace.

Quarterfinals:

The real action begins here. The quarterfinals saw a few series sweeps while also being a reminder that no one is safe. Louisville’s draw was Cedar Rapids, who had already shown that the top of their rotation could tread water pretty well. However, the dam broke in Game 1, when Louisville got the home bid and took full advantage. A Jay Wolf home run for Cedar Rapids tied the game at 2 and ended an otherwise well-done performance by Joe Soucy. He again took one deep, this time a solo shot off of Bobby Bruno in the 10th to give Cedar Rapids a 3-2 lead. But it was Ewan Kent who again showed up for the Indians, sending two home on a deep single in the bottom of the tenth for Louisville to take a 1-0 series lead.

Game two was much less dramatic as the Indians jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first, when the oft-injured John Thompson hit a bases clearing double to keep Louisville ahead for the rest of the game. An insurance run in the 8th added onto the victory, and the Indians found themselves awaiting the victor of the all-MABL matchup from the bottom left bracket.

Detroit Union and Milwaukee played for their season, and it was the No-Names that came out on top. Ken Friesen threw a 3-hit, 2 run game through 6 innings before Matt Haston came in in relief, catapulting Milwaukee over what was supposed to be a firework Detroit offense. In Game 2, Mario Pereira and Edwin Tevino traded scoreless frames until Tony Rivera hit an RBI single in the fourth, but that was all the damage on the scoreboard before Gavin Wooden gave up a rare 2-out RBI to Bor-Zeng Go to tie the game at one a piece. Milwaukee got out of their rut in the 9th, when Chaz Horrell gave up 3 runs before recording an out in the inning, and Milwaukee was able to walk away with a series sweep.

St. Louis ran into a tougher-than-expected Kansas City team in the quarterfinals. The Tigers, as they’re known, have had a rough go of it since the end of the War but put together a championship season in the second tier of Midwestern baseball, and were out looking for blood.
Bob Kirkland got that start on the mound for Kansas City, and had a rough go of it as he gave up 5 runs in as many innings, but St. Louis gave up just as many after 9 to send the game to extras. In the 10th, Harry Pigg was able to put the game away on a 2-run homer to give St. Louis a hard-fought first game victory.

The next two weren’t nearly as close, as St. Louis just didn’t have the offensive firepower to match the Tigers. Todd Aybar and Jonathan Lynch both showed their MABL-caliber skills by knocking in 9 of the 11 runs scored by the Tigers over the next 2 games and set the Midwestern MABL team scouts ablaze with their jaw-dropping plate discipline.

Cleveland’s MABL squad took hold of their series against the Midwest’s best, as their long-stagnant offense found its groove against new pitching. Joe Mason, an elite MWPL pitcher who was on the radar of many scouts heading into the tournament, gave up 6 runs to the Lakers in Game 1, as LBC never looked back for an easy 10-5 victory. Game 2 looked to be much of the same as Cleveland’s offense exploded for 8 runs in the 3rd inning, but Israel Magana’s woes continued from MABL play, and the 1947 ERA leader let Minneapolis get back into the game by tying it up heading into the 5th. An 8th inning RBI by right fielder Kyle Loomis gave Minneapolis the lead, and 2 shutout innings from reliever Ahmed Dunn sealed up the game and sent the game to Cleveland with a 1-1 series tie.

The final game was the prime example of MABL talent winning out, as despite Caleb Barre’s 2-run performance through 6 innings, and even more so Danny Rosas’ 4 runs through 2.1 innings, the Lakers were able to prevail in the bottom of the 9th by tying the game and setting up a Rod Moreno walk-off home run against a gassed Dunn to win the series. The Eastern scare was avoided for at least another series, as the MABL was featured in 3 of the 4 semifinalist spots.

Semifinals:

Despite this year’s 6th place finish, the Indians were 8-7 against Milwaukee in the regular season and hoped to add onto it in the playoffs. It looked like they would do just that through 5 innings of Game 1, where Louisville held a 2-0. Brent Rodgers changed the complexion of the game with a three-run homer in the 6th, but a 7th inning double by Luis Farias tied the game at 3-3, where the score would hold until extra innings. John Thompson looked to put the game away on a solo shot to start the 10th, while smallball from the rest of the lineup knocked in an insurance run before Milwaukee’s Chris Brunson knew what hit him. Jeremy Clements had the chance to hold the game, but back-to-back home runs from Provencio and Brent Rodgers tied it up once again. In the 11th, midseason callup Roy Woodward shut down the top of the Louisville offense and gave his team a chance to walk it off in the bottom of the inning. It was Rick O’Leary who got the chance to play hero, who with 2 outs and a runner on third, lined a single into the gap to send Milwaukee’s crowd into euphoria and give his team a 1-0 series lead.

The next two games provided none of that excitement. Early leads thanks to the top of their order gave Milwaukee the advantage they would not surrender, and the pitching of Ken Friesen and Mario Pereira shut down a Louisville lineup that just couldn’t find their groove. The Indians still surprised everyone by defeating the Western Division champs, and their owner Bryan Carter has made mention that their offseason will be one of “addition rather than attrition”.

Cleveland’s sweep was nothing more than table setting for the Finals. Kansas City’s pitching was nothing for a suddenly lively Lakers squad, who proceeded to pour in run support for the first time all season. The aces in the Lakers rotation did their part to quiet a strong Tigers offense, as Oscar Fuentes gave up 2 hits in just over six innings in Game 1. The Lakers, although not potent against their MABL foes, were sufficiently capable of taking down the rest of what the Midwest had to offer.

The Finals:

Game 1:

The Lakers got the home field advantage for the series against Milwaukee, thanks to their superior record in tournament play up to that point. The packed crowd at Cole’s Park gave the team a decisive emotional edge, where catcher Rich Besser did his best Joe Wells impression with a grand slam off of Mike McGrew to give the Lakers a lead they would not relinquish. Danny Roses continued his tournament stretch of dominance by hurling a 1-run game through six, while Joaquin Ruiz and Mike Rouse closed out the final three frames with just one baserunner combined between them.

Game 2:

Milwaukee’s Josue Fernandez was opposite ace Oscar Fuentes for Game 2, where both were in control until the Lakers bats dusted off the cold from Lake Erie. Efrain Morales hit a home run in the 3rd to give Milwaukee a 1-0 lead, but it wasn’t to last as the Lakers had their first chance to respond. Mike Cooper drove in lead-off hitter Eric Dean on a single to right field, and after a classic Lance Byrd walk put runners on first and second with no outs, Fernandez looked to be in the clear after retiring Joe Wells and Rod Moreno. Rich Besser came into the box hoping to add to the lead, and lined a single down the first base line. With Cooper trudging to third, Efrain Morales launched a cannon from right field but overthrew third baseman J.R. Young by about 10 feet, allowing Cooper to score. After a walk and with still 2 outs in the 3rd, right fielder Carlos Rivera cleared the bases on a double and finished the rally that gave the Lakers 5 runs.

Despite a bases-clearing double from Moises Provencio, the no-names were stopped in their tracks by reliever Joaquin Ruiz and closed out by Mike Rouse. Cleveland’s two home games were resounding series victories, and they hoped to carry that energy into Milwaukee for game 3.

Game 3:

Ron Elliott got the game 3 start for Cleveland, matching up with Ken Friesen for an exciting matchup in the Cream City. Milwaukee looked to be handling Elliott well after a first inning home run from Sebastian Michaels was given insurance by Provencio in the second, who drove two runners home with a two-out double to extend the lead to 3-0. The fourth was when the game seemed to get out of hand for Cleveland, as after a sac bunt from Friesen moved J.R. Young to 3rd, Rick O’Leary singled up the infield gap to give Milwaukee a 4-0 lead.

The game was still far from over, however, and the Lakers weren’t willing to take this defeat lying down. After Friesen struck out Elliot to start the sixth, Eric Dean reached on a single and stole second on the very next pitch. Bor-Zeng Go tried to gun him down but the throw was high, and Mike Cooper was now at the plate with a man on third. A single by Cooper scored Dean, and a Lance Byrd walk set up Joe Wells to play hero. The 1947 MVP hit a hard fly ball to the warning track, but the catch and relay didn’t give Cooper enough confidence to tag up. Moreno walked to load the bases for Rich Besser, who got to hit his own RBI single and keep the inning moving for pinch hitter Mark Lamb. In the final run of a nightmare inning for Friesen, Lamb was able to walk himself aboard for an RBI, and Cleveland found themselves only down a score.

The seventh featured more shenanigans in the field for Milwaukee, as Matt Haston came in in relief for Friesen. The bottom of the order gave way for Cooper to again reach base on a walk, and after Joe Wells loaded the bases with a walk of his own, Rod Moreno was up to bat, having drawn a walk the inning prior. On a 1-1 count, a wild pitch let pinch-hitter Hector Alvarez score and advanced Cooper and Wells, but a looking strikeout retired the side and gave Cleveland a tie.

The score would remain the same until the 11th, where after both sides had held the other to just one hit a piece, Milwaukee would wake up. Brent Rodgers drew a walk on a full count to bring up Bor-Zeng Go against a flustered Rouse. A sac-bunt gone wrong ensued when Go’s bat popped a fastball up towards Cooper, who was able to secure it for the first out and brought up Marcos Rodriguez with the winning run on board.

On a 3-1 count, Rodriguez got the greenlight to go after Rouse, who left a hanging slider up a little too long. The 32 year-old first baseman helped Milwaukee avoid a sweep as the ball traveled into the stands on a walk-off two run homer, and gave the No-Names a little more life.

Game 4:

Milwaukee wouldn’t receive the same luck in Game 4, as the Lakers were able to strike first and stay ahead for a victory without much turmoil. The third inning saw Eric Dean again come in clutch with an RBI double to start off the scoring, while two bases loaded walks from Pereira would keep the inning going before Rich Besser grounded out to leave the score at 3-0. Those were two of 8 walks from Pereira on the day, as the star pitcher was relieved in the 6th after Milwaukee made up some ground thanks to an RBI single from Sebastian Michaels.

The 7th saw more action, when Chris Brunson was brought in and Lance Byrd hit an RBI single for Eric Dean to score his second run of the game. A ninth inning solo home run by J.R. Young wasn’t enough to get back in it, and Game 5 gave Milwaukee one more chance in front of their home crowd.

Game 5:

Will Rubio got his first chance in the series, and did as much as he could to hold off a Lakers onslaught. After a first inning where he gave up a three-run homer to Joe Wells, Rubio went hitless for the next four innings and gave his team the chance to come back. J.R. Young was the first to do damage for the No-Names, as he went yard in the second to cut the lead to 3-2. In the 5th, Sebastian Michaels started the party with a two-out triple, and a flustered Jay Furlani proceeded to give up two bases-loaded walks to give Milwaukee a 5-3 lead.

Matt Haston almost gave the game away in the 9th, as a wild pitch with runners on second and third allowed Besser to score and Ian Biddinger to reach third with two outs, but a ground out by Lance Byrd gave Haston the save and sent the series back to Cleveland for a crucial Game 6.

Game 6:

What a sad way to end the series. Mike McGrew got the ball for the Game 6 start and blew it almost immediately. A hit parade in the first inning gave Cleveland a 3-0 lead before an out was even recorded, but Milwaukee’s manager Brian Stacker rode him all the way home. A 4th inning RBI single from Lakers starter Danny Rosas put the game out of reach, and McGrew’s last embarrassment came off the bat of midseason callup Scott Josey, whose two-run homer gave the Lakers a 6-2 lead. Rosas kept his undefeated Western Open record alive as the bottom-of-the rotation starter held Milwaukee’s offense to just 3 hits through six innings of work, and received Player of the Game honors for his effort.

Although Milwaukee’s season ended with a whimper, the Cream City squad still reached farther than many expected on the tournament’s outset, but many in the baseball world are curious what each of the Finalists will take from their appearances. Milwaukee’s manager Brian Stacker is hoping that he’ll have the freedom to acquire talent to bolster a young squad featuring breakout stars like Brent Rodgers and J.R. Young, but the back of their rotation looks to be without much in terms of help. Cleveland, having just won the Roosevelt Cup the year prior and now the Western Open, looks to be content with their aging core.

TL;DR: The Opening Rounds provided plenty of excitement with upsets aplenty and a Howard Townsley no-hitter. MWPL giant Minneapolis outlasted the Reds and took the Lakers to the brink in the quarterfinals, where an upstart Kansas City took down St. Louis, the Indians kept advancing, and an all-MABL skirmish ended in a Milwaukee sweep. The Semis saw the likely outcomes taken care of quite quickly, as Milwaukee avenged their losing record against Louisville in successive order while the Lakers set up an all-MABL Finals after sweeping the nascent Tigers. Cleveland’s superior pitching kept Milwaukee in check, and management of the No-Names is looking for an offseason pickup to change their fortune.

Off to the offseason we go! Be sure to send in prospects for the upcoming season, as the 1949 draft looks to be an all-timer.

H-Town1141 · 5/20/2024 11:06 pm

Brooklyn's new management convinced the board of directors on a logo change prior to the previous season, but Hirsch's death complicated matters and the squad opted to just add the black armband to honor their late owner. Now, after Reuben Mackey had assembled the greatest team ever, he finally had the weight to push through a dramatic primary change for the club. The Primary logo, which Mackey said would only be used "throughout Hirsch Park and on official letterhead", features the wings of a blue jay outstretched past the Brooklyn bridge. As a concession to Brooklyn diehards, a redrawn blue jay featuring more detailing replaces the old art-deco inspired logo on the sleeves. The most dramatic change was the use of color, where for the first time since 1922, the squad would use a different blue. And unlike the 1922 change, Mackey and the rest of the board feel that this look has the potential to stay for "years to come". Gray pants are also added back into the fold on a regular basis, adorned with a single stripe on the away pants. A few minor things of note:

The numbers have changed slightly due to the new uniform manufacturer, Brooklyn-Based Finish Line Athletics, being the only one capable of creating the new blue fabric used throughout the uniforms.
Sewn inside each hat is an unseen "AH" in honor of late owner Adam Hirsch, insisted upon by his daughter Daisy, who sits on the Board of Directors.
The saga of Sproul and Lucie was considered in the final showcase, as neither top pitcher was featured in the reveal graphic.

Pittsburgh's squad, expected to finish last again in '49 barring a surprise turnaround, have elected to create a "transitional" uniform set. The club ownership, fractured between a supporter's club and U.S. Steel, broke the deadlock on their decision thanks to star Rocky Thomas Jr., who was very opinionated about the front zipper on the previous set. Thomas made remarks to club ownership about wanting to look like a professional outfit, so the club switched from a Block P to a blackletter, owing it to their history as a German immigrant factory club. The Eagles went with Brooklyn's new manufacturer as well but opted for the older pants style until the squad had proven itself "worth the expense" to executives at U.S. Steel. The Eagle will stay at the behest of their corporate owners, but a mounting movement in Pittsburgh is hoping to buy out the club completely and pour all of the team's funds back into the organization.

Be sure to send in your prospects over the next few days, as the Draft preview will come out in the Offseason Moves post.

Section30 · 5/21/2024 8:23 am

Love love love that Eagles script for Pittsburgh

H-Town1141 · 5/22/2024 5:19 pm

1949 Player Movement

The end of the 1948 Eastern Open left a lot of questions open for Brooklyn. The MABL, now wising up to the benefits of regional player acquisitions and the lack of rules surrounding them, had decisions to make after the signing of Danny Ibarra in the Open Finals. The MABL’s leadership was still splintered after the passing of Hirsch, but the consortium of presidents and team owners gathered in New York to determine the appropriate course of action.

The first matter of business was to appoint a new commissioner of the league to ensure its integrity. Although many MABL presidents and owners offered themselves up for the position, including a spirited debate by Cincinnati’s Josh Check and Manhattan’s Ted Newsome, the consortium voted 10-6 to approve of an outside, unvested interest to run the MABL’s day-to-day.

The list of candidates included people from across the baseball world, including potential talks to poach some owners of the Great Pacific League. Scott Harrison, owner of Vancouver’s GPL franchise, vehemently went after their audacity and self-appointment in the press. The tensions between the two leagues were growing stronger by the year, and MABL executives needed to find a new course of action.

Enter Nathaneal Hayes, a longtime lawyer and baseball fan in his own right. Having been a consultant for both the growing Southwestern League and the Southern Negro League, Hayes’ experience in the baseball world and potential connections for future expansion (if it were ever come to pass) gave many MABL owners a sense of confidence that he would be the right man to lead a rudderless, yet prosperous, confederation. Having also worked in the nascent world of television, Hayes would prove valuable in expected negotiations with individual broadcasting stations in the upcoming seasons, especially in the tightly-bound northeastern market. So, by a 15-1 vote (Newsome’s opposition came from his own ambition and hatred of -------lovers), Hayes would become the new corporate face of the MABL.

His first order of business was to determine what could be done to salvage Brooklyn’s reputation for those outside of the borough. For years, the Jays had been the envy of the sport, but after the highly-controversial feud between their stars and the eleventh hour signing of a ringer, the organization had seen its reputation diminish in the eyes of many. Hesitant to force any front office turnover, Hayes made the controversial decision to allow both Brooklyn president Reuben Mackey and manager Kevin Denton to stay at their respective positions, so long as the organization stayed bound by the MABL’s forthcoming punishment. The ire of the league was even more upon them with this decision, but Hayes’ authority proved to be crucial in an offseason riddled with questions.

Daisy Hirsch, the leader of the Jays Board of Trustees, wrote an open letter in the Beacon, which was spread throughout the nation in affiliated papers. She expressed gratitude for Hayes’ decision and made it clear that the club was going to turn a new leaf under her more strict supervision. While the nation’s elite don’t fully trust the Hirsch family, their mastery of public relations partially quelled the mob forming around Hirsch Park.

Meanwhile, the President’s Commission set out on creating a severe penalty for the Jays organization, one, mind you, where they technically didn’t even break the rules. Their intentions were clear, however, as a lack of organization and failure to assume the proper authority was a deciding factor in the downfall of the Association over 40 years prior. There were two main groups that formed from the negotiations: the hardliners, spearheaded by none other than Manhattan’s Ted Newsome, and the ‘rationalists’, led by Detroit Union team president Gordie Coburn. The hardliners wanted nothing more than to expel the Jays for something that, again, wasn’t against the rules by any means, and for causing a disturbance that, again, was only amplified by Newsome’s own meddling. However, the rationalists argued that the expulsion of the Jays would do nothing but bring further shame to the league and that a reasonable punishment would do for causing such a stir.

The final verdict was reached in December, when Nathaneal Hayes heard both pleas and came to the decision. Brooklyn was to:

Rescind their first round draft rights
Revoke their right to sign any regional league player for two years

That’s it. Hayes had determined that no further action from the league was necessary for the Jays to get the message, although behind closed doors, he heard of the Sproul-Lucie incident and urged the organization to trade or release both players, to whomever would buy.

Onto the trades!

Sproul was the first man to go. Kyle Etheridge, Milwaukee’s president, mustn’t have gotten the memo and entered a bidding war with himself to receive the 1948 Lisiewicz award winner. Milwaukee sent their top two prospects in Noah Knight and Roy Woodward to get the ace of their dreams, but it’ll be seen if Sproul is worth the attention. Noah Knight’s transition to pitcher has been described as “incredible” by Milwaukee insiders, and although the Jays aren’t without outfielders, the organization is foregoing their development of 1948 first rounder Vince Konz to teach the lefty first base, hoping to move Bobby Lee to a transitional role. Woodward proved his worth throughout an excellent second-half campaign and Western Open tournament for Milwaukee, and is expected to slot into the back half of the rotation.

In other news, Lyle Wester must have got some bad news on Jared Kaplan, as the 1947 Eastern MVP was traded for what amounted to peanuts. Capital City’s manager Florin Ionescu went over the head of the Scheevels, or rather didn’t get a response from them, and pulled the trigger on a deal that gave the Blossoms a name-brand player at a premier position in exchange for a middling first baseman and no-name prospect.

The Boroughers are in a win-now mode, however, and wanted to shore up any more deficiencies with a few key acquisitions. Travellers second baseman Nate LaCaze was atop Wester’s wishlist for the club, and so the Moles sent the farm. Both of the Moles top prospects, Joe Elvey and Mike Gervacio, were sent in exchange for LaCaze, catcher Duke Dunear, pitching prospect Jake Godman, and a second round pick. Dunear could prove to be a surprise for the Moles, but at least for now he’ll serve to replace the departed Omar Flores.

In an insurance move, City made another trade, this time with longtime rival Manhattan to ensure that they had a catcher for today. The key piece in the deal was Gilberto Gaivo, whose presence in the Giants locker room irked Newsome. In exchange, the other New York team got 29-year old Josh Olson, who should serve as a decent backup after their other moves this offseason.

Jermaine Holmes found a new home in D.C., as the Blossoms traded a slew of unremarkable prospects for a pitcher coming off a poor season with Centennial. Capital City is hoping for a bounceback year from the beleaguered former ace, who posted just a 4.60 ERA the year prior.

Union went out and found a solid pitcher at a solid price, taking Milwaukee’s Western Open goat Mike McGrew for a hopeful bounceback season. McGrew has never been an ace, last year he was a woeful 7-15 with a 5.60 ERA, but the squad is just hoping that he’ll hold enough for the offense to get to work. In exchange, shortstop Jamie Collins was sent to Milwaukee, where the team is retooling and hoping to make a run of their own.

Boston completed a one year sign-and-trade on Chris Erwin, who heads to Detroit to give the offense even more firepower. Leaving, however, are valuable contributors in shutdown closer Gavin Wooden and center fielder Jeff Morrow. Coburn and manager Bob Ripple are hoping that a good season from the team can convince Erwin that Detroit should be his home until the end of his prime.

The Packers continued their teardown with the sell-off of Juan Escalante. The pitcher had a good few years in Chicago but left with no fond memories of management. After being sent off for prospects, the Chicago ace lauded Cleveland’s supporters club in an interview, exclaiming his excitement for playing in an organization that invests back into itself.

After months, Bob Lucie was still in tow for the Jays as the seemingly less-tainted star had no takers in the MABL. Unwilling to release him, Mackey picked up the phone and did the unthinkable. Without consulting the league office, he called up the West Coast and asked if anyone would want to trade for the superstar ace. He got his buyer in Seattle, where the western squad sent over their top pitcher in Jason Hughes and a few top prospects in a salary dump, adding a cool fifty grand for good measure.

For the GPL, this was a coup of immense proportions, lowering another barrier to put themselves on par with the MABL. As the rest of the league was again up in arms, Hayes had another choice to make in his short time as commissioner. Ground rules had to be set, and Hayes utilized an “Order on Exceptional Circumstances”, known as a Rule 12 clause in the commissioner’s contract, to allow the trade to go through. The new commissioner wanted to show leniency to the GPL, as his time in the Southwestern League showed that there were no easy inroads to the west coast markets. By voiding the trade and invalidating the league, Hayes would be saying that no amicable agreement could be made between the two leagues. The process would be slow, but Hayes was playing the long game. In due time, the GPL would be the MABL’s to conquer.

MABL departures in free agency included the likes of City’s Elliot Keeling, Jorge Cordova and Danny Castaneda, Detroit’s Ryan Bohlen, Cleveland’s Mike Cooper, Milwaukee’s Bor-Zeng Go, Capital City’s Jacopo Macaluso, and Brooklyn’s Jonathan Sandwell. Plenty of prime players and key pieces were lost to the GPL and regional leagues, for sure, but plenty more stayed.

The 1949 Free Agent class had some big names, but none other than Jeremy Maddox. The aging legend found work back in Milwaukee, who just the year prior traded him away to New York City. At 36, it’ll be interesting to see how much he’s going to regress over the next few years, but Ethridge is hoping that his mentorship will be the push for Martin Sproul to take a step in maturity.

Jeff Oxford’s rental ran out in Chicago after the power bat helped the squad reach the Roosevelt Cup, and his talents were well compensated in the offseason. Detroit, looking for yet another offensive weapon, picked up Oxford on a massive 4 year contract that runs through his age 39 season. If Oxford can continue to contribute, Detroit should have no problem in keeping up with the high-run MABL environment.

Omar Flores, back on the market after just a year, heads south to Washington for just over $600,000. Capital City has to feel good about this move, especially since they decline to offer him a player option. Hopefully Flores, who hit a paltry .281 with 9 home runs the year prior, will make the most of his time for the Blossoms.

Left out of all the Jays talk was Joe Merza, who went 10-0 last season with a staggeringly low 2.84 ERA. City pounced on such a steal, offering the former crosstown rival the newly vacated ace spot following Elliot Keeling’s departure for the GPL in free agency and Eric Follett’s retirement. As an aside, Follett’s year of dominance was incredible and his personal decision to retire for fear of damaging his body is his own to make, but the New York press absolutely hounded him to the extent where Wester had to step in to ensure his safety. Merza, knowing all of this, is coming in and expected to fill both of those roles at once.

The other Brooklyn starter, Angel Mojica, found himself a nice payday in Chicago for the Republics. The 30-year-old only saw the field sparingly for the Jays last season but still provides much of the skill necessary to get it done on the mound. For RBC, this addition looks to be a new and improved version of a pennant winner.

Continuing the trend, Chicago looked outside the MABL for their next two stars. 37 year old Brady Trujillo comes from Sacramento’s GPL squad, and still looks to be effective at the plate despite his age. His liability in the field might be a hindrance to a team already ranked last in zone rating the year prior, but team president Michael Wilder and manager Gabe Bennett are hoping that the offensive production will make up for it.

Their next signing came from the Southwestern League, snagging Texas-Born Sean Milroy to a big contract in hopes of getting some elite defense at the backstop. At just 24, Mulroy’s skill behind the plate is beyond his years, and his powerful bat looks to provide a pop in the order for Chicago.

Luis Hernandez had a good 1948 in Capital City, but got paid like an ace for Manhattan. Newsome’s anguish with his own biases didn’t stop him from making Hernandez the team’s #2 arm, as the Giants’ priority this offseason was to headhunt and plaster them in whatever ads they could. While Hernandez is being paid well by the Giants, the endorsements from being a Big 3 starting pitcher might prove even more valuable.

Cincinnati started their slew out outside hiring by going after Southern Negro League star Randy Midkiff. At 24, the ace led his Birmingham squad to a pennant each of the past two seasons, and the Reds lured him away with a massive pay bump and a promise to keep the winning easy coming. It looks like the Cincinnati rotation is far and away the top rotation in the MABL, as Midkiff joins Townsley, Jim McKeithan, and Danny Hernandez to create a pitching lineup with no off days.

It seems that Ted Newsome has come up with a strategy: sign away the Blossoms best pitching talent to become the 3rd best team in the East. The trend continued by signing away Bill Billiter on a big deal that pushed Manhattan into 4(!) $100,000/yr contracts on the books, despite zero(!) winning seasons in the MABL. Billiter might be worth the price tag, however, as the former Capitals star looks to make a name for himself in the Big Apple.

Other names acquired throughout the offseason were Israel Magana, Montreal’s Eastern Open hero Danny Stewart, fellow Southern Negro League pitcher Bruce Gulley, Donald Ciman from the Eastern Premier League, and Capital City’s former utility outfielder Lindsay Hunt.

Regional Player signings.

I can tell I’m running long in the tooth, I’ll be brief.

The regional leagues, seeing the impending raids, upped their prices heading into 1949. Starting this season, premiership players cost $70,000, second tier players cost $60,000, and third league players were $55,000.

Manhattan doled out for the belle of the ball, snagging established EPL star Jared Putnam from Dominion Sporting Club in Toronto. As a home run machine, the Maple Bomber is just the player that Newsome was looking for this offseason.

New York City looked to fix their pitching departures through the regional leagues, grabbing their Eastern Open undertaker Sean Hogan and Bridgeport’s Tim Yawn. Hogan should be the Opening day starter for the Moles barring some extreme surprises, while Yawn will bring some much-needed depth. They also grabbed Shane Hall, an excellent hitter still in his prime at 30 years old.

Brought back into the MABL fold is Ryan Ayers, 1947 RCS champion with Cleveland’s Lakers. He headlines six players purchased by the Travellers, who went and got an entirely new team overnight. Cameron Barker was snatched up to be the team’s new ace, while Tim Mayer and Ed Williamson fill the 2 and 3 spots in the rotation. Western Open standout Todd Aybar joined the team he vanquished, while power bat Pat Clingan can hopefully be the guy to drive the oft-stranded Harry Pigg.

Cincinnati rounded out their incredible offseason by adding offensive weapons Ben Matney, Jerry Inscoe and Jon Brownlow from the MWPL. While Inscoe is a great contact hitter, Brownlow and Matney have the combination of speed and power that managers dream of, and give the Reds an elite outfield with Carlos Reyes still manning right.

Harbor’s main additions this offseason happened through regional acquisitions, as the Hacks picked up Montréal’s Mike Turner after an exceptional EPL season and Eastern Open run. They didn’t stop there, bringing over fellow Club Athlétique star Greg Read to be their ace and catcher Raul Hernandez for another solid bat. Suddenly, the Hacks have an offense filled with All-Stars and a pitching rotation headlined by the Eastern Open’s surprise of the year and John McBean. Majority owner Jacob Connor all of the sudden doesn’t look so bad.

Boston and Detroit Union got in on the fun as well by purchasing pitchers, as Chris Linen only has to drive up the road to find his new home in the House of Payne, while Jake Van Camp provides a second good arm to Detroit’s rotation. Capital City rounded out their busy offseason by plugging their hole at first base, where an aging Omari Jenkins was brought in for what many expect to be a rental.

Draft Preview:

The 1949 MABL draft featured some incredible talent. Here’s what the media’s first round projections are:

1 - Pittsburgh: Lucas Bennett, 18, P/CF, Burlington, VT
2 - Harbor Athletic: Bob Rockwell, 20, IF, Kentwood, MI
3 - Travellers: Heath Langston, 18, OF, Chicago, IL
4 - Manhattan: Gilbert Dale, 22, OF, Keokuk, IA
5 - Union Stock Yards: Larry Cotton, 21, OF, Huntington, WV
6 - Louisville: Bobby Montogmery, 23, P, Richmond, VA
7 - Philadelphia: Stan Snow, 19, C, O’Fallon, MO
8 - Boston: Ted “Ducky” Walsh, 17, C/OF, Waukesha, WI
9 - Milwaukee: Dusty Linder, 19, IF, Akron, OH
10 - Lakers: Gerald Berry, 19, 2B/SS, Wheeling, VA
11 - Capital City: Tyler Gibson, 19, IF, Akron, OH
12 - Detroit Union: Greg Baldwin, 10, OF, Pontiac, MI
13 - Cincinnati: Billy Lyon, 20, 2B/SS, Cedar Rapids, IA
14 - New York City: Ed Schmidt, 21, P, New Rochelle, NY
15 - Chicago RBC: Hank Culberson, 32, IF, Rome, GA

H-Town1141 · 5/23/2024 5:19 pm

The 1949 MABL draft saw some surprises in the Chicago Ritz-Carlton, but the players at the top of the list look to be some of the best ever seen enter into baseball.

Round 1- Pick 1
Bob Rockwell

The 20-year-old out of Michigan’s amateur leagues absolutely obliterated his competition and showed the potential to make an immediate impact for a lower-level club like the Eagles. He shows incredible power for a middle infielder, while his speed on the basepaths is second only to Brooklyn’s Jon Gibbs. Manager Dirk Spencer sees this year to develop him in their farm system, where the team hopes to see him take strides to contribute for an actually decent squad in 1950.

Round 1-Pick 2
Gilbert Dale

The outfielder from Iowa was unknown until this past season, when his team got to play an exhibition game against potential third-tier midwestern players in a showcase game. The Boy Scout was beloved in his hometown for both his on and off-field demeanor, and it certainly doesn’t hurt to have your bat do the talking, as Dale’s power swing matches up well with the likes of fellow Iowan Chris Graff.

Round 1- Pick 3
Larry Cotton

At just 21 years old, Cotton was seen as one of the most well-rounded players in the sport. As an extra-base machine from a litany of positions, Cotton’s potential should get Travellers fans extremely excited about his future prospects and giving the team flexibility in their lineup.

Round 1- Pick 4
Heath Langston

One pick away from going to the hometown team, Langston’s team-first attitude could be the thing to pull the Giants out of their clubhouse death spiral. The outfielder still looks to be a year or two away from the bigs, but his ability to work the count against all kinds of pitchers and absolute dynamism in the field have Giants fans gushing over his potential.

Round 1- Pick 5
Dusty Linder

Although a bit more raw than most prospects at the top of the board, Packers manager Joshua Brooks went over the head of Perrin to find the guy he thinks will work best in interesting circumstances for the club. Linder’s quick reflexes in the field will transition well for him throughout the infield, and his power at the plate is almost as much as the chip on his shoulder. However, the feisty 19-year-old has shown nothing but class to his new teammates in the development leagues.

Round 1- Pick 6
Tyler Gibson

If I had a nickel for every 19-year-old utility infielder from Akron, Ohio picked by a basement dwelling Western League team, I would have two nickels, which isn’t a lot but it’s weird that it happened twice. Gibson’s dedication to the game is unmatched, however, and his progress should come a little bit sooner than his counterpart as the Indians are prioritizing his development due to his willingness to stay in for as long as possible to succeed.

Round 1- Pick 7
Ted “Ducky” Walsh

Walsh’s skill set is unmatched. His pitching arsenal is incredible for a 17 year-old, and his bat looks to be even better. Despite the Wisconsin product openly expressing his hope to play for the nearby No-names, Centennial snagged him in hopes that his play could spark a depleted pitching staff. While probably better served in the development system for a year, Centennial is expected to send their new great hope out onto the mound this season.

Round 1- Pick 8
Lucas Bennett

The Vermont native doesn’t have to travel far from home to find his new residence, as the two-way superstar in the making heads to the Bees. His knowledge for the game is extremely advanced for such a young age, as is his off-field character. The southpaw is expected to start this season for a woebegone Boston squad in desperate need of leadership beyond Dan Bell.

Round 1- Pick 9
Jack Osborne

Milwaukee was desperately looking for a two way prospect to replace the quickly-developing Noah Knight, but the top two leaving just before their selection had them scrambling at the last moment. Ethridge and co. went with the local product Jack Osborne, an absolute defensive wunderkind that probably should’ve been taken in the second round. While always a threat on the basepaths, his trouble making contact and drawing walks needs to be improved before the organization feels comfortable jumping him up to even the first tier development league. They might as well make him a two way player if he flames out as a hitting prospect.

Round 1- Pick 10
Bobby Montgomery

The first pure pitcher off the board looks to be a good one for the Lakers. Despite a poor pitch selection, the guy has great stamina and an absolute flamethrower for an arm, measuring out at just over 100 miles an hour on his fastball. The 23-year-old looks to be the heir-apparent to Oscar Fuentes as soon as yesterday.

Round- Pick 11
Stan Snow

Capital City manager Florin Ionescu has felt that the team is one Omar Flores away since they failed to offer him a contract at the end of the ‘47 season, and he might’ve just found his guy in Stan Snow. The backstop’s plate skills are nothing special, but his pitch framing and catching radius are second to none. He still needs time to develop his hitting, but on Ionescu’s whim, Snow will get the chance to learn as a MABL starting catcher.

Round 1- Pick 12
Scott Harris

Harris’s raw potential caught the eye of Union, whose roster probably could’ve used a more immediate impact guy to make a run this season. At just 18, it’s unlikely that the raw outfielder will make any noise in the MABL for a while, but his contact potential had Detroit keep his at the top of their board to replace the recently-traded Jeff Morrow.

Round 1- Pick 13
Jeremy Robbins

At the time of the draft, Robbins was just 16 years old. The baby-face has all the potential in the world, though, and Cincinnati was willing to take a chance on the extremely raw talent for his crazy changeup and expected versatility in the field. It doesn’t hurt that the last time they did this, the Reds ended up with the best possible outcome.

Round 1- Pick 14
Mike Ambrose

Ambrose possesses many talents on the field, which makes up for his lack of them off of it. Lyle Wester knew he was taking a big risk by drafting him, as the Moles have ironically always tried to keep themselves above the muck, but his potential looked too tantalizing to pass up. The contact machine racked up a .500 average in amateur ball, and New York City’s hopes are that he’ll be able to stay out of trouble long enough to make an impact on the team.

Round 1- Pick 15
Steve Rich

Rich’s potential jumps off the page as a do-it-all outfielder with flashes of speed and power. He jumped up boards recently by taking his New Jersey amateur squad to a state championship, and the Republics are hoping that in a few years he’ll be able to do the same for them.

The rest of the draft featured some shockers. The first player off the board in the supplemental draft was Ed Vance, a pitcher with plenty of potential for the Capitals, who received the pick after the Luis Hernandez exodus. Chicago also received a pick after Jeff Oxford's departure, selecting speedster Billy Lyon.

Gerald "Jerry" Berry was first off the board in the second round, as the prospect sill has a way to go before he reaches the MABL but still possess all the intangibles you could want. Harvey Abrahamson, a solid first baseman who looks like a sure fire decent player, fell into the second round to the Centennials. Right before him was sure-thing Hank Culberson, who fell to the Packers in a steal. Texas standout Wes Turner fell to Capital City in the second round round, as squads were fearful that the two-way prospect resembled his baseball idol, Cowboy Buchanan, a little too much on the mound. Catcher Cyrus Zebell, standing at a huge 6’5 and weighing 240 lbs, is expected to develop on the Republics second tier dev team after being drafted in the third as well. All the way in the 5th round was Mitchell Inman, whose character concerns and apparent alcoholism caused him to hit two straight batters in the 9th inning of a perfect game.

Supplemental Round 1
Round 1 (Suppl.), Pick 1 - Capital City United: SP Edward Vance, age 18
Round 1 (Suppl.), Pick 2 - Chicago Republics: 2B Billy Lyon, age 20

Round 2

Round 2, Pick 1 - Pittsburgh Eagles: SS Gerald "Jerry" Berry, age 19 (IDM)
Round 2, Pick 2 - Harbor Athletic Club: SP Dante Eaddy, age 17 out of high school (Ashley Ridge High School; Dorchester County, SC)
Round 2, Pick 3 - New York City Athletic: CF Eddie Arias, age 18
Round 2, Pick 4 - Manhattan Giants: 1B Jamie Alley, age 18 out of high school (Somerville; Somerville, TX)
Round 2, Pick 5 - Union Stock Yards: 2B Hank Culberson, age 23 (DireBear)
Round 2, Pick 6 - Louisville Indians: RP Pat Cardoso, age 18 out of high school (Saratoga Central Catholic; Saratoga Springs, NY) (UNSIGNED)
Round 2, Pick 7 - Centennial: 1B Harvey Abrahamson, age 19 (DireBear)
Round 2, Pick 8 - Boston Bees: 3B Edward Powell, age 21 out of college (Georgia College & State University; Milledgeville, GA)
Round 2, Pick 9 - Milwaukee BC: 3B Willie Gonzalez, age 23 out of college (University of Hawaii; Honolulu, HI)
Round 2, Pick 10 - Lakers: SP Steve Yarnell, age 21 out of college (Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); Cambridge, MA)
Round 2, Pick 11 - Capital City United: SP Wes Turner, age 18 (IDM)
Round 2, Pick 12 - Detroit Union: 3B Nestor Garcia, age 22 out of college (Eckerd College; St. Petersburg, FL)
Round 2, Pick 13 - Cincinnati Reds: 3B Casey Moore, age 17 out of high school (Bergen Catholic High School; Oradell, NJ)
Round 2, Pick 14 - New York City Athletic: LF Steve McArty, age 18 out of high school (Salisbury; Salisbury, MO)
Round 2, Pick 15 - Chicago Republics: RF Matt Stringer, age 16 out of high school (Loganville High School; Loganville, GA)
Round 2, Pick 16 - Brooklyn Jays: SS Greg McLaughlin, age 17 out of high school (Live Oak; Live Oak, CA)

Round 3
Round 3, Pick 1 - Pittsburgh Eagles: SP David Sims, age 21 out of college (Monmouth University; West Long Branch, NJ)
Round 3, Pick 2 - Harbor Athletic Club: SP Anthony Maine, age 23 out of college (University of Missouri; Columbia, MO)
Round 3, Pick 3 - Travellers: SP Peter Grahn, age 18 out of high school (Bartlett Yancey; Yanceyville, NC)
Round 3, Pick 4 - Union Stock Yards: SP Adam Sowders, age 18 out of high school (Inwood Academy High School; New York, NY)
Round 3, Pick 5 - Louisville Indians: SP Kyle Peterson, age 17 out of high school (Hope Christian; Albuquerque, NM)
Round 3, Pick 6 - Centennial: RF Joe Lozano, age 17 out of high school (Yucaipa High School; Yucaipa, CA)
Round 3, Pick 7 - Boston Bees: RF Jerry Fleming, age 22 out of college (UNC Charlotte; Charlotte, NC)
Round 3, Pick 8 - Milwaukee BC: SP Ed Schmidt, age 21 (DireBear)
Round 3, Pick 9 - Lakers: CL Leo Lehner, age 23 out of college (Texas Tech University; Lubbock, TX)
Round 3, Pick 10 - Capital City United: SP Alex Porter, age 21 out of college (College of Charleston; Charleston, SC)
Round 3, Pick 11 - Detroit Union: CF Chris Evans, age 20 out of college (CSUSB; San Bernardino, CA)
Round 3, Pick 12 - Cincinnati Reds: 1B Roberto Garcia, age 16 out of high school (Alfred M. Barbe High School; Lake Charles, LA)
Round 3, Pick 13 - New York City Athletic: SP Rodolfo Rivas, age 19 out of high school (Adrian; Adrian, OR)
Round 3, Pick 14 - Chicago Republics: C Cyrus Zebell, age 18 (someone forgot to put their username)
Round 3, Pick 15 - Brooklyn Jays: SS Jonathan Papineau, age 21 out of college (Eckerd College; St. Petersburg, FL)

Round 4
Round 4, Pick 1 - Pittsburgh Eagles: SS Jeremy Ellsworth, age 23 out of college (Winona State University; Winona, MN)
Round 4, Pick 2 - Harbor Athletic Club: SP Manny Guevara, age 17 out of high school (Santa Rita; Tucson, AZ)
Round 4, Pick 3 - Travellers: SP Mark Payne, age 17 out of high school (La Cueva High School; Albuquerque, NM)
Round 4, Pick 4 - Manhattan Giants: 2B Jim Victor, age 21 out of college (Seton Hall University; South Orange, NJ)
Round 4, Pick 5 - Union Stock Yards: RP Chris Anderson, age 20 out of college (Texas A&M University; College Station, TX)
Round 4, Pick 6 - Louisville Indians: SP Robert Quintana, age 21 out of college (UL Lafayette; Lafayette, LA)
Round 4, Pick 7 - Centennial: RF Greg Baldwin, age 21 out of college (UNLV; Las Vegas, NV)
Round 4, Pick 8 - Boston Bees: SP Eric George, age 17 out of high school (Central Pointe Christian; Kissimmee, FL)
Round 4, Pick 9 - Milwaukee BC: SP Dick Unger, age 19 (DireBear)
Round 4, Pick 10 - Lakers: SP Danny Coolidge, age 20 out of college (Jackson State University; Jackson, MS)
Round 4, Pick 11 - Capital City United: C Jeremy Foxhoven, age 21 out of college (University of Dayton; Dayton, OH)
Round 4, Pick 12 - Boston Bees: SP Eric Carlson, age 18 out of high school (Santa Margarita Catholic High School; Rancho Santa Margarita, CA)
Round 4, Pick 13 - Cincinnati Reds: 1B John Jimenez, age 17 out of high school (Benson Tech; Portland, OR)
Round 4, Pick 14 - New York City Athletic: CF Joe Kelly, age 18 out of high school (Mayo; Rochester, MN)
Round 4, Pick 15 - Chicago Republics: SP Luis Lara, age 18 out of high school (Hamilton (AZ) High School; Chandler, AZ)
Round 4, Pick 16 - Brooklyn Jays: SP Tom Archambeau, age 18 out of high school (Santa Fe Indian; Santa Fe, NM)

Round 5
Round 5, Pick 1 - Pittsburgh Eagles: C Kirk Magill, age 18 out of high school (Sunapee; Sunapee, NH)
Round 5, Pick 2 - Harbor Athletic Club: SS Dave Amborn, age 21 out of college (University of Pittsburgh; Pittsburgh, PA)
Round 5, Pick 3 - Travellers: 3B Dwight Wilkerson, age 18 (DireBear)
Round 5, Pick 4 - Manhattan Giants: SP T.J. Ham, age 17 out of high school (Henrietta; Henrietta, TX)
Round 5, Pick 5 - Union Stock Yards: SP Tommie Wilson, age 17 out of high school (Hollis-Brookline; Hollis, NH)
Round 5, Pick 6 - Louisville Indians: CF Victor Salinas, age 20 out of college (University of South Carolina; Columbia, SC)
Round 5, Pick 7 - Centennial: SP Tyrese Robinson, age 18 out of high school (Robeson; Chicago, IL)
Round 5, Pick 8 - Boston Bees: 1B Eric Pugmire, age 21 out of college (Indiana University; Bloomington, IN)
Round 5, Pick 9 - Milwaukee BC: 2B Chris Rector, age 20 out of college (TCU; Fort Worth, TX)
Round 5, Pick 10 - Lakers: SS Jeff Kushman, age 17 out of high school (Archbishop Moeller High School; Cincinnati, OH)
Round 5, Pick 11 - Pittsburgh Eagles: 3B Mitchell Inman, age 21 (IDM)
Round 5, Pick 12 - Detroit Union: 3B Taylor Thornton, age 19 out of high school (St. Francis; Athol Springs, NY)
Round 5, Pick 13 - Cincinnati Reds: SP Zachary Lohr, age 17 out of high school (Papillion-LaVista; Papillion, NE)
Round 5, Pick 14 - New York City Athletic: 1B David Reyes, age 17 out of high school (BYOU Academy; Caguas, HUM)
Round 5, Pick 15 - Chicago Republics: RF Jason Field, age 21 out of college (George Washington University; Washington, DC)
Round 5, Pick 16 - Brooklyn Jays: LF Nick Johnson, age 18 out of high school (Otsego; Otsego, MI)

Round 6
Round 6, Pick 1 - Pittsburgh Eagles: SP Zach Dennison, age 20 out of college (Cal Poly Pomona; Pomona, CA)
Round 6, Pick 2 - Harbor Athletic Club: SP Matt Finn, age 17 out of high school (Papillion-LaVista; Papillion, NE)
Round 6, Pick 3 - Travellers: SS Roger Langlois, age 17 out of high school (North Royalton; North Royalton, OH)
Round 6, Pick 4 - Manhattan Giants: CF Elijah Price, age 18 out of high school (Waynedale; Apple Creek, OH)
Round 6, Pick 5 - Union Stock Yards: CF Bryan Ziebarth, age 21 out of college (Virginia Tech; Blacksburg, VA)
Round 6, Pick 6 - Louisville Indians: SP Jamie Becic, age 20 out of college (University of Kentucky; Lexington, KY)
Round 6, Pick 7 - Centennial: CF Josh Petrash, age 17 out of high school (Belfry; Belfry, KY)
Round 6, Pick 8 - Boston Bees: C Jay Perrington, age 20 out of college (University of Virginia; Charlottesville, VA)
Round 6, Pick 9 - Milwaukee BC: SP Kyle Zimmermann, age 20 out of college (Stanford University; Stanford, CA)
Round 6, Pick 10 - Lakers: SP Dan Peavey, age 17 out of high school (Kennedy; Cleveland, OH)
Round 6, Pick 11 - Capital City United: SS Jim Boley, age 21 out of college (UC San Diego; La Jolla, CA)
Round 6, Pick 12 - Detroit Union: SP Nick Harris, age 18 out of high school (Abington Heights; Clarks Summit, PA)
Round 6, Pick 13 - Cincinnati Reds: CF Nick Harper, age 21 out of college (Wright State University; Dayton, OH)
Round 6, Pick 14 - New York City Athletic: SP Jason Mackrell, age 17 out of high school (Lane Tech; Chicago, IL)
Round 6, Pick 15 - Chicago Republics: SS Al Lewis, age 18 out of high school (Warhill; Williamsburg, VA)
Round 6, Pick 16 - Brooklyn Jays: 1B Stasik Tavdgiridze, age 17 out of high school (Bob Jones High School; Madison, AL)

Round 7
Round 7, Pick 1 - Pittsburgh Eagles: C Justin McLaughlin, age 17 out of high school (Bishop Gorman (NV) High School; Las Vegas, NV)
Round 7, Pick 2 - Harbor Athletic Club: 3B Vince Wesley, age 17 out of high school (Comstock Park; Comstock Park, MI)
Round 7, Pick 3 - Travellers: SP William Whitmore, age 21 out of college (San Diego State University; San Diego, CA)
Round 7, Pick 4 - Manhattan Giants: SP Matt Clark, age 21 out of college (Georgia Gwinnett College; Lawrenceville, GA)
Round 7, Pick 5 - Union Stock Yards: C Jon Arambula, age 20 out of college (Bucknell University; Lewisburg, PA)
Round 7, Pick 6 - Louisville Indians: 2B William Alvesteffer, age 21 out of college (Duke University; Durham, NC)
Round 7, Pick 7 - Centennial: CL Jalen Pimble, age 18 out of high school (Bellaire; Bellaire, TX)
Round 7, Pick 8 - Boston Bees: CL Mike Howell, age 17 out of high school (Molina; Dallas, TX)
Round 7, Pick 9 - Milwaukee BC: CF Brent Smith, age 18 out of high school (St. Bonaventure; Ventura, CA)
Round 7, Pick 10 - Lakers: SS Lee Lewiston, age 21 out of college (Florida A&M University; Tallahassee, FL)
Round 7, Pick 11 - Capital City United: CL Ryan Russell, age 22 out of college (University of Arizona; Tucson, AZ)
Round 7, Pick 12 - Detroit Union: SP Caleb Smith, age 20 out of college (Cal State Fullerton; Fullerton, CA)
Round 7, Pick 13 - Cincinnati Reds: SP Joe Wrape, age 18 out of high school (West Central Valley; Stuart, IA)
Round 7, Pick 14 - New York City Athletic: 3B Jared Faulhaber, age 18 out of high school (Santa Margarita Catholic High School; Rancho Santa Margarita, CA)
Round 7, Pick 15 - Chicago Republics: SP Rich Gutierrez, age 18 out of high school (Archie; Archie, MO)
Round 7, Pick 16 - Brooklyn Jays: SP Roger Cunningham, age 18 out of high school (Klein; Klein, TX)

Round 8
Round 8, Pick 1 - Pittsburgh Eagles: SP Sid Sabo, age 17 out of high school (Palo Verde (NV) High School; Las Vegas, NV)
Round 8, Pick 2 - Harbor Athletic Club: SP Cory Cooperman, age 20 out of college (Kent State University; Kent, OH)
Round 8, Pick 3 - Travellers: 2B Bob Clem, age 16 out of high school (Farragut (TN) High School; Knoxville, TN)
Round 8, Pick 4 - Manhattan Giants: SS Mike Dale, age 18 out of high school (Mount Everett Regional; Sheffield, MA)
Round 8, Pick 5 - Union Stock Yards: SP Tommy Pogue, age 18 out of high school (Dedham; Dedham, MA)
Round 8, Pick 6 - Louisville Indians: SP Jim Henson, age 17 out of high school (Fort Lauderdale Calvary Christian Academy; Fort Lauderdale, FL)
Round 8, Pick 7 - Centennial: RF Rusty Williams, age 18 out of high school (San Joaquin Memorial; Fresno, CA)
Round 8, Pick 8 - Boston Bees: SS Mike Thomas, age 21 out of college (Arizona State University; Tempe, AZ)
Round 8, Pick 9 - Milwaukee BC: SS Bill Garcia, age 18 out of high school (JSerra Catholic High School; San Juan Capistrano, CA)
Round 8, Pick 10 - Lakers: CF Pat Martin, age 17 out of high school (Lake Highland Preparatory; Orlando, FL)
Round 8, Pick 11 - Capital City United: 2B Eric Ware, age 19 out of high school (Manual; Peoria, IL)
Round 8, Pick 12 - Detroit Union: RP Jamie Gilbert, age 20 out of college (LeMoyne-Owen College; Memphis, TN)
Round 8, Pick 13 - Cincinnati Reds: CF Mike Ellis, age 23 out of college (Southeastern University; Lakeland, FL)
Round 8, Pick 14 - New York City Athletic: SP Andy Bodine, age 17 out of high school (Oriskany; Oriskany, NY)
Round 8, Pick 15 - Chicago Republics: SS Max Patenaude, age 18 out of high school (Fowler; Fowler, MI)
Round 8, Pick 16 - Brooklyn Jays: 3B Jeremy Williams, age 18 out of high school (Murphy; Murphy, NC)

Round 9
Round 9, Pick 1 - Pittsburgh Eagles: CL Sean Perez, age 18 out of high school (Nazarene Christian Academy; Crowley, TX)
Round 9, Pick 2 - Harbor Athletic Club: C Ryan Zecchino, age 16 out of high school (John H. Pitman; Turlock, CA)
Round 9, Pick 3 - Travellers: SP Brian Watrous, age 19 out of college (Delaware County CC; Marple Township, PA)
Round 9, Pick 4 - Manhattan Giants: CL Rich Dean, age 20 out of college (Point Loma Nazarene University; San Diego, CA)
Round 9, Pick 5 - Union Stock Yards: 2B Chris Hall, age 18 out of high school (Totino-Grace; Fridley, MN)
Round 9, Pick 6 - Louisville Indians: CF Elvis Miller, age 16 out of high school (Bristol Central; Bristol, CT)
Round 9, Pick 7 - Centennial: SS Chris Rosenberg, age 21 out of college (University of Tennessee; Knoxville, TN)
Round 9, Pick 8 - Boston Bees: RF Chris Stowers, age 20 out of college (LSU; Baton Rouge, LA)
Round 9, Pick 9 - Milwaukee BC: SP Adam Wood, age 20 out of college (UT Martin; Martin, TN)
Round 9, Pick 10 - Lakers: SP Danny Dinales, age 17 out of high school (Edison; Fresno, CA)
Round 9, Pick 11 - Capital City United: 3B George Haas, age 18 out of high school (Excel Christian; Sparks, NV)
Round 9, Pick 12 - Detroit Union: SP Tim Tomlin, age 18 out of high school (Hamilton (AZ) High School; Chandler, AZ)
Round 9, Pick 13 - Cincinnati Reds: CF Junior Lovejoy, age 17 out of high school (Cathedral; Los Angeles, CA)
Round 9, Pick 14 - New York City Athletic: CF Alex Beltran, age 19 out of high school (Woodruff; Woodruff, SC)
Round 9, Pick 15 - Chicago Republics: SP Ethan Cummings, age 17 out of high school (Tottenville; Staten Island, NY)
Round 9, Pick 16 - Brooklyn Jays: RP Ben McArthur, age 18 out of high school (Tooele; Tooele, UT)

Round 10
Round 10, Pick 1 - Pittsburgh Eagles: SP Tyler Sutton, age 17 out of high school (Butler; Butler, PA)
Round 10, Pick 2 - Harbor Athletic Club: RF Joe Ridge, age 17 out of high school (Sand Creek; Colorado Springs, CO)
Round 10, Pick 3 - Travellers: 2B Steve Stevens, age 21 out of college (Ocean County College; Toms River, NJ)
Round 10, Pick 4 - Manhattan Giants: SP Keiran Harrington, age 18 out of high school (Woodbridge High School; Woodbridge, NJ)
Round 10, Pick 5 - Union Stock Yards: SP Charlie McDaniel, age 18 out of high school (Pima; Pima, AZ)
Round 10, Pick 6 - Louisville Indians: 2B Art Hescock, age 19 out of college (Genesee CC; Batavia, NY)
Round 10, Pick 7 - Centennial: SP Garrett Baxter, age 22 out of college (University of Memphis; Memphis, TN)
Round 10, Pick 8 - Boston Bees: 1B Dan Anesi, age 16 out of high school (South Hills; West Covina, CA)
Round 10, Pick 9 - Milwaukee BC: RP George Ryall, age 21 out of college (University of South Florida; Tampa, FL)
Round 10, Pick 10 - Lakers: SP Daniel Geiger, age 17 out of high school (Johnston; Johnston, RI)
Round 10, Pick 11 - Capital City United: SP Taylor Crisanto, age 18 out of high school (Regis Jesuit High School; Aurora, CO)
Round 10, Pick 12 - Detroit Union: C Bob Anderson, age 20 out of college (University of Illinois; Champaign, IL)
Round 10, Pick 13 - Cincinnati Reds: SP Ryan Rose, age 18 out of high school (Hillsboro; Hillsboro, TX)
Round 10, Pick 14 - New York City Athletic: SP Jose Arriola, age 19 out of high school (Colorado Academy; Denver, CO)
Round 10, Pick 15 - Chicago Republics: CL Mike Taber, age 18 out of high school (Winter Park High School; Winter Park, FL)
Round 10, Pick 16 - Brooklyn Jays: 1B Steve Magid, age 24 out of college (University of Portland; Portland, OR)

Round 11
Round 11, Pick 1 - Pittsburgh Eagles: C John Fertig, age 20 out of college (Marshall University; Huntington, WV)
Round 11, Pick 2 - Harbor Athletic Club: SP Dragos Oprisan, age 18 out of high school (South East; South Gate, CA)
Round 11, Pick 3 - Travellers: SP Sean McNeil, age 18 out of high school (St. John's Jesuit; Toledo, OH)
Round 11, Pick 4 - Manhattan Giants: CL Travis Fecht, age 19 out of high school (Thousand Oaks High School; Thousand Oaks, CA)
Round 11, Pick 5 - Union Stock Yards: 1B Kyle Rooney, age 21 out of college (Southern Arkansas University; Magnolia, AR)
Round 11, Pick 6 - Louisville Indians: SP Edgar Renteria, age 18 out of high school (Caddo; Caddo, OK)
Round 11, Pick 7 - Centennial: SP Salvatore Medina, age 20 out of college (Oregon State University; Corvallis, OR)
Round 11, Pick 8 - Boston Bees: SP Joe Sholders, age 20 out of college (Southwestern Christian University; Bethany, OK)
Round 11, Pick 9 - Milwaukee BC: SP Omar Ramirez, age 17 out of high school (Locke; Los Angeles, CA)
Round 11, Pick 10 - Lakers: SP Tom Carr, age 19 out of high school (West Broward High School; Pembroke Pines, FL)
Round 11, Pick 11 - Capital City United: 1B Mike Fryer, age 18 out of college (Rainy River CC; International Falls, MN)
Round 11, Pick 12 - Detroit Union: SP Ed Sierra, age 18 out of high school (The Vine Christian Academy; Kissimmee, FL)
Round 11, Pick 13 - Cincinnati Reds: CL Drew King, age 18 out of high school (Madison; Adrian, MI)
Round 11, Pick 14 - New York City Athletic: CF Mat Gray, age 17 out of high school (Thousand Oaks High School; Thousand Oaks, CA)
Round 11, Pick 15 - Chicago Republics: SP Chris Roberts, age 18 out of high school (Lake Brantley High School; Altamonte Springs, FL)
Round 11, Pick 16 - Brooklyn Jays: SP Nick Martin, age 17 out of high school (Manley; Chicago, IL)

Round 12
Round 12, Pick 1 - Pittsburgh Eagles: CF Nick Templeton, age 19 out of high school (Central; Battle Creek, MI)
Round 12, Pick 2 - Harbor Athletic Club: RP Dan Daniel, age 20 out of college (East Carolina University; Greenville, NC)
Round 12, Pick 3 - Travellers: C Kenny Toma, age 18 out of high school (Lansdowne; Baltimore, MD)
Round 12, Pick 4 - Manhattan Giants: SP Bobby Patterson, age 17 out of high school (JSerra Catholic High School; San Juan Capistrano, CA)
Round 12, Pick 5 - Union Stock Yards: SP Will Maynard, age 18 out of high school (Cathedral; Boston, MA)
Round 12, Pick 6 - Louisville Indians: RP Franklin Rodriguez, age 21 out of college (Trevecca Nazarene University; Nashville, TN)
Round 12, Pick 7 - Centennial: SP Ian Cepero, age 18 out of high school (Capitol High School; Baton Rouge, LA)
Round 12, Pick 8 - Boston Bees: LF Jason Phillips, age 20 out of college (University of Florida; Gainesville, FL)
Round 12, Pick 9 - Milwaukee BC: 2B Harry Bushnell, age 17 out of high school (Paris; Paris, AR)
Round 12, Pick 10 - Lakers: RP Jared Flum, age 19 out of college (Central Arizona College; Coolidge, AZ)
Round 12, Pick 11 - Capital City United: 1B Josh Pierce, age 17 out of high school (St. Peter Chanel; Bedford, OH)
Round 12, Pick 12 - Detroit Union: 2B Benjamin Webster, age 21 out of college (UMass Lowell; Lowell, MA)
Round 12, Pick 13 - Cincinnati Reds: SP Justin Lombardo, age 17 out of high school (Sumner Academy; Kansas City, KS)
Round 12, Pick 14 - New York City Athletic: RF Pete Crossley, age 18 out of high school (Our Savior New American; Centereach, NY)
Round 12, Pick 15 - Chicago Republics: LF Troy Power, age 17 out of high school (Lockhart; Lockhart, TX)
Round 12, Pick 16 - Brooklyn Jays: RF Zaire Conaway, age 18 out of high school (Washington; Milwaukee, WI)

Round 13
Round 13, Pick 1 - Pittsburgh Eagles: SP Jake Ruiz, age 17 out of high school (Round Rock Christian Academy; Round Rock, TX)
Round 13, Pick 2 - Harbor Athletic Club: SP Kevin Simon, age 17 out of high school (Lassiter High School; Marietta, GA)
Round 13, Pick 3 - Travellers: LF Kevin Herrin, age 20 out of college (North Carolina Central University; Durham, NC)
Round 13, Pick 4 - Manhattan Giants: RF Dustin Deschenes, age 17 out of high school (Thousand Oaks High School; Thousand Oaks, CA)
Round 13, Pick 5 - Union Stock Yards: CF Nick Hughes, age 21 out of college (Yale University; New Haven, CT)
Round 13, Pick 6 - Louisville Indians: SP Tristan Alexander, age 21 out of college (Longwood University; Farmville, VA)
Round 13, Pick 7 - Centennial: CF Joey Klinger, age 17 out of high school (Overhills; Spring Lake, NC)
Round 13, Pick 8 - Boston Bees: C Matt Walkley, age 21 out of college (Vanderbilt University; Nashville, TN)
Round 13, Pick 9 - Milwaukee BC: SP Matt Horn, age 17 out of high school (Case; Racine, WI)
Round 13, Pick 10 - Lakers: SP Fernando Lopez, age 23 out of college (Texas A&M University; College Station, TX)
Round 13, Pick 11 - Capital City United: CF DeMario Ramirez, age 21 out of college (University of Alabama; Tuscaloosa, AL)
Round 13, Pick 12 - Detroit Union: RP Ryan Notarianni, age 18 out of high school (Malvern; Malvern, AR)
Round 13, Pick 13 - Cincinnati Reds: 1B Ryan Smith, age 16 out of high school (Mountain Brook; Birmingham, AL)
Round 13, Pick 14 - New York City Athletic: RP Ray Barnes, age 18 out of high school (SLAM Academy Tampa; Tampa, FL)
Round 13, Pick 15 - Chicago Republics: 3B Chris Conner, age 18 out of high school (Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School; Ladue, MO)
Round 13, Pick 16 - Brooklyn Jays: 1B Cole Evans, age 24 out of college (Gonzaga University; Spokane, WA)

Round 14
Round 14, Pick 1 - Pittsburgh Eagles: SP Matt Culbert, age 21 out of college (Augsburg University; Minneapolis, MN)
Round 14, Pick 2 - Harbor Athletic Club: C Pat Vore, age 17 out of high school (Prattville Christian Academy; Prattville, AL)
Round 14, Pick 3 - Travellers: RP Vic Bellini, age 18 out of high school (Pascack Valley High School; Hillsdale, NJ)
Round 14, Pick 4 - Manhattan Giants: SP Dustin Cobb, age 17 out of high school (Santa Margarita Catholic High School; Rancho Santa Margarita, CA)
Round 14, Pick 5 - Union Stock Yards: RP Danny Smith, age 18 out of high school (Northeast Catholic; Philadelphia, PA)
Round 14, Pick 6 - Louisville Indians: CF Greg Crawford, age 16 out of high school (Connetquot; Bohemia, NY)
Round 14, Pick 7 - Centennial: SP Mel Stone, age 22 out of college (University of Oregon; Eugene, OR)
Round 14, Pick 8 - Boston Bees: SP Josh Murphy, age 22 out of college (University of Michigan; Ann Arbor, MI)
Round 14, Pick 9 - Milwaukee BC: C Ramon Herrera, age 18 out of high school (South Point; South Point, OH)
Round 14, Pick 10 - Lakers: 2B Bobby Ashmore, age 20 out of college (American River College; Citus Heights, CA)
Round 14, Pick 11 - Capital City United: SP Esteban Rodriguez, age 16 out of high school (La Serna; Whittier, CA)
Round 14, Pick 12 - Detroit Union: SP Antonio Villalobos, age 17 out of high school (Randolph Campus; New York, NY)
Round 14, Pick 13 - Cincinnati Reds: SP Oscar Seastrom, age 18 out of high school (Fayetteville Academy; Fayetteville, NC)
Round 14, Pick 14 - New York City Athletic: SP Travis Conrow, age 19 out of college (Mohawk Valley CC; Utica, NY)
Round 14, Pick 15 - Chicago Republics: SP Chris Curtis, age 17 out of high school (Chelsea; Chelsea, MA)
Round 14, Pick 16 - Brooklyn Jays: SP Ricky Archuletta, age 20 out of college (University of Arizona; Tucson, AZ)

Round 15
Round 15, Pick 1 - Pittsburgh Eagles: SP Jason Janovec, age 17 out of high school (Notre Dame Bishop Gibbons; Schenectady, NY)
Round 15, Pick 2 - Harbor Athletic Club: SP Dan Mosher, age 22 out of college (University of Dayton; Dayton, OH)
Round 15, Pick 3 - Travellers: C Justin Kincaid, age 17 out of high school (Kelly Catholic; Beaumont, TX)
Round 15, Pick 4 - Manhattan Giants: 2B Todd Weston, age 17 out of high school (Sulligent; Sulligent, AL)
Round 15, Pick 5 - Union Stock Yards: SP Dustin Halchak, age 22 out of college (Nicholls State University; Thibodaux, LA)
Round 15, Pick 6 - Louisville Indians: SP Kevin Ballew, age 17 out of high school (Santa Teresa; Santa Teresa, NM)
Round 15, Pick 7 - Centennial: 2B Jon Wilson, age 17 out of high school (Luling; Luling, TX)
Round 15, Pick 8 - Boston Bees: RF Noah Martinsen, age 17 out of high school (Mission; Mission, TX)
Round 15, Pick 9 - Milwaukee BC: SS Mike Stephens, age 16 out of high school (Mater Dei High School (Santa Ana); Santa Ana, CA)
Round 15, Pick 10 - Lakers: LF Ted Essex, age 17 out of high school (McLane; Fresno, CA)
Round 15, Pick 11 - Capital City United: RF Joey Pimm, age 17 out of high school (Kensington; Philadelphia, PA)
Round 15, Pick 12 - Detroit Union: SS Zachary Hannum, age 21 out of college (Dallas Baptist University; Dallas, TX)
Round 15, Pick 13 - Cincinnati Reds: 3B Roland O'Neill, age 17 out of high school (Keyes; Keyes, OK)
Round 15, Pick 14 - New York City Athletic: 3B Jesse Denomme, age 17 out of high school (Delray Beach American Heritage High School; Delray Beach, FL)
Round 15, Pick 15 - Chicago Republics: SS Brian Tollman, age 22 out of college (University of Kentucky; Lexington, KY)
Round 15, Pick 16 - Brooklyn Jays: C Nate Clark, age 18 out of high school (Sylvania; Sylvania, AL)

Round 16
Round 16, Pick 1 - Pittsburgh Eagles: CF Jason Long, age 16 out of high school (Shepherd Hill Regional; Dudley, MA)
Round 16, Pick 2 - Harbor Athletic Club: CF Jeremy Marino, age 18 out of high school (IMG Academy Royal; Bradenton, FL)
Round 16, Pick 3 - Travellers: SP Bucky Carosi, age 24 out of college (Oral Roberts University; Tulsa, OK)
Round 16, Pick 4 - Manhattan Giants: RP Keith Brazel, age 21 out of college (University of Kansas; Lawrence, KS)
Round 16, Pick 5 - Union Stock Yards: LF Myles Skouloudis, age 21 out of college (North Carolina State University; Raleigh, NC)
Round 16, Pick 6 - Louisville Indians: 2B Elias Moreno, age 17 out of high school (American School; Bayamon, BAY)
Round 16, Pick 7 - Centennial: C Ryan Hollis, age 18 out of high school (Atlanta; Atlanta, MI)
Round 16, Pick 8 - Boston Bees: SP Eddie Bautista, age 17 out of high school (Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy; Florida, ARE)
Round 16, Pick 9 - Milwaukee BC: SP Joe Adams, age 20 out of college (Cameron University; Lawton, OK)
Round 16, Pick 10 - Lakers: SP Terry Campopiano, age 16 out of high school (Trinity Catholic; Newton, MA)
Round 16, Pick 11 - Capital City United: 3B Justin Meisler, age 18 out of high school (Alleghany; Covington, VA)
Round 16, Pick 12 - Detroit Union: SS Jay Bostick, age 21 out of college (Canisius College; Buffalo, NY)
Round 16, Pick 13 - Cincinnati Reds: CF Pat Kilbarger, age 19 out of high school (Mason County Central; Scottville, MI)
Round 16, Pick 14 - New York City Athletic: 2B Jay Lee, age 17 out of high school (Spring Valley; Spring Valley, WI)
Round 16, Pick 15 - Chicago Republics: SP Nick Ek, age 18 out of college (Santa Rosa JC; Santa Rosa, CA)
Round 16, Pick 16 - Brooklyn Jays: C Jonathan Monroe, age 18 out of high school (Butternut; Butternut, WI)

Round 17
Round 17, Pick 1 - Pittsburgh Eagles: SP Gary Kobel, age 22 out of college (Wake Forest University; Wake Forest, NC)
Round 17, Pick 2 - Harbor Athletic Club: 2B Kevin Rainey, age 18 out of high school (Jena High School; Jena, LA)
Round 17, Pick 3 - Travellers: LF Ryan Koenig, age 19 out of high school (Baboquivari; Sells, AZ)
Round 17, Pick 4 - Manhattan Giants: SP Salvatore Segura, age 20 out of college (Colorado School of Mines; Golden, CO)
Round 17, Pick 5 - Union Stock Yards: SP Ruben Cervantes, age 21 out of college (East Carolina University; Greenville, NC)
Round 17, Pick 6 - Louisville Indians: 2B Mario Lopez, age 19 out of high school (Marist (IL) High School; Chicago, IL)
Round 17, Pick 7 - Centennial: RP Elad Morgenstern, age 20 out of college (College of Central Florida; Ocala, FL)
Round 17, Pick 8 - Boston Bees: RP Scott Miller, age 18 out of high school (Wasson; Colorado Springs, CO)
Round 17, Pick 9 - Milwaukee BC: RF Jay Booker, age 23 out of college (Mercer University; Macon, GA)
Round 17, Pick 10 - Lakers: CF Jerry Gama, age 23 out of college (Clemson University; Clemson, SC)
Round 17, Pick 11 - Capital City United: RP Josh Stillwell, age 20 out of college (Davenport University; Grand Rapids, MI)
Round 17, Pick 12 - Detroit Union: LF Gus Nunez, age 20 out of college (Lipscomb University; Nashville, TN)
Round 17, Pick 13 - Cincinnati Reds: SP Gabe Mecham, age 23 out of college (Georgia Gwinnett College; Lawrenceville, GA)
Round 17, Pick 14 - New York City Athletic: SP Steve Embree, age 20 out of college (Coastal Carolina University; Conway, SC)
Round 17, Pick 15 - Chicago Republics: 2B Chris Williams, age 20 out of college (Mercyhurst University; Erie, PA)
Round 17, Pick 16 - Brooklyn Jays: C Chris Bookey, age 17 out of high school (Riverbend Academy; Ormond Beach, FL)

Round 18
Round 18, Pick 1 - Pittsburgh Eagles: C Aaron Heinen, age 17 out of high school (Bergen Catholic High School; Oradell, NJ)
Round 18, Pick 2 - Harbor Athletic Club: SP Chris Jones, age 18 out of high school (Red Oak; Red Oak, IA)
Round 18, Pick 3 - Travellers: SP Randy Tiller, age 16 out of high school (Woodbridge; Bridgeville, DE)
Round 18, Pick 4 - Manhattan Giants: C Fred Ellsworth, age 16 out of high school (Montpetit; Montreal, QC)
Round 18, Pick 5 - Union Stock Yards: 1B Travis Misuraca, age 20 out of college (Michigan State University; East Lansing, MI)
Round 18, Pick 6 - Louisville Indians: SP Adam Smith, age 22 out of college (University of Southern Mississippi; Hattiesburg, MS)
Round 18, Pick 7 - Centennial: C Jeremy Riley, age 21 out of college (University of Hawaii; Honolulu, HI)
Round 18, Pick 8 - Boston Bees: SP Justin Wright, age 22 out of college (Alabama A&M University; Huntsville, AL)
Round 18, Pick 9 - Milwaukee BC: SP John Blandford, age 24 out of college (North Carolina State University; Raleigh, NC)
Round 18, Pick 10 - Lakers: CF Ben Levi, age 21 out of college (North Carolina State University; Raleigh, NC)
Round 18, Pick 11 - Capital City United: 1B Bill Holman, age 17 out of high school (Our Saviour Lutheran; Bronx, NY)
Round 18, Pick 12 - Detroit Union: RP Armando Rivera, age 16 out of high school (International Baseball Academy; Ceiba, CAR)
Round 18, Pick 13 - Cincinnati Reds: 2B Bill Senger, age 17 out of high school (Covenant Christian; Conroe, TX)
Round 18, Pick 14 - New York City Athletic: CF Miguel Hernandez, age 17 out of high school (Palm Harbor University High School; Palm Harbor, FL)
Round 18, Pick 15 - Chicago Republics: SP Ben Caton, age 22 out of college (Gallaudet University; Washington, DC)
Round 18, Pick 16 - Brooklyn Jays: SP Jim Forgues, age 22 out of college (TCU; Fort Worth, TX)

Round 19
Round 19, Pick 1 - Pittsburgh Eagles: RP Craig Smith, age 20 out of college (Mercer University; Macon, GA)
Round 19, Pick 2 - Harbor Athletic Club: SP Joe Foley, age 23 out of college (IU Northwest; Gary, IN)
Round 19, Pick 3 - Travellers: C Rob Pollard, age 22 out of college (University of Southern Mississippi; Hattiesburg, MS)
Round 19, Pick 4 - Manhattan Giants: C Dylan Fent, age 17 out of high school (Animo Leadership; Inglewood, CA)
Round 19, Pick 5 - Union Stock Yards: SP Jose Garcia, age 22 out of college (Bucknell University; Lewisburg, PA)
Round 19, Pick 6 - Louisville Indians: 2B Bryan Woods, age 17 out of high school (St. Clair; St. Clair, MO)
Round 19, Pick 7 - Centennial: SP Josh McGroarty, age 18 out of high school (Oxford; Oxford, PA)
Round 19, Pick 8 - Boston Bees: CF Chris Phillips, age 23 out of college (Illinois State University; Normal, IL)
Round 19, Pick 9 - Milwaukee BC: CF Robby Metzger, age 17 out of high school (Fuchs Mizrachi; University Heights, OH)
Round 19, Pick 10 - Lakers: C Dave McCormick, age 21 out of college (Lamar University; Beaumont, TX)
Round 19, Pick 11 - Capital City United: SP Mitch Palka, age 20 out of college (Flagler College; St. Augustine, FL)
Round 19, Pick 12 - Detroit Union: SS Travis Sanchez, age 20 out of college (Blue Mountain College; Blue Mountain, MS)
Round 19, Pick 13 - Cincinnati Reds: SP Richard MacEachern, age 21 out of college (University of Ottawa; Ottawa, ON)
Round 19, Pick 14 - New York City Athletic: C Curtis Stacey, age 20 out of college (Point Loma Nazarene University; San Diego, CA)
Round 19, Pick 15 - Chicago Republics: RF Mark Cowan, age 17 out of high school (Trabuco Hills; Mission Viejo, CA)
Round 19, Pick 16 - Brooklyn Jays: RP Dan Cahoon, age 17 out of high school (Arvin; Arvin, CA)

Round 20
Round 20, Pick 1 - Pittsburgh Eagles: SP Jamie Kinney, age 21 out of college (University of Tampa; Tampa, FL)
Round 20, Pick 2 - Harbor Athletic Club: SP Bobby Lopez, age 22 out of college (Loyola Marymount University; Los Angeles, CA)
Round 20, Pick 3 - Travellers: LF Jacob Buscemi, age 18 out of high school (Littlefield; Littlefield, TX)
Round 20, Pick 4 - Manhattan Giants: CF William Old, age 19 out of college (Compton College; Compton, CA)
Round 20, Pick 5 - Union Stock Yards: SS Eric Richards, age 23 out of college (TCU; Fort Worth, TX)
Round 20, Pick 6 - Louisville Indians: SP Greg Krug, age 19 out of college (Pearl River CC; Poplarville, MS)
Round 20, Pick 7 - Centennial: 3B Douglas McCarthy, age 26 out of college (Cal Poly Pomona; Pomona, CA)
Round 20, Pick 8 - Boston Bees: C Casey Shoemaker, age 21 out of college (Saint Leo University; Tampa, FL)
Round 20, Pick 9 - Milwaukee BC: CL Travis Holman, age 21 out of college (UMBC; Baltimore, MD)
Round 20, Pick 10 - Lakers: SP Jesse McMahon, age 17 out of high school (Airport; West Columbia, SC)
Round 20, Pick 11 - Capital City United: SS Trent Slatter, age 23 out of college (UCLA; Los Angeles, CA)
Round 20, Pick 12 - Detroit Union: RP Daniel Brown, age 20 out of college (Saint Joseph's College of Maine; Standish, ME)
Round 20, Pick 13 - Cincinnati Reds: CF Shane Peters, age 22 out of college (University of Pittsburgh; Pittsburgh, PA)
Round 20, Pick 14 - New York City Athletic: SP Tom Arnold, age 16 out of high school (Palm Springs; Palm Springs, CA)
Round 20, Pick 15 - Chicago Republics: RP Jonathan Feldman, age 21 out of college (University of Georgia; Athens, GA)
Round 20, Pick 16 - Brooklyn Jays: 1B Mitch Dugas, age 18 out of high school (Greencastle; Greencastle, IN)

And that’s the draft! See y'all for the season previews

Last edited by H-Town1141 (5/23/2024 5:33 pm)

H-Town1141 · 5/24/2024 3:26 am

1949 Preseason

After a tumultuous offseason and tons of player movement, the MABL might see some new life from some struggling franchises. Then again, it might not.

After what seemed to be the least tense season in recent memory for the East, Brooklyn still stands alone. Barring catastrophe, the Jays only major overhaul is a pitching rotation retaining both Danny Ibarra and Jonah Lucas. Reliever Bradford Ivany has been promoted to the starting rotation alongside offseason acquisitions Roy Woodward and Jason Hughes, at least until the Jays figure out how to best utilize Noah Knight’s blossoming utility. City Athletic looks to be strong again in ‘49, as a nearly completely overhauled pitching staff features “Iron Joe” Merza coming over from arch-rival Brooklyn. With their moves this offseason, manager Greg King is hoping to get the most out of former Travellers Duke Dunear and Nate LaCaze, as well as the pricey buyouts of Shane Hall and Donald Ciman. With Dilbert McPherson, David Sandoval, and Manuel Gonzalez in the lineup, there's no telling how this year could shake out. The first semi-surprise is Harbor, expected to finish third after importing half of Club Athlétique. “Montréal South” features a rotation headlined by Danny Stewart and Greg Read, while Perez, Saunders, and Wallace Dunn have a solid cast around with Mike Turner and elite backstop Raul Hernandez entering the fold. Expect the squad to put together a solid season in expectation of Gilbert Dale’s arrival in 1950. Boston, too, looks to show promise following another pitching overhaul and the departure of Chris Erwin in the offseason. The return for Erwin, shutdown reliever Gavin Wooden and elite defensive outfielder Jeff Morrow, is joined by immediate call-up Lucas Bennett as the new additions around Keith Holton and Jesus Pineda. It’s hilarious that the Giants keep signing former Capital City pitchers, as 4 of their eight arms are former blossoms. Newsome’s request this offseason, however, was to find “the guy”. His answer lies in either former Montréal star Stone Fleming or the monster masher Jared Putnam. The two will join Bo Rosendale and company as they embark on finding their way from their owner’s crosshairs. Centennial didn’t make moves to get out of their limbo, but the young prodigy Ted Walsh is hoping to bring pride back to a lineup still featuring Tom Clark and Chris Charles. He also joins the rotation as a healthy arm, replacing Jermaine Holmes in the ace spot. Pittsburgh remains uninspiring following an offseason of nothing special, but the Eagles’ future looks bright with their prospect list growing evermore enticing. Rocky Thomas Jr. is still there, by the way. Capital City, however, is banking on offseason pickups Wes Turner and Jermaine Holmes to tape together a pitching staff that’s lost key pieces each of the last 2 off seasons. 1948 first round pick Joe Russell will take the field for the team despite not yet reaching his potential in the minors, while their 1949 second rounder will work as the team’s new ace.

In all of the transition this offseason, Cincinnati seems to have been the biggest beneficiary. Jon Brownlow and Ben Matney are both power hitters at their core, giving Howard Townsley and fellow newcomer Jerry Inscoe the chance of reaching home. Randy Midkiff joins an already loaded rotation, while the Reds’ 1948 class is graduating #6 prospect Chris Barnard and first rounder Dillon Perea into the bigs. Add in another top prospect in first baseman Jay Meyers, and the squad already featuring all-stars Danny Hernandez, Townsley, Ed Stutts and Carlos Reyes looks to go supernova. Hoping not to fall too far behind is Chicago’s top squad, as the Republics have found a strategy of teambuilding that just seems to work. Sean Mulroy and Brady Trujillo will be in the starting lineup alongside 1949 first round pick Billy Lyon, whose preseason performances were too good for manager Gabriel Bennett to say no. With the core of Mike Klockow, Ryan Griffin, Eric Libby and Cliff Hansen, the hitting looks to be just as good as ace Nelson Velazquez and the rest of the pitching corps. Milwaukee president Kyle Ethridge contends that the squad added big-time in the offseason, getting back local hero Jeremy Maddox and the fireball Martin Sproul. Right before the deadline, Milwaukee went out and bought out MWPL first baseman Pete Cobb as a value prop, giving the lineup a bit more energy heading into the year. The starting lineup gained some depth with Jamie Collins in case of injury, while the other major acquisition in Darren Price does the same for their rotation. If you’re looking for dudes, however, look no further than Detroit. 1948 Western MVP Rock Adams, rookie Jerry Apple, Jeff Oxford, Chris Erwin, and Tim Outing lead a dominant Union lineup, while the rotation headlined by Edwin Trevino got reinforcements from Southern Negro League star Bruce Gulley. Detroit is set up for success, the only question is when the window will be to attain it. Lakers Baseball Club, straight off a 1948 Western Open title, is hoping that a revamped pitching staff has what it takes to keep their middling offense in games. Rookie Bobby Montgomery joins Oscar Fuentes, Ron Elliott, and the Lakers offseason prize Juan Escalante in the rotation, while Joe Wells and Lance Bird got only J.J. Lubanski from Louisville to help them at the plate. With a weak farm system, LBC will be looking for big fish in the RPL pond this offseason if things go south. Of all the decks, Travellers has the case to be the most interesting. Banking on a revamped rotation with three regional leaguers, and three more in the field with only one having MABL experience, St. Louis’s squad has a lot of question marks going into the season. If no one pans out, at least they can say they have Harry Pigg. Stock Yard is in freefall. Dave Perrin, the team’s owner, is in the exploratory phase of finding a location for his new park, which he intends to rival the other Chicago team. The magnate has no intention of selling shares of his club for a cash infusion, so the Stock Yards has to save money somewhere. They chose the field. The squad also had a late RPL addition by adding Mark Wilson, a 36-year-old first baseman. That’s about it. Louisville’s offseason was extremely quiet, as the only real additions were a trade for Mike Hagood and a waiver-wire pickup of Chris Castillo. Owner Bryan Carter has told fans to trust the process, but they’re unsure of what that process could be. Chris Graff continues to exist.

Now let’s play some ball!

H-Town1141 · 5/29/2024 11:15 pm

Hey y'all! I'm gonna be trying out something new here to fill in some of the gaps that occur between the big breaks, just to focus in on some stuff that I might not get to during a larger recap. Let me know if this is something that's engaging or worth doing, and I would love to hear some suggestionson what kind of stuff I could focus on in these newspaper-style vignettes. Hope you enjoy!

Tales from the MABL:

Excerpt from May 1st, 1949
Boston Daily Dispatch

UN-BEE-LIEVABLE
Boston’s MABL squad is now 15-6, tops the table after a month of play

It’s been a long road for manager Dan Bell. The last five years have seen him go from a mid-table second league skipper to the de-facto president of baseball operations for one of the titans of the sport. His rise has certainly seen some anguish from the Bees faithful, who have seen their squad unable to bounce back after the war and been fed promises of a brighter future. The crescendo to their woes was just last season, as the Bees’ loss to Edison in the Open Tournament guaranteed an offseason of unease about their time to come.

If for a fleeting moment, that future is here. The Bees ended their series on Saturday with an astounding 11-4 victory and left Centennial Park in Philadelphia with the sole claim to the Eastern League lead. After a month of play, Bell looks to have his team in great condition and the offense is working on all cylinders. It was start slugger Keith Hilton’s back-to-back bombs that put today’s game away, and Hilton isn’t even the only man who’s woken up.

Vic Higareda took his demotion to the bench to heart last season, and his hot start has revitalized a team that we thought would be reeling from the loss of Chris Erwin. Jesus Pineda and Ryan Bowman’s efforts were necessary, but the pitching staff looks miles ahead of where it was last season.

With new guys and old, the Bees have seen resurgent play down the order and through the rotation. Their only real blemish this season came at the hands of a bottom feeding Pittsburgh Eagles squad, ten-to-nothing, but the rookie pitcher Lucas Bennett explained to us that it was a hangover from the first series sweep of Brooklyn’s Jays that anyone has mustered in over a year. They've been incredible in close games, going 7-3 in one-run games behind closer David Flynn's 4-0 record and 5 saves, and Higareda's timely 5 home runs are good for third in the leaderboard chase. Bell needs to be precautious about the team getting too big for their laurels, however, as the MABL season still has seventy-five games to go.

Last edited by H-Town1141 (5/30/2024 1:22 am)

H-Town1141 · 5/30/2024 1:19 am

Tales from the MABL:

Excerpt from May 21st, 1949
Milwaukee Press-Tribune

The Reaper’s Awakening
Disastrous Injuries in Western League Throw Tight Pennant Race Towards Milwaukee

The Reds have done a fantastic job of building up their roster over the last few years. Through both the draft and regional signings, president Check has done everything in his power to give Cincinnati a contender. However, all this work came crashing down about two weeks ago with their utility catcher Graham O’Brien, who fell to the ground, writhing in pain after he attempted to avoid a tag at second base. It was determined by doctors at Seven Hills University Medical Center that he had ruptured his posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), a central portion of the knee’s construction. In addition to missing time until the all-star break to get adjusted to the damaged appendage, manager Frank Cameron stated that Dillon Perea, the 1948 first round pick, would take over majority catcher duty while dual-phenom Howard Townsley is on the mound.

With the Reds in the hunt for the pennant this season, losing O’Brien’s contributions as both catcher and first baseman even for a moment could tank this team’s chances for a pennant.

This is the third major incident of such magnitude in the span of the last two weeks. Chicago’s Republics, who are at the top of the table by half a game over Milwaukee, learned that Billy Lyon had suffered a medial collateral ligament tear just yesterday. This year’s first round pick from Cedar Rapids had a game built around speed, swiping 10 bags for Chicago’s top team to go along with a .365 on-base percentage, but the squad fears that his time as a cornerstone defender is over in just two months.

The last major knee injury this month came from Lakers B. C.’s starting right-fielder, the 34-year-old J. J. Lubanski. After an offseason swap from Louisville, the 13-year veteran went down in the outfield after attempting to stretch another play on the bases. After talking with doctors, Lubanski came to a settlement with the club that would allow him to sit until the end of the season to determine if he is willing to continue playing. This is a crucial loss for Cleveland’s top club, whose loss of a true seven-position player like Lubanski could be devastating heading into June, where they sit just four games back of the Western League leaders.

These are just a few of the major injuries that have occurred this month, as this May seems to be the reaper’s awakening. Off to a strong start in the East, Tom Clark broke his elbow in a collision at home and is expected to miss the rest of the season, while the Republics' fourth starter, Melvin Dominguez, broke his own, leaving Chris Davidson the opportunity to pitch for the first time since the middle of the inaugural MABL season.

The pennant race looks to be in serious doubt with such major injuries happening in such short-order, as the No-Names’ unblemished roster faces a three-game series against the Reds heading into this weekend. Milwaukee’s roster features a slew of players who have the potential to go down at a moment’s notice, such as their oft-injured second baseman Rick O’Leary, but they haven’t missed a key piece in their squad for more than a month since O’Leary’s five-month stint on the Injured List last season. Milwaukee’s squad of Oxen have plowed through greater teams than a hobbled Reds team in desperate need of momentum heading into June, and it will be up to Jeremy Maddox (5-0, 3.51 ERA) to keep up his winning ways when Cincinnati’s boys come to town.

Index
» Baseball
» The Major American Baseball League

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