- ItDoesntMatter
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Re: The Major American Baseball League
I hope more non-mabl teams keep making it to the open finals because their unis have been off the charts. I can't decide whether I love or hate the tigers but I think it's great and I want more. writeups are bangers as usual too, great stuff
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Re: The Major American Baseball League
Managerial and Uniform Changes
After the first three years of the MABL produced zero managerial turnover, six squads saw an overhaul in the offseason.
Phil Schliecher’s tenure in Cleveland was cut short after the embarrassing first round loss in the Western Open. Despite helming the inaugural Roosevelt Cup championship squad, it was clear that his time in Cleveland was wearing thin. His lack of foresight into the farm system has led to few prospects of Major League caliber, and the road ahead might mean the midseason trades of major pieces going forward. In his place is internal hire Jon Ericson, expected to be a sacrificial lamb with a team that’s deteriorating around him. The Lakers have a long road to hoe in the next few years, but the squad is keeping its visual identity intact.
Despite the obvious shortcomings of Schleicher’s personnel management, Union pounced at the opportunity for a proven skipper. Schleicer comes to Detroit under the direction of Gordie Coburn, who expects to work with the new skipper in deciding the future of the organization’s roster. While the immense offensive talent at the team’s disposal will keep them treading water, Union is hoping a power struggle amongst its front office doesn’t derail a promising next few years.
Philadelphia’s silver lining on the year was that the Athletics didn’t advance farther than them in the Open. An opening round loss to Montreal forced owner Chirs Struve to hire Clayton Miller to take over managerial duties. At 36 years old, the former Cens 3rd baseman has a lot of ideas about the future of the organization, hoping to work in lockstep with new team president Phil Adams about a long-term rebuilding plan. Aging star Tom Clark left for the open market this offseason, leaving a hole that the team hopes to fill in the next few years by amassing drafted and purchased talent.
The Eagles’ saw themselves with a top-2 pick for the second year in a row. Longtime manager Dirk Spencer guided the club to the MABL through his stints managing a shoestring budget, and U.S. Steel is unlikely to budge until they see some serious winning. To keep costs low, they hired Adrian Gage from their development squad to head their top-flight club. Although not an elite strategist, the Eagles hope that his relationship with Bob Rockwell and Mitchell Inman prove crucial in their big league development, dragging them out of the cellar for good.
Stock Yards hired from the inside, too. Joshua Brooks was on an expiring contract with the club, and despite acquiring the first overall pick, demanded a raise for his semifinals appearance in the Western Open. Dave Perrin wasn’t having any of it, promoting Brad Welch from their development squad in lieu of giving Brooks a raise. USY is in a precarious position with their roster struggles and Perrin’s solitary focus on a new stadium, but the new skipper will likely find himself going toe-to-toe with his longtime employer now that he’s reached the MABL.
The last of the hires brought along with him a new set of digs. Tony Hidalgo’s time in Louisville came to a close after the Indians’ last few seasons were a waste of prime talent. Although the squad’s position atop the city’s baseball pyramid was unlikely to fall, the emergence of the rugby club in town means that Bryan Carter’s job as owner will transition to promoter for the next few seasons. To help him, he promoted Ed Grogan to the managerial position. Grogan’s flamboyant personality and focus on visual flare gave him the opportunity to design new uniforms for the franchise. Gone is the official moniker of "Louisville Baseball Club", as the squad fully embraces the Indians moniker.
Gone are the vests, and in comes a new script and bespoke piping around the placket. He also focused his attention onto new marks for both the cap and primary logo, which see feather-focused designs that feel ahead of their time. The new primary, dubbed the “feather de lis”, is stitched onto both the home and road sets on the sleeves. Grogan hopes that these changes, along with the addition of new offseason talent, will give the Indians an identity in a market that has too many pro teams for its size.
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Re: The Major American Baseball League
The 1940’s was a tumultuous period for professional baseball in the United States, but it resulted in the re-emergence of a cross-regional league for the first time since the turn of the century. From the beginning to the end of the decade, the changes in league structure and the separation of top-end competition proved who were the haves and have-nots of each region, while simultaneously showing how close those groups really were to one another. 
Looking towards the East, it’s clear that the pre and post war eras divide the history of each MABL club. Teams that received “charity” invites due to their prominence in major cities, like Harbor and the Eagles, have shown little growth through the first few years in the MABL, while once prominent squads like Manhattan and Centennial have floundered without the weaker competition to inflate their win totals.
The most important developments came out of New York, as the 1940’s clearly belonged to Brooklyn. Hirsch’s steady hand leading up to the war allowed the squad to run off three Eastern titles in four seasons, and the intermittent 1947 saw Athletic finally get their first pennant in over 40 years. Angel Mojica and Joe Merza, both promising future aces at the start of the decade, gave way to a new crop of young pitchers as the 40’s came to a close. The offense was retooled after the war with Dillard, Sutton, Gibbs and DeAngelo forming the most formidable lineup ever seen, and new team President Reuben Mackey kept the train rolling with the addition of two-way prospect Noah Knight. The Moles’ retooling hasn’t gone nearly as smoothly, especially after the career-ending injury to ace Eric Follett. The pitching staff still hasn’t recovered, as Wester hasn’t figured out a long term solution to bolster the staff. The loss of longtime captain Jared Kaplan and failure to acquire any major offensive replacements doesn’t bode well for the Moles, who also lost top prospects in a shortsighted trade for the middling Nate LaCaze. While Game 95 looms large in the MABL’s short history, Lyle Wester has plenty to prove in his attempts to live up to his father’s shadow.
On the flip side, Boston’s long time pilot Dan Bell was the man to raise funds for their post-war park, but also has wrought the Bees’ weakest era since before the Eastern Premiership. Chris Erwin’s late blossoming showed that the old man still has the skills to develop talent, but it was Erwin’s departure that signaled a complete roster turnover from their title-winning 1941 squad. 
The Midwest’s top squads separated themselves in the MWPL, showing a marked difference from the East. Because of the lack of charity choices, the league looked to be headed towards relative parity for the foreseeable future, but shrewd moves by teams at both the top and bottom of the standings look to disrupt that balance for the next decade.
The high end of the incoming teams diverged since their entrance into the league. Cincinnati languished as their pitching corps grew ever stronger. While retaining Jim McKeithan from before the war, the expanded rotation brought in Danny Hernandez, Randy Midkiff, and Howard Townsley. Townsley in particular was a player built for a league with roster constraints, as the two-way star produced both on the mound and both at and behind the plate. Nearly overnight, the Reds overhauled their offense through their prospects and newly-implemented player purchases, and as a result, have quickly transformed into the team to beat in the West.
This isn’t to discount the Republics or Lakers, the latter of which is the only team to successfully capture the Roosevelt Cup. The Republics’ strategy of acquiring MABL-ready talent out of the Great Pacific has helped them remain competitive, while the Lakers’ backslide was postponed by the emergence of rookie sensation Bobby Montgomery. It remains to be seen how long either squad will remain at the top of their division, especially as the Lakers look to lose Joe Wells to free-agency in the offseason, but their decades concluded having both captured titles and Western pennants.
While Milwaukee attempts to follow the Cincinnati template, it might be the usurping Detroit Union or Travellers that might get their next shot at the title. The Martin Sproul trade gave the no-names a solid ace of the future, but their offensive output is reliant on aging players without top prospect Noah Knight to fill in the roster. Sebastian Michaels alone certainly can’t match the potential of Union’s lineup, as Detroit has risen from the pre-war ashes and retooled thanks to young stars Edwin Trevino and Rick Adams.
None have compared to the overhaul of the Travellers, however. As the rest of the west has shed their pre-war baggage (except for Cleveland and the Republics), St. Louis’s top squad has the potential to blossom behind young talent and top prospects. Their on-field performance hasn’t been to the caliber of what most would’ve hoped coming out of the MWPL, but their future rests in good hands.
The bottom feeders, however, have truly established themselves. USYBC looked to be a solid selection out of the MWPL, but Dave Perrin’s financial woes have left Minneapolis and the insurgent Tigers to salivate over replacing a team whose checkbooks are clearly outmatched. Louisville seems to be in purgatory without any elite prospects, and their once-young pre-war ace Eric Corbitt is now 31 years old. The Indians and Packers are the only squads in the West without a premiership or league title, and by the looks of things, it will remain that way heading into the 1950’s.
With the 1950 season about to be underway, the new decade provides new opportunities.
Last edited by H-Town1141 (6/28/2024 11:10 pm)
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Re: The Major American Baseball League
The Pacific Theater
Great Pacific Finds Their Answer to Hayes, Look Towards TV in New Commish
The GPL’s standing in the baseball world jumped immensely when last season, Brooklyn traded Bob Lucie to Seattle in exchange for Jason Hughes and Jon Breton. However, the league was still without a figurehead. Their president's commission was headed by Los Angeles Stars owner Shane Holland, but it was clear to many that the league needed a chief executive to make moves in service of future plans. Holland’s business acumen left him as the leader of the search for a man to rival Nathanael Hayes, and their choice lay outside of the baseball world entirely.
After an extensive search, the league settled on a young media executive named Clark Foley. Unlike his eastern counterpart, Foley originally found his footing in Hollywood as a film executive for Arches Entertainment. While there, he worked to greenlight major successful productions and oversee Arches’ rise in the Golden Age of Hollywood. After the war ended, Foley took a drastic career move and jumped to work in the nascent and unstable television industry. Seen as a gamble by many, Foley worked with stations across the west to build a system focused on live entertainment, and used his connections in the film industry to begin producing massively popular “stage shows” for TV.
His passions remained elsewhere when first able to work in sports production, but he quickly found himself enthralled with the possibilities of bringing games into people’s homes. His work with the Western Rugby League was the first indication to the GPL that his work could be focused on baseball. He worked with broadcasters across the country to televise live coverage, drawing national attention and praise to what was seen as a mediocre outfit. If he could do that for the GPL, then the league might have a chance to make a run at eastward expansion.
The deal was signed on March 5th, 1950, months after the top free agents had signed across the country. Smaller regional leagues protested a potential encroachment on their territory with televised GPL games (despite the Roosevelt Cup series finding a national audience), but the West Coast and Utah would be able to see a national “game of the week” alongside regular team broadcasts for the first time. It was a small step, but a significant milestone for the GPL. It’s believed that in a few years, it’ll become clear that the GPL’s television revenue will be enough to attract all top teams east of the Mississippi.
Back to our regularly scheduled programming…
Last edited by H-Town1141 (7/05/2024 8:49 pm)
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Re: The Major American Baseball League
Offseason Trades
The MABL’s biggest movers in the offseason was, surprisingly, Dave Perrin and Union Stock Yards. The team effectively sent away all their Western Open money to dump contracts for top prospects, receiving seven players in the Top 250. Gone is all-star Roger Doblado in a trade with Milwaukee, as the Packers received a former top 50 prospect in Brian Gault along with a few others to sweeten the deal.
The biggest trade of the offseason, however, was their deal with Union. Detroit’s goal this offseason was to find a way to get their best players on the field, hoping that the core of Apple and Adams would hit them to contention. The draft offered the best opportunity to replace a shallow 6 hole, as hometown shortstop Al Funderburk was projected first overall, and so they sent the house. Stock Yards sent the first overall pick and an intriguing two-way prospect named Jonathan Baker to Union in exchange for 3(!) Top 100 prospects and former all-star shortstop Tim Outing. The midwestern papers went crazy over the pick swap, with some declaring that the Packers came away with a steal while others were certain that the draft would vindicate the Dubs, but the next few years will be the judge of who really walks away with the victory from the trade.
Mike Schad was sent out alongside and in ranked prospect and $81,000 in exchange for Justin Rex in a confusing move by Capital City. The squad has been in a war between Florin Ionescu and the Scheevel family over who has the right to control the front office, and this trade seems like a move from the latter.
The Travellers’ Tyler Balasko experiment went about as well as you’d expect for a 36 year old signed to a near-minimum contract, so the squad sent him to Brooklyn in exchange for a couple of unheralded prospects. They did the same with Ryan Ayers, as the first baseman couldn’t produce at his 1947 level.
They also sent away reliever Gary Keller and $98,500 for Gilberto de Leon, signaling the team’s focus on youth for the next few seasons.
The Moles entered the offseason with their once lofty expectations all-but in shambles, yet they persisted. The squad was still looking for someone to replace Jared Kaplan despite Shane Hall’s productive ‘49 campaign, and they found their first option in a trade with Manhattan. Lindsay Hunt traveled down Broadway in a trade with Manhattan, as the Giants swung the deal to get prospect Jared Faulhaber.
City Athletic wasn’t done, however, and their next trade offered more promise. Duke Dunear, a solid catcher received in the trade with St. Louis the year prior, headlined a trade that brought two Top 150 prospects to New York. In addition, the Moles got a serviceable outfielder in Austin Staples, who’s still young enough to develop for a few more seasons.
Lastly, they ditched Tim Yawn from their lineup after the 34 year-old stunk up Wester Park, sending him to Harbor with some cash in hopes to rid him from the locker room. Harbor hopes to get some use out of him as the team’s spot starter, but it remains to be seen how well he does in the role.
Free Agency
Notable exits from the MABL in Free Agency include Jermaine Holmes, Hector Alvarez, Nelson Mineros, Eric Koster, Mike McGrew, Matt Stallcup, and Orhan Tasköprülüzâde. None of the starters, certainly, but the depth seems to have gotten so good in the MABL that these once middling players can’t find a role in the league.
The Republics signed the first million dollar free agent in the offseason, from Australia no less. Calvin Speer had proven himself worthy of the contract during his time in the elite Australian League, earning MVP honors during his time in the Outback. The Republics’ constant need to stay ahead of the curve and look for outside talent might have helped them here, as the Aussie’s contact skills served him well in the open fields of his homeland.
The biggest movers were the Moles, who went out and grabbed a premier pitcher/catcher duo from the southern negro league. Harry B. Jordin was the first SNL player to be picked up, as the ace was in charge of taking over for Randy Midkiff in Birmingham. The young stud will take over the ace spot in the rotation from Joe Merza, who might move to the 3 spot after the next major signing.
The other half of the duo, Scotty Beamon, is one of the best young catchers in the game. While facing the most elite black pitchers in baseball, Beamon showcased an incredible display of both contact and power not seen in the SNL since Harry Pigg’s early career. The elite backstop was a wall on defense, as Jordin and Beamon mastered the timing of throwing out runners. With their existing chemistry being ported over to lower Manhattan, the Moles look to be in good shape for the coming years.
Tom Padgett was also a big acquisition for City Athletic. The pitching ace comes from New York by way of England, as his family moved across the ocean before the Second World War. Although the overseas leagues play with different pitching rules, the English ace looks to be a key piece to the completely overhauled New York starting rotation.
As the only MABL free agent that stayed in the league, Tom Clark heads to Manhattan on a contract intended to secure the rest of his playing tenure. Despite a devastating injury that saw him miss most of the 1949 season, Ted Newsome worked extensively to see the power hitting outfielder find his way into a Giants uniform for the years to come.
Another player added to the Moles pitching staff is Dan Boykin, a closer from the Great Pacific League. Boykin was incredible in the GPL, but other former stars like Brady Trujillo had floundered, leaving his potential in the MABL as a serious question mark.
The Republics found yet another closer through free agency, as the bullpen continues to go through churn in hopes of finding an answer to their late inning woes. Tom Crowe left Des Moines after appearing in 30 games, and Chicago’s top club is hoping that he’ll be able to shut down the potent MABL offenses that have pounced on their starting pitching.
Diego Gonzalez was the last major piece added to a revamped City rotation. The Dominican decided to enter the SNL after the war, where the raw power pitcher developed his control enough to gain attention from the MABL. City Athletic won the bidding war for the 25 year-old, whose financial demands might see him attempt to get out of arbitration when the time comes.
Greg Bronson went from one western open finalist to another as his contract ran out at the end of last year with Kansas City. The shutdown reliever pitched well against top competition in the Open, and the Reds hope that his transition into the MABL mirrors his excellent Western Open performance.
Lastly, Manhattan found themselves in a bidding war against no one to acquire Logan Hall. The 28 year-old reliever was proficient during his two years in the lower levels of pro ball, but the Giants are looking for him to be a shutdown closer for their aging pitching corps.
Regional Buyouts
Most of the regional talent got bought out by MABL squads the year prior, but that doesn’t mean that players who turned pro early didn’t find ways to develop into MABL-quality talent.
Billy Stein wasn’t doing it for the Moles, especially as the squad was gearing up to contend with the Jays. Lyle Wester looked for talent all across the baseball world, and found his replacement for first base in Toronto with Shawn Manning. The 24 year-old will be playing ball stateside for the first time, but the native Canadian is as good as anyone. After acquiring the 1949 EPL Most Valuable Player award, he likely won’t be able to replicate the feat in New York. They won’t ask him to, however, as the elite hitter is just one piece of a core that looks to contend for years to come.
The Republics, always looking outside of the MABL to shore up their deficiencies, found a quality pitcher in Jerry Martinez to take over their ace duties. For the last two years, he’s been the ace of a Providence squad that has threatened to contend for the Eastern Open title, and his addition to the Republics rotation has the entire city buzzing about what could be (if the offense can produce).
Chicago’s top team wasn’t done however, and looked to remedy their offensive deficiencies with their next pickup. Outfielder Andrew Daniels looks to be a solid contact hitter for the Chicago club, and has experience competing against MABL talent as part of the 1949 Tigers. It remains to be seen how well his bat will translate to playing against deeper rotations, but nonetheless, it’s clear that the Republics are looking to reclaim the Western title in 1950.
Last season, Detroit Union had a few key problem spots in their lineup, but the addition of Will Bowen has the chance to give Union their most well rounded roster since the depression. Bob Ripple went buy his contract as soon as the season had ended, but the Tigers couldn’t just let him go amidst a push to the Western Open final. He got his wish, however, when the Dubs acquired the star catcher from Kansas City after the tournament had ended. In a boom-or-bust year for Detroit, Bowen’s addition has given them the opportunity to play for the Western League title.
Boston couldn’t sit idly by as the top two teams in the East looked to fight amongst themselves, and retooled their infield with regional buyouts. The Bees first went out and grabbed Tyler Morris from Elizabeth’s EPL team. He was the headliner of a team punching above its market, and his noted locker room presence might give Boston the emotional edge when games get close.
Their second pickup was from across town, where Boston’s North End squad had been playing above expectations. That was in part due to shortstop Adam Kennedy, as the elite defensive middle infielder made up for mediocre stats at the plate with his incredible reflexes in the field. If the Bees can see their young rotation improve in the coming seasons, Kennedy’s performance in the field will be a big reason why.
Ryan Weinbandl has been in charge both on the field and in the boardroom for Harbor the last few seasons, fiercely battling with Jacob Connor over finances and roster construction. His most recent move is another assertion of his offense-first approach by grabbing Dimitri Stubbs from Dominion Sporting Club. The outfielder has made his skills well known throughout the East, but without more money offered for free agency or additional buyouts, Harbor’s season (and Weinhandl’s job) could come down to their offense’s ability to produce more runs than the rotation gives up.
Centennial’s upcoming season looks to be putrid, but the Cens new team president Phil Adam’s went to work on finding his way out of the basement. His first major order of business was to find a few decent hitters, and they seem to have done so with the additions of Mike Burt and Josh Nolan from the second tier in the Midwest. Neither offer standout play and hopefully look to be holdovers while their talent develops in the coming seasons, but for now, the hope is that the two will help Centennial remain top dog in the city and avoid total embarrassment.
Cincinnati, always looking for another pitching arm, found a decent reliever in Fernando Escamilla. At 23, the Reds are hoping that the former Taunton star can transition to the bullpen, where the new pitcher will compete with Bronson for the closer role.
The last major buyout in the offseason was Malcolm King to Capital City. The outfielder comes from Toronto’s Dominion Sporting Club, where he compiled a career .470 on base percentage thanks to an insanely good eye. If things break right for Capital City, the new outfield of Dale, Kaplan, and King could be the leaders for a dark horse.
The upcoming 1950 MABL draft has plenty of quality players, but the draft is headlined by Detroit native Al Funderburk. The shortstop could prove to be a difference maker in Union’s stacked offensive lineup, and Phil Schleicher has already mentioned in the press their intention to go with the hometown kid first overall.
Last edited by H-Town1141 (7/06/2024 12:02 am)
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Re: The Major American Baseball League
1950 MABL Draft
The first overall pick became a no-brainer after the Dubs traded up. Al Funderburk is a hometown utility infielder with incredible speed and great dexterity in the field. Union has had their sights on him since early the previous season, when the 20 year-old showed out in the midwestern amateur circuit and showcased his MABL-ready skills.With the infield shifting around and Funderburk’s arrival, The two-cylinder engine is looking like a roaring V-8.
Walker Cole is a guy that I wouldn’t have expected off the board this early, but nonetheless, the Eagles’ long term rebuild will require guys in the pipeline for years to come. Cole projects as the next Howard Townsley, if that’s even possible, but it’ll be a while before the 18 year-old two-way sensation makes his way from the lowly amateur circuit around Ann Arbor to the big league.
Jefferson’s raw talent projection matches up well with another african-american whose history of overcoming racial discrimination in his home state turned him into a local legend. The Rock Adams comparisons stop there, however, as the middle infield prospect has a long way to go in Centennial’s development system before he’ll look close to ready. It’ll be a grind, but the new Cens management believes that his intangibles will pair well alongside budding star Ducky Walsh.
Hailing from the renowned NY-Conn amateur circuit, Chuck Valentine’s potential feels nearly limitless. His incredible talents project him to be a true 5-tool player, which has seemed to be a sore spot in many MABL lineups. Not the least of which is the new look Indians, who hope that his development alongside 1949’s Tyler Gibson will give them a stellar middle infield for years to come. He’ll have to do it in their developmental system first, however, as his skills could still use a bit of refinement despite his noted amateur training.
The first outfielder taken in the draft, Tyler Brooks was selected by the Giants at 5. He projects as a speed demon with good contact and stellar fielding, and Manhattan’s media machine has already started writing fluff pieces about his quiet leadership. If that proves true, his soft-spoken nature might provide for just the captain that Ted Newsome can bark orders to. Might.
Stock Yards’ Dave Perrin was in contact with plenty of players before the draft, all in a ploy to figure out who would demand the minimum slot value on their contract. The Packers found their answer in Keith Woodward, a 22 year-old from Vermont. Although a bit old for his development stage compared to most at the top of the draft, he’s quick-footed and able to play almost anywhere on the field. His bat needs a bit of work, but he projects extremely well to the next level.
The Travellers found their replacement at first base with TJ Cook. Scouts say that his offensive skills are so incredible that the crack of his bat is like music. Although not fully developed, the young Iowa farm boy is expected to slot into the Travellers Opening Day lineup if he can prove himself in the Western Open Preliminaries.
Capital City found the steal of the draft in Henry Hillendale. At 23 years old, he’s the oldest player selected in the first round, but the Shepherdsville, KY native looks to be worth it. The power hitting switch hitter is going to have to take over a spot from their star outfield or Stan Snow behind the plate, but he has told reporters that his intention is to find a spot where he can help the team, even at pitcher. Hillendale has never pitched an inning in his life.
Sammy Figueroa found his way back to his adoptive home in Boston. The Bees were looking for a guy with great intangibles as well as expert hitting, and the outfielder looks to have both in spades. He’s still a couple of years away from hitting the roster, which might pose a problem for the Puerto Rico-born star. He was handed the keys to everything from a young age, so it might be a shock when he hits the developmental league instead of the MABL roster for his first few professional Opening Days.
After their major offseason moves, the Moles look to have a core they can keep intact for a while. As a result, their first round selection needed to be a utility guy through and through, able to fill in for anyone in a slump or injured on short notice. With Woodward off the board, they went with Kenneth Grimes, a two-way phenom that lined up at every position but catcher during his final year of amateur ball. His development has slowed a little due to his insane utility, but the 20 year-old has a good chance of blossoming into the Boroughers’ answer to Noah Knight.
Eric Norris wasn’t expected to fall this far in the draft, but the No-Names took their chance on a two-way prospect yet again with Eric Norris. Norris has the potential to become a real gamechanger with major power both on the mound and at the plate. With Milwaukee’s championship window in the mirror for the time being, their next addition will be part of their new core alongside Jack Osborne when both come up to the MABL.
The Republics are still trying to keep their window open despite big moves from other teams in the West, but they took the opportunity to build for the future by selecting Tim Wallace. Their current third baseman, Brady Trujillo, is about to enter his age-38 season, making the hot corner a top priority if they want to maintain their chance of success for seasons to come. If he pans out the way they hope, Wallace could prove to be a threat at the plate and on the basepaths, splitting lead-off duties alongside Cliff Hansen.
With Harbor’s recent moves and the expected call up of Gilbert Dale, the Hacks need to find a pitching rotation that compliments their incredible offensive output. Will Spoon looks to do just that, but it’ll be a while until he climbs out of their dev system. Spoon looks to be a quality starting pitcher, and the hope is that he’ll be able to progress into a starting position just as their lineup begins to mature into their prime.
The Lakers need guys. Any guys. The offense seems to have fully aged out of any production outside of Joe Wells and Lance Byrd, so the selection of Nate Ramos looks to be the start of a full rebuild. His potential is promising, as the youngster shows flashes of brilliance at the plate, but his defense will definitely need some work in the third nine. With a long season ahead of them, Ramos looks to be the beginning of a future that is yet to come.
With Cincinnati’s roster mostly complete for the next few seasons, but the squad is looking for reinforcements to their pitching corps with soon-expiring control of Danny Hernandez and Jim McKeithan. Pat Gonzalez looks to be the arm of the future for the Reds, as his pinpoint control separated him from the rest of the players on the board. It remains to be seen how fast the 21 year-old can develop his arsenal, but the sooner the better.
Brooklyn gets their first round pick this year after losing it in the fiasco of the previous offseason, and selected 21 year-old outfielder Blake Fitts. Although the squad’s outfield is all relatively young, the Jays hope that Fitts will remain engaged with the squad’s long term vision of success. They hope he can provide steady offensive production first as a replacement, and eventually taking the mantle as the next great Brooklyn outfielder.
The next few rounds saw a decent number of quality players taken off the board, including Pittsburgh’s selection of Scott Workman and Detroit’s of Buck Dupree in the second round. Both look to be immediate contributors on the MABL squads, while pitcher Freddie Verkeck will do the same for the Giants after being selected in the fourth round. In a surprising fifth round selection, Brooklyn picked up Bob Sedgwick, a young pitcher out of Wichita, to make up the end of their bullpen with hopes of transitioning him to the fifth starter role as soon as this year.
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Re: The Major American Baseball League
Round 2, Pick 14 - Baltimore Harbors: RF Roberto Collado, age 21 out of high school (Hamilton (AZ) High School; Chandler, AZ)
Roberto Collado out here getting recruited from a high school almost 50 years before it opens! An impressive accomplishment!
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Re: The Major American Baseball League
Thehealthiestscratch wrote:
Round 2, Pick 14 - Baltimore Harbors: RF Roberto Collado, age 21 out of high school (Hamilton (AZ) High School; Chandler, AZ)
Roberto Collado out here getting recruited from a high school almost 50 years before it opens! An impressive accomplishment!
I should note that all schools and locations listed for OOTP players are falsely representative, I’m just lazy lol.
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Re: The Major American Baseball League
Eastern League
Another year, another Roosevelt Cup in sight for the Jays. The 1950 squad returns with the same starting lineup as their Roosevelt Cup rendition from the year prior, but the pitching room gets a little more crowded with prospects looking to break out. The offense looks to be electric as always, and the club announced that Noah Knight would man he everyday first base role when he’s not on the mound.
The Moles, having been left in the dust by their crosstown rivals, are trying their hand with another new starting rotation, led by Harry Jordin and the Englishman Tom Padgett. Their new target behind the dish, Scotty Beamon, might be the new star that this team needs to get them over the hump while McPherson, Gonzalez and Sandoval are in tow.
Boston’s hopes are riding higher after a deep Eastern Open run in 1949, especially with Gavin Wooden’s transition into the rotation's ace. Two-way rookie sensation Lucas Bennett is looking to have a much better year ahead of Pineda, Holton, and Bowman, but Dan Bell is looking for upgrades before the trade deadline for the Bees to truly compete.
Harbor’s problem, however, lies in their weak pitching staff. The offense is loaded headed into the season, with their core bolstered by additions of EPL MVP Dimitri Stubbs and 1949 second-overall pick, Gilbert Dale joining the top nine. Greg Read and Danny Stewart didn’t pan out according to the year’s previous expectations, but the hope is that they’ll be able to hit well enough to stay near the top of the table.
Capital City’s roster has the exact opposite construction. Rookie Henry Hillendale is expected to jump straight to the top nine with massive home run potential, but his addition is the only one for the Blossoms’ offense. Their pitching staff, however, is top-loaded with Wes Turner and Enrique Stone returning for duty alongside the Aussie, Hayden Clemmet. If Capital City makes a run this year, it will come down to their arms to keep them in games.
Pittsburgh’s tides may start to turn here soon after years in the dredges of the East, but it will take a moment for their squad to reach its full potential. In the meantime, Eagles fans will have a chance to take in another prime Rocky Thomas Jr. season, who has spoken plenty this offseason about his desire to be considered among the likes of Dillard and Rock Adams for the best player in baseball. Joseph Senft also looks promising in his second tour of duty and Bob Rockwell hopes to make his MABL debut on Opening Day, but the rest of the squad has a way to go in their development.
Centennial won’t have a chance, man. Their roster is a mix of inexperienced hitters and aging pitchers, and the squad is hoping that 1949 picks Harvey Abrahamson and Greg Baldwin will blossom alongside Ducky Walsh, who just had his 18th birthday.
Manhattan holds the dubious honor of being the worst projected team in the East. Following a disappointing season the year prior, Ted Newsome left 1950 as the end-all season for manager Chris Wood. As a puppet for Newsome’s meddling, Wood hopes that he can wrangle some control back and use free agent signing Tom Clark to bolster an offense led by Jared Putnam and Bo Rosendale, while Heath Langston waits in the wings as the league’s top prospect. Joe Berg leads an underwhelming pitching staff that got reliever depth through free agency, but the Giants need to produce some wins if the status quo is to be maintained.
Western League
The Reds are projected to take control of the West for the second straight season behind their incredible starting rotation, but their success hinges on the offense to perform similarly to 1949. Josh Check and company didn’t make many moves in the offseason, only adding relievers after the disastrous ending to their MABL season. Howard Townsley, fresh off what many viewed as the greatest season of all time, is backed up in the lineup by Ben Matney, Jon Brownlow, and Chris Barnard, as Cincinnati is on a quest for redemption.
After spending their first few years at the bottom of the table, the Travellers are expected to break out in 1950. St. Louis’s first-rounder TJ Cook is expected to take over at first base for the departed Ryan Ayers, but the real hope comes from a front-loaded starting rotation. Their player purchases from two years ago look to be the key pieces for this squad, as Cameron Barker, Tim Mayer, and Ed Williamson are all expected to fulfill their potential after a year of adjustment. With none of their aces over 25, St. Louis looks to be extremely strong for the coming years.
Milwaukee’s potential seems great or middle of the road on any given day. Kyle Ethridge might’ve squandered his team’s chance of success with the Noah Knight trade two years ago, but Martin Sproul is undoubtedly the most important piece on a team that won’t give up on its potential. Brent Rodgers and offseason acquisition Roger Doblado are signs that the offense can still compete, but Ken Friesen might be the only other quality pitcher in the rotation. Nevertheless, an offense led by Sebastian Michaels will always keep their team in the mix. Until the all-star break, anyway.
Detroit could go supernova this year. The team brought in Phil Schleicer to take over managerial duties, and the UAW members in charge of the club are looking to maximize the roster’s immediate potential. Fresh off of an MVP campaign with 40 home runs, Rock Adams is again joined by Apple, Erwin, and Arellano to form one of the most potent offenses in baseball. First-overall pick Al Funderburk is also joining the lineup at shortstop, making his MABL debut at just 21 years old. The Trevino-led rotation needs Bruce Sulley and Jake Van Camp to rise to the occasion, however, if the team is going to exceed expectations.
The Republics have relentlessly spent on free-agent talent, and this has to be the year where it pays off. Gabriel Bennett has a roster loaded with talent both young and old, but Chicago’s top squad will need their stars to compete. Ryan Griffin is again the consensus best player of the club, but there’s hope amongst the media that Cliff Hansen and Eric Libby will become a dynamic tandem at the plate. The squad also got a fifth starter in last year's EPL pitcher of the year, Jerry Martinez. The team lacks the horses of their counterparts but should act as counterweights heading into 1950.
The Lakers’ second-place finish last year can mostly be attributed to the rest of the West’s underperformance. Mostly. Bobby Montgomery is the only pitching rival in the MABL to the Unicorn, while Oscar Fuentes looks to still be in his prime at 30. The main story of Cleveland, however, is what to do with Joe Wells. His contract is up at the end of this season and the writing is on the wall for the inaugural Western League MVP: re-up and waste the rest of your prime in a rebuild, or demand your way out of the organization through a trade. The Lakers don’t want to give him up for nothing, but it’s highly unlikely that he will sign long-term, so it’s certainly possible that Wells’ future lies elsewhere.
Louisville is lucky to have a team this bad. Bryan Carter has brought in the eccentric Ed Grogan as manager for the season, hoping that the colorful personality will stick around for the transitional period they’re attempting to go through. Tyler Gibson is ready to star in the lineup alongside Chris Graff, and it’s only a matter of time before the league’s top-ranked farm system begins to produce results for a long-woebegone club.
The Packers squandered the profit from their surprise Western Open by trading away a bunch of players for prospects, and the team will suffer for it. Owner Dave Perrin has given multiple excuses to a vicious Chicago media corps but hasn’t nailed down on specifics while he’s looking to build a stadium. Meanwhile, the team that was bad last year looks awful this coming season, as the only bright spots on a putrid roster are Hank Culberson and 1949 first-rounder Dusty Linder. Woof.
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Re: The Major American Baseball League
Tales from the MABL
Excerpt from the Brooklyn Beacon
April 3, 1950
RILEY, LOUISVILLE’S GRAFF OUT FOR SEASON
MABL Stars Wracked with Gruesome Injuries as Season Starts
As reported yesterday by the Beacon, Jays starting shortstop Zach Riley was rushed to the hospital after a pitch from Gracia Mercado hit him in the face during the 8th inning of the Jays 6-2 win over Capital City. It’s since been released by the team that Riley has suffered a fractured eye socket from the pitch and will miss the rest of the 1950 season.
This is a devastating blow to the Jays, who had Bobby Garcia to fill in for the two-time All-Star today during their 2-5 loss in Washington. When pressed by reporters after the game, manager Kevin Denton was quoted saying, “...Riley is a vital player for what we intended to do this season. The team relies on his attitude in the clubhouse to pick them up out of slumps, and the entire organization is hoping for his speedy recovery.” At just 25 years old, Riley will have Garcia (23) and top prospect Jon Breton (24) filling in for the rest of the season, as the club has stated that they intend to keep their farm system intact rather than overreact to the injury.
In the West, star Louisville Indians outfielder Chris Graff fell awkwardly onto his left arm while sliding into third during their 3-1 victory over the Travellers. Graff has been the lynchpin for the woebegone club, making the all-star game each year of the MABL. His production will be sorely missed in a lineup desperate for veterans, as the 1948 batting champion was diagnosed by team doctors as having a broken bone in his elbow.
Longtime replacement outfielder Jesse Barton will fill in for Graff for the rest of the season as skipper Ed Grogan stated that they have no intention of trading away any of their elite prospects for what already feels like a lost season. the team is hoping to generate more excitement as more sporting clubs have taken the sheen off the Indians, and owner Bryan Carter hoped that the organization could beat the odds this season. Alas, it might not come to pass. The Western League, through a fate of God, has seemed to solidify their haves and have-nots in an instant.
Last edited by H-Town1141 (11/09/2024 11:14 pm)
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