May 29, 1931
The Uplantic Association wrapped up its spring schedule yesterday. The Chargers surprised the league, finishing Spring Training at the top of the West division with a 19-11 record in exhibition games. The Stars were the best team overall in the spring, on top of the East with a 20-10 record. Of course, these are exhibition games in which team management is evaluating talent and experimenting with their rosters rather than putting all of their resources toward winning games. Still, with a bevy of young talent, the Chargers future may be brighter sooner than Taawa fans had hoped.
The UA Regular Season throws its first pitch on Monday! The White Sox and Bears both look strong and ready to attempt a return to the Windsor Cup Finals this fall, with the Stars, Brothers, Stags, and Guardians in the mix as well, although a few spring injury speedbumps have fans nervous as the Regular Season is set to begin.
Meanwhile, the NPL’s Spring Training schedule is now underway, ahead of their Regular Season beginning in July.
(Jump to Final UA Spring Standings)
News:
- Last year’s WCF MVP, Platte’s Andy Bernard, is day-to-day with a strained hip. He doesn’t expect to miss a lot of time, but he will not risk further injury in exhibition games before he’s absolutely ready. (4/28)
- Delle suffers a major blow to its bullpen, as 1930 All-Star righty Dan Sherman is out for the season with a torn elbow ligament. Sadly, he may not be back in action until mid-1932. (4/30)
- Deerborn RP Joao Thery may miss the beginning of the Regular Season with a torn rotator cuff. (5/2)
- Deerborn’s strong pitching staff will start the season a little weaker, as RH RP Roy Darnell will miss 4-5 weeks with an elbow strain. (5/2)
- In yet another unfortunate injury for the White Sox, 3B Rygh Ogg will be out 4-5 weeks after breaking a thumb today. He most likely will not be ready quite in time to begin the Regular Season. (5/8)
- Deerborn’s 2-time Pitcher of the year, Jorge Takato will miss a spring start or two with a forearm strain, but expects to be 100% for Opening Day in two weeks. Still, the plethora of injuries to major White Sox players has fans reeling. (5/15)
- 1929 UA MVP, Stags RF Albert Pentana, will miss the first two weeks of the Regular Season with a broken thumb. (5/17)
- White Sox SP Jorge Takato’s strained forearm will keep him out of action a little longer than anticipated, about another week. He says he’s feeling good and that the extra time off is “mostly a precaution.” He still expects to start for the Sox on Opening Day. (5/19)
- Perennial injury sponge, Salvation CF Andy Thompson, will likely miss about the first 3 weeks of the Regular Season with plantar fasciitis. (5/21)
- The Guardians shore up their bullpen after losing a handful of pitchers to free agency. They have acquired RHP Ron Waldman from the NPL’s Lakers, along with a swap of catching prospects. (5/24)
- Cherricaw starter Kip McCarty will miss the 1931 season with torn shoulder labrum. The 36-year old righty is signed with the Herders through 1933. (5/25)
- The Rivals have had a surprisingly winning spring, but they learned today that All-Star 1B Pedro Kopano will miss about a month of the Regular Season with a thumb sprain. (5/27)
Final UA Spring Standings:
NPL Watch:
- Former Guardians starter Carlos Lia Kutando moves to the NPL. The 35-year old righty will begin a 3-year deal with the Toppers in 1931. (5/2)
- Bullpen star Javier Lia Undun is the latest ex-Northsouth pitcher to jump to the NPL, signing a 2-year contract with the Carp worth over $4 million. He notched 190 Ks and a 2.98 ERA in 3 seasons with Northsouth in the UA. He joins former Guardians teammate Ogg Moum, who signed a 1-year deal back in March. (5/4)
- The Kings fork over $2 million for righty reliever Brahim Espinoza. Most experts are panning the deal, calling Espinoza “unproven.” He has appeared just in 7 professional games since 1928. (5/5)
- After a mediocre 1928 with the Guardians, not appearing in 1929 for the team, and then spending 1930 unemployed, RHP Geoff Brooks has inked a gigantic contract with the Reapers. The 33-year old pitcher is set to make $32.5 million over 5 seasons. Experts are once again flabbergasted by the deal. “I don’t know what their GM, Jeff Skau is thinking, but if the Reapers have a head doctor on their med staff, he needs to make an appointment,” said Horace Burns, host of Talking Baseball on Uplantic National Radio. (5/9)
- NPL Spring Training games begin today in Plains City. (5/27)
Uplantic Sports Today 