2075 Season (7/22 – 7/25)
 

San Francisco 49ers (43-54, .443, 6th NL West) @ Los Angeles Lakers (55-43, .561, 1st NL West)
The 49ers are dreadful… on an 0-6 streak with the worst offense in the NL. That they have the #4 rated pitching staff in the league makes them the equivalent of a Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich without the jelly – a culinary halfway house. For a team that won the whole thing in 2074 to fall this far, this fast is something to behold – a mixture of poor personnel decisions, injuries, and players mired in their worst years of professional baseball. This free fall isn’t about just one thing – it’s a million little things that are sinking the ship in aggregate. For instance, take former Phoenix Sun, and current SF Closer, Frosty Dillard – last year he finished with a career best 2.93 ERA… this year he’s sitting a 5.45 (the second worst of his career). One thing they do have going for them, however, is Hamza McDonnell – rated as the 4th best SS in the NL (#2 in ‘stache maintenance), Hamza has hit .270/.342/.359 so far this year while playing stellar defense at SS – he’s not really a top-flight guy, but he is known as a sparkplug who is beyond popular with the hometown fans – a good glue guy. Unfortunately for him and the 49ers, there really isn’t enough pieces on the club that are worth gluing together.

99 of 162: Rick White (4-5, 4.98) @ Matt Olson (1-3, 2.08 – his first start of the year)
Olson strikes out the first batter he faced, walked the next, and got a DP on the next batter – we’ll take that kind of start from the recently promoted starter… going down in order in the bottom of the frame, though – not so much. A real pitchers duel early in this one – only 4 hits between us through the first 4 innings. We’d score two through the 6th and allow them to get one back in the 8th and ultimately squeak out a 2-1 win. Olson gives up a single run through 7 and is the beneficiary of 3 DP’s, Otto goes 2 for 4 with a run, and Sobania manages to get a couple of hits – not much else to see here (unless Pepper’s 2 K’s is something you are interested in). A win is a win as they say, though, and we will take it. Hamza – 0 for 3, San Francisco on a 7-game losing streak now.

Attachment 631127

100 of 162: Mark De La Cruz (4-2, 3.18) @ Michael Brisk (7-8, 4.43)
Brisk was feeling it – 7 strong and 1 earned on the day – and Pepper hit a 2-run HR in the bottom of the 3rd to help secure our 2nd W in a row by a score of 4-1. Otto finished 2 for 4 with a run and an RBI and we put another two DP’s on the board today – starting to get in a little bit of a groove now.

Attachment 631128

101 of 162: Landon Sampson (2-5, 2.93) @ Dejuan Burns (9-5, 3.83)
New guy Dejuan Burns gets his first start in the purple and gold – and puts the 9ers down in order. A good first impression. Of course, after he gave up a solo shot to the first batter of the 2nd inning – that first impression was easily forgotten… and after he gave up three more, the faithful were calling for my head. He’d give up 5 in 4 innings of work while Sampson was rock solid after giving up a couple in the first two frames. Otto goes 4 for 5 with the game-tying homer, and Clay Daniels hits a 2-run double off of Frosty Dillard to seal the deal – La La Land wins in extras, 6-5.

Attachment 631129

102 of 162: Matthew Townsend (11-3, 2.95) @ Case Tunnell (7-3, 3.64)
Case handcuffed the 9ers to secure the four-game sweep – 8.2 shutout innings in the 1-0 win. Townsend was stellar as well, but let one get across in the 2nd that was all we would need. Clay Daniels brings in the winning run on an RBI single, and Otto finishes 1 for 3. The Lakers secure a much needed 4-game sweep here and are back on track.

Attachment 631130

Interleague silliness against Houston & Seattle up next…

2075 Season (7/26 – 7/28)
 

Los Angeles Lakers (59-43, .578, 1st NL West) @ Houston Dynamo (48-53, .475, 4th AL West)
With an 11-9 record in July and a 48-53 record overall – Houston is who you’d think they are… a ho-hum club mired in a ho-hum 2075 campaign. Offensively, the steal bags (1st AL) and not much else – they’re no better than 5th anywhere else, and defensively, they boast a solid staff (5th AL) that won’t strike you out much and a rock-solid infield defense with a superb zone rating (2nd AL) anchored by SS Rich Bell. Bell is slogging his way through a pretty stellar campaign - .330/.370/.518 with a 136 wRC+ and 2.5 WAR so far. They have good fan loyalty & interest and have money to spend, but their economizer owner, Vic Davies, can’t be bothered to upgrade the club – he’s happy living on the goodwill of his hometown fans. However, given that this is looking like it will be the clubs 3rd straight season missing the playoffs, something will have to give prior to 2076 if he is going to continue counting on ticket sales – there are plenty of things to spend your money on in Houston, and a subpar ball club will certainly drop down that list if the continue to string losing seasons together.

103 of 162: Julen Morales (12-4, 3.28) @ Gary Benoit (4-10, 5.74)
Clay Daniels gave us a shot at it with a 3-run jack, but we just couldn’t get it done in game one as the Houston Dynamo get the W by a score of 6-5. Julen gets absolutely worked for 3 innings in this one – walks two, lets 5 plate – but, he did get 7 K’s. Pepper goes 2 for 4 with an RBI, and Otto finished 1 for 3 – just not enough of that to go around for the La La’s.

Attachment 631345

104 of 162: Matt Olson (2-3, 1.95) @ Scottie Rene (1-2, 3.78)
Rene was too much for us here – he gave up 4 over 7, but our guy gave them 6 in 5 – that usually doesn’t work and it certainly didn’t here – La La’s lose game two by a score of 6-4. We nearly mounted a nice comeback in the 7th, but Newman hit into a double play with two on to put an end to that dream. Otto finished 1-4 with 2 RBI and Pepper scores a run and bats 2 for 4 on the day. We committed two costly errors in this one – so that’s cool.

Attachment 631346

Props & Judo Chops: Derek Jeter, the ol’ Phoenix Battle-Axe, went 3 for 5 with 2 HR, 3 runs, and 3 RBI in Phoenix’s 11-9 win over the Portland Timbers – the old man has still got a bit left in the tank it seems.

Attachment 631347

105 of 162: Michael Brisk (8-8, 4.27) @ Tommy Mathieu (10-2, 3.14)
Mathieu is solid for 6 with 9 K’s and only 1 earned, Brisk labors through 7 with 4 earned, and 9 K’s – but, Houston Reliever Arlo Alverson blows it in the 8th when he allows 3 to get across and we get another in the 9th against former Phoenix Sun flunky Cleveland Cornejo to tie it up – Nash Aguilar would bring home the game-winner on a sac fly in the top of the 10th for our lone victory of the series by a score of 6-5. Otto goes 0 for 4 with 3 K’s, Pepper 1 for 5 with 2 of his own, and Mullens gets 3 RBI on a 2 for 6 day. We’ll take them any way we can get them.

Attachment 631348

We took the long road to win #60 and now head up to Seattle to visit the #4 Power Ranked team in the majors – we are slotted in at #5 on the ranking – so, maybe a World Series preview – one can dream.

2075 Season (7/29 -7/31)
 

But first… so, yeah – it turns out that Seattle is headed our way instead of vice versa… I’ll have to have a little chat with my travel guy to gain an understanding of why he thought it was appropriate to book us a flight to Seattle when the games will be played in our park – don’t worry, I won’t fire him.

Los Angeles Lakers (60-45, .571, 1st NL West) @ Seattle Sounders (63-43, .594, 1st AL West)
A battle of Best Coast powerhouses… With Josiah Weber on the decline in Philadelphia (your boy has posted a 6-9 record with a career-worst 3.98 ERA) the distinction of being the best pitcher in the MLB has to go to Seattle’s Bradley Hughes – the 27-year-old, 4-time All-Star, and 2073 Pacheco winner is currently posting a 15-3 record with a 2.70 ERA and with him anchoring their staff – Seattle is the top-ranked pitching club in the AL and are ranked 1st in Starters ERA and 2nd in runs against. Offensively, they are solid – balanced & complimentary 1 through 9 with the 2nd ranked Batter WAR in the AL. The Sounders are no joke – sure their color scheme and jerseys are an easy target, but when it comes to baseball, they got something snappy. With their staff and an offense that boasts two 20+ HR guys – Patrick Adams (22) & Austin Rollins (23), this will be a tough series for the La La’s…

106 of 162: Skylar Kunzman (0-1, 4.35) @ Dejuan Burns (9-5, 3.86)
Cooke goes 2 for 4 with a home run and a double with 3 runs and 3 RBI & Dejuan Burns gets his first win in a Los Angeles uniform in the 6-2 victory. Burns allowed no earned runs off of 5 hits and records 6 strikeouts. After Pepper got us the lead in the 6th when he drove in a run on a single and we never looked back – Otto finished 0 for 3, Mullens 0 for 4, while Zarate, Cooke, and Grant each get 2 hits.

Attachment 631350

107 of 162: Bradley Hughes (15-3, 2.70) @ Case Tunnell (8-3, 3.41)
The best pitcher in the league on the mound, Otto on a day off, and we still find a way to keep it competitive – but, Kawka sinks us in the top of the 10th giving up 3 runs before getting out of the inning – man, how the mighty have fallen, Josiah has been terrible of late. I’m not sure he will ever break out of this slump. Great day for Nehemiah Jenkins who went 3 for 4 with 2 runs and 3 RBI in a losing effort as we fall in game two by a score of 8-5.

Attachment 631351

108 of 162: David Arney (9-5, 2.89) @ Julen Morales (12-5, 3.52)
Julen takes a 5-hitter into the 7th and Adrian Bae picks up is 2nd save in the combined shutout victory over the Sounders, La La’s win 5-0. Otto scores and Pepper drives in 2 in the contest – good team effort and nice series win against a great club – bringing our season series against Seattle to 3-3.

Attachment 631352

No rest for the wicked - on our way to San Diego to face the #2 team in the AL West…

2075 Season (End of July)
 

With ~54 games left in the 2075 season, we are seeing a glut of contenders in the East of both leagues. In the AL East, you have the Jaguars, Packers, and New York Jets all jockeying for the #1 slot with only a single game separating the 3rd place Jets from the 1st place Jaguars. Between them, at ½ a game back, you have SS Jackson Walsh who leads the league in Average and War leading the way for the Green Bay Packers. The 4-time all-star and 2069’s 6th overall pick has a .353/.418/.547 slash with 12 HR and 78 RBI – and the civic-minded shortstop is playing lockdown defense in the field. Meanwhile, in the NL East, it’s Brooklyn, St. Louis, and Montreal vying for the top spot with 1 ½ games between them – and with no players listing in the top 3 of any statistical categories these 3 clubs represent some of the most balanced teams in the MLB – they have multiple ways to get it done. Looking at the West – you have Seattle sitting pretty with a 5 ½ game lead over Dallas in the AL while the race for 1st in the NL is a bit tighter at 2 games between current leaders Los Angeles and San Diego – with Otto Isaac leading the league in HR’s (well, he’s tied with Austin Rollins from Seattle) despite missing significant time recently. The designation of worst in the league goes to the Carolina Panthers – winners of only 41 games so far, with no significant injuries and the worst pitching staff in the league, the rebuilding process for the Charlotte-based club is poised to take longer than their fans would like.

Players of the Month:
1B Monte Lofthus (PDX, drafted 16th in 2064 out of Houston University) – The 7-time All-Star and 4-time Silver Slugger batted .424 with 5 HR, 17 RBI, and 20 Runs in July. The 33-year old vet is doing his level best to keep PDX in the playoff mix.

RF Reading Minor (VAN, drafted 113th in 2071 out of Southern Cal) – Minor hit .365 with a .413 OBP, 5 HR, 18 RBI and 21 Runs in July for the struggling Whitecaps, who, despite sitting at 3rd in the NL West, have a .477 winning percentage so far in 2075.

Pitchers of the Month:
SP Peter Garcia (PDX, drafted 9th in 2069 out of Virginia) – Garcia, in his 2nd Major League season, went 4-1 with 32 K’s and a 1.70 ERA in 6 starts in July.

SP Ferdinand Loving (MON, drafted 16th in 2066 out of Georgia Tech) – The 2073 Pacheco winner compiled a 5-0 record in July with 28 K’s and a 2.45 ERA for the surging Impact – who after making a couple of good-looking trades are poised to make a run at the division-leading Brooklyn Citizens.

2075 Season (8/1 – 8/4)
 

Los Angeles Lakers (62-46, .574, 1st NL West) @ San Diego Chargers (59-47, .557, 2nd NL West)
San Diego is a sunny & tolerant multi-cultural oasis complete with bikini-clad roller skating bombshells, skateboarding grommets, and beachgoers content to put back a cool, cold 16 ouncer while bagging some rays and catching that cool ocean breeze. It’s a low-key paradise that acquits itself nicely despite being a population sink. And their club fits into the laid-back SoCal vibe quite nicely - with the zen SP Burt McElheny gliding his way through starts and the reggaeton-loving SS Jude Varela keeping the clubhouse atmosphere light, the Chargers have quietly contended in the NL West all season and are poised to make their 3rd straight playoff appearance, and their 7th in the last 10 seasons, this year. They’re better than solid everywhere, score at a tip-top clip, and steal bags. Their only real weak spot is in FIP and Bullpen ERA where they find themselves at the lowest end of the NL. But, with a tolerant owner who is willing to spend a little bit, San Diego is consistently practical - an SPF-50 ball club that is equal parts chill and welcoming, but always down to party at the beach while working some tubes in the surf. This is a team that lulls you into their laid-back beach vibe before sending you home on a 3-game losing streak. If we can keep Mullens and Saul (a reggaeton enthusiast in his own right) off the beach and away from the local talent we should be able to walk away with a win or two - that’ll be a tall order though as San Diego is a talented city with a lot of sand.

109 of 162: Matt Olson (2-4, 2.73) @ Heath Zody (12-4, 3.25)
A see-saw game where the lead changed 5 times where we get the win on the back of a 6-run top of the 9th despite Olson’s weak start – 4 innings, 6 earned – and get a nice game one win in SD by a score of 12-7. Newman had himself a game tonight – 4 of 5, with a 2B, 3 runs, and 2 RBI. Mullens went 3 for 4 with a triple and Otto gets us 2 RBI – Pepper sits this one out and gets to watch our club bang out 3 doubles, 2 triples and score 4 of our 6 runs in the top of the 9th despite having two outs already recorded.

Attachment 631402

Of note: Philly SP Josiah Weber got his 2nd win in his last 6 starts for the 76ers despite letting two plate in the bottom of the first. He allowed 8 hits and 2 earned over 8 innings of work in Philly’s 8-2 win over Brooklyn. Listen – your boy still has a lot of gas left in the tank and it’s only a matter of time until he rights his ship.

110 of 162: Michael Brisk (8-8, 4.31) @ Rod Garcia (6-6, 3.67)
Ruben Zarate goes gonzo in this one… 5 FOR 5 with a double, a homer, 3 runs, and an RBI – and Otto drives in 3 en route to an 11-8 victory for the La La’s. Two doubles and two HR’s for the Lakers and Brisk allows 3 in 7 for a solid start – our pen tried to unravel, with Durkin and Miyakawa giving up 5 more between them before Kawka came in and earned his 4th save of the season. Mullen steals 3 bags in this one – a first for him – and we see 6 balls leave the park between us.

Attachment 631403
Attachment 631404

Propers: Prospect SP, Nick Rich, earned a complete game shutout for the City of Compton in a 3-0 win in Mexico City against the Diablos. The 24-year-old, former 150th overall pick out of St. Mary’s looks to make the big club one day as a reliever. However, with his poor movement – that could end up being a stretch – either way, he should be able to play for pay for a good while as I’m sure there is a Bush League club out there who would love to have him if he washes out.

111 of 162: Dejuan Burns (10-5, 3.66) @ Burt “the Dude” McElheny (10-6, 3.19)
Dejuan has his A+ change-up working through most of the game but allows the game-winner in the bottom of the 9th to Smith Wells in a 2-0 loss for the Lakers. Burt McElheny is cool as a cucumber throughout – 8.2 innings with only 1 earned – and despite the league office investigation opened to attempt to substantiate the twitter rumor that he was tossing back Caucasians in the clubhouse between innings – was nearly untouchable today. We manage only 5 hits today – Ethan, Ruben, Pepper, Kyle Weaver, and Benavides do the honors – but, in the end, we just couldn’t get anything going against the Dude. Ethan gets our only RBI on a single that brought Jason Worth home. On the wrong end of a nice little pitcher’s duel here.

Attachment 631405

112 of 162: Case Tunnell (8-3, 3.58) @ Reed Pinelli (6-4, 4.02)
Another close one, but this time we get it done in the 6th for the 2-1 win and take the series 3-1. Case is effective – 8 innings, 3 hits, and 1 earned & Nehemiah Jenkins hits the two-run blast that puts us ahead for good off of Pinelli, who was stellar up to that pitch. Newman with two hits and a double, and Dom comes home on the Jenkins shot. Nice way to end a pleasant trip to San Diego – we blew through town like a light breeze and took three off our division rival in the process.

Attachment 631406

Propers: The Gainesville Gamecocks got two HR’s, one each from Jared Fogg (3 for 5, HR, 6 RBI, and 3 Runs for the former Pittsburgh flunky – three years in Nashville but never made the big club), and James Ferguson (3 for 4, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, and 2 runs for the former Major Leaguer who has plied his trade in the Bush League for the last 4 season with stops in Nolanville, Decatur, Beaumont, and now Gainesville), in their 16-3 victory against the #1 power ranked BL club, the Hagerstown Hummers.

Three in Minnesota up next – too bad the trade deadline has passed, I think I could’ve talked Shawna into a deal this time.

2075 Season (8/5 – 8/7)
 

Los Angeles Lakers (65-47, .580, 1st NL West) @ Minnesota Timberwolves (52-59, .468, 4th NL West)
The only thing longer than the list of grievances levied against the league by the citizens of Oklahoma City for allowing Shawna to steal away their beloved Thunder is the injury list that the Minnesota Timberwolves have amassed this season. With 8 players on the IL including 4 from their opening day rotation - the Timberwolves are in a bad way. They’ve made a lot of little moves this season - filler mostly - but, given what they have on the IL and the guys they brought in to fill some gaps this could be a club that contends as early as next year. For now, they, and their fans, will have to be content with languishing in the moral purgatory of rooting for and trying to build up a stolen team into something worth cheering for - something, with its own identity steeped in heavily stylized funk and stagnant Minneapolis fog - that dense and maleficent roux made up of fatty double entendres and flowery midwestern charm. It’s all Sven and Ole jokes until someone loses an eye.

113 of 162: Julen Morales (13-5, 3.34) @ Adam Lyman (4-4, 5.44)
We got a good outing from Morales in this one – 7 innings with only 2 runs scored, but Minnesota’s Lyman was an inning better and our RP Adrian Bae couldn’t hold the tie for us, getting walked off on a run-scoring single courtesy of Dizzi Sandoval – a walk-off loss by a score of 3-2. Mullens, Weaver, and Pepper all get 2+ hits, and Otto drives in a run, but as a team we strikeout 10 times and commit two errors – one for Otto and one for our C Johan Somma – who let the T’Wolves steal 4 bags.

Attachment 631428

114 of 162: Matt Olson (2-4, 3.41) @ Damon Smith (0-2, 7.83)
Our comeback attempt in the 8th would ultimately come up short in this one – a 3-2 loss @ Minnesota. The Timberwolves Colt DeWees went 3 for 3 with a double and 2 RBI – and Dom Cooke goes 3 for 4 with an RBI. Nothing of value from Otto today – he committed another error (we committed 2 as a team) and Pepper goes 0 for 4. Newman hit one out – cool – but not much else from the Purple & Gold today who looked like they hit a wall after playing in their 19th straight game.

Attachment 631429

115 of 162: Michael Brisk (9-8, 4.29) @ Braylen Shively (4-2, 4.86)
We tied it up in the 9th and went off in the top of the 10th, scoring 5 runs that start with a Zarate sac fly, and ultimately avoid the sweep with an 8-3 win. Zarate goes 2 for 2 with a HR, 2 BB, and 3 RBI to aid in the cause and Weaver goes 3 for 5 with 2 runs. Otto finished 1 for 2 with a run as a late sub and we gave Pepper a seat. 10 innings of error-free baseball and a win – that’s a good way to go into a much-needed day off before we head off to Pittsburgh for a 3-game set.

Attachment 631430

Propers: Quirk Benoit pitched an 11-inning shutout and his club, the Hartford Whalers (the 76ers AAA club) and still lost to Tucson by a score of 1-0. Hartford’s closer, Ethan Roberts, allowed the walk-off single to Tucson’s Reginald Elijah in the bottom of the 13th. You have to question the wisdom of letting a developing player go 11, but, man… what a game for the young man.

Attachment 631431

2075 Season (8/9 – 8/11)
 

Los Angeles Lakers (66-49, .574, 1st NL West) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (56-59, .487, 5th NL East)
With the #1 offense and the #12 pitching staff in the NL – Pittsburgh is a dichotomy between excellence and futility – they could easily be in the hunt if they had 1 or 2 good (not great) pitchers on their staff. But, they don’t – instead, they have a collection of stiffs with dead arm syndrome, poor movement in aggregate, and a knack for letting opposing teams score in bunches. And, this is without any pitchers on the IL – so, it’s not like they would be better at full strength. This is full strength and it’s terrible. Led by LF Tony Voorhis (.282/.337/.454, 21 HR, and 52 RBI), the Pittsburgh offense is a well-oiled machine – 1st in Runs Scored, Batting Average, OPS, and wOBA and 3rd in HR’s – this is a group that can get it done. In fact, it’s something of a surprise that they didn’t bring in a pitcher before the trade deadline – or at least a good one as they did trade for Tim Kelly – giving up a couple of low-key prospects and a bag of donuts to get him. He’s slotted in at 4th of an already bad rotation and brings a 3.50 ERA with him from Minnesota. Since putting on the Pittsburgh kit, he’s given up 18 runs in 6 starts, including 4 to us. In fact, in 4 starts against us this year, he’s given up 13 runs – we’ll see him in the second game of this three-game set unless Pittsburgh Skipper, Jim Bielefeldt, pulls the ol’ banana in the tailpipe on us.

116 of 162: Dejuan Burns (10-6, 3.58) @ Gregory Morgan (11-8, 3.03)
So, the much-vaunted Pittsburgh offense had ZERO trouble with Burns early – knocking him around for 8 hits and 5 runs through the first 4 innings… meanwhile, we spent the entire game flummoxed by Pittsburgh’s subpar pitching staff – Morgan shuts us out for 8 and reliever Zaslavsky finishes the job in the 9th. We lose this one, embarrassingly, by a score of 8-0, strike out 8 times, and hit into two double plays.

Attachment 631489

117 of 162: Case Tunnell (9-3, 3.45) @ Tim Kelly (8-6, 3.50)
It’s a tight game until the bottom of the 5th when Pittsburgh blows us up for 5 to take a 7-1 lead in the game… and just like that, we find ourselves a long way from victory. But the Steelers weren’t content to let it rest there – they just keep coming, finding ways to pour it on – 3 more score across the 6th and 7th bringing it to 10-2 and we close the book on this one with a less than respectable 10-4 loss. Mullens and Otto provide the only bright spots here with 4 hits, 3 runs, and 2 RBI between them.

Attachment 631490

118 of 162: Julen Morales (13-5, 3.31) @ Dom Jefferson (2-7, 5.27)
Ethan Mullens almost single-handedly wins this one for us on a 3 for 4 performance with a HR plus 3 RBI, and Julen is good for 7.1 innings of 2-run ball. We get three doubles as a team (Clay, Ruben, and Pepper) and Ethan’s home run. Kawka earns his 6th save in a 12-pitch 9th to seal the deal as we finally get a win in the last game of the series by a score of 5-2.

Attachment 631491

Propers: Gainesville Gamecock, Tatsuo Kobayashi, bounced around in the minors, first for the New York Jets (who drafted him 161st overall in 2068) and then for the Vancouver Whitecaps (who picked him up for a look after the Jets gave up), but never saw any game action in the MLB. He’s spent the last 5 seasons in the Bush Leagues – a year in Shreveport, two in Dearborne, another in Coney Island, and finally with the Gamecocks of Gainesville, where he went 4 for 4 with a 2B, a HR, and an RBI today as his club defeated the Coney Island Footlongs by a score of 8-4. Of note: He’s hit 7 walk-offs and 2 grand slams in his Bush League career.

Attachment 631492

2075 Season (8/12 – 8/14)
 

Los Angeles Lakers (67-51, .568, 1st NL West) @ Philadelphia 76ers (59-58, .504, 4th NL East)
A date with Josiah and the 6ers – who we’ll see in game two of this 4-game parlay – in Philadelphia. Ugh. 7 days straight in Pennsylvania for the La La’s. The 76ers have the 11th ranked offense in the NL – so, hopefully, they won’t run us out of the park as the Steelers did in this one. We need our arms to regain some confidence here after being consistently brutalized in Pittsburgh. Led by CF Norris Flaherty (.285/.389/.473, 20 HR, 133 wRC+, 5.3 WAR) and LF Palmer Parker (.294/.370/.485, 15 HR, 3.3 WAR), Philadelphia’s offense is a bit top heavy – no depth, with a severe drop-off after these two. Their pitching is ranked 4th in the NL where they are led by the GOAT – none other than Josiah Weber, who has struggled so far this year with an 8-9 record, career-worst 3.94 ERA, and 4.3 WAR so far. He’s been good of late and will look to continue that trend in his start during this series. Philly has only made the playoffs once in the last 5 years and looks to miss them again in 2075 – but, after a dismal 10-16 July, they have run up a 6-3 record so far in August and continue to enjoy good fan loyalty and interest despite the recent run of mediocrity.

119 of 162: Merl Crawford (8-6, 3.88) @ Matthew Vidales (1-3, 6.55)
Merl was solid in this one until he wasn’t – he gives up 5 in 6.1 with 3 HR’s against him. We bring Saul in for his first action in a stretch and he gives up the game winner in the bottom of the 8th. Edged by a hot Philadelphia team here, a 6-5 loss, and our trip to Pennsylvania could not be going any worse. Newman is our lone offensive highlight – he hits a 3-run homer in the 4th (his 7th of the year) while Cooke, Zarate, and Weaver all get a couple of hits. Palmer Parker gave us the business – he finished 2 for 3 with a HR in the 7th that signaled the beginning of the end for Crawford.

Attachment 631609

120 of 162: Michael Brisk (9-8, 4.25) @ Josiah Weber (8-9, 3.92)
Josiah, Josiah, Josiah… the man had us on a string today scattering 5 hits over 8 with 1 earned and 8 K’s – he’s 9-9 now and headed in the right direction. Not a lot to highlight for the La La’s in the 3-1 loss to Philly – Brisk was so-so, 3 earned over 6, Somma got a couple of hits, and Mullens manages to get an RBI here, but the star of the show, and so many shows before this one, was Weber – so a tip of the ol’ cap to him. We’ll be back tomorrow, we’re gluttons for punishment.

Attachment 631610

121 of 162: Dejuan Burns (10-7, 3.79) @ Paul Yeager (8-12, 4.17)
Yeager’s fastball tops out at 97, so, um, yeah – not related to Chuck… and we jumped all over him early, scoring 4 in the top of the 1st in the much needed 7-4 win for the La La’s. Newman went 4 for 5 with a double, 2 runs, and 2 RBI, Dejuan improves to 2-2 as a Laker – he allowed 4 to plate in 6 innings tho – and Weaver, Otto, and Dom all get 2 or more hits. With the win, we will at least have something to feel good about while back at the hotel.

Attachment 631611

122 of 162: Case Tunnell (9-4, 3.40) @ Sawyer Dahlgren (8-6, 3.64)
We enter the 7th inning stretch in a 3-3 tie, both pitchers looking OK – though we did get to Sawyer early before he started to dial it in, and we fail to bring this one home as we left Case in one batter too many to earn another L in Pennsylvania by a score of 5-3. Palmer Parker, the man with two last names, does us the honor of bashing out a 2-run homer in the 8th. Case has all 5 runs charged to his account, gives up two home runs, and will now hang his head in shame for the duration of our flight back to LA. Otto hits a triple, Ethan gets 3 hits, and Cooke gets 2 RBI in the losing effort.

Attachment 631612

Propers: Jacksonville Jags RF Paul Swift had himself a day – 4 for 4, with a double, a HR, and 5 RBI in a 7-5 win over the Dallas Cowboys. Swift was drafted 79th overall by Brooklyn in 2075, but, surprisingly, it wasn’t for his speed – the less than fleet of foot Swifty is rated a paltry 35 for speed and has exactly ONE stolen base so far this year. He’s got one heck of an arm in the outfield though…

Attachment 631613

2075 Season (8/16 – 8/18)
 

Los Angeles Galaxy (62-58, .517, 2nd AL West) @ Los Angeles Lakers (68-54, .557, 1st NL West)
Some Interleague ballyhoo against our crosstown rivals… who, at 62-58, are good enough – they make their living in pitching where they are ranked 5th in the AL. At the plate, they are slightly anemic – though they do have a little bit of pop with 4 players in double-digits for HRs. They are led on offense by Heathcote Kinton – a smooth-fielding second baseman who has struggled a bit at the plate this year hitting .234. The Ace of their staff is Medardo Garcia, but he’s 9-9 with a 3.68 ERA – so many of his efforts this year have been wasted. Historically, the Galaxy has made the playoffs 43 times but only have one title to show for it – they’ve made the post-season in 2073 & 2074 after a two-year drought and are currently tracking to slide into the last WC spot this season – but we’ll see – they are definitely not a lock. They are still LA’s favorite team though, and while we aim to change that we still have some ground to make up in Fan Interest where they rate an 86 to our 77 – however, given the fickle nature of the Los Angeles fan, a deep run in the playoffs for the La La’s should take care of that. Or not. Who knows… this is LA we are talking about.

123 of 162: Lee Myers (5-2, 3.48) @ Julen Morales (14-5, 3.27)
Julen has been our Obi-Wan lately – our only hope – and we needed a good one from him today. We didn’t get it, of course, because that’s how these things go lately in La La Land – Julen gives up 3 early and another for good measure, and while we attempt a bottom of the 9th comeback it was all for naught as we lose this one 4-2. Otto sits, Zarate gets a hit and 2 RBI, and Julen throws meatballs for 5.2 innings. He did get 8 K’s though – so that’s cool.

Attachment 631646

Propers: RF Alan Cook of the Quincy Quackers went 3 for 3 with 2 HR, 5 RBI, 4 Runs, and 4 BB’s in Quincy’s 21-6 victory over the Coney Island Footlongs. The former Compton washout (we released him in 2072) has played on 3-teams over 3 years in the Bush League – with stops in Decatur & Naperville before landing in Quincy for the 2075 season where he is a 4-time player of the week and 1-time player of the month. He also won a rookie of the month award while with Decatur, was suspended for two games for his part in a ruckus while with Naperville, and hit 3 HR’s in a game against the Nolanville ‘Nauts earlier this year.

Attachment 631647

124 of 162: Larry Ramirez (10-7, 3.56) @ Merl Crawford (8-6, 4.04)
Holy Frijoles… we’re terrible right now – easily in our worst form of the year. LAG’s Layton Powell gave us the business today – 4 for 5 with a HR, 2 R, and 2 RBI – as we lose yet again, this time by a score of 5-1. Ramirez gives up 1 over 7 while Merl does the same – though we’d get him an unearned run with a fielding flub (our suckage is all-encompassing). Bae gives up 3 in relief (or lack thereof depending on your perspective) and we do jack & squat at the plate. Otto is back from his day of rest – but who cares? He didn’t do anything with the opportunity. Ours is a tired, sad, and passionless club at the moment – I’m legit surprised that I haven’t been fired yet.

Attachment 631648

125 of 162: Medardo Garcia (9-9, 3.68) @ Michael Brisk (9-9, 4.26)
Brisk comes through – gets in a groove, stays there, and gives us 8 innings of work where he only allows 3 hits and 1 run to plate – La La’s get a WIN by a score of 3-1. Kawka gets his 8th save – he’s 8 for 10 in save situations now and starting to get back to his old self. Offensively – we don’t really do much here, but what we did do was enough – Mullens, Cooke, and Nehemiah each drive in a run while Otto busies himself by striking out twice. Mullen hit his 19th homer today – in the 5th. We needed this one, we got it, and now have to figure out how we carry it forward – we’ve been in a bit of a tailspin and can’t afford to continue losing.

Attachment 631649

2075 Season (8/12 – 8/18; Player of the Week)
 

Palmer Parker – the man with two last names – earned Player of the Week honors in the National League. This requires a special note, I think, because he did a lot of his damage against the Lakers – we had him for 4 straight and wish we didn’t. For the week he hit .480 with 4 HR and 10 RBI – 2 of his homers and 6 of his RBIs came at our expense. Drafted 4th overall in 2073 out of East Carolina by the Panthers – Palmer finished 2nd in the 2074 Rookie of the Year vote with Carolina before they traded him to Philadelphia. Since joining the 76ers – Palmer has brought his leadership and world-class work ethic to the club and is well-respected by his peers – and it certainly doesn’t hurt that he has hit .314/.375/.500 with 10 HR and 33 RBIs since arriving in the city of Brotherly Love. Great addition by Philly and potentially the spark plug that gets them to the playoffs this year.

He's hit 3 walk-offs and 1 grand slam so far in his career. Not a bad start - he'll be one to watch for sure. Might have to take a flier out on this cat.

Attachment 631657

2075 Season (8/19 – 8/21)
 

Los Angeles Lakers (69-56, .552, 1st NL West) @ Portland Timbers (61-62, .496, 4th AL West)
There’s a popular refrain in the PNW that goes, “Keep Portland Weird”, it’s fun, a badge of honor, they even have a sign (and keychains, mugs, shirts, etc). But Portland isn’t weird – it’s quirky, a PNW oddball, eccentric in a fun way. I like Portland – and I always like being in the dugout across from Angry Eloy – but I’ll be in the box seats tonight given that he’s out of the lineup (though it is possible that he makes an appearance in this series – depending on rehab effectiveness). At 61-62, it isn’t the offense that has failed Portland – they rank 2nd behind the Jets, but if I’m honest, I think they are a bip or two better than them. They may not be as consistent a performer as the New York crew, but they do it at the most opportune of times – the problem, then, is that there pitching hasn’t put them in opportunistic positions often enough and at 11th in the American League their hurlers leave a lot to be desired. With guys like Monte Loftus (.315/15/74) & Austin Tolzmann (.350/14/54) leading the way – the Timbers can put some wood on the ball and have you hurting in a hurry – our pitchers will need to be with it if we are to get some wins on this trip. Their staff is anchored by righty Peter Garcia – he’s been good, but his numbers resemble that of a #2 guy, not an Ace and at 10-6 with a 3.77 ERA this season you can’t help but wonder what this club could have done with a better man at the top of the rotation. They look to be on the outside looking in come playoff time – but, there is lots of baseball left, and, when it comes to this league… I’m consistently wrong about these things.

126 of 162: Dejuan Burns (11-7, 3.87) @ Rex Marler (5-8, 5.83)
This one is a real barn-burner – more enjoyable for the fans than a GM, but I digress – by the time we hit the 7th inning stretch we have 15 runs between us and the La La’s have the lead, 8-7 – thanks to a 6 run burst in the 6th & 7th. In the end, we’re able to hang on and win it by that count – we get three good innings from Saul, who came on in the 5th, and Kawka gets save #9 – Pepper came up huge for us in a 3 for 5 performance with 4 RBI, Mullens hit homer #20, Otto walks twice and scores a run, and Newman brings two home in this one. An offensive slugfest here – where we survive a 1.2 inning performance from Dejuan and win it at the plate. Every player got at least one hit for us today as well – so, we were spreading that love around.

Attachment 631678

127 of 162: Case Tunnell (9-5, 3.53) @ Peter Garcia (10-6, 3.77)
Another win – without the fireworks – for our 3rd in a row… we down the Timbers by a score of 3-1. Case is the difference here – 8, 5-hit innings with 1 earned run – and Kawka picks up save #10. Pepper put us ahead in the 6th with a 2-run single and Otto finished 2 for 3 with 2 runs. Case gets three double plays from the defense today and we steal three bags – making it happen in every facet of the game. A good complete effort from the Purple & Gold here.

Attachment 631679

128 of 162: Julen Morales (14-6, 3.38) @ David Ouwerkerk (9-8, 4.29)
We came out like Kong in the opening (action) sequence of Skull Island, scoring 10 before the 5th and win it by a score of 11-3 to earn a road sweep. Pepper is on a roll – 3 for 4 with THREE doubles, THREE runs, and THREE RBI… Otto finished 2 for 6 with THREE RBI of his own and Ethan scores THREE runs on THREE hits. Otto also gets homer #27. Morales is great over 7 innings, allowing only 2 earned while striking out 5 while Ouwerkerk gives up 8 runs in 3.1 innings of work – we chased him out of there with the quickness today. Good stuff, and a timely sweep – we needed this oh so badly.

Attachment 631680

Propers: Yoshimasa Sugawara went 3 for 4 with a HR and 3 RBI for the City of Compton today in their 7-3 loss versus the Columbus Blue Jackets in Triple-A action. Sugawara signed a minor league contract out of Japan with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2067 and promoted out of the International Complex in 2071 to Nashville where he’d get on the proverbial hamster wheel for 3 seasons. After his release, he was picked up by the 49ers, did nothing of note for them, was released, and finally picked up by us for a closer look. He’s currently batting .249 with 17 homers and 61 RBI for Compton and starting to fulfill some of his potential – we may see him in the Majors as a utility man or spot starter, but it’s not the likeliest of scenarios. He, most likely, is a Bush League guy who’s Major League dreams may go unfulfilled.

Attachment 631681

2075 Season (8/23 -8/25)
 

Los Angeles Lakers (72-56, .563, 1st NL West) @ Phoenix Suns (56-71, .441, 6th NL West)
I built a good club in Phoenix – one with Championship potential and one that could develop into a dynasty. The offense – ranked 4th in the NL - has acquitted my tenure quite nicely with nearly all of the pieces I brought to the table contributing. Jacob Wells has 20 HR and 86 RBI, Cash is batting .311 with 10 jacks, Ray Gerhold is performing admirably in a leadoff role, and even the pieces I decided to keep are all playing well – Jeets batting .286 as the DH and Luca hitting .302. The offense has been a real bright spot for the Suns – so, at 56-71 on the year, what gives? Ligaments, that’s what. Three rotation guys on the IL, with Al Van Wilder (ruptured UCL) and Patrick Keith (torn elbow ligament) out for the season… as such, theirs is a staff built on scotch tape and gorilla glue – it’ll hold for a bit, but if you’re expecting it to be as good as new, you’ll be sadly disappointed. What they do have is Ace in the making, Jack Sanchez-Flores, acting as an Ace – a role he has the potential for, but currently his chops don’t pass muster… I mean, good grief – they have 4 guys in their rotation with 5+ ERA’s – that’s not going to get it done in the AL West – heck, that won’t get it done in the BL or AAA or even NCAA – that won’t get it done in a rec league for Pete’s sake. We have them for 3 here, in their park, and, so far, we have a ho-hum 6-5 H@H record against these guys – including a set where they embarrassed me in my new ballpark, so I go into this one expecting the worst, but hoping for the best.

129 of 162: Merl Crawford (8-7, 3.89) @ Jack Sanchez-Flores (0-2, 11.74)
Well… sometimes these things don’t go as you envision them going – this tilt is, obviously, no different… we find ourselves in an 11-run hole as we enter the 7th inning stretch and on the wrong side of a 1-hitter orchestrated by the not quite ready for primetime Sanchez-Flores. Merl fell apart in the 2nd inning – allowed 6 earned to the Burnt Orange and Eggplant Purple. This is just not how you draw them up. We put up a bit of a fight when Otto breaks up the shutout with a 2-run ding-dong, and Pepper hits a 2-run jack of his own in the same frame – so we get dismantled here, but at least we didn’t let the kid hang the first shutout of his career on us.

Attachment 631689

130 of 162: Michael Brisk (10-9, 4.13) @ Ash Newman (6-13, 5.40)
The other side of the coin – up 3-0 heading into the stretch and holding on for dear life… and we’d give two back to Phoenix before the end of it – winning game two by a score of 3-2. Brisk was all about it for 7.2 innings – he’d give up too late and somehow didn’t K a single batter. Kawka picks up save #11, and the damage is done by Mullens (3 for 4 with a R and an RBI), Zarate (he gets an RBI on a sac fly), and Nehemiah (1 for 4 with a R and an RBI). We get the team cycle – 5 singles, 2 doubles (Zarate/Mullens), a triple (Newman), and a homer (Nehemiah - #4 for him).

Attachment 631690

131 of 162: Dejuan Burns (11-7, 4.00) @ Shiro Nakamura (7-7, 4.46)
Close one – a 4-3 win for the Suns who walk us off in the bottom of the 9th after we tied it up in the top of the frame – Bae is the culprit here… I’ll need to talk to my Skipper about pitcher utilization – there were other, rested options available. This guy just habitually pushes the same buttons over & over & over… it’s maddening. Jacob Wells was 2 for 4 with a HR and 2 RBI on the day – the difference maker today. Otto gets a double and scores, Pepper gets a hit and scores (plus a couple of walks), and Nehemiah gets two RBI, one on a HR and the other on a double. Just not enough to get the series here – we’re now 7-7 against my old club. Boggles the mind.

Attachment 631691

Propers: Newton Wiser went the distance and allowed only a single run for the City of Compton in their 6-1 win over the Newport Beach Gypsies – he also struck out 8, walked no one, and allowed only 4 hits… it only took him 97 pitches to complete the game. Weiser is the #4 prospect in baseball and is, really, the only reason our minor league system is ranked at #11 – I have some work to do there as Phoenix still has the #1 system in the league. Weiser was the 2nd overall pick in 2072, out of Seton Hall, and is one of the few pieces I kept from those provided by the previous regime. He’s 24 now – and should be ready for a full-time slot in the big club next year. Meanwhile, since his trade to the Montreal Impact, Rad Taylor is 1-2 in 7 starts and has allowed 26 runs – I think I got the better of that deal…

Attachment 631692

2075 Season (8/26 – 8/28)
 

Minnesota Timberwolves (62-68, .477, 4th NL West) @ Los Angeles Lakers (73-58, .557, 1st NL West)
The last time we saw these guys, in their park, they took two close ones off of us before we crushed them in the 3rd game of a three-game set – despite their – count ‘em – 12 players listed on the IL. If there is a team more snake bit than Shawna’s T’Wolves you’ll be hard pressed to find them. I’ve never seen anything like it – here you have a team that should be challenging us for the NL West crown that instead is a hobbled, unsteady version of the club they should have been. Meet the team? Why bother – all their top guys are out – nicked & bruised and wholly useless. Theirs is a lost cause, one where guys like Colt DeWees and his 7 HR’s is batting in the 3-hole (maybe – he’s listed DtD with dodgy knees) and 37-year-old Emanuele Lissenberg and his 5.16 ERA acting as their Ace (maybe – he’s exhausted). In short, this is a good club made bad by a terrible case of the injury bug and one that seems to have our number despite their misfortunes – at 5-6 against them for the year, we need to get right with the lord and get a sweep here.

132 of 162: Gregory Highman (5-4, 3.89) @ Case Tunnell (10-5, 3.41)
Tunnell mows through Minnesota like they were only two days’ worth of growth – CG 6-hitter for the champ – he gives up 1 run on the day like it’s no big deal. We drive 5 in and are afforded two more on walks in this one – a 7-1 win for the hometown fans. Jenkins finishes 2 for 4 with a HR, an RBI and 2 runs – this one was a weird 7-run effort where most of the team contributes and our opponent gives us a couple of freebies. How about Tunnell, though? Nice to see the young man put forth such a great effort today – he’s been up and down for us, but today he was a crafty SOB – out there dealing.

Attachment 631819

Propers: Dance & Rejoice – your boy done good, he done real good! Pepper Grant wins Player of the Week honors in the NL. And deservedly so… he was fierce for us.

Attachment 631820

133 of 162: Adam Lymon (7-4, 4.72) @ Julen Morales (15-6, 3.34)
So, this one was a smidge boring – we win it 1-0, Julen picks up where Case left off, goes 8.1 with only 2 hits, nada earned, and lets Kawka get in some work on the last 2 batters – Josiah snipes the win here because our offense was, well, paltry. Mullens, doing the Lord's work, drives in the game-winner on a sacrifice fly, Otto gets a hit, Ruben gets two, and we turn a fierce Jenkins-Daniels-Zarate double-play – a good effort all around. Now, if only our ushers could wake up the crowd to send them home…

Attachment 631821

134 of 162: Damon Smith (2-4, 5.29) @ Merl Crawford (8-8, 4.26)
It was all a dream – a flight of fancy – sweeps, after all, are tough to get, and we wouldn’t get one here as the Minnesota Timberwolves beat us in another snooze-fest (they are the Oakland A’s of this universe) by a score of 3-2. Merl goes 7 – with two earned & 6 K’s – and Bae is jobbed in this one when an unforced error allows one to get across on his watch. The offense sputtered – not much of value to highlight there and we flub two weak grounders to give the T’Wolves an absolute gift of a W here. SMH… These guys, man, I just don’t know about them sometimes.

Attachment 631822

Propers Part II: The Secret of the Ooze – Houston Dynamo stalwart & supreme mustache detailer, Bishop Jones, went 3 for 4 with a double, a homer, 4 riblets, and 2 runs in their 11-5 win over the Portland Timbers. That Bishop, who is a 4-time All-Star and 2071 Silver Slugger recipient, is not donning the Purple & Gold shows my lack of focus with this here dynasty – he has THE STACHE, is, somehow, ENGLISH, and is a Holy Cross alum – this guy screams LA LA LAND. And, he’s a Catcher… C’mon, man, why didn’t I know this guy existed? Also, speaking of guys I’ve never heard of – a dude named Mustafa Boltz (you can’t make this up) has himself a tasty little 20-game hitting streak – his ‘stache game is only so-so, but the name is pure OOTP GOLD.

Attachment 631823

2075 Season (8/29 – 9/1)
 

San Francisco 49ers (61-71, .462, 5th NL West) @ Los Angeles Lakers (75-59, .560, 1st NL West)
At 18-11 since losing four straight to us, in their park, San Francisco has pulled off the neat trick of going on a run where no one player is leading the charge – this run, instead, has been a real team effort – a real “you’re up” mentality of the 49ers right now. Well, that’s not entirely true… since his loss to us on 7/14, Matthew Townsend has been on something of a tear – 6 straight wins where he’s given up no more than 3-runs. He’s out Ace’d their Ace, Landon Sampson, who has gone 1-3 over his last 7 starts – including a game against Minnesota where he was yanked in the 3rd after he’d given up 6 earned runs. It’s offensively, then, where no player has really shined over this stretch – 1B Charlie Hultquist has been solid and went 3 for 4 with a HR and 3 RBI against Orlando on the 10th – since then, though… just another .236 hitter on a roster full of them. Heck, even Hamza has only been so-so during this stretch with only 3 RBI in his last 7 games… But, for all intents & purposes, and against all odds – San Francisco has a little something going right now, and as they roll into La La Land you can bet they have revenge on their mind…

135 of 162: Mark De La Cruz (5-4, 3.12) @ Michael Brisk (11-9, 4.06)
Brisk goes 7-strong with a single earned run before handing the ball off to Matty Olson who brings this one home for us – a 6-1 home win and 5th straight over SF. Mullens went 2 for 5 in the leadoff spot, Pepper finished 1 for 3 and drove in 2 on a double in the 5th, and Newman gets HR #8 in the 4th. The real story here is Brisk who came through with a tip-top effort and earned his 3rd straight win – bringing his ERA under 4 in the process. Let’s hope he’s starting to get hot at the right time.

Attachment 632132

136 of 162: Landon Sampson (3-8, 3.29) @ Dejuan Burns (11-7, 3.91)
Sampson is good through 5, but we’d start to get to him in the 6th – Mullens and Zarate bring in runs during that frame, and we’d get another on Peoples, who pitched 2.2 innings in relief – 4-0 win for the La La’s and our 6th straight against the 49ers. Dejuan was superb over 7.2 innings of 5-hit ball – no earned runs were charged to his account in this one - Guzman and Kawka come on in relief to complete the team shutout. On offense we spread it out a bit in this one – RBI’s for Mullens, Zarate, Otto, and Worth – Pepper finished 0 for 4 but has a hand in both of our double-play’s.

Attachment 632133

I has a sad: Mustafa Boltz – 3rd baseman for the Golden State Warriors, went 0-4 against the Seattle Sounders (Golden State won 9-8, Boltz should’ve gotten at least a hit…), bringing his 21-game hitting streak to a screeching halt.

Propers: SP Shizuka Takeuchi of the Salem Silverbacks (PDX Affiliate), pitched 10-innings of 3-hit baseball en route to a CG shutout in Salem’s 1-0 win over the Newport Beach Gypsies. Takeuchi was selected 20th overall by the Portland Timbers out of LSU in 2073 and is 11-14 with a 2.76 ERA so far this year – at 24 he still has some untapped potential and is tracking to make the big club in PDX by next season – unfortunately, he’s had some injury trouble that has slowed down his development. 2nd AAA guy to go past 9 this season - weird.

137 of 162: Matthew Townsend (17-4, 2.73) @ Case Tunnell (11-5, 3.29)
We successfully bookend Townsend’s winning streak with a purple & gold L on each side – we sent him on his way midway through the 3rd with 5 runs charged to his name and take the win by a score of 6-1 for our 7th straight against these guys… Case is effective for 7.2 innings giving up 5 hits a 1 earned run – Otto, Weaver, and Benavides each get 2 hits – Benavides adds 3 RBI on his game-breaking HR in the 3rd inning.

Attachment 632134

Bad News Bears: SP Heath Zody will miss the remainder of the season after tearing his flexor tendon in a game against the Vancouver Whitecaps – huge loss for San Diego who, at 7-games back, is still probably a near-lock to make the playoffs – but, this will limit what they can do with the opportunity.

138 of 162: Morton Braley (5-3, 3.47) @ Julen Morales (15-6, 3.19)
8-0 against the San Francisco 49ers! Julen goes 8.1, kept SF off-balance throughout the game only allowing 6 hits and 1 earned with 8 K’s… Zarate hit HR #17 – a 2-run shot – and finished with 3 RBI, Newman brought 2 in, and Pepper scores twice. We get the sweep here (again) and capitalize off of the 9ers 3 errors… Great series for the La La’s – I wish we could play these guys every day.

Attachment 632135

More Propers: 1B Trent McGee, of the Nolanville ‘Nauts, went 3 for 5 with a 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, and 3 runs in Nolanville’s 11-5 win over the Coney Island Footlongs (who seem to be making a habit of being on the wrong side of these kinds of performances). McGee, now 30 years old, spent 4 years in the Majors (2 with Dallas & 2 with Houston) between his two Bush League stints – he played for the Sunrise Sashimi Samurai in 2070 where he hit .294 with 19 HR before hitting 30 in Dallas in 2071 (he won the 2071 RoY award in the AL), and finds himself in Nolanville for the 2075 season where he has hit a paltry .224 with 16 HR’s – you only have so many reps in you, and it’s starting to look like Trent is almost out of them – he’s still good for the occasional gonzo performance tho…

Attachment 632136

2075 Season (August Recap)
 

We had something snappy in August, 18-13 for the month with sweeps over Portland and San Francisco, and end the month in possession of the #1 slot of this weeks power rank – we’re hot, but with 24 games left in the regular season you have to hope that we can sustain this stretch and carry it in to the playoffs. With September upon us and the playoffs right around the corner, the West of both leagues look pretty much cooked. We have an 8-game lead on the Chargers who lost one of their key contributors in Heath Zody recently – they’ll be lucky to tread water – and the Seattle Sounders have opened up a 9 ½ lead over the Los Angeles Galaxy in the AL West. Meanwhile, in the NL East, the Montreal Impact, after making some power moves before the trade deadline, are in a good way and have all but taken over – they have a 5 game lead over Brooklyn, who is busy trying to keep the Steelers at bay. The AL East – on the other hand – is still up for grabs… the New York Jets have a 1-game lead over the Jacksonville Jaguars – and Green Bay is only 5 back – but, the Jets are hot, recently took the lead on the back of the 7-3 run over their last 10 and don’t look like they are going to slow down any time soon. Home stretch – plenty of time left for a surprise or two.

Batter of the Month:
AL – LF Aitor Cubas (SEA, 24, Signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2069 – the rare international prospect that works out – 70/80) hit .316 with 11 HR, 21 RBI, and 27 runs in August. He has 29 HR’s so far this year – that’s good enough for 3rd in the MLB.

NL – 3B Cleveland Hunter (MON, 25, Drafted 61st overall by Montreal out of New Mexico in 2071) hit .333 with 8 HR, 20 RBI’s, and 21 runs – he’s a middle of the road type of guy who is maxed out at a 37 rating. Cool name, though.

Pitcher of the Month:
AL – SP Bradley Hughes (SEA, 27, Drafted 2nd overall in 2069 by Seattle out of Michigan State) went 4-1 in 5 starts with 49 K’s. Opposing batters only hit .181 off him in August. He has a real shot at the AL Pacheco this season – we shall see…

NL – SP Jaxson Mottola (MON, 27, Drafted 17th overall in 2069 by Montreal out of Texas A&M) went 5-0 in August with a 2.78 ERA and 31 K’s. He threw two 3-hitters in August and recorded 12 K’s against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

2075 Season (9/3 – 9/4)
 

Los Angeles Lakers (79-59, .572, 1st NL West) @ Vancouver Whitecaps (65-72, .474, 4th NL West)
What do you get when you mix a top-flight pitching staff with an offense that can’t hit itself out of a wet paper bag? If not the Whitecaps, then you’d certainly get something that looks a lot like them – outside of LF Arthur Grant (.347/28/75), Vancouver’s offense is a barren wasteland - a swing & a miss. They are 7th in HR’s, so they know a little bit about exit velocity, but they are a non-factor in pretty much every other offensive category worth tracking – they get on base only 32% of the time – that’s last in the MLB. Dead. Last. So then – what about their pitching? It’s solid, better than solid really, with SP Bill Marvin (12-9, 3.11) leading their 4th ranked Starting Rotation and CL Steven Barbaccia (8 SV, 1.67 – he did most of his damage this season as a set-up man) setting the tone for their 2nd ranked Bullpen, they’ve put up a sturdy line all season. These guys can huck the pill – it’s a frustrating dichotomy for their fans… Savants on the mound and Bush at the plate. Now, having said all that, they’ve been alright against the Purple & Gold – we’re 6-6 against them so far this year and we got them 5 more times before this thing is cooked. These two, in their park, are must-haves – confidence builders – you have to beat the teams you’re supposed to beat.

139 of 162: Merl Crawford (8-8, 4.17) @ Jake Renfer (7-11, 3.76)
Otto leads the offense in this one – 1 for 2 with a 2-run HR, and 2 walks – his 29th homer of the season put us up for good and Merl got the W on 6.1 innings of work where he gave up two runs in this 5-2 road victory. Zarate, Jenkins, and Newman each get 2-hits, and Newman earns RBI #51 for the year – the defense was stout, 2 DP’s today, including a gem that gets Saul out of some trouble in the 8th. Kawka finished it off and earned save #12, while Guzman earned his 4th hold.

Attachment 632244

Propers: 1B Owen Umble, of the Quincy Quackers, went 3 for 5 with 2 HR, 5 RBI, and 3 Runs in his clubs 12-2 victory over the Nolanville ‘Nauts. Umble, after starting 80 games for the Toronto Reds in 2071 (and posting a .182 AVG), has been a Bush League mainstay for the last 4 seasons – he’s suited up for the Gainesville Gamecocks, the Sunrise Supremo, and twice for the Quincy Quackers. Drafted by the 49ers out of Cal State Fullerton in 2059 (57th overall), Owen was never able to really stick in the MLB – though he did manage to bounce between AAA and the MLB for 9 seasons before taking his talents to the BL where, at 37 years young, he will earn $820K to swing the stick. Not a bad way to earn your pay. He’s .246/29/69 with a 2.0 WAR so far this season. And, perhaps more importantly, can shotgun a Hamm’s tallboy while line-dancing without breaking his stride.

Attachment 632245

140 of 162: Michael Brisk (12-9, 3.91) @ Adam Gunter (6-13, 4.04)
Scoreless until the top of the 7th, when Otto & Pepper break-through with back-to-back ding dongs, putting us up 2-0… Brisk was out there dealing busts like a pit bosses favorite blackjack dealer – until he gave up a solo shot in the bottom of the 9th and handed it over to Kawka to bring this one home for us – a 4-1 win for the good guys. We only get 5 hits – 3 of them were taters – and strikeout 6 times. But, we got the ones that counted and continue our run of stout defensive outings. The mini-sweep… underrated, especially when the Purple & Gold string one together.

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But, what about Jules? It’s been a minute since I looked in on Jules Winfield – currently a Sunrise Supremo and making a cool $1.2M to play for the Tacos… He’s currently batting .263 with 19 jacks and 67 RBI’s for the 4th place club in the BL Justice Division. Not terrible, but certainly not what Owner Soloman Reyes Jr. was looking for when he let his GM ink that deal. Jules has been a’ight tho – giving the fans plenty to cheer about… he hit a walk-off at home against Nolanville on 8/18 and has 4 grand salami’s this season. The two-time champ with the St. Louis Rams is out here living the dream. I sincerely hope that he lands back in the Majors before the book on his career is closed – but a few more BL seasons could be fun as well. Hell, I wouldn’t mind GMing a BL club if he was on the roster.

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2075 Season (9/5 – 9/8)
 

Orlando City (63-76, .453, 6th NL East) @ Los Angeles Lakers (81-59, .579, 1st NL West)
Nacho Valadez has no hustle. The Waukesha, WI (home of the Carl Zach Cycling Classic) native and former Nebraska Cornhusker was the #1 overall pick in 2069. He’s been in the Orlando City system his entire Major League career – was highly regarded out of college but has not exactly lived up to his early potential. Nacho is likable though, an Orlando City favorite – quirky, fun, and a little bit weird under the surface, like the city he represents. This will be, when all is said and done, his 3rd year in the majors after two years spent ‘developing’ in Mexico City as a Diablo. After going 11-10 with a 3.38 ERA, 115 ERA+, and a 3.2 WAR in his rookie campaign, Nacho has seen improvements across the board. He’s something of a natural – and it is that ability that has allowed him to develop into a middle of the road Ace who anchors a poor starting rotation. See, Nacho had maxed out potential when he arrived in Orlando, but he’s a good-time boy – and with the good times rolling, there is little time for practice, reps, eating right, and proper rehab between starts. It’s his nature and it’s also what has earned him a reputation for being injury-prone, glass-boned, and, well, fragile. He’s the proto-typical 2075 Orlando City player – who are all a bunch of Nacho’s down to a man – except for PJ Trudell, who spends his days hitting .283 with 30 HR and 92 RBI and his nights wondering what he has done with his life. Orlando is 1st in the NL for OBP – and 7th or worse everywhere else. They should be renamed the Nacho’s – one-trick ponies, possessors of a devastating curveball without a set-up pitch – when they get it over, you’re cooked, but when you force them to dig deeper into their bag of tricks they’re more apt to come up empty than they are with a rabbit.

141 of 162: Nacho Valadez (9-5, 2.81) @ Dejuan Burns (12-7, 3.74)
Dejuan has it going early, and Nacho does not – we put 5 on Valadez through 3 to chase him out of the game early – he’s content to sit on the bench and goof off for the rest of the game – Nacho has no hustle. Burns goes 7 strong, giving up only 3 runs on 8 hits, and Matt Olston does his job in relief. Otto goes 3 for 3 with an RBI and a Run, Mullens finished 2 for 5 with 2 triples (ties the LAL regular season record) and 3 runs, and Pepper drives in 2. We get a double, 3 triples, and a home run in this one – we were swinging the stick today – Lakers win 8-3.

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Propers: 1B Owen Umble was at it again – he finished 4 for 5 with a 2B, a HR, 5 RBI, and 2 Runs in Quincy’s 9-8 loss versus Nolanville. 37 years old, still out here carousing with the local talent, and living the American dream – you don’t have to like the guy - if he’s a little bit country, the rest of us are a little bit Rock N’ Roll - but you must appreciate his vibe.

142 of 162: Vincente De La Cruz (3-4, 4.53) @ Case Tunnell (12-5, 3.21)
Vincente had no problem with our lineup today – when he took risks, they paid off, and when he was conservative with his pitch selection, we acquiesced… Shut out at home by the lowly Orlando City by a score of 2-0. We got five total hits in this one – who cares who got them – this was just one of those games that you accept and move on from.

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The Josiah Effect: Josiah Weber went 8.2 innings, surrendering only 4 hits and 2 runs while recording 9 K’s in Philadelphia’s 13-2 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. The old man ain’t done yet folks – there’s still some life on that fastball, some drop on that curve, and some swagger when he walks back to the dugout after yet another 1-2-3 inning.

More Propers: Naperville Nibblers’ SS Paul Shelton, a recent graduate of Ridgemont Community College and Tasty Waves legend, went 3 for 4 with 2 HR, 4 RBI, 3 R, and a walk in a 7-4 win over the Nolanville ‘Nauts. The young man, despite have a little bit of upside – kid’s a fantastic fielder – went undrafted in 2074 and finds himself plying his trade in the Bush League – you gotta think that with time, he’ll find a way to sign, at least, a minor league contract in the near future. He’s got some potential, just needs the time.

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143 of 162: Anthony Boswell (0-3, 6.58) @ Julen Morales (16-6, 3.09)
The bats stayed cold until the 8th when we manufacture a run on some nifty baserunning and a sacrifice fly – but, we’d give that one back in the top of the 9th – setting up Kumar Bovie’s glorious walk-off HR! The first of his career in our game 3 win by a score of 2-1. Kawka, who came on in the 9th (and gave up the Orlando run) sniped the win while Julen did all the work – 8 innings of shutout baseball for the starter. Both RBI’s recorded by late substitutes, including one courtesy of recent call-up, Rocco Navarro.

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144 of 162: Steve Unger (10-14, 4.79) @ Merl Crawford (9-8, 4.12)
It was a tight ballgame until Newman hits a 3-run homer in the bottom of the 8th – winning the series 3-1, and the game by a score of 9-3. Merl is serviceable – earns his 10th win on a 6 inning, 3 earned performance and Saul closes out the last 3 frames by only allowing 1 hit and striking out 6. Dom was great – 3 for 4 with two doubles, Otto puts #31 out of the park, and Newman goes 2 for 5 including the aforementioned ding dong. The defense makes an appearance in this one as well – two double plays on the day, both orchestrated by Clay Daniels who’s been playing some superb 2B for us of late.

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JULES! Jules Winfield went 2 for 3 with 2 HR, 6 RBI, 4 Runs, and 4 BB’s in the Sunrise Supremos triumphant 20-2 win over the Quincy Quackers. He’s now batting .271 for the season with 21 HR’s and 76 RBIs – putting together another nice year of professional baseball in Florida.

2075 Season (9/10 – 9/12)
 

Montreal Impact (79-64, .552, 1st NL East) @ Los Angeles Lakers (84-60, .583, 1st NL West)
On a tear since the trade deadline, the Montreal Impact have taken over the NL East – they have a 6-game lead over Pittsburgh Steelers, who, at 73-70, are looking solid to make the playoffs as a wildcard. The Impact make their pay off of pitching – lights out pitching – where they have the #1 Starters ERA, Runs Against, FIP, Pitching WAR, and are 2nd in Strikeouts. Guys like Norm Rodriguez (12-8, 3.00), John Aivazian (10-14, 3.54), and Ferdinand Loving (15-8, 3.74), have all been lights out since the deadline and are looking to be formidable come playoff time. We have them for a three-game set here – in our park – and come into the series in fine form. This, then, could be a preview of the 2075 League Championship Series. Or not. Look, the playoffs in Strangeverse are consistent – consistently weird. Bad, ho-hum, poorly constructed, and otherwise unworthy teams have won more than their share of Championships. So, we could both just as easily get eliminated in the 2nd round. This is a problem with my playoff structure – one that I’ve wanted to change but have been too lazy to do anything about – baseball is all about tradition after all. Of course, since you can’t do it on pitching alone in this league – they have some sticks too – in fact, the heart of their order is powerful – good enough to secure the #6 ranking in the NL – and, in 3B Cleveland Hunter, they have a leadoff guy with speed, fielding acumen, and who has a little bit of pop (16 ding dongs thus far)… this is a test, a tough test, and one that I’ll be putting a lot of stock in as we begin to put the finishing touches on what, by all accounts, has been a pretty rip-roaring season.

145 of 162: John Aivazian (10-14, 3.54) @ Michael Brisk (13-9, 3.80)
This one was a real barn burner – a 1-0 loss for the La La’s, and one where not much of note happened for three hours (unless you love pitching). Montreal steals this one in the top of the ninth on an RBI single courtesy of LF Harlem Peterson (side note: Montreal has a guy named Cleveland and a guy named Harlem – on a scale of 1 to awesome that is stupendous). Aguilar and Cooke collect two hits, respectively, and everyone else pretty much sucked at the plate today. Aivazian gets the complete game shutout while Brisk goes 7 innings of shut out baseball before Bae (who kind of sucks at pitching sometimes) gives up the game winner. Bummer biscuits. Bummer biscuits, for real.

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Propers, the, “hmm, that’s interesting”, edition: St. Louis Rams SP Dimitri Pimentel, Vancouver Whitecaps SP Nick Boyer, and Montreal miscreant SP John Aivazian all pitched complete game shutouts today – Pimentel’s was a 4-hitter, while John and Nick both pitched 6-hitters – Nick lost his on an unearned run that plated due to a Mauro Galvan error (it was only his second error of the season – but a big one nonetheless).

ALSO – is it Umble time again? Owen goes 2 for 4 with a double, a homer, 4 RBI, 2 runs, and 2 BB’s in Quincy’s 9-8 win over the Columbia Blowfish in Bush League action – Umble is approaching Bush League legend status with this recent string of rock-solid performances. Like the Boss backed by the E-Street band – he’s got a little something special for the cheap seats.

146 of 162: Jaxson Mottola (6-5, 3.34) @ Dejuan Burns (13-7, 3.74)
Tight contest – where we get a hard-earned win by a score of 3-2 – Dejuan Burns is clutch – goes 7, gives 2 away – and Josiah gets save 14 with the last out recorded on a laser throw from Mullens who catches Easton Thorn trying to stretch an automatic double into a triple. You gotta love the Montreal aggressiveness though… Pepper gets two hits and an RBI, Otto goes 1 for 3, and Cooke turns in a 2 for 4 day. Good food, good fish, good fun.

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Props & Judo Chops: 3B Herbert Merritt of the Dearborn Dilly’s went 4 for 6 with a double, a ding dong, an RBI, 3 runs, and a walk in a 14-3 win over the Hagerstown Hummers in Bush League action. The 25-year old pro out and former San Francisco Don spent three years in the St. Louis development system (all in Sugar Land) before his release in 2074 – but, don’t worry, he landed in the Bush League on an outlandish 5.6M contract with the Dilly’s where he is hitting .258 with 19 jacks and 57 RBI.

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147 of 162: Norm Rodriguez (12-8, 3.00) @ Case Tunnell (12-6, 3.18)
Case was, well, not great – he gave up three homers, including a grand slam in this one. Otto does his level best to get us back on track in the bottom of the 5th – 2-run jack, #32, to get us to within two… but that effort is wasted when Matt Olson, working in relief, gives up – you guessed it – another Grand Slam – giving Montreal a 10-4 lead. Wild, man. Before it was done, they’d put 2 more on us in their 12-4 win. Gross. Former Laker Sammie Fregoso goes 2 for 5 with a run and an RBI, Otto drives in 3, and Jenkins gets an RBI – Grand Slams for the aptly named Mack Ramirez and Easton Thorn – a tough loss for the La La’s.

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Um, you guys, is it Jules Winfield time again? Your boy went 4 for 4 with a double, a triple, 3 RBI, a run, and a walk in the Sunrise Supremos 7-3 win over the Naperville Nibblers. Living the dream, man – hitting .279 now with 21 homers and 79 riblets. Good on him – Jules is legend.

2075 (9/13 – 9/15)
 

San Diego Chargers (74-72, .507, 2nd NL West) @ Los Angeles Lakers (85-62, .578, 1st NL West)
San Diego spent a good bit of the 2075 season humming along – solid, good, on the precipice of MLB greatness. They’d had kept on pace until late August when SP Heath Zody was lost for the season due to a torn flexor tendon. Heath wasn’t the be all, end all – he’s good, not great – but his loss due to injury seemed to be the straw that broke the camels back. He is their 3rd starter to go down this season, which has tested the Chargers depth at the position. They’ve lost Arnaldo Romero (a solid #2 guy, and a lefty) and Prior Balazs, who, along with Heath, filled that ¾ slot (depending on matchup) quite nicely. When healthy – the Chargers had a rotation that could be difficult to navigate for even the most offensively talented club. They’re still ranked #3 in Starters ERA, but after pillaging the pen to patch together a rotation are ranked 12th in Bullpen ERA and Pitcher WAR. The offense is good – 2nd in Batting WAR, 3rd in OBP, and 4th in both RS and AVG. This is a nice collection of sticks – who play a sturdy defense in the field – and have the speed and baserunning ability to wreck things in a hurry. The are led off by Travis Scharmer – hitting .298 this year with a .348 OBP and 69 stolen bags. With him setting the table, RF Kelford Jackson and 1B Benjamin Compton have 181 RBI between them and have a combined 34 round trippers this season. They’re 4-7 so far this month, but will, undoubtedly, come in with some focus as these division rivalry games tend to mean a bit more to all the players involved.

148 of 162: Rod Garcia (8-10, 3.98) @ Julen Morales (16-6, 2.96)
Hot Rod Garcia holds the La La’s scoreless for 7 innings until Newman drives in our only run on a two-out double, and Jude Varela hits a 2-run shot off of Morales in the 4th – San Diego gets the win by a score of 5-1. Newman and Daniels both finish with 2 hits, Otto gets rung up twice, and Julen gives up 5 total on the day to earn his 7th loss of the season – his ERA is back over three now. Flummoxed by Hot Rod in this one – the 28-year old Houston native acquits himself nicely here.

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149 of 162: Burt McElheny (14-8, 2.95) @ Merl Crawford (10-8, 4.13)
Big Burt had zero chill over 8 innings while we stayed stuck in a mini-malaise that has had us under the weather for 3-straight losses – a 6-2 win for the Chargers. SDC 3B Jamie Burke did some damage – a 3-run triple in the top of the 6th. Merl was trash – poor command over 6, allowing 7 hits, 5 earned, and 4 free passes. Jenkins gets 2 hits, no one else does anything of note – Otto finishes 0 for 4. We did get a couple of nifty double-plays – fun, but not the kind of fun our fans are looking for.

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Propers: RF Dylan Brockmiller, of the Decatur Donnybrooks, finished 2 for 3, with 2 HR, 3 RBI, 2 runs, and a walk in Decatur’s 7-2 win over Jules and the Supremos. Brockmiller spent 10 seasons in the Majors before taking his talents to the Bush League, where he has played stints in Dearborn, Hagerstown, and now Decatur. The former Binghamton Bearcat was drafted 38th overall by the St. Louis Rams in 2064, won two championships with St. Louis and Chicago respectively, and made the all-star team in 2070 when he hit .298 with 36 HR’s and 99 RBI. He’s hit two grand slams this season for Decatur and is hitting .282 with 30 HR and 76 RBI so far this year.

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150 of 162: Cameron Wan (1-1, 3.95) @ Michael Brisk (13-9, 3.68)
Late heroics from Otto save the day and help us avoid a sweep – a 2-run jack in the bottom of the 8th that put us up for good – La La’s get one by a score of 3-2. Wan hit us with his best shot but was left out there one batter too many – Kawka gets his 15th save (in 18 attempts) and Brisk, while dodgy, kept it close for 5.2 innings of 9-hit ball. A 2 for 4 day for Mr. Isaac and Mullens drive in a run early on a double. We get a sweet outfield assist from Mullens in this one too – a solid defensive effort for the Purple and Gold. Still, not anywhere near the form we need to rediscover though – as we continue to slog our way through the muck, we’ll need to find a way to rediscover some swag.

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Propers: With the playoffs underway in the International League, Quirk Benoit of the Hartford Whalers, delivered a complete game, 6-hit, shutout against the Sacramento Kings in game 1 of their 3-game wildcard series. Hartford wins it 4-0 and gets a good offensive effort from 3B Arlen Braun who went 2 for 4 with 2 runs and an RBI. His first of the two hits was a solo homer in the 3rd inning with 2 outs on the board.

We have mathematically secured our spot at the dance – so, that’s cool, but also drop to 4th in the weekly power rank after our recent struggles. Green Bay, Chicago, and Montreal are all rated above us in the poll – in that order. I won’t mind if the La La’s don’t win it all – sure, it’d be disappointing – but I’ll be beside myself if Green Bay takes the crown. I hate them.

2075 Season (9/17 – 9/18)
 

Los Angeles Lakers (86-64, .573, 1st NL West) @ Minnesota Timberwolves (72-77, .483, 3rd NL West)
If you’re like me, you can think of a million things you’d rather do then spend 2 days in Minneapolis in September – still peak mosquito season, I don’t care what the locals say – but, this is baseball, and in baseball, sometimes, you find yourself in Minnesota for two games in September bookended by days off before heading to Phoenix. Or is that just me? Look, we’ve discussed this, Shawna has a good club in Minnesota – one made bad in the most nefarious of ways… injuries, lots & lots of injuries. So, then, what do they have worth mentioning right now? Not much, to be honest, but, if pressed, I’d go with Brentley Ioannidis, their second baseman, in a pinch. Former Laker – kind of… we traded him when he was still sewing his oats in Compton – and current Minnesota power amp. 21 HR’s from the 7th spot in the lineup. He bats .286, meh, and only has 69 RBI (the league leader, some goofball from Seattle, has 113, so…), but this kid (26 years young) has some promise. The Tennessee Volunteer alum was drafted by LAL (it was the accent, it sold us) 47th overall in 2070, but we traded him in 2071 to OKC (now MIN) for a collection of stiffs that never really factored on our club. Now, since that unfortunate trade, Brentley has a Gold Glove and a 2075 All-Star appearance to his name – he’s on his way. That he’s currently in something of a slump bodes well for us – unless he wakes up for this two-game tilt – and gives me some semblance of confidence that he won’t pad the ol’ HR column much when we’re in town. But, here’s the thing – Shawna’s team is dangerous against us, we’re 7-7 against them and thus, we need to win both of these for me to feel good about our immediate (read: playoff) future.

151 of 162: Dejaun Burns (14-7, 3.70) @ Emanuele Lissenberg (5-7, 6.01)
What is it that the Click says about 151? Doesn’t matter… let’s baseball. What does matter, though, and what will henceforth be on the permanent record, is that we smoked Minnesota today 12-3. Jenkins was studly – 3 for 5 with a homer and 2 RBI, Dejuan was dastardly – 8.1 innings with only three allowed, and Dom hit a 2-run double that on its own would have been enough. The 2-RBI club – Newman, Cooke, Zarate, Jenkins, and PEPPER. We were firing on all cylinders today.

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Propers: Isaiah Zuno, former Phoenix flunky, current Brooklyn hero, went 7.1 innings, allowed 5 hits, no runs, a walk, and 8 K’s in the Citizens 2-0 win over the Montreal Impact – big win for Brooklyn here as Montreal took their spot and isn’t looking to relinquish it any time soon. Zuno is quietly putting together his best season at 31-years young – at 3.9 WAR and counting…

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152 of 162: Case Tunnell (12-7, 3.39) @ Gregory Highman (8-5, 3.61)
Feeling Minnesota – hurt, confused, a shell of their potential self – we school them here, get a tasty little mini-sweep, and drop a 4-0 shutout on their doorstep. Case was met with little resistance, 5 scattered hits over 6 innings of work – in a game that was called in the 6th due to crappy weather (haven’t seen that before in OOTP – and I’ve logged enough hours to call this thing a legit addiction). Pepper goes 1 for 3 with riblet and a run – and we get two on errors as Minnesota was all about shooting themselves in the foot today. Somewhere there is a scorned OKC fan celebrating this supreme display of ineptitude.

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Propers, again: Milt Montemayor gives his Hartford Whalers a 2-1 lead over the Sacramento Kings in the International League Playoffs thanks to his complete game, 4 hit, shutout win. The Whale wins it 1-0 to take a 2-1 lead in their 1st round series. Milt, the 41st overall pick in 2073 out of Missouri, has posted a 15-5 record for Hartford this year and is projected as a borderline MLB starter. This is a kid who adapts, who can employ the mechanism – never nervous – and, who, in time, can potentially be a nice addition to the 76ers big club.

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