[Westheim]

Raccoons (3-3) vs. Falcons (4-2) – April 10-12, 1995

We faced Robbie Campbell in the opener, who had pitched 8.1 innings of scoreless ball in his first start. He lived up to expectations in the game, which was also true for our Jason Turner, who walked anybody who was willing to hold still for long enough. Campbell scattered seven hits over eight scoreless innings, while Turner allowed three runs while pitching into the seventh, walking six. Vela and Martinez came apart some more in the top 9th, and that was about the game. 5-0 Falcons. Baldivía 2-3;

Game 2’s first inning was peculiar in its own right. It saw Neil Reece ending the top 1st by throwing out a runner at home, and in the bottom 1st Neil Reece *was* the runner thrown out at home to end the inning. The Coons still took a 1-0 lead on Matt Higgins’ bases-loaded 2-out single off Terry Wilson, who made his first start of the season. Also, the run was unearned. The bottom 2nd saw Wilson getting skinned brutally. With two down and nobody on, he walked Miguel Lopez, which was a shame, but the punishment that followed was outright epic: Brewer singled to left, bringing up Quinn (who started over Kinnear against the lefty Wilson), who grounded back to Wilson, and Wilson threw wildly past first base, scoring Lopez. Green came up, and hit a 2-run triple over Christian Dunphy in center. Reece singled, scoring Green. O-Mo then ALSO hit a ball over Dunphy for an RBI double. And then came Matt Higgins (who started at short) and hit a furry delicious home run to left. 8-0 Raccoons, and all the runs were unearned! Now everybody was waiting for Lopez to blow it. He came pretty close. In the top 4th, he went to 3-ball counts on the first three batters, allowing a single and two walks in the course of the inning. After getting screamed at by the pitching coach, he struck out the next two and Neil Reece collected a lazy flyer by Melvin Kirk for the final out. The screaming helped, by the way. Lopez was a different pitcher after that, surrendering only one more single for the rest of this start. Grant West would load the bases in the ninth, but Reece got him out of there with a great grab to end the game. 9-0 Raccoons. Quinn 2-4, BB; Green 2-5, 3B, 2 RBI; Reece 2-3, 2 BB, RBI; O’Morrissey 2-5, 2B, RBI; Higgins 2-4, BB, HR, 3 RBI; Ingall 3-4, BB, 2B; Lopez 7.0 IP, 7 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K, W (1-0);

You won’t often see a pitcher with a WHIP higher than his ERA. Miguel Lopez so far: 1.74 ERA, 2.03 WHIP …

Vázquez was in for game 3, having an eventful first inning in that he gave up a run and smacked LF Djordje Nedic in the wrist. Nedic left the game, but it didn’t look like he had the wrist broken. It just turned blue a bit. He would not be the only casualty in the game. But for the moment, Vázquez hung in there, while Jesus Lopez, who had been flushed down the 7.50 ERA toilet in his first start, held the Coons shy of anything. Royce Green got on to lead off the bottom 6th, the score still 1-0 Falcons. Reece grounded to short and Green got entangled in a collision at second base, and HE was the guy that was hurt. Uh-oh. The Coons didn’t score in the inning. While Vázquez went the distance, the Falcons replaced Lopez for the bottom 9th with – you remember him well – Richard Cunningham. Oh, we’re done. I had to go deep into my playbook for this one. Higgins led off and for the heck of it, laid down a bunt – and was safe. O-Mo was supposed to bunt him over, but got Higgins forced out. Vinson came up, who had already swung at air a few times in the game. Well, first pitch, maybe he can – BOAH, LOOK AT THAT SHOT!!! Vinson absolutely CRUSHED Cunningham’s first offering and rocketed it out of right field – the Raccoons walked off!! 2-1 Coons. Vinson 1-4, HR, 2 RBI; Vázquez 9.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, W (1-1);

The injury news were a bruised wrist for Djordje Nedic, but who cared about that. Royce Green came up with a strained hamstring. That’s at least one month on the DL, and now we can test our outfield depth and resistance to break into tears.

Since we needed a centerfield backup to Neil Reece, this led to more roster shuffling. See, if like Vern Kinnear had gone down, I had called up corner outfielder Cristían Ortíz from AAA and hit the market for remnants of winter. But I needed a CF backup, so I called up Luke Newton, who played all outfield positions well. Newton, 23, was our 1992 first round pick, and he was not ready for the big leagues, but I needed him now to start like once a week and not stand in the way on the other days. Newton had not been on the 40-man roster, which was filled by adding him.

Raccoons (5-4) @ Crusaders (4-5) – April 14-16, 1995

This early, the Crusaders ranked 11th in runs scored and starters’ ERA, but the Coons had just lost their biggest gun, so maybe we were even?

The Crusaders fielded lefty David Ramirez (0-1, 9.95 ERA) in the opener against Scott Wade. Ramirez was perfect the first time through the Coons lineup, while Wade gave up a solo homer to C Ruben Melendez in the second inning. The Furballs got their first two men on in the top 4th, killing whatever bid there was, but could not score, while Ramirez ended the bottom 4th like the bottom 2nd at the plate, leaving runners on the corners against Wade. In the top 6th, the Raccoons left the bases loaded, and in the bottom 6th Wade was taken deep again, this time by Pat Jenkins, 2-0. Getting Ramirez out of the game after seven didn’t help, but the Crusaders jumped on Ken Burnett and Jackie Lagarde for three runs in the bottom 8th. 5-0 Crusaders. Reece 2-4;

The middle game had Kisho Saito against Hector Lara, with David Brewer immediately setting things right by way of a leadoff homer in the first. Saito put the first two men he faced on, but pitched through that, and when Lara led off the bottom 3rd and singled, he tried to make it two bases, but even Chih-tui Jin, who started in right, could throw him out there. No team really did much more through six. Saito led off the top 7th with a bloop single, and Brewer walked. Two on, no out, boys, we need some offense. Baldy came up and singled to right to load the bases. O-Mo, batting third, popped Lara’s second pitch up high into shallow right center – but nobody made the play! The ball dinked in, and everybody moved up a base. Reece got Brewer forced out at home with a grounder, and Kinnear flew out gingerly to shallow center. Jin came up and just didn’t swing, drawing a walk from Lara, which pushed in our third run, before Salazar grounded out. The Coons failed to score the last two innings, but Saito was still around. He stood at 108 pitches with a 3-0 lead to hold. De La Rosa was warming up to replace Saito at the slightest provocation by the Crusaders. Like a leadoff single by Victor Martinez. Pitching change, please! Gabby put lefty Alfonso Rojas on with another single, before he collected outs, but surrendered Saito’s run along the way. 3-1 Raccoons. Brewer 2-4, BB, HR, RBI; Baldivía 2-5, 2B; O’Morrissey 2-4, BB, RBI; Saito 8.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, W (2-0) and 1-3;

Win one, lose one, win one, lose two, win one … that’s a good way to come up .500; C’MON BOYS!! We want to be better!!

Rubber game, enter Jason Turner, and brace for a walk fest. Luke Newton made his big league debut, starting in left field against Cipriano Miranda (1-1, 4.50 ERA). Miranda blacked out the Coons the first time through the order, while Turner fell 1-0 behind in the bottom 3rd, but Baldivía re-tied the game with a solo home run in the fourth inning. We then took a 2-1 lead in the top 5th when O-Mo drew a bases-loaded walk with two out (Reece flew out softly after that), and then Turner imploded. Having walked none through four innings, he issued a walk, a single, another walk, and then a single to Miranda, without retiring anybody. The Crusaders abused him for two more runs and a base-running blunder prevented them from scoring more. Top 6th with rain falling, and now the Coons loaded them up with nobody out against Miranda. Down 4-2, Newton stepped in at the plate. Please, no double play, no double play, no double – a walk! Newton drew a full count walk from Miranda! Down 4-3, Kinnear hit for Turner, but lobbed out. Brewer looked at strike three from John Hatt, as Miranda was also removed from the game, but Hatt went on to walk Baldy, which tied the game. Still bases loaded. C’mon O-Mo! Full count, everybody in motion – another walk! Reece was next, 2-0 count, a carpet racer up the left foul line – THROUGH MARTIN LIMÓN!! Into the corner! Newton scored! Baldy scored! O-Mo scored!! 3-RUN DOUBLE NEIL REECE!!! That capped a 6-run inning with kind support of the Crusaders’ staff, and we now led 8-4. Now we were able to watch the bullpen struggle to hold on to a 4-run lead. Tony Vela collected five outs before plunking a batter, and from there on out it was rowing upstream. We got to the bottom 9th still up by four, and with Martinez in. He got one out, then surrendered two line drive hits to put runners in scoring position. Gabby to the rescue, please? Martin Limón hit into run-scoring groundout to Brewer, before Gabby gave up an RBi single to Steve Cobb. Tying run to the plate with two down: Alfonso Rojas. He grounded out to Brewer. Phew! 8-6 Raccoons. O’Morrissey 1-1, 4 BB, 2 RBI; Reece 2-5, 2B, 3 RBI; Vinson 2-5; Vela 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K;

Raccoons (7-5) @ Indians (10-3) – April 18-20, 1995

The Indians had won nine in a row, would throw three left-handers at us, and those left-handers were key in their staff allowing only 41 runs through 13 games. We were in a boat load of trouble, apparently, even more so with our early on most prolific right-handed batter on the shelf for the month.

Neil Stewart (1-1, 4.79 ERA) seemed to be the weakest of the bunch, having exerted no control over his stuff so far this year. But that was nothing that was not true for Miguel Lopez, and Stewart was a 31-yr old veteran with 152 wins under his belt. He knew how to stay afloat. Both teams would utterly fail in RISP situations in this game, and RISP situations there were plenty. The Indians scored first in the bottom 2nd, an unearned run on a Luis Gonzalez bloop single that Bobby Quinn had to pick up twice. They upped that to 2-0 in the fifth against a mostly hapless Lopez. Stewart gave the Coons fits and allowed less runners the deeper the game went. The score still 2-0, Stewart remained in there for the ninth, facing Reece, Quinn, and Higgins. Reece walked, and Quinn pressed a single past 2B Angel Gonzalez. Tying runs on, the Indians made no move to remove Stewart. Higgins came up and grounded into a fielder’s choice at second base. Runners on the corners for Chih-tui Jin. Stewart went to 3-1, then slipped on his fifth pitch and didn’t deliver – but that’s a balk! Reece came home, and the tying run went to second base in Higgins. Jin flew out to right, and now closer Jim Durden came on to face Jose Rod- no, we bring in Kinnear here. I need a left-hander, even if he’s batting a hundred. Kinnear grounded out. 2-1 Indians. Brewer 2-4; Jin 2-4, 2B;

Actually, Kinnear was batting .080 before grounding out. Ouch. Don’t ask how much he’s hitting now. I don’t dare look.

The middle game, with the hope of getting more offense (ha-hah). Vázquez looked at Vernon Robertson (2-1, 2.75 ERA), who had long been with the Canadiens. Kinnear led off the second inning and Robertson went to 3-0 on him. Oh, fine. Draw the – he jabbed at it! But it was fine. Kinnear doubled into the gap in left center after getting a pretty fat 3-0. The team left Kinnear on, and it soon became one of those games. The Indians had a runner on with two out in the third inning. Luis Gonzalez grounded behind first, Baldy to Vázquez, and Vázquez dropped it. That brought up Tomas Maguey, and was there any way he would not hit it outta there? Nope, 3-run shot, 3-0 down. The Coons were nowhere near tying that score as long as Robertson was in the game, but left a few runners at third base whenever they pleased. Down 4-0, Brewer hit a leadoff double in the top 8th that got Robertson out, and with one out we had the bases loaded for Kinnear. Tim Hess got him to foul out on the first pitch. Higgins with two down, 0-3 on the day, doubled into the gap in left center, emptying the bags with a double. That meant we still had to make up a run. Maybe Vinson again? He singled Hess’ first pitch into right, where Luis Gonzalez was too slow to get it back in before Higgins had blown around third and had come home. Tied game. Lagarde was put into that scenario, got an out, then walked Luis Maldonado (who had taken Vázquez deep in the sixth), and then left the game after pulling something in his abdomen. Burnett surrendered the run, and Jim Durden set the Raccoons back to .500 … 5-4 Indians. Brewer 2-4, BB, 2B; Baldivía 2-5, 2B; Kinnear 2-4, 2B; Vinson 2-4, 2B, RBI;

Jackie Lagarde was DTD with a mild abdominal strain for about four days, it seemed, which tied in nicely with the overall state of affairs. Everything that happened, happened in the most inopportune way imaginable.

Brewer got rest on Sunday with me fully expecting a clean sweep.

The Indians started Dan George and his recordless 2.51 ERA. George had a wild day. The only thing lacking to complete wildness would have been pink hair. The Coons scored twice on him in the third inning, and completely dismantled him in a shocking 9-run fifth inning (seven on George). You know their guy has a bad day when your pitcher knocks him out with a 2-out RBI single that makes it 7-0. Wade was pitching well, but also had luck, like in the bottom 5th, where the Indians had runners on the corners with one out, and Luis Maldonado made for home on a flyout to Reece, only to be gunned down at the plate. Up 11-0, Reece and O-Mo were removed after six, and Vinson after seven, while Wade was quietly doing his job. The Indians broke up the shutout (and Wade) in the eighth, so no accolades but a pat on the shoulder and a kind “Good job” for Wade. 12-1 Raccoons. Higgins 2-5, RBI; Baldivía 3-6, 2B, 3 RBI; O’Morrissey 2-4, BB, 2B, 3 RBI; Quinn 2-4, BB, 2 RBI; Wade 7.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 3 K, W (1-2) and 1-3, RBI;

In other news

April 18 – SAL OF Will Jackson (.189, 3 HR, 7 RBI) is out for at least a month with shoulder tendinitis.
April 18 – VAN SP Orlando Blanco (1-1, 3.95 ERA) sparkles in a 3-hit shutout (7-0) against the Titans. Blanco needs the result, he is 22-50 with a 4.98 ERA for his career.
April 19 – The Warriors sophomore CF John Hensley (.200, 1 HR, 8 RBI) looks like he will miss a month with a separated shoulder.
April 20 – CHA SP Robbie Campbell (4-0, 0.86 ERA) joins the 200-wins club with eight innings of 1-run ball in a 3-1 win of the Falcons over the Bayhawks. Campbell, who is 200-137 for his career with a 3.20 ERA, was the 8th overall pick by the Canadiens in the 1977 draft. He pitched for them in the big leagues from 1980-1991, and then joined the Falcons. He has 2,261 strikeouts in 3,076.1 innings and is in the final year of a 4-yr, $3.4M contract with the Falcons.

Complaints and stuff

We picked up 27-yr old SP Israel Gallegos, an experienced AAA starter, on a minor league deal. He was assigned to where he knows best, AAA. He made two appearances for the Wolves in 1991. He has no options, so he would be a long term injury replacement.

As things are at the moment, we have $239k of budget space available and will highly likely blow through that four-fold in the draft. With the 15th place budget we have the fifth-highest payroll in the league…

The offense is spotty, scoring either one or no run(s), or a million in a game. The guys that are struggling are not hard to name. Salazar, Reece, Quinn, Rodriguez, in no particular order.