[Westheim]

Raccoons (72-84) @ Loggers (97-59) – September 29-October 1, 2003

There was little reason to believe that the fantastic drubbing the Raccoons had received at the hands of the Titans last weekend wouldn’t continue in Milwaukee, especially since the Loggers, first in runs scored, third in runs allowed, could not afford to let one get away. A single loss will eliminate them from playoff contention.

Projected matchups:
Edgar Amador (6-5, 3.82 ERA) vs. Ramiro Gonzalez (14-11, 4.00 ERA)
Felipe Garcia (6-6, 4.19 ERA) vs. Martin Garcia (15-9, 3.01 ERA)
Nick Brown (9-13, 3.86 ERA) vs. John Miller (12-6, 3.72 ERA)

Where will the Raccoons pick in the 2004 Amateur Draft? Right now everything between #3 and #11 is up for grabs. We picked #7 the last couple of years. Not that we are going to tank intentionally. We can well tank UNintentionally.

Game 1
POR: SS Guerin – 2B Ingall – LF Reece – RF Brady – 1B Rojas – CF Torrez – 3B M. Ramirez – C Thomas – P Amador
MIL: 2B B. Hernandez – RF C. Ramirez – LF Hiwalani – 1B M. Woods – 3B J. Cruz – CF Fletcher – SS T. Johnson – C C. Ramos – P M. Garcia

Gonzalez was a late scratch and instead we faced Martin Garcia right away, which made for a nasty surprise. Garcia retired the first six Raccoons, which was not a big feat in itself, but he struck out all six except for Marvin Ingall. The Loggers plated one run in the first, but Miguel Ramirez equalized with a leadoff home run in the third inning. He was the only other batter not to strike out in the first three innings, and Garcia reached 10 K in the fourth! He fell behind at the same time, though, walking Ingall, allowing a double to Brady, an RBI single to Rojas, and then scored Brady with a wild pitch. 3-1 Coons, but Amador couldn’t hold on and Jorge Cruz tied the score with a 2-run shot in the bottom 5th. Amador went into the seventh, but was whacked hard for two runners in scoring position with one out. Huerta came in, got a poor grounder from Mac Woods, but then Cruz singled over the head of Ingall and both runs scored. Garcia struck out 13 over eight innings, tying the Milwaukee franchise record. The Raccoons got the tying runs into scoring position in the ninth against Robbie Wills, but ultimately couldn’t get the ball out of the infield again. 5-3 Loggers. Brady 2-4, 2B;

CL North: The Titans lost 9-6 to the Indians to keep the CL North mathematically open.
CL South: Charlotte beats the Thunder 6-4 at home to break the tie for the lead in their favor, they now lead by one game.
FL East: Topeka beats Nashville 7-5 in 10 innings to extend their lead over the Blue Sox to three games.
FL West: Salem W 7-2 @ Sacramento, Denver W 9-1 @ L.A., division race remains tied.

We are by now 1-9 for our last ten games.

Game 2
POR: CF Torrez – 3B Sharp – RF Brady – 1B Martin – LF Beairsto – SS Guerin – 2B Palacios – C Ledesma – P F. Garcia
MIL: 2B B. Hernandez – RF C. Ramirez – LF Hiwalani – 1B M. Woods – 3B J. Cruz – CF Fletcher – SS T. Johnson – C Benitez – P J. Miller

Gonzalez continued to be unavailable with a neck problem.

Al Martin hit #27 in the first, putting two runs on the board early for the Furballs. When his turn came up again in the third with two out and two on, the Loggers’ John Miller wanted no part of him and timidly walked him, before falling to 2-0 on Beairsto, but Beairsto was eager to do damage, which he hadn’t done in a while, and grounded out to second base. The Loggers’ first hit also plated their first run, and RBI double by Bartolo Hernandez with two out in the bottom 3rd, bringing the score to 2-1. That was still the score in the bottom 7th in which Garcia, after a good run to try to overcome a horrible September, just plainly got stuck. The bases were loaded with two outs and the always dangerous Hiwalani, who had driven in merely 103 this year, and this was a spot for a righty with more juice than Garcia. Manuel Martinez came out, got ahead 1-2, Hiwalani still put it in play, but Sharp made a nice play and the inning ended with the lead standing at 2-1. Martinez also pitched the eighth, while John Miller went the distance of nine for the Loggers – but with two out in the ninth, with Martin on second base, he ran into Palacios, whose 2-run homer widened the margin considerably to 4-1 for our pal Nordahl. Turned out, that Palacios shot was worth every pound in gold, since when Nordahl came in he quickly surrendered a pinch-hit home run to Avery Johnson. That was all the Loggers amounted to, however, and it eliminated them from October. 4-2 Raccoons. Martin 2-3, BB, HR, 2 RBI; Garcia 6.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 6 K, W (7-6); Martinez 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K;

Both teams had only five hits, which is miraculous when you consider the middle of the Loggers’ lineup. However, those power hitters are all right-handers. We will see how Nick Brown can survive them…

CL South: The Thunder scramble late to get past the Falcons, win 7-4, and re-tie the division.
FL East: The Buffaloes claim another one in Nashville, 4-1, moving to a 4-game lead, with a magic number of 2, and a chance to claim the division tomorrow.
FL West: Salem W 6-4 @ Sacramento, Gold Sox thump the Pacifics 10-6, division remains tied

If either Palacios or Neil Reece can hit another homer before this season passes, it would be the first time in franchise history that we have seven double digit dinger hitters.

Game 3
POR: CF Torrez – SS Guerin – RF Brady – 1B Martin – LF Reece – 2B Palacios – C Ledesma – 3B M. Ramirez – P Brown
MIL: 2B B. Hernandez – RF C. Ramirez – LF Hiwalani – 1B M. Woods – 3B J. Cruz – CF Fletcher – SS T. Johnson – C Benitez – P Alvarado

The defeated Loggers threw up Dani Alvarado, who was 6-10 with a 6.32 ERA.

The first inning was a mess. Torrez walked. On the first proper play of the game, Guerin grounded hard to short, where Tom Johnson hurt himself and left the game. Torrez was out. Then Brady singled, and we called a double steal. Pedro Benitez’ throw went into the outfield (and hadn’t gotten Concie anyway), and Concie scored. Al Martin hit a sac fly and the Raccoons were up 2-0. Bottom 1st, Bartolo Hernandez singled, but Brown then whiffed Cristo Ramirez to match his strikeout mark from 2002, Hernandez was caught stealing, and the Loggers didn’t score when Hiwalani grounded out. The Coons added a run in the second on a helpless Alvarado, before Brown fanned Woods to start the bottom 2nd and set a new mark. In a twist of fate, that K got away from Ledesma, however, and Mac Woods reached on the uncaught third strike. With two out, Johnson’s replacement Keith Scott hit a huge fly to deep right that Clyde Brady picked off the top of the fence to end the inning.

Gimme a jacket! It’s CRAZY out here!!

Brown was mostly good, but had a wild episode in the fourth, where the Loggers already had a man on and then Brown walked both Cruz and Fletcher. He struck out Scott, however, and Guerin took care of Benitez’ easy grounder to end the inning. Alvarado was often hit hard, but the outfielders robbed quite a few Coons of doubles. Runs were nevertheless tacked on twice, once with Martin’s 28th homer to make it 5-0. Brown finally ran out of juice in the eighth after whiffing a dozen. A walk to Mac Woods with two out ended his day, and Bruno kept the run from scoring by retiring Cruz. Rockburn walked a pair in the bottom 9th with two already gone, but Huerta got the final out from Hernandez. 5-0 Coons! Brady 2-4, BB; Martin 2-4, HR, 3 RBI; Palacios 2-4; Brown 7.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 5 BB, 12 K, W (10-13);

CL South: The Falcons rout Oklahoma’s September call-up Michael Mitchell, win 9-1, and take a 1-game lead again.
FL East: Dan George decimates the Blue Sox in a 7-0 shutout to claim the division for the Buffaloes.
FL West: Wolves win 10-2 in Sacramento, the Gold Sox win 8-3 in L.A. to stay in a tie.

The Raccoons were idle on Thursday, but other teams weren’t:

CL South: A 6-3 win over the Thunder has the Falcons stake out a 2-game lead over them with three to play.
FL West: The Wolves lose the final game of the 4-game set in Sacramento, 4-2, then anxiously watch until the Pacifics walk off against the Gold Sox in the tenth, 7-6. The division remains tied.

Currently we are in line for the #8 pick next year, with #6 to #11 still possible.

Raccoons (74-85) @ Canadiens (72-87) – October 3-5, 2003

We are 9-6 against them this season. I am not asking for much, boys. But don’t get swept.

Don’t. Get. Swept. I will be holding on to my pink blanket from afar!

Projected matchups:
Ramón Meza (3-6, 5.65 ERA) vs. Paul Kirkland (8-7, 3.65 ERA)
Randy Farley (12-7, 3.73 ERA) vs. Cal Holbrook (4-4, 3.80 ERA)
Edgar Amador (6-6, 4.00 ERA) vs. Scott Spears (3-4, 4.89 ERA)

That’s three right-handers. Neil Reece has done nothing but striking out in Milwaukee, but he will get one more start to improve on 1,890 career hits. Don’t know quite when. I don’t think there is room for Rojas anymore. We just can’t do anything with him, we have Al Martin, even if our own scout hates him.

Game 1
POR: CF Torrez – SS Guerin – RF Brady – 1B Martin – 2B Palacios – 3B Sharp – LF Beairsto – C Ledesma – P Meza
VAN: 3B A. De Jesus – LF Trinidad – 2B Dobson – CF R. Green – RF Velasquez – C Rosa – SS Phillips – 1B Gusman – P Kirkland

The Coons struck first with a Martin homer to start the top 2nd, but Meza faced an all-right-handed lineup and struggled. The Elks tied the game right back in the bottom 2nd. Top 3rd, Brady singled, and then Martin – hits it out again!! That’s 3-1 and 30 home runs for the big kid at first base! And he wasn’t the only one. Palacios got on, but got forced by Beairsto. Ledesma hit one to deep left that eluded Ramón Trinidad and fell in for a double, with the fast Beairsto scoring easily to make it 4-1. And then Meza stunned just about everybody including his own dugout, as HE hit a home run! Kirkland was gone immediately to be drowned in the Fraser River by HIS manager, and Meza was staked to a 6-1 lead. Then he set out to blow it. Freddy Rosa took him deep for two immediately in the bottom 4th, and he hit TWO batters in the fifth before Beairsto caught Rosa’s high fly into the left corner to end the inning before damage could be done. Thankfully, two runs fell out of Paul Brown in the top 6th, but Meza was just not good enough. He allowed two singles in the bottom 6th and was removed. Marcos Bruno had two strikes on De Jesus, who singled, but got Trinidad for the second out. Jerry Dobson hit an infield single that nobody could get to, but Bruno then struck out Royce Green to end the inning at 8-4. Top 7th, Bubba Cannon issued a bases-loaded walk to Ledesma, after which Rojas hit for Bruno. High, deep, no. No, Royce Green got it. Still, sac fly, 10-4, but the Canadiens came back with a run off Kaz Kichida in the bottom of the seventh inning, 10-5, and another run scored on two singles off Rockburn, a wild pitch by Martinez, and a groundout in the bottom 8th. In the top 9th, Reece and Ledesma reached base safely before Thomas hit for Martinez and hit one to short that Phillips bungled. Bases loaded, no outs, top of the order against reliever Salvador Franco in his second inning of work. And oops, he struck out three in a row. And the bullpen couldn’t seal the deal either. Huerta got one out in the ninth before Phillips singled and Gusman doubled. That made it 10-7 and lefty Arthur Simon appeared to pinch-hit, which made Huerta yield to Moreno. Simon hit an infield single on an 0-2 pitch, and we moved to Nordahl. COME ON, STINKING ELKS! BRING ON A HOMER!! No. Four pitches did the job for Nordahl, who also caught a comebacker from De Jesus to get this game finally into the books. 10-7 Raccoons. Guerin 2-5, BB, 2B, RBI; Martin 2-3, 2 BB, 2 HR, 3 RBI; Reece (PH) 2-2; Ledesma 2-4, BB, 2B, 2 RBI; Meza 3-3, HR, 2B, 2 RBI;

Meza is listed without his abysmal pitching performance. He still got the win for 5.1 innings and four earned runs. Being a triple shy of the cycle should get him listed, though. Oh that bullpen!

CL South: The Thunder trail 4-0 after eight in Las Vegas before rallying in the ninth. But ultimately Alberto Rangel flies out to end the game, 4-3 Aces, and with the Falcons’ 11-3 romp over 37-year old Scott Murphy and the Knights, the curtain comes down on this division.
FL West: The Wolves chew through tough Warriors to claw out a 2-1 win, while the Gold Sox destroy the Stars, 12-1, but still the division remains tied up.

Game 2
POR: CF Torrez – SS Guerin – RF Brady – 1B Martin – 3B Sharp – LF Beairsto – 2B Ingall – C Thomas – P Farley
VAN: SS Simon – 3B A. De Jesus – 2B Dobson – RF Velasquez – LF E. Garcia – 1B Rodgers – CF Wheaton – P Hurtado – P Holbrook

Torrez led off the game with a jack, but Holbrook would strike out five on the way the first time through the order. The Raccoons were mostly idle until the seventh when Marvin Ingall hit a key double to give them two men in scoring position trailing Sharp, but also hurt himself and left the game. Thomas only managed a sac fly for the team’s second run. Farley had pitched in trouble all game long: the Canadiens hit a single with either no outs or one out in EVERY inning through six, and never scored. In the seventh, however, the roof came down on Randy. Holbrook singled, and then Simon singled, and he walked De Jesus, all with one out. Manuel Martinez was called on to face Jerry Dobson, who looped a soft liner into shallow center, Brady came on and GOT IT!! Tony Velasquez then grounded out to short on the first pitch to keep the bases loaded and the Coons ahead 2-0. A third run was added in the eighth, Torrez scoring on a Brady groundout. Benton Wilson retired the side in the eighth, and Nordahl tried to protect the shutout in the ninth, and he struck out Pedro Hurtado, struck out Tom Wilson, and – oops, walked Arthur Simon. And he walked Alfredo De Jesus as well. Hnnggah, now comes the teethy part of the lineup – but Jerry Dobson struck out. 3-0 Coons. Torrez 3-4, HR, 2B, RBI; Beairsto 2-4, 2B; Ingall 3-3, 2B; Farley 6.1 IP, 8 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K, W (13-7);

The FL West yet stays tied, and both teams won again! The Gold Sox trumped the Stars 8-5, while the Wolves won 5-2 over the Warriors. The Wolves do lose their catcher Jorge Lopez though, who is ejected after allegedly calling the umpire a donkey (except it was that other word with three letters), and is suspended for two games.

Game 3
POR: CF Torrez – SS Guerin – RF Brady – 1B Martin – 3B Sharp – LF Reece – 2B Palacios – C Ledesma – P Amador
VAN: SS Simon – LF J. Durán – 2B Dobson – 1B I. Gutierrez – CF T. Wilson – RF Wheaton – 3B Rodgers – C Hurtado – P Spears

The starters combined for 44 years of age, or just more than Neil Reece’s. Spears turned out to be a tough customer for the Raccoons, who managed just two hits off him in the first five innings. Luckily, those were a Reece double and RBI single by Palacios in the top 2nd. Overall however, the Raccoons looked quite lost. Bottom 4th, Dave Wheaton lined a double to deep right to score two runs for the Elks, which made it 2-1 for the home team, and it looked rather final. Brady then hit a 2-out triple in the sixth, but Martin struck out. Amador was hit for the next inning, as his turn came up with Reece and Ledesma on the corners and two outs. Beairsto walked in his spot, and Torrez fired a shot into the left center gap – but Durán made it there, and the inning ended with the bases full. Two were left on in the eighth when Reece grounded out, and this one was just wasn’t going to come back. Top 9th, down 2-1, Pedro Alvarado pitching. Palacios and Ledesma hit singles to get going. Alejandro Rojas hit for Benton Wilson, but struck out. Torrez walked, bases loaded! Guerin was up 2-0 before he flew out to right, but it was quite deep and Palacios scored!! Brady grounded out, to make it a 7 LOB for the last three innings. It were also the final three innings: Tony Velasquez walked the Elks off with a walkoff homer off Ricardo Huerta. 3-2 Canadiens. Reece 2-4, 2B; Palacios 2-3, BB, RBI;

The Gold Sox won 7-2 over the Stars, while the Wolves are eliminated 5-4 by the Warriors, with Ryosei Kato sending them to a miserable winter. We all know how miserable Oregon winters are when you end up short.

In other news

October 2 – CYCLE!! DAL 1B/3B/RF Vitantonio Cavalleri (.295, 4 HR, 24 RBI) goes 5-6 against the Warriors, and collects one of each type of hit in the Stars 13-5 romp over the Warriors in Sioux Falls. The 28-year old Italian had just been traded from Milwaukee to Dallas in September. It is the 32nd cycle in ABL history, and the third for the Stars (Samuel Serra, 1977; Gustavo Infante, 2000), as well as the second this year after Bruce Boyle’s second career cycle on July 31.
October 5 – Shock for Boston fans: SP Jason O’Halloran (21-8, 2.63 ERA) has been diagnosed with a torn back muscle and is out for the playoffs. O’Halloran led the CL in wins and ERA before the injury.
October 5 – Shock pairs up with disbelief in Charlotte: 24-year OF Ralph Wilson (.307, 4 HR, 59 RBI) is also out for the playoffs with an undisclosed injury. He reportedly tried to tear a phonebook in half.

Complaints and stuff

I don’t remember all four division races being open in the final week of the season.

I also hate to lose the final game of the season. You have to look at that most recent line score all winter.

We had the Rookie of the Month for the second consecutive month, as Eddie Torrez hit .354 with five homers and drove in 14 in September to get the nod from the baseball gods.

So that’s 223 strikeouts for Nick Brown this year! That’s a funny number, because it has some significance. Daniel Hall hit 223 career home runs, which is still the franchise mark. We’ll see if and what Al Martin can do to that down the road. He has not even half Dan’s mark so far, but then again he’s only 26! Al has 105 homers through his age 26 season. Dan had 66! Both debuted at age 22.

Where did Neil Reece end up after all? He is now first in franchise history with 1,894 hits, is in sole possession of third place with 169 home runs, and tied Tetsu Osanai for third in RBI at the very end with his 865th.

For once, no triple crown winning pitcher in the Continental League, with Jason O’Halloran falling well short in strikeouts with 154. He also fell well short of the playoffs. He’s such a good pitcher, and the Titans will miss him, even with the rest of their beastly staff.

And Ralph Wilson? Just wow. The Falcons make the playoffs for the first time in *21* years! And he - … I … the …

You know what? It’s video games! Youth is silly, and it’s because of video games! When I was a kid, we had to be in school for half the day, and then work around the house or in dad’s shop, or in the family fields the afternoon! We didn’t have no time for silly games, we had to take care of ourselves, and not pull stuff like that! Maud, Slappy, and Vince are nodding in agreement here.

Thank goodness they are tugged away safely at home when they’re playing their silly games. I refuse to imagine a world where teenagers play games on tiny little gadgets while walking around outside in traffic. They might step right in front of a bus, those silly kids. Or worse, playing ****ty games when they’re on those skateboards! Those are a hazard for everybody!

And yes, this finish is the best we have done in FIVE YEARS.

I feel exceedingly old.