[Westheim]

Before heading into the season’s penultimate week, we issued two more call-ups following the end of the AAA season, adding right-hander Sergio Vega and 2B Yoshi Nomura, who went .336/.403/.487 with 6 HR and 39 RBI in 70 games in AAA this season. He was on the roster in mid-season already, hitting .256/.303/.317 with one dinger. He was held off so as to not exceed rookie limits this year. The bigger plan right now pencils him in as the 2B starter for his age 21 season – in Portland that is.

To put Vega on the 40-man roster, we moved Fernando Piquero to the 60-day DL.

Raccoons (73-76) vs. Bayhawks (73-76) – September 20-22, 2004

Eighth in offense, t-10th in avoiding runs with the worst rotation in the league (4.68 ERA), the Bayhawks weren’t particularly good at much. The Coons, winners of nine of their last eleven, were 4-2 against the Birds this season, which should work out to a season series win. It would be the first time for us to win the season series in consecutive years since we took it six years in a row from 1989 to 1994.

Projected matchups:
Felipe Garcia (6-11, 4.80 ERA) vs. Takeru Sato (12-11, 4.41 ERA)
Kenichi Watanabe (3-1, 3.03 ERA) vs. Raúl Fuentes (11-17, 4.10 ERA)
Nick Brown (18-7, 2.93 ERA) vs. Marc Padgett (14-10, 3.62 ERA)

The two left-handers up front this week do hinder showcasing Yoshi a bit, though…

Game 1
SFB: 2B J. Diaz – C J. Lopez – LF Bonneau – 1B I. Gutierrez – CF Black – RF Brulhart – 3B Foster – SS J. Barrón – P T. Sato
POR: SS Guerin – 3B Sharp – 2B M. Ramirez – 1B Martin – CF King – RF Brady – C Rosa – LF J. Rodriguez – P F. Garcia

Garcia exceeded the three hits he had allowed in the shutout that had started the Coons’ recent 5-game winning streak by the second inning, although the Bayhawks were a bit lucky with a few cheap chops falling in for singles. They scored a run in the third inning on a sac fly, while the Raccoons didn’t get a hit until the fifth, when Matt King lobbed a ball into shallow center. Next was Clyde Brady, who had recently rediscovered that batting yielded better results when you kept your eyes open while at it. Brady ripped, Brady drilled, Brady homered, and it was 2-1 Coons. Too bad that Yohan Bonneau and Iván Gutierrez both singled off Garcia to start the sixth, and while Luke Black hit into a double play, Bonneau scored and tied the game. Williams replaced Garcia in the top 7th, allowed a leadoff single to PH Joe Morton, but Manuel Martinez eventually stranded him at third base, but issued a leadoff walk in the top 8th to Jorge Lopez. That was the subtle sign to the rest of the bullpen to just go up in flames. Martinez, Moreno, and Nordahl ended up charged with four runs collectively, and that was an unrecoverable deficit for a team that had merely scraped out four hits since the start of the game.

Or was it? The Coons got a run in the eighth when Sharpie and Concie executed a beautiful hit-and-run that got Concie to third and allowed him to score on Ramirez’ inevitable double play grounder. In the bottom 9th then against closer Johnny Smith, Brady drew a 1-out walk and then Nomura singled to left. Yet, that was the high water mark. Rodriguez’ grounder got Nomura out at second, and Marv couldn’t get the ball in play at all and struck out. 6-3 Bayhawks. Sharp 2-4; Nomura (PH) 1-1;

Before September 16, Clyde Brady had been on the 60-day homerless list. He has four in four games since then.

Game 2
SFB: 2B J. Diaz – C J. Lopez – LF Bonneau – 1B I. Gutierrez – RF A. Johnson – 3B J. Perez – CF J. Morton – SS J. Barrón – P Fuentes
POR: SS Guerin – 3B Sharp – RF M. Ramirez – 1B Martin – 2B Ingall – LF Brady – CF King – C Fifield – P Watanabe

The Bayhawks took a 1-0 lead in the top 2nd in what could best and most politely be described as a defensive mess for the home team, with Brady giving them an extra base with an error on playing Gutierrez’ leadoff single, and then Fifield and Watanabe had some cultural and language barriers they couldn’t overcome for crying out loud, with a passed ball and a wild pitch on consecutive pitches that moved another runner all the way to third base. Watanabe, who had won his last three decisions, had little to nothing in this game and didn’t make it out of the fifth inning. Then the Coons were down 2-1, their only hit a solo homer by Miguel Ramirez. The bases were loaded with two outs in that top 5th, and Dave Williams was sent to investigate whether we could perhaps retire Yohan Bonneau for a change. We kinda couldn’t. Bonneau’s line drive went into Ingall’s glove, then out of it, then to the ground, then into Ingall’s paw, then out of it. Williams got Gutierrez at least, keeping the score at 3-1. In what was one of those dreadful games, the Coons were robbed twice in the bottom 7th. First Avery Johnson picked Brady’s fifth homer in five days off the top of the fence, and with two on and one out, Nomura hit for Rockburn and drilled a liner to deep left, which Bonneau nevertheless intercepted with a jumping grab before impacting the warning track. The Coons didn’t score, made a feeble attempt at a comeback in the eighth that was abandoned after one run on an Ingall Single, and then sent Angel Casas into the top 9th in the hope he could keep the Bayhawks where they were – but he very couldn’t. Morton singled, Brulhart walked, and Juan Diaz hit his first homer of the season. 6-3 Bayhawks. Guerin 2-3, 2 BB, RBI; King 2-4, 2B; Beairsto (PH) 1-1; Bryan 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K;

Yeah. Yeah, well…

Final home game of the season coming up.

Game 3
SFB: 3B J. Perez – 2B T. Torres – CF Black – LF Brulhart – 1B J. Cruz – C M. Vela – RF A. Johnson – SS J. Barrón – P Padgett
POR: SS Guerin – 3B Sharp – 2B Nomura – 1B Martin – RF Brady – CF King – LF Beairsto – C Rosa – P Brown

On the plus side, the Coons got a hit the first time through the order, even two, the latter by Brown in the third inning, and Brown even stole a base, but was left on that base anyway. Brownie had two very tense innings to start the game, and never switched into domination mode. The Bayhawks left them on the corners in the second, and again in the fourth. The fourth was also the end for somebody who had to leave the game with a blister on his finger. And it was not a pitcher, but Matt King. STOP PICKING YOUR NOSE, YOU PIGLET!

At least the Coons managed an unearned run in the bottom of the fourth. Nomura reached on an error and scored on a double by Rodriguez, who had replaced King in the field. Brown’s response was to drill the opposing pitcher, who then scored on Jose Perez’ triple. Perez scored on Tony Torres’ groundout, and when Guerin tripled in the bottom 5th, there were already two out, and Danny Sharp continued to be oh-fer with runners in scoring position in this series.

What could they do for Brownie’s quest for 20, and the Coons’ quest for a back-to-back season series wins over the Birds from the waterfront? Nomura singled to start the bottom 6th, but found himself forced once more on Martin’s grounder. Next, Brady, who had been robbed last night, and made hard contact again – and this one was GONE!!! Score-flipping homer from Brady, Brown bit his way through the seventh, and then the Coons got Concie and Sharpie on for Nomura in the bottom 7th. Padgett was still in there despite five left-handers next for the Raccoons. But why go to a lefty when your righty starter will get a double play grounder from the first left-handed batter anyway? Salvadaro Soure came on in the bottom 8th, another righty, and while he got Martin, Brady singled, and then it was Rodriguez’ turn to go all yard, ramping the score to 5-2. Beairsto tripled, Ingall hit a sac fly, and Brown was about to bite the bench coach when he tried to take the bat away from him. Brownie grounded out, but reappeared for the ninth, entering on 99 pitches. Pitch #101 drilled Jorge Cruz. Ingall was then charged an error for dropping a foul pop by Vela, who ended up striking out in a full count then. Brown was not going to let anybody interfere with his 19th win of the season, and ended the game with a strikeout to Luis Arroyo. 6-2 Raccoons!! Brady 3-4, HR, 2 RBI; Rodriguez 3-3, 2B, 3 RBI; Brown 9.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 9 K, W (19-7) and 1-4;

BROWNIE!!

Well, if you want to get a job done ‘round here, you gotta do it yourself. This was his sixth complete game, and the second this season. He has four shutouts. Right now he is in the top 3 in all Triple Crown categories, but without a chance to win the ERA title (Jorge Chapa’s is 2.06), and he would have to start two more games to catch Chapa in wins. It was also his 40th career win, putting him t-13th in franchise history with Jorge Romero.

Next Tuesday will be the money start for him – and I won’t be there. The money start will take place in Elkland.

Raccoons (74-78) @ Indians (74-78) – September 24-26, 2004

In a three-way tie with the Crusaders, these teams will wrestle for any position between second and sixth in the division. The Indians have scored the fourth-most runs despite the lowest batting average, a tribute to their Big Three of Ron Alston, David Lopez, and Jose Paraz. Their pitching has the second-worst rotation (and look what the Furballs didn’t do to the worst rotation…) and they have allowed the third-most runs.

Projected matchups:
Randy Farley (8-13, 4.53 ERA) vs. Curtis Tobitt (2-2, 3.57 ERA)
Ralph Ford (7-17, 4.25 ERA) vs. Alonso Alonso (13-6, 3.51 ERA)
Felipe Garcia (6-11, 4.72 ERA) vs. Anthony Mosher (11-13, 3.67 ERA)

That doesn’t look SO bad! Where did they hide their armless pitchers!? Mosher is the only southpaw in that array.

Neil Reece will come off the DL for the Saturday game.

Game 1
POR: SS Guerin – 2B Nomura – 3B Sharp – 1B Martin – RF Brady – CF King – LF Tyler – C Rosa – P Farley
IND: RF J. Alvarez – 2B D. Mendez – LF Alston – 1B D. Lopez – C Paraz – CF MacKey – 3B Harris – SS A. Stevens – P Tobitt

After Alvarez doubled, Mendez singled, and Alston walked, the pitching coach went out to a hapless Randy for a kind “’sup?”. It helped, somehow. Lopez hit a sac fly, but that was all the Indians got, yet that sac fly was pretty deep and credit where it was due, with Brady, for making that catch. Nevertheless, Farley got himself yanked in the third inning, since when the top of the lineup came round again then, he didn’t retire nobody at all, but in 2.1 innings allowed four walks. Martinez came in, but Nomura and Guerin couldn’t turn a double play on MacKey’s grounder, and the Indians took a 4-0 lead in the inning. And at that point, Curtis Tobitt was nothing less than perfect. But perfect ended in the fourth, when Guerin and Sharp singled, only to have Martin hit into a double play to end the inning. The only meaningful production for the Raccoons would come out of the #9 spot. In subsequent 2-out PH appearances, Beairsto tripled in a pair in the fifth, and Ramirez doubled home another run in the seventh. A run off Kichida meant it was 5-3 through seven, but Tobitt was still pitching and gave all the starters fits. He went eight innings, walked none and struck out seven in a good outing, and Iemitsu Rin chainsawed what remained of the Brownshirts in the top 9th. 5-3 Indians. Sharp 2-4, 2B; Beairsto (PH) 1-1, 3B, 2 RBI; Ramirez (PH) 1-1, 2B, RBI;

Well, that was a sad game. We entered the 10-game road trip having to win eight for a winning season. I’d say that ship has sailed, since we’re going to pitch quite a number of starters not named Brown in the remaining nine. So here comes a losing season, the eighth in a row, and the 16th total for the franchise.

Embrace oblivion.

Game 2
POR: 3B Sharp – 2B Nomura – RF Brady – 1B Martin – CF King – LF Beairsto – SS Sheehan – C Thomas – P Ford
IND: RF J. Alvarez – 1B S. Stevens – LF Alston – 3B D. Lopez – C Paraz – 2B D. Mendez – CF Martines – SS A. Stevens – P Alonso

Unbelievably, the Raccoons started the game with five straight singles to score three runs, before they made an equal number of three quick outs. Quick outs were not a thing that came easy to Ford in this game as he worked many a deep count and struggled with control from the start, but the Indians didn’t get that key knock to bowl him over for a long time. The Coons added runs on a Beairsto homer in the third, and another one in the fifth to chase Alonso Alonso (yes, really, still!), and then Ford issued a leadoff walk to Art Stevens in the bottom 5th. Well, up 6-0, what can happen. Maybe Sharp making something dumb, like throwing away Ryan O’Quinn’s bunt attempt. That put a pair in scoring position with no outs, but the pendulum swung back instantly, with Yoshi nabbing Jesus Alvarez’ line drive and doubling the confused O’Quinn (a relief pitcher after all) off second base. After Ford walked Simon Stevens on four pitches, Alston fouled out on the first offering to end that inning in due time. Ford ultimately was chased in the seventh when he put Art Stevens and Claudio Rey on base with one out. Nordahl appeared, having struck out the side in the seventh the previous day. Now a 2-2 pitch was grounded to short by Alvarez and became an inning ending double play to keep Ford’s vest spotless for the day. The Indians would load them up in the bottom 9th against Law Rockburn, an error by Yoshi, and a walk off Casas, but the latter then struck out Simon Stevens to end the game and preserve the shutout. 6-0 Coons! Sharp 3-5; Brady 4-5, 2B; King 3-3, BB, 2 RBI; Beairsto 2-4, HR, 2 RBI; Ford 6.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 7 K, W (8-17); Rockburn 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K;

The Loggers and Indians split their first two games so far, which puts us in a 3-way tie yet again. Thirty-six and a half games back, but in a 3-way tie. I’m so glad we’re not playing meaningless games…

Jorge Chapa won today, 4-1 with the Titans over the Elks, to win his 22nd, which eliminates Nick Brown from ANY shot to win the most games this year. Unless we use him relief from now. In every game.

No. Just no.

Game 3
POR: SS Guerin – 1B Sharp – 3B M. Ramirez – RF Brady – 2B Ingall – LF Reece – CF King – C Rosa – P F. Garcia
IND: RF J. Alvarez – 2B D. Mendez – LF Alston – 1B D. Lopez – CF MacKey – C Bowen – 3B Cortez – SS A. Stevens – P Mosher

The Indians got three runs off Garcia early, in a second inning where they hit three balls hard to left field and Neil Reece was not close to any of them. The Coons would dig a bit to climb back into the game, but Freddy Rosa hit two solo homers, and after the latter one Garcia singled, advanced on a wild pitch, and scored on a Sharp double in the top 5th, and the score was tied at three. But Sharp was left on base, and then ex-Coon Mosher had a leadoff single off Garcia in the bottom of the frame. David Mendez doubled him in, and the Indians did not bemuse themselves with leaving their runner stranded. He scored, and Garcia was yanked before five were complete. Top 6th, bases loaded with one out and Jorge Rodriguez pinch-hit for Manuel Martinez, who had ended the fifth inning on the mound. Rodriguez struck out and Mosher got Guerin to loop out to Alvarez in rightfield to quell this threat. The Coons trailed 6-3 in the ninth, facing Rin, who led the CL in saves, and had an 0.70 ERA. Then Sheehan tripled with two outs. Sharp doubled. The tying run came to the plate in Miguel Ramirez! And he flew out harmlessly to left. 6-4 Indians. Sheehan 1-1, 3B; Sharp 2-4, BB, 2 2B, 2 RBI; Ingall 2-4; Rosa 2-3, BB, 2 HR, 2 RBI;

Why did Sheehan hit a triple in front of Danny Sharp in the ninth? Concie and Jesus Alvarez collided at second base in the seventh inning, and Concie had to be dragged off the field on a sling around his foot.

Just when he tied for the lead in stolen bases …!!

In other news

September 24 – The Buffaloes clinch the FL East with a 3-1 win over the Blue Sox, with Dan George going to 24-6 on the season. The Buffaloes will make their fifth playoff appearance, the second consecutive, and third in four years.
September 25 – CHA SP Miguel Diaz (16-11, 3.32 ERA) 3-hits the Bayhawks as the Falcons win 7-0.
September 26 – Another 3-hit shutout is pitched by Dallas’ Angel Romero (11-10, 3.77 ERA), who does the honors to the Warriors in a 9-0 rout.

Complaints and stuff

Initially I was against it, because it’s not in the spirit of the classic game of baseball, but everybody who advised on it was right, and Clyde Brady regained his swing and success at the plate after receiving that guide dog that barks on a fastball, growls on a curve, and leaves a mark on a slider down low.

We haven’t had a 20-game winner since 1995 (Jason Turner), and only once before that (Scott Wade, 1989). Kisho Saito was a 20-game winner when he was traded to Portland in 1984, but 14 of those wins came in a red uniform.

By the way, it’ll be five years since his retirement and forfeit of another million bucks just to get outta here. I think he has a strong Hall of Fame case: 238-197, 3.23 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 2,800 K, ROTY (1982), 7xAS.

He is t-8th with Leland Lewis (who is in the Hall) in wins, and just this week, MIL Martin Garcia passed him for fifth in strikeouts. Of the other four guys ahead in strikeouts, none is in the Hall, but Woody Roberts (3,313), Arnold McCray (2,900), and Bastyao Caixinha (2,844) all pitched in the 2000’s, the only other guy being Carlos Asquabal (2,995), who retired a year ahead of Saito, but only received 40% of the vote last season, and has a better W-L record at 245-175.

But Asquabal’s best season ERA was a 1.88 mark in 1988, where he missed half the year with an injury. He never pitched below a 3.00 ERA in ANY other season. Kisho did it seven times, with a best of 2.44 in 1987.

A 2.44 ERA for an offensively inept team that held him to 14 wins in 34 starts, that is, and was broken up the following year.

Odd fact: we won the season series against all CL South teams, except the Condors (4-5), with a best of 7-2 against the Knights. We may well not win any season series against CL North teams unless we can either sweep the Elks (hahah), or at least win two of three against the Crusaders. Five of our six interleague series ended in sweeps (romped the Miners and Pacifics, got romped by Buffaloes, Wolves, and Cyclones). Odd season.

We also went 6-12 against the can’t-do-crap Indians in consecutive years which is immensely frustrating.