[Bub13]

July 1 vs SEATTLE
MUST. AVOID. THE. SWEEP.

#80: WIN 6-5 ... Whew. We do give up 3 in the ninth, but score one to win in the bottom...Shewmake implodes on the mound, and hurts his back (again)

The bullpen keeps trying to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Thing is, it's not the whole pen each game, just a different guy each night. Now that we're into July, I start thinking about next year's contracts. I'll spend money to get a solid bullpen, but that also means they've got a short leash when they don't perform. (Starting to look at you, Miller.)....Made a couple of tweaks to the roster, the most significant being inserting Ernesto Martinez into the DH slot against righthanders, replacing Videira. Cisco's only remaining value is his contact, but he's only hitting .239, and has dropped off even more significantly against righties.

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International Amateur Free Agent Break
Venezuelan OF Harry Mejia is the class of the bunch, so it makes total sense that we're not going after him. Good hitting ceilings across the board, and some speed, but he's just lost on the basepaths. Has some range in the field, but is not a good fielder. Intangibles are so-so. So I'll spend the $2M (to start) he wants elsewhere.

We start with offers to four players: SS Omar Castillo, 1B Wilson Banuelos, C Frank Lazalde, and P Alex Salazar. Salazar is the most talented, and the most expensive, and the total of my initial offers is $4.7M, a bit over the maximum. But all four players look promising, and all four have intangibles that will (or should) help their development. Despite the cost, I'm hoping I get all four, even if it keeps me from getting someone next year.

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July 2-4 vs DETROIT
Another team hovering in the vast, soft middle, at 38-39. They've hit well this year, 6th in runs and AVG and 4th in HR. Seven regulars are already in double figures in homers, and RF Roberto Rivera leads the AL with a .358 average. Pitching, however, has been disastrous: next-to-last in runs against, 15th in starters ERA, and dead last in bullpen ERA. Two starters are leaking oil with ERAs over 7. Plus, team defensive effeciency is last in the AL.

#81: WIN 4-1 ... Martinez makes me look good with a HR and 3 RBI...Casillas goes 7.1, gives up 1 run and no walks (with 8 K's)
#82: LOSS 2-8 ... whenever we face a pitcher with an ERA over 8, we lose. So it goes again today...Three hits apiece for Wiggins and Groff, but they amount to nothing
#83: WIN 3-2 ... McArthur's triple in the 7th brings home two and is the difference tonight...Little is strong but is pulled after four; hopefully he's okay

As always, two out of three always works...Brock is hanging out with Clark too much, and is going through his usual mid-season inconsistent phase...Dunklee has now committed 10 errors this season...Shewmake is coming off his third dtd injury this year, second to his back...Two of our int'l kids sign: C Frank Lazalde and P Alex Salazar. ELSEWHERE...Boston's Zachary Setaro gives up a one-out HR in the eighth, the only Seattle runner to reach base. Yep, one pitch away from a perfect game....Minnesota is surging, having won 8 in a row, and has the best record in baseball, at 54-29....Baltimore, sitting in second place at 28-23 on June 2, has gone 7-23 in their last 30.


July 6-8 @ KANSAS CITY
Four games in back of the resplendent Twins, at 49-32. Good hitting and excellent pitching have had them at the top of the division all year. 3B Zach Pusz (.301/19/51) has been the best all-around hitter, and Tom DiFranco--sound familiar?--the best pitcher (8-1, 2.51, 2.8 WAR).

#84: WIN 10-8 ... Groff and Dunklee (do they always do this together?) each homer, and we ride out Chris Mayer's disastrous 9th (7 runs) and hold on
#85: LOSS 3-4 ... tied 2-2 in the eighth when Mayer blows it again: 1.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R...we get one back in the ninth, but not enough
#86: WIN 4-2 ... McArthur's two-run shot in the 15th is the difference...only had eight hits...oh, and scored twice in the 9th to send it to extras

Close-fought series, glad to have come out on top. The bullpen continues to leak a little oil, so that's a bit worrisome. ELSEWHERE...Oakland trades fan favorite 1B/DH Pat Slind (.329/10/36) for a reliever, a prospect SS, and $7M. Not sure why you make this move now if you're Oakland, but their pen could be better I suppose....Washington's Ty Cobb is working on a 22-game hitting streak.


July 9-11 @ MINNESOTA
Part Two of our ride through the power players in the AL Central. Minny currently has a 4-game lead over the Royals, as well as the best record in baseball at 55-31 (.640). That's pretty amazing, given that right now they have on the DL: 2 shortstops, their starting 2B and RF, two starting pitchers, and a third SS with an "unknown" return date. Being first in runs, AVG, OBP, bullpen ERA, and second in HR probably helps. Everyone is pitching in: C Jimmy Carter (.344/20/62) and 3B Paul Foster (.299/19/73) lead the way, but the real surprise is 26-year-old rookie SS Kevin Bradley, who's hitting .379 since getting the starting job.

#87: WIN 4-1 ... Brock digs deep and goes 7.2 innings this time, Collins gets 3 hits, and Dunklee and McArthur (who?) homer
#88: LOSS 2-5 ... McArthur's 4 hits are the only thing worthwhile tonight, and Little continues to struggle (5 IP, 10 H, 4 ER)
#89: WIN 11-10 ... game progression: 6-0, 6-1, 7-1, 7-2, 7-4, 7-7, 8-7, 8-10, 11-10...Martinez doubles home two in the ninth for the win

Last series before the All-Star break, and we've righted the ship for the most part. We're sitting at 55-34, and are 7.5 games ahead of Oakland. We also have three players going to the All-Star game: SP Leon Casillas, 1B Jeremy Dunklee, and CL Jack Shewmake. Shewmake won the voting for relievers. We do, however, have a few things that are on my mind as we've passed the midway point:
...subpar DH production between Videira (.230/10/30) and Martinez (.263/6/20)
...Ken Clark continues to struggle (5.82 ERA, career high 1.48 WHIP). I might have to slide him into the bullpen
...RP Miller and Mayer have struggled the past month. Miller makes 2.4M and will be a free agent; he wants 8M next year, and saved 40 last year, so he could be a trade candidate. Mayer is under team control for two more years.
...Shewmake wants $14M next year. My mind rebels at paying a relief pitcher 14 million. Right now, I'm leaning to qualifying him come November and resigning myself to letting him walk.

Next up: More July