[ayaghmour2]

May 25th: So GM of the Phillies Matt Kletnak did not like my offer, I added Brandon Barker, but my reports weren't back yet, so I added J.D. Hammer, a solid relief pitcher.

Hostin the Nationals in our beautiful park, Ordismer Despaigne (2-3, 2.90 ERA, 1.03 WHIP) would audition against Gio Gonzalez (4-3, 3.67 ERA, 1.28 WHIP). Despaigne struggled, allowing 3 early runs. We answered back in the 3rd for 2 runs, then they added 1 more after. We were now down 4-2. We scored 1 more in the 7th and another in the 8th. Drew Steckenrider came in for the 9th, but gave up the go ahead run. Sean Doolittle earned his 10th save with a nice 9th.

Despaigne went 5 innings, allowing 6 hits and 4 runs. He walked 2 and struck out 3. It wasn't a good audition.

Starlin Castro was a monster, going 3-for-4 with a run scored, 2 runs driven in, and his 11th homer of the year and 9th double. Martin Prado doubled and Miguel Rojas tripled.

May 26th, 2018: The Eliser Alvarez scouting report came back, he's a 1.5/2.5 officially.

Game two saw Tanner Roark (4-2, 5.98 ERA, 1.50 WHIP) and the allways consistent Jose Urena (1-5, 7.93 ERA, 1.76 WHIP).

Urena was actually solid, 2 unearned runs in 5 innings. He walked 1, struck out 5, and allowed 7 hits. We even lead 3-2 after the 4th. Hernan Perez had a clutch 2 run double off Roark in the 3 run 4th. Drew Steckenrider was not as lucky, allowing a Mark Reynolds RBI single and Bryce Harper 3 run shot in the 9th. That was blown save number 3, and he is now a mear 1-5.

Starlin Castro and Derek Dietrich recoded 2 hits a piece, but the marlins only had 7 total. Castro and Perez were the only extra base hits, both doubles. Lane Adams did steal base number 13.

With 'sub-par' stuff, Chih-wei Hu of the Tampa Bay Rays 4 hit the Baltimore Orioles in an 8-0 victory.

The overrated CF Tommy Pham was swinging the bat well at PNC park, going 5-for-6 in St. Louis' 15-6 win over Pittsburgh.

May 27th, 2018: And Tom Eshelman is a 2/2.5, so the trade is definitely worth it. I pulled the trigger on Adam Warren and Brandon Barker to the Phillies for 2B/SS Eliezer Alvarez and SP Tom Eshelman. Both were sent to AAA and Brian Ellington earned a callup to the majors.

The Nationals lost Max Scherzer for four months. Losing him and Strasburg will be rough for the playoff contendor. They trotted out Jeff Manship (4-2, 4.38 ERA, 1.58 WHIP) and we sent Adam Conley (0-5, 5.55 ERA, 1.54). Please don't get swept guys...

We took a 2 run lead in the 4th, and carried it until the 7th, when Matt Weiters brought the game to 2-1 with a single. The 9th was rough, as Ryan Raburn and Wilmer Difo drive in a run in a 3 run 9th. Jorge De La Rosa allowed the 3 runs in just a third of an inning. He got his first loss and blown save.

Conley was good, maybe the Nats would take him? He went 6.2 innings, allowed just 2 walks and 3 hits and a single run. He struck out 4 and lowered his ERA to 5.04. Justin Bour (13) and Starlin Castro (12) both hit a homerun. Bryan Holaday and Martin Prado were both 2-for-4. Holaday and Cameron Maybin both doubled, but we lost and were swept.

Another 5-for-5 game! Charlie Blackman doubled twice and had three singles in a 12-7 victory over the Reds.

After the sweep at home, the Natoinals boosted their record to 34-19 and they are 1.5 games ahead of Philly. We're 17-35 and head to San Diego to take on the Padres. We'll see Tyson Ross (5-4, 4.88 ERA), the unlucky Dinelson Lamet (0-6, 4.76 ERA) and southpaw Clayton Richard (2-6, 5.53).

Lastly, an All-Star vote update. Starlin Castro is in 2nd with 109,482 votes compared to 110,386 of the Cardinals Kolten Wong. We had to get an All Star, so he would be my bet.

May 28th, 2018: The Mets lose closer Jeruys Fmailia for the year with a torn rotator cuff. He had 16 saves and a 2.52 ERA.

The Orioles lost a reliever of their own, Jason Gurka to a torn rotator cuff. The lefty is set to miss 12-13 months.

Power Rankings! Back in 30th at 47.8. Our besties the Cubs are leading the pack at 123.0, slightly above the Nationals.

We arrived in San Diego and the hosts welcomed up with Tyson Ross (5-4, 4.88 ERA, 1.47 WHIP) against Dan Straily (3-4, 4.84 ERA, 1.34 WHIP). The guessed swatted us 7-1, outhitting us by a slight 11 to 7 margin. All three Marlin pitchers, Dan Straily (4), Enny Romero (2), Brian Ellington (1) allowed runs.

Three Marlins hitters; Starlin Castro, Justin Bour, and Miguel Rojas all went 2-for-4. J.T. Realmuto drove in Derek Dietrich on a single in the 5th for the only run.

May 29th, 2018: Cincinatti lost former Marlin farmhand Luis Castillo for the year with a torn labrum. I wish I had him over Dan Straily. But that arm injury is gonna hurt him.

Looking to avoid 9 consecutive losses, Brian Johnson (5-3, 3.59 ERA, 1.30) took the ball against Dinelson Lamet (0-6, 4.76 ERA, 1.43 WHIP). The Marlins were successful, edging the Friars 5-3. We only got 6 hits, but made them count.

Johnson himself scored a run, and was one of 6 Marlins to record hits. Johnson and Cameron Maybin doubled and Realmuto hit a 2 run homer off Lamet in the 4th. He also made his 4th error of the year.

Johnson was alright, going 5.2 innings that saw 3 runs score. He allowed only 4 hits and 2 walks, but struck out only 4. Nick Wittgren pitched 2 strong with 2 strikeouts, and Steckenrider slammed the door shut working his 10th save.

Lamet fell to 0-7 with 4 runs (3 earned) in 4.1 where he struck out 7, walked 2, and surrendered 3 base knocks.

May 30th, 2018: Junichi Tazawa was eligible to come of the DL. I sent 'Taz' to AAA for rehab assignment. I'd probably leave him down there for a while.

Foremr Padre Odrismer Despaigne (2-3, 3.50 ERA, 1.11 WHIP) took on his former team and lefty Clayton Richard (2-6, 5.53 ERA, 1.71 WHIP). Errors hurt as we fell 6-4 and the hometown Padres will come away with at least a series tie.

Despaigned pitched 5.2 innings, allowing 6 runs (3 earned), 9 hits, 2 walks and he struck out only 1. Martin Prado and Starlin Castro errors hurt. Both were the players 2nd on the year. Ironically, Castro was hot, Prado cold. Castro hit homer #13 in a 2-for-4 outing while Prado went 0-for-4. Derek Dietrich was 2-for-4 scoring twice and driving in two. He homered and doubled.

May 31st, 2018: The Twins lost new addition Lance Lynn for the year with a torn UCL. Another major injury for Lynn, he finished the year 3-3 with a 4.83 ERA.

In an effort to please our host, we sacraficed Jose Urena (1-5, 7.09 ERA, 1.74 WHIP. His opponent, former Yankee Bryan Mitchell (5-4, 4.20 ERA, 1.25 WHIP).

We eeked out a split with a 5-3 victory, bringing our record after May to 19-37. The Padres were now 20-38.

Urena surprised, earning win 2 with 7 unspectactular innings that contained 8 hits, 3 runs, 1 walk, and 3 stirke outs. Steckenrider picked up the save with 2 strike outs and a ground out in a 1-2-3 save. He's now up to 11 on the year.

Justin Bout was awesome, going 3-for-4 with a run scored and 2 driven in during an exciting finale. He tripled along with Derek Dietrich. Rafael Ortega stole a bag and doubled and Lane Adams hit his 4th homer of the year. We escaped beautiful San Diego with a series tie and were off to steamy Arizona.

We would be greeted by struggling ace Zack Grienke (3-5, 5.30 ERA), lefty Robbie Ray (3-2, 3.09 ERA) and Zack Godley (3-2, 3.15 ERA). After Arizona we had a day off for the Amateur Draft and then spent 3 in St. Louis with the 33-22 Cardinals (still 4 games out).

I attatched a few helpful statistics in pictures below.