[ayaghmour2]

July 28th, 2023: I announced my new manager, Aaron Boone, who would run the team for now on. He's a career 464-418 and only has good realationships with players on the team. He's good at keeping peace in the clubhouse and loves to steal bases. I don't like his starter hook, but it's not as bad as Mattingly. As long as he doesn't pitch relievers to injury, he has my vote.

The Angels will be without the young and struggling RHP Jose Soriano for the year with a torn unlar collateral ligament. He was just 6-8 with a 7.23 ERA.

Jake Florence (7-8, 4.60 ERA, 1.46 WHIP) opened the series against Shane Baz (6-7, 3.06 ERA, 1.07 WHIP) as we looked to end our 6 game losing streak. Jose Ramirez hit 2nd and played third in his first game back. Aaron Boone's opening game ended with a beautiful 6-1 victory. Are we back?

Florence went 5 innings with 3 hits, a run, 3 walks, and just 1 strikeout. It wasn't a great outing, but it could've been worse. The rest of the pen combined for 4 innings with 2 hits, 2 walks, and 5 strikeouts.

Thomas Dillard had an interesting game, 1-for-1 with 2 runs scored, 3 RBI's, 3 walks, and his 20th homer. Ramirez came back strong, 2-for-5 with a pair of doubles. Ryan Mountcastle pinch hit for Florence in the 5th with a double and run scored.

July 29th, 2023: We looked to keep winning with A.J. Puckett (5-3, 3.91 ERA, 1.57 WHIP) taking on Nathan Eovaldi (5-10, 5.92 ERA, 1.52 WHIP). It was a frustrating affair, as we allowed 4 in the 6th and lost 6-5.

Puckett allowed 6 (5 earned) off 12 hits in 5.1 innings with a walk and 3 strikeotus. Koda Glover tossed 2.2 solid mopup innings with a hit and strikeout.

Mickey Moniak was 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and an RBI. Thomas Dillard was 1-for-3 with a walk and run scored. Puckett was 1-for-1 with a run scored and 2 RBI's.

July 30th, 2023: Cubs closer Michael Feliz signed a 3-year, $54,600,000 extension. He had a nice 1.02 ERA with 28 saves and a 6-0 record with the Cubs in his first season with the organization.

We looked to finally win a stupid series with Jake Junis (4-6, 5.47 ERA, 1.36 WHIP) taking on Mitch Keller (3-9, 4.10 ERA, 1.27 WHIP). We bareley came away with the series, winning 6-4.

Junis allowed 4 in 7 innings off 5 hits, a walk, and 8 strikeouts. Joe Jimenez got a hold and Yasukazu Shiotani got the save.

Nick Gordon was 3-for-4 with a steal and 2 runs scored, but also his 3rd error of the year. Cole Roederer was 1-for-3 with a walk, double, run scored, RBI, and steal. Jose Ramirez was 2-for-4 with a run scored, 2 driven in, and a steal. Brendan Rodgers was 1-for-4 with a run scored and a 2-run double.

Wow, we won a series! We're 2.5 out of first and have a 1 game lead over the 2nd Wild Card spot. We'd face the 4th Place Nats for four, luckily at home, since we can never beat them. We'd see our nemesis Sonny Warner (6-6, 4.56 ERA), Erling Moreno (9-5, 3.87 ERA), Breiling Eusebio (6-7, 3.67 ERA), and Steven Brualy (5-9, 4.97 ERA).

July 31st, 2023: Happy deadline day!

Three of my former players were named minor league player of the week in their respective leagues...

The Royals lost RHP Juan Nicasio for the year with a damaged elbow ligament, which will make it hard for the 36 year old to get a good deal in free agency. He was turning in a soli dcampaign, 53.1 innings with 53 strikeouts, a save, and a 2.36 ERA.

We're down to 12th in the Power Rankings, but I think we should be lower...

Arizona traded C Andy Yerzy to the Giants for RHP Zach Lingingelter. I like this deal for the Giants.

The White Sox traded LF Eloy Jimenez to the Mariners for 1B Pavin Smith and RHP Joe Symons. Eloy isn't as good as he is in real life, so advantage Whtie Sox, although it's a pretty even deal.

Fed up with Jake Junis, who may have been dragging the clubhouse down a bit, I traded him and 2B Cadyn Greiner to the Royals for Corbin Burnes. Burnes has an awesome work ethic, is also a 2.5 on a cheap deal, but has more control. He's got four plus pitches, and is 7-6 with a 4.54 ERA and 1.25 WHIP.

I'm hoping that's enough...

We opened the Nationals series with Jordan Montgomery (6-2, 3.46 ERA, 1.26 WHIP) battling Sonny Warner (6-6, 4.56 ERA, 1.31 WHIP). Don't let the statline decieve you, he's 2-0 with a 1.90 ERA against us this year, and only Mickey Moniak has moderate success against him. Luckily, out bats woke up, and we took the opener 10-6.

And Montgomery is hurt, so cross your fingers and try not to cry...

Cabrera had to come in the 1st, and pitch 3 innings with 2 hits, 2 walks, and 3 strieouts. Luiz Gohara allowed 2 hits and 3 runs in 0.2 innings with a walk and strikeout. Corbin Clouse allwoed 2 runs off 2 hits without getting an out. Phil Maton tossed 2 innings with 2 hits and 4 strikeouts. Joe Jimenez allowed a run in 1.1 innings with a walk and 3 strikeouts.

Luckily, we hit! Jose Ramirez was 1-for-4 with a solo homer. Thomas Dillard was 1-for-3 with 2 RBI's, 2 runs, 2 walks, and a homer. Cole Roederer was a perfect 4-for-4 with a double, run scored, walk, and 2 RBI's. Seth Beer had a pinch hit, 2 run double in the 5th. Nick Gordon was 1-for-4 with a walk, steal, and 2 runs scored.

August 1st, 2023: This was the first month Seth Beer was not named Rookie of the Month, but don't worry, it's not some scrub rookie: It's Cole Roederer! He hit an excellent .368 with 2 homers and 11 RBI's. I think if Beer wasn't the winner, he wouldn't mid seeing his teammate take the award. The Rule-5 draftee is hitting .278/.356/.415 in his rookie year with 8 homers, 34 RBI's, and 22 steals.

Adam Haseley was named American Confrence Batter of the Month. He hit .406 with 4 homers, 22 RBI's, and 26 runs scored. I feel bad that he's stuck in AAA, but there's no room in the majors.

His teammate Tim Cate was named pitcher of the month, going 4-0 with a 2.60 ERA with 31 strikeouts in 27.2 innings. He might replace Montgomery in the rotation if needed.

With the deficit cut to two, Walker Buehler (9-5, 3.87 ERA, 1.28 WHIP) took on Erling Moreno (9-5, 3.87 ERA, 1.28 WHIP) as we looked to win the 2nd of 4. We allowed 3 in the 8th, but still managed the 7-4 win.

Buehler tossed 6 stellar innings, 4 hits, a run, 2 walks, and 6 strikeouts. Ben Popkin allowed the runs in the 8th, although it was his 2nd inning of work and first runs in his short big league career. He went 1.1 with 3 hits and 3 strikeouts with the 3 runs. Yasukazu Shiotani earned the save, his 21st of the year.

Jose Ramirez had a great game, going 2-for-4 with a steal, 3 runs scored, 3 RBI's, and a three run homer. Cole Roederer was 1-for-3 with a sac fly and solo homer. Thomas Dillard was 1-for-4 with a solo shot, his 22nd of the season. Scott Kingery was 2-for-3 with a walk and steal. Lewis Brinson was 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Down in the GCL, Joe Kramer tossed a no-hitter against the Twins Affiliate. He did walk 5, and struck out only 3, but last year's 36th overall pick looked great. He's not as good as my old scout though, and will likely end up in a pen role, but he's still a solid arm.

August 2nd, 2023: Montgomery is headed to the DL with shoulder inflammation, but he's only expected to miss 3 weeks. It's the return of Nick Neidert, because if I called up Cate, Ohtani would be the 5th starter instead, and he's looked awful in his few relief appearences. Although if Neidert's next start is bad, it's Ohtani time! If only Josh Weske was more then a 0.5 overall and was his 4 potential...

There was much more serious injury news. First the less-severe, LHP Rowan Wick is out for the year and most of next season with a torn labrum. He was 1-3 in 56 relif appearences with a 4.50 ERA.

The big news was the Indians loss of SP Trevor Bauer for the rest of his career with a torn labrum. He only made three starts this year after various injuries, but from 2020-2022 he was one of the best starters in the game. He'll end his career 107-80 with a 4.13 ERA and 1.32 WHIP with all but 4 games with Cleveland (he made 4 starts for Arizona in 2012). He struck out 1,485 hitters in 1,593 innings.

We looked to win the series a day early with the young Jake Florence (8-8, 4.47 ERA, 1.45 WHIP) taking on Breiling Eusebio (6-7, 3.67 ERA, 1.23 WHIP). We couldn't give him any run support, and were shut our 1-0.

Florence tossed 7.1 innings, with just 3 hits, the single run, 3 walks, and 5 strikeouts. In 3 starts with us, he has a nice 1.96 ERA, so I think I won the trade already.

We had 7 hits, but couldn't do anything with them. Seth Beer was 2-for-3 with 2 walks and an error. The last 5 hits were singles as well.

Down in AAA, 2B Reizo Honda was 5-for-6 in a 13-1 win over the 51s. The 25-year-old is a favorite to earn a callup in September.

August 3rd, 2023: The Rockies extended RHP Jon Gray with a 6-year, $169,400,000 contract. I'm guessing that's about what I'll have to pay for Montgomery...

Corbin Burnes (7-6, 4.54 ERA, 1.25 WHIP) will make his Marlilns debut against Steven Brault (5-9, 4.97 ERA, 1.38 WHIP). We flipped the script, and shut them out 1-0.

Let's just say Brunes' debut with us couldn't have been much better. He allowed just 1 hit in 7.1 innings with 8 strikeouts. Luiz Gohara and Joe Jimenez got a batter a piece to earn holds, and Shiotani shut the door in the 9th for the save.

We only had three hits of our own. The only run was scored with 2 outs in the 5th when Mickey Moniak singled home Ryan Mountcastle. Both Moniak and Mountcastle were 1-for-2 with a walk, although Moniak was also hit by a ptich. Jose Ramirez was the only other Marlin with a hit, 1-for-3.

So is Boone better then Mattingly? Or is it just because we were home? Well, we're just 1 game back now, and have three more home games before a day off. We'd face the 63-45 Tigers, so this would be a tough test. They'd send Franklin Perez (10-2, 2.87 ERA), Yennsy Diaz (8-7, 4.62 ERA), and Michael Fulmer (5-6, 4.62 ERA) to the mound. I set a letter to the commissioner to ask if we could move the remainder of our games to Marlins park, but he laughed it off...