[Westheim]

Raccoons (49-34) vs. Canadiens (37-45) – July 7-10, 2025

Ugh, Elks! They sat in last place in the division, which only meant they were the more likely to ruin the Raccoons' modest ambitions of somehow upstaging the juggernaut Titans. Vancouver ranked fifth in runs scored in the Continental League, but their pitching wasn't up to snuff. They were in the bottom three in the league in starters' and bullpen ERA as well as runs allowed overall, and they didn't have a single pitcher with a sub-3 ERA on staff. The season series so far was even at 2-2.

Projected matchups:
Graham Wasserman (2-7, 3.18 ERA) vs. Fernando Estrada (2-4, 5.21 ERA)
Rico Gutierrez (3-5, 2.87 ERA) vs. Bryce Sudar (4-5, 3.27 ERA)
Mark Roberts (10-4, 2.58 ERA) vs. Greg Becker (4-5, 4.34 ERA)
Jesus Chavez (5-4, 4.28 ERA) vs. Luis Vasquez (2-3, 5.03 ERA)

Among their four starters, Becker was the only left-handed offering.

Jarod Spencer would start the week with an off day.

Game 1
VAN: 3B Jon. Morales – 1B Luckett – CF Coca – RF Wojnarowski – 2B Gura – LF Chaplin – SS Ra. Mendez – C Tanzillo – P F. Estrada
POR: RF Borg – LF Carmona – CF Mora – 1B Gonzalez – 3B Nunley – 2B Otis – C Delgado – SS Bullock – P Wasserman

Tony Delgado's sac fly to Mike Chaplin was all that the Raccoons cashed from having the bases loaded and nobody out in the bottom of the second inning, following all singles by Gonzalez, Nunley, and Otis. Bullock grounded out to detestable scarecrow Ted Gura, and Wasserman flew out softly to Chaplin in left. The 1-0 lead didn't last long thanks to three straight 2-out singles by the Elks in the third inning. Jonathan Morales doubled to center, Elijah Luckett had an infield single, and Tony Coca hit one cleanly through the hole on the left side to tie the game before Brian Wojnarowski struck out. Wojnarowski, a 23-year-old rookie that had skipped AAA, made his 30th major league appearance here and dropped his average to .207 with three dingers.

Bottom 4th, Tony Coca also had a hand in the Raccoons regaining the lead. Jon Gonzalez had drawn a leadoff walk and made for third base as Matt Otis' singled to center with one out. Coca made a valiant attempt at Gonzalez at third base, but his throw was exceptionally poor and skidded well past Jonathan Morales and into foul territory, allowing Gonzalez to score and break the tie, and Otis to move up to second base. Delgado popped out, and Bullock was walked intentionally to bring up Wasserman, who chopped Estrada's first pitch into play and through between Morales and Raul Mendez for an RBI single. Borg bounced out, and then Wasserman proceeded to get shelled for three runs in the fifth. Leadoff walk to Chris Tanzillo, as well as scorched extra base hits by Morales (double) and Luckett (triple), with Coca's grounder to short giving Elkland a 4-3 lead, on which they looked to build further down the road. Morales knocked out Wasserman with a 1-out RBI double in the seventh inning, plating John Calfee, who had pinch-walked in Estrada's spot. And where were the Raccoons? They went down in order a couple of times after the fourth inning, and even when they didn’t they made a poor impression. Gonzalez hit a leadoff double in the eighth, but two more Elks relievers held Nunley, Otis, and Delgado to absolutely nothing and stranded Gonzalez at third base in the inning. Ivan Morales sat down Spencer, Alfaro, and Borg in order in the ninth inning. 5-3 Canadiens. Gonzalez 2-3, BB, 2B; Nunley 2-4; Otis 2-4;

One of those series, obviously.

Game 2
VAN: 3B Jon. Morales – C Holliman – CF Coca – SS Calfee – RF Chaplin – 2B Ra. Mendez – LF Wojnarowski – 1B Luckett – P Sudar
POR: 2B Spencer – CF Mora – C Tovias – 1B Gonzalez – RF Alfaro – 3B Nunley – LF Carmona – SS Jurek – P Gutierrez

Gutierrez' offerings looked very much like being carefully placed on a stationary stick to begin this game and the Elks wouldn't have to be invited twice. Morales and Ryan Holliman hit absolute scorchers to begin the game for a double and a single, and they probably would have scored at some point if Morales hadn't been thrown out at home plate in the inning. In turn, Jarod Spencer was picked off first base after a leadoff single in the bottom 1st, so we were kinda even… In one of those weird games, both teams had runners on base in each of their first three innings, both pitchers singled their first time up, and somehow everybody always ran themselves out of it, with Morales being caught stealing by Tovias to end the third inning. The Elks in the fourth were the first team to not reach base at all in an inning, with Holliman grounding out to short and Coca and Calfee both bouncing out to Nunley. In turn, the Coons loaded the bases in the bottom 4th; Tovias was retired on a drive to left, but then Gonzalez singled, Alfaro walked on four pitches, and Nunley pawed out an infield single between Sudar, Morales, and Holliman. Cookie was up with one out and nothing on the board and cracked the first pitch over Raul Mendez for an easy-does-it RBI single before Dustin Jurek hit into an inning-ending double play…

Rico Gutierrez retired nobody before blowing the lead, walking left-hander Mike Chaplin on four pitches to begin the fifth inning. He threw a wild one to Mendez, who ended up singling to center to plate Chaplin and re-tie the game. There were two more left-handers at the bottom of the order; Wojnarowski homered to dead center, so there was that, and Luckett singled sharply to right against Gutierrez, who really and actually had won 16 games last season, although you'd have doubts that he'd win another 16 in his career from now on. The rest of the team was just as rotten. Gonzalez was on base in the sixth inning, and became the second Raccoon in the game to be picked off by Sudar. Gutierrez left the game in the seventh in another mess. Mendez reached on a Jurek error to begin the inning, and Gutierrez walked Luckett before being sent for the showers. Vince D retired PH Matt Anton and Morales to keep the 3-1 game in nominal reach. Bottom 7th, Cookie grounded out to begin the inning before left-hander Nick Van Fossen put pinch-hitters Greg Borg (single) and Matt Otis (walk) on base. Those were the tying runs for Spencer, who grounded an 0-2 pitch to short, where John Calfee misfired a potential double play ball into Mendez' legs, and it bounced away. Bases loaded! Abel Mora pathetically flew out to shallow left, but Tovias beat Calfee for a 2-run single to left, tying the score before Gonzalez regrettably struck out. Van Fossen was still around in a tied game in the bottom 8th, conceding singles to the left-handed batters this time around. With Nunley and Cookie aboard and one out, the Coons had to pinch-hit for Ricky Ohl. Slim pickings – try to find impact between Delgado, Bullock, and Metts on the bench! It was Delgado merely for the fact that he was a right-handed batter. Van Fossen got to 0-2 easily anyway, then hung one and Tony sure got hold of it, banging a 370-footer over the leftfield fence to break the tie! To our greatest dismay, Jonathan Snyder couldn't have an easy save against the bottom of the order in the ninth. Up by three, he allowed a leadoff double to left to Mendez, then Wojnarowski to single to right, bringing up the tying run with Elks on the corners. Elijah Luckett smashed the ball at Bullock at short, who turned two while Mendez scored, and Snyder completed the ho-hum job with a K to Chris Tanzillo. 6-4 Coons. Nunley 2-3, BB; Carmona 2-4, RBI; Borg (PH) 1-1; Delgado (PH) 1-1, HR, 3 RBI; Bullock (PH) 1-1;

Ricky Ohl is now 5-0 on the season. Maybe he will reach 16 wins before Gutierrez does?

Game 3
VAN: 3B Jon. Morales – 2B Gura – LF A. Torres – CF Coca – SS Calfee – RF Chaplin – C Holliman – 1B Luckett – P Becker
POR: LF Spencer – CF Borg – C Tovias – 1B Gonzalez – RF Alfaro – 2B Otis – 3B Bullock – SS Jurek – P Roberts

Two walks and three wild pitches – that was the Elks' loot in the second inning of an absolutely off-the-rails Mark Roberts, who couldn't have found the zone if his life had depended on it. Somehow, the Elks even left the second runner on base, scoring only once on the myriad of wild pitches, and the Raccoons levelled the score in the bottom 2nd, Alfaro singling home Gonzalez after the latter's leadoff double. Those two base hits were the only ones of their kind through five innings in the game, because Roberts was so wild that the Elks couldn't hope to hit him, and the Coons were not really having their tails on fire at this point.

Roberts turned away Becker, Morales, and Gura on five pitches in the sixth inning, giving some seriousness to his no-hit bid, only to have it broken up on Alex Torres' leadoff double into left-center at the start of the seventh inning. Torres stole third base in the inning, and still was left there amid two pop outs, a walk to Chaplin, and finally a K to pinch-hitter Matt Anton. Now, contrary to popular belief, the Raccoons were still batting in their halves of innings. Gonzalez and Alfaro both had 2-out singles in the bottom 7th, the first hits for the team since the second inning (and the same players), but Otis grounded out to end the frame. Becker was still around in the bottom 8th, while Roberts had been hauled in after throwing 100 mostly errant pitches through seven innings. Surginer had handled the top 8th, and now Daniel Bullock handled Roberts with a leadoff triple into the gap in right-center! Dustin Jurek flew to deep center, Coca getting there, only to have the ball clonk off his glove for a run-scoring 2-base error, this one breaking the ancient 1-1 tie. Becker collapsed in slow motion then. Nunley batted in the #9 hole, but grounded out. Spencer was walked intentionally, Borg singled. Bases loaded for Tovias, whom Becker lost to a run-scoring walk. And you could almost forgive the Elks for not having a reliever ready, because Becker's pitch count had been low, and the bases-loaded walk was the first time things got REALLY out of control for him here. Gonzalez hit an RBI single to left, and another run scored on Alfaro's grounder when the infielders failed to turn a double play. Abel Mora flew out to end the eighth, with the Coons handing a 5-1 lead to Jimmy Lee in the ninth. The damn Elks however started the inning with Torres and Coca legging out a pair of infield singles, getting Snyder engaged in no time, AND in a mess. Calfee struck out. Tom Fitzsimmons struck out. And Holliman grounded one to short to end the game after all. 5-1 Coons. Gonzalez 3-4, 2B, RBI; Alfaro 2-4, 2 RBI; Roberts 7.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K;

It is now also five wins for Kevin Surginer, or in other words, we have two relievers with as many wins as Wasserman and Gutierrez combined, and also tying with Thursday's starter, Jesus Chavez.

Game 4
VAN: 3B Jon. Morales – 1B Luckett – LF A. Torres – CF Coca – SS Calfee – RF Wojnarowski – 2B Gura – C Tanzillo – P L. Vasquez
POR: 2B Spencer – CF Mora – C Tovias – 1B Gonzalez – RF Alfaro – 3B Nunley – LF Carmona – SS Bullock – P Chavez

There was little offense in the early innings, and no runs, with the Coons seeing Daniel Bullock reach on an error to begin the bottom 3rd, steal second, make for home on Chavez' single up the middle, and being thrown out at home plate by Coca. No runs were scored through three innings. Chavez would hit another single the next inning, which was impressive in some way, but the inning actually began with singles by Gonzalez and Alfaro. Nunley flew to deep right, but was robbed by Wojnarowski, before Cookie smacked a ball at Ted Gura. For the umpteenth time, the Elks couldn't turn a double play, getting only Alfaro while Gonzalez scored from third base, the first tally of the game. Bullock singled to keep the line moving, and then Chavez' single to left center plated Cookie from second base for a 2-0 lead. Spencer flew out to Wojnarowski to end the inning.

Chavez looked nearly untouchable for six innings, scattering three base hits to no great effect for the Elks, who nevertheless were a threat in the seventh following Tony Coca's leadoff triple into the alley in right-center, and then a walk to Calfee. The tying runs were on the corners when Chavez reached back and to many's surprise, including mine, struck out Wojnarowski and Chaplin before Tanzillo grouned out to Nunley. Chavez made it through seven and two thirds before the power department in the Elks lineup approached the plate as the tying runs after a Raul Mendez single earlier in the inning. Vince D retired Torres on a fly to left to end the eighth, and was tapped for the ninth as well with Snyder having been out the last two days in lengthy appearances, but retired only Coca before complaining of shoulder soreness and leaving the game. This brought in Billy Brotman, who had not appeared in the series so far. Calfee grounded out to short, and a K to Wojnarowski ended the game with a series win! 2-0 Coons. Spencer 2-4, 2B; Chavez 7.2 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K, W (6-4) and 2-3, RBI;

The Druid claims that Vince's shoulder is not all that bad and recommends him only to be shut down for a week. Since the All Star break was right upon us, we would perhaps only miss three games on the upcoming weekend, and was not sent packing to the DL.

Raccoons (52-35) vs. Crusaders (42-42) – July 11-13, 2025

The Raccoons were trailing, 4-5, in the season series, which they hadn't won from the Crusaders since 2021. The New Yorkers were a bit the opposite of the Elks, pitching rather well with a pen that was second-best in the CL, a very capable rotation, and the third-fewest runs allowed, but their offense wasn't up to snuff, sitting only ninth in the league, and to make things worse they were also missing a key bat in Sergio Valdez right now.

Projected matchups:
Jack Sander (8-4, 3.36 ERA) vs. Chris Klein (6-6, 2.84 ERA)
Graham Wasserman (2-8, 3.42 ERA) vs. Mike Rutkowski (7-7, 3.96 ERA)
Rico Gutierrez (3-5, 2.96 ERA) vs. Ed Hague (9-5, 4.18 ERA)

All righties into the break…!

Game 1
NYC: 1B X. Garcia – CF Douglas – RF Ellis – 3B Schmit – LF Hodgers – 2B S. Walter – SS R. Soto – C Walston – P Klein
POR: 2B Spencer – LF Carmona – CF Mora – 1B Gonzalez – RF Borg – 3B Nunley – SS Otis – C Delgado – P Sander

The Crusaders ran out a lineup in which every batter was left-handed, with the exception of right-handed Chris Klein and switch-hitter Andy Schmit. Jack Sander was as dead as disco with his first pitch, we assumed, and he drilled Xavier Garcia with the second pitch to pretty much seal his fate. Actually, the Crusaders left Garcia on second base in the inning, ran themselves out of the second inning when Tony Delgado threw out Victor Hodgers trying to steal third base, and didn't score through three innings at all. Unfortunately, neither did the Critters. Top 4th, Nate Ellis' leadoff double rung the bell of doom yet again, with Sander losing Andy Schmit to a walk, and Hodgers to a single up the middle. Bases loaded, nobody out, the Coons kinda got the best result from two-time former Raccoon Shane Walter, who smacked a grounder at Jarod Spencer that the Critters turned for two while Ellis scored from third base. Robby Soto grounded out to short, stranding Andy Schmit on third base, and the damage was limited to a single run in the inning.

That run was the difference through five. The Coons seemed to have a guy on base constantly, and never got that key base hit to drive him in, or they were caught stealing (Cookie in the third) themselves. Cookie hit a leadoff single in the bottom 6th and never got off first base. While Sander hung on to dear life in admirable fashion through the innings, Nunley was the next Critter to come up with a leadoff single in the seventh. This time, Matt Otis followed that up with a looping single over Walter, and the Coons actually had two runners on base with nobody out. Delgado popped out, while Alfaro batted for Sander, hit a ball to the right side, and Walter intercepted it, but dropped it from his glove when he tried to throw to first, costing the Crusaders the play and loading the bases for a 2-for-3 Jarod Spencer with one out. Spencer lined out to Hodgers, who you couldn't run Nunley against, and Cookie went down on strikes to end the inning… Bottom 8th? New leadoff single by Abel Mora! It wasn't enough that they weren't scoring, but they had to be teasing about it, too! Blake Doering had pinch-hit in the top 8th and had replaced Walter at second base, but not even he could get to Gonzalez' liner into shallow right that put a second Coon aboard with nobody out. Greg Borg flew out to center, runners holding. Nunley grounded out to Soto, but the shortstop had to come in and this allowed the runners to advance into scoring position. Nevertheless, Matt Otis grounded easily to the sure-handed Doering, who's casual throw to first base rammed a dagger deep into the hearts of … Crusaders fans everywhere, because the throw was wild, past Garcia, and the Coons scored the tying and go-ahead runs on the error! Even the home crowd stared in baffled disbelief before remembering to cheer after like ten seconds. Chris Klein was biting hard into his glove before disemboweling Tony Delgado for a vicious, inning-ending strikeout.

Of course, we hadn't earned or deserved that win, and we didn't get it. Jonathan Snyder came into the ninth, allowed a single to PH Nick Shaffer, a double to Pat Walston, balked in the tying run, and walked Tom McWhorter in the #9 hole before being forcefully removed for Billy Brotman. Too bad that Billy wouldn't throw strikes, either, allowed the go-ahead run to score on Garcia's sac fly, and then waved around another run with a walk to Ellis and a Schmit single. Bottom 9th, nominal appearance by the tying run with two outs after Steve Casey walked Cookie Carmona. Mora grounded out to short. 4-2 Crusaders. Spencer 2-5; Gonzalez 2-4; Otis 2-3, BB; Sander 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 K;

Oh look, Chris Klein won anyway!

Nine ****ing singles, nine ****ing runners left on base. Booze!

BOOZE!!

Game 2
NYC: 1B X. Garcia – CF Douglas – RF Ellis – 3B Schmit – SS McWhorter – LF Hodgers – 2B S. Walter – C Walston – P Rutkowski
POR: 2B Spencer – CF Mora – C Tovias – 1B Gonzalez – 3B Nunley – RF Alfaro – LF Carmona – SS Bullock – P Wasserman

Oh, Omar! Alfaro not only kept Wasserman in one piece in the first inning after a 2-out single by Nate Ellis and two clueless walks on nine total pitches to Schmit and McWhorter by spearing Victor Hodgers' spiked drive to deep right, he also gave the Raccoons a lead in the bottom 2nd with a 2-run homer to right, collecting Jon Gonzalez on the way. The Crusaders went down in order in the second, third, and fourth innings, but Shane Walter would get them started with a single up the middle to begin the fifth. Pat Walston dropped a soft single into left, and suddenly the tying runs were on for New York and soon bunted into scoring position, although Wasserman walked Xavier Garcia anyway, giving Lance Douglas a full arrangement of runners with one out. Omar Alfaro had no chance to defend the bases-loaded walk Douglas drew, and Nate Ellis tied the game with a sac fly to Cookie before Schmit grounded out to Spencer.

Wasserman got nicked by Rutkowski in the bottom 5th, which pushed Daniel Bullock and his 1-out walk into scoring position, although there was nothing left to score once Spencer grounded to McWhorter for a double play. The slim chance for the playoffs the Raccoons had was increasingly running away from them because they wouldn't convert gifts like this into runs… Next inning, next chance, with Rukowski shoveling the bases full with one out, walking Mora and Nunley with a Gonzalez single in between. Alfaro popped out, Cookie flew out to Ellis, nobody scored. Well, the Crusaders scored, in the eighth inning, an unearned run resulting from Ricky Ohl allowing a single to Ellis (who was run for by Robby Soto), hitting McWhorter, and then Bullock farted on the 2-out grounder that Billy Brotman got from Blake Doering to allow Soto to score from third base. Bottom 9th, Nunley hit a leadoff single against Steve Casey to become the tying run aboard. Alfaro whiffed. Cookie K'ed. Greg Borg flew out to left. 3-2 Crusaders. Gonzalez 2-4, 2B; Nunley 2-3, BB, 2B; Wasserman 7.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 5 BB, 4 K;

Well, that sucked. Sucked it more than Friday's game? Do I really want to mull over that?

But with the gap to the Titans now at 7 1/2 games, and the Coons playing increasingly crummy, it was probably a good time to bury all the false hopes.

Game 3
NYC: 1B X. Garcia – C Leal – 3B Schmit – RF Ellis – SS McWhorter – 2B Doering – LF Douglas – CF Shaffer – P Hague
POR: 2B Spencer – CF Mora – C Tovias – 1B Gonzalez – 3B Nunley – RF Alfaro – LF Carmona – SS Bullock – P Gutierrez

Three hits and two errors plated three runs for the Raccoons in a mess of a first inning. Spencer reached on an error to begin with, and Mora, Tovias, and Alfaro had the RBI base knocks. Mora also doubled in Daniel Bullock and his leadoff walk in the second inning, giving the rarely richly run-endowed Rico a 4-0 edge in the early going. It wasn't 4-0 for long, though; Xavier Garcia hit a triple in the third inning and was brought in by Armando Leal's single over Bullock, inching the Crusaders a run closer, and they scored two more runs in the fourth inning, which started with McWhorter and Doering singles, creating a quagmire from which Gutierrez could hardly disentangle himself from, allowing three hits and a walk in total in the inning and leaving the score at 4-3 for the moment. When the Coons were done with stranding Bullock in scoring position in the bottom 4th, Leal's leadoff jack tied the game in the fifth.

Jon Gonzalez got the intentional walk in the bottom 5th after a 1-out Abel Mora double. The Crusaders seemed to be banking on the slow Nunley giving them a room service double play, but for once were mistaken as Nunley instead peppered a fastball over the rightfield fence to break the tie and bring Portland in front again, 7-4. The inning continued with a Cookie single with two outs, a stolen base, and then an intentional walk to Bullock, although Gutierrez was on 105 messy pitches and readily hit for in this spot. Matt Otis flew out to end the threat. Would this homer stand up? The Crusaders put pairs on base in the sixth against Jimmy Lee, and in the seventh against Lee and Kevin Surginer, but couldn't break through. Hess walked Nick Shaffer in the eighth and allowed a scorched liner to Victor Hodgers, but Spencer leapt and spared that one right at the apex of his jump. The beautiful plan was for Hess to retire Garcia to begin the ninth and then hand things to Snyder, but Garcia lined viciously to center for a single and that was that. It was still a 3-run game, but Snyder started with a guy on base now. Leal lined out high to Mora. Schmit flew out deep to Greg Borg in left. Ellis went down on strikes, somehow. 7-4 Coons. Mora 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI; Tovias 3-4, 2B, RBI; Bullock 1-2, 2 BB;

That was probably too little, too late in this series…

In other news

July 7 – SP Alex Hichez (5-6, 4.92 ERA) is traded from the Loggers to the Condors for two prospects.
July 7 – The Miners acquire SP Mel Lira (8-6, 4.46 ERA) from the Warriors for #65 prospect SP Ben Darr.
July 8 – ATL CL Jarrod Morrison (1-6, 3.27 ERA, 22 SV) nails down his 400th career save in securing a 4-3 win over the Bayhawks. Morrison, a 3-time All Star and 39 years old, is 101-86 with a 2.84 ERA for his career, having made 1,186 appearances for four different teams, striking out 1,164 batters in the process.
July 9 – OCT 1B/LF/RF Luke Davis (.260, 1 HR, 18 RBI) opens the Thunder-Aces game with a triple for the first and only Thunder hit in the game. The Aces clinch a 6-0 victory with shortstop Andres Medina (.229, 9 HR, 41 RBI) going 4-for-5 with 5 RBI.
July 10 – The Buffaloes walk off against the Capitals in the truest sense of the word, drawing four walks in the bottom of the 13th inning from WAS MR Pat Selby (2-5, 4.22 ERA, 2 SV) for a 2-1 victory.
July 13 – TIJ SP Jeff Little (4-6, 4.40 ERA) is going to miss the rest of the month with an oblique strain.
July 13 – Season over for IND SP Jason Clements (3-7, 4.59 ERA). The 33-year-old right-hander is suffering from radial nerve compression.

Complaints and stuff

Do the Titans ever lose? Mostly not.

We have four All Stars, which is more than I would have had expected, although the selections were sure to cause some stir in the clubhouse. Mark Roberts was selected, which is a defensible move. Jon Gonzalez, hum. I would love an All Star first baseman to have more than nine homers at the break. But then we also had two relievers selected, and these didn't include Billy Brotman or Jonathan Snyder, but were Ricky Ohl and Vince D (who would not be able to pitch due to injury).

Ricky Ohl, really?

The Titans have only five All Stars, so they aren't really overrepresented.

Tim Stalker started a rehab assignment on Friday, and could rejoin the team in time for the post-ASG series in Elktown, BC.

By the middle of the week, we had signed three international amateurs, a more defensive-minded shortstop and two starting pitchers, both right-handed. The interesting pieces, however, were still being negotiated over. The asking price on one particular pitcher, left-hander Izzy Chavez, a 17-year-old from the Dominican, was approaching half a million fast, which would obviously blow us through the soft cap, and we were still after another right-handed pitcher, Raffaello Sabre from Venezuela.

Fun Fact: The Titans scored more than three runs in only five of their 13 contests in July. They have still won ten of them.

Yeah, we got nothing, I fear…

I played this week over three days because every laptop I flick on heats up like an oven and I have my paws on it...

And here is Carl with the weather: four weeks of crippling heat will end later today in a fantastic storm that might just as well cleanse humanity from this part of the land. For all I care… as long as temperatures return to civil amounts, I am fine with the mother of all storms…