Los Angeles Lakers (56.30, .651) @ Minnesota North Stars (42-42, 3rd NL West)
Shawna’s club has made some strides – sure, they’re a .500 club so far in 2077, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg – see, while their big club is toiling through another ho-hum MLB season, the Minnesota Braintrust has been busy restocking their Minor League system. They now rank 8th in that department – up 12 spots from their previous perch and seemingly positioned to become a respectable club in short order… Here is a team that can knock it around a bit – 1st in AVG, 2nd in OPS, bWAR, and wOBA, and 3rd in runs scored – with a pitching corps that has the 11th ranked Starters ERA and 10th ranked Runs Against. If only they could speed up the development of their arms who are currently housed in the minors… but, that’s not how this thing works – they’ll have to wait like the rest of us and hope that their fans will be patient enough to stick around for the results.
87 of 162: Aiden Jensen (6-8, 5.19) @ Matt Olston (2-12, 6.15)
Loss, 6-0. Before the game, I asked my assistant why she thought that Matt Olston still had a job in the Majors – she responded with a shrug… He, however, did not. A complete game, 4-hit shutout for the former Laker in this one – putting his old club on notice here… Jensen, conversely, continues to underwhelm – he has the talent, but just can’t seem to put it together. He needs time – maybe, I’ve brought him along to quickly? Who knows… Oh Hong led the team in hits with TWO, hit a double in the 7th, and committed a fielding flub that will be on lowlight reels for years to come – all in a day's work. Defensively we were okay in this one – 4 double plays… just couldn’t get anything going against Matty. He had us befuddled, addlepated, and punchy in this one… all noodle legged and unsure of ourselves –
like a bad-tempered prom queen at a homecoming dance.
Elsewhere: Brooklyn’s
RF JULES WINFIELD went 3 for 4 with a double, a homer, 3 RBI and 2 runs for the Citizens today – his was a wasted effort, however, as the NYC based club was unable to capitalize and fell to Montreal by a score of 12-6… on the other side of the ball, LF Harlem Peterson gave Brooklyn the business with a 3 for 5, 4 RBI performance. Jules, one of my faves, always a bridesmaid & never a bride. I just hope all the kids had fun.
88 of 162: Michael Brisk (7-6, 4.36) @ Shiro Nakamura (5-8, 6.37)
Win, 9-0. 8 inning, 8 hits, ZERO EARNED in a blissful performance from Brisky – your boy is always good for some get back, a real “when the chips are down, I’m your man” type… a dying breed. Otto hit a 3-run moon-shot, Hamza scored 3 times, Mullens drove in two, walked twice, and scored, and PEPPER got a phantom RBI despite not getting a hit, a walk, or a HBP in this one… (no sacrifices either).
Elsewhere: Final All-Star Vote is counted… three Lakers made the cut – NEWTON, HAMZA, and OTTO. Other notables include – Palmer Parker (PHI), Ray Gerhold (PHX), Tom Franzone (PIT), Josiah Weber (STL), Case Tunnell (LAG), and Heathcote Kinton (LAG).
89 of 162: Dejuan Burns (7-5, 3.51) @ Dylan Tuyay (7-4, 6.75)
Win, 17-4. We really put a bad one on Shawna’s club in this one – no mercy… Ethan (not an All-Star?) went 4 for 5 with two ribbies and 3 runs, Dom hit a homer & recorded 4 RBI, and Tony Voorhis (not an All-Star?) went 3 for 5 with a 3-run homer in the 4th… Otto (leading vote-getter) hit his 25th out,
PEPPER put 3 safely in play,
OH HONG struck out 4 times, we hit 5 doubles to go with our 3 homers as a club, Mullen & Hamza each stole a bag, Otto & Tony got hit by the pitcher (with the ball), and we head into the All-Star break feeling like we are the best damn baseball club on the entire planet. And who knows, maybe we are…
Notes: Our lead over NL West rival, the Phoenix Suns, has ballooned to a nice & comfy 7.5 games – they went 4-6 over their last 10 and are on a 3-game skid as we speak – couldn’t have happened to a nicer group of guys… Heathcote Kinton (LAG) is leading the league in WAR (he was leading it at this point in 2076 as well – let’s hope he doesn’t end the season on the IL again) with Otto in second at 4.3… I sent Aiden Jensen to Compton and decided to take a look at Trevor Dotson in his stead. Oh, and the National League won the All-Star game by a score of 8-3… Philadelphia’s Palmer Parker took home the MVP trophy, Hamza went 0 for 3, Tommy Franzone (MLB HR Leader) hit one out, Otto went 0 for 2, and Newton pitched a perfect inning in the 4th, 3 up, 3 K’s, only 13 pitches… wow.
Special Note: SP Aiden Jensen pitched a CG, 5-hit, shutout in a 3-0 win over the Gwinnett Stripers in his CITY OF COMPTON debut… we’ll let him chill down there for a bit – it’ll do the young man some good. Besides, the kid looks sharp in the Compton kit.
