[Bub13]

September 16-18 @ SEATTLE
The last road series of the season, if you can believe that. Once again a solid pitching effort (5th in runs) is undone by meh offense (11th). 2B Jose Rodriguez hit 28 HR but slumped to just .228, and is now on the DL. Injuries also caught up to aging Mike Wapner, to the tune of just .265 and 14 HR for the year. And for some reason they have a guy with a .269 OBP batting leadoff. Former Cy Young winner Miguel Moreno lasted just 8 starts before going down for the season. For next year, their top three prospects are already in the bigs, so at least they're getting valuable experience. None have played well, but they're still growing. And #5 guy Dan Welker, you may recall, recently tossed a no-hitter. So there's some reason for optimism; which is good, because it looks like the West could be a dogfight next year, with several teams improving.

HAW pitchers: LH Shane Walker (5-1, 4.22) / RH Dennis Perry (12-7, 4.52) / RH Shamar Jackson (16-11, 4.25)
SEA pitchers: RH Erik Ramey (15-12, 4.74) / LH Carlos Zenon (15-10, 3.66) / RH Jesus Aguilar (9-13, 4.51)

#147: WIN 5-1 ... 3 HR, including one by Simmons! Goodloe and Frederick too...4 hits by Daley...7 IP from the up-and-down Walker, only 5 H and 1 R
#148: WIN 9-2 ... 4 HR tonight, including Groff's 20th and another for Goodloe...Daley and Groff closing in on 100 RBI
#149: WIN 6-5 ... we come back from a 5-1 deficit, banging out 3 more HR, yet another one from Goodloe...Jackson gets pulled in the 5th

Very nice. And that crazy homer binge gives us more dingers than steals--154 to 153--in case you're keeping track.... Goodloe has gotten a hit in 28 of his last 31 games. Oh, and we extended him: five years, $61.4M. Fifth year is a team option. We're overpaying him next year, but I think (hope!) he'll be a bargain in a couple years.... ELSEWHERE: LA has snuck past the Giants, thanks in part to a sudden five game losing streak from SF. And LA starter Marvin Diaz has had a quietly excellent season, becoming the third pitcher to reach 20 wins. He's 20-8, 2.38 ERA, 216 K, and 7.0 WAR.... NY is back to a 2.5 game lead over the Marlins, and Cincy is pulling away from New Orleans, now with an 8.5 game lead.


September 19-21 vs TEXAS
Hanging on to some wildcard hopes, at 77-71. They won't catch whoever loses the AL East division, but they're only 2.5 games behind 2nd place Tampa Bay. Star William Swanson hasn't hit for his usual average (.293, about 25 points below his career rate), but now has 41 HR and 106 RBI. He's gunning for his second AL MVP, and will get some votes for his power numbers alone. Rookies Eric Robbins (21 HR) and Ronnie Halverson (23), along with now-injured C Juan Espinoza (16 HR in 82 games) gives the Rangers a strong core going into next year. Pitcher Greg Buchanan has finally grown into his talent, and once injured #2 Bobby Daniel comes back they'll have a strong 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation.

HAW pitchers: LH Eric Jones (21-3, 3.18) / RH Ryan Ratliff (14-6, 4.00) / LH Shane Walker (6-1, 3.91)
TEX pitchers: RH Paul Labbe (3-6, 4.64) / RH Mike Kent (9-13, 4.84) / RH Ricky Cruz (3-4, 5.40)

#150: WIN 2-0 ... Jones scatters just 3 hits over 7.1 IP...we combine 11 hits with 8 walks, but ground in 4 double plays
#151: LOSS 4-5 ... Capp hits his first HR of the year, a 3-run shot...too little, tho, as we give up 2 in the 9th and lose in the 11th
#152: WIN 9-3 ... a 5-run 1st sparks us, led by HR from Frederick and Daley...Klein shows up with 3 hits, all doubles, which ties a team record

Sorry, Texas, but I want wins wins wins! And hits, and runs, and etc.... Jones wins his 200th game, and ties the team season record as well.... Daley reaches 100 RBI, Groff now at 99.... Daley is also battling Minnesota's Josh Jacobson for the AL batting crown. Daley is now at .333, Jacobson .332.... ELSEWHERE: The NL batting race is a three person fight: Dillon Ritter (SF) .339; Jose Tavares (CIN) .338; George Livezey (PHI) .337.... Yankees RF Melvin Lopez leads MLB batters with 9.0 WAR. He's batting .305 with 36 HR, but is really making his mark in the field, with a combined +12.7 ZR in 149 games at center and right.... Ten straight wins for the Reds now, and an 8.5 game lead. The other NL divisions are deadlocked: BKN/PHI in the East, LA/SF in the West.


September 23-25 vs HOUSTON
At 75-77, they're nearly out of the wildcard race, but it hasn't been a lost season. The offense has been the real drag on any progress however: especially the bottom third of the lineup, which has combined for a .185 average in over 1000 total AB. For next year, nearly everyone critical is already signed, except for current #1 SP Chris Avalos. I still think having a closer who's making $33M a season is...a bit much, however.

HAW pitchers: RH Olimpio Le Coq (debut) / RH Shamar Jackson (16-11, 4.36) / LH Eric Jones (22-3, 3.07)
HOU pitchers: RH Chris Avalos (12-6, 3.69) / LH Chris Harris (10-16, 4.12) / RH Alex Trujillo (5-10, 4.41)

#153: WIN 7-6 ... a 6-0 deficit is erased in the final innings, capped by Frederick's 2-run triple in the 9th...3 hits for Daley
#154: WIN 6-4 ... 2 RBI hits for Goodloe, and Simmons drives in 3 with a 2b and 3b...9 K puts Jackson over 200 on the season
#155: WIN 6-5 ... 3 more hits for Daley, really reaching for that title...and he wins it with a walk-off HR in the 10th

Roll roll roll. The sweep eliminates Houston officially.... Short A Poughkeepsie lost the NY-Penn League title in six games to the Hudson Valley Renegades. Tough end to a great 52-18 season. Only AAA Santa Barbara looks like they'll see the post-season. No one else is that close.... ELSEWHERE: Detroit and Cincinnati clinch their divisions. Everywhere else is tight: NY leads Miami by 2; Philly by 1 over Brooklyn; and San Diego has surged to a half game lead on SF and LA.... Atlanta's Matt Waugh has gotten better down the stretch, lowering his ERA to 1.80. If this guy isn't a UNANIMOUS Cy Young pick in the NL, there ought to be an investigation.


September 26-29 vs OAKLAND
They're not offically eliminated yet, but at 78-77 and 7 games out from the second wildcard spot, it won't be long. The record is average, their stats are average. Big seasons from Ryan Walton (42 HR, 104 RBI) and Felix Reyes (40 and 116), and the team is 5th in home runs. The outlook for next year is promising: everyone good is coming back, they've got some money for free agents, and an owner who like to spend. I hate to say it, but they're getting close to being really good again, if they manage it right.

HAW pitchers: RH Ryan Ratliff (14-6, 3.93) / LH Shane Walker (7-1, 3.84) / RH Olimpio Le Coq (0-0, 5.40) / RH Shamar Jackson (17-11, 4.32)
OAK pitchers: RH Jim Schwartz (15-11, 3.15) / RH Oscar Escobedo (8-16, 6.19) / LH Chris Larimer (17-11, 3.10) / RH Mike Pearson (10-6, 4.95)

#156: LOSS 5-15 ... damn...at least we score 5 late runs to avoid the shutout...3 hits for Frederick...three pitchers share all the grief tonight
#157: WIN 7-1 ... 4 hits for Goodloe, 2 HR for Goldthwait...Walker tosses 8.1 IP, 7 K and just 1 BB
#158: LOSS 2-4 ... we outhit them 10-6 but can't string anything together...Le Coq fans 8, but gives up all 4 runs in 6 IP
#159: LOSS 2-7 ... more outhitting, but only solo HR from Goldthwait and Daley make a dent

Oakland is still eliminated, but hey they secure at least an 81-win season.... Goldthwait has 39 HR and 97 RBI. One three-run HR in the next series should do it.... Le Coq has gotten two starts here late, in place of Perry, but I'm going to put Perry back in to get one more start before the playoffs.... ELSEWHERE: NY and Miami clinch playoff spots, as do Philly and Brooklyn. Two will win their division, two will be wildcard entries.... Going into the final series of the season, here are the second-place wildcard races: TB (86 wins), TEX (85), MIL (84), BOS (83). In the NL, SD (89), SF and NO (87), LA (85), and PIT (84). One of SD or SF looks to win the NL West.


September 30, October 1-2 vs CALIFORNIA
Last place in the division has been clinched, and they're at 69 wins. LF Nate Atwater had a breakout season in his first as a starter, .263/39/102. But he's 26 and it will be interesting to see if this was a fluke or not. 1B Ricky Ochoa, 22, raised his average by 30 points and hit 32 HR. He'll need to get even better than that next year. Four SP are on the DL, which may seem like a terrible thing until you notice that the rotation ERA ranks 15th in the AL. The good news is that the guys who won't be back are limited to overpaid or underperforming vets, so there's room for some young guys to grow. Unless they make some huge moves in free agency, they won't compete next year; but maybe by 2052 they'll be getting there.

HAW pitchers: LH Eric Jones (22-3, 3.23) / RH Dennis Perry (13-7, 4.47) / LH Shane Walker (8-1, 3.56)
CAL pitchers: RH Chris Muhammad (1-1, 5.79) / RH Jon Carlsen (12-10, 3.16) / RH Mike Hosey (7-8, 4.60)

#160: WIN 7-2 ... Goodloe smacks another HR, Daley with 3 hits, and Lynn doubles and triples...Jones pulled in the 4th, but won't miss any time
#161: LOSS 0-10 ... blech, nothing to see here unless you're a fan of Angels SP Jon Carlsen
#162: LOSS 3-7 ... Walker gets bombed, complicating my post-season rotation plans...two hits for Daley, sealing the AL batting crown!

More mediocre play to close things out. Ok, now things get serious and we gotta step it up.... Hopefully we'll get straight, and best of all: no one got hurt. So outside of Mike Garfield still being out, everyone else is healthy and ready to go.... ELSEWHERE: Texas! In the playoffs! Dogs and cats, living together! It has been 27 years since the Rangers made the playoffs; and yes, they could be one-and-done, but still, congrats! They'll play the Yankees in the AL wildcard game.... In the NL, San Francisco led the West for most of the summer, but they faded in September, lost the division to San Diego, and then missed the wildcard by a game to New Orleans. The Zephyrs won their final 8 games to slide into the wildcard game, where they'll face the defending champs from Brooklyn.... Atlanta's Matt Waugh was just 9 strikeouts away from winning the pitching triple crown.... Two new batting champs! NL: SF Dillon Ritter, .351; and AL: HAW Cameron Daley, .338. Oh, btw, Ritter was a supplemental 1st round pick of ours in '42. So it's like we won both crowns!.... No surprise that Austin (60-102) fired manager Jean Ramirez and GM Marc Ritter at the end of the season. No word yet on replacements.

......

TL;DR Version: We finish on a 10-6 mark, and 106-56 total; we won the division by 18 games. The only dark(-ish) mark is that we lost five of our last seven games. But let's be happy with what we have right now, eh? We wound up first in runs, AVG, OBP, and steals; 2nd in runs against, 3rd in starters ERA, 1st in bullpen ERA. Defense wasn't so hot: 10th in efficiency, 12th in ZR, but tied for second in fewest errors. Six end-of-season regulars batted over .300, and even though he didn't qualify for the batting race, Bob Goodloe led the team with a .354 mark (466 AB), and managed 15 HR and 80 RBI. He more than earned the five year extension we signed him to. On the mound, Eric Jones had a career year: 22-3, 3.26 ERA, 167 K, 5.0 WAR. But unless those 22 wins carry a lot of weight with voters, I don't think he'll feature in the Cy Young race: finishing 5th in WAR and FIP were his only other leaderboard appearances. Stranger things have happened, but I'm not banking on it.