[Westheim]

Raccoons (79-57) @ Titans (68-69) – September 8-10, 2037

After an off day, the Raccoons plunged into Boston, hoping not to get stepped on as they tried to hold off the Crusaders (who were up on the weekend) and the Indians. They were eighth in runs scored, but third in runs allowed, with a very good rotation; it had without a doubt been the old and moribund offense that had toppled them from their usual perch atop the division. The season series, however, was tied at six, and this was far from over.

Projected matchups:
Jared Ottinger (9-9, 3.68 ERA) vs. Andy Bressner (1-2, 5.30 ERA)
Bryce Sparkes (12-6, 2.94 ERA) vs. Mario Gonzalez (3-5, 3.15 ERA)
Bernie Chavez (11-8, 3.21 ERA) vs. Matt Brost (5-8, 4.17 ERA)

Right, left, right, including first-up two pitchers that had lost most of the year to injury.

The Critters were yet getting by on only four starting pitchers, but that would end by Saturday. So far it was *possible* that Colt Willes would come off his season-long DL vacation at this point, but he might not make it just as well. Anybody remember Colt Willes at all? Perhaps the saner approach would be to call up somebody from AAA, although that roster had been stripped down, or turn to Gene Tennis with utmost reluctance.

Game 1
POR: 2B Trevino – 3B Myers – LF M. Fernandez – CF Fowler – RF Greenway – C Morales – 1B Stedham – SS Maldonado – P Ottinger
BOS: SS Gil – 3B Corder – RF M. Avila – LF W. Vega – C J. Herrera – CF Hawthorne – 1B Uliasz – 2B Sibley – P Bressner

Moises Avila’s triple came with two outs in the bottom 1st and led nowhere for the Titans, with the Raccoons eventually scoring the first run in the third inning with singles by Ottie (!) and Cosmo, although it ultimately took a 2-out error by ancient Justin Uliasz to get Ottie across. Fowler grounded out to short to end the inning. Ross Sibley, briefly a forgettable Raccoon a few years ago, hit a leadoff double in the bottom of the third inning, was bunted to third, but was thrown out at home plate on Antonio Gil’s fly to Fernandez in left. Ottie retired the first two batters in the fourth, then allowed singles to Willie Vega and Juan Herrera, walked George Hawthorne in a full count, I sighed, and then accepted Justin Uliasz’ inevitable 2-out, 2-run single like the Roman – looking for a suitable piece of dirt nearby to half-bury my sword, blade up, before two Titans attendants dragged me away.

The same part of the lineup finished off Ottinger in the sixth. Leadoff walk to Avila, a Herrera triple, and it was all downhill from there. Hawthorne’s grounder brought in the third Titans run, and while Uliasz struck out, the Critters brought in Gene Tennis against Sibley, who OBVIOUSLY hit a 2-out single to center, 4-1, before Bressner popped out. The game was pretty much dead at that point, with the Raccoons unable to get the balls to fall onto the green in the middle innings. Justin Fowler, who had gone the entire previous week without an RBI, hit a homer to left, but that was already leading off the eighth inning, getting the Raccoons to 4-2. In exchange, Uliasz hit a 2-run homer off Francisco Pena in the bottom of the inning… 6-2 Titans. Trevino 2-5; Myers 2-5; Morales 2-3;

Game 2
POR: SS Trevino – 3B Myers – LF M. Fernandez – CF Fowler – C Garcia – 1B Stedham – 2B Vickers – RF Pinkerton – P Sparkes
BOS: SS Gil – 3B Corder – RF M. Avila – LF W. Vega – C J. Herrera – CF Hawthorne – 1B Uliasz – 2B Sibley – P M. Gonzalez

Gil drew a leadoff walk for Boston in the first, but was caught stealing between consecutive strikeouts for Sparkes. The following inning the Titans got a leadoff single from Willie Vega, Herrera hit a ball to the warning track in right for a double, and then the Titans went down strikeout, strikeout, strikeout – admittedly with an intentional walk to Sibley, who had that coonskinning gene in him, in between.

The Raccoons’ offense opened with four shambolic innings before getting the 7-8 batters aboard with consecutive 1-out singles in the fifth. Sparkes bunted into a force on Rich Vickers, but Trevino grounded out anyway, and I was slowly but surely overcome by a gloomy mood. Antonio Gil’s 1-out triple and Adam Corder’s well-placed grounder near second base then allowed Boston to take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the inning, and I declared all of it lost before digging another hole for that sword. Sparkes would pitch seven innings of 4-hit ball without ever getting a sniff of a lead (the Raccoons never even reached third base…), before being hit for by Hooge to begin the top 8th, with right-hander Mike Hugh having replaced Gonzalez. Not that fresh blood changed anything – the Coons made three quick outs against three relievers in the inning. Prieto held the Titans to their 1-0 lead before southpaw Wyatt Hamill came in for the ninth inning. Manny Fernandez hit a liner over Uliasz for a leadoff single, which was one of those things that would get your hopes up before the mousetrap would snap on your feeble neck… Fowler struck out. Garcia grounded out, moving the runner to second, where Stedham left him with another K. 1-0 Titans. Trevino 2-4; Sparkes 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 7 K, L (12-7);

****ing hopeless.

Game 3
POR: 2B Trevino – 3B Myers – LF M. Fernandez – CF Fowler – RF Greenway – C Morales – 1B Stedham – SS Maldonado – P B. Chavez
BOS: SS Gil – 3B Corder – RF M. Avila – LF W. Vega – C J. Herrera – CF Hawthorne – 1B Uliasz – 2B Sibley – P Willett

The Raccoons reached third base for the first time since Tuesday on singles by Fernandez and Fowler in the first, but Troy Greenway grounded out to Sibley and the inning ended on that account. While Bernie was almost obliterated by a Vega liner to begin the second, getting his glove up in front of his noggin’ for protective purposes only to find a ball in there, he at least wasn’t scored upon the first time through, and the Raccoons then were back on first and third with one out in the top 3rd after Cosmo and Myers dropped singles. All we got was a Fernandez sac fly, but it was better than ****ing nothing.

Boston tied the game in the fourth when Bernie gave up two near-bombs. Vega’s drive was caught by Greenway, bouncing off the wall in right, but Manny couldn’t reach Herrera’s ball in the gap, which fell for a double, followed by a Hawthorne single through the right side that got the run home. Uliasz popped out to end that inning, but it only got worse. Sibley hit a leadoff double over Fowler’s head to begin the bottom 5th, Bernie lost Willett’s bunt in translation, and then walked Gil. Three on, no outs, all was lost! Corder popped out, but the next three batters all got home a run – Avila singled, Vega walked on four pitches (…), and Herrera singled. Bernie was yanked at that point, with Citriniti getting a comebacker for a force out at home and then a K on Uliasz to escape inning, three runs too late, but then gave up a run with Sibley’s leadoff single and then assorted misfortunes in the sixth.

Down 4-1, then 5-1, the Raccoons did precious little. Greenway had a 2-out double in the sixth, which led nowhere; Brito and Trevino hit singles in the seventh, also with two outs, and Myers flew out to center harmlessly after that. Nate Ward loaded the bases while getting only one out in the bottom 8th, with Derek Barker then walking in a run against Moises Avila, while a Stedham error allowed another run across. The Raccoons did absolutely nothing in the last two innings. 7-1 Titans. Trevino 2-4; Brito (PH) 1-1;

Doom.

By then, the Indians had made up almost all their deficit and were only half a game behind the Critters after splitting two games with the Crusaders. Their Wednesday game was rained out and would only be made up on the last weekend of the season. Said Crusaders were now 1 1/2 games behind, and…

Raccoons (79-60) @ Crusaders (78-62) – September 11-13, 2037

The Crusaders still tried to make the playoffs while not breaking the top four in either runs scored or runs allowed, which was wicked, and now they got three free wins on the paws of the Raccoons. We had an 8-7 lead in the season series, but the Crusaders would take care of that.

Projected matchups:
Raffaello Sabre (9-5, 4.13 ERA) vs. Ignacio del Rio (16-8, 2.90 ERA)
Gene Tennis (2-2, 4.50 ERA) vs. Brian Frain (7-9, 3.89 ERA)
Jared Ottinger (9-10, 3.77 ERA) vs. Jeff Turi (11-11, 4.10 ERA)

So, the Coons brought up the melting Sabre, the crummy Tennis, and Ottie, who had lost three straight. New York had three right-handers, but of course led off with the ex-Coon del Rio, so we were surely done. Oh yeah, and of course they came into the series with two days off…

Game 1
POR: 2B Trevino – 3B Myers – RF M. Fernandez – CF Fowler – LF Hooge – C Morales – 1B Stedham – SS Maldonado – P Sabre
NYC: CF L. Herrera – RF Botzet – C D. Phillips – 1B K. Henderson – LF Sato – SS Zeltser – 3B G. Ortiz – 2B Lira – P del Rio

The Raccoons did little to nothing in the first few innings, while Sabre already drilled Devin Phillips on an 0-2 pitch in the first. He second inning was worse; Greg Ortiz and Tony Lira hit 1-out singles, were bunted into scoring position, and driven in on a single over second base by Lorenzo Herrera. Sabre nailed Aaron Botzet for good measure before some kind soul made a play for him… When Maldonado was nailed to begin the third, the Raccoons could do nothing with the free runner, but the Crusaders scratched out another run with an infield single by Tony Lira to lead off the bottom 4th, with Botzet taking revenge smashing a 2-out RBI triple.

At that point the Raccoons still didn’t have a base hit and I had no idea where the offense had gone all of a sudden. The fifth was no better, with the Raccoons retired in order by del Rio before Kumanosuke Henderson, lead-footed AND old, hit a triple to center. Graciano Salto’s single got the run home with a single that Ed Hooge overran, and the inning dragged on until del Rio hit an RBI single with two outs past Maldonado, at which point Sabre was unceremoniously yanked after 4.2 innings, 11 hits, and five runs, all earned and deserved. Sims struck out Herrera to end the fifth, while the heretofore-hitless Raccoons got a 1-out double from Trevino in the sixth, then left him out there to die. That was his last base hit of Trevino’s year – he injured himself on a defensive play an inning later, was later found out to have a strained oblique, and was ruled out for the season.

The following half-inning, the Raccoons got a 1-out single from Rich Vickers in the #1 hole before Dave Myers hit a double to center – tumbling into second base and Bob Zeltser so violently that he, too, had to be removed from the game.

Preston Pinkerton now playing third base, Fernandez’ grounder to first and Fowler’s grounder to second ended the inning without a run scoring, and the best the team could do was to get Morales and Stedham into scoring position on another pair of base hits with one down in the ninth, finally chasing the much too smug del Rio. A run scored on Maldonado’s groundout against Julian Ponce, and that was ****ing everything. 5-1 Crusaders. Vickers 1-1; Morales 2-3, BB; Ward 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K;

And that, my kids – (noisily closes tome of gruesome fairy tales) – is how this season ended.

Now, the Indians lost on Friday, but the Raccoons were now only half a game ahead of both their competitors, and with Trevino certainly lost for the season, Myers undiagnosed as of now, and the rotation having turned to mush at the same time the offense had disappeared in quicksand, the season was over.

There was NO WAY they’d win on Saturday with Tennis on the mound and the lineup decimated like that. Yes, Alberto Ramos was activated on Saturday and exchanged places on the DL with Trevino – but there was no discussion how Trevino had seen the much better season.

And who knows how long until Berto breaks both legs putting on pants…

Game 2
POR: SS Ramos – C Garcia – RF M. Fernandez – CF Fowler – LF Hooge – 1B Stedham – 3B Maldonado – 2B Vickers – P Tennis
NYC: CF L. Herrera – RF Botzet – LF Salto – 1B K. Henderson – 3B G. Ortiz – C D. Phillips – SS Zeltser – 2B Reynoza – P Frain

Hooge, Stedham, Maldonado – all reached base to begin the second inning, and Ed Hooge was also thrown out at home plate by Herrera, trying to score on the Maldonado single. The remaining runners moved up before Rich Vickers slapped a double up the leftfield line, the first genuinely big hit this ****ing team had gotten in eons. Vickers reached third base on a ball Tennis served into shallow left for a single, then scored on Frain’s wild pitch, 3-0. Berto walked, but the inning fizzled out on a pop and a K, and then the Raccoons still had to contend with their own starting pitcher, who put Henderson and Ortiz on the corners to begin the bottom 2nd. Bob Zeltser, another recent Raccoon harboring some sort of grudge, hit a 2-run double past Fowler, but Manuel Reynoza and Brian Frain both failed to hit a homer, which was *shocking* at this point.

The next Raccoons run was a Maldonado sac fly in the third, while the next Crusaders run came in the fourth, when Tennis walked Frain with the bases loaded and two outs (…!); the run was unearned, courtesy of an error by rusty Ramos that put Phillips on base. Tennis then added Zelts and Reynoza. Somehow Herrera popped out, leaving the Raccoons dangling with a 4-3 lead.

Vickers sent a ball yard with one out in the sixth, extending the lead to 5-3, and Tennis was hit for immediately after that. Maruyama grounded out in his place, while Berto singled with two outs against Josh Brown. Zeltser mishandled a Garcia grounder to extend the inning, but the team that would have pounced even last week was no more. Fernandez flew out gingerly to Botzet, and two more runners were stranded. Barker pitched a clean sixth, while David Fernandez put Herrera on with a single. Prieto replaced him with two outs and fanned Salto, ending the seventh, then put two on in the eighth before escaping on Zeltser’s 4-6-3 double play. The Raccoons couldn’t score against the bullpen in the late innings, but at least they could get Soung into the game with a lead – but he had pitched for two outs the night before just to get work, not having faced any Titan midweek. Reynoza singled. He walked Michael Duryea. Herrera then hit a ball off the wall in the right corner that sent Greenway back, then back in as he chased after the carom. The tying runs scored, Herrera had a triple, and everything was coming apart. Ricky Tello struck out, after which the Raccoons pulled a desperate lever – Salto and Henderson were BOTH walked intentionally to get forces, and get Soung to face Ben Putz in the #5 hole. Josh Stephenson batted for that guy, though, ran a 3-2 count, then spanked a ball at Berto. Ramos knocked it down, fired home, and the winning run was slapped out by Morales. Devin Phillips lined out, and the game went to extras, where Ed Hooge hit a leadoff double and was stranded.

The 11th and 12th were handled by Citriniti, while the offense was positively useless. It didn’t help that Fowler had been lifted for defense earlier in the game. The 13th was the third inning of work for New York’s Michael Zabek. The right-hander allowed a leadoff single to Greenway in the #9 hole in the inning, then walked Berto. Tony Morales got a bad pitch and actually FOUND the damn thing, hitting it over the fence for a 3-run homer. BUT NOW, BOYS. No excuses. NOW. Of course, being almost out of arms didn’t help. The Raccoons had an 8-5 lead in the bottom 13th, but nobody to pitch. The only guys left in the pen were Ward, Sims, and Pena. All three had pitched on Friday, and all but Pena had pitched two days in a row. Pena it was… The Raccoons’ lead in the division would live or die with a gruesome rookie with a 9.75 ERA! Shortstop Andy Hendrix hit a double on his second pitch, bringing up the top of the lineup. Herrera’s fly was caught by Hooge, but Vickers then fumbled a Dan Rule liner for an error, and Salto (.294, 20 HR, 75 RBI) stepped in as the tying run. C’est la vie. Salto hit a LOUD fly to right on Pena’s first pitch, but it was too high and not long enough; Greenway caught it in right, and the Crusaders settled for the sac fly. Kumanosuke Henderson? LOUD fly on the very next pitch, to center, Hooge back – and he made the catch, flying and braking with his nose in the dirt, but holding on to the ball. 8-6 Critters. Morales 1-3, HR, 3 RBI; Hooge 5-7, 2 2B; Vickers 2-5, BB, HR, 2B, 3 RBI; Citriniti 2.0 IP, 0 H; 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K, W (2-0);

First career save for Pena. And by god, it was something… (sinks exhausted into a clubhouse attendant’s arms)

The Indians lost again, which ensured the Raccoons to hold onto first place through Sunday, but at what cost… at what cost? All my nerves for sure, and then some.

Changes for Sunday included Mauricio Garavito being available for the first time in over a week, and Colt Willes being activated from the DL; he’d be worked in the next blowout for two innings of rehab work, and the next blowout for this team could only be minutes away. No news on Myers. Was Dr. Chung even on that? Had anybody SEEN Dr. Chung?

Game 3
POR: SS Ramos – C Morales – RF Greenway – CF Fowler – LF Hooge – 1B Stedham – 3B Maldonado – 2B Vickers – P Ottinger
NYC: CF L. Herrera – RF Botzet – 1B K. Henderson – LF Salto – SS Zeltser – 3B G. Ortiz – C Duryea – 2B Lira – P Turi

Both hurlers faced the minimum the first time through in the rubber game, and both had their only runner (Maldonado; Herrera) caught stealing. Botzet would hit a single, the Crusaders’ first hit, in the fourth, but also stranded in what was a pitchers’ duel only when looked at from afar and not beyond the line scores. Both had only one strikeout, relying heavily on defense. Hooge doubled in the fifth, but was left on, and the Crusaders had two singles off Ottie, as well as a double play grounder.

Jose Brito opened the sixth with a leadoff single through the left side, then was bunted to second. Ramos hit a comebacker, which was awful, and Turi hit Morales with a pitch, which brought up Greenway, but he had one of his absent weeks, hit a fly to left, but Salto was there and caught it. Ottie held up, getting the Raccoons clean through seven, still in a scoreless game. Turi was also still going on a 3-hitter, but gave up another single to Brito with one out in the eighth. Manny Fernandez pinch-hit for Ottinger, singled by Lira, and the Raccoons moved the go-ahead run to second base. Berto up, and the 1-1 was ticked up the middle. Zeltser dove, missed it, and the ball slowly made its way to a racing Herrera, while Brito was waved around third base and scored! He drew a throw, the runners alertly moved up into scoring position, and then Morales found another hanger and BELTED it over the fence! HOME RUN!! HOME RUN!!!! (runs around screaming at Crusaders patrons in the luxury bar place) HOME RUN!!

This was no spot to toss Willes into the water and see whether he’d swim or sink; the Raccoons HAD TO WIN THIS GAME. Derek Barker got into the #4 spot with Fowler removed for D after ending the inning with a long out. Prieto and both usual left-handers were also available to mix and match. Garavito got his turn in the inning, appearing against PH Andy Montes with two outs and Duryea on second after a 1-out double to left. Montes grounded out, ending the eighth. The bottom of the order then burned Josh Brown all over with two outs in the ninth. Maldonado doubled, Brito walked, and Manny smashed another 3-piece to extend the lead to seven – leading to another reconsideration. Now the Raccoons DID go to Willes for an inning in relief. How much damage could he do?? He loaded the bases before we stopped trying to find out, getting only a pop from Herrera before the Crusaders went walk, single, walk on him. David Fernandez came in, having warmed up already, got a comebacker from Zeltser for a force out at home, then walked Ortiz to force in a run. And Duryea, too, forcing in another run. A passed ball on Morales plated a run. And then Fernandez walked Lira. The tying run was up in Devin Phillips, with Prieto coming in. He walked Phillips, forcing in another run. The patrons frequenting the luxury bar began to chant “WALK!! WALK!!” at that point, but Herrera fell to 2-2 against Prieto before hitting a gapper to right-center, and I screamed, and they screamed, and then HOOGE OUT OF NOWHERE AND HE MADE THE CATCH OH MY GOD I CAN’T – 7-4 Raccoons. Maldonado 2-4, 2B; Brito 2-3, BB; M. Fernandez (PH) 2-2, HR, 3 RBI; Ottinger 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K, W (10-10);

In other news

September 7 – VAN 2B/OF Eric Morrow (.237, 10 HR, 45 RBI) hits a homer for the only score in a 1-0 win over the Loggers.
September 8 – SFW SS Jesus Matos (.261, 10 HR, 42 RBI) goes down with a broken rib and won’t return this season.
September 9 – WAS 1B Adam Avakian (.332, 23 HR, 100 RBI) has his hitting streak end at 24 games in a 9-4 win over the Buffaloes. Avakian goes 0-for-3 in the day.
September 11 – DAL OF/1B Ryan Cassell (.315, 12 HR, 71 RBI) is out with a broken kneecap, but will have all winter to heal.
September 13 – The Warriors’ 3B/2B Nick Rozenboom (.341, 10 HR, 43 RBI) has a 20-game hitting streak, knocking out two base hits in a 13-1 blowout suffered by the Warriors against the Wolves.
September 13 – Also with a 20-game hitting streak: DAL 2B/SS Hugo Acosta (.368, 0 HR, 82 RBI), who has one hit in a 1-0 loss to the Pacifics. That run? Not scored until the 14h inning on utility Luis Allucingoli (.167, 0 HR, 2 RBI) dropping in a walkoff single.

FL Player of the Week: SFW 3B/2B Nick Rozenboom (.341, 10 HR, 43 RBI), hitting .543 (19-35), 1 HR, 6 RBI
CL Player of the Week: VAN 2B/OF Eric Morrow (.243, 13 HR, 56 RBI), swatting .370 (10-27), 4 HR, 12 RBI

Complaints and stuff

(breathes heavily under oxygen mask on the airplane)

(briefly takes the mask off) That was … this week was … (puts the mask back on)

(briefly takes the mask off) Ottie threw only *73* pitches before being pulled on Sunday, getting the W as a result, which means he *could* go on short rest, meaning we can delay Willes/Tennis another day next week. Minor thing. (puts the mask back on)

(briefly takes the mask off) Oh, woe is me! (puts the mask back on)

(briefly takes the mask off) Yes, Madam Stewardess, I know, the plane has not taken off yet. – Is it unlawful to breath into this mask? – Well, no, I’m not well. – Did you see the Raccoons game today? – No, baseball. – I guessed you had never heard of them. – Thank you. (puts the mask back on)

(briefly takes the mask off) First career save for Pena on Saturday, and I never want to see him get another one… (puts the mask back on)

(slumps into seat)

POR (81-61) – IND (4), VAN (4), BOS (3), MIL (3), OCT (3), TIJ (3) – .488 – 65.3% (+2.4%)
IND (78-63) – MIL (4), NYC (4), POR (4), ATL (3), BOS (3), LVA (3) – .506 – 18.8% (-8.2%)
NYC (79-64) – IND (4), BOS (3), IND (3), MIL (3), OCT (3), TIJ (3) – .486 – 15.4% (+5.3%)

Fun Fact: On June 26, 2007, the Raccoons held a 10 1/2 game lead over the Crusaders.

Then blew it.

(twitches)