[Westheim]

Raccoons (69-43) @ Indians (52-60) – August 9-11, 2038

Part of the three teams who were fully and completely out of it in the North, the Indians were posting numbers in the bottom four in both runs scored and runs allowed and their record was probably a bit too good for their -72 run differential. Indeed, their pythagorean record should be 47-65, much worse (but still ahead of the Crusaders). We were up 8-4 in the season series.

Projected matchups:
Jose de Leon (1-0, 2.57 ERA) vs. Joe Robinson (9-9, 2.97 ERA)
Steve Fidler (6-1, 2.96 ERA) vs. Jake Jackson (1-1, 3.06 ERA)
Bernie Chavez (8-8, 3.81 ERA) vs. Arnie Terwilliger (5-8, 3.51 ERA)

Left, right, left, and probably three more disappointments for Portland…

Also unfortunate: Cosmo Trevino was not in the lineup on Monday, suffering from earache. The hope was that he’d be back on Tuesday.

Game 1
POR: 3B Ramos – 2B Vickers – CF Maldonado – LF M. Fernandez – RF Greenway – C Kilmer – 1B Stedham – SS Williams – P de Leon
IND: LF Cassell – SS Johnston – RF Leftwich – 1B Levis – CF Baron – C E. Thompson – 3B Howden – 2B McKenzie – P J. Robinson

Yes, that was Jarod Howden, the dumb pig, at third base for Indy – they deserved to be beaten up for that one alone. Howden, 33, hadn’t had a semi-regular gig in the majors since he’d been with the 2034 Crusaders, and now the Indians tried him at the hot corner when he was very much a first baseman all his life. Of course he hit a leadoff single in the bottom 2nd after the Indians had loaded them up again de Leon in the first inning, but had left them loaded, with John Baron popping out foul and Elliott Thompson grounding out to short after the 2-3-4 batters had reached by getting hit, getting a hit, and walking. De Leon walked Jim McKenzie after that, but the inning was derailed by Robinson’s bad bunt, and in the third inning de Leon drilled Doug Levis and allowed a single to Baron, but Thompson grounded out to strand those; so that was three innings and a whole pile of Indians left on base. Robinson hit Greenway in the fourth, which was probably not intentional given that Manny had opened the inning with a single and there was nobody out. Kilmer walked on four pitches, filling them up for Stedham, whose sac fly looked like all the Critters would get until de Leon spilled a 1-2 pitch over the second base bag for an RBI single with two down. Berto walked to restock the bases, but Vickers flew out to left, ending the inning. McKenzie singled in the bottom 4th, but Robinson bunted into a double play, so the Indians kept making outs in the worst ways against a pitcher that looked very much like he’d be toppled any second now…

The Coons added a run in the fifth, Greenway singling home Manny Fernandez, and with two outs Stedham reached base on McKenzie’s error and Elijah Williams hit an RBI double, 4-0. This was followed by de Leon coming apart entirely in the bottom 6th, walking Levis, nailing Baron, and walking Thompson – all with nobody out. David Fernandez replaced him and blew the game entirely; Howden, the dumb pig, hit a run-scoring grounder, and the second run scored on a wild pitch. McKenzie flew out, but PH Brent Rempfer hit a homer to left, tying the score at four…

Dusty Kulp pitched in the eighth inning, which inspired a Raccoons comeback. Williams singled, Berto was walked intentionally, and Vickers dropped a 2-out RBI single to grab a new 5-4 lead. Michael Donovan, a left-hander, replaced Kulp, the right-hander who we knew ENOUGH about, had Maldonado at 0-2, then gave up a triple up the line for two runs. Sadly, that triple was threw Lewis and not through the dumb pig. Manny Fernandez added an RBI single before Greenway grounded out. Getting six outs while not blowing an 8-4 lead sounded like too much asked, though. Garavito came out to pitch, allowed a single to Baron leading off the bottom 8th, which was *excusable* since Baron was a right-hander with a weird approach to the game of baseball, but the three LEFT-handed batters he put on base were not. Thompson walked, McKenzie and Ryan Cassell hit RBI singles, and Jermaine Campbell came in with the tying runs on the corners, barely getting Ryan Johnston out on a grounder. The consolation came in the ninth, with Howden making an error to aid the Raccoons in loading the bases with two outs, and then missing Tony Morales’ pinch-hit, 0-2 roller for a 2-run single. Campbell finished the game, allowing merely a John Baron homer to far, far away. 10-7 Coons. Morales (PH) 1-1, 2 RBI; M. Fernandez 3-5, RBI; Greenway 2-4, RBI; Williams 2-4, BB, 2B, RBI;

Game 2
POR: 3B Ramos – 2B Trevino – SS Maldonado – LF M. Fernandez – RF Greenway – C Morales – CF Hooge – 1B Stedham – P Fidler
IND: LF Cassell – 3B Hutson – SS Johnston – RF Leftwich – 1B Levis – CF Baron – C E. Thompson – 2B McKenzie – P Ja. Jackson

Early offense was limited to home runs by Troy Greenway and Dan Hutson; unfortunately the Critter’s came with nobody on, while Hutson homered with Jake Jackson having singled before that and thus Indy took a 2-1 lead in the bottom 3rd. Nothing else of value happened through five, and the Raccoons had only one base hit on top of the Greenway bomb. It didn’t get much better after that, despite Cosmo (nailed) and Manny (walk) reaching in the sixth; Greenway popped out there, and Portland didn’t get a hit until Ed Hooge singled with one out in the seventh, an effort that led nowhere in particular.

The Indians removed Jackson after he walked Cosmo with one out in the eighth, bringing in Donovan again, who was near-impossible to steal on, and the score was still 2-1, so that was a good move. Maldonado flew out, Fernandez grounded out, and nobody scored. Steve Fidler completed eight innings of solid ball, but looked doomed for the lack of run support. The Indians brought in Tim Thweatt against our array of left-handed bats at the bottom of the order, but I had no hope. Greenway struck out. Morales singled to right, though, only the fourth base knock for Portland in the game. When he advanced on a passed ball charged to Sean Ebner, the Raccoons sent Williams to run for Morales, but Hooge lined out to McKenzie and Stedham grounded out to first base. 2-1 Indians. Trevino 1-2, BB; Fidler 8.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, L (6-2);

Sigh.

Game 3
POR: CF Maldonado – 2B Trevino – LF M. Fernandez – RF Greenway – C Kilmer – 1B Vickers – SS Williams – 3B Myers – P Chavez
IND: LF Cassell – 3B Hutson – RF Leftwich – 1B Levis – CF Baron – C E. Thompson – SS Johnston – 2B McKenzie – P Terwilliger

The bags filled up in the first inning on Maldo’s single, Manny’s walk, and then Ryan Johnston’s error on a potential double play grounder by Troy Greenway. Jeff Kilmer was an obvious double play candidate, but came through with a ball over the head of John Baron for a 2-run double, while Vickers popped out and Williams grounded out to Dan Hutson. Unfortunately, Bernie Chavez fought threw one long count after another, and it was not a question of if, but when, and when turned out to be the bottom 3rd. Leadoff walk to McKenzie, Cassell triple in the gap, well-placed Hutson grounder – tied ballgame…

After Levis and Thompson ripped doubles to give Indy a 3-2 lead in the fourth, the Raccoons answered with Cosmo getting on, stealing his 30th base, and scoring, barely, on a 2-out single by Kilmer, who went to 3-for-3 on the day. None of that made Bernie Chavez pitch any better, and he was entirely chewed up in just five innings, tossing 103 pitches in a shambles outing.

Dennis Citriniti then tried to soak a loss in the dumbest way possible. He came in to start the sixth, and fell to 3-0 against Doug Levis, who then *poked*, grounded back to the pitcher, and Citriniti – threw it away. Somehow, nobody knew quite how, the Indians didn’t rally for six on Citriniti’s dismal ***, and the game remained tied at three. The Coons had Cosmo and Manny on to begin the seventh, then struck out three times against Dusty Kulp, of all losers. Kilmer struck out again with Cosmo and Greenway on base, ending the top 9th against Jimmy Lohrey, after which Jarod Howden, the dumb pig, came frighteningly close to a leadoff, walkoff jack against Prieto in the bottom 9th, flying out to Greenway on the warning track instead. Nobody harmed Prieto in the game, which went to extras. Even Fernandez avoided destruction despite Abel Madsen’s leadoff double in the bottom 10th, getting around the obstacle thanks to a crucial K to Leftwich with one out. The Raccoons had no offense whatsoever at that point, so the game dragged on waiting for the Indians to score. They had Madsen, batting in the #1 spot, on again with a single in the bottom 12th. Lohrey, holding out bravely, bunted him to second base, and with Ben Feist on the mound the Raccoons walked Leftwich (.266, 17 HR, 48 RBI) and instead brought up the right-handed Doug Levis (.205, 8 HR, 38 RBI). The latter flew out to Greenway and the game dragged on. Mike Hurley replaced Lohrey in the 13th, but the Raccoons didn’t reach until Stedham’s leadoff single from the #9 hole in the 14th. Maldonado’s grounder narrowly got by Johnston at short, putting two Furballs on, and when Cosmo grounded to right, Doug Levis dove and missed, but Danny Briseno made the play behind first base – but had no play after all, since Hurley hadn’t broken to cover first base! Bases loaded, no outs, Manny in the box in the 14th! And he BROKE the tie, finding the gap in right-center for a 2-run double! Greenway was walked intentionally before Kilmer killed the inning with a 5-2-3 double play. At least Campbell didn’t allow a guy on base….. 5-3 Blighters. Trevino 4-6, BB; M. Fernandez 2-6, BB, 2B, 2 RBI; Kilmer 3-7, 2 2B, 3 RBI; Prieto 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K; D. Fernandez 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K; Feist 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, W (7-2);

This game was followed by a very welcome off day!

The Raccoons only now made a roster move, sending de Leon back to AAA. Since Monday was another day off, we would not need a fifth starter until the following weekend, and by then could have Gene Tennis back if we so desired (although we – and Maud especially – really wanted Ottie back and were eyeing his AAA performances very closely). Chris Womble was brought up from AAA as an extra righty arm in the pen for the weekend and maybe a few days after that if he didn’t do too badly.

Raccoons (71-44) @ Pacifics (44-71) – August 13-15, 2038

Final stop on this endless road trip of sadness – Los Angeles. The Pacifics lay dead in the gutter, almost 30 games back in their division. They were 11th in runs scored and last in runs allowed in the FL, with a scary -157 run differential. There was little to love on that roster, although losing four qualified starting pitchers (Adam Potter, Julio Palomo, Andy Jimenes, Chris Sulkey) for significant amounts of time (and only Potter was active now) surely hadn’t helped their attempts to be relevant. But even then they were also near the worst defense in the league. Their current team home run leader (Vinny Chavira) had played upstate for more than a month. The only category in which they were good at was stolen bases, their 85 almost matching our 89. We were second in the CL with that; they ranked third in their league. This was the fifth straight year these two teams faced off in interleague play. We had taken the last three sets, each by two games to one.

There was also a bit of celebration ahead of the series opener on Friday. Both teams played their 10,000th regular season game on that day!

Projected matchups:
Raffaello Sabre (7-8, 3.23 ERA) vs. Adam Potter (4-5, 3.84 ERA)
Bryce Sparkes (14-5, 2.86 ERA) vs. Jose Rivas (1-3, 5.87 ERA)
Steve Fidler (6-2, 2.88 ERA) vs. Ernesto Lujan (7-8, 3.95 ERA)

Alternating righty and lefty opponents continued; in this set Rivas would be the southpaw.

Game 1
POR: 3B Ramos – 2B Trevino – SS Maldonado – LF M. Fernandez – RF Greenway – C Morales – CF Hooge – 1B Stedham – P Sabre
LAP: 1B S. Garcia – RF Gouveia – 2B M. Hurtado – C Huichapa – 3B Bowman – SS J. Cruz – CF Botzet – LF D. Willis – P Potter

Troy Greenway reached the 80 RBI mark approximately seventhousand months after reaching 70, singling home Manny to make it 2-0 in a messy top of the first. Berto singled, stole second, and scored on Maldonado’s single. An errant pickoff advanced Maldo, Manny walked, and on a double steal Maldonado was killed at third base. Tony Morales would end the inning on strikes. Berto singled home Stedham in the second inning, 3-0. That looked fairly well, but then Raffaello Sabre had all his limbs removed in the bottom of the third inning, which never ended, and which saw the Pacifics tie the game on five base hits that were knocked increasingly hard. Steve Garcia and Mario Hurtado, old CL North foes, both singles to go to the corners. Ernesto Huichapa, once CL Rookie of the Year, hit a ground-rule double to make up one run. Brian Bowman’s single chased home the remaining runners and even Jose Cruz fought Sabre for eight pitches before singling. Aaron Botzet then grounded out to end the miserable affair.

The Coons put three on and left three on in the fourth, with Cosmo grounding out to strand Morales, Stedham, and Ramos. Sabre allowed one more hit in the fourth, then three more in the fifth, being yanked with Hurtado, Huichapa, and Bowman on base and nobody out whatsoever. Garavito conceded all the runs on singles by Cruz and Daron Willis, and the Raccoons were 6-3 behind, allowing 13 hits in five innings to a team that couldn’t find a run if it was served on a ******* silver plate.

The tying run was at the plate with nobody out in the seventh, thanks to Berto singling and Cosmo walking. They pulled off a double steal successfully, then scored on Maldonado’s single to right, flipped over Hurtado on 0-2. Julio San Pedro replaced Potter, but Manny Fernandez singled, however, Greenway chopped into a double play and Morales flew out to left to keep Portland behind, 6-5. Stedham and Berto were stranded when Cosmo struck out against Josh Bourgeois (who?) in the eighth, and the bottom 8th saw Womble retire two batters before walking the bases full. Yeom Soung then gave up two runs on a Bowman single to doom the Raccoons once more before J.D. Hamm saw Maldonado reach on an error by Luis Allucingoli in the ninth. Manny singled, bringing up Greenway with runners on the corners and no outs in a 3-run deficit. He based Hamm’s first pitch to right, but off the fence, rather than over it, for an RBI double. The tying runs were now in scoring position for the bottom of the order – with Tony Morales wasting no time and ramming a single to left-center to tie the game at eight. Dave Myers and Jesse Stedham singled, loading the bases for Jeff Kilmer, hitting for Soung. He ran a full count before lining a ball to short, OFF THE GLOVE of Allucingoli, and the go-ahead run scored! What madness was this!? The Raccoons just kept going! The Pacifics brought in righty Gene Winton to replace the charred remains of Hamm, but Winton walked in a run on Berto without throwing a strike. Cosmo then made the first out, getting Stedham forced at home plate on a poor grounder. Maldonado brought in a sixth run on a groundout, but Manny flew out to center to end the inning. Campbell allowed singles to Willis and Allucingoli with one out, making me nauseous, but Steve Garcia popped out and Narciso Gouveia grounded out to end the inning. 11-8 Critters!? Ramos 4-4, 2 BB, 2 RBI; Maldonado 2-6, 4 RBI; M. Fernandez 2-5, BB; Greenway 2-5, 2B, 2 RBI; Stedham 3-3, 2 BB; Kilmer (PH) 1-1, RBI;

You can’t say we didn’t put on a show for the 10,000th game…. But boys, seriously, stop driving up my heartbeat…

Getting extra-base hits to full in would be nice – among 16 knocks, Greenway’s double was the only one good for more than 90 feet.

Game 2
POR: 3B Ramos – 2B Trevino – LF M. Fernandez – CF Maldonado – RF Greenway – C Kilmer – 1B Vickers – SS Williams – P Sparkes
LAP: CF McGuigan – RF Gouveia – 2B M. Hurtado – C Huichapa – 3B Bowman – SS J. Cruz – 1B Botzet – LF D. Willis – P J. Rivas

After going dry but for a walk in the jubilee, Cosmo hit a 2-out, 2-run double plating Sparkes (bad bunt) and Berto (unretirable) in the third inning for the first runs of the game. And while solid contact off Bryce Sparkes was readily to be had, it was good that the Critters tacked on in the fourth when Maldo and Greenway hit back-to-back leadoff doubles. Kilmer walked, Vickers singled, and there were three on and no outs for Williams, who grounded to the left side. Bowman made a diving play to cut the ball off, but had no play but at third base, with Kilmer having stumbled after misreading the play. Greenway scored, 4-0, Sparkes’ bunt was misfielded by Rivas to load the sacks for Berto, who struck out, but Cosmo dished a 2-run single up the middle! Manny grounded out, ending the inning at 6-0.

Of course the Pacifics had to knock up Sparkes at some point, although it took until the sixth inning. There, with two outs, they had Gouveia and Huichapa on base after two shoddy defensive plays already, then got Brian Bowman to drive a triple through Alberto Ramos for two runs. Cruz struck out, so the Raccoons maintained slam range… at least until Steve Garcia’s pinch-hit homer in the bottom 7th cut the gap to 6-3. Top 8th, Vickers doubled off Mike Wilt to start the inning. Williams made a poor out, after which Dave Myers pinch-hit and was walked intentionally, which was a weird move. Berto walked without being invited, loading them up for Cosmo, who got a fifth RBI in the game with a sac fly to center. Manny and Maldo hit RBI singles, Greenway walked, all against occasionally changing pitchers, none more effective than the previous one. Right-hander Dan Juarez (15.95 ERA) came in to face Jeff Kilmer, had him 2-2, then threw a fireball right down the middle. And Kilmer hit it right over the fence in left. GRAAAAAAAAAAAND SLAAAAAAAAAMMM!!! … 13-3 Furballs! Ramos 2-5, BB, 2B; Trevino 3-5, 2B, 5 RBI; Maldonado 3-6, 2B, RBI; Greenway 2-4, BB, 2B, RBI; Kilmer 2-4, BB, HR, 4 RBI; Vickers 4-5, 2B; Williams 2-5, RBI; Sparkes 7.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 7 K, W (15-5);

I liked that one.

That tasted good.

Game 3
POR: 3B Ramos – 2B Trevino – SS Maldonado – RF Greenway – LF Ledford – C Morales – CF Hooge – 1B Stedham – P Fidler
LAP: CF McGuigan – RF Gouveia – 2B M. Hurtado – C Huichapa – 3B Bowman – SS J. Cruz – 1B Allucingoli – LF D. Willis – P Lujan

Portland was up 1-0 in the first on Maldonado’s fourth homer of the year, and he also drove in the second run of the game in the third inning. That one was a Ramos Special, with Berto singling, stealing second, and then scoring on another single, just like in the olden days! Unlike any time in Raccoons history, Greenway and Ledford then smacked back-to-back bombs to extend the lead to 5-0. Morales hit a hard single after that, but Hooge flew out to center.

The second they were up 5-0, things started to come apart once more. Daron Willis reached on an infield single to begin the bottom 3rd. Berto then fumbled Lujan’s bunt, and Fidler balked the runners into scoring position before ringing up Jim McGuigan and Gouveia. Mario Hurtado we knew was of sterner steel, but still was retired on Maldonado’s nifty play on his grounder, stranding the runners. Bowman legged out an infield single in the fourth, but was stranded, and the Raccoons had Greenway knock a double in the fifth, but being thrown out at third base for misreading the play in rightfield and getting no help from the third base coach, who was all over a sandwich.

Lujan held out into the seventh (and the Pacifics had no reason to expect improvement from their pen, either), but then allowed another double to Greenway, put Morales on base with balls, and then served up a 3-piece to Ed Hooge, extending the score to 8-0. The Raccoons were calmly lining up Womble to follow Fidler, who was on 79 pitches through six and could not be expected to finish his 3-hitter. Greenway drove in Cosmo to tack on a run in the eighth, but Fidler was out after walking Gouveia with two outs in the eighth – Womble came in, walked Hurtado, then got a long flyout to center from Huichapa. He gave up a run in the ninth, but was unlucky with that one; Bowman opened with another triple, and the ball was fair by mere inches. He scored on Cruz’ sac fly, but that was all for L.A. 9-1 Raccoons! Maldonado 2-5, HR, 2 RBI; Greenway 4-4, BB, HR, 2 2B, 3 RBI; Ledford 2-5, HR, RBI; Hooge 3-5, HR, 2B, 3 RBI; Fidler 7.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 7 K, W (7-2);

In other news

August 15 – 44-year-old Knights outfielder Pablo Sanchez (.281, 0 HR, 17 RBI) still has it, sprinkling five hits in five attempts and driving in three runs in a 9-2 win over the Capitals.
August 15 – SAC SP Ignacio del Rio (12-11, 4.41 ERA) throws a 6-hit shutout against the Crusaders, who had traded him to Sacramento this May.

FL Player of the Week: SAC LF/RF Joreao Porfirio (.261, 8 HR, 44 RBI), hitting .522 (12-23) with 3 HR, 8 RBI
CL Player of the Week: POR RF Troy Greenway (.294, 24 HR, 85 RBI), batting .423 (11-26) with 2 HR, 8 RBI

Complaints and stuff

On towards another 10,000! (raises pocket-size bottle of Capt’n Coma as the plane back to Portland takes off) Only 9,998 left to go.

The offense was lively this week! They scored merely 49 runs in six games. The pitching barely held up and was bailed out more than once. Of course, even while scoring eight per game, they still found a way to sneak in a 2-1 loss.

Bryce Sparkes leads the CL in wins (tied with Eric Weitz of the damn Elks) and and strikeouts, but is third in ERA behind Joe Robinson (by 0.01) and Rich Willett (by 0.39). Willett already crossed the 162-innings mark so there’s no reason for me to send the letter prepared with itching powder anymore.

Pablo Sanchez is gonna play forever, I think. And while he does play the field like you’d expect a 44-year-old to play the field, he might find another gig next year if he desires so. He now has 4,425 career hits, which is of course the all-time record, and keeps building up that lead. Will there ever be another one like him? Maybe; but as of now the league doesn’t even have another active player with 3,000 hits, and #2 on the active leaderboard, Guillermo Obando (2,841) is 38 and gets hurt a lot and might not even make it that far anymore. Third in hits among active players? Kevin Harenberg! – although active in his case means that he’s sitting at home, waiting for the phone to ring, and has done so all season. He did bat .308 with two homers in pinch-hitting duty for the Stars in 2037.

Weeklong homestand coming up, hosting the Miners and Titans.

Fun Fact: Troy Greenway didn’t know it at the time, but had he been safe on his fifth-inning wannabe-triple on Sunday, he would have come up with only the fourth reverse-natural cycle in league history.

That would also have been the closest-ever occurrence of two reverse-natural cycles, since dismal Elk Jesse LeJeune had hit one just last year. The others occurred in 2006 (ATL Jason Clark) and 2021 (DAL Jose Avila).