[Westheim]

Raccoons (70-72) @ Crusaders (63-79) – September 12-15, 2039

The Raccoons would continue to fail their way towards the sweet release of Closing Day, now facing the team second-worst in the North, second-worst in offense in the CL, and fourth-worst in pitching in the CL. They were the one team we were comfortable rolling in the North, being up 10-4 in the season series.

Projected matchups:
Steve Fidler (5-6, 4.68 ERA) vs. Josh Brown (11-9, 3.10 ERA)
Ryan Bedrosian (13-4, 3.39 ERA) vs. Casey Pinter (10-8, 3.58 ERA)
Raffaello Sabre (11-7, 3.00 ERA) vs. Gabriel Lara (7-13, 4.43 ERA)
Drew Johnson (10-9, 3.52 ERA) vs. Jamal Barrow (5-11, 4.92 ERA)

Two southpaws to start the week, then two right-handers, including Lara Day on Wednesday.

This was also the final road series we’d play in the States this season; our last two road series were in other countries.

There would also not be a game on Monday on accounts of rain. A double header was scheduled for Tuesday.

Game 1
POR: 3B Ramos – 2B Trevino – LF M. Fernandez – C Kilmer – CF Maldonado – RF Ledford – SS Williams – 1B Monge – P Fidler
NYC: LF J. Garcia – RF Salek – CF Besaw – 2B C. Russell – 3B Sifuentes – C D. Phillips – 1B Rudd – SS J. Adams – P J. Brown

The Raccoons didn’t reach base in the first two innings, while the Crusaders got Ramon Sifuentes on base with a single. He stole second, then scored when Cosmo Trevino threw away Tom Rudd’s grounder for two bases. Jim Adams grounded after that. While the Raccoons continued to not reach base like real pros, the Crusaders got Sifuentes on again with a single in the fourth. He stole second once more, and scored as well, and again with two outs and Tom Rudd batting. This time, Rudd belted a 1-2 pitch over the fence in right, 3-0.

The Raccoons still had not been on base even once against Josh Brown in the sixth inning, when Sifuentes drew a walk from Fidler to begin the bottom 6th. Devin Phillips struck out, and Tom Rudd doubled after three pickoff attempts in five pitches had kept Sifuentes at first base. Now they were both in scoring position, and Fidler was yanked. Jermaine Campbell came on and struck out Adams and Brown, who in all honesty had other **** to worry about. Nope, too late – Berto clipped a single to left to start the seventh, and after 18 outs the perfect bid went up in smoke. Manny Fernandez helped make Brown feel better, hitting into a double play to short-circuit the inning. The Raccoons did not reach base again until Matt Kilgallen’s pinch-hit single in the ninth inning, with one out on the board. Troy Greenway batted for Francisco Pena, jammed a grounder into Chris Russell’s mitten, and the 4-6-3 ended the game. 3-0 Crusaders. Kilgallen (PH) 1-1;

Josh Brown (12-9, 2.95 ERA) struck out five as he faced the minimum. The Raccoons amounted to 81 pitches seen and lost in a crisp 2:10, two minutes of which were rueful looks and comforting applause for Brown after the Berto single.

The good news is … (peeks at wristwatch) … that at this pace I can see them finish two games and make it back to the hotel to pig out while watching LaShauntelle’s show. This week she’ll have a mixed-race midget on who feels like they were born in the wrong body and want to be changed into a toaster.

Still better entertainment than THIS!

Game 2
POR: SS Williams – 2B Trevino – LF M. Fernandez – CF Maldonado – RF Greenway – 1B Kilgallen – 3B Hernandez – C Lancaster – P Bedrosian
NYC: LF J. Garcia – RF Salek – CF Besaw – 2B C. Russell – 3B Sifuentes – 1B Rudd – C Duryea – SS J. Adams – P Pinter

Chris Lancaster threw out Rich Salek trying to steal a base in the first inning, then brought in the game’s first run with a groundout in the second, finding Matt Kilgallen and Joel Hernandez in scoring position upon two singles and a fielding error by Joe Besaw. Next, Salek hurt himself in a tumble catching a Bedrosian floater. He made the catch (and Hernandez was eventually stranded) but required replacement with Ryan Carr. Kilgallen reached again in the fourth, then advanced on Hernandez’ groundout and scored on Lancaster’s single – what a day for a guy on nobody’s scouting report!

The Crusaders didn’t get a hit through three innings, then got a run on back-to-back screaming liners for hits by Joe Besaw and Chris Russell in the bottom 4th, shortening the gap to 2-1. Bedrosian held on, supported with another run supplied when Greenway singled home Manny Fernandez in the fifth, but also held up for only six innings, throwing 102 pitches for no discernible reason. Portland brought Greenway back to the plate with Manny in scoring position in the seventh after Manny singled and Maldonado reached on a Sifuentes error. Greenway grounded hard to right, past Russell, and Manny circled around to score on another RBI single. Ryan Carr’s throw home was late and allowed the trailing runners to advance with one out, promoting an intentional walk to Kilgallen. Right-hander Aaron Hickey then replaced Pinter, with Ed Hooge hitting for Hernandez for a sac fly. Lancaster singled to load the bases, and Tony Morales hit for Bedrosian and singled home a pair in center. Elijah Williams grounded out, ending the inning with Portland up 7-1.

That lead went to Jose de Leon in the bottom 7th so he could feed it into the woodchipper, but he only hit Russell with an 0-2 pitch and saw Sifuentes pop out before calling for Dr. Padilla, leading to his removal. Garavito found a way out of the inning before the Critters’ 3-4-5 batters loaded the sacks against the Crusaders’ pen in the eighth. Kilgallen hit a 2-run single before Jon Caskey and Lancaster made outs to end the inning. Travis Sims, always useless, walked two and gave up a run in the bottom 8th, 9-2, but Brent Clark finished the game without accident in the ninth inning. 9-2 Raccoons. M. Fernandez 2-4; Maldonado 2-4, BB, 2B; Greenway 2-4, BB, 2 RBI; Kilgallen 2-3, 2 BB, 2 RBI; Lancaster 2-5, 2 RBI; Morales (PH) 1-1, 2 RBI; Bedrosian 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, W (14-4);

Game 3
POR: 3B Ramos – 2B Trevino – LF M. Fernandez – RF Greenway – 1B Maldonado – C Morales – CF Hooge – SS Caskey – P Sabre
NYC: LF J. Garcia – RF Salmeron – CF Besaw – 2B C. Russell – 3B Sifuentes – C D. Phillips – 1B Rudd – SS J. Adams – P Lara

The Crusaders got three runners and one run in the opening inning against Sabre, who hit the first two batters, both in 0-2 counts, which apparently was a thing pitchers could do (grumble grumble) … and Sifuentes would hit a run-scoring infield single with two outs in the inning. Jon Caskey tied the game at one, singling home Maldonado in the top 2nd, but the bottom 2nd started with Tom Rudd’s infield single, and I gave up all hope at that point. Jim Adams doubled. Two productive outs scored two runs, and everything was down the toilet once more. Sabre would even hit a 2-out single in the fourth to load the bases in joining Maldo and Caskey … and Berto grounded out to strand all of them. Instead, Tom Rudd hit a leadoff double in the bottom 4th and scored on Lara’s sac fly.

Lara Day sucked, to the tune of Manny singling in the fifth and Greenway hitting into a double play. The Raccoons somehow dragged Sabre through seven in an obvious losing effort in which the Crusaders got their leadoff man aboard five out of seven innings. Manny hit a double in the eighth … and Greenway and Maldonado both struck out against Lara. Manuel Vasquez replaced Lara in the ninth. Morales was out. Hooge was out. Cory Cronk hit for Jon Caskey just to get it over with quickly, and struck out. 4-1 Crusaders. M. Fernandez 3-4, 2 2B;

I think Manny deserves a trade to a team that deserves him.

Game 4
POR: 3B Ramos – 2B Trevino – LF M. Fernandez – RF Greenway – C Kilmer – CF Hooge – 1B Monge – SS Nickas – P Johnson
NYC: LF J. Garcia – RF Salmeron – CF Besaw – 2B C. Russell – 3B Sifuentes – C D. Phillips – 1B Rudd – SS J. Adams – P Barrow

Berto walked, stole second, and scored on Manny’s double, while Kilmer cashed Fernandez with a 2-out single for an early 2-0 lead on Jamal Barrow, but in the second inning a leadoff double from Danny Monge led nowhere. Nickas and Johnson made poor outs, and Berto walked again, but Cosmo couldn’t get the ball to fall in. Drew Johnson held up neatly through two innings, and then it started to rain again. In the rain, Johnson walked the bags full in the bottom 3rd, but Russell’s deep fly to left ended the inning when Manny caught it on the warning track. Once the rain subsided again, Johnson returned back to being alright, holding the Crusaders to a pair of hits and those three walks through five innings.

The Raccoons did simply nothing after taking the early 2-0 lead, then waited until the Crusaders put the tying runs on the corners with two outs in the bottom 7th after a Phillips double and a single by … Barrow. Prieto came on, threw a wild pitch to get New York on the board, then walked Juan Garcia anyway. David Fernandez would get PH Ryan Carr on a pop, ending the damn inning. Finally, a few of the striped tailbearers twitched. Cosmo opened the eighth with a single, stole second, and came home on Kilmer’s 2-out single, 3-1. Hooge flew out to left, though. Cosmo singled home Tony Morales in a slow ninth inning though. Crucially, Cory Cronk drew a walk hitting for Jermaine Campbell – so he *had* a pulse after all! Chris Miller was charged with a run on three singles in the bottom 9th, but why get mad about that anymore, we’d get a new bullpen this winter anyway… 4-2 Raccoons. Trevino 3-5, RBI; Kilmer 2-4, 2 RBI; Johnson 6.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 6 K, W (11-9);

Raccoons (72-74) @ Condors (71-75) – September 16-18, 2039

More garbage games between two garbage teams – actually, no. The Condors still had a chance, sitting in fifth place but only four games out with a dozen and small change to play. But they could not afford to lose any more games. They were seventh in runs scored AND runs allowed, and thoroughly crummy, but they had a chance. We were up in the season series, 4-2.

Projected matchups:
Bernie Chavez (8-12, 3.55 ERA) vs. Edward Flinn (12-11, 3.94 ERA)
Jared Ottinger (2-2, 7.88 ERA) vs. Brad Quintero (9-18, 4.89 ERA)
Ryan Bedrosian (14-4, 3.33 ERA) vs. Bryce Neal (11-11, 3.49 ERA)

Two right-handers, then Southpaw Sunday! … and no, nobody had planned for Jared Ottinger to get involved in this, but after the Tuesday double-header we wanted to get a spot starter in for Saturday. De Leon had been high on the list, but Dr. Padilla came back with news that he had a tear in his triceps and was done with ’39. Off to the DL he went. Ottinger was a warm body that was available.

Game 1
POR: 3B Ramos – 2B Trevino – LF M. Fernandez – RF Greenway – CF Maldonado – SS Caskey – C Morales – 1B Kilgallen – P Chavez
TIJ: SS Strohm – CF J. Simmons – RF Willie Ojeda – 2B Ragsdale – LF Dunlap – 1B Rempfer – C M. Sawyer – 3B R. West – P Flinn

Bernie allowed three singles and struck out as many the first time through, avoiding getting scored upon, but in the third inning Justin Simmons and Willie Ojeda went to the corners with 1-out singles and Dylan Ragsdale hit a sac fly. The Raccoons once again were late to putting their pants on and their bats out of the bat crate, so in the early innings batted in their white shorts with little red hearts on them, swinging a rolling pin, which went about as well as could be expected. Come the fourth, Cosmo whacked a leadoff triple through and scored on Fernandez’ bloop single, tying the game at one. Manny was then caught stealing. (sigh!)

While the two pitchers were sandpapering away at the enemy lineup, Dylan Ragsdale would get on base with a bloop single in the sixth, much like Manny’s RBI single earlier. Ragsdale did so with nobody on base and one out. Tom Dunlap popped out. Brent Rempfer then popped the casual homer to left that we were used to seeing off Bernie Chavez. It was the 171st homer off Bernie Chavez in the majors. It didn’t hurt anymore.

Manny opened the seventh with a triple to right, then scored on Maldo’s grounder to second after Greenway had foolishly grounded out to first. The Raccoons got a pinch-hit single from Danny Monge in the eighth, but nothing else. The ninth began with the #2 spot against righty Steve Bailey. One to tie, two to take the lead, three and four hitters singled after Cosmo’s groundout. Maldonado then lined out to Ragsdale on a 3-2 pitch. Manny had gone on the loud contact, was 40 feet off the base, and doubled off to end the inning. 3-2 Condors. M. Fernandez 3-4, 3B, RBI; Greenway 2-4; Monge (PH) 1-1;

This was also mathematical elimination for the Critters.

Not that we hadn’t been factually eliminated in May.

Game 2
POR: 3B Ramos – 2B Trevino – LF M. Fernandez – SS Maldonado – C Morales – CF Hooge – 1B Monge – RF Cronk – P Ottinger
TIJ: SS Strohm – CF J. Simmons – RF Willie Ojeda – 2B Ragsdale – C Wall – 1B Rempfer – LF Toohey – 3B R. West – P B. Quintero

Justin Simmons and Dylan Ragsdale dropped singles to put Tijuana up 1-0 in the first, and it didn’t look like Ottinger was gonna have a rebounding outing. But Quintero had his issues and put Raccoons on base, and while they were clumsy and stranded three total in the first tow innings, Cosmo tied the game with a jack in the third inning. Manny was then nicked and Maldo doubled, putting the go-ahead runs in scoring position for Tony Morales, who hit a sac fly, and Ed Hooge, who did even less than that, ending the inning. Ragsdale instantly tied the game again with a double plating Willie Ojeda in the bottom 3rd, and it was two-all through three.

Neither pitcher was that great, to be fair. Monge and Berto singled to reach the corners by the time there were two outs in the fourth, and then Cosmo buried a ball in the gap for a 2-run triple, which also put him on cycle watch – he had a single in the first, a homer in the third, now the triple; only a double left! For the moment though, he scored on a Fernandez single, 5-2. Quintero somehow got out of the inning, giving the 5-2 lead to Ottie, who gave up a single to Rempfer, but Bryce Toohey hit into a double play. Rhett West singled with two outs, but the inning somehow ended without a series of explosions.

Bill Quintero was so bad, even CORY CRONK singled home a run against him in the fifth, which was then enough even for the Condors. Cronk nevertheless scored on a Ramos single, also going on his ledger in a 7-2 game. The Berto single brought up Cosmo with two outs, but against Mario Benavidez he lined out to second base. Benavidez loaded the bases on walks with nobody out in the sixth before Hooge and Monge both popped out. Stunningly, Cronk zinged a 2-out, 2-run single before Ottinger grounded out. Up 9-2, it looked like Ottie might even WIN the game, but just to be unsure gave up a jack to Rempfer opening the bottom 6th. He also walked Rhett West, gave up an RBI double to Strohm, and was finally yanked after 5.2 innings and 10 hits against him. Pena replaced him, nailed Simmons, and somehow Willie Ojeda didn’t smash a 10-run homer in that spot…. He popped out to center, keeping the Coons up 9-4 through six.

The top 7th opened with a single to right for Berto, bringing up Cosmo again against right-hander David Torres. He hit into a double play. The eighth was uneventful, and the ninth began with Gabe McGill on the mound and Monge batting. Two had to get on and not get doubled off for Cosmo to get a third chance for the cycle. Monge singled to right. Cory Cronk was nailed. Greenway batted for the pitcher, then singled to stack the bags. Berto popped out, because three on and nobody out. That brought up Cosmo, though, and while he dropped a hit into center at 2-2, he dropped it in front of Justin Simmons. Monge scored, Cronk scored, Greenway was slapped out at third base, and there would not be a cycle for Cosmo… Even the Coons’ pen wouldn’t give up seven runs in the bottom of the ninth, despite employment of Travis Sims… 11-4 Coons. Ramos 3-5, BB, RBI; Trevino 4-6, HR, 3B, 5 RBI; Maldonado 2-4, BB, 2B; Monge 2-5; Cronk 2-3, BB, 3 RBI; Greenway (PH) 1-1; Pena 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K;

So was that more yay or more meh?

Tough to say.

Tough to care when you’re eliminated in mid-September.

Game 3
POR: 2B Caskey – CF Maldonado – C Kilmer – RF Greenway – SS Williams – 1B Monge – 3B Hernandez – LF Cronk – P Bedrosian
TIJ: SS Strohm – CF J. Simmons – RF Willie Ojeda – C Wall – 1B Rempfer – 2B Shay – LF Phinazee – 3B R. West – P Neal

Some #8 hitter was cronking it up, singling home a run in the second inning when the 6-7-8 pokers all reached base against Neal, putting the Critters up 1-0. That lead was frittered away on Mal Phinazee’s leadoff double off the fence in leftfield in the bottom 3rd, a stolen base attempt and a sad throwing error by Jeff Kilmer. While Phinazee hit another double in the iffth against Bedrosian, he didn’t get around that time, and that was pretty much all that happened through five innings.

Willie Ojeda hit a single in the sixth, but was thrown out trying to snatch second. The Raccoons had stranded Kilmer the same inning, then got Hernandez on base leading off the seventh. Cronk grounded out, but Bedrosian singled, putting runners on the corners. Jon Caskey came up, slapped a liner over Strohm for an RBI single, and we had a 2-1 lead. Maldonado hit another liner for a single, but with Bedrosian at the head of the line nobody scored. The bases were now full for Kilmer, who hit a fly to deep right, but not deep right enough. Bedrosian was sent home, but wasn’t fast enough, either, and was thrown out by Ojeda, ending the inning. It was still 2-1 Coons when the Condors got Rhett West on base with a leadoff walk in the eighth. Ragsdale pinch-hit and bunted, yet badly, getting West forced out at second base. Kelvin Winborn pinch-hit in the #1 hole, with Portland going to David Fernandez against the left-handed batter. He got a grounder that Monge fudged for an error, but Simmons struck out and Ojeda grounded out after that. It was then Chris Miller for the ninth. Tom Dunlap pinch-hit for Kurt Wall to get another lefty bat in, but struck out, and so did Rempfer. Oh, and ex-Coon Noel Ferrero? He, too. 2-1 Critters. Greenway 2-4; Hernandez 1-2, BB; Hooge (PH) 1-1; Bedrosian 7.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 7 K, W (15-4) and 1-3;

In other news

September 13 – Charlotte’s SP Rafael Pedraza (14-11, 3.59 ERA) pitches a complete-game 8-hitter for a 15-2 win over the Aces… and goes 5-for-5 at the plate, with a home run, four singles, and two runs batted in. He scored three times.
September 14 – The Wolves clinch the FL West with an 8-7 win over the second-place Gold Sox, doing so with 17 games to spare.
September 17 – An eighth-inning, pinch-hit single by RF Jacob Kolbe (.244, 0 HR, 7 RBI) is everything that keeps the Canadiens from being no-hit by the Bayhawks’ Jose Moreno (9-13, 4.20 ERA), who is ultimately relieved after the inning. SFB CL Tim Thweatt (9-7, 3.12 ERA, 32 SV) saves the 1-0 victory.
September 18 – CHA SP Rafael Pedraza (15-11, 3.45 ERA) spins a 5-hit shutout against the Crusaders, claiming a 2-0 victory. At the plate he goes a pedestrian 0-for-3 this time.
September 18 – The Blue Sox beat the Wolves, 3-2 in 16 innings, on an unearned run when Andy Montes (.295, 11 HR, 72 RBI) singles home Jim “Mastodon” Allen (.314, 11 HR, 68 RBI).

FL Player of the Week: PIT 1B Danny Santillano (.334, 35 HR, 112 RBI), hitting .400 (10-25) with 4 HR, 11 RBI
CL Player of the Week: SFB 1B Salvador Ayala (.301, 7 HR, 30 RBI), hitting .565 (13-23) with 1 HR, 1 RBI

Complaints and stuff

I object! The league office is stupid! Pedraza went 2-0 with a 2.00 ERA and hit .625 with a homer and two RBI and should be Player of the Week. And I mean it!!

Just look at the South. I will ask Maud whether we can arrange for the Raccoons to move to the South next year. How far south do we have to go, Maud? – At least Long Beach? – No thanks, the people down there are weird. – (looks at Chad in the full mascot costume, nodding eagerly while holding a cup of tea and a saucer)

All that is going on up here now is the draft pick watch. Right now we are tied for the #13/#14 picks with the Knights, which would blow.

But we still play the Elks and Loggers, so I have no concerns that we’ll forget to post a losing season in the end…

The Alley Cats won their division (but their manager assured me that Ottinger had nothing to do with it) and would compete for the AAA title. The Panthers finished three games out, and the Beagles were beaten by 20.

Fun Fact: 19 years ago today, 26-year-old Cincinnati pitcher Mike Fernandez no-hit the Warriors in a 4-0 game.

Bouncing back and forth between the majors, minors, and DL, Fernandez made only six starts for Cincy that year, including the casual no-hitter. He went 3-1 with a 3.62 ERA. Funnily enough, the Warriors traded for him just two months later. The package going to Cincy included catcher Brett O’Dell, who later on would tumble into a pair of rings with the ’26 Coons and the ’29 Condors without doing much for either team and by the time the Condors hoisted the trophy had already played his final ABL game.

Fernandez was a solid pitcher for seven years with the Warriors but faded in his early 30s and fast. He bounced through Charlotte, Oklahoma, and Boston on his way to a final bullpen cameo back with the Cyclones in ’32, then retired. For his career he was 104-92 with a 3.71 ERA. He struck out 1,005 batters in 1,887 innings. He was an All Star in 2026, and a World Series champ with the 2031 Titans just as much as O’Dell was twice in his career.