[Westheim]

Steam says I played almost 15 hours. I think Humankind might be pretty decent. Anyway, here come the Coons!

Which position were we in again?

+++

Raccoons (67-43) @ Indians (57-54) – August 8-11, 2044

Back half of a road trip of four cities, and beginning with four games in Indy. The Arrowheads had somehow won nine in a row to storm into second place, so that was something to contend with for the Critters, who were 12-11 out of the All Star Break, a string that had begun with one out of four against this team here, same spot. Despite their winning spree, the Indians were still last in runs scored and had a -5 run differential on their top 3 pitching’s strength, so I had to assume that we wouldn’t score all week. The season series stood 6-5 in the Raccoons’ favor.

Projected matchups:
Sadaharu Okuda (12-5, 2.77 ERA) vs. Chris Volk (3-7, 6.48 ERA)
Jason Wheatley (7-3, 4.13 ERA) vs. Willie Gonzales (3-0, 1.80 ERA)
Corey Mathers (9-7, 3.50 ERA) vs. Bill Drury (11-6, 2.67 ERA)
Brent Clark (7-11, 3.85 ERA) vs. Luis Anzaldo (2-0, 3.77 ERA)

We managed to tip-claw around their only southpaw starter, Casey Pinter (8-9, 3.74 ERA). We were lefty-avoiding all year, with only 21 of our games having been against left-handed starters …! Manny Fernandez was still day-to-day and not in the lineup on Monday.

These were also the last seven games of 20 straight without a day off.

Game 1
POR: LF Baskins – 1B Ayala – 3B Maldonado – RF Toohey – 2B Waters – C Zarate – SS Hunter – CF Phinazee – P Okuda
IND: 1B Lutch – CF N. Galvan – LF D. Rivera – RF B. Quinteros – C Julian Diaz – 3B Walley – SS Huber – 2B A. Avila – P Volk

Volk had snapped out of getting rioted over his last time out against the Critterfolk, so I wasn’t looking forward to this game at all. But the Critterfolk put Waters and Zarate on the corners with singles to begin the second inning, so that was *something*, out of which the Raccoons almost made *nothing*, but while the bottom of the order failed away, Volk threw a wild pitch to score Matt Waters for the first run of the game. Baskins began the third with a single, but was doubled up by Sal Ayala, which was unfortunate given that the inning continued with doubles by Maldo and Toohey, and Waters singled, adding two more runs before Jose Zarate grounded out. Baskins instead singled home Mal Phinazee in the fourth, 4-0. The Indians did nothing much against Okuda after a leadoff single by Vince Lutch in the bottom 1st, all the way until Julian Diaz hit a 2-out double in the fourth. Chris Walley grounded out after that, stranding the runner.

While Okuda walked Volk for no good reason in the fifth, he was mostly in control in this game. Phinazee’s homer in the sixth added one run to the Raccoons’ tally, and things looked pretty good at 5-0. So of course, just as I started to breathe at a normal rate, the Indians began to drop in singles and bopped Okuda around for three hits and two runs in the bottom 6th, all hits finding seems on the infield. Okuda pitched into the eighth with the 5-2 lead, where Danny Rivera hit a leadoff single past Waters, but Bill Quinteros struck out. Those were lefty hitters; after this, the bullpen took over. Jon Craig conceded the Rivera run on a 2-out hit by Walley, while Adam Huber walked. With Danny Diaz pinch-hitting, Chuck Jones came on, and got a foul pop to end the inning with the tying runs aboard. Jones then immediately bowed for Carreno to lead off the ninth, drawing a walk off Domingo Murillo. He stole second, reached third when Julian Diaz’ throw bounced away from Danny Diaz, and dashed home on Derek Baskins’ RBI single to right, 6-3. Baskins stole second, Ayala singled, but Maldo whiffed. Manny would pinch-hit for Toohey against Murillo, who balked Baskins across, then walked Manny, who’d be run for with Van Anderson, while Cesar Suarez stemmed the bleed for Indy as he relieved Murillo. The Raccoons went to Alex Ramirez in the bottom 9th, which resulted in runners on the corners and Josh Rella getting a 2-out save opportunity. He got Quinteros to ground out to end the game. 7-3 Raccoons! Baskins 4-5, 2 RBI; Toohey 2-4, 2B, RBI; Waters 3-5, RBI; Phinazee 1-2, 2 BB, HR, RBI; Okuda 7.1 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, W (13-5);

There was no reasoning with Alex Ramirez anymore… He was a walking mess. Back to St. Pete he was and due to be non-tendered in the fall. The Raccoons recalled Preston Porter.

We also got a bullpen reset with a rainy day on Tuesday, nixing that day’s baseball activities. We’d have a double-header on Wednesday. Jeff Kilmer was ready to come off the DL by Wednesday, but we’d put that off until the second game of the double-header. Ruben Gonzalez would get another start in the first one.

Game 2
POR: CF Baskins – 1B Ayala – 3B Maldonado – RF Toohey – LF Fernandez – SS Hunter – C Gonzalez – 2B Carreno – P Wheatley
IND: SS Russ – LF D. Rivera – CF B. Quinteros – RF Crocker – C Julian Diaz – 1B S. Jennings – 3B Walley – 2B Huber – P W. Gonzales

Assigned the first game of the double header in order, Wheatley did his royal best to get stomped into the mound by the Indians; Andrew Russ reached base on soft singles twice, both times stole a base, and was singled home. In between they loaded the bases and left them loaded, and through four innings they beat around Wheatley for seven hits, two walks, and nothing more than the two Russ runs. Still better than the Raccoons, who were getting 2-hit by Gonzales. Rivera hit a double to open the bottom 5th, but was stranded on three poor outs, and while Wheats looked ghastly, he was not hit for to begin the sixth, given another nine innings beckoning after this hacker of a game. He made the first out in the sixth, after which the 1-2-3 loaded the bases on two singles and a walk, bringing up Toohey, who … struck out. Manny ran a 3-1 count with two outs, then poked for an RBI single in shallow center, which was *something*, but Hunter grounded out to Adam Huber and three Coons were stranded.

Wheats’ spot came up with two outs in the seventh and nobody on. He was left to his own devices and singled. Yeah, right. Kill the top of the order for the eighth, Wheats! Baskins singled, moving the tying run to second base. And then Ayala singled to left-center, Wheats was sent around third base an scored ahead of a bad throw by Bill Quinteros…! Tied game! Gonzales nicked Maldonado with a 1-2 to load the bags for Toohey again, and this time Toohey found something hittable and dropped it into the gap for a go-ahead, 2-run single! Manny added an RBI single for the last of six straight Critters reaching base with two outs, with Hunter grounding out after him. Wheats came back to the mound, but right away allowed a single to PH Danny Diaz in the #9 hole. Russ struck out, after which the Raccoons sent Zack Kelly against three lefty hitters. He walked Rivera, nailed Quinteros, and Nelson Galvan batted for Nick Crocker, prompting another move to the pen, now for Nelson Moreno. Galvan lifted the 0-1 to shallow left, Manny snagged it on the run for the second out, and would we come out okay here after all? No. Moreno walked in two, Lutch drove in two more, and Portland pissed away their 4-spot with a 4-spot for Indianapolis…

The simpleton Critters struck out in order in the eighth, but got the tying run in scoring position with nobody out for free in the ninth inning when Derek Baskins reached on a capital throwing error by Julian Diaz. Ayala lined out. Maldonado grounded out. Toohey struck out. 6-5 Indians. Baskins 2-5; Fernandez 3-4, 2 RBI;

Well, that was **** game of the sort .500 teams play. And we’re basically .500 for the last month.

Gonzalez went 0-for-4 to dunk his slash line to .200/.226/.267 on his way out and back to AAA, Kilmer taking his spot for the second game.

Game 3
POR: SS Waters – 1B Ayala – CF Phinazee – LF Fernandez – C Kilmer – 3B Cruz – 2B Carreno – RF Anderson – P Mathers
IND: SS Russ – LF D. Rivera – CF B. Quinteros – RF Crocker – 1B S. Jennings – 3B Walley – C Ebner – 2B A. Avila – P Drury

The Coons started off 2-0 in the nightcap, getting a Waters double, four balls to Ayala, a wild pitch, and two RBI groundouts from Phinazee and Manny. The Indians countered with four, the pesky Russ and Quinteros reaching ahead of a 3-run blast to right for Nick Crocker; Walley singled, Sean Ebner ripped an RBI double, it was terrible. And none of it got better. While the Raccoons got Carreno and Anderson on to begin the second inning, and stranded them both, the Indians kept running circles around Mathers, which included the ******* ******** Andrew Russ hitting a single or drawing a walk, followed by another stolen base, every single ******* time. By the fourth of this second game of the double-header, he was 5-for-5 in stolen bases for the day. The Indians also led 6-2, driving him home twice more along the way, and Mathers was lifted for a pinch-hitter to begin the fifth. The Raccoons would get scoreless relief from Nate Norris and Preston Porter after that, with no offense coming forth.

…until the eighth. Waters led off with a single, stole second, and scored a while later after a fly out, a walk, and then a groundout by Manny. Drury walked Kilmer, and Jose Cruz drove in Phinazee. All of a sudden, the tying runs were aboard with two outs. But Carreno grounded out to Steven Jennings, ending the inning, and the Raccoons were up against Tommy Gardner, for the second time this day, with two runs to tie in the ninth. Anderson grounded out. Maldonado struck out. Waters grounded to short – infield single. Ayala was the tying run. He was out on a comebacker. 6-4 Indians. Waters 3-5, 2B; Norris 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K; Porter 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K;

(looks grumpy)

Game 4
POR: CF Baskins – 1B Ayala – 3B Maldonado – RF Toohey – LF Fernandez – SS Waters – C Zarate – 2B Carreno – P Clark
IND: SS Russ – CF N. Galvan – LF D. Rivera – RF B. Quinteros – C Julian Diaz – 3B Walley – 1B Huber – 2B A. Avila – P Anzaldo

The sky looked moist and ready for dousing, so we’d like to get into the lead early and maybe even hold it. Well, I would have liked that. The team seemed to have other designs, getting a guy on every one of the early innings before finding a double play or some other stupid scheme to not get the run across. The Indians did get the run across in the bottom 3rd when Huber reached on a Maldonado error, Avila walked, and after the inevitable bunt, Russ brought a run home with a grounder up the middle. Galvan was out on a comebacker, ending the inning with the Arrowheads up 1-0. It began to rain almost at once.

The Raccoons had Zarate and Carreno on with one gone in the fifth inning, with Clark’s bunt so bad that Zarate was out at third for the second out. With Baskins batting, Carreno took off for third base – and was thrown out by Diaz. While the weather calmed itself and no immediate death was to be expected, the Raccoons still couldn’t ******* hit. Clark battled as hard as he could and held Indy to three hits and a run through six, while the Raccoons sat on two ****** base hits.

Top 7th, leadoff walk drawn by Toohey. Anzaldo fell to 3-0 on Manny, which was good, since Manny had veteran savvy and thus wouldn’t whack for a stupid out. Manny then whacked for a stupid out to Rivera. Waters grounded out, moving Toohey to second, and Zarate strung an RBI double down the rightfield line just in time for me to not burst a blood vessel. The double tied the game with two outs in the seventh, 1-1, and Carreno singled after that, putting runners on the corners. While Clark had foam left, pinch-hitting was imperative once the Indians brought a new righty, Orlando Altreche, for Anzaldo. Mal Phinazee grabbed a stick, ran a full count, then crammed a ball through between Avila and Huber on the right side for the go-ahead single. Okay – NOW it can rain! Before it could start, Phinazee was caught stealing, ending the inning. The pen blew the lead immediately, Jon Craig being **** again. Walley singled, Crocker struck an RBI double, then stole third base. Diaz lined out to Waters, after which Chuck Jones came on to face the pinch-hitting Jennings, but gave up the go-ahead single. Russ struck out, but Jones was whacked around for two more runs in the eighth. And then it started to rain. The game finished orderly and without a rain delay, and with the last five Raccoons all striking out. 5-2 Indians. Zarate 2-3, 2B, RBI; Carreno 1-2, BB; Phinazee (PH) 1-1, RBI; Clark 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K;

The Raccoons! – now under .500 since the All Star Game.

The Indians were now only 8 1/2 back and would pretty soon take first place, without a doubt.

Raccoons (68-46) @ Scorpions (67-49) – August 12-14, 2044

The Raccoons had won two of three from the Scorpions last year, but right now I saw them more like scoring no runs and losing everything within sight and beyond… Sacramento was in third place in the FL West, second in runs scored, but second from the bottom in runs allowed, with a +10 run differential, hinting at them being due some bad luck, just the opposite of the Critters…

Projected matchups:
Jake Jackson (11-5, 3.77 ERA) vs. Raul Cornejo (10-8, 4.83 ERA)
Sadaharu Okuda (13-5, 2.82 ERA) vs. Josh Vercher (10-8, 4.07 ERA)
Corey Mathers (9-8, 3.76 ERA) vs. Angel Velasquez (6-10, 5.09 ERA)

The Raccoons went with Mathers on short rest on Sunday rather than Wheatley, who had thrown a full complement of pitches in the double header, while Mathers had been yanked after just 75.

We’d get all right-handers, once again, missing Raccoons farmhand of old, Fiorenzo DeSanctis (10-4, 5.25 ERA), the only lefty in the rotation. At least he seemed to be the one that got all the run support, so we’d stick to the right-handers. With Mike Preble, Jesus Banuelas, and Nate Culp, the Stingers were also missing a few regulars from the lineup – whatever helps!

Game 1
POR: CF Baskins – 1B Ayala – 3B Maldonado – RF Toohey – LF Fernandez – SS Waters – C Zarate – 2B Carreno – P Jackson
SAC: CF Cedillo – 2B J. Matos – RF E. Moreno – LF Porfirio – 3B Copeland – C Torreo – 1B Herrington – SS Kea – P Cornejo

Both teams had two hits the first time through, although Jackson faced the minimum for two double plays behind him. He also singled over shortstop Steve Kea after Carreno had singled and stolen second, but Carreno had to hold initially and only could go after the ball was past Kea, had to park it at third base, and then Baskins and Ayala made stinky outs and nobody scored for Portland, either. Maldo opened the fourth with a single, was forced out by Manny, who at least stole second, but was stranded anyway. Zarate hit a leadoff single through the right side in the fifth, but Carreno popped out. The runner was bunted to second, reached third on Baskins’ single to right, and then was stranded again when Ayala popped out. Sebastian Copeland and Chris Herrington singled for Sacramento in the same inning, but Kea struck out and Cornejo rolled out to Maldonado to keep everybody off the board in five innings of agonyball.

Zarate and Carreno hit 1-singles in the seventh of a scoreless game, which presented a conundrum. Jackson was doing well, and had another inning in him at least, but the Raccoons were DYING for offense. Mal Phinazee hit for him… and popped out. Baskins walked, loading the bags with two outs anyway, and then Ayala’s fly to left was caught by Alfonso Cedillo to strand ******* everybody. Preston Porter kept Sacramento away in the bottom 7th, but had to stalk around a leadoff walk to Sebastian Copeland to do so, and had to get Manny to catch the third out on the run.

Top 8th, Maldo led off with a fly behind Eddie Moreno and off the damn wall for a leadoff double. But now, boys! Now! If you don’t score Maldo, we won’t go out to have pizza after the ******* game! Toohey was half-heartedly walked onto the open base, while Manny lined hard to left – and into Copeland’s mitten. Waters flew out to right. Zarate grounded to short, and Kea went the short way to end the inning. Nobody scored. While I wailed, Kelly and Moreno kept the Scorpions at bay in the bottom 8th. Carreno then opened the ninth off ex-Coon Antonio Prieto with a zinger to center for ANOTHER leadoff double. LAST CHANCE, BOYS!! Last chance!! Kilmer hit for Moreno, flew out to right, but Carreno boogied to third base. Derek Baskins hit a *scorcher* - right at Kea for the second out. Ayala grinded out a walk in a full count to deflect responsibility for Carreno’s furry bum to Maldonado, who put the 1-0 pitch in play to right, softly hit, but past Jesus Matos! Single! Run! Boys! Run! Run! We have a run!! Prieto melted for a walk to Toohey, loading the bases, and bringing up Manny Fernandez, who unleashed a weak roller near the third base line that saw all sorts of confused movement on the diamond, but nobody managed to make a play as the Raccoons went station by station and Manny ended up with an RBI single! Waters grounded out, sending out Rella for the bottom 9th, and Rella struck out two in a 1-2-3 inning. 2-0 Blighters! Maldonado 3-5, 2B, RBI; Zarate 2-4; Carreno 3-4, 2B; Jackson 6.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K and 1-1;

What a terrible game…!

Boys! What’s going on???

Game 2
POR: 2B Waters – 1B Ayala – 3B Maldonado – LF Fernandez – RF Toohey – CF Phinazee – C Kilmer – SS Hunter – P Okuda
SAC: CF Cedillo – 2B J. Matos – RF E. Moreno – LF Porfirio – 3B Copeland – C Torreo – 1B Herrington – SS Kea – P Vercher

Back in the cleanup spot, Manny cleaned up immediately in the first inning, hitting a 2-run homer to left to score Maldo for a 2-0 lead. That was about it for Vercher, who amid an apparent injury would not return for the second inning, and his replacement Aaron Morris, also a righty, was positively wild. He filled the bases in the second *and* third, on two singles and four walks total. The Raccoons didn’t score the first time, and they only scored the second time once Pacio Torreo was overwhelmed by the wildness and missed an 0-1 to Kilmer that bounced away for a run-scoring passed ball. That somehow dissolved the knot; Kilmer crashed a wallbanger for a 2-run double on the next pitch, 5-0, and a Hunter single and a walk to Okuda (!) loaded the bases again. Morris was yanked, right-hander Omar Benitez taking over. He balked in a run (…!), Waters hit a sac fly, Ayala walked, and Maldo’s fly to right would have ended the inning, but Eddie Moreno had it clank off his forearm for a 2-base, 1-run error. Manny flew out to left instead. But it was 8-0 Raccoons and Okuda was pitching, so I can put my feet up now, right?

Mostly, yes. The Raccoons stopped hitting after the 6-spot, but it was still Okuda on the mound. Jesus Matos had his number, hitting a pair of doubles off him, both of which led to a run. He drove in Cedillo in the third, and was brought home by Joreao Porfirio in the sixth, but apart from that Okuda’s main problem was a number of long counts that ran up his pitch count. He made it through eight, and the last inning was pitched by Craig without getting mowed down for a change. The Raccoons’ offense never did a thing again, but at least they had packed on early… 8-2 Critters. Fernandez 3-5, HR, 2 RBI; Hunter 2-5; Okuda 8.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, W (14-5);

Vercher was out for the year pretty much with an oblique strain as was revealed after the game. Ricky Jimenez came off the DL by Sunday, with Van Anderson returned to AAA.

One more, boys, make it a winning week!

Game 3
POR: SS Waters – 1B Ayala – RF Maldonado – LF Fernandez – C Kilmer – CF Phinazee – 2B Carreno – 3B Jimenez – P Mathers
SAC: CF Cedillo – 2B J. Matos – RF E. Moreno – LF Porfirio – 3B Copeland – C Torreo – 1B Herrington – SS Kea – P Velasquez

The Raccoons took a 2-0 lead in the first again, with Ayala getting on and being singled home by Manny before the bases filled up sloooowly. Carreno drew a bases-loaded walk before Jimenez stranded three with a deep fly to right. That was it for Portland in the early going, but at least Mathers had more pitchcraft in his paws than on Wednesday. He scattered two hits and a walk in the first three innings, and needed only 35 pitches for them when the Raccoons aimed for 75-ish pitches for him, three days removed from a 75-pitch outing in Indy.

Then leadoff jacks by Moreno in the fourth and Herrington in the fifth tied the game, both to left. In between the Raccoons had two on in the top 5th, only for Kilmer to hit into an inning-ending double play. With Phinazee and Carreno reaching base to begin the sixth, Jimenez hit into the next 6-4-3 stinker. Mathers struck out, allowed a 1-out double to Moreno in the bottom 6th, walked Porfirio, then – on 76 pitches – was lifted and walked off the field screaming into his glove in agony… pretty much what I did in the visiting team’s suite, just with a glass of booze subbing for the glove. Norris replaced him, gave up a run on a Copeland single, and just like that the Raccoons were trailing again, 3-2. Torreo and Herrington made outs on the ground, stranding two in scoring position.

Top 7th, Waters opened with a single to center, and Maldonado hit another one of those, but Waters only made it to second on the play, fearing Cedillo’s arm in center. Manny was next and was drilled in the paw, jumping up and down screaming while I hit my head onto the table repeatedly. Dr. Padilla removed Manny after checking out his paw at first base – Derek Baskins would run for him and then play left. When Kilmer fell to 1-2, I accidentally broke the booze class, getting a shard stuck in my forehead, and while Josh Busing was mildly concerned for the bleed, which wasn’t *that* bad, I suddenly felt so much lighter. Also, Jeff Kilmer hit a homer to left on the next pitch. – GRAAAAAAAAAAAND SLAAAAAAAAAMMMM!!!

The stunned Stingers lied down and stopped resisting after this. The Raccoons would add a run in the ninth on Morris again, taking off the save for Rella. Following Norris, the Raccoons got scoreless relief from Jones, Porter, and Moreno to complete their first sweep in a while. 7-3 Furballs. Waters 2-6; Maldonado 2-5, 2B; Fernandez 3-3, RBI; Kilmer 3-5, HR, 4 RBI; Phinazee 2-3, 2 BB; Cruz (PH) 1-1, RBI;

In other news

August 9 – LAP SP Joe Feltman (9-11, 4.48 ERA) will miss a full year with a torn rotator cuff.
August 9 – Scorpions LF/RF Nate Culp (.289, 20 HR, 69 RBI) is out with shoulder inflammation and will not be back this season.
August 14 – VAN SP Matt Sealock (9-12, 3.94 ERA) was out for the rest of this and maybe all of next season with a torn UCL requiring Tommy John surgery.

FL Player of the Week: SAC 1B/LF/RF Eddie Moreno (.318, 26 HR, 85 RBI), hitting .407 (11-27) with 3 HR, 5 RBI
CL Player of the Week: SFB 3B/1B Ramon Sifuentes (.331, 23 HR, 81 RBI), batting .448 (13-29) with 1 HR, 6 RBI

Complaints and stuff

First series sweep in over two months! We hadn’t taken a full set since we swept the Loggers in Milwaukee from June 3-5. Of course, losing three of four to the Indians for the second time in a row didn’t help this week, but at least there’s only three games left with those devils.

Also not helping: Manny Fernandez having his thumb broken by a pitch on Sunday. It will put him out for a month, just when he was finally starting to get balls to fall in.

Besides Indy, everybody else is 15 games out by now, and we’re at the stage where the final quarter of the season beckons, and if you’re 15 games out now, there is no chance in hell you’re coming back. It’s us, our .500-ness after the break, and the Indians.

Next week: home series against the Capitals, and then it’s right off to Boston for three there. We will then come back right away to host the damn Elks and the Condors the week after. Those three series are the only home gigs this month, but we’ll have five home series in September and the first few days of October, all in division, including the last three games with Indy on September 9-11.

Fun Fact: The Indians are 12-2 in August and 22-8 since the All Star Game.

Tee-hee. We’re toast.