[pauwoo]

Las Vegas Outlaws (4-2, .666, t-1st NL West) @ Los Angeles Leopards (4-2, .666, t-1st NL West)
After finishing 2nd behind us in the NL West over the last two seasons, and being swept out of the Circle Series in each of those years, first by Phoenix and most recently by Mexico City, it’s safe to say that the Outlaws have their sights set on a better finish in 2078… whether they have the makeup to get that done remains to be seen, but, on paper at least, they seem to have the look required to challenge for our spot at the top of the pops. The expectation, as provided by the baseball punditry, is that Las Vegas finishes second to us in the NL West, that their offense is comparable to ours, and that their staff, while good, is not quite up to our level. So then, it’s the pitching that will, barely, hold them back… on paper. When I look at these guys, what I see is a near mirror image of us, albeit one that is slightly malnourished, hungrier, and willing to go to greater lengths than us to satiate that appetite. This is not to say that I don’t believe in my club – nothing could be further from the truth – it’s just that Las Vegas worked to close the gap with several key bullpen acquisitions, including former Leopard, Anderson Parker, during the offseason, and, given our depth, or lack thereof, we are really just an injury or two away from loosing our stranglehold on the division.

7 of 162: Jack Snachez-Flores (1-0, 0.00) @ Jan Hernandez (0-0, 0.00)
Loss, 10-5. Yikes – Angry Eloy Delando stormed the kingdom, razed the castle, and sent two bad ones over the fence during a 3 for 4 day at the plate and Cash Crouch added a 2-run DING DONG to contribute to the cause as the retooled Outlaws took it to us something fierce in game one of this 3-game set. Jan took the L, gave up 5 during the top of the 1st, and was yanked after 3-innings of work, while the offense was, once again, led by new edition Andy Shepard, which just isn’t going to work. Our new backup backstop, Lee Rolon, went 2 for 3 with a double and an RBI, Mullens trucked a 3-run jack and improved his average to .130, but it’d not be enough as Vegas came out gangbusters in the 1st and never let up from there.

Note: I’ve been trying a new strategy setting that I’ve had some success with in other saves, but am going back to what I’ve been using with the Leopards as I am starting to think that it wasn’t a good fit for this roster… so, um, onward and upward, I guess?

8 of 162: Cam Murphy (0-1, 7.20) @ Trev Anderson (1-0, 1.29)
Win, 2-0. A low-key course correction for us here – Trev performed admirably over 5 innings of work, allowed only 2 hits and nothing plated, and, Andy Shepard, again, leads the offense with a 2 for 3 day that includes a double and a run scored. The heart of our order, and the guys we pay the most, went a combined 0 for 9, and we’d strand 6 over the course of the game. We'd win this one by the skin of our teeth and our pitching acumen… Zechariah Stillman, promoted in the offseason from Compton, went 2 innings without allowing a run (he did dole out 3 free passes though), Rishon Shaw retired 3 in the 8th on 10 total pitches, and Turnbull picked up his 2nd save of the year retiring the side during the top of the 9th. Look, we’ll take it, a win is a win and all that, but our offense can not continue to be led by Andy Shepard… it’s untenable.

9 of 162: Sun-Jae Cho (0-0, 0.00) @ Peter Garcia (1-0, 1.29)
Win, 2-0. The club, with Garcia at the helm, navigated rough seas and came out smelling roses after getting the win, at home, in the rubber match to send Las Vegas off with their tail tucked firmly between their legs… 6 innings for the new guy, only 2 total hits, and 9 K’s, and a 2-run TRUCK courtesy of Dom Cooke would be all she wrote here as we, from an offensive point of view, do the minimum amount required to earn a passing mark. Ethan continues to struggle, finishing 0 for 3 on the day and was caught with his hand in the honeypot on the basepaths, but the pitching held firm once again with Grumpy Losito securing a 2-inning hold, his first of the year, while Turnbull turned the Outlaws away in the 9th on 15 total pitches, fanning two and getting the 3rd on a ground out.

Record: 6-3, .666, 1st NL West
Up Next: We’ll board a plane bound for South Beach to spend the next 4 days rubbernecking, bagging some rays, and playing a little ball against the Herons.