[Westheim]

Raccoons (55-25) @ Titans (32-50) – July 1-4, 2047

We would play the bottom-feeding Titans for four games twice around the All Star Game, the first of those sets taking place in Boston. With the second-worst offense in the league (3.7 runs per game) they were clearly in trouble, although they had a decent rotation together. It didn’t help that big earner and slugger Joe Ritchey was on the DL, however. The Coons were up 3-1 in the season series.

Projected matchups:
Sadaharu Okuda (5-5, 3.50 ERA) vs. Kyle Turay (5-7, 2.30 ERA)
Jason Wheatley (6-3, 3.08 ERA) vs. Victor Mondragon (3-9, 3.67 ERA)
Victor Merino (6-6, 3.87 ERA) vs. Emanuel Caceiro (1-2, 3.19 ERA)
Jake Jackson (8-4, 3.32 ERA) vs. David Barel (7-6, 3.04 ERA)

Here we’d get two right-handers up front, then two left-handers at the back end of the set.

Game 1
POR: RF Mercado – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – 1B Toohey – 2B Gurney – SS Waters – C Gonzalez – LF Medina – P Okuda
BOS: LF Hampton – C Whitley – RF C. Jimenez – 1B V. Chavez – 2B Galaz – CF T. Lopez – SS Kohr – 3B Round – P Turay

The Raccoons went up swiftly after Turay opened the week with a walk to Nelson Mercado. RBI extra-base knocks by Herrera, who doubled, and Gurney, who tripled, brought in two first-frame runs. The innings after, the Raccoons had them on the corners, but Mercado hit into a double play in the second, and stranded Herrera on third base in the third. Herrera got on in all of his first three plate appearances, and stole second base in the latter two of those, in the third and fifth innings. Maldonado walked behind him in the fifth, and Toohey flung an RBI single over Jason Kohr’s reaching glove to extend the lead to 3-0 at that point. Waters and Medina hit RBI singles in the same inning, getting to 5-0 in total, while Okuda scattered three hits and two walks in the first five innings, but so well spread out that the Titans couldn’t put anything together that would amount to a run or two. They only reached him in the seventh inning, when Kohr got behind Herrera (yes, it was possible) for a 1-out triple, then scored on Jim Round’s sac fly to Roberto Medina. Okuda completed seven innings on 101 pitches before being pinch-hit for with Al Martell against Dave Serio in the top 8th. Porter, Bonnie, and Moreno would piece the last two innings together from the pen, allowing only one base runner between them. 5-1 Raccoons. Herrera 3-5, 2B, RBI; Toohey 2-4, BB, RBI; Medina 2-4, RBI; Okuda 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, W (6-5) and 2-3;

Roster moves on July 2: Derek Baskins started a rehab assignment, while Alex Adame was activated from his own rehab assignment. Brian Snyder was optioned back to AAA.

Game 2
POR: CF Mercado – SS Adame – 3B Maldonado – LF Toohey – 1B Gurney – 2B Waters – RF Pellicano – C Morales – P Wheatley
BOS: LF Hampton – 3B Kohr – 1B V. Chavez – 2B Galaz – CF T. Lopez – C Brooks – SS Round – RF L. Estrada – P Mondragon

Wheats slightly bettered Okuda through five innings, giving up two hits and two walks for no outs, while also striking out three batters. There was little hard contact off him, but it was now also the second half, and I was no longer taking “decent” from him. I wanted greatness! Not so great was our offense, which scored one run on singles by Toohey, Waters, and Morales in the second inning, and nothing else on just one additional base hit through five innings. Maldo and Waters reached the corners with a pair of singles in the sixth, but were stranded when Gene Pellicano rolled out to Gerardo Galaz. Victor Chavez then flung one over the leftfield wall to tie the game at one…

Tony Morales was on third base with one out in the seventh; he had hit a leadoff single, then advanced on Wheatley’s bunt and a wild pitch by Mondragon. Mercado hit a high fly to left that was easy pickings for Jeremy Hampton, but also deep enough to get even Morales home for a 2-1 lead. PH Manuel Arellano reached on an infield single in the #9 spot in the bottom 7th, stole second, but Hampton’s pop and Wheats putting a K to the Ohr ended the bottom 7th with the tying run stranded.

Top 8th, lefty Ricky Contreras gave up a leadoff single to Maldo. Toohey whiffed; we then sent Ben Coen to hit for Gurney, who was 1-for-8 since being named Player of the Week, but Coen was also rung up. Waters singled, moving Maldo to second, and Pellicano hit the perfect dying howler with two outs, shallow left-center, nobody close, where Maldo could easily score from second base just by going on contact. Contreras then lost Morales in a full count, setting up three on and two outs, and while Wheats had a couple of beans left in the cooker, the Coons would try to get the big hit from Ruben Gonzalez. Another full count with Contreras – then a strikeout, three stranded in a 3-1 game. Then the Titans loaded the bases… Curl faced only Chavez and gave up a single before Nelson Moreno plonked Tony Lopez and Justin Brooks reached on an infield single, filling the sacks with one gone in the bottom 8th. Jim Round hit a fly to left – Toohey was on it, and Chavez, a slow runner, didn’t go. Leo Estrada was a lefty hitter, batting .250 with one RBI in 52 plate appearances. There was no trust in Bonnie anyway, but the Raccoons had another lefty option: closer Mike Lynn for a 4-out save with the tying run right behind his back. Boston countered with .160 right-hander Tom Steffensen – one RBI in 25 plate appearances. A single to center made it two in 26, but then PH Ruben Mangual struck out… Hampton hit a leadoff single to left in the bottom 9th, but was then forced out by Kohr, a slower runner. Chavez struck out, and Galaz grounded out to Adame to allow the Coons to eek out another W. 3-2 Critters. Maldonado 3-5; Waters 3-4; Morales 2-3, BB, RBI; Wheatley 7.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, W (7-3); Lynn 1.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, SV (21);

Close, but at least with a cigar…!

Game 3
POR: SS Adame – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – 1B Toohey – RF Pellicano – C Gonzalez – 2B Martell – LF Medina – P Merino
BOS: LF Hampton – C Whitley – RF C. Jimenez – 1B V. Chavez – 2B Galaz – CF T. Lopez – SS Kohr – 3B Round – P Caceiro

Wednesday saw a productive opening inning again, with Herrera hitting a triple into the rightfield corner before Maldo scored him with a shy single. RBI doubles by Toohey and Pellicano ran the score to 3-0 before Gonzalez and Martell made the last two outs. Merino started out with a walk to Hampton, who stole second, then was thrown out trying to get third base, too. Hampton went on to hit into an inning-ending double play in the bottom 3rd, just after Caceiro had singled for the first Boston base hit. Not much more happened in the next few innings, except for Kohr getting another ball behind Herrera for a 1-out double in the bottom 5th, but Round and Caceiro proved unhelpful.

The bottom 6th then had things go quite wrong quite fast. A walk drawn by Dan Whitley, a soft Chris Jimenez single, and Chavez taking one to the bum loaded the bases in the span of four pitches, and with only one out, and since Portland had not bothered to tack on since the 3-spot in the first, those were also the tying runs. Merino went on to ring up Galaz after a mound pep talk, with Lopez grounding out to Adame at short, and nobody scored. Top 7th, Medina opened with a single, but was forced out on a bad bunt. When Adame doubled to left right after that, Merino had to hold at third base, which for the time being cost a run, but Armando Herrera squished a single through between Jason Kohr and Jim Round, and both runners came home, 5-0. With the bigger lead, Merino merrily kept pitching, throwing 96 pitches through eight. The top 9th saw Herrera and Maldo go to the corners against Serio with two already down. Toohey hit a looper up the rightfield line that was caught on the run by Jimenez, bringing Merino back to the mound facing the 5-6-7 batters. Galaz was out on the first pitch, but Lopez singled on the second pitch. When Kohr singled to right, the Raccoons pulled the plug on Merino and brought Josh Rella. Round struck out, Brooks grounded out to Maldo, and that game was in the books as well. 5-0 Furballs! Adame 2-5, 2B; Herrera 4-5, 3B, 2 RBI; Maldonado 2-4, RBI; Merino 8.1 IP, 8 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K, W (7-6);

When we play Boston these days, I never know whether we are just that good with our pitchers or whether they are just really that full of woe.

Game 4
POR: SS Adame – CF Herrera – 1B Maldonado – LF Toohey – RF Pellicano – C Gonzalez – 2B Waters – 3B Coen – P Jackson
BOS: LF Hampton – C Whitley – SS C. Jimenez – 1B V. Chavez – CF T. Lopez – 3B Kohr – 2B Round – RF L. Estrada – P Barel

Jake Jackson was perfect the first time through, whiffing one, and hit an RBI single with two outs in the fourth to extend the Coons’ lead to 3-0, which became 4-0 a moment later when Adame hit another RBI single, plating Waters and Coen, respectively. The earlier runs had come together with Pellicano tripling and dashing home on Ruben Gonzalez’ groundout in the second, and Maldo singling home Adame in the third.

Running the bases definitely messed up Jackson, though, who put the first three hitters on base in the bottom 4th; infield single, walk, hit by pitch – then Chavez somehow struck out, and Tony Lopez hit into a 6-4-3 double play. The Titans had the kind of offense that made the summers long and excruciating indeed. The Coons had three on and no outs as soon as the top 5th then, Maldo doubling before Toohey walked, a wild pitch advanced the runners, and Pellicano drew another walk. Gonzalez was up next, grounding precisely up the middle for a run-scoring fielder’s choice, but Matt Waters socked a 3-run homer to left to blow the doors off this game, 8-0. Barel was gone, but the Titans showed *some* rally in the bottom of the inning, with the bottom of the order socking Jackson for three sharp hits, and two runs on Ruben Mangual’s pinch-hit single. Gonzalez singled home Toohey as a counter in the top 6th, but Jackson filled the bases again in the bottom of the same inning. Jim Round’s sac fly put the score at 9-3, and with Estrada up, Jackson left after 5.2 rather bipolar innings, with runners on the corners. Bonnie got Estrada to fly out to Toohey to end the inning.

The Raccoons were then trying Adam Bates for a 3-inning save and then swift disposal to get a fresh arm up for Friday’s double-header. The first part of the plan failed, though, because while Bates got through the seventh fine, by the eighth he drowned in Titans runners and was lifted with Kohr, Round, and Estrada on base, two outs, Justin Brooks pinch-hitting in the #9 spot, and the tying run putting on pants in the dugout. Preston Porter replaced him, hung a K on Brooks, then did a 1-2-3 on the Titans in the ninth to complete the sweep. 9-3 Raccoons! Maldonado 2-5, 2B, RBI; Gonzalez 2-5, 3 RBI; Coen 2-4, 2B;

Sweep!

Now back home for the Indians.

Raccoons (59-25) vs. Indians (46-39) – July 5-7, 2047

Opening with a double-header, this 4-game set had the potential to put the division to rest before the All Star Game was being played – only the Indians were even within 20 games of the Raccoons on Friday morning, and they, too, were falling further behind. Seventh in runs scored, third in runs allowed, they had a +31 run differential, dwarved by the Critters’ +100 mark. In the season series, we led narrowly, 5-3.

Projected matchups:
Jeremy Baker (2-1, 2.84 ERA) vs. Bill Drury (8-8, 3.41 ERA)
Bubba Wolinsky (12-2, 3.43 ERA) vs. Jason Palladino (5-5, 3.49 ERA)
Sadaharu Okuda (6-5, 3.32 ERA) vs. Bill Nichol (8-7, 3.11 ERA)
Jason Wheatley (7-3, 2.96 ERA) vs. John Roeder (5-5, 4.02 ERA)

Unless the Indians found a spot starter somewhere, their only left-hander would line up for Southpaw Sunday.

Normally we would send the better starter (Wolinsky for sure) in the first game of the double-header, but this time had to go the other way round for logistical reasons. Since Baker took the roster spot of Bates, there were only six relievers left as long as he was around, which would only be for his start, and then he would be optioned again right between games, to be replaced by Kevin Hitchcock as seventh bullpen arm. Hitchcock would then remain here for the balance of the weekend at least.

At the same time, we might have to work more devil magic if Wheats made the All Star Game to take him out of the Sunday spot. This March’s trash heap pickup Carlton Harman (5-8, 4.27 ERA in AAA) would be lined up and rested for a spot start. It would be the 24-year-old right-hander’s major league debut.

Manny Fernandez was not quite ready to be activated today, which could have created a sixth bench spot by also doing the between-game switcheroo between him and Roberto Medina. Derek Baskins was thought to better remain in AAA rehab rather than being used up for those shenanigans.

Game 1
IND: SS Russ – 2B de Castro – RF B. Quinteros – CF D. Rivera – 3B B. Anderson – 1B Lutch – LF Locke – C J. Rose – P Drury
POR: RF Mercado – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – LF Toohey – 1B Gurney – SS Adame – 2B Martell – C Gonzalez – P Baker

For four innings, Baker had the Indians right where he wanted them, holding them to two hits and no runs in a generally convincing performance. He also drove in Alex Adame with a groundout for the first run of the game in the bottom 2nd, while Adame singled home Armando Herrera the inning after for a second run. Still up 2-0, Baker began the top 5th by conceding singles to Vince Lutch and Philip Locke, threw a wild pitch, and walked Jason Rose. Three on, no outs, Drury struck out, but that brought up the absolute terror of the base paths, Andrew Russ, who was so far 0-2 in the game. Well, getting retired was over – he singed a liner into the gap for a bases-clearing triple, then scored on Alex de Castro’s groundout to flip the score around quite dramatically, 4-2 Indians in the middle of the fifth…

Baker left on the hook after six innings and seven strikeouts, while the bottom 6th saw singles from Adame and Martell to begin; Ruben Gonzalez found a 6-4-3 double play, while Gene Pellicano at least got Adame home with a pinch-hit single in Baker’s spot. After Preston Porter survived two singles in the top 7th, the Coons got Herrera and the tying run into scoring position to begin the bottom 7th with a double off the wall in leftfield. Maldo grounded out, Toohey whiffed for the third time against Drury, but Gurney zinged a single past Russ to tie the score at four before Adame grounded out. The score didn’t budge in the eighth, and Mike Lynn retired Indy in order in the ninth to set us up for a walkoff chance, with the top of the order batting against right-hander Justin Johns and his 2.43 ERA in the bottom of the ninth – and getting retired just like that, in order.

Lynn pitched a second inning despite a leadoff walk to Rose and a Gurney error adding a second runner, getting outs from the top of the order instead. The Coons still had nothing against Johns. Josh Rella and Matt Waters entered in a double switch for the 11th, Adame going to bed, with singles by Bobby Anderson and Bill Turbeville plating the Indians a 2-out run in the top 11th. Martell, Gonzalez, and Waters went in order in the bottom of the inning against Bobby Nelson to end the game. 5-4 Indians. Adame 3-5, RBI; Martell 3-5; Pellicano (PH) 1-1, RBI; Lynn 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K;

After that flush of frustration, the Raccoons busily resorted the roster between games. Baker went, Hitchcock came – ready for another game.

Game 2
IND: SS Russ – 2B de Castro – RF B. Quinteros – CF D. Rivera – LF Hertenstein – 3B B. Anderson – 1B Lutch – C Turbeville – P Palladino
POR: RF Pellicano – CF Mercado – 2B Gurney – 1B Toohey – SS Waters – 3B Coen – LF Medina – C Morales – P Wolinsky

The nightcap was trouble from the get-go. Wolinsky hit Bill Quinteros AND Danny Rivera in the first inning, then gave up a homer to Bobby Anderson for a 1-0 deficit in the second. He faced only one more batter before waving for Dr. Padilla, which made me reach for the nearest bottle of Capt’n Coma. Wolinsky was removed indeed with just four outs collected. The Raccoons had to turn to Kevin Hitchcock to pitch as far as he would and could – the score of the game no longer mattered. Just get through the game. Oh – and the sky became dark gray and a rain shower was probably on the way in, too.

Hitchcock amounted to only 3.1 innings before coming apart. The Raccoons also put up no offense, so Wolinsky remained on the hook for the loss while Daniel Hertenstein hit a 2-run homer in the fourth and the Indians just piled up runners by the fifth. Hitchcock left with a run in, Danny Rivera and Hertenstein on base, and two outs, having thrown 54 pitches. The Raccoons reused Rella, who had pitched in the first game, for a single out from the rookie Anderson here, just to get out of the fifth down 4-0. Aaron Curl then sort of recovered us with two scoreless innings, while the lineup kept doing nothing against Palladino, who spilled just three base hits through six innings, and of those only two were to the actual lineup guys – Maldo hit a pinch-hit single for Rella in the bottom 5th, which led nowhere whatsoever. Things threatened to unravel briefly for Palladino in the seventh, but the Raccoons, who got Medina and Morales on base to begin the inning, had to settle for a Pellicano RBI single for one lonely run, and remained behind by three. Moreno pitched the eighth, in which Bill Turbeville struck out, made a stink, and was sent packing by the home plate umpire, to be replaced by Jason Rose. When Portland made no gains in the bottom 8th, we gave up the game entirely – Gene Pellicano turned from outfielder to pitcher for the top 9th. He walked Steven Elkin in the #9 spot to get going, then got two groundouts from Russ and de Castro. The next batter, Quinteros, was beaned from the game and replaced with Locke, before Rivera grounded out. The Indians did not add on ten runs, even when Pellicano looked like he had that much to give. The final note in the game was Tony Morales’ 2-out solo homer in the bottom 9th that was his first of the year, didn’t amount to a rally, and thus counted more in the category of “but at least…” as the double header went entirely down the drain… 4-2 Indians. Maldonado (PH) 1-1; Curl 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K;

Okay – damage control please.

Roster moves for Saturday included Manny Fernandez being activated from the DL, while Roberto Medina (.194, 0 HR, 5 RBI) was returned to AAA. Hitchcock (0-0, 3.76 ERA) also went straight back to AAA because we needed any live arm available, which was how we ended up with Sean Marucci again.

Game 3
IND: SS Russ – 1B Kurtz – RF Locke – CF D. Rivera – 3B B. Anderson – 2B Lutch – LF Elkin – C J. Rose – P Nichol
POR: RF Mercado – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – 1B Toohey – LF Fernandez – SS Adame – 2B Waters – C Morales – P Okuda

Saturday was all about me bugging Dr. Padilla for news on Wolinsky, Maud trying to wrestle the bottle from me, and the general hope that Sadaharu Okuda could keep his hole shut for six, seven, eleven innings. He retired the first four before Anderson and Lutch singled and a Maldo error on Elkin filled the bases. Rose and Nichol both struck out to keep them loaded at inning’s completion. That was the only blip for Okuda through five, as he allowed no further base hits, or even base runners. The Raccoons meanwhile were almost as dire against Nichol, who struck out six against four singles, none of those with a runner in scoring position. The game was thus scoreless through five.

Ron Kurtz singled in the sixth, but Locke and Rivera went down behind him, while Herrera opened the bottom of the inning with a single off Nichol, then scooped second base for his 16th steal of the year. This prompted an intentional walk to Maldo, then an unintentional walk to Toohey, bringing up Manny with three on and no outs. But Manny wasn’t warm and up to speed yet, struck out, and I sighed loud enough to make an old Bobby Quinn bobblehead fall over in the cabinet next to the TV. Adame came through, though, dropping a 2-run single into left-center for the first markers on the board, and the Coons’ first lead of the series. Waters walked to fill the bases again, Morales hit a sac fly to Rivera, and then Okuda killed off Nichol with a 2-out RBI single. Mercado added an RBI single to right against Enrique Ortiz before the inning ended with Herrera grounding out. Okuda was now up 5-0, but got bogged down in a long seventh against the top of the order and would not be back for the eighth. Sean Marucci got a 6-0 lead for the eighth – Maldo having taken Jared Murphy deep in the bottom 7th to clinch the team lead in bombs for himself – but also fought through a long inning with full counts and two base runners and would not go the remaining distance, either, even when the Critters piled two more runs on Murphy on 2-out RBI hits by Herrera and Maldo in the bottom 8th. Aaron Curl got through some right-handed bats to end the game then. 8-0 Raccoons. Mercado 2-5, RBI; Herrera 3-5, 2B, RBI; Maldonado 2-4, BB, HR, 2 RBI; Adame 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI; Martell 1-1; Okuda 7.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K, W (7-5) and 2-3, RBI;

At least no sweep! That would have been bad. Would have rubbled down our lead to 9 1/2 …!

On Sunday morning, Jason Wheatley was indeed one of five Critters named to the All Star Team, and consequently scratched from the Sunday start. Sean Marucci was optioned again and Carlton Harman was called up from AAA to make his major league debut in his place.

Game 4
IND: 2B de Castro – CF Elkin – LF D. Rivera – RF Locke – 1B Kurtz – 3B Lutch – SS Arnold – C J. Rose – P Roeder
POR: SS Adame – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – 1B Toohey – RF Pellicano – 2B Waters – LF Fernandez – C Gonzalez – P Harman

Harman began his majors career with a K to Alex de Castro, but by the second walked a pair. Logan Arnold hit into a double play to ease him out of there, but by the third a leadoff walk to Rose, Roeder’s bunt, and a de Castro single got the Indians up 1-0. Elkin forced out de Castro, but stole second, and came around when Rivera singled on a 3-0 pitch, putting Indy up 2-0 with two outs. Philip Locke grounded out, but Kurtz opened the fourth with a double and scored on an Arnold sac fly to make it 3-0.

While the debutee melted, the Coons had a silent first time through the order, then loaded the bases in the bottom 4th when Maldo singled and Toohey and Waters drew walks. The only run scoring came on a passed ball charged to Rose while Manny whiffed, Gonzalez was walked intentionally with first base open, and Harman popped out (after singling in his first at-bat). Indy clawed the run back in the fifth with singles from Roeder (…) and Rivera, 4-1, and another run scored – unearned – in the sixth when the Indians were on the corners with two outs and Waters fudged Roeder’s casual grounder into a run-scoring error.

No, it wasn’t the Coons’ game. With Pellicano and Fernandez on base in the bottom 6th, Gonzalez hit into an inning-ending double play. The next inning began with Coen singling for Jake Bonnie, and Adame getting nicked on base by Roeder, who was removed for Bobby Klopotek right after that. Herrera and Maldo made outs before Toohey flung an RBI single over the shortstop to at least bring the tying run to the plate in Pellicano, who was hit for by Pat Gurney. A zinger up the middle became an RBI single, but Klopotek then got Waters to ground out to second to end the inning at 5-3. The eighth was uneventful, but Moreno gave up a run on de Castro’s leadoff double and assorted misery in the ninth, as if the Indians needed more runs. Bobby Nelson put down the Coons’ 2-3-4 hitters without much fuss in the bottom 9th. 6-3 Indians. Maldonado 2-5; Gurney (PH) 1-1, RBI; Coen (PH) 1-1; Morales (PH) 1-1;

In other news

July 1 – DAL LF/CF Juan del Toro (.284, 5 HR, 41 RBI) was likely to miss all of July after leaving the Stars’ 17-7 win over the Warriors with a torn meniscus. OF Tylor Cecil (.291, 13 HR, 59 RBI) and 1B Jamie King (.349, 13 HR, 53 RBI) both went 3-5 with 4 RBI for Dallas, but with King having two home runs to Cecil’s single bomb.
July 1 – The Thunder beat the Condors in Tijuana, 4-1. All runs score in the deciding 10th inning.
July 3 – Also out for the month: NAS 1B Alejandro Ramos (.294, 14 HR, 41 RBI) with an intercostal strain.
July 5 – The Miners acquire INF Landon Guillory (.271, 6 HR, 29 RBI) from the Rebels for two prospects.
July 5 – Rebels LF/RF Pablo Gonzalez (.330, 8 HR, 45 RBI) is expected to miss six weeks with a broken rib.
July 7 – Charlotte loses 2B/OF Miguel Martinez (.329, 0 HR, 21 RBI) for two months on account of torn thumb ligaments.
July 7 – The Condors trade MR Carlos Castillo (1-0, 2.42 ERA) to the Blue Sox for a pair of prospects.

FL Player of the Week: CIN LF/1B/3B Ricky Correa (.298, 10 HR, 51 RBI), batting .522 (12-23) with 3 HR, 10 RBI
CL Player of the Week: POR INF/LF/RF Jesus Maldonado (.321, 15 HR, 51 RBI), hitting .424 (14-33) with 1 HR, 4 RBI

Complaints and stuff

Maldo again! In case you’re counting, that is three straight weeks where the Player of the Week in the CL was a Critter.

This week was … difficult! We came out on top, mostly, 5-3 in terms of record, thanks to the Titans being as dull as dishwater. We almost got swept at home by the Indians, but that was also down to a myriad of pitching difficulties that saw us devolve into almost daily roster moves just to get through to the All Star break… In fact, the only day without an entry into the transaction log was Thursday (this includes international free agent signings).

Derek Baskins and Bob Ibold are both off the DL and in AAA rehab right now. Arturo Carreno is the last major leaguer on the DL right now – but who knows what Dr. Padilla will still find out about Bubba Wolinsky…!

For the All Star Game, the Raccoons will send five representatives. Jesus Maldonado, who also has a 12-game hitting streak, will go there for the fifth time – all consecutively since his first nomination at age 29 in ’43 – while it is the third honoring for Bryce Toohey, who made all those trips in his four years as a Raccoon. Armando Herrera makes the trip for the sixth time, and the first time since ’42. On the pitching side, Mike Lynn made a second All Star team (consecutively), same for Wheats (but not consecutively).

And when that circus will be over, we’ll have the Titans in for another four games next weekend.

All that aside, the Raccoons spent $170k on four international amateurs to begin the month of July. Included are two pitchers and two position players of so-so pedigree. The least money actually went to Omar Sanchez, a first baseman that signed for $15k, who might have some tremendous power potential, says Pat Degenhardt. Nobody else seems to have thought that, but I like to throw away $15k like that from time to time. We are bidding on another two pitchers in a different price category entirely; signing only one of them would already put us over the soft cap. In total the two boys after offered just under $1.1M at this point.

Fun Fact: Preston Pinkerton had a 9-year career with the Raccoons and Warriors, batting .246 with 8 HR and 95 RBI in total.

He also pitched to an 8.78 ERA in 31 games, half of which came in the wretched 2032 season alone, although he had at least one pitching appearance in each of his six seasons with the Critters from 2032 through 2037. In 40 innings, he walked 38 and struck out 11 batters.

Is Gene Pellicano the new Preston Pinkerton? Hopefully not, but him and Coen are the only position players on the roster that pitched in college and are thus the first two candidates to be called up for garbage relief in the ninth when we run out of actual arms.