[Westheim]

Raccoons (24-17) @ Bayhawks (30-14) – May 26-28, 2048

The Bayhawks led the CL South while sitting second in both runs scored and runs allowed, with the best rotation in the league, and since even in the best of times nothing good would ever happen at the Bay, I was a wee bit afraid of this series. They had some injuries to their pitching staff, with Chih Ke, Rafael Pedaza, and John Steuer all tucked away on the DL, but so far it had yet to put a crimp or two into their season. Last year’s season series had ended up with the Coons, 5-4.

Projected matchups:
Victor Merino (3-3, 4.15 ERA) vs. Kevin Nolte (5-2, 3.28 ERA)
Jake Jackson (2-2, 2.61 ERA) vs. Craig Czyszczon (7-1, 1.84 ERA)
Sadaharu Okuda (3-0, 5.01 ERA) vs. Jesse Bulas (3-2, 3.59 ERA)

Only right-handed pitchers coming up here.

Game 1
POR: LF Watt – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – 1B Toohey – 2B Waters – C Gonzalez – RF Fernandez – SS Martell – P Merino
SFB: RF A. Marquez – SS Del Vecchio – C Suggs – CF Crum – 3B Copeland – 2B Quiroz – 1B P. Colon – LF Fink – P Nolte

The Raccoons didn’t have a hit the first time through in the Tuesday opener, while a Sean Suggs single, Ken Crum’s triple, and a Sebastian Copeland single scored two runs for the home team in the bottom 1st. Merino continued to hardly fool anybody, giving up another run on a double by blighted Ted Del Vecchio and a Suggs RBI single in the bottom 3rd. The Raccoons didn’t amount to an actual threat until the fifth inning, in which Manny hit a single and Martell added a double with one out, but Merino and Watt both struck out. Herrera opened the sixth with a double – then was stranded by the 3-4-5 batters… It was one of those games, lost as soon as it began. Nolte allowed next to nothing to the Portlanders, while Merino gave up a fourth run in the sixth inning, after which the Bayhawks piled three more runs on Joy-shan Kuo in the seventh. When Nolte did give up a run in the eighth, it was unearned; Sergio Quiroz had put Matt Watt on base with an error to begin the inning, after which Herrera doubled, and even then the Coons barely got one run home. Maldonado grounded out to third base, keeping the runners pinned, while Toohey brought in a run with a grounder to short. Hooray, hooray. 7-1 Bayhawks. Herrera 2-4, 2 2B; Martell 2-4, 2 2B;

Game 2
POR: RF Watt – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – 1B Toohey – SS Waters – 2B Gurney – LF Baskins – C Prow – P Jackson
SFB: LF Fink – 2B Quiroz – C Suggs – CF Crum – 1B A. Marquez – 3B Copeland – RF P. Colon – SS S. Diaz – P Czyszczon

Before there was a base hit in the middle game, three players had been hit *with* baseballs; Toohey and Alex Marquez by pitches in the second inning, as well as the Bayhawks’ right-hander with a comebacker by Pat Gurney that was nevertheless turned into an out. The first actual base knock was a Kevin Prow single to open the top 3rd, with Jackson reaching base as well when Czysczczon misfielded his bunt attempt. But then Watt popped out and Herrera found a double play… Jackson allowed no hits through three, then gave up a run to begin the fourth on a Quiroz double and Suggs’ RBI single. Which sugged…

Top 5th, Baskins walked, Prow singled again, and Jackson with one out … whiffed. Matt Watt got hold of one, though, blasting a 3-run homer to right-center to claim a 3-1 lead for the Critters. Pedro Colon countered with a solo home run in the bottom 5th to narrow the gap to a single run again before Jackson put Steve Diaz on base with a 1-out walk, Czyszczon with a single, and then somehow wiggled out when John Fink hit into a 5-4-3 double play.

While Jackson did his best to hang on, the offense did his best to keep me tense. They didn’t amount to anything in the sixth or seventh, but Herrera singled and stole second in the top of the eighth against the Baybirds battery. Maldo grounded out, Toohey popped out, and he didn’t score… Jackson was gone after a leadoff walk to Tony Romero in the bottom 8th, with Kuo cleaning up the inning after getting roughed up the day before. Who continued to get roughed up? Mike Lynn. He served up a homer to Ken Crum to tie the game in the bottom 9th, then a homer to Pedro Colon to end it. 4-3 Bayhawks.

That was enough! (slaps closer’s hat off Lynn’s numb skull)

Game 3
POR: LF Watt – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – 1B Toohey – SS Waters – C Gonzalez – 2B Martell – RF Fernandez – P Okuda
SFB: 1B S. Diaz – SS Del Vecchio – C Suggs – CF Crum – 3B Copeland – 2B Quiroz – RF A. Marquez – LF Fink – P Bulas

Singles by Herrera and Maldo – who had hit a dire stretch here – plus a walk drawn by Bryce Toohey – who had yet to end his winter slumber at all – gave the Coons the bags full with one out in the opening frame on getaway Thursday. Matt Waters hit a fly to deep center, but it was caught by Crum for a sac fly. Bulas walked Ruben Gonzalez to restock the bags, but rung up Martell in a full count. The Bayhawks then casually raided Okuda for four runs in the bottom 1st, starting with three 1-out hits, and a double by accursed Ted Del Vecchio especially. Okuda walked Copeland to fill the bases in a 1-1 game, then gave up a bases-clearing double to Marquez to slide into a real mess.

While Okuda was a mild mess, Bulas was a hot one, offering two walks in the third inning before getting burned by Martell with a 2-out, 2-run double, narrowing the score to 4-3, and he was out after just four innings of endless long counts, although he was still ahead by a run. Okuda barely hung on, but the Raccoons loaded the bases with nobody out against righty Ron Purcell in the fifth inning, the 31-year-old walking Toohey before Waters and Gonzalez both singled. Martell was up in the thick spot again with three on and none gone, lined out to John Fink in left, and Toohey, the tying run, made for home plate, where he collided violently with Sean Suggs, limbs flying in all direction. Toohey remained on his back with a leg injury and was eventually carted off the field with the medical hovercraft, and, oh, he was also called out for a 7-2 double play. While Coen replaced Toohey in the #4 hole, Maldo moving to first base, the Bayhawks walked Manny intentionally, then got a K from Okuda – with the double header on Friday drawing up, the Raccoons forewent pinch-hitting to save the bullpen, which certainly would see them paid back nicely against the Thunder…

Okuda ended up festering in his own stew for 111 pitches, which barely checked out for six innings, and got hits pats on the furry tush while still behind 4-3. Waters opened the top 7th with a double to right, then seemed destined to be stranded, too, with poor outs by Gonzalez and Martell following. Manny bopped a homer to dead center though, flipping the score! Old man still has it, huh!? … Unfortunately, nobody else had any. Bob Ibold especially not, giving up four hits in the bottom 7th, three of them doubles after a Del Vecchio (growls!) single, and conceded as many runs to flip the score right back to the Baybirds, with cushion. Maldo hit a double with two outs in the eighth that led nowhere. Waters hit a leadoff single in the ninth before being doubled off by Gonzalez. 7-5 Bayhawks. Herrera 2-5; Maldonado 2-4, BB, 2B; Toohey 0-1, 2 BB; Waters 3-4, 2B, RBI; Gonzalez 2-4, BB; Fernandez 1-2, 2 BB, HR, 2 RBI;

Swept.

Also, dropped behind the Indians.

This is 2029 all over again, isn’t it?

Bryce Toohey was diagnosed with a hyperextended knee and ruled out of the weekend series by Dr. Padilla, but it should not take too long for him to return to action after that. The Raccoons thus kept him on the roster – thus tumbling into a double header with a short bench, a roughed up pen, struggling starters, and a losing streak around their necks…

Raccoons (24-20) vs. Thunder (29-17) – May 29-31, 2048

As if that was not enough ballast, the Thunder were fourth in runs scored and the best team in the league in not allowing runs, giving up only 3.0 runs per game to the opposition. In other words, ballgame. Give them the wins, Maud, and send them home. I’ll have a nap instead… The Thunder were up 2-0 in the season series, too.

Projected matchups:
Jeremy Baker (3-2, 3.78 ERA) vs. Victor Marquez (7-1, 3.18 ERA)
Victor Salcido (0-0) vs. Juan Ramos (5-4, 2.89 ERA)
Jason Wheatley (2-4, 4.76 ERA) vs. J.J. Hendrix (1-5, 4.31 ERA)
Victor Merino (3-4, 4.36 ERA) vs. Jon Craig (4-2, 2.41 ERA)

Only one lefty in Marquez, and the right-handed Craig (not the ex-Coon Craig) would probably make a spot start. Injuries had taken some beef out of the Thunder order, with Juan Benavides and Joe Crim being on the 60-day DL, and Jim Price was also nowhere to be seen. They had neither speed nor extraordinary power, but had a .340 team OBP that led the CL to strangulate teams.

The Raccoons would give 22-year-old Victor Salcido his major league debut in the second game on Friday. The 22-year-old Dominican righty was the #51 prospect (after ranking as high as #6 in the past) after having signed for $485k in July of 2042. He had first caught a glimpse of AAA at age 19 in ’45, before returning to AA full time in ’46. This year he was 3-3 with a 2.74 ERA for the Alley Cats, but command was still an issue. He would take the roster spot of Ben Coen, who got a start in the opener on the way out, and would return to St. Pete right afterwards.

Game 1
OCT: 3B Montes de Oca – 2B Ban – 1B B. Jenkins – LF Humphreys – RF Hertenstein – SS R. Cox – C Adames – CF DeMarco – P V. Marquez
POR: LF Watt – CF Herrera – 1B J. Maldonado – C Gonzalez – SS Waters – 2B Gurney – RF Pellicano – 3B Coen – P Baker

Jesus Adames’ solo homer in the second gave the Coons their daily deficit in the opener, and it was a one way street from there. Adames grabbed another RBI in the fourth, plating Ryan Cox with a groundout, while Angel Montes de Oca and Jonathan Ban went to the corners with leadoff base hits in the fifth inning before Bill Jenkins made it 3-0 with a sac fly. Steve Humphreys hit one to Waters for an inning-ending double play. At that point, the Thunder had eight hits, the Raccoons had zero hits, and I was hitting on the neck of a bottle of Capt’n Coma to soothe the throbbing headaches.

Gonzalez opened the bottom 5th with a single to right, while Waters legged out an infield single. Gurney flew out to right, but Pellicano interrupted his unbrakable plunge to .000 momentarily with a 1-out single to left, loading the bases for … ah, ****, Ben Coen, batting .071, **** my ***** ***. Coen, the miserable dimwit, popped out to Jenkins on a 3-1 pitch, and Baker grounded out to strand the full set for good. The miserable Critters reached the scoreboard after all in the sixth, Maldo singling home Watt for a run that would probably end up being meaningless. Both teams scored a run in the eighth; Hitchcock gave up a home run to Humphreys, while Maldo hit a triple and came around after Waters chopped a 2-out RBI single off Willie Maldonado, Thunder right-hander. The Thunder answered with a leadoff double to left by Montes off Jake Bonnie, who gave up the run right way on a Jonathan Ban single. The Raccoons had no intelligible answer to any of this and saw Pellicano, Baskins, and Prow go down in order against Rico Sanchez in the bottom 9th. 5-2 Thunder. Maldonado 2-4, 3B, RBI; Waters 2-4, RBI;

Jonathan Ban had five hits in this game, all singles. The Coons barely bested the five hits between them with seven.

Debut time in the nightcap then, and hey, maybe we can catch lightning in a bottle and actually win a ******* game, entirely by accident?

Game 2
OCT: 3B Montes de Oca – 2B Ban – LF Humphreys – SS R. Cox – 1B B. Jenkins – RF Zurita – C Urfer – CF DeMarco – P Ju. Ramos
POR: CF Watt – 2B Martell – 1B Gurney – 3B Maldonado – SS Waters – RF Fernandez – LF Baskins – C Prow – P Salcido

Nah. Salcido gave up a run before he logged an out with a single by Montes, a full-count walk to Ban, and an RBI single by Humphreys before Ryan Cox hacked himself out and Jenkins found a 6-4-3 double play. Watt and Martell reached base to begin the bottom 1st, but Gurney tried to hit into a double play, had to settle for a fielder’s choice, but Maldo completed the team effort, 6-4-3. Cox and Maldonado exchanged solo home runs in the fourth inning, which got us no closer to not losing for once, while the skies darkened progressively as the game went on.

Salcido crawled into the sixth, fooling nobody and convincing even fewer, before a rain shower ended his debut after 82 innings, and with two on and one out after walks to Humphreys and Cox. The Raccoons sent Kuo when play resumed; Jenkins advanced the runners with a groundout, and Angelo Zurita snapped a 2-out, 2-run single to set the Thunder ahead 4-1 and in all likelihood end the game. Not that the Thunder didn’t keep trying – they even chewed up Preston Porter in the seventh inning. Luppe Timmerman drew the first walk offered by Porter on the season after 18.2 innings, and Montes ripped an RBI double past Manny Fernandez to drive home the runner, 5-1. The Raccoons never responded, taking it silently for their fifth straight loss. 5-1 Thunder. Martell 3-4;

After the game, Salcido (0-1, 6.75 ERA) was back to AAA, joining Ben Coen (.067, 0 HR, 1 RBI) on the way out. While we wished ourselves Alex Adame back, he wouldn’t come off the DL until next week. Josh Floyd (.087, 0 HR, 2 RBI) was recalled to partake in some more losing.

Game 3
OCT: 3B Montes de Oca – 2B Ban – LF Humphreys – SS R. Cox – 1B B. Jenkins – C Adames – RF Zurita – CF DeMarco – P Hendrix
POR: 2B Martell – CF Herrera – 1B Gurney – 3B Maldonado – SS Waters – RF Fernandez – C Gonzalez – LF Baskins – P Wheatley

I clung on to hopes that Wheats could right this sinking ship somehow, and also Honeypaws for fluffy comfort that even Capt’n Coma could not offer. He struck out three against two hits and no runs in the first three innings, which was certainly encouraging, then bunted Gonzalez and Baskins into scoring position, the pair having reached to begin the bottom 3rd in a scoreless game. Martell struck out, Herrera lined out to Jenkins, and nobody scored…

Both teams had three hits apiece after five innings, still with no runs on the board. Wheats had struck out six against no walks, taking 65 pitches through five innings, which was certainly the best he had looked so far in ’48. Which of course meant that it would all come crashing down with that much greater noise in the sixth inning. After Hendrix began the inning with a groundout, Wheatley plunked Montes, with the Thunder third baseman then stealing second and scoring on a 2-out Humphreys single. Cox added a single, and Jenkins hit a gapper in right-center for a 2-run double to bury the Raccoons 3-0. Wheats went on to really *nail* Adames before Zurita somehow grounded out to end the inning… Wheatley would turn in another, with Pat Gurney having doubled home Martell (single) and Herrera (double) in the bottom 6th in between. After that Maldo and Waters had struck out in tandem to strand the tying run in scoring position. Tying the game and taking Wheatley off the hook was left to Manny Fernandez, who hit a leadoff jack off Hendrix in the bottom 7th. Manny…! Tied at three…! Just as I was about to add a few drops of molted lead to my booze…!

A win was not in the cards for Wheatley, with nobody reaching after the Manny homer before the inning ended. Bob Ibold kept the Thunder away in the top 8th, after which Martell and Gurney scratched out singles against Hendrix to go to the corners in the bottom 8th. Maldo batted with one out, but hit a comebacker that got Gurney forced out at second, and Waters grounded out to short… Boys, you’re REALLY HARD TO WATCH!! Preston Porter held the Thunder in check in the ninth despite issuing another walk, and when the Raccoons continued to do NOTHING, he also got the 10th inning, walking PH Rick Urfer in the #9 hole to begin overtime. Montes forced out the runner with a comebacker, was balked to second base by Porter (…!!), but still stranded by Ban and Humphreys. Bottom 10th, Prow batted for Porter to begin the inning, but struck out against left-hander Tom Spencer, also in his second inning of work. Martell singled to right-center, but was doubled up by Herrera to extend the game. Bonnie did a 1-2-3 on the Thunder in the 11th inning, in the bottom of which Rico Sanchez nipped Maldonado with a ball to the bum, then walked Manny with two outs. Sanchez got to 0-2 on Ruben Gonzalez before giving up a looper to left. It fell into no man’s land, and with two outs, Maldo had gone from second base as soon as the ball met the stick. He dashed through the stop sign at third base and made for home, arriving just ahead of Humphreys’ throw to end the ballgame and the losing streak. 4-3 Critters. Martell 3-5, 2B; Gurney 2-5, 2B, 2 RBI; Fernandez 2-4, BB, HR, RBI; Gonzalez 2-5, RBI; Wheatley 7.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 7 K; Porter 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K;

Game 4
OCT: 3B Montes de Oca – 2B Ban – 1B B. Jenkins – LF Humphreys – RF Hertenstein – SS R. Cox – C Adames – CF DeMarco – P Craig
POR: LF Watt – CF Herrera – 1B Gurney – 3B Maldonado – 2B Martell – C Prow – RF Pellicano – SS Floyd – P Merino

Home run Prow-ess gave the Raccoons a 1-0 lead in the bottom 2nd, but that was short-lived, with Merino getting picked apart for three hits, a walk, and two runs in the top 3rd, with Ban and Jenkins getting RBI singles to turn the score around. Gurney opened the bottom 4th with a double in right-center, moved up on a Maldonado groundout, and scored on Martell’s single to tie the game at two, after which Craig filled the bases with Prow and Floyd on a single and a walk, respectively, but all that did was bringing up Merino with three on and two outs. He flew out to Nick DeMarco.

The Coons could not do anything with a leadoff walk to Watt in the bottom 5th, while Merino walked Cox with one out in the sixth, and when Adames grounded out to advance the runner, an intentional walk went out to DeMarco. Craig grounded out to end the top 6th, and when the Raccoons had Martell on second with two outs in the bottom 6th, the Thunder wanted to return the favor, extended an intentional walk to Josh Floyd, and then expected Merino to roll over, but the Raccoons sent Manny Fernandez to bat instead, and old Manny took a 2-0 pitch to shallow right-center to chase home Martell from second base for a go-ahead RBI single…! Watt then dished home two more runs with a triple over the head of DeMarco! Herrera lined out to Montes, ending the inning, but it was now 5-2 for the brown team…!

From there, Hitchcock notched four outs and Mike Lynn grabbed two more in an attempt to piece his career back together, neither of them allowing a run or even a runner while defending the 5-2 lead. Kevin Prow opened the bottom 8th with a double to left then, but Pellicano struck out, Floyd struck out, and Waters pinch-hit and grounded out to Ban… Nelson Moreno was then well on the way to have a 1-2-3 ninth inning with a groundout by DeMarco, a K on Timmerman, and a grounder to second by Montes… but Martell threw away that last ball. The game continued, with Ban singling home Montes from second base to inch the Thunder a little bit closer – but Moreno rung up Jenkins to secure a late split in the series. 5-3 Raccoons. Martell 2-4, RBI; Prow 3-4, HR, 2B, RBI; Fernandez (PH) 1-1, RBI;

In other news

May 25 – Blue Sox OF/1B Mike Harmon (.256, 2 HR, 11 RBI) could be on the DL until July with a strained hamstring.
May 25 – VAN LF/1B/RF Eddie Moreno (.259, 9 HR, 28 RBI) will be out for at least a week with a bruised thigh.
May 29 – The Scorpions’ LF/RF Nate Culp (.301, 13 HR, 31 RBI) will miss six weeks with torn thumb ligaments.
May 29 – Persistent wrist soreness will cost DAL LF/CF Juan del Toro (.354, 6 HR, 27 RBI) two weeks of playing time.
May 30 – TOP C Brett Banks (.256, 5 HR, 20 RBI) will be out at least one week with a sprained ankle.
May 31 – Denver SP Josh Vercher (4-5, 3.74 ERA) 2-hits the Capitals in a 1-0 squeezer while striking out six in the shutout effort.

FL Player of the Week: DAL INF Jose Rivas (.382, 0 HR, 23 RBI), slapping .583 (14-24) with 5 RBI
CL Player of the Week: ATL RF/LF/1B John Marz (.298, 9 HR, 37 RBI), batting .500 (10-20) with 2 HR, 7 RBI

FL Hitter of the Month: DAL INF Jose Rivas (.382, 0 HR, 23 RBI), poking .491 with 19 RBI
CL Hitter of the Month: SFB RF Alex Marquez (.351, 5 HR, 33 RBI), batting .351 with 5 HR, 30 RBI
FL Pitcher of the Month: PIT SP Marcos Nabo (8-0, 1.96 ERA), going out for a 5-0 record with 2.05 ERA and 30 K
CL Pitcher of the Month: SFB SP Kevin Nolte (7-2, 2.84 ERA), pitching to a 5-1 record with 1.69 RA, 35 K
FL Rookie of the Month: NAS C Jose Cantu (.313, 4 HR, 16 RBI), hitting .323 with 3 HR, 13 RBI
CL Rookie of the Month: CHA SP Hiroyuki Takagi (5-1, 3.20 ERA), hurling to a 4-0 mark with 2.20 ERA, 29 K

Complaints and stuff

Rotten week. Pitching mediocre, almost no Toohey, and Maldo is in a 5-for-29 rut right now and was only occasionally a net plus this week. He dropped under 1.000 in OPS on Sunday with an 0-for-4 effort, first time since April 19 that he ended a day under 1.000; he also needs a day off, I think.

No, there were no heroes this week, and the team entirely listlessly tumbled through a 2-5 week. Not that the rest of the division is doing much better. The Indians, who played the same two teams we did this week, went 3-3, which was barely enough to get into a virtual tie with us. We’re both our games over .500 now, and the rest of the division is bad to blighted. Combined, the six CL North teams are 30 games under .500 and we just barely reached the end of May…

Old age, nagging injuries, inefficient pitching, disappointing offense… all the great checkboxes for a fatal decline are ticked here…

Next week we’ll decline against the Falcons and… Indians, uh-oh.

Fun Fact: 33 years ago today, Yoshi Nomura landed six hits in a 17-1 rout of the Capitals over the Scorpions.

That was in between Yoshi’s two Portland stints which lasted from 2004 through 2013, and then 2020 to 2021. A debutee at age 20, he lasted until 42 in the majors, and was elected to the Hall of Fame as a Raccoon in 2032, hitting 3,050 base knocks, 83 homers, and driving in 1,051 RBI. Seven All Star Games, three Platinum Sticks, and a Gold Glove for Yoshi, who was a #7 pick for the Critters in 2002.

Despite a 23-year career, Yoshi was traded only twice; once from the Capitals to the Cyclones in 2017 for Shunyo Yano – who was the failed Japanese import the Raccoons exchanged for hot prospect Jonny Toner a few years earlier! – and then again when the Raccoons collapsed after he signed on for four years from 2020. He was sent out after the 2021 season to the Gold Sox, with others and cash, for Frank Kelly and Ricardo Romero. Kelly made 17 starts for the ’22 Coons before being flung to the Blue Sox for Matt Huf, who found his way into the package for Mark Roberts the year after – the third Raccoons Hall of Famer to crop up in this chain of trades around Yoshi Nomura.

Could we get another one in there? Who knows – the potential was there! Because Mark Roberts was eventually traded for Travis Zitzner, and you could follow that string to Adam Avakian, then Gene Tennis, to Ryan Bedrosian … and Bedrosian was the pitcher we sent to the Knights in The Great Rip-off of ’40 when we grabbed prospects Wheats and Waters from them.