[Westheim]

Raccoons (50-49) @ Aces (40-57) – July 26-28, 2049

First station on the road trip was Vegas, where the Aces ranked bottoms in runs scored and eighth in runs scored, with a -92 run differential. The Coons’ run differential desperately clung to around the .500 mark, at +9 entering this week. Regardless, the Aces had swept the Coons in the first three games’ worth of playing each other this season.

Projected matchups:
Jason Wheatley (7-6, 3.48 ERA) vs. Pablo Paez (7-7, 3.88 ERA)
Dave Hils (10-4, 4.16 ERA) vs. Dave Saldivar (2-1, 2.52 ERA)
Bubba Wolinsky (7-7, 4.64 ERA) vs. B.J. Brantley (9-7, 3.93 ERA)

Wheats would duel with a right-hander, but then it was lefties for the rest of the series.

The Agitator clamored whether this would be the last Coons start of Wheats’ career, but there was no real plan to trade him at this point. The plan currently was to every bit rebuild around him, Waters, and another odd piece or two. W+W, the double import from the Knights in 2040, were probably the last two to be let off the sinking ship…

The ship is the USS Maldonado by the way…

Game 1
POR: CF Watt – SS Luna – LF Preble – 2B Waters – 1B Gurney – 3B Crispin – RF Nigro – C Gardner – P Wheatley
LVA: LF F. Rojas – CF Cramer – 1B Witherspoon – RF Austin – SS Landstrom – 3B M. Gross – C F. Gomez – 2B M. Lopez – P Paez

Besides, who’d take him? Once again, Wheats was taken deep in the first, this time with one out, Felix Rojas on third, and by Sam Witherspoon belting one to right. Witherspoon got another pair of RBI’s in the fifth inning, singling home Rojas and Brent Cramer, who had both drawn full-count walks and advanced on a double steal. Paez would not win the game, however, having already left with an injury in the third, but the Raccoons were entirely clueless against long man Ryan McConnell just as well. The Raccoons in six innings had six hits, no runs, and weren’t particularly close to a run, either, somehow never reaching third base. Bottom 6th, Matthew Gross reached on an infield single, and Miguel Lopez reached on an out-of-the-park blast, putting Wheatley to bed after 5.1 innings in a 6-0 game. Julian Ponce walking Rojas and getting homered off by Cramer in the same inning only lengthened the score… and my suffering, too.

In the seventh, Wes Gardner homered off Edgar Grimaldo, as if anybody still gave a crap… and Matthew Gross and Jonthan Harris both homered off Bryan Lenderink. A Luna error in between meant that was three runs, one earned on Lenderink, in case you can still be bothered to count. Lorenzo Lavorano hit an RBI single as the Coons whacked around Philip Wise in entirely meaningless fashion in the ninth inning, at least until two runs were in and Eduardo Avila grounded out to strand the bases loaded… 11-3 Aces. Gardner 4-4, HR, RBI; Lavorano (PH) 1-1, RBI;

Ghastly.

Game 2
POR: LF Watt – CF Herrera – 1B Gurney – 2B Waters – RF Avila – SS Lavorano – C Gardner – 3B Crispin – P Hils
LVA: LF F. Rojas – CF Cramer – C Weese – 1B Witherspoon – RF Austin – SS Landstrom – 3B M. Gross – 2B M. Lopez – P Saldivar

Rojas opened the bottom 1st with a triple and scored on Kevin Weese’s sac fly, but Waters tied the game with his 14th homer of the year in the second inning. The Aces – the worst offense in the league, remember? – hit three singles and a double off Hils’ worthless pelt in the bottom 2nd then, taking a 4-1 lead. Gross singled home another 2-out run in the bottom 3rd, after Hils allowed an infield single to Aubrey Austin and walked Josh Landstrom, 5-1. What the actual **** was wrong with this team??

Hils continued long enough to give up a leadoff single to the ******* opposing pitcher in the bottom 4th, then homers against Cramer and Witherspoon, 8-1, then was yanked and hopefully disposed of in the nearest toxic landfill. *********.

Not that Saldivar was any good actually; he put Lavorano on base in the fifth, allowed that run to score on a sharp Ed Crispin single, then got taken deep by the pinch-hitting Mike Preble, tying Waters again with 14 bombs. Waters objected, hit another blast to lead off the sixth, 8-5, after which the Aces went to Efrain Estrada, who beaned Avila with his first pitch. Avila had none of *that* and stormed the mound, bowling over Estrada before being dragged off him by Miguel Lopez just before he could give him a face rearrangement. Both dickheads were tossed from the game, the Aces proceeding to righty sophomore Bill Sickafoose, whose name had a real last-place vibe to it, while Brian Nigro took over for the ejected Avila. When Sickafoose allowed a double to Lavorano and walked Gardner, the tying runs were suddenly aboard for Crispin, who needed only that much of an invitation for his first major league home run – GRAAAAAAAAAND SLAAAAAAAAAMMMM!!!!

This put the Coons up 9-8, and to anybody’s surprise they didn’t immediately blow it this time. Hitchcock pitched the sixth inning, his second in the game, and Lynn delivered a 1-2-3 seventh, before the Coons had the bases loaded again with one out in the eighth, Luna, Watt, and Herrera all aboard for Pat Gurney against Wise. The Aces righty plated a run with a wild pitch, got Gurney to pop out, but then conceded two more runs on a smoked Waters double, 12-8, and 11 unanswered runs. Grimaldo then retired Nigro to end the inning. The tack-on runs proved unnecessary, the Aces having been spiritually slain several innings earlier; Preston Porter and Nelson Moreno added scoreless innings to finish the game – the Aces drew just 22 pitches in the last three innings, combined. 12-8 Raccoons. Herrera 2-4, BB; Waters 3-5, 2 HR, 2B, 4 RBI; Lavorano 3-4, 2B; Crispin 2-5, HR, 5 RBI; Preble (PH) 1-1, HR, 2 RBI; Luna (PH) 1-1, BB; Hitchcock 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, W (1-1);

Ed Crispin, huh? The kid is really trying to improve out of the “better than Slappy’s Grandma” tier of players on the roster.

Eduardo Avila was suspended for three games.

Game 3
POR: LF Watt – CF Herrera – 1B Gurney – RF Preble – C Gonzalez – SS Lavorano – 3B Crispin – 2B Seymour – P Wolinsky
LVA: LF F. Rojas – SS Landstrom – C Weese – RF Austin – CF J. Harris – 2B M. Lopez – 3B M. Gross – 1B Witherspoon – P Brantley

As was good costum, the Coons’ silly starter of the day conceded at least one run in the first, this one coming on an Austin groundout after Landstrom singled and stole two bases. Never mind Bubba also walking Weese and hitting Harris… Wolinsky continued to pitch in that manner, allowing two more runners in the second, and then got waffled for four hits and three runs in a cruncher of a third inning. He needed 64 pitches to clear three innings, all of them bad. The Coons had nothing in the early innings that was worth recounting, but then crowded Brantley to begin the fourth. Preble hit a leadoff jack, after which Gonzalez, Lavorano, and Crispin all reached base as the tying runs, with nobody out (eh…) and Rich Seymour up (…!!). But Brantley was crumbling fast, running a full count on Seymour before giving up a single through the right side and two runs. Wolinsky bunted the runners into scoring position, and Matt Watt tied the score at four with a hard single through the left side. Herrera lined out to Matt Gross, but Gurney singled to center, 5-4. Then Preble went yard to left – his second homer in the damn ******* inning.

Up 8-4, Wolinsky somehow managed to put another three innings together. After all the runners in the early innings, he allowed only one runner in his second three-frame set: Bill Sickafoose, of all people, who hit a 2-out single in the bottom 6th, of at all times. The Aces had only one more base runner, Landstrom singling off Nate Norris in the seventh, before conceding defeat. The Coons never scored (or even reached third base) outside the 8-run fourth inning. 8-4 Critters. Watt 2-4, BB, RBI; Preble 2-4, BB, 2 HR, 4 RBI; Lavorano 2-5, 2B; Crispin 2-4, 2B;

Raccoons (52-50) @ Falcons (48-54) – July 30-August 1, 2049

Next station on the way to the merciful end of the season was Charlotte, where the Falcons sat fourth in the South, fifth in runs scored, and eighth in runs allowed, with a -17 run differential. They had a myriad of injuries, mostly pitchers but also Mike Allegood, but also had a 4-2 lead in the season series.

Projected matchups:
Victor Salcido (2-7, 4.28 ERA) vs. Andy Overy (5-6, 3.65 ERA)
Victor Merino (8-7, 4.59 ERA) vs. Koichi Miyatake (2-2, 4.39 ERA)
Jason Wheatley (7-7, 3.74 ERA) vs. Hiroyuki Takagi (9-7, 3.13 ERA)

Another southpaw, then two Japanese right-handers in this series.

Game 1
POR: LF Watt – CF Herrera – 1B Gurney – RF Preble – C Gonzalez – SS Lavorano – 3B Crispin – 2B Seymour – P Salcido
CHA: RF Ceballos – 2B E. Stevens – 1B Sevilla – 3B Wilken – CF Marroquin – C T. Alvarez – SS Woodrome – LF Caballero – P Overy

The Raccoons’ first two base runners were Armando Herrera drawing a walk and Armando Herrera drawing a walk, so it was that type of game, although Salcido at least held up his end, too, and allowed only one hit and no runs the first time through the Charlotte order. Gurney followed up Herrera’s second walk with a hit, and both runners reached scoring position when the Falcons bumbled the ball around in confused manner, but then Overy nicked Preble with a 2-0 anyway. Gonzalez whiffed, but the kits came through…! Lavorano singled home two, Crispin hit an RBI single, too, and even Rich ******* Seymour found an RBI single in his stick, all with two outs…! The inning ended with a groundout by Salcido, who allowed a single base runner in the middle innings on a walk to pinch-hitter Ron Gibbs. The Falcons did not reach again until a single by Ian Woodrome in the eighth, and he, too, was stranded. Salcido threw 94 pitches through eight and was obviously brought back for the ninth, only to give up a leadoff walk to Danny Ceballos and a single to Erik Stevens. (whiskers hang) Moreno took over, walked Raul Sevilla to bring up the tying run with nobody out, and while he whiffed Randy Wilken, he conceded Salcido’s runs on an Omar Marroquin double. Tony Alvarez hit a sac fly, with the tying run moving to third base with two outs – but Woodrome flew out to Preble. 4-3 Raccoons. Herrera 0-1, 3 BB; Salcido 8.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 7 K, W (3-7);

Game 2
POR: CF Watt – SS Luna – LF Preble – 2B Waters – 1B Gurney – 3B Crispin – RF Nigro – C Gardner – P Merino
CHA: RF Ceballos – 2B E. Stevens – 3B Wilken – CF Marroquin – LF Caballero – C T. Alvarez – SS Vamos – 1B Sevilla – P Miyatake

Another first inning from hell saw Merino get swung around for four hits (one on the infield, one in the gap), three stolen bases, one call of catcher’s interference, and when the dust settled and the tears started to dry, three runs. As if I needed any confirmation, just when the inning was up, the Falcons’ GM strolled past behind me in the big fancy suite the Falcons kept for the visiting brass, and asked whether I knew now why he wouldn’t trade for Merino, which might or might not have been a casual discussion topic that month. He didn’t wait for an answer. He didn’t have to.

Waters doubled and scored on a Crispin sac fly in the top 2nd, 3-1, and Wade Gardner hit a solo jack in the third, but that was where the rally stopped. Instead, Merino got shoved another 3-spot in the fourth, punctuated by a 2-run homer mashed by Randy Wilken, and wasn’t seen again after that inning, the ******* bum.

The Raccoons raised the white flag by sending out Bryan Lenderink, who went two innings again, and gave up a second 2-run homer to Wilken, which made it 8-2 in runs by the sixth inning, and 13-2 in hits. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the Coons then shed two players in five minutes, Nate Norris coming up with a bum shoulder from pitching in garbage relief in the seventh, and Matt Watt getting upended in a collision at second base on a fielder’s choice grounded into. With Avila still suspended and some pinch-hitting and double-switching already having gone on, we ended up with Rich Seymour manning first base by the bottom 8th. He awkwardly made conversation with the parade of Falcons Hitchcock walked on base in the bottom 8th, which eventually saw Josh Vamos hit a sac fly, but no other runs actually scored. It just took forever. 9-2 Falcons.

The Falcons went 6-for-6 in stolen bases against Wade Gardner in this game.

Norris would miss a few days with mild shoulder soreness, while Matt Watt hit the DL with a claw sprain. With that, and Lenderink and his bloody 9.00 ERA bumped back to AAA, the Raccoons added two new players. Well. “New”. Danny Cancel and … hey, anybody remember Gene Pellicano? Barely arrived in Charlotte, he walked into a door and got a nasty bruise, giving Dr. Padilla more work and his old GM more agony.

Oh look, I can X out another month on my pocket schedule!

Too bad there’s still two full months to go…

Game 3
POR: 3B Luna – CF Herrera – LF Preble – 2B Waters – 1B Gurney – SS Lavorano – RF Nigro – C Gonzalez – P Wheatley
CHA: RF Ceballos – 2B E. Stevens – 1B Sevilla – 3B Wilken – CF Marroquin – SS Woodrome – C M. Castillo – LF Caballero – P Swindell

Josh Swindell (9-8, 3.95 ERA) was switched around with Takagi for the rubber game. Righty here, righty there, always righties everywhere… He got crowded from the start, putting the first three Coons on base, which also meant it was three on with nobody out… Matt Waters brought in a run with a groundout, and that was the only run of the inning, with Gurney hitting into a double play. The Falcons put the tying run on second base in both of the first two innings before making an out – Ceballos doubled in the first, while Marroquin walked and stole second in the… second – but didn’t get either of them home before the Coons’ 1-2-3 reached base to begin the top 3rd again, this time with Preble singling home Luna to make it 2-0. Waters popped out this time, Gurney singled home a run, and Lavorano grounded out. In the fourth Nigro and Luna were on the corners with two outs when Luna took off to steal second. Manny Castillo threw the ball into centerfield, allowing Luna to third (where he was stranded) and Nigro to score, 4-0.

And Wheats? Put the leadoff man on base four out of five times to begin the game, and stranded all of them, somehow, but that string ended in the sixth. Erik Stevens hit another leadoff single, then was doubled in by Raul Sevilla immediately, but Sevilla was then stranded on second base to maintain a 4-1 lead. The Coons then doubled their output against Swindell and Tyler Weems in the seventh. Waters singled off the former, while the latter allowed hits to Lavorano and Nigro with two outs, the latter driving home Waters, before Ruben Gonzalez pounded a 3-run homer to left. This quite definitely put the game away – neither Wheats in the bottom 7th, nor Lynn and Cancel in relief allowed the Falcons to even think about a rally. 8-1 Raccoons. Preble 3-5, RBI; Nigro 2-3, BB, RBI; Gonzalez 2-4, HR, 3 RBI; Wheatley 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, W (8-7) and 1-4;

In other news

July 26 – The Indians deal their closer Sang-hoon Kim (1-3, 1.73 ERA, 22 SV) to the Blue Sox for two prospects.
July 27 – OCT 1B Bill Jenkins (.246, 14 HR, 59 RBI) could miss the rest of the season with a bad oblique strain.
July 29 – VAN RF Jerry Outram (.287, 8 HR, 40 RBI) is going to be out for the next month, having suffered a strained rib cage muscle.
July 29 – Vancouver acquires SP Bill Drury (7-12, 4.21 ERA) from the Indians, along with cash, for a prospect.
July 29 – INF Angel Quintana (.225, 2 HR, 19 RBI) is shipped from the Pacifics to the Knights, along with a prospect, for SP Marc Hubbard (6-11, 5.33 ERA).
July 29 – The Miners acquire SP Bobby Freels (2-9, 4.67 ERA) from the Cyclones for OF Chad Williams (.318, 10 HR, 65 RBI) and a prospect.
July 30 – The Thunder add OF/1B Mike Harmon (.285, 7 HR, 26 RBI) from the Cyclones, parting with a prospect.
August 1 – A torn back muscle ends the season of LAP SP Kevin Clendenen (8-9, 3.58 ERA).
August 1 – DEN 2B/SS/LF/RF Javier Ramos (.282, 0 HR, 9 RBI) hits a double, then scores to walk off the Gold Sox against the Miners, 5-4 in 10 innings, when Pittsburgh catcher Giampaolo Petroni (.293, 12 HR, 57 RBI) throws away the baseball trying to keep Ramos from stealing third base.

FL Player of the Week: WAS 3B/2B Chris Strohm (.290, 13 HR, 50 RBI), batting .647 (11-17) with 4 HR, 7 RBI
CL Player of the Week: VAN OF/2B Ismael Jaramillo (.372, 1 HR, 16 RBI), hitting .619 (13-21) with 1 HR, 4 RBI

FL Hitter of the Month: PIT 3B/SS/RF Ed Soberanes (.293, 16 HR, 73 RBI), batting .283 with 9 HR, 31 RBI
CL Hitter of the Month: ATL C Tyler Cass (.366, 4 HR, 76 RBI), raking .407 with 2 HR, 22 RBI
FL Pitcher of the Month: DEN CL Brian Shan (6-2, 1.39 ERA, 35 SV), nailing down 9 saves with a 3-0 record and 13.1 scoreless innings
CL Pitcher of the Month: TIJ SP Kevin Daley (14-4, 1.97 ERA), dominating with a 4-1 record, 1.26 ERA, and 25 K
FL Rookie of the Month: SAC OF Jermaine Williams (.294, 1 HR, 8 RBI), hitting all of that in July
CL Rookie of the Month: ATL 1B T.J. Swift (.285, 5 HR, 42 RBI), bashing .315 with 3 HR, 16 RBI

Complaints and stuff

There were no trades at the deadline, but not for a lack of trying. Preble, Gurney, Moreno all just generated lukewarm interest. Lynn produced none. And like I said, Wheats and Waters are not the first to go, but the last.

Preble and Gurney will thus leave as free agents after this season, while Moreno is signed for 2050. What do we really have for 2050? Well, a full rotation it seems, including some unmovables like Hils (horrendous contract) and Merino (nobody called me back, not even to laugh at me), two back end relievers, with a horde of has-beens and never-will-bes in between. We’re also stuck with Ruben Gonzalez for a while, and with Maldo, Herrera, Waters, and whatever we want to do around those three. Mind that we have most of an infield’s worth of 22-year-olds on the roster even right now and some of them even don’t look half bad. The other would be Rich Seymour.

Adame is signed through ’51 though; Nigro is under team control. Avila was a rental I can’t wait to see go.

Hey, there’s always a Gene Pellicano to fall back on.

Next week: back home via San Fran, then a probably dismal 4-game set with the damn Elks. The Loggers will also be in for that homestand.

Fun Fact: 60 years ago today, Mark Dawson hit for the cycle as the Raccoons downed the Knights, 13-3.

This was the first Raccoons cycle, the 12th in league history, and the second of four that year. The Raccoons were also on th way to their second ever playoff appearance, and their second World Series loss, this one cocked up by Glenn Johnston in extras in Game 6, dropping Ed Parrell’s fly ball…

Nope, I don’t forget, nor forgive.

Mark Dawson was a low-key addition from the Buffaloes in 1981, but really broke out in Portland, leading the CL in home runs in 1982 and 1988, and in RBI the latter year, too. He never challenged for a batting title with a high of .268 in a qualifying season, but he was a guy that could play on all four corners well, and netted five Gold Gloves in his career (all at third base, four with the Coons) in addition to socking 304 homers and driving in 1,268 runs on a .243/.299/.425 slash line. Too bad he came apart just a year after his cycle and was released in ’91 as the Coons were revving up for their third pennant…