[Westheim]

Raccoons (51-73) vs. Loggers (70-54) – August 25-27, 2065

Up 8-4 against the Coons, the Loggers were still pretending relevance in the CL North, entering the series 7 1/2 games out on Tuesday morning. They had won six games in a row and were second in runs scored and fifth in runs allowed entering this series. The Raccoons were just trying to get out of the year halfway decently.

Projected matchups:
Juan Sanchez (10-11, 4.40 ERA) vs. Nick Waldron (5-9, 4.89 ERA)
Shoma Nakayama (6-15, 3.62 ERA) vs. Girolamo Pizzichini (12-6, 2.85 ERA)
Nick Walla (6-5, 3.20 ERA) vs. Bobby Herrera (12-5, 2.66 ERA)

No southpaw in sight here. Tommy Guitreau was on the DL, so the Loggers were without their primary catcher.

Game 1
MIL: SS Reber – RF C. Dominguez – LF C. Ramirez – 1B D. Robles – 2B F. Carrera – CF Merrill – 3B V. Velez – C Chinea – P Waldron
POR: RF Corral – SS Novelo – 3B Morales – 1B Starr – C Burkart – LF Spicer – CF Garmon – 2B Bonner – P Sanchez

The week began with an infield single for Kyle Reber and before long a 2-piece over the wall off the bat of Dave Robles, so nothing was ever really changing ‘round here. At least the Coons immediately got even again; Corral and Novelo went to the corners with hits, Vic Morales struck an RBI double to left, and while Starr was not particularly helpful here, Bruce Burkart plated the tying run with a groundout. Spicer legged out an infield single, but Garmon’s groundout left runners on the corners and everybody was even at two after the first inning. Vic Velez was quick to hit a leadoff jack off Sanchez in the top 2nd, though. Corral hit a long fly with two outs in the bottom 2nd, but it was caught on the warning track by Carlos Dominguez, the likely FL Rookie of the Year.

Malcolm Spicer then hurt himself on a diving grab in the third inning and left the game with a throbbing wrist, to be replaced by John Bentley. The Coons then had three singles starting with Bentley in the bottom 4th, but didn’t score because Garmon hit into a double play right away and then Bonner and Sanchez were stranded when Corral popped out. Novelo led off the fifth with a double to right-center, but Morales and Starr didn’t do any better than getting him to third base for the cost of two outs. Burkart poked at a 3-1 pitch, sending it up the middle, where Reber was on it, but the ball flubbed out of his fingers when he picked it out of the glove, he had to grab it again, and that cost him the play, and cost Waldron his lead as Burkart brought in the tying run with that “infield single”. Waldron then angrily rung up Bentley.

For the second time in the game the Loggers then immediately hit a leadoff homer after blowing the lead, this time with Fidel Carrera’s 18th longball of the year. Waldron left with an injury that same inning, replacement Adien Shaw giving up a pinch-hit double to Vargas with two outs, but Corral again was not helpful at all. Instead the Loggers added an unearned run on Garvey in the seventh inning, Vic Morales chipping in an error with the walk and single Garvey allowed to make it happen.

Bottom 7th, the Coons loaded the bases with base knocks for Morales and Starr, and Bentley getting knocked by Shaw. Garmon came up with two outs already, but shoved a sharp grounder through between Robles and Devin Willoughby on the right side, Morales scored, Starr was waved around and scored as well on a weak throw by rightfielder Matt Ruskin, and the game was tied again. Oliver Graham replaced Shaw, but gave up the go-ahead RBI single to Ryan Bonner, a major leaguer for four full days, who got his first RBI. A Tallent groundout ended the inning, and the Coons pen immediately found trouble again as with two outs in the top 8th Ruskin and Reber hit singles off Kody Mello, who was yanked and replaced with Tyson against the lefty pinch-hitter Scott Franks, who made the last out with a fly to Garmon. After a nothing bottom 8th, Tyson started the top 9th but gave up a leadoff single to center to Cesar Ramirez. Dover replaced him and got three outs on two pitches with a double play bouncer by Robles and another groundout by Willoughby. 6-5 Critters. Novelo 2-5, 2B; Morales 2-5, 2 2B, RBI; Starr 2-4; Spicer 1-1; Bonner 2-4, RBI; Vargas (PH) 1-1, 2B;

Spicy Malcolm was diagnosed with a sore/sprained wrist. He was not good enough for batting right now, and would take two weeks to heal up, but with the roster expansion on the horizon and him still being able to pinch-run, the Coons kept him on the roster.

Game 2
MIL: LF Franks – CF Merrill – 1B C. Ramirez – 2B F. Carrera – RF C. Dominguez – SS Reber – C Jack – 3B Ruskin – P Pizzichini
POR: RF Corral – SS Novelo – 3B Morales – 1B Starr – C Burkart – LF Bentley – CF Tallent – 2B Gardner – P Nakayama

Battle of the vowels on Wednesday – who would prevail, the pitcher with five I’s in his name or the one with five A’s in his name!? And could I somehow get the kosher butcher across the street, Mr. Shlomo Rosenbloom, involved!?

The five A’s struggled against the five lefty sticks at the top of the Loggers’ lineup. Nakayama was whacked for five hits in the first three innings, but the Loggers only scored run from those in the third inning. The Coons then got Gardner on base by virtue of a hit-by-pitch to begin the bottom 3rd. He stole second, then was thrown out at home on Nakayama’s single to right. Corral got on base, and Novelo hit an RBI single to actually tie the game before Vic Morales crashed into a double play to end the inning.

However, the Loggers were just waiting to get the lefty sticks up again. Ruskin drew a walk to begin the fifth and while “Pizza” struck out trying to bunt the go-ahead run along, that was the last out that Nakayama got before getting torn apart for four straight hits and five total runs, capped by a 3-run blast by Carrera, before getting removed from the game.

Garmon pinch-hit in the bottom 5th, singled, stole second, and was stranded as the Coons trundled towards their 74th loss, though not without a mild rally in the bottom 6th. Morales drew a leadoff walk, and between a Burkart single, Bentley’s RBI double, and Tallent’s sac fly, the Critters crept back to 6-3. However, trying to get two innings out of Sansao Tyson backfired and the Loggers slapped him around for three hits and a run in the top 8th. Ryan Bonner would have a pinch-hit leadoff double in the ninth inning, but never got off second base after that. 7-3 Loggers. Bentley 4-4, 2B, RBI; Bonner (PH) 1-1, 2B; Garmon (PH) 1-1;

Finally another loss for Nakayama! I always knew he had #16 in him!

Game 3
MIL: LF Franks – CF Merrill – 1B C. Ramirez – 2B F. Carrera – RF C. Dominguez – SS Reber – C Jack – 3B V. Velez – P B. Herrera
POR: RF Corral – SS Novelo – 3B Morales – 1B Starr – LF Bentley – C Arellano – 2B Bonner – CF Tallent – P Walla

Fidel Carrera hit his 20th homer off Walla to begin the second inning, which marked the first entry on the scoreboard in the rubber game. Walla never looked even remotely like something you’d call “sharp” or “good”, but at least got further than Nakayama the day before, even if the Loggers clipped him for six hits and two walks through five innings. They got one more run, and the RBI was “Tipsy” Bobby’s, driving home Jack Reber with a 2-out single in the fourth, which I had mixed feelings about.

Sadly, Bobby H. would not be able to claim a victory in this game as he became the second Loggers starting pitcher in this series to leave the game with an injury. At the time he was 2-hitting the Coons through 4.2 innings. Aiden Shaw then got the ball and got out of the fifth, but then had Corral and Morales reach base with soft singles in the bottom 6th. With two outs, Starr’s grounder was fumbled by Carrera, loading the bases for Bentley, who grounded out to Ramirez on the first pitch…

After a clean sixth, Walla then fell apart in the seventh inning and the rest of the team with him. Dave Wright doubled, Scott Franks singled, and Jonathan Merrill had a sac fly to extend the score to 3-0. Ramirez singled off Walla to knock him out. Garvey replaced him, ****** up a comebacker from Carrera for an error that scored a run, and then walked Dominguez before also getting yoinked. Mello came in, struck out Reber, then was down 3-1 on J.P. Jack before *drilling* him. Jack collapsed while Ramirez trotted home and could not continue in the game, becoming the third Loggers injury in three days. Jerry Chinea replaced him and ran for him as the bases remained loaded with two outs, although Velez struck out to end the inning. Mello had another scoreless inning after that, as did Baca, even though he allowed three singles in that ninth inning. Meanwhile, five Loggers pitchers pooled together for a combined shutout, with only five total hits tallied up for Portland. 5-0 Loggers. Morales 3-4, 2B;

The Raccoons found sole possession of last place with this shutout loss.

Raccoons (52-75) vs. Condors (61-66) – August 28-30, 2065

The Condors had won four of six games against the Coons so far this year and were eager for more, even though their postseason chances were rather mathematical at this point. Their #4 offense in the CL was wholly being undone by a pitching staf allowing the second-most runs, with the second-worst defense also having a say in the proceedings. They had the fewest stolen bases in the CL, 38 to be precise, or one less than ailing Malcolm Spicer, and they had some key players on the DL with Miguel Veguilla, John Kaniewski, and Brett Bebout all down.

Projected matchups:
Chance Fox (8-8, 4.06 ERA) vs. Edgar Mauricio (11-8, 3.67 ERA)
Angel Alba (6-14, 4.38 ERA) vs. Vince Ellison (8-9, 4.34 ERA)
Juan Sanchez (10-11, 4.46 ERA) vs. Ryan Singletary (4-8, 3.80 ERA)

Tijuana had been off on Thursday, but all their starting pitchers were right-handed, so there wasn’t much give there.

Game 1
TIJ: C Brann – 1B L. Jimenez – 3B D. Miller – SS Pinault – RF Frasher – LF Ewig – CF Arcos – 2B J. Watson – P E. Mauricio
POR: RF Corral – SS Novelo – 3B Morales – 1B Starr – C Burkart – LF Bentley – 2B Bonner – CF Tallent – P Fox

Chance Fox needed 25 pitches to get through the lineup once, facing the minimum despite a walk to Roberto Arcos, who was then caught stealing. Somehow, he was still outdone by Mauricio, who threw *17* pitches to get nine straight outs from the miserable Coons. The first base hit in the game would turn out to be a bloop single by Mike Pinault to begin the fifth inning, but he was stranded on base, which was more than the Raccoons had achieved so far, although Mauricio walked Starr and Burkart to begin the bottom 5th. We choked of course, with Bentley rumbling into a double play and Bonner being easy pickings for the third out.

Mauricio’s no-hit bid ended when Fox struck him in the pitching arm in the sixth inning. His hand went numb and he had to leave the game for a pinch-runner, Jason Thorpe, who for some reason entered in a double switch with Joe Cash, replacing Matt Ewig. For now, though, Thorpe stole second and scored on Mike Brann’s single for the first run on the board. Leo Jimenez walked, but Danny Miller hit into a double play to end the inning.

Tallent broke the hitting ice for the Coons with a leadoff single off Cash in the bottom 6th, but was forced out on Foxie Brown’s bad bunt. Corral doubled to right, which now didn’t plate the tying run, and Novelo was smacked in the hip with a fastball and limped to first base. Full buffet for Morales with one out, but he popped out to short, and Starr’s liner to left was caught by Thorpe with a headlong dive, stranding absolutely ******* everybody. Top 7th, Pinault socked a leadoff triple off the wall and scored on Eric Frasher’s sac fly instead, 2-0.

The Raccoons were then on the corners to begin the bottom 7th as Burkart walked against ex-Coon Takenori Tanizaki and then dashed to third base on a single to right-center by Bentley, all with nobody out. Bonner popped out and Tallent hit into a double play as I was feeling the anger boiling up inside me. Fox got into the eighth, but put two on for one out and was replaced with Cruz Madrid, who actually got out of the jam without making everything even worserer. Novelo did, though, hitting into another ******* double play in the bottom 8th. At least he also started one on a Jonathan Watson grounder to rescue Carrillo from a two on, one out hole in the ninth inning…

With all that was going on, it was still a 2-0 game in the bottom 9th and Nick Leigh invited the tying run to the dish when he gave up a leadoff single to center to Vic Morales. Starr walked in a full count, and here the Coons used Spicer for the first time as pinch-runner for the tying run. A passed ball advanced the runners while Burkart was batting with nobody out, and Burkart wasn’t declining that invitation and tied the game with a firmly struck double to right-center! Bentley was walked intentionally, lefty Joe Allen replaced Leigh, and Bonner popped out before Tallent hit into a fielder’s choice at second, moving the winning run to third base for… uh… Arellano batting for the pitcher Carrillo. He grounded out, and the game dragged itself into extras, where the Condors somehow didn’t score despite Matt McInnis’ leadoff double against Dover and a Dover balk in the tenth inning. Jimenez and Miller both struck out to leave him at third base. Bottom 10th, and Corral singled, Novelo doubled, and Morales was walked intentionally as a trap to let the Coons be Coons. Starr was of course gone from the #4 hole, and batting with three on and nobody out was Corey Garmon (the only guy left on the bench was Gardner), who hit a 1-0 pitch to center. Roberto Arcos was waiting for it, made the catch, threw with 110% power to the plate – and was still too late to get Corral from third base. 3-2 Coons. Corral 2-4, BB, 2B; Garmon 0-0, RBI; Burkart 1-2, 2 BB, 2B, 2 RBI; Fox 7.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K;

Roberto Arcos appeared to blow out his arm on the throw and was listed as unavailable on Saturday. The Condors shook up the rotation in the meantime and sent out Marco Clemente (6-10, 3.53 ERA) on Saturday, who would be pitching on regular rest.

Game 2
TIJ: C Brann – 2B J. Watson – CF Pinault – 1B Metz – RF Ewig – SS D. Miller – LF Ma. Gilmore – 3B Frasher – P M. Clemente
POR: RF Corral – SS Novelo – 3B Morales – 1B Starr – C Burkart – LF Bentley – 2B Tallent – CF Garmon – P Alba

Joel Starr made an error on the first pitch of the game, dropping foul pop by Brann, who then, not content with the room service in that establishment at first base, grounded out to Morales instead. Starr also struck out in a RISP situation in the bottom 1st. Corral singled and Novelo doubled to begin the bottom 1st. Morales’ groundout brought in the lead runner, but Novelo was stranded between Starr and Burkart. While Alba faced the minimum the first time through, Novelo managed to hit another double in the bottom 3rd and got stranded again. (looks at Honeypaws) Get your hitting shoes on, you’re up in the fourth.

The Condors overturned Alba in the fourth as Brann struck a leadoff double, Watson singled, and after a K on Pinault, Andy Metz flipped the score with a massive 3-run homer. Bottom 4th, and Clemente nailed Burkart before giving up singles to the next two batters, Bentley and Tallent, loading the bases with nobody out. He then plunked Garmon to force in a run, and Alba got himself off the hook with a sac fly to center before the 1-2 batters were out on pops to Watson…

The next two innings were rather calm until Alba gave up another longshot to Danny Miller at the start of the seventh. He got through to the stretch, but was now behind 4-3 again. Carrillo got only one of three batters he faced in the eighth inning before requiring rescue by Garvey, which was something I was growing tired of. A leadoff double by Burkart in the bottom 8th made the Condors match pitchers batter-by-batter, but that only worked for Bentley, who struck out against lefty Joe Cash, before Tallent drove in the tying run with a single against righty Dan Beare. Garmon hit another single to put runners on the corners in the 4-4 game. Arellano batted for Garvey and grounded to the right side. Watson contained the ball, but only had a play at first, as Tallent scored with the go-ahead run. Corral walked and was run for with Spicer, as the Coons pulled off a double steal that gave Spicer 40 thefts on the year. Novelo then stuffed a double into the rightfield corner, knocking out Beare. Joe Allen allowed an RBI single to Morales, capping a 5-run attack before it ended with Alex Vargas’ groundout to short. Mello got the ball for the ninth with a 4-run lead, gave up a 2-out pinch-hit homer to Todd Eaton, and a single to Brann, then was replaced with Dover, who struck out Watson to end the game. 8-5 Raccoons! Novelo 3-5, 3 2B, 2 RBI; Tallent 3-4, RBI; Garmon 2-3, 2B, RBI;

Jesse Dover had discomfort after getting the lone out in this game, which was the definition of a pyrrhic victory. He was not diagnosed by Sunday, and so the Raccoons were playing the series finale with a 23 1/2 man roster. The Condors had 24 living players and Roberto Arcos for the game.

Game 3
TIJ: C Brann – 1B L. Jimenez – 3B D. Miller – SS Pinault – RF Frasher – LF Ewig – CF Ma. Gilmore – 2B J. Watson – P Ellison
POR: RF Corral – SS Novelo – 3B Morales – 1B Starr – LF Bentley – C Arellano – CF Garmon – 2B Bonner – P Sanchez

Being an arm short was exacerbated by Sanchez failing to throw strikes at all in the first inning on Sunday and getting nuked for five runs on three hits and as many walks. Matt Gilmre had a bases-clearing double for the biggest knock. Juan Sanchez dragged his wounded tush from there into the fourth inning where he gave up a homer to the opposing pitcher. Brann walked then, was doubled up by Jimenez, and the inning ended eventually and Sanchez’ time with pants on did, too, as he was not brought back after four innings of getting wooed roughly for six runs, all earned and deserved.

From there it was managing the limited bullpen resources and waiting six innings until somebody scored for the home team as Corral and Novelo reached base in tandem against Ellison. Morales hit an RBI groundout, but Novelo was stranded once again. The bullpen did fine enough, with a scoreless inning for Tyson, two from Baca, and another 1-2-3 by Madrid, but we still defaulted to Novelo in the ninth inning of a deadbeat game – even when Novelo singled with two outs in the bottom 8th, stole second, and then scored on a Morales homer to left-center, reducing the score to 6-3. We just didn’t *really* have anybody else. Novelo gave up a run on three hits, but the Coons didn’t reach base in the bottom 9th anyway. 7-3 Condors. Novelo 2-4, 2B; Morales 1-3, BB, HR, 3 RBI; Baca 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K;

In other news

August 24 – The Indians win a rain-shortened, six-inning game from the Canadiens, 3-2.
August 25 – Cyclones outfielders keep dropping like flies, with the next victim being Roberto Soto (.356, 15 HR, 58 RBI), who is probably out for the year after breaking his wrist.
August 26 – Season over for Scorpions catcher Nate Danis (.279, 16 HR, 69 RBI), who has his hand broken by an errant pitch thrown by SFW SP Jonathan Vale (10-8, 3.43 ERA).
August 28 – The Bayhawks beat the Loggers in a marathon, 9-8 in 17 innings, but MIL OF Jonathan Merrill (.298, 5 HR, 54 RBI) grabs a cycle on a 5-hit day. Merrill has two singles and one of every other hit, but doesn’t get the double in regulation. He drove in two runs. This is the seventh Loggers cycle all-time, and the first since Gaudencio Callaia hit one in 2053.
August 28 – MIL SP Nick Waldron (5-9, 4.89 ERA) would miss up to 12 months with a torn rotator cuff.
August 30 – MIL SP Bobby Herrera (12-5, 2.60 ERA) was done for the year with a small tear in his triceps that should be repaired well in time for the 2066 season.
August 30 – Buffos closer Justin Round (4-9, 3.00 ERA, 29 SV) will also miss the rest of the season, suffering from rotator cuff inflammation.

FL Player of the Week: DAL CF Tyler Wharton (.357, 26 HR, 102 RBI), batting .476 (10-21) with 1 HR, 11 RBI
CL Player of the Week: MIL OF Jonathan Merrill (.298, 5 HR, 54 RBI), clipping .419 (13-31) with 1 HR, 5 RBI

Complaints and stuff

Despite only playing for two minutes at a time now because of the swollen wrist, Malcolm Spicer retained his CL stolen base lead and actually grew it to two bags this week. Vic Lorenzo hasn’t gotten a steal off since August 19, but I would not rely on that being the case forever. Spicer still figures to be limited for another week, but at least he could stick around for some pinch-running assignments.

No news on Dover yet, but with the Coons you should always consider the risk of amputation.

Next week, besides the roster expansion on Tuesday, we’ll have a 7-game road trip to Oklahoma and New York Cities. In total, 12 home and 20 road games remain, including ten road games to finish the season after we shutter Raccoons Ballpark on September 23.

Not sure who we will call up besides rehab case Jeff Crowley and impressive pro rookie Josh Carrington. Nesbitt can eat some innings, and you always want a catcher and another spare stick or two, but there’s nobody else that desperately needs to be looked at beyond Carrington.

However, in terms of prospects to watch, we moved up Josh Mireles, a $100k July IFA signing in 2061, and a right-handed infielder from Venezuela, to St. Pete about a month ago and he’s hitting .356 in 24 games there. Now, the kiddo just turned 20 at the end of May, and we’re not desperate to have him play at a fourth level in 2065, but he has sure put himself on the map. He was the #100 prospect at the start of the year but I’d bet some whiskers that he’d make a jump for next year (a jump UP the rankings, not a jump DOWN into the Willamette as I’ll make if this season won’t end soon!).

Overall he hit .395 in just ten games in Aumsville, .279 in 86 games in Ham Lake, and then .356 in 24 games in St. Petersburg. This was with 13 homers and 45 extra-base hits in total across the three levels. He was very nifty with the glove, although the throwing arm was only “adequate” for a shortstop. Speed was not that impressive, but if he’d hit .350 in the majors with 15 homers over a season I am confident I might like him anyway.

Fun Fact: The Bayhawks have been involved in the last two cycles in which the cycling player was on the losing team.

In addition to Friday, when the Loggers’ Jonathan Merrill hit for the cycle, but San Fran won the game, 9-8, the Bayhawks also lost the game in 2063 in which Jonathan Echols hit for the cycle for them, but they were out-slugged by the Knights, 16-13.