[Westheim]

Raccoons (36-56) vs. Canadiens (44-48) – July 19-21, 2066

The Raccoons were both having another .200 month and to play the damn Elks again, who had beaten them five out of nine games so far this season. They were scoring the seventh-most runs in Elk City, but also gave up the second-most, and maybe – just maybe! – the Raccoons’ offense could finally put up some offense again…!?

Projected matchups:
Duarte Damasceno (4-8, 5.79 ERA) vs. Dallas Samson (9-3, 4.46 ERA)
Nick Walla (9-6, 3.36 ERA) vs. Ray Rath (2-10, 4.17 ERA)
Shoma Nakayama (5-9, 3.61 ERA) vs. Ken Nielsen (8-6, 2.64 ERA)

Two southpaws in that rotation and we weren’t getting either one.

Game 1
VAN: SS C. Castro – 2B Kilday – RF Lozada – C Varner – 1B N. Vaughn – CF D. Moore – LF Friend – 3B Yue – P Samson
POR: CF Wilson – RF Corral – C Lopez – 3B Monck – 1B Starr – LF Spicer – SS Arantes – 2B Caballero – P Damasceno

The Coons continued to try and steal innings with Damasceno, which didn’t work out at all for them. Jose Corral put the Coons up 1-0 in the bottom 1st with a homer to left, but Damasceno filled the bases without getting an out in the second inning and got a pop from Hsi-chuen Yue before giving up a bases-clearing double to the opposing pitcher, a lineout to Carlos Castro, and a single to Matt Kilday, a walk to Roberto Lozada, and finally a homer to Steve Varner. He was purged after Nick Vaughn drew another walk. Josh C would pitch four outs after that before we went to Garvey, who was just absolute trash cans again. Nick Vaughn got him for a 2-run homer in the fourth, 9-1, and he was then exploded entirely for a 6-run fifth inning, capped by a grand slam for Varner, which was an impressive amount of getting ****** up the *** for 41 pitches.

There was some Schmieder pitching on the third straight day after that, resulting in another two runs in the sixth, and a third one once Dover took over and plated another stinking Elk with a wild pitch. Dover however did the miracle of pitching for five outs in one game without giving up a single run on his own ledger, which automatically made him the participation trophy hero of the day. The Coons also scored three runs (two earned) in the bottom 6th, although I wasn’t really paying attention to the game anymore as I was busy cutting out faces from the team photo from the start of the season. Sean Thomas also pitched the third day in a row, delivering a scoreless eighth (!), but Randy Tallent got to try his luck with tossing in the ninth inning and gave up a 2-out, 3-run homer to Andy Friend. Samson pitched a complete-game 6-hitter. 21-4 Canadiens.

That night, the hammer came down.

Interlude: Trades

I don’t know how, but the Raccoons disposed Duarte Damasceno (4-9, 6.36 ERA) onto the Crusaders that night and got two serviceable (if old) relievers back for him, both left-handers: Jorge Quinones ((2-3, 3.76 ERA, 1 SV) and Pedro Mendoza (0-1, 2.52 ERA, 3 SV), both 36 years old. Quinones was a swingman that had already made five starts this year and had triggered his vesting option for 2067.

Both arrivals were put on the ABL roster and would pitch out of the pen irrespective of starter abilites for now, because the team had off days on Thursday AND Monday coming up and didn’t need a fifth starter until July 31. Room was made with demotions of Matt Schmieder (0-1, 6.75 ERA) and Sean Thomas (0-0, 13.50 ERA), while Jeremy Garvey (2-2, 7.31 ERA, 6 SV) ended up on waivers.

To fill up the pen, we brought up Manabu Yamauchi, who had made four relief appearances in AAA without getting a bat stuck in his bottoms.

Tuesday morning, a second trade was made, with Tommy Branch (.191, 5 HR, 18 RBI) getting exiled to Los Angeles for FL West veteran and 32-year-old left-handed SP Evan Alvey (2-2, 3.79 ERA), whom the Pacifics had used exclusively out of the pen this year after he made at least eight starts and seven relief appearances each season – and for three different teams! – since 2059.

Just stack them in the pen over there, I’ll sort them out later!

The final roster spot was taken by 23-year-old catcher Jake Flowe, who was on a 100-AB run of batting .390 for the Alley Cats. Tony Spink’s days were numbered, but the Raccoons – between the trades and the absolute avalanche of injuries in AAA – didn’t have an outfielder to bring up. Pablo Novelo did start a rehab assignment on Tuesday, though, so at least *something* was moving.

Raccoons (36-56) vs. Canadiens (44-48) – July 19-21, 2066

Game 2
VAN: SS C. Castro – 2B Kilday – LF Whetstine – RF Lozada – C Varner – 1B N. Vaughn – CF D. Moore – 3B Yue – P Rath
POR: CF Wilson – RF Corral – C Lopez – 3B Monck – 1B Starr – LF Spicer – SS Arantes – 2B Caballero – P Walla

No word on whether the Elks were confused to face a whole new ballclub on Tuesday, although coincidentally the lineup was the same for the Coons for the middle game. Never mind the five new faces in the pen and on the bench. Alvey and Quinones did not arrive fully rested, so everything was touch-and-go anyway.

As on this cursed Monday, the Raccoons scored first, although it took until the bottom 2nd, which began with a Starr single. Spicer also singled, Arantes walked, and there were three on with nobody out, which of course meant Caballero hit into a run-scoring 6-4-3 double play and Walla was easy prey to end the inning with Spicer left on third base. The Elks, who had not been on base so far, then also got singles from Dan Moore and Yue to go to the corners, but Rath struck out trying to bunt, Carlos Castro hit a comebacker that Walla took to second base for a force, and then he struck out Kilday to bugger out of the inning. That’s what I liked about Nick Walla – he was at least ******* TRYING!!

The lead still went away with a Vaughn homer tying the score in the fifth inning, but Walla hit a soft 1-out single in the same inning and then scored on Corral’s 2-out double into the right-center gap. Lopez stranded Corral with a groundout, and Walla took the lead into the seventh inning, which he would have cleared if he hadn’t flubbed Rico Cordero’s grounder for a 2-out error. He then walked Castro and was removed for McMahan, who got Kilday to ground out to second to strand the two runners.

But just because we had a new pen didn’t mean we wouldn’t continue to blow leads stupidly, which happened in the eighth. McMahan faced Chad Whetstine and Roberto Lozada, retiring neither on account of two singles, then was replaced with Justin Cullum, who walked the bags full, nailed PH Chris Richardson, and walked Yue, which tied and untied the game, and still left three aboard with one out. Dover now had to come in for this mess, walked Cordero in a full count to force in a run, conceded another on an infield single by Castro, and then struck out Kilday and got a pop from Whetstine. Another four runs on the board in a ******* bullpen meltdown. ******* WONDERFUL. Pedro Mendoza made his Coons debut with a 1-2-3 ninth inning when everything was already too late, and then Jake Flowe batted for him against Jon McGinley for his major league debut, but grounded out. Nobody else reached in that bottom of the ninth either. 5-2 Canadiens. Corral 3-4, 2 2B, RBI; Spink (PH) 1-1; Walla 6.2 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K and 1-2;

Interlude: Waiver claim

More arms!

On Wednesday, the Raccoons claimed left-hander Ubaldo Piteira (0-1, 4.08 ERA, 1 SV) off waivers by the Aces. Pitira had made 22 starts in the majors in the past and was another attempt at flinging stuff at the wall and pray for it to stick.

Chance Fox was moved to the 60-day DL to free up space on the 40-man roster, and Tony Spink (.207, 0 HR, 4 RBI) was sent back to AAA, so we now again had two catchers on the roster – and six left-handed pitchers among 13 tossers in total.

Cristiano, stop complaining about the six southpaws. – I don’t care whether that is too many left-handers for a baseball team. – Well, and YOU have too many wheels for a baseball person!!

This team was such a mood.

Raccoons (36-56) vs. Canadiens (44-48) – July 19-21, 2066

Game 3
VAN: SS C. Castro – 2B Kilday – LF Whetstine – RF Lozada – 1B N. Vaughn – C Orphanos – CF Chenette – 3B Yue – P Nielsen
POR: CF Wilson – RF Corral – 1B Starr – 3B Monck – LF Colter – SS Arantes – C Flowe – 2B Gardner – P Nakayama

Rich Monck chucked a first-inning, 2-run double after Corral singled and Starr walked, and Nielsen threw a wild pitch to advance both of them into scoring position. Jamie Colter added a soft single, but Monck and him were stranded on the corners on poor outs by Arantes and Flowe. In the second inning then it started to both A) rain, and B) go all skins up again for Nakayama, who got the first two outs before Tyler Chenette singled, Yue drew a walk, and Nielsen rolled an RBI single through the right side. Castro grounded out to Joe Gardner to prevent it from getting even worse…

Nakayama allowed another two singles in the third inning, then a leadoff single to Chenette, who stole a base and was on third base with one out after Yue’s grounder to first, but this time Nielsen whiffed and Castro grounded out to Arantes, who made a nifty play with the bare paw to beat him to first base. All of this took place in on-and-off rain, and with “gotta get through five” being a real consideration. The Coons had two silent innings after Monck’s 2-run gapper, but then got Arantes on base with a 1-out double in the bottom 4th. That brought up Flowe, in his first ABL start and second appearance. He crushed a homer to right! Oh yeah, that’s where I like it!!

And for what? Another 2-out battering for Nakayama, who had two Elks down before giving up a fifth-inning triple to Roberto Lozada. Vaughn singled him home, Monck had a wet grounder from Mike Orphanos flub from his paw for an error, and then Chenette singled home an unearned run. Yue flew out to Jaden Wilson before it could get really ugly, but the lead was down to a skinny run again, 4-3.

Nakayama got through six messy innings, but the rain had also stopped at that point, so we had to bring in the pen for surely more highlights for the other team, but first lefty Jesse Connors – one of three lefty pitchers in the league NOT on the Coons now – allowed leadoff singles to Monck and Colter in the bottom 6th. Arantes popped out, Flowe struck out, and Gardner dropped a ball into right-center to get Monck home from second base. Spicer grounded out in place of Nakayama, with pitching duties then devolving onto Yamauchi, making his own ABL debut. He had a 1-2-3 seventh and I’ll try not to lose too many words on how his first pitch was driven to the warning track in centerfield and hustled down by Wilson. Quinones also got the Elks 1-2-3 in the eighth inning before the other ex-Crusader, Mendoza, got the ball for the ninth and started with two walks to Castro and Cordero. Whetstine struck out, and Lozada grounded to short, a 6-4-3 ending the ballgame. 5-3 Critters. Corral 2-4; Monck 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI; Colter 2-4;

Raccoons (37-58) @ Falcons (49-45) – July 23-25, 2066

The Coons were up 2-1 in the season series, which did not sound like something that would last past Sunday. The Falcons were sixth in runs scored and fourth in runs allowed with a +58 run differential, while the Portlanders had sucked themselves down to a -143 run differential, so that was a 200-run difference right there…

Projected matchups:
Tony Gaytan (0-2, 5.25 ERA) vs. Jose Lugo (6-7, 4.60 ERA)
Juan Sanchez (5-8, 3.89 ERA) vs. Aaron Ledbetter (11-6, 3.91 ERA)
Nick Walla (9-6, 3.24 ERA) vs. Goffredo Merlin (7-5, 4.38 ERA)

Only right-handers here as well.

We moved Gaytan ahead on Sanchez, where he would pitch on regular rest, as part of a plot to have him go early and without significant improvement he would be sent back to AAA.

Game 1
POR: CF Wilson – RF Corral – C Lopez – 3B Monck – 1B Starr – LF Spicer – SS Arantes – 2B Tallent – P Gaytan
CHA: 3B J. Schmidt – SS Tr. Taylor – C O. Matos – 1B M. Rubin – RF Nakamura – CF T. Garcia – 2B Duhe – LF Padgett – P Jo. Lugo

At least he made the Coons score first with two scoreless innings before Arantes and Tallent got on base to begin the third against Lugo. They stole a pair of bags, Gaytan struck out, but Wilson singled the runners home before being caught stealing himself. That was mostly it for Coons offense in the first five innings, while Gaytan allowed three singles in the first four innings, of which one runner was doubled off in a 3-6-3 play and another one was caught stealing. Natsu Nakamura then hit a double to lead off the bottom 5th, but three consecutive poor outs kept him stranded at third base and Gaytan kept the shutout going.

Gaytan retired eight in a row before Nakamura came back and hit a single, but Tony Garcia popped out to second to leave him stranded again, which already ended the seventh inning in a briskly advancing game. Gaytan remained in the game in the eighth after Tallent hit a single to lead off the inning, but struggled to get a bunt down and Tallent ended up advancing on a 2-strike groundout, but then scored on a Wilson double to left, 3-0. Corral was walked intentionally and Lopez and Monck obeyed and stranded the runners, while Gaytan kept going with two easy pops and a grounder to Starr from the bottom of the Falcons order in the eighth.

After Caballero and Arantes singles with one out in the ninth, and a Tallent pop to short, the Raccoons decided not to bat for Gaytan. He made the final out, and then took the ball again for the bottom 9th. That sort of greediness was probably not going to become anybody but the Falcons, but here we were… Indeed, Gaytan didn’t finish the game. He got a first-pitch grounder to Monck from John Schmidt, but then allowed a single to Trent Taylor and walked Oscar Matos. Dover replaced him, got a double play grounder from Manny Rubin, and THAT ended the game. 3-0 Coons! Wilson 2-4, 2B, 3 RBI; Caballero (PH) 1-1; Arantes 2-4, 2B; Gaytan 8.1 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K, W (1-2);

That result both saved Gaytan’s tush for the time being and also meand that Josh Carrington (1-0, 6.00 ERA) went to the Alley Cats instead. Pablo Novelo returned from his rehab assignment.

Game 2
POR: CF Wilson – RF Corral – C Lopez – 3B Monck – 1B Starr – SS Novelo – LF Spicer – 2B Arantes – P Sanchez
CHA: 3B J. Schmidt – CF T. Garcia – C O. Matos – 1B M. Rubin – SS Tr. Taylor – 2B Duhe – RF Nakamura – LF Padgett – P Ledbetter

Sanchez retired the first seven batters before allowing a single to Padgett, who was stranded by Ledbetter and John Schmidt. At this point the Raccoons were up 2-0 thanks to a third-inning, 2-out homer by Jose Corral that had collected Wilson, who had reached base by forcing out Schmidt and his 1-out single to right. Oscar Matos got Sanchez for a solo homer in the fourth, and that already described much of the offensive action through the first five innings of the game. Sanchez didn’t even have a strikeout at the time, not getting strike three past any Falcons batter until Tony Garcia went down swinging in the sixth inning. He also didn’t walk anybody until Trent Taylor waited out ball four in the bottom 7th, and then soon enough came around to score the tying run on a 2-out single by Nakamura.

Sanchez was done after seven, being hit for with Jamie Colter in the eighth inning. While Colter singled, he was then also left on base. Cullum got around a Garcia single and a Wilson error on the pickup in the bottom 8th before Piteira made his Coons debut in a 2-2 tie in the ninth inning. He immediately gave up a leadoff triple to right to Trent Taylor, who went for home on Jared Duhe’s fly out to Spicer in medium-depth left – and Spicer threw him out at the plate!! Huzzah! …and then Nakamura, Padgett, and Tony Gaines hit three straight singles to win instead… 3-2 Falcons. Monck 2-4; Colter (PH) 1-1; Sanchez 7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K and 1-2;

Game 3
POR: CF Wilson – SS Novelo – RF Corral – 3B Monck – 1B Starr – LF Colter – C Flowe – 2B Caballero – P Walla
CHA: 3B J. Schmidt – SS Tr. Taylor – C O. Matos – 1B M. Rubin – RF Nakamura – CF T. Garcia – 2B Duhe – LF Padgett – P Merlin

The Coons fielded a lineup with six players whose given names began with J on Sunday, which was our newest bid for a winning game plan besides putting shoes and pants on Nick Walla.

Portland again scored first despite Novelo doubling up Jaden Wilson in the first inning. Corral then doubled and scored on Monck’s single through Schmidt, but Monck was left on base. To my great annoyance, Walla then ran 3-ball counts to the first three Falcons batters in the bottom 1st – and they all reached, walk, single, walk. Manny Rubin drove in two runs with a single before Nakamura grounded out and Garcia hit into a 9-2 double play as Matos was thrown out at the plate by Jose Corral.

Walla would remain hexed for the rest of the game. In the third inning, he allowed a run on three straight singles by the 2-3-4 batters – all of which were hit in an 0-2 count!! His pitch count was also exploding and he only managed to make it through five innings, which still took him a shocking 109 pitches. He left with a 3-2 deficit, the Raccoons having made up a run mostly from Joel Starr scoring on a wild pitch in the fourth inning after him and Flowe had made it to the corners. Quinones had a scoreless sixth, but Yamauchi allowed a tack-on run with Padgett and Schmidt singles in the bottom 7th.

The Raccoons didn’t amount to a nominal threat until the eighth inning when Wilson led off with a single to left and Novelo added a double to put the tying runs in scoring position with nobody out. Corral flicked a 1-2 pitch over a leaping Duhe for an RBI single to shorten the score to 4-3, but Monck grounded out to short and Novelo didn’t dare to go home; Corral moved up to second on the play, after which Starr walked in a full count. Merlin then fell 2-0 behind Colter, who dumped a single into no man’s land to tie the game, and the Raccoons got the go-ahead sac fly from Flowe, which ended Merlin’s day. Alvaro Garza struck out Caballero to end the inning. McMahan then retired the 3-4-5 batters in order for the Falcons, maintaining the 5-4 lead.

Top 9th, and Garza saw Wilson reach on a single, walked Corral with two outs, and then allowed an insurance run to Rich Monck, who singled up the middle. Duhe dove and ticked the ball, but couldn’t keep it in his glove. Starr flew out to Padgett to strand a pair, and Dover got the ball for the ninth inning – but ****** it all up and walked Duhe and David Flores, allowed a 1-out RBI double to Tony Gaines, and then walked Schmidt as well. It was bases loaded in a 6-5 game, with Cullum replacing Dover to face Taylor, walking in the tying run, and giving up the winning run on Matos’ sac fly. 7-6 Falcons. Wilson 4-5; Corral 2-4, BB, 2B, RBI; Monck 2-5, 2 RBI;

(hits head against the nearest solid object, which turns out to be a security guard)

In other news

July 20 – The Miners lose slugging catcher Nick Dingman (.307, 16 HR, 48 RBI) for two weeks after he has suffered an oblique strain.
July 21 – The Indians out-slug the Loggers, 15-11, although there is actually only one home run hit in the entire game – the first career home run of 24-year-old rookie IND 3B/2B Paul Weber (.333, 1 HR, 9 RBI), who is in his fifth major league game and drives in six runs.
July 21 – The Rebels and Cyclones play 18 innings before Richmond comes out on top, 4-3. Nobody scores from the 10th through the 17th innings before Cincy puts up one run in the top of the 18th, only to be immediately overturned for two by the Rebs.
July 22 – Loggers OF/2B Tim Goss (.283, 3 HR, 37 RBI) goes down with a knee sprain and will miss at least three weeks.
July 23 – Wolves outfielder Bill Davidson (.235, 7 HR, 34 RBI) could be out until September with his own knee sprain.
July 24 – Gold Sox SP Ernesto Culver (7-7, 5.58 ERA) strikes out a dozen Rebels in a 4-hit, 4-0 shutout.
July 24 – The Canadiens acquire SP Nate Freeman (4-7, 4.47 ERA) from the Rebels in exchange for two prospects.
July 24 – NYC LF/RF Kazuhide Takeuchi (.314, 21 HR, 79 RBI) hits an RBI single in the first inning of a 2-1 loss against the Bayhawks. It is the Crusaders’ only hit in the game against no fewer than six different Bayhawks pitchers.
July 25 – The Stars might lose OF Chad Pritchett (.320, 25 HR, 101 RBI) for much of the remaining regular season. The 34-year-old was down with an oblique strain.
July 25 – Cincinnati picks up 40-year-old SP Sean Sweeton (11-6, 3.06 ERA) from the Knights in exchange for #114 prospect SP Felix Morales.

FL Player of the Week: CIN RF/LF Roberto Soto (.330, 20 HR, 77 RBI), batting .391 (9-23) with 2 HR, 5 RBI
CL Player of the Week: IND 3B/2B Paul Weber (.371, 4 HR, 14 RBI), bursting out to bat .417 (10-24) with 4 HR, 11 RBI

Complaints and stuff

Is it getting better yet?

The Raccoons also offered Nakayama, Monck, and Starr to other teams this week, but didn’t get a lot of offers, especially not for top prospects.

Jeremy Garvey cleared waivers and was released on Thursday.

The State of North Carolina seems determined to get me the help that I apparently need, but the Raccoons will travel on to the Bay of Tears for a 3-game set starting on Tuesday on the way home for a single-series stint of sleeping in their own dens against the Aces.

Fun Fact: The Raccoons have already used 49 players this season.

Including some of which you have already forgotten, I guarantee. Paul Barton? Marco Campos? Sandy Pineda? Yes, those and more have all been here *this year*.

I don’t think that is what happens to winning teams.

That count by the way does not yet include Evan Alvey, who has not gotten into a game for Portland yet, but has already stuck it to the national media that he hates having been traded here and will plot his escape immediately.

I don’t think that is what happens to winning teams either.

…

[Player profiles in a separate post due to the attachment limit]