[Westheim]

Upon the recommendation of Luis Silva, the Raccoons sent Jose Corral to AAA for a rehab assignment on Monday. He was expected to only be there for two or three games and then rejoin the roster.

There was another roster move to begin the week as Jamie Colter (.247, 2 HR, 10 RBI) was sent to AAA and we brought back the switch-hitting infielder Carlos Gutierrez, who was batting .319/.398/.439 in St. Petersburg.

Raccoons (50-49) vs. Falcons (47-52) – July 26-28, 2067

The Falcons were seventh in runs scored and fourth in runs allowed. They were not really going anywhere, except fast on the base paths, with the second-most stolen bases in the CL. They had the best defense, but they could not hit a home run for their lives, being bottoms in the league in the power department. We had won two of three games from the Falcons earlier this season.

Projected matchups:
Nick Walla (6-6, 2.93 ERA) vs. Tony Lira (7-5, 4.81 ERA)
Ryan Musgrave (8-7, 3.71 ERA) vs. Edgar Mauricio (7-6, 3.21 ERA)
Shoma Nakayama (8-7, 4.39 ERA) vs. Tom Kies (6-6, 3.01 ERA)

We were expecting a southpaw in Kies in the Thursday series finale.

Game 1
CHA: 1B Meza – 3B Fountain – 2B D. Mendoza – C O. Matos – SS Tr. Taylor – RF S. Gil – LF Consuegra – CF Asencio – P T. Lira
POR: CF Wilson – C Lopez – 1B Starr – 3B Monck – RF Dowsey – SS Novelo – 2B Gutierrez – LF Matas – P Walla

Walla struck out five Falcons the first time through in the Tuesday opener, but found time to allow a run with two outs in the top 2nd with a walk to Sal Gil and Jose Consuegra’s double off the wall that plated the runner from first. The Raccoons came back an inning later, though; after Lopez and Novelo both hit into double plays in the first two innings, Carlos Gutierrez opened the third with another single. Two meek outs were made before Jaden Wilson hit an RBI single to tie the game. He then stole second, Lopez walked, and Joel Starr uncorked a 3-run homer. The Falcons stared in awe at something they had never seen before, and Portland was up 4-1.

Walla walked ex-Titan Diego Mendoza, but got a double play grounder from Oscar Matos to begin the fourth, but Sal Gil got him for a solo homer (!!) to right in the fifth, 4-2. Walla did not get another strikeout until the sixth – his 100th of the season – but valiantly held on until the Raccoons scratched out a couple more runs in the seventh with a single from Matas, who stole second, and Wilson’s 1-out RBI double, which knocked out Lira, and then a pair of singles with two outs by Starr and Monck off Orazio Cecere, extending the lead to 6-2. Dowsey then flew out to Consuegra and the warning track to end the inning. Walla lasted eight innings, getting around an error by Gutierrez and holding the Falcons to four hits overall, and then Pablo Novelo socked a homer to left off Cecere to begin the bottom 8th. We were then bold enough to give a 5-run lead to Holzmeister, and he actually came through for only the cost of a single in the ninth inning! 7-2 Raccoons. Wilson 3-4, 2B, 2 RBI; Starr 2-3, BB, HR, 3 RBI; Gutierrez 2-4; Bonner (PH) 1-1; Walla 8.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, W (7-6);

Game 2
CHA: 1B Meza – LF Laws – 2B D. Mendoza – C O. Matos – SS Tr. Taylor – RF S. Gil – 3B Fountain – CF Asencio – P E. Mauricio
POR: CF Wilson – C Lopez – 1B Starr – 3B Monck – RF Dowsey – SS Novelo – 2B Gutierrez – LF Matas – P Musgrave

The Falcons scored first again with a Mike Meza single and Matos’ double to left in the first inning, while the Raccoons didn’t do much of anything for two innings, then stranded runners on the corners in the next two. Matas singled and Lopez reached on an error in the third inning, but Starr grounded out to short, and an inning later Monck led off with a double, Dowsey drew a walk in a full count, and that’s where things grinded to a stop. The 9-1-2 then went in order in the fifth, and the Raccoons were getting 2-hit through five innings.

Starr started another valiant effort to get something on the board with a leadoff double smacked to left to begin the bottom 6th, which put the tying run in scoring position; while Musgrave leaked a few hits early on, he was nevertheless feeding balls to the infielders and got two double plays as well. Monck bashed a ball to center, but it was caught by Mario Asencio, although Starr went to third base on the play, then scored on Dowsey’s groundout, at least tying the game at one.

Musgrave then got stuck in the seventh, walking Elijah Fountain and nicking Asencio. Mauricio remained around to bunt before Consuegra batted for Meza with two outs. The Coons sent McMahan in a double switch that moved Gutierrez to short, the pitcher went in the #6 hole, and Novelo sat down, with Bonner in at second – and then McMahan walked the pinch-hitter to fill the bases. Scott Laws, switch-hitter, then popped out to Gutierrez to strand all the runners. Bottom 7th, and Gutierrez and Matas poked singles to begin that inning, only for Bonner to hit into a 6-4-3 double play. While I was still fretting over that and arguing with Slappy whether we should reinstitute whippings at the ballpark, Jaden Wilson then hit a 2-run homer, so maybe things would be fine regardless.

Diego Mendoza and Sal Gil then pulled a run back with hits off Josh C in the eighth inning, 3-2, and the bottom 8th was fruitless, but Jesse Dover came in and struck out Asencio, and struck out Omar Lira, and struck … no, walked Jake Cline, and walked Scott Laws. Stop it!! Mendoza then grounded out to Gutierrez, but good grief…! 3-2 Critters. Starr 2-4, 2 2B; Matas 2-3; Musgrave 6.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K;

Interlude: Trade

The Raccoons struck a deal with the Scorpions on Thursday, acquiring RF/LF/1B David Milian (.301, 3 HR, 45 RBI), who had been on the Loggers for many years, in exchange for infielder Mike Roberts (.170, 1 HR, 11 RBI), who had sucked enough for my tastes.

Milian was 34 and past defending well, although he could still throw the baseball. We saw him more as a pinch-hitter with class and occasional spot for Corral against southpaw starters – like on Thursday!

At the same time Jose Corral rejoined from his rehab assignment. Marquise Early (.210, 3 HR, 24 RBI) was sent back to AAA to make room for him.

Raccoons (50-49) vs. Falcons (47-52) – July 26-28, 2067

Game 3
CHA: 1B Meza – LF Laws – 2B D. Mendoza – C O. Matos – SS Tr. Taylor – RF S. Gil – 3B Fountain – CF Asencio – P Kies
POR: CF Wilson – SS Novelo – C Lopez – 3B Monck – RF Milian – 1B Starr – 2B Bonner – LF Tallent – P Nakayama

Both sides got only a single base hit in the first three innings, Bonner doubling for Portland before getting left on base in the third inning. The Falcons however did score first again when Nakayama once more forgot how to pitch in the fourth inning and allowed a single to Matos, dropped a feed from Starr at first base that put Gil on base, and then walked both the 7-8 batters with two outs to push home a run. Kies was then kind enough to pop out to Tallent in left. Mendoza and Matos hit 2-out singles in the fifth but were left on base when Trent Taylor swung big and missed even bigger for strike three.

Joel Starr went deep to left to tie the game at one then, but Nakayama allowed a leadoff single to Gil in the sixth. The runner stole second, then scored on productive outs from the pesky 7-8 pair, and the Falcons were ahead again. Nakayama, on 100 pitches, was then also hit for to begin the bottom 6th. Matas was rather useless and made an out, but Pablo Novelo homered the game tied for the second consecutive inning.

Rain then moved in and there was a 35-minute rain delay. Eventually, Evan Alvey emerged from the pen and had a 1-2-3 seventh against the 1-2-3 Falcons, after which Rich Monck cranked a go-ahead homer off Kies. Alvey got one more out and Yamauchi got two in the eighth. Yamauchi was hit for with Corral, who singled on his return to the team, as did Wilson, but the Raccoons failed to scratch out another run against lefty Jason Stine. McMahan then got the ball for the ninth against the 7-8-9 batters, none of whom were right-handed hitters, although Fountain was a switch-hitter. Fountain grounded out to Monck. PH Chad Cardwell struck out. Omar Lira singled up the middle, and Wilson fudged the pickup and gave the tying run an extra 90 feet into second base with two gone. The Coons went to Josh C against the right-handed Jake Cline in the #1 spot, but Charlotte sent Consuegra instead, and when he walked in a full count, another lefty batter, Danny Ayon, batting for the pitcher Stine. He struck out to complete the sweep. 3-2 Critters. Starr 2-3, HR, RBI; Corral (PH) 1-1;

And that was also the season series taken, and they would probably be stingy with the media and complain about this newfangled dishonorable homer-hitting and that real gentlemen played small ball, or some crap.

Raccoons (53-49) vs. Condors (45-55) – July 29-31, 2067

The month would finish – and the trade deadline would approach – with the series against the Condors, whom the Raccoons had beaten four out of six games so far this season. They were fifth in the South, had the worst batting average, and were eighth in runs scored and sixth in runs allowed. They had power, but no speed, and plenty of injuries, five players in total, including a few you had actually heard of, like Ryans Singletary and Spehar.

Projected matchups:
Gabriel Rios (9-6, 3.95 ERA) vs. Brett Bebout (8-4, 3.01 ERA)
Tony Gaytan (7-9, 3.41 ERA) vs. Miguel Lopez (0-0)
Nick Walla (7-6, 2.89 ERA) vs. Marco Clemente (5-9, 4.22 ERA)

We only saw right-handers coming here, including the Singletary replacement Miguel Lopez, a 27-year-old with a 5-12 record and 5.27 ERA in AAA, who had made 11 relief appearances in the majors, but never had gotten a starting assignment.

Game 1
TIJ: C Brann – SS M. Moreno – 2B Nye – CF Pinault – RF Ewig – 1B D. Cline – LF LeVan – 3B T. Wyatt – P Bebout
POR: CF Wilson – RF Corral – 1B Starr – 3B Monck – LF Dowsey – SS Novelo – 2B Bonner – C Aguilar – P Rios

Rios had another troubled start, giving up hits to Mike Brann and Mario Moreno in the first inning before Nick Nye popped out and both Mike Pinault and Matt Ewig struck out in full counts, but here we were already at a major problem: three-ball counts. And before long, Rios walked the bags full with the 6-7-8 batters to start the top 2nd. Bebout struck out, Brann hit a comebacker for an out at home, but Moreno edged out a 2-out walk and pushed in the game’s first run before Nye grounded out to Monck to leave three aboard. Pinault, David Cline, and Tim Wyatt added two runs with three sharp hits in the third inning, Brann homered leading off the fourth, and Nye and Ewig were in scoring position with a 1-out single and a 2-out double, respectively in the same inning, when Rios – on a stunning 104 pitches – was axed. Garbage game – bring in Chance Fox. At least he got Cline to ground out to Bonner and strand the remaining runners in the icky 4-0 game. The Coons had brought up only one runner over the minimum in the first three innings, but Rich Monck put them on the board with a solo homer in the bottom 4th.

Fox would give the Raccoons ten outs and get them to the stretch, then was hit for when Bonner and Aguilar got on base with two outs in the bottom 7th. David Milian popped out on a 3-1 pitch to end the inning. Bebout scored a run in the eighth, hitting the first of three singles off Yamauchi, and the Raccoons’ late rally attempts against Bebout were limited to a leadoff single by Monck in the ninth. He was forced out by Dowsey, and Novelo hit into a game-ending double play. 5-1 Condors. Monck 2-4, HR, RBI; Aguilar 2-3, 2B; Fox 3.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K;

Bebout pitched a complete-game 5-hitter.

Nobody hit much on Saturday, with a rainstorm whipping the area all afternoon and evening. A double header was scheduled for Sunday. This put Gaytan up against the veteran Clemente instead of the 27-year-old that had been beaten up in AAA all year. The weather was still fishy on Sunday, and I was not 100% convinced we’d get both games in yet, so the lineup for the opener was very much the standard offerings we had.

Game 2
TIJ: LF LeVan – RF Ewig – CF Pinault – C Brann – 2B Nye – 3B T. Wyatt – 1B A. Metz – SS M. Moreno – P M. Clemente
POR: CF Wilson – C R. Lopez – RF Corral – 3B Monck – 1B Starr – LF Dowsey – SS Novelo – 2B Gutierrez – P Gaytan

…at least until Dowsey got hit in the arm with the bases loaded and two outs in the first inning, which pushed in Wilson with the first run of the game, and also led to a lengthy consultation with Luis Silva on the first base line, after which Dowsey left the game and was replaced with Matas. Novelo then flew out to right to strand three Critters, and then Nick Nye homered to left to tie the ballgame. Gaytan then struggled mightily and loaded he bases with Tim Wyatt’s double and two walks to Andy Metz and Phil LeVan before Matt Ewig bounced out to Starr to leave them on base. The game devolved into a constant counseling session for Gaytan, who was both erratic and easily hittable at the same time, which was no mean feat. He managed to wobble along for five innings before getting brutalized with a LeVan homer to break the tie, and then ****** the bags full again, only for Andy Metz to crank a 2-out, bases-clearing double to make it 5-1 Condors. After Corral plated Ramon Lopez for a consolation run in the bottom 5th, Gaytan was sent back out there in what clearly amounted to animal cruelty, but got through the sixth inning for a walk, a strikeout, and no further runs scored, although there had been plenty of those already.

Holzmeister would pitch two innings for Portland after Gaytan was mercifully put to sleep, giving up a solo homer to Metz that extended the Condors’ lead to four, and Carrington allowed another run in a completely outta-whack ninth where he drilled Ewig and walked Brann before giving up an RBI knock to Nye. Like Bebout on Friday, Clemente pitched a complete game, this one for six base hits. 7-2 Condors. Corral 2-3, BB, 2B, RBI;

The Raccoons were then a guy short for the second game since Dowsey was still in pain and no longer available.

No replacements had been brought to Portland either to be on standby.

Game 3
TIJ: LF LeVan – RF Ewig – CF Pinault – 1B D. Cline – 2B Nye – 3B T. Wyatt – C J. Medrano – SS M. Moreno – P Mi. Lopez
POR: CF Wilson – SS Novelo – RF Corral – 3B Monck – LF Milian – 1B Starr – 2B Bonner – C Aguilar – P Walla

Walla again struck out five the first time through the order, walking Ewig, but getting a double play grounder from Pinault. The Raccoons had four hits in the first three innings, and puzzled a run together from Aguilar’s leadoff single and Novelo’s 2-out single in the third inning. Walla briefly looked in trouble after a leadoff double in the left-center gap that LeVan hit and then falling behind to Ewig, but he got a pop on the infield from the #2 batter, a grounder from Pinault, and struck out Decline to end the threat in scoring position – and then Starr hit a homer to right in the bottom 4th, doubling the lead to 2-0. However, Nick Nye, seemingly holding some grudges against his former team, answered with a solo homer of his own his next time up in the fifth…

Walla continued to put LeVan on base to begin innings, nicking him in the sixth, and this time a groundout, a stolen base, and Pinault’s soft single got him around to score and tie the game. Lopez, quick to imitate the more experienced pitcher, then hit Milian with a pitch in the bottom 6th as if we had infinite leftfielders, and Starr singled to left to keep the line moving, all with one out. Bonner strung a shot past Wyatt then, and up the line for an RBI double, reclaiming the lead for Walla. An intentional walk to Aguilar and Walla’s 4-6-3 grounder then ended the inning… and THEN he walked Wyatt to begin the seventh. A stolen base also led to that run scoring with Jairo Medrano’s deep fly to left and Mario Moreno’s groundout for productive outs. Walla finished the inning, but after 101 pitches, some good, many messy, had to settle for yet another no-decision. The Coons picked four outs from McMahan before entering Dover in the #5 spot in a double switch in which Matas took over leftfield duties. Dover walked Wyatt, but kept him on base, while SOMEHOW Miguel Lopez in his starting debut at the age of twenty-*******-seven was still going in the bottom of the ninth!! Bonner led off and singled, then was caught stealing. Lopez was yanked after drilling Aguilar to put the winning run on base again, and replaced with lefty Joe Cash, who sorted out Matas and Wilson to send the game to overtime.

Dover handled an uneventful tenth before another double switch entered Alvey in Corral’s spot, and Randy Tallent took over rightfield. Starr hit a 1-out double off Matt Nelson in the bottom 11th, but an intentional walk to Bonner, and Aguilar’s double play grounder kept the game going. Next thing Matt Nelson did was to double in the tie-breaking run in the 12th against Alvey after he had put Medrano and Moreno on base… Manny Rodriguez struck out and Elmer Maldonado (waves hi!) flew out to center to keep a pair in scoring position, and the Raccoons disappeared in order in their half of the inning… 4-3 Condors. Novelo 3-6, 2B, RBI; Starr 4-5, HR, RBI; Bonner 2-4, BB, 2B, RBI; Walla 7.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 9 K;

In other news

July 26 – The Gold Sox acquire INF Alex Gonzilez (.252, 8 HR, 48 RBI) from the Scorpions for SP Rob Wilkinson (5-5, 3.20 ERA). To sweeten the deal, Denver also receives a prospect.
July 26 – The Capitals beat the Scorpions, 8-5, in a 15-inning marathon in which both teams score a single run in the tenth inning, but nothing in the next four.
July 27 – The Warriors acquire SP Luis Olvera (7-7, 2.78 ERA) from the Rebels for two prospects, including #134 SP Matthew Stratford.
July 27 – San Francisco sends MR Josh Doyle (1-2, 4.58 ERA, 1 SV) to the Aces for infielder Oscar Aredondo (.289, 2 HR, 20 RBI).
July 27 – Dallas trades for OF/1B Victor David Morales (.258, 6 HR, 43 RBI) with the Knights. Atlanta receives 3B Jon Schomer (.297, 11 HR, 53 RBI) and a prospect.
July 29 – The Knights pick up RF Juan Paez (.338, 0 HR, 20 RBI) from the Bayhawks in exchange for four prospects – non ranked.
July 29 – Charlotte deals SP Tom Kies (6-7, 3.05 ERA) to Washington or two prospects, including #93 SP Jack Moses.
July 29 – The Warriors acquire another pitcher, Salem’s SP Adam McDonald (10-5, 3.33 ERA) for two prospects. The deal includes #138 prospect CL Alex Nunez.
July 30 – Cincy RF/LF Roberto Soto (.274, 12 HR, 59 RBI) drives in six runs on three doubles as the Cyclones beat up the Scorpions, 11-1.
July 30 – The Falcons trade catcher Danny Ayon (.254, 0 HR, 11 RBI) to the Buffaloes for LF/RF Tony Lopez (.248, 8 HR, 38 RBI) and a prospect.

FL Player of the Week: RIC OF Willie Ospina (.281, 10 HR, 43 RBI), hitting .462 (12-26) with 4 RBI
CL Player of the Week: MIL OF Jonathan Merrill (.387, 3 HR 60 RBI), batting .517 (15-29) with 1 HR, 7 RBI

FL Hitter of the Month: NAS OF Tony Roman (.237, 31 HR, 75 RBI), smashing .290 with 9 HR, 22 RBI
CL Hitter of the Month: NYC LF/RF Kazuhide Takeuchi (.273, 15 HR, 77 RBI), rapping .344 with 8 HR, 36 RBI
FL Pitcher of the Month: SAC SP Jay Williams (7-11, 4.30 ERA), going 5-1 with a 3.27 ERA, 19 K
CL Pitcher of the Month: VAN SP Ken Nielsen (13-5, 3.09 ERA), throwing for a 4-0 mark with 2.32 ERA, 19 K
FL Rookie of the Month: LAP INF Ron Laux (.321, 1 HR, 16 RBI), all of it this month
CL Rookie of the Month: LVA RF/LF Alfredo Rosado (.303, 4 HR, 23 RBI), poking .357 with 3 HR, 10 RBI

Complaints and stuff

The Raccoons made the one rather pointless trade and other than that stayed put. Nobody ever inquired about any of our players, and I wasn’t gonna force them onto other teams. We also would not have traded up at this stage, but dealing a piece for a prospect would not have been out of the question.

Rich Monck ended the week on a 14-game hitting streak. And David Milian is 0-for-10 since joining the team.

Brilliant.

This year’s third-round pick Dave Tenorio went 1-3 with a 4.36 ERA in six starts in Aumsville before he was found to have bone chips on the loose in his elbow, so he was off to have surgery.

Since we’re on prospects already, how are our recent hard-earned top 5 picks doing? Jack Hamel, the #5 pick in 2066, was promoted to Ham Lake in June and is hitting .248/.327/.406 in 38 games, with just one homer. He is just 20, he still has some time to fill out. Jimmy Wharton, this year’s #4, who started with the Panthers right away, is 2-3 with a 3.03 ERA. He’s got 50 strikeouts in 65 innings, but also 35 walks… Reviewers rave about him though, we might have found a true gem here.

The next grueling road trip is right around the corner. We’re in fact already late to get to the airport. Our furry tushes are required in Atlanta in 21 hours, and I haven’t even packed my snacks yet. After Atlanta there’s still not gonna be an off day until after we’ve played the Crusaders and Indians, and then a fourth road series in Dallas framed by off days. We’ll only play at home again on the 16th against the Caps.

Fun Fact: Getting swept by the Condors kept the string of 5-4 season series wins alternating between the two teams alive that’s been going on since ’62.

Yay?

Other than that, the Raccoons have won the season series, by exactly a 5-4 record, each EVEN year going back to 2056. In 2054 we won every game from them, and before that had another pair of 5-4 even years going back to 2050. The last time we lost the season series to Tijuana in an EVEN year was 2044.