The End of April
The Architects will finish up their brief 2-game series against Kingston. At 9-9 the club could surely need a win to get back above 500. We are at least assured of starting the season against the Canadian clubs with a sub 500 record having gone 0-3 so far against Thunder Bay and Kingston.
Before the game we optioned RF Tom Stone to AAA and brought up some infield depth in 2B/U Larry Davis. Stone has done nothing wrong and is looking like a likely lock to take over the RF position full time once Jim “Prowler” Ashley’s contract is over. But with SS Pablo Farrulla looking completely lost at the plate and Kent Noseworthy playing more 3B with Travis Arnaud’s annoying pulled abdominal muscle, and spelling Farrulla some at SS we needed more depth. Stone will be back up sooner rather than later, but we need to clear out the log jam in the outfield.
Game #2 - Thursday April 27th 2056
Chicago 9-9 vs Kingston 7-11
Terry Noble 1-0 3.38 vs LHSP Cal Henry 0-0 4.76
A - 14,165
Picking things up in the seventh. Chicago’s Prowler Ashley singles in two to give the Tects a 6-4 lead. Kingston gets a run back in the seventh (Wyatt McBride RBI single) and then re-ties the game in the eighth (Billy Peters RBI single). In the bottom of the ninth, Kingston loads the bases with one out, but Pat Wright induces a groundout and a fly out to get out of the jam and send the game to extras. In the 10th, Rodeo Leroy doubles, Prowler Ashley walks, and Juan Durán doubles them both in.
Chicago 8, Kingston 6.
10 innings
2B J Lambert 2-5 R, E, 1B R Osborn 2-5 HR DB 2R RBI, RF J Ashley 2-4 R 2RBI BB, C J Duran DB HR R 3RBI
HR - CH C J. Duran (3), 1B R Osborn (3) Kin SS R Fuller (2)
POTG - Kingston SS Roland Fuller
Summary - The Architects salvage a game in Kingston and it was a good thing because they next travel to Duluth to take on the preseason favorite who look to maybe have righted the ship climbing back to almost 500 at 9-10 after a terrible start.
1B Reagan Osborn has his average up over 200 at 203 and managed to hit his 3rd home run. Maybe he can start to finally pick up the slack and give a helping hand to LF Robert LeRoy who has carried the club during the first 3 weeks offensively.
Chicago Architects 10-9 T-3rd USA vs Duluth Sea Gulls 9-10 5th place in USA
April 28th - 30th 2056
At Duluth’s Sea Gulls Park
What a way to end the month. This is a big first month series with two teams trying to find their traction before Toledo runs away and hides with the division. Earlier we won 2 out of 3 against Duluth and right now that 1 game is the margin between the two clubs. Duluth has been a constant thorn in Chicago’s side ever since I arrived to start the 2052 season. The Duluth GM was the long time Architect’s GM who built a dynasty and now he is trying to do the same with Duluth. He’s done a very good job getting Duluth who finished the 2051 season in 4th place with a 73-71 record.
One thing to note about the USA vs Canada games, the USA clubs without much help from the Architects managed to win the 1st round 13-11. Still a long way to go but the Canadian clubs have dominated this for at least the past 4 seasons. Last year the Architects were the only US club to finish 500 against the Canadian clubs.
Game #1 - Friday April 28th, 2056
Chicago 10-9 @ Duluth 9-10
Jose “Pongo” Cedeno 3-0 2.88 vs RHSPEmmanuel “Tricky” Lucas 0-1 8.03
A - 39,765
Chicago’s
José Cedeño (6.1 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K) pitches into the seventh and holds the Gulls scoreless. He deserved a better fate…..Rodeo Leroy hits two home runs. Joe Hunt hits one. Chicago takes a 7-0 lead into the eighth——where Duluth rallies for seven runs! Five walks and a hit batsman provide the base runners. George Goff triples in two, Noah Jenkins and Derrick Drew single in runs, Lee McAskill singles in two, and Mark Matchim draws the fifth and final walk of the inning. It comes with the bases loaded, and it ties the game. Chicago wins anyway. In the 11th, Joe Justice and Juan Durán homer.
Chicago 10, Duluth 7.
11 Innings. After the game LF Robert LeRoy was quoted as saying “The key is not trying to do too much.” It isn’t known if he was speaking about teammate 1B Reagan Osborn or not, but LeRoy has certainly done plenty hitting 419 with 8 home runs and 27 RBI’s.
LF R LeRoy 3-5 2HR 2R 4RBI’s, 2B J Lambert 2-6 2TP, R. SS K Noseworthy 2-5 RBI, CF J Justice 1-1 HR R RBI
HR - CH LF R LeRoy 2 (8), C J Hunt (2), CF J Justice (1), C J Duran (3) Dul - none
POTG - Chicago LF Robert LeRoy (4)
Game #2 - Saturday April 29th, 2056
Chicago 11-9 @ Duluth 9-11
Julio Castro 0-1 5.00 vs RHSP Will McNeely 1-2 2.05
A - 39,721
Gulls pitchers hold the Architects bats to two runs. Unlike so many other teams today, the Gulls also remember to score more than one run. In this case, they score three. Diego Barrón singles in a run, and Carlos Sánchez goes 4-for-4 with a two-run triple.
Duluth 3, Chicago 2.
SP J Castro 6IP 10H 3R BB 4K, DH D Kenney 2-3 DB BB
HR - CH LF R LeRoy (9), RF J Ashley (4) Dul - none
POTG - Duluth RF Carlos Sanchez
Game #3 - Sunday April 30th, 2056
Chicago 11-10 @ Duluth 10-11
Val Imbert 1-1 5.75 vs RHSP Chris “Gator” Collier 2-0 2.05
A - 39,710
Duluth’s Jorge Rangel hits a two-run home run in the first, and those two runs stand up for most of the game. Chicago manages one run in the third: Kent Noseworthy homers. In the ninth, with two out and two on, Chicago’s Cris Luna singles in the tying run. In the bottom of the ninth, two walks set the table for Sean White, who singles in the winning run.
Duluth 3, Chicago 2.
SP V Imbert 8.1 8H 3R BB 4K,
HR - CH SS K Noseworthy (2) Dul - 1B J Rangel (7)
POTG - Duluth SP Chris “Gator” Collier
Summary - And that was the end of the month of April. A somewhat frustrating start to the season for both Duluth and Chicago. Some might think it is fitting that 2 of the clubs that were projected to be in the first division are in a 3-way tie for 3rd place with Traverse City at 11-11. Who is in 2nd place behind Toledo? Would you believe the club that we swept 2 weeks ago, the Detroit Thunderbirds who are sitting at 13-9 and just a game behind Toledo at 14-8.
One thing I don't care for is our record in 1-run games. This was a stat that we dominated last season going 28-11 in 1-run games. With the two 3-2 losses to Duluth our record in 1-run games this season is 1-4. That doesn't bode well for this club in my opinion.
It looks like 3B Thomas Arnaud will be back for the next series against Traverse City on Tuesday (Monday is an off-day). With that the club will option back 2B Larry Davis to AAA. Tom Stone will also be back for a few games before we bring up the back again from the DL DH Juan Aranda. Aranda will get 3-4 games at AAA and then he will come up and Stone again will go back down. To make room for Stone’s return we DFA OF/U switch hitter Samuel Amsden. I doubt he will get picked up and we will send him (if he accepts it) to AAA, While his “scouting reports” are not highly thought of, I like this switch hitter, but it was probably a mistake in re-signing him this season. He will not receive arbitration next off-season.
Speaking of bad financial mistakes, this one looked so good 2 years ago but also my patience has about worn out with P JJ Walker. You would think with that name his stuff would be Dynomite, but sadly he has lost control of his pitches and this is a contract that we will likely have to eat. It’s not too much because we structured it with 2 options and one was a vesting option but he will likely be DFA when Yale Hulburt comes back from the DL and rehab assignment. With the slow start Hulburt might only get 2 starts at AAA before getting summoned which would put his arrival time right around May 20th.
What is also not making me feel good is the tremendous amount of walks the Architects have issued. So far Architect pitchers have given up 82 walks (5th in the USA league) and the only club in the entire GLBL with more walks is Milwaukee with 106. Right now the club is walking almost 4 per 9 innings. Where is the problem, well several spots but the bullpen is drawing most of the fans ire. The bullpen group (or the kerosene brigade) has an ERA of 7.17 which is again 5th in the US behind those Eagles of Milwaukee. The starters thanks mainly to SP Jose Cedeno are more respectable at an ERA of 4.48 which is 3rd in the USA. No wonder we are anxiously awaiting SP Yale Hulburt’s return and hoping that SP Curt Hopkins is ready. The bullpen doesn't look good, even our stalwarts are off to bad starts (Wright and Stott). Our best RP by ERA is 41-year-old RHRP Ken Shannon with a 5.11 ERA. We will give John Moore a start in this next series , this will send Terry Noble back into a middle relief role. Hopefully we can find some combination that will work in this era of the super ball in the GLBL.
Speaking of Hopkins, he is pitching exceedingly well for the AAA Saugatuck Joes who are 17-6. Hopkins in 4 starts has pitched 30IP which is a much average per start than his previous seasons. He is 2-1 with an ERA of 2.10. If anyone on the Joe’s staff deserves an opportunity, it is Hopkins. And he almost got it for the next week, but the decision was made not to rush him or the DFA of JJ Walker.