[Westheim]

The next week began with the Raccoons being told by owner Adam Valdes’ office that the foolish (!) pursuit of international free agent Jose Espino had to stop, since the team was already over its allotted budget, trying to blow more on a teenager and taxes, and Mr. Valdes was not amused.

Neither was I at the prospect of losing one of the best 16-year-olds we had seen in years, but the roster didn’t lend itself to quickly freeing up a million bucks just like that. The off day on Monday was spent trying to cut one of the bottom-of-the-order bats that actually made a few coins – all without success.

The cut had to be deeper.

Trade

On Monday night, the Raccoons and Stars (who were just 1 1/2 games out in the FL West) got everybody’s attention by striking a 5-player deal that saw 1B Jerry Morejon (.276, 10 HR, 45 RBI) and UT Carlos Fumero (.297, 0 HR, 28 RBI) dealt to Dallas for a trio of prospects, all ranked: #12 AA SP Phil Beck, #48 MR Todd Sullivan (1-0, 3.40 ERA), and #184 AA 2B Roberto Pena.

The South Dakotan Sullivan had already exceeded rookie limits this season, so his #48 ranking was more academical, and he also wasn’t doing too great with 6.1 BB/9 in 37 major league games and would be sent to St. Petersburg at this moment. I also found Beck’s rating way overhyped, and he was lacking a sound third pitch, so that was that. Beck and Pena were kept at the AA level and assigned to Ham Lake.

What this trade did right then and there was to A) shoot the Critters’ lineup completely for the rest of the season, and B) free up almost $2.2M in previously non-existing budget space to throw it at the 16-year-old international free agent ****** Jose Espino, whom they called “Pan de Molde” in the Dominican Republic, and I needed my filthy paws on that kid…!!

Of course, there was also a cascade of roster moves with this trade and also Gabriel Rios (6-0, 2.00 ERA) being sent to the DL with a biceps strain that would keep him out for a month. Three roster spots opened and went to SP Val Centeno (for his major league debut), 1B Dan Gomez, and 1B/LF/RF/3B Jamie Colter.

Raccoons (43-51) @ Loggers (53-38) – July 22-24, 2070

The diminished Raccoons then showed up in Milwaukee on Tuesday for the first three of the remaining 68 games of sadness this season. The Loggers had a 6-game lead in the division after shaking the Elks, and sat second in both runs scored and runs allowed, with a +103 run differential. Somehow the Coons were up 5-4 in the season series, but I had a hunch that this was gonna swing in the next three days, despite three pieces of the Loggers lineup on the DL: Dave Wright, Cesar Ramirez, and Sean Van Leeuwen were all unavailable for this series.

Projected matchups:
Jimmy Wharton (5-6, 4.28 ERA) vs. Curt Green (5-2, 4.00 ERA)
Nick Walla (6-8, 4.94 ERA) vs. Danny Ortiz (9-6, 5.07 ERA)
Tony Gaytan (6-9, 3.83 ERA) vs. Matt Crist (9-5, 4.00 ERA)

The Loggers brought up only right-handed starters for this series. Meanwhile the Raccoons scheduled Val Centeno’s debut for the opener of the following Thunder series, since sending the injury-addled greenhorn up against the Milwaukee Axe Swingers for his debut sounded a lot like animal cruelty.

Game 1
POR: 2B Yocum – LF Otal – SS Katzman – CF T. Wharton – RF Corral – C Flowe – 3B Gallo – 1B Gomez – P J. Wharton
MIL: LF Alaniz – CF Parrish – RF C. Dominguez – C M. Rodriguez – 2B Hood – SS F. Carrera – 3B Shapiro – 1B Kiger – P C. Green

The diminished Critters got a quick paw up in the Tuesday opener with a Yocum single and a 2-run homer by Katz in the first inning. Tyler Wharton and Flowe then dropped singled and J.P. Gallo raked a 3-run homer on top of that, for a 5-0 lead. Jimmy Wharton gave two runs back just an inning later, walking Roland Hood and giving up a bunch of singles to Fidel Carrera, Vince Shapiro and Tony Melendez, who was already pinch-hitting for Curt Green. A strikeout to Mario Alaniz ended the inning with runners no the corners in a 5-2 game.

It wasn’t until the sixth that Jimmyboy had a 1-2-3 inning, as the Loggers had another two singles in the third, one in the fourth, and one in the fifth, none of which turned into a run, while Luis Lerma also pitched four innings of scoreless long relief against the Raccoons to keep the 5-2 score in place. Jimmy added another scoreless inning in the seventh, while the Loggers lost reliever Nick Walters to injury before his successor Raul Salas struck Jose Corral in the shoulder with a fastball, and Corral left the game in discomfort, being replaced with Colter, who was stranded on first by Flowe to end the inning. Jimmyboy got another out from John Parrish, but left the game after Carlos Dominguez singled to right in the bottom 8th. Edgar Gutierrez came in, walked Manuel Rodriguez, and got a fly out to left from Roland Hood, then was replaced with McMahan when the lefty-hitting Roberto Soto pinch-hit for Fidel Carrera. The southpaw entered in a double switch that took out Big Wharton, moved Otal to center, and put the Otter in left, and he caught Soto’s fly to end the inning. McMahan also got the save by finishing the game against the three left-handed bats the Loggers had in the 7-8-9 spot, who went down in order in the ninth. 5-2 Critters. T. Wharton 2-5; Gallo 2-4, HR, 3 RBI; J. Wharton 7.1 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, W (6-6); McMahan 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, SV (1);

Jose Corral had a bum shoulder and was day-to-day, which might limit his use for the rest of the week, which … (looks at what’s left in terms of outfielders) … sucked.

Game 2
POR: 2B Yocum – LF Otal – SS Katzman – CF T. Wharton – RF van Otterdijk – 3B Gallo – C Brown – 1B Gomez – P Walla
MIL: SS F. Carrera – 1B Kiger – C M. Rodriguez – RF C. Dominguez – 2B Hood – CF Parrish – 3B Monck – LF Alaniz – P D. Ortiz

Nick Walla had next to nothing once again and gave up three hits and two walks the first time through the lineup, including a leadoff single on a 2-2 pitch to the pitcher Ortiz in the third, while being kept alive largely by two 4-6-3 double plays started by Yocum and a diving catch by Gallo on a string hit by Rich Monck against his old team. The Coons had two hits and amounted to no threats the first time through, but Carrera then opened a door in the fourth by throwing away Wharton’s double play grounder after Katz’ leadoff single and now two were on with nobody out instead of nobody on and two out. Van Otterdijk hit an RBI double to right for the game’s first run, but Gallo fanned, Brown grounded out to first base, Dan Gomez wasn’t pitched to, and Walla went down flailing to leave the bases loaded. He then issued a leadoff walk to Carlos Dominguez and got a third double play started by Yocum on Hood’s following grounder…

Fidel Carrera homered the game tied to lead off the bottom 6th and Walla then put Rodriguez and Dominguez on the corners with one out before popping out Hood. The Coons went to Reynolds and Murcia in a double switch that exited Gallo, and Parrish popped out to Katz to end the inning. Reynolds got four outs in total in the 1-1 tie before his spot came up with Katz and van Otterdijk, whom Danny Ortiz had just sledgehammered on base with a fastball and two outs in the eighth, on the bases. Jose Corral claimed to be good for a pinch-hitting appearance, but grounded out to end the inning. Danny Nava entered the bottom 8th, nailed Michael Kiger, and then was taken deep by Manuel Rodriguez. The Coons didn’t get beyond a pinch-hit single by Mireles against B.J. Butrico in the ninth, and thus lost the game. 3-1 Loggers. Katzman 2-4; Mireles (PH) 1-1;

Game 3
POR: 2B Yocum – LF Otal – SS Katzman – CF T. Wharton – RF van Otterdijk – C Flowe – 3B Murcia – 1B Colter – P Gaytan
MIL: SS F. Carrera – 1B Kiger – C M. Rodriguez – RF C. Dominguez – 2B Hood – CF Parrish – 3B Monck – LF R. Soto – P Crist

The first four Coons made outs on Thursday before van Otterdijk doubled to left and Flowe softly singled to right, putting a pair on the corners. Rafael Murcia showed that he was already well integrated into the team and hit into a double play to resolve the issue. Gaytan meanwhile had no stuff, either, allowed a single to Carrera, the first batter he faced, and then nothing until he gave up another single with one out in the third to the ******* opposing pitcher. A wild pitch and Michael Kiger’s 2-out RBI knock gave the Loggers a 1-0 lead before Rodriguez struck out.

The fourth was uneventful, but Colter scratched out a 1-out single in the fifth inning. Gaytan bunted him to second, and from there it took two more singles from Yocum and Otal to get the sluggish (not: slugging) outfielder home and score the tying run. Katz then grounded out in a 3-2 count to leave runners on the corners. The Raccoons did take the lead an inning later, though, as Wharton singled softly, advanced on the Otter’s groundout, and then scored when Flowe singled to right-center. Murcia hit into another double play to kill that inning, too.

After Rodriguez nearly crashed a leadoff jack that Otal picked at the fence in the bottom 6th, it also started to rain, adding to Gaytan’s many, many issues. At least the score got better – Colter hit a gapper for a double to begin the seventh, and while Gaytan popped out uselessly and Yocum and his .356 stick were intentionally walked, and Crist got Otal out, Katz then got him for a booming 3-run homer to left to run the tally to 5-1!

Gaytan was hit for in the eighth, and the Loggers got back into the game in the same frame. McMahan got two outs from PH Vince Shapiro and Carrera, but then allowed a single to Kiger. Victor Ramirez replaced him, gave up another hit to Rodriguez, and then a 2-run double to Dominguez. Hood then grounded out as the tying run, sending the game to the ninth, where Raul Salas got two outs, then walked Katz and Wharton. Brown batted for the Otter against the right-hander and hit a scratch single to fill the bases for the other catcher, but Flowe grounded out to Kiger. Valentin got the ball for the bottom 9th and blew the lead quite effortlessly, giving up leadoff singles to Parrish and Monck, and the tying runs on Diego Mendoza’s sac fly and a Carrera triple with two outs. Kiger whiffed, and we clinched extra innings from the jaws of just moving to the next ******* town AGAIN. The game ended in the tenth inning with Hood and Parrish doubles with two outs off Steve George’s pelt… 6-5 Loggers. Yocum 2-4, BB; van Otterdijk 2-4, 2B; Brown (PH) 1-1; Flowe 3-5, RBI; Murcia 2-5; Colter 2-5, 2B; Gaytan 7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K;

(clenches fists, growling)

Raccoons (44-53) @ Thunder (52-43) – July 25-27, 2070

The Thunder had lost their last six games, but the Coons were the Coons. Oklahoma ranked fifth in runs scored, fourth in runs allowed, and was up 2-1 in the season series. The only relevant injury was starter Danny Baca, who was out for the season.

Projected matchups:
Val Centeno (0-0) vs. Luis Ramirez (8-6, 4.00 ERA)
Vinny Morales (5-8, 3.39 ERA) vs. Alfredo Picun (8-7, 5.08 ERA)
Jimmy Wharton (6-6, 4.16 ERA) vs. Ken Nielsen (7-6, 3.43 ERA)

The Thunder had two left-handed starters, and the Raccoons would see neither of them.

Game 1
POR: 2B Yocum – LF Otal – SS Katzman – CF T. Wharton – C Flowe – 3B Gallo – RF Colter – 1B D. Gomez – P Centeno
OCT: CF J. Reyes – SS Palominos – 1B I. Stone – 2B C. Gutierrez – C Bohannon – LF Thore – RF B. Johnston – 3B B. Robinson – P L. Ramirez

Val Centeno’s debut began with Jon Reyes and Jose Palominos hitting groundouts to short before Ian Stone and Carlos Gutierrez hit singles and were left on when Martin Bohannon flew out to center. That didn’t mean it was getting better. Centeno walked Coby Thore on straight balls to begin the bottom 2nd, then allowed singles to the 8-9 hitters Brian Robinson and Luis Ramirez. Thore was thrown out at the plate trying to score on the pitcher’s single, which was all that kept the Thunder off the board, and Reyes grounded out to Yocum. Palominos then got him for a homer in the third inning, and nobody was particularly surprised. The Coons were hitless through three…

There wasn’t a clean inning to be had for Centeno in his debut; he issued another leadoff walk in the fourth, then saw Palominos single and walked ex-Coon Carlos Gutierrez before Bohannon hit into a double play to Katzman to end the bottom 5th. The silly Coons needed 5.2 innings to get a Yocum single entered into the box score, and then promptly left him on first base. Centeno was gone after six busy, messy innings, and the Raccoons’ pen allowed a second run to score in the seventh on three singles given up between Ramirez and Reynolds. Ramirez went seven innings of 2-hit ball, and Jon McGinley and Steve Keller kept the plastic bag firmly pulled over the Critters’ heads and that was the ballgame. 2-0 Thunder. Van Otterdijk (PH) 1-1;

What a team to debut for.

Game 2
POR: 2B Yocum – SS Katzman – CF T. Wharton – C Flowe – LF van Otterdijk – 3B Gallo – 1B Murcia – RF Colter – P Morales
OCT: CF J. Reyes – SS Palominos – 1B I. Stone – 2B C. Gutierrez – C Bohannon – LF Thore – RF Almanza – 3B B. Robinson – P Picun

Tyler Wharton went yard in the first with nobody on base for a quick 1-0 lead, but Vinny Morales crapped out as early as the second inning. He already allowed singles to Stone and Gutierrez in the first, and the third began with the 6-7-8 hitters all on base and Morales looking rather puzzled as to what was going on. Picun tied the game by hitting into a 4-6-3 double play, but Morales remained absolutely ******* useless and walked Reyes, who stole second, and gave up a 2-run single to Palominos, at which point seven of nine Thunder had reached since Stone had first singled. Yocum made an error that put Stone on base, but Gutierrez then grounded out – and in turn a Stone error put Yocum on base in the third inning, but the Raccoons were too polite to get any runs from something like that.

Coby Thore hit a 2-run homer in the bottom 3rd and Morales was purged before the inning was over, Steve George getting the ball for garbage relief. Picun meanwhile loaded the bases with the 3-4-5 batters in brown to begin the fourth inning, but unfortunately that would promote nothing but abject misery to the plate, starting with the .192 hitter J.P. Gallo, who hit a grounder to Gutierrez, but stayed out of the double play as Wharton scored, 5-2. Murcia whiffed, and Jamie Colter – ended Picun’s existence with a 2-out, 3-run homer to right!?

It wasn’t tied for long, since George put Palominos on base to begin the bottom 4th and then got BOMBED by Ian Stone so it was 7-5 Thunder already. Thore singled with two outs, but ran the Thunder out of the inning. George put Brian Robinson and Jon Reyes on the corners through more dumb incompetence in the fifth, but Tyler Wharton caught a Palominos fly and hammered Robinson out at the plate in an 8-2 double play to end that inning. George issued another two walks to begin the sixth and was disposed of while the Thunder found another double play to hit into and not score any more than they were already ******* scoring.

The Raccoons would go on to hit into double plays with Katzman in the seventh and van Otterdijk in the eighth before McMahan got slugged around for three more runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Steve Hawkins then loaded the bases with just the roster lint in the ninth inning, putting Murcia, Colter, and Brown on base with one out and was removed for Pedro Mendoza as the top of the order came up in the 5-run game. Yocum kept the train moving with a clean RBI single to left, 10-6, and Katz got a ball lifted over the glove of 41-year-old Jim White (not much jump going on there) at short for another RBI single. And then Wharton **** into a 5-4-3 double play. 10-7 Thunder. Yocum 2-5, RBI; T. Wharton 2-4, HR, RBI; van Otterdijk 2-4; Colter 2-4, HR, 3 RBI;

(covers face with paws)

Steve George (0-2, 6.17 ERA) was axed after this dismal performance, although one could easily axe a dozen dismal dumpster divers here.

Besides, all it got us was more of Holzmeister’s dumb face.

Game 3
POR: 2B Yocum – 3B Katzman – CF T. Wharton – RF van Otterdijk – LF Otal – SS Mireles – 1B Colter – C Brown – P J. Wharton
OCT: CF J. Reyes – 1B Bonner – SS Palominos – C Bohannon – LF Thore – RF B. Johnston – 2B C. Gutierrez – 3B B. Robinson – P Nielsen

I knew we were gonna get swept when Coby Thore made a leaping catch over his shoulder on van Otterdijk to strand Katz in scoring position in the first inning, and Jimmyboy promptly – after failing to wave the two Thunder he put on in the first inning across – allowed a leadoff walk to Bryan Johnston, an RBI triple to Gutierrez, and a run-scoring groundout to Robinson in the second inning to get into a 2-0 hole. Katz doubled and was stranded on second again in the third inning, and the Raccoons couldn’t even ******* score when Nielsen beaned van Otterdijk on base to begin the fourth, and right away moved him to second with a wild pitch – and then DIDN’T EVEN GET A STRIKEOUT. Pop, groundout, whiff. And the perpetual noise of a deflating balloon.

Singles by Reyes, who stole his 30th base to get to second, and long-ago brownshirt benchwarmer Ryan Bonner got another run for Oklahoma across in the fifth, while Katz drew a leadoff walk after that. With nobody in scoring position, Big Check Wharton hit a ******* single, then was 6-4-3’ed up by van Otterdijk. Otal orderly grounded out to Gutierrez and nobody ******* scored.

Katz hit into another double play in the eighth and the Coons were 3-0 down in the ninth against Keller, who rung up Wharton to get underway with completing this sweep. Corral then pinch-hit and singled to center, and Otal singled to right and Jim White – who showed up in all possible and impossible places – bobbled the ball for an error, allowing two runners into scoring position. Mireles popped out, of course, and then Flowe batted for Holzmeister in the #7 spot… and struck out. 3-0 Thunder. Katzman 2-3, BB, 2B; Corral (PH) 1-1;

In other news

July 22 – The Miners’ Aussie OF Norm Chapman (.279, 2 HR, 27 RBI) collects five hits with two RBI, a double, and a walkoff triple in the tenth inning to beat the Capitals, 7-6.
July 22 – The Stars acquire INF Brian Hills (.264, 7 HR, 36 RBI) from the Scorpions for the price of a prospect.
July 22 – ATL 1B Kris DiPrimio (.325, 6 HR, 57 RBI) breaks his foot in an on-base collision and will be out until the start of September.
July 25 – Tijuana acquires 2B/3B Matt Kilday (.327, 0 HR, 13 RBI) from Sacramento in exchange for INF Emilio Vidrio (.247, 6 HR, 27 RBI) and a prospect.
July 25 – The Thunder send outfielder Danny Perez (.251, 10 HR, 45 RBI) to the Wolves to get MR Alex Nunez (3-1, 1.88 ERA) and a prospect.
July 27 – The Indians send CL Shamar King (1-5, 3.89 ERA, 18 SV) to the Canadiens for two prospects.
July 27 – The Cyclones deal OF Anthony Schneider (.263, 5 HR, 41 RBI) to the Miners, who happily part with 1B Mike White (.307, 12 HR, 73 RBI), MR Juan Betancourt (0-0, 5.70 ERA), a prospect, and $1M in cash.
July 28 – The Warriors take the Capitals apart, 20-2, and catcher Nick Dingman (.254, 17 HR, 65 RBI) drives in seven of those runs on four hits, including a grand slam. SFW 3B/RF/2B Matt Roller (.321, 4 HR, 38 RBI) hits three doubles and a single and drives in two runs.

Player of the Week (FL): PIT OF Norm Chapman (.290, 3 HR, 34 RBI), hitting .516 (16-31) with 1 HR, 9 RBI
Player of the Week (CL): LVA C/1B Chris Haynes (.307, 24 HR, 69 RBI), batting .417 (10-24) with 4 HR, 10 RBI

Complaints and stuff

(has face in paws)

Tyler Wharton is on pace to drive in 81 runs while hitting .300 with a 142 OPS+. ******* bargain at $111,111 a run!

Todd Sullivan came out of the Alley Cats game on Saturday with a knee injury. I’m sure it’s all gonna be fine.

Everything always comes up roses here, isn’t it? ISN’T IT???

I offered $2M for Jose Espino and OSA’s 19 potential stuff projection on Sunday. That madness would come with a $1.63M tax hammer ON TOP. Steve from Accounting is crying. Semchez thinks I’m somewhere between ridiculous and an imbecile. He might be right.

Another 5-game losing streak and with this we’re sent home to play the Bayhawks and Condors next week. 62 more games until this bloody season ends.

Fun Fact: (cries dramatically onto a piece of paper with squiggles)

As seasons come and seasons go,
Up and down, eternal flow.
The sun will set, the sun will rise,
Dynasties will face demise.
All Stars fade and prospects blossom,
First-place teams will hit rock bottom.
The seasons finish and commence,
But this torment never ends.