[Westheim]

Raccoons (37-23) @ Stars (25-37) – June 12-14, 2073

The Raccoons had another series against a horrendous team to warm them up (?) for the Crusaders clash on the weekend, facing the last-place Stars and their #3 offense and very-much-worst pitching staff of the Federal League. They were conceding over 5.6 runs per game as a team. Both the rotation and bullpen posted the worst ERA’s in the Federal League, and they had four pitchers on the DL, including Bobby Marceau, Ramon Torres, and Steven Fenstermacher. This was the fifth straight year these teams played another, the Raccoons having claimed a sweep last season.

Projected matchups:
Aldomiro Campion (6-3, 2.74 ERA) vs. Stewart Doubleday (4-6, 4.19 ERA)
Jimmy Wharton (5-5, 5.42 ERA) vs. Adam Johnson (3-6, 5.11 ERA)
Nick Walla (5-2, 4.05 ERA) vs. Jeff Allen (1-5, 5.77 ERA)

And those were the three GOOD starters in that rotation! Doubleday was both from Australia and the only left-hander in the group.

Game 1
POR: CF LeVan – 2B Yocum – SS Katzman – RF Licona – C Contreras – 1B Woodley – LF Hamel – 3B Rivera – P Campion
DAL: SS Van Leeuwen – RF Dave Wright – LF M. Little – C Varner – CF Stockton – 1B Gasparik – 3B Ju. Moore – 2B Saldana – P Doubleday

The Raccoons immediately stormed out to 4-0 lead in the first inning as LeVan, Yocum (forced out by Katz), and Licona reached base before Doubleday walked in a run against Contreras. Woodley popped out, but Jack Hamel knocked a bases-clearing double for the majority of the damage done. Steve Varner came a bit too close to a 3-run homer (picked off the fence by Licona) in the bottom 1st after Sean Van Leeuwen and Matt Little got on base, but the Raccoons instead tacked on in the second with a LeVan single, Yocum’s triple, and Katz’ RBI groundout, extending the lead to 6-0. But this was a shoebox, offensive numbers were usually absurd here, and Aldo spent too much time behind in the count. And the Stars had answers.

While Doubleday was long gone, the bottom 4th began with Varner singling to right and Licona overrunning the baseball for an extra base. Dallas’ Dallas Stockton and Ryan Gasparik both hit RBI doubles, and Justin Moore added an RBI single for three very fast runs before Aldo regained control and retired the 8-9-1 hitters without conceding even more. Dave Wright and Matt Little hit singles to begin the bottom 5th, but were stranded on a groundout and a couple of infield pops.

The Raccoons’ offense had all but disappeared, and the Stars now got free runners from Campion, who walked Van Leeuwen and nicked Wright to begin the bottom 7th, and was then yanked with the tying run in the box. Gabriel Rios came in, got a fielder’s choice grounder from Little, and with the runners now on the corners, popped out Varner and got Stockton out to center to strand the runners. He’d also retire Gasparik to begin the home half of the eighth, after LeVan had singled and stolen a base, but been stranded in the top of the eighth inning. Cam Jackson got around a walk to Justin Moore to complete the bottom 8th, and then the Raccoons showed up for the first time in about six innings when Katz knocked a ball over the curiously short fence in leftfield to begin the ninth inning, taking Jon Dominguez deep. Mike Pavan then boldly made his ABL debut with a 4-run lead in the Dallas Shoebox. Van Leeuwen reached on a bunt single, but the Stars then twice forced out the lead runner with grounders to Yocum, and Steve Varner grounded out to short to end the game. 7-3 Raccoons. LeVan 3-5; Yocum 3-5, 3B, RBI; Katzman 2-4, BB, HR, 2 RBI;

Game 2
POR: LF LeVan – 2B Yocum – SS Katzman – RF Licona – 1B Woodley – C S. Brown – CF Hamel – 3B Vigil – P Wharton
DAL: RF Dave Wright – C Varner – CF Hanson – 3B Ju. Moore – 2B Saldana – SS Van Leeuwen – LF Arcos – 1B Hood – P A. Johnson

A throwing error by Van Leeuwen put Yocum at second base in the first inning and Katz didn’t wait around and hit an RBI double, but was then stranded by Licona and Woodley. Licona upped to 3-0 with a 2-run homer in the third inning, but the Raccoons then suffered a collective brownout in the same inning. Roberto Arcos and Roland Hood singles put Stars on the corners to begin the bottom 3rd, after which Sam Brown threw away Johnson’s bunt for two bases and a run. Wright hit an RBI single, and Varner legged out an infield single, and the Coons had yet to get an out, but then made three in five pitches, two pops that didn’t help anybody advance, and a groundout to third, stranding all three runners in a 3-2 game.

Portland’s 6-7-8 answered with straight singles to load the bases with nobody out in the fourth. The 9-1-2 did little better than the Stars’ 3-4-5, but LeVan at least hit a sac fly to extend the lead to 4-2. Both catchers hit a double in the bottom 5th and top 6th, respectively, that led nowhere. Varner also committed a throwing error when LeVan was back on base and stole second in the top 7th, allowing him to third base with nobody out. Yocum cashed the run with a sac fly, 5-2.

Jimmy did 6.1 wobbly innings on 100 pitches, then was replaced with McPartland, who got two outs. Shon got none, conceding a leadoff double to Robert Hanson, the only batter he faced. Moore and Carlos Saldana got rung up by Chad Brown, and Van Leeuwen grounded out to complete eight. Cecere then put the game away – but not without giving up a solo homer to Roland Hood… 5-3 Raccoons. S. Brown 3-4, 2B; Hamel 2-4; Vigil 2-4;

Game 3
POR: LF LeVan – 2B Yocum – SS Katzman – RF Licona – 1B Woodley – C Contreras – 3B Rivera – CF Etienne – P Walla
DAL: SS Van Leeuwen – RF Dave Wright – C Varner – CF Stockton – 1B Gasparik – 3B Ju. Moore – LF Jad. Wilson – 2B Saldana – P J. Allen

Allen yielded two early runs on a bases-loaded, 2-out single to center by Jonathan Contreras after loading the bases with Yocum (double), Katz, and Woodley (pair o’ walks), but rung up Ronaldo Rivera and then Walla needed 29 pitches to get through the bottom 1st, running two full counts and putting Varner and Stockton on base, but Gasparik grounded out. Every position player the first time through the Stars’ order took him to at least 2-2, and Justin Moore and Carlos Saldana put together a pair of line-hugging doubles for a second-inning run. Katz answered with a solo homer in the top 3rd, 3-1, and Rivera hit a leadoff triple into the gap in the fourth inning and scored on Etienne’s groundout to tack on another run, but Walla was shockingly toothless and didn’t make it through five innings. He threw 101 pitches, walked Dave Wright in a full count in the bottom 5th, and then gave up a homer to Varner on his way out the door. Shon then was perhaps even worse. He walked the left-handed Dallas Stockton of Dallas, nailed the left-handed Gasparik in an 0-2 count, gave up the game-tying RBI double to Moore, and then issued another walk to Saldana after somehow getting an out from a left-handed ******* batter. When Roland Hood batted for the pitcher with three on and two out, the Coons sent McPartland, who gave up a drive to deep left, but LeVan made the catch on the warning track and we were all even at four after five innings.

The Coons got back ahead in the sixth inning. John Bollinger pitched briefly before leaving with an injury, and Jay Perrin gave up 1-out singles to the 7-8 batters. Wright threw the ball past Moore when Rivera went first-to-third, instead sending the go-ahead runner for home, and Etienne scooted up to second base. McPartland remained in to bunt Etienne to third base, and LeVan plated him with a single to right. New pitcher Ian Peters walked Yocum on straight balls, and Katz slapped an RBI single past Van Leeuwen. Peters further issued a listless walk to Licona, and then gave up a 2-run double to Woodley, departing without registering an out. Jon Dominguez, the fourth pitcher of the inning, got Contreras to fly out, finally, after the Coons scored five runs.

McPartland then immediately retired nobody of the three batters *he* faced in the bottom 6th, allowing a single to Van Leeuwen, an RBI double to Wright, and a walk to Varner. Rios replaced him and would get four straight outs without shedding another run.

So, which pen could collapse faster? The Stars were running out of arms in the eighth inning, where Yocum singled and stole second, Katz hit an infield single, and Woodley, Contreras, and Rivera hit RBI singles. Not that the 12-5 game was safely put away; Cam Jackson had gotten the last two outs in the seventh, but got none in the eighth before giving up a 3-run homer to Varner and being also chased off the hill. Mike Pavan restored order, surprisingly, and the Raccoons scratched out another late run in the ninth when Katz drove in Hamel. Pavan was then supposed to get the last three outs, but instead put three faces on the bases, giving up a leadoff single to Jaden Wilson, many times a Coon, and walks to Saldana and Robert Hanson. Cecere got into a game in which the Coons scored a baker’s dozen, and at least got an out from Van Leeuwen on a sac fly, 13-9, but then surrendered a screaming 2-run triple into the corner and around the wall to Wright. The tying run was now in the ******* box, and Varner had already driven in a zillion runs in this game. He added another one, but on a groundout and Stockton also grounded out to first to end a blinding game. 13-12 Furballs. LeVan 2-6, RBI; Yocum 2-4, BB, 2B; Mata (PH) 1-1, 2B; Katzman 4-5, BB, HR, 3 RBI; Woodley 2-4, BB, 2B, 3 RBI; Contreras 2-5, 3 RBI; Rivera 3-5, 3B, RBI; Etienne 2-5, RBI; Hamel 1-1;

This 8-1 run against negligible competition put the Raccoons in first place in the CL North ahead of the four-game clash with the Crusaders, but I had to fly in the opposite direction to everybody for the draft *in* New York.

Also flying elsewhere was Chi-hyeon Shon (2-1, 8.38 ERA), who was just getting it on the snout and was returned to AAA; and also Jaylen Etienne (.273, 0 HR, 2 RBI), who was replaced by the returning Anthony Schneider. Shon’s spot was taken by Noah Newhard.

Raccoons (40-23) vs. Crusaders (39-25) – June 15-18, 2073

These teams ranked third (POR) and fourth (NYC) in offense in the CL, while the Crusaders brought the #6 pitching and #3 defense (we ranked #4 and #8, respectively). New York had won the first series of the year, 2-1, but right now the Raccoons would be entirely content with a series split. Russell Anderson was the only notable New York injury.

Projected matchups:
Jack Moses (1-6, 3.65 ERA) vs. Jarod Nesbit (7-3, 2.78 ERA)
Crispino D’Urso (4-1, 1.96 ERA) vs. Paul Egley (6-5, 4.20 ERA)
Aldomiro Campion (7-3, 2.87 ERA) vs. Nick Ellis (1-0, 2.89 ERA)
Jimmy Wharton (6-5, 5.22 ERA) vs. Danny Ortiz (9-2, 2.98 ERA)

All New York starters were right-handed.

Game 1
NYC: RF N. Palmer – 2B Joe King – 1B Ledesma – CF Patterson – C F. Contreras – SS Wildman – LF DuKate – 3B Roza – P Nesbit
POR: CF Schneider – 2B Yocum – SS Katzman – RF Licona – 1B Woodley – C J. Contreras – LF Hamel – 3B Rivera – P Moses

Moses looked more competent than anybody had in that wild last game in Dallas and ticked off the Crusaders for just a Brad DuKate single in the first three innings, and on 34 pitches. He got a lead in the second inning on Rivera’s double to left that plated Woodley and Contreras, both of whom had drawn walks; and the Coons added in the third inning when Licona doubled home Katz to make it 3-0. Licona notably had gone 0-for-5 while the Coons had scored 13 runs on Wednesday.

The trouble for Jack Moses started with a Woodley error in the sixth inning after five smooth and very efficient innings. That one put Josh Roza on base, and the quirky infielder immediately stole second base. Nesbit bunted successfully, Nick Palmer hit an RBI single, Moses lost Joe King on balls, but struck out Raul Ledesma, the New York home run leader with 11 shots. Patterson snuck another RBI single over the glove of Yocum, though, shaving the Coons’ lead down to 3-2 (their runs being unearned), before Fernando Contreras flew out to Schneider to end the inning. When Woodley tried to make things up by drawing a leadoff walk in the bottom 6th, Jonathan Contreras hit into a double play. Hamel singled, but was stranded by Rivera. Woodley then made ANOTHER error on a DuKate grounder in the seventh, but Roza hit into the double play this time. Moses’ spot led off the bottom 7th and he was hit for after 90 pitches. Mata didn’t get on, but Schneider and Yocum did; however, Schneider was then caught trying to steal third base, and the inning went nowhere in the end.

Chad Brown held the 3-2 lead, striking out three while ducking under a Nick Palmer hit in the eighth inning. Licona, Woodley, and LeVan were retired in order by Fernando Chacon in the bottom 8th, and the Coons sent out Cecere for the third straight day. He got his three outs in order to bag the game, but Hamel had to run around a bit to shag the two flies to left that Patterson and Tony Griffin hit. 3-2 Raccoons. Hamel 2-3; Moses 7.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, W (2-6);

Semchez and I returned in time for the second game on Friday, flying on the first plane out of godforsaken New York in the morning.

Game 2
NYC: SS Guangorena – 2B Joe King – 1B Ledesma – LF Marcotte – CF Patterson – C F. Contreras – RF N. Palmer – 3B Roza – P Egley
POR: CF Schneider – 2B Yocum – SS Katzman – RF Licona – 1B Woodley – C J. Contreras – LF Hamel – 3B Rivera – P D’Urso

Crispy Bear had a 1-2-3 first with some support from Schneider, who threw out Joe King at second when the Crusaders’ #2 tried to get a double out of a single, and ended up with nothing. Katz in turn got everything of a breaking ball in the bottom 1st, crushing a 2-run homer with Yocum standing on first base. No other Purple Pooper reached base until King hit another single to left in the fourth inning and this time stopped at first base. For his self-containment, he was doubled up by Raul Ledesma on a grounder to Katz. By then the Critters’ lead was 3-0, owing to a Schneider triple and Yocum’s sac fly in the previous half-inning. The 4-5-6 batters then loaded the bags to begin the bottom of the fourth inning, and Hamel hit a sac fly to center. Rivera’s groundout and a K to Crispy left the other runners on base.

Eddie Marcotte, 35 years old by now, then became a bit of a problem. He got an RBI in both of the fifth and sixth innings, hitting a homer off Crispy in the former, and a sac fly in the latter, with another two runners reaching base in the fifth after the homer, and a bunch of long counts that ate up D’Urso’s pitch count. In between, Katz kept raking and tripled home Yocum, so the score was 5-2 after six. Crispy Bear did get to the stretch, but then retired on 107 pitches of 6-hit, 2-run ball. With Orazio Cecere definitely not in the picture today, returning Noah Newhard got the eighth inning and held the Crusaders away with two strikeouts while Tomas Guangorena reached on an infield single, but got stranded. Cam Jackson was thus saved for the ninth inning against a largely right-handed lineup. The Coons even had a chance to take the save opportunity away in the bottom 8th, when Hamel hit a 2-out single and pinch-hitters McFarland and Vigil both drew walks, but Schneider grounded out to second to decline the opportunity.

As if on command, Jackson then ****** up the ninth inning, because we can’t ******* have Crispy Bear win a ******* game, can we??? Jackson walked Marcotte, but then got an out before giving up a homer to Fernando Contreras, 5-4. Palmer made the second out, but Roza and Alex Mendez hit singles before Chad Brown replaced Jackson and struck out Guangorena to put the ******* lid on the ******* game. 5-4 Raccoons. Yocum 2-3, BB, 2 RBI; Katzman 2-4, HR, 3B, 3 RBI; Contreras 2-4; D’Urso 7.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, W (5-1);

Game 3
NYC: SS Guangorena – 2B Joe King – 1B Ledesma – LF Marcotte – CF Patterson – C F. Contreras – RF N. Palmer – 3B Roza – P D. Ortiz
POR: CF Schneider – 2B Yocum – SS Katzman – RF Licona – 1B Woodley – LF LeVan – 3B Vigil – C S. Brown – P Campion

Offense was slow to begin the Saturday game, with both teams having just one base knock through three innings, and not getting anywhere near a run. That didn’t include Guangorena beginning the game after ending the previous one, drawing a walk and getting doubled up by Ledesma’s 6-4-3 grounder. The fourth was more of the same, and I was not really surprised. With Crispy Bear leading the ERA and strikeout races and being nowhere near the lead of the wins lead in the CL, it only made sense for the Raccoons to bobble a win to the winningest pitcher in the CL – which was Ortiz indeed.

It happened sooner and dumber than I dared imagine, as Aldo put Palmer and Roza on base in the fifth inning. Ortiz used the second out for a bunt, and Guangorena grounded to third base. Omar Vigil, hailed for defense, remember, picked the ball, spiked a terrible throw that skipped past Woodley, and both runners scored on the error to give New York a 2-0 lead. A Ledesma homer in the sixth only added another run to that, and Marcotte and Patterson also reached on a hit and a walk. The bases were loaded after a 2-out walk to Palmer, and with only one out, but Katz picked a grounder from Roza and turned an inning-ending double play.

Through the middle of the sixth inning, the Raccoons looked beaten trailing 3-0 on just two hits of their own, but Licona popped a solo homer over the fence against Ortiz in that inning and maybe that would improve our lot. Woodley ended the inning, but the seventh began with a pair of singles from LeVan and Vigil. LeVan went to third on the latter hit, drawing a bad throw by Palmer that allowed Vigil – the tying run – into second base with nobody out. Brown lined out (…), while Contreras pinch-hit and slapped an RBI single. Schneider instead smashed into a 4-6-3 double play to King.

Rios held the score close in the eighth inning before Yocum singled to left to begin the Coons’ half of the eighth. Marcotte misfielded the ball for an error, placing the tying run at second base with nobody out (again). Katz walked, and new pitcher Justin Thayer slept through a double steal that advanced the runners into scoring position. Licona hit a fly to rather deep center that got caught by Patterson, but this was HUGE as it took the W away from Ortiz. Katz was left stranded by Thayer on a *tedious* string of walking Woodley, Hamel grounding out, and Vigil popping out.

All the effort was then for the tush when the Coons sent in Newhard again, and he walked Roza on base and gave up 2-out, 2-run homer to Guangorena in the ninth inning. Bottom 9th, Sam Brown led off with a single to left against Alex Dominguez, who then walked Rivera, and the tying runs were on base with nobody out (once more). Schneider hit into a fielder’s choice at second, but Dominguez then balked in the moot run, and the key run to second base. Yocum walked on five pitches to put the winning run on base. Katz was hitless in the game, which sucked with a 13-game hitting streak on his paws. Hey, how about a game-tying hit to cure several ills? Katz had other ideas, taking a full-count fastball and CRANKING a 3-run homer outta leftfield!! IT’S A WALKOFF!!! 7-5 Furballs!! Katzman 1-3, 2 BB, HR, 3 RBI; Licona 1-2, BB, HR, 2 RBI; LeVan 2-3, 2B; S. Brown 2-4; Contreras (PH) 1-1, RBI;

The Coons were a guy short in the pen on Sunday, as Chad Brown was out with a good old wheeze’n sneeze. He was in bed, and not even in the ballpark during the series finale.

Katz and Licona looked like they could use a day off, but they could take Monday off in Milwaukee. We’d rather hold the foot on the accelerator against the Crusaders.

Game 4
NYC: SS Guangorena – RF N. Palmer – 1B Ledesma – LF Marcotte – CF Patterson – 2B Wildman – C Marty – 3B Roza – P N. Ellis
POR: CF Schneider – 2B Yocum – 3B Katzman – RF Licona – 1B Woodley – C Contreras – LF LeVan – SS Mata – P Wharton

Offense was again slow to start on Sunday, as it took 16 batters (both sides combined) to get a hit on the board, when Guangorena hit a 2-out triple in the top 3rd, and was stranded on Palmer’s groundout. This glossed over a throwing error by Mata keeping Jimmyboy busy in the second inning, but Mata also got the Coons’ first hit with a single in the bottom 3rd, and then scored after a bunt and Schneider’s double to give Portland the 1-0 lead.

Marcotte hit a single in the fourth, but the Crusaders never got that runner off first base, and Ryan Marty began the fifth inning with a double to left, but also didn’t get any further beyond second base as Roza struck out, Ellis popped up a bunt, and Guangorena grounded out to first. Schneider was on briefly in the bottom 5th, but was caught stealing, and then Palmer hit a ball to left-center for *another* leadoff double against Jimmyboy, who walked Ledesma, but then got a double play grounder, 6-4-3, from Marcotte, moving the tying run to third base. Ryan Patterson knotted the score with a sharp single to center, and Bobby Wildman grounded out.

Jimmy made it seven innings, but the Raccoons couldn’t scratch either a run or ten bucks for cone of ice cream together, and he got the Crispy treatment. Cam Jackson got the 1-1 tie in the eighth, struck out Guangorena and Ledesma, but also gave up a single to Palmer and nailed Marcotte. Pavan came in against Patterson, but instead faced two switch-hitters in Alex Mendez and Wildman, and gave up screaming doubles to both of them for three runs. Woodley hit a solo homer off Ellis in the bottom 8th, but that only reduced the deficit to 4-2. Dominguez had the ninth again and got LeVan out on a sharp grounder to Wildman, but then walked Mata in a full count, and Hamel, batting for the pitcher McPartland, to put the tying runs on base. Schneider got *another* walk, also in a full count, and now the bags were full! …and Yocum smashed into a 6-4-3 double play. 4-2 Crusaders. Schneider 3-4, BB, 2B, RBI; Woodley 2-4, HR, RBI; Wharton 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K;

In other news

June 12 – NYC SP Matt Topp (3-5, 5.75 ERA) completes a 3-hit shutout to beat the Cyclones, 6-0.
June 12 – An abdominal strain puts MIL 2B/SS Fidel Carrera (.248, 11 HR, 36 RBI) out until the end of July.
June 13 – The season of recently-traded Buffaloes SP Bobby O’Connor (3-6, 5.12 ERA) could be over due to torn finger tendons.
June 13 – VAN 2B/1B Jose Palominos (.308, 6 HR, 27 RBI) is expected to miss a month with a broken rib.
June 14 – The Aces put up an 11-run fifth inning in a 14-1 takedown of the Gold Sox.
June 15 – The Washington Nelsons trade MR Matt Nelson (1-2, 2.92 ERA) and a prospect to the Salem Nelsons for 3B/OF Larry Nelson (.284, 3 HR, 20 RBI).
June 15 – The Stars acquire CL Luis Ramirez (2-4, 5.46 ERA, 19 SV) from the Thunder at the cost of two prospects, including #42 SP Vance Cormack.
June 17 – Gold Sox catcher Antonio Negrete (.317, 6 HR, 32 RBI) mashes five hits with two homers, a double, and five RBI in an 18-4 rout of the Stars that includes a 12-run seventh inning by the Sox.
June 17 – The Loggers-Canadiens game begins with a home run by MIL OF Eddie Mullen (.255, 5 HR, 23 RBI), and that’s all the scoring in a game that the Loggers consequently win 1-0.
June 17 – The Pacifics beat the Wolves, 1-0 in 12 innings, on a walkoff single by LAP INF Larry Thomas (.266, 5 HR, 30 RBI). Nobody on either side across the entire game lands an extra-base hit.

Player of the Week (FL): CIN OF Chris Torino (.249, 9 HR, 26 RBI), hitting .429 (9-21) with 3 HR, 6 RBI
Player of the Week (CL): POR INF John Katzman (.330, 15 HR, 50 RBI), cranking .407 (11-27) with 4 HR, 12 RBI

Complaints and stuff

His 3-run walkoff homer not only increased the Raccoons’ lead in the division to 4 1/2 games, but also propelled Katz into the lead or a tie for the lead in all hitting triple crown categories in the CL. He led the batting race at .336, three points up on Cesar Ramirez, and the two shared the home run lead. Katz was two RBI up on San Fran’s Jorge Melena in that table, and the first player in the ABL to reach 50 for the year!

Of course going oh-for-plenty on Sunday didn’t help, and also killed his 14-game hitting streak…

Katz and Licona are planned in for a day off in Milwaukee on Monday, as might Chad Brown be with his viral infection. Yeah, start playing with a 22-man roster in June…

Even though the Raccoons are 13-3 in June, I wouldn’t go so far to claim that the team doesn’t need reinforcements, especially on the pitching side.

Next up is that dreadful 4-city, 3-country road trip to Milwaukee, Tijuana, Vegas, and Elk City.

Fun Fact: John Katzman is the only player in the league with an OPS over 1, at exactly 1.040!

He’s so good, he’s almost guaranteed to break an arm and a leg in the next ten days.