[Westheim]

Raccoons (11-7) vs. Bayhawks (5-14) – April 24-26, 2028

The Raccoons, 0-4 since losing Alberto Ramos onto the DL, faced the worst team in the majors, coincidentally also the only CL South team they had come up short against in the season series in 2027 (4-5). The Baybirds were sixth in runs scored but dead last in runs conceded, surrendering counters to the opposition at a rate of 5.5 runs per game, not really a sustainable rate if you longed for something other than the cellar.

Projected matchups:
George James (1-0, 3.15 ERA) vs. Matt Huf (0-3, 3.60 ERA)
Mark Roberts (3-1, 2.33 ERA) vs. Alejandro Mendez (1-1, 3.45 ERA)
Rin Nomura (1-2, 2.96 ERA) vs. Mike Cavallin (0-1, 4.71 ERA)

Two right-handers followed by the southpaw Cavallin on Wednesday. The Raccoons so far actually had a winning record against pitchers of either couleur, but if the trajectory was pointing downwards right now this was also a good time to get rid of that 3-2 record against lefties.

There was still no roster move regarding Billy Ramm, since we were not entirely sure that Rico Gutierrez could make his next start.

Game 1
SFB: CF Hawthorne – SS O. Camacho – 1B Caraballo – LF J. Correa – RF C. Martinez – 3B G. Ortíz – C Jai. Jackson – 2B Quantrille – P Huf
POR: LF Millan – SS Stalker – 3B Hereford – 1B Harenberg – RF Gomez – CF Mora – 2B Spencer – C Tovias – P James

No, nothing was scheduled to immediately get better. The Bayhawks got a leadoff single in the first hit by George Hawthorne, but then also an Omar Camacho double play of the 4-6-3 fashion. Cesar Martinez improved on that performance in the second inning with a leadoff jack to left, and James merrily kept putting runners on base. He walked Greg Ortíz, allowed a single to Jeremy Quantrille, and when Ortíz raced for third base on that play, Rafael Gomez' wild throw allowed him to score. Somehow Matt Huf did not drive in Quantrille from second base with a spiked grounder that Jarod Spencer JUST got paws on at the keystone, and the Bayhawks had to settle for a 2-0 lead. Not that this would stop James from pitching like complete and utter garbage – the third inning would begin with a Camacho single, then inept walks given out to Tomas Caraballo and Jon Correa. And why stop there? With the bases loaded and nobody out, James missed with all four attempts to Martinez, walking in a run, and also walked Ortíz on five pitches, at which point he was yanked. Jeff Kearney replaced him, yet brought no relief. Run-scoring walk to Jaiden Jackson, then two run-scoring groundouts to further balloon the score, an RBI single hit by Hawthorne, then two walks to fill the bases again. Down 8-0 and with three on once more, the Raccoons lifted the white flag and sent Jonathan Fleischer to do whatever he liked. Nothing mattered anymore. In the end, he surrendered three more runs on two singles by Correa and Martinez. It had rained nine runs on the Raccoons in the inning, and now it rained a steady shower of boos from the stands by all of those that weren't going home right away. There was some fine pitching on display despite the Raccoons' staff pitching like recycled dog's dinner – Matt Huf carried a 2-hitter into the deep innings, and only started to fade late. The Raccoons had no runs, but the bases loaded in the bottom 9th when Danny Morales batted with two outs … and grounded out to short, leaving the ex-Coon Huf with a 5-hit shutout. 14-0 Bayhawks. Mora 2-3, BB; Surginer 3.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K;

As indicated, the Bayhawks plated three more runs after shackling James and Kearney for 11. Fleischer surrendered one in the fifth; Surginer surrendered an unearned run (Gomez again…) in the eighth; and Danny Morales allowed a run in the ninth but was probably second-best "pitcher" to Surginer in this effort.

"Effort".

Game 2
SFB: CF Hawthorne – SS O. Camacho – LF J. Correa – RF C. Martinez – 1B Caraballo – 3B G. Ortíz – C R. Anderson – 2B Quantrille – P A. Mendez
POR: LF Millan – 2B Spencer – 3B Hereford – 1B Harenberg – CF Mora – RF Booker – C Tovias – SS Sanchez – P Roberts

Although it would have been the honorable thing to do after a 14-run drubbing to extend a losing streak to five and that also cost the team the lead in the division, the wacky Coons did not fold outright and instead were back on the field for Tuesday. Great resilience! If only they could add a vague semblance of success to that, because Alberto Ramos will be out until the end of May and I can't take a 36-game losing streak…

Roberts walked two and threw a wild pitch in the opening inning and somehow escaped without conceding a septillion runs right away when Caraballo flew out to Mora in center to end the inning. The Bayhawks would put the leadoff man on in every inning to start this game, and Hawthorne was on his second leadoff walk by the top of the third. Roberts seemed fine until he surrendered a 2-run homer to Cesar Martinez, and once again the tailspin began. Caraballo singled, Greg Ortíz doubled him in, and it was 3-0 before the inning was over. The Coons had stranded a pair in the first inning and weren't inclined to score further down the road, either, with Hereford smashing a ball into an inning-ending double play when Millan and Spencer put up back-to-back 1-out singles in the bottom 3rd. Bottom 4th, Harenberg drew a leadoff walk (yay, slugger!), Mora flew out to right, but Booker found the gap for a double. Runners in scoring position, one out, Tovias had a chance to keep his team in the game here, grounded out embarrassingly to Caraballo to keep the runners parked, and German Sanchez flew out to left… Sanchez at least had going for him that nobody expected him to be remotely useful, dead or alive, at any point, on or off the field…

Roberts was done after five innings and 104 ghastly pitches, burying the crushed bullpen even further. That beleaguered bullpen was even able to throw a few zeroes on the wall, but the same thing was done by "Ant" Mendez, who was not moved by the Raccoons pity attempts to hit a ball with the stick. There was the occasional sad single, but no runner in scoring position early in an inning until Omar Millan hit a leadoff double in the eighth that Hawthorne in center touched, but couldn't contain in a backwards motion. A Greg Ortíz error on Spencer's grounder put runners on the corners and brought up the tying run, who was in a flying retreat to the tune of 4-for-26, but did we have any choice at all? Hereford struck out, Harenberg hit a useless sac fly, and Mora flew out to left. Alex Ramos then saw them off 1-2-3 in the ninth. 3-1 Bayhawks. Millan 2-4; Spencer 2-4; Harenberg 1-2, BB, RBI;

(sits silently in a dark office)

Game 3
SFB: CF Hawthorne – SS O. Camacho – LF J. Correa – RF C. Martinez – 1B Caraballo – 3B G. Ortíz – C R. Anderson – 2B Hawkins – P Cavallin
POR: 2B Spencer – SS Stalker – RF Booker – 3B Hereford – LF Morales – 1B Gomez – CF Magallanes – C Leal – P Nomura

Another day, another early deficit, this time when Nomura bled a 1-out single to Mike Cavallin, the opposing pitcher, in the third inning, swiftly followed by a Hawthorne gapper that split Morales and Magallanes for a double and plated even the tardy pitcher from first base to put San Francisco up 1-0. That was all the Bayhawks got off a scruffy Nomura through five, but was still enough to hold off the Raccoons, who amounted to three singles off Cavallin, two of those with two down, and the one that didn't come with two down, Magallanes' in the fifth, ended up being erased on a failed stolen base attempt. Top 6th, the Bayhawks opened the inning with a Correa single, Martinez drew a 4-pitch walk, and Caraballo singled to load them up with nobody out. Magallanes could not get to an Ortíz gapper that plated two, and after Ryan Anderson struck out, Tom Hawkins brought in another run with a groundout, putting their lead at 4-0, in other words, enough to win another three games against the sucker bunch that called this place home and that was on the verge of a 7-game losing streak. San Francisco added on with a solo homer by Correa in the seventh, the fifth and final run off Nomura.

That game was probably over. Time to get senselessly drunk. But I was still fighting to open the bottle due to all the crying and shaking and considered to just break off the bottle neck on the edge of the desk when the Raccoons put Morales and Magallanes got on base in the bottom 7th. Oh great, the teasers are back! Omar Millan batted for Surginer and hit an RBI single. Jarod Spencer came up with two down as well… and hit an RBI single. Tim Stalker hit a drive to center that eluded Hawthorne and ended up with him reached third base standing up on a 2-run triple that cut the gap to 5-4. Booker walked, and Hereford struck out, and the inning was over. The Baybirds pulled a run back in the eighth, unearned against Jonathan Fleischer who allowed a leadoff double to Ortíz before a 2-out fumble by Spencer allowed the runner to score. The disgusting Critters never put another runner on base. 6-4 Bayhawks. Stalker 2-4, 3B, 2B, 2 RBI; Morales 2-4; Millan (PH) 1-2, RBI;

(shrugs)

On the following off day, the Raccoons sent Billy Ramm back to AAA and activated Rico Gutierrez from the DL. He would start on Saturday.

Raccoons (11-10) @ Titans (13-9) – April 28-30, 2028

The Titans had not yet found their stride despite going 11-5 ever since a wobbly opening week. They were second from the bottom in runs scored, but had also conceded the fewest runs – 3.05 markers per game for the opposition. The Coons inexplicably were 3-0 against them in 2028, but how on Earth was THIS series not ending in another sweep?

Projected matchups:
Dan Delgadillo (2-0, 4.07 ERA) vs. Guillermo Regalado (2-1, 3.86 ERA)
Rico Gutierrez (0-0, 1.80 ERA) vs. Chris Munroe (2-0, 2.74 ERA)
George James (1-1, 5.73 ERA) vs. Lorenzo Viamontes (0-3, 3.67 ERA)

Three right-handers. Not that it matters.

Also, Nick Valdes called and sent emails and also hired a blimp that flew over Raccoons Ballpark before we left for Boston on Thursday, urgently requesting more info on the current depressing situation. I ignored all of it.

I could not offer any explanation. Maybe my head. But no explanation. Except that Alberto Ramos had gone on the DL. Stupid Ramos! It was all his fault!

Game 1
POR: LF Millan – 2B Spencer – 3B Hereford – 1B Harenberg – CF Mora – RF Booker – SS Stalker – C Tovias – P Delgadillo
BOS: CF Reichardt – LF W. Vega – RF Good – 1B Gasso – C Leonard – 3B Corder – 2B R. West – SS Spataro – P Regalado

The Raccoons wasted a Jaden Booker double in the second inning before the skies crashed down on them once more. Delgadillo opened the bottom 2nd with a single surrendered to Gus Gasso, quickly followed by a free pass to Keith Leonard. While Adam Corder popped out, Delgadillo balked the runners into scoring position. Rhett West hit a sac fly to left, Spataro walked on four semi-intentional pitches, and when Regalado grounded to Stalker with two outs, Stalker fumbled the ****ing ball for an error that stacked the bags for none other than Our Doom, Adrian Reichardt. Stunningly, Reichardt failed to stun the Coons for the rest of the game and fouled out behind home plate, keeping Boston to a 1-0 lead after two innings. Of course, any 1-0 deficit was transitory with the royal clown show we had going on. The Raccoons had chances to pull even or ahead; Spencer hit into a double play to kill the third inning, and Stalker grounded out to short to strand Harenberg and Booker in the fourth. The bottom 4th saw West hit a leadoff single and Delgadillo walk Spataro, with the runners being then bunted over by Regalado. This time, Reichardt would not be indeed, knocking a 2-run double into the leftfield corner to extend the Titans' edge to 3-0, and they made it 4-0 in the fifth on Corder's 2-out double to deep center that plated Gus Gasso.

That was all from Delgadillo, but nearly all from the royal clown show, which put Hereford and Harenberg on base with singles in the sixth, and then had Abel Mora hit into another priced double play. Instead, Rhett West hit a 2-out single off Fleischer in the seventh that plated Leonard (walked by Kearney on four pitches) and Corder (double off Fleischer). Jarod Spencer in turn hit into another double play in the eighth…! It was almost fascinating. Another run fell out of Fleischer in the bottom 8th despite him retiring the first two batters. Willie Vega then singled, was balked over, but Fleischer walked Matt Good anyway, and to cut a long tragedy a bit shorter, allowed another run on a Gasso single. The Raccoons were good for a meaningless run off Javy Salomon in the ninth, and that was all. 7-1 Titans. Hereford 2-4; Harenberg 2-4; Gomez (PH) 1-1, 3B; Booker 3-4, 2B, RBI;

Game 2
POR: LF Millan – 2B Spencer – 3B Hereford – 1B Harenberg – CF Mora – SS Stalker – RF Gomez – C Tovias – P Gutierrez
BOS: LF W. Vega – SS S. Williams – 1B Gasso – RF Kuramoto – 3B Corder – 2B R. West – CF Reichardt – C Leonard – P Munroe

When Millan, Harenberg, and Mora piled up first-inning singles on Chris Munroe, a Coon a long while ago, to SCORE A RUN IN THE FIRST, panic broke out in the ranks immediately. Oh dear, their first lead since Sunday (and the second since previous Tuesday in New York, three teams ago)! – what do? what do?? Chaos intensified when Tim Stalker turned an 0-2 pitch into a clean 2-out RBI single to center, increasing their lead to 2-0 (the largest since New York…); also, Chris Munroe left the game with an apparent injury, because no healthy pitcher could surrender four hits in one inning to those brown-clad window lickers from the Pacific wilderness, right? Long-serving Rafael Urbano entered the game and got Rafael Gomez to fly out to left, ending the top 1st. That was not the only early loss for the Titans, who also had Reichardt struck in the hand by a Gutierrez pitch and he had to leave the game, too. Spataro replaced him, while West was already on base after a single, and then Gutierrez walked Leonard on four pitches. The Titans sent Mike Bednarski, hitless on the year, to pinch-hit, which should have made me feel good, but if Bednarski would ever hit a grand slam in his life, this was the spot to do it. Nope, he hit a soft liner to Spencer for the second out, and Vega flew out to Millan, stranding a full set as the Titans were actively hurting.

Not that the Coons felt all that well, with Gutierrez going over to routinely throwing three balls to everybody. The Titans still made three outs without getting on base in the bottom 3rd, but Corder drew the leadoff walk in the fourth. Spataro grounded a 3-1 pitch to short, but Corder took out Spencer to break up the double play, and Leonard grounded out to Harenberg on ANOTHER 3-1 pitch. GODDAMNIT, RICO, GET YOUR ****ING **** **** TOGETHER!!!

Meanwhile, three hits scored another run in the fifth inning… for Portland! Millan led off with a double to left, Hereford singled and stole second, and then Harenberg placed an infield grounder so well that nobody could play it and he got an RBI infield single out of it, 3-0. Abel Mora upped to 4-0 with a double to center, and all of this was left-handed batters undoing left-handed pitcher Mike Stank, who frankly reeked like defeat, at least until he encountered right-handed batters again and struck out Stalker and Gomez to strand a pair in scoring position. But maybe the Raccoons would be alright after losing eight in a row – Gutierrez started to pitch more to contact after running up 89 pitches in five innings of 2-hit ball. There was no shutout in the cards, but at least he managed to get through another two innings on then just 19 pitches. Things looked good for a change … until Jeff Kearney came out for the eighth, faced two left-handed batters, and put both of them on base. Giovanni James had a pinch-hit single, and Vega walked on four pitches. Kevin Surginer replaced him, whiffed Stephen Williams before loading the bags with a free pass to Gasso. Yasuhiro Kuramoto popped out, but Corder sent a deep drive to right. Oh no. Oh no. Oh no. Oh no. Oh Gomez at the fence. RIGHT AT THE FENCE. 4-0 Coons. Millan 2-4, BB, 2B; Hereford 2-5; Harenberg 2-5, RBI; Mora 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI; Tovias 2-3, BB; Gutierrez 7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 1 K, W (1-0); Surginer 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, SV (2);

Game 3
POR: LF Millan – CF Mora – 3B Hereford – 1B Harenberg – SS Stalker – RF Gomez – C Tovias – 2B Sanchez – P Geo. James
BOS: CF Reichardt – LF W. Vega – RF Good – 1B Gasso – 3B Corder – 2B R. West – C Gio. James – SS Spataro – P Viamontes

Viamontes had 17 walks and six strikeouts in 27 innings this year, which was supposed to instill us with confidence, but confidence died at some point during the most recent homestand. Also, George James had 16 walks in 22 innings, so it was not like there were no common issues here. In fact, Viamontes had a clean first inning, while James was in trouble before he even registered a single out. Reichardt singled, Vega walked, and then they couldn't turn a double play on Good. Gus Gasso plated the first run of the game with a groundout, after which Corder flew out to shallow rightfield to end the inning. Meanwhile, Viamontes walked nobody and struck out three the first time through the Raccoons' order… The miserable Coons had only one hit and one walk against him through five, while whiffing six times (so as many as he had rung up in 27 prior innings), and James got blown up in the bottom 5th after singles by Spataro and Reichardt, when Willie Vega hit a 2-out, 3-run blast that they struggled to measure, 4-0, and George James was erased for good by Giovanni James in the bottom 6th with another raucous 2-run blast to center, and also with two outs. McLin ended that inning, then began the bottom 7th by walking the demon Viamontes. (angrily throws Coons cap against the nearest wall) YOU ASS!! That run would come around to score when Billy Brotman failed to remove left-handed batters, but wasn't that all this team was about? Failing, failing, failing, 52 years later and still failing… Viamontes pitched 5-hit shutout, walking only Tim Stalker once, and that was it. 7-0 Titans. Stalker 1-2, BB; Morales (PH) 1-1;

In other news

April 25 – LAP SP Jim Bryant (1-1, 5.79 ERA) will be shut down for three weeks due to forearm tendinitis.
April 26 – PIT RF/LF Yvon Bonaccorsi (.286, 2 HR, 12 RBI) might be lost for the season with a torn labrum.
April 27 – The Pacifics will also be without OF Justin Fowler (.417, 6 HR, 24 RBI) for the month of May. Fowler is out with a strained abdominal muscle.
April 29 – VAN CL Troy Charters (1-2, 4.35 ERA, 4 SV) notches his 300th career save by preserving a 4-1 Canadiens win over the Crusaders. The 35-year-old Charters, who was on his 11th major league team, has a 3.81 ERA and 877 K for his career encompassing 910 games.
April 29 – CHA OF Graciano Salto (.267, 3 HR, 9 RBI) figures to miss at least a month with a broken finger.
April 29 – The Loggers trade INF/LF Sam Green (.297, 1 HR, 14 RBI) and a prospect to the Stars for SP Alex Contreras (2-1, 1.93 ERA).

Complaints and stuff

I don't know, I got nothing. Although I must admit it probably takes real skill to suck this bad and this consistently.

Regarding the stats table for April I would like to remind you that early last week the team was not only 11-3 but also second in runs scored. Well, stopping ALL the scoring and losing eight of nine took care of everything nice around here. Now we only have a pitching staff surrendering the most walks in the league and I don't ****ing know why.

I feel a losing season materializing, and a pretty ****ing bad one.

1997 anyone?

Fun Fact: After 24 games in 1997, the Raccoons were already 8-16 and had established that there was something seriously wrong about them.

Funnily enough, back then I blamed rotten luck for the dastardly dysfunctional April, because why wouldn't I? The team was largely identical to the one that had won 108 games the previous year – still the record for wins for a Raccoons team and also their only triple-digit wins season. But there are parallels – a dire stretch to end April (1-6), no offense of any sort, and the key player – then Neil Reece – going on the DL pretty much as soon as the season started, while another major contributor was struggling to meet the .200 mark. Now it's Rafael Gomez, then it was Vern Kinnear.

It all worked out for Vern – who was a Coons Rookie of the Year like Ramos and Nunley – in the end.

Yellow #16 on the blue shirt, fist raised, stomping first base to win Game 7 in 2001…