[Bub13]

A busy 29-game schedule for May, with just 13 at home. We start Interleague Play too, always a fun time of year. And Cameron Daley was named AL Rookie of the Month for April, going .361 with 2 HR and 20 RBI. Guess he's staying in the lineup for now.

May 1 @ SEATTLE
Wrapping up the last of a three-game stint.

HAW pitcher: RH Joe Koval (3-1, 1.67)
SEA pitcher: RH Steve Maki (0-1, 5.63)

#28: LOSS 2-4 ... nobody hit much tonight, and although we added six walks, we stranded 9 players, to the M's 1...two errors hurt too, as Koval allows all four runs, none earned


May 2-5 vs TEXAS
Every team is playing at least okay in the AL West (what a glowing compliment), including Texas at 14-14. They've scored 146 runs in those games, good for 3rd in the AL; pitching is lagging, tho, at 15th. Cleanup hitter Manuel Cervantes is continuing his late-career Renaissance, batting .309/9/21, while 3B Bobby Everding has taken over for an injured Corey Turner and is batting .395. The rotation is struggling, but 3/5 of those guys are too good to have a combined ERA near 5. Prospects rank 5th; and while #2 guy 1B William Swanson is in Texas (and batting just .189), I really like #1 Bobby Daniel, the rare pitching prospect who isn't lacking in any department. Dane Stone is the rookie GM (and someone I cut from the farm back in 2014), and our former manager Pat Wilson is in his third season. Budget is 30th, payroll is 35th, so they're not yet running with the big boys. Fan interest is at 53, but attendance--thanks to winning some games!--is up to 29K (from 19.5K last year).

HAW pitchers: RH Dennis Perry (0-2, 5.19) / RH Shamar Jackson (3-2, 3.16) / LH Eric Jones (2-1, 3.76) / RH Ryan Ratliff (3-2, 3.82)
TEX pitchers: RH Greg Buchanan (1-1, 5.52) / LH Carlton Saunders (1-0, 7.47) / RH Mike Messinger (2-2, 4.79) / LH Scott Schiavone (0-4, 3.82)

#29: WIN 3-1 ... Daley goes 3-for-4 with a HR, Hart homers, and Rangel doubles another run home...8 solid and quiet innings for Perry
#30: WIN 4-3 ... Rangel is huge, going 2-for-3 with the walk-off GW HR in the 9th...complete game, 5-hitter for Jackson
#31: WIN 6-5 ... more late-innings heroics, with Rich doubling home a run in the 8th, and Klein winning it in the 10th on a single...and Sanabria pitches!
#32: WIN 7-1 ... Padilla breaks a slump with a 2-run HR, and Simmons goes 3-for-4...Ratliff goes 8.2 IP, fans 12 and yields just 2 hits

Well that went about as well as it could have. The only scuff mark is a 2-week dtd back injury to closer Dan Brown. But Villalobos tells me it won't affect his pitching.... Since Ramon Sanabria is, in fact, alive and well, I move him up to closer and put Brown in Sanabria's apparently-invisible setup role.... We're now 2nd in runs scored, the first time we've been out of first in what feels like forever. We have 171 runs, but Tampa has been blowing the doors off everyone lately, and has scored 186 times.... ELSEWHERE: I thought the Yankees would be good this year; but the entire lineup is boycotting hitting, with just a .235 average. So even with good pitching, they're last in the AL at 11-18.... Washington is still going strong, at 18-12, and their top four starting pitchers have these ERA: 0.74, 1.84, 2.70, 2.96. No complaints there.... Mike Fields (SF) and Chad Rivers (WSH) continue to have blazing ERA: 0.72 and 0.74, respectively.... And I'm sorry to say, but not surprised, that BKN's Rob Hart (former Isle ace) has been demoted from the rotation, into the pen. Despite just throwing 8 innings and giving up only 3 runs in his last start, his season ERA is 5.91, and he's 0-5 in five starts. Although given that just-off-rehab veteran Joey Muhlemkamp has a pending injury (after lasting just 0.2 IP in his comeback start), Hart could be back in the rotation in a day or so.


May 6-9 @ LA ANGELS
At 14-17, fifth in the division and 6.5 games behind us. Hitting has not come around, at 17th in runs and average. The #8 and #9 batters are hitting .274 and .275, but no one else is even close to that. Although, to be fair, three regulars are on the DL, and all are solid hitters. Pitching is much better, at 3rd in runs against, for a -2 run differential. Only #4 SP Bob Tranchida is having a rough start, but he's too good to stay down for long. Closer Chris Brown has been money: 7 saves, 1.32 ERA. If they can get healthy and start hitting, they should get their season back on track. Prospects rank 28th; #1 guy, SP Justin Allred, is already in the bigs. The next two are OFs Jake Glowski and Mario Hopkins, and both should be solid contributors soon. GM Andres Edwards Perez is in his first year, after five years of less-than-stellar results in Richmond. Manager Brad Davis is also in his first year, and also had middling results in his last job (four seasons with Arizona). Budget is 23rd, payroll 30th, so there's room to spend should they go that route (they should). Fans are still loyal, but years of losing have eroded their interest (down to 64), although attendance is up this year.

HAW pitchers: RH Joe Koval (3-2, 1.44) / RH Dennis Perry (1-2, 4.24) / RH Shamar Jackson (4-2, 3.13) / LH Eric Jones (2-1, 3.77)
LAA pitchers: RH Arturo Sosa (5-1, 1.89) / RH Bob Tranchida (2-4, 6.44) / LH Noah Sims (2-2, 3.27) / RH Jon Carlsen (1-3, 3.53)

#33: WIN 3-1 ... Two solo HR (Hart and Rangel) and 8 IP of 5 hit ball from Koval (with 7 K and 0 BB)...we also take seven walks
#34: LOSS 6-7 ... Perry is lifted after two terrible innings, and Stanley goes 5 IP, gives up just one run, but takes the loss...we outhit them 12-8
#35: WIN 10-5 ... an 8-run 5th--sparked by 2 doubles and 2 HR--wins this one...Lasky hits his first MLB home run...Jackson is not good tonight, and Henderson gets hurt
#36: WIN 9-1 ... Jones goes the distance, and we break open a 2-1 game with big 7th and 8th innings...three more HR tonight

Pretty strong series, as we get ready to head off into Interleague Play. We're now 24-12, 3.5 games up on Seattle.... Injuries are cropping up again: Henderson's diagnosis is pending, and with his recent history I'm not hopeful; Dan Brown's dtd has been given an "unknown" end date, so I might move him to the DL. Our bullpen is #1 in the AL currently, so losing two regulars won't be good, but I think we'll have to do it.... Adam Groff is a week away now.... ELSEWHERE: MIN's William Antonio leads MLB in hitting at .417, the last guy remaining above the magic .400 mark.... Pittsburgh's C.J. Howard tops the NL at .381, and leads MLB with 3.0 WAR.... Adulting Tip, kids: be wary of marrying young. Philly prospect Clyde Craig, just 16, broke his kneecap in a fight and will be out of action for six months. Who did he fight? His father-in-law.... The Yankees have signed a healthy, 1980s-Steinbrennerian-level of free agents over the last two winters, and what has it got them? A 12-21 record, currently worst in baseball.


May 10-12 vs NEW ORLEANS
We're off on the first nine-game set against the NL Central. The Zephs are 18-18, tied for 2nd and 6.5 games behind Pittsburgh. Third in runs, although just 11th in average and 9th in OBP. 2B Joe Rodriguez has been solid, tho, leading the team across the board, at .298/8/25. Pitching is 6th in runs, with a struggling rotation but a very good bullpen to this point. Two SP have been solid--Moore and Jenson--but the others not so good; while four RP have ERA under 2. Prospects are 21st. OF Rodolfo Cerda has great ceilings, but is 25 and hasn't developed them fully, and may never. Pitchers John Sanders, Mike Herington, and Joe Dawson all look like solid future starters. GM Cole Rohrbough is in his third year, and the team has regressed each season despite making the playoffs each time. Manager Clarence Whitney is in his second season, after being our bench coach for four seasons and manager for one (remember I fired him after the '45 World Series. Good times.). Budget is 20th, payroll is 12th, and they'll need the playoffs to make a profit. Fan interest is 81, and owner Corey LaHood is unhappy, for what all that's worth.

HAW pitchers: RH Ryan Ratliff (4-2, 3.30) / RH Joe Koval (4-2, 1.22) / RH Dennis Perry (1-2, 5.50)
NOZ pitchers: RH Justin Moore (2-0, 1.07) / RH Steve Jenson (1-1, 1.88) / RH Justin Ross (2-3, 6.22)

#37: LOSS 2-6 ... 3 empty hits for Rangel, and 2 RBI for Welch...Ratliff is just okay, but gives up the GW 3-run HR
#38: WIN 5-4 ... Stoneback homers, and adds 2 other hits and 3 RBI...2 more RBI for Welch...Koval struggles a bit, but Ramirez and Sanabria shut things down over the last 2 innings
#39: WIN 4-2 ... Perry is on tonight, with a strong 8 innings...only seven hits, and Canning drives in 2 with a single and a sac fly

We get the injury report on Henderson: 4-5 weeks with elbow inflammation. He goes on the DL. Dan Brown goes as well, so he can fully rest up. We call up Steve Dickerson and Ben Germann to take their places. Dickerson spent last year with us, tossing 58 innings with a 3.88 ERA, but also walked 35. Germann threw 20.2 innings with us last year but didn't impress. He's been a solid starter in AAA this year, but will hit the pen for us this recall.... No batter is having a truly top-flight year (other than Groff, but he's missed too much time to be anywhere near any leaderboard). Cam Daley is hitting .321, but has cooled off after a hot start. Stoneback is going at .319/8/24, but it's been a quiet season.... ELSEWHERE: White Sox pitcher Joe Ingram fanned 17 Nats batters during a 10-1 win, but that's not his best result this season: he struck out 18 A's in April. He's got some odd stats too: 88 K (in 56.2 IP) with just 3 walks; but also 15 HR, which is on pace for 66.... Very disappointed to report to you that Toronto SS Jordan Cruz is on the bench, having appeared in just 12 games (all starts), with 45 AB. And 16 K, bringing him close to 3200 for his career.


May 14-16 vs ST LOUIS
Currently 17-22, last in the division. Hitting and pitching rank 17th. These guys won 97 games three years ago. What happened? Bad upper management, letting old guys age and then walk and not having viable replacements ready. Look: C Alexis Mercedes was on a 45-HR pace until injury last year; he's back, but looks depleted at 34. 1B Carlos Saldua was a Rule 5 pickup from Oakland, made 39 starts and was waived (yesterday) back to the A's. 2B Tim Ost is a capable hitter but should be batting 8th, not 2nd. SS Xiu-tou Fa leads the team at .283, but is really a "top player only on bad teams" kind of guy. 3B Dennis Gaetano has been a solid utility IF his career, but cannot hit. And OF Marcos Zuniga, Tony Acevedo, and Jason McColl are good-but-not-real-good and are all underperforming anyway. Plus superstar-to-be (and former #1 overall pick) Steve Rutledge never truly developed, becoming a .235 hitter who now sits and sulks most days. Only SP DeMedeiros (see below) and RP Frank Casper (10 SV, 1.37) and Curt Nichols (0.71) are throwing well. So we'll probably get swept, is what I'm saying... GM Carlos Castaneda has been here for nine seasons, and should just admit that they're rebuilding, fan service be damned. Manager Chad Kerfoot is in his 2nd year, and his entire pitching staff dislikes him. Prospects rank 35th, which is...not good. Top guy is pitcher Freddy Trujillo, whom nobody likes (which is okay, b/c he doesn't like them either). Catcher Riley King looks solid, and there's still hope that the Caseys--Richmond and Van Dorn--will become quality OF one day. Fan interest is just 77, quite a comedown for the "best fans in baseball."

HAW pitchers: RH Shamar Jackson (5-2, 3.61) / LH Eric Jones (3-1, 3.31) / RH Ryan Ratliff (4-3, 3.44)
STL pitchers: RH Jeremy DeMedeiros (4-1, 2.01) / RH Mike Silvers (2-1, 5.40) / RH Emanuel Vasquez (1-6, 5.10)

#40: WIN 6-1 ... complete game 4-hitter for Jackson, with 8 K, walking one...Rich's base-clearing double in the 2nd was all we needed...we add 8 walks just for fun, too
#41: WIN 7-6 ... a Simmons triple in the 10th is the GW tonight...Rangel RBIs 4, helped by a 3-run HR in the 8th. Also, gets ejected for arguing with an ump
#42: LOSS 4-5 ... bullpen loses this one, Sanabria giving up four hits and two runs in the 9th...Klump hits his 2nd HR of the series

Hate that last loss.... Rangel also earns a 3-game suspension for yelling at the umpire and then kicking his helmet back to the dugout. Showed a good leg, and I hear the Bears are still looking for a kicker.... Groff comes back tomorrow, so I'll probably send IF J.R. Thompson (1-for-8) back to AAA.... Stoneback sat out (PH twice) much of this series with the flu.... Dan Brown's stint on the DL will also end, but Villalobos hasn't given him the thumbs up to start pitching again.... ELSEWHERE: Atlanta is heating up, now just 1/2 a game behind Philly. And watch out: Seattle and Oakland have won 5 and 6 straight, putting them 2.5 and 5.5 games behind us.... Home runs appear down this year, with the league leaders stuck at 14 (someone is usually pushing 20 by now, tbh). I checked some stats, and see that while averages are down just a tick--about 3 points--league ERA are down about 30 points. Not sure why; perhaps just natural evolution, or only a two-month blip.

......

TL;DR Version: A pretty nice 11-3 run here, which is good since the M's and A's are playing better than we are right now, closing to 2.5 and 5.5 games out. The whole division is doing okay, with even the terrible Angels not truly-terrible, at 19-22. Our hitting is not carrying us right now: while we're still batting .293 (1st) and getting on at a lovely .371 (1st) clip, we sit 3rd in runs and 13th in HR. I knew we'd struggle for power this year, but our scoring woes have surprised me. Getting Groff back should help; he'll move Klump back to DH, and I'll let Welch (.234) and Hart (.230) slug (or fail-to-slug, as the case may be) it out for the RF spot. I'd also like to get Dante Padilla (.198) back on track. No complaints about pitching yet, however. Although Sanabria has been a bit...brittle...in his first few stints as closer. Honestly, I hope he gets it together, b/c with Brown likely wanting north of $10M next year, and Sanabria already inked for $5M, you can guess who I'd like to see in that slot come next April...