GLBL - Chicago Architects - The Quest for the Owner not to Fire Me

[DD Martin]

Looking for Positives, Anywhere

After splitting the 2 games with Kingston we move on to face the Toronto Maples. Maybe the one team (and I will include Thunder Bay too) in the league that has had as much or more of a disappointing season than we have. Toronto made a big splash last season and it didn’t pan out when Hamilton caught fire. The Maples then started fairly early in the season to ship out some payroll.

Toronto Maples 50-58 5th in Can vs Chicago Architects 54-54 4th in the USA
August 9th and 10th 2056
Chicago’s Pier IV Grounds

The Architects have a 2-game series at home against the Toronto Maples kicking off today. Here is my report on the opponent:

The Maples are playing .463 ball this season, compiling a record of 50 wins and 58 losses. They are in 5th place in the North of the Border, 13.0 games behind the leader. Their number of runs scored of 500 rank 6th in the Canadian, their .275 batting average ranks 5th. On the other side of the diamond, they have given up 553 runs (3rd) with their starters compiling an ERA of 5.10 which ranks 4th. Their bullpen sports an ERA of 4.04, ranking 2nd. When playing against our Architects this season, they have a record of 0 wins and 2 losses.

Here are the projected pitching matchups, our pitchers listed first:
Ed Hale (3-5, 4.97 ERA) vs RHP Motoyuki Inoue (10-10, 3.96 ERA)
Jose Cardona (6-7, 4.49 ERA) vs RHP Jose Cedeño (13-5, 4.04 ERA)

The top 5 players on their team are:
1. LF Dwayne Adams (Age: 34, Overall : 3.0, Potential: 3.0)
2. CF Peyton Coffman (29, 3.0, 3.0)
3. SP José Cardona (26, 3.0, 3.0)
4. RF Jim Ashley (36, 2.5, 2.5)
5. SP Aaron Barnes (27, 2.5, 2.5)

Game #1 - Wednesday August 9th 2056
Toronto 50-58 vs Chicago 54-54
Ed Hale (3-5, 4.97 ERA) vs RHP Motoyuki Inoue (10-10, 3.96 ERA)
A - 32,451

Reagan Osborn leads the Tects offense in a drubbing of the Maples. Osborn goes 5-for-5 with a home run, a double, two runs scored, and seven RBIs. Rodeo Leroy hits two home runs, giving him 30 on the season. Kennelly Mulford and Joe Justice also homer. Chicago 16, Toronto 2.

1B R Osborn 5-5 DB HR 2R 7RBI, LF R LeRoy 2-4 2HR 2R 3RBI, SS K Mulford 2-5 HR 2R RBI, RF T Stone 3-5 TP 2R RBI, DH J Justice 2-3 DB HR 3R 2RBI BB, 2B J Lambert 2-4 2DB 2R SP M Inoue 5.2IP 4H 1R 2BB 5K W
HR - Tor none CH - LF R LeRoy 2 (30), SS K Mulford (5), DH J Justice (8), 1B R Osborn (25)
POTG - Reagan Osborn (4)

Game #2 - Thursday August 10th 2056
Toronto 50-59 vs Chicago 55-54
Jose Cardona (6-7, 4.49 ERA) vs RHP Jose Cedeño (13-5, 4.04 ERA)
A - 37,162

Game 2 of the series featured the Battle of Jose’s and it wasn’t much of a battle as neither SP made it to the 5th inning. The teams go to the ninth tied, 5-5. With two outs, Chicago’s Mark Nakayama hits a swinging bunt to the left side of the infield. He’s safe. Cris Luna walks. Kent Noseworthy singles to left. Nakayama beats the throw home. Nakayama misses a cycle by a double. Chicago 6, Toronto 5.

RF T Stone 2-4 R RBI, DH M Nakayama 3-4 TP, HR 2R 3RBI
HR - Tor none CH - DH M Nakayama (5)
POTG - Chicago DH Marc Nakayama

Summary - We seem to have Toronto’s number even if we don’t have any other Canadian teams number. We sweep the season series 4-0 and look to build a little momentum with a final gasp as we will host Duluth next.

After today’s games rosters are allowed to expand in the GLBL, but with our AAA club fighting to win a title, we are not making any moves until after the Joe’s are done with their season.

Duluth Sea Gulls 66-44 2nd in the US vs Chicago Architects 56-54 4th in the US
August 11th-13th 2056
Chicago’s Pier IV Grounds

So the Sea Gulls return to Chicago for the final time of the season barring some miracle that we meet them in the playoffs. What started out as a pretty even matchup the first 4 times ending 6-6 has definitely tilted towards Duluth as the Gulls have won 4 out of the last 6. We come in “Hot” having won 2 straight against the Maples. We are 10 games behind the Sea Gulls so anything short of a sweep on our part pretty much means curtains.

The Architects begin a 3-game series with the Duluth Sea Gulls at home.
Going 66-44 so far this year, the Sea Gulls have compiled a .600 winning percentage. They are in 2nd place in the South of the Border, 2.0 games behind the leader. Their number of runs scored of 611 rank 3rd in the USA, their .282 batting average ranks 3rd. On the other side of the diamond, they have given up 495 runs (2nd) with their starters compiling an ERA of 4.37 which ranks 3rd. Their bullpen sports an ERA of 3.48, ranking 1st. When playing against our Architects this season, they have a record of 10 wins and 8 losses.

Here are the projected pitching matchups, our pitchers listed first:
RHP Will McNeely (7-7, 4.87 ERA) vs RHP John Moore (7-3, 3.75 ERA)
RHP Chris Collier (10-5, 4.07 ERA) vs RHP Val Imbert (6-5, 4.42 ERA)
LHP TimGross (9-5, 3.57 ERA) vs RHP Yale Hulbert (6-4, 6.50 ERA)

The top 5 players on their team are:
1. 1B Jorge Rangel (Age: 26, Overall : 3.5, Potential: 4.0)
2. 2B Carlos Figueroa (30, 3.5, 3.5)
3. RF Carlos Sánchez (25, 3.5, 3.5)
4. RP Pedro Saldaña (25, 3.0, 3.0)
5. SP Chris Collier (25, 3.0, 3.0)

Rangel has really blossomed this season and is battling Chicago’s LeRoy for the home run lead.

Game #1 - Friday August 11th, 2056
Duluth 66-44 vs Chicago 56-54
RHP Will McNeely (7-7, 4.87 ERA) vs RHP John Moore (7-3, 3.75 ERA)
A - 37,091

Duluth takes a 3-2 lead into the seventh, where Chicago’s Joe Justice hits a three-run home run. Chicago SP John Moore was named player of the game, but I think it should have gone to Joe Justice. Chicago 5, Duluth 3.

SP J Moore 6IP 5H 3R 1BB 9K, RP L Stott 2IP 1H 3K W, SS K Mulford 2-3 DB 2R BB, 1B R Osborn 2-3 R BB, LF R Leroy 2-4 2 DB R 2RBI, 3B K Noseworthy 2-4
HR - Dul C S White (5) CH - RF J Justice (9)
POTG - SP John Moore (4)

Game #2 - Saturday, August 12th, 2056
Duluth 66-45 vs Chicago 57-54
RHP Chris Collier (10-5, 4.07 ERA) vs RHP Val Imbert (6-5, 4.42 ERA)
A - 37,543

Let’s pick things up in the seventh, where the Gulls have a slim, 2-1 lead. Chicago’s Reagan Osborn singles in the tying run and later scores the leading run on a Thomas Arnaud single. 3-2 Chicago. In the eighth, Duluth’s Carlos Sánchez doubled in the tying run. The game goes to extra innings. In the 10th, Duluth loads the bases with nobody out. Carlos Figueroa doubles in all three and gets singled in by Derrick Drew. Duluth 7, Chicago 3. 10 Innings

2B J Lambert 2-5 DB R, 1B R Osborn 2-4 R RBI BB, 3B T Arnaud 3-5 DB 2RBI, RF T Stone 2-5 SP V Imbert 6.2IP 3H 2R 3BB 10K’s
HR - Dul None CH - None
POTG - Chicago SP Val Imbert (2)

Game #3 - Sunday, August 13th, 2056
Duluth 67-45 vs Chicago 57-55
LHP Tim Gross (9-5, 3.57 ERA) vs RHP Yale Hulbert (6-4, 6.50 ERA)
A - 37,017

Duluth takes a 2-1 lead into the seventh, where Jorge Rangel extends that lead to 4-1 with a two-run home run. Pitcher Júlio Castro proceeds to plunk the next batter, Carlos Sánchez. Sánchez is having none of it, charges the mound, and ignites a brawl. Castro and Sánchez get tossed. Duluth 4, Chicago 2.

2B J Lambert 2-4 DB RBI SP Y Hulburt 5.2IP 5H 2R 2BB 6K
HR - Dul C C. Lee (2), 1B J Rangel (34) CH - none
POTG - Duluth SP Tim Gross

After the game…….

You have just been informed that J. Castro has been suspended for 6 games by the Office of the Commissioner.

If there wasn't a history between Carlos Sánchez of Duluth and Júlio Castro of Chicago, then there is one now. The incident between the two sparked a bench-clearing scrum with those two being the center of attention. Now they will miss 3 and 6 games respectively as a result of their actions. The league office announced their suspensions today.

"We're both really competitive," Sánchez said later, "and sometimes things go a little too far because of it." In 108 games Sánchez is hitting .343 this season with 154 hits, 25 home runs, 78 RBIs, 22 walks, .385 OBP and has scored 87 runs. This season, Castro has logged no saves. He has thrown 78 innings, dished out 67 strikeouts and walked 19 while putting up a 2-4 mark and a 5.08 ERA.

Honestly it was nice to see someone show some fire on this team and it is 38 year old veteran P Julio Castro. Castro hasn’t been overly happy this year as he has spent most of his time in the bullpen and he would prefer to be starting. But that is the type of character and fight that I like to see. We won’t be able to offer him a new contract for next season, but even in a season when it's not been what he bargained for he has been a competitor for this club.

Summary - We fooled you all winning the first 3 games of this shortened sim recap. I am sure everyone thought he come the Architect's, they will finally kick it in gear and make everyone proud by staging such a huge comeback. Well I am here to tell you that ain't happening.

I am sick of Tim Gross. He seems to always have a good game against us, or I just remember the many that he seems to have. The series started out nicely with that win in game 1. That gave the Architects a 3-game win streak, but it fell apart after that. CL Pat Wright (3-11 25 saves) lost his 11th game of the season. That seems to tell a big story. While Wright has had a decent season, he has gotten beat a lot in extra inning games.

With the losses we seem to be cemented in a non-playoff season and a lousy bottomline which I will hear plenty about come the off-season.