Portland Raccoons (ABL)

[Westheim]

The 100 W’s ship has long sailed. It was all about getting the last 14 games of the year past us and then piece together the roster for next year.

Neil Reece came off the DL in time for the start of the Indians series, which was preceded by our final off day of the year. Reece still had a 10-game hitting streak active and might indeed provide a spark. Bobby Quinn also nursed a 10-game hitting streak since coming out of a mildly horrid slump in late August, early September. David Vinson also was on a 10-game hitting streak after slumping all year.

The Titans at 79-74 are aiming for second place and their first winning season ever. New opponent in the making? It was a team composed mostly of second level players, including many veterans. They had one young star in the making in CF Jose Martinez (.315/.398/.424, 1 HR, 82 RBI).

Raccoons (92-60) @ Indians (76-76)

We entered having lost five in a row. There had been no signs that it would stop any time soon.

Scott Wade got the game 1 call, and like the rest of the rotation, he was not up to the task now. The Indians left two in scoring position in the bottom 2nd, but then put their first five men on in the third and scored four runs. Wade’s only contribution was for the highlight reels as Reece made some beautiful catches in center – until he sprained his ankle in the sixth, making a catch on pitcher Jesus Lopez’ fly ball directly at the wall. So much for Reece providing a spark. The Raccoons were entirely hopeless at the plate, being held to four hits as Lopez pitched into the ninth. Wade went seven and took the loss, 5-0 Indians.

Reece and Quinn had singles for 11-game hitting streaks, Vinson was held dry. Reece is DTD after leaving the park on crutches and probably won’t appear for at least a week.

By the way, Milwaukee’s Cristo Ramirez is on a tear and has passed Neil Reece in the batting title race. With Reece out of action again, that ship might have sailed as well. Grant West has also been caught for most saves, and with a team not generating leads ……..

Game 2. The Raccoons were given a lead with a wild pitch by Carlos Guillen in the fourth, 1-0. Miguel Lopez pitched for Portland and I was not too convinced that he was not too bad a pitcher to hold on to a 1-run lead. Apparently, he at least was too bad a fielder. With a runner on first and nobody out in the bottom 5th, Lopez threw away a bunt by Luis Gonzalez to put the go-ahead runs in scoring position. Raul Vazquez lined out to Salazar. Victor Cornett (25 HR) was put on intentionally, and Paul Connolly grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to escape the nightmare. Lopez managed to go seven wobbly innings without damage done by the Indians (who if you remember were not exactly scoring tons of runs). In the eighth, two pitches by Lagarde resulted in two singles and runners on the corners with nobody out, but he managed to hold the 1-0 lead. West was glowing actually getting a save opportunity and axed the Indians to pieces. 1-0 Raccoons on a wild pitch. Lopez 7.0 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K, W (3-3) and 2-3;

For our minor league teams, the Alley Cats were annihilated in the AAA LCS, while the Beagles split their first two games for the A level championship with the Cosmos. No team in our organization has ever won a championship.

With the AAA team done, we called up Matt Duncan, Matt Brown, Qi-zhen Geng, Jose Fernandez, and Vern Kinnear, our big outfield prospect. Now, Kinnear could only play left field, clashing with a certain franchise poster boy, but batted left handed, so they would probably split starts along opposing pitchers down the stretch. Fernandez would slide into the rotation to make two starts, starting with the first game in Vancouver.

Rubber game. Should we outrageously actually win a series down the stretch? Kisho Saito went, still with a theoreatical chance to win 20 for the first time since 1984, then split between Vancouver and Portland. Vern Kinnear made his debut against the right-hander Larry Davis. Saito joined Miguel Lopez in throwing away pitcher’s bunts, but then struck out the next two batters to end that third inning. In the following top 4th, the Raccoons loaded the bases and Vinson grounded into a killing double play. Cornett homered off Saito in the sixth, which appeared to basically end the game. Glenn Johnston reached base to start the seventh and was starved. Quinn’s bloop single in the eighth was followed by an Osanai single. That put Kinnear in the line of fire against lefty Cesar Zuniga and that was not desirable at this point. Dan The Man came out to pinch hit. The Indians countered with Jorge Mora, a right-hander. Hall’s grounder forced Osanai at second. Alonso Santana now faced Johnston, another lefty-lefty matchup. Johnston was sent to bat and at 3-2 got a fat pitch to hit – and hit it OUTTA HERE!! It was only the second homer for Johnston this season, but maybe it would help Saito more than anybody else. Lagarde walked two in the bottom 8th but the Indians didn’t score, and West completed the game. 4-1 Raccoons! Quinn 2-5, RBI; Osanai 2-4; Johnston 4-4, HR, 3 RBI; Saito 7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, W (19-6) and 1-3;

Vern Kinnear went 0-2 with a walk.

The Titans completed a sweep of the Canadiens, smothering them for *22* runs in the final game, and clinched their first ever winning season! Boston was upside down after the game.

The Condors and Bayhawks are tied for the CL South with seven to play.

Raccoons (94-61) @ Canadiens (79-76)

We had the chance to sink the Canadiens below .500 with a 4-game sweep here. Mu-ha.

Jose Fernandez made his 14th big league start over three seasons and would most likely get another one in the final series in New York. If he performed well. Oh, ehm, yeah. Fernandez not only continued a 2-game streak of 2-base throwing errors by Raccoons pitchers, he was also pretty much battered by the Canadiens and trailed 3-0 after the second. Top 5th, still 3-0 behind, the Coons put their first three men on base in the inning and brought the heart of the lineup to the plate. Hall struck out, Osanai got Fernandez forced at home, before Quinn hit a 2-run single to get the Coons back into the game. Fernandez went five innings, surrendering four runs. Top 7th, down 5-3, again bases loaded and nobody out. Quinn struck out. O’Morrissey struck out. Sigh. Vinson fell behind 1-2, then doubled to left. The game was tied. Reyes pinch-hit for Matt Duncan, who had gotten a start at second base. The count went full, before Reyes homered out of right, his first long ball for Coon City. Now that the Coons led 8-5, we brought in Cordero to face left-handers in the bottom 7th. Three batters faced resulted in three runners and that was to be Cordero’s last act of incompetence. After the Raccoons had scored five in the top 7th, the Canadiens scored six in the bottom 7th off Cordero and Martinez, and they put two more on Daniel Miller in the eighth. 13-8 Canadiens. Johnston 3-4, BB; Quinn 3-4, BB, 2 RBI; Vinson 2-5, 2B, 3 RBI; Reyes (PH) 1-2, HR, 3 RBI; Martin (PH) 1-1;

Antonio Cordero and his 2.09 WHIP were released after the game. I’d rather use an armless guy out of the bullpen that that sucker.

Last start of the regular season for Jason Turner in game 2. He was horrible. Period. After two good innings, he walked *five* in the third, along with two hits and a Salazar error, and allowed five runs (four earned). Top 4th, bases loaded with two out. Higgins to the plate, who had not struck out through 100+ AB’s to start the season, and struck out here. Bottom 4th. Raul Solis led off with a home run off Turner. He hit Luis Arroyo, the next man up, and the two then took swings at each other, resulting in ejections. Geng allowed the pinch runner to score, putting seven runs on Turner. 7-1 Canadiens.

Complaints and stuff

Jason Turner through 29 starts: 16-7, 201.2 IP, 2.01 ERA
Jason Turner’s last three starts: 0-2, 13.2 IP, 10.54 ERA

I have enough of this crap. I don't know how everybody's posting successive 120-42 seasons for decades and I don't even want to know, but I'm through with this crap. The instant something goes right, the game kicks me in the nuts at least twice. I'm done.

[MarkCuban]

I don't know how everybody's posting successive 120-42 seasons for decades and I don't even want to know, but I'm through with this crap.

1) Enable Trading Draft Picks
2) Trade to the top 5-top 10 of every draft
3) Pour money into player dev.
4) Owner is generous and/or market size is large

In '14 only:
get a catcher with blue catcher ability. It has a seismic effect on how well pitchers perform.

[Questdog]

It's easy to build a mega-team by gaming the system, but I don't think you want to do that....it is no fun beating toddlers at arm wrestling.....

The down times make the sweet times that much sweeter.....

....and if you screw us season ticket holders out of our World Series seats, we're gonna have to talk......

[Westheim]

I may have calmed down enough to continue and finish. Maybe.

Raccoons (94-61) @ Canadiens (79-76)

Still two to go in Canadia.

The Raccoons took a quick 2-0 lead in the third game of the series on a Daniel Hall 2-shot in the first inning against Vernon Robertson. Scott Wade possibly would have to make do with that. He couldn’t. An error by Gustavo Flores cost one run in the third, and Raul Solis then tied up the game with a home run. But that wasn’t it – Wade was beaten up by the red-shirted baboons in the fifth, and well so. They scored four runs with two out, which transpired after Wade walked Robertson with one out and two on. Wade was knocked out, continuing dismal starting pitching. The offense remained just as terrible, and went to sleep completely once the team was behind. 6-2 Canadiens. Reyes (PH) 1-1; Miller 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K;

At least Bobby Quinn’s hitting streak continues, now at 16 games. Gotta focus on something positive, no matter how measly and unimportant. The batting title race is over, with David Brewer of those Uglinadiens now having reached 502 PA – DESPITE repeated injuries. His .371 average is far out of reach for Neil Reece, who is still nursing the ankle and won’t play until the weekend.

Game 4. A sweep was imminent, and that against the team everybody in Portland hated most. Gaaahh. With Roberto Gonzalez pitching for us, chances were not really favorable. Bottom 1st: Gonzalez drilled Raul Solis with his very first pitch. Solis stole second about unimpeded by Vinson. As Solis went to third, Vinson’s throw was in the general direction of Vern Kinnear in left field and Solis scored. (reaches for heart medication) (it’s out of reach) (claws into edge of the table) [THUD]

Solis reached again the next time up and stole second unimpeded again, as Vinson dropped the ball while still crouching. Everything was unglued. To be fair, Vinson would throw out Javier Salcido in the fifth, but his 1991 season was merely a shadow of 1990. The Raccoons needed until the sixth to put a man in scoring position, then only on an error. Osanai would manage an actual clutch hit here, a 2-out RBI double for his 100th RBI and to tie the game, 1-1. The Canadiens instantly got their undeserved lead back from Gonzalez, who was pinch hit for in the top 7th with the tying run on third and two down, but the double play Matt Brown had hit into just ahead of him proved to be killing – Daniel Hall as PH went far into deep left, but a few feet shy of the wall and into the glove. At least Gonzalez didn’t remain on the hook. A 3-run bomb by Osanai turned the game around in the top 8th. Burnett and West came in for the last two innings and mowed down the Canadiens to ensure us a non-sweep lost series. 4-2 Coons. Quinn 2-3, BB; Osanai 2-3, BB, HR, 2B, 4 RBI; R. Gonzalez 6.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 2 K;

Raccoons (95-64) @ Crusaders (63-96)

We need to win one game at the impotent Crusaders and their blunt swords to clinch a new franchise record for single season wins. One! Out of three!

Also on the series-opening Friday: our A level team would play game 7 of their championship. After falling behind against Farmington, three games to one, they won game 5 at home in 14 innings, then faced elimination entering the top 9th of game 6 and scored four to win 5-2, and now are hot to get out there. One more win and they will give our system the first ever proper championship.

We reworked our rotation for this game, once more. Kisho Saito would go for #20 right here in game 1. That would give him enough rest to pitch in game 3 of the CLCS and then possibly game 7 (mu-ha). Miguel Lopez (who would pitch out of the pen in the postseason) and Jose Fernandez would pitch the remaining games.

Come the second inning, Saito fell behind 1-0 when pathetic backup catcher Ruben Melendez hit a first-pitch homer off him. Everything was going well not to plan. The #20 operation had “won’t make it” written all over it from there. The Coons had no offense against so-so starter John Woodard. In the fifth, Vinson led off with a double. Saito, who had hit well all season, batted behind him, and lined a 3-2 pitch into - … a double play. Melendez would score Sean Bergeron from first on a freak single in the sixth. Won’t make it. Saito went seven good innings, beaten by a backup catcher to a 2-0 tune. Kinnear pinch-hit for Saito to start the eighth and singled. Salazar double played Saito finally into the loss. The tying runs were on in the ninth, but - … 2-0 Crusaders. Quinn 2-4; Higgins 2-4; Kinnear (PH) 1-1; Saito 7.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, L (19-7);

The Aumsville Beagles and Farmington Cosmos went into extra innings in the deciding game 7 of their championship series. The Cosmos walked off in the 10th, 2-1. Critter Empire remains title-less.

One of two. One of two. Just one of two.

Reece was back in the lineup once more, maybe he could stay healthy now. Lopez pitched, and Salazar, who had to make good for killing the eighth inning rally in game 1, homered for a 2-0 lead in the third inning. The next inning, Neil Reece, who had already extended his much-interrupted hitting streak to 12 games here, sent a huge flyer to dead center with two on and two out – and was caught. It just was not working out, nothing was. Lopez pitched a little gem, though, and so was able to hold off the Crusaders through the middle innings. A leadoff double by Matt Duncan in the seventh gave Lopez a chance to drive in a run, and he executed beautifully with a double into the gap in left center. Bobby Quinn would extend his hitting streak in the same inning with an RBI single, getting it to 19 games, and the Coons made it 5-0 here. Lopez went seven strong innings, but ran up a few too many 3-ball counts and crossed 110 pitches in the seventh already and that was too much to go the distance for our taste. The call-up relievers took over and held the fort and the offense piled on a few more now. 8-0 Raccoons. Reece 3-4, BB; Quinn 2-4, BB, RBI; Duncan 4-5, 2B, RBI; Johnston (PH) 1-1, RBI; Lopez 7.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K, W (4-3) and 1-2, 2B, RBI;

Sigh of relief.

The Bayhawks and Condors entered game #161 tied for the CL South. The Bayhawks were shut out at home, 5-0 to Oklahoma, while the Condors slouched through 12 innings in Las Vegas to win 4-2. That puts the Condors in a win-one-of-two situation.

Game #162 was not entirely meaningless however. Both the Condors and the Raccoons entered with identical 96-65 records, so the postseason seeding was still in the air in the Continental League. We still sent Jose Fernandez to pitch game 3 against the Crusaders. I’d rather have Jason Turner open the CLCS in Tijuana (or San Fran) despite his recent outings. Opposing Fernandez was Salvador Flores, who made his major league debut in the season closer. Both starters were horrible. While the Raccoons left on five in the first two innings, Fernandez faced Flores in the bottom 2nd with two out and a runner on first, and managed to surrender three runs from there, although Osanai had his share in the mess with being overrolled by Flores’ grounder and a fielding error after that. The Raccoons didn’t get going until the fourth. O-Mo and Vinson got on and were bunted over by Fernandez. Reece’s 2-run double put him in scoring position as the tying run and he scored on Salazar’s single. The Coons loaded the bags with one out and Fernandez to the plate in the fifth. In a tied game, do you take your starter out? I wanted to conserve the pen for the CLCS as much as possible. Fernandez had to bat. He popped out and Flores managed to strike out Reece. Ugh. An error by Hall and a wild pitch and a few hits here and there then gave the Crusaders a 5-3 lead in the bottom 5th. Of course, because what else could have happened? Of course, the Raccoons mounted no offense for the rest of their regular season. 5-3 Crusaders. Reece 2-4, BB, 2B, 2 RBI; Salazar 2-5, RBI; O’Morrissey 2-5; Miller 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K;

With this stinking loss, we have blown a) our first ever 15-3 season against an opponent, and b) home field advantage in the CLCS. The Condors lost in Las Vegas, 3-1, and the Bayhawks routed the Thunder, 10-1, forcing a 1-game playoff between the two teams. With all of us now tied at 96-66, the winner will also take precedence due to a 97-66 record.

Bobby Quinn completed a 20-game hitting streak here, nevertheless. Continuation next April. Maybe.

In other news

September 26 – ATL SP Glenn Ryan (8-10, 3.54 ERA) 3-hits the Aces in a 4-0 win.
September 28 – NAS MR Francisco Martinez (6-3, 2.87 ERA, 4 SV) will miss possibly all of next season with a damaged elbow ligament. The 32-year old veteran setup man will surely be missed by the Blue Sox.

Complaints and stuff

The Bayhawks would squeeze past the Condors narrowly on September 30, and won the tie-breaker 2-1. They might well be the a bit less uncomfortable opponent, but in the condition the Raccoons are in, not even the terribly terrible Crusaders were a comfortable opponent. I will provide a more in depth analysis soon, but the Raccoons are bound to be pummeled in the CLCS. This will be the Bayhawks second playoff appearance after 1977, the ABL’s first season. Then, they lost the World Series to the Cyclones. It was a long crawl out of the cellar for the Bayhawks, who from 1983 to 1988 posted six consecutive losing seasons, and finished bottom of the CL South five times during the stretch. This season marks their own single season record for wins, topping 1977 by two.

Vern Kinnear’s makeup is rather similar to Daniel Hall’s. Kinnear should take over once Hall retires. He has a bit less power and speed, but should make up for it by being left-handed, naturally getting more counter-siding at-bats.

I have decided to hit the CLCS with 11 pitchers and 14 batters. We had 26 eligible and surviving players. We need only four starters and seven relievers should be plenty, so Roberto Gonzalez was left off in favor of Jeff Martin, another lefty bat off the bench. Miguel Lopez will pitch out of the pen and we have Saito, Turner, Vazquez, and Wade in the rotation, although I have not made up my mind over the exact order yet. Saito can’t go before game 3, though. Everybody else is readily available for game 1. Sending Saito in game 3 will make him available for a hypothetical game 7, so that should be one pitcher set into position.

Daniel Miller, Qi-zhen Geng, Jose Fernandez, Matt Brown, Matt Duncan, Vern Kinnear, and whoever else may have been forgotten were all not eligible for the playoff roster.

For accolades: Grant West saved the most games in the majors this year with 46 (one ahead of WAS Domingo Rivera and SFB William Henderson), Jason Turner posted the best ERA in the CL with a 2.55 mark (just two tads ahead of TIJ Woody Roberts), and Neil Reece’s 32-game hitting streak was the longest in the majors this season.

Also kudos to the Titans – first ever winning season. The Loggers are still trying to get there. The Aces are the only other team to never make the playoffs. They don’t look too close at the moment.

[Westheim]

1991 CONTINENTAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Portland Raccoons (96-66) vs. San Francisco Bayhawks (97-66)

The Raccoons were carried by their pitching for 5+ months before that went away, too, while their offense did not provide much spark past May.

The Bayhawks have a very balanced roster, but also on the pitching-heavy side. They take most first places in pitching categories that the Raccoons did not lead. Their main weaknesses were home runs allowed (6th, but the Coons were 11th in that) and walks allowed (last place). The Raccoons don’t draw walks as well as a few years ago, so whether that will help us, is all but open.

Their rotation features four good to great pitchers, with Chris O’Keefe leading the way with 19 wins, and none of their four starters for the series had ERA’s over 3.43, although Wilbert Rodgers and Pepe Martinez have inflated WHIP’s. Again, the Raccoons don’t draw a lot of walks and they didn’t hit any home runs at all (Tetsu leading the team with 14!). Their bullpen is about as strong as ours, and with a comparable starting rotation the pitching staffs are about equally tough.

Or would be, given the cave-ins suffered by Jason Turner and others late in the year.

The Bayhawks were 2nd in AVG, OBP, SLG, and OPS in the CL. They are on base a lot, and while they were average in home runs, they can score plenty of runs (4th; POR: 5th) by just singling you to death. The Rodriguezes, Pedro and Roberto, are a dangerous pair, Zahid Mashwanis had put down a strong second half of the year, SS Hector Martinez was on base at a .394 rate, and they also had an aging Pedro Villa, who was still doing crazy amounts of damage. They did not have that one power slugger (like Tetsu Osanai in a good year), with INF Mike Powys leading the team with 14 HR and 77 RBI. Instead you could expect a lineup that was well balanced and had no obvious weak points. If anything, they had only three left-handers and one switch-hitter on the playoff roster. The left-handers were all outfielders, and Diego Rodriguez was not among them and maybe their best overall batter in the outfield. Few left-handers of course increase Scott Wade’s value greatly, as Wade has struggled with left-handers in epic proportions in his career. Must be his lack of a third pitch.

The Bayhawks have no injuries to cope with. Our only injury is OF Raul Castillo who made exactly three appearances for the Coons after coming in at the deadline, so we are not really affected, either.

If I look at our last five weeks, we did some royal fudging to our record and pride there, losing 22 of 33 down the stretch. There is no momentum here. Recently Jason Turner, Robert Vazquez, Scott Wade, Jackie Lagarde, David Vinson, Ben O’Morrissey, Antonio Gonzalez, and Jeff Martin have struggled in varying degrees.

Oh yeah. The Bayhawks went 20-8 in September. Momentum? For sure.

[Westheim]

I went with Vazquez to start the series. With Saito set for game 3, starting with Vazquez would alternate left- and right-handers for the CLCS. Turner was slated for game 2, Wade for game 4. Did we need to plan beyond that?

The Bayhawks will only offer right-handed starters for this series. We may see Daniel Hall or Bobby Quinn sitting a game for Glenn Johnston, who otherwise won’t have a place in the lineup. It all depends on performance of course.

1991 CONTINENTAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Portland Raccoons (96-66) @ San Francisco Bayhawks (97-66)

Game 1 – Robert Vazquez (17-7, 3.58 ERA) vs. Chris O’Keefe (19-9, 2.72 ERA)

Vazquez plunked C Jose Ortiz in the first inning, but nothing came of it. The Coons got their first chance in the top 2nd, as Higgins got Quinn forced out with a grounder, but then stole second base with only one out on the board. O-Mo struck out, but Vinson pressed a flyer through RF Steve Cobb for an RBI double and the Coons took a 1-0 lead.

Too bad that a walk to Pedro Villa, a wild pitch, and a bloop single by Cobb tied up the game without Vazquez registering an out in the bottom 2nd. It was only the beginning. LF Brandon Bailey doubled, and the Bayhawks scored two with sac flies. If it just had ended there. Vazquez was whacked around and finally knocked out when Roberto Rodriguez drove in the fifth run of the inning.

Roberto Carrillo was brought in to go as far as humanly possible. The game was long lost of course, as the Coons trailed 5-1 after two. Carrillo was no help in the suicide mission, as he was torched for four more runs while only getting the team through the fifth.

An errant pickoff throw by Ortiz to first helped the Coons’ Reece to score a run in the third, but they were flailing at most things O’Keefe hurled at them. That was about the offense they could muster, and after five, they trailed 9-2.

The Bayhawks felt no need to stop. All their liners fell in, all their grounders got through. It was 10-2 off Matthews after six, and O’Keefe left after seven dominant innings, having done his job very well. The Bayhawks sent in Alex Byrd to pitch the final two frames, and the Raccoons looked even worse against him.

10-2 Bayhawks. Reece 2-5; Johnston (PH) 1-1; Vinson 2-4, 2 2B, RBI; Reyes 1-2, 2B;

Well, that had gone exceptionally……… fudge. The Bayhawks got every break they needed, while the Raccoons got an errant throw in their favor, and that was it. Everybody can make plans for Monday. There won’t be no game 5.

The Capitals needed 13 innings to beat the Pacifics in the FLCS opener, 5-4.

Game 2 – Jason Turner (16-9, 2.55 ERA) vs. Wilson Moreno (17-12, 3.31 ERA)

Moreno started the game with a walk to Reece, a wild pitch, a single to Salazar, and then walked Hall. Bases loaded, nobody out. Osanai hit a sac fly, 1-0, and then Quinn forced Hall at second, Salazar had to hold, and Higgins grounded out. Things were going as usual. Vinson threw out Roberto Rodriguez in the bottom 1st to help end that inning. It has to be mentioned, since CS’s didn’t come regularly for Vinson this year. When Turner punched out Powys for the would-be final out in the bottom 2nd, the ball eluded Vinson, but took a favorable bounce off the backstop, which was playing into Vinson’s hands and he still got Powys dashing for first base.

Bobby Quinn found Hall and Osanai on base with two out in the top 3rd. He could still be described as reasonably hot and came up clutch here, singling up the middle and Hall scored from second. Turner was now up 2-0, and punched out the side in the bottom 3rd, giving him five consecutive K’s. While that string ended right there, he continued to dominate the Bayhawks, not allowing a runner since Diego Rodriguez’ leadoff single.

The top 6th saw Osanai reach base with a leadoff single, but he remained there while Quinn and Higgins made outs. O’Morrissey then drilled a shot through 3B Tim Benson that went into the corner for a 2-out RBI triple and made it 3-0.

Moreno went into the seventh, but again put the three leadoff men on: Reece walked, Salazar doubled, and Hall walked. Tetsu Osanai had a chance to put the game to bed, but again only managed a sac fly. Quinn hit into a double play.

However, it was 4-0 now, and Turner was still dealing strong, allowing only his second base runner of the day in the bottom 7th, again Diego Rodriguez. Things got tighter in the bottom 8th with runners on the corners, but Turner remained in control, punching out two to get out of there.

The top 9th saw the upper third of our lineup collectively reach base to start an inning for the third time in the game. Johnston had a pinch-hit single in place of Reece, and Salazar and Hall walked. Osanai the third. And this time he got it through Cobb in right! Two runs scored, and Higgins added a sac fly to make it 7-0.

Turner went out for the bottom 9th with a 3-hit shutout intact. Zahid Mashwanis pinch-hit for Diego Rodriguez and singled his way on. Roberto Rodriguez grounded out, and Pedro Perez looped out to Johnston in center. Cobb for the shutout. Cobb tried to keep the game alive, but Turner punched him out eventually. Win!

7-0 Raccoons! Reece 1-2, 2 BB; Johnston (PH) 1-1; Salazar 2-4, BB, 2B; Osanai 2-2, BB, 2B, 4 RBI; O’Morrissey 2-5, RBI; Turner 9.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 9 K, W (1-0);

This is Jason Turner's seventh major league shutout, and the first in the postseason. In five postseason starts, he's 3-0 with a 1.53 ERA and a 0.85 WHIP.

The Capitals walked off against the Pacifics for the second time in their series, 3-2 in the 12th, taking a 2-0 lead.

---

Cancel your diner reservations, there will be a game 5.

Anyway, since it’s late already and I have already overslept once this week, that will be it for today. Saito and Wade will start the next games. Do I want Vazquez in the final game in Portland? He was abysmal in his start. Lopez has not been used so far.

[Westheim]

1991 CONTINENTAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Portland Raccoons (96-66) vs. San Francisco Bayhawks (97-66)

Game 3 – Kisho Saito (19-7, 2.98 ERA) vs. Wilbert Rodgers (14-11, 3.09 ERA)

We took a quick 2-0 lead in the first inning after Salazar, Hall, Osanai, and Quinn chained together four singles against Rodgers.

Kisho Saito sat down the first eight Bayhawks in order, before it was Rodgers, who lined a single into left field. A Diego Rodriguez double put the tying runs into scoring position, but a fine play by Hall in left surrendered Jose Ortiz for the final out of the inning.

Top 4th, and the Bayhawks got going with two leadoff infield singles the defense had no chance to pull out. At least Pedro Villa then grounded into a double play, removing the tying run from base. The runner on third was starved, and Saito again faced a runner on third base in the fifth, and didn’t let that one score either. Still, the pressure on Saito was mounting and it would not be unwise to add an insurance run or two.

Osanai and Quinn singled their way on to start the bottom 6th. With two out, they were still on, waiting on the corners. Vinson was up and took a 2-2 pitch to left. LF Brandon Bailey could have taken it on a hop, allowing one run to score, but he tried to catch it – and missed it completely. Quinn scored from first on a 2-run double.

The Raccoons left two on in the seventh. Saito held his portion of the scoreboard clean and even batted for himself in the bottom 8th with two in scoring position and one out. He grounded out and the runners had to hold, but Reece doubled in both runners to extend the lead. Reece scored on a bloop single by Salazar then.

Saito went back out for the ninth. Could our guys turn back-to-back shutouts against San Fran? They could! Saito pitched a perfect ninth and completed the game on 120 pitches!

7-0 Raccoons! Reece 2-5, 2B, 2 RBI; Salazar 3-5, RBI; Hall 2-4, BB; Osanai 2-4; Quinn 2-3, BB, 2 RBI; Vinson 2-4, 2 2B, 2 RBI; Saito 9.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K, W (1-0);

This is the 12th big league shutout for Saito and the first he has pitched in the playoffs. He, too, has an exceptional playoff record so far: 9 GS, 6-1, 0.86 ERA; yes, oh-eighty-six!

Down the coast in L.A., the Capitals’ Parker Montgomery out-lasted Eduardo Jimenez in a pitchers’ duel, and the Capitals won 1-0 to position themselves for a sweep.

Game 4 – Scott Wade (14-11, 3.68 ERA) vs. Chris O’Keefe

We made a lineup change, moving Vinson up to #6, and playing Reyes instead of Higgins in game 4. The fact that the Bayhawks were putting up an all-righty rotation for the playoffs made lineup jugglings not necessarily necessary. But Higgins was hitting .167 and Reyes had come up with a pinch hit in game 1. Maybe he could provide some spark, as we sent our – by record – worst man to the mound. Not that I considered Scotty the worst of our lot. (peeking at Vazquez)

The Bayhawks skipped right back to their ace, who had given us fits in the series opener. He was pitching on three days’ rest now, and whether that was a sound decision, remained to be seen.

Maybe it was not. After a quick first by Wade, Neil Reece led off the bottom 1st with a sizzling double to the base of the wall in deep left. O’Keefe struck out Salazar and Hall, but gave Osanai a fat 3-0 pitch to hit, and Osanai doubled to center for a 1-0 lead. O’Keefe ran the count full on Bobby Quinn, and Bobby unleashed a booming home run – and we led 3-0.

The score remained so through three, through which Wade did not allow a hit, but the Bayhawks broke into the H column in the fourth with two singles and were on the corners, but Mike Powys grounded out to end the inning. There was however something with Raccoons pitchers not getting the pitchers of the opposition out. A 2-out double by O’Keefe in the top 5th created danger when Diego Rodriguez followed it up with an infield single, but Roberto Rodriguez flew out to Quinn and Wade escaped trouble again.

Bottom 6th. With Salazar on first base after a leadoff walk, Hall, Osanai, and Quinn all hit into long, hard outs. 20 feet on any of those shots might have put the game to bed. Anyway, Wade was breezing now, axing down the Bayhawks in both the seventh and the eighth. Three playoff shutouts in a row? Should such a thing be possible?

We didn’t get a chance to test it. Salazar doubled in the bottom 8th, but was not scored, and the score remained 3-0. With left-handers Pedro Perez and Steve Cobb due up first and second in the ninth, that was too hot an iron to touch. Grant West was brought in.

Perez dished a single past Salazar to lead off, but Cobb grounded to Higgins – on at first for Osanai – who turned a double play with Reyes. Villa then gently flew out to Reece.

3-0 Raccoons!! I can’t believe it!! We had only five hits in the game, but made those count! Quinn 1-3, HR, 2 RBI; Wade 8.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, W (1-0);

Bayhawks go behind the 8 ball! Meanwhile the Pacifics left that position with a 5-4 loss to the Capitals in their fourth game, ending the FLCS early. The Capitals swept the Pacifics with a +4 run differential. Wow. Gifted AND lucky, how should anybody stink up to them?

Game 5 – Miguel Lopez (4-3, 3.36 ERA) vs. Pepe Martinez (11-8, 3.43 ERA)

Robert Vazquez had been abysmal in the opener of the series. Miguel Lopez had pitched well in his last few starts of the year. We made a switch. I didn’t want to go back to San Francisco, it was that easy. (Wait, is that optimism? Confidence?)

Reyes remained in the lineup, but Johnston played left for Hall, who had swung at everything in the dirt for three K’s in game 4. This also maximized our available left-handed bats without taking silly steps like sitting Quinn for Martin or the like.

After a quick first, Lopez struck out the next five Bayhawks coming up, until it was again the pitcher to hurt him, as Martinez singled into left. He walked the next guy, and a Jose Ortiz single scored Martinez. Another walk later, the bases were loaded. Powys singled to left to score two. Five straight Bayhawks reached with two out and the Raccoons trailed 3-0. The Raccoons loaded the bags with two out in the bottom 3rd. Osanai grounded out and the chance was gone.

When O’Morrissey and Reyes reached base with two out in the bottom 4th, it brought up Lopez, and we went for a pinch hitter. Jeff Martin doubled to right, scoring O-Mo, but Reece flew out with two in scoring position and the Bayhawks retained a 3-1 lead.

The middle innings went past quickly. The Raccoons had O-Mo on first with one out in the sixth, but he was thrown out stealing. Carrillo pitched three strong innings upon Lopez’ removal and held the gap at two runs.

Two down in the bottom 7th, Osanai had two men on and drilled the ball – right into Pepe Martinez’ glove. Inning over.

Juan Martinez held the Bayhawks short in the eighth. Vinson then led off the bottom of the frame with a double. Johnston had stayed in the game at 0-3, despite Hall being used to pinch-hit in the seventh, and now had to pay back. He couldn’t, and Vinson merely went to third on his groundout. O-Mo then doubled to right, and the tying run was in scoring position with one out. Reyes would be next, but here, I wanted a left-hander against Pepe Martinez. Switch-hitter Matt Higgins was the only thing resembling a lefty sitting on the bench. He bounced out, O’Morrissey moving to third. Bob Arnold pinch-hit for Juan Martinez in the #9 hole. In a full count, he lined to the left side, Powys jumping – HE DIDN’T GET IT!!! Arnold dinked into shallow left, and O-Mo came home with the tying run!!

Reece grounded out, but the stage was set to walk off in the ninth with the 2-3-4 guys up. First, though, Ken Burnett had to remove some obstacles. Pedro Perez and Steve Cobb both made full contact on 2-2 pitches, and while both flew out, Quinn’s parade on Cobb’s howling flyer was an exceptional example of defense. We then brought in Lagarde against the right-handed Bailey, but the Bayhawks sent Mashwanis to pinch-hit, their last left-hander on the bench. He singled up the middle, but Lagarde got 3B Tim Benson to ground out right into Higgins’ glove.

Bottom 9th. We need a run to face the Cyborgs, eh, Capitals. The Bayhawks brought in closer William Henderson in his first appearance of the series. With that, we pinch hit with Antonio Gonzalez for Salazar to counter the lefty Henderson. He still grounded out. Quinn was punched out. Could Tetsu Osanai make it end in regulation? Nope, he grounded out, and we went to extra innings.

Lagarde sat down the Bayhawks in order in the 10th, and then Vinson singled off Henderson to start our half of the inning. The World Series run was on base. We had only Gustavo Flores left on the bench, so no pinch runner – Vinson had to do that himself. Johnston bunted him to second. The Bayhawks then put on O’Morrissey to face Higgins, whose liner out to center was just caught by Diego Rodriguez. That brought up Lagarde – but no, Flores here and now. He grounded out.

The bench was empty, and the pen held Vazquez, Matthews, and West. Going to West was tempting. And we did it. He had to face two righties to start the 11th, and Roberto Rodriguez doubled his way on. Uh-oh. West was West, however, and struck out the side from there.

Henderson was out of it, Alex Byrd pitching for the Bayhawks, a right-hander, which was a shame with Salazar out of the game and Gonzalez now due to bat second in the inning. Then Neil Reece walked to start the bottom 11th. We put on the hit-and-run, and Reece made it to third on Gonzalez’ single to left.

Quinn, Osanai, Vinson. Any deep ball will do. Byrd struck out Quinn. Osanai looped out to left, and Reece had no shot. Vinson went into the gap in right center, but so did Steve Cobb – and caught the ball.

Bottom 12th. O-Mo drew a 1-out walk. With West in the hole, he had to get into scoring position for Higgins and stole second. Ed Hopper’s throw was not even close. Higgins grounded out, and O-Mo went to third. The bench was empty. Grant West had to hit, with two out. West was a career .192 batter, 5-26. He made contact with a 0-1 pitch, but shoved it into the dirt in front of home plate and was put out.

This smelled like the 1989 World Series all over.

Top 13th. Gonzalez put Roberto Rodriguez on with one out with an error. West then fell to Mike Powys and a 2-run homer. That was … not good. Bottom 13th. Reece led off, facing Lawrence Bentley, a good right-handed setup man. He singled, but was forced out on Gonzalez’ grounder. Quinn fouled out, two down. Osanai was 0-6. He singled to right to put the tying runs on for Vinson.

Vinson struck out.

5-3 Bayhawks. Reece 3-6, BB; Salazar 1-2, 2 BB; O’Morrissey 2-3, 3 BB, 2B, RBI; Martin (PH) 1-1, 2B; Arnold (PH) 1-1, RBI; Carrillo 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K; Lagarde 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K;

Back to hostile territory. It DOES smell like the 1989 World Series. All over.

[Westheim]

You know the deal, games 6 and 7 are single posts, always.

1991 CONTINENTAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Portland Raccoons (96-66) vs. San Francisco Bayhawks (97-66)

Game 6 – Jason Turner vs. Wilson Moreno

Hall was back in where he belonged, the #3 hole, and Johnston on the bench. Higgins was back in for Reyes.

Turner was crowded in the bottom 1st with two runners in scoring position before he struck out Villa to end the inning.

Top 2nd, we had runners on the corners with one out and O’Morrissey batting. He struck out, bringing up Turner. Turner struck out. A 1-out double by Salazar gave us another chance in the third, and Hall lined into right for an RBI single. We’re in business. Osanai walked then. The 0-1 pitch to Quinn was wild and the runners moved up. But Quinn was then punched out by Moreno and Vinson grounded out. Another chance not used.

Higgins got on to start the fourth, and stole second and went to third on a bad throw by Jose Ortiz. Nobody out, O-Mo popped out, and it was left to Turner to get Higgins in with a sac fly. 2-0. The offense left runners in scoring position the next two innings.

Meanwhile, Turner was not as strong and dominant as in game 2. The fact that his defense pulled out a few double plays helped him greatly, but in the bottom 6th, Roberto Rodriguez and Pedro Perez pushed singles through seams to start the inning. Cobb grounded out to Osanai, whose only play was to first. That put the tying runs into scoring position. Villa grounded out, but Rodriguez scored, and the lead became an uncomfortable 2-1 after six.

The Coons again left a runner in scoring position in the seventh. Somebody appeared to have written something on the wall in right center. “Not gonna make it” Huh?

The Coons were retired in order in the eighth and Turner was pinch-hit for, so Lagarde came on for the eighth with Burnett warming up to face the 3-4 lefties. Lagarde got his two men, and Burnett the first left-hander.

Reece singled and Salazar walked off Henderson to start the top 9th. Hall struck out. Osanai struck out. Quinn struck out.

Bottom 9th. Grant West had been abused in that long and pointless game 5. Burnett would stay on to face Cobb, and Cobb grounded out. Villa and Powys were due next, and I went to Matthews.

Villa grounded out. One out to go. Powys made solid contact to the gap in left center, Reece dashed after it, but couldn’t get it (which ususally means it was really good contact). Powys doubled and the Bayhawks sent Zahid Mashwanis to pinch-hit. And now you don’t think about West having thrown 50 pitches two days ago. You want him. West against Mashwanis. Veteran, beloved closer against much hated and disgusting veteran coonskinner.

West threw Mashwanis a sinker that caught the corner. 0-1. He followed that up with a curve that Mashwanis ripped right through. 0-2. A strike away from the World Series. West tried to sucker him into missing a wide one there, but Mashwanis didn’t bite. 1-2. Mashwanis fouled off the next pitch. West then channeled his powers. In the middle of a hostile ballpark, West was in equilibrium. Sinker to Mashwanis, swung on, MISSED IT!!!

The Raccoons go to the Big Show!!!

2-1 Raccoons!!! Hall 2-4, BB, 2B, RBI; Quinn 2-5; Higgins 2-4; Turner 7.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, W (2-0) and 1-2, RBI; West 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, SV (2);

Hear me exhaling very, very, very slowly.

[Westheim]

We set our rotation to Saito, then Wade, then Turner (who could pitch game 3 on four days’ rest), and then most likely Lopez for the World Series.

Those guys would face the Capitals, the defending champions, who had smothered the Federal League to a .698 tune this year, and had swept the Pacifics in the FLCS. You really want more info?

Their offense was exceptional. They ranked top 3 in all offensive categories in the FL, except stolen bases, where they were a paltry fourth. They had no trouble to field a lineup with seven players with .345+ OBP’s, that contained three (C Gabriel Rivera, 2B/3B Hector Atilano, and OF Jeffery Brown) with .400+ OBP’s. While Osanai had topped the Coons with 14 homers, they had three players exceeding that value, Brown topping the list with 24. There was no weak point in their lineup. Period.

The only drawback was that their centerfielder Tomas Maguey was nursing his ankle and was not as fleet of foot out there.

What do you need to know about their pitching? It was even better than their offense. They ranked top 2 in all pitching categories except home runs allowed (3rd). Their playoff rotation had won 74 games in the regular season, against 29 losses. They had a lights out closer in Domingo Rivera. The bridge to him didn’t need to be long and it was formidable.

How to beat these guys? I don’t have a clue. We have not faced them for two seasons, and back in ’89 they were much less cyborgish.

I got in tune with the task on hand with a bit of Gary Moore. “Over The Hills And Far Away” … some day, one day, the Raccoons will win the World Series. How far away is that day? More than, say, one week? Odds obviously are not in our favor.

1991 WORLD SERIES
Portland Raccoons (96-66) @ Washington Capitals (113-49)

Game 1 – Kisho Saito (19-7, 2.98 ERA) vs. Archie Dye (26-3, 2.24 ERA)

What can I say other than, Kisho, I’m sorry. Your team will probably be shut out. Dye had surrendered 12 runs in his last three starts, though, including his FLCS outing Maybe …?

Oh boy, no! The bottom 1st immediately got us a glimpse of what we were up to. The Capitals loaded the bags with one out and while Saito retained atop of things with a K to RF Darren Allison, and went to 3-2 on 3B Yoshihito Ito, Ito then flew to right, and Quinn dropped the ball. Two runs scored. In the bottom 2nd, Archie Dye hit a home run off Saito, and possibly the rout was on by then, 3-0.

Through four, Saito trailed 5-0 already, and the Raccoons face the possibility of being no-hit by Dye, who was dealing things they had never seen heretofore. Dye’s bid made it into the sixth when O’Morrissey grounded through between Ito and SS Nuno Andresen. Saito was pinch-hit for here, Johnston forcing O-Mo out, but a wild pitch by Dye moved Johnston into scoring position and he scored on a 2-out single by Salazar. 5-1, we’re getting back at them!

We actually did. Dye began to crumble. Osanai led off the seventh with a single, and then Vinson got on, and with two out, O’Morrissey was up. He shook Dye pretty well with a massive homer to left. Unfortunately, the Raccoons still trailed, 5-4.

Allison took Juan Martinez deep in the eighth, though, which provided the Capitals with a welcome insurance run. Then they sent Rivera for the ninth, and he sat the Raccoons down so quickly, fans barely got into a rhythm with their clapping and braying.

6-4 Capitals. Salazar 2-4, RBI; O’Morrissey 2-3, HR, 3 RBI;

Game 2 – Scott Wade (14-11, 3.68 ERA) vs. Ramon Ortiz (16-9, 2.67 ERA)

Compared to Dye’s, Ortiz’ numbers looked certainly almost human. He’s still a cyborg. YOU’VE ALL BEEN UNCOVERED!!

Ortiz was a left-hander, which meant that Salazar sat for Gonzalez. Osanai was the only left-hander in the lineup.

While Wade had an adventurous first inning, the game remained scoreless through the first two frames. Vinson led off the top 3rd with a single to right. Wade was to bunt him over to second base, but Ortiz continued to throw junk, and eventually the count ran full and Wade swung away, grounding to third, from where Hector Atilano made a bad throw and everybody was safe! Reece singled up the middle. Bases loaded, nobody out. Oh god, score, boys! SCORE!

O-Mo came up in that situation and drilled a pitch to center, and past the ill-footed Maguey for a 2-run double! Yes! Follow it up! Hall hit a sac fly, and Quinn scored O’Morrissey on an RBI groundout. The Raccoons led 4-0 and now it was Wade’s game to lose.

Again it was the pitcher, Ortiz, to cause damage with a leadoff double in the bottom 3rd. The Capitals brought him around to score, and the first run had been lost off the lead. Ortiz again led off the bottom 5th with a single. What was it with those pitchers?? Wade was no help in keeping things tidy here, and advanced Ortiz far enough with a wild pitch so that he could score again. 4-2.

Ito got on to lead off the seventh, and while Wade got one out here, left-hander Jim Thompson pinch-hit for Ortiz and with two more left-handers leading off, we went to the pen. And we went to Vazquez. He got Thompson, but then surrendered two singles, scoring Wade’s runner. Lagarde surrendered Maguey to hold on to a glass lead, 4-3.

Lagarde remained on for the eighth. Herrera hit a double with one out that put the tying run in scoring position. Lagarde surrendered Gabriel Rivera, and the Capitals sent backup catcher Arturo Aguilar, a right-hander, to pinch hit. Lagarde’s first pitch was all but crushed. Home run, game toppled. Rivera held the Coons at bay in the ninth, with a 1-out single by Vinson everything they could mount.

5-4 Capitals. O’Morrissey 3-4, 2B, 2 RBI; Vinson 3-4; that was 75% of our hits already …

Nope, it’s not meant to be. The Capitals could put their janitor in the lineup and the result would be the same. They have all the stinking luck they need to sweep the floor with us.

[Westheim]

1991 WORLD SERIES
Portland Raccoons (96-66) vs. Washington Capitals (113-49)

Game 3 – Jason Turner (16-9, 2.55 ERA) vs. Parker Montgomery (14-11, 3.51 ERA)

By the pitching matchup, we had a chance here. If we could stop the freak homers. We would try to make a mark with Reyes and Johnston in for Higgins and Hall. It hadn’t worked well before.

Things came apart quickly, and Reyes had a hand in it. Herrera doubled in Allison in the second, and Reyes threw away Rivera’s grounder to score the second run for free. O’Morrissey then threw away Montgomery’s sac bunt. It was about over by there. The Capitals scored three runs, two unearned, as Turner watched helplessly.

Turner had two men on with two outs in the bottom 2nd and grounded to Ito. Now the Capitals bled an unearned run, as Ito made a bad throw, and the tying runs went into scoring position. Reece grounded into the hole on the left side, but Nuno Andresen made the play, threw to first – out.

Herrera homered in the top 3rd, and an O’Morrissey RBI double restored the 2-run deficit in the bottom 3rd. Turner was not up to the task of beating the Capitals, and the rest of the Furballs was not up to the task of mounting enough mass to overcome Montgomery.

Maybe O-Mo could provide a spark for the rest of the crew here. He tripled with one out in the sixth. Johnston made solid contact, but lined out to Herrera at first, and O-Mo had to scramble to avoid being doubled up. Vinson struck out to end that inning.

Turner was done after seven. Reyes led off the bottom 7th with a single and Hall pinch-hit for Turner. He flew into right center, where Allison caught his flyer, then dropped it. Two runners were on now for Reece. Montgomery put two strikes on him, before Reece made a rip meet the ball. And that shot was GONE!!!

The park was shaking as Reece gave the exiting Turner and the Coons a 5-4 lead. They HAD to win this one. The Coons got an insurance run through a pinch-hit bloop single by Bob Arnold with two down, and now had to carry a 6-4 lead over two innings.

Martinez sat down the Capitals in order in the eighth, including K’s to Allison and Herrera. We got another run off Armando Davila in the bottom 8th, Salazar driving in Reece.

Enter Sandman, also known as Grant West. But things weren’t working out. He put two on, then faced Aguilar with one out. That backup catcher behaved obnoxiously again and singled up the middle for a run to score. 7-5, two on, one out, Jeffery Brown came up. And Brown hit a 2-run triple.

West stalled Brown on third base, but the lead was gone. Nothing was working out. Nothing at all. O’Morrissey singled his way on in the bottom 9th with one out, and Arnold double played the Raccoons into extra innings, with both Osanai and Quinn removed for defense.

Bottom 11th. Salazar led off with a single. Martin singled. Higgins popped out. Oh, well. Now O’Morrissey came up, the only guy who carried some pop in his bat. That pop was just enough for a double play.

The bullpens both pitched effectively now and after we had used Matthews for two innings, Burnett pitched two. Bottom 13th: Hall walked to get things started. Hit-and-run, and Reece made contact, Hall went to third. Nobody out. Salazar came up with a grounder to right – and through. The Raccoons walked off.

8-7 Coons. Salazar 4-7, 2 2B, 2 RBI; Quinn 2-5, 2B; Martin (PH) 1-1; O’Morrissey 3-5, BB, 3B, 2B, RBI; Reyes 3-6; Matthews 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K; Burnett 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, W (1-0);

Game 4 – Miguel Lopez (4-3, 3.36 ERA) vs. Julio Rodriguez (18-6, 3.62 ERA)

Archie Dye was looming big in game 5, so if Lopez lost here, it was about over. Hall was back in the lineup with Johnston just not coming up with enough hits. Both were scraping around .200 at this point for the playoffs.

The Capitals lost SS Nuno Andresen to injury early in game 4. Atilano replaced him, but his agility might not be enough to play short?

Whatever Atilano did at short, he led off the top 3rd with a single and was brought around to third base quickly. Lopez then scored him with a wild pitch and the scoring started. Herrera homered in the fourth to continue it, 2-0 Capitals.

The Raccoons did little to threaten Julio Rodriguez and had three hits through five innings. Reece led off the bottom 6th with a double off the wall in center and what better way was there to start an inning than with an extra base hit? Of course it would help to follow that up with more hits. Salazar grounded out, advancing Reece, and Hall flew out, scoring Reece, but that didn’t solve the issue of a 2-run deficit!

Down 2-1, Lopez collected an out in the seventh, then fell to a home run by Charlie Justin. Here are the two runs again. 3-1.

Bottom 7th. Johnston came in as pinch hitter with two on and two down. Vinson was the lead runner, but a 3-2 pitch set the runners in motion and Johnston singled through on the left side. Vinson scored, and Reyes held at second base. Now, if Reece could land another hit …! He grounded out to Ito at third.

We brought in Vazquez to face but two batters in the top 8th, and he put them both on. Lagarde was not on at this point, and now had to keep those runners from scoring, but couldn’t execute here, and one run scored, and he also allowed a home run to Jim Thompson in the ninth. With Rivera coming on, there was no point of holding out hope. He retired the side in the bottom 9th.

5-2 Capitals. Reece 2-4, 2B; Johnston (PH) 1-1, RBI;

Game 5 – Kisho Saito vs. Archie Dye

Once again, Kisho. I’m very sorry.

Radical lineup shakeup for this matchup, as O’Morrissey batted third, Hall seventh, and Higgins was back in batting sixth. It wouldn’t help much, I guess.

Maguey doubled off Saito at the start of the game and was sacrificed home for an early 1-0 lead. With the Coons facing elimination, and Dye on the mound, and them thus facing elimination, they now REALLY faced elimination!

No matter how hard Saito pitched, it was not enough. Jeffery Brown’s 2-run blast in the top 3rd put the Capitals 3-0 ahead, and the Raccoons had yet to scare Archie Dye.

Well, for starters, David Vinson almost took Dye’s head off with a crackling line drive to lead off the bottom 3rd. It was a single, and Saito then worked a walk behind Vinson. For crying out loud, somebody sock one!! Nobody socked one, and nobody scored, as nobody landed a hit. Reece flew out gently to left, Salazar grounded out, and O-Mo struck out.

The Capitals loaded the bags in the fifth, and Saito crumbled away, throwing a run-scoring wild pitch to Darren Allison. 4-0 down, it was over. Right? In any case it was for Saito, who pitched five sadly ineffective innings.

The paint came off Dye in the sixth again. The Coons had them on the corners with two out, and Quinn singled through into left. Higgins followed that up with a banging 2-run double off the wall in right center. Three runs were in and Higgins was at second for Hall to drive in and tie the game. He flew out to left.

The Coons did not draw blood when Atilano made an error in the seventh that put Reece on base. Carrillo had pitched two clean innings, and Lagarde sat down the Capitals in order in the eighth.

Quinn had a 2-out single in the bottom 8th. Johnston pinch-hit for Higgins against the right-hander Jesus Longoria, went to a full count, and struck out.

Grant West pitched a scoreless ninth, and that set the stage for most likely the final inning the team would spend at home this year. Domingo Rivera had been used up before, and the Capitals sent Heath Tulk. Hall, Vinson, Gonzalez.

Hall walked, providing a last straw of hope. Vinson walked. Oooh, we’re rolling. Gonzalez was now told to bunt to get the tying run to third for Reece. Gonzalez’ bunt was so ****, the Capitals forced Hall at third. Reece flew out to deep center – WHICH WOULD HAVE TIED THE GAME. Now, Vinson moved to third.

Heath Tulk and Jorge Salazar were at it with two down. 1-1 the count, Salazar rushed a grounder up the middle just past the mound. 2B Charlie Justin hauled it in and beat Gonzalez to second base.

4-3 Capitals. Quinn 3-4, RBI;

Ah.

1991 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS
WASHINGTON CAPITALS
(2nd title)

[blazertaz13]

Tough outcome for your first world series bid. I realize losing is never fun, but now the Coons realize the fun of playing for it all. Now they have had expectations set to not only make it back, but to win it all.

Here's to a positive off season.

[Orcin]

I have terrible luck advancing a runner to third on a bunt. I think the runner fails to advance far too often. In other words, you were screwed and should have won!

Great job and good luck next season.

[Questdog]

Well, to lose to the Capitals is no shame and at least we were not swept......

Thanks for the World Series seats!

Here's what we do: Win it all in '92!

Need a little more offense; maybe a second baseman with some pop.....Higgins has not shown much so far.....actually he has shown quite a lot, just nothing good......a breakout season from Reece would be awesome....looks like Tetsu has decided to become Keith Hernandez (minus the glove) rather than Albert Pujols (minus the glove).....

[ShaneCarson]

Yes, go out and sign us a second baseman with some swing in him! Or maybe a third baseman with some swing and shift O'Mo to second? Not sure how he rates out defensively but his bat might profile better at the keystone.

[Westheim]

Originally Posted by blazertaz13

Tough outcome for your first world series bid.

It was actually #3.

Originally Posted by Orcin

In other words, you were screwed and should have won!

Great job and good luck next season.

I always get screwed and always should have won.

Score was 92 for this season, by the way.

Originally Posted by Questdog

Well, to lose to the Capitals is no shame and at least we were not swept......

Thanks for the World Series seats!

Here's what we do: Win it all in '92!

Need a little more offense; maybe a second baseman with some pop.....Higgins has not shown much so far.....actually he has shown quite a lot, just nothing good......a breakout season from Reece would be awesome....looks like Tetsu has decided to become Keith Hernandez (minus the glove) rather than Albert Pujols (minus the glove).....

Originally Posted by ShaneCarson

Yes, go out and sign us a second baseman with some swing in him! Or maybe a third baseman with some swing and shift O'Mo to second? Not sure how he rates out defensively but his bat might profile better at the keystone.

Of the regulars in the lineup, Matt Higgins has posted the weakest offensive numbers, along with Vinson. However, his defense at 2B was very good (4.53 RF, +8.1 ZR, 1.034 EFF) and he stole 30 bags, more than the next three Coons in that category.

O'Morrissey is a corner infielder. We tried for about a month to make him comfy at second base a few years ago, but it did not work at all.

We'll have to see what the free agent market has to offer.

---

A few notes below.

Note #1: the Raccoons set a new ABL record for World Series appearances without ever winning a World Series, with 3.

Note #2: the Capitals are only the second team to win back-to-back titles after the 1986-87 Blue Sox.

Note #3: no team has won three titles so far. The Capitals (1990, 1991) and Blue Sox (1986, 1987) are joined by the Stars (1983, 1988) and Canadiens (1982, 1984) as two-time champions. Ugh. Canadiens.

Note #4: the Continental League champions have lost seven straight World Series since the Gold Sox beat the Canadiens in 1985.

Note #5: our late season collapse has toppled us a bit in the pursuit to become a .500 franchise for the first time since game 2 of the inaugural season. Currently, the Raccoons are 1,189-1,241 (.489) all time, 52 below .500, and 16th overall.

And now:

Picking up the pieces

Grandma Shumway always warned her grandchildren to never look back, so they would not have to glance at the chaos.

That much is true. We still have to do it.

What went wrong last season? Basically, we enjoyed two months of strong hitting and five months of strong pitching. Once both of those were gone in September, disaster unfolded. October was not as bad, and three consecutive shutouts of a playoff opponent (games 2, 3, 4 against San Francisco) has to count for something. Ultimately, it was not enough to overcome the Capitals. But nobody had overcome the Capitals all year long. They had won frickin’ 113 games in the regular season, a new ABL record!

This all the more convinces me that our mix of players is more or less spot on. We just weren’t lucky enough. Turner, Martinez, Reece, Salazar may have had very good Octobers, and a few others had less good Octobers, but this is not about individual failures and shortcomings. The little things fell the Capitals’ way every time in the World Series, even if it just was Kisho Saito being taken deep by 26-3 monster Archie Dye. The core of players is very good, well balanced, and can repeat league titles.

Now we will have to keep the core together, while we are facing salary escalation through first-time arbitration eligibility for a number of key players. Whether we want it or not, we will have to do some culling this late October, early November, to get our budget straightened out.

When things looked dire money-wise, I got a great message from our owner Carlos Valdes: our budget for 1992 would be raised to $15.9M, which was more than an 10% increase compared to 1991! This of course took a lot of pressure off the salaries we could accommodate.

Now for bad news: for the umpteenth time in the last years, we’d need a new scouting director, as Jeffrey Anderson voided the last years of his contract and retired at age 64. We will need to hunt for coaching and scouting personnel before everything else, since we also parted ways with our bench coach (was too greedy) and pitching coach (ratings never overwhelmed me).

The player option I accidentally gave Juan Martinez two years ago was voided by Martinez and he’s bound for free agency. That’s not really what I want and I will have to start with money showers with him, it seems.

We will also have to decide whether to pick up the team option of a certain Japanese starting pitcher, which should be a no-brainer.

[Westheim]

I was quick to execute the $600k option on Kisho Saito’s contract. I consider that bargain at this point. Negotiating an extension this season will probably bring me to tears, since he should be righteously commanding an annual salary easily exceeding $1M.

Juan Martinez voided his contract option, but is still arbitration eligible. People do the strangest things. In addition to him the following players are first-time arbitration-eligible: Burnett, Higgins, Johnston, Lagarde, Martin, Turner; total salary for them was six times the minimum in ’91, $516k in total, while their estimates add up to $1.06M for ’92. There goes at least one third of our budget bump. (Owner = penny pincher; budget ranks 5th of 24?)

However, we also have to take other things into account: players with expiring contracts; these include the following (’91 salary): Salazar ($650k), Arnold ($423k), Carrillo ($300k), Flores ($128k), Reyes ($124k);

The only player of these five that is imperative to retain is Jorge Salazar. We have no promising shortstop in our system, and while he is 31, his batting has gotten better the last two years (and significantly), while his defense was – apart from eight errors, which happen – a wonderful dream last year, with a +15.6 ZR and 1.063 EFF, and these numbers are actually a tad down from 1990. He also bats left-handed, and has to stay here. The cost is almost irrelevant. Almost.

With the exception of Flores, all of these four are type B free agents. Flores is not compensation eligible.

Contract negotiations with Jorge Salazar started immediately, two days after the World Series concluded. I almost fell off my chair at his demands, which basically read 9-yr, $8.5M plus incentives. After we did some hard negotiating, he took a flat 5-yr, $4.5M offer with him into his winter vacation at home in the Dominican to contemplate over it. The last year is a vesting option, requiring 120 games played. Well, it’s half that bad, since it will raise his 1991 salary by only $250k. Since we will part with fifth outfielder Bob Arnold in any case, we’re not spending money yet.

Of our seven arbitration-eligible players, all fill important roles with the exception of Jeff Martin, who was once a prospect, but became superseded by others (Johnston, Reece, Quinn). I don’t quite know why – he is scouted as a very good high-average, low-K batter with admittedly zero power, while at the same time not playing a great centerfield, so he was not suited for a power corner outfield position offensively, and also didn’t fit the basic job description of centerfield with great defense and speed. He didn’t fit anywhere for us, but maybe he could be trade bait? He could also stay on the roster as fifth outfielder, because Vern Kinnear would go back to AAA for next season, but with Johnston projected as fourth outfielder, both our backup outfielders would bat left-handed then. Ugh, choices!

October 1 – LAP OF Lucio Hernandez (.362, 18 HR, 97 RBI) and VAN 2B David Brewer (.368, 8 HR, 75 RBI) win the batting titles in the Federal and Continental League.
October 11 – Our prospect Vern Kinnear is awarded the AAA Batter of the Year title with a .315, 27 HR, 97 RBI season for St. Petersburg.
October 28 – 3B Ben O’Morrissey and SS Jorge Salazar win Gold Gloves for the Raccoons. Salazar takes the CL SS glove for the second year in a row and won the 1987 CL 2B glove splitting time between Tijuana and Indianapolis. O’Morrissey wins his first title.
October 29 – RIC 3B Antonio Gutierrez (.301, 5 HR, 44 RBI) and SFB LF/RF Pedro Perez (.335, 13 HR, 51 RBI) are named Rookies of the Year.
October 30 – Fans in Portland are thrilled as the Raccoons announce a 5-year contract extension to SP Jason Turner for $2.32M, which will clear Turner’s arbitration eligibility and two years of free agency.
October 31 – The Raccoons continue to set their sights on the future by signing MR Jackie Lagarde to a 4-yr, $1.05M extenstion, clearing his arbitration years and one year of free agency.
October 31 – WAS SP Archie Dye (26-3, 2.24 ERA) and TIJ SP Woody Roberts (23-6, 2.57 ERA) are the Pitchers of the Year.
November 1 – At age 40, WAS 2B/3B Hector Atilano has shown the young boys by winning the FL Hitter of the Year award with a .337, 16 HR, 92 RBI line. TIJ OF Preston O’Day (.332, 34 HR, 118 RBI) takes the CL crown. For Atilano it is the fifth MVP honor, spanning all of the ABL’s history, as he won in 1977 (NYC), 1979 (NYC), 1984 (SAC), and 1986 (SAC)!
November 2 – More good news for the fans in Portland, as the Raccoons announce a 5-yr, $4.5M extension to INF Jorge Salazar!
November 5 – And one more: MR Roberto Carrillo and the Raccoons agree on a 3-yr, $1M contract extension.
November 6 – The Raccoons and OF Glenn Johnston agree on a 2-yr, $500k contract extension, deferring arbitration until the fall of 1993.

Jolly Jason came rather cheap for the ceiling I expect for him. He’s rated as 4-star pitcher by our new scout Vicente Guerra – same as before. Lagarde was also cheap for his stuff and all. His 4.5-star rating also hasn’t changed.

Apart from Salazar, the only other free agent pitched an offer was Carrillo. He has an excellent makeup to be used in a wide variety of roles from emergency starting over long relief to 7th and 8th inning duties. He made $300k in 1991, and got a 10% raise. Sounds fair. For me.

Flores got no offer since we have an excellent defensive catcher available at AAA to take over backup duties to Vinson. Reyes is an exceptional 4-position infielder, but we could replace him with Matt Duncan or a free agent with better offensive qualities. Arnold had always been too expensive.

I would have loved to lock Glenn Johnston up for another two years, but he really wanted a short term contract. Well, he’s young, who can blame him, and much looks like he will play fourth string next season. His arbitration estimate was $220k this year.

There is definitively something to this young man. The Gold Sox tried to trade for him in early November, but their offer was really unthrilling.

By the way, one guy regularly overlooked here is OF Raul Castillo, whom we added at the deadline last year and played three games before suffering a concussion. He’s on our 1992 books with $428k and I don’t know what we will get from him AT ALL.

It’s November 7. The arbitration hearings will be tomorrow.

[Westheim]

Odd note: 3B Claudio Rojas has retired from professional baseball. Rojas, 36, had 2,584 career hits in a 15-year career, and the author of the two longest hitting streaks in ABL history, at 47 and 40 games.

The Raccoons went 3-0 during arbitration hearings for Higgins, Burnett, and Martin, who will make $145k, $130k, and $130k, respectively, next year. Us and Juan Martinez actually submitted identical figures of $225k, so there’s a tie in there, too. With Alberto Reyes and Bob Arnold refusing arbitration, those two filed for free agency along with Gustavo Flores and about ten minor leaguers (as far as I can tell the only one who appeared in the majors for us among them was MR Travis Brown).

At this point, apart from Raul Castillo, we will have one free agent after the 1992 season: Kisho Saito. He has to be signed under all circumstances.

A few teams were bled dry by free agency, including the Titans and Indians in our division, the Falcons and Aces in the CL South, and also the Stars and Blue Sox. I almost feel bad for the Titans. They have their first winning team ever, and it falls apart instantly. I would have liked a different rival in the division. Not that I wanted them to win it, no, no, no. They would make a neat second place team, though.

What do the Coons need? Besides a backup catcher, maybe an infield upgrade, and perhaps a right-handed #3/#4 starter, we would look out for a left-handed reliever. Currently, we only have Ken Burnett (apart from 9th inning resident Grant West of course), and I don’t like going with only one left-hander, it just never works out. We can feed the catcher need with AAA backstop Jose Rodriguez, who is defense first, offense later (sometimes never), so we can focus on a left-handed reliever, either as a free agent, or in a trade. We have at least one chip among outfielders (Castillo or Martin, whatever commands a price) and could use that for that. The SP issue really ranks fourth, because the issue ain’t that big. Saito, Turner, Vazquez, Wade mowed down opposing lineups for most of the year. Wade was struggling early, Vazquez and Turner struggled late, but overall that was a winner’s rotation. And it remains intact. We could fill the #5 hole with Miguel Lopez, but I would prefer a right-hander. A right-hander that is not named Jose Fernandez or Roberto Gonzalez.

Unfortunately, the available free agents that were left-handed relievers and competent was rather limited. Ivan Medellin and Heath Tulk (who had closed game 5 of the World Series) could have wild bouts and that chased Antonio Cordero outta Portland in September. Rick Evans and Cesar Zuniga could demand closer’s money. And I didn’t like anybody else on the market. So we would have to find the solution in a trade.

The crop of international free agents contained an interesting 23-year old Dominican first baseman. There was a huge discrepancy between the scouting from Guerra and OSA, and he asked for a major league contract, so he’d eat up a roster spot, but Guerra was glowing about him.

In the category of trade proposals, we got an offer from the Loggers, who wanted to trade 2B/SS Jim Stein for C David Vinson, with minor leaguers involved. Stein was basically Matt Higgins, minus a chunk of defense and speed, and this was a very bad trade. Nope!

November 19 – The Indians add World Series hero OF Tomas Maguey (.286, 19 HR, 352 in career). The ex-Capital will make $3.85M over five years.
November 23 – The Condors make a splash by signing the 1989 and 1990 FL MVP, ex-RIC OF Manuel Doval (.329, 126 HR, 553 RBI) to a 6-yr, $5.83M contract. At age 28, Doval can break many batting records that are around these days.
November 24 – Atlanta Knights owner Shawn Mullins passes away unexpectedly and leaves the team to his son Shawn jr., who is said to be lenient and charitable financially.
November 24 – The Pacifics land ex-OCT CL Raul Vargas for 3-yr, $1.65M. The 27-year old Vargas has 125 SV and a 2.39 career ERA.
November 26 – The Raccoons sign international free agent 1B Esteban Baldivia, a 23-year old from the Dominican, for a $100k contract. He is not expected to make the major league roster, though.
November 28 – The Raccoons and Bayhawks strike a deal: MR Chris Nelson goes over to Portland, while the Bayhawks receive INF Antonio Gonzalez and AAA OF Randy Powers.

The deal with the Bayhawks gets our bullpen in order. Nelson is 33 and will be in a contract year. He has made 600 appearances for CIN, VAN, OCT, LVA, MIL, and SFB in his career, with 165 SV and a 2.54 ERA. His stuff is great, his control is great, and he is a great addition to a great bullpen. Unfortunately, this will push Daniel Miller back to AAA to start the season, but we needed a left-hander, and Miller can barely hold a ball with his left hand, let alone throw it. Gonzalez was too expensive for a backup and had not delivered after his strong 1989 season. Powers falls into the category of former outfield hopes that were outpaced by even bigger outfield hopes. He is 26 by now and has no future with us anymore.

Nelson’s ERA was 4.09 in 1991, but that was with a .339 BABIP. We have defense. Usually.

Next will be the rule 5 draft, and we have only 34 guys on the 40-man roster right now. This already includes most blue chip prospects we have.

[Questdog]

One small observation: if you are named the AAA Player of the Year, shouldn't you expect to be in the big leagues next season?.....

[Westheim]

Vern Kinnear, age 22, can only play left field. Daniel Hall, age 36, plays left field on the Raccoons.

I do know where you're going at.

[ShaneCarson]

I have to ask because I'm not sure if it was covered anywhere:

Do you play your games out? One Pitch mode, pitch by pitch? Do you handle substitutions?

Thanks!