Portland Raccoons (ABL)

[Westheim]

Due to various things going on, I have managed to play four games in three days. Anyway, here’s the draft for now, and the Stars/Crusaders week that wraps around the draft should follow later on once the Cubs play.

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2073 AMATEUR DRAFT

While the Raccoons and Crusaders were dueling on the other side of the continent, Oscar Semchez and me would try to find more prospects for that juicy farm system of ours. It was a farm that was nice to look at but so far hadn’t produced a whole lot of fruit in the last years, despite sitting at #1 in the rankings.

For this we’d have 13 chances to pick up something nice in the draft in New York, for which we had the usual hotlist of the most interesting / least disappointing talent (*high school players):

SP Steve Robinson (12/14/14) – BNN #2
SP Brian Toscani (13/14/10) – BNN #10
SP Dave Metzger (11/12/12)
SP Nick Petro (11/12/11)

CL Cameron Thomas (17/14/13)

C Jason Sandness (13/11/15) – BNN #4

1B/CL James Winn (10/11/13)
1B Bill Hastings (14/5/12) *
3B Mitch Rapp (9/12/13) *
SS/2B Rob Webb (16/1/9) – BNN #7
3B/LF/CF Erik Canaday (10/9/9)

OF Josh Robertson (15/11/13) * – BNN #1
1B/LF/RF Joe Collins (10/12/12)

The first pick was with the Blue Sox, who selected infielder Rob Webb. He was followed by Josh Robertson, going #2 to the Thunder, and non-hotlist outfielder Justin Anderson, the poor sod being taken at #3 by the damn Elks. Brian Toscani was the #4 pick by the Condors, the Titans selected Jason Sandness with the #5 pick, and after a lull, the Falcons made Steve Robinson the #8 pick. It then took another four picks for Dave Metzger to get selected as the #12 pick by the Buffos. The Bayhawks took Cameron Thomas at #14, which left six hotlist options for the Raccoons, mostly infielders. We went with the dual threat of James Winn, fully knowing that the ceiling was high, but the floor was lava.

No hotlist player was taken for the remainder of the first round, making me wonder just how far off we’d gone with our selection process this time around, before Bill Hastings got taken at #26 by the Thunder. Nick Petro became the #32 pick by the Baybirds, and Erik Canaday went to the Knights at #34. The Capitals grabbed Joe Collins with the #37 pick. Only Mitch Rapp remained at the end of the supplemental round, and not for long; the Thunder got hold of him with the #44 pick. That was the end of the hotlist.

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2073 PORTLAND RACCOONS DRAFT CLASS

Round 1 (#16) – 1B/CL James Winn, 20, from Washington, DC – outwardly a stock-standard left-handed hitting first baseman with some home run power and limited mobility, but Winn also pitched and threw a nice slider, which might yet be turned into something where he could pitch garbage innings when the game was out of hand.
Round 2 (#58) – LF/RF Jarred Berry, 18, from Camp Pendleton South, CA – defensively shaky corner outfielder with the makeup of an OBP/speed guy that doesn’t hit a lot of homers, but might work wonders in the #2 hole
Round 3 (#82) – SP Jerry Brown, 20, from Kensington, CA – right-hander with a 93mph fastball and three supplementary pitches, most notably a splitter. Control issues were of note here, to a degree that the decent stuff made him slip to the third round.
Round 4 (#106) – 2B Josh Richardson, 21, from Sunrise, FL – above-average defender with a contact bat and plenty of speed, but not the smartest tool in the shed
Round 5 (#130) – OF Michael Tate, 20, from West Valley City, UT – another squirrely defender with speed and a singles bat with little to no power, but OSA really didn’t like this one
Round 6 (#154) – C Alexis Rodriguez, 18, from Penco, Chile – good defensive catcher with a modest bat, a bit of homer potential, and no speed
Round 7 (#178) – OF Cory Gebhart, 22, from Molalla, OR – country bumpkin from the sticks outside of Portland that could roam the fields, including the outfield, swung a bit of a power fence post, had a keen eye for both pitches and diseased chicks, and played a mean old banjo
Round 8 (#202) – SP Jonathan Uriostegui, 17, from Santa Rosa, TX – right-hander with a good cutter and curveball, but quite lacking in other nice qualities, including even stamina
Round 9 (#226) – MR Christian Helms, 22, from Forest Lake, MN – right-hander throwing a 91mph fastball and a decent curve, but he went to some loser college that emphasized education and now he’s behind on his baseball; ridiculous!
Round 10 (#250) – UT J.P. Bowersmith, 18, from Revere, MA – versatile player with experience at five positions, including short and center, and potential for more, but the stick would probably never amount to much
Round 11 (#274) – SP Phil Augenstein, 18, from Appleton, WI – dirty left-handed tosser that has gotten into more than one fracas for intentionally hitting opponents; fierceness runs in the family – his seven-times-great-grandfather wasn’t thrown out of Imperial Germany for nothing, as his surname literally means “eye stone” in German…
Round 12 (#298) – SS/1B Tim Nystrom, 23, from Hampton, VA – bookish, switch-hitting poker that flails a lot and could make more of a career in the front office analyzing stats of far better players than he is
Round 13 (#322) – C Ryan Hazelwood, 18, from Longtown, OK – Longtown isn’t very long, barely a town, and his eyes aren’t hazel; not sure what we’re buying into here, and although he’s free to sign, I still feel scammed

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The Raccoons selectively purged the rosters in the minors along with the intake of new players, and it hit a lot of AAA pitchers this time around for sure. That entire Alley Cats staff wasn’t doing great this season, and it was time to make some room. Included was 30-year-old MR Juan Vega, who had made 17 big league appearances scattered from 2068 to 2071, pitching to a 5.23 ERA, which was a full run better than his AAA performance at this stage.

The Raccoons released further the following pitchers: Adan Gonzalez (2069, 10th round), Alex Molina (2065 IFA), Dave Tenorio (2067, 3rd round), and Josh Wilder (2071, 9th round), plus more on the even further fringes.

For position players, due to the intake of new catchers that wasn’t entirely planned like this, the Raccoons released 34-year-old C/1B Tony Spink, a #132 pick in the 2061 draft that had lived in AAA for most of his adult life, but had only made occasional excursions to Portland. He had appeared in 63 games with the Raccoons from 2066 to 2072, batting just .167 with a homer and 6 RBI.

Other dismissed position players included OF Dave Perry (2068, 2nd round), who never made it past Ham Lake, INF/LF/RF Josh Swan (2071, 4th round), 2B/SS Gregg Kisamore (2071, 13th round), INF Adam Collins (2072, 8th round), SS Skylar DiMaio (2070, 8th round), INF/LF/RF Brett Pierce (2072, 9th round) … and no fewer than three more minor league catchers that had all been dragged in by various cats.

[Westheim]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

All New York starters were right-handed.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In other news

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

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

Complaints and stuff

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[Westheim]

Raccoons (43-24) @ Loggers (26-44) – June 19-21, 2073

The Loggers could no longer make a stomping offense and punchable pitching work. They were still second in offense, but the pitching and defense were unspeakably bad, and the Raccoons had a 5-1 edge in the season series. They still hit the most homers in the CL though, so you couldn’t switch your brain off when pitching to them at all. Two of the key pieces in the lineup were missing, though, as Carlos Dominguez and Fidel Carrera were on the DL.

Projected matchups:
Nick Walla (5-2, 4.16 ERA) vs. Ryan Musgrave (3-6, 5.01 ERA)
Jack Moses (2-6, 3.38 ERA) vs. TBD
Crispino D’Urso (5-1, 2.00 ERA) vs. TBD

The Loggers had just put starter Ayahito Ochi (3-8, 5.21 ERA) on the DL for the rest of the season, and the rotation was in a state of flux going into this series. They had also played a double-header on Saturday. The venerable right-handed former Critter Musgrave (age 41) was the ONLY starter hat was on more than two days’ rest.

Also on rest on Monday: Katz and Licona, both of whom were a bit sore. Chad Brown was still ill in Portland, but was expected to fly out to Milwaukee on Tuesday morning.

Game 1
POR: CF Schneider – 2B Yocum – C Contreras – 1B Woodley – RF Hamel – LF LeVan – 3B Rivera – SS Mata – P Walla
MIL: CF E. Mullen – 3B Sowards – 1B C. Ramirez – C M. Rodriguez – SS Hills – LF Field – RF J. Wright – 2B Fish – P Musgrave

The Raccoons had singles from Hamel in the second and Walla in the third the first time through, but didn’t get particularly far with that, while on the hill, Walla threw nine pitches in the first inning… and 29 in the second. He walked Brian Hills, who was forced out by Josh Field, and then the bases filled up with 2-out singles by Jonathan Wright and Jon Fish, the latter of the infield variety, before Walla got a K in a full count on his former rotation mate. The fourth brought more problems; while the 1-2-3 in the Loggers order had nothing against Walla, he had less luck against the bottom two thirds. Hills hit a 1-out infield single in the bottom 4th, Field reached base on a Mata error, and Fish snuck a 2-out RBI single through the right side before Musgrave again made the third out.

The Raccoons tied the game in the sixth on straight 2-out singles from their 3-4-5 batters before LeVan grounded out to Fish to leave two runners on base. Walla got through seven innings after that, despite lacking sharpness and striking out only three. He also gave up a leadoff single to Musgrave in the bottom 7th, only for Eddie Mullen to hit into a double play. This gave him a no-decision, as the Raccoons couldn’t plate Yocum, who hit a 1-out single and stole second in the eighth inning, but was left at second base as Contreras fanned and Woodley grounded out. Rios and Jackson sent the game to extras with scoreless innings and more toothlessness by their own offense.

Danny Mendoza faced the Raccoons in the tenth inning and got out Mata, but then allowed a double to left to Katz, who came off the bench to try and get something stirring (Licona had already tried and failed to do so). Schneider walked, and Katz dashed for home plate on Yocum’s single to right-center, sliding in comfortably safe to break the tie. Sam Brown batted for Contreras and hit a grounder to first that Travis Metcalf fumbled, and the second run scored on the error. Woodley fanned and Hamel flew out to left, giving a 3-1 lead to Cecere, who had Mullen, David Pavlacka, and Adam Grass on seven pitches to put the game away. 3-1 Raccoons. Yocum 2-5, RBI; Woodley 2-5; Hamel 2-5, RBI; Katzman 1-1, 2B; Walla 7.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K and 1-3;

Chad Brown indeed rejoined on Tuesday, and we had a regular-sized pen again.

The Loggers put up swingman Carlos Gonzalez (3-5, 3.59 ERA) on Tuesday. The right-hander had pitched multiple innings in the double-header on Saturday.

Game 2
POR: CF Schneider – 2B Yocum – 3B Katzman – RF Licona – 1B Woodley – C S. Brown – LF LeVan – SS McFarland – P Moses
MIL: CF E. Mullen – 3B Sowards – 1B C. Ramirez – C M. Rodriguez – RF Frank – SS Hills – LF Field – 2B Fish – P C. Gonzalez

Yocum tripled in the first and the Raccoons took a 1-0 lead, not on Katz’ fly to right that was caught shallow by Ken Frank, but on Licona’s 2-out single to left. The Raccoons got another triple in the second inning, and it was from the otherwise invisible Brian McFarland, doubling his season total for RBI’s by sticking a triple into the rightfield corner after leadoff hits by Sam Brown and LeVan. Moses struck out, Schneider walked, and Yocum made it 4-0 with a sac fly to center. Schneider then stole second, but Katz grounded out to short.

The Coons stopped tripling then and by extension also stopped scoring. Gonzalez was still removed after just four highly ineffective innings, while Moses was still no-hitting the Loggers, despite spending most of his time behind in the count. Josh Field got the Loggers into the H column with a 2-out single in the bottom 5th, but was left on by Fish.

Moses then tacked on a run himself in the sixth inning, smacking a 2-out RBI double to plate his catcher from second base. Brown was unretired in the game on two hits and a walk, the latter having come earlier in this inning. Unfortunately the excitement of running the bases (on which he was stranded) messed up Moses even more, and he walked reliever Jose Navarro (!) and Mullen to begin the bottom 6th. Jesse Sowards hit a long fly out to Licona, moving the lead runner to third, but the back runner was then caught stealing, and Cesar Ramirez, so far remarkably toothless in this game, grounded out to first to leave the pitcher at third base. Sam Brown remained unretired in the seventh, drawing a bases-loaded walk off lefty Nick Walters, who had conceded straight 1-out singles to the 3-4-5 hitters to get into that unhappy spot. Hamel and McFarland made poor outs to keep three runners on base, and the score at 6-0.

Milwaukee made the board in the bottom 7th on Frank drawing the fifth walk off Moses, a Hills double, and Field’s sac fly, but Fish grounded out to first base to leave Hills in scoring position in a 6-1 game. Walters in turn allowed three straight singles again in the eighth, and to the 9-1-2 batters. Katz struck out, but Licona dove in Moses and Schneider, and knocked out the left-hander, who suffered another run scored on Woodley’s groundout against Tony Castellanos, who also walked Brown, but then got Hamel to ground out to leave them on the corners. Jack Moses was still in the game despite the five walks, and now profited off the Loggers making quick and eager outs to finish the ballgame. He sat them down in order in the last couple of innings, and pitched a complete-game 2-hitter…! 9-1 Furballs. Schneider 2-5, BB; Yocum 2-3, 3B, RBI; Licona 3-5, 3 RBI; S. Brown 2-2, 3 BB, RBI; Moses 9.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 3 K, W (3-6) and 2-5, 2B, RBI;

The Coons came up against left-hander Colt Long (4-3, 6.30 ERA) in the series finale, who’d be sent out on three days’ rest after pitching on Saturday as well.

Katz was again not in the lineup on Wednesday on account of being sore, and probably old. We’d need more generous off days in the upcoming 17-game stretch with no off days, but for the time I was hoping that being reserved for pinch-hitting on Wednesday and a day off on Thursday could reset him for another week.

Game 3
POR: CF LeVan – 2B Yocum – C Contreras – RF Licona – LF Hamel – 1B Woodley – SS Vigil – 3B Rivera – P D’Urso
MIL: 1B C. Ramirez – CF E. Mullen – RF C. Dominguez – C M. Rodriguez – 3B Sowards – SS Hills – LF Frank – 2B Fish – P C. Long

Crispy Bear got bombed for 430 feet by Cesar Ramirez on his first pitch of the game, which wasn’t ideal, and as the bottom 1st continued also littered the returning Dominguez and Rodriguez on base, but got a fly out from Sowards and struck out Hills to keep them on the corners. He had a better second inning, and then was taken off the hook on LeVan doubling and Yocum hitting an RBI single in the top 3rd. Contreras and Licona then hit deep 2-flies to center; the first fell in and scored Yocum for a 2-1 lead on a double, but Licona’s was caught by Mullen.

Crispy didn’t have a good game, even though he struck out seven through four innings. But that took him 78 pitches, and he also walked three and nailed Sowards with great force to begin the bottom 4th, right before also walking Hills. He rung up Frank and Fish after some counseling by the pitching coach and Long grounded out meagerly to keep the 2-1 in place, but we’d seen him much better. He reached 100 pitches after five, allowing a leadoff walk to Ramirez and then ringing up the 2-3 batters before Rodriguez grounded out to Yocum, but that would be enough of an outing for him here.

The game was broken open a bit by Coons past and present in the sixth inning. Long walked Yocum and Licona, there was a double steal, and then Hills, the long-ago Coons farmhand, threw away Hamel’s grounder for two bases and as many runs to make it a 4-1 game. Hills made a spectacular play on Vigil’s grounder to end the inning following Woodley’s flyout, but

Mike Pavan wobbled through the seventh inning and put runners on the corners while facing mostly left-handed sticks, which was a concern, and Chad Brown also allowed two singles to Hills and Metcalf in the bottom 8th, but struck out Fish to end the inning. The Coons also left Schneider and LeVan on base, failing to get the knockout blow in the ninth inning, but we still had Cecere coming up and he had another one of those 7-pitch saves, retiring Jonathan Wright, Ramirez, and Mullen in order to complete the sweep. 4-1 Critters. LeVan 2-3, BB, 2B; Katzman (PH) 1-1; Schneider (PH) 1-1;

The Coons traveled to Mexico with a 5-game lead in the standings, but Ronaldo Rivera (.212, 1 HR, 8 RBI) didn’t make it, being optioned back to AAA as Jesus Morentin came off the DL.

Raccoons (46-24) @ Condors (29-43) – June 23-25, 2073

And another team that was struggling – it looked like they all piled into this month! The Condors were fifth in the South, well out of any race, and had the #9 offense and pitching for a -41 run differential (Coons: +71). They were average to cruddy in all major team stats, never better than fifth (bullpen ERA) and never worse than tenth (starters’ ERA, batting average). The Raccoons had won two of three against them in the first meeting of the year.

Projected matchups:
Aldomiro Campion (7-3, 2.76 ERA) vs. Dan McCoy (3-9, 5.74 ERA)
Jimmy Wharton (6-5, 4.90 ERA) vs. Joe Whitley (1-7, 3.87 ERA)
Nick Walla (5-2, 3.84 ERA) vs. Bryan Farris (7-2, 3.35 ERA)

The Condors had three lefty starters, and we’d see two of them on the bookends of this series. But both teams had been off on Thursday and had some wiggle room.

Game 1
POR: CF Schneider – 2B Yocum – SS Katzman – RF Licona – C Contreras – LF Hamel – 1B Woodley – 3B Vigil – P Campion
TIJ: CF Pothier – LF E. Campos – 1B Korda – SS Rugar – C R. Alvarez – 2B R. Fisher – 3B K. Matthews – RF Arocho – P McCoy

Neither team got a base runner in the first inning, but both got two in the second inning. Only the Coons scored, on Woodley’s 2-out, 2-run homer, while Josh Rugar and Kevin Matthews were left on base by Manny Arocho flying out to Schneider. McCoy then got beaten around even worse in the third inning; Yocum and Katz hit singles to go to the corners with one out. Licona plated a run with a fielder’s choice grounder to Randy Fisher, but Contreras also singled. Hamel got an RBI single past Rugar, McCoy walked the bags full with Woodley, and then walked in a run on the tenth pitch to Vigil in a full count. Campion flew out to center to end the inning.

But the 5-0 lead was quickly diminished in a long Condors inning immediately afterwards, starting with a single by McCoy. Aldo walked Matt Pothier, and gave up a 3-run homer to Bryan Korda, then put another two runners on base with Rugar and Fisher before finally striking out Matthews to get out of the inning, now up just 5-3.

The Coons tacked on a run on four hits – and Schneider being thrown out at the plate trying to score from second on a Katz hit – and pushed McCoy out of the game in the fourth inning, but Aldo couldn’t get through five innings either. Korda singled, Rugar doubled, he balked in a run, and then walked Robert Alvarez with one out in the bottom 5th, and then was removed after 104 shoddy pitches. Pavan gave up a sac fly to Fisher, 6-5, then got Matthews out to end the fifth inning.

More offense was needed from the Critters’ lineup, but while Schneider and Yocum reached, the latter on an error, to begin the sixth inning, the 3-4-5 batters didn’t get any of them across home plate. Pavan got two outs to begin the bottom 6th, then put Pothier on base with a single. Righties up, Cam Jackson entered in a double switch in which perhaps awkwardly Morentin replaced Licona for D as we were still up. The plot absolutely didn’t work, as Campos smashed a game-tying triple and Korda hit a single to put the Condors on top, 7-6. Rugar then struck out.

I wasn’t in the country, but the Agitator was probably getting ready to write big headlines about a stupid loss in a faraway land, but it was then Morentin, of all people, to tie the game when he homered off Tyler Reed to begin the eighth inning…! Schneider then singled and was caught stealing as the inning ran away from the Coons. Chad Brown had the bottom 8th and nailed Arocho to get going, but then retired the next three without giving up the tie. Mata then walked the #4 spot to begin the ninth… and also was caught stealing.

Newhard held the tie and gave us extra innings *again*, which began with another leadoff walk to Woodley from lefty Chris Thompson. He got doubled up by Vigil, and that was it for that inning. Newhard pitched a second scoreless frame to keep the Critters in the game, but offense remained largely absent. Katz hit a 2-out single in the 11th, but LeVan couldn’t keep it moving. McPartland retired the Condors in the bottom of the inning. The Coons then stranded a pair of 2-out runners in the 12th when Woodley and Vigil got on, but Morentin popped out. The Condors even loaded the bases with two outs against McPartland, but Alvarez, Adam Forrest, and Arocho were all left stranded and the game continued when Chris Schreiber grounded out to Vigil at third base.

Top 13th, and Schneider opened by doubling to left against Trent Fiorino. Since we were about to send Jimmyboy to the bullpen, it would be really nice to get that runner home. Yocum flew out to Pothier, and Katz walked. Sam Brown batted for the pitcher and grounded out, advancing the runners. Fiorino got Contreras to 1-2… but then threw a fat fastball, and Contreras bashed a double on it, breaking the tie with two runs! Hamel flew out, but Cecere retired Pothier, Campos, and Korda in order, finishing with a strikeout to put the game to bed. 9-7 Raccoons. Schneider 3-6, BB, 2B; Katzman 3-6, BB; Contreras 4-7, 2B, 3 RBI; Woodley 2-4, 2 BB, HR, 2 RBI; Newhard 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K; McPartland 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K, W (2-0);

NOT how you want to use your bullpen at the start of a 17-game string without a day off. Only Rios hadn’t been used in this game, and four of the guys had pitched 4+ outs.

Game 2
POR: CF Schneider – 2B Yocum – SS Katzman – RF Licona – 1B Woodley – C S. Brown – LF LeVan – 3B Vigil – P Wharton
TIJ: CF Pothier – LF E. Campos – 1B Korda – SS Rugar – C R. Alvarez – 3B K. Matthews – 2B Schreiber – RF Arocho – P Whitley

Both teams had only one runner in the first three innings as Jimmyboy walked Pothier on four pitches to get going at all, which already gave me a headache, but kept him on base and then clicked off batters, while also hitting a single himself with two gone in the third inning and being left on by Schneider. Katz walked and Woodley singled in the fourth, but Sam brown left them on base, while Campos and Korda reached to begin the bottom 4th, but then never moved as the 4-5-6 batters in the Condors’ order all croaked.

The game continued to be odd. Jimmy hit a 2-out double in the fifth that led nowhere, mostly because Vigil had doubled up LeVan and his leadoff walk. Whitley then filled the bags with Katz, Woodley, and Brown in the sixth, bringing up LeVan with two outs. The #7 hitter nubbed a terrible roller near the first base line – but it was terrible for the Condors first and foremost, because they couldn’t make a play, and the Coons took a 1-0 lead on a 55-foot single. Vigil then popped out to short to waste a fat chance. The Condors then inside-outed the game in a hurry, getting leadoff singles from Campos and Korda in the bottom 6th, as well as a booming 3-run homer off the lumber of Rugar…

Jimmy continued to hit for himself nevertheless to begin the seventh – and hit another double!? Schneider was again no help to man nor beast, Yocum walked, and when Katz rolled a shy single to load the bases with one gone, the Condors went to J.P. Knox, who nevertheless walked in a run against Licona in a full count, 3-2. And then Woodley poked into a double play to kill the inning…… Instead, Cam Jackson got beaten up as PH Josh Gilmore doubled home a pair of 2-out runs, Campos and Korda, in the bottom 8th, but the Coons got the tying run to the plate against Chris Thompson in the ninth. McFarland drew a leadoff walk and was forced out by a blackout Schneider, while Yocum flew out. Katz’ 2-out single put runners on the corners for Licona, who sent an 0-2 ball to deep right … but it was caught on the warning track by Arocho. 5-2 Condors. Katzman 3-4, BB; LeVan 1-2, BB, RBI;

Total bases by Jimmy Wharton in the game: 5
Total bases by all other Raccoons batters combined: 5

(grumble grumble)

Game 3
POR: CF Schneider – 2B Yocum – 3B Katzman – C Contreras – LF Hamel – 1B Woodley – RF Morentin – SS McFarland – P Walla
TIJ: CF Pothier – 3B K. Matthews – 1B Korda – SS Rugar – C R. Alvarez – 2B R. Fisher – LF Schreiber – RF Arocho – P Farris

Straight singles by the 2-3-4 batters scored the Coons a run in the first inning before it was stabbed to death with Hamel’s 6-4-3 grounder. The Coons bobbled Woodley’s leadoff double in the second, but the 2-3-4 batters all got on base again in the third inning. Contreras again singled home Yocum, 2-0, Hamel fanned, and Woodley grounded out to keep two on base.

Walla had a calm early innings, allowing two singles, one of which was resolved in a double play, but also struck out only one as he continued to lack stuff. He did slap a single in the top 4th, though, adding to Morentin already being on base, and then Schneider finally delivered a knock, mashing a 3-run homer to right to expand the lead to 5-0 before Yocum walked and Katz hit into a double play. Matthews then answered with a leadoff jack to right in the bottom 4th, but after that Walla got through five relatively easily, then added an RBI with a groundout to second after Morentin’s triple into the right-center gap in the top of the sixth, 6-1!

Pothier and Rugar singles pulled a run back in the bottom of the same inning as I just didn’t like what I was seeing from Walla anymore, who seemed to be aging and a cursed rate. The defense helped to keep him together and he got a few more strikeouts in the later innings against the bottom half of the order, and even remained in the game in the eighth after Morentin and McFarland reached to begin the inning, and bunted those into scoring position, although Terry Kilroy then walked Schneider anyway. Yocum’s sac fly to center made it 7-2, but Katz grounded out and left two on. Walla completed eight, almost was taken deep by his last batter, Matthews, who flew out to Morentin at the rightfield fence, and then was quietly ushered away.

The Coons then saw Jason Brenize in the ninth inning. The umpteen-time CL Pitcher of the Year had REALLY no stuff left over. He had FOUR strikeouts in 32 innings of garbage relief this season, at a luxurious rate of pay, but did retire the Coons’ 5-6-7 in order, having reinvented himself to pitch to the defense, which he did at a 3.72 ERA rate. How the mighty have fallen. Newhard finished the game for Portland, scattering two hits, but no more runs to the Condors. 7-2 Critters. Yocum 2-3, BB, RBI; Katzman 2-4, RBI; Contreras 2-5, 2 RBI; McFarland 2-4, 3B; Walla 8.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, W (6-2) and 1-3, RBI;

In other news

June 21 – TOP OF/2B/3B Mike Pinault (.279, 16 HR, 47 RBI) bashes two home runs and drives in five in the Buffaloes’ 8-4 win against the Capitals: a solo shot in the sixth inning and a walkoff grand slam in the eleventh inning.
June 21 – The Titans trade OF Bill Davidson (.150, 0 HR, 7 RBI) to the Wolves for 3B/SS Phil Townsend (.263, 0 HR, 5 RBI) and #116 prospect CL Danny Arce.
June 22 – Bayhawks LF/CF Brett Haus (.310, 6 HR, 44 RBI) has a 20-game hitting streak after a 3-for-4 day in a 4-3 win against the Falcons.
June 23 – Vegas INF Koji Hatakeyama (.306, 1 HR, 42 RBI) has a 20-game hitting streak of his own following his two singles and two RBI in a 5-3 win against the Indians.
June 24 – The hitting streak of SFB Brett Haus (.304, 6 HR, 44 RBI) ends at 21 games with an 0-for-4 in a 14-4 blowout loss to the Loggers.
June 25 – The Knights lose SP Bobby MacDonald (8-2, 2.60 ERA) to elbow inflammation; the 35-year-old could be out until September.

Player of the Week (FL): CIN 1B Mike White (.355, 13 HR, 39 RBI), bashing .375 (9-24) with 4 HR, 6 RBI
Player of the Week (CL): BOS RF/LF Jonathan Snyder (.276, 7 HR, 29 RBI), poking .556 (13-23) with 2 HR, 6 RBI

Complaints and stuff

The Raccoons are a ludicrous 18-4 in June, but we have also hardly faced a competent team outside the Crusaders. Harder times will come – better gobble up a cushion now!

Katz got no RBI this week, which is … odd, but also missed most of the Loggers series with fatigue and soreness. He’s leading the batting race, though, and Cecere leads the league in saves (by four (ABL) or five (CL)), while Crispy continued to be on top of the CL in ERA and fannings. He was the only CL pitcher in triple digits with 103 K. Apodaca of Indy was next-closest at *81*. Jimmy actually sat in third place.

That being said, we still need pitching help. For this year and beyond. Nick Walla looks concerningly like he’s in terminal decline, despite the ERA rapidly improving this month (then again, the lush competition helped). Walla had not struck out more than six batters in ANY start this year. He was on pace for just 129 strikeouts or the year. The inevitable question that would follow is about the contract, and he’s signed for two more years at a relatively team-friendly $3.2M per season (no options). That’s fine and well, but it’s still gonna suck if he gets beaten senseless at the shallow end of the rotation.

The team remains on the move, making their way North next week, playing three games in Vegas and then four games in Elk City. They’ll be in Portland just four days after that to host the Titans, then had to Indy for the last three games before the All Star Game, and of course will open with a four-game set in Boston after the All Star Game. After that we’ll finally get a nice cozy 2-week homestand.

Fun Fact: Nick Walla is one win away from 100 for his career.

Of course, when he was at his best, he often was the guy that the team would never score for. His high for wins in a season is just 14, which he reached twice, both times with sub-3 ERA’s.

The #50 pick from the 2059 draft is 32 years old (too soon to decline!), and 99-88 with a 3.41 ERA and 1,230 K in 1,752 innings. He led the CL in WHIP twice and BB/9 once, including in both categories just last year. So at least so far, while the stuff is going down, the control has stayed excellent!