The Magpies

[Paulie123]

21 June 2052

FANGRAPHICS
Chat: Osiris Sabretooth has discovered that a series of one-night stands doesn’t in any way help you get over a break-up, and if anything just serve to make the whole situation much worse. A good baseball chat will help take his mind off things.

10:00

Osiris: Good morning, tout le monde! We’re starting bang on time for once!

10:01

Travis Strawtrick: The Magpies have bounced back well over the last fortnight, but their offense still isn’t firing. What gives?

10:02

Osiris: Many of their key men in the lineup have played below expectations, hence the .241 team overall batting average, compared to .258 over the whole of last season and .268 the year before. Ángel Márquez and Ernesto Solís have been particularly disappointing. Gonzalo Torralda, Rob Crawford and Pedro Soto have improved in recent weeks, and of course they now have Earl Becker. So the signs point to a much better second half.

10:04

Cake By The Ocean: They have really missed Jeffrey White. Trading him was a baaaaaad move.

10:05

Osiris: I somehow suspect that had the Sonos partnership happened in the offseason, they would have had the money to keep him. They did get Hamada in return, however, and he’ll become a very good player.

10:06

Stinky Pete: Will DePodesta persevere with rookie Daniel Burke at shortstop? Love the defense, but some awfully smelly batting numbers!

10:06

Osiris: Well, outstanding SS defensive and below-replacement level hitting was a winning recipe for DePodesta in 2046. Matt Anderson was the guy then but Burke is in a similar mold. Their recent results suggest it’s a formula that’s working!

10:07

Possibly Rob Crawford’s Mom: I love Rob Crawford. Could do with a bit more power but 84 hits is 7th best in the WL.

10:08

Osiris: Let’s not forget that possibly your boy is only in his second full SCL season. He’s a little up-and-down and streaky sometimes, but overall he is doing very nicely indeed. You must be very proud!

10:09

Osiris: Okay, gotta dash. Sorry for the questions I didn’t get to, see you all next time.

[Paulie123]

29 June 2052

GM’s notebook - Series 26 and 27

Magpies 8-6 Sacramento
Magpies 1-2 Sacramento
Magpies 9-0 Sacramento
Carson City 1-2 Magpies
Carson City 4-6 Magpies
Carson City 3-7 Magpies

- The Western League won the all-star game 7-4. Robert Terry struck out the side in the 9th to earn the save. Earl Becker hit 0-5, but stole a base and scored a run after reaching on a fielder’s choice.
- Late drama on day one in Sacramento! 6-4 behind with 2 outs in the 9th, we were down to our final strike when Rob Crawford hit a double to score a run, and another scored on a wild pitch to tie the game. Joe Merrill dispatched a 2-run HR in the top of the 10th to win it.
- Cory Adams carried on the good form he showed on his previous start before the all-star break: 7.1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 8 K.
- The rubber game of the Stingrays series was a stroll thanks to Tom Hart’s 8.1 scoreless innings, 3-4 (2 DBL) from Pedro Soto and 3-4 (HR) from Ernesto Solís.
- Ricardo Vargas suggested he’s settling nicely into the majors with a magnificent outing against Carson City: 7 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 7 K. We are above .500 for the first time this season.
- Robert Terry picked up where he left off before the break in the second Rattlesnakes fixture, throwing 8 innings for just an unearned run. He’s 8-2 with a 1.44 ERA. What he’s doing is such a great story.
- Young reliever Allen Clary (6.1 IP, 8 ER, 2 HR, 7 BB, 8 K) has found the step-up to the SCL hard. Long-term he is closer potential, but I think he’ll benefit from continuing to develop in the minor leagues for a bit. Plus, I want to see just how good starting pitcher prospect Ronald Williams is. Williams will take up Clary’s mop-up reliever spot.
- Williams’s debut came the very next day: a tidy 1-2-3 final frame to wrap up the Carson City sweep.
- So at the halfway stage of the regular season, we have hauled ourselves back into the playoff hunt: we’re 4 games behind Madison in the North Division and 2 games back in the wildcard chase. And we host Madison for a 3-game set next week.

This week: 5-1
Record: 42-39, 3rd place, 4 GB from Madison

[Paulie123]

30 June 2052

Taken from “The Big Book of Baseball Bywords” by BooBoo Berra:

“Eight months ago I was pitching in front of about 100 fans at a minor league game in Fort Dodge, wondering where exactly my career was heading. Now I’m an all-star. Insane.”

- Robert Terry

[Paulie123]

5 July 2052

GM’s notebook - Series 28 and 29

Magpies 4-7 Phoenix
Magpies 5-3 Phoenix
Magpies 7-2 Phoenix
Madison 6-1 Magpies
Madison 4-1 Magpies
Madison 3-5 Magpies

- I gave Marv Lewis another spot start in the Raccoons series opening game, and it was going swimmingly through 6 scoreless innings. Then suddenly he served up a bunch of pitches over the heart of the plate in the 7th inning and Phoenix’s lineup didn’t miss out, racking up 7 runs.
- Reliever Ramón González came out of the game suffering back stiffness. While he’s only day-to-day, Aristotle Catheter seems to think it could be a couple of weeks before he’s fully fit, and I don’t want to take any chances with such a talented young player. He’s gone on the DL and Allen Clary has gotten a swift recall to the roster.
- Tom Hart won Western League pitcher of the month for June, after going 5-0 with a 0.66 ERA - well done Tom!
- Ángel Ochoa led the way in game two versus Phoenix, hitting 3-5 with a double.
- The final game against the Raccoons was marred by a bench-clearing brawl which has seen Tadamichi Hamada and Phoenix’s starter Philip Givens (yes, our former player Philip Givens) suspended for 5 games.
- Madison’s 6-1 victory was because they had Al Harper on the mound, and we did not.
- Ángel Márquez and backup catcher Blair Cunningham both hit 3-4 to help us avoid being swept by Madison, but that series was a chance to close the gap on the division leaders that we’ve failed to take.

This week: 3-3
Record: 45-42, 3rd place, 3 GB from Madison, St. Paul

[Paulie123]

1 July 2052

====================
SCLmagpiesnation.com
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Shortstop Warner agrees 3-year contract extension
By Maggie Pye | 1 Jul | 871 comments

The agent of Magpies backup infielder Eric Warner announced today that his client had agreed a 3-year contract extension for the 2053, 2054 and 2055 seasons, worth $0.9m per year. Warner was on course to be a sure-fire super-2 qualifier for arbitration at the end of the season, but will now avoid that process this winter. He will have one final year of arbitration remaining at the conclusion of the deal.

The agreement looks like a good one for the Magpies organisation. Warner has been mainly used in a backup role this season, behind the defensively superior but offensively inferior starter Daniel Burke. He has played in under half of the team’s games so far, but has been effective when he has featured, hitting .293 with a .733 OPS. Securing the 25-year-old switch hitter’s services during his prime years at below $1m per season looks like excellent value for the Magpies.

[Paulie123]

3 July 2052

OFFICE OF THE STATE CAPITALS LEAGUE COMMISSIONER
NOTICE OF SUSPENSION: TADAMICHI HAMADA

This letter provides official notification from the Office of the State Capitals League Commissioner of the five-game suspension that has been issued to Des Moines Magpies outfielder Tadamichi Hamada. The suspension applies with immediate effect. Mr Hamada has no right of appeal against this decision.

The Commissioner simply does not accept that being hit by a pitch is a valid excuse for violent conduct on the field of play. He has reviewed television footage of last night’s game between Des Moines and Phoenix, and in particular of the incident in question, and is fully satisfied that Raccoons pitcher Philip Givens did not deliberately hit Mr Hamada with his 1-0 fastball. Mr Hamada should, of course, have simply taken his free base and continued with the game. Instead, his charge to the mound and attempts to punch Mr Givens were completely contrary to the SCL’s values of fair play. I am sure you will agree that the suspension the Commissioner is issuing to Mr Hamada today is reasonable and deserved in the circumstances.

The suspension of young players on the Magpies roster appears to be somewhat of a recurring theme in recent seasons, and the severity of this punishment in part also reflect’s the Commissioner’s frustration and disappointment in the club’s apparent inability or unwillingness to ensure better player behaviour during games. SCL players are role models for young baseballers in our communities and across Amercia, and the Commissioner is determined that any and all instances of violent conduct will be punished to the full extent permitted by the powers set out in the collective bargaining agreement and the SCL constitution.

Yours sincerely,

Rufus S. Bureaucracy
State Capitals League Deputy Commissioner
3 July 2052

[Paulie123]

6 Jul 2052

Dietmar Uberfan
@magpiesobsessive
It’s funny, Earl Becker hasn’t done a whole lot for us with the bat, but his arrival seems to have reinvigorated many if the guys #inspirational #DontNeedHerAnyway
12:06PM - 4 Jul 2052

Patrick Reddead-Redemption
@shamelessrockstaradvert
@magpiesobsessive particularly the pitching staff it seems, they have been transformed recently. James, Benítez and Davidson exceptional in the #bullpen. I was sceptical about DePodesta ditching Merrado and Gaines but its paid off! #hatsoff #istandcorrected
12:09PM - 4 Jul 2052

Tony Smashie
@DJTony
@shamelessrockstaradvert Huuuuuuge groovy shoutout to my men in the bullpen! Right on, dudes! They have played totally rad! #ooooobehave
12:11PM - 4 Jul 2052

Dave Conspiracy-Darkweb
@stickittotheman
Where did this George Sonos character and all his money come from? Does he exist? Is he #Illuminati? Why are #NASA keeping so quiet about it? The global elite are up to something here. It all sounds VERY fishy, if you ask me #examinetheevidence
12:14PM - 4 Jul 2052

Charlie Exasperated
@jeeeeez
@stickittotheman we didn’t ask you. You are a walking damning indictment of the education system in this country #GoAwayYouPlank #doofus
12:15PM - 4 Jul 2052

[Paulie123]

12 July 2052

GM’s notebook - Series 30 and 31

Magpies 1-4 Denver
Magpies 4-1 Denver
Magpies 0-3 Denver
Santa Fe 2-3 Magpies
Santa Fe 0-4 Magpies
Santa Fe 2-0 Magpies

- Olympia’s Jeffrey White won WL player of the week after hitting 10-23 with 4 HR.
- Tom Hart won an enjoyable 8-inning pitching duel against Denver starter Pancho Jaimes in the second game of our series. Ken James made save #20.
- Joe Merrill is out for 5 weeks with recurring back spasms. Fortunately Tadamichi Hamada is back from his suspension just in time to take back his place in LF. While Merrill is on the DL, Dave Plummer will get another chance to make his mark in the bigs.
- The offense has been really disappointing the last two series. We need them to do better than this.
- Signs of getting back to his best? Earl Becker won player of the day in the Santa Fe opener, hitting 2-4, DBL, SB.
- Israel Padilla totally dominated the Outlaws lineup in the second game with a wonderful shutout: 9 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K. Nick Baker hit 2-2.
- Only 12 runs this week isn’t good enough. Time for this lineup to play to their talent level.

This week: 3-3
Record: 48-45, 3rd place, 3 GB from St. Paul

[Paulie123]

18 July 2052

GM’s notebook - Series 32 and 33

Baton Rouge 7-5 Magpies
Baton Rouge 3-2 Magpies
Baton Rouge 5-4 Magpies
Magpies 6-3 Olympia
Magpies 10-3 Olympia
Magpies 3-7 Olympia

- Another disappointing start for Cory Adams, who got thumped in the first game versus the Deltas: 6.2 IP, 13 H, 7 ER. If his next start is a poor one too, I may swap him into the bullpen to regain some form over shorter stints on the mound, and let Ronald Williams have a few starts.
- Pedro Soto is having a very nice season. He hit 2 doubles in the second Deltas game and is now hitting for a .839 OPS this year.
- Reliever Allen Clary was much improved on his return to the roster, but Ramón González has finished his DL stint and recovered from back stiffness, so Clary goes back to the minor league roster.
- Tadamichi Hamada hit a triple and a double in the 6-3 win over Olympia.
- Our 6-run 8th inning settled what had been a very tight second game until then. Ernesto Solís hit 4-5 with a double, and Gonzalo Torralda went 2-3, HR, DBL, 2 BB.

This week: 2-4
Record: 50-49, 3rd place, 5 GB from St. Paul, Madison

[Paulie123]

19 July 2052

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SCLmagpiesnation.com
====================
Slugging prospect Fox joins Magpies
By Maggie Pye | 19 Jul | 2,132 comments

General manager Billy DePodesta has added to the Magpies collection of young talent by trading to acquire left fielder Peter Fox, BNN’s #58 prospect at the start of this season, from the Austin Tycoons. In return, the Tycoons have been sent a pair of minor league pitchers: 25-year-old lefty Robinson Ramírez, the #64 prospect, and Carlos Martínez, whom the Magpies acquired from Olympia in May.

Fox, 23, is a talented right-handed slugger who is a solid defender at left field. He hit 1 home run in 7 at-bats as a September call-up for Austin last season. A hitter with immense power and a good eye, the one question mark over his offense is whether he will be able to consistently get bat on ball against major league hitters. Magpies sources say the club hopes he may be ready for big league action as early as next season. If so, that will create a logjam at the outfield and DH positions, where starters Rob Crawford, Pedro Soto, Tadamichi Hamada and Earl Becker seem ensconced, with Joe Merrill the established outfield backup. It’s certainly a nice problem for DePodesta to have.

Ramírez is a lethal flame-thrower who, amid a glut of pitching prospects, just couldn’t work an opportunity for himself on the Magpies roster since joining the team 3 years ago. It seems DePodesta has decided to cash in on him now and allow him to build his big league career in Texas. The Tycoons have placed him on their minor league roster for now, but he is expected to join the major league roster shortly.

[Paulie123]

25 July 2052

GM’s notebook - Series 34 and 35

Lansing 2-3 Magpies
Lansing 1-3 Magpies
Lansing 3-6 Magpies
Magpies 8-1 St. Paul
Magpies 3-2 St. Paul
Magpies 2-3 St. Paul

- Cory Adams out-pitched the Sharks’ ace Carlos Lara in the first game of the series with 8 innings of 2-run ball, but didn’t get the deserved win as we only got ourselves in front in the bottom of the 9th.
- The next day, Ricardo Vargas beat Lansing’s #2 starter, Jason Jordan, with an even better display: 5.1 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 10 K. Tadamichi Hamada hit 2-3 with 2 doubles and a base on balls.
- We took the sweep after Ángel Márquez’s scorching walk-off 3-run HR in the 10th inning. Rob Crawford smacked 4 base hits.
- Israel Padilla was unstoppable in the 8-1 victory over St. Paul, allowing just a single run over 8 innings while fanning 10. His early season wobbles seem well behind him. Crawford hit 3-5 with a homer.
- Tom Hart completed the set of quality starts from each member of the rotation with 8 innings for 2 runs, 1 unearned. Earl Becker hit 3-4 and Ken James recorded his 23rd save.

This week: 5-1
Record: 55-50, 3rd place, 3 GB from St. Paul, Madison

[Paulie123]

Sorry that updates have been coming a bit erratically recently. It’s school summer holidays here in England right now, so trips away with the kids and other things going on mean I haven’t been able to play or post regularly. I’ll do my best in August, but this thread will hopefully get back on a more dependable schedule when school’s back in September.

[Paulie123]

31 July 2052

GM’s notebook - Series 36 and 37

Austin 4-7 Magpies
Austin 2-6 Magpies
Austin 6-5 Magpies
Magpies 11-1 Salem
Magpies 1-2 Salem
Magpies 10-3 Salem

- Ricardo Vargas wasn’t quite fully fit for his turn in the rotation on day one versus Austin, so it was the perfect opportunity to give Ronald Williams his first ever SCL start. Williams was brilliant, throwing 8 scoreless innings, only conceding his first major league runs - after 11 innings in total - with 2 outs in the 9th on a grand slam from former Magpies infielder Carlos Zúñiga. So close to a shutout in his first start!
- The 6-2 victory against the Tycoons came courtesy of 2 homers from Gonzalo Torralda, which took his season tally to 20, and 8 innings for 1 run from Vargas.
- Gianni Hagenaars is finally recovered from his hamstring injury, but now we have Earl Becker as everyday CF there is no spot for Hagenaars on the active roster any more so he has been sent to the minor league team.
- Robert Terry’s ERA slipped above 2.00 after a poor start in the final Austin game. Our rally from 6-0 down fell just short.
- WL player of the week went to Becker, who ripped 12 hits in 26 at-bats, with 3 HR and 4 RBIs.
- The big win in the first Salem game was a terrific team performance, with Torralda (3-5, HR) the pick of the bunch.
- The offense poured it on in the rubber game of the Ironclads series. Ángel Márquez and Pedro Soto both blasted their 11th homers of the year. Salem went into the series with the SCL’s bets record, and we gave them a thumping.
- The improvement in our defense and pitching over recent weeks is remarkable. We now lead the WL in ERA (3.24), runs allowed (389) and defensive efficiency (.722). We are just 2 games behind the Brown Bears in the division race, and 1 game behind Carson City, who hold the second wildcard place.

This week: 4-2
Record: 59-52, =2nd place, 2 GB from Madison

[Paulie123]

29 July 2052

(Cutting from SCL Baseball Monthly magazine, July 2052 issue)

SCL BASEBALL MONTHLY

Meet The Player: 10 Facts You Never Knew About... ÁNGEL OCHOA, DES MOINES MAGPIES

1. He claims to have once done the New York Marathon in 1 hour 51 minutes.
2. Once on a holiday to Cancún, he says he slept with five supermodels. And their sisters.
3. He says he once held the world record for making the highest tower of marshmallows in just 2 minutes, using only chopsticks, while blindfolded, with his left hand, while in a desert.
4. He claims to have been asked to play for the USA at the 2046 soccer World Cup in Fiji, but turned down the opportunity because it clashed with the minor league baseball season.
5. He can reportedly juggle 10 flaming torches at once.
6. He claims to be a direct descendant of Albert Einstein.
7. He says he can hold his breath underwater unaided for 23 minutes.
8. In his spare time, he says he plays the clarinet, cor anglais, sousaphone, hurdy-gurdy, harpsichord, glockenspiel, jazz trumpet, marimba, didgeridoo and descant recorder.
9. He told friends that he read ‘War and Peace’ in just 6 hours.
10. He is a pathological liar.

[Paulie123]

7 August 2052

GM’s notebook - Series 38 and 39

Bismarck 0-1 Magpies
Bismarck 6-7 Magpies
Bismarck 3-5 Magpies
Sacramento 3-4 Magpies
Sacramento 3-4 Magpies
Sacramento 7-4 Magpies

- Our former first base prospect Max Marshall, who we moved to Santa Fe in June 2050 in the trade for infield prospect Pedro Medina, won WL rookie of the month for June. In his first full major league season he has put up a .707 OPS.
- Robert Terry is putting off his regression. He threw 7 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 10 K to dominate the Coyotes in the 1-0 win.
- A 20th home run from Earl Becker made the difference in game two of the Bismarck series.
- After taking the win in the final Coyotes game, Tom Hart’s ERA is down to 2.19, the 6th best among qualified pitchers in the SCL. Terry still leads the league with 1.93. The victory moved us into a three-way tie with Madison and St. Paul for the North Division lead.
- Cory Adams was forced out of the second 4-3 win over Sacramento with elbow inflammation. He will be injured for a week. This gives me the opportunity to use some of our minor league depth, so Adams has gone on the 15-day DL, Ronald Williams has moved into his rotation spot, and Allen Clary is recalled to the bullpen.
- A great homestand this week leaves us just one game back in both the North Division race and the wildcard chase. Madison have lost 5 straight and are back to 3rd in the division and at risk of slipping out of contention.

This week: 5-1
Record: 64-53, 2nd place, 1 GB from St. Paul

[Paulie123]

6 August 2052

From: Aristotle Catheter M.D., Club Doctor
To: Billy DePodesta

Des Moines Magpies Medical Department
INJURY REPORT: CORY ADAMS

Our medical team have confirmed that the injury sustained by Cory Adams in this afternoon’s 4-3 victory over the Sacramento Stingrays is less serious than first thought. When struck on the arm by the comebacker, we initially feared he had broken his elbow, but fortunately x-rays have revealed no broken or fractured bones.

He does, however, have elbow inflammation and will not be able to pitch for a couple of days. He will then need to throw some simulated innings, and all told will not be able to return to the active roster for one week. This means he will certainly not be available for his next scheduled start. I understand you are considering placing him on the 15-day disabled list, and from a medical perspective I would welcome this decision to ensure his injury is fully healed before his next competitive pitch.

Aristotle Catheter M.D.
Club Doctor

[Paulie123]

13 August 2052

GM’s notebook - Series 40 and 41

Magpies 4-3 Carson City
Magpies 18-6 Carson City
Magpies 3-1 Carson City
Phoenix 2-4 Magpies
Phoenix 3-6 Magpies
Phoenix 3-6 Magpies

- A clutch 2-out double from Ángel Ochoa in the top of the 9th brought home what proved to be the winning run in the Carson City opener. 5 of our last 6 wins have been by a single run, but we are still 4 games behind our Pythagorean record so are overdue some luck.
- Indianapolis’s talented young starter Pedro Maldonado will miss the rest of the season with a torn labrum. Think carefully before drafting a guy with a fragile injury reputation! I never do it.
- The offense blitzed the Rattlesnakes’ pitching in the second game. We scored 9 runs in the 2nd inning (including Eric Warner’s grand slam) and 6 more in the 4th. We totalled 17 hits and 9 walks today.
- Joe Merrill is back from the DL, and takes back his roster spot from the disappointing Dave Plummer. I’m not sure how many more chances I’ll give Plummer.
- Tom Hart continued his excellent form with 8 innings of 1-run ball. He did walk 6 batters though - his control can sometimes be a little erratic.
- A towering 410ft, 2-out, 2-run walk-off home run from Ángel Márquez won the first game of the Raccoons series. From the moment it left the bat the Iowa Ballpark crowd knew it was headed for the stands.
- I gave Marv Lewis a spot start in game two of the series, and he won the battle of the lefties against the veteran Kenny Young. Gonzalo Torralda hit a HR and a DBL, and Ken James earned save #30.
- The final game of the week was a good all-round team performance, but special mention to Rob Crawford (4-5 with his 30th double) and Ron Williams (7.1 IP, 1 ER).
- This superb run of wins has pushed us up to tied for 1st place in the North Division. 1st place seemed an awfully long way off when we stood at 22-33 near the end of May.

This week: 6-0
Record: 70-53, =1st place, tied with St. Paul

[Paulie123]

14 August 2052

onlytheboxscore.com/Magpies
Star names lead Magpies’ offensive fightback
Posted by Bob Square-Spongepants, @nickelodeonbob

Earlier on this season this website wrote an article highlighting how the then-struggling Magpies were hamstrung by a lack of both leadership and offense. Two and a half months later, the picture looks very different. The team’s offensive numbers overall are still under par for the season - their total runs of 531 places them only 9th of 14 teams in the Western League for instance - but their lineup’s performances have been a big factor in the Magpies’ recent resurgence.

The catalyst for the improvement in offense and the team’s form overall was undoubtedly the trade to acquire all-star center fielder Earl Becker. While Becker himself has not reproduced his best form so far in a Magpies uniform (he is hitting for a .732 OPS for the Magpies, compared to .923 for the Wolfhounds before the trade), his arrival galvanised previously underperforming team-mates. Their all-star batters have got a lot better. Pedro Soto is now getting on base at a .380 pace, while Gonzalo Torralda has improved his numbers hugely and leads the team for HR (24) and walks (72). Another important factor has been the running game: last season the team stole just 59 bags all year; this year’s speedier roster has already stolen 92.

Not to say the lineup is unimpeachably good. There are still question marks over the infield. Rookie Daniel Burke has been defensively superb at shortstop, but GM Billy DePodesta is probably looking for more offense from the position than a .454 OPS. At third base, Ángel Márquez remains some way shy of last year’s excellent performance of 34 HRs, an .811 OPS, and an all-star game appearance. It will be interesting to see whether the newly financially secure Magpies looks to strengthen their infield over the winter. The answer may depend on how well the team perform over the final quarter of the regular season and, possibly, into the playoffs.

[Paulie123]

20 August 2052

GM’s notebook - Series 42 and 43

Magpies 1-3 Madison
Magpies 1-12 Madison
Magpies 4-7 Madison
Denver 5-6 Magpies
Denver 0-4 Magpies
Denver 5-2 Magpies

- There are signs that Robert Terry might be coming off the boil a bit. In the Madison opening game, he took 101 pitches to get through just 4.2 innings, as he allowed 4 hits, 4 walks and 3 earned runs.
- The Brown Bears took command of game two by smashing Tom Hart for 5 runs in the 4th frame. Walt Davidson and Marv Lewis made sure we were well beaten by letting Madison have 5 more runs in the 7th.
- Our former closer Júlio Martínez secured his 300th career save in a game against Hartford.
- Our starting pitching was dreadful throughout the Madison series, giving up runs in the 1st inning every game and putting the offense under pressure from the start.
- Ricardo Vargas repeated the trick in the Snox Sox opener, but, led by Earl Becker and Pedro Soto, this time the offense was able to respond, while Vargas dug in well to prevent further damage.
- Ronald Williams was epic in his next start: 8 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 9 K. When Cory Adams returns from the DL, I will probably have him work out of the bullpen, and keep Williams in the rotation.

This week: 2-4
Record: 72-57, =1st place, tied with St. Paul

[Paulie123]

26 August 2052

GM’s notebook - Series 44 and 45

Magpies 2-1 Santa Fe
Magpies 10-8 Santa Fe
Magpies 1-6 Santa Fe
Magpies 10-7 Baton Rouge
Magpies 5-4 Baton Rouge
Magpies 4-3 Baton Rouge

- Cory Adams is back from the DL, but I’ve put him into the bullpen (Allen Clary has been sent down). Ronald Williams (3-0, 2.02) has pitched well as a starter while Adams has been out, and will keep his rotation place for now.
- Two of the league’s best pitchers squared up to each other when Tom Hart took on Outlaws ace Donnie Lee in the series opener. The game was predictably tight, and Tadamichi Hamada’s solo HR in the top of the 9th frame edged it for us.
- With Ernesto Solís and Ángel Márquez both hitting homers and doubles, we jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the top of the 5th inning in game two. But Santa Fe fought back to 10-8 after the 7th, and we needed Ken James’s 35th save of the season to see us to the win.
- It looks like Robert Terry’s expected regression may be kicking in. 4 runs on 6 hits over 5.2 innings gave him the loss in the final Outlaws game.
- Márquez hit 3-3 with a HR and 4 RBIs, and Pedro Soto smacked 4-6 in the 10-7 victory in Baton Rouge. We had been 7-3 behind after 4 innings.
- Earl Becker hit a homer and a double as we wrapped up the sweep against the four-time defending Western League champion Deltas.
- Montgomery’s hopes of a fifth straight SCL title are surely over. They have slumped to 62-73 and are 10 games behind Tallahassee in the South East Division.
- That excellent road trip has pushed us 3 games clear of St. Paul in the North Division, which we lead for the first time this year. But the race remains extremely close, as the Brown Bears are only one game further back.

This week: 5-1
Record: 77-58, 1st place, 3 game lead over St. Paul