Portland Raccoons (ABL)

[Westheim]

Raccoons (45-29) vs. Falcons (39-36) – June 26-28, 2045

Up 2-1 on the Falcons this year, the Raccoons were hoping to break through their mojo of alternating wins and losses over the last two weeks. They would have to do so against the second-best pitching in the league, but weighed own by the third-slowest offense in terms of runs scored. They ranked in the top 3 in stolen bases and defense, too.

Projected matchups:
Sadaharu Okuda (7-5, 3.81 ERA) vs. Oscar Flores (7-4, 3.03 ERA)
Corey Mathers (7-6, 5.33 ERA) vs. Adam Messer (8-4, 2.78 ERA)
Victor Merino (2-1, 3.12 ERA) vs. Jerry Felix (9-5, 4.36 ERA)

Only right-handers in the Falcons rotation!

Game 1
CHA: 2B M. Martinez – 3B Watanabe – CF Besaw – SS Aparicio – 1B Haertling – RF Turley – C Alicea – LF S. Watson – P O. Flores
POR: LF Baskins – CF Herrera – RF Fernandez – 1B Toohey – SS Waters – C Zarate – 3B Jimenez – 2B Carreno – P Okuda

The Raccoons made a first big step towards back-to-back wins with a 4-run first inning; Baskins walked and Herrera single, and while the 3-4 hitters had nothing valuable to contribute, Matt Waters singled in both runners with a ball up the middle, reached second on Joe Besaw’s throw to home, then scored on a Zarate single. Jimenez doubled to left, driving home Zarate, all with two outs. Arturo Carreno eventually flew out to Archie Turley. Okuda didn’t allow a hit the first time through, only giving up a 2-out single to Miguel Martinez in the third, but that runner was stranded, and instead Jimenez hit a solo homer to left in the bottom of the inning, extending the lead to 5-0. Charlotte put two on in the fourth, but Tony Aparicio and Ed Haertling were stranded when both Turley and Ramon Alicea struck out.

By the fifth, Jimenez had three quarters of the cycle ticked off, missing the triple. He singled with two outs, moving Zarate to second after Zarate had just singled home Matt Waters. Carreno grounded out, stranding a pair in a 6-0 game. Toohey added a 2-out RBI single to plate Baskins the following inning, while Okuda remained excellent… until there were two outs in the seventh and then he suddenly retired nobody. Ramon Alicea walked, and Sean Watson, Esteban Sandoval, and Martinez hit three singles off him to plate two runs out of the blue. Preston Porter replaced him, stopped the bleeding on a groundout by Shintaro Watanabe, and then we were dismayed that Jimenez grounded out against Jonathan Ramsey in the bottom of the inning, thus being denied the cycle. Instead, Herrera hit a triple off Ramsey in the bottom 8th, following on a leadoff walk to Baskins, driving in another run thusly. Dustal hit for Manny and plated Herrera with an RBI single, and Jon Craig finished off the deal with a 1-2-3 ninth. 9-2 Raccoons! Herrera 4-5, 3B, RBI; Dustal (PH) 1-1, RBI; Toohey 2-5, RBI; Zarate 2-5, 2 RBI; Jimenez 3-4, HR, 2B, 2 RBI; Okuda 6.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 4 K, W (8-5);

Back-to-back wins! Is the spell now broken!?

Cristiano, I did not request an actual analysis on the validity of my conceptions of curses and witchcraft in general…

Game 2
CHA: 2B M. Martinez – 3B Watanabe – CF Besaw – SS Aparicio – 1B Haertling – RF Turley – C Kokoszka – LF J. Simmons – P Messer
POR: SS Waters – CF Herrera – 1B Maldonado – RF Toohey – LF Fernandez – C Kilmer – 3B Jimenez – 2B Carreno – P Mathers

Mathers had been skipped the last time out, and like Okuda didn’t allow a hit the first time through. While going up 1-0 on a Maldo sac fly in the first, he retired the first six in order before walking Chris Kokoszka. Messer would bunt badly to get his catcher forced out in a noisy collision at second base, then ran into the third out at third base on a Martinez single. Watanabe and Besaw opened the fourth with singles though, and Herrera had to race to catch an Aparicio drive after that. Watanabe moved up to third base, giving Charlotte runners on the corners with one down, and scored the tying run on Haertling’s grounder to short because Waters couldn’t get the ball out of his glove at the first try, reducing the Coons to a 6-4 fielder’s choice on the play. Turley fouled out, keeping the game tied. The Coons got the lead back when Jimenez doubled home Kilmer in the bottom 4th, but the Falcons loaded the sacks in the fifth with a Kokoszka walk, an error by Mathers, and a walk to Watanabe. Two outs, Besaw hit a deep fly to center – but Herrera showed off his Gold Glove again, stranding three…!

Mathers wasn’t exactly diamond grade, obviously, and the Falcons broke through in the sixth. Haertling reached base with a single, and then Kokoszka homered to left with two outs, flipping the score to Charlotte, 3-2. The bottom of the frame saw Messer allow a leadoff single to Toohey, then walk Manny. That looked almost like a chance! …until Kilmer whiffed and Jimenez hit into a double play. Carreno reached base to begin the seventh, then was caught stealing. Maldo began the eighth with a single… and then was doubled up by Toohey. It just was one of those games we weren’t meant to win. On the plus side, Josh Rella had a 1-2-3 inning in the ninth after some recent spankings. The bottom of the ninth featured righty Brad Blankenship against the Coons’ 6-7-8 batters. Dustal hit for Kilmer and grounded out. Jimenez walked, Carreno whiffed. Martell would hit for Rella, but grounded out to Watanabe. 3-2 Falcons. Herrera 2-4, 2B;

Game 3
CHA: 2B M. Martinez – 3B Watanabe – CF Besaw – SS Aparicio – 1B Haertling – RF Turley – C Kokoszka – LF Case – P Felix
POR: CF Baskins – SS Waters – 1B Maldonado – RF Toohey – LF Fernandez – C Zarate – 3B Jimenez – 2B Martell – P Merino

Both teams stranded a pair of runners – the Falcons their 3-4, the Coons their 1-2 – in the first inning, then entered a mutual non-aggression pact that stretched until about the fifth inning. The Falcons twice hit a soft leadoff single, but never reached scoring position from the second through the fifth, and the Coons were snoozing with their tails over their eyes until Zarate hit a leadoff single in the bottom 5th and Jimenez reached on a Haertling error, giving them two on with nobody out. Despite my pessimistic reservations, the bottom of the order got the first run of the game home, Zarate advancing on a Carreno fly out and scoring on Merino’s grounder to second, which resulted in a fielder’s choice. Baskins then popped out to conclude five, and Merino walked Watanabe to begin the sixth. Besaw, who had been on base twice, hit into a double play, though. Aparicio then worked another walk, but Haertling grounded out. The Coons then again got two on with a hit and an error in the bottom 6th: Waters whacked a leadoff double to left, and Maldonado reached on an Aparicio fumble. Felix struck out two, then got a pop from Zarate…

Merino sunk in the seventh. He nailed Koskozka, Seth Case singled, and then he couldn’t get Felix out without noise. The opposing pitcher hit a sac fly, tying the game at one, and Merino was not seen again after a Martinez single. Norris got the third out from Watanabe, then bunted Martell to second after the keystone guard reached on another error by the Gold Glover Aparicio. Baskins broke through with a single over Martinez, driving home Martell for a fresh 2-1 lead …! Waters hit an infield single, but Maldonado popped out to end the inning. After Norris and Chuck Jones combined for a quick eighth, the ninth would be on Josh Rella – with no cushion. Archie Turley led off, singled on the first pitch, and I habitually reached for Honeypaws and a bottle of One-Eyed Jack’s – the specter of another broken closer required stronger stuff than mere Capt’n Coma! Kokoszka flew out. Case struck out. Pinch-hitting would be the switch-hitter Esteban Sandoval, who ha helped sink Okuda in the Monday game. Here, he popped out harmlessly. 2-1 Coons. Waters 3-4, 2B;

Well, we took the series, if nothing else.

And now ... (braces for impact) ... the Elks...!

Raccoons (47-30) vs. Canadiens (38-39) – June 29-July 2, 2045

The damn Elks remained entertaining for the neutral fan, putting up the most runs on either side of the box score: 5.3 runs scored per game, and 5.2 runs allowed per game, with a +8 run differential (the Critters: +66). We led the season series, 5-2, and they had shed quite some personnel with three starters (Sealock, Arias, Godinez) on the DL as well as infielder Kenichi Saito. And mind that the rotation hadn't been any good from the start...

Projected matchups:
Brent Clark (6-6, 4.70 ERA) vs. John Roeder (4-6, 5.17 ERA)
Jason Wheatley (7-5, 3.12 ERA) vs. Raul Velasquez (1-0, 1.29 ERA)
Sadaharu Okuda (8-5, 3.74 ERA) vs. Michael Donovan (2-3, 5.08 ERA)
Corey Mathers (7-7, 5.22 ERA) vs. Omar Uribe (3-3, 4.60 ERA)

Left, right; left, right. They had three lefty starters (plus Alex Lewis, 8-3 with a 4.83 ERA), and failed to align any of them for a Southpaw Sunday! Scandalous. Sweep them, boys! (But at least the starters' handedness matched every day...)

Game 1
VAN: LF Escobido - 2B O. Aguirre - CF Outram - 3B Hutson - RF C. Robinson - C T. Phillips - 1B van der Zanden - SS Price - P Roeder
POR: LF Baskins - CF Herrera - 1B Maldonado - RF Toohey - SS Waters - 3B Jimenez - C Kilmer - 2B Carreno - P Clark

Brent Clark struck out four the first time through, including three in full counts, which was not helpful with the pitch count... neither were the two walks he issued. Angel Escobido drew a leadoff walk in the third inning, but was stranded like everybody else, and in the fourth Clark walked the bases loaded against Chris Robinson, Tim Phillips, and Rick Price, but John Roeder hit a 1-2 pitch to Herrera in center for the second out. Robinson went for home - and was thrown out. Clark would walk one more, Oscar Aguirre in the fifth, then was yanked after Jerry Outram, the old menace, hitting .387 with 9 homers, singled to right. Preston Porter came on, allowed a single to Dan Hutson, a sac fly to Robinson, and an RBI single to Phillips for the Coons to fall behind 2-0 before Arnout van der Zanden grounded out to Carreno...

The Coons couldn't ******* do anything through five innings, getting Kilmer and Carreno on in the bottom 5th before hitting into a double play with Dustal. Bottom 6th, Maldo and Toohey reached with one out, putting the tying runs back on. At least Matt Waters wasn't a double play threat - he was a double threat! Hitting one down the line in right he drove in Maldo, while Toohey had to hold. Jimenez tied the game with a groundout to short. Kilmer flew out to Escobido to keep it tied through six. They took the lead the inning after, Carreno opening it with a single. He stole second, but didn't score until there were two outs and Herrera beat Outram - surely a better offensive centerfielder, but he had never won a Gold Glove in his career - for an RBI triple in the left-center gap. Maldo dropped an RBI single in front of Outram, 4-2, while Toohey narrowly missed a homer to left, being caught by Escobido near the fence.

With Rella having been out two days in a row and generally reeling, the Raccoons would try Moreno in the ninth - IF somebody got the lead to him. Jon Craig was in for the top 8th, and retired the 6-7-8 hitters in order to keep the Elks down. Portland didn't tack on after Craig's scoreless inning, but they didn't have to; Moreno went 1-2-3 on the damn Elks, including two strikeouts to end the game. 4-2 Raccoons! Maldonado 2-4, RBI; Waters 2-3, BB, 2B, RBI; Kilmer 2-4; Carreno 3-4; Kelly 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, W (2-1);

Friday then was the end of the month, and Jason Wheatley's chance to maybe grab a Pitcher of the Month award, if he didn't get roughed up by the damn Elks! He came in 4-0 with a 1.35 ERA in June.

Game 2
VAN: 2B O. Aguirre - 1B Zuazo - CF Outram - C Julio Diaz - 3B Hutson - LF J. Becker - RF V. Vazquez - SS Price - P Velasquez
POR: LF Baskins - CF Herrera - SS Waters - 1B Maldonado - RF Fernandez - C Kilmer - 3B Jimenez - 2B Martell - P Wheatley

He allowed a hit to Outram in the first, but didn't allow anybody else on, but Outram reappeared with Aguirre and Zuazo on base and one gone in the third inning and hit a scalding liner - right at Martell for the second out! Julio Diaz grounded out, and nobody was on the board yet. The first run would be scored by Wheats, of all people, who hit a 1-out single in the bottom 3rd, but had to stay when Baskins whiffed. Herrera and Waters, though, hit a pair of 2-out singles to chase Wheatley around to score. Maldo grounded out, ending the inning...

Staving off singles by Justin Becker and Rick Price, Wheatley rung up Velasquez to end the fourth and dipped his season ERA under three by doing so. When Aguirre hit a single to open the fifth, advanced on a grounder, and stole third base with Outram at the plate, it looked like a temporary achievement, but Outram popped out on the infield in a full count for the second out. Diaz, hitting .341 with *17* homers, grounded out to Jimenez to strand the tying run 90 feet away. The leadoff man was on AGAIN after Dan Hutson singled to right in the sixth, but he, too was stranded, albeit with an intentional walk to Price, a .290 lefty, with two outs.

Manny hit a homer to center to go up 2-0 in the bottom 6th just as it started to rain. The rain soon became a significant downpour and brought about an hour-long rain delay that ended Wheats' day after six shutout innings. Toohey batted for him with two outs and Kilmer and Jimenez on base, but popped out to strand them. The bullpen thus got involved; Preston Porter retired Aguirre and Zuazo to begin the seventh before Chuck Jones put away Outram. Righty Steven Wilson was in for the Elks in the bottom 7th and also removed the 1-2 hitters before giving up a pair of singles, then an RBI double to Manny, before getting Kilmer on a grounder.

Craig served up a homer to Hutson, approximately Hutson's 69th career homer off the Coons, in the eighth, but since Jones had started the frame by retiring Diaz, the Coons remained up 3-1, and did not yield another run in the inning. Then it was Rella in the ninth. van der Zanden singled on 2-2. Robinson grounded out to first, advancing the runner. Zuazo fanned. But that brought up Outram as the tying run. The thing was - behind that was Diaz, and his *17* homers, who'd be the go-ahead run. And we wouldn't want to walk both of them, nor send Kelly after two innings on Thursday. This one, Rella would have to chew through, I thought, while almost chewing through Honeypaws. The count ran full. Outram put the 3-2 in play, bouncer to Maldonado, and a cozy 27th out ...! 3-1 Critters! Waters 3-4, RBI; Fernandez 4-4, HR, 2B, 2 RBI; Wheatley 6.0 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 3 K, W (8-5) and 1-2;

Yaaaass! Six straight against the damn Elks!!

Game 3
VAN: LF Escobido - SS O. Aguirre - CF Outram - C Julio Diaz - 3B Hutson - CF C. Robinson - 2B Malkus - 1B van der Zanden - P Donovan
POR: SS Waters - CF Herrera - 1B Maldonado - RF Toohey - LF Fernandez - 3B Jimenez - 2B Carreno - C Zarate - P Okuda

Manny drove in Waters with a 2-out single in the bottom 1st for a small lead in the first, with Waters then doing the same 2-out single favor to score Carreno in the second. Herrera and Maldo also reached in that inning to load the bases for Toohey, and while the Raccoons failed to reach the fences at even a semi-regular pace, Toohey shoved a bouncer up the middle that eluded the infielders and plated two more runs, 4-0. Manny flew out to Outram to strand two.

Okuda was mean to the Elks for three innings, but got whacked around a bit for three hits, a walk, and two runs in the fourth, and the rest of the lead disappeared in the fifth inning when Escobido singled, Aguirre walked, and Zarate threw away the ball on a double steal. One run scored, and the other came around on Outram's grounder, leveling the score at four. The damn Elks went up 5-4 in the sixth when a melting Okuda walked two and Travis Marsh plated Hutson with a pinch-hit single.

That ended the Coons' post-second-inning snooze, apparently. Maldo opened the sixth with a single to left, and Toohey beat Outram for a double in center, putting the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position with nobody out and Matt Fries, right-hander, pitching. Only the tying run came home, Manny flying out to shallow left for a poor first out. Jimenez tied the game with a groundout, and Zarate struck out after Carreno walked.

The Elks then put Nelson Moreno against the wall in the top 8th. The 5-6-7 hitters all reached base on a walk and two singles... and with nobody out. van der Zanden lined a screamer - right at Maldonado! First out! Travis Malkus off the base, doubled off, second out! Victor Vazquez then grounded out to Maldo to frustrate the damn Elks' efforts entirely for the inning. The Raccoons had nothing to offer in the bottom 8th, while Zack Kelly put down the 1-2-3 for Elk City in the ninth, thus offering a chance to walk off against Sebastien Parham in the bottom 9th. Dustal batted for Zarate, but grounded out. Baskins walked, having earlier stayed in the game over Herrera. Waters flew out. Kilmer batted for Kelly then, singled up the middle, Baskins rushed to third base, Outram's throw was late, and Kilmer - whose run didn't matter - snuck into second behind him. The damn Elks could now pick their poison: Maldo or Toohey. They picked Maldo, and Maldo grounded out to third. (deflates)

Maldo was out of the game in extras, with Nate Norris, the only remaining fully rested reliever, put into his spot to keep him available for more than an inning (there was also only Gutierrez left on the bench). It didn't come to that - he pitched a scoreless 10th, and the bottom of the inning began with Parham walking Toohey, then uncorking a wild pitch. When Manny hit a ball into the gap, Toohey could trudge home easily for the walkoff win...! 6-5 Furballs! Waters 2-5, BB, RBI; Herrera 2-5; Kilmer (PH) 1-1; Maldonado 2-5, BB, 2B; Toohey 4-5, BB, 2B, 2 RBI; Fernandez 2-6, 2B, 2 RBI;

Seven straight against the damn Elks!! (jumps up and down until tweaking his back again)

Game 4
VAN: 1B van der Zanden - 2B O. Aguirre - C Outram - C Julio Diaz - RF C. Robinson - SS Price - LF P. Colon - P O. Uribe
POR: LF Baskins - CF Herrera - 3B Maldonado - 1B Toohey - RF Fernandez - SS Waters - 2B Carreno - C Kilmer - P Mathers

The Elks had three hits and three walks in three innings. The Coons had three hits and two walks in three innings. Neither team scored, since both also spanked into a pair of double plays. Hutson hit a leadoff single off a wonky looking Mathers in the fourth, but never made it off first base on three poor outs by the 6-7-8. van der Zanden hit a single with one gone in the fifth, but was forced out by Aguirre with a grounder to second. He also collided with Waters rather noisily and had to leave the game with discomfort. Malkus would replace him, batting and fielding first. Outram drew a 2-out walk from Mathers, but Diaz struck out to end the inning - he had come in hitting almost .350 with 17 homers, but had yet to do any sort of harm to the Critters.

The Critters then got a free runner in scoring position in the bottom 5th. Matt Waters led off with a grounder to first that Malkus bobbled for an error, then reached second on a passed ball on Diaz. Carreno struck out, but Kilmer turned a 1-2 pitch around into center for an RBI single and the first run in the game. Mathers bunted him to second, and he scored on a 2-out single by Derek Baskins, 2-0. Mathers celebrated with fireworks, in this case a leadoff jack smashed by Hutson in the sixth (...!), but retired another three to get through the inning with the Raccoons pen panting just a little bit after the last two days. The Coons pulled the run back with three singles by Maldo, Waters, and Carreno in the bottom 6th before Kilmer flew out to Outram to strand two.

Jon Craig hiccuped the tying runs aboard in the seventh before Jones came out to face Outram with one out and hurling the third day in a row. He ran a full count, then got a double play grounder, 4-6-3 ...! Martell hit for and doubled in place of Jones to begin the bottom 7th, then scored on a Herrera single, 4-1. Herrera stole second, but was stranded by Maldo and Toohey. More pen wobbles in the eighth: Zack Kelly got the ball, but Diaz singled right away. Hutson hit a double to right, the Elks sent Diaz all the way around, having him thrown out at home plate by Manny and a good 20 feet! Kelly walked Escobido, then got a grounder to short from Price. 6-4-3, inning over again...! But no wobbles in the ninth - Rella retired the Elks 1-2-3 for the sweep! 4-1 Raccoons! Herrera 2-4, 2B, RBI; Carreno 3-4, RBI; Martell (PH) 1-1, 2B;

In other news

June 26 – It could be season over for Boston’s outfielder Joe Ritchey (.217, 15 HR, 34 RBI), who is down and out with a herniated disc.
June 28 – The Titans send 1B/RF/LF Carlos Cortes (.352, 11 HR, 51 RBI) to the Bayhawks for three prospects.
June 28 – The Canadiens pick up MR Sam Gibson (2-0, 3.26 ERA, 3 SV) from the Condors for two prospects. The pair include #63 prospect OF/2B/3B Sam Turner, still in single-A.
June 29 - L.A. loses OF Juan Benavides (.337, 5 HR, 37 RBI) for two weeks; the 30-year-old is down with a knee sprain.
July 2 - SFB RF/LF/1B Nick Duncan (.280, 3 HR, 19 RBI) is out for the 2045 season with a torn posterior cruciate ligament.
July 2 - Nashville 1B Alejandro Ramos (.262, 5 HR, 35 RBI) drives in five runs in a 16-2 rout of the Rebels, most of them on a grand slam off RIC MR Jared Murphy (2-0, 3.03 ERA).

FL Player of the Week: PIT 2B Dan Schneller (.311, 8 HR, 49 RBI), hitting .423 (11-26) with 2 HR, 6 RBI
CL Player of the Week: MIL INF Ricky Espinoza (.285, 8 HR, 42 RBI), batting .455 (15-33) with 1 HR, 6 RBI

FL Hitter of the Month: CIN 3B Jesus Burgos (.363, 6 HR, 44 RBI), hitting .402 with 4 HR, 15 RBI
CL Hitter of the Month: OCT C Jesus Adames (.366, 19 HR, 63 RBI), swatting .397 with 9 HR, 28 RBI
FL Pitcher of the Month: WAS SP Aaron Bryant (12-4, 3.11 ERA), throwing for a 5-1 record with 1.88 ERA, 29 K
CL Pitcher of the Month: POR SP Jason Wheatley (8-5, 2.93 ERA), dominating or a 5-0 mark with a 1.25 ERA, 32 K
FL Rookie of the Month: LAP OF Armando Luis Herrera (.364, 8 HR, 42 RBI), hitting .370 with 5 HR, 18 RBI
CL Rookie of the Month: NYC 1B Dave Hernandez (.293, 5 HR, 21 RBI), swinging or a .297 clip with 3 HR, 16 RBI

Complaints and stuff

Wheeeeeats! Being tentatively, mentally optioned to AAA in May, he came out hurling in June, and snatched the Pitcher of the Month rocket launcher for his trophy case!

Yes, it's an actual, working rocket launcher. The award is sponsored by the Spaceforce this season. Somebody has already blown a hole into the locker room wall with it, but of course none of the boys has seen or knows anything about the incident, and Slappy is not willing to clean up the mess, either.

Back-to-back 4-game sweeps of the damn Elks! That probably hasn't happened before, although I do remember a season we swept them twice in Elk City. We're also back to one game under .500 all time against them, and I can't wait to get even in THAT regard.

We also posted a 6-1 week with only two home runs to our credit, Jimenez' solo jack on Monday, and Manny's solo jack on Friday. We went 30-15 in terms of runs scored, with solid pitching almost all the way through.

Rotten news from the farm for this week? This year's third-rounder Danny Hall made two starts for the Beagles, then headed for Tommy John surgery for a frayed UCL.

To not be bereft of future disappointments, we are going after five international amateurs right now, as that signing window opened on Saturday.

The five kids have been offered a total of $553k in the first round of bidding (the soft cap being an unwieldy $599k this year), with almost all of that going to two pitchers, Venezuelan righty Alejandro Gutierrez and American lefty Daniel Silin. How does an American teenage boy get into the international amateur pool? He was born in New Jersey, but has spent almost all his life in Panama, where his missionary parents have devoted themselves to spread The Word to the last few remote indigenous villages that haven't heard of it yet.

There is also a Dominican second baseman (might end up at first with his floppy non-throwing arm) in the pool, 16-year-old Nick Fernandez. Excellent hitting profile, with speed! ...but his asking price is said to be seven figures. We are currently evaluating whether he's worth shooting us out of the 2046 signing period. We have over $3M of budget room, so that is not an issue.

Next week: four in Milwaukee, three in Boston, then the All Star Game.

Fun Fact: There are three countries that currently have exactly one player in ABL teams or their farm systems.

The sole English professional baseball player right now is SP Arthur Pickett on the Stars. He debuted last year, was decent, and this year the #6 pick in 2040 is 11-2 with a 3.13 ERA.

There is one Dutchman in professional ball: right-hander Robbie Wigman, a 25-year-old in AA for the Thunder, where he has stats that suggest he won't make it much further than that.

Also in AA, the sole Curacaoan representative, OF Robbie Deegan. The 25-year-old is hitting .283/.356/.379, so the Knights might move him up some further eventually.

This is an intro to a little series that will shed light on seven other countries that only ever had ONE major league player - some were even quite big names, some were done after a Cup of Coffee. We'll pick out one of those singularities whenever nothing else comes up that deserves a closer look.

+++

Unrelated, my MS Word was acting up today, and I had go into Notepad, which doesn't auto-correct my killzillion typos, and I surely didn't catch all of them. Sorry? I'll now give MS Office a couple on the snout for being annoying.

[Westheim]

Raccoons (51-30) @ Loggers (43-37) – July 3-6, 2045

Finishing the pre-All Star Game portion of the season led the Raccoons on the road, and firstly to Milwaukee, their four-and-four partner this season with another 4-game set coming in Portland right after the break. We had lost two of three to them in the first meeting of the year, and while they had finished bottoms in the North in 2044, they were now in third place with the seventh-most runs scored and the fourth-fewest runs allowed, for a +22 run differential – not rotten at all. They *did* have tremendous bullpen woes, though – they were worst in the league in relieving, with an ERA well over five for the troupe out there.

Projected matchups:
Victor Merino (2-1, 2.83 ERA) vs. Ruben Guzman (4-4, 3.77 ERA)
Brent Clark (6-6, 4.67 ERA) vs. Rich Guzman (2-5, 4.63 ERA)
Jason Wheatley (8-5, 2.93 ERA) vs. Mackenzie O’Toole (8-4, 3.10 ERA)
Sadaharu Okuda (8-5, 3.78 ERA) vs. Sergio Piedra (8-3, 3.41 ERA)

Four right-handers, two Guzmans, and all probably in an attempt to confuse us! While Ruben Guzman had been around for a few years, Rich Guzman was a 29-year-old rookie with lots of minor league experience.

Game 1
POR: LF Baskins – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – 1B Toohey – RF Fernandez – SS Waters – 2B Carreno – C Kilmer – P Merino
MIL: CF Reeves – 2B Davison – RF Hertenstein – SS R. Espinoza – 1B Whiting – LF B. Fox – C Bousquet – 3B C. Rose – P Ru. Guzman

Bill Reeves had the first hit of the game, an infield single, then legged it to second base with his 16th theft of the year. Trying to make it 17 in the same inning, he was thrown out at third base by Jeff Kilmer. The Loggers made another out at third base in the bottom 3rd, which Chris Rose opened with a double to left before being thrown out on a meaty chop bunt by Guzman that Merino took to third base. However, a walk to Reeves and a 2-out single by Daniel Hertenstein brought in the Loggers’ first run anyway before Ricky Espinoza grounded out to short to strand a pair, while the Raccoons at this point where not even in the H column yet. Toohey hit a single in the fourth, of which nothing came. Merino instead allowed a single to Jaso Whiting, who stole second, walked Justin Bousquet, and then gave up a double steal and a Rose sac fly to fall behind 2-0.

No, it looked grim for the Coons’ 5-game winning streak. They couldn’t put anything together through six, with two measly hits (one a fifth-inning Merino single) and six strikeouts. Guzman then walked Toohey to begin the sixth, and Manny dropped a soft single. Waters crammed a grounder through between Whiting and Scott Davison to load the bases – but with nobody out. Doom was certain! Carreno hit a sac fly, and Kilmer hit into a double play to fumble it away reliably.

Merino lasted seven innings of 5-hit, 2-run ball, not shabby at all, but remained on the short end of the 2-1 score. Briefly-a-Coon Damon DeOrio then glitched in the eighth for Milwaukee, allowing a single to Toohey and a walk to Fernandez, both with one out. Steve Bass replaced DeOrio, got Matt Waters to fly out to shallow center, but then allowed a single to left to Carreno. With two outs, Toohey had been going at first noise, and that allowed him to score, with Brian Fox’ throw cut off. The game tied, Kilmer fell to 1-2 against Bass before raking a ball up the rightfield line. It got behind Hertenstein, and both runners scored to give the Raccoons a 4-2 lead…! Suddenly on the long end of the score, Merino was hit for with Martell, who grounded out. Moreno followed Merino with a scoreless eighth, and Bryce Toohey tacked on a buffer run with a sac fly after Derek Baskins’ leadoff triple and an intentional walk to Maldonado in the top 9th. Maldo would steal second, giving an intentional walk to Manny, too, Waters singled, but Omar Gutierrez left the bases loaded when he hit for Carreno and grounded out. While I was ruing all missed chances on principle, Josh Rella denied a rally to the Loggers, allowing only an infield single in the bottom 9th. 5-2 Coons. Toohey 2-3, BB, RBI; Fernandez 1-1, 4 BB; Waters 2-5; Carreno 1-2, BB, 2 RBI; Merino 7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, W (3-1) and 1-3;

Six in a row!

Game 2
POR: LF Baskins – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – 1B Toohey – RF Fernandez – SS Waters – 2B Carreno – C Kilmer – P Clark
MIL: CF Reeves – 2B Davison – SS R. Espinoza – 1B Whiting – C Payne – LF B. Fox – RF B. Allen – 3B C. Rose – P Ri. Guzman

The Raccoons got a quick start on Tuesday, Baskins reaching on a Whiting error before Herrera singled, Maldonado drove in both with a screamer, and Matt Waters’ 2-out single also brought home Maldo to give Clark a 3-0 lead as he pawed to the mound. Reeves would reach on an error by Maldonado, then stole two bases before being stranded as the remaining Loggers amounted to two strikeouts and a pop in the bottom 1st.

Clark struck out only one more through five innings and became increasingly erratic. He walked two in the fourth, but bowed out with some poor outs (including Brian Fox whiffing), then walked Rich Guzman to begin the fifth inning. The defense helped him out of that situation, with Maldonado ending the inning by leaping and snagging an Espinoza liner. While the Coons’ offense had fallen asleep again, with only isolated and useless doubles by Baskins and Waters from the second through the sixth, Clark worked his way into a jam he wasn’t retrieved from in the bottom 6th, because, well, it was genuinely hard to defend against walks. Clark walked Ricky Payne and Brent Allen, allowed a Fox single, too, and was yoinked with one out, having doled out five walks in 5.1 innings. Nate Norris had been very stingy recently and got the task of the switch-hitting Rose, whom he fanned. Guzman was to hit for himself, and easily flew out to Armando Herrera to strand the tying runs.

Guzman only departed in the eighth after putting Toohey and Waters on base. DeOrio was the tosser of choice for the Loggers again, which led to a bases-filling single to Kilmer, a 2-run single by Omar Gutierrez, and finally a 3-run blast to right-center for Derek Baskins, putting that game into the Coons’ W column. DeOrio would cough up another run in the ninth, where Waters drove home Toohey with a single. The Loggers amounted to nothing by the end. 9-0 Raccoons. Baskins 3-5, HR, 2B, 3 RBI; Herrera 2-5; Toohey 2-4, BB; Waters 3-4, BB, 2B, 2 RBI; Gutierrez (PH) 1-2, 2 RBI;

Seven in a row! Who will ever stop the Critters!?

Game 3
POR: LF Baskins – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – 1B Toohey – RF Fernandez – SS Waters – 2B Martell – C Zarate – P Wheatley
MIL: CF Reeves – 3B B. Johnson – 1B Whiting – C Payne – RF Hertenstein – LF B. Fox – SS C. Rose – 2B Davison – P O’Toole

Maybe rain, which loomed with our freshly-baked Pitcher of the Month taking his first post-laurels start. The honors had hardly changed Wheatley at all, as he took his entry in a golden suit with a broad-rimmed white hat with a black band, which fastened a huge purple feather to it, and with shiny white shoes and a walking cane topped with an ebony raccoon head. He wore his entire uniform underneath, revealed as he undressed all the other crap and handed it to his four hired assistants when he arrived on the mound.

Then a pitcher’s duel broke out – sort of. Through four, Wheats allowed one hit and walk each, while O’Toole allowed four hits and three walks, with the Raccoons persistently stepping on their own stripey tails in their efforts of not scoring. Waters hit into a double play, and as soon as two Coons were aboard, O’Toole was more or less guaranteed a strikeout. After nobody reached in the fifth, Manny solved the impetus with a solo jack to right in the sixth inning, the first marker on the board. Waters singled – for a 12-game hitting streak – but was forced out by Martell for the second out. Zarate was nicked, and then Wheats came through with an RBI single to left, causing an assistant in the dugout to lift the feathered hat in jubilation. Wheats also bowed to the crowd, which made them slightly hostile towards him. Baskins ran a full count that resulted in him grounding to right, but Whiting played the ball in sub-standard fashion and the Loggers conceded a generous infield single on the play, loading the sacks for Herrera, who flew out to Hertenstein.

The skies broke soon after, and Wheats was lifted after six shutout innings and a 45-minute rain delay. The Loggers put the tying runs aboard in the seventh with a Fox single off Chuck Jones, a Martell error behind Jon Craig that put on Scott Davison, and then went down on Sergio Pena’s grounder to first and Bill Reeves’ foul pop. But Jones and Craig combined for the last three innings, nailing down the Loggers for the second game in a row.* 2-0 Raccoons. Baskins 2-4, BB; Fernandez 2-4, BB, HR, RBI; Wheatley 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, W (9-5) and 1-3, RBI; Craig 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, SV (2);

Eight in a row!

The Crusaders had also dropped a pair by now, falling 6 1/2 games out at this point.

The Raccoons returned Omar Gutierrez to AAA at this point, with Pat Gurney activated from the DL by Thursday.

Game 4
POR: LF Baskins – CF Herrera – SS Waters – 1B Toohey – LF Fernandez – C Kilmer – 3B Jimenez – 2B Carreno – P Okuda
MIL: LF B. Fox – 2B Davison – RF Hertenstein – SS R. Espinoza – 1B Whiting – C Payne – CF B. Allen – 3B C. Rose – P Piedra

Three singles were hit the first time through, by both sides combined. Manny hit one for Portland, which went nowhere immediately, while Okuda allowed soft leadoff singles to Brent Allen and Chris Rose in the third inning after a strong start. Piedra bunted the runners over, but they were doomed by Brian Fox’ comebacker and Davison’s easy fly to Baskins in left. The Raccoons would get Waters on base with a leadoff single in the fourth. He stole second, reached third on a wild pitch, but Toohey popped out foul and Manny fanned to bring two red lights onto the board. Jeff Kilmer drew a 2-out walk, and then Jimenez shoved a single through the left side for the first run in the game. Arturo Carreno also hit a hard bouncer – too hard in face for Jimenez to get out of the way of it; he was struck by the batted ball, ending the inning.

After the Loggers choked on another pair of singles in the bottom 4th, the Raccoons began the fifth with an Okuda single, and Okuda dashed for third base when Baskins turned an 0-2 pitch around into shallow center for another single. Armando Herrera whacked an RBI double, 2-0, before Waters scratched out a walk in a full count, leading to three on, nobody out. The Raccoons’ penchant for ******* up in these situations almost came through again, with Toohey hitting into a force play at home and Kilmer spanking into a 6-4-3 double play – which left out Manny, who in the interim had singled home a pair to double the lead, 4-0.

Okuda then grinded his way into the eighth inning without much trouble, until being forced out when both Ricky Espinoza and Jason Whiting came up with 2-out scratch singles in the bottom 8th. Josh Rella appeared right away in a double switch (Gurney replaced Carreno at second) and got Ricky Payne to ground out to end the inning. This preceded a 1-2-3 ninth inning for Rella to complete the 4-game sweep. 4-0 Raccoons. Baskins 2-4, BB; Fernandez 2-4, 2 RBI; Okuda 7.2 IP, 7 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 7 K, W (9-5) and 1-2, BB;

This was the first game of the year in which Jesus Maldonado did not appear in. He was the only Raccoon with a perfect attendance record so far; next was Manny with 81 games played in 85 contested, and Toohey with 80.

So, more numbers: 9 wins in a row, 13-game hitting streak for Matt Waters (who was a potential All Star and would get Friday off), and also this one: the Loggers failed to score a run against the Raccoons for the final 32 innings of the series!

(grins broadly)

Raccoons (55-30) @ Titans (36-50) – July 7-9, 2045

The Titans were in fifth place and pretty much buried at the All Star Game, 19 1/2 games behind the Raccoons. They were also getting smothered in the season series, 8-1 as the Raccoons came into town. Boston was in the bottom three in both runs scored and runs allowed, crummy pitching, crummy hitting, crummy defense. The only thing they were not reliably crummy at was getting on base, drawing the second-most walks in the CL, and their pitchers were stingy in giving up homers, also second-best in the CL.

Projected matchups:
Corey Mathers (8-7, 4.98 ERA) vs. Justin Kaiser (2-10, 5.67 ERA)
Victor Merino (3-1, 2.79 ERA) vs. Lachlan Clarke (8-6, 4.07 ERA)
Brent Clark (7-6, 4.40 ERA) vs. Victor Mondragon (6-3, 4.21 ERA)

Left, right, right; I was also content with the fact that none of the pitchers we’d cart up for this series were a threat to make the All Star Game.

Game 1
POR: 2B Carreno – CF Herrera – SS Maldonado – 1B Toohey – LF Fernandez – RF Dustal – 3B R. Jimenez – C Zarate – P Mathers
BOS: 2B Encinia – 1B S. Ayala – 3B I. Lugo – C Whitley – LF Watt – SS J. Rodriguez – RF C. Jimenez – CF Miranda – P Kaiser

The first four base hits by the Portlanders in the Friday opener were all doubles. Maldo hit one, and was driven in by Manny with another one in the first inning. Toohey had drawn a walk in between, but was stranded with Manny when Dustal struck out. Carreno then whacked a double into the leftfield corner to begin the top 3rd. Herrera advanced him with a productive out, Maldo walked, and Toohey grounded to the left side, but Ivan Lugo butchered the play for an error, while Carreno scored, 2-0. The inning ended with two groundouts. Then Mathers had one of his coming-aparts in the bottom 3rd; Kaiser hit a leadoff single. He nailed Juan Encinia, and Sal Ayala, needing to take out his frustration about being denied more rings with the Coons, hit a single to fill the bags. One run scored on Lugo’s groundout, casually ending a 34-inning scoreless streak for Raccoons pitching, and Dan Whitley flew out to center, with Ayala thrown out at home by Herrera to end the inning with the Raccoons still up 2-1.

Double number four was a Zarate gapper in the fourth inning. It moved Jimenez (leadoff walk) to third base, from where he scored on Mathers’ groundout, but Zarate was left on base. The doubles string ended in the sixth, by means of a Dustal RBI single, driving home Manny Fernandez from second base, which he had reached with a leadoff walk off Kaiser, who was yanked, before stealing second off Hisami Furuya. Chris Jimenez threw the ball home, allowing Dustal to second base, and thus leading to another run after Ricky Jimenez’ groundout and Zarate’s sac fly to center. The Critters added another 2-spot in the seventh, which Carreno started with a walk before stealing his way to third base in a bid to gain attention on a roster he was otherwise clearly drowning on. Mathers went seven superficially good innings, allowing one run on four hits, although the two nailed batters and the misadventureous strike/ball totals would only be revealed by scrolling in the box score. The pen did not let up, Porter and Norris offering nearly perfect relief. 7-1 Coons! Carreno 2-5, 2B; Fernandez 3-4, BB, 2B, RBI; Dustal 2-5, 2 RBI; Zarate 2-3, 2B, RBI; Mathers 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, W (9-7);

…and that is ten in a row!

Game 2
POR: LF Baskins – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – RF Fernandez – SS Waters – 1B Gurney – C Kilmer – 2B Martell – P Merino
BOS: 2B Encinia – C Whitley – RF C. Jimenez – 3B I. Lugo – LF Watt – SS B. Carter – CF T. Lopez – 1B Miranda – P Clarke

Baskins, Maldo, and Manny filled the bases in the first inning with two singles and a walk, bringing up Waters, who had not been engaged in Friday’s game, and thus still had a 13-game hitting streak, but popped out to short. Pat Gurney slapped home two runs with a single, Kilmer reached on an error, and Martell grounded out to Encinia to end the inning. Chris Jimenez hit a single for Boston in the first, before the Coons had three on with nobody out in the second, now after a walk drawn by Merino, then Baskins and Herrera singles. They plated all those runners, for once, somehow, and without getting a base hit: Maldo hit a sac fly, Manny and Waters both walked, the latter with the bags full again, and Gurney hit another sac fly, 5-0. Baskins singled home Al Martell in the third inning to get to 6-0 on Clarke, who was hit for in the same inning. Sal Ayala singled off Merino, then was doubled up by Encinia.

The Boston pen appeared less porous after Clarke’s departure, while Merino allowed a run himself in the bottom 4th, walking two before giving up a run on Bobby Carter’s groundout eventually. Merino tried to come back at the Titans with a leadoff single in the fifth, but was doubled up by Herrera. He batted again in the seventh, still in a 6-1 game, with Kilmer (walk) and Martell (double) in scoring position against lefty Brian Jackson, and on the 2-0 pitch hit a sac fly to centerfielder Tony Lopez. Martell was stranded when Baskins grounded out.

Like Mathers the day before, Merino completed seven innings, allowing as many hits for the solo run. The same couldn’t be sad for Jon Craig in the eighth, who had been steady for months, but this time was roughed up for two runs, allowing three hits and nailing Matt Watt to prompt an appearance from Nelson Moreno, who had already been ready to go to the team bus with Josh Rella. Annoyed that he get his pants back over his furry tush, he struck out both Lopez and Javier Miranda to quell the Titans’ threat. Rella also got his share of action, supplanting a surprisingly inefficient Chuck Jones, who allowed singles to Danny Liceaga and Encinia without getting an out in the ninth. The threat to the 7-3 lead got real when Ricky Jimenez, inserted for defense, peppered away Whitley’s grounder for two bases and a run. Chris Jimenez grounded out to Gurney at second, putting in another run. Lugo popped out in foul ground. Watt flew out to Fernandez in leftfield to end the game. 7-5 Coons. Baskins 3-5, RBI; Martell 2-4, 2B; Merino 7.0 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, W (4-1) and 1-1, BB, RBI;

Because of the Jimenez error, the two runs on Jones were unearned. Regardless, the Coons had an 11-game winning streak. The hitting streak of Matt Waters ended, however.

Game 3
POR: LF Baskins – CF Herrera – 1B Toohey – RF Fernandez – SS Waters – C Kilmer – 2B Carreno – 3B Jimenez – P Clark
BOS: 2B Encinia – CF T. Lopez – RF C. Jimenez – 3B I. Lugo – LF Watt – SS B. Carter – C Templeton – 1B Miranda – P Mondragon

…and then the winning streak appeared to have met its maker in Brent Clark, who was just horrendous on Sunday. He walked two in the first inning, then conceded those runners on two base hits. He walked one more in the second inning, then conceded that runner on another base hit. The Raccoons had something stewing in the third inning, which ironically began with a 1-out walk drawn by Clark, before Baskins and Herrera filled the bases with the tying runs for Toohey. But Toohey lined out to Bobby Carter and Manny grounded out to Encinia, and with that I accepted my fate and that the streak was over. Clark walked the 6-7-8 batters with two outs in the bottom 3rd, but got a groundout from Mondragon when he really, really needed it. With Lopez on second and two outs in the fourth, a seventh walk in the game to Lugo ended Clark’s time on the mound. Zack Kelly got a groundout from the switch-hitting Watt, ending the fourth still down “only” 3-0.

The Critters only reached the board in the sixth inning when Manny hit a triple into the gap and scored on Waters’ sac fly, 3-1. That was as close as we got – Preston Porter was scheduled for two innings in relief, but was chopped into bits in the second inning, the sixth in total, getting ravaged for five hits and three runs before Moreno dug him out. Moreno was then himself whooped for two runs in the seventh, driven in by Lugo with a double after a dubious 2-out, 3-2 ball call to Chris Jimenez. The Raccoons never got a base hit after the Fernandez triple and had their streak ended clearly and with great noise. 8-1 Titans.

All Star Game

Why did Maldonado not feature in the starting lineup on Sunday? He made the All Star Game! (although he also made it into Sunday’s game in a double switch eventually)

Maldo was the only position player to be nominated, but we also sent two pitchers, Wheats and Nate Norris! The 24-year-old starter and 29-year-old reliever made their first ever showcase, but it was the third for the 31-year-old Maldonado, all consecutively.

In the actual game, Nashville’s Felix Marquez was the MVP in the FL’s 3-2 win. He hit 2-3 with an RBI.

The Raccoons didn’t do that great. Maldonado went 0-for-3 as a starter, while Norris faced two batters, walking one. Wheatley pitched a scoreless fourth, whiffing two.

There were roster changes over the All Star Game, though. The Raccoons could still not fathom how Ricky Jimenez could fare so badly, but he was now 2-for-27 again, and we had no patience to figure it out in the majors. He was optioned to AAA. Same for Brent Clark, who was completely out of control and had been for a long time. There would have been the option to instead move him to the pen, but our pen was actually full. There was no room for a failed starter (who was formerly a pretty good reliever).

The Raccoons would need a pitcher on the Monday after the All Star Game, and would cross that bridge once they’d get there, but for now promoted Bob Ibold as extra reliever (4.70 with Portland this year, 2.59 ERA in AAA), and right-handed SS/3B Ben Coen for some play time at third base. Coen, a 2041 seventh-rounder, was hitting .277/.380/.396 in his first year with the Alley Cats.

Raccoons (57-31) vs. Loggers (44-43) – July 13-16, 2045

The Loggers had been close enough to play themselves into the division battle before the four-and-four started, but getting swept at home by the Raccoons had put a bit of a dagger into them. Down 12 1/2 games on Thursday morning made a counter-sweep imperative if they wanted to be relevant at all going forwards. They ranked eighth in runs scored, fifth in runs allowed, but had been bereft of their run differential. They were even now: 385 runs scored, 385 runs allowed. We led the season series, 5-2.

Projected matchups:
Sadaharu Okuda (9-5, 3.55 ERA) vs. Sergio Piedra (8-4, 3.61 ERA)
Victor Merino (4-1, 2.60 ERA) vs. Ruben Guzman (4-4, 3.53 ERA)
Jason Wheatley (9-5, 2.76 ERA) vs. Rich Guzman (3-6, 4.50 ERA)
Corey Mathers (9-7, 4.72 ERA) vs. Mackenzie O’Toole (8-5, 3.10 ERA)

The Loggers still lacked lefty hurling. They also still lacked Aaron Brayboy and Jared Paul, stowed away on the DL.

Game 1
MIL: CF Reeves – 1B Whiting – RF Hertenstein – SS R. Espinoza – C Payne – LF B. Fox – 2B Davison – 3B C. Rose – P Piedra
POR: LF Baskins – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – 1B Toohey – RF Fernandez – SS Waters – C Kilmer – 2B Carreno – P Okuda

The Raccoons scored first, while Okuda whiffed four in the first two innings. Manny hit a single in the bottom 2nd, but was forced out by Waters, who stole second base then off Piedra, who walked Kilmer, then gave up an RBI single to Carreno. Okuda struck out, Baskins flew out to left, ending the inning. Scott Davison and Ricky Payne would pool together two singles to tie the game again in the fourth, which was also the first Loggers run since the same inning in the prior Game 1 between the two teams in their four-and-four.

Okuda whiffed seven, but also scattered six hits through five innings, being not exactly unhittable. He did get a new lead in the fifth though, which Baskins opened with a wallbanger in left for a double. Armando Herrera wasted no time, singling him home for a 2-1 lead. Maldo then killed the inning with a double play. Okuda retired Milwaukee in order in the sixth, but Brent Allen hit a 2-out single batting for Piedra in the seventh. He was then caught stealing by Kilmer. Carreno drew a leadoff walk in the bottom 7th – and also was caught stealing. Baskins and Herrera hit 2-out singles, but Maldonado grounded out. The Coons hung with Okuda for two batters in the eighth, seeing Bill Reeves and Jason Whiting retired, but then lifted him on 97 pitches with Daniel Hertenstein coming up. Hertenstein was a switch-hitter, but feasted on left-handers especially. That turned out to be a mistake. Nate Norris, All Star, came in, walked Hertenstein, then gave up a blast to Ricky Espinoza that flipped the score.

While me and Honeypaws were both gasping for air, Jones and Craig got the remaining regulation outs from the Loggers, but the Raccoons failed to make up the 3-2 deficit in the eighth despite walks to Toohey and Kilmer. Pat Gurney hit for Craig to begin the bottom 9th against Tim Hale, but lined out to short at 3-1, which came back to bite when Baskins tripled into the gap in right-center a few pitches later. Herrera flew out to leftfielder Gerardo Peixinho, a Brazilian kid in his third ABL game – and the Raccoons sent Baskins … and Baskins was thrown out at the plate. 3-2 Loggers. Baskins 4-5, 3B, 2B; Herrera 2-4, BB, RBI; Fernandez 2-4; Okuda 7.2 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 K;

Maud, we have a losing streak now. Can you bring the rope?

Game 2
MIL: CF Reeves – 1B Whiting – RF Hertenstein – SS R. Espinoza – C Payne – LF B. Fox – 2B Davison – 3B C. Rose – P Ru. Guzman
POR: LF Baskins – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – 1B Toohey – RF Fernandez – SS Waters – C Kilmer – 2B Martell – P Merino

Merino was in trouble, allowing five hits and a walk in the early innings, including three singles in the second, enough for Chris Rose to drive in Ricky Payne for a 1-0 Loggers lead. The Coons didn’t make that up until the fourth, when Martell doubled home Kilmer with two outs, scattering their own surfeit of runners in the meantime. In the fifth, Armando Herrera hit a double to right with one gone. The Loggers elected to walk Maldonado intentionally, pulling up Toohey, and wasn’t Toohey due for a homer? In fact, wasn’t the entire team due for a homer? Toohey grounded out meekly, advancing the runners, and prompting another four-fingered salute to Manny Fernandez. Waters batted with the bags full, and waited out Guzman for a bases-loaded walk that gave Portland the 2-1 lead. Kilmer grounded out in a full count to strand another three then.

Merino held out through six, allowing no hits in the middle innings after a deluge of them in the early frames. He also hit a 1-out single with nobody on in the bottom 6th. Baskins followed with a double to right, putting two in scoring position for Herrera, who hit a deep sac fly, 3-1. Baskins remained at second, hesitating with the pitcher running ahead of him. Maldo got *another* intentional walk here, and so did Toohey after Guzman threw a wild pitch. Guzman was lifted for righty Ron Purcell with Manny coming up and no place to walk anybody to anymore, intentionally or not. Manny grounded to second, Davison throwing to first – wildly, and into the dugout went the ball, for two bases and two runs …! Waters then flew out to center to strand two.

Out of the blue, the Loggers had another three hits in the seventh inning, Whiting knocking out Merino with a 2-out RBI single. Chuck Jones replaced him and walked Hertenstein to fill the bases, but then got Espinoza out to escape the jam. It didn’t get better in the eighth. Moreno was whacked around for four hits, all singles, and two runs. Kelly came in for Whiting, but walked him on four pitches to fill the bases. The Raccoons tried to salvage the 5-4 lead with Josh Rella, but Hertenstein dropped a 2-1 pitch into shallow left for a 2-run single, flipping the score. Espinoza struck out. The Coons had nothing in the bottom 8th, and instead the Loggers shoved Bob Ibold around for another three hits and an insurance run driven in by Chris Rose, plating Payne. Toohey hit a so-far-meaningless homer off Hale to lead off the bottom 9th, 7-6. It remained meaningless, the next three batters making outs in order. 7-6 Loggers. Herrera 3-4, 2 2B, RBI; Martell 2-4, 2B, RBI;

Maud, I can’t watch them lose 11 in a row. I need the rope now!

Game 3
MIL: CF Reeves – SS B. Johnson – RF Hertenstein – 1B R. Espinoza – C Payne – 2B Davison – LF Pate – 3B C. Rose – P Ri. Guzman
POR: LF Baskins – CF Herrera – 1B Maldonado – RF Toohey – SS Waters – C Zarate – 2B Carreno – 3B Coen – P Wheatley

Wheats came, saw, and retired everybody but Rose the first time through, and that Rose single was stranded at second base. The Coons had taken a 1-0 lead on doubles by their middle infielders in the second inning, while Maldonado singled home Baskins from second base in the bottom 3rd; Baskins had been hit with a pitch to begin the inning. A Hertenstein error handling the ball allowed Maldo into second base, but Toohey and Waters made outs to strand him. Hertenstein, who was trying to get Ted Del Vecchio’s old title of Chief Coonskinner on the Loggers, singled off Wheats in the fourth, but was stranded just like John Pate in the fifth. The sixth was the tightest inning for Wheats yet – he had two outs on the board before hitting Hertenstein, who stole second, and they were on the corners once Espinoza raced to first in time for an infield single on his sorry infield roller. Payne struck out, though, stranding those runners, too.

Waters tacked on a run with his 10th jack of the season in the bottom 6th, while Wheats kept suffocating the Loggers. He retired them in order in the seventh, but Reeves hit a 1-out single to right in the eighth. Brad Johnson’s grounder forced him out at second, but brought up Hertenstein. When the pitching coach ventured out for a chat, Wheats insisted he had Hertenstein figured out now, and escaped on an easy grounder to Carreno, completing eight shutout innings, and with air for nine. Bottom 8th, maybe another tack-on run to shut up the Agitator if the 3-run lead got in danger? Maldo led off with a single to center. Toohey was down 1-2 on Guzman before getting nicked. Waters grounded to short, getting Toohey forced out. Then Waters was caught stealing – the third Coon after Carreno and Herrera to be thrown out by Payne in the game. Guzman had Zarate at 2-2, then gave up an RBI single to left after all. Carreno singled. Ben Coen was 0-for-3 in his debut. We were up 4-0. Wheats looked great. Nah, **** it. Manny had to put down the turkey drumstick and grab a bat instead. Having to interrupt his meal made him reasonably angry and he ended a sorry baseball’s existence with a 410-footer to right-center for a game-deciding 3-run dinger…! Wheats struck out against Vic Padilla, then went to the mound. He struck out Espinoza, but walked Payne. Also Davison. Both in full counts, putting him way over 100 pitches. We needed ANY out from John Pate, and the coach told him as much. Wheats popped out Pate on the 1-1, his 112th pitch of the game! One more – make it be Chris Rose! A 1-2 pitch, chopped back to the mound, handled by Wheats, the throw to first! Ballgame!! 7-0 Furballs!! Maldonado 4-4, RBI; Waters 24, HR, 2B, RBI; Carreno 3-4, 2B, RBI; Fernandez (PH) 1-1, HR, 3 RBI; Wheatley 9.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K, W (10-5) and 1-4;

Wheeeeeeats!!

Why trade for an ace? We have our ace…!!

Game 4
MIL: 2B Davison – SS B. Johnson – RF Hertenstein – 1B R. Espinoza – C Payne – LF B. Fox – CF B. Allen – 3B C. Rose – P O’Toole
POR: CF Baskins – SS Waters – 3B Maldonado – LF Fernandez – RF Toohey – 1B Gurney – 2B Carreno – C Kilmer – P Mathers

Mathers had a 1-2-3 first, while O’Toole had anything but, getting packed for three runs. Manny drove in Waters, and Toohey hit a 2-piece to right for his 17th of the year. Gurney would reach base, steal second, and get singled home by Carreno in the third inning to extend the lead 4-0, and come the fourth a Baskins single, Waters RBI double, and Maldo RBI single made it 6-0, all with not even a Loggers hit on the board against Mathers. Brent Allen then hit a 2-out single in the fifth, lest we get any ideas…

All was well through five, though, and then door got slammed onto Mathers’ snout once more. He couldn’t get out of the sixth, allowing a run on a walk to Davison, a Hertenstein single, a walk to Espinoza, and a Payne RBI single. He was lifted for Chuck Jones, who rung up Brian Fox to escape the jam with a 6-1 lead. Ben Coen then hit for Jones immediately in the bottom 6th, raking a double to left for his first major league hit! Baskins singled, Waters hit a sac fly, and it was a 6-run lead through six.

It was down to four after Bob Ibold poked his masked face into the game in the seventh, but hardly for any fault of Bob Ibold. He allowed a single, yes, but Carreno and Coen committed two grim throwing errors that cost two runs in the inning, both unearned. Ibold and Kelly put the eighth together, then Baskins belted a leadoff home run off Ron Purcell in the bottom of the inning. Purcell saw Johnson commit a throwing error behind him that put PH Jonathan Dustal on base, allowed an RBI single to Manny Fernandez, then walked Toohey… THEN gave up a 3-run blast to Gurney… then was yoinked. Preston Porter secured a split with a 1-2-3 ninth. 12-3 Critters! Baskins 3-5, HR, RBI; Waters 2-3, BB, 2B, RBI; Maldonado 2-4, RBI; Fernandez 2-4, 2 RBI; Gurney 3-4, BB, HR, 3 RBI; Coen (PH) 1-2, 2B;

In other news

July 3 – The Gold Sox’ Roberto Pruneda (8-6, 2.91 ERA) pitches a 3-hit shutout against the Warriors, whiffing six in a 4-0 win for Denver.
July 4 – The Indians ship SP Willie Gonzales (4-6, 3.87 ERA) to the Aces for an unranked prospect.
July 4 – RIC OF/1B Rich de Luna (.273, 2 HR, 25 RBI) singles home SS Landon Guillory (.248, 1 HR, 16 RBI) to walk off the Rebels for a 15-inning, 5-4 win over the Capitals.
July 5 – The Cyclones pick up OF Armando Luis Herrera (.365, 8 HR, 43 RBI) in a trade that sends LF/CF Jayden Lockwood (.279, 9 HR, 40 RBI) and a catching prospect to the Pacifics.
July 5 – The Bayhawks beat the Aces, 4-2 in 15 innings, with a pair of home runs off Vegas’ Jeff Altemose (1-3, 4.45 ERA, 1 SV) being the difference. Dan Riley (.283, 10 HR, 33 RBI) and Corey Caldwell (.218, 2 HR, 4 RBI) do the honors.

July 6 – LAP OF Juan Benavides (.337, 5 HR, 37 RBI) hits the DL again with a knee sprain, but should be good to go after 15 days.
July 6 – The Bayhawks trade SS Jorge Gonzalez (.262, 0 HR, 10 RBI) to the Knights for MR Aaron Curl (1-1, 2.65 ERA, 1 SV) and #97 prospect LF/RF Mike Bednarz.
July 7 – Aces OF/1B Tim Cannizzard (.270, 4 HR, 23 RBI) is out for the season with a broken ankle.
July 7 – New York acquires RF Mike Hall (.260, 0 HR, 10 RBI) from the Buffaloes for a prospect.
July 7 – Knights and Aces each have 15 base hits in their game. ATL RF/1B/LF John Marz (.266, 12 HR, 52 RBI) slugs home five runs on two doubles in his team’s 14-9 win.

July 8 – Aces SS Angel Quintana (.197, 2 HR, 22 RBI) livens up an 0-for-7 nightmare with a walkoff RBI single in the 17th inning to lift the Aces over the Knights, 4-3.
July 10 – The Aces pick up SP Mario de Anda (6-5, 3.67 ERA) from the Condors for two prospects.
July 11 – The Condors acquire LF/RF Benito Mendoza (.250, 2 HR, 19 RBI) from the Wolves for SP Gabe Butler (8-10, 3.98 ERA).
July 11 – The Titans deal 1B/RF/LF Sal Ayala (.314, 1 HR, 16 RBI) to the Thunder for SS Rick Rowell (.250, 1 HR, 7 RBI). The Thunder also receive a third-rate prospect.
July 12 – Richmond C Kyle Duncan (.270, 15 HR, 44 RBI) will miss a month after a diagnosis with plantar fasciitis.
July 14 – NYC RF/1B Willie Ojeda (.319, 19 HR, 68 RBI) drives in six runs on three hits in a 15-2 rout of the Indians.

FL Player of the Week (ending July 9): DAL RF/LF Joreao Porfirio (.315, 8 HR, 62 RBI), batting .500 (12-24) with 2 HR, 10 RBI
CL Player of the Week (ending July 9): IND OF Danny Rivera (.289, 15 HR, 51 RBI), hitting .500 (11-22) with 2 HR, 5 RBI
FL Player of the Week (ending July 16): DAL 1B Jamie King (.320, 9 HR, 40 RBI), swatting .500 (6-12) with 3 HR, 8 RBI
CL Player of the Week (ending July 16): LVA C Felipe Gomez (.283, 6 HR, 34 RBI), slashing .600 (6-10) with 1 HR, 4 RBI

Complaints and stuff

I love you, Wheats – but that purple-plumed hat stays outside my office! – Because Honeypaws wants to be the prettiest boy in here! (waves with his stuffed toy raccoon)

Jason Wheatley is the hot **** in the league now – with his second career shutout on Saturday he pumped his way into the all-ABL lead in ERA. He has not allowed a run in his last three starts – 21 innings in total – and only one stinky run in his last five (37.2 innings). His ERA is so small, it can’t be measured!

We went 8-3 in this span around the All Star Game, 6-2 on the Loggers and 2-1 on the Titans. We will get two losing teams now, seeing the Indians and Aces next week.

Notably, Brent Clark had the right to refuse an assignment to the minors, but waived it. 72 walks in 97.2 innings. He knows it. Tony Negrete will take his spot and start on Monday on regular rest, with Ibold back to AAA.

Jimenez had no say in his demotion, but Nick Valdes had, immediately calling wondering why his check was being cashed in “******* St. Pete” (his choice of an adjective, not mine), and whether we had all lost our minds. I’m pretty sure I lost mine in 2012 when Ray ******* Gilbert (my choice of an adjective, not Nick’s) single-hoofedly ended the Raccoons’ season on the final weekend, but Maud and the others have been covering nicely for me ever since.

I mentioned earlier that we were once more one game under .500 all-time against the damn Elks. Not quite the same for the Titans, who are the only other CL team we have an all-time losing record against. Against Boston, we’re still 41 games under .500 despite taking the season series for the fourth straight year already with a 10-2 marker at this point.

Fun Fact: Manny Fernandez landed his 1,000th RBI the Friday before the All Star Game, driving home “All Star” Maldonado in the first inning.

He has 1,005 at the end of this string of games. That doesn’t get him into the career top 100 in the league, though. Coincidentally, 100th place is held by the same guy that also controls the top of the franchise leaderboard that Manny is seeking to snatch: Matt Nunley, with 1,053 RBI.

The 2010 fourth-rounder was not firmly in the headlights of the #5 pick from 2031, which, also coincidentally, was also the final season of Nunley’s career.

+++

*Why did Rella not come in to save that game? I thought it was still the eighth …and I told you so often that I suck and you still don’t believe me!

[Westheim]

Raccoons (59-33) @ Indians (36-57) – July 17-19, 2045

Last in the North, last in runs scored, and not that much better (ninth) in runs allowed – the Indians were a show that needed to pay people to see it. The only attraction in town was the base stealing, which was second in the league with 104 bags taken. Apart from that, they were a rough bunch, but also a semi-respectable 3-6 against the Raccoons in this season.

Projected matchups:
Tony Negrete (0-0) vs. Justin Johns (2-2, 2.03 ERA)
Sadaharu Okuda (9-5, 3.41 ERA) vs. Bill Drury (5-12, 3.60 ERA)
Victor Merino (4-1, 2.63 ERA) vs. Luis Anzaldo (3-1, 4.14 ERA)

We’d throw three left-handed pitchers at the Indians and we’d get nothing but right-handers in return.

Game 1
POR: LF Baskins – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – RF Fernandez – 1B Toohey – SS Waters – 2B Carreno – C Kilmer – P Negrete
IND: SS Russ – 1B Barrientos – LF D. Rivera – CF N. Galvan – RF B. Quinteros – C Julian Diaz – 3B Jon Ramos – 2B Huber – P Johns

Negrete briefly attained an infinite ERA in his season debut, giving up a first-inning jack to Andrew Russ, which at least spared us the inevitable leadoff single and two stolen bases… Negrete gave up another run in the second on a Julian Diaz single, then two clueless walks to Jon Ramos and Adam Huber, before Johns brought in the run with a grounder to first with the bases loaded. The Raccoons awoke before long, though; they had stranded three runners earlier, but began the top 3rd with singles by Baskins to right, Herrera to left, and Maldonado also found a hit in left-center – a 3-run homer to be precise. That flipped the score alright, and Maldo added more in the fourth inning with an RBI double to left, disapproving of Johns drilling Armando Herrera with two outs. Manny struck out to end the inning, but Matt Waters hit a solo blast to right to tack on a run in the fifth, extending the lead to 5-2. Not that Negrete had shaken off his early-innings wonkiness – not even close. Accordingly, Miguel Barrientos homered off him in the bottom 5th, and after a walk to the next batter Danny Rivera, Negrete conceded another run on a 2-out triple to deep center by Bill Quinteros. He walked Julian Diaz, but Jon Ramos popped out to end the inning and Negrete’s shoddy start, the Coons still up 5-4.

The Indians stranded the tying run in both of the next two innings, with the bottom 7th being especially dramatic after Zack Kelly issued a leadoff walk to Rivera. He retired the next two, but Quinteros only after Derek Baskins sprinted full gas to the leftfield line to rob him of extra bases. He repeated the feat with Jon Craig pitching and Diaz up, only then into the gap in left-center, robbing another double and stranding the runner. Nelson Moreno had a drama-free eighth, but the Raccoons were also nixed by the Indians’ pen and failed to get another insurance run entirely. Josh Rella was out in the ninth against the top of the order, but Russ singled to center, then stole second base to begin the whole shebang. He reached third on Barrientos’ grounder to second, but crucially Rella got Danny Rivera and his 15 left-handed homers to strike out. That brought up the nominally much less dangerous Nelson Galvan and his zero right-handed homers. He grounded out to short. 5-4 Raccoons. Baskins 2-4, BB; Maldonado 3-5, HR, 2B, 4 RBI;

Game 2
POR: LF Baskins – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – RF Fernandez – 1B Toohey – SS Waters – 2B Carreno – C Zarate – P Okuda
IND: SS Russ – 1B Barrientos – LF D. Rivera – CF N. Galvan – RF B. Quinteros – C Julian Diaz – 3B Jon Ramos – 2B Huber – P Drury

Rivera added a 16th left-handed homer in the bottom 1st, firing a 2-piece off Okuda, who had already walked Barrientos. The homer was the only base hit he allowed through three innings. Then the Indians killed him with six singles for three runs – one runner, Galvan, was thrown out at home plate – in the bottom of the fourth, knocking him from the game with two outs and two aboard, and the rout firmly in progress, the Raccoons getting 1-hit by Drury at this stage. Jon Craig entered instead and got a groundout from Barrientos to end the ******* inning, but then gave up a leadoff jack to Rivera in the fifth, extending the gap to half a dozen, and another run on two hits in the sixth.

It never got any better. The Raccoons only got Drury out of the game in the ninth inning after a pinch-hit single by Pat Gurney. They didn’t reach third base in the entire ******* game and ended up 3-hit by the Arrowheads. 7-0 Indians. Gurney (PH) 1-1;

By Wednesday, in a trade that made no sense initially and even less so once you marveled about it for a while, the Indians acquired SP Bill Nichol (11-7, 4.04 ERA) from the Knights. They shed two prospects for the 29-year-old (who was on a very reasonable contract through 2048), including #98 CF Chris Kirkwood.

He wasn’t up in the rubber game, though; the ball went to Ayden Cobb (7-6, 4.22 ERA) instead.

Game 3
POR: LF Baskins – CF Herrera – 1B Maldonado – RF Fernandez – SS Waters – 2B Martell – C Kilmer – 3B Coen – P Merino
IND: SS Russ – 1B Barrientos – LF D. Rivera – CF N. Galvan – RF B. Quinteros – 3B Jon Ramos – C J. Rose – 2B Huber – P A. Cobb

No runs resulted from two Merino walks and a Waters error in the bottom 1st, but things didn’t necessarily become less uncomfortable afterwards, with Armando Herrera legging out a double, but also coming up limp in the third inning. Dustal replaced him, while I resorted to breathing into a paper bag in which I had hidden a bottle of Capt’n Coma. Now – the Coons took the lead in the inning when Maldo doubled home Dustal, but … anxiety! We came up 2-0 in the inning when Maldo advanced one base each on Manny’s single and Waters’ groundout before the inning fizzled out.

Merino didn’t allow an actual hit until the fourth, then both a Galvan single and a Quinteros double. Jon Ramos plated one run on a groundout, but Quinteros was stranded when Ramos and Jason Rose both went down on strikes. Cobb (…) and Russ opened the bottom 5th with singles, but Barrientos hit into a double play, and Rivera grounded out to Al Martell to strand the tying run in scoring position again. The sixth was clean, but I was longing for some insurance in the 2-1 contest. Baskins, Maldo, and Manny all crept on base against Luis Anzaldo in the seventh inning, but that only loaded them up with two outs for Waters, but the Coons’ shortstop continued to display a special knack for the bases-loaded walk, drawing another one in this situation, forcing home Baskins with the 3-1 run. Martell grounded out to Russ, stranding everybody after that.

Merino had another clean seventh before being hit for with Toohey, who walked after Ben Coen had dropped in a 1-out single against Orlando Altreche already. The old righty buckled down though and removed Baskins and Dustal to sneak out of the inning. Two left stranded, the Raccoons turned to Norris, who retired Russ on a fly to Manny, and Barrientos on strikes. Next was Chuck Jones, with thoughts of a 4-out save, given that Galvan was the only non-lefty hitter in the next four. Rivera, for a nice start, grounded out. The extent of the Coons’ offense in the ninth was Maldo walking and being caught stealing. Jones then indeed remained, walking Galvan in a full count, but Quinteros put the first pitch in play, a grounder to second that Martell and Waters spun around for a double play. Ramos struck out to end the series. 3-1 Critters. Herrera 1-2, 2B; Fernandez 2-5; Coen 2-4; Merino 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, W (5-1);

Anxiety was relieved on Friday, when after an off day spent rocking back and forth on a craps table in Vegas, Dr. Padilla notified me that Herrera needed to hit the DL with a strained oblique, but it wasn’t *that* bad and he might be able to return after the minimum 15 days.

That was good news!

Not so good news was that I lost $69,125 of Nick Valdes’ money when the fat lady with the straw hat and the thick European accent couldn’t roll a ninth ******* seven in a row, and I needed to call Steve from Accounting back home in Portland to patch things up.

Raccoons (61-34) @ Aces (46-48) – July 21-23, 2045

Fifth in the South, the Aces were 11 1/2 out and probably no longer relevant despite a +37 run differential. If they wanted a piece of the playoffs, they had to start rallying *right* *now*. I sincerely hoped they’d wait until Monday. We were up 2-1 in the season series, and they were lacking a number of position players, who were all hurt, including Tim Cannizzard, Doug Richardson, Brandon Owen, and Angel Montes de Oca.

Projected matchups:
Jason Wheatley (10-5, 2.54 ERA) vs. Josh Brown (5-8, 3.81 ERA)
Corey Mathers (10-7, 4.56 ERA) vs. Josh Henneberry (5-6, 4.92 ERA)
Tony Negrete (1-0, 7.20 ERA) vs. Steve Huffman (11-5, 3.16 ERA)

Brown was the only former Raccoon and the only lefty Aces pitcher in sight.

The Critters put Armando Herrera on the DL and helped themselves to some Van Anderson from AAA, where he was hitting .256 in limited action. 28 years old, the 2036 second-rounder was a frequent flyer for the last four seasons, getting 445 PA in Portland, hitting .239 with 5 homers. This was his first call to Coon City in ’45.

Game 1
POR: LF Baskins – SS Waters – 3B Maldonado – 1B Toohey – RF Fernandez – C Kilmer – 2B Carreno – CF Dustal – P Wheatley
LVA: SS Quintana – 3B Landstrom – CF Kinder – RF M. Roberts – C F. Gomez – 1B Speth – LF Montana – 2B C. Jimenes – P J. Brown

CL ERA leader Jason Wheatley, a combo of letters that still made me blink, scattered three singles in the first two innings, but didn’t allow a run, stranding Felipe Gomez and Bob Montana on the corners in the bottom 2nd with a K to Carlos Jimenes and an easy grounder by Brown. The game’s first run would be the Coons’, Manny doubling home Toohey wih two outs in the fourth inning, after the Portlanders themselves had been held to one hit in three innings by Brown. Kilmer grounded out, leaving Manny in scoring position. The Aces reacted and tied the game in the same inning when Felipe Gomez hit a screamer up the rightfield line for a double, then scored on Tim Speth’s single to left. A run scored off Wheats?? What was going on??

In any case, no offense for the Critters, who remained under control by Josh Brown, despite two leadoff walks to Manny and Kilmer in the seventh inning. Now Carreno spanked into a double play and Dustal popped out, and the game remained tied. Wheatley remained tough as nails and retired the 6-7-8 in order in the bottom 7th, but that would be all for him, as his spot led off the eighth inning against the unassailable Brown. Pat Gurney batted for him and whipped a double to left. That looked good! …and then Baskins struck out and Waters and Maldonado both flew out, rendering the Raccoons stuck in the tie an Wheatley with a no-decision.

The non-scoring continued into extra-innings, and with two scoreless innings by Nelson Moreno there and similar performances by the Aces pen on the other side of the box score reached the 12th inning before the Raccoons set paw into scoring position again with a 1-out double by Carreno off righty Andy Pedraza. Dustal struck out, Van Anderson grounded out. Tim Speth hit a leadoff single off Norris in the 12th and advanced on groundouts twice, but was stranded when Bubba Shaffner flew out to Manny in right. Manny grounded out to strand Baskins and Toohey, who hit singles in the 13th, and that was the last chance pissed away by the Raccoons in this game. Norris gave up a leadoff triple to Angel Quintana in the bottom 13th, and Quintana beat the throw home on Josh Landstrom’s grounder to short to end the game in walkoff fashion. 2-1 Aces. Baskins 2-6; Toohey 3-6; Fernandez 2-5, BB, 2B, RBI; Gurney (PH) 1-1; Wheatley 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K; Moreno 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K;

Game 2
POR: LF Baskins – SS Waters – 3B Maldonado – 1B Toohey – RF Fernandez – C Kilmer – 2B Carreno – CF Anderson – P Mathers
LVA: SS Quintana – 3B Landstrom – CF Kinder – RF M. Roberts – C F. Gomez – 1B Speth – LF Montana – 2B C. Jimenes – P Henneberry

Quintana’s throwing error on the first play of the game allowed the Raccoons to score an unearned run in the first, drive in by Maldonado, but Quintana and Landstrom drove in another dagger with two leadoff singles against Mathers, went to the corners, and the former scored on Matt Kinder’s grounder to short that the Coons turned 6-4-3. Both teams then frittered away isolated singles for several innings before Anderson opened the fifth inning with a double that stretched over Bob Montana’s glove in leftfield. He scored on Baskins’ sac fly to give Portland a new 2-1 lead. Waters then singled and stole second, but was left on by Maldonado. Toohey flew out to deep center to begin the sixth before Manny, wrestling the .300 mark all week, singled past Quintana. Henneberry walked Kilmer, then gave up a single to center to Carreno. Getting a good read, Manny scored from second base, 3-1. Anderson struck out, Mathers rolled over to short to strand another pair. Vegas promptly made up a run on Mathers in the bottom 6th, getting singles from Landstrom and Mike Roberts, with Kinder’s groundout to advance the runner and allow him to score later on in between.

Top of the seventh, top of the order, and a single, a walk, and a single – the bases were loaded for Toohey… and with nobody out. He fell to 1-2, but recovered for a fly to deep left, that was sadly not deep to left enough and caught by Montana. It was a sac fly, though, and the Coons went up 4-2. Henneberry walked Manny to restock the bags. Kilmer flew out poorly, Carreno whiffed, and another three were left on base in an abhorrence of a game.

The Aces had a counter-run *again* in the bottom 7th, with Montana getting on, stealing second, and being driven home by Carlos Jimenes. Henneberry was tasked with bunting, but struck out, and with two gone, lefty Jacob Kolbe batted for Quintana. The Coons went to Chuck Jones in a double switch, replacing Carreno with Martell. Kolbe flew out on the first pitch. The Coons then tripped Henneberry with three straight singles to begin the top 8th, loading the bases with nobody out AGAIN. Waters struck out (…!!), but Maldo coaxed a walk and drove home a run, 5-3. Toohey ripped another ball to left then. This one didn’t go out either, but at least Montana didn’t reach it and it bounced all the way into the corner for a bases-clearing double …! Toohey went on to score on a 2-out wild pitch by Jeff Turi, concluding the breakout 5-spot, and Turi conceded another run in the ninth inning on three straight singles by Martell, Baskins, and Waters. The Aces ceased resisting and did not score against Jones, Porter, and Craig. 10-3 Furballs! Baskins 4-5, RBI; Waters 2-5, BB, RBI; Maldonado 2-5, BB, 2 RBI; Toohey 1-4, 2B, 4 RBI; Fernandez 2-4, BB; Anderson 2-5, 2B; Martell 2-2;

Finally an offensive breakout!

Game 3
POR: LF Baskins – SS Waters – RF Fernandez – 1B Toohey – C Zarate – CF Dustal – 2B Martell – 3B Coen – P Negrete
LVA: SS Quintana – 3B Landstrom – CF Kinder – RF M. Roberts – C F. Gomez – 1B Speth – LF Montana – 2B C. Jimenes – P Huffman

The bases were loaded with nobody out for the Raccoons for the umpteenth time in the series in the second inning, with the 4-5-6 batters on with two walks and a single and Al Martell batting. Scoring was crucial here – two walks, two hits, and two runs had been beaten out of Negrete in the bottom 1st and he looked like he very much had more to give. He managed a sac fly while the rookie was rung up and Negrete grounded out to Jimenes. Negrete then walked two more in the bottom 2nd, but Jimenes was doubled up by Huffman, and Quintana was caught stealing by Jose Zarate to get that inning over with. He got a little less unwatchable after that, while the Raccoons couldn’t tie the game after a leadoff double for Baskins in the third, either. The fifth saw the bags full again, then with one out; Negrete had drawn a walk ahead of singles for Baskins and Waters. Manny popped out to shallow left, and Toohey grounded out.

I then left the suite to see whether I could get an Aces hat and henceforth root for a less annoying team, missing singles by Gomez and Speth to go to the corners in the bottom 6th, then Montana’s sac fly off Jon Craig, and another single by Jimenes. PH Nick Berryman grounded out to conclude the sixth, Vegas up 3-1.

The tying runs were on in Zarate and Dustal on two singles in the eighth inning, the latter off lefty Juan Vela. This was as good a spot as any to pinch-hit Maldonado for Martell, but the Aces countered with right-hander Andy Pedraza. Maldonado cracked away at the first pitch, jamming a bouncer at Jimenes for an easy 4-6-3 double play, ending that ******* dismal inning. At least they had the decency to be retired 1-2-3 in the ninth… 3-1 Aces. Baskins 2-5, 2B; Dustal 2-4;

In other news

July 17 – The Loggers trade 29-year-old rookie SP Rich Guzman (3-7, 4.74 ERA) to the Warriors for two prospects.
July 21 – The Crusaders acquire SP Jim White (7-3, 3.94 ERA) from the Pacifics, parting with two prospects. The package includes #70 SP Jerry Cruz.
July 21 – In a separate deal, the Pacifics send CL Eddie Sotelo (4-4, 4.63 ERA, 24 SV) to the Gold Sox for another pair of prospects.
July 23 – Boston CL Danny Tirado (2-4, 3.30 ERA, 18 SV) would miss the rest of the season to have bone chips extracted from his elbow.

FL Player of the Week: DAL INF/CF Jose Rivas (.393, 0 HR, 31 RBI), hitting .583 (14-24) with 1 RBI
CL Player of the Week: ATL OF Chris Walker (.263, 3 HR, 9 RBI), batting .714 (5-7) with 3 HR, 8 RBI

Complaints and stuff

First of all – if anyone asks, Slappy is now… (licks over thumb and presses fake moustache firmer onto Slappy’s upper lip) … Slappy is now a 16-year-old Venezuelan prospect named Gonzalo Gonzalez, and he cost exactly $69,125 to sign as international free agent!

(Steve from Accounting winks conspiringly from the other side of the room)

Slappy, you’ll need a hair piece.

So, we stumbled over two mediocre teams again, which isn’t great, and also giving the Indians too much credit. I’m thinking of how a big deadline deal would look. It’s hard to find a real offensive upgrade for this team, and do we really need one, or would a sturdy starting pitcher really make more sense?

While we’re mulling over this, next week will be a homestand hosting the Knights and Baybirds.

Meanwhile, we concluded our July teen boy shopping spree, spending a total of $551k on four players, the majority of that money going to SP Daniel Silin, the American kid of the jungle missionaries. We did not bid on 2B Nick Fernandez.

Fun Fact: Adilmar Custdio is the only Portuguese player in ABL history.

The left-hander from Braga kind of accidentally stumbled into baseball while being an exchange student in the US in the 1990s, intending to sign up for basketball, but getting a few letters wrong. It was enough to be signed 88th overall in the 1991 draft by the Thunder, with whom we’d also get his only major league exposure as a 22-year-old in 1995. He appeared in only three games, pitching 4.2 innings for a 7.71 ERA before disappearing in the minors again. He went on to spend the rest of his career with the Thunder’s farm teams, but never returned to the music. His career highlight was a game with 17 strikeouts in single-A in 1993.

[Westheim]

The Raccoons made a roster move to begin the week. With a day off on Thursday, we’d not need a fifth starter again until August 1, and thus dispatched Tony Negrete (1-1, 6.10 ERA) back to St. Pete after two wonky to woeful starts. We called up right-hander Sean Marucci, who had pitched in 20 games for the Critters in ’43 before missing his chance last year due to injury. He had a 2.16 ERA in 30 relief appearances with the Alley Cats.

Raccoons (62-36) vs. Knights (52-46) – July 24-26, 2045

The Knights had won three in a row and had won all three of their games against Portland this season. They were sixth in runs scored, eighth in runs allowed, and had a +5 run differential (Critters: +107). Their pitching was probably not as bad as their league-worst defense made them look…

Projected matchups:
Sadaharu Okuda (9-6, 3.65 ERA) vs. David Farris (8-6, 2.91 ERA)
Victor Merino (5-1, 2.49 ERA) vs. Kurt Olson (2-3, 6.48 ERA)
Jason Wheatley (10-5, 2.47 ERA) vs. Brad Santry (7-8, 3.21 ERA)

All right-handers here, it seemed like.

Game 1
ATL: 3B Venegas – RF Marz – 1B Delagrange – LF Hester – SS J. Gonzalez – CF C. Walker – 2B Sprague – C Krumholz – P Farris
POR: LF Baskins – SS Waters – 3B Maldonado – 1B Toohey – RF Fernandez – 2B Carreno – C Kilmer – CF Dustal – P Okuda

Okuda filled the bases by hitting John Marz, walking Chris Delagrange, and allowing a single to Jorge Gonzalez in the first inning, but also rung up a pair to dig out of a mess of his own making. The Raccoons scored instead; Waters walked, reached third on Maldo’s single, and scored on a pretty, pretty deep fly by Toohey that was nevertheless snagged by Chris Walker and the Raccoons had to settle for a sac fly in the first. The lead disappeared again right away when Anton Venegas singled home Zachary Krumholz in the top 2nd, but since Krumholz had reached on a Waters error, the run was unearned on Okuda. By the third, the Knights were up 3-1. Delagrange walked again, Billy Hester smacked a double to right, and they scored on a wild pitch and a sac fly to center as Okuda’s light dimmed considerably. He did get the lead back, however, when Farris had a 2-out stroke in the bottom of the same inning. The Coons’ 3-4-5 all singled in order, making up one run, Carreno walked, and Kilmer buried a ball in the left-center gap for a bases-emptying double and a 5-3 lead before the Knights eloped with an intentional free pass to Jonathan Dustal and a groundout by Okuda.

Neither pitcher gained much material for his arbitration video material; Okuda reached the fifth, then drowned. He faced four batters, giving up a cycle’s worth of hits to them. Delagrange tripled to right, Hester tied the game with a homer, and then Gonzalez and Walker got the double and single, respectively, reaching the corners, and with nobody out. Norris scrambled out of the inning, giving up a go-ahead sac fly along the way. Manny tripled with one out in the bottom 5th, but Carreno whiffed and Kilmer grounded out to piss away the chance. Sean Marucci made his season debut in the sixth, and didn’t give up any runs, but gave up Manny’s body on a lunging grab and tumble in deep right, snagging a Marz drive and retiring from the game with some sort of discomfort. Van Anderson replaced him in the #5 hole. The pen then slowly came apart some more; Marucci gave up a run in the seventh, Moreno allowed a leadoff double to Marz and was charged that run when it was conceded by Kelly in the eighth. The Coons never scored again and lost a bitter one. 8-5 Knights. Maldonado 2-5; Fernandez 2-3, 3B, RBI; Carreno 0-1, 2 BB; Gurney (PH) 1-1, 2B; Dustal 2-3, BB;

Manny Fernandez hit the DL with an oblique strain, but like Herrera he might come back quickly after the 15 days were up.

Which was cold comfort with a team continuing to step on their own tails…

Next roster move: anybody remember Aruba’s Finest, Jay de Wit? He was batting .276 with 6 homers in AAA.

Game 2
ATL: 3B Venegas – RF Marz – 1B Delagrange – LF Hester – SS J. Gonzalez – CF C. Walker – 2B Sprague – C Krumholz – P Santry
POR: LF Baskins – SS Waters – 1B Maldonado – RF Toohey – C Zarate – 2B Carreno – CF Anderson – 3B de Wit – P Merino

Santry moved up a day, opening the gate for southpaw Brian Buttress to pitch on Wednesday, but for now the Raccoons had to try and not lose this one. That was easier said than done, with the offense getting four hits and plating none of the runners in the first three innings, while Merino allowed no hits in the early frames, but threatened to walk everything with legs. When the Knights did get to him in the fourth, they did so on their first two hits of the game, a Delagrange single and a Gonzalez RBI triple, with Chris Walker making it 2-0 with a well-placed grounder. Those were Atlanta’s only hits through six innings, but Merino also issued five walks and would not go any further.

The Coons were still being shut out at this point, but Maldonado tackled Santry with a leadoff jack in the bottom 6th and maybe the spell was now broken? Toohey singled, Zarate singled, Carreno singled – three on! …and nobody out yet. Curses. Nope, Van Anderson rolled a ball through the right side for a game-tying RBI single! …and then de Wit found a 3-6-3 double play. (gnaws on corner of the table) … with two outs, Gurney batted for Merino, bounced to third, Venegas – threw the ball away! Carreno in to score, Anderson in to score, the Coons were gift-wrapped and posted the 4-2 lead…! Gurney reached second base, but Baskins put a stomper into the ground in front of home plate. Krumholz to fir- HE THROWS IT AWAY, TOO!! Another 2-base throwing error, scoring another run…!! I guess, that was the league-worst defense we were advertised.

Up 5-2, three of the runs unearned, the Coons sent Preston Porter into the seventh, which began with a double by ex-Elk Glenn Sprague. Porter would somehow tip-toe around the runner, stranding Sprague at third base. All seemed well with Porter retiring two more batters in the eighth, until Chuck Jones had a live-on-TV meltdown and walked Hester, Gonzalez, and Walker in order to fill the bases. Josh Rella was readied up for a 4-out save with the tying runs aboard, and rung up Sprague to banish the most immediate danger. Hits by Martell and Baskins scratched out a tack-on run in the bottom 8th, but Rella wouldn’t let anybody on base in the ninth inning, anyway. 6-2 Coons. Baskins 2-5, RBI; Maldonado 2-4, HR, RBI; Toohey 2-4; Anderson 2-4, RBI; Martell 1-1, 2B; Porter 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K; Rella 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, SV (25);

The Knights made a minor deal before the rubber game, trading away MR Sam Heisler (0-1, 7.29 ERA), who had not appeared in the series, for a so-so pitching prospect.

No southpaw on Wednesday, either, with Kurt Olson taking the start he was supposed to take on Tuesday.

Game 3
ATL: 3B Venegas – RF Marz – LF Hester – 1B Delagrange – C Horner – SS J. Gonzalez – CF C. Walker – 2B Sprague – P K. Olson
POR: LF Baskins – SS Waters – 1B Maldonado – RF Toohey – C Kilmer – 2B Carreno – CF Dustal – 3B Coen – P Wheatley

The CL ERA leader (blinks confusedly) got taken well, well deep to right by John Marz in the first inning, but Maldonado offered a counter-argument, a 2-run homer plating Waters in the bottom 1st to actually take a 2-1 lead. Ben Coen added a run with his first major league RBI, singling home Carreno in the second inning, but Wheatley’s aceness ran out with big noises in the third inning and he got whacked around for three runs. Venegas doubled, Hester walked, and Delagrange rammed a ball off the fence for a game-tying double. Wheats looked helpless on the mound, and Jorge Gonzalez confirmed the notion with a sharp 2-out RBI single that gave Atlanta the lead back.

Wheatley didn’t make it out of the fifth, walking Hester, getting tripled upon by Adam Horner, allowing that run to score on a sac fly, and then giving up a single to Walker. 4.2 innings, six runs, all well earned and deserved. And despite being down 6-3, the Raccoons might yet accidentally take him off the hook, loading the bases (albeit with nobody out) in the bottom 6th against Olson. Problem was, those were the 5-6-7 batters, and next was Coen, who popped out when shown faith in him. I had great urge to make another roster move. But first this L had to be completed. Gurney plated a run with a fielder’s choice, and Baskins hit an RBI single, but Waters grounded out to short to keep the team from tying the game, now down 6-5. Jorge Gonzalez doubled home Delagrange off Chuck Jones in the seventh, and next the Coons shed Norris, who logged one out in the eighth before waving for Dr. Padilla’s attention. The Raccoons, with a ravaged pen, had to give up the game. Marucci was plunked in, wished all due good luck, but he wouldn’t be picked up again before getting the last five outs. The Coons put the tying runs on in Zarate and Baskins in the bottom 8th, but Waters grounded out to strand them, while Marucci completed regulation as told. The Raccoons got a leadoff walk from Maldonado against Josh Livingston in the ninth, and literally nothing else. 7-5 Knights. Baskins 4-5, RBI; Carreno 2-4;

We have already lost the season series after this rotten display. How rotten? Baskins had four hits in this game and never scored. That rotten.

By the weekend: more rot. Dr. Padilla informed us that Nate Norris had bone chips in his elbow and was done for this season – he needed cutting open and scraping gunk from that old joint. ANOTHER ONE TO THE DL.

The Raccoons called up Bob Ibold from AAA again.

Raccoons (63-38) vs. Bayhawks (53-47) – July 28-30, 2045

With the Critters in a state of mediocrity and brittleness, the Bayhawks paid the final regular season visit of the year. We led the season set 4-2, but I had faith in a hostile sweep here. San Fran sat seventh in runs scored, fourth in runs allowed. They had a few pitching injuries, notably Rafael Pedraza and Noe Candeloro. We had lots of injuries and no clutch to speak of right now.

Projected matchups:
Corey Mathers (11-7, 4.53 ERA) vs. Paul Medvec (6-7, 3.52 ERA)
Sadaharu Okuda (9-7, 3.87 ERA) vs. Jesse Bulas (6-3, 3.59 ERA)
Victor Merino (6-1, 2.53 ERA) vs. Eric Weitz (6-2, 3.75 ERA)

Looked like three more righties.

Game 1
SFB: 3B R. Sifuentes – 1B D. Riley – RF C. Cortes – C Suggs – SS Quiroz – CF McGuigan – LF Beard – 2B M. Gibson – P Medvec
POR: LF Baskins – SS Waters – 3B Maldonado – RF Toohey – 1B Gurney – C Kilmer – 2B Carreno – CF Dustal – P Mathers

I shrieked and hid in the cupboard when Dr. Padilla walked into Maud’s office half an hour before game time, thinking Mathers’ paw had fallen off or some other horrendous development had occurred. I needn’t have worried – Mathers was fine… at least until the Bayhawks took the buzzsaw to him, Ramon Sifuentes opening the game with a 1-2 single, then scoring on a Sean Suggs double. They’d slap six hits and draw two walks in five innings, but the defense did its royal best (and without straining any more muscle groups my own body surely didn’t even have!) and held the damage to that first-inning run, while the Raccoons did … precious little. Baskins and Toohey had leadoff singles in the first two frames, respectively, but were either doubled up or ignored. Maldo hit a double in the fourth that went just as far. We didn’t get on base again until Dustal dropped a 2-out single in the bottom 5th. To anybody’s surprise, Mathers, batting well under .100, then strung a double up the leftfield line to put the tying run on third base for Baskins, who cracked a ball through the right side on the infield, plating both runners and flipping the score with a single…!

Joy was forbidden around here, though, so Mathers folded instantly after receiving the lead. Jamie McGuigan opened the sixth with a ****** bloop single behind Waters, and Mike Gibson doubled him home. More infurating I found Medvec’s go-ahead RBI single, taking revenge for the double in the previous half-inning.

Craig and Kelly offered scoreless relief in the seventh and eighth after that, but the Raccoons only put somebody on base again with Baskins’ 1-out single off Medvec in the bottom 8th. Waters ripped a 1-1 pitch to deep right, but it missed the fence, and favorably bounced to Cortes (who had played in this park for a living for a while), causing Baskins to throw the anchor at third base on Waters’ double. Those were the tying and go-ahead runs, and we had Maldo and Toohey coming up. Could be worse! Maldonado was nailed with the first pitch to load the bases, which didn’t qualify as either better or worse yet. When Toohey fell to 1-2 I began to squeal, although Maud quickly handed me my Honeypaws for comfort. The trick worked – Toohey belted the very next pitch to left; high! Deep! Gone! GRAAAAAAAAAND SLAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMM!!!!!

The rest of the game was Rella doing his thing. Cortes hit a 2-out single in the ninth, but Suggs grounded out to Waters to end the game. 6-3 Raccoons. Baskins 3-4, 2 RBI; Toohey 2-4, HR, 4 RBI;

Tooheyyyy!

Maud, he needs a bobblehead! – He’s getting a bobblehead already? – When? – Tomorrow? – How convenient!

Game 2
SFB: SS Quiroz – 3B R. Sifuentes – LF Platero – RF C. Cortes – C J. Hill – CF McGuigan – 2B Harroun – 1B D. Riley – P Weitz
POR: LF Baskins – SS Waters – 3B Maldonado – RF Toohey – 1B Gurney – C Zarate – 2B Martell – CF Dustal – P Okuda

Bryce Toohey Bobblehead Day began with a 2-run first for San Francisco, as they whacked Okuda around without hesitation. Jose Platero, Carlos Cortes, and John Hill all hit screamers in the inning. It kind of continued like that for a while, just with less luck for the Bayhawks, hitting balls right at the defenders, and as a consequence, without more runs for them. The Raccoons? Entirely absent. They had two hits in the first five innings, two long drives for outs from Toohey, then found two more hits in the sixth with Baskins and Maldo singles, only for Toohey to clip it into a double play to end the inning. The seventh was no help either, and in the eighth Baskins hit a 1-out single of Weitz to put the tying run into the box. When Waters walked in a full count, that tying run reached first base. Maldonado popped out, Toohey struck out, and the tying run reached the dugout that way… The Baybirds were kept short by the Raccoons’ relief corps of Jones, Marucci, and Moreno, but that didn’t help the offense much, who was still down by two in the ninth inning, facing Jeremy Mayhall. Gurney, Zarate, Martell – groundout, strikeout, flyout. 2-0 Bayhawks. Baskins 2-4; Zarate 2-4, 2B;

I am, Maud, I am. I am bobbling it good. (bobbles his Toohey bobblehead) – But like the real thing, it’s not hitting anything. – (bobbles harder yet, causing the head to come off and hit him in the eye) – I’ll take that back.

Change of plan for Sunday – the Bayhawks made it a Southpaw Sunday by inserting Chris “Tuba” Turner (5-7, 4.77 ERA).

…and then the baseball gods had another change of plan and sent persistent rain that wiped out the game entirely.

In other news

July 24 – A broken hand will rule out LAP INF Brian Bowman (.296, 3 HR, 26 RBI) for the rest of the season.
July 24 – The Titans acquire LF/RF Dan Meyer (.286, 5 HR, 11 RBI) from the Cyclones for left-hander Chris Lulay (1-2, 4.04 ERA, 1 SV) and a second-rate prospect.
July 25 – The Scorpions get INF Kenny Leon (.242, 3 HR, 36 RBI) from the Pacifics for CL Antonio Prieto (1-4, 3.75 ERA, 21 SV) and a prospect.
July 26 – Cincy 3B Jesus Burgos (.354, 8 HR, 57 RBI) would miss three weeks with knee tendinitis.
July 29 – DEN OF Tim Turner (.339, 7 HR, 67 RBI) has four hits and as many RBI in a 16-13 shootout win over the Blue Sox.
July 30 – SFB SP Noe Candeloro (1-5, 3.94 ERA) was out for the season with a broken elbow.
July 30 – The Pacifics pick up Sacramento’s 2B Gerardo Galaz (.292, 5 HR, 22 RBI) and a prospect for SP Al Scott (6-9, 4.79 ERA), who joins the Scorpions.
July 30 – INF Doug Clevidence (.304, 8 HR, 53 RBI) is traded from the Miners to the Rebels for SP Ryan Person (9-6, 4.13 ERA). It’s the fourth team of Clevidence’s career, all in the FL East.

FL Player of the Week: SAC LF/RF/1B Nate Culp (.264, 10 HR, 42 RBI), hitting .435 (10-23) with 4 HR, 9 RBI
CL Player of the Week: TIJ OF/1B Marty Reidinger (.256, 8 HR, 40 RBI), swatting .417 (10-24) with 4 HR, 10 RBI

Complaints and stuff

The good news is that the Crusaders are just about as bad…

The rainout on Sunday was for the last game of the season between us and the Baybirds, so only inconvenient options for a makeup date are available. The game will be made up on August 21, a Monday, breaking up a two-week road trip beginning the weekend prior in Elk City. Oh well, at least we didn’t have two cross-country flights added…

It’s perhaps even more inconvenient for them, because they were supposed to go out East after a homestand ending on the Sunday prior, but now had to go north to Portland first.

Closer to the here and now: the trade deadline, although I’d be lying if I promised great things being in the making. Also, a short road trip to Tijuana before we’d return home to play the Crusaders and Loggers in a pair of 4-game sets. There was also a series in Salem after that, then a return home for the Blue Sox. With the added caveat of the make-up game, our next three road trips were thus technically single-city trips and we’d never leave this side of the mountains.

The Norris injury sucks, but I’ve been harking about that young relief pitching we had no room or time for for a good while now, and now was their chance to shine. The rainout also added another off day, meaning we’d still not need a fifth starter in Tijuana, and keep carrying all of Porter, Ibold, and Marucci (and we could yet add Brad Barnes f.e.). Against the Crusaders, Adam Capone might make his major league debut. A former #13 pick with a history of being overlooked and neglected, he’s already 26 years old and nothing too fancy, but neither was Negrete in his quick visit.

Fun Fact: Adam Capone went straight to Ham Lake after being drafted in 2040.

…and has yet to progress past St. Pete, although his time might really be here now. He has made 150 starts as a professional, posting a 53-61 record with 3.81 ER and 4.1 walks and 5.7 strikeouts per nine innings.

[Westheim]

Deadline Day arrived and with it … no trade for the Raccoons. We weren’t really able to work out anything for the ace that would really help this team, and on the other paw, I had spent the last few years harping on and on about how we had so much young pitching and no place for it. Well, it was time to put the young pitching to work and if they crashed and burned, be more miserly about the farm next time…

Raccoons (64-39) @ Condors (45-61) – July 31-August 2, 2045

In the bottom three in both runs scored and runs allowed, the Condors had no fun, dwelling in last place in the CL South. They ranked in the bottom half in all major categories of interest, and the only thing they were even remotely good at was being stingy with giving up longballs, conceding the third-fewest in the league. The Raccoons were also up 5-1 on them in 2045, but had already stumbled over a couple of last-place teams recently…

Projected matchups:
Victor Merino (6-1, 2.53 ERA) vs. Ryan Porter (3-14, 6.03 ERA)
Jason Wheatley (10-6, 2.81 ERA) vs. Kellen Lanning (0-1, 5.16 ERA)
Corey Mathers (11-7, 4.53 ERA) vs. Jason Jacobs (1-2, 6.46 ERA)

Three right-handers with dismal ERA’s? The Coons won’t score until they see the Crusaders…! In any case, we’d give a few rest days on Tuesday and Wednesday to the everyday players, so they’d be available at 100% for the Crusaders showdown after this set.

Lanning, 24, had made his debut a month ago after being taken at #9 in the 2043 draft. He also had left his last start with a sore wrist and was listed as day-to-day at this junction.

Game 1
POR: LF Baskins – SS Waters – 3B Maldonado – RF Toohey – 1B Gurney – C Kilmer – 2B Carreno – CF Dustal – P Merino
TIJ: SS Banuelas – 1B Gibbs – RF Ito – C T. Black – 3B Barcia – LF B. Mendoza – CF B. Oliver – 2B M. Lopez – P R. Porter

Tijuana whacked Merino for three hits and two runs in the first inning, Jesus Banuelas singling and Ron Gibbs doubling him in right away before also coming home on a 2-out single by Sergio Barcia. Banuelas singled home Brian Oliver for another run in the second, and Merino looked like he might not be around for long, allowing five hits in two frames. He also opened the top 3rd with a single to right, and more singles by Waters and Maldonado loaded the bases for Toohey with one gone. Toohey had just hit a grand slam last week and struck out instead, and Pat Gurney rolled out to Miguel Lopez, stranding everybody and their mother.

Merino would not allow another run and only three more hits in pitching six innings in total, which fell into the realm of limiting the damage. His highlight was however picking Ron Gibbs off first base after a single in the fifth. The Coons as a whole, though, did that annoying thing where they all looked like they were holding a ******* baseball bat for the first time in their lives. They didn’t get the tying run back to the plate until the eighth inning, which saw a 1-out single from Waters and then Maldonado getting brushed in the thigh by a pitch. Toohey and Gurney both flew out, and nobody scored. Preston Porter and Zack Kelly fumbled another run for Tijuana on the board in the bottom 8th, but Ryan Porter completed a 7-hit shutout anyway… 4-0 Condors. Waters 2-4; Martell (PH) 1-1;

We’re totally in playoff form.

Game 2
POR: SS Waters – 2B Martell – 1B Gurney – RF Toohey – C Zarate – CF Anderson – LF Dustal – 3B Coen – P Wheatley
TIJ: SS Banuelas – RF Cleary – 1B Gibbs – LF Ito – CF Reidinger – 3B Barcia – C Pasko – 2B M. Lopez – P Jacobs

That scrappy lineup was up against Jacobs rather than the ailing Lanning, with the 22-year-old rookie now going on short rest. The Raccoons now put up two runs in the first, getting hits from Waters (double), Martell (single), and Gurney (RBI single) before Toohey brought in the second run with a double play grounder to short. By the second inning, the Critters shed Jonathan Dustal, who hurt himself on a double into the rightfield corner and was replaced with Jay de Wit. Toohey found another double play in the third, but Wheats, who had been whacked his last time out after six weeks of dominance, struck out five the first time through, retiring eight in a row before Jacobs hit a single off him. Jacobs also misfiled a poor de Wit grounder in the fourth inning with Jose Zarate and Van Anderson on the corners, conceding a run on the error, but then retired Ben Coen, Wheats, and Matt Waters in order.

Wheats, murdering the Condors the first time through, struggled the second go-around, during which he issued three walks, but nobody scored. Chris Cleary drew a leadoff walk in the sixth then, but was caught stealing by Zarate. Wheatley began the seventh, got Marty Reidinger to ground out, but then was bombed by Barcia, and was relieved immediately afterwards, despite giving up only three hits. Miguel Lopez’ 2-out double and Benito Mendoza’s single, both off Jon Craig, gave the Condors another run, narrowing the score to 3-2. Chuck Jones was up and down 1-2-3 in the eighth, and Ben Coen hit a leadoff single for a flicker of usefulness in the ninth inning before Baskins and Waters both hit into fielder’s choices at second base before Waters concluded a ****** inning with getting caught stealing. We sought solace in Josh Rella, facing the 5-6-7 batters. Terry Black grounded out to Martell. Barcia flew out to de Wit. Mark Pasko tied the game with a homer to right. I ordered a new bottle – but with a bigger worm this time! – after the Condors failed to walk off and dragged the game into overtime.

Coen and Maldonado hit 2-out singles in the 11th for some sort of attempt to score, but Waters flew out to Brian Oliver, who landed awkwardly after leaping and had to leave the game. Extra innings being extra innings, the Condors were out of outfielders and had to put Tomas Ruiz, third baseman by trade, in center now. This could only help the Coons if they didn’t come apart in the bottom 11th, though, and – boy! – did Bob Ibold come apart! Gibbs doubled to begin the inning. He walked Rikuto Ito, and Ruiz singled. Bases loaded, Barcia ended the Coons’ misery with a single to center. 4-3 Condors. Martell 2-5, 2B; Anderson 2-5; Dustal 1-1, 2B; Coen 2-4, BB; Malonado (PH) 1-1;

The only thing keeping me calm-ish was the fact that the Crusaders were losing just as much and just as stupidly.

Game 3
POR: LF Baskins – SS Martell – RF Maldonado – 1B Gurney – C Kilmer – 2B Carreno – CF Anderson – 3B Coen – P Mathers
TIJ: SS Banuelas – RF Cleary – 1B Gibbs – LF Ito – CF Reidinger – 3B Barcia – C Pasko – 2B M. Lopez – P G. de Leon

Lanning still unavailable, the Raccoons opposed Generos de Leon (2-2, 4.86 ERA), another right-hander. While Mathers was perfect the first time through and only allowed a hit to Cleary in the fourth inning, with Ron Gibbs hitting into a double play after that, de Leon gave up a run in the second when with two outs, Coen doubled home Kilmer with a corner ball in leftfield. But the Raccoons continued to vividly not hit against the ****** pitching in front of them, amassing all of three base hits through five innings, including a Mathers double (!), for which de Leon got back at him in the sixth inning with a 1-out single before both Banuelas and Cleary popped out.

To begin the seventh inning in a 1-0 pitchers’ duel (I guess), Kilmer reached on an error and Carreno snuck a single through the left side. Anderson hit into a force at second base, but runners were still on the corner for Ben Coen, who put in a claim for Man of the Trip to Mexico with an RBI single to right. Mathers stuck around to bunt, getting the runners into scoring position, and Baskins stuck a ball behind Ito to the base of the wall for a 2-out, 2-run double to open the tally to 4-0 before Martell grounded out. Mathers allowed Ito on base then with a single in the bottom 7th, but like Merino on Monday chalked a pickoff when he snatched him with a quick move to end the inning.

That was all the glory Mathers amounted to in the game, not retiring another batter despite seeing three of them in the bottom 8th, and getting whacked for a run and runners on the corners before Chuck Jones appeared to face Mendoza, pinch-hitting as the tying run. He gave up a sac fly on his first pitch, but retired the right-handed Banuelas with a groundout, same for the left-handed Cleary, who chucked an 0-2 pitch into play, but right at Carreno to end the inning. When the scratch brigade of Anderson and Coen then went to the corners with 1-out singles in the ninth, Bryce Toohey hit for Jones in the #9 hole, driving home Anderson with a single … after Coen got himself caught stealing. Baskins grounded out, and the Coons went back to Rella, who this time retired three in a row to make it end in time. 5-2 Coons. Coen 3-4, 2B, 2 RBI; Toohey (PH) 1-1, RBI; Mathers 7.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, W (12-7) and 1-2;

Jonathan Dustal was diagnosed with hamstring tightness and would be day-to-day for the weekend at least.

There were actual roster moves though before the Crusaders series: Jay de Wit returned to AAA after hitting 1-for-9, with Armando Herrera being activated in the nick of time; also we needed that fifth starter finally, and brought up Adam Capone for his major league debut. He replaced Bob Ibold.

Raccoons (65-41) vs. Crusaders (55-51) – August 3-6, 2045

We were back from a lousy trip to Mexico, but the Crusaders had drowned in the Bay, getting swept by the Bayhawks. Neither of these two teams was currently hot – the Coons’ claim to the best shot at the playoffs came from their 10-game lead in the division and not their current performance on the diamond. The Loggers, .500 and 12 games back, still had a chance…! New York meanwhile sat fourth in runs scored, sixth in runs allowed, and had a +26 run differential (Critters: 105). We led the season series, 4-3.

Projected matchups:
Adam Capone (0-0) vs. Paul Paris (9-5, 3.99 ERA)
Sadaharu Okuda (9-8, 3.83 ERA) vs. Jeff Johnson (9-6, 3.76 ERA)
Victor Merino (6-2, 2.68 ERA) vs. Jim White (7-5, 4.22 ERA)
Jason Wheatley (10-6, 2.74 ERA) vs. Garrett Sutherland (7-10, 4.52 ERA)

Looks like we’d miss their only southpaw, Carlos Malla (5-6, 4.24 ERA).

Joe Graf was on the DL for them, but Mario Briones had left his last game in the Bayhawks series with an injury and was not yet ruled in or out of this series. He was not in the lineup on Thursday, though.

Game 1
NYC: SS Adame – 3B Nash – 2B Riario – RF Willie Ojeda – CF Rico – C Alba – LF Garris – 1B Hollenbeck – P Paris
POR: LF Baskins – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – RF Toohey – SS Waters – 1B Gurney – C Kilmer – 2B Carreno – P Capone

Capone struck out four in the first two innings of his major league debut after 150 starts in the minors, but also plated a New York run with a wild pitch after stuffing the bags with a base hit by Danny Rico, nicking Josh Garris, and another single by Craig Hollenbeck – who had been a Raccoons rookie for 16 games in 2031, and had somehow landed this first base gig at age 38. He struck out Paris, and Alex Adame was kind enough to hack himself out. Randolph Nash and Vittorio Riario whacked hits to begin the third inning, leading to a run on a Willie Ojeda sac fly, and it already looked like Capone was not gonna have a very good day. Paris had a good day – while Capone was beaten around for another three hits and a run in the fifth, ten hits and three runs up to then, Paris was 3-hitting the Critters. Al Martell hit a single in Capone’s place to begin the bottom 5th, but was doubled up by Baskins.

The game got away for good in the seventh when Marucci and Kelly got under the bus for four hits and three runs, all the runs being charged to the former, and another three runs were beaten out of Jon Craig in the eighth inning when he also couldn’t retire anybody. The final blow would be a blast, Fernando Alba taking Moreno deep in the ninth inning. Up by ten, Paris went for the shutout, nursing a 5-hitter while beginning the ninth by sitting down Toohey and Waters. Then Pat Gurney took him deep. The Raccoons faithful in the stands ironically celebrated a pointless homer, then went home when Zarate grounded out in Kilmer’s place. 10-1 Crusaders. Martell (PH) 1-1;

Okay, well. We were up by ten. Now we’re up by nine. Thankfully there’s no extra points for out-hitting the other team 18-6.

Game 2
NYC: SS Adame – LF A. Montes – 2B Riario – CF Rico – C Alba – 3B Nash – RF M. Hall – 1B Hollenbeck – P J. Johnson
POR: LF Baskins – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – RF Toohey – SS Waters – 1B Gurney – C Kilmer – 2B Carreno – P Okuda

The Crusaders went up right away, Adame reaching on a Maldonado error, stealing second, and coming in on a Riario single. Riario also stole second, and I sighed, hugging Honeypaws tighter and wondering whether the Willamette was deep enough to drown myself this time of the year. Kilmer would double home Waters to tie the game in the second inning, which wasn’t enough to console me yet.

Adame (double) and Riario (single) were on base again in the third inning. Adame went for home on the single, but was thrown out by Baskins, keeping the game tied. And Okuda couldn’t get Adame out – he singled again in the fifth, as it began to rain, fitting in with my mood. Adame was stranded that time, but the Raccoons were being out-hit 6-1 yet again at the midway point. Then Johnson made them a gift, nailing Gurney to begin the bottom 5th. He was running when Kilmer swatted a ball to deep center, over Rico, and for a go-ahead RBI double, 2-1 …! A pair of grounders scored Kilmer, with Okuda getting the RBI. Things continued to go south anyway. Okuda had a 1-2-3 sixth, but the 3 in that sequence was Baskins robbing Nash in the gap while he was colliding with the sliding Herrera and sent flying. Eventually, gravity brought him back to earth, and Dr. Padilla collected him when he wouldn’t come back to the dugout on his own… Ben Coen went into the #1 hole, playing third base, with Maldo out to left, and I was nervously rocking back and forth while whining.

Maldo hit a solo jack in the bottom 6th, but there was no way of consoling me right now. The 4-1 lead then got chopped up in the seventh. Mike Hall drew a leadoff walk, Hollenbeck singled, Hall went to third base, and Toohey’s throwing error gave them an extra base and a run. Johnson grounded out, and Adame brought in the runner from third with a groundout – but Waters also threw THAT ball away… That put Adame with the tying run on second base with one out. Andy Montes grounded out, moving Adame to third, while the Raccoons went to Nelson Moreno, who got Riario to 0-2 before giving up a screamer that Coen caught in self-defense to end the inning, with Portland hanging on by a thread, 4-3. Moreno walked Fernando Alba with one out in the eighth. That was a lefty bat; when Ojeda pinch-hit with another lefty stick for Hall with two outs, the Raccoons sent Jones, who got him on a grounder to Gurney. Johnson held out through eight innings, though, and the Raccoons entered the ninth with the skinny 4-3 lead. Pinch-hitters Josh Garris and Matt Wilton put the hurt on right away; single, double, tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position, and nobody out. Rella got a bouncer back from Adame to shoo the runners back before getting the out. Montes, however, hit a fly to left, and it was deep enough to bring in Garris after Maldonado caught the ball. Riario flew out to Toohey, but the score was level at four. Maldo hit a leadoff single in the bottom 9th, but flies by Toohey and Waters were caught and Gurney grounded out.

Top 10th, Preston Porter got around two singles without getting scored on, but had no such luck in the 11th, with Garris and Angel Villarreal getting two leadoff hits. Adame hit the sac fly, and Montes and Riario made outs, but now the Raccoons were trailing again… Mike Lynn made it stick for New York, retiring Coen and Herrera on groundouts before ringing up Maldonado. 5-4 Crusaders. Maldonado 2-5, RBI; Kilmer 2-4, 2 2B, 2 RBI;

That’s all the hits by the way. Four hits in 11 innings, and out-hit 30-10 in two games.

Collapse.

Game 3
NYC: 3B Riario – LF A. Montes – SS Adame – RF Willie Ojeda – CF Rico – C Alba – 2B Nash – 1B Hollenbeck – P J. White
POR: SS Waters – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – LF Toohey – 1B Gurney – C Kilmer – 2B Martell – RF Anderson – P Merino

By Saturday, the Raccoons were down to a 3 1/2 men bench, with Baskins out and Dustal day-to-day. A quick throwing error by Adame to put Waters aboard and a Herrera double put Portland up 1-0 in the first, but I trusted none of them anymore at this junction. Merino promptly gave up a 2-run double to Hollenbeck that drove in Rico and Nash in the second inning, all hits coming on sharp liners – no cheapos in this series…

The Raccoons barely tied the game in the bottom 2nd after a leadoff triple (!) by Jeff Kilmer, who was singled home by Martell, then stopped hitting entirely. Merino held out for a little while, but eventually succumbed in the sixth inning, allowing the go-ahead run to score on singles by Ojeda, who stole second, and Alba. Merino held out through seven innings of 8-hit ball, while the Raccoons were still ******* stuck on three hits and two runs, and one of those was even unearned. Carreno hit a single in the #9 hole in the bottom 8th, but was forced out by Waters’ grounder and the inning ended when Herrera grounded out. Mike Lynn got another 1-run lead in the ninth inning this time, facing the 3-4-5 batters. Maldonado grounded out. Toohey singled…! Gurney grounded out, moving the tying run to second base… and Kilmer was rung up. 3-2 Crusaders. Carreno (PH) 1-1;

At this point I was refusing food and drink, or to groom my fur. Why clean the fur when the walls are already coming down?

Game 4
NYC: 3B Riario – LF A. Montes – SS Adame – RF Willie Ojeda – C Alba – 2B Nash – CF Villarreal – 1B Hollenbeck – P Sutherland
POR: SS Waters – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – LF Toohey – 1B Gurney – C Zarate – 2B Carreno – 3B Coen – P Wheatley

A shutout by Wheats was the only hope, but I sat motionless as he retired the side in order the first time through. I had seen too much **** this week, and why get worked up with excitement when everything you saw invariably only wound up more ****? That aside, the Raccoons still only had a bench of three and a half players.

The Raccoons had a runner on base in each of the first three innings, but never reached third base, or doubled him up entirely, as Zarate did with Gurney in the second. The no-hitter then went away in the fourth on leadoff singles by Riario and Montes, and then the shutout did as well on Ojeda’s sac fly, putting New York up 1-0 once more. It was 2-0 in the fifth after a Villarreal homer, but at least Zarate drew a leadoff walk in the bottom 5th and now there – … there was no run. Carreno hit into a double play, and the Raccoons remained as far away from the scoreboard as they could possibly be while still technically being in the ballpark. Wheats scratched out a leadoff single in the bottom 6th, then was doubled up by Herrera.

Back-to-back homers by Ojeda and Alba then put the game away in the seventh. Wheatley only gave up five hits in seven innings, but three of them were homers. The Raccoons got Maldonado on with a leadoff single in the bottom 7th, and Gurney eeked out a walk… and Zarate and Carreno both grounded out like ******* to end that inning, too. On to the eighth, which Coen began with a grounder that Riario bungled for an error. Dustal flew out. Waters hit into a double play. More faking in the bottom 9th: Herrera drew a leadoff walk, then Maldonado singled. John Steuer, right-hander, replaced Sutherland, and I was ready to chalk up getting the starter out before the end of the game as moral victory, right before I’d blow my brains out with the blunderbuss. Toohey hit a single to left on 1-2, which loaded the bases, brought up Gurney as the tying run … and oh yeah, no outs. The situation was just cursed from the beginning. A piss poor fly to shallow center was caught by Villarreal and advanced nobody. Martell batted for Zarate and popped out to short. Carreno went down on strikes. 4-0 Crusaders. Maldonado 2-4;

…

In other news

August 1 – Boston’s 24-year-old left-hander David Barel (6-6, 2.74 ERA, 2 SV) no-hits the Thunder in a 3-0 Titans win, walking two and whiffing four. This is the fourth Titans no-hitter overall and the first in this century, following on Luis de Jesus (1990), Vicente Navarro (1996), and Henry Selph (1997).
August 1 – DAL SS Leo Villacorta (.343, 3 HR, 42 RBI) hits three singles and two doubles and plates four runs in a 13-4 rout of the Rebels.
August 2 – MIL SP Mackenzie O’Toole (10-6, 2.90 ERA) pitches a 3-hit shutout against the Aces for a 6-0 Loggers win.
August 2 – NYC CL Mike Lynn (7-5, 3.70 ERA, 17 SV) walks the bases full in the bottom 9th of a tied game in San Francisco, then nails catcher John Hill (.349, 1 HR, 21 RBI) to concede the winning run across home plate in a 3-2 Bayhawks win.
August 4 – BOS SP Lachlan Clarke (9-10, 3.98 ERA) 2-hits the Bayhawks for an 8-0 shutout win.
August 4 – ATL SP Brad Santry (8-9, 3.09 ERA) has torn the flexor tendon in his elbow and will miss a full year on the sidelines.
August 4 – SFB 3B/1B Ramon Sifuentes (.277, 10 HR, 55 RBI) will be out for a month with an intercostal strain.
August 4 – A torn meniscus would keep NAS OF/1B Mike Harmon (.308, 11 HR, 57 RBI) out for the next month.
August 5 – The Titans beat the Indians, 7-1 in 13 innings, breaking through with big noise and for six runs in the top of the 13th.
August 5 – VAN 2B/SS Oscar Aguirre (.251, 9 HR, 51 RBI) draws a bases-loaded walk from Milwaukee’s Rick Purcell (2-1, 8.49 ERA) to nail down a 15th-inning, 6-5 walkoff win for the Canadiens.
August 6 – SFW LF/RF Mario Villa (.357, 12 HR, 62 RBI) falls a double short of the cycle in a 5-hit performance against the Pacifics. He drives in four runs in the 12-2 Warriors win.

FL Player of the Week: SFW LF/RF Mario Villa (.357, 12 HR, 62 RBI), batting .556 (15-27) with 1 HR, 7 RBI
CL Player of the Week: BOS 2B/SS Juan Rodriguez (.262, 0 HR, 29 RBI), hitting .469 (15-32) with 2 RBI

FL Hitter of the Month: DEN OF Tim Turner (.349, 7 HR, 69 RBI), scalding .432 with 5 HR, 38 RBI
CL Hitter of the Month: IND OF Danny Rivera (.291, 19 HR, 63 RBI), slashing .354 with 6 HR, 18 RBI
FL Pitcher of the Month: DEN SP Edward Flinn (13-4, 3.58 ERA), hurling to a 5-0 mark with 1.54 ERA, 30 K
CL Pitcher of the Month: SFB SP Eric Weitz (7-2, 3.45 ERA), pitching a 4-0 month with 1.64 ERA, 23 K
FL Rookie of the Month: NAS OF/1B Mike Harmon (.302, 9 HR, 52 RBI), batting .336 with 4 HR, 23 RBI
CL Rookie of the Month: ATL OF/3B/2B Anton Venegas (.271, 0 HR, 31 RBI), poking .300 with 9 RBI

Complaints and stuff

Swept.

And Maud has hidden away the blunderbuss.

And the bleach, too.

(stares into the void)

Next week: Loggers (who were swept by the damn Elks), Wolves.

Fun Fact: On June 26, 2007, the Raccoons led the Crusaders by 10 1/2 games before imploding.

(is heard sobbing underneath the pile of pillows on the trusty brown couch)

[Westheim]

Raccoons (65-45) vs. Loggers (53-57) – August 7-10, 2045

We were up 7-4 against the Loggers this year, playing four more with them at this point. These two teams had won a grand total of three games the prior week, and the Raccoons were on the short stick with even that comparison. We had to rally over somebody, and quick! (tries to fasten a noose from knotted bed sheets while Maud is in the other room) Milwaukee was ninth in runs scored, eighth in runs allowed.

Projected matchups:
Corey Mathers (12-7, 4.42 ERA) vs. Mackenzie O’Toole (10-6, 2.90 ERA)
Adam Capone (0-1, 5.40 ERA) vs. Sergio Piedra (9-5, 3.37 ERA)
Sadaharu Okuda (9-8, 3.72 ERA) vs. Ruben Guzman (4-7, 4.28 ERA)
Victor Merino (6-3, 2.77 ERA) vs. TBD

The Loggers had just shed Jose de Lucio (8-9, 4.58 ERA) with a partially torn UCL that would take into 2046 to fix, tearing a hole into the rotation too. Early signs were that Marvin Verduzco would make a spot start; he was 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA in 36 games, and would be the only southpaw we’d face here.

Besides de Lucio, the Loggers had Aaron Brayboy, Jared Paul, and reliever Steve Bass on the DL. The Coons STILL had a 3 1/2 men bench on Monday, with Jonathan Dustal still day-to-day and Derek Baskins being put into different tubes and omega ray machines to find out what ailed him precisely.

Game 1
MIL: CF Reeves – 3B B. Johnson – RF Hertenstein – SS R. Espinoza – C Payne – 1B Edsell – LF B. Fox – 2B Davison – P O’Toole
POR: SS Waters – CF Herrera – LF Maldonado – RF Toohey – 1B Gurney – C Kilmer – 2B Martell – 3B Coen – P Mathers

Mathers looked good to start the game, but Matt Waters looked better, hitting leadoff jacks in the first and third innings for the first two runs in the game. Kilmer added a 2-piece in the bottom 4th, homering to let with Pat Gurney aboard to put the Raccoons up 4-0. The Loggers scratched out three hits against Mathers in the first five innings, but stranded all their runners, and they didn’t reach in the sixth; that inning, the Raccoons loaded the bases with Toohey (double), Kilmer (intentional walk), and Coen (single), but then brought up Mathers with two outs. He was hitting .091 and this would not improve, the Coons pitcher going down on strikes against O’Toole.

While Mathers threw 85 pitches through seven innings to live on the edge of shutout territory, the Raccoons tacked on in the seventh, Toohey singling home Matt Waters, who had hit a single and had stolen his way to third base. Maldo was also on board, reaching third to present Gurney with runners on the corners. Walking in a full count knocked out O’Toole, with his replacement Ron Purcell getting Kilmer to fly out to right. Maldonado went for home, Daniel Hertenstein threw the ball wildly past Ricky Payne, the trailing runners reached scoring position, and were then driven in with an Al Martell single as it all came apart for Milwaukee. Mathers walked Brent Allen in the eighth, but got around that, finishing the inning on 99 pitches, now up 8-0. He struck out Hertenstein to begin the ninth, then also rung up Ricky Espinoza. Ricky Payne was the last Logger standing, popped out to Martell, and that ended the game. 8-0 Furballs! Waters 3-5, 2 HR, 2 RBI; Anderson (PH) 1-1; Toohey 2-4, 2B, RBI; Gurney 1-2, 2 BB; Kilmer 1-2, BB, HR, 3 RBI; Mathers 9.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K, W (13-7);

Fifth career shutout for Corey Mathers, and the second 3-hitter this year – he had already shut out the Titans on April 28. His best effort was a 1-hitter against the damn Elks in 2043.

The Raccoons celebrated by making a roster move, putting Derek Baskins on the DL with a knee sprain. He’d return around the middle of September, hopefully. In exchange, Manny Fernandez was activated again, and Van Anderson kept hanging around.

Game 2
MIL: CF Reeves – 3B B. Johnson – RF Hertenstein – SS R. Espinoza – C Payne – 1B Edsell – LF Pate – 2B Davison – P Piedra
POR: SS Waters – CF Herrera – 1B Maldonado – RF Toohey – LF Fernandez – C Kilmer – 3B Martell – 2B Carreno – P Capone

Capone first appeared to not being able to fool anybody, especially not Ricky Espinoza, who tagged him for a 2-run homer in the first inning, but settled in after a while and rung up six Loggers against three base hits by the time five innings were completed. That put him on the short end of the stick, with the Raccoons scoring only one run on six hits, hitting into double plays in each of the first three innings. Their lone run came in the bottom 3rd, Martell opening it with a triple to right and scoring on a single by Capone after Carreno failed abysmally again. Waters then hit into one of the double plays.

Capone was yanked after a leadoff walk to Hertenstein and a Waters error that put Payne aboard with one out in the sixth. Jon Craig struck out Kyle Edsell, but allowed an RBI single to John Pate after that. The inning ended when the Coons caught Payne in no man’s land between second and third and slapped him out. The run was unearned. The Raccoons reacted in some fashion in the seventh, putting the tying runs aboard with leadoff singles against Piedra, Kilmer to left, and Martell to right. Carreno and Gurney hit into fielder’s choices, and Waters struck out to strand runners on the corners…

Bottom 8th, Herrera began with a groundout. Maldo then singled shyly, but what followed couldn’t have been further from shy – Bryce Toohey hit a 454-foot mammoth blast to right, and it tied the game at three! The Raccoons went on to bring in Moreno to hold the Loggers in the tie in the ninth, which didn’t quite ******* work out that way. Brian Fox hit a homer to center to begin the damn inning, and Scott Davison and Bill Reeves struck line drives for hits and another run. In the bottom of the inning, the Coons only reached with two outs and a Waters single. Herrera hit another single. Maldonado was the winning run, grounded up the middle, and it eluded Davison for an RBI single. Herrera dashed for third base where the Loggers ALMOST tagged him out to end the game, but he slid around Brad Johnson’s reaching glove to be safe with the tying run, and Toohey stepping back in. He also grounded up the middle, but Espinoza had that one and tossed the short way to Davison to kill the rally. 5-4 Loggers. Waters 3-4, BB; Maldonado 2-4, BB, RBI; Toohey 2-5, HR, 2 RBI; Martell 2-4, 3B;

Pfff.

Game 3
MIL: CF Reeves – 2B Davison – RF Hertenstein – C Payne – 1B Edsell – LF Pate – SS B. Johnson – 3B C. Rose – P Ru. Guzman
POR: 2B Gurney – CF Herrera – 1B Maldonado – RF Toohey – LF Fernandez – C Zarate – SS Martell – 3B Coen – P Okuda

Game 3 was in the bin as soon as Okuda took the ball. Davison singled, Okuda walked the bases full, then nailed Edsell to force in a run. That was before Pate hit a slam to left, putting Milwaukee up 5-0. For what it was worth (probably nothing), the Coons made up a run in the bottom 1st on a Herrera gapper for a triple and Maldo’s RBI single, but Okuda returned, kept being utter dog ****, and was yanked after a 3-run homer by Hertenstein in the second inning.

The Raccoons went on to burn Sean Marucci in long relief, which amounted to 4.2 innings and one run, and a ticket to St. Pete after he left the game. He got the Coons through six; they had scored four runs in the meantime, one in the second when Guzman uncorked two wild pitches to gift one away, and then three in the bottom 5th, which Martell and Coen began on base, getting bunted over by Marucci, and then company from Gurney, who was nailed. Herrera brought in Martell with a groundout, and Maldo singled home two with a shot over the reaching Chris Rose. But the offense calmed down after that; they didn’t reach base in the sixth, and a Gurney double in the seventh saw no support from the rest of the team. Brad Johnson instead hit a leadoff double off Chuck Jones and scored in the eighth, getting the Loggers out of slam range again at 10-5. Bottom 8th, Jose Colon, righty, allowed runners on the corners with nobody out, giving up a Toohey double and a Manny single before nailing Zarate with a 1-2 pitch. Martell hit a sac fly to left, which didn’t really help, nor did Coen’s pop to second. Kilmer flew out to right to end the inning. The ninth saw the 1-2-3 go down in order. 10-6 Loggers. Maldonado 2-5, 3 RBI; Marucci 4.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K;

As the Coons’ lead was melting away – the Crusaders were within four after continuing their heinous winning streak to begin the week – they would see Victor Padilla (2-6, 3.63 ERA) on short rest in the Thursday game. He, too, was a left-hander.

Marucci was exchanged for Bob Ibold again, with the Raccoons needing lots and lots of pen right now.

Looots of pen.

Game 4
MIL: CF Reeves – 2B Davison – RF Hertenstein – SS R. Espinoza – 1B Edsell – LF Pate – C Bousquet – 3B C. Rose – P V. Padilla
POR: SS Waters – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – RF Toohey – LF Fernandez – C Kilmer – 1B Gurney – 2B Carreno – P Merino

Merino allowed no hits the first time through, but hit Davison in the shoulder in the first and came near having his arm and/or head ripped off by Davison, who was held off by his first base coach and somehow escaped ejection. The Raccoons had a runner here and there, but loaded the bases with one out in the bottom 3rd. Carreno walked, Waters singled, and Herrera reached on an error by Espinoza to fill them up; in between Merino failed to bunt, which explained why Carreno hadn’t scored yet. Maldonado was up with three on and one gone, but got literally nothing to hit from a wobbling Padilla, walking on four pitches to push home the first run of the game. Similar to Toohey, on five pitches. He found the strike zone again facing Manny, who grounded into a double play to kill the inning. Espinoza made up for the error by hitting a homer off Merino in the fourth, 2-1, and Merino nailed Edsell after that, but got around that runner, just like he got around a Manny error in the fifth inning. Edsell hit a 2-out double to left in the sixth, and was again denied when Pate grounded out to short. Still, an insurance run would be lovely, btu the Raccoons looked not inclined to do so.

Merino delivered seven innings of 3-hit ball before the book demanded the Raccoons would go to Moreno, who struck out the 1-2-3 batters in order to keep the Loggers at bay. No insurance run ever came together for Portland, the team being held to four hits of their own before putting in Rella. Espinoza grounded out to Gurney, but Brian Fox whacked a double to right. Rella rung up Pate with the tying run on second base, then had the .223 hitting Justin Bousquet against him. The right-hander, too, was rung up to salvage a split. 2-1 Blighters. Toohey 1-2, BB, RBI; Merino 7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, W (7-3);

Raccoons (67-47) @ Wolves (38-75) – August 11-13, 2045

The Wolves had reached the end of their most recent peak in the endless cycle of sucking and winning, especially for small market teams, about… two years ago. Now, they sucked. Badly. They were in the bottom three in both runs scored and runs allowed, but that was not close to explaining how bad their pitching was. They were getting smothered with a 6.21 ERA to their starters, and with a -191 run differential in August! We had not met them since 2041, and the Raccoons had not won a game from them since 2039…

Projected matchups:
Jason Wheatley (10-7, 2.86 ERA) vs. Justin Roberts (2-2, 4.40 ERA)
Corey Mathers (13-7, 4.12 ERA) vs. Gabe Butler (9-13, 3.99 ERA)
Adam Capone (0-1, 4.35 ERA) vs. Carlos Jimenez (4-13, 7.24 ERA)

Right, left, right. And the crushing feeling that we’d score five runs against them – in total.

Game 1
POR: SS Waters – CF Herrera – LF Fernandez – 1B Toohey – C Kilmer – 3B Martell – RF Dustal – 2B Carreno – P Wheatley
SAL: 3B Mujica – SS Del Vecchio – 2B Mancini – 1B B. Jenkins – RF Quintanilla – C Kuhlmann – LF J. Santry – CF Drews – P J. Roberts

Waters and Herrera went to the corners in the first inning with Manny’s 4-6-3 double play grounder bringing home the first run of the game. Wheats then had a 32-pitch bottom 1st, walking Bob Mancini and Bill Jenkins in full counts before Jorge Quintanilla reached on an infield single. I braced for the worst, but Morgan Kuhlmann struck out to strand them all, just like Ted Del Vecchio had struck out, the Wolves’ big addition this winter, who was hitting .191 with six homers – not what they had bargained for. Wheats countered with a 2-out RBI single, plating Martell in the top 2nd, 2-0, but held at third base on Waters’ double and was stranded when Herrera flew out to Quintanilla.

While Wheats’ pitch count was outta whack, the offense at least expounded on what the stats said about the Wolves and moved the score along. Martell in the third and Herrera in the fourth both hit 2-run homers to get to a 6-0 score. They stopped right there, considering that *enough* with the CL ERA leader hurling for them. Wheats lasted into the seventh, where he walked Joe Santry with one out, rung up Jim Drews, but was lifted on 104 pitches at that point with lefty pinch-hitter Joe Garbinski cropping up. Jones and Porter held the Wolves short, while the Raccoons added some offense in the ninth after a four-inning snooze, getting Herrera and Fernandez to the corners before Maldo clipped a pinch-hit RBI single for Porter in the #4 spot. The lefty Julian Ponce gave up an RBI double to Kilmer, and Maldo’s run on a groundout by Ben Coen. Jon Craig then completed the shutout. 9-0 Coons! Waters 2-5, 2B; Herrera 2-4, BB, HR, 2 RBI; Fernandez 2-5; Maldonado (PH) 1-1, RBI; Martell 2-3, BB, HR, 2 RBI; Wheatley 6.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 8 K, W (11-7) and 2-3, RBI;

Win! …and for the first time this week the Crusaders lost ground with an L against Sacramento.

Game 2
POR: SS Waters – CF Herrera – 1B Maldonado – RF Toohey – C Kilmer – LF Dustal – 2B Carreno – 3B Coen – P Mathers
SAL: 3B Mujica – SS Del Vecchio – 2B Mancini – 1B B. Jenkins – RF Quintanilla – C Kuhlmann – LF J. Santry – CF M. Stewart – P G. Butler

Herrera triple, Maldo walk, Toohey RBI single, Kilmer gapper for an RBI double, and after Dustal struck out, with two down another gapper by Carreno, in right-center, for a 2-run triple! Ben Coen walked, and Mathers chucked an RBI single to get up to 5-0 against the amazingly terrible Wolves pitching staff. Matt Waters did the honors of logging the first and third out of an inning with another groundout, but … 5-0! Now Mathers just had to pitch half as fine as he had on Monday, and we were set for tomorrow!

Further offense came from a 3-run homer to left by Toohey in the second inning, his 20th blast of the season and few cheap ones among them. Mike Stewart countered with a 2-run homer off Mathers in the bottom 2nd. The Raccoons answered in the fourth, posting a 6-spot. Maldo walked, Kilmer singled, and so did Carreno, loading the bases with one out. Coen singled to bring in two, and Mathers singled to fill the bases again. Waters and Herrera both drove in pairs with a double and singled, respectively, 14-2 …! For a while, Mathers gave up fat contact, getting protected by his defense, but after the extra six runs, the Wolves appeared to give up. Bill Jenkins hit a homer off Mathers in the sixth as he was over 90 pitches, and he needed 101 to cover six to begin with, and wasn’t seen again afterwards. With Toohey an Kilmer on, Dustal hit an RBI double off Joe Lewitzke (who?) in the seventh, 15-3, and the bags filled up in the eighth when Anderson and Martell landed pinch-hit singles before Guillermo Lastra brushed Maldonado’s pants. Toohey was up with one out, grounded through the left side, and added an RBI single to the riot. Kilmer hit a poor roller that was not played in time by Frank Mujica, allowing another RBI single. Dustal hit a sac fly for the final mark of the inning – and the game. 18-3 Raccoons! Waters 2-6, BB, 2B, 2 RBI; Herrera 2-5, 3B, 2 RBI; Martell (PH) 1-2; Toohey 4-6, HR, 2B, 5 RBI; Kilmer 4-5, 2B, 2 RBI; Dustal 2-5, 2B, 2 RBI; Carreno 2-5, 3B, 2 RBI; Coen 2-5, BB, 2B, 2 RBI; Anderson (PH) 1-2; Ibold 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K;

Wooooo!

And now, bracing for the inevitable 2-1 loss on Sunday.

Game 3
POR: SS Waters – 3B Martell – 1B Maldonado – LF Fernandez – C Zarate – RF Dustal – 2B Carreno – CF Anderson – P Capone
SAL: 3B Mujica – SS Del Vecchio – 2B Mancini – 1B B. Jenkins – RF Quintanilla – C Kuhlmann – LF J. Santry – CF M. Stewart – P C. Jimenez

Three pitches, three groundouts in the top 1st, but the Raccoons would get to Jimenez eventually. Waters with one out in the third inning smacked a double into right-center, Martell walked, and Maldonado hit a clean single to center to plate Waters from second, 1-0. Manny chased home Martell with a single to left-center, after which the inning ended with a Zarate grounder and a K by Dustal. Mujica singled with two outs in the bottom 3rd, the first hit for the Wolves, but ******* Ted Del Vecchio grounded out, remaining generally toothless in the series. Same for Zarate, who hit into a double play after Martell and Manny reached in the fifth inning, giving the sticks back to the Wolves. Carreno hit a 1-out double in the sixth, but was stranded by Anderson and Capone, who at least was doing the pitching part of his job really well, keeping the Wolves to that lone Mujica hit through six innings. Zarate batted with two outs in the seventh again and grounded out to Mujica to strand an even bigger pile of runners.

…and just as soon as he appeared competent, Capone was bumped from the game in the seventh. Jenkins singled up the middle, Kuhlmann walked, and with one gone and left-handed bats up, the Raccoons moved to Chuck Jones. Joe Santry fell to 0-2, then hit into a double play, 5-4-3.

Top 8th, Dustal singled, stole second, and scored a stuffing run on Van Anderson’s sac fly to Stewart, 3-0. With two outs, the Raccoons let Jones hit for himself to get more outs from him – he popped out, then allowed a leadoff single to Stewart in the bottom 8th before retiring Dylan Ragsdale and Mujica. Off to Rella we went for a 4-out save; he stranded the runner when Del Vecchio grounded out to Carreno. The Wolves got no better in the ninth, and were swept in 1-2-3 fashion. 3-0 Raccoons. Waters 2-5, 2B; Martell 2-3, BB, 2B; Toohey (PH) 1-1; Fernandez 2-4, BB, RBI; Capone 6.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K, W (1-1)

In other news

August 7 – LAP 1B Mark Cahill (.289, 14 HR, 66 RBI) whacks home seven runs and misses the cycle by the homer, hitting two triples, a double, and a single, in a 14-1 rout of the Wolves.
August 9 – The Bayhawks walk off against the Aces, 2-1 in regulation, as Justin Kristoff (.287, 7 HR, 42 RBI) strikes out. Vegas’ Felipe Gomez (.276, 7 HR, 41 RBI) fails to contain the third strike, and San Francisco’s Jose Platero (.272, 5 HR, 26 RBI) scampers home from third base to end the game.
August 9 – The Scorpions beat the Stars in 14 innings, breaking out for five in the 14th for a 9-4 victory.
August 10 – The Blue Sox are smitten instantly by the Cyclones with a 10-spot in the first inning. The Blue Sox submit by a score of 16-4 eventually. CIN C Valentino Sicco (.290, 11 HR, 47 RBI) drives home five with two homers.
August 11 – DAL OF/2B/1B Mario Sedillo (.265, 7 HR, 46 RBI) is out for the season with a torn labrum.
August 13 – WAS SP Corey Booth (6-16, 5.45 ERA) might be out for the year with a strained biceps.
August 13 – Every starting position player for the Thunder has multiple hits in a 16-1 smothering of the Blue Sox. OCT OF Ethan Moore (.270, 12 HR, 48 RBI) is on base five times with two hits and three walks, and drives in three runs.
August 14 – CIN SP Chris Sulkey (12-9, 3.94 ERA) 2-hits the Falcons while whiffing seven in a 9-0 Cyclones win.
August 14 – Capitals SP Vince Burke (1-0, 2.90 ERA) 3-hits the Bayhawks in a spot start, going the distance and whiffing four in an 8-0 shutout. Five runs in the game are drive in by WAS C Manichiro Toki (.271, 9 HR, 47 RBI), who also has five hits and comes a triple shy of the cycle.
August 14 – In their 11-4 win over the Stars, the Indians do all the hard work in a 10-run second inning.

FL Player of the Week: LAP 1B Mark Cahill (.290, 16 HR, 72 RBI), hitting .450 (9-20) with 2 HR, 13 RBI
CL Player of the Week: POR RF/LF/1B Bryce Toohey (.273, 20 HR, 80 RBI), swatting .462 (12-26) with 2 HR, 9 RBI

Complaints and stuff

Will we be okay without Derek Baskins going forwards? .351 bats are always so hard to replace! He will be back in the second half of September, and maybe even stay on the field to see the playoffs… if the Coons make it there.

First major-league win for Capone on Sunday when he completed the sweep of the Wolves. It was not a close one: we dumped them 30-3 in terms of runs scored. Yes, their pitching is *really* that bad.

The Scorpions sweeping the Crusaders at the same time to applying the handbrakes to their winning streak made me regain some of the lost faith. We’re now again a week’s worth of games ahead – although it doesn’t get much easier in the future. We will come home to see the Blue Sox, then play in Elk City on the weekend.

Fun Fact: Mehdi Chioh is the only ABL player in history from the African country of Liberia.

He was a 12th rounder by the Condors in the 1994 draft, back when the draft only took 12 rounds, but eventually happened to end up in the Warriors organization on a waiver claim. It was with the Warriors that he got all 72.1 innings of his major league exposure, getting into 14 games (13 starts) between 1999 and 2000. The right-hander went 6-3 with a 4.85 ERA, but combined bad control with launchpad qualities and couldn’t hang around – especially on a team that was then dominating the FL West (they won the division in both seasons he appeared for them).

Chioh became a minor league free agent in 2002, the same year he won a Gold Glove in the minors. He hung around for a few more years in other farm systems, but retired in 2006 at age 35 without getting back to the majors.

[Westheim]

Raccoons (70-47) vs. Blue Sox (60-58) – August 14-16, 2045

In the final regular-season FL series, the Raccoons would be opposing the Blue Sox, who were probably out of the running at 13 1/2 out in the FL East. They were sixth in runs scored, but ninth in runs allowed yet with a +7 run differential. Their rotation was rather weak, despite the second-highest rated defense in the FL. They also had a number of injuries, including regulars Mike Harmon and Alejandro Ramos. The Raccoons had last played them in 2040, winning two of three back then.

Projected matchups:
Sadaharu Okuda (9-9, 4.16 ERA) vs. Kevin Stice (11-7, 5.15 ERA)
Victor Merino (7-3, 2.66 ERA) vs. Jerry Ray (3-4, 6.30 ERA)
Jason Wheatley (11-7, 2.73 ERA) vs. Bill Herrmann (10-7, 3.61 ERA)

Herrmann was their only southpaw.

Game 1
NAS: SS F. Marquez – C Santa Cruz – 1B Maruyama – 3B Critzer – RF Calais – CF Hampton – 2B Bouldin – P Stice – LF Cothern
POR: SS Waters – CF Herrera – 1B Maldonado – RF Toohey – LF Fernandez – C Kilmer – 3B Coen – 2B Carreno – P Okuda

The floggings of Sadaharu Oh-Oh-kuda continued, as the Blue Sox opened the week with singles by Felix Marquez and Jorge Santa Cruz, then added doubles by ex-Coon Chiyosaku Maruyama (that one stung…) and Brad Critzer for a total of three runs before Okuda got as much as one out. The next three Sox went down in order, stranding Critzer in the process, but – my! – what a way to start the week… The Coons had nobody on in the first, but Toohey and Manny opened the bottom 2nd with singles. Kilmer’s fly to center was caught by Jeremy Hampton, while Ben Coen flew deep to left. Quite deep in fact, and outta here – first career homer for Ben Coen, tying the game!

The next three innings were largely uneventful, neither offensive lineup doing something of lasting value to the wobbling opposing pitcher. Hampton broke through in the sixth then with a triple into the rightfield corner, scoring on a groundout by Billy Bouldin to give Nashville a new lead. The Raccoons responded by doing nothing in the sixth, nothing in the seventh, and while I was getting restless, nothing in the eighth, while strong relief from Bob Ibold and Nelson Moreno following on Okuda’s six meh innings at least kept the tap to a single measly run. Ricardo Ordas would pitch the ninth for the Sox. The right-hander fell 2-0 behind Maldonado before his third pitch was *mauled* and blasted over the wall in centerfield to tie the game! Ordas retired the next three in a row, sending the game to extras, where the bottom of the order with Coen, Carreno, and Anderson fared little better in the 10th. Jon Craig had pitched the 10th, while Kelly did away with the 6-7-8 in the 11th, but the Raccoons’ 1-2-3 was just as bad against lefty Chris Watson. The tie was broken by Felix Marquez then, taking Kelly deep to left in the top of the 12th. (sigh!) Watson, who walked as many as he whiffed, remained in the game for the bottom 12th. Toohey struck out. Manny grounded out. Kilmer flew out. 5-4 Blue Sox. Fernandez 2-5; Ibold 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K;

Game 2
NAS: SS F. Marquez – 2B Bouldin – 1B Maruyama – 3B Critzer – RF Calais – CF D. Paredes – C O. Ramirez – P Ray – LF Cothern
POR: SS Waters – CF Herrera – 1B Maldonado – RF Toohey – LF Fernandez – C Kilmer – 3B Coen – 2B Martell – P Merino

Ray lasted two batters before leaving the game because of injury. Him and long man Jason Tant retired the Coons in order the first time through, while Merino yielded only two singles to them, and no runs, but then walked Maruyama (…) and Critzer to begin the fourth inning. The Sox moved Maruyama around to score on two groundouts, taking a 1-0 lead. Herrera singled for Portland the same inning, but was doubled up by Maldonado, and Merino came apart entirely the inning after that, allowing hits to Travis Cothern, Bouldin, and Maruyama, a walk to Critzer, and another single to Sean Calais. The former Titan at the end of the line drove in two runs after Bouldin had already plated Cothern, for a total score of 4-0. The inning ended with a Danny Paredes groundout. There was not much of a response to it from the home team. Manny Fernandez hit a solo homer in the bottom 5th, which briefly got me to put down the bottle, but Preston Porter was taken deep for a pair by Calais in the seventh to move the game out of reach. Maldonado hit a homer in the bottom 7th – but that was also a solo shot, and the Coons were getting out-hit 12-4 by the Blue Sox. We ended up having to send Chuck Jones against righty hitters in the ninth inning, with Calais also taking him deep to left. The Raccoons went own quietly in the ninth against Juan Zaragoza, who pitched a 3-inning save. 7-2 Blue Sox. Fernandez 2-3, HR, RBI;

Game 3
NAS: SS F. Marquez – C Santa Cruz – RF Ju. Brito – 3B Critzer – 1B Maruyama – LF Calais – 2B D. Paredes – P Herrmann – CF Cothern
POR: SS Waters – CF Herrera – 1B Maldonado – RF Toohey – C Zarate – 3B Coen – LF Dustal – 2B Carreno – P Wheatley

Wheats to stop the bleeds? I’d be fine with that. He put up a zero in the first before Maldonado, playing like his tail was on fire, hit a 2-run homer to chase home Waters, who singled and stole second, for a quick 2-0 lead, the Coons’ first in the series. It also tied Maldo with Toohey in both homers (20) and RBI (80). Wheatley retired eight in a row before Cothern, who was hitting .233 when the series began but was really hitting better than your household pitcher, tripled to center, beating the serial Gold Glover the Raccoons had brought in for lots of dosh. Then Wheatley got the jitters, walking the bases full, and I closed my eyes, knowing how this would continue. Juan Brito singled home a pair, tying the game, and I wailed for mercy, upon which Wheatley finally got his **** together and rung up Critzer to end the ******* inning.

The Coons had to wait for two innings and two zeroes from Wheatley to take back the lead – it took Maldonado hitting a 2-out single through the left side to chase home Waters in the bottom 5th, 3-2. Maldo would then fake trying to steal, coaxing a wild pitch from Herrmann, who ended up walking Toohey. Zarate flew out deep to left to Calais to let the chance slip away, which was the more unfortunate when Ben Coen opened the bottom 6th with a homer, 4-2. Wheats pitched into the seventh, but put Marquez and Santa Cruz on the corners with two outs. Chuck Jones replaced him against Brito, who hit a ball A TON, but too high and not long enough, and Herrera waited long enough to fetch another round of hot dogs in deep center before making the catch to end the inning.

Righty Francisco Pena, a Critters irregular in the late 2030s, pitched in the bottom 7th, walking Herrera and Maldo with two outs before giving up a sharp RBI single to left to Bryce Toohey. Zarate drew another walk to load the bases, but Coen hacked out and Dustal flew out to Calais. Nelson Moreno had a wonky eighth, but didn’t allow a run, and Travis Cothern hit a single through Carreno’s legs – hometown scoring, huh? – to get a 1-out runner on base against Rella in the ninth. And then Marquez hit a double play grounder to Waters to do away with him and the game. 5-2 Raccoons! Maldonado 2-3, BB, HR, 3 RBI; Toohey 2-2, 2 BB, RBI;

Upstate, the Wolves were eliminated from mathematical playoff contention on the same day, August *16*.

Raccoons (71-49) @ Canadiens (60-60) – August 18-20, 2045

The Coons had Thursday off, then went to Elk City without me – I’d have to wait out their return (for the brief makeup duel with the Baybirds on Monday) in Portland. We were up 9-2 in the season series, but all remaining games were in the frozen wastes of the Arctic. The Elks hardly had playoff chances, 11 games out and in third place in the North, but they were always good for spoiling the Critters. They also continued to post the most runs and concede the most runs as well, with a +11 run differential and an 11th-ranked rotation and bullpen. Their defense was similarly bad. They led the CL in homers with 118, but were almost bottoms in stolen bases. With starters Matt Sealock and Mario Godinez, plus infielder Kenichi Saito, they had some key injuries.

Projected matchups:
Corey Mathers (14-7, 4.14 ERA) vs. Raul Velasquez (6-1, 2.50 ERA)
Adam Capone (1-1, 2.70 ERA) vs. Omar Uribe (6-6, 4.23 ERA)
Sadaharu Okuda (9-9, 4.23 ERA) vs. Michael Donovan (5-5, 4.68 ERA)

We’d see only one of their three southpaw starters, but that was Donovan on Southpaw Sunday!

Game 1
POR: SS Waters – CF Herrera – 1B Maldonado – RF Toohey – LF Fernandez – C Kilmer – 3B Coen – 2B Martell – P Mathers
VAN: LF van der Zanden – 2B O. Aguirre – CF Outram – C Julio Diaz – 3B Hutson – RF C. Robinson – 1B Zuazo – SS Price – P R. Velasquez

Armando Herrera’s homer put the Coons on top in the first, 1-0, but the damn Elks flipped the score in the second when Mathers started the inning with hitting Julio Diaz, then allowed a single to Dan Hutson and an RBI double to Chris Robinson. Alvin Zuazo walked, and Rick Price gave them the lead with a double play grounder. Mathers himself then scored the tying run in the third inning, hitting a leadoff double and advancing on a grounder before Velasquez waved him across with a wild pitch. Not to worry about the damn Elks, though: Mathers allowed two singles to begin the bottom 3rd to Arnout van der Zanden and Oscar Aguirre, walked Jerry Outram, and fell behind again on Diaz’ sac fly. They then zoomed away on Robinson’s 3-run homer, causing me at home to orderly put Honeypaws to the side, lift the hindpaws on the couch, turn onto my furry tummy, and bury my face in the pillows.

The Raccoons never rallied, not even close. Mathers had another run beaten out of him in the fourth on the way out, and Jon Craig allowed a run in the eighth of a lost game. In between Maldonado once singled home Van Anderson. Yay. How great. I barely looked up from the wet pillows in the last three innings. 8-3 Canadiens. Maldonado 3-4, 2B, RBI;

By now, the Crusaders were back within a pawful and my unease was growing exponentially…

Game 2
POR: SS Waters – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – RF Toohey – LF Fernandez – 1B Gurney – 2B Martell – C Zarate – P Capone
VAN: LF van der Zanden – 2B O. Aguirre – CF Outram – C Julio Diaz – 3B Hutson – RF C. Robinson – 1B Zuazo – SS Price – P O. Uribe

Capone had a solid first five innings, allowing only two hits to the damn Elks, one of which was unfortunately a Zuazo homer in the third inning. That was enough to lead the Coons, who had three hits, two walks, a Price error, always seemed to have a guy on base, and had zero runs through five innings despite that. The sixth was another inning like that, with Toohey drawing the leadoff walk before being stranded on a groundout, a flyout, and a pop on the infield. Capone (!) hit a 1-out double to left in the seventh, putting his own furry tush into scoring position as the tying run, but Waters struck out. Herrera walked on four pitches, but Maldonado hit a comebacker to the mound – but Uribe threw it in the dirt and Zuazo could barely contain it, all paws being safe on the play…! Three on, two outs for Toohey, I was pressing Honeypaws into my chest back home on the couch while refusing to blink. He struck out.

I was still gasping for air when Aguirre threw away Pat Gurney’s grounder for a free runner on second base with one out in the eighth. Carreno batted for Martell against the lefty Alex Lewis, but popped out uselessly, and Zarate grounded out to short. In turn, Chuck Jones surrendered a bloop double to Victor Vazquez, then a 2-out RBI single to Aguirre in the eighth inning, doubling the proven-insurmountable 1-0 deficit. Van Anderson grounded out to against Sebastien Parham to begin the ninth, before Waters doubled to center. Aguirre dropped Herrera’s bouncer for an error, the FOURTH ******* ERROR on the ******* Canadiens in the game…! But the tying runs were on again, so I expected nothing but failure anymore. In fact, the game ended on one more pitch. Maldonado to short, to second, to first. 2-0 Canadiens. Capone 7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, L (1-2) and 1-3, 2B;

Game 3
POR: SS Waters – CF Herrera – 1B Maldonado – RF Toohey – LF Fernandez – C Kilmer – 3B Coen – 2B Carreno – P Okuda
VAN: LF Escobido – SS O. Aguirre – CF Outram – C Julio Diaz – 3B Hutson – 1B Zuazo – RF van der Zanden – 2B Malkus – P Donovan

Maldo reconnected with his power surge, hitting his 21st bomb to left in the first, plating Waters along with him for a 2-0 edge for Okuda, who had gone from 5-0 to 9-9 this year and got plunked for four hits, three to start the inning, in the bottom 1st to piss the lead away again. Julio Diaz plated a run with a double play grounder, and Dan Hutson singled to tie the game. Okuda remained completely hopeless after that, too, allowing a leadoff single to van der Zanden in the second, who was doubled up, then walked Jerry Outram in the third before giving up a 2-out RBI double to Diaz to fall 3-2 behind.

The score remained 3-2 through six innings, with nine hits whacked off Okuda, and the Raccoons habitually clueless into the seventh inning. Kilmer there hit a 1-out double past van der Zanden, which was so great – more pointless hope for the poor old GM, who was dissolved in tears and boozed to the gills back at home. Coen singled to right, putting runners on the corners. Donovan walked Carreno on four pitches to load the bags. Pat Gurney batted for Okuda – there was no *great* right-handed option on the bench – and hit the first pitch for a blooper to left. Angel Escobido didn’t get to it, and Gurney tied the game. Waters hit a liner to the rightfield line, and then one also fell in. Two runs scored while van der Zanden contained the ball at the sidewall. When Gurney got a bad read, he almost caused Waters to get tagged out, making it halfway to second base before realizing Gurney had slammed the brakes and that he had to retreat himself. He made, but the inning fizzled out anyway, with the Coons now up 5-3. Nelson Moreno put the tying runs in scoring position with a walk to Chris Robinson and an Escobido double in the bottom 7th, but Outram struck out against Kelly to end the inning and strand the tying runs, which was so out of character.

The tying runs were on AGAIN in the eighth, then provided by Hutson and Zuazo, both singling off Bob Ibold. Chuck Jones saw van der Zanden only, got a grounder, but the defense couldn’t turn two on it, extending the inning with runners on first and third and two outs, with Travis Malkus up. Portland went to Rella for a 4-out save, entering in a double switch that replaced Manny with Dustal. Rella nerve-wreckingly walked Malkus before getting a fly to Herrera from Tim Phillips, stranding a full set in the process. Not that the ninth got any better. Escobido opened with a single, and Rella leaked a walk in a full count to Outram, pulling up all 106 RBI of Julio Diaz as the winning run. Diaz sure gave it a hack! – but he also popped out to Waters on the 1-1 for the second out. Rick Price, lefty, batted in the #5 hole … but the Coons were out of southpaws anyway. Rella struck him out. 5-3 Raccoons. Coen 1-2, BB; Gurney (PH) 1-1, RBI;

In other news

August 15 – SAC OF Phil Rogers (.234, 8 HR, 49 RBI) has four hits and four RBI in a 14-5 bashing of the Condors.
August 18 – CIN 3B Jesus Burgos (.351, 8 HR, 57 RBI) has a 20-game hitting streak after singling in the eighth of a 3-2 win over the Miners (in 10 innings). Remarkably, his hitting streak was interrupted by a 3-week trip to the DL, when the streak was at 16 games.
August 18 – BOS SP Lachlan Clarke (10-10, 3.83 ERA) is headed for Tommy John surgery with a torn UCL and will miss a full year.
August 20 – Pittsburgh 2B Dan Schneller (.302, 12 HR, 75 RBI) joins the elite level with his 300th career home run in a 5-4 loss to the Cyclones. The milestone comes in the second inning against CIN SP Melvin Lucero (10-10, 3.81 ERA).

FL Player of the Week: RIC OF/SS Alvin Aguilera (.263, 13 HR, 54 RBI), hitting .391 (9-23) with 2 HR, 10 RBI
CL Player of the Week: CHA 1B/LF/RF Ed Haertling (.264, 11 HR, 58 RBI), poking .579 (11-19) with 2 HR, 5 RBI

Complaints and stuff

Maldonado swatted four homers and two doubles this week, driving in eight runs while hitting .360 (9-25) and adding 25 points to his OPS in August – apparently not enough to beat out Haertling’s singles-poking.

Okuda hadn’t won a game since before the All Star Game. His last seven he had gone 0-4 with an ERA of 8.15 …! Not that Sunday was *great* … but at least it salvaged a game in ******* Elk City. Next, winning back-to-back?

Would be nice for Okuda. Would also be nice for the team. The Crusaders won every game this week and are within breathing distance again...

Next week, single game against the Bayhawks at home to make up a rainout from last month, and then what was a 2-week road trip starting in Elk City kicks back off with a trip east to Indy and Charlotte. We’ll hit Vegas on the way back to end the month.

Fun Fact: Corey Mathers is one off the CL lead in wins while dragging around a 4.46 ERA.

That puts him 59th of the 85 qualifying pitchers in the ABL.

Oh well, let’s just relish in Wheats still begin the CL ERA leader instead, and second overall in the league behind Denver’s Gary Perrone. With Charlotte’s Adam Messer having been beaten up on the weekend, Wheats is now .29 runs ahead in the CL and the only qualifier with a sub-3 ERA.

[Westheim]

Raccoons (72-51) vs. Bayhawks (65-56) – August 21, 2045

We had only a single game with the Bayhawks, making up a rainout from the prior month. Victor Merino (7-4, 2.94 ERA) would oppose Chris “Tuba” Turner (7-9, 4.48 ERA) in a matchup of southpaws and try to keep an average defense under control. The Bayhawks conceded the third-fewest runs in the CL. We had already taken the season series at 5-3.

SFB: 1B S. Diaz – CF McGuigan – SS B. Nelson – LF C. Cortes – 2B Quiroz – C J. Hill – RF Hennessy – 3B Harroun – P C. Turner
POR: SS Waters – CF Herrera – 1B Maldonado – RF Toohey – C Kilmer – LF Dustal – 3B Coen – 2B Carreno – P Merino

Carlos Cortes still liked hitting in Portland, knocking an RBI double to plate Bob Nelson in a 2-run first inning, coming around on a single by Sergio Quiroz immediately afterwards. Portland countered immediately – Bryce Toohey homered to left in the bottom of the inning, retying Maldonado with 21 homers and 84 RBI. The bomb counted for three, collecting Herrera (walk) and Maldo himself, who was brushed by a pitch. After that, misery broke out for the Raccoons on the field. Carreno in the second and Herrera in the third hit leadoff singles, but both were caught stealing. The latter committed an additional offense when he hit into a double play with Matt Waters on base in the fifth. At least Merino held up nicely after the early knocking, pitching another six innings without allowing a run, and giving up only three hits. Hope was blossoming; Carreno hit a 1-out single in the bottom 7th, and Manny singled as well in Merino’s spot. However, Waters struck out, and Herrera flew out to Cortes… Moreno followed Merino, walked Nelson with two outs, but got out of the inning with a grounder to first. “Tuba” Turner went eight, potentially the distance, if Josh Rella would hold up. Once we survived a long Quiroz drive that Herrera snagged in deep center, two strikeouts sealed the deal – nobody had scored after the first inning. 3-2 Coons. Maldonado 2-3; Toohey 1-4, HR, 3 RBI; Carreno 2-3; Fernandez (PH) 1-1; Merino 7.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, W (8-4);

Raccoons (73-51) @ Indians (49-75) – August 22-24, 2045

The lowly Indians had won four in a row and were potentially dangerous, especially with the Coons not doing much winning lately. They were bottoms in runs scored, tenth in runs allowed, and were up in the season series, 8-4. They were also bottoms in homers, but led the CL in stolen bases with a whopping 147 in 124 games. Their only DL case was catcher Sean Ebner.

Projected matchups:
Jason Wheatley (12-7, 2.73 ERA) vs. Luis Anzaldo (3-3, 3.56 ERA)
Corey Mathers (14-8, 4.46 ERA) vs. Chris Volk (7-10, 4.66 ERA)
Adam Capone (1-2, 2.28 ERA) vs. Bill Nichol (12-10, 4.54 ERA)

They had only righty pitchers to offer. *Pitchers*. Not even a lefty reliever in the team right now…!?

Everybody would get a day off at some point this week (Manny had already been off on Monday). Herrera would make the start in the series opener.

Game 1
POR: SS Waters – 1B Gurney – 3B Maldonado – RF Toohey – LF Fernandez – 2B Martell – CF Dustal – C Zarate – P Wheatley
IND: SS Russ – LF D. Rivera – RF B. Quinteros – CF N. Galvan – 2B D. Diaz – 3B Jon Ramos – 1B S. Jennings – C Julian Diaz – P Anzaldo

First time through, the teams wasted a leadoff double each by Nelson Galvan and Jose Zarate, respectively. Andrew Russ, the chief speed demon on the Indians, with 36 sacks in the bag, would reach on a single off Wheats in the bottom 3rd, but was caught stealing by Zarate. He didn’t catch Danny Rivera with another leadoff single in the fourth, though; Rivera swiped second, and was maneuvered around to score on Galvan’s sac fly for the first run on the board. I moaned and wished myself to better days – the offseason if necessary.

Wheats pitched neatly – he didn’t strike out scores (or even more than a pair through seven), but he allowed only four hits for that dismal run in seven innings, then came up with Jonathan Dustal on second and one out in the top 8th. He still had gas, but we also needed that run home. Oh well, he hits the ball from time to time, he shall bat – he didn’t hit the ball all too well, grounded out, and moved Dustal to third with two outs. That proved enough when Matt Waters legged out an infield single to get the tying run home. Wheats was pumped, striking out the 8-9-1 batters in the bottom of the eighth! Tommy Gardner responded with nicking Toohey, walking Manny, and then striking out Martell and Dustal in the top 9th to escape his own mess. Zack Kelly put down the 2-3-4 hitters in order to send the game to extra innings.

The 10th was uneventful, with Preston Porter holding the Indians back from winning in sudden and unwelcome fashion. The 11th began for Portland with leadoff walks issued by Cesar Suarez to Pat Gurney and Jesus Maldonado, but Bryce Toohey couldn’t resist a meaty 3-1 pitch – he hit it to the next county over in left-center, a 3-run homer to take a lead…! The Critters didn’t go to Rella with the 4-1 lead, who had been out for 28 pitches on Sunday already. Bob Ibold was sent instead. Julian Diaz grounded out to third. Adam Huber flew out to Manny. And Russ, the little pest, singled to right. The Raccoons reacted right away and sent for Chuck Jones against Rivera and Quinteros… or only Rivera, who struck out in a full count to end the game. 4-1 Raccoons! Toohey 1-4, BB, HR, 3 RBI; Wheatley 8.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K;

I could get used to Bryce Toohey’s timely 3-run homers.

Game 2
POR: SS Waters – CF Herrera – 1B Gurney – RF Toohey – LF Fernandez – C Kilmer – 3B Martell – 2B Carreno – P Mathers
IND: SS Russ – LF D. Rivera – RF B. Quinteros – CF N. Galvan – 2B D. Diaz – 3B Jon Ramos – 1B S. Jennings – C Julian Diaz – P Volk

Mathers, the wickedly inefficient almost-CL-leader-in-wins, got scorched in the first with a Russ double, a Rivera homer, and then two more hits for Jon Ramos to drive home Bill Quinteros to put the Indians up 3-0. Corey Mathers – he can look every offense look great! For five innings it also didn’t look like he’d get a W for his honest, yet dismal efforts; the Raccoons scattered three hits in the first two innings, with Herrera hitting into a double play right away, but couldn’t get anything on the board, or soon enough, on base, until the sixth began with a Waters double and a Herrera single, bringing up the tying run … with nobody out. The Indians thought they had spotted the way out – they nicked Gurney to load the bases, which with nobody out immediately spelled doom for the Raccoons. They scored a run on Toohey’s 6-4-3 grounder, and Manny grounded out harmlessly.

Mathers’ last chance for the win was the seventh after he erred through two walks to strike out Volk to end the bottom 6th, but the Coons did not get on base at all in the top 7th. Dustal reached with a leadoff single to center in the eighth, though, hitting for Jon Craig. Waters grounded to the short side of second base, and narrowly got the ball past Russ to reach as the tying run. Herrera singled over Russ – three on and nobody out AGAIN. This time, they at least tied the game on a Gurney RBI single, and another one by Manny after Toohey fanned against Orlando Altreche. Herrera was sent from second base on the Manny single, but thrown out by Quinteros at home plate. After Kilmer was walked intentionally, Al Martell flew out to Quinteros to strand three anyway. Preston Porter held up in the bottom 8th, and Gardner was back out for the ninth, facing Carreno, who grounded to Russ, and Russ threw the ball past Steven Jennings for a 2-base error. Golden opportunity! …and it was squandered on a strikeout, a flyout, and a groundout…

This game, too, went to overtime. Neither team reached in the 10th, Kelly pitching for Portland. Carreno reached with a 2-out single in the 11th, but was caught stealing. Jon Ramos hit a 1-out single off Bob Ibold in the bottom 11th, stole second with two outs, but was stranded anyway. Then the weather got involved. The rain that had loomed in the area had politely waited for a nine-inning game to be played, and then some, but broke finally in the 12th, bringing about an hourlong rain delay the merciless umpires were all too eager to sit out to get overtime pay. When play resumed, Justin Johns, who had tossed three pitches before the delay, tossed three more until he gave up a homer to Matt Waters to leftfield, breaking the 3-3 tie. Herrera singled after that, but nothing would come of it. Not that it mattered – Josh Rella retired Vince Lutch, Russ, and Rivera on six pitches. 4-3 Coons. Waters 3-5, BB, HR, 2B, RBI; Herrera 3-6; Gurney 2-5, RBI; Carreno 2-5; Dustal (PH) 1-1; Porter 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K;

Not pretty, but at least they’re winning. The Crusaders had slipped two games since the start of the week, so we were again ahead by a pawful (and half a game more). But, hey, boys? How about winning one in nine?

Game 3
POR: SS Waters – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – LF Fernandez – 1B Gurney – C Kilmer – RF Anderson – 2B Carreno – P Capone
IND: SS Russ – LF D. Rivera – RF B. Quinteros – CF N. Galvan – 3B Jon Ramos – 1B S. Jennings – 2B Huber – C Julian Diaz – P Nichol

Offense remained slow for both teams, neither of them scoring in five innings. The Coons scattered three singles as uselessly as procyonically possible, while the Indians had no hits, but three walks against Capone in the same distance. Two of the walks came in the bottom 5th to Ramos, who was caught stealing, and Diaz, who followed Adam Huber on base, who was nicked with a 2-out, 3-2 pitch. Nichol struck out to end the inning.

A breakthrough came in the sixth, with Herrera getting a 1-out single past Russ, and Maldonado getting a ball over the fence altogether for a 2-run homer. Manny singled, stole second, and Gurney walked after that, but Kilmer and Van Anderson made poor outs to prevent more scoring. Capone’s pitch count was rapidly exploding, the Indians being far from the H column or not. He walked Quinteros with two outs in the bottom 6th after a lengthy at-bat, but Quinteros was then struck down trying to nip second by the alert Jeff Kilmer. Capone reached 101 pitches by the time he walked Jennings in the bottom 7th, also with two outs, and it was no longer considered likely that he’d finish this deal. Jennings stole second, then scored on Huber’s single to center, and Capone was yoinked while the Indians were still high-fiving. Moreno and Jones would get two outs each from the Indians after that, stranding the tying run as far as Moreno was concerned, while the Raccoons’ offense had yet to tack on anything of value. When Jonathan Dykstra retired them in order in the ninth, the Coons went back to Rella for the fourth time in five days. Galvan popped out to first, and Ramos flew out to left, but Jennings singled up the middle to bring up the winning run. Rella blew his fluffy cheeks once more, reached back, struck out the evil batter, and completed the glacial sweep…! 2-1 Raccoons. Maldonado 1-4, HR, 2 RBI; Capone 6.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 6 K, W (2-2);

Raccoons (76-51) @ Falcons (68-60) – August 25-27, 2045

The Coons had won five in a row, but the Falcons also had a 4-game winning streak. They needed to continue that to have a whiff at the CL South, where they were ten games back with little season left. They sat eighth in runs scored, second in runs allowed, and were down 4-2 against the Critters in ’45.

Projected matchups:
Sadaharu Okuda (10-9, 4.24 ERA) vs. Oscar Flores (11-8, 3.58 ERA)
Victor Merino (8-4, 2.92 ERA) vs. Evan Henshaw (8-9, 4.36 ERA)
Jason Wheatley (12-7, 2.65 ERA) vs. Nick Myers (10-7, 3.63 ERA)

Another 3-game set with only right-handed opposition. They at least had southpaw relievers.

What they did not have were Tony Aparicio and Chris Kokoszka, regulars from their lineup. Aparicio was on the DL with back stiffness. And only the baseball gods so far knew what Kokoszka was plagued by.

Game 1
POR: SS Martell – CF Herrera – 1B Maldonado – RF Toohey – LF Fernandez – C Zarate – 3B Coen – 2B Carreno – P Okuda
CHA: 2B M. Martinez – 3B Watanabe – CF Besaw – RF Turley – LF Haertling – C Alicea – 1B Shay – SS E. Sandoval – P O. Flores

Maldo singled, Toohey doubled, and the Coons went up 1-0 in the first, which already had to count as a “quick start” at this point. A chance developed the next inning, too, with Carreno slapping a 1-out single. He could not get a steal off, but young Miguel Martinez threw away Okuda’s well-placed bunt, putting a pair of runners in scoring position for the top of the order, provisionally represented by Al Martell, who managed a sac fly. Flores lost Armando Herrera in a full count, and then Maldo cracked a liner into the rightfield corner for a 2-out, 2-run double, and Toohey hit another RBI single, the final contribution in a 4-run inning. For Martinez’ error, all the runs were unearned on Flores. The Coons then made sure to melt at once. Zarate conceded a runner on an uncaught third strike, putting Ed Haertling on base to begin the bottom 2nd, and Okuda got taken well deep to left by soft-slapping Esteban Sandoval to cut into the lead, 5-2. Bottom 3rd, Okuda walked the bases full, gave up a run on a single by Ramon Alicea, and then somehow struck out Adam Shay and Sandoval to elope that dismal inning. Good to know that at least the Opening Day starter curse on this team was alive and well…!

Okuda gave up a Haertling homer to whittle the lead down to 5-4 by the fifth, and was not seen afterwards. That reminded me – had anyone seen the offense? After shellacking Flores for five in the early going, the Raccoons had entirely laid down their weaponry and merely went through the motion, without success, at the plate. They could not even do something with another 2-base throwing error by Shintaro Watanabe in the eighth; that put Toohey on base with nobody out. Manny got the intentional bypass, Zarate hit into a double play, and Ben Coen grounded out meekly. And I had a bad vibe here… Jon Craig pitched the sixth and seventh to hold up the lead, but Miguel Martinez doubled home Sandoval with two outs in the bottom 8th off Kelly to tie the game at five. Bob Ibold struck out PH Seth Case to at least prevent the team from falling behind… The ninth brought only more misery for the Raccoons’ batters, while Chuck Jones walked Joe Besaw, Archie Turley singled, and the winning run was on third base with nobody out. Jones disposed of Haertling in an environmentally friendly way, but not of Alicea, who flew out to center, deep enough to send home Besaw for the win. 6-5 Falcons. Maldonado 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI; Toohey 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI; Fernandez 1-2, 2 BB; Craig 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K;

Sigh.

Game 2
POR: SS Waters – CF Herrera – 1B Maldonado – RF Toohey – LF Fernandez – 3B Martell – 2B Carreno – C Kilmer – P Merino
CHA: 2B M. Martinez – 3B Watanabe – CF Besaw – RF Turley – LF Haertling – C Alicea – 1B Shay – SS E. Sandoval – P Henshaw

We got another run in the first, Toohey singling home Waters… after Maldo had hit into a double play following the leadoff single by Waters and Herrera getting nicked by a pitch. Manny also singled, but the inning ended with a fly out by Martell. Carreno reached in the second and was stranded, but the third began with Herrera and Maldonado taking up the corners with nobody out. A pair of pops by our vaunted 4-5 hitters and Martell’s groundout stranded them right in ******* place.

After two walks in the first inning, Merino held up his end rather well, allowing two hits through five, and nothing that would crumble the tiny 1-0 lead his offense had divined to give him. Toohey opened the sixth with a double to left and the Falcons correctly deduced that Martell was no bueno and that they should put Manny on base. Martell promptly grounded out to first, but did advance the runners, both of which scored on a Carreno screamer down the leftfield line for a 2-run double. Kilmer singled, Merino hit a sac fly, and Waters grounded out, ending the inning up 4-0. That being on the board, the Raccoons promptly got the next hit in the neck when Bryce Toohey made a lunging grab on a Besaw liner to end the sixth, but tumbled and waved for assistance to get up and home. Van Anderson replaced him in the field (but certainly not in production).

Maldo hit a double in the seventh that went nowhere, but at least Martell and Carreno hit singles in the eighth and Kilmer got ONE of them home with a sac fly, 5-0. Preston Porter pitched the bottom 8th, allowing a single to PH Seth Case, who then collided with Waters at second base, requiring his own trainer’s assistance. The Coons stuck to Porter in the ninth, at least until Turley had homered, Haertling had singled, and Herrera had barely reached an Alicea drive. Jon Craig entered, gave up an RBI triple to Shay, then left for Rella. He conceded the runner on a sac fly, but got David Vasquez to ground out to Martell to end the game. 5-3 Critters. Herrera 2-5, 2B; Maldonado 2-5, 2B; Toohey 2-3, 2B, RBI; Carreno 3-4, 2B, 2 RBI; Merino 7.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 3 K, W (9-4);

Dr. Padilla mumbled something in Spanish, then quickly disappeared into a room labeled “Authorized Medical Personnel Only”, when I asked him about Toohey.

That can’t be good.

Game 3
POR: SS Waters – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – RF Fernandez – 1B Gurney – LF Dustal – 2B Carreno – C Kilmer – P Wheatley
CHA: 2B M. Martinez – SS E. Sandoval – CF Besaw – RF Turley – LF Haertling – 3B Watanabe – LF D. Vasquez – C T. Morales – P N. Myers

Yup, that was Tony Morales, the longtime Raccoons catcher, who had slipped into obscurity in a real hurry after being let go in Portland. Nevertheless, he drove in the game’s first run, singling home Watanabe in the fifth inning… yes, it was one of those affairs again. The Falcons had nothing on Wheats, mostly, but the Raccoons had even less on Myers, who allowed only two hits through five innings. The top 6th offered the Coons’ best chance yet in the rubber game, with a leadoff walk to Herrera and a Maldo single right after that. Toohey would now be great to have in the #4 hole, but we had Manny, who popped out. Gurney flew out to Turley. Dustal flew out to Vasquez. I wish I could also fly out of here, and fly far, far, far away…

The bottom 7th unhorsed Wheats for good, with two errors by his teammates to help bury him. Waters flubbed the leadoff grounder by Watanabe, and Kilmer would throw away Justin Simmons’ grounder with two on and one out. That plated a runner with Vasquez, who had singled, to third base. Wheats lost Martinez on balls, then was lifted. Moreno replaced him, struck out Sandoval, and got a groundout from Besaw, but we were down 2-0 and hadn’t looked like we could handle 1-0.

The tying runs were on regardless in the eighth when Maldo singled off Kyle Conner, and Manny reached on an error by Shay at short. Gurney advanced them with a grounder. And Dustal stranded them with a grounder, both against lefty Jonathan Ramsey. Moreno and Kelly held the Falcons close in the bottom 8th, while righty Brad Blankenship with his 4.97 ERA was sent into the ninth. Carreno flew out to center, but Martell singled for Kilmer. Anderson hit for the pitcher, but grounded out, reducing us to Waters, who grounded out to third base on the first pitch he got. 2-0 Falcons. Herrera 1-2, 2 BB; Maldonado 2-4; Martell (PH) 1-1; Wheatley 6.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, L (12-8);

In other news

August 21 – The Capitals end the hitting streak of CIN 3B Jesus Burgos (.347, 8 HR, 60 RBI) at 22 games, holding him to an 0-for-4 in a 4-3 Washington win.
August 23 – A diagnosis of shoulder inflammation means it’s season over for OCT SP Ignacio del Rio (12-8, 3.96 ERA).
August 23 – A home run by TIJ INF Sergio Barcia (..261, 16 HR, 59 RBI) puts the 1-0 game against the Aces away for the Condors.
August 24 – Back to the DL once again is LAP OF Juan Benavides (.327, 8 HR, 55 RBI), who might miss most of the remaining season with a broken rib.
August 24 – The Buffaloes lose SP Josh Long (5-10, 4.24 ERA) to a torn flexor tendon. He is questionable for Opening Day 2046.

FL Player of the Week: SFW LF Mario Villa (.374, 12 HR, 76 RBI), slashing .625 (15-24) with 7 RBI
CL Player of the Week: VAN RF/LF/1B Arnout van der Zanden (.315, 2 HR, 34 RBI), hitting .600 (12-20) with 5 RBI

Complaints and stuff

Up by six, but potentially down an irreplaceable Bryce Toohey – that was not a great trade. That aside, the offense kept slumping even with Toohey. Neither of our catchers could hit a lick, and the middle infielders all seemed struck dumb and deaf at the plate now. All of them, including makeshift leadoff batter Matt Waters.

With Derek Baskins still another three weeks off, this was all about surviving now. Next week we’d have to survive in Vegas for three games, and then would have the Crusaders at home in the first set in September. That one hadn’t gone so well last time… We were pounding four of the five other teams in the North (9-6 against the Loggers was the worst mark, and all other season series had already been taken with games to spare), but we were now 4-7 against New York.

With September approaching we’d probably add Brent Clark again for relief work, as well as Marucci and Brad Barnes, another righty reliever trying to push up from AAA. The way the catchers were hitting right now, Ruben Gonzalez had good chances for regular playing time (but was hitting only .263 in AAA either).

Fun Fact: Antonio Cordero had a 12-year career in the majors from 1980 to 1991, and is the only player in league history from Argentina.

His career also ended rather abruptly when he was released by the Raccoons, although back then the Raccoons were gearing up for back-to-back championships and had to ditch a millstone or two. Not that Cordero was *bad*. He was fantastic in 1990, pitching to a 1.34 ERA for the Critters! It was more than three times that in ’91 and the boot in September.

Before that he had been with the Loggers and Crusaders, making a total of 476 relief appearances in total. He pitched to a 20-20 record, 3.28 ERA, and 9 career saves.

[Westheim]

Raccoons (77-53) @ Aces (66-63) – August 28-30, 2045

The Aces were 11 games out and in fifth place despite a winning record, and thus more or less done for the season. They sat fifth in runs scored, fourth in runs allowed, but somehow it just wasn’t enough. They had a +36 run differential (Coons: +118). The season series was even at three, and with Josh Brown, Tim Cannizzard, and Angel Montes de Oca they had a few regulars on the DL. Not on the DL for Portland yet, because Dr. Padilla was still running tests: Bryce Toohey, who would be a terrible loss to suffer…

Projected matchups:
Corey Mathers (14-8, 4.46 ERA) vs. Josh Henneberry (7-11, 5.04 ERA)
Adam Capone (2-2, 2.08 ERA) vs. Jayden Woods (8-9, 4.85 ERA)
Sadaharu Okuda (10-9, 4.22 ERA) vs. Oscar Valdes (12-8, 3.41 ERA)

Only right-handed opposition coming up for the third series in a row.

Game 1
POR: SS Waters – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – LF Fernandez – 1B Gurney – RF Anderson – 2B Carreno – C Zarate – P Mathers
LVA: SS Quintana – C F. Gomez – CF Kinder – RF M. Roberts – 3B D. Richardson – 1B Speth – 2B C. Jimenes – LF Montana – P Henneberry

Pat Gurney came up clutch right in the first, tripling with two outs to drive home Maldo and Manny, both of whom ha drawn walks. Mathers retired the Aces in order the first time through, so maybe he wouldn’t get whacked around this time out…? Gurney got whacked by Henneberry with a fastball to begin the fourth, with the bases then rapidly loading up on singles by Van Anderson and Arturo Carreno – and nobody out (sigh!). Henneberry plated Gurney with a wild pitch, leading to an intentional walk being offered to Zarate. Mathers then grounded to short for a run-scoring 6-4-3 double play. Matt Waters struck out, leaving the score at 4-0, and that became 4-1 in the bottom 4th, which began with a walk to Angel Quintana and continued with a groundout by Felipe Gomez, then Matt Kinder’s RBI single, scoring Quintana from second. Tim Speth’s leadoff jack in the fifth made it 4-2, and another run scored in the sixth when Mathers allowed a leadoff double to Quintana, Waters made an error at short, and now Kinder hit into the run-scoring double play.

While the Coons did nothing at the plate, the Aces put runners on the corners with nobody out against Zack Kelly in the bottom 7th. Doug Richardson doubled, Tim Speth singled, and Moreno was brought in to try an keep the game from getting away from the Coons, but surrendered the lead on a sac fly by PH Jacob Kolbe on his very first pitch. The best he managed after that was to keep it tied…

Maldo took it on himself to hit a homer in the eighth for a new 5-4 lead, but Quintana kept being a best, hitting a leadoff single off Moreno in the eighth. He struck out the next two, then yielded for Chuck Jones against Mike Roberts, who was hit for with a right-hander, Kevin Prow, an outright mean move deserving of condemnation! Singles by Prow and Doug Richardson leveled the game again before Speth struck out. Jones remained in the tied game in the ninth, but Josh Landstrom hit a leadoff single before Bob Montana beat the Gold Glover in centerfield for a walkoff triple… 6-5 Aces. Zarate 1-2, 2 BB;

The Aces scored a run each in six consecutive innings, which was ONE annoying way to lose a ballgame…

Game 2
POR: SS Waters – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – LF Fernandez – 1B Gurney – RF Dustal – 2B Carreno – C Kilmer – P Capone
LVA: SS Quintana – 2B Landstrom – CF Kinder – RF M. Roberts – 3B D. Richardson – 1B Speth – C F. Gomez – LF Montana – P J. Woods

Another day, another 2-out, 2-run hit for Portland in the first, this time Dustal singling home two with the bases loaded before Carreno grounded out. Also, just like on Monday, the Coons got three scoreless from their starter, then added two more runs in the fourth, which saw Gurney and Carreno with singles, pull off a double steal, and score on a Kilmer groundout and a Capone single, respectively. Matt Waters added a double, but was stranded in scoring position with Capone when Herrera grounded out to Doug Richardson.

The Aces didn’t score in the fourth despite singles by Kinder and Roberts, but did get on the board in the fifth, then on a pair of doubles by Woods (…) and Landstrom, who also hurt himself on his slide into second base and was replaced with Carlos Jimenes. Roberts began the sixth with a single, and I became increasingly concerned with this game… even when Roberts was caught stealing by Kilmer shortly afterwards. Herrera did steal second base after reaching base the next half-inning, but the Aces walked Maldo intentionally, then got a 4-6-3 out of Manny to end the inning. Capone lasted until he issued a 1-out walk to Montana in the bottom 7th. With Kolbe pinch-hitting again, the Coons went to Kelly, who gave up a fence-scratcher for a 2-run homer in extreme rightfield… Jon Craig was kind enough to get out of the inning and continued until Richardson singled off him in the eighth, putting the tying run aboard. The Raccoons went all-in here, offering Josh Rella for a 4-out save, beginning with the left-hander Speth, who struck out in a full count. Al Martell, entering in a double switch with Rella, hit a leadoff single to center in the ninth, then was doubled up by Waters as the Raccoons steadfastly refused to score another run. Herrera doubled, but Maldonado grounded out, leaving Rella to his own devices in the 4-3 game. He solved the puzzle with two grounders and a K to Nick Berryman. 4-3 Coons. Herrera 2-5, 2B; Dustal 2-4, 2 RBI; Martell (PH) 1-1;

With the season series even at four, the Raccoons would still be without Bryce Toohey in the rubber game, and that would continue to be the case for much of September – a separated shoulder would require two to three weeks of additional rest.

It did offer one weird opportunity for the Coons, who could now add Ricky Jimenez to the roster, which would give him playoff roster eligibility should he have recovered his swing (although his AAA stats were not *great*).

Game 3
POR: SS Waters – CF Herrera – RF Maldonado – LF Fernandez – 1B Gurney – 2B Martell – 3B Jimenez – C Zarate – P Okuda
LVA: SS Quintana – 1B Prow – CF Kinder – RF M. Roberts – C F. Gomez – LF Montana – 3B A. Rodriguez – 2B C. Jimenes – P O. Valdes

Matt Waters opened the game with a jack for another first-inning lead, and Manny and Gurney hit singles, but Martell grounded out to strand them. Ricky Jimenez reintroduced himself with a 2-base throwing error on Kinder’s grounder in the bottom 1st, but Okuda rung up Roberts, the only lefty bat to be found in the lineup, to get through the first. He posted another one of those in the fourth, then on leadoff hitter Kevin Prow… Okuda walked Kinder in a full count to begin my meltdown alarm to really go off, but Roberts hit into a double play, so maybe we’d still be fine and – …. and then Felipe Gomez homered to left to flip the ******* score.

The runs were unearned, but looked sufficient to beat the Raccoons, who only managed three hits in total through seven innings. Okuda pitched six and two thirds, departing with Angel Rodriguez on second and the top of the order back up. Ibold came on, walked Quintana, but rung up Prow, keeping the game close. Carreno, Waters, and Herrera were out in order in the eighth inning, which preserved the meaty part of the lineup for the ninth against David Williams and his 2.01 ERA, still with one run to make up to tie the game. Maldo led off with a single. Manny fanned, but Gurney singled. Unfortunately, with runners on second and first, we also entered the dismal part of the lineup. Martell coaxed a walk in a full count to load them up, and then Dustal was asked to spare us agony from Jimenez’ .186 bat. He did, doing little more than holding still while Williams offered four balls to him, pushing home the tying run! …and then Zarate and Kilmer made poor outs to strand the full set… Agony.

Moreno sent the game to extras, but gave up a leadoff single to Chris Whalen in the bottom 10th. Whalen got himself caught stealing, and Quintana and Prow both grounded out to the left side. The Coons stranded pairs in the 11th and 12th innings, including a 1-out double by Waters in the latter frame, and they were also running out of arms. Chuck Jones had pitched the 11th, and Jon Craig was out for the 12th, with only Rella left in the pen behind him. After that it would be the next starter, Merino – at least Thursday would be off! Craig walked two in as many innings, while the game merrily continued to drag on. When the tie was finally broken in the 14th inning, it came on a Van Anderson homer off Willie Gonzales. Van ******* Anderson! Herrera hit a single, which stretched the inning until Craig in the #4 spot, where the pitcher had arrived after two double switches. Ben Coen lined out as the last guy off the bench, and then came Rella, last guy nominally in the pen, although Victor Merino was getting loose down there now. Merino never got involved – and Josh Rella never logged an out. Roberts hit a leadoff double to left. Gomez walked. Montana tied the game with a single. And Richardson untied it with a homer. 6-3 Aces. Gurney 3-6; Anderson (PH) 1-2, HR, RBI; Moreno 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K; Craig 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 0 K;

(stares blankly)

Raccoons (78-55) vs. Crusaders (71-61) – September 1-3, 2045

I had my thoughts before this series. Well, I thought, even if they did sweep us – this time it was only three games, so it would automatically be not as bad as last time. It just could not get as bad as last time! …and then Nick Valdes walked in, announcing a series as important as this needed his personal supervision so things wouldn’t go haywire. And all of a sudden, this series could go ten times as worse as the last one…

Despite only a +22 run differential, the Crusaders still had pretty good chances at the division, having seven games left with the Critters, who they led 7-4 in the season series, and a 6 1/2 game gap to make up. They were remarkably mediocre, fifth in runs scored (despite sitting second in batting average and homers), sixth in runs allowed, for a team in contention in September.

Projected matchups:
Victor Merino (9-4, 2.74 ERA) vs. Jim White (10-7, 4.06 ERA)
Jason Wheatley (12-8, 2.60 ERA) vs. Garrett Sutherland (9-11, 4.19 ERA)
Corey Mathers (14-8, 4.41 ERA) vs. Carlos Malla (6-7, 4.37 ERA)

Southpaw Sunday on the horizon; also, the Crusaders missed three pieces from the lineup with Mario Briones, Andy Montes, and Joe Graf all on the DL.

Of course, rosters had expanded as of the start of this series. The Raccoons added third catcher Ruben Gonzalez, who with both regular catchers slumping would get into the lineup right away, as well as Omar Gutierrez and Gene Pellicano. On the pitching side, we added Brent Clark (who had started on Wednesday and would not be available until Sunday at least), Sean Marucci, and the only debutee, 2042 supplemental-round pick Brad Barnes, a right-handed groundballer that ha racked up 63 saves in AAA in the last two years. He was going on 25.

Game 1
NYC: SS Adame – C Alba – 1B D. Hernandez – CF Rico – 2B Nash – LF Garris – RF M. Hall – 3B Riario – P J. White
POR: SS Waters – CF Herrera – RF Maldonado – LF Fernandez – 1B Gurney – 3B Martell – 2B Carreno – C Gonzalez – P Merino

Even when Herrera doubled up Waters in the first, which Nick Valdes immediately ordered me to order him to no longer do, the Raccoons got a first-inning run on a Maldonado double and a 2-base throwing error by Randolph Nash. Carreno reached with an infield single in the second, but then Ruben Gonzalez hit into a double play, which Nick Valdes right away ordered me to order him to no longer do. – Yes, Nick, I’ll trudge down to the dugout immediately. At your service.

The Crusaders got triples from Mike Hall in the second and Danny Rico in the third; Merino got around the first one, but the second one plated Dave Hernandez for a 2-out run and a tied ballgame before Nash grounded out to Al Martell. Nick was still confused from me not actually having gone down to the dugout and didn’t say anything about the frivolities of our pitcher giving up a run. In any case, bottom 3rd, Waters reached on an error, Herrera got nicked, and Maldo singled to fill the bags, all with one out. The Coons needed something better than a double play from Manny Fernandez, and got a floater over Nash for a 2-run single. Hall threw home late, allowing Maldo and Manny into scoring position. Pat Gurney hit a sac fly, 4-1, but Martell lined out to Alex Adame to end the inning. That lead would disappear at once in the fifth on a 3-run homer Dave Hernandez mashed off Merino with Adame and Fernando Alba on the corners. Nick just glared at me, like it was my fault.

But the Portlanders had an answer, loading the bases again with Maldo, Manny, an Martell in the bottom of the same frame. Carreno came up with two outs, and the Crusaders stuck with White against the righty batter. They shouln’t have – the 2-1 pitch was strung into left-center by Carreno, and disappeared into the gap. The bags emptied on a 3-run triple! Merino continued to pitch, but allowed a double to Vittorio Riario, then a pinch-hit RBI single to Willie Ojeda in the sixth, then was swiftly yanked. Bob Ibold got a grounder from Adame to escape the inning, and then Matt Waters smacked a leadoff jack off Rich Willett to restore the 3-run gap, 8-5. Herrera singled and was caught stealing, but Manny, Gurney, and Martell mounted a 2-out rally for a tack-on run. Bottom 7th, Pellicano singled, Waters reached on a Riario error, and Herrera found the hole on the right side for an RBI single. Up by five, the Coons got bolder – Sean Marucci was put into the eighth inning and retired the Crusaders orderly, while Brad Barnes would make his debut in the ninth. He walked Riario, he walked Matt Wilton. Nick Valdes told me to tell him to not do that. But the stagehands had already hooked Barnes off the mound, although we were not in a save situation yet. Moreno came on, got a fly to left from Adame, but Alba hit an infield single to load the bases. Moreno dug in deeper, and Hernandez grounded to short. 6-4-3 went the Coons to end the game…! 10-5 Raccoons! Waters 2-5, HR, RBI; Herrera 2-4, RBI; Maldonado 3-5, 2 2B; Fernandez 1-2, 3 BB, 2 RBI; Martell 3-5, RBI; Carreno 3-5, 3B, 3 RBI; Pellicano (PH) 1-2;

Well, Nick, that wasn’t so bad, was it? – No, I can’t guarantee you that they have any runs left for the next two games.

Game 2
NYC: SS Adame – C Alba – 1B D. Hernandez – RF Willie Ojeda – CF Rico – LF Garris – 2B Nash – 3B Riario – P Sutherland
POR: SS Waters – CF Herrera – RF Maldonado – LF Fernandez – 1B Gurney – 3B Martell – 2B Carreno – C Gonzalez – P Wheatley

Wheats wasn’t really in trouble until the fifth, when Sutherland dished a 2-out double off him and he lost Adame in a full count after that. Maldonado was sent back by an Alba drive, but caught it to stymy the Crusaders’ offensive attempts, which Nick Valdes found very offensive and – … No, Nick, I can’t tell THE OTHER TEAM what not to do!

The Coons had but one base hit at that point, a Maldo single, but Carreno found another one to begin the bottom 5th. He failed to get a steal off, but was bunted to second by Wheats, and then scored on Matt Waters’ double into the rightfield corner. Herrera flew out to left, but now we had Wheats and a 1-0 lead on him, so what could even go wrong anymore?

Well, for example, infield singles and errors. Nash and Riario reached on those, respectively, in the top 7th with one out. Sutherland was up, but the Crusaders somehow opted for the double steal. Not on Ruben Gonzalez! He threw out Nash at third base for the second out, and Sutherland consequently fell victim to strikes thrown by Wheats to end the inning. Wheatley would go seven and two thirds, but left with Alba on second base in he eighth inning, having issued a walk to him and then having gotten a grounder from Hern- … Yes, Nick, I’ll tell him to stop walking people as soon as he’s in the dugout. … With all .311 and 23 homers of Willie Ojeda at the plate, the Coons opted for Chuck Jones. Ojeda popped out to short, and that inning was survived as well. The Raccoons still couldn’t find an insurance run, and so Josh Rella had to handle the 5-6-7 batters without giving up a run. Rico popped out. Garris whiffed. Nash … singled to center. That brought up Riario, who took a ball, then hit a ball to left. Manny didn’t have to hustle, and caught the ball to complete the squeezer. 1-0 Blighters! Waters 2-4, 2B, RBI; Wheatley 7.2 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K, W (13-8);

Big Win by Big Wheats! – What is it, Nick? – Yes, technically, 1-0 is a small win. – Yes. – Yes, Nick, I know nothing about anything.

No Southpaw Sunday – the Crusaders would instead send righty Paul Paris (13-6, 3.55 ERA).

Game 3
NYC: SS Adame – C Alba – 1B D. Hernandez – RF Willie Ojeda – CF Rico – LF Garris – 2B Nash – 3B Riario – P Paris
POR: SS Waters – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – LF Fernandez – 1B Gurney – RF Pellicano – 2B Carreno – C Kilmer – P Mathers

A Herrera-scoring wild pitch gave the Coons a 1-0 lead in the first after Paris had already walked both Herrera and Maldonado in the inning. Nobody could buy a hit, though, and Maldo was left on third base. A sac fly mashed by Nash to center would tie the game in the top 2nd, sending Willie Ojeda home, whom Mathers had unwisely offered a leadoff walk to before Danny Rico had doubled. – Yes, Nick, I’ll tell him that, too.

Rico singled home Adame for a 2-1 New York lead in the third inning, finding the bases full, Mathers clueless, and two outs in the inning. Josh Garris hacked himself out with the bases still full, Mathers still clueless, and still with two outs in the inning. Mathers remained adrift, but Gurney tied the game with a jack in the fourth, and Pellicano and Kilmer hit singles to reach the corners with one out. Mathers popped out, and Ojeda robbed Waters of a gapper to end the inning. In the fifth, Hernandez took Mathers deep, but Maldonado took Paris deep, and only Maldo had found a runner on base, Herrera, and thus his 2-piece flipped the score, 4-3. Gene Pellicano made the last out in the bottom 5th, then also exited his September call-up when he tore up his knee on catching a Riario drive in the sixth. Van Anderson replaced him.

The 4-3 lead was nursed by the defense for six, then by Porter, Jones, and Craig through the next two innings. Rella then got the ball in a 4-3 game in the ninth thanks to no offensive reinforcement of the potential sweep, and saw leadoff man and pinch-hitter Mike Hall reach base on an infield single. Adame’s grounder advanced him, and Rella lost Alba in a full count. Hernandez struck out, but that brought up Ojeda, who had already faced Jones in this game, and now what? – Just to make sure, Nick Valdes reminded us that Rella shouldn’t dare to give up a homer! But we also never dared to bother Zack Kelly with the game really on the line, did we?

Rella remained in, allowed an RBI single to Ojeda to blow the lead, then an RBI single to Rico to fall behind, and then walked Garris for good measure before being yanked for Bob Ibold. Ibold surrendered all the runners on singles by Nash and Riario, then gave up a 3-run homer to Hall. 11-4 Crusaders. Maldonado 1-2, 2 BB, HR, 2 RBI; Kilmer 2-4;

(stares blankly)

Nick, yes. – Yes, Nick. – Yes. Nick, to make sure, tell all this to Maud, she will take notes.

(Maud stares blankly)

In other news

August 28 – DAL SP Dave Hils (15-9, 3.62 ERA) pitches a 5-hit shutout for the Stars, who rout the Buffaloes, 16-0. DAL OF Tylor Cecil (.374, 17 HR, 112 RBI) is unretired, 4-for-4 with a walk, and drives in two runs.
August 31 – MIL 1B/RF/LF Aaron Brayboy (.315, 13 HR, 49 RBI) will miss two weeks at least with torn thumb ligaments, suffered when a kid on a scooter ran into him in a parking lot.
September 2 – 51 players are used in a 15-inning game that the Thunder win over the Condors, 6-5.

FL Player of the Week: LAP 1B Mark Cahill (.291, 18 HR, 88 RBI), hitting .435 (10-23) with 2 HR, 11 RBI
CL Player of the Week: VAN RF/LF Victor Vazquez (.271, 6 HR, 37 RBI), batting .556 (10-18) with 2 HR, 5 RBI

FL Hitter of the Month: DAL 1B Jamie King (.325, 17 HR, 69 RBI), hitting .402 with 7 HR, 26 RBI
CL Hitter of the Month: SFB LF/CF Jamie McGuigan (.293, 20 HR, 89 RBI), batting .380 with 7 HR, 28 RBI
FL Pitcher of the Month: SAC MR Alex Banderas (4-0, 3.09 ERA, 8 SV), relieving to a 3-0 tune with 0.61 ERA and 7 K, and 7 SV
CL Pitcher of the Month: SFB CL Jeremy Mayhall (7-4, 2.87 ERA, 36 SV), closing games for a 4-0 mark with 0.75 ERA, 10 K, and 6 SV
FL Rookie of the Month: RIC OF/1B Gil Cabrera (.275, 3 HR, 46 RBI), hitting .303 with 12 RBI
CL Rookie of the Month: ATL LF/INF/CF Anton Venegas (.270, 1 HR, 41 RBI), batting .270 with 1 HR, 10 RBI

Complaints and stuff

You gotta give it to Josh Rella. When he blows a save, he blows it like a cluster bomb. There are no cheap losses on that guy… Should start looking for a closer this winter. We’ll put it on the list, right after “an offense”.

Being down both Baskins and Toohey sucks – at least both are due to return in mid-September. – What is it, Dr. Padilla? – A setback? – To Baskins? – Tell him to not do that!

I was around Nick Valdes too much this weekend.

Gene Pellicano will go right on the refuse pile with a torn meniscus from here – he’s out for the season. With Baskins delayed and Toohey also out a while longer, we’ll look for another outfielder in AAA – but there is nobody else on the 40-man roster. Jay de Wit would be *an* option.

The race for the division (with strength of schedule and playoff chance):
POR (80-56) – BOS (6), NYC (4), VAN (4), ATL (3), IND (3), MIL (3), OCT (3) – .484 – 97.2%
NYC (72-63) – MIL (7), POR (4), VAN (4), BOS (3), IND (3), CHA (3), TIJ (3) – .475 – 2.6%

Next week, a home set against the Titans, then the start of a 3-city road trip to Milwaukee, New York, and Atlanta.

Fun Fact: Isto Grönholm is the only ABL player ever to hail from Hungary.

Grönholm had a flashy, if brief career from 1983 to 1992, playing for the Titans, Loggers, and Bayhawks, the Boston team having signed him out of Budapest. He was the CL Rookie of the Year in 1983, and won two Gold Gloves at first base, and went to the All Star Game twice, but he also led the CL in strikeouts four years out of five in which he qualified for winning anything. It was a bit much for teams in the 80s, even for a guy hitting 20 home runs every year. By 1989, his playing time diminished and pretty soon so did his production.

For his career he had a .279/.343/.425 slash line with 128 HR, 628 RBI, and a total of 1,273 hits.

[Westheim]

I’ve been quite a bit ill the last few days (and still am), so that’s where the Critters went. I’ll now try to get my crap together, but I’ll miss Game 1 tonight… I am in no condition to beat the night around my fuzzy ears at this point… At least I can watch up on the World Series tomorrow. Nobody’s gonna play the Raccoons for me, though.

Oh yeah, my mouse is also broken and won’t scroll up anymore, at least not when *I* want it to…

And did I mention that the laptop’s keyboard is giving up? Maybe you found missing D’s recently…

IT’S HARD.

+++

Raccoons (80-56) vs. Titans (58-79) – September 4-6, 2045

The Titans had the lowest batting average in the CL and the third-fewest runs scored, while giving up the eighth-most markers. Their run differential was not too horrendous at -48, but they were also not in the top third of the league in any meaningful category. They were just crummy throughout, and the Raccoons had whooped them so far this year, having already bagged the season series with six games to spare, 10-2.

Projected matchups:
Adam Capone (3-2, 2.21 ERA) vs. Ricky Contreras (7-10, 3.58 ERA)
Sadaharu Okuda (10-9, 4.06 ERA) vs. Hisami Furuya (3-5, 4.43 ERA)
Victor Merino (10-4, 2.98 ERA) vs. David Barel (9-8, 2.96 ERA)

Left, right, left. Also, a number of injuries to regulars, including pitchers Lachlan Clarke, Danny Tirado, and Todd Lush, plus batters Joe Ritchey and Danny Liceaga.

But we knew a thing about that, too. The Raccoons added 22-year-old RF/LF Brian Shedd from AAA. The righty hitter was the #60 pick from the 2041 draft and had raked for an .862 OPS in Ham Lake and a .955 OPS (in 22 games) in St. Pete this year. Granted, there was flash in the pan potential here, but we needed a warm body… Gene Pellicano was moved to the 60-man DL to make room on the 40-man roster (but Shedd would have been rule 5-eligible this winter anyway).

Game 1
BOS: RF J. Miranda – LF Watt – 3B I. Lugo – 1B C. Jimenez – 2B J. Rodriguez – SS Castaneda – C Templeton – CF T. Lopez – P R. Contreras
POR: SS Waters – CF Herrera – RF Maldonado – 1B Gurney – LF Dustal – 3B R. Jimenez – 2B Carreno – C Gonzalez – P Capone

Capone was all over the place, walking five batters in the first three innings, some of which would inevitably score; Juan Rodriguez drove in two with two outs in the first inning, dropping a single behind a desperately reaching Matt Waters, and Javier Miranda hit a good old bomb to left in the second inning for a quick 3-0 lead for Boston. The Coons were turned away for the minimum the first time through, Ruben Gonzalez hitting into a double play to erase Arturo Carreno’s lone single. In turn, Capone walked Tony Lopez in the fourth, and conceded the run on a 2-out Miranda single.

That was it for Capone, who hurled 86 pitches in four innings, most of them pathetic, but the Raccoons actually rallied for three runs in the bottom 4th, starting with back-to-back jacks by Waters and Herrera, and then adding a run when Ricky Jimenez scored Maldonado with a groundout. And just like that, they then returned to crass ineffectiveness. The game hung at a 4-3 score for the next four innings, neither Contreras nor the parade of Raccoons relievers bending, at least until Miranda took Jon Craig deep in the ninth inning for an insurance run. It didn’t matter – lefty Justin Kaiser sawed them off in the bottom 9th anyway. 5-3 Titans. Kilmer (PH) 1-1;

Game 2
BOS: 2B Encinia – CF T. Lopez – C Whitley – 3B I. Lugo – RF D. Meyer – 1B Greeley – SS J. Rodriguez – LF J. Miranda – P Furuya
POR: SS Waters – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – LF Fernandez – 1B Gurney – 2B Martell – RF Anderson – C Kilmer – P Okuda

The All-Japan Tryouts began with consecutive Raccoons errors, Maldonado and Van Anderson throwing balls away, conceding an easy quick run to Juan Encinia in the first, which didn’t make me comfy at all and reaching for the Capt’n Coma. In the second, Okuda kicked himself in the chin, conceding the bases loaded with a variety of singles and walks, then gave up a ****** 3-2 floater for a 2-run single to Lopez. Again, it was 3-0, and the Raccoons were just… not… hitting… They didn’t get a measly base hit until Maldo led off the bottom 4th with one to center. Manny added one snuck by Encinia, sending them to the corners, bringing up Pat Gurney as the tying run. He hit a sac fly, and that was it, the inning ending on Martell’s fly to left and Anderson’s groundout to Encinia, who then opened the fifth with a double to left, but was stranded on three consecutive groundouts to Maldonado.

Once again, this appeared to be the extent of the Portland hitting to be expected in this game. They went nowhere the next four innings, while Okuda pitched six and a third, and the relievers kept the Titans off the board, too, Marucci, Moreno, and Kelly doing blameless duty. The lefty Kaiser was back out for the bottom 9th again. Manny and the pinch-hitting Carreno made outs. Ben Coen hit for Martell and singled, bringing up the tying run after all. That would be Dustal, batting for Anderson. He lined out to Ivan Lugo. 3-1 Titans. Fernandez 2-4; Coen (PH) 1-1;

Game 3
BOS: 2B Encinia – RF C. Jimenez – 1B Lindstrom – 3B I. Lugo – CF T. Lopez – C Cadena – SS Greeley – LF J. Miranda – P Barel
POR: C Kilmer – CF Herrera – SS Waters – 1B Maldonado – LF Dustal – 3B R. Jimenez – RF Shedd – 2B Carreno – P Merino

With desperation written into the lineup, the Raccoons saw Merino retire the first eight Titans in order before ******* David Barel hit a single to right, and consecutive full counts to Encinia and Chris Jimenez resulted in a walk and an RBI single, respectively. Matt Lindstrom flew out to center, ending the damn inning, down 1-0. A Jose Cadena homer in the fourth made it 3-0 thanks to Lopez on base and the sweep was basically fix. And the Coons? Dismal. They scattered three hits in the first four innings, twice leaving brown-hatted personnel in scoring position. It all looked pathetic. In the fifth inning, Carreno got on to begin the frame, stole second, and Kilmer walked with one out behind him. Herrera flew out in a full count, but Waters dinked in a 2-out RBI single to at least get the team on the ******* board. They got a second run when Maldo’s chopper in front of home plate was thrown away by Cadena for two bases, shortening the score to 3-2 and putting the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position – and then they actually got them ******* home! Dustal singled up the middle with two outs and ahead 2-0, bringing in both Waters and Maldonado to flip the score, 4-3…! Barel would also walk Ricky Jimenez, but Shedd struck out to stand the runners.

Bottom 6th, Merino was hit for and the Raccoons put two catchers in scoring position with one out as Gonzalez walked in the #9 hole and Kilmer then hit a double to left. Two groundouts to Lugo threw that scoring opportunity away, Herrera and Waters being the batters at fault. A tack-on run came on the board in unearned fashion in the seventh, not that I was complaining too hard about that, when Jimenez was on second base with two outs and Lugo, who had handled the two sharp bouncers the prior inning well, threw away Shedd’s slow roller for a 2-base error. Lugo and Cadena then hit that extra run out of Moreno again with sharp liners in the eighth inning, narrowing the tally to 5-4. The Coons couldn’t find anything else in their sticks, then braced as Josh Rella entered the ninth and gave away a leadoff single to Matt Watt, which, granted, didn’t leave the infield, and was right in the sweet spot between Waters and Jimenez so that neither could do anything with it. Jimenez did something with a Kyle Templeton grounder, though, turning a 5-4-3 double play. Encinia grounded out to second, letting the Raccoons escape with one win from this set. 5-4 Coons. Kilmer 2-3, 2 BB, 2B; Herrera 2-5; Dustal 2-4, 2 RBI; Jimenez 1-2, 2 BB;

Raccoons (81-58) @ Loggers (62-77) – September 8-10, 2045

Here was another team in the bottom half of both runs scored and runs allowed, but … eh … (looks at the Coons) … (blows). They were ninth in plating and tenth in getting plated on, with a -79 run differential. They had the worst pen in the CL, and unhelpfully to our cause had just lost three of four to the Crusaders. We were up 9-6 on the year.

Projected matchups:
Jason Wheatley (13-8, 2.49 ERA) vs. Marvin Verduzco (3-3, 4.21 ERA)
Corey Mathers (14-8, 4.42 ERA) vs. Sergio Piedra (10-6, 3.49 ERA)
Adam Capone (3-3, 2.88 ERA) vs. Ruben Guzman (5-11, 4.56 ERA)

Southpaw to start the series, while we’d catch them without 1B Aaron Brayboy, who was on the DL with a thumb injury.

Game 1
POR: C Kilmer – CF Herrera – SS Waters – 1B Maldonado – LF Fernandez – 3B Jimenez – RF Shedd – 2B Carreno – P Wheatley
MIL: CF Reeves – LF Pate – RF Hertenstein – SS R. Espinoza – C Payne – 1B Edsell – 3B C. Rose – 2B Davison – P Verduzco

The Raccoons hit four straight 2-out singles in the second inning to actually score first, going up 2-0 on RBI singles by Carreno and Wheats, plating Jimenez and Shedd, respectively, with the latter also getting his first major league hit in the process. Kilmer lined out to Kyle Edsell to end the inning. Jimenez (single) and Shedd (hit by pitch) were on again in the fourth, but this time neither Carreno nor Wheats could get anything countable done with the sticks. But Wheats lining up zeroes was good enough in this situation, him allowing a hit to John Pate in the first and then pretty much nothing for a long time after. A Kilmer leadoff jack extended the lead to 3-0 in the fifth inning, before Verduzco hit consecutive Critters, and a Maldonado single loaded the bases. I was grimly hoping for a big knell – but it was three on and nobody out, so … eh…! Actually, all runners scored – and none on the Coons hit. Verduzco plated Herrera with a wild pitch, then issued walks to Jimenez, Shedd, and Carreno, the latter two with the bases loaded, to extend the score to 6-0.

Wheats was on a REALLY low pitch count, too – 57 offerings through six innings of 2-hit ball, but then plunked Ricky Payne with a 2-2 pitch in the bottom 7th to add some unnecessary overtime. He struck out Edsell after that, but that had been an 18-pitch inning. In return, Herrera was hit again, now by right-hander Ray Harris, and the Raccoons bench was beginning to get a bit unruly with the Loggers tossers. The Herrera HBP loaded the bases with Wheats (single) and Kilmer (walk), and one out in the inning. Waters hit a sac fly, Maldo slapped an RBI single, and Manny struck out to get Wheats back to work. By the ninth, Jimenez homered to reach the .200 mark and Kilmer doubled in Shedd to reach double digits for Portland. With the game basically decided, the Raccoons sent Van Anderson to bat for a bruised Armando Herrera. Anderson promptly got nailed by righty Marcos Flores, he of a 10.38 ERA. Wheatley finally came into the bottom 9th on 88 pitches. He struck out Bill Reeves on five more. Another pawful got Jim Hill to ground out to Carreno. For the same feat, Daniel Hertenstein needed just three more pitches – ballgame! 10-0 Critters! Kilmer 3-5, BB, HR, 2B, 2 RBI; Maldonado 2-4, BB, RBI; Jimenez 3-4, BB, HR, RBI; Shedd 2-3, BB, RBI; Wheatley 9.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K, W (14-8) and 2-5, RBI;

Wheeeeeats!

Game 2
POR: SS Waters – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – LF Fernandez – 1B Gurney – 2B Martell – RF Anderson – C Gonzalez – P Mathers
MIL: CF Reeves – 3B B. Johnson – RF Hertenstein – SS R. Espinoza – C Payne – 1B Edsell – LF Pate – 2B Davison – P Piedra

Pat Gurney singled home Maldonado with a first-inning run, which was probably not going to be enough given the Loggers’ five consecutive switch-hitters in the lineup in the 9-1-2-3-4 positions. Nevertheless, the Gurney RBI remained the only run on the board for a while, with the Raccoons hitting scantily again, and Mathers doing his best impression of a good pitcher, holding the Loggers to two hits and a walk (though, notably, no strikeouts) through 4.2 innings, at which point they batted for Piedra with Jim Hill, and the left-hander whacked a double to left. And then Reeves struck out. Baseball! (shrugs)

By the conclusion of inning number six, the sky began to leak water, so holding on the scant 1-0 lead became even more imperative. Or, you know, tack on! Ruben Gonzalez ended his 0-for-12 futility since being called up with a leadoff single in the top 7th, was bunted to second, but the tarp was brought out before we could decide on a pinch-runner. The delay was but brief, lasting hardly a quarter of an hour. When play resumed, Waters struck out and Herrera was robbed in the gap by Hertenstein. Mathers was hauled in after seven shutout innings, with Moreno and Jones combining for the bottom 8th, the latter facing a single batter, popping out PH Brian Fox after a week in mothballs – neither the Titans nor Loggers threw around many lefty hitters. The Coons didn’t tack on in the ninth, either, then defaulted to Rella. Hertenstein struck out. Espinoza walked. Payne grounded to Maldonado… who bobbled it for an error. Would not have been two, but one would have been pretty nice to have…! The Coons still got two – from PH Scott Bayless, grounding sharply at Waters for a no-problems 6-4-3 game-ender. 1-0 Critters. Fernandez 2-4; Mathers 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K, W (15-8);

That is one way – just don’t allow them to get on the board. Maybe Capone learned something compared to his outing on Monday…!

Game 3
POR: C Kilmer – CF Herrera – 1B Maldonado – LF Fernandez – 3B Jimenez – 2B Martell – RF Anderson – SS Coen – P Capone
MIL: CF Reeves – 3B B. Johnson – RF Hertenstein – SS R. Espinoza – 1B Edsell – LF Pate – C Bayless – 2B Davison – P Ru. Guzman

Reeves opened the bottom 1st with a single, but would be caught stealing third base in the inning, and instead the Raccoons went up 1-0 in the third on a little 2-out rally of a Maldo single, Manny walk, and Jimenez RBI single. Martell then popped out. Scott Davison drew a walk in the bottom of that inning, also was caught stealing, and that helped Capone to keep the Loggers to a minimum in three innings. Ben Coen added to the lead with a solo home run to left in the fourth, but the Loggers finally got through in the bottom of the frame. A walk to Brad Johnson, a Hertenstein single, and Espinoza’s sac fly gave them their first run of the series after 21 innings of trying but coming up short. Edsell grounded out to Coen to end the inning.

Neither team then reached base much until back-to-back singles by Edsell and Pate knocked out Capone to begin the bottom 7th. The Raccoons sought out Preston Porter against Bayless, who got a comebacker for a 1-6-3 double play on two pitches, before Fox pinch-hit in the #8 spot. Brent Clark, in his second relief outing after being recalled, secured a groundout to strand the tying run on third base. Sean Marucci seemed to have a less lucky paw in the bottom 8th, allowing a leadoff single to Brent Allen, who advanced on Reeves’ groundout, then another single to Johnson on a 2-1 pitch. Allen was sent for home, but thrown out by Van Anderson! Zack Kelly then was brought on for Hertenstein, but gave up the game-tying single on a 2-2 offering, which was then also the new score… at least until Ricky Espinoza hit an RBI double on 0-2. Bob Ibold replaced him, gave up ANOTHER 0-2 RBI single to Edsell, and finally Pate would strike out. Righty Tim Hale got the ball in the ninth inning, despite a 5.79 ERA. A walk to Kilmer and a Herrera single put the tying runs aboard with nobody out. Maldonado flew out to Reeves, and so did Manny Fernandez. Waters hit for Jimenez – but popped out to short. 4-2 Loggers. Maldonado 2-5; Martell 2-4; Capone 6.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K;

In other news

September 4 – SFW LF Mario Villa (.382, 12 HR, 82 RBI) chops a triple, two doubles, two singles, and drives in four runs in a wacky 25-18 win over the Stars. SFW CF Clay Krabbe (.238, 11 HR, 50 RBI) drives in six runs on four hits. DAL 1B Doug Levis (.186, 4 HR, 19 RBI) settles for a pinch-hit grand slam.
September 4 – The Loggers beat the Crusaders, 4-3 in 17 innings, when INF Ricky Espinoza (.272, 16 HR, 74 RBI) hits a walkoff single for his fourth hit of the day.
September 4 – With a bruised wrist, SAC LF/RF Nate Culp (.253, 15 HR, 60 RBI) will miss three weeks.
September 6 – CHA 2B/OF Miguel Martinez (.293, 1 HR, 48 RBI) is out for the year, suffering an oblique strain while running the bases, dampening the Falcons’ joy over SP Evan Henshaw (10-10, 4.04 ERA) 2-hitting the Condors in a 3-0 win.
September 6 – SAC SP Al Scott (9-9, 4.29 ERA) 3-hits the Pacifics in a 4-0 shutout – the Pacifics being the team he started the season with.
September 6 – The Canadiens beat the Indians, 7-6, in 16 innings.
September 7 – Rebels SP Zach Tubbs (17-6, 3.36 ERA) will have to be shut down for the rest of the regular season due to a bout of elbow inflammation. The Rebels are up 7 1/2 games in the FL East and hope to preserve him for the playoffs.
September 7 – An ill-advised pickoff attempt for an error on PIT C Giampaolo Petroni (.298, 23 HR, 91 RBI) allows the Rebels to walk off, 8-7 in regulation, when Thomas Gould (.272, 5 HR, 34 RBI) scores from third base on the play.
September 9 – Capitals rookie 2B/SS Joe Tindle (.265, 1 HR, 1 RBI) strokes five hits, three singles and two doubles, in a 5-4 loss to the Rebels.
September 9 – CHA 1B/LF/RF Ed Haertling (.259, 12 HR, 62 RBI) is out for the year with a broken elbow.
September 10 – Vegas SP Steve Huffman (14-6, 2.92 ERA) nails down the Bayhawks with a 1-hitter, with cup-of-coffee INF Nelson Vega (.400, 0 HR, 1 RBI) finding a single for the lone San Francisco hit.
September 10 – The Gold Sox wipe the Warriors, 11-0, to clinch the FL West with three weeks to spare. It’s also their 100th win of the season.

FL Player of the Week: DAL OF Tylor Cecil (.375, 19 HR, 126 RBI), raking .483 (14-29) with 2 HR, 11 RBI
CL Player of the Week: IND OF Nelson Galvan (.288, 1 HR, 39 RBI), splashing .500 (14-28) with 1 RBI

Complaints and stuff

Jeff Kilmer in the leadoff spot? Suddenly hitting .500 with six walks. MAYBE there’s something to that…! We’re at a phase of the season where we have to play whatever paw appears lukewarm.

Especially with next week drawing up. It will be four against the Crusaders. A split puts the season away, in all likelihood. But it won’t be free…

The race for the division (with strength of schedule and playoff chance):
POR (83-59) – NYC (4), VAN (4), ATL (3), BOS (3), IND (3), OCT (3) – .498 – 98.2% (+1.0%)
NYC (76-66) – POR (4), VAN (4), BOS (3), CHA (3), MIL (3), TIJ (3) – .499 – 1.2% (-1.4%)
VAN (75-66) – MIL (4), NYC (4), POR (4), IND (3), LVA (3), SFB (3) - .503 – 0.5%

Who let those skunks back in??

Fun Fact: Jason Wheatley is storming to the CL ERA title, leading everybody by just over half a run, with his third shutout of the season.

Two of those against the Loggers! Maybe he’s a right-handed Rico Gutierrez?

Maybe with some more lasting success? Pleeease?

Five of Gutierrez’ nine career shutouts were against the Loggers, and he also had a strong age 25 season (Wheatley’s age now), leading the CL in wins with a 2.93 ERA as the Raccoons were ramping up to their late-20s run. Unfortunately, injuries took him apart after he won the CL ERA title in ’28 (along with his second ring) and he was a wreck for his last four seasons in the league, finishing his career 115-106 with a 3.74 ERA.

[Westheim]

Raccoons (83-59) @ Crusaders (76-66) – September 11-14, 2045

This was the big series – the Raccoons led the Crusaders by seven games, and could not afford to suffer another 4-game sweep as had happened this year already and had contributed to the 6-8 deficit in the season series. A split on the other paw would already greatly shove the Critters towards the playoffs…! New York was fourth in runs scored, sixth in runs allowed, and their +28 run differential still looked rather unimportant.

Projected matchups:
Sadaharu Okuda (10-10, 4.02 ERA) vs. Jim White (11-8, 4.08 ERA)
Victor Merino (11-4, 3.06 ERA) vs. Garrett Sutherland (10-12, 4.21 ERA)
Jason Wheatley (14-8, 2.36 ERA) vs. Paul Paris (14-7, 3.73 ERA)
Corey Mathers (15-8, 4.24 ERA) vs. Carlos Malla (6-8, 4.37 ERA)

Three right-handers, one left-hander at the end, and no room to get swept, boys!

Neither Bryce Toohey nor Derek Baskins were expected back this series, and only Toohey was an option for the weekend.

Game 1
POR: C Kilmer – CF Herrera – 1B Maldonado – LF Fernandez – SS Waters – 3B Jimenez – RF Shedd – 2B Carreno – P Okuda
NYC: LF Riario – SS Labedz – 2B Briones – 1B D. Hernandez – 3B Nash – C Wilton – RF M. Hall – CF Rico – P J. White

The Raccoons got a quick start with a walk for Jeff Kilmer, a Herrera single, and a 2-run double for Maldonado, giving Jesus 94 RBI on the year. New York didn’t slack, with Vittorio Riario pinning a triple into the rightfield corner and scoring on a groundout by Tom Labedz to make up a run right away. Just as fast, though, the offense died down – both teams settled into getting retired en masse, and both pitchers maintained the 2-1 score line through five innings, giving up four base hits each.

Waters hit a single in the sixth, but with two outs, and Jimenez popped out. Brian Shedd opened the seventh with a single, but was doubled up by Arturo Carreno. Okuda still looked good until Randolph Nash and Matt Wilton hit back-to-back bloop singles to begin the seventh, and Shedd overran the latter one for an extra base, putting both into scoring position with nobody out. Mike Hall grounded out, tying the game at two. Okuda walked Danny Rico, but got a comebacker from PH Willie Ojeda that was taken to second base for the second out. Ojeda legged out the return throw, however. At this point, Nelson Moreno was tossed into the game against Riario, notched the K, and the Crusaders left them on the corners. Next inning, same shlimassel: Labedz eeked out an infield single, Mario Briones doubled to right, and Moreno was looking at a pair in scoring position. He struck out Dave Hernandez, got a comebacker from Nash, and then was lifted for Chuck Jones against Matt Wilton, who was NOT hit for by New York. Wilton popped out to Carreno on the first offering by Jones to conclude the eighth.

And the Coons? Where was the offense? Neither team reached in the ninth, aptly moving the first of four full-orchestra games to extra innings. Carreno drew a leadoff walk off Mike Lynn, but was caught stealing before Ruben Gonzalez walked, and then Kilmer hit into a double play… The Coons sent Sean Marucci for the bottom 10th, resulting in two strikeouts and a sore elbow and exit; Preston Porter then got a groundout from Briones to end the inning. The misery continued into the 12th, where the Coons sent Martell and Anderson to bat for Jimenez and Shedd, which yielded zilch. Carreno then knobbed a 2-out single off Luis Villagomez in his second inning of work. Villagomez threw a wild pitch at 0-1 to PH Omar Gutierrez, then came more middle the next time ‘round, and Gutierrez clipped the ball to right, where it rolled near the line long enough to bring in Carreno. Rella got through the Crusaders in the bottom 12th, and that game got in the W column…! 3-2 Raccoons. Maldonado 3-5, 2B, 2 RBI; Gutierrez (PH) 1-1, RBI; Okuda 6.2 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K and 1-3;

Bit of a miserable win. But in this scenario, the win can’t be too miserable – I’ll take them all! The Elks also lost, doing so against the Loggers, who were still mathematically eliminated thanks to the Raccoons W.

Sean Marucci was not too badly bent, but could use a few days of rest, opined Dr. Padilla. We’d oblige.

Game 2
POR: SS Waters – CF Herrera – RF Maldonado – LF Fernandez – 1B Gurney – 3B Coen – 2B Martell – C Gonzalez – P Merino
NYC: LF Riario – C Alba – 2B Briones – 1B D. Hernandez – RF Willie Ojeda – 3B Nash – SS Labedz – CF Rico – P Sutherland

Good thing we won the opener, too, because Merino wasted no time before going under on Tuesday. Riario singled, Alba reached on a Coen error, and then the Crusaders whacked liners in the first inning until they had four runs on the board and I was looking down on the field with great horror. To be fair to the young lefty, one run was unearned, and he dug in after that, pitching another 4.2 innings without allowing a run or even many runners. Nash on second, two outs, Jon Craig replaced him for the righty Rico in the bottom 6th, nailed Rico, but the Crusaders, not seeing any pressure from the Portlanders, who had a Matt Waters solo homer and literally nothing else of value – didn’t hit for Sutherland and took the third out in that spot, still maintaining a 4-1 lead through six innings. And that was probably the right move – the Raccoons had nothing at all against Sutherland, and were left to watch Brent Clark walk a pair for no runs, but Brad Barnes to allow a run on a walk and a hit in the bottom 8th. Sutherland went the distance on a five-hitter, the outcome of the game never in question. 5-1 Crusaders.

Oh well – we got Wheats coming up!

Game 3
POR: C Kilmer – CF Herrera – RF Maldonado – LF Fernandez – SS Waters – 1B Gurney – 2B Carreno – 3B Gutierrez – P Wheatley
NYC: SS Adame – C Alba – RF Willie Ojeda – 2B Briones – 3B Nash – 1B Hollenbeck – LF A. Montes – CF Rico – P Paris

Gutierrez singled home Carreno from second again, here in the second inning, and also with two outs; that was not the lead-taking play, because Carreno had already scored Matt Waters with a double down the line in left, and the Coons were thus up 2-0. Gutierrez like Waters before stole second base, but Wheats made the last out. But – his job was throwing up zeroes on the board! He did so to begin the game for sure, although in the third inning he required some help from Armando Herrera, who was in a month-long hitting slump, but threw out Danny Rico, who opened the inning with a double, advanced on Paris’ bunt, then tried to come home on Alex Adame’s F8 to Herrera, who cut down Rico at the plate to end the third inning. But New York scored in the fourth – Alba and Ojeda reached the corners with a walk and a single to begin the inning, but only the former scored on Briones’ groundout; Nash and Craig Hollenbeck made poor outs, leaving the tying run stranded.

Top 5th, Omar Gutierrez drew the leadoff walk, was bunted to second, and reached third on a Kilmer single. Herrera brought in the runner from third, barely, legging out the return throw on a grounder to short, by inches. But that was good enough – it extended the lead to 3-1, and when Maldonado turned on a fat 0-2 pitch right in his food bowl, 5-1, on his 25th homer to right!

Wheats didn’t have his best of days, getting bogged down in long counts, and having pairs on the bases in the fifth and sixth innings, too, which were the final innings of the game for him. Manny Fernandez made a strong play on Randolph Nash’s drive to end the sixth. Up 5-1, the Raccoons brought in Bob Ibold for a scoreless seventh, then added a run with a Carreno double over Rico’s head and a pinch-hit RBI single by Ricky Jimenez. Kelly and Barnes did the rest for the Portlanders, who reached their minimum goal of securing the split with a game to spare. 6-1 Raccoons. Carreno 3-4, 2 2B, RBI; Gutierrez 1-2, BB, RBI; Jimenez (PH) 1-1, RBI; Zarate (PH) 1-1;

Even though our minimal goal had been the split, and we had it – I didn’t rest the staunch core (or what remained of it currently) on Thursday yet. Better keep them down when you have them down. But Maldo, Manny, Waters, and Herrera were all due a day off on the weekend in Atlanta. Our next actual off day was not until next Thursday – also the last one this year.

Game 4
POR: C Kilmer – CF Herrera – SS Waters – RF Maldonado – LF Fernandez – 3B Jimenez – 2B Carreno – RF Shedd – P Mathers
NYC: SS Adame – C Alba – 1B D. Hernandez – 2B Briones – LF Garris – RF A. Montes – 3B Riario – CF Rico – P Malla

The Raccoons had Manny and Carreno singles in the second, but Shedd couldn’t get the ball onto the green grass and stranded them. In turn, Josh Garris singled and scored on a Riario double to put the Crusaders up 1-0. Both pitchers led off their halves of the third inning, both reached base – Mathers on a single and Malla on a walk (…) – and both were doubled up by the #1 batter. The Crusaders though put Alba aboard after that, and Dave Hernandez hit a homer to left to put them up 3-0.

The Raccoons struggled – Maldo and Manny reached the corners with leadoff singles in the fourth, but poor results at the bottom of the order meant that only Maldo scored to shorten the gap on a Carreno groundout. Mathers hit another leadoff single in the fifth, and was doubled up AGAIN by Kilmer, and I wished for the quickest-possible return of Derek Baskins. Now, please!

We did get an invitation in the sixth; Andy Montes played a Waters fly into a leadoff double, and Maldonado reached when Briones dropped his pop, putting the tying runs in the 3-1 game on the corners. Manny grounded to Briones for an RBI and Maldo to reach second, and while Jimenez failed yet again with a grounder to short, Carreno singled up the middle with two outs. Maldonado went for home, scored just ahead of Rico’s throw, and the game was tied. The Crusaders walked Shedd when Carreno reached second on the throw, and the Coons batted Jonathan Dustal for Mathers, but he grounded out, keeping things even at three. Brent Clark pitched after that; he had a 1-2-3 sixth, then walked a pair in the seventh before getting bombed by Fernando Alba, which more or less put the game away, even before Preston Porter replaced Clark, retired nobody, and Chuck Jones struck out Garris, then ran into right-handers and was whacked for two runs (on Porter)…

…although…; Manny and Martell went to the corners in the eighth. Carreno hit an RBI single. Gurney grounded to short, but Alex Adame fudged the play and the bases got loaded with one out. Ruben Gonzalez hit for Jones as the tying run and was nailed by right-hander Jeff Frank, who was lifted for Aaron Hickey, another righty, right away. Kilmer fell behind 1-2, then hit a liner to left-center that fell into the gap, but was cut off, for a 2-run double, narrowing the gap to 8-7. Shockingly, Herrera with a groundout to third and Waters with an out to second were the ones that threw the rally away. But there was another shot in the ninth, after a scoreless bottom 8th by Bob Ibold. Lefty Mike Lynn faced the 4-5-6 batters. Maldo singled to right to put the tying run on base… and then Manny removed it with a 4-6-3 double play. Ben Coen hit for Martell, struck out, and that was that. 8-7 Crusaders. Maldonado 2-5; Fernandez 2-4, BB, RBI; Martell (PH) 1-1; Carreno 3-4, 3 RBI;

That maintained the 7-game gap atop the division. The damn Elks lost three of four to the Loggers and were now 8 1/2 back.

Raccoons (85-61) @ Knights (74-72) – September 15-17, 2045

The Knights had been close until recently, well, until they lost eight in a row and counting. They were now in fifth place, 11 games back, and pretty much done for the year. Sixth in runs scored, eighth in runs allowed, with a +2 run differential (Critters: +121), they had no speed, the worst defense, and a clownshoed bullpen. They also had already clinched the season series from the Coons, 5-1. Baseball…!

Projected matchups:
Adam Capone (3-3, 2.70 ERA) vs. Blake Sansone (1-4, 5.48 ERA)
Sadaharu Okuda (10-10, 3.97 ERA) vs. David Farris (12-8, 3.59 ERA)
Victor Merino (11-5, 3.13 ERA) vs. Bobby Freels (10-9, 4.94 ERA)

Only righties coming up in this series.

Game 1
POR: C Kilmer – SS Waters – 1B Gurney – LF Fernandez – 3B Jimenez – CF Anderson – 2B Carreno – RF Shedd – P Capone
ATL: 3B Venegas – 1B Delagrange – LF Hester – RF Marz – C Horner – 2B Crim – CF Melendez – SS J. Gonzalez – P Sansone

The Coons went up on a Jimenez solo homer in the second inning, quickly interrupting his perpetual uselessness, before Capone got romped for three runs in the bottom 3rd. Chris Delagrange singled, Billy Hester walked, and John Marz immediately doubled in the both of them, then scored on a Bill Melendez double. Capone also walked Adam Horner in between. A Gurney homer in the fourth narrowed the score to 3-2 again. Unfortunately, the Coons didn’t have a lot beyond the solo homers. Manny hit a double in the sixth, but was left on by Jimenez, and then a Waters error led to an unearned run in the bottom of the inning instead. The Knights moved out further in the seventh, getting a run on a wild pitch issued by Jon Craig, the run being charged to Zack Kelly, who had been rather inefficient. Portland got a leadoff single from Armando Herrera in the #9 spot in the eighth before Kyle DuPlessis struck out the 1-2-3 in order. Josh Livingston retired them 1-2-3 in the ninth to begin with. 5-2 Knights. Herrera (PH) 1-1;

The good news is, we can’t lose enough games to them to meet them next month…

Will a splash of Bryce Toohey help? We’d try on Saturday, when he came off the DL.

Game 2
POR: SS Waters – CF Herrera – 1B Maldonado – RF Toohey – LF Anderson – 2B Carreno – 3B Gutierrez – C R. Gonzalez – P Okuda
ATL: CF Venegas – 1B Delagrange – LF Hester – 3B Crim – SS J. Gonzalez – 2B Sprague – RF Melendez – C Cass – P Farris

Back-to-back leadoff doubles by Anton Venegas and Chris Delagrange, a Jorge Gonzalez single, a double by Glenn Sprague, a single for Bill Melendez – the Knights beat Okuda senseless right away, taking a 3-0 lead in the first inning before Tyler Cass grounded out to end the barrage. Okuda never stopped sucking, getting whooped for ten hits and four runs in just four innings. He was almost yanked in the third inning, escaping from that only with the bases loaded when David Farris somehow got himself out.

The Coons had no hits the first time through, which boded well, then got back-to-back homers from Van Anderson and Arturo Carreno in the fifth – not necessarily the power brigade, but it shortened the score to 4-2 alright… Toohey struck out his first two times up, but threw out Sprague at the plate on Cass’ single in the bottom 5th, all off Brad Barnes. The Critters inched yet closer in the sixth; Herrera had a 1-out hustle double to left, then scored on Maldo’s single to center. Venegas’ throw was misplaced enough to bring Maldo and the tying run into second base. Toohey struck out AGAIN, and so did Anderson… Barnes and Marucci pitched to keep the Knights close until another chance budded in the seventh inning. Waters opened with a single to right, and Herrera singled to left against righty John Snider. The Coons went aggro for the double steal, pulling it off against a perplexed Cass, and now had no outs and the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position. Maldo didn’t have to be asked twice, swatting an RBI single up the middle to tie the game on the very next pitch, all even at four. Then a comebacker, a pop, and a K from the 4-5-6 killed Herrera at third base… This team!!

The score remained tied at four through regulation; the Coons had nothing in the ninth, while the Knights stranded the winning run on third in the eighth against Marucci and Kelly, then on second in the ninth, getting singles by Enrique Jara and Gonzalez off Nelson Moreno, but also whiffing three times. The 10th saw Herrera open with a single to left, get forced out by Maldo, and then Toohey booked his golden sombrero – what a Welcome Back gift! … Joe Crim got hung a golden sombrero by Brent Clark by the bottom 11th, neither team looking like any offense would erupt soon. Clark remained in for the 12th, with Sprague hitting a leadoff single, but getting stranded on third base on three straight outs. Toohey livened up his rotten return with a 1-out single off Danny Guzman in the 13th, with Anderson hitting another one of those. The pitcher was in the #6 hole for Portland, Pat Gurney pinch-hitting and narrowly singling past Marz at first base for a third single, loading the bags. And again they didn’t score. Gutierrez grounded sharply to Sprague for a force at home plate, and Zarate hit for the listless Gonzalez, but grounded out to Crim, stranding everybody.

The game dragged on. The next two innings were valiantly pitched by Preston Porter, which was not an adverb readily used for the offense. Toohey drew a leadoff walk from Jose Vasquez in the 15th, and Anderson singled to centerfielder Nick Lee’s feet to move the tie-breaking run to second base. Gurney had remained in the game, but grounded to Sprague for a fielder’s choice at second. Porter was then hit for with Kilmer, who struck out, while Zarate grounded out. The Knights were out of pinch-hitters – when Lee, batting first, hit a single with two outs off Bob Ibold, their pitcher in the #2 hole, Vasquez, had to bat. He singled… Jara grounded out to Waters, stranding the winning run on third once more. Not that the Coons were any ******* better. Herrera hit a 2-out single in the 16th. Maldo doubled – but to left, and it was too close to send Herrera even in despair. Toohey? Ran a full count, then punched his vaunted platinum sombrero. By the 17th, the Raccoons were out of pitchers, almost. Rella was left; Craig was there, but not well rested. And Chuck Jones. And while the Knights lineup had ended up entirely left-handed, we had to try to get Jones through the bottom of the order at least. He gave up a leadoff double to Marz, and a walkoff single to Cass. 5-4 Knights. Herrera 5-7, BB, 2B; Maldonado 3-8, 2B, 2 RBI; Anderson 3-8, HR, RBI; Barnes 2.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K; Moreno 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K; Clark 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K; Porter 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K; Ibold 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K;

Both teams used 25 players each in this ******* ****** *** game.

It coincided with the end of the minor league season, allowing us to bring up Sam Bowman to stretch the pen a bit – any old arm already on the 40-man roster would do. Bowman had pitched four games in ’43, one last year, and none so far this year for the Critters.

Game 3
POR: C Kilmer – CF Herrera – 1B Maldonado – RF Toohey – LF Fernandez – 2B Carreno – SS Martell – 3B Jimenez – P Merino
ATL: CF Venegas – 1B Delagrange – RF Marz – LF Hester – 3B Crim – SS J. Gonzalez – 2B Sprague – C Cass – P Freels

The Raccoons continued to not hit ******* anything, while Merino held out for three innings, then got dinked with a leadoff triple by Billy Hester, a Crim RBI single, and another RBI knock by Sprague, falling behind 2-0. The Coons seemed to rise from their sleep, getting Carreno on with one out in the fifth inning. Carreno swiped second with two outs, and the Knights did not walk Jimenez intentionally after that. Instead Freels gave up an RBI double two pitches later. But more offense came in the sixth; while Merino grounded out to strand Jimenez, he kept the Knights close enough for them to be overturned by a Maldonado homer in the sixth inning that came with Herrera on base, who had been nicked by Freels. Maldo flipped the score with his 26th bomb, and reached 100 RBI for the second time in his career…!

The 3-2 lead didn’t hold, not because of Venegas’ leadoff triple off Merino in the bottom 7th, but because Merino, after getting two outs from Delagrange and Marz that did NOT score the runner, botched Hester’s comebacker for an error, and then allowed the run to score… He left in a 3-3 tie, with Jon Craig securing the third out from Crim. The Knights loaded the bags against Craig the inning after, with Moreno tossed into the fray for just Delagrange with two outs – keep it tied or go back to the buffet. He got a household fly to Manny to strand the runners and keep the game level. Bowman then pitched the ninth, doing so without giving up a run, and thus gave the Raccoons extra innings the day after playing 17 innings without getting a ******* hooch together.

Ben Coen then opened the 11th with a triple in the gap in left-center against righty Mike Lechowicz. Coen had entered in a double switch hours ago, and if the top of the order could get him the **** across, that would be lovely. Kilmer walked, which was a thing, and Herrera fell to 0-2, but then snuck a ball up the middle between Sprague and Tyler McKoy for an RBI single. Hey! A run! Kilmer went to third base, scoring on a Maldo sac fly to right, 5-3. Herrera stole second, sparking a free pass to the platinum sombrero guy from Saturday. Manny grounded out, Carreno struck out, and here was Rella, who entered in a double switch so he could pitch a second inning, should bad things occur (Gutierrez replaced Carreno), which was probably an amount of caution that would spring the baseball gods’ evil humor into action. He promptly walked Delagrange on four pitches, but got a 5-4-3 grounder from Marz. Then he walked Hester. FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, FINISH THE ******* GAME!! Crim grounded out on 0-2. 5-3 Blighters. Coen 1-2, 3B;

In other news

September 11 – VAN SP/MR Omar Uribe (8-7, 4.53 ERA) will miss eight months with a torn flexor tendon in his elbow.
September 15 – Miners 2B Dan Schneller (.293, 17 HR, 90 RBI) will spend the rest of the season on the DL with a dislocated shoulder.
September 16 – IND OF/1B Bill Quinteros (.251, 15 HR, 48 RBI) would also go on the shelf for the season, suffering from a herniated disc.

FL Player of the Week: CIN INF Chris Strohm (.295, 7 HR, 71 RBI), hitting .423 (11-26) with 3 HR, 5 RBI
CL Player of the Week: SFB LF/CF Jamie McGuigan (.300, 23 HR, 102 RBI), batting .444 (12-27) with 1 HR, 6 RBI

Complaints and stuff

No, not a great week by any stretch of the imagination. The lineup could not be much further from postseason form, and there are only two weeks left to get warm. Not even asking for hot. Warm would already go a fair bit for us. We went 3-4, and the saving grace was that the Crusaders didn’t win a game against the Falcons, and the damn Elks went the same crappy 2-5.

Upon returning to Portland I asked Maldonado – the main upcoming free agent on the team – about a contract extension this week. He thought he should get $50M over nine years. The only reason I didn’t choke on my banana is that Maud patted my back real good.

We called Wheats’ start against New York on Wednesday “not the best of days” for him – which still meant he lowered his ERA by two points even though he didn’t get to the seventh inning for the first time since July. He has allowed three earned runs (four total runs) in his last five starts, a total of 37 innings; and five earned runs (six total) in his last seven starts, in 50.1 innings. – Yes, Honeypaws, I have a hard time finding something to complain out.

So we lost the season series to the Crusaders, 8-10, but it looks like the war might still go our way.

The race for the division (with strength of schedule and playoff chance):
POR (86-63) – VAN (4), BOS (3), IND (3), OCT (3) – .476 – 99.9% (+1.7%)
NYC (78-71) – VAN (4), BOS (3), MIL (3), TIJ (3) – .461 – 0.1% (-0.4%)
VAN (77-71) – NYC (4), POR (4), IND (3), LVA (3) - .507 – 0.1% (-0.4%)

The competition is indeed mostly soft from here on out, but I don’t trust the damn Elks further than Maud’s niece, the regional champion in shot put, can toss them. Playing them for four is never great. Or fun. No, I don’t like 99.9%. There is too much that can still go pear-shaped. That kind of optimism does not comfort me.

(looks skywards, expecting lightning from the baseball gods to strike)

Our minor league teams? The Alley Cats went 87-57, but fell three games short of the playoffs in AAA. The Panthers sunk, 55-85, finishing 23 games out in AA. The Beagles were even worse, with no offense on the team at all, 49-91 and bottoms in single-A. The team RBI leader? 1B Alex Ramos with 35, who moved on to AA after the draft.

Fun Fact: Bryce Toohey became the first Raccoon to strike out five times in a single game in 14 years.

He matches futile Jarod Howden’s performance from July 8, 2031, at least for this one day. There will be better ones. There can hardly be worse ones. Howden also did so in an extra inning game, a 3-2, 13-inning W over the Loggers.

In fact, of the nine instances, most have happened in extra-inning games; only Mike Denny (2018), Concie Guerin (2000), and Mike Crowe (1998, oy!) achieved the feat in nine-inning games. It was done in more than nine by Omar Alfaro (2022), Vern Kinnear (1995), Winston Thompson (1987), and Wyatt Johnston (1979).

[Westheim]

The Raccoons reached their penultimate homestand of the season – six games this week, and another three against Boston at the end of the year. With 13 to play and an 8-game lead, the magic number was six with respect to the Crusaders and the damn Elks, the latter having to play one additional game still. Derek Baskins was still not expected back this week, and the only other idea to jump-start the offense that I still had was sticking big metal poles into the boys’ underpants and pray for lightning.

Raccoons (86-63) vs. Thunder (86-63) – September 18-20, 2045

The final regular season set of games against the CLCS featured the first-place Thunder, who might or might not be back in town in two weeks then. The teams were even on record, and also against each other this year, 3-3 after six games. The Thunder ranked second in runs scored (Coons: 7th) and sixth in runs allowed (Coons: 1st), with a +60 run differential (Coons: +119). They had a variety of pitching injuries, causing them further problems, and the Bayhawks and Falcons were only 2 1/2 and 3 games back, respectively. The only major category in which they made the top 3 was on-base percentage, second with a .349 mark.

Projected matchups:
Jason Wheatley (15-8, 2.34 ERA) vs. Matt Peterson (6-9, 4.51 ERA)
Corey Mathers (15-8, 4.27 ERA) vs. Juan Ramos (18-8, 4.27 ERA)
Adam Capone (3-4, 2.91 ERA) vs. Victor Marquez (12-13, 4.63 ERA)

Marquez was the only left-hander coming up in this set.

Game 1
OCT: RF Zurita – 1B S. Henderson – SS R. Cox – C Adames – 2B Cedillo – CF Tortora – 3B Simon – LF E. Moore – P M. Peterson
POR: 1B Gurney – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – RF Toohey – LF Fernandez – SS Waters – 2B Carreno – C Gonzalez – P Wheatley

I hung my fuzzy ears, tail, and the whiskers, when Wheats walked Angelo Zurita to begin the game, and the runner stole second and scored on two groundouts to put the Coons in another 1-0 hole to get stuck in. The Raccoons promptly did nothing, getting only Carreno on the first time through, and he didn’t get further than second base in the bottom 3rd after a bunt by Wheatley, who did not overpower anybody, and had no strikeouts the first time through. Peterson though allowed a single to Armando Herrera to begin the bottom 4th, then hung one to Maldonado that was just simply gone, blasted to Kingdom Come, flipping the score to 2-1 Portland. To Wheats’ credit, he tried to run with it – the pitching duel stretched through six with a pair of 3-hitters, but when Ryan Cox and Jesus Adames reached base on a walk and a single to begin the seventh inning, and a barrage of left-handed hitters drew up, the Raccoons pulled the plug on Wheatley and sent Chuck Jones. It didn’t go so well – Alfonso Cedillo and PH Jonathan Ban hit singles to flip the score, and with two outs and Peterson at the plate, Jones hurled a wild pitch to plate Cedillo for a 4-2 deficit.

Wheatley avoided the sticky loss thanks to Al Martell in the bottom 7th; the lefty swinger batted for the hopeless Ruben Gonzalez with Manny (walk) and Waters (single) in scoring position and two outs, and got the ball past Ban into rightfield to tie the score at four. Van Anderson batted for Jones and singled, a defensive misplay putting a pair in scoring position again, and then Pat Gurney cracked a 2-run single to right, giving the lead back to the Coons…! That did it for Peterson – the Thunder’s Jon Craig, the black one, while we had the white Jon Craig, struck out Herrera to end the inning eventually. The white Jon Craig, ours, entered the game in the top 8th, in which the Thunder gradually accumulated runners before, with two outs and the tying runners on the corners, half the responsibility of Craig and Brent Clark, Zack Kelly came in to face Cedillo, and got a groundout to short to bail out. Then came Josh Rella. He walked Ban to begin the ninth, then advanced him on a wild pitch. Mal Phinazee’s grounder moved Ban to third, but PH Jose Aviles struck out. Another ex-Coon, Sal Ayala, was up with two outs, and he walked after Rella first twitched to balk in Ban’s run. Somehow, nobody knew quite how, Zurita struck out before the heavens could come down entirely. 6-5 Raccoons. Martell (PH) 1-1, 2 RBI; Anderson (PH) 1-1;

That game was an all-out ********. But it got the magic number down to five. The Crusaders were off, while the damn Elks won, tying those two teams.

Game 2
OCT: RF Zurita – 1B S. Henderson – SS R. Cox – C Adames – 2B Cedillo – CF Tortora – 3B Simon – LF C. Vega – P J. Ramos
POR: 2B Gurney – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – 1B Toohey – LF Fernandez – SS Waters – C Kilmer – RF Shedd – P Mathers

Another day, another game to be played from behind, it seemed. Cedillo homered and the Thunder got another run out of two singles from the following lefties against Mathers, going up 2-0 in the top 2nd, although the Raccoons answered the same inning. Manny singled, Waters walked, and Kilmer hit a 1-out RBI single. Brian Shedd grounded to the right side, where Sterling Henderson cut the ball off, but had no play, and the bags were full for the .153 hitter Mathers, who struck out fast, but Ramos still had to grind through Pat Gurney. Running a full count, he eventually missed with the 3-2, walking in Matt Waters to tie the game. Herrera then flew out to Carlos Vega, and then nothing happened for almost an hour.

Bottom 5th, Gurney hit a leadoff single. He stole second, moved to third on a grounder by Herrera, and Maldonado walked on four pitches, and then… two strikeouts. Cristiano, tell me – what’s the odds that Bryce Toohey never not strikes out with a runner in scoring position again? … Thought so.

The Thunder had the bags full with Henderson, Jesus Adames, and Cedillo and one out in the sixth against Mathers, but Cullen Tortora popped out to third, and Brad Simon grounded out to Gurney. The Raccoons stuck with Mathers here because they had used all three of their lefty relievers on Monday, and none of them had helped them much. The Thunder bombarded Mathers with more lefty hitters in the seventh, but were sat down 1-2-3, and the Thunder got just as far in the eighth. That would be it for Mathers, gritting it out in a 2-2 game for eight innings. And the Coons had nobody on base either – it was not a great application for a potential CLCS matchup right now, was it? Brent Clark, in any case, made a mess on the field, putting Cedillo and Tortora on the corners with one out, and then left for Nelson Moreno, but Moreno threw a wild pitch at 2-2 to PH Steve Humphreys. I reached for the lacquer-laced bottle of Capt’n Coma I had prepared as the Thunder went up. Humphreys struck out, Ban grounded out, but the Coons were behind, and brought up the bottom of the order in the bottom 9th (not that the top had done ANYTHING useful). Kilmer popped out. Martell grounded out. Jimenez popped out. 3-2 Thunder. Mathers 8.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K;

New York beat the Condors, 7-2, so they kept their magic number at five. The Elks lost to the Aces, 6-5, dropping theirs to four.

Yes, Maud, call the local artisanal blacksmith. We need those bum poles direly.

Game 3
OCT: RF Zurita – 3B Simon – SS R. Cox – 2B Cedillo – CF Tortora – 1B Phinazee – C Weese – LF E. Moore – P V. Marquez
POR: C Kilmer – CF Herrera – 1B Maldonado – RF Toohey – LF Fernandez – SS Waters – 2B Carreno – 3B Coen – P Capone

Capone allowed one hit in the first inning, in which he threw 36 pitches. The hit was a 2-run homer by Ryan Cox, and he walked three batters, all in full counts, lacking any stuff and drowning in a deluge of lefty batters. Like Tuesday, the Raccoons came back right away; Kilmer doubled, Herrera singled him in, and after Toohey reached on an error, Manny Fernandez hit an RBI single to right to tie the score. Then came Waters, taking a 1-1 pitch over the centerfield fence for a 5-2 lead. The Thunder scored two runs in 36 pitches? The Coons scored five runs in 15 pitches!

This remained the score through five. The Thunder got Ethan Moore on to begin the second inning, but Marquez bunted badly and got him doubled up. Capone then walked Zurita, who was caught stealing. The Thunder laid down after that, and the Coons had no intention to interrupt their snoozes again after the first inning, it seemed. Capone remained in long counts and barely made it through five innings. Mal Phinazee clanked one over the fence in right off Sean Marucci in the sixth, narrowing the score to 5-3, while Ben Coen, who didn’t get to play a lot, and probably didn’t know what he was doing, hit a 2-out double in the bottom of the inning, but was duly stranded by PH Jonathan Dustal. PH Jose Aviles then shoved a ball into the gap off Zack Kelly in the top 7th, legging out a leadoff triple. Kelly growled, got a short out from Zurita, 2-3, then struck out Simon and Cox to strand the runner.

And then the black Jon Craig broke. Herrera walked, stole second, and Maldo doubled him home in the bottom 7th, 6-3. Toohey got on, Manny hit an RBI single, and Waters hit a soft single to load the bases. The Thunder cycled through relievers, with the second out collected from Omar Gutierrez before Xavier Gomez walked in a run against Coen, then allowed two more runs to score on a single by Ruben Gonzalez (!). The Coons had reached double digits, Shedd grounded out for Kilmer, and now we longed to get the last two outs from the skinny end of the pen, Bowman and Barnes, without blowing a 7-run lead. The 4-5-6 went single, single, homer on Bowman, ending that plan. Bob Ibold worked out of the inning instead, while Herrera’s leadoff triple, a walk to Maldo, and a Jimenez single re-added to the lead in the bottom 8th against right-hander Brian Lacy. Ibold then put the game away for good. 11-6 Raccoons. Herrera 3-5, 3B, RBI; Jimenez 1-1, RBI; Fernandez 2-5, 2 RBI; Waters 2-5, HR, 3 RBI; Coen 1-2, 2 BB, 2B, RBI; Gonzalez (PH) 1-1, 2 RBI; Ibold 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K;

Whatever ******* works.

The opposition won their games on Wednesday; we were off on Thursday, but Crusaders played, then losing 8-7 to the Condors. By Thursday night, the magic number was three in relation to both the Crusaders and Canadiens.

Raccoons (88-64) vs. Indians (57-95) – September 22-24, 2045

…and we’d play three with the Indians! Just sayin’, boys. Just sayin’. We were up 11-4 this year against the #12 offense and #9 pitching in the CL. They had a -144 run differential and were bidding to become one of three, maybe even four 100-loss teams in the league this season. Bill Quinteros (back) was the only notable injury for them.

Projected matchups:
Sadaharu Okuda (10-10, 4.08 ERA) vs. Luis Anzaldo (5-5, 4.32 ERA)
Victor Merino (11-5, 3.11 ERA) vs. Ayden Cobb (12-9, 4.14 ERA)
Jason Wheatley (15-8, 2.40 ERA) vs. Chris Volk (8-14, 4.68 ERA)

They only had righty starters on hand.

Game 1
IND: SS Russ – CF N. Galvan – LF D. Rivera – 3B Walley – C Julian Diaz – 2B E. Vargas – 1B Huber – RF A. Aguilar – P Anzaldo
POR: 2B Gurney – CF Herrera – 1B Maldonado – RF Toohey – LF Fernandez – SS Waters – C Zarate – 3B Jimenez – P Okuda

As normal, the Raccoons were scored on early, with Danny Rivera doubling home Nelson Galvan in the first inning by beating Herrera in center with a long drive. But the Coons would be done with Anzaldo before three innings were over; Manny tied the game with a homer to right in the bottom 2nd before starting with Jimenez and including Okuda, the Coons fired off four straight 2-out singles, driving in two runs to go up 3-1. In the third then, Toohey grounded out to begin the inning, but Manny walked, Waters singled to right, and Zarate grounded out to advance them. The Indians put Jimenez on intentionally, but got burned by Okuda with a 2-run single to right-center… and then Gurney’s 3-run homer to right, exploding the score to 8-1. Reliever Tony Correa then walked three straight before Manny’s grounder was botched by Adam Huber for a run-scoring error. Waters flew out to Rivera, ending the 6-run third.

With Okuda solid, the Raccoons started to remove regulars in the sixth inning, hitting Martell for Waters, and Toohey and Herrera left after the inning. Okuda allowed one runner in the middle innings, but then gave up a run in the seventh, giving up a double to Julian Diaz and an RBI single to Huber, 9-2. Pat Gurney did not come out of the game, being unretired on nothing but hits. He singled off Joel Macy to begin the bottom 7th, with a 6-hit day still a possibility, although Dustal struck out and Maldo hit into a double play. Van Anderson singled home Brian Shedd, who had smacked a leadoff double in the bottom 8th, hitting for Zarate. Omar Gutierrez struck out, killing Gurney’s 6-hit bid, unless the Coons could explode for eight runs in the ninth inning. Sam Bowman allowed nothing instead. 10-2 Furballs! Gurney 5-5, HR, 4 RBI; Shedd 1-1, 2B; Anderson (PH) 1-1, RBI; Jimenez 2-2, BB; Okuda 8.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, W (11-10) and 2-3, 2 RBI;

While that riot was going on, the Crusaders and damn Elks played a double-header in New York. The Crusaders swept it, which eliminated the damn Elks from mathematical contention. Our magic number towards New York was now two.

Game 2
IND: SS Russ – CF N. Galvan – LF D. Rivera – 3B Walley – C Julian Diaz – 1B Lutch – 2B A. Avila – RF A. Aguilar – P A. Cobb
POR: 2B Gurney – CF Herrera – 1B Maldonado – RF Toohey – LF Fernandez – SS Waters – 3B Martell – C Kilmer – P Merino

For a novel idea, the Raccoons scored first, Manny driving home Maldo in the first inning on Saturday to take a 1-0 lead. I didn’t know baseball could work like that! That was it, though, nothing being added to it until Vince Lutch took it all away with an RBI single in the fourth inning after Merino had issued two leadoff walks. Arturo Aguilar reached on an infield single with one out, and somehow Merino bowed out with a strikeout to Cobb and a Russ grounder to short. Toohey, entirely silent since coming off the DL, hit a leadoff single in the bottom 4th, with Manny grounding to short, but Russ filed the ball away for an error. Waters grounded hard to first, the ball hit Lutch in the neck, and he was charged another error for that. Bases loaded, no outs … ack. Al Martell flew out to left in unhelpful fashion with not much pace on third in Toohey, but Jeff Kilmer hit a rocket through the right side for a 2-run double, taking a 3-1 lead…! Merino added an RBI single himself at 1-1, finding the hole between Russ and Chris Walley, before the inning ended with two weak groundouts.

So apart from shoddy weather – it started to rain in the fourth – the Coons seemed fine off. Up 4-1, Merino doing reasonably well, and maybe some help from the damn Elks to seal the deal right now. Galvan reached base to begin the fifth, but was doubled up by Rivera. Walley then reached on a 2-out walk before Merino ran a full count to Diaz… and walked him, too… and then didn’t stop rotating his shoulder, grimacing. I tried to faint, but couldn’t, being too shocked. Dr. Padilla removed Merino, with Bob Ibold taking over and sneaking into a possible W with a one-pitch groundout coaxed from Vince Lutch, but also added a 1-2-3 sixth before Enrique Vargas and Galvan hit singles off him in the seventh. Chuck Jones came in for Rivera, but allowed an RBI single. Preston Porter had to dig out of the inning with two grounders. Gurney countered with a sac fly after a leadoff triple by Van Anderson against righty Justin Johns in the bottom 7th, 5-2. From there, Jon Craig and Josh Rella tended to the lead and put the game away. 5-2 Coons. Anderson (PH) 1-1, 3B; Merino 4.2 IP, 8 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K and 1-2, RBI;

The Crusaders eeked out a 5-4 win over the damn Elks, thus continuing to hope to Sunday. They only got that far in the last swing of the game, a come-from-behind walkoff homer by Willie Ojeda.

There was however no hope for Merino – Dr. Padilla reported a partial tear in the labrum on Sunday, and he was toast for ’45. And the Raccoons were running out of starting pitchers now. Tony Negrete, 1-1 with a 6.10 ERA in two games with the Coons, was rather urgently called to Portland. Sunday’s starter remained Wheats, though.

Game 3
IND: 1B S. Jennings – SS Russ – LF D. Rivera – CF N. Galvan – 2B D. Diaz – RF Crocker – C J. Rose – 3B J. Ramos – P Nichol
POR: 2B Gurney – SS Waters – 1B Maldonado – LF Fernandez – C Kilmer – CF Dustal – 3B Martell – RF Shedd – P Wheatley

Bill Nichol (14-14, 4.56 ERA) was entered into the Sunday game ultimately and got a 1-0 lead spotted in the first when Russ doubled home Steven Jennings right away against the prospective CL ERA king. Gurney reached base for Portland, with the team then hitting into two fielder’s choices before Manny found the wall in left for a 2-out double. Jeff Kilmer singled up the middle to plate both Maldo and Manny, flipping the score. Dustal also hit a single, but the inning ended with Martell. Not so in the fourth, when Dustal hit a 1-out single with nobody on, but was then chased around by a Martell double down the rightfield line to make it 3-1. That was 3-1 despite Wheats being wonky, allowing four hits and three walks in four messy innings. He walked Russ in the fifth, which quickly degenerated into Russ’ 41st stolen base, and Rivera’s grounder moved the runner to third with two outs. Manny caught a high fly from Galvan without panic, though, and the inning ended.

Wheatley held up, retiring another six in order before getting patted on the back during the seventh-inning stretch, allowing only the one run on four hits and walks each. The win got away, though – Nelson Moreno allowed a single to Galvan, then a game-tying homer to Danny Diaz in the eighth inning, getting everybody even at three. When Dustal hit a leadoff single in the bottom 8th, stole second, and was scored once again by Martell with another hit, it put Portland up 4-3, but no longer Wheatley… It actually went to Brent Clark, for now, who got the final out in the top 8th. Whether it would finally would stick with Clark, would depend on Josh Rella, facing 7-8-9 in a 4-3 game in the ninth inning. Jason Rose grounded out to Martell. Same for Jon Ramos. Julian Diaz singled to center. Jennings singled to left. PH Sergio Riquenes was hitting .139, and a switch-hitter. He would be Rella’s, but if the bags were full, Rivera would see Jones again. The bags didn’t fill up – Riquenes was down 0-1 before hitting a fly to right. Shedd came in a bit, posted himself, reached, and caught, and thus clinched the division for Portland…! 4-3 Critters. Kilmer 2-4, 2 RBI; Dustal 3-3, BB; Martell 2-3, BB, 2B, 2 RBI; Wheatley 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 6 K;

In other news

September 18 – NAS 1B Alejandro Ramos (.309, 7 HR, 53 RBI) has five hits and is a triple shy of the cycle, driving in three runs in the Blue Sox’ 11-2 win over the Wolves.
September 22 – CIN INF/LF Chris Delgado (.321, 21 HR, 97 RBI) is out for the year with torn thumb ligaments.
September 24 – At age 40, DEN CL Yeom Soung (4-2, 1.67 ERA, 41 SV) nails down his 300th career save in a 1-0 win over the Pacifics. The sole run is courtesy of a home run by 3B Jeremy Hornig (.258, 8 HR, 44 RBI). Soung claimed his 300 saves in just ten seasons, joining the league from Korea at age 31. He was the Reliever of the Year twice and an All Star nine times! He has a 48-46 record and 2.62 career ERA.

FL Player of the Week: NAS 1B Alejandro Ramos (.310, 9 HR, 56 RBI), batting .444 (12-27) with 3 HR, 6 RBI
CL Player of the Week: NYC OF Danny Rico (.304, 15 HR, 97 RBI), poking .556 (15-27) with 1 HR, 5 RBI

Complaints and stuff

Well, they somehow shook the damn thing home! The Raccoons are entered into the CLCS with a sweep of the Arrowheads, and will now wait for whatever slithers out of the Thunder/Bayhawks/Falcons threesome in the South.

With Merino done, the Raccoons have to ask where they’ll find four starters in the playoffs. Wheats, Mathers, Okuda are all that are still standing while looking competent. Capone has some horrible stats – and so does Clark, who is completely outta whack.

Anyone remember Nelson Moreno was a starter? No, I don't want to either, but ...

Sunday was Wheats’ last go in the regular season – no point risking him in a meaningless game against Boston. We might use Sean Marucci as a spot starter, Negrete will slide in behind Wheats to start on Monday and Saturday to eat innings at least, but there’s no real other option amongst our relievers, and the seriousness of the situation demands we don’t dive down to bring up Bubba Wolinsky (9-7, 3.42 ERA in AAA) to make his major league debut in the CLCS.

Yes, Derek Baskins still exists and will totally come back next week.

Maud, I need a thicker paper bag to breathe into. This one doesn’t work. Or make it plastic.

Fun Fact: Christian Sarmasan is the only ABL player in history from Moldova.

That would be between Romania and Ukraine on your map of Not the Caribbean. His career was so brief it barely happened. He got into two games with the 2001 and 2002 Canadiens, and batted only once, striking out.

Born in rural Calarasi County in Romania in 1978, his family lived in Moldova when the entire region went through the hiccups in the early 90s, then made away to the US soon after, where Sarmasan was taken with the #59 pick by the Titans in the 1996 draft. An outfielder, he would spend 13 years in the minor leagues, drifting through five different organizations. In 255 games at the AAA level, he hit .241 with 22 homers, but it never translated into more extended spotlight time. He retired after the 2008 season.

Maud, is it true that Nick Valdes knows Sarmasan? – “Business partners in strategic waste disposal in Transnistria”? – No, I already know too much.

[Westheim]

Raccoons (91-64) @ Canadiens (80-75) – September 25-28, 2045

Ahead of the third-place Elks in the final regular season series on the road, the Raccoons could finally add Derek Baskins back to the lineup. Up 10-4 against the team topping the league both in most runs scored and most runs allowed, all we hoped for were not more injuries, and that maybe the lineup could figure out how to stay in one piece until October. It would also help to not suffer any more pitching injuries…

Projected matchups:
Tony Negrete (1-1, 6.10 ERA) vs. Michael Donovan (9-7, 3.93 ERA)
Corey Mathers (15-8, 4.18 ERA) vs. David Arias (4-4, 6.13 ERA)
Adam Capone (4-4, 2.97 ERA) vs. George Drob (0-5, 6.44 ERA)
Sadaharu Okuda (11-10, 4.00 ERA) vs. John Roeder (8-10, 4.14 ERA)

They looked like they’d have left-handers at the ends of the series, with two right-handers in the middle. Both Arias and Drob had pitched in a double-header on Friday, and one might have to go on short rest.

There was no shortage on injuries on either side, with starters Omar Uribe and Mario Godinez, as well as position players Kenichi Saito, Chris Robinson, and Travis Malkus all on the shelf for Elk City. The Coons would weave in more of the backups in these technically meaningless games now, but all the core batters were in the lineup on Monday for Derek Baskins’ return, with the exception of Manny Fernandez, which was more like a thing with the left-hander on the mound.

Game 1
POR: LF Baskins – CF Herrera – 1B Maldonado – RF Toohey – SS Waters – C Kilmer – 2B Carreno – 3B Jimenez – P Negrete
VAN: RF van der Zanden – 2B O. Aguirre – CF Outram – C Julio Diaz – 3B Hutson – 1B Zuazo – LF Peralta – SS Price – P Donovan

A Herrera double, Toohey reaching on an uncaught third strike, and Waters walking loaded the bags in the first, but Kilmer grounded out on a 3-1 pitch and nobody scored, and the damn Elks had the bases loaded in the bottom 2nd… with nobody out… and without as much of a base hit. Negrete stunk, nicked Julio Diaz, walked Dan Hutson and Alvin Zuazo, and allowed a run each on an Antonio Peralta single and Rick Price’s sac fly before the Elks somehow choked. Maldonado hit his 28th homer to left in the top 3rd, cutting the gap to 2-1, and that was it through five innings, neither team managing more than three hits off a wonky pitcher. Even Jerry Outram, hitting .353 with 19 homers, failed to feast on Negrete, hitting into two double plays.

Negrete was gone after five messy and long innings, still down 2-1. Clark and Marucci dealt scoreless frames in the sixth and seventh, respectively, while the Coons lineup remained stuck to three base hits. Then the Elks went to Matt Sealock – the veteran and former ace had missed all of this season recovering from Tommy John surgery, and was only making his second appearance in the majors after a troubled showing in a brief minor league rehab. He walked Toohey to begin the top 8th, then also walked Waters. Al Martell pinch-ran for Toohey at second base, but the next two batters made poor outs. Manny Fernandez batted for Ricky Jimenez, which was too much for the Elks’ taste, and they sent another starter, recently disgraced Alex Lewis (11-7, 4.84 ERA) to face him. Manny popped out in a full count. Instead, the damn Elks scored a run on Bob Ibold with singles by Dustin Fruman and Oscar Aguirre in the bottom 8th, and the Coons disappeared without a trace in the ninth. 3-1 Canadiens. Maldonado 2-4, HR, RBI;

Agree, Honeypaws. We’ll be home after four games in the CLCS.

Game 2
POR: LF Baskins – SS Waters – 2B Gurney – RF Fernandez – 1B Toohey – CF Dustal – 3B Martell – C Gonzalez – P Mathers
VAN: RF van der Zanden – 2B O. Aguirre – CF Outram – C Julio Diaz – 3B Hutson – 1B Zuazo – LF V. Vazquez – SS Price – P Drob

The Raccoons exploded over Drob, who was picked to go on short rest, in the first inning; Matt Waters and Pat Gurney hit back-to-back homers, which marked the 20th for Waters this year, and the hard hits kept coming. Bryce Toohey hit a double with two outs, scoring on a Dustal single. Al Martell also singled, before the inning ended with Ruben Gonzalez’ fly to deep left. Another 3-spot was unfurled in the second inning as Drob got beaten like a drum. Baskins doubled to right – first hit off the DL – and Gurney hit an RBI single, followed by a 2-run homer to right clocked by Manny. Never mind that Corey Mathers was just the same mess – he scattered four hits the first time through the lineup even before a throwing error on Rick Price’s grounder put two in scoring position with two outs. The Elks, accepting of their fate, didn’t bat for Drob, but Drob hit a 2-run single to center. Mathers offered a wild pitch before getting Arnout van der Zanden out with a fly to left. It was 6-2 after two with potential for a long, long night.

Not for Drob, exactly; he was out in the third inning after giving up a homer to Dustal, a single to Gonzalez, mishandling Mathers’ bunt, and then an RBI double to center smacked by Baskins, settling him for eight runs in 2.1 innings, although the remaining runners were stranded with strikeouts by Waters and Gurney. But you had to hand it to Mathers – he was a believer! He didn’t think this game was won, and was firmly convinced that it could still be lost! He pitched accordingly, getting whacked around for ten hits in five innings, and five total runs; one more in the third, and two more in the fifth, narrowing the score to 8-5.

But not just Mathers failed. Everybody failed. Even Chuck Jones failed, facing the top four in the order in the bottom 7th and giving up a leadoff walk, a single to (the right-handed) Aguirre, a sac fly to Outram, 8-6, and then another single to Diaz. Nelson Moreno replaced him, struck out Hutson, and got a groundout from Zuazo to stave off the collapse for another inning. Moreno put Rick Price aboard with two outs in the eighth, then yielded for Zack Kelly, who was ready to shoot the puppy right between the eyes. Van der Zanden singled off him, Aguirre singled off him, 8-7, he fell to 3-1 on Outram, then nicked him to load the bases with two gone – and then Diaz grounded out to Pat Gurney. Portland failed to do anything after drobbing Drob, and then had only the scantest of leads for Josh Rella to play with. Hutson ripped a leadoff double to left, and while Zuazo struck out, Victor Vazquez’ single to right-center got the tying run around to score. Two more strikeouts concluded regulation, while I was back home on the couch, crying into the cushions.

Shockingly, when the tie was broken in the 11th, it was broken by Gurney’s RBI triple into the corner in rightfield, chasing home Waters for a 9-8 lead against Sealock. Gurney was on third with one out, with Manny trying to pop out in foul ground next to Zuazo – who dropped the ball for an error. The new lease on life Manny got allowed him to slap an RBI single two pitches later. Toohey had been replaced by Carreno for assorted defensive purposes earlier, and Carreno flew out to left. Dustal struck out, netting a golden sombrero. Up 10-8 then, the Raccoons tried Bob Ibold in the bottom 11th. Diaz opened with a single right away, but he struck out Hutson. Zuazo grounded to short, Waters to Carreno, to Gurney – ballgame. 10-8 Coons. Baskins 3-6, 2 2B, RBI; Waters 2-6, HR, 2B, RBI; Gurney 3-6, HR, 3B, 3 RBI; Fernandez 3-6, HR, 3 RBI; Dustal 2-6, HR, 2 RBI; Martell 3-5;

48th career appearance for Ibold – first save.

I could have done without it.

Game 3
POR: 1B Gurney – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – LF Fernandez – RF Toohey – 2B Carreno – SS Gutierrez – C Zarate – P Capone
VAN: RF van der Zanden – 2B O. Aguirre – CF Outram – 3B Hutson – 1B Zuazo – LF V. Vazquez – C T. Phillips – SS Price – P D. Arias

Gurney, Maldo, and Toohey filled the bases in the first on two hits and a walk, but Carreno struck out to strand all of them. Elk City went up 1-0 in the first instead, getting van der Zanden on with an infield single. He advanced on a grounder, stole third base, and came home on Outram’s sac fly. Zarate and Gurney doubles got us even at one in the top 2nd, but with a leadoff jack to left by Alvin Zuazo in the bottom 2nd, the Coons were a-trailing again. Toohey then tied the game with his own homer to left in the top of the third – his first RBI since coming off the DL! – and the Coons even took the lead in the fourth, going up 3-2 on a leadoff single by Jose Zarate, a bunt, a groundout, and a wild pitch by Arias. Whatever works!

Top 5th, Maldo drew a 1-out walk off the adrift Arias. He made it to third base on Manny’s single, then scored on a deep fly out by Toohey, a sac fly to go up 4-2. Arias didn’t get out of the inning, walking the bags full, but Capone struck out against Alex Lewis to strand everybody. All the lead went away in the sixth inning, perhaps deliberately engineered by the Coons, who needed to feel Capone’s pulse under intense pressure, and were sorely disappointed as after a few solid innings, he came apart for van der Zanden and Outram singles, an RBI single by Hutson to narrow the tally to 4-3 and move both runners into scoring position on Herrera’s throw home, and while Vazquez popped out for the second out, Tim Phillips tied the game with a 2-out single to center. Zuazo was sent from second, Herrera tried again, and this time threw out the runner at the plate, ending the sixth with the score even at four.

Capone, a prospective fourth starter in the playoffs, got stuck for good with two outs in the seventh, with van der Zanden hitting a single and stealing second before Aguirre walked anyway. Chuck Jones, foundering, arrived for Jerry Outram, which used to be a good matchup for the Raccoons, and now we had to be content that Outram’s 2-2 liner went right into a mitten, Gurney’s in this case. The tie held into the ninth, which began when Gurney stuck a ball into the rightfield corner against Sebastien Parham for a leadoff triple. As if on command, the team choked. Herrera hit a poor grounder that kept Gurney pinned. Maldo was walked intentionally and shall be absolved of blame. But Manny struck out. And Toohey popped out. Failures, all of them. Except Maldo. In the bottom 9th, the decomposing Brent Clark walked the bags full with Steve Holbrook, Aguirre, and Outram, and two outs. Jon Craig vs. Dan Hutson would determine loss or extras. Hutson singled up the middle. 5-4 Canadiens. Gurney 3-5, 3B, 2B, RBI; Zarate 2-3, BB, 2B;

Pat Gurney missed the cycle by one thing for the second consecutive night – and never for the triple!

Never mind that as a whole, the team just looks ghastly night in, night out.

And only four games left to get good.

Game 4
POR: LF Baskins – CF Herrera – 1B Maldonado – SS Waters – C Kilmer – RF Shedd – 2B Carreno – 3B Coen – P Okuda
VAN: LF van der Zanden – 2B O. Aguirre – CF Outram – C Julio Diaz – 3B Hutson – 1B Zuazo – RF Peralta – SS Holbrook – P Roeder

Tapped as #2 starter behind Wheatley, Okuda entered trying to get the ERA into the threes in his final start in the regular season, but instead got waffle-slapped just like everybody else. He pitched five ****** innings, allowing four runs, three earned. Hutson singled home Aguirre in the first innings. Antonio Peralta homered to left in the second. Zuazo drove in two in the third inning, singling to right with Aguirre scoring on his own power, and Diaz being encouraged by Brian Shedd’s throwing error. The Coons? Baskins doubled home Ben Coen, who was 2-for-2 by then, in the fifth inning, and that was about it. Brad Barnes would follow that dismal outing with two innings of 1-run ball, not that it mattered much. When Shedd and Carreno opened the seventh by reaching base, Coen hit into a double play, and Ruben Gonzalez did the rest for that inning with another free out. The bottom 8th saw another three runs for the damn Elks among terrible pitching by Sam Bowman and errors by both Coen and Baskins behind him, which didn’t help with the woefully inept pitching. The Coons got singles from Manny and Carreno by the time there were two outs in the ninth, with Coen striking out to end the game and the ******* series. 8-1 Canadiens. Fernandez (PH) 1-1; Carreno 2-3, BB; Coen 2-4;

Bright sides – no broken little legs and necks.

Raccoons (92-67) vs. Titans (65-94) – September 29-October 1, 2045

The final home set featured the Titans, that season series being in the Coons’ camp already at an 11-4 rate. We would continue our cowardly approach to our core lineup players, though (as far as they were useful at all at this point) and none of them should play all the games in the series (pinch-hitting not included). Boston was second from the bottom in runs scored and fifth in runs allowed, with a -73 run differential.

Projected matchups:
Sean Marucci (0-0, 3.15 ERA) vs. Victor Mondragon (9-11, 4.77 ERA)
Tony Negrete (1-2, 5.28 ERA) vs. Hisami Furuya (5-6, 4.35 ERA)
Corey Mathers (15-8, 4.21 ERA) vs. Kyle Turay (2-5, 3.91 ERA)

Looked like we’d pick out their righty starters, or what was left of those: Lachlan Clarke, Danny Tirado, Todd Lush, Ivan Lugo, Juan Rodriguez… the list of injuries for them was long.

Marucci got the spot start instead of Wheatley, not because of ERA title considerations (he’d have a hard time giving up as many runs as needed to blow his title), but because having Wheats in Game 1 was more important. Marucci had only two solid pitches, but if you looked at some other personnel on staff, you’d wonder how they didn’t do better with their multitude of tossings. Marucci had started in college, but despite having been a #42 pick in the 2041 draft had never started professionally. This would be his 202nd professional appearance, and his 36th in the majors. Going on Closing Day would not inhibit Mathers from starting Game 3 on full rest.

In the CL South, the Thunder led the Bayhawks by two, and they’d play each other on the weekend. The Falcons were eliminated.

Game 1
BOS: SS Castaneda – LF Liceaga – 1B C. Jimenez – C Whitley – 2B Kleemeyer – CF T. Lopez – RF D. Meyer – 3B Mangual – P Mondragon
POR: LF Baskins – 2B Gurney – 3B Maldonado – RF Fernandez – 1B Toohey – SS Waters – CF Dustal – C Kilmer – P Marucci

There was little to find objectionable about Marucci’s spot start. He put a pair on in the first inning, but wiggled out of that, and he gave up a fifth-inning single to the opposing pitcher, and he also seemed to be unable to retire Danny Liceaga at all, but he made it through five scoreless innings for three hits and two walks. He also got absolutely no support from his own team, which was held to one hit (a 2-out Maldo triple that led nowhere) through four innings by Mondragon, who walked a pair. Marucci batted for himself in a 7-8-9 wipe in the bottom 5th, keeping the game scoreless, then gave up a leadoff single to center to Dan Whitley in the sixth. Josh Kleemeyer flew out easily, and Tony Lopez hit a 3-1 pitch back to Marucci for a 1-6-3 double play. That was it for Marucci – six FINE innings, and maybe we had found our #4 starter for the playo- (gets slapped by Cristiano with a rolled-up magazine)

A win was not in the offing for Marucci, though, with Mondragon remaining in command through six. Preston Porter continued to pitch scorelessly for Portland, adding two innings on 18 pitches. Kilmer then hit an infield single in the bottom 8th with one out, which, y’know, what a rush of emotion and all… He advanced on a wild pitch to PH Ricky Jimenez, who then grounded out to second, as did Baskins, stranding Kilmer at third base. Rella retired the Titans in order in the ninth, while Justin Kaiser, lefty, replaced Mondragon in the bottom 9th. Gurney drew a leadoff walk in a full count. Maldo raked the first pitch into the gap, though. Javier Miranda couldn’t reach it, and it ran all the way to the wall for a walkoff triple…! 1-0 Blighters. Maldonado 2-4, 2 3B, RBI; Kilmer 1-2, BB; Marucci 6.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K; Porter 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K;

Two thirds of our base hits in this game were Maldo triples. If he gets as much as a stomach bug by the CLCS, the Coons will get swept in THREE games…

The Thunder squeezed out the Bayhawks, 2-0, to clinch the CL South. In terms of home field advantage, they had one more win than us right now.

Game 2
BOS: 2B Encinia – 1B C. Jimenez – C Whitley – SS B. Carter – CF T. Lopez – 3B Castaneda – LF D. Meyer – RF J. Miranda – P Furuya
POR: LF Baskins – CF Herrera – 1B Gurney – RF Toohey – SS Waters – 3B R. Jimenez – 2B Martell – C Gonzalez – P Negrete

The Raccoons scored four runs in the first inning – all unearned. After Baskins walked, Herrera reached on a 2-base throwing error by Dan Whitley. Gurney and Toohey both grinded out RBI groundouts, but then Waters doubled to right with two down, Ricky Jimenez walked, and Al Martell tripled in the both of them. Despite the 4-0 lead, Negrete came very close to not even making it through five innings. He did a tremendous job at making that Titans lineup look major-league-comparable, which was not a complement to anybody, scattering six hits, a walk, and a nailed batsman through 4.1 innings, although the only run on him was unearned thanks to a Ricky Jimenez error in the fourth. But in the fifth, there he sat with Furuya and Chris Jimenez on the corners, one out, and Whitley – sort of the offensive leader here with a .232 clip and 10 homers – being the tying run in the box. There, Ricky Jimenez redeemed himself, picking a sharp spanker on the first offering by Negrete and zipping it round for a 5-4-3 double play to complete five innings on 84 shoddy pitches for Negrete.

Negrete erred through another inning, whiffing two for a total of four, and somehow eloped like Marucci with six innings without allowing an earned run, although he was ahead in the game, 4-1, while the Coons were being out-hit, 7-3. The Coons then got leadoff singles from Martell in the sixth and Baskins in the seventh, only to both times find a double play immediately. Relief was neat, though – Bob Ibold and Nelson Moreno each pitched scoreless innings. Against Rella in the ninth, Jose Castaneda grounded out to Gurney, Dan Meyer whiffed, and Javier Miranda popped out to Gonzalez. 4-1 Raccoons. Martell 2-4, 3B, 2 RBI; Negrete 6.0 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, W (2-2);

So in fact all runs in this game were unearned.

Change of plan for Sunday then – the Titans made it a Southpaw Sunday after all, sending Ricky Contreras (8-13, 3.36 ERA) against us.

Game 3
BOS: 2B Encinia – CF T. Lopez – 1B C. Jimenez – 2B Kleemeyer – LF Mangual – C Templeton – RF Bottino – SS Castaneda – P R. Contreras
POR: LF Baskins – CF Herrera – 1B Maldonado – C Kilmer – 3B R. Jimenez – RF Shedd – 2B Carreno – SS Coen – P Mathers

Kilmer and Carreno hit doubles to left in the bottom 2nd to go up 1-0, but singles by Juan Encinia, Josh Kleemeyer, and Ruben Mangual tied the game again in the top 3rd. That was it for hits for the Raccoons and their fractional lineup through five innings, while the Titans had a total of five knocks against Mathers, who held out for seven innings in a rather uninspiring game that was still tied when he got his pat on the furry bum at the stretch.

It was a miserable game, underlined by on-and-off rain that kept everybody well moist and forced a rain delay by the seventh inning, after which it was still 1-1 in runs, and 5-2 Boston in hits. Ibold and Clark combined for the eighth for Portland, while Kyle Turay, the scheduled starter, appeared in relief in the bottom 8th. A Rick Rowell error behind him put Carreno on base to begin the bottom 8th, and he stole second, only his 25th base of the year. Coen’s groundout moved him to third. Manny hit for Clark, trying to get that run in that would end the season without another seven soggy innings. Single to center on 1-2, and the Coons went up, 2-1! Baskins also singled, but Herrera and Maldonado made weak outs. With Josh Rella having pitched in both games of the series already, the Raccoons went to Nelson Moreno in the ninth inning instead. Whitley flew out to begin the ninth, but Moreno walked Liceaga pinch-hitting. Rob Bottino grounded to Maldo, who took the out on the lead runner. Rick Rowell struck out, concluding the regular season. 2-1 Critters. Kilmer 1-2, BB, 2B; Fernandez (PH) 1-1, RBI; Mathers 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K;

In other news

September 25 – SFB RF/LF Jose Platero (.254, 6 HR, 34 RBI) ends the Bayhawks’ 5-4 win over the Condors with a 14th-inning walkoff home run to keep them in the CL South race.
September 26 – SFB SP Chih Ke (8-4, 3.57 ERA) and CL Jeremy Mayhall (9-4, 2.30 ERA, 46 SV) pitch a combined 1-hitter in a 3-0 win over the Condors, who only get a base hit from C Angelo Ortiz (.247, 1 HR, 9 RBI).
September 26 – Despite their own 10-5 loss to the Blue Sox, a Miners loss to the Cyclones hands the FL East to the Rebels.
September 28 – SFW LF Mario Villa (.378, 13 HR, 92 RBI) suffers a torn back muscle to end his season, but should be ready for Opening Day. He will now have to watch whether his 2-point lead in the batting title race will hold up against Dallas’ Jose Rivas.
September 29 – IND RF/LF Mario Ochoa (.375, 1 HR, 10 RBI) bangs out six base hits, a triple, three doubles, and two singles, and drives in four runs in a 13-11, 11-inning win over the Canadiens. He is, after Cesar Martinez in 2019, the second-ever Indian to land six base hits in a single game.
September 30 – LAP 1B Mark Cahill (.307, 24 HR, 112 RBI) rocks three home runs in a 6-4 win over the Scorpions, driving in four runs in total. He is the second player this year to achieve the feat, after Portland’s Bryce Toohey.
September 30 – A home run by CIN C/1B Dan Rollin (.310, 8 HR, 44 RBI) is the only scoring in the Cyclones’ 1-0 win over the Buffaloes.
September 30 – The Aces score 10 runs in the seventh inning as they rally past the Knights for a 14-8 victory.

FL Hitter of the Month: DAL OF Tylor Cecil (.369, 23 HR, 143 RBI), raking .358 with 6 HR, 29 RBI
CL Hitter of the Month: NYC C Fernando Alba (.320, 27 HR, 92 RBI), hitting .355 with 8 HR, 21 RBI
FL Pitcher of the Month: DEN SP John Kennedy (17-9, 2.88 ERA), hurling for a 5-0 mark with 1.60 ERA, 33 K
CL Pitcher of the Month: VAN SP Michael Donovan (11-7, 3.69 ERA), pitching for a 5-0 record with 0.88 ERA, 25 K
FL Rookie of the Month: CIN OF Armando Luis Herrera (.351, 16 HR, 85 RBI), hitting .315 with 3 HR, 13 RBI
CL Rookie of the Month: NYC 1B Dave Hernandez (.290, 11 HR, 50 RBI), swatting .279 with 5 HR, 23 RBI

Complaints and stuff

Manny’s pinch-hit single on Sunday not only prevented us from having a gruesome 13th-inning injury on Closing Day (looks skywards to the baseball gods), it also brought about the 5,800th regular season W for this old franchise. It was credited to Brent Clark, who snuck the honors by getting a single out to end the top 8th.

So, everybody survived the last week here – and now we just need to piece a working playoff roster together. Let’s start with pitching! (laughs nervously)

Manny’s single also meant we went 14-4 against the Titans this year, tying our best-ever result against them, previously achieved all the way back in 1996.

I don’t know about anybody else, but I don’t dig comparisons with 1996. Mainly because of what came after it.

But let’s be honest. The Coons are not postseason favorites. They are the bottom seed, which is one thing, but they are also crawling into the playoffs, bums dragging. The pitching is highly questionable, and the hitting has been absent for about two months now. I don’t see us doing great against the Thunder. It will be the fifth CLCS against Oklahoma, and probably the second one we’ll lose. It’s just… (points helplessly at stats table and at Victor Merino, sitting sobbing in the corner with a stitched-up shoulder)

Fun Fact: For the first time in league history, four teams have lost 100+ games.

The Wolves (115), Buffaloes (106), Indians (102), and Capitals (101) really went for it, and the Titans were not that far behind, stopping at 97 losses. On the other hand, eight teams won 90+ games (although the top four by record also made the playoffs).

The previous low water mark for 100-loss teams was three in a season, which happened twice.

In 2028, the Rebels (106), Blue Sox (104), and Falcons (100) formed an unholy trifecta, the first time that had happened in 40 years. Back in 1988, the Scorpions (112), Warriors (102), and Crusaders (102) had all lost over 100 games.

[Westheim]

2045 CONTINENTAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Portland Raccoons (95-67) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (96-66)

The horror began with setting the playoff roster to begin with, and let’s just start with position players. The Raccoons actually had 15 eligible position players going into the CLCS: Kilmer and Zarate behind the dish; Gurney, Maldo, Martell, Carreno, Jimenez, Coen, and Waters on the infield, roughly; and Manny, Baskins, Herrera, Toohey, Dustal, and Anderson for the outfield (more or less);

Couple o’ redundancies there – with Manny, Baskins, and Herrera all crowding the outfield, Toohey had to go to first base, so we’d put Maldonado at third, and thus there was no need to have Jimenez and Coen loitering around. Neither of them was an appealing addition, both were right-handed hitters, and both were also pristinely qualified to give you disappointment. Coen was just weakly poking. Jimenez was a .208 “slugger” with a $3M bill attached. It was all horrible. In the end we went with the guy that cost us a lot, if only to delay his luxury vacation for a week.

Van Anderson was also removed from the roster, leaving us at 24 players, because we only had 11 qualifying pitchers left: Wheats, Okuda, Mathers as starters. Capone as … whatever. And then the bullpen corps of Rella, Moreno, Jones, Kelly, Porter, Craig, and Ibold.

Since Victor Merino had croaked in September, leaving him just as available as Jake Jackson, Nate Norris, and Gene Pellicano for this postseason, we were a paw short and allowed to add any pitcher we pleased to the roster. In practice that boiled down to the remaining players on the extended roster: Tony Negrete (oof), Brad Barnes (nah), Sam Bowman (meh), Brent Clark (oy!), and Sean Marucci. Clark would normally be the first choice, but he … he had been terrible…! Even while pitching in relief in September he had run up a 6.14 ERA. He was walking everything with legs, everything without legs, and then some more. He was another thoroughly dead contract ($1M in ’46) around the Coons’ neck and could not be expected to be the slightest help in the playoffs.

So Marucci it is!

That also made Adam Capone the #4 starter for the postseason, for a lack of other options to begin with. At least he was getting groundballs to clean up some of those free passes he doled out all the time… but the Thunder would have a lot of lefty hitters to bring up. Capone didn’t have very pronounced splits… oh well, it’s only one game...

No, Maud, I can’t find anything positive to say right now.

The Thunder had been second in runs scored and fifth in runs allowed with a +83 run differential this year (Coons: +127). Jesus Adames had hit .342 with 26 homers, and they had five 14+ HR hitters in total, and as indicated, much of that coming from the left side, so it would also help if Kelly and Jones could ditch the jitters of September.

Although, in all honesty, the way the Raccoons pitched and batted the last … eight weeks or so… there is probably not a lot that can help them at all.

+++

This is just the intro post with the roster mullings; the actual CLCS will take place tomorrow!

[Westheim]

2045 CONTINENTAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Portland Raccoons (95-67) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (96-66)

Raccoons and Thunder met in the CLCS for the fifth time overall, previous engagements having taken place in 1983 (our first ever postseason), 1995, 2010, and 2026. Overall, results had not been too terrible, with only the 1995 series an L for Portland, and the only time we were swept in a playoff series. We won in six games in 1983 and 2010, and in seven games in 2026, the only time we went on to claim a title after playing them in the CLCS. This season, we had taken the season series, 5-4.

They had home field advantage for the series, which I considered alright and dandy – with Games 3 through 5 scheduled for Portland, it thus wouldn’t make for such a long bus ride home after getting swept this time…

Schedule-wise, this was the trailing series, with the FLCS between Rebs and Gold Sox beginning a day earlier. How that would affect us as the heavy underdog, I had yet to find answers for.

Game 1 – Jason Wheatley (15-8, 2.37 ERA) vs. Juan Ramos (20-8, 3.95 ERA)

Both teams had only one starting southpaw, and neither of them made it into Game 1. Looked like Game 2 might feature both of them. It would probably not affect our use of Manny and Baskins anyway. It was the playoffs. All paws on deck. You gotta hit everybody now – righties, lefties, seniors, women, and children!

Bryce Toohey had been cold off the DL and had never warmed up in the 2+ weeks after his return, so he started the series behind Manny at least against right-handers like Ramos, who had led the CL in wins. Ramos had not lost as much as consecutive games all year long, and had taken the W in the division clincher on Friday.

So he’s due for a loss?

Wheats had faced the Thunder once this year, in September, going six innings of 3-run ball. For Ramos it was almost the same, but six innings of 2-run ball. Neither had gotten a decision.

POR: LF Baskins – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – RF Fernandez – 1B Toohey – SS Waters – 2B Carreno – C Kilmer – P Wheatley
OCT: RF C. Vega – 2B Ban – SS R. Cox – C Adames – CF Cedillo – 3B Simon – LF E. Moore – 1B Phinazee – P J. Ramos

The first pitch of the CLCS was taken to left for a single by Derek Baskins, but the Thunder soon enough got a 6-4-3 on Armando Herrera’s grounder to short. Maldonado singled to right, but Manny grounded out. Wheatley meanwhile struck out Carlos Vega to begin his game, then was taken deep by Jonathan Ban for a home run. And that was only the start of it. Ryan Cox ripped a double, Jesus Adames singled him home and reached second base on Manny’s attempt at the plate, and Brad Simon and Ethan Moore both ripped RBI extra-base knocks with two outs. When the dust settled, Wheatley looked disturbed, and the Thunder were up 4-0. They were done with him before the second inning was over. While the Coons got Waters and Carreno to hit singles, and another double play from Kilmer in a clear bid to lose as stupidly as possible, Wheatley allowed another three 2-out screamers for extra bases to Ban, Cox, and Adames, and was then yanked in a 6-0 nightmare.

Sean Marucci won the ball and long relief job then, and would get the Raccoons through five innings without another run for Oklahoma (as if they needed anymore). Portland gnawed on the 6-0 score in the third and fourth innings; Baskins and Maldonado hit doubles to left in the third to get the team on the board, and Arturo Carreno hit a 2-run homer in the fourth that reduced the 6-run chasm to half that amount, but the 1-2-3 went in order in the fifth as the rally stalled.

In turn, ex-Coon Mal Phinazee hit a home run off Bob Ibold in the bottom 6th, extending the Thunder’s lead to 7-3 again. The Raccoons responded with a single by Jeff Kilmer, then their third double play of the game, sponsored by Pat Gurney.

A run fell out of Zack Kelly in the bottom 7th, Alfonso Cedillo scoring after rocking a leadoff double. Baskins and Maldo kept scrambling, both hitting singles off Ramos in the eighth before Manny flew out to Ethan Moore and Toohey grounded one over to Cox. Oklahoma added another run in the bottom 8th against Jon Craig, who walked two and mishandled a bunt by Jon Lopez to give the Thunder plenty of runners to play with.

Thunder 9, Raccoons 3 – Thunder lead series 1-0

Baskins 3-4, 2B; Maldonado 3-4, 2B, RBI; Carreno 2-3, HR, 2 RBI;

Devastation. I’m ready to go home already…

Game 2 – Sadaharu Okuda (11-11, 4.08 ERA) vs. Victor Marquez (14-14, 4.42 ERA)

Where the calculation had been that the Raccoons would scratch out two wins behind Wheatley and then maybe fumble two more together otherwise, we now found out that we had divided by zero at some point. Okuda was already pitching with his furry back against the wall – maybe a left-hander could keep that lineup down!

Okuda had never faced the Thunder in the regular season this year, so he would at least be a new look to them. Marquez by contrast had pitched against us three times, going 1-2 with a 2.57 ERA.

POR: LF Baskins – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – 1B Toohey – RF Fernandez – SS Waters – C Kilmer – 2B Carreno – P Okuda
OCT: RF C. Vega – 2B Ban – C Adames – SS R. Cox – CF Cedillo – 3B Simon – LF E. Moore – 1B Phinazee – P V. Marquez

Maldo’s comebacker in the first meant the Raccoons continued to have more double plays than runs scored in the series, erasing Armando Herrera from first base, which he had reached only by getting nailed.

Things continued to go poorly; Okuda scattered three hits the first time through even against the hefty lefty opposition, then faced Marquez to begin the bottom 3rd in a scoreless game, got a grounder to the right side, but dropped Bryce Toohey’s feed to first base for an error. Three pops on the infield kept the runner stranded, but as far as the feeling was concerned, we didn’t have to bother booking another trip to Oklahoma after the Portland games…

Matt Waters had the Coons’ first two hits in the game, which was never a great sentence to formulate. He singled and stole a base in the second inning and was stranded. He hit another single to open the top 5th in a scoreless affair that desperately needed a Raccoons lead. He stole second again on the first pitch to Kilmer, then reached third base on the groundout to second-sacker Jonathan Ban, who viciously also snagged Carreno’s 1-2 liner that followed, taking it for out number two. Okuda, fairly competent at the plate as far as pitchers went, ran a full count, then struck out.

Moore got hit by Okuda to begin the bottom 5th, but was also caught stealing, before the annoying Marquez hit a 2-out single. Vega popped out to end the inning.

Top 7th, Bryce Toohey joined the conversation with a leadoff double to center, his first hit in the series. Manny was also dragging around an oh-fer, but ticked a single through between Cox and Ban to put runners on the corners. But now, boys! Now! Waters! Come on! Waters to center for a single, and Toohey came home, and the Raccoons had a 1-0 lead …! Kilmer fell to 0-2, then singled to center, loading the bases – Manny had to hold because Alfonso Cedillo came pretty close to that ball before it fell in. That was however also three on and nobody out – Carreno lived up to expectations by taking a 3-1 pitch hard to Cox, who fired home even harder, striking down Manny to keep the bases loaded without conceding a run.

And now what? Okuda was next. And was pitching very well …! But the Raccoons needed runs. Ricky Jimenez was sent to pinch-hit, and popped out foul to Phinazee after two pitches. (bites into his paw) … Derek Baskins with two outs, grinded out an at-bat against Marquez before finally drawing ball four in a full count, pushing home the second run only in an already endless inning. Herrera popped out to Ban. And now what? Now we had to pick nine outs from that lefty lineup.

Chuck Jones came on … and it just didn’t work. He walked Cedillo to begin the inning. Brad Simon struck out. Moore grounded out. Phinazee’s grounder was not played and the Thunder had them on the corners with the infield single… and then Sal Ayala pinch-hit and drew a walk to fill the bases. Right-hander Nick DeMarco pinch-hit in the #1 hole, prompting a move to Nelson Moreno, who got to 2-2 before allowing a fly to right. Manny had that one, stranding all the runners…

Singles by Maldo, Toohey, and Waters off Alan Fleming tacked on a run then in the eighth, 3-0. Gurney ran for Toohey at that point, scoring on a Kilmer single, while Carreno singled home Waters. Sean Green replaced Fleming, while the Coons stuck to Moreno for the time being. He bunted the runners over, but Baskins grounded out to Ban to strand them in scoring position, up 5-0, with two more 2-out runs being added in the ninth inning against Jesse Allison. Gurney walked, was doubled home by Manny, and Waters singled once again to put Manny across. Preston Porter put the game away in the bottom 9th.

Raccoons 7, Thunder 0 – series tied 1-1

Toohey 2-3, BB, 2B; Fernandez 2-5, 2B, RBI; Waters 5-5, 2B, 3 RBI; Kilmer 2-5, RBI; Okuda 6.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K, W (1-0);

(looks upwards to the baseball gods)

You’re not fooling me!

For the three games in Portland the Raccoons would have to send Itchy, Scratchy, and a guy still sore from his last whacking against the Thunder…

[Westheim]

2045 CONTINENTAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Portland Raccoons (95-67) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (96-66)

There was dealing with a fallen ace, no offense, gross ineptitude… and then there was dealing with Nick Valdes, while all that other crap was already ruining the mood.

Of course the Raccoons’ biggest wig needed to be present for the CLCS, which wore on my thin nerves even on the best of days, but then also injected himself into the lineup discussion, suggesting we should use the guys that can actually get hits, showing us a few collectible cards from an album covered in pink heart stickers.

Nick, that guy doesn’t play for the Raccoons. – No, he doesn’t. – It says “CRUSADERS” on his card. – No, we can’t trade for him. – No, Nick, the trade deadline is over! And if anything we’d have to have traded for him in 2003, and that is STANTON MARTIN, who is now SIXTY-SIX YEARS OLD!!!

Game 3 – Corey Mathers (15-8, 4.11 ERA) vs. Natanael Abrao (12-8, 3.91 ERA)

We went back to the lineup from Game 1, although Pat Gurney should really be in there somewhere. The only spot was the keystone, though, everything else was already too cramped. Carreno had to do something in this game to stay in there.

Mathers had faced the Thunder three times this year, with a 1-1 record and 5.60 ERA, but his last outing in September had been his finest, going eight innings of 2-run ball. Abrao had faced the Coons once in April, but not as a starter – he had pitched for his only save of the season against them on April 11.

The first pitch for this game was thrown out by Liz Schnitzler from the South Portland Direct Action Congress Initiative for the Rapid Rehousing of Street Animals Union Forum. The stocky, rotund lady with flying red locks fired a perfect strike that seemed to hurt Jose Zarate in the paw as it made impact, and was approached by a Wolves scout as she left the field, but refused his advances – she did it all for the animals!

OCT: RF C. Vega – 2B Ban – SS R. Cox – C Adames – CF Cedillo – 3B Simon – LF E. Moore – 1B Phinazee – P Abrao
POR: LF Baskins – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – RF Fernandez – 1B Toohey – SS Waters – 2B Carreno – C Kilmer – P Mathers

It took until Cedillo for somebody to put a ball in play in Game 3, with Mathers walking Vega and Cox and whiffing Ban and Adames to begin the game. Cedillo flew out to Herrera, while the Coons got singles from Baskins and Manny, but couldn’t put a run together.

Moore singled off Mathers in the second, but was caught stealing by Kilmer. Mathers kept the shutout going through three, but with many, many long counts, and he wouldn’t be in the game for very long at that rate. He did however get into the lead in the bottom 3rd, with Baskins hitting a gapper to left-center for a 1-out double, and then scoring on a 2-out scratch single by Maldonado. Manny got rung up after that.

Adames’ double in the fourth went to center with one out, but the Thunder were denied with Cedillo popping out and Simon grounding out, both to Waters, who then struck out along with Carreno after Toohey’s leadoff double to left in the bottom 4th. Kilmer got four wide ones to pull up Mathers, who made the third out to short on the first offering he got. Top 5th, Moore hit another single, but was stranded this time. In the bottom of the inning, Baskins drew a leadoff walk. Behind him, Armando Herrera was 0-for-10 and grounded out again, which then prompted an intentional walk to Maldo onto the open base. Another walk, unintentional, followed to Manny Fernandez, loading the bases for Toohey. – Oh, this better be good. And it sure was… for the Thunder. The count ran full before Toohey spanked the 3-2 pitch at Simon, who went to second, to first, double play…

101 pitches for six innings – Mathers offered all he had, and it was just enough to squeak out the Thunder in the 1-0 game so far. He got his pat on the bum after the top 6th, with smart ideas on how to proceed always welcome – there’s a little mailbox in Maud’s room for helpful input on how to eek out this one.

Waters was on base to begin the bottom 6th. He advanced on Carreno’s groundout and a wild pitch, then scored on a Kilmer single, 2-0. Gurney hit for Mathers, hit a grounder to Ban that got Kilmer erased at second, but then got the early start on Baskins’ gapper in right-center that became an RBI double…! And then, Herrera! LOUD knock! A ball all the way to the base o the fence in centerfield for an RBI triple! 4-0 Portland!

Once Maldo struck out to end the sixth we all calmed down a bit and I brushed the chips bits out of Honeypaws’ fur as he had taken a tumble into the snack bowl. Now we had to get those nine outs again… We were also bold enough to ask a slumping Chuck Jones to face the same batters that had almost torn him apart in Game 2. This time he faced six lefty batters, and put only one of them on base – Sal Ayala, with a pinch-walk with one out in the eighth. After 32 pitches by Jones, Ibold threw one pitch for a Ban groundout, ending the eighth. In the ninth, Cox, Adames, and Cedillo went down against Porter on just five pitches.

Raccoons 4, Thunder 0 – Raccoons lead series 2-1

Baskins 3-4, BB, 2 2B, RBI; Mathers 6.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K, W (1-0); Jones 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K;

No, I also don’t know how these guys do it, compared to Wheatley’s death by misadventure…

Speaking of “these guys”…

Game 4 – Adam Capone (4-4, 3.22 ERA) vs. Matt Peterson (7-10, 4.43 ERA)

While Nick Valdes lobbied for the nephew of a sludge pit mogul he knew to get the start in Game 4, the Raccoons stuck to known personnel in Adam Capone, who had made his first 11 big league starts in 2045, and would now make one more in his first postseason, even though he was very much a case of “by default” and “due to injuries”. He was a heavy groundballer and needed all the defensive help he could get, so Pat Gurney remained on the bench. He had faced Oklahoma in September, pitching five gooey innings on 88 pitches.

Mean old Matt Peterson had spent part of the season in the pen, but had actually made three starts against Portland, going 0-2 with a 7.24 ERA. He had also left on of his starts early with an injury.

The first pitch was delivered by 2022-2033 Raccoons SP Rico Gutierrez, who seemed to hurt himself in the process and sought out Dr. Padilla immediately.

OCT: RF C. Vega – 2B Ban – SS R. Cox – C Adames – CF Cedillo – 3B Simon – LF E. Moore – 1B Phinazee – P M. Peterson
POR: LF Baskins – SS Waters – 3B Maldonado – RF Fernandez – 1B Toohey – CF Herrera – 2B Carreno – C Kilmer – P Capone

After 18 scoreless innings, the Thunder put up a 2-spot in the first, and right away Capone looked like he had nothing. He walked Carlos Vega, Ban reached on a Baskins error, and the runs scored on an Adames single and Cedillo’s sac fly. They added two more in the second, with Capone offering walks to Phinazee and Ban, who both stole a base, and in between Vega had smacked an RBI double, then scored on Ryan Cox’ single.

Manny hit a homer in the bottom 2nd, followed by back-to-back doubles from Toohey and Herrera to cut the gap in half, but Capone only gave up another bomb to Ban, then left the game after three innings, rocked for five runs (four earned).

With Sean Marucci in the game as cannon fodder again, the Raccoons got ANOTHER homer from Manny Fernandez in the bottom 4th, again a solo shot, cutting the gap to 5-3. Marucci pitched two scoreless, then was retained to bunt Kilmer to second base in the bottom 5th. That was the first out of the inning, with Baskins grounding out to move Kilmer to third. Waters dropped a single into shallow center, 5-4, stole second base off a sleepy Adames, and then scored as the ballpark burst into raucous celebrations when Maldonado slapped Peterson’s 2-0 pitch to left, near the line, for a game-tying single …! All even at five in Portland!

…and just as soon as we had gotten there, we were out of there again. Marucci stopped functioning, walked Moore, nicked Phinazee, and Jonathan Ban rushed a 2-run triple to left to break the tie in the sixth when the Raccoons’ pen was too tardy to find a replacement. Ryan Cox’ bloop single scored Ban with two outs, extending the score to 8-5.

The Raccoons continued to find the odd runner, but would hit into double plays with Kilmer in the sixth and Toohey in the eighth, unable to make up any more ground. They ended up in the bottom 9th still trailing by three, then faced right-hander Jesse Allison. Herrera grounded out. Carreno yielded for Al Martell, who singled to left, moving the tying run – Preston Porter for the time being – to the on-deck circle. Porter never batted, of course, but not because of a smart game-winning move. No, it was just another double play grounder from Jeff Kilmer, which, 4-6-3, ended the ballgame.

Thunder 8, Raccoons 5 – series tied 2-2

Fernandez 3-3, BB, 2 HR, 2 RBI; Herrera 2-4, 2B, RBI; Martell (PH) 1-1;

Game 5 – Jason Wheatley (15-8, 2.37 ERA) vs. Juan Ramos (20-8, 3.95 ERA)

Could it get worse for Wheats after 1.2 innings and 6 runs in the series opener? No, surely not – I mean, aside from getting impaled in the guts by a splintered bat maybe. So, no pressure, Wheats! (pats shivering pitcher on the back) You got this!

First pitch was thrown out by Marco Gomez, who had pitched to an 0-3 record and 9.13 ERA for the Raccoons in various depressing cups of coffee in the 2010s. Truth be told, we wanted RAFAEL Gomez, Coons outfielder from 2026 through 2030 with two rings, a Gold Glove, and a CLCS MVP, but Maud says my pawwriting is illegible and she’s not to blame for the mix-up.

OCT: RF C. Vega – 2B Ban – SS R. Cox – C Adames – CF Cedillo – 3B Simon – LF E. Moore – 1B Phinazee – P J. Ramos
POR: LF Baskins – SS Waters – 3B Maldonado – RF Fernandez – 1B Toohey – CF Herrera – 2B Carreno – C Kilmer – P Wheatley

The whacking started right away. Vega singled, Cox singled him across, and Adames singled, and the final out in the first was a deep fly by Simon that Herrera barely got to. No idea what was wrong with Wheatley, or whether this was solely a Thunder effect…

The Coons made up the run in the bottom 1st on a Waters double, a wild pitch, and Maldo’s sac fly, then got free runners to begin the bottom 2nd with a walk to Toohey and Herrera being nicked. They advanced on Carreno’s groundout, but not on Kilmer’s grounder to Simon. Wheats batted with two outs, but popped out to Phinazee. Ban then cracked a single to center to begin the third inning, Cox hit a screamer to right that Manny had to catch on the run, and at that point both Dr. Padilla and the pitching coach went out there to check on Wheatley, who sucked the cover off the baseballs. Dr. Padilla inquired whether anything was wrong, which he denied, upon which he got slapped in the snout from either side by the pitching coach, who told him to not pitch like three days old arse then!

He got a double play from Adames to escape the inning after that. Whatever works!

The next fat chance for the Coons came in the fourth inning. Manny drew a leadoff walk, and then Toohey found left-center for a double. Herrera struck out (…!), but Carreno shot a ball up the middle and past Cox, driving in both runners and somehow taking the team lead in RBI in the CLCS with five.

The 3-1 lead narrowed to 3-2 in the fifth, with the run correctly charged to Kilmer. After Phinazee singled, he threw away the ball on the stolen base attempt, then misfiled a pitch to Vega with two outs to concede the run on the passed ball. If not stabbed in the back like this by his own team, Wheatley pitched pretty passably ever since getting that snout massage, getting through six innings quite comfortably, if with an already elevated pitch count.

Bottom 6th, Toohey hit a 1-out single, then ran when Herrera appeared to hit a gapper to left-center. Both Moore and Cedillo converged, but neither made the catch as the ball dropped just between them for a double, with Toohey able to score on the bold first dash, 4-2. Carreno grounded out, with Kilmer being bypassed to get a K from Wheatley after that. But Wheats retired the bottom three in order in the seventh inning, which was worth something, setting us up to use only the most trusted relief men for the last two innings. Fun fact – Josh Rella had yet to put pants on in the entire series…

Chuck Jones got Vega on a grounder to first to begin the eighth, then was immediately lifted for Moreno, who in a sharp digression from the script, allowed a single to Ban, walked Cox, and barely got a groundout from Adames, putting the tying runs in scoring position. Here came the left-handed bats – what now? Rella? Kelly? No. The Thunder did not hit for Cedilla, who was 1-for-16 in the series (but that 1 had been a homer). If Nelson Moreno was worth his stripes, he’d get him! A swinging strike. A foul ball. 0-2! … and then a long drag to close balls until the count ran full. Oh dear. 3-2 to Cedillo, seventh pitch of the at-bat, Moreno threw the gas – AND CEDILLO SWUNG THROUGH IT!!

Alan Fleming pitched in the bottom 8th, allowing singles to Toohey, Herrera, and Carreno to load the bases… with nobody out. Kilmer promptly grounded into a force at home. Gurney struck out. Baskins closed his eyes and ripped the first pitch away. Into the gap! A bases-clearing triple! The score considerably enlarged, the Raccoons still went to Josh Rella in the ninth inning, if only to keep him mildly interested in the proceedings at least. Simon, Moore, and Phinazee went down in order, and the Raccoons would take a series lead to Oklahoma!

Raccoons 7, Thunder 2 – Raccoons lead series 3-2

Toohey 3-3, BB, 2B; Herrera 2-3, 2B, RBI; Carreno 2-4, 2 RBI; Wheatley 7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, W (1-1);

[Westheim]

2045 CONTINENTAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Portland Raccoons (95-67) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (96-66)

Game 6 – Sadaharu Okuda (11-11, 4.08 ERA) vs. Victor Marquez (14-14, 4.42 ERA)

As the series shifted back to Oklahoma with a 3-2 edge for the Critters, I felt a lot better for the Game 6 situation than I did for the Game 7 situation that would be brewing behind it. Both Okuda and Mathers had pitched six shutout innings in their first start, but then again… Okuda was the left-hander between those two …!

POR: LF Baskins – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – 1B Toohey – RF Fernandez – SS Waters – 2B Carreno – C Zarate – P Okuda
OCT: RF C. Vega – 2B Ban – C Adames – SS R. Cox – CF Cedillo – 3B Simon – LF E. Moore – 1B Phinazee – P V. Marquez

Bryce Toohey’s jack in the first inning meant a 2-0 lead for Portland, collecting Armando Herrera as it did, and put the Thunder behind the #8 ball just early enough for my tastes!

Marquez then didn’t help himself with walks to Carreno and Zarate in the second inning, and when Okuda put down a bunt to his feet, the threw that one past Phinazee, too, for a 2-base error, plating a third run for Portland. As the home team seemed to dissolve in front of a flabbergasted full house, a charged passed ball to Adames let Zarate across, 4-0, and then Marquez balked on the 1-2 to Derek Baskins, scoring Okuda, too. The next three batters hit singles, but Baskins was thrown out at home on Maldo’s hit to right, which somehow was only the second out in the tremendous inning. Marquez then unleashed a wild pitch, 6-0, before Toohey flew out.

I tried my best not to grin, which would anger the baseball gods an undue amount. It didn’t work, I flashed a smirk, and Okuda instantly issued two leadoff walks in the bottom 2nd. Simon hit an infield single to load the bases with nobody out. Moore whiffed, but Phinazee (always Phinazee, huh?) singled home a pair, 6-2. The Thunder didn’t bat for Marquez for wicked reasons, and him and Vega made the last two outs while stranding a pair.

Bottom 3rd, the tying run was already at the plate. Adames double, Cox walk, Cedillo single, and only one out. Simon grounded slowly to short, with Waters only getting the out at second base while a run scored, and then Okuda walked Moore in a full count. Here it was, the horror. Phinazee grounded to Carreno, stranding the tying runs in a stupendous 6-3 game.

Maldo to the rescue – he crashed a 2-run homer to center in the fourth inning to extend the lead back to 8-3, but Okuda couldn’t get anybody out. He got pushed around for three hits and a run in the bottom 4th, and only returned in the fifth because his spot didn’t come up in the top 5th. The 6-7-8 went down in order against him in the bottom 5th then, buying him a bit more life in this potential clincher that threatened to go haywire. He bunted Zarate to second in the sixth inning after a leadoff walk issued by Sean Green, with Herrera driving home Zarate with a 2-out single to make it 9-4.

Jonathan Ban’s 2-out single in the sixth was the end for Okuda then. Adames flew out to Herrera against Bob Ibold, who did not face another batter, as his spot did come up in the seventh against Rick Haugh, with Manny, Carreno, and Zarate on base and two outs. Pat Gurney hit for Ibold, coaxed a walk, 10-4, and Baskins slashed an RBI single over Ban to drive the daggers in yet deeper. Herrera grounded out.

Nine outs to get with a 7-run lead. It sounded treacherously easy. The Coons went to Kelly, who put Cox and Simon on the corners before somehow aching out of the seventh inning, then got Ayala and Vega to begin the bottom 8th. Jon Craig, ours, the white one, allowed a single to Ban then, but got Adames to ground out.

Bottom of the ninth. Preston Porter got the ball. Cox flew out to center. Cedillo flew out to right. Simon was caught looking at the ticket-puncher.

Raccoons 11, Thunder 4 – Raccoons win series 4-2

Baskins 2-5, RBI; Herrera 3-5, BB, RBI; Maldonado 2-5, HR, 2 RBI; Toohey 3-5, HR, 2 RBI; Gurney (PH) 0-1, BB, RBI; Kelly 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K;

Huzzah!!

[Westheim]

2045 FLCS

While the CLCS was raging in Oklahoma City and Portland, there was of course also an FLCS going on.

It primarily featured the 113-49 Gold Sox, who had stomped their opposition in the FL West by 20 games on the way to the postseason. They had a +303 run differential, which was unheard of, second in runs scored and first in runs allowed. They had the best rotation, the best defense, and the best bullpen… and they were near the top of most offensive categories as well, except, remarkably, home runs. That must be why they call it Mile Deep Stadium? Roberto Pruneda (15-13, 3.30 ERA) was the *worst* of their four starting pitchers for the playoffs, with Gary Perrone (19-6, 2.90 ERA), Adrien Calabresi (16-5, 2.70 ERA), John Kennedy (17-9, 2.88 ERA) in the mix, and no room for Edward Flinn (19-7, 3.67 EREA). Offensively, they were not only great, but also young, with 25-year-old Sandy Castillo (.325, 24 HR, 97 RBI) and 24-year old Tim Turner (.333, 13 HR, 99 RBI) in the middle of the lineup. A lack of injuries made them heavy favorites for the postseason.

Opposing them were the 98-64 Rebels, no slouches, winning the FL East by seven games. They had done so mostly on pitching, allowing the second-fewest runs in the FL (but over 100 more than Denver…!), but only with the eighth-best offense. They had five 14+ home run hitters, led by Pablo Gonzalez (.329, 23 HR, 93 RBI), Kyle Duncan (.275, 20 HR, 71 RBI), and Alex Marquez (.319, 19 HR, 108 RBI), and they had a real ace in Omar Lara (21-9, 2.74 ERA), but things often started to thin out in the second row for them. Jesse Beggs (6-4, 2.09 ERA, 52 SV) was amazing, but the rest of the pen was nothing to write home about. Their run differential had only been +84 …!

No, the Gold Sox were heavy favorites, and a Rebels pennant would be a tremendous upset.

These were the two teams with the fewest postseason appearances in the Federal League. It was the 6th FLCS for the Gold Sox, and the 7th for the Rebels. They had never met in the FLCS, but both had won the championship twice: the Gold Sox in 1985 and 2003, and the Rebels in 1996 and 2017.

Mixing them together with the CLCS teams, the only potential World Series rematch would be between the Rebels and Raccoons, the former having taken the 1996 World Series in six games.

+++

Rebels @ Gold Sox … 2-1 (11) … (Rebels lead 1-0) … DEN Roberto Pruneda 8.0 IP, 8 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K;

The winning run scores on a balk by Denver’s Javy Santana.

Rebels @ Gold Sox … 0-2 … (series tied 1-1) … DEN Sandy Castillo 3-3, BB; DEN Edward Flinn 9.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K, W (1-0);

Gold Sox @ Rebels … 3-5 (10) … (Rebels lead 2-1) … DEN Sandy Castillo 2-4, BB, RBI; RIC Rich de Luna 3-5; RIC Kyle Duncan 3-5, HR, 4 RBI; RIC Josh Frazier 2-4, HR, 2B, RBI;

Duncan hits the walkoff home run off 40-year-old Yeom Soung.

Gold Sox @ Rebels … 3-4 (12) … (Rebels lead 3-1) … DEN Ivan Villa 3-6, RBI; RIC Landon Guillory (PH) 2-2, 3B, RBI;

The Rebels lose outfielder Rich de Luna for the season on a defensive tumble, but take their third extra-inning win and second walkoff of the series, tying the game only in the ninth, and retying it after the Gold Sox went up 3-2 in the 11th. Thomas Gould hits a 2-out triple in the bottom 12th beore scoring on a wild pitch by DEN Ruben Vela (0-1, 13.50 ERA).

Gold Sox @ Rebels … 7-4 … (Rebels lead 3-2) … DEN Sandy Castillo 2-4, BB; DEN Tim Turner 1-2, 3 BB, 2B; DEN Jeremy Hornig 3-4, 2B, RBI; RIC Kyle Duncan 2-4, HR, 3 RBI;

Denver SP Edward Flinn (2-0, 2.12 ERA) gets his second win of the series, but leaves after eight innings with an injury.

Rebels @ Gold Sox … 6-3 … (Rebels win 4-2) … RIC Doug Clevidence 2-4, BB; RIC Pablo Gonzalez 3-5, 2 RBI; RIC Kyle Duncan 2-4, BB, RBI; RIC Steve Miles 7.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 9 K, W (1-1); DEN Jeremy Hornig 2-3, BB; DEN Adrian Ringel (PH) 1-1, 3B, RBI;

…!

[Westheim]

2045 WORLD SERIES
Portland Raccoons (95-67) vs. Richmond Rebels (98-64)

Despite two lean months at the end of the regular season and Jason Wheatley getting wrapped up and beaten in Game 1, the Raccoons had made it – they had sucked their way into the 69th World Series!

There they met the FL champs Rebels in a rematch of the 1996 World Series, which the latter had taken four games to two. And while the Raccoons arrived as the bottom seed, their +133 run differential was still better than the Rebels’ +84. Let’s just not talk about how they killed the +303 Gold Sox in the FLCS.

Portland arrived, seventh in runs scored and first in pitching and defense in the CL, with a ruffled rotation but at least no additional injuries. Jackson, Merino, Norris, and Pellicano were all injured and out – but they had always been that way. No changes were made to the playoff roster compared to the CLCS. The Rebels had suffered their only key injury, outfielder Rich de Luna, in the FLCS, while stacking up to be eighth in runs scored in the FL and second in runs allowed, with a top 3 defense. Both teams had been third in stolen bases in their league; the Coons had been fourth in homers, compared to seventh for the Rebs.

So far, so similar. Where the Thunder had been all about a heavy lefty-leaning lineup, the Rebs tilted more to the right side, though, and they had only one lefty starter, Omar Lara (21-9, 2.74 ERA) and no lefty relievers at all! This could play into the Raccoons’ paws, or could be a ploy to deceive them into letting their guard down!

The Raccoons’ numbers overall were a touch better, and they had picked up the offense in the CLCS, scoring more than six runs per game on the Thunder. On the other hand, the Rebels were giant slayers, taking down the 113-win Gold Sox. This one could well go either way.

[Westheim]

2045 WORLD SERIES
Portland Raccoons (95-67) @ Richmond Rebels (98-64)

The teams had met in the regular season, with the Raccoons losing two of the three games. The only Raccoons starter from that series that was actually on the roster was Wheatley, who had lost the rubber game of the series, which was played in June, before he broke out of his miffs to claim the CL ERA title. The others had been Merino (DL) and Clark (sucks).

Game 1 – Corey Mathers (15-8, 4.11 ERA) vs. Omar Lara (21-9, 2.74 ERA)

Lara had pitched nearly a complete game for a W in the first game of the regular season square-off, and was put into the opener by the Rebels. The quicker turnaround from the CLCS meant that the Raccoons did not have Jason Wheatley available for the opener. He would go in Game 2 instead, then on regular rest.

POR: LF Baskins – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – 1B Toohey – RF Fernandez – SS Waters – 2B Carreno – C Kilmer – P Mathers
RIC: CF G. Cabrera – 2B Clevidence – LF P. Gonzalez – C K. Duncan – RF A. Marquez – 3B Frazier – SS Aguilera – 1B Guillory – P O. Lara

Maldonado hit a single in the first, and Doug Clevidence did the same. The difference was that Clevidence was backed up by Kyle Duncan with an RBI double, and the Rebels took a 1-0 lead before Alex Marquez floated out to Herrera.

The Raccoons continued to not put anything much together early on, while Mathers stumbled over Clevidence again in the third inning, walking him with two outs. He then got blasted by Pablo Gonzalez for a 410-footer that extended the Rebels’ lead to 3-0.

Through five, the Coons scattered three singles to the Rebels’ four hits, so it wasn’t exactly like they were running riot round Corey Mathers, who did fairly well for himself. Portland did make it onto the board in the sixth inning, when Armando Herrera hit a triple into the gap in right-center with one out, then scored on Maldonado’s groundout, 3-1. Toohey’s deep fly was caught, however, and the Raccoons did nothing more in the inning.

Instead, the team collapsed on the spot. Gonzalez and Duncan opened the bottom 6th with doubles to left to reclaim that run from the top of the frame, and Duncan scored when Baskins overran Alex Marquez’ single for an error, 5-1. Bob Ibold replaced Mathers, struck out Josh Frazier, then yielded another RBI double to Alvin Aguilera, who went on to try and steal third base. Jeff Kilmer threw the ball away, allowing Aguilera to score entirely, completing a 4-run meltdown with two errors and more doubles than I could be bothered to count.

Somehow, the Coons were not totally dead, though. Lara begin the seventh with getting Manny Fernandez to ground out, but then walked Waters. An errant pickoff allowed Waters to second base, from where Arturo Carreno singled him home, 7-2. Kilmer singled. Ricky Jimenez hit an RBI single. After Baskins grounded out, Herrera hit an RBI single…! Now it was 7-4 with the tying run at the plate in Maldonado – but he grounded out to Clevidence.

While Craig and Kelly pitched in the bottom 7th, the Raccoons continued to scratch and claw. Toohey opened the eighth with a double to left-center. Manny grounded out, and Waters grounded to short – but Aguilera’s throw skipped by Landon Guillory, and Toohey scored on the play. Carreno killed the rally with a double play grounder to Clevidence, 4-6-3. The game seemed still within reach – at least until Marquez singled off Kelly in the bottom 8th, Guillory singled off Preston Porter, and PH Victor Gutierrez hit a 3-run blast to right. That was before Porter allowed two more base runners, and another 3-run homer to Gonzalez. The Coons went on to score three runs off shallow-end reliever Lazaro Ochoa in the ninth inning, but they weren’t gonna rally from eight runs down…

Rebels 13, Raccoons 8 – Rebels lead series 1-0

Herrera 2-5, 3B, 2 RBI; Maldonado 2-5, 2B, 2 RBI; Toohey 2-5, 2B, RBI; Fernandez 2-5; Kilmer 2-3; Martell (PH) 1-1; Jimenez (PH) 1-1, RBI;

Oy.

Game 2 – Jason Wheatley (15-8, 2.37 ERA) vs. Zach Tubbs (17-6, 3.36 ERA)

The right-handed Tubbs was a flyball pitcher that we had not faced in the June series. Wheatley was a right-handed ERA champion that still seemed to be reeling from his battering in the previous series’ Game 1. Needless to say that this was kinda a must-win game. For the first time in the series, the Raccoons went with Pat Gurney at second base, the ostensibly more offensive variant, although Gurney was actually 0-for-6 in the postseason…

POR: LF Baskins – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – RF Fernandez – 1B Toohey – SS Waters – 2B Gurney – C Kilmer – P Wheatley
RIC: CF G. Cabrera – 2B Clevidence – LF P. Gonzalez – C K. Duncan – RF A. Marquez – 3B Frazier – SS Aguilera – 1B Guillory – P Tubbs

Baskins lined out to the pitcher and Manny had a drive picked off the top of the fence in just the first inning, convincing me that we were doomed and it was all for nothing, while Herrera was stranded at second base after a single and a stolen base.

Then Pat Gurney kicked in – he came up with nobody on and two outs in the top 2nd and hit a jack to center, putting Portland up 1-0. Wheatley meanwhile was pretty decent, allowing only two runners the first time through; Kyle Duncan he nicked with a pitch to begin the bottom 2nd, but he was actually doubled up by Josh Frazier to end the same frame. And of course the opposing pitcher would clip him for a single. Gil Cabrera grounded out to Maldonado to not make much of an exploit of it, though.

Maldo drew a leadoff walk to begin the fourth inning, and Manny reached on a Guillory error to increase the pressure before Toohey struck out, Waters popped out, and Gurney lined out to a running Cabrera in center. Instead, Richmond tied the game with another pair of frickin’ doubles, Duncan to left, Marquez to right, in the bottom of the inning.

That was it through five, with two hits for Portland and three for Richmond, but the Coons began the sixth with two on and nobody out again after Herrera hit a double to right-center, and the Rebels, curiously, walked Maldonado intentionally as if Manny (.321) was a double play machine, and Toohey was hitting .429 in the playoffs up to that point. Manny promptly grounded a ball to Clevidence, but the Rebels only got Maldonado at second base. Runners were on the corners for Toohey – or at least until Manny was picked off first base. Then Toohey grounded out harmlessly.

The Rebels extra-base machine kept humming, though… Clevidence hit a ball off the fence in left for a double off Wheatley in the bottom 6th, and then Pablo Gonzalez hit another long one over the fence in right, putting the Raccoons behind again, 3-1.

Carreno pinch-hit for the stumbled Wheatley in the eighth inning, leading off in the #9 hole. He struck out. Tubbs got Baskins on a fly to left, but Herrera singled, bringing up Maldonado as the tying run, but his fly to center was caught. In the bottom 8th, the Coons walked the bags full. Marucci did the honors on Clevidence and Duncan, while Chuck Jones came on for Marquez, but ran into a pinch-hitter in Lance Harrison, who drew the walk. Nelson Moreno allowed a run on a Frazier single before Aguilera grounded out.

Down 4-1, we faced Jesse Beggs and his 52 saves in the ninth inning. Manny singled to left. Toohey doubled to right. The tying run was at the plate AGAIN. Waters struck out. Gurney popped out. Oh god. Kilmer ticked a single to right, bringing in the runners, and narrowing the score to 4-3 with two outs. Ricky Jimenez pinch-hit in the #9 hole, but flew out to Cabrera.

Rebels 4, Raccoons 3 – Rebels lead series 2-0

Herrera 3-4, 2B;