[Westheim]

Welcome to The Culling

Step 2 in unloading your old veterans for young talent is identifying which players you want to go after.

DAL INF Matt Higgins
DEN C Tom Oliver
NAS CF Stan Williams
BOS SP Ryan Childs

Those are very interesting players to us. All are among the Top 50 prospects in the ABL.

But things are complicated. With Logan Evans out for the season, we can’t trade Saito anymore, since we still have to somehow get through the season. Venegas is to be dealt, but we have also lost two of our AAA starters. Luis Herrera is out for the season, and Kiyomitsu Sano won’t come back until September. Even trading Venegas will stretch us way thin. In AA, Miguel Lopez is out until September.

For Evans, Carlos Gonzalez was called up again. He had gone 1-2 with a 4.82 ERA in three starts in AAA, so we knew what to expect.

By the way, Daniel Hall of course also has 10/5 rights. So he will stay along with Dawson, which shoves Osanai and West towards the door.

We have an offer at the moment: Armando Sanchez for Tom Oliver (see above). But Sanchez could be a type A free agent. Could I be better off trying a 2-for-1 for Oliver with other players and let him go as a free agent after the season?

To make me cry even more, Matt Higgins was hurt just before the All Star break and could not be traded anymore.

In any case I decided not to strike any deals before the All Star game (after the next series), just for the vanity to have these guys as Coons in the game (if any make it). Vanity kills.

Ah, so many problems!!

Raccoons (41-45) vs. Indians (52-34)

The Indians were by now far, far ahead of the Raccoons. The outcome of this series was not to significantly change anything. Carlos Gonzalez had last started a game three days before the series opener, fitting him right into Evans’ slot and making him the game 3 starter after Wade and Venegas (unless the latter would be traded before his start).

The Raccoons left the bases loaded in the first inning of the opener, before Hall and Dawson doubled in the third for a 1-0 lead. An error by Dumont cost that lead in the sixth, while Scott Wade was pitching his heart out. Wade came to bat with the bases loaded and two out in the bottom 6th, batting some .270 was left in, and struck out, then brought in the go-ahead run for the Indians with a throwing error in the seventh. Osanai’s sac fly in the bottom 7th tied it again. Wade pitched through the eighth. Can we buy this boy some offense, please? The bottom 8th started well with an error by 2B Enrico Lopez. Dadswell was removed for Sergio Martinez to pinch-run (and you know how rarely I do that), but he was left at second, when starter Jesse Carver struck out Dumont and Johnston to end the inning. The game went to extra innings, where the Indians overwhelmed Dirk Campbell and defeated the Coons, 4-2. Hall 2-5; Dawson 2-4, BB, 2 2B, RBI; Wade 8.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 2 K;

We did not get a trade together in time for Venegas, so he went out to face Robert Vazquez, who had half his ERA. He fell behind in the second, where RF Raúl Vazquez stole second with Reed making a bad thrown, and third with Reed making no throw. 1-0 Indians, and a ticket on waivers for Reed. Venegas went six, gave up four runs, and the Raccoons were dominated by Vazquez, who struck out eight in a 3-hitter through seven. Johnston led off the bottom 8th with a single. Weber added a single. Perez pinch hit for the pathetic Reed and walked. Bases loaded, no outs, tying run to the plate, which was Armando Sanchez pinch hitting in the #9 spot. He popped out. Thompson struck out, both on a full count. Vazquez was pulled for Tim Hess, a righty, so we pinch hit Dadswell for Jose Sanchez. Dadswell struck out and the Raccoons were defeated, 4-1. Osanai homered in the ninth, which was meaningless. Osanai 2-4, HR, RBI; Weber 2-3; J. Martinez 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K;

Daniel Hall homered in the first to give Gonzalez a lead, which evaporated in the fourth. Osanai made two errors early on and was pulled to get him out of the way. Gonzalez went eight innings and didn’t get a decision. The game again went to extra innings at 2-2. Jones pitched two innings in relief here, and the Coons loaded them up in the 11th against Hess. Dumont up with one out, but the Indians sent righty Josh Bridges. Both Dumont and Thompson popped out. Bottom 12th, Armando Sanchez with a leadoff double. The Indians walked Hall and Dawson intentionally, getting to Bentley with one out. Weber struck out for him, and Vinson popped out. Left the bases loaded with one out in extra innings at home – TWICE NOW. The next inning, they lined out thrice, and never progressed past first base anymore. Grant West lost in his third inning, the 15th overall, 4-2 Indians, swept. Thompson 2-6, BB, 2B; A. Sanchez 3-7, 2B, RBI; Dadswell 3-4, BB, 2B; Gonzalez 8.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K; Jones 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K;

What to do with such a team but shoot them, or cry, or both?

1988 All Star Game

The Raccoons had three position players in the mix, 1B Tetsu Osanai, 3B Mark Dawson, and CF Armando Sanchez. No pitchers, no surprise. Scott Wade (8-3, 3.03 ERA) was certainly closest to making it.

The Indians had five players in the game, the Canadiens four. In the FL, the Stars led with five, the Rebels had four.

The Continental League won 9-6 in 10 innings. No Coon started the game. Only Mark Dawson got a hit, going 1-2. He hit a leadoff homer in the 10th for the winning run.

Trading

On the day of the All Star game, the Raccoons dealt INF Jose Sanchez to Washington for AA SP Roberto Gonzalez. Gonzalez, 20, was a 10th round pick by the Stars in 1985, but has been developing very well since being picked up by the Capitals.

The night leading up to our home 4-game set against the Titans, we got another deal done, for the #1 name on the wish list. We acquired AAA INF Matt Higgins, 23, the 1985 11th overall pick, from Dallas, after he had overcome a bruised ankle. Higgins has great speed, great defense, plays all over the infield, never strikes out, and bats for high average and quite a few extra bases.

The prize was steep: MR Richard Cunningham, INF Sergio Martinez, and C Andy Reed.

Higgins goes to our big league roster right away. He’s ready. I think. He’s hitting .342 with 12 homers in 78 games in AAA.

In addition, INF Juan Ramirez, 31, international free agent acquired last winter, and MR Pedro Vazquez were moved up to the big leagues. Winston Thompson may now be our everyday shortstop and will be retained on the roster for the moment.

We’re not done selling.

Raccoons (41-48) vs. Titans (43-47)

Kisho Saito and Kinji Kan contested the Japanese Championships among (former) Coons here in game 1. Saito clearly emerged as winner from the duel, as the Raccoons put five on a struggling Kan with a few big doubles. 3B Kelly Carpenter drilled the Titans back into the game a few times in the game with three extra base hits, including a 2-piece for the only damage Saito allowed. The Raccoons jumped on reliever Holden Gorman for three more runs in the seventh and won, 8-3. Thompson 2-5, 2 2B, 2 RBI; A. Sanchez 2-4, RBI; Dawson 2-4, 2B, 3 RBI; Weber (PH) 1-2; Saito 6.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, W (7-9) and 1-2, 2B, RBI;

Matt Higgins’ big league debut went a sad 0-3.

And here came the next…

Trades

After game one against Boston, the Raccoons finalized a deal with the Buffaloes, sending over MR David Jones and two minor leaguers for outfield prospect Neil Reece and veteran outfielder Jose Pacheco.

We had to take up Pacheco since the Buffaloes were over-budget. He has no place in the big leagues anymore. Aged 35, he’s done, and in the final year of a huge contract. Reece is the prize in here. But even better! We got on the line with the Stars yet again, and struck the following deal:

Outfielder Jose Pacheco is sent to Dallas for AAA SP Toru Fujita; this gives us much needed depth in starting pitching again, as Fujita will continue to report at the AAA level. And saves us some money.

Mike Shaw replaced Jones on the major league roster.

Raccoons (41-48) vs. Titans (43-47)

Game 2. Scott Wade dipped his ERA below three for a second, before surrendering two runs in the top 3rd. The Coons countered in the bottom of the inning. Weber, batting second for a day, singled. The next three batters all worked full counts. Hall walked, Osanai walked, Dawson doubled to right to tie the game. Johnston’s RBI single put the Coons on top. But Wade was not up to the task, surrendered five runs in five innings, and was only spared the loss because the Raccoons did the same to his opponent, Jorge Valdes. After that, the offenses were pathetic. The game remained tied, 5-5, and a 1-out double by Osanai in the bottom 9th was left unused when Vicente Rubio struck out the other three batters the Coons sent up. Vinson led off the bottom 10th with a double against Jose Ramirez. Higgins lined to 2B Manny Mora and Vinson was picked off the base. Killer. The Titans left them loaded in the top 11th against Bentley, while the Coons found another killing double play and THEN left two on in the bottom 11th. Top 12th. Walk from Bentley, runner stole second, then a BALK, and another WALK. I fell unconscious, missed Dirk Campbell (the last guy left in the pen) working through Bentley’s mess, getting into and out of another mess in the 13th, and Mark Dawson walking off the Coons happy in the 14th with a 2-run homer. 7-5 Raccoons. Osanai 4-6, BB, 2B; Dawson 2-7, HR, 2B, 4 RBI; Johnston 2-4, BB, 2 RBI; Vinson 3-5, 2 2B, RBI; Shaw 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K; West 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K; Campbell 2.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, W (3-1);

The Raccoons ended a 14-game hitting streak owned by Zahid Mashwanis in this game.

Game 3, and Charles Young came our way again. Before he ever took the mound, Carlos Gonzalez threw 16 pitches, nicked a batter, fell behind, and left with an injury (or was not in the mood to continue, we’ll see). Venegas took over, pitched six innings of 1-run ball, and still couldn’t get in line for a W. Young stifled the Furballs again, leading 2-0 into the seventh. Dadswell broke up the SHO with a homer here, and Dumont came up with a pinch-hit RBI double to tie the game. Bottom 8th, Young to Armando Sanchez – leadoff triple! Hall didn’t mess around and singled him in. Osanai bombed Young into submission with a home run, and two reached before Perez came to bat. We brought Juan Ramirez to give the 31-year old rookie his first big league at bat. THREE-RUN HOME RUN TO LEFT!!! The park was silent for a moment, then rocked. Madness. Pedro Vazquez was raffled a bit in the ninth, but the Coons won, 8-4. Osanai 2-4, HR, 2 RBI; Dadswell 2-2, 2 BB, HR, RBI; Ramirez (PH) 1-1, HR, 3 RBI; Dumont (PH) 1-2, 2B, RBI; Venegas 6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K;

Game 4 was the major league debut of Boston’s Ryan Childs (who should have become a Coon if things would’ve gone my way) against our own struggling youngster Jason Turner. While Childs had the Coons under control, Turner was shelled and yanked in the fifth inning. The damage had been done and the Raccoons failed to come back. Puzzled by old wild knuckleballers, fooled by little kids. They lost 6-2. Dawson 3-4, HR, RBI; Dadswell (PH) 1-1, 3B; Shaw 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K;

And for more bad news, Carlos Gonzalez will miss a month with elbow inflammation.

In other news

July 10 – BOS SP Eric McCullough (4-6, 4.39 ERA), a 31-yr old ex-Coon, will be out until next season with a torn rotator cuff.
July 17 – SFW SP David Castillo (8-7, 2.71 ERA) is out for the season with a torn triceps.
July 18 – Shock in Pittsburgh, as SP David Burke (7-9, 3.69 ERA) goes down with a torn UCL and will miss at least a full year. The 33-yr old is the all-time leader in shutouts with 35.
July 18 – Atlanta’s postseason hopes are dealt a blow as well with Carlos Asquabal (14-3, 1.88 ERA) hitting the DL with a herniated disc. He may be able to return this season.

Complaints and stuff

Don’t even ask how much my heart his bleeding.

Rich Cunningham is gone. The Stars actually refused to take Grant West, whom I offered first. Anyway, Matt Higgins is a nice replacement for Cunningham in terms of hideous moustaches. Profile below, OSA ranks him much better, and his performance at AAA really makes me think that he could end up around 16/6/14 (OSA).

I was after either Ryan Childs from the Titans system or another AA starter of theirs, but with McCullough going down, they shut down talks and Childs got the callup.

Mark Dawson is currently leading the CL in homers and ribbies. Ha. That guy knows why he refuses a trade, ain’t no home run park like Portland’s (or very few at least). He has 239 career dingers, first overall by 48 over Gabriel Cruz. But the latter didn’t make the majors until 1981 and is catching up. For your information, Tetsuuuuu isn’t better than 16th overall and 5th among all-time Coons on the list with 133 dingers. Ben Simon (retired in ’86) is 5th with 156 homers, Daniel Hall t-8th with 145, Armando Sanchez t-10th with 144, and then Osanai.

Sam Dadswell was the CL Player of the Week, going 6-9 with 1 HR and 1 RBI.

And then there’s Juan Ramirez, our Puerto Rican international free agent. He hit one dinger in 315 AB in AAA ball, and how special is a 3-run homer for your first major league at bat?? Heart-warming!

So my heart is bleeding warmly, apparently.