[Westheim]

Still sneezing, but getting better. Are the Coons still going to provide grief?

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Raccoons (8-17) vs. Canadiens (10-14) – May 3-6, 1999

There was something about the Canadiens’ offense that didn’t fit together. Their batting average as a team was .274, yet they were scoring the least number of runs in the Continental League (3.3 R/G). Something appeared amiss. Their pitching was more or less about average.

Projected matchups:
Jose Rivera (2-2, 4.25 ERA) vs. Jose Marquez (3-2, 2.25 ERA)
Kelly Fairchild (1-0, 2.08 ERA) vs. Joe Hollow (3-1, 1.62 ERA)
Randy Farley (2-2, 2.80 ERA) vs. John Collins (2-3, 3.19 ERA)
Bob Joly (1-3, 7.59 ERA) vs. Manuel Hernandez (0-3, 3.33 ERA)

Except for Collins, these are all southpaws.

Game 1
VAN: 2B B. Butler – RF Durán – CF Ledesma – 1B I. Gutierrez – LF Taylor – C J. Lopez – 3B Sutton – SS Duarte – P Marquez
POR: SS Guerin – 2B Ingall – CF Reece – 1B Gonzalez – C Branch – LF Buell – 3B Crowe – RF Newton – P Rivera

Mike Crowe drove in the first run of the game with an RBI double in the bottom 2nd. That put two runners in scoring position with one out, but Newton whiffed against Marquez and once Rivera flew out, a good chance was wasted. The teams would alternate scoring runs early on, and the Coons were up 3-2 when Stephen Buell led off the bottom 6th with a triple to right, extending a hitting streak to 15 games. With how the game had gone so far, Buell wouldn’t score. Crowe and Newton both walked, bringing up Rivera with no outs. Do you hit for him? No. He can’t possibly hit into a triple play! Much the opposite, Rivera lined a 1-0 pitch softly into shallow center, and a run was in, and now we could blow this one open. Guerin and Ingall both hit grounders to short, each time getting a man forced out at second, but the Canadiens never turned the double play, nor did they get the runner at home. 6-2, two out, Ingall at first, Reece drew a walk and Gonzalez hit an infield single. Bases loaded again, the Canadiens removed Marquez for Juan Bello, who got Branch to fly out. Rivera put two on in the top 7th and was removed, Donis was tired, and Pedro Perez wasn’t going to complete the AA-to-Bigs jump in THAT situation. Daniel Miller came in, retired Ramón Corona on a grounder, and stuck out Bob Butler to escape the jam. Perez came in in the eighth, though, facing the switch hitter Durán and the left-handers Ledesma and Gutierrez. He drilled his first man in the majors, got the next two, then faced .119 batter Phil Taylor – and was taken way deep. Wade came in, walked the first man he saw before getting out of the eighth, and while the Coons tacked on two runs in the bottom 8th, Wade loaded the bags in the ninth before the Canadiens finally rolled enough balls over to Guerin to get the game into the books. 8-4 Coons. Guerin 2-5, 2B, RBI; Gonzalez 4-4, BB, 2 2B, RBI; Branch 2-4, BB, 2 RBI; Buell 2-5, 3B; Brady (PH) 1-1; Rivera 6.1 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, W (3-2) and 1-3, RBI;

That one was … tense. You lead 6-2, you feel secure, and then your closer walks three batters over four outs.

Here’s the plan for starters: Kelly Fairchild starts the next game, while Bob Joly will go in game 4. If Joly gets torn open again, he will be demoted to move Esteban Flores into the rotation from AAA. If he holds up, Flores will take the #3 slot from Fairchild (can’t move up Farley right now), and Perez will be demoted as Fairchild returns to long relief.

Game 2
VAN: 2B B. Butler – RF Durán – CF Ledesma – 1B I. Gutierrez – C J. Lopez – 3B Sutton – LF J. Wilson – SS Duarte – P Hollow
POR: SS Guerin – 2B Ingall – CF Reece – 3B Gonzalez – C Branch – LF Buell – 1B Castillo – RF Brady – P Fairchild

Iván Gutierrez’ 3-run homer in the top 1st put a dent into Fairchild’s spot start early on and it wouldn’t get much better for him, as he didn’t make it even out of the fifth inning in the game. Trailing 5-1 at that point, Donis came in to face as many left-handers until the scoreboard would spill over, but he actually didn’t put a man on (Castillo did put one on, though) while collecting five outs. Martinez also pitched two innings, while the Raccoons did not threaten Hollow. However, in the bottom 8th, Hollow lost control. He walked Buell, Crowe, and Parker to load the bags with one out, and with Guerin at the plate as the tying run. Guerin lined into right center for an RBI single, bringing up Ingall. Hollow fell behind against him, but Ingall wasn’t satisfied with a mere walk, he wanted to get this game tíed, and did so with a mighty rip to deep left for a bases-clearing double! Hollow was toast, was used for an intentional walk to Neil Reece, then yielded to reliever Pedro Alvarado, who managed to end the inning. Unfortunately, the only live arm we had left to fight in that 5-5 game was Tamburrino’s, and it didn’t shock anybody that he surrendered a run in no time. 6-5 Canadiens. Ingall 3-5, 2B, 3 RBI; Gonzalez 2-5, 2B, RBI; Donis 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K; Martinez 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K;

Buell’s hitting streak is over. Concie has hit in 12 straight games, though.

Game 3
VAN: 2B B. Butler – RF Durán – CF Ledesma – 1B I. Gutierrez – C J. Lopez – 3B Sutton – LF Hudson – SS Duarte – P J. Collins
POR: 2B Ingall – RF Brady – CF Reece – 3B Gonzalez – C Branch – SS Caddock – LF Parker – 1B Michel – P Farley

Iván Gutierrez hit a 3-run homer off Farley in the first inning. Déjá vu anyone? The game matched yesterday’s in an uncomfortably high degree. While Farley went six innings and gave up only four runs, the Raccoons trailed hopelessly against an effective John Collins, who had given up three singles in the first inning, while also striking out three, and only one hit from there through the sixth. Perez was brought in for the seventh, but didn’t retire anybody as the Canadiens blew the game wide open, as all four men that Perez had put on scored once Gonzalez made a critical error at third base that spoiled Jackie Lagarde’s relief attempt. Either way, even light-hitting shortstop Angelo Duarte would hit a 3-run homer off Lagarde in the ninth, denying us even to get through this game without emptying the entire bullpen again. The Raccoons were stomped. 11-1 Canadiens. Ingall 2-5; Brady 2-4;

No matter your ailment, like those not-scoring Canadiens, come to Portland, we can help you.

GIMME MORE CHOCOLATE. NOW.

We made a move prior to game 4. The starting pitching was so desolate, and the bullpen was overworked. It was impossible to mix and match and stuff like that, because all arms were constantly aching. Samy Michel was demoted to AAA to make room for another arm, as we brought up right-hander Manuel Martinez, our 1996 first round pick. He throws fireballs, but he can’t do it for long. He is strictly a 1-inning guy, at most. He rapidly loses his effectiveness once he cools off between innings and then he will get raped.

Game 4
VAN: 2B B. Butler – RF Durán – CF Ledesma – 1B I. Gutierrez – LF Taylor – 3B Sutton – C Lozano – SS Duarte – P M. Hernandez
POR: SS Guerin – 2B Ingall – LF Buell – 1B Gonzalez – C Branch – CF Newton – RF Brady – 3B Crowe – P Joly

Both teams made it an art to leave runners on in this game. The Raccoons would actually get something done first, with two runs in the bottom 3rd. The Canadiens came right back in the top 4th. Joly was in trouble, one run already home, and the bags full, and he fell 3-1 behind pitcher Hernandez, before the Elk chopped into an out to Guerin. Hernandez would come up with the bases loaded in the 2-1 game in the sixth again, also with two out after we forewent Duarte (who had already gone deep in the series) with an intentional walk. Hernandez this time struck at the first pitch and a less agile fielder than Marvin Ingall would not have gotten the resulting grounder for an out. Brady singled to lead off the bottom 6th, and Crowe was drilled. Joly remained in the game to bunt them over, laid down the ball nicely, and Pedro Lozano threw past first base for a costly error that made it 3-1 Furballs with no outs and two in scoring position. An Ingall single plated the runners, before Buell was also hit by Hernandez. Reece and Crowe were grabbing bats in the dugout to teach Hernandez manners if necessary, but Gonzalez let the wood speak the way it oughta be and dealt the death knell to the Canadiens with a 3-run home run to left. Joly had the best outing of a starter in a while and went eight innings before handing over to debutee Manuel Martinez, who ended up having a spotty debut, giving up a run en route to ending the game. 8-2 Coons. Ingall 2-4, 2 RBI; Buell 3-3, BB, RBI; Brady 2-5; Joly 8.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 5 K, W (2-3);

We sent away Pedro Perez and brought up Esteban Flores after this game.

Raccoons (10-19) @ Scorpions (16-12) – May 7-9, 1999

Over the weekend we hopped down to Sacramento to collect a beating and then head home. This was a top team. They had given up the least runs in the Federal League, and were scoring well, but not quite well enough to match the Warriors at this point, who were four games ahead of them.

Projected matchups:
Kisho Saito (0-5, 7.11 ERA) vs. Steve Rogers (2-4, 3.02 ERA)
Jose Rivera (3-2, 4.00 ERA) vs. Whit Reeves (4-0, 1.82 ERA)
Esteban Flores (0-0) vs. David Castillo (1-4, 5.50 ERA)

Game 1
POR: SS Guerin – 2B Ingall – CF Reece – 1B Gonzalez – LF Buell – C Castillo – RF Newton – 3B Crowe – P Saito
SAC: LF F. Sanchez – C De La Parra – RF Humphrey – CF A. Jenkins – 2B F. Rivera – 3B O’Molony – 1B Potts – SS Cerdeira – P Rogers

Guerin singled, Ingall doubled, and then only Reece managed to get a run home, while Gonzalez and Buell popped out lazily in the top 1st. Reece would however leave the bags full in a 2-0 game in the top 2nd, but we got another run in the third inning, and – oh – it started to rain. While the rain would eventually subside, so would a strong start from Saito to this game. He got through four unscathed, then had a man on with two out and a runner on first in the bottom 5th, facing the pitcher – and Rogers took him deep. 3-2. Aaron Jenkins tied the game with a 2-out home run in the sixth then, and when Saito came back out for the seventh, he put two men on and then left. Juan Martinez failed to keep the lead run from scoring, and now Saito was in for the loss once more. No Raccoon set foot on a base the rest of the game. 5-3 Scorpions. Guerin 3-5, 2B, RBI; Crowe 2-4, RBI;

Of course. I’m not the least little bit shocked.

Game 2
POR: 2B Ingall – SS Guerin – CF Reece – 1B Gonzalez – C Branch – RF Buell – LF Parker – 3B Caddock – P Rivera
SAC: 1B S. Green – CF Stinton – RF Humphrey – LF A. Jenkins – 3B O’Molony – C Potts – 2B Cerdeira – SS R. Martinez – P Reeves

Rivera was awful, allowing eight hits, four walks, and four runs in five frames, while the Scorpions’ Whit Reeves was zeroed in. The Raccoons had no chance. Once Guerin was thrown out stealing in the first inning, they were shut down in their entirety. Reeves went 7.2 innings, allowed only three singles, and whiffed eight Suckoons. Not that they would get anything done against the bullpen, either. 4-0 Scorpions. Guerin 2-4;

Melancholy. Nah, too weak a word to describe it properly. Basically, I’m Al Bundy standing at the gas station with the piece of cardboard that reads “Shoot me - $12”.

Game 3
POR: 2B Ingall – SS Gonzalez – CF Reece – 1B Gonzalez – C Branch – LF Buell – RF Brady – 3B Crowe – P Flores
SAC: 1B S. Green – C De La Parra – LF A. Jenkins – 2B F. Rivera – 3B O’Molony – CF Stinton – RF O’Day – SS R. Martinez – P D. Castillo

In *some* way we got back on the Scorpions in this one. Flores was shaky early on, and while Cesar Gonzalez had put the Coons up 2-0 with a dinger in the first, Felipe Rivera was able to match that stroke in the bottom half of the frame, and Flores fell 3-2 behind in the second. Top 5th, he came to bat with Brady on second base and one out. I was not a fan of bunting in that spot, so he was told to swing. He swung. Boy, did he swing. One home run later, the Coons were up 4-3, and Flores was visibly cackling with glee as he rounded the bags. When Reece rolled a single between Rivera and Green to lead off the top 6th, that was our first hit that was not a home run in this game, comparing favorably to the 10 men Flores had put on base through five. Not that Reece would score, oh no, he was left on first, and the Scorpions got their revenge soon. Ramon Martinez singled with one out in the bottom 6th, then stole second, then stole third, and Castillo scored him with a groundout to tie the game. Meh. In a 4-4 tie, Ingall doubled to get the top 8th started. Guerin singled, extending his streak to 16 games, putting Ingall on third. Reece fought a prolonged battle with Castillo before drawing a walk. Bases loaded, no outs. COME ON NOW!! Gonzalez struck out. Uh-oh. Lance Branch was next and he put the ball in play. Deep to right center, Stinton was never gonna get this one. The bases were emptied, 3-run double Lance Branch! 7-4 lead, six outs to collect, they’re good, right? You kiddin’?? Donis cocked up a homer to O’Day, and while “Chubby” Martinez got to two outs, he then put the tying runs on, and Wade had to come in. De La Parra floated a ball to shallow right, which Luke Newton managed to catch just off the grass. Newton and Caddock then led off the ninth after entering on a myriad of switches in the last two innings, with Ingall up third. Can we get a decisive blow? Newton got on, but Caddock’s fly was caught by Stinton on the warning track in dead center. Ingall double-played us to the bottom 9th, with Wade trying to not blow up for once. Jenkins led off with a double to left. Didn’t we have it go that way in the Saito start last Sunday? Cerdeira grounded out, moving up the runner, and then O’Molony dumped a ball into shallow right. 7-6, tying run on with one out, and here came old Indian R.J. Stinton and shot a ball into right. Newton made a running pickup as O’Molony dashed to third. Rocket by Newton, nifty grab by Caddock at third, the tag – OUT!!! Surely we’ll be fine now, right? RIGHT??? O’Day doubled to left, Stinton rounded third, and made it home miles ahead of any throw by Stephen Buell. Martinez walked his team off with a single to left. 7-6 Scorpions.

Come on, it’s only twelve bucks! Go ahead and shoot me, for Coon’s sake!!

In other news

May 5 – ATL SP Albert Zarate (2-1, 5.23 ERA) is out for the year with a torn rotator cuff.
May 7 – SFW 2B Dave Heffer (.248, 0 HR, 6 RBI) has sprained his knee and will miss the rest of the month.
May 8 – Tijuana’s Bastyao Caixinha (2-5, 4.25 ERA) celebrates his 200th career win; pitching eight innings in a 3-3 tie against the Warriors, Caixinha gets into the lead with Bill Mosley and David Vinson hitting home runs to lead off the top 9th, and the Condors win 5-3. The 37-year old was signed out of Venezuela in 1979 and pitched for the Titans in his 1984 debut, but had his biggest years in Charlotte in the late 80s, including being named the 1987 CL Pitcher of the Year. Caixinha is 200-174 with a 3.43 ERA for his career.

Complaints and stuff

I was aware of issues, but it shocked me that Lance Branch had managed to catch a whopping 9% of base stealers in the first month of the season. Didn’t get that much better now.

And then you play the not-scoring Canadiens, and they come here and rape you open top to bottom. Three 3-run homers in two games in the middle of that series. Come! On! HAVE SOME SPINE!!!

As we are talking about spine. Kisho Saito has surrendered 14 home runs this season. He surrendered 16 all of last year. He’s on pace for 72 dingers given up this year. Something’s bent here.

And then a most bitter sweep in Sacramento, in which Saito gets blown up late, the team is completely silenced the next day, and then Wade blows another one in the ninth.

Zero fun. It’ zero fun.