[Westheim]

Raccoons (44-38) @ Loggers (36-45) – July 6-9, 2026

There was nothing going on in Milwaukee anymore in July, which was rather ordinary when you looked back at the last five decades. The Loggers sat 15 1/2 games out and were just taking care that their ballpark wouldn't fall over in the middle of the night. Oh, and they were in the middle of a 12-game losing streak that the Raccoons were almost guaranteed to end for them as they game in for four games, the first half of the traditional All Star Game embracing four-and-four with one of their CL North opponents. The season series was even, 2-2.

Projected matchups:
Rin Nomura (1-2, 3.00 ERA) vs. Philip Rogers (2-4, 4.95 ERA)
Mark Roberts (8-6, 2.59 ERA) vs. Mark Dempsey (3-6, 4.81 ERA)
Rico Gutierrez (8-3, 3.89 ERA) vs. Jorge Villalobos (8-3, 2.36 ERA)
Kyle Anderson (5-4, 3.31 ERA) vs. Danny Soto (5-3, 4.36 ERA)

All of these starters were right-handed. The Loggers were adding injury to insult as well and were missing some of their best personnel, including Ian Prevost and Ian Coleman, but also plucky infielders Jeff Rinehart and Danny Mancia.

Game 1
POR: SS Ramos – 2B Spencer – CF Mora – 1B Kopp – RF Gomez – 3B Nunley – C O'Dell – LF Gerace – P Nomura
MIL: SS Ferrer – CF S. Green – 1B Tadlock – LF W. Trevino – 2B I. Flores – RF R. Amador – C Salazar – 3B Mesa – P Rogers

The Loggers would lead 1-0 after five innings, the lone run the product of a Manny Ferrer double to begin the third inning, followed by two strikeouts and a terrible bloop by Willie Trevino that fell for a 2-out RBI single. Both teams had squandered opportunities along the way. Nunley had speared a sharp bouncer by Philip Rogers with a pair in scoring position and two outs in the bottom 2nd, while the Raccoons had placed Justin Gerace on third base after he reached on an uncaught third strike leading off the third inning, was bunted over, advanced on Ramos' single, and then they were left there on Spencer's lineout into the mitten off Ferrer, and a weak grounder by Abel Mora. Top 6th, Spencer and Mora went to the corners with nobody out, another prime chance to worsen my depression. Alas, this time was different – Terry Kopp belted a no-doubter, and the Coons had a 3-1 lead. Kopp came up again the next inning with Ramos and Spencer in scoring position and one out, and the Loggers wanted no part of him. Gomez popped out with the bags full, but Nunley doubled into the gap in right-center. Roberto Amador cut the ball off before it reached the deeper regions of the park, then threw out Kopp at home, but by then the Coons had plated two more runs to lead 5-1. That was soon 5-2 on John Salazar's leadoff jack in the bottom of the inning, but Nomura, who had started the game with two first-inning walks before reeling himself in and pitching much better in the later innings, got through the seventh alright after that. Ricky Ohl got the ball in the bottom 8th, but a Trevino single and an Ivan Flores walk brought up the tying run. Brotman replaced him, got great support from Kopp with a defensive gem at first base on Roberto Amador's fast bouncer, then struck out Salazar to escape the jam. That still left ample time for disaster in the ninth. Brotman faced Alex Mesa and allowed a single, then was kicked for Snyder with the right-handers coming up. Ken Hanagriff singled to left, Manny Ferrer singled up the middle. Bases loaded, nobody out in a 3-run game. Pinch-hitter Alexis Rueda struck out, which was a bit of a break, and then Ron Tadlock brought in a run with a fly to Gerace, but that was also the second out. Snyder prevailed in a full count against Trevino, his second K of the inning also ending the game. 5-3 Coons. Ramos 2-5; Spencer 2-4; Nomura 7.0 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, W (2-2);

Interlude: Trade

Nothing to get excited about, really. The Raccoons picked up 31-year-old OF Matt Jamieson (.220, 3 HR, 17 RBI) from the Pacifics in exchange for MR Jeff Mudge (2-1, 6.39 ERA, 2 SV) and a pretty bad 21-year-old single-A … I hesitate to call him "prospect". Angel Salazar cost $56,000 in the 2021 IFA period and hasn't been worth it.

Anyway, the table cloth was cut between the Coons and Mudge and he had to go. Outright release was not an option, so we traded our 2-year burden for a 1-year burden in Jamieson. Also, with Jon Gonzalez probably lost for the entire season, there is still room to prove himself in the outfield with us, since Terry Kopp will likely play most of the time at first base.

Justin Gerace was demoted to make room on the active roster.

Raccoons (44-38) @ Loggers (36-45) – July 6-9, 2026

Game 2
POR: SS Ramos – 2B Spencer – LF Mora – 1B Kopp – RF Gomez – 3B Nunley – C O'Dell – CF Magallanes – P Roberts
MIL: SS Ferrer – CF S. Green – 1B Tadlock – LF W. Trevino – C J. Young – RF R. Amador – 2B Berntson – 3B Mesa – P Dempsey

The Coons not only put their first three batters aboard with a triple, infield single (that didn't score Ramos), and walk, but also got Terry Kopp to draw a walk to push home Ramos after all before they chocked wholly and completely. Gomez struck out, Nunley hit into a double play. Mr. Triple Crown, whose last win had come in MAY, probably would have liked the additional support. Dempsey lasted only 2.2 innings, but not for putting too many runners aboard, but rather had to be removed for injury concerns. Koto Hayashi replaced him and surrendered a 2-out RBI single to Rafael Gomez, who scored Ramos from second, that went on Dempsey's ledger before Nunley's grounder to second base closed the inning and said ledger. That was not the last injury for the Loggers, who also lost Ferrer on a defensive play in the fourth inning. He was replaced by Ivan Flores.

Roberts allowed no base hits in the first three innings, then allowed four to begin the bottom 4th. Sam Green singled, Tadlock homered, and a 3-0 lead became 3-2, which in turn became endangered after Trevino and Jim Young went to the corners after two more singles. Roberto Amador popped out, but Jon Berntson looped a nasty one onto the leftfield line from where it went past a confused Mora and into the corner for a score-flipping triple. At least Roberts struck out Mesa and Hanagriff, but damage had definitely been done. The Raccoons were not as stunned as one would expect and loaded the bases in the following inning, although admittedly their 1-out sequence began with a Mesa error that put Kopp on first base. Gomez walked, Nunley singled, pulling up O'Dell in the prime spot. O'Dell hit Travis Feider's first pitch over the second base bag for an RBI single, and then Magallanes chopped the ball into a double play… They were batting almost as if Mark Roberts wouldn't find a loss on his own; he hit Ivan Flores to begin the bottom 5th, then served up a homer to Green, falling behind yet again, 6-4. He was not seen again after the fifth, having been pinch-hit for in the top of the sixth. Ramos and Spencer reached scoring position on a single and a double. Neither scored.

The Coons continued to dazzle with their reluctance to go for the big inning. Gomez and Nunley opened the seventh with singles, going to the corners. O'Dell racked another pitch for a double play, scoring Gomez, but not helping the cause. Magallanes even reached base on a walk, and then Matt Jamieson, in his first appearance as a Critter, struck out. Way to get yourself endeared, Matt! Top 9th, Joe Moore faced his former team with a 6-5 lead and Kopp leading off. Terry singled through Tadlock, which opened us up for all sorts of disappointment. Gomez' walk made it worse. When Matt Nunley looped a ball to shallow center, Rueda missed in on a dive and played the single into an RBI double, it was surely going to implode in our face any second now! O'Dell's sac fly was only a prelude to future ravaging! Kyle Koel's 2-out RBI double was nothing but a farce to make our fall that much deeper! No, Ricky Ohl struck out the side in the bottom 9th. 8-6 Raccoons. Ramos 3-6, 3B; Spencer 2-5, 2B; Gomez 2-3, 2 BB, RBI; Nunley 3-5, 2B, RBI; O'Dell 2-4, 2 RBI; Koel (PH) 1-1, 2B, RBI; Boles 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K, W (1-0);

That is a 14-game losing streak for the Loggers. Their mere sight made me sad. Finish them off quickly so we can get outta here.

Game 3
POR: SS Ramos – 2B Spencer – CF Mora – 1B Kopp – RF Gomez – 3B Nunley – LF Jamieson – C Burrows – P Gutierrez
MIL: SS Salazar – RF R. Amador – 1B Tadlock – C J. Young – 2B I. Flores – CF Hanagriff – LF Rueda – 3B Mesa – P Villalobos

Spencer doubled home Ramos in the first inning for a quick 1-0 lead for the Coons as they tried to deepen Milwaukee's misery to 15. Jamieson hit a single for his first base knock as a Critter in the second inning, but the Coons only returned to scoring in the third, with another Spencer double, a wild pitch, and Mora's run-scoring groundout that made it 2-0 for Rico, who had also seen his share of trouble recently, but was holding the Loggers to two hits through three innings while striking out four.

The knell was that much more violent when it actually happened in the fifth because of how smooth Rico had been before that. Hanagriff single, Rueda double, tying run up with no outs. Mesa's sac fly, then a suicide squeeze on which the battery fell asleep to plate the second run. Tied game. John Salazar singled. Amador singled, loading the bases. And then Tadlock struck out. And Young struck out. Three stranded, game tied at two after an inning that lasted only 29 pitches, but felt like 92. We almost felt like survivors until Rueda, Mesa, and VILLALOBOS rapped off 2-out singles to take a 3-2 lead in the bottom 6th. Can the Coons ever catch a break? No, their clumsy attempts were wholly abortive. Gomez hit a leadoff single off Villalobos in the eighth, only for the next three Raccoons to strike out. Spencer hit a 2-out single in the ninth. Mora struck out. 3-2 Loggers. Ramos 2-5; Spencer 3-5, 2 2B, RBI; Legleiter 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K;

This will be a pretty good team once I find a few capable batters to line up behind Ramos and Spencer, and once I get rid of all the pitchers out of the "explosive diarrhea" category, Pitchers of the Year or not…

Suddenly, a southpaw cropped up on Thursday, with Ben Jacobson (8-8, 4.61 ERA) having been claimed off waivers by the Crusaders and being put into a Loggers uni.

Game 4
POR: 2B Spencer – SS Stalker – CF Gomez – RF Kopp – C O'Dell – LF Jamieson – 1B Koel – 3B Bullock – P Anderson
MIL: CF S. Green – C J. Young – SS Tadlock – LF W. Trevino – 3B Mesa – 2B I. Flores – RF Rueda – 1B Aquino – P Jacobson

The Coons' 3-4-5-6 batters all chained up hits with two outs in the opening inning, bringing in three runs in total as Gomez and Kopp singled softly, O'Dell hit a hard RBI double to right, and Jamieson a well-placed 2-run single to left. By the third, the Loggers were on the board as well when Tadlock brought in Sam Green with a sac fly. It was not just a sac fly; Rafael Gomez slammed face first into the fence after making the catch in deepest centerfield, then numbly fell to the ground … but kept the ball in his glove. He had to be carted off the field and was replaced by Mora.

While that sucked, maybe the Coons could at least wrap up the series. Anderson walked Ivan Flores in the bottom 4th, but Rueda lined to Kyle Koel, who not only shagged the ball, but also found time and balance to tag out an already-started Flores for an inning-ending double play. Top 5th, Stalker doubled with one out, then scored on Kopp's single, 4-1, but the Loggers still had grit. The bottom 5th saw Wilson Aquino hit a leadoff double while Anderson was coming apart slowly. He would issue two walks in the inning, allowed a few rockets, and a Jamieson throwing error also aided the Loggers to score two and get back within one before Mesa grounded out to Spencer to strand a pair. Oh well, what was the sixth inning for if not for flipping the score there? Leadoff walk to Flores, infield single by Rueda, and you just knew this was gonna be good. Aquino's groundout advanced the runners, Jacobson tied the game with a sac fly (because don't you suckers dare ever striking out a ****ing pitcher!), and Sam Green's 2-out single put Milwaukee on top. That was all for Anderson, who was hanging for the loss with the way the Raccoons were batting in the top 7th. Surginer surrendered a 2-out run to Mesa in the bottom 7th, and when the Coons got Mora aboard with a leadoff single in the eighth, Kopp was on pat to smack into a double play. The Loggers got another run off Legleiter in the eighth… not that it mattered… 7-4 Loggers. Gomez 1-2; Kopp 2-4, RBI; O'Dell 2-4, 2B, RBI;

Raccoons (46-40) @ Crusaders (48-38) – July 10-12, 2026

We were up 7-2 against New York this year, but I was not going to take anything for granted anymore. The Crusaders sat fourth in runs scored, but were allowing the fewest runs in the Continental League as they tried to catch the elusive Elks.

Projected matchups:
Dan Delgadillo (6-3, 2.52 ERA) vs. Mike Rutkowski (9-4, 2.11 ERA)
Rin Nomura (2-2, 2.91 ERA) vs. Carlos Marron (8-4, 1.78 ERA)
TBD vs. Eddie Cannon (7-6, 4.21 ERA)

More right-handers to come. For Portland, Sunday's starter depended on whether Mark Roberts (8-6, 2.93 ERA) was an All Star. I was not sold on the idea, but who knows – these selectors are routinely drunk beyond recognition. If Roberts gets picked, then the start could go to either Alvin Smith or Lance Legleiter.

The Crusaders came in having acquired infielder Mike Kane (.271, 3 HR, 22 RBI) from the Titans in exchange for SP Matt Rosenthal (8-7, 4.34 ERA). They could use a few batters, because between Sergio Valdez, Nate Ellis, Roger Allen, Robby Soto, and Juan Espinosa they had five quality bats on the DL.

Game 1
POR: SS Ramos – LF Spencer – CF Mora – 1B Kopp – 3B Nunley – RF Jamieson – C O'Dell – 2B Stalker – P Delgadillo
NYC: CF Douglas – 2B McWhorter – 3B Schmit – RF Richardson – 1B Godown – C Leal – LF Shaffer – SS Kane – P Rutkowski

Lance Douglas singled, stole second, then scored on two groundouts in the opening inning, putting Portland into an early hole, and remember how they managed to choke when they had an early LEAD … Rutkowski, who drew a leadoff walk (…) in the third inning, also was perfect against Portland the first time through, so there was that. Ramos would draw a leadoff walk in the fourth inning, but Rutkowski remained on the minimum after Alberto got himself caught stealing trying to nip #21. Those shenanigans, however, stopped in the fifth inning. Terry Kopp laced a leadoff double, and then Jamieson found the rightfield corner for an RBI triple. That tied the game, and O'Dell's grounder to short put Portland ahead once Jamieson came home from third base. Not that we got to enjoy the 2-1 edge for long… Delgadillo allowed a single to Mike Kane – the Crusaders' first hit since the Douglas single – and after Rutkowski bunted into a force at second base still managed to surrender a 2-out RBI triple to Douglas…

That was it for Delgadillo in trying to grind out a win. He went seven, was hit for with Koel and one out in the eighth, Koel even singled, and then Ramos and Spencer made poor outs. We then continued with poor pitching. Josh Boles struck out J.D. Laughery to begin the bottom 8th, then walked Douglas. Ricky Ohl replaced him, got Tom McWhorter to fly out, then threw a wild pitch before walking Andy Schmit anyway. Jamie Richardson came through with an RBI double, and even though Nunley made a nice play on Justin Godown's grounder, the Crusaders were up, the Raccoons were down, brought up the middle of the order against Steve Casey in the ninth, and remained firmly down. Kopp hit a 1-out single. Nunley hit into a double play. 3-2 Crusaders. Kopp 2-4, 2B; Koel (PH) 1-1; Delgadillo 7.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 K;

Game 2
POR: SS Ramos – 2B Spencer – CF Mora – RF Kopp – 3B Nunley – C O'Dell – 1B Koel – LF Jamieson – P Nomura
NYC: CF Ugolino – 2B McWhorter – 3B Schmit – C J. Ramirez – LF I. Vega – 1B Richardson – RF Douglas – SS Kane – P Marron

While Nomura faced the minimum the first time through the order, walking Douglas who then got caught stealing, he was also interrupted by an hour-long rain delay after 39 pitches, which was not a good point to get hit with an hour of picking your pointy black nose. All the good effort went out the window anyway in the fourth inning with a 1-out single by McWhorter, after which Nomura whacked Schmit, then surrendered two RBI singles to Jose Ramirez and Ivan Vega. Oh why even bother!? And no, the Raccoons were not doing anything in this game, either. And, well, yeah, they tied the score in the top of the fifth, but how was it their merit? Nunley reached on a 2-base throwing error by McWhorter to begin the inning. After that O'Dell singled, Koel grounded out, and Jamieson was walked intentionally. Nomura grounded to first for the second out, and then Marron threw a wild pitch to score O'Dell. Yeah, very impressive hitting display…

Nomura lasted six, whiffing seven batters, then had to hope in vain hope that the Raccoons would pull something from their arse that wasn't **** in the top 7th. Nunley grounded out to short. O'Dell flew out to Fabien Ugolino. And Douglas caught Koel's lazy fly. Yeah, way to go, boys. Brotman retired the Crusaders in the bottom 7th, then saw his spot come up after Jamieson's leadoff single in the eighth against Marron, who was tougher than shoe leather and stubbornly hanging in. Brotman was left there to bunt, did so badly, and Jamieson was forced out. THEN Ramos singled. Oh dear …… I don't even know what dear. Probably deer. Spencer hit into a fielder's choice, Mora flew out to Vega. Nobody scored. PH Mike Fletcher singled off Surginer in the bottom 8th and with two outs Jose Ramirez drove a ball to deep right. I closed my eyes and sighed, but the crowd ended up moaning – Kopp had caught the ball at the fence, but that was only a prelude to Richardson's strong catch on Jamieson's 2-out drive in the top 9th. That one came with Nunley and O'Dell on base. They did not make it home… other than Ivan Vega, who hit a leadoff double off Surginer in the bottom 9th, then was singled in by Justin Godown. 3-2 Crusaders. Nunley 2-4; Jamieson 2-3, BB; Nomura 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K;

(sighs dramatically)

It gets better. Rafael Gomez fractured his hand in multiple spots when it got wedged between his body and the fence. He is probably on the pile with Gonzalez as out for the year. So here was another one for the DL. The Raccoons called up Justin Gerace again, five days after sending him back to St. Pete.

Mark Roberts made the All Star Game and thus was scratched from the Sunday start. Alvin Smith (0-0, 1.80 ERA, 1 SV) got the assignment.

Game 3
POR: SS Ramos – 2B Spencer – RF Mora – 1B Kopp – 3B Nunley – LF Gerace – CF Magallanes – C Burrows – P Smith
NYC: CF Ugolino – SS Kane – 3B Schmit – 1B Richardson – RF I. Vega – LF R. Torruellas – 2B Fletcher – C Leal – P Cannon

Both teams had only one base hit the first time through, and only the Raccoons did something with it. Burrows hit a leadoff single in the third inning, was bunted over, advanced on a wild pitch, then was plated by Ramos with a sac fly to Ugolino in center. That run was just as deserved as the one the Coons got in the fourth inning when Mora hit a leadoff single, Kopp struck out, Nunley grounded out to move Mora to second, and then Fletcher threw away Gerace's grounder for two bases. Not that it mattered, because the middle-innings meltdown was coming, and coming hard. Smith walked the leadoff batter Kane *and* Andy Schmit in the bottom 4th, then allowed a single to left to Jamie Richardson. Kane went for home, was thrown out by Gerace, but the runners advanced behind him and both scored on Vega's double off the wall near the foul pole in leftfield, erasing all of the Coons' shady lead.

All in all, Alvin didn't do all that bad. He lasted five innings, allowed only those two runs, and was competitive, but he was also over 90 pitches after five innings, but it was a decent performance for a spot start on short notice. Plus, he still had a chance for the win with the top 6th coming around and Mora reaching on an infield single to begin the frame against Cannon. He stole second, advanced on a groundout by Kopp, then was driven in by Nunley with a soft single over the leaping Richardson at first base. That was it for the inning with Gerace whiffing and Magallanes flying out before being removed in a quad switch. Mora to center, Kopp to right, Koel to first, and Legleiter in to pitch and bat seventh, and to issue a leadoff walk to Schmit in the bottom 6th, but the middle infield found a double play somewhere in the shards of their season to get Legleiter out of the inning.

Top 7th, Ramos earned an intentional walk as the last action by Cannon, who drilled Burrows to begin the inning, after which Koel grounded out and advanced the runner. Jon Ozier came on, rung up Spencer, but then threw an egg to Mora, and Abel hit it where it hurt, 395 feet over the fence in right-center for a 3-run bomb! Legleiter went on to work himself through another inning, and then Brotman survived the eighth despite two walks issued. The Critters won another gift run in the top 9th in which Ramos singled, stole second and raced for third on Armando Leal's throwing error, then scored when Spencer flew out to Rafael Torruellas in the gap. Would five runs be enough for Surginer, facing the bottom of the order, to not send the Coons to the All Star break on a 5-game losing streak? Tough to tell – Mike Fletcher led off with a single. Leal doubled, and this sent Snyder warming up… J.D. Laughery struck out, as did Fabien Ugolino. Jose Ramirez pinch-hit in the pitcher's spot, #2 … and went down on three strikes. 7-2 Critters. Ramos 1-2, 2 BB, RBI; Mora 3-4, BB, HR, 3 RBI; Smith 5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, W (1-1); Legleiter 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K;

In other news

July 6 – The Warriors, led by the two dingers by INF Ricky Tello (.243, 5 HR, 28 RBI), out-homer the Gold Sox, 5-2, but blow a 6-run lead and lose a wicked one, 17-13. DEN RF/1B Brad Gore (.264, 8 HR, 29 RBI) drives in five on three base hits.
July 6 – DAL RF/1B Chris Hollar (.267, 7 HR, 41 RBI) might miss the rest of the month with a strained foot.
July 8 – NAS INF John Muller (.276, 3 HR, 25 RBI) is traded to the Condors along with a minor-league catcher and cash in exchange for OF Nick Hatley (.228, 3 HR, 15 RBI).
July 9 – The Canadiens beat the Indians, 6-5, when IND MR Mike Lake (1-3, 4.99 ERA, 2 SV) issues a walkoff balk to awards home plate to OF/2B/1B Ted Gura (.261, 3 HR, 31 RBI) on third base.
July 9 – The Blue Sox send another player to the Condors, this time SP Adam Potter (5-9, 5.38 ERA) for two prospects, including #89 SP Mario Gonzalez.
July 10 – SFW MR Tony Cash (4-3, 3.18 ERA) ends a 10-inning game against the Pacifics with a wild pitch that allows LAP 1B Allen Retzer (.243, 1 HR, 21 RBI) to score and L.A. to walk off, 3-2.

Complaints and stuff

With the arrival of Matt Jamieson in addition to f.e. Kyle Koel, the feeling, no, the screaming question of who the heck were these people on the roster, and were they getting paid for being awful, too, continues to intensify. Good thing the team collapsed BEFORE everybody got hurt. Otherwise we'd blame it on the baseball gods again, when it fact it was just the personnel that was again not up to snuff. I wonder whether a dead mammoth, buried under frozen tundra for 11,000 years, has more dead inertia than this ****ing team… oh well, at least Cookie comes off the DL after the All Star Game, so maybe he can give us … uhm… good vibes?

Only two All Stars on this team; one has already been named – Roberts – and the other is Jonathan Snyder, who has only 11 saves, but what do I know about baseball?

With Gomez and Gonzalez both out for the season and the rest of the team being what it is, the season is now officially in the bin. No point in trading up when your team is playing like raw ass for six weeks straight, you are down a few of your better hitters, and you are trailing three teams by a handful or more.

Oh well, yeah, there's always next year.

And at times, there was a loaded gun in this top drawer, but – (pulls open drawer) … but these days…. Maud! – MAUD!!

In the nearer future, we will have four at home with the Loggers on the other side of the break, then three more with Indy before we will tour the Southeast in Atlanta and Charlotte. August will be weird; we have only seven scheduled road games in August.

Fun Fact: We are 154-146 against the Crusaders since the end of the 2009 season.

Keith Ayers – OUT AT HOME.

Nope, still haven't unseen that.