[Westheim]

The Raccoons sent Kevin Surginer on a faux rehab assignment to St. Petersburg on Monday to get him off the DL but avoiding a roster move on Monday; roster moves would only come upon us on Tuesday.

Raccoons (74-55) @ Knights (49-80) – August 31-September 2, 2026

The Knights were a sorry bunch, stuck with the second-fewest runs scored and the fifth-most runs allowed in the Continental League. There was some good pitching on the team, and they had even a top 3 bullpen, but the offense had either gotten old or crummy, or in some cases both. Nevertheless, the Coons were only 3-3 against them in this season.

Projected matchups:
Rico Gutierrez (13-4, 3.46 ERA) vs. Chris Chatfield (4-13, 6.30 ERA)
Mark Roberts (12-8, 2.90 ERA) vs. Leon Hernandez (4-9, 4.48 ERA)
Kyle Anderson (9-6, 3.73 ERA) vs. Mario Rosas (11-13, 3.42 ERA)

Right, right, left, barring any call-ups twirling up their rotation.

Game 1
POR: 2B Spencer – CF Mora – 1B Harenberg – RF Kopp – 3B Nunley – C Tovias – LF Carmona – SS Bullock – P Gutierrez
ATL: CF N. Hall – 3B V. Ramirez – SS Showalter – C Luna – RF G. Ramirez – 2B T. Jimenez – LF Stuckey – 1B M. Green – P Chatfield

Rico Gutierrez' first inning was from hell as the Knights tallied four hits, two runs (on Andrew Showalter's homer), and Rico chipped in a wild pitch and a balk for good measure. He also struck out three in the inning (Nate Hall, Ruben Luna, Johnny Stuckey), and when he struck out the side in the bottom 2nd that made every Knight coming to the plate either land a base hit or a whiff. While that run ended in the third inning, the Raccoons' year-long offensive coma wasn't likely to end anytime soon. They had four base hits in the first three innings, but either were caught stealing (Mora), or sent the pitcher to the plate with two outs and runners in scoring position (Nunley, Bullock). The hope remained to put something on the plate for Kevin Harenberg to homer home, which had worked well in recent history. Mora had been on board in the third, but alas, had been caught stealing. In the fifth, Spencer hit a 2-out single, Mora walked, and that did bring up Harenberg as the go-ahead run, and wouldn't you know it he smothered a 92mph fastball for 425 feet outta dead center to put the Raccoons on top, 3-2! This was in support of Rico, who struck out ten through five innings, but found himself on an escalating pitch count. How about some more offense? Tovias and Cookie got on base in the sixth inning, bringing up Bullock with one out. Brazil's Finest had a grand total of 1 RBI (in words: one run batted in) in 110 at-bats this season, and it was high time for another one. He sent a grounder up the middle that eluded Tony Jimenez for a single, and Nate Hall was so far away from the ball that even Elias Matias Tovias Diaz – Panama's Slowest Catcher for four years running – managed to score from second base, 4-2. Rico was up again with two in scoring position, but this time with one out, but didn't get to strike out even, being hit by Chatfield to load the bags. After Spencer popped out, Chatfield had Mora at 0-2 … then hit Abel, too, forcing home a run. That also brought up a slightly annoyed Harenberg, who didn't like his mates getting hit, and knocked out Chatfield with a 2-run single. Right-hander Yoo-chul Kim then faced Kopp, who was on three strikeouts but hit a clean single to right to add a run before Nunley flew out to left, making the first and last out in a 5-run inning. That proved to be well enough for Rico Gutierrez, who allowed a home run to Mike Green in the bottom of a seventh inning that he wouldn't finish, but Alvin Smith dug him out of there, and in fact after the shoddy first, Rico allowed only three base hits to the Knights anymore. The Raccoons administered their lead carefully, and won the game by five. 8-3 Coons. Harenberg 3-5, HR, 5 RBI; Bullock 2-4, 2B, RBI; Gutierrez 6.2 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 11 K, W (14-4);

Both Jarod Spencer (1-for-5) and Kevin Harenberg extended their 11-game hitting streak to a round dozen.

And with that, roster expansion was upon us. The Raccoons added a few extra right arms (Surginer, Derks), but stayed away for now from another long option (Juan Barzaga, a quad-A type that was already 30 years old and had a 4.21 ERA in 28 ABL appearances) as well as their sterling prospect, George James. The latter would come up after the conclusion of the minor league season.

We also added three bats in Kyle Koel, Butch Gerster, and … Omar Alfaro! #4 had batted .386/.465/.557 in angry fashion in St. Pete ever since his demotion.

Game 2
POR: 2B Spencer – CF Mora – 1B Harenberg – RF Kopp – 3B Nunley – C Tovias – LF Gerace – SS Gerster – P Roberts
ATL: 3B M. Green – 2B T. Jimenez – SS Showalter – C Luna – LF Stuckey – CF Briscoe – RF Nieto – 1B M. Wright – P L. Hernandez

Mark Roberts' weird incompetence continued with very few strikeouts, quite a few walks, and while Jon Nieto was the only Knight to reach base the first time through, he reached all the bases in a single stroke, driving a leadoff jack over Kopp's head to put Atlanta up 1-0. Two 2-out walks to Green and Jimenez and Showalter's RBI double put the Knights even up 2-0. While the Coons as a whole did their precious-little routine again, Roberts loaded the sacks in the bottom 5th with walks to Green and Luna (who had struck out twice before) around a Showalter single. Johnny Stuckey flew out to center to end the inning, but on a 3-2 pitch. So far, the Raccoons were on two base hits through five, which was not bloody much. Roberts and Spencer made outs to begin the sixth, but then Abel Mora pumped a ball over the rightfield fence for a homer, shortening the gap to 2-1. It was 1-2 on Harenberg then when the imported darling slugger blasted a shot to left … yet foul. It was well outta the park, but on the wrong side of the pole – something that his next drive did better, but that one went to right, well inside the pole, and tied the game. HA-REN-BERG!! Or, as the fans at home have begun howling: KEVIIIIIIN!!

Then Roberts ****ed it all up again, hitting Nieto with one out in the bottom 6th, somehow getting Matt Wright out, but then allowed singles to Hernandez (…) and Green with two out, the latter plating Wright for a new Knights lead. Then Jimenez singled, and then Showalter hit a 2-run double for a 5-2 score and Roberts' early exit. The Knights continued to shred Kearney for two runs in the bottom 7th as they zoomed away, and the Raccoons had only one more base hit after their sixth-inning power surge. 7-2 Knights. Gerace 2-3, 2B;

Game 3
POR: 2B Spencer – SS Stalker – CF Jamieson – 1B Harenberg – LF Gerace – 3B Nunley – RF Alfaro – C Burrows – P Anderson
ATL: CF N. Hall – 3B V. Ramirez – C Luna – SS Showalter – LF Stuckey – 2B T. Jimenez – 1B Nieto – CF Briscoe – P Rosas

Spencer and Harenberg both extended their hitting streaks to 14 in the opening inning, although Spencer was thrown out trying to nip third base before Harenberg's single plated Tim Stalker for a quick 1-0 lead, and the Coons going up 1-0 was not a familiar sight in recent times… Understandably, Kyle Anderson was confused and couldn't handle it. Nate Hall singled, stole second, then scored on the destroyer Showalter's single up the middle to tie the game right away in the bottom 1st. Portland went on to slap four singles off Rosas in the top 2nd, plating a pair on the base hits by Alfaro, Spencer, Stalker, and Jamieson. The Hall/Showalter combo struck again however; Nate Hall dropped a bunt for a leadoff single in the bottom 3rd, advanced on a groundout by Vinny Ramirez, and was AGAIN singled in by Showalter, who seemed determined to singlehandedly keep the Coons out of the playoffs, a weird grudge for a career Blue Sock. Anderson also failed to contain Tony Jimenez after a leadoff double in the bottom 4th, blowing the lead on Cory Briscoe's RBI single that evened the score at three.

Anderson was still not hit for in the sixth inning despite the elongated bench and deepened pen after Jake Burrows reached on a single to begin the inning. His bunt went to third base, Vinny Ramirez' throw was aimed at second base, but ended up in rightfield, putting two on with no outs. So what do the Critters do? Ground to short twice; Spencer for a double play, and Stalker for the final out. The tie would only be broken the following inning, in which Harenberg hit a 1-out single, then got to second on Gerace's groundout. Matt Nunley had not looked very great against Rosas so far, so we did not expect anything good to happen now, but it was Nunley who drove a ball up the rightfield line and got it past Briscoe for a 2-out RBI double, putting Portland ahead 4-3, and Omar Alfaro hitting a double in the other direction even extended the score to 5-3.

The Raccoons were already in their pen after Anderson had not gotten through the sixth. Neither would Alvin Smith get through the seventh, conceding a run on a Hall single, a wild pitch, then a Ramirez single, 5-4. Billy Brotman dug him out, but then put Stuckey on base to begin the bottom 8th, and Ricky Ohl conceded the tying run on a D.J. Fullerton pinch-single. That was the third blown lead of the game for Portland – they just sucked when scoring first! Top 9th, Alfredo Morua trying his luck for Atlanta, with Justin Gerace lighting up an 0-for-4 day with a double into the gap to begin the inning. Nunley dropped a single between Stuckey and Hall, but Gerace had been forced to wait for it to fall in and couldn't score, as runners were now on the corners with nobody out for Alfaro, who was homerless through 63 AB in the Bigs this season and struck out. Cookie batted for Burrows and hit a sac fly to pretty deep right, giving Portland their fourth lead on the day before Koel hit for Ohl, and was out on a roll to short. The 6-5 was then Snyder's problem, and the Coons closer issued a leadoff walk to Nate Hall, which was so not good. However, Showalter was no longer in the game, having been subbed out with a balky knee. Vinny Ramirez popped out to Spencer. Ruben Luna flew out to easily to Gerace. Corey Flynn, no hits on the season in the cleanup slot, grounded over to Nunley, and Matt sealed the deal with a nifty play to first base. 6-5 Coons. Spencer 2-5; Stalker 4-5, RBI; Harenberg 2-5, RBI; Nunley 3-5, 2B, RBI; Alfaro 2-5, 2B, RBI;

The Elks matched our result day-by-day, but we are ahead of the Crusaders again, who are now 2 1/2 back of Vancouver.

And here come the Titans, who we can NEVER EVER win against…

Raccoons (76-56) @ Titans (71-61) – September 3-6, 2026

The Titans were seven games out but claimed that they still had perfectly good playoff chances due to the in-division-heavy schedule towards the end of the season. Step 1 would be to turn the Raccoons inside out once more, against whom they were already 7-4 this year, and much better in the previous four, all of which had ended with Titans championships. They were third in runs scored, sixth in runs allowed, and while they had been plagued by injuries during the summer, they were mostly back healthy, with the exception of SP Jeremy Waite, who was done for '26.

Projected matchups:
Dan Delgadillo (9-5, 2.63 ERA) vs. Julio San Pedro (8-7, 3.29 ERA)
Rin Nomura (5-4, 3.07 ERA) vs. Matt Rosenthal (8-8, 4.58 ERA)
Rico Gutierrez (14-4, 3.48 ERA) vs. Morgan Shepherd (7-8, 4.09 ERA)
Mark Roberts (12-9, 3.05 ERA) vs. Dustin Wingo (9-8, 3.90 ERA)

Like during the week, only the last starter in the series will be a southpaw as far as our opposition was concerned.

Game 1
POR: 2B Spencer – CF Mora – 1B Harenberg – LF Kopp – 3B Nunley – C O'Dell – RF Alfaro – SS Stalker – P Delgadillo
BOS: CF W. Vega – C Leonard – LF Kuramoto – RF Braun – SS Jam. Wilson – 2B R. West – 1B Elder – 3B Corder – P San Pedro

Boston sat on Delgadillo's face immediately, as Willie Vega walked on four pitches, was doubled in by Keith Leonard on a 3-1 pitch, and then Yaushiro Kuramoto hit an RBI single to make it 2-0. The Coons would not reach base until Alfaro singled in the third. Stalker also hit a clean single, and when Delgadillo bunted badly, San Pedro tried to get the lead runner but also threw badly, and Alfaro slid in safe as Adam Corder scrambled for the ball. Three on, nobody out! Fans of all ilk closed their eyes. One run scored on Spencer's groundout… and that was it. Mora flew out to shallow left, and Harenberg grounded out to Jay Elder at first.

Delgadillo lingered, allowing two hits and four walks through five innings, while the Raccoons stood around with blown-up cheeks and wondered how to crack San Pedro. Maybe a leadoff single by Spencer would get them going in the sixth? Mora swung at a 3-1 and lined it softly into shallow center for another single. Okay, well, boys – now a big one! Oh look, who's up – KEVIIIIIIIN!! San Pedro ran a full count, but couldn't get him out; finally, Keviiiiiin hit a ball into the gap, Kuramoto couldn't get to hit, and Harenberg raced all the way to third base with a score-flipping 2-run triple! Then the rest of the crew left Harenberg at third base. Kopp was walked intentionally, was forced out on Nunley's grounder, O'Dell whiffed, and Alfaro flew out to shallow center.

Delgadillo never got better and was knocked out with one down in the bottom 7th after consecutive singles by Corder and Keith Spataro. Kearney came on to face left-handers, but then was greeted by right-handed pinch-hitter Gus Gasso, whom he nailed on the first pitch, which was certainly ONE way to not give up a soul-killing 3-run homer. At least he threw a good anchor when Keith Leonard then spanked a 3-2 pitch back right at him. Kearney scrambled, fired home for the second out, and the lead-footed Leonard was easily doubled up before he could make it to first base, ending the inning. While Ricky Ohl retired the meat of the order in the eighth with two strikeouts and a grounder to second base, the Coons had a chance to create a cushion in the ninth. O'Dell singled, Alfaro struck out, Cookie and Jamieson had pinch-hit singles to load the bags against Javy Salomon. Spencer grounded to Corder, who fired home to kill off O'Dell, but Spencer was no Leonard and beat out the throw to first handily, which left Mora with a chance to do damage, but he grounded out to Rhett West instead. However, the Titans still had to get through Snyder! West flew out to Alfaro, Elder grounded out to Nunley, and Corder grounded speedily up the middle, but Spencer got to that ball and threw him out. 3-2 Furballs! Stalker 1-1, BB; Jamieson (PH) 1-1;

The Elks and Crusaders were idle on this Thursday, so the Coons crept to within 1 1/2 games of those stinkin' hooved menaces.

Game 2
POR: 2B Spencer – CF Mora – 1B Harenberg – RF Kopp – 3B Nunley – C Tovias – SS Stalker – LF Carmona – P Nomura
BOS: CF W. Vega – SS Spataro – LF Kuramoto – RF Braun – 2B R. West – 3B Corder – 1B Gasso – C A. Arias – P Rosenthal

Spencer opened the game with an infield single, but was caught stealing, while Willie Vega began the bottom 1st with a single to center, took second successfully for his 26th steal, then scored on a Kuramoto double. Spencer had another infield single the next time up, then with two outs in the third and moving Nomura to second base after the pitcher had forced Tim Stalker with a bad bunt. Abel Mora grounded out pathetically to Gus Gasso to end the inning. In turn, Kuramoto had his second RBI double in the bottom 3rd, this one with two outs, and after Vega had been thrown out going first-to-third by Terry Kopp on Spataro's single. Nomura was adrift, Rosenthal wasn't so much. Rosenthal even got Harenberg to 0-for-2 with a grounder leading off the fourth, which was not something many pitchers had managed in the last few weeks, but then Kopp doubled over Kuramoto's head and Nunley dropped in a bloop single to put Coons on the corners with one out for Tovias, who struck out. Tim Stalker's 2-out single got the Coons on the board as it chased Kopp home, Cookie singled to load the bases, but Nomura grounded out to short, stranding three, but this was not the playoffs, you weren't batting for your pitcher in the fourth inning on September 6… yet, what do I know of the playoffs?

The fifth inning started with a throwing error by Spataro, putting Spencer on second base as the tying run. Two strikeouts and Kopp's fly to Kuramoto denied the Critters, while Kuramoto then denied his own team in the bottom of the inning, starting from first on Rhett West's 2-out single and aiming for third, but being thrown out by Abel Mora, the second out made by the Titans at third base. They were BEGGING for punishment for their naughtiness, but the Raccoons just wouldn't break out the whip. Maaaybe (…) in the seventh. Cookie laced Rosenthal's first pitch in the inning down the leftfield line for a double, once more representing the tying run in scoring position. Justin Gerace came off a crowded bench to hit for Nomura, and that was a gold move. Rosenthal fell to 2-0, came inside, and right into Justin's maws to allow him to wrap a 350-footer around the right foul pole, flipping the score in the process!

Now, the Coons had to be careful. They needed nine outs, and they probably wouldn't want to use Ohl and Snyder, if at all possible. They worked the seventh with Costilow and Boles against the bottom of the order, but each of them put a man on and Jay Elder struck out swinging really hard to end the inning against Josh Boles. After a poor top 8th, Kevin Surginer came on in a double switch that removed Kopp from the game and entered Alfaro in rightfield. In a perfect world, Surginer would get six outs without blowing the 3-2 lead. He struck out Spataro and Kuramoto before Braun flew out to center, so that was a job half well done through eight. Top 9th, Stalker with a leadoff double. Cookie flew out to left, Alfaro was walked intentionally – still a puzzling move with a .235 batter with no homers – and then Spencer singled to left. Stalker was sent around and thrown out at home by Kuramoto, the runners moved up, and then Harry Merwin plated an insurance run with a wild pitch before Mora could fly out. Surginer struck out West and Corder before falling to 3-1 on Gus Gasso. The first baseman poked at that point … and popped out to Spencer! 4-2 Coons! Spencer 3-5; Stalker 2-3, BB, 2B, RBI; Carmona 2-4, 2B; Gerace (PH) 1-1, HR, 2 RBI; Nomura 6.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, W (6-4); Surginer 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K, SV (1);

Spencer's hitting streak lived, but Harenberg went 0-for-4 and ended up stranded in the on-deck circle in the ninth inning.

More important, the damn Elks lost to the Crusaders, and now the Coons were within sneezing distance of the division lead.

Game 3
POR: 2B Spencer – SS Stalker – 1B Harenberg – RF Kopp – CF Jamieson – 3B Nunley – LF Alfaro – C O'Dell – P Gutierrez
BOS: SS Spataro – 1B Elder – RF Braun – CF Reichardt – 2B R. West – 3B Corder – LF Kuramoto – C Leonard – P Shepherd

Stalker hit a triple to right in the first inning, but Harenberg struck out in a prolonged battle with Shepherd and Kopp grounded out to Spataro to waste the good opportunity. Instead, Rico had another rough opening inning, yielding a Jay Elder single, then a homer to Adam Braun. West also singled before the inning was over. The Coons kept completely missing the early innings of games while the Titans tacked on, Keith Spataro with a leadoff single in the bottom 3rd, a stolen base despite repeated pickoff attempts, and finally a 2-out single by curiously-absent heretofore Adrian Reichardt over Stalker's reaching mitten to bring home the runner.

Shepherd had a meltdown to begin the fourth inning, walking Harenberg and Kopp on eight pitches total to bring up the tying run in the game. Jamieson flew out to right before another walk to Nunley loaded the bags for Omar Alfaro, the career .239/.318/.377 disappointment. He embarrassingly popped out over the infield before O'Dell drove a ball to left, but into the glove of Kuramoto. Nobody scored, as usual. Rico Gutierrez hit a leadoff double in the fifth inning that led nowhere nice either, and the Titans merrily kept pummeling him in return; two doubles for a run in the fifth, then a Corder triple, Kuramoto's sac fly, and 2-out singles by the left-handers Leonard and Shepherd (…) in the bottom 6th. Steve Costilow walked the bases full, then had Nunley spear a sharp bouncer by Jay Elder and throw to first in time to end the inning. The Raccoons never made another move even vaguely threatening, and the Titans let the game fizzle out against Nick Derks after this, too. 5-0 Titans. Nunley 1-2, 2 BB; Derks 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K;

Only three hits in total for the team against Shepherd, Salomon, and Mike Stank. Not included in this total was Spencer, so we had no active hitting streaks anymore.

Also, with another Crusaders win over the damn Elks (and in style, see below!), the top three in the division were now within half a game of another with 27 or 28 games to play.

Game 4
POR: 2B Spencer – SS Stalker – CF Jamieson – 1B Harenberg – LF Gerace – C O'Dell – RF Kopp – 3B Gerster – P Roberts
BOS: LF W. Vega – 1B Elder – CF Reichardt – 3B Corder – SS Spataro – RF F. Rodriguez – 2B J. Perez – C Leonard – P Wingo

Corder and Fernando Rodriguez doubles put the Titans up 1-0 in the second inning as Roberts continued to be not sharp at all and the Raccoons offense refused to go early. Wingo struck out four and yielded only a Harenberg single the first time through, while Roberts began the bottom 3rd with a leadoff single allowed to Vega, then a wild pitch, then drilled Elder. After the pitching coach came out, but didn't even go to the mound, instead hollering some choice words from the sideline, Roberts K'ed Reichardt, got a groundout from Corder, and popped up Spataro to get out of the inning.

By the fourth inning, the Titans lost Wingo to injury. Left-handed rookie John Logsdon inherited Stalker on first base after a 1-out walk, faced Jamieson and Harenberg, both of whom hit balls hard, and neither of them got them to fall in. Rodriguez and Reichardt made good plays, respectively, to keep the Coons shut out. The 26-year-old Logsdon would strike out four on a run through the order as he excelled in unexpected long relief, and also did away with Jamieson and Harenberg again in the seventh. Harenberg remained the only Raccoon with a base hit in the game, right up until Gerace rammed a 1-1 fastball over the leftfield fence for a score-tying homer. Roberts carried that tie through the seventh, where he retired the bottom of the order, but the Coons would not get him a win any which way. Ricky Ohl faced the top of the order in the bottom 8th, dropped a 1-out single to Jay Elder, but pulled through the inning, and, after more NOTHING from the Critters in the top 9th, also retired Spataro to begin the bottom 9th before Kearney whiffed a pair to send the game to extras. Merwin retired the Raccoons in order once more in the 10th, but Kearney lost the game on a pinch-hit single by Giovanni James and Gil Cornejo's walkoff double. 2-1 Titans. Roberts 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K;

In other news

August 31 – The hitting streak of TIJ 1B Kevin McGrath (.315, 24 HR, 91 RBI) ends at 21 games after he is held out to dry by the Titans in a 5-1 Condors victory.
August 31 – A solo home run by LVA LF/RF Luis Leija (.275, 8 HR, 41 RBI) in the first inning is all the scoring that the Aces' 1-0 win over the Crusaders will see.
September 1 – At the worst time, the Buffaloes lose 1B/2B Chris Owen (.333, 11 HR, 56 RBI) to an intercostal strain. The 31-year-old is expected to be out three weeks.
September 2 – LVA OF Tom Dunlap (.360, 0 HR, 10 RBI) is out with a sprained thumb. The 24-year-old sophomore could be out for the season.
September 3 – ATL SP Jim Shannon (9-11, 3.45 ERA) is headed for Tommy John surgery with a torn UCL and will miss the next 12 months.
September 3 – LAP SP Shane Baker (13-10, 3.51 ERA) 3-hits the Gold Sox in a 4-0 win.
September 3 – TOP 3B/1B Brett Blades (.212, 4 HR, 14 RBI) ends a 10-inning affair with the Cyclones with a walkoff grand slam off CIN CL Troy Charters (3-7, 4.25 ERA, 25 SV), giving the Buffaloes a 7-3 win.
September 4 – RIC RF/CF Dan Dalton (.321, 6 HR, 41 RBI) is likely out for the season with a strained hammy.
September 5 – The Canadiens emerge dazed from an encounter with NYC SP Mike Rutkowski (15-8, 1.97 ERA), who strikes out ten and walks one batter in a 2-0 Crusaders win. Most importantly, he allows no hits for the 50th no-hitter in ABL history, and the fifth in Crusaders lore, for whom Jaylen Martin had most recently thrown a no-hitter in 2017.
September 6 – The Falcons hope to have 1B Pat Fowlkes (.282, 19 HR, 66 RBI) back before the end of the season. The 30-year-old is laboring on a quad strain.
September 6 – Stars and Wolves play scoreless ball into the 13th inning before DAL OF/1B Adam St. Germaine (.269, 8 HR, 48 RBI) lifts his team with a solo home run for a 1-0 win.

Complaints and stuff

The offense drives me crazy. I should probably get a stamp with that sentence. (opens the drawers of the desk one by one) Oh, we do have such a stamp!

The offense drives me crazy. The offense drives me crazy. The offense drives me crazy. The offense drives me crazy. The offense drives me crazy. The offense drives me crazy. The offense drives me crazy. The offense drives me crazy. The offense drives me crazy.

Wonderful! Maud – When did we get the "The offense drives me crazy" stamp? – Oh, yeah, '05 was rough.

Any which way, the division lead could have and should have been ours, at least a share of it. They should not have lost the Sunday game. The least bit of effort would have won that one. Now we are back in third place, and have to play the Crusaders next.

It is time to look at the stretch programs for all four teams still relevant in the North. Yes, even the Titans are relevant. They didn't win four rings in a row BY SITTING ON THEIR DUMB BUMS ALL THE TIME (hollers at random players heard in the office next door).

Down the stretch – games remaining per team – strength of schedule – playoff chance as divined by BNN:
NYC (79-57): POR (6), IND (4), VAN (4), ATL (3), BOS (3), MIL (3), OCT (3) – .505 – 45.6%
VAN (78-57): MIL (7), NYC (4), POR (4), BOS (3), IND (3), LVA (3), TIJ (3) – .498 – 23.2%
POR (78-58): NYC (6), CHA (4), VAN (4), BOS (3), IND (3), MIL (3), SFB (3) – .504 – 30.3%
BOS (73-63): IND (7), OCT (4), ATL (3), MIL (3), NYC (3), POR (3), VAN (3) – .491 – 0.9%

Well, we will get around the Thunder, which is good, but I really would like the extra series against the Loggers or Indians… The Raccoons are however the most in control of their own fate with 13 games left against the other three teams, ten games left against the top two, and all games in their final week against the top two.

Why am I shivering while saying that?

Fun Fact: The Raccoons are the team most frequently no-hit by the Crusaders. Two of New York's five no-hitters came against the Coons.

That's Carlos Guillen in 1985, then George Kirk in 2004. Kirk was the second half of the pair of completely useless pitchers that featured in early-00's no-hitters that Coons and Crusaders (both teams being then deep in the bin) tossed against one another, the first having been the entirely forgettable Bob Joly on May 17, 2000, the fourth Raccoon to toss a no-hitter, but the first to no-hit the Crusaders. There was another one later – Jose Dominguez in 2007.