[Westheim]

Monday dawned and it became clear that Raffaello Sabre needn’t be shot except for mediocrity; he had a mildly sore hamstring and would not even miss his next start.

Will the lucky breaks ever end!?

Now that I said that, someone will break a leg in the next five minutes…

Raccoons (42-38) @ Crusaders (30-49) – July 7-10, 2036

Final week before the All Star Game, and the Crusaders were up as our four-and-four dance partners for this season. Four now in New York, four after the All Star Game in Portland. So far, the Raccoons had won all of the three games with the shambling Crusaders this season. They were sixth in runs scored, decent enough and better than the Critters, but had no pitching or defense to speak of. They were conceding 5.3 runs per game, which was outlandish and the worst mark in the Continental League.

Projected matchups:
Colt Willes (5-3, 3.51 ERA) vs. Geoff Whitehouse (6-2, 3.06 ERA)
Bernie Chavez (4-6, 2.78 ERA) vs. Keith Black (3-8, 5.45 ERA)
Jared Ottinger (1-2, 3.98 ERA) vs. Ignacio del Rio (4-9, 4.43 ERA)
Gilberto Rendon (2-5, 5.02 ERA) vs. Eddie Cannon (4-8, 5.53 ERA)

All right-handers that New York would throw at us. They had Kenny Elder on the DL, who was somewhat of a regular on the infield for them. What a problem. Having “somewhat of a regular” on the DL.

Game 1
POR: 3B Downs – LF Hooge – RF M. Fernandez – CF Fowler – C Morales – 1B Maruyama – 2B Hirai – SS Triolo – P Willes
NYC: LF Salto – SS Obando – 2B M. Hurtado – RF Chavira – C Brooks – 1B K. Henderson – 3B Hansen – CF Balado – P Whitehouse

The Coons went up 1-0 in the first on a Fernandez double over the head of Vinny Chavira, then a Fowler single up the middle. The second inning brought an hour-long rain delay with two Crusaders already on base, then a 1-out RBI single by Jose Balado and a 2-run double by Geoff Whitehouse off the entirely useless, decrepit Willes. The Coons unpacked singles by Downs, Hooge, Fowler, and Morales to tie the game in the following half-inning, but that wouldn’t make Willes’ pitching any better. Through three innings, he scattered six hits, and was near removal, but retired the Crusaders in order in the fourth (with a healthy dose o’ D, but those bystanders on the green parts of the playing surface had to be paid for *something* …)

Top 5th, Downs reached with another single. Hooge struck out, but Fernandez doubled and Fowler was walked intentionally to fill the bases with one down for Tony Morales, who continued his hot paw off the DL and hit a liner down the rightfield line that hit so hard off the fence out there that Fowler had to be stopped at third base – 2-run double, 5-3 lead, and now they walked Maruyama onto the open base to get to Yukitsura Hirai’s .125 clip. He already had a double play in the game and hitting with Vickers was tempting, but this was supposed to be Rich Vickers’ day off. Hirai remained in the game, hit a gapper past Graciano Salto, and another two runs scored, and then Triolo got the third intentional walk of the inning. Up by four, Willes batted for himself and hit a sac fly off Jamie O’Leary in a full count, 8-3, and one more run came home on an Adam Downs single before Hooge grounded to second for his second out of the inning.

The bottom 5th brought a Hirai throwing error to put Guillermo Obando on base, a walk to Hurtado, and after Chavira popped out, a 2-run double by Jeremiah Brooks. Willes was yanked after that, with Travis Sims ending the inning without conceding another run in the 9-5 game. Sims got through the sixth, but walked Hurtado to begin the seventh. The Coons sent David Fernandez, who allowed a single to Chavira, then a screaming 3-run homer to Brooks, cutting the lead down to a teeny, tiny run, 9-8. He also had his thumb looked at by Dr. Chung, who seemed to indicate a lack of understanding what Fernandez’ complaint was, but Fernandez left the mound on his own eventually and retreated to the clubhouse.

The Coons barely scratched out a scoreless eighth between Casey Moore and Yeom Soung, with Fowler hustling in to catch a soft fly hit by Chavira before it could dink in and do 2-out damage. Soung came on in a double switch, removing Ed Hooge and thus ending his hitting streak at 18 games. He had gone 0-for-5 in the game, and if you’re 0-for-5 you probably deserve it. Chris Wise was unavailable, and so Soung would have to defend himself against righty batters in the bottom 9th with no insurance. PH John Dupuis led off with a grounder to short. Kumanosuke Henderson grounded out to the other Japanese first baseman. And John Hansen disappeared with a grounder to Downs. 9-8 Critters. Downs 3-5, RBI; M. Fernandez 3-5, 2B; Fowler 2-4, BB, 2 RBI; Morales 2-5, 2B, 3 RBI; Maruyama 2-4, BB;

So.

David Fernandez had a sore thumb. He might be good in two days or so. Maybe. Otherwise we’ll just cut it off and he should work without it.

There were still roster moves after this game. Hirai (.176, 0 HR, 2 RBI) was sent back to AAA with Tim Stalker coming off the DL. Travis Sims was also sent back to AAA despite winning his first game, with Antonio Prieto being activated from the DL as well.

All is well now! Got our 38-year-old middle infielder and our run-o’-the-mill righty reliever back! Also, Sabre will be fine, and maybe Maldonado, too? No. Who was the one that was hit in the paw with a baseball in Portland? Was that Maldonado? – Dr. Chung?? – Dr. Chung! – I need help with… – Which one was Maldonado though? The hit-by-pitch or the one that had his head wedged in the barrel of pickles?

Game 2
POR: 3B Downs – LF Hooge – RF M. Fernandez – CF Fowler – 2B Vickers – 1B Maruyama – C Wall – SS Triolo – P Chavez
NYC: LF Salto – SS Obando – 2B M. Hurtado – RF Chavira – C Brooks – 1B K. Henderson – 3B Hansen – CF Balado – P Black

Keith Black was giving up about as many walks as strikeouts, and for once the Raccoons pounced on a miserable pitcher right away. Downs and Manny Fernandez hit singles in the first, Fowler and Vickers walked, pushing home the first run, and Maruyama and then Bernie Chavez (!) would both have 2-run base hits in the inning, Maruyama hitting a double to center, and Bernie with a single to left, for a 5-spot to open the game. Given Bernie’s recent ERA, this had to be about two wins’ worth of support, surely. Right? Let’s see. Obando single, stolen base, Hurtado RBI triple, and then a Chavira sac fly, and the Crusaders made up two runs immediately? And where are the good news?

Good news included a Vickers sac fly, getting Ed Hooge home after his leadoff double in the top 2nd, 6-2, and the Coons tore up Black for good in the third inning with a walk drawn by Triolo and 1-out singles by Bernie (!) and Downs. Bernie only got to swing at 3-2 and made it count right away. Hooge and Manny both grounded out against replacement Gabe McGill, ending the inning.

Now, Bernie wasn’t GREAT… and probably not even GOOD. The Crusaders hit deep flies regularly. Chavira hit one out in the fourth, a solo homer to cut the gap to four, and Salto hit a leadoff single in the sixth, stole second, and scored on Jeremiah Brooks’ sharp single, 7-4. Chavez finished the inning, but at 96 pitches was not going to be around forever… thankfully. But with the pen being as exhausted as it was, he hit for himself in the top 7th (stranding Maruyama on second base) with a grounder, then returned for a final inning, but only faced three batters. Jose Balado doubled to left with one out and Bernie threw a wild pitch before Dupuis struck out in the #9 spot. The Coons sent Prieto, fresh off the DL, he walked Salto, like run-o’-the-mill righties will do, Salto stole second, but Obando hacked out when he was up as the tying run with two gone.

The Coons added a run in the ninth against ex-Critter Rin Nomura (*that* was a long time ago!), who was 37 years old, and who conceded the run on a Vickers single, a groundout by Maruyama, a passed ball, and Kurt Wall legging out a 2-out infield single against the clown-shoed Crusaders defense. Tim Stalker batted for Triolo in his return from the DL, singled up the middle, and Preston Pinkerton hit for Garavito and walked. Downs flung a 2-run single to left, knocking out Nomura, who had indeed seen better days, with Hooge popping out against O’Leary. The 6-run lead then went to Dusty Kulp, who failed to end the game, surrendering a double, a triple, a single, and a walk for two runs, two on, two outs, and Vinny Chavira at the dish. Soung had to come in for the third straight day, netted a grounder to short, and that was the ballgame… 10-6 Raccoons. Downs 3-6, 3 RBI, Triolo 2-3, BB; Stalker (PH) 1-1;

At least they beat up on rotten pitching. As long as they outscore our own rotten pitching…

Game 3
POR: SS Downs – LF Hooge – RF M. Fernandez – CF Fowler – C Morales – 2B Vickers – 1B Maruyama – 3B Marsingill – P Ottinger
NYC: LF Salto – SS Obando – RF Chavira – C Brooks – 1B K. Henderson – 3B Hansen – 2B Sung – CF Balado – P del Rio

Ottinger allowed no hits the first time through the order and hit a double in the top of the third inning, at which point it was 1-0 Coons after Maruyama had gone yard to left to start the frame. Del Rio had sat down the first six, and of course I wanted the boys to beat him more than any other pitcher. Downs singled home Ottinger to make it 2-0 before Ed Hooge hit into a double play. Vickers found another double play ball in the fourth after walks to Fowler and Morales. Ottinger ran through four without allowing a base hit until the other Japanese first baseman took it away with a leadoff jack of his own, Henderson to center to cut the lead to 2-1.

Top 6th, del Rio and his big mouth got crowded. Hooge hit a 1-out single, then raced to third base on Fernandez’ single. Fowler hit an RBI single to center, and Morales drew ball four in a full count. Vickers came up with three aboard, hit a fly to deep center, but had it caught by Balado. Manny and Fowler advanced, one run came home, but two were stranded once Chiyosaku Maruyama grounded out. With a 4-1 lead, Ottinger lasted six and two thirds before becoming stuck in a barrel of pickles again and requiring manual disentangling with a lever. John Hansen on third, Jose Balado on first, and left-handed batter Hirofumi Saito hitting in the #9 slot, the Coons turned to Mauricio Garavito, who got a grounder to Vickers for the third out, just when we needed it most…!

Against J.D. Hamm in the eighth, Fernandez and Fowler reached base with one out. They pulled off a double steal against unsuspecting Crusaders (every team’s in the **** for a reason!), and a Morales single and a Vickers sac fly each brought in a tack-on run, 6-1. Maruyama then grounded out to Hansen to strand Morales. That was the last scary bit in the game – Garavito in the eighth and Wise in the ninth kept the Crusaders out of scoring position to begin with, and from showing off the tying run someplace with a fancy name (like on deck) altogether. 6-1 Critters! M. Fernandez 2-4; Fowler 1-2, 2 BB, RBI; Morales 1-2, 2 BB, RBI; Ottinger 6.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, W (2-2) and 1-3, 2B;

This series has gone better than expected, but now comes the weakest link in the rotation right now.

Well, except for Willes…

Game 4
POR: SS Downs – LF Hooge – RF M. Fernandez – CF Fowler – C Morales – 2B Stalker – 1B Maldonado – 3B Marsingill – P Rendon
NYC: LF Salto – SS Obando – 2B M. Hurtado – RF Chavira – C Brooks – 1B K. Henderson – 3B Hansen – CF Balado – P E. Cannon

Rendon retired New York in order the first time through, but had only one strikeout, while the rest was defense including some outfield dashes. The Coons were up 1-0, with Rendon involved with a 1-out single in the third inning. Ed Hooge’s triple into the rightfield corner scored him, but Fernandez grounded out to strand him at third base. Portland did go up 2-0 in the fourth with Fowler’s leadoff home run to left, his 15th of the season. Then came the bottom of the fourth… Salto led off with an infield single, stole second, and scored on an Obando single. When Hurtado hit a comebacker, Rendon kicked and booted that for an error. Chavira hacked out, and then Brooks hit *another* comebacker. Rendon didn’t dare fudging that one, too, and got the 1-6-3 double play this time.

New York hit into another double play in the fifth and Rendon got through seven innings when Chavira was on base in the bottom 7th, but was caught stealing for the third out there. Seven fine frames would be all for Rendon, with Casey Moore taking over in the bottom of the eighth against the 6-7-8 batters. He walked Hansen, PH Hirofumi Saito popped out, and PH Greg Ortiz grounded to left – and just through between Marsingill and Downs for a single. Uh-oh. Salto was up, ran a 3-1 count, hit a bouncer in front of home plate, Tony Morales pounced like a cat and threw to first base in time to end the inning! With nothing more than a Stalker single in the ninth, the Critters didn’t get an insurance run they might have wanted, so Wise was sent out with no cushion against the 2-3-4 batters in the bottom 9th. Guillermo Obando struck out in a full count. Mario Hurtado struck out on three pitches. Chavira singled to left, Brooks singled to right, and the tying and winning runs were on the corners for Kumanosuke Henderson, and as Wise’s meltdown continued, he walked him. That brought up .268 hitter John Hansen with three aboard and two down. The Coons could have sent Prieto… but stuck to Wise. The right-handed got ahead, 1-2, before Hansen hit a pop behind home plate. Morales tossed the mask and circled around in front of the protective netting – and the ball came down into his glove, one foot away from going out of play! 2-1 Furballs! Hooge 2-4, 3B, RBI; Stalker 2-3; Rendon 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, W (3-5);

Raccoons (46-38) @ Indians (35-52) – July 11-13, 2036

From here, buoyed by the sweep, it was on to Indy for the last set before the All Star Game. The Arrowheads had resisted the Titans only in name, but had at least won one game of their four-game set, so the Raccoons were now five games out in the division. Indy was second from the bottom in runs scored, and fourth from the bottom in runs allowed. Their run differential was -57, but growing, and while their rotation was decent, their pen was the second-worst in the game. The Coons were up 7-2 in the season series.

Projected matchups:
Raffaello Sabre (4-5, 4.13 ERA) vs. Mike Hurley (2-0, 2.65 ERA)
Colt Willes (5-3, 3.72 ERA) vs. Josh Walsh (5-10, 5.04 ERA)
Bernie Chavez (5-6, 2.93 ERA) vs. Arnie Terwilliger (8-6, 3.32 ERA)

Southpaw on Sunday!

Game 1
POR: 3B Downs – LF Hooge – RF M. Fernandez – 1B Maruyama – C Morales – 2B Vickers – CF Maldonado – SS Triolo – P Sabre
IND: C E. Thompson – 2B Schneller – RF Leftwich – 3B Hutson – LF Garbinski – CF Baron – SS Zeltser – 1B Acor – P Hurley

Every team was in the **** for a reason – like batting Elliott Thompson leadoff. Or so I thought until Sabre walked him. However, Sabre’s first NINE pitches were ball, so maybe it wasn’t Thompson and the problem was entirely confined to the mound. With two on, Jeremy Leftwich flew out to center, but Dan Hutson singled to right. Thompson was sent from second base and thrown out by Fernandez, because catchers aren’t runners. Josh Garbinski flew out to right to strand a pair.

The Coons got nothing against the 25-year-old Hurley, an undrafted free agent that had gone to the beer league before being signed by the Indians in ’35. This was his fourth major league start and it didn’t look like the Coons could make him lose his first. Through six, they scratched out three singles and didn’t reach third base even once. When, with Tony Morales on first and one out, Rich Vickers did drive a long fly to right, the ball bent foul. Vickers singled on the next pitch, however, moving the tying run as far as second base! And then Maldonado chomped a fastball into a double play… Tim Stalker singled in Sabre’s spot in the eighth inning, but that was again all. For good news – the Indians couldn’t believe it either and removed Hurley for the ninth inning. Tim Thweatt got the baseball in the ninth of a 1-0 game, facing the middle of the order. Many Fernandez hit a double right away. Now, the Coons still had Fowler on the bench on a needed day off. Hitting him for Maruyama would only provoke four wide ones ahead of a chronic double play threat (Morales), so we decided to wait. Maruyama popped out, which surprised no one, but Morales zinged a ball up the middle, past the defenders, and into shallow center. Fernandez around third, no throw – tied ballgame!! Fowler hit for Vickers, struck out, and so did Maldonado.

The game went to extras thanks to a quick ninth by David Fernandez. Thweatt and Dusty Kulp saw of the opposition in the 10th, but when lefty Ben Stodolka, a rookie in his eighth game with an ERA over nine, came into the game, Manny Fernandez hit a 1-out double in the 11th. But the Critters had no more tricks to pull – only Kurt Wall was left on the bench – and had to bat exactly as advertised on the scoreboard. Maruyama was walked, bringing up Morales, who flew out to center. Crucially, Manny Fernandez shuffled his hairy bum to third base on the play. When Stodolka uncorked a ball over the head of his catcher and the umpire that also sent #6 batter Justin Marsingill to the ground in terror, Fernandez raced home to break the tie, 2-1! Marsingill flew out to Dustin Acor to end the inning, after which the Coons had Wise not available once more. Their options were indeed precious few, with the pen routinely overcooked at this stage. Soung got the ball in the end. Dave Serrato flew out to Hooge. Elliott Thompson whiffed. Dan Schneller grounded to short, Triolo to first – ballgame! 2-1 Blighters! M. Fernandez 2-5, 2 2B; Stalker (PH) 1-1; Sabre 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K;

Six wins in a row!

Now give it back to Willes so he can ****ing end it.

The baseball gods threw a spanner in the works, though, and persistent rain wiped out the Saturday contest. A double-header was scheduled for Sunday. Of course, Sunday was also the last game before the All Star break. The Coons would make a conscious effort to not run out their two non-DL’ed position player going to the showcase in both games (except for pinch-hitting). Those were Manny Fernandez and Justin Fowler. Since they were both left-handed batters, they would face Walsh in the first game, and sit against Terwilliger. The Raccoons flipped their two starters – Bernie Chavez would go in the first game, and Willes in the second. Neither of them made the All Star team.

Game 2
POR: 3B Downs – LF Hooge – RF M. Fernandez – CF Fowler – C Morales – 2B Stalker – 1B Maldonado – SS Triolo – P Chavez
IND: C E. Thompson – 2B Schneller – RF Leftwich – 3B Hutson – LF Garbinski – CF Baron – SS Zeltser – 1B Rempfer – P J. Walsh

Two four-pitch walks and a Fernandez single loaded the bases with Justin Fowler with nobody out in the first inning, but he popped out in a full count. Morales popped out to shallow left, but Stalker hit a 2-run single to the left side with those two gone. Maldonado hit a liner to left, too, but Garbinski snared that one. Indy tied the game without making an out. Maldonado’s error put Thompson on base, and Dan Schneller took Bernie Chavez yard to knot the score at two. So that was why Chavez didn’t make the All Star team……

A Garbinski homer in the fourth put the Indians ahead, 3-2, but Walsh didn’t allow another base hit until Fowler singled in the sixth and was stranded right there… Bernie was lifted after six, Dan Hutson homered off Garavito in the eighth for an insurance run, and the Raccoons were still limited to three base hits by the time the ninth inning and Tim Thweatt rolled around. Fowler grounded out. Morales whiffed. Stalker grounded out. 4-2 Indians.

That game took two hours and small change.

Game 3
POR: SS Downs – RF Pinkerton – LF Hooge – 2B Vickers – 1B Maruyama – C Wall – CF Maldonado – 3B Marsingill – P Willes
IND: SS Zeltser – 2B Schneller – RF Leftwich – 3B Hutson – LF Garbinski – CF Baron – C J. Herrera – 1B Rempfer – P Terwilliger

The Indians were hitless the first time through, but … oh well. After Willes, the master of disaster, walked Brent Rempfer on four pitches to begin the bottom 3rd, he also fumbled away Terwilliger’s bunt to add a second runner. When Bob Zeltser lined to left, Ed Hooge came on a-sliding, didn’t get the ball, was hit in the snout instead, and the Indians scored the first run on what was charitably called a double. Oh well, at least he didn’t Hooge didn’t have his jaw broken….. After Schneller brought in his pitcher with a groundout, Willes balked Zeltser to third base, then surrendered that run on a plenty deep sac fly Jeremy Leftwich hit to Hooge, 3-0. Then Willes walked Hutson on four pitches. Somehow, Garbinski grounded out, but the horror was real as the Indians scored three runs on one “hit”. John Baron homered off Willes in the following inning, and that game was about over.

Terwilliger conceded one hit through four, which looked pretty dominant. Maldonado hit a gap double with one out in the fifth, then scored when Justin Marsingill ceased being an automatic out and singled past Zeltser. Willes was – although we could and should know better! – not immediately pinch-hit for. He bunted the runner over, Downs hit a soft single to get the tying run to the plate, but that was Preston Pinkerton, and he grounded out to Rempfer, ending the inning. Willes logged no more outs, with Zeltser’s leadoff single, a gruesome to watch Maldonado error in center on a Schneller fly, and a Leftwich single loading the bases for the Arrowheads. Antonio Prieto came in to stem the tide, but might well have tried to pull the sinking Titanic to land single-handedly. He balked in one run, conceded the others on separate singles, Wall chipped in a passed ball with Juan Herrera batting, and Herrera hit the next pitch for a 2-run single. At that point it was 9-1, and the Raccoons would definitely drop to six games out again. Prieto was yanked for Kulp, because garbage innings required a garbage pitcher, and Rempfer hit into an inning-ending double play against him. Bottom 6th, Maruyama ****ed up Terwilliger’s groundball for an error, and Kulp was so startled for that misplay that he got taken deep by Bob Zeltser, 11-1.

The Coons scored three unearned runs in the seventh that were to blame on a magnificent throwing error by Dan Hutson, with Rich Vickers hitting a 2-run single after the 2-out error had already scored Marsingill. Top 8th, Maldonado (nailed) and Marsingill (single) were on against Shane Jacobs with one out. Manny Fernandez pinch-hit and slapped an RBI single to right, and things threatened to become interesting again when Adam Downs walked and Preston Pinkerton suddenly singled home two. That cut the gap to 11-7, with the tying run appearing in the on-deck circle in form of Vickers. Cesar Castillo replaced Jacobs, conceded a run on a groundout, then yielded for Mitch Brothers, who got Vickers to ground out to Zeltser, stopping the rally at 11-8. David Fernandez held the Indians away in the bottom 8th, with Thweatt back at work, never tiring apparently. Stalker pinch-hit for Maruyama to begin the ninth inning, but grounded out. Morales batted for Wall, but flew out. Maldonado was not hit for – and grounded out. 11-8 Indians. Downs 2-4, BB, 2B; Marsingill 3-4, 2B, RBI; M. Fernandez (PH) 1-1, RBI;

Justin Fowler would have batted as the tying run, but that situation never came to pass.

In other news

July 7 – The Titans send veteran outfielder Adrian Reichardt (.299, 2 HR, 7 RBI) to the Warriors for a minor leaguer and a prospect.
July 7 – DAL LF Abel Madsen (.311, 10 HR, 56 RBI) will miss a month with an intercostal strain.
July 8 – The Knights report in the morning that they expect OF/1B/2B Luis Inoa (.302, 9 HR, 43 RBI) to miss two weeks with a back strain, then go on to destroy the Condors at night, 19-1. Both Vincent Zesati (.259, 1 HR, 10 RBI) and Keith Thomson (.287, 1 HR, 18 RBI) have five hits each. They have two and one RBI, respectively, but score five and three runs, in that order. Even ATL SP Armando Zaragoza (9-4, 3.58 ERA) scores four times in the rout.
July 9 – SFB INF Jose Cruz (.326, 2 HR, 40 RBI) dumps two singles in a 5-3 loss to the Aces for a 20-game hitting streak.
July 10 – Dallas’ SP Jong-hoo Cho (8-6, 4.56 ERA) 2-hits the Wolves in a 4-0 shutout.
July 11 – The hitting streak of SFB Jose Cruz (.324, 3 HR, 41 RBI) ends at 21 games in a 11-2 rout suffered by the Bayhawks against the Condors.
July 11 – PIT OF Ozzie Burgos (.327, 7 HR, 33 RBI) would miss a month with a bruised kneecap.
July 12 – The Titans pick up RF/LF Oscar Mendoza (.267, 3 HR, 24 RBI) from the Pacifics, parting with three prospects.

Complaints and stuff

Well, at least that’s this month’s game where they play like little ******s banging their heads together for hours out of the way! Sunday was grim. Sunday was hard to watch. Games in Indy, huh!?

The Raccoons had four All Stars, three of which were not on the DL. Berto was the one that *was* on the DL, and had been there for over a month. He was voted in anyway. It was his sixth All Star nomination and the third in a row. The other Critters going to the game where Manny Fernandez, Justin Fowler, and technically-rookie Yeom Soung. Fernandez was an All Star for the first time, but Fowler had been there and seen it; he was included for the eighth time and the second time while on the Raccoons.

Maybe the curse also befalls players no longer on the Coons? Ed Blair, now a Condor, but three years a Critter, tore his UCL and would miss most of next season for Tommy John surgery.

Fun Fact: Almost seven years ago the Raccoons traded Rin Nomura to the Gold Sox in a 5-player deal, receiving, among others, Bernie Chavez.

Shedding some salary aside, that was a great deal. Rin Nomura never had an effective season with the Gold Sox, was decent for the Wolves for a year or two, but slipped into the bullpen eventually and hasn’t been worth a full point of WAR the last four years combined.

Who else was in the deal? Denver got infield prospect Miguel Lopez, who never played above AA ball and retired four years ago. He had been signed for $21k as an international free agent in July of ’25.

The Coons also got SP Kyle Anderson in the trade, who was decent for half a season, then went elsewhere and retired in ’34, also after slipping into the bullpen. The fifth player in the deal, left-hander Allen Reed, only made 55 more appearances as reliever before retiring with a 4.61 career ERA.

Ya – we won THAT trade!