[Westheim]

Raccoons (44-67) vs. Crusaders (53-59) – August 5-7, 2052

The week began with the Crusaders in town, and also Nick Valdes. The former were sixth in runs scored and second-worst in runs allowed in the CL, with a worse run differential than the Coons, and the latter was just staring at me aghast, but had at least complained to Steve from Accounting about all those precious millions. The season series was even at six between those two teams, while I was a bit miffed that Nick didn’t yet appreciate that I had already saved him many millions by trading many things that weren’t nailed into place away before the deadline.

Projected matchups:
Seisaku Taki (12-6, 2.43 ERA) vs. Jim White (3-4, 4.42 ERA)
Phil Baker (1-1, 8.25 ERA) vs. Edwin Sopena (8-8, 4.14 ERA)
Jason Wheatley (2-5, 4.10 ERA) vs. Jesus Sanchez (0-2, 15.19 ERA)

Nothing but right-handers from either team in this series.

Game 1
NYC: CF O. Sanchez – SS Russ – 3B Gates – LF D. Rivera – C Seidman – 2B Haney – RF Fellows – 1B Bent – P J. White
POR: SS Lavorano – CF Suzuki – LF Puckeridge – 1B Crum – RF Glodowski – 3B Crispin – C Raczka – 2B Seymour – P Taki

The game went as games went around here. The Coons put Crum and Crispin on the corners with one gone in the bottom 2nd, and both Jeff Raczka and Rich Seymour made outs of the same quality as their paychecks. In turn, Taki, who had retired the first six batters in a row, walked both Brandon Fellows and Art Bent to begin the third inning, saw them bunted over into scoring position by Jim White, and then both score when Omar Sanchez dinked in a despicable blooper for a 2-0 New York lead. A Fellows single in the fifth was the only other hit off Taki in five innings, while the Coons amounted to three, including an RBI single by Lonzo with two gone in the bottom 5th, chasing home Raczka to get back to 2-1. Lonzo stole second, his 42nd bag of the season, but was left on when Mikio Suzuki whiffed. The Crusaders got the run right back, though, as Taki bled two singles and a run-scoring wild pitch in the road half of the sixth, in the home half of which the Coons got another player (Pucks) to steal his way to second base and then left him right there as the next three batters struck out, struck out, and… struck out.

Taki went seven, then was hit for by Matt Waters with Raczka in scoring position and one out in the bottom of the seventh inning. Nick applauded when Waters doubled to left to shorten the deficit to one run again, but soon enough drew a snoot again when Lonzo grounded out and Suzuki stranded another tying run in scoring position by fanning blindly. The ball went to Johns in the top 8th, but he loaded the bags with a Prince Gates single and walks to Danny Rivera and Mark Haney. Lillis replaced him against PH Rick Colwill, who struck out, and then got Glodowski to put his useless pelt into motion and make a sliding catch on Art Bent’s fly to shallow right, stranding a full set of runners. Also stranded: Ken Crum at third base in the bottom 8th after roping a double to right, then getting thoroughly ignored by the useless pelt and Crispin. At least the bottom of the ninth was Neal Hamann turning away three right-handed pinch-hitters in order, and nobody reaching base at all. “Progress”? 3-2 Crusaders. Raczka 1-2, BB, 2B; Waters (PH) 1-1, 2B, RBI;

Game 2
NYC: CF O. Sanchez – RF Magnussen – 3B Gates – C Seidman – 2B Haney – LF Fellows – SS J. Nunez – 1B Bent – P Sopena
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – LF Puckeridge – 1B Crum – 3B Crispin – RF Maldonado – C Brewer – CF Samples – P Baker

Nick Valdes demanded a win for Tuesday, but I pointed at Phil Baker and asked him to reconsider his expectations. The Coons in any case stormed out of the gates to 3-0 lead in the first inning. Sopena nicked Waters, who stole second, then scored on a Pucks single. Pucks moved to second when Waters’ dash for home drew a throw, then scored on Ken Crum’s double to center. A Maldo single to center got Crum home with two outs. Aaron Brewer also reached base, but Adam Samples hit a floater to Sanchez that was finally caught. Nick Valdes pulled a roll of hundos from his inside pocket then and in a very low voice asked me to slip that to the home plate ump to call the game immediately, which I had to advise him wasn’t quite up to code, or the rulebook.

We’d have to get to the middle of the fifth at least – which Baker somehow did despite no tack-on runs (or tack-on attempts) by the Raccoons. Walking four and giving up three hits, he was greatly helped by two double plays being turned behind him, plus a running grab by Pucks in the left-center gap to strand two Crusaders in the third inning, and still needed almost 80 pitches to grind his way that far. Adam Magnussen singled home Art Bent in the fifth inning for New York, but the Coons still led 3-1. – Nick, stop poking me with the elbow. – Nick, I’m not gonna do it! – Maud, Nick wants me to bribe the umpire…!! – But it’s the mean-looking umpire!!

Ken Crum walked and stole his seventh base of the season in the bottom 5th, but was stranded. New York got Haney and Fellows singles in the sixth, and just before the pen could get engaged, Jesus Nunez hit into an inning-ending, 6-4-3 double play. It was the second start for the 24-year-old shortstop in the big leagues, and his second double play grounder. Baker’s third career start ended up lasting into the seventh inning, decent despite ample defensive support, and still in line for the W. The Coons were even getting a chance to tack on when Waters and Lonzo took to the corners with a pair of singles in the bottom 7th. Lonzo then took off for second base, but Mike Seidman had him beat – and his second baseman Haney as well. The ball skipped over Haney’s glove, into center, Waters scored, and Lonzo dashed to third base, where he was then duly stranded by Pucks’ pop and Crum’s flyout. Crisler bridged the gap to Kevin Hitchcock with a 1-2-3 eighth, but before that we got more wonders and oohs and aahs in the bottom 8th. Maldo drew a 1-out walk, then without warning took off on the first pitch to Aaron Brewer. Seidman was taken by surprise, and Maldo slid in safely at second for his first theft of the year (also his first attempt). Neither ooh nor aah was Brewer whiffing and Sivertson popping out to strand the extra runner at second base, though. The Crusaders failed to rally against Hitchcock when PH Rick Colwill hit into yet another double play, their fourth on the day, and the Coons even the season series again. 4-1 Raccoons. Baker 6.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 4 K, W (2-1);

Maldo had gone 1-for-3 in stolen base attempts last year.

On the other paw, Nick Valdes now insisted on watching Wheats win one Wednesday, which wildly wasn’t what we would willingly wager wheat-backs on.

Game 3
NYC: SS O. Sanchez – RF Magnussen – 3B Gates – LF D. Rivera – C Seidman – CF M. Ceballos – 2B Russ – 1B Bent – P J. Sanchez
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – LF Puckeridge – 1B Crum – 3B Crispin – CF Suzuki – RF Glodowski – C Brewer – P Wheatley

It had been almost two months since Wheats had won a game, but maybe the Crusaders’ attempts to stuff a Jeff Johnson-sized hole in the rotation with wildly-over-the-hill, 37-year-old Jesus Sanchez would open a door? The only New Yorker to reach base the first time through was Rivera, but he homered to left for a 1-0 lead in the second inning, while the Coons were almost comically stupid once again. They stranded two in the first, one in the second, one more in the third after Pucks hit into a double play following Waters and Lonzo singles, which particularly annoyed me, and got only a leadoff single from Crispin in the bottom 4th before Jesus Sanchez left with an apparent injury following a Suzuki pop to short. Austin Guastalla restored order in relief, while Rivera continued to wear out Wheatley. He tripled with two outs and nobody on in the fourth inning, but then had the middle of three singles in the sixth inning, which saw the score move to 2-0 when Seidman singled home Omar Sanchez.

Nick Valdes helpfully pointed out that we had the tying runs on to begin the bottom 6th with Pucks and Crum got on against righty Josh Simpson, but I was unconvinced. Behind Crum, misery reigned in this decimated lineup. Crispin promptly hit a comebacker on the first pitch, getting Crum forced out at second base, but Suzuki snapped a soft liner over Art Bent that bounced barely fair for an RBI double, 2-1. Two in scoring position with one out for Glodowski, but he grounded out to first. The runners held, as they did when Brewer was walked intentionally. Three on, two outs – and the Coons let Wheatley bat, because the bench was not a happy place either. He struck out.

While I had to explain to Nick Valdes how tanking worked, Wheats at least had a 1-2-3 inning after returning to the hill, and the Coons actually made up the deficit in the bottom of the seventh when Lonzo singled, stole second off lefty Josh Jansen, and then scored anyway on a gap triple by Pucks…! Ken Crum got automatic pointers to first base then, while the Coons answered with righty pinch-hitters for Crispin and Suzuki. Sivertson struck out, and Maldo flew out to Ceballos.

Then the Crusaders batted through the order in the eighth inning. From the top, they went single, single (but Sanchez thrown out trying to get third base), RBI double, RBI single, and then Wheats was yanked. Ryan Harmer replaced him, and I grew increasingly paler while Valdes’ face turned red at the same rate as Harmer harmed everybody’s feelings by giving up an RBI double to Seidman, then walked the bags full. Colwill singled home two, then made the second out on the bases as well, getting caught stealing. Nunez then had his first big league hit, a 2-out RBI triple to center. Sanchez struck out swining, the only out actually logged by a Coons pitcher in the ******* inning. Valdes exclaimed loudly that the wrong team was scoring runs, as if I hadn’t noticed that myself. Waters would claw back a run with a 2-out RBI single, scoring Brewer, in the bottom 8th, but he could have stuffed that between his fuzzy cheeks for all I cared. 8-3 Crusaders. Waters 2-5, RBI; Lavorano 2-4, BB; Crum 2-4, BB;

Danny Rivera never got that missing double for the cycle, despite ticking off the other three legs in his first three at-bats. He hit another single in that meltdown inning, then poked at a 3-0 pitch in the ninth inning against Lillis, but grounded out.

Nick Valdes and me parted yelling at each other once again, but what was he expecting from a team exploring the sub-.400 depths?

Raccoons (45-69) @ Stars (55-59) – August 9-11, 2052

Here were two teams that had been dominant in the 2040s, and now couldn’t find a W with two hands and a flashlight. The Stars were in fourth place in the FL West, sixth in runs scored and second from the bottom in runs allowed, because that had worked so well for the Coons during the week… We had not won a series from them (in the regular season, tee-hee) in the last four attempts, while getting swept in the most recent meeting in 2050. They had a number of ex-Coons on the payroll, but Bubba Wolinsky and Alex Adame were on the DL along with former Bayhawks standout Sergio Quiroz.

Projected matchups:
Cameron Argenziano (0-3, 3.89 ERA) vs. Alejandro Villanueva (2-5, 4.94 ERA)
Rafael de la Cruz (7-7, 3.09 ERA) vs. Nick Whetsell (1-3, 5.09 ERA)
Seisaku Taki (12-7, 2.49 ERA) vs. Manny Vasquez (7-9, 4.99 ERA)

More right-handers-only opposition.

The Coons had back-to-back off days on the days preceding and following this series, so optioned Phil Baker (2-1, 5.79 ERA), as no fifth starter would be needed until Saturday a week from now. The Coons used the opportunity to get a first look at 1B Harry Ramsay, the prospect grabbed from the Thunder in July, who would start a few games in the next week.

Game 1
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – RF Puckeridge – LF Crum – 1B Ramsay – CF Suzuki – 3B Sivertson – C Brewer – P Argenziano
DAL: SS Arguello – 3B Crenshaw – LF O. Gonzalez – RF D. Martinez – 1B Humphreys – CF Barton – C R. Zamora – 2B Tauzin – P Villanueva

Lonzo singled, Pucks doubled, and Crum had a well-placed RBI groundout for a 1-0 lead in the first, but Harry Ramsay failed to make an instant splash and stranded a runner with a groundout to first base. His next time up, Pucks tripled home Matt Waters with a wallbanger in centerfield, but then was stranded by Crum grounding out crummily. Mark Tauzin hurt himself right in the first inning and was replaced with Mario Coto at second base. Coto drew a leadoff walk in the bottom 3rd off Argenziano, who then misfielded Villanueva’s bunt, and a Leo Arguello single loaded the bases with nobody out. Despite a foul pop by veteran Mike Crenshaw, Omar Gonzalez’ RBI single and a bases-loaded walk to Dario Martinez tied the game before Steve Humphreys hit into a double play to kill the inning, a favor that Brewer returned with Ramsay and Sivertson on the corners in the top 4th… Come the fifth, the Coons had a hit by their pitcher, a hit batter, a wild pitch, and a walk going in their favor – and didn’t score. Argenziano, Lonzo, and Crum were stranded when Ramsay lined out to Humphreys.

Dallas went up 3-2 in the bottom of that inning, capitalizing on a leadoff double by Arguello with two productive outs, and Humphreys hit another leadoff double in the sixth inning. Zamora and Coto walked the bases full, and Villanueva made a poor second out, but going to Lillis against the left-hander Arguello only netted the Coons a bases-loaded walk and another run added to the deficit. Crenshaw grounded out, leaving three aboard.

It was then a Pucks single, but mostly errors by Arguello and Danny Barton that tied the score at four in the top 7th. Lonzo reached on a throwing error and was driven home by Pucks, who then came in when Barton flubbed a 2-out fly by Ramsay for the tying run. Suzuki singled, but as usual, somebody had to kill the rally before its time, and this time it was Sivertson with a pop to short. Villanueva ticked Brewer to begin the eighth and end his day, with that go-ahead run coming home on Crispin and Lonzo hits with one out for a 5-4 lead before the clutch slipped again. Jim Larson held the lead in the bottom 8th, while ex-Coon Willie Cruz also held the Coons in place in the top of the ninth inning. Hitchcock almost fell over the two left-handers at the top of the lineup, walking Arguello with one out and seeing Crenshaw reach on an infield single in the bottom 9th then. But he popped up Omar Gonzalez, and Dario Martinez went down on strikes to get the W in the books…! 5-4 Coons. Lavorano 2-4, RBI; Puckeridge 3-5, 3B, 2B, 2 RBI; Crispin 1-1;

Still winless in seven career starts now: Argenziano. Eh, Wheats’ streak was longer……

Game 2
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – RF Puckeridge – LF Crum – 1B Ramsay – CF Suzuki – 3B Sivertson – C Raczka – P de la Cruz
DAL: LF O. Gonzalez – C Dickerson – RF D. Martinez – 1B Humphreys – 3B Crenshaw – CF Barton – SS Arguello – 2B Tauzin – P Whetsell

Tauzin was back in the lineup on Saturday, and right away played into the Coons’ paw with an error that put Lonzo on base. That came in between Waters and Pucks singles, gave the Critters three on and nobody out, and probably more throbbing in my forehead once we had left the bases loaded. Not bloody quite – we stranded only two. Crum struck out and Ramsay hit into a double play. Tah!

Raffy had to single home his own lead, following Suzuki and Sivertson hits in the top 2nd with an RBI knock to go up 1-0. Waters got on, and Lonzo socked a ball over Danny Barton with the bases loaded for a double. It cleared the bases, sorta – two runs scored, but Waters was thrown out at the plate, and Pucks grounded out to strand Lonzo on third base. **** got more wicked in the third inning with a leadoff double for Ken Crum. Ramsay grounded out, moving him to third base, from where he scored on a wild pitch that bounced into the umpire’s throat. After some medical consultation, Suzuki was struck out, but Isaiah Dickerson lost that ball as well and Suzuki reached on the uncaught third strike, then was caught stealing before Sivertson doubled to right. Raczka was walked intentionally, leaving Raffy to make the last out with a floater to left. Pucks hit a solo jack in the fourth, 5-0, while Dario Martinez hit a single in the bottom of that inning, the Stars’ first knock off Raffy.

Bottom 5th, bases loaded for Dallas. Raffy walked Arguello and Gonzalez, while Tauzin singled in between. There were already two outs on the board and Dickerson was a .216 hitter from the right side, but the count ran full in an endless inning that exploded de la Cruz’ heretofore very nice pitch count. Dickerson struck out eventually, but Raffy was now on 84 pitches. Despite that, he retired another six Stars before retiring on a seven-inning, 2-hit shutout in progress. The game looked over; the Coons tacked on a bit more against southpaw Troy Henrikson in the ninth inning. Lonzo singled, stole #45, and came home on Crum’s single. Glodowski batted for Ramsay and singled to center, where Barton bungled another one for an extra base for the runners. For good measure, Adam Samples socked a 2-run double in Suzuki’s spot. And maybe we’d still need it, because while Reese and Harmer pieced a quick eighth together, Crisler loaded the bases in the bottom 9th before Lillis was sent into the fray. Arguello and Tauzin both struck out against the southpaw, and the Stars remained shut out. 8-0 Furballs. Lavorano 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI; Puckeridge 2-5, HR, RBI; Crum 2-5, 2B, RBI; Glodowski (PH) 1-1; Suzuki 2-4; Samples (PH) 1-1, 2B, 2 RBI; Sivertson 2-5, 2B; de la Cruz 7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 7 K, W (8-7) and 1-3, RBI;

What’s that? A series win?

How??

Game 3
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – CF Puckeridge – LF Crum – 1B Ramsay – 3B Sivertson – C Brewer – RF Maldonado – P Taki
DAL: LF O. Gonzalez – C Dickerson – RF D. Martinez – 1B Humphreys – 3B Crenshaw – CF Barton – SS Arguello – 2B Tauzin – P M. Vasquez

Lonzo tripled and Crum homered for a quick 2-0 lead in Sunday in the first inning, but Gonzalez, Humphreys, and Crenshaw all lunked doubles off Taki in the bottom half of the same inning to get the score level again. Matt Waters answered with a 3-piece to right in the top 2nd, collecting Brewer, who had singled, and Maldo, who been handed a welt with a Vasquez fastball. He dealt another one to Brewer when Ramsay and Sivertson were already in scoring position with one out in the third inning. Maldo came up batting with a full plate and one out, but whiffed, and Taki popped out to Tauzin, but Lonzo shot another triple in the fourth inning and scored on a sac fly to center by Pucks. At 6-2, Vasquez was yanked, and Lonzo was no longer pitched to, getting an intentional walk in the sixth inning after Waters had doubled off Ricky Contreras. Pucks and Crum made meek outs after that, and the score remained the same.

Taki lost it in the seventh, offering a walk, two wild pitches, and a run on the second of those, which was earned despite a Ramsay error to add to the malaise. Ed Crispin batted for him to begin the eighth inning and homered to right off another former Critter, Preston Porter, who then responded with strikeouts to the 1-2-3 batters. Harmer pitched the eighth and Reese got the ninth with a 4-run lead, which was progressive. He rung up Crenshaw, then was taken deep to right by Barton. No pinch-hitter ever materialized amongst that all-lefty bottom of the order, though, and Arguello and Tauzin made the last two outs without Hitchcock having to intervene. 7-4 Coons. Waters 2-4, BB, HR, 2B, 3 RBI; Lavorano 2-3, 2 BB, 2 3B; Sivertson 2-5; Crispin (PH) 1-1, HR, RBI;

In other news

August 6 – A single by LAP 1B Mark Cahill (.277, 7 HR, 26 RBI) keeps the Pacifics from getting no-hit in a 1-0 loss to the Warriors’ Jeremy Ray (8-5, 3.48 ERA) and two relievers.
August 7 – VAN OF Joshua Shaw (.330, 5 HR, 46 RBI) hits two home runs in a 5-3 win over the Indians, including the game-decider in the top of the 15th inning.
August 8 – Loggers INF Zach Suggs (.306, 28 HR, 84 RBI) will be shut down for the rest of the month after having suffered a concussion on Tuesday.
August 9 – SFW SP David Barel (10-7, 2.67 ERA) throws a 3-hit shutout against his former team, the Titans, in a 2-0 win for the Warriors.
August 9 – Cyclones SP Austin Wilcox (10-10, 4.20 ERA) also throws a 3-hitter in a 4-0 win over the Condors.
August 9 – In the same game, Cyclones INF Juan Ojeda (.313, 3 HR, 54 RBI) connects for a double and a 20-game hitting streak.
August 9 – LAP RF Matt Diskin (.385, 12 HR, 44 RBI) will miss the rest of the month with a badly bruised wrist.
August 10 – With a ruptured disc, TIJ LF Tim Duncan (.226, 11 HR, 53 RBI) is out for the season.
August 11 – The Condors beat the Cyclones, 10-3, and Juan Ojeda (.309, 4 HR, 57 RBI) in particular, 5-0, ending his hitting streak at 21 games.
August 11 – LAP SP Isaiah Mowatt (4-6, 3.40 ERA, 1 SV) 3-hits the Loggers for a 2-0 shutout.
August 11 – The Wolves beat the Crusaders, 2-1, with all runs scoring only in the 12th inning.

FL Player of the Week: NAS 2B/3B Travis Malkus (.275, 1 HR, 15 RBI), hitting .480 (12-25) with 8 RBI
CL Player of the Week: IND 1B Toushi Imai (.279, 7 HR, 22 RBI), socking .448 (13-29) with 4 HR, 8 RBI

Complaints and stuff

First sweep and first winning week since doing one on the Condors in late June, with one more win in four attempts against the Arrowheads for a 4-3 total back then. Now, 4-2! Huzzah!

Wheatley…! Unless he can grab a W on Tuesday, he will go MORE than two months without a win. At least he’s still pitching semi-decently. What’s with all the broken toys from the Opening Day roster? Salcido is winless in the AAA rotation, but at least not getting flicked around as much as in the majors. Eloy Sencion however posted an ungodly ERA in St. Pete as well and has by now reached the depths of Ham Lake.

Harry Ramsay hit in his first three games as a Coon as you’d expect a Coon you’d expect to hit to hit: 2-for-13, no RBI. And an error in the field.

At least Lonzo now leads the stolen base race by a dozen. Another 70+ campaign looks unlikely, but it’s 45 games, who knows… Seisaku Taki is third in ERA in the CL now, but almost half a run behind Boston’s Vic Scott.

Next week: start of a 4-team homestand against the Caps, Elks, Indians, and Aces. All are in for three, except for the Arrowheads, against whom we have another rainout to make up.

Fun Fact: Sean Suggs dropped his OPS another 120 points as a Thunder.

It’s been only ten games, but he’s hit .262/.306/.310 with them after .281/.317/.420 with the Coons. Although, after being acquired from San Fran last season, his second-half line was suspiciously close to that one now.

By the way, he hit for an .815+ OPS for six straight years in San Francisco…