Portland Raccoons (ABL)

[Westheim]

Raccoons (10-14) vs. Indians (11-14) – May 1-4, 2051

The offensively feckless and pitching-wise at least challenged Raccoons returned home to begin the month of May with a 4-game set against the Indians, who were ninth in both runs scored and runs allowed, with a -18 run differential (Coons: -20). They were pretty mediocre so far in everything they did. This was the first annual meeting with Indy; we had lost 10 of 18 games to them last season.

Projected matchups:
Danny Hall (0-3, 5.09 ERA) vs. Alfredo Llamas (0-4, 4.97 ERA)
Jason Wheatley (3-0, 1.83 ERA) vs. Bill Nichol (0-2, 5.79 ERA)
Victor Salcido (0-3, 5.74 ERA) vs. Tan Brink (4-1, 2.63 ERA)
Bubba Wolinsky (3-2, 2.16 ERA) vs. Enrique Ortiz (3-0, 2.75 ERA)

No southpaw starter in sight here.

Game 1
IND: CF A. Mendez – 2B R. White – RF B. Quinteros – 3B B. Anderson – 1B Brayboy – C M. Gilmore – SS Arguello – LF Ragen – P Llamas
POR: SS Lavorano – CF Suzuki – 1B Maldonado – LF Crum – 2B Waters – RF Puckeridge – 3B Crispin – C Gonzalez – P Hall

Neither team had a hit until Ruben Gonzalez legged out an infield single, somehow, which probably said something about both of these clubs. That was in the third inning, led absolutely nowhere, and was followed by a swift 4-run implosion on Danny Hall’s part. Rusty White reached on an error by Hall, Bill Quinteros homered, and that was that. Bobby Anderson then reached when Hall fumbled his comebacker for a second error in the inning, Aaron Brayboy singled (grumble), Mike Gilmore walked in a full count, and a Juan Arguello groundout and Allen Ragen’s sac fly each brought in another run. That was four runs on two hits, three of them unearned, and I was beginning to look at the stats of our AAA starters. While the Raccoons quite simply never did ******* anything, just when Hall cleared six innings and looked like it had all just been one giant accident and maybe he had a case to be a major league starter, he walked Llamas with one out in the seventh, and gave up 2-out singles to Rusty White and Quinteros to concede that run. Willie Maldonado replaced him, struck out Anderson, and at least got that inning over with. That was W-Maldo’s (Waldo’s?) only out in the game. Ponce and Hitchcock put up two zeroes after that. Alfredo Llamas and Paul Medvec put up nine for the Indians on a combined 3-hitter. 5-0 Indians. Waters 1-2, BB;

Danny Hall (0-4, 4.44 ERA) was duly purged at the end of the game. The Raccoons brought up Jim Larson, and moved Paul Miles into the rotation, although he’d still be available out of the pen for an inning or so on Tuesday or Wednesday and would be able to make the start on Saturday. He so far had one spot start in his career, last year with the Critters.

Game 2
IND: C Poindexter – LF Hare – RF B. Quinteros – 3B B. Anderson – 1B Brayboy – CF Locke – SS E. Ortiz – 2B Arguello – P Nichol
POR: SS Lavorano – CF Puckeridge – RF J. Maldonado – LF Crum – 2B Waters – 3B Crispin – C Jimenez – 1B Van Hoy – P Wheatley

Manny Poindexter singled through the left side, Quinteros singled through the right side, Maldo fired a ball into no man’s land, and the Indians put up a 1-0 lead in a 33-pitch first inning for Wheatley, who looked like he had found first-half form. Which was not a good thing.

A walk drawn by Josh Hare and Anderson’s RBI single extended the Indians’ lead to 2-0 by the third inning, with little going on in terms of stuff for Wheats, and the defense remaining almost comically unhelpful. At least the offense made up the deficit in the middle innings; Ed Crispin doubled home Maldo in the fourth, and in the fifth Evan Van Hoy sparkled (as much as a .150 hitter could sparkle) with a leadoff triple. Wheats lined out to Anderson, but Lonzo put up a steady sac fly to get us even at two. Wheats took 103 pitches through six innings, however, and wouldn’t be seen beyond that, but remained undefeated despite a leadoff walk to Brayboy (gnashes teeth) in the top 6th. The runner never got off first base, though, and then Maldo opened the bottom of the inning with a double to right. Ken Crum grounded out, moving the go-ahead run to third base, and Waters walked. When Ed Crispin flew out to Philip Locke, Maldo went for home – and was thrown out.

Miles then pitched the top 7th, getting around a Hare hit in keeping the game tied. It was him who got the lead with a 2-out rally in the bottom 7th, starting with Matt Glodowski putting down a pinch-hit double from the #9 spot. Lonzo singled him in, stole second base, and was in turn singled home by Puckeridge, who also stole second base, but was left on when Maldo grounded out to second base. Eloy Sencion was tasked with the eighth, failed quite badly in putting the left-handers Brayboy (who was run for with Ragen) and Locke on base, then left Kevin Hitchcock to battle through a barrage of pinch-hitters, one of whom, Rusty White, managed an RBI single to shorten the score to 4-3. Alex de Castro grounded out to Lonzo to end the inning, though. Willie Cruz saved that despite another Hare single in the ninth inning and a deep fly out by Anderson to Pucks for the final out. 4-3 Raccoons. Puckeridge 2-4, RBI; Maldonado 2-4, 2B; Glodowski (PH) 1-1, 2B;

You’re baking cookies, Maud? – Make sure to add plenty of rum to them. – The glazing, too, Maud. It should be all rum.

Game 3
IND: C Poindexter – SS de Castro – RF B. Quinteros – 3B B. Anderson – 1B Brayboy – CF Locke – LF A. Mendez – 2B Arguello – P Brink
POR: SS Lavorano – CF Suzuki – 1B J. Maldonado – 2B Waters – RF Puckeridge – 3B Kaufman – C Gonzalez – LF Sivertson – P Salcido

On Wednesday night I luckily opened a bottle of Capt’n Coma right as the first pitch was thrown, because it got depressing. Not because the Coons were blown out right away, but because both teams kicked the offensive ineptitude into fifth gear. Half the game passed with no runs, Salcido working a 4-hitter with just two strikeouts, and the Indians leaving the go-ahead run on third base in the first, third, and fifth innings, in the last case after a 2-out single by their own pitcher to get started to begin with. The Coons had only one base hit (a Suzuki single) and four strikeouts in four innings, but then got Pucks on with a leadoff walk in the bottom 5th. Brian Kaufman lobbed a ball up the rightfield line for a double and then Ruben Gonzalez was walked intentionally to make it three on and nobody out with Sivertson and the pitcher coming up. (takes a more voluminous glug of Capt’n Coma) On the first pitch, Sivertson popped out to short. Salcido popped out on the next pitch, but to centerfield. High, very high. Locke made the catch, and Pucks was past caring and dashed home, scoring when the throw was cut off to hold the remaining runners in place. On the third pitch, Lonzo slapped an RBI single, 2-0, but Jesus H. Christ, what happened to waiting for a *good* one to hit?? Suzuki and Maldo both hit more RBI singles for a 4-0 lead before Waters grounded out to Juan Arguello to end the inning.

Salcido then quickly walked the first two bums that got parked in the box in the sixth, got a 4-6-3 double play, nailed Locke, and somehow got out on an Angel Mendez groundout, the fourth time in the game the Indians left a runner on third base. They finally scored a run off him in the seventh with a walk to Poindexter and a de Castro RBI double. That was all for Salcido, seven innings of 6-hit ball. O’Higgins then gave up a leadoff single to Anderson on the only pitch he threw in the top 8th. Ponce got two left-handers, and Willie Cruz struck out Mendez when he entered to pitch a 4-out save. Which he did – kinda. Well, he put it down as a W, but not without getting bombed with a Hare double and a Poindexter homer in the ninth inning first. 4-3 Coons. Suzuki 2-4, RBI; Salcido 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, W (1-3);

The funny part? We have a -23 run differential, but since the Elks can’t find a groove (yet), we’re only two games from the division lead.

Game 4
IND: CF A. Mendez – SS de Castro – RF B. Quinteros – 3B B. Anderson – 1B Brayboy – C M. Gilmore – 2B R. White – LF Locke – P E. Ortiz
POR: SS Lavorano – CF Suzuki – 1B J. Maldonado – LF Crum – 2B Waters – 3B Crispin – RF Glodowski – C Gonzalez – P Wolinsky

Wolinsky pitched one of those games that get rookies banished to single-A. The Indians splattered him for nine hits and five runs in the first four innings, most of the hits and all of the runs coming in the third and fourth. Especially infurating was the 3-run fourth, in which they had Locke on base and two outs when Ortiz singed an RBI double to center, and then the collapse continued from there with another three Arrowheads reaching base before Anderson popped out on the infield in a full count. Somehow, the Coons would not trail at the end of four; Suzuki had driven in one run with a fielder’s choice in the bottom 3rd, having found Gonzalez and Lonzo on the corners and grounding to second base. He was then caught stealing to end the inning. Maldo opened the fourth with a double and was singled around by Waters, 5-2. Ed Crispin reached base, and Matt Glodowski hit his customary 0-for-15-breaking 3-run homer to tie the game.

Bubba pitched into the sixth, which meant a clean fifth and a leadoff single by Locke to end his day with Allen Ragen pinch-hitting for Ortiz. Willie Maldonado sorted out the inning. He got in line for the W for that service in the bottom 6th, which saw Waters get nicked with one out. Crispin flew out, Glodowski walked, and right-hander Wook-jin Kym was then taken quite deep to left by Ruben Gonzalez – oh yeah, that’s why we signed him to a 4-year extension at one point! – to turn a 5-1 deficit into an 8-5 lead. Bobby Anderson countered with a solo homer off Eloy Sencion in the eighth, and a Gilmore double chased the lefty and brought on Polibio O’Higgins, who uncharacteristically pitched four outs without allowing a run. In the ninth, the ball went to Hitchcock after Willie Cruz’ two outings in a row, comprising seven outs and two runs surrendered. He got taken deep by Quinteros to right-center, but still managed to somehow wiggle around a 2-out single by Brayboy (hiss!) to get the W into the books. 8-7 Critters. J. Maldonado 2-4, 2 2B; Gonzalez 2-3, HR, 3 RBI;

…at which point the Raccoons were fourth in the North, one game behind the 14-14 Elks, with the Titans and Loggers wedged in between on equal 13-14 records.

Raccoons (13-15) @ Blue Sox (14-15) – May 5-7, 2051

Speaking of lame divisions, the Blue Sox were second in theirs, just a game and a half behind – no, not the Pittsburgh Billionaires – the Capitals. They had the second-most runs scored in the FL, but were eighth in runs allowed. Their defense was the worst in the Federal League, and their bullpen was highly volatile, but so was their batting, sitting second in the ABL in home runs with 27 in 29 games. The Coons had dropped the last two series with the Blue Sox in 2048 and 2049, each time winning just one of the three games.

Projected matchups:
Kyle Brobeck (2-3, 5.16 ERA) vs. Victor Mondragon (3-3, 4.75 ERA)
Paul Miles (2-0, 2.61 ERA) vs. Zack Stahl (1-1, 3.77 ERA)
Jason Wheatley (3-0, 2.01 ERA) vs. Jason Palladino (1-2, 4.59 ERA)

Seven starters this week, seven right-handers.

Game 1
POR: RF Puckeridge – CF Suzuki – 1B J. Maldonado – LF Crum – 2B Waters – 3B Crispin – SS Kaufman – C Jimenez – P Brobeck
NAS: CF Pfeifer – RF Magnussen – 1B Ale. Ramos – C Cantu – LF Hester – 2B Malkus – SS Napoles – 3B Thibault – P Mondragon

With a Suzuki double, Maldo’s RBI single, and a 2-run homer to right-center from Ken Crum, the Raccoons burst out for a 3-0 lead in the first inning…! The Blue Sox clawed one back in the bottom 1st, doing… nothing. Maldo made an error, and Brobeck walked FOUR. Adam Magnussen even hit into a double play after Mike Pfeifer’s leadoff walk. The run was unearned, which didn’t mean I wouldn’t hit Brobeck with a stick after the game. Alfredo Napoles grounded out to Waters to strand three. Pucks singled home a run in the second inning, bringing home Brian Kaufman to restore the 3-run lead, but it was just no good with Brobeck in this game. Pfeifer had a hit in the second, but in the third he walked two more before Travis Malkus took the pressure off with a 6-4-3 double play. Brobeck was begging for a beating, even before the one he’d get with my stick…

But for now Pucks singled home Kaufman *again* in the fourth, then to make it 5-1. That was only a brief relief, however; the bottom 4th saw a Bobby Thibault single, then consecutive 2-out RBI doubles by Pfeifer and Magnussen, 5-3, before Alejandro Ramos popped out to Kaufman at short. With the Coons’ own pair of 2-out doubles by Waters and Crispin it was a 3-run lead again by the top 5th, but Brobeck’s leash was non-existent by the bottom 5th, and he was yanked after a first-pitch double by Jose Cantu. Five hits, six walks, no strikeouts. Shambles. The Coons needed length and brought on Jim Larson, who had not actually pitched against Indy, and Sivertson, with Kaufman’s day over. Larson threw 36 pitches – IN THE INNING. A walk to Billy Hester, hits by Malkus and Thiebault, this and that, and when the hole shebang was actually over, the Raccoons barely escaped with a 6-6 tie and Suzuki shagging a Ramos fly to end the ******* inning.

Length then had to come from Eloy Sencion, who threw two innings to keep the game tied, while Crum and Waters reached scoring position with a walk and double in the top 7th, but Ed Crispin whiffed. Jimenez and Sivertson reached in the top 8th, but Puckeridge hit into an inning-ending double play. Crum and Waters reached base with two outs *again* in the ninth, then against right-handed former Indians tormentor Tommy Gardner, but again Crispin whiffed and stranded the pair. Two innings from Willie Maldonado sent the game to extras – our first overtime game of the year. The Coons arrived at Willie Cruz in the bottom 10th of a tied game, because the pen was already close to being drained (and f.e. O’Higgins and Hitchcock needed a breather), but Cruz gave up straight singles to PH Chris Baker, Ramos, and Cantu with one out in the inning. Baker went to try and win it from second base on the Cantu hit, but was thrown out by Puckeridge. No advance by the trailing runners, and Hester flew out to Suzuki to give us an 11th, which was also the final inning. The Coons didn’t score, but Travis Malkus zinged a ball into the leftfield corner to begin the bottom 11th. Crum misplayed it off the sidewall, the ball dashed into the gap, and Malkus all the way around for a walkoff, inside-the-park home run. 7-6 Blue Sox. Puckeridge 2-6, 2 RBI; Suzuki 2-6, 2B; Crum 2-4, BB, HR, 2 RBI; Waters 2-4, BB, 2 2B; Kaufman 2-3; Sencion 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K; W. Maldonado 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K;

(claps paws) Roster moves! Jim Larson (0-0, 18.00 ERA) was sent right back where the pepper grows (Florida, I assume), and we grabbed the next right-handed wimp off the shelf, Bryan Lenderink, who at least had a 2.45 ERA with the Alley Cats.

Further, Evan Van Hoy (.167, 0 HR, 1 RBI) was waived and DFA’ed, and we brought up all-or-nothing prospect Oscar Rivera from AAA. Still on seven homers, still not hitting .240 down there.

Game 2
POR: CF Puckeridge – SS Lavorano – 1B J. Maldonado – LF Crum – 2B Waters – 3B Crispin – RF Rivera – C Gonzalez – P Miles
NAS: CF Pfeifer – C C. Baker – LF Hester – 1B Ale. Ramos – RF Magnussen – 3B Jager – 2B Malkus – SS Napoles – P Stahl

Pfeifer sent Miles’ first pitch over the fence in right, so that was a nice start to the game… Further homers by John Jager in the second and Billy Hester in the third, the latter counting for two runs, made it 4-0 after three. Hitting Malkus and singles by Napoles and Pfeifer finally put the score at 5-0 with one gone in the fourth, and then Miles was gone. Another long day for the pen, yay. O’Higgins came on, walked the bags full, gave up a sac fly to Hester, and walked the bags full AGAIN. (grinds teeth against each other) Magnussen and Jager both drew bases-loaded walks, Malkus somehow struck himself out to end the ******* INNING, and then O’Higgins (4 IP, 6 BB, 1 K) was put on the bus to St. Pete.

He'd be joined on that bus by Lenderink, who pitched two gaudy innings for five hits and three runs. Julian Ponce then in the bottom 7th gave up a leadoff single to Stahl – pitching a 5-hit shutout at that point – walked Pfeifer, got a 5-3 double play from Baker, then nailed Billy Hester, and somehow got out against Ramos, but still put up the first ******* zero of the game for this burlesque team. The Coons only scored once they were down to their last out, as Juan Jimenez broke up Stahl’s shutout with a pinch-hit RBI single, scoring Crispin. 11-1 Blue Sox. Crum 2-3, BB, 2B; Suzuki (PH) 1-1; Jimenez (PH) 1-1, RBI;

O’Higgins (0-1, 4.50 ERA) and Lenderink (0-0, 13.50 ERA) were purged by Sunday. Miles went back to the pen, as Monday would be off and no fifth starter was needed until next Saturday. Brett Lillis jr. (0.93 ERA in AAA) was one bum we had yet to lob against the wall and investigate his stickiness this season, and then we added 2047 third-rounder Eric Reese, another left-hander (but at this point five left-handers in the pen were the least of my problems). He was unscored upon in 7.2 innings in AAA this year, whiffing 12.9/9, but command was a thing in progress for him. He was 23 and threw 94 with a wipeout slider, but regrettably no third pitch.

Oscar Rivera went 1-for-3 in his debut with a seventh-inning single for a trophy.

Game 3
POR: CF Puckeridge – SS Lavorano – 1B J. Maldonado – LF Crum – 2B Waters – 3B Crispin – RF Rivera – C Gonzalez – P Wheatley
NAS: CF Pfeifer – RF Magnussen – 1B Ale. Ramos – C Cantu – LF Hester – 2B Malkus – SS Napoles – 3B Thibault – P Palladino

While Wheats had early wobbles and walked two batters the first time through in addition to a leadoff single by Pfeifer in the first, but conceded no runs, the Coons went up 2-0 in the third inning. Gonzalez singled his way on, was bunted to second by Wheatley, and then doubled home with two outs by Lonzo. Maldo added an RBI single. Crum singled as well, but Waters grounded out. The top of the order produced another pair in the fifth from a Puckeridge double and RBI knocks by Lonzo and Crum, 4-0. And just when silly old me thought we might be fine, Palladino welted a screaming double in the bottom of the fifth and scored on a Pfeifer zinger to get the Sox on the board. Wheats needed 74 pitches through five, so a shutout had not been likely anyway, but … (shakes fists)

But maybe a win for Wheats! The sixth was dull, but the seventh saw Wheats lead off and reach when Magnussen dropped his soft liner for a pathetic error. Pucks forced him out, but stole second, which led to an intentional walk on Lonzo once more, which kept fascinating me. The two then burned the Sox with a double steal, and scored in tandem when Maldo flicked a single right next to the line in shallow rightfield, 6-1. Because we ain’t be played like that!

Wheatley threw 108 pitches for 7.2 innings without more major or minor drama, at which point the Coons shifted five players around to facilitate a double switch. Rivera, who was not a great defender to begin with was replaced with the lefty Lillis, while Crum moved to first and the outfield became Pucks-Suzuki-Maldo from left to right. Billy Hester sneered and hit a homer off Lillis over all of them. That was all their rally though. 6-2 Raccoons. Lavorano 2-4, BB, 2B, 2 RBI; J. Maldonado 2-4, 3 RBI; Crum 2-4, RBI; Wheatley 7.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, W (4-0);

In other news

May 2 – Gold Sox INF Ivan Villa (.250, 6 HR, 21 RBI) had a slow start to the season with a bothersome shoulder. He’d be shut down for two weeks to cure out what has been diagnosed as shoulder tendinitis.
May 3 – PIT SP Matt Sealock (1-1, 4.55 ERA) heads to the DL for at least 12 months to fix a torn UCL.
May 4 – NYC OF Pedro Leal (.356, 3 HR, 14 RBI) drives in six runs on a 3-run homer, 2-run single, and run-scoring groundout as the Crusaders take the trash out with the Canadiens, 15-1.
May 4 – In the 12th inning, the Thunder decide enough is enough, and crush the Bayhawks with a 7-run inning to grab a 12-5 win in a game that had been tied since the seventh inning.
May 5 – VAN INF/CF Nick DeMarco (.250, 5 HR, 17 RBI) hits a home run for the only score in a 1-0 win over the Rebels.
May 5 – The Buffaloes unpack ten runs in the first inning alone in a 16-2 rout of the Loggers. Every player in the Topeka lineup lands at least one hit, RBI, and run in the game, and every starting batter has at least a total of five in these three columns.
May 7 – The Aces beat the Wolves, 2-0, but don’t score their pair of runs until the 10th and final inning of the game.

FL Player of the Week: PIT CF Jayden Ward (.333, 3 HR, 16 RBI), batting .480 (12-25) with 2 HR, 8 RBI
CL Player of the Week: NYC 1B/LF/RF Ed Haertling (.293, 4 HR, 17 RBI), hitting .480 (12-25) with 2 HR, 7 RBI

Complaints and stuff

Welcome to the Portland Honky-Tonks. Six shows a week. Sick sacks not included.

The funniest part is how we were only one game away from the lead in the division before leaving for Nashville, where we played a series that was truly a sight to behold, and we’re STILL only a game and a half out.

The pitching carousel spun frantically this week. And while I heard that a 4.44 ERA wasn’t so bad, here’s the thing about Danny Hall. He gave up 12 *earned* runs. But due to a myriad of errors, he gave up *22* runs total. Just because Ed Crispin made that one particular error (he made many, but that *one*…) that led to five unearned runs at once doesn’t mean that Hall didn’t fudge up the other four runs somehow. He was simply untenable. Rafael de la Cruz was far from ready, and Juan Mercado was not on the 40-man roster so far. He was 2-2 with a 2.28 ERA when Hall was purged.

And then there were the 35 OTHER pitchers we went through this week…..

Next week, new homestand. The Stingers and the Elks will come in after an off day on Monday. The next day off won’t be until the 25th.

Fun Fact: Sophomore Neville van de Wouw leads the CL with eight home runs.

The 23-year-old Aruban was signed in the 2047 July IFA window, with the Aces forking over $600k for the rights to the left-handed batter. The Raccoons made no serious attempts despite the obvious power potential because we didn’t see him making enough contact in the long run. Well, in the short run he’s hitting .282 with 8 HR and 18 RBI this year. Last year he made it into 62 games, batting .275 with 6 HR, 27 RBI, and stole nine bags. Plus defender all across the outfield, too.

Kinda annoyed now…!

[Westheim]

Raccoons (14-17) vs. Scorpions (14-17) – May 9-11, 2051

There was not a lot of history between the Raccoons and Scorpions. First of all, on World Series meetings, and then we somehow also hadn’t played them more than once in the last six seasons, taking two of three games in 2049, and absolutely nothing else. They had lost four in a row, and had the second-fewest runs allowed in the Federal League. How did that stack up? Well, their bottom-rated offense had something to do with it. In fact, both of these teams had scored a pitiful 108 runs from 31 games, and now they’d go against each other for three games. I hope you brought sandwiches.

Projected matchups:
Victor Salcido (1-3, 4.81 ERA) vs. Mario de Anda (2-3, 3.92 ERA)
Bubba Wolinsky (3-2, 3.05 ERA) vs. Matt Weber (0-3, 4.06 ERA)
Kyle Brobeck (2-3, 5.35 ERA) vs. Mike McCaffrey (3-3, 3.70 ERA)

Left, right, right following our common off day on Monday.

Game 1
SAC: 3B Crenshaw – 2B R. Espinoza – RF Culp – 1B Wyatt – C Howie – CF Krabbe – LF Courser – SS Jo. Jackson – P de Anda
POR: SS Lavorano – CF Puckeridge – 1B J. Maldonado – LF Crum – 2B Waters – RF Glodowski – 3B Kaufman – C Gonzalez – P Salcido

Despite the fact that Victor Salcido couldn’t get a strike past the first three batters, walked Mike Crenshaw on four pitches, gave up a single to Ricky Espinoza, and saw Nate Culp get on by a Brian Kaufman error, had three on and nobody out, and looked like another long evening for everybody BUT him in the ballpark, the Coons wiggled out without allowing a run. Steve Wyatt struck out, and Henry Howie grounded to Matt Waters for a double play. So he walked the bags full in the second inning then…! Espinoza legged out an infield single for a 2-out RBI before Culp struck out to leave three, but oh deary me, it was already a dreadful week.

And that, despite the fact that by the fifth inning the Coons were ahead. Matt Waters hit a double in the second and a homer in the fifth inning. Glodowski singled him home the first time, and he scored himself the second time, first tying the game, then making it 2-1 Portland. Make no mistake – that Salcido didn’t allow more runs didn’t have to do with better pitching. The Stingers were on five hits and five walks, but also a swing-happy six strikeouts. Salcido added two more strikeouts in his sixth and final inning, but also hung one to Mike Crenshaw that got belted over the fence in right to tie the score at two. That was it for him, with Eloy Sencion getting peppered with righty pinch-hitters in the seventh, but not allowing anybody on base. The Coons got Oscar Rivera (hitting for Sencion) and Lonzo on base with two outs in the bottom 7th, but Puckeridge flew out to Pat Gurney – hi, Pat! (waves at tiny player down on the field) – to strand the runners. Gurney singled off Lillis in the eighth, but was doubled up by Crenshaw to make up for that, and the Coons matched them with a Maldo single and a Crum double play. The two worst offenses in the league, you say? Nah, not seeing it.

Matt Waters’ 2-out single in the bottom 8th didn’t look like much initially, but Joe Nix gave him a base with a wild pitch, and then Glodowski singled him home the second time in the game with a slapper into shallow center, 3-2 Portland. Kaufman also singled, but Ruben Gonzalez was out to center. The Scorpions in the ninth were mostly out to short as Willie Cruz retired them 1-2-3. 3-2 Raccoons. Waters 3-4, HR, 2B, RBI; Glodowski 2-4, 2 RBI;

No Matt Weber, who would be skipped entirely. Sean Sweeton (0-4, 6.21 ERA) was scheduled for Thursday – also a right-handed pitcher.

Game 2
SAC: 3B Crenshaw – 1B Wyatt – RF Culp – C Howie – 2B R. Espinoza – LF Pate – CF Courser – SS Jo. Jackson – P McCaffrey
POR: CF Puckeridge – SS Lavorano – 1B J. Maldonado – LF Crum – 2B Waters – 3B Crispin – RF Rivera – C Gonzalez – P Wolinsky

In Wednesday’s edition of Worst Offensive Show Money Can Get You Into, the Coons whiffed seven times against one walk, a sad Maldo single, and no runs in the first five innings. The Scorpions led 1-0 on a Nate Culp homer, and that was basically it for them as well. Steve Wyatt and Culp hit singles with two outs in the sixth, the first time in the game any team had two runners on base at the same time, but Howie then grounded out to Ed Crispin. The performances on offer were SO ROTTEN, that when a shower came down in the sixth inning and hadn’t subsided after an hour, the umpire threw in the towel and called the game. 1-0 Scorpions. Wolinsky 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, L (3-3);

When confronted in their dressing room by a slightly enraged Raccoons GM, the chief umpire coyly asked “Well, what you’re gonna do? Score TWO runs in ONE game?”, upon which they all four laughed and one of them slammed the door on me.

Well, yes, Honeypaws, they got a point. Shut the heck up.

Game 3
SAC: 3B Crenshaw – 2B R. Espinoza – RF Culp – 1B Wyatt – C Howie – CF Krabbe – LF Pate – SS Jo. Jackson – P Sweeton
POR: RF Puckeridge – SS Lavorano – 1B J. Maldonado – LF Crum – 2B Waters – CF Suzuki – 3B Sivertson – C Jimenez – P Brobeck

Rubber game, and me hoping to be put out of my misery as soon as possible with nothing better coming afterwards (the Elks for three on the weekend). Brobeck, the good boy, obliged, and got absolutely smothered by the top of the order every time he came up against them. In short, five innings, four runs, and almost 100 pitches. He offered leadoff walks to Crenshaw twice, in the first and third innings, both times allowing the run to score, once on a Nate Culp single, and then on a Nate Culp 3-piece that also involved Espinoza. That was all the damage. The Stingers then stranded five runners between the fourth and fifth with sheer ineptitude, like Henry Howie popping out to Waters with the bags full after Brobeck had just walked a pair with two outs in the top 5th. The Coons? I’m glad you ask. Two hits, no runs, negative hope through five. One of the two hits was a Brobeck single in the bottom 3rd. He was instantly doubled off by Puckeridge.

Somehow the Coons loaded the bases in the bottom 5th then. Sweeton walked Sivertson and Lonzo, and in between Pucks hit a double. Maldo was brought up with that thick chance, but hopped one over to Wyatt to get everybody back in the dugout. The Raccoons never put another runner in scoring position and were shut out for the second day in a row. 4-0 Scorpions. Crum 2-4; Miles 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K;

Eric Reese made his major league debut in the seventh, retired Sweeton, Crenshaw, and Espinoza in order, and was then sent back to AAA, because five left-handers in the pen was not the smartest way to do things. We needed a starter for Saturday anyway.

And I would have LOVED to give us that Raffy de la Cruz who I have been having feverish dreams about for FOUR YEARS now… but he wasn’t *quite* ready. You’d have to make do with #93 prospect Juan Mercado to make his debut on Saturday (#45 when we traded for him). Very talented Puerto Rican lefty, with four balanced pitches, foremost a slider, and a 94mph cutter for tons of groundballs. Cullen Tortora moved to the 60-day DL to make room on the 40-man roster for Mercado’s accession.

These were the two worst offenses in either league heading in the series. They still are.

Raccoons (15-19) vs. Canadiens (16-18) – May 12-14, 2051

I wasn’t quite sure what was going wrong up in Elk City, but without a doubt they came to our shoddy den to fix it. Tenth in runs scored (!), ninth in runs allowed, and a -23 run differential from last year’s North champs. No speed, little power, and a rotation in turmoil. Granted, losing Bill McMichael for the season wouldn’t help any team. We were down 1-2 in the season series.

Projected matchups:
Jason Wheatley (4-0, 1.88 ERA) vs. Terry Herman (2-5, 6.97 ERA)
Juan Mercado (0-0) vs. Mario Godinez (1-4, 4.54 ERA)
Victor Salcido (1-3, 4.54 ERA) vs. Juan Ramos (3-3, 2.77 ERA)

Only right-handers on offer for this weekend set.

Game 1
VAN: CF Burkhart – LF T. Turner – 1B Toohey – RF Outram – 3B Burgos – C Julio Diaz – SS Mullen – 2B DeMarco – P Herman
POR: 1B Puckeridge – SS Lavorano – LF Crum – 2B Waters – CF Suzuki – RF Rivera – 3B Crispin – C Gonzalez – P Wheatley

Jerry Outram singled home Tim Burkhart for a 1-0 Elks lead in the first inning, but what else was new? Pucks and Lonzo went to the corners on a pair of singles to begin the bottom of the first inning, which looked promising at least, but Ken Crum’s sac fly was all we got, with poor flies by Waters and Suzuki stranding Lonzo, who even stole second base. But the bottom 3rd would be a sort-of-repeat; Lonzo stole another base after reaching, and then was singled home by Crum for a 2-1 lead…! …and then Waters and Suzuki croaked again. The bottom of the order added on in the bottom 4th, however, with a single for Oscar Rivera, major leaguer for hardly a week, and then an RBI double from Ruben Gonzalez, 3-1. Wheats, who had pounced and started an inning-ending double play in the top of the inning, flew out to Outram, but Pucks got the run home with a 2-out single to left-center. Lonzo singled, Crum walked, and Waters came up with the bases loaded and a .196 batting average beaming off the board. He flew out to Burkhart for the umpteenth time in the game.

And Wheats? Steady like clockwork in the middle innings, meaning that the Elks had a runner in each inning, but never got very far with that runner. Wheatley hit a single in the bottom 6th, which led nowhere nice, then returned to the mound, beginning the seventh on 89 pitches. Julio Diaz singled on #90, but was forced out by Dan Mullen, and three more pitches got two groundouts to Crispin from Nick DeMarco and Herman. We then stupidly sent him back out for the eighth, where Tims Burkhart and Turner hit singles to shallow center. Bryce Toohey, three-ringed ex-Coon and still getting rousing applause around here, grounded out, after which Wheats left for Eloy Sencion to see after Outram, who was the tying run. He singled home Wheats’ runners, shortening the score to 4-3 for his 37,552nd and 37,553rd RBI against the Raccoons – I counted. Sencion retired the next two, although I was already miffed by then.

Rivera drew a leadoff walk from Herman in the bottom 8th. Herman left for Jared Bramel then, who had a 10.13 RBI, but retired Crispin and Maldo before giving up a pinch-hit RBI single to Glodowski. Pucks legged out an infield single, and Lonzo spanked a ball at Jesus Burgos that was lost in the transfer for an error that filled the sacks for Ken Crum. And he popped out to Burgos. (sigh!!) At least Willie Cruz did away with the bottom of the order without any funny ninth-inning accidents… 5-3 Raccoons. Puckeridge 3-5, RBI; Lavorano 3-5; Rivera 1-2, 2 BB; Glodowski (PH) 1-1, RBI; Wheatley 7.1 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, W (5-0) and 1-3;

If not for Eloy’s fumble, Wheats would have been breathing down Kodai Koga’s neck for the CL RBI lead.

After Friday’s game, the CL North had no winning team, but three .500 clubs tying for the privilege to get murdered in the CLCS. Including the Loggers.

The Loggers!

Game 2
VAN: CF Escobido – LF T. Turner – 3B Burgos – C Julio Diaz – SS Mullen – 2B DeMarco – RF Burkhart – 1B Alba – P Godinez
POR: CF Puckeridge – SS Lavorano – 1B J. Maldonado – LF Crum – 2B Waters – RF Rivera – 3B Crispin – C Jimenez – P Mercado

The Elks put three runs on the debutee from Puerto Rico in the first inning, although the inning started with a Lonzo error on an Angel Escobido grounder. The Elks went on to clip three base hits, Dan Mullen driving home two with the bases loaded, and DeMarco another one with a sac fly. The Raccoons responded with … careful observation and casual disinterest, although they stumbled the bags full with three singles from Jimenez, Mercado (after failing to get a bunt down) and Puckeridge in the bottom 3rd – but with nobody out. Lonzo brought in the home team’s first run on Saturday … with a double play. Ah yes, the good ol’ three on, no outs… (shakes fist at baseball gods) Maldo cashed Mercado from third base with a 2-out single up the middle, 3-2, but Crum struck out.

Mercado held the mound through the sixth inning, then was partly knocked out by a brief rain delay, because the stadium had been built on top of an ancient Indian burial ground, leading to perpetually bad weather *precisely* over it…! He remained 3-2 behind, while Kevin Hitchcock gave up a leadoff double to Godinez (!) in the seventh inning … and with two strikes…!! At least he also stranded the runner with three straight retirements, including that of a pinch-hitting Jerry Outram. That didn’t erase the deficit, however … but Oscar Rivera’s first major-league homer did! It was belted with one out off Godinez in the bottom 7th, a no-doubter to left-center to even the tallies at three…! Lillis and Waldo kept the game tied in the hostile half of the eighth, but Lazaro Ochoa also retired the Critters in order in that inning, a feat then matched by Julian Ponce in the top of the ninth. The Coons thus had a chance to walk off with just one run in the bottom 9th, bringing up 4-5-6 against southpaw Tim Abraham. He ran full counts on the first two batters, losing Ken Crum on a single and Waters on ball four, moving the winning run into scoring position. Now, Oscar Rivera had been a power prodigy, so nobody had ever bothered teaching the kid how to bunt. Trying to hit Abraham soon had him down 1-2, but he then finally did make contact. Spanker up the middle, past a diving Jose Uranga, into centerfield! Crum around third, going for home – and he was safe!! Walkoff by the rookie!! 4-3 Furballs! Puckeridge 2-4, 2B; Rivera 2-4, HR, 2 RBI; Jimenez 2-3, 2B; Mercado 6.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K;

Ossiiiiiee!!

Wait, how are we now *ahead* of the damn Elks in the standings??

(giggles)

Game 3
VAN: CF Burkhart – SS Mullen – 1B Toohey – RF Outram – 3B Burgos – LF Escobido – C Alba – 2B DeMarco – P Ju. Ramos
POR: 2B Waters – CF Puckeridge – 1B J. Maldonado – LF Crum – RF Rivera – 3B Crispin – C Gonzalez – SS Kaufman – P Salcido

The weather forecast was iffy, and indeed it started to rain just one inning into the game, with a rain delay called in the bottom 2nd with the Coons having Rivera (single) and Crispin (Toohey error) on base and one out. After 30 minutes of waiting on whether we were in for a proper dousing or whether this too would pass, play resumed with a walk to Ruben Gonzalez. Kaufman spelled a foundering Lonzo at short this Sunday and had three on with one gone, was ahead 3-1, and then ripped at a ball near his shoelaces. I whined at first, but the chopper somehow pirouetted through between Burgos and Mullen for a 2-run single…! Salcido would make it 3-0 with a groundout, but Waters remained hopeless and grounded out.

Tim Burkhart pulled back most of the lead with a 2-run homer off Salcido in the third inning, and the fourth began with Outram and Burgos singles, then Kaufman dropping a feed by Waters that should have been two and was none. Three runners on base, nobody out, Salcido looked wet, and I went to have a sip from my Capt’n Coma. The tying run scored on a wild pitch, but he walked Fernando Alba anyway, so why … (shrugs) … the thing that *really* pissed me off was how after DeMarco lined out to Crispin, Salcido had Juan Ramos, the ******* opposing pitcher, at 0-2, and gave up a whistling 2-run single. Burkhart walked, and that was it for Salcido, yanked after holding a 3-0 lead in the second inning. Waldo replaced him, got a comebacker from Mullen for a force out at home, then struck out Toohey, which stranded a full set of runners in the 5-3 game, but nevertheless led to one slightly inebriated fan to audibly holler on the NWSN broadcast “Toots, you rock!” as they went to personalized commercials.

Gonzalez and Kaufman hit singles in the bottom 4th, but Glodowski struck out and Waters bounced out to Toohey, at which point I realized that drinking was the way to go and accelerated my intake. Paul Miles pitched three innings in garbage relief, giving up a run somewhere in between the three walks and two hits he gave up, none of which was particularly ruinous to a Raccoons rally, because no such thing took place to begin with. Until he was pinch-hit for with Tim Turner to begin the eighth inning, Ramos retired 11 of the last 12 Coons he faced. Brett Lillis jr. coughed up another run in the ninth, not that it greatly mattered anymore. When the Coons put the leadoff man Crispin on base in the bottom 9th, they did so on a Mullen error, and the tying run was barely having pants on in the dugout. Gonzalez flew out to center, but Kaufman snuck a single past DeMarco. Yeah yeah, you bums – get me excited. Lousy bunch! The Elks were concerned for some reason or other, however, and sent Abraham in to replace Bramel. Suzuki would have pinch-hit for the latter, but Mitch Sivertson got the call against the former, and singled to left to fill the bases on a 2-2 pitch. That brought up an 0-for-4 Matt Waters, batting .181 and looking slightly disheveled, as the tying run. Well, it wasn’t like we had much else to go with at this point. He had no interest in hanging around and prolong anybody’s pain. Maybe that was the right approach. He ripped at the first pitch, which came in at 89 and right in the middle of the plate, and Matt Waters ******* knew his way around a plate! A belter! High and deep! OH MY!! GRAAAAAAAAAND SLAAAAAAAAAMMMMM!!!!

And it didn’t extend the game meaningfully either. Pucks made an out, posting an 0-for-5, but Maldonado ripped a double to right with two outs to put his furry bum in scoring position with the winning run. Ken Crum obliged, hitting a ball into left-center between Escobido and Burkhart to complete an improbable sweep. 8-7 Furballs!! Waters 1-5, HR, 4 RBI; Maldonado 2-5, 2B; Gonzalez 1-2, 2 BB; Kaufman 3-4, 2 RBI; Sivertson (PH) 1-1;

Suck it, Elks!! HAH!!! =)

In other news

May 8 – WAS SP Cory Ellis (1-2, 4.68 ERA) was going to miss the rest of the season with a partially torn UCL.
May 9 – OCT RF Juan Benavides (.279, 3 HR, 12 RBI) lands his 2,000th base hit in a 4-0 loss to the Pacifics. LAP SP Jim Reynolds (6-1, 2.31 ERA) gives up a fifth-inning single to Benavides for the nice, round number. Benavides, a Pacific from 2040 through 2045 himself, has career numbers of hitting .304 with 252 homers and 1,070 RBI.
May 9 – The Stars will be without LF/CF Juan del Toro (.352, 4 HR, 13 RBI) for a month; the 26-year-old was laboring on a strained hamstring.
May 9 – Back spasms would keep Loggers 2B/SS Ricky Lopez (.339, 6 HR, 22 RBI) out of the lineup for a month.
May 10 – TOP OF Alex Vazquez (.306, 0 HR, 5 RBI) pours out two triples, three singles, and two RBI over the Aces, who get erased, 16-3. Despite the onslaught, only one Buffos player has more than two RBI, and he’s held to three: 3B/SS Jeremy Gibson (.333, 0 HR, 6 RBI).
May 12 – In a stunning trade, the Capitals come to Topeka and send sophomore SP Kennedy Adkins (2-1, 3.10 ERA) to the Buffaloes for two prospects, including #52 prospect SP Jeremy Fetta. In the actual game played between the teams that day, TOP SP Mike LeMasters (3-2, 3.70 ERA) and CL Trent O’Sullivan (0-1, 2.61 ERA, 5 SV) combine for a 1-hit shutout of the Caps in a 1-0 Buffos win.
May 12 – Falcons MR Ray Thune (0-1, 3.00 ERA, 1 SV) gives up a walkoff grand slam to SFB C Sean Suggs (.362, 3 HR, 21 RBI) for a regulation 7-4 Bayhawks win.
May 14 – The Rebels furiously protest that PIT C/1B Michael Lefebvre (.000, 0 HR, 3 RBI) stuck his elbow into a pitch by MR Omar Anaya (0-1, 4.80 ERA), but to no avail – the umpires rule it a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch, and thus a 10th-inning walkoff, 5-4, for the Miners.

FL Player of the Week: DAL 1B Jamie King (.284, 9 HR, 30 RBI), rocking .391 (9-23) with 3 HR, 11 RBI
CL Player of the Week: LVA OF Neville van de Wouw (.309, 9 HR, 22 RBI), slapping .429 (12-28) with 1 HR, 4 RBI

Complaints and stuff

I don’t care, Matt, whether you’re still batting under .200! If you hit a game-tying grand slam in the ninth against the damn Elks, you get a smooch on the cheek! (Matt Waters futiley resists) *smooch!!* Tah!! A sweep!! (laughs madly) Stupid Elks! (points) In fifth place! (giggles)

Yes, Maud, we’re a serious business over here, sorry. And it’s not like we don’t have problems. At least we don’t have Jared Bramel sabotaging us. But Rafael de la Cruz will be The Answer. No more pitching woes. Just de la Cruz! It will be wonderful.

Totally.

Maybe not to the hitting problems, but everything else he’ll fix.

So why did Matt Waters bat leadoff on Sunday? Well, for one, despair, and then he’s actually drawing the walks, he just can’t buy a ******* hit. Except for that one hit in the ninth. (giggles) Lonzo and Pucks were struggling themselves, and I had a hard time finding a qualified hitter for the leadoff spot.

Evan Van Hoy went unclaimed while on waivers and was assigned back to AAA, and we are sure all delighted about that. (carelessly peels a banana while browsing the newest Sports Illuminated magazine)

Fun Fact: The Crusaders’ Gene Pellicano hit his first ABL homer in three years when he took down the Miners for a 3-1 walkoff blast on Thursday.

He hit three in ’48, batting .141 for the Raccoons, which was one factor in him being eventually let go. Non-tendered, actually, and everybody knows how much I like to cling to corpses.

(looks at Matt Glodowski for no reason at all)

[Westheim]

Raccoons (18-19) @ Titans (19-17) – May 15-18, 2051

The Raccoons hit a part of the schedule that made no sense, which this week included a single-city trip to Boston for four games, only to return home to play the Baybirds, and then straight back onto the road after that. But one problem after the other – first up were the Titans, who somehow led the division by not a whole lot, while ranking fourth in runs scored and seventh in runs allowed in the Continental League. They had a +7 run differential (Coons: -29), and were actually sitting second in batting average and third in home runs. Their pen was probably their greatest weak spot with a 4.48 ERA for their relief corps. We had tropped 10 of 18 games against Boston last year.

Projected matchups:
Bubba Wolinsky (3-3, 2.84 ERA) vs. Victor Scott (2-2, 5.02 ERA)
Kyle Brobeck (2-4, 5.73 ERA) vs. Thomas Turpeau (3-1, 2.87 ERA)
Jason Wheatley (5-0, 2.11 ERA) vs. Kyle Turay (3-4, 3.72 ERA)
Juan Mercado (0-0, 1.50 ERA) vs. Carlos Vasquez (1-0, 1.13 ERA)

To combat the relative dearth of left-handed starting pitchers the Raccoons came up against so far, the Titans offered us two of their three right to the start of this series. We’d not get hold of the third one (David Barel, 4-2, 2.76 ERA), though.

Game 1
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – 1B J. Maldonado – CF Puckeridge – RF Rivera – LF Glodowski – C Gonzalez – 3B Kaufman – P Wolinsky
BOS: SS A. Montes de Oca – 2B M. Martinez – 1B L. Rodriguez – RF T. Lopez – CF Monson – C I. Davison – LF van der Zanden – 3B J. Rodriguez – P V. Scott

Neither team scored on their two hits in the first three innings, with Bubba looking quite convincing, whiffing four the first time through the lineup, including the 3-4-5 array of the Titans. The Raccoons had Waters walk twice in the early going, but also found inning-ending double plays in both the second inning (Kaufman) and the third (Maldo) to kill chances with two aboard. Miguel Martinez drew a leadoff walk for the Titans in the bottom 4th, but was immediately doubled up by Larry Rodriguez’ spanker to Kaufman, 5-4-3. Unfortunately, three full counts (two of which ended in strikeouts) accelerated Wolinsky’s pitch odometer in the fifth inning, and he was on 81 pitches after five. He finally got a 1-0 lead for his bothers in the seventh, when Puckeridge drew a walk and was singled home by Glodowski after gaining a base on Oscar Rivera’s groundout. Of course the Titans immediately responded with a Larry Rodriguez single up the middle, then Tony Lopez’ dying duck snort of a single right afterwards. Jason Monson popped out to short, but that was it for Bubba. Kevin Hitchcock inherited the two runners, fell 3-1 behind Ian Davison, but then got a grounder to short that became the zillionth inning-ending double play in the game. Scott croaked in the eighth, getting Waters on a fly to center before walking Lonzo (who stole second), Maldo, and Pucks in order to fill the bases. The Titans sent righty Bryan McDuffie in his place, and the Coons did not hesitate to answer with Ken Crum to bat for the rookie Rivera. He hit a grounder at second baseman Jason Lettner, who dropped it on the first try, which cost the Titans the double play. Pucks was out at second base, but a run scored, 2-0. Ed Crispin batted for Glodowski and rammed a single through the right side for another run before Ruben Gonzalez struck out to end the top 8th. From there, Eloy Sencion grabbed four outs, Willie Cruz the last two, and the Coons had a 4-game winning streak and a .500 record again. 3-0 Raccoons. Glodowski 2-3, RBI; Crispin (PH) 1-1, RBI; Wolinsky 6.1 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K, W (4-3);

Game 2
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – 1B J. Maldonado – LF Crum – RF Glodowski – C Gonzalez – 3B Kaufman – CF Suzuki – P Brobeck
BOS: SS A. Montes de Oca – 2B M. Martinez – 1B L. Rodriguez – RF T. Lopez – CF Monson – C Oden – LF S. Lewis – 3B J. Rodriguez – P Turpeau

The Raccoons burst out for four runs – not in the game, but in the second inning alone! Glodowski and Kaufman initially reached and Mikio Suzuki hit a sac fly to Steve Lewis in left for the first run of the game, after which the bags slowly filled up with Brobeck and Waters. Lonzo crammed a bases-clearing double into the rightfield corner to ramp up the offense before Maldo popped out to Angel Montes de Oca. And Kyle Brobeck handled the lead with grace at least for a little while; only Jason Monson reached base the first time through for Boston, and he was caught stealing by Gonzalez. In the fourth, though, Montes and Martinez hit leadoff singles, Larry Rodriguez walked them full, and Tony Lopez singled home two before Monson cruelly hit into a double play, 4-U when Waters caught Rodriguez an unsafe amount off base. Nate Oden then flew out to Suzuki to end the inning. Lewis drew a leadoff walk in the fifth, but was doubled up 6-4-3 style by Jose Rodriguez to guide Brobeck through five.

Then, what was more surprising? That Brobeck retired another six in order after that, or that the Coons – who had no measurable offense after their 4-run outburst by the way – left him in too long and the Titans planted leadoff singles in the bottom 8th with Lewis and Jose Rodriguez? Ponce now came in, got a force at third base from PH Arnout van der Zanden, then left for Waldo, who balked the runners into scoring position, then put on Angel Montes de Oca with an infield single anyway. Miguel Martinez popped out to Waters for the second out, and Larry Rodriguez also hit a soft pop, but into shallow left and that looked like trouble RIGHT up until Ken Crum snatched it knee-high and on the run to end the inning. Cruz was on it again for the ninth inning, still up by two. Tony Lopez grounded out to short. Jason Monson singled in front of Suzuki, though. However, slow-footed catcher up, and Oden precisely found Matt Waters for a game-curtailing double play…! 4-2 Coons. Lavorano 1-4, 2B, 3 RBI; Brobeck 7.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, W (3-4) and 2-3;

With that, and a Loggers loss, the Raccoons took over first place in the division.

(blinks)

Yeah, I don’t really get it either. (giggles) But I know I got celebratory-stupid-drunk in the nearest Irish bar after the game, and also may or may not have been braying a bit, enough to get a few on the snout from the other patrons. (tips paper towel with red stains on his lip) Worth it.

Game 3
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – 1B J. Maldonado – LF Crum – CF Puckeridge – RF Rivera – 3B Crispin – C Jimenez – P Wheatley
BOS: SS A. Montes de Oca – 2B M. Martinez – 1B L. Rodriguez – RF T. Lopez – CF Monson – C Oden – LF S. Lewis – 3B J. Rodriguez – P Turay

Waters and Lonzo doubles made for a quick 1-0 lead on Wednesday, but the Titans answered almost as quickly with a Martinez double and Larry Rodriguez’ RBI single. Crispin singled and Juan Jimenez got nailed to begin the top 2nd. A bunt by Wheats moved them into scoring position and the 1-2 batters grabbed the RBI’s with a sac fly and single, respectively. But Wheats had nothing. The Titans’ 6-7-8 batters loaded the bases with hits in the bottom 2nd, Turay brought in a run with a groundout, and then Montes singled home two to take a 4-3 lead. The Coons filled the bases on their own in the top 3rd, as this game had the potential to go crazy. Pucks doubled, Rivera walked, and Jimenez hit an infield single near the third base line that kept Pucks pinned at third base, bringing up Wheatley with three on and one out. He was ahead 2-0 before slapping a ball back to Turay, who first wanted to go home, then changed his mind and went to second for a force on Jimenez, who nevertheless clobbered Montes de Oca, who left the game with a sprained ankle as the Coons tied the score at four. Waters struck out to strand two, and then all of a sudden the scoring ended. After five half-innings with scores, teams agreed on seven half-innings of zeroes.

That doozy string ended in the top 7th when Oscar Rivera got nicked by Turay with one out, kicked it in gear on the first pitch to Ed Crispin, and then scored when the third-sacker came through with a wall-tickling double to right, breaking the tie and putting the Coons up 5-4. Jimenez also got hit by a pitch, which marked the end of Turay’s efforts. With left-hander Jamie Guidry into the game, the Raccoons went to bat Glodowski for Wheatley, but he struck out and Waters flew out to Tony Lopez to end the inning. Ian Davison doubled off Hitchcock in the bottom 7th, but was stranded, yet Ponce was less lucky in the eighth inning. Larry Rodriguez hit a leadoff single, was run for by Elias Rodriguez (muy Rodriguezes…), and the Titans tied the game on a pinch-hit single by ex-Elk van der Zanden… Lewis struck out to leave the go-ahead run in scoring position.

The Coons went to Paul Miles in the bottom 9th for potentially multiple innings in a 5-5 game, although it didn’t look like he’d even pitch ONE inning. After two sharply hit outs, Jason Lettner – the injury replacement for Montes de Oca – doubled to center. Miguel Martinez singled to right, and Lettner was sent around – but thrown out by Oscar Rivera, sending the game to extras after all. Miles had entered the game in a double switch with Mitch Sivertson, who opened extras with a single off Jordan Ramos. Waters also singled to left, but Lonzo struck out, and then Sivertson was inexplicably caught comatose on second base and picked off by Ramos, which killed the inning in a real hurry. Miles yet held on, and the Coons got a leadoff double off McDuffie from Ken Crum into the leftfield corner in the top 11th. Pucks was walked intentionally, which was interesting. Rivera hit into a double play, Suzuki struck out batting for Miles, and that was that. Brett Lillis jr. took the ball, begged to get walked off on with a leadoff double by Jordan Giammarco from the #6 spot, walked Davison with two outs, but Lettner’s liner to left was shagged by Crum again. To the 12th we went, which saw Sivertson try to make up for stupidity with a triple to center and one out. Waters was walked intentionally by righty Tommy Griffith, then stole second on an 0-1 strike to Lonzo. First base was now open, but Lonzo was in a funk AND on two strikes. The Titans wanted the second out from him – but didn’t get it. The 0-2 was spanked to shallow center for a 2-run single! Lonzo was caught stealing to shorten the inning, but it was still a 7-5 game for … yeah, well, who? Cruz had been out a few days in a row, and Hitchcock had been used. Nobody was particularly fresh among the still-available arms, so the Coons just continued with Lillis, because how bad could that possibly end? Leadoff walk to Martinez. (breathes with difficulty) Elias Rodriguez hit into a force at second, and Lopez grounded out, though. And the Titans’ bench was empty – and behind Monson was the pitcher. Four fingers extended, putting Griffith in the box. A strikeout rather cruelly ended the game. 7-5 Raccoons! Waters 2-5, BB, 2B, RBI; Lavorano 4-7, 2B, 4 RBI; Maldonado 2-6, 2B; Crispin 2-5, 2B, RBI; Sivertson 2-2, 3B; Miles 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K; Lillis jr. 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 1 K, W (3-0);

Game 4
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – 1B J. Maldonado – LF Crum – RF Rivera – CF Suzuki – 3B Crispin – C Gonzalez – P Mercado
BOS: 2B M. Martinez – C I. Davison – 1B L. Rodriguez – RF T. Lopez – CF Monson – LF S. Lewis – 3B J. Rodriguez – 2B Lettner – P C. Vasquez

It felt like the 6-game winning streak was gonna end with Mercado, who gave up a sharp Martinez single, an RBI triple to Davison, and a deep sac fly to Larry Rodriguez inside of eight pitches in the bottom 1st for an early 2-0 hole. The Coons filled the bags with the 8-9-2 batters in the top 3rd, however, and Maldo chopped an RBI single to get them on the board. Crum tied the game by grounding out, which wasn’t ideal, and Rivera hacked over a 3-2 pitch in the dirt to keep it tied.

A serial retirement of hitters in the third and fourth inning followed, and while Rivera reached with a leadoff single in the fifth inning, Suzuki swiftly doubled him up. Crispin singled, but Gonzalez popped out. Waters and Lonzo got on base with singles in the sixth, but Maldo hit into a 4-6-3 double play to nix that effort. Mercado pitched into the seventh after the shoddy beginning, where Monson landed a leadoff single in shallow right and was on second with two outs. Lettner was walked intentionally to force a decision on the pitcher. The Titans opted for violence by pinch-hitting Elias Rodriguez, so the Coons went to get Eloy Sencion, ostensibly to counter that move, although Rodriguez nearly hit a 3-run homer to right. Rivera made the catch on the warning track to end the seventh. When the Coons took the lead in the eighth, they did so on a throwing error by Davison that put Rivera on second base with one out. Suzuki came through with an RBI single in shallow right-center, and moved to second base on Lopez’ late throw home, but would be stranded by Crispin and Gonzalez. Waldo held the fort in the bottom 8th, but while Pucks and Lonzo reached base and pulled off a double steal against McDuffie in the ninth, the Raccoons failed to tack on with poor outs by Maldo and Crum. At least Willie Cruz got three in a row to complete a 4-game sweep. 3-2 Critters. Lavorano 2-4, BB; Mercado 6.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K and 0-1, 2 BB;

No, I don’t know what’s going on either. (shrugs)

Two-and-a-half games ahead in the North now! (giggles)

Raccoons (22-19) vs. Bayhawks (17-25) – May 19-21, 2051

The Bayhawks had plunged into last place in the South with the unpleasant combo of being second from the bottom in both runs scored (ahead of the Coons) and runs allowed. They had a -50 run differential (Critters: -21, as a reminder that we’re still doomed) and were also missing some key pieces in Sebastian Copeland and Ramon Sifuentes on the corners. Starter Jesse Bulas was day-to-day with a torn fingernail. We had not won the season series with San Francisco in three years, going down 5-4 last year.

Projected matchups:
Victor Salcido (1-3, 5.02 ERA) vs. Milt Cantrell (3-3, 3.34 ERA)
Bubba Wolinsky (4-3, 2.49 ERA) vs. Jesse Bulas (1-1, 3.50 ERA)
Kyle Brobeck (3-4, 5.24 ERA) vs. Israel Mendoza (1-4, 3.79 ERA)

Bulas was questionable, but all their starting pitchers were right-handed.

Game 1
SFB: CF M. Roberts – SS Dau – C S. Suggs – 3B Harvey – 1B G. Pena – RF P. Colon – 2B H. Acosta – LF Peltier – P Cantrell
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – 1B Puckeridge – LF Crum – RF Glodowski – CF Suzuki – C Gonzalez – 3B Kaufman – P Salcido

The first inning was straight from hell, as Mike Roberts socked a leadoff double and Salcido ended up walking three, pushing home a run with Pedro Colon’s 2-out walk before conceding another two runs on a Hugo Acosta single. Adam Peltier, for a period a Raccoons prospect, struck out to end the misery for the time being before Portland grabbed two runs back in the bottom of the inning; they were unearned though. While Mikio Suzuki hit a 2-out single with the bags full to drive home the runs, Glodowski had only reached on an error by Todd Dau and should have ordinarily ended the inning.

Salcido continued to be a mess, but for the next four innings he was a mess that didn’t give up any more runs than were already on the board, although I’d like to opine that seven hits and three walks in five innings were *enough*. For what it was worth, he struck out six, but I refused to be encouraged by that, either. The Coons even had a chance to make him a winner in the bottom 5th; Crispin opened the inning by walking in Salcido’s spot, and then Lonzo hit a 1-out double to center, putting both in scoring position. Pucks fell to 1-2, but managed to hit a grounder to right, which, while intercepted by Acosta, at least got the tying run home and Salcido off the hook. Crum’s grounder ended the inning, though.

The next five Bayhawks all struck out; four against Lillis, and Aaron Harvey against Waldo, before Gustavo Pena hit a belter to left – but it came down on the warning track for Ken Crum to grab and end the top 7th with. Ponce then faced the minimum for the eighth and ninth (an Acosta single and Peltier double play notwithstanding), then was hit for with Maldo in the bottom 9th against righty Brad Barnes, with one out and Kaufman on first base after a single. The first pitch was taken to center by Maldo, but caught by Roberts. Waters singled to left with two outs, but Dan Meyer shagged Lonzo’s fly to right and sent the game to overtime. Pena hit a 2-out double off Hitchcock in the top 10th, but a K to Meyer ended the inning. Barnes was still hanging around after 32 pitches in two innings to begin the bottom 10th, which would bring up the meat in the Coons’ order. Pucks singled, but was doubled up by Crum. Then a walk, a hit batter, and a Gonzalez single to right. Glodowski was sent around – and thrown out by Meyer at the plate. In the 11th, Kaufman got on base, and Waters hit into a double play.

By the 12th, Willie Cruz was out for the fourth time in five days, and it showed. The Bayhawks whacked liners all around, but were held to two singles by Sean Suggs and Aaron Harvey and finally had Meyer out on a spanker to Kaufman to strand them. After an abortive bottom of the inning, we went to Miles for the 13th. He retired his three batters in order, but his spot would be up fifth in the bottom of the inning and we only had Juan Jimenez left on the bench. Glodowski opened with a double to left against Carson Jarvinen. Oh, you teases! A Suzuki single then moved that winning run to third base. Gonzalez popped out. Oh great. More innings! No. For reasons beyond me, the Bayhawks did not elect to intentionally walk Kaufman to force out Miles or get a free out, and Kaufman answered with a walkoff single over the head of Dau. 4-3 Critters. Lavorano 2-6, 2 2B; Puckeridge 2-6, RBI; Suzuki 3-4, BB, 2 RBI; Gonzalez 2-6, 2B; Kaufman 3-6, RBI; Ponce 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K; Hitchcock 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K;

Eight in a row, none of them by more than three runs, and even that only happened once. No, I don’t know how we do it, either.

Game 2
SFB: CF M. Roberts – SS Dau – C S. Suggs – 1B Harvey – LF G. Pena – 3B Peltier – 2B H. Acosta – RF P. Colon – P Bulas
POR: SS Lavorano – CF Puckeridge – 1B Maldonado – LF Crum – RF Rivera – 3B Crispin – C Gonzalez – 2B Kaufman – P Wolinsky

Jesse Bulas took the ball with the iffy fingernail, and got a 2-0 lead in the second inning when Wolinsky put the first four batters on base with a walk and three straight singles. Acosta drove in one run, Colon another with a sac fly. Portland made up the deficit though in the bottom 2nd, albeit in unearned fashion once again. Crum singled, Gonzalez reached on an Acosta error, and Kaufman stuck a ball into the leftfield corner with two outs, well enough to even get Gonzalez to score from first base. Bulas, who was clearly bothered by his own body, then walked Wolinsky, but Lonzo grounded out to strand a pair.

Bubba then had *another* awful inning in the third, when the first three batters reached base. Dau singled, Suggs walked, which sugged, and Aaron Harvey made it 3-2 with a single to right. Pena then found a double play and Peltier popped out to Maldo in foul ground to guide Wolinsky out of the inning, and the thing was – we didn’t have a lot of bullpen available after 34 innings in three days (and Wheats’ start hadn’t been great in the middle there, either). The Coons frittered away three singles across the next two innings, then fell further behind when Wolinsky walked Harvey and Pena with two outs in the fifth and gave up an RBI single to Peltier in shallow right. Acosta flew out to Crum, completing the top 5th on Wolinsky’s 86th pitch of the game.

Maldo and Crum hit 1-out singles in the bottom 5th, with a misplay by Colon in right allowing both of the tying runners to reach scoring position. Rivera grounded out poorly, leading to me making gurgling noises as I sunk deeper into the cushions on the trusty brown couch, but Acosta saved me by throwing away Crispin’s grounder for two bases and the tying runs to score…! That made for four unearned runs on nine-fingered Bulas, who looked none too happy. He lost Gonzalez on balls, spiking a couple in breathtaking fashion, but Kaufman flew out to left to end the inning in a 4-4 tie. But then we actually got EARNED runs in the bottom 6th! Lonzo and Pucks reached base with one gone, stole a pair of bases together, and were then driven in when Maldo socked a 2-2 pitch over Dau for a go-ahead single, 6-4!

That was the end for Bulas, while the needy Coons sent Bubba back out in the seventh, starting against Dau on 93 pitches. There were two groundouts, but also a Suggs single, and he was lifted before facing Pena again. Waldo and Waters entered in a double switch, with Kaufman to third base and Crispin out of the game. Pena struck out, and Peltier was also retired to begin the eighth before the ball went to Eloy Sencion. Colon and Meyer both poked soft singles with two outs, but Roberts rolled out easily to Kaufman to leave the tying runs aboard. Ken Crum then gained distance with a 2-run homer off Carson Jarvinen in the bottom 8th after the original assignment, Barnes, left the game with an injury. The ninth with a 4-run lead then went to Lillis as options were limited, despite no lefty hitter showing up, another sign that we had to trim our four lefty relievers by at least one. (looks at Lillis) Go ahead, Brett. Do your very best. See whether it’ll be enough. – It was! Grounder, grounder, strikeout to Harvey, and the Coons had another one in the W column…!? 8-4 Furballs! Puckeridge 2-4, BB; J. Maldonado 2-5, 2 RBI; Crum 4-5, HR, 2 RBI;

(gigglingly joins the conga line going round the office, pushing Cristiano Carmona’s wheelchair while Cristiano in turn fondly holds Steve from Accounting by the bum)

Game 3
SFB: SS A. Diaz – 1B Dau – C S. Suggs – CF M. Roberts – 2B Quiroz – LF G. Pena – RF P. Colon – 3B Peltier – P I. Mendoza
POR: 2B Waters – CF Puckeridge – 1B Maldonado – LF Crum – RF Rivera – 3B Crispin – C Jimenez – SS Sivertson – P Brobeck

Brobeck opened with a walk to rookie Alonzo Diaz, but got two on Dau’s grounder to Crispin, 5-4-3. He faced the minimum the first time through – as did Mendoza, who retired nine of nine – before walking Dau in the fourth. Suggs and Roberts grounded out, and nobody scored. The #2 batter also walked in the bottom 4th, with Pucks being the first Raccoon on base after ten straight retirements to begin the game. Crum singled with two outs to move him to third base, and Rivera lifted a 3-1 pitch over Peltier’s head for an RBI single and the game’s first run. Crispin singled up the middle, scoring Ken Crum, but Jimenez’ comebacker to Mendoza ended the inning.

Brobeck exploded at once. Sergio Quiroz doubled off the fence in right, Pena homered to left, and Colon whacked another hard double, eventually scoring on a 2-out single by Todd Dau to turn a 2-run lead into a 2-run deficit. Brobeck and Pucks went to the corners on singles in the bottom 5th, but were left there on a poor fly out by Maldonado. The Coons didn’t get on in the sixth, but Sivertson singled with one gone in the seventh. Lonzo batted for Ponce and clanked a ball off the fence in right-center for an RBI triple…! With the tying run 90 feet away, but Waters fell to two strikes quickly and I briefly lost hope again before Waters lobbed a ball to left deep enough for Lonzo to dash home and level the score at four.

The inning ended with Pucks though, and the eighth was a whole load of nothing before Willie Cruz had his fifth outing of the week in the ninth, and still wasn’t sharp, and it showed. Hugo Acosta singled, advanced on a wild pitch, and was singled home by Pedro Colon to break the tie again. The Coons meanwhile brought up the bottom of the order in the ninth against ex-Critter Josh Livingston. Mikio Suzuki batted for Jimenez and hit a single past Diaz to put the tying run on base. Chaos then broke out on a hit-and-run call on the first pitch to Sivertson, who flailed, but Suggs also dropped the ball and kicked it into foul territory on the first base side for an error, allowing Suzuki all the way to third base. All that for Sivertson to pop out then; Glodowski batted for Cruz. His sac fly to center tied the game and sent the third contest of the week to extra innings once Waters popped out.

Eloy Sencion would get the ball despite a decidedly not very left-handed lineup, gave up a leadoff single to Diaz in the tenth, but struck out two in working his way out of that situation, but the Coons didn’t make it past a Maldo single in their half of the tenth, either. Sencion had Quiroz poke a leadoff single in the 11th, but retired Alfonso Cedillo and Harvey, only to walk the normally not very patient Peltier. Justin Kristoff pinch-hit in the #9 hole then, but popped out on the first pitch, leaving two aboard. Bottom 11th, and a meeting with Victor Merino, who had struggled in the rotation for the Raccoons for years, and was now struggling in the pen for the Bayhawks with a 5.64 ERA. Crispin singled to right, Gonzalez singled to left. Sivertson found Quiroz at second for a fielder’s choice, but the winning run moved to third base. Brian Kaufman was the last stick left on the bench, and batted for Sencion with runners on the corners and one gone. Merino didn’t fool him either, and Kaufman shoved a single through the left side with force to end the game…! 6-5 Furballs!! Rivera 2-5, RBI; Crispin 2-5, RBI; Suzuki (PH) 1-1; Gonzalez 1-1; Lavorano (PH) 1-1, 3B, RBI; Kaufman (PH) 1-1, RBI; Sencion 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, W (2-0);

In other news

May 15 – Vegas’ 1B/RF/LF Aubrey Austin (.329, 5 HR, 21 RBI) has a 20-game hitting streak following a first-inning double in a 10-6 loss to the Bayhawks.
May 15 – The Rebels and Capitals have to play 10 innings to score at all, with Richmond prevailing 1-0 on a LF/RF/1B Alex Marquez (.293, 5 HR, 10 RBI) RBI double.
May 16 – A broken kneecap renders CHA OF Ethan Whitehead (.297, 2 HR, 8 RBI) out for the season.
May 16 – Two homers, three singles, and four RBI by OF Danny Rivera (.270, 6 HR, 23 RBI) lead the Crusaders to a 9-3 win over the Indians.
May 17 – Five hits, including two triples, and three RBI by VAN OF Tim Burkhart (.243, 4 HR, 10 RBI) lead the Canadiens to a 10-9 win over the Loggers.
May 17 – In a season of broken kneecaps, the next victim is Las Vegas’ Neville van der Wouw (.304, 9 HR, 22 RBI), who will also miss the rest of the season.
May 20 – The hitting streak of the Aces’ Aubrey Austin (.323, 5 HR, 24 RBI) reaches 25 games with a fourth-inning double in a 4-2 win over the Titans.
May 21 – Streak gone: the Titans hold LVA 1B/RF/LF Aubrey Austin (.320, 5 HR, 24 RBI) hitless on Sunday and end his hitting parade at 25 games. The Aces win the game at least, 6-5 in 15 innings.
May 21 – The Loggers have a bit of a ninth-inning collapse against the Thunder, allowing eight runs in the top of the ninth to lose 10-4.
May 21 – VAN C Julio Diaz (.310, 2 HR, 9 RBI) homers to beat the Condors, 1-0.

FL Player of the Week: SFW RF Matt Diskin (.302, 4 HR, 16 RBI), batting .519 (14-27) with 3 HR, 7 RBI
CL Player of the Week: NYC OF Danny Rivera (.287, 8 HR, 29 RBI), hitting .536 (15-28) with 4 HR, 11 RBI

Complaints and stuff

A 10-game winning streak! Second in the power rankings! What!!?? (laughs madly)

Please note that while we are now six over .500, we still have a -15 run differential, and it won’t last, because it can’t possibly last. But the Agitator is on the bandwagon, and the headline on Sunday already literally read “These Players are Magic, And If They Fail It’ll Be Management’s Fault”. (tosses paper into the corner) Can’t do much with that mindset behind you…!

Also remind yourself please that of the ten wins in a row, five were by one run, and only two were by more than two runs. Five wins were only put in the bag in the ninth inning or later, including two walkoffs against the Elks last weekend and three extra-inning wins this week.

Maybe they are magic, but they’re an enthusiastic ten-year-old’s magic trick, and it’s entirely possible that the Ace of Clubs you’re looking for ends up half drowned in somebody’s juice cup.

Speaking of Aces of Clubs – still last in runs scored. 5.4 runs per game during the streak, but still only 3.66 for the year.

Getting closer to the draft – the draft pool is already out – and we start to clean house a tiny bit. 2048 Nick Brown Memorial Pick Bruce Bowhay was released today for not living up to the Hall of Fame standards set for 11th-rounders in 1995, and several pitchers were moved from Aumsville to Ham Lake, including f.e. 2049 supplemental-rounder Josh Mayo, who had a 3.95 K/BB ratio with the Beagles.

Aces and Falcons up next week. Those are actually winning teams for a change…

Fun Fact: The Raccoons haven’t had a 15-game winning streak in at least 50 years.

If they had, I’d have that achievement in Steam.

+++

Unrelated: today's the last day of my World Series lazy time off; tomorrow it's back to the grindstone with old pokey black nose. I think I went 10-for-12 with Raccoons updates in that span, which I consider a decent job. From now it's more like four updates a week again, maybe five. However, I have to burn a lot more piled up days off over the winter holidays, so I might be home for two full weeks then. We shall see.

[Westheim]

Raccoons (25-19) @ Aces (23-21) – May 22-24, 2051

The Raccoons took their 10-game winning streak (cluelessly moves both paws in circles in a struggle to explain it all) on the road to Vegas, starting a three-game set on Monday. The Aces were giving up the most runs in the CL, so maybe that could actually jumpstart the Raccoons’ lame-duck offense, but were also third-best in plating runs. The led the CL in power, but were near the bottom in speed and defense, and had the worst pen at a 4.55 ERA. The Coons had won four of nine games against them in each of the last three seasons.

Projected matchups:
Jason Wheatley (5-0, 2.49 ERA) vs. Dave Washington (3-3, 6.28 ERA)
Juan Mercado (0-0, 2.13 ERA) vs. Pablo Paez (4-4, 4.72 ERA)
Victor Salcido (1-3, 5.06 ERA) vs. Larry Broad (1-4, 6.62 ERA)

The series would begin with a southpaw. One of the Aces’ best players – Neville van de Wouw – was out for the year with a busted knee.

Game 1
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – 1B J. Maldonado – LF Crum – RF Glodowski – C Gonzalez – 3B Kaufman – CF Suzuki – P Wheatley
LVA: LF F. Rojas – 2B Holbrook – 1B Witherspoon – C Weese – CF Huber – RF Crocker – SS Tabano – 3B Coen – P Washington

Washington retired the first 11 Critters that stepped into the box, which was such a novelty, it almost made me yawn. Wheatley gave up a soft single per inning, except in the third, when he gave up two of them, one to ex-Coon Ben Coen and another one to Felix Rojas to plate Coen from second after a successful 2-strike bunt from Washington, putting the Aces up 1-0. Maldo hit a single in the fourth, but was stranded, while Glodowski and Gonzalez went to the corners with singles in the fifth – maybe the start of something good even…! The singles continued. Kaufman took an 0-2 pitch to shallow center for an RBI single, and another shy sneaker to left by Mikio Suzuki loaded the bases with nobody out for Wheats, who popped out to Sam Witherspoon. Waters hit a sac fly for a 2-1 lead, but Lonzo grounded out to Coen and that was that. Wheatley got around a Felix Rojas single in the bottom 5th, then even got some more offensive help when Ken Crum singled and Glodowski whacked a homer to left to extend the score to 4-1.

Wheatley couldn’t put a clean inning together for the life of him, but kept the Aces to one run through six, while reaching base himself on a Steve Holbrook error to lead off the seventh inning. Lonzo and Maldo hit more singles to load the bags for Crum, who hit a drive into the gap that was shambolically shagged by Rojas, but still got a run home as it was deep enough even for Wheatley to score. Glodowski whiffed, sending Wheatley back to the mound, although he only faced two more batters, getting out Gary Tabano before losing Ben Coen after ten pitches with another shy single. Julian Ponce failed the the runner around to score, offering two more hits to the Aces’ Josh Landstrom and the inevitable Rojas. Hitchcock had to finish the inning to stay up 5-2. Brett Lillis jr. allowed two more singles but no run(s) in the eighth. Willie Cruz pitched the only clean inning of the game, retiring the top of the order 1-2-3 to complete the team’s 11th straight win. 5-2 Raccoons. Lavorano 2-5; J. Maldonado 2-5; Glodowski 2-4, HR, 2 RBI; Wheatley 6.1 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, W (6-0);

There were 23 hits in this game, all but Glodowski’s homer being singles.

Game 2
POR: SS Lavorano – CF Puckeridge – 1B J. Maldonado – LF Crum – RF Glodowski – 3B Crispin – 2B Sivertson – C Jimenez – P Mercado
LVA: 2B Huber – C Weese – RF Austin – LF D. Encarnacion – SS Holbrook – CF Cramer – 3B Welter – 1B Witherspoon – P Paez

Mercado was off – way off. He was so far off, that the Aces struggled as a non-too-patient team to take full advantage off him. While a pile of hits led to a 2-run single by Sam Witherspoon in the bottom 2nd, it took until Dustin Huber tripled and scored on an Aubrey Austin single to right in the fifth inning for them to get a third run home. In sum it negated all of the Coons’ 3-run fourth inning, which had included a 2-run homer to left by Puckeridge, a Crum double, and an RBI single for Glodowski. In the bottom 6th, the Aces got Brent Cramer on with a double, but Jeremy Welter grounded out and with two outs the go-ahead run was on third base. Witherspoon was walked intentionally to bring up Paez – but the pitcher singled off the pitcher, the run scored, and the Aces were up 4-3. Willie Maldonado then had to retire Huber, but then retired ******* nobody in the seventh inning. Two hits and two walks more than just filled the bases, and Paul Miles was not the slightest help when he inherited three on and no outs. All inherited runners scored, including two on a double by Witherspoon with two outs, and the Coons dropped into a 5-run hole. It was the end of the winning streak. Crispin reached and was singled home by Oscar Rivera in the ninth, but that was far from enough to save the 11 wins in a row. 8-4 Aces. Lavorano 3-4; Crispin 2-4, 2B, RBI; Sivertson 2-3; Rivera (PH) 1-1, RBI;

Game 3
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – 1B J. Maldonado – LF Crum – CF Puckeridge – 3B Crispin – RF Rivera – C Gonzalez – P Salcido
LVA: LF F. Rojas – RF Austin – CF Cramer – 1B Witherspoon – C Weese – SS Welter – 2B Huber – 3B Coen – P Broad

Sometimes the box score was a liar. On Wednesday, Victor Salcido allowed only three hits through five innings, and yet could hardly have made a bigger mess if he had chosen to run straight into a moving roadroller while carrying two cream pies. First, Witherspoon hit a 2-run homer to right in the bottom of the first inning, and that deficit took the Coons five innings to erase; Rivera singled home Pucks in the second, while Gonzalez drew a leadoff plonk to the bum and was singled home by Lonzo in the fifth. In between, Salcido offered a leadoff walk to the opposing pitcher in Broad daylight, and gave up more than just one sizzling liner to a luckily available infielder. His hour seemed to have come in the sixth, though, when he coaxed a 2-out walk from Broad with Pucks and Gonzalez on base to bring up Matt Waters with the bases loaded. Waters, though, dropped to 0-for-4 on the day with another sad strikeout.

Ken Crum’s 2-run homer to right in the seventh gave Portland a 4-2 lead after all; Lonzo had put his fuzzy tush on base to begin the inning. Salcido got just one more out from Welter to begin the bottom 7th, then was replaced with Willie Maldonado. Waldo also faced only one batter in the inning, then departed with a back complaint, which really began to derail things. Eloy Sencion got out of the inning with a K on Coen, but then walked Holbrook and nicked Brent Cramer in the eighth, before getting taken well deep for Witherspoon’s 10th homer of the year, which flipped the score with two outs to 5-4 Aces. Miles had to get out of that inning then, and the Coons faced lefty David Fox with a one-run deficit in the ninth inning. Crum singled, but Pucks hit into a double play. Brian Kaufman flew out to Tabano. 5-4 Aces. Lavorano 3-5, RBI; Crum 2-5, HR, 2 RBI; Crispin 2-3, BB; Gonzalez 1-2, BB;

Heyyy, a new streak has begun!

Willie Maldonado’s back could use a few days of rest; he would be day-to-day as the Raccoons headed to Charlotte.

Raccoons (26-21) @ Falcons (28-20) – May 26-28, 2051

The Falcons still had their winning streak, four games in a row, and still the same distance to first place. They sat seventh in runs scored, but were giving up a rather scroogey 2.9 runs per game, obviously the best mark in the league, and I gave up on scoring at all on the weekend right away. We were up 2-1 in the season series, btu that had been in April…

Projected matchups:
Bubba Wolinsky (5-3, 2.83 ERA) vs. Art Schaeffer (1-4, 4.27 ERA)
Jason Wheatley (6-0, 2.53 ERA) vs. Hiroyuki Takagi (8-1, 2.18 ERA)
Kyle Brobeck (3-4, 5.33 ERA) vs. Andy Overy (7-0, 2.35 ERA)

Southpaw Sunday – apart from that I saw little that delighted my tired black googly eyes.

Game 1
POR: RF Puckeridge – SS Lavorano – 1B J. Maldonado – LF Crum – 2B Waters – 3B Crispin – CF Suzuki – C Gonzalez – P Wolinsky
CHA: RF D. Ceballos – 2B E. Stevens – 3B Wilken – SS E. Miller – CF O. Caballero – C Gowin – 1B Allegood – LF Woodrome – P Schaeffer

Both sides managed to splatter four hits in five innings in rather inefficient fashion, but the Coons led 1-0 after five thanks to Art Schaeffer walking both halves of the battery with two outs in the second inning *and* then giving up an RBI single to Alan Puckeridge. Apart from that, it was a mostly awful display, with Schaeffer whiffing six against three walks, compared to one walk and three strikeouts (all in full counts) for Wolinsky. The Raccoons could not score even when Matt Waters socked a leadoff double in the sixth, leaving him at second base, even though Ed Crispin walked right afterwards, while Wolinsky took 101 pitches to make it through six and was not invited back for the seventh. With the Coons down to one healthy right-handed reliever other than Willie Cruz, Ponce got the ball against mixed opposition and logged five outs from six batters, although PH Tony Alvarez reached base in the bottom 8th. Curtis Scholl ran for him, stole second, but was left on when Erik Stevens grounded out to Waters on a 3-1 pitch by Willie Cruz, tapped for a 4-out save, a task he accomplished with no runners reaching base and two strikeouts to Eric Miller and Oscar Caballero to end the squeezer. 1-0 Blighters. Lavorano 2-4; Wolinsky 6.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K, W (6-3);

Game 2
POR: RF Puckeridge – SS Lavorano – 1B J. Maldonado – LF Crum – 3B Crispin – 2B Sivertson – CF Suzuki – C Gonzalez – P Wheatley
CHA: RF Allegood – 2B E. Stevens – LF D. Ceballos – 3B Wilken – SS Woodrome – CF O. Caballero – C T. Alvarez – 1B E. Miller – P Takagi

When Maldo legged out an infield single and grabbed his groin in the fifth inning of the middle game, he had just reached base as the tying run in a 3-2 affair, but walked off right away without even waiting for Dr. Padilla. He was old enough to know that he was injured and needed to get outta there. As Glodowski ran for him and would take over rightfield, with Pucks in to first base, that removed one of four Coons to have stolen base in the game from the field – none of them Lonzo – while both of the battery had driven in Mitch Sivertson, spelling a chronically catatonic Matt Waters, once so far. Unfortunately, the Falcons were up on the strength of a 3-run third, featuring a this from Eric Miller, a walk drawn by Mike Allegood, Steven’s run-scoring groundout, and a 2-run homer by Danny Ceballos. Takagi walked Crum to push Glodowski’s tying run to second base, but both Crispin and Sivertson unhelpfully grounded out.

Instead Ceballos drove in two more off Wheatley, who walked Takagi in the bottom 5th and then seamlessly slithered into the abyss of his first loss of the season, barring a timely 3-run rally. He *did* finish the inning and was hit for with Suzuki and Gonzalez in scoring position on the strength of a single and double to begin the frame. The Raccoons couldn’t help and sent Matt Waters to pinch-hit in the big spot (well, the times of the Pat Gurneys on the bench were over), but he *did* get a single through the right side for a run and put himself on base as the tying run, 5-3. Pucks dropped another one in front of Caballero, 5-4, and then Lonzo mashed a gapper to not only knock out Takagi, nor take Wheats off the (admittedly deserved) hook, but also put Wheats in line for the WIN as both runners scored to flip it to 6-5 Furballs. Armando Romero tried to restore order; the righty walked Crum on command, and Sivertson with two outs only reached base by means of a dying wisp on the infield that Stevens couldn’t play in time. Suzuki batted with three aboard and two outs, and hit the next wheezer, this one over the head of Ian Woodrome for a 2-run single…! Romero would not get out of the inning alive; Gonzalez walked in a full count, and Waters slapped another 2-run single to center. John Scott then struck out Pucks to conclude the 8-spot, Portland up 10-5.

From there, Paul Miles pitched two innings in decent fashion, but Brett Lillis almost got hung up in the eighth and needed rescue from Hitchcock. Sivertson singled home Ken Crum with a tack-on run in the ninth inning against left-hander Alfonso Jewel, not that the Falcons would have made up a 5-run deficit against Eloy Sencion in the ninth. 11-5 Furballs! Puckeridge 2-6, RBI; J. Maldonado 2-3; Kaufman (PH) 1-1; Sivertson 4-6, RBI; Suzuki 2-5, BB, 2 RBI; Gonzalez 2-3, 2 BB, 2B, RBI; Waters (PH) 2-2, 3 RBI; Miles 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K;

The injury to Jesus Maldonado was not *that* serious… for a young person. Which he wasn’t. Dr. Padilla recommended strict rest for at least Sunday, but he’d be bothered well into next week. No DL stint was deemed necessary, however.

And yes, that’s the most runs we’ve scored in any of the first 49 games this year. And it’s not even close.

Game 3
POR: SS Lavorano – CF Puckeridge – RF Glodowsksi – 1B Crum – C Gonzalez – 2B Waters – 3B Sivertson – LF Rivera – P Brobeck
CHA: RF Allegood – 2B E. Stevens – LF D. Ceballos – 3B Wilken – SS Woodrome – C Gowin – CF O. Caballero – 1B E. Miller – P Overy

In a weird game (what a start…), Kyle Brobeck struck out four, walked nobody, and retired everybody thrown at him for 13 outs, with the notable exception of an error by Lonzo, who had a really black game with that error and two caught-stealings in a scoreless game by the bottom 5th. It was a *really* nice effort by Brobeck, who entered with 1.5 walks for every strikeout and was on the verge of demotion. …until it wasn’t. Out of the blue nothing, Chris Gowin doubled, Oscar Caballero tripled, and Eric Miller hit a long sac fly to put the Falcons up 2-0 in the bottom 5th.

Lonzo opened the sixth with an infield single, could lay off getting thrown out for long enough to score on a Pucks double in the right-center gap, and that tying run was then left exactly there by whatever the **** that middle of the order had become for this team. Meanwhile, Brobeck was pitching his little furry bum off, trying to stay in the game for as long as possible. His pitch count was really low, under 80 to begin the eighth inning, but then he glitched walks to Miller and Allegood and was yanked with one out. Waldo, just off the mend, had nothing better to do than to walk Stevens to fill the bags, then got Ceballos on a fly to left. Miller went home, Rivera committed a GROSS throwing error, and that conceded a run. Randy Wilken would ground out to short, but the score was now 3-1 into the ninth inning, and Carlos Castillo would face that “middle” again… Glodowski whiffed (snarls!), Crum flew out to center, but Gonzalez singled. Waters, hitless on the afternoon, came up, and while I packed my **** together to get on the team bus, flew out to Allegood near the line. 3-1 Falcons. Rivera 2-3;

In other news

May 23 – BOS SP Carlos Vasquez (1-1, 2.35 ERA) is out for the season with radial nerve compression.
May 23 – The Rebels acquire SP Jason Jacobs (1-5, 4.94 ERA) from the Warriors for the #31 prospect, OF/1B Aidan Calhoun.
May 23 – The Blue Sox also get pitching help with Tijuana’s CL Dusty Gaddy (2-1, 1.86 ERA, 12 SV), with two prospects headed to the Condors.
May 25 – Not one, but *two* rain-shortened games on this Thursday! The Rebels beat the Pacifics, 2-0 in eight innings. RIC SP Omar Lara (4-2, 2.21 ERA) gets a 22-out, 3-hit shutout. Meanwhile, the Thunder win a rain-shortened game from the Canadiens, 7-4 in eight innings. OCT 1B David Worthington (.333, 9 HR, 37 RBI) goes yard twice and drives in five runs.
May 26 – The Bayhawks acquire 1B Sam Witherspoon (.299, 10 HR, 41 RBI) from the Aces for two prospects.
May 28 – Denver sends 2B/SS/LF Javier Ramos (.286, 2 HR, 6 RBI) and cash to the Titans for MR Bryan McDuffie (1-2, 1.42 ERA, 1 SV) and a prospect.

FL Player of the Week: RIC 2B/SS Lance Harrison (.328, 9 HR, 30 RBI), batting .476 (10-21) with 3 HR, 10 RBI
CL Player of the Week: OCT 1B David Worthington (.342, 9 HR, 40 RBI), smashing .500 (10-20) with 3 HR, 10 RBI

Complaints and stuff

(sadly drives by on the conveyor belt of a medium-sized Charlotte brewery he’s broken into in his frustration, holding a partially-gulped sixpack of Birdtweet product in each paw)

Even when they put up 11 on Saturday, the Raccoons couldn’t break through the 4-runs-per-game sound barrier for the week. Oh, how I’d like to get rocked by that sonic boom, of 26, 28, yes, MAYBE EVEN 29 RUNS IN A SIX-GAME WEEK!!

*higgs!*

I’m told Matt Waters is the only Raccoons position player voted in the top 3 at his position for this year’s All Star Game, currently. *Now* I am 100% certain: people are stupid.

I mean, I love Matt Waters! But he’s batting A BUCK EIGHTY!! He’s barely batting worth a can of BEER!! Grow some brains, you chipmunks!!

(shakes head) *higgs!* (shakes head harder)

Yes, for what it’s worth, Matt Waters’ BABIP is pretty much the same as is batting average. Only seven points above, at .192; which is impossibly bad. It’s not his fault. It’s somebody else’s. (shakes fist threateningly at baseball gods)

Of note, Wheats and Hitchcock in the top 5 in voting in their pitching categories. No mention of Willie Cruz.

(burp)

Next week: new homestand with the Condors and Loggers! Ugh, that beer does me no good. It doesn’t taste like much, it doesn’t kill the pain, and it barely makes me dooz- (falls off belt as it suddenly turns 90 degrees, crashing onto the ground along with half a dozen shattering sixpacks)

Ow.

Fun Fact: Willie Cruz has not walked a batter in his first 20 innings this season.

Ya, he also gave up four bombs, but I can be picky.

And only 15 strikeouts.

And … (sigh)

[Westheim]

2051 DRAFT POOL ANALYSIS

There were only 97 players on our shortlist for the 2051 draft that was coming up less than three weeks from now, which didn’t mean that there wasn’t anything juicy available for the #8 pick held by the Raccoons; it was just overall a bit of a disappointing crop as far as the second-to-fourth rounds and so on were concerned. Especially baffling was the near-absence of interesting high school pitchers. We had earmarked all of ten hurlers in that category, and while some of them did make the annual hotlist below (*indicates high school player), they were not available in any sort of depth, except for trash picks in the late rounds:

SP Scott Evans (10/16/8) * – BNN #10
SP Roger Pritchard (11/11/12) – BNN #1
SP Larry Clark (11/12/10) *
SP Richard Castillo (10/14/12)
SP/CL Matt Walters (12/12/11)

C Brett Hamill (12/15/17) * – BNN #2

1B Gustavo Jacinto (13/9/12)
SS Rich Padilla (9/8/14) *

LF/RF John Kaniewski (10/11/12) – BNN #9
LF/1B/RF Trent Brassfield (13/15/12) * – BNN #4
OF/1B Armando Caban (10/11/11) – BNN #6
OF Cory Oldfield (12/14/6) * – BNN #7
OF Richard Romig (10/5/12)

Some of them didn’t look all that juicy from just the stuff/movement/control or contact/power/eye potentials as compiled by Pat Degenhardt, but they f.e. had excellent defense like Padilla, Romig, and Caban. Brett Hamill was the other way round, an intriguing masher with decent catcher ability, but a weak arm that was of concern. A move to first base was an option here, since he had at least basic mobility.

And then there was the case of Matt Walters, who drew rave reviews for his 95mph fastball and swooping curve – all issued left-handedly – but didn’t have much of a third weapon. If he ever figured out that changeup (or something else entirely) he’d certainly become a decent middle-of-the-order starter, but if not there was hardly the shadow of a doubt that he’d make for a fearsome eighth/ninth inning reliever. It was always dodgy to toss a first-round pick at that profile, but in this case the reward could be very good either way. He’d be 21 on draft day, so there was still some time to get things figured out for him.

The only three players from BNN’s top ten we were missing were a pair of two-pitch pitchers not nearly as fascinating as Walters (Tim Jacoby, Chance Crawford), and OF/3B Bryant Law, who was probably our sixth- or seventh-highest ranking outfielder, but was trimmed to get the hotlist closer to the usual dozen-or-so players.

With the #8 pick we were guaranteed a selection from that hotlist, but we did not hold a supplemental round pick this year and the current draft order saw us pick again at #49. This was with two type B free agent pitchers (Leo Iniguez, Vic Padilla) still out there, although they were both injured and neither would be available before July at the earliest.

[Westheim]

Raccoons (28-22) vs. Condors (26-24) – May 29-31, 2051

The comically-first-place Raccoons returned home to play the Condors, who somehow looked like a much better team despite not scoring a full four runs per game either. But that juicy positive run differential (+7) …! Eighth in runs scored, fourth in runs allowed. One of the best bullpens in the league, with a 2.74 ERA! They had no injuries to speak of, four .300 hitters (Gil Cabrera, Nathan Whitehurst, Brian Blackburn, Jon Mittleider), but were tied for last in home runs in the CL with … well, us. We were up 2-1 in the season series.

Projected matchups:
Victor Salcido (1-3, 4.80 ERA) vs. Larry Colwell (5-4, 3.73 ERA)
Juan Mercado (0-1, 3.44 ERA) vs. Paul Paris (0-2, 3.04 ERA)
Bubba Wolinsky (6-3, 2.56 ERA) vs. Garrett Giustino (3-2, 4.60 ERA)

The Coons continued to dance around left-handed starters, in this case dodging Tony Llorens (4-4, 3.04 ERA).

Jesus Maldonado remained day-to-day with a lopsided groin and was probably only available for pinch-hitting duties for the entire series. An off day would be available on Thursday to further allow him to heal up before the Loggers would come in for the weekend.

…but everybody had Monday off eventually, thanks to a whole day of unabated rain. A double-header was duly scheduled for Tuesday.

Game 1
TIJ: SS C. Navarro – 1B G. Cabrera – C Mittleider – LF T. Duncan – 2B Whitehurst – RF Ransford – 3B A. Lopez – CF Lamotta – P Colwell
POR: 1B Puckeridge – SS Lavorano – LF Crum – 2B Waters – RF Glodowski – CF Suzuki – 3B Kaufman – C Gonzalez – P Salcido

While the Condors unleased a steady tickle of singles, five in five innings, they also tended to hit into the odd double play or Chris Navarro had himself caught stealing, and didn’t get any of their runners around to score, not even when Ricky Lamotta reached on a Waters error after Alex Lopez’ leadoff single in the top of the fifth inning. Colwell was up with a double play right afterwards. The Raccoons’ first dozen was retired in order before Colwell walked Matt Waters to begin the bottom 5th. Glodowski singled to center, but Suzuki flew out to left and Brian Kaufman found a double play to end the inning. Salcido hit a single himself in the sixth but was left on base quite callously, but at least he kept the Condors off the board, and maybe the silly Coons would score one by accident… Colwell walked Ken Crum on four pitches to open the bottom 7th, and then Waters snuck a single past Nathan Whitehurst. Pop, ground, whiff went the next three, and no runs were scored, nor any pitcher’s feelings harmed. Except maybe Salcido’s.

I then had my feelings harmed when out of the blue Salcido walked the bags full with PH Danny Diaz, Chris Navarro, and Gil Cabrera in the eighth inning. Willie Maldonado replaced him with two outs, threw exactly one pitch to Tim Duncan, and Crum rushed that one down in the gap before it could lead to celebrations in the visitors’ dugout, also ending the inning. Ponce’s ninth was also scoreless, as was the Raccoons’. Colwell conceded a 1-out single to Crum, then fell to 3-0 against Matt Waters. Waters then fell to the temptation and hit into a 4-6-3 double play, sending everybody to extras in the first game of a ******* double-header.

We reached the 12th inning without much fuss, nor runs, although with a caveat. While the Coons were on the second serving of Willie Cruz being wasted in a scoreless game on this first half of Tuesday, the Condors were down to starting pitcher Kevin Daley holding the fort at third base after Reed Ottinger, who had pinch-hit for Alex Lopez earlier, had left with an injury in the bottom 11th and their bench had already been emptied. That also meant they had two pitchers in the lineup now. Cruz kept them off the board in the 12th, but the Raccoons hadn’t more in store than leaving Waters on first base in the bottom 12th against Medardo Regueir either. No, Maud, I am not certain at all that I pronounced that correctly. Paul Miles was in starting with the 13th, got a pat on the bum and informed that he was going to be the last pitcher in the game. Tim Duncan promptly doubled off him, but was also left on base. Pucks worked a 2-out walk in the bottom 13th, and by now we were on full-on aggro mode. He ran on movement by Regueir, Lonzo slung a ball into shallow left for a single, and the winning run reached third base. And then Crum popped out to Cabrera on the first pitch. (bites into a bat) The winning run again reached to begin the bottom 14th after Miles had really aced that 7-8-9 part of the lineup with the heavy helping of hurlers when Regeu- Regge- Reg-… that Medardo guy nicked Waters. Glodowski walked in a full count. And then Sivertson batted for Suzuki and whiffed, Miles whiffed, and Gonzalez whiffed. Bunch o’ whiffers!!

Cabrera and Mittleider hit singles off Miles in the 15th, but were left in scoring position on a terminal groundout by Whitehurst to Crispin (batting ninth) at third base. That Medardo guy then loaded the bags with one gone in the bottom 15th. Puckeridge singled. Lonzo singled. Crum walked. Curtains – new pitcher: George Youngblood, facing Waters with one out. 2-2 pitch, a fly to center, Brian Blackburn with the catch, Pucks home, game over. Finally. 1-0 Blighters. Lavorano 3-7; Salcido 7.2 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 3 K and 1-2; Ponce 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K; Cruz 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K; Miles 3.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, W (4-1);

What do you mean, Maud, we have to play another one?? – But that one almost counted for two…!!

Obviously only four relievers were left for the second game: Sencion, Hitchcock (who would be the closer if such a thing transpired to be required), Lillis, and also Waldo, who had thrown only one pitch and was deemed still good.

The Condors could not replace Reed Ottinger in the 30 minutes between games, either, so they were a man short on the bench; the Coons still had Maldo to pinch-hit.

Game 2
TIJ: SS C. Navarro – RF Blackburn – LF T. Duncan – 1B G. Cabrera – 2B Whitehurst – 3B Riario – C Robbinson – CF Lamotta – P Paris
POR: 1B Puckeridge – SS Lavorano – LF Crum – 2B Waters – RF Rivera – 3B Sivertson – CF Suzuki – C Jimenez – P Mercado

The Raccoons were again hitless the first time through, but at least Mitch Sivertson had reached on an error. Yay. Mercado held up until he didn’t, putting Blackburn and Duncan aboard before getting scored on with Nathan Whitehurst’s 2-out, 2-run double. Whitehurts. Lonzo drew a leadoff walk in the bottom 4th, stole his 18th base, and was stranded right there and then. Juan Jimenez worked a 2-out walk the inning after, which at least cleared the pitcher’s spot.

Mercado pitched seven good-enough innings on 103 pitches, but was still 2-0 behind at the stretch, and the bloody Coons were still without a base hit against Paul Paris, who had walked two and whiffed five in six innings on 76 pitches. He retired the 4-5-6 batters without much fuss in the bottom 7th, while Waldo got whacked around for four hits and two runs by the Condors in the eighth, making it a 4-0 nightmare. Lillis jr. came on with two on and two out, walked the sole left-handed batter in the lineup, Ryan Robbinson, and then somehow was able to get Lamotta to ground out to Waters to strand three runners after all. Bottom 8th, Suzuki grounded out, Jimenez flew out to Duncan. Maldo pinch-hit for Lillis, because if you get no-hit, at least get no-hit with your most expensive players. He struck out. The Condors tacked on two unearned runs against Eloy Sencion in the ninth, who issued a leadoff walk to Paris in a nasty maneuver to tire him on the bases, then was sunk by a 2-base throwing error by Lonzo to escalate matters. Then Paris was back on the hill. 98 pitches, top of the order coming to bat. Puckeridge flew out to Lamotta on 2-1. Lonzo was well out on a comebacker. Last guy standing: Ken Crum. He took a ball, then he took a swing and lifted a fly to center. Lamotta ambling, Lamotta waiting, Lamotta catching. It was a no-hitter indeed. 6-0 Condors. Mercado 7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, L (0-2);

(politely toasts to Paris and the rest of the screaming Condors on the field, then puts down the bottle, locks himself in the walk-in closet next to the door, and screams for the entire night)

Having scored ONE run in 26 innings, the Coons silently reverted to the Game 1 lineup that didn’t ******* get no-hit for the rubber game.

Game 3
TIJ: SS C. Navarro – RF Blackburn – C Mittleider – LF T. Duncan – 1B G. Cabrera – 2B Whitehurst – 3B Riario – CF Ransford – P Giustino
POR: 1B Puckeridge – SS Lavorano – LF Crum – 2B Waters – RF Glodowski – CF Suzuki – 3B Kaufman – C Gonzalez – P Wolinsky

Singles by Pucks, Lonzo, and Waters made it two runs in 27 innings by the bottom 1st on Wednesday, and Glodowski’s 6-4-3 grounder assured that it wouldn’t get better than that for at least another three Condors outs. These turned out to be hard to come by, with Wolinsky giving up three straight hits, including doubles to Duncan and Whitehurst, to begin the top 2nd, falling 2-1 behind already, and Whitehurst would also score on Dustin Ransford’s groundout to make it 3-1. And – miracle! – Portland made up the difference in the bottom of the same inning! Suzuki and Gonzalez went on base, were bunted over by Bubba, and then scored on a passed ball and Pucks’ 2-out single to rightfield. Whatever works, boys, whatever works.

Bubba didn’t; he loaded the bases again and conceded two runs on a Whitehurst single in the third inning, incurring another 5-3 deficit. Ken Crum’s leadoff jack in the bottom 3rd took another run off again, though, and then Pucks and Lonzo reached scoring position with a 1-out single and double, respectively, in the fourth. Crum didn’t make it to the fence this time, but was deep enough out to Blackburn for a sac fly, tying the game at five, but Waters whiffed to leave the go-ahead run on base.

Bubba failed bravely forwards, completing six innings with limited bullpen help available for this game, and holding the 5-5 tie while he was at it. The Coons scratched out a posthumous lead for him, getting singles from Maldo (PH’ing for Bubba) and Pucks with one out in the bottom 6th. Maldo lumbered to third base on the latter hit, which allowed him to score on a fielder’s choice up the middle by Lonzo, who stole second, but was left on when Crum found Blackburn’s glove again. Willie Maldonado followed, pitched a scoreless seventh, but not without casualties. Navarro hit a leadoff double, but was stranded on second base on two poor outs, and heroics by Crum in the gap on a Duncan drive. The ball was caught on a headlong snag, but Crum also left the game after braking with his face in the grass. Sivertson replaced him. He would bat with Crispin, Gonzalez, and Puckeridge on base and two outs in the bottom 8th against Elijah Powell, but in true #3 hole fashion flew out to Blackburn to leave the Coons up by only a skinny run for Kevin Hitchcock in the ninth inning. Ricky Lamotta grounded out to Crispin. Danny Diaz flew out to Sivertson. Chris Navarro doubled into the corner. But Blackburn flew out to Suzuki. 6-5 Coons. Puckeridge 4-4, BB, RBI; Lavorano 2-5, 2B, RBI; Gonzalez 2-4; J. Maldonado (PH) 1-1;

The Raccoons made a roster move on Thursday that had nothing to do (yet?) with Ken Crum’s injury. Kyle Brobeck (3-5, 5.12 ERA) was sent back to AAA. And who came up?

(points at Slappy, who presses Play on the tape recorder, prompting an angelic “Hallelujah” to resound through the office)

Four-time … (yells louder over the choir) Four-time top 5 prospect Rafael de la Cruz – age 20! – has arrived!! – Yes, Slappy, you can stop the tape now. This is loud. – Yes, stop it! – THIS IS LOUD.

What’s not to like about de la Cruz? Nothing! Sinker! Slider! Changeup! Forkball! Hundred miles an hour! Groundballer! (waves with all paws)

I AM EXCITED.

He’d make his debut without Ken Crum though, who was diagnosed with a contusion and was unable to run anyway as of Friday. He would probably miss the entire series, but the hope was he’d be back early next week. More of a short bench, yay!

Raccoons (30-23) vs. Loggers (22-28) – June 2-4, 2051

The Loggers were sinking to the bottom right now, although we were only up 3-2 against them on the year. They ranked eighth in runs scored, but tenth in runs allowed, with a -47 run differential (Coons: -16). They had a 5.22 ERA on their rotation, but I had heard that song before… The Loggers arrived with out Dave de Lemos, Nick Jackson, and Ricky Lopez, who were all stowed away on the DL.

Projected matchups:
Jason Wheatley (7-0, 2.97 ERA) vs. Josh Costello (5-2, 3.29 ERA)
Rafael de la Cruz (0-0) vs. John Morrill (3-4, 5.05 ERA)
Victor Salcido (1-3, 4.21 ERA) vs. Angelo Munoz (3-5, 5.43 ERA)

The Loggers had been off on Thursday; unless they skipped Bubba Poss (4-4, 5.65 ERA) into the series, we would only see right-handers. Rafael de la Cruz would start the middle game on regular rest. He’d be paired with Jimenez.

…and then, bother! More rain. No game was possible on Friday for the opener *again*. Double header on Saturday *again*. Not that it changed our plans a great deal. It was just more inconvenience…

Maybe don’t make it 24 innings again?

Game 1
MIL: CF Callaia – SS Wieczorek – 3B Z. Suggs – C C. Thomas – RF McIntyre – 1B E. Hernandez – LF Sayre – 2B Barrington – P Costello
POR: LF Puckeridge – SS Lavorano – 1B J. Maldonado – 2B Waters – RF Rivera – CF Suzuki – 3B Crispin – C Gonzalez – P Wheatley

Things went pear-shaped rapidly with … everybody. Wheats walked John Wieczorek and conceded the run on a 2-out single by Chris Thomas in the first, then in the second walked Craig Sayre and allowed a single to Jack Barrington. They went to the corners with one out, but Oscar Rivera had hurt himself on the throw to first base and had to leave the game with Dr. Padilla, who would probably charge me extra hours again. Glodowski replaced Rivera, and we were down to a 3-man bench. A bunt and Gaudencio Callaia’s grounder to Maldo ended the inning without more scoring. Wheats batted after Crispin and Gonzalez reached base with two gone in the bottom 2nd, but popped out to Ernesto Hernandez, then gave up a solo homer to Zach Suggs, which sugged, and it only got worse with Sayre and Costello singles in the fourth, followed by a 3-run thumper by May’s Rookie of the Month, and we were beginning to see why, Gaudencio Callaia.

Through four, the Coons had two hits and two double plays, so in a hopeless situation, Wheats had to at least go to 100 pitches in the first leg of a double-header. Gonzalez homered in the bottom 5th to shorten the score to 5-1, and then the tying run went into the box in the sixth inning after Maldo reached (by forcing out Lonzo), Waters walked, and Suzuki came on base only on a 2-out error by John Wieczorek. Ed Crispin gave Costello a good battle and eventually forced in a run by drawing a full-count walk, 5-2. Costello was behind against Gonzalez, then tried to power a few strikes by him, which didn’t exactly work out … for Costello. The 2-1 was hurdled high and deep to left, and – GONE!! GRAAAAAAAAND SLAAAAAAAAMMMM!!!!

Once I managed to re-hinge my jaw, Wheats was then hit for with Kaufman, having thrown 99 pitches and having his unbeaten status (barely) confirmed by Ruben Gonzalez’ double-whammy, even though all five runs in the sixth inning were unearned. The Loggers pen tumbled for another two runs in the bottom 7th, Glodowski hitting a bases-loaded RBI single before Chris Kaye allowed another run on a wild pitch. Ponce and Hitchcock combined for six outs to bring the 6-5, then 8-5 lead to the ninth inning, where Willie Cruz actively worked to fritter it away. Callaia led off with a double. Thomas singled him home with two outs, and then Will McIntyre drew a walk. That put the tying runs on base, and with two left-handed batters up, the Raccoons went to Eloy Sencion. The Loggers answered with right-hander Marquis Shepard (.143, 0 HR, 2 RBI) for left-hander Tony Ferrusquia (.389, 0 HR, 3 RBI). He grounded out. 8-6 Raccoons. Puckeridge 2-5; Lavorano 2-5; Gonzalez 3-4, 2 HR, 5 RBI;

Sub-optimal in many ways, but somehow still a win. (shrugs)

No news on Rivera between games, not like we could have magically wished us a replacement outfielder on the roster in 20 minutes. Three on the bench for the second game…

Game 2
MIL: CF Callaia – SS Wieczorek – 3B Z. Suggs – RF McIntyre – 1B E. Hernandez – LF C. Lowe – C Cadena – 2B Barrington – P Morrill
POR: LF Puckeridge – SS Lavorano – 1B J. Maldonado – 2B Waters – RF Glodowski – CF Suzuki – 3B Kaufman – C Jimenez – P de la Cruz

The first baserunner in de la Cruz’ career was Wieczorek, singling to center in the first inning, but was forced out by Suggs and the Loggers didn’t score; nor in the third when Barrington singled and Callaia drew a walk. Wieczorek now hit into a fielder’s choice himself and Suggs popped out to Maldo. In between, Matt Glodowski had gone yard to left for a 1-0 Critters lead. Will McIntyre struck out to begin the top 4th, the first of certainly 3,000+ in Ricky de la Cruz’ career! …although the Loggers then got him with a Hernandez double and Jose Cadena’s RBI single to tie the game. Overall, he wasn’t all too efficient with his pitched either, needing 67 through four innings. He also fell 2-1 behind in the fifth inning on a full-count homer to left by Zach Suggs, which frankly sugged a lot.

That fifth inning took a while, and a full count and eventual strikeout to Chris Lowe eventually put de la Cruz at 105 pitches to begin the sixth inning, at which point the Coons pulled the plug. Five and a third, five hits, two runs, two walks, four strikeouts – not enough to start hammering away on that Hall of Fame plaque, but we’d take it. Maybe also take him off the hook, guys? Please?

Lillis pitched the Coons out of the inning, then would have been hit for in the bottom 6th, but Jimenez drew a leadoff walk. Lillis was retained to bunt, but knocked it back to Morrill for a double play. The Coons didn’t score in the inning, despite a 2-out Puckeridge single (that could have tied the game), but Lillis at least pitched another inning after that.

The debutee was then indeed taken off the hook in the bottom 7th, if only in unearned fashion… Barrington’s error allowed Waters on base, and singles by Glodowski and Kaufman brought him around to score. Jimenez grounded out to Suggs, which ended the inning, which sugged. Bottom 8th, Pucks plonked a 1-out single to left, then advanced when Lonzo grounded out. Maldo singled to right, and Puckeridge didn’t have to be asked twice about whether he’d go home on that one, scored rather handily on the throw by Marquis Shepard, and the Coons took the lead. Waters also singled, but Glodowski grounded out. That gave a 3-2 lead to… well… Paul Miles was the ONLY reliever that had yet to pitch on this day. The alternative was a second tour of duty for Eloy Sencion, who had thrown six pitches in the first game three hours earlier. Sencion it was. He got two outs before things started to go wrong with a Barrington single. Craig Sayre drew a walk. Callaia was up, but we were out of smart ideas, or any ideas at all. Thankfully Callaia grounded out to Kaufman before it could get really ugly. 3-2 Coons. Puckeridge 2-3, BB; Glodowski 2-4, HR, RBI;

De la Cruz! A major leaguer for two days, and he’s already out-pitched Wheats! Hah!

(sad Wheats noises over his food bowl)

No news from the medical department, although I thought I heard a buzzsaw going down there. Anyway, we were still on a three-man bench for the Sunday game.

Game 3
MIL: CF Callaia – SS Wieczorek – 3B Z. Suggs – C C. Thomas – RF McIntyre – 1B E. Hernandez – LF C. Lowe – 2B Barrington – P Munoz
POR: RF Puckeridge – SS Lavorano – 1B J. Maldonado – 2B Waters – CF Suzuki – LF Sivertson – 3B Crispin – C Gonzalez – P Salcido

Salcido had an 11-pitch first inning, which sounds nice on the surface, but in those 11 pitches he gave up four hits, including three screamers, and somehow just one run, Suggs singling home Callaia, while Wieczorek was thrown out at home by Sivertson to shorten the inning for Milwaukee. The Coons tried to answer in the bottom 2nd, loading the bags with singles by Waters, Suzuki, and Crispin, which brought up the hero of the Saturday opener, but this time Gonzalez was held to a sac fly with the bags stacked, tying the score at one. Salcido flew out to Lowe, then gave up another run in the top 3rd when Hernandez singled home Suggs, which sugged. He needed almost 60 pitches through four innings, but lumbered one stubbornly, with the Portlanders getting the game tied again in the bottom 5th with the top of the order. Puckeridge singled, Lonzo doubled into the gap, and it was two-all, and that with nobody out. Maldo grounded out, moving the go-ahead run to third base, and then Waters was walked intentionally, leading me to snarl an expletive or two. Not that he was hitting a lot (.190), but I had no confidence in Mikio Suzuki either, the Japanese outfielder definitely not hitting fifth on merit. Well, SOMEBODY had to hit fifth!! … Suzuki grounded to short with runners on the corners and one out, Wieczorek had the ball slip out of his glove, didn’t get two, nor one, and the error put the Raccoons ahead, 3-2. WHATEVER ******* WORKS.

A double steal worked, moving the runners into scoring position, just a pitch ahead of Sivertson slapping a single to center for two more runs, 5-2. Salcido gave a run back right away, walking McIntyre to begin the sixth. The runner stole a base and scored on productive outs, 5-3. Salcido was then hit for to begin the bottom of the inning; Kaufman singled, was forced out by Pucks, and Pucks was doubled off by Lonzo. (sigh!) After Ponce and Waldo kept the Loggers away in the next half-inning, the bottom 7th began with Munoz nicking Maldo, and filling the bags with Waters and Suzuki, and nobody out. Sivertson grounded hard to Suggs, who threw home and got Maldo, which sugged. Crispin popped out, and the inning ended with Gonzalez – kind of. He peppered the first pitch to left and Lowe didn’t reach it. Extra bases, Waters scored, Suzuki scored, and Sivertson sure tried to score, but was thrown out by Lowe at the plate. Anyway, we were now up by four. Waldo gave up two more outs, and then we tried to steal the last four with Miles, entering in a double switch with Glodowski, which was quite the excessive use of personnel. But he struck out Hernandez for a start, and when the bottom 8th came around, Glodowski, Pucks, and Lonzo all reached base with no outs. Maldo added a run… with a 5-4-3 double play, and that was the only run in the inning. Miles retired another three without panic, though. And that was a sweep. 8-3 Raccoons! Lavorano 2-4, BB, 2B, RBI; Waters 1-2, 3 BB; Suzuki 2-5, RBI; Sivertson 2-4, 2 RBI; Gonzalez 1-2, BB, 2B, 3 RBI; Kaufman (PH) 1-1; Glodowski 0-0, BB;

In other news

May 29 – A thunderstorm curtails the Capitals-Stars game in Dallas after seven innings; the Capitals emerge as 2-1 winners.
May 31 – Washington acquires OF Jason Monson (.251, 6 HR, 20 RBI) and a prospect from Boston for SP/MR Troy Ratliff (4-0, 1.53 ERA).
June 1 – Sacramento’s LF/RF/1B Nate Culp (.353, 7 HR, 32 RBI) hits the DL the same day he is named the Federal League’s Hitter of the Month for May. He will be the FL’s most decorated DL dweller for all of June with a high ankle sprain.
June 2 – BOS SP David Barel (7-3, 2.41 ERA) pitches a 2-hit shutout against the Crusaders for a 2-0 win.
June 2 – The Condors beat the Thunder, 2-1. All runs score in the ninth inning, including the winning run in walkoff fashion on a wild pitch by OCT CL Mike Lynn (4-1, 1.14 ERA, 15 SV).
June 4 – LAP SP Jim Reynolds (6-4, 3.09 ERA) is expected to miss two months with a strained hamstring.

FL Player of the Week: LAP OF Joshua Shaw (.391, 3 HR, 26 RBI), poking .542 (13-24) with 1 HR, 6 RBI
CL Player of the Week: SFB OF/1B Pedro Colon (.292, 5 HR, 29 RBI), tallying .522 (12-23) with 2 HR, 11 RBI

FL Hitter of the Month: SAC LF/RF/1B Nate Culp (.353, 7 HR, 32 RBI), hitting .393 with 6 HR, 25 RBI
CL Hitter of the Month: NYC OF Danny Rivera (.286, 9 HR, 37 RBI), swatting .342 with 8 HR, 31 RBI
FL Pitcher of the Month: SFW SP Shane Knox (7-2, 1.98 ERA), hurling for a 5-0 record with 1.17 ERA, 35 K
CL Pitcher of the Month: CHA SP Juan Arrocha (7-1, 2.08 ERA), pitching for a 5-0 mark with 1.27 ERA, 22 K
FL Rookie of the Month: TOP 3B/SS Jeremy Gibson (.287, 1 HR, 8 RBI), poking .293 with 1 HR, 8 RBI
CL Rookie of the Month: MIL 1B/OF Gaudencio Callaia (.342, 4 HR, 21 RBI), socking .384 with 4 HR, 16 RBI

Complaints and stuff

Play it again, Slappy. (Slappy presses Play on the tape recorder again, letting the “Hallelujah” holler through the office again)

Okay, that’s enough. – THAT’S ENOUGH, I SAID. – We need to work on the volume of that thing.

Rafael de la Cruz has arrived … with a no-decision, although inefficiency was the only thing to truly lament about his start, and the Coons scratched out a win after all.

That aside, we went 5-1 this week and almost worsened our run differential. Now TEN games over .500 – and a -8 run differential. (shrugs and waves paws around) Look, I have… I have no explanation for any of this.

If we were in the Federal League, we’d have the best record in the league. None of this makes any sense, and I expect to wake up any second now, and it’s actually still April and we’re off to a 2-9 start. (shrugs some more as if that still meant something)

Still no news on the Rivera injury. Ken Crum might miss another game on Monday, but should be back by Tuesday. We have a seven-game week coming up, and a schedule that makes no sense, with five cross-country trips coming up this month. We go to New York for four, then return right back home to play the Pacifics. After that it’s back to Pittsburgh, then back home to face the Titans and Elks. The next road trip will be longer, but will also led all the way to New York AGAIN by the end of the month. Add in the draft on Thursday two weeks from now, and I’ll be in New York THREE times this month. What have I done to deserve THAT??

Oh, did I already mention we managed to get no-hit this week? =)

Fun Fact: Last time the Raccoons got no-hit, they won the pennant.

Yeah well, I have my doubts. =)

That was Juichi Fujita of the damn Elks, by the way, in 2010. Him, Paris, and the New Yorkers George Kirk and Carlos Guillén are the only four pitchers to throw no-hitters against the Raccoons.

Fujita, a Hall of Famer with 207-135 record, 3.65 ERA, and a save, led the CL in wins and innings pitched that year, but was never a strikeout pitcher (2,046 in 2,996 innings) and never led the league in ERA either. Paul Paris is a decent pitcher, but unlikely to make it closer to the Hall of Fame than his hometown beat reporter giving him his only vote on the ballot. The no-hitter made him immortal in the history books, but only a decidedly mortal .500 for his career: 98-98 with 4.23 ERA and two saves at age 32. Two years ago he led the FL in homers surrendered, whatever that’s counting for.

+++

This team is a constant giggle right now. They’re winning against all reason and I enjoy the crap out of it while it lasts

[Westheim]

Three series in this update today, which brings us right up to the draft. There’s some DLC coming out tomorrow that I will need to immediately sink my teeth in, so don’t expect any games tomorrow. *Maybe* the draft. *Maybe*.

The games from June 15 (draft day and our day off) are included in this update.

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Raccoons (33-23) @ Crusaders (23-34) – June 5-8, 2051

The Crusaders welcomed the Raccoons on my first of three monthly trips to New York, and wasn’t I thrilled about it… New York sat eighth in runs scored and ninth in runs allowed, with a -14 run differential, which, fun fact, was just marginally worse than the Raccoons, but they sat 10 1/2 games behind us. Their rotation was decent, but their bullpen was a glorified sieve, with a 4.54 ERA to the relief corps, second-worst in the Continental League. This was the second four-game set between these teams in 2051, and the first had been split right down the middle, two and two.

Projected matchups:
Juan Mercado (0-2, 3.20 ERA) vs. Edwin Sopena (4-5, 4.14 ERA)
Bubba Wolinsky (7-3, 2.99 ERA) vs. Jeff Johnson (5-6, 2.07 ERA)
Jason Wheatley (8-0, 3.32 ERA) vs. Jim White (5-6, 4.15 ERA)
Rafael de la Cruz (0-0, 3.38 ERA) vs. Jeremy Baker (2-4, 3.96 ERA)

Hey, finally a left-handed pitcher against us! … but not until Thursday.

Ken Crum was not available on Monday yet, while Oscar Rivera went to the DL with a mild oblique strain, which would put him out for at least a week. The Coons brought up righty-hitting outfielder Aaron Walker, who had been claimed off waivers from the Thunder in January. He was going on 26 and had never played in the majors before. He was hitting .245 with a lonely homer in AAA.

Game 1
POR: LF Puckeridge – SS Lavorano – 1B J. Maldonado – 2B Waters – RF Glodowski – 3B Crispin – CF Suzuki – C Jimenez – P Mercado
NYC: SS O. Sanchez – 2B Russ – LF D. Rivera – 3B Gates – CF Leal – C O. Ramirez – 1B Haertling – RF Mills – P Sopena

While Pedro Leal put the Crusaders in front in the first inning with a 2-out double over the head of Suzuki, the Raccoons would answer in the second and third inning – by putting their first two runners on base and then going strikeout, strikeout, easy fly, twice. The fifth again began promising with a walk to Puckeridge and Lonzo getting brushed by a pitch, so again two on and no outs. Maldo lined out to Andrew Russ (hiss!) before the Coons’ runners, who had already been left stranded two innings prior and were understandably annoyed, stole a pair of bases and were then stranded 90 feet further ahead when Waters whiffed and Glodowski popped out to Ken Mills.

Mercado struggled with long counts and runners just the same, gave up a 2-run homer to Prince Gates in the fifth inning, and wasn’t seen after the six, then down 3-1 when Pucks finally came up with somebody on base and singled Ed Crispin home with two outs in the top 6th, but then Lonzo was retired and another inning ended prematurely. But Puckeridge came up with Suzuki and Jimenez on the corners and two outs in the eighth, and ceased his productivity with a groundout to Andrew Russ. Paul Miles allowed a run on two hits and a walk in the bottom 8th, not that it mattered. The Raccoons landed ten hits and stranded 13 runners on base in this abortion of a game… 4-1 Crusaders. Puckeridge 2-4, BB, RBI; Lavorano 2-4, 2B; Crispin 2-4; Jimenez 2-3, BB;

Game 2
POR: LF Puckeridge – SS Lavorano – 1B Crum – C Gonzalez – 3B Crispin – RF Walker – CF Suzuki – 2B Kaufman – P Wolinsky
NYC: SS O. Sanchez – 2B Russ – LF D. Rivera – 3B Gates – CF Leal – C O. Ramirez – 1B Haertling – RF Mills – P J. Johnson

The Crusaders went up 1-0 in the third on a completely infuriating sequence, as Ken Mills first drew a leadoff walk in the inning, but then Johnson popped out on a bunt. Mills then took off to steal second with Omar Sanchez batting, but Ruben Gonzalez threw the ball away, allowing Mills to third base, from where he scored on a sac fly by Russ (growl!). The Coons meanwhile did absolutely bloody ******* nothing again for five innings – one base hit in total. Aaron Walker did reach base for the first time in his major league career that began in this game, drawing a walk in the fifth, but he was doubled off by Brian Kaufman eventually. Then it was Wolinsky to open the sixth with a single to left, which didn’t lead to much jubilations with Pucks and Lonzo making outs until Ken Crum unpacked a 2-run homer to left-center that flipped the score to 2-1 Portland. So that’s what we had been missing from the lineup! Suzuki added a solo shot in the seventh, but Pedro Leal also hit one right to the fence in rightfield in the bottom of that frame; Walker, quite adept at least on the corners and serviceable in the center, got there for a catch. There was no catching the thing that Pucks bombed off Jeff Frank in the eighth inning though, flying a good 400 feet over the fence in centerfield, running the score to 4-1. Lonzo singled, stole two bases, and the bags behind him filled up with Crum, who was walked intentionally, and Gonzalez, who rolled a ball into nobody-in-particular’s back yard on the infield and reached with an infield single that way. Three aboard, one gone for Ed Crispin, and a poor fly to shallow right and Mills. That brought up the debutee Walker, although at this point we were up by three, and Matt Waters was still hitting the price of a glass of water. Frank balked in a run, but Walker struck out.

Bubba pitched well until the bottom 8th, when Ed Haertling reached on an infield single to begin proceedings and was then doubled home by Sanchez with two outs. The Coons went to Willie Cruz, who retired Russ, but then crashed and burned in the ninth inning. Danny Rivera singled, as did Gates, but Rivera was thrown out trying to reach third base. Leal walked, which still brought the tying run to the box, although a whiff by Ramirez had everybody more cheerful again. That was, until Haertling uncorked a 2-out, 2-run double to put us at 5-4, with the tying run in scoring position. The Crusaders then twitched and sent a pinch-hitter before the Coons could get Cruz and toss him into the dugout by swinging him from his own tail. With Angel Lara announced, a lefty hitter, Kevin Hitchcock remained in the pen, and the ball went to Eloy Sencion instead. He got a groundout to the right side to end the game. 5-4 Raccoons. Crum 1-2, 2 BB, HR, 2 RBI; Suzuki 2-4, HR, RBI; Wolinsky 7.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, W (8-3) and 1-3;

That would look like them – lose a game in which they hit three homers…!

Game 3
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – CF Puckeridge – LF Crum – 1B Maldonado – C Gonzalez – 3B Crispin – RF Glodowski – P Wheatley
NYC: SS O. Sanchez – 2B Russ – LF D. Rivera – 3B Gates – C A. Lara – CF Leal – 1B Bent – RF Haertling – P J. White

Lonzo and Pucks kept stirring and hit singles in the top 1st, but were left on base once again, but they would procure the game’s first run in the third inning – somehow… It was actually Waters who reached base with a 1-out single, only to get forced out on a poor grounder by Lonzo. Puckeridge hit a belter though, a drive that sailed over Leal’s head and caromed off the fence for an RBI triple. Ken Crum stranded him then…

The Crusaders then exploded all over Wheatley in the bottom of the fourth. Lonzo started it all with a throwing error, swiftly followed by Lara doubling the gift runner Gates home. Leal singled, Art Bent walked, and the bags were full with nobody out. Ed Haertling would not have to be asked twice about doing damage and rammed a bases-clearing triple off the wall in left-center, narrowly missing a slam, before the inning then fizzled out on three consecutive pitches after an 0-2 ball on Jim White. He struck out, Sanchez popped out, and Russ grounded out, stranding Haertling on third base. Wheatley, truly in first half form now, was working hard for his first loss of the season, walking a pair in the fifth before conceding another run on a Bent double. He was gone after five innings, and while he had miraculously escaped his first loss of the year the week prior with a late rally, no such thing happened on this Wednesday, with the Raccoons offense refusing to get untracked, and the Crusaders adding on with a Leal homer off Lillis in the seventh. Exemplary for the Portlanders’ offensive struggles would be the eighth, which saw a 1-out double by Pucks, then a half-arsed walk to Ken Crum, and finally an inning-ending double play on Maldonado. 6-1 Crusaders. Puckeridge 3-4, 3B, 2B, RBI;

I am feeling like the pendulum is about to swing back towards reality now. The fur on my back is standing up stiffly.

Game 4
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – LF Crum – 1B J. Maldonado – C Gonzalez – RF Walker – 3B Kaufman – CF Suzuki – P de la Cruz
NYC: SS O. Sanchez – 2B Russ – LF D. Rivera – 3B Gates – C A. Lara – CF Leal – 1B D. Hernandez – RF Haertling – P J. Baker

Matt Waters ripped a jack on the first pitch of the game, after which Lonzo doubled, Crum walked, and the next three then developed a very long-winded answer to the question why they wouldn’t put any more runs across in this inning, or in this game, or this season, for that matter. The Crusaders meanwhile had a bushel of runners in the early innings against de la Cruz, who was TOTALLY the future, but maybe not beyond the fifth inning in this game. The pitch count escalated quickly, with a few walks, and the odd hit batter, but then again New York needed a 2-out single by their own hurler to get any run across at all against him, so maybe he was doing something right (and at the same time, something else very wrong…).

Top 5th in a 1-1 game, Waters drew a leadoff walk and reached third on Crum’s single. Maldo found the whole on the right for an RBI single, 2-1, Gonzalez walked, and there was the newest little Raccoon (not that he was that little at almost 26…) with the bases loaded again. Walker was so far 0-for-6 with a walk. He remained 0-for-6 with a walk, but got his maiden RBI with a fly to center on a 1-2 pitch. Leal made the catch, but Waters scored. Kaufman grounded out to end the inning. Back game de la Cruz, and then things went rather quickly. Infield single for Russ, the despicable ******* **********, a walk to Rivera, and before long a 3-run homer to right by Angel Lara that evaporated the lead, and then some.

The loss didn’t stick, although contributors to avoiding that on de la Cruz were few and far between. Aaron Walker was one with his first hit in the majors, a leadoff double to center in the eighth. Kaufman and Suzuki were both as useful as a blown tire at 75 miles an hour on the Interstate, upon which Pucks interrupted his day off to romp a game-tying triple into the rightfield corner. Waters walked, but Lonzo flew out to shallow center, and Pucks was left on third base. Hitchcock and Ponce for Portland and Melvin Lucero for New York pitched everybody into extra innings on getaway day. Suzuki and Waters hit singles in the top 10th, but the inning again ended with Lonzo flying out to somebody, in this case Art Bent in left. Eloy Sencion pitched two innings for Portland, then was hit for after Kaufman and Suzuki had wandered on base with one gone in the 12th against Jose Santamaria, which also answered the question of whether there was a player in the majors less worth the oxygen than those two. Crispin singled on a 1-2 pitch, but it was a close call with the ball dropping in front of Bent and Kaufman couldn’t go further than third base. Bases full for Waters, then, who could reach the vaunted .200 mark with another base hit here. He hit into a double play. An infield single by Russ and a walkoff triple by Rivera then sunk Brett Lillis jr. and the rest of the clown troupe in the bottom of the 12th. 5-4 Crusaders. Waters 2-5, 2 BB, HR, RBI; J. Maldonado 3-6, RBI; Suzuki 4-6, 2B; Puckeridge (PH) 1-1, 3B, RBI; Crispin (PH) 1-1; Sencion 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K;

Raccoons (34-26) vs. Pacifics (32-27) – June 9-11, 2051

With a +26 run differential the Pacifics outscored the Coons by 42, doing it with an average offense, but the second-fewest runs given up in the Federal League; that despite a rather mediocre bullpen, but the rotation was just that sturdy, second in ERA in the FL. The teams had played each other last season, with the Raccoons winning two of three games.

Projected matchups:
Victor Salcido (2-3, 4.24 ERA) vs. Ricky Garcia (5-4, 4.83 ERA)
Juan Mercado (0-3, 3.45 ERA) vs. Noel Groh (1-1, 2.43 ERA)
Bubba Wolinsky (8-3, 2.81 ERA) vs. Kevin Clendenen (6-4, 2.50 ERA)

The Pacifics had three lefty starters – but would send up only one of them, Garcia in the opener.

Game 1
LAP: Jo. Shaw – 2B S. Larsen – RF Diskin – C Monaghan – 1B Rodrigues – LF S. King – 3B Massey – SS B. Andrews – P R. Garcia
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – LF Crum – 1B J. Maldonado – CF Puckeridge – RF Glodowski – C Jimenez – 3B Sivertson – P Salcido

Waters opened with a single, reaching the .200 mark indeed, and scored on a Maldonado single to make it 1-0. 2-0 came along with hits by Glodowski and Sivertson in the bottom 2nd, and then a passed ball charged to Eric Monaghan with two outs before Waters grounded out. L.A. pulled one back on Salcido in the third inning, the Coons’ pitcher giving up a single to Brent Andrews and an RBI single to Joshua Shaw – who entered the game with a 20-game hitting streak – to narrow the score to 2-1 after he initially retired the first seven Pacifics in a row with three strikeouts. He wouldn’t get a win despite not putting another runner on base – because he only faced four more, retiring them all: Shane Larsen to end the third, and three more in the fourth inning. He didn’t return to the fifth inning after Dr. Padilla removed him when he complained of a sore hammy. The lead went bust between Waldo, Lonzo, and Maldo then right away in the fifth. Willie Maldonado walked Scott King to begin the inning, and the runner was on second with two outs and the pitcher up. Garcia grounded to short, Lonzo threw an ugly bouncer, and Jesus Maldonado couldn’t come up with it, the ball escaping for a 2-base error, and the tying run coming home to score. Shaw grounded out then.

Waldo walked two runners that Eloy Sencion stranded in the sixth, while the Coons had Glodowski get nicked and Sivertson draw a 2-out walk to pointlessly evict Sencion from the game so that Brian Kaufman could pop up right above home plate to kill the inning. The next implosion was Paul Miles, giving up three hits in the seventh inning, including two runs on Shaw’s single to center. Portland saw Waters reached base and get doubled off by Lonzo in the bottom 7th, only for Ken Crum to then get on base again with two outs – SAME as in the fifth inning…! At this point, I despaired, reached for the Capt’n Coma and closed my eyes. I didn’t miss another brown-shirted base runner… 4-2 Pacifics. Waters 2-4, BB; Crum 2-3, BB; J. Maldonado 2-4, 2B, RBI;

The good news was, Victor Salcido was not expected to miss his next start.

The bad news was, we were no-longer outpitching our pitiful offense…

Game 2
LAP: CF Jo. Shaw – SS J. Gonzalez – RF Diskin – C Monaghan – LF S. King – 2B B. Andrews – 3B Caruso – 1B Rodrigues – P Groh
POR: 2B Waters – CF Puckeridge – 1B Maldonado – LF Crum – C R. Gonzalez – 3B Crispin – RF Glodowski – SS Kaufman – P Mercado

Total bases were quickly piled up in the first inning, as Matt Waters lobbed a triple to left and Pucks answered with an RBI double to right. Well, and then Maldo lined out to T.J. Caruso, Crum popped out, and Ruben Gonzalez found Shaw’s glove in center. Glodowski hit a homer to left though in the bottom 2nd, 2-0, while Mercado scattered four hits for no runs in the first three innings. Things got trickier in the fourth, though, as Monaghan singled and King doubled to left, but then Brent Andrews soft pop to center for the second out stopped them tying runs at least temporary in their tracks. Mercado got Caruso to 0-2, then gave up a screamer to left – but Ken Crum was there, luckily, making the catch to end the inning.

Mercado wobbled on, spilling seven hits and a walk in six busy, yet scoreless innings. But some more cushion would be appreciated, and it was provided by Maldo with a solo shot in the bottom 6th, extending the lead to 3-0. Mercado added three more outs from the 8-9-1, easily giving the Raccoons the best pitching performance yet seen on the week. Glodowski then romped another solo homer off Groh, while an Andrews error put Waters on base with two outs. Waters stole second, then scored on a Pucks double into the rightfield corner for the second and final out of the inning, that one coming against righty David Pittard. The eighth went to Hitchcock, who ran four three-ball counts, walked two, but got around the runners and out of the inning, albeit using over 30 pitches when he hoped he might pitch the last two. More offense came through, though (!), with a leadoff double by Crum off Pittard in the bottom 8th, and Gonzalez singled him home. Crispin forced him out, but Glodowski hit another double to put two in scoring position. Kaufman lined out to Sal Rodrigues on first base, and with two outs Aaron Walker pinch-hit for Hitchcock in the #9 spot. He smacked Pittard’s first pitch up the leftfield line for a 2-run double! That turned out to be enough to hand the ball over to Lillis, who completed the combined 7-hit shutout…! 8-0 Raccoons. Waters 2-5, 3B; Puckeridge 2-4, 2 2B; Glodowski 3-4, 2 HR, 2B, 2 RBI; Walker (PH) 1-1, 2B, 2 RBI; Mercado 7.0 IP, 7 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, W (1-3) and 1-2;

First career win for Juan Mercado!

Game 3
LAP: CF Jo. Shaw – SS J. Gonzalez – RF Diskin – C Monaghan – LF S. King – 2B B. Andrews – 3B Massey – 1B Rodrigues – P Clendenen
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – 1B Puckeridge – LF Crum – C R. Gonzalez – 3B Crispin – RF Walker – CF Suzuki – P Wolinsky

Bubba didn’t give up a run in the first two innings… somehow… despite walking three and a Waters error that loaded the bases with one out in the top 2nd. That was at least with the pitcher up next and Clendenen obliged and struck out, while Shaw then grounded out to Pucks at first, stranding everybody. Brent Andrews opened the bottom 2nd with a gruesome 2-base throwing error to put Ed Crispin on second base, and for once the Coons pounced… a bit. Suzuki doubled home Crispin, and then Bubba hit a shy single to put runners on the corners. Waters ran a full count, then chopped a bouncer right at Andrews, who blatantly missed the ball for another error, allowing Suzuki to score, 2-0. Lonzo hit into a fielder’s choice, but Pucks came through with an RBI single – and then Lonzo was thrown out trying to steal third base, ending the inning with a 3-spot.

Jorge Gonzalez launched a leadoff triple off the top of the wall in the top of the third inning, then was stranded on third base when Matt Diskin struck out and Monaghan and King BOTH popped out. The Coons tacked on however; Walker singled and stole his first career base in the bottom 4th, then scored on a Suzuki single. With two outs, Lonzo singled home Suzuki, 5-0!

And Bubba? 80 pitches in four innings in a terribly gooey start. He nailed Joshua Shaw to begin the fifth, which didn’t help, but then somehow got another six outs on 24 pitches and somehow left with six innings and only one hit (but four walks) allowed. Meanwhile, more Coons offense…! The bottom 7th began with Marc Hubbard drowning against Lonzo, who singled, Puckeridge and Crum hit RBI doubles, and Gonzalez singled again. Jason Terrell replaced Hubbard, but gave up another run on Crispin’s grounder to first, which made this the second straight game the Coons led 8-0, which was a thing nobody had seen coming two days ago. Jorge Gonzalez would help the Raccoons to one more run in the bottom 8th with another bad throwing error, and that would be that. 9-0 Furballs! Lavorano 3-5, RBI; Puckeridge 2-5, 2B, 2 RBI; Crum 2-5, 2B, RBI; Suzuki 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI; Sivertson (PH) 1-1; Wolinsky 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 4 K, W (9-3);

This game killed Joshua Shaw’s 22-game hitting streak. He was still hitting .394 with 3 HR and 31 RBI though.

Raccoons (36-27) @ Miners (32-31) – June 12-14, 2051

To start the new week, the Raccoons got to travel to visit the Billion Dollar Miners, who had *just* ached over the .500 mark after a horrendous start to the season, especially given their spectacular offseason, in which they had blown their draft picks all the way unto the seventh round! They had now won five in a row, so we stepped in precisely at the right time, and were fourth in runs scored, but first in runs allowed in the FL. The rotation was still finding its step, but the pen was one of the best in the league. We had swept them in a three-game series last year, but I was not quite so sure we could get close to that again.

Projected matchups:
Jason Wheatley (8-1, 3.55 ERA) vs. Bobby Freels (5-3, 3.74 ERA)
Rafael de la Cruz (0-0, 4.76 ERA) vs. Jose Arias (2-2, 4.97 ERA)
Victor Salcido (2-3, 4.13 ERA) vs. Kevin Nolte (7-5, 3.91 ERA)

One more southpaw in this set, Arias on Tuesday.

Game 1
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – RF Puckeridge – LF Crum – 1B J. Maldonado – 3B Crispin – C R. Gonzalez – CF Suzuki – P Wheatley
PIT: 2B A. Vasquez – SS A. Venegas – 3B Corrales – LF E. Moreno – CF M. Cox – 1B Abecassis – RF C. Jimenez – C Whitley – P Freels

Offense was down low to begin the new week, but the Raccoons scratched out a run in the third inning when Suzuki singled, stole second base, advanced on a Wheatley groundout, and then scored on Waters’ sac fly to Eddie Moreno in left-center. The Suzuki single was one of only three hits the Coons had in the first five innings, while Wheats dished out four hits. Singles by Alex Vasquez and Anton Venegas in separate innings, and bruises to Alex Abecassis and Chris Jimenez, also in separate innings. Nobody scored, so it was 1-0 after five.

By the sixth, we were up 2-0 as Lonzo opened with a single to center, stole a base, and then came home on a Puckeridge single to left-center. Maldo also singled, but by then Ken Crum had hit into a double play, and the inning ended with Crispin grounding out. While Wheatley conceded the odd runner here and there, the Miners couldn’t score, but the Raccoons scratched out another run in the eighth; Matt Waters doubled over Matt Cox in center, Lonzo’s roller moved him to third base, and he scored on a wild pitch, 3-0. Through eight innings, Wheats faced three over the minimum and threw 96 pitches. He was still on a 2-hitter, but would face the only guys to get a hit off him in the bottom 9th. Crispin opened the top 9th with a single, but was doubled off by Ruben Gonzalez. Suzuki then homered to center for a tack-on run. Wheatley batted for himself, whiffed, then came out for the top of the order. He walked Vasquez, which got the already busy pen really going. Venegas grounded out, advancing the runner, and Victor Corrales grounded out on the very next pitch. Eddie Moreno was a righty hitter, but with a lefty in Cox behind him, so Eloy Sencion would come in if Moreno reached. But Moreno didn’t reach – Wheats rung him up! 4-0 Coons! Puckeridge 2-4, RBI; J. Maldonado 2-4; Crispin 2-4, 2B; Suzuki 2-4, HR, RBI; Wheatley 9.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 7 K, W (9-1);

This was Wheatley’s eighth career shutout, and 13th complete game (not counting his 2048 CLCS shutout).

It also added up to 29 scoreless innings for this hoi polloi pitching staff….!

AND we now had a POSITIVE run differential…! +3, baby!!

Game 2
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – LF Crum – 1B J. Maldonado – CF Puckeridge – 3B Sivertson – RF Walker – C Jimenez – P de la Cruz
PIT: 2B A. Vasquez – SS A. Venegas – 3B Corrales – LF E. Moreno – CF M. Cox – 1B Abecassis – RF Tomasello – C Whitley – P J. Arias

While Ken Crum’s third-inning sac fly brought in Waters, who stole third base, for a skinny 1-0 lead again, de la Cruz never quite looked comfortable out there. The Miners were on base in every inning, and sometimes were only stranded by inches, like in the same inning, when Alex Vasquez walked, stole second, advanced on a 2-out balk, and then was left on when Pucks tracked down a Corrales drive to deep center, but just barely. Bottom 4th, right away another leadoff walk to Moreno, with Alex Abecassis having a deep fly out to right for the second out, and the inning ended with a K on Tyler Tomasello. Dan Whitley opened the bottom 5th with a double, and this time the scoreless streak looked really toast. Arias advanced the tying run to third base, and Vasquez dropped a bunt on a suicide squeeze that unhorsed the rookie and the entire team – 33 scoreless innings, but no further, as Whitley scored the 2-out run, evening out the score at one.

De la Cruz continued into the sixth, where he surrendered a run on a walk to Matt Cox, an Abecassis single, and Tomasello’s groundout, and then but on PH Josh Abercrombie and Anton Venegas with a single and walk, respectively by the time there was one out in the seventh. Ponce came out for Corrales, but was faced with PH Chris Jimenez instead, but still got the strikeout. Moreno hit a scratch single, but Cox flew out to center, which still kept the score at a rally-able 2-1. Singles off Bernardino Risso and Brad Blankenship put Lonzo and Crum on the corners with nobody out in the eighth. Maldo fell 1-2 behind, but the next pitch by Blankenship brushed him in the thigh and loaded them up; it was also the last pitch Blankenship threw. Lefty Brian Jackson was next, getting Puckeridge to ground softly for a force at home plate. When Jackson left right away for a righty, Marcos Nabo, the Coons sent Suzuki to bat for Sivertson, which amounted to a sac fly to center, tying the game, but was also all the team scratched from three on and nobody out. Crispin grounded out in Walker’s spot.

The game went to extras with scoreless efforts by Ponce, Hitchcock, and Sencion, who struck out five in a row between the ninth and tenth innings, while the Coons got nixed by Sam Gibson, the former Elks closer. The game lumbered on; Crum and Maldo hit 2-out singles off Mike Mensch in the 12th, but Puckeridge struck out, and in the 13th, still against Mensch, Crispin and Jimenez got on with one out. Kaufman was the last bat left on the bench, fell to 0-2, but then shot a single up the middle. Crispin raced around to score, breaking the 2-2 tie. That was it, though, with Waters whiffing and Lonzo grounding out, which sent Willie Cruz into the breach in the bottom 13th. Two grounders and a K to Whitley ended the game. 3-2 Critters. Crum 3-5, RBI; Crispin (PH) 2-3; Jimenez 2-6; Glodowski (PH) 1-1; Kaufman (PH) 1-1, RBI; Sencion 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K; W. Maldonado 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, W (4-1);

13 innings, 12 hits, none for extra bases, but still a W. Somehow this sounded like a 2051 Coons game, yes.

Game 3
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – RF Puckeridge – LF Crum – 1B J. Maldonado – 3B Crispin – C R. Gonzalez – CF Suzuki – P Salcido
PIT: 2B A. Vasquez – SS A. Venegas – 3B Corrales – LF E. Moreno – CF M. Cox – 1B Abecassis – RF C. Jimenez – C Whitley – P Nolte

Both teams went back to Monday’s lineups, with the Miners getting a few early runs in the bottom 2nd, which Matt Cox opened with a triple to center. He scored on a sac fly, and a double by Whitley and a single by Nolte (with two outs…) brought home a second run. The Coons had Waters and Lonzo get on with one out in the third, and Cox’ error in center put both the tying runs in scoring position, too. Pucks shot a 1-1 grounder to the right side; Vasquez – a Gold Glover – knocked the ball down, but couldn’t scramble in time to have a play. Pucks was safe, as was Waters at home plate. Crum’s sac fly tied the game, but Venegas and Moreno shot homers to either side of the building in the bottom of the same inning to restore a 2-run gap.

Salcido was chewed up after five innings, throwing 101 pitches, most of them not exactly fooling the Miners. While Paul Miles did hardly better and walked the first two batters he faced in the sixth inning, but didn’t surrender a run, the Coons ran three straight singles against Nolte in the top 7th… but with two outs, and while Crum drove home Lonzo, Maldo struck out to strand the tying run at third base. The bottom 7th began with a Corrales single, Moreno homered to right, and the gates were wide open at that point. Miles got socked for another walk and two hits, plus two more runs, as the Raccoons got ready to lose this one with real vigor. Lillis allowed another run in the eighth on his own throwing error, walk, and a wild pitch. The complete package! 9-3 Miners. Lavorano 2-5; Puckeridge 2-5, RBI; Crum 3-4, 2 2B, 2 RBI;

In other news

June 6 – Shredded ankle ligaments put RIC 3B Josh Frazier (.249, 4 HR, 19 RBI) out of action for the rest of the year.
June 7 – NAS OF/1B Mike Pfeifer (.287, 8 HR, 33 RBI) would miss up to six weeks with a strained hamstring.
June 7 – PIT INF Victor Corrales (.281, 6 HR, 44 RBI) drives home eight runs on three hits, including a 3-run homer and a 3-run double, in a 21-3 riot of the Miners over the Cyclones, in which the Pittsburgh team scores in every inning bar the first.
June 8 – LAP OF Joshua Shaw (.397, 3 HR, 28 RBI) connects for two hits in a 3-1 win over the Gold Sox to put a 20-game hitting streak together.
June 14 – CIN INF/LF Chris Delgado (.314, 5 HR, 35 RBI) will miss time to the All Star Game with a sprained ankle.
June 14 – Wolves SP Darren McRee (4-7, 5.84 ERA) could be out for a full year with damaged elbow ligaments that need surgery.
June 15 – The Scorpions pick up OF Gustavo Pena (.330, 6 HR, 18 RBI) from the Bayhawks in a trade for corner infielder/outfielder Ricky Correa (.237, 4 HR, 15 RBI) and a prospect.
June 15 – The Warriors trade INF Jose Rivas (.271, 0 HR, 11 RBI) to the Buffaloes for two prospects.
June 15 – The Buffaloes beat the Cyclones, 4-3 in 15 innings, and the Crusaders break out late for a 14-inning, 11-7 win over the Capitals.

FL Player of the Week: DEN 2B/3B Ivan Villa (.277, 10 HR, 36 RBI), hitting .485 (16-33) with 2 HR, 6 RBI
CL Player of the Week: OCT 3B/SS/RF Ed Soberanes (.305, 12 HR, 47 RBI), batting .444 (12-27) with 2 HR, 5 RBI

Complaints and stuff

Still in first place, still with a negative run differential (-2, again)! I remain to be unable to describe what makes them win games at the end of the day.

Probably stupid luck that’s long overdue to run out?

And then the question is whether a slick trade or three could actually turn the offense into something you could show off in primetime. It’s not like we don’t have the odd spot in the lineup where improvement would be possible…

We return home to play the Titans and Elks. From the Friday after, it’s a longer road trip starting with the Thunder in Oklahoma City.

Fun Fact: The Raccoons have the third-best record in baseball.

(shrugs and smiles politely)

[Westheim]

2051 AMATEUR DRAFT

June’s second trip to New York (with one to go) was for the annual amateur draft. Poor me, had to work while the rest of the team had their hindpaws up somewhere! Oh well. Time to draft some new prospects.

We had already talked about our annual hotlist (*marks high school players) and some on the list in particular, especially Matt Walters. Where we so desperate to have both a Matt Waters and a Matt Walters on the same team?

Well, were we?

SP Scott Evans (10/16/8) * – BNN #10
SP Roger Pritchard (11/11/12) – BNN #1
SP Larry Clark (11/12/10) *
SP Richard Castillo (10/14/12)
SP/CL Matt Walters (12/12/11)

C Brett Hamill (12/15/17) * – BNN #2

1B Gustavo Jacinto (13/9/12)
SS Rich Padilla (9/8/14) *

LF/RF John Kaniewski (10/11/12) – BNN #9
LF/1B/RF Trent Brassfield (13/15/12) * – BNN #4
OF/1B Armando Caban (10/11/11) – BNN #6
OF Cory Oldfield (12/14/6) * – BNN #7
OF Richard Romig (10/5/12)

Having the #8 pick meant dodging seven bullets before it was our turn to make our selection (and the only one for a while). We would not select Roger Pritchard, who went #1 to the Wolves, nor Trent Brassfield (CIN, #2), or Scott Evans (LVA, #3). From there it was Brett Hamill fourth-overall to the Pacifics, and Larry Clark to the Falcons to complete the top 5. The next pick was the Indians’, and they went with Cory Oldfield. Only the Loggers to go, and they went with not-quite-on-hotlist-but-honorable-mention Bryant Law.

And I still didn’t see why we wouldn’t take Walters, who’d make for a strong closer, or maybe even a strong starter. It was hard to lose out by picking Matt Walters at #8! (Famous last words…?)

John Kaniewski went #11 to the Rebels, Armando Caban #19 to the Baybirds, Gustavo Jacinto to the Stars at #21, immediately followed by Richard Castillo taken by the Knights. The supplemental round then saw Rich Padilla swept up at #26 by the Pacifics, and finally Richard Romig was taken as the #31 pick by the Buffaloes.

In the second round I had several options on my mind, including a stellar defensive shortstop in 17-year-old Bobby Dodd. But the second round is a bit high to draft a defensive shortstop. In my opinion at least. The damn Elks thought otherwise and took him with the #64 selection.

+++

2051 PORTLAND RACCOONS DRAFT CLASS

Round 1 (#8) – SP/CL Matt Walters, 21, from Oro Valley, AZ – left-hander with a very strong fastball/curve combo and looking for a strong third pitch to take him over the top. Surely not risk-free, but there should be a good reward either way.
Round 2 (#49) – RF/LF/1B Josh Vasilakos, 17, from Westfield, NY – not overwhelming on defense with limited agility, but at least he wraps the rotund form into some impressive power while making consistent contact.
Round 3 (#73) – SP Nick Hampton, 18, from Fountainbleau, FL – a bit of a suspicious drop to the third round, this right-hander has a high potential on all three of his pitches, a cutter, curve, and slider. Control seems like a way bigger problem than pitch selection.
Round 4 (#97) – 2B/SS/OF/3B Tim Line, 19, from Nogales, AZ – defensively adept, quick super utility player with a very patient eye, but not much home run power.
Round 5 (#121) – CL Jason Mack, 22, from New Brunswick, NJ – right-hander throwing a 94mph fastball with a big old loopy curve, and a changeup amounting to leave that one in the bullpen.
Round 6 (#145) – INF/LF Tommy Hannoush, 22, from Vinton, TX – very adept, slick-fielding middle infielder, and hitting like one.
Round 7 (#169) – OF/1B Tim Lange, 18, from McHenry, IL – more of an on-base type of hitting profile, without a lot of power, speed, or defense.
Round 8 (#193) – MR Craig Neal, 20, from Bonavista, Canada – lefty with fastball/slider, and enough introversion to look even his coach in the eye, but when he faces batters, you can see the hatred flicker in his eyes. Plus passion for sure!
Round 9 (#217) – 3B/RF Randy Bruce, 17, from Stanford, CA – tough out at the plate, some power, but also tough to watch run or field…
Round 10 (#241) – C Matt Stanton, 20, from Florence, OR – works well with pitchers and has a good throwing arm, but looks like everybody’s grandma when swinging a bat. Can’t run either.
Round 11 (#265) – SP Adam Ide, 18, from Plymouth, IN – the most interesting thing about this year’s Nick Brown Memorial Pick is that he’s three-eighths Japanese; apart from that he gets taken deep a lot with his department store-grade 86mph fastball and curve.
Round 12 (#289) – 1B Ian Thore, 18, from Jamestown, NC – pretty much all things about him are “oh, yeah, typical first baseman”, except that he doesn’t have any power either…
Round 13 (#313) – C/1B Hector Castro, 17, from Carolina, Puerto Rico – complete shot in the dark; our scouts hate him; the other 23 teams hate him; somehow OSA loves his contact and power potential…

+++

As always, some older picks had to go, although this time only a pawful of them were former draft picks. These included left-handers Matt Spurgin (2049, 7th round), Bobby Turner (2049, 11th), catchers Malik Morris (2048, 8th), Ramiro Ramirez (2049, 12th), and outfielder Jeff Kjar (2047, 6th).

All of this year’s draft picks were assigned to Aumsville.

[Westheim]

Raccoons (38-28) vs. Titans (29-36) – June 16-18, 2051

Two teams that couldn’t score, both in the bottom three in runs tallied in the CL, so this could be another long series. The Titans had the sixth-fewest runs allowed in the league, but that still made for a -15 run differential (Fuzzballs: -2). The first meeting between these two teams had been an utter disaster for Boston, who got swept for four by the Critters – somehow.

Projected matchups:
Juan Mercado (1-3, 2.82 ERA) vs. Thomas Turpeau (4-4, 3.31 ERA)
Bubba Wolinsky (9-3, 2.60 ERA) vs. Victor Scott (2-6, 4.60 ERA)
Jason Wheatley (9-1, 3.21 ERA) vs. David Barel (7-4, 2.55 ERA)

Behold – unless the Titans made a move to utilize the common off day on Thursday, this weekend set might feature the Coons facing *three* left-handed starting pitchers…!

Game 1
BOS: SS A. Montes de Oca – LF van der Zanden – RF T. Lopez – 1B L. Rodriguez – CF M. Martinez – C I. Davison – 2B J. Ramos – 3B J. Rodriguez – P Turpeau
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – LF Crum – 1B J. Maldonado – CF Puckeridge – RF Glodowski – C Gonzalez – 3B Kaufman – P Mercado

Luckless turned to listless for Mercado in the opening inning, in which the Titans were mostly teeing off. Arnout van der Zanden doubled to right, Tony Lopez sharply singled to center, and Miguel Martinez went yard for the first time this season to put Boston up 3-0 in a real hurry. The Coons made up the difference in the third inning, though. Ken Crum doubled with two outs and Maldo got nicked – in both the first AND the third innings…! While Puckeridge flew out easily the first time around, at the second try he walked, and so did Matt Glodowski, pushing home a run. Ruben Gonzalez singled home two to tie the score at three before a Brian Kaufman grounder ended the inning.

But while Mercado had been momentarily readjusted for something vaguely resembling competence for the second through fourth innings, the fifth inning was another catastrophe meriting nothing else but – (opens another bottle of Capt’n Coma). After a leadoff walk to Javier Ramos, the runner stole second and reached third on a throwing error, but Mercado also had two strikes on Jose Rodriguez, whom he nicked, and Turpeau, who grounded out – after a wild pitch had already scored Ramos to give the Titans the lead. Angel Montes de Oca’s RBI triple to center evicted Mercado from the game. Brett Lillis jr. struck out van der Zanden, then gave up the run left behind by Mercado anyway on Tony Lopez’ 2-out single to center. Turpeau didn’t get the W, though, since he didn’t make it through the fifth inning, either. Pucks doubled, Gonzalez walked, and the tying run came up. Bill Flattery got the ball, walked the bags full, but the Coons didn’t get past a pinch-hit grounder to first to score one run, rolled by Ed Crispin.

But the Coons had one more special play in their quiver. Bottom 8th, still down 6-4 against a parade of Titans relievers, Mitch Sivertson and Matt Waters opened the inning with singles to left. Lonzo hit a spanker at third base then, with Jose Rodriguez picking, tapping, and throwing to second in time, but there a slight bobble by Javier Ramos cost the triple play; the Titans happily settled for a 5-4 double play, however, and the Coons settled for a 6-4 loss. 6-4 Titans. Waters 3-5; Crum 2-5, 2 2B; Puckeridge 2-4, BB, 2B; Sivertson 1-1; Miles 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K;

Game 2
BOS: SS A. Montes de Oca – LF van der Zanden – RF T. Lopez – 1B L. Rodriguez – CF M. Martinez – C I. Davison – 2B J. Ramos – 3B J. Rodriguez – P V. Scott
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – LF Crum – 1B J. Maldonado – CF Puckeridge – RF Glodowski – C Gonzalez – 3B Kaufman – P Wolinsky

Single, hit batter, single – the first three Titans all reached base on Saturday, as both teams began the game with the same lineup as the day before. Bubba popped up Larry Rodriguez then, but gave up a run on a Martinez single then. Ian Davison and Ramos both popped out poorly, though, and stranded three runners. It didn’t get any better, though; the Coons answered with a lot of nothing, and the Titans whacked another five singles off Wolinsky in the third inning; three in a row by the 4-5-6 hitters, a sac fly by Ramos, and then 2-out RBI singles by the 8-9 pair to go to 4-0. Montes flew out, finally. Worse yet, Puckeridge tweaked something on the Ramos play and needed replacement by Mikio Suzuki. The Raccoons didn’t get a hit until Glodowski singled in the fourth, and didn’t get a run until the seventh, when Matt Waters doubled home Aaron Walker, who had drawn a pinch-walk in the pitchers’ spot. Wolinsky was long gone by then, with Hitchcock and Lillis adding scoreless innings, sort of. The latter only had a scoreless inning because Jason Lettner somehow slid into Ruben Gonzalez’ knee rather than the plate, trying to score from second with two out on a van der Zanden single to center. That play ended the inning and allowed Gonzalez to appear as the tying run in the bottom 8th after Maldo and Glodowski put their bums into scoring position against Flattery, but he was held to a sac fly. With two out, Crispin batted for Kaufman, but the Titans countered with lefty Jim Peterson and got an easy third out. The ninth inning saw no base runners, and thus also no comeback. 4-2 Titans. J. Maldonado 1-2, 2 BB; Glodowski 3-4, 2B;

The loss dropped the Coons into a tie for first with the Indians, who were serial-winning against the Crusaders.

Walker (.158, 0 HR, 3 RBI) was returned to AAA after this game, and Oscar Rivera was activated from the DL.

Pucks was not in the lineup on Sunday, officially listed as day-to-day with back spasms; it could be a few more days for him to return to action, though.

Game 3
BOS: SS A. Montes de Oca – LF van der Zanden – RF T. Lopez – 1B L. Rodriguez – CF M. Martinez – C Oden – 2B J. Ramos – 3B J. Rodriguez – P Barel
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – LF Crum – 1B J. Maldonado – RF Glodowski – C Gonzalez – 3B Sivertson – CF Suzuki – P Wheatley

Lefty #3 on the mound for Boston, which didn’t exactly change the Raccoons’ early-inning fortunes, except that Wheats did not allow a run the first time through, despite being considerably at odds with Ruben Gonzalez, who was charged with two passed balls. Further derailment came by ways of a sudden shower that led to an almost hour-long rain delay in the middle of the fourth of the scoreless game, before it lessened to a persistent and annoying drizzle. Summer in Oregon – wasn’t it lovely!? … I know, Slappy, all you can do is try and drink it nice for yourself.

Wheats went back out for the fifth, then with a 3-0 lead entirely gained on a homer by Ruben Gonzalez with Maldo and Glodowski on base in the bottom 4th. Wheats finished the 7-8-9 in order in the top of the fifth, thus qualifying for the win, which would be his 10th of the year. He claimed to be good to pitch on, and so led off the bottom 5th at the plate, grounding out. Lonzo hit a 2-out single, but was caught stealing. Wheats put up another zero in the top 6th, but began to wander out of the zone involuntarily, much to his visible annoyance, and was thus not brought back afterwards, ending on 82 soggy pitches. The good news was that the relief corps did fine. Ponce, Sencion, and Willie Cruz each pitched an inning. Each of the also put a runner on base – and each of them erased that runner with a double play to maintain the shutout…! 3-0 Critters. Gonzalez 2-3, HR, 2B, 3 RBI; Wheatley 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K, W (10-1) and 1-2;

Raccoons (39-30) vs. Canadiens (32-37) – June 19-21, 2051

Since the Indians lost on Sunday, the Raccoons entered the new week with a 1-game lead… and the Elks on their plate for three games. And I was not quite sure what was going wrong with them, but they had a -20 run differential thanks to being just worse than the average in both runs scored and allowed in the CL. Making out one weakness was hard – they didn’t excel at anything. They were a whole host of crummy. At best, they were rather strong in OBP (fourth in the CL at least), but bottoms in stolen bases; their entire team had fewer steals (19) combined than Lonzo. They also had a pile of injuries, with Bill Drury, Bill McMichael, Fernando Alba, Nick DeMarco, and the odd reliever or two all on the DL, although DeMarco was eligible to return. The Coons lead the season series (!), 4-2.

Projected matchups:
Rafael de la Cruz (0-0, 4.08 ERA) vs. Terry Herman (6-7, 5.09 ERA)
Victor Salcido (2-4, 4.32 ERA) vs. Mario Godinez (3-6, 3.95 ERA)
Juan Mercado (1-4, 3.80 ERA) vs. Juan Ramos (4-8, 3.90 ERA)

After an all-lefty set, the Coons now got to face only right-handed pitchers.

Game 1
VAN: 2B Uranga – 1B Wheeler- RF Outram – LF Toohey – C Julio Diaz – 3B Burgos – SS Mullen – CF Burkhart – P Herman
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – 1B J. Maldonado – LF Crum – RF Glodowski – 3B Crispin – CF Suzuki – C Jimenez – P de la Cruz

The week began with the damn Elks taking apart de la Cruz in the second inning. Julio Diaz hit a leadoff single, Jesus Burgos walked, and a pair of doubles by Dan Mullen and Tim Burkhart, both to left-center, already did three runs’ worth of damage, with no outs in the inning. Burkhart would score on Jorge Uranga’s groundout, 4-0.

The game then left the realm of reason. Starting in the third inning, de la Cruz, on the brink of getting yanked, struck out six consecutive batters, and seven of eight, to complete five innings and maintain the 4-0 deficit. The Raccoons also erased all of the deficit with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning, which they entered without a base hit to their names. Suzuki singled, but was doubled off by Jimenez before de la Cruz drew a 2-out walk. Waters singled, Lonzo singled home the pitcher, and Maldo reached on an error by Uranga, which allowed Waters to score. Ken Crum then doubled home the other two runners to get even, while Glodowski grounded out.

The switch flicked off again for de la Cruz in the sixth, in which he offered a leadoff walk to Diaz, who was forced out by Jesus Burgos with a comebacker, but then Dan Mullen singled. The go-ahead run would score with a 2-out wild pitch to Terry Herman, who ended up lining out to Crispin. The Coons’ third-sacker then opened the bottom half of the inning with a double to center, but was stranded, and it looked like that 5-4 wild pitch run would stick, with the Coons not getting much done at all in the seventh and eighth, except for Maldo to get nicked once more. The other Maldonado then exploded the score for good, walking Burkhart to open the ninth and getting taken deep by PH Tim Turner right afterwards. However – the tying run came to the plate with no outs in the bottom 9th against lefty Tim Abraham. Pinch-hitters reached base as Kaufman singled and Gonzalez walked in the 8-9 holes. Nobody scored, however; Matt Waters hit into a double play, and Lonzo struck out… 7-4 Canadiens. Crum 1-2, 2 BB, 2B, 2 RBI; Kaufman (PH) 1-1;

First decision for de la Cruz. (gnashes teeth)

What do you mean, Maud, “guess who’s here”? The damn Elks are here, and that’s bad enough! – Oh, hi, Nick…

Game 2
VAN: 1B S. Henderson – SS Mullen – RF Outram – C Julio Diaz – 3B Burgos – LF Escobido – CF T. Turner – 2B DeMarco – P Godinez
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – LF Puckeridge – 1B Crum – RF Glodowski – 3B Crispin – C Gonzalez – CF Suzuki – P Salcido

Single, walk, wild pitch. Outram groundout, RBI single, walk. Salcido was basically awful. – What do you mean, Nick, you bet a rare 1928 Amilcar limousine, of which only three are known to exist anymore, on the Coons winning this game? – Why would you do such a thing?? They’re awful!! – They might be in first place, but they’re still awful!!

Angel Escobido’s sac fly was the second and final run of that first inning, with Tim Turner flying out to Suzuki. The Coons made up the deficit right away with three hits and two runs, as Waters singled, Pucks doubled him home, and then scored on a Glodowski single. – Yes, Nick, show us a picture of that car. – That… That is a very pretty old car, Nick. Yes, even Slappy nods excitedly, so it has to be!

Salcido wobbled on, literally. The Elks didn’t score the next few innings, but he walked a bunch and got out on double plays twice, and once, in the fourth, with an intentional walk to DeMarco, just off the DL, to get a K on Godinez with the go-ahead run on third base and two outs. The damn Elks then took the lead again in the fifth, featuring a 2-base throwing error by Crispin to put on Sterling Henderson before Salcido somehow fooled the bags full with Jerry Outram and Julio Diaz. Burgos hit a sac fly that was scary-deep, but Escobido struck out, keeping it a 3-2 game. Again, the Raccoons made up the deficit right away with another three base hits (having had none in between their prior set of three hits); Waters, Pucks, and Crum all chopped singles, the latter driving home the first with two outs. That brought up Glodowski with a chance to take the lead. – No, Nick, we don’t have anybody better than him. – Nick, Manny Fernandez retired YEARS ago…!

Somehow, Glodowski here, Manny there, the Coons went ahead. Godinez lost the unloved rightfielder in a full count, filling the bases, and then the Gold Glove catcher Diaz had an 0-1 pitch to Crispin get away for a run-scoring passed ball, 4-3 Critters. That was all, however, Crispin grounding out to first base. Salcido would pitch one more inning, turning a 1-6-3 double play on a Godinez bunt to end his day, while his spot came up with Gonzalez (single) and Suzuki (E1) on base and nobody out in the home sixth. Maldo pinch-hit and shoved a ball through the right side for a bases-filling single. Three on, no outs, uh-oh. Waters popped out to Outram in shallow right. Lonzo singled to left and a run scored, yay, but Suzuki was thrown out at home, boo. Pucks then flew out to Escobido, holding us to one skinny run in the inning. – Nick, don’t touch that. – Nick, don’t. – Nick, don’t hurt yourself. – (Nick Valdes keeps trying to stick Maud’s knitting needles into a power socket)

Eloy Sencion crapped out in the seventh, entering with two outs and nobody on, and leaving with Outram across and the bases loaded, giving up a hit, two walks, and a hit batter to four straight batters. Waldo got a groundout to Crispin from Burkhart, preserving a 5-4 lead, while I poured a few more heart pills into my Capt’n Coma. It didn’t help – the lead went bust in the eighth when Mullen singled home DeMarco and his leadoff double. In between the Raccoons had wasted a leadoff double by Ken Crum in the bottom 7th. – Nick, I don’t know. – No, Nick, I don’t know whether the players know that they gotta win this one. I never know.

Bottom 8th, Lazaro Ochoa in for Elk City, and leadoff singles by Suzuki and Kaufman, who had entered with Ponce in a double switch to bring about an end to the miserable top of the inning. Good, guy on second and no outs, just as far as we had been in the previous inning, and then even with a lead… The 0-1 to Waters was wild again, advancing the runners, but then Waters was put on intentionally. Lonzo had three on and no outs, and popped out to Brendan Eaton in shallow left. Pucks BARELY got a run home with a fly to center. Crum grounded out. Cruz got a skinny 6-5 lead. Burgos struck out. Eaton grounded out to Kaufman. – Nick, stop shaking me, I can see you’re giddy. – … Tim Burkhart with a deep drive to right on the first pitch then…! Glodowski racing back… At the warning track… And he reached up and made the catch…!! 6-5 Raccoons!! Puckeridge 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI; Crum 2-5, 2B, RBI; Suzuki 2-4, 2B; J. Maldonado (PH) 1-1; Kaufman 1-1;

Nick hugged me, smooched Slappy, and gave Maud a good old pat on the back, which was … well… Hey, Nick – what did you even win now? – Seriously? – The share certificate No.1 of the Rio Negro & Valle de Lagrimas Railroad from 1852??

Where is that even???

While Nick had to fly away urgently that night to collect his prized acquisition from some other super-rich **** with no concept of right, wrong, value, or values, and I reached another level of depression, the Raccoons still had a rubber game with the damn Elks to play…

We’d do so against rookie righty Anton Jesus (1-0, 3.79 ERA) making a spot start and his first start in the majors overall.

Game 3
VAN: CF Escobido – 1B S. Henderson – 3B Burgos – RF Toohey – SS Mullen – C Julio Diaz – LF Burkhart – 2B DeMarco – P A. Jesus
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – CF Puckeridge – LF Crum – 1B J. Maldonado – 3B Crispin – RF Rivera – C Jimenez – P Mercado

For once, the Coons jumped out for a big inning in the first. Waters and Lonzo hit singles, Pucks crammed a triple into the corner, then scored on Maldo’s sac fly for a 3-0 lead. Waters also singled home Juan Jimenez to make it 4-0 in the second, while Mercado allowed only Burgos on with a single in the first two innings, before DeMarco was put on for him by Crispin, who made not one but TWO errors in one at-bat. First he dropped a 2-1 foul pop by DeMarco, then mishandled his eventual grounder to put him on base, for sure. Mercado stranded the doubly-annoying runner, however.

The Elks got Mercado on three hits and two runs in the fourth inning, though, with Bryce Toohey hitting the centerpiece RBI double in his former home ballpark. He was then driven in by Diaz. Crispin, trying to out-hit his glove littered with holes, tripled with two outs in the fifth and was driven home by Oscar Rivera, 5-2, and Waters rocked a leadoff jack off Jesus in the sixth, 6-2. Mercado made it to the seventh, where he was sabotaged by a throwing error by Lonzo, but hung a K on the pinch-hitting Jerry Outram before leaving for Hitchcock, who got out of the inning without conceding a run despite throwing a wild pitch, hitting a guy, and walking a guy. I didn’t see Toohey’s groundout to end the inning, because by this stage I was trying to smother myself with a pillow. The good news was that the Elks pen was collapsing quickly, giving out for three runs in the bottom 7th, in which Hitchcock batted for himself, and plated Jimenez with an RBI single, while Jimenez had smacked an RBI double to right-center to get home Crispin for all of his SECOND RBI of the year… (one more than Hitchcock, though…) Hitchcock got one more out from Mullen in the eighth, then the ball went to Miles to get the last five outs without blowing a 9-2 lead. This, he did, give or take a DeMarco homer in the ninth. 9-3 Coons! Waters 2-4, BB, HR, 2 RBI; Crispin 3-4, 3B; Jimenez 4-4, 2B, RBI; Hitchcock 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K and 1-1, RBI;

Hah!!

Screw you, Elks!! Don’t hit your fat bums in the door on the way out!

Raccoons (41-31) @ Thunder (44-28) – June 23-25, 2051

The Thunder were second in the South, half a game back (and had played extra innings on Thursday, which had been off for us), and had swept the Coons in the first meeting of the year. They were first in runs scored, more than a hundred runs more productive than the Critters, and third in runs allowed with an impressive +108 run differential. Ours? +1.

Projected matchups:
Bubba Wolinsky (9-4, 2.83 ERA) vs. J.J. Hendrix (7-4, 3.31 ERA)
Jason Wheatley (10-1, 3.01 ERA) vs. Ben Lehman (6-3, 3.92 ERA)
Rafael de la Cruz (0-1, 4.94 ERA) vs. Felix Alvarez (5-6, 5.79 ERA)

Another set of the same handedness, and again all three were righties.

Game 1
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – CF Puckeridge – LF Crum – 1B J. Maldonado – 3B Crispin – RF Glodowski – C Gonzalez – P Wolinsky
OCT: SS Adame – 2B Ban – 3B Soberanes – 1B Worthington – LF R. Cox – C Adames – RF Harmon – CF A. Herrera – P Hendrix

Waters hit a jack to left to declare the game underway, but the Thunder battered Wolinsky for three runs in the bottom 1st. Alex Adame, Jonathan Ban, and Ed Soberanes hit straight singles to tie the score, and Ryan Cox’ RBI single and a Mike Harmon sac fly brought in the other two runs. It didn’t get any better afterwards, as Hendrix and Adame hit singles to begin the bottom 2nd, and David Worthington bombed a 3-piece to left. That merely made it 6-1 Thunder.

And that was more or less the game. Maldo hit a homer in the fourth, but Ed Soberanes did the same, mashing a 2-piece to finally take Wolinsky behind the shed for good, eight runs for 11 outs. A 2-run homer by Portland’s Oscar Rivera in the seventh did little to budge the score; Rivera had entered in a double switch with Miles, who was getting offered up for garbage relief. Ken Crum would offer up a late sac fly for another pointless run, but all of it was nowhere near enough to undo all the damage done onto Wolinsky in just four innings. 8-5 Thunder. Miles 3.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K and 1-1;

Game 2
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – RF Puckeridge – LF Crum – 1B J. Maldonado – 3B Crispin – CF Suzuki – C Gonzalez – P Wheatley
OCT: CF M. Allen – 2B Ban – 3B Soberanes – 1B Worthington – RF Benavides – LF Humphreys – C Burnham – SS Adame – P Lehman

Crum plated Lonzo with a groundout for a first-inning marker on the board, but the Thunder again flipped the score right away with four singles off Wheatley, two of them, including the first one by Mike Allen, and the last one by Juan Benavides that brought the go-ahead run home, not even reaching the infield dirt. And that was then the score for an extended period of time, 2-1 Thunder, while Wheats tried all the tricks he knew to keep the Thunder there, allowing three hits for no runs in the next four innings, but the offense continually hit the crapper for the Critters, twice with Wheatley ending the inning at the plate; with the bases loaded in the fourth, and with two on in the sixth, grounding out to Soberanes and Ban, respectively. Steve Humphreys walked in the bottom 6th, but was doubled off by Luke Burnham to end the inning, and there was not much left in Wheats’ tank either, needing 99 pitches to get through six innings against this tough-as-tungsten lineup. He departed after a leadoff single by ex-Coon Alex Adame, with Mike Harmon pinch-hitting for Lehman in the bottom 7th. Ponce replaced him, which only accelerated the mayhem. Harmon’s pop to short was dropped by Lonzo for an error, to which Ponce responded by nailing Allen, giving up an RBI single to Ban, and nailing Soberanes again, then with the bases already loaded. Hitchcock would replace him and get out of the inning, but … (looks like he could murder someone on the spot) … The Raccoons didn’t reach base again to lose the season series to Oklahoma City in just five games. 4-1 Thunder. Lavorano 2-4; J. Maldonado 2-4;

Game 3
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – CF Puckeridge – LF Crum – 1B J. Maldonado – RF Rivera – 3B Sivertson – C Jimenez – P de la Cruz
OCT: LF R. Cox – 2B Ban – 3B Soberanes – 1B Worthington – RF Benavides – CF M. Allen – C Burnham – SS Adame – P F. Alvarez

I was worried to death about what the Thunder blasters might do to our precious rookie Raffy, and for good reason. He couldn’t find the zone the first time through, walked three batters, and gave up a run on Burnham’s single to center in the second inning. The second time through, he did find the zone after all, giving up a 2-run homer to Ed Soberanes because he found it so good. Half that homer was unearned thanks to a Waters error, not that it was a big consolation for our top prospect, who would remain winless after five ABL starts. And I was quite sure on the winless part, because that would require us to score some runs, and through four innings in this game, the Raccoons didn’t do anything but shed the odd hair.

Top 5th, Mitch Sivertson got plunked by Alvarez to begin the inning. Jimenez shyly singled, Raffy bunted them over, and Waters worked an 8-pitch walk. Lonzo fell to 1-2, but striking out was beneath him. He grounded into a double play, 6-4-3, instead. De la Cruz offered two leadoff walks to Ban and Soberanes in the bottom 5th. Benavides singled home a run, 4-0, while Allen found a double play, as if it still mattered. Another two Thunder walked in the sixth, an inning Eloy Sencion had to find a way out of then. The pen did collapse after all the inning after, in which Mike Allen romped a 3-run homer off Lillis, although two runs were on Waldo, who retired nobody whatsoever. Lillis finished the game (well, the eighth inning), needing 46 pitches for six outs. 7-0 Thunder. Crum 2-3, BB;

In other news

June 17 – The Pacifics acquire SP Bubba Poss (5-5, 5.65 ERA) from the Loggers for a prospect.
June 18 – A partial tear in his UCL ends the season of PIT SP Brian Buttress (4-3, 3.21 ERA).
June 21 – BOS SS/3B Angel Montes de Oca (.278, 1 HR, 22 RBI) is done for the season after tearing his MCL.
June 21 – Blue Sox RF/LF Adam Magnussen (.224, 3 HR, 34 RBI) could be out for a month with a strained oblique.
June 22 – SFB SP Chih Ke (1-10, 5.79 ERA) is headed for Tommy John surgery with a torn UCL and is expected to miss a full year.
June 22 – INF/RF/LF Felix Marquez (.274, 1 HR, 24 RBI) is placed on the DL by the Cyclones and might miss a month with a hip strain.
June 25 – A torn back muscle could mean the end of the season for Capitals OF Nelson Galvan (.264, 2 HR, 16 RBI).

FL Player of the Week (11): DAL LF/CF Juan del Toro (.380, 5 HR, 21 RBI), slapping .500 (13-26) with 1 HR, 7 RBI
CL Player of the Week (11): TIJ 1B/OF/3B Gil Cabrera (.355, 0 HR, 29 RBI), poking .520 (13-25) with 8 RBI

FL Player of the Week (12): CIN INF Steve Diaz (.345, 5 HR, 33 RBI), batting .619 (13-21) with 1 HR, 5 RBI
CL Player of the Week (12): OCT 3B/SS/RF Ed Soberanes (.332, 15 HR, 57 RBI), socking .542 (13-24) with 3 HR, 8 RBI

Complaints and stuff

Despite the evisceration that was handed down by the Thunder on the weekend, the Raccoons held on to first place in the division, mostly because the Indians were also foundering. Mind that we’re the only two winning teams in the division, and everybody else is at least 6 1/2 games behind. The Elks are fifth, eight games behind. I have no explanation for that. But yeah, between us and the Indians it’s mostly about who can drown the slowest.

We need so many things to get the roster straightened out (oh yeah, -12 run differential again), because we’re missing … everything. Still last in runs scored, although our pen has worked its way up to the best relief ERA in the league. Everything else is crummy at best.

It’s trade season for sure, though. If we suddenly discovered that we’re serious about trying to win the division here, then we should start looking for reinforcements. And I already see an offensively and defensively very good+ former CL Player of the Year still under 30 that is trapped on a last-place team that I would fancy for us…! I can’t go into any details here, but we’re sure in agreement that staying put and then coming out just behind an 85-win Indians team would sugg.

No more off day to the All Star break. We’re in San Fran and New York to finish this homestand. We will host the Indians and Loggers in the final week before the break. The Arrowheads are our four-and-four partners, so that might yet end up interesting.

Fun Fact: Lonzo didn’t steal a base in the last ten games.

Well, he also only reached base safely ten times.

[Westheim]

Raccoons (41-34) @ Bayhawks (31-44) – June 26-28, 2051

After getting swept by the Thunder on the weekend, the Raccoons got to visit the last-place Bayhawks. However, last place here, last place there, nothing good had ever happened at the Bay. This was with the CL’s worst offense meeting the worst pitching, as the Baybirds had already given up over 400 runs and didn’t seem keen to stop it any time soon. Seventh in runs scored, they had a -93 run differential. The Coons had swept San Fran in the first meeting of the year.

Projected matchups:
Victor Salcido (2-4, 4.12 ERA) vs. Craig Czyszczon (3-6, 6.71 ERA)
Juan Mercado (2-4, 3.67 ERA) vs. Curt Muir (1-3, 10.07 ERA)
Bubba Wolinsky (9-5, 3.50 ERA) vs. Milt Cantrell (7-5, 2.96 ERA)

Only right-handers coming up here.

Game 1
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – CF Puckeridge – LF Crum – 1B J. Maldonado – RF Glodowski – 3B Crispin – C Gonzalez – P Salcido
SFB: CF M. Roberts – SS Dau – C S. Suggs – 3B R. Sifuentes – 1B Witherspoon – 2B Quiroz – LF Meyer – RF P. Colon – P Czyszczon

The Coons burst out with a big first inning, as Waters and Puckeridge doubled, Maldo singled home Pucks, and Matt Glodowski hit a huge homer to center. It wouldn’t be the game of Craig Czyszczon, who lumbered into the fourth, where the first four Critters all reached base and he was charged with another 3-spot, the end of which was overseen by Armando Colmenarez. Ruben Gonzalez was nicked. Victor Salcido singled with two strikes, and Waters also singled to load them up. Lonzo doubled home a pair on an 0-2 pitch, and Pucks added a sac fly, 7-0. Sam Witherspoon put the Bayhawks on the board in the bottom of the inning, hitting a 2-run homer, his 16th of the year, but that was the only blemish on Salcido, who allowed just two hits through five innings.

But he also pitched the sixth, and in the sixth, **** hit a big industrial fan once again and splattered it all over the ballpark. A Mike Roberts single, a walk to Todd Dau, and a first-pitch, RBI double for Sean Suggs, which sugged. Ramon Sifuentes made a weak out, but Witherspoon dished out more harm with a 2-run single, narrowing the score to 7-5.

Then there was Colmenarez, the former starter, that was still going in the seventh inning, but not with any outs going onto his ledger. He walked the 5-6-7 batters to give the Coons three on and no outs again. The Coons failed as usual, with Ruben Gonzalez grounding into a force at home. Oscar Rivera pinch-hit, found an out at second base, but a run scored. Rivera was then picked off first to kill the inning with Waters at the plate. But Maldo singled home Puckeridge with a single off Victor Mena in the eighth inning, while Paul Miles gave the Coons two innings on just 20 pitches after relieving Salcido. The Coons made it to double digits in the ninth inning; Ed Crispin hit a leadoff triple up the rightfield line, and Gonzalez singled him in. The bases slowly filled up after Miles bunted Gonzalez to second base, bringing up Ken Crum with three on and two outs. He was behind 1-2 against Carson Jarvinen, then flicked one over Adam Peltier’s head at short for a 2-run single. Maldo grounded out. Miles retired another three in order, however, completing the game. 12-5 Furballs! Waters 3-6, 2B; Lavorano 2-5, BB, 2B, 2 RBI; Puckeridge 4-4, BB, 2B, 2 RBI; Crum 2-4, 2 BB, 2 RBI; J. Maldonado 2-5, BB, 2 RBI; Crispin 2-4, BB, 3B; Miles 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K, SV (1);

Interlude: Trade

SFB C Sean Suggs (.306, 8 HR, 42 RBI) changed locker rooms before the game on Tuesday, being acquired by the Raccoons for a bundle of C Juan Jimenez (.263, 0 HR, 2 RBI) and four pitchers: MR Julian Ponce (2-0, 0.53 ERA), #37 prospect AA SP Duarte Damasceno, #125 prospect AA SP Miguel Batista, and A MR Alexis Bernal.

It was a steep price, but for a game-changer behind the dish. Suggs regularly put the hurt on the Raccoons (points at Monday game) and I was tired of that. He had been the CL Player of the Year at 25, and was still over a year removed from 30. His contract was quite luxurious, $3.44M annually through 2053, but nothing we couldn’t stem.

Besides, he was a switch-hitter, and Ruben Gonzalez wasn’t doing anything meriting excitement. The Coons had somehow stumbled into first place and I felt obligated to deal some prospects for offense. And it wasn’t like we didn’t have any young pitching left after that. There was still Phil Baker, there were still Brobeck and Hall, and also Carmen Argenziano, who hadn’t been talked about a lot since being taken in the second round in 2047.

The trade also resolved our four-lefty pinch in the bullpen. Mike Snyder was recalled to make up the numbers as fourth righty.

Raccoons (41-34) @ Bayhawks (31-44) – June 26-28, 2051

Game 2
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – LF Puckeridge – 1B Crum – C Suggs – RF Glodowski – 3B Crispin – CF Suzuki – P Mercado
SFB: SS Peltier – 1B Dau – CF M. Roberts – 3B R. Sifuentes – 2B Quiroz – LF R. Correa – C J. Jimenez – RF Meyer – P Muir

Matt Waters romped a leadoff double to right, then scored on two groundouts for a 1-0 lead in the first. The Bayhawks came right back, though, sending up everybody in the first inning. Peltier singled, Dau doubled, and after Roberts’ sac fly tied the game, Ramon Sifuentes crashed a monstrous homer, 3-1. The bases filled back up after that with two walks (one intentional) and a Juan Jimenez double (hey there), before Curt Muir struck out. Mercado wasn’t for long, fooled nobody, and was gone after four innings, giving up a 2-run double to Dau in the bottom 4th to make it 5-1, although Ed Crispin was just as much to blame, trying to get an out at second base on Muir’s bunt, and getting nobody with a poor throw. The Raccoons couldn’t get really untracked against Muir, who entered with a 10+ ERA. Lonzo hit a leadoff double and scored on two productive outs in the sixth, but in between the Coons had done absolutely nothing, and they resorted to that modus operandi right afterwards and for the rest of the game. 5-2 Bayhawks. Lavorano 2-4, 2B; Sivertson (PH) 1-1; Snyder 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K;

Suggs went 1-for-4 in his Coons debut.

Game 3
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – CF Puckeridge – LF Crum – C Suggs – 1B J. Maldonado – 3B Kaufman – RF Rivera – P Wolinsky
SFB: SS Peltier – 1B Dau – CF M. Roberts – 3B R. Sifuentes – 2B Quiroz – LF R. Correa – C J. Jimenez – RF P Colon – P Cantrell

Again Portland scored in the first; Lonzo singled, Pucks doubled, and Crum plated a run with a groundout. Suggs also grounded out, which sugged. The Bayhawks flipped it on a homer again in the bottom 2nd, when Pedro Colon took Wolinsky well deep with Ricky Correa on base. The Coons made up the difference in the first when Waters got on, stole a base by accident on a hit-and-run where Lonzo missed the hitting part, and eventually scored on a Pucks single, after which we remained at 2-2 all through the middle innings. Neither team hit a lot, and neither pitcher was very efficient, both taking almost 80 pitches through six innings.

The tie was broken with a surprise leadoff jack by Oscar Rivera in the seventh, hitting a 3-2 pitch over the fence in left to make it just that score. Wolinsky held out for another inning, after which Hitchcock retired the 2-3-4 in order in the eighth inning. The Coons drew walks off Julian Ponce in his first Bayhawks outing in the ninth, but Kaufman and Glodowski were left on base. Willie Cruz got the ball in the bottom 9th, Sergio Quiroz hit a leadoff double, and I got my doubts. But a soft pop from Correa, a weak grounder by Hugo Acosta, and then Pedro Colon’s first-pitch grounder to Pucks at first base ended the game after all, the tying run being stranded at third base. 3-2 Raccoons. Puckeridge 3-4, 2B, RBI; Wolinsky 7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, W (10-5);

Raccoons (43-35) @ Crusaders (37-42) – June 29-July 2, 2051

Third and final trip of the month to New York, this time for a set of four games. We were 5-3 behind in the season series, and the Crusaders were very average in runs scored and runs allowed, with an even run differential (Coons: -7). They had the power, second in bombs in the CL, while the pen was brittle, and defense suspect.

Projected matchups:
Jason Wheatley (10-2, 3.10 ERA) vs. Jim White (8-6, 3.96 ERA)
Rafael de la Cruz (0-2, 4.91 ERA) vs. Jeremy Baker (5-4, 3.30 ERA)
Victor Salcido (3-4, 4.35 ERA) vs. Carlos Malla (4-6, 4.32 ERA)
Juan Mercado (2-5, 4.25 ERA) vs. Will Cormack (1-2, 5.79 ERA)

Two southpaws in the middle of a righty sandwich in this series. Cormack was an injury replacement for veteran Jeff Johnson, and wasn’t doing so well so far. The Crusaders had quite a few lefty batters, so we’d probably soon long for that fourth lefty again… because I always need something to whine about.

Game 1
POR: 2B Waters – CF Puckeridge – LF Crum – C Suggs – 1B J. Maldonado – RF Glodowski – SS Kaufman – 3B Sivertson – P Wheatley
NYC: SS O. Sanchez – 2B Russ – LF D. Rivera – 3B Gates – CF Leal – C O. Ramirez – RF Arens – 1B Haertling – P J. White

Omar Sanchez walked, Andrew Russ (growls) singled, and a wild pitch moved both into scoring position with Danny Rivera at the dish when Wheats got his crap together and struck out the middle of the order to keep the Crusaders off the board. The Crusaders would get more leadoff singles in the second and third innings, didn’t score there, either, while the Coons had their first 11 batters sat down in order by Jim White before Ken Crum finally hit a single in the top 4th, and Suggs popped out. Wheats allowed ANOTHER leadoff single in the bottom 4th, then four more singles to fall 3-0 behind. Ron Arens, Omar Sanchez, and Russ singled home the runs. All in all, Wheatley was hit around for ten knocks, all singles, in just five innings, after which the Crusaders were done with him, having seen 105 pitches.

Lonzo singled for Wheats to begin the top 6th, and Waters then immediately rushed a jack to right to cut the gap to 3-2, but the next three were all retired. It took until Waters’ next at-bat to get another runner into scoring position. It was the tying run thanks to scoreless innings by Waldo and Sencion, and it reached there on Waters’ 1-out double off White to right. Pucks singled him home on a 2-2, evening the score at 3-3, and thus taking Wheatley off the hook. That was as far as the Coons got, though, offensively and defensively. No further score could be put together, while Hitchcock allowed the leadoff man Russ to reach on an infield single in the bottom 9th. Lillis was brought in for Rivera, which worked splendidly well for New York as Rivera ended the game with a no-doubt blast to right. 5-3 Crusaders. Waters 2-4, HR, 2B, 2 RBI; Lavorano (PH) 1-1;

Suggs so far: 2-for-12, no RBI.

I’m calm.

Game 2
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – LF Crum – 1B J. Maldonado – CF Puckeridge – RF Glodowski – C Gonzalez – 3B Kaufman – P de la Cruz
NYC: SS O. Sanchez – 2B Russ – LF D. Rivera – 3B Gates – C A. Lara – CF Leal – RF Garris – 1B Haertling – P J. Baker

Facing seven left-handed batters wasn’t something that helped foundering rookie Rafael de la Cruz, who all the heaps and amounts of advance praise didn’t help any when he loaded the bags in the bottom 2nd with the 6-7-8 batters on a single by Pedro Leal and walks to Josh Garris and Ed Haertling. Jeremy Baker singled home a run up the middle then, another run scored on a double play grounder by Sanchez, and the third on a wild pitch by de la Cruz, who saw his ERA rising and my head sinking. It didn’t get much better, either. New York had a pair on in the bottom 3rd, but only scored again on a Rivera homer in the fifth, 4-0 on a Raccoons team that continued to refuse to hit. De la Cruz was dragged through six by the defense, and Snyder and Lillis offered two innings of scoreless relief, but Baker pitched a shutout into the eighth before being replaced by Taylor Stabile. Waters drew a leadoff walk in the ninth, but was still on first with two outs. Maldo singled to center, sending Waters to third and Stabile off the mound. Melvin Lucero came in to tie the Coons down, getting Pucks with a fly to left on three pitches. 4-0 Crusaders. Puckeridge 2-4;

We were still in first place, but by only half a game and that had required a 6-run rally in the ninth by the Loggers to beat the Indians 7-4 on Friday, and the Crusaders and Titans were now also closing in on the dismal pair at the top of the North.

Offense, boys! Offense…! (pleads on his knees)

Game 3
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – LF Crum – C Suggs – 1B J. Maldonado – RF Rivera – 3B Kaufman – CF Suzuki – P Salcido
NYC: SS O. Sanchez – 2B Russ – LF D. Rivera – 3B Gates – C A. Lara – CF Leal – RF Garris – 1B Haertling – P Malla

Game three ended in the first inning on a 3-run homer by Prince Gates, the fourth of four batters that Salcido got behind against in the count. Sanchez walked, Russ singled, and Gates sent one flying for 420 feet. The two leadoff batters reached again in the bottom 2nd, with Sanchez’ groundout bringing in a fourth run, while the Coons’ first dozen batters was retired in this particular display of sadness. Sean Suggs then singled to open the fifth, and out of the blue Maldo hit a jack to cut the gap in half. Kaufman and even Salcido then reached base in the same inning with a walk and 2-out single, but Waters flew out to center to keep the tying runs stranded.

…and as awful as the first few innings for Salcido were, he finally caught himself in the middle innings and pitched until there were two outs in the seventh. Sencion came on with Rivera batting, Dave Hernandez on third base, and two outs, stranded the runner and also pitched the eighth, all to keep it at 4-2 for a team that could hardly score two runs in a full game, let alone in an inning… But the middle of the order was up against lefty Neal Hamann in the ninth, so maybe… Crum struck out. Suggs grounded out. Maldo flew out. 4-2 Crusaders. J. Maldonado 2-4, HR, 2 RBI;

Still up by half a game.

Still despaired, though.

Game 4
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – LF Puckeridge – C Suggs – 1B J. Maldonado – RF Glodowski – 3B Crispin – CF Suzuki – P Mercado
NYC: SS O. Sanchez – 2B Russ – LF D. Rivera – 3B Gates – C Leal – 1B D. Hernandez – C O. Ramirez – CF Mills – P Cormack

Lonzo’s first homer of the year opened the scoring in the second half of the season after Waters had already singled, so it even counted for two! Sanchez then singled right away for New York, but was doubled up by Russ, which was a rare-enough event to evoke a semi-lewd dance from me in the corporate suite. Sanchez hit another single with two outs in the third, but Russ again found a middle infield to calmly ground out to. The Coons tacked on in the fourth when Maldo singled and Glodowski hit a long RBI double into the gap, 3-0. Crispin whiffed, Suzuki was turned down, and Mercado popped out to end the inning after that. Maldo scored another run in the sixth, being singled home with two outs by Ed Crispin this time.

And Mercado looked quite solid through five; he allowed five hits, but nothing too hard, walked none and struck out three, while throwing only 56 pitches. He gave up standard-sized singles to Rivera with one out in the sixth and Omar Ramirez in the seventh, none of which led to New York runs. Bottom 8th, though, Omar Sanchez drew a leadoff walk. Russ floated out to left, but that brought up the near-unretireable Rivera, hitting .281 with 17 homers. He was a left-handed hitter though, so that should be something Mercado should figure out eventually. After a pep talk on the mound he gave up a fly to deep center, but nothing that would give Suzuki headaches. Prince Gates grounded out to end the eighth, and Mercado was not hit for in the ninth inning, but Matt Waters hit a solo homer with two gone to stretch the score to 5-0. Ken Crum replaced Maldo for defense in the bottom 9th, with the 5-6-7 due, and Mercado entering on 93 pitches. Pedro Leal ran a full count, then flew out easily to Pucks on pitch #99. Singles by Dave Hernandez and Omar Ramirez were not exactly up to plan. Next up and not hit for was the .219 hitter Ken Mills (who was a Coon for a bit during the ring years). Mercado faced him, got a strikeout on four pitches, but when Art Bent came out to bat for the pitcher, the Raccoons pulled the plug on the rookie and brought in Cruz. He got an easy fly out to Glodowski to at least get ONE win in New York. 5-0 Raccoons. Waters 2-5, HR, RBI; Lavorano 2-5, HR, 2 RBI; J. Maldonado 2-4, 2B; Mercado 8.2 IP, 9 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K, W (3-5);

In other news

June 27 – DEN SP Dave Hils (5-8, 4.19 ERA) fires a 3-hit shutout against the Rebels, whiffing seven in a 10-0 rout. All runs are scored in the third inning.
June 28 – The Stars beat the Buffaloes, 5-4 in 15 innings. Both teams scored a run in the 14th inning, but only Dallas can put a run together in the 15th.
June 29 – RIC 2B/SS Lance Harrison (.323, 11 HR, 44 RBI) hits a homer for a 1-0 win over the Buffaloes.
July 1 – SFB SP Israel Mendoza (5-6, 4.19 ERA) claims a 2-hit shutout in a 6-0 win over the Condors.
July 1 – Aces CF Brent Cramer (.280, 6 HR, 29 RBI) might miss three weeks once again with wrist tendinitis.
July 2 – IND SP Tan Brink (11-5, 3.28 ERA) is expected to miss two months with a tear in his triceps.
July 2 – The Cyclones acquire OF Felix Rojas (.306, 1 HR, 14 RBI) from the Aces for two prospects.

FL Player of the Week: TOP 2B/SS Tony Aparicio (.329, 8 HR, 45 RBI), hitting .444 (12-27) with 2 HR, 6 RBI
CL Player of the Week: MIL RF/LF/1B Chris Lowe (.339, 3 HR, 34 RBI), batting .560 (14-25) with 1 HR, 5 RBI

FL Hitter of the Month: DAL RF/LF/1B Dario Martinez (.320, 20 HR, 62 RBI), socking .378 with 12 HR, 32 RBI
CL Hitter of the Month: OCT 3B/SS/RF Ed Soberanes (.331, 17 HR, 66 RBI), slapping .440 with 7 HR, 25 RBI
FL Pitcher of the Month: PIT SP Kevin Nolte (11-5, 3.35 ERA), hurling to a 5-0 record with 1.86 ERA, 30 K
CL Pitcher of the Month: NYC SP Jeremy Baker (6-4, 3.03 ERA), throwing for a 4-0 mark with 1.70 ERA, 29 K
FL Rookie of the Month: SAC RF/LF Jamie Harmon (.287, 7 HR, 18 RBI), all of that in the month of June
CL Rookie of the Month: SFB INF/LF/RF Adam Peltier (.285, 2 HR, 29 RBI), hitting .333 with 1 HR, 16 RBI

Complaints and stuff

Sean Suggs as a Raccoon? 3-for-20, no RBI, no nothing.

I’m calm.

We are still last in runs scored, 314 in 82 games, which is barely over 3.8 per game. The Condors are 11th, just two runs ahead, which is hardly consoling. Apart from that, the North has four of the five teams with the lowest runs totals in the CL (the bottom three in the division joining in), so maybe that makes it easier to wiggle through with semi-decent pitching? I don’t know. Should we actually rumble through into the CLCS, the Thunder could play with their pants down and still sweep us.

Cristiano, why are you sweating?

The international free agent pool opened on Saturday, and it’s a bit of a disappointment this year. Nothing to get worked up about this year. We might spend six figures in total on a few longshots, but it’s nothing that will keep you up at night for years only to then start its career at 0-3 with a 5.09 ERA…

The next 11 games will see eight against the Arrowheads, with us only half a game apart for first place. With the way things are going, I don’t predict us leading the division by the middle of July. Maybe New York!

Fun Fact: The Falcons have allowed the fewest runs in the league in the first half.

They have given away just 268 runs in 82 games, which is under 3.3 runs per game. The remarkable thing is that we are 4-2 against them, and have scored 25 runs in the six games played.

Sometimes, baseball just doesn’t make any sense.

[Westheim]

Raccoons (44-38) vs. Indians (43-38) – July 3-6, 2051

Fourth in runs scored and sixth in runs allowed, the Indians were a bit of a ho-hum contender with a +18 run differential, and without getting too much into the Coons’ failures to score a measurable amount of runs, these two teams were half a game apart with eight to play over the next two weeks. The first four would take place in Coon City, and so far we had a 3-1 edge against the Arrowheads this year, all with both the Crusaders and Titans 4 1/2 games back.

Projected matchups:
Bubba Wolinsky (10-5, 3.43 ERA) vs. Martino Barbiusa (3-1, 2.68 ERA)
Jason Wheatley (10-2, 3.20 ERA) vs. Enrique Ortiz (7-1, 3.53 ERA)
Rafael de la Cruz (0-3, 5.09 ERA) vs. Alfredo Llamas (8-8, 3.52 ERA)
Victor Salcido (3-5, 4.42 ERA) vs. Bill Quinn (4-9, 4.92 ERA)

Only righty opposition to come up here, but without ace Tan Brink, who was off to the DL. Barbiusa was a replacement in the rotation and would make his second ABL start as a third-year pitcher.

Game 1
IND: 2B R. White – SS de Castro – 3B B. Anderson – RF B. Quinteros – C M. Gilmore – CF Locke – LF Hare – 1B Brayboy – P Barbiusa
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – CF Puckeridge – LF Crum – C Suggs – 1B J. Maldonado – RF Rivera – 3B Crispin – P Wolinsky

Waters doubled and Pucks homered to right for a quick 2-0 start in the first inning, and he enjoyed that roundtrip so much that he hit another one into almost the same spot his next time up, although that was only a solo deed. Nevertheless, through three innings it was Pucks 3, Indians zilch. Bubba Wolinsky the first time through drilled Mark Gilmore, but then struck out the next four, and retired another five straight after that until walking Philip Locke to begin the fifth inning; Aaron Brayboy would hit into a double play to erase that runner, however, which filled me with giddy.

So the penalty for that came fast, with Rusty White and Bobby Anderson dishing sharp singles in the sixth, the latter driving home the former, who had also stolen second base on an 0-2 pitch. Those were the last two hits of just three total that Wolinsky gave up in the game, pitching seven nice innings. The Raccoons were also held to three base hits before the stretch, but got another one in the bottom 7th, a 1-out triple by Jesus Maldonado. The baseball gods, however, decided that a Maldo triple was joy enough for one inning, and a whiff by Rivera and a Crispin groundout stranded the runner… Lonzo doubled in the eighth, but that led to just as much effective offense. The Coons got a scoreless frame from Waldo, then went to Willie Cruz in the ninth. Of his first four tosses, two were hit for singles by Bill Quinteros and Mike Gilmore, and one was a wild one in between. Tying runs on the corners, nobody out, great… Locke hit a sac fly, and after Josh Hare walked, Aaron Brayboy catapulted a homer to right to flip the score. Cruz was yanked, and would probably not close again any time soon. Eloy Sencion collected the last few outs in the top 9th, but the Raccoons had no juice left for a counterattack in the bottom of the inning. 5-3 Indians. Puckeridge 2-4, 2 HR, 3 RBI; Wolinsky 7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K;

The Indians sent SP Bill Quinn, Thursday’s scheduled starter, to the Pacifics on Tuesday, so I guess… Maud, he won’t start on Thursday then, huh?

Maud says no.

Game 2
IND: LF Kokel – SS de Castro – RF B. Quinteros – 3B B. Anderson – 2B R. White – C Poindexter – CF A. Mendez – 1B Brayboy – P E. Ortiz
POR: 2B Waters – RF Glodowski – CF Puckeridge – LF Crum – 1B J. Maldonado – C Gonzalez – SS Sivertson – 3B Crispin – P Wheatley

Tuesday started with a loud jack by Chaz Kokel to left-center, after which Wheats struck out three against an Angel Mendez single in his first run through the order. Kokel reached again, though, in the third inning, then on an error by Mitch Sivertson, who gave Lonzo a day off. Alex de Castro and Quinteros hit singles past either side of Sivertson to load the bases, but Bobby Anderson found the shortstop finally for a 6-4-3 double play that ended the inning. The Coons, first time through, had a Pucks walk and stolen base, and absolutely nothing else, but in the bottom 3rd the 1-2-3 all reached base with a Waters single and two walks… but also with two outs. Ken Crum stepped up, and easily floated one out to Kokel on the 1-0 pitch. Wheats tried his very best to keep the Indians in place, which worked well enough in the next few innings, and then Pucks and Crum took the corners with 2-out singles in the bottom 5th, this time pulling up Maldo. He ran the count full, then swung and missed on a 3-2.

The Indians didn’t have anything in the next two innings, but Wheats was at 111 pitches through seven innings and would not come back afterwards. It was still a 1-0 game, however, and Waters, Glodowski, and Pucks went down in order in the bottom 7th. Waldo and Lillis held the Indians short in the top 8th, and then Ortiz had a slip in the bottom of the inning. Ken Crum legged out an infield single to put the leadoff hairy bum on base, and then Maldo found the gap for a double; that put the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position, and three grounders to third base by Gonzalez, Sivertson, and Lonzo stranded them right ******* there. Bottom 9th, Sean Suggs pinch-hit for Lillis to begin the inning, but grounded out to third (bites lip). Waters popped out. Glodowski flew out to right. 1-0 Indians. Crum 2-4; Crispin 0-1, 2 BB; Wheatley 7.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 K, L (10-3);

For the Wednesday game, the Indians sent in right-handed Bill Nichol (4-7, 5.68 ERA, 10 SV). The veteran starter had earlier lost his spot in the rotation and had made 18 appearances in late innings.

Game 3
IND: CF Ragen – SS de Castro – RF B. Quinteros – 3B B. Anderson – 2B R. White – C Poindexter – LF Kokel – 1B Brayboy – P Nichol
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – 1B Puckeridge – LF Crum – C Suggs – CF Suzuki – RF Glodowski – 3B Kaufman – P de la Cruz

Raffy de la Cruz scattered runners galore early on, offering three hits and three walks, but no runs in three innings, but also struck out four, and then hit a 1-out single in the bottom 3rd for the first base hit of his career. Waters moved him up with a grounder and he scored the game’s first goal on a Lonzo single to center. The Coons scratched out another one in the fourth, then with a Crum single and stolen base, and another RBI single to center by Mikio Suzuki. De la Cruz grabbed the lead and ran with it, not allowing another base runner until de Castro hit a 2-out single in the seventh, and de Castro was caught stealing on the first pitch to Quinteros, bringing about the seventh inning stretch. It was the last out for de la Cruz, who might come back to face at least a few more batters in the eighth, but was lifted when Brian Kaufman reached with a 2-out single against Nichol. Oscar Rivera singled for de la Cruz, and Waters reached on an error by Rusty White to fill the bases. Lonzo hit a high fly to left, but Chaz Kokel pulled it down at the edge of the warning track.

For the eighth, Eloy Sencion walked Anderson, but got a double play from Rusty White, while Crum and Maldo moved into scoring position with one out in the bottom half on a walk and double issued by Nichol. Suzuki’s sac fly was as good as it got, and then we went to Kevin Hitchcock for his first regularly scheduled save chance. He erased the 6-7-8 batters on just nine pitches as if to ask why the move hadn’t been made sooner. 3-0 Coons. Crum 1-2, 2 BB; J. Maldonado (PH) 1-1; Rivera (PH) 1-1; de la Cruz 7.0 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 5 K, W (1-3) and 1-2;

Raffyyyyyy…!! (dances around the office until freezing with stinging back pain, getting a ride back to the trusty brown couch on Cristiano’s lap)

Game 4
IND: LF Kokel – CF A. Mendez – RF B. Quinteros – 3B B. Anderson – 2B R. White – C Poindexter – SS E. Ortiz – 1B Brayboy – P Llamas
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – RF Puckeridge – LF Crum – 1B J. Maldonado – C Suggs – CF Suzuki – 3B Sivertson – P Salcido

Offense remained at a premium, depressingly, while Lonzo’s sac fly plated Sivertson in the bottom 3rd to get on the board… after Sean Suggs had found Crum and Maldo on base in the bottom 2nd and had spanked into a double play, 6-4-3, which sugged. When Suggs actually singled back-to-back with Maldo in the fourth, Suzuki was up to the task to hit into a double play, which sugged just the same. Salcido meanwhile kept runners to a minimum; Angel Mendez singled to begin the fourth, but was caught stealing, but in the fifth something derailed again for him. He walked Manny Poindexter with one out, nailed Edwin Ortiz… and also the opposing pitcher with two outs. A mound conference, as long as the umpires would allow it, followed and Salcido had some sense kicked back into him by the pitching coach, whiffing Kokel to leave the field with the bases loaded. Mendez and Anderson were stranded in the sixth, and the Coons had the bags full in the bottom of that frame after Crum hit a single that barely reached the outfield, followed by Suggs and Suzuki singling without even reaching the infield dirt – both of them. Three on, two outs for Sivertson, who was unretired in the game, but turned the first pitch he got from Llamas over to Anderson to kill the inning.

Like all the starters before him in this series, Salcido lasted seven innings exactly, partly because it was still a 1-0 game and his spot opened the bottom 7th. Glodowski batted for him, but the Coons went in order, after which Willie Cruz blew another game, giving up a leadoff single to Mendez and an RBI single to Anderson after Quinteros’ in-between groundout. He was yanked for Sencion, who was met with the pinch-hitting Gilmore and was taken deep to left on a 3-2 pitch, then had another three hits rapped off him by the 6-7-8 batters for a fourth run. Mike Snyder got the last out of the inning from Kokel, after which Portland chased Llamas with help from Rusty White, who put Maldo on base with a 2-out error. Suggs doubled home the runner, and Suzuki was hit by a pitch. Ruben Gonzalez batted for Sivertson – but struck out, stranding the tying runs. (sigh!) There was another flick of the tail in the ninth inning, however. Waters reached base with one out, then was forced out by Lonzo, but when Pucks singled to right against lefty Heath Turner, the tying runs were on again for Ken Crum. He drove an 0-1 pitch into the gap in left-center… but Kokel was there to snatch it on the run…… 4-2 Indians. Waters 2-5; Crum 2-5; Suggs 3-4, 2B, RBI; Sivertson 1-2, BB; Salcido 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K;

Raccoons (45-41) vs. Loggers (33-50) – July 7-9, 2051

The three-game set against the last-place Loggers was the last hurrah before the All Star Game, which would probably be a full three days off for the entire team. Milwaukee sat seventh in runs scored, tenth in runs allowed, and had a -79 run differential going. We led them 6-2 for the year.

Projected matchups:
Juan Mercado (3-5, 3.65 ERA) vs. Noah Hollis (4-12, 6.07 ERA)
Bubba Wolinsky (10-5, 3.29 ERA) vs. John Morrill (3-7, 4.66 ERA)
Jason Wheatley (10-3, 3.09 ERA) vs. Angelo Munoz (5-8, 5.28 ERA)

Only right-handers in this set, again. The Loggers were without regular Nick Jackson, backup infielder John Wieczorek, and rookie wonder Gaudencio Callaia, all on the DL.

Wheatley was at least a candidate for the All Star Game – we’d try and have Paul Miles available as spot starter on Sunday. Should he have to be used up ahead of time, a roster move for an AAA starter was also possible.

Game 1
MIL: 1B E. Hernandez – RF McIntyre – SS Z. Suggs – 2B R. Lopez – C C. Thomas – CF Shepard – LF Sayre – 3B Barrington – P Hollis
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – RF Puckeridge – LF Crum – 1B J. Maldonado – C S. Suggs – CF Suzuki – 3B Sivertson – P Mercado

Chris Thomas singled, Marquis Shepard singled, Craig Sayre singled, and Ernesto Hernandez singled, as the Loggers scored three runs in the second inning for an insurmountable advantage on the feckless Critters. It was depressing. I reached for the Capt’n Coma. But the team scratched; Maldo doubled and was driven in by Suzuki with a single in the bottom 2nd, and Ken Crum fired a solo homer in the third, narrowing the gap to 3-2. Sean Suggs then socked a leadoff double to right in the fourth, moved up on a grounder by Suzuki, and went for home when Sivertson flew out to Craig Sayre – but was thrown out at the plate.

Credit to Mercado – he struggled on and bit his way through the innings. It wasn’t pretty, he wasn’t dominant, but he kept feeding balls to the defenders at least, and kept the Critters in the game. When Pucks opened the bottom 6th with a single and stole second, the tying run was in scoring position again. Crum walked, and the very next pitch Maldo rammed through Jack Barrington and up the line for an RBI double, tying the game, and with two more in scoring position with nobody out. The Loggers passed on the chance to face Sean Suggs, 4-for-6 with his first Coons RBI between this game and Thursday’s, and maybe finally defrosting. Three on, no outs for Suzuki then, who swished away at the first pitch and snuck it through between Zach Suggs and Ricky Lopez for a 4-3 lead. Sivertson hit a sac fly to Will McIntyre, while Mercado grounded out and Waters was walked intentionally to get to Lonzo. The young shortstop fell to 0-2, then ripped a ball to center. Marquis Shephard ambled under it, dropped the ball, and two runs scored, with Waters stumbling around third base and having to scramble back to it. Pucks whiffed, but five runs had scored and the Coons led by a slam.

Mercado didn’t manage seven, but got two thirds of the way there, but conceded another run to Chris Lowe, who drew a leadoff walk, stole two bases, and scored on a sac fly by McIntyre. Waldo put two more on when he replaced him, only getting Thomas as the tying run on a groundout to Waters… Pucks was up again with the bases loaded in the bottom 8th after Gonzalez, Waters, and Lonzo all got aboard with one out. Sean Yates lost him in a full count, pushing in a run. The same happened with Ken Crum, but Maldo lined out to Zach Suggs. Oscar Rivera pinch-hit and drew another bases-loaded walk, also in a full count, which finally ended Yates’ horror outing, with Kyle Buemi in to get the final out from the Coons. Maybe. At some point. Suzuki, Sivertson, Gonzalez ALL drew bases-loaded walks against him! Waters finally struck out. 13-4 Raccoons! Lavorano 2-5; J. Maldonado 2-5, 2 2B, RBI; Suggs 2-3, BB, 2B; Suzuki 2-4, BB, 3 RBI; Gonzalez 1-1, BB, 2B, RBI;

Great. That was all runs for the weekend… this AND next weekend.

Game 2
MIL: CF de Lemos – RF McIntyre – SS Z. Suggs – 2B R. Lopez – C C. Thomas – LF C. Lowe – 1B E. Hernandez – 3B Barrington – P Morrill
POR: SS Lavorano – CF Puckeridge – LF Crum – 1B J. Maldonado – C S. Suggs – RF Glodowski – 2B Sivertson – 3B Kaufman – P Wolinsky

While only Ricky Lopez reached for Milwaukee the first time through, the Coons went up 1-0 in the first when Pucks singled, stole second, reached third on Thomas’ throw getting away from Lopez, and then came home on a Maldo sac fly after Crum drew a 1-out walk. There was not a lot more offense from the Critters early on and instead a walk to Zach Suggs and a double by Thomas over the head of Puckeridge with two outs in the fourth ended up tying the game. Wolinsky was otherwise pretty strong though, whiffing seven Loggers in four innings. The fifth began with a walk to Ernesto Hernandez and a Barrington single to center, but then Morrill failed to bunt, striking out eventually, and two poor outs by Dave de Lemos and McIntyre killed the inning for good. Bottom 5th, then, and Sivertson and Kaufman led off with singles. Now Wolinsky failed to get the bunt down, and at 0-2 was asked to stop and swing, which also amounted to a strikeout before long. Lonzo then found a double play, and I found another gray hair in my fur.

Morrill landed a hit in the seventh, the fourth and final off Wolinsky, but also pulled a hamstring and had to leave the game for righty Chris Kaye. The bottom 7th didn’t lead anywhere nice, while the eighth saw Lonzo reach base, steal TWO bases, and get stranded. The Loggers efficiently mixed intentional walks to Crum and Suggs with poor outs by everybody else that stepped up to keep the game tied; Glodowski grounded out to Barrington to strand everybody and their granny. Cruz and Hitchcock kept the game tied in the eighth and ninth, respectively, while the Coons only had the bottom of the order up in the ninth against Sean Yates – but that was with Matt Waters having a day off on the bench and still being available. Sivertson snuck a leadoff single by Ricky Lopez, then was bunted on by Kaufman. Waters batted for Hitchcock, but got another intentional walk, then was forced out on Lonzo’s grounder to short. Pucks for the win – but he fell to two strikes… then hit a bouncer to the right side. Lopez reached, dove, missed it, and the Coons walked off…! 2-1 Blighters! Lavorano 2-5; Puckeridge 2-5, RBI; Crum 0-1, 3 BB; Sivertson 2-4; Wolinsky 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K;

Like I said…

Meanwhile, Wheats was NOT nominated to the All Star Game, and thus started on Sunday as scheduled.

Game 3
MIL: CF de Lemos – RF McIntyre – SS Z. Suggs – C C. Thomas – LF C. Lowe – 1B E. Hernandez – 2B Peter – 3B Barrington – P A. Munoz
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – LF Puckeridge – 1B Crum – C Gonzalez – CF Suzuki – RF Glodowski – 3B Kaufman – P Wheatley

Dave de Lemos remained stranded after a leadoff double to begin the game, but Wheats then again fell behind on a solo homer, this time a Chris Lowe blast in the second inning. Chris Thomas added another homer in the fourth, making it 2-0 after the Raccoons had four singles in the first three innings, with Waters getting caught stealing and two bums that better remain unnamed hit into a double plays. Bottom 5th, Suzuki with the leadoff single and Glodowski reached on a Zach Suggs error on a hustle in on what could have been an infield single anyway, and then the next three made one big croak once again, stranding the runners in scoring position. Pucks reached with a single in the sixth and was ignored, and Wheats finished seven innings once again, but also once again in a trailing position with his team too ******* inept to do ******* anything. Miles and Gonzalez chimed in with ineptitude in the eighth. Zach Suggs reached with a leadoff single and moved around on two productive outs before Miles had Hernandez struck out to end the inning – except that Gonzalez booted the ball and allowed Hernandez to reach and Suggs to score, 3-0. A pinch-hit single by Crispin to begin the eighth for Portland led to just as many runs as anything else. Jeremy Mayhall was in for the ninth inning, which began with Crum, who drew a walk against his former teammate on the Baybirds. Maldo batted for a listless Gonzalez and listlessly hit into a double play, and then Suzuki walked again. Glodowski flew out to right to end the game. 3-0 Loggers. Suzuki 2-3, BB; Crispin (PH) 1-1; Wheatley 7.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, L (10-4) and 1-2;

In other news

July 3 – Miners 3B/SS/LF/CF Anton Venegas (.317, 2 HR, 36 RBI) will be on the shelf for three months with a broken leg.
July 4 – Thunder 1B David Worthington (.332, 17 HR, 71 RBI) could miss the rest of the month after suffering a bruised wrist.
July 5 – It’s 2,000 base hits for OCT C Jesus Adames (.276, 8 HR, 55 RBI). The 34-year-old goes 2-for-5 in a 12-8 win over the Bayhawks, with the milestone poignantly marked with a (wholly unearned) 3-run homer off Julian Ponce (2-0, 0.50 ERA). The career Thunder Adames is in his 15th season, hitting .302/.383/.468 with 250 HR and 1,025 RBI, and won three Player of the Year awards in the 2040s.
July 6 – The Stars acquire SP Manny Vasquez (5-7, 5.00 ERA) from the Wolves, parting with #66 prospect C Chris Maresh.
July 6 – Oklahoma City’s Ryan Cox (.289, 12 HR, 39 RBI) hits a home run for the only score in a 1-0 win over the Bayhawks.
July 8 – It takes 11 innings, a double by TIJ 1B/C Jon Mittleider (.304, 5 HR, 33 RBI) and a sac fly for INF Nathan Whitehurst (.299, 5 HR, 45 RBI) to celebrate a 1-0 walkoff against the Thunder.
July 9 – In the final game before the All Star break, Denver outfielder Tylor Cecil (.328, 13 HR, 50 RBI) lands two hits in a 5-2 win over the Warriors to also reach 2,000 for his career. The 32-year-old hits an RBI double off Jayden Woods (1-2, 5.33 ERA) to reach the milestone. The 3-time Player of the Year in the FL has been hitting .314/.373/.515 with 220 HR and 1,225 RBI for his 12-year career.

FL Player of the Week: CIN OF Chad Williams (.353, 13 HR, 57 RBI), hitting .536 (15-28) with 1 HR, 3 RBI
CL Player of the Week: CHA 3B/RF Randy Wilken (.231, 15 HR, 54 RBI), swatting .444 (12-27) with 4 HR, 8 RBI

Complaints and stuff

The only Raccoons All Star? Sean Suggs, who’s certainly not nominated for anything he’s done in brown. Do we even count him? He should be a Bayhawks All Star. He hit .306 with 8 HR and 42 RBI for them, and (in about 15% of the at-bats he got for them) .237 with 1 RBI for us.

Did we even deserve an All Star? Maybe Pucks. Maybe Wheats. Maybe Hitchcock.

That’s three maybes on a team that’s somehow in first place at the All Star Game, five games over .500 and five runs under .500…

Do we want to make more trades to try and make a run for it? I am hesitant.

After the break, we will be in Indy for the backside of the four-and-four, which will only be the first stage of a 3-city road trip to Elk City and Atlanta on the rear end of it.

Fun Fact: The Thunder lead the CL in All Stars with six, but the Gold Sox have seven in the FL.

Gary Perrone, Brian Shan (!?), Blake Mickle, Ivan Villa, Rick Price, Sandy Castillo, and Tylor Cecil that would be for Denver. That offense.

Meanwhile, the Miners, for all the millions blasted in the offseason, have two pitchers on the All Star team, but at least they have now rallied to first place in their division, being 25-10 since the start of June.

[Westheim]

All Star Game

The Continental League routed the Federal League (or the Thunder routed the Miners?) in the annual All Star Game, 11-2. Thunder Jonathan Ban was named MVP with four hits and two RBI while the only home run was hit by Denver’s Ivan Villa.

Portland’s Sean Suggs starts as the CL catcher, but goes 0-for-3 before being replaced by Thunder Jesus Adames, who lands two hits and an RBI.

Raccoons (47-42) @ Indians (46-42) – July 13-16, 2051

One week no see; there were four more to play with the Indians after losing three of four last week at home. They had been swept on the weekend by the Elks, which had allowed the Critters to sneak back into first place in the first place, and were now chasing again. Fifth in offense, seventh in defense, which didn’t sound like a playoff team, but here *we* are… The season series was even at four.

Projected matchups:
Rafael de la Cruz (1-3, 4.25 ERA) vs. Alfredo Llamas (9-8, 3.36 ERA)
Bubba Wolinsky (10-5, 3.17 ERA) vs. Enrique Ortiz (8-1, 3.41 ERA)
Jason Wheatley (10-4, 3.06 ERA) vs. Martino Barbiusa (4-1, 3.00 ERA)
Victor Salcido (3-5, 4.12 ERA) vs. Bill Nichol (4-8, 5.45 ERA)

Only right-handed pitchers to see here for Indy, but they also shed a lot of personnel in the week between 4-game sets. Tan Brink, Juan Arguello, and Chris Edwards were still on the DL from last week, but since then Aaron Brayboy and Bobby Anderson had also hit the bed with back and oblique woes, respectively.

The Coons made a roster move, resolving the redundancy between Matt Glodowski and Oscar Rivera (.215, 3 HR, 12 RBI) by sending the latter back to AAA. Ever useless Roberto Medina, hitting .286 with five homers for the Alley Cats, was brought back up once more, mostly because he was a switch-hitter and every other halfway sensible option in AAA was right-handed.

Game 1
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – RF Puckeridge – LF Crum – 1B J. Maldonado – C Suggs – CF Suzuki – 3B Crispin – P de la Cruz
IND: SS de Castro – 3B A. Mendez – RF B. Quinteros – 2B R. White – C Poindexter – CF Locke – LF Hare – 1B Ed. Ortiz – P Llamas

Raffy nipped his first career RBI in the second inning, doubling past Philip Locke to chase home Sean Suggs with the game’s first run, and only run in the top 2nd, as Matt Waters ended the inning with a K. Top 3rd, Pucks and Crum took to the corners with a pair of 1-out singles to right, but Maldo popped out to first and Suggs flew out to center, which sugged. The Coons didn’t score in the fourth inning either, which wasn’t surprising with no base hits, but Llamas walked all of Suzuki, Waters, and Lonzo before Puckeridge floated out to Josh Hare and leave everybody on base. Meanwhile, de la Cruz made a habit out of putting the leadoff man on; between the five hits he allowed through five innings, three came to begin an inning – but they were all stranded, although f.e. in the bottom 4th the Indians put a pair in scoring position with one out through Bill Quinteros and Manny Poindexter singles. A wild pitch advanced them, but Maldo snagged a liner by Philip Locke and Josh Hare struck out looking. Rusty White singled with one gone in the bottom 6th, but was then caught stealing by Suggs. Edwin Ortiz found the hole on the right side in the seventh, but was then doubled up 4-6-3 style by Chaz Kokel, hitting for Llamas.

Ironically, Raffy held a 1-0 lead for seven innings, and then had his day end because of *Raccoons* runners. Sean Suggs and Mikio Suzuki hit singles and Ed Crispin walked against Indians righty Dave Serio, all with nobody out, in the top 8th. The Coons opted for the sledgehammer and sent Glodowski to bat, but he struck out. Matt Waters, though, sent a drive to deep center that went out of Locke’s range and became a bases-clearing double! Finally, a breather!! Adam Foley replaced Serio, but gave up the runner on second base when Lonzo singled, 5-0. From there, Snyder and Lillis would finish the game for the Coons on the hill. The righty got two outs, the lefty got four… but also surrendered a run in the ninth, nailing Rusty White, who stole second and scored on two productive outs. 5-1 Raccoons. Suggs 2-4, BB; Suzuki 2-4, BB; de la Cruz 7.0 IP, 7 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, W (2-3) and 1-3, RBI;

Game 2
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – RF Puckeridge – LF Crum – 1B J. Maldonado – C Suggs – CF Suzuki – 3B Crispin – P Wolinsky
IND: 3B A. Mendez – 1B Briscoe – LF Kokel – RF B. Quinteros – 2B de Castro – C M. Gilmore – SS Clover – CF R. White – P En. Ortiz

The Indians scored against Wolinsky right away, putting the 2-3-4-5 batters all aboard with singles, except for Kokel, who drew a walk. Alex de Castro’s bases-loaded single gave them their only run before pops by Mike Gilmore and Chase Clover stranded three. De Castro drove in another run in the third inning, then Kokel, who had opened the inning with a double, while the Coons had yet to wake up. Lonzo got on to begin the fourth inning, though, not exactly evading a pitch heading for his bum. He stole second and was singled home by Ken Crum. Maldo dropped a bloop single between Quinteros and de Castro, but the inning ended quickly with Suggs and Suzuki.

The middle innings were a drag otherwise, neither team managing to get near scoring position, but the Indians at least managed to get Wolinsky out of the game after six innings and just over 100 pitches. The Raccoons got Crispin on with two outs in the seventh, but Glodowski again made a poor out while batting for the pitcher, and then the pen fell apart entirely in the bottom 7th. Waldo faced the 1-2-3 hitters, retired none of them, and when Eloy Sencion replaced him he was not exactly calming proceedings, getting an out from Quinteros before nailing de Castro and giving up a grand slam to Mike Gilmore. The Indians fumbled away a run in the eighth, wild-pitching Lonzo across home plate, and Serio had another rough outing in the ninth, allowing leadoff singles to Suggs and Suzuki. Crispin hit into a fielder’s choice, and Ruben Gonzalez pinch-hit for an RBI groundout, but the inning ended with a K to Waters. 7-3 Indians. Crispin 2-4;

Game 3
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – CF Puckeridge – LF Crum – 1B J. Maldonado – C Gonzalez – RF Glodowski – 3B Kaufman – P Wheatley
IND: SS de Castro – 3B A. Mendez – RF B. Quinteros – 2B R. White – LF Kokel – C Poindexter – CF Locke – 1B Briscoe – P Barbiusa

Wheats leaked singles against five lefty hitters… and Barbiusa, who drove in the tying run with a 2-out single in the second inning, plating Chaz Kokel. The Coons had taken the lead in the first when Crum drove home Waters in the top 1st, then also reached in the fourth with Maldo on back-to-back 1-out singles. Ruben Gonzalez ran a full count, but grounded into a double play to kill the inning. Wheats didn’t get a strikeout through four, then had to bat with Glodowski (reached on error) and Kaufman on the corners in the top 5th, and nobody out. Barbiusa also had yet to land a strikeout, and got it from Wheats. Waters grounded to the right side, and White’s only play was at first, while the go-ahead run scored. Lonzo’s RBI double through Angel Mendez made it 3-1, but Pucks struck out. Kokel remained a pain in the bum though, hit a double in the bottom 6th that hit off the base of the fence in rightfield, and was driven home by Poindexter right away. Wheats lost Locke on balls, then finally found the K column and struck out Joe Briscoe and Martino Barbiusa in order, stranding the tying and go-ahead runs.

But Wheats held the 3-2 lead through seven, throwing 101 pitches, while the Coons worked out a chance against Barbiusa in the top 8th. Lonzo singled on the first pitch, while Pucks walked on six pitches. Maldo would get a crucial hit after the pair pulled off a double steal, shoving a ball through between de Castro and White for a 2-run single, 5-2! Wheats returned to get a groundout from Kokel, then left with three opposite-handed batters coming up next. Lillis got those, getting them all on pops, which left a 2-out save for Hitchcock, starting with PH Mike Gilmore, who also popped out. De Castro secured first spot through Sunday for the Coons with a groundout to Lonzo. 5-2 Raccoons. Waters 2-5, 2B, RBI; Lavorano 2-5, 2B, RBI; Crum 3-4, RBI; J. Maldonado 2-4, 2 RBI; Kaufman 2-4, 2B; Wheatley 7.1 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, W (11-4);

Somehow, we keep scratching them out!

Game 4
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – 1B Puckeridge – LF Crum – C Suggs – CF Suzuki – 3B Sivertson – RF Medina – P Salcido
IND: CF Ragen – SS de Castro – RF B. Quinteros – 2B R. White – LF Kokel – C Poindexter – 3B Ed. Ortiz – 1B Briscoe – P Nichol

The Coons opened with a pair of singles, but then found a double play and a weak out from Crum and didn’t score. Indy also got a leadoff single from Allen Ragen, then a de Castro double, and scored on a Quinteros groundout. A pop and a whiff kept de Castro stranded, and the Raccoons kept fumbling. Salcido and Waters hit back-to-back singles in the third, but Lonzo hit into the double play. The fifth began with hits by Mitch Sivertson and Roberto Medina, who went to the corners for Salcido, who fell to 1-2, put a grounder into play, but it went to Edwin Ortiz for an out, though Medina at least advanced. Waters popped out, Lonzo lined out to fellow shortstop de Castro, and again nobody scored…

It took NINE hits to score a run on Sunday, and that did not include Suggs getting drilled by Bill Nichol to push Pucks to second base in the sixth inning. Puckeridge had opened the inning with a single, then scored on another single – the ninth – by Suzuki to right-center. Sivertson and Medina then shone with more pathetic outs, a first-pitch pop to first base, and an easy grounder to the same position…

Top 7th, leadoff singles for Salcido to right (…!) and Waters to center, which was two on, no outs, and routinely the point where **** hit the fan in this game. Lonzo went to 3-2, then grounded up the middle for a force at second, before getting caught stealing. While I was still gasping, Pucks looped a single over Briscoe to break the tie, however, chasing home Salcido from third base. Crum hit another single, the 13th Coons hit on the day, but Suggs grounded out, which sugged beyond words, especially with a Poindexter double to right leading off the bottom 7th. Somehow, Salcido nailed the runner down at second base though, retiring the 7-8-9 batters on three weak and also unproductive outs…! That was it for him; his spot came up with Suzuki on third base, two outs, and Jesus Maldonado on the bench. Maldo grounded out to White, stranding the 85th runner of the game. Willie Cruz held the line in the bottom 8th at least, and after the Coons failed to tack on, Hitchcock won three grounders to the middle infielders to end the four-and-four with a total of four and four. 2-1 Blighters. Waters 3-4; Puckeridge 2-5, RBI; Crum 2-5; Salcido 7.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K, W (4-5) and 2-3;

We left 11 men on base. Felt like more.

In other news

July 11 – The Blue Sox send SP Chris Cornelius (8-7, 4.04 ERA) to the Aces, along with cash, for five prospects.
July 12 – CIN INF/LF Chris Delgado (.318, 5 HR, 35 RBI) is expected to miss a month, suffering from recurring back spasms.
July 13 – The Knights acquire SP Israel Mendoza (5-7, 4.00 ERA) from the Knights in exchange for three prospects, including #59 SP Bob Ruggiero.
July 16 – WAS SP Felix Castano (5-4, 2.98 ERA) finishes a 3-hit shutout in a 7-0 win over the Miners.
July 16 – The Thunder pick up SP Zach Boyer (6-9, 3.57 ERA) from the Buffaloes in a deal for two prospects, including #75 UT Aaron Butler.

FL Player of the Week: DEN LF/CF Sandy Castillo (.325, 11 HR, 37 RBI), hitting .467 (7-15) with 2 HR, 6 RBI
CL Player of the Week: OCT 3B/SS/RF Ed Soberanes (.330, 20 HR, 71 RBI), scoring five times while spitting .467 (7-15) with 1 HR, 2 RBI

Complaints and stuff

Is there much to complain about after getting back at Indy and taking three of four in this set? Not really, at least nothing that I haven’t already complained about all year long. Can’t score, somehow still wins – it’s a weird team, this.

However, we actually passed the Condors this week in runs scored and are now up to 11th in the CL – huzzah! The Condors lost three of four to the Aces, scoring only six runs in the process. We at least had 17 markers on the board, which still isn’t outlandish for a four-game set.

The road trip will conclude with the Elks and Knights next week.

Fun Fact: Raffy de la Cruz has back-to-back scoreless outings of seven innings each.

(salivates)

[Westheim]

Raccoons (50-43) @ Canadiens (41-52) – July 18-20, 2051

I had to watch from home with Honeypaws and Esmeralda for company. I had found Esmeralda on the back pages of the Agitator’s small ad pages, offering companion services at an hourly rate that seemed excessive, but who can watch the Coons and Elks without emotional support by a companion. – Yes, Honeypaws. Or two companions. Stop bickering. … Anyway, the Elks ranked tenth in runs scored, just ahead of us, and ninth in runs scored, well behind us – we were fourth in that regard. They had a -68 run differential, compared to -1 for the Critters. We had a 6-3 lead in the season series, and we’d meet them without first-rate catcher Julio Diaz, starter Bill McMichael and a few relievers.

By the way, Esmeralda, I know it’s July, but isn’t it cold on your legs with that short a skirt and the boots only going up to the knees? – No? – Okay. I am just concerned.

Projected matchups:
Rafael de la Cruz (2-3, 3.65 ERA) vs. Bill Drury (5-4, 2.10 ERA)
Bubba Wolinsky (10-6, 3.16 ERA) vs. Danny Orozco (7-8, 4.83 ERA)
Jason Wheatley (11-4, 3.02 ERA) vs. Terry Herman (8-10, 4.58 ERA)

After an off day on Monday, a left-hander on Wednesday with Orozco. What novel concept!

Game 1
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – RF Puckeridge – LF Crum – 1B J. Maldonado – C Suggs – CF Suzuki – 3B Crispin – P de la Cruz
VAN: 1B Wheeler – SS Mullen – RF Outram – LF Toohey – 3B Burgos – 2B DeMarco – CF T. Turner – C L. Miranda – P Drury

Portland went up 1-0 in the first with a Lonzo triple and a Pucks single, and Esmeralda and me high-fived from all the excitement while continuing to sip guacamoles, but then Raffy de la Cruz’s scoreless streak ended right away with a Dan Mullen homer to center. That was a long one, and I wasn’t too pleased about it. Jesus Burgos doubled over Puckeridge’s head and scored on a 2-out single by scratch catcher Luis Miranda to give the Elks the lead in the bottom 2nd, 2-1, but it was then de la Cruz who tried to get the offense started in the third inning by singling up the middle. Drury walked the bags full right away, but that made it three on and nobody out, which was usually bad news with this team. – Yes, Esmeralda. It usually works better with just two on.

Each of the 3-4-5 batters would get an RBI however to turn the deficit into a 4-2 lead, though Pucks (sac fly) and Maldo (groundout) did so while making outs. Crum doubled home Waters, Suggs whiffed to end the inning; eh, I was just happy to get ANYTHING on the board at this point. The bags were full again with Suzuki, Crispin, and Waters in the fourth inning, then with one out, but this time pops by Lonzo and Pucks didn’t push anybody across – and in good counts even…!

In his 52nd Coons at-bat, Sean Suggs then hit his first homer, a solo job in the fifth inning to make it 5-2. Suzuki reached with a single to left-center, and then Ed Crispin hit another bomb, 7-2! That was the end of Drury, although Raffy also hit a rough patch. He was taken deep *again* by Mullen to begin the bottom 6th, filled the bases with nonsense like a hit batter and a walk in addition to a Tim Turner single, but struck out Miranda to exit the jam. Jorge Uranga and Jeff Wheeler went down in the bottom 7th, but then Mullen, who was filing a shiny application to become our newest mid-level player pest, tripled to center. That was it for de la Cruz, with Sencion coming out to face Jerry Outram, whom he got with a lazy fly to center. Then we got cute and tried to sneak an inning with Snyder, which worked more so-so. Bryce Toohey (waves politely at former player on the TV) singled, Jesus Burgos walked, and Nick DeMarco shot one into a 6-4-3 double play that almost took Lonzo’s glove and arm off. – I agree, Esmeralda. Protection is very important!

While Tim Turner made the last out in the eighth, he didn’t do so until after Synder plated Toohey from third base with a wild pitch. The Coons had the bags full in the ninth with Crum and Suzuki singles and Crispin getting nailed. Lefty Tim Abraham entered with two outs and the pitcher up, which prompted a right-handed reaction in Ruben Gonzalez, but he struck out, which meant it was still a 3-run game and Hitchcock got the ball in the ninth. We could have kept Snyder in there, though. He gave up a hard double to Damian Moreno (who?), and while Wheeler’s hard drive to center ended in Suzuki’s glove, it popped back out of there, which the cruel umps ruled a no-catch and an error, while a run scored. Wheeler was confused though, having missed a signal from the ump at second base, and stayed at first, and that cost the Elks the game, maybe, when Outram spanked into a game-ending double play. 7-5 Coons. Crum 2-5, 2B, RBI; Suzuki 3-4, BB; Crispin 3-4, HR, 2 RBI;

No, no, Esmeralda, that was it. We’re done for today. – Why are you charging me for four hours? The game took only three hours and three minutes! – *Fine*. $1,200 it is.

Yes, Esmeralda, tomorrow at seven again.

Game 2
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – 1B Crum – RF J. Maldonado – C Suggs – LF Glodowski – 3B Kaufman – CF Suzuki – P Wolinsky
VAN: LF Escobido – 1B Wheeler – 3B Burgos – RF Toohey – CF Burkhart – SS Mullen – 2B DeMarco – C L. Miranda – P Orozco

Esmeralda complained about the lack of atmosphere in my apartment, where she might even have a point. I wasn’t one to put up drapes; all that did was to give Honeypaws something to climb and ruin with his claws. She wasn’t too happy about my offer of cheering for the Coons with a brown foam finger, either. Women! So hard to please! …

Despite Suzuki being the only position player batting left-handedly on either team for this middle game, offense was initially slow against the pair of southpaws. Both teams only had one hit through three innings, but the Elks slapped out three singles in the fourth to take a 1-0 lead. The Raccoons remained mentally and physically absent, and Wolinsky laid an egg in the fifth, giving up a leadoff single to the opposing pitcher, the bane of my existence, and then nailing Angel Escobido. He added a wild pitch and a 2-run double to Wheeler, 3-0. Toohey also walked, and another wild pitch scored Wheeler, which was the end of Wolinsky’s outing. Waldo replaced him, but gave up an RBI single to Tim Burkhart, closing Bubba’s line with five runs stuck into his hapless pelt. – What do you mean, Esmeralda, whether he forgot the safeword?

The Coons finally got on base in the sixth, with Suzuki drawing a walk and Waters doubling. The two runners were brought in by Lonzo with a groundout and Crum with a 2-out single, but Maldo grounded out to Burgos to end the little rally. It was also really the only rallying noise the Raccoons ever made. Ken Crum would hit a double in the ninth inning off Abraham, but nothing good happened before or after that. 5-2 Canadiens. Crum 2-4, 2B, RBI; Medina (PH) 1-1;

(counts off more hundos) Trust me, Esmeralda, I am just as annoyed as you that they didn’t force the game into a fourth hour. Or just win the stupid thing outright.

I thought at first I’d be on my own for Thursday, which was a day game, and Esmeralda said she didn’t work during the day, but then got interested when I mentioned it was a rubber game.

So she’s a baseball fan after all!?

(opens door on Thursday before game time) Hello, Esmeralda. Come on in. – Oh hello, Mrs. Kuczyinski from 5B. – No, no, I don’t have a girlfriend now. She’s a professional!

Honeypaws, Mrs. Kuczynski fainted into her laundry basket. Do something.

Esmeralda, what’s that whip for?

Game 3
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – RF Puckeridge – LF Crum – 1B J. Maldonado – 3B Crispin – CF Suzuki – C Gonzalez – P Wheatley
VAN: 1B Wheeler – SS Mullen – RF Outram – LF Toohey – 3B Burgos – CF Burkhart – 2B DeMarco – C L. Miranda – P Herman

Wheats nailed the first guy he faced and walked the second, which was a bit rough to watch. – What do you mean, Esmeralda, rough costs extra? – They’re always rough to watch! … A double play and a pop bailed him out, though, and the game remained scoreless until the third inning, when Wheeler and Mullen reached base again on a walk and a double. Jerry Outram, not quite the scare of previous decades, popped out again, but this time Bryce Toohey found a gap for a 2-run double. Burgos grounded out to Maldonado to end the inning. While the Coons had only one hit through four innings, Wheatley was taken apart in the fourth for good. Burkhart led off with a triple, and while DeMarco popped out, the assault then got relentless. RBI single for Miranda, a walk to Wheeler (once again…), Mullen’s RBI double, an infield single by Outram, and another RBI single for Toohey made for a 6-0 score and an early exit. Esmeralda was kind enough to pat my head while I was rocking back and forth, bawling into my knees, pulled up to my striped face, and begging for mercy.

I missed the fifth inning, having to reassure Mrs. Kuczyinski, who knocked at the door with concern, that all was fine. I wasn’t sure though whether she bought it, given the earlier screams, my wet face, and that Esmeralda in her above-knee black leather boots stood behind me with a stern look, and the whip.

Paul Miles was in for long relief, which amounted to two innings only and four more runs on the board, at which point it was mostly game over and Esmeralda had to endure three innings of me whimpering while stuffing my snout with cookies; the Raccoons’ rallying efforts were limited to three singles and one run in the eighth inning, and the less said about it, the better. 10-1 Canadiens. Sivertson (PH) 1-1; Kaufman (PH) 1-2;

At least the Elks got done with the Critters in under three hours and the whole shebang cost me only another $900.

What do you mean, Esmeralda, shebang is extra?

Raccoons (51-45) @ Knights (52-43) – July 21-23, 2051

The Knights were eight games out in the CL South, while the Coons were still leading the North beyond reason. The Crusaders had by now rallied into second place though and were only a game and a half back, so more performances like in Elk City….. Atlanta sat second in runs scored and eighth in runs allowed with a +53 run differential. They had also swept the Coons in the first set played this year.

Projected matchups:
Victor Salcido (4-5, 3.94 ERA) vs. Esteban Duran (6-7, 5.92 ERA)
Juan Mercado (4-5, 3.82 ERA) vs. Joe Byrd (7-9, 4.66 ERA)
Rafael de la Cruz (3-3, 3.70 ERA) vs. Kodai Koga (8-7, 3.50 ERA)

Only righties on the horizon.

Game 1
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – RF Puckeridge – LF Crum – 1B J. Maldonado – C Suggs – 3B Crispin – CF Suzuki – P Salcido
ATL: 1B de Luna – 2B Del Vecchio – RF Alade – CF Royer – C Cass – LF E. Avila – SS Housey – 3B Thibault – P E. Duran

The Knights took the lead without making an out when Ted Del Vecchio (gnashes teeth) doubled home Rich de Luna, whom Salcido had regrettably walked to begin the bottom 1st. The Coons’ Crum opened the top 2nd with a single to left, but was forced out by Maldo’s grounder to de Luna. Suggs doubled, hopefully continuing his defrosting process, and Crispin walked onto the open base, bringing up Suzuki with the bags stacked. He got to 2-1 in the count, then made it a 2-1 score with a double off the wall in leftfield, Crispin having to hold at third base due to Eduardo Avila getting a favorable bounce. That was it, however, as Salcido was carved up for a strikeout and Waters couldn’t get the ball past Avila as Suzuki did. Salcido also gave the lead right back in the bottom 2nd, and then some, putting the first three batters on base. Bobby Thibault singled home the tying run in Avila, and Matt Housey scored on a groundout by de Luna, 3-2 Knights. It didn’t get much better with Salcido, who was getting pelted with rockets left and right, not all of which fell in, although a Housey double, a grounder, and a wild pitch added a run for the Knights after all in the fourth inning.

Housey was lost to injury on a leaping grab to rob Ken Crum of a liner, replaced by David Hardaway, who grounded out after leadoff singles by Tyler Cass and Eduardo Avila in the bottom 6th. Thibault popped out, but Salcido walked Bill Reeves, then was yanked. Waldo got Maldo to snag a de Luna bouncer to strand three runners. Teams grinded away at each other scorelessly, with Lillis and Cruz following after Waldo. But the tying run was back in the box in the ninth inning when Puckeridge reached base on a throwing error by Del Vecchio. Crum grounded out, Maldo hit a sac fly, but that still didn’t get the tying run out of the box, nor did Sean Suggs easy flyout to center. 4-3 Knights. Suzuki 1-2, BB, 2B, 2 RBI; Kaufman (PH) 1-1;

Game 2
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – RF Puckeridge – LF Crum – 1B J. Maldonado – C Suggs – CF Suzuki – 3B Sivertson – P Mercado
ATL: 1B de Luna – CF Royer – RF Alade – LF E. Avila – C Cass – 2B Strohm – 3B Thibault – SS W. Acosta – P J. Byrd

Lonzo hit a double in the first, which amounted to nothing, while Mercado allowed the first two base hits to Jon Alade, a single in the first, where he was caught stealing, and then another single in the fourth, which ended with Avila popping out to Crum in shallow left. Chris Strohm hit a single in the bottom 5th, but was doubled up on a Thibault grounder to Lonzo. The Coons meanwhile scattered four hits through five innings, getting absolutely nowhere in the process in this scoreless game. Nobody on either side drew a walk.

Pucks doubled with one out in the sixth, which amounted to as much as Lonzo’s first-frame double. De Luna and Steve Royer found holes for 2-out singles in the bottom 6th, but Alade softly lined out to Lonzo. Bottom 7th, Tyler Cass clanked a shot off the fence in right for a 1-out triple, but the Knights sputtered just as well, with Strohm lifting a foul pop to Mitch Sivertson. Bill Reeves pinch-hit in that situation, but grounded out to Lonzo to strand the precious runner.

The knot was finally hewn through in the eighth – and by the Coons! Puckeridge socked a 2-out homer to left, giving Portland a 1-0 lead! Crum then romped a triple to right, Maldo singled through the left side, and Suggs grounded out to keep it at 2-0. But behold – Atlanta answered. PH Bob Mancini was walked by Mercado, then was immediately doubled home by de Luna sticking a ball into the rightfield corner. But Mercado stranded de Luna at third with a pair of grounders to Sivertson, completing eight fine innings. The ninth led nowhere for the Critters, although markedly Matt Waters was hit for to end an 0-for-4, 3 K day with Sivertson on base and two outs, but Glodowski was good enough for another ****** out. Hitchcock got the ball against the 4-5-6 batters with no safety net available. Avila popped out, Strohm whiffed, but in between Cass had singled to center, bringing up professional pest Ted Del Vecchio. Hitchcock fought him to 2-2, then got a grounder to Sivertson at second base to end the inning and finally grab a game from the Knights. 2-1 Raccoons. Puckeridge 2-4, HR, 2B, RBI; Crum 2-3, BB, 3B; J. Maldonado 2-4, RBI; Mercado 8.0 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, W (5-5);

Game 3
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – RF Puckeridge – LF Crum – C Gonzalez – CF Suzuki – 3B Crispin – RF Glodowski – P de la Cruz
ATL: CF Royer – 2B Del Vecchio – RF Alade – C Cass – 3B Thibault – 1B de Luna – LF Reeves – SS W. Acosta – P Koga

Like on Friday, the Knights scored without making an out; Royer singled, stole second, and scored on Jon Alade’s single, 1-0. Cass would draw a walk after that, but Thibault grounded into a double play. It was 2-1 Coons in the top 2nd, however, with Crum getting on to begin the inning and Crispin whacking a homer to right to flip the score…! Glodowski hit a double after that, but this only served to clear the pitcher’s spot in the inning, and the Raccoons put up the minimum over the next three innings. The Knights did not; while de la Cruz held on for a while, Bill Reeves smacked a leadoff triple to right in the bottom 5th. And here, Willie Acosta popped out to third base, which kicked the door to an escape path out of the inning wide open, but de la Cruz was beaten by Koga for an RBI single, walked Del Vecchio, and fell behind on an RBI single by Alade, 3-2. Cass popped out to Waters, finally ending the inning. Acosta added a fourth and final run on de la Cruz with another teeth-gnashing 2-out RBI single in the bottom 6th, driving home Thibault, whom de la Cruz had nicked at the start of the inning.

Gonzalez and Suzuki disappeared without a trace to begin the top 7th, much like how the Coons had done for most of the last four innings. Crispin, however, drove a single through the middle, and then scored briskly on a 2-out double to left by Glodowski, 4-3. Maldo pinch-hit for Raffy de la Cruz, faced a single pitch, dished it into the right-center gap for a game-tying double, scored a minute later to take the lead when Waters singled through the right side, gave Raffy, who was about half his age and now in the lead, a pat on the head on his way back down the dugout stairs, and then returned to the far end of the dugout to his keg o’ beer and pot of honey, sticking a paw back into either of them, his day over.

Then it was off to the pen, getting nine out with a 5-4 lead. Sencion got three, despite having to work around a leadoff infield single by the blitzing Steve Royer. Willie Cruz did the eighth, whiffing two before getting nearly unhorsed by a Waters error for a change. But both held on, and then the Coons tacked on with two outs in the top 9th. Glodowski got on when reliever Mike Hall fumbled and kicked a comebacker, after which Sean Suggs batted for Cruz and socked a ball up the leftfield line for an RBI double and an insurance run. Sivertson ran for him, but Waters’ liner to left was snatched by Bill Reeves to end the inning and call out Hitchcock. Del Vecchio, always annoying, drew a walk, but that was the only Knights runner in the ninth, and he didn’t score. 6-4 Furballs. Waters 2-5, RBI; Crispin 3-4, HR, 2 RBI; Glodowski 2-4, 2 2B, RBI; J. Maldonado (PH) 1-1, 2B, RBI; Suggs (PH) 1-1, 2B, RBI;

In other news

July 18 – PIT SP Kevin Nolte (12-6, 3.17 ERA) fires a 3-hit shutout with five strikeouts against the Rebels. Pittsburgh wins 4-0.
July 21 – More pitching for the Cyclones, who acquire SP Garrett Giustino (7-4, 5.02 ERA) from the Condors for a prospect.
July 22 – PIT INF Victor Corrales (.280, 10 HR, 67 RBI) smashes three hits, including two homers, and five RBI in a 14-2 smashing of the Scorpions.

FL Player of the Week: DAL LF/CF Juan del Toro (.361, 13 HR, 44 RBI), slamming .417 (10-24) with 4 HR, 8 RBI
CL Player of the Week: VAN SS/3B Dan Mullen (.282, 2 HR, 31 RBI), poking .571 (12-21) with 2 HR, 7 RBI

Complaints and stuff

Give or take my choice of companions – Steve from Accounting refuses to reimburse me for the $3,000 paid to Esmeralda from the company accounts – maybe not everything I do is wrong. Suggs is still hitting .224, but at least he got a few notable hits this week. Raffy de la Cruz, who made his last start as a 20-year-old on Sunday and will turn 21 on Monday, started with three no-decisions, then three losses and a 5.09 ERA at that point, but now won four straight, with a 2.36 ERA in those games, and it’s not like he faced the Loggers and Condors in that set of games.

But we’re last in runs scored again, posting another string of four games with three runs or less this week, and scoring 21 total runs in six games (and giving up 29).

The trade deadline is a week and a day away, and it seems like I will need to find another outfielder, preferably a left-hander. There’s not exactly a rich offering available however, especially on non-contending teams. And, well, in the North, almost every team can still talk themselves into being a contender at this stage. Except the Loggers. The Loggers!

Home stint next week, six games against the Aces and Condors. Grueling two-week road trip after that, but at least the travel itinerary will make sense: one big circle around the country, no wiggly back-and-forth.

Fun Fact: Saturday’s squeezer against the Knights was the 6,300th regular season victory for the Raccoons.

That’s against a total of 5,788 losses at that point, a .521 winning percentage.

[Westheim]

Raccoons (53-46) vs. Aces (45-53) – July 25-27, 2051

Both teams had enjoyed a day off on Monday, although the front office staff in Portland didn’t necessarily get the same treatment. I was busy consulting with Cristiano, Pat Degenhardt, Slappy, and Honeypaws about trade options for some outfield offense, while snarling at Maud when she couldn’t bring in the donut reinforcements quickly enough. 15 hours later we were no smarter than before, but at least a little bit fatter for the winter, because winter’s coming. Before winter, though, the Aces came, ahead 2-1 in the season series. They were hopelessly behind in the South, scoring the fourth-most runs but also giving up the third-most runs in the CL. They had a -63 run differential, when everybody knows you can’t have much worse than a -9 run differential if you want to lead the division.

Projected matchups:
Bubba Wolinsky (10-7, 3.41 ERA) vs. Chris Cornelius (9-8, 3.95 ERA)
Jason Wheatley (11-5, 3.33 ERA) vs. Larry Broad (4-10, 5.44 ERA)
Victor Salcido (4-6, 4.06 ERA) vs. Josh Wilson (7-9, 5.35 ERA)

Only righty opposition here. That aside, the Aces were also missing a few teeth from their lineup, as Neville van der Wouw was on the DL along with Jeremy Welter and Dustin Huber.

Game 1
LVA: 2B J. White – RF Austin – CF D. Martin – C Weese – SS Holbrook – LF D. Encarnacion – 1B M. Colon – 3B Coen – P Cornelius
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – CF Puckeridge – LF Crum – 1B J. Maldonado – C Suggs – 3B Crispin – RF Glodowski – P Wolinsky

Aubrey Austin, a prohibitively priced trade option, hit a 2-run homer in the first inning to get us underway on Tuesday after Wolinsky had already allowed Jim White on base with a leadoff single. Given the absolute dearth of offense for the home team, that already seemed like the ballgame. The first time through the Coons lineup was depressing, while the second time wasn’t that much better, although Pucks hit a single and Maldo knocked a double to put a pair in scoring position with two outs for Sean Suggs. Sean Suggs grounded out to end the inning, which sugged. Bottom 5th, still down 2-0, the Coons got a leadoff single from Ed Crispin, who was immediately forced out on a grounder by Matt Glodowski and his useless pelt, the combo of which somehow had over 150 at-bats already this year. Cornelius ambitiously tried to get the lead runner on Bubba’s bunt though, which didn’t work, and added a second runner. Matt Waters’s single made it three, all starting intently at Lonzo in the box. A sharp shot up the middle for an RBI single advanced everybody 90 feet, and Pucks lobbed one over White’s head for another one to tie the game at two. Ken Crum’s bouncer was knocked down by White and played for an out at second, but that still got the go-ahead run home, 3-2. Maldo popped out, leaving two, but Crispin was on base again in the sixth, stole second, and then scored joggingly anyway when Glodowski homered to left. – No, Maud, that in no way doesn’t make his pelt useless.

At best it might make me toss out a trade offer with the Bayhawks for not one, but two outfielders, which would obviously be wrong. For the time being, the inning continued with Adam Eutsler getting shown all the nasty spots of the city as the Coons loaded the bags again and then had Crum dish in a pair, 7-2. Maldo flew out to deep right to strand another pair this time. Bubba drove in a 2-out run with his second single of the game in the bottom 7th, plating Sean Suggs and his leadoff double, but didn’t get through the top 8th anymore. With Austin on base and two gone, the Coons went to Mike Snyder, who allowed a hit to Kevin Weese and then dropped a throw from Maldo at first base to decidedly not retire Steve Holbrook and concede Wolinsky’s run with that error, but at least managed to finish the game without getting more qualified personnel involved. 8-3 Coons. Puckeridge 3-5, RBI; Crum 2-5, 3 RBI; Suggs 2-5, 2B; Wolinsky 7.2 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, W (11-7) and 2-3, RBI;

Game 2
LVA: 2B J. White – RF Austin – CF Cramer – C Weese – LF Bishop – SS Holbrook – 1B M. Colon – 3B Coen – P Broad
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – 1B Puckeridge – LF Crum – RF J. Maldonado – C Suggs – 3B Crispin – CF Suzuki – P Wheatley

The innings breezed by like nothing on Wednesday for a lack of offense on either side. Pucks hit a double at one point, but was stranded, and in the sixth(!) it was Lonzo to reach base, steal second, and see Pucks draw a walk behind him, all of that already with two outs. Ken Crum grounded hard to the right side, but White was there and made the play to end the inning. That made it three hits for Portland, and just one hit against Wheats, who however struggled with command at points and had also walked a pair and needed 88 pitches through six innings. He added another zero to the board despite a 1-out walk to Steve Bishop in the seventh, getting a double play from Holbrook, but that inning had pushed him to 108 pitches and that was probably gonna be enough in the scoreless game. Would the team give him a chance to win?

Are you new here?

Instead the Aces got Miguel Colon to dish one up the leftfield line for a leadoff double against Willie Cruz in the eighth. Ben Coen’s groundout moved the go-ahead run to third base, and here they went for the squeeze play, because we were not the only desperate team in the league. Broad popped it up however, Cruz snagged the ball, and Colon was as dead as disco halfway between third base and home, ending the inning with a 1-5 double play. Suzuki and Waters drew walks in the bottom 8th, but Lonzo grounded out and Pucks flew out to Brent Cramer to leave those on, as well. Eloy Sencion couldn’t get through Jim White to begin the top 9th, putting the lefty hitter on base, then was double-switched out with Pucks for Hitchcock and Glodowski against the .316 hitting right-hander Kevin Weese, who grounded out to Lonzo. Broad began the bottom 9th, but was yanked for lefty David Fox after Crum opened with a single. Fox ticked Maldo with a 1-2 pitch to move the winning run to second base with nobody out. Sean Suggs was up 3-1, then steadfastly grounded to short. Bishop and Gary Tabano got mixed up with a bad throw though, and the only out was at second base, Crum being at third with one out for Brian Kaufman, batting for Crispin. Also, whiffing. Ruben Gonzalez hit for Suzuki as we went for ******* broke, but flew out to Austin. (labored breathing)

Top 10th, Hitchcock still on the bump, and with Gonzalez at first, Maldo back to right (after being at first when Pucks was subbed out), Glodowski to left, and Crum in center. What could possibly go wrong? Hitchcock cleverly got two outs with grounders to Matt Waters before Colon dropped a single into left that Glodowski promptly overran for an extra base. Josh Landstrom floated out to Crum, though. Bottom 10th, Glodowski drew a leadoff walk, then looked on as Waters and Lonzo both whiffed. Roberto Medina was the last stick off the bench and singled for Hitchcock, moving the winning run into scoring position again for Ken Crum, who rolled an 0-1 pitch on the infield, Landstrom and Fox got into each other’s craws, and the Coons filled the bases on an “infield single”. Bring up Maldo, then! Fox labored into a full count to Maldo, who fell asleep after six pitches and thus couldn’t swing at ball four in the dirt, automatically walking off the Critters bloody somehow. 1-0 Blighters. Medina (PH) 1-1; Crum 2-5; Wheatley 7.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K;

(looks aged)

Between games the Aces sent SP Dave Washington (6-7, 5.25 ERA), their sole lefty who hadn’t been scheduled to start in the series anyway, to the Buffos for two prospects. The Coons still could not find a trade deal they liked.

Game 3
LVA: 2B J. White – RF Austin – CF Cramer – C Weese – LF Bishop – SS Holbrook – 1B M. Colon – 3B Coen – P Jo. Wilson
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – 1B Puckeridge – LF Crum – RF J. Maldonado – C Suggs – 3B Crispin – CF Suzuki – P Salcido

Salcido got another second-inning rectal exam, offering two walks, three hits, and three runs to the Aces, when the Raccoons needed 30 innings to score that much. Bishop singled, Holbrook walked, and Colon and Coen drove in all the runs with back-to-back doubles up either line. Bishop doubled home another run in the third inning after leadoff walks to Cramer and Weese. Salcido also bunted into a double play in the bottom 3rd, and was yanked after a pair of 1-out walks to White and Austin in the top 4th, which gave him six walks on the day. Miles walked the bags full with Cramer, but then had Waters snatch a Weese liner and double up an inattentive Austin at second base to end the inning, but with the Aces still already up by a slam.

Maldo in the fourth and Crum in the sixth found double plays, and only Suzuki hit a sac fly to bring in Suggs in the fifth after him and Crispin had chopped singles. So there WERE Coons runners, but we wasted them as efficiently as possible… Miles pitched long relief through the end of the seventh without allowing a run, and when he was hit for in the bottom 7th, Mitch Sivertson did so as the go-ahead run after the 6-7-8 batters had opened the inning with a single to left, a single to right, and an RBI double to center, 4-2. He grounded out to Coen, which helped zero, and Waters’ sac fly was the last run of the inning, with Lonzo grounding out to short instead.

Waldo kept the Aces off the board in the eighth, and the Raccoons got Pucks on base with a leadoff single off Medardo Regueir in the bottom 8th. Crum’s groundout advanced the tying run, and Maldo slapped a single to center, on which Pucks didn’t accept any stop signs and dashed for home, tying the score at four. Maldo moved up to second, Suggs walked, and Ruben Gonzalez singled in Crispin’s spot against the lefty Regueir to load the bases with one gone. And Suzuki hit into an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play. (deep sigh) Lillis held the game tied against the meat of the order in the ninth; we went for a lefty since Cramer and Bishop were left-handed batters, rather than with Hitchcock.

Hitchcock was instead out for the inevitable tenth inning, getting two outs before walking Regueir (!!) and nicking Josh Landstrom in the #1 spot. Austin kindly grounded out to Lonzo to spare us the humiliation of falling behind with that sequence, kindly. Hitchcock was back in the 11th, and exploded entirely. Gary Tabano and Ben Coen (…) hit a pair of 2-run homers to put the game away. You’d assume. Bottom 11th, Fox in play. Kaufman and Suzuki singled, but the last stick off the bench, Glodowski, popped out, the useless pelt. Then Matt Waters romped a 3-piece to left, which markedly made up only three quarters of the deficit. Say, where was that the last 56 hours?? Lonzo and Pucks grounded out to end the game. 8-7 Aces. Puckeridge 2-5, BB; Suggs 3-4, BB; Crispin 2-3; Gonzalez (PH) 1-1; Kaufman 1-1; Suzuki 3-4, 2B, 2 RBI; Miles 3.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K;

Fine, you bums.

Push me to the utmost extreme measures!!

Trade

The Coons reluctantly reached across the border and struck a deal with the damn Elks for INF/RF Nick DeMarco (.273, 10 HR, 45 RBI). The 30-year-old righty batter was an extremely skilled defensive infielder, but also very adept in centerfield, which would likely be his preferred zone of employment. He routinely hit for a 110-ish OPS+, which sounded like a huge improvement for us, and would replace Roberto Medina (3-for-7) on the roster.

The Coons parted with May’s waiver claim Aaron Walker (.158, 0 HR, 3 RBI) and A-level reliever Kyle Mascarello, a former Nick Brown Memorial Pick, in the deal.

Raccoons (55-47) vs. Condors (49-50) – July 28-30, 2051

The two most inept teams in terms of scoring met for the weekend for the last three games between them this year; at least the Condors weren’t gonna make the playoffs. We were up 4-2 in the season series, and we were level with 390 runs scored each to begin the weekend, but the Condors even had a +9 run differential compared to -4 for us. And yet, the Coons were in first place by three games on Friday morning. (shrugs)

Projected matchups:
Juan Mercado (5-5, 3.54 ERA) vs. Elijah Powell (3-1, 3.58 ERA)
Rafael de la Cruz (4-3, 3.92 ERA) vs. Paul Paris (3-7, 3.04 ERA)
Bubba Wolinsky (11-7, 3.35 ERA) vs. Tony Llorens (6-9, 3.49 ERA)

Southpaw Sunday! …and the only southpaw for the week.

Nick DeMarco arrived in such a hurry on Friday that he ended up wearing a Coons jersey without the name on the back; the first attempt by venerable old clubhouse guy Gus resulted in “DEMURO” bring stamped on the back, and that would be confusing.

Game 1
TIJ: SS C. Navarro – CF Ransford – C Mittleider – LF T. Duncan – 1B G. Cabrera – 2B Whitehurst – 3B Ottinger – RF Bator – P E. Powell
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – 1B Puckeridge – LF Crum – CF DeMarco – C Gonzalez – 3B Crispin – RF Glodowski – P Mercado

Tim Duncan’s homer to left made it 3-0 in a hurry after Chris Navarro had singled on a 1-2 pitch and Dustin Ransford had reached on a Waters error. The Coons made up one in the first, when Lonzo tripled and Crum singled him home, and in the second as well, on a Glodowski homer, but Mercado found the top of the order and more trouble again in the top 3rd. Navarro singled, Mittleider walked, double steal, and then RBI singles for Duncan and Gil Cabrera.

After two extra-inning games and with Miles still burned, the Raccoons couldn’t afford to pour out the entire pen behind Mercado either – he had to suck it and the game had to be surrendered. That amounted to nine runs (!) in 5.2 innings on Mercado before Cruz and Snyder completed the game, the latter allowing one more run in the eighth. The Coons didn’t do much outside the bottom 6th, when they put up a 3-spot that hardly mattered and barely got them back into slam range. Gonzalez singled home a run, and Crispin doubled in two, all with two outs, but that was it until the bottom 9th, when George Youngblood struck out Crispin, but then gave up straight singles and a run to Glodowski, Sivertson, and Waters. Lonzo had been double-switched out earlier, and Suggs struck out in his spot against new reliever, righty Jake Hill. Puckeridge hit a single to center to narrow the score to 10-7, with Ken Crum coming up as the tying run. He ran a full count, then sent a screamer into the gap for a 2-run double, 10-9. (raises eyebrow) DeMarco then, 0-for-4 in the nameless brown shirt so far. The first pitch to him was wild and moved Crum to third base with the tying run, and then he took a strike he didn’t like. He liked the next strike. A belter to left! High! Deep! DEMUUUROOOOOO!!!! … 11-10 Furballs!! Puckeridge 2-5, RBI; Crum 4-5, 2 2B, 3 RBI; DeMarco 1-5, HR, 2 RBI; Glodowski 2-3, BB, HR, RBI; Sivertson 1-1;

(jumps up and down on the trusty brown couch, screaming out of his mind)

Game 2
TIJ: SS C. Navarro – 1B G. Cabrera – LF T. Duncan – CF Ransford – 2B Whitehurst – 3B Ottinger – C Robbinson – RF Lamotta – P Paris
POR: 2B Waters – CF DeMarco – RF Puckeridge – LF Crum – C Suggs – 1B J. Maldonado – 3B Crispin – SS Sivertson – P de la Cruz

…and then another early deficit. Navarro, Duncan, and Nathan Whitehurst all knocked sharp hits off de la Cruz in the first inning and two runs scored on the two singles and final double. Bottom 1st, Waters walked, DeMarco singled to put them on the corners, and Pucks found shallow center for an RBI single, 2-1. Crum struck out, Suggs singled to fill the sacks, and Maldo’s sac fly to deep right tied the game. Ed Crispin turned a 1-2 pitch around into shallow center for an RBI single. Sivertson grounded out, keeping the score at 3-2.

Despite a pair of Condors on the corners in the third inning, Rafael de la Cruz held the line… until the fourth, when Dr. Padilla disturbed my already fragile piece of mind by walking out to the mound with Reed Ottinger on first and one out, and ended up collecting the young pitcher in his first start as a 21-year-old. While I begged the baseball gods for kindness and mercy and promised to eat all my peas and rhubarb, Willie Maldonado offered eight outs and a single at the dish, nothing of which budged the game’s 3-2 score. That only occurred with Waldo out of the game as Lonzo pinch-hit for him with two outs and two on, Maldo on second and Crispin on first, and slapped the third single of the inning, an RBI single to center, 4-2. The pair that remained on base stole second and third with Waters batting, but Matt Waters flew out to Ricky Lamotta, a Coon last year, briefly. The Condors then pulled back that run with three singles off Brett Lillis jr. in the seventh, Duncan getting the run home, but then PH Justin Bator struck out to strand a pair. Blowing the lead they left to Willie Cruz, however, who fell to an Ottinger single and Danny Diaz’ pinch-hit double in the eighth… The ninth went to Hitchcock, but the tie was held mostly by Ken Crum. Tim Duncan singled with two outs and went for home on a Bator double off the wall. Crum unleashed a rocket to home plate that eviscerated the runner and ended the inning to keep the score level…! Bottom 9th, Aaron Erwin pitching for the Condors with a 4.14 ERA. Waters flew out, and DeMarco disappointed as well, failing to get his second walkoff in two games, merely clanging a ball of the top of the fence for a 1-out triple. Bum! And of course the Coons failed to win the game from there. Pucks was walked intentionally, then forced out on a Crum grounder, and Suggs popped out, which sugged.

Thusly, the third extra-inning meat grinder of the week: Eloy Sencion got three cozy outs in the tenth inning, since Hitchcock had thrown a lot of pitches in his blowout on Thursday and wasn’t available for two now. The Coons then went on to put two third basemen on the corners with singles off Erwin in the bottom 10th. Crispin and Kaufman, the latter pinch-hitting for Sencion with two outs, then looked at what Waters might do in that spot… but they should have looked at what Erwin might do in that spot, completely missing his catcher with a 1-1 pitch and that sent Crispin scampering home and scoring on the wild pitch, ending this game. 5-4 Critters! DeMarco 2-4, BB, 3B; Puckeridge 2-4, BB, RBI; J. Maldonado 2-4, RBI; Crispin 2-4, BB, RBI; Lavorano (PH) 1-1, RBI; Kaufman (PH) 1-1; W. Maldonado 2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K and 1-1;

(sneaks around Dr. Padilla’s office)

(tries to catch a glimpse of Dr. Padilla moving Raffy’s throwing arm around without looking like he’s trying to catch a glimpse)

(screeches and runs when Dr. Padilla looks to the door)

Game 3
TIJ: SS C. Navarro – CF Ransford – C Mittleider – LF T. Duncan – 1B G. Cabrera – 2B Whitehurst – 3B Ottinger – RF Bator – P Llorens
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – CF DeMarco – LF Crum – 1B J. Maldonado – C Suggs – RF Glodowski – 3B Sivertson – P Wolinsky

Another first inning, another early fold-up garden chair taken to the face. Wolinsky allowed a leadoff single to Navarro, walked Mittleider, and conceded a run on a Duncan single. A Sivertson error cost another run on Gil Cabrera’s grounder, and that was before Reed Ottinger crashed a 3-run homer. Five runs, four unearned, all deserved. Wolinsky wouldn’t make it out of the second inning, giving up another three runs on four hits in a complete shellacking. Snyder struck out Ottinger to get out of the ******* inning at all.

Nick DeMarco was undisturbed by the lopsided score and hit a 2-out, 3-run homer with Waters and Lonzo on base in the bottom 3rd, which narrowed the score all the way to 8-3. (wrinkles pointy black nose) Yeah, no, I didn’t think they’d pull that one out as well. The Condors also promptly slapped Snyder for three hits and two runs in the fourth inning, as if to tell us no-you-won’t.

Snyder threw 56 pitches for ten outs, which wasn’t extremely efficient either, but Paul Miles was even worse, throwing 56 pitches for just SIX outs, and while giving up another two runs on homers by Whitehurst in the sixth and Bator in the seventh. Waldo and Lillis each threw score- and pointless innings at the far end, and the Coons entered the bottom 9th against Ramon Montes de Oca with a 9-run deficit. Pucks singled for Maldo. Suggs walked. Suzuki hit an infield single for Glodowski. Three on, no outs. Sivertson singled up the middle, 12-4. Kaufman drew a bases-loaded walk to push in another run. The pitcher was in the #1 spot though, Waters having been lifted in a double switch. Crispin was the last batter on the bench, but popped out to third base. Lonzo hit a sac fly, but that was the last run for the Critters, with DeMarco striking out. 12-6 Condors. Puckeridge (PH) 1-1; Kaufman (PH) 1-2, BB, RBI;

In other news

July 24 – The Capitals nearly get physical with the umpiring crew when their 11-inning game against the Gold Sox ends with Denver’s Raul Sevilla (.307, 7 HR, 63 RBI) sticking an elbow into a pitch with the bases loaded to force in the winning run, and the umpires let the initial call stand, for a 4-3 Gold Sox win.
July 26 – The Knights lose swinging catcher Tyler Cass (.302, 4 HR, 56 RBI) to a ruptured achilles tendon, ending his season.
July 26 – The Crusaders for some reason send SP Jeremy Baker (8-4, 2.82 ERA) to the Blue Sox for outfielder Adam Magnussen (.226, 4 HR, 36 RBI).
July 26 – The Wolves acquire 3B/SS Alex Lopez (.338, 0 HR, 8 RBI) from the Condors for RF/3B Justin Bator (.322, 5 HR, 16 RBI).
July 27 – The Stars pick up LF/1B/RF Steve Humphreys (.208, 4 HR, 18 RBI) from the Thunder for Dale Mrazek (7-1, 2.53 ERA, 21 SV) and a prospect.
July 27 – The Warriors score in every inning but the eighth in a 17-6 rush of the Cyclones. SFW C Nick Samuel (.255, 18 HR, 66 RBI) drives in five runs to lead the team.
July 29 – Pittsburgh needs more players and acquires LF/1B/RF Bryce Toohey (.249, 12 HR, 58 RBI) from the Canadiens for MR Bernardino Risso (5-5, 3.04 ERA, 5 SV) and a prospect.
July 29 – The Thunder pick up SP Mike Zeigler (5-7, 4.38 ERA) from the Warriors, leaving the Warriors with a prospect.
July 29 – The Pacifics beat the Cyclones, 5-4 in 17 innings, on a 2-out single by wacky southpaw swingman Jose Rodriguez (4-6, 6.04 ERA).
July 30 – The Bayhawks and Canadiens exchange veterans north of age 35, as San Francisco gets catcher Giampaolo Petroni (.303, 1 HR, 12 RBI) for 2B Hugo Acosta (.250, 0 HR, 9 RBI) and a prospect.
July 30 – The Wolves get LF/RF/1B Scott King (.259, 8 HR, 31 RBI) from L.A. for two prospects, including #66 C Chris Maresh.
July 30 – Sioux Falls gets CL Carlos Castillo (1-5, 3.04 ERA, 29 SV) from the Falcons for backup catcher Anton Mercado (.337, 2 HR, 19 RBI).
July 30 – MIL 2B/SS Ricky Lopez (.262, 9 HR, 36 RBI) would miss three to four weeks with a bruised wrist.

FL Player of the Week: PIT 2B/3B Alex Vasquez (.324, 4 HR, 36 RBI), batting .591 (13-22) with 3 RBI
CL Player of the Week: VAN SS/3B Dan Mullen (.293, 2 HR, 39 RBI), hitting .444 (12-27) with 8 RBI

Complaints and stuff

A walkoff walk, a walkoff homer by a guy that didn’t have a name on his back, and a walkoff wild pitch. You can’t say we won my unanimous decision this week. Every game went the distance. And three went even beyond that.

…and then there were the two lowest-scoring teams of the CL meeting each other and then taking the morningstars to each other for a total of 48 runs in three games. Now, we’re still both last in runs scored (and the Coons last in particular). Put in relation, we have 411 runs, and half the CL (six teams) is within 25 runs of us, so it’s not like we’re MILES off.

Maybe one mile.

There is also good news. Rafael de la Cruz had been diagnosed with a slightly sore shoulder. He *may* miss a start, which would be a problem as there’s no day off coming up any time soon. His turn would be Thursday. We’ll have to wait and see whether we have to work something out there.

In any case, we are on the road for two weeks now, visiting the Thunder, Titans, Indians, and Warriors for 13 total games.

Fun Fact: 38 years ago today, Milwaukee’s Nick Gilmor hit for the cycle against the Knights.

This is the most recent cycle for the Loggers, who have had four in total, all of them against CL South teams.

Gilmor was 23 at the time of his heroics had a 14-year career, mostly in journeyman fashions, playing for five different teams, including two stints each with the Loggers and Indians. A regular in his 20s he once hit .312/.367/.497 for the Indians in 2015, but mostly hugged the league average. He led the league in triples in 2015, and was an All Star twice and a Gold Glover once. For his career he batted .275/.333/.416 with 99 HR and 553 RBI, but got no extended Hall of Fame considerations.

[Westheim]

Raccoons (57-48) @ Thunder (64-40) – July 31-August 2, 2051

The Raccoons were probably not going to win any of the next three games against the Thunder; they hadn’t won any of the first six games against the Thunder this year, which was one of many bullet points in the list of things that proved we were a total fraud of a first place team. Oklahoma had lost three in a row, but that’s what we were here for, and they were still first in runs scored and second in runs allowed with a whopping +150 run differential. I was kinda scared.

Projected matchups:
Jason Wheatley (11-5, 3.17 ERA) vs. Victor Marquez (11-2, 2.37 ERA)
Victor Salcido (4-6, 4.25 ERA) vs. Zach Boyer (8-9, 3.58 ERA)
Juan Mercado (5-5, 4.28 ERA) vs. Ben Lehman (11-4, 3.38 ERA)

Southpaw Monday, for whatever that was worth. That would be the only lefty opposition in this town. Not part of the opposition at all was veteran outfielder Juan Benavides, who was out until September with a strained hamstring.

Game 1
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – 3B DeMarco – LF Crum – 1B J. Maldonado – CF Puckeridge – C Gonzalez – RF Glodowski – P Wheatley
OCT: LF R. Cox – 2B Ban – 3B Soberanes – 1B Worthington – C Adames – CF M. Allen – SS Adame – RF Harmon – P V. Marquez

Marquez had walked only 33 batters in 125 innings so far this year, but offered walks to Waters and Lonzo to begin the Monday game. DeMarco continued to rake, doubling up the rightfield line for a quick 1-0 lead. Crum’s single and Maldo’s groundout each added a run, and Puckeridge reached on an error by Jonathan Ban. Ruben Gonzalez grounded out for a fourth and final run in that first inning, with Glodowski also grounding out. Here I was now, silly me, thinking giddily “and we have Wheats pitching…!”, then shook my head and immediately braced for impact.

…which didn’t come, at least not right away. The Thunder put a pair on base in the first, and got Wheats’ pitch count up pretty fast – in the 90s by the sixth inning anyway – but didn’t score apart from a glitch in the fifth inning, when Alex Adame and Mike Harmon hit back-to-back singles, and Glodowski, the silly bum, added a throwing error to help them score those two runners, one run being unearned on Wheats. And the offense? There was a 2-out Maldo triple with nobody on, and Pucks popping out afterwards, and then a Pucks single the next time through, and that was that. Wheats was hit for with Brian Kaufman to no great effect in the top 7th, which was already the second out. Matt Waters then doubled to center, however, and was singled home by Lonzo, 5-2. Lonzo also stole second, but DeMarco flew out to end the inning. Mike Harmon took Willie Cruz deep to restore the 2-run gap in the bottom of the inning, though. The eighth was a dead heat, and the Raccoons sent Hitchcock into the bottom 9th. Jesus Adames popped out, but Mike Allen hit a double into the right-center gap to bring up the tying run in ex-Coon Alex Adame. He hit a fly to right-center that hung long enough for Mikio Suzuki to make a catch. And for reasons best left for him to explain, Allen tagged and went for third base when his run mattered zilch, stumbled halfway down there, and was thrown out to end the game. 5-3 Raccoons! Suzuki (PH) 1-1; Wheatley 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, W (12-5);

No 0-9! Yay!

Game 2
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – RF Puckeridge – LF Crum – C Suggs – 1B J. Maldonado – CF Suzuki – 3B Crispin – P Salcido
OCT: LF R. Cox – 2B Ban – 3B Soberanes – 1B Worthington – C Adames – CF M. Allen – SS Adame – RF Harmon – P Z. Boyer

While the Coons scored first again on Tuesday, they did so in the worst way; Waters singled, Lonzo tripled, and … and then Lonzo was left on third base as the meat of the order went strikeout, strikeout, pop. That run was apparently it for Salcido; Crispin hit a double that went nowhere, and Waters hit a leadoff single in the top of the third, but was doubled off by Lonzo. The offense was just that, and Salcido tip-toed through the Thunder lineup as well as he could, which amounted to four shutout innings, and then a Harmon double and a Ryan Cox homer in the bottom 5th, flipping the score to 2-1 Oklahoma. Well, wasn’t it nice while it lasted…?

A Waters walk and a Lonzo single put Raccoons on the corners with nobody out in the sixth, so maybe we could come back right away. And we kind of did. Sort of. Mostly the Thunder did. Pucks grounded out to Dave Worthington, which only moved Lonzo to second base, but Boyer was then called out for a balk, and Waters was thus awarded home plate, tying the game, two-all. Ken Crum drew another walk, which annoyed Boyer into trying a pickoff attempt before even throwing to Sean Suggs. The ball was well wide of Worthington, who had to scamper after it; Crum went to second, and Lonzo scored, 3-2 Coons. After an intentional walk to Suggs, Maldo and Suzuki both made weak outs to end the inning.

Salcido logged only one more out while having his uniform logged with water from a sudden shower. He loaded the bases with one out in the bottom 6th, and the game went to a rain delay. When play resumed half an hour later, Willie Maldonado got an inning-ending double play from Adame. Sencion blew the lead in the seventh, though, offering a leadoff walk to Harmon and a single to PH Luke Burnham. Ban tied the game with a sac fly to Puckeridge, and Snyder had to get out of the inning against the .320+, 20+ HR array of Soberanes and Worthington.

In the end, which was not the end, both teams went to extras exactly level at three runs, six hits, and one error (Crispin again, for a change) through the end of nine innings, with Snyder and Lillis each getting three of the last six outs. The Raccoons were sat down in order by ex-Coon Mike Lynn in the top of the tenth inning, while Hitchcock retired nobody in the bottom 10th. Ban doubled to left, Soberanes singled him home, and that was that… 4-3 Thunder. Waters 2-4, BB; Lavorano 2-5, 3B, RBI; DeMarco (PH) 1-1;

The Thunder switched pitchers for the rubber game, bringing up a different righty in Angel Velasquez (11-5, 3.77 ERA) instead of Lehman.

…and the baseball gods switched weather for the rubber game, sending a day’s worth of steady rain and solid winds, and the game could not be played. Since the Coons had to be in Boston by Thursday, a make-up a day later was also not possible. We’d instead have to do so next Thursday on our scheduled off day there, and between our visits in Indianapolis and Sioux Falls, making this a 4-city, 5-stint road trip.

Whee.

Raccoons (58-49) @ Titans (52-55) – August 3-6, 2051

The Titans were in fourth position in the league, but only six games out at this junction, with four to play on the long weekend. They ranked tenth in runs scored and fifth in runs allowed, with a +9 run differential, which technically made them more qualified to win the division than the Coons (-7). We were up 5-2 on the season series. Boston’s lineup had taken a hit or four, with Angel Montes de Oca, Ian Davison, Gerardo Galaz, and Javier Ramos all on the DL, which included three middle infielders.

Projected matchups:
Juan Mercado (5-5, 4.28 ERA) vs. Steve Miles (7-7, 3.73 ERA)
Ricky de la Cruz (4-3, 3.99 ERA) vs. Kyle Turay (10-6, 3.25 ERA)
Bubba Wolinsky (11-8, 3.58 ERA) vs. Thomas Turpeau (8-6, 3.10 ERA)
Jason Wheatley (12-5, 3.10 ERA) vs. Troy Ratliff (8-4, 3.57 ERA)

We’d skip their ace David Barel (12-6, 2.61 ERA), one of two southpaws in that rotation; the other was Turpeau.

In a way, that rainout might keep the rotation intact, because it skipped in an extra day for de la Cruz’ shoulder to mend, and we could now even slide him another day or two if necessary.

Game 1
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – RF Puckeridge – LF Crum – CF DeMarco – C Suggs – 1B J. Maldonado – 3B Crispin – P Mercado
BOS: 1B E. Rodriguez – LF van der Zanden – CF M. Martinez – RF T. Lopez – C Youngquist – 3B J. Rodriguez – SS Lettner – SS Steffensen – P S. Miles

The Coons continued to score in the first, this time with Lonzo singling, stealing, and getting singled around to score by Puckeridge, then try and fumble it away with minimal effort. The Coons had only one hit in the three innings after, while Mercado leaked five hits in four innings, including two singles to Ryan Youngquist and Jose Rodriguez after he had already nicked Tony Lopez with an 0-2 pitch and one out in the bottom 4th. Jason Lettner struck out, Tom Steffensen flew out to center, and the 1-0 lead held up, for now. Mercado even survived serving up a leadoff double to Miles to begin the bottom 5th. Elias Rodriguez bunted the runner to third base, but Mercado rung up Arnout van der Zanden and got an easy fly to DeMarco from Miguel Martinez.

Mercado held up for seven shutout innings with seven base hits against him, and was hit for to begin the eighth in what was still a 1-0 game… at least until Mikio Suzuki pounded a ball to deep left for a pinch-hit homer. The Raccoons seemed bound for an implosion in the bottom 8th, though. Paul Miles had ONE job, and get out van der Zanden to start the inning – he drilled him. Willie Cruz came on as scheduled, got a fly from Miguel Martinez to left, and Crum stumbled and dropped the ball. Two on, no outs. Sigh. Tony Lopez struck out. Ryan Youngquist hit a grounder to Crispin, who started a nifty 5-4-3 double play. Phew! No, blowing the game was left to Hitchcock, who gave up singles to Jason Lettner and Nate Oden, walked Elias Rodriguez, and had Ryan Wright at two strikes with two outs, and then gave up a game-tying single up the middle. Martinez walked off the Titans with a liner over Crispin and up the leftfield line. 3-2 Titans. J. Maldonado 2-3, 2B; Suzuki (PH) 1-1, HR, RBI; Mercado 7.0 IP, 7 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K;

Game 2
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – RF Puckeridge – LF Crum – CF DeMarco – C Suggs – 1B J. Maldonado – 3B Crispin – P de la Cruz
BOS: 2B Steffensen – 1B van der Zanden – CF M. Martinez – RF T. Lopez – C Youngquist – LF L. Estrada – 3B J. Rodriguez – SS Lettner – P Turay

The Coons’ first-inning scoring streak continued with a Lonzo triple over the head of Martinez and Pucks’ sac fly, but the joy didn’t last too long. De la Cruz got ready in time for the game, but didn’t exactly excel, loading the bags with three runners and one out in the bottom 2nd, offering one each of a single, a walk, and a welt. Lettner even struck out then, but Turay singled up the middle with two strikes to flip the score to 2-1 Boston. Steffensen flew out to center. Turay hit another single his next time up, but by then I had other worries, as Ken Crum had left the game after the third inning with a whimpering noise, having turned awkwardly on an over-the-shoulder catch to rob Leo Estrada. Sivertson replaced him, while de la Cruz walked the bags full in the bottom 5th. He gave up a run on an Estrada sac fly, and that was it, with over 100 pitches on his ledger after just five innings, and also five walks in addition to more long counts. And two hits by the ******* pitcher…!

Sivertson drove home Matt Waters for a 2-out run in the eighth inning when I had long resigned the game emotionally. Sivertson’s RBI single also put the tying run on base, then into scoring position once Nick DeMarco drew a walk that chased Turay. Jamie Guidry fell to 2-0 against Sean Suggs, before the Coons’ new prime-cut catcher grounded out meekly to the right side, which sugged. We went in order in the ninth. 3-2 Titans. Lavorano 2-4, 3B;

‘twas nice while it lasted, wasn’t it?

Ken Crum, who had the room next to me in the hotel, whimpered all night, and I couldn’t sleep a single minute. For multiple reasons, but they were all whimpering related.

Game 3
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – LF Puckeridge – CF DeMarco – 1B J. Maldonado – C Gonzalez – 3B Kaufman – RF Glodowski – P Wolinsky
BOS: 1B E. Rodriguez – LF van der Zanden – CF M. Martinez – RF T. Lopez – C Youngquist – 3B J. Rodriguez – SS Lettner – 2B Steffensen – P Turpeau

Bubba didn’t surrender a hit to any of the first dozen Titans coming to the plate, and only three through six innings, but two of those were in the sixth inning, as Elias Rodriguez and van der Zanden hit back-to-back singles, and Martinez added a sac fly. That cut into a 3-0 Coons lead that had stood for a while; Ruben Gonzalez had homered with Maldo on base for a pair in the second inning, and the inning after the 1-2-3 batters had all reached base and Pucks had singled home Waters. Lonzo stole his 40th bag in that inning, too. Wolinsky shed a van der Zanden double in the eighth, but completed the inning himself against Martinez, sitting on only 90 pitches in a game that breezed by like nothing.

The Coons arrived at the perfect teeth-gnasher in the ninth; after Gonzalez and Kaufman reached base against Vic Scott, Glodowksi, the useless pelt, hit into a 6-4-3 double play, bringing up Wolinsky with two out and an insurance run on third base. Begrudgingly we went to Sean Suggs, who in his 100th Coons at-bat at least came ******* through with an RBI single to left. Hitchcock retired the Titans in order this time. 4-1 Coons. DeMarco 2-4, 2B; Suggs (PH) 1-1, RBI; Wolinsky 8.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, W (12-8) and 1-3;

That night, still, the whimpering. Dr. Padilla didn’t know what to do, but I couldn’t stay in the hotel. It was impossible to sleep there. I ended up moving three blocks towards the harbor, staying in a shelter for transient persons on Mugger’s Row, where a fella named The General, who had a twitchy left eye, told me all about what *they* had done in St. Vincent and the Grenadines in ’38.

Still better than the whimpering.

Game 4
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – LF Puckeridge – CF DeMarco – C Suggs – 1B J. Maldonado – 3B Crispin – RF Suzuki – P Wheatley
BOS: 2B Steffensen – 1B van der Zanden – CF M. Martinez – RF T. Lopez – LF L. Estrada – 3B J. Rodriguez – C Oden – SS Lettner – P Ratliff

Through three innings, the Coons bid the minimum; while Suzuki hit a single, he was also caught stealing. Wheats meanwhile scattered four base runners, two on singles, and also van der Zanden by nailing him, and Steffensen with a leadoff error by Crispin in the first inning.

The Critters had one whole additional base hit, a Crispin single, the second time through, while the Titans also only had one hit in the middle innings, but also scratched Wheats for a pair of walks and a few more long counts, getting his pitch count up to nearly 100. No win came about for Wheatley, with the seventh being just as putrid for the Coons as anything before, while Angelo Zurita pinch-hit for Lettner in the bottom 7th, and homered to center… Ratliff also reached base on a single, and Wheatley was gone after whiffing Steffensen. Sencion came in and struck out two to end the inning, then got two more in the eighth before Willie Cruz got the 24th out from Boston. All the while the Coons were still on two hits and no run(s). Righty Jordan Ramos got the ball in the ninth, facing the 9-1-2 hitters. Sivertson popped out. Waters grounded out. Lonzo struck out. 1-0 Titans. Wheatley 6.1 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 9 K, L (12-6);

In other news

August 4 – OCT SP Mike Zeigler (6-7, 3.91 ERA) 3-hits the Knights, 5-0, in his second start as a Thunder.
August 4 – The Stars will be without star outfielder Juan del Toro (.363, 13 HR, 53 RBI) for the rest of the month; the 27-year-old was out with an oblique strain.
August 4 – The Aces get waffled by the Bayhawks, 25-5. The Bayhawks score multiple runs in each of the first six innings, including an 8-spot in the fifth inning. Ramon Sifuentes (.272, 6 HR, 31 RBI) leads the team with five hits, while Todd Dau (.274, 8 HR, 52 RBI) drives in a team-high five runs.
August 5 – TIJ SP Larry Colwell (12-7, 2.93 ERA) throws a 2-hit shutout as the Condors beat the Falcons, 8-0.
August 5 – The Indians beat the Crusaders, 3-2 in 16 innings. A leadoff triple by 3B Bobby Anderson (.288, 7 HR, 68 RBI) was too much to overcome in the bottom 16th after 18 consecutive scoreless half-innings leading up to it.

FL Player of the Week: PIT INF Alex Vasquez (.336, 5 HR, 41 RBI), batting .471 (16-34) with 1 HR, 5 RBI
CL Player of the Week: VAN 3B Jesus Burgos (.330, 3 HR, 43 RBI), hitting .533 (16-30) with 1 HR, 6 RBI

FL Hitter of the Month: DEN LF/CF Sandy Castillo (.318, 12 HR, 44 RBI), dealing .324 with 6 HR, 19 RBI
CL Hitter of the Month: OCT SS/1B/LF Ryan Cox (.295, 15 HR, 49 RBI), hitting .337 with 5 HR, 14 RBI
FL Pitcher of the Month: DEN SP John Kennedy (8-8, 3.72 ERA), pitching six times for a 4-1 record, 1.72 ERA, 38 K
CL Pitcher of the Month: SFB SP Milt Cantrell (11-6, 2.72 ERA), hurling for a 4-0 record, 1.86 ERA, 23 K
FL Rookie of the Month: LAP LF/1B/RF Salvatore Rodrigues (.222, 5 HR, 39 RBI), hitting .306 with 2 HR, 13 RBI
CL Rookie of the Month: MIL 1B/OF Gaudencio Callaia (.316, 7 HR, 40 RBI), whacking .380 with 8 RBI

Complaints and stuff

We have 11 runs in August, having played five games. Yeah, lucky us for that rainout. The rainout will be made up on this coming Thursday right away, so we’ll now go Indy-Oklahoma City again-Sioux Falls. At least it’s not across three time zones, twice in 24 hours…

Well, we tried to fix the offense, but it didn’t work. And now with Ken Crum whimpering and still undiagnosed, I have a hunch that we’re gonna plunge into nowhere rather quickly. This was not a team that could afford an injury to one of its three players actually contributing anything offensively.

Last in runs scored, still, and now the gap is getting bigger. 13 runs behind 11th place now, and a while back we were 25 runs back of sixth place in the CL… that’s up to 49 now.

Fun Fact: When Sean Suggs singled home Ruben Gonzalez on Saturday, that gave him 4 RBI in 100 at-bats since being traded.

(looks like Nick Valdes has already called once or twice about that very problem)

[Westheim]

The Raccoons began the new week with the splendid news that Ken Crum was out with a sprained ankle and would not be back before September. Maybe the middle of September. He was off to the DL, and the Raccoons brought back … Roberto Medina…?

Woof.

Hope everybody likes their 13-inning, 1-0 losses.

Raccoons (59-52) @ Indians (55-56) – August 7-9, 2051

Stop number three of fou- five on this road trip would be Indy, with a three-game set starting on Monday. The Indians were even in terms of run differential, eighth in offense, and seventh in pitching. Power was not their thing (nor ours), and they were a whole lot of mediocre (so were we). The Coons led the season series, 7-5.

Projected matchups:
Victor Salcido (4-6, 4.21 ERA) vs. Paul Medvec (4-4, 4.00 ERA)
Juan Mercado (5-5, 3.94 ERA) vs. Alfredo Llamas (11-11, 3.25 ERA)
Rafael de la Cruz (4-4, 4.09 ERA) vs. Enrique Ortiz (10-4, 3.34 ERA)

Only righty opposition available here.

Game 1
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – LF Puckeridge – CF DeMarco – 1B J. Maldonado – C Gonzalez – 3B Crispin – RF Suzuki – P Salcido
IND: LF R. White – 1B Ed. Ortiz – RF B. Quinteros – C Poindexter – CF Kokel – SS Clover – 3B A. Mendez – 2B Ragen – P Medvec

From the start, the weather looked like trouble, and we had an hour-long rain delay by the fourth inning. At that point the Indians were up 1-0 on a walk to Manny Poindexter and an RBI triple by Chaz Kokel, who also looked like trouble from the start. The Coons actually made up the deficit right after the rain delay, with Pucks getting on base and being singled home by Maldonado with two outs. Salcido returned from the rain delay clearly out of shape; he had thrown 50 pitches in the three innings before, and threw 36 more in the two innings after, few of them a sight to behold. But Waters singled home Crispin in the top 5th, and the Indians failed to bat home any of the three batters Salcido walked between the fourth and fifth, and he thus actually left the game with a 2-1 lead.

Lillis had a clean sixth, but the seventh saw trouble brewing. Willie Maldonado put Angel Mendez and Josh Hare on base, Eloy Sencion got a 2-out grounder from Rusty White to Jesus Maldonado that was played so tardily by the veteran that White reached base, and that made it three on and two outs for PH Juan Arguello, a righty hitting .259 with no home runs on the year. I had a hunch, but this time was surprised to find that scruffy batter grounding out to Crispin to end the inning. Sencion added a scoreless eighth against the middle of the order, and his spot came up in the ninth inning after Cesar Suarez had allowed a double to Ruben Gonzalez, had been ordered to walk Crispin intentionally, and then had seen Suzuki leg out an infield single; three on, one out for pinch-hitter Mitch Sivertson as we chose the subtle approach of maybe a dinker for an RBI single. It wasn’t quite the end result; he flew out to center, Ruben Gonzalez went home, Kokel’s throw arrived in time, but Gonzalez bowled over Poindexter, who lost the ball, and Ruben was safe with an insurance run before Waters whiffed. And then, Hitchcock, and a leadoff walk to Chase Clover. Sigh! Better yet, when Angel Mendez dropped a roller on the infield, Hitchcock threw that one away to put the tying run on base. Philip Locke grounded out, advancing the runners, and Mike Gilmore flew out to DeMarco, but Clover went home and scored. Somehow Rusty White popped out to Lonzo to strand Mendez in scoring position. 3-2 Coons. J. Maldonado 2-4, RBI; Suzuki 2-4; Medina (PH) 1-1;

Game 2
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – LF Puckeridge – CF DeMarco – 1B J. Maldonado – C Suggs – 3B Crispin – RF Suzuki – P Mercado
IND: 2B R. White – 1B Ed. Ortiz – 3B B. Anderson – CF Kokel – C M. Gilmore – SS Clover – RF A. Mendez – LF Hare – P Llamas

Waters singled, Lonzo doubled, and while Pucks grounded out poorly, DeMarco’s single through the left side gave the Coons an early 2-0 lead on Tuesday. The first two batters were on again in the second inning, then with Crispin and Suzuki singles; Mercado’s bunt was poor and led to Crispin being forced out at third base, but Matt Waters singled through the right side, and Suzuki went around to score from second base, 3-0. Lonzo and Pucks both added another run with yet another single, and it was 5-0 on eight Coons knocks by the time the inning was over. And while Mercado struggled with control and ran up quite the pitch count and was out of the game after six innings and 102 pitches, he at least didn’t allow a run. The Coons tacked on, Matt Waters scoring in the fourth and sixth innings, once on a Lonzo homer and then on a hit by Puckeridge, which ran the score to 8-0 by the seventh-inning stretch, when Mike Snyder was inserted to gain length.

We gained a meltdown. Snyder logged one out for FOUR runs; Angel Mendez singled, Josh Hare walked, wild pitch, then a K on Juan Arguello. White walked, Edwin Ortiz singled home two, and Bobby Anderson doubled in another pair. At that point Willie Cruz was called on to stop the shenanigans, and retired Kokel and Gilmore without conceding a fifth run. The Coons regained a run when Glodowski scored on a passed ball charged to Gilmore and thrown by Rich Knowles in the top 8th, 9-4, but Hare’s single off Cruz and a triple Paul Miles surrendered to the pinch-hitting Locke got the Indians back into slam range with two outs in the bottom 8th. Rusty White struck out, at least, and the Coons regained that run in the top of the ninth through Sean Suggs’ … run-scoring double play following DeMarco and Maldo occupying the corners against Michael McLaughlin to begin that inning… 10-5 Raccoons. Waters 3-3, 2 BB, RBI; Lavorano 3-4, BB, HR, 2B, 3 RBI; Puckeridge 3-5, 2 RBI; Crispin 2-4, 2B; Glodowski 1-1; Mercado 6.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K, W (6-5);

Game 3
POR: SS Lavorano – CF Suzuki – LF Puckeridge – 2B DeMarco – 1B J. Maldonado – C Suggs – 3B Crispin – RF Glodowski – P de la Cruz
IND: LF R. White – 1B Ed. Ortiz – RF B. Quinteros – 3B B. Anderson – C Poindexter – SS Clover – CF Locke – 2B Arguello – P En. Ortiz

The first Indian to put the ball in play hit a 3-run homer in this game, with Bobby Anderson doing the honors after Raffy walked White and nailed Quinteros. It didn’t get any better from there; while the Coons had a runner in each of the first three innings, none of them reached on a base hit, and two of them in fact reached on errors, Lonzo in the first and Maldo in the second. Lonzo stole a base, which was as much offense as we put together early on. De la Cruz meanwhile was neck-deep in trouble as soon as the bottom 3rd began. Edwin Ortiz singled, Quinteros walked on four pitches, and they advanced on a passed ball before Anderson walked anyway. Three on, no outs. Poindexter lined out to DeMarco, spelling Matt Waters at second base, and Chase Clover served a double play ball to Crispin, but he threw it away for an error, conceding a run right on the spot, and another when Locke singled. Arguello popped out, Enrique Ortiz whiffed, but de la Cruz was down 5-0 and looked like toast that had fallen on the marmalade side.

He didn’t get through the fourth inning at all, with Miles getting the last out there to strand two runners. But while Miles was engaged for length in innings, he only provided length in score, conceding three runs in an endless bottom 5th and not reappearing thereafter. Down 8-0, the Coons surrendered the game. When Lonzo reached with a leadoff single in the sixth, he got the “whatev’!” sign, and was promptly thrown out trying to steal second. Suzuki reached after that and Pucks hit a homer to right-center, but at that point he was putting sprinkles on a **** cake. Undeterred, Puckeridge added another run with a groundout in the eighth, which still didn’t even get the team into slam range. In the ninth the Coons merely emptied their bench, getting Matt Waters to draw a 2-out walk off Cesar Suarez, who then gave up an RBI double to Glodowski, but rung up Sivertson to end the game. 8-4 Indians. Sivertson (PH) 1-2;

Raccoons (61-53) @ Thunder (70-43) – August 10, 2051

In a southpaw battle between Bubba Wolinsky (12-8, 3.44 ERA) and Victor Marquez (12-3, 2.50 ERA), the Coons would try and salvage what there was to salvage from a 1-7 season series against the Thunder. This was the makeup from last week’s rainout, as if he had longed for another trip to the #1 offense and #2 pitching staff in the Continenal League…

POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – 1B J. Maldonado – CF DeMarco – C Suggs – RF Glodowski – 3B Kaufman – LF Medina – P Wolinsky
OCT: SS Adame – 2B Ban – 3B Soberanes – 1B Worthington – LF R. Cox – C Adames – CF A. Herrera – RF M. Allen – P V. Marquez

To anybody’s surprise, the Coons went up 2-0 in the second inning as Glodowski doubled, scored on a Kaufman single, Medina found the gap for another double, and Wolinsky at least lobbed a sac fly before getting completely emaciated in the bottom of the same inning. The Thunder crushed him for five hits, four for extra bases, and four runs. Ryan Cox doubled, Jesus Adames tripled, Armando Herrera (sigh!) singled, and that was only the beginning as they batted through the order. Even the opposing pitcher hit a ******* RBI double…!

Wolinsky would pitch five innings for five runs, the last being unearned on a Lonzo error, although he also walked three in the same damn inning… The game very much felt like it was over, despite the gap being only three runs, but the Raccoons made no rallying noises whatsoever throughout the middle innings. Waldo pitched two innings after Wolinsky was done exploding, conceding no runs, but Sencion gave up a run in the eighth. The Coons got a leadoff single from Brian Kaufman in the ninth, but then forced him out right away with a Medina grounder and never reached scoring position in the inning. 6-2 Thunder. Kaufman 2-4; W. Maldonado 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K;

Should have skipped straight to Sioux Falls.

Raccoons (61-54) @ Warriors (51-63) – August 11-13, 2051

The Warriors continued their perpetual rebuilding process, although they looked less hopeless than most of the time. They were last in the FL West, but third in runs scored in the FL, and seventh in runs allowed. They were the Anti-Coons, 12 games under .500 with a +31 run differential, while we were seven games over .500, but at -9 in runs. The Warriors’ main weakness was a lack of power and a shoddy bullpen, and they were without a couple of regulars in the lineup, Josh Wall and Jon Elkins, and also 22-year-old sophomore RF Tony Rodriguez, who had his throwing shoulder stitched back together. The last time these teams met, the Coons won two of three in 2049. We had not lost a series to them since 2039, but overall the Warriors were the team we had our all-time worst win percentage against (.467).

Projected matchups:
Jason Wheatley (12-6, 3.03 ERA) vs. Fernando Salazar (5-8, 4.42 ERA)
Victor Salcido (5-6, 4.12 ERA) vs. Jayden Woods (2-3, 4.89 ERA)
Juan Mercado (6-5, 3.69 ERA) vs. Shane Knox (12-5, 2.65 ERA)

Southpaw Sunday! Both the two preceding right-handers had also thrown a number of games out of the bullpen as the Warriors’ staff was in a state of flux.

The Coons continued to give out off days to the regulars; Lonzo and Maldo were not in the lineup on Friday, and DeMarco was slated for a day off on Saturday, despite an off day on Monday. It was a rough stretch, and we were already down our most productive outfielder…

Game 1
POR: 2B Waters – LF Suzuki – 1B Puckeridge – CF DeMarco – C Gonzalez – RF Glodowski – 3B Crispin – SS Kaufman – P Wheatley
SFW: SS Moriel – 1B Haracz – LF M. Villa – C Samuel – RF Munn – CF D. Ramirez – 3B Walling – 2B DeFusco – P F. Salazar

It took merely SEVEN INNINGS for a runner to reach third base on Friday, which was Nick DeMarco, drawing a walk and going there on Ed Crispin’s 2-out single. Brian Kaufman popped out and nobody scored, still, in a game that was lacking action, but did present us with the lingering suspense of whether it would actually ever end. Wheats struck out only three, but also gave up only two hits through seven innings of shutout ball. It was tempting to hit for him to begin the top 8th, but what was that supposed to get us? Offense!? (snickers) … Wheats struck out, and the Coons went in order, but he also got three more outs from the Warriors without much fuss. Pucks opened the ninth with a single off lefty Carlos Castillo, then took off on a hit-and-run with DeMarco, who swung, missed, and Pucks was gonna be dead at second, except that Nick Samuel spiked the throw, Julio Moriel couldn’t contain the ball, and Pucks ambled to third base with nobody out in a scoreless drag of a game. DeMarco fell from 0-2, then clawed back to draw a walk, after which Ruben Gonzalez was smacked in the wrist for a very painful and dreaded three on, and nobody out; plus, Dr. Padilla removed Gonzalez from the game after pawing his wrist for an extended period of time and getting all the wrong grimaces from the catcher. Lonzo pinch-ran for him. Glodowski, the useless pelt, then lined out to Arturo Galaviz at second base. Oh, here we go…! Maldo pinch-hit for Crispin against the lefty Castillo, whom the Warriors saw fit to continue. Maldo fell to two strikes, but like DeMarco recovered, burping a 1-2 flayer through the left side for a 2-run single…! Kaufman getting doubled up after that spared us any tough decisions with the #9 spot. Wheats returned, got Dale Haracz with a grounder to Waters, but then Mario Villa snuck a single. Nick Samuel whiffed in a long battle, which made it kinda imperative to get out Danny Munn if Wheats wanted the shutout, now on … 116 pitches!? That came quickly…! Anyway! Go for it, Wheats! Five pitches to Munn, the last of them a swinging strike three…! 2-0 Blighters! DeMarco 1-2, 2 BB; J. Maldonado (PH) 1-1, 2 RBI; Wheatley 9.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K, W (13-6);

Second shutout of the year, and ninth of his career (regular season only) for Wheats!! Whee!!

On the other paw, Ruben Gonzalez’ wrist kept swelling overnight, and he ended up going to the DL with a badly bruised wrist. This might take the rest of the month…! The Coons reached down to AAA to retrieve 2047 fifth-rounder Tyler Philipps, a very good defensive catcher *and* first baseman. He was mostly that – the offense was questionable. He ran like a catcher, and he didn’t have a lot of power, but a keen eye, which made him the worst leadoff candidate for me, since I wanted speed at least at the top of the order (although we had had speed throughout the lineup pretty consistently for about 20 years now). Anyway, the 24-year-old, batting righty and .251/.394/.353 with 3 HR, 31 RBI in AAA, would make his major league debut shortly.

Game 2
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – RF Puckeridge – 1B J. Maldonado – C Suggs – CF Suzuki – 3B Crispin – LF Medina – P Salcido
SFW: SS Moriel – 1B Haracz – LF M. Villa – C Samuel – RF Munn – CF D. Ramirez – 3B Walling – 2B DeFusco – P J. Woods

Salcido threw 31 pitches in the first, none of them a joy to watch, as he walked two and gave up two hits and two runs, with a Mario Villa RBI double over the head of Medina being the key knock in that mess. Villa homered his next time up, leading off the third inning, and the Warriors clipped Salcido for three more hits and a fourth run in that same inning, overall facilitating a rather brisk exit after five innings and with over 100 pitches for the routinely inconsistent right-hander… And the Coons? Much like on Friday, nada. Two hits through five, and two caught-stealings between Suzuki and Lonzo…

It didn’t get better any time soon. The Coons went in order the next two innings, while Nick Samuel took Paul Miles deep to left in the seventh for a tack-on run. At least the baseball gods eventually had mercy with us and sent a thunderstorm that ended the game with one out in the eighth inning and the Raccoons still no closer to a ******* base runner. 5-0 Warriors.

Game 3
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – LF Puckeridge – CF DeMarco – 1B J. Maldonado – C Suggs – RF Glodowski – 3B Sivertson – P Mercado
SFW: SS Moriel – 1B Haracz – C Samuel – LF M. Villa – CF D. Ramirez – RF Munn – 2B DeFusco – 3B Walling – P S. Knox

The Coons thought they might just as well try and tie yesterday’s score in the first inning of the rubber game, stuffing Shane Knox with five runs despite an inauspicious beginning. Only Lonzo reached from the first three, stole a base, and was then driven in by DeMarco, and then the meltdown started. Maldo reached, Suggs hit an RBI single, Glodowski doubled in a pair with a drive into the left-center gap, and then scored on a Sivertson single to right, 5-0. The inning ended with Mercado, who then gave back two of the runs right away on straight singles by Villa, Samuel, and Danny Ramirez, and by dropping Maldo’s feed on what should finally have been the third out on Danny Munn’s grounder. Mike DeFusco finally made the third out with a grounder to Waters…

…and Mercado never got it together. Knox drove a hard double in the second off him, and Villa homered to lead off the third inning, 5-3. DeFusco and Joe Walling went to the corners with two outs before Mercado was gracious enough to strike out Knox to strand the tying runs. Portland went back in the board in the fourth, though; singles by Waters (forced out by Lonzo), Pucks, and DeMarco scored a run, although Maldo then whiffed and Suggs grounded out meekly, which sugged. And Mercado? Put the 1-2 batters on to begin the bottom 4th, single, walk, misery, except no, Nick Samuel found Lonzo for a 6-4-3 double play, and Villa’s groundout ended the inning. Walling’s and Moriel’s singles in the bottom 6th made it 11 hits on Mercado before he was finally yanked, Willie Cruz giving up a fly to center to Samuel that DeMarco thankfully snatched, keeping it a 6-3 game.

Old Man Maldo then opened the seventh inning with a triple into the rightfield corner off Pedro de Leon. He was old, he was grumpy, but once he found fourth gear, he was still good for one…! The Warriors walked Suggs intentionally, which made zero sense, then had de Leon concede the run on a Glodowski single to left. Sivertson then grounded into an out at second base, but stole the same base with Willie Cruz at the plate – the Coons wanted more outs from him and sent him to bat, which stunningly resulted in an RBI single through the left side…! De Leon was gone, but was charged another run when Jose Jacinto sent home Sivertson with a wild pitch, 9-3.

After Cruz’ scoreless bottom 7th, the Coons dared bring back Snyder with a 6-run lead, resulting in an Allan Mason single, two walks, stacked bags, and Eloy Sencion donning pants and a hat. He gave up two runs on a Villa single on his first pitch, then retired Ramirez on a grounder to Sivertson, plus three more in order in the ninth to take the series. 9-5 Coons. Waters 2-6; Lavorano 2-5; Puckeridge 2-5, 2B; DeMarco 2-5, 2 RBI; Suggs 3-4, BB, 2B, RBI; Glodowski 2-4, BB, 2B, 3 RBI; Medina 1-1; Cruz 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K and 1-1, RBI;

In other news

August 9 – PIT SP Jerry Cruz (12-9, 3.55 ERA) throws a 3-hit shutout against the Capitals, taking the 3-0 win.
August 9 – SFW INF Julio Moriel (.303, 1 HR, 43 RBI) has four hits and six RBI from the leadoff spot in a 15-4 trouncing of the Pacifics.
August 9 – It looks like the season of CIN 1B Manny Liberos (.210, 9 HR, 47 RBI) might be over; the 35-year-old has been diagnosed with a broken wrist.
August 10 – A day later, the Cyclones also lose 38-year-old INF/RF/LF Felix Marquez (.261, 1 HR, 26 RBI) for the year. The right-handed batter needs to have bone chips removed from his elbow.
August 10 – The Gold Sox blow four leads, but still prevail to beat the Stars, 14-13, in a wild one in Dallas. Denver’s Ivan Villa (.304, 24 HR, 73 RBI), Raul Sevilla (.298, 9 HR, 73 RBI), and Sean Lassley (.383, 2 HR, 6 RBI) all have four hits apiece, Sevilla leading the team with five RBI, but the most runs are driven in on the losing side by Dallas’ Steve Humphreys (.211, 7 HR, 30 RBI) plating six on two homers, including an eighth-inning, game-tying grand slam.
August 12 – The Crusaders beat the Scorpions, 5-4 in 15 innings after previously both teams scored a run in the 10th inning.

FL Player of the Week: SFW LF Mario Villa (.316, 3 HR, 55 RBI), driving .452 (14-31) with 2 HR, 13 RBI
CL Player of the Week: IND 3B Bobby Anderson (.294, 8 HR, 79 RBI), hitting .409 (9-22) with 1 HR, 11 RBI

Complaints and stuff

Always a delight to sponsor both league’s Players of the Week in any given week……

Phi-l-i-pps. One L, two P. – Yes, Maud, actually three P. – But not all behind another! – Yes, please also tell clubhouse guy Gus. – Yeah, better write it down.

We continue to be in first place sans rhyme or reason, when it once again looks like none of the buggers will break 15 homers or 80 RBI for the year. Yes of course we’re still last in runs scored.

But we have new fans. The Thunder are rooting HARD for us. It’ll be a free pennant for them if we win the division. Right now though everybody is within eight games (minus the Loggers), and all but the Elks are even within four games, so I’d be hesitant to book accommodation in Oklahoma City for early October yet.

Injuries to Ken Crum and Ruben Gonzalez of course won’t help, and anybody remember Cullen Tortora? He was supposed to bring something beyond medical bills…!

Next week brings a homestand with the Caps and the Crusaders, in any case. In fact, I will be in Portland for the rest of the month. The Coons’ only road series left this month is in Elk City, and they keep not having me there.

Fun Fact: Willie Cruz had his first career hit and RBI on Sunday.

Well, if the pitching stuff don’t work anymore for him, maybe he can become a ******* outfielder…!

+++

Was distracted with the World Cup a bit the last two weeks, but the schedule there is thinning now and the Coons' will pick up again

[Westheim]

Raccoons (63-55) vs. Capitals (55-61) – August 15-17, 2051

For the second time this year, the Raccoons would join hands weakly with the team that hogged the very bottom of the runs scored table in the Federal League, and the Caps were scoring even fewer runs than the Critters. Hitting .248 as a team, and also bottoms in power and without much speed, they were kept alive by a stern rotation that ranked second in ERA, but their run differential was still a rough -85. The Coons had lost the last two meetings with Washington, each time two games to one, most recently last year.

Projected matchups:
Rafael de la Cruz (4-5, 4.26 ERA) vs. Bruce Mark jr. (10-9, 3.34 ERA)
Bubba Wolinsky (12-9, 3.57 ERA) vs. Sean Fowler (8-9, 3.80 ERA)
Jason Wheatley (13-6, 2.87 ERA) vs. Salvatore Calderon (5-5, 3.14 ERA)

Only right-handed opposition drawing up in this set.

Game 1
WAS: 2B Ale. Silva – SS Clevidence – C Korfhage – CF Monson – LF Vesey – 1B V. Chavez – 3B Higareda – RF Baldwin – P Mark jr.
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – LF Puckeridge – CF DeMarco – 1B J. Maldonado – C Suggs – RF Suzuki – 3B Crispin – P de la Cruz

The Coons jumped out to sizable lead rather quickly as Nick DeMarco hit a 2-run homer with Pucks on base in the first inning, and in the second inning Suggs and Suzuki hit singles up the middle initially. Crispin found a fielder’s choice at second base, but Raffy drove a sac fly to Jayden Baldwin in right, 3-0, before Waters singled to left. Crispin raced for third base, drew a throw, and Waters moved up behind him, which allowed Lonzo to single the pair of them home with a ball between Jim Vesey and Jason Monson – 5-0 after two innings!

So the main focus was Raffy then, who did not allow a base hit the first time through the Washington lineup, then was splattered for four hits the second time through – but the Caps also found two double plays and failed to score even with a Crispin error for additional support. Still all well until there, but in the sixth the Capitals packed another four hits into a single inning, and that was a bit too much. Doug Clevidence hit a 1-out single and scored after a pair of 2-out singles by Monson and Vesey. Vic Chavez was nailed, and Higareda singled in two more, with Chavez slapped out in a rundown between second and third base to mercifully end the inning. The Coons meanwhile had fallen asleep after taking that 5-0 lead. The Caps actually had more hits at this stage, and the Coons only got their seventh base hit when Maldo hit a single in the bottom 7th, but he was also picked off before much could come about it. The Coons loaded the bags in the bottom 7th against Danny Grimstead; the left-hander allowed a single to PH Mitch Sivertson, who was forced out by Brian Kaufman before the lineup flipped over again. Waters walked, Lonzo singled, and there were three on and one out for Puckeridge, who struck out. DeMarco scratched out a run with a really soft RBI single, while Maldo added another one with a liner to right for another RBI single. Sean Suggs popped out to strand three, which sugged. Tyler Philipps made his major league debut after two days on the bench and a day off, pinch-hitting for Suzuki in the bottom 8th, but he struck out as well. The Coons were up by a slam to begin the ninth inning, so continued with Snyder, who had already pitched the eighth haphazardly. He nailed Adrian Higareda before being replaced with Brett Lillis jr., who gave up a single to Baldwin and put runners on the corners, but got a double play – albeit run-scoring – from PH Jaden Richards before finding his way to the end of the game without having to bother Kevin Hitchcock. 7-4 Raccoons. Lavorano 2-4, 2 RBI; DeMarco 2-4, HR, 3 RBI; J. Maldonado 2-4, RBI; Sivertson (PH) 1-1, BB;

Game 2
WAS: SS Ale. Silva – 1B Clevidence – C Korfhage – CF Monson – LF Vesey – 3B Higareda – RF J. Richards – 2B Ritter – P S. Fowler
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – LF Puckeridge – CF DeMarco – 1B J. Maldonado – RF Suzuki – 3B Crispin – C Philipps – P Wolinsky

That team that never scored landed another three singles off Wolinsky in the first inning, scoring one run driven in the former Bostonian Monson, but the Coons answered with a run in the bottom 1st without a hit entirely as Lonzo got nicked, stole second, advanced on a wild pitch, and scored on Pucks’ groundout in quick succession. The two pitchers singled off each other the first chance they got, neither hit leading to a run, and those were the only base hits in the game between the first inning assault and Ed Crispin’s single in the bottom 5th that followed a walk drawn and base stolen by Mikio Suzuki and put runners on the corners. Philipps grounded out, moving Crispin along, but the inning ended with strikeouts by Wolinsky and Waters and the runners stranded in scoring position in a 1-1 game.

That tie was broken by Jake Ritter with a 2-out solo homer in the seventh inning, and you’d be forgiven to wonder “who?”, because Ritter was a 23-year-old that was making his ABL debut in this game after just 18 games at AAA Modesto. Wolinsky was done after that inning and 98 pitches, and relief by Willies Cruz and Maldonado was spotless, but the Raccoons just … couldn’t … get … ******* … going…! Nick DeMarco’s 1-out single off Ryan Dow in the bottom 9th put the tying run on base, but was also only the fourth Coons base hit in the entire miserable game. But it was the key for a comeback. Maldo singled up the middle on the first pitch he saw, becoming the winning run on first, and then Mikio Suzuki struck a 3-1 pitch into the left-center gap that was falling in without doubt. DeMarco would score easily, but would Maldo make it all the way around? He sure tried, chugging around third base puffing and wheezing and sliding into home plate just as the relay throw from Alejandro Silva arrived and he waaaaaaaaas – safe!! It’s a walkoff!! 3-2 Critters! Crispin 1-2, BB; Sivertson (PH) 1-1; Wolinsky 7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K and 1-2;

When you have this little offense, that offense is all the more exciting…!

Meanwhile the Caps changed pitchers for Thursday, bringing in righty swingman Charlie Hudson (3-0, 3.79 ERA).

Game 3
WAS: 1B Clevidence – 3B E. Luna – C Korfhage – CF Monson – RF Baldwin – SS I. Dominguez – LF J. Richards – 2B Ritter – P C. Hudson
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – LF Puckeridge – CF DeMarco – 1B J. Maldonado – C Suggs – RF Suzuki – 3B Kaufman – P Wheatley

While Hudson lasted only two innings because of injury, Wheats, who had thrown a shutout in his last start on plenty of pitches, but had had an extra day off in between games, was taken deep by Monson in the second for an early deficit and definitely not a shutout. The Coons were held to a Suzuki single the first time through, but Victor Erazo nicked Lonzo to begin the bottom 4th. Lonzo stole his 45th base, then scored after a Pucks groundout and a DeMarco single to tie the contest. Erazo also dinked Maldo, who looked rather unhappy about that development, then gave up a single to center to Sean Suggs. DeMarco scored, and Monson’s sub-par throw home allowed the trailing runners to reach scoring position. But there, they remained; Suzuki grounded out to first, Kaufman was walked intentionally, and Wheats struck out to strand the whole lot of them.

Meanwhile, throughout the middle innings the Caps failed to amount to much of a charge against Wheats, who nursed the 2-1 lead well until Jaden Richards drove a double to right with two outs in the seventh. The Caps sent Eric Thomas to pinch-hit for Ritter, who had been 4-for-6 against the Coons in two games and looked like the right man to tie the game, but instead Thomas grounded out easily to end the inning. Wheats logged two more outs until Eddy Luna was back in the box, and that left-hander was a bit too intimate with Wheats to have batting a fourth time against him, and as the tying run. Sencion came out, gave up a single on the first pitch, but got Mitch Korfhage on the second pitch to end the inning after all, just not as intended… The Coons then broke through Jesus Cardenas in the bottom 8th; the inning started with Waters, and the first five batters all reached base; three singles, an intentional walk to DeMarco, and a bases-loaded RBI single scored two runs before Suggs grounded into a force at home and Suzuki into a double play. The Coons now stuck to Sencion in the ninth, not because of the 3-run lead, but because left-handers were up – Hitchcock would have pitched if the inning had started with Korfhage, so technically Sencion failed himself into a save opportunity. He also failed himself out of hit, walking Monson and giving up a 2-out single to right to Richards. Alejandro Silva was batting in the #8 hole and drew Hitchcock, who ended the game with a K. 4-1 Coons. DeMarco 1-2, 2 BB, RBI; Wheatley 7.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, W (14-6);

A nice little slow-motion sweep…!

This extended our lead in the division to 4 1/2 games.

Raccoons (66-55) vs. Crusaders (60-61) – August 18-20, 2051

The Crusaders were six games out and in fourth place, but what better opportunity to gain ground than right here in Portland? They kinda had to; they were tenth in runs scored and fifth in runs allowed with a +17 run differential, which sounded only marginally better than what the Coons could put up. Even with the sweep during the week we were still at a -1 run differential… The Crusaders were rather average throughout; the only category in which they ranked in the top three in the league was starters ERA, where they ranked third precisely. They also held an 8-4 edge in the season series.

Projected matchups:
Victor Salcido (5-7, 4.23 ERA) vs. Carlos Malla (6-7, 3.71 ERA)
Juan Mercado (7-5, 3.67 ERA) vs. Austin Guastella (0-1, 5.63 ERA)
Rafael de la Cruz (5-5, 4.22 ERA) vs. Neal Hamann (4-3, 3.30 ERA)

…and even then that third-place rotation was filled with the odd placeholder. Guastella and Hamann had five starts between them this year. Malla and Hamann were left-handers. Oh well, at least another Southpaw Sunday…!

Game 1
NYC: SS O. Sanchez – RF Magnussen – 3B Gates – LF D. Rivera – CF P. Leal – C O. Ramirez – 2B Russ – 1B Haertling – P Malla
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – LF Puckeridge – CF DeMarco – 1B J. Maldonado – C Suggs – RF Glodowski – 3B Sivertson – P Salcido

Like true contenders, neither team found a base hit the first time through the order, although Maldo at least found himself getting hit in the bum once again. No runs resulted from that, or any other (in)action on the field well into the middle innings. Lonzo hit a single in the fourth that went nowhere nice, but in the bottom 5th the Coons got Glodowski on with a leadoff walk and Sivertson reached on an error by routine pest Andrew Russ. The runners were bunted over by Salcido, but Waters’ sac fly was all the runs we could get in the inning, with Lonzo grounding out. At this point the Coons had one run on one hit, and the Crusaders had even less than that in every regard.

The Crusaders continued to be harmless, with Russ, Ed Haertling, and Malla making tame outs in the sixth, and while Pucks had to jostle after an Omar Sanchez fly in the seventh, him, and Adam Magnussen, and Prince Gates went in order like the 18 Crusaders that had preceded them. I was getting a little antsy and pressed Honeypaws into my chest. The eighth. Danny Rivera struck out. Pedro Leal grounded out to Waters. Omar Ramirez hit a chopper to third base, but Sivertson remained on top of that. The Coons, too, remained inept, and would not add a second base hit to their tally. Lonzo did get brushed by a pitch and stole a base in the bottom 8th, but was left on by Puckeridge.

Then the ninth inning dawned, and the 25th batter for New York along with it. Josh Garris pinch-hit for Russ, which was an odd choice given Russ’ career .879 batting average against the Portlanders. Salcido was back out there OBVIOUSLY. I was sucking my thumb. First pitch, slapped up the middle, Waters over, to first – out. And then Salcido fell behind Haertling… and walked him. Nooooo!! He was two outs from a perfect game…!! (bawls) And the Crusaders found more lefty bats to bombard him with now, Angel Lara pinch-hitting in the #9 hole. Pickoff throw to first, but Haertling, the monster, got back in there in time. Then a 96 to Lara, who grounded to the right side. Right to Waters! To Lonzo! To Maldo!! DOUBLE PLAY!! 1-0 Furballs!! Lavorano 1-2, BB; Glodowski 0-1, 2 BB; Salcido 9.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K, W (6-7);

I tried to invade the locker room again after the game to give Salcido a thick smooch on the cheek, but he had wisened up after previously pitching a no-hitter for the Coons and hid in the laundromat. Sneaky bugger!

No-hitter, no-hitter! (dances around the players, in various states of undress, wielding Honeypaws like a trophy)

Game 2
NYC: SS O. Sanchez – 2B Russ – RF Magnussen – LF D. Rivera – 3B Gates – CF P. Leal – 1B D. Hernandez – C O. Ramirez – P Guastella
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – 1B Puckeridge – CF DeMarco – RF Suzuki – LF Sivertson – 3B Crispin – C Philipps – P Mercado

No no-no on Saturday – Prince Gates’ single in the second took care of that, but Mercado kept the Crusaders off the board the first time through. The Coons scored, and in quite some way, taking the lead in the bottom 3rd on a leadoff jack by Tyler Philipps – not only his first career homer, but also his first career *hit*! Mercado and Waters then went to the corners, the former scoring when Lonzo doubled up the latter, 2-0.

The Crusaders were sufficiently scared of Philipps now that they walked him intentionally when his spot came up with DeMarco and Suzuki in scoring position and two outs in the bottom 4th, and instead picked the last out from Mercado, who went down on strikes. Pucks and DeMarco were left on the corners the following inning and I was getting a bit queasy about all the wasted runners, but Mercado kept shutting out the Crusaders and the 2-0 stood until the bottom 6th when Crispin singled, stole second, and then scored on a 2-out double by Mercado, who thus got his first career RBI in the same game as his battery mate!

Mercado ended up going eight, but was also taken deep by Andrew Russ with two outs in the top 8th to take the shutout away (although his pitch count had reached 102 by then). He struck out Magnussen to end his day, and left the game still up 3-1. Hitchcock then retired Rivera, Gates, and Leal with three grounders to Ed Crispin in the ninth inning. 3-1 Coons. Waters 2-3, BB; DeMarco 2-4; Mercado 8.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, W (8-5) and 2-3, 2B, RBI;

That was quite casually also the sixth Coons win in a row.

Game 3
NYC: SS O. Sanchez – 2B Russ – RF Magnussen – LF D. Rivera – 3B Gates – CF P. Leal – C A. Lara – 1B Haertling – P Hamann
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – CF DeMarco – 1B J. Maldonado – C Suggs – 3B Sivertson – RF Glodowski – LF Suzuki – P de la Cruz

Raffy struck out five Crusaders against a mostly left-handed lineup the first time through, but that wasn’t enough to keep them off the board, as a Prince Gates single and a double by Angel Lara gave them a run in the second inning. Raffy was dominant – he was on seven strikeouts after three innings, and nine after four. Also after four, he had a lead, thanks to a Coons outburst in the bottom 4th. Lonzo doubled and scored on a Maldo single. Suggs also singled, and Sivertson’s groundout advanced them into scoring position, from where Glodowski cashed them with two outs, doubling sharply up the rightfield line, the ball bouncing fair by no more than four inches. An intentional walk to Suzuki and a pop by Raffy ended the inning with a 3-1 score. Omar Sanchez singled in the fifth, but that was after Haertling and Hamann had struck out to give Raffy 11 K for the day…! Gates made the dozen full in the sixth, but obviously he was running up his pitch count, entering the seventh inning on 89 pitches. He struck out Haertling for a 13th K… but that was with the lead already blown. Leal had dropped in a bloop and Lara had homered to right to tie the game.

Crushing sadness.

A Hamann single knocked out Raffy for good, Lillis working out of the inning to at least leave him with a no-decision. Lillis and Waldo combined for the eighth inning, but the Coons still couldn’t score and when Sencion fell to a pinch-hit double by Art Bent and a Haertling single in the ninth, the Crusaders took a 4-3 lead. Ken Mills struck out, Omar Sanchez popped out, but the Coons now had to find the offense again, which sounded easier than it was. Righty Melvin Lucero was out for the bottom 9th, with the 6-7-8 batters up. Sivertson and Puckeridge both grounded out, and Suzuki flew out to left. 4-3 Crusaders. Suggs 2-4; de la Cruz 6.1 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 13 K;

In other news

August 14 – The only run in the Bayhawks’ 1-0 win over the Wolves scores on a wild pitch by SAL MR Eddie Sotelo (6-5, 4.38 ERA, 1 SV) in the bottom of the ninth for a walkoff.
August 17 – MIL C Chris Thomas (.308, 12 HR, 57 RBI) has put a 20-game hitting streak together by hitting a double in a 7-0 win over the Cyclones.
August 20 – The Rebels lose 2B/SS Lance Harrison (.317, 17 HR, 78 RBI) to ruptured finger tendons; the 30-year-old is out for the season.

FL Player of the Week: CIN LF/RF/1B Rikuto Ito (.333, 1 HR, 24 RBI), hitting .571 (12-21) with 5 RBI
CL Player of the Week: ATL LF/RF Chris Kirkwood (.279, 3 HR, 23 RBI), batting .458 (11-24) with 2 HR, 11 RBI

Complaints and stuff

Oh where to begin!? First, we got a no-hitter! Second, we had a 5-1 week when we hardly scored five runs all week! Third, did I mention the no-hitter?

21-11 in runs scored, to be precise. Which is ridiculous, either way.

Actually, the most important thing this week might be the guy that didn’t figure in the final compact box score on Sunday after all. Sencion got the L, and Raffy de la Cruz wasn’t mentioned at all, nor was any other Coon, but him striking out 13 against a lineup with seven left-handed batters gave me great encouragement that hogging him for years and years and not doing a dozen deals to not have to include them in any of them was the right move. Kid’s barely 21 years old, and is still going to get better. Yeah he’s given up eight homers in 87.1 innings, and he’s walked 43 batters. But he has 72 whiffs, and while his ERA is 4.23, that’s also with a .332 BABIP working against him. I stand by it – future Pitcher of the Year material.

Going back to the no-hitter - make no mistake, it was almost a double-no-no. Lonzo had the *only* hit in the game. The linescore was quite literally ending with 0-0-1 for New York and 1-1-0 for Portland.

So, the Coons are up by five just in time for a trip to Elk City, and then it’s gonna be a homestand with the Baybirds and Knights to complete the month!

Also, fun tidbit, the Coons played the entire week with a 23-man roster. Neither Paul Miles nor Roberto Medina were used even once. Three more players were barely touched: Willie Cruz threw a single inning, and Glodowski and Kaufman got four at-bats each. That’s efficiency – having four outfielders on the roster and using only two of them! Hah!!

Fun Fact: Victor Salcido is the first pitcher since Ben Lipsky in 2039 to pitch a second no-hitter, and the first Raccoon to do so.

Juan Berrios – 1977
Jason Turner – 1989
Manuel Movonda – 1998
Bob Joly – 2000
Jose Dominguez – 2007
Nick Brown – 2016
Jonny Toner – 2019
Tom Shumway – 2030
Victor Merino – 2046
Victor Salcido – 2050
Victor Salcido – 2051

I’m such a proud GM. (wipes a tear)

[Westheim]

Raccoons (68-56) @ Canadiens (58-66) – August 21-23, 2051

This series could very well become the worst ever and a nightmare. I had Honeypaws in a death clutch while pacing up and down the office by Monday morning, making everybody mad. The damn Elks were third in runs scored and ninth in runs allowed, and we led the season series, 7-5, but Elk City was hostile territory. Very hostile.

Projected matchups:
Bubba Wolinsky (12-9, 3.52 ERA) vs. Mario Godinez (6-11, 5.22 ERA)
Jason Wheatley (14-6, 2.79 ERA) vs. Danny Orozco (13-8, 3.90 ERA)
Victor Salcido (6-7, 3.97 ERA) vs. Juan Ramos (5-15, 4.42 ERA)

Two wobbly right-handers on either end of the series, and Wheats drew the left-hander with the winning record.

Game 1
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – LF Puckeridge – CF DeMarco – C Suggs – 1B J. Maldonado – RF Suzuki – 3B Crispin – P Wolinsky
VAN: LF Escobido – SS Mullen – 1B J. Wheeler – 3B Burgos – CF Burkhart – 2B H. Acosta – RF A. Walker – C Waker – P Godinez

Angel Escobido and Jeff Wheeler hit singles to put the Elks up 1-0 in the first while the Raccoons’ offense delivered the usual depression in the early innings, not getting a base hit until Lonzo singled in the fourth inning. Then it went quickly, though, with Pucks also singling, and both being driven in by DeMarco. Suggs singled to put runners on the corners, but Maldo grounded into a double play to end the inning. Two innings later, Pucks and DeMarco reached base again with one out before Suggs grounded to Wheeler, who longed for a double play in 3-6-3 fashion, but threw the ball behind the hustling Hugo Acosta, and the throwing error cost any play at all, bringing back Maldo with three up and one out. He grounded to the right side again, but this time Acosta couldn’t reach the ball and it eluded for an RBI single, 3-1. Another run scored on Suzuki’s groundout to first base, after which the Elks walked Crispin intentionally to get to Wolinsky, then with a new pitcher in Jared Bramel, who threw the first pitch down the middle and paid with a 2-out, 2-run single by Bubba! The inning ended with Waters whiffing, but it was now 6-1 Coons.

The Elks’ Dan Mullen singled with one gone in the bottom 6th; it was their first hit since the two singles in the first inning. Three more singles followed for Wheeler, Tim Burkhart, and Acosta. Burkhart drove in a run, while Aaron Walker – traded to the Elks to pick up Nick DeMarco the month before – popped out in foul ground to strand a full set of runners. In response to that sixth-inning run, the Coons romped Bramel and Ryan Porter for a 5-spot in the seventh then, which made me squeal in excitement back at home. Pucks, Suzuki, and Crispin each drove in a run in the inning, and Waters drove in a pair with two outs. Wolinsky threw 108 pitches for six and two thirds innings of 6-hit ball, decent enough, while Mike Snyder got one out to end the seventh, then walked the bags full with Mullen and pinch-hitters Fernando Alba and Alex Soto, which was a sub-par development. He also struck out two and got Aaron Walker on a grounder to Crispin, surrendering no runs, but I was fed up with his act. 11-2 Raccoons. Lavorano 2-5; Puckeridge 2-4, BB, RBI; DeMarco 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI; Suggs 2-5; J. Maldonado 2-4, RBI; Crispin 2-4, BB, RBI; Wolinsky 6.2 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, W (13-9) and 1-4, 2 RBI;

Mike Snyder (1-0, 5.17 ERA) was optioned after another crummy outing. He had 24 walks and 30 strikeouts in 31.1 innings, which was a lot of light and shadow, and the Raccoons wished for less unnecessary traffic.

The perfect personnel wasn’t there; on one paw a long guy wouldn’t hurt, and we’d probably bring up 26-year-old semi-failed starter Matt Dixon, a third-rounder from 2046, in September, but for now added Polibio O’Higgins for the umpteenth time.

Game 2
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – LF Puckeridge – CF DeMarco – C Suggs – 1B J. Maldonado – 3B Sivertson – RF Glodowski – P Wheatley
VAN: 1B J. Wheeler – LF T. Turner – 3B Burgos – RF Outram – CF Burkhart – C Julio Diaz – SS Mullen – 2B H. Acosta – P Orozco

Through five innings, Wheats was nearly out of the game – it wasn’t entirely his fault, as the fourth inning was interrupted by a rain delay of almost 50 minutes, during which I was doing a lot of pacing again in the office, which annoyed even Slappy. The game was tied 1-1 at that point; Wheats had balked in a run in the first inning after putting Tim Turner and Outram on the corners, and labored even after that, struggling through the innings, although he issued only one walk against five whiffs. The Coons tied it up when Waters drove home Sivertson in the third inning. The top 6th saw a breakthrough, though. Waters belted a leadoff jack to left-center, after which Pucks walked and advanced on a passed ball, then scored on a Suggs single with two outs. Orozco then went on to nick both Maldo and Sivertson to load the bases, balked in Suggs’ run, and conceded two more on a Wheatley single after Glodowski was walked intentionally, 6-1. Wheats pitched one more inning, but then retired on 95 pitches. The last three where thrown by Miles, clinching a save that way on 38 pitches. Waters hit a leadoff double in the ninth and was driven in by Puckeridge, but that was the only late run in the game. 7-1 Raccoons! Waters 4-5, HR, 2B, 2 RBI; Wheatley 6.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, W (15-6) and 1-3, 2 RBI; Miles 3.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, SV (2);

Game 3
POR: POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – LF Puckeridge – CF DeMarco – 1B J. Maldonado – RF Suzuki – 3B Crispin – C Philipps – P Salcido
VAN: 1B J. Wheeler – LF T. Turner – 3B Burgos – RF Outram – C Julio Diaz – SS Mullen – CF Escobido – 2B H. Acosta – P J. Ramos

In a breathtaking display of unclutchiness, the teams combined for nine hits and five walks in the first three innings, and each of them scored a lonely run, funnily enough each involving the pitcher. Salcido was driven in by Lonzo in the second (but had forced out Philipps to begin with), while Ramos singled home the tying run in the same inning, and with two outs. Both stranded a full set of runners once, and plenty of others otherwise. After that, the middle innings were shockingly quick to pass, neither team getting more than one runner in any half-inning, and nobody even reached third base.

Waters hit a double in the seventh, but was stranded, while Juan Ramos left the game with a tweak in the eighth inning. Salcido retired Turner and Burgos to begin the bottom 8th, but was then on 110 pitches and faced Jerry Outram, whose name had yet to come up in any way in this series, and who was hitting only .249 with 11 homers at this point in the season, indicating perhaps that the 37-year-old’s great career (gnashes teeth) was hitting its sunset phase. Nevertheless, he was a left-hander, Salcido was on 110 pitches, and it was still ******* JERRY OUTRAM. The Coons decided that it was time for Eloy Sencion. The Elks then decided that it was time for Tim Burkhart to pinch-hit from the right side – just in case you needed more indications about sunset phases. The Elks saw it to; but Burkhart popped out.

Bernardino Risso came apart in the ninth, offering leadoff walks to Crispin and Philipps in the ninth. Sivertson was batting ninth, having entered in a double switch with Sencion, and he singled to right to drive in Crispin and break the 1-1 tie…! Waters whiffed, and Lonzo only reached on an error by Acosta, but that brought up Pucks with three on, and he advanced everybody by 90 feet with an RBI single past Mullen. DeMarco popped out, while Maldo had been double-switched out (for the third time in this series), and Brian Kaufman grounded out in his spot. Hitchcock then nailed down the save. 3-1 Critters! Waters 3-4, BB, 2B; DeMarco 2-5; J. Maldonado 2-4; Sivertson 1-1, RBI; Salcido 7.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K;

Sweeeeeeeeeeep!!

Raccoons (71-56) vs. Bayhawks (59-66) – August 25-27, 2051

The Raccoons had taken the season series with the Elks this week, and they had already taken the season series from the Baybirds in the last meeting with them, up 5-1 with three to play. They were rather crummy, eighth in runs scored and ninth in runs allowed; they had power, but no speed, and the defense was letting down an already struggling pitching staff.

Projected matchups:
Juan Mercado (8-5, 3.48 ERA) vs. Jesse Bulas (5-8, 4.32 ERA)
Rafael de la Cruz (5-5, 4.23 ERA) vs. Curt Muir (6-8, 6.13 ERA)
Bubba Wolinsky (13-9, 3.49 ERA) vs. Bill Grau (3-2, 3.50 ERA)

Grau would give us another Southpaw Sunday, but the Baybirds had also been off on Thursday and could skip the especially woeful Muir.

Game 1
SFB: SS Peltier – 1B Dau – 3B R. Sifuentes – 2B Quiroz – LF R. Correa – C J. Jimenez – CF Sparr – RF D. Meyer – P Bulas
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – LF Puckeridge – CF DeMarco – 1B J. Maldonado – C Suggs – RF Suzuki – 3B Crispin – P Mercado

Mercado had been a candidate to get skipped until pitching rather sharply last Saturday, so did get the start for the opener. He responded by beaning Adam Peltier out of the game right away – to be replaced by John Fink – then gave up doubles to Todd Dau and Sergio Quiroz, walked Ricky Correa, and finally gave up an RBI single to .125 rookie Zach Sparr for a quick 3-0 deficit. Mercado nailed Fink, too, in the second inning, then popped up on a bunt attempt in the bottom 3rd that ended up costing a run as it kept Suzuki and Crispin on second and first, respectively, and prevented Waters from having a long sac fly next. The final agonizer would be a 2-out RBI single surrendered to Bulas in the sixth inning, which was also his last.

In between Pucks had homered off Bulas in the fourth to narrow the score to 3-1, then narrowed it again to 4-2 with an RBI double in the sixth as he chased home Lonzo, who had singled and stolen his 48th bag, with a drive up the leftfield line. That was with nobody out, but DeMarco and Maldo were no big help, and Pucks only scored on a Fink error on a grounder by Suggs, 4-3. Suzuki fell to 1-2, then launched a belter for a score-flipping homer…! (tosses Honeypaws in the air and catches him again) Cooooooons!! … The score remained 5-4 through eight innings; Crispin landed a hit after the Suzuki homer, which cleared Mercado’s spot, as Glodowski pinch-hit and made the third out of the inning. Waldo and Sencion offered scoreless innings after that, while the Coons put some insurance runs on the corners in the bottom 8th with DeMarco and Suzuki, but left them on. Hitchcock got the save opportunity, but it remained an opportunity – Sam Witherspoon pinch-hit and blasted a game-tying homer right at the start of the inning, and we were all even at five. The Coons had no answer, then saw Willie Cruz get socked some more in the tenth; Quiroz drew a leadoff walk, Ricky Correa mashed a triple into the rightfield corner, and Juan Jimenez’ single made it a 2-run game. But the tying runs were on immediately against Josh Livingston in the bottom 10th. The righty allowed a single to right to Pucks, then walked DeMarco. Maldo found the hole on the left side for a single, loading the bases for Suggs, who was hitless in the game, and listless as a Coon. Kaufman pinch-hit, fell to 0-2, hit a wheezer on the infield, and somehow legged it out when Livingston first thought about home, reconsidered, and then stumbled on the turn. That moved the winning run (Maldo) into scoring position, but from there the left-handers in the order struck out, both Suzuki and Crispin going down meekly. That brought up the pitcher’s spot, and the Coons had to resort to Tyler Philipps, the rather unheralded rookie, to pinch-hit. He got ahead in the count, all the way to 3-1, and then, with the tying run close to scoring, poked at the 3-1 pitch … I squealed, the ball eluded Ramon Sifuentes, and the runners went on contact. DeMarco was in anyway to tie the game, and Maldo was chugging around third base behind him… and scored! It’s a walkoff!!! 8-7 Furballs! Puckeridge 3-5, HR, 2B, 2 RBI; J. Maldonado 2-5; Kaufman (PH) 1-1, RBI; Suzuki 2-5, HR, 2B, 2 RBI; Philipps (PH) 1-1, 2 RBI;

Maud, how are we even doing that?

Game 2
SFB: CF M. Roberts – RF Fink – SS Dau – 3B R. Sifuentes – 1B Witherspoon – 2B Quiroz – LF Peltier – C J. Jimenez – P Muir
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – 1B Puckeridge – CF DeMarco – C Suggs – RF Suzuki – 3B Crispin – LF Sivertson – P de la Cruz

Mike Roberts, Dau, Witherspoon, and Quiroz all whacked singles off a struggling de la Cruz in the first inning, who also threw away a pickoff attempt, but surrendered “only” two runs before Peltier struck out to strand two. The Coons, however, burst out for a 5-spot in the bottom 1st. Muir retired none of the first pawful, offering singles to Waters and Lonzo, a walk to Pucks, and then RBI singles to DeMarco and Suggs, who drove in two. Suzuki whiffed, but Crispin singled in another run. Sivertson added the last run with a groundout before Raffy whiffed. DeMarco drove home Lonzo, as the 2-3-4 batters reached again, to get to 6-2 in the bottom 2nd.

Muir was out of the game by the fourth inning, replaced by Zachariah Alldred, who allowed a single to Pucks and an RBI double by Suggs… but Suggs then limped off the field, to be replaced by Philipps. Suzuki singled, Crispin had a 2-run triple in the gap, and the pounding continued. Sivertson’s RBI double knocked out Alldred, but Pat Jones allowed another run on a Waters single before the inning ended with the game’s second 5-spot on a Waters single.

…and then Raffy took another beating. After a clean few innings, the Bayhawks bombed him for another three runs, getting their first five batters on base in that inning. Where had we seen that before? De la Cruz barely made it through the fifth inning (plus a K on Jones to begin the top 6th) to qualify for a shady W, with an 11-5 score at his departure. Once he was gone, calm settled over the game. Miles pitched for five outs, and O’Higgins and Lillis for an inning each, all without creating major drama on the base paths. The Coons settled down, too, and no further runs were scored. 11-5 Critters. Waters 3-5, RBI; DeMarco 3-4, 2B, 2 RBI; Suggs 2-3, 2B, 3 RBI; Crispin 2-4, 3B, 3 RBI; Sivertson 2-4, 2 2B, 2 RBI;

The bad news, however, came fast: Sean Suggs was out with a badly sprained ankle, and was probably out for the remainder of the season. That left the Coons without him, Ruben Gonzalez, and Juan Jimenez (who was traded), and with nothing better than their fourth- and fifth-string catchers.

Could they hit any less than Suggs, though?

Jeff Raczka was on the 40-man roster, struggled in AAA, but had to cover the gap here with Philipps. He was a .208 batter with 1 HR and 6 RBI in 21 big league games so far.

Game 3
SFB: SS Peltier – 1B Dau – CF M. Roberts – 3B R. Sifuentes – 2B Petroni – C J. Jimenez – LF P. Colon – RF Fink – P Grau
POR: 2B Waters – SS Lavorano – LF Puckeridge – CF DeMarco – 1B J. Maldonado – 3B Sivertson – RF Glodowski C Philipps – P Wolinsky

Through three innings on Sunday, Bubba hit a double that led nowhere, but also allowed only one base hit to the Baybirds. That changed rapidly in the fourth, when the Bayhawks suddenly chipped him for four hits and a walk, and drove in three runs – all AFTER two outs were on the board. Ramon Sifuentes, Giampaolo Petroni, Juan Jimenez, Pedro Colon, and John Fink all in succession, and the Bayhawks were up 3-0. The Bayhawks conceded a run in the bottom 5th when Glodowski scored on a throwing error by Sifuentes, but Wolinsky gave it right back in the next inning, as Petroni walked and Pedro Colon doubled him home, also with two outs. Sivertson doubled and scored on a Glodowski single in the home half of the sixth, reducing the gap to two runs again, and it wasn’t like we didn’t get even better chances. Lonzo and Pucks went to the corners with two outs in the bottom 7th, but once DeMarco arrived in a full count, he popped out to Todd Dau.

Waldo had a good top 8th, needing only eight pitches for three outs, while the Coons were on the fourth Bayhakws pitcher without an out on the board in the bottom 8th. Grau, Brad Barnes, Victor Merino (waves) faced the 5-6-7 batters in that order, and got nobody out. Pat Jones came for Philipps, who ran a full count, before walking on the sixth pitch and forcing in a run to make it 4-3. Crispin batted for Waldo and was the first batter not to see a different pitcher in the inning, and got to 3-1 before poking just like Philipps had a few days earlier. Like Philipps, he somehow got away with it, rolling a ball next to the mound, but on the side away from Jones, and by the time Peltier had hustled in, he had no play – infield single, tied game! Waters’ *long* sac fly put Portland in front, and Lonzo grounded out. Puckeridge rushed a drive to right. High, quite high, and quite gone, a 3-run homer!! The Coons swept the whole week…!! 8-4 Raccoons! Puckeridge 3-5, HR, 3 RBI; J. Maldonado 2-4; Sivertson 2-3, BB, 2B; Glodowski 2-3, 2B, RBI; Suzuki (PH) 0-0, BB, RBI; Crispin (PH) 1-1, RBI;

In other news

August 21 – The Falcons brace for three weeks without RF/LF Danny Ceballos (.282, 4 HR, 61 RBI), who is out with chronic back soreness.
August 22 – The hitting streak of MIL C Chris Thomas (.308, 14 HR, 61 RBI) is over after a successless trio of at-bats in a 9-8 win in 12 innings over the Crusaders. Thomas had connected for 23 straight games.
August 22 – Sacramento LF/RF Nate Culp (.290, 11 HR, 47 RBI) could be out for the season with a broken finger.
August 23 – DAL OF/1B Omar Gonzalez (.301, 4 HR, 44 RBI) is out for the year with a broken elbow, but is expected to return in time for Opening Day in 2052.
August 24 – It takes 12 innings to score any run in the Miners-Rebels game on Thursday, until RIC LF/RF/1B Alex Marquez (.292, 11 HR, 42 RBI) drives home Landon Guillory (.231, 5 HR, 33 RBI) for a 1-0 walkoff win.
August 25 – VAN SP Juan Ramos (5-15, 4.28 ERA) is out for the year after being diagnosed with shoulder inflammation.
August 25 – ROTY contender on the Loggers, OF/1B Gaudencio Callaia (.321, 7 HR, 49 RBI) could miss four weeks with a tear in his hamstring.
August 25 – CIN INF Ian Woodrome (.339, 7 HR, 65 RBI) is out with a herniated disc and will miss at least three weeks.
August 25 – The Indians announce that 3B Bobby Anderson (.298, 9 HR, 82 RBI) is out for the year and needs surgery to remove a bone chip from his elbow.

FL Player of the Week: CIN INF/LF Chris Delgado (.317, 6 HR, 49 RBI), batting .400 (12-30) with 1 HR, 8 RBI
CL Player of the Week: NYC UT Omar Sanchez (.314, 1 HR, 37 RBI), sprinkling .500 (12-24) with 4 RBI

Complaints and stuff

Oh my, a 6-0 week! Also, 12 of the last 13, with two separate 6-game winning streaks, and we had lost the only other game in there by a single run. Suddenly we’re up by eight games, and our run differential is +29. And we’ve rushed up to being merely tied for tenth in runs scored as well!

Maud, be honest. Am I dreaming, or did I even die and go to heaven?

Maud says no. I have doubts.

Not that all is well, with the Coons down to their fourth- and fifth-string catchers for the time being. Sean Suggs hit .252 with 1 HR and 10 RBI as a Coon in more than half his Bayhawks at-bats, for whom he hit .306 with 8 HR and 42 RBI. Suggs.

Ruben Gonzalez is expected to be back in early September, but it’s gonna be at least a week with just Philipps and Raczka. Although we did score 48 runs this week, so what’s the worst that can happen?

Home set with the Knights, then a road trip to Boston and Milwaukee next.

Fun Fact: The sweep during the week flipped the all-time totals against the damn Elks back in the Coons’ favor.

674-673 now, baby! We got this, boys!!

[UltimateAverageGuy]

You have 11-2 Canadiens in game 1


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[Westheim]

Originally Posted by UltimateAverageGuy

You have 11-2 Canadiens in game 1

Aack!!

Now, that's the first time somebody said something, but probably not the first time it happened