[Westheim]

Prospect watch before the games begin: the Raccoons had three players in the Top 10 ranked prospects before last season. Logan Evans jumped to the majors and is no longer eligible, Hall also jumped, but is still ranked #3 with only 31 days of experience. Juan Martinez, a centerfielder was ranked #10, but is down to #19. He should still make a splash at some point – if doctors can put his knee back together.

Four more players in or around the Top 100: #34 AAA 3B Cameron Green, #97 AA CL Gary Simmons, #100 AAA 1B Matt Workman, and #103 A SP Richard Cunningham. Green was already with the team at it’s inception, Workman is a ’77 draftee, and the other two were drafted last year.

The season opened on April 3 for the Raccoons, facing the Loggers. We lost the game 3-2, and not a single run in the game was earned, as an error by Angel Costa scored led to three unearned runs in the bottom 2nd. Costa also generated the only offense in the top 8th. But it wasn’t enough and Jorge Romero once again got a loss that wasn’t his fault. Game 2 was an all around shameful showing by the Raccoons, going down 7-1 for an early sweep. And that against one of the two teams that we could possibly finish ahead of.

So, after this early blow, we went home, heads down already.

They had enough reason to keep them heads down against Oklahoma City, starting with a 3-1 10-inning loss. Hatfield blew a 1-0 lead, but had kind help from Hall, who committed an error to allow the tying run to score. Ben Jenkins lost it in the tenth, while the middle of my lineup was batting around .125 at the moment. With another 3-1 loss the next game, the Raccoons had scored impressive five runs in their first four games. Combined, of course. The heartache. You can’t imagine the heartache I’m having.

Game 3 got the Raccoons 4-0 ahead early, but defensive miscues erased the lead by the third. The game went to 5-5 and into extra innings, where no scoring was done into the 16th inning. The Thunder pressed one across, and the Raccoons loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning, but Kieran Lawson struck out to end the game for the 6-5 loss.

While this made the Thunder a perfect 6-0, the Raccoons were a dismal 0-5. And I was out of medication for my heartache. Romero was 0-1 with an 1.29 ERA – yet eight runs had gotten across against him, but only two had been earned. The Raccoons had yet to play a game without committing at least one error. Four of the runs in the latest loss had been unearned. They also had not homered yet.

Next up were the Condors, who had started 1-6. We would be well advised to win that series. At least we started with a 3-1 win. Juan Berrios’ pitching was erratic and walky, but somehow the Raccoons squeezed through, and even without an error. Game 2 was a 6-4 come from behind win, where a 4-run seventh was the key to the game. Worrisome still was Gaston’s top 9th, where he walked two and barely got through. Rain chased the starters early and the win went to Brett Justice.

Alex Miranda waited in game 3 against his old team, the Raccoons, who sent in Jerry Morris. Both ended up raped for seven runs, Miranda in 1.2 innings, Morris over 4+. The Raccoons led 7-3 after that second inning, but then gave it away again to a 7-7 score that carried into the eighth. There, another sudden outburst of offense plated four for the Raccoons and Tony Lopez pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to complete the sweep with an 11-7 win. Daniel Hall was only 1-5 and has a .167 average, but he cleared the bases with his only hit, a double, and stole the first base for the Raccoons this season. Yes, we are that bad.

We lost Gustavo Zuniga for a so far undisclose injury in the last Condors game, which was double bad, since I just wanted to try him in leadoff for the struggling Costa. Zuniga’s speed and .348 / .370 / .391 stat line would have made for interesting opportunities. Now, Johan Dolder was in the lineup, batting eighth, he was a whopping 0-6 this season.

Raccoons last, but the bottom is dense in the CL North so far. Indians shot out of the gate and are next on this home stint for four games, followed by the Titans, before we will travel to Las Vegas and Charlotte.

Three of four playoff teams from last year struggling out of the gate, only the champions Warriors going strong.