[Westheim]

Final week. I would really dig to not finish under .500, so we have to win four of six here. This more than likely would make us help the Loggers towards their first ever postseason, since the Indians are our first opponent.

Raccoons (77-79) @ Indians (80-76) – September 26-28, 1994

The opener was the final start for Gabriel De La Rosa for this season with me intending to pitch Jason Turner in the season finale. But that was future at this point. In the present, De La Rosa and the Indians’ Larry Davis pitched very well, for a scoreless game through four innings. Davis was in fact perfect through four until Bobby Quinn broke up the bid with a 1-out single in the top 5th. Vinson was behind him and drilled a home run for a 2-0 Coons lead. The Furballs added two more runs (one unearned) in the inning. The Indians in turn jumped on Gabby a bit, scoring two runs in the bottom 5th. Gabby pitched six before leaving. Tony Vela and Ken Burnett both struck out the side in their assigned innings, bringing us to the bottom 9th with a 4-2 lead and the question whom to pitch. Lagarde was tied to a pipe, part of the heating installation, in the cellar of the visiting team’s clubhouse, and with right-handers up I went to Martinez instead of Grant West. Juan Martinez didn’t strike out the side, but he sat the Indians down in order, still ending with a K to SS Jose Martinez. 4-2 Furballs. Salazar 2-4; Quinn 2-3; De La Rosa 6.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, W (6-2) and 1-2, 2B, RBI;

The Loggers (who will face the Indians at home in the final series of the year) lost in Boston, 7-1. That brings the top half of the CL North to: MIL 82-74; IND 2.5 GB; POR 4.5 GB; not that I think we can pull this off, since there are four things that have to happen for us to win the division:

#1 – We have to sweep the whole week to get to 83-79 and put the Indians at 80-79
#2 – The Loggers must lose at least three of four games against the Titans to get to 83-76 or 82-77 after that series
#3 – The Indians must either sweep the Loggers (in case the Loggers lose only three games against the Titans), or win at least two games against the Loggers (in case the Loggers are swept by the Titans over four), so that neither team finishes better than 83-79
#4 – We have to win the resulting game #163 or in case of a 3-way tie even more games

As soon as the Loggers win one game against the Titans, a 3-way tie is the very best we could do. So, yeah.

Also on the mind map: next year’s draft. At this point we sit at the #13 pick, which of course is NOT protected in case we go after David Brewer and sign him. Of course I will not intentionally lose games here. But getting that #12 pick would at least reconcile a bit in case we finish below .500 on the year. There are a whole number of teams in the 77-80 wins range at this point, so much can happen.

Yeah, lots of talk. Play ball!

Game 2 was Jason Turner’s tentative penultimate start of the year. He was up against Neil Stewart (17-15, 3.17 ERA), who had only one no-decision the whole year, and that hadn’t come until two starts ago. The Raccoons scored two runs early, and Turner was performing decently apart from the fourth inning, where he walked the first two men and the Indians brought in a run. That 2-1 lead held up through seven relatively uneventful innings, after which Turner – way past 100 pitches with some long at-bats in the seventh – left the game. Top 9th: with one out Bob Armstrong was drilled by Jim Durden, who had just relieved Stewart. Pat Parker came out to run for Armstrong, and with Bobby Quinn hitting (in the #9 hole after coming on in a double switch with Grant West in the eighth), we called a hit-and-run, which worked perfectly. Quinn singled and we had runners on the corners. Higgins singled in Parker, and Jin’s single loaded the bases. 3-1, three on, one out, the veteran Durden crumbling. And then Baldy comes up and grounds to Durden’s feet, and Durden gets the out at home. Royce Green with two out grounded out, and that was it. West remained in the game with the bullpen *still* coughing blood from the Sunday game against the Loggers. While the Indians got another hit in the bottom 9th, he kept them far away from home plate, and ended the game in style. 3-1 Furballs. Higgins 2-5, 2 RBI; Jin 3-5, 2B; Armstrong 2-3, RBI; Quinn 1-1; Turner 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, W (12-11); West 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, SV (9);

The Loggers pulverized the Titans in game 2 in Milwaukee, smearing the fences with the contents of their mangled bodies: 14-2 Loggers. That puts us into that 3-way tie scenario, and even more: should the Loggers win another game while we complete a sweep of the Indians, the division would be done even before the Indians-Loggers matchup: MIL 83-74; IND 3.5 GB; POR 4.5 GB;

Vernon Robertson (16-7, 2.82 ERA) came upon us in game 3, as Scott Wade made his final appearance of the year. The offense had to overcome one of the best pitchers in the league to give Wade win #10. If they failed, Wade’s streak of consecutive seasons of double-digit wins would end. The Coons came up running at a good pace: in the second inning, Green and O-Mo put up doubles that scored a first run, before Salazar walked, Rodriguez hit an RBI single, and Wade helped himself with a bloop single that loaded the bags. Higgins grounded up the middle to Jose Martinez. It didn’t look like a double play ball, and Martinez fumbled the ball and the Indians didn’t get anybody out. Jin got in another run with a single in a full count, before Baldy and Green made the last two outs: 4-0 Raccoons, now it was on Wade to hold up. He was awesome through five innings, during which the Coons moved to 6-0, but suddenly was broken up in the sixth. A walk and three hits suddenly axed the lead in half, and there was a runner on first with one out. Wade was given one more batter, RF Luis Maldonado, who grounded out. Wade then finished the inning, but his line was soiled already. O-Mo was a triple shy of a cycle when he came up in the top 7th, seeing Kinnear on second and two outs, but he sailed into an out to right. O-Mo didn’t get back up as the Coons went down silently in the eighth and ninth, and now it was time for somebody to close out this 6-3 game and give Wade #10. Lagarde had chewed through his ropes in the cellar and wanted the ball. Somebody gave it to him, and now all we could do was brace for another train wreck. Lagarde threw only eight pitches, which was enough to end the game. He didn’t fool anybody, but the Indians made three quick and unimpressive outs. 6-3 Raccoons and Wade GOT #10! Jin 3-5, RBI; Kinnear 2-4, 2 2B; O’Morrissey 3-4, HR, 2B, 2 RBI;

Sweep, how sweet! The Loggers dropped game 3 against the Titans, 8-6, which got the CL North to MIL 83-75; IND 3.5 GB; POR 3.5 GB;

Now, the Loggers played game 4 on our off day and everybody in Portland (and Indy) had ample time to watch whether there was even reason to bother down the road on the weekend. We saw BOS Chris O’Keefe nail down the Loggers over eight shutout innings, scattering five hits. The Titans won, 3-0. Thus, the Indians can still make the postseason on their own by beating the Loggers four times, while we have to sweep the Crusaders, and have to HOPE for that 3-way tie.

On a different note, Jorge Salazar got hurt in that final game, a hand injury that was not finally diagnosed until we arrived in New York on Friday morning. He had torn ligaments in his thumb and was out for the last few games. Higgins would play short in the final series, giving more AB’s to Marvin Ingall.

Raccoons (80-79) @ Crusaders (72-87) – September 30 – October 2, 1994

In a surprising move, we tapped Ken McLennan (NOT McLannan as I am always inclined to state) to start the opener in New York, putting a recently horrifying Gerardo Ramirez to the sideline. Ramirez could still enter the game if McLennan faltered early, though.

That the Raccoons would not be able to force that 3-way tie became apparent very early. They left the bags loaded in the first two innings, not scoring, while the Crusaders led 1-0 after the first after a Pat Jenkins home run. In the bottom 4th the team came apart as a whole. The Crusaders had two on with two out when Marvin Ingall bungled a grounder that would have ended the frame if played correctly. The Crusaders went on to score three runs on two more singles and ANOTHER error by O-Mo, moving out to 4-0. McLennan was removed for a pinch-hitter in the top 5th already: O-Mo had recovered with a 2-run single, and the Coons had loaded the bags with two out, now down 4-2. This is not where such a fringe pitcher will come to bat. Dan Barnes (10-15, 4.26 ERA) had to face Jose Rodriguez, whose liner was caught by 2B Rámon Corona. That was also where I resorted to drinking to get over the pain after sending in Miller to pitch an inning or two. Miller got a grounder from Haywood Lammond to start the bottom 5th, and threw it wildly past Baldivía. It was the start signal for a dismal 5-run inning for the Crusaders, which ended our playoff aspirations for good. 9-2 Crusaders. Baldivía 3-3, 2 BB; Green 2-3, 2 BB, 2B; Kinnear 2-5, 2B; Ingall 2-4; De La Rosa 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K; Ramirez 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K;

Wild dogs attacked hapless Daniel Miller and Tim Mallandain in the dark forest and ate them alive. Neither of them factor into our 1995 plans at this point.

Also, we grounded into inning-ending double plays in the final two innings, the latter one with the bases loaded, after leaving the bases loaded three times even before that. 17 LOB! GAH!!

But anyway. It wouldn’t have mattered. In the bottom 12th of the game in Milwaukee, the Loggers had two men on against Indy’s Tim Hess, when Gates Golunski stepped to the plate. In a full count, he singled to shallow left center, right into no man’s land. Bob Grant turned third base on the way home, and the throw back in was late. Golunski’s single ended 17 years of futility in Milwaukee – the Loggers are in the playoffs.

With two to play, the Condors (2-0 vs. Bayhawks) and Thunder (4-3 (11) @ Falcons) are tied for the CL South lead, while the Capitals (4-3 (13) vs. Miners) lead the Rebels (3-4 @ Blue Sox) by one game.

Kisho Saito came up in the middle game and we were hoping for a better game, and we were at least scoreless through four. Saito had been accountable for a fielding error and subsequent walk in the third inning, which the Crusaders didn’t do anything with. In the top 5th, Daniel Hall led off with a clean single to center. He was moved over on Ingall’s groundout, bringing up Saito, who singled to right, scoring Hall. Saito knew what he had to do to get a win, he’s been here long enough. In the top 7th, Saito had the middle of three consecutive 1-out singles that loaded the bases. Baldy was next, but with the right-hander Cipriano Miranda pitching and Baldy’s proneness for double plays I sent for the switch-hitter Jin. He struck out, and Kinnear flew out gently to left. Moah. Saito put runners on the corners in the bottom 7th, but got out with a pop up by CF Armando Diéguez. Flip it to the top 8th, there was a sign of life from our batting order, as Royce Green swatted his 38th homer of the year off Ivan Lopez (NOT the ex-Coon). Saito got over 100 pitches in the bottom 8th, but went through there quickly, and he was left in the game upon the #9 slot coming up to bat in the top 9th. The score remained 2-0 and Saito came back out in the bottom 9th trying to clinch a non-losing season and a shutout for himself. 2B Alex Gonzalez lined over Saito’s head in a 2-2 count to start the inning, bringing up Benjamin Butler. Saito struck him out and then hit Ed Rigg with his first pitch. Uh-oh. While the pen was active, Saito would pitch to one more batter, LF Ramón Díaz, who hurled Saito’s first pitch into the gap in left center, but Kinnear MADE THE PLAY!! The runners held. Bottom 9th. Two ahead, two on, two out. Fernando Gonzales came into the game as pinch-hitter, having bashed six homers in only 80 AB’s this year. Saito would pitch to him. In a full count, Gonzales ripped at Saito’s 127th pitch of the game – MISSED IT!! 2-0 Raccoons!!! Higgins 2-5; Saito 9.0 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K, W (12-7) and 2-4, RBI;

KI-SHO! KI-SHO! KI-SHO!! This was his 17th regular-season shutout and the second this year.

Final game of the year. We have secured a non-losing record (apart from enough reasons to be pretty ashamed of us) and now can still notch a winning record. There are so many teams which are between 82-79 and 80-81 before the final game of the year that we can still finish with or without a protected first round pick, independent of our own result.

Jason Turner got the ball, facing Luis Andrade (8-12, 4.71 ERA). After two scoreless innings, offense suddenly broke out in the third. After the Coons slashed Andrade for four runs in the top of the inning, including a 2-run homer by Baldivía. Not that this was confidence-building for Turner, who surrendered back-to-back homers and three runs in the bottom half of the inning and Turner put the first three men in the bottom 4th on base and was sent for the showers with ample of arms in the bullpen in a 4-4 game with two men remaining on, but Ken Burnett failed to keep them on base, and the Crusaders took a 6-4 lead. Andrade didn’t qualify for a win either, as he was knocked out in the fifth, with the Coons scoring one run, 6-5. Matthews came in to pitch, loaded the bags and was beaten to death out of sight of the cameras. De La Rosa got out of the inning. As the Raccoons’ staff struggled to collect the necessary outs to be able to go to vacation, the Crusaders did the same. Jose Hernandez loaded the bags in the top 6th with no outs, but Pat Parker was up. Well, eh, let the boy bat. And OF COURSE he got O-Mo forced out at home. Kinnear pinch-hit for De La Rosa and grounded into a double play. What the $§&%&!!?? That was their last shot at making a move here. Our bullpen came apart even further as the torture dragged on and most arms in the pen were actually used in the game. 10-5 Crusaders. Higgins 2-5, 2B, RBI; Quinn (PH) 1-1; O’Morrissey 2-4, 2B;

In other news

September 28 – The ABL’s home run race is over, as Richmond’s Raúl Vázquez (.334, 33 HR, 112 RBI) will miss the final series of the season due to a strained back muscle. POR Royce Green’s 37 dingers are unlikely to be caught now.
September 28 – MIL RF/LF Cristo Ramirez (.346, 5 HR, 63 RBI) has his 22-game hitting streak end in the 8-6 loss of the Loggers to the Titans.
September 30 – Even if they make the playoffs, the Rebels will be without SP Ross “Cool Papa” Ewing (14-13, 3.45 ERA). Ewing has a torn biceps, but will be ready for Opening Day.
September 30 – IND OF Tomas Maguey (.281, 5 HR, 62 RBI) also goes down on the final straight, suffering a torn meniscus in the final game against the Raccoons.
October 1 – The Capitals beat the Miners, 6-0, while the Rebels lose 7-5 to the Blue Sox, which has the Capitals clinch the FL East for the fifth straight year. In the Capitals game, PIT LF Carlos Torres (.322, 13 HR, 67 RBI) has one hit to extend his hitting streak to 20 games. Both the Thunder and Condors win their respective games to remain tied atop the CL South.
October 2 – The Thunder break a 2-2 tie in Charlotte in the top 9th by scoring three runs and win 5-2. Meanwhile, the Condors enter the ninth inning of their game against the Bayhawks up 1-0. Jose Valentin blows the save and allows two runs to score, while SFB Lawrence Bentley overcomes a leadoff single by Tijuana’s Kyae-sung Park in the bottom 9th to close out the game. The Thunder therefore clinch the CL South for the fourth time and the first time since 1983.

Complaints and stuff

Congrats Loggers. Milwaukee has suffered so long, they deserved one, and if that team hadn’t sucked for oh so long, we could have EASILY taken the division for the fourth straight year. This way it is back to the drawing board.

We got done what had to be done, and whipped up a contract extension with Matt Higgins. No, he was not actually whipped. Errr. Well, Higgins remains a Coon for three more years, at a $700k prize. To be frank, he could have extorted more money from me. I had 3-yr, $1M in mind as opening offer, but when Higgins suggested a 2-yr, $480k contract, I quickly had the note that read the word “million” vanish from my auxiliary office in the clubhouse in Indianapolis. So, bargain here, which gives us more possibilities for our big free agent acquisition we are planning.

Finishing 81-81 ties us with THREE other teams, and this will be the #11 through #14 picks next year. I have no idea where we are going to be set at.

I find myself kinda rooting for the Loggers in the playoffs? Everybody loves the underdog …