[Westheim]

1996 WORLD SERIES
Portland Raccoons (108-54) vs. Richmond Rebels (96-66)

For the first time in ABL history, both League Championship Series ended in clean sweeps, as the Raccoons and Rebels brushed the Aces and Scorpions aside rather quickly. The Raccoons only out-scored the Aces by eight runs, but made that enough with gritty pitching in late innings, while the Rebels perhaps were even more impressive against the triple-digit-wins Scorpions, blowing up their starter in game 1 early, and then their closer in game 2, and winning the next two in 10th inning walkoffs. They could have lost four games to none just as well.

The Raccoons did not necessarily feast on their strong rotation in the CLCS, which gave up 12 runs (10 earned) of the 16 the team conceded, but rather rode an offense that kept hitting and homering for six runs in every one of the games. The Rebels will do well to be cautions around Liam Wedemeyer, who batted almost .400 and went deep twice against the Aces. The loss of outfielder Royce Green was well compensated by the rest of the lineup.

OF Scott Strong was also fighting a knee injury, but the Rebels also had significant injuries to 3B Antonio Gutierrez, SP Robert Vázquez, and LF/RF Jose Madrid, none of which would be available.

The player the Rebels would key on more than any other was LF/RF Raúl Vázquez, who hit 34 dingers this season to lead the majors (to Wedemeyer’s 33, which led the CL), and who had 255 career home runs and chasing after the all time record, and he also had batted .444 with one dinger in the FLCS. Fellow outfielder Javier Encarnacio and catcher Arturo “The Sheriff” Aguilar would also be very significant threats in the lineup for the Rebels. Aguilar was well known to the Raccoons, as he was part of the Capitals’ roster for the first two times of three consecutive that those two teams met in the World Series, 1991 and 1992. The rest of the Rebels’ lineup was a bit less dangerous. Infielder Pedro Villa, a much-celebrated infielder who had always bet on the wrong horse so far and had never appeared in the World Series before, had had a bad season and was still struggling.

And yet, offense was the better part of the Rebels’ team. Their rotation had somewhat struggled during the season, with only 15-14 Edgar Rey coming in with an ERA better than 3.98 (3.51). They had however a first class back end of the bullpen with Vicente Rubio, Hipolito Sendím, and closer Lawson Steward.

Steward was the Rebels’ Grant West: he had never played anywhere else and had been on the outside looking in for 12 years, saving 399 games along the way. This was the first chance he had ever gotten to put on a ring. And he had saved 44 (and won four) games this season with a 1.88 ERA.

The Raccoons would better not dare to trail after seven in this series…

---

While allowed to make roster changes, I didn’t make any. Scott Strong was still ailing some, but no other outfielder was eligible. Miguel Lopez was also not put on the roster. Sorry, Miguel. Maybe next year.

Pitching was particular for us here, since of our dozen pitchers, three(!) had not been used at all in the CLCS: Antonio Donis, Daniel Miller, and Juan Martinez hadn’t even as much as warmed up in any of the games. All the games had been tight, and I had gone to the “clutchier” relievers right away, and no starter had been blown up for Donis to pick up the pieces, either.

Odd note: the Rebels are the team the Raccoons are the all-time worst against, with a 7-14 record in seven interleague encounters. Well, chiefly to blame is the fact that it took us nine years to win any games against them …

Looking at the rosters, ours was better. Key was perhaps really to keep Vázquez silent, and go from there. It would be enough of a task for our right-handers especially. I could see Turner to struggle against him, before my very eyes.

Next the hospitality girls will serve you refreshments if you just look at them. Oh yeah, and the first pitch served by Kisho. (dramatic music) Dun-Dun-Duuuuuh.