[Westheim]

Raccoons (69-86) vs. Titans (103-52) – September 29-October 2, 2031

With everything decided, the Raccoons still had another bag of four games to be played with the Titans, who had the division and the season series already in the bag. They had taken 10 of 14 games from the Critters so far this season. They ranked third in runs scored, first in runs allowed, with a +202 run differential. We would proudly feed all three of our sterling rookie pitchers to them. But the Titans had dark clouds hanging over them; they were already missing a few key pieces for their CLCS matchup with the Condors, including Willie Vega, Adam Potter, and Keith Spataro, all of whom were out for the season.

Projected matchups:
Bernie Chavez (1-1, 3.38 ERA) vs. Eric Williams (16-9, 3.12 ERA)
Raffaello Sabre (2-1, 3.65 ERA) vs. Greg Gannon (20-8, 2.54 ERA)
Tom Shumway (2-6, 4.37 ERA) vs. Mario Gonzalez (13-5, 2.74 ERA)
Ignacio del Rio (1-1, 11.57 ERA) vs. Dustin Wingo (17-8, 2.61 ERA)

We would see three left-handed opposing starters in this set, including everybody but Gannon.

Game 1
BOS: RF M. Avila – C Lessman – LF Acor – 2B R. West – CF Reichardt – 3B Czachor – 1B J. Green – SS Gil – P E. Williams
POR: CF Magallanes – SS Stalker – LF Jamieson – RF Wallace – 3B Rodriguez – 1B Hollenbeck – 2B Cass – C Ross – P B. Chavez

The scoring started early with a David Lessman dinger to right, and then also a Dustin Acor single to right. Acor stole second, his 30th bag of the year, then came around with two outs on a single by persistent final nail in the coffin Adrian Reichardt, putting the Titans up 2-0 on Bernie right away. The Raccoons came back from that, with Wilson Rodriguez dropping in a single in the bottom 2nd, and then 2005 Ugliest Baby Boy Sam Cass smacking his first major league home run to right-center, knotting up the score at two. The Coons repeated the trick in the fourth when Matt Jamieson singled and Wilson Rodriguez hit a jack to left to go up 4-2 in support of Bernie, the final Coons starter of the year that could look forward to *another* start later in the week. Bernie was *decent*, I guess. After the first-inning onslaught, he had a few hitless innings and struck out five through four innings, but also ran many full counts and his pitch count was skyrocketing, reaching 78 offerings through just four innings. Antonio Gil would open the fifth with a single, but PH Justin Uliasz, who had 22 homers but was listed day-to-day with a hand laceration, flew out to center, and Moises Avila smacked into a double play, getting Bernie through the inning on just eight pitches for a change. Chavez then turned around and hit a leadoff triple into the rightfield corner against Mike Fernandez in the bottom 5th. Magallanes walked, Stalker hit a sac fly to Reichardt in deep, deep center, 5-2, but that was it for the inning. Reichardt would however strike out to end the sixth, stranding Acor on second base in the sixth inning, which was also Bernie’s last as he got over 100 pitches in the process of nibbling his way through.

Alberto Ramos hit for Chavez with Cass and Ross on the corners and one out in the bottom 6th and knocked an RBI single to right, 6-2. Magallanes made the second out against Fernandez, who then conceded an RBI single to Stalker, then was replaced by lefty Wyatt Hamill, who walked Jamieson to fill the bags, Wallace, too, to push one home, and then gave up an RBI single to Rodriguez. That brought up Hollenbeck, a .114 bat with no clue whatsoever, but we were up by seven, so why not let him… fall to 0-2… but he knocked the 0-2 in play, up the middle and through, a 2-run single to center! That did away with Hamill, having retired nobody, Tim Sloan replacing him. The righty allowed an RBI single to Cass, a single to Ross, and that brought back Berto. He fouled out behind home plate, ending the inning with a 7-spot and a 12-2 lead. The Raccoons elected to send Ed Hague into the game to maybe even finish the game. He allowed a run in the seventh on two walks and Moises Avila’s RBI single, but the Coons pulled it back when Stalker tripled in the bottom 7th and scored on Jamieson’s groundout. That was the last run in the game. Hague pulled through and netted the save and his 100th strikeout when he rung up Roberto Avila to finish the ninth inning. 13-3 Raccoons! Stalker 2-4, 3B, 2 RBI; Jamieson 2-4, BB, RBI; Rodriguez 3-5, HR, 3 RBI; Hollenbeck 2-5, 2 RBI; Cass 2-3, 2 BB, HR, 3 RBI; Ross 3-5, 2B; Ramos (PH) 1-2, RBI; Chavez 6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 K, W (2-1) and 1-2, 3B; Hague 3.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, SV (1);

This was the second career save for Ed Hague, who had been a starter ever since his second major-league season, but had been used exclusively in relief in his rookie season, making 37 appearances for the ’22 Crusaders, going 4-1 with a 3.17 ERA and one save.

This was also the Coons’ 70th win of the season, while there were eight teams with win totals in the 60s and 50s (Vegas, solely). In fact, the Aces were SO BAD, they had already locked up the #1 pick in 2032. The Coons right now had the #9 pick, but could still end up with anything between #11 and #3.

Game 2
BOS: RF M. Avila – C Lessman – 1B Uliasz – LF Acor – 2B R. West – CF Reichardt – 3B Czachor – SS Gil – P Gannon
POR: SS Ramos – 2B Cass – RF Wallace – LF Jamieson – 1B Howden – CF Vanatti – 3B Nunley – C Tovias – P Sabre

Portland made the board first in a second inning that started with Howden and Vanatti drawing walks. Nunley hit into a double play, but Elias Tovias knocked a single through between Rhett West and Antonio Gil to get the runner home from third base. Another run scored in the third on a wild pitch after Cass and Wallace hit singles to occupy the corners, but the Titans got to Sabre in the fourth. He walked both Acor and Reichardt, Ryan Czachor reached on a 1-out infield single to load them up, and while the key strikeout eluded Sabre, Gil’s grounder to first brought home the Titans’ first run to cut the gap to 2-1. Gannon struck out to end the frame. Avila led off the fifth with a single, but was doubled up on Lessman’s grounder to Cass, who in turn then mishandled the next grounder by Uliasz for an error, but recovered with a leaping grab on Acor’s liner to end the fifth. Portland scratched out an unearned run in the bottom 5th; Czachor fumbled Ramos’ 1-out grounder, and Berto went to third on Cass’ single. Wallace dropped a single into shallow right to get the runner home, and then Jamieson rolled into a 6-4-3. Not everything was pretty – f.e. I really disliked the four-pitch walk Sabre issued to Rhett West to begin the sixth. At 92 pitches, the pen got a-stirrin’. Sabre recovered though and finished the inning without allowing West even to second base. Reichardt flew out to center, Czachor popped out to short, and Gil went down on strikes, Sabre’s fifth K against four hits and four walks in a 6-inning, 1-run effort which currently saw him in line for the W. Greg Gannon would last eight against the Coons, but was still on the losing end when the ninth inning rolled around and the Critters sent Chris Wise to look after the 8-9-1 spots. Gil opened with a triple into the rightfield corner, then was scored on Josh Green’s pinch-hit single, which put the tying run aboard with no outs. Wise Struck out Michael Stanley and Lessman, then threw a good 0-1 to Uliasz that Tovias lost and chased down, another passed ball. But Uliasz was at 0-2… one more strike was all it took. And Wise got him! 3-2 Critters. Cass 2-4; Wallace 2-3, BB, RBI; Sabre 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 5 K, W (3-1);

The Druid just informed me that Rich Hereford suffered a setback with his intercostal thing, and he will probably not return to the Coons’ lineup this year… or ever.

Game 3
BOS: RF M. Avila – LF Acor – 1B Uliasz – 2B R. West – 3B Czachor – CF Reichardt – C R. Avila – SS M. Moran – P M. Gonzalez
POR: SS Ramos – 2B Stalker – LF Jamieson – RF Wallace – 3B Rodriguez – CF Vanatti – C Ross – 1B Howden – P Shumway

The bottom of the order would wear holes into Tom Shumway in the Wednesday affair. Roberto Avila hit a homer the first time around, putting the Titans up 1-0, and he made it 2-0 in the fourth with an RBI single plating Reichardt, who had been nicked with two outs and had taken his 17th base of the season by force. Mike Moran then tripled home Avila, 3-0, before Mario Gonzalez popped out. The Coons got on the board in the bottom of the inning. Matt Jamison hit a 1-out double, then scored on Rodriguez’ 2-out RBI single. There was not much else going on for the Critters, with Vanatti making an easy third out. Gonzalez just seemed to have their number. Shumway kept grinding away with the pointy black nose against the millstone and got in the seventh inning, where he logged two outs before Acor reached on an infield roller on his 112nd and final pitch of the game and season. Fleischer and Nunley entered in a double switch, after which the first thing that happened was another base swiped by Acor, who was now just 24 short of Ramos’ season total, btu was stranded when Uliasz struck out. The Coons’ pen would hold up in the last two innings, but the Raccoons still couldn’t mount reasonable offense into the ninth inning, where they’d face Jermaine Campbell, a right-hander with 80 strikeouts in 72.2 innings. Vanatti struck out. Magallanes batted for Ross and… struck out. Howden ran a full count and… walked on a dubious call. That brought up Nunley as the tying run, and he grounded out to Uliasz. 3-1 Titans. Rodriguez 2-3, RBI;

We also lost Matt Jamieson to injury on a defensive play. Ryan Allan replaced him in the game, but we also had no news on Jamieson right away, probably because the Druid was still hiding after I had a few choice words on the Hereford news.

…and because I was close to being able to dream in color again, our dear owner Nick Valdes made another stopover on his way home from visiting the construction site for supermall squat in the middle of the rainforest in Ecuador. Once completed it will have the largest parking lot south of Los Angeles!

Game 4
BOS: RF M. Avila – C Lessman – 1B Uliasz – LF Acor – 2B R. West – CF Reichardt – 3B Czachor – SS Gil – P Wingo
POR: SS Ramos – 2B Stalker – LF Wallace – RF Rodriguez – 3B Nunley – CF Catella – 1B Hollenbeck – C Rocha – P del Rio

Singles by Stalker, Wallace, and Nunley put up a run in the first inning for the Critters. This was only the second RBI for Nunley in September/October… how many more had he left in his career? Well, at least one more – Nunley hit another 2-out RBI single his next time up, then plating Wallace from second with two outs in the third. That was a complicated inning, with Stalker reaching on an Uliasz error, Wallace singling, and the runners then pulling off a double steal on the surprised Lessman. Rodriguez brought in Stalker with a groundout, and Nunley brought in the second run of the inning and the third run of the game. del Rio nursed the 3-0 lead through four without major accidents, but then ran into a jam in the fifth inning. Adrian Reichardt reached on a leadoff single that didn’t leave the infield, and Czachor and Gil walked the bags full. Del Rio gave up a sac fly to Wingo, then surrendered a 3-2 drive to right that Moises Avila rammed off the top of the fence. Czachor scored easily, and Gil was sent around, but thrown out at home plate by Wilson Rodriguez. It didn’t help del Rio, who ran another full count against Lessman, then gave up a BOMB to right that was nowhere near the top of the fence. That one flipped the score, 4-3 Titans. He finished the inning, but that was all for him on almost 100 pitches, including the late implosion.

While Nick Bates gave up two more runs in the sixth inning, putting four straight Titans on base after logging two outs in the inning, Valdes asked me where the good pitchers were hiding. I sighed, and pointed towards the rookies and how they were doing quite nicely. Well, that fifth inning of del Rio aside. And his implosion in the previous game. And Bates was not considered a real prospect anyway. Another bullpen implosion occurred in the ninth, and boy, was it a doozie. Josh Boles had entered in a double switch that took out Ramos in the eighth inning to log the final out there, then was expected to get the ninth done, too. He … didn’t. Roberto Avila singled, Moises Avila doubled, Lessman walked. Three on, no outs, next one please. That was Rabbitt, who walked Uliasz with the bags full and allowed RBI singles to Acor and West. NEXT!! Ricky Ohl came on and got Reichardt to hit into a run-scoring double play, then rung up Czachor, keeping the Titans to a 4-spot. 10-3 Titans. Stalker 2-4; Wallace 3-4; Nunley 3-4, 2 RBI;

So that split the series right down the middle, which was all fine. Nobody was really counting wins anymore. Except that pea picker Valdes, and, well, the league for the draft order. At 71-88, the Coons had three left to play, currently held the #8 or #9 pick, tied with the Gold Sox, and could still end up as high as #5 and as low as #10.

We also had clinched fifth place in the North, with the Elks four games behind us at this point.

In the Federal League, it looked like a Miners-Pacifics matchup, with those two teams up three on the Buffos and two on the Stars, respectively.

Also, Jamieson was not going to come back this year, with the Druid reporting shoulder tendinitis.

Raccoons (71-88) vs. Indians (83-76) – October 3-5, 2031

Final series of the year, three against the Indians. We still had a shot at the season series, which they led 8-7. They were the second-worst in scoring runs in the Continental League, but were actually in third place in dingers, and were allowing the third-fewest runs with a +24 run differential (Coons: -52).

Projected matchups:
Jason Gurney (10-8, 3.67 ERA) vs. John McInerney (14-7, 2.88 ERA)
Bernie Chavez (2-1, 3.28 ERA) vs. Sal Bedoya (11-7, 2.65 ERA)
Mark Roberts (7-10, 4.23 ERA) vs. Andy Bressner (17-12, 2.76 ERA)

McInerney was another left-handed opponent. We were not 100% about Bressner on Sunday, since the Indians had been involved in a double header and Bressner would be on short rest. They might still find a spot starter.

Game 1
IND: SS Pizano – C J. Herrera – RF Plunkett – CF Baron – 2B Schneller – LF M. Cowan – 1B I. Pena – 3B Conner – P McInerney
POR: SS Ramos – 2B Stalker – LF Wallace – RF Rodriguez – 3B Nunley – C Tovias – 1B Hollenbeck – CF Baldwin – P Gurney

Gurney needed to last five innings to qualify for the ERA award (not that he’d win it), but started the game with a single allowed to Mario Pizano and a walk issued to Juan Herrera. Mike Plunkett struck out, John Baron rolled over to third, and Dan Schneller whiffed to defuse the inning. The next innings were considerably less busy; Gurney allowed a single to Herrera in the third, and a double to Schneller in the fourth, but neither came around to score. The Critters did precious little the first time through, but then got a fat chance in the bottom 4th. Jimmy Wallace reached on a gross throwing error by Ivan Pena, after which Wilson Rodriguez was walked intentionally onto the open first base. Nunley singled to right, loading them up for Tovias, which sparked Valdes’ question why we were still playing him when he never got a big knock and was a free agent anyway. The response was plain and simple. We only had catchers that hit less than quid. Best to spread the misery around some. Obviously, Tovias struck out. Hollenbeck grounded to third, with Josh Conner having to take the out at first base, which allowed Wallace to score the first marker of the game. Baldwin was walked intentionally, and Gurney popped out to end the inning, then worked around a walk to Pizano (only 21 stolen bases this year) to reach 162 innings on the year. John Baron reached base with a 1-out single in the sixth and advanced on Schneller’s groundout. Mike Cowan dropped a single into left with two outs, Wallace was on it while Baron was sent around for home plate… and was thrown out by Wallace! Gurney would go on to complete seven, ending his season with a strikeout to McInerney, his sixth in the game and the 100th of the year.

In a game in which neither team had even five base hits, Ricky Ohl then blew the 1-0 lead with a Herrera homer served up in the eighth, denying Gurney, who led the team in wins anyway (…), his shot at an 11th victory. Bottom 8th, McInerney allowed a leadoff single to Ramos, then nailed Stalker. Wallace’s slow grounder to second base allowed only for an out at first base (and just barely), so the go-ahead run was at third base, with reinforcement at second base, for Wilson Rodriguez with one out. The Indians didn’t like the odds, walked him intentionally and instead pulled up Nunley, who was on consecutive multi-hit games for the first time since the President Nixon administration, but Nunley struck out. Desperate, the Coons sent Howden to bat for Tovias, but the dumb pig grounded out to the pitcher. However – that came only after McInerney had thrown a wild pitch at 1-2, and the Raccoons were already ahead then, 2-1. Chris Wise got into the ninth, thus, pitching to Rocha, the final catcher on the roster. The combo worked – Wise axed the Arrowheads on seven pitches. 2-1 Furballs. Ramos 2-4; Nunley 2-4; Gurney 7.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 6 K;

Still tied for the #8 and #9 picks with the Gold Sox, but the window has closed to between the #7 and #10 picks now.

In the FL, both races were now down to two games and a magic number of one.

Also, Valdes left for the season, having to attend the Chihuahua races in Chihuahua.

Game 2
IND: SS Pizano – 1B Regan – C J. Herrera – RF Plunkett – 2B Schneller – CF Baron – LF Zanches – 3B Conner – P Bedoya
POR: SS Ramos – CF Vanatti – 2B Stalker – RF Wallace – 1B Howden – 3B Nunley – C Ross – LF Allan – P Chavez

Catching paperweight du jour Toby Ross put the first essence on the board with a 3-run homer in the bottom 2nd, following up sharp singles by Howden and Nunley to begin the inning, and that inning was far from yet ending. Allan chucked a double down the leftfield line, moved up to third on Ramos’ 1-out single, and when Ramos embarked for a stolen base attempt, Herrera threw the ball to centerfield, allowing Ramos to third with 57 steals and Allan to score the fourth run of the frame. After Vanatti popped out foul, Ramos threatened to be left stranded when Stalker grounded to second base, but Schneller wasn’t able to make the play in time and Tim got an RBI infield single, 5-0. Wallace struck out, but that still left Bernie aptly supplied to go 3-1 on his career if he could hold away the Indians for at least another three innings. Before long Howden made an error, the dumb pig, that put Greg Regan aboard, Herrera doubled to left, and Plunkett hit a 2-run single to left in the third inning. Bernie recovered with a pop coaxed out of Schneller, then rung up Baron to end the inning. But Plunkett came up again, had Pizano and Herrera on the corners, and plated both with a loooong double in the fifth inning, cutting the lead to 5-4. Again Chavez got through the inning, again ending it with a K to the flailing Baron.

With Chavez probably done after five so-so innings, the Coons got Wallace on base with a 1-out double in the bottom 5th. Howden walked unintentionally, and Nunley grounded up the middle, with the ball eluding the solid defender Schneller for an RBI single, 6-4. That knocked out Bedoya and brought on Dan Delgadillo, who had risen again from waivers, and was tasked with quelling the Critters without getting his 5.59 ERA inflamed. Ross flew out to center, and Allan popped out to end the inning. Bernie DID return for the sixth, struck out Alex Zanches and Josh Conner, then got Yusneldan to pop out, and that was it for his season, too. The game remained a dicey one, though. In the seventh, Nick Bates was charged an unearned run on a Nunley error, a wild pitch, and a run-scoring grounder by Herrera, which was the sort of pile-up we’d like to avoid generally…

Delgadillo pitched 3.2 scoreless innings in relief for Indy, with the Coons unable to touch him despite two hits and three walks allowed and the bases filling up in the eighth inning. Stalker would have Ross, Ramos, and Vanatti all aboard and two outs, ran a full count, and struck out. The lack of insurance didn’t matter – Chris Wise retired the side in order in the ninth inning. 6-5 Critters. Ramos 2-4, BB; Stalker 2-5, RBI; Nunley 2-4, RBI; Allan 2-3, BB, 2B;

That win left us in sole possession of the #9 pick, with that or another tie with the Gold Sox for #8 the only outcomes left for us. For that we’d have to lose the season finale and the Gold Sox had to beat the Pacifics, who they had lost to, 7-6, on Saturday to end the race in the FL West, which also denied the Stars the last-to-first move they had desired. The Miners also ended the FL East race on the same day. They beat the Caps, 7-4, in the clincher.

Game 3
IND: SS Pizano – 1B I. Pena – RF Plunkett – CF Baron – 2B Schneller – C Kuhlmann – LF Aleman – 3B Conner – P Bressner
POR: SS Ramos – CF Vanatti – 2B Stalker – RF Wallace – 1B Howden – 3B Nunley – C Ross – LF Allan – P Roberts

The season finale would see Mark Roberts in his 384th career game, 367th start, and 248th start for the Coons. He had no chance to avid his first 4+ ERA season a month shy of his 37th birthday unless he’d pitch a shutout into the 10th inning.

The thought didn’t make it out of the first inning. Roberts walked Plunkett with two outs, then allowed, with two strikes each, an RBI double to John Baron and an RBI single to Schneller. Morgan Kuhlmann flew out to center. Portland flipped the score fast; Ramos and Vanatti opened with singles, Stalker hit a sac fly, and Wallace flicked a ball over the fence in right to put them up 3-2. They tacked on a run in the second when Vanatti doubled home Ryan Allan. The Arrowheads continued to melt. Howden and Nunley knocked singles in the third, and a Conner error added Toby Ross to load them up with one out and Allan, batting all of .195, coming to the plate. What the heck Ryan Allan, a 29-year-old nothing, was doing on the roster even in its rebuilding status, remained anybody’s guess. Allan fired a 2-0 pitch at Conner, who tried to get two, but got only Ross at second base while Howden scored, 5-2. Roberts flew out to center.

It was also well into October, and nature longed to reclaim what was hers. It started to rain in the third inning and we had a 24-minute delay in the fourth with Roberts trying to hang on to dear life. After the rain subsided, Roberts struck out three in a row before Elias Sosa reached on an infield single in place of the removed Bressner. Pizano turned a full count into a walk, and the tying run was up. Pena popped out, bringing up Plunkett, who had already plunked the Coons for plenty in this series, but was put to bed in a full count, taking strike three on the corner. That was only the 122nd strikeout for Roberts in a lost season, but it was a neat one! Bottom 5th, Eddie Krumm pitched for the Indians, and after his release from the Coons Krumm had put up 14 games and a 3.00 ERA for Indy. Of course he had! But in the inning, Nunley doubled, Ross walked, and Allan hit one over Plunkett for an RBI double, 6-2. Roberts batted for himself and grounded out to short, leaving the runners, and in the sixth Ramos got on and stole his way to third base – giving him a crisp 60 bags for the year – but was stranded by Krumm.

Roberts stomped through seven innings, including six zeroes after the initial bummer of the first inning. The Coons loaded the bags against J.R. Hreha in the bottom 7th, but didn’t score when Stalker grounded out, and the Indians made up a run against Dave Martinez in the eighth with a Pizano triple and Pena’s RBI single. But with Chris Wise no longer available for this game, the Coons stuck to Martinez in the ninth. He would face the 5-6-7 hitters, all righties, but there was lefty relief on standby. We had to see whether there was ANYTHING to Dave Martinez besides Odilon’s Wrath at this point, and while he had been *better* in relief than as a starter, he had not been great exactly… and it didn’t get better. Schneller hit a leadoff single. Kuhlmann got nailed. And then Martinez got hammered. With Andres Medina pinch-hitting, the Coons went to David Fernandez. Medina grounded to short, but Berto got only the out at second base, putting them on the corners for a righty pinch-hitter, Edgar Paiz, batting about as much as Allan. Depressingly, he hit an infield single, so a run scored and the tying runs were aboard for PH Mike Cowan. Fleischer came in next, got a grounder to third, but again Nunley only got the out at second. At least the tying run remained at first base with Pizano batting. That was Fleischer’s last man; Boles would come in to face Pena. He didn’t. Pizano flew out to Wallace on the first pitch, ending the series with a sweep. 6-4 Raccoons. Ramos 3-4, BB; Vanatti 3-4, BB, 2B, RBI; Nunley 2-5, 2B; Roberts 7.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 8 K, W (8-10);

In other news

September 29 – Just ahead of the playoffs, the Condors lose 1B Kevin McGrath (.261, 20 HR, 87 RBI) to a herniated disc. He will be out for the postseason.
September 29 – The Crusaders beat the Indians, 4-3 in 18 innings, on a walkoff homer by NYC OF Chris Reardon (.290, 20 HR, 111 RBI) off IND MR Chris Vazquez (1-1, 3.31 ERA, 1 SV).
September 30 – Topeka’s SS/2B Alex Majano (.298, 0 HR, 54 RBI) lands two hits in a 6-3 win over the Cyclones to extend his hitting streak to 20 games.
October 1 – TIJ 1B Ken Kramer (.298, 3 HR, 24 RBI) gets warmed up as McGrath replacement with three hits and handful of RBI in a 15-3 smashing of the Aces.
October 1 – The Cyclones walk off on the Buffaloes, 6-5, when CIN 2B/SS Jason Rauser (.286, 2 HR, 40 RBI) is hit by TOP CL Adrian McQuinn (2-5, 2.29 ERA, 37 SV) with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth.
October 2 – The Gold Sox beat the Stars, 6-5 in 16 innings. The Sox, who use 26 players, walk off on a single by rookie C Matt Wilton (.320, 0 HR, 2 RBI).
October 4 – TOP SP Jose Lerma (17-13, 3.53 ERA) throws a 3-hit shutout in a 3-0 win over the Blue Sox, but despite his heroics the Buffaloes are eliminated on the same day, with the Miners winning the East.
October 5 – TOP SS/2B Alex Majano (.303, 0 HR, 60 RBI) will enter the 2032 season with a 25-game hitting streak kept alive with a fifth-inning single on the final day of the season in a 3-1 win over the Blue Sox.
October 5 – ATL SP Chris Inderrieden (8-9, 4.58 ERA) and ATL CL Levi Snoeij (5-8, 4.70 ERA, 34 SV) pitch a combined 1-hitter in a 1-0 win over the Falcons no Closing Day. Only CHA 3B Greg Ortiz (.288, 18 HR, 81 RBI) manages to dink in a single.

Complaints and stuff#

In sweeping the Indians on the final weekend, the Coons settled for the #9 pick and wound up just as bad, but not worse, than the 2030 Critters in terms of record at 74-88. The last time the Raccoons had identical records for consecutive seasons, they made the playoffs both times with a pair of 95-67 seasons in 2017-18. Of course, both those years ended with us getting whisked from the CLCS, Bayhawks and Aces respectively, and both times in six games.

Coming in as third-string solution on Sunday, Fleischer saved his first and only game of the season. He has saved exactly one game for the fourth straight year.

Danny Santillano missed the triple crown in the Federal League by five RBI. But he hit *40* homers! Nobody had hit 40 in a season in 12 years! The last guy to do it was Gil Rockwell, mauling 43 baseballs in 2019. Rockwell also holds the all-time single-season mark of 49, put up in 2015, two more top 5 seasons, and six of the top 10 seasons. The best Coons marks remain the 38 homers put up by Dumbo Mendoza in 2020 and prior to that the sadly fallen-apart-too-soon Royce Green in 1994. They tie for 19th-most all time.

Alberto Ramos took his fourth stolen base belt in the CL, and also – and I didn’t say anything because I’m a great jinxer – played in ALL games this season! No injuries! No broken bones, no strains, no pains, not even something really silly like being poked in the eye with a fork by the guy gobbling from the food bowl to either side. Berto forever! He now has 329 stolen bases to his career, good enough for 19th on the career table, just 99 behind Cookie Carmona (6th place), and just 325 behind still-active career leader Pablo Sanchez.

Quo vadis Matt Nunley? Our third baseman since the dawn of time barely made it over the .600 OPS hump in the end thanks to a 4-game streak of multi-hit games in the last four games of the year. He will be 41 in January. I am not sure he knows himself yet whether he wants to be in professional baseball for a 23rd season, and in the major leagues for a 20th season. He has a career .277/.339/.384 clip with 2,457 hits, 172 homers, and 1,053 driven in. Probably not a Hall of Famer. Not even close actually. He has 60.5 WAR, but WAR is for suckers. He was worth 1.1 WAR this season, half of which came from defense, which isn’t shabby for a 40-year-old that didn’t even play 1,000 innings. The nagging injuries in the second half served to keep him to 908.1 defensive innings this year, which puts him at 19,959.2 for his career (all at third base!), which is oh so close…

Both Jamieson and Hereford finished the year in injured state. We should really look into players with fewer inflammable, strainable, breakable parts. Say, Mena, how is the that mad scientist on the other end of town getting on with his animatronic robo players? – Oh, they murdered him? – I see, I see. Are they on the loose now? – I see, I see.

Fun Fact: Only two players have spent more innings at third base than Matt Nunley in all of the ABL. Both are in the Hall of Fame. They are Sonny Reece (22,119 innings) and Antonio Esquivel (21,414.2 innings).

Nah, Matt’s still not gonna make the Hall of Fame…

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Well, well, that was it! Come back next season (please…!) for more sad songs from the gutter! Will we see some exciting young pitchers on the Opening Day roster in ’32? Will we see more old farts farting oldly? Will the Raccoons suddenly relocate to Des Moines and be renamed the Haymakers? Probably not. We don’t really have anybody making hay on the roster…

Until we go there, though, you should not hold back any questions, suggestions, or demands on who to purge first from this 88-losses team.