Los Angeles Lakers (36-19, .655, 1st NL West) @ Phoenix Suns (35-22, .614, 2nd NL West)
The Burnt Orange & Eggplant Purple, outside of the playoffs, have been a problem during my tenure with the La La’s. Well, maybe more of an annoyance given that their regular-season dominance over our club hasn’t spilled into the playoffs. In 2077, our battle for the NL West division will likely come down to the wire with this just being the opening salvo of a long and arduous journey filled with treachery, hard slides, and even a pickle or two. We’ve not successfully posted a winning record against these guys in the regular season over the last two campaigns - an alarmingly poor stat if I’ve ever seen one - and doing so won’t get any easier in ‘77. Their offense, anchored by one of the best in the game (Ray Ray), is potent, an explosive cocktail of star power, swagger, and skill - they rank 1st in the NL at the plate and never seem to be more than a swing or two out of it. Their pitching has been a different story – their rotation has had its struggles with some of their top guys not quite bringing their A-game yet… but, they’re a capable unit that is prone to periods of sustained dominance and with an ability to rise to the occasion when necessary. They haven’t been the dominant force we thought they would be but they have been moving in that direction here lately and will look to turn that corner during this 4-game home series against us. We seem to be the foil that brings out the best in the Suns – always a concern when we visit the desert. Also – their starting 2nd baseman is named Zippo Hollins, which, may be one of the top three best names in all of baseball.
Top 3 2B Based on Given Name:- Zippo Hollins (PHX) – Zippo is just such a great name… legendary, unforgettable, and fun.
- Heathcote Kinton (LAG) – Heathcote has something snappy – sounds old-timey & serious, but with an undercurrent of troublemaker thrown in to spice it up. The name Heathcote gives off some Eddie Haskell vibes – the instigator who never gets in trouble because every one’s mom fancies him.
- Owen Mack (LAL) – O-Mack… great name – O-Mack just sounds like a stud. The nickname possibilities are nearly endless and anyone named Owen Mack always gets an invite to the party.
56 of 162: Aiden Jensen (4-5, 4.48) @ Julen Morales (5-2, 3.03)
Win, 7-4. Solid effort from Jensen (all four were charged to his account though…), 3-run blast from OH HONG (4 total RBIs too), Barbaccia earns his 14th save, 3 total homers for the La La’s (Ethan & Messick get in on the fun), and Hamza swipes his 23rd.
57 of 162: Michael Brisk (6-3, 3.72) @ Cam Murphy (3-4, 4.60)
Loss, 6-4. 6 earned ones charged to Brisky, only 4 for Cam… OH HONG, PEPPER, and O-MACK go a combined 0 for 12, 3 hits for Hamza, 2 for Ethan (he also drove in three runs), and Hamza stole #24 and also got caught with his hand in the honeypot for the 7th time. Dude’s a hound & often times is a poor decision-maker – not always the best combination…
58 of 162: Dejuan Burns (4-4, 3.57) @ Patrick Keith (5-3, 5.50)
Win, 12-2. Dontrell Gay went 4 for 6 with a 2-run blast, Otto drove in 3 and hit a double, and Dejaun allows only a single run in 7 innings of work. 4 doubles as a team, big day for Lonzo Gonzo ( 4 for 5 with 2 ribbies), TWO SAC FLIES (Otto & PEPPER), and Messick stole second for the second time this year. Bad news for Phoenix… Patrick Keith was injured while pitching in the 4th. He’s basically the human equivalent of peanut brittle.
59 of 162: Paul Yeager (9-1, 2.72) @ Del Miller (6-4, 4.50)
Loss, 7-3. We’ll have to settle for the series split… ZIPPO hit a 2-run homer, Ray Ray went 3 for 4 with an RBI (quiet series for him, relay), and Homer Wingard went 2 for 4 with a 2-run shot – the bad guys got their revenge. Yeager takes his second loss and allows 5 earned runs – Phoenix would chase him out of there in only 3.2 innings… more bad news for Phoenix tho – Del Miller was injured while pitching… he lasted only a single batter and 19 total pitches before they had to yank him.
Elsewhere: Palmer Parker (PHI) went 3 for 4 with a 3-run homer (and 6 total RBIs) in Philly’s 10-4 win over Montreal… SP Trevor Dotson of your CITY OF COMPTON RAIDERS struck out 11 batters in an 8-inning, 3-hit shutout over the Gwinnett Stripers – Compton won the game by a score of 4-0…SP River Hudson, a 17-year old fireballer out of Cloverly, MD, is widely considered the top college recruit to sign this year – he’s committed to the UCLA Bruins and projects to be a top of the rotation guy with incredible stuff, above average movement, and pedestrian control. His slider and changeup look to be the two pitches that will develop into something nasty for the young man.
