[Westheim]

The Raccoons began the new week by optioning Arturo Carreno back to AAA and bringing back Jesus Maldonado from three games’ worth of rehab. We figured that Carreno needed regular at-bats and would not get them right now; Eric Cox could sit on the bench just the same.

Raccoons (41-41) @ Loggers (49-33) – July 7-10, 2042

This was a pairing that consistently not worked out for the Raccoons for a few years now, and it really had to *now*. But the Loggers were second in runs scored, fifth in runs allowed, had a +61 run differential, and half a game of deficit on the first-place Elks, so they really could not afford to waste much time here. The season series was tied at two – we’d add four games to that tally both this week and next week after the All Star Game.

Projected matchups:
Jake Jackson (6-5, 3.41 ERA) vs. Sergio Piedra (8-3, 3.10 ERA)
Rich Willett (9-7, 3.12 ERA) vs. Sal Chavez (12-4, 3.31 ERA)
Josh Brown (7-3, 2.82 ERA) vs. Chris Lulay (6-7, 4.66 ERA)
Corey Mathers (2-6, 5.46 ERA) vs. Joe Hicks (7-6, 3.45 ERA)

Lulay was the runt of the litter, and also the only southpaw. But now the good news: persistent coonskinner Ted Del Vecchio was on the DL with a painful foot contusion, and I felt like this was exactly what the Raccoons needed to make a breakthrough here! He would definitely miss all of this series, and if we were lucky his foot was still hurting like ****** next week and we’d avoid him altogether for eight games!

(gleans skywards with black googly eyes) You heard that up there, didn’t you?

Game 1
POR: CF Romero – SS Hunter – 3B Maldonado – LF Fernandez – 1B Cortes – 2B Trevino – RF Reyna – C Kilmer – P Jackson
MIL: RF Cannizzard – SS McNelis – 1B Brayboy – CF Reeves – 3B Paul – LF Hertenstein – C F. Gomez – 2B V. Acosta – P Piedra

I didn’t calculate for one thing – Del Vecchio’s replacement being just as much of a barbed hook in the bottoms as the pest himself. Eric McNelis was a 28-year-old sophomore… and hit a homer to make it 1-0 Loggers in the bottom of the first. The Loggers followed that up with singles by Aaron Brayboy, Bill Reeves, and Daniel Hertenstein to tack on a second run right away against a hapless looking Jackson. The rest of the team was just as bad, amounting to one base hit against Piedra through five innings, while the Loggers sat back and pondered their next moves against Jackson, who followed up on that dismal first inning with four hitless frames, tossed in vain. Piedra offered a leadoff walk to Jeff Kilmer in the sixth – yes, that was the first move actually worth mentioning on offense. He was bunted over, reached third base on a wild pitch, then was stranded when Romero grounded out piss-poorly and Hunter struck out. Aaron Brayboy, the dismal ****, celebrated with a leadoff homer to right in the bottom of the inning. The Coons had a Manny Fernandez single in the seventh, then nothing else as long as Piedra was in the game. Right-hander Kurt Crater and his 2.89 ERA (but with 22 walks in 37 innings) took over in he ninth inning against the top of the Coons’ mostly absent order. Romero struck out. Hunter popped out. Maldonado grounded out to short. 3-0 Loggers.

Game 2
POR: CF Romero – SS Hunter – 3B Maldonado – LF Fernandez – 1B Cortes – 2B Trevino – RF Nettles – C Wilson – P Willett
MIL: RF Cannizzard – SS McNelis – 1B Brayboy – CF Reeves – 3B Paul – C Sicco – LF Borchard – 2B V. Acosta – P S. Chavez

Three scoreless in Milwaukee saw the Raccoons strand Hunter and Fernandez on the corners in the first inning when Cortes flew out, but he made it up the next time around when he hit a homer to left, of course a solo job. The Loggers had runners on the corners thanks to Adam Borchard and Victor Acosta singles in the bottom 3rd after Willett had retired the first six batters in a row, but then choked to the tune of an inning-ending double play hit into by Tim Cannizzard. No such luck in the fourth; after Brayboy and Paul Reeves hit the corners, Jared Paul brought in the tying run with a soft grounder to short on which a double play was never in the cards. Valentino Sicco flew out to center to end the inning.

Willett retired two more to begin the bottom 5th, then inexplicably gave up a 2-out single to Sal Chavez before walking Cannizzard. When McNelis doubled into the corner and brought in a pair, I looked skywards again and shrugged as the poor sinner I was. I was getting the hint. I wouldn’t do it again! Can this please stop now?

Manny Fernandez tied the score with a homer off Chavez in the sixth after Maldonado had reached with a leadoff single, so maybe the answer was yes. Cortes whacked a double into the gap after that, but was stranded as the inept bottom of the order struck again. Willett battled his way through six, but used 105 pitches to make it even that far and wouldn’t be back. He was left with a no-decision when the seventh inning was mostly about Maldonado – getting on base, stealing a base, getting stranded on base, then putting McNelis on base with an error … none of which led to a run in the 3-3 tie.

The eighth began with Cortes ripping a ball to the deepest depths of centerfield and legging it out for a leadoff triple – he now sat a single shy of the cycle. The Loggers defended by bypassing Cosmo Trevino to get to Nettles, who was still hitting .368 on paper, but hadn’t gotten anything done in at least a week, and the Loggers knew it, too. But they didn’t even go through the motions to bring on a southpaw for him, instead keeping Chavez around for Jeff Wilson, presumably. They got burned for it – Nettles singled up the middle, Cortes scored, and Cosmo went to third base as the Coons took a 4-3 lead! Reyna batted for Wilson and hit a sac fly before de Wit ended the inning with a double play roller to short… Bottom 8th, Sicco and Borchard reached the corners with two line drive hits off Josh Rella .One out, left-handed batter Jonathan Fleming coming out to pinch-hit for Acosta, and with Chuck Jones already expended in the seventh inning, the Raccoons went to Brent Clark. He threw one pitch, getting a double play out of it, 4-6-3…!

The Raccoons brought up Cortes with two outs in the ninth inning. Maldonado had just doubled in Tony Hunter to go up 6-3. The Loggers didn’t bite – they walked Cortes intentionally to deny him the chance for a cycle! Would we take that lightly!? Nope – Cosmo doubled home a pair with a shot into the right-center gap for a neat conversation starter, taking off the save chance and bringing in Travis Sims for a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth. 8-3 Raccoons. Romero 2-4, BB; Maldonado 3-5, 2B, RBI; Cortes 3-4, BB, HR, 3B, 2B, RBI; Nettles 2-5, RBI;

There you go!! And we will remember that intentional walk for a while!!

Game 3
POR: CF Romero – 2B Trevino – SS Maldonado – LF Fernandez – 1B Cortes – RF Reyna – C Kilmer – 3B Cox – P Brown
MIL: RF Cannizzard – SS McNelis – 3B Paul – 1B Brayboy – LF Hertenstein – C F. Gomez – CF Borchard – 2B V. Acosta – P Lulay

Josh Brown came to bat before he pitched, popping out to short to end a 4-run first inning for the Raccoons, who got three straight hits out of the 2-3-4 spots, Maldonado driving in Cosmo (double), a walk drawn by Cortes, a run on Reyna’s groundout to first base, and two runs on Kilmer’s single to center. Eric Cox walked to clear the pitcher’s spot. Said pitcher then walked three Loggers in the first inning and gave up a 3-piece to Aaron Brayboy somewhere in between… Brown walked two more the next inning, faced Brayboy again, and this time the ******* ******* shot a ball up the line for a 2-run double and a 5-4 Loggers lead. Oh, the bitter sadness of baseball…

Without doing anything on offense, the Raccoons dragged Brown’s sorry bum through five innings. Brayboy hit a single in the bottom 5th and was stranded, so he was now casually a triple away from a cycle. Hunter hit for Brown in the sixth, but made an out in between singles Cox and Romero hit off Lulay. Cosmo whiffed to end the inning. Cory Lambert came out for the bottom 6th and was turned inside out immediately. Borchard singled, Brad Simon doubled him home, scored on a McNelis single (…) and Jared Paul ripped an RBI double. Brayboy was next, got nailed to reach the conspicuously open base, and some staring and hissing went on between the two teams. Jon Craig replaced Lambert, gave up an RBI double to Daniel Hertenstein, and the game was pretty much over by now. Felipe Gomez flew out to center to end the inning, but who cared at this point…

The bottom of the order, maybe. They crowded Tony Fuentes to load the bases with one out in the eighth inning. Kilmer reached on an error (whatever works…), and Cox and Gutierrez hit singles to fill then up for the top of the lineup and new right-hander Cesar Perez. Romero popped out, Cosmo grounded out, and nobody scored… 9-4 Loggers. Maldonado 2-5, RBI; Fernandez 2-5; Cox 2-3, BB; Gutierrez (PH) 1-1;

We out-hit them 12-10. Maybe it was the NINE WALKS we doled out that broke our back here…

Game 4
POR: CF Romero – SS Hunter – 3B Maldonado – LF Fernandez – 1B Cortes – RF Reyna – C Wilson – 2B Gutierrez – P Mathers
MIL: RF Cannizzard – C Sicco – 1B Brayboy – CF Reeves – 3B Paul – SS Simon – LF Fleming – 2B Lira – P Hicks

Unless the Raccoons secured a split behind Corey Mathers – which was unlikely in the best of times – they were pretty much done with the division (which was not even led by the Loggers…). Corey Mathers responded with two walks to begin his day, with somehow Cannizzard being stupid enough to get thrown out trying to steal third base when the pitcher on the mound had enough explosive potential for another 9-run game for them. The CS killed their inning and they didn’t score, but Cannizzard and Sicco were on base again in a scoreless contest in the third inning, this time with a pair of 1-out singles. Brayboy had struck out the first time up against Mathers, but the Raccoons wouldn’t get that lucky twice. He had since learned his lesson and barfed a 3-run homer to right.

Portland reached the board in the fourth, albeit only for one run and that was unearned, too. Maldo walked, Reyna singled, Cannizzard frittered a ball away to get Maldo across. Wilson then flew out to Fleming to strand Reyna. Omar Gutierrez was left in scoring position in the fifth, and while Maldonado hit a leadoff single in the sixth, he never got off first base. Mathers pitched 5.2 innings on 101 tosses, remaining 3-1 behind. Jones and Nettles entered the game in a double switch then, and Nettles hit a 2-out doublein the seventh, but then was also stranded on a sad Romero fly to left. Maldonado both hit another double in the eighth inning *and* tweaked a hamstring and had to come out of the game, which was such good news to a beaten team that had no hope left. De Wit ran for him, but had to stop at third base when Manny Fernandez singled to left. Those were now the tying runs with one down for Carlos Cortes, who shoved a ball through Jared Paul for an RBI single, 3-2. Kilmer batted for Jones in the #6 hole, also hit a grounder through Paul, and that one stretched for a game-tying RBI double! The Loggers reacted with an intentional walk to Wilson, yanked Hicks for Cesar Perez, and the Raccoons sent Cosmo to bat for Gutierrez, since this was a spot of utmost importance and we’d like an actual major league hitter to bat in this spot! …and while Cosmo grounded to first for a fielder’s choice at second base – no throw to first was attempted – he at least got the go-ahead run across! Nettles flew out to left to end the inning.

So now what? We were up 4-3. We needed six outs. And the Loggers had a lot of left-handers batting in the eighth inning. The Raccoons would try to be clever (do I hear dramatic music building in the background?) and would sent Wyatt Hamill to hold the fort in the eighth inning, then close the game with Jon Craig or Brent Clark in the ninth inning! A pop, a grounder, and a K retired the Loggers’ 1-2-3 batters in the bottom 8th, and that was certainly unexpected… even to Hamill, who twirled his moustache in deep thought on the way back to the dugout…! Jon Craig got the ninth after the Coons went in order against Crater in the top of the inning. The Loggers were scheduled to send switch-right-left, so there was no correct solution to the problem anyway… Brent Clark was in reserve though. Bill Reeves singled to center… (deep, deep breath) When Paul popped out, there was an itch to send Clark against the left-handed Simon and Fleming, but the Loggers had ample options from the right side on the bench, and then Clark would be on his own. Instead Craig got some mound counseling. Brad Simon then popped out on an 0-1 in foul ground. And Jonathan Fleming ended the game with a walkoff homer to right. 5-4 Loggers. Maldonado 2-3, BB, 2B; Cortes 2-4, RBI; Kilmer (PH) 1-1, 2B, RBI; Gutierrez 1-2;

Crushed.

Mauled.

Emotionally dismembered.

Oh good, the damn Elks come to town to deliver the final blow.

Raccoons (42-44) vs. Canadiens (52-33) – July 11-13, 2042

There was no way this wasn’t going to end very, very badly. The damn Elks had a +93 run differential on the #1 offense and #3 defense in the league. They were up 7-2 in the season series. The Raccoons didn’t know which of their ends was up and which was bottoms, but chances were the damn Elks – who had lost Melvin Hernandez and Justin Becker for the season, but still had plenty of Outram and Schneller to beat us – would show them…

Projected matchups:
Nelson Moreno (5-7, 5.19 ERA) vs. Matt Sealock (11-1, 2.87 ERA)
Jake Jackson (6-6, 3.47 ERA) vs. Mike Mihalik (10-7, 3.62 ERA)
Rich Willett (9-7, 3.19 ERA) vs. David Arias (5-9, 4.75 ERA)

Three right-handers. Not that it matters. Jesus Maldonado had a limp paw *again* and was day-to-day for this series (but would recover over the All Star break). He was not in the lineup on Friday at least.

Steve from Accounting, I have a question. Can we fit both that 16-year-old pitcher we’re after *and* *this* into the budget space? (shows Steve from Accounting a flyer of some product) – It’s a disembraining machine, on a $65,000 special offer, and I think I could really make good use of it.

Game 1
VAN: LF Mann – C Clemente – CF Outram – 2B Schneller – RF V. Vazquez – 1B J. Lopez – 3B G. Ortiz – SS R. Johnston – P Sealock
POR: CF Romero – 2B Trevino – SS Hunter – LF Fernandez – 1B Cortes – RF Reyna – C Kilmer – 3B Cox – P Moreno

Tony Romero hit a leadoff single and stole two bases in the first inning to get in on a Manny Fernandez sac fly. Tony Hunter walked, moved to third base on Manny’s sacrifice, and came home when Carlos Cortes singled, giving Portland a 2-0 lead against Matt Sealock. Moreno had put two on in the first, and added two more in the second inning, both times with a single and a walk, but so far the damn Elks didn’t get anybody across. Nels hit a sac fly himself in the bottom 2nd, getting Kilmer in. Kilmer had walked, stolen his first base of the year, and had reached third on Eric Cox’ single. Romero struck out, but the bags filled up on two singles by Cosmo and Hunter, bringing Manny to the plate in a fat spot. Sealock challenged him – and was beaten! A screamer up the rightfield line, and it would empty the bases, 3-run double for Manny Fernandez, and the crowd went bonkers!! … No, Maud, we won’t throw out this flyer for the disembraining machine just yet. I saw things in Milwaukee…!

Cortes flew out to end the inning, getting Nelson Moreno back on the mound. When the Raccoons needed a shutdown inning, he walked Timóteo Clemente to begin the third. Jerry Outram, however, rolled into a double play. Dan Schneller walked, Victor Vazquez singled, and now there was some serious talk with the young hurler on the mound, and I think I saw Cosmo slapping him in the back of the head to get him to stop messing up. He still gave up a run on Johnny Lopez’ single on a 3-1 pitch, then was 3-1 against Greg Ortiz before Cosmo got hold of Ortiz’ grounder to FINALLY end the damn inning. Moreno had a 1-2-3 fourth, then hit a leadoff single in the same inning. Romero walked, Cosmo reached when he was nicked by reliever Jordan Antonio, and there were three on base with nobody out. Tony Hunter lined out to Schneller on 3-2, Cosmo had been in forwards mode and couldn’t engage the rear gear fast enough and was doubled off, but Manny came through again, singling to right to score two runs!! … and yet, the Coons couldn’t get ******* Nelson Moreno through five innings OR avoid major explosions. Those explosions? A 2-run homer by Dan Schneller… and a 3-run homer by Ryan Johnston, which meant the end of ******* Nelson Moreno after 4.2 absolutely ******** ****** innings.

The Raccoons needed length from somebody now and turned to Cory Lambert, who batted for himself after getting out of the inning, singled, stood around uselessly for a bit, then was stranded, resumed pitching, and with two outs in the sixth and Clemente aboard gave up a game-tying blast to Schneller. Elks 8, ********* 8. Some of them were still resisting, but the loss was already in my scorebook. I guessed 14-9, although it wouldn’t matter. I also ordered Maud to order TWO disembraining machines, just in case the first one didn’t work, and I couldn’t wait for the second one if we ordered it THEN. Bottom 6th, though, righty Juan Dias (not related to the lefty Juan Diaz of three wild pitches in one at-bat infamy) walked Hunter and allowed a single to Manny with one down. Cortes flew out. Reyna grounded out. Nobody scored. Except for Ryan Johnston, who by the seventh joined Dan Schneller in having a 2-homer game, hitting a 2-out solo whack off Lambert to take the lead. The Coons then pissed away singles by Kilmer and Romero in the bottom 7th, with Cosmo popping out to strand a pair. Vazquez singled home a run against Travis Sims in the eighth, but did we actually still care…? Well, technically that was the game decider once Cortes went deep in the bottom of the inning, but with nobody aboard… The damn Elks brought a new pitcher in Gilberto Castillo to hold the 10-9 lead. He walked PH Omar Gutierrez in Sims’ place, and also Kilmer and Cox. Nettles was in the #9 hole and batted against a new righty with three aboard, Matt Fries and his 11 walks in 11.2 innings. He also had 12 strikeouts. Nettles lined out to Johnston long before he could get close to either one. And that stranded another three runners. After a scoreless ninth from Brent Clark, Josh Boles came out for the bottom of the inning, facing the 1-2-3 hitters, and, look, Josh Boles is *fine*… but we needed to see him walk off the mound sulking or I had to strangle the first thing that I’d get into my paws (looks at Cristiano). Romero struck out. Cosmo flew out to Outram. Hunter flew out to Vazquez. 10-9 Canadiens. Romero 2-5, BB; Fernandez 3-4, 2B, 6 RBI; Cortes 2-5, HR, 2 RBI; Cox 2-4, BB;

…or maybe I’ll choose to lie face down in these pillows until tomorrow… and if the baseball gods have mercy, they will strike me with lightning at some point in between.

…

zzzzz

….

What is it, Maud? – First pitch?

Rats.

Game 2
VAN: LF Mann – C Clemente – CF Outram – 2B Schneller – RF V. Vazquez – 1B J. Lopez – 3B G. Ortiz – SS R. Johnston – P Mihalik
POR: CF Romero – 2B Trevino – SS Hunter – LF Fernandez – 1B Cortes – RF Nettles – 3B Cox – C Wilson – P Jackson

The Coons scored first again on Saturday, not that I could get worked up much anymore about it. Nettles singled, stole second, and came around on Cox singling to center in the second inning. Oh well, the table has been set – now we’ll watch Jackson get raided for five in the next inning. – No, Maud, I want no cookie. – I also want no calming tea. – Well, can I have my blanky?

Jackson hit a single to lead off the third inning, which already made him be a baserunner more often than he had conceded to the damn Elks the first time through, but of course he was also stranded. Clemente was the first Elks runner, walking in the fourth. Outram legged out an infield single, but Schneller popped out for the second out and maybe this time we – oh, no, **** it, Vazquez just parked one in the cheap seats in right…

Not much else happened through five; Jackson got to run the bases again when Schneller’s error put him on in the bottom 5th, only to have Romero also ground to Schneller, who this time held on for a 4-6-3 inning-ender. Schneller then opened the sixth with a single, Lopez walked, and when Jackson was yanked, Josh Rella conceded a run on a sharp 2-out single by Ryan Johnston. The Coons then got free runners on errors by the Elks. Jeremy Mann dropped a liner to put Manny on base in the sixth, which led nowhere. Cox then reached base when Ortiz threw his grounder away in the seventh, and Jeff Wilson snuck a single through the right side to put runners on the corners. When the Elks sent lefty Jordan Antonio to relieve Mihalik, the Raccoons countered with Maldonado to pinch-hit as the tying run. He grounded the first pitch he got to short, but the Elks only got the out at second while a run scored and Romero got another chance, singling to center. Cosmo flew to right, no trouble for Vazquez, and the tying runs were stranded. From here, Travis Sims pitched two scoreless innings, whiffing four, keeping the Elks in striking distance. The Raccoons, however, put nobody on base in the eighth, and arrived at the bottom of the order – and Josh Boles – in the ninth. Nettles struck out. Cox grounded out to short. And Wilson flew out to Mann. 4-2 Canadiens. Sims 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K;

When your only hero is Travis ******* Sims, you better go home.

Maud, activate the beacon that transmits our willingness to sell to everybody with prospects.

Sunday brought the All Star Game rosters and a scratch for the Raccoons, with Rich Willett wiped from the Sunday start – not because of a trade, but because he had made the All Star Game. We would send Josh Brown (7-4, 3.09 ERA) on short rest and piggyback him with some dimwit or other. (Brent Clark and Cory Lambert stop stuffing their snouts in the far corner and blink)

Game 3
VAN: LF Mann – 3B G. Ortiz – CF Outram – 2B Schneller – 1B J. Lopez – C James – RF Jorgensen – SS R. Johnston – P D. Arias
POR: CF Romero – 2B Trevino – SS Hunter – LF Fernandez – 1B Cortes – RF Reyna – C Kilmer – 3B de Wit – P Brown

The Elks loaded the bases to begin the game, getting an infield single from Jeremy Mann, a fumbled Ortiz grounder from Brown, and a proper single to left by Jerry Outram. Schneller lined into a 6-4 double play and Lopez grounded out to keep them off the board. Outram came through next time round for them, though, singling home Mann from third base with two outs. Mann had doubled to center against an ineffective Josh Brown, who fooled absolutely nobody, and was whacked around for another pair of runs in the fifth inning before being yanked. Johnston singled, was driven in by Mann, and Outram hit a 2-out RBI double. Before Miguel Reyna hit a solo home run to right in the bottom 5th, the Raccoons were struck on one base hit against the Elks’ worst starter, but while Kilmer and Gutierrez (hitting for Brown) singled in the inning, Romero grounded out to strand the tying runs.

Cory Lambert pitched two innings, having a run on three hits beaten out of him to deepen the chasm to 4-1, but the Raccoons got the tying run back to the plate against a carousel of relievers in the bottom of the eighth inning. Cosmo and Manny were aboard for Cortes against Gilberto Castillo, with two outs. Cortes grounded through the left side for an RBI single, bringing on Matt Fries as the Elks spent their pen in an attempt to get the last out. They got it from Reyna, who grounded out. Jon Craig held the damn Elks at bay in the ninth, but we had the bottom of the order up against Fries in the ninth, and Jesus Maldonado had already pinch-hit and was out of the game. Kilmer scorched a liner to begin the inning. the ball was hit so hard, it took Schneller’s glove off and rolled away for a single. Nettles hit for de Wit, but popped out. Cox hit for Craig, but grounded to short with Kilmer getting forced out on the play. Cox was safe at first. Romero flew to left, Mann didn’t have to move, and made the final out. 4-2 Canadiens. Trevino 2-4; Cortes 2-4, RBI; Reyna 2-4, HR, 2B, RBI; Kilmer 2-4; Gutierrez (PH) 1-1; Craig 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K;

In other news

July 7 – New York acquires pitching help with SP Tony Galligher (4-11, 3.85 ERA) from the Warriors, sending two prospects to Sioux Falls.
July 7 – SAL SP Ryan Bedrosian (8-3, 1.70 ERA) 2-hits the Scorpions for a 5-0 victory, striking out 13 Sacramento hitters in the effort.
July 7 – The Wolves acquire LF/RF Benito Mendoza (.272, 1 HR, 13 RBI) from the Buffaloes for INF Alex Castillo (.261, 6 HR, 27 RBI).
July 8 – The Gold Sox’ SP Adrien Calabresi (6-3, 3.01 ERA) pitches a 2-hit shutout against the Stars, whiffing only three in a 5-0 win.
July 8 – The Titans leave 1B Mario Duenez (.277, 0 HR, 24 RBI) to the Gold Sox for SP Matt Peterson (2-5, 4.11 ERA).
July 9 – The Cyclones’ season derails with 1B Danny Santillano (.323, 12 HR 47 RBI) leaving a game against the Miners with a knee injury that turns out to be a strained medial collateral ligament that would put him out of action until late August.
July 9 – The disintegrating Warriors trade CL Chris Henry (3-2, 2.45 ERA, 18 SV) to the Blu Sox for four prospects.
July 9 – The Titans win a 3-1 game against the Crusaders despite being out-hit 10-3. They strand only two of the five runners they get in the entire game.
July 10 – His first save for the Blue Sox is the 400th of Chris Henry’s (3-2, 2.39 ERA, 19 SV) career. The 2040 Reliever of the Year, 34 years old, is with his sixth team (seven stints) and has no intention to not reach 500 saves next.
July 11 – Sacramento’s Jesus Banuelas (.268, 4 HR, 39 RBI) could be out for the year with a particularly bad hamstring strain.
July 11 – PIT SP Israel Mendoza (7-7, 3.46 ERA) throws a 3-hit shutout in a 6-0 win over Nashville.
July 13 – The Thunder trade C Rick Urfer (.217, 2 HR, 11 RBI) and cash to the Warriors for MR Brad Blankenship (0-2, 2.35 ERA) and a prospect.

FL Player of the Week: RIC 1B Manny Liberos (.250, 15 HR, 48 RBI), batting .400 (12-30) with 1 HR, 5 RBI
CL Player of the Week: NYC OF Rich Salek (.269, 6 HR, 30 RBI), hitting .577 (15-26) with 3 RBI

Complaints and stuff

Rich Willett and Tony Hunter made the All Star Team, Hunter apparently as injury replacement for Ted Del Vecchio, whom I hate with all my heart. It is Hunter’s first All Star Game, while Willett makes it there for the sixth time, making the show five times with Boston.

None of this makes me happy. None of this can make me happy.

We have lost the season series against the damn Elks – never mind that there are six games to spare. And it’s only 3-5 against the Loggers, but I’ll chalk that up as an L too. The second 4-game set doesn’t even matter anymore. The Raccoons are 13 1/2 games out and don’t matter. They just don’t matter. They’re a bunch of nothing.

Everything is nothing…

Fun Fact: “Things will totally be better this year. The black hole at third base has been stuffed, and the rotation got some real gems inserted. Cortes also isn’t lousy. The Raccoons have a genuine shot at the division this year but it might be tight. We can’t afford many injuries. And the rotation could actually hold together for once… The Raccoons will be in the race, and will win the division or maybe not. But 93 wins don’t sound outrageous.”

Win the division my ***.

Maud, where did you put the flyer for crystal balls? – Because I have to smash the old one.