[Westheim]

Raccoons (84-58) vs. Crusaders (63-79) – September 12-15, 2044

Last dips against the Crusaders, where we needed a split or better to win the season series for the third straight year; the Raccoons were up 8-6 going into the scuffle. Sitting ninth in both runs scored and runs allowed with a -50 run differential in the Continental League, the Crusaders were certifiably crummy. Injuries had taken their pitching staff apart by this point, so maybe the Raccoons could find some offensive outburst.

Projected matchups:
Jake Jackson (13-6, 3.68 ERA) vs. Jeff Johnson (10-12, 3.85 ERA)
Sadaharu Okuda (15-7, 3.37 ERA) vs. Matthew Owen (1-0, 2.45 ERA)
Corey Mathers (10-11, 3.93 ERA) vs. Rich Willett (12-10, 3.67 ERA)
Brent Clark (9-12, 3.77 ERA) vs. Tony Galligher (3-9, 3.70 ERA)

Three right, one left at the end; since the next off day for Portland was still a way’s away, we’d do quite a bit of rotating in the lineup this week to keep everybody fresh and hopefully healthy.

There was also the chance for the Raccoons to clinch the division this week (though not in this series). The Indians’ magic number was 11, with the Elks at 7, and the Titans at 4. The Crusaders (and Loggers) were already in the mathematical bin.

Game 1
NYC: SS Adame – 1B D. Riley – C Alba – 2B Nash – 3B Riario – RF Rico – LF Villareal – P J. Johnson – CF Graf
POR: 2B Carreno – 1B Ayala – LF Fernandez – RF Toohey – CF Phinazee – C Zarate – 3B Cruz – SS Hunter – P Jackson

Jake Jackson pitched three scoreless innings, whiffing four, before consulting with Dr. Padilla and being removed from the game. I had some mild convulsions on the trusty brown couch, and locked Honeypaws into my arms for comfort, although there was hardly enough comfort being provided here by just one stuffed toy raccoon. The Coons responded by loading the bases in the bottom 3rd on a hit by PH Ricky Jimenez, a walk drawn by Sal Ayala, and Manny reaching on a communal fumble error on the infield. Three on, one out for Bryce Toohey, who had been on a bit of a power surge recently (6 HR since August 29), but was held to a sac fly. Phinazee struck out, as usual. Portland doubled the lead to 2-0 in the fourth on a triple by Nate Norris (!) and Tony Hunter’s sac fly.*

Norris also pitched three scoreless innings to put in a bid for his ninth W of the season. Zack Kelly pitched a scoreless seventh despite the Crusaders reaching the corners with the tying runs, while the Raccoons filled the bags against Todd Lush in the bottom 7th. Ayala, Manny, and Toohey were aboard on two singles and a walk, in that order, and Gene Pellicano batted for Mal Phinazee against the left-hander. He poked the 0-1 to deep right, over Danny Rico’s glove, and onto the warning track for a 2-run double. Zarate’s grounder added another run, 5-0, but the Crusaders got to Bob Ibold in the eighth. Leadoff walk to Fernando Alba, a Randolph Nash single, and with two outs a 2-run slapper by Angel Villareal. With Mario Briones pinch-hitting, the Raccoons went to an underused Josh Rella in what was technically a save situation. He ended the eighth with Briones grounding out to Jimenez. He walked Joe Graf to open the ninth, then got a double play, 5-4-3, from Alex Adame, which would turn out to be precious once Dave Martinez walked and Alba whacked an RBI double to center. PH John Marz grounded out to Ayala, ending the game before it could get really, really ugly. 5-3 Raccoons. Ayala 2-5; Toohey 0-1, 2 BB, RBI; Pellicano (PH) 1-1, 2B, 2 RBI; Jimenez 2-4; Jackson 3.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K; Norris 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, W (9-3) and 1-1, 3B;

*(The game did the annoying thing where it stuffs a pinch-hitter into the pitcher’s spot upon injury, but requires you to put a pitcher in. Since Ricky Jimenez was the stuffee, Cruz was yoinked, and we ended up with the pitcher in the #7 hole.)

In relieving news, Dr. Padilla reported on Tuesday that Jackson had only a mild shoulder strain. He’d probably be good after being skipped for his next turn, which – with the 6-man rotation on – would have been Sunday.

PHEW. Come on, boys, don’t shed limbs so close to the playoffs!

Game 2
NYC: SS Adame – RF Marz – 1B Briones – CF Rico – LF J. Davis – 2B Nash – 3B Riario – C Alba – P M. Owen
POR: SS Waters – 1B Ayala – LF Maldonado – RF Toohey – CF Phinazee – C Kilmer – 3B Cruz – 2B Gutierrez – P Okuda

On Tuesday, the Raccoons tried their bestest to get shut out. They hit into double plays in the first two innings (Maldo, Kilmer), then stranded leadoff doubles by Cruz and Ayala and Kilmer in the third and fourth and fifth frames, respectively. Ayala they didn’t even get off second base… Okuda was doing pretty well against an all-righty lineup (except for Alba), until springing a leak in the sixth of the heretofore scoreless ballgame. Owen, of all people, hit a 1-out single. Okuda walked Adame on four pitches, then gave up more singles to Marz, loading the bags, and Briones, which brought home the pitcher, with Adame being thrown out at the plate for *an* out. Rico grounded out to Gutierrez, stranding two in scoring position, but oh boy, did that 1-0 deficit look insurmountable!

Ayala opened the bottom 6th with a single to left, which was a step back from the three leadoff doubles in the previous three innings, but ironically was the breakthrough for the Raccoons; Mal Phinazee singled him home with two outs, tying the game. Well, and then Kilmer grounded out to Vittorio Riario, but you can’t always score multiple runs at once, huh? And Okuda didn’t get any better… John Davis opened the seventh with a single up the middle, was forced out by Randolph Nash, but Nash reached second on a wild pitch and stole third base before scoring on a Riario blooper, 2-1. Alba flew out, but Owen singled, ending Okuda’s day. Nelson Moreno inherited a pair of runners, plus lefty pinch-hitter Dan Riley in the #1 hole, but got a grounder to second base to get out of the jam. Okuda was taken off the hook in the bottom of the inning; Cruz hit a leadoff single up the middle, advanced on a grounder, and scored on Pellicano’s single to right. Marz’ throw home allowed Pellicano into scoring position. Owen struck out Waters, then got a grounder to short from Ayala, but Quadir Randle botched it, and the Raccoons had runners on the corners for Maldo, who shot an 0-1 pitch through the right side for the go-ahead RBI single…! Toohey lined out, giving the ball back to Moreno, who had been plunked in the #5 spot earlier. Rico hit an infield single with two outs in the eighth, with lefty Andy Montes coming out to hit after that, drawing Chuck Jones, who got him to fly out to Pellicano in center.

Bottom 8th, three on, no outs. Owen put the pinch-hitting Carreno on board, while Lush filled the bags with Kilmer and Cruz. Jimenez hit for Gutierrez and singled home a run, but Pellicano’s hard grounder was fired home by Nash to get Kilmer out at the plate. Waters grounded out, adding a run, 5-2, while Jay de Wit hit for Ayala and romped a single to left to score the remaining runners, 7-2. The save was thus taken off; instead Ramirez and Johnston put the ninth inning together, not allowing a run. 7-2 Critters. Ayala 2-3, BB, 2B; de Wit (PH) 1-1, 2 RBI; Kilmer 2-4, 2B; Cruz 2-2, 2 BB, 3B; Jimenez (PH) 1-1, RBI;

Game 3
NYC: SS Adame – 1B D. Riley – RF Marz – LF Montes – 2B Nash – 3B Riario – C E. Thompson – P Willett – CF Villareal
POR: 2B Carreno – 1B Ayala – 3B Maldonado – RF Toohey – LF Fernandez – C Zarate – SS Waters – CF Anderson – P Mathers

Speaking of power surge – Bryce Toohey put the first run on the board with a leadoff jack in the second inning. That one put him at 23 homers and 80 RBI, both leading the team by a bunch. That was about it for offense in the first half of the game. Through the middle of the fifth, both teams had two base hits each, with the Crusaders getting a leadoff single from Nash in the fifth. He stole second, but Riario, Elliott Thompson, and Willett made poor outs. That was also what the Crusaders deserved for their folly of putting their pitcher in the #8 hole!

The sixth saw 2-out singles from Riley and Marz, both to right, putting them on the corners. There was a mound conference which turned out to be somewhat inefficient, as Andy Montes hit a game-tying RBI single on the very next pitch before Nash flew out to Van Anderson in center. Willett and Mathers remained locked in a 1-1 duel into the seventh when Zarate and Waters hit back-to-back 1-out singles to get to the corners. Waters was caught stealing, and Anderson flew out to left, ending that threat. Then Mathers put them on the corners in the eighth, with a leadoff double by Briones and an Adame single. Zack Kelly came out, but faced PH John Davis rather than the left-handed Riley, and lost him on balls. The next pitching change brought on Jon Craig, who conceded all the runs on two hits and a sac fly, dropping the Raccoons in general and Mathers in particular 4-1 behind. Was that it? Maybe not! Jose Cruz popped out in the #9 hole to begin the bottom 8th, but then the Raccoons unleashed a string of doubles from their 1-2-3 hitters. Ayala and Maldo both drove in a run, narrowing the gap to 4-3, and Toohey also hit a deep fly, but was caught by Montes in left-center. Maldonado scurried to third base, where we was left after Manny drew a walk and Zarate grounded out.

Johnston and Porter combined for a scoreless ninth out of the Critters’ pen, before lefty Mike Lynn was out to face the 7-8-9 hitters in the bottom 9th. Waters struck out. Pellicano grounded out to short. But Ricky Jimenez hit a last-ditch double to left, bringing back Carreno, who fell to 1-2 before hitting a soft pop to shallow left-center – right in the danger zone! Three Crusaders converged, none made the catch, and while Adame and Montes fell over each other, Rico had to scurry after the ball, throwing home in vain as Jimenez scored the tying run and Carreno scampered to second base…! Sal Ayala remained in to face the left-hander, ran the count to 2-2, then shot a ball up the middle for a single. With two outs, Carreno went on contact, an scored easily to walk off the Critters …! 5-4 Furballs! Carreno 2-5, 2B, RBI; Ayala 3-5, 2B, 2 RBI; Jimenez (PH) 1-1; Mathers 7.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 K;

Coming back clutch!

This was also the first time this week the Indians lost, dropping them 11 games out with a magic number of 7. The Titans were eliminated from even mathematical if-and-when with this Raccoons rally. That left only the damn Elks (13 1/2 out) besides the Indians.

Game 4
NYC: SS Adame – RF Marz – 1B Briones – CF Rico – LF J. Davis – 2B Nash – 3B Riario – C Alba – P Galligher
POR: 2B Carreno – 3B Jimenez – 1B Maldonado – RF Toohey – C Zarate – CF Pellicano – SS Waters – LF de Wit – P Clark

Both teams got a homer in the first inning; John Marz did a solo deed for the Crusaders, but Maldo hit a bomb to center with Carreno on base, who had stolen his 45th bag of the year. While Clark struggled against the same mostly right-handed lineup that Okuda had faced on Tuesday, the Raccoons used the successful pattern of the first inning again in the third, for the most part. Carreno hit a leadoff single, stole a bag, and scored on a Maldonado gapper. Toohey then went deep, extending the lead to 5-1.

Clark hit a single in the fourth that led nowhere, then packed the bags full in the fifth with a Marz double, a Briones single, and a walk to Danny Rico. Clark was already on 86 pitches in a chewy start, and the pen was in action, but he’d have to face Davis as the tying run. Davis struck out, and Clark remained in the game to see Nash, who grounded out to Waters, and all the runners were stranded, the score remaining 5-1. Clark was back out for the sixth, walked Riario, allowed a single to Alba, plated a run with a wild pitch, and walked PH Andy Montes, too, before departing after 5+ gruesome innings. Preston Porter replaced him, rung up Adame, Marz too, and got Briones to ground out at 1-2. Bob Ibold had a neat seventh, bothered only by a de Wit error, and Chuck Jones would have had a quick eighth if not for a Carreno error behind him. Ramirez then ended that inning, still up 5-2. The Raccoons never tacked on after the Toohey homer in the third, stranding the odd runner, leaving the ninth inning to Josh Rella, who again surrendered a run when Briones dished a leadoff triple into the gap. A Mal Phinazee error on Rico’s fly to center brought the run across, but it would be earned on Rella’s ledger when Dan Riley grounded out and would have scored Briones anyway. Nash and Riario struck out to end the game. 5-3 Raccoons. Carreno 2-4; Maldonado 2-3, HR, 2B, 3 RBI;

Sweep!

The Indians lost again, narrowing the magic number to five, which meant the Raccoons could in theory still clinch on Sunday, although they were also due to appear at The Bay, and nothing good had ever happened at The Bay.

Raccoons (88-58) @ Bayhawks (83-62) – September 16-18, 2044

This was a potential CLCS matchup, with the Baybirds 1 1/2 games ahead of the Knights at this point. The Aces had fallen away to 7 1/2 games out and were that much of a contender anymore. San Fran sat fifth in runs scored, sixth in runs allowed, and just exactly how they were holding off the Knights was not exactly clear. Their run differential was only +29 (Critters: +139). On the other paw, the season series was tied at three.

Projected matchups:
Jason Wheatley (9-3, 4.20 ERA) vs. Eric Weitz (12-8, 3.82 ERA)
Victor Merino (1-1, 2.08 ERA) vs. Noe Candeloro (10-10, 3.56 ERA)
Sadaharu Okuda (15-7, 3.34 ERA) vs. Kevin Nolte (5-5, 4.67 ERA)

Right, left, right in terms of San Fran pitchers. They had also gotten batting title race leader Ramon Sifuentes (.333, 27 HR, 89 RBI) off the DL just in time for this set. He ranked second in homers (Toohey was 3rd with 24), and third in RBI, but his gap in the latter category was double digits, which either ruled him out of triple crown contention, or would spark him to new coonskinning records in this 3-game set…

Game 1
POR: 2B Carreno – 1B Ayala – 3B Maldonado – LF Fernandez – CF Phinazee – RF Pellicano – C Kilmer – SS Hunter – P Wheatley
SFB: 2B Quiroz – 3B R. Sifuentes – RF Platero – CF McGuigan – 1B N. Duncan – C Suggs – SS S. Diaz – LF Caldwell – P Weitz

While Kilmer hit a homer to left in the second inning to give the Critters a 1-0 lead, Jason Wheatley soon showed why he was one of the primary candidates to get dropped into the pen in the postseason. The Bayhawks ruffled his fur for four singles, three hard and one on the infield, in a seemingly endless bottom 3rd. Sifuentes was on point for an RBI single, while Maldo, third in the batting race behind Jerry Outram of the damn Elks, had already dropped to 0-2 on the day. Jose Platero drove in the go-ahead run before Jamie McGuigan grounded out to Hunter to end the inning. Wheatley went on to walk the first two batters in the bottom 4th, Nick Duncan and Sean Suggs, before giving up a ground-rule RBI double to Steve Diaz. Corey Caldwell’s pop, Weitz’ liner to Maldo, and Sergio Quiroz’ pop stranded two in scoring position.

Those were also the last outs recorded by Wheatley, who allowed a leadoff single to Sifuentes in the bottom 5th before Platero reached on a Maldonado error. McGuigan hit a 2-run double, sending Wheatley for the showers. Bob Ibold conceded the remaining runner without much further ado, and the Raccoons were down 6-1, and on only two base hits of their own. They were not entirely dead yet, though – Maldo drew a 1-out walk in the sixth and Manny singled. Phinazee grounded out, but Pellicano came through with a single through the left side, plating both runners, 6-3. Kilmer struck out to end the inning. Then they did nothing the next two innings, and arrived still trailing by three in the ninth, facing Jeremy Mayhall, right-hander with a 1.67 ERA. Pellicano and Waters opened with outs before Toohey came off the bench for a double with two outs. Ricky Jimenez singled, bringing up Carreno as the tying run. Mayhall slipped him breaking balls until he struck out. 6-3 Bayhawks. Carreno 2-5; Hunter 0-1, 2 BB; Toohey (PH) 1-1, 2B;

Bright sides: the Indians and damn Elks also lost. Their magic numbers were now own to four and one, respectively.

And you know I’d like to eliminate the damn Elks with a W!

With the AAA season concluding on Friday, the Raccoons added C Ruben Gonzalez to the roster as the final addition. He had previously appeared in 10 games, hitting .200 with no homers and 2 RBI.

Game 2
POR: 2B Carreno – 3B Jimenez – 1B Maldonado – RF Toohey – CF Pellicano – C Kilmer – SS M. Waters – LF de Wit – P Merino
SFB: SS J. Gonzalez – 2B K. Saito – LF Hennessy – 3B R. Sifuentes – RF Platero – 1B J. Wilson – C J. Hill – CF Vogan – P Candeloro

After Wheatley, the Bayhawks roughed up Merino early, too, getting two runs (one earned in the first). Kenichi Saito and Sifuentes (…) got hits, while a Jimenez error had added Bobby Hennessy to the base paths. Sifuentes and Platero on a grounder got RBIs. Jimenez tried to make up with a 1-out double in the third inning, sending Carreno to third base and thus putting the tying runs in scoring position for Maldonado, who dropped a soft 3-1 looper in front of Jeff Vogan for an RBI single. Toohey tied the game with a sac fly, while Pellicano split Vogan and Platero in the gap for a 2-out RBI triple to take a 3-2 lead. Candeloro got Kilmer to 0-2, then hung one that was hit to the other side of the Bay by Kilmer, 5-2.

Merino then scattered base runners in the next few innings, but held on to the lead, which was extended to 6-2 by Kilmer’s groundout in the fifth inning, after Toohey and Pellicano had reached the corners to begin the inning. That knocked out Candeloro, with righty Josh Wilkes replacing him. He gave up a homer to right to Matt Waters on his second pitch, and the Raccoons zoomed out to an 8-2 lead. Toohey went yard to left off Wilkes in the sixth for a solo homer, and Wilkes hung around for sharp singles up the middle to the next two batters, then a RBI double by Waters that put the Coons into double digits. Chih Ke, foremost Formosan right-hander in the league, replaced him, allowing an 11th run on de Wit’s groundout before ringing up Merino.

The Coons replaced several regulars at the seventh-inning stretch, with Merino still going, but was lifted with one out in the seventh after Quiroz singled and Jorge Gonzalez tripled him home. Norris condeded the run on a sac fly. The eighth was uneventful, while in the ninth the Bayhawks’ southpaw Bobby Waters loaded the bases with one out, then nicked Van Anderson, who had earlier replaced Maldonado. Toohey hit into a double play to end the inning. Zack Kelly surrendered a run in his late-season scuffle, but the Raccoons still won by a bunch. 12-5 Raccoons. Carreno 3-4, BB; Gutierrez 1-1; Jimenez 2-5, BB, 2B; Toohey 2-5, HR, 2 RBI; Pellicano 4-5, 3B, RBI; Kilmer 3-4, HR, 3 RBI; Waters 2-5, HR, 2B, 3 RBI; Cruz (PH) 1-1;

This W indeed eliminated the damn Elks. The Indians, however, won their game against the Falcons, and thus the Raccoons would have to defer clinching to next week. A magic number of three was not reduceable to zero with only one game left to the week.

Game 3
POR: 2B M. Waters – 1B Ayala – LF Fernandez – RF Toohey – CF Pellicano – C Zarate – 3B Jimenez – SS Hunter – P Okuda
SFB: SS J. Gonzalez – 2b K. Saito – 3B R. Sifuentes – RF Platero – 1B J. Wilson – C J. Hill – LF M. Castillo – CF McGuigan – P Nolte

Both teams put the leadoff man aboard in their halves of the first two innings; the Raccoons got a leadoff jack from Waters and a Pellicano double that led to him being stranded at second, while the Baybirds hit into two double plays and allowed Okuda to face the minimum once through the order. But the bottom 4th began with a Gonzalez single, and while Kenichi Saito flew out to Manny, there was no catching up with Sifuentes’ corner-bound RBI double that tied the ballgame. Platero’s grounder and Jeff Wilson’s easy fly to center kept the go-ahead run stranded at least.

…at least until the bottom 7th. The impossible Sifuentes led off with a double to right, and Jose Platero hit a jack to left to break the 1-1 tie. After that, madness broke out. Wilson walked, and the bags filled up on consecutive errors by Waters and Hunter. Okuda left in a mess, leaving Preston Porter to give up an RBI single to PH Bobby Hennessy. Nolte struck out – that was the first out in the damn inning. Quiroz hit a sac fly and Saito whiffed, but the 4-spot appeared sufficient to put the game away against the Critters, who were still stuck on two base hits against Nolte. But they made up a run in the eighth, Ruben Gonzalez hitting a single in the pitcher’s spot, and then scoring on a Waters double. Ayala flew out to end the inning. But the tying run DID reach home plate in the ninth inning. Manny opened with a grounder against Mayhall, who then walked Toohey and saw Pellicano reach on a Sifuentes error. Maldonado hit for Zarate, but flew out to Platero. Phinazee hit for Jimenez and flew into the gap; Platero couldn’t get to it, and the Raccoons got a last-ditch 2-run double that narrowed th gap to 5-4. Carreno went to bat for Tony Hunter… and struck out. 5-4 Bayhawks. Waters 2-4, HR, 2B, 2 RBI; Phinazee (PH) 1-1, 2B, 2 RBI; Gonzalez (PH) 1-1;

In other news

September 14 – The walkoff home run hit by TOP C/1B Josh Davis (.269, 16 HR, 68 RBI) is the only run in the Buffaloes’ crucial 1-0 win against the Cyclones.
September 16 – SFW RF Matt Diskin (.303, 14 HR, 88 RBI) ends his season early by breaking his foot.
September 17 – Pittsburgh 3B/RF Ed Soberanes (.348, 1 HR, 11 RBI) goes 5-for-5 with a triple and one RBI against the Wolves, but his team loses the game, 8-7.
September 18 – The Aces pick up catcher Felipe Gomez (.243, 12 HR, 47 RBI) from the Loggers for LF/RF Brian Fox (.255, 6 HR, 25 RBI) and a third-rate prospect.

FL Player of the Week: CIN 1B Victor Chavez (.301, 13 HR, 95 RBI), batting .440 (11-25) with 1 HR, 12 RBI
CL Player of the Week: NYC RF/1B/LF John Marz (.278, 14 HR, 39 RBI), hitting .385 (10-26) with 4 HR, 9 RBI

Complaints and stuff

11 ahead with 13 to go! Don’t make it tight, boys!

Jackson could have started on Sunday, but we’ll skip him anyway after the shoulder scare and bring him back by next weekend.

Who will be the odd one out of the rotation for the playoffs? Merino doesn’t count anyway, and apart from that Wheatley sure filed another application for mop-up duty in October this week. The other idea I had was to drop Brent Clark and instead use him as counterattack for when Wheatley has a bad start in the playoffs; chances are you might see a lefty lineup then and could use Clark to choke them.

…if Clark’s remotely on, that is.

Decisions, decisions!

And never mind who we face in the CLCS, we’ll have lost the season series against them: 4-5 against San Fran, 3-6 against the Knights, and if the Aces somehow did make a comeback they sure would have to start by sweeping the Critters starting on Monday. I also loathe the set in Elk City on the weekend. Nothing good can come of it. But Derek Baskins will come off the DL on Monday, which will bloat the roster to 34 players.

Our minor league teams were never in contention for the playoffs. The Panthers and Beagles each ended up under .500, the Alley Cats just above .500; shoutout to 2041 first-rounder Bubba Wolinsky, who had a meh pair of seasons after being ranked #61 before 2042, but rebounded this year, going 5-3 with a 1.76 ERA for Ham Lake, then 10-2 with a 3.12 ERA for St. Pete to get himself back onto the favored prospects list.

Fun Fact: It’s been nine years since the Crusaders season series ended with both teams having odd win totals.

That was a 9-9 split in 2035. Since then all series have ended 14-4, 12-6, or 10-8 for one of the teams. We won the series seven times out of nine, dropping it only in 2040-41.