[Westheim]

Raccoons (0-0) @ Indians (0-0) – April 7-8, 2048

Opening Day – and right into the thick of it! The Raccoons would open the season against the team that was their most serious challenge in the last two seasons, facing the Indians in a quick 2-game set to start the new campaign. Despite the rather comfortably won division titles of those seasons, this was a really not all that comfortable matchup for the Critters, who couldn’t seem to win against Indy, dropping both of those season series, 8-10 in 2046 and 7-11 last year.

Projected matchups:
Jason Wheatley (0-0) vs. Bill Drury (0-0)
Victor Merino (0-0) vs. Bill Nichol (0-0)

That will be two right-handers to start the season against!

Game 1
POR: SS Adame – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – 1B Toohey – 2B Waters – RF Fernandez – C Gonzalez – LF Baskins – P Wheatley
IND: RF A. Mendez – 2B Russ – CF B. Quinteros – LF D. Rivera – 3B B. Anderson – 1B Brayboy – SS Quintana – C J. Rose – P Drury

…and things started well south, with the Raccoons getting Herrera on by a Bobby Anderson throwing error, Maldonado via a walk, and then hit into a double play with Bryce Toohey. Wheats then went out and got torn to shreds in absolutely no time, surrendering three runs on as many base hits in the bottom 1st. Angel Mendez and Andrew Russ hit singles, Bill Quinteros was nicked, and after a sac fly by Danny Rivera and a 2-run triple by Bobby Anderson, Aaron Brayboy’s groundout brought in the fourth and final run of the inning. And it got none the better. Drury and Mendez hit scratch singles to begin the bottom 2nd, Russ drew a walk, and then Bill Quinteros opened a whole different can of Whoop-*** when he hit a slam to right.

Well, as I keep telling myself – Wheats is a second half pitcher!

With the game properly in the bin, the Raccoons turned to busying their relievers starting in the third inning. Hitchcock turned in two innings, and Bob Ibold chipped in five outs. Jake Bonnie was next, giving up a homer to Danny Rivera in the seventh – just when Maldo had been about to start the rally with an RBI single in the top of the seventh, cutting the gaping deficit to 8-1…! Double switches were part of the game, and got Gene Pellicano into the #2 hole by the late innings. When Alex Adame singled of Jason Palladino in the ninth, Pellicano followed that knock with a blast of his own, mashing a 2-piece over the fence in left-center. Maldo and Toohey then made quick final outs. 9-3 Indians. Herrera 2-3; Pellicano 1-2, HR, 2 RBI; Maldonado 2-4, BB, RBI; Fernandez 1-2, 2 BB; Hitchcock 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K;

Well. Somehow we stole three bases in this game, but surely I had other plans for how to start the season, and …

(sighs and wipes his wet eyes)

Game 2
POR: SS Adame – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – 1B Toohey – 2B Waters – RF Fernandez – C Gonzalez – LF Baskins – P Merino
IND: RF A. Mendez – 3B B. Anderson – CF B. Quinteros – LF D. Rivera – 2B Russ – 1B Massey – SS Quintana – C J. Rose – P Nichol

Bright sides – a Bobby Anderson single and stolen bases didn’t immediately drown Victor Merino, who threw the starting corps’ first zero of the year on the board in the first inning. On the not so bright side, Bryce Toohey hit a single to begin the top 2nd, but Waters grounded to short, with Toohey getting entangled, slash, clobbered by Andrew Russ at second base, and took most of the damage, having to leave the game for injury concerns. Pat Gurney took over. Manny Fernandez then hit a double, but the bottom of the order saw Ruben Gonzalez pop out and Derek Baskins ground out to strand a pair in scoring position.

Merino hit a double to open the third inning, which actually led to a run and the team’s first lead in ’48 when Maldonado singled him home with two outs. That area of the lineup scored a second run in the top 5th, again with two outs, when Adame doubled to left and came around on Herrera’s single. Merino kept the Arrowheads off the board through five, allowing three hits and whiffing just as many while never allowing a sense of imminent danger to overcome his poor old GM.

While Merino struck out two more in the sixth to maintain the 2-0 lead, the Raccoons also made it 2-0 in terms of injuries by the seventh when Nichol drilled Ruben Gonzalez in the forearm. He, too, was removed in a world of pain, and I saw things falling apart fast here… Al Martell ran for Gonzalez to add speed to the basepaths, but nobody could find a base hit and he was stranded. Instead, the Indians got to Merino for a run in the home half of the frame; despicable Andrew Russ hit a single, stole second, and scored on Angel Quintana’s 2-out double over the head of Manny Fernandez. Gurney, Manny and Prow loaded the bases in the eighth with two singles and a 4-pitch walk, bringing up Baskins with two outs, and Nichol would lose him, too, on balls, forcing home a run. Pellicano batted for Merino as we were eager for more runs, but struck out. The ball thus went to Nelson Moreno, who had a 1-2-3 eighth inning, after which the Critters loaded the bases again opposite righty Tommy Gardner in the ninth. Herrera singled and stole second, after which Maldo was walked with intent. A soft Gurney single loaded them up for Matt Waters with one out, and Waters punched a 2-1 pitch up the middle for a 2-run single! Manny continued the demolition of Gardner with a 2-run double to left-center, bringing on new pitcher Tan Brink (actual name!), a 22-year-old Dutch Antillean who made his ABL debut in that spot. He retired Prow and Baskins without conceding Manny’s run from second base. Joy-shan Kuo then put the Indians away in the bottom 9th. 7-1 Raccoons. Herrera 2-5, RBI; Toohey 1-1; Gurney 2-4; Fernandez 3-5, 2 2B, 2 RBI; Merino 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K, W (1-0) and 1-3, 2B;

Ruben Gonzalez suffered no structural damage, but sported a bit of a bruise on Thursday, which already was another off day for the Critters. Bryce Toohey complained about back pain all the way, but Dr. Padilla found no loose parts there, either, and ruled him day-to-day as well, although even with some pills it might take all through the weekend to get him to 100% again…

Raccoons (1-1) vs. Knights (2-1) – April 10-12, 2048

The Knights came in without any exciting numbers after the first series of the year, taking two of three from the Falcons. Billy Hester was batting .583 with 4 RBI. Everything else was pedestrian to average. The Knights had won both of the games they ended on the good side in walkoff fashion to begin the season; the good news about that was that they’d have a hard time doing that in Portland. We won the season series last year, 7-2.

Projected matchups:
Jake Jackson (0-0) vs. Elijah Powell (0-0)
Sadaharu Okuda (0-0) vs. Sal Chavez (0-0)
Jeremy Baker (0-0) vs. Brian Buttress (0-0, 5.14 ERA)

Southpaw Sunday with Buttress – the first southpaw to come up against the Critters this season.

Ruben Gonzalez felt fine, he claimed, but Prow got the nod for the start in the opener. Toohey moved like an old man and was not considered for action to begin the series, except for pinch-hitting in the ninth inning or later with the winning run in scoring position.

Game 1
ATL: SS Venegas – CF Alade – RF Marz – LF Hester – C Cass – 1B van der Zanden – 3B Loyola – 2B S. Davison – P E. Powell
POR: SS Adame – CF Herrera – 3B Maldonado – 2B Waters – 1B Gurney – RF Fernandez – LF Baskins – C Prow – P Jackson

Jake Jackson allowed leadoff singles to the Knights in each of the first four innings – and Atlanta never scored in any of them. A double play here, a caught stealing there, all the threats died in a hurry. In the fifth, he retired the leadoff man – but allowed a 1-out single to Scott Davison. And wouldn’t you ******* know it, a 2-out walk to Anton Venegas and then a 3-2 single by Jon Alade scored THAT runner to put the Knights up 1-0, the Raccoons having been just as listless on offense in the early going… John Marz flew out to Herrera to strand a pair and reach halftime. In the sixth, Jon Loyola tripled home Billy Hester – fifth leadoff single – with two outs to make it 2-0. Jackson ended his day by getting Davison to ground out to short.

The Coons got engaged with the game in general in the bottom 6th. Matt Watt flew out batting for Jackson, but then Adame doubled to left and scored on a Herrera single to shorten the gap to 2-1. However, despite a wild pitch that moved Herrera to second, neither Maldo nor Waters managed to get him around to score. Powell went eight while maintaining the 2-1 lead, scattering seven hits, while for the Raccoons, Ibold, Bonnie, Porter, and Lynn held the fort in scoreless fashion (but allowing two hits and three walks in three innings…). Still down 2-1, at least we’d bring the 3-4-5 batters to the plate in the bottom 9th. Right-hander Matt Simmons started out 0-2 on Maldonado, then hung one and paid for it with a game-tying homer in right-center! Waters would draw a walk after that, but was forced out by Gurney’s grounder to second. Manny flew out to Marz. And then came Lynn – a double switch had removed Derek Baskins a while ago. Could Bryce Toohey swing a stick? He could, and he would – pinch-hitting with two outs. Simmons threw a ball, a strike, then a wild one that moved the winning run to second base. Just where Toohey liked him! He dished the next pitch into the gap between Hester and Alade, and Gurney strolled home to win the home opener in walkoff fashion…! 3-2 Critters! Adame 2-4, 2B; Gurney 2-4; Fernandez 2-4; Toohey (PH) 1-1, 2B, RBI;

Game 2
ATL: 1B van der Zanden – SS Venegas – LF Hester – RF Marz – CF Alade – C Cass – 3B Loyola – 2B Encinia – P S. Chavez
POR: LF Watt – CF Herrera – 1B Maldonado – 2B Waters – RF Fernandez – SS Adame – C Gonzalez – 3B Martell – P Okuda

The Knights were on second base with nobody out in the first two innings; the former Elk terrorist Arnout van der Zanden hit a leadoff double, but was stranded on comebackers to Okuda, while Jon Alade drew a leadoff walk in the top 2nd, stole second base, and then was thrown out by Manny when he tried to tag up and reach third base on Tyler Cass’ fly to right. The Coons had yet another slow start with no early runs in the first two innings, and it looked like they’d make it three when Al Martell reached base to begin the bottom 3rd, but was forced out by Okuda with a bad bunt. Matt Watt skipped a single to right, his first base hit as a Raccoon, and then Armando Herrera stuffed a ball into the rightfield corner for a 1-out, 2-run triple to take a 2-0 lead…! Sal Chavez went on to fill the bags with free passes to Maldo and Waters while Herrera looked kinda bored at third base the whole time. He got to dash home on the 1-1 pitch to Manny, which the grizzled veteran ™ chucked up the middle for a 2-run single! Adame contributed a soft RBI single to right, 5-0, then was caught stealing for the second out of the inning. Chavez then gave Ruben Gonzalez his second good smacking of the year, but on a 1-2 pitch, so it was likely not intentional… Martell walked, but Okuda whiffed, ending a rather endless 5-run inning.

Despite the long sit-down, Okuda didn’t miss a beat when he took the ball back and shed only one base runner in the middle innings, then unexpectedly ran into a seventh-inning whacking, conceding two runs on straight hits by Marz, Alade, and Cass to begin the inning. He handled Loyola for a groundout, then yielded for Hitchcock, who got Juan Encinia to ground out. PH Manichiro Toki in the #9 hole drew out the lefty Kuo, who rung him up to end the inning still up 5-2. Kuo went on in the eighth until issuing a 2-out walk to Hester, upon which Bob Ibold secured a K from Marz to complete the top 8th. But the Raccoons’ offense had officially retired to the reading room after the 5-run third, and that left the 3-run lead in the paws of Mike Lynn for the ninth, his first save chance of the year after getting the day before. He drowned, badly, walking FOUR batters, though none with the bases loaded – no, the fourth walk to David Gonzales came after a run-scoring wild pitch! At that point, at 5-3 with three on and one out – Cass had whiffed – the Raccoons hurried to get Nelson Moreno in as replacement, even with the left-handed van der Zanden coming up. Moreno’s 1-0 to the #1 hitter was put in play, grounder to Waters, zinged to Adame, to Maldo – ballgame. 5-3 Critters. Watt 2-4; Herrera 2-4, 3B, 2 RBI; Fernandez 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI; Adame 2-4, 2B, RBI; Okuda 6.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, W (1-0);

Game 3
ATL: 1B van der Zanden – SS Venegas – LF Hester – RF Marz – CF Alade – C Cass – 3B Loyola – 2B S. Davison – P Buttress
POR: CF Watt – SS Adame – 3B Maldonado – C Gonzalez – 2B Waters – 1B Gurney – RF Pellicano – LF Baskins – P Baker

The Knights got their customary single to begin the game off Baker, but still no first-inning run on the board, and instead it was the Raccoons again to score first, although they also had nothing going the first time through. Then Watt and Adame hit back-to-back knocks in the bottom 3rd, the latter a double to left with Watt going on the pitcher’s first move to home plate, easily scoring thus to make it 1-0. Maldo singled to right, but Adame was held in deference to John Marz’ murder arm, setting up Ruben Gonzalez with runners on the corners. Gonzalez was 0-for-10 to begin the season, and had only reached base on getting drilled (twice) or an error (once). He chopped the first pitch back to Buttress, who had all the time in the world to start a 1-6-3 double play to kill the inning.

The home team’s offense continued to stall after that, and while Baker held up respectably through five innings, allowing two hits for no actual Atlanta gains, he fell victim to Hester and Marz, and a bloop and a blast in the sixth inning, which flipped the score in the Knights’ favor, 2-1. Gonzalez got his first hit of the year in the bottom of the inning, better late than never, but that didn’t amount to a comeback. A Waters throwing error and a 2-out pitcher’s single tacked on an Atlanta run in the seventh to send Baker packing, while the Coons got singles from Pellicano an Watt in the bottom 7th, but still couldn’t drive in a run. While Buttress retired the Critters’ 3-4-5 in order in the eighth, the Raccoons got Porter and Bonnie to at least keep the Knights close. Simmons then reappeared in the bottom 9th, this time leading by two an facing the 6-7-8 batters. A flyout, a groundout, and a strikeout put the Raccoons away. 3-1 Knights. Watt 2-4; Adame 2-4, 2B, RBI; Baker 7.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, L (0-1);

We out-hit them 8-5, but sometimes that only leaves you more frustrated…

In other news

April 10 – Dallas OF/1B Omar Gonzalez (.273, 1 HR, 2 RBI) continues a hitting streak that originated in September of 2047, and has connected for 25 regular-season games in a row with a ninth-inning single in a 5-1 win over the Miners.
April 10 – Outfielder Nelson Galvan (.200, 0 HR, 0 RBI), just acquired from the Indians by the Miners, could miss all of the 2048 season with a torn achilles tendon.
April 11 – SAC 3B Mike Crenshaw (.240, 1 HR, 5 RBI) and LF/RF Nate Culp (.250, 2 HR, 7 RBI) both sock home four runs from the 1-2 slots in the Scorpions lineup as they dump the Blue Sox, 15-0.
April 12 – Streak over at 26 games: DAL OF/1B Omar Gonzalez (.258, 1 HR, 3 RBI) goes hitless in an 8-2 win over the Miners, ending his hitting streak.

FL Player of the Week: SAL 3B Ricky Jimenez (.522, 1 HR, 6 RBI)
CL Player of the Week: ATL LF/RF Billy Hester (.458, 1 HR, 4 RBI)

Complaints and stuff

Few things were great this week, although I like to watch Manny Fernandez hit 8-for-15 at any point in the season.

At the bottom end, Wheats had his bottoms exploded, Lynn almost blew a game by walking everything with legs, and the the catching corps, Waters, and Baskins are batting a grand total of 4-for-49. And don’t forget Bryce Toohey lasting a game and an inning before getting hurt again…! He might be back in the lineup on Monday, though.

Monday will bring the Thunder back to town, and then we’ll also have the damn Elks in town on the weekend. The Titans will complete the 4-team, 13-game homestand the week after. Boston started the year 5-1, but then again they played the Loggers and Aces, so there’s a bit of an asterisk on that mark.

Fun Fact: Manny Fernandez (.533) is really chasing down patched-up Elk Jerry Outram (.563) for the CL batting title!

That’s two guys that had their better moments in the 2030s, and Outram isn’t even that old…!

Kidding aside, Outram, 33 years old, won the slugging crown in the CL as recently as ’46, but missed almost all of last year on the DL. His D is a hot mess now due to drastically reduced range, and he’s signed for Maldonado levels of dosh on a team with skinny resources through 2051, so they try to salvage him in rightfield now.

That being said, at five Player of the Year titles and nine Platinum Sticks (and a Gold Glove in better days) there’s not a lot he can do to fumble his Hall of Fame plaque, except maybe for having pictures surfaced showing him in the pillows with a stray tomcat.

(puts pictures back in a red envelope)