[Westheim]

Raccoons (29-39) vs. Loggers (37-32) – June 17-19, 2058

The Loggers were chasing after the division lead, being just two games away on Monday morning, and with their most favorite punching bags of recent to play for three games. They were doing it all with the #3 offense and some cruddy pitching that gave up the fifth-most runs, but a +29 run differential (Coons: -21). They were up 5-1 in the season series, and the thing you had to watch out for was their reckless abandon on the basepaths, which resulted in the #1 spot in stolen bases, but they were not hitting home runs at any appreciable rate. Dave Robles (.305, 11 HR, 50 RBI) had a full third of the team’s output of 33 bombs.

Projected matchups:
Zach Stewart (5-6, 2.77 ERA) vs. Sam Webb (4-7, 4.92 ERA)
TBD vs. Victor Marquez (6-3, 4.36 ERA)
Ramon Carreno (3-8, 4.73 ERA) vs. Tyler Riddle (7-2, 2.98 ERA)

The Coons would come up against all the Loggers’ left-handers. We literally didn’t have a starter lined up for Tuesday. That Kyle Brobeck wasn’t in the lineup on Monday told you a thing or two about how bleak things were.

Game 1
MIL: LF Garmon – 3B Gaxiola – RF Pigman – 1B D. Robles – CF Konecny – 2B Roseto – C Mi. Gilmore – SS D. Miller – P S. Webb
POR: 2B Bribiesca – SS Lavorano – C Chavez – RF Martinez – LF Puckeridge – 1B Brassfield – CF Royer – 3B Sheilds – P Stewart

Singles by Robby Gaxiola, who stole second base, and Perry Pigman, who brought the runner home, gave the Loggers a nearly immediate 1-0 lead. A leadoff walk to Mike Gilmore and Webb’s surprise 1-out single up the middle combined for another run, and it could have been worse in that second inning, which saw Royer drop a Corey Garmon fly for an error, but Webb didn’t trust his own legs and only dared go to second base, ending up stranded at third in that top of the second inning. Steve Royer singled home Brassfield in the bottom 2nd with two outs, but Dave Robles whacked #12 to begin the top 3rd, a Lonzo error put Nick Roseto on base, Danny Miller drew a 2-out walk, and Sam Webb flicked another RBI single to extend his own lead to 4-1. That last run of the inning – Garmon flew out – was unearned, but the pain was all too real.

Stewart was limited to four-plus innings, getting yanked after plunking Kelly Konecny to begin the fifth inning after a staggering 107 pitches. Konecny got himself caught stealing after Bravo was inserted in relief. The inning ended peacefully, and then Ornelas took over in long relief in Lonzo’s #2 spot, Labonte having been used to pinch-hit for Bravo in the bottom 5th. Amazingly, the Raccoons would first make a second outfield error, and third in the game, when Pucks also flubbed a fly ball, but then rallied in the bottom 7th when Webb walked Bribiesca and Chavez, Ornelas bunting in between, before giving up a rousing 3-run homer to left to Jesus Martinez. All even at four – Maud, how about a round of coffee, this feels like it could take a while.

Indeed; we got an uneventful eighth inning, Ornelas going that far, then a 1-2-3 ninth in the 4-4 tie from Matt Walters, during which it began to rain, and then we had a rain delay officially clocked at 33:34, and that extra second was bothering me like no tomorrow. The bottom 9th would see right-hander Ryan Dow up against the 9-1-2 starting with Labonte, who flew out to Ryan Bishton, and groundouts by Bribiesca and Toushi sent the game to extra innings. Sencion gave up a double to Pigman in the tenth, but nothing else, and the runner was stranded, before Dow came back for the bottom 10th. He got two outs, then allowed a single to Pucks and a walk to Brass. Royer grounded out to Bill Sostre at third base, though, and the game continued. Sencion ached through the top 11th, allowing two runners himself before Garmon popped out to end the threat. The Coons answered with nothing, but Ricky Herrera had a 1-2-3 inning himself in the top 12th, then was hit for by Todd Oley, who singled up the middle against Roberto Navarro in his second inning of work, then stole second base immediately. Chavez struck out. Martinez flew out, with Oley to third base. Oh come on, boys!! Pucks walked, which was not extremely helpful, either. But Brass’ lasher up the middle was, because it whizzed through between the middle infielders, and became a walkoff single! 5-4 Coons. Oley (PH) 1-1; Martinez 2-5, BB, HR, 3 RBI; Brassfield 2-3, 3 BB, RBI; Ornelas 4.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K; Sencion 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K;

Todd Oley’s (.385, 0 HR, 1 RBI) reward was getting optioned to AAA after the game to make room for Craig Kniep, a career 16-20, 4.27 ERA, 5.6 BB/9 failure in the majors. Brobeck was in the lineup at third base on Tuesday, but there was every reason to believe he’d eventually pitch…

Kniep wore #35 as before, even though Chance Fox had been assigned the number just ten days ago.

Game 2
MIL: LF Garmon – C Mi. Gilmore – RF Pigman – CF Konecny – 2B Roseto – 3B Sostre – 1B Callaia – SS D. Miller – P V. Marquez
POR: 2B Bribiesca – SS Lavorano – C Chavez – 3B Brobeck – RF Martinez – LF Puckeridge – 1B Brassfield – CF Royer – P Kniep

Kniep was behind every batter right out of the gate, but the Raccoons took a 1-0 lead in the first inning thanks to a Bribiesca single and stolen base, Lonzo reaching on an error, and a well-placed groundout by Chavez. Somehow, Kniep faced the minimum the first time through, allowing a single to Konecny, who was doubled up by Sostre, and didn’t walk anybody despite throwing more balls than strikes, which was almost expected at this stage. He struck out Marquez, though, which at least beat Stewart giving up two RBI singles to the ******* opposing pitcher on Monday. Top 4th, Garmon and Gilmore struck out, but Pigman held out for a walk in a full count before Konecny flew out to Royer. Brass singled home Martinez in the bottom 4th for a 2-0 lead, but the Loggers came close in the fifth inning. Sostre walked, Miller smashed a 2-out double, but Sostre thought there was one out and stopped at third base. Marquez then lined out softly to Bribiesca to strand the tying runs in scoring position.

Five and two thirds it was in the end for Kniep. The counts were getting longer, and Garmon and Pigman singled plated a run in the sixth inning, 2-1. Konecny flew out to Royer, and then it was over after 90 pitches of holding your breath real hard. Siwik got out of the inning against Nick Roseto, and then Martinez drew a leadoff walk in the bottom 6th and scored right away on the next pitch, on which Pucks hit a trickshot triple to right, the ball bouncing barely fair halfway up the line, darting into foul ground, and then ticked off the very edge of the sidewall there, completely fooling Pigman, who was going towards the corner, but the ball was now darting in the direction of the gap. RBI triple, 3-1 lead – and it remained a 3-1 lead, with Pucks staggeringly stranded at third base. That included a walk drawn by Royer, and Siwik whiffing, but we needed him to continue. Besides, the bench was thinner than thin.

And for what? For a meltdown in the seventh. Bribiesca’s error put Gaudencio Callaia on base, and Miller singled off Siwik. Marquez popped up a bunt, but with two outs Bishton batted for Garmon and whacked a 2-run double to tie the score. Hamann retired Gilmore – too late – but then gave up four singles to Pigman, Konecny, Sostre, and Callaia inside five batters in the top 8th to get drowned in a barrel. Jonathan Dye would hit a pinch-hit RBI single off Tanizaki when he replaced Hamann, and three total runs scored in the inning, and that’s trying to ignore the two deep fly outs Tanizaki gave up otherwise.

The Coons filled the bases against a selection of relievers in the bottom 8th then. Pucks, Royer, and Toushi all got on, and Paul Labonte was batting for Bribiesca and facing right-hander Josh Costello with one out. His groundout scored one run, but Lonzo struck out to end the inning and leave the remainders in scoring position… Chavez, Brobeck, and Lathers were retired in order by Ryan Dow in the ninth to even the series. 6-4 Loggers. Puckeridge 2-4, 3B, RBI; Brassfield 2-3, BB, RBI; Royer 0-1, 3 BB; Imai 1-1;

Despite allowing only one run in 5.2 innings, Kniep was sent right back to AAA. The Raccoons added corner outfielder Elijah Johnson. The lefty hitter was bashing .366 (but with little power) in St. Pete.

Game 3
MIL: 3B Gaxiola – C Dye – RF Pigman – 1B D. Robles – CF Konecny – LF Callaia – 2B Sostre – SS D. Miller – P Riddle
POR: 2B Bribiesca – SS Lavorano – C Chavez – 3B Brobeck – RF Martinez – LF Puckeridge – 1B Brassfield – CF Royer – P Carreno

Only Pigman and Pucks reached base in the first three innings, both with a single. Pigman was caught stealing, and Pucks was simply stranded, which is what the Coons did best. A leadoff walk to Gaxiola in the fourth did Carreno in; the runner did steal second this time, advanced on a grounder and then scored on Pigman’s sac fly. When Lonzo hit a leadoff single in the home half of the inning, Chavez doubled him up immediately. Konecny also hit a leadoff single in the top 5th, stole second, and was thrown out at home on Callaia’s single to right. Sostre then found another double play to hit into.

Brassfield’s home run to left in the bottom 5th tied the game at one, but he then dropped Labonte’s feed on a roller by Riddle for an error in the sixth. Luckily, Carreno got his three outs even without the easiest one there. Lonzo reached on an error with two outs in the bottom 6th, but never got off first base.

Through six, then seven innings, both teams were exactly even at one run, three hits, and an error each. Carreno was still going in the eighth, but offered a leadoff walk to Callaia. Sostre’s grounder advanced the runner, and Sencion replaced Carreno when Bishton batted for Miller, striking out the pinch-hitter in a full count before also axing Riddle, who was not hit for despite the late situation and the go-ahead run being in scoring position. Riddle began the bottom 8th on 83 pitches. Within 17 more, he gave up singles to Brass, Toushi, and Labonte to load the bases with one out and Lonzo coming up. In a full count, Lonzo found the shortstop Mitch Sivertson for a double play to kill the rally and my soul. Walters pitched in a tie in the ninth again, nicked Jonathan Dye, but got out of the inning without damage. Riddle was STILL up for the middle of the order in the bottom 9th, oversaw three straight outs to Sostre at third base, and what the **** do I know about baseball…?

For the second time in the series – extra innings. Walters got around a Konecny single to complete the tenth inning for the Raccoons, while Dow was up *again* in the bottom 10th. Brass singled, but that was as good as it got. Bravo in the 11th, Hamann in the 12th, and Siwik in the 13th all turned in scoreless frames in relief then, but the Raccoons were just as ineffective offensively, and then ran out of pitching eventually and for the 14th inning had to send Brobeck to the hill after all. Dye singled with one out, as did Pigman. Robles hit a sac fly, and Konecny added an RBI single. The Loggers were on their third inning of Brett Lillis jr. (waves hi quite enthusiastically) in the bottom 4th, and it didn’t start well … for Lillis. Labonte singled. Lonzo singled. Nobody out and the winning run was in the box. Chavez popped out, but Brobeck snuck a single to center to load the bases for Martinez, who was a sturdy 0-for-5 in the game. A strikeout made it six. Curiously, the Loggers then went to a right-hander – Navarro – for Pucks with two outs. Pucks hit a 1-0 pitch to center, and quite good. But it wasn’t going out. And it wasn’t beating Konecny either. F8. 3-1 Loggers. Labonte 2-6; Lavorano 2-6; Brassfield 2-4, BB, HR, RBI; Imai (PH) 1-1; Carreno 7.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K; Walters 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K;

Pfffff….

Raccoons (30-41) @ Bayhawks (33-37) – June 21-23, 2058

Off to the Bay, where nothing good ever happened. We were up against the #9 offense, but second-best pitching in the Continental League, which netted them a -16 run differential and fifth place in the CL South. Two fifth-place teams were engaged here, in fact. We led the season series, 2-1.

Projected matchups:
Cameron Argenziano (1-0, 2.79 ERA) vs. Josh Swindell (1-7, 5.76 ERA)
Bobby Herrera (6-4, 3.19 ERA) vs. Brian Jackson (4-6, 5.63 ERA)
Zach Stewart (5-6, 2.95 ERA) vs. Julio Nunez (4-5, 4.70 ERA)

How do you have the second-fewest runs allowed in the league and bring up that trio of starters…?? Anyway, Jackson would be a fourth southpaw to face this week. Bob Ruggiero was the only notable DL occupant for San Fran, while the Coons would activate Noah Caswell on Saturday. He would take Elijah Johnson’s roster spot, so Johnson got the start on Friday after making an out as pinch-hitter on Wednesday.

Game 1
POR: 2B Labonte – SS Lavorano – C Chavez – 3B Brobeck – LF Puckeridge – 1B Imai – RF Johnson – CF Royer – P Argenziano
SFB: SS X. Reyes – C Mittleider – 2B A. Montoya – 3B Wilken – LF Anker – RF Tomko – CF Bumpus – 1B P. Fowler – P Swindell

Portland jumped out to a quick lead against Swindell despite making two outs to begin the game. Chavez and Pucks then walked around a Brobeck single, and Toushi – back in the lineup in between the slew of lefty pitchers – pushed a 2-run single over Xavier Reyes’ glove. Johnson grounded out hard to first base to end the inning. Reyes and Jon Mittleider reached base right away against Argenziano then in the bottom 1st, but in a reversal of fortunes the left-hander than retired three in a row without giving up a run. In turn, Labonte hit a 2-out single in the top 2nd, stole second, and scored on Lonzo’s single to left-center. Chavez walked, Lonzo stole third base, but Brobeck grounded out to strand the pair.

Bottom 2nd, leadoff double by Chris Tomko, and then another zinger to left by Adam Bumpus. It hit in front of Pucks, but bounced awkwardly and hit him in the thumb. Tomko scored, Bumpus went to second, and Pucks kept shaking that mauled claw until getting medical attention from Luis Silva. He ended up being removed from the game and replaced with Brass. Pat Fowler hit the next sharp ball then, singling to center, but Royer threw Bumpus out at the plate. Argenziano balked, but retired Swindell and Reyes with flies to Royer, staying ahead 3-1. Top 3rd, Brass opened with a triple, scored on a Johnson triple, and Royer hit an RBI single off the defenseless swindle Swindell. Argenziano’s bunt was thrown away by Mittleider, because Swindell really had NO friends. Labonte’s groundout scored another run, 6-1, and Swindell was yanked. Lonzo grounded out to end the inning.

Things continued so-so. The Baybirds pen calmed down the Coons’ sticks, while Argenziano did alright, but gave up a run on an RBI double by Mittleider in the bottom 5th. The Coons then lost Labonte, who did not re-appear for the sixth inning as he complained about a stiff neck. Bribiesca took over for him as the bench emptied. Argenziano at least went seven innings without giving up any more actual damage, even though in the latter half of his outing he increasingly got into long counts and looked like an implosion waiting to occur. Tanizaki and Ricky Herrera were spotless in the last two innings, but so was the Bayhawks pen, who pitched 6.1 innings for only three hits allowed and no runs. 6-2 Raccoons. Lavorano 2-5, RBI; Chavez 2-4, BB; Royer 2-3, RBI; Argenziano 7.0 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, W (2-0);

Okay, casualty report: Pucks’ sore thumb was much better on Saturday, but he would not be in the lineup against the left-hander Jackson. He was expected to return on Sunday. Labonte’s neck was pretty cranky on Saturday and he was listed as day-to-day. Luis Silva thought it could take a week to unlock the second-sacker’s neck, and he’d be pretty useless in the meantime. The Raccoons for now would try to cope without him. Noah Caswell came off the DL meanwhile, taking the spot of Elijah Johnson, who went 1-for-6 with that RBI triple in his brief time up.

Game 2
POR: 1B Royer – SS Lavorano – CF Caswell – C Chavez – 3B Brobeck – RF Martinez – LF Brassfield – 2B Bribiesca – P B. Herrera
SFB: 3B X. Reyes – C Mittleider – LF Anker – 2B A. Montoya – 1B P. Fowler – SS Sherrick – CF Lindauer – RF Tomko – P B. Jackson

Caswell returned with an RBI double in the first inning, driving home Royer’s unearned run after Chris Tomko had began the game with a dropped fly ball. Armando Montoya’s leadoff jack in the bottom 2nd tied the game, however, and the Raccoons began the third inning with singles from Herrera and Royer, loaded the bases, and then croaked. Caswell hit a long fly to right, but Tomko made the catch on the warning track.

The game then dawdled along until the bottom 5th. Jackson led off with a grounder to second, just past Bobby Herrera, who reached for the ball both awkwardly and in vain, then winced and began to shake out his arm. I got watery eyes immediately, and Luis Silva got some extra mileage in with another slow trot to the field, only to remove the player in question in an even slower trot. Siwik replaced Herrera and got out of the inning. The plan would have been for him to get a few more outs, but his spot came up just after Jackson had walked the bags full with the 6-7-8 batters in the top of the sixth inning. There was nothing but lefty sticks on that bench, though, and the Coons went for Toushi, and Toushi went for the double play…

Montoya’s second homer of the day, off his second Herrera of the day, in the bottom 6th was negated when Caswell got his second RBI knock against Jackson in the seventh, again plating Royer, this time in earned fashion. Chavez’ single knocked out Jackson, but Sam Heisler suffocated the Coons and stranded a pair on base. Ornelas had the seventh dealt with, but Tanizaki put a pair on the corners in the 2-2 game in the bottom 8th. Sencion came in to see Pat Fowler with Adam Peltier and Armando Montoya ready to be driven in, gave up a high fly to deep left on the first pitch, but it was too high and not deep enough, and Brass made the catch *right* against the fence to end the inning. Sencion remained in the game in the bottom 9th after the Coons did zilch in between. Jamie Sherrick singled on an 0-2 pitch, then stole second while Jeremy Lindauer struck out. Tomko reached on an error by Lonzo, putting the winning run on third base, and from there Sherrick scored on Keith Redfern’s fly out to Brassfield. 3-2 Bayhawks. Caswell 2-5, 2B, 2 RBI; B. Herrera 4.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K and 2-2;

(watery eyes)

Luis Silva opined that Bobby Herrera would miss only one start with a shoulder subluxation, but maybe we should be cautious about rushing him back. What was that supposed to mean??

He remained on the roster for the time being, although I was puzzled by how to manage our way out of this one.

Come Sunday, Toushi batted leadoff in a bit of a “well, I am out of ideas” move.

Game 3
POR: 1B Imai – SS Lavorano – CF Caswell – LF Puckeridge – 3B Brobeck – RF Martinez – C Lathers – 2B Sheilds – P Stewart
SFB: SS X. Reyes – RF Tomko – 2B A. Montoya – 3B Wilken – CF A. Walker – LF Anker – C Redfern – 1B P. Fowler – P Ju. Nunez

Three straight singles gave the Baybirds a 1-0 lead to begin the bottom 1st before Randy Wilken lined out to Sheilds and Tomko was doubled off second base to help Stewart wiggle out of the inning with a K to Aaron Walker. The Coons remained wickedly helpless at the plate, even when Nunez not only issued a leadoff walk to Stewart in the third inning, but in fact walked Toushi and Pucks as well. Lonzo, Caswell, and Brobeck especially made poor outs, the latter popping out fowl to first. Martinez then drew another leadoff walk in the fourth inning off a completely unhinged right-hander. Two pathetic outs later, a fed-up pitcher socked an RBI double to right, Toushi drew another walk, and Lonzo then slipped an RBI single to left for a 2-1 lead before Caswell grounded out to Montoya, who began the bottom of the same inning with a leadoff double to right and scored on Walker’s sac fly before long. All even at two, then.

Nunez was gone after 4.2 innings and a seventh walk to Martinez, but held the no-decision. The score was still locked in the seventh when Lonzo opened with a single to left off former Coons farmhand Kenneth Spencer, then stole second off the lefty. Caswell walked, Pucks’ grounder advanced the runners into scoring position, but Brobeck popped out ******** AGAIN, this time to short. Martinez was walked intentionally to bring up the rather useless Lathers, 0-for-3 in the game. The Coons shoved all the chips into the middle of the table – Brass pinch-hit while Marcos Chavez was already getting into his own gear, fell to 1-2, but then dealt a single to left-center that scored two runs! San Francisco went to get another left-hander, Mark Jacobs, and the Raccoons sent Bribiesca in for an equally oh-fer Sheilds, resulting in another single to left-center, that one plating Martinez. Since Stewart was on only 62 pitches and were now up 5-2, Chavez kept the gear on and did not pinch-hit for him. The inning ended with a K, and then the Bayhawks loaded the bases in the bottom 7th. Aaron Walker, Grant Anker, and Jeremy Lindauer all reached base by the time there were two outs and Reyes was back in the box. Reyes grounded out in a full count – but not until after Stewart had balked in a run at 0-1. How do you even ******* balk with the bases loaded anyway in that situ– … (has steam come out his fuzzy ears)

Jesus Martinez tied the CL record for five walks in a game when he was intentionally pointed to first base in the top 9th. This was in a 5-3 game, with Pucks at third base after a leadoff double off southpaw Travis Davis, and one out. Davis then struck out Chavez and Bribiesca, so who am I to judge…. At least Walters had the thing under control in the bottom 9th… 5-3 Raccoons. Lavorano 2-5, RBI; Martinez 0-0, 5 BB; Brassfield (PH) 1-1, 2 RBI; Bribiesca (PH) 1-2, RBI; Stewart 8.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, W (6-6) and 1-3, BB, 2B, RBI;

In other news

June 21 – Young Titans right-hander Xavier Caston (1-2, 4.22 ERA, 1 SV) would miss at least 12 months to repair a flayed rotator cuff.
June 22 – OCT INF/LF/RF Omar Lira (.305, 3 HR, 24 RBI) has put together a 20-game hitting streak after two knocks in an 8-0 loss to the Loggers’ SP Adam Foley (7-5, 4.20 ERA), who pitches a 5-hit shutout.
June 23 – Dallas sophomore SP Alex Quevedo (5-4, 3.67 ERA) takes a no-hitter into the ninth inning against the Cyclones, but loses it on a leadoff triple by CIN RF/LF Gerardo Perez (.214, 0 HR, 4 RBI). Quevedo gets one more out, conceding the run on a groundout before being relieved as the Stars settle for a combined 1-hitter in a 4-1 win.
June 23 – The Loggers beat the Thunder again, 3-2, to complete a sweep, and also snap the hitting streak of Omar Lira (.299, 3 HR, 24 RBI) at 20 games. Lira goes 0-for-5 in the game.

FL Player of the Week: NAS 1B Andy Metz (.309, 13 HR, 49 RBI), hitting .647 (11-17) with 1 HR, 6 RBI
CL Player of the Week: SFB 2B/LF Armando Montoya (.274, 12 HR, 38 RBI), batting .458 (11-24) with 2 HR, 3 RBI

Complaints and stuff

We have no starter for three games next week. Is this the right time to mention that we won’t have another off day for a few weeks? How do you manage around Bobby Herrera missing at least one start with an injury now…? Write your answers on a postcard, please. – What do you mean, Cristiano, “what’s a postcard?”?? – Oh, you kits!!

Well, we can bring back Chance Fox. He can actually start on Monday and Saturday. That leaves us to plan around Bobby Herrera’s demise while we contend with the Aces and Indians.

On Sunday night, half the teams in the league were either leading their division, were tied for the lead, or at most two games out of the lead. A full three quarters of the league were at most 6 1/2 games out, including the entire FL West being under a blanket. In case you didn’t dare look into the Agitator and the standings for a while – we’re not.

The time is also coming for some trimmings around the roster. Tyrese Sheilds and Morgan Lathers aren’t hitting anything. Neal Hamann is a fourth southpaw in a pen that doesn’t need four, but he’s also untradeable and I’d hate to pay out the $1.4M or so that he’s still due. I wonder what door knob signed him up to that contract…

Lathers might be the first to get the axe. Seventh-rounder of the Class of ’56 Cortez Chavez is hitting .320 in 29 games in AAA and why not try him behind the dish from time to time? That would give us a catching duo of Chavez and Chavez.

If you can’t be good, at least be silly.

Fun Fact: Jesus Martinez is the first ever Raccoons player to draw five walks in a single game.

81 years in, still setting new milestones!

Tah!

(assumes his rolled-into-ball-to-weep position)