[Westheim]

Raccoons (57-42) @ Knights (36-60) – July 26-28, 2061

Atlanta ranked ninth in runs scored and runs allowed in the CL, along with a -70 run differential, but led the Coons 2-1 after one meeting. They had the second-worst defense and the worst starters’ ERA (5.30), but no injuries. They had hit 63 homers on the year, one third of them coming off the bat of Ken Sowell (.259, 21 HR, 73 RBI), who had more than double the dingers of any other player on either roster.

Projected matchups:
Tyler Riddle (7-1, 1.76 ERA) vs. Blake Sparks (2-7, 6.69 ERA)
Nick Robinson (8-6, 3.77 ERA) vs. Jose Villegas (5-5, 5.56 ERA)
Bobby Herrera (6-5, 3.31 ERA) vs. Vic Harman (7-11, 3.44 ERA)

Harman had gone 18-7 with a 2.55 ERA and the Pitcher of the Year award last year – and his trajectory was the least horrendous on the team. Every other starter had an ERA over five. Villegas was the only southpaw we’d see in the series.

The Raccoons began the week with Noah Caswell rising from the dead and a rehab assignment once more and Todd Oley (.077, 0 HR, 1 RBI) getting dropped back onto the poor Alley Cats.

Game 1
POR: LF Morris – SS Lavorano – 1B Starr – RF Brassfield – 2B Nye – CF Caswell – C Perez – 3B Fowler – P Riddle
ATL: C M. Nieto – 2B W. Acosta – SS Sowell – CF K. Fisher – RF Ellwood – 3B A. Duncan – LF Abercrombie – 1B Yamamoto – P Sparks

Riddle wasn’t nearly as sharp in this game and quickly fumbled a 1-0 lead he got from a Lonzo triple and Starr’s sac fly in the top of the first inning. The Raccoons had depressingly little offense otherwise, even after Josh Abercrombie and Shuta Yamamoto hit singles off Riddle with one out in the bottom 2nd, were bunted onwards by Sparks, and while they were a combined 75 years old they then went on to score on Marco Nieto’s single to right, which flipped the score to 2-1 Knights, which also remained the score into the later innings. A leadoff walk Ruben Mendez issued to Willie Acosta, who stole second base, also became an insurance run for the Knights in the bottom 7th after Bobby Ellwood roped a 2-out RBI double against Justin Rocco.

The eighth inning began with Morris singling up the middle against Sparks, who then drilled Lonzo in the knee. Lonzo sunk onto his furry tush in the batter’s box and held the mangled limb. After a lengthy visit by Luis Silva he was able to get up and walk off the field on his own power, which was at least *something*… maybe… Jon Bean ran for him as the tying run, although Starr lined out to Adam Duncan and Brass hit into a double play to **** the inning to bits. Steve Watson retired the Coons in order in the ninth inning. 3-1 Knights.

Steve Watson!!

I wonder how old I’ll have to get to witness the damn team sticking six runs into a pitcher with an ERA over six, even ONCE.

Lonzo was down with a bruised knee. He was probably going to miss the rest of the week, but not longer. We’d play this one by ear and play one set of paws short for the moment.

Game 2
POR: LF Morris – 3B N. Fox – RF Brassfield – 2B Nye – C Fuller – CF Caswell – 1B Tomlin – SS Fowler – P Robinson
ATL: C M. Nieto – 2B W. Acosta – SS Sowell – CF K. Fisher – RF Ellwood – 3B A. Duncan – LF Abercrombie – 1B Yamamoto – P J. Villegas

All four Nicks were in the lineup for this game, which surely could not go well. The game was low-scoring again and none of the Nicks nicked Villegas for a whole lot inside the first five innings, after which the Raccoons had a 2-0 lead on solo homers by Tomlin in the third and Morris in the fifth. In between, Caswell and Tomlin also had back-to-back 2-out singles in the fourth inning, but Fowler popped out to end the inning. Robinson allowed just two hits and two walks, but also got two double plays from the Knights in five innings and didn’t allow anything of substance to the scoreboard.

A Nick nicked one finally in the sixth inning, which Nick Nye led off with a homer to left, extending the lead to 3-0 and finally put some warm body on the roster with double-digit homers, for which it wasn’t too soon in late July… Nye was also batting when the Raccoons finally scored without the longball in the seventh inning. Nick Fox knocked out Villegas with a single, after which ex-Coon Alex Rios allowed another single to Brassfield, then a 2-run gap double to Nye, 5-0. Fuller grounded out, after which Cas was walked with intent to bring up Tomlin against the right-handed Rios when the previous time through Tomlin had been walked intentionally so he would not build on his 2-for-2, HR, RBI day against Villegas. Tomlin, batting with two outs, flicked a 1-2 pitch past Duncan into left for an RBI single before new reliever Matt Pickel got Fowler to fly out and end the 3-spot.

Robinson went eight innings, but expended 104 pitches and had no juice to go any further than that. The Coons upped the lead to 7-0 in the ninth against Dan Bell. Brass and Bean hit singles, and Cas brought in a run with a groundout. Paul Barton retired the Knights’ 1-2-3 in order in the ninth inning to put the game to bed. 7-0 Critters. Nye 2-4, HR, 2B, 3 RBI; Bean (PH) 1-1; Tomlin 3-4, BB, HR, 2 RBI; Robinson 8.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K, W (9-6);

The Knights did not send Vic Harman into the rubber game, but instead handed the ball to Enrique Ortiz (2-10, 5.11 ERA). I was inclined to thank them profusely, but maybe let’s see whether the boys can actually hit him…

Game 3
POR: LF Morris – 3B Fowler – 1B Starr – RF Brassfield – SS Nye – CF Caswell – C Perez – 2B Bean – P B. Herrera
ATL: SS Sowell – 1B C. Rice – 2B W. Acosta – C M. Nieto – RF Ellwood – LF Abercrombie – CF N. Thayer – 3B A. Duncan – P En. Ortiz

Tipsy Bobby had a chewy first time through the order, throwing 50 pitches for just two innings, walking two batters and hosting four full counts along the way. No runs scored, nor did any score for the Coons when they put four guys on base in the top 3rd. Bean got on and was caught stealing. Herrera singled and was thrown out trying to get a double. Morris and Fowler then went to the corners, but were stranded on Starr’s flyout to Ellwood…

The Knights scored first when Nick Thayer tripled and scored on Duncan’s sac fly in the bottom 4th, which Bobby H. concluded with his pitch count up to a whopping 81. At least the Raccoons rallied from his terrible bunt that forced out Bean at second base in the top 5th then. Morris and Fowler hit 2-out singles to tie the game, and Starr beat the range of Thayer in center for a 2-run double to give the Coons a 3-1 lead before being left on by Brass.

Herrera went only 5.1 gluelike innings before arriving at the all-lefty 5-6-7 area of the Knights lineup once more and getting lifted. Cas went out with him in a double switch for LaBat and Ayala. Brass dropped Ellwood’s fly for an error when it hit off his wrist rather than the bespoke glove he had for catching the damn baseball, but at least the former Critter Abercrombie hit into a double play to end the inning. The seventh was quite, while the eighth saw Brass and Nye knock out Ortiz with singles. The Knights sent Ryan Hogues, and the Raccoons had Tomlin pinch-hit for LaBat, who had collected five outs. Tomlin struck out, as did Perez. After Mendez’ quick bottom 8th, the Coons painstakingly loaded the bases in the ninth. Jon Bean and Felix Ayala hit singles on just two pitches by Hogues, who was then lifted for Watson. Ayala was caught stealing, but Watson walked the bags full with Morris and Starr, while whiffing Fowler. Brass arrived in a 3-2 count, then stopped his swing on a low pitch – and it was correctly called ball four, allowing the Raccoons to push home an insurance run. Watson walked Nye, too, then gave up a bases-clearing double to Tim Fuller before being yoinked from the game. Joe Napier got Perez to ground out and end the inning. Ricky Herrera then put the game away without allowing a run in the bottom 9th despite an infield single by Nieto leading off. 8-1 Raccoons. Fowler 2-5, RBI; Fuller (PH) 1-1, 2B, 3 RBI;

Raccoons (59-43) vs. Aces (56-44) – July 29-31, 2061

Things hadn’t gone well for the Raccoons against the Aces recently, with season series losses the last two years, and it didn’t look good this year either, as Vegas was up 4-2 before this final 3-game set of the season. They trailed by eight games in the South, while sitting second in runs scored and fifth in runs allowed. They had a +46 run differential, compared to the Raccoons’ +74 mark. They were missing outfielder Ken Hummel and Jonathan Echols as well as pitchers Roberto Oyola and Jason Harding on the DL, though.

Projected matchups:
Chance Fox (8-6, 2.81 ERA) vs. Jesus Aquino (6-9, 5.01 ERA)
Justin DeRose (9-8, 3.83 ERA) vs. Kris Robbins (7-7, 5.11 ERA)
Tyler Riddle (7-2, 1.87 ERA) vs. Scott Evans (9-2, 3.50 ERA)

The Aces had two southpaws – none of which would show up in this series.

The Raccoons still had Lonzo on the roster, although the newest estimate was that he would not return until the middle of next week. Putting him on the DL would however also rule him out for the Crusaders series on the next weekend, and I didn’t like that prospect so much.

Game 1
LVA: CF Jad. Wilson – 2B Villarreal – RF J. Evans – 3B A. Alfaro – 1B D. Williams – SS Veguilla – LF Plancarte – C Mathews – P J. Aquino
POR: LF Morris – SS Fowler – 1B Starr – RF Brassfield – 2B Nye – CF Caswell – C Fuller – 3B N. Fox – P C. Fox

Nick Nye extended his still ongoing hitting streak to 17 games with a single his first time up, leading off the bottom 2nd after the Coons had already done nothing with a leadoff double by Morris in the first. Aquino then hit Cas with a pitch to put another runner on base, and a walk to Fuller made it three on, nobody out, and had me reach for not only the nearest bottle of Capt’n Coma, but also Slappy’s hand for comfort. It could have come worse; Nick Fox drew a bases-loaded walk, but Chance Fox struck out. Morris and Fowler both hit deep flies that were caught. Morris’ was good for a sac fly and a 2-0 lead, but Fowler being caught by Julio Plancarte ended the inning. Joel Starr then pumped a homer to right to begin the bottom 3rd, his tenth of the year. Brassfield walked and Nye reached on an error, but Cas’ double play grounder derailed that inning.

Foxie Brown retired the Aces in order the first time through, but only got a K on the pitcher, while Jaden Wilson lined out to Morris to begin the fourth, followed by two infield groundouts before the budding bid was butchered with Alex Alfaro’s inning-opening wallbanger double. Fox retired the next three in a row, and with Miguel Veguilla’s groundout to third base he even kept Alfaro on base without the benefit of a strikeout. In fact, he struck out nobody the second time through the Aces lineup, but then got Wilson to end the sixth. In between in the bottom 5th, Starr reached on a throwing error by Alfaro, then scored on Brass’ double to left-center, 4-0, and Aquino caught a 2-out battering in the inning after, allowing doubles to Morris and Fowler, and another RBI single to Starr before being lifted from the game. Fox would go eight innings in the game, including a really gooey top 8th in which he allowed a single to Plancarte and a full-count walk to Kyle Mathews before getting a K from Mike Roberts and a pop from Wilson, also in long counts, to get out of it himself. 6-0 Coons. Morris 2-4, 2 2B, RBI; Starr 2-5, HR, 2 RBI; Nye 2-4; Caswell 1-2, BB, 2B; C. Fox 8.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K, W (9-6);

The Aces traded infielder Andy Chairez (.298, 1 HR, 31 RBI), who had not appeared in this game, to the Stars for a prospect, #97 INF Cesar Pena, between games.

Game 2
LVA: 2B M. Roberts – CF Jad. Wilson – 3B A. Alfaro – LF J. Evans – SS Veguilla – 1B D. Williams – RF Villarreal – C Burgio – P Robbins
POR: LF Morris – SS Fowler – 1B Starr – RF Brassfield – 2B Nye – CF Caswell – C Fuller – 3B N. Fox – P DeRose

The rested bullpen after the last few good starts would come in handy on Saturday, which began with DeRose hitting Jaden Wilson and giving up a 2-piece to Alex Alfaro in the first inning, after which he rather quickly disappeared underneath a speeding bus entirely. The Aces got a single from Jake Evans after the homer, left him on, then put a pair on base without scoring in the second inning, but then plonked him with two walks and two RBI knocks by Dustin Williams and Tony Villarreal in the third to go up 4-0. While the Raccoons did not get a single base hit the first time through, DeRose was shaken and stirred for nine hits in 4.2 innings. Nye started 4-6-3 double play behind him in both the fourth and fifth innings, but even after Veguilla erased Evans’ leadoff single in the fifth inning that way, DeRose still managed to put another pair on base with 2-out singles served up to Williams and Villarreal, then was culled. Rocco came on and got a groundout from Casey Burgio, but then gave up a screaming double to Robbins and a Wilson triple in the sixth inning along with one, then two runs when he plated Wilson with a wild pitch.

Mike Abrams *also* allowed a triple to Veguilla in the seventh inning, then plated that runner with another wild pitch. It was truly one of those games. Villarreal reached on an infield single after that, but was left on base. The Raccoons were held to one hit through six and couldn’t have been further from the scoreboard, but Brass socked a leadoff jack in the bottom 7th that came a bit unexpected, although it also barely made a dent into the Aces’ now-7-1 lead. Nye singled after the homer, keeping the hitting streak alive, but was forced out by Caswell almost immediately. Alfaro responded by hitting a dinger off Ricky H. in the eighth. 8-1 Aces. Nye 1-2, BB;

The Aces had 15 hits in the game, and the Raccoons had three. Nick Nye, with the 18-game hitting streak, would have Sunday off.

Game 3
LVA: 2B M. Roberts – SS Veguilla – LF J. Evans – 3B A. Alfaro – 1B D. Williams – CF Jad. Wilson – C Mathews – RF Plancarte – P S. Evans
POR: LF Morris – SS Fowler – 1B Starr – RF Brassfield – C Perez – 3B N. Fox – CF Ayala – 2B Bean – P Riddle

Back to decency with the starting on Sunday, as Riddle – like Chance Fox on Friday – allowed no runners in the first three innings and whiffed three. Not that the Coons were more successful with the sticks; Morris hit a leadoff single in the first inning, stole second, and was blatantly stranded there. Nick Fox hit a double in the second, and was also left on. Even leadoff walks to Riddle (!) and Morris in the third inning led absolutely nowhere. Scott Evans struck out Starr and Brass after Fowler hit into a fielder’s choice. Roberts then began the fourth inning with a single to center and gained bases on a wild pitch, then a balk, but the Aces also couldn’t get the damn runner across home plate.

Offense got worse instead of better from there. Nobody else reached base until Jon Bean legged out an infield single with two outs in the *seventh*, and then was stranded when Riddle fanned. The Aces then got a free chance to win tossed into their lap when Angel Perez threw away a grounder by Jaden Wilson for two bases in the eighth inning, but Kyle Mathews, Jim Fusselman, and Scott Evans all made poor outs and Wilson was stranded at third base. Scoreless into the ninth, the Coons then fell apart. Riddle got two more outs, but then ran out of steam, walked Jake Evans and gave up a single to Villarreal before departing. Ruben Mendez allowed the first run of the game to score on Williams’ single, then balked a second run across before Jaden Wilson could fly out to left.

For reasons best known to them, the Aces then brought in Mike Goldfield, who they had received in the Justin Rocco trade some weeks back, into the bottom 9th. He blew the 2-0 lead in no time, allowing a single to Brassfield and a game-tying blast to Angel Perez. The next three Critters went down in order. Matt Walters got the ball for the tenth, showed a little rust – he had not been used for *ten* days – and allowed two singles, but crucially managed to keep Mathews and Oscar Vega on base without giving up a run. Tomlin and Fowler hit singles against Goldfield in the bottom 10th, but Morris, Starr, and Brass all struck out and the game continued. Barton had a 1-2-3 inning in the 11th, but LaBat labored in the 12th, putting two on base before getting a pop from lefty reliever Jose Cintora to short that ended the inning – the Aces’ bench was empty. The Coons still had people on the bench, including Nye, although we were hesitant to kill his hitting streak *now*. Even worse was sending out LaBat for a second inning. He gave up a hit, three walks (…), and then a bases-clearing double to Fusselman (who?) on the way to lose the game. Bottom 13th, Fowler led off by getting nicked by Cintora, who was in his third inning, but forced out by Fuller, who LaBatted for LaBat. Brass popped out, but Perez doubled, and then Nick Fox whacked another double to bring in two runs, plus the tying run to the plate. Ayala grounded out, though. 6-4 Aces. Perez 2-6, HR, 2B, 2 RBI; N. Fox 2-6, 2B, 2 RBI; Tomlin (PH) 1-2; Riddle 8.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ERA, 1 BB, 9 K;

In other news

July 25 – The Wolves send SP Josh Elling (4-9, 4.37 ERA) to the Scorpions and grab four prospects in the process. The only top 200 prospect in the deal is SP Danny Kurtz, the #43 talent in the league.
July 25 – The Miners trade SS/3B Adam Duncan (.269, 2 HR, 22 RBI) to the Knights for a prospect.
July 26 – Pittsburgh also deals SP Mike Chartrand (10-6, 3.11 ERA) to the Scorpions for three prospects including a pair of ranked relievers, #185 Erik Bithell and #186 Matt Cline.
July 26 – The Indians beat the Condors, 4-3 in 16 innings.
July 27 – The Crusaders acquire two relievers, bringing in CL Dave Lister (1-5, 4.53 ERA, 19 SV), #43 prospect CL Danny Kurtz, and dosh from the Wolves for RF/LF Javier Acuna (.273, 6 HR, 27 RBI); as well as MR Eric Mathews (3-0, 2.64 ERA, 3 SV) from the Rebels for three prospects.
July 28 – Loggers OF Scott Franks (.315, 1 HR, 33 RBI) could miss six weeks with a strained rotator cuff.
July 29 – Just acquired by the Wolves, RF/LF Javier Acuna (.287, 6 HR, 30 RBI) hits a walkoff double against the Capitals to give Salem a 6-5 win in the 15th inning.
July 31 – Pacifics OF/1B Jesus Espinoza (.286, 12 HR, 46 RBI) would miss six weeks after suffering a knee sprain.

FL Player of the Week: LAP OF/1B Jesus Martinez (.282, 15 HR, 61 RBI), hitting .522 (12-23) with 3 HR, 7 RBI
CL Player of the Week: CHA INF Bill Sostre (.363, 4 HR, 21 RBI), batting .462 (12-26) with 2 HR, 8 RBI

FL Hitter of the Month: DAL OF Tyler Wharton (.370, 23 HR, 76 RBI), smashing .404 with 9 HR, 21 RBI
CL Hitter of the Month: POR INF Nick Nye (.306, 10 HR, 47 RBI), splashing .380 with 3 HR, 12 RBI
FL Pitcher of the Month: LAP SP Josh Clem (13-5, 3.02 ERA), going 5-0 in 6 starts with 1.39 ERA, 21 K
CL Pitcher of the Month: POR SP Tyler Riddle (7-2, 1.89 ERA), posting a 4-1 mark in 6 starts with 1.79 ERA, 44 K
FL Rookie of the Month: RIC 1B Kris DiPrimio (.299, 14 HR, 55 RBI), hitting .304 with 5 HR, 11 RBI
CL Rookie of the Month: LVA OF Jaden Wilson (.293, 5 HR, 52 RBI), batting .326 with 4 HR, 21 RBI

Complaints and stuff

No trade was made at the deadline. We lacked the funds to bring in some actual sticks I looked at. The Warriors did offer to send Ricardo Montoya in a trade, which would have shifted DeRose to the pen, but they also wanted Nick Nye and prospects, and I wasn’t having that. The pitching was *fine*. We needed to score more runs.

However – we’re into the upper half in runs now! Look at us go! About four and a half markers per game! Will wonders ever cease!?

George van Otterdijk signed with the Thunder for $850k and I am very, very sad. In the end the Raccoons ended the July IFA period with three much less interesting signings for $284k.

While Lonzo was expected to miss another day or two with the bum knee, Joey Christopher started a rehab assignment with the Alley Cats on Sunday.

The Raccoons would drop to San Fran for a 3-game series starting on Monday, then host the Crusaders for four and the Titans for three at home.

Fun Fact: 28 years ago today, Tijuana’s Willie Ojeda hit three home runs to beat the Titans, 9-1.

Ojeda spent most of his 20-year career with the Condors, debuting at age 18 in 2030. A career .320/.372/.469 batter with 2,922 hits, 218 homers, and 1,269 RBI, plus 332 stolen bases, Ojeda won two batting titles in 2037 and 2039, and led the CL in doubles one and triples twice. He also once led the CL in RBI. Traded to the Stars in ’44, he was less spectacular in his last years, but hit .300 all the way up to his age 36 season.

The red stats aside, Ojeda also won seven Platinum Sticks and was sent to the All Star Game 11 times in his career before becoming a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 2055.