Top Teams of Both Divisions on the Road Next
We stay north of the border going from Toronto to face the club that has set the GLBL on fire this season, no not Thunder Bay. It is the Hamilton Mounties who have taken off like a rocket and with a 25-11 record. After two games there we head back state side with a big match up with first place Toledo.
Wednesday May 17th and Thursday May 18th 2056
Chicago Architects 21-15 T-1st in US @ Hamilton Mounties 25-11 1st in Canada
Today we begin a 2-game series with the Hamilton Mounties on the road.
A neutral park, Harbour Field has room for 40000 fans.
With their record standing at 25 wins and 11 losses, the Mounties have a winning percentage of .694. They are leading the North of the Border. Their number of runs scored of 211 rank 1st in the Canadian, their .292 batting average ranks 1st. On the other side of the diamond, they have given up 154 runs (tied for 1st) with their starters compiling an ERA of 4.03 which ranks 1st. Their bullpen sports an ERA of 4.32, ranking 3rd.
Here are the projected pitching matchups, our pitchers listed first:
RHP T. Noble (2-0, 3.62 ERA) vs RHP J. Murdock (1-2, 3.52 ERA)
RHP J. Johnson (0-2, 7.06 ERA) vs LHP G. Rodríguez (3-2, 6.86 ERA)
The top 5 players on their team are:
1. 2B Li-ping Chin (Age: 29, Overall : 4.0, Potential: 4.0)
2. SP Sean Moore (28, 4.0, 4.0)
3. SP Yakumo Hasegawa (38, 3.5, 3.5)
4. DH Glen Dickie (30, 3.5, 3.5)
5. RF Wilson Meléndez (30, 3.0, 3.0)
Chicago leads the all-time record with 80 wins against 64 losses. Last season Hamilton won all 4 meetings.
Game #1 - Wednesday May 17th 2056
Chicago 21-15 @ Hamilton 25-11
RHP Terry Noble (2-0, 3.62 ERA) vs RHP Joe Murdock (1-2, 3.52 ERA)
A - 23,412
In the ninth, Chicago ties the game, 4-4, on a single, two walks, and a sac fly. In the 10th, Hamilton wins it on a Maurice Calhoun double, a Glen Dickie single, and a Tom Corson walk-off single.
Hamilton 5, Chicago 4.
10 Innings
C J Duran 2-4 DB 3R BB, SS K Mulford 2-3 TP R 2RBI BB,
HR - none
POTG - Hamilton SP Joe Murdock
Game #2 - Thursday May 18th 2056
Chicago 21-16 @ Hamilton 26-11
RHSP Joe Johnson (0-2, 7.06 ERA) vs LHSP Gabriel Rodríguez (3-2, 6.86 ERA)
A - 23,451
Hamilton’s Gabriel Rodríguez (6.1 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K) gets back to his winning ways after a recent string of disastrous starts. (How disastrous? Today’s performance lowers his ERA to 5.96.) Li-Ping Chin and Charlie Schultz both hit two-run home runs. That’s the rookie Schultz’s second major-league home run. Bet he’s glad that he’s in the majors making some real money, not the peanuts he made in the minors.
Hamilton 5, Chicago 3.
LF R LeRoy 2-4 DB
HR - CH DH J Ashley (6), PH J Justice (2) Ham - 2B L Chin (5) LF C Schultz (2)
POTG - Hamilton SP Gabriel Rodriguez
Summary - Disappointing but not totally unexpected. Hamilton has the best record in the league and at home are a very tough team to beat. They have now won 6 straight games dating back to last season against the Architects. That is something that we will need to turn around in several months when the Mounties go to Chicago. But with the two losses we really need to pick up the pace against Toledo. They have won 5 out of the first 6 games just like last season. We’d like to see the start of what we did last season and win 13 of the last 18, so let’s start here.
While our club and Toledo slept walked through the Canadian games (Chicago is 3-5 on the season against Canadian teams and Toledo is 2-6), Duluth continues to record from their 5-10 and has gone 7-1 against Canadian clubs. Duluth has taken over 1st place in the US.
Heading into this series we welcome back SP Yale Hulburt from his 12 month injury rehab. He will get a start in this series in game #2.
Chicago Architects 21-17 T-2nd in the USA @ Toledo Neptunes 21-17 T-2nd
Friday May 19th through Sunday May 21st 2056
We have a 3-game series on the road against the Toledo Neptunes kicking off today. Here is my report on the opponent: We will meet in Ballpark of Toledo, which seats 40000 and plays like a slight pitchers park.
Going 21-17 so far this year, the Neptunes have compiled a .553 winning percentage. They are in 2nd place in the South of the Border, 1.0 games behind the leader. The Neptunes are on a cold streak, losing their last 6 games. Their number of runs scored of 225 rank 1st in the USA, their .290 batting average ranks 1st. On the other side of the diamond, they have given up 166 runs (2nd) with their starters compiling an ERA of 4.05 which ranks 2nd. Their bullpen sports an ERA of 4.14, ranking 2nd. When playing against our Architects this season, they have a record of 5 wins and 1 losses.
Here are the projected pitching matchups, our pitchers listed first:
RHP J. Cedeño (5-0, 2.94 ERA) vs LHP H. Moore (3-2, 5.91 ERA)
RHP Y. Hulbert (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs RHP C. Bouchard (5-0, 1.25 ERA)
RHP V. Imbert (3-2, 3.65 ERA) vs RHP N. Keddy (2-2, 3.27 ERA)
The top 5 players on their team are:
1. SP Nick Keddy (Age: 29, Overall : 4.5, Potential: 4.5)
2. RP Ricardo Valentín (30, 4.5, 4.5)
3. SP Christopher Bouchard (29, 3.5, 3.5)
4. 1B Eric Molina (29, 3.5, 3.5)
5. SP Harvey Moore (32, 3.0, 3.0)
On the injury front. Thursday, May 18th , 2056 -
Chicago Architects: 3B Thomas Arnaud was injured in a collision at a base. The Diagnosis: sprained thumb. He's expected to miss about 5-6 weeks. Not a great situation for us to have Arnaud again on the DL. IF Larry Davis has been recalled from AAA to take Arnaud’s place on the roster.
Game #1 - Friday May 19th 2056
Chicago 21-17 @ Toledo 21-17
RHSP Jose Cedeño (5-0, 2.94 ERA) vs LHSP Harvey Moore (3-2, 5.91 ERA)
A - 39,794
The Neptunes’ losing streak continues. Chicago’s José Cedeño (8 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 5 K) holds Toledo’s bats quiet. Chicago’s bats are anything but. John Lambert homers twice. Juan Durán and Cris Luna homer once. Durán also hits a bases-loaded triple and finishes the day with five RBIs.
Chicago 9, Toledo 1.
2B J Lambert 2-5 2HR 2R 2RBI, RF T Stone 2-4 RBI SB, SS K Mulford 2-3 BB,
HR - CH C J Duran (5), CF C Luna (4), 2B J Lambert 2 (7) Tol - none
POTG - Chicago C Juan Duran (1)
Game #2 - Saturday May 20th 2056
Chicago 22-17 @ Toledo 21-18
RHSP Yale Hulbert (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs RHS P Christopher Bouchard (5-0, 1.25 ERA)
A - 39,937
The Neptunes snap their seven-game losing streak as Chicago SP Yale Hulburt only goes 2.2IP giving up 6 runs and 4 earned on 5 hits and 3 walks. Paul Jackson homers, and Christopher Bouchard (6.1 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 11 K) strikes out 11.
Toledo 6, Chicago 4.
RP B Lutz 1.2IP 0H 0R 1BB 0K, RP J Moore 3.2IP 0H 0R 1BB 2K
HR - Ch - none Tol - RF P Jackson (3)
POTG - Toledo SP Christopher Bouchard
Game #3 - Sunday May 21st, 2056
Chicago 22-18 @ Toledo 22-18
RHsP Val Imbert (3-2, 3.65 ERA) vs RHSP Nick Keddy (2-2, 3.27 ERA)
A - 39,682
Toledo’s Eric Molina hits a two-run home run, Luis González hits two two-run doubles (and a sac fly), and Paul Jackson hits a two-run double. Nick Keddy had given up 11 runs over his previous three starts, but he returns to form today (7 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 9 K) as Toledo takes the rubber game and moves ahead of Chicago in the standings.
Toledo 11, Chicago 1.
RF T Stone 2-4 2DB, CF C Luna 2-3 R
HR - CH - none Tol - 1B E Molina (11)
POTG - Toledo 1B Eric Molina
Summary - The series against Toledo got off to a good start with that big first game win, but then quickly turned and now we are 2-7 against the Neptunes on the season. Toledo’s GM stated at the beginning of this season changing last season's results was more about beating Chicago head to head than worrying about 1-run games. Last year Chicago win 14 out of the 24 matchups after Toledo won 5 of the first 6. In those 14 wins were 6 of Chicago’s 29 1-run wins. So far mission accomplished for the Neptunes.
Veteran SP Yale Hulburt made his triumphant return after a year on the shelf. His return against Toledo was a rough one as he only managed to last 2 ⅔’s innings as the Architects lost 6-4.
Off day - Monday May 22nd
Trade Announcement
Chicago pulls the trigger on its biggest deal maybe ever under current GM
The Architects are known especially the last several seasons as being wheelers and dealers and despite not having won the GLBL World in his previous 4 seasons, Chicago GM Martin is pulling out all stops this year. The question is did he pay too much?
The Architects sent a huge package to the Toronto Maples for
SP Motoyuki Inoue (28 RHSP). Not only was the package big, the Architects have assumed Inoue’s big contract for the rest of this season and next with an arbitration year after that. Inoue’s contract calls for $38 million this season and $36 million next, which will put the Architects over budget by an estimated $13+ million this season and maybe as much as $20+ next season. Only playoff revenue could save the budget concerns and that is what this move is all about.
Going to the Toronto Maples are the following players. Veteran RF Jim Ashley (36 $20 million) will be with the Maples. Our understanding was to make this deal even come close to working, Ashley had to be involved to help offset some of the salary of Inoue.
Also going to Toronto are prospects LHSP Ruben Marin, RHSP Brad Sellers, SS Cristo Sandoval, 2B Bob Tobin and RHSP Oleg Bartolomej who was in the clubs international development training center. Chicago also acquired OF Salvatore Bernard.
With the trading of SS Sandoval and 2B Tobin it appears Chicago is banking on the middle infield combination of SS Kennelly Mulford who was just acquired from Milwaukee and breakout 2B John Lambert to be their double play combination for at least the next 5+ seasons. At one point many observers felt that Tobin and Sandoval would be that future keystone combo. Did the Architects run out of patience? Not so claims the clubs GM “When your in a world title window which I feel we are squarely in, you make bold moves to win it all. That’s what we have done here in acquiring both Mulford and Inoue. We are looking to win it all now!”
When asked about the payroll concerns Martin shrugged them off stating “We feel these moves are the keys to putting us over the top to win it all. If we do what I think we can do the money issues will work out just fine. I’m not worried about payroll in the future, I just concentrate on the current year. We make the playoffs and it will all work out just fine.”
Inoue who has won 2 Canadian Pitcher of the year awards with Toronto but is only 4-4 on the current season with a disappointing Maples club who thought they’d be in a title run season after the moves they made last season. Inoue will likely start when the Architects come home to open a huge 9-game homestand against the Traverse City Bears, he will not make the road trip to Milwaukee to face the Eagles.
When Chicago Owner Gregory Bocquet Jr. was asked to comment on the addition of Inoue he appeared optimistic. “We just acquired the best pitcher in baseball, no offense to our friends in Toledo, but everyone knows Inoue is the best. The fans are ecstatic about the deal.” When asked about rumblings of budgetary concerns the owner briskly stated “Inoue results will more than cover the financial investment in any salary. I expect tickets will be hard to find and merch sales will likely explode. But let me make this clear, this is about winning and bringing home a World Title to the fans of this great city!”
After walking away from the reporter the owner said in hushed tones to his GM on the phone. “This had better work Martin, you know the consequences of failure. You have put me in a bad spot with the press and fanbase.”