Thank God for Milwaukee
We pick things up with the last game with the Eagles before we get to play some games north of the border.
Game #3 - Sunday July 16th, 2056
Chicago 42-44 @ Milwaukee 28-58
RHP Jose Cedeno (10-4 4.26 ERA ) vs RHP Mike Emery (4-9, 5.69 ERA)
A - 24,532
Both starters pitch six shutout innings. Milwaukee’s Mike Emery (6.1 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 2 K) runs into trouble in the seventh. He gets one out, but then gives up a double and an intentional walk. He gets pulled. The bullpen tries to put out the fire with gasoline. José Aranda doubles in two, and Pedro Farrulla singles in one. Chicago’s José Cedeño (8 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 6 K) gives up two runs, too, but he gets the win. New backup C veteran Guo-quiang Lee gets his 1st hit (double) as an Architect.
Chicago 4, Milwaukee 2.
CL P Wright S (18) 1IP 0H 0R, LF R LeRoy 2-4 HR R RBI
HR - CH LF R LeRoy (23) Mil - CF L Petit (7)
POTG - Chicago SP Jose Cedeno (6)
Summary - That felt good even if the sweep was only against the floundering Eagles. With the wins in Milwaukee we are back to within a game of 500 at 43-44 (Never thought I would say those words this season). Now we need to head to Canada and face a Windsor team who was in the thick of things early but has fallen off badly and is in last place in Canada.
Nice to see LF Robert LeRoy get a home run. July hasn’t started out great for LeRoy but he is still the leader for the US MVP award and is a shot at the triple crown.
On a side note our former SS 38-year-old Simon Lefevre somehow won the Canadian player of the week honors this week with the Kingston Comets. Simon went 6-10 with 3 home runs (how cow) and 7 RBI’s while scoring 5 runs. On the season in just 24 games the veteran has hit for a 412 batting average and 4 home runs and 21 RBI’s. Way to go Simon!!! Kingston has probably been the surprise team of the season so far in the GLBL. They have been in the top 2 spots for the last 2 months and they have a good chance of making the playoffs for the first time since the 2046 season.
Chicago Architects 43-44 4th place in the US @ Windsor Vigilantes 35-52 6th in Canada
July 17th and 18th 2056
Justice Field (Windsor Ontario)
Today we begin a 2-game series with the Windsor Vigilantes on the road. A neutral park, Justice Field has room for 40000 fans.
With their record standing at 35 wins and 52 losses, the Vigilantes have a winning percentage of .402. They are in 6th place in the North of the Border, 15.0 games behind the leader. Their number of runs scored of 441 rank 4th in the Canadian, their .284 batting average ranks 3rd. On the other side of the diamond, they have given up 510 runs (6th) with their starters compiling an ERA of 5.64 which ranks 6th. Their bullpen sports an ERA of 5.44, ranking 5th. When playing against our Architects this season, they have a record of 1 wins and 1 losses.
Here are the projected pitching matchups, our pitchers listed first:
RHP J. Moore (5-2, 3.30 ERA) vs RHP T. Kiyomizu (2-1, 4.72 ERA)
RHP V. Imbert (5-4, 4.63 ERA) vs RHP T. Fujimoto (6-7, 5.36 ERA)
The top 5 players on their team are:
1. 1B Craig Hargrove (Age: 32, Overall : 3.5, Potential: 3.5)
2. SP Tatsukichi Fujimoto (23, 3.5, 4.0)
3. LF Mark Easson (23, 3.5, 4.0)
4. SP Dan Floyd (41, 3.0, 3.0)
5. RF Carlos Alomar (26, 3.0, 3.0)
Not much else to say but let’s go get 2 and get over 500 again!
Game #1 - Monday July 17th 2056
Chicago 43-44 @ Windsor 35-52
RHP J. Moore (5-2, 3.30 ERA) vs RHP T. Kiyomizu (2-1, 4.72 ERA)
A - 22,462
Chicago’s John Moore (8 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 8 K) tossed six shutout innings before giving up a run in the seventh. Windsor’s Tohaku Kiyomizu (6.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 7 K) also tosses six shutout innings, but he gives up two runs in the seventh and gets the loss. Joe Hunt singles in those two runs. Marc Nakayama adds a pair of bonus runs with a ninth-inning homer. That is Nakayama’s first major-league home run in his young career. Congrats, Marc! With the win the Architects climb back to 500 on the season 44-44.
Chicago 4, Windsor 1.
LF R LeRoy 2-4 2R, PH/DH M Nakayama 1-1 HR R 2RBI
HR CH - DH M Nakayama (1)
POTG - Chicago SP John Moore (2)
07/17/2056 RF José Aranda was injured while running the bases (Chicago @ Windsor) The Diagnosis: torn hamstring. He's expected to miss about 2-3 months. Not that Aranda was having a great season but this is just more salt on the wound. Guess I am glad we brought up Nakayama when we did and he is hitting well. He just became the fulltime DH for the rest of the season. Since we are mid-sim we will make a decision on a replacement for Aranda soon.
Game #2 - Tuesday July 18th 2056
Chicago 44-44 @ Windsor 35-53
RHP V. Imbert (5-4, 4.63 ERA) vs RHP T. Fujimoto (6-7, 5.36 ERA)
A - 25,584
Windsor takes a 2-1 lead into the ninth, where Chicago’s Tom Stone singles, John Lambert lays down a perfect sac bunt, and Reagan Osborn singles in Stone. In the bottom of the 10th, the Vigilantes load the bases on three straight singles. Mark Easson comes to the plate… and pitcher Pat Wright (3-8 19 saves) balks in the winning run.
Windsor 3, Chicago 2. 10 innings
RF T Stone 2-5 R, 1B R Osborn 3-4 RBI
HR - CH LF R Leroy (24) Win - CF M Easson (14)
POTG - Windsor SP Tatsukichi Fujimoto
Summary - The Architects continue to find ways to lose 1-run and extra innings games. This time a balk by our All-Star closer.
Tough to see our former prospect LF Mark Easson hit a home run against us. We traded Easson back in 2054 when we had both Easson (then the #4 prospect) and Cris Luna (then the #2 prospect) as our CF’s of the future. We chose to keep Luna for his better defense in CF over Easson as we acquired SP Jose “Pongo” Cedeno in that deal. Easson had a better start with the bat in his career as Luna struggled to find his hitting groove during 2054 and 2055, but this year Luna is making a much better showing hitting 288 with 9 home runs and 37 RBI’s. Easson currently is hitting 297 and has blasted 14 home runs and driven in 54 RBI’s as Windsor’s cleanup hitter. In that deal we ridded ourselves of the salary of P Al Pellerin who has been on and off the DL quite a bit and when healthy hasn’t been a league average pitcher. We also sent veteran LF Javier Castillo in a move to clear some payroll space for the acquisition of Cedeno. Castillo is now in the AAA system of Toledo after signing as a free agent in the off-season this past year.
Chicago Architects 44-45 4th in US @ Thunder Bay Caribou 45-44 3rd in Canada
July 19th and 20th 2056
Thunder Bay’s Caribou Field
Time to visit our nemesis of the past two World Series, Thunder Bay. Both clubs this year are hovering around the 500 mark and are currently on the outside looking in at the playoffs. Thunder Bay won the first 2 games this season and of course beat us 4 games to 2 in each of the 54 World Series and 55 World Series. If we think we have budget problems, the Caribou’s payroll is of legendary status at $292.6 million this year and as things stand are projected to be over $300 million next season.
The Caribou boast the best RP in baseball much of the last several seasons as Roberto Terreza is 6-1 with a 2.07 ERA.
We have a 2-game series on the road against the Thunder Bay Caribou kicking off today. Here is my report on the opponent: We will meet in Caribou Field, which seats 40000 and plays like a ballpark slightly favoring hitters.
Going 45-44 so far this year, the Caribou have compiled a .506 winning percentage. They are in 3rd place in the North of the Border, 6.0 games behind the leader. Their number of runs scored of 474 rank 2nd in the Canadian, their .275 batting average ranks 5th. On the other side of the diamond, they have given up 493 runs (5th) with their starters compiling an ERA of 5.08 which ranks 5th. Their bullpen sports an ERA of 4.90, ranking 4th. When playing against our Architects this season, they have a record of 2 wins and 0 losses.
Here are the projected pitching matchups, our pitchers listed first:
RHP Motoyuki Inoue (9-9, 4.12 ERA) vs LHP Carlos Pérez (2-9, 5.40 ERA)
RHP Jose Cedeno (11-4 4.13 ERA) vs RHP Jason Connel (11-4 5.71 ERA)
The top 5 players on their team are:
1. CL Roberto Terraza (Age: 33, Overall : 4.5, Potential: 4.5)
2. LF Jamal Amador (33, 4.0, 4.0)
3. SP Ralph Baxter (35, 3.0, 3.0)
4. CF Robinson González (30, 3.0, 3.0)
5. SS John Calder (27, 3.0, 3.0)
Game #1 - Wednesday July 19th 2056
Chicago 44-45 @ Thunder Bay 45-44
RHP Motoyuki Inoue (9-9, 4.12 ERA) vs LHP Carlos Pérez (2-9, 5.40 ERA)
A - 34,652
With the game tied, 3-3, in the eighth, Thunder Bay loads the bases. Michael Jackson hits a sac fly, and Ron Hinton hits a three-run home run.
Thunder Bay 7, Chicago 3.
CF C Luna 3-5, 1B R Osborn 2-4 R BB, DH M Nakayama 2-5 R, C J Hunt 3-5 RBI
HR - CH 2B J Lambert (15) TB - CF R Gonzalez (24), DH S Lane (15) 2B R Hinton (12)
POTG - Thunder Bay CF Robinson Gonzalez
Game #2 - Thursday July 20th 2056
Chicago 44-46 @ Thunder Bay 46-44
RHP Jose Cedeno (11-4 4.13 ERA) vs RHP Jason Connel (11-4 5.71 ERA)
A - 29,179
In the second, Chicago sends 12 men to the plate. Joe Hunt hits a grand slam. Rodeo Leroy singles and hits a three-run homer. Hunt drove in a couple more runs later in the game, giving him six RBIs on the evening. Leroy goes 5-for-5 and scores three runs. Oh, Jose Cedeño (8.2 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 10 K) finishes the game one out short of a complete-game shutout.
Chicago 14, Thunder Bay 0.
2B J Lambert 3-6 DB R, LF R LeRoy 5-5 DB HR 3R 3RBI, 3B K Noseworthy 2-5 DB R RBI, CF C Luna 2-5 2R, C J Hunt 3-5 DB, HR 2R 6RBI
HR - CH C J Hunt (13), LF R LeRoy (25) TB - none
POTG - Chicago LF Robert “Rodeo” Leroy (9)
Summary - So at least we pulled out 1 game with a complete blasting of Thunder Bay 14-0. That game felt like a whole season worth of frustration that just came out of everyone.
With the injury to Aranda who will be out for the rest of the season, we placed him on the 60-day DL (not that we are close to having all 40 man spots taken up, but who knows who we will bring up down the stretch. We decided to take a flyer and purchase the AAA contract of 26-year-old OF/1B Quentin Helmer to replace Aranda. Helmer is a lefty so he will slot in (for now).
RP Larry Stott is the player who has drawn my ire of late and not for coming in asking for a better role or more playing time. Stott (1-5 7.07 ERA) has been our #2 guy in the bullpen all season long and with his previous track record has deserved that role. This season has been a complete mess for Stott as he pitched ⅓ innings and gave up 4 hits and 4 runs in that loss against TB. His ERA is above 7 now on the season and his lack of good work this year has been one of the biggest issues with the lack of success in our bullpen. If I could send him down to AAA I would but Stott has no options years left. Last off-season we signed him to a large extension (for a reliever) so we are not going to DFA him. For now he will be moved into a lower leverage situation and pitch in mop-up duty while we try to get him straightened out.
I should go back to having P Joe Johnson start games. He has kind of taken over the role that P John Moore had earlier this season being the #3 or #4 guy in the bullpen. If I put him back in the rotation who would I move out? I mean Moore has been our best SP since he joined the rotation. Cedeno has had a very good season, and I mean you can’t take out Inoue. For a #4 SP Val Imbert is our team captain and he is right around a league average guy. We might try and shop him to see if anyone tries to take him. It wouldn’t take a huge deal and his contract is for $10 million next season. I also don’t feel like taking Yale Hulburt out of the rotation even if his ERA is high (part of that is my fault for the bad rotation management earlier this season). He was off for a whole season and I really want to let him get his stuff together. We have a big investment in him for next season at $20 million and then he has a team option for $17 million for the 2058 season.
Despite our bleh record this season, I really do think this is a team capable of winning it all next year as we sit. I don’t see a big off-season of movement unless we try to get creative because our owner demands it (and he might).
Milwaukee Eagles 27-64 last in the US vs Chicago Architects 45-46 4th in the US
July 21st -23rd
Chicago’s Pier IV Grounds
Last time we faced the Eagles in Milwaukee we swept them and things felt right in the world for at least 3 days. We desperately need to do that again to get back over 500 and make ourselves a serious threat to make the playoffs. Hard to believe the Eagles are playing worse than before we last met them, but that season to date winning percentage is down to 297 which means they are likely to lose 100 games at this pace.
We have a 3-game series at home against the Milwaukee Eagles kicking off today. Here is my report on the opponent:
With their record standing at 27 wins and 64 losses, the Eagles have a winning percentage of .297. They are in 6th place in the South of the Border, 30.0 games behind the leader. Their number of runs scored of 394 rank 6th in the USA, their .269 batting average ranks 6th. On the other side of the diamond, they have given up 574 runs (6th) with their starters compiling an ERA of 5.79 which ranks 6th. Their bullpen sports an ERA of 6.59, ranking 6th. When playing against our Architects this season, they have a record of 4 wins and 11 losses.
Here are the projected pitching matchups, our pitchers listed first:
RHP Mike Emery (4-10, 5.52 ERA) vs RHP Yale Hulbert (5-3, 6.39 ERA)
RHP Mitch Belding (1-9, 7.10 ERA) vs RHP John Moore (6-2, 3.06 ERA)
RHP Kent Bennett (5-8, 3.96 ERA) vs RHP Val Imbert (5-4, 4.48 ERA)
The top 5 players on their team are:
1. C Cecil Phillips (Age: 33, Overall : 4.0, Potential: 4.0)
2. 1B John Crosby (28, 3.0, 3.0)
3. RF Luo-lang Petit (25, 2.5, 2.5)
4. SP Mike Emery (23, 2.5, 3.0)
5. SS Alexandre Gasnier (24, 2.5, 3.0)
Game #1 - Friday July 21st 2056
Milwaukee 27-64 vs Chicago 45-46
RHP Mike Emery (4-10, 5.52 ERA) vs RHP Yale Hulbert (5-3, 6.39 ERA)
A - 36,961
Let’s pick things up in the sixth, where Milwaukee’s Luo-Lang Petit hits a three-run home run and turns a 6-5 deficit into an 8-6 lead. In the seventh, Chicago’s Reagan Osborn triples in two, tying the game, 8-8. In the eighth, Milwaukee scores a run and momentarily re-takes the lead. Also in the eighth, Chicago got a two-run home run from Rodeo Leroy. Tects lead, 10-9. In the ninth, with two outs and two on, Cory Seguin singles in the tying run. The game goes to extra innings. In the 10th, Milwaukee’s Randy Hiscock doubled in two runs. The Eagles go on to vict— —in the bottom of the 10th, with two on and one out, Chicago’s Guo-Quiang Lee hits a walk-off three-run home run.
Chicago 13, Milwaukee 12. I’m exhausted.
10 Innings
2B J Lambert 2-5 R RBI BB, RF T Stone 2-5 DB 2R RBI BB, 1B M Hakayama 2-4 R RBI C G Lee 2-6 HR R 3RBI, DH Q Helmer 0-1 3BB 2R RBI, PH R Osborn 1–1 TP 2RBI
HR - Mil RF A Gonzalez 2 (3), CF L Petit (8)
POTG - Milwaukee LF Randy Hiscock CH - LF R LeRoy (26), C G Lee (1)
Game #2 - Saturday July 22nd 2056
Milwaukee 27-65 vs Chicago 46-46
RHP Mitch Belding (1-9, 7.10 ERA) vs RHP John Moore (6-2, 3.06 ERA)
A - 37,385
The Tects offense exploded and scored eighth in the seventh. Cris Luna, Reagan Osborn, and Thomas Arnaud all homer in the inning. Osborn’s does the most damage, driving in three.
Chicago 9, Milwaukee 3.
SP J Moore 6.2IP 6H 3R 1BB 7K, RP R Herschel W (1-0) 2.1IP 1H 0R 2K, RF T Stone 2-5 R, 1B R Osborn 2-4 HR R 3RBI BB, 3B T Arnaud 2-5 HR R 2RBI, C J Hunt 2-4 2R, CF C Luna 2-2 HR R 3RBI 2BB
HR - Mil None CH - LF R LeRoy (27), CF C Luna (10) 1B R Osborn (20), 3B T Arnaud (7)
POTG - Chicago CF Cris Luna (4)
Game #3 - Sunday July 23rd 2056
Milwaukee 27-66 vs Chicago 47-46
RHP Kent Bennett (5-8, 3.96 ERA) vs RHP Val Imbert (5-4, 4.48 ERA)
A - 37,478
The Architect's offense is red hot. They scored 14 more runs today, giving them 50 runs in four games. Cris Luna and John Lambert hit two-run home runs. Luna also hits a two-run double. Lambert also hits two singles, walks twice, and scores a total of four runs. Joe Justice goes 3-for-5 with two doubles, two runs scored, and five ribbies.
Chicago 14, Milwaukee 4.
SP V Imbert W (6-4) 5.1IP 5H 1R 1BB 7K. 2B J Lambert 3-4 HR 4R 2RBI 2BB SB (29), RF T Stone 2-5 DB R, LF J Justice 3-4 2DB 2R 5RBI BB, 3B T Arnaud 2-3 R RBI 2BB, CF C Luna 2-5 HR R 4RBI
HR - Mil 1B M Raoul 2 (7) CH - CF C Luna (11), 2B J Lambert (16)
POTG - Chicago 2B John Lambert (2)
Summary - So overall a successful week. We were 2-2 against Canada which is always a win for us and 3-0 against Milwaukee who we have won 10 straight games against. We only have 6 more games against them this season and are currently 14-4 on the season. If we could just play Milwaukee say 20 more times maybe we could sneak into this thing.
The offense has been on fire the last 4 games scoring 50 runs. Of course we had to make that Friday night game interesting and go 10 innings but we pulled it out.
Now it's time to take on 1st place Duluth at home next. We keep hovering around and we have closed the gap on 3rd place Detroit as we are just 1 game behind them. We have fallen off the Wildcard pace by 9 as Toledo has gotten hot and is actually only 1 game out of first.
We have tried DFA the following players of the last week hoping that someone would accept their contracts. Veteran LHP Julio Castro (39) was signed as insurance while we slowly worked back in with John Moore and waited for Yale Hulburt to come back from his year-long absence. While he has done alright in the bullpen, he would be happier starting games, but the fact is if I can’t find a spot for Joe Johnson who won 22 games the last 2 seasons, Castro is out of luck. We also hoped that someone would take on the contract of Bill Lutz who has 1 more season on his deal at $8.5 million. Not even a freebie on the waiver wire could entice anyone to take a chance on him. His ERA+ is 101 so he is a league average pitcher who has gained 1.0 WAR in mostly relief work this season. His walks are down from last season as well.