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ILWU LOcal #2015 - A Canton Longshoremen Blog (2026 Ed.)

Posted: Thu Oct 12, 2017 2:53 pm
by Coqui
International Longshore and Warehouse Union #2015
A Canton Longshoremen Blog

Wake Me Up When September Ends

March 16, 2026 - What could make a 6-1 start to the spring training schedule bad news? Losing face-of-the-franchise closer Julian Olivares for what appears to be most of the regular season. Olivares felt acute elbow pain in a pitch during the March 12 game against Crystal Lake, and an MRI confirmed a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament. Officials have said that Olivares, who will be a free agent at the end of the season, will try to rehab his elbow rather than go under the knife, meaning a return near the end of the regular season if everything goes perfectly.

There is no obvious replacement for Olivares on the roster, but there are plenty of candidates. Recently re-signed Ismael Hernandez has closing experience, converting 20+ saves per season from 2019 through 2023 for the Omaha/Hartford franchise and Okinawa. There are several green-hued candidates who are perhaps a year or two away from contending for a top-of-the-bullpen spot: Edward Adams, Iwao Rin, and Will Douglas are all former top draft picks who have closing experience.

On the field, the Longshoremen got scoreless performances from three starting pitcher candidates (Carlos Perez, Bill Martin, Orlando Garcia) en route to a 6-1 record, and of course, a 4 week injury to starting SS Chris Long.

Re: ILWU LOcal #2015 - A Canton Longshoremen Blog (2026 Ed.)

Posted: Thu Oct 12, 2017 5:03 pm
by Leones
I love the name of the blog! ;-D

Re: ILWU LOcal #2015 - A Canton Longshoremen Blog (2026 Ed.)

Posted: Thu Oct 12, 2017 5:43 pm
by Sandgnats
Leones wrote:I love the name of the blog! ;-D
Agreed! Bravo!

Re: ILWU LOcal #2015 - A Canton Longshoremen Blog (2026 Ed.)

Posted: Mon Oct 23, 2017 4:38 pm
by Coqui
International Longshore and Warehouse Union #2015
A Canton Longshoremen Blog

What Might Have Been

April 13, 2026 - If Julian Olivares weren't hurt, would the Longshoremen be undefeated right now? Longshoremen die hards have to be asking themselves that question after a 4-3 week that saw Canton's bullpen blow saves in all three losses.

Series 1 vs. Kalamazoo The Badgers proved a tougher test than most observers would have guessed given preseason predictions, which project the Badgers to finish 15 games behind the Longshoremen at the bottom of the Great Lakes Division. All four games were close. The opener saw the Longshoremen greet turncoat Erwin Callahan rudely in his return trip to Svab Memorial. Callahan went 9-9 with a 4.30 ERA last season in his one campaign as a Longshoreman, but he reunited with new Badger GM Nigel Laverick shortly before the start of the season and was awarded with the opening Day start. Vaclav Verlaan was responsible for the first four runs, hitting a 3-run homer off of Callahan in the first ,and a solo shot off of his former teammate in the 4th. George Lee pitched six and a third strong innings to get the win. A tenth-inning win in game 2 after Kokei Yamashita blew a save in the ninth was a precursor of things to come, as the Longshoremen led late in the series' final two games before Bill Martin and Su-Shun Yu coughed up leads.

Series 2 vs. Crystal Lake The opener saw the Longshoremen bullpen blow a 4-1 lead by giving up runs in the 7th, 8th, and 9th en route to an 11-inning 5-4 loss. George Lee and Alfonso Romero played stopper in the last two games of the series, with some overdue help from the bullpen, shutting out the Sandgnats 1-0 in 12 innings and 2-0.

After 7 games, here's the team W/L for each SP (quality starts):

George Lee 2-0 (2)
Alfonso Romero 2-0 (2)
Orlando Garcia 0-1 (1)
Carlos PĂ©rez 0-1 (1)
Matt Allison 0-1 (0)