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Tracy Honeymoon Over Already?

Our buddy canadadry recently acquired (stole?) He-Who-Needs-No-Introduction out of my division. He asked me to post this on Tuesday, but of course I had to wait two days since I am a slacker. As an update since then, the pitcher recorded a quality-start victory against the Silver Shockers yesterday and should make his next start on Friday afternoon against San Juan. Here is what he wrote.

The Jacksonville fans booed their team off the field three times during last night's 9-1 loss to the Helena Howling Sukebe. Newly acquired veteran all-star Brett Tracy was bitten by a 3rd inning error committed by Juggernaut shortstop Damian Suzuki. With two outs and only one run allowed in the inning Tracy was able to induce a ground ball off the bat of free swinging Sam "that way to the" Beech. But Suzuki just booted the ball and Sam reached first on the error and the inning continued. Three more runs scored and when the inning was finally over the Jacksonville fans made their displeasure known by loudly booing the home team off the field. In the bottom of the fourth with the Juggernauts trailing 5-0 they loaded the bases with only one out and seemed poised to take a big chunk out of Helena's lead. But after the next two batters both made weak fly outs to the outfield, the fans again stood to heckle and jaw at their own players as they sheepishly took to the field without capitalizing on the opportunity. Brett Tracy did not come out for the sixth inning and while only 2 of the 5 runs were earned his line also included 11 hits and 2 walks with only 2 strikeouts. Incredibly enough, the home team found themselves in another terrific spot to catch up, when in the bottom of the sixth the bases were loaded again. Craig Phelps stepped to the plate. He was the same player that had stepped to the plate when the bases were loaded in the 3rd inning. This time he managed a base hit and drove in a run. Moises Guzman now had a chance to really put his team back into the game. But on the very first pitch he hit a soft ground ball to second baseman John Miller who stepped on second base and then fired to first to complete the easy double play and end the inning. At that point the Jacksonville crowd turned downright nasty. Every play (in the field or at the plate) from the point on was met with hostile jeers and hollers of displeasure. When the final out was made in the bottom of the ninth the entire stadium comically rang with a mixture of angry disappointment at the 9-1 loss and mock appreciation that the game had finally been put to rest.

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