Season Log: Iowa City Country

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Tue Oct 09, 2012 7:53 am

We were given a sneak peak at the Country's opening day lineup, with an assurance that it is "90% likely to be 100% accurate."

Bench:

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MrLiamcar · **Posted:** Tue Oct 09, 2012 5:34 pm

This is a really good log Erisa!!!

Rodwick · **Posted:** Tue Oct 09, 2012 7:02 pm

My favorite part of the season is the off season

. I hope your enjoying it ERISA!

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Wed Oct 10, 2012 1:07 pm

Thanks, Liam!

Rodwick, I totally agree! By season end, I really look forward to offseason contract signings, free agency, etc. then I look forward to spring training improvements. Then I look forward to the season. Come July, I can't wait for the draft, and so it goes!

Rodwick · **Posted:** Wed Oct 10, 2012 8:49 pm

Yeah I just wish the offseason was longer cause its so awesome

MrLiamcar · **Posted:** Wed Oct 10, 2012 9:52 pm

I love it when I get awards

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Wed Oct 10, 2012 10:11 pm

"Well, it is April 2, 2009 and the Iowa City Country begin the defense of their 2008 World Series title with a four game series against the Chicago White Sox.

There's a lot of excitement in Iowa City right now with the off-season signing of Orlando Hudson. With that one signing, the Country appear to have shored up a middle infield position and injected some more life into their lineup, and it seems to have worked out well in spring training, with Hudson hitting and stealing bases with ease. Huisman also appears to have made a good transition to shortstop, as the athletic former catcher has played very well all Spring. Former #1 pick, McCurdy, has taken over the catching position and, as expected, appears ready to play in the majors. About the only complaint fans have is with the Country not starting their season at home!"

GAME 1: Iowa City Country Depablos (93 DC SL – four, CB – four, VSL – one) versus Chicago White Sox Buehrle (90 CA 2SF – two, SL – two, CU – four, CB – three, CH – four)

Inning two: After a first inning in which the Country threatened, but made the last out being thrown out at home on a wild pitch, they broke through in the second when Josh Fields hit a solo homerun with two out over the left center field fence.

Inning four: both starting pitchers dominated hitters, but the Country doubled their lead when Jack Cust, batting forth, hit a leadoff homerun to dead center field. When Thome followed suit in the bottom of the fourth with his own solo home run to center field, it ended the fourth inning with the Country leading two – one

Inning five: Orlando Hudson drilled the ball to centerfield but was thrown out trying to stretch a single into a double. Milledge then doubled to right-center field and came home on a Spilborghs single. Spilborghs moved to second on a Cust fielders choice and scored on a Dan Johnson double to right center field. When Depablos retired the White Sox in order, it's sent the game into the sixth inning with the Country enjoying a four – one lead.

In the sixth inning, Richar got a leadoff single and moved to second on a fielders choice with Swisher coming to the plate. Swisher launched a first pitch fastball to the deep right corner, which Spilborghs caught at the wall. Depablos retired the next batter on a ground out to third, maintaining the Country's four – one lead.

Inning seven: Lastings Milledge singled with one out, stole second, and scored on a Spilborghs single up the middle. The White Sox scored in the seventh on a double followed by a poor decision by Hudson to go for the out of third (his throw was late) instead of getting the sure out at first. A Pierzynski single then brought home a run and left runners at first and second, nobody out. After striking out the next batter, a double scored a run and put runners at second and third with one out, and the go-ahead run at the plate. Depablos was visited at the mound and ultimately removed in favor of reliever Andrew "Fireman" Brown. Brown induced a week grounder to second that Hudson relayed home for the out. Brown jammed the next batter, but Ozuna beat out the slow roller to short and a run scored. With Swisher at-bat and the tying run in scoring position, Brown through an 0-1 change up on the outside corner that Swisher drilled to right-center field, bringing home the tying and go ahead runs. An infield hit and a single from Paul Konerko brought home another run, and Brown was removed in favor of Oliver (88 DC CU – three, SLV – three, CB – three, VSL – one). Oliver closed out the six run seventh with the White Sox leading seven – five

Inning eight: the Country put a runner on first but failed to threaten in their half of the inning. Oliver appeared to have the inning comfortably in control until Ozuna homered to left field with two out. End of eight, White Sox lead eight – five

Inning nine: The Country threatened in the bottom of the inning, but ultimately failed to score and lost eight – five

Comments: this was a disappointing loss, as Country starter Depablos pitched very well until the wheels fell off in the 7th (6 – 1/3 innings pitched, 4 runs, 6 hits, 7 strikeouts) and seemed to have the game in hand until then. Newly acquired Orlando Hudson went 3/5 and showed great range in the field. Although he did blunder when he tried to throw a runner out at third instead of going for the sure out at 1st, that daring paid off when he cut down a runner at home plate later in the game. Oddly, the Country's first three hitters went 3/5, their next two batters went 2/5, the six – eight hitters went 1/4 and there ninth batter went 0/4.

philliesfan134 · **Posted:** Wed Oct 10, 2012 10:17 pm

Sucks you lost on Opening Day, but DePablos did a good job. My boy Josh Fields is still hitting bombs!

Good luck on the season.

MrLiamcar · **Posted:** Wed Oct 10, 2012 10:18 pm

Tough loss son...

ZeroGibson13 · **Posted:** Wed Oct 10, 2012 11:28 pm

So, apparently you had DePablos learn a Vertical slider.

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Thu Oct 11, 2012 5:34 am

ZeroGibson13 wrote:

So, apparently you had DePablos learn a Vertical slider.

Darn it - the following was supposed to be my last spring training post, before my game 1 post:

Most of our coverage has focused on the Country's offense, even though their pitching was largely responsible for their post-season run. Following are some developments with the Country's pitching staff:

Lannan improved his control, although he is still at a level E. He also improved his changeup to a level 3 (89 EB SL – three, CB – four, CH – three)

Depablos (93 DC SL-4, CB-4, VSL-1), Bourgeois (90 DC SL – two, CU – three, CB – four, VS – one), and Oliver (88 DC CU – three, CB – three, SV – three, VS – one) – a minor leaguer vying for a spot as a middle reliever - added a vertical slider to their pitch selection

Grindell (92 EC CU-4, CB-3, PA-3, HSK-1), the Country's #2 draft pick and back-end starter, improved his curveball to level 3 and added a hard sinker

Green, Brown, and Chamberlain each improved their stamina, although each remains at level E. Green also improved his slider to level 3 (all 3 pitches - slider, splitter, sinker - are level 3)

Jiang (91 DC CU – three, FO – four, SC – one), a country middle reliever who was sent down after last years draft, developed a screwball

Stratton (85 DC SL – three, CB – three, FO – three, SHU – one), an undrafted free agent from last year's draft and a valuable country middle reliever down the stretch, developed a shuuto pitch.

Since learning the new pitch, we understand that Oliver is learning to make his screwball more effective while Depablos, Grindell, Bourgeois, and Stratton are focusing on building up stamina

ZeroGibson13 · **Posted:** Thu Oct 11, 2012 10:12 am

Like the pitching update. It does look like you went overboard on learning new pitches though. Actually, they are grey-barred scrubs so I might have done that as well. Overall like the update.

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Thu Oct 11, 2012 11:08 am

ZeroGibson13 wrote:

Like the pitching update. It does look like you went overboard on learning new pitches though. Actually, they are grey-barred scrubs so I might have done that as well. Overall like the update.

Really? What internal limits do you use? I like my starters to have at least 1 pitch breaking left, right, and down.

Rodwick · **Posted:** Thu Oct 11, 2012 11:28 am

Usually i do one curve, one change, and one slider

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Thu Oct 11, 2012 4:07 pm

Boring! I normally did sinkers, hard sinkers, and split fingered fastballs, but players on these boards said the vertical slider was a really cool pitch

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Season Log: Iowa City Country

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