Jacksonville Hickories: Talkin' softly, but carrying big...

dishnet34 · **Posted:** Mon Aug 05, 2013 10:10 pm

ERISA Dude wrote:

4/15/08: Hickories McClain (90 EB HSL – two, DCB – one, SP – two, SK-2) versus Red Sox Matsuzaka (92 CA HSL – five, CU – three, CB – two, SP - two, CH – four): Final Score: 6-4, Hickories

Complaint: so, I am up by a run in the top of the eighth, one out and David Ortiz at the plate. My pitcher induces a high pop fly to the catcher – easily catchable, except that a huge cloud filled up my screen, but I cannot see where the ball goes and the ball drops 3 feet away from where I guessed it would be. The next pitch: Ortiz hits the game-tying homerun!

Lemme guess, GoldenApples Stadium? Yeah, it happens.

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Mon Aug 05, 2013 10:18 pm

Yes - golden apples. So... There's something about how they created the sky in that stadium that makes that happen, I guess. That explains why I never noticed it before

BrewersFuzz · **Posted:** Mon Aug 05, 2013 10:19 pm

Hey. I just noticed this.

Why are your avatars so similar?

dishnet34 · **Posted:** Mon Aug 05, 2013 10:30 pm

I guess it's just a weird coincidence.

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Tue Aug 06, 2013 7:02 am

No coincidence – clearly you look up to me!

Personally, I generally think that pictures with lightning in them are cool, so I did a search for baseball pictures with lightning and used one for my avatar

Dishnetkid's has a rainbow. Totally different!!!

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Tue Aug 06, 2013 7:11 am

4/16/08: the Hickories and White Sox announced a trade

Hickory's send the White Sox recently signed veteran pitcher Hideo Nomo in exchange for minor-league LF/3B Josh Fields (EBGBFD, vs left – four). The 26-year-old Fields is playing under a one-year deal paying $390,000. It is his first season as a professional and he will not hit free agency for six years.

The White Sox have a strong outfield, with Jermaine Dye, Nick Swisher, and Carlos Quentin, but most analysts wonder why, with Fields' attributes, he was not able to unseat Pablo Ozuna (DFBDDE, timely whiff, good infield hitter) or Joe Crede (EEECBB, timely whiff, spray hitter, bases clear, hot hitter). The general consensus is that the Hickories did much better in this trade than the White Sox, but if adding Nomo helps them reach a championship and they were dead set on keeping Fields in the minors, Then this was the right choice for the Sox. Still, if they felt Nomo was as valuable as a fielder with B power and a B arm, why didn't they sign him earlier as a free agent?

Said the White Sox: "we are very excited to get a pitcher with Nomo's experience. He will have the fourth best stamina on our staff, and although he is initially slated for AAA, he will absolutely compete for a starting spot."

Said the Hickories: "we are thrilled to get a player of Field's this caliber. A powerful hitter with a good arm who can man third and play the outfield is very valuable. We don't know why he was not more successful in Chicago, but after conducting a background check and conversing with the young man, we suspect that a change of scenery will do him good. We are sorry to see Nomo go – we suspect he would've been a good tutor for some of our young pictures, but we are confident that our pitching coaches can handle that, as well."

To make room for fields, OF Danny Zucco (FECDEE) was sent to AAA. It is presumed that Fields will be the Hickories main third baseman even though Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski has performed well, so far.

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Wed Aug 07, 2013 8:49 am

4/16/08: Hickories Cohen (98 GB t2SF – one, HSL – two, SCB – one, CCH – one) versus Red Sox Lester (93 EB SL – three, CB – four, CH – two): Final score: five – four, Hickories (on a walk off single by Josh Fields, after two players were thrown out at the plate earlier in the inning)

4/17/08: Hickories Madison (92 FB SCB – one, FOS – three, SK-2, 2SF – one) versus Red Sox Buchholz (94 FB 2SF – one, DCB – four, CH – two): a Manny Ramirez two run homerun in the first was matched by several Hickories singles, a double, and fielders choice, and the Hickories grabbed the lead two innings later when Vandelay drove a high fastball over the wall for a two run homerun. The Sox pulled to within a run in the top of the sixth, and tied it up on a David Ortiz triple in the 7th. The game remained tied at 4 entering the bottom of the 9th when another softly hit single from Josh Fields brought in the winning run. Final score: five – four, Hickories

Comments: this marks the first series won by the Hickories, and also their first series 3 game sweep

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Thu Aug 08, 2013 5:58 am

HICKORIES YANKEES SERIES SUMMARY

4/18/08: Hickories Buttermaker (88 FB HSL – two, SLV – three, FOS – two, SFB – three) v Yankees Wang (96 CA HSL – three, SP – three, CH – three, HSK – five): Vandelay hits 3 run homerun with two outs in the bottom of the eighth, giving the Hickories a one run lead, before the wheels fall off of the Hickories pitching. Final score: seven – five, Yankees

4/19/08: Hickories Kotter (92 GB 2SF – two, HSL – two, VSL – three, CCH – two) v Yankees Hughes (95 EB SL – two, CB – four, CH - two): solid pitching for the Yankees starter and great timely hitting, including two home runs, from the Yankees offense. Final score: eight – two, Yankees

4/20/08: Hickories McClain (90 FB HSL – two, DCB – one, SP – two, SK - two) v Yankees Pettitte (92 BA 2SF – two, CU – five, SL – three, CB – four, CH – four): the Hickories avoided a shout out, but were never in contention. Final score: four – one, Yankees

Injury report: Mays–Hayes (EDBDCE) was removed in the sixth inning, after injuring his shoulder while diving back into second base. Exams revealed a break in his collar bone and he is expected to be out for 32 days. Freeman McNeil (EEDDC), who can play all outfield positions, has taken his spot on the major league roster. This is clearly a big blow for the Hickories, as Hayes seems to have the makings of a dynamic leadoff hitter, was one of the few players hitting over 300, and is already an above average fielder in center.

BrewersFuzz · **Posted:** Thu Aug 08, 2013 9:16 am

Ouch, that hurts to lose Mays-Hayes.

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Fri Aug 09, 2013 8:59 am

When I saw the time frame, my jaw dropped! I never had a player put for more than 15 games before

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Tue Aug 13, 2013 10:28 pm

April game summaries

4/21/08: Hickories Cohen (98 GB 2SF – one, HSL – two, SCB – one, CCH – one) at Rangers Millwood (95 CB 2SF – two, CU – three, CB – three, CH – two): Cohen pitched well, but due to miscues in the first inning by the shortstop and the fourth inning by the second baseman, the Rangers took a three – zero lead into the fifth. Plant came up with a key base hit with two outs and the bases-loaded, and a homerun from Jack Cust with Plant and Vandelay on-base gave the Hickories a one run lead in the eighth that Buck Rogers extended with his own home run on the next pitch. Final score: seven – four, Hickories

4/22/2008: Hickories Madison (92 FB 2SF – one, SCB – one, FOS – three, SK – two) at Rangers Jennings (90 SL – three, CH – two, HSK – two): for the second game in a row, a three run bomb from Jack Cust keyed a come back, and this time a second homerun – this one a solo shot – gave the Hickories a lead that Josh Fields extended with his first home run of the season. The Rangers came back to tie it up in the bottom of the eighth, and Milton Bradley led off the bottom the 9th with a homerun to win the game. Final score: seven – six, Rangers

Comments:

4/23/2008: Hickories Fernandez (88 EB HSL – two, DCB – one, SP – two, HSH – two) at Rangers Padilla (96 DB HSL – two, CB – one, CH – two, HSK – two): "we expected Fernandez to have a tough time against that lineup since he was in purple condition, but we thought it important to send them out anyway so he could get used to pitching on that rotation, but we did not expect him to give up three runs before recording his first out of the game," said the Hickories pitching coach. "It is a shame that Fields' homerun in the following inning didn't spark our offense more, and then, two innings later after Cust homered, it was disappointing that after loading the bases with no out, we were only able to bring in one run. Fortunately, Cust homered the next time at-bat, but we can't count on multi-homer games, and you can't keep the Rangers off the scoreboard for long, so I was not surprised when Josh Hamilton doubled in the go-ahead run." Final score: 5-4, Rangers

4/24/08: Hickories Kotter (92 GB 2SF – two, HSL – two, DSL – three, CCH - 2) at Rangers Gabbard (89 EB CB – two, CH – three, SFB – two):

Interviewer: "so… You are expected to be an RBI man with this team, but how did it feel to work out a walk in your first at bat and actually make your way around to ultimately score the initial run of the day?"

Josh Fields: "it felt really nice. You know, I just want to contribute however I can. It felt great to get those walk off singles in the prior series, and if they need me to score runs instead of driving in, that's what I plan to do. Just don't expect me to score from 1st on anything short of a triple! I'm working on speed-training in practice, but I'm just not built for speed!"

Interviewer: "With Mayes-Hayes out for about a month, you've been moved from third to left. How's that?"

Josh Fields: "well, a lot of people think I play better leftfield third-base, so I'm not bothered by it. Vandelay leads our team in HRs, so I feel badly about bumping him, but it's nice to have [fellow 3b] The Dude in the lineup, too."

Interviewer: "So, what did you think when the Rangers scored the go-ahead run in the fourth off of a Blalock double?"

Fields: "they got a strong offense, so I didn't expect us to hold that one – zero lead, and I know you know they actually scored a few more runs after that double. but we got some hitters on our team too, and that two run homerun from Vandelay really brought us back into it, and a few batters later, I drove in the tying run."

"But the defense still couldn't contain the Rangers and they ended up going right back up again - was that frustrating?"

"Not really – everyone's playing hard out there. Our pitchers are just a little tired recently, and the other team just hit it where we weren't. There might a lapse here and there that we need to work on, as fielders, but even though we went down by two runs in the fifth, we came right back in the sixth to tie the game. And then I put us ahead in the seventh after Buck led off the inning with a double. Yeah, that Hamilton homerun tied it up for them, but when Cust hit that two run dinger in the eighth, we finally went up by two runs and I felt pretty confident."

Final score: 10 – 8, Hickories

Comments: Each team used four pitchers, with only the last pitcher on each team not giving up an earned run. Neither team hit a ball that was fielded by a catcher.

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Sat Sep 07, 2013 11:39 pm

Hey, folks - sorry for the long delay in posts. Had a super-busy period of weeks and a week out of town that stopped me for playing for more than once per week, let alone having time to post!

APRIL SERIES SUMMARIES

4/25/2008: Hickories McClain (90 EB HSL – two, DCB – one, SP – two, SK - two) at Ray's Nieman (88 GC SL – one, CH – two): this may have been the first game in which the Hickories were actually favored, largely based on the pitching matchup and the Hickories recent success at the plate. The oddsmakers were rewarded early on, as the Hickories scored in the first when Plant singled, stole second, and scored on a Cool single, and then after Cool was picked off first, Vandelay hit his seventh homerun of the season. The Rays tied the game on a BJ Upton double in the bottom of the third, and a Dioner Navarro RBI double in the fourth put the Rays up. The Hickories wasted a good opportunity to score in the sixth, putting runners at first and second with one out, but stranding them. The Hickories did tie the game in the following inning when Freeman McNeil, filling in for the Hickories starting centerfielder, led off with a single, stole second, and scored on a single from Plant where McNeill knocked down the Rays catcher, but Carl Crawford scored the go-ahead run after stealing second in the bottom of the seventh, and that would stand as the final score. Final score: four – three, Rays

4/26/2008: Hickories Cohen (98 GB 2SF – one, HSL – two, SCB – one, CCH – one) at Ray's Kazmir (94 CA 2SF – one, SL – three, CH – two): the Hickories, again, jumped out to a two run lead, this time on a Vandelay homerun with Plant on second. A solo homerun from Josh Fields in the fourth extended the Hickories' lead, and consecutive singles from the eight – one hitters in the seventh extended the Hickories' lead to four. A homerun from BJ Upton the seventh put the Rays on the board, but just hit a solo homerun of his own in the following inning. Pena hit a two run homerun for the Rays in the bottom of the eighth, and put a runner at third before Montoya entered the game and closed out the 8th and ninth. Final score: five – three, Hickories

4/27/2008: Hickories Madison (92 FB 2SF – one, SCB – one, FOS – three, SK - two) at Rays Garza (96 DB SL – three, CB – two, CH – two): Shuler wasted an excellent starting performance from Madison (6 IP, 6H, 5K, 0R), allowing the Rays to tie the game in the seventh. The Hickories recovered, with the help of a 4 out save by Montoya, but Shuler has been sent down to the minors. Final score: six – four, Hickories

Awards: it took four weeks into the season for the Hickories to receive their first awards, but they received two. DH Jack Cust and second baseman Robert Plant were named AL players of the week ending 4/27. Cust hit 433 with 8 homeruns and 14 RBIs over that span while Plant batted 486 with 7 RBIs.

Power Pros 27 · **Posted:** Sat Sep 07, 2013 11:51 pm

Yay, they're back!

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Tue Sep 10, 2013 3:41 pm

APRIL SERIES SUMMARIES

4/28/08: Hickories Fernandez (88 EB HSL – two, DCB – one, SP – two, HSH – two) versus rangers Millwood (95 CB 2SF – two, CU – three, CB – three, CH – two): In a game with six lead changes, the Hickories stranded a runner who reached third-base with no out in the seventh and the Rangers used the big inning to put the game away, scoring three or more runs in three innings. Final score: 10 – 7 (10) Rangers

4/29/08: Hickories Fernandez (88 EB HSL – two, DCB – one, SP – two, H SH – two) versus the Rangers Padilla (96 DB HSL – two, CB – one, CH – two, HSK – two): In an unusual move, Fernandez, who started yesterday's game but left early, starts again today as he is still in red condition and the scheduled starter was in blue condition. The Rangers broke the ice with a Milton Bradley RBI single in a pitchers duel that did not allow a run until the fourth inning. Michael Young hit his own RBI single as Fernandez tired in the fifth, and added another run that same inning. The Hickories did not score until the bottom of the sixth on RBI singles from Rogers and Fields, after cCool and Vandelay led off the inning with singles. The Hickories stranded runners at second in one inning and at third in another, and did score again. Final score: three – two, Rangers

4/30/08: Hickories McClain (90 EB HSL – two, DCB – one, ST – two, SK-2) versus rangers Gabbard (89 EB CB – two, CH – three, SFB – two): when the Rangers led off with three consecutive singles, the Hickories seemed fortunate to escape the top the first down one – zero. Broussard tripled in the second to bring in another Rangers run, and Michael Young brought in a 3rd Rangers run which wound up being very important when Josh Fields hit a two run homerun in the bottom of the second. Backup shortstop Edgardo Alfonzo singled home the tying run in the bottom of the fifth, but the Hickories stranded runners in scoring position. The score remained tied until the bottom of the 9th, when backup outfielder Geordie Laforge singled home the winning run. Final score: four – three, Hickories

Power Pros 27 · **Posted:** Tue Sep 10, 2013 6:13 pm

ERISA Dude wrote:

The Rangers broke the ice

I hope that was intentional!

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