Power Pros Forum

March 1st, 2012

Everyone reported to Spring Training today.

I didn't get an invite to the majors team, but I still got to practice with my teammates. I met a bunch of new guys, and found out Ray Guzman hadn't been resigned. That was pretty upsetting to me, as he had been my best friend in the organization. I later discovered that he was playing third for the Round Rock Express, AAA affiliate of the Texas Rangers. Good for him, I thought.

I met a guy named Mike Trout, whom I remembered we had acquired in a trade last season. He'd struggled in his rookie year, gathering just 29 hits in 156 at-bats, but he's only 20 and is more of a defensive player anyway.

I've finally settled into my new apartment in Iowa, but I really can't wait for that first paycheck to come in on the 22nd. $80,000 was going to allow for a much more comfortable lifestyle, not to mention more relaxed, but I can't start that until I actually make it.

April 7th, 2012

Spring Training has wrapped up and the MLB season is underway. Our Opening Day is a little less than a week from now, against the Oklahoma City RedHawks, which, oddly enough, was the first team I faced in AAA. Spring Training went well, even without my buddy Ray, and I'm excited for the new season to start.

I was surprised to learn the Jae-Kuk Seo had been demoted to AA and that I would instead be playing behind Austin Kearns, a 31-year old with 8 years of MLB experience under his belt. He's a pretty big guy, at 6'3" and probably about 240 pounds, and I felt honored to be playing behind someone with over 800 big-league hits.

The Cubs are 1-1 so far, but the team hasn't really improved all that much over last year's, so no one's really expecting much out of them.

I can't wait until our game next Thursday. This might just be my year. I'm not on the 40-man roster yet, but this is baseball; Cubs baseball at that.

Anything can happen.

Week of April 8th, 2012

I'm batting 1.000 so far.

I only got to hit once, and it was on Opening Day on the 12th. We were down 5-1 in the 7th when I was called upon to pinch-hit leading off the inning. A lefty was on the mound, but I took the first fastball he threw me into left-center field. As I approached second, I looked left to see our third base coach signalling me to stop. I looked back out into the outfield, saw where the ball was, and went anyway.

I slid into third headfirst, and the throw was too late; I had led off the inning and my season with a triple. We ended up tying the game that inning, but we lost 6-5. I was pretty proud of myself, even if it was only one hit.

Maybe it's a sign of things to come?

Season Stats
1-1, 1.000, 0 HR, 0 2B, 1 3B, 0 RBI, 1 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 1.000 OBP, 3.000 SLG

PRetty good start to the season, if I do say so myself.

Yeah, but he didn't play much. I was expecting him to at least pinch hit on Friday or Saturday. Oh well.

YEah, it really was pretty good.

Hey man...

Shuddup.

Sorry, I had to.

HARPER BETTER GET PROMOTED SOON OR ELSE I LOSE ALL FAITH IN HUMANITY

Are you in AAA right now?

Yessir.

Okay, that's what I thought.

I think that if you keep that batting average the same all season, you'll get promoted.

Harper for Prez

Well no der.

Week of April 15th, 2012

I got my first start of the year on Sunday in left field. Each of my first two plate appearances were walks, but after that I grounded out twice in a row, and we lost 2-1.

I sat our next three games, but was put in left field again for Thursday's match-up against the Round Rock Express. Batting seventh, I came up in the first inning with runners at the corners and two outs. Two runs had already scored in the inning, and I hit in the third with a grounder to second that got booted. In my second at-bat, I hit a weak chopper that got scored as a sacrifice, as it moved the runner over to second. My third time up, I fell into a 2-strike count but fought off a 2-2 slider for a single. I struck out in my fourth at-bat, but walked my fifth time up. We were up 8-2 heading into the final inning, but things ended up a little closer than anticipated. We managed to hold them off though, as we won 8 to 6.

I got another start on Saturday in right field, but I went 0 for 5 despite a few hard hit line drives.

Week's Stats
1-11, .091, 0 HR, 0 2B, 1 3B, 1 RBI, 2 R, 3 BB, 2 K

Season Stats
2-12, .167, 0 HR, 0 2B, 1 3B, 1 RBI, 2 R, 3 BB, 2 K, .333 OBP, .333 SLG

Standings
1(t). Iowa Cubs - 5-5
1(t). Memphis Redbirds - 5-5
3. Omaha Storm Chasers - 4-6
4. Nashville Sounds - 3-7

Well, so much for that good start