Season Log: Iowa City Country

ZeroGibson13 · **Posted:** Fri Sep 28, 2012 9:57 am

Uh oh, we're losing it!

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Fri Sep 28, 2012 10:24 am

Don't say that! You'll jinx us!!! Get your rally caps on, everyone!

AnthonyP · **Posted:** Fri Sep 28, 2012 10:58 am

Rally cap, on!!!

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Sat Sep 29, 2012 10:17 am

2008 World Series Game Five: Iowa City Country (two) versus Milwaukee Brewers (two)

Country Jimenez (98 EB CB – two, CH – four) versus Brewers Gallardo (93 CB HDSL – four, CU – four, CB – three)

Inning one: Jimenez pitched a very solid first inning, striking out Braun after inducing two groundouts too short. The Country, meanwhile, got off to a good start as Milledge laid off of several borderline hard sliders and cut fastballs until the account went to three – one, and then he waited patiently and lofted a curveball over the infield into shallow centerfield for single. Milledge stole second and then scored when Johnson hit a two-out single to right field. Cust was jammed on an 0-2 pitch but muscled the ball up the middle for a single and then Josh Fields, after looking woefully overmatched on the first two pitches, hit a mistake pitch to deep left-center that scored both runners. Harris followed with a single that was deep enough to allow the slow footed Fields to score from second. End of one, Country lead four – zero

Inning two: Mike Cameron, having an amazing series, hit a one-out triple to right center field, but strikeouts of Corey Hart and Gabe Kapler ended the threat. The Country also threatened without scoring when Thurston lead off with a double, but Milledge, ground out and Spilborghs hit into a double play.

Inning three: the Brewers scored in the top of third when Joe Thurston booted a grounder to second. That batter reached third on a Hardy single and then scored when Braun drilled the ball past third baseman Josh Fields. Three consecutive lightly hit singles up the middle by Prince Fielder, Mike Cameron, and Corey Hart tied the game.

Jack Cust homered to deep center field with two out, sending the game into the fourth inning with the Country leading five – four

Innings four – six: the Country threatened in the bottom of the fourth when Milledge singled with two outs and stole second but Spilborghs reached for a fastball that was clearly off the plate and ground out meekly the second. The score remained Country five, Brewers four heading into the sixth inning when Shouse took the mound for the Brewers. Shouse quickly retired Fields and Harris, but singles from Huisman and Thurston put runners at first and third with two out for Lastings Milledge. Milledge, who has been poor lately with runners in scoring position, singled to leftfield, bringing home a run. Then Spilborghs, who has been even worse with runners in scoring position, popped out to second on a two – two sinker. End of six, Country lead six – four

Inning seven: after striking out the first batter and then giving up a single, Jimenez was pulled, having allowed four runs over 6 – 1/3 innings with seven strikeouts. Shawn Green was inserted on the mound. Green struck out Braun on a 4th pitch sinker, and then induced Fielder to ground the ball right back to Green who through the first to close out the top of the 7th.

In the bottom of the seventh, with two out, Cust used a golf swing to take a low two seam fastball and bounce it off the centerfield fence for a double. The Brewers left Shouse in, although he was visibly tired, and Fields drove home Cust with a shallow single to left field. Harris then calmly let two balls go by before hitting a hanging sinker over the left-field fence for his fourth homerun of the postseason. Shouse was replaced and the Country got two more base hits before Milledge ended the inning by lining out to short. End of seven, Country lead nine – four

Inning eight: Green continued on the mound, having only thrown six pitches in the prior inning. He started off facing Mike Cameron. The Country finally put their outfielders in their deep positioning and it paid off as Cameron's drive to deep center field was corralled by Milledge. The Brewers did score when Corey Hart doubled over Milledge's head and then scored on a single from Bill Hall. When Green gave up a two-out single to Kendall, putting runners at first and second, he was pulled in favor of Andrew "fireman" Brown, who closed out the inning when Weeks flied out to shallow center. When the Country were retired in order, the game entered the ninth inning with the Country enjoying a nine – five lead

Inning nine: Fireman Brown, who used 2 pitches to close out the eighth, started off the ninth-inning against Craig Counsel, who came in as a pinch runner and then played shortstop. Council had a great at-bat, working the count to 2-2 before lining an inside changeup down the right-field line for a leadoff double. A strikeout of Braun and then Fielder's fly out to left brought up Mike Cameron, who singled home Counsel. Hart then hit a chopper to third that went for an infield hit before a Kapler singled up the middle, closing the gap to 9 – 7 with the winning run at the plate in Bill Hall.

Finally, the Country went to their closer Joba Chamberlain. Chamberlain induced an easy comebacker from Hall, but the speedy Hall beat it out for infield hit, leaving the bases loaded for Jason Kendall. Kendall grounded a first pitch fastball to Brenda Harris at short, who threw to first for the final out of the game.

With this nine – seven win, the Country took command of the series, three games to two games.

Comments: this was another hard fought game and the stats show the Country overcoming a big hole in their lineup, as their two, three, and four hitters (Spilborghs, Erdos, and Johnson) went a combined 1/15 with one RBI and one run scored. Milledge had another solid game, going 3/5 with an RBI, a run scored, and two stolen bases. Josh Fields and Brendan Harris were the offensive players of the game, going a combined 5/9 with a double, a homerun, six RBIs and three runs scored.

In the last 3 games, the Country's 1-2 punch of Milledge and Spilborghs, so effective at driving home runners on base and setting the table for the 3-5 hitters, has seemed out of synch. Neither has hit well with RISP and it seems that they have not had back-to-back base hits in any of the last 3 games, even though they are both hitting around 400 for the series.

We are told that in spite of their day off tomorrow, the Country will be flying into Milwaukee tonight so they can rest and have a shortened work out in Milwaukee on their off day before playing game six the following day.

ZeroGibson13 · **Posted:** Sat Sep 29, 2012 12:43 pm

Yes, Country! One more!!!

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Mon Oct 01, 2012 6:39 am

AnthonyP wrote:

I'd like multiple years on my contracts with the salary they want multiplied by the number of years. I'd prefer 3 years, but if they decline on the first try, just go for 1 year deals for the amount they want.

I'm a bit behind on my posts, but should be able to catch up towards the end of this week. The World Series is done (you'll need to wait for the posts to find out how it ended!), I've completed contract negotiations, and will probably go through free agency before my next post.

I finished negotiations and I may have "messed up." I had always thought that if you signed a player to $900000 for 3 years, that meant they got $900000 for each of those 3, but the way your post is written (salary x number of years), it seems that a $900000 salary for 3 years means $300000 per year. I went ahead on that basis and the signings seemed "too easy," making me question this.

So...I guess my question is, when you note a player's salary, is it annual salary or total salary over the term of the contract?

Thanks

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Mon Oct 01, 2012 6:51 am

Another question: I find that a level 3 SIFB is very effective - like a reverse cutter, but it takes so long to get there! For the few players I would want to learn the SIFB during spring training, I'm thinking of trying a shu. Any of you ever tried it? Is it more like a reverse slider than a reverse cutter?

MrLiamcar · **Posted:** Mon Oct 01, 2012 6:52 am

Yes very much slider

AnthonyP · **Posted:** Mon Oct 01, 2012 9:44 am

ERISA, I mean total for those years.

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Wed Oct 03, 2012 5:41 pm

2008 World Series: Iowa City Country at Milwaukee Brewers, Game 6

Country Depablos

Brewers Bush

"Thank you for being so patient, ladies and gentlemen. Most of the players finished their post-game shower, and we'll usher them out to respond to a few questions soon...it looks like Lastings is here. He'll take a few questions now."

"Thank you, Lastings. Now here is Jack Cust."

"Ladies and gentlemen, our starting pitcher, Depablos is ready to take questions."

THE IOWA CITY COUNTRY ARE THE 2008 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS!

Comments: this was game was won with timely hitting and great pitching. Three homeruns , one by Johnson and two by Cust, brought in four runs, and Spilborghs, Fields, and Thurston each also drove in a run. More importantly, the Country's pitching trio of Depablos, Deardorff, and Brown limited a dangerous Brewers lineup to one run on 12 hits with four strikeouts.

philliesfan134 · **Posted:** Wed Oct 03, 2012 5:49 pm

Congratulations on a great season by the Country! Looking forward to seeing how it goes in the offseason.

dishnet34 · **Posted:** Wed Oct 03, 2012 6:13 pm

Nice job, man! Good going!

ZeroGibson13 · **Posted:** Wed Oct 03, 2012 6:13 pm

Congrats on winning the World Series in your inaugural season Country! I expect many more World Series wins.

AnthonyP · **Posted:** Wed Oct 03, 2012 6:23 pm

My guys hit da homers! Booyah!

I mean, well done, Country!

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Wed Oct 03, 2012 6:24 pm

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

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Season Log: Iowa City Country

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