Season Log: Iowa City Country

ZeroGibson13 · **Posted:** Sun Feb 24, 2013 12:22 pm

Nice job with 2 consecutive! Time for a threepeat.

120 homers for Cust!?

BrewersFuzz · **Posted:** Sun Feb 24, 2013 12:36 pm

THAT POST WAS NOT THAT IMPORTANT

ZeroGibson13 · **Posted:** Sun Feb 24, 2013 12:53 pm

I'm sorry, my iPad spazzed out.

dishnet34 · **Posted:** Sun Feb 24, 2013 1:23 pm

I'll fix it for you.

ZeroGibson13 · **Posted:** Sun Feb 24, 2013 3:33 pm

Thanks Dish

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Sun Feb 24, 2013 4:36 pm

ZeroGibson13 wrote:

120 homers for Cust!?

With a month to go in the season, I changed to harder settings. Hard to tell but I don't expect to hit more than 45/50 with the current settings

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Sun Feb 24, 2013 4:50 pm

Contract negotiations

The Country completed their contract negotiations, but not without some contention.

In particular, Lastings Milledge, who played under a $1 million contract last season, asked for a new one-year contract that would pay him almost $6.5 million. The Country counter offered with 1.5 million over five years, 1.2 million over three years, and then 1.1 million for one year. Millage rejected those offers and will test the open market.

Shawn Green, who pitched well in middle relief although he failed to make the postseason roster, requested a salary increase from $800,000 to 1 million, but accepted a one year reduced salary of $700,000.

Broxton, obtained last year towards the end of the trading deadline, sought a significant jump from $400,000 to $1.32 million annually; the two sides agreed on a three-year contract paying $800,000 annually

Last years first round pick, Pettyjohn, sought a salary increase from $390,000-$800,000, but agreed to a three-year contract paying $600,000 annually

Matt Kemp requested an increase from $400,000-$510,000, and both sides ultimately agreed to a three-year contract paying $600,000 dollars annually.

Ryan Spilborghs requested a salary increase from $730,000-$1 million, and that is what he ultimately received, although he rejected multi year offers that would've paid him $850,000 per season and $1 million per season

Towles was seeking a modest one year contract that would pay him $410,000 per year, and he and the Country ultimately agreed on a two-year contract paying $450,000

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Mon Feb 25, 2013 9:27 pm

Spring-training developments

At the start of the free agency period, the Country signed RP Rich Harden $4.01 million/3yrs (97 EC SL-1, Ch-5, SP-5), formerly of the A's. Harden was asking for a 1 year contract paying about $8 million/year.

Supporters note that Harden is a true closer who can regularly pitch 2 innings to close out the game.

Critics wonder how the Country will satisfy Harden, Chamberlain (last season's save leader), and Broxton, who has been working hard this spring, has improved his SIFB, Splitter, and HSL to level 3, and has made it known that he views himself as a closer.

NOTABLE: as of the close of the exclusive free agency signing period preceding spring training, Lastings Milledge remains unsigned.

philliesfan134 · **Posted:** Mon Feb 25, 2013 9:58 pm

Hmm, maybe you should have met halfway with Milledge. Opens up a spot I guess.

I like the addition of Harden, bolstering the already pretty good bullpen.

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Tue Feb 26, 2013 8:46 am

$3 mill/year? In retrospect, that may have been a good idea.

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Tue Feb 26, 2013 3:01 pm

Spring-training Trades

Red Sox - Rockies

catcher Torrealba (ECCCDD)

first baseman Youkilis (DBEDDC)

Country - Giants

RP Chamberlain (100 DE SL-5, SCB-5, CH-4), Jimenez (99 DB CB-2, CH-4), and Murray (92 DC SL-3, KNC-4, FO-2)

P Lincecum (99 DA 2SF-2, SL-4, DCB-4, CH-4)

Said the Country, "We had concerns about Jimenez' durability, although he certainly was dominant when he pitched. The opportunity to get a top line young starter like Lincecum was a great opportunity, and although we needed to include a top flight starter and a top closer, we had the personnel to absorb that hit. Murray is a middle relief pitcher who is progressing nicely, but we do not see him pushing Jiang, Green, or Brown, and yet, his addition brought this trade from something the Giants would consider (low 3 stars) to an easy call for them (4 stars)."

Said the Giants, "We hate to see Lincecum go, but the opportunity to trade a dominant young starter for another dominant young starter and a top-flight closer could not be ignored, and when they threw in a solid middle reliever, we needed to pull the trigger."

Analysts are split, although all think the Giants got a good deal. As for the Country, proponents say that Lincecum is leaps and bounds over the rest of the Country's staff, making him an "instant stopper," and believe that with Harden now having the closer's role all to himself, it will alleviate potential turmoil among the staff. Critics question how much better Lincecum will do for the Country over 14 game winner Jimenez, and think jettisoning the 2009 saves leader without making Harden earn his spot is a mistake. All agree that the Giants will appreciate minor league reliever Murry more than the Country will miss him.

philliesfan134 · **Posted:** Tue Feb 26, 2013 7:54 pm

The first one is another weird MLBPP trade, lol. BoSox trading for a player at a position where's there's already a glut there. Then the Rockies trading from a department that isn't good afterwards while they have a good 1B. What's going on there..

Now the second one, imagine that happening in 2008, MLB 2K8 especially comes to mind. I like it, now that you have an even better bullpen you can acquire another good young SP. Young star for young star, it works out for both teams - that's the kind of trades I like. Murray, eh, he might be decent, but I doubt he'd fit in with all the pitchers you have - not a bad throw in for the Giants to have.

I'm interested to see how it works for both sides down the road.

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Tue Feb 26, 2013 8:21 pm

Right. I could've gotten a lot more for Murray last year, but I wanted to see him develop. When I got his knuckle curve up to lvl 4 and still couldn't strike anyone out, I knew he was not in my long-term plans.

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Tue Feb 26, 2013 10:01 pm

Spring-training developments

Huisman (CDCCCD) seems to have the inside track forced to start the season at short over Brendan Harris (BBECCE) – word has it that the Country believe they have enough offense and value Huisman's slightly better range. Hurting Harris's chances is the fact that he has been in blue condition all spring.

Speaking of SS, Country management has been impressed with minor league prospect Devore, obtained from the Honeybees last July 3, along with SP Rijos. Devore upped his power from E to D (FDDDCE-gold glove), has learned to play 2b, and has been solid in the field and at the plate this spring.

JR Towles (FDCBCC) learned 3b and Riggins (DFEACC) learned SS, making both super-utility players able to play every infield spot except 1b and pitcher.

SP Homer Bailey (94 DB 2SF-3, DCB-4) learned to throw a hard slider.
RP Uchiyama (96 DC SL-2, CH-3), last years #2 draft pick, viewed as a future closer, learned to throw a shuuto

SP Depablos has his vertical slider up to a level 3, as is SP Grindell's hard sinker, LR Stratton's shuuto, and RP Brown's curve. SP Rijos' slider is up to a level 4 and SP Pettyjohn's 2SF is on the verge of becoming a level 3 pitch.

Last year, it was thought that Grindell and Depablos would battle for #1 starter, but Grindell's poor conditioning did not allow him to put up much of a fight. This year, while Lincecum is the clear #1, Depablos (94 DB SL-4, CB-4, VSL-3), Rijos (97 DB SL-4, CB-3, FO-3), and Grindell (94 DB cu-4, CB-3, pa-3, HSK-3) seem ready to battle for the #2 stopper, while Bailey (94 DB 2SF-3, HSL-2, DCB-4) is looking to repeat as one of the most dominant 5th starters in baseball.

Erdos, Thurston, Timpner and one of the minor league OF can now play all OF positions. Timpner (DEB) has looked solid at the plate and on the basepaths.

On the last day of spring training, Lastings Milledge was signed by the Baltimore Orioles for $6.49 million.

ZeroGibson13 · **Posted:** Wed Feb 27, 2013 1:08 am

TimLince!?

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Season Log: Iowa City Country

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