Season Log: Iowa City Country

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Sun Mar 03, 2013 5:40 pm

WEEK 2 SUMMARIES (cont'd)

After yesterday's game, it was announced that Green has some shoulder pain and will likely need three days rest. SP James (93 CB SL-3, CH-3) was called up to the major league roster.

4 – 15 – 2010: The Country's first loss of the season, six – three, to the Indians

4-16-10: Country James (95 CB SL – three, CH – three) at Twins Moyer (85 FB 2SF – two, CU – one, CB – 1, CCH – two). The Twins are expected to rely on the middle of their lineup more than any team in baseball, as only their three – six hitters have power levels over D, and their first, second, eighth, and ninth hitters have power levels of F.

giving the Country a 4 – 0 lead that would wind up being the final score as James pitched a complete game four hit shutout

4 – 17 – 10: Country Rijo (97 DB SL – four, CB – three, FO – three) versus Twins Bonser (94 CB SL – three, CB – two, CH – three). Against a Twins righty, and with Spilborghs being sent down to the minors to recover from being in purple condition, the Country are using a lineup in which the only right-handed batter is Josh Fields at third-base.

This four – zero score would turn out to be the final score of the game

4-18-10: The Twins used timely hitting to jump out to a four – one lead after three innings against Country ace Tim Lincecum. The Country chipped away with a run in the forth and sixth, but squandered a golden opportunity in the seventh when their 8th and 9th batters singled to lead off the inning, but the Country's next three batters each ground out to the infielders. In the ninth, the Twins brought in starting pitcher Liriano to close out the game and Brandon Harris came through in the pitch - a pinch-hit RBI to tie the game at 4 all.[/color] In the bottom half, Delmon Young led off with a single, but then made the ill-advised decision to try for third when Everett singled to center field and he was thrown out at 3rd, resulting in a runner at 1st with 1 out instead of runners at 1st and 2nd with no out. The Twins did not threaten again in that inning.

Final score: six – four (10) Country

Weekly MVP: for the week ending 4 – 18 – 10, Jack Cust was one of the players named league MVP. During this time, he batted 379 with 7 home runs and 11 RBIs

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Mon Mar 04, 2013 6:58 pm

Pitching Coach: Coach, we gotta talk about the 5 man rotation.
Coach: Yeah - it's not working, I know.

PC: Not only are our starters not ready, but they're spending all their free time resting, and there're not enough spots for the position players who need rest.
Coach: How do you plan to handle relief?
PC: Brown has already been shifted to more of a 6th-7th inning pitcher instead of a pure setup man, so I think between Stratton and Jiang, we should have the 5th and 6th innings covered.

Coach: 6th starter?
PC: I want Pettyjohn
Coach: I want Pettyjohn to develop more in the minors.
PC: his level 3 2SF and palmball are really effective - he can easily win 10 this season.
Coach: Yes, but I'd like his slider to develop more, and that will happen more quickly with less time resting. How about Borgeois (91 DB SL-2, CU-4, CB-4, VSL-2) or James (95 CB SL-3, CB-3)?
PC: They're both good pitchers, but Pettyjohn (96 DB 2SF-3, SL-1, CB-1, PA-3) is special

Coach: OK. Let Pettyjohn stay in the minors until his slider gets to a 2, and then we'll bring him up. As for whether he stays up or not - that will depend on how quickly he continues to improve.

ZeroGibson13 · **Posted:** Mon Mar 04, 2013 7:51 pm

I think Bourgeois looks really good,

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Mon Mar 04, 2013 11:11 pm

I think my pitching staff as a whole is real good. Borgeois is the odd man out, but he looks like a solid 4th or 5th starter for most teams

philliesfan134 · **Posted:** Mon Mar 04, 2013 11:28 pm

ERISA Dude wrote:

I think my pitching staff as a whole is real good. Borgeois is the odd man out, but he looks like a solid 4th or 5th starter for most teams

I wonder whether you can trade from that glut of pitching and bring in another young player.

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Tue Mar 05, 2013 9:54 am

Interesting thought. Last season I traded for a young SS. this year I'll look for a young OF, maybe. I plan to post about my pitchers, and then a post about my nonstarting position players, and then maybe we can discuss potential trades.

I do have an out-standing trade offer that I think will go through, and that might change things

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Tue Mar 05, 2013 10:16 am

Country pitching staff

Major league starters

In the mix for 6th starter/spot-starter

Pettyjohn (96 DB 2SF-3, SL-1, CB-1, PA-3):

Borgeois (91 DB SL-2, CU-4, CB-4, VSL-2):

Chuck James (95 CB SL-3, CB-3) 2 years fr FA:

LR

Stratton (87 DC* SL-3, CB-4, FO-3, SHU-3):

Middle Relief

Jiang (93 DC CU-4, SC-3, FO-4):

Andrew "Fireman" Brown (96 DE SL-4, CB-3, CH-5):

In the mix for middle relief

Shawn Green (94 CE SL-3, SP-4, SK-4):

Oliver (91 DC CU-3, SLV-3, CB-3, VSL-3):

Setup man

Broxton (98 BE HSL-3, SP-3, CH-2, SIFB-3):

Closer

Harden (97 EC SL-3, SP-5, CH-5):

Minors

Buchanan (91 DC SL-3, CU-3, CB-3, FO-3):

Uchiyama (96 DC SL-3, CH-3, SHU-1):

AgentP · **Posted:** Tue Mar 05, 2013 10:41 am

Do you really need more outfielders? You already have Erdos, Kemp, Spilborghs, Timpner, and Sweeney.

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Tue Mar 05, 2013 11:44 am

I don't need more OF, but I don't plan on being able to draft future fielders worth developing. Even if I don't win the World Series, I expect to pick near last in the draft for the next few seasons, so I'll need to trade for "developable" talent

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Tue Mar 05, 2013 5:26 pm

Bench and minor league position Players

On the major league roster:

JR Towles (FECBCC – C, 3B, SS, 2B)

Shawn Riggins (DFEACC – C, 3B, SS, 2B)

Joe Thurston (DEBDCD – LF, CF, RF, 2B)

Brendan Harris (BBECCE – 3B, SS, 2B, 1B)

Minor league roster

Merrill (DCEDEE – 1B, 3B)

Schrager (DCEDEC – 3B, 2B, 1B)

Junge (CDCECD – 2B, C)

Borland (CEEECE – 2-D)

Devore (FDCDCE – SS, 2B)

Ryan Sweeney (CECEFG – LS, CF, RF)

Hodge (EEDEED – LF)

Stanley (DDDFEE – LF, CF, RF)

Clay Timpner (DDB EDE – LF, CF, RS)

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Wed Mar 06, 2013 1:48 pm

4 – 28 – 2010: The Iowa City Country and the Kansas City Royals announced an intra-division trade

The Country send middle reliever Shawn Green (94 CE SL-3, SP-4, SK-4) and minor league outfielder Hodge (EEDEED – LF) to the Royals in exchange for minor league outfielder Zapp (EEEDDE) and center fielder Josh Hamilton (DBEDDF). Minor leaguer Zapp was initially with the Country, but they traded him away a month into his major league career for Kansas City second baseman and shortstop Angel Sanchez.

Said the Country: we are really happy to get both of these outfielders – Josh Hamilton is a powerful hitter who is still earning about the league minimum on his initial contract so we are glad to add him to our mix, and we are glad to have Zapp back. We're looking forward to having Zapp use our training equipment to improve his power and see how he develops – we like the fact that his fielding and arm are already decent by major-league standards.

When asked about using Kansas City as their trading partner, the Country said "we normally would be hesitant to trade with our division rivals, but when we had the last few series and we saw that Josh Hamilton was not starting – that they were starting Joey Gathright (DFBFDC) instead, we had to make the offer.

Analysts agree that if Josh Hamilton did not fit in the Royals starting lineup, it was good for them to make a move, though most wonder why he was not there starting center fielder. Green will immediately step in and be one of the Royals better short relievers. Peralta was sent to the minors to make room for Green.

An official with the Country who asked to remain anonymous said that the Country feel like they got a steal by trading Shawn Green, who was stuck in their minor league system, for a player the caliber of Josh Hamilton. They said that when the Country made their offer to the Royals, they offered starter Chuck James. The Royals only have three pitchers on there major league roster with a stamina of A or B (starting pitcher Great Jiminez - DB – is in there minor-league system), but when the Royals rated that trade as only one star, but a swap of Hamilton for Green was four stars, the Country were eager to pull the trigger. That they were able to swap Zapp for Hodge was a bonus.

That same anonymous official from the Country commented that he was not sure if Hamilton was obtained to add to the Country's outfield depth or if the Country feel that he will be a good trading piece as the 2010 deadline approaches.

ZeroGibson13 · **Posted:** Wed Mar 06, 2013 2:34 pm

Wow! You got Hamilton!

philliesfan134 · **Posted:** Wed Mar 06, 2013 4:16 pm

Wow, awesome trade. Classic robbery, hehe. I'm intrigued to see how Hamilton fits in.

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Wed Mar 06, 2013 5:27 pm

Yeah - it was weird how it worked out. Can't believe the Royals were not starting him!

As an aside, I'm really glad to exchange Zapp for Hodge. He's already at a 3 trajectory. I'm anxious to see how quickly he gets to D power. Hodge was not improving quickly at all.

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Thu Mar 07, 2013 7:05 am

QUESTION, PLEASE!!!

When someone has 1 year left on their contract, that means it expires after the current year, right? I'm pretty sure that's how it works, but every so often, I come across someone with 0 years left.

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Season Log: Iowa City Country

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