Season Log: Iowa City Country

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Wed Mar 13, 2013 8:42 am

I would need to throw in a 3rd player, but that still might make sense by easing my glut of outfielders.

In playing around a little more, it seems that while Harris for Pence is given a low 3, Hamilton for Pence is 1 star and Thurston for Pence is 2, so Harris & Hamilton may work, as might Thurston, Hamilton, and another player.

The Astros seem to value Broxton a lot. I don't want to give him up - I left his change at level 2, but his splitter is up to a 4 and his HSL & SIFB are at 3. Still, I've got Harden and Brown, and Jiang (94 DC CU-4, FO-4, Screwball-3) has pitched well enough to warrant late inning work, plus Uchiyama (96 DC SL-3, CH-3, SHU-1) in the minors might be ready to handle the 7th inning - he'll definitely be ready next season. Still, Broxton's fastball is really explosive...

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Wed Mar 13, 2013 7:35 pm

On 5 – 19 – 2010, the Country and Astros announced a blockbuster trade.

star right fielder Hunter Pence (CBDCBC)

power hitting utilityman Brendan Harris,
recently acquired centerfielder Josh Hamilton, and
effective spot starter Bourgeois

Pence will be a restricted free agent after this year and then has two more years until full free-agent status. He is currently under contract paying $400,000 this season. Expectations are that Pence will start in right field, with Matt Kemp playing left, Ryan Spillborghs manning center, and Erdos being the fourth outfielder, unless Erdos platoons against right-handed batters, as he is the only left-handed hitter of the group

Josh Hamilton had two years left on his current contract paying $400,000. Brendan Harris was under contract for this year, earning $580,000, but would not be an unrestricted free agent until after next season, and Bourgeois had three years left until free agency, but will be a restricted free agent after the current season, in which he is earning $590,000 annually.

Analysts are impressed that the Country were able to swing a trade to actually improve an outfield that boasted Erdos, Ryan Spillborghs, Matt Kemp, Josh Hamilton, and Jack Cust. They say that while the Country are likely to miss Harris, who was an invaluable utility player last season and actually started at shortstop for most of the World Series, and will likely miss Boirgeois, who was a very successful starter, they have the personnel to absorb that loss, especially with the recent maturation of pitcher Pettyjohn, and Chuck James's continuing success in the spot starting roles, but the Country may need to juggle their roster, as Harris was the only player other than Johnson with experience at 1b.

Analysts commend the Astros for parlaying an all star into three potentially very valuable players. Hamilton was initially designated for assignment, but should ultimately man centerfield, and while Harris can continue to serve as a utility player, it appears likely that he will displace Geoff Blum at third (FDECBD), forming an infield in which all the starters have B power levels – Miguel Tejada at short, Ty Wigginton at first, Brian Roberts at second, Brendan Harris at first.

By adding depth at pitcher, the Astros now have sixth pitchers with a stamina level of B or higher. Like Hamilton, Boirgeois was designated for assignment.

A representative of the Astros who asked not to nenidentified said that this was the second offer they considered from the Country, who initially offered Brendan Harris and Ryan Sweeney for Hunter Pence.

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Thu Mar 14, 2013 6:48 am

Obviously, the above trade cost me slightly more than I expected, giving up 3 quality players, though it will be worth it if I can keep Pence for awhile. It seems that the Astros asking price when up from when I initially offered Harris & Sweeney.

When I offered Harris & Sweeney, I checked to see how much cash would be needed to make the 3 star deal a 4 star - $5,000,000 (5,000 points). After the Astros declined, I reset that trade (Harris & Sweeney) and it would take $7 million to bump it to 4 stars, so I looked at how adding players could reduce the points needed to make it a 4 star trade, and ultimately wound up with the trio of Harris, Hamilton & Bourgeois.

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Thu Mar 14, 2013 6:57 am

3/4 May in review

For the week ending 5–2–2010, Ryan Spilborghs was named player of the week. During this week, he hit 548 with 1 homerun, 7 RBIs, and had several stolen bases.

5-3-2010, Most impressive, surprising opposing pitcher performance: Darren O'Day (90 FE SL – three, CB – two), a pitcher with stamina of 41, pitches six strong innings for the Angels and has a seven hit shutout entering the seventh when he hangs a curveball that Cust slams for a homerun. After O'Day left the game, the floodgates opened and the Country won 8 – 2

First Hamilton homerun, 5-4-2010: In a tight game in which the Angels were enjoying a one run lead for the fourth consecutive inning, the Country overtook the Angels by one when Hamilton stepped to the plate with Josh Fields on first and hammered a changeup over the centerfield wall. It was the beginning of a barrage that ultimately resulted in six Country home runs during an 11 – 3 win

5–5–2010, Hamilton watch: Hamilton hit his second homerun, on a changeup, this time against Kelvin Escobar (95 CA HSL – three, CB – three, SP – three, CH – four). In this game, the Country lead one – zero after one and two – zero after two and maintained that lead until the ninth inning, when starting pitcher, Chuck James allowed leadoff singles to Bobby Abreu and Magglio Ordonez. At this point, Country closer Rich Harden entered and surrendered a deep single to Tori Hunter that allowed the tying runs to score. The game remained tied until the 13th inning when Thurston, brought in as a defensive replacement, singled home Huisman, who singled and stole second. Later in the inning, Schrager, inserted as a defensive replacement for pinch-hitter Matt Kemp, drove in Thurston. Broxton pitched the bottom of the 13th and recorded the save. Final score: four – two, Country

5 – 6 – 2010, Second sweep: trying to avoid being swept in a four game series by the Country for the second time this season, the Angels came out swinging against Country ace Tim Lincecum, putting a runner in scoring position with no out in the bottom of the first and ultimately loading the bases with one out, but a key strikeout of Tori Hunter and a deep fly out to right field by Kerry Kotchman ended the threat and the Angel's chances, as the Country roared to a four – zero lead on the early hitting of Hudson (HR, 2b), Fields (HR), and Hamilton (HR), and cruised to a five – zero victory.

5-9-13, Friendly rivalry: we know that the platooning between Josh Hamilton and Matt Kemp is uncomfortable for those players, especially since Kemp has been doing more sitting even though he recently increased his power level to B and he has proven his worth, but the two teamed up as, with the score 1 – 1 in the bottom of the eighth, Kemp hit a one-out single, stole second, and scored when Hamilton laced a fastball from the Rays Jeremy Affeldt (97 DE CU – three, DCB – two, CH – two) into left field. The Country would score 2 more runs that inning and won the game four – one

For the week ending 5 – 9 – 2010, Orlando Hudson and Ryan Spillborghs were named AL players of the week. Hudson hits 467 with 5 home runs and 10 RBIs in that time, while Spilborghs hit 536 with 1 homerun and 6 RBIs. Each also stole numerous basis.

[changed computer pitching level from expert to all star]

5-15-10, End of an Era: for the first time this year, the Country lost a game in which they held a lead. In this seesaw battle against the Rays, there were four lead changes, but when the Rays erupted for five runs in the sixth inning, thanks largely to some excellent two strike hitting by Carlos Pena and BJ Upton, they grabbed the lead for good. Final score: eight – five, Rays

5-16-10, Two in a row: for the first time this season, the Country lose two games in a row, thanks to excellent pitching from the Rays Scott Kazmir, who tosses a complete seven hit game, and timely hitting, including the game-winning homerun from Carlos Peña in the bottom of the eighth. Final score: four – one, Rays

Weekly MVP: for the week ending 5 – 16 – 2010, Jack Cust was named MVP. During this week, he batted 440 with 7 HRs and 17 RBI

5-17-10, Win the battle, lose the war: The Rays 2 wins marks the first three-game series the Country have lost all season, although they did recover and, after coming back from two runs down, blew the game open in the seventh for a 9 – 2 victory.

5-18-10, Tough series opener: Depablos' surrendering a first inning solo homerun to Vernon Wells of the Blue Jays seemed to be enough for a Jays win, as Blue Jays starter Burnett was excellent and the Country's sole offensive accomplishment in his seven innings was to force Burnett to throw enough pitches to leave the game after seven innings (98 pitches). The Blue Jays reliever allowed two runners to reach base (one on a fielders choice when the Blue Jays 1b made a poor decision to try to throw out the runner going to third instead of getting the sure out first) and Hudson came up next and hammered a change up for a three-run homerun, that was followed by Cust's 35th homerun of the season, and one out later, Dan Johnson's sixth. Final score: five – one, Country

[PENCE TRADE CONSUMATED]

5-19-10, Early nailbiter, late inning blowout: The Blue Jays started the bottom of the first with three infield hits – a slow roller up the first baseline that DeJesus be out, a soft, slow roller between short and the pitcher that Gotay legged out, and then a chopper to third in which Fields tried to tag out DeJesus, but missed and was too late to catch Wells at first. With the bases loaded and no one out, the Country were fortunate that starter Tim Lincecum was able to strike out the next two batters before Sean Casey lined a double that brought in two runs. A strikeout of catcher Gregg Zaun ended the inning with two runs worth of damage.

In the top of the second, after Cust led off with a single, Hunter Pence had his first at-bat with the Country, doubling off the right center field fence off of Blue Jays starter Brad Litsch. Cust scored on a fielder's choice; Pence on a Fields sacrifice fly, tying the game. The game remained tied through the 4th inning, when Hudson's and Cust's inability to get the ball out of the infield stranded runners in scoring position. In the top of the fifth, Huisman singled with one out, stole second, moved to third on a deep fly ball from Spillborghs to right field, and then scored on an Erdos single. Lincecum ran up his strike out total to 9 before while in retiring the Blue Jays easily and preserving the Country's one run lead.

The sixth inning looked like batting practice, as after Pence slashed a one-out single to right field, Josh Fields hit his 17th homerun of the season. One out later, Erdos hit his seventh homerun of the season against the Blue Jays reliever; Hudson followed with his 8th of the season, and one out later, Dan Johnson hit his seventh home run of the year, sending the Blue Jays back to the bullpen and giving the Country a healthy eight – to leave. In the bottom of the ninth, Blue Jays catcher's on it a solo homerun, but would 8-2 lead. The Jays would not narrow that gap, as Jiang pitched the final 2 – 2/3 innings and closed out the 8 – 3 Country win

5-20-10, Big win: when Rijo faced off against CC Sabathia, we were ready for a pitching duel and got it for most of the game. Dan Johnson launched a solo shot into the right field bleachers to put the Country up 1-0 in the top of the second, but singles from the Blue Jays, including an RBI single from Gregg Zaun's tied the game. In the sixth inning, the Country went up by two on a two run homerun from Orlando Hudson that sent Sabathia packing, and then the Country tee'd off on the Blue Jays relievers, hitting six more homeruns, including one more by Johnson, catcher McCurdys first home run of the season, and two by Josh Fields, ultimately winning 12 – 1.

Prediction · **Posted:** Sat Mar 16, 2013 12:56 am

I was just wondering, how are you calculating the dollar value of the salaries, thanks in advance.

ZeroGibson13 · **Posted:** Sat Mar 16, 2013 2:32 am

Points X 1,000 I think?!

AgentP · **Posted:** Sat Mar 16, 2013 8:13 am

ZeroGibson13 wrote:

Points X 1,000 I think?!

That's how most people do it.

scott0530 · **Posted:** Sat Mar 16, 2013 8:15 am

Hmmm. I only ever looked at total points and never really converted to salary. If I started I wouls calculate 1,000 points as 1 million dollars.

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Sat Mar 16, 2013 1:14 pm

Right. If you're not mathematically inclined, take the points, add 000 to the end, and stick a $ in front.

410 = $410,000
2125 = $2,125,000

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Sat Mar 16, 2013 3:09 pm

5/21 – 25/2010

Game one: Country Pettyjohn (96 DB to SF – three, SL – two, CB – one, PA – three) at Orioles Albers (94 SL – two, CB – three, CH – one)

Comments:

Inning one: the Country get on the board quickly as Spilborghs hits a soft single to right on a one – two pitch, before Erdos drills a high outside fastball off of the left-field fence for a run scoring double. After Hudson and Cust flied out to center field, Hunter Pence hit his first home run as a Country player, which was followed by a solo homerun from Dan Johnson, who has been red-hot at the bat this week. Pettyjohn was wild, but struck out Milledge and the next batter before giving up two singles and then ending the inning on a ground out to second. Four – zero, Country

Inning 3: Hudson led off the third with a double off the right-field wall, but was cut down at the plate, trying to score when Cust appeared to ground out to short but the shortstop overthrew the first baseman. The first baseman was able to relay the ball back to the catcher in time to cut down Hudson. Cust came home on a soft single from Pence. Pence, who is not known as a base stealing threat, then stole second. When asked about this afterwords, he said "well, I'm not a base stealer but I'm not the slowest guy on the team, and the opposing pitcher was looking really tired so I knew he wouldn't be throwing as hard as usual." Milledge singled in his next at bat and moved to second on an error, but did not score. Five – zero, Country

Inning four: veteran picture Steve Trashel (90 ED 2SF – one, SL – one, CB-one, SP-2, CH – one) took the mound to start the fourth, and although runners made it to scoring position, the Country did not score. Pettyjohn, meanwhile, had excellent movement on his pitches, but had trouble throwing his main strikeout pitch – the palmball – four strikes, and ultimately had to be pulled before finishing the fourth inning. When Stratton (87 DC SL – three, CB – four, F – three, SHU – three) induced the next batter to ground out to second, the fourth inning ended with the Country leading five – zero

Inning eight: the score remained five – zero entering eighth when Pence drilled his second homerun of the day – his ninth of the season – over the centerfield wall off of a George Sherrill fastball. Two outs later, Josh Fields hit his 20th homerun of the season – a bomb over the left-field wall. Oliver (91 DC CU – three, SLV – three, CB – three, VSL – three) started the eighth inning. He allowed a single, but the runner was erased on a double play before Milledge tripled and scored when the next batter single. Seven – one, Country

The Orioles put a man on second with you outs in the ninth, but failed to score, and the game ended with the Country winning, seven – one

Roster moves: with Huisman and Kemp continuing to report in purple condition, both were sent down to recuperate and Ryan Sweeney (who recently upped his power to D) was called up to take Kemp's spot (we are told Thurston and Timpner, one of them would normally be called up, were in blue condition) and Towles, recently recovered from purple condition, takes Huisman's spot.

5-22 - 23-2010: With all their pictures with stamina of C or higher in gray condition, the Orioles were forced to march a bunch of relievers out to the mound as starters, and were pummeled by the cCuntry in both games with final scores of 8 – 1 and 11 – 2.

For the week ending 5 – 23 – 2010, Josh Fields and Erdos were named AL players of the week. During this time fields hit 409 with six home runs and 12 RBIs while Erdos hit 458 with two home runs and seven RBIs

5-25-2010: Country Bailey v Bluejays Burnett With some clutch hitting (following a leadoff double and, later, a leadoff triple), and excellent pitching from the Blue Jays Burnett (98 DA KNC – five, CH – four, HSK – four), the Jays lead 2 – 1 entering the 9th inning, with the Country's lone run coming on a Dan Johnson homerun in the second.

Erdos leads off the bottom of the ninth by sending a two – two knuckle curve into right-center field. Burnett throws over to first but then when Burnett delivers the first pitch to McCurdy, batting second, Erdos takes off and steals second. McCurdy lines a single up the middle and Erdos is off to the races, but is beaten to home by the throw and called out. At that point, Burnett is removed from the game and reliever Markham (91 ?? SL – three, CU – one, CB – two, CH – two) enters to face Jack Cust. Markham quickly goes up two strikes on Cust but Cust manages to get the count even before driving a two – two cutter into deep centerfield where it.....................is caught for out number two. Hunter Pence comes up next and drives a one-one pitch into right-center field but the Jay's right fielder was able to track it down for the last out of the game.

Final score: 2-1, Bluejays

Comments: this was a tough loss for Homer Bailey, who pitched 6 innings of 6 hit ball, striking out 5 and allowing 2 runs. He is 0-2 after a fantastic 2009.

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Mon Mar 18, 2013 3:12 pm

Bluejays continued

Game two: Country Depablos (94 DB SL – four, CB – four, VSL – three) versus Blue Jays Litsch (93 DB SL – three, CB – two, CH – two, SP – two)

A classic pitcher's dual was broken up in the bottom of the fifth by a Dan Johnson solo home run off of Litsch; a Vernon Wells single after a Gotay double tied the game in the sixth, but an RBI single from Cust in the bottom half of the inning maintained the Country's one run lead. A homerun from Jack Cust with Clay Timpner on base in the bottom of the eighth gave the Country some breathing room. Harden (ERA under 1.0) relieved Broxton with one out in the ninth inning and recorded the final two outs but was not awarded a save.

Final score: four – one, Country

Offensive stats

Pitching stats

Game three: Country Pettyjohn (96 DB 2SF – three, SL – two, CB – one, PA – three) versus Blue Jays Sabathia (97 BA SLV – five, CH – four)

The Blue Jays scored first when Scott Rolen hit an opposite field home run off of a two seam fastball in the top of the second inning. The Blue Jays doubled their score the following inning when DeJesus hit an opposite field home run on a fastball up and outside.

The Country finally got on the board when Huisman led off the bottom of the fifth with a single and went to third when the light hitting Sean Riggins (filling in at second base) hammered a fastball, bouncing it off the left-field wall, and then Erdos knocked a single right back up the middle, but the tying runner was left stranded at second. End of five, two – one Blue Jays

A full count homerun by the Blue Jays Lamb off of reliever Jiang gave the Blue Jays back their two run lead. The Country immediately threatened in the bottom half the inning, as Timpner, batting eighth, led off with a single, stole second, went to third on a fielders choice from Sean Riggins, and scored on a shallow single from Erdos. 1 out later, Josh Fields drove in the tying run with a single off the left-field wall off of a Blue Jays reliever, bringing Jack Cust up with runners at first and third, but the Country were unable to bring in the go-ahead run. End of seven, three – three

After the Country's Andrew Brown retired the Blue Jays in the top of the ninth, Schrager pinch-hit for catcher Sean Riggins and wound up on second with a double into the right centerfield gap. JR Towles replaced Schrager as a pinch runner. Two outs later Josh Fields smacked a fastball on the outside corner off of the outfield wall and Towles trotted home easily for the winning run.

Final score: four – three Country

Offensive stats

Pitching stats

Notes: Although he has not broken into the starting lineup, Clay Timpner is impressing for his second year in a row here in Iowa City. Last year, he was viewed as a "gamer" who could be a 4th OF for a lot of teams; with his improved speed (B) and power (D), he is viewed as someone who could be a solid lead off or #2 hitter right now, but for the Country's depth of talent at the OF spots. The power velocity ball[/color], used to make pitching practice intended to increase velocity extremely effective, is no longer usable.

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Fri Mar 22, 2013 9:07 pm

5/28 – 30/2010. Country v. Orioles

Orioles starting lineup

Game one: the Orioles were forced to trot out a reliever to start the game and the Country made the Orioles pay, hitting five home runs, including two by Schrager, who is normally in the minor leagues, and one by the light hitting Sean Riggins (power F (59)). It is believed to be Riggins's first homerun of his major league career

Final score: 10 – 0, Country

Game two: against Baltimore pitchers that really should be in the minor leagues developing, Erdos led off with a triple and the Country never looked back. The Orioles did score a run in the top of the second thanks to a timely Scudaro RBI single and scored a few more in the eighth as relief pitcher Andrew Brown tired, but with a back end lineup more feared for T-ball, the Orioles just cannot keep pace with other teams without solid pitching for 9 innings. Homeruns by Fields, Cust (2), Erdos, and extra base hits by Schrager (2) and Junge

Final score: nine – three, Country

Comments: Rich Harden pitches the final four outs of the game, reducing his ERA to 0.89; Erdos missed hitting for the cycle by a single, increasing his contact level to B

Game three: The Orioles avoided a shut-out on a bloop RBI single in the 9th, while Country home runs from Pence, Fields, and Johnson led a barrage in which Orioles centerfielder Lastings Milledge was forced to play or track down 17 balls hit his way. He did a good job tracking down most of them, but enough fell in for another Country blowout of the Orioles.

Final score: seven – one, Country

philliesfan134 · **Posted:** Fri Mar 22, 2013 9:15 pm

That's what it feels like when I'm playing against the terrible Red Sox in my log, lol.

Nice job on the sweep. Hope it doesn't get boring for you now that the team is really good.

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Fri Mar 22, 2013 9:55 pm

I upped the pitch speed and will see how that goes. Against teams like the orioles, the games can be kinda boring. Against teams like the Indians, though, it tends to be a close game, yet I to tend to either get 1 big inning or a slew of innings where I get 1 run. It's weird - I have an amazing win loss record, but most games I either win by 3 or fewer runs, or it's a 1 run game heading into the 7th.

At some point, I probably need to up the CPU batting from expert to all-star, but I'm not in a rush to do that.

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Sat Mar 23, 2013 10:10 pm

5/31 – 6/2/2010: Iowa city country at Cleveland Indian's

Game one: Country Bailey at Indians Sowers (92 EB SL – three, CH – two)

Final score: four – one, Country

The monthly player the month was awarded and Jack Cust was one of the players named for the month of May. During that month, he hit 394 with 22 home runs and 44 RBIs

Game two: the Country hit back-to-back homeruns and built a five – zero lead, knocking the Indians starter out before recording the second out of the first inning. In the bottom half, a single, a bunt single by Grady Sizemore, and a sharply hit single to right from Blake brought in an Indians run. End of one, five – one Country

Indians single their way to 4 runs in 5th, knocking out Country starter Depablos. Through the end of the 5th inning, the Indians had 7 infield hits. An Erdos homer in 7th gives the Country a 1 run lead (6-5) that lasts into the 9th when the Country score 3 more.

Final score:10-5, Country

[increased pitch speed level to normal]

Game 3: Homeruns by Pence (3), Erdos (2), and Johnson soften up a tough Ben Sheets, tiring him in the fourth inning, while Pettyjohn struggles in the 3rd and Stratton and Broxton struggle in the 8th, allowing a 6 run lead to dwindle to 1, but Harden comes in, preserves the one run lead, and drops his ERA to 0.81 in the process

Final score: 10 – 9, Country

Power Pros Forum

Season Log: Iowa City Country

Who is online