Power Pros Forum

Especially Haren

The Lincecum pitches well for me and he pitches more often then the pitcher I gave up for him, but he was a good pitcher.

Harden has made me not regret trading Chamberlain, but I'll try to see how many saves he has for the Giants

7/12 – 14/2010: Iowa City Country at Toronto Blue Jays

Game one: Country Depablos (94 DB SL – four, CB – four, VSL – three) versus Blue Jays Burnett (98 DA _____ – five, CH – four, HSK – four)

Former catcher/second baseman Junge is facing the Country for the first time since his trade for minor-league shortstop Finnigan earlier this season. He played second base and batted second for the Blue Jays.

Burnett was in pink condition and had the best movement on his pitches of any pitcher the Country faced this season. Depablos, in good condition, matched Burnett and both starters entered the 8th inning with shutouts intact.

The Country had threatened several times, leaving about four runners in scoring position, as each time Burnett buckled down and induced week groundouts or strikeouts, but in the eighth, after Dan Johnson doubled and moved to third on a fielders choice, Spilborghs blooped a ball over the shortstop's outstretched glove, allowing Johnson to score. That would prove to be the lone run of the game, and the Country won 1 – 0.

Comments:both pitchers pitched complete games – Burnett threw 88 pitches, striking out four while Depablos threw 64 stitches, striking out five. Junge was 2/4 - the only Bluejay with more than one hit, and was the final out of the game

Game two: Country James (95 CB SL – four, CH – three) at Blue Jays Wayne (83 EC CU – two, SL – three, CB – three)

The Country pushed a run through in the first when Spilborghs led off a single, stole second, and came home on Erdos single. The Blue Jays tied the game when Scott Rolan led off with a double followed by several base hits, and took the lead, 2-1

In the bottom of the fourth, the Blue Jays put runners at second and third with one out, but the eighth and ninth batters struck out and popped out to the catcher. The Blue Jays threatened, again in the fifth, but stranded a runner in scoring position.

The Blue Jays young starter pitched a strong six innings, tiring and the sixth, but coming out to start the seventh, Hudson led off with a two – two double just inside the right-field line and the Blue Jays went to relief pitcher Camp (92 CE SL – two, CH –1), who struck out Cust before inducing a deep fly out from Pence, before Fields squeezed a ground ball past the second baseman for a game-tying RBI.

With the eighth starting tied two – two, Huisman led off by slicing an opposite field double down the left-field line, but even though Camp hung a few offspeed pitches, the Country were unable to take iadvantage.

Camp came out to start the ninth inning and after hanging a slider to Hudson, he hung a curveball to Cust, who put it over the centerfield fence giving the Country one run lead. Harden started the bottom of the 9th and closed it out uneventfully with the help of a six – four – three doubleplay.

Final score: three – two, Country

Game three: Country Rijo (97 DB SL – four, CB – three, FO – three) at Blue Jays Guillen (93 CB CU – two, CB – two, CH – two)

The Country had their lineup set up play against the Blue Jays left-handed starter, but didn't take advantage until the fifth inning when Fields hot a solo home run over the right-field fence. The score remained unchanged until the top of the 9th when Spilborghs singled, stole second, and came home on a Kemp single.

Final score: two – zero, Country

TRADE REPORT - COUNTRY ORIOLES

NOTE: I'm posting this out of order, since it is more like "late breaking news;" game recaps between the all-star game and this trade will come later

7/27/2010: Country – Orioles trade

The Country and the Orioles have announced a trade in which the Country received Orioles rookie backup catcher Hyatt (GFFDED, clutch-four, great catcher), sending the Orioles Country minor-league reliever Buchanan (92 DC CU – four, SL – three, CB – three, FO – three, good pick off) and minor-league outfielder Ryan Sweeney (CDCDEFG, throwing – two, baserunning – two).

Hyatt has been on the Orioles major league roster since his selection in the draft, but has not started a game. Ryan Sweeney was a starter for a brief period of time in 2008, but has largely been a bench player. He did not appear on last year's major league roster until the September roster expansions. He has not appeared in a major league game this season, seemingly falling behind Timpner and Thurston on the depth charts, not to mention newly re acquired Josh Hamilton. Buchanan has been in and out of the major league roster this season, as the Country have had trouble finding a player who can consistently pitch 2-3 good innings when the team is ahead (or behind) by a lot of runs.

Said the Country: "we thought Hyatt was a very intriguing player. He really needs to work on his offense, but he has an ability to keep pitchers calm and help them go further into games. A catcher with that ability does not come around very often, and as you know, our starters have often had trouble getting past the sixth inning, so we thought it worthwhile to check him out. We absolutely gave up some quality players to get him, but they are not players we will miss from the major league roster. Also, we pride our team on the amount of depth we have, but we actually do not have a catcher in our minor league system, so this keeps with our system of trying to make things competitive internally at every position."

A Country source who asked to remain anonymous said that the Country has been keeping tabs on Hyatt, and, although they never formally requested a trade, at several times they sent out feelers involving a trio of players including Josh Hamilton, but the Orioles were not interested. Things seemed to change, as they often do, after the All-Star Game as we get closer to the trading deadline. He also commented that while the Country traded good minor league talent, they did not unload the player they view as their best "trading chip," 2b Borland (CDEECE), a player with decent offense who will not be an unrestricted FA for another 4-1/2 seasons, but who was unable to improve his arm strength or minimize his errors through training, causing the Country to lose interest in keeping him.

Said the Orioles: "we have high hopes for Hyatt and we're sorry to see him go, but in addition to our starter, Ramon Hernandez (DCEEEED), we have two minor league catchers with statistics similar to Hyatt's, and the ability to get a pitcher with Buchanan's repertoire of pitches was hard to ignore. Right now, Sweeney will stay in the minors, but he could challenge sometime this year for starting role and if not now, then he will compete to replace the experienced Jay Payton next spring.

[size=150]Analysts agree that the Orioles made the right move in consummating this trade, dealing "long-term potential talent" for "current talent with potential." If Hyatt ever turns into a major league backstop, then the trade will be worthwhile for the Country; otherwise, the criticism would be that the Country may have found better trade targets for these players.[/size]

I think it's a good move. Trading for long-term potential with players who are more-or-less depth right now isn't too bad an idea.

I have a feeling with practice, Hyatt will turn out really good.

I appreciate the comment. I felt that, if I was going to get him, it was important that I get him now, so I could use my level 3 power training on him and maybe bring him up when rosters expand to up his contact (it'll increase every game he gets a base hit). As the season gets to a close, I will definitely want to invest in level 3 pitching stamina equipment - I haven't decided whether to invest in defense or power (again) for the position players. Power might not be an option if my current power bat continues through the season's end - I will only buy level 3 equipment, except for the silver ring that makes everything level 2 and the hot dog.

I think he's well worth the risk - with those blue abilities to go along with better batting attributes and improved fielding, he could be a top-of-the-line catcher. It might take a while though, I hope he's young. I think him progressing will be an interesting development going forward.

The clutch-4 really can help overcome poor contact. I think if I can get him from GF to FE by the end of next season (2011), he might be a viable player the season after (2012). Numerically, his stats are 3 53 4 8 7 9. I don't know how realistic it is to go from 53 to 85 in 1-1/2 seasons. Especially if I don't have level 3 equipment next season.



He's 21, and his contract is for 5 years. Would've been nice if it was 6. While I am hoping he will be competitive in his 3rd year, he's young enough that I can wait longer.



For me, it will. Not sure how I'd blog about it, other than saying "Hyatt upped his X to Y." Not quite a "riveting read"!

Forgot to mention, at least he's already at a level 2 trajectory. For some reason, I find it annoying to have traj practice.

Well interesting as in how he performs when he gets a starting job, and the course of his career I guess you could say.

Nice to see you've got him under contract for a while though.