Season Log: Iowa City Country

dishnet34 · **Posted:** Fri Jun 14, 2013 10:02 pm

ERISA Dude wrote:

Saw two call cool things recently that I wanted to share:

Wow! I know I've seen the first one at least one time, but no more than two, and the second one I've never seen.

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Sun Jun 16, 2013 6:28 am

late-July recaps

7/22/11: Country Lincecum (100 DA 2SF – three, SL – five, DCB – four, CH – four) versus Indians Francis (91 BA 2SF – two, SL – two, CB – two, CH – two): in their first game back from the All-Star break, the Country offense decided to do something new – stop trying to hit the long ball. It worked, as the Country scrapped together enough singles and doubles to push one run across in each of the first four innings while Lincecum, who was effective but not dominant coming off his start in the All-Star game, took a two hitter into the sixth inning – one of those hits being a first inning homerun from Travis Hafner. Of course, Lincecum was helped by the fact that the Indians six – nine hitters, consisting of their outfielders and third baseman, have offensive rankings as follows: EE, DF, FF, FF. Linceum's inability to close out the at-bat after getting two strikes on the batter allowed the Indians to tie the game, as catcher Brian Schneider and Travis Hafner each hit homeruns with two strikes and their light hitting third baseman launched a two strike drop curve over the heads of the Country's drawn in outfield, bringing in DeLucci, who singled off of a two strike slider. When Ryan Braun hit a two run homerun in the bottom of the seventh to put the Country back on top, that would serve as the game winner. Final score: seven – four, Country

7/27/11: Country Grindell (94 EB CU – four, CB – three, PA – four, HSK – four) versus Tigers Verlander (100 DA CB – two, CH-2): Verlander pounded the strike zone with fastballs and the Country could not catch up in the first, but in the second, Cust led off with a double, moved to third on a sharply hit McCurdy single to the strong armed right fielder Vladimir Guerrero, and scored on a Merrill single to left. Curtis Granderson hit a three run homerun in the top of the third, and when Grindell gave up a deep single to Guerrero, he was visibly stunned and pulled from the game in favor of Dransfield (88 DC 2SF – one, SL – three, PA – three). Dransfield held the Tigers in check while the Country chipped away and ultimately tied the game in the sixth when the ball dribbled off of Merrills bat just out of reach of the Tigers shortstop, allowing Jack Cust, who had doubled earlier, to score. A Huisman sacrifice fly brought in the go-ahead run, and an inning later, Jack Cust gave the Country some breathing room when he homered off of the Tigers reliever, and in the bottom of the eighth, Schrager belted his fourth home run of the season. Dransfield, who pitched five solid innings, did not come out start the 8th, giving way to Giron and Jiang closed out the night. Final score: six – three, Country

7/29/11: the Country announced that they claimed 22-year-old rookie pitcher Semplies off of the waiver wire (90 DC 2SF – one, CB – three). Said the Country: "this kid will be a project, but we couldn't pass on someone so young whose stamina is already up to 105. We are going to let him develop in the minors for at least 2 seasons and see how he develops." There are some interesting players to be had on the waiver wire, including Fernando Cabrera (96 EE CB – four, SP – four) and Andrew Brown (97 DE SL – five, CB– Three, CH – five). Brown has been available for least two weeks.

7/30/2011: Country Rijo (97 DB SL – five, CB – three, FO – three) at Royals Banister (91 CA 2SF – one, CU – three, CB – 2, CH – three): as expected, neither starter gave the other team's offense much opportunity, and the game was tied one apiece heading into the 4th. In the bottom of the fourth, Luke Scott put his team ahead with a solo homerun. The Royals tacked on another run in the seventh, while Bannister induced ground ball after groundball, but he tired in the eighth and after giving up a sharply hit groundball single to Cust, went three – two on Braun who homered on the next pitch, tying the game. The Royals came back with a run in the bottom half the eighth that would stand as the winning run. Final score: four – three, Royals

7/31/11: Country Depablos (94 DB SL – four, CB – four, DSL – four) at Royals Meche (96 BA 2SF – one, HSL – two, DCB – four, CH-2): Depablos got off to a rough start, walking the first batter and allowing the Royals to load the bases with one out. When the next batter grounded back to the pitcher for a force out at home, and the next batter hit a slow roller to the third-base side of the pitcher, it looked like Depablos might escape the inning, but his throw to first was late and a run scored. The Country tied the game in the top of the second when Merrill sent a shot between the left and centerfielders that allowed Jack Cust to score from first. The Country seemed to waste an opportunity in the fourth when Pence led off with a double, but was stranded there as Meche struck out Cust and Braun before Merrill flied out to left. The score remained tied until Rios homered to dead center field in the bottom of the sixth. The Country tied up the game in the seventh when Braun singled, moved to second and third on fielders choices, and came home on a Schrager singles left. The Royals scored two more against reliever Uchiyama that would stand as the game-winning runs. Final score: four – two, Royals

Comments:

For the second month in a row, Lincecum was named picture of the month. In July, he won four games with 40 strikeouts and an ERA of 1.90

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Sun Jun 16, 2013 10:25 pm

AL trade analysis– Orioles

Most of the trades that occurred this year made some form of sense, meaning trades were either involving players of value for both teams or projects from both teams, but the Orioles had a particularly nice trading season.

The Orioles made two trades to bolster their pitching, bringing in Chad Gaudin (96 CA SL – two, SP – two, CH – one) on July 5 from the Astros and Carlos Silva (96 BA SL – three, SLV – two, CH – two, HSK – two) from the Cardinals on July 29. In exchange, the Astros received aging outfielder Jay Payton (FDFDCD), 2009 draft pick Buchanan (92 DC CU – four, SL – two, CB – three, FO – three), and third baseman Maldonado (EEFEFF). The Cardinals received the aging third baseman Melvin Mora (DCEDCD).

Analysts believe these were excellent moves by an Orioles organization who, in recent years, has allowed their pitching quality to dwindle. Silva and Gaudin immediately become the headliners of what is still a mediocre rotation.

Though Jay Payton was a productive outfielder, he will not be missed with the Orioles off season pick up Ryan Sweeney (CDCEFG), who joins their 2010 pick up of Lastings Milledge (CDAEED) – A pair of former Country players who can play all outfield positions.

Mora will be missed, as the Orioles are left with one third baseman on the roster, José Castille (BECEDD), but overall, the pitching they received is worthwhile.

Of course, the young pitcher, Buchanan, may be the wildcard of this trade. He is not projected to ever become a starter, but if he becomes a lights out reliever, hindsight might say that this was a poor trade, but as of today, it looks good for the Orioles.

philliesfan134 · **Posted:** Sun Jun 16, 2013 11:34 pm

Heh, Cards got robbed. How Buchanan will turn out is interesting, I agree. At this point he doesn't look like much but he might be the only valuable piece STL gets for giving up all that pitching.

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Mon Jun 17, 2013 2:45 am

Agreed. Buchanan's got nice breaking pitches, but his stamina is in the 80s. I didn't check Silva's age, but as long as he's under 35, it's a steal for the Orioles

PowerPro Jr · **Posted:** Mon Jun 17, 2013 4:57 pm

philliesfan134 wrote:

Heh, Cards got robbed. How Buchanan will turn out is interesting, I agree. At this point he doesn't look like much but he might be the only valuable piece STL gets for giving up all that pitching.

Wait, doesn't it say they only gave up Silva?

I think the Astros got Buchanan too...

philliesfan134 · **Posted:** Mon Jun 17, 2013 5:22 pm

PowerPro Jr wrote:

philliesfan134 wrote:

Heh, Cards got robbed. How Buchanan will turn out is interesting, I agree. At this point he doesn't look like much but he might be the only valuable piece STL gets for giving up all that pitching.

Wait, doesn't it say they only gave up Silva?

I think the Astros got Buchanan too...

You're right. I mistakenly thought they got Silva/Gaudin in the same trade.

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Mon Jun 17, 2013 6:48 pm

MY OF RAN INTO EACH OTHER TODAY! The ball was falling inbetween my left and center fielders, and the center fielder sort of bounced off the left fielder and fell down to a "boink" sound effect.

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Tue Jun 18, 2013 9:09 am

AL trade analysis – Blue Jays

The Blue Jays were one of the most active players in free agency, consummating five trades and signing one free agent. Most notable were the following trades

Sessions (86 DC SL – three, CU – three, CB – four)

Thompson (88 FC CB – two, KN – two)

relief pitcher Wolf (90 BE CU – three, SLV – three, CH – three)

CF Adam Jones (FDEDEG)

pitcher Guillen (93 FB CU – two, CB - two, CH – two)

outfielder David DeLucci (EEEEEC), catcher Hoover (EFFDEG), and picture Wuertz (93 CE SL – five, CH – two)

LF McMillan (FFFFF)

With these deals, the Blue Jays brought in two solid pictures and some bench support in exchange for players that seemed destined to be in the career minors, and an effective relief pitcher (Wolf). The Mets trade is puzzling in light of this, as they sent off a potential starting pitcher in exchange for a centerfielder of limited value.

philliesfan134 · **Posted:** Tue Jun 18, 2013 10:32 am

Wonder if that Jones kid might be good someday... Probably not.
Guillen is Gustavo Chacin, btw. He's actually a good pickup for the Mets (he is going to them, right?)

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Tue Jun 18, 2013 10:49 am

Yes - to the mets. I know I would have trouble hitting against him, but I can't pitch effectively until my pitches are at level 3, except for palmballs

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Wed Jun 19, 2013 10:06 pm

Rockies trades in review

The Rockies made two interesting trades in July, bringing in Barry Zito (89 CB 2 SF – one, SL – three, DCB – five, CH – three) from the Braves in exchange for shortstop Miguel Tejada (CBFCBC) on July 10, and on July 24, bringing in catcher Johjima (DBECDB) from the Mariners for Kip Wells (95 CB SL – two, CB – two, CH – two) and SS Troy Tulowitzki (CBDEDD).

philliesfan134 · **Posted:** Wed Jun 19, 2013 10:15 pm

Wow, Tulo on the Mariners. That'd be something.

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Wed Jun 19, 2013 10:25 pm

August game summaries

8/2/11: Country Bailey (94 EB 2SF – three, HSL – three, DCB – five) at Angels Garland (93 BA SL – three, CB – two, CH – three, HSK – two): Bailey was not sharp in his first performance since throwing in the All-Star game, and he gave up a first inning run, but the Country got that back when, after Pence had an impressive seven pitch at-bat resulting in a single, Ryan Braun homered. Braun's 43rd home run of the season in the third extended the Country's lead to 2 runs. In the sixth, Schrager's third hit of the game brought in a run, which would stand as the final score as the Country bullpen pitched four shutout innings, allowing just two hits in that span. Final score: four – one, Country

8/3/11: Country James (95 CA SL – four, CH – three) versus Angels Kendrick (92 CB SL – three, CH – three, SIF – three): Both pitchers did a good job of attacking the strike zone and keeping hitters off-balance. The Country took a one – zero lead in the second but the Angels tied up in the fourth and went ahead and the seventh when Tori Hunter homered to dead center field. In the bottom half of the next inning, the Country pulled ahead when Hunter Pence hit a ball that just cleared the right-field fence with McCurdy on first. That would stand of the final score, as James pitched his 5th complete game of the season. Final score: three – two, Country

8/6/11: the Country have a good old-fashioned blow out in the opening game of their series against the Orioles, scoring seven runs behind two home runs from Ryan Braun and one from Orlando Hudson, while Grindell pitches the first complete game of his career, allowing just one run on four hits with six strikeouts. Final score: 7-1, Country

8/17/11: Country Grindell (94 EB CU – four, CB – three, PA – four, HSK – four) at Rays Belisle (95 CA 2SF – one, SL – two, CB – two)
After losing their first two games to the Rays, seven – five and a heartbreaking three – two, in which the Country tied the game in the top of the ninth only to have the Rays hit a walk off homerun, the Country came out and put a run on the scoreboard in the top the first. The Rays matched it in their half the inning and went ahead with a run scored in the second. Cust singled home Erdos (who also scored the Country's first run) in the top of the third, and then four singles (McCurdy, Schrager, Hudson, and Erdos) brought in two runs in the top of the fourth. The score remained four – two until the eighth when the Country added another another run, and the team breathed a collective sigh of relief when the Rays loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the eighth, but Jiang was able to record the last out. The Country added a run in the ninth, and Jiang closed out the game with the help of a game ending double play. Final score: six – two, Country

ERISA Dude · **Posted:** Sat Jun 22, 2013 10:33 pm

8/26 – 28/2011: Iowa City Country versus Boston Red Sox

Series preview: The Country are having a solid August, and already have a "magic number" to clinch a playoff spot. Their runs scored are way down, but they're consistently good pitching keeps them in most games. After losing two of three games against the Rays and then two of three games against the Twins, the Country are coming off a three-game sweep of the Blue Jays, in which they won seven – four, three – two, and four – two.

The Red Sox have been very inconsistent this year, and at 57 and 71, are 20 games behind the Raus for first place in the AL East. In their last three series, the Red Sox took two of three against the Yankees, got swept by the White Sox in three games, and lost two of three to the Angels.

The Red Sox have a mediocre staff pitching staff anchored by Matsuzaka, who we are not sure will pitch in this series. Though they're starting staff is capable, their relief pitching is barely adequate, with no clear closer. Their starting lineup is still dangerous, boasting four players with power level B and two players with power level A

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Season Log: Iowa City Country

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