Sunday, August 30, 2009

8/30, Wisconsin 5, Cougars 6 (10)

The Cougars would have another one of those games, they would find a way to win but man, this isnt the way you want to win games. They are currently 6-1 on their eight game homestand. The Cougars would beat Wisconsin 6-5 in ten innings.

The ninth and tenth innings would be where the Cougars scored five of their six runs. The real interesting stuff happend in the tenth. Jeremy Barfield led off with a double down the left field line. Juan Nunez then bunted him over to third with nobody out. The Rattlers would then intentionally walk both Tyler Ladendorf and Dusty Napoleon to load the bases. Next they would bring in a new pitcher Rigoberto Almonte to pitch to Connor Crumbliss. Crumbliss would be hit by a pitch to force in Barfield and let the celebration begin.

The inning that made everything go into extra innings would be the ninth inning when the Cougars scored four runs. Franklin Hernandez led it off with a single to left. Barfield would then walk aong wiht Petey Paramore to load the bases. Ladendorf would walk to force in Hernandez. Paramore would be pitch run for by Chris Berroa. The Rattlers then made a pitching change. Napoleon greated the new pitcher with a sacrifice fly to left to score Barfield. Crumbliss then singled to left. Leonardo Gil would reach on an fielding error by the third baseman. On the play Berroa would score. Steve Parker then hit a sacrifice fly to left to score Ladendorf.

The Cougars would get on the board first in the first inning. Crumbliss led off with a walk. Gil would then bloop one down the right field line for a single to get Crumbliss to third. Gil then stole second. Parker hit a sacrifice fly to right to score Crumbliss.

The Cougars had Shawn Haviland start and he went six innings, giving up eight hits and four runs. Only three of those runs were earned, he also walked two and struck out five. He would have to get out of trouble right from the start. To lead off the game Josh Prince singled to left. One out later, he would be caught trying to steal second. That would be big, as Brock Kjeldgaard then blooped a single to right. John Delaney followed with a bloop single to left center. Haviland would get Jose Duran to pop to second to end the inning.

He would give up a run in the fourth, which at that time would tie the game. Kjeldgaard led off with a walk. He would then steal second, Delaney then walked. Duran bunted back to the mound and Haviland would have no play, to load the bases. Kyle Dhanani then with the infield in, grounded into a double play, on the play Kjeldgaard scored.

The other two runs he gave up came in the sixth inning. Kjeldgaard led off with a double down the right field line. One out later, Duran singled to right center to bring home Kjeldgaard. Dhanani tripled to right center to bring home Duran. Haviland then got Sean McCraw on strikes, and Erik Miller to ground out to strand the runner at third.

Wisconsin would score once more in the game, in the ninth inning. With two outs, Miller walked, then stole second. Derrick McPhearson followed with a single to right center to bring home Miller.

Josue Selenis would get into some trouble in the tenth but would pitch out of it. With one out, Kjeldgaard walked, then stole second and went to third on a droped third stike, wild pitch. Selenis would be able to get Duran on strikes to end the inning.

The Cougars with the win have won nine games in a row against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers this year.


Tomorrow vs Wisconsin @6:30
Trey Watten (5-13, 4.58) vs Murphy Smith (1-2, 4.94)

8/29, Wisconsin 1, Cougars 5

Despite commiting four errors, three in the first inning the Cougars would come back and win 5-1 against Wisconsin. Mathieu Leblanc-Poirier pitched very well in getting the win.

Leblanc-Poirier pitched six innings, giving up one hit and one unearned run. He walked two and struck out five. Errors, hit batters and walks lead to the game being much harder on the fans than it should've been.

The wacky first inning, was just hard to watch. With two outs in the inning, Brock Kjeldgaard reached on an error by second baseman Nino Leyja. Leyja tried to back hand the ball and it went around the glove. A wild pitch let Kjeldgaard move to second. The throw from catcher Juan Nunez went into centerfield, allowing him to go into third. John Delaney then reached on another error by Leyja. This time the ball bounced off of his chest as he got in front of it, but couldn't control it. Kjeldgaard would score on the error.

After that it was good pitching and good deffense that helped the Cougars recover. In the second inning, a one out walk would be erased by a double play. Scott Deal then came in for the seventh inning, he would need help from a double play to erase a leadoff single. Jose Guzman pitched the ninth, and walked a Rattler with two outs. Centerfielder Connor Crumbliss then made a nice diving catch to end the game on a little bloop.

The Offense did score some runs in the game. Crumbliss and Leonardo Gil both led the way with two hits. In the first inning the Cougars would get that run right back. Crumbliss led off with a triple down the right field line. A wild pitch would bring him home. One out later, Steve Parker walked, he would be caught trying to steal second. Parker could've scored if not havin been caught steal second. Mike Spina doubled off the right centerfield wall.

The next run for the Cougars came in the fourth inning. Jeremy Barfield led off with a double down the right field line. Petey Paramore then doubled off the right field wall to drive in Barfield. In the seventh inning the Cougars got another run. Crumbliss led off with a double down the left field line. One out later, Parker singled to right. Spina would then walk to load the bases. One more out later, Barfield would walk to force in Crumbliss.

The final two runs for the Cougars came in the eighth inning, with one out Leyja walked, then stole second. Crumbliss would follow with a walk. Gil then singled to left center to drive home Leyja. Parker hit a sacrifice fly to left to score Crumbliss.

There were a couple of other chances for the Cougars to score some runs in the game. In the third inning, Leyja led off with a single to center. Crumbliss would reach on a fielder's choice, with Leyja out at second. Gil then reached on an error by the pitcher.Parker would walk to load the bases with only the one out. Spina struck out, and Franklin Hernandez popped out to short. In the fifth inning the Cougars had another chance to score runs. Gil led off with a double off the right field wall. A ground out later, that would move Gil to third, Spina would reach on a fielder's choice. On the play the infield was in trying to cut down Gil at the plate, the game was still only a 2-1 game. The ball would be hit to the second baseman who threw home and got Gil.


Tomorrow vs Wisconsin @2pm
R.J. Seidel (1-3, 7.16) vs Shawn Haviland (6-10, 4.43)

Saturday, August 29, 2009

8/28, Wisconsin 3, Cougars 4 (10)

A wild night at the Elf in the game between with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, the Cougars would win 4-3 in ten innings. The Cougars are now 4-1 on their eight game homestand.

The big inning or at least one of the entertaining innings of the night came in the tenth for the Cougars. Nino Leyja led it off with a single to left. Leonardo Gil then singled to right. Steve Parker put down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners along. The Rattlers then intentionally walked Mike Spina to load the bases with only one out. Franklin Hernandez then popped one up to right. The right fielder and the second baseman went after the ball. They ball was dropped by the rightfielder, the umpire had already called the infield fly rule. So Hernandez was automaticly out, and the runners could advance at their own risk. Leyja went in to score and win the game for the Cougars.

Anvioris Ramirez started for the Cougars and lasted into the fifth inning, he would give up six hits and three runs. Only two of those runs would be earned. He walked three and struck out three. In the first inning he got into a lot of trouble, but the damage was lightend due to good plays.

Josh Prince led off the game by drawing a walk. He would be picked off of first by Ramirez. Mike Brownstein then walked. Brock Kjeldgaard singled to center. Kyle Dhanani would reach on an error by third baseman Mike Spina. Brownstein would score and Kjeldgaard went to third. Pete Fatse then flew to center. Kjeldgaard tagged up and ran over catcher Juan Nunez. Nunez would hang on to the ball after the crash and the inning would be over.

The first runs of the game came in the third inning, when the teams would combine for four runs. Thankfully the Rattlers would only score one of them. With one out, Mike Brownstein doubled down the left field line. Kjeldgaard then would strike out, a wild pitch on the third strike ment there would be a throw to first. Kjeldgaard would be called out for runners interference. Brownstein got credit for a stolen base. Dhanani then singled to left to score Brownstein.

With one out, Chris Berroa walked, then went to second on a wild pitch, and third on a stolen base. Nino Leyja and Leonardo Gil walked. One out later, Mike Spina would be hit on the hand by a pitch, that would force in Berroa for the Cougars first run. Hernandez then singled to short to score Leyja. The shortstop made a bad throw that would allow Gil to score and Hernandez to get to second.

After that the game would remain at three's untill the tenth, that is not to say that both teams did not have a few chances. The Cougars had a chance in the seventh. With one out, Berroa walked, and stole second. Leyja walked, a wild pitch moved the runners into scoring position. That ment two runners in scoring position and only one out. Gil would be caught looking. Parker then grounded out to first.

In the fifth inning for the Rattlers, Brownstein led off with a single to short. Two outs later, Fatse would be hit by a pitch. Trey Barham then came in to relieve Ramirez. He would be able to get John Delaney to ground into a force out at second to end the inning.

Trey Barham pitch one and one thirds innings, with one walk. He would pick off the runner who walked. Justin Murray pitched two solid innings with one walk. His walk would be erased on a double play. Paul Smyth who would get his first Cougar win, pitched two perfect innings with three strike outs.


Tomorrow vs Wisconsin @6pm
Cody Scarpetta (4-10, 3.39) vs Mathieu Leblanc-Poirier (3-6, 4.84)

Friday, August 28, 2009

8/27, Beloit 9, Cougars 1

On a dark and dreary night near the end of August. The ghosts and other creatures came out to play a game of baseball. Well I think it was baseball. At least one team showed up for the game, so it was semi-like baseball. Ok, the Cougars lost 9-1. They would give up 19 hits and make three errors in their loss to the Beloit Snappers.

The Cougars would win the series at home, so that is a positive to take out of the series, plus they had won four in a row. Tonight just seemed like a bad horror movie. The carnage just seemed to never end. At least not untill the seventh inning, after that A.J. Huttenlocker and Dusty Napoleon pitched well.

By this time the game was out of hand already. Huttenlocker came in for the final out of the sixth, then retired the next six he faced. Napoleon made his second pitching appearance of the year. He stil has not given up a run. He gave up a single to the leadoff man. The last hitter he faced he threw a lollipop up there, something like the old ephus pitch of the deadball era. He would end up with a called strike three to end the inning.

Kenny Smalley started and was off all game, he went four innings. Smalley gave up eleven hits, six runs, five earned runs. He would walk three and strike out four. Josue Selenis then came in and did not fare much better, as he went one and two third innings, plus four batters. He would give up seven hits, three runs, two earned.

Things were bad from the start, as the Snappers wouldn't score any runs in the first, but the would get two singles. They left men on first and third. In the second inning Beloit scored once. Jon Waltenbury led things off with a single to left center. One out later, Drew Thompson singled to right. Angel Morales would single to left to bring home Waltenbury.

More runs for the Snappers in the third inning, this time two, it could've been much worse though. Ramon Santana led off with a triple to right center. Ozzie Lewis then doubled down the left field line to bring home Santana. Nate Hanson then blooped a single to right. Two outs later, Drew Thompson walked to load the bases. Smalley then walked Morales to force in Lewis.

With one out in the fourth, Santana walked. Lewis singled to center. Hanson would fly out foul to left, which would allow Santana to score on the sacrifice fly. Then trouble started, Waltenbury singled to right. The throw in from Jeremy Barfield would get away for an error. Catcher Petey Paramore tracked down the ball near the mound and threw home, the throw went to the backstop for an error. On the play Lewis scored and Waltenbury made third. Jeff Lanning then blooped one down the right field line to score Waltenbury.

Another run for the Snappers in the fifth. Morales reached on an error by Mike Spina. James Beresford then reached on a fielder's choice, with Morales out at second. One out later, Santana then singled to left. Lewis would single to left center to score Morales.

Two more runs for the Snappers in the sixth, but it could've been a lot worse. Waltenbury doubled to left center, Connor Crumbliss tried to dive for the ball and the ball got by him. Two outs later, Morales singled to third, Waltenbury scored after getting to third on a wild pitch. The thing about this at bat was that, he hit a long foul ball to left down the line. I could not tell fair or foul from the pressbox. The thing is that Morales argued. The ump ejected the manager and the pitching coach. Beresford would follow with a single up the middle. Aaron Hicks then singled to left to score Morales. Santana would single to right to load the bases with two outs. A.J. Huttenlocker then came in and got a force out at second.

That would thankfully be all for the Snappers due to the great work of Huttenlocker and Napoleon. The offense, well they did not get their first hit untill the sixth inning. Chris Berroa led off with a single off the pitchers glove. The only run came in the eighth with one out, Crumbliss walked. Leonardo Gil then singled up the middle. Steve Parker would then reach on a fielder's choice, with Gil being out at second. The Snappers tried to turn the double play, and the throw from the second baseman was wide, allowing Crumbliss to score.


Tomorrow vs Wisconsin @6:30
Evan Frederickson (3-7, 5.15) vs Anvioris Ramirez (4-2, 3.74)


This weekend I will interview Shawn Haviland and Steve Parker. If anyone has any questions for the players please email them to me, before 10 am that day.
Web Statistics and Counters

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Sickday

I hate being sick. All of a sudden at work, I felt lightheaded, and dizzy as hell. I was in the grill and it hit me just all of a sudden. I don't know what hit me but dam that hurts. I fell down once before I just told them im going home, from what I was told the manager could tell something was wrong, I was quiet. Plus I was pail in the face. I come home and just fall asleep for five hours. I missed going to the Cougars game, oh well. Nothing I can do about it.

I still feel like shit right now. My stomach and my head are arguing, and Im not winning. This should be fun, with all the sleep I got I probly will be up till 3 in the morning or something. I hate being sick

The rest of the trip

Well, we went from Fort Wayne to Caro on Saturday. It was a long five hours of driving. We get there and get to the hotel in Caro that we have always stayed at. Then I get to take the bike out and ride the five miles to my grandma's house. It was boring there but I will say this my grandpa finally got around to telling some stories which would end up being the highlight of the whole trip.

Saturday night I find out I have no internet in the rooms. My pa finds out no ice bin, and the tv breaks. All we get from hotel management is "If you don't like it, leave". So we were about to leave but somehow ma, talked him out of it.

Sunday was the reunion and it rained most of the morning. I had to go early and move about a dozen tables around and other things. That is the part of the reunion I hate. The reunion itself was good. We played something athletic for the first time in ten years. Not enough young people there ever to do anything. We played volleyball. We used to have a ballgame every year.

The rest of the stay wasn't that bad, we will not stay at the same hotel ever, we will stay in Saginaw instead. On the way home we went to Midland, Michigan to pick up some Great Lakes Loons programs and schedules. The we found this great restraunt in Birch Run. TOny's, oh man, a half pound burger and a full pound of bacon, it was great. We still have some of the bacon there was just too much. Then we drove down to St. Joseph, Michigan and went to the Texas Coral there, it was all you can eat rib night. That can be dangerous around me. I only managed a full slab, but wanted more, if it wasn't for Tony's earlier. We got home around 10 pm

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

8/25, Beloit 4, Cougars 6

The Cougars won their third game in a row, all against the Beloit Snappers. This time they would win 6-4, after coming from behind in the sixth inning with three runs. The three errors the Snappers had helped win the game for the Cougars.

Shawn Haviland started and lasted into the sixth inning. He really pitch ok, he would give up six hits and four runs. One of those runs would be on the second hitter of the game. Aaron Hicks took Haviland deep to right field. The next three innings went well, he would give up two hits. Haviland would give up two runs in the fifth.

Haviland led off by hitting Nate Hanson with a pitch. Dominic De La Osa then doubled to right center. Jeremy Barfield kicked the ball around a little, De La Osa ended up with a double. Angel Morales would then single to left to score Hanson. James Beresford doubled down the left field line. De La Osa scored. Morales overran the base at third and would be out. That would still leave Beresford at second with one out. Haviland then walked Hicks. Ramon Santana lined out hard to center. Danny Rams grounded out to end the inning.

The next inning would be Haviland's last as he wouldn't get through the inning. With two outs, Hanson singled to center. After that Haviland was pulled at exactly 100 pitches. Trey Barham came in and gave up a single to left to De La Osa. Morales singled up the middle to score Hanson. That would be all that the Cougars would give up in the game. Paul Smyth and Daniel Thomas combined to shutout the Snappers for the next two innings following a shutout inning by Barham.

Offensivley the Cougars only had six hits and six runs, the main thing was the free chances that the Snappers gave to the Cougars. Four walks, three errors, and one hit by pitch. Connor Crumbliss had a great night. He walked his first three times up. Doubled home a run in the sixth, then was hit by a pitch in the eigth. In all he reached base all five plate appearances, and saw at least five pitches four of those times. He scored a run and drove home a run.

The first Cougars run came in the third inning when they would put two runs across. Tyler Ladendorf led it off with a triple to right. One out later, Crumbliss walked. One more out later, Steve Parker doubled down the right field line off the wall to score both runners. The amazing thing about that hit was it was one handed.

The next Cougar run came in the fifth inning. Dusty Napoleon led it off by lining one to the centerfield wall. Hicks made a great catch. Crumbliss then walked. Leonardo Gil would hit into a fielder's choice. The only reason it wasn't a double play is because the shortstop bobbled the ball before he transfered it to the second baseman for the out at second. Snappers starter Bruce Pugh then made a bad pick off throw attempt, it went into right field. Gil would make it all the way around to third. Parker singled to right center to bring home Gil.

It was a messy sixth inning for the Snappers as they would give up three runs, and make two errors. Franklin Hernandez led it off by reaching on an error by the third baseman. On the play the ball jumped over his glove down the third base line, Hernandez would make it to second. Amazing things happen, Jeremy Barfield beat out a bunt, for a single. He tried to sacrifice but the bunt was placed perfectly down the first base line. Petey Paramore then hit one up the middle. The second baseman kicked the ball for an error. On the play Hernandez would score and Barfield made third. A wild pitch would bring Barfield home. Two outs later, Crumbliss doubled off the left field wall to bring home Paramore.

Kane County did have two more chances in the game. In the fourth inning, Hernandez led off with a walk, then stole second. Barfield and Paramore both struck out. Ladendorf then lined to left. In the seventh inning with two outs, Hernandez singled to third. Barfield would reach on a dropped third stike. On the wild pitch Hernandez moved to second. Paramore popped up to center to end the inning.


The Cougars made a roster move today. Carlos Arrieche was placed on the disabled list. Paul Smyth was brought up from Vancouver.


Ozzie tried to get a softee baseball into the press box window before the game, and just missed. Oh well,he will hit me sometime with it.

It seemed like it was dead at the Elf tonight, there were maybe 1500 fans there, eventhough the attendence was 2515. There was just no energy.


Tomorrow vs Beloit @6:30
Dan Osterbrock (6-9, 5.42) vs Murphy Smith (0-2, 5.88)


Rotation the rest of the home stand
Th-Smalley
F-Ramirez
Sa-Leblanc-Poirier
Su-Haviland
M-Smith

Friday, August 21, 2009

Fort Wayne, Indiana

Greetings from downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana. We got here around 4:30 this afternoon, it was raining and miserable. We get into the hotel and its a downpour, we get into the ballpark and it stops raining and becomes a pretty nice night.

The trip started with a trip to Majors restraunt in Downers Grove for brunch?. We left round noon heading down Odgen Ave. Made the turn onto 294 south and thats about when I started to fall asleep. I don't know what it is but on car rides I just fall alseep, I guess that can sometimes be called a gift. We packed the van so well that i forgot to plug the computer in, and couldn't get to the plug so I was computerless during the ride. Oh well, I had my mp3 player. We went on 80 east, then down on 65 south after the border. Finally we hit U.S. 30 and go west.

30 actually has a pretty good shoulder on it at least after Merriville, so I may try it some time on the bike, who knows. We went through Valporaso and through a lot of small town farming communties. Finally getting to Fort Wayne around 4:30 this afternoon.

The hotel was nice it is a Candlewood Suites, and it is the first time we have been in one, and it is great. I actually get a nice desk to work on. It has a kitchen and a fridge. Yes I know I can't cook or anything but come on, I gotta keep the beer and stuff cold somehow.

Well went went to the game at Parkview Field. First time we have been to this park. Now we have been to all the ballparks in the Midwest League again. We go and get into the parking garage that is attacted to the park (4.00 parking, not bad). Then we have to walk around the stadium in the rain to get to the front gate. Thankfully i emailed ahead for tickets, because it was standing room only available. We go in, this is about an hour before the game. Walk aroudn the stadium, and it is one of those that you can walk around the entirerty of the stadium. They have plaques on every beem holding up the upper deck, and on the light posts around the park. The have one from the Fort Wayne Wizards, one for the AAGPBL, and a whole mess of other teams and people in the Fort Wayne area.

We go out to the outfield, as we smelled grills a cooking. And we were right, I love grilled food. Right behind the batters eye is a grill stand, that serves some great rib tips, and footlong hotdogs. Both of which I highly recommened. The only problem I saw is they have Miller Lite (water) or Budweiser, and a whole slew of other beers. I drink MGD. Oh well I had to settle for a Bud. They also had a quarter slab of ribs at that one stand for like eight dollars.

During the game it wasn't bad, the park that is weird is the big screen scoreboard is on the back side of the parking garage in rightfield. It is way up there, it is a nice screen and shows all of the typical information on it.

Tomorrow we go up to Michigan to visit grandma. Hopefully I will be able to ride from the motel to her house in the afternoon, if it isn't raining.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

1 Day Till Semi-Vacation

Tomorrow im off to Fort Wayne and Michigan, this should be interesting. I just hope the internet near my grandmas will work this time, so I can follow the Cougars. Oh well, if not I know im on the edge of sprints cell phone servies so i may or may not have cell phone servies up in the middle of basically knowhere.

Tomorrow we are going to go to Fort Wayne and see the new ballpark. Then if all goes will with the weather im going to get up at 6 am maybe and hop on the bike and head north. They will meet me eventually, and off we go to grandma's house/


Today the Cougars lost in Beloit 5-1, it wasnt a fun game to listen to again

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Off Day For the Cougars

Well the Cougars did not lose today, they also did not win. Oh well, hey they got to relax and clear their collective minds, the first off day in 28 days. Wow that is some stretch with all the traveling they do. But then again I would love to do that much traveling and seeing ball games.

Well lets see today. I went to work, we had corportate there so it wasn't as much fun as it sometimes is. The register broke down during lunch, and the shift manager basically closed drive thru for ten minutes. Oh well, the rest of the day was fine, Hey it was a good day if you look at it this way, it was payday, what other kind of good day could it be

Only one more day of work, till Friday, on Friday family leaves for Fort Wayne, Indiana to see a ball game in their new park. After I see a game in that park I will have seen a game in every ballpark in the Midwest League again. That is untill next year when we get Bowling Green, Kentucky and Eastlake, Ohio into the league. Oh well

Yes I plan on bringin the bike along for the weekend, if all goes well with the weather I will leave here about 6 am on Friday for the border, and will be picked up somewhere near there on the way to Fort Wayne.

On Saturday it will be more of the same, leave early on the bike and get picked up on the way to grandma's house in Michigan. Hopefully we continue tradition and get pizza on the Saturday, I could really go for some Little Cesears pizza right about now.

Oh well, then on Sunday I hope to ride early in the day then at noon its family torture day, oh im sorry family reunion day. Two hours or so of hell. oh im sorry again i mean happyness.

Monday ride early in the morning then head over to grandma's house, then home, eight hours in the car with my folks, this should really be fun. Hey at least i will have my mp3 and my computer to work on.

Tonight the Cougars had no game, so I got the game for 6/2 at Clinton done and online http://malamut.net/06022009kccli.html Well at least I got something acomplished tonight, Hopefully I can get the 6/3 at Clinton game started a little, oh well

The fun part is when the website got hacked the whole server got hacked, so I got the website up and stuff yesterday, tonight I realize that my email isn't working right. I couldn't send any messages. Took an hour or so but the email is finally back up and working, thank god

Monday, August 17, 2009

8/17, Cougars 7, Burlington 5

The Cougars bats came alive tonight, at least for one night. They would get 16 hits and score 7 runs in their win over the Burlington Bees 7-5.

Steve Parker had four hits and four runs batted in. Mike Spina hit a homerun. Chris Berroa got on base three times and stole two bases. Anvioris Ramirez kept the Cougars in the game, he went six innings. Giving up four hits and three runs. Jose Guzman pitched great in two innings of work, he gave up two hits and struck out two. Justin Murray would give up a two run homerun in the ninth.

The Cougars fell behind early again, as the Bees would score a run in the second. Jason Taylor led off with a double to right center. He would get to third on a Jose Bonilla fly to right, he tagged up and made it. Ramirez threw a wild pitch which let Taylor score.

Chris Berroa then led off the third inning with a walk, then stole second. Nino Leyja tried to get Berroa over to second before the steal, but his bunt attempt would end up in a strikeout. One out later, Parker doubled down the left field line to drive in Berrora.

Ramirez would give back the run in the bottom half of the inning. Jason Morales led off with a double to left center. Patrick Norris then popped up a bunt attempt. One out later, David Wood singled to center to score Morales. Wood would be picked off of first to end the inning.

Burlington added another run in the third inning. Nick Francis led off by reaching on an error by Steve Parker. On the play Francis grounded one to third, Mike Spina threw to Parker at first, and he lost the ball in the sun. Francis would get to second on the errant throw. Two outs later, Juan Fraterol grounded one back to the mound. Ramirez should've gotten the ball, it rolled over to short, Tyler Ladendorf tried to bare hand the ball and missed. It would go down as an infield single, that would score Taylor.

Finally the Cougars would put something together in the fifth inning, and tie the score. Leyja led it off with a single to left. Ladendorf then singled to left. Parker would double off of the left center field wall to score both Leyja and Ladendorf. He would be out at third trying for a triple. Two more runs for the Cougars in the sixth inning. With one out, Dusty Napoleon walked. Berrora then singled to left. Leyja followed with a single to left to score Napoleon. Ladendorf then hit one to third. The Bees tried for a double play. The throw from the second baseman was wide, it would allow Berroa to score.

Mike Spina led off the seventh with a homerun to left. The last run for the Cougars came in the eighth inning. Berroa led off with a walk. He then stole second and went to third on a bad throw by the catcher. Leyja walked. One out later, Parker singled to right center to drive home Berroa. The Bees would then make a pitching change. Spina walked to load the bases. Jeremy Barfield would hit into the inning ending double play.

The Cougars actually had a couple of more chances in the game, especially the early innings. In the first inning with two outs, Parker and Spina both singled. Barfield would fly out to right to end the inning. Adfter the run scoring double by Parker in the third, Spina singled to center. That made it runners on first and third with two outs. Barfield would ground out to second. After the Spina leadoff homerun in the seventh, Barfield would reach on a droped third strike. The Bees then made a pitching change. Petey Paramore greated the new pitcher with a single to left. Franklin Hernandez singled up the middle. Barfield tried to score and would be thrown out at the plate.

The Bees had their chances to, in the firs tinning Patrick Norris walked and stole second. He would be stranded there. The Bees would try to make a game out of it in the ninth inning down four runs against Justin Murray. With one out, Graterol reached on a Spina error. One out later, Jason Morales took Murray deep to left.

Tomorrow at Burlington @6:30
Mathieu Leblanc-Poirier (3-6, 4.20) vs Tim Melville (4-7, 4.25)


Sunday, August 16, 2009

8/16, Cougars 3, Burlington 6

This is getting hard to watch these days. The Cougars had some chances for the win, but five errors and some weird calls by the umps really gave the Cougars fits. The Cougars would lose 6-3 in the second game of their road trip to Burlington.

This game was a golden opportunity fo rthe Cougars in the beginin of the game, as they left the bases loaded in the first, and three more runners on after that into the fourth inning. None of those runners would score. The Cougars would have the one big inning in which they would be able to break through for all of their runs. All three of their runs that is on two hits in the fifth inning.

The problem was that the Bees would score on in the fourth and five in the sixth. Those five runs would be part of an embarrasing inning, in which they would make three errors, two by Leonardo Gil. Gil would make four errors in two innings, the fifth and sixth.

Kenny Smalley started for the Cougars and had some trouble today. He would get into the sixth innings giving up six hits and four runs. Only three of those runs would be earned, but the weird part was he walked four hitters.

The game changed in that sixth inning when the Bees had five runs, we also lost two players due to ejections in the inning. Jose Bonilla led off the inning by hitting a homer to left field off of Smalley. Juan Graterol then walked and stole second. Two outs later, Yeldrys Molina would triple to right center to bring home Graterol. Patrick Norris then reached on an error by Gil, Molina would score. Adrain Ortiz singled to center. David Wood then reached on an error by Mike Spina. On the play he kicked the ball, and then tried to step on third for the force, and the ump said he missed the bag. That would load the bases. Shawn Griffith then lined one to second, that Gil just plain old missed. Norris and Ortiz would score, Wood would be thrown out at third by Jeremy Barfield. Now the fun part of the inning, Mike Spina would be tossed by the home plate ump after he said something to the base ump. Then Smalley would be tossed also after the triple to Molina. He was in the dugout already after being pulled from the game and was tossed.

Smalley was in trouble from the beginin. In the first he would get a lucky bounce to get out of the inning. With one out, Ortiz tripled off of the right field wall. He tried to get an inside the park homer. Barfield got the ball into to Gil, who somehow got it to Tyler Ladendorf, who threw home to Dusty Napoleon to get the out. In the second inning with two outs, Smalley would walk both Graterol and Ryan Wood. Then get Molina to line out to Gil to end the inning.

The other run the Bees would get came in the fourth inning off of Smalley. David Wood led it off with a bloop double down the left field line. One out later, Bonilla doubled to right center to score Wood.

Kane County scored their runs in the fifth inning off of starter Ivor Hodgson. Leyja led off the inning with a single to center. Ladendorf would then be hit by a pitch. One out later, Barfield walked to load the bases. Petey Paramore then doubled down the left field line to score both Leyja and Ladendorf. Steve Parker then grounded out to score Barfield.

The Cougars had so many more chances that they just couldn't do nothing with. In the first inning the would leave the bases loaded. Leyja led off the game with a single to left center. Ladendorf then singled to left. Leyja would be picked off of second, which would be big, because the Cougars should've scored a run in the inning. One out later, Bafield singled to right center to load the bases. Parker popped out to the catcher to end the inning.

The next chance for the Cougars came in the fourth inning with one out. Parker singled to right. One out later, Napoleon doubled down the right field line to get Parker to third. Carlos Arrieche then lined one to the left fielder to end the inning.

After that they had three more runners on base after the fifth inning and none of the would reach second base. The final eight Cougars to hit in the game would be retired by the Bees bullpen.


Tomorrow at Burlington @ 6:30
Anvioris Ramirez (2-2, 3.56) vs Sam Runion (3-10, 7.11)

Saturday, August 15, 2009

8/15, Cougars 1, Burlington 8

Just another bad game, well the Cougars lost 8-1 and it could've been worse as the Burlington Bees had 17 hits.

The Cougars scored one run on seven hits, leaving eight men on base. Getting four walks and not having one of them score. The one run they scored was unearned.

Kane County fell behind 6-0 before the sixth inning. Murphy Smith had a bad game, he gave up eleven hits and six runs in five innings. Matt Fitts' one inning didn't help much either, as he gave up three hits and two runs. Trey Barham did pitch two scoreless innings, giving up three hits.

In the third inning the Bees would take the lead with two runs. Ryan Wood led it off with a single to center, Yeldnys Molina then bunted him over to second. Patrick Norris would then singel to second, the ball would be deflected by Smith. One out later, David Wood doubled to center to bring home both runners. Thing went from bad to worse as the Bees would score four times in the fourth inning to really blow the game open.

With one out, Jose Bonila singled to right. Ryan Wood then doubled to center. Molina walked to load the bases. Norris would single to right to bring home both Bonila and Wood. Adrian Ortiz hit into a fielder's choice with Norris being out at second. David Wood singled to center to score Molina. Nick Francis followed with a single to center to score Ortiz.

Fitts just did not have anything today. Ortiz greated him with a single to second. David Wood then singled to right, and Francis walked to load the bases. Two outs later, Fitts would walk Bonilla to force in Ortiz. Ryan Wood then singled to short to sore David Wood.

Petey Paramore led the way with three singles, and a walk in his four at bats. Nino Leyja had two singles.


Tomorrow at Burlington @2pm
Kenny Smalley (9-5, 2.34) vs Ivor Hodgson (2-1, 4.84)



Tomorrow I will be at a bike event in Dixon, IL, the Ronald Regan Heritage Bike Ride at 8 am

Friday, August 14, 2009

August 14th

Well, thank god its Friday, Is all I have to say. The game last night went 15 innings, I didn't finish my story and stuff till almost 1am. I messed up and overslept, I guess I mustve turned off my 6am alarm and just rolled over. Well I was late for work, (10 minutes) for the first time this year.

Oh well work went well, I was off by 2pm, so that is the best part of it. The came home, relaxed and decided to go and ride the bike to the game tonight. That was fun, first time ive been on the bike in a while again. Well I went up Warrenville road to Batavia road into and through Fermi Lab. Fermi was hilly and took a while. The out onto Kirk road. The Kirk road path is a disgrace. It is so overgrown that you can almost not see the asphalt anymore, plus there is a manhole cover that is about a foot off the ground right in the middle of the path. Plus there are two nice sized hills towards the end of the path near the Elf. Well I went 13.6 miles, in just under and hour and a half.

The game, well they lost and really it felt like we were never really in the game tonight.

8/14, Quad City 4, Cougars 3

After 15 innings of fun yesterday, the Cougars went regulation today. Unfortunatly they only got three runs and eight hits, while losing to Quad City 4-3 in the finaley of the series.

Shawn Haviland did not have a good outing, at least the first three innings. He was able to semi keep the team in the game and give them a chance to win in the end. That is if they can find thier bats.

Haviland got off to a real rough start, this time it wasn't only one bad inning, it was three. In the first he gave up a single to Jermaine Curtis up the middle to lead off the game. Then Haviland walked both Jason Stidham and Xavier Scruggs to load the bases. He would get both Rich Racobaldo and Jack Cawley looking. Then be able to get Frederick Parejo to pop up back to the catcher to end the inning.

The second inning wasn't much better, actually it was a little bit worse as he gave up two runs. Ryde Rodriguez led off with a single to third. Domnit Bolivar followed with a single to left. Two outs later, Stidham would walk to load the bases. Scruggs would single to left to score both Rodriguez and Bolivar. Haviland would get out of the inning with a pop out to short.

Another run for the Bandits off of Haviland in the third inning. Cawley led it off with a single up the middle. Shortstop Carlos Arrieche made a nice play on a sharpe grounder for the first out of the inning. Rodriguez then singled to left. One out later, Jared Bogany singled to right center to score Cawley. Jeremy Barfield would run down a fly to the warning track to end the inning.

After that Haviland pitched well, he really settled down. He would retired seven in a row untill he hit Bolivar to start off the sixth inning. Bogany would move him to second with a bunt. After that Scott Deal came in and would get a strikeout and a line out to get out of the trouble.

Deal had troubles of his own in the next two innings. He would pitch two and two thirds innings, and give up three hits and one run. Scruggs led off the seventh with a singel to third. Racobaldo then singled to left center. Cawley would move the runners along with a bunt. Frederick Parejo then grounded one to Arrieche, he would make a great play on the ball, and then throw home to get Scruggs at the plate. That was important because at this point in the game the score was 3-3. Rodriguez flew to right to end the frame.

The Cougars did have some chances and would end up scoring three runs of their own. In the third inning, Franklin Hernandez led it off with a single to left. One out later, Chris Berroa singled to right to bring home Hernandez. Steve Parker led off the fourth with a triple off of the left centerfield wall. Mike Spina then hit a sacrifice fly to bring home Parker. Spina led off the sixth with a double down the left field line. One out later, Petey Paramore blooped a single to center to bring home Parker.

In the eighth inning the Bandits would score what would become the game deciding run off of Scott Deal. Bolivar led off with a walk. The walk will be discussed later. Bogany then bunted him over to second, one out later, Stidham singled to right center to bring home Bolivar.

The Cougars would have a chance to score in both of the last two innings. In the eighth, Spina led off by reaching on an error by the shortstop. Barfield then hit into a double play. In the ninth, Hernadnez reached on another error by the shortstop. Dusty Napoleon would bunt him over to second. Tyler Ladendorf then hit for Berroa, he would strike out. As would Nino Leyja to end the game.

Tomorrow at Burlington @6:30
Murphy Smith (0-1, 2.75) vs Manauris Baez (5-5, 3.83)

Juan Nunez came off of the disabled list, this gave the Cougars a full 25 man roster.

Scott Deal tied the career walks record of Hector Henriquez (98-00)

Thursday, August 13, 2009

8/13, Quad City 2, Cougars 3 (15)

Dusty Napoleon singled to second to score Petey Paramore in the 15th inning to give the Cougars the 3-2 win. This was the longest game this year for the Cougars.

In the 15th inning with two outs, Paramore grounded one to the shortstop, who tried to back hand the ball and then throw to first. The throw would be wide, Paramore went to second on the error. Franklin Hernandez then grounded one to short for an infield single. This put runners on first and third with two outs. Dusty Napoleon then grounded one into the hole at second that he would then beat the throw to first for an infield single. This would let Paramore score, and the celebration begin.

Both teams bullpens were outstanding, The Quad City River Bandits bullpen went nine innings, giving up three hits and one run. The last hit by the Cougars before the 15th was to lead off the seventh inning. That is 25 hitters in a row retired by the bullpen. They would strike out 11 in those innings. The Cougars bullepn went nine innings, giving up six hits and no runs. They had runners on base almost every inning.

Mathieu Leblanc-Poirier started for the Cougars and pitched well, he went six innings, giving up three hits and two runs. He would walk two and strike out five. In the second inning he gave up his first run. With one out, Domnit Bolivar reached on a wild pitch on a third stike. Ryde Rodriguez then doubled down the left field line to get Bolivar to third. Roberto Espinoza followed with a grounder to second to score Bolivar. The othe run came in the fifth inning for the Bandits. With one out, Jarred Bogany doubled off the right field wall. One out later, Jason Stidham would reach on a error by the second baseman Nino Leyja. On the play Bogany scored.

The Bandits had their chances throughout the game was in the whole game they were only retired in order five times. The Cougars ended seven innings with strikeouts.

Kane County scored their two runs in the sixth inning. Chris Berroa led off by reaching on an error by the shortstop. Leyja then bunted him over to second. Steve Parker went deep to right field. The Cougars would leave six runners on base in the game.

Haas Pratt was ejected after the 14th inning, arguing the called strikeout of Tyler Ladendorf to end the inning. Jeremy Barfield was tossed after he struck out in the 15th inning. The ump was calling a wide strike zone most of the night. Barfield went off and threw his helmet down and got right in the umps face.

Thankfully Dusty Napoleon came through in the 15th, because right before the at bat he was warming up in the bullpen to come in to pitch.


Tomorrow vs Quad City @6:30
Kevin Thomas (5-7, 4.15) vs Shawn Haviland (6-9, 4.33)

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

8/12, Quad City 1, Cougars 4

The Cougars would put together just enough hitting to back a good pitching performance by Anvioris Ramirez to get a 4-1 win against the Quad City River Bandits.

Ramirez pitched a great game, he made one mistake in the six and one third innings he pitched. That mistake left the yard to lead off the third inning by Jack Cawley. Besides that he gave up five hits, one walk and five strikeouts.

The offense took advantage of some Bandits mistakes, including seven walks to score four runs. They hit into two inning ending double plays.

The first run for the Cougars came in the third inning with one out. Nino Leyja walked. Steve Parker then doubled to left center to score Leyja. In the fifth inning it would again be that combo that scored a run. With one out, Leyja singled to right then stole second. Parker followed this time with a double down the left field line to score Leyja.

The other two runs by the Cougars came in the seventh inning with two outs. Leyja walked. Parker then reached on a fielding error by the right fielder. Tyler Ladendorf would then triple down the right field line to score both runs. The rightfielder dove for the ball and came up way empty.

The Cougars did have some more chances, but one of the better ones was in the eighth inning. With one out, Petey Paramore thought he doubled down the right field line. Oh well, the base ump, Marcus Pattillo ruled it was foul, for some reason. Well Paramore went absoulutly nuts, and would be tossed, Steve Scarsone came out to argue also. Carlos Arrieche finished the at bat, and would walk. Arrieche would be picked off of first. This was the second time in the game that Pattillo would miss a call down the line that cost the Cougars.

Jose Guzman pitched well out of the bullpen. He would come in with men on second and third with one out in the seventh. Guzman got Cawley to line to short, then struck out Guilleremo Toribio. Daniel Thomas would come in for his second save of the year, he pitched the ninth, gave up a hit and got two strikeouts.


Well for all the folks that were too busy watching other things, while they were playing the YMCA,. Cougar radio announcer Jeff Hem, and offical scorer, Bill Baker were dancing the YMCA in their respective booths. We also had Jake the Diamond Dog there again tonight. Yesterday I open the door to the press room, and Jake greets me at the door, with his tail wagging. Today he takes a nap under the window of the press room before the game. I took a photo of it.


Tomorrow vs Quad City @6:30
Scott Schneider (NR) vs Mathieu Leblanc-Poirier (3-6, 4.36)


Tuesday, August 11, 2009

August 11th

Well the day started out shitty, I overslept so i couldnt ride to work. I get to work and my stomach is killing me, along with the back. I tell the manager and I get a i dont care go in the back booth comment. I had a horrible day back there and made some people mad i guess, oh well i was feeling horrible. They sent me home early

i come home and do basically nothing untill it is time to leave for the game, the game itself was bad as they lost again.

No workout and no ride today, back hurts too much

8/11, Quad City 4, Cougars 2

Well the Cougars have lost 10 out of their last 12 home games, they droped the first game of the series against the Quad City River Bandits 4-2.

Kenny Smalley started and did not have one of his better games. He survived into the sixth inning, giving up seven hits and three runs. He walked three and struck out three. All three of the runs came in the first inning. Smalley had baserunners all but two innings.

The first inning was the worst for the Cougars tonight. D'Marcus Ingram led off with a single to short. Jermaine Curtis then singled to right to get Ingram to third, Curtis then stole second. Xavier Scruggs walked to load the bases. Rich Racobaldo would ground one to third, Mike Spina threw to Dusty Napoleon to force out Ingram at home. Smalley would then get Domnit Bolivar looking for the second out. Jason Stidham would then take four pitches for a bases loaded walk, Curtis came home to score. Ryde Rodriguez singled to center to drive in both Scruggs and Racobaldo.

Smalley had some trouble also in the third inning, Scruggs led off with a walk. Two pop outs later, Stidham singled down the left field line. Smalley would then get Rodriguez to pop out to second to end the inning.

The next time the Cougars were in trouble was the sixth inning, Smalley was still pitching, Stidham led off with a double down the right field line. Rodriguez then singled to right. Scott Deal would come in to set a record. More on the record later. He would hit Roberto Espinoza on the first pitch to load the bases. Deal then delt, he would strike out Jarred Bogany looking, Ingram swinging for the first two outs. Curtis hit into a fielder's choice to end the inning. Bases loaded no one out, and Deal gets out of it.

The Cougars did have a little bit of offense in the game, not much but they scored two runs on nine hits. In the third inning, Napoleon led off with a single to left, Carlos Arrieche then grounded into a double play. In the fourth inning, Spina hit a two out double to the wall in right. Jeremy Barfield then struck out to end the inning.

More left on in the fifth inning for the Cougars. Petey Paramore led off with a single to left. Franklin Hernandez then hit into a double play. Napoleon then hit one to third, the ball bounced right over the head of the thirdbaseman for a single. Arrieche then singled to short. Nino Leyja would pop out to strand the two runners.

Finally the Cougas got a run in the sixth inning with two outs. Spina singled to left. Barfield then tripled to the wall in center to score Spina. Actually the centerfield lost the ball in the lights.

The other run the Cougars would score came in the eighth inning, Leyja led it off with a single to center. Steve Parker then walked. Tyler Ladendorf would then bunt the runners into scoring position. Spina hit a sacrifice fly to left to score Leyja. With the tying run on third and two outs, Barfield would strike out.


Scott Deal broke the team record for career games pitched with 92. He broke Dan Fyvie's record (04-06). Deal is also one win away from tying the career wins record. He owns the career loss, strikeout, hits, games started, and a couple of other records. he is two walks away from that record. Barfield has a 13 game hitting streak.


Tomorrow vs Quad City @6:30
Miguel Tapia (3-3, 4.64) vs Anvioris Ramirez (1-2, 4.13)

Monday, August 10, 2009

Monday, August 10th, 2009

Well, lets see it was supposed to rain today so I didn't ride the bike, but it didnt rain. oh well i was so tired and frustrated after work that i wouldn't have done well. The manager in charge left us short handed and we got are butts handed to us, nothing went right. Oh well its only Monday

Went to the game, got there an hour early, they actually won, good things do happend. I really wish that Jeremy Barfield would hustle and take good routes to the ball, but oh well, cant have everything i guess.

Came home wrote the story. Then went and worked out, did the weights, and ran very little on the treadmill. i plan on riding the bike to work tomorrow

8/10, Clinton 4, Cougars 6

The Cougars finally won another home game, this time in the finale of the series against the Clinton Lumberkings 6-4. They had to come back twice, the last time with four runs in the eighth inning for the win. This is their 2nd win in the last 11 home games.

The big inning was the eighth inning when they started off the inning down 4-2 and having only five hits. Leonardo Gil led it off with a single up the middle. Nino Leyja then grounded one to third, the third baseman tried to get Gil at second on a force play. He would beat the throw. Then Tyler Ladendorf bunted the runners into scoring position with only one out. Mike Spina would strike out. Jeremy Barfield came through with a single to right to score both Gil and Leyja. He would just make second on an error by the right fielder. Chris Berroa then came in to pitch run, while the Kings were making a pitching change. Steve Parker then blooped a single to center to score Berroa. The Cougars could've blown the game wide open. Petey Paramore followed with a single to left. Franklin Hernandez dribbled one to short that the shortstop booted for their fifth error of the game. Parker scored on the error and Paramore made third. Second and third with two outs, Carlos Arrieche would strike out to end the inning.

Murphy Smith started for the Cougars and lasted six innings, he would give up seven hits and two runs. In the first two innings he ended both with double plays. In the third inning a great throw by Barfield to homeplate to nail Shaver Hansen would save the Cougars from allowing a run.

That streak ended in the fourth when the Kings scored one run. Nate Tenbrink led off with a single up the middle. Two outs later, Kris Sanchez doubled off the wall in center to score Tenbrink. Another run scored in the fifth inning, this time a solo homer by Ryan Royster off of the facing of the right field deck.

The Cougars tied the game up in the sixth inning with two runs of thier own. Arrieche led off with a single to left. Gil then singled to right center. Leyja followed by bunting to third. The third baseman got the ball and threw to third where the short stop was covering to force Arrieche out at third. Ladendorf singled to left to score Gil. On the play the runners where off with the pitch trying to steal, Ladendorf put the ball right where the shortstop was. Spina then hit a sacrifice fly to right to score Leyja. Barfield would strike out to end the inning and strand Ladendorf at third.

Clinton would get ahead in the eighth inning with two runs of their own. With one out, Tenbrink singled to short. Ladendorf made a nice play to keep the ball in the infield. Ian Bladergroen then doubled off the right field wall, after Barfield took the wrong route to the ball. Tenbrink would score on the play. Blake Ochoa singled down the left field line to score Bladergroen.


Tomorrow vs Quad City @6:30
Scott McGregor (5-8, 6.05) vs Kenny Smalley (9-4, 2.20)


August 9th, 2009

Well the Sox and Cougars lost today, the only good news was that the Cubs lost also. It was fun to see the highlights of Lou Pinella blow up again. The Cougars lost again they have lost 9 out of their last 10 games at home. At least todays game was a close one. Haviland only had his one bad inning as usual.

It was a scorcher today, as I don't do 90 degree temps to well, I spent the game in the pressbox, the heat index was in the 100's, and im not going to mess with that kind of stuff as big as I am.

Got done with my story, weekly article, and transcribed the interview with Franklin Hernandez. So that is all done.

After all that I somehow found enough time to go and workout, since I haven't had much time to the past few days, Fridays and Saturdays are always hard to find time to do things when the Cougars are home.

Well I rode the stationary for 5 miles, felt good. Then did my weights, both free and machine, they seems to be getting easier to do. Then for some strange reason I did a tenth of a mile on the tread mill. Then finished off with my last 5 miles on the stationary bike. On the way home i was a little bit lightheaded and dizzy, I sat and drank some gatorade and feel a little bit better.

I don't have to be at work till 10 tomorrow morning, gotta love them 6 hour days. It is supposed to rain most of the day so I wont be able to ride my bike to work. Then the Cougars play their series finale against the Clinton Lumberkings at 6:30 tomorrow night

Sunday, August 9, 2009

8/9, Clinton 5, Cougars 3

Home cooking is supposed to be good for a team, isn't it? Well the Cougars have lost 9 out of their last 10 home games. This one at least was a close game, unlike what has happend latley, they actually had a chance to win the game.

Shawn Haviland has lost his last six decisions in his last nine outings. He held true to recent form today, he kept the team in the game. He had one bad inning, and that did the Cougars in. He would go six innings, giving up nine hits and four runs. He walked one and did not strikeout anyone, throwing 98 pitches.

The one inning, it really could've turned out diffrently had a couple of plays been made. With one out, Luis Nunez singled to right. Rightfielder Jeremy Barfield had a chance to make the play, but played it on the bounce. Nunez then stole second, Nate Tenbrink then doubled off the wall in right. Barfield took a bad route to the ball and should've made the play. Nunez would score on the double. Kris Sanchez then walked and would go to second on a passed ball. Jake Shaffer then took one out to right center for a two run homer to at that point make it a 4-2 game.

Besides that, Haviland pitched well, he had to get out of some trouble througout his performance. In the first inning he gave up two singles to leadoff the game. Haviland would pick off Kyle Seager from second, then get Tenbrink to fly to right. Barfield threw behind the runner at first to get the double play. The other run that Havialnd gave up came in the third inning. Shaver Hansen led off with a single to left. He would get to second on a wild pitch, then move to third on a sacrifice bunt by Daniel Carroll. Seager then hit a sacrifice fly to left to score Hansen.

In the fourth inning Haviland also had to get out of trouble. With one out he would give up two singles, but be able to get Travis Howell to ground into a double play. The second baseman Nino Leyja made a nice turn of the double play, while the runner was bearing down on him.

Daniel Thomas would come in and pitch two scoreless innings, giving up only one hit, but it wouldn't be that easy. Ryan Royster walked to lead off the seventh. Hansen would then bunt him over to second. Thomas then got Daniel Carroll looking and Seager grounded one back to him to end the inning. In the eighth it took a good relay throw to keep the inning scoreless. With two outs, Thomas hit Sanchez. Shaffer then doubled down the left field line. Leftfielder Carlos Arrieche threw to Tyler Ladendorf who made a nice relay to Dusty Napoleon to get Sanchez out at the plate.

The other run the Kings scored came in the ninth off of Matt Fitts. Travis Howell led off by taking four straight balls for the walk. Dotel Wellington then pitch ran for him. Remember at this point it is still a one run game. Royster singled to left. Hansen would then ground one to short, Royster would be out at second, and Hansen beat the throw to first. Carroll would then ground one to first. The Cougars would get Hansen at second, and the throw from Ladendorf was wide of first. Leyja did a nice job to get the ball, Wellington would score on the play.

The Cougars had their chances in the game, the would leave six runners on base, and three of them in scoring position. Leonardo Gil led off the first with a double down the left field line, two line outs and a ground out later, he was stranded. Jeremy Barfield led off the second with a single to left. Ladendorf then was hit by a pitch. Barfield would be caught stealing third on a hit and run.

Finally in the third inning the Cougars would come through with some runs. Chris Berroa led off with a triple. Well it was scored a triple, the centerfielder Ryan Royster, misplayed the ball, I thought it hit off of his glove and rolled, but he should've caught the ball. Gil then hit his first Cougar homer. This one onto the deck in right center.

The other run came in the sixth inning for the Cougars. Jeremy Barfield hit one to right center for his eighth homer of the year. In the seventh inning, Dusty Napoleon led off the inning with a single to right. Carlos Arrieche then reached on an error by the shortstop. Arrieche was looking like he was going to bunt, and pulled the bat back, and grounded one to short. With runners on first and second with nobody out, Chris Berroa tried to bunt. He foulded off two pitches and took two. He tried to bunt and would strikeout. Leonardo Gil would then fly to right. Leyja hit one to the warning track in left that would be caught to end the inning.

The Cougars had a chance in the ninth. With two outs, Arrieche had a good at bat, he fouled off four pitches, and eventually singled to right center. Franklin Hernandez then pitch hit for Berroa. He would end the game with a pop out to short.


Tomorrow vs Clinton @6:30
Bobby LaFromboise (7-6, 3.83) vs Murphy Smith (0-1, 2.63)


Today was Jimmy Buffet day at the Elf. I am not a fan of Buffet, and am even less of a fan of Buffet day. The music is not my kind of music. The special uniforms the Cougars wear are horrible. Green and white with flowers on them.

Saturday, August 8, 2009

8/8, Clinton 9, Cougars 1

Mike Spina hit a long home run over the scoreboard into the trees in left center field to give the Cougars a 1-0 lead in the third inning of their game against the Clinton Lumberkings. Unfortunatly the Cougars game would go out of the park with the homer. They lost 9-1 and it wasn't easy to watch.

Mathieu Leblanc-Poirier started and went five innings, he gave up five hits and two runs. He threw a lot of pitches to each batter in the first three innings that made the innings harder for the Cougars. He would throw 92 pitches in those five innings, he walked three and struck out three.

After the homer by Spina not much else would go right for the Cougars. In the fourth inning the Kings took the lead with two runs of their own. Nate Tenbrink led off with a triple to right center. Jake Shaffer then singled to cneter to score Tenbrink. One out later, Shaffer stole second. He would've been out, but knocked the ball out of the glove. He would get to third on a wild pitch on ball four to Daniel Carroll. Kyle Seager then grounded one to first. First baseman Steve Parker stepped on the base and threw to second to try to turn the double play. The throw was off and Carroll would be safe at second, meanwhile Shaffer would score on the play. Luis Nunez would ground out to end the inning.

Four more runs for the Kings in the sixth inning. With one out against new Cougar reliever Jose Guzman. Ryan Royster doubled to left center. Daniel Carroll then singled to short. Seager singled down the left field line to score Royster. Nunez singled to right. Ian Bladergroen then grounded one to first, Parker stepped on the base and then threw home to try to get Carroll at the plate. There was a collison with catcher Dusty Napoleon, he would not hang onto the ball and the run would score. Blake Ochoa then singled to left to drive in both Seager and Nunez.

The other three runs for Clinton came in the ninth inning against Justin Murray. Ochoa led off with a single to short. One out later, Tenbrink was hit by a pitch. Shaffer then doubled down the left field line to drive in both Ochoa and Shaffer. Royster followed with a double down the right field line to score Tenbrink.

Leblanc-Poirier and friends were able to get out of a little bit of the trouble throughout the game. In the first inning a one out walk and steal of second would lead to nothing. In the second inning, Kris Sanchez led off with a double to the wall in right center. Tenbrink then singled to center. Berroa didn't get to the ball quick enough and had some toruble, allowing him to get to second. Second and third with no outs. Two ground outs and a pop out later the runners would be stranded. In the third inning with one out, Nunez blooped a single to right. One out later, Ochoa would be hit by a pitch. First and second with two outs. Sanchez popped out to end the inning.

In the seventh inning Trey Barham did a nice job. He got out of the four run jam the prevouis inning. Then allowed a Tenbrink single to center. Shaffer would ground one to second. Leonardo Gil got the ball, the runner stopped just before Gil got the ball and made him throw it to first for the out, then tried to get to second and would be out on the double play.

The Cougars did have some chances and left a lot of men on base. In the first inning with one out, Nino Leyja doubled to left center. One out later, Mike Spina walked. Jeremy Barfield would be out on strikes. I don't think he swung at the high pitch. In the second inning with one out, Franklin Hernandez singled to right. One out later, Chris Berroa singled to third. Gil would fly to center to strand the two runners.

The inning the Cougars Spina would hit the bomb, that homer could've been a three run shot. Leyja led off with a single to left. Parker then hit into a double play. The very next pitch Spina took deep. In the sixth inning with one out, Barfield singled to second. Tyler Ladendorf then double down the left field line to get Barfield to third. The Kings would then bring in a new pitcher. One out later, Dusty Napoleon walked to load the bases with two outs. Berroa hit a grounder to third, the third baseman tagged Ladendorf going by to end the nning.

Tomorrow vs Clinton @2pm
Blake Nation (3-4, 3.20) vs Shawn Haviland (6-8, 4.25)

The Cougars have lost 8 of their last nine home games.

Today I did an interview with Cougar reliever Scott Deal, it should be online sometime in the next few days. Tomorrow its an interview with Franklin Hernandez

8/7, Clinton 11, Cougars 2

Some days are just not your day, that is how it felt at the Cougars game tonight. They would lose 11-2, and really it felt worse than that by the end. THe worst part of it was the helpless feeling watching the Cougars give up five runs in the ninth, that really hurt to watch.

The Clinton Lumberkings got 15 hits and 11 runs, the Cougars two error did not help much. Anvioris Ramirez stated and went into the seventh inning, he would give up ten hits and six runs. Scott Deal pitched an inning and gave up five runs on four hits. Josue Selenis pitched great, he went an inning and two thirds, striking out three Kings.

The Cougars would score first in the first inning. With one out, Nino Leyja tripled to center. The centerfield dove for the ball and missed. Steve Parker then grounded out to second to score Leyja. The other Cougar run came in the fourth inning, Jeremy Barfield led off with a single to center. Tyler Ladendorf then singled to left. Petey Paramore would hit into a double play, Barfield made it to third. Franklin Hernandez then doubled down the left field line to score Barfield.

Those would be the only highlights for the Cougars on the night. Clinton scored two runs in the second inning and never really looked back. Blake Ochoa led off the inning by reaching on an infield single to short. One out later, Wellington Dotal lined one to the wall in left to score Ochoa. Leftfielder Franklin Hernandez broke in on first movement and had no chance to catch the ball after that initail move. Jake Shaffer then singled up the middle to score Dotel. In the third inning the Kings would score twice more. With two outs, Ian Bladergroen doubled to center. Blake Ochoa then homered to left. The ball made it over the fense without a problem, but Hernandez didn't see the ball off the bat orginally.

That is the way the game would stay untill the seventh inning when the Kings scored two more runs. With one out, Daniel Carroll reached on a bunt single to first. Kyle Seager then singled to center. Luis Nunez blooped one down the right field line to load the bases. Barfield mightve had a play on the ball, but it was really wet out there. Bladergroen then singled to right to score Carroll. The Cougars then brought in Selenis to replace Ramirez. Ochoa would hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Seager. Centerfielder Chris Berroa made a nice diving catch of the ball. Selenis would get Kris Sanchez on strikes to end the inning.

It was a nightmarish ninth inning for the Cougars and reliever Scott Deal. Daniel Carroll led off with a single up the middle. Seager then walked. Nunez bunted the runners over into scoring position. Bladergroen then blooped a double down the right field line to score both Carroll and Seager. Ochoa then singeld up the middle. Sanchez would then fly to right. Rightfielder Chris Berroa made a nice catch. Dotel then singled to center to score Bladergroen. Shaffer would bloop a single to left to score Ochoa. Shaver Hansen then reached on a fielder's choice. On the play shortstop Ladendorf got the ball behind second and tried to get the force out at second and threw the ball over Leonardo Gill's head. Dotel would score on the error. Finally Carroll would strike out looking to end the horror.

It was a weird game as the Cougars played musical fielders in the late innings. In the sixth inning Mike Spina was tossed from the game after a play at first. He had led off the inning with a walk. Barfield then lined one to second, the second baseman threw to first. From the pressbox it looked like Spina was out, he argued a little, then turned a walked away. After that the ump threw him out, then Steve Scarsone came and argued. That led to Carlos Arrieche played third. In the seventh inning the changes really started to have to happen. Jeremy Barfield was removed from the game. Arrieche went to center, Berroa moved to right, and Steve Parker moved into third. Dusty Napoleon came in to play first. A little later in the inning, Petey Paramore hurt a finger while catching and had to be removed from the game. That is when the musical chairs/fielder's got interesting. Leonardo Gil who was the designated hitter had to come in to play third. Parker moved back to first. Napoleon went behind the plate, and the Cougars lost the designated hitter.

In the ninth inning, Arrieche led off with a walk. Napoleon and Ladendorf then struck out. That brought out pitcher Scott Deal for his first professional at bat. He swing hard at the first two pitches and missed. Then he foulded the next two into the stands on the right side. He would then strike out swinging to end the game.


Tomorrow vs Clinton @6
Kenn Kasperek (8-5, 2.32) vs Mathieu Leblanc-Poirier (3-5, 4.46)


Tomorrow I will be doing an interview with Cougar pitcher Scott Deal before the game. If you are coming to the game, it is supposed to be in the low 90's tomorrow.

We had the annoying Myron Noddleman at the game tonight. He did one thing that was creative, During one of his between inning skits, he was dancing on top of the dugout, I don't remember the song or what it was. He was dancing then he pointed out to the Cougar bullpen area, the whole bullpen was out in right field in a line, dancing. Then after that he pointed towards the first base line. Both umpires were dancing. Plus there was a group of four or five Noddlemen look a likes on the third base side between home plate and the dugout. They got their picture taken with their idol. That reminds me of the night we had the 5 Myrons dancing the YMCA while draggin the infield about four or five years back.

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Day 2 of the workout routine

Well, another day has been and gone. I survived it and thrived. The Cougars swept the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers in the four game series, the would win 4-3. The finally come home after the 10 game road trip for eight games.

Today wasn't that bad, my back was hurting this morning so I drove to work. It losend up soon after I got there. Work wasn't that bad, busy and hectic but not that bad. Came home, and worked at the computer. Then went out to dinner for Pizza Hut. Ate too much pizza, but oh well, the beer was cold.

Then came home and started work on the next boxscore 5/25/09 vs West Michigan. Got a little bit of that done, then heard the the interview on CSN Chicago of Cougar pitcher Kenny Smalley was going to be on tonight, so I had to watch Sportsnite to watch it. Nice interview.

Then went and did my workout routine. This time I only road 5 miles on the stationary, as I have to hopefully ride to work tomorrow so I need fresh legs. Then did my standard weights.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

My Day

Well to start out the day my back was stiff as hell, I have siaotica the nerve problem in the back. So I had to drive to work instead of riding my bike. It felt a lot better as the day went on. Survived six hours at fast food hell. Plus it was pay day, and three hours into my shift ment my week was halfway through. Came home, and found out that the Cougars won 3-1 in Appleton, Wisconsin today. They have won three in a row, maybe the thing they needed was some Timber Rattlers stew!

Started working on the website, there are now a page up there for everyone of the Cougars for the year. A.J. Huttenlocker, Anvioris Ramirez, Murphy Smith, Daniel Thomas, Tyler Ladendorf and Nino Leyja all now have pages, http://malamut.net ,

Then I discoved going up the stairs into the apartment, I have been having trouble moving latley, especially since I have gained 30 pounds this year, that is even with riding my bike a lot. So Im now offically worried, and on a diet. We'll see how long this lasts for. After I got the pages done I went and worked out at the gym.

I did 10 miles on the stationary bike. The arm and legs weight lifting. I don't know the names of the exercies, I don't even know if I do them correctly, but I felt good afterwards. Then time to try to get a boxscore done hopefully before bed, and a 7 am wake up tomorrow, to be able to ride my bike to work and home tomorrow.

The boxscore and stats im working on is the game on May 24th, 2009 West Michigan vs Kane County. Yes I am that far behind, but oh well

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Cougar Notebook on scout.com

There is a new Cougars notebook on oaklandclubhouse.com, in it I talk about the last week of Cougar baseball, they went 3-4. Their offense came alive once, and their pitching hasn't been that bad. If only the could hit a baseball with somebody on base