Iowa Cubs Finish Season
September 8, 2009 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Iowa Cubs News Release
Des Moines, IA - The Iowa Cubs ended the 2009 season on Monday, September 7 with a 7-2 loss to the Albuquerque Isotopes. The Cubs posted a 72-72 record, going 44-28 at home and 28-44 on the road.
Iowa finished five games out of first place and in third place in the American Northern division in the 16-team Pacific Coast League. This season 536,872 fans came to watch the Iowa Cubs play at Principal Park. It was the fifth time in six years that Iowa has seen over a half million fans come through the gates.
Six players made their Major League debuts with Chicago this year: Mitch Atkins, Justin Berg, Esmailin Caridad, Bobby Scales, Jeff Stevens and Jason Waddell. Scales played 10-plus seasons in the minor leagues before his big league debut on May 5. The Iowa Cubs made 142 roster moves this year. Andres Blanco, Ryan Freel, Angel Guzman, Rich Harden, Aaron Miles and David Patton were on Iowa's roster during some point this season as Major League rehabs.
Randy Wells, a key member of the 2009 Chicago Cubs started the season in triple-A. Wells started five games, posting a 3-0 record and 2.77 ERA for Iowa.
Several Iowa Cubs managed to etch their names in the record books this season. Blake Parker's 22 saves were fifth-best in the league. He is also tied for second on the Iowa single season leaders list with Marc Pisciotta, who also had 22 saves in 1997. Mitch Atkins struck out 127 batters this season to come in a tie for third place in the Pacific Coast League. Atkins also gave up 26 homers this season, fourth-most in the PCL and his 12 losses were tied for third-most in the league.
As a team, Iowa posted a 4.14 ERA, good for second best in the Pacific Coast League. J.R. Mathes posted 12 wins, good for third best overall. Mathes also received the Iowa Cubs Pitcher of the Year Award and his 3.62 ERA is ninth-best overall in the league. Despite being with Chicago since July 31, Sam Fuld is tied for third in the PCL with 10 triples. Iowa's Chris Robinson was the team's lone representative at the triple-A All-Star game in Portland. Robinson was also awarded the 2009 Iowa Cubs Most Valuable Player.
The 2009 season marked Iowa's 29th year as a AAA affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. Since 1981, Iowa holds a .501 record (2,067-2,062).
Pacific Coast League Stories from September 8, 2009
- Rockies Add Four Players To Acitve Major League Roster - Colorado Springs Sky Sox
- Redbirds welcome new members to front office - Memphis Redbirds
- Iowa Cubs Finish Season - Iowa Cubs
- Isotopes' Jones Named Top PCL Hitter of the Week; Rainiers' Hernandez Top Pitcher - PCL1
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