This week in Catching up with the Bucks, we are taking a look back at the career of Jimmy Journell. Journell played for the Bucks in 1997 while attending the University of Illinois and is originally from Springfield, OH.

In 1997, Journell appeared in 21 games for the Bucks, all in relief. In that time, he threw 25 innings and recorded a 2.88 ERA. He had an impressive 39 strikeouts and just 11 walks, good for a K/BB ratio of 3.55 and an average of 14.04 strikeouts per nine innings. He also gave up just 16 hits in those innings. That season, the Bucks went 41-22 and won the second half of the season, eventually losing the NWL Championship Series.

After his time with the Bucks and at Illinois, Journell was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 4^th round of the 1999 draft. He started off in A- New Jersey where he was an instant success, putting up a 1.97 ERA in 32 innings of work. He also 39 strikeouts with an average of 10.97 strikeouts per nine innings pitched. His ability to strikeout opposing batters would become his trademark skill.

From 2001 to 2003, the righty would pitch for the Cardinals at the A+, AA, and AAA level. In 2001, he won the Carolina League Pitcher of the Year, with an ERA of 2.50 and 156 strikeouts in 151 innings. He consistently put up ERAs around three with high strikeout totals. All of this combined for Journell to finally get his call to the big leagues. On June 23, 2003, the former Buck made his major league debut for the St. Louis Cardinals.

In 2003, Journell would make seven relief appearances for the Cardinals with a total of nine innings pitched. He had an ERA of six and struck out eight batters. After spending some time in 2004 and 2005 with AAA Memphis, he would return again to the majors and pitch in four innings in 2005. He made five appearances and went 4.1 innings. He gave up five earned runs and had five strikeouts.

In 2006, the righty would play for the Bridgeport Bluefish in the independent Atlantic League. There, he made 47 appearances with six starts. He posted an ERA of 3.69 with 93 strikeouts in 83 innings. He helped lead his team to a record of 75-49. They would eventually lose in the championship

We will always remember Jimmy Journell as a great Waterloo Buck and wish him the best in all that he does in the future. 

 This week in Catching up with the Bucks we are taking a look back at the career of Wes Obermueller. Obermueller attended the University of Iowa and was born in Cedar Rapids, IA.

Obermueller played for the Bucks in 1996 and came in to pitch nine games for them, all in relief. The righty pitched a total of 11.2 innings and put up an ERA of 9.03. In those innings, Obermueller had 17 strikeouts and 14 walks. Obermueller helped lead this Bucks team to the Northwoods League Championship that season.

After his time with the Bucks, Obermueller was drafted in the second round of the 1999 MLB draft by the Kansas City Royals. He began his career with the Gulf Coast Royals, their rookie league team. There, he had a 2.58 ERA in 38.1 innings pitched with 39 strikeouts and just 12 walks. He was promoted his next season to single A Charleston where he was even better, going 31.2 innings with a minuscule 1.14 ERA. Once again he was called up and spent the next season and a half with A+ Wilmington. After spending another most of the 2002 season with AA Wichita, Obermueller was finally called up to play in the big leagues.

On September 20, 2002, the former Hawkeye made his major league debut for the Kansas City Royals. He went 7.2 innings in two starts with Royals, posting an ERA of 11.75. The next season, Obermueller was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers. He went 65.2 innings there in 2003 with a 5.07 ERA. In 2004, he pitched the most innings he ever would in a season with 118, putting up a 5.80 ERA with 59 strikeouts and 42 walks.    

In 2005, Obermueller was traded to the Braves and spent time with their AAA team. He would next play in the majors in 2007 when he signed with the Marlins as a free agent. He went 59 innings with 6.56 ERA in what would be the last year of his baseball career.

We will always remember Wes Obermueller as a great Waterloo Buck and wish him the best in all that he does.