As commissioner, I will give my professional opinion on coach signings in this game: it has gone nuts!! I suppose we'll find out how well spent Los Angeles' $15 million per year is...
Here are today's coach signings:
Brooklyn: Minors Manager Sean Coursey, $550,000 per year, for 3 years.
Brooklyn: Hitting Coach Mitchell Pleasant, $600,000 per year, for 3 years.
Denver: Scout Darren Simpson, $360,000 per year, for 3 years.
Hickory: Pitching Coach Richard Limones, $900,000 per year, for 3 years.
Los Angeles: Pitching Coach Samuel Dibble, $5,000,000 per year, for 5 years.
Los Angeles: Minors Manager George Feldman, $3,000,000 per year, for 3 years.
Los Angeles: Minors Manager Keith Bickel, $4,000,000 per year, for 3 years.
Los Angeles: Minors Manager Roger Ku, $3,000,000 per year, for 3 years.
Saskatoon: Minors Manager Daniel Reedy, $700,000 per year, for 2 years.
Saskatoon: Hitting Coach Oscar Vandenbosch, $1,200,000 per year, for 3 years.
Seattle: Hitting Coach William Kroeker, $2,250,000 per year, for 5 years.
Day 2 bids are due by Monday Night
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Just a quick note
Due to the holiday of Sukkot, I am going to be out of touch from tonight until Saturday night when I do the sim.
Zev
Zev
First Trade of 2011 Is A Washington-Only Affair
Seattle Monarchs Owner/GM Mack Shultz announced a trade with their Washington State brethren, the Walla Walla Federal Duck, kicking off the 2011 trading season. Seattle sent veteran reliever Mark Deschamp to Walla Walla in exchange for minor league reliever Allen Rueter.
"Mark has been a huge part of our success over the last two and a half seasons. He's generally been the key right-handed set-up guy and has been a rock we could always depend on," said Shultz. "We're going to miss his presence out there. But, we have a couple of young kids that we think are ready to pitch for us in an expanded role this season and we need to give them that opportunity."
Shultz was referring to Merlin Bohon, Wesley Elton, and Harry Johnson, all three of whom are considered good prospects. Bohon has pitched in the majors for parts of the last two seasons, compiling a 5.24 ERA. Elton posted a 3.72 ERA in limited action down the stretch last season. Johnson pitched an unimpressive 5.1 innings for Seattle in 2009 but spent all of 2010 in AAA Tacoma.
"We think that Rueter can be a part of our future," Shultz explained. "We really like his live arm and think he can be converted into a starter. We expect him to join the Tacoma rotation and be competing for a major league job in a year or two."
"I've liked my time in Seattle, but it will be good to get back to Walla Walla," said Deschamp, who was reached while on vacation in Barbados. "I really enjoyed my time there. Have you tasted those Walla Walla onions? They make a fantastic French Onion soup."
Deschamp, 35, has one year remaining on his contract. He was an original draftee of the Walla Walla franchise (then based in Kingston) and spent his career with them until a deadline deal in 2008 brought him to Seattle. He then re-signed with Seattle as a free agent in the 2009 offseason. Deschamp has a career 3.28 ERA, going 63-44 with 88 saves.
"Mark has been a huge part of our success over the last two and a half seasons. He's generally been the key right-handed set-up guy and has been a rock we could always depend on," said Shultz. "We're going to miss his presence out there. But, we have a couple of young kids that we think are ready to pitch for us in an expanded role this season and we need to give them that opportunity."
Shultz was referring to Merlin Bohon, Wesley Elton, and Harry Johnson, all three of whom are considered good prospects. Bohon has pitched in the majors for parts of the last two seasons, compiling a 5.24 ERA. Elton posted a 3.72 ERA in limited action down the stretch last season. Johnson pitched an unimpressive 5.1 innings for Seattle in 2009 but spent all of 2010 in AAA Tacoma.
"We think that Rueter can be a part of our future," Shultz explained. "We really like his live arm and think he can be converted into a starter. We expect him to join the Tacoma rotation and be competing for a major league job in a year or two."
"I've liked my time in Seattle, but it will be good to get back to Walla Walla," said Deschamp, who was reached while on vacation in Barbados. "I really enjoyed my time there. Have you tasted those Walla Walla onions? They make a fantastic French Onion soup."
Deschamp, 35, has one year remaining on his contract. He was an original draftee of the Walla Walla franchise (then based in Kingston) and spent his career with them until a deadline deal in 2008 brought him to Seattle. He then re-signed with Seattle as a free agent in the 2009 offseason. Deschamp has a career 3.28 ERA, going 63-44 with 88 saves.
Welcome to 2011!!
Wow! I can't believe we're starting our tenth season!!
Please be sure to have your first day's coach offers in to me by Saturday night.
Just as a reminder, all the scouts are going to be set to "Average," so don't overspend on them.
Zev
Please be sure to have your first day's coach offers in to me by Saturday night.
Just as a reminder, all the scouts are going to be set to "Average," so don't overspend on them.
Zev
Monday, September 24, 2007
Newbie alert! Any advice welcome.
Hi guys,
Michael Henderson, new owner of the Denver team here (is it possible to change the location?).
While i've grown into a big baseball fan in my 6+ years in the US, and can talk quite knowledgably about the game itself, one aspect of it that i've never followed very closely is the intricacies of the player market, such as trades, drafting, waivers, Rule 5, etc., etc. Each season, i basically ignore that aspect of MLB. I'm really looking forward to playing in the OOTP league, but i think it's going to be a steep learning curve for me.
I've been looking over my free agents and trying to decide who to keep, and hopefully i've made some decent decisions, but if anyone has any general advice i'd be happy to hear it. Especially regarding how to decide how much to offer each player. How does the bidding work on free agents, if more than one team is interested? And do i get preferential treatment in re-signing my own free agents, or is it a free-for-all in which i compete equally with everyone else?
Also, i'm not quite sure how the issue of money works in the game. I've installed OOTP 6.5 and have been looking around in the program (i don't yet have a password, so i can't actually change settings for my team), and it's not clear to me how i determine just how much money i have to spend on players.
Also, are all trades proposed and agreed to over email? Or is this also done within the program interface? And is there a general schedule of events (signing of free agents, draft, etc.)?
Sorry for all the questions, but i really want to get into this and do it properly, so if you can help me work this stuff out, i'd be most appreciative. And if there's a general rules page or something online, please point me in the right direction. Looking forward to playing.
cheers,
michael.
Michael Henderson, new owner of the Denver team here (is it possible to change the location?).
While i've grown into a big baseball fan in my 6+ years in the US, and can talk quite knowledgably about the game itself, one aspect of it that i've never followed very closely is the intricacies of the player market, such as trades, drafting, waivers, Rule 5, etc., etc. Each season, i basically ignore that aspect of MLB. I'm really looking forward to playing in the OOTP league, but i think it's going to be a steep learning curve for me.
I've been looking over my free agents and trying to decide who to keep, and hopefully i've made some decent decisions, but if anyone has any general advice i'd be happy to hear it. Especially regarding how to decide how much to offer each player. How does the bidding work on free agents, if more than one team is interested? And do i get preferential treatment in re-signing my own free agents, or is it a free-for-all in which i compete equally with everyone else?
Also, i'm not quite sure how the issue of money works in the game. I've installed OOTP 6.5 and have been looking around in the program (i don't yet have a password, so i can't actually change settings for my team), and it's not clear to me how i determine just how much money i have to spend on players.
Also, are all trades proposed and agreed to over email? Or is this also done within the program interface? And is there a general schedule of events (signing of free agents, draft, etc.)?
Sorry for all the questions, but i really want to get into this and do it properly, so if you can help me work this stuff out, i'd be most appreciative. And if there's a general rules page or something online, please point me in the right direction. Looking forward to playing.
cheers,
michael.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Traded Draft Picks for 2011
To the best of my knowledge, the only traded draft pick so far is the Saskatoon 2nd round pick, traded to Danville as part of the Ramsey for Satterlee deal.
If anyone is aware of any other traded draft picks, please let me know.
Zev
If anyone is aware of any other traded draft picks, please let me know.
Zev
Saturday, September 22, 2007
New Owners!
Hey, everyone, we've got two new owners.
Taking over the Denver franchise will be Michael Henderson, and taking over the Covington franchise will be Ian Morochnick. However, since Michael signed up first, I'm giving him the option of switching to the Covington franchise if he wants. Of course, both of them will have the option of relocating/renaming their franchises before the next season.
Welcome aboard guys!
One quick note:
Firstly, the deadline for re-signing your free agents will be Tuesday night, not Sunday as previously reported. This will give the new guys a chance to get acquainted with their rosters and decide who to re-sign and make offers.
Zev
UPDATE: Michael's going to be keeping Denver, so Ian will get Covington.
Taking over the Denver franchise will be Michael Henderson, and taking over the Covington franchise will be Ian Morochnick. However, since Michael signed up first, I'm giving him the option of switching to the Covington franchise if he wants. Of course, both of them will have the option of relocating/renaming their franchises before the next season.
Welcome aboard guys!
One quick note:
Firstly, the deadline for re-signing your free agents will be Tuesday night, not Sunday as previously reported. This will give the new guys a chance to get acquainted with their rosters and decide who to re-sign and make offers.
Zev
UPDATE: Michael's going to be keeping Denver, so Ian will get Covington.
His Work Done, John Willer Moves On
Lifetime Seattle Monarch John Willer and the team reached an agreement yesterday to allow Willer to seek a starting job with another team for the 2011 season.
"I know that my time here has passed," said the 35-year-old third baseman. "I recognize that it's Gene's time now. But, I still feel like I have a lot left in the tank and the Monarchs management has agreed to let me pursue the chance to find a starting job with another team."
Even though he was named to his fifth All-Star team this year, Willer had been supplanted at the hot corner by Eugene Alustiza in June. The 21-year-old Alustiza hit .318 with ten home runs and posted a .396 OBP in the regular season. Alustiza then followed that up with a .435 OBP in the Cecil Cup. Despite Alustiza's star turn, Willer more than held his own and ended the year with .284/.346/.390 marks. He had 18 doubles in just 282 at bats.
Willer was the Monarchs' seventh round pick in the inaugural expansion draft and has been the starting third baseman for the Monarchs franchise since its inception. He ranks among the leaders in SDMB OOTP history in many categories, including:
Batting average: .288 (25th)
Hits: 1,278 (12th)
RBI: 653 (14th)
Doubles: 331 (2nd)
Triples: 31 (18th)
Walks: 521 (12th)
Runs: 654 (16th)
Willer's best year was probably 2009, when he hit .324/.414/.494 and helped lead the Monarchs to their first championship. In fact, Willer was rarely to blame for the Monarchs' previous failures, as his career stats for the Cecil Cups are .366/.409/.646. He was especially remarkable in the Monarchs' seven-game loss to South Bay in 2006 when he hit over .400 with four home runs in the series, posting a stunning 1.523 OPS.
"John Willer has been one of the pillars of our franchise. He's the last remaining player who started in Opening Day 2002 for the Monarchs. He asked us to let him go to pursue a chance to play again. But, we will always have a door open to John if he ever wants to come back," said Owner/GM Mack Shultz. "To show our respect, we've agreed to pay John his full salary for the 2012 season, $8 million."
Sources within the Monarchs organization have indicated that they are going to keep the manager position open, to possibly be filled by Willer should he retire. Even if Willer is not chosen, the Monarchs are expected to look within their own organization or at former players to fill the head job. Apparently, interim manager Larry Hockett damaged his chances of keeping the top job when he termed the front office, "Lollygaggers."
"I know that my time here has passed," said the 35-year-old third baseman. "I recognize that it's Gene's time now. But, I still feel like I have a lot left in the tank and the Monarchs management has agreed to let me pursue the chance to find a starting job with another team."
Even though he was named to his fifth All-Star team this year, Willer had been supplanted at the hot corner by Eugene Alustiza in June. The 21-year-old Alustiza hit .318 with ten home runs and posted a .396 OBP in the regular season. Alustiza then followed that up with a .435 OBP in the Cecil Cup. Despite Alustiza's star turn, Willer more than held his own and ended the year with .284/.346/.390 marks. He had 18 doubles in just 282 at bats.
Willer was the Monarchs' seventh round pick in the inaugural expansion draft and has been the starting third baseman for the Monarchs franchise since its inception. He ranks among the leaders in SDMB OOTP history in many categories, including:
Batting average: .288 (25th)
Hits: 1,278 (12th)
RBI: 653 (14th)
Doubles: 331 (2nd)
Triples: 31 (18th)
Walks: 521 (12th)
Runs: 654 (16th)
Willer's best year was probably 2009, when he hit .324/.414/.494 and helped lead the Monarchs to their first championship. In fact, Willer was rarely to blame for the Monarchs' previous failures, as his career stats for the Cecil Cups are .366/.409/.646. He was especially remarkable in the Monarchs' seven-game loss to South Bay in 2006 when he hit over .400 with four home runs in the series, posting a stunning 1.523 OPS.
"John Willer has been one of the pillars of our franchise. He's the last remaining player who started in Opening Day 2002 for the Monarchs. He asked us to let him go to pursue a chance to play again. But, we will always have a door open to John if he ever wants to come back," said Owner/GM Mack Shultz. "To show our respect, we've agreed to pay John his full salary for the 2012 season, $8 million."
Sources within the Monarchs organization have indicated that they are going to keep the manager position open, to possibly be filled by Willer should he retire. Even if Willer is not chosen, the Monarchs are expected to look within their own organization or at former players to fill the head job. Apparently, interim manager Larry Hockett damaged his chances of keeping the top job when he termed the front office, "Lollygaggers."
Friday, September 21, 2007
Simply The Greatest Team Ever
Upon sober reflection (OK - a night of wild partying), I'd like to point out the obvious and indisputable fact that the 2010 Seattle Monarchs are the greatest team in SDMB OOTP history.
The Monarchs were 114-48 in the regular season, the first team in history to post a winning percentage above .700 (.704). They withstood an onslaught from the 108-54 Saskatoon Cossacks, who featured both the best offense (relative to the league) in SDMB OOTP history and a pitching staff backed by long-time superstars Demarcus Ramirez and Richard Pimental.
The Monarchs' Pythagorean record was 119-43, second only to the 122-40 mark posted by last year's River Cities team. I note though that last year's River Cities squad (a) failed to capture the Cecil Cup, thus disqualifying it from the discussion, and (b) had its regular season accomplishments substantially boosted by the historically awful performance of that year's Covington squad, which was essentially run by no one at all and careened to an unthinkable 33-129 mark (.209).
The Monarchs' opponent in the Cecil Cup series was a River Cities squad that went 111-51 in the regular season and posted the lowest ERA in SDMB OOTP history. The Monarchs beat them like a drum, taking four of five games and scoring over five runs per game in the process.
The Monarchs' two aces, Chad Nelligan and Christopher Hester, both posted 23-6 marks. The five starting pitchers (including Peter Bird before his heroic move to the bullpen for the Cecil Cup and his 2.2 innings of perfect relief work in the pivotal Game Four) were a combined 86-24 with a combined ERA of 2.80. The bullpen was no slouch either, posting a combined ERA of just over 3. For his work, Mr. Nelligan won the Outstanding Pitcher of the Year Award.
The offense matched the pitching staff's excellence, having one of the top handful of seasons in league history. The 5.37 runs per game were sixth-best in league history and a third-best 23% above the league average. When veteran stalwarts such as John Willer and George Rawlins began to decline, promising youngsters Eugene Alustiza and Armando Cedeno stepped in. Despite being only a combined 40 years old, the two future stars both hit over .300 in the regular season and in the Cecil Cup. Leadoff hitter Sean Arant broke the record for runs scored in a season, tallying 140, and stole 81 bases while getting thrown out just 19 times. And first baseman Gregory Mudge won his third Outstanding Batter of the Year Award in the last four years (a streak broken only last year by fellow Monarch George Rawlins). He hit .329 with 46 home runs, drove in 146, and had an OPS over 1.000 for the first time in his career.
Finally, the Monarchs were no slouches with the glove either. The batting average on balls in play was an Adams League best .278 and they posted the fewest errors in the Adams League. The Monarchs' play in the field was recognized by voters as Waylon Blassingame won his second consecutive Slick Fielder Award behind the plate and Greg Mudge captured his fourth Slick Fielder Award at first base.
Pitching. Hitting. Defense. Wins. The Championship. By any measure, the 2010 Seattle Monarchs are the greatest team in SDMB OOTP history. I defy anyone to say otherwise.
The Monarchs were 114-48 in the regular season, the first team in history to post a winning percentage above .700 (.704). They withstood an onslaught from the 108-54 Saskatoon Cossacks, who featured both the best offense (relative to the league) in SDMB OOTP history and a pitching staff backed by long-time superstars Demarcus Ramirez and Richard Pimental.
The Monarchs' Pythagorean record was 119-43, second only to the 122-40 mark posted by last year's River Cities team. I note though that last year's River Cities squad (a) failed to capture the Cecil Cup, thus disqualifying it from the discussion, and (b) had its regular season accomplishments substantially boosted by the historically awful performance of that year's Covington squad, which was essentially run by no one at all and careened to an unthinkable 33-129 mark (.209).
The Monarchs' opponent in the Cecil Cup series was a River Cities squad that went 111-51 in the regular season and posted the lowest ERA in SDMB OOTP history. The Monarchs beat them like a drum, taking four of five games and scoring over five runs per game in the process.
The Monarchs' two aces, Chad Nelligan and Christopher Hester, both posted 23-6 marks. The five starting pitchers (including Peter Bird before his heroic move to the bullpen for the Cecil Cup and his 2.2 innings of perfect relief work in the pivotal Game Four) were a combined 86-24 with a combined ERA of 2.80. The bullpen was no slouch either, posting a combined ERA of just over 3. For his work, Mr. Nelligan won the Outstanding Pitcher of the Year Award.
The offense matched the pitching staff's excellence, having one of the top handful of seasons in league history. The 5.37 runs per game were sixth-best in league history and a third-best 23% above the league average. When veteran stalwarts such as John Willer and George Rawlins began to decline, promising youngsters Eugene Alustiza and Armando Cedeno stepped in. Despite being only a combined 40 years old, the two future stars both hit over .300 in the regular season and in the Cecil Cup. Leadoff hitter Sean Arant broke the record for runs scored in a season, tallying 140, and stole 81 bases while getting thrown out just 19 times. And first baseman Gregory Mudge won his third Outstanding Batter of the Year Award in the last four years (a streak broken only last year by fellow Monarch George Rawlins). He hit .329 with 46 home runs, drove in 146, and had an OPS over 1.000 for the first time in his career.
Finally, the Monarchs were no slouches with the glove either. The batting average on balls in play was an Adams League best .278 and they posted the fewest errors in the Adams League. The Monarchs' play in the field was recognized by voters as Waylon Blassingame won his second consecutive Slick Fielder Award behind the plate and Greg Mudge captured his fourth Slick Fielder Award at first base.
Pitching. Hitting. Defense. Wins. The Championship. By any measure, the 2010 Seattle Monarchs are the greatest team in SDMB OOTP history. I defy anyone to say otherwise.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Postseason Awards
The Postseason Awards are in! Here they are:
Outstanding Batter, Adams League: Gregory Mudge, 1B, Seattle (.329, 45, 146, 1.008 OPS) -- third award.
Outstanding Batter, Zotti League: Ricky Peppers, SS, South Bay (.311, 40, 122, .970 OPS, 48 SB) -- second award
Outstanding Pitcher, Adams League: Chad Nelligan, Seattle (23-6, 1.96, 259 K, 0.83 WHIP)
Outstanding Pitcher, Zotti League: Juan Villatoro, River Cities (25-2, 2.02, 230 K, 0.86 WHIP)
Outstanding Newcomer, Adams League: Dario Lopez, Saskatoon (13-9, 3.49, 1.29 WHIP)
Outstanding Newcomer, Zotti League: Kevin Rubio, LF, New York (.315, 10, 59, .784 OPS)
Outstanding Batter, Adams League: Gregory Mudge, 1B, Seattle (.329, 45, 146, 1.008 OPS) -- third award.
Outstanding Batter, Zotti League: Ricky Peppers, SS, South Bay (.311, 40, 122, .970 OPS, 48 SB) -- second award
Outstanding Pitcher, Adams League: Chad Nelligan, Seattle (23-6, 1.96, 259 K, 0.83 WHIP)
Outstanding Pitcher, Zotti League: Juan Villatoro, River Cities (25-2, 2.02, 230 K, 0.86 WHIP)
Outstanding Newcomer, Adams League: Dario Lopez, Saskatoon (13-9, 3.49, 1.29 WHIP)
Outstanding Newcomer, Zotti League: Kevin Rubio, LF, New York (.315, 10, 59, .784 OPS)
Monarchs Rule Again!!
The Seattle Monarchs have won their second consecutive Cecil Cup today with a 3-2 victory over the River Cities Paddlewheelers.
Seattle jumped out to an early lead by putting a run on the board in the second and another one in the third. Seattle added a third run on a fielder's choice.
River Cities tried to come back, by getting a run in the seventh on a Patrick Valdes home run and an additional run with a homer in the ninth by John Hukill... but it was too little too late.
Box Score Game Log
Congratulations to Mack on the victory.
There will be one more opportunity to sign potential free agents. I will be running those signings on Sunday morning.
Zev
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Monarchs Roar Back From Five Run Deficit To Take 3-1 Lead
The Paddlewheelers thought they had this one in the bag. By the time the third inning was over, they had five runs on the board and knocked 23-game winner Christopher Hester out of the game. But that's when the Monarchs started coming back.
It began with a four-spot in the fifth, where the Monarchs put together five hits. They added another two to take the lead in the sixth on four singles and another two insurance runs in the seventh on a two run blast by Armando Cedeno.
Box Score Game Log
Game 5, River Cities @ Seattle -- Thursday night.
It began with a four-spot in the fifth, where the Monarchs put together five hits. They added another two to take the lead in the sixth on four singles and another two insurance runs in the seventh on a two run blast by Armando Cedeno.
Box Score Game Log
Game 5, River Cities @ Seattle -- Thursday night.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Frau Flops, Hukill Shines As River Cities Wins
River Cities won its first Cecil Cup game this year, defeating Seattle 6-3 and cutting the Monarchs lead to two games to one.
Isidro Frau was in trouble right away, giving up a single and double and allowing the first Paddlewheeler run before even securing a single out. A John Hukill double in the third added another run for the Paddlewheelers. However, the real damage came when Hukill came up in the fourth with the bases loaded. Hukill slammed the ball 343 feet down the right field line and brought in four runs with a grand slam. The Monarchs never recovered from that. Seattle managed to get a run in fifth on Stephen Herbert's triple and two more in the ninth on a Gregory Mudge homer, but it was too little, too late.
Box Score Game Log
Game 4, River Cities @ Seattle, Wednesday night.
Isidro Frau was in trouble right away, giving up a single and double and allowing the first Paddlewheeler run before even securing a single out. A John Hukill double in the third added another run for the Paddlewheelers. However, the real damage came when Hukill came up in the fourth with the bases loaded. Hukill slammed the ball 343 feet down the right field line and brought in four runs with a grand slam. The Monarchs never recovered from that. Seattle managed to get a run in fifth on Stephen Herbert's triple and two more in the ninth on a Gregory Mudge homer, but it was too little, too late.
Box Score Game Log
Game 4, River Cities @ Seattle, Wednesday night.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Wheeler Derails, Seattle Takes 2-0 Lead
Sherman Wheeler failed to make it out of the fourth inning today, putting Seattle in a position to take a firm 2-0 lead. Wheeler left the game with one out in the fourth and with Seattle leading 5-1. After that, Seattle never looked back. Chad Nelligan pitched eight innings, giving up five hits and one run. Nelligan, who went 1 for 89 at the plate this year (.011 -- although that hit was a home run) also helped his cause with a triple in the fourth off Weaver.
Box Score Game Log
Game 3, River Cities at Seattle, tomorrow night.
Box Score Game Log
Game 3, River Cities at Seattle, tomorrow night.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Three Runs In Seventh Sink Paddlewheelers
Seattle turned a 3-1 deficit into a 4-3 lead last night in the seventh, giving Seattle a Game One victory in the 2010 Cecil Cup series.
River Cities drew first blood by scoring two runs in the second off of Monarch's ace Christopher Hester with an Anton Suarez double to the right-center gap. Seattle put together three singles to put one run on their side of the scoreboard in the fourth. River Cities matched it with another run in the sixth before Seattle took the lead in the seventh with a HBP, double and two singles off of pitchers John Villatoro and John Miller.
Both teams traded runs in the eighth with Waylon Blassingame hitting a 399-foot shot to deep right center for the Monarchs and Reuben Caufield coming home on pinch-hitter Eduardo Diaz's sac fly for River Cities. Samuel Contrares then came in for Seattle in the ninth to close the door.
Game 2 Seattle @ River Cities -- Monday night.
Box Score Game Log
River Cities drew first blood by scoring two runs in the second off of Monarch's ace Christopher Hester with an Anton Suarez double to the right-center gap. Seattle put together three singles to put one run on their side of the scoreboard in the fourth. River Cities matched it with another run in the sixth before Seattle took the lead in the seventh with a HBP, double and two singles off of pitchers John Villatoro and John Miller.
Both teams traded runs in the eighth with Waylon Blassingame hitting a 399-foot shot to deep right center for the Monarchs and Reuben Caufield coming home on pinch-hitter Eduardo Diaz's sac fly for River Cities. Samuel Contrares then came in for Seattle in the ninth to close the door.
Game 2 Seattle @ River Cities -- Monday night.
Box Score Game Log
Saturday, September 15, 2007
New Team Name
Effective with the start of the 2011 season, the most successful and winningest franchise in league history will be known as the Los Angeles Scorpions. The team will continue to play at the Scorpion Pit in Redondo Beach, CA., but the team's administrative offices moved from the South Bay to Los Angeles during the season, and this change reflects that.
"Our appeal is global," owner/GM Michael Weintraub announced. "This name just reflects the international nature of the franchise by associating it with our home city of Los Angeles, one of the great international cities in the world."
The name change is the fourth for the franchise, which began as the Alaska Kodiacs in 2002. That name was changed to the Stockholm Sluggers during spring training that year as Weintraub bought the franchise. After winning two Cecil Cups in Stockholm, Weintraub and the team moved to South Florida, where the team played as the Mighty Manatees of Florida Baseball Club for two seasons, where Mighty Manatees won two more Cecil Cups.
Then, Weintraub and the team moved to California and settled in the South Bay region of Los Angeles. "We love the South Bay, and plan to stay at the Scorpion Pit for years to come," Weintraub insisted, perhaps referring to rumors that his recent trip to Stockholm was a scouting trip for a possible return for the franchise to Sweden.
In other news, Weintraub announced that the team has hired Alvin Davis, recently fired as the manager for the Seattle Monarchs, as the team's new bench coach. "Alvin has great success and we welcome him into the Scorpion family" Weintraub said. As long as he stays away from the pitching staff, I'm sure he'll work out just fine for us."
"Our appeal is global," owner/GM Michael Weintraub announced. "This name just reflects the international nature of the franchise by associating it with our home city of Los Angeles, one of the great international cities in the world."
The name change is the fourth for the franchise, which began as the Alaska Kodiacs in 2002. That name was changed to the Stockholm Sluggers during spring training that year as Weintraub bought the franchise. After winning two Cecil Cups in Stockholm, Weintraub and the team moved to South Florida, where the team played as the Mighty Manatees of Florida Baseball Club for two seasons, where Mighty Manatees won two more Cecil Cups.
Then, Weintraub and the team moved to California and settled in the South Bay region of Los Angeles. "We love the South Bay, and plan to stay at the Scorpion Pit for years to come," Weintraub insisted, perhaps referring to rumors that his recent trip to Stockholm was a scouting trip for a possible return for the franchise to Sweden.
In other news, Weintraub announced that the team has hired Alvin Davis, recently fired as the manager for the Seattle Monarchs, as the team's new bench coach. "Alvin has great success and we welcome him into the Scorpion family" Weintraub said. As long as he stays away from the pitching staff, I'm sure he'll work out just fine for us."
Commissioner's Award For League Participation
As commissioner, I hereby present the Commissioner's Award for League Participation. This award is given to the owner(s) who complete the most uploads during the course of the regular season. An upload is credited to an owner who either uploads a file to the FTP server (whether the upload succeeds or fails for some technical reason) or who emails me changes or even a "no change" email.
There were three teams that had perfect league participation -- meaning that they actively managed their teams with every sim. Those three teams are River Cities, Seattle and Saskatoon. Here are the final tallies:
If anyone has any ideas on how to get the lesser-participating owners more active, I'd love to hear them. In the meantime, I'm going to contact them and see if they are still interested in participating in general.
Zev
There were three teams that had perfect league participation -- meaning that they actively managed their teams with every sim. Those three teams are River Cities, Seattle and Saskatoon. Here are the final tallies:
| Team | Total |
| River Cities | 14 |
| Saskatoon | 14 |
| Seattle | 14 |
| South Bay | 12 |
| Houston | 10 |
| Hickory | 9 |
| New York | 9 |
| Danville | 2 |
| Walla Walla | 2 |
| Covington | 0 |
| Denver | 0 |
If anyone has any ideas on how to get the lesser-participating owners more active, I'd love to hear them. In the meantime, I'm going to contact them and see if they are still interested in participating in general.
Zev
Thursday, September 13, 2007
2010 SDMB OOTP Team Records
The regular season has ended and I've updated my SDMB OOTP History chart. Here's a list of team records set during the 2010 campaign. The previous mark is in parentheses.
1. Total wins: 114, Seattle (113, 2009 River Cities)
2. Home wins: 60, Seattle (tied 2004 Houston)
3. Batting Avg.: .288, Seattle (.282, 2004 Houston)
4. Fewest Home Runs: 68, Houston (82, 2007 Danville)
5. At Bats: 5751, Seattle (5713, 2005 Stockholm)
6. Hits: 1655, Seattle (1611, 2008 River Cities)
7. Fewest Walks Received: 366, Denver (382, 2004 Butte)
8. Lowest Slugging %: .312, Houston (.316, 2009 Covington)
9. Stolen Bases: 284, Saskatoon (267, 2009 Denver)
10. Highest R+ (runs scored relative to league): 128, Saskatoon (127, 2009 River Cities)
11. Highest OPS+ (OPS relative to league): 113, Seattle and Saskatoon (tied 2009 River Cities and 2004 Houston)
12. Team ERA: 2.86, River Cities (2.90, 2009 River Cities)
13. Earned Runs Allowed: 465, River Cities (475, 2009 River Cities)
14. Fewest Home Runs Allowed: 73, Seattle (tied 2009 Seattle)
15. Fewest Walks Allowed: 335, Seattle (344, 2009 Seattle)
16. Fewest Unearned Runs Allowed: 32, Danville (33, 2009 River Cities)
17. Fewest Assists: 1504 New York (1529, 2005 Denver)
18. Fewest Total Chances: 5939, New York (5981, 2005 Denver)
19. Fewest Double Plays: 103, New York (115, 2004 California)
Saskatoon was an especially interesting team this year, so here are some notes about that squad:
i. Saskatoon had the best record for a non-playoff team at 108-54. The previous best was last year's 104-58 mark by South Bay. The only other team to win 100 games without qualifying for the playoffs was the 2007 Seattle squad, which went 100-62.
ii. Saskatoon posted a team batting average of .284, which would have broken the record but for Seattle's .288.
iii. Saskatoon became only the second team in league history to score 900 runs, with 905. The record is the 932 runs scored by the 2004 Houston squad.
iv. Saskatoon's last five years (2006-2010) are five of the six teams with the highest stolen base totals.
Other Miscellaneous Notes:
1. Offense was down dramatically overall for the second straight year. The overall batting average of .249 was the second lowest in the eight years of recorded history, behind only the .245 of 2007. The total number of home runs hit (1,704) was an all-time low for a 12-team league. The total number of walks issued was also a record low (5,803 - 287 less than the prior record). On base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS were all also all records. The average runs per game was 4.31, second lowest ever.
2. The Adams League's offenses remained more prolific than the Zotti league, 4.36 R/G compared to 4.26.
3. The Zotti League posted the highest league fielding percentage in history at .9830. Conversely, the Adams League almost set a record for the lowest, with its .9803 only being underpferormed by the 2005 Zotti which was .9799.
4. Seattle wrested the all-time regular season crown away from South Bay. Seattle stands at 887-571 (.608 Win%) against South Bay's 881-577 (.604) mark. Of course, South Bay's post-season wins more than make up the difference.
5. The race for lowest franchise ERA has also tightened, as River Cities 3.53 mark pulled close to South Bay's 3.52. Seattle is close behind at 3.54.
6. New York pulled its overall record back above .500 at 571-563.
7. South Bay won 90+ games again. South Bay has won 90 or more games every year (2002-2010) and is, obviously, the only team to do so.
8. Big improvements were posted by Saskatoon and Covington, who each improved by 16 games from 2009, and New York, who went up 15.
As always, feel free to post any questions in the comments section and I'll try to answer them.
1. Total wins: 114, Seattle (113, 2009 River Cities)
2. Home wins: 60, Seattle (tied 2004 Houston)
3. Batting Avg.: .288, Seattle (.282, 2004 Houston)
4. Fewest Home Runs: 68, Houston (82, 2007 Danville)
5. At Bats: 5751, Seattle (5713, 2005 Stockholm)
6. Hits: 1655, Seattle (1611, 2008 River Cities)
7. Fewest Walks Received: 366, Denver (382, 2004 Butte)
8. Lowest Slugging %: .312, Houston (.316, 2009 Covington)
9. Stolen Bases: 284, Saskatoon (267, 2009 Denver)
10. Highest R+ (runs scored relative to league): 128, Saskatoon (127, 2009 River Cities)
11. Highest OPS+ (OPS relative to league): 113, Seattle and Saskatoon (tied 2009 River Cities and 2004 Houston)
12. Team ERA: 2.86, River Cities (2.90, 2009 River Cities)
13. Earned Runs Allowed: 465, River Cities (475, 2009 River Cities)
14. Fewest Home Runs Allowed: 73, Seattle (tied 2009 Seattle)
15. Fewest Walks Allowed: 335, Seattle (344, 2009 Seattle)
16. Fewest Unearned Runs Allowed: 32, Danville (33, 2009 River Cities)
17. Fewest Assists: 1504 New York (1529, 2005 Denver)
18. Fewest Total Chances: 5939, New York (5981, 2005 Denver)
19. Fewest Double Plays: 103, New York (115, 2004 California)
Saskatoon was an especially interesting team this year, so here are some notes about that squad:
i. Saskatoon had the best record for a non-playoff team at 108-54. The previous best was last year's 104-58 mark by South Bay. The only other team to win 100 games without qualifying for the playoffs was the 2007 Seattle squad, which went 100-62.
ii. Saskatoon posted a team batting average of .284, which would have broken the record but for Seattle's .288.
iii. Saskatoon became only the second team in league history to score 900 runs, with 905. The record is the 932 runs scored by the 2004 Houston squad.
iv. Saskatoon's last five years (2006-2010) are five of the six teams with the highest stolen base totals.
Other Miscellaneous Notes:
1. Offense was down dramatically overall for the second straight year. The overall batting average of .249 was the second lowest in the eight years of recorded history, behind only the .245 of 2007. The total number of home runs hit (1,704) was an all-time low for a 12-team league. The total number of walks issued was also a record low (5,803 - 287 less than the prior record). On base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS were all also all records. The average runs per game was 4.31, second lowest ever.
2. The Adams League's offenses remained more prolific than the Zotti league, 4.36 R/G compared to 4.26.
3. The Zotti League posted the highest league fielding percentage in history at .9830. Conversely, the Adams League almost set a record for the lowest, with its .9803 only being underpferormed by the 2005 Zotti which was .9799.
4. Seattle wrested the all-time regular season crown away from South Bay. Seattle stands at 887-571 (.608 Win%) against South Bay's 881-577 (.604) mark. Of course, South Bay's post-season wins more than make up the difference.
5. The race for lowest franchise ERA has also tightened, as River Cities 3.53 mark pulled close to South Bay's 3.52. Seattle is close behind at 3.54.
6. New York pulled its overall record back above .500 at 571-563.
7. South Bay won 90+ games again. South Bay has won 90 or more games every year (2002-2010) and is, obviously, the only team to do so.
8. Big improvements were posted by Saskatoon and Covington, who each improved by 16 games from 2009, and New York, who went up 15.
As always, feel free to post any questions in the comments section and I'll try to answer them.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Monarchs Manager Canned on Eve of Cecil Cup
OCTOBER 7, 2010.
SEATTLE (AP) -- Following up on last month's story about the infighting between Team Owner / General Manager Mack Shultz and Field Manager Alvin Davis, sources have reported that Shultz has fired Davis effective immediately. This comes just one day before the start of the Cecil Cup series with rival River Cities. Bench Coach Larry Hockett will take over control of the team on an interim basis.
The firing apparently resulted from Davis's refusal to move away from the three-man rotation. Davis, reportedly seeking to gain baseball immortality as the manager of the team with the most regular season wins in SDMB OOTP History, ran Seattle ace Chad Nelligan out to start the meaningless season finale against Brooklyn, despite Seattle having clinched the division title five days earlier with a come-from-behind 6-4 victory over Saskatoon.
Shultz, when giving his team instructions for the final week of the season, specifically lined up his rotation to ensure that Nelligan would be be ready to start Game One of the 2010 Cecil Cup. Davis, however, apparently ignored the instructions uploaded by Shultz from his vacation home in the Caribbean. As a result, Nelligan is not expected to take the hill until Game Two. Christopher Hester is expected to get the Game One start as a result.
Davis has been the Monarchs' manager since 2004. During his seven-year tenure, the Monarchs won the division five times, won 110 games three times, and never finished with less than 90 wins. Last year, Davis finally jumped the last hurdle to greatness when he overcame history and won Seattle's first major professional championship since the 1979 Supersonics captured the NBA title.
SEATTLE (AP) -- Following up on last month's story about the infighting between Team Owner / General Manager Mack Shultz and Field Manager Alvin Davis, sources have reported that Shultz has fired Davis effective immediately. This comes just one day before the start of the Cecil Cup series with rival River Cities. Bench Coach Larry Hockett will take over control of the team on an interim basis.
The firing apparently resulted from Davis's refusal to move away from the three-man rotation. Davis, reportedly seeking to gain baseball immortality as the manager of the team with the most regular season wins in SDMB OOTP History, ran Seattle ace Chad Nelligan out to start the meaningless season finale against Brooklyn, despite Seattle having clinched the division title five days earlier with a come-from-behind 6-4 victory over Saskatoon.
Shultz, when giving his team instructions for the final week of the season, specifically lined up his rotation to ensure that Nelligan would be be ready to start Game One of the 2010 Cecil Cup. Davis, however, apparently ignored the instructions uploaded by Shultz from his vacation home in the Caribbean. As a result, Nelligan is not expected to take the hill until Game Two. Christopher Hester is expected to get the Game One start as a result.
Davis has been the Monarchs' manager since 2004. During his seven-year tenure, the Monarchs won the division five times, won 110 games three times, and never finished with less than 90 wins. Last year, Davis finally jumped the last hurdle to greatness when he overcame history and won Seattle's first major professional championship since the 1979 Supersonics captured the NBA title.
Top 20 Prospects
1 Gregorio Marzano RIV 22 1B
2 Mohammad Stelly SEA 20 RF
3 Chester Cohen NY 23 2B
4 George Labarre SEA 21 2B
5 Jeff Wardlaw BRK 22 SS
6 Paul Guerrero HIK 19 LF
7 Jose Guzman DAN 24 1B
8 William Ward RIV 20 C
9 Fredrick Thomas NY 24 SP
10 Alberto Granado SEA 18 C
11 Octavio Cabrales DEN 21 1B
12 Cornelius Bondy BRK 24 LF
13 Jeffrey Brunton WAL 25 SP
14 Bill Olesen BRK 22 SP
15 Anthony Koepp SB 25 SP
16 Bruce Parker BRK 22 3B
17 Ronald Chambers BRK 23 2B
18 James Banks BRK 22 2B
19 Edward Boothe RIV 22 LF
20 John Jacobs BRK 23 RF
2 Mohammad Stelly SEA 20 RF
3 Chester Cohen NY 23 2B
4 George Labarre SEA 21 2B
5 Jeff Wardlaw BRK 22 SS
6 Paul Guerrero HIK 19 LF
7 Jose Guzman DAN 24 1B
8 William Ward RIV 20 C
9 Fredrick Thomas NY 24 SP
10 Alberto Granado SEA 18 C
11 Octavio Cabrales DEN 21 1B
12 Cornelius Bondy BRK 24 LF
13 Jeffrey Brunton WAL 25 SP
14 Bill Olesen BRK 22 SP
15 Anthony Koepp SB 25 SP
16 Bruce Parker BRK 22 3B
17 Ronald Chambers BRK 23 2B
18 James Banks BRK 22 2B
19 Edward Boothe RIV 22 LF
20 John Jacobs BRK 23 RF
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Playoffs -- Game 1
Game 1, Seattle @ River Cities -- Sunday morning.
Remember, we're still processing free agent offers during the playoffs.
Zev
Remember, we're still processing free agent offers during the playoffs.
Zev
Monday, September 10, 2007
Sorry... no sim yet
It's been a verrry busy weekend... I'm afraid I didn't get to the sim. I will try to get to it tonight, but I also have my nephew's Bar Mitzvah to attend tonight.
If I don't get to it tonight, it will be done by Tuesday night.
Zev
If I don't get to it tonight, it will be done by Tuesday night.
Zev
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Troy Nelson honored by original franchise
LOS ANGELES, CA -- 30 Sept. 2010.
The South Bay Scorpions announced today that the last Friday night game of the season will be Troy Nelson's last start in his illustrious career. Troy had been a middle reliever and occasional spot starter since being re-acquired by his original franchise from New York last season. After Troy told the team that he planned to retire at year's end, owner/GM Michael Weintraub decided to honor him with one final scheduled start for the team.
"Troy pitched the first no-hitter in the league, as well as had four wins in the Cecil Cup in his career. We would not be where we are if not for him," Weintraub announced while on vacation in the team's original home, Stockholm, Sweden. "He won the Outstanding Pitcher award in 2002, and led the league in ERA and shutouts in 2004. Then, of course, there's the one-hitter he pitched against Houston that year in the Cecil Cup that helped us win our first of four straight championships. We'll miss him."
Other original Stockholm Sluggers from the 2002 team will be on hand, including current teammates Frank Carroll and Casey Plunk (who is also retiring after this season). Original home run king Joseph Denn and fellow original ace Craig Barmore will stop by the Scorpion Pit for autographs before the game, as well as to throw out the ceremonial first pitches. The team will give out replica Stockholm Slugger jerseys before the game with Nelson - 14 on the back, and retire Nelson's #14 jersey in a post-game ceremony. His number will join Denn's #96 and Barmore's #76 on the Wall of Glory that stands just beyond the left-centerfield wall at the seaside marvel of a stadium called the Scorpion Pit.
The South Bay Scorpions are the most successful franchise in league history, with more regular season and post season wins than any other team. Additionally, the team has won more Cecil Cups than any other team.
The South Bay Scorpions announced today that the last Friday night game of the season will be Troy Nelson's last start in his illustrious career. Troy had been a middle reliever and occasional spot starter since being re-acquired by his original franchise from New York last season. After Troy told the team that he planned to retire at year's end, owner/GM Michael Weintraub decided to honor him with one final scheduled start for the team.
"Troy pitched the first no-hitter in the league, as well as had four wins in the Cecil Cup in his career. We would not be where we are if not for him," Weintraub announced while on vacation in the team's original home, Stockholm, Sweden. "He won the Outstanding Pitcher award in 2002, and led the league in ERA and shutouts in 2004. Then, of course, there's the one-hitter he pitched against Houston that year in the Cecil Cup that helped us win our first of four straight championships. We'll miss him."
Other original Stockholm Sluggers from the 2002 team will be on hand, including current teammates Frank Carroll and Casey Plunk (who is also retiring after this season). Original home run king Joseph Denn and fellow original ace Craig Barmore will stop by the Scorpion Pit for autographs before the game, as well as to throw out the ceremonial first pitches. The team will give out replica Stockholm Slugger jerseys before the game with Nelson - 14 on the back, and retire Nelson's #14 jersey in a post-game ceremony. His number will join Denn's #96 and Barmore's #76 on the Wall of Glory that stands just beyond the left-centerfield wall at the seaside marvel of a stadium called the Scorpion Pit.
The South Bay Scorpions are the most successful franchise in league history, with more regular season and post season wins than any other team. Additionally, the team has won more Cecil Cups than any other team.
Friday, September 7, 2007
Trouble in Paradise
Despite a seemingly perfect season, on pace to play in a fifth Cecil Cup and taking over the lead as the all-time winningest franchise in SDMB OOTP history, sources indicate that trouble is brewing inside the front offices of the Seattle Monarchs. Apparently Team Owner/General Manager Mack Shultz and Field Manager Alvin Davis have had several fiery confrontations this year including a brouhaha yesterday over Davis's recent use of a three-man starting rotation.
"It was a massive fight," said one source within the executive offices of the reigning Cecil Cup champions. "Everyone heard the two of them screaming at each other. It was pretty intense."
Davis has come under close public scrutiny the last two weeks for his unorthodox decision to use only Chad Nelligan, Christopher Hester, and Izzie Frau as starting pitchers. The other two starting pitchers, Isaac Diehl and Peter Bird, were dropped from the rotation and went almost completely unused over the last 12 games.
"I heard Shultz screaming at Davis, asking why he was ruining the franchise arms. Davis was yelling back that he was only doing what he thought Shultz wanted. It was a mess," confided the source. Apparently, Shultz wanted Davis to go to a four-man rotation but Davis apparently misunderstood and instead used a three-man rotation. When Shultz returned from a two-week vacation on his private island in the Caribbean, he found out what Davis had done and went ballistic. The heated argument was the result.
Monarchs spokeswoman Katie Shultz, daughter of the team patriarch, refused to comment other than to say, "Daddy and Mr. Davis had a nice talk."
"It was a massive fight," said one source within the executive offices of the reigning Cecil Cup champions. "Everyone heard the two of them screaming at each other. It was pretty intense."
Davis has come under close public scrutiny the last two weeks for his unorthodox decision to use only Chad Nelligan, Christopher Hester, and Izzie Frau as starting pitchers. The other two starting pitchers, Isaac Diehl and Peter Bird, were dropped from the rotation and went almost completely unused over the last 12 games.
"I heard Shultz screaming at Davis, asking why he was ruining the franchise arms. Davis was yelling back that he was only doing what he thought Shultz wanted. It was a mess," confided the source. Apparently, Shultz wanted Davis to go to a four-man rotation but Davis apparently misunderstood and instead used a three-man rotation. When Shultz returned from a two-week vacation on his private island in the Caribbean, he found out what Davis had done and went ballistic. The heated argument was the result.
Monarchs spokeswoman Katie Shultz, daughter of the team patriarch, refused to comment other than to say, "Daddy and Mr. Davis had a nice talk."
Well, well, look at that Wins stat...
ZL Leaders
Wins
Villatoro, RIV 25
Okane, RIV 21
Wheeler, RIV 18
64 wins in three pitchers. That's how you do it!
Wins
Villatoro, RIV 25
Okane, RIV 21
Wheeler, RIV 18
64 wins in three pitchers. That's how you do it!
Thursday, September 6, 2007
League File Not Uploaded
Apparently, the script that I use to upload the files must have failed last night while uploading the league file. I'll have the file uploaded tonight.
Zev
Zev
No Hitter!!
Brooklyn Wolves starter Bill Siple threw the 14th no-hitter in league history this past sim against the Denver Zephyrs. Siple was sharp that night, only giving up a walk and allowing two runners to reach on error. No Zephyr batter reached second base.
"I'm really glad I was able to turn in a great game," said Siple. "It's been a disappointing season for me, so I'm glad that I was able to end it on such a strong note."
Siple joins teammates Eric Setliff (7/7/2005) and Sabas Delvalle (7/31/2009) as no-hit pitchers.
Sadly, because the game was being played in Denver, only 8,530 fans were on hand to see the momentous occasion. Nonetheless, Wolves president Zev Steinhardt is offering to give every fan who was at that game a free Bill Siple bobble-head doll.
"I'm really glad I was able to turn in a great game," said Siple. "It's been a disappointing season for me, so I'm glad that I was able to end it on such a strong note."
Siple joins teammates Eric Setliff (7/7/2005) and Sabas Delvalle (7/31/2009) as no-hit pitchers.
Sadly, because the game was being played in Denver, only 8,530 fans were on hand to see the momentous occasion. Nonetheless, Wolves president Zev Steinhardt is offering to give every fan who was at that game a free Bill Siple bobble-head doll.
Scheduling Change
Due to the upcoming Rosh HaShannah holiday, the next sim (the last of the regular season) will be held this coming Saturday Night (not that it really matters to anyone except Mack and Trevor).
Zev
Zev
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
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