Wolves Survive Another Day, Lenape Leap to 3-1 Lead

Game Date:  Sep 29, 2024

The Brooklyn Wolves managed to stave off elimination by defeating the Seattle Monarchs by a score of 5-3.  Brooklyn jumped off to a 4-0 lead in the third inning on the basis of four hits and a walk -- all coming after there were two out in the inning.  After that, they never looked back.  Seattle managed to add a run in the fourth and then two more in the fifth thanks to a Juan Gomez home run.  However, the Brooklyn bullpen of Rice, Palha, Guererra and Pontoni were able to hold the Monarchs at bay.

In the other game, the Lenape padded their lead bit by bit by adding single runs in the first, second, fourth and seventh innings while starter John Macaluso continued to put goose eggs up on the board.  Maui managed to put two runs on the board in the ninth on a Barney Maxon homer to right.  Ultimately, Maui got the tying run on first base, but failed to capitalize on the opportunity when Ronald Quijada flied out to left to end the game, giving Shackamaxon a 3-1 lead in the series.

Game 6:  Thursday night

Game 3: Siebel's Two Blasts Lead Shackamaxon to Victory, Monarchs pound Wolves Pitching

Game Date:  Sep 28, 2024

The Seattle Monarchs tagged Brooklyn starter Nicholas Vargas for eight runs in one inning of pitching en route to a 10-1 victory. Seattle now leads the series 3-0.

In the other game, Shackamaxon scored six unanswered runs in the sixth and seventh innings to come from behind and defeat the Maui Mashers to take a 2-1 lead in the series.

Next game:  Wednesday night.

Game 2: Maui Ties Series, Seattle Blanks Brooklyn

Game Date:  Sep 26, 2024

The Shackamaxon Lenape had more than twice as many hits as the Maui Mashers, but the Mashers managed to put up more than twice as many runs as the Lenape.

The Lenape started things off in the first against starter Matt McDonald when Jose Molina doubled to right bring John Grondin around to score.  The Lenape answered back in the bottom of the inning with a solo home run by Richard Bender.

Maui broke the game open with two round trippers in the bottom of the third on a solo shot by Angel Banuelos and a three run homer by Reijiro Kondo -- the first of his two homers of the evening.  The Lenape never came back from that inning and Maui tied the series at one game a piece.

In the second game, Seattle starter Gregg Fiala had the Wolves batters tied up in knots, pitching seven innings of two-hit shutout ball.  Brooklyn's Nicholas Vargas, on the other hand, wasn't up to task, giving up seven hits and five runs in six-plus innings.

Next Game:  Tuesday evening.

Commissioner's Note:  We are considering upgrading to OOTP 15 after the season is over.  While we conduct testing and the like, we'd like to hear your opinions on the matter.

Game 1: Seattle Prevails In Extra Innings, Lenape Pound Mashers

It was a pitcher's duel over at the Old League Park as Brooklyn and Seattle traded goose eggs.  Both teams scored single runs in the first inning --- Brooklyn on a bases loaded ground out by Kevin Works and Seattle on a Juan Gomez double.  After that, Juan Cerda and Enrico Hernandez settled down.  Neither team got a runner to third base until the bottom of the eighth inning.  The Monarchs could have won in the bottom of the ninth when they had the winning run on third, but failed to score after Dewey Wilson was picked off first. Ultimately, however, Seattle prevailed in the bottom of the tenth when Juan Gomez hit a single to bring in Bas Bijkerk with the winning run.

In the other game, the Shackamaxon Lenape beat up on Maui pitching by pounding out 12 runs on 17 hits (although, interestingly, they did that with no homers).  RF Tomas Kalay had a great day, going four for five with a double and six RBI.  1B David Seibel also had a good game with three hits in six at bats and two RBI.  Joseph Macaluso pitched the entire game for the victory for the Lenape.

Game 2:  Monday night.

... And The Regular Season Is In The Books. Next Up: The Playoffs.

Game Date:  September 23, 2024

Final Standings:
Adams:
Brooklyn 92-70
Hickory 79-83
Atlanta 79-83
London 66-96

Zotti:
Seattle 97-65
Shackamaxon* 90-72
Brick  68-94
Ohio  64-98

Signorino:
Maui 95-67
New York 85-77
Antelope Valley 79-83
Houston 78-84

* Wild card winner

The first round of the playoffs will feature Brooklyn vs. Seattle and Shackamaxon vs. Maui.

League Leaders:
Batting Average:  Lucio Muniz, Seattle .364
On Base Pct:  Muniz .477
Slugging:  Ray McJannett, Antelope Valley .669
OPS:  McJannet 1.116
WAR:  Muniz 11.6
Hits:  Muniz 218
Home Runs:  Andreas Velasco, Houston 48
RBI:  Katsuhiko Jouda, Brooklyn 117
Stolen Bases:  Edgardo Collazo, London, 63

Earned Run Average:  Kevin Kepner, Brooklyn, 3.08
Wins:  Juan Villatoro, Maui 20
Winning Pct:  Nicholas Vargas, Brooklyn, .750
Saves:  Pablo Garcia, New York 42
Complete Games:  Kepner 9
Shutouts:  Kepner 3
Strikeouts:  Emilio Romero, Maui 245
WHIP:  Kepner & Villatoro 1.06

Awards & Accomplishments:
Maui's Ronald Quijada named Player of the Week (9/2)
Hickory's Jesus Flores named Player of the Week (9/9)
Antelope Valley's Ray McJannett named Player of the Week (9/16)

Significant Injuries:
Seattle's Pat Carmichael has an oblique strain and will miss about four weeks.
Maui's Thomas Brasfield is done for the year with a shoulder inflammation.
Maui is also without Juan Salas who has a partially torn labrum and will miss four weeks.

Milestones:
George LaBarre of Hickory reached 1000 RBI and 2000 hits.

First game of the post-season:  Saturday night.  All playoff teams should please be sure to reduce their rosters to 25 players.

Commissioner's Note:  We are currently exploring upgrading to OOTP 15 after the season.

September I Sim Done

The sim is done, but I won't have a chance to do the write up until later today.  If anyone else wants to do it, feel free... the online reports have been updated.

August II Sim Done

Game Date: September 1, 2024

Who Uploaded:

• Antelope Valley
• Atlanta
• Brick
• Houston
• Maui
• Ohio
• Seattle
• Shackamaxon

Standings:

• Adams Division: Brooklyn leads Hickory by 7 games. The Wolves' magic number is down to 14.
• Zotti Division: Seattle leads Shackamaxon by 8 games. The Monarchs' magic number is down to 13.
• Signorino Division: Maui leads Antelope Valley by 7 games. The Mashers' magic number is down to 14.
• Wild Card: Shackamaxon leads Antelope Valley by 6 games. The Lenape's magic number is 15.
• Number 1 Seed: Seattle leads Maui by 7 games in the race for home field advantage in the postseason.

News:

• Seattle's Lonnis Draeger won player of the week (8/19/2024)
• Seattle's Terry Hubbard won player of the week (8/26/2024)
• Maui's Ronald Quijada won batter of the month
• Houston's Sung-oo Yang won pitcher of the month
• New York's Jorge Moya won rookie of the month
• Injuries:
• Brooklyn SP Nicholas Vargas will miss 4 weeks (Elbow tendinitis)
• Maui CF Angel Banuelos will miss 4 weeks (Hamstring strain)
• Hickory 2B Pedro Campos (Torn hamstring)
• Houston C Brian Walker (Undisclosed)
• With the end of the minor league seasons, these are your minor league champions:
• AAA Kensington Wolfpack (Brooklyn)
• AA Brighton Apples (Ohio)
• A Marietta Mammoths (London)

Next sim:

• To be determined by Zev, but expected to be on Wednesday night.
• Please note that the major league rosters are now expanded to 40 players. Bring up some prospects and see what they can do.

Update

Michael will be running the next sim over the weekend.

I realize the sim is late...

My apologies, everyone.... Things have been a bit hectic here of late.

I'll put up the schedule for the next sim soon.

Thanks,

Zev

August I Sim Done

Game Date:  Aug 15, 2024

Standings:
Adams:  Brooklyn leads Hickory by twelve games.
Zotti:  Seattle is eight games ahead of Shackamaxon
Signorino:  Maui has an eight game lead over New York and Antelope Valley
Wild Card:  Shackamaxon has a four game lead over New York and Antelope Valley

Awards & Accomplishments:
Antelope Valley RF Ray McJannett named Batter of the Month
Antelope Valley closer Steve Harris named Pitcher of the Month.  Personally, I can't remember the last time a non-starter won Pitcher of the Month.
Antelope Valley's Ronald Quijada hit three home runs in a game (8/3)
New York's Yvon Settignano named Rookie of the Month and Player of the Week (8/5)
Shackamaxon 3B John Hukill named Player of the Week (8/12)

Significant Injuries:
New York SP Jospeh Brown has a herniated disc and is done for the year.
Houston LF Jorge Hernandez is out for six weeks with a torn thumb ligament.
Shackamaxon reliever Will Stout has a herniated disc and will miss three weeks.
Brooklyn lost two outfielders in one day:  Kevin Works will miss two weeks with wrist soreness and Jamie Vasquez has an intercostal strain (perhaps there is an intercostal clavicle in there?) and will miss three weeks.
Seattle starter Teddy O'Herlihy is done for this year and will miss most of next season as well.  He's out for 10-11 months with a torn ulnar collateral ligament.
Antelope Valley pitcher Walker Hendricks punched a wall while in a fight with his wife.  He's going to miss four weeks.

Next sim:  Next Wednesday night.

Please, Sir, Can You Spare a First- or at Least Second-Tier Starter?

Hickory is still extremely eager to add an excellent, or at this point even just very good, starting pitcher to bolster a flagging rotation.  I am willing to make a highly competitive offer to anyone looking to deal back for this year; just write to me at ferrarafc@comcast.net anytime today.

Last chance -- Shackamaxon's spare outfielder bonanza

Since Zev's given us an extra 24 hours to deal, I'm going to see if I can take advantage of it by dangling some of my spare outfielders. Any of these guys would be a nice 4th or 5th outfielder:

• Ramiro Ramirez - Can play all three positions. Was a 3 WAR player just two seasons ago.

• Bartolo Hernandez - Can play all three positions. Hit 25 HR last year between AAA and the majors.

• Bryan Sawyer - Can play all three positions. Has 30+ steal potential.

• Roberto Perez - Can play all three positions. The most raw player, only 24-years-old and may be ready for the big leagues.

Low minor fringe prospects and/or 6th-round-ish draft picks would be a sufficient return for any of the above players.

One Day More...

... another day another destiny, this never ending road to the pennant...

One more day to the trading deadline.  I'll run the sim tomorrow (Thursday) night.

Zev