September II Sim Done -- Up Next: Playoffs

Game Date:  Sep 24 2030

Upcoming Playoff Matchups:
Maui vs. Seattle
Brick vs. Philadelphia

Awards & Accomplishments:
Seattle's Steve Jones named Player of the Week (9/16, 5th career award, 3rd this season)

Significant Injuries:
Seattle's George Hendricks has a strained hamstring and will miss 2-3 weeks.

Final League Leaders:

Batting Average: Antonio Venet (Maui) .357
Hits:  Venet 231
OPS: Hector Valera (Seattle) 1.037
Home Runs: Valera 54
RBI: Valera 156
Stolen Bases: Miguel Hernandez (Brick) 39

ERA: Toyoshige Takahashi (Seattle) 2.70
Wins: Enrico Hernandez (Seattle/Brick) 21
WPct: Takahashi .900
Saves: Anthony White (Philadelphia) 47
Complete Games: Chris Williams (Seattle) 12
Strikeouts: Kieran Rose (Brooklyn) 256

WAR: Steve Jones (Seattle) 8.5

Answer to the last trivia question:
Actually, I'm kind of surprised that no one even took a shot at it, so I'm going to put it out there for one more try...

Specifically, which Hall of Fame pitcher* did not earn his first major league win until nearly five years after his major league debut.

(* Only players elected as pitchers should be considered... so Jimmie Foxx, who earned his first [and only] pitching victory 20 years after his major league debut does not count.)


Administrative Note:  Saturday night (when the next sim is run) is the deadline to vote in the thread about rookie league changes.  Please make sure to cast your vote.

Administrative Note II:  I'm sorry, everyone, but in a completely Fred Merkle-ish moment, I forgot to download the changes to everyone's lineups.  My apologies.  Unfortunately, I can't go back and re-run the sim, or else I would have already done so.  :(

Next sim:  Saturday night -- game one of the playoffs.

September I sim done

League Date: September 16, 2030

Standings:

• Adams: Brick won the division
• Zotti: Seattle won the division
• Signorino: Philadelphia won the division
• Wild Card: Maui leads Appalachian by 6 games with 6 to go (magic number is 1)

Barring a miracle, the playoff matchups will be Seattle/Maui and Philadelphia/Brick.

News:

• 2B Jose Vega (Wilmington) - Player of the Week (9/2)
• C Joe Haith (Houston) - Player of the Week (9/9)
• C Steve Jones (Seattle) - Player of the Week (9/16)

Minor League Awards:

• AAA Outstanding Pitchers: Paul Reed (PHI) and Carlos Rivera (MAU)
• AAA Outstanding Hitters: CF Antonio Zumaya (SEA) and 1B Carlos Rosales (MAU)
• AA Outstanding Pitchers: Jesus Gonzalez (SEA) and Jim Hall (MAU)
• AA Outstanding Hitters: 3B Matthew James (SEA) and 1B Ryan Gary (APP)
• A Outstanding Pitchers: Tim Jeffreries (HOU) and Jose Galvan (APP)
• A Outstanding Hitters: Jose Poli (HOU) and Jose Galvan (APP)

League Administrivia: If you haven't yet, please vote in the thread about the minor league changes we are considering for next season.

Next Sim: Wednesday 8/30. This will conclude the 29th season of our league.

Aug II Sim Done -- Roster Expansion

Game Date:  Sep 1 2030

Standings:
Adams:  Brick leads Brooklyn by eleven games.
Zotti:  Seattle.
Signorino:  Philadelphia leads Maui by five games
Wild Card:  Maui leads Appalachain by four games.

Awards & Accomplishments:
Philadelphia 1B Maunel Hidalgo named Player of the Week (8/19, 4th career award, 2nd award this season)
Seattle backstop Steve Jones named Player of the Week (8/26, 4th career award, 2nd award this season)
Seattle LF George Hendricks named Batter of the Month (2nd career award)
Houston's Russ Singleton named Pitcher of the Month.
Highland LF Flint Francis named Rookie of the Month

Significant Injuries:
Antelope Valley RF Pedro Mendoza, strained hamstring, done for the season.
Maui C Aaron Hampton, sprained elbow, 3-4 weeks
Antelope Valley SP Jim Walton, ruptured finger tendon, his season is over.
Atlanta C Lawrence Richardson, strained hamstring, out for the year.
Mepkin Abbey 3B Butch Patton, torn UCL, will miss seven months.
Houston SS Joe Carter, herniated disc, out for the year.
Brooklyn SP Fernando Mendoza, sprained ankle, season's finishd.

Batting Line of the Sim:
Philadelphia's Tony Cannon went 4-6 with 3 runs scored, a homer and 7 RBI vs. Highland (8/29)

Pitching Line of the Sim:
Maui's Luis Salazar pitched a one run, five hit complete game with 13K vs Brick 8/25

Last Week's Trivia Question:
First, it's well known that Babe Ruth wore the major league uniforms of the Red Sox, Yankees and Braves.  However, he also wore one other team's major league uniform.  Which team was it?  (Bonus points if you can tell me what uniform number he wore on that uniform.)

Second, speaking of the Red Sox,explain this picture (and no, Photoshop is not the answer): [picture of Rollie Fingers in a Red Sox uniform.

Fred correctly answered that Babe Ruth coached for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1938.  No one got the bonus question, however, as to his uniform number.  It was not 3 -- it was 35.

Fred also correctly pointed out that Rollie Fingers was never, officially, a member of the Boston Red Sox.  As free agency was first coming into effect, Oakland owner Charlie Finley decided to sell off his upcoming free agents, including Fingers.  However, commissioner Bowie Kuhn decided to void the sales in the best interests of baseball.

This Week's Trivia Question:
Which Hall of Fame pitcher did not win his first major league game until nearly five years after his major league debut?

Just to be clear, we're talking about people elected as pitchers, so please don't give any of the following as answers:

• Buck Ewing, C (debut 1880, first pitching win 1889)
• Jimmie Foxx, 1B (1925/1945)
• King Kelly, C (1878/1887)

Commissioner's Note:
It's September.  That's roster expansion season.  :)

Next sim:  Next Wednesday night.

Vote thread: Rookie league changes

Zev and I have discussed this, and taking the suggestion from Fred and the comments on his thread into consideration, we would like to put the following suggestions to a vote:

1. Change the current Rookie League designation to be a Short-Season low A level.
2. Remove the professional year restrictions we currently have on that level.
3. Change the draft from 25 to 20 rounds, and the setting for players available for the draft from 50 rounds worth of players to 40.
4. Institute age limits (which the game is better about enforcing than the pro year limits) for the following minor leagues:
1. Rookie/Short-season A: 22 years old
2. A level: 24 years old
3. AA level: 27 years old
4. AAA level: no age restriction
5. Change the start dates of the minor leagues to be:
1. AAA, AA, A: April 2nd (the day after the current opening day)
2. Rookie/Short-A: June 16th (the first day of the sim following the amateur draft)
6. Extend the minor league seasons:
1. AAA: From 130 to 140 games
2. A and AA: From 120 to 140 games
3. Rookie/Short-A: From 68 to 80 games

Please vote YES or NO on items 1-6 in the comments on this thread. Use Fred's thread for any further discussion; please just vote in the comments to this thread.

the need for a new minor league

hi i believe going forward next year we need to add a  low A or second Rookie League ..their are too many players who get promoted to A  ball but have red arrows pointing down ..these players are not ready mostly 18-20 years old  need one more year.........i feel this might also aids in development of players which only adds to better competition at major league level...feel we should vote on this and add a new team (rookie or low A)

Aug I Sim Done

Game Date:  Aug 16 2030

Standings:
Adams:  Brick leads Brooklyn by ten.
Zotti:  Seattle.  Just Seattle.
Signorino: Philadelphia is three games ahead of Maui
Wild Card:  Maui is five games up on Appalachian.

Awards & Accomplishments:
Maui 3B Antonio Venet named Batter of the Month.
Seattle's Chris Williams named Pitcher of the Month (2nd career award)
Antelope Valley RF Pedro Martinez named Rookie of the Month.
Houston's Albert Ramirez hits 3 HR in one game (8/1)
Seattle LF George Hendrick named Player of the Week (8/5, 3rd career award)
Maui 3B Tae-sang Pak named Player of the Week (8/12, 2nd career award)

Significant Injuries:
Atlanta CF Cheung Ying, shoulder inflammation, five weeks.
Atlanta 2B Rodrigo Negron, torn ankle ligaments, five weeks.
Seattle 3B Sung-heun Hwa, oblique strain 5-6 weeks
Mepkin Abbey LF Pedro Munoz, torn quadraceps, 4 weeks
Houston CF Miguel Cantu, fractured shoulder blade, 4 weeks
Atlanta 1B Jesus Flores, torn groin muscle, done for the season
Brick 3B Gene Reynolds, quadraceps strain, 7 weeks.

Milestones:
Brooklyn's Katsuhiko Jouda reaches 300 HR (8/5)

Batting Line of the Sim:
Houston's Albert Ramirez went 4-4, with 3HR, 5 runs scored and 6 RBI (and a walk) vs. Antelope Valley (8/1)

Pitching Line of the Sim:
Brick's Miguel Archuleta pitched 9.1 innings of two hit ball, giving up two runs, walking one and striking out eleven vs. Philadelphia (8/4)

Last Week's Trivia Question:
As many of you know, it's possible for a pitcher to have more than three strikeouts in an inning.  If a catcher fails to catch a third strike and the batter-runner makes it to first, the pitcher is still credited with a strikeout, even though no actual out was recorded.

Four strikeouts in an inning has been accomplished a good number of times... including three times this season (2017) so far.  In fact, four is the record for the number of strikeouts in an inning.  No pitcher has managed to record more than four strikeouts in an inning in an official game.

However, there was a well-known pitcher who managed five strikeouts in a single inning during a spring training game.  Who was that hurler?

As you might imagine, you would need a pitcher-catcher combination possessing specialized talents to make such a thing happen.  Having a knuckleball pitcher with a part-time catcher would certainly qualify... and it did.

On April 7, 1976, Houston Astros pitcher Joe Niekro was still learning the knuckleball.  His catcher that day was Cliff Johnson, a journeyman 1B/C.  In the first inning, Niekro ended up striking out five batters, but two reached base when Johnson could not field the third strike.

Here is an account of that day.

As it turns out, while it's never happened in regulation play in the majors, it has happened in the minors (doesn't it seem like *anything* can happen in the minors?), as recently as last season.

This Week's Question:

Today, we've got a pair of questions about players and the uniforms they are not usually associated with.

First, it's well known that Babe Ruth wore the major league uniforms of the Red Sox, Yankees and Braves.  However, he also wore one other team's major league uniform.  Which team was it?  (Bonus points if you can tell me what uniform number he wore on that uniform.)

Second, speaking of the Red Sox,explain this picture (and no, Photoshop is not the answer):

Next Sim:  Next Wednesday

Philadelphia/Wilmington trade

Minutes before the 2030 trade deadline, an eight-player trade between Signorino Division rivals Philadelphia and Wilmington was completed.

In exchange for five players, headlined by recent #2 overall draft pick Rick Griffin, the Philadelphia Hornets have acquired a trio of well-regarded youngsters, SP Steve McClain, OF Jorge Benavides, and IF Jason Linfoot from the Wilmington Atlantics.

McClain will replace Ivan Gallardo in the Hornets rotation. Gallardo, along with RP Dwight Rowe, AA RP Carlos Moya, and A RP Jose Bautista, joined Griffin in the caravan heading south to the Carolinas.

"We hate giving up Griffin so soon after drafting him," Philadelphia GM Michael Weintraub said. "But, adding McClain to our team in the midst of a pennant race was too tempting an offer to haggle over. We also really like Benavides and Linfoot."

This deal marks the third time that the Hornets have traded away Dwight Rowe, who is only 23-years-old. "I'm not selling my condo in Manayunk," Rowe said. "I know I'll be back here in a season or two."

Philadelphia/Highland trade

The Philadelphia Hornets have acquired lefty reliever Julio Lopez from the Highland Admirals for 7-11, which the two teams mean to be the Hornets's 7th and 11th round picks in the 2031 amateur draft.

Trade Brick/Highland

Brick completes another trade this time with Highland...Brick sends veteran catcher Cristobal Cordero and super sub Jesus Alvarez 1B/2B/SS/3B to Highland for Anthony Powers catcher and Jim Robertson CF A...GM Fred Goldfarb telling reporters the need to improve team togetherness and felt this trade would help saying how disappointed he was with how they were playing..GM John Corrano was happy with getting major league talent which will improve his team going forward

Wilmington/Highland Trade

The Wilmington Atlantics Base-Ball Club has bid its final farewell to ace batsman Jesus Valdez. He shall henceforth brandish his mighty timber to the considerable benefit of the Highland club. 

Highland have agreed in return to place young bush-league hurlers Harmon Rollin and Michael Russell on the next steamer to the port of Wilmington, though it will likely be many years before either of them again gazes upon its sparkling ocean waters or feels its languid, balmy breezes. While it is hoped that these young speed-ballers will bring some much-needed pep and vigour to the Wilmington club, many of the most disputatious among the local base-ball enthusiasts are said to be quite vexed at the club's decision to part with its foremost smasher of the horse-hide.

Jul II Sim Done -- Trading Deadline

Game Date:  Jul 30, 2030

Standings:
Adams: Brick up by six over Brooklyn
Zotti:  Seattle's lead holds at twenty over Appalachian
Signorino:  Philadelphia is seven up over Maui
Wild Card: Maui is two games ahead of Appalachian

Awards & Accomplishments:
Maui 3B Antonio Venet named Player of the Week (7/22)
Maui CF Ernesto Salcido named Player of the Week (7/29, 3rd career award)

Significant Injuries:
Maui SP Shawn Henry, torn flexor tendon, 8 months.
Houston RP Todd Davis, fractured elbow, done for the year.
Atlanta RP Ramiro Martinez, torn triceps, 2 months.
Maui CF Jimmy Estes, strained back, 3 weeks
Houston 2B Enrique Gonzalez, broken hand, 2 months
Houston 3B Esteban Ordonez, fractured finger, 6-7 weeks
Appalachian SS Martin Costa, setback from previous injury, another 4 weeks
Atlanta CF Cheung Ying, shoulder inflammation, 5 weeks.

Batting Line of the Sim:
Antelope Valley's Lloyd Rideout went 5-5, with a home run, 2 RBI and 4 runs scored vs. Highland, 7/19

Pitching Line of the Sim:
Antelope Valley's Dave Klien pitched a 4-hit shutout with 6 K and no walks on vs. Highland on 7/19 (the same day that Rideout had his big game!)

Answer to Last Week's Trivia Question:
Under what circumstances could a pitcher be credited with a shutout but not receive credit for a complete game?  And who was the last pitcher to accomplish this feat?
In most cases, a pitcher has to pitch the complete game in order to get credit for a shutout.  However, there is a loophole written into the rule (9.18):

A shutout is a statistic credited to a pitcher who allows no runs in a game. No pitcher shall be credited with pitching a shutout unless he pitches the complete game, or unless he enters the game with none out before the opposing team has scored in the first inning, puts out the side without a run scoring and pitches the rest of the game without allowing a run. When two or more pitchers combine to pitch a shutout, the league statistician shall make a notation to that effect in the league’s official pitching records.

There is a famous case of this happening, involving a very famous Hall of Famer.  On June 23, 1917, the Red Sox sent their star pitcher, Babe Ruth, to the mound to start the first game of a double header against the Washington Senators.  After walking the first batter on a questionable call, the Babe argued with umpire Brick Owens, which earned him an ejection.  The Babe must have decided "In for a penny..." because he then decided to punch Owens, which got him a suspension and a fine.

The Red Sox brought in Ernie Shore to take the mound.  The runner on first was then caught stealing and Shore retired the next 26 batters in a row to finish the game.  For a long time Shore was credited with a perfect game, but that was taken away when the rules were standardized.  However, he still has credit for a shutout.

However, Ernie Shore is not the right answer as to the last pitcher to do it.  If you remember, I told you that I saw the game.  While I am fairly old, I am not old enough to have seen the Babe pitch in 1917.

The last person to accomplish the feat was Yankees relief pitcher Neil Allen.  On May 31, 1988 the Yankees sent rookie left hander Al Leiter up to the hill to face the Oakland A's.  Oakland leadoff hitter Carney Lansford hit Leiter's first pitch right back to him, where it hit him on the arm.  Injured, Leiter was taken out of the game and Allen came in from the bullpen.  Pitching the game of his life, Allen proceeded to shut down the A's, going the distance while allowing only three hits and walking none.  As a result, he was credited with a shutout, but not a complete game.

This Week's Trivia Question:
As many of you know, it's possible for a pitcher to have more than three strikeouts in an inning.  If a catcher fails to catch a third strike and the batter-runner makes it to first, the pitcher is still credited with a strikeout, even though no actual out was recorded.

Four strikeouts in an inning has been accomplished a good number of times... including three times this season (2017) so far.  In fact, four is the record for the number of strikeouts in an inning.  No pitcher has managed to record more than four strikeouts in an inning in an official game.

However, there was a well-known pitcher who managed five strikeouts in a single inning during a spring training game.  Who was that hurler?

Next sim:  Wednesday night.  The trading deadline is upon us.   Get those last minute trades in.

Sim Tomorrow

I'm sorry everyone, but I got caught up in some stuff tonight and will run the sim tomorrow night.

Besides, it looks like you're all having so much fun trading, why not extend it another day?

Minor Seattle / Maui Trade

In an effort to bolster their bullpen, today the Maui Mashers announced the acquisition of MR Kazuhiro Morita from the Seattle Monarchs.  In return, Seattle receives Maui's 7th round pick in next year's amateur draft.

Philadelphia's Trade List

Hi guys. Here are some players (including prospects) I'm willing to trade now:

• IF Tokuma Kanno - he has been raking as a utility infielder this season, and can probably start at 2B, SS, or 3B
• OF Ramon Gonzalez
• OF Julio Quintana - he has been on the DL all season but is ready to play now
• RP Sergio Lujan
• RP Jim Knowles
• AAA 3B Ruben Noya
• AAA IF Greg Ray
• AAA 2B Kevin Wiggins
• AAA Outfielders:
• CF Alejandro Garcia
• RF George Candler
• LF Ira Black
• AAA pitchers:
• LHP Jorge Villegas
• RHP Ben Cloherty
• Lower minor prospects:
• AA LF Elwood Bolden
• AA CF Carlos Maldonado
• AA RF Jason Graham
• AA IF Michael Blair
• AA IF Ken Turner
• AA IF Brian McCoy
• AA SP Carlos Pena
• A RP Pete Cote
• A SP Curt Horne
• A SP Paco Nunez
• A SP Tommy Carter
• A RP Dustin Scott
• A RP Michael Potter

And, this offseason I may explore trading the following regulars on my major league team if you want to start scouting them now:

• SP John Ryan
• RP Joe Younger
• RP Leonard Christopher
• C Steven Broadbent
• 1B Javier Ortiz
• 2B Ieyasu Suzuki
• SS Jonathan Locker
• OF John Willis
• OF Jose Molina

I'll also consider trading two currently injured starting pitching prospects:

• AAA SP Juan Velez
• A SP Stanley Wolf

Of course, I'll discuss anyone in a deal now, but I'm mostly interested in dealing the guys in the first half of this post.