Sim's Done! Spring Training is Here! Game Update Available!

Game Date:  Feb 26 2032

Spring training.  Is there a more beautiful phrase?  Regardless of what the groundhog said three weeks ago, *this* is the true harbinger of spring.

League Notes:

There is an update available for the game which covers (among other things) the problem we've been seeing with messages sent to the wrong teams.

The game is now using this latest version.  Please install it before downloading the game file.  The current version is Version 19.6 Build 53.  You can find the version number on the bottom of the title screen:

First week of Spring Training:  Sunday!

Zev

Sim's Done -- Spring Training Is Coming Up!

Game Date:  Feb 23, 2032

Signings:
Philadelphia signed SP Ralph Turner (5 yrs/$49.5m) and SP Alejandro Baez (3 yrs/$33m) to contract extensions.

League Notes:
The next sim will take place tomorrow night and take us to the start of Spring Training.  The sim after that will be on Sunday.

Lastly, I'm still curious what you think of the hypothetical situation I presented in the previous post.  How would you rule?

Zev

[Non-League Matter] Baseball Rules Question -- What's Your Opinion?

I posted this on the SDMB, but since a lot of our league members are not members there, I thought I'd post it here too.  This is not a quiz where I have the answer... I don't know what the answer is and I'd love to hear what your opinion is (and, of course, why you have that opinion).

Scenario:

It's been a long, long day for the Knights and the Mammoths. For twenty innings, the two teams have been fighting tooth and nail. Over the last eleven innings, neither team has been able to squeeze a run across the plate to break the deadlock. Managers have used every available trick to gain the advantage. The Mammoths manager has not only used every bench player he has, but, in trying to gain the advantage several times in righty/lefty pitching situations, has exhausted every pitcher in the bullpen. He only has nine players left now -- the nine currently in the game. It's with these players that he will win or lose. There is no one else.

Fortunately, it may soon be over. It's the bottom of the 21st and the Mammoths have managed to load the bases with no one out. It looks like there is a good chance they'll actually be able to score and end the game. Up to the plate comes Andy Argumentative. The Knights pitcher works him to a full count. The next pitch just cuts the corner and the umpire calls Andy out. Andy, clearly upset, doesn't agree and lets the umpire know. Vociferously. The umpire warns him, but Andy is so worked up and so wants the game to end (with a victory, of course) that he continues arguing and kicks dirt on the umpire. Eventually he gets careless and accidentally kicks the umpire himself in the process. Having had enough, the umpire gives Andy the heave-ho.

Kris King, the Knights manager, immediately comes out of the dugout and tells the umpire that he has to call a forfeit -- as the Mammoths now only have eight players in the game, and there is no one left on the roster to replace Andy. He cites rule 7.03 (b).


A game shall be forfeited to the opposing team when a team is unable or refuses to place nine players on the field.

The Mammoths, he argues, are unable to put nine players on the field. Hence the game should be forfeit.

Max Maximus, the Mammoths manager comes out to dispute the point. He says that he's not required to put nine players on the field, at least not until the start of the next inning, or until Andy's spot in the lineup comes up again*. As proof, he points out that, were it only the fifth inning, he wouldn't be required to name a replacement for Andy until the next inning. So too, here, he shouldn't have to name a replacement (and forfeit) until he's required to.

The umpire ponders, considering both arguments. Which one is right?

Zev Steinhardt


* Which it can't anyway -- the game or inning will end before Andy's spot comes up again

(Note: This is not comparable to an injury situation. Let's say Andy broke his foot on that last strike. Andy is still, technically, in the game, even if he can't physically play and the manager would not have to replace him until the next inning. In this case, however, Andy is immediately out of the game.)

Philadelphia's Pre-Spring Training Trading Post

If you have lineup or roster needs heading into spring training, I have the following players available for trade:

Infielders:

• Ieyasu Suzuki - can play anywhere in the IF, makes less than $600k this year. On-base machine.
• Jonathan Locker - steady shortstop with top-of-the-lineup abilities. Arbitration eligible.
• Javier Ortiz - incredible young hitter who can play 1B. Not yet arbitration eligible.
• Tokuma Kanno - versatile utility IF who never strikes out. 
• Jesus Alvarez, Mark Cannon, and Ruben Noya - veteran depth players currently in AAA.

Outfielders:

• Jose Molina - stuck in a bad contract, but can still hit above-average and potentially win a fielding award in RF. Willing to be creative to deal him.
• John Willis - top-of-the-lineup hitter with power, can play anywhere in the OF.
• Ramon Gonzalez - stuck in AAA, definitely good enough to be 4th OF, and won't embarrass himself if required to start. 
• Julio Quintana - still only 24 and stuck in AAA. Excellent CF prospect.

Pitchers:

• Yorikane Kichikawa - top starter who can lead a rotation. Also willing to be creative in a deal to help offset his contract.
• Leonard Christopher - late-inning shutdown reliever. 
• Joe Younger and Julio Lopez - both left-handed relievers, both making less than $1m each, and can pitch in middle or late innings.
• Ivan Gallardo and Jerry Brennan - veterans in AAA who provide insurance and can be a #5 starter or swingman.

If one of those players catches your eye, let me know.

Sim's Done. Spring Training Draws Ever Closer...

Game Date:  Feb 16 2032

Signings:
Maui:  CL Mark Richard (extension) 3 yr/$25m
Philadelphia: 2B Norman Kuhn (re-signed) 4 yrs/$75m
Philadelphia:  SP John Ryan (extension) 3 yr/$7m

Next sim:  Tuesday night.

Sim's Done

Game Date:  Feb 9 2032

Next sim:  Thursday night

Welcome To The Preseason!

Game Date:  Feb 2, 2032

The preseason begins now!  Please be sure to set your scouting and player development budgets.

Next sim:  Tuesday night.

Sim's Done

Game Date:  Jan 26 2032

Next sim:  Thursday night.  The next sim will take us past the start of the pre-season.

Zev

The Newest Hall of Famer...

As always, please feel free to check out the rest of the Hall of Fame.

Zev

Sim's done

Game Date: January 19, 2032

Signings:

• Maui re-signed RP Patrick Beene  - 3 years, $9,000,000
• Houston signed CF Petero Hokualohi (Antelope Valley) - 5 years, $9,660,000
• Maui signed RF Don Jones to an extension - 1 year, $10,570,000
• Antelope Valley signed SP Tyler Baird (Houston) - 2 years, $3,400,000

Next Sim: Tuesday night. This will take us to the eve of the Preseason. All over Arizona and Florida, lawnmowers are getting ready!

Sim's done

Game Date: January 12, 2032

Hall of Fame: Longtime River Cities (now Mepkin Abbey) ace starter Juan Villatoro was elected to the Hall of Fame with 93.9% of the vote. 

After bursting on to the scene with a 13-2 record and 2.12 ERA in 19 games as a twenty-one-year-old in 2009, he had an amazing career, finishing with 322 wins (far and away the most in our league's history), 3409 strikeouts (10 away from tying for the most in league history), and a career ERA+ of 148.

Zev will make his plaque soon. Congrats to Juan!

Signings:

• Brooklyn signed IF Garry Nicholson (Atlanta) to a one-year contract - $690,000
• Brick signed 1B Martin Cox to an extension: 4 years - $31,000,000
• Houston signed SS Nate Dean (Appalachian) to a three-year contract - $4,740,000

Next Sim: Saturday night (5/12/2018). We are about a week away (in real time) from the start of the Preseason!

Sim's Done... and a trade

Game Date: January 5th, 2032

Signings:

• Houston signed 3B Victor Pachelo (Brooklyn) to a minor-league contract
• Houston signed 3B Nakamaro Kato (Appalachian) to a minor-league contract

Trade News:

• Philadelphia and Highland agreed to a minor trade. Heading to Philadelphia is SP Ron Grimes. In return, Highland receives Philadelphia's 15th round pick in the 2032 draft.

Next Sim: Thursday night (5/10/2018). This is your last chance to vote for the Hall of Fame class of 2032!

If anyone is having issues upgrading to OOTP 19, please don't hesitate to ask me for help. 

First trade of 2032/OOTP 19

Maintaining a tradition that was started in the early days of the league, rivals Seattle Monarchs and Philadelphia Hornets completed the first trade of the new year, and also the first trade with OOTP 19.

Two low-A farmhands are involved in the deal. Philadelphia is acquiring OF Ken Britton, a recent 2031 draft pick. In return, Seattle receives IF Paco Garcia.

All other trades can be announced now that this is has been completed.

Upgrade Complete -- Welcome To 2032!

Game Date:  Jan 1 2032

Commissioner's Note:  

The game has been upgraded to v 19.  Please download the new league file at the link on the right.  Unzip it and save it to your game directory.  If you're not sure how to do that, there is a guide to the right.  The screenshots in the guide are still from version 17, but the process is the same. 

Please be on the lookout for bugs and oddities.  If you see any, let us know.

Retirements:

With the flip of the calendar pate, we have the usual wave of retirements.  Among the players hanging up the cleats for good are:

SP Bruno Talamantez 229-135, 3.83 ERA, 3046K, 1.29 WHIP,  Outstanding Pitcher of 2027, 3x Pitcher of the Month.

SP Kevin Kepner, 167-145, 4.36 ERA, 2169 K, 1.33 WHIP, 10 SHO, Outstanding Pitcher 2024, 1x Pitcher of the Month

RP Sachi Nakamura, 483 G, 4.43 ERA

RF Maximo Rodrigez, .311/.433/.814, 728G

SP Jesus Garcia, 93-108, 4.74 ERA, 1141 K

SP Ramon "Copycat" Garcia, duplicated from Jesus Garcia in a bizarre Star-Trek type transporter accident (a la Will and Thomas Riker), 102-103, 4.74 ERA, 1321 K, 10 SHO

1B Luis Rodriguez .294/.530/.891 143 HR, 728 G,  Outstanding Newcomer 2023, 3x Rookie of the Month, 1x Batter of the Month, 1x Player of the Week

LF Jamie Vasquez .298/.343/.522/.865, 1197 G, 194 HR, 3x Player of the Week

RP Carlo Humphrey, 671 G, 3.03 ERA, 1.22 WHIP

1B Jesus Flores, .288/.377/.544/.922, 1621 G, 329 HR, 1030 RBI, Outstanding Newcomer 2019, 2x Rookie of the Month, 1x Batter of the Month, 8x Player of the Week,

P Matt McDonald, 37-36, 213 G, 99 GS, 706K, 1x Pitcher of the Month

LF Angel Banuelos, .323/.405/.428/.832 1147 G, 6x Player of the Week

1B Artie Buchanan, .264/.316/.528/.873, 758 G, 115 HR

1B Mark Smith, .278/.302/.511/.813 1196G 213 HR 1x Player of the Month, 2x Player of the Week

2B Antonio Renteria, .298,/.343/.419/.762, 530 G,

1B Bill O'Neil, .283/.345/.393/.738, 776 G

Next sim:  Monday night.

Philadelphia and Brick celebrate the end of 2031 with a trade

Minutes before the new year, the GMs of Brick and Philadelphia cooked up a trade involving a trio of  firemen.

Heading to Brick is former Barracuda Pino Pontoni, a veteran mainstay of the late innings. In return, the Hornets received two young prospects, Juan Anzora and Carson Gardner, along with a 5th round draft pick.

It's Upgrade Time

Game Date:  Dec 31 2031

Signings:
Atlanta:  CF Jesus Borcello (Maui), 2 yr/$10.9m
Highland:  RP Jesus Gonzalez (re-signed), 3 yr/$14.4m

Next sim:  Thursday night

Upgrade Notes:

When you see this, download the league changes in OOTP 17, make your changes and then upload your changes (as you usually do).  Your changes will be incorporated before the upgrade occurs.

When we run the next sim, we will import your changes, run the upgrade and then publish a brand new league file for you to download and open with version 19 from the links on the right.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

Zev