Frozen Stiffer
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I am nothing but a human onion!
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Post by Frozen Stiffer on Aug 29, 2016 10:36:27 GMT -5
BACKGROUND
The MON Association (which stands for Marlins Of New) is a real-world association started in 2012. In it I play the role of well-regarded, up-and-coming minor league manager Roger Castro, who was offered a Major League Baseball coaching job- taking the helm for the 2012 Miami Marlins. Clever management and brilliant, innovative coaching strategies lead Castro and the Marlins to a World Series victory in 2012, defeating the Texas Rangers 4 games to 1. Though Castro led the Marlins to the World Series the next two years, they lost each time to the New York Yankees, 4-1 in 2013 and 4-0 in 2014. The painful losses served only to motivate the Marlins who again made runs in 2015 and 2016, winning the World Series both times- defeating the Boston Red Sox in 2015 and the Seattle Mariners in 2016. In 2017, Castro's last contract year, the Marlins turned out an impressive regular season record of 107 - 55 but failed to make it to the World Series, getting swept by the San Francisco Giants in the NLCS.
At the end of the 2017 season, his contract with Miami concluded, Castro's success attracted the attention of the now-struggling Texas Rangers, who after a disappointing 56 - 106 season needed some serious changes. Roger was offered a 3-year contract and virtual carte blanche to make whatever changes were necessary to make the Rangers a serious contender. Castro once again delivered. For 2018, the previously last-place Rangers amassed a respectable 89 - 73 record (their first winning season since 2014), even with a team stocked mostly by green, unseasoned rookies and a few well-past-their-prime veterans. With the release of the expired veterans and some experience under the former rookies' belts, in addition to some clever trading and acquisitions, Castro delivered on his promise and brought Texas a World Series win for 2019, sweeping the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-0. Victory in the 2020 season would evade the Rangers, who even with a well-fought 101 - 61 record, they were unable to get past the ALCS. Nevertheless, his contract now complete and his reputation of delivering on his promises well established, Castro was approached by another struggling team- the Tampa Bay Rays.
Signing a 4-year contract beginning in 2021, Castro has taken command of the quieter north Florida team and moved into the hotly contested American League East, ruled by such historic powerhouses as the Red Sox and Yankees. This time around, Castro really had his work cut out for him, taking control of a team who had posted consecutive losing seasons since 2014, at one point ending a disappointing 2019 at 49 - 113.
During his first month in control, "The Deal Weaver" send bodies to and fro, expelling overpaid veterans and striking deals to bring in young, promising talent. At present, the starting lineup consists of high-potential, untested players, many of which are impressing and a few which have yet to bloom. With the exclusion of one 31-year-old infielder, the remaining starting eight have an average age of 24.5 years, while the starting rotation is even younger, with the average age being 23.2 years old. Castro has received much criticism for fielding such an unproven group, but his past record speaks for itself, and he has proven to always have the last word and the right answer; even when it might not immediately appear that way.
Today we launch our new PSPN series AT THE PLATE following Roger Castro and the new-look Tampa Bay Rays for the 2021 season. We hope you'll like our presentation.
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Frozen Stiffer
Junior Member
I am nothing but a human onion!
Posts: 90
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Post by Frozen Stiffer on Aug 29, 2016 10:47:04 GMT -5
The Tampa Bay Rays
Our Major League Roster - The Position Players:
The Starting Lineup
RF Daniel Quinlan - Not as speedy as you would expect from a leadoff hitter, Quinlan's until recent consistency secured him in the #1 slot. A respectable show of power has made him the occasional long-ball threat, though his strength still lies in contact consistency and above-average fielding ability. A recent hitting slump has hung a dark cloud over the Minnesotan but the team is confident he'll soon bounce back.
SS Ron Turner - Originally slotted as a utility infielder, Turner got a shot at the starting lineup and hasn't looked back. Though his defensive skills have been unsteady, he has evolved into an offensive machine, leading the team in home runs (17), hits (123) and RBI (68). While a role in the lineup is virtually ensured, Turner will need to improve his fielding work if he wants to retain the starting job - his (21) errors leads the team and is more than double the total of the second place player.
CF Marcel Winslow - The team's franchise player and five-tool performer, he currently leads the team in batting average (.295), is third in hits (118), tied for third in home runs (15), second in stolen bases (9) and first in OBP (.356). His fielding skills are just as stellar having committed just 2 errors in 116 games. He was recently signed to a 5 year, $18-million dollar contract and is poised to be the face of the new and improved Rays.
LF Warren Aldredge - Our solid clean-up hitter, Aldredge is a good all-around guy, hitting for average and power. His greater speed has led Castro to switch him off with Turner at the #2 spot on occasion, but regardless of his placement, the Florida native has excelled in whatever he's been called on to do. Aldredge's fielding skills are about average, but his throwing arm has been compared to some long-range field artillery pieces.
1B Damian Rexford - Brought over from Texas in one of Castro's first trades, the young first baseman hasn't performed as well here as he did in the Texas farm league, but he is slowing improving. A serious power threat, Rexford has instead been flashing the glove and showing off his impressive fielding skills. While well-regarded, the expectations placed on him lean towards the offensive, and so, the young Rexford needs to crank up the offense and prove that he was worth the trade and deserves the starting role.
3B Abert Marshall - When a serious finger injury took Muraoka out for nearly two months and all replacement players failed to make the grade, Marshall was brought in mid-season through a trade with Philadelphia for Spot-Starter Lenny Setzler. Setzler was a promising long reliever/starter, so the sacrifice is expected to pay off. A lot of pressure rides on Marshall's shoulders and so far he has impressed with his power at the cost of contact. He's riding a 2-year contract so there will be time to prove his worth.
C Danny Grimm - Contrary to the obvious, Grimm has been nicknamed Roller Coaster, yet not in a complimentary manner. Catchers are counted on to protect the plate, protect the pitcher and make the right calls. When you have someone who shows offensive capabilities, it's a wonderful treat, but it's not the root of the catcher's role. Grimm has hinted at his offensive prowess, spiking one week then slumping the next, earning his newly acquired nickname. Defensively, he has proven to be solid (35% CS) and while his bat tends to explode on occasion (11 HR, 40 RBI), it also tends to go silent just as abruptly (currently hitting .223).
2B Samson Copeland - A young infielder who is relied upon for his defense, Copeland has not failed to impress. While his plate performances have left much to be desired, his outstanding fielding work has balanced him out. A speedster and skilled bunter, Copeland has tried every trick in the book to reach base, even when his swing isn't performing up to expectation.
DH Kobo Muraoka - Originally our starting third baseman, his strong start was nulled by a finger injury which took him out of the starting lineup for nearly two months. In his absence, several short-term replacements were brought in but no one could fill the role, leading to a mid-season trade which brought over the power bat of Albert Marshall. Offering slightly more power and improved fielding, Marshall won the starting job, leading to Muraoka's demotion to the DH/UI role.
On the Bench
C/1B Robert Carter - While less of a power-hitter than Grimm, Carter has showcased better fielding skills making him a viable backup and critical defensive replacement. He's still quite competent at the plate and has, on occasion, filled in nicely as both a pinch-hitter and designated hitter.
LF/CF Andrew Lewis - A good and reliable player, Lewis has become the go-to backup man. He is consistent with a decent bat and an above-average glove. Picked up from Miami, the young Lewis has showcased proven defensive skills and all the talent needed to be a starting outfielder.
3B/2B Steven Adair - An average-to-below-average batter, Adair has decent fielding ability with good potential. He has done a fine job filling in for starting infielders but still needs significant progress before competing for a starting job.
LF/RF Jeffrey Orem - Weak at the plate, Orem's good range and strong arm have secured him a role as a backup outfielder. There is little obvious potential and Castro suspects that he is unlikely to advance beyond the fill-in role.
The Tampa Bay Rays' pitching staff up next...
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Frozen Stiffer
Junior Member
I am nothing but a human onion!
Posts: 90
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Post by Frozen Stiffer on Aug 29, 2016 11:15:58 GMT -5
The Tampa Bay Rays
Our Major League Roster - The Pitching Staff:
The Starting Rotation
SP1 Jerry "Zee" Zeigler - A surgeon on the mound, Zeigler has shown amazing control and has solidified his ace ranking in the starting rotation. At only 24, he still shows tremendous potential and opportunity for growth. At an 8-8 record, his 3.42 ERA shows how a lack of run support has been the true cause of his even record. While he seems to have the least endurance among the club's starters, he has still managed to log the second-most number of innings pitched (163). Zeigler is slowly developing into the leader role and is striving towards becoming the face of the club in both the bullpen and in the public eye.
SP2 Rocky Bishop - When Castro took over the team, Bishop was a long-reliever, but the talented coach saw great ability in the hurler and gave him a starting role. Since then, Rocky has shined as a number-two starter with number-one talent. He currently has the best record (9-6) and lowest ERA (2.85) of the team and is by far the most consistent of the rotation. A slight quad injury in the beginning of the year made no impact on his performance since. He is a bastion of reliability and a well-respected member of the pitching staff. There has been some concern from the front office about his future, as contract extension talks have faltered with Bishop declining all offers made thus far.
SP3 Miguel Lora - Extremely inconsistent at first, Lora has since leveled off at this point in the season and has logged the most wins of the rotation (10), but likewise also the most losses (11). Lora is also the unenviable holder of the highest ERA among the team's starters (5.14). Beginning the season as the #4 starter and getting a bump during Jay Pearl's early season injury, there is a good possibility he may be bumped back down in the order or demoted into a long-reliever role. The Rays' farm system is deep in pitching talent and there are a number of potential candidates available for a starting role, from the minor leagues to some capable hurlers in the bullpen. However, whenever someone prepares to count Lora out, he delivers an outstanding performance that leaves you thinking he might deserve just ONE more chance.
SP4 Efrain "Not Eric" Estrada - Another pitcher who began as a long-reliever, Estrada earned his shot at a starting role when Castro arrived and quickly began shipping out past-prime veterans. He impressed with his first few outings and even took a no-hitter into the ninth inning in his sixth start, conceding to a 1-hit shutout (the lone hit came on the opposing team's last at-bat). Though his record (6-8) and his ERA (4.38) may not show it, Estrada has raised many eyebrows and at only 24 years old, still has some development in his future. He may not be ready for a #1 or #2 spot, but he has surely cemented his position as a starter.
SP5 Jay Pearl - Pearl's game performances are worthy of praise, his win-loss record (9-7) is second only to Bishop's and his ERA (3.53) is a notch higher than Zeigler's. However, talk in the league has gained steam lately in regards to his personality and attitude towards the game. Having given himself the nickname of "Ruff", Pearl takes a hardline approach to the game, becoming aggressive towards difficult batters and showing little self-control during escalations. Having attracted the sort of attention you DON'T want from the front office, Pearl hasn't regained his original #3 rotation spot because of his friction with teammates. His position was lost early in the year after two consecutive leg injuries, both occurring during practice, took him out of the rotation. Since his return, he has been in top form, but many wonder if impressive pitching skills outweigh the challenges of a difficult player.
The Bullpen
RP1 Robert Stubbs - The unofficial 'Captain of the Bullpen', Stubbs, at only 30 years old, is one of the veterans of the bullpen having been with the team since 2014. Though his outings and statistics suggest he may be at his peak performance, Stubbs has remained consistent and effective. Even owning the second-highest ERA among the team's relievers (4.75) he continues to be a dominant presence on the mound. The benefit of a strong, enduring arm has added to his value, allowing him to fill-in on long relief appearances.
RP2 Johnny Underwood - Scouting reports painted Underwood as the next great reliever, a wolf among sheep. Regrettably, the skilled righty (a 2019, 1st round draft pick) hasn't quite lived up to expectations. Bouncing between the majors and minors his first two years, 2021 has been his first full year in the majors but there have been many questions surrounding his ability to bring himself under control and convert his talent into results. Johnny still has 3 years left on his contract, but unless he can show notable progress, his future with the club is in jeopardy.
RP3 Jake McGee - In his 12th year with the Rays, this lefty has proven why he has been an invaluable asset to the team. At 35, he survived Castro's purge by showing that he still has fuel in the tank. The go-to southpaw, McGee has accumulated good numbers and has shown he can still answer the call (1-2) and deliver (2.63 ERA). He's even been called on to close in a pinch (1 SV, 1 BS). In the last year of his contract and with his ability beginning to dwindle it's unclear if McGee may be packing his bags or if one more year could be in his future.
RP4 Riley Watson - Where Watson has shown himself to be a consistent and steady reliever, he has done equally well when asked to fill in as a spot-starter. A 3-1 record and 3.00 ERA has shown that Watson has the ability and the mindset to do whatever is asked of him, and do it well. He's a shoe-in for a #4 or #5 starting position if the opportunity were to arise (such as in the case of a Lora demotion) but for now, the 24-year-old Watson continues to shine coming out of the pen and getting the job done.
RP5 Eugene Patenaude - A former culinary student-turned pitcher, Patenaude has adamantly resisted any food-related nicknames, dismissing teammate suggestions of "Chef", "Cook" and even "Ratatouille". Instead, he has focused on his mound performance, and even with few calls as the second lefty, his (1-1) record and moderate ERA (4.13) are worth notice. However, he may have been a peak-too-sooner and with his better years in the past, and signs of decreasing velocity, the good-natured Patenaude may find himself on the trading block before you know it.
RP6/SU Alonzo Hines - The opening day closer, Hines had one good outing before imploding and never quite recovering. By the time he had 2 Saves and 5 Blown Saves, an injury and short 15-Day stint on the DL removed him from the Closer role and opened the door for other candidates, particularly the setup man, Cho, who excelled at the role. When Cho went down with a serious hamstring injury, Hines was given another shot at the closer role but he failed to impress. He has since been demoted to setup man for the recently acquired (CL) Mickey Gibbs and has been used sparingly because of his poor history. It must be taken into consideration that Hines is only 22 years old, but with the depth of talent in the Rays' farm sometimes you only get one chance (or in Hines' case, two).
The Closer
CL Mickey Gibbs - A mid-season free agent signing, Castro was familiar with the former Marlins closer who notched 112 saves over 6 years in Miami together, 3 of those as the closer, 3 as the setup man. Regrettably, the signing of Gibbs has not brought the relief (no pun intended) desired as the right-hander has struggled with a high ERA (6.94) and dodgy record (0-1, 7 SV, 4 BS). The 1-year deal confirms that the signing was intended more as a short-term fix than a long-term relationship and with Cho soon to return, Gibbs' future is unclear.
Disabled List
CL Curt "The Curt Show" Cho - Originally the setup man to Hines' closing role, when the young prospect faltered then became injured, Cho stepped into the slot and never looked back. Racking up an impressive record (0-2, 2.15 ERA, 19 SV, 2 BS) Cho made the case to become the permanent closer just as he was struck with a serious hamstring injury which sent him to the 60-Day DL. Failed attempts at filling his shoes included Hines' second chance and the free agent signing of former Marlins closer Mickey Gibbs, which didn't pan out either. Castro is eagerly awaiting the return of his shut-down man with firm hope that the injury won't have any lingering performance effects.
Current League Standings to follow.....
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Post by blazertaz13 on Aug 29, 2016 13:08:16 GMT -5
If possible can you please share your settings (injuries, rating and anything else that might be helpful). I am looking at getting things set up correctly before I start.
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Frozen Stiffer
Junior Member
I am nothing but a human onion!
Posts: 90
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Post by Frozen Stiffer on Aug 29, 2016 13:28:28 GMT -5
Absolutely, Taz!
ASSOCIATION OPTIONS
One thing I've noticed about Puresim, at least for me, is that injuries come in waves. While you may occasionally have one here and one there, it almost always seems that when you get one, you're about to get another (and most likely, one more). Granted, they may not all be DL-worthy. At one point I had 4 injured players, but only 2 of which required DL time.
I find the challenge of filling in for injuries and juggling call-ups and send-downs an added aspect of the game, a bonus extra difficulty level; this is why I usually uptick the injury ratings slightly above the default. My setting:
TRADE AI: Puresim trade AI has often been the subject of some criticism and concern. Personally, I've found it to be too generous or just too stingy- hitting both extremes while rarely finding reasonable middle ground. To avoid trading my way to victory (especially in this association where I have been playing a "Cleaner" role [come in, clean the team, get them on the right track, then move on]) I cranked the difficulty up somewhat. The AI has great difficulty in weighing/gauging/accurately valuing multiple-player trades (it's not impossible, it's simply where things need to be JUST right), so the few times I put one together, I do it honestly. I know that no one's looking and I know it's my game and I can play it however I want, but at the same time I don't want to ruin it for myself either. Why cheat? Where's the fun in that? SETTING = [30]
FIELDER INJURIES: While everyone stresses and pushes their bodies to the limit, I find that fielders may go that extra mile- diving, climbing, crashing, sliding, etc. For this reason, I increase this setting accordingly, to match what I feel to be the generally more rigorous position(s) in the game. SETTING = 250
PITCHER INJURIES: Though pitchers put their bodies through the wringer on their starting day, at the same time they also receive the benefit of 4 days of rest. Not to undervalue what they go through, I think that a relative increase in the rating would help add to the afore-mentioned management challenge, but I also don't see them physically pushing themselves as much as the regular day-to-day players. SETTING = 240
AI MANAGER SETTINGS
I don't touch Manager Settings for other teams. Since I manually play EACH and EVERY one of my games, I lower the default manager settings for my team so that the AI doesn't stick their hands into my business. Basically, the way I see it, this is my team, let me make those decisions. I adjust them to:
Pitcher Hook: Very Patient -- I pull them if/when I want to.
Juggle Lineups: Never Juggle Lineups -- Lineup creation is an artform- don't mess with my work.
Rest Players: When Very Worn Out (or worse) -- These are grown-ass men who are expected to play even when they're a little tired. I'll decide who gets to rest and who has to pull up their big-girl panties, get out there and play.
Rest Injured: Minor (or worse) -- This is only so that I don't accidentally start up a game with an injured player in the lineup (potentially aggravating the injury) simply because I was too anxious to play and too distracted to notice.
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Frozen Stiffer
Junior Member
I am nothing but a human onion!
Posts: 90
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Post by Frozen Stiffer on Aug 30, 2016 20:38:49 GMT -5
The State of The Season
For The Tampa Bay Rays.
It's early in my contract. Thankfully. It's become painfully obvious too that this will be, by far, my most challenging team to turn around. We've been playing leapfrog with the Boston Red Sox since the beginning of the season. While we both have maintained an overall losing record, we've been in stiff competition over who has lost the least, and thus- who deserves second place. With only a paltry 46 games left to play and the dominant New York Yankees ahead by 20 games, things don't look promising for us. Granted, Boston is only 3 games ahead of us, so at least THEY'RE within reach. There's already some disparity in the locker room with Pearl grumbling and moping about, outwardly commenting on his displeasure with the team's standings. Of course, he has failed to realize the fact that last year the team ended (this is not a misprint) 41 games behind and so far we've cut that by more than half. The coaching staff and I are quickly tiring of his rants and were it not for the fact that we missed the trade deadline by 10 days I'd have sent him packing by now. I guess I put the team's potential in front of my own interests and now I'm beginning to regret it.
Having lead Miami to a World Series win my first year there then giving Texas a winning record in that first year, I suppose expectations are high. Granted, Miami was already in good form when I arrived and Texas was bad, but not Tampa Bay bad. Still, while the situation looks dim, my staff and I are working diligently to get things back on track and I'm confident we'll be able to end the season over .500.
Looking at the team, I see a few interesting developments. While I shared a summary assessment of the players in previous posts, I wanted to offer a little more insight on how I see things and what my brain is thinking. So let's begin with pitching.
Our rotation, considering its overall youth and inexperience, isn't doing all that badly. Two starters have winning records (Bishop's 9-6 and Pearl's 9-7) while a third is evened up (Zeigler at 8-8). Between those three, they boast an average ERA of 3.27, which is pretty good- highlighted by Bishop's 2.85, lowest among our starters... and fifth lowest in the league, by the way (NYA's Harry Osgood leads with 2.65). Our bottom two starters are bad, but not horrible- their combined record is 16-19 and their average ERA is 4.76, which is higher than I would like, but then I've seen worse. The whole situation reminds me of watching a toddler trying to walk- you WANT to go in and help him out, but then you want to see if he can figure it out on his own. That's where I stand with the pitching staff, a part of me wants to move things around, but at the same time, another part of me reminds me that of my 5 starters, only 3 of them have been starters before (Bishop, Estrada and Pearl), and of those 3, only 1 (Bishop) has been a starter for more than 1 year (it's been 2). I need them to figure out how to walk on their own- if I jump in each time they wobble, they'll never learn to stand on their own. These are the formative years and I need to be sure they can get their own acts together.
Then there's the bullpen... ugh. That's a completely different problem. Underwood, whom I had great hopes for, is sitting at 2-7 with a reputation as a choker. Our reliever Stubbs, and our spot starter Watson are enjoying decent records at 3-2 and 3-1, respectively. McGee, the elder veteran, owns a 1-2 mark but also owns a basement-low 2.63 ERA; it's sad when the granddaddy of the bullpen is boasting the lowest ERA. The aforementioned Stubbs and Underwood, plus Eugene "it's probably time to put him down, Carol" Patenaude, are all hovering above a 4.00 ERA (4.75, 4.17 and 4.13, respectively). I know they're very young, but if you have talent, USE IT! I don't even want to LOOK at the Closer situation. I'm sure that you are all familiar with the term "Closer-By-Committee"? I think we're currently at "Closer-By-Desperation". I confess that we're still using Mickey Gibbs but only beacause he's LESS OF A DISASTER than Hines, not because he's great on his own. Honestly, I can't wait until Cho gets healthy which should be in the next two more weeks. That's cutting it close to the end of the season but what choice do I have?
Now let's turn to hitting. Power seems to be split quite evenly across the entire lineup; eight-of-nine players have double-digit home run totals but still no one is really running away with the crown. The average longball total is 13.2, including Copeland's 8. The leader is presently Turner and his 17 dingers with the above-mentioned Copeland at the bottom end with 8. This even but relatively low power total (116 HRs) places us near the bottom of the team HR totals; tied for 24th lowest alongside San Diego. The pop-less Athletics trail the association with a mere 87. I confess that I really don't NEED a power bat, so long as everyone can hit. My policy is that "Home Runs don't win games, RUNS do". I would rather get 0 HRs and 2 RBI in a game and win, than hit 6 HRs and lose. Flash doesn't impress me, runs do- results do. As long as my guys can hit and drive in runs, I don't care that they're not launching balls into the parking lot. Honest.
While that's nice in theory, my problem is that they're not hitting either! Our team batting average of .238 is not only embarrassing but at 27th place, it's only 12 points better than the last place Dodgers and their abysmal hitting. Only three players are hitting over .250 (Winslow, Turner, and Aldredge, my 2-3-4), which- all things considered- if SOMEONE'S gonna be hitting well, it SHOULD BE these three... though it would be nice if my leadoff man could get involved in the hit parade. While the top of the order is hitting 'well', the bottom of the order is just... atrocious. Our 6-7-8-9 hitters are only averaging .219; this includes power batters such as Marshall (16 HR, 55 RBI) and Muraoka (12 HR, 46 RBI) from whom you would expect at least a little better contact. These RBI totals are decent until you remember we're 116 games into the season... at this point, 55 RBI ranks you around 127th in the league. If we were at the All-Star break, I'd be dancing with these numbers right now.
Looking to the future, I have a few concerns: Rexford and Turner, who are each in the last year of their contracts. While Rexford has performed below expectation, I see a spark in his eye and I think he's one good streak away from exploding out of his cocoon and evolving into a serious power player. It would have been nice if this had happened sooner than in the last third of the season, but... better late than never. I want to retain him but the front office is hesitant to commit big dollars on him, especially with his underperforming track record. I'm citing the massive contract allotments that I've freed up by having let go of some overpriced, overhyped veteran talent (I freed up 40% of our salary cap) but they still want to fight me, limiting how much I could offer [Rexford] which is undoubtedly spawning thoughts of Free Agency in the kid. Still, I think this first is worth it. On the matter of Turner, the concerns are different. Where I know deep in my heart that Rexford WILL explode, Turner... might have already exploded. This could be it. The bang might have happened this year, and there's nothing that awaits him other than ash and ruin. Then again, I could be completely wrong and this could just be the first year of a monstrous stretch. At 28, he's either at - or near - peak, so the odds are against him, but stranger things have happened...
Andrew Lewis, our backup outfielder, is capable of a starting role, but his biggest obstacle is that he's blocked by my three starting outfielders (Winslow, Aldredge, and Quinlan) who are quite solid, even if Quinlan is the least solid of the bunch. This means that if I can't retain Rexford in the offseason and Lewis can handle a shift to first base, it might be his 'in' for a starting role. Only time will tell, I suppose.
Lastly, I want to address one glimmering light of hope in our otherwise dour season, and this faint spark goes by the name of Nate Spencer. This young phenom is impressive and skilled beyond his years. At just 19, the scouts have already recorded him with a 51/44/51 Contact/Power/Eye split, an atmospheric 83 POT and a 48/61/66 Hands/Range/Arm spread, topped off by a zippy 74 Speed. Our Head Scout, Brooks Webb, is really impressed with the young man and in his words, "I haven't seen a talent like that since Miguel Cabrera". As you could imagine, this has us very excited! However, he's 19. Too soon?
Before you answer that, consider this- back at the end of April, on the 30th if I recall correctly, Marcel Winslow, our star center fielder, injured his shoulder on a slide into second. It was a minor injury but it was enough to send him to the 15-Day DL. We didn't have Lewis at the time (we traded for him on 5/5) so I took a chance and gave the kid [Spencer] a call-up. It was the big show and I think his eyes were bigger than his optimism. He asked for 30 tickets to have friends and family show up for his first game, but it was late and they couldn't make it. In that first game, he went 0-2 with 2 walks and a run scored. For his second game, we managed to score the tickets and he had everyone cheering him on- and it did the trick; Spencer went 2-4 with 4 RBI, 1 HR (his first in the majors) and 1 Run scored. All in all, during his 13-game major league stint, the tyke went 14-for-48 (.292 average) with 7 RBI and 8 Runs scored. We were impressed. By then, Winslow was fine and Lewis was available so Spencer was sent back down. It was a brief but rewarding run.
If this is the team's future, things are looking really, really good for us.
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Frozen Stiffer
Junior Member
I am nothing but a human onion!
Posts: 90
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Post by Frozen Stiffer on Sept 2, 2016 11:51:32 GMT -5
Picking Up The Action
MON Association -- Monday, August 09, 2021
So now that introductions have been made, drinks have been had and all the speeches given, it's time to get into the dirt of things. It's time to hop into the bullpen, slip those batting gloves on and grab a mouthful of David'sTM sunflower seeds. You know the road we've traveled, now it's time to get back on the blacktop and forge a new path.
Copeland has been out of action for a few days with a slightly bruised hamstring (and ego); not enough for some DL time, but just enough to complicate things on the field. To make up for the gap, I moved Muraoka to second base and called on Lewis to serve as the DH. It's a short-term fix as Copeland should be back by the 11th.
Today we play Baltimore in game 2 of a 3 game layover, which also wraps up our road trip. We dropped the first game against the Orioles in a painful 9-8 loss in extra innings and hope to at least win the series. Starting for the Rays will be Jay Pearl (9-7, 3.53 ERA) who faces off against the Orioles' Timothy Bailey (5-5, 4.02). Bailey has won 3 of his last 5 outings (the other 2 were no-decisions) while Pearl has gone 3-3 with a 4.50 ERA since his return from the DL. Over the last ten games, the Rays' Ron Turner (.281, 17 HR, 68 RBI) and Daniel Quinlan (.248, 15 HR, 61 RBI) have been on fire hitting .356 and .340, respectively. It's good to see Turner remaining consistent and Quinlan's offense picking up. Unfortunately, Baltimore's slugger, Dave Wilson (.375, 38 HR, 87 RBI), is on an even bigger tear, hitting .358 with 4 HR and 9 RBI over the last 10 days; we're really hoping that streak ends today.
Tomorrow will have Jerry Ziegler (8-8, 3.42) going against Jorge Valdez (11-10, 3.48), and we're hoping we can go into that final game on a good note. Ziegler is 0-3 with 2 no decisions in his last 5 starts though his 3.00 ERA suggests that not all is lost. Valdez has fared much better, going 3-1 in his last 5 while posting just a 1.93 ERA- primarily due to having gone 8 innings of no-hit ball back on July 16th, for which he was pulled because of a high pitch count (127).
The Rays are hoping to be c-c-c-combo breakers and take the series before returning home.
Reporting to follow!
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Frozen Stiffer
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Post by Frozen Stiffer on Sept 2, 2016 12:38:06 GMT -5
Hook, Line, and SinkerAugust 09, 2021It was a warm summer day in Camden Yards, when the Rays and Orioles took to the field. The game started off with a quick first inning before the Rays jumped on the board when after singling his way on two outs prior, Damian Rexford came home on a Muraoka RBI single. The lead would not last however, as Baltimore got an unearned run when a Daniel Hall routine grounder popped out of Ron Turner's glove, allowing the Baltimore left-fielder to reach base. This would come back to hurt us when Andrew Padilla, the very next batter, grounded out on a fielder's choice leading Dave Wilson (who had reached on a single at the top of the inning) to cross home plate safely and tie up the game. The Rays' woes continued with Baltimore adding two more runs in the bottom of the seventh off Pearl, who would couldn't come through in the clutch situations. Wilson (.376, 38 HR, 90 RBI) continued his scorching run getting on base with another single before being driven home on a triple by Hall, who in turn came home on Padilla's RBI double immediately afterward. The Rays managed to add a run in the top of the 9th when Rexford's single set up the first baseman to score on an Albert Marshall (.221, 16 HR, 56 RBI) double, but it was too little too late and the game was in the bag. W: BAILEY (6-5) L: PEARL (9-8)TAMPA BAY RAYS ( 54 - 63 )REXFORD | 2-3, 2 R | MARSHALL | 3-4, 3 2B, BB | PEARL | 8 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, BB, 10 K |
BALTIMORE ORIOLES ( 51 - 65 )WILSON | 2-4, 2B, 2 R | HALL | 1-3, 3B, RBI, R | PADILLA | 1-2, 2B, 2 RBI | BAILEY | 8 IP, 7 H, ER, BB, 6 K |
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Frozen Stiffer
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Post by Frozen Stiffer on Sept 2, 2016 13:48:43 GMT -5
Unfor-Gibbs-able Mickey Saved By Sharp Stubbs and Grimm Outing August 10, 2021
On another beautiful mid-Atlantic summer day, the Rays hoped to avoid a sweep by the last-place Orioles. Sending the slide stopper Jerry Ziegler (8-8, 3.42) to the mound to face off against the hot Jorge Valdez (11-10, 3.48). Copeland, feeling ready, got the start at second while Muraoka went back to the DH role. A last minute change, RF Daniel Quinlan was scratched from the lineup with soreness in his elbow and Andrew Lewis was called to fill in at LF, with Warren Aldredge shifting to cover RF. As before, the Rays struck first when, in the top of the third, Kobo Muraoka reached base on a single and was driven in four batters later off a Marcel Winslow ( .293, 15 HR, 63 RBI) run-scoring single. In the top half of the sixth, the Rays' lead was extended when back-to-back walks by Winslow and Aldredge put runners on first and second before a Damian Rexford RBI single sent Winslow home, giving the team a 2-0 lead. However, The Curse of the Closer would loom above the stadium that day as once more, in keeping with what's beginning to feel like the norm, Castro reluctantly called on Mickey Gibbs (0-1, 7.11 ERA, 7 SV, 5 BS) to close Ziegler's stellar outing. Just as expected, Gibbs failed, blowing the save by allowing 2 runs on 2 hits and letting the Orioles tie things up. An easy Christopher Laub (.204, 9 HR, 31 RBI) ground out was followed by a single to Hall. DH Buddy Jackson (.214, 12 HR, 35 RBI) smoked a liner to Copeland who couldn't field it cleanly, leading to runners on first and second. As if things couldn't get worse, a wild pitch by Gibbs allowed the runners to advance, and even though the dodgy closer struck out the next hitter, Baltimore backup catcher Edward Riggs (.159, 5 HR, 16 RBI), pinch hitter William McGlynn (.167, 0 HR, 2 RBI) buried him with a laser single over a leaping Copeland, bringing in two runs and knotting things up. With Gibbs pulled in favor of Robert Stubbs (4-2, 4.22 ERA), the Rays were able to keep the Orioles in check. Inspired by Ziegler's performance, Stubbs put on a show of his own, shutting down the Orioles over 6-innings of 3-hit ball and giving the fans some exciting free baseball. It wasn't until the top of the 16th inning when after Winslow struck out that Warren Aldredge (.262, 16 HR, 58 RBI) singled then stole second base. After an intentional walk to Rexford, Albert Marshall drew another walk, filling the bases with only 1 out. Danny Grimm (.225, 11 HR, 43 RBI) strolled up to the plate and smacked a first-pitch double deep into the gap between center and right field, clearing the bases for a 3-run double that the sure-footed catcher managed to stretch into a triple after an unsuccessful play at the plate. A Muraoka sac fly then brought in Grimm, increasing the Ray's lead to 6-2. Johnny Underwood (2-7, 4.27 ERA) closed the game in a non-save situation after allowing a last-ditch run from Baltimore. Losing the series, the Rays manage to avoid the sweep and head home in search of greener pastures. W: STUBBS (4-2) L: HUGHES (1-2) TAMPA BAY RAYS ( 55 - 63 )
ALDREDGE | 2-6, R, BB | REXFORD | 2-6, R, RBI | GRIMM | 3-7, 2B, R, 3 RBI | ZIEGLER | 8 IP, 7 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K | GIBBS | IP, 2 H, 2 R, K, BS | STUBBS | 6 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, BB, 3 K |
BALTIMORE ORIOLES ( 51 - 66 )
WILSON | 2-6, BB | HALL | 3-7, R | McGLYNN | 1-1, 2 RBI | VALDEZ | 6 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K | WINTERS | 7 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, BB, 7 K | HUGHES | 3 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, 4 BB, 4 K |
Tampa Bay will enjoy a day off before starting a 6-game homestand consisting of 3 games against the second-place Red Sox and 3 more games against the last-place Baltimore.
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Frozen Stiffer
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Post by Frozen Stiffer on Sept 2, 2016 15:20:41 GMT -5
Gibbs Sent Down, Wayne Called Up
August 11th, 2021
The Rays announced today that they have designated closer Mickey Gibbs for assignment in order to make room for the call-up of highly touted pitching prospect Deman Wayne. Gibbs had only recently been picked up as a mid-season free agent signing on May 27th, three days after having been released by Miami. Though he and Rays coach Roger Castro shared several years together with the Marlins, this second run will amount to a period of just under two-and-a-half months.
Gibbs started off well logging 1 Hold (called in to set up) and 4 Saves in his first five outings but then crashed sharply during his first blown save on July 21st. Never really recovering, he logged 3 saves and 4 blown saves after that and saw his ERA swell from a low of 1.80 to an upper-atmosphere scraping 7.11. While his performance in Tampa Bay was well below expectation, news has it that he may be drawing the interest from a handful of teams and the closer may get picked up on waivers. Otherwise, he's headed down to AAA St. Petersberg.
Wayne is a 2019 3rd round draft pick out of Arizona State. He was called up previously back on June 6th for a short stint to support a struggling bullpen before being returned to AAA on July 1st. During that brief term, he earned a 1-2 record with a 2.38 ERA over 34 innings pitched. His 29 Ks come out to an impressive 7.7 Ks-per-inning, which caught management's attention and kept his name at the top of the list. Wayne has a decent fastball in the low-90s but his strength is in his refined curveball and sharp slider. He has a much-improved sinker but he doesn't rely on it very often. It hasn't yet been determined if he will take up the closer role or if the club is looking at other options.
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Post by Oldtimer on Sept 9, 2016 8:39:31 GMT -5
AWESOME BLOG!!!
Always love those Fictional players... one never know and a more challenging mode...
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Frozen Stiffer
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I am nothing but a human onion!
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Post by Frozen Stiffer on Sept 9, 2016 11:07:07 GMT -5
AWESOME BLOG!!!
Always love those Fictional players... one never know and a more challenging mode... Thank you! I enjoy writing it and I enjoy it even more when I know that other lovers of the game are enjoying it as well! You make a very good point- fictional players are so very unpredictable. You don't have historical facts to base any expectations on; there's no Bonds that you know will hit long-balls or Boggs that you know will hit everything. Everything is in a cross-your-fingers-and-hope situation while you begin to learn and understand the players. It's everything you love from real MLB with the mystery, risk and suspense of enjoying it with unique players.
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Frozen Stiffer
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Post by Frozen Stiffer on Sept 9, 2016 11:43:43 GMT -5
Upcoming Home Series
The 55-63 Rays will be facing the recent new owners of a winning record 60-59 Red Sox over the next three games, all played at home. The expected matchups are as follows:
Bishop (9-6, 2.85 ERA) vs. Metcalf (10-7, 4.80 ERA) Rays starter Rocky Bishop will try to repeat his previous success and bring his Win totals into the double-digits against Boston starter Victor Metcalf. In his most recent outing on August 7th, Metcalf lost against Tampa Bay having been chased off after just 4.2 innings. Metcalf took the loss against Bishop, when the former surrendered 3 runs on 3 hits and racking up a massive 84-pitch count (after just a little over 4 innings, mind you).
Lora (10-11, 5.14 ERA) vs Romero (5-7, 7.21 ERA) Miguel Lora squares off once more against reliever-turned-starter Raymond "RayRo" Romero. Romero has been struggling on the mound and is in the midst of a 4-game losing streak during which his already worrisome 6.16 ERA has skyrocketed to 7.21. In the first two losses of the streak, he was chased off before the fifth inning yielding a total of 13 runs. The two last met in Tampa Bay on August 8th, where Lora was the victor after Romero went 7 innings allowing 5 runs on 9 hits and suffering the 6-2 loss. Lora pitched well that day, lasting 8 innings and yielding 7 hits and only 2 runs.
Estrada (6-8, 4.38 ERA) vs O'Reilly (14-6, 3.02 ERA) Efrain Estrada will take on the challenge of besting Boston ace Melvin O'Reilly when the two square off on Sunday. O'Reilly is on fire, having won all six of his last starts and posting a 2.63 ERA during that stretch. He pitched at least 7 innings in five of those six wins, where two were complete games, one was a complete game 2-hit shutout and another was an 8-inning outing where he allowed no runs and scattered just 4 hits. O'Reilly is enjoying a 9th best ERA and 3rd best Win total in the majors. This is O'Reilly's first look at the Rays, as due to scheduling he has yet to face them.
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Frozen Stiffer
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Post by Frozen Stiffer on Sept 13, 2016 16:17:02 GMT -5
Grimm and Marcel Put Rays in the Wins-low-Column August 13, 2021
Number three takes on number two on a cool, air-conditioned afternoon inside Tropicana field. The dome is closed for this pairing between the Boston Red Sox (60-59) and the Tampa Bay Rays (55-63). Tampa's Rocky Bishop (9-6, 2.85 ERA) will face off against righty Victor Metcalf (10-7, 4.80 ERA). So far this year, Tampa Bay has commanded the Red Sox, having beaten them in two of their last three engagements, and they hope to continue that dominance today. However, when realizing the outstanding numbers of their lineup, it's a wonder how Boston is only 1 game above a .500 record. This is most evident when looking at their 2-3-4-5 hitters, which is what Tampa will be most focused on during this series. This 'Murderer's Row' consists of lefty Eddie Lane (.308, 25 HR, 69 RBI), feared power bat Anders VanDerGruut (.332, 30 HR, 97 RBI), masterful clean-up man Silvio Poggioli (.358, 32 HR, 92 RBI) and DH Alfred Riddle (.329, 23 HR, 105 RBI). A little switch-up was made on the Tampa Bay lineup with Turner, due to recent ball-handling challenges, being moved from shortstop into the DH role. The fielding job was handed over to slick Samson Copeland, who was the original starting second baseman before hitting woes and a pair of hamstring injuries sidelined the agile-handed player. Muraoka will start at second and Copeland will take short, hitting 9th. The Rays struck quickly in the first when a handful of singles led to a Winslow sac fly which brought in Quinlan and earned the center-fielder another RBI. The lead was brief however, as a Poggioli solo shot tied up the score in the top of the second. Boston's hot-hitting right fielder kept the heat on in the fourth when he unleashed his second homer of the game, his 34th this year, a 2-run shot over the cowering right field wall. Bishop would settle down quickly and before you could order another hot dog, the Rays came back with a vengeance. After getting on base with a single, Damian Rexford was sent home on a Danny Grimm (.228, 12 HR, 47 RBI) 2-run 426-foot bomb, straight up the middle. The catcher's 12th home run of the year pulled Tampa even with Boston. The comfort would not last, however, as Boston's power could not be contained. The top of the 5th was started off with a single by Boston third baseman Willie Walt (.300, 3 HR, 12 RBI) and another longball by the Red Sox, this one courtesy of fill-in Louis Esparza (.169, 2 HR, 15 RBI). The hit gave Boston a 5-3 lead, but it would not put the Rays to bed. In 6th, after Rexford reached base with a walk and Albert Marshall (.218, 16 HR, 56 RBI) reached off a fielding error by Walt, Danny Grimm came through again, smacking a 2-run double down the right-field line. A hit-and-run call by Castro paid off when the next batter, Kobo Muraoka (.224, 12 HR, 49 RBI) singled in Grimm, giving Tampa the lead again. Copeland followed with a walk and with runners on second and third, a sharply hit single by Quinlan (.249, 15 HR, 62 BRI) brought in Muraoka, extending Tampa's lead to 7-5. The seventh inning saw Bishop hitting the showers and Castro turning to the bullpen with the team 2-runs up. Jake McGee (1-2, 2.63 ERA) got the call to the mound but fumbled his opportunity, blowing the lead when back-to-back singles by Esparza and Lane were followed-up by a VanDerGruut double to left, just out of reach of Copeland. The hit brought in the runners and once more knotted it up. The Rays however, just would not give up. After a quick chat, Castro left McGee on the mound and the southpaw did not disappoint, pitching two more innings of sit-down-shut-up baseball. The stalemate was broken in the bottom of the 9th when, with 1 out and the bases empty, Marcel Winslow (.294, 16 HR, 65 RBI) punished Boston reliever John Deanda (5-8, 5.33 ERA) when a high fastball proved too tempting to resist. The Rays' superstar made contact and sent it just barely over the left field wall, winning the game with a walk-off home run. A collective sigh of relief was heard just before the team roared to life and charged off the benches, swarming the hero as he stomped on home plate. W: McGEE (2-2) L: DEANDA (5-8)
TAMPA BAY RAYS ( 56 - 63 )
QUINLAN | 2-5, | 2B, | R, | RBI | | WINSLOW | 2-5, | HR (16), | R, | 2 RBI | | GRIMM | 2-4, | HR (12), | 2 R, | 2B, | 4 RBI | BISHOP | 6 IP, | 8 H, | 5 ER, | 0 BB, | 4 K | McGEE | 3 IP, | 4 H, | 2 ER, | 0 BB, | 2 K |
BOSTON RED SOX ( 60 - 60 )
ESPARZA | 2-5 | HR (2) | 2 R | 2 RBI | | VanDerGRUUT | 3-5 | 2 2B | 2 R | 2 RBI | | POGGIOLI | 3-4 | 2 HR (34) | 2 R | 3 RBI | | METCALF | 5 IP | 6 H | 3 ER | 0 BB | 4 K | DEANDA | 3 IP | 3 H | 1 ER | BB | 2 K |
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