SIM COMPLETE - 1996 - SIM 3

[Carlos]

It's just life. I'm not sure what qualifies as less interest?

The people that post a lot still post a lot. The people that don't, still don't.

If anything, if someone thinks there's less chatter, I'd bet it's not because people have lost interest; it's because we're more focused on our own teams.

I see less and less chatter about other team's players. Most posts seem to center around our own teams. I don't have a problem with that.

I think the Twitter creation was a nice way to take advantage of that and also allow Brad to spread word on other players.

We're just more self-centered than in year's past. It has nothing to do with Virginia being a juggernaut. If someone seriously believed there was no chance, they would leave the league. If they still don't leave then I'm sorry, but you're an idiot for staying. If you don't like the league, bounce. We don't want you.

[Jake]

I feel like the league has lost a ton of momentum and feel VERY strongly that its because people feel like they're playing for 2nd place.

I don't want this league to die. So you guys tell me what has to happen to get interest back up?

For the record, I'm not saying this out of the blue. More than one owner has brought this to me.

This is the gayest thing I've ever heard. You've earned where you've gotten your team to, if you need to blow it up to maintain interest, that's stupid. Seriously, if people feel that way, then just get better. Clay did, and his 80's VA teams were probably worse than you are right now.

I would say, from my perspective, that interest seems to be at an all time high. We've got double digit twitter accounts pumping out injuries and minor league transaction news. We've got active SIM threads for the most part. We've got alcohol being shipped to Michigan every three months... and Clay printing off his own t-shirts at the same rate.

We all know W is a separate commish - there's no need to push for a neutral commish in this league. I don't see how that would last very long, and I think it's a lot to ask someone to run the league with no emotional return or anything to truly follow.

I hope for the sake of the league you don't blow up your team. If anything would make me personally lose interest, that would. Plus.. the return you could get on some of those guys might actually make you even better in the long run.

[Clay]

Everybody chill on the best for the league front.

Less bravado would be welcomed... but that's not what is causing less participation. Hard to keep a league running for as many years as we have without seeing some lulls in ownership participation.

I don't get the Bravado crap? This board...hell the entire internet is built on hollow bravado. I post to try to spark conversation and interest. And, FWIW, I post about the league as a whole, more than I do about my own team.

I'm simply trying to respond to concerns from Owners.

[Jake]

And oh yeah.... 5-2 sim!

1-11 vs the Ale... 5-2 vs the Pilsner.

I love being in the Pilsner!

[Delandis]

The problem isn't a lack of participation. Jake is the only person who didn't export.

I don't think that's it. The IL is just terrible right now. Outside of Batavia, VA, and Carolina everyone else in the IL is somewhere between mediocre and terrible. No offense but VA needed to walk-offs to make it out of Carolina with a 2-1 record and is undefeated against, California, Washington, Philly, Chitown, and Wilmington. I mean no offense really, but none of the those teams are exactly contenders.

Add to that, as far as talent is concerned, one of the seven deadly sins must live in the Ale right now, VA's numbers are skewed a bit. Virginia barely made it through the playoffs last year against both Batavia and Hartford.

Maybe we should consider increasing injuries to the normal setting instead of on low. I know a lot of people would be against this but I think that would go a long way to bringing in a bit more parity by making it less advantageous to making a team top heavy on durability.

[Carlos]

And oh yeah.... 5-2 sim!

1-11 vs the Ale... 5-2 vs the Pilsner.

I love being in the Pilsner!

OMG INDYE N DALAS SUK SOO BADD!!11 LOL

[Carlos]

The problem isn't a lack of participation. Jake is the only person who didn't export.

I don't think that's it. The IL is just terrible right now. Outside of Batavia, VA, and Carolina everyone else in the IL is somewhere between mediocre and terrible. No offense but VA needed to walk-offs to make it out of Carolina with a 2-1 record and is undefeated against, California, Washington, Philly, Chitown, and Wilmington. I mean no offense really, but none of the those teams are exactly contenders.

Add to that, as far as talent is concerned, one of the seven deadly sins must live in the Ale right now, VA's numbers are skewed a bit. Virginia barely made it through the playoffs last year against both Batavia and Hartford.

Maybe we should consider increasing injuries to the normal setting instead of on low. I know a lot of people would be against this but I think that would go a long way to bringing in a bit more parity by making it less advantageous to making a team top heavy on durability.

How quickly we all forget Los Alamos as well.

Just because the team might be the best team, doesn't mean they will always win. Did we have these concerns when Maine was running around beating the crap out of everyone?

Virginia is the team to beat. They've been for most of the 90s. Virginia was also the team to beat up in the 80s. Shit is cyclical, son.

[Clay]

I very painfully agree with Prez. I do think, if there's such a thing, its a very soft 18-1. But, when multiple owners that I trust came to me independently with the same thoughts, I felt I needed to respond.

I don't want this league to go away. I also don't want people to feel like they're getting a raw deal caused by human intervention.

I DO think interest is still strong, but if there's a building sentiment, I want to proactively respond to it.

If this causes an "airing of the grievances" so be it. It needs to happen.

[Delandis]

How quickly we all forget Los Alamos as well.

Just because the team might be the best team, doesn't mean they will always win. Did we have these concerns when Maine was running around beating the crap out of everyone?

Virginia is the team to beat. They've been for most of the 90s. Virginia was also the team to beat up in the 80s. Shit is cyclical, son.

They would stop being the team to beat when owners decide to stop giving up #2 overall draft picks for relievers.

[Jake]

Honestly, I didn't realize we were at the point where it was time to worry about "this league going away." That's insane to me, but, you have the pulse of the league better than anyone.

[Jake]

OMG INDYE N DALAS SUK SOO BADD!!11 LOL

I've got you this week now. Careful. Chad Mullen's still pissed.

[Carlos]

They would stop being the team to beat when owners decide to stop giving up #2 overall draft picks for relievers.

Could have been anyone. I offered that pick for a couple of SIMS. Can't fault Clay for being the only proactive one (and I mean the ONLY one. No one else responded. I went to other owners and asked for their pitchers in return for that pick and every single one of them said no. Wouldn't even counter-offer). I wasn't gonna not ship the pick just because he owned Virginia and was winning championships.

And I still won't stop doing something just because someone runs a team. I find that reasoning (unless there is direct competition like me battling for a division title against Jake and deciding to ship him one of my best players for a prospect. That would be a direct attack on my division hopes) to be similar to requesting Virginia unload simply because they are "too good."

Perhaps, Clay being so proactive is why he keeps winning. I don't know. If I learned anything from him, I would have never shipped the pick. Then again, what good would that have gotten me? I'd have chosen McCarty who isn't doing too well in AA for Windy City right now. It's not like Olivo was horrible and there's still the whole point of him being a shut down closer. I just reinserted him into that role.

Of course, maybe Clay doesn't grab Knudson, but I do think it's much too soon to assume Knudson is gonna end up being the next Woodbury just because his ratings say so when he's still extremely young and has a long way to go to progress into those ratings.

Finally, what does that pick have to do with him winning championships now? Clay made his team weaker for the time being with that trade and he still won a championship. If I don't make that trade, maybe he doesn't have to squeak by Batavia.

[mwetts]

Pete Fitz out 4 months... heres looking at last place in the Ale.

[Delandis]

Could have been anyone. I offered that pick for a couple of SIMS. Can't fault Clay for being the only proactive one (and I mean the ONLY one. No one else responded. I went to other owners and asked for their pitchers in return for that pick and every single one of them said no. Wouldn't even counter-offer). I wasn't gonna not ship the pick just because he owned Virginia and was winning championships.

And I still won't stop doing something just because someone runs a team. I find that reasoning (unless there is direct competition like me battling for a division title against Jake and deciding to ship him one of my best players for a prospect. That would be a direct attack on my division hopes) to be similar to requesting Virginia unload simply because they are "too good."

Perhaps, Clay being so proactive is why he keeps winning. I don't know. If I learned anything from him, I would have never shipped the pick. Then again, what good would that have gotten me? I'd have chosen McCarty who isn't doing too well in AA for Windy City right now. It's not like Olivo was horrible and there's still the whole point of him being a shut down closer. I just reinserted him into that role.

Of course, maybe Clay doesn't grab Knudson, but I do think it's much too soon to assume Knudson is gonna end up being the next Woodbury just because his ratings say so when he's still extremely young and has a long way to go to progress into those ratings.

Finally, what does that pick have to do with him winning championships now? Clay made his team weaker for the time being with that trade and he still won a championship. If I don't make that trade, maybe he doesn't have to squeak by Batavia.

You must not have seen the the .

= Please don't sic Angry Carlos on me.

I get it. Maybe the DL doesn't care about VA dominating just like the IL didn't care that Maine was dominant.

[tomr1962]

Thoughts from the newbie with the Dunce cap on.

I spend a fair amount of time going over my roster and free-agent lists. The more I look at players the more I get a headache. Baseball is a sport unlike others. Talent is very hard to judge. This is a computer game and if you can figure out what makes it tick you can be very successful. In the OSFL Ben Lou knew just what ratings made players tick. My .02 worth is the league should open the rating system up to 2-20 from it's current 2-8. This would allow owners with less time invested (be it experience or real world constraints) to evaluate talent better. For example , anyone that is not an obvious superstar my scout hates. Then maybe the unwritten, don't trade with the new guy stuff would disapear.