SIM COMPLETE - 1997 - SIM 11

[Jistic]

So far he's going well. Plus with a 7 for stamina he goes 8 innings just about every start. In fact his Quality Start % is 100. Gives up a solo shot and not much else. His WHIP is very good. With nobody coming up for years he'll have plenty of years to establish himself.

[Dave]

A 4-4-7 Pitcher has an exponentially better chance to make it in the BLB than a 7-4-4 or a 4-7-4 does (IMO).

A 4-4-7 with a good GB% should be solid.

This league is full of 5-5-5 starters who are 2's and 3's on some teams. I'd personally take the right 4-4-7 over most 5-5-5's.

Plus, its the "Maine Model". The early Guides were big on Control guys.

If I had poor defense, I would rather have the 5-5-5 guy.

But with good defense, I'll take the 4-4-7 guy every time. You can use defense and your ballpark to mitigate poor stuff or poor movement. But you can't do anything to mitigate poor control.

[Clay]

When is the last time you had a 4-4-7 guy in Virginia? Plus 4-4-7 guys have no chance to make the Hall of Fame. Ask Nathan.

I haven't had a lot of soft-tossers, but Magness was that type. Great? Not often. But serviable.

I'm lucky to have what I have, but I've had #5 types that were similar.

They're actually becoming somewhat rare. The feeder league (especially HS) era brings a lot of guys where the Control comes last if it comes at all. I'd happily borrow some Stuff and Movement from someone like Efrain Gray to make him a 6-6-5 over the 8-8-4 that he is.

8-8-4 equals Joel Zumaya.

[Carlos]

I agree with the Clay. Control trumps all when deciding between similar pitchers.


Sent from my mobile device.

[funclown]

I agree with the Clay. Control trumps all when deciding between similar pitchers.


Sent from my mobile device.

Agreed (though we all know there are expections) Stuff or should say "Stuff rating" seems to be the easiest to develop in the minors. Control does develop, but WAY slower if at all. Movement?? Hmmm, not sure really. Seems either u have it or you dont.

By the time the kids are 23 if I see the control at 2 it usually scares the crap out of me. Not sure I've ever seen any get past a 4 at that pt. I'm sure the elders have some examples of late bloomers.

[Carlos]

I can't recall a middling prospect getting his control to a 5 from a 2.

Never seen it in my organization and I feel as if someone would talk about it if it happened in theirs.

I think it makes sense though that control is the hardest and longest to develop.

At times however I feel that there are too many 4- control pitchers in our universe.

I haven't researched but now I will. Pitchers with a 4 control are already gonna walk about one guy every two innings. That's a lot of walks.

I feel as if most of those guys never sniff the Majors but in our league because there are so many, we have to promote them. We need bodies.

And I also feel this has an affect on the walk rates for hitters.

All of this is by pure speculation. The fated eye test of expected failure and wrongs.


Sent from my mobile device.

[funclown]

At times however I feel that there are too many 4- control pitchers in our universe.

Alot of 5-6-4 guys who generally suck. Kind of what Clay and others mention, I'd take a 4-5-6 anyday over the other option.

[Delandis]

Alot of 5-6-4 guys who generally suck. Kind of what Clay and others mention, I'd take a 4-5-6 anyday over the other option.

Yea. I was hesitant to send you Esterson because I could always use guys with more control.

[funclown]

Yea. I was hesitant to send you Esterson because I could always use guys with more control.

Yeah, but my concern with him is losing the potiental on control. The stuff can be developed along with the velocity.

[Carlos]

Here's a quick look at MLB 2011 vs. BLB 1996.

Highest amount of walks by pitcher:
MLB 2011: 91 (202 IP)
BLB 1996: 136 (139 IP)

Number of 100+ walk pitchers in season:
MLB: 0
BLB: 6

Number of BLB pitchers with walks above MLB 2011 high of 91: 16

Number of pitchers with 60+ walks:
MLB: 60
BLB: 80

Number of pitchers with 30 or less walks who also threw at least 100 innings:
MLB: 7
BLB: 1


Not going to say that's alarming because our universe has its own rules, but it's clear enough to me that we have far too many bad control pitchers in our league and I don't think it's bad management. It's necessity. These guys have to pitch because there isn't anyone else to put into our rotations.

Keep in mind that as a league, many of us employ 6-man rotations so these guys have less opportunity to put up the numbers above, and yet, they do.

How about hitters?

Highest amount of walks by a single player:
MLB 2011: 132
BLB 1996: 151

Number of BLB hitters with more walks than MLB high of 132: 3

Hitters with 100+ walks
MLB 2011: 3
BLB 1996: 20

Hittes with 70+ walks
MLB: 31
BLB: 67

Hittes with .400+ OBP
MLB: 6
BLB: 22


Food for thought.

[Delandis]

Here's a quick look at MLB 2011 vs. BLB 1996.

Highest amount of walks by pitcher:
MLB 2011: 91 (202 IP)
BLB 1996: 136 (139 IP)

Number of 100+ walk pitchers in season:
MLB: 0
BLB: 6

Number of BLB pitchers with walks above MLB 2011 high of 91: 16

Number of pitchers with 60+ walks:
MLB: 60
BLB: 80

Number of pitchers with 30 or less walks who also threw at least 100 innings:
MLB: 7
BLB: 1


Not going to say that's alarming because our universe has its own rules, but it's clear enough to me that we have far too many bad control pitchers in our league and I don't think it's bad management. It's necessity. These guys have to pitch because there isn't anyone else to put into our rotations.

Keep in mind that as a league, many of us employ 6-man rotations so these guys have less opportunity to put up the numbers above, and yet, they do.

How about hitters?

Highest amount of walks by a single player:
MLB 2011: 132
BLB 1996: 151

Number of BLB hitters with more walks than MLB high of 132: 3

Hitters with 100+ walks
MLB 2011: 3
BLB 1996: 20

Hittes with 70+ walks
MLB: 31
BLB: 67

Hittes with .400+ OBP
MLB: 6
BLB: 22


Food for thought.

Gremades' injury should help your 1997 numbers.

[Carlos]

Gremades' injury should help your 1997 numbers.

Yeah, Gremades is Barry Bonds in our league. But, I find it more alarming that there are 20 guys with better walk rates than the most dangerous hitter in baseball.

That means that just about every team in our league has their own Jose Bautista.

And in case anyone didn't know, the one pitcher with less than 30 walks in 1996 was Pancho Herrera.

Perhaps the reason there is only one Pancho is because there literally is only one Pancho. While MLB showcases more than a handful of pitchers you could make a legitimate argument are the best pitchers in the league. Last year and for nearly a decade, Pancho Herrera topped the list and his name was the only one on it.

[Delandis]

Yeah, Gremades is Barry Bonds in our league. But, I find it more alarming that there are 20 guys with better walk rates than the most dangerous hitter in baseball.

That means that just about every team in our league has their own Jose Bautista.

And in case anyone didn't know, the one pitcher with less than 30 walks in 1996 was Pancho Herrera.

Perhaps the reason there is only one Pancho is because there literally is only one Pancho. While MLB showcases more than a handful of pitchers you could make a legitimate argument are the best pitchers in the league. Last year and for nearly a decade, Pancho Herrera topped the list and his name was the only one on it.

To be fair there seems to be a fair amount of new pitchers that are doing very well. We less than 18 years of history to go on, never mind the fact that we have had about 10 years of feeder league.

Right now it looks like the trend MAY be evening out a bit.

[Carlos]

To be fair there seems to be a fair amount of new pitchers that are doing very well. We less than 18 years of history to go on, never mind the fact that we have had about 10 years of feeder league.

Right now it looks like the trend MAY be evening out a bit.

I checked BB/9IP to see if there does seem to be a trend.

Highest average BB/9IP:
1978-1988: 4.93
1988-1996: 6.69
1992-1996: 6.53

Average BB/9IP over 5:
'78-'88: 0
'88-'96: 2
'92-'96: 2


1988 is significant because that's the beginning of the feeder league. I also chose 1992-1996 to give those '88 drafted players 4 years of development.

*BB/9IP chosen at random.

I'm not saying this is Bible and I'll acknowledge another stat that says otherwise (I'll continue to research) but looking at just BB/9IP, it seems to suggest that Feeder Leagues might be developing poor control pitchers.

[Carlos]

Also Ivan Olivo is back on the Top 20 list. Just waiting for Chad Sinclair to get his name on there and I can start believing we may have a real team.

Denver is 18-8 over the past 26 games (I chose this point because that's when I promoted Gerard and Soto to the rotation and sent Cy Gray down to AAA). We're tied for the second best record behind Hartford's 19-7 during that span.

Maybe I do remember how to play this game? Or maybe it's just June and OOTP will flip the switch come July. Right, Matt?! Yeah, he knows what I'm saying.