SIM COMPLETE - 2002 - SIM 12

[Dave]

Hmmmmmmmm.

3 quality starts in 5 tries....maybe I'm onto something here?

[Pat]

Hmmmmmmmm.

3 quality starts in 5 tries....maybe I'm onto something here?

Inspiring...

News article to follow soon.

[Carlos]

Hmmmmmmmm.

3 quality starts in 5 tries....maybe I'm onto something here?

Thank you. More guys need to give two pitch pitchers a try, especially when they have those ratings and the stamina to go deep into games.

[Pat]

Washington Bats - 49-26 - Stout Leaders



2-1 @ Carolina
2-1 vs. Windy City

• Haven't done one of these this season. I know you missed it. I definitely did. Not surprised by the outcome this week. Should have swept Carolina but the offense couldn't click, losing 3-4.

The Good

• Rookie OF Pat Ladd took home IL Player of the Week after hitting three bombs and 11 RBI during his birthweek. The *now* 23-year-old is now hitting at a .795 OPS through 32 games. He still has quite a ways to go in development but I'm very pleased with his performance thus far.

• If there was no "Ironfist" the Bats might get first, second and third in the IL Pale Ale race. SPs Tom Downs, Troy Hanback and Travis DuFour are pitching out of their minds. DuFour continues to climb on the top players list, now up to #3. Hanback is steady at #6 and Downs debuted two weeks ago and now find himself at #15.

The Bad

• The bullpen needs to figure it out. Normally a strength of the franchise the bullpen is 10th in the IL. I imagine it will work itself out but I said that back in May as well. It's nearly the halfway point and the bullpen continues to lose games.

The Ugly

• Is this the end for 2B Jeremiah Kelly? The former All-Star and two time DWI winner seems to have hit the "Bats Wall." You know, that imaginary wall where Washington players fall off a cliff in their late 20s? Kelly is only 28-years-old but is hitting nearly .200 points below his career OPS. He just told me he wants $10M annually for an extension. Hahahahaha....

The Farm

• The Bats currently rank 4th on the Top Systems, highlighted by two recent additions to the BLB in Ladd and SP Lorenzo Campos. Once they hit majors status, we are sure to drop to probably middle of the pack.

The Week Ahead

• Four vs. Batavia and three @ California. The Porter is arguably the best division in baseball this year and the Muckdogs and Kodiaks both have playoffs on their mind. This won't be easy but I'll say 3-1 vs. Batavia and 1-2 @ California.

The Announcement

• I wanted to write a fun article on this but it appears I can't. See the Let's Light This Candle thread...but anyways...After trading for CL JJ "Crackpot" Black, I have decided to give CL Clarence "Doodle" Ortiz a shot in the rotation. My scout has his stamina as a very low "4" but he has some experience starting in college as well as Single and Double-A. With the recent success seen from Dallas and even more recently, New Orleans, I figure it's worth a shot. Black is the closer of the next few years and has a clause in his contract that promises him the role. The Bats have a history of turning "arguably" HOF closers into starters. Let's hope "Doodle" has a little "Eager Beaver" in him.

[Clay]

Is this the end for 2B Jeremiah Kelly? The former All-Star and two time DWI winner seems to have hit the "Bats Wall." You know, that imaginary wall where Washington players fall off a cliff in their late 20s? Kelly is only 28-years-old but is hitting nearly .200 points below his career OPS. He just told me he wants $10M annually for an extension. Hahahahaha....

I though the wall that Bats players hit in their late 20's was called Double A?

The Bats have a history of turning "arguably" HOF closers into starters. Let's hope "Doodle" has a little "Eager Beaver" in him.[/LIST]

Because it was you, not the version change, that made Carlton a starter. The same version change that turned about a dozen closers into starters. Small detail, I know.