Oh, What Could Have Been...

[umd]

Just looking through some 'old friends' while procrastinating...

Amri "Skipper" Sau

http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/...ayer_7208.html

I loved this guy. My first ever BLB pick at 1.4 in 1990.

11/02/1997 Wins the 1997 BLB DL Stout Slugger Award.

11/23/1997 Received a 1-year contract worth a total of $12,709,594 through arbitration.

01/01/1998 OSA scouting updated ratings (potential): Contact: 6 (6); Power: 6 (6); Eye: 4 (4).

05/26/1998 Signed a 7-year contract extension worth a total of $110,900,000 with the Hartford Whalers organization.

06/29/1998 Was selected to the 1998 Brewers League Baseball All-Star Game.

07/18/1998 Injured on 07/14/1998, diagnosed with a fractured wrist, will miss 6 weeks.

08/10/1998 Suffered setback in recovery from injury, will miss another 4 weeks.

01/01/1999 OSA scouting updated ratings (potential): Contact: 5 (5); Power: 5 (5); Eye: 4 (4).

That, Andrew, is the point in my Hartford tenure when things started to go south. Sau was 25, we had gone a 103-59. He hit 37 HRs had 148 RBIs scored 100 runs had a slash of .324/.399/.605 and OPS'ed 1.0003 with a 74.7 VORP and an 8.0 WAR.

With the demise of his partner in crime Abe Hernandez in 1997 (@ 29 years old)

http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/...ayer_3291.html

and then Stout Slugging 1B Don Castor (I loved that line-up at the time and that trade with Prez) in 1997 (@27 years old)

http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/...ayer_6910.html

it was just a matter of time with those 3 big and very dead contracts. Sau making 19m a year, is quite an albatross, and probably my biggest financial mistake in the BLB.

That 1997 line-up was my favorite (on paper) in Hartford. Everything I wanted to put together in an offense I did:

1. CF P. Stewart
2. 2B C. Durham
3. DH/RF A. Hernandez
4. LF A. Sau
5. 1B D. Castor
6. C R. Valencia
7. SS R. Carbajal
8. 3B J. Newlin/W. Hawkins
9. OF D.Corfield

http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/...ar_1_1997.html
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What about you guys? Favorite line-ups, players that fell apart?

(I really don't want to do this lesson planning and miss these what if kind of discussions)

[Delandis]

You guys already know who my #1 "might have been" guy was:



Loren "Could You Please Shut the Hell Up About Him, Prez" Wallace

http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/...ayer_6864.html

21 game hitting streak his rookie season.

One of 5 players (not juiced) that hit .350+ twice in his career.

That 1992 lineup:

Kubota (C)
Castor (1B)
Ivan Garcia (2B)
Jack Dynes (SS)
Jim Newlin (3B)
Loren Wallace (LF)
Victor Escamilla (CF)
Takanibu Sato (RF)-I have no idea how he's not a HOF.

Before the Wallace injuries (plural) that year, we were a pretty tough team.

[umd]

Jimmy Newlin was the man.

[Dave]

This discussion for me begins and ends with Jeff Franklin.

I had vacated the Baltimore franchise prior to his demise, but it was sad to see.

[BradZ]

Mr Glass, himself, Geoff Scott. The guy should have gone down in the books as one of the greatest middle infielders of all time. Just couldn't stay healthy.

[Jistic]

The Scott vs Chavez discussions int he forums doomed him. Nothing you could've done.

[Delandis]

The Scott vs Chavez discussions int he forums doomed him. Nothing you could've done.

Damn never thought about that. Such a shame. Scott was a player I hated to like.

[Matt]

Batavia 3
Virginia 2

Sim takes extra long that day.

Virginia 4
Batavia 3

Muckdogs blow it up.

[Pat]

Miguel Angel Padilla - http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/...ayer_2322.html

Drafted at 16-years-old with the 17th overall pick of 1982, MAP was a beast. In the bigs by 18, he had a breakout season at 21 where he hit .317 with a .962 OPS, 45 doubles, 7 triples, 30 homers and 124 RBI in just 145 games. Three more great seasons and then he literally fell off a cliff. With a .916 OPS in 1990, dropped to .731, .607, .508 and .067 the next consecutive four seasons. Out of the league by 28.

[Z]

For me, it was Anibal Alsina. http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/...ayer_id=alsina

Five consecutive 5+ WAR seasons from ages 23-27. Then, about a month after signing a big extension, he broke his wrist and was never the same.

[funclown]

Mine was tough, but RF Samuel Helmrich the last of Mahoney's great hitting prospects.

http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/...ayer_3262.html

Was never so much of how he played, just how quickly things turned south.

Started out with such great leadoff/ contact potiental, then converted to a power hitter. From 93-97 he was dominant eventually wrestling the #3 from Carmen. Then....really fast around mid 98 he became unglued. Still could hit a bit but this kid went from a rookie EFF 1.000+ at every outfield position at 24 years of age to someone who could barely play 1B by 31? Poor kid never got his great payday.(We were cheap and signed him early) Basically by 33 he was completely done.

Thought I had a kid who could play til his late 30's. Sad.

[Jimmy]

'99 LA Dinos

Seth Walters- I didn't draft him but he looked like a stud. Gets his first taste of the BLB in '99, weeks before the deadline, but is ineligible for the playoffs? He was scorching the ball, but i didnt complain. We go to the Championship game without him and Morris take a mysterious injury in game 6, without taking an at bat and without being on the field. Seth has a great 2000 season, finishing second in rookie of the year voting and then dies. I always thought that this team would take off with a legit power threat. That never happens.

http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/...ayer_8622.html

[mwetts]

Batavia 3
Virginia 2

Sim takes extra long that day.

Virginia 4
Batavia 3

Muckdogs blow it up.

Dude that's so tough.

I mean after everything that was said in the 'Goodbye' thread it's unbelievable and somewhat comical to me that we all kept playing. I mean if an outsider read that thread they would think we were out of our minds to have kept playing for so long. Let alone be as active as 75-80% of us are in this league.

But they don't get it. The game and the people are so much fun to be a part of. Pittsburgh probably comes in 3rd in the Ale, especially after everything that transpired this off-season. The thing is though, I haven't been this excited for a season since I joined in '94.

I don't know if anyone else has noticed this but I feel like the forums have come alive since 'the departure'. I know it has for me at least. I have noticed other owners too, maybe subconsciously, have been more frequent and open with their posts. I think it's great and really like the direction of this league.

[funclown]

I don't know if anyone else has noticed this but I feel like the forums have come alive since 'the departure'. I know it has for me at least. I have noticed other owners too, maybe subconsciously, have been more frequent and open with their posts. I think it's great and really like the direction of this league.

To add to this, I think more people believe they now have "a chance" now.

Ironic, he who shall not be mentioned claimed "xxx% of teams are always in rebuilding mode so its not a fun, blah, blah,blah" He was right. When a super team wins 8 out of 10 years and then next decade you see the same players to go along with NEW supermen coming of age most decide to prospect build until the monster disappears.

Maybe its just me, but this offseason appeared real active?

[Delandis]

To add to this, I think more people believe they now have "a chance" now.

Ironic, he who shall not be mentioned claimed "xxx% of teams are always in rebuilding mode so its not a fun, blah, blah,blah" He was right. When a super team wins 8 out of 10 years and then next decade you see the same players to go along with NEW supermen coming of age most decide to prospect build until the monster disappears.

Maybe its just me, but this offseason appeared real active?

I know I'm more excited than I've been in a while for this season.


Do I go for Hamilton if the super team still doesn't age? I'm not so sure. I probably would have kept my picks and just reloaded. It just feels nice that everyone is on equal footing again and I have the chance to make moves that truly make an impact on the league, not just play for the Porter Crown.