SIM COMPLETE - 1989 - Regular Season 1

[Andrew]

Next sim: Wednesday

[Carlos]

Thanks for the html, Andrew.

[Pat]

Washington Bats (6-0) - Sim #1
3-0 @ Los Alamos, 7-2, 11-3, 8-3
3-0 vs. Windy City, 7-2, 8-4, 8-7

The Good
-Can I say everything?
-No starter on my team had an OPS of under .737
-My bullpen is #1 in the IL with a 1.26 ERA this week

The Bad
-Michio Nago is day-to-day. He will sit the next two games.
-Wes Emerson, the Rule V pick, pitched OK. But in some spots looked over-matched. He might not be ready for this.

The Ugly
-D.T. Fitts struggled. 6.2 IP, 7 ER, 3 HR, 0 K. He might be done.

The Minors
#5 prospect - SP Ivan Garcia - In his first two starts, he had identical numbers: 6.1 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 K. Once he gets his control down, he will likely be called up. Probably in place of a Fitts or Emerson.
#30 prospect - SS Clint Johnston - The 20-year-old is trying to learn 3B in Triple-A. His bat looks to be just fine however, 14/30, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 11 RBI, 8 R, 1.200 OPS

[Clay]

Virginia Colonials (4-2)

3-0 vs Batavia
1-2 @ Baltimore

THE GOOD

-- Starting Pitching: My young starting 5 came out of the gates hungry. The 1-2-3 of Herrera (more on him later), Magness and Morgan came out and handled the pesky Muckdogs to open the season with a sweep. The top 3 went 21 K's to just 3 BB's (all from Morgan) in allowing just 2 earned. Collins and McQueen were not as good in their first outings of the season, but did enough to put the team in position to win before back-to-back walk-off losses.

-- Pancho 'Ironfist' Herrera: The Colonial Ace had two great outings cementing his status as one of the rising stars in the Import League going 2-0 (16.1 IP - 7 hits - 2 ER - 15K/2BB - 0.55 WHIP - .125 OAVG) and even chipping in on the offense. He scored two runs this week and even stole a base (a skill the Colonials touted back when they moved up to draft him) - something neither Dale O'Hegarty or Artie Rhodes did. He made his debut on the BLB Top Players list as well showing up at #12.

-- Mel 'Doorbell' Woodbury: .385/.385/.846/1.231 with 4 HRs and 11 RBI is great way to start the season. Woodbury comes in defending his IL Stout Slugger and, perhaps more importantly, in a contract year.

-- Power Surge: Playing 3 in B'More I'm sure is a factor, but 12 bombs is 12 bombs especially when you get two from Dale O'Hegarty - a guy who has never hit more than 9 in a season. Danny Nelson, who's starting due to the late ST injury to Florian Tosselli is bucking to keep the gig with 2 of his own this week.

THE BAD

-- The 'Pen: Don't want to put the two losses on anyone, but walk-offs are walk-offs. All in all the 'Pen was good though.

-- Slow Start: A couple important bats got off to a slow start, but we're not losing sleep.

-- Defense: 6 errors. I knew it was going to be a struggle this season. It's starting already.

THE FARM

-- Moved up to #4 on Top System List with 6 Top 100 Prospects

-- 1986 1st Rounder Hector Chavez (#20) started the season in A ball again, but is already getting the call to Battle Creek with a .379/.455/.448/.903 week. We thought he'd do half a season in the Bush League since he's only 21, but he needed to move. Rumor has it that his stay in AA could be short as well.

ON-DECK

Moving over to the BOCK for three at home with Carolina before we head to Iowa for a series with Davenport. The appointment viewing should be the Game 2 in D'Port with a potential matchup of McEvoy and Herrera.

[Pat]

Catcher Mike Murdock made his debut on the top players list as well, #13 hitter. Calrton is the #2 pitcher and Cristofor Villazon is #13.

[Jake]

We don't have a single player on the top 20 pitchers or hitters and we like it that way.

[Clay]

Aurillo fell off the list?

[BradZ]

Aurillo fell off the list?

Yep, he did.

[Carlos]

Denver Bulls - 5-1, 1st Place in Pilsner

Sim Results: 5-1

@Maine - W 7-5
@Maine - L 8-2
@Maine - W 7-1

@Hartford - W 1-0
@Hartford - W 8-5
@Hartford - W 13-3

The Good

BLB Debuts - Don McDonald made his debut throwing 6.2 Innings of no-run baseball and picking up the win.

Denver Debuts - Former Washington Bat, Ed O'Fallon hit three home runs and drove in 8 RBI.

The Closer - Pancho Sierra struggled in his rookie season as closer, but tallied a 2-0 W-L Record along with 1 save, allowing zero runs over 5 IP in the first week of 1989.

The Bad

Injuries - Limited to 114 games last season because of injuries, Fernando Pargas will miss a month of action with a partially torn labrum - an injury he suffered while throwing the baseball from the outfield.

He is joined by Kip Higgins who suffered a strained quad but won't see time on the DL.

The Ugly

The Veteran - Rejuvenated by a late-season acquisition from Washington - where he had been moved to the pen - to the starting rotation in Denver, Rayford Winchel went 4-2 with a 2.66 ERA. But, Winchel was probably down for missing a chance at a BLB Championship, opening up the season with an ugly outing giving up 5 runs (4 earned) in 4.1 IP.

...And the "Did That Really Happen? Moment of the Week"

Jared Williamson has been touted as one of the top pitching prospects in Denver's system since arriving in the minor leagues in 1985. So, promoted to start the season with the big league club in 1989, it was only fitting that Williamson would make his BLB debut...in the outfield.

Williamson volunteered to start when injuries and fatigue forced Denver to find a replacement in left field. He went 0-3 leaving two on base before being replaced by pinch hitter Curt Rutledge in the 8th inning.

The Running of the Bulls: Down In The Farm

Norm Coleman made his AAA debut striking out 5 and giving up 6 hits in 7.2 IP.

The DLA Minor League Pitcher of the Year, Wijnand Lubbers was uncharacteristic in his first start pitching for Oklahoma City (AA). Having given up only 11 earned runs all of last year, Lubbers surrendered three in 5.1 IP for the loss.

Charging In

The Bulls finish up their season opening 9-game road trip by visiting the 2-4 Pawtucket Patriots. Then they begin a short six-game home stand when the 4-2 Pittsburgh Millers visit Rocky Top Park for three games.

[BradZ]

Philadelphia Freedom (2 - 4, 2.0 GB)

Should have posted this sooner. It would have been easy to do, since this is a copy and paste of the results from the first sim last season. The only difference? After the first sim last season we were 4 GB in the standings and this year it’s only 2.

1-2 @ Davenport

1-2 vs Carolina

Good:

- Geoff Scott got on base at a .652 clip while batting “only” .300. For the season: 10 AB and 10 BB.

- Jim Newlin got off to a decent start: .312 | .500 | .652 with 1 3B, 1 HR and 5 runs batted in

- Ben Irvin threw the second CG shutout of his career to get off to a good start


Not as Good:

- As a whole we batted .210 | .328 | .318. That’s certainly not going to get it done.

- Young RHP Doug “Light” Miles got off to a rocky start in his debut, allowing 4 ER in 3 IP.

- Tex McLerlan got off to a decent start, but now will miss this week with the flu.

Coming Up

- Campo joins the lineup. The first run he scores will give him 1,000 for his career.

- 3 @ Los Alamos | 3 vs. Windy City

[Carlos]

Campo and Zamarida will likely reach the 1,000 run mark next sim. Both sit at 999.

[BradZ]

Campo and Zamarida will likely reach the 1,000 run mark next sim. Both sit at 999.

Well, Campo may injure himself on the way to the batter's box for his first PA of the year.

[Carlos]

Well, Campo may injure himself on the way to the batter's box for his first PA of the year.

I was ready to respond with laughter but I don't think the baseball gods take kindly to sarcasm.

[spot]

Coming Up

- 3 @ Los Alamos | 3 vs. Windy City

This'll be good...