SIM COMPLETE - 1989 - Regular Season 20

[Andrew]

next sim: Friday

[liquidcrash]

Those AA playoffs are just wild.

[Matt]

Those AA playoffs are just wild.

Clear as mud.

The second season is here starting today with some sparkling series on tap:
Lawrence Patriots versus Charleston Rebels, Myrtle Beach Shorebirds versus Lexington Quakes, Frisco Beavers versus Auburn Venom, Bar Harbor Blues versus Richmond Riot, Reno Aces versus Sacramento Amish, Mohave Valley Dust Devils versus Athens Brawlers, Harrisburg Capitals versus Eagle River Wolverines and Frederick Stars versus Battle Creek Flakes.

It is some sort of round robin tourney?

[Clay]

From the Prez.....

"Speaking of which, the 24 affiliated teams will be broken into two sub-leagues – The Mash and The Wort – with three four-team divisions in each sub-league. But, what’s perhaps most exciting about the LAUTERING UNION is what happens at the end of the season. Because AA baseball is where many owners like to do their most impactful scouting, we felt it was important to get these players the most action. That’s why the LAUTERING UNION playoffs will feature the top 16 teams from the season battling it out for the title. The three division winners and the five teams with the best records from each sub-league will make the 16 team field. They will do battle in three game series; best two out of three moving on to the next round. Players could play as many as 12 games in four rounds to take home the title. Crucial playoff experience that could help shape the Gil O’Moore or Jared Kirby of tomorrow."

[Matt]

When watching a game does it automatically go to the count where the action takes place or is there an option to watch every pitch?

Also is there a way to see in game stats up to the inning?

[Jim]

Something I just noticed after this sim (I had time to kill since I didn't want to spend too much time checking out the stats after the lousy sim)...I have a couple guys from my team personnel who have contracts expiring after this year. When I click on them, neither give the option to offer extension...but all the other guys, who have contracts not expiring for a while, have the option to extend. Is there a reason I can't offer extensions to the 2 guys with expiring contracts?

[BradZ]

Something I just noticed after this sim (I had time to kill since I didn't want to spend too much time checking out the stats after the lousy sim)...I have a couple guys from my team personnel who have contracts expiring after this year. When I click on them, neither give the option to offer extension...but all the other guys, who have contracts not expiring for a while, have the option to extend. Is there a reason I can't offer extensions to the 2 guys with expiring contracts?

I'm not certain because I have a few expiring this season as well. I can offer extensions to some and not to others. Hmm. Maybe they don't want to be in our respective organizations anymore?

[Matt]

5-1

2-1 vs. Pitt
3-0 vs. Pawtucket

We should play in the DL more often.

Good

- Team ERA of 2.89 with 48 K's and only 10 walks
- Team batting average of .309
- SS Juan Jose Nava is back from injury and hit .333/.419/.444 with 1 HR and 7 RBI's. He will be back at 2nd while Ednams moves back to 3rd.
- 6 pitchers pitched at least 3 innings and allowed 0 runs

Bad

- SP Huder got rocked again. He did strikeout 6 and only walked 1...but he has given up 6 HR's in 27 IP, where as he only gave up 12 HR's in 79.2 for Maine.
- 3B Robby Crockett hit .091/.185/.136 and is now back on the bench where he belongs.

On Deck

- 3 vs. Washington, 3 @ Windy City
- In 9 games this year against Washington we are 1-8.

[Jake]

Hector Carbajal hit 6 HRs last sim. Holy crap.

[liquidcrash]

Hector Carbajal hit 6 HRs last sim. Holy crap.

4 of them came against my awful team. Doesn't count.

[Delandis]

We've got to be the worst hitting team with people on base.

[Clay]

Virginia Colonials (79-44)

2-1 @ Sin City
3-0 @ Mississippi

Domestic Violence - The Colonials go 5-1 against the DL for the second time this season and finish Inter-League play with an impressive 10-2 mark. Even playing short-handed, Virginia was able to get contributions from not so typical DH's like Artie Rhodes and Doug MacPherson.

You Down With OBP? - The Colonials had 6 regulars with at least 20 plate appearances this week register OBP's north of .400 including both Dale O'Hegarty and Everardo Gremades finishing well above .500. In fact, since joining Virginia on July 3rd, EG has hit a cool .348/.503/.553/1.056 in 43 games.

Ironed Out - After turning in an 8.0 inning 11 K gem against the Gamblers on Tuesday, Colonial ACE and potential IL Pale Ale Pitcher candidate Pancho 'Ironfist' Herrera was pulled from his next start just 32 pitches (3.2) innings of 1 hit ball in. Virginia Pitching Coach and Herrera's long-time mentor Marvin LaPointe saw something he didn't like in his delivery and decided to sit him down early. He's been a workhorse all season and is scheduled to miss at least his next start. A source inside the clubhouse says the 22 year old will not return to the bump till the September 7-10 series at Washington.

Captain Morgan - Perhaps being lost in the great seasons from some of his teammates, Jerry Morgan has been dynamite this year throwing out of the three hole and turned in one of the best pitching performances of the year this week. Scoring an OSA Game Score of 90, the second highest score given this season, Morgan threw a complete game shutout of the Gamblers allowing just 3 hits, striking out 9 and allowing no free passes. The 23 year old that was starting to be labeled 'the other Jerry' after Jerry Collin's All-Star election this year, now sits at 10-5 with a 3.10 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and three CGs on the season.

[Pat]

It's been a good run. A great run. But the Bats are not winning the Stout this year. After three consecutive Stout titles, and five of the last six, it looks like Virginia has it locked down. I don't want to sound too much like Jistic, but this team just doesn't have it in them. The past two weeks, my entire team is in a funk. Every SP. Every RP. Every hitter. And I have been relatively healthy as of late.

4-8 over my last 12 games. Just .500 in the month of August. Sure, I still have seven games against Virginia, but it's not going to matter. The Colonials are not only one of the best teams in the league, they are arguably the league's hottest team. That group is really clicking. I wouldn't be surprised to see Virginia win the division by double digits. I do think the Bats will still back into the playoffs as the wild card, but will just be lucky to get there. And the post-season won't last long for DC.

[Delandis]

Baltimore Bulldogs (63-60)

3-0 @PAW
1-2 @PIT


Week In Review

-- We pick up a 4-2 week against the DL, therefore California has to go 5-1, including 2-1 vs. Maine. So as we head into the final stretch, we are seven games back of the Kodiaks. Its not looking good.

-- We scored 22-runs in Game 1 against the embattled Patriots. This marked the 3rd time this year the Patriots allow over 20 runs in a game.

-- Romano Rodenas must've had a DL flashback because he was awesome last week against both Pawtucket and Pittsburgh. For the week, Rodenas went 13/19. No RBI's though, because of where he hits in the lineup. Might have to tweak that this week.

-- We cannot rely on Pat Washington for anything but a strikeout this year. Against some of the league's worst pitching, Pat hit just 5/24 with 10 K. It also doesn't matter where he hits in the order, he's just stinks this year. I think what really pisses me off is the fact that he still believes that his performance is good.

-- Not sure if it was the DL pitching, or he's just seeing the ball well again, but our offensive catalyst, Curt Boyd, seems to be back in action. Hitting .391 with 9 doubles, the bat of the IL's best shortstop was sorely missed by the Bulldogs.

ON-DECK

-- We've been away from home long enough, and its time to get back to outrageous home run allowed numbers in Phillips Field. We face Wilmington and Los Alamos at home, two teams that I doubt we'd beat in Baltimore, especially since our playoff lives depend on it.

[Jistic]

It's been a good run. A great run. But the Bats are not winning the Stout this year. After three consecutive Stout titles, and five of the last six, it looks like Virginia has it locked down. I don't want to sound too much like Jistic, but this team just doesn't have it in them. The past two weeks, my entire team is in a funk. Every SP. Every RP. Every hitter. And I have been relatively healthy as of late.

4-8 over my last 12 games. Just .500 in the month of August. Sure, I still have seven games against Virginia, but it's not going to matter. The Colonials are not only one of the best teams in the league, they are arguably the league's hottest team. That group is really clicking. I wouldn't be surprised to see Virginia win the division by double digits. I do think the Bats will still back into the playoffs as the wild card, but will just be lucky to get there. And the post-season won't last long for DC.

I don't know why, but that was one of the wisest posts you've ever written.