SIM COMPLETE - 1989 - Regular Season 22

[Lintyfresh85]

4) We are -3 games against our expected W/L total and CAL is +4

I'm not going to give out any secrets... but there's a really simple reason why I usually out perform my pythagorean record.

[Pat]

I'm not going to give out any secrets... but there's a really simple reason why I usually out perform my pythagorean record.

What year did you take over California? 81?

81: -3
82: -7
83: -1
84: -1
85: -5
86: +2
87: 0
88: +1

So, you have "out performed" your pythagorean record twice? For a total of +3 games? Since '81 California has a pythagorean record of -14.

I'm not hatin', Washington has a very poor pythagorean career, I'm just sayin'...

[Lintyfresh85]

I took over in 82.

I must have been confused about the past then... so lets focus my statement to mainly this year.

But, if you notice... my bullpen was a strength in my early years... thus the negative numbers.

[Pat]

I took over in 82.

I must have been confused about the past then... so lets focus my statement to mainly this year.

But, if you notice... my bullpen was a strength in my early years... thus the negative numbers.

It's not just a bullpen thing. Windy City lead the BLB in bullpen ERA. They also lead the BLB in negative pyth standings at -7.

[Lintyfresh85]

That's my point. My bullpen is heavily stacked at the top and the bottom.

I have no middle ground.

Look at my top guy... Joe Negron 1.52 ERA in 86 games.

Look at my bottom guy... Nick Duncan at 6.02 ERA in 16 games.

When used correctly (which he has been as he's only pitched in 16 games), Duncan is only going to pitch in blowouts... he's terrible, thus he's going to give up more and more runs pushing us further away from leads and thus bringing our runs scored/runs allowed totals closer than they really are. I'm out performing the record because in close games... my top RP's are pitching and getting it done... but when I'm losing, my scrubs pitch and the games get out of hand... throwing the RS/RA out of whack and making it look like my team is getting lucky.

[Delandis]

We are a weird, weird team. When we look back at this season with disappointment as you celebrate the division crown (which might happen with us on your field since we end the year with 4 at your place, unless you decide to give us a mercy killing earlier instead of dragging it out) we will be able to point to several key results/matchups:

1) We are currently 10 games over .500, but 3 games under .500 at home. That’s inexplicable. We should be built to win in our own place and we just aren’t getting it done.

2) We currently sit at 5-10 against Baltimore. You just can’t struggle against a division foe like that in an unbalanced schedule.

3) We are 5 games under .500 in 1-Run games and 7-8 in extra innings. The past two years we have excelled in both of those categories

4) We are -3 games against our expected W/L total and CAL is +4

Sorry, sir. Its not personal. We actually just play well in Einsenhower. Come to think about it, we usually play well in most nice sized stadiums. Helps our pitching not look like complete crap.

I don't play much single player (mainly because i like to watch the games and that would take forever), but I'm starting to see the type of team I'd like to build. Starting with a major revamp of the stadium.

[Pat]

We are a weird, weird team. When we look back at this season with disappointment as you celebrate the division crown (which might happen with us on your field since we end the year with 4 at your place, unless you decide to give us a mercy killing earlier instead of dragging it out) we will be able to point to several key results/matchups:

Almost, an Airing of Grievances? I like that.

1) Injuries - Yes, every team has injuries. No, I don't want to use this an excuse for my collapse, as I do pride myself as having one of the deepest organizations in the league. Other teams have had injuries and are still competing. Maine, Virginia, Dallas, Davenport, Wilmington, etc. But man, I've had it pretty bad in recent years. This season, of course, was no different.

My blockbuster off-season trade for SS Jose Sanchez, blew up in my face, twice. I've always been a huge fan of him as a player. The defense first, gap hitter with a great eye. Exactly what I look for in my players. Well, first, a broken new cap in Spring Training forced him to miss the first five months of the year. He returned for 46 games, hit .286 with an .844 OPS, his best numbers since '83, then developed shoulder tendinitis and will miss the rest of the year. I can't say I'm shocked, as the guy does have a long injury history, but man, I really was excited for Sanchez as a Bat, especially after he played in 162 games last year. Thought he had got over that whole thing.

The next big one was my top prospect, a top 10 prospect in all of the BLB, SP Ivan Garcia. As lucky as I got with Carlton developing from MR to staff ace, I got equally unlucky with Garcia. After moving him to SP, he flourished. I had an absolute gem. He was dominating Triple-A, and his stats, my scout, OSA, etc, all said he was ready for the BLB. He lasted just 13 innings at the BLB level before blowing out his arm and sitting on the DL for ten months. He has lost a lot in potential since the injury. My scout used to think he had a HOF career ahead of him as a staff ace, now he just thinks he will be a good MR.

My starting CF, Larry Fitzsymons, played in all of 55 games. In his first season as the full-time guy, of course he doesn't last. A torn back muscle forced him to miss the rest of the season, and of course, will be fully recovered I think a day or two after the BLB Championship round. #3 SP, Cristofor Villazon, for the third straight year, failed to reach 25+ starts. Two weeks ago an injury, imagine that, ended his season. My #1 lefty out of the pen, Takejiro Ito, just went down for three months. The #1 righty, Grant Lewis, was lost for the year back in May. He hadn't given up a run to that point.

This list doesn't even include the 1-2 week injuries that knocked out regulars like Michio Nago, RA Grounds, Clint Johnston, etc.

2) The Elusive #5 Starter - Injuries. Inconsistencies. You name it. I couldn't figure this spot out. Because I have such a fragile team, I ran a six-man rotation for a lot of the season as well, to avoid such injuries. Didn't matter. The list of players who started for the Bats this season: Carlton, Pateshall, Villazon, Emerson, Daniels, Garcia, Duran, Brooks, Lavoie, Jimenez, Rodriguez, Fitts and Tucker. 13 different players. And the season still has a few weeks left. During last years Championship season, the Bats had four starters with 25+, and two others (Pateshall and Winchel) combined for 30.

I gave rookies, veterans, RPs, etc, everyone a shot. No one was able to run with it.

3) Lack of Power or Speed - If you aren't going to hit for power, you better be able to run. This team is just average at both. Despite leading the IL in batting average, hits and on-base percentage, the Bats are just 4th in runs. The answer? 5th in HRs. 5th in SBs. Only two players had 10+ steals and only two players had 17+ homeruns. It's been my offenses achilles heel for years. Too many singles hitters.

4) Bad records against certain teams - Lost eight of the twelve games against Wilmington. 1-5 against the DL. Basically a .500 record against everyone else. I'm 20-8 against Virginia and Morgantown combined, but 4-8 against the Wildcats. Unreal.

5) Mid-season moves that produced in the box score but not in the standings. Near the All-Star break I added two potential Hall of Famers in C/1B Sergio Lumar and RP/CL Roger Simonds. Lumar has played mainly 1B since arriving from Indy, and has hit .284 with an .801 OPS, including a 1.093 OPS with RISP. Simonds solidified my closer situation, going 4-2, with 16 saves, and a 1.35 ERA. Simonds was acquired in late June, Lumar in mid-June. My record April-June, 43-31. My record, after the trades, in July-Sept, 35-28.

I think this game might have the "SuperBowl Hangover" implemented into the code. After winning the title in '83, I had a ton of injuries in '84 and backed into the playoffs, winning the Stout despite an 82-80 record. This year, I'm on pace for a better record, but can't get a winning sim together for the life of me. It just feels like no matter who is out there, my team isn't going to win. The Stout title is still technically in the balance, eight games out, three games against the Colonials left. The Wild Card is more likely, as I am tied with Wilmington, with six games remaining against them. But I don't see either as probable. This team is heading straight down. If it continues as expected, this will be the first time since '80, where the Bats failed to finish #1 or or #2 in the Stout.

[Carlos]

I really was excited for Sanchez as a Bat, especially after he played in 162 games last year. Thought he had got over that whole thing.

As a DH. The guy can stay healthy if you keep him off the field. Both of his injuries were collisions at a base. I'm not sure if he was running or playing defense. If he was playing defense: I'm not surprised at all.

[Delandis]

As a DH. The guy can stay healthy if you keep him off the field. Both of his injuries were collisions at a base. I'm not sure if he was running or playing defense. If he was playing defense: I'm not surprised at all.

Sounds like he won't make in the IL then.

[Pat]

As a DH. The guy can stay healthy if you keep him off the field. Both of his injuries were collisions at a base. I'm not sure if he was running or playing defense. If he was playing defense: I'm not surprised at all.

In '86 he played 158 games at SS. In '87 he made 112 starts at SS. In '88, he was basically a full-time DH. I figured after two decently-healthy years in '86 and '87, a year as a DH would have him fresh and rested. The guy lasted about three Spring Training games before being lost for five months.

[Carlos]

In '86 he played 158 games at SS. In '87 he made 112 starts at SS. In '88, he was basically a full-time DH. I figured after two decently-healthy years in '86 and '87, a year as a DH would have him fresh and rested. The guy lasted about three Spring Training games before being lost for five months.

I don't know what it is about him. He just finds injuries. I put him at DH because I feared he'd get hurt again. I also thought that maybe he'd be fine in Washington. A full year off his knees, a chance to play solid defensively all over again. He has a number of DWIs - yes, I just used that - so putting him out there is never a bad move.

If it makes you feel better, O'Fallon never really got it going. He had an amazing last week, but I waited five months for that.

[Pat]

I don't know what it is about him. He just finds injuries. I put him at DH because I feared he'd get hurt again. I also thought that maybe he'd be fine in Washington. A full year off his knees, a chance to play solid defensively all over again. He has a number of DWIs - yes, I just used that - so putting him out there is never a bad move.

If it makes you feel better, O'Fallon never really got it going. He had an amazing last week, but I waited five months for that.

Yeah, I'm familiar with injury-riddled players. I thought on a one-year deal, coming off a season long clean bill of health, he would have been able to play at least half a season, not a quarter.

--

It does make me feel better. It also makes me feel better that I don't have a contract like that left on the books. Oh wait...Dave Robbins....

[Jake]

We surprisingly took care of business, taking 3 of 4 from Dallas, who were nipping at our heels. The series contained a 25-1 drubbing reminisent of the beat down we put on Indy a few weeks back. Pilsners my bitches!!!

Just kidding. For as much as we compare ourselves to the Stout we sure are sharing some damn similar storylines. Division leader goes up 8 games, third place team who was probably out of it pulls off a strong week to get back in the WC race...

I hate that Clay is going to make the playoffs because it's likely to completely overshadow my possible first trip as well. Inevitably even I will end up talking about Clay more than my own team.

[Jim]

There's a meltdown brewing in Dallas. We're 16-21 over the last 5 weeks. Playing close to .400 baseball won't get it done. It's a good thing we had a nice lead but now that Brode's out for the season (AGAIN!) I'll probably be waving the white flag too pretty soon.

[Matt]

I also thought that maybe he'd be fine in Washington. A full year off his knees, a chance to play solid defensively all over again.

Is there any truth to any of this or are we over analyzing the game? Would OOTP recognize for an injury prone player a year off in the field?