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07-05-2003, 11:30 PM
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#1 | ||
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n00b
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Muncie, IN
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CH's 591st Comeback to FOFC! OOTP5 Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs 2003
Hi everyone--I've been lurking once again for a long time, and thought that I'd stop in and post an OOTP5 manager dynasty just to get back into things. Summer break has left me with too much free time than I could ever need, so this dynasty may actually move relatively quickly. I ("Lenny Lyon") will take over the Chicago Cubs of 2003, mired in a slump of mediocrity. OOTP5's manager mode is very fun to play in, and the initial one-year contract is always incentive to give it a good run. House rules will be few, as I feel that OOTP5 gives enough of a fight to challenge. To put things on an even playing field, I have disabled the coaches/scouts system--it is way too easy to stockpile the top twenty prospects on one team if you have a great scout and another team doesn't. I have also disabled injuries, so that I don't have to waste time tending to things that don't interest me. One thing to note, though, is that most teams start out with initial injuries to some players. These remain present. I choose to have balanced skills as far as hitting/pitching go, and a special knack for negotiation skills. My 1-year, $500,000 contract comes with the expectations of finishing above .500 in this upcoming season. My owner is rated as very patient, so I should be all right even if I come up a few games short. I won't use any house rules on trades, as it will be interesting to see if OOTP5 can prevent me from getting ahead of the game. The team cash maximum is $999,999,999. There is no salary cap. Arbitration is enabled, as is the concept of refusing assignment to the minors. MLB teams and rosters will be used. With that stuff out of the way, we go to our initial roster overview. I plan to trade like a madman, as our team doesn't appear to have any real shot at winning a pennant within the next couple years. Last edited by Cornhuskerly : 07-05-2003 at 11:31 PM. |
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07-05-2003, 11:47 PM
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#2 |
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n00b
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Muncie, IN
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Roster Overview--Pitchers
Starting Pitching Overview
Hopefully, pitching will become our true strength down the road. We have a couple of key building blocks, and with some good drafting we could have a real strong staff. For now, it looks decent. Mark Prior : 22-y-o, 5*, R. Mark is one of the best young pitchers in the league. He isn't a true ace yet, but should still have great success this year. Kerry Wood : 25-y-o, 4*, R. Kerry is our second young gun. If he can avoid control problems, he has the potential to be a 20-game winner. At 6'5", 220, Wood will be our #2 starter, and could move up to the #1 spot if Prior struggles. Shawn Estes : 30-y-o, 3*, L. Shawn is a decent lefty to have around. He isn't a long-term solution, but at 3 stars still can't be considered a weakness. He will be our #3 starter. Carlos Zambrano : 21-y-o, 3.5*, R. Zambrano has the potential to be a very solid #2 or #3 solid for in the future; for now, we will have to suffer through occasional control problems and occasional shellings. Hopefully we'll see some improvement out of him this year. Carlos could be anywhere from our #3 to #5 starter this season. Matt Clement : 28-y-o, 3*, R. Matt is a very balanced, inexpensive pitcher who should have some success for us this year. The balance throughout our rotation is something that will hopefully keep us in the playoff hunt. |
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07-05-2003, 11:55 PM
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#3 |
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n00b
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Muncie, IN
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Help would be appreciated on how to post links to the player HTML reports--I'm obviously not having any luck.
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07-06-2003, 12:13 AM
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#4 |
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n00b
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Muncie, IN
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Relief Pitchers Preview
Our relief pitching has been an ancient source of frustration for Cubs fans, but with the addition of Mike Remlinger, this should at least have some hope. I have nixed the convenient and good-looking HTML reports for now.
Closer- Mike Remlinger: 37-y-o, 5*, L. Mike will start out as our closer, but would be most effective as a lefty setup man. We'll see if we can wheel and deal for a top-notch closer eventually, but Mike has some of the best ratings on the whole team. Righty setup- Dave Veres: 36-y-o, 3.5*, R. Dave is another well-balanced pitcher who should have an ERA in the low 3's and be a consistant setup man for Remlinger. Dave's days are numbered, however, as his age seems to be catching up with him. Lefty setup- Mark Guthrie: 37-y-o, 4.5*, L. Mark is another aging but solid setup man. He is very good trade bait if we fall behind and a team in another division needs a little relief help down the road. He'll see limited action as a lefty setup man, but hopefully he'll be successful when he actually does get in. I'll finish these up tomorrow--my bed is calling me. I'll apologize in advance just in case these previous ramblings have made as much sense as a town drunk after a few hours in a bar, but I felt the need to get this puppy started. |
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07-06-2003, 09:03 AM
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#5 |
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n00b
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Muncie, IN
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Relief Pitching Continued
We now pick up where I had left off.
Middle relievers Joe Borowski: 31-y-o, 3.5*, R. Joe is a guy who hasn't proven much on the major league level yet, but has the ratings to be a solid guy for the 6th and 7th innings. He is a strikeout pitcher with only two pitches; a fastball and a split. Juan Cruz: 24-y-o, 3.5*, R. If Juan can take it to the next level, then we'll see the potential that everyone knows he has. He'll see plenty of innings as a middle reliever, but may be too young to handle real responsibility in the pen. Kyle Farnsworth: 26-y-o, 2*, R. I'm not ready to give up on Kyle yet, as he has brilliant talent in avoiding hits and throws the ball with some real heat on it. If he's not done developing, you're looking at a guy who could really be a force out of the pen in years to come. Next up: A look down on the farm |
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07-06-2003, 09:22 AM
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#6 |
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n00b
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Muncie, IN
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2003 Pitching Prospects
AAA Iowa
John Webb: 23-y-o, 3.5*, R. Our scout gives John a solid 3.5 stars, but his ratings are by all means horrendous. His stars will be used to either land us a veteran down the stretch or another prospect in a package deal. Todd Wellemeyer: 24-y-o, 2.5*, R. Todd will be a fairly good pitcher, but still needs a few years to develop and is already 24. Todd may be a callup if one of our relievers stinks it up early. Ben Christiensen: 25-y-o, 3*, R. Ben never lived up to his first-round-draft-pick expectations when the real-life Cubs drafted him, but he may be of some use to us. Once again, he's not going to be a front-line starter or even a good #3, but I like the depth we're showing throughout the farm. Others... Rick Hill: 23-y-o, 3*, L. Matt Brubeck: 24-y-o, 3*, R. AA West Tennessee Carmen Pignatiello: 20-y-o, 4.5*, L. Carmen could be the best prospect in the entire system, but he still has a ton of developing to do, even at this level. He still has plenty of years to grow into the #2 starter I envision him as. Francis Beltran: 23-y-o, 4.5*, R. Francis is a reliever who has the potential to be a closer but would be better suited as either a setup man or trade bait. He is fairly well-developed for being in AA, but not for being 23. I'd like to have him in the bigs in a year or two. Angel Guzman: 21-y-o, 4*, R. Angel is another potential starter for us down the road. He isn't overpowering, but will keep the ball down and get easy outs. He is developing nicely and could be up to AAA later this season. Others... Aaron Krawiec: 24-y-o, 3.5*, L. Wilton Chavez: 24-y-o, 3.5*, R. Steve Smyth: 24-y-o, 3.5*, L. Chadd Blasko: 22-y-o, 3*, R. A Daytona Luke Hagerty: 21-y-o, 4.5*, L. Luke will be a top-notch starter if we can get him to devleop as planned. His commanding presence and ability to strike players out will lead to great success. Luke is 6'7". We'll leave him alone in the minors for this year. Bobby Brownlie: 20-y-o, 4*, R. Bobby is another player who could make an impact at the major league level down the road. His ratings are already showing some signs of life. Others... Russ Rohlicek: 23-y-o, 3.5*, L. Jae-Kuk Ryu: 19-y-o, 3.5*, R. Renyel Pinto: 20-y-o, 3.5*, L. |
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07-06-2003, 09:38 AM
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#7 |
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n00b
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Muncie, IN
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Position Players Preview
Here's the team
Catcher Damian Miller: 33-y-o, 2.5*, R/R. A defensive catcher who will get the starting nod. Paul Bako: 30-y-o, 1*, L/R. First Base Hee Seop Choi: 24-y-o, 4.5*, L/L. Will get the nod against righties; should be a force for years to come. Eric Karros: 35-y-o, 1*, R/R. An aging veteran who makes over $5 million per year. We'd love to ship him off to any team that wants him. Second Base Mark Bellhorn: 28-y-o, 3*, S/R. Mark broke out last year, and with his contract running out this year, we've got to make a decision. He could be a trading deadline castoff or a middle-of-the-lineup slugger for us. It could depend on how much he asks for. Mark Grudzielanek: 33-y-o, 1.5*, R/R. Can hit for average, but is by no means worth over $3.5 million. Third Base Alex Gonzalez: 28-y-o, 2.5*, R/R. When you have a mediocre shortstop starting at third base and making a lot of money, you know something is wrong. We'll be looking into Blalock, Beltre, Lowell, or anyone else who would be an upgrade. Shortstop Ramon Martinez: 30-y-o, 2.5*, R/R. Ramon is a versatile, inexpensive player who should hit for some pretty good average numbers. (Gonzalez, obviously, also plays SS) Left Field Moises Alou: 36-y-o, 2.5*, R/R. Ahh! Trade! Trade! Lenny Harris: 38-y-o, 1*, L/R. Troy O'Leary: 36-y-o, 1*, L/L. Center Field Corey Patterson: 25-y-o, 3*, L/R. C-Pat is a piece for the future who may move to left field eventually. This will hopefully be a breakout year for him. Tom Goodwin: 34-y-o, 2*, L/R. Tom can play all three outfield positions, steal 50 bases, and is cheap. The prototypical backup outfielder. Right Field Sammy Sosa: 34-y-o, 5*, R/R. Our legendary slugger in a contract year. We're at a crossroads. |
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07-06-2003, 09:55 AM
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#8 |
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n00b
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Muncie, IN
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Pre-season Acquisitions
It's time to hit the trading block, and I want to hit it with a vengeance. Here's a short list of who I want gone:
Here's a short list of our needs (it could be longer  )
We'll begin by shopping Karros and Grudzielanek together, and then go to Alou. |
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07-06-2003, 11:41 AM
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#9 |
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n00b
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Muncie, IN
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Pre-season Trades
We head out onto the open market. Teams are surprisingly open to acquiring Grudzielanek and Alou, but Karros is an absolute no-go. We shop Alou first, and Texas seems relatively interested. I pursue Mark Teixeira, a five-star third base prospect who is ready for the majors now. They want a lot, but in the end we work out a deal...
Cubs get 3B Mark Teixeira (21-y-o, 5*, S/R) from Rangers for LF Moises Alou (36-y-o, 2.5*, R/R), P Steve Smyth (24-y-o, 3.5*, L/L), 1B Dave Kelton (23-y-o, 3.5*, R/R), and 3B Brendan Harris (22-y-o, 3.5*, R/R). Deal Analysis: We get our man in Teixeira, but not without a hefty price. Kelton is their main catch, as he would have been a good contributor at the major league level. Harris doesn't matter since we have Teixeira, and Smyth could still be a nice starter for the Rangers, who are desperate for pitching help. This frees up room to potentially pursue other players who might have bigger contracts. --- Next we shop around Grudzielanek, and jump when Minnesota offers us catcher Joe Mauer. Joe has the potential to be a .310/20/95 guy, as well as being an outstanding catcher. Cubs get C Joe Mauer (19-y-o, 4.5*, L/R) from Twins for 2B Mark Grudzielanek (32-y-o, 1.5*, R/R). Deal Analysis: I couldn't be happier with this one. Grudz will be useful for the Twins, but Mauer could really be an impact player for us a few years down the road. This deal won't pay immediate dividends, but it could prove to be a very important one once Mauer develops. --- Now, I shop for bullpen help. I don't have anyone really in mind here, and almost pull off a deal for Billy Wagner. However, I move to Los Angeles, and they are offering closer Eric Gagne (who is good--but not great--in this game) for a relatively inexpensive price. I pull the trigger, as we lose a couple more prospects but gain immediate help. Cubs get CL Eric Gagne (27-y-o, 5*, R/R) from Dodgers for 2B Matt Creighton (24-y-o, 3*, R/R), 2B Bobby Hill (24-y-o, 4.5*, S/R), and P Mike Sirotka (28-y-o, 2.5*, L/L). Deal Analysis: I'm very happy to acquire Gagne. Hill and Creighton were our two future second basemen, but neither was a true blue-chip prospect; however, losing Hill wasn't an easy things to do. Sirotka will challenge Wilson Alvarez for a rotation spot in LA, and Gagne will challenge Remlinger for the closer spot here in Chicago. --- I then pull a minor deal, swapping solid outfield prospects with Baltimore. This was more due to our lack of a left fielder than anything. Cubs get LF Jack Cust (24-y-o, 4.5*, L/R) from Orioles for RF Nic Jackson (23-y-o, 5*, L/R). Deal Analysis: Cust needs to develop quickly. Jackson was the heir to Sosa's right field throne, but there was too much uncertainty. Time will tell if this was the right move--both players have true star potential. --- Another small deal here with Cleveland, as we dump Alfonseca's salary and pick up a mediocre option at left field. Cubs get LF Chris Magruder (25-y-o, 3*, S/R) from Indians for RP Antonio Alfonseca (30-y-o, 2*, R/R). Deal Analysis: Magruder could be a pretty decent catch for us. He's at 5/4/5 right now (for those of you who don't play OOTP, that's hits/homers/drawing walks) and has average to good talent across the board. Alfonseca cost too much and wouldn't have made a significant impact on our team anyway. --- Thus concludes our preseason dealings. Here's a brief overview: We Get
We Lose
I tried to swing a deal for Octavio Dotel, but it would have meant parting with Estes, and we don't have a sixth starter now that we've traded Sirotka. To clear roster space, I also deal Lenny Harris to KC for a pitching prospect. Overall, I think that our team is improved. More deals will probably come in response to how our season begins. |
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07-06-2003, 11:47 AM
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#10 |
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n00b
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Muncie, IN
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Final Pre-season Overview
Staff
1- Mark Prior 2- Kerry Wood 3- Shawn Estes 4- Carlos Zambrano 5- Matt Clement Closer- Eric Gagne Setup- Mike Remlinger, Joe Borowski Middle Relief- Guthrie, Veres, Cruz Defense C- Miller 1B- Choi 2B- Bellhorn 3B- Teixeira SS- Martinez LF- Magruder CF- Patterson RF- Sosa |
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07-06-2003, 11:59 AM
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#11 |
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n00b
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Muncie, IN
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March 2003 Report
March record: 4-4
Total record: 4-4 Position: 3rd, 1 GB Houston/Pittsburgh ERA: 2.34 Avg.: .188:o Pros: Pitching. Gagne has been lights-out, the starters have been solid, and we've kept in games. Cons: .188?!?! Choi is the only person hitting above .219. We get swept to start out the year, so 4-4 isn't too bad of a start. Sosa crushes his 500th home run in the opener against Philadelphia. |
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07-06-2003, 12:26 PM
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#12 |
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n00b
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Muncie, IN
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April 2003 Report
April record: 17-11
Total record: 21-15 Position: 1st, 3 games ahead of Pittsburgh ERA: 3.30 Avg.: .250 AL recap: Boston is simply crushing any opponent it faces--at 30-6, it has easily accumulated the best record in baseball. Oakland and Seattle are tied for the lead in the West, while surprising Kansas City leads a mediocre AL Central. New York is the wild card leader, but at 24-12 has the second-best record in the American League. NL recap: Our Cubs lead in the NL Central, which has only one team above .500. Arizona is cruising at 27-9, while Philadelphia leads the East. A disappointing Atlanta team is already seven games back at 17-19. San Francisco is also disappointing, as they are in last place in the NL West. Pros: Our offense is starting to hit its stride, with Choi plummeting but everyone else steadily improving. Our pitching staff continues to dominate, with the fourth-best ERA in the league. Gagne (3-0, 1.69 ERA, 8 SV) continues to shut down opposing hitters. Magruder is over .300. Cons: Choi is now under the Mendoza line after a fast start. Cruz has been brutal, with an ERA in the skies. Our team has combined for an embarrassing ten stolen bases, good for 27th in the league. Too bad our deal for Luis Castillo fell through. I begin contract negotiations with Sosa and Bellhorn. Sosa is asking for almost $15 million a year for a whopping five years. If we keep winning, it would be hard not to sign him, but I worry about having a 40-year-old making that much money. Bellhorn gives me a "let me hear your offer", which I don't like. Extension negotiations are very delicate in this game. We head to May with a shrinking lead in the division, but with high hopes nonetheless. |
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07-06-2003, 01:00 PM
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#13 |
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n00b
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Muncie, IN
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May 2003 Report
May record: 10-18
Total record: 31-33 Position: 3rd, 2 games behind Houston ERA: 3.83 Avg.: .243 AL recap: Boston continues to play .700 ball, but is only three games up on the hot Yankees. Kansas City is pulling away from the rest of the Central, and Seattle has grabbed a three-game lead atop the West. Anaheim is now below .400, as the defending champions have fallen on very difficult times. NL recap: The NL Central is a mess, with just three games separating the top four teams. Meanwhile, Arizona and LA are in a two-horse race out west, while New York is surprisingly just two games behind division leader Philadelphia in the East. The San Diego Padres have the worst record in baseball. Pros: Our pitching staff is still holding up fairly well, but is now showing signs of weakness. Gagne has blown four saves and is down to 4.5*. Oh, wait, this is pros? Well, in that case, the lineup is showing signs of life. Cons: This month was absolutely horrible. Our lineup can't get leads, our bullpen can't hold leads, and we've fallen below the .500 mark, which jeopardizes my job. Terrible. I sign Bellhorn to a relatively inexpensive 4-year, $3.75 million/year extension. I also lock up Veres, Gagne, Cruz and Guthrie. Sosa came down to $14 million before rebounding to $15.5 million. This next month will be crucial for our team's future. June Amateur Draft The order is horribly messed up for some reason, so we pick about twentieth, but we make the most of it... RHP Ryan Smith, 5* 2B Brian Snyder, 4* RHP Cain Byrd, 4.5* RHP Ian Kennedy, 4.5* July should be an important month in many ways. |
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07-06-2003, 04:22 PM
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#14 |
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n00b
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Muncie, IN
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June 9th: Deals, deals, deals
June 9th. Our team is clearly on the fall, with no offense and a mediocre pitching staff. Here are the deals I've pulled, including two very risky ones with division rivals also in the playoff hunt:
Cubs get P Paul Henry from Orioles for OF Troy O'Leary. Henry is a decent young relief prospect. So sue me, this one wasn't very big. O'Leary refused assignment to the minors, so rather than to take the monetary hit by releasing him, I shipped him to needy Baltimore. Cubs get RP Octavio Dotel from Astros for CL Mike Remlinger and SP Todd Wellemeyer. Mike was having troubles and unhappy about not closing, so I shipped him along with a good prospect for Dotel, who could be one of the top relievers in the league. Cubs get 2B Luis Castillo from Marlins for SS Alex Gonzalez, SS Ramon Martinez, and RP Joe Borowski. After moving Bellhorn to short, this patches our lineup and gives us some speed. However, it leaves a gaping hole in an already suspect bullpen, so... Cubs get RP Francisco Cordero from Rangers for OF Jackson Melian. Melian was a pretty good prospect, but nothing to cry over. Cordero fills a hole. Cubs get LF Albert Pujols from Cardinals for RF Sammy Sosa, SP Matt Clement, SP Zach Greinke, SP Renyel Pinto, and RF Jason Dubois. This is the one that could really cost us. After Sosa stormed out of our contract negotiations, I knew that we had to make a move. With newly signed Orlando Palmeiro moving to right, Pujols will hopefully make up for a lot of the production that will be gone with Sammy. The prospects will bolster the Cardinal system, but this was a move that had to be made. Losing Clement also hurts, so I signed free agent Ryan Rupe. Pujols and Castillo were signed to extensions. I signed Jose Vizcaino to be our backup shortstop. We'll see how our team responds, as well as how the division race will be altered by St. Louis acquiring Sosa and Clement. Hopefully, we'll be a better team. edit: June. Not July. June. |
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07-07-2003, 12:52 PM
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#15 |
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n00b
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Muncie, IN
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June 2003 Report
June record: 11-13
Total Record: 42-46 Position: 4th, 4 games behind St. Louis ERA: 4.31 Avg.: .256 AL Recap: New York has now taken over the AL East, passing Boston for a slim one-game lead. Both teams are currently almost locks for a playoff spot. Kansas City is pulling away from the rest of the AL Central; meanwhile, Seattle holds a slim three-game lead over Oakland out west. Tampa Bay is surprisingly in third place, albeit 21 games back. NL Recap: After acquiring Sammy Sosa from the Cubs, St. Louis has surged to a three-game lead in the Central; however, four teams still have a legitimate shot at taking that division. Arizona has exploded with an eleven-game winning streak, and now leads the West by a solid six games over Los Angeles. The Mets have now bypassed Philadelphia and appear to be pulling away. Pros: Our pitching staff is doing reasonably well, with Zambrano having the best ERA on the staff. After Ryan Rupe was sent to the minors (0-3, 8+ ERA), newcomer Frank Castillo has a shot at keeping the #5 starting job. Pujols and Castillo are doing well. Cons: Our road winning percentage is below .400. We continue to be unable to hit the ball on a consistant basis, and many of our pitchers have ERAs over four or five. July will be an important month to right the ship. Other than Castillo, there is no big news as far as transactions go for the moment. |
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07-07-2003, 02:10 PM
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#16 |
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n00b
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Muncie, IN
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July 2003 Report
July record: 14-13
Total record: 56-59 Position: 3rd, 5 games behind St. Louis ERA: 4.24 Avg.: .255 AL recap: Seattle leads Oakland by just two games in the West. Both teams have had great months and, if New York or Boston collapses, could even get in as a wild card. Kansas City holds an eleven game lead over second-place Minnesota, while Boston has pulled in front of the Yankees by two games. Pedro Martinez has an absurd 2.16 ERA along with 262 strikeouts. NL recap: St. Louis and Houston have emerged as the frontrunners in the Central, while Chicago and Pittsburgh are struggling to get to .500. Arizona leads by seven games over Los Angeles; the Dodgers are still in position to get the wild card, however. Hot New York now leads the Phillies by six games, while the disappointing Braves are in the midst of a nine-game losing streak, knocking them out of any sort of playoff contention. Pros: Prior has finally settled down, and along with Zambrano he is keeping our rotation in decent shape. Eric Gagne has regained old form. Albert Pujols is a machine, and we are also seeing contributions from Castillo, Choi, Bellhorn, Teixeira, and new right fielder Orlando Palmeiro. Cons: Wood, Estes, and Castillo are rarely keeping us in games. Our bullpen continues to slump, especially Mark Guthrie. Our pitchers are allowing the most walks in the entire league. We send 1B/LF Jack Cust to Seattle for 5* pitching prospect Glenn Bott. No other deadline deals were worth our time; I almost pull off a deal for Berkman from Houston, but they want Bellhorn, Choi, and an A-list prospect. August features a three-game series with the Cardinals, as well as one against the Astros--the last time we will see either of these teams all year. A six-game winning streak would be rather helpful once those roll along. |
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07-07-2003, 03:40 PM
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#17 |
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n00b
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Muncie, IN
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August 2003 Report
August record: 18-10
Total record: 74-69 Position: 2nd, 6 games behind St. Louis ERA: 4.13 (10th) Avg.: .255 (18th) AL recap: Kansas City appears to be the only sure bet to make the playoffs, as the Royals lead their division by double-digits in games. The Yankees, 3 games behind the Red Sox, are tied with Oakland, 5 games behind Seattle, for the wild card berth. The league has four teams with .600 winning percentages or better. NL recap: St. Louis appears to be in full control of the Central, as Sammy Sosa has exploded and now is only one home run away from having the league lead. Arizona has pushed its lead over LA to a solid ten games, while the Dodgers fight with the loser of the Philadelphia/New York battle for the wild card (PHI leads by a single game). Florida's Tim Spooneybarger has the surprising league lead with 43 saves. Pros: We get our season back on track, and now appear poised to easily meet our .500 goal and possibly even challenge St. Louis. Pujols continues to tear the cover off the ball, and Choi and Teixeira are now both at or above .260. Prior's ERA is down to 3.72, with Zambrano's at 3.17, Dotel's at 2.73, and Gagne's at a razor-thin 2.54. Patterson is over .300. Cons: It appears to be too little, too late. The Cardinals manage to stay one step ahead of us at all times, and we don't have the firepower to make a serious run. With only 19 games left, it appears that we will have another long winter in Chicago. |
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07-07-2003, 03:48 PM
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#18 |
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n00b
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Muncie, IN
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September 2003 Report
September record:
Final record: 84-78 Position: 2nd, 7 games behind St. Louis ERA: 4.16 (10th) Avg.: .258 (17th) AL Playoff Berths Kansas City (AL Central champs; 95-67) vs. Boston (AL East champs; 104-58) Oakland (WC; 100-63; won 1-game playoff vs. NYY) vs. Seattle (AL West champs; 104-58) I like Boston to roll over KC, and Oakland in the short series against Seattle. I'll take Oakland in the ALCS as well. NL Playoff Berths St. Louis (NL Central champs; 91-71) vs. Arizona (NL West champs; 104-58) Los Angeles (WC; 93-69) vs. New York (N) (NL East champs; 94-68) My pick: Arizona over LA. Season wrap-up coming after the World Series. |
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07-07-2003, 06:43 PM
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#19 |
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n00b
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Muncie, IN
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Post-season Preview
NLDS: St. Louis vs. Arizona
St. Louis Cardinals Top hitters... RF Sammy Sosa (.275-52-134) 1B Carlos Pena (.270-34-118) CF Jim Edmonds (.318-34-112) 3B Scott Rolen (.280-33-119) Top pitchers... RHP Matt Morris (15-8, 3.89, 229 IP, 195 K) RHP Woody Williams (17-11, 3.33, 245.2 IP, 164 K) RHP Jason Isringhausen (35 SV, 2.11, 55.1 IP, 52 K) Wild Card... LHP Oliver Perez (10-16, 4.57 ERA, 210.2 IP, 158 K) Notes... Impact players 2B Brandon Phillips (from Indians for Matt Clement), 1B Carlos Pena (from Detroit for Alex Ochoa), and Oliver Perez (from SD for prospects) are all solid young players acquired for mediocre talent. They give the Cards a nucleus for the future and could play a huge role in the upcoming series. Arizona Diamondbacks Top hitters... LF Luis Gonzalez (.312-20-91) 1B Josh Phelps (.275-27-118) RF Danny Bautista (.335-21-80-15) Top pitchers... RHP Curt Schilling (17-5, 2.82, 249.1 IP, 305 K) LHP Randy Johnson (14-9, 2.80, 234.1 IP, 344 K) LHP Mike Myers (39 SV, 2.74, 65.2 IP, 41 K) Wild card... Can the D-backs lineup generate enough runs? Notes... Rookie Chris Capuano is the Diamonbacks' third starter; he had a 2.79 ERA. The Diamondbacks' bullpen is absolutely horrendous, with Myers being the only one with an ERA under four. NLDS: LA vs. New York (N) Los Angeles Dodgers Top hitters... RF Shawn Green (.275-48-133-22) 3B Adrian Beltre (.304-21-88) CF Dave Roberts (.301-3-37-68) Top Pitchers... LHP Odalis Perez (21-9, 3.17, 247.1 IP, 190 K) RHP Roy Halladay (17-11, 3.16, 262.1 IP, 203 K) RHP Paul Shuey (42 SV, 2.64, 75 IP, 89 K) Wild card... Setup-men Alfredo Gonzalez (5.55 ERA) and Rick Roberts (6.87) could have huge implications. Notes... Beltre and Roberts are the only players hitting over .300 for the Dodgers. Green is the only Dodger with 22 home runs or more. The Dodgers have all five starting pitchers with ERAs in the 3's; however, with the three-man rotation, this won't help much. New York Mets Top hitters... C Mike Piazza (.271-30-99) LF Cliff Floyd (.292-28-93) 2B Roberto Alomar (.308-13-68-35) Top pitchers... LHP Al Leiter (13-8, 2.73, 237.2 IP, 209 K) LHP Tom Glavine (14-12, 3.82, 221.2 IP, 134 K) RHP Armando Benitez (33 SV, 3.09 ERA, 75.2 IP, 79 K) Wild card... The Mets are horrible from the #6 spot down...can the top pick up the slack, or will Perez and Halladay make the Mets losers? Notes... The Mets have a superb bullpen, with nobody's ERA even remotely close to four...the Mets have the fourth-highest payroll in baseball. Last edited by Cornhuskerly : 07-07-2003 at 06:54 PM. |
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07-07-2003, 07:15 PM
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#20 |
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n00b
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Muncie, IN
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Playoff Preview
ALDS: Kansas City vs. Boston
Kansas City Royals Best hitters... RF Vladimir Guerrero (.319-49-114-43) CF Carlos Beltran (.276-23-106-62) 1B Mike Sweeney (.296-27-101) Best pitchers... RHP Jeff D'amico (14-5, 4.49, 180.1 IP, 163 K) LHP Joe Kennedy (9-16, 4.50, 228 IP, 159 K) RHP Jason Grimsley (41 SV, 2.77, 81.1 IP, 51 K) Wild card... Their rotation is one of the worst I've ever seen on a playoff team. Notes... The Royals raided their farm system for Guerrero, who will be a free agent at season's end. Ugueth Urbina is their setup man, so plan on winning in the first seven innings. Boston Red Sox Best hitters... RF Manny Ramirez (.305-42-117) SS Nomar Garciaparra (.299-24-99) CF Johnny Damon (.297-16-88-60) Best pitchers... RHP Pedro Martinez (19-4, 2.33, 254.2 IP, 367 K) RHP Derek Lowe (17-14, 4.00, 229.2 IP, 177 K) RHP James Durocher (22 SV, 2.89, 56 IP, 43 K) Wild card... Tim Wakefield and his 5.11 appears to be the only dark spot on this team, which should overcome his occasional start to steamroll past the Royals. ALDS: Oakland vs. Seattle Oakland A's Best hitters... SS Miguel Tejada (.281-40-121) 3B Eric Chavez (.264-38-123-15) 1B Erubiel Durazo (.299-49-135)  Best pitchers... LHP Barry Zito (14-8, 2.73, 274 IP, 227 K) LHP Mark Mulder (17-12, 4.59, 233.1 IP, 146 K) RHP Keith Foulke (35 SV, 2.91, 74.1 IP, 66 K) Wild card... Mulder and Hudson struggled during the season, so it'll be crucial that they rebound to win non-Pedro games. Notes... This team is absolutely loaded with talent; however, this could be the last run for shortstop Miguel Tejada, who will become a premier free agent at season's end. Seattle Mariners Best hitters... CF Mike Cameron (.255-23-85-44) RF Ichiro Suzuki (.353-10-97-44) 2B Bret Boone (.257-29-112) Best pitchers... RHP Freddy Garcia (17-9, 3.06, 249.2 IP, 162 K) RHP Rafael Soriano (14-12, 4.20, 199.1 IP, 136 K) RHP Kazuhiro Sazaki (47 SV, 2.86, 72.1 IP, 80 K) Wild card... Rookie Allan Simpson, who has seen only limited action (7-0) at the major league level, will now put his perfect record on the line in the playoffs. Notes... The Mariners released Edgar earlier in the year for refusing assignment to the minors. |
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07-07-2003, 07:24 PM
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#21 |
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n00b
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Muncie, IN
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Postseason Results
St. Louis over Arizona (9-2, 5-2, 6-2)
New York (N) over Los Angeles (0-6, 3-1, 0-8, 3-0, 7-3) Oakland over Seattle (9-1, 4-1, 7-4) Kansas City over Boston (7-5, 1-19, 13-7, 2-4, 6-4) Boston's James Durocher blows saves in games one and five. |
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07-07-2003, 07:27 PM
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#22 |
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n00b
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Muncie, IN
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LCS Results
St. Louis over New York (N) (4-3, 2-3, 7-12, 4-3, 1-3, 6-5)
Oakland over Kansas City (17-0, 13-12, 6-2, 3-2) |
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07-07-2003, 07:30 PM
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#23 |
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n00b
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Muncie, IN
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World Series Results
St. Louis over Oakland (1-0, 1-4, 5-8, 5-2, 4-1, 5-2)
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07-07-2003, 07:37 PM
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#24 |
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n00b
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Muncie, IN
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Team Season Wrap-up
Lenny Lyon Career Report
Wednesday, 12/15/2003 Career Statistics: Year Team W L PCT GB Pos Note AVG OBP SLG OPS HR SB RS RA Diff ERA K BB HRA OAVG Chicago (N) Financial Report Wednesday, 12/15/2003 Category This Year Last Year Chicago (N) Minor League Report Wednesday, 12/15/2003 Iowa Cubs AAA Team, Record: 70-68 ROSTER Player Pos Age Scout Comments Note: I'm not expecting you guys to read all of this; however, if some of you guys like watching how players develop over the course of a dynasty, I intend to give you a great opportunity here. League Standings Report Wednesday, 12/15/2003 AL Standings
I'll continue this in just a few seconds... |
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07-07-2003, 07:42 PM
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#25 |
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n00b
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Muncie, IN
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Team/League Report, continued
LEAGUE NEWS
Wednesday, 12/15/2003 Monday 3/24/2003 :
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