Another ITP Dynasty: OF Hall of Famer to be
 

Figured since Radii's doing it... :)

Pathetic skill level. Just playing it through - I've spent a couple seasons feeling out with pitchers, and this is my first real hitting-type prospect. Seems to be more to do with pitchers than hitters so far.

In 2003, OF Kevin Donnelly is drafted #1 overall by the Detroit Tigers.

CF Kevin Donnelly (6'1", 180 lbs)
5-star OF prospect
Bats: Left
Throws: Right

STR: 2
INT: 2
DEX: 5
CON: 2
CHA: 5
LUCK: 2
Personality: Team Captain
You are a big-hearted person, and enjoy being around other people. You always put the interests of the team first, and as such, are often regarded as a clubhouse leader (though a disgruntled few will refer to you as the owner's 'mascot' or 'cheerleader'). You are one of the game's "good guys", and teams will want you for your clubhouse leadership, even when your best years are behind you.

Contact: 11 (100 Talent)
Power: 1 (10 Talent)
Gap Power: 12 (90 Talent)
Batting Eye: 12 (90 Talent)
Defense: 90
Running Speed: 100
Stealing Instincts: 90
Hitting Lefties: 50

Started the season slow, spending a large chunk of my $3m signing bonus on books, focusing on "The Henderson Way of Stealing Bases". Hit about .220 or so for the first part of the season, but started coming on strong - by the end of July, "I"'ve been called up to AA with a .307 average, .349 OBP, and 60 steals (against 7 CS).

Spent a week in AA (.344 average, .417 OBP), and I've been called up to the big leagues at 19.

My first game in the bigs is on the road at Boston - I'm on the bench. I do get called in to pinch-run, and score a run in my first big-league appearance. I get my first start on 9/3/2003 at home against the White Sox - leading off and playing RF. I end up 0-3 with a walk and 2 Ks, but really I'm happy to have my free agent clock started. :)

I pick up another start at Toronto, another 0-3 game.

My third start is at Oakland, in CF and leadoff. I walk my first at-bat, steal second and am stranded. In the bottom of the second I make a hard charge and a diving catch in left-center... but tear a rib cage muscle, and I'm done for the season.

On the plus side, with an injury, I'm able to spend a lot of time drinking at the Sports Bar. After a few times through with the manager, I get my eye rating up about five points or so.

End of Season Ratings:

Contact: 24/100
Homerun Power: 4/10
Gap Power: 32/100
Batting Eye: 37/100
Defense: 94
Running Speed: 100
Stealing Instincts: 96
Hitting Lefties: 50

Bat: Cobbsville Bats GP1 (Gap +2)
Batting Gloves: Sweetspot Ltd. TX1 (Contact +1, Gap +1, Power -1)
Glove: Ozzie Apparel Fieldmaster (Defense +8)
Shoes: Pegasus Shoes (Speed +5)

$216,464 in my bank account.

Worst rookie card stats ever.

10 games, 0-9. Teehee.

Yep, I've got a rookie card!

It's got my A, AA, and ML stats on it. 0-9, 2 SB.

On the plus side, it's worth $0.06. Oh, and I'm back in Single-A to start the season.

My fielding stats from last year:

A: 120 G, 120 GS, 15 A, 237 PO, 5 DP, 0 E (1.000 FPct)
AA: 8 G, 8 GS, 1 A, 20 PO, 0 E (1.000 FPct)
MAJ: 6 G, 3 GS, 6 PO, 0 E (1.000 FPct)

I'm currently making a minor-league $250/week, and have $337k in the bank. Not enough to really look for books, so I'll let my development happen naturally this season.

Unlike Radii, I'm simming most of the games.

After hitting .313 with a .377 OBP in 12 games for the Single-A club, I'm called up to AA in mid-April.

On 4/24 I'm called back up to the big leagues.

AA stats: .414 Average, .452 OBP, 29 AB

First game up in the bigs, I'm starting in CF and batting ninth. First at-bat is a walk, second is a bunt single for my first hit in the Major Leagues.

I get a stolen base as well, and end 1-2 with a walk, a strikeout, and a SB.

We win the game 5-4.

5/5/04 - My best game to date, 2-4 with 2 runs. Current stats: .206 avg, .250 OBP, 4 SB

5/8/04 - 1-2, 3 R, BB. Hitting .238/.304, 6 SB

5/11/04 - .217 Average, .280 OBP, 6 SB. Sent down to AA.

Some words about the parent club - Detroit was 81-81 last season, second in the AL Central. At this point this season, they are third in the Central, with a 30-30 record, a game and a half behind Cleveland.

The starting CF in the big leagues is 25 y/o James King - King is hitting .248, with 4 HR and 17 RBI this season. King was the regular starter last season, and hit .217 with 10 HR.

Holy crap how are you hitting so well with those ratings?! My ratings are all in their 50s now and I'm doing well in AA but stinking it up in AAA :) Good luck, I'm definitely reading along!

I think it's the speed... not sure.

I'm at 7/17 now, still in AA. Hitting .320 - 81 hits, 15 doubles, 5 triples, and a homerun. 24 SB, and a .384 OBP.

Or it could have been a hot start.

On 8/31, I'm called up to the big leagues (the end of the AA season?)

AA stats: .286 average, 17 doubles, 7 triples, 3 HR, 41 RBI. 43 SB (.362 OBP)

Step right into the starting lineup from AA - leadoff and CF. Infield hit my first at-bat, and end up 1-4.

9/11 vs Texas: 3-5, 3 R, 2 K

9/15 vs Tampa Bay: 2-5, R. Season Average up to .247, and we move into first place in the division at 73-71.

9/20 vs. Anaheim: 1-4, R, RBI, with my first major league homerun

9/25 vs. Cleveland: 3-7, 2 R, 3 RBI, and another HR.

We lead Minnesota by 0.5 games, with 8 to play.

We then drop four straight to fall into third... but at 80-79 with five games to play, we are a half game behind of Cleveland and Minnesota.

10/2/2004: 1-2, 2 BB. Loss (80-80, 1.5 GB)
10/3/2004: Off Day (80-80, 1.5 GB)
10/4/2004: 0-4, 2 K. Loss (80-81, out of contention)
10/5/2004: 1-4, R, RBI. Win (81-81)
10/6/2004: 0-3, R, BB. Win (82-81)

Not sure where that extra game came from... but either way, we finish second in the AL Central for the second straight season.

The World Series goes to Boston - down 3-1 to Colorado, they win 3 straight to take it home.

My final stats for the season:


Fielding stats in the major leagues:
44 G, 44 GS, 5 A, 128 PO, 1 DP. 1.000 FAvg

Rookie Card Price: $0.97

Ratings:
Contact: 39/100
Homerun Power: 10/10
Gap Power: 50/100
Eye: 47/90
Defense: 97
Running Speed: 100
Stealing Instincts: 96
Hitting Lefties: 50

No $ to spend on books this season.

Looking good! My guy started the next season on the major league roster, and broke into the starting lineup in mid-april, so I don't feel so bad anymore! But you're right, the speed probably has a ton to do with it. I get a ton of steals w/ my stealing ability, but I'm not the fastest guy in the world. Good read so far, keep it up!

In the start of 2005:

Contact: 41/100
Homerun Power: 10/10
Gap Power: 54/90
Batting Eye: 47/90
Defense: 97
Speed: 100
Stealing Instincts: 96

I start the season in AAA - leading off and playing left field.

After a slow start in the first week, I'm hitting .282 on 4/14 when called up to the big leagues.

I step into the starting LF position, leading off.

4/17 v. TB: 2-5, 2 RBI, 2 R - first hits of the season

4/20: I'm hurt, again. Inflamed PCL, 6 weeks.

5/31: First game in over a month, in AAA for rehab. 2-4, 2 RBI, R

6/7: Called back up - no AB, but a R when pinch-running.

6/11: Hurt again! 5 days, bruised hand (day-to-day)

I have brought my OBP up to .300, and my Average up to .222 now, thanks to a 3-game hitting streak before getting hurt.

6/25: 3-4, BB, R - ups the average to .257, .333 OBP.

6/28: 4-6, 3 R, RBI against Minnesota

7/3: All Star Break

At the break, I'm hitting .255 with a .333 OBP. 6 doubles, 5 triples; all in under 100 ABs. Also 7 steals - projecting well to a full season of play, if I can ever stay healthy.

Defensively, still perfect.

And meeting the owner during the All-Star break, I talk him into a million dollars for new equipment! Woohoo, spending spree.

The new equipment doesn't help - right into a slump, and I'm hitting .205 just two weeks after the break.

7/22 : After striking out with a gorgeous 23 y/o at Fiddler's, I'm sent down to AAA. Bah.

8/1: Sweet-talk the owner out of another $770k, but still in AAA and slumping.

8/31: Called back up for the September run.

9/1: First game back - 2-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, and a walk against Texas.

9/20: 3-6, 4 R, 3 RBI, BB against KC.

We're 9 games out of the division lead and well below .500 - nothing much to play for this season.

Hm. I must be getting drunker than I thought, I just had drinks with myself in Fiddler's, and talked a lot about baseball.

The Houston Astros take the World Series over the Yankees in six.

My final stats for the season:


Fielding stats in the major leagues:
69 G, 65 GS, 1 A, 128 PO. 1.000 FAvg

A disappointing season, especially after the early injury.

Rookie Card Price: $4.46

Ratings:
Contact: 47/100
Homerun Power: 10/10
Gap Power: 57/100
Eye: 60/90
Defense: 98
Running Speed: 100
Stealing Instincts: 98
Hitting Lefties: 50

what the heck is ITP besides a baseball sim of some sort?

Start of 2006:

My arbitration contract is for $1,453,500.

Contact: 47/100
Homerun Power: 10/10
Gap Power: 61/90
Batting Eye: 61/90
Defense: 98
Speed: 100
Stealing Instincts: 98

I start out in the major leagues.

26 steals in a season with 55 singles+walks is amazing.

There were a few pinch-run appearances in there as well, but yeah... that plus defense should be my claim to fame. If I ever hit .300+ in a season, there's a definite shot at 100 SBs.

Although I'd love to see what would happen with those stats in a rotisserie league - a .196 average, but tons of steals... what a conundrum. :-)

Sounds like the pitcher I once read about that had strikeouts or hits...nothing else. LOL

4/22/06: 4-6, R, RBI v. Anaheim: First solid game

April Stats:

.216 Average, .315 OBP, .656 OPS
12 SB (12 singles, 14 BB)

However, I've been caught 7 times for a 63.2 success rate.

5/8/06: 3-4, RBI v. Toronto

May Stats:
.226 Average, .313 OBP, .629 OPS
23 SB (leads league) - on 56 singles/BBs.

Made my first error in LF sometime in May. Boooo.

Argh!

Finally starting to turn things around in June - sitting on a league-high 13-game hitting streak, bringing my average up to .243. Hurt again - broken finger. 4 weeks to heal.

I'm making a change - slicing way down on my strength training and more flexibility to try and cut down on these injuries.

I'm activated from the DL on 7/11. Really don't get back into the swing of things - my average drops to about .235, and only one steal for the month of July.

...and I get a phone call. But not the one I was expecting. I'm not going to AAA, I'm going to Chicago.

Traded to the (last place) Chicago White Sox!

Traded from Detroit to Chicago (A) on 7/29/2006 (Going to DET: P H. Vega, LF R. Marquette. Going to CHA: LF K. Donnelly)...

Vega is a 28 y/o SP making a shade under $7m this season. Was an All-Star in 2003 with Houston, and is 91-54 with a 3.38 ERA for his career. Very, very good pitcher (Absolutely no resemblance to Roy Oswalt. Really.)

Marquette is a 21 y/o A-ball LF.

7/29 is my first game as a White Sock - 2-4 with a run. In fact, it's not until my eighth game that I go hitless - bringing the average back up to .250 in the process.

By the end of August, the average seems to have settled in the .240ish area, and I tie for the league lead in steals on the final day of the month.

Final Statistics: 2006

Missed this one someplace.

ITP is a single-player baseball sim put out by OOTP developments in which you take a single player and play him through your career, rather than following a single team.

Check out http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/itp/ for more.

The Chicago White Sox finished in third place in the American League Central - 72-90. We finished 26 games back of the first place Minnesota Twins (98-64).

The Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Twins 4-0 in the World Series.

AL MVP: 1B Leonard Holloman (CLE) - .369/.470/.667, 42 HR, 118 RBI
NL MVP: RF Lawrence Sears (MON) - .341/.412/.675, 49 HR, 143 RBI

AL Cy Young: SP Miguel Garcia (TOR) - 20-5, 2.26 ERA, 134 K
NL Cy Young: SP Paul Camacho (CHN) - 21-2, 2.17 ERA, 329 K

AL Rookie: CF Keith Almanza (ANA) - .267/.327/.503, 28 HR, 78 RBI
NL Rookie: 2B Andrew Oldham (CIN) - .248/.309/.406, 14 HR, 49 RBI


Rookie Card Price: $14.71

Ratings:
Contact: 62/100
Homerun Power: 10/10
Gap Power: 61/90
Eye: 71/90
Defense: 99
Running Speed: 100
Stealing Instincts: 98
Hitting Lefties: 50

Start of 2007:

My arbitration contract is for $3,012,857.

Contact: 67/100
Homerun Power: 10/10
Gap Power: 64/90
Batting Eye: 78/90
Defense: 99
Speed: 100
Stealing Instincts: 98

I start out in the major leagues.

After my first mostly-full season in the bigs, I'm ready for a breakout.

My goals for this season are a .260 average, .350 OBP, and 70 steals.

I start the season as the leadoff batter and starting left fielder.

In-Game Ratings:
Contact: 71
Power: 10
Eye: 78
Gap: 71
Speed: 105
Defense: 107

April, 2007:
First batter of the season is me - and a base hit single into right field. First pitch I'm off and running, and steal second base. Stranded on third to end the inning, though, and we lose the game 4-3.

Aside from that at-bat, I start the season awfully slow. I end April batting .228, with a .313 OBP and 12 SB. Of course, the team is only 8-18, and 9 games out of first. Two more seasons with the Sox and I'm a free agent, can't wait.