Front Office Football Central - View Single Post - I always wanted to be a GM...An OOTP2007 Dynasty

Young Drachma · 04-02-2007, 12:55 PM

PREVIEW: AUSTIN V. VIRGINIA

If I were scheduling this in real life, the best-of-three game Wild Card Series would be an entire road series for the team with the worse record. All three games if necessary.

But since I'm not, it won't be that way.

The Aviators and Giants tied in their season series at 3 games apiece. The Aviators feature a punishing lineup ranging from rightfielder Brendan King, who can do it all. He noticed 39 steals this year, hit 41 HRs and 115 RBI. In fact, the team has four players with over 100 RBI and two others with 50+ steals.

On the pitching side of the house, the Aviators team ERA of 4.81 was 2nd in the National League this year. Johnny Sampson, who played for Virginia last year and was traded after the waiver deadline (BEFORE I ARRIVED!?!) led the team with 165 strikeouts this season and 34-year old Rich Crockett led the team with 14 wins.

On the flip side, the Giants LED the National League in team ERA with 4.78, 2nd in Starters ERA and 4th in Bullpen ERA.

Offensively, the team led the league in stolen bases, but was at the bottom of the league in home runs -- making Tyler James' heroics in the one game playoff that much more remarkable.

The team will suffer with mashing third baseman Wosene Lamaalem out for the rest of the year with a ruputured disc in his back, but in only 79 games with the team his homers were off and he had 20 fewer RBI than in Boston.

The team's top players including Aussie rookie of the year candidate Axel Collingridge whose 34 homers led the team. Allen Carlisle was panned as some as being a 32-year old waste of cash, but for the Giants, he's been a true Giant. His 30 HRs, 104 RBI were among the tops on his team and his league leading .372 batting average is the highest of his career.

For those who say that April doesn't matter, it's likely that this team's 18-9 start is the only reason they're in the playoffs. Down the stretch, they went an just better than average 39-34 from July until the end of the season.

It'll be interesting to see how this first Wild Card Series plays out. Criticism of the entire format claim that the best teams will be shut out of the World Series, making the process less interesting to fans. But all indications so far as that fans across the country are excited, as more baseball teams in history are eligible for the post-season than ever before. And given that there were six teams within striking distance of the playoffs in the final days of the season, anytime you can have fans of a team engaged down to the wire of the season, it's a good thing.

04-02-2007, 12:55 PM	#52
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	PREVIEW: AUSTIN V. VIRGINIA If I were scheduling this in real life, the best-of-three game Wild Card Series would be an entire road series for the team with the worse record. All three games if necessary. But since I'm not, it won't be that way. The Aviators and Giants tied in their season series at 3 games apiece. The Aviators feature a punishing lineup ranging from rightfielder Brendan King, who can do it all. He noticed 39 steals this year, hit 41 HRs and 115 RBI. In fact, the team has four players with over 100 RBI and two others with 50+ steals. On the pitching side of the house, the Aviators team ERA of 4.81 was 2nd in the National League this year. Johnny Sampson, who played for Virginia last year and was traded after the waiver deadline (BEFORE I ARRIVED!?!) led the team with 165 strikeouts this season and 34-year old Rich Crockett led the team with 14 wins. On the flip side, the Giants LED the National League in team ERA with 4.78, 2nd in Starters ERA and 4th in Bullpen ERA. Offensively, the team led the league in stolen bases, but was at the bottom of the league in home runs -- making Tyler James' heroics in the one game playoff that much more remarkable. The team will suffer with mashing third baseman Wosene Lamaalem out for the rest of the year with a ruputured disc in his back, but in only 79 games with the team his homers were off and he had 20 fewer RBI than in Boston. The team's top players including Aussie rookie of the year candidate Axel Collingridge whose 34 homers led the team. Allen Carlisle was panned as some as being a 32-year old waste of cash, but for the Giants, he's been a true Giant. His 30 HRs, 104 RBI were among the tops on his team and his league leading .372 batting average is the highest of his career. For those who say that April doesn't matter, it's likely that this team's 18-9 start is the only reason they're in the playoffs. Down the stretch, they went an just better than average 39-34 from July until the end of the season. It'll be interesting to see how this first Wild Card Series plays out. Criticism of the entire format claim that the best teams will be shut out of the World Series, making the process less interesting to fans. But all indications so far as that fans across the country are excited, as more baseball teams in history are eligible for the post-season than ever before. And given that there were six teams within striking distance of the playoffs in the final days of the season, anytime you can have fans of a team engaged down to the wire of the season, it's a good thing.