OOTP Blitz 25: Solo RTS meets Moneyball

Young Drachma · 10-30-2024, 03:22 PM

Seems I might have finally found a dynasty format that I can sustain for a bit, or at least this is the idea. Having done all of the typical DC-type things in this world I'm currently playing including moving teams around, screwing up histories and adding hella international leagues all over the world, it's currently 2061.

I've been using this save for a few OOTP versions, it started in 2024 where I retired all of MLB and refilled it with entirely fictional players of my own making, then gradually started adding international leagues to make it work for me more.

I'm starting a new OOTP dynasty with a twist - using a "Blitz" format (akin to chess) that transforms the game into something closer to real-time strategy. Apparently I did this back in 2015, too.

Back then, it was fast-sim style so I played without injuries and I was aiming to get through an entire season in 15 minutes. I wouldn't do that now, I'm more interested in the strategy and also, I played the season with injuries now to create more randomness.

Instead of micromanaging every detail, I'll have just 6 moves per season
(15 minutes each)

The Format

- 6 moves per season (15 minutes each)
- High injury rates during regular season
- Talent Change Randomness: 150+
- Limited intervention creates organic storylines
- Both teams share the same move pool

TIME VIOLATION SYSTEM:*

First Violation:

- Lose next available move
- Highest rated healthy player suspended 30 days

Second Violation (Same Season):

- All penalties from first violation
- $10M budget penalty next season
- Must make a positive countermove for division rival

I'm planning to take over two teams, I was going to do both in MLB but ended up deciding not to. We'll be with the Cardinals and the San Juan team in the Federal League.

The St. Louis Cardinals(MLB)

- Last World Series: 2011
- 15 playoff appearances since 2023
- Only 2 division titles in that span
- Goal: Restore this storied franchise to its former glory
- No financial constraints besides the $150M salary cap

The San Juan Toucans(Federal League)

- Never posted a winning season since 2051 inception
- Operating under strict $25M salary cap
- Perfect laboratory for extreme Moneyball tactics
- Initial strategy: Complete teardown and rebuild

Like I said, this is a different world. MLB has 36 teams. More on those later.

The World of 2060

This universe features a rich tapestry of international leagues, from the winter ball powerhouse in St. Lucia to the emerging talents in the African-based Federal League.

MLB sits atop the pyramid with 36 teams, but talent flows globally through:, here's what the rest of the world looks like:

Quote:

- Federal League (Africa's premier competition)
- Traditional powers (Japan, Korea, Cuba)
- Emerging markets (India, Australia, Central Europe)
- Winter major leagues (St. Lucia, Mexican)

Will the Cardinals return to October glory? Can the Toucans find success through analytics? Can I manage both teams effectively with such limited moves?

Let's find out.

First move coming soon...

Young Drachma · 10-30-2024, 03:24 PM

PRE-MOVE 2061
I want to get the Cardinals into contender status sooner than later. The last 3 years ahve not been good, despite a mid-table payroll, they’ve won 73, 68 and 81 games respectively. It doesn’t help that the 20-team playoffs have gone away and we’re back to just 12 teams, so they can’t even sneak in substandardly.

It’s been an absymsal few decades for a once-venerable franchise in baseball, since 2023 here’s how things have gone, 15 playoff appearances, 4 division titles (2024, 2025, 2034, 2046) and zero NL pennants. Nearly 50 years without a World Series appearance is hard to imagine and yet, that’s where the Cardinals in this shifting baseball universe.

We’re going to build on what they have using our moves.

The San Juan Toucans meanwhile have been all over the place, they went from Atlantic City to Montreal and now in San Juan for the last 4 years. They have the 4th lowest payroll in the federal league, next year almost no one on this team is under contract after 2061 season, so they’re a perfect team for a rebuild. I’ve spent almost no time in the Federal League besides occasionally looking at players, so it’ll be very weird to figure out how to build a winning team there without spending money.

My goal is partially to get better at this analytics shenanigans in 2024, while IDing some weird thing I want to arbitrage around, sign players like that and then see if it works or not. It’s purely an experiment and I don’t particularly care if they win or not, though it’d be fun if we’re able to do that over time. For this first season, I’m going to conserve most of my time by letting San Juan mostly operate on auto-pilot, but I’m not going to sign any of their existing players to new deals, I might make trades to get rid of guys since everyone is in a walk year save for the prospects and aggressively tank while I get a sense of what I want to do with this team.

We’re going to use our first season (2061) to focus on the Cardinals and getting them back into shape.

Young Drachma · 10-30-2024, 03:29 PM

2061 SEASON LOG
St. Louis Cardinals (MLB) & San Juan Toucans (Federal)

OFFSEASON LOG 1 - NOV 17, 2060
Time Remaining: 1:35

CARDINALS MOVES:
- Signed St. Lucia MVP IF/OF Pinwheel Brown (23)
- Landed Japanese CF Monta Matsui (32) - 7y/$216M + $32.5M posting
- Added veteran IF depth with Rodriguez (34), 2y/$5.2M
- Inherited AI signings: RP Avery, SS Lindblad

TOUCANS MOVES:
- Flipped Hite/Burnett to St. Lucia for SP Mejia
- Committing to full rebuild, minimal intervention

OFFSEASON LOG 2 - JAN 4, 2061
Time Remaining: 4:27

CARDINALS MOVES:
- Landed SP Urban Henry after protracted negotiations
- Final terms: 5y/$232.9M
- Sets rotation anchor for contention window

COUNTERMOVE 1 (81s):
- Signed C Smokey Gonzales (Cuban League) for the Toronto Blue Jays
- Blue Jays emerging as potential AL threat
- Due to some past history silliness on my part, Carolina & Toronto had mixed up histories, so I swapped all their players back and changed the franchise names for 2061.

More Notes:
- Henry signing depleted remaining budget
- Playoff roster taking shape
- Will monitor winter league FAs for mid-season depth
- Toucans rebuild on hold during Cardinals push

SEASON LOG 3 - April 27, 2061

CARDINALS (21-17, 2.5 GB)

TEAM NOTES
The interesting thing about playing this way, is knowing how far to let things go early in the season. We have the highest payroll in baseball thanks largely to the Urban Henry signing, but we also inherited a few outfielders the Cardinals had who are on overpriced contracts relative to their performance, but they're young guys and I suspect they wanted to lock them up early. I'd hoped to sim through to the draft, but I needed to stop in and at least see how the team was doing.

One of them is 28-year old LF Spencer Van Doren (.282/.383/.483, 141 wRC+, 3.4 WAR in 2060) who is in the 1st year of an 8-year $156.3 million extension that he signed the year before we got here. He won a Gold Glove in 2056 and a Silver Slugger in 2057, but I think he strikes out too much. A Cardinals 1st rounder (21st overall) in 2055, he's clearly delivered on his promise as an in-house talent, but I think I can get recoup some value for him if packaged in a deal whether it's prospect capital or fixing our problem with catching. I don't love that we're using him as a leadoff hitter.

I decided to make some lineup changes, something I don't normally do because I want to assess what sorts of moves I want to make before the All-Star break when the Federal League is over and there are some guys on the market. We don't have any money to spend, but if I can move an expensive outfielder contract, I can free up some cash to really fix the offense. As composed, this team could miss the playoffs and that's a really bad idea.

Offensively, the team is doing okay, we're 3rd in the NL in Batting WAR (7.1) to start out the year, 6th in Defensive efficiency and our starters ERA is 3rd (3.13). Where we're struggling is the bullpen, currently 12th (4.28) and so I'm going to want to look at fixing that. I think the bottom of the lineup is also really struggling, as I have defensive guys holding down the fort (Catcher Ray Van de Veer .240 SLG & SS Justin Lindblad, .212 OBP)

I don't allow myself to make trades before mid-May, it feels a bit unrealistic.

I have 3 moves left this season, the draft will be one of them and I'll try to sim to the All-Star break within that same timeframe just so I have a sense of where we are. If I have any time left, might start shopping some guys, but it might not work out.

I'll use a move at the trade deadline for sure and then we'll have to save one last move for September in case we're in a situation where we need it because the team is in a pickle or there are injuries I need to account for. It's not clear simming whether that's the case, which is a bit problematic.

TOUCANS (28-40-4, 14 GB)

TEAM NOTES
The FL season is wining down, it ends in late May and the Toucans are poised for another last place finish in the WL East Division. The trade I made this off-season for SP Algenis Mejia, whose last major league appearances came with the Cubs back in 2054 and spent the last six years in St. Lucia paid off. The 35-year old ace has navigated leading a bad team pretty well, going 5-10 with a 3.51 ERA/88 FIP-, 1.3 WAR and 12 QS, despite abysmal run support (1.8 RSG) by our anemic offense. He's a guy that might provide some stopgap support during the MLB season once he's a free agent after the FL season ends.

Young Drachma · 10-30-2024, 07:10 PM

SEASON LOG #4, MAY 15, 2061

CARDINALS (34-20, 1st in NL Central)

On balance, it worked out how I was hoping it would. I did some lineup reconfiguring and it worked. I moved Spencer Van Doren from leadoff to 3rd in the lineup, he's now batting cleanup but it worked extremely well with Japanese import Monta Matsui (.288/6 HR/25 RBI) having a respectable for MLB season and playing leadoff for us. St. Lucian star Pinwheel Brown is our leading hitter (.335/12 HR/40 RBI) and bats 3rd. First baseman Chase Zuniga leads the NL in RBI (51) and is on track for a 4 WAR season.

Offensively, we're among the Top 5 in the NL outside of HRs including Runs scored, OBP, OPS and WAR. Pitching remains our strength as our starters lead the league in ERA, but our bullpen needs a lot of help, currently 11th in the majors in ERA.

DRAFT NOTES
I stopped to look at the draft. One of the things I did during the recent iterations of this save before I opted for this format was to improve the intake of Latin American players into the game. For whatever reason, I had far fewer Dominicans coming through my league in the last 20 years, so I wanted to rebuild that link, as well as fix the Puerto Rican baseball pipeline, as I have fond memories of that from the 80s.

That said, it initially created a wave of very young talented Dominican players entering the majors all a bit too young and I've had to actually make them a few years older so I don't have a glut of 18 year old super players proliferating my league and turned on an 18 year old age limit to MLB.

Anyway, the Dominican players and Puerto Rican players are all part of the draft, as part of my robust feeders pipeline in-game that stocks enough players for an 80-round draft (I miss that about baseball, too.)

KEY DRAFT PROSPECTS
The Cardinals had the 18th pick, there are some decent college prospects in here but two standouts from the DR are the ones I'm most interested in. Oscar Regalado, a starting pitcher who I think would be a very valuable bullpen arm for us right now. He spent the last 3 years at Texas after not being drafted out of HS. College stats are fickle for pitchers in this league, but he had a 7.7 K/9, 108 ERA+ and 1.54 WHIP.

OF Leuri Ramirez, who was actually the 6th overall pick in 2058 by the Giants, but he failed to sign. He had a great college career winning National Player of the Year in 2059, an All-American selection and .390/.464/.776 slash line with 160 wRC+ this past year at the University of Washington.

DRAFT RESULTS (MOVE #4)
We ended up picking Regalado, it's just not everyday you have someone with 5 pitches ready go and with our bullpen woes right now, I don't really have the luxury of taking a bat that might take a while to adjust to major league pitching.

I was going to use a countermove to keep Ramirez out of the NL, but it seems like for whatever reason, the AI absolutely hates guys who have difficult signability and prefer prospects with lower potential. I think this is a flaw based on the fact that my leagues play with higher than average ratings, and the game doesn't really know what to do with it, but it's still not logical behavior.

Nonetheless, we're past the supplemental round and into the 2nd round and another 16 teams pass on Ramirez, meaning that I'm indeed going to take him. The AI wanted me to take Arizona State OF A.J. Barringer, who hit .470 during his senior year of HS, but didn't make the lineup at ASU.

NEXT STEPS
Drafting used all of my 4th move, so we're down to two moves left this season to get me through a hopeful post-season appearance for the Cards, I hope the offers I made were good enough to get everyone on board, as I won't be able to waste another move trying to make another offer.

Given that Van Doren is playing so much better, I'm less inclined to move him, that contract is a bargain relative to his production, though he'd be worth a haul on the open market. We really need to improve our offense at catcher and middle infield, unless we're just going to double down on defensive options, but all we can really hope to do is look at the market.

I'm going to be simming all the way to the trade deadline or nearby, to see if we can bolster the lineup for a post-season run. We use a ladder style playoff system, and we currently are fighting the New York Mets for the top seed, there's a strong incentive to win as much as possible because 1) rust doesn't exist in OOTP and 2) it means fewer games we have to play to potentially win a World Series.

TOUCANS UPDATE
Still in last place, I haven't checked in on them this move, I'll focus on them in the off-season and I might cut them loose for now, it's a lot easier to manage just one club and the Federal League job is so different and I don't enjoy the context switching. I think at some point I'll add a 2nd club because I like the challenge and the different lens, but I need to get a better handle on this first club before I do that.

I have a separate GM profile for them anyway, so I'll just resign when the season is done.

Young Drachma · 10-30-2024, 10:41 PM

COUNTERMOVE, JULY 4TH 2061

CARDINALS (60-35, .5 GB, +6.5 WC)

I stopped to do a countermove to check things out, wanting to stall on actually making moves until closer to the deadline.

I decided to look at teams very far out of the race to see if there are some moves I could make on behalf of a team but doing so swiftly, given that we don't get a lot of time you really only get one deal to make to scope out.

In this case, Montreal (53-42) is 7 GB in the NL East and .5 GB in the Wild Card race. Even though they're my competition, I'd love to get them into the post-season if we can, so I went trolling from the out of contention teams to bolster their situation, except they are 31st in farm system so it'll be tough to help them out.

They acquired three players from Boston for prospects including SP Calvin Reitmeier (4-7, 3.61), OF Gabe Braithwaite (.380 SLG) and infielder Christian Wood. They needed some depth and this should help, though not sure it'll be enough to get them into the post-season.

LEAGUE STANDINGS - JULY 4, 2061

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Eastern Division
Team W L PCT GB
Toronto 56 44 .560 -
Baltimore 52 50 .510 5.0
Cleveland 51 50 .505 5.5
New York 46 54 .460 10.0
Boston 43 58 .426 13.5

Central Division
Team W L PCT GB
Minnesota 58 43 .574 -
Carolina 54 47 .535 4.0
Milwaukee 52 49 .515 6.0
Detroit 49 51 .490 8.5
Indianapolis 40 61 .396 18.0

Western Division
Team W L PCT GB
Sacramento 57 43 .570 -
Seattle 51 49 .510 6.0
Portland 41 59 .410 16.0
San Diego 40 60 .400 17.0

Southern Division
Team W L PCT GB
Nashville 61 39 .610 -
Houston 53 47 .530 8.0
Texas 48 52 .480 13.0
Kansas City 43 57 .430 18.0

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Eastern Division
Team W L PCT GB
New York 63 38 .624 -
Montreal 56 45 .554 7.0
Philadelphia 56 46 .549 7.5
Washington 46 54 .460 16.5
Atlanta 37 63 .370 25.5

Central Division
Team W L PCT GB
St. Louis 64 37 .634 -
Cincinnati 63 37 .630 0.5
Chicago 54 47 .535 10.0
Louisville 45 56 .446 19.0
New Orleans 45 56 .446 19.0

Western Division
Team W L PCT GB
San Francisco 50 50 .500 -
Vancouver 49 51 .490 1.0
Los Angeles 47 53 .470 3.0
Arizona 46 54 .460 4.0

Mountain Division
Team W L PCT GB
Salt Lake 54 46 .540 -
Colorado 52 48 .520 2.0
Albuquerque 45 55 .450 9.0
Calgary 41 59 .410 13.0

Next Move: Trade deadline maneuvering, aiming for that crucial #1 NL seed for playoff positioning

Young Drachma · 10-31-2024, 03:32 AM

MOVE #5 - JULY 18, 2061
Cardinals (67-40, 1 GB, +8 WC)

I had to make my pre-deadline move here because I would prefer to see what's on the market and try to position us for some better usage out of whatever rentals I can get my hands on. One side effect of the smaller playoffs is that the trade market goes bonkers at this time of year.

With not a lot of time to do tons of shopping, I opt for just seeing what's on the trade block and who we can bring in. We could use additional offense, a bullpen arm or two and depth. Farm system is Top 5 now thanks to our recent draft picks, and I have a few players who we inherited from the old regime who are ready to get promoted and either would be good depth guys or trade bait, depending on which way I want to go.

We make a blockbuster with the struggling Padres (43-64) that brings us 1B Owen Nielsen (.251/.309/.414, 12 HR, 45 RBI in 90 games), CF Liam Bright (.244/.312/.364, 5 HR, 13 SB), veteran RHP Chase Benjamin (5-10, 5.30 ERA, with San Diego retaining salary), and C Ralph Judd (.140/.222/.217) for depth. We give up some interesting young talent but no elite prospects - two Single-A players with potential (LHP Garcia with a 1.50 ERA and 1B McGowan hitting .267), Double-A outfielder Jordan Avery (.309/.429/.436 with good speed), and two MLB-ready pieces in Jace Coulter (.250/.279/.312) and Julian Vo (.143/.143/.143 in limited time).

That deal didn't take long, so we still have another few minutes to see what else we might be able to do. Nothing really materialized, but I decided to shop 3B Terrance Adkins, a 20-year old who has not yet cracked the lineup — he's not ready — but would do well someplace he can develop and not on a contender where we need someone to fill a spot right now.

He's the 7th best prospect in baseball, so I can't just give him away, but I'm opting to sell high here rather than see if he's going to develop in a few years well after this window of winning might be gone. I don't know if anyone is offering me anything when I shop him worth moving him and we might just have to roll with what we have right now, I'm about out of time to figure something else out and it's not clear to me what else I can really do — realistically — without dealing a bunch of players and/or taking on bad contracts to do it. Rentals are cool, but I hate trading top prospects for them unless it's something truly elite.

[COUNTERMOVE]
I bought some time freezing the clock. Sacramento signed 30 year Cuban OF Kaka Machado, the Solons have been bouncing around Northern California and Vegas over the past few decades and they're now in 1st place in the AL West and this is a big moment for them to establish themselves, so I want to see if they can do it.

AMERICAN LEAGUE STANDINGS
Eastern Division: Tight three-team race with Toronto (56-50) leading Cleveland by 1.0 and Baltimore by 1.5
Central Division: Minnesota (60-48) leads Carolina by 3.5
Western Division: Sacramento (61-46) comfortable with 6.0 game lead on Seattle
Southern Division: Nashville (64-42) leading Houston by 6.0

NATIONAL LEAGUE STANDINGS
Eastern Division: Mets dominating at 69-39, 9.5 ahead of Philadelphia
Central Division: Cincinnati (68-39) leads us by 1.0, Cubs 9.5 back
Western Division: Giants (55-52) barely ahead of Vancouver by 2.0
Mountain Division: Salt Lake (57-49) leads Colorado by 2.0

These standings are particularly crucial because of our league's unique ladder-style playoff format. Unlike traditional MLB playoffs, teams face an increasingly difficult path based on their regular season finish:

The two worst qualifying teams meet in a single Wild Card game
The winner faces the next worst playoff team in another single elimination game
That winner advances to a Best-of-3 LES against the next team up
The survivor then faces a better seed in a Best-of-5 Division Series
Finally, whoever emerges from this gauntlet faces the #1 seed in a Best-of-7 LCS
The pennant winners then meet in a Best-of-9 World Series

This makes our current position (67-40) and the tight race with Cincinnati (68-39) and the Mets (69-39) absolutely critical. While we're safely in playoff position at 8 games up on the Wild Card, winning the division - and potentially claiming that #1 seed - would mean avoiding the brutal ladder climb through multiple elimination games

Young Drachma · 10-31-2024, 04:10 AM

MOVE #6 - JULY 25, 2061
Cardinals (71-41, +0.5, 2nd Seed)

I changed my mind about holding onto this move for late-season insurance. With our strong position - now leading Cincinnati by half a game and guaranteed the #2 seed in our ladder-style playoff format - I decided to be aggressive and use our final move before the deadline. We send Terrance Adkins (#5 prospect in baseball), along with two other Top 100 prospects in CF Dusty Fergus (#195) and 2B Olier Johansson (#99) to the Yankees in exchange for All-Star infielder Sandy Cook and veteran pitcher Joachim De Los Santos.

Cook (.324/.423/.470, 13 HR, 8 SB) is a significant addition - a 3-time All-Star having a 5 WAR season who can play multiple infield positions. He's arbitration eligible but controllable, making this more than just a rental move. We also got them to include De Los Santos (8-10, 3.84 ERA, 150 IP) in his walk year to add pitching depth.

The prospect cost is steep - headlined by one of baseball's elite prospects in Adkins - but this feels like the right balance between going for it now while still maintaining long-term stability. Taking Cook's arbitration rights means this isn't purely a win-now move, and his versatility gives us lots of lineup options.

The standings show why this move made sense - we've edged ahead of Cincinnati by half a game, the Cubs have fallen 8 games back, and we're actually ahead of everyone except the Mets (74-40) in winning percentage. Getting Cook could be the difference-maker in avoiding the longer playoff path through the ladder format.

I hate using our last move this early (July 25th), but sometimes you have to strike when the right deal presents itself. Between this and our earlier Padres trade, we've significantly upgraded the roster for the stretch run without mortgaging everything for rentals.

AMERICAN LEAGUE STANDINGS
Eastern Division: Toronto (59-53) holding slim lead over Baltimore (1.5) and Cleveland (2.0)
Central Division: Minnesota (63-51) ahead of Carolina by 2.0
Western Division: Sacramento (64-49) comfortable with 4.5 game lead
Southern Division: Nashville dominating at 69-43, up 7.5 on Houston

NATIONAL LEAGUE STANDINGS
Eastern Division: Mets pulling away at 74-40, 10.5 ahead of Philadelphia
Central Division: We've taken the lead (71-41) by half a game over Cincinnati (71-42), Cubs 8.0 back
Western Division: Giants (57-56) barely above .500 but leading
Mountain Division: Salt Lake (59-53) up 2.5 on Colorado

The Mets remain the team to beat overall, but we're sitting with the second-best record in baseball and in prime position to avoid the ladder format's gauntlet by securing one of the top seeds. The Yankees (52-60) being 7 games out in the AL East likely helped make them willing to deal Cook despite his strong season.

Young Drachma · 10-31-2024, 06:39 PM

LEAGUE REPORT, NO MOVES

The next sim we'll get is the post-season sim, which at least we know the Cardinals barring a collapse are headed to the post-season again, a triumph but also expected after spending like we did this off-season and coupling that with the players who were here already.

I don't know how the post-season will work out. On one hand, I want to run it fast-sim style where I set the rotation/lineup and then we run it all together at once without injuries on. Alternatively, I could feel like getting a bit more immersed and running it series by series could make the post-season feel more rewarding, I will be very annoyed if I could have made a strategic adjustment between series that would've helped things not go poorly in the end.

I'll ponder that later, though.

STATUS REPORT
September 16, 2061
CARDINALS: 99-62 (Tied for NL Central lead)

I'm not sure if my trade deadline gambit paid off or not. The team went 18-9 in July, but stumbled to 14-14 in August. We've been 9-5 this month, but I think most importantly I was building a roster that could survive a post-season run, and I feel like we have that. Joachim De Los Santos (0-3, 9.24 ERA in 3 G) has not had a good few weeks, and Sandy Cook (.236, .723 OPS) has also not been great, but I still prefer their veteran presence over a 20-year old. If I were manging more slowly, I'd have just gotten by with a veteran player and held onto the prospect, but in fast-sim it's just not worth being that precious.

Today is the last day of the regular season, we ended it -- fittingly -- with a 3-game series against the Cincinnati Reds. We've split this series and today, on Friday September 16th we'll play for the NL Central crown and the 2nd seed in the National League.

PLAYOFF BOUND
There are still a few races yet to decide, but many teams have punched their post-season ticket.

Sacramento and Seattle are battling for the AL West title, Detroit and Toronto hold 1 GB advantage on Houston for the AL Wild Card, with the Mariners two games back, meaning their only pathway to the post-season is through the AL West title.

In the National League, I mentioned the Reds and my Cardinals are tied at 99-wins apiece for the NL Central, the winning of their game today will win the division. Montreal won the other NL Wild Card. Salt Lake, San Francisco and the Mets won their respective divisions, the 88-win Phillies will miss the post-season.

GAME 163 DRAMA
One of the things I like about bringing in the 4-division era and limiting wild cards is bringing back the tiebreaker games. We’ll have 2 in the AL, both for the AL West title (Sacramento and Seattle both finished at 84-78) and a separate showdown for the AL Wild Card with (Toronto and Houston both at 85-77) Houston and Seattle will host. Winners will advance to the playoffs, losers will go home.

CARDINALS BACK IN THE POST-SEASON
We achieved our first aim, getting the Cardinals back into the playoffs for the first time in 4 years. This NL Central crown is the club’s first division title since 2046 and only our 3rd division title in 27 years. We’ll dig more into the club during the season summary after the post-season ends, but this is still great. I expected it, but the depth really made this year work despite the injury waves that hit.

TIEBREAKER GAMES
Both road teams won the tiebreakers, Toronto knocked off the Astros 7-2, and Sacramento won a nailbiter in Seattle, 1-0,

2061 REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS

Code:

AMERICAN LEAGUE STANDINGS
Eastern Division       W     L     PCT     GB
Baltimore Orioles      90    71    .559    -
Toronto Blue Jays      85    77    .525    5.5
Cleveland Guardians    78    84    .481    12.5
New York Yankees       74    87    .460    16.0
Boston Red Sox         66    95    .410    24.0

Central Division       W     L     PCT     GB
Minnesota Twins        87    74    .540    -
Detroit Tigers         86    76    .531    1.5
Carolina Pilots        82    80    .506    5.5
Milwaukee Brewers      81    80    .503    6.0
Indianapolis Arrows    68    93    .422    19.0

Western Division       W     L     PCT     GB
Sacramento Solons      84    78    .519    -
Seattle Mariners       84    78    .519    -
Portland Stags         78    84    .481    6.0
San Diego Padres       69    93    .426    15.0

Southern Division      W     L     PCT     GB
Nashville White Sox    93    69    .574    -
Houston Astros         85    77    .525    8.0
Texas Rangers          80    81    .497    12.5
Kansas City Royals     74    87    .460    18.5

NATIONAL LEAGUE STANDINGS
Eastern Division       W     L     PCT     GB
New York Mets          101   60    .627    -
Montreal Expos         94    68    .580    7.5
Philadelphia Phillies  88    74    .543    13.5
Washington Senators    68    93    .422    33.0
Atlanta Braves         61    101   .377    40.5

Central Division       W     L     PCT     GB
St. Louis Cardinals    100   62    .617    -
Cincinnati Reds        99    63    .611    1.0
Chicago Cubs           87    75    .537    13.0
Louisville Spires      74    87    .460    25.5
New Orleans Pirates    73    88    .453    26.5

Western Division       W     L     PCT     GB
San Francisco Giants   84    77    .522    -
Arizona Diamondbacks   80    81    .497    4.0
Los Angeles Dodgers    75    86    .466    9.0
Vancouver Angels       73    88    .453    11.0

Mountain Division      W     L     PCT     GB
Salt Lake Bees         87    74    .540    -
Colorado Rockies       78    83    .484    9.0
Albuquerque Coyotes    76    85    .472    11.0
Calgary Cannons        64    97    .398    23.0

Code:

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS AT CINCINNATI REDS
GAME ID: 15232 - FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16TH, 2061 - GAME LOG
     1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   R   H   E
St. Louis Cardinals (100-62)    0   0   0   6   0   2   1   0   0   9   12  0
Cincinnati Reds (99-63)         1   0   0   0   1   0   0   0   0   2   10  1

ST. LOUIS BATTING LINESCORE          CINCINNATI BATTING LINESCORE
Player             AB  R  H  RBI BB  K  LOB  AVG    HR  RBI    Player           AB  R  H  RBI BB  K  LOB  AVG    HR  RBI
P. Brown 1B        5   1  2   1   0   1   3   .331   26   84    R. Collins 3B    4   1  1   1   1   1   1   .282   14   65
S. Cook SS         5   0  1   2   0   1   3   .235   6    25    C. Rodríguez DH  4   1  3   0   0   0   2   .254   4    60
J. Cordero 2B, 3B  5   1  1   2   0   2   1   .375   17   97    A. Vazquez CF    2   0  1   0   2   0   0   .265   15   62
L. Ramírez LF      4   1  0   0   1   1   0   .294   17   64    B. Smith RF      4   0  1   0   0   0   6   .323   25   107
S. Van Doren CF    5   2  2   0   0   2   1   .280   24   74    D. Anderson C    4   0  1   1   0   1   3   .298   14   68
B. Amobi RF        4   0  2   1   0   2   1   .254   8    44    S. Joyce 1B      4   0  1   0   0   0   4   .270   22   72
M. Matsui 3B       2   1  1   1   0   0   0   .311   14   53    M. Curran LF     4   0  1   0   0   2   1   .271   22   88
   a-J. Husted PH  0   1  0   0   1   0   0   .179   3    11    T. Kinnett 2B    4   0  0   0   0   1   2   .234   8    38
   b-A. Rayburg    1   0  0   1   0   0   1   .154   1    4     M. Caines SS     4   0  1   0   0   1   1   .209   3    10
C. Zuniga DH       4   1  0   0   0   0   4   .239   16   64
R. Judd C          4   1  3   1   0   1   0   .172   5    12
Totals             39  9  12  9   2   10  14               Totals           34  2  10  2   3   6   20

ST. LOUIS PITCHING LINESCORE          CINCINNATI PITCHING LINESCORE
Player            IP  H  R  ER BB  K  HR  PI  ERA          Player             IP  H  R  ER BB  K  HR  PI  ERA
L. Willingham W   6.0 10 2  2   1   4   1   103 4.22       K. Yoshikawa L     3.2 5  6  3   1   4   1   55  4.20
E. Ramos SV       3.0  0 0  0   2   2   0   41  3.51       L. Gandarilla      1.2 2  1  1   1   4   0   34  4.29
                                                           N. Townsend        2.2 5  2  2   0   1   0   40  3.43
                                                           G. Koch            1.0 0  0  0   0   1   0   10  0.

FIXED THE SEEDING
I decided I don't like cheap division champions both getting into the playoffs AND skipping ahead of teams that won more games than them. So I'm keeping the ladder format, but I'll have to manually set the playoff matchups since OOTP automatically does it where wild cards are lower on the ladder than division champions.

Division champs do get home field if they play any wild cards though.

Here's the seeding for the '61 playoffs
AL
Nashville
Baltimore
Minnesota
Detroit
Sacramento
Toronto

NL
Mets
St. Louis
Cincinnati
Montreal
Salt Lake
San Francisco

Young Drachma · 10-31-2024, 06:54 PM

2061 PLAYOFFS

NL WILD CARD RD 1
San Francisco def. Salt Lake 2-0 (10)

AL WILD CARD RD 1
Toronto def. Sacramento 12-2

NL WILD CARD RD 2
Montreal def. San Francisco 1-0

AL WILD CARD RD 2
Toronto def. Detroit 3-1

NL ELIMINATION SERIES
Game 1: Cincinnati def. Montreal 13-1
Game 2: Montreal def. Cincinnati 7-4
Game 3: Cincinnati def. Montreal 7-1

AL ELIMINATION SERIES
Game 1: Minnesota def. Toronto 10-5
Game 2: Minnesota def. Toronto 4-3

So we're going to have another date with the Reds in the Division Series, not totally surprising or unexpected. We won the season series 11-9, besides knowing we're fresh and our rotation is largely intact, I can't really picture how this will go. We've been going back and forth all year, this one could go all 5 games.

Young Drachma · 10-31-2024, 08:33 PM

2061 PLAYOFF RUN - ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

NATIONAL LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES vs. CINCINNATI
Game 1: CARDINALS 2, Reds 1
- Urban Henry (W) goes toe-to-toe with Kennedy
- Logan Cash saves it in the 9th
- Small ball victory with no HRs

Game 2: CARDINALS 4, Reds 3
- Kelly Gibbons delivers strong start
- Cash gets another save
- Takes 2-0 series lead at home

Game 3: Cardinals 3, REDS 6
- S. Wallace outduels Benjamin
- Nielsen homers in loss
- Reds get back in series

Game 4: Cardinals 5, REDS 13
- Nightmare at Crosley Field
- Willingham roughed up
- Series evened at 2-2

Game 5: CARDINALS 6, Reds 4
- Henry goes 7 strong for second win
- Brown/Amobi/Cordero all homer
- Cash gets 2 huge innings for save
Series MVP: Pinwheel Brown

NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES vs. NEW YORK
Game 1: Cardinals 4, METS 6
- Regalado struggles early
- Brown hits two homers in loss
- Mets take home field

Game 2: CARDINALS 5, Mets 4
- Judd shocks with 2 HRs
- Nielsen adds key blast
- Cash saves Fawcett win

Game 3: Cardinals 2, METS 5
- Henry suffers first playoff loss
- B. Brown homers for Mets
- NY takes 2-1 lead

Game 4: CARDINALS 2, Mets 1
- Garner brilliant in spot start
- Small ball manufacturing runs
- Cash with clutch 2-inning save

Young Drachma · 10-31-2024, 10:23 PM

2061 PLAYOFF RUN - ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

NATIONAL LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES vs. CINCINNATI
Game 1: CARDINALS 2, Reds 1
- Urban Henry (W) goes toe-to-toe with Kennedy
- Logan Cash saves it in the 9th
- Small ball victory with no HRs

Game 2: CARDINALS 4, Reds 3
- Kelly Gibbons delivers strong start
- Cash gets another save
- Takes 2-0 series lead at home

Game 3: Cardinals 3, REDS 6
- S. Wallace outduels Benjamin
- Nielsen homers in loss
- Reds get back in series

Game 4: Cardinals 5, REDS 13
- Nightmare at Crosley Field
- Willingham roughed up
- Series evened at 2-2

Game 5: CARDINALS 6, Reds 4
- Henry goes 7 strong for second win
- Brown/Amobi/Cordero all homer
- Cash gets 2 huge innings for save
Series MVP: Pinwheel Brown

NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES vs. NEW YORK
Game 1: Cardinals 4, METS 6
- Regalado struggles early
- Brown hits two homers in loss
- Mets take home field

Game 2: CARDINALS 5, Mets 4
- Judd shocks with 2 HRs
- Nielsen adds key blast
- Cash saves Fawcett win

Game 3: Cardinals 2, METS 5
- Henry suffers first playoff loss
- B. Brown homers for Mets
- NY takes 2-1 lead

Game 4: CARDINALS 2, Mets 1
- Garner brilliant in spot start
- Small ball manufacturing runs
- Cash with clutch 2-inning save

Young Drachma · 10-31-2024, 10:58 PM

This series & team have made me appreciate playing games out more because of the control factor than I used to care about.

We lost the NLCS to the defending champion Mets (I had a save where we were up 3-2 but that got crashed)

Quote:

Game 5: Mets 2, Cardinals 0
Game 6: Mets 4, Cardinals 1

On one hand, it's a bummer I thought we could beat the odds this year. On the flip side, this is a team that we refurbished on the fly. There's still more work to do.

I'll do a comprehensive season summary, but on balance i'm okay with how this year went. The core will be back and I think that we can finish the job next year. This drought is a really awful thing for a once-proud franchise, but no one can look at this season and argue that we're anything but on the right track again.

Young Drachma · 10-31-2024, 11:14 PM

2061 WORLD SERIES
Minnesota Twins (88-74, 1st AL Central) (AL) v. New York Mets (101-61, 1st NL East) (NL)

Twins AL pennants: 9 (1965, 1987, 1991, 2032, 2034, 2035, 2041, 2043, 2061) World Series titles: 4 (1987, 1991, 2032, 2035)

Mets NL pennants: 11 (1969, 1973, 2000, 2015, 2024, 2025, 2026, 2045, 2058, 2060, 2061)
World Series titles: 6 (1969, 1986, 2024, 2025, 2060, 2061)

Quote:

GAME 1: Twins 5, Mets 3
GAME 2: Twins 6, Mets 2
GAME 3: Mets 5, Twins 4
GAME 4: Mets 3, Twins 2
GAME 5: Twins 5, Mets 1
GAME 6: Mets 3, Twins 2
GAME 7: Twins 9, Mets 3
GAME 8: Mets 3, Twins 0
GAME 9: Mets 3, Twins 0

The nine-game World Series is the truest test of mettle, in a sport that's a coin flip. No flukes in a 9-game test, you gotta get it done. Mets do that and get the repeat to end 2061 for their 6th title in franchise history, in their 100th season of Mets baseball.

Young Drachma · 11-03-2024, 09:00 PM

The Machine Awakens: The Cardinals return to the postseason
2061 Season In Review

The ghosts had grown restless in St. Louis. Four years of October silence - an eternity by Cardinals standards - had settled over Busch Stadium like an unwelcome fog. Not since 2057 had playoff baseball graced these grounds, and the drought had begun to feel less like an aberration and more like an identity crisis for baseball's proudest National League franchise. The last time the Cardinals had won 100 games, in 2015, most of their current roster hadn't been born.

But baseball, like life, moves in cycles. The 2061 Cardinals didn't just break their playoff drought - they shattered it with a thunderous 100-win campaign that announced the franchise's return to baseball's elite. Led by a rookie who seemed to step out of a baseball fever dream and a veteran pitcher staging his own renaissance, these Cardinals restored the shine to baseball's best-preserved machine.

Pinwheel Brown arrived in St. Louis with the kind of expectations that can crush young careers. He left his rookie season as an MVP, having achieved something no player in baseball history had done before: a .400 batting average combined with 123 stolen bases. The 24-year-old first baseman didn't just hit - he reimagined what was possible on a baseball field. Every at-bat became an event, every base hit a prelude to stolen base attempts that brought crowds to their feet.

"He's playing a different game than the rest of us," marveled teammate José Cordero, who authored his own breakout season with a .375 average. "The speed, the contact - it's like he's operating on a different timeline than everyone else."

But if Brown represented the future, Urban Henry was the bridge from past to present. At 37, the right-hander delivered one of the most dominant pitching seasons in recent memory: 22 wins, a 2.10 ERA, and 297 strikeouts. Paired with Kelly Gibbons (18-6, 2.33 ERA), Henry gave the Cardinals the kind of rotation frontline that had been missing during their playoff drought.

The regular season unfolded like a gradually building crescendo. The Cincinnati Reds pushed them to the final week, winning 99 games themselves, but the Cardinals' consistency - that old organizational hallmark - proved the difference. When victory 100 was secured in the season's final series, it felt less like an accomplishment than a restoration. This was, after all, what Cardinals baseball was supposed to look like.

October began with promise. They dispatched those same Reds in a tense Division Series, with Henry bookending the series with gems that recalled the franchise's greatest playoff moments. The New York Mets awaited in the Championship Series, and for a moment, it seemed the drought-breaking season might become something more.

But on a crisp October night at Citi Field, the dream ended. Domingo Durán spun seven masterful innings, limiting the Cardinals to just four hits and a single run. Rowan Kendrick, who would be named series MVP after hitting .391, delivered key RBIs as the Mets built their lead. When Leuri Ramírez doubled and scored on Sandy Cook's sacrifice fly in the seventh, it provided only momentary hope. The Mets' Hayden Hasenjager closed the door over the final two innings, and just like that, the season was over.

The sting of falling short will linger, but the broader picture remains bright. Brown's historic season signals the arrival of a generational talent. The farm system teems with promise - Asher Novak and Reggie Lozano headline a prospect group that should keep the pipeline flowing. Even the financial picture is robust, with attendance over 3.7 million justifying a payroll approaching $190 million.

Most importantly, the Cardinals rediscovered their identity. The lost years since 2057 had begun to feel like a new normal, the 46-year wait for another 100-win season a weight too heavy to lift. But these Cardinals proved that excellence, while never guaranteed, remains embedded in the organization's DNA.

As winter descends on Busch Stadium, the ghosts have grown quiet again. Not because they've been exorcised, but because they've been replaced by something more tangible: hope. The drought is over. The machine is humming again. And in St. Louis, that's always been enough to warm even the coldest offseason nights.

Young Drachma · 11-03-2024, 10:15 PM

Back to a 2nd team

After a year away from running a 2nd club, I'm going back in again. This time, I'm going to take over the Portland Stags in a parallel storyline. heading into their 30th season, the Stags were once an expansion success story, but the last few years ownership changed and they've stopped spending and developing in-house talent. they've made 12 playof f appearances in franchise history, won the NL pennant in 2044 before losing to the Angels in the World Series (then Anaheim, now Vancouver) but won the World Series in 2038 (NL) and 2051 (AL) and since then have struggled to gain a foothold, their last postseason appearance was in 2055.

i'm going to take them over as well, but the difference is, I'm only allowed to spend (for now) just 4.4% of the top team's payroll. We'll see what it's likely to develop players, make trades and arbitrage our way to a semblance of respectability knowing the team is at the bottom of the barrel. While I could obviously just go overseas and bring guys over, that'll only be allowed in years when the owner lets us spend more and I have a spreadsheet for this. Right now, the owner is cutting $35.8 million from our books and our team budget was set to $44 million for next year according to our sheet. It means I can't acquire anyone that costs money, we'll likely just trade anyone and go radically down for prospects and see where that lands us.

Luckily, my league has a vibrant pipeline of Latin American players who actually enter the draft, part of why St. Louis was good from the jump was two draft picks from the DR who were immediately able to join the lineup. Not sure if the next drafts will have anyone that useful, but I'm saying that this won't be quite as dire a situation as a real life in-game rebuild because I have lots of talent pathways around the world at my disposal, so long as I acquire them when they're cheap and trade them before they hit arbitration.

We'll see how long I can run with that parallel story line, but getting the run the Cardinals how I want should make it a bit easier.

For the Stags, the house rules will be much simpler:
- Cannot ever have a team payroll over 5% of the highest payroll in MLB
- Cannot sign or trade for a player with an OVR over 60
- Players 39+ in age are exempt

The idea here is mostly to see how well I can develop guys over the course of a storyline, something I've done in online leagues but not much in solo leagues because I don't usually run storylines like this for myself and keep track. I'm curious in my league that has so many players in international leagues, whether there's an arbitrage opportunity among those > 60 OVR players (I don't play with scouts, so ratings I see are accurate) and if it's possible with good defense, and targeting a particular kind of talent whether you can build a team that's more successful than they should be.

Because of the lack of other restrictions, I can throw the kitchen sink at different strategies and types of players to see how this plays out and it lends itself to playing fast, since we're gonna suck.

Here's what some Stags bloggers think of our current predicament

Quote:

Look, we all knew the Stags' ownership change was going to bring pain, but $44 million? That's not a budget, that's a dare.

Let's break down exactly what Portland's looking at here, because the numbers are wild. They've got $55.1M already on the books for 2062, which means they're going to have to shed at least $11M just to hit their mandated ceiling. That's before we even talk about trying to add any talent.
The most pressing issues:

Jaxson Tiller is about to get expensive. Like, really expensive. We're talking about a 23-year-old who just popped 39 homers, and his arbitration estimates start at $7.3M in 2064 and climb to $10.3M. In a normal world, you'd be extending this guy yesterday. In Portland's new reality? He's probably their best trade chip.

The League Minimum Legion: The Stags are carrying 21 guys at $900K, which sounds great until you look at their arb projections. Troy Goggans jumps to $4.6M in 2064, Marc McCoy to $5M, and Mel Johnson eventually hits $5M by 2066. Even Matías Santana, their 18-year-old prospect, projects to cost $7.5M by 2067.

The 2065 Nightmare: If they stood pat (they won't), their payroll would hit $94M in 2065. That's more than double their budget. The front office probably breaks out in cold sweats just looking at that number.

Here's what's fascinating: Portland actually has some interesting young talent. Goggans showed real promise, McCoy had 179 hits, and Yago Gonzalez (.313 BA) can clearly play. But they're going to have to get creative - and by creative, I mean "trade everyone before they get expensive."

The model here might be the early 2000s Cleveland teams who mastered the art of trading players two years before free agency, or the Tampa Bay approach of the 2020s where no one was untouchable if the price was right. But even those teams had more financial flexibility than these Stags.
The good news? Latin American talent still enters the draft in this league, which means Portland could theoretically find MLB-ready talent without the usual development costs. The bad news? Everyone else can too, and they can actually afford to keep those players.

We're about to watch one of the most fascinating experiments in recent baseball history. Can a team compete while spending less than 5% of what the big boys do? Can you build a winner when you have to treat arbitration like a death sentence?

The really wild part? Portland's done this before - kind of. They won it all in 2038 and 2051, made the Series in 2044. But that was with a real budget. This? This is like trying to build a house with popsicle sticks and hoping nobody notices it's not made of wood.

Get your popcorn ready. Whether this works or fails spectacularly, it's going to be one hell of a show.

Young Drachma · 11-03-2024, 10:42 PM

Here's St. Louis stats & financials. Yes, I deliberately overpaid Urban (Legend) Henry to sign here, I'd been watching him for a decade and wanted to take over a team years ago to sign him. I steered the trade from the Yankees to Texas I thought he could take the Yanks to a title but they didn't, so he went to Texas (with Mark Wleh) he led the Rangers to a title and now they're mostly trash too. When I saw he was going to be a free agent, I wanted the best storyline place for him to go.

He's what made me finally take over a team in this dynasty, so there was never going to be another place for him to go. It was amazing restraint that I just overpaid for him rather than just intervene and put him on my roster.

Van Doren, Willingham and Amobi were all signed to their deals before I got here. I almost traded Van Doren last off-season, but I held on and his value is even more now so he's for sure going out the door. Willingham was a former ace who has seen better days, he's far too expensive as a bullpen guy, I kept him for a year though as a spare part in case injuries arose or for the post-season, he was useful but not $15.8m useful with a player option. Amobi is very young, I think the Cardinals locked him down early to ensure he could be a cornerstone of their rebuild, but I think it was a massive overpay for a kid that hadn't proven anything yet.

Moving them would recapture part of nearly $50m in payroll that I could deploy elsewhere, the 3 of them are about a combined 5 WAR, I feel like I can find that on the open market for that price. I haven't decided whether they'll be prospect dumps -- we're 22nd in the organization ranks -- or whether I'll try to find someone who can fill in gaps to help out.

Van Doren is the prize of the 3, he could command a very nice prospect haul if that's what I wanna do.

Anyway, here's the details on the Cardinals:

Code:

Name 	Age 	T 	OVR 	POT 	W 	L 	rWAR 	WAR 	ERA 	ERA+ 	FIP- 	SIERA 	G 	SV 	QS 	CG 	SHO 	IP 	HR 	BB 	K 	AVG 	BABIP 	WHIP 	HR/9 	BB/9 	RSG 	WPA 	ZR
Urban Henry 	38 	R 	80 	80 	22 	9 	11.5 	8.9 	2.10 	199 	67 	3.11 	33 	0 	28 	21 	5 	274.0 	17 	96 	297 	.192 	.255 	1.04 	0.6 	3.2 	4.7 	5.1 	1.5
Kelly Gibbons 	24 	R 	80 	80 	18 	6 	8.5 	5.4 	2.33 	180 	81 	3.52 	31 	0 	23 	2 	0 	228.1 	22 	49 	193 	.222 	.262 	1.04 	0.9 	1.9 	3.7 	5.1 	2.8
Troy Burgess 	25 	R 	65 	70 	9 	6 	4.0 	3.0 	3.28 	127 	88 	4.17 	29 	1 	13 	2 	0 	161.2 	16 	47 	118 	.234 	.263 	1.16 	0.9 	2.6 	3.4 	0.5 	0.1
Logan Cash 	22 	L 	75 	75 	4 	3 	3.0 	2.6 	1.89 	222 	50 	2.06 	56 	41 	0 	0 	0 	62.0 	4 	21 	87 	.172 	.257 	0.97 	0.6 	3.0 	0.0 	3.1 	0.4
Chase Benjamin 	40 	R 	65 	65 	9 	14 	0.4 	2.2 	4.94 	84 	99 	4.49 	30 	0 	12 	0 	0 	165.2 	19 	49 	113 	.300 	.335 	1.53 	1.0 	2.7 	3.0 	-2.4 	-3.3
D.P. Harper 	27 	R 	60 	60 	7 	3 	4.3 	2.1 	1.76 	243 	72 	2.73 	67 	47 	0 	0 	0 	76.2 	9 	23 	89 	.208 	.269 	1.07 	1.1 	2.7 	0.0 	4.4 	0.1
Oscar Regalado 	21 	R 	80 	80 	7 	7 	1.7 	2.0 	3.92 	107 	86 	3.27 	16 	0 	10 	1 	0 	96.1 	10 	39 	106 	.215 	.277 	1.19 	0.9 	3.6 	4.2 	0.3 	0.5
Layton Willingham 	33 	L 	50 	50 	8 	0 	0.9 	1.1 	4.22 	99 	91 	3.92 	18 	0 	3 	0 	0 	70.1 	8 	21 	59 	.262 	.304 	1.34 	1.0 	2.7 	5.5 	0.8 	0.1
Mark Avery 	32 	R 	55 	55 	1 	2 	0.5 	1.1 	3.97 	105 	64 	4.52 	31 	2 	0 	0 	0 	45.1 	0 	23 	37 	.220 	.277 	1.30 	0.0 	4.6 	0.0 	-0.8 	-0.1
Camden Fawcett 	33 	L 	60 	60 	4 	3 	0.6 	0.7 	2.95 	142 	83 	4.30 	38 	1 	0 	0 	0 	55.0 	4 	15 	38 	.236 	.271 	1.18 	0.7 	2.5 	0.0 	0.4 	-0.7
Ezequias Ramos 	29 	R 	50 	50 	2 	4 	0.5 	0.4 	3.51 	119 	111 	4.89 	11 	1 	4 	0 	0 	56.1 	6 	30 	41 	.222 	.248 	1.37 	1.0 	4.8 	3.0 	-0.2 	0.4
Adrian Masri 	24 	R 	50 	50 	0 	0 	0.2 	0.1 	1.35 	310 	87 	5.48 	2 	0 	0 	0 	0 	6.2 	0 	4 	4 	.240 	.286 	1.50 	0.0 	5.4 	0.0 	0.0 	0.0
Yucary Stewart 	24 	R 	50 	50 	0 	0 	0.1 	0.1 	0.00 	999 	49 	4.35 	1 	0 	0 	0 	0 	2.0 	0 	0 	1 	.222 	.250 	1.00 	0.0 	0.0 	0.0 	0.0 	0.0
Nick Roberts 	23 	L 	45 	45 	1 	0 	0.1 	-0.0 	3.38 	124 	118 	6.30 	1 	0 	0 	0 	0 	2.2 	0 	3 	2 	.364 	.444 	2.62 	0.0 	10.1 	0.0 	0.0 	0.0
Raiden Garner 	24 	R 	50 	50 	1 	1 	-0.2 	-0.3 	5.60 	75 	138 	5.32 	12 	0 	0 	0 	0 	17.2 	3 	11 	12 	.278 	.298 	1.75 	1.5 	5.6 	0.0 	0.2 	0.1
Obed Adu 	27 	R 	50 	50 	0 	0 	-0.0 	-0.4 	4.40 	95 	168 	5.81 	7 	0 	0 	0 	0 	14.1 	4 	5 	5 	.281 	.250 	1.47 	2.5 	3.1 	0.0 	-0.4 	-0.4
Frank Benson 	23 	R 	55 	55 	3 	7 	-0.1 	-0.8 	4.83 	87 	142 	3.81 	38 	3 	0 	0 	0 	31.2 	9 	16 	34 	.254 	.275 	1.48 	2.6 	4.5 	0.0 	-2.7 	0.8

Code:

POS 	Name 	TM 	Age 	B 	T 	OVR 	POT 	WAR 	AVG 	OBP 	SLG 	G 	GS 	PA 	AB 	H 	2B 	3B 	HR 	RBI 	R 	BB% 	SO% 	TB 	RC/27 	ISO 	wOBA 	OPS+ 	BABIP 	WPA 	wRC+ 	wRAA 	wSB 	ZR
1B 	Pinwheel Brown 	STL 	24 	L 	L 	80 	80 	8.1 	.331 	.419 	.508 	161 	158 	718 	614 	203 	23 	4 	26 	84 	140 	13.1 	7.8 	312 	8.6 	.178 	.399 	156 	.329 	5.85 	153 	44.9 	14.8 	1.5
2B 	José Cordero 	STL 	23 	R 	R 	80 	80 	7.0 	.375 	.445 	.591 	110 	110 	476 	416 	156 	33 	3 	17 	97 	91 	10.9 	11.1 	246 	10.1 	.216 	.440 	185 	.397 	4.95 	181 	46.0 	-3.1 	4.3
SS 	Sandy Cook 	STL 	27 	R 	R 	80 	80 	6.1 	.298 	.387 	.458 	158 	157 	675 	583 	174 	28 	4 	19 	85 	83 	12.4 	13.6 	267 	6.1 	.160 	.372 	132 	.325 	1.05 	134 	27.7 	-3.5 	7.4
3B 	Monta Matsui 	STL 	33 	R 	R 	65 	65 	3.5 	.311 	.383 	.509 	122 	120 	493 	440 	137 	35 	5 	14 	53 	80 	9.7 	12.4 	224 	6.7 	.198 	.386 	145 	.336 	2.72 	144 	26.0 	-2.2 	-6.5
CF 	Spencer Van Doren 	STL 	28 	R 	R 	80 	80 	3.2 	.280 	.351 	.476 	143 	141 	613 	542 	152 	30 	2 	24 	74 	101 	9.6 	16.0 	258 	5.6 	.196 	.353 	127 	.299 	2.69 	122 	15.4 	-3.3 	-4.6
LF 	Leuri Ramírez 	STL 	21 	L 	L 	80 	80 	1.9 	.294 	.350 	.535 	80 	80 	334 	299 	88 	21 	0 	17 	64 	51 	8.7 	12.3 	160 	5.9 	.241 	.375 	142 	.287 	1.47 	137 	14.5 	-4.0 	0.6
CF 	Liam Bright 	STL 	28 	L 	L 	70 	70 	1.3 	.240 	.313 	.363 	103 	85 	387 	350 	84 	23 	1 	6 	25 	47 	8.5 	16.8 	127 	4.0 	.123 	.301 	89 	.280 	-0.19 	87 	-6.8 	0.5 	4.4
3B 	JUSTIN LINDBLAD 	STL 	29 	R 	R 	45 	45 	1.2 	.213 	.248 	.317 	115 	111 	363 	347 	74 	13 	1 	7 	28 	34 	3.6 	22.0 	110 	2.4 	.104 	.250 	56 	.258 	-2.08 	52 	-21.4 	0.2 	16.9
2B 	Flynn Rodriguez 	STL 	35 	S 	R 	50 	50 	0.9 	.244 	.308 	.328 	81 	45 	221 	201 	49 	9 	1 	2 	21 	20 	7.7 	19.0 	66 	3.8 	.085 	.284 	77 	.297 	-0.13 	75 	-6.9 	2.5 	2.6
RF 	Benson Amobi 	STL 	22 	L 	L 	60 	65 	0.9 	.254 	.302 	.376 	114 	112 	417 	386 	98 	21 	1 	8 	44 	41 	6.0 	19.7 	145 	3.5 	.122 	.296 	87 	.301 	-1.70 	83 	-9.0 	-1.3 	6.8
LF 	Damian Cook 	STL 	23 	R 	R 	65 	65 	0.8 	.290 	.336 	.490 	49 	19 	107 	100 	29 	8 	0 	4 	17 	9 	6.5 	15.9 	49 	5.3 	.200 	.358 	126 	.316 	1.43 	125 	3.1 	-0.4 	2.5
C 	Ray Van de Veer 	STL 	27 	S 	R 	70 	70 	0.4 	.218 	.296 	.333 	113 	108 	426 	381 	83 	20 	0 	8 	44 	39 	8.9 	22.8 	127 	3.3 	.115 	.279 	75 	.270 	-1.28 	72 	-15.1 	0.0 	-1.8
1B 	Chase Zuniga 	STL 	24 	L 	R 	70 	70 	0.4 	.239 	.299 	.425 	114 	80 	385 	351 	84 	15 	1 	16 	64 	51 	7.8 	18.7 	149 	4.3 	.185 	.311 	98 	.256 	-0.47 	93 	-3.4 	2.2 	-1.3
C 	Tre Martin 	STL 	21 	R 	R 	50 	50 	0.3 	.204 	.271 	.444 	19 	14 	59 	54 	11 	4 	0 	3 	13 	6 	8.5 	33.9 	24 	3.5 	.241 	.309 	95 	.258 	0.68 	92 	-0.6 	0.0 	0.5
3B 	Luke Baldwin 	STL 	28 	R 	R 	45 	45 	0.3 	.261 	.292 	.387 	44 	29 	130 	119 	31 	9 	0 	2 	23 	11 	4.6 	25.4 	46 	4.3 	.126 	.288 	87 	.330 	-0.02 	78 	-3.6 	0.4 	1.1
2B 	Jon Gallegos 	STL 	18 	R 	R 	60 	60 	0.0 	.000 	.000 	.000 			0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0.0 	0.0 	0 	0.0 	.000 	.000 	100 	.000 	0.00 	100 	-0.0 	0.0 	0.0
3B 	Dewain Harris 	STL 	21 	R 	R 	45 	80 	0.0 	.000 	.000 	.000 			0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0.0 	0.0 	0 	0.0 	.000 	.000 	100 	.000 	0.00 	100 	-0.0 	0.0 	0.0
1B 	Marco Ozuna 	STL 	26 	R 	R 	45 	50 	0.0 	.000 	.000 	.000 	5 		0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0.0 	0.0 	0 	0.0 	.000 	.000 	-100 	.000 	0.00 	100 	-0.0 	0.0 	0.0
SS 	Joseph Williams 	STL 	22 	R 	R 	45 	60 	0.0 	.000 	.000 	.000 			0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0.0 	0.0 	0 	0.0 	.000 	.000 	100 	.000 	0.00 	100 	-0.0 	0.0 	0.0
SP 	Oscar Regalado 	STL 	21 	R 	R 	80 	80 	-0.0 	.283 	.295 	.300 	18 	16 	61 	60 	17 	1 	0 	0 	2 	1 	1.6 	16.4 	18 	3.1 	.017 	.266 	66 	.340 	-0.12 	63 	-2.8 	0.0 	0.5
3B 	Calvin Love 	STL 	27 	R 	R 	45 	45 	-0.1 	.190 	.271 	.333 	25 	18 	70 	63 	12 	3 	0 	2 	6 	4 	10.0 	35.7 	21 	2.8 	.143 	.272 	67 	.278 	0.26 	67 	-2.9 	0.0 	0.9
C 	Zion MacDonald 	STL 	29 	R 	R 	45 	45 	-0.1 	.000 	.167 	.000 	2 	2 	6 	5 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	1 	16.7 	33.3 	0 	0.0 	.000 	.117 	-48 	.000 	-0.04 	-37 	-1.0 	0.0 	-0.2
SS 	Aden Rayburg 	STL 	28 	R 	R 	45 	45 	-0.1 	.154 	.228 	.269 	38 	13 	57 	52 	8 	1 	1 	1 	4 	5 	8.8 	19.3 	14 	1.8 	.115 	.226 	38 	.175 	-0.35 	36 	-4.5 	-0.2 	0.4
LF 	Jason Husted 	STL 	21 	L 	L 	55 	80 	-0.5 	.179 	.270 	.346 	31 	22 	89 	78 	14 	4 	0 	3 	11 	8 	11.2 	24.7 	27 	2.9 	.167 	.258 	70 	.204 	0.00 	58 	-4.6 	-0.4 	0.0
C 	Ralph Judd 	STL 	29 	L 	R 	55 	55 	-0.7 	.150 	.225 	.247 	128 	128 	480 	434 	65 	9 	3 	9 	34 	49 	8.8 	50.8 	107 	1.9 	.097 	.215 	33 	.304 	-4.75 	29 	-42.1 	0.8 	2.1
RF 	Jimmy McLean 	STL 	27 	S 	R 	60 	60 	-1.1 	.226 	.307 	.376 	70 	43 	212 	186 	42 	5 	1 	7 	35 	17 	9.9 	13.2 	70 	3.9 	.151 	.293 	89 	.227 	-0.60 	81 	-5.1 	-0.2 	-7.6

Code:

Pos 	Name 	Age 	2062 	2063 	2064 	2065 	2066 	2067 	2068 	2069 	2070 	2071
SP 	Urban Henry 	38 	$40.2m 	$45.2m 	$47.5m 	$48.5m 						
3B 	Monta Matsui 	33 	$25.2m 	$35.2m 	$35.2m 	$35.2m 	$35.2m 	$35.2m 				
CF 	Spencer Van Doren 	28 	$20.8m 	$20.8m 	$20.8m 	$20.8m 	$20.8m 	$20.8m 	$20.8m(P) 			
RP 	Layton Willingham 	33 	$15.8m 	$15.8m(O) 	$15.8m 	$15.8m 	$15.8m 					
RF 	Benson Amobi 	22 	$14.8m 	$16.0m 	$16.0m 	$16.0m 	$16.0m 	$16.0m 				
RP 	Mark Avery 	32 	$7.1m 	$7.1m 								
C 	Ray Van de Veer 	27 	$6.0m 									
SS 	Sandy Cook 	27 	$4.7m 	$9.4m(A) 								
RP 	Camden Fawcett 	33 	$4.4m 	$4.4m 								
RP 	D.P. Harper 	27 	$3.3m 	$4.1m(A) 								
2B 	Flynn Rodriguez 	35 	$2.5m 									
CL 	Logan Cash 	22 	$2.2m 	$3.4m(A) 	$4.2m(A) 							
1B 	Chase Zuniga 	24 	$2.2m 	$2.4m(A*) 	$2.8m(A) 	$3.2m(A) 						
3B 	Justin Lindblad 	29 	$2.1m 	$6.1m(P) 								
RP 	Ezequias Ramos 	29 	$2.1m 	$2.6m(A) 	$3.2m(A) 							
CF 	Liam Bright 	28 	$1.8m 	$3.0m(A) 								
C 	Ralph Judd 	29 	$1.6m 	$1.8m(A) 								
SP 	Oscar Regalado 	21 	$1.6m 	$2.2m 	$3.0m 	$4.2m 	$5.2m 	$7.0m 	$7.0m 			
LF 	Leuri Ramírez 	21 	$1.5m 	$2.1m 	$2.8m 	$6.8m 	$6.8m 	$8.5m 	$11.0m 	$11.0m 	$11.0m 	
3B 	Luke Baldwin 	28 	$1.2m 	$1.4m(A) 	$1.6m(A) 							
RP 	Obed Adu 	27 	$900k 	$1.2m(A) 	$1.4m(A) 							
RP 	Frank Benson 	23 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$1.5m(A*) 	$1.7m(A) 	$1.9m(A) 					
1B 	Pinwheel Brown 	24 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$7.0m(A*) 	$11.7m(A) 	$16.9m(A) 					
SP 	Troy Burgess 	25 	$900k 	$1.6m(A*) 	$2.2m(A) 	$2.8m(A) 						
LF 	Damian Cook 	23 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$1.5m(A*) 	$1.9m(A) 	$2.4m(A) 					
2B 	José Cordero 	23 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$7.1m(A*) 	$11.5m(A) 	$16.2m(A) 					
2B 	Jon Gallegos 	18 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$900k(*) 	$2.0m(A*) 	$2.4m(A) 	$3.0m(A) 				
RP 	Raiden Garner 	24 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$900k(*) 	$1.6m(A*) 	$1.8m(A) 	$2.0m(A) 				
SP 	Kelly Gibbons 	24 	$900k 	$3.6m(A*) 	$7.5m(A) 	$11.9m(A) 						
3B 	Dewain Harris 	21 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$900k(*) 	$2.0m(A*) 	$2.4m(A) 	$3.0m(A) 				
LF 	Jason Husted 	21 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$1.4m(A*) 	$1.9m(A) 	$2.6m(A) 					
3B 	Calvin Love 	27 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$1.4m(A*) 	$1.6m(A) 	$1.8m(A) 					
C 	Zion MacDonald 	29 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$900k(*) 	$1.6m(A*) 	$1.8m(A) 	$2.0m(A) 				
C 	Tre Martin 	21 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$1.4m(A*) 	$1.6m(A) 	$1.8m(A) 					
RP 	Adrian Masri 	24 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$900k(*) 	$1.6m(A*) 	$1.8m(A) 	$2.0m(A) 				
RF 	Jimmy McLean 	27 	$900k 	$1.4m(A) 	$1.6m(A) 							
1B 	Marco Ozuna 	26 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$900k(*) 	$2.0m(A*) 	$2.2m(A) 	$2.6m(A) 				
SS 	Aden Rayburg 	28 	$900k 	$1.2m(A) 	$1.4m(A) 							
RP 	Nick Roberts 	23 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$900k(*) 	$1.6m(A*) 	$1.8m(A) 	$2.0m(A) 				
RP 	Yucary Stewart 	24 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$900k(*) 	$1.6m(A*) 	$1.8m(A) 	$2.0m(A) 				
SS 	Joseph Williams 	22 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$900k(*) 	$2.0m(A*) 	$2.4m(A) 	$3.0m(A) 				
SP 	Chase Benjamin 	40 										
	TOTAL 		$180.0m 	$206.4m 	$196.2m 	$212.9m 	$161.8m 	$109.1m 	$38.8m 	$11.0m 	$11.0m 	$0

Young Drachma · 11-03-2024, 10:56 PM

For Portland in Year 1, I'm still trying to figure out what my plan is gonna be. We're gonna be doing an aggressive Moneyball thing that if it works well, I'll have probably found a new OOTP talent exploit that probably only works in my leagues because I've got a much bigger world of talent to draw from than a stock one. Unlike my usual leagues, ratings are not as intensely overclocked -- guys under 70 OVR still have a place here -- but it's still a universe where pitchers still throw lots of strikeouts, steals are prevelant & throwing innings isn't a curse word. Offense is still unfortunately the biggest ticket, I'm working on balancing it in future seasons through the league totals so that pitchers can develop better than they have in this big offensive era we've overseen the last 2 decades.

My goal for the Stags is mostly to offload anyone with a pulse financially, try to get back what I can talentwise and aggressively seek out AAAA type guys for the big league roster. In a different style of this kind of dynasty, I'd probably do some shortcut gimmicks to get them back to respectability faster, but I'm genuinely curious what it'll be like to run a major league roster for a few years filled with homegrown prospects, coupled with past-their-prime vets & reclamation projects. Winning isn't the goal here, it's purely about player development and sending guys away once they're showing they can play and team control above all else.

I don't think that'll forever be the storyline here, but I want to run with that one for a bit and see where it lands us.

2061 PORTLAND STAGS
Off-season

Code:

Player List
Name 	Age 	T 	OVR 	POT 	W 	L 	rWAR 	WAR 	ERA 	ERA+ 	FIP- 	SIERA 	G 	SV 	QS 	CG 	SHO 	IP 	HR 	BB 	K 	AVG 	BABIP 	WHIP 	HR/9 	BB/9 	RSG 	WPA 	ZR
Pearl Ritter 	27 	L 	60 	65 	7 	6 	2.7 	4.3 	3.59 	119 	77 	4.02 	28 	0 	14 	1 	1 	168.0 	13 	29 	118 	.276 	.317 	1.28 	0.7 	1.6 	4.0 	-0.8 	-1.0
Ji-Won Cho 	26 	R 	60 	60 	14 	10 	2.3 	3.4 	4.32 	99 	89 	4.57 	29 	0 	15 	1 	1 	179.1 	11 	82 	140 	.277 	.329 	1.54 	0.6 	4.1 	4.1 	-0.4 	-2.1
Alex Gibson 	26 	R 	60 	60 	9 	5 	2.0 	2.1 	4.50 	95 	97 	4.35 	27 	0 	12 	0 	0 	146.0 	18 	35 	97 	.290 	.319 	1.39 	1.1 	2.2 	3.6 	-1.4 	1.7
Ryder Moring 	22 	R 	65 	65 	2 	1 	2.2 	1.6 	1.86 	230 	60 	2.80 	55 	1 	0 	0 	0 	67.2 	4 	28 	86 	.205 	.293 	1.18 	0.5 	3.7 	0.0 	1.1 	-1.6
Jason Ulmer 	24 	R 	55 	65 	4 	1 	1.5 	1.2 	2.18 	196 	58 	2.19 	34 	0 	0 	0 	0 	45.1 	3 	17 	61 	.190 	.289 	1.01 	0.6 	3.4 	0.0 	1.9 	1.0
Danny Beard 	23 	R 	60 	60 	4 	4 	1.1 	1.0 	3.27 	131 	76 	3.55 	45 	4 	0 	0 	0 	52.1 	5 	13 	47 	.273 	.331 	1.32 	0.9 	2.2 	0.0 	-0.0 	1.1
Ricky Kurioka 	22 	L 	60 	60 	5 	2 	1.2 	0.9 	2.58 	166 	75 	2.20 	64 	1 	0 	0 	0 	45.1 	6 	17 	64 	.194 	.269 	1.06 	1.2 	3.4 	0.0 	0.5 	1.4
Rocky Smith 	24 	L 	50 	50 	2 	2 	-0.3 	0.7 	4.92 	87 	95 	4.54 	36 	0 	3 	0 	0 	82.1 	8 	36 	66 	.314 	.366 	1.76 	0.9 	3.9 	1.0 	-1.7 	-0.0
John Balsley 	25 	L 	50 	55 	6 	4 	0.7 	0.7 	4.87 	88 	106 	4.12 	11 	0 	7 	0 	0 	64.2 	10 	23 	53 	.299 	.342 	1.52 	1.4 	3.2 	5.1 	-0.6 	2.4
Frederick White 	21 	R 	55 	55 	2 	3 	-0.9 	0.5 	6.22 	69 	87 	3.04 	39 	1 	0 	0 	0 	50.2 	8 	16 	59 	.298 	.383 	1.54 	1.4 	2.8 	0.0 	-0.6 	-0.8
Archibaldo Candelaria 	24 	R 	45 	45 	1 	1 	0.9 	0.4 	1.98 	217 	79 	4.90 	13 	1 	1 	0 	0 	27.1 	1 	4 	11 	.204 	.221 	0.88 	0.3 	1.3 	0.0 	-0.0 	-0.0
Tavell Olive 	21 	L 	55 	55 	1 	3 	-0.1 	0.4 	5.12 	84 	90 	3.16 	31 	14 	0 	0 	0 	31.2 	4 	18 	43 	.248 	.351 	1.52 	1.1 	5.1 	0.0 	-0.8 	-0.3
Nathan Paulino 	27 	R 	50 	50 	8 	8 	0.4 	0.4 	4.98 	86 	120 	4.49 	26 	0 	2 	0 	0 	124.2 	23 	38 	84 	.272 	.284 	1.38 	1.7 	2.7 	3.3 	-2.9 	-3.4
Auderico Moran 	28 	L 	50 	50 	0 	1 	0.0 	0.3 	4.91 	87 	90 	3.34 	25 	0 	0 	0 	0 	33.0 	4 	16 	40 	.256 	.330 	1.48 	1.1 	4.4 	0.0 	0.1 	-0.7
Eli Paugh 	23 	R 	55 	55 	1 	2 	-0.7 	0.2 	6.57 	65 	90 	4.63 	21 	0 	0 	0 	0 	24.2 	2 	10 	18 	.257 	.296 	1.46 	0.7 	3.6 	0.0 	-0.3 	-1.2
Cal Haynes 	27 	R 	45 	45 	1 	1 	0.6 	0.1 	2.76 	153 	99 	3.55 	15 	0 	0 	0 	0 	29.1 	4 	12 	29 	.239 	.286 	1.30 	1.2 	3.7 	0.0 	0.0 	0.4
Mason Riedlinger 	24 	R 	45 	65 	0 	0 	0.0 	0.0 	0.00 	100 	0 	0.00 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0.0 	0 	0 	0 	.000 	.000 	0.00 	0.0 	0.0 	0.0 	0.0 	0.0
Nash White 	22 	R 	50 	65 	2 	1 	0.3 	-0.0 	3.67 	115 	107 	2.49 	17 	0 	0 	0 	0 	27.0 	6 	7 	30 	.224 	.258 	1.07 	2.0 	2.3 	0.0 	-0.3 	1.0
Jeremiah Jeppson 	26 	L 	50 	50 	0 	0 	-0.0 	-0.2 	5.40 	77 	218 	2.71 	2 	0 	0 	0 	0 	3.1 	2 	0 	3 	.231 	.125 	0.90 	5.4 	0.0 	0.0 	0.0 	0.0
Darik Neumann 	27 	R 	45 	45 	3 	2 	-1.2 	-0.7 	7.02 	61 	133 	4.80 	26 	0 	0 	0 	0 	50.0 	10 	26 	39 	.288 	.312 	1.70 	1.8 	4.7 	0.0 	-0.3 	-0.4

Code:

POS 	Name 	TM 	Age 	B 	T 	OVR 	POT 	WAR 	AVG 	OBP 	SLG 	G 	GS 	PA 	AB 	H 	2B 	3B 	HR 	RBI 	R 	BB% 	SO% 	TB 	RC/27 	ISO 	wOBA 	OPS+ 	BABIP 	WPA 	wRC+ 	wRAA 	wSB 	ZR
SS 	Jaxson Tiller 	POR 	23 	R 	R 	75 	80 	4.9 	.282 	.364 	.530 	158 	156 	700 	610 	172 	30 	2 	39 	124 	96 	11.4 	13.4 	323 	6.7 	.248 	.380 	140 	.275 	2.56 	138 	33.2 	0.8 	-11.6
3B 	Marc McCoy 	POR 	23 	S 	R 	80 	80 	4.8 	.287 	.365 	.526 	156 	156 	707 	623 	179 	38 	3 	35 	101 	99 	11.0 	14.7 	328 	7.1 	.239 	.383 	139 	.294 	4.40 	139 	35.0 	0.0 	-9.2
1B 	Troy Goggans 	POR 	25 	R 	R 	80 	80 	4.8 	.313 	.405 	.588 	127 	124 	568 	483 	151 	36 	2 	31 	109 	95 	11.4 	13.0 	284 	8.7 	.275 	.421 	167 	.312 	3.34 	166 	46.1 	0.0 	-1.3
RF 	Yago Gonzalez 	POR 	27 	L 	L 	80 	80 	3.3 	.313 	.372 	.507 	114 	113 	522 	473 	148 	36 	4 	16 	61 	92 	8.0 	13.6 	240 	6.8 	.195 	.381 	137 	.339 	1.89 	138 	25.1 	-0.7 	-2.6
1B 	Matías Santana 	POR 	18 	R 	R 	80 	80 	2.8 	.355 	.435 	.579 	72 	67 	299 	259 	92 	22 	0 	12 	50 	55 	12.0 	12.0 	150 	10.3 	.224 	.437 	174 	.376 	2.60 	176 	28.1 	0.0 	0.1
SS 	Mel Johnson 	POR 	24 	R 	R 	60 	80 	2.4 	.273 	.392 	.430 	134 	130 	548 	454 	124 	21 	1 	16 	69 	66 	15.9 	18.6 	195 	6.4 	.156 	.364 	125 	.319 	2.13 	127 	18.6 	0.0 	-11.2
CF 	Niles Sims 	POR 	27 	L 	L 	50 	55 	1.2 	.329 	.433 	.488 	54 	20 	97 	82 	27 	5 	1 	2 	9 	14 	15.5 	16.5 	40 	8.6 	.159 	.407 	151 	.391 	-0.13 	156 	6.7 	0.0 	-1.0
LF 	Paul Correa 	POR 	21 	L 	L 	70 	80 	0.7 	.263 	.325 	.480 	87 	80 	360 	327 	86 	18 	1 	17 	46 	55 	8.1 	16.9 	157 	5.3 	.217 	.348 	116 	.275 	1.66 	116 	7.6 	-1.8 	-6.6
C 	Lawrence Robison 	POR 	28 	S 	R 	65 	65 	0.7 	.245 	.322 	.352 	77 	55 	245 	216 	53 	8 	0 	5 	23 	28 	10.2 	24.9 	76 	3.7 	.106 	.300 	84 	.314 	-1.91 	84 	-4.4 	-0.1 	0.2
RF 	Radley Miller 	POR 	23 	R 	R 	40 	40 	0.1 	.300 	.364 	.700 	6 	1 	11 	10 	3 	1 	0 	1 	5 	1 	9.1 	9.1 	7 	10.2 	.400 	.444 	181 	.250 	0.20 	181 	1.1 	0.0 	-0.2
2B 	Ashley Coe 	POR 	23 	R 	R 	45 	60 	0.0 	.000 	.444 	.000 	2 	2 	9 	5 	0 	0 	0 	0 	1 	0 	33.3 	33.3 	0 	2.5 	.000 	.316 	37 	.000 	0.15 	94 	-0.0 	0.0 	-0.2
1B 	Alex Eisenmann 	POR 	22 	L 	R 	25 	60 	0.0 	.000 	.000 	.000 			0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0.0 	0.0 	0 	0.0 	.000 	.000 	100 	.000 	0.00 	100 	-0.0 	0.0 	0.0
1B 	Nicky Swinson 	POR 	22 	R 	R 	50 	70 	0.0 	.000 	.000 	.000 			0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0.0 	0.0 	0 	0.0 	.000 	.000 	100 	.000 	0.00 	100 	-0.0 	0.0 	0.0
1B 	Josiah Sybert 	POR 	24 	R 	R 	50 	70 	-0.0 	.200 	.333 	.200 	7 		6 	5 	1 	0 	0 	0 	0 	2 	16.7 	33.3 	1 	2.8 	.000 	.266 	51 	.333 	-0.18 	61 	-0.3 	0.0 	0.0
LF 	Payton LaBay 	POR 	21 	R 	L 	65 	80 	-0.0 	.250 	.307 	.412 	32 	17 	88 	80 	20 	4 	0 	3 	17 	7 	8.0 	22.7 	33 	4.3 	.162 	.314 	94 	.293 	0.16 	93 	-0.6 	0.0 	-2.0
LF 	Neil Nagel 	POR 	25 	L 	L 	40 	55 	-0.1 	.091 	.167 	.091 	6 	3 	12 	11 	1 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	8.3 	16.7 	1 	0.6 	.000 	.133 	-27 	.111 	-0.10 	-28 	-1.9 	0.0 	0.5
C 	Bram Brown 	POR 	22 	R 	R 	50 	80 	-0.1 	.233 	.258 	.267 	8 	8 	31 	30 	7 	1 	0 	0 	0 	2 	3.2 	45.2 	8 	2.5 	.033 	.236 	44 	.438 	-0.20 	40 	-2.2 	0.0 	-0.5
1B 	Yorki Torres 	POR 	24 	L 	L 	80 	80 	-0.1 	.250 	.338 	.384 	86 	83 	373 	328 	82 	14 	0 	10 	30 	47 	10.5 	26.0 	126 	4.3 	.134 	.322 	97 	.324 	-0.71 	98 	-0.0 	0.0 	-1.0
CF 	Ryder Taylor 	POR 	26 	L 	L 	50 	50 	-0.4 	.235 	.261 	.336 	120 	108 	417 	396 	93 	16 	3 	6 	46 	38 	3.1 	13.4 	133 	2.6 	.101 	.262 	62 	.257 	-2.17 	58 	-20.6 	-1.8 	4.2
CF 	Garrett Archer 	POR 	25 	R 	R 	45 	45 	-0.5 	.176 	.205 	.271 	30 	21 	88 	85 	15 	2 	0 	2 	7 	11 	2.3 	34.1 	23 	1.5 	.094 	.203 	28 	.245 	-0.23 	18 	-8.6 	0.1 	0.1
2B 	Henry Hart 	POR 	29 	R 	R 	55 	55 	-2.6 	.235 	.300 	.331 	147 	145 	577 	519 	122 	12 	1 	12 	57 	52 	8.1 	23.2 	172 	3.0 	.096 	.284 	72 	.289 	-2.90 	72 	-18.2 	0.0 	-25.2

Here are the financials

Code:

Pos 	Name 	Age 	2062 	2063 	2064 	2065 	2066 	2067 	2068 	2069 	2070 	2071
RF 	Yago Gonzalez 	27 	$7.0m 									
2B 	Henry Hart 	29 	$3.5m 	$3.5m(T) 								
SS 	Jaxson Tiller 	23 	$3.1m 	$3.1m(*) 	$7.3m(A) 	$10.3m(A) 						
RP 	Auderico Moran 	28 	$2.8m 									
C 	Lawrence Robison 	28 	$2.6m 									
RP 	Ricky Kurioka 	22 	$2.0m 	$2.0m(*) 	$2.6m(A) 	$3.0m(A) 						
1B 	Alex Eisenmann 	22 	$2.0m 	$2.0m 	$2.0m(*) 	$3.0m(A*) 	$3.4m(A) 	$3.8m(A) 				
SP 	Alex Gibson 	26 	$1.7m 	$2.0m(A) 	$2.4m(A) 							
CF 	Ryder Taylor 	26 	$1.6m 	$2.3m(A) 								
CF 	Garrett Archer 	25 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$900k(*) 	$1.6m(A*) 	$1.8m(A) 	$2.0m(A) 				
SP 	John Balsley 	25 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$1.5m(A*) 	$1.7m(A) 	$1.9m(A) 					
RP 	Danny Beard 	23 	$900k 	$1.5m(A) 	$1.7m(A) 							
C 	Bram Brown 	22 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$900k(*) 	$1.6m(A*) 	$1.9m(A) 	$2.2m(A) 				
RP 	Archibaldo Candelaria 	24 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$1.5m(A*) 	$1.7m(A) 	$1.9m(A) 					
SP 	Ji-Won Cho 	26 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$2.4m(A) 	$3.0m(A) 						
2B 	Ashley Coe 	23 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$900k(*) 	$1.6m(A*) 	$1.8m(A) 	$2.0m(A) 				
LF 	Paul Correa 	21 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$2.2m(A*) 	$4.2m(A) 	$6.5m(A) 					
1B 	Troy Goggans 	25 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$5.0m(A) 	$9.0m(A) 						
RP 	Cal Haynes 	27 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$1.5m(A*) 	$1.7m(A) 	$1.9m(A) 					
RP 	Jeremiah Jeppson 	26 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$1.4m(A*) 	$1.6m(A) 	$1.8m(A) 					
SS 	Mel Johnson 	24 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$2.4m(A*) 	$3.8m(A) 	$5.0m(A) 					
LF 	Payton LaBay 	21 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$900k(*) 	$2.5m(A*) 	$3.5m(A) 	$4.3m(A) 				
3B 	Marc McCoy 	23 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$5.0m(A) 	$8.2m(A) 						
RF 	Radley Miller 	23 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$1.4m(A*) 	$1.6m(A) 	$1.8m(A) 					
RP 	Ryder Moring 	22 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$1.8m(A) 	$2.2m(A) 						
LF 	Neil Nagel 	25 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$900k(*) 	$1.6m(A*) 	$1.8m(A) 	$2.0m(A) 				
RP 	Darik Neumann 	27 	$900k 	$1.4m(A) 	$1.6m(A) 							
CL 	Tavell Olive 	21 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$900k(*) 	$1.7m(A*) 	$1.9m(A) 	$2.2m(A) 				
RP 	Eli Paugh 	23 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$1.5m(A*) 	$1.7m(A) 	$1.9m(A) 					
SP 	Nathan Paulino 	27 	$900k 	$1.4m(A) 	$1.6m(A) 							
RP 	Mason Riedlinger 	24 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$900k(*) 	$2.2m(A*) 	$2.6m(A) 	$3.0m(A) 				
SP 	Pearl Ritter 	27 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$2.0m(A*) 	$2.5m(A) 	$2.9m(A) 					
1B 	Matías Santana 	18 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$900k(*) 	$3.8m(A*) 	$6.0m(A) 	$8.0m(A) 				
CF 	Niles Sims 	27 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$1.4m(A*) 	$1.6m(A) 	$1.8m(A) 					
RP 	Rocky Smith 	24 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$900k(*) 	$2.0m(A*) 	$2.2m(A) 	$2.6m(A) 				
1B 	Nicky Swinson 	22 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$900k(*) 	$2.0m(A*) 	$2.4m(A) 	$3.0m(A) 				
1B 	Josiah Sybert 	24 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$900k(*) 	$1.6m(A*) 	$1.8m(A) 	$2.0m(A) 				
1B 	Yorki Torres 	24 	$900k 	$2.5m(A*) 	$4.4m(A) 	$6.0m(A) 						
RP 	Jason Ulmer 	24 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$900k(*) 	$1.8m(A*) 	$2.0m(A) 	$2.2m(A) 				
RP 	Frederick White 	21 	$900k 	$900k(*) 	$1.6m(A*) 	$1.8m(A) 	$2.0m(A) 					
RP 	Nash White 	22 	$900k 	$1.3m(A*) 	$1.5m(A) 	$1.7m(A) 						
	TOTAL 		$55.1m 	$47.2m 	$68.5m 	$94.5m 	$62.5m 	$39.3m 	$0 	$0 	$0 	$0

Young Drachma · 11-03-2024, 11:17 PM

The Portland Stags are facing a unique challenge: how to stay competitive under the strictest financial limitations in franchise history. With the ownership imposing a severe budget cap, the Stags have to rely on savvy trades and youth development rather than high-profile acquisitions.

Their latest move—a trade with the Philadelphia Phillies—signals a commitment to this strategy, bringing in young talent with real potential while shedding salary commitments.

The Trade:

In the deal, the Stags sent right fielder Yago Gonzalez (27) and first baseman Troy Goggans (25) to Philadelphia. In exchange, they received five promising young players:

1B Jackson Fiorilli (24): Fiorilli is the centerpiece of the trade. Fresh off a season where he finished second in the National League in RBIs, his .284/.332/.468 slash line with 29 home runs highlights his power and consistency. Although relatively young, Fiorilli has already shown he can produce at a high level and could become a key part of Portland's lineup for years to come.

LF Terell Ford (21): Ford is a high-ceiling outfield prospect with impressive raw skills. Despite a modest .224 average, his .393 on-base percentage and .578 slugging in 161 ABs point to his ability to draw walks and hit for power. Ford’s blend of speed and pop makes him an exciting, albeit raw, addition to the Stags’ outfield.

CF Alvin Peca (21): Known for his solid defense in center field, Peca also provides some offensive upside, hitting .231 with a respectable .316 OBP in 281 ABs. Portland hopes his athleticism and defensive prowess can anchor their outfield as he develops his bat.

RF Pete Chaney (24): With a .275/.336/.440 line and 13 home runs in 480 ABs, Chaney is a balanced hitter who can contribute across the board. He may not have the superstar potential of Fiorilli, but his steady production and strong fundamentals could make him a reliable asset.

SP Odysseus Bermejo (22): A young pitcher with a strikeout-heavy approach, Bermejo posted a 4.77 ERA but struck out 79 batters in just 60.1 innings in A+ ball. He’s a project, but his raw ability offers the kind of upside Portland needs for its future rotation.

This trade represents the Stags' commitment to building around young, controllable players who can grow with the team. Fiorilli, in particular, stands out as an immediate impact bat, offering power in the heart of the lineup without the escalating costs of arbitration or free agency that come with more established players. Yago Gonzalez, while valuable, was becoming too expensive for Portland’s strict budget, and Troy Goggans, though talented, was also trending toward a higher price tag in the near future.

Evaluating the Trade:

While trading Gonzalez and Goggans might sting, adding a young star like Fiorilli, who has already proven he can drive in runs at an elite level, makes the deal easier to justify. Fiorilli has shown he can deliver in clutch situations and has the potential to anchor the Stags' lineup, especially in a cost-controlled environment.

Meanwhile, players like Ford and Chaney bring complementary skills, adding depth to a roster that will need every bit of production it can get from affordable players.

Young Drachma · Yesterday, 12:05 AM

The Last of His Kind: Celebrating 15 Years of Layton Willingham
By Gordy Metzger, Viva El Birdos

In an age where player movement has become as routine as the seventh-inning stretch, there's something wonderfully defiant about seeing Layton Willingham still taking the mound at Busch Stadium in 2061. Yes, his $15.75 million salary is hefty for a swingman who threw just 70 innings this year. No, he's not the same pitcher who anchored our rotation during that dominant 2053 season. But sometimes baseball value transcends the spreadsheets.

The numbers tell part of the story: 121 wins in Cardinal red, a career 4.10 ERA, and those masterful seasons in the early '50s when he was one of the National League's most reliable arms. The 2053 campaign stands out - a 2.70 ERA, an All-Star selection, and some of the most dominant pitching we've seen in this ballpark. His 15-strikeout performance against Detroit that May remains one of the greatest pitching displays in recent Cardinals history.

But Willingham's true value to this franchise goes beyond his stat line. In a clubhouse that just won 100 games behind Urban Henry's historic season, Willingham provides something increasingly rare - institutional memory. He's the last active Cardinal who remembers the lean years, who was here before our current dynasty took shape. He's seen prospects come and go, watched teammates chase bigger contracts elsewhere, and somehow remained, steadfast as ever.

Sure, the contract that runs through 2066 might make the front office squirm. Modern baseball logic says you don't pay for past performance, and Willingham's best days are admittedly behind him. But in an era where even franchise icons bounce around chasing that last payday, there's something to be said for a player who's been part of the Cardinals story for 15 years and counting.

The game has changed dramatically since Willingham first donned the Birds on the Bat. The mound is different, the ball is different, and the analytics revolution has transformed how we evaluate pitchers. Yet through it all, there's been Willingham, adapting his arsenal, accepting new roles, and remaining a steady presence in an increasingly turbulent sport.

So here's to you, Layton. Your ERA might not be what it once was, but your place in Cardinals history is secure. Sometimes the most valuable thing a veteran can offer isn't found in the box score or justified on the payroll - it's the simple comfort of knowing that as long as #18 is still in the bullpen, some part of Cardinals baseball remains blessedly constant.

Besides, what's $15 million between family?

Gordy Metzger has been covering the Cardinals for Viva El Birdos since 2057. He still maintains that Willingham's slider in Game 3 of the '57 NLCS was one of the filthiest pitches he's ever seen.

Young Drachma · Yesterday, 01:08 AM

TALKING REDBIRDS PODCAST - EMERGENCY TRADE EPISODE
November 20, 2061

MIKE: "Well folks, just when we thought the Cardinals were going to stand pat, they drop a bombshell on us. The Birds have acquired Mark Wleh from the Rangers in what can only be described as a franchise-altering move. Dan, I'm still processing this one."

DAN: "Mike, this is the kind of trade that shows you're truly all-in. Mark Wleh isn't just any pitcher - we're talking about a guy who's put up a 66.2 WAR over his career. His 2061 season with Texas? Twenty wins, 3.39 ERA, 264 strikeouts. And the advanced metrics love him even more - that 125 ERA+ tells you everything you need to know about his dominance."

MIKE: "The price tag is steep though. Spencer Van Doren, Benson Amobi, Troy Burgess, plus two prospects in René Novas and Geraldo Amado. That's a lot of young talent walking out the door."

DAN: "But here's why I love this deal - it pairs Wleh with Urban Henry at the top of the rotation. You want to talk about a playoff rotation? Those two veterans together... that's how you win in October. And Wleh isn't some rental - he's signed through 2064. Dan, I can't help but think back to that 2058 Rangers team"

MIKE: "That's exactly where my mind went. Urban Henry and Mark Wleh were absolutely untouchable for Texas that year. And now, three years later, the Cardinals have managed to get the band back together. If you're a Cardinals fan who remembers watching those two dominate in the '58 Series, you've got to be ecstatic. The thing that jumps out at me is Wleh's durability. This is a guy who's thrown over 200 innings eight times in his career. Even at 30, he just gave Texas 249 innings. That kind of workhorse mentality fits perfectly with the Cardinals' pitching philosophy."

DAN: "And let's be honest about what we gave up. Van Doren and Amobi are talented, no doubt, but we've been waiting for them to take that next step. Sometimes you have to give up potential for proven elite talent. The Rangers taking on 75% of Van Doren's contract and 75% of Amobi's makes this even more palatable."

MIKE: "This feels like a statement from the front office after that NLCS loss to the Mets. They're saying the window is now, and they're pushing their chips to the center of the table."

DAN: "One hundred percent. And remember - Wleh isn't just great, he's consistent. His worst ERA+ in the last five years is 102. His worst! Most pitchers would kill for that as their average. The Cardinals just got themselves an ace who makes their rotation arguably the best in baseball."

MIKE: "Final thoughts before we take some calls?"

DAN: "When you have a chance to pair two elite starters like Henry and Wleh, you take it. Yes, the prospect cost hurts. But flags fly forever, and this trade makes the Cardinals better right now when they're already a 100-win team. That's scary for the rest of the National League."

DAN: "We've seen plenty of teammates reunited over the years, but rarely two pitchers of this caliber who've already proven they can win it all together. The rest of the National League has to be shaking their heads right now. The Cardinals just took a 100-win team and added a proven ace who has built-in chemistry with their current ace."

MIKE: "Alright, let's take some calls. First up is Tony from South County... Tony, what do you think about getting the other half of that Rangers championship duo?"

Talking Redbirds is recorded live from St. Louis and airs daily on KFNS 590

Young Drachma · Yesterday, 06:18 PM

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Bernie Miklasz
May 16, 2062

On an unseasonably cool evening at Busch Stadium, as Urban Henry wrapped up his fifth complete game of the season, the scoreboard told a story that even the most optimistic Cardinals fan couldn't have dreamed up: 42 wins against just 12 losses, a start that has the rest of baseball searching for answers.

But the numbers, staggering as they are, only tell part of the story.

This isn't just about the reunion of Henry and Mark Wleh, though their combined 2.70 ERA certainly helps. It's not just about Oscar Regalado's emergence (2.22 ERA, 80 strikeouts in 69 innings) as baseball's next great young arm. And it's not even about the lineup that's producing more consistently than any in franchise history.

It's about Pinwheel Brown stealing 31 bases while hitting .348. It's about José Cordero's .359 average and Leuri Ramírez driving in 49 runs from the outfield. It's about Jon Gallegos emerging from nowhere to post a .936 OPS. This team isn't just winning – they're redefining what Cardinals baseball looks like.

"What makes this group special," manager Bubby Harris told me before yesterday's game, "is how the veterans and young guys have meshed. You've got Henry and Wleh showing these kids what championship baseball looks like, and you've got guys like Brown and Cordero bringing an energy that's infectious."

The numbers are almost comical. Seven regulars with an OPS+ over 120. Three starting pitchers with ERAs under 3.00. Logan Cash hasn't allowed a run in his last twelve appearances. But walk through the Cardinals clubhouse, and you won't hear talk about statistics or projections.

Instead, you'll hear Urban Henry discussing pitch grips with Regalado. You'll see Pinwheel Brown working on baserunning reads with rookie Liam Bright. This isn't just a talented team – it's a team that seems to be actively making each other better.

"The beauty of baseball," Henry said after his last start, "is that it doesn't matter what the computers say you should do. It matters what you do between those lines."

And between those lines, the 2062 Cardinals are doing things we haven't seen since the legendary teams of the 2040s. They're winning with power (Cordero's 12 homers) and speed (Brown's 31 steals). They're winning with youth (Regalado's emergence) and experience (Henry's mastery).

But most importantly, they're winning with a swagger that suggests they don't plan to slow down anytime soon.

The question isn't whether this team can make the playoffs – it's whether anyone can stop them when they get there. And watching Henry and Wleh work their magic while Brown and Cordero rewrite the franchise record books, it's getting harder and harder to bet against them.

In St. Louis, we've seen our share of special teams. But this one? This one feels different. This one feels historic.

And we're only in May.

Bernie Miklasz has been covering St. Louis sports for the Post-Dispatch since 2038.

May 15, 2062 MLB STANDINGS

Code:

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Eastern Division    W   L   PCT   GB
Baltimore Orioles  35  18  .660   -
Toronto Blue Jays  30  22  .577   4.5
Boston Red Sox     27  25  .519   7.5
Cleveland          28  26  .519   7.5
New York Yankees   18  36  .333   17.5

Central Division    W   L   PCT   GB
Carolina Pilots    33  20  .623   -
Minnesota Twins    27  26  .509   6.0
Milwaukee Brewers  25  28  .472   8.0
Detroit Tigers     25  29  .463   8.5
Indianapolis       24  30  .444   9.5

Western Division    W   L   PCT   GB
Sacramento Solons  32  21  .604   -
San Diego Padres   27  26  .509   5.0
Seattle Mariners   25  28  .472   7.0
Portland Stags     25  28  .472   7.0

Southern Division   W   L   PCT   GB
Houston Astros     29  23  .558   -
Texas Rangers      25  28  .472   4.5
Nashville          24  28  .462   5.0
Kansas City        18  35  .340   11.5

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Eastern Division    W   L   PCT   GB
New York Mets      30  23  .566   -
Montreal Expos     28  26  .519   2.5
Atlanta Braves     25  29  .463   5.5
Washington         21  31  .404   8.5
Philadelphia       17  35  .327   12.5

Central Division    W   L   PCT   GB
St. Louis Cards    42  12  .778   -
Cincinnati Reds    29  25  .537   13.0
Chicago Cubs       25  28  .472   16.5
Louisville         23  30  .434   18.5
New Orleans        21  32  .396   20.5

Western Division    W   L   PCT   GB
San Francisco      29  24  .547   -
Arizona            29  24  .547   -
Vancouver Angels   25  28  .472   4.0
Los Angeles        19  34  .358   10.0

Mountain Division   W   L   PCT   GB
Colorado Rockies   36  16  .692   -
Albuquerque        31  22  .585   5.5
Salt Lake Bees     25  28  .472   11.5
Calgary Cannons    22  30  .423   14.0

Young Drachma · Yesterday, 06:20 PM

PORTLAND BASEBALL PROSPECTUS
May 16, 2062

The Unexpected Contenders: Breaking Down Portland's First Quarter

When we look at the Stags' surprising wild card position, the story starts with their young offensive core. Through 53 games, we're seeing legitimate breakout performances that demand attention:

The Youth Movement
- Matías Santana (.335/.432/.558, 166 OPS+) has been nothing short of revelatory at first base
- Mel Johnson (.319/.434/.500, 152 OPS+) is showing elite plate discipline at second
- Paul Correa (.289/.367/.515, 135 OPS+) looks like a future cornerstone in right field
- Payton LaBay (.333/.366/.590, 153 OPS+) is making the most of limited playing time

The Red Flags
- Marc McCoy (.245/.330/.367, 89 OPS+) has struggled to match his prospect pedigree
- Yorki Torres (.199/.269/.333, 62 OPS+) is showing concerning swing-and-miss issues
- The rotation beyond Bill Ballard (3.32 ERA) is frighteningly thin
- The bullpen features just one truly reliable arm in Ryder Moring (1.66 ERA)

The Financial Reality
The Stags are getting elite production at bargain prices right now. Santana, Johnson, and Correa are all making $900K this year. But here's where it gets tricky:
- Santana jumps to $6.5M in 2065, then $10M in 2066
- Johnson goes from $900K to $3.8M next year
- Correa escalates to $4M in 2064, then $7M in 2065

The Verdict
The temptation to "let it ride" with this group is strong, especially with the fanbase energized. But there's a strong case for selective selling:

Trade Candidates:
1. Jaxson Tiller (.294/.367/.497) - His value will never be higher, and his arb numbers are scary
2. Ryder Taylor - Solid CF with team control, but not part of the long-term core
3. Bill Ballard - Could fetch a premium as a controllable starter performing well

Keep At All Costs:
1. Matías Santana - Potential franchise cornerstone
2. Paul Correa - Too much upside to move
3. Mel Johnson - Elite plate discipline at a premium position

The smartest play might be threading the needle - move 2-3 key pieces while keeping the young core intact. This would give Portland financial flexibility while maintaining their competitive window.

Remember: This isn't about 2062. It's about making sure that when Santana, Correa, and Johnson hit their primes, we have the supporting cast - and the payroll space - to truly compete.

*Analysis by Jeff Wong, Portland Baseball Prospectus. Follow @PDXBaseballPro for daily Stags coverage.*

10-30-2024, 03:29 PM	#3
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	2061 SEASON LOG, PART ONE 2061 SEASON LOG St. Louis Cardinals (MLB) & San Juan Toucans (Federal) OFFSEASON LOG 1 - NOV 17, 2060 Time Remaining: 1:35 CARDINALS MOVES: - Signed St. Lucia MVP IF/OF Pinwheel Brown (23) - Landed Japanese CF Monta Matsui (32) - 7y/$216M + $32.5M posting - Added veteran IF depth with Rodriguez (34), 2y/$5.2M - Inherited AI signings: RP Avery, SS Lindblad TOUCANS MOVES: - Flipped Hite/Burnett to St. Lucia for SP Mejia - Committing to full rebuild, minimal intervention OFFSEASON LOG 2 - JAN 4, 2061 Time Remaining: 4:27 CARDINALS MOVES: - Landed SP Urban Henry after protracted negotiations - Final terms: 5y/$232.9M - Sets rotation anchor for contention window COUNTERMOVE 1 (81s): - Signed C Smokey Gonzales (Cuban League) for the Toronto Blue Jays - Blue Jays emerging as potential AL threat - Due to some past history silliness on my part, Carolina & Toronto had mixed up histories, so I swapped all their players back and changed the franchise names for 2061. More Notes: - Henry signing depleted remaining budget - Playoff roster taking shape - Will monitor winter league FAs for mid-season depth - Toucans rebuild on hold during Cardinals push SEASON LOG 3 - April 27, 2061 CARDINALS (21-17, 2.5 GB) TEAM NOTES The interesting thing about playing this way, is knowing how far to let things go early in the season. We have the highest payroll in baseball thanks largely to the Urban Henry signing, but we also inherited a few outfielders the Cardinals had who are on overpriced contracts relative to their performance, but they're young guys and I suspect they wanted to lock them up early. I'd hoped to sim through to the draft, but I needed to stop in and at least see how the team was doing. One of them is 28-year old LF Spencer Van Doren (.282/.383/.483, 141 wRC+, 3.4 WAR in 2060) who is in the 1st year of an 8-year $156.3 million extension that he signed the year before we got here. He won a Gold Glove in 2056 and a Silver Slugger in 2057, but I think he strikes out too much. A Cardinals 1st rounder (21st overall) in 2055, he's clearly delivered on his promise as an in-house talent, but I think I can get recoup some value for him if packaged in a deal whether it's prospect capital or fixing our problem with catching. I don't love that we're using him as a leadoff hitter. I decided to make some lineup changes, something I don't normally do because I want to assess what sorts of moves I want to make before the All-Star break when the Federal League is over and there are some guys on the market. We don't have any money to spend, but if I can move an expensive outfielder contract, I can free up some cash to really fix the offense. As composed, this team could miss the playoffs and that's a really bad idea. Offensively, the team is doing okay, we're 3rd in the NL in Batting WAR (7.1) to start out the year, 6th in Defensive efficiency and our starters ERA is 3rd (3.13). Where we're struggling is the bullpen, currently 12th (4.28) and so I'm going to want to look at fixing that. I think the bottom of the lineup is also really struggling, as I have defensive guys holding down the fort (Catcher Ray Van de Veer .240 SLG & SS Justin Lindblad, .212 OBP) I don't allow myself to make trades before mid-May, it feels a bit unrealistic. I have 3 moves left this season, the draft will be one of them and I'll try to sim to the All-Star break within that same timeframe just so I have a sense of where we are. If I have any time left, might start shopping some guys, but it might not work out. I'll use a move at the trade deadline for sure and then we'll have to save one last move for September in case we're in a situation where we need it because the team is in a pickle or there are injuries I need to account for. It's not clear simming whether that's the case, which is a bit problematic. TOUCANS (28-40-4, 14 GB) TEAM NOTES The FL season is wining down, it ends in late May and the Toucans are poised for another last place finish in the WL East Division. The trade I made this off-season for SP Algenis Mejia, whose last major league appearances came with the Cubs back in 2054 and spent the last six years in St. Lucia paid off. The 35-year old ace has navigated leading a bad team pretty well, going 5-10 with a 3.51 ERA/88 FIP-, 1.3 WAR and 12 QS, despite abysmal run support (1.8 RSG) by our anemic offense. He's a guy that might provide some stopgap support during the MLB season once he's a free agent after the FL season ends.

10-31-2024, 06:39 PM	#8
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	LEAGUE REPORT, NO MOVES The next sim we'll get is the post-season sim, which at least we know the Cardinals barring a collapse are headed to the post-season again, a triumph but also expected after spending like we did this off-season and coupling that with the players who were here already. I don't know how the post-season will work out. On one hand, I want to run it fast-sim style where I set the rotation/lineup and then we run it all together at once without injuries on. Alternatively, I could feel like getting a bit more immersed and running it series by series could make the post-season feel more rewarding, I will be very annoyed if I could have made a strategic adjustment between series that would've helped things not go poorly in the end. I'll ponder that later, though. STATUS REPORT September 16, 2061 CARDINALS: 99-62 (Tied for NL Central lead) I'm not sure if my trade deadline gambit paid off or not. The team went 18-9 in July, but stumbled to 14-14 in August. We've been 9-5 this month, but I think most importantly I was building a roster that could survive a post-season run, and I feel like we have that. Joachim De Los Santos (0-3, 9.24 ERA in 3 G) has not had a good few weeks, and Sandy Cook (.236, .723 OPS) has also not been great, but I still prefer their veteran presence over a 20-year old. If I were manging more slowly, I'd have just gotten by with a veteran player and held onto the prospect, but in fast-sim it's just not worth being that precious. Today is the last day of the regular season, we ended it -- fittingly -- with a 3-game series against the Cincinnati Reds. We've split this series and today, on Friday September 16th we'll play for the NL Central crown and the 2nd seed in the National League. PLAYOFF BOUND There are still a few races yet to decide, but many teams have punched their post-season ticket. Sacramento and Seattle are battling for the AL West title, Detroit and Toronto hold 1 GB advantage on Houston for the AL Wild Card, with the Mariners two games back, meaning their only pathway to the post-season is through the AL West title. In the National League, I mentioned the Reds and my Cardinals are tied at 99-wins apiece for the NL Central, the winning of their game today will win the division. Montreal won the other NL Wild Card. Salt Lake, San Francisco and the Mets won their respective divisions, the 88-win Phillies will miss the post-season. GAME 163 DRAMA One of the things I like about bringing in the 4-division era and limiting wild cards is bringing back the tiebreaker games. We’ll have 2 in the AL, both for the AL West title (Sacramento and Seattle both finished at 84-78) and a separate showdown for the AL Wild Card with (Toronto and Houston both at 85-77) Houston and Seattle will host. Winners will advance to the playoffs, losers will go home. CARDINALS BACK IN THE POST-SEASON We achieved our first aim, getting the Cardinals back into the playoffs for the first time in 4 years. This NL Central crown is the club’s first division title since 2046 and only our 3rd division title in 27 years. We’ll dig more into the club during the season summary after the post-season ends, but this is still great. I expected it, but the depth really made this year work despite the injury waves that hit. TIEBREAKER GAMES Both road teams won the tiebreakers, Toronto knocked off the Astros 7-2, and Sacramento won a nailbiter in Seattle, 1-0, 2061 REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS Code: AMERICAN LEAGUE STANDINGS Eastern Division W L PCT GB Baltimore Orioles 90 71 .559 - Toronto Blue Jays 85 77 .525 5.5 Cleveland Guardians 78 84 .481 12.5 New York Yankees 74 87 .460 16.0 Boston Red Sox 66 95 .410 24.0 Central Division W L PCT GB Minnesota Twins 87 74 .540 - Detroit Tigers 86 76 .531 1.5 Carolina Pilots 82 80 .506 5.5 Milwaukee Brewers 81 80 .503 6.0 Indianapolis Arrows 68 93 .422 19.0 Western Division W L PCT GB Sacramento Solons 84 78 .519 - Seattle Mariners 84 78 .519 - Portland Stags 78 84 .481 6.0 San Diego Padres 69 93 .426 15.0 Southern Division W L PCT GB Nashville White Sox 93 69 .574 - Houston Astros 85 77 .525 8.0 Texas Rangers 80 81 .497 12.5 Kansas City Royals 74 87 .460 18.5 NATIONAL LEAGUE STANDINGS Eastern Division W L PCT GB New York Mets 101 60 .627 - Montreal Expos 94 68 .580 7.5 Philadelphia Phillies 88 74 .543 13.5 Washington Senators 68 93 .422 33.0 Atlanta Braves 61 101 .377 40.5 Central Division W L PCT GB St. Louis Cardinals 100 62 .617 - Cincinnati Reds 99 63 .611 1.0 Chicago Cubs 87 75 .537 13.0 Louisville Spires 74 87 .460 25.5 New Orleans Pirates 73 88 .453 26.5 Western Division W L PCT GB San Francisco Giants 84 77 .522 - Arizona Diamondbacks 80 81 .497 4.0 Los Angeles Dodgers 75 86 .466 9.0 Vancouver Angels 73 88 .453 11.0 Mountain Division W L PCT GB Salt Lake Bees 87 74 .540 - Colorado Rockies 78 83 .484 9.0 Albuquerque Coyotes 76 85 .472 11.0 Calgary Cannons 64 97 .398 23.0 Code: MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL ST. LOUIS CARDINALS AT CINCINNATI REDS GAME ID: 15232 - FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16TH, 2061 - GAME LOG 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E St. Louis Cardinals (100-62) 0 0 0 6 0 2 1 0 0 9 12 0 Cincinnati Reds (99-63) 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 10 1 ST. LOUIS BATTING LINESCORE CINCINNATI BATTING LINESCORE Player AB R H RBI BB K LOB AVG HR RBI Player AB R H RBI BB K LOB AVG HR RBI P. Brown 1B 5 1 2 1 0 1 3 .331 26 84 R. Collins 3B 4 1 1 1 1 1 1 .282 14 65 S. Cook SS 5 0 1 2 0 1 3 .235 6 25 C. Rodríguez DH 4 1 3 0 0 0 2 .254 4 60 J. Cordero 2B, 3B 5 1 1 2 0 2 1 .375 17 97 A. Vazquez CF 2 0 1 0 2 0 0 .265 15 62 L. Ramírez LF 4 1 0 0 1 1 0 .294 17 64 B. Smith RF 4 0 1 0 0 0 6 .323 25 107 S. Van Doren CF 5 2 2 0 0 2 1 .280 24 74 D. Anderson C 4 0 1 1 0 1 3 .298 14 68 B. Amobi RF 4 0 2 1 0 2 1 .254 8 44 S. Joyce 1B 4 0 1 0 0 0 4 .270 22 72 M. Matsui 3B 2 1 1 1 0 0 0 .311 14 53 M. Curran LF 4 0 1 0 0 2 1 .271 22 88 a-J. Husted PH 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 .179 3 11 T. Kinnett 2B 4 0 0 0 0 1 2 .234 8 38 b-A. Rayburg 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 .154 1 4 M. Caines SS 4 0 1 0 0 1 1 .209 3 10 C. Zuniga DH 4 1 0 0 0 0 4 .239 16 64 R. Judd C 4 1 3 1 0 1 0 .172 5 12 Totals 39 9 12 9 2 10 14 Totals 34 2 10 2 3 6 20 ST. LOUIS PITCHING LINESCORE CINCINNATI PITCHING LINESCORE Player IP H R ER BB K HR PI ERA Player IP H R ER BB K HR PI ERA L. Willingham W 6.0 10 2 2 1 4 1 103 4.22 K. Yoshikawa L 3.2 5 6 3 1 4 1 55 4.20 E. Ramos SV 3.0 0 0 0 2 2 0 41 3.51 L. Gandarilla 1.2 2 1 1 1 4 0 34 4.29 N. Townsend 2.2 5 2 2 0 1 0 40 3.43 G. Koch 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 10 0. FIXED THE SEEDING I decided I don't like cheap division champions both getting into the playoffs AND skipping ahead of teams that won more games than them. So I'm keeping the ladder format, but I'll have to manually set the playoff matchups since OOTP automatically does it where wild cards are lower on the ladder than division champions. Division champs do get home field if they play any wild cards though. Here's the seeding for the '61 playoffs AL Nashville Baltimore Minnesota Detroit Sacramento Toronto NL Mets St. Louis Cincinnati Montreal Salt Lake San Francisco

10-31-2024, 08:33 PM	#10
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	2061 PLAYOFF RUN - ST. LOUIS CARDINALS NATIONAL LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES vs. CINCINNATI Game 1: CARDINALS 2, Reds 1 - Urban Henry (W) goes toe-to-toe with Kennedy - Logan Cash saves it in the 9th - Small ball victory with no HRs Game 2: CARDINALS 4, Reds 3 - Kelly Gibbons delivers strong start - Cash gets another save - Takes 2-0 series lead at home Game 3: Cardinals 3, REDS 6 - S. Wallace outduels Benjamin - Nielsen homers in loss - Reds get back in series Game 4: Cardinals 5, REDS 13 - Nightmare at Crosley Field - Willingham roughed up - Series evened at 2-2 Game 5: CARDINALS 6, Reds 4 - Henry goes 7 strong for second win - Brown/Amobi/Cordero all homer - Cash gets 2 huge innings for save Series MVP: Pinwheel Brown NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES vs. NEW YORK Game 1: Cardinals 4, METS 6 - Regalado struggles early - Brown hits two homers in loss - Mets take home field Game 2: CARDINALS 5, Mets 4 - Judd shocks with 2 HRs - Nielsen adds key blast - Cash saves Fawcett win Game 3: Cardinals 2, METS 5 - Henry suffers first playoff loss - B. Brown homers for Mets - NY takes 2-1 lead Game 4: CARDINALS 2, Mets 1 - Garner brilliant in spot start - Small ball manufacturing runs - Cash with clutch 2-inning save Last edited by Young Drachma : 10-31-2024 at 10:38 PM.

10-31-2024, 10:23 PM	#11
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	2061 PLAYOFF RUN - ST. LOUIS CARDINALS NATIONAL LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES vs. CINCINNATI Game 1: CARDINALS 2, Reds 1 - Urban Henry (W) goes toe-to-toe with Kennedy - Logan Cash saves it in the 9th - Small ball victory with no HRs Game 2: CARDINALS 4, Reds 3 - Kelly Gibbons delivers strong start - Cash gets another save - Takes 2-0 series lead at home Game 3: Cardinals 3, REDS 6 - S. Wallace outduels Benjamin - Nielsen homers in loss - Reds get back in series Game 4: Cardinals 5, REDS 13 - Nightmare at Crosley Field - Willingham roughed up - Series evened at 2-2 Game 5: CARDINALS 6, Reds 4 - Henry goes 7 strong for second win - Brown/Amobi/Cordero all homer - Cash gets 2 huge innings for save Series MVP: Pinwheel Brown NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES vs. NEW YORK Game 1: Cardinals 4, METS 6 - Regalado struggles early - Brown hits two homers in loss - Mets take home field Game 2: CARDINALS 5, Mets 4 - Judd shocks with 2 HRs - Nielsen adds key blast - Cash saves Fawcett win Game 3: Cardinals 2, METS 5 - Henry suffers first playoff loss - B. Brown homers for Mets - NY takes 2-1 lead Game 4: CARDINALS 2, Mets 1 - Garner brilliant in spot start - Small ball manufacturing runs - Cash with clutch 2-inning save Last edited by Young Drachma : 10-31-2024 at 10:42 PM.

Yesterday, 06:18 PM	#21
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH Bernie Miklasz May 16, 2062 On an unseasonably cool evening at Busch Stadium, as Urban Henry wrapped up his fifth complete game of the season, the scoreboard told a story that even the most optimistic Cardinals fan couldn't have dreamed up: 42 wins against just 12 losses, a start that has the rest of baseball searching for answers. But the numbers, staggering as they are, only tell part of the story. This isn't just about the reunion of Henry and Mark Wleh, though their combined 2.70 ERA certainly helps. It's not just about Oscar Regalado's emergence (2.22 ERA, 80 strikeouts in 69 innings) as baseball's next great young arm. And it's not even about the lineup that's producing more consistently than any in franchise history. It's about Pinwheel Brown stealing 31 bases while hitting .348. It's about José Cordero's .359 average and Leuri Ramírez driving in 49 runs from the outfield. It's about Jon Gallegos emerging from nowhere to post a .936 OPS. This team isn't just winning – they're redefining what Cardinals baseball looks like. "What makes this group special," manager Bubby Harris told me before yesterday's game, "is how the veterans and young guys have meshed. You've got Henry and Wleh showing these kids what championship baseball looks like, and you've got guys like Brown and Cordero bringing an energy that's infectious." The numbers are almost comical. Seven regulars with an OPS+ over 120. Three starting pitchers with ERAs under 3.00. Logan Cash hasn't allowed a run in his last twelve appearances. But walk through the Cardinals clubhouse, and you won't hear talk about statistics or projections. Instead, you'll hear Urban Henry discussing pitch grips with Regalado. You'll see Pinwheel Brown working on baserunning reads with rookie Liam Bright. This isn't just a talented team – it's a team that seems to be actively making each other better. "The beauty of baseball," Henry said after his last start, "is that it doesn't matter what the computers say you should do. It matters what you do between those lines." And between those lines, the 2062 Cardinals are doing things we haven't seen since the legendary teams of the 2040s. They're winning with power (Cordero's 12 homers) and speed (Brown's 31 steals). They're winning with youth (Regalado's emergence) and experience (Henry's mastery). But most importantly, they're winning with a swagger that suggests they don't plan to slow down anytime soon. The question isn't whether this team can make the playoffs – it's whether anyone can stop them when they get there. And watching Henry and Wleh work their magic while Brown and Cordero rewrite the franchise record books, it's getting harder and harder to bet against them. In St. Louis, we've seen our share of special teams. But this one? This one feels different. This one feels historic. And we're only in May. Bernie Miklasz has been covering St. Louis sports for the Post-Dispatch since 2038. May 15, 2062 MLB STANDINGS Code: AMERICAN LEAGUE Eastern Division W L PCT GB Baltimore Orioles 35 18 .660 - Toronto Blue Jays 30 22 .577 4.5 Boston Red Sox 27 25 .519 7.5 Cleveland 28 26 .519 7.5 New York Yankees 18 36 .333 17.5 Central Division W L PCT GB Carolina Pilots 33 20 .623 - Minnesota Twins 27 26 .509 6.0 Milwaukee Brewers 25 28 .472 8.0 Detroit Tigers 25 29 .463 8.5 Indianapolis 24 30 .444 9.5 Western Division W L PCT GB Sacramento Solons 32 21 .604 - San Diego Padres 27 26 .509 5.0 Seattle Mariners 25 28 .472 7.0 Portland Stags 25 28 .472 7.0 Southern Division W L PCT GB Houston Astros 29 23 .558 - Texas Rangers 25 28 .472 4.5 Nashville 24 28 .462 5.0 Kansas City 18 35 .340 11.5 NATIONAL LEAGUE Eastern Division W L PCT GB New York Mets 30 23 .566 - Montreal Expos 28 26 .519 2.5 Atlanta Braves 25 29 .463 5.5 Washington 21 31 .404 8.5 Philadelphia 17 35 .327 12.5 Central Division W L PCT GB St. Louis Cards 42 12 .778 - Cincinnati Reds 29 25 .537 13.0 Chicago Cubs 25 28 .472 16.5 Louisville 23 30 .434 18.5 New Orleans 21 32 .396 20.5 Western Division W L PCT GB San Francisco 29 24 .547 - Arizona 29 24 .547 - Vancouver Angels 25 28 .472 4.0 Los Angeles 19 34 .358 10.0 Mountain Division W L PCT GB Colorado Rockies 36 16 .692 - Albuquerque 31 22 .585 5.5 Salt Lake Bees 25 28 .472 11.5 Calgary Cannons 22 30 .423 14.0 Last edited by Young Drachma : Yesterday at 06:19 PM.

10-30-2024, 03:24 PM	#2
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	PRE-MOVE 2061 I want to get the Cardinals into contender status sooner than later. The last 3 years ahve not been good, despite a mid-table payroll, they’ve won 73, 68 and 81 games respectively. It doesn’t help that the 20-team playoffs have gone away and we’re back to just 12 teams, so they can’t even sneak in substandardly. It’s been an absymsal few decades for a once-venerable franchise in baseball, since 2023 here’s how things have gone, 15 playoff appearances, 4 division titles (2024, 2025, 2034, 2046) and zero NL pennants. Nearly 50 years without a World Series appearance is hard to imagine and yet, that’s where the Cardinals in this shifting baseball universe. We’re going to build on what they have using our moves. The San Juan Toucans meanwhile have been all over the place, they went from Atlantic City to Montreal and now in San Juan for the last 4 years. They have the 4th lowest payroll in the federal league, next year almost no one on this team is under contract after 2061 season, so they’re a perfect team for a rebuild. I’ve spent almost no time in the Federal League besides occasionally looking at players, so it’ll be very weird to figure out how to build a winning team there without spending money. My goal is partially to get better at this analytics shenanigans in 2024, while IDing some weird thing I want to arbitrage around, sign players like that and then see if it works or not. It’s purely an experiment and I don’t particularly care if they win or not, though it’d be fun if we’re able to do that over time. For this first season, I’m going to conserve most of my time by letting San Juan mostly operate on auto-pilot, but I’m not going to sign any of their existing players to new deals, I might make trades to get rid of guys since everyone is in a walk year save for the prospects and aggressively tank while I get a sense of what I want to do with this team. We’re going to use our first season (2061) to focus on the Cardinals and getting them back into shape.

10-30-2024, 07:10 PM	#4
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	SEASON LOG #4, MAY 15, 2061 CARDINALS (34-20, 1st in NL Central) On balance, it worked out how I was hoping it would. I did some lineup reconfiguring and it worked. I moved Spencer Van Doren from leadoff to 3rd in the lineup, he's now batting cleanup but it worked extremely well with Japanese import Monta Matsui (.288/6 HR/25 RBI) having a respectable for MLB season and playing leadoff for us. St. Lucian star Pinwheel Brown is our leading hitter (.335/12 HR/40 RBI) and bats 3rd. First baseman Chase Zuniga leads the NL in RBI (51) and is on track for a 4 WAR season. Offensively, we're among the Top 5 in the NL outside of HRs including Runs scored, OBP, OPS and WAR. Pitching remains our strength as our starters lead the league in ERA, but our bullpen needs a lot of help, currently 11th in the majors in ERA. DRAFT NOTES I stopped to look at the draft. One of the things I did during the recent iterations of this save before I opted for this format was to improve the intake of Latin American players into the game. For whatever reason, I had far fewer Dominicans coming through my league in the last 20 years, so I wanted to rebuild that link, as well as fix the Puerto Rican baseball pipeline, as I have fond memories of that from the 80s. That said, it initially created a wave of very young talented Dominican players entering the majors all a bit too young and I've had to actually make them a few years older so I don't have a glut of 18 year old super players proliferating my league and turned on an 18 year old age limit to MLB. Anyway, the Dominican players and Puerto Rican players are all part of the draft, as part of my robust feeders pipeline in-game that stocks enough players for an 80-round draft (I miss that about baseball, too.) KEY DRAFT PROSPECTS The Cardinals had the 18th pick, there are some decent college prospects in here but two standouts from the DR are the ones I'm most interested in. Oscar Regalado, a starting pitcher who I think would be a very valuable bullpen arm for us right now. He spent the last 3 years at Texas after not being drafted out of HS. College stats are fickle for pitchers in this league, but he had a 7.7 K/9, 108 ERA+ and 1.54 WHIP. OF Leuri Ramirez, who was actually the 6th overall pick in 2058 by the Giants, but he failed to sign. He had a great college career winning National Player of the Year in 2059, an All-American selection and .390/.464/.776 slash line with 160 wRC+ this past year at the University of Washington. DRAFT RESULTS (MOVE #4) We ended up picking Regalado, it's just not everyday you have someone with 5 pitches ready go and with our bullpen woes right now, I don't really have the luxury of taking a bat that might take a while to adjust to major league pitching. I was going to use a countermove to keep Ramirez out of the NL, but it seems like for whatever reason, the AI absolutely hates guys who have difficult signability and prefer prospects with lower potential. I think this is a flaw based on the fact that my leagues play with higher than average ratings, and the game doesn't really know what to do with it, but it's still not logical behavior. Nonetheless, we're past the supplemental round and into the 2nd round and another 16 teams pass on Ramirez, meaning that I'm indeed going to take him. The AI wanted me to take Arizona State OF A.J. Barringer, who hit .470 during his senior year of HS, but didn't make the lineup at ASU. NEXT STEPS Drafting used all of my 4th move, so we're down to two moves left this season to get me through a hopeful post-season appearance for the Cards, I hope the offers I made were good enough to get everyone on board, as I won't be able to waste another move trying to make another offer. Given that Van Doren is playing so much better, I'm less inclined to move him, that contract is a bargain relative to his production, though he'd be worth a haul on the open market. We really need to improve our offense at catcher and middle infield, unless we're just going to double down on defensive options, but all we can really hope to do is look at the market. I'm going to be simming all the way to the trade deadline or nearby, to see if we can bolster the lineup for a post-season run. We use a ladder style playoff system, and we currently are fighting the New York Mets for the top seed, there's a strong incentive to win as much as possible because 1) rust doesn't exist in OOTP and 2) it means fewer games we have to play to potentially win a World Series. TOUCANS UPDATE Still in last place, I haven't checked in on them this move, I'll focus on them in the off-season and I might cut them loose for now, it's a lot easier to manage just one club and the Federal League job is so different and I don't enjoy the context switching. I think at some point I'll add a 2nd club because I like the challenge and the different lens, but I need to get a better handle on this first club before I do that. I have a separate GM profile for them anyway, so I'll just resign when the season is done.

10-30-2024, 10:41 PM	#5
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	COUNTERMOVE, JULY 4TH 2061 CARDINALS (60-35, .5 GB, +6.5 WC) I stopped to do a countermove to check things out, wanting to stall on actually making moves until closer to the deadline. I decided to look at teams very far out of the race to see if there are some moves I could make on behalf of a team but doing so swiftly, given that we don't get a lot of time you really only get one deal to make to scope out. In this case, Montreal (53-42) is 7 GB in the NL East and .5 GB in the Wild Card race. Even though they're my competition, I'd love to get them into the post-season if we can, so I went trolling from the out of contention teams to bolster their situation, except they are 31st in farm system so it'll be tough to help them out. They acquired three players from Boston for prospects including SP Calvin Reitmeier (4-7, 3.61), OF Gabe Braithwaite (.380 SLG) and infielder Christian Wood. They needed some depth and this should help, though not sure it'll be enough to get them into the post-season. LEAGUE STANDINGS - JULY 4, 2061 AMERICAN LEAGUE Eastern Division Team W L PCT GB Toronto 56 44 .560 - Baltimore 52 50 .510 5.0 Cleveland 51 50 .505 5.5 New York 46 54 .460 10.0 Boston 43 58 .426 13.5 Central Division Team W L PCT GB Minnesota 58 43 .574 - Carolina 54 47 .535 4.0 Milwaukee 52 49 .515 6.0 Detroit 49 51 .490 8.5 Indianapolis 40 61 .396 18.0 Western Division Team W L PCT GB Sacramento 57 43 .570 - Seattle 51 49 .510 6.0 Portland 41 59 .410 16.0 San Diego 40 60 .400 17.0 Southern Division Team W L PCT GB Nashville 61 39 .610 - Houston 53 47 .530 8.0 Texas 48 52 .480 13.0 Kansas City 43 57 .430 18.0 NATIONAL LEAGUE Eastern Division Team W L PCT GB New York 63 38 .624 - Montreal 56 45 .554 7.0 Philadelphia 56 46 .549 7.5 Washington 46 54 .460 16.5 Atlanta 37 63 .370 25.5 Central Division Team W L PCT GB St. Louis 64 37 .634 - Cincinnati 63 37 .630 0.5 Chicago 54 47 .535 10.0 Louisville 45 56 .446 19.0 New Orleans 45 56 .446 19.0 Western Division Team W L PCT GB San Francisco 50 50 .500 - Vancouver 49 51 .490 1.0 Los Angeles 47 53 .470 3.0 Arizona 46 54 .460 4.0 Mountain Division Team W L PCT GB Salt Lake 54 46 .540 - Colorado 52 48 .520 2.0 Albuquerque 45 55 .450 9.0 Calgary 41 59 .410 13.0 Next Move: Trade deadline maneuvering, aiming for that crucial #1 NL seed for playoff positioning

10-31-2024, 03:32 AM	#6
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	MOVE #5 - JULY 18, 2061 Cardinals (67-40, 1 GB, +8 WC) I had to make my pre-deadline move here because I would prefer to see what's on the market and try to position us for some better usage out of whatever rentals I can get my hands on. One side effect of the smaller playoffs is that the trade market goes bonkers at this time of year. With not a lot of time to do tons of shopping, I opt for just seeing what's on the trade block and who we can bring in. We could use additional offense, a bullpen arm or two and depth. Farm system is Top 5 now thanks to our recent draft picks, and I have a few players who we inherited from the old regime who are ready to get promoted and either would be good depth guys or trade bait, depending on which way I want to go. We make a blockbuster with the struggling Padres (43-64) that brings us 1B Owen Nielsen (.251/.309/.414, 12 HR, 45 RBI in 90 games), CF Liam Bright (.244/.312/.364, 5 HR, 13 SB), veteran RHP Chase Benjamin (5-10, 5.30 ERA, with San Diego retaining salary), and C Ralph Judd (.140/.222/.217) for depth. We give up some interesting young talent but no elite prospects - two Single-A players with potential (LHP Garcia with a 1.50 ERA and 1B McGowan hitting .267), Double-A outfielder Jordan Avery (.309/.429/.436 with good speed), and two MLB-ready pieces in Jace Coulter (.250/.279/.312) and Julian Vo (.143/.143/.143 in limited time). That deal didn't take long, so we still have another few minutes to see what else we might be able to do. Nothing really materialized, but I decided to shop 3B Terrance Adkins, a 20-year old who has not yet cracked the lineup — he's not ready — but would do well someplace he can develop and not on a contender where we need someone to fill a spot right now. He's the 7th best prospect in baseball, so I can't just give him away, but I'm opting to sell high here rather than see if he's going to develop in a few years well after this window of winning might be gone. I don't know if anyone is offering me anything when I shop him worth moving him and we might just have to roll with what we have right now, I'm about out of time to figure something else out and it's not clear to me what else I can really do — realistically — without dealing a bunch of players and/or taking on bad contracts to do it. Rentals are cool, but I hate trading top prospects for them unless it's something truly elite. [COUNTERMOVE] I bought some time freezing the clock. Sacramento signed 30 year Cuban OF Kaka Machado, the Solons have been bouncing around Northern California and Vegas over the past few decades and they're now in 1st place in the AL West and this is a big moment for them to establish themselves, so I want to see if they can do it. AMERICAN LEAGUE STANDINGS Eastern Division: Tight three-team race with Toronto (56-50) leading Cleveland by 1.0 and Baltimore by 1.5 Central Division: Minnesota (60-48) leads Carolina by 3.5 Western Division: Sacramento (61-46) comfortable with 6.0 game lead on Seattle Southern Division: Nashville (64-42) leading Houston by 6.0 NATIONAL LEAGUE STANDINGS Eastern Division: Mets dominating at 69-39, 9.5 ahead of Philadelphia Central Division: Cincinnati (68-39) leads us by 1.0, Cubs 9.5 back Western Division: Giants (55-52) barely ahead of Vancouver by 2.0 Mountain Division: Salt Lake (57-49) leads Colorado by 2.0 These standings are particularly crucial because of our league's unique ladder-style playoff format. Unlike traditional MLB playoffs, teams face an increasingly difficult path based on their regular season finish: The two worst qualifying teams meet in a single Wild Card game The winner faces the next worst playoff team in another single elimination game That winner advances to a Best-of-3 LES against the next team up The survivor then faces a better seed in a Best-of-5 Division Series Finally, whoever emerges from this gauntlet faces the #1 seed in a Best-of-7 LCS The pennant winners then meet in a Best-of-9 World Series This makes our current position (67-40) and the tight race with Cincinnati (68-39) and the Mets (69-39) absolutely critical. While we're safely in playoff position at 8 games up on the Wild Card, winning the division - and potentially claiming that #1 seed - would mean avoiding the brutal ladder climb through multiple elimination games

10-31-2024, 04:10 AM	#7
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	MOVE #6 - JULY 25, 2061 Cardinals (71-41, +0.5, 2nd Seed) I changed my mind about holding onto this move for late-season insurance. With our strong position - now leading Cincinnati by half a game and guaranteed the #2 seed in our ladder-style playoff format - I decided to be aggressive and use our final move before the deadline. We send Terrance Adkins (#5 prospect in baseball), along with two other Top 100 prospects in CF Dusty Fergus (#195) and 2B Olier Johansson (#99) to the Yankees in exchange for All-Star infielder Sandy Cook and veteran pitcher Joachim De Los Santos. Cook (.324/.423/.470, 13 HR, 8 SB) is a significant addition - a 3-time All-Star having a 5 WAR season who can play multiple infield positions. He's arbitration eligible but controllable, making this more than just a rental move. We also got them to include De Los Santos (8-10, 3.84 ERA, 150 IP) in his walk year to add pitching depth. The prospect cost is steep - headlined by one of baseball's elite prospects in Adkins - but this feels like the right balance between going for it now while still maintaining long-term stability. Taking Cook's arbitration rights means this isn't purely a win-now move, and his versatility gives us lots of lineup options. The standings show why this move made sense - we've edged ahead of Cincinnati by half a game, the Cubs have fallen 8 games back, and we're actually ahead of everyone except the Mets (74-40) in winning percentage. Getting Cook could be the difference-maker in avoiding the longer playoff path through the ladder format. I hate using our last move this early (July 25th), but sometimes you have to strike when the right deal presents itself. Between this and our earlier Padres trade, we've significantly upgraded the roster for the stretch run without mortgaging everything for rentals. AMERICAN LEAGUE STANDINGS Eastern Division: Toronto (59-53) holding slim lead over Baltimore (1.5) and Cleveland (2.0) Central Division: Minnesota (63-51) ahead of Carolina by 2.0 Western Division: Sacramento (64-49) comfortable with 4.5 game lead Southern Division: Nashville dominating at 69-43, up 7.5 on Houston NATIONAL LEAGUE STANDINGS Eastern Division: Mets pulling away at 74-40, 10.5 ahead of Philadelphia Central Division: We've taken the lead (71-41) by half a game over Cincinnati (71-42), Cubs 8.0 back Western Division: Giants (57-56) barely above .500 but leading Mountain Division: Salt Lake (59-53) up 2.5 on Colorado The Mets remain the team to beat overall, but we're sitting with the second-best record in baseball and in prime position to avoid the ladder format's gauntlet by securing one of the top seeds. The Yankees (52-60) being 7 games out in the AL East likely helped make them willing to deal Cook despite his strong season.

10-31-2024, 06:54 PM	#9
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	2061 PLAYOFFS NL WILD CARD RD 1 San Francisco def. Salt Lake 2-0 (10) AL WILD CARD RD 1 Toronto def. Sacramento 12-2 NL WILD CARD RD 2 Montreal def. San Francisco 1-0 AL WILD CARD RD 2 Toronto def. Detroit 3-1 NL ELIMINATION SERIES Game 1: Cincinnati def. Montreal 13-1 Game 2: Montreal def. Cincinnati 7-4 Game 3: Cincinnati def. Montreal 7-1 AL ELIMINATION SERIES Game 1: Minnesota def. Toronto 10-5 Game 2: Minnesota def. Toronto 4-3 So we're going to have another date with the Reds in the Division Series, not totally surprising or unexpected. We won the season series 11-9, besides knowing we're fresh and our rotation is largely intact, I can't really picture how this will go. We've been going back and forth all year, this one could go all 5 games.

11-03-2024, 09:00 PM	#14
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	The Machine Awakens: The Cardinals return to the postseason 2061 Season In Review The ghosts had grown restless in St. Louis. Four years of October silence - an eternity by Cardinals standards - had settled over Busch Stadium like an unwelcome fog. Not since 2057 had playoff baseball graced these grounds, and the drought had begun to feel less like an aberration and more like an identity crisis for baseball's proudest National League franchise. The last time the Cardinals had won 100 games, in 2015, most of their current roster hadn't been born. But baseball, like life, moves in cycles. The 2061 Cardinals didn't just break their playoff drought - they shattered it with a thunderous 100-win campaign that announced the franchise's return to baseball's elite. Led by a rookie who seemed to step out of a baseball fever dream and a veteran pitcher staging his own renaissance, these Cardinals restored the shine to baseball's best-preserved machine. Pinwheel Brown arrived in St. Louis with the kind of expectations that can crush young careers. He left his rookie season as an MVP, having achieved something no player in baseball history had done before: a .400 batting average combined with 123 stolen bases. The 24-year-old first baseman didn't just hit - he reimagined what was possible on a baseball field. Every at-bat became an event, every base hit a prelude to stolen base attempts that brought crowds to their feet. "He's playing a different game than the rest of us," marveled teammate José Cordero, who authored his own breakout season with a .375 average. "The speed, the contact - it's like he's operating on a different timeline than everyone else." But if Brown represented the future, Urban Henry was the bridge from past to present. At 37, the right-hander delivered one of the most dominant pitching seasons in recent memory: 22 wins, a 2.10 ERA, and 297 strikeouts. Paired with Kelly Gibbons (18-6, 2.33 ERA), Henry gave the Cardinals the kind of rotation frontline that had been missing during their playoff drought. The regular season unfolded like a gradually building crescendo. The Cincinnati Reds pushed them to the final week, winning 99 games themselves, but the Cardinals' consistency - that old organizational hallmark - proved the difference. When victory 100 was secured in the season's final series, it felt less like an accomplishment than a restoration. This was, after all, what Cardinals baseball was supposed to look like. October began with promise. They dispatched those same Reds in a tense Division Series, with Henry bookending the series with gems that recalled the franchise's greatest playoff moments. The New York Mets awaited in the Championship Series, and for a moment, it seemed the drought-breaking season might become something more. But on a crisp October night at Citi Field, the dream ended. Domingo Durán spun seven masterful innings, limiting the Cardinals to just four hits and a single run. Rowan Kendrick, who would be named series MVP after hitting .391, delivered key RBIs as the Mets built their lead. When Leuri Ramírez doubled and scored on Sandy Cook's sacrifice fly in the seventh, it provided only momentary hope. The Mets' Hayden Hasenjager closed the door over the final two innings, and just like that, the season was over. The sting of falling short will linger, but the broader picture remains bright. Brown's historic season signals the arrival of a generational talent. The farm system teems with promise - Asher Novak and Reggie Lozano headline a prospect group that should keep the pipeline flowing. Even the financial picture is robust, with attendance over 3.7 million justifying a payroll approaching $190 million. Most importantly, the Cardinals rediscovered their identity. The lost years since 2057 had begun to feel like a new normal, the 46-year wait for another 100-win season a weight too heavy to lift. But these Cardinals proved that excellence, while never guaranteed, remains embedded in the organization's DNA. As winter descends on Busch Stadium, the ghosts have grown quiet again. Not because they've been exorcised, but because they've been replaced by something more tangible: hope. The drought is over. The machine is humming again. And in St. Louis, that's always been enough to warm even the coldest offseason nights.

11-03-2024, 11:17 PM	#18
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	The Portland Stags are facing a unique challenge: how to stay competitive under the strictest financial limitations in franchise history. With the ownership imposing a severe budget cap, the Stags have to rely on savvy trades and youth development rather than high-profile acquisitions. Their latest move—a trade with the Philadelphia Phillies—signals a commitment to this strategy, bringing in young talent with real potential while shedding salary commitments. The Trade: In the deal, the Stags sent right fielder Yago Gonzalez (27) and first baseman Troy Goggans (25) to Philadelphia. In exchange, they received five promising young players: 1B Jackson Fiorilli (24): Fiorilli is the centerpiece of the trade. Fresh off a season where he finished second in the National League in RBIs, his .284/.332/.468 slash line with 29 home runs highlights his power and consistency. Although relatively young, Fiorilli has already shown he can produce at a high level and could become a key part of Portland's lineup for years to come. LF Terell Ford (21): Ford is a high-ceiling outfield prospect with impressive raw skills. Despite a modest .224 average, his .393 on-base percentage and .578 slugging in 161 ABs point to his ability to draw walks and hit for power. Ford’s blend of speed and pop makes him an exciting, albeit raw, addition to the Stags’ outfield. CF Alvin Peca (21): Known for his solid defense in center field, Peca also provides some offensive upside, hitting .231 with a respectable .316 OBP in 281 ABs. Portland hopes his athleticism and defensive prowess can anchor their outfield as he develops his bat. RF Pete Chaney (24): With a .275/.336/.440 line and 13 home runs in 480 ABs, Chaney is a balanced hitter who can contribute across the board. He may not have the superstar potential of Fiorilli, but his steady production and strong fundamentals could make him a reliable asset. SP Odysseus Bermejo (22): A young pitcher with a strikeout-heavy approach, Bermejo posted a 4.77 ERA but struck out 79 batters in just 60.1 innings in A+ ball. He’s a project, but his raw ability offers the kind of upside Portland needs for its future rotation. This trade represents the Stags' commitment to building around young, controllable players who can grow with the team. Fiorilli, in particular, stands out as an immediate impact bat, offering power in the heart of the lineup without the escalating costs of arbitration or free agency that come with more established players. Yago Gonzalez, while valuable, was becoming too expensive for Portland’s strict budget, and Troy Goggans, though talented, was also trending toward a higher price tag in the near future. Evaluating the Trade: While trading Gonzalez and Goggans might sting, adding a young star like Fiorilli, who has already proven he can drive in runs at an elite level, makes the deal easier to justify. Fiorilli has shown he can deliver in clutch situations and has the potential to anchor the Stags' lineup, especially in a cost-controlled environment. Meanwhile, players like Ford and Chaney bring complementary skills, adding depth to a roster that will need every bit of production it can get from affordable players.

Yesterday, 12:05 AM	#19
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	The Last of His Kind: Celebrating 15 Years of Layton Willingham By Gordy Metzger, Viva El Birdos In an age where player movement has become as routine as the seventh-inning stretch, there's something wonderfully defiant about seeing Layton Willingham still taking the mound at Busch Stadium in 2061. Yes, his $15.75 million salary is hefty for a swingman who threw just 70 innings this year. No, he's not the same pitcher who anchored our rotation during that dominant 2053 season. But sometimes baseball value transcends the spreadsheets. The numbers tell part of the story: 121 wins in Cardinal red, a career 4.10 ERA, and those masterful seasons in the early '50s when he was one of the National League's most reliable arms. The 2053 campaign stands out - a 2.70 ERA, an All-Star selection, and some of the most dominant pitching we've seen in this ballpark. His 15-strikeout performance against Detroit that May remains one of the greatest pitching displays in recent Cardinals history. But Willingham's true value to this franchise goes beyond his stat line. In a clubhouse that just won 100 games behind Urban Henry's historic season, Willingham provides something increasingly rare - institutional memory. He's the last active Cardinal who remembers the lean years, who was here before our current dynasty took shape. He's seen prospects come and go, watched teammates chase bigger contracts elsewhere, and somehow remained, steadfast as ever. Sure, the contract that runs through 2066 might make the front office squirm. Modern baseball logic says you don't pay for past performance, and Willingham's best days are admittedly behind him. But in an era where even franchise icons bounce around chasing that last payday, there's something to be said for a player who's been part of the Cardinals story for 15 years and counting. The game has changed dramatically since Willingham first donned the Birds on the Bat. The mound is different, the ball is different, and the analytics revolution has transformed how we evaluate pitchers. Yet through it all, there's been Willingham, adapting his arsenal, accepting new roles, and remaining a steady presence in an increasingly turbulent sport. So here's to you, Layton. Your ERA might not be what it once was, but your place in Cardinals history is secure. Sometimes the most valuable thing a veteran can offer isn't found in the box score or justified on the payroll - it's the simple comfort of knowing that as long as #18 is still in the bullpen, some part of Cardinals baseball remains blessedly constant. Besides, what's $15 million between family? Gordy Metzger has been covering the Cardinals for Viva El Birdos since 2057. He still maintains that Willingham's slider in Game 3 of the '57 NLCS was one of the filthiest pitches he's ever seen.

Yesterday, 01:08 AM	#20
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	TALKING REDBIRDS PODCAST - EMERGENCY TRADE EPISODE November 20, 2061 MIKE: "Well folks, just when we thought the Cardinals were going to stand pat, they drop a bombshell on us. The Birds have acquired Mark Wleh from the Rangers in what can only be described as a franchise-altering move. Dan, I'm still processing this one." DAN: "Mike, this is the kind of trade that shows you're truly all-in. Mark Wleh isn't just any pitcher - we're talking about a guy who's put up a 66.2 WAR over his career. His 2061 season with Texas? Twenty wins, 3.39 ERA, 264 strikeouts. And the advanced metrics love him even more - that 125 ERA+ tells you everything you need to know about his dominance." MIKE: "The price tag is steep though. Spencer Van Doren, Benson Amobi, Troy Burgess, plus two prospects in René Novas and Geraldo Amado. That's a lot of young talent walking out the door." DAN: "But here's why I love this deal - it pairs Wleh with Urban Henry at the top of the rotation. You want to talk about a playoff rotation? Those two veterans together... that's how you win in October. And Wleh isn't some rental - he's signed through 2064. Dan, I can't help but think back to that 2058 Rangers team" MIKE: "That's exactly where my mind went. Urban Henry and Mark Wleh were absolutely untouchable for Texas that year. And now, three years later, the Cardinals have managed to get the band back together. If you're a Cardinals fan who remembers watching those two dominate in the '58 Series, you've got to be ecstatic. The thing that jumps out at me is Wleh's durability. This is a guy who's thrown over 200 innings eight times in his career. Even at 30, he just gave Texas 249 innings. That kind of workhorse mentality fits perfectly with the Cardinals' pitching philosophy." DAN: "And let's be honest about what we gave up. Van Doren and Amobi are talented, no doubt, but we've been waiting for them to take that next step. Sometimes you have to give up potential for proven elite talent. The Rangers taking on 75% of Van Doren's contract and 75% of Amobi's makes this even more palatable." MIKE: "This feels like a statement from the front office after that NLCS loss to the Mets. They're saying the window is now, and they're pushing their chips to the center of the table." DAN: "One hundred percent. And remember - Wleh isn't just great, he's consistent. His worst ERA+ in the last five years is 102. His worst! Most pitchers would kill for that as their average. The Cardinals just got themselves an ace who makes their rotation arguably the best in baseball." MIKE: "Final thoughts before we take some calls?" DAN: "When you have a chance to pair two elite starters like Henry and Wleh, you take it. Yes, the prospect cost hurts. But flags fly forever, and this trade makes the Cardinals better right now when they're already a 100-win team. That's scary for the rest of the National League." DAN: "We've seen plenty of teammates reunited over the years, but rarely two pitchers of this caliber who've already proven they can win it all together. The rest of the National League has to be shaking their heads right now. The Cardinals just took a 100-win team and added a proven ace who has built-in chemistry with their current ace." MIKE: "Alright, let's take some calls. First up is Tony from South County... Tony, what do you think about getting the other half of that Rangers championship duo?" Talking Redbirds is recorded live from St. Louis and airs daily on KFNS 590

Yesterday, 06:20 PM	#22
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	PORTLAND BASEBALL PROSPECTUS May 16, 2062 The Unexpected Contenders: Breaking Down Portland's First Quarter When we look at the Stags' surprising wild card position, the story starts with their young offensive core. Through 53 games, we're seeing legitimate breakout performances that demand attention: The Youth Movement - Matías Santana (.335/.432/.558, 166 OPS+) has been nothing short of revelatory at first base - Mel Johnson (.319/.434/.500, 152 OPS+) is showing elite plate discipline at second - Paul Correa (.289/.367/.515, 135 OPS+) looks like a future cornerstone in right field - Payton LaBay (.333/.366/.590, 153 OPS+) is making the most of limited playing time The Red Flags - Marc McCoy (.245/.330/.367, 89 OPS+) has struggled to match his prospect pedigree - Yorki Torres (.199/.269/.333, 62 OPS+) is showing concerning swing-and-miss issues - The rotation beyond Bill Ballard (3.32 ERA) is frighteningly thin - The bullpen features just one truly reliable arm in Ryder Moring (1.66 ERA) The Financial Reality The Stags are getting elite production at bargain prices right now. Santana, Johnson, and Correa are all making $900K this year. But here's where it gets tricky: - Santana jumps to $6.5M in 2065, then $10M in 2066 - Johnson goes from $900K to $3.8M next year - Correa escalates to $4M in 2064, then $7M in 2065 The Verdict The temptation to "let it ride" with this group is strong, especially with the fanbase energized. But there's a strong case for selective selling: Trade Candidates: 1. Jaxson Tiller (.294/.367/.497) - His value will never be higher, and his arb numbers are scary 2. Ryder Taylor - Solid CF with team control, but not part of the long-term core 3. Bill Ballard - Could fetch a premium as a controllable starter performing well Keep At All Costs: 1. Matías Santana - Potential franchise cornerstone 2. Paul Correa - Too much upside to move 3. Mel Johnson - Elite plate discipline at a premium position The smartest play might be threading the needle - move 2-3 key pieces while keeping the young core intact. This would give Portland financial flexibility while maintaining their competitive window. Remember: This isn't about 2062. It's about making sure that when Santana, Correa, and Johnson hit their primes, we have the supporting cast - and the payroll space - to truly compete. Analysis by Jeff Wong, Portland Baseball Prospectus. Follow @PDXBaseballPro for daily Stags coverage.

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