2003 Off-season Thread (completed FA2/Pre-ST file is up.)

[Young Drachma]

Let's do a lil' drafting, shall we?

Exports from Atlanta, Boston, Colorado, Napa Valley and Valdosta

DRAFT ORDER

1. Ann Arbor
2. Baltimore
3. Toronto
4. Napa Valley
5. Columbus
6. Colorado
7. Brooklyn
8. Boston
9. Hartford (RL runner-up)
10. Atlanta (CL runner-up)
11. Valdosta (CL Champ)
12. Compton (FOOL Champ)

[Young Drachma]

Monday, October 28th, 2002
Atlanta Firecrackers: Signed LF M. Cady to a 2-year contract extension worth a total of $7,155,300.
Valdosta Peanuts: Signed CL C. Pollock to a 3-year contract extension worth a total of $27,905,000.
Napa Valley Winemakers: Signed 2B R. Roy to a 2-year contract extension worth a total of $3,265,000.
Toronto Osprey: Purchased the contract of SP R. Olson from Triple A Ottawa.
Toronto Osprey: Purchased the contract of MR B. Coulombe from Triple A Ottawa.
Toronto Osprey: Purchased the contract of MR B. Chavarría from Triple A Ottawa.
Toronto Osprey: Purchased the contract of 2B M. Stephens from Triple A Ottawa.
Toronto Osprey: Purchased the contract of LF F. Phillips from Triple A Ottawa.
Toronto Osprey: Purchased the contract of 1B J. Knowles from Double A London.
Toronto Osprey: Demoted MR R. Naughton to Triple A Ottawa.
Toronto Osprey: Demoted MR J. Browne to Triple A Ottawa.
Toronto Osprey: Demoted SS S. Green to Triple A Ottawa.
Toronto Osprey: Demoted LF S. Cooper to Triple A Ottawa.
Toronto Osprey: Demoted 1B M. Fields to Triple A Ottawa.
Toronto Osprey: Demoted 3B M. Gendron to Triple A Ottawa.
Toronto Osprey: Released 3B D. Bédard.
Compton Brothers: Signed free agent 3B D. Bédard to a minor league contract.
Compton Brothers: Purchased the contract of SP H. van Geel from Triple A San Francisco.
Compton Brothers: Demoted MR S. O'Connor to Triple A San Francisco.

[Young Drachma]

Round 5
Round 5, Pick 1 - Ann Arbor Wolverines: SS E. Sanderson
Round 5, Pick 2 - Baltimore Gothams: SP D. Biavaschi
Round 5, Pick 3 - Toronto Osprey: SP C. Lewis
Round 5, Pick 4 - Napa Valley Winemakers: SP Q. Hill
Round 5, Pick 5 - Columbus Crusaders: SP E. Lewis
Round 5, Pick 6 - Colorado Rancheros: MR A. Marín
Round 5, Pick 7 - Brooklyn Brownstones: C D. Monroe
Round 5, Pick 8 - Boston Settlers: SP J. Roy
Round 5, Pick 9 - Hartford Harpooners: SP C. Ch'oe
Round 5, Pick 10 - Atlanta Firecrackers: SS C. Haney
Round 5, Pick 11 - Valdosta Peanuts: CF E. Rodríguez
Round 5, Pick 12 - Compton Brothers: SP A. Ramírez
Round 4
Round 4, Pick 1 - Ann Arbor Wolverines: SP J. Pimentel
Round 4, Pick 2 - Baltimore Gothams: LF J. Leal
Round 4, Pick 3 - Toronto Osprey: 1B V. Salinas
Round 4, Pick 4 - Napa Valley Winemakers: CF O. Ayers
Round 4, Pick 5 - Columbus Crusaders: LF R. Grenier
Round 4, Pick 6 - Colorado Rancheros: MR S. Sugano
Round 4, Pick 7 - Brooklyn Brownstones: SP C. Whitaker
Round 4, Pick 8 - Boston Settlers: RF J. Powell
Round 4, Pick 9 - Hartford Harpooners: SP M. Fujimoto
Round 4, Pick 10 - Atlanta Firecrackers: 2B J. López
Round 4, Pick 11 - Valdosta Peanuts: 1B W. Cresswell
Round 4, Pick 12 - Compton Brothers: RF Y. Endo
Round 3
Round 3, Pick 1 - Ann Arbor Wolverines: CF D. Wilson
Round 3, Pick 2 - Baltimore Gothams: RF C. Olsen
Round 3, Pick 3 - Toronto Osprey: SP T. Burkitt
Round 3, Pick 4 - Napa Valley Winemakers: 1B P. Viera
Round 3, Pick 5 - Columbus Crusaders: SP F. MacKinney
Round 3, Pick 6 - Colorado Rancheros: 2B A. Román
Round 3, Pick 7 - Brooklyn Brownstones: SP J. De Los Santos
Round 3, Pick 8 - Boston Settlers: RF N. Rosales
Round 3, Pick 9 - Hartford Harpooners: LF J. Ortíz
Round 3, Pick 10 - Atlanta Firecrackers: MR G. Pallard
Round 3, Pick 11 - Valdosta Peanuts: SS F. Johnson
Round 3, Pick 12 - Compton Brothers: LF Q. Henderson
Round 2
Round 2, Pick 1 - Ann Arbor Wolverines: SP C. Cervantes
Round 2, Pick 2 - Baltimore Gothams: RF J. Lee
Round 2, Pick 3 - Toronto Osprey: CF K. Glendenning
Round 2, Pick 4 - Napa Valley Winemakers: 1B J. Valdés
Round 2, Pick 5 - Columbus Crusaders: SP S. Ishida
Round 2, Pick 6 - Colorado Rancheros: 1B P. Yánez
Round 2, Pick 7 - Brooklyn Brownstones: SP A. Tanner
Round 2, Pick 8 - Boston Settlers: 3B L. Teng
Round 2, Pick 9 - Hartford Harpooners: 3B J. Martínez
Round 2, Pick 10 - Atlanta Firecrackers: 3B M. Yamaguchi
Round 2, Pick 11 - Valdosta Peanuts: SS A. Escobar
Round 2, Pick 12 - Compton Brothers: 1B A. Fuentes
Round 1
Round 1, Pick 1 - Ann Arbor Wolverines: CF D. Gordon
Round 1, Pick 2 - Baltimore Gothams: LF A. Ruíz
Round 1, Pick 3 - Toronto Osprey: SS G. Pratt
Round 1, Pick 4 - Napa Valley Winemakers: RF D. Carrier
Round 1, Pick 5 - Columbus Crusaders: C W. Gordam
Round 1, Pick 6 - Colorado Rancheros: 3B C. Morales
Round 1, Pick 7 - Brooklyn Brownstones: LF J. Garza
Round 1, Pick 8 - Boston Settlers: SP Y. Asai
Round 1, Pick 9 - Hartford Harpooners: SP C. Gonzáles
Round 1, Pick 10 - Atlanta Firecrackers: 3B A. Burgos
Round 1, Pick 11 - Valdosta Peanuts: SP C. Martínez
Round 1, Pick 12 - Compton Brothers: C M. Takano

[Young Drachma]

Friday, November 1st, 2002
Napa Valley Winemakers: Signed SS M. Olivares to a 2-year contract extension worth a total of $1,465,000.
Napa Valley Winemakers: Signed MR D. Holt to a 3-year contract extension worth a total of $26,310,000.
Compton Brothers: Signed free agent LF J. Cochrane to a minor league contract.

[Young Drachma]

Sunday, November 10th, 2002
Boston Settlers: Signed free agent SS G. González to a minor league contract.

[Tasan]

That was a stellar draft for me. #s 1, 4, 8, 13 and 19. Of course, my evaluations may have been waaaaaay off, but from here it looks real good for now.

[Young Drachma]

File is up.

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by Tasan

That was a stellar draft for me. #s 1, 4, 8, 13 and 19. Of course, my evaluations may have been waaaaaay off, but from here it looks real good for now.

#4 #7 #13 #15 #20 for me.

No telling if that is actually how I liked them in order though. I got frustrated after about an hour of it constantly removing people from my draft list when I was placing other players. I used to think Chief Rum was crazy about that happening so much as it never happened to me. After tonight I was ready to throw it out the window.

[Tasan]

Thats funny, because for the first time I didn't have the player remove thing happen to me and made a pretty decent list of 50 guys. I'm still not sure I totally get everything thats going on with the ratings right now though. That, and I'm not sure how players are going to develop with short minors and not very many slots to play people in.

[Tasan]

Is there ANY possible way I could get 3B Villarreal off of Hartford's minors and on to my team? I tried to make a trade with muns before he left but he couldn't get back to me before he gave up his team. I just want the guy here to play out his last year (more than likely) on the team he tore up the record books with. At least get him in the bigs on Hartford's ML roster or something.

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by Tasan

Is there ANY possible way I could get 3B Villarreal off of Hartford's minors and on to my team? I tried to make a trade with muns before he left but he couldn't get back to me before he gave up his team. I just want the guy here to play out his last year (more than likely) on the team he tore up the record books with. At least get him in the bigs on Hartford's ML roster or something.

If you get someone else currently in the league to act as Hartford's GM (for the purposes of this trade) and it's no different than a "normal" trade would look like, sounds like a plan to me.

I'm a man o' history.

[Young Drachma]

Speaking of radical ideas...take this one.

I think I'm going to try to do the same thing over here at FOFC with a different RL team, too. I have no idea what to post to these people, but...I figure it's gotta be a way to get someone possibly interested in checking out the zanyness of what we do here. And maybe with teams that have shared GMs, it'd make the speed of things a little easier for folks.

MyBaseballTeam.com: An Online Multiplayer Experiment v.1 - OOTP Developments Forums

[Young Drachma]

I need to reupload the file. I didn't sim to the start of FA. I guess I went to arbitration and got overeager.

[Young Drachma]

Ok, new file is up. Make sure you grab this version.

[Chief Rum]

Hi DC, don't know if you're grabbing the files right at 10 p.m. EST, but I may need a minute. I am in the WW game, and got home late from work. SHouldn't take long, though. I don't have a ton of cap room to use.

[Chief Rum]

Hey, I am getting a connect error. Anyone else having this problem?

I get an error "-201". Can't connect to file.

[Tasan]

Man, it looks like FOOL is back to business as usual! ;- )

[Chief Rum]

Hmm, okay, now it loaded up. Weird.

DC, could you please confirm you received my export? I exported at 7:12 p.m. PDT (per my computer).

Thanks!

[Tasan]

Hrm, I'm not getting the error Chief. Try the direct file link.

[Tasan]

I see you lurking Teach, HI!

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by Tasan

Hrm, I'm not getting the error Chief. Try the direct file link.

Naw, the FTP worked. Which is good, because I don't have DC's email handy to send him an offline file anyway.

[Chief Rum]

I still want him to confirm, though. Squirrely OOTP makes me skittish, and not in a rainbow of flavor sorta way.

[Young Drachma]

Will check now. Just got around these parts...

[Young Drachma]

All human exports received.

[Young Drachma]

You all should support this experiment, because I'm certain if we do it here and over at OOTP that it's going to get us other guys to come join. No other league would consider it, much less be able to pull it offer. Get the "owners" of the team to consider making deals and everything. Yeah, it all has to be done in public (on the forums) but that adds to the interestingness of it, I think.

I haven't set the one for the FOFC dynasty forums yet, but...I think it's an idea that could totally work even if just a few guys dive in and get hooked.

[Young Drachma]

FA1 day is on its way. We'll sim a month.

[Young Drachma]

Thursday, November 21st, 2002
Valdosta Peanuts: Signed MR B. Hopper to a 1-year contract extension worth a total of $657,500.
Atlanta Firecrackers: Signed CF D. Winters to a minor league contract extension.
Wednesday, November 20th, 2002
Valdosta Peanuts: Signed RF T. Yamaguchi to a minor league contract extension.

[Young Drachma]

Sunday, November 24th, 2002
Atlanta Firecrackers: Signed 3B C. Limón to a minor league contract extension.
Valdosta Peanuts: Signed C P. Benson to a minor league contract extension.
Valdosta Peanuts: Signed RF M. Givens to a minor league contract extension.
Atlanta Firecrackers: Signed 2B C. Miles to a minor league contract extension.
Atlanta Firecrackers: Signed RF E. Smith to a minor league contract extension.

[Young Drachma]

Saturday, November 30th, 2002
Boston Settlers: Signed free agent SS F. Ortíz to a 1-year contract worth a total of $900,000.
Napa Valley Winemakers: Signed free agent SP K. Ji to a minor league contract.
Friday, November 29th, 2002
Atlanta Firecrackers: Signed free agent 1B J. Knowles to a 1-year contract worth a total of $787,500.
Tuesday, November 26th, 2002
Atlanta Firecrackers: Signed free agent CF B. Burgess to a minor league contract.

[Young Drachma]

Sunday, December 1st, 2002
Napa Valley Winemakers: Signed free agent SP A. Schaefer to a minor league contract.

[Young Drachma]

Monday, December 9th, 2002
Colorado Rancheros: Signed free agent CL E. Ford to a 1-year contract worth a total of $2,007,500.
Napa Valley Winemakers: Signed free agent SP R. Cruz to a minor league contract.
Sunday, December 8th, 2002
Boston Settlers: Signed free agent 2B V. Bonilla to a minor league contract.
Valdosta Peanuts: Signed free agent CL L. López to a minor league contract.
Friday, December 6th, 2002
Colorado Rancheros: Signed free agent 2B J. Villarreal to a 1-year contract worth a total of $1,305,000.
Boston Settlers: Signed free agent 1B K. O'Donnell to a minor league contract.
Valdosta Peanuts: Signed free agent CL B. Miller to a minor league contract.
Valdosta Peanuts: Signed free agent RF D. Richards to a minor league contract.
Atlanta Firecrackers: Signed free agent SP A. Bruno to a 2-year contract worth a total of $767,500.
Napa Valley Winemakers: Signed free agent SP E. Valentín to a minor league contract.
Thursday, December 5th, 2002
Valdosta Peanuts: Signed free agent 1B J. Mendoza to a minor league contract.
Wednesday, December 4th, 2002
Valdosta Peanuts: Signed free agent CF M. Woods to a minor league contract.
Atlanta Firecrackers: Signed free agent LF C. Lewis to a minor league contract.
Napa Valley Winemakers: Signed free agent 1B J. Burgos to a 2-year contract worth a total of $887,500.
Atlanta Firecrackers: Signed free agent SP M. Dixon to a minor league contract.
Tuesday, December 3rd, 2002
Colorado Rancheros: Signed free agent 3B P. Young to a 2-year contract worth a total of $5,220,000.
Napa Valley Winemakers: Signed free agent CF B. Wotton to a minor league contract.
Napa Valley Winemakers: Signed free agent MR H. Ho to a minor league contract.
Valdosta Peanuts: Signed free agent 2B M. Hickman to a minor league contract.

[Young Drachma]

Wednesday, December 11th, 2002
Atlanta Firecrackers: Signed free agent LF P. Hebert to a 1-year contract worth a total of $907,500.
Atlanta Firecrackers: Signed free agent 2B J. Gonzáles to a 1-year contract worth a total of $2,870,000.
Atlanta Firecrackers: Signed free agent C M. Richards to a 1-year contract worth a total of $1,320,000.
Tuesday, December 10th, 2002
Toronto Osprey: Signed free agent C J. Beck to a minor league contract.
Toronto Osprey: Signed free agent 2B A. Chávez to a minor league contract.
Toronto Osprey: Purchased the contract of CL R. Naughton from Triple A Ottawa.
Toronto Osprey: Purchased the contract of MR J. Browne from Triple A Ottawa.
Toronto Osprey: Purchased the contract of SP N. Halter from Triple A Ottawa.
Toronto Osprey: Purchased the contract of C J. Beck from Double A London.
Toronto Osprey: Purchased the contract of 1B T. Ingram from Triple A Ottawa.
Toronto Osprey: Purchased the contract of LF S. Cole from Double A London.
Toronto Osprey: Purchased the contract of 1B M. Fields from Triple A Ottawa.
Toronto Osprey: Purchased the contract of 2B A. Chávez from Double A London.

[Young Drachma]

Wowsers.

[Young Drachma]

Tuesday, December 17th, 2002
Colorado Rancheros: Signed free agent MR B. Chavarría to a 2-year contract worth a total of $4,145,000.
Colorado Rancheros: Signed free agent SP P. Clary to a 6-year contract worth a total of $100,000,000.
Saturday, December 14th, 2002
Boston Settlers: Signed free agent SP B. Brooks to a 2-year contract worth a total of $1,242,500.
Friday, December 13th, 2002
Valdosta Peanuts: Signed free agent MR W. Donovan to a minor league contract.
Napa Valley Winemakers: Signed free agent SP E. Guerrero to a minor league contract.
Thursday, December 12th, 2002
Valdosta Peanuts: Signed free agent LF K. Alcock to a minor league contract.

[Young Drachma]

Preparing the file now.

I was thinking of trying to bribe new owners to join with some sort of incentive, but...I could bribe you all instead since you're actually here.

What will do it for you? Maybe draft picks?

[Young Drachma]

Hey Tasan, did having two AI teams beat you prompt you to go out and spend the buckaroos? Bold move, my friend. Really like how you've turned that club into your own over the past two decades now. Pretty awesome to see it.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

Preparing the file now.

I was thinking of trying to bribe new owners to join with some sort of incentive, but...I could bribe you all instead since you're actually here.

What will do it for you? Maybe draft picks?

What do you mean? I'm already in the league!

Okay, give me extra draft picks.

[Alan T]

I'll take Atlanta's draft picks in addition to my own. Thanks!

[Tasan]

I'll run a second team, in the CL, if that will help.

[Tasan]

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

Hey Tasan, did having two AI teams beat you prompt you to go out and spend the buckaroos? Bold move, my friend. Really like how you've turned that club into your own over the past two decades now. Pretty awesome to see it.

Seeing someone to spend my money on that wasn't over 30 was a big part, but yeah, we needed another big time pitcher to get past the AI. And the contract isn't too rough, 15 mil over 5 with a 25 mil team option in 6. Anyone else in that bidding war, or was I going solo with my cash?

[Tasan]

I also am VERY happy to get all the young guys I offered to. They will go a long way to bring this franchise back around.

[Young Drachma]

All of you are smart asses.

The file is up. Teach, your file is halfway done. I'll post when it's complete.

[TeachEnEspanol]

Originally Posted by Tasan

I see you lurking Teach, HI!

I do not "lurk". Now everyone is calling me out! I was in the middle of a movie with my sister but I wanted to check real quick if anything was going on with some FAs.

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by Tasan

I'll run a second team, in the CL, if that will help.

Let's reserve that one. I think we can convince others to show up, it's just a lull period because it's not baseball season. None of the leagues are able to recruit right now. FOBL can't get anyone new in (and doesn't have any vultures) and if you look over at OOTP, it seems lots of leagues are having the same problems.

It's just that time of year. If we can keep the edifice going creatively until the spring, I think people will get a second wind and we'll be able to get it back together.

Just my thought.

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by TeachEnEspanol

I do not "lurk". Now everyone is calling me out! I was in the middle of a movie with my sister but I wanted to check real quick if anything was going on with some FAs.

Teach, your file is up.

[TeachEnEspanol]

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

Teach, your file is up.

Thanks.

[Tasan]

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

Let's reserve that one. I think we can convince others to show up, it's just a lull period because it's not baseball season. None of the leagues are able to recruit right now. FOBL can't get anyone new in (and doesn't have any vultures) and if you look over at OOTP, it seems lots of leagues are having the same problems.

It's just that time of year. If we can keep the edifice going creatively until the spring, I think people will get a second wind and we'll be able to get it back together.

Just my thought.

The only problem with a lull in this league is that one month goes by and we are half a decade down the road. By the time real spring training starts, we'll be in 2008 or so. Anyway, its just an idea, to keep the teams viable. I do like the thing you have going with the Crusaders, I'll probably drop in there and pop some trade ideas or something.

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by Tasan

The only problem with a lull in this league is that one month goes by and we are half a decade down the road. By the time real spring training starts, we'll be in 2008 or so. Anyway, its just an idea, to keep the teams viable. I do like the thing you have going with the Crusaders, I'll probably drop in there and pop some trade ideas or something.

That's ok. Unlike leagues where people probably should be around from the start, picking up here isn't a huge deal...because it's not like they can't jump in at any time and just start learning then. We go fast enough that it's not as if they can't learn in a month how to be successful if not sooner.

In some leagues that's only half a season or less, so it takes longer to get the hang of things. I'm trying to emphasize that you don't have to spend hours on your team to people too. Just a quick check through, get used to them and then sim and upload and that's all you gotta do to participate.

If I can convince them of that, I think more folks who wanna play online, but without much fuss can come over and check us out.

I'm gonna do another one of those dynasties on the forums here too with a different team, just to see if I can get people interested. I mean, worst case, it won't really hurt anything...and best case, it might get folks to take a second look who otherwise wouldn't bother.

If nothing else, doing this beats solo play by miles.

[TeachEnEspanol]

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

Unlike leagues where people probably should be around from the start, picking up here isn't a huge deal...because it's not like they can't jump in at any time and just start learning then. We go fast enough that it's not as if they can't learn in a month how to be successful if not sooner.

I'm like the poster girl for learning with no prior knowledge in a relatively short period of time. Now, obviously I'm still learning, but I'm willing to spread my testimonial if need be.

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by Tasan

Seeing someone to spend my money on that wasn't over 30 was a big part, but yeah, we needed another big time pitcher to get past the AI. And the contract isn't too rough, 15 mil over 5 with a 25 mil team option in 6. Anyone else in that bidding war, or was I going solo with my cash?

I didn't bid on him.