North Side Zombie Apocalypse: A Cubs Franchise -- 2011 and Beyond (2k11)

[k_mac]

Those are some tough losses. What is the injury frequency slider set on? I was having a problem with injuries happening twice as much as they would in real life. So I adjusted the slider. I think I went down to around 40

[life_boy]

Quote: Originally Posted by Deuce2223

Did I miss something in the transaction page. Did we really sign Pavano to a 1yr deal or did you just do that for your Franchise? Seems like a 7.3 million waste in AAA.

No, in real life Pavano re-signed with the Twins but he's still a FA on 2K11. I signed him right as the regular season got underway. I'll be getting into that in a bit.

Re: Josh Vitters
Vitters received an invite to the 40-man roster for Spring Training but really looked pretty terrible. He had gained weight and was swinging at stuff all over the place. Quade was disappointed and some within the organization are very concerned that he won't be a viable part of the Cubs future if he doesn't deal with some of his deficiencies this season. He will likely start the season out at single A Daytona. As you said, a lot is riding on his development. Marquez Smith is also in development as a 3B option, but hasn't shown Vitters' power upside (which was also frighteningly absent from Vitters this Spring). A 2012 call-up seems a tad optimistic in the Spring but hopefully he can prove us wrong as we get into the Fall. [I will be trying to update on the progress of some of the minor league talent as the season progresses.]

Quote: Originally Posted by MrCub

What is the injury frequency slider set on? I was having a problem with injuries happening twice as much as they would in real life. So I adjusted the slider. I think I went down to around 40

I keep turning it down, starting out the season at 55 and 9 games into the regular season I have inched it down to 25. It seemed like every time I went out I was having a problem (and it has only been pitching). I think pitching injuries are more of a problem when you play the game vs. simming. I simmed through a bunch of Spring games and did not have any more pitching injuries (although Fukudome had a 9 day sprain) until I played one of the last spring games and bam, Jay Jackson: 15 day DL. It gets worse than what I have above.

[life_boy]

Series 1: Pirates vs. Cubs
Yarr vs. Rawr

After Game 1 where Colvin and Peña met the expectations that they were the team's power force at the 4 & 5 slots, the Cubs could not hit for anything in Game 2. Scott Olsen was fantastic for the Pirates, pitching 7 innings of shutout ball giving up only 3 hits and striking out 11 Cubs hitters. His off-speed stuff was really working for him today. Matt Garza started for the Cubs and was off to a great start as well until the top of the 5th inning when the game was delayed as Garza could not head out to the mound. Doctors later diagnosed a fractured ulna and expect Garza to be out 75+ days as he recovers. A huge blow to the Cubs pitching staff and a dash to Cubs' fans as Garza did not even get in enough innings for a decision in his first regular season start.

The game went scoreless into the 11th until Evan Meek walked back-to-back batters and Alfonso Soriano, stepping in as a pinch hitter, delivered a game-winning RBI-double to right. The Cubs are proving scrappy, scratching out runs and despite the blows to the pitching staff, still holding their own on the mound. But the loss of Garza for the next 2 months will be a difficult injury to overcome.

Game 2

PIT at CHC - Wrigley Field
Apr 2, 2011	1	2	3	4	5	8	9	10	11	R	H	E
Pittsburgh Pirates (0-2)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	9	0
Chicago Cubs (2-0)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	7	0
W: Angel Guzman (2-0) L: Evan Meek (0-1)

Scoring Summary
SCORING DETAILS			PIT	CHC

Pittsburgh Pirates
HITTERS	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	AVG

Pittsburgh Pirates
PITCHERS	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA
S. Olsen	7.0	3	0	0	1	11
J. Hanrahan	2.0	0	0	0	1	3
E. Meek (L)	1.2	3	1	1	2	0
S. Gallagher	0.0	1	0	0	0	0
TOTALS	10.2	7	1	1	4	14

Chicago Cubs
HITTERS	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	AVG
BATTING 2B: A. Soriano RBI: A. Soriano
BASERUNNING SB: F. Perez 2

Chicago Cubs
PITCHERS	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA
M. Garza	4.0	1	0	0	0	4
R. Wells	4.0	3	0	0	1	4
K. Wood	1.2	5	0	0	1	3
A. Guzman (W)	1.1	0	0	0	0	2
TOTALS	11	9	0	0	2	13

Afraid to make the start, Mike Quade finally got Tom Gorzelanny warming up before the game. Gorzelanny had proved a little superstitious after the string of injuries to all the Cubs pitchers this season and to the last two starters in Games 1 and 2. But he courageously stepped out and pitched 7 solid innings, giving up a 2-run shot to Garrett Jones in the 2nd. The Cubs had barely been able to put anything across on James McDonald, who only gave up 4 hits and 2 Runs in 5.1 innings of work as the Cubs tied the game in the 6th. In the 7th, taking advantage of one of Gorzelanny's 2 base-on-balls, Lyle Overbay knocked a huge double that brought in the Run gave the Pirates the lead.

Finally, in the bottom of the 9th, with David Herndon closing out the game for the Pirates, Aramis Ramirez steps up with two runners on and one out and sends a mid-90's fastball over the left field wall. Despite not clinching a decision, Gorzelanny was more than happy to get through the start without an injury.

Game 3

PIT at CHC - Wrigley Field
Apr 3, 2011	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Pittsburgh Pirates (0-3)	0	2	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	3	7	0
Chicago Cubs (3-0)	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	3	5	11	0
W: Carlos Marmol (1-0) L: David Herndon (0-1)

Scoring Summary
SCORING DETAILS			PIT	CHC

Pittsburgh Pirates
HITTERS	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	AVG
BATTING 2B: C. Snyder, L. Overbay HR: G. Jones RBI: G. Jones 2, L. Overbay

Pittsburgh Pirates
PITCHERS	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA
J. McDonald	5.1	4	2	2	3	7
J. Hanrahan	0.2	0	0	0	1	2
C. Resop	0.2	2	0	0	0	1
E. Meek (H)	1.1	1	0	0	0	2
D. Herndon (L)	0.1	2	3	3	1	0
TOTALS	8.1	9	5	5	5	12

Chicago Cubs
HITTERS	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	AVG
BATTING 2B: G. Soto, A. Soriano HR: A. Ramirez RBI: S. Castro, A. Ramirez 3, G. Soto
BASERUNNING SB: F. Perez

Chicago Cubs
PITCHERS	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA
T. Gorzelanny	7.0	4	3	3	2	7
A. Cashner	1.2	3	0	0	1	3
C. Marmol (W)	0.1	0	0	0	0	0
TOTALS	9.0	7	3	3	3	10

Series Recap
VS.

Game 1: CUBS WIN!
Game 2: CUBS WIN!
Game 3: CUBS WIN!
Cubs 2011 Season Record: 3-0

Cubs Hitting Analysis:
-- Cubs hitters have shown a lack of careful plate discipline, swinging at pitches out of the zone, being impatient and striking out far too often.
-- Though the team has put wins on the board in the first three outings, hitters scratching across important runs early in the game has proven difficult.
-- There were a number of base-running mistakes and bad judgment calls that could have been fatal if last inning runs had not been produced by the club. More carefulness on the basepaths would prove beneficial to run-scoring potential.
-- Fernando Perez has wowed with his speed, grabbing 3 steals in two games. Perez is a decent hitter but has served very well as a pinch runner with some speed off the bench. Great for late inning run manufacturing.

Cubs Pitching Analysis:
-- Despite the injuries faced to the starting rotation, the middle relievers have proved particularly efficient in their ability to work out of jams. They put hitters on but have not yet been bit badly. The hits allowed by late relievers has the potential to hurt the team over the course of the season.
-- Walks have not been a major concern for the club yet.
-- Andrew Cashner has the potential to be a huge part of the Cubs late inning bullpen if he can be more careful in selecting his pitches. He has a strong K-rate but is giving up too many hits on easy pitches.
-- Randy Wells will be moved into the starting rotation and will likely flourish there. He has proved a solid reliever.

[life_boy]

Free Agent Signing
With 6 pitchers on the DL, the Cubs seek help in free agency

Carl Pavano (RHP – Starter), one year, $7.3M

The Cubs Organization signed a one-year, $7.3M deal with right-handed starter Carl Pavano on Monday, April 4, in the wake of news that starting pitcher Matt Garza, the Cubs’ major trade acquisition of the off-season, is now set to miss at least 15 scheduled starts of the 2011 season due to a fractured ulna. Pavano pitched 221 innings in 2010 for the Twins, posting a 3.75 ERA/ 1.19 WHIP/ 3.16 K/BB before becoming a free agent at the end of the season. The Cubs are hopeful the 35-year old Pavano will thrive in the National League Central and will work as a major innings eater as the Cubs nurse their ailing bullpen back to health. Pavano said he’s “excited” to be putting on “the Cubbie blue.” Pavano will make his first start of the season on Tuesday against the Diamondbacks.

[k_mac]

I seen on last page where you were talking about Vitters, I can't seem to find him. Is he on 2k11?

[life_boy]

No he's not. I went through the minor leagues and found comparables to real life prospects and edited the names, birthdays, height/weight and sometimes attributes (speed, power potential, pitches, positions, etc.) to match or closely mirror. It was a fairly time-consuming process but I'm hopeful that the player progression system is going to make franchise really fun and interesting as the years go on. I didn't get every player renamed but probably 20-30 of the top prospects in the system.

[k_mac]

Quote: Originally Posted by life_boy

No he's not. I went through the minor leagues and found comparables to real life prospects and edited the names, birthdays, height/weight and sometimes attributes (speed, power potential, pitches, positions, etc.) to match or closely mirror. It was a fairly time-consuming process but I'm hopeful that the player progression system is going to make franchise really fun and interesting as the years go on. I didn't get every player renamed but probably 20-30 of the top prospects in the system.

Hmm, I may have to try this. I hate how only some of the guys are on there. But I guess it will be worth editing in the long run.

[Deuce2223]

I havn't done it for this year, but did for 2k8, and if you plan on running your Franchise for 5 or more seasons, then it is great worth doing. Took me pretty much the entire day last time to do like the Top-25 prospects for the Cubs as well as the Top-10 for most of the other teams.


Again thanks for the great read. I work 11 hours a day at work, so I use reading guys Franchies/legacies as a way to pass time when we don't have customers (I am a car salesman)