Starting a franchise

[HartmanTeets6]

Re: Starting a franchise

Betts (RF)
Benintendi (LF)
Hanley (1B)
JD Martinez (DH)
Devers (3B)
Bogaerts (SS)
Pedroia (2B)
Vasquez/Swihart (C)
Jackie Bradley Jr (CF)
bench - Swihart/Vasquez, Nunez, Moreland (Nunez and JD being my backup OF)


Sale, Price, Porcello, E-Rod, Pomeranz
Kelly, Thornbug, Smith, Kimbrel, Hembree, Johnson or Velasquez (LR), Barnes, Workman


May throw in Velasquez/Johnson/Holt/Marerro/Leon in a trade and see if I can come up with a good bullpen piece, or new 1B platoon option instead of Moreland or Hanley, depending on how they are rated. Don't have the minor league depth to make a splash, but good bullpen piece is possible. Trying to stack up the pen, since I routinely get into the 7th/8th with Sale/Price/E-Rod.

[Bigwebb48]

Re: Starting a franchise

I'll continue my Braves one until OSFM comes out and then fire one up with one of:Angels, Rangers, Tigers, Royals, Rays. And as a Yankee fan, I'll do a Yankees one of just pure sim and making moves.

[garyjr33]

Re: Starting a franchise

Yeah Bird has played well for me as well; I am just expecting a drop in ratings and potential after back to back years struggling with injuries.

One thing to note is that I do play 1, sim 5 and use classic pitching/directional hitting so ratings play out as much more important in my franchise than maybe with others.

I like your lineup that you have, though Hicks may end up moving up to that leadoff spot. He seems to always have a higher OBP in my franchise's than Gardner does. Here is most likely what I will start with:

CF Hicks
RF Judge
SS Didi
DH Stanton
C Sanchez
1B Bird
LF Gardner
3B Drury
2B Walker or Torreyes



I will probably keep Ellsbury for this first year and let Frazier stay in AAA and then release him and eat the money in the offseason. No way I can pull off a realistic trade involving him with the current franchise set up.


One other thing, I see myself dealing Betances in my Franchise. I let him walk in FA in my last one, and with how strong the BP depth is, I definitely anticipate moving him for some pieces, especially if I am not really contending at the deadline first season.

You could use the trade block/find a trade feature and see what you could get.

[Herschie]

Re: Starting a franchise

Thinking about just continuing my Cubs franchise. I'm in 2021. For 2022, I'm going to pretend that the Ricketts want to shave 75 million off the payroll. That way I'll have some sort of challenge.

Or, I might try playing the 1989 season. We'll see.

[trevordoyle20]

Re: Starting a franchise

Plan on doing one with my Cubs and one rebuilding team as well. Open to suggestions.

[Mav3rek7]

Re: Starting a franchise

Rolling with the Red Legs this year.

I'm excited to try out the young pitching they have. Don't really plan to make many trades if any. Try to keep it as real as possible. May try and fast track Senzel/Greene depending on how they develop, although Senzel should be just about ready.

[TexasDBack]

Re: Starting a franchise

I'll be running with the Giants...and honestly have no idea what I'm going to do. Super weak farm system...old roster. Only options are trying to see if I can pick up some hot prospects for some of my veterans.

Maybe hoping to pick up some free agents in the offseason etc.

It is going to be a long road...

Make sure you pick up some canes and walkers for everyone in the outfield.

[BigCat_John]

Re: Starting a franchise

I'll be going with my Brew Crew after the OSFM rosters drop. I'll do what most brewer fans will do n trade outfield depth for a starting pitcher.

CF-Cain
RF-Yelich
LF-Braun
3B-Shaw
1B-Thames
C-Pina
2B-Villar
SS-Arcia

Rotation:
Anderson
Miley
Chacin
Davies
To be acquired

Pen:
CL-Knebel
SU-Albers
SU-Logan
MR-Hader
MR-Jeffress
MR-Barnes(even though he can't be trusted in real life)
LR-Suter

If Santana isn't traded for the #5 starter Braun might be playing a lot of 1B with Thames riding the pine. Love the brewers potential in this game n in real life.

[KBLover]

Re: Starting a franchise

Red Sox: Offense - More speed, less power, just play Fenway Ball. Hit the gaps, hit the monster, stack walks, doubles, and triples.

I'll tolerate JD for a year or two and see. I would actually prefer using Hanley Ramirez. I'm using him in this year's game and he's PERFECT for Fenway for me...sans the speed.

Pitching - I like either pure power guys or pitch-to-contact low pitch count guys. No hybrid/kinda-sorta-each guys. Porcello I could see holding on too...the rest - I'd keep the youngsters and probably Wright (since I love knuckleballers...though I might make him Wakefield II in terms of trying him out of the pen), otherwise I'll be scouting for their replacements and trying to grow Groome ASAP. Bullpen is better than the OVR ratings look (assuming they rate like in 17). Might look for another good lefty (either trade or draft) and raise/find a high clutch guy for setup.

Defense - must have a fast outfield. Will look for upgrade to Bradley Jr. - I'd love to have Dee Gordon or Mallex Smith. Beintendi, Gordon, Betts...yeah I'd love that outfield.

Infield...try to get Bogaerts to the next level...grow Devers...find someone to succeed Pedroia at 2B. Pray like heck Moancada somehow becomes available or something to correct that travesty...speaking of "successor to 2B"...

Catcher...need a good throwing arm and defender, especially since (ideally) it will really matter now in '18.


Marlins: Offense - who knows...Yelich gone (loved him), Stanton gone...not sure what the identity will be. I may mimic the speed and doubles theme since Marlins Park is spacious...but idk. Might be speed and walks and small ball it. Bunt a lot. Steal a lot. RBI ground out my way to 4-1 wins.

Pitching - perhaps this is what I'd do with this squad, raise a kick butt pitching staff from start to finish. Build a staff that could challenge for all-time team low ERAs and any lead after 6 innings is almost an auto-win.

Defense - I always like defense and this approach, I'll favor it above all else in all positions. Combine that staff with strong range to go get the ball and good hands and consistency (Fielding) to minimize errors, bad routes, and other botched plays/throws.

And of course, I'll have a fantasy draft franchise for a fresh experience. Nothing wrong with a little fun and whimsey after all.

[mlblover15]

Re: Starting a franchise

with only a few days left until the midnight launch of the game, there is still a lot of stuff facing me before I can even think about starting my franchise this year.

here are some of the questions I have facing me at this time.

1. to play as my favorite team the Oakland A's, or to start with a new team?

2. Whatever team I start with do I play with RL rosters or do a fantasy draft?

3. if I do choose to play as the A's, do I find an ML stadium to play in like city park? or do I play in my RL stadium?

so these are the things that are on my mind now.

[BigOscar]

Re: Starting a franchise

As the release looms, I'm getting more into the planning of my Franchise. I bloody love scheming.

I'd already decided on the Rays, but was undecided on just how much to tank. After looking it over, I think the 2020/2021 seasons are the ones to aim the team to really start to compete in, that's when the Red Sox are going to lose a lot of their stars and give us an opening. Can't compete with the current Yankees AND Red Sox, while Toronto and Baltimore should also be weaker.

So realistically that means Colome may as well go ASAP, while Archer I'll probably move at the end of the season, making room for the returning Honeywell and De Leon. KK has such a long contract that he doesn't need to go anywhere, so I guess his future will be more dependent on what our CF prospect looks like after a couple of years.

Getting pretty psyched now tbh