MLB 11 The Show "Franchise/Season" Progress Thread

[stlchamp10]

Re: MLB 11 The Show "Franchise/Season" Progress Thread

I started my Cardinals franchise and did some wheelin and dealin because I did not like the way the Cardinals team is set-up. First deal was:

I traded Lance Berkman and a prospect for Mark Buehrle... This is just a video game so I know this one may be a little lopsided but the computer took it so no complaints from me, since its pretty hard to get good players you want without having to give up someone of equal value.

Second deal:

I traded Jaime Garcia, Colby Rasmus, Kyle McClelland to Toronto for Ricky Romero, Aaron Hill, and Yunel Escobar.

I like this deal because I got a young top pitching prospect in Romero to replace Garcia and it sucks getting rid of Rasmus but they wouldn't take Jon Jay or Allen Craig in the deal instead. Which now Jay will play center and Craig will play RF and I'm happy about that because Jay was gonna play RF anyway because I couldn't take using Berkman in RF, now Jay will play CF.

Then getting Hill to replace Schumaker and Escobar to replace Theriot, both a much needed upgrade up the middle. Then the last deal I made was to replace McClelland so I did:

A pitching prospect and catcher Steven Hill to Seattle for Brandon League.

So here is my opening day line-up that will be played tonight:

CF - Jon Jay
SS - Yunel Escobar
1B - Albert Pujols
LF - Matt Holliday
3B - David Freese
2B - Aaron Hill
RF - Allen Craig
C - Yadier Molina
P - Pitcher Spot

Bench:
C - Gerald Laird
SS/UTIL - Nick Punto
SS/UTIL - Ryan Theriot
OF - Skip Schumaker

Starting Rotation:

SP - Adam Wainwright
SP - Chris Carpenter
SP - Mark Buehrle
SP - Jake Westbrook
SP - Ricky Romero

Bullpen:

LR - Kyle Lohse
LR - Ben Sheets
MR - Trevor Miller
MR - Miguel Batista
MR - Mitchell Boggs
MR - Brandon League
SU - Ryan Franklin
CL - Jason Motte

Might make one more move for a bench spot, just not feeling Stavanoha as an back-up outfield option. Opening day stats to come later tonight...

[ace1111]

Re: MLB 11 The Show "Franchise/Season" Progress Thread

2nd game in my Astros franchise at Citizens Bank.

Fast forward to the top of the ninth inning. The game is tied at three and Brett Wallace, who was 0-6 for the series, crushes a Brad Lidge fastball for a solo HR. Astros on top 4-3.

I bring on Lyon for his first save opportunity of the season. Rollins singles in a 6-pitch AB. "Here we go," I'm thinking. Victorino flies out. 1 down. Utley triples to CF. Rollins scores. I walk Howard to set up the DP. Now, runners are on 1st and 3rd w/ one out. Ibañez grounds to second on the third pitch of the AB. I quickly throw to second, trying to turn the 463. I press circle to throw to first and my SS just stands there like a ********.
Utley scores the winning run. My controller flies across the room.

:

[NDAlum]

Re: MLB 11 The Show "Franchise/Season" Progress Thread

Had to do a new fantasy draft because I wanted some prospects created and here's my lineup/rotation.

[NDAlum]

Re: MLB 11 The Show "Franchise/Season" Progress Thread



This was just a flat out duel between two guys who won't pitch this year lol. Johan had a nasty change up working and I can't lay off them when they start as low strikes and finish out of the zone.

Strasburg threw an absolute gem and it was mainly due to the Braves not getting many solid hits.

The difference in the game was a hung change up to Doumit in the bottom of the 8th. Adam Dunn led off with a walk and I put in Brett Gardner to run. Gardner stole second as Colby Rasmus struck out. Doumit put a great swing on that change up and sent it into the left field stands for the go ahead two-run homer.

Strasburg was at about 105 pitches so I decided to bring in Rafael Soriano for the save. He walked Adrian Gonzalez on a close 3-2 fastball with two outs and that brought Carlos Lee to the plate. Lee put a good swing on a ball hitting a line drive to left field which was caught.


Nationals start of 2011 with a nice shutout victory over an NL East opponent.

[DJ]

Re: MLB 11 The Show "Franchise/Season" Progress Thread

For fun, I'm going to run with Baltimore Orioles and use all Analog controls. I'll be starting on Veteran for hitting, Hall of Fame for pitching and Veteran for fielding.

Baltimore's lineup really intrigues me, and they have some good, young arms in the rotation as well. Obviously, competing in the AL East will be tough, but I'm looking forward to it.

I'll get my Rockies and Mets franchises going once Knight's rosters are out.

[indcolts18288]

Re: MLB 11 The Show "Franchise/Season" Progress Thread

Alright so I gave up on my fantasy drafting, at least til Knights rosters come out. My teams almost seemed too good and it didn't feel right. So since I'm a big Tulowitzki and Gonzalez fan I took on the Rockies franchise. I traded Todd Helton to Texas though for an A prospect, CJ Wilson, and Mitch Moreland. And I think I gave up Aaron Cook or John Maine. Can't remember which one off the top of my head.

And I didn't realize how many left handed bats the Rockies have. Almost too many!

[NDAlum]

Re: MLB 11 The Show "Franchise/Season" Progress Thread

Your team was too good through the fantasy draft? Wow I did not run into that problem!

But at the same time I didn't always draft the best guy in later rounds. There are several decent 35 year old guys available in later rounds.

[ZM Punk]

Re: MLB 11 The Show "Franchise/Season" Progress Thread

Your team was too good through the fantasy draft? Wow I did not run into that problem!

But at the same time I didn't always draft the best guy in later rounds. There are several decent 35 year old guys available in later rounds.

Agreed.

You could have made that argument the past couple of years but I think they made the AI pretty good this year when fantasy drafting.

[indcolts18288]

Re: MLB 11 The Show "Franchise/Season" Progress Thread

Your team was too good through the fantasy draft? Wow I did not run into that problem!

But at the same time I didn't always draft the best guy in later rounds. There are several decent 35 year old guys available in later rounds.

I draft differently than you. About rounds 10-15 I start drafting very young guys with A potential. Once I'm done with the draft I look at what I have and then I use those A potential players to trade for good/great MLB players. The I end up with a lineup that's just not realistic. And I still end up with about 10 A potential players in the minors and that's after I traded some A prospects. I tend to memorize players/prospects that have the highest trade value. Threre's a catcher named Gary something that has really high trade value. It's fun but I felt worse than the Yankees or Sox.

[yankecrazy]

Re: MLB 11 The Show "Franchise/Season" Progress Thread

Ok, so I got slaughtered in my first regular season game. I was dominating in ST - going 14-5 in the games I played, with a team ERA of 3.51 and a team BA of .309 - and I scored 8, 12, and 7 runs in my final three games (most of the runs coming off the starters, not the mop-up relievers who weren't going to make the team anyway).

[just as a note, Jesus Montero made the team as the starting catcher out of ST, Russel Martin as the backup]

Sabathia v. Verlander, Opening Day 2011. Verlander comes out throwing heat and absolutely destroying my line-up from top to bottom - perfect through 3, 7 K's.

Sabathia... well, not so much. He was off all day, missing his spots and getting squeezed while Verlander was getting a fairly generous zone. He got through 6 innings, but allowed 8 hits, 3 walks, 2 HRs and 4 runs. Freddy Garcia (made the team as the LRP) pitched the final 3 innings and got absolutely destroyed... 8 hits, 5 runs (4 ER), 0K.

Final score: 9-2, Tigers. I only mustered 4 hits all game. Just a disappointing performance all around by my team... I'm really hoping this is not a sign of things to come.

[merchant1874]

Re: MLB 11 The Show "Franchise/Season" Progress Thread

Are the Yankees fun to play with? Because I don't really support one team ( from the uk) I always struggle with who to go? Last year I went with the giants but this year I want an AL team.

I'm thinking of either going someone like the Indians or orioles and totally rebuilding them or another thought was to take the Yankees and trade away all of there overpaid older guys to bring in lots of young fresh blood. Ie: a-rod, jeter to see what I could get for them. I'm also more of a defensive guy so was wondering just how big a hitters park is Yankee stadium?

[NDAlum]

Re: MLB 11 The Show "Franchise/Season" Progress Thread

I draft differently than you. About rounds 10-15 I start drafting very young guys with A potential. Once I'm done with the draft I look at what I have and then I use those A potential players to trade for good/great MLB players. The I end up with a lineup that's just not realistic. And I still end up with about 10 A potential players in the minors and that's after I traded some A prospects. I tend to memorize players/prospects that have the highest trade value. Threre's a catcher named Gary something that has really high trade value. It's fun but I felt worse than the Yankees or Sox.

I draft my team and use them and I do not look for trades.

To me your method exploits the game, which I have no desire to do.

[N51_rob]

Re: MLB 11 The Show "Franchise/Season" Progress Thread

10-10 with the Brewers. Corey Hart is still hitting under .200. Randy Wolf is pissing me off, Yovani is the staff Ace. Fielder, Betancourt, Weeks and Braun are pacing the offense. Finishing up the month of April with a home stand against Houston and Cincinnati then in three games in Houston. I should be able to sweep Houston at home with Grienke and Gallardo on the bump, then take at least two more from them again, when those two pitch in Houston. The Reds swept me first series of the season and I will have 3, 4, 5, against them so that might be a tough one.

[The Amaizen Blue]

Re: MLB 11 The Show "Franchise/Season" Progress Thread

Anyone else just simulate the "good" team series'? I'm so sick and tired of the AI destroying every pitch just because I'm playing the Yankees or Rangers, or etc. I don't get that crap when I play average to below average teams and it's waaaay more fun and close.

[yankecrazy]

Re: MLB 11 The Show "Franchise/Season" Progress Thread

Are the Yankees fun to play with? Because I don't really support one team ( from the uk) I always struggle with who to go? Last year I went with the giants but this year I want an AL team.

I'm thinking of either going someone like the Indians or orioles and totally rebuilding them or another thought was to take the Yankees and trade away all of there overpaid older guys to bring in lots of young fresh blood. Ie: a-rod, jeter to see what I could get for them. I'm also more of a defensive guy so was wondering just how big a hitters park is Yankee stadium?

I love playing with them, but that's just me. I've been a Yankee fan my whole life, and I don't think I've been this excited in a very long time about the players coming up through the system - and the challenge of playing in the AL East with the question marks we currently have in the rotation.

Try it out, see what you think. I'm always torn - on the one hand I love playing with the team I've supported since birth... on the other hand, I take things too hard when playing with them, and I'd almost rather play with a team that I have no emotional attachment with, so I can be impartial when it comes to trades, injuries and losses (not wanting to quit, restart, whatever)... and frankly, it's much easier to be HAPPY with LOSING when you aren't attached to the players and organization.