Re: MLB 11 The Show "Franchise/Season" Progress Thread
^^ I think you'll play Boston because the Yanks have the wildcard and Texas is ahead of you. If you were ahead Texas or someone else gets the wildcard then you'll play Texas.
Wow, just won the World Series in my Rays franchise, year 3, and it was unbelievable. I don't think I've ever had this much fun combined with an up and down feeling with any other sports game before.
I started my franchise with the Rays, for 3 main reasons... Basically no major achievements, low payroll for a challenge, and the cowbells
First year I did a whole "restructure" type of deal. Basically I put Price and my other top 2 pitchers as long relievers and let the CPU deal with trades and everything accept for reorganizing the charts. Did this till all star break first year and acted as if I was the new honcho in charge (since I was using rosters from June I figured I shouldn't mess with them till the nearer to the trade deadline). In this franchise I pretty much handled all but the games, played a few here and there but mostly simmed because I plan to run this for a long time and I'm using it to understand the franchise aspect completely, and I'm used to playing football franchises so anything over 19 games is a long season lol.
First year ended in a 50ish-100 season. 3% less payroll, down to like 63 Mil. Made a few trades for prospects and reliever help (Rays where horrid there) and secured my two RF youngsters and some other core players for longer contracts.
2nd year, ended with a 60ish-90 season... another 3% less payroll and only have 60 Mil to work with. Picked up Andre Ethier and some AAA prospects and went into year 3 with low hopes.
Started off year 3 the first two months hovering around .500, looking at my payroll I new I had two options moving forward, resign Price or Longoria. Very small cap room and no way to get both, I decided to deal Price for to help finish my Bullpen and replace him with a starter. Having an actual bullpen helped out tremendously and along with my starters getting into hot streaks I managed an 87 win season that ended with a 9-1 run to tie the Twins for the wild card.
In the one and down game with the Twins my soon to become favorite player, Matt Joyce, emerged. He hit the go ahead HR in the 8th in a shootout that put the Rays in the playoffs. In the first round against the Rangers, he and Ethier had clutch long balls that clinched the series in game 5 after the Rays and Rangers went back and forth every single game (my pitching was hit and miss... no pun intended).
Round 2 of the playoffs were against the Yankees and like the first round my pitching was spotty (mostly because I don't have a lot of games under my belt other then RTTS and got some young pitchers with clutch issues), but was able to finish them in 6 and go on to the World Series.
This is where it got crazy. Game 1 was at the Marlins (only a 200 mile different between teams, guess I saved on hotel cost), I had a 4-2 lead going into the 9th (thanks to Joyce). My closer, 4 for 4 in the playoffs, blows it and we go to the 11th where I use a guy off the bench who was a bench player all year, no starts, no attention, just used "just in case".... he hits a first pitch HR that ends up winning the game.
Game 2, 3-0 lead in the 5th when my starting pitcher Travis Wood is hurt. Put in a cold reliever and instantly give up 2 points. Take a 3-2 lead into the 9th and my closer blows it again. Top of the 10th, Joyce strides in and bombs one and I think I might have this one. Bottom of the 10th, after an error extends the inning, Hanley hits a walk off 3 run bomb. darn...
Game 3, in Tampa, down 3-2 in the bottom of the 9th and a score off a Longoria rbi double. In the bottom of the 10th, guess who strides up? Mr Matt Joyce, hits a walk off HR and we take a 2-1 lead in the series.
Game 4, gave up 3 runs in 2 innings and my guys went psycho after that. By the 6th I had a 10-3 lead and coasted to a 12-4 win for a 3-1 series lead.
Game 5, trailed 3-2 going into the bottom of the 8th. 2 outs, Ethier gets a base hit RBI to tie it and Mr. clutch himself, Joyce, is up again. He's had an off game but 2nd pitch he sees he belts over the right field wall and we take a 4-3 lead and cowbells are ringing everywhere. Put my closer in (uhh ohh...) after my setup guy gives up a base hit. I get 2 strikeouts and a line to third and the first championship for the Tampa Bay Rays!
Had a blast during this playoff run, since I don't play regular season games except a few (like against the braves) it was fun as heck going through the motions of winning and losing and making every at bat count. Heck, just getting past the one and down and Rangers series was so fulfilling I had no idea the team could go all the way after just making the playoffs. Going to have to enjoy this though, because I don't know if I'll get a cap increase this year, but I'm pretty sure I'm loosing some great guys due to my small pockets
^^ I think you'll play Boston because the Yanks have the wildcard and Texas is ahead of you. If you were ahead Texas or someone else gets the wildcard then you'll play Texas.
Wow, just won the World Series in my Rays franchise, year 3, and it was unbelievable. I don't think I've ever had this much fun combined with an up and down feeling with any other sports game before.
I started my franchise with the Rays, for 3 main reasons... Basically no major achievements, low payroll for a challenge, and the cowbells
First year I did a whole "restructure" type of deal. Basically I put Price and my other top 2 pitchers as long relievers and let the CPU deal with trades and everything accept for reorganizing the charts. Did this till all star break first year and acted as if I was the new honcho in charge (since I was using rosters from June I figured I shouldn't mess with them till the nearer to the trade deadline). In this franchise I pretty much handled all but the games, played a few here and there but mostly simmed because I plan to run this for a long time and I'm using it to understand the franchise aspect completely, and I'm used to playing football franchises so anything over 19 games is a long season lol.
First year ended in a 50ish-100 season. 3% less payroll, down to like 63 Mil. Made a few trades for prospects and reliever help (Rays where horrid there) and secured my two RF youngsters and some other core players for longer contracts.
2nd year, ended with a 60ish-90 season... another 3% less payroll and only have 60 Mil to work with. Picked up Andre Ethier and some AAA prospects and went into year 3 with low hopes.
Started off year 3 the first two months hovering around .500, looking at my payroll I new I had two options moving forward, resign Price or Longoria. Very small cap room and no way to get both, I decided to deal Price for to help finish my Bullpen and replace him with a starter. Having an actual bullpen helped out tremendously and along with my starters getting into hot streaks I managed an 87 win season that ended with a 9-1 run to tie the Twins for the wild card.
In the one and down game with the Twins my soon to become favorite player, Matt Joyce, emerged. He hit the go ahead HR in the 8th in a shootout that put the Rays in the playoffs. In the first round against the Rangers, he and Ethier had clutch long balls that clinched the series in game 5 after the Rays and Rangers went back and forth every single game (my pitching was hit and miss... no pun intended).
Round 2 of the playoffs were against the Yankees and like the first round my pitching was spotty (mostly because I don't have a lot of games under my belt other then RTTS and got some young pitchers with clutch issues), but was able to finish them in 6 and go on to the World Series.
This is where it got crazy. Game 1 was at the Marlins (only a 200 mile different between teams, guess I saved on hotel cost), I had a 4-2 lead going into the 9th (thanks to Joyce). My closer, 4 for 4 in the playoffs, blows it and we go to the 11th where I use a guy off the bench who was a bench player all year, no starts, no attention, just used "just in case".... he hits a first pitch HR that ends up winning the game.
Game 2, 3-0 lead in the 5th when my starting pitcher Travis Wood is hurt. Put in a cold reliever and instantly give up 2 points. Take a 3-2 lead into the 9th and my closer blows it again. Top of the 10th, Joyce strides in and bombs one and I think I might have this one. Bottom of the 10th, after an error extends the inning, Hanley hits a walk off 3 run bomb. darn...
Game 3, in Tampa, down 3-2 in the bottom of the 9th and a score off a Longoria rbi double. In the bottom of the 10th, guess who strides up? Mr Matt Joyce, hits a walk off HR and we take a 2-1 lead in the series.
Game 4, gave up 3 runs in 2 innings and my guys went psycho after that. By the 6th I had a 10-3 lead and coasted to a 12-4 win for a 3-1 series lead.
Game 5, trailed 3-2 going into the bottom of the 8th. 2 outs, Ethier gets a base hit RBI to tie it and Mr. clutch himself, Joyce, is up again. He's had an off game but 2nd pitch he sees he belts over the right field wall and we take a 4-3 lead and cowbells are ringing everywhere. Put my closer in (uhh ohh...) after my setup guy gives up a base hit. I get 2 strikeouts and a line to third and the first championship for the Tampa Bay Rays!
Had a blast during this playoff run, since I don't play regular season games except a few (like against the braves) it was fun as heck going through the motions of winning and losing and making every at bat count. Heck, just getting past the one and down and Rangers series was so fulfilling I had no idea the team could go all the way after just making the playoffs. Going to have to enjoy this though, because I don't know if I'll get a cap increase this year, but I'm pretty sure I'm loosing some great guys due to my small pockets
(no idea where the offense came from).
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