2012 Franchise Progress Thread

[MrPolo7]

Re: 2012 Franchise Progress Thread

So I've played a few games and simmed a few games...At April 24 Baltimore is sitting utop the AL East by 4 games with a 12-4 record...

Definitely seen some ups and downs but my bullpen has been a HUGE surprise, and my lineup has been getting on base and just scoring runs, by team avg is .296 at this point which is pretty good IMO.

As it is early in the season, not getting to excited, and not much going on around the league...I had hoped to move Kevin Gregg to AAA and find a trade partner but the White Sox scooped him off of waivers..I think I want to trade Markakis by the end of the season and move Adam Jones to right and BJ Upton back to CF...although Im not sure because my supposedly stacked AA team, with Machado/Schoop/Soler is looking like a high school team...so none of them will be read for a call up any time soon..the good news though, is the Bundy brothers are tearing apart AA and Bobby will be moved up to AAA soon, although I want the younger, Ryan to stay in AA a little while longer.

Anyways...having lots of fun with this team right now

[UTAllTheWay]

Re: 2012 Franchise Progress Thread

I have to do something about this terrible bullpen. I thought I was FINALLY going to get my 2nd win of the season, snapping a 14-game losing streak. I had a 5-2 lead going into the 8th inning, but David Carpenter gave up 3 runs for the tie. Then Enerio Del Rosario gave up another run in the 9th to lose the game.

The only RPs that are even close to being worth a damn are Rhiner Cruz and Wilton Lopez. My closer, Heath Hembree, has been pretty solid so far but he hasn't had many chances.

[ILLICIT206]

Re: 2012 Franchise Progress Thread

Currently 11-15 with the Twins. started off slow but really starting to get hot. Kinda disappointed with Mauer only batting .284 with 3 hr and 8rbis. Morneau on the other end has been an animal. 3rd in the AL with a BA of .364 with 6hr and 15 rbis. As for pitching my rotation has been ok. My best pitcher so far has been Liriano 3-1 1.80 era. Matt Capps has been on fire 7-7 in save opportunities with an ERA of 0.00.

As for my roster, I'm looking forward to making some changes to the infield. Interested in getting me an infielder that can really flash the leather. If I can grab a defensive 3b I'll move Valencia over to SS. I'm also interested getting a decent Starting pitcher (willing to get give up any one in my rotation for a better pitcher). Hopefully I'll get a package (both an infielder and a pitcher) and make run for the play offs

P.S - even tho the Tigers will be tough to deal with.

Are you gonna trade prospects to get pieces to contend or are you looking for an IF prospect? Just a suggestion, but you could get Brendan Ryan and Jason Vargas from the M's and I'm sure it wouldn't take much. Ryan's good defensively and Vargas is a solid 3-4 starter. Could probably land them for a couple C prospects.

[MrPolo7]

Re: 2012 Franchise Progress Thread

I need to figure out my IF situation soon. I want to move JJ Hardy over to third once Machado is ready to get called up, but right now my third base platoon has just been god-awful. I dunno if I should try to trade for a stop gap veteran or just continue on.

[Heroesandvillains]

Re: 2012 Franchise Progress Thread

Just had a rather heroic moment in my 'play 1 sim 5' Yanks chise. To sum things up, setting the mood, we are 18-16 a week into May. After April, our team led the league in AVG (.303) and HR (45). Yet, we were 28th in ERA (4.74). So, after splitting 2 with the M's at Yankee Stadium, and Garcia set to pitch (0-3, team worst 7.33 ERA) something needed to be done. The M's had Felix on the mound and I decided.. why not. I called up Michael Pineda from Class-A (personally ending his 'DL' stint) and placed him against his old team. How did he respond?

9 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 8 K. (classic pitching, authentic and I's AS sliders) in a 4-2 Yankees win.

Just wanted to share that story. I'll have stats after another month so I have more user games played.

Oh!!! That is bull****!!!!!!!!

Have you seen my numbers with Pineda? He deserves to be BACK in Class-A!

LOL! Thanks for the update, man. I actually have Pineda going against the M's tonight to kick off game number 33. If you have any 'Pineda pointers', PM me now, or be directly responsible for his demotion.

Your call.

[ILiveForThis]

Re: 2012 Franchise Progress Thread

I just used his array of fastballs and stayed on the outer half. One of the runs he gave up was a fielding blunder (I use all visuals off and totally over-ran a ball - scored as an RBI double). Also, try getting his breaking ball over early to get confidence in it. Confidence is key - especially in Classic

[daenius]

Re: 2012 Franchise Progress Thread

Just won the World Series against the Braves with the Yankees in my franchise.

To be honest, I was very disappointed with the presentation. I was hoping for some improvement over 09/10 and 11, but Vasgersian and Karros/Campbell never once talked about the possibility of the Yankees winning the World Series during Game 5 (I was leading the WS 3-1).

Not a single word. Not even when Rivera was on the mound in the bottom of the 9th with 2 outs, nothing. Just the usual "If he gets the save, the win would go to Michael Pineda" crap.

After winning the WS, all you get is a couple of the players running to the mound and celebrating for 5 seconds, then it cuts to the player of the game.

You don't even get to see the Commissioner's Trophy or who won the World Series MVP.

Don't get me wrong, I still love the game and nearly all aspects of it, but the presentation after winning the World Series is something they really need to work on...

[nascarfreak24ny]

Re: 2012 Franchise Progress Thread

A's at Mariners.
Kevin Correara vs .Matt cain
they really rocked cain tonight giving up 4 runs in the first two innings but the offense was able to bail me out, kemp had a huge game with 3 hits including a solo shot to get the offense going and a go ahead rbi double. devin mesoraco, i love playing with him, destroyed a ball to tie the game in the 5th at 4-4 and then there was kemp's double. mesoraco added anoter RBI with a double in the 6th. Cain went 6.1 and 5 K's with some semi strong innings and i relieved him with kenley jansen who got through the 8th inning and i brought in havy guerra to get his 3rd save of the season and he succeeded. im not really sure how i won tonight cain pitched like crap compared to last time but kemp and mesoraco were both on fire. check back later for cains next start

[nascarfreak24ny]

Re: 2012 Franchise Progress Thread

cain vs. ruby de la rosa
cain went the distance in a shut out while matt kemp powered the offense with a solo shot and a two run shot, david freeze had two solo shots as well

cain is now 3-0 with a 1.65 ERA and kemp is batting 459 with 5 home runs and 11 RBIS

[UTAllTheWay]

Re: 2012 Franchise Progress Thread

FINALLY got my 2nd win of the season. Henry Sosa went 7 innings giving up only 2 hits, 0 ERs, and 5 Ks. Alburquerque debuted for the team pitching the 8th inning, giving up only 1 hit and 0 ERs. Heath Hembree got his 2nd save of the season. JD Martinez got the first hit of the game for my team on a single in the 4th inning and then Jonathan Singleton followed it up with a 2-run HR.

Those were the only runs of the game, as I won 2-0.

My team is now 2-18.

Some bad news, though, during my last game (7-2 loss to Cincinnati) Jordan Schafer tore his calf running to 1st base on a groundout... he'll be out 1-2 months.

[PsychoBulk]

Re: 2012 Franchise Progress Thread

My start has been, to put it mildly, atrocious.

Out of the gates 1-4 with Detroit, hitting a paltry .177 and really struggling badly at the plate. The only person "on it" so far is Fielder with 4 jacks already.

The pitching (one terrible Opening Day 11 run start aside) has been good, the bullpen ok, ive been walking enough but simply swinging at too many bad pitches, but ill turn it around.

Though in those first 5 games ive faced Beckett, Buchholz, Lester, Matt Moore and Alex Cobb, really Cobb aside thats a tough run for any hitting side.

My signature makes painful reading at present!

But ill battle away, after all i still have 157 games to put it right

Finally the bats come to life!



Raising my average .40 points in one game, pitching again stellar from Scherzer, 7.1 shutout innings.

My patience at the plate is starting to pay off, Fielders 5th bomb of the year nice, Avilas 1st, Delmon with his 2nd on a fastball high and in on an 2-0 count. Avila only has 3 hits (none at all until the previous game) but his OBP is still around .320 as hes been walking a lot, as have i as a team, 31 times in 8 games.

The long recovery road to .500 and beyond has begun!

[ckarlic]

Re: 2012 Franchise Progress Thread

Currently sitting at 12-8 (3 GMS back of the Red Sox who are 15-5) in my Yankees franchise. Started my series against the Tigers last night. Had Garcia going up against Smyly. Garcia is still in search of his 1st win. He was sporting a 3.49 ERA coming into the game. Game started bad for Garcia who gave up a 2 run bomb to Cabrera which was then followed up by a solo shot from Fielder which put the Tigers up 3-0 after the top of the 1st. I thought it was going to be a long game but the Yankees answered back with a 2 run shot from Arod. I scored another 2 runs in the 2nd inning and Arod hit his 2nd 2 run shot in the 5th to help the Yankees take a 6-3 lead. Garcia was cruising until the 6th when he hit a snag and gave up a solo shot to Avila. I brought in Cory Wade in relief and then Logan who were not as sharp as they normally have been for me so far in this young 2012 season.

Long story short, I ended up loosing to the Tigers 9-6. Tigers are on a roll winning 5 in a row. The Red Sox are hot in my franchise as well also winning 5 in a row. Next game is a good pitching mathup. CC vs Verlander. Hoping to even up the series.

[Dorfie]

Re: 2012 Franchise Progress Thread

I currently have the Orioles at 16-14 (I think). I seem to have a hit a cold streak that I can't snap out of. My team BA has dropped from about .280 to about .260 and I've lost 7 out of the last 10 games. So basically, it seems like my season is mimmicking a typical Orioles' season, as the downward spiral has begun. I can't hit anything with Nolan Reimold for some reason. He's hitting about .180. I just finished a 4 game set with the Rangers and I'm pretty sure he went like 0 for 16. I currently have Robert Andino playing 3rd and Mark Reynolds at DH, as I truly fear Reynolds' defense. However, as much as I love Andino for what he did to the Red Sox last year, I feel like I'm weak at that position. I'm currently playing the Rays and then the Yankees. If I don't do well in this stretch, I'm going to be 6-7 games of out first. That's not unrealistic by any stretch, but it's frustrating.

[MrPolo7]

Re: 2012 Franchise Progress Thread

My Orioles are leading the MLB in avg right now with a team avg of .299...

In regards to my 3rd base situation I have found the short term answer...Ryan Flaherty was destroying AAA so I called him up and sent Betemit down...Flaherty is on a tear, batting .757 and 2 HRs since being placed in the lineup!

[RyanLeaf16]

Re: 2012 Franchise Progress Thread

Just had a amazing game against the Yankees in New York. Down 3-1 for most of the game, I was able to tie the game up at 3-3 with a BJ Upton 2-run HR in the 6th inning. The Yankees come back in the bottom half of the inning and put another run on the board for a 4-3 lead.

Top of the 7th inning and I score 3 runs to take a 6-4 lead. Josh Lueke works a perfect 7th and 8th for me. I decide to go with Fernando Rodney in the 9th. Rodney gets the first batter, then allows a walk and single. I had Farnsworth working the pen - just in case and bring him in with men on 2nd and 3rd with 1 out.

With 1st base open, I walk Brett Gardner so I can have a force out at any base. Next batter is Derek Jeter. First pitch is down and in, Jeter hits it on the ground to 3rd and Keppinger (Longoria is on the DL) turns and fires to 2nd and Zobrist then flips it to 1st base for the 5-4-3 double play and the 6-5 victory. WHEW! What a game!

Had the draft right after the game:

1 - jimmy kirby, c, a pot
2 - ramiro cruz, rp, b pot
3 - adam tejada, cf, ? pot
4 - william anthony, ss, ? pot