2012 Franchise Progress Thread

[BlueNGold]

Re: 2012 Franchise Progress Thread

Well after my original Blue Jays franchise save froze on me because of the new patch, I had to restart. I was 10 games over .500 and in the middle of July so I simulated until I got a scenario that was close enough to where I had left off. It wasn't perfect of course, but I ended up getting pretty close and was still in the thick of the pennant race in the AL East.

Eventually Boston pulled away with the division and won it. However the AL wild card was a tight 3 team race between the White Sox, the Yankees, and the Blue Jays. On the last day of the season I was holding on to the wild card spot with the White Sox a game behind and the Yankees 2 games behind and out of it. The last game of the season for me was against the Twins and the White Sox were playing the Indians. I ended up handling the Twins easily and the White Sox, who were down 1 run against the Indians in the 4th inning, ended up getting blown out 19-5 (seeing it unfold on the ticker as my game progressed was awesome).

So I've now clinched the Blue Jays first ever wild-card berth, ended their 18 year playoff drought and am facing the Rangers in the ALDS. The best part though? They traded for a certain top pitcher at the trade deadline who just so happened to play the majority of his career in Toronto. Yep, the Blue Jays' first postseason game in 18 years is going to see them facing Roy Halladay. Awesome.

[Black_Echo12]

Re: 2012 Franchise Progress Thread

Just wrapped up Game 1 of the NLDS in my Dodgers franchise against the Marlins. Wow what a game!!! A 17 inning thriller! Kershaw and Johnson were both dealing well into the 8th inning. The Marlins struck first in the top half of the 16th to go ahead 2-0. In the bottom half of the inning with 2 outs Andre 'Clutch' Ethier blasts a 2-run homer to center to tie the game. Things were looking good heading into the 17th until the Marlins hit a lead-off homer to go up 3-2 and eventually win game 1 by that score.

Looking forward to rebounding in game 2 tonight.

[ktd1976]

Re: 2012 Franchise Progress Thread

I'm currently on June 15th in my Tiger's franchise, sitting at 50-14, but coming off a stretch where I lost 5 of 7 games. I'm about to start a 6 game homestand against the Rockies and Cardinals.

I have had my share of close games, and blowouts. Miguel Cabrera (.296, 21 HR, 62 RBI) and Prince Fielder (.276, 25 HR, 54 RBI) have led the way offensively. Brennan Boesch (.285, 10 HR, 35 RBI) has been real good as well.

In spring training, I lost Austin Jackson for the season due to an ACL injury, as he joined Victor Martinez on the D.L. I then created myself (Kyle Dutcher) as a leadoff man, and center fielder. Dutcher currently leads the league with a .397 average, 58 runs scored, 42 stolen bases, and is second in the league with 39 walks. This has lead to an OBP of .476 setting the table for the big boppers.

Delmon Young has been ok hitting 5th, but after that, it has been pretty bad. I have struggled to hit consistantly with my 6-9 hitters, with the exception of Alex Avila. Second base has been a revolving door, with Brandon Inge, Ryan Raburn, and Ramon Santiago all failing to hit well enough to seize the job. Raburn's defense has been so bad that I have made him the permanent DH for the time being. Inge has since been released, and replaced with Danny Worth, who has hit well, in 4 games.

I'm scouring the trade market for a second baseman, but of the teams that are out of it, or project to be out of it, only the Pirate's Neil Walker is half way attractive. I'll likely give Worth and Santiago a chance to take the job before pulling the trigger on a deal.

On the pitching side, it has been pretty good. Justin Verlander has been dominant (12-0, 1.62 ERA, 0.81 WHIP). Doug Fister (8-1, 2.59) and Rick Porcello (6-2, 2.57) have been very good. Max Scherzer has been inconsistant (5-6, 3.54). Andy Oliver was the 5th starter out of spring training, but he lasted just 4 starts (2-2, 7.32 ERA) and was replaced by rookie lefthander Steve Lep. Lep has been impressive in his 8 starts (6-0, 2.45 47 strikeouts in 55 innings).

The bullpen has been solid with the exception of Daniel Schlereth, who can't seem to get lefties out. Al Alburquerque is currently on rehab assignment in Toledo, and will likely replace Schlereth when he is ready to be called up.

I'm not worried too much about the lack of production at the bottom of the order, because Victor Martinez should be back in September, solidifying the DH spot. I would like to find a second baseman, as I refuse to put Raburn out there because of his defensive liabilities. I will probably pull the trigger on the Neil Walker deal, assuming I can get him for pretty cheap. Still, though, with a 19 game lead in the division (second place Cleveland is only 30-32), there is no hurry to make a deal.

Links to my statistics page, and the MLB standings page (google spreadsheets) are in my signature. Feel free to take a looksie

[franch1se]

Re: 2012 Franchise Progress Thread

60-37 in my Padres franchise but I can't advance anymore due to the new patch

some stand outs

SP Cory Luebke 16-1 2.15 ERA
LF Carlos Quentin .277, 22 HR, 48 RBI
1B Yonder Alonso .295, 13 HR, 51 RBI
CP Huston Street 1-2 1.06 ERA, 39 Saves

[Mercury53]

Re: 2012 Franchise Progress Thread

Wow, that's really impressive for the Padres.

[franch1se]

Re: 2012 Franchise Progress Thread

Wow, that's really impressive for the Padres.

the funny part is, I lose the games I play haha. I play 1 a series except for divisional games (2) so the sim has been very nice for me.

[BlueNGold]

Re: 2012 Franchise Progress Thread

Just wrapped up Game 1 of the NLDS in my Dodgers franchise against the Marlins. Wow what a game!!! A 17 inning thriller! Kershaw and Johnson were both dealing well into the 8th inning. The Marlins struck first in the top half of the 16th to go ahead 2-0. In the bottom half of the inning with 2 outs Andre 'Clutch' Ethier blasts a 2-run homer to center to tie the game. Things were looking good heading into the 17th until the Marlins hit a lead-off homer to go up 3-2 and eventually win game 1 by that score.

Looking forward to rebounding in game 2 tonight.

I feel your pain. I blew game 1 of my series against the Rangers.

I was cruising through 4 innings. Ricky Romero was pitching lights out, Roy Halladay was struggling to locate the strike zone, and eventually I broke through with a 4 run 4th inning. But then it all crumbled apart in minutes. The Rangers unloaded on me in the bottom of the 4th, finishing with a Mike Napoli 2 run HR to take a 5-4 lead that I was never able to get back.

[Troopershorty51]

Re: 2012 Franchise Progress Thread

Just played the 5th game of the season with my Rockies fantasy draft team (roster posted on previous page). After starting the season 1-3 (1-1 in the two games I played) and scoring a high of 3 runs a game, we blasted J.A. Happ and company for 11 runs in an 11-1 rout of the Giants.

Lance Lynn went 7 strong allowing 1 run, 0 earned, and 5 hits. Holliday was a force going 4-5 (HR, 3B, 2 singles.. couldn't get that double) and knocking in 3 runs, scoring 4 himself. Alfredo Silverio also made his MLB debut going 1-4 getting his only hit in his first at-bat.

This team is definitely fun to play with, especially with Holliday, Morneau, Napoli, and Freese in the heart of the order.

[ideaman81]

Re: 2012 Franchise Progress Thread

Just started my Mets Chise. I lost the opener to the Braves. I couldn't get anything going on offense, only scoring one run. Santana pitched a strong 6 inning only giving up two runs on 4 hits. After he left though my bullpen collapsed and gave up 4 runs. We ended up losing 6-1. Simmed the rest of the series (I play one game of each series) and the first game of the Nationals series and came away with 2 wins. I played game 2 and with Chris Young on the mound. He labored through 4 innings giving up one run until I pinch hit for him. Then my offense exploded in 6th for 6 runs. I didn't hit any homeruns but I lined a ton of double to the gaps and came away with a 9-2 victory. I simmed the last game of series with Santana on the Hill and we came away with another victory to push our record to 4-2.

I can't remember the statistics. My best players on offense so far are Davis, Duda, and Bay. Murphy and Thole have been decent and Tejada struggled through the first 4 games but has started to heat up. Wright's production has been putrid so far.

I made a couple of trades before the season started. I sent Pelf and a C prospect to LAA for Peter Borjous. Then I trade Dickey, Francisco, and Meija to the Nationals for a B middle IF and Zimmerman. I also signed Soler in FA (Probably will shift him to LF) who I will bring up next year probably. I also released some of my crappy RPs to sign some lefties for the pen.

[DirkDiggler12]

Re: 2012 Franchise Progress Thread

DODGERS Franchise

Currently sitting 19-7 which is good for best in my division and best in baseball at the moment. At the beginning of May I traded of Ted Lilly for Hank Conger since AJ Ellis will be out for another Month and Matt Treanor hasn't been hitting that well. Conger has game thru big for me, in his first two games he's batting .500 with a double and 4 RBI's. My last game was HUGE, We played against the Giants who were tied with us at 18-7 going into the game. Zito got going early and had a no hitter going thru 4 2/3 innings. And the Giants jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead in the 2nd. After giving up the hit Zito kind of came apart, In the 8th he walked the pitcher for the 2nd time that game. Dee Gordon flew out for the first out of the inning. Jerry Hairston Jr steps up and smashes a ball down the right field line over the fielders head for a RBI triple (his 1st of the year). Matt Kemp steps up to the plate (currently in a horrible drought) He quickly finds trouble in a 0-2 count. After fighting the count back to 2-2 he gets a low fast ball that he send up the middle for a RBI single and the go ahead run to win the game. The pitching staff did an amazing job against Buster Posey, who is leading the league with a .420 BA, as he went 0-4 on the day.

[ILLICIT206]

Re: 2012 Franchise Progress Thread

I'm struggling through the first couple weeks of my Mariners franchise at 3-9. I absolutely cannot beat the A's, but can hang with anyone else. Dunno why but they seem to hit my pitchers really well. Just played the first two games of a three-game series against Cleveland and both were pitchers duels. In the first game, Jason Vargas went 8 innings, allowing only one run, only to receive zero run support. I tied the game in the bottom eighth but my shaky bullpen lost it. In the second game, Hector Noesi pitched 7 2/3 innings for his first win of the season and League got his first save (after blowing the first two tries). I think the scores were 2-1 Cleveland in the first game and 1-0 M's in the second. Tonight I'll try to take my first series of the year...

[Armor and Sword]

Re: 2012 Franchise Progress Thread

I just had to give a small update to my Marlins Franchise (year one of course).


Logan Morrison through April and the first 2 weeks of May is on a torrid pace. .302 11 HR's 31 RBI's.

He is tearing the cover off the ball and it looks as though this is going to be a break out season for the former 1st baseman turned Left Fielder. I hope he can keep this going as he is keeping this thing together through a very up and down start to the season.

On the other end of the spectrum SS Jose Reyes continues to be below the mendoza line at a paltry .184 He is ice cold.

[BlueNGold]

Re: 2012 Franchise Progress Thread

Played the second game of my playoff series against the Rangers just now. It was just as intense as the last one, if not more, since this one went to extra innings.

I had a 3-0 lead going into the 6th only for the Rangers to slowly but surely chip away at that and eventually tie it in the 8th inning. It only made things worse that this was my second 3+ run blown lead of the series.

I got totally screwed over at one point in particular in the 8th inning where Casey Jannsen was facing Mike Napoli, who was on a 3-2 count. I threw a low fastball that was clearly in the strike zone and should have been a strike to end the inning with my 3-2 lead intact. Instead the umpire calls it a ball and gives Napoli the walk. So at that point I was looking at a guy on 1st and 3rd with 2 outs, and sure enough thanks to that blown call the Rangers ended up getting the tying run home. I at least got out of the inning with the score tied thankfully.

Neither team got too much going in the 9th inning so we went to extras, where the present and the future of the Blue Jays stepped their games up in what was essentially a make-or-break moment in the season. Jose Bautista crushed his 2nd solo HR of the game, and after Adam Lind got on base Brett Lawrie hit his first of (hopefully) many more playoff HRs to come and gave me a 6-3 lead that I was able to actually hold on to.

Now the series is tied at 1 and going back to Toronto with the momentum on the Blue Jays side. Should be interesting. This series is already turning out to be a classic.

[RGmoney]

Re: 2012 Franchise Progress Thread

Cubs Report: 9-4 Record (1st-place)

After taking 2 out of 3 from division foe St. Louis, the Cubbies found themselves all alone at the top of the NL Central with a 1 game lead over the Cardinals. They then had a day off before they headed to the new amusement park in Miami to take on the Marlins.

Game 1 saw Dempster pick up his 1st win of the year, going 7.2 IP, giving up just 2 runs on 8 hits, while striking out 5 and walking 2. Soriano supplied the bulk of the offense, going 2-4 with 4 RBI and 2 runs scored. Both his hits were homeruns, the 1st being a 3-run bomb in the 1st inning, that marked the first Cub homerun at the Marlins' new park. Lahair contributed a 2-4 day, with and RBI and run scored. Final score was 6-2.

Miami bounced back in game 2, but it took them extra-innings to get the 2-0 win. It was an 11th-inning 2-run bomb by M. Stanton that evened the series. The Cubbies took the series with a 4-3 Game 3 win. Both Soriano & Lahair both went yard to supply the offense. Soriano's bomb was his 2nd 3-run jack of the series. J. Samardzja went 8 strong innings to pick up his 1st win of the year. He allowed just 2 runs on 3 hits, while striking out 10 and walking 5. Marmol gave up a run in the 9th, but held on to notch his MLB leading 7th save in as many opportunities.

Brian Lahair is on fire right now. In his last 10 games he's batting .333 with 11 hits (3 HR) and 5 RBI. He's 4th in the league in doubles with 5. At the other end of the spectrum, are Soriano & Soto. Alfonso is hitting just .171 in his last 10 games. Despite the league-leading 4 homeruns (Tied with R. Braun & Cincy's Heisey). Soto's bats must still be down at Spring Training. In his last 10 games, he's batting just .194 with a HR and 2 RBI. Closer Carlos Marmol is a perfect 7-for-7 in save opportunities with a 1.29 ERA and 4 strikeouts.

The Cubs return home to the friendly confines for a 3-game series with the 4th place Cincinnati Reds (6-7), who are 3 games back of the Cubbies. They are 4-6 in their last 10 games. The Cubs will have to watch out for both Joey Votto & Chris Heisey. In his last 10 games, Votto is scorching the ball with a .429 average, 15 hits, 2 HR, & 11 RBI. Heisy is seeing the ball well in this 10-game stretch, hitting .333 with 11 hits, a HR, and 2 RBI. Struggling are Zach Cozart (.162) and Jay Bruce (.143). The Reds will be without veteran 3B Scott Rolen, who is out 1-2 months with a separated shoulder.

[moemoe24]

Re: 2012 Franchise Progress Thread

I'm 9-4 with my rangers franchise, currently 2 up on the mariners Batting .310 as a team but my pitching is really bad. Team era of .450. Starters are really letting me down. Except for neftali feliz with a 1.50 era, holland is 3.49, Colby Lewis is 5.95 and Yu is in the 5's. Napoli leads the league in hitting with a .435 avg, he is also second in RBI with 13. More updates later.