OOTP 19 Franchise Progress

[canes21]

Re: OOTP 19 Franchise Progress

What exactly was happening when you tried to boot up the backup?

[KBLover]

Re: OOTP 19 Franchise Progress

What exactly was happening when you tried to boot up the backup?

The game crashed/froze and got a "not responding" message from windows and it was red in resource monitor. I left it alone overnight (I went to bed) and it was still there stuck when I could check again.

After that, when I restarted the game, it loaded my save at the end of 2018, which is odd because I have it to auto save after every January 1 and the game itself said 1/1/2021 (which would make sense) in the load screen. Then it threw me at 2018.

I could play it from there but I'm afraid whatever happened will just happen again if there's something actually wrong with the file/database now.

[canes21]

Re: OOTP 19 Franchise Progress

Hmmm, that is strange. Is there an alternate way to restore a backup? I honestly don't know with this game.

[KBLover]

Re: OOTP 19 Franchise Progress

Maybe if I had copied the directories by hand to some other location on top of the backup, I might have saved it. I might burn it to DVD or use the extra space on an external drive or something. Maybe put it on my NAS even since I don't have to play from it, just holding data.

[KBLover]

Re: OOTP 19 Franchise Progress

Always fascinating how things play out in multiple runs.

This time, no international talent for a quick turn around (RIP Siri, Park, and Saotome)...but I do have this little hustler in the making...

Spoiler

Getting some Ichiro vibes here...I hope he makes it.

He's #3 prospect in baseball behind Royce Lewis (yep, Twins poked me with him and I traded for him again). If they both make it - killer double play combo.

Got Alex Verdugo from Rule 5 - so I'm starting to like my potential up-the-middle defense.

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: OOTP 19 Franchise Progress

I'm liking how he can foster solidarity in any setting.

[KBLover]

Re: OOTP 19 Franchise Progress

Yeah - sounds like a great clubhouse guy. Will be big. I don't know how/if that helps development but he might help everyone along the way to the majors.

Oh and the active roster expanded to 26 men and there are so many two-way players now. Even guys that have no business doing it. Last time, hardly any guys were trying it lol

[N51_rob]

Re: OOTP 19 Franchise Progress

I need to update my progress, but I hate my teams performance right now, Im fighting the urge to post in all caps, cause that is how I feel.

[canes21]

Re: OOTP 19 Franchise Progress

We've reached the end of May and the Bravos are still in 1st place of the NL East.

Spoiler

My team has played well. The pitching has been tremendous. The lineup has an issue with leaving too many men in scoring position. If that could get fixed this team could really take off.

Garrett Richards and Carlos Rodon have been great moves to this point. Both have been very good in a Braves uniform, Richards especially.

Spoiler

The team definitely didn't play too hot this month and the 18-8 start to the season has been very beneficial, but they were right there in every loss with a few of those coming in heartbreaking fashion as the bullpen blew a few too many saves this month.

Spoiler

I did pick up Wilmer Flores this month and he's played well in a Braves uniform also.

Spoiler

I'll post another recap after June is over.

[KBLover]

Re: OOTP 19 Franchise Progress

The Marlins completed the 2019 draft and some of the more interesting kids are profiled below.

Of course, the 1st overall selection: Matthew Thompson

Spoiler

His change up and his slider are expected to be his primary out pitches once he matures as he uses them to set up a respectable but not overpowering fastball.


Next up is P Phil Meffert.

Spoiler

There is some discussion as to how Meffert's stuff will play. Some thinks he'll be fine as a starter, featuring a strong cutter to work his other pitches from. Others think his stuff will play best as a reliever where he can focus heavily on the cutter and not worry as much about his secondary pitches, which may not catch up for a while.

Either way, he's expected to be solid when he peaks. Just a matter of where in the staff he will work - the front or the late innings.

The talent dropped off quickly after the early few rounds as the talent in the draft was shallow and on the older side. Still, the Marlins found a few interesting players that warrant a little extra attention.

Jake Hirabayashi is one of these kids, noted for having serviceable experience at every position aside from pitcher.

Spoiler

"We don't see that every day. Not sure how he'll turn out but I think he's worth the gamble, " head scout Hansuke Soto commented.


And then...there's Nolan Crisp.

Spoiler

"We're not really sure what to make of this kid's profile. He seems to have been used some of everywhere in his high school play. Nakamura [the Marlins GM] seems to like how he's developing an eye at the plate and could be an utility two-way player...not sure how that would look or work, but it's what he thinks, " head scout Hansuke Soto spoke.


As far as the team's play goes, it can't go anywhere but up. The Marlins are starting from a base where they won just 37 games. Now, at 25-39, they are likely to pass that win total by July.

"We're still awful, but our farm is feared around the league and we have four of the top 10 prospects in baseball. The quality of the product on the field is improving as well to something worth watching and at least is competitive, " Tsuyoshi Nakamura commented.

The Marlins are doing it on the cheap, and that might be an understatement. The team's current payroll is $36 million, and $12 million of that is in salary retentions.

Speaking of one of those top 10 prospects in baseball, the Marlins temporarily demoted 2B Kyoji Hirayama from Batavia to the organization's Dominican Summer League team so that he can get some playing time.

"We want him to get as much time on the field and on-field instruction as he can so he can hone his skills and get the feel of a routine as a professional ballplayer. He's only 17, so a lot of this is still very new for him, " GM Nakamura commented.

[WaitTilNextYear]

Carolina Knights Update

JULY 1, 2018

Season Record: 37-48 (10 GB NL East, 11 GB Wild Card)
June Record: 12-13
Position: 4th Place NL East

Spoiler

Your favorite OOTP expansion franchise, the Carolina Knights, has now played slightly more than half of a season in the big leagues. Carolina lost its final 3 games of June to dip ever so slightly below .500 for the month, but things are looking bright for this ballclub. After a very expansion-y 10-21 start to the season, this team is playing exactly .500 ball since the beginning of May (27-27).

June was an interesting month for the Knights. On June 6th, first baseman A.J. Reed managed an inside-the-park home run against Max Scherzer and the Nats in a 5-1 road win. Reed has picked it up a bit after batting just .167 in May. In June, Reed's line was: .237/.303/.525 with 6 HR and 19 RBI. Not great, but he's providing a power threat (10 homers in 155 plate appearances) while making minimum wage. Not to mention he was basically responsible for the 7-6 win over Colorado on June 22nd. He blasted a 9th inning go-ahead homer off of Rockies' closer Wade Davis for his second dinger of the game.

Speedy platoon CF Mallex Smith turned a corner with a 12-game hitting streak from May 26th to June 10th that helped salvage an abysmal start to the season. Smith is currently batting .263/.336/.349 with 24 stolen bases in 27 attempts (1.1 WAR). He's also been one of the better defensive outfielders in the NL with a +2.2 zone rating. Smith's June batting line: .365/.437/.460 came just as Bobby Cox was contemplating more playing time for Jake Marisnick.

The Knights suffered a 1-hit shutout at the hands of Aaron Nola and the Phillies on June 9th. That was the middle game in a 3-game sweep at Citizen's Bank Park. Nola's having a hard luck year overall for the 31-53 last place Phillies. Despite a 2.47 ERA and 0.81 WHIP, he's stuck with a 2-6 record.

Chase Utley surfaced on the D'Backs in mid-June as he faced his old team, Carolina, during a 3-game sweep of the Knights at Chase Field. It's been an interesting year for the old man. First he was re-signed by the Dodgers, then expansion drafted by the Knights, then dealt back to the Dodgers for Jake Peter, only to be waived by LA and scooped up by Arizona on waivers. Arizona rookie hurler Jon Duplantier shut the Knights down to the tune of 6 IP 2 H 10 K 1 BB and no runs allowed on June 16th. His reward? Being promptly demoted to AAA despite an 0.47 ERA in the bigs.

Luis Severino tossed a PERFECT GAME on June 15th against the Rangers in Arlington. Severino needed 103 pitches to punch out 9 Rangers and secure the historic 3-0 win for the Bronx Bombers.

Knights LF Brett Gardner finished 3rd in the NL All-Star Game fan voting for left fielders with just over 1.5 million votes. Gardner's stats so far: .294/.365/.409 | 4 HR 33 RBI | 110 OPS+ | 9.6 BB% | 15.7 K% | 1.7 WAR. So, yeah, umm, the All-Star Game was held on June 19th for...reasons.

Although Gardner wasn't rostered by the NL All-Star squad, teammate Dellin Betances was Carolina's [very deserving] representative. The Carolina closer's current stats: 31 G | 35.1 IP | 20/21 SV | 2.55 ERA | 0.91 WHIP | 2.34 FIP | 55 FIP- | 15.0 K/9 | 3.6 BB/9 | 0.5 HR/9 | 54% GB rate | 1.3 WAR. Betances went 10 straight appearances (May 23rd to June 22nd, including the All-Star Game) without giving up a single hit; he saved his first 20 chances of the season before showing that he's, in fact, human. He was tagged with a 7-5 extra-inning loss on June 25th against the Brewers and a blown save in the 11th inning of an eventual 12-9 win over the Mets on June 27th. In the latter game, the Knights scored to take a 4-3 lead in the 11th. The Mets tied it. The Knights scored 5 more in the 13th. The Mets tied it again. Carolina scored 3 in the 14th to finally put the Amazins to sleep.

Carolina was also involved in a smattering of unexpected, relatively minor trades as the month melted away. In one interesting case, Bobby Cox claimed Wade Miley off of waivers as Milwaukee tried to offload him from the 40-man roster. Miley was then immediately shopped to Boston for 1B prospect Sam Travis. A deal the Red Sox were probably amenable to only because Carolina stole Drew Pomeranz in the expansion draft before trading him to Houston.

The Mariners also approached Carolina with an offer of RHP Wyatt Mills for RHP Matt Bowman. After some haggling the teams expanded the deal to Mills + OF Eric Filia + RHP Matt Festa for Bowman + RHP Ruben Ventura. Mills was Seattle's 3rd round pick in 2017; Festa was their 7th rounder in 2016. Bowman was replaced in Carolina's pen with Jonathan Holder.

Maybe the neatest piece of June news for the expansion club was when rookie 2B Breyvic Valera was announced as National League Rookie of the Month. He's been a tough out in the 2-hole. Bobby Cox loves to see Gardner get on base and Valera hit-and-run them into 1st and 3rd with nobody out. After flat out torching AAA pitching, Valera has found his sea legs in the big leagues. In June, Valera's stats: .333/.368/.514 3 HR 12 RBI and he's struck out just 8 times in 118 plate appearances. The power has been totally unexpected. He had 10 multi-hit games in June and only 5 hit-less ones. He could be the second baseman of the present and the future for this Charlotte club. Even the owner is warming up to him as fulfilling the "upgrade at 2B" goal.

[KBLover]

Re: OOTP 19 Franchise Progress

Current Standings

Spoiler

The Marlins are about half way through 2020, and the team might be making progress at the major league level.

Late last season, the team made a swap of managers. Joe Girardi to the majors and let Mattingly take over manager duties at AAA-New Orleans.

Girardi was 5-5 to end 2019 and started off slowly in 2020, but then the Marlins ran off a 9-game win streak to get near .500 and have been hovering just below the mark since.

Meanwhile, Mattingly has New Orleans in first place, though they will be losing Kyoji Hirayama.

"He's just tearing the cover off the ball there. We have to give him a look at the majors at this point, GM Nakamura spoke.

Hirayama is batting .326/.403/.429 at AAA. He was used on the bench for Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic, and completely skipped AA.

"I'm ready to hit in the major leagues, " Hirayama spoke through an interpreter, "I feel confident I can hit and that I can help the major league team win more games."

With Hirayama making the way up, that puts second base into stress. Estrada has been doing a solid job there, but it will be hard for Girardi to not try Hirayama out, especially since the teenaged hitter has learned his position and should improve the team defensively as well.

As Hirayama leaves New Orleans, a new arrival appears in the person of CF Bobby Campbell. He maintained, almost exactly, his slash line from A+ ball to AA and now will try his luck at AAA.

What's also gotten the team excited more about him is his amazing defensive prowess.

"He developed that while in the lower leagues. He may have been focusing on the glove and his range. Then, he turned to his hitting. Whatever he and the coaches did, worked because he's looking very good, " head scout Hansuke Soto commented.

Spoiler

Bobby Campbell profiles as a dynamic defender that sells out
and shows no hesitation to try to make the tough plays.

As far as Matthew Thompson, he's still roaming between the Dominican Summer League and Batavia, trying to get him as much time on the mound as he can handle. While his pitches are still gradually progressing, his velocity has increased from 92 to 97 MPH.

Thompson's development would be welcome for sure as the rotation still needs help at the majors.


At the draft, the Marlins picked up another young prospect infielder. Juan Carrillo, a second baseman, was the team's 1st round pick. His hitting profile is one of being a strong contact hitter that could also develop a somewhat dangerous level of power.

"He could be a fierce all-around hitter and defender...but where are we going to play him if Lewis keeps going strong and Hirayama is the real deal?" Hansuke Soto spoke.

That's a good question. The Marlins could move him to first base or perhaps third if Diaz continues to struggle. Of course, a trade is possible, perhaps to try to land an ace or ace-to-be prospect. That's a problem the Marlins might hope to have years from now, though.

Pitchers dominated the rest of the team's top five. Two relievers, Jorge Rael and Mike Stepien, both of whom are flamethrowers that hopefully will feature an equally nasty breaking pitch. As usual with big arms, how well they harness that stuff will determine how far they will rise.

The other two pitchers were starters, Jackson Phipps and Sergio Barbaran. Both are something of a question mark, potential to climb towards the top of the rotation or fall apart. Fortunately, they both are hard workers with good overall personalities, so maybe that will tilt the odds in their favor.

[KBLover]

Re: OOTP 19 Franchise Progress

The Marlins made a couple moves at the trading deadline.

Marlins trade:
SS Wander Javier
LF Mike Donadio
RP Trevor Richards

White Sox trade:
SP Alec Hansen
C Cesar Salazar
RP Matt Ardente

This move gives the Marlins some young-ish rotation help (Hansen is 25 and perhaps a late bloomer) and a couple lower prospects. Javier is progressing well and might be major league ready at 22 as a shortstop with some pop, but with middle infield locked down and Javier unlikely to be happy backing up, the Marlins decided to swap him for a more direct chance at helping the pitching staff. Ardente is something of a mystery as it's hard to understand why he's not at least cracked the rotation at any minor league level so far.


Marlins trade:
2B Thairo Estrada
RF Stir Candelario
1B Lazaro Alonzo

Tigers trade:
SP Michael Fulmer
SP Dominic Pipkin

The arrival and seemingly given success of Kyoji Hirayama made this trade possible. Estrada was held on to against a bevy of offers, some tempting, as he was planned to be the starting second baseman. Then Hirayama came long at 16...and started hitting...and ascending...and skipped AA entirely...and reached the majors...at 19. Instead of forcing Estrada to languish on the bench (where he probably would have been miserable and causing issues), the Marlins decided to make a gamble.

Enter the Tigers, who are seeking a rebuild and wanted to move Fulmer. Primary reason is probably that the 27-year-old starter has been heading in the wrong direction in production as he struggled last season and is doing even worse this season. The Marlins are hoping that a new beginning on a team looking up will help him regain his form. What he'll want in salary is a bit of a concern, but he is still under team control via arbitration until 2022, and the Marlins will likely be talking with him all the while.

"Fulmer still grades well, so hopefully this is just a change-of-scenery deal. Hard to imagine why else he's struggling so badly, " Nakamura commented.

The Marlins also got hard-throwing prospect Dominic Pipkin in the deal. He's still a work in progress, but the 20-year-old has a lot of potential. He's been slow in refining his secondary pitches and harnessing his velocity into consistent location, however.

Fulmer and Hansen will be in the active roster and working in the rotation. Pipkin will be assigned to A-Greensboro while Ardente will get his first taste of starting at AAA-New Orleans.

The team also made room to give Tyler Kolek and Jay Groome some time at the majors and moved struggling Jorge Guzman and Tristan McKenzie some time to work on things in New Orleans to maybe get back on track.

[KBLover]

Re: OOTP 19 Franchise Progress

Marlins Land NPB Pitcher
Shota Takeda Joins Rotation After 2 Month Battle

Shota Takeda posted during the World Series. The Marlins quickly put in an offer on him.

At first, there was little interest. Even as the postseason ended, the rest of October passed by with little resistance.

Then teams started feeling out talks and his low asking price was discovered.

Suddenly, a wave of offers came in and the Marlins had a fight on their hands. The negotiations got drawn out at times and it didn't seem to be a money issue as the demands Takeda would give only slowly increased.

A couple weeks before the Rule 5 draft in December, Takeda settled on the Marlins offer of $82.5 M over 7 years.

"We're happy to have him. We are determined to put a major league caliber rotation on the field this year. Michael Fulmer was brought in to start that ball rolling and now we hope Takeda can add to the mix. As young pitchers prove they are ready, we'll keep giving them chances, but it's not longer just their playground. Maybe they'll get serious, " Nakamura commented.

Indeed, so far the young prospects have had a hard time sticking. Tyler Kolek was so poor that he only got six outings before he was sent back. Other arms like Nick Neidert and Zac Gallen can't get out of AAA, and on-paper quality pitchers like Jorge Guzman and Triston McKenzie have also had issues.

With the Marlins having success in luring Japanese talent, some wonder if Nakamura has set up connections with the NPB or other talent agencies in Japan.

Marlins Give Up on Groome

The Marlins were hopeful on Groome becoming a starter. Then, he ended up getting moved to the bullpen. Then, he started struggling in the bullpen. Then, the final straw, he started being a disruptive influence in the clubhouse.

The disagreement seems to stem from his bullpen usage. He and AAA manager Don Mattingly got in a heated exchange and Groome had to be restrained. The next day, Groome was dealt in an eight-player exchange with the Mariners with the Marlins taking, and releasing, a small contract and adding cash to smooth negotiations. The other six players were trios of project, struggling, prospects as both teams decided to take chances on new faces.

"We wish the Mariners the best and hopefully Groome will settle himself because we do think he can be a good pitcher. Maybe this will be a learning experience for the young man. Even if he saves his career for another team, it will be good to see him get back on track with his career, " Nakamura commented.

Marlins Try Again in Rule 5 Draft

The team's quest for a catcher goes on with another try at a Rule 5 talent.

This time, the Marlins select Mario Feliciano from the Brewers. Feliciano, 22, is noted for his fun-loving nature in the clubhouse and underrated field smarts between the white lines.

"I like the way this kid approaches the game. He has fun but is still a student of the game. I think we'll be able to give him good routines and tips on how to prepare for a game and talk with his pitcher and come up with a gameplan on how to attack the opposing lineup, " manager Joe Girardi spoke.

Taiwanese Reliever Signed Quietly...Too Quietly?

Marlins officials were stunned to learn that their original offer to Taiwanese free agent An-Yi Nao was good enough to bring the reliever to the organization.

"We scout him as a possible bullpen contributor, hard fastball and power curve. Should rack up K's...but are we wrong? I wonder given the lack of interested in the young man, " Hansuke Soto commented.

It is interesting that no other team seemed to contest the Marlins getting a flamethrowing 24-year-old that's not asking for a lot of cash and willing to sign long term. You know what they say about things too good to be true...

At the least, if he is a bust, the Marlins will lose only $4.25 million a year for the privilege. Nao signed a 7-year contract worth a total of $30 million.

[KSUowls]

Re: OOTP 19 Franchise Progress

We've reached the end of May and the Bravos are still in 1st place of the NL East.

Spoiler

Your Freeman has struggled a bit with average just like mine did. Hopefully he can pump up that average over .300.