FRANCHISE PROGRESS

[Village Idiot]

Re: FRANCHISE PROGRESS

You are starting Zumaya?

I am. My rotation is Verlander, Zumaya, Bonderman, Willis and Robertson.

Moved Jackson to the SU role and traded Galarraga.

Undefeated what slider set are you using?

Posted to the sliders forum and PMed to you, sir.

[stlstudios189]

Re: FRANCHISE PROGRESS

I am 10-5 and have lost 2 of my last 3 games (2-1, 3-2) I lost to the Phillies who are tough and the Nationals. Delgado hit number 8 on the season but, is 3 of his last 15 at bats. Beltran is 2 of his last 15 AB's and Reyes is 1 of his last 12 AB's that's why I have only scored 8 runs in 4 games. Maine pitched hard in his 3rd start of the game allowing 3 runs in 8 innings picking up his 1st loss of the season. he is now 2-1 with 1.56 ERA 24 IP with 14 K's and 3 BB's. I still haven't decided to pick up Curt Schilling or trade for Bonderman. Any suggestions?

[goh]

Re: FRANCHISE PROGRESS

I am. My rotation is Verlander, Zumaya, Bonderman, Willis and Robertson.

Well the new GH just came out so Zumaya is going to be injured again in about 2 weeks.

I put another 7-0 pounding on the Dodgers. I did purchase the IE thing for them so that might have something to do with it.

[stlstudios189]

Re: FRANCHISE PROGRESS

lost again last night 4-1 vs. the Phillies Cole Hammels tore me up!! Delgado 0-4, Beltran 0-3 BB, Wright 1-4 3B RBI, my pitcher Redding pitched 4 innings allowed 3 runs 2 earned and took his 2nd loss on the season. I was 9-2 at one point and am now 10-6 and a game behind the Braves who I play my next two games against. I have only scored 9 runs in my last 5 games, I need to get some offense going and soon Philidelphia is gaining on me at 8-8 and the Marlins are right there also at 8-8, I keep playing like this and 4th place could be my new position.

[jake44np]

Re: FRANCHISE PROGRESS

It's not hard to be undefeated with all the bad pitches the CPU swings at and the awful officating every 3rd-6th game.

What are you talking about???!! lol
First off I am not talking about anyone going undefeated!
The guys name is UNDEFEATED that I am responding to.
Also in baseball it is not called officating, we have umps not officals.
And there is not awful umpiring in this game, I have not seen a bad call yet.

[Bruin26]

Re: FRANCHISE PROGRESS

I have been waiting for the new patch before starting a franchise over. Think I will do a two team one, with my A's and pick a NL team to run as well. I am really enjoying this thread though and hope to participate a bit once I restart my franchise.

I will say though that I have seen some really bad calls. Originally it made me think arguing calls was in this years game until I realized you can't. Most of mine have been at home plate so not sure if those are because of some bug or what. Seen a few at second base on steals, but those were so close it made it seem more realistic. Some of the ones at the plate have been really bad though. Almost makes me think that sometimes when the ball gets to the catcher pretty early it calls it an out no matter what on some of them. Many will be like higher throws where the catcher doesn't even come close to getting the glove down to tag the guy in time and the tag will be up at the shoulders with the runners hips or butt on top of the plate and the ump calls him out. I have seen it enough for me to complain to my wife about it when she heard me yell at it once, lol. So anyway there is someone else that has seen bad calls.

I am really wanting to get back into this game, but have taken a break while waiting for the patch. I might have to play some today though after reading this thread. It really is a fun game and obviously the best baseball us 360 only guys have had on our system. Well I have PSP and do buy the Show for it, but it isn't the same as playing on the TV. That and I pretty much only play The Road To The Show mode for it.

I know everyone is using different sliders, but what level are most of you guys playing on if I may ask. I usually can't play on the higher levels like most opn here can for various reasons I won't bore anyone with, but would lie to know what most people are playing on.

Keep the updates coming though. I love reading them and has me excited to start my new franchise.

[allBthere]

Re: FRANCHISE PROGRESS

I'm a few games from the end of my dodgers season. Stats are spot on for the whole league with 3 people over 40 hr's and no one will sniff 50. rbi leader has 132.
My issues with the game is with stealing. In game it's too hard and often beating the throw is still an out - but simming you get all guys who are known for stealing (pierre) w/ like 40 stolen bags, but new guys with tons of speed don't steal enough - it's almost as though agressiveness either has to be maxed, or the player already has to have a rep for stealing.

[Bruin26]

Re: FRANCHISE PROGRESS

That is good news with the stats besides the stealing. I am one a bit frustrated with the stealing overall too. I usually never cared too much about how hard or easy it was to steal in these games because my fav team is the A's well the second half of last year and now with the drafting they are targeting guys and utilizxing guys on the team that can steal some bases. It is about time as a fan believe me. Especially for a franchise that had Ricky Henderson. But I feel the stealing is way too hard to even bother with. I know some have figured it out enough to make it enjoyable because it is difficult. And I sure don't want to be able to steal with anyone, but catchers that aren't great thowers should have a hard time throwing out players that steal 25+ bases IMO.

How is your season going with the Dodgers allBthere? I am thinking of using them as my NL team for a two team franchise. I have started to follow them a bit over the years because my dad and brother are huge Dodgers fans, yet I grew up an A's fan because I spent my summers at my grandparents home in NorCal.

[JBH3]

Re: FRANCHISE PROGRESS

lost again last night 4-1 vs. the Phillies Cole Hammels tore me up!! Delgado 0-4, Beltran 0-3 BB, Wright 1-4 3B RBI, my pitcher Redding pitched 4 innings allowed 3 runs 2 earned and took his 2nd loss on the season. I was 9-2 at one point and am now 10-6 and a game behind the Braves who I play my next two games against. I have only scored 9 runs in my last 5 games, I need to get some offense going and soon Philidelphia is gaining on me at 8-8 and the Marlins are right there also at 8-8, I keep playing like this and 4th place could be my new position.

Mets suck go Phillies!

After winning the 1st gm of May, and the 1st meeting between the Mets and I, the series didn't go so well as the Mets beat me in following 2 games.

It was then on the road against the Cards for 2 games:

Blanton vs. Lohse gm1: Gm1 was an 11-3 rout of the Cards w/ Blanton going 8IPs, and improving to 3-1.

Myers vs Wellemeyer gm2: Myers had a No-Hitter going through 5 innings, but the first batter of the B6th, Khalil Greene, smacked a single into the 1B/2B hole and the no-no was done.

Myers was pitching a gem of a game, but got ZERO run support. In the B7th the Cards would get two runs on the board after Pujols singled and then Rick Ankiel homered to LF on an up and away FB. That would be all that STL needed to win this one 2-0. Typical Philly baseball...score 11, and then get shutout.

Still on the road Philly made thier debut at Citifield in the next game (a 2gm series).

Gm1 Cole Hamels vs Tim Redding: Hamels FINALLY pitched like he's capable. David Wright had 2 solo HRs for NYs only runs, and Hamels went 7 innings giving up 10 hits, walking 1, and striking out 6 - he got into a jam in the 6th, but pitched his way out.

Gm2 will be Moyer vs Santana. I'll be playing this one tonight.

In other news, I signed Odalis Perez to a 1yr/$840K deal.

With this move JA Happ was sent down to AAA; Happ had pitched about 6 or 7 innings for me over April, only surrendering 1 run. His avg. aggainst was low, and is WHIP and ERA were low too, but he can't strike anyone out and his only pitch rating above 60 is his FB at 61 everything else (curve, change, slider) is at 39.

Perez will play a versatile role for me. He'd serve as LH long man (along w/ Kendrick), could take over the 5th spot in the rotation should Chan Ho Park begin to struggle but could also serve in a MR role too for the 6th and 7th innings. He has some nice stuff ratings wise (as I've yet to pitch w/ him); no pitch of his is rated lower than 70. Still looking at adding Juan Cruz from KC to fill out my bullpen too.

[JBH3]

Re: FRANCHISE PROGRESS

I'm a few games from the end of my dodgers season. Stats are spot on for the whole league with 3 people over 40 hr's and no one will sniff 50. rbi leader has 132.
My issues with the game is with stealing. In game it's too hard and often beating the throw is still an out - but simming you get all guys who are known for stealing (pierre) w/ like 40 stolen bags, but new guys with tons of speed don't steal enough - it's almost as though agressiveness either has to be maxed, or the player already has to have a rep for stealing.

That is good news with the stats besides the stealing. I am one a bit frustrated with the stealing overall too. I usually never cared too much about how hard or easy it was to steal in these games because my fav team is the A's well the second half of last year and now with the drafting they are targeting guys and utilizxing guys on the team that can steal some bases. It is about time as a fan believe me. Especially for a franchise that had Ricky Henderson. But I feel the stealing is way too hard to even bother with. I know some have figured it out enough to make it enjoyable because it is difficult. And I sure don't want to be able to steal with anyone, but catchers that aren't great thowers should have a hard time throwing out players that steal 25+ bases IMO.

How is your season going with the Dodgers allBthere? I am thinking of using them as my NL team for a two team franchise. I have started to follow them a bit over the years because my dad and brother are huge Dodgers fans, yet I grew up an A's fan because I spent my summers at my grandparents home in NorCal.

In regards to stealing...The idea is great, but it DOES need to be more refined.

Ganted I had issues w/ getting called OUT when I was clearly safe (on the replay), but if you increase your base runner SPD you can get in safely AND still get thrown out too.

I've seen a great deal of difference between catchers too w/ how accurate throws are. For instance playing as KC Victor Martinez was making accurate throws to 2nd, and was getting me out. Playing against STL as PHI, Molina was very accurate.

A lot of my success stealing has been determined by the pitcher too, and how slow or fast their delivery is. For instance, Freddy Garcia from the stretch is damn near impossible to steal on. He gets the ball in super quick thanks to a short slide step and throw. However, Dave Bush from the stretch was super easy to steal against because he does this whole hand motion before delivering the pitch; JJ Putz and Billy Wagner are the same way.

You've got to be smart about it, and pick your battles too.

[Smitty730]

Re: FRANCHISE PROGRESS

I'm in the middle of August with the Phillies and I'm leading the Mets in the NL East by 5 1/2 games.

My major problem is injuries, which MUST BE tweaked in the upcoming patch.

The following guys are on the disabled list:

J.C. Romero (35 more days)
Jayson Werth (season)
J.A. Happy (40 more days)
Joe Blanton (season)
Cole Hamels (10 more days)
Brett Myers (missed all but two starts, 5 more days)
Chan Ho Park (missed all but three starts, 3 more days)
Chase Utley (back spasms for the last month, but he's been playing)

My rotation looks like this at the moment:

1. Cole Hamels
2. Jamie Moyer
3. Andy Sonansteine (traded Kendrick in May)
4. Curt Schilling (who I just signed)
5. Jason Jennings

In addition to the injury problems, has anyone noticed the lopsided stats the sim engine produces? Bench plays never play and relievers typically pitch four or five innings a game.

Once the real season begins, and the patch and new roster update are released, I'm re-starting my franchise

[JBH3]

Re: FRANCHISE PROGRESS

I'm in the middle of August with the Phillies and I'm leading the Mets in the NL East by 5 1/2 games.

My major problem is injuries, which MUST BE tweaked in the upcoming patch.

The following guys are on the disabled list:

J.C. Romero (35 more days)
Jayson Werth (season)
J.A. Happy (40 more days)
Joe Blanton (season)
Cole Hamels (10 more days)
Brett Myers (missed all but two starts, 5 more days)
Chan Ho Park (missed all but three starts, 3 more days)
Chase Utley (back spasms for the last month, but he's been playing)

I haven't had a rash of injuries (yet).

Werth is injured right now, but it's a playable one.

I welcome the injuries though.

Honestly I don't find it that bad of a thing...shoot look at Anaheim right now. They're starting the season w/ Lackey, Santana, and Escobar on the D/L; Escobar hasn't pitched since 2007, but he still is considered a SP on thier staff and should be pitching this yr.

I think people need to tone it down on the complaints of injuries in general. Its true that the random nature of them is a little unnerving to say the least, but the rate in which they occur is no fluke.

Most of us have been playing 2K baseball games for too long (since Nextgen), and dealing w/ a minimal amount of injury during our franchises and never having to deal w/ any real adversity like REAL MLB teams do.

This blog entry from Peter Gammons (2007), found by googling "Injured Pitchers", puts into prespective the rash of injuries teams face/deal with. Again this only tells of pitcher injuries, so each team w/ an injured pitcher (or two or three) most likely has a position player (or 2 or 3) injured as well.

http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog...=gammons_peter

[ronnyballgame]

Re: FRANCHISE PROGRESS

Ouch to that Phillies franchise above me, that is not looking too pretty with that rotation. And JBH, funny, I had almost the same outcomes as you for the Cards and Phillies! Hamels is now back to himself, and Myers is a CY Young canidate for me currently.

Any luck with the homers?

Current Team

SS- Rollins
RF- Werth
2B- Utley
1B- Howard
LF- Ibanez
CF- Victorino
3B- Feliz
C- Marson

Bench
LF- Willingham
RF- Stairs
SS- Brunlett
C- Coste
3B- Dobbs

Rotation
Hamels
Myers
Moyer
Blanton
Caberera

Bullpen
Lidge
Madson
Romero
Sowers(Eyre on DL)
Park
Kendrick
Durbin

I am 21-10 right now, playing the offensiveless Braves

[JBH3]

Re: FRANCHISE PROGRESS

Ouch to that Phillies franchise above me, that is not looking too pretty with that rotation. And JBH, funny, I had almost the same outcomes as you for the Cards and Phillies! Hamels is now back to himself, and Myers is a CY Young canidate for me currently.

Any luck with the homers?

I didn't get a chance to play last night. The whole fam went to bed around 8:30. After I work out tonight I'll be playing a couple games. Hey what's your XBL? Mine is JBHIII703757.

Hopefully I can make some progress w/ getting HRs from the likes of Rollins, Feliz, and Co.

[ronnyballgame]

Re: FRANCHISE PROGRESS

I didn't get a chance to play last night. The whole fam went to bed around 8:30. After I work out tonight I'll be playing a couple games. Hey what's your XBL? Mine is JBHIII703757.

Hopefully I can make some progress w/ getting HRs from the likes of Rollins, Feliz, and Co.

Ronnyballgame is mine. Haha, hit me up. I usually play in AM, but def add me up bro.

Yeah, Feliz is bad in my franchise, he is batting a sexy .210 or something along those lines.

Odaliz Perez, interesting move for sure.

Phillies released Jenkins today!