Maybe the answer in the short term would be to play a season without extensive simming and focus on gameplay and roster management within 1 season. Which raises the question of what 2K9 is doing with all the games that I'm NOT playing. How accurately does it sim game results?
To help answer, I simmed an entire* season with current lineups and CPU trades off. Results are below.
* I couldn't help but notice that Boston had a game at Atlanta when the scheduled pitchers were Smoltz against Lowe. I had to play that one. I smoked the Braves 8-1. JD Drew had a 1st inning grand slam, Bay hit 2 HRs, and I even scored a run or two NOT on homers. But by far the craziest thing about the game was when I pinch hit Big Papi for Smoltz in the top of the 8th. For ****s and giggles, and since it was a blowout, I left him on the mound to work his one pitch: 1 14-rated fastball. Ortiz mowed down 6 batters on 6 fastballs.

Aggressive batting aside, I like the gameplay. But I have some slider work to do, obviously.
Anyway, about that season?
AL EAST
Boston (102-60)
Tampa* (91-71)
New York (80-82)
Bawlmer (77-85)
Toronto (76-86)
AL CENTRAL
Chicago (88-74)
K.C. (84-78)
Minnesota (83-79)
Detroit (81-81)
Cleveland (73-89)
AL WEST
Oakland (85-77)
Texas (79-83)
LAA (79-83)
Seattle (64-98)
NL EAST
Philly (92-70)
NYM (89-73)
Atlanta (82-80)
Washington (80-82)
Florida (69-93)
NL CENTRAL
St. Louis (92-70)
Cincy* (90-72)
Houston (82-80)
Chicago (81-81)
Pittsburgh (73-89)
Milwaukee (72-90)
NL WEST
Arizona (86-76)
San Fran (78-84)
San Diego (76-86)
Colorado (75-87)
L.A.** (71-91)
* The Yanks apparently lost Jeter for the season and could not trade for a replacement. Not to mention their inability to sign a FA...
** Manny starts as a FA, and is not on LA's roster.
Those things in mind, the results aren't COMPLETELY off-base, I guess. Player stats in next post...
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