Help me pick a team, I've been challenged!

[pokerplaya]

My friend uses the "First 25 Picks" option, and makes himself as a created pitcher and then talks a bunch of junk of how he would crush me, etc, but will never play me head to head.

So, we made the following challenge. We will each create ONE pitcher who is to be rated no more than a 90 overall, and must be at least 21 years of age by September of this year. He is to be placed on a National League team in which we will only play that pitchers starts, except in the Postseason.

We did this as we live in Detroit and both like the Tigers, and the Boston/NY was just too idiotic to fathom, so we agreed National League. There are lots of quality squads, who would you choose to add a 90 pitcher to and win a title?

Remember, we can only pitch our starts, so even if I can finagle a 40 start season by pitching on short rest or trying a 4 man rotation near the end, 120-128 of my games will be simulated.

My early frontrunners are Mets, Phillies, and Cubs - obviously. Mainly just to start discussion, I'm pretty sure I'll win no matter who I take, but its a matter of pride.

[14ledo81]

How about the brewers. They have two of the highest rated power hitters in the game with braun and fielder. Pitching is their weak point, but the pitcher you add should help.

[DonkeyJote]

Re: Help me pick a team, I've been challenged!

Brewers are a good option. Creating a 90 ovr starter would give them a good rotation (Gallardo-84, Parra-80, Suppan-74, Bush-79) and strengthen the pen by moving Looper out there. And they have a good offense.

Cards are a good option. The other starters would be Wainwright (83), Lohse (77), Wellemeyer (77), and Carpenter (83) with a decent bullpen. Plus their offense isn't too shabby either.

The Cubs are a great team, but you aren't going to improve them as much with one starter as you would other teams. On the other hand, you could always trade one of the six other quality starters (Zambrano, Dempster, Lilly, Harden, Marshall, Samardzija) for another bat.

I'd strongly consider the dodgers. A very good offense with good speed and power, and a stong bullpen. Add a 90 ovr starter to Billingsly, Wolf, Kershaw, and Kuroda, and you can throw Schmidt into a pen that already has Broxton, Kuo, and Mota.

Mets would be a good pick too since they have a weak #5 starter, but a good rest of the rotation, bullpen, and lineup. And with the Mets you get to add this nice left handed specialist named Billy Wagner.

Phillies would also be a good team to be. Great offense, though not as balanced as some others, and a good bullpen, if not as deep as others.


Overall, I'd go Mets or Dodgers. Me being a Braves fan, I wouldn't be able to stand going with the Mets, so I'd go Dodgers. It's not a really tough division either. Padres and Rockies are pretty weak, and D-Backs and Giants are both pretty clearly a step below LA (especially if you add a top-flight starter).

[stlstudios189]

Re: Help me pick a team, I've been challenged!

Mets are a great choice the have a solid lineup and a great closer and setup man. Adding a created pitcher will stack that lineup.