My New Cleveland Indians (MVP 2005)

[Angel_Fan]

Re: My New Cleveland Indians (MVP 2005)

First game of August updated, and it was a good one.

[elicoleman]

Re: My New Cleveland Indians (MVP 2005)

Wow, 30 games back of the Yanks and you made a nice comeback. Nice

[Angel_Fan]

Re: My New Cleveland Indians (MVP 2005)

Thanks for all the comments. Got my sportscenter clip posted, check it out.

[edmus]

Re: My New Cleveland Indians (MVP 2005)

Nice comeback vs the Yankees. Should I take some credit for inspiring you with my ALDS sweep over them?

You know what they say happens when you assume? Well, sometime in August of my dynasty I saved a backup and I simmed ahead several times just to get a sneak preview of the offseason stuff. And every single time I did the Red Sox were in the ALCS. I didn't bother to check who I'd be facing next before I made my last post. Turns out its the Mariners, who swept the Sox even with Richie Sexson injured & out for the season.

So now I'm a little disappointed. I was looking forward to the challenge of facing the loaded Red Sox lineup and battling against Schilling & Wakefield. Instead I'm facing a team with only 2 hitters I fear (Ichiro & Beltre) and no marquee pitcher. If I get to the World Series its gonna feel a little cheap... sorry Mariners fans!

We're already up 1-0 after winning a pitcher's duel 2-0 in the opener. Sabathia was even better than he was in the series clincher vs NY. I had to take him out after 105 pitches when he gave up a leadoff single to Ichiro in the 9th. Fortunately, after a few tense moments including a Beltre drive to the warning track, Wickman picked up the save. For some reason it didn't occur to me until now that I pitched Sabathia in back-to-back games. There must've been a big layoff between the ALDS & ALCS because he was at full strength.

[Angel_Fan]

Re: My New Cleveland Indians (MVP 2005)

Indians and Mariners, who would have predicted that world series? Good luck and thanks for the comments.

[edmus]

Re: My New Cleveland Indians (MVP 2005)

Indians and Mariners, who would have predicted that world series? Good luck and thanks for the comments.

Astros & Giants are battling it out in the NLCS.

I'm up 2-0. So far a very disappointing series for the Mariners. I have now gotten back-to-back shutouts, this time with Millwood-Howry-Rhodes. First 2 shutouts I've ever pitched with these All-Star sliders. Indians pitchers have now given up only 1 run in the last 3 games -- this is insane! I hate the idea of adjusting sliders in the middle of the playoffs, but I just might have to if this continues.

How's this for a boxscore? I scored 6 runs on only 4 hits to win 6-0. Awesome pitchers duel for the first 6 & 1/2, Milllwood had a 2-hitter going and Pineiro a 1-hitter. Then Bloomquist flubs a grounder to short with 2 outs in the 7th. HR Blake! 8th inning -- first 2 draw walks & advance on a grounder, 2-run single by Martinez (who was 0-13 in the playoffs), HR Blalock. My most efficient game ever offensively! (I usually refer to myself as "Mr.Solo HR") Seemed pretty realistic though -- Piniero was rolling, but he lost his composure after the error.

[Angel_Fan]

Re: My New Cleveland Indians (MVP 2005)

Looks like you got a clear path to the world series. Just make sure not to wear out your guys so they are ready for the world series. Either the 'Stros or the Giants would make a tough match. But don't get cocky , or your going golfing earlier than expected . I just wish I had a chance at the playoffs, the wild card even. But with around 15 games back, looking forward to the next season. Just hope I dont get fired .

[Angel_Fan]

Re: My New Cleveland Indians (MVP 2005)

Just updated. Played a tough one versus the Yanks. 14 innings, and my reliever blew it. Check the link for more.

[edmus]

Re: My New Cleveland Indians (MVP 2005)

Tough loss to the Yankees. But at least you guys are putting up a fight vs. the Evil Empire. By the way, nice photoshop job on Blalock. I did a double-take when I saw that.

Well, the Tribe just continues to roll in my dynasty. We swept the M's, winning 7-5 (proof the sliders aren't completely broken) and 3-2 at Safeco. And Sabathia just outpitched Roger Clemens to take game 1 vs. the Astros 3-0. Took 4 pitchers to close it out. The Astros were absolutely futile, as they wasted 8 hits and 6 walks (I was uncharacteristicly wild). I got out of bases-loaded jams in the 2nd, 4th, and 8th. Wickman's amazing streak of consecutive K's reached 8 before he gave up a BB & single before ending it with a ground out.

I don't know what's gotten into Sabathia -- in 3 postseason games he's pitched 21.2 innings without giving up an earned run!

The team might just award Angel_Fan a share of the World Series jackpot if we win. Why? Because we got the Blalock trade idea from you, and Blalock is on fire in the postseason. He has now homered in 4 consecutive games, including 2 consecutive games in the 1st inning. He drove in all 3 runs in game 1 with a 2-run 432-ft blast to RF and a 1-run single. In 8 games he's batting .333 with 5 HRs and 12 RBIs in the #3 spot!

[Angel_Fan]

Re: My New Cleveland Indians (MVP 2005)

1-0 on the Stros, nice work. Glad the Blalock trade is working out. I am using him second by the way. I just wish Sabathia would pitch the way he does in your season, in mine. His record is 3-13, awful. My starters have been piss poor any way. My team batting average although has been consistent, even better than the Yanks at .286, we just need to score runs (384 compared to the Yanks' 522) and I think that's starting to improve with Monroe hitting cleanup. Just a question, where are you hitting Victor Martinez? Thanks for the comments and go win us a championship .

[CharlieBrown]

Re: My New Cleveland Indians (MVP 2005)

I'm sorry I haven't posted in this thread yet, but I do read your dynasty.

Great work, dude!

[edmus]

Re: My New Cleveland Indians (MVP 2005)

Thanks for the comments and go win us a championship .

And all of a sudden the momentum is gone... We won our first 8 games of the postseason, but now we're down 2-1 after losing to Oswalt & Pettitte.

Games 2 & 3 were classics though. Game 2, we give up a solo HR to Berkman & a 3-run blast to Jason Lane. Down 6-2 with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th, we stage a rally. Singles by Broussard & Cora. Ray Durham pinch hits a 2B into the gap in LCF, its 6-4. Crisp singles to CF to make it 6-5. Unfortunately Victor grounds out to short, game over.

Game 3 was the best pitched game of the postseason. Westbrook continued his annoying trend of giving up runs in the 1st inning (now 8 runs in 3 starts), serving up a solo HR to Ensberg. And that was all the scoring for the game, Stros win 1-0. We had another 9th inning 2-out rally, getting men on 1st & 2nd before Lidge shut the door. Check out the pitching line:

Westbrook - 8 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 0 BB, 8 K
Pettitte - 8.2 IP, 0 ER, 4 H, 0 BB, 7 K

[edmus]

Re: My New Cleveland Indians (MVP 2005)

I just wish Sabathia would pitch the way he does in your season, in mine. His record is 3-13, awful.

I almost sent him down to the minors more than once in my dynasty. Sure glad I didn't now.

Just a question, where are you hitting Victor Martinez?

Continuing my tradition of giving you way more info than you really want... I have very different lineups vs RHP & LHP:

vs RHP
-------
CF Crisp
C Martinez
3B Blalock
DH Hafner
RF Blake
LF Gonzales
1B Broussard
SS Cora
2B Belliard

vs LHP
------
CF Crisp
2B Belliard
1B Broussard
SS Hernandez
LF Durham
C Martinez
RF Gonzales
3B Blalock
DH Bard


I really don't like hitting Victor 2nd vs RHP, but I don't know who else to put there. I think Belliard is best suited to be a #2 hitter, but he's not very good against RHP.

[Angel_Fan]

Re: My New Cleveland Indians (MVP 2005)

Blalock 8th against lefties, geez you must not have alot of confidence in him . He hit a homer off the Big Unit in my last game, and that's one lefty that's tough to hit.

[edmus]

Re: My New Cleveland Indians (MVP 2005)

Blalock 8th against lefties, geez you must not have alot of confidence in him .

As you can tell from the lineups, I manage strictly by the numbers. And Blalock's contact/power ratings are about 8th best on the team vs. LHP. I just don't believe that a guy with lower ratings can consistently outperform somebody rated higher. That's why Hafner sits vs. LHP, and he'll probably be a career platoon player for me. He got some opportunities to start vs LHP due to injuries, and just like in real-life, he batted around .200 with no power.

Have you received any "call him up?" emails during your season? I did and even though I was in 1st place, I called up 2 guys that had contact/power ratings in the 30's or 40's. They sat on the bench but eventually got into the lineup due to injuries. What was interesting was both came up with clutch hits in their first game, but after that I may as well have replaced their bats with toothpicks! I hope ignoring those emails doesn't hurt player progression. I doubt it matters, as progression seemed pretty random to me when I simmed ahead to the offseason a few times.