Jistics 2005 MVP All-Star Sliders

[johnnyastro]

Just gotta say, that all the way deep into September, I am still loving this game. Bear with me, the reason I posted here comes at the end... also downloaded updated rosters...

And the craziest part, is that until today, I had been using my own modified Pro sliders. The game just played well for me. But it got to the point where I had to intentionally try to give up walks, and I never felt like the cpu could score more than 5 or 6 runs on me (which they rarely ever even scored that many). It was usually like 7-2 me, or 3-1 me, or I'd lose like 2-3.

Anyways, I decided to start an owner mode with Seattle, and really try and rebuild them into a realistic, but competative team.

Year 1:
Signed Mondesi to play LF, Ibanez can now be DH
Acquired Willie Harris from the Sox, for minor leaguers.
Acquired Jerry Hairston at the deadline for Hasegawa.
Traded Pineiro to Cin for Paul Wilson

Offseason:
Traded Beltre to TOR for Eric Hinske (whom I returned to 3B) and Ted Lilly
Traded Blackley to Min for Jacque Jones
Released Mondesi, Moyer, Sele (who won 16 games), Dan Wilson
Signed via FA Ramon Hernandez, Tony Clark, Luis A. Gonzalez, and Kevin Mench.
Made a major trade, acquired Andy Pettite (was injured again, Clemens retired, Astros rebuilding) for Ryan Franklin, Raul Ibanez, and AAA 3B Greg Dobbs. To be cornerstone of turnaround.



So opening day rolls around. The team is set, we're younger, faster, versitile (Hairston/Gonzalez/Harris/Bloomquist can all play 2nd, Morse/Harris/Gonzalez can all play SS, Reed/Hairston in CF, Hinske/Gonzalez at 3rd, Sexson/Hinske/Clark at 1st), lower payroll (Pettite's 10.5 mil hurt), and poised to be a factor in the AL West race. Back to opening day. We're playing Baltimore. Pettite recieves a strong ovation, my guys are rolling. We're up 3-0 in the 5th. Pettitie's stamina is at like 68%. All the sudden he throws a pitch, and he's hurt. So we replace him with Jesse Foppert, and we win the game 6-2. Hurrah. After the boxscore, it turns out Pettite has just torn his rotator cuff and is gone for the season, 256 days to be exact. WTF? I was pissed but I had a huge smile. I loved the drama, this game is awesome. So what do you do? We had a strong rotation with Wilson, Lilly, Felix, and Meche, but I didn't think with Foppert, or Cha Sung Baek, or Clint Nageotte we could really compete to win the division. But I also knew we had a lot of new components, and another overhaul would surely be devastating. So I looked around the league, and noticed that Grudzielanek also was injured severly on opening day. I think he hurt his knee and was out for the season as well. So I offered up Willie Bloomquist for their 6th starter, Mark Hendrickson whom they signed in the offseason, but didn't really need. I figured he's just a guy, but he's a lefty and he's at least held his own in the majors, even if he wasn't all that dominating.

So I play some, sim some, but it turns out my team has totally grown on me. J. Jones had a great start for us, as did Ichiro and Sexson. Hinske's solid if unspectacular, and our platoon system worked fine.

After 2 months, Pettite's replacement, Mark Hendrickson is 11-0 (only 1 game of his I had played). His run support was awesome, but he had 2 CGs and 1 SO. We were up big starting June, like 12 games ahead of the Angels. We stayed strong all the way to the break, and Hendrickson had 14 wins and an all-star birth (Santana was the starter), and Ichiro also made it. Jones was the 5th highest vote getter in the OF, but his old teammate Shannon STewart was elected instead. But about 3 days before the All-Star break, Richie Sexson gets injured for 17 days (he was #2 at 1B behind Teixiera).

After the break we start to struggle and only go like 10-17 in July, and 15-12 in August, and before we know it, we're only 2.5 up on Oakland. At the deadline we acquire Jack Wilson from the awful Pirates for Mike Morse, and Cha Sung Baek (I think someone else too), Hendrickson continues his ways and starts to garner alot of national coverage, as he improves to 18-5. Oakland takes the lead in September, but we never fall father than 2 games out, and we sweep them in 4 games the 2nd to last series of the season. We win 2 out of 3 vs Texas to close out the year, and finish a game up. Oakland does make the playoffs as a wildcard.

Hendrickson finishes 21-7 with a 2.32 ERA, and wins the Cy Young over Bronson Arroyo and Jon Garland. (May be the next Esteban Loaiza for all I know), Still a dream season. Ichiro wins MVP with a .334 BA, 17 HRs, 81 RBIs, 118 Runs, and 62 SB. He also gets a gold glove. Yankees don't make the playoffs, but Boston and the White Sox do as well. We play Chicago.

We sweep the Sox with my old sliders, so today, at the start of the Boston series, I decided to change to these guys. I figure it has to be a challenge among challenges to win the WS.

1st game was amazing. We scored 3 in the 1st (Lilly vs. Arroyo), but Lilly walked the 1st 2 hitters (sliders way harder to pitch ), and give up a double to Ortiz, and a 2B to Manny. Varitek struck out. 3-3. 2nd inning, they score again 4-3. 5th they score again, Lilly leaves the game. Bottom 8th, 2 men on, and Richie Sexson hits a 3 run HR. We lead 6-5! They get a run against Guardado in the 9th, and f_cking Jason Varitek hits a HR in the bottom of the 10th to win the game. I hate it but I love it.

Game 2- They nail Paul wilson for 4 runs in the first 2 innings. 2 more in the 5th. Sexson HR and some gets us 4 back in the 6th, 1 more in the 7th. Then Schilling comes in in the 8th, 6-5, and Jack Wilson hits a 2 run HR. Tied! In the 9th we score 2 times against Foulke, and I'm feeling awesome. Guardado walks Damon, Renteria singles up the middle. Ortiz pops out to the track. damn! Then I get scared and walk Manny. Bases loaded, 1 out, down 2 runs... up comes Varitek. Slider comes over the plate. Wack! Grand [email protected] slam! So lame. But I take responsibility. I pushed the button too early, and even though it was in his cold zone, he is the captain for a reason.

2 extra inning losses. Back to Seattle. Fans are still believing. Wade Miller pitching for them. Ichiro grounds out. Wilson walks. Kevin Mench, who had gone 1-9 so far 2 run HR 1st pitch. all in all we score 3 in our half of the 1st. 1 in the 3rd. 5 in the fifth on a crazy Hinske 3 run shot, 5 more in the 6th on another Hinske HR, 1 in the 7th. 15-0! renteria hits a 2 run HR in the bottom of the inning, but we get 1 more in the 9th. 16-2!

Now here's my problem (if anyone is still reading this), my hit totals have been: Game 1 Sea 10 Bos 13. Game 2 Sea 14 Bos 17 Game 3 Sea 22 Bos 11.

HAs anyone had this problem? Obviously I should turn the contact down, but will anything else help to lower the CPU hits? Besides pitching better?

Thanks a bunch, and the sliders really are fun.

[NoSkillz50]

aslong as your team ba is under .300...

[nathan118]

My experience in the game is that averages tend to be high in general.

I want dynamic sliders that could look at your averages and runs per game, and then automatically adjust sliders to achieve realistic results. That would be awesome.

[nathan118]

So I've gotten to the point where jistic's all-star sliders are too easy. I tried moving to mvp with the same sliders, but then it got WAY too hard. I don't mind it being difficult, but the cpu was scoring 10+ runs a game on me.

What have people done who have gotten to good for these sliders? I'm in the process of tweaking them a bit. I've moved my contact down, and the cpu up.

[Rod_Carew29]

Jistic...question. How successful/unsuccessful have YOU been in picking off opposing runners at the first base bag? As I posted in another thread, in over 500 games, I have yet to pick off so much as ONE runner......


peace!

Quote: Originally Posted by Jistic

I use the default cam, Hitter's Eye cam. Fielding is Manual, that's why I only have slider tweaks for that setting, and I do auto pick off returns. TOo much to think about at the plate for me to worry about getting back to the bag on pick off returns.

[Jistic]

Quote: Originally Posted by Rod_Carew29

Jistic...question. How successful/unsuccessful have YOU been in picking off opposing runners at the first base bag? As I posted in another thread, in over 500 games, I have yet to pick off so much as ONE runner...... peace!

I haven't played MVP in a while, but I HAVE picked off some runners. Not a ton mind you. It's funny, if my wife is watching me play she always says, "That never works", when I attempt a pickoff. ONe day when she was watching it DID work and I said 'HA' told ya.

I honestly think it's random that the CPU just picks when it works or not.

Have you really played 500 games? Wow!

[Rod_Carew29]

thanks for the reply bro....if it is a random thing, then I guess it's just ain't my time-lol

There have been times when I'll throw over to first base 3 or 4 times--and I'll be close to nailing the guy at first--only to have the runner break for second on the very next pitch...amazing...lol

Maybe in the next 500 games I'll get one...lol

Quote: Originally Posted by Jistic

I haven't played MVP in a while, but I HAVE picked off some runners. Not a ton mind you. It's funny, if my wife is watching me play she always says, "That never works", when I attempt a pickoff. ONe day when she was watching it DID work and I said 'HA' told ya. I honestly think it's random that the CPU just picks when it works or not. Have you really played 500 games? Wow!

[DJ]

Just wanted to chime in and say that I have picked off a couple of runners in MVP, but I can't remember the last time it's happened, so it really is just a random thing.


BTW, I also wanted to again thank Jistic for these great sliders. My old MVP setting had been deleted off my memory card so I had to re-start everything and am currently playing as the Chicago White Sox in Dynasty Mode. I'm 14-11 through 25 games and having a blast. I think I'm something like 7-5 in 1-run games, so pretty much every game has been competitive.