Could There Be An America's Team? Let's try

[Brad K]

November 21 1962

24 year old Curt Flood signed! $2.03m/7yr $290k AAV. Piersal is making $135k and is better than probably half the CFs in MLB. Since good CFs are hard to get I may keep him as a backup for all the OF.

BNN has Milton Hite of the Giants rated as the best 2B in baseball. Contact 9 HR 7 Eye 20 Def 11. Never heard of him? His real life career is 46 games with the Salem Rebels in 1962 190 PA 289/449/401. I like historical minors!

[italyprof]

Very cool! Keep it going. I am reading avidly.

[Brad K]

Originally Posted by italyprof

Very cool! Keep it going. I am reading avidly.

Glad you're enjoying it. I'll keep going... until its clear I've failed! LOL.

(Actually I suppose its possible to succeed.)

[Brad K]

April 1 1963

Donn Clendenon is a 1B only. OOTP dropped his LF rating from 11 to 1. I just don't see this. True in RL he only briefly played OF but to take it all away and all at once is wrong. He's not the only one. The same happens to Robin Yount. OOTP is a plausible could have been game and so with a RL drastic change in position the player should retain his skills at the old one subject to normal aging declines. OK, enough of that.

Stargell is the LF and he is implausibly over rated against LHP. Real life he didn't break .200 against LHP until something like 1969. In the mid 60s at least once Harry Walker sent up Jose Pagan to pinch hit for him. OK, enough gripes.

Four more exhibition games before the final cuts. 3B Don Hoak has fallen to 1.5 stars. Never played in the majors 3B Gilbert Watts is two stars. I think 20 year old 2.5 star Bob Bailey gets the 3B job. I can't send Hoak down and probably can't trade him ($155k salary) and have to consider he puts fans in the stands ("very popular" local rating).

Last year's bullpen stopper Earl Frances has fallen to 2.0 stars while last year's bullpen disappointment Bobby Shantz is up to 2.5 with stuff of 10 after it fell to 4. Bob Veale is now the #2 starter. The bullpen looked OK before spring training but now it's clear help is needed.


April 8 1963

Experts predict third place two games out. First is well within reach.

My ticket prices have exceeded interest. Season ticket sales are down and also predicted total season sales. Under the hood interest shows 97 with a +6 modifier. The chance of becoming America's Team is fading.

I'm going to try a platoon where 1B Dick Stuart gets all the away starts and 1B Donn Clendenon gets some of the home starts. I think Clendenon's superor gap power is better suited to Forbes Field than Stuart's superior HR power. Mighty tough to put a platoon on a guy who tied last year for the most HRs in the NL.

[luckymann]

I guess the odd thing with Donn isn't that he loses his CURR ratings at LF / RF, but also his POT ratings at each - especially given 3-year recalc takes historical '62 into consideration (at least from how I understand it) along with '63 and '64 for the 1963 sim season. I have to presume his limited gametime in '62 (80 games all told, just 19 in the OF) is what hurts him here.

For me, at least, it gives him a limited shelf life because at some stage I presume Pops' LF ratings drop off the cliff as well and he becomes primarily a 1B.

[Brad K]

I don't recall when Stargell gets really bad in LF but historically Al Oliver played 1B in 1969 after Clendenon departed and Stargell stayed in LF. Then Bob Robertson had his two great years playing 1B with Oliver mostly playing OF. It wasn't until Robertson's performance collapsed that Stargell moved to 1B.

Anyway I agree with you on the potential comment. He had 11 current and that or a higher number should become potential with the ability to attain it through playing spring training at the position. Despite talk of the defensive spectrum reality is there are three categories, C, IF, and OF, and a player cannot move between them unless he did so real life.

I tried development only in an earlier version and found that since he comes to MLB as a 1B Al Oliver can never play OF. Development is based only on his initial position. I have no reason to believe this has changed in newer versions.

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by Brad K

Despite talk of the defensive spectrum reality is there are three categories, C, IF, and OF, and a player cannot move between them unless he did so real life.

Yes, from what I have learned in other OOTP dealings, this is one element of the game that is really tough to replicate. Your assessment about the three spheres is pretty much correct, although the newest version seems to have taken some positive strides in this regard, with the POT ratings seemingly a lot more fluid than previously. Of course, the easy way to circumvent it is to use career as the import basis - but that incurs its own set of problems.

[Brad K]

Originally Posted by luckymann

I have to presume his limited gametime in '62 (80 games all told, just 19 in the OF) is what hurts him here.

And yet a guy who played 19 games at each of four positions would have a rating at all of them. Guys like Ron Brand get ratings at C, 2B, 3B, and LF (from memory).

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by Brad K

And yet a guy who played 19 games at each of four positions would have a rating at all of them. Guys like Ron Brand get ratings at C, 2B, 3B, and LF (from memory).

I drafted Brand - he currently only has C ratings in my save - hope you're right!

[Brad K]

He had multiple position ratings in Pirates Moneyball. Also in my current game he gets position ratings from his minor league record. BR describes him as C, SS, 3B.

[Brad K]

April 19 1963

SS Dick Groat age 32 has a phenomenal 19 contact rating against LHP. Murtaugh is batting him third against lefties. His contact rating against RPH is 15 and Murtaugh hits him 7th. He's hitting .343. Recall I have AI evaluation set to 50% for ratings.

I have Clemente on force to hit 2nd and Stargell force to hit 5th against LHP. Murtaugh wants him 3rd against both LHP and RHP. I'm OK with 3rd against RHP. I don't believe Stargell's ratings vs LHP.


April 25 1963

I'm doing the Clendenon and Stuart home and away platoon. Both are hitting well. This is funny. Both have 31 ABs and both are hitting .419!


May 1 1963

We're in first place 4 ahead of the Braves.

Dick Stuart won the April batting trophy. At 420/486/760 I have to give him more playing time. He may be under rated. I really wish Clendenon could still play LF and RF.

Have had no offers of a RP despite being willing to pay $120k in salary. I cut the age from 26 to 22. My Asst GM hasn't even made suggestions.

[Brad K]

May 10 1963

I've been aiming for a 3.5 star RP. No wondder I can't get one. By my scout says there are only six in all of MLB! And one of them is my guy Joe Gibbon! Can I do a mirror clone where he comes out as good but right handed? LOL.


May 27 1963

RP Fred Newman in Columbus is a stronger 3.0 stars than RP Elroy Face. RP Bobby Shantz is 2.5 stars. Murtaugh doesn't even use Shantz. He has 1/3 inning for the year.

I brought up Newman. Shantz refused demotion. So did Face. I waived and DFA's Shantz who cleared waivers and still refused demotion. So I traded him retaining 50% of $135k and $120k along with AAA IF Gilbert Watts for corner OF Lee Thomas. For some reason Thomas has local fans and fan interest bumped.

I put him on the 25 man and put corner OF Lee Walls on Waivers/DFA.


June 1 1963

Lee Walls cleared waivers and accepted a demotion to Columbus.

Attendance is awful, 7th in MLB, yet interest shows as 100% and we're winning. I don't get it. I cut ticket prices from $2.60 to $2.45.

Its funny the finances page shows "Rebuilding" when we finished second last year, pre season predictions put us in third but only two games out, and the owner expects us to win.

[italyprof]

Originally Posted by Brad K

April 19 1963

SS Dick Groat age 32 has a phenomenal 19 contact rating against LHP. Murtaugh is batting him third against lefties. His contact rating against RPH is 15 and Murtaugh hits him 7th. He's hitting .343. Recall I have AI evaluation set to 50% for ratings.

I have Clemente on force to hit 2nd and Stargell force to hit 5th against LHP. Murtaugh wants him 3rd against both LHP and RHP. I'm OK with 3rd against RHP. I don't believe Stargell's ratings vs LHP.

W
April 25 1963

I'm doing the Clendenon and Stuart home and away platoon. Both are hitting well. This is funny. Both have 31 ABs and both are hitting .419!




May 1 1963

We're in first place 4 ahead of the Braves.

Dick Stuart won the April batting trophy. At 420/486/760 I have to give him more playing time. He may be under rated. I really wish Clendenon could still play LF and RF.

Have had no offers of a RP despite being willing to pay $120k in salary. I cut the age from 26 to 22. My Asst GM hasn't even made suggestions.

If you play Clendennon in LF he will build up his ratings there. He would be far from the first bad fielding good hitting left fielder.

[Brad K]

I'm playing 23

Tested 1963. Got Clendenon 93 games in LF His experience went up but not his ratings. Maybe it works in 24.

[Brad K]

July 8, 1963

All Star break. SP Sandy Koufax and 1B Dick Stuart were voted onto the team. C Smokey Burgess, 2B Bill Mazeroski, rookie 3B Bob Bailey, SS Dick Groat, and LF Willie Stargell were selected by the NL manager.

We led by as much as 5 1/2 in late June but we're now only 1/2 game ahead. Scoring is down a bit and the bullpen collapsed.

Clemente is having a terrible year hitting .231 exactly 100 points less than last year. His contact rating is 19. Young players Stargell and Bailey are doing well. Groat is hitting like its 1960 real life and Dick Stuart has 19 HRs, second in the NL.

Since I'm not getting any offers for RPs and my Asst GM isn't making any suggestions I'm going to try to find one on my own.


July 10 1963

Traded RP Elroy Face age 35 2.5 stars and minor league class A SP Peter Sala age 25 my scout 1.5 stars pot OSA 2.0 star pot for RP Ron Kline age 31 3.0 stars. Kline was a real life Pirate 1952, 1955-59, and 1968-69.

[Brad K]

August 1 1963

No trades at the deadline. Didn't consider doing any. August on is run what ya brung. We're half a game out.

Attendance has picked up a bit and revenue by a lesser amount. There will probably be a budget cut for 1964.


September 1 1963

We've built a 2 1/2 game lead but its clearly not comfortable. Attendance is up with the new pricing. Before the price cut we were down 12.6% for the year. Now its down 5.4%.

Dick Stuart leads then NL in HRs. Roberto Clemente's BA has improved 40 points since the All Star game. He's at .271 for the season. Flood, Stargell, and Groat are all hitting over .300.

[Brad K]

September 9 1963

We now have a 6 1/2 game lead. A key was beating the Braves twice in Milwaukee in close games 3-2 and 1-0. In the 1-0 the Bucs didn't give SP John Buzhardt a run until the 8th. Braves SP Denny Lemaster was tough on the Pirates giving up only 5 hits and 1 walk. Buzhardt was a bit tougher giving up only 3 hits and 1 walk. Both pitchers went the distance.


September 22 1963

Clinched

[Brad K]

October 11 1963

The World Series was a thriller but a disappointment in the end. More disappointment than thriller.

We lost the first two in NY, went 2-1 in PIttsburgh, won 1 in NY, and then lost the 7th game. Most of the scores were close. Anyway, here comes another year.

[Brad K]

October 21 1963

Owner gave a $40,000 budget increase. $556k in World Series revenue was the difference between a gain and a drop.

Dick Groat optioned out of the last year of his contract. What? I gave him an option year?

Fan interest shows 100. I looked under the hood. Its 97 plus a modifier of 50!!! Wow.

SP Bob Veale age 27 3.5 stars wanted 10 years. First year of arb, est is 77k. He's considering my offer of $880k/5yr $176k AAV.

RP Joe Gibbon age 28 3.5 stars wanted one year at $72k first year of arb, estimate $67k, he's considering my offer of $465k/5yr $93k AAV.

RP Ron Kline age 31 3.0 stars wanted 3 x $65k I (offered 4 x $60k

LF/RF/1B Lee Thomas age 27 2.5 stars as LF is in first year of arb and wouldn't move off $52k. Arb estimate is $40k. I submitted $42k to Arb.

SS Dick Groat age 32 4.0 stars pending FA, wants $1.432m/6yr $238k AAV. Groat has had two consecutive fantastic years. Groat has a 16 contact rating and the last three years has gotten better hitting .277, .287, and .323. The performance supports the ratings but I can't believe he'll continue this performance. No offer made.

3B/1B Don Hoak age 32 1.5 stars. A fan favorite but I probably won't make an offer. 54 games last year, mostly as late game defensive sub at 1B. Hit .333 in 12 ABs! His asking $41K. He made $155k each of the last two years.

I don't like impeding Donn Clendenon's career but the game took away his OF ratings and all he can play is 1B. Dick Stuart led the NL in HRs in 1962 (tie) and 1963 so I can't bench him for Clendenon. Trade? Well, Stuart is more productive right now so on that basis keep him and trade Clendenon but if I do that Stuart will run out of gas before the farm produces the next generation 1B. Maybe 3B Bob Bailey would be interested in 1B?

My attitude on 1B is don't go looking for one. Don't draft them, don't trade for them, and don't sign them as FAs. Look around the organization. There's usually a couple guys around who can't play another position.

Dick Groat, Bob Veale, Ron Kline, Donn Clendenon

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by Brad K

I don't like impeding Donn Clendenon's career but the game took away his OF ratings and all he can play is 1B. Dick Stuart led the NL in HRs in 1962 (tie) and 1963 so I can't bench him for Clendenon. Trade? Well, Stuart is more productive right now so on that basis keep him and trade Clendenon but if I do that Stuart will run out of gas before the farm produces the next generation 1B. Maybe 3B Bob Bailey would be interested in 1B?

My attitude on 1B is don't go looking for one. Don't draft them, don't trade for them, and don't sign them as FAs. Look around the organization. There's usually a couple guys around who can't play another position.

The key is their potential rating at the position. I'm playing Arriba at CF and in 30 games his rating has gone from 1 to 3. The game has his POT there at 8.

I have edited the Global version of my Position Ratings view as follows; it is a godsend for someone who, like me, uses positional flexibility as a core tenet in their strategy.