Started a new historic league, beginning in 1993 as the Phillies GM. Importing real rookies to the amateur draft. I want to see how well I do, and figured I'd share my experience with everyone here. The settings are the default 'Modern Day', and I intend to do very little tweaking with them.
I'm having fun with this, and hopefully I'll entertain everyone a bit on the way.
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1/1/1993
Just received the good news. The buyout was a success, and I am now the new owner of the Philadelphia Phillies! I fired the current GM and took over the job myself. The press is having a field day with the story, and so far the hard-core fans do not seem too overly happy, due to my background, or lack thereof. So I bought the club with my Powerball winnings, is that so bad? Besides, I quit my job. My future is going to depend on how well I run this club.
2/3/93
Just moved into my new offices at the Vet. Talk about a dump. First thing on my agenda is to win a few championships so I can get this city to build me a new ballpark.
4/1/93
The big trade was a success.
Sent Seattle 1B John Kruk, RF Jim Eisenreich, SS Kevin Stocker, P Tyler Green and P Tommy Green for RF Ken Griffey, Jr., P Norm Charlton, and 3B Mike Blowers.
Detroit’s part of the bargain was kept as well. Sent them P Mitch Williams for LF Danny Bautista and RF Milt Cuyler. Cuyler was sent to AAA Clearwater.
4/2/93
The press had mixed reactions. The consensus seems to be I am sacrificing our established players for youth. The [I]Daily News[I] is saying I am killing the future of baseball in Philadelphia. I sure hope not. I cannot wait to see the reaction after today’s business is completed.
The trade with Atlanta was completed. Sent them our hot pitching prospect P Kevin Foster and LF Wes Chamberlain for two AAA players I was told were very hot: C Javy Lopez and SS Chipper Jones. Both were sent straight to Clearwater.
4/3/93
I think the press hates me. I know our manager does. The fans are calling for my head. The fact that we are forced to a 4-man rotation with no A-ball backup from Scranton probably has a lot to do with that. I had better think of something – and fast.
Have the opening line-up though.
Our rotation will be Terry Mulholland, Curt Schilling, Danny Jackson, and Ben Rivera. Norm Charlton will be our closer. Our bullpen comprises of Larry Andersen (who already notified me of his retirement at the end of the season), David West, Tim Mauser, Jose Deleon, Bob Aylrault, Mark Davis and Mike Williams.
Our starting lineups will be Mike Blowers platooning with Darren Daulton, Ricky Jordon, Ken Griffey, Lenny Dykstra, Pete Incaviglia, Dave Hollins, Kim Batiste, and Mariano Duncan. Our bench will be Micky Morandini and Milt Thompson.
4/5/93
Opening day at the Vet is tomorrow!
4/6/93
We lost, 10-4 to San Diego… Mulholland was lit up like a Christmas tree.
4/12/93
Lost the series with San Diego, won the series with the Mets at home. The fans liked that at least.
Got a call from Seattle – they want their closer back, so I worked out a little deal with them.
They get P Norm Charlton, P Bobby Thigpen, P Mike Williams, P Jose Deleon, and 1B Ricky Jordon.
We got 1B John Kruk back again, 2B Bret Boone, a prospect I have a hunch on, P Mike Hampton, P Tyler Green once more, and the coup de grace, P Randy Johnson.
Take that and digest it, Daily News.
Also got a call from Baltimore, to my surprise.
We worked out a trade.
They got 2B Mickey Morandini, and CF Lenny Dykstra.
We got P Brad Pennington, P Anthony Telford, 3B Leo Gomez, C Mark Parent, and CF Mike Devereaux.
Our new lineup is as follows:
Our starting five are, Johnson, Mulholland, Schilling, Jackson, Rivera. That is three lefties. Not bad.
The bullpen is scant, but I hope to fix that by the All-star break. It has Tim Mauser and Bob Aylrault in middle relief, and Davis West and Mark Davis in set-up, with Larry Andersen relieving. I just hope Larry can stay healthy.
Our line-up looks pretty solid, on paper at least.
Daulton is going full-time at catcher, Blowers will be platooning with Hollins at 3B, Duncan and Boone will be platooning second. The order should be Daulton, Duncan, Griffey, Kruk, Incaviglia, Hollins, Batiste and Devereaux against righties, Daulton, Batiste, Incaviglia, Griffey, Boone, Blowers, Devereaux, and Kruk on lefties.
Hopefully we can stick to this lineup for a while, I think if I do many more trades the fans are going to lynch me from the three-hundred level.
God, I do not wanna die in the Vet…
4/30/93
Well, we are playing under .500.
Ended the month 9-13, 5 games in back of St. Louis.
Our pitching staff has been stenching up the Vet worse then its natural odor. I think its due to lack of depth in the bullpen, much as I hate to do it, I think I better look around for another trade to pull off. On the bright side, our batting has been mostly satisfactory. A few players have rather poor numbers, but then, the season is young yet. I doubt we will take a title this year, but I am confident about the future.
Signed a free agent American League DH named Sam Horn to the minors. He is not the best, but I see potential to maybe be an outfielder/bench player.
It is almost midnight, but I managed a decent trade with the White Sox.
We are sending them 2B Boone, CF Devereaux, and P West in return for 3 pitchers, P Jeff Schwartz, P Scott Radinsky, and P Chris Howard.
I hope that this will take some pressure off the starters. Duncan will be going full time at 2B, as he should have since the season started.