[pauwoo]

I don’t run teams often in OOTP - I generally subscribe to the watcher/shortlist method of play. The sit back and watch the world I’ve created style where many an unforeseen development unfolds to my surprise, delight, and sometimes, dismay. So, playing as the Phoenix GM, while outside of my OOTP comfort zone, has been quite enjoyable, even if our play on the field has been less than stellar of late. I’ve taken over one of the basement dwellers in Strangeverse and they are, surprisingly, in the hunt for a playoff spot. Now, a lot of our success occurred early in the season when my team played well above the sum of their parts - more unwarranted good fortune than general management skill. Since then, we’ve come back to earth, but I’ve managed to position the Suns for a better future. I’ve stocked the minors with a dearth of future MLB talent - no one otherworldly, though I did have a solid, if top heavy, draft that should produce a couple of low key stars, and I’ve shed players who I liked and developed a real affinity for that, from a contribution perspective, just weren’t cutting it for similar talents that are a couple of ticks younger and who have a smidge more untapped potential - though my staffs ability to unlock said potential is suspect.

One area where I haven’t kept my eye on the ball, however, is balance. My focus has been on improving our overall defensive prowess for the everyday set, and guys with stuff that should become solid in time. Unfortunately, this means that positional strength has been feast or famine. SS Hamza, as a result, has found himself bouncing back and forth between the big club and Tucson. He’s more than good enough to start somewhere in this league - and probably should be starting on my club - but for whatever reason my Manager isn’t sold on that role for him anymore (he’s a below average fielder, maybe that’s it). So, I’ve shopped him around at the deadline, and while I didn’t really come up with much - I was able to get an outfield prospect (currently projecting to be a CF) in Jason Bland - a contact hitter that is above average in the avoid K’s department with great speed and a good arm with some range in the field. To make it work I had to throw in a couple of borderline prospects for a couple of guys who look more likely to washout than stick. File under suspect: the trade was with San Francisco - whose lack of fielding prowess rivals only our own. Looks like they value contact hitters (with a little bit of pop), above average speed, and guys they can, eventually, slot into middle relief more than they do slick fielders with range and a knack for not striking out.

Skipper Mo is keen to promote Bland to the big club where he will trade starts with Cusac, who’s been good but is sometimes a fielding liability. I don’t think Bland’s bat is ready for the majors, but I am interested in what having a guy with his range at center will look like.

So... I’ve now achieved some modicum of positional balance on my team and in my dev system, but have taken a linear approach to my moves by focusing on a type - speed, avoid k’s, fielding on offense & ground ball pitchers with good stuff and a change up that has the potential to be low key devastating. We have 4 guys (three pitchers and a SS) that could make the big club as early as next season who are trying to get their skills to catch up with their perceived potential, if one of them contributes next season we might be a bit stronger club in 2075 with a little bit of money to spend.