[Renfro]

LATE SEASON

The drive for the Wild Card spot was intense, a real rollercoaster as the Hosts followed a 7-game losing streak with a 6-game winning streak, only to be followed by another 4-game losing streak in Saturday's games, the month of September. On September 20, we shared the division lead with the So Cal Earthquakes - BFF. The Eden Prairie Landsharks - BFF were only a game behind. A week later, we were in 3rd, 2 games back of the Prairie Landsharks. In the end the Earthquakes would take the division with a 90-72 record, and the Landsharks would take the wild card spot.

I couldn't really do any managing as I spent the entire afternoon at the pool, looking at the Discord and hoping for an update.

To have any chance, we would have had to win the 162nd game. But in that game, after clawing back to a 4-4 tie in the bottom of the 8th against the Brooklyn Dynasta - BFF, Jamie Moyer (SE 94) gives up a run-scoring double against their Harry Heilmann (SE 100). We finished the season 1 game out of a wild card spot. Looking back at the previous post, one could say that our moves were almost the equal to my opponents' moves.

CARDS

I had ended up unlocking 100 BaL Tim Raines Friday morning. From the Diamond Packs, I pulled a Ron Cey which is in the Adrian Beltre missions. Since I already had a Rafael Furcal (96 SS) I just needed one more card to unlock 100 BaL Beltre, which I unlocked this Sunday morning as the second off-season move. This move effectively puts on hold acquiring 99 SE John Henry Lloyd as a major piece to unlock 100 SE Jackie Robinson.

The first off-season move was making the decision to put Ken Caminiti (100 FH) on the AH. And technically, I put the struggling Caminiti on the AH with three games left to play in the regular season, replacing him with Ryan Zimmerman (98 FH).

Despite Caminiti's great first game, he did not do very well in the playoff push:

Caminiti's slash line over 189 PAs: .212 / .269 / .360 amassing a 0.4 WAR.

100 BaLTim Raines was a tad better, posting this slash line over 200 PAs: .253 / .305 / .440 amassing a 0.8 WAR.

Ryan Zimmerman's 3-game cup of coffee was promising, going 5-13 and driving in 3 runs. If my recently acquired 100 FH1 Adrian Beltre does end up going by way of the AH, then Zimmerman's going to have the starting job.

YEAR 2031 SUMMATION

I was frankly amazed at how well we did in our first year of Gold. I had been hoping to maintain a winning record but I never thought that we would be contending for a playoff spot.

100 BaL Paul Goldschmidt, given the chance to play 1B full-time, did not disappoint as he lead the team with 4.2 WAR, slashing .296 / .369 / .520 with 27 home runs, 88 RBIs, and 85 runs scored. He also stole 35 bases, making this his first 20/20 season in 4 years with the Hosts. He also earned the Great Glove Award for 1B.

100 BaL Harry Heilmann, also given the chance to play full-time (RH vs R, and DH v L), stepped up as well. He hit 17 home runs, drove in 87 and scored 85 and his .322 batting average was best in the league. Next best was the West Greenwich Apple Sox' 100 SE Alan Trammell with a .314 batting average. He earned the Great Bat Award for RF.

Rafael Furcal's (HL 96) run of top WAR of the team ends at 2 years, but he did manage 3.6 WAR in his first year in Gold, slashing .263 / .344 / .366.

The man I was keeping my eyes on was 100 SE Oscar Charleston at CF. In a park that suppresses left-handed hitters, he slashed .279 / .331 / .411 with 11 homers, 52 RBIs, and 73 runs scored. He led our team with 154 strikeouts and amassed 2.4 WAR. Even with a home field unfavorable to lefthand hitters, his performance was kind of disappointing. I dangled him on the AH for a spell. He still stands high above my other top centerfielders: Cool Papa Bell (SE 99), and Lenny Dykstra (SE 90).

For comparison's sake, the Eden Prairie Landsharks - BFF's 100 SE Oscar Charleston slashed .313 / .377 / .533, led the league with 187 hits, and put up an 8.5 WAR in a neutral ballpark. Seeing that made me take him off the AH and consider serious changes to the park.