[Westheim]

I apologize for the bad shape of this thread throughout the first pages. It gets better from about the fourth or fifth page onwards, although I didn't settle into a tidy format until the early 90s... Once again, sorry. I now also wish I had maintained a clean style from the start for the marginally more time it takes.

Overview:

1977 season - starts here
1978 season - page 1, post #20
1979 season - page 2, post #38
1980 season - page 3, post #58
1981 season - page 5, post #84
1982 season - page 6, post #112
1983 season - page 8, post #143
1984 season - page 10, post #189
1985 season - page 12, post #228
1986 season - page 14, post #277
1987 season - page 17, post #324
1988 season - page 19, post #364
1989 season - page 22, post #426
1990 season - page 25, post #487
1991 season - page 27, post #539
1992 season - page 31, post #610
1993 season - page 34, post #677
1994 season - page 38, post #742
1995 season - page 40, post #786
1996 season - page 42, post #837
1997 season - page 47, post #921
1998 season - page 50, post #987
1999 season - page 52, post #1,036
2000 season - page 55, post #1,088
2001 season - page 57, post #1,138
2002 season - page 61, post #1,203
2003 season - page 64, post #1,268
2004 season - page 67, post #1,328
2005 season - page 70, post #1,393
2006 season - page 73, post #1,451
2007 season - page 76, post #1,510
2008 season - page 81, post #1,604
2009 season - page 84, post #1,675
2010 season - page 87, post #1,732
2011 season - page 91, post #1,804
2012 season - page 93, post #1,850
2013 season - page 96, post #1,904
2014 season - page 99, post #1,969
2015 season - page 102, post #2,040
2016 season - page 105, post #2,098
2017 season - page 108, post #2,145
2018 season - page 111, post #2,205
2019 season - page 114, post #2,271
2020 season - page 116, post #2,319
2021 season - page 119, post #2,376
2022 season - page 121, post #2,414
2023 season - page 124, post #2,461
2024 season - page 126, post #2,508
2025 season - page 129, post #2,561
2026 season - page 131, post #2,604
2027 season - page 134, post #2,661
2028 season - page 136, post #2,701
2029 season - page 138, post #2,748
2030 season - page 142, post #2,822
2031 season - page 145, post #2,890
2032 season - page 148, post #2,945
2033 season - page 150, post #2,997
2034 season - page 153, post #3,048
2035 season - page 156, post #3,106
2036 season - page 159, post #3,174
2037 season - page 162, post #3,236
2038 season - page 167, post #3,325
2039 season - page 170, post #3,383
2040 season - page 172, post #3,437
2041 season - page 175, post #3,499
2042 season - page 179, post #3,568
2043 season - page 182, post #3,623
2044 season - page 184, post #3,673
2045 season - page 187, post #3,725
2046 season - page 189, post #3,771
2047 season - page 192, post #3,831
2048 season - page 195, post #3,881
2049 season - page 197, post #3,935
2050 season - page 199, post #3,977
2051 season - page 201, post #4,016
2052 season - page 204, post #4,069
2053 season - page 206, post #4,113
2054 season - page 208, post #4,157
2055 season - page 211, post #4,210
2056 season - page 213, post #4,253
2057 season - page 215, post #4,297
2058 season - page 217, post #4,338
2059 season - page 219, post #4,374
2060 season - page 221, post #4,416

Attention (May 15, 2019): while I have usually attached my images in this thread, there were times a few years back when uploads to the board were routinely wonky and/or just not working (for me?). In this case I linked them in via Photobucket. With Photobucket limiting free accounts to almost nothing by June 2019, I am likely going to delete that account, since I'm not gonna pay five bucks a month for it. Once that happens, there will be a handful of images missing in the thread. Wherever they may be. If you run into that wherever you are currently reading, post or PM - I have ALL pictures still on hard drive and can reupload them.

Whatever it is that you read and are objecting to, feel free to comment with a kind "You moron, you do it all wrong!!", if you'd like.

And now comes the original, horrible first post:

------------------------------------------------------------

Foreword: after the dismal failure of leading the 1962 Mets anywhere other than last place (I will still continue there at some time, but I need to win a game here or there from time to time in order to be happy … or at least not totally depressed), I have created this league. This was planned anyway at some point to have the two careers running, so we’re just moving up the timetable a bit. It is a fictional setup. Now let me try and breath life into it.

This is 1977. This is the American Baseball League (ABL).

Setup: two leagues, each with two divisions of six teams. There will be NO spring training, since I really really hate going in with 40 guys and coming out with 35 guys and five more tied to wheelchairs for the next eight months.

There will be interleague play. I grabbed a custom schedule, let’s see how this works out. The leagues are the Federal League and the Continental League. While the Federal League’s two divisions are aligned roughly west and east of the Mississippi, the Continental League’s two divisions stretch all across the continent between the coasts, one in the north and one in the south. The CL also holds the only two franchises outside the U.S. in the league, one in Vancouver and one in Tijuana. Don’t look at me, real estate in Mexico was cheaper than in San Diego.

I have chosen to randomly populate the franchises with players, I will see what I got later. For now let’s talk a bit about the team in general that I have taken over. You’re talking about the intimidating Portland Raccoons here. We’re so intimidating! Our logo has a totally intimitading fluffy lovely cute raccoon hugging a baseball. (blinks) Okay, who designed this?

Portland, Oregon, seems to have a difficult start initially. The team is owned by a Mexican businessman, Xavier Bravo, who seems intent to operate an ABL team on a shoestring budget. Out $5.2M budget is ranked 24th out of 24 teams. Yay!

Shedding light onto our division (the Continental League’s northern division) only for the moment, we will face the Vancouver Canadiens across the border here in the Northwest. Then there are two Midwest teams in the division, the Milwaukee Loggers and the Indianapolis Indians. I seem to fail constantly at typing Indianapolis, so this could be constant source of trouble. And then there are the big buck teams of the division, the Boston Titans and the New York Crusaders. They have twice our payroll. Scared. A lot.

Occassionally, the Raccoons will face the Salem Wolves in interleague play, who are just two flyballs away from us and play in the Federal League’s western division. The first such matchup would be this year in August in Salem. Looking forward to - … wait, do wolves feed on raccoons? Scared. A lot.

Now let’s look at the bunch that was assembled to throw the bats and swing the balls. By the way, did you realize that I understand a lot about this game already?

Boy, this will be trouble. Starting pitching will be mess number one. I seem to be lacking guys that can go deep into games with low stamina almost all across the board, and control could become an issue. Bullpen ought to be okay. Maybe. But goal number one would be to find two more decent long guys.

Batting could work out just okay, but I don’t have a power hitter. Goal number two: find a power bat. I quickly realized that my AAA roster would not be helpful in the quest to fulfill those two goals.

The pitching problem had to be solved first. How dramatic was it? Very. I had only one pitcher with stamina greater than 9 (of 20) on my majors roster. Thus about the first thing I did was to go to the free agent pool to get at least two starters immediately.

I found two candidates that at least wouldn’t get raped each time they took the mound with solid stamina and made them offers. Luckily the team had been very cheap so far so I had some budget room. Next: find a guy with power, preferrably with defensive abilities and either in RF or at SS (I know there are plenty of power SSs out there). There were no free agents matching this.

At least I was able to sign my new makeshift starters Juan Berrios and Matt Huber by January 14 (by the way, complete roster will come once it is finalized). I had also contacted the Washington Capitals to make a trade for their shortstop Ben Simon. Simon was rated a stellar infielder (at all positions) and a solid hitter with power. I offered one of my shortstops and two relievers to shore up their terrible bullpen. I ultimately also had to add my projected backup catcher to the deal which was completed on January 17. Fans were ecstatic about the five player trade that brought one of the best shortstops in the league to Portland. And even better: he had a really small contact for his abilities. :-)

The most glaring deficiencies had been patched up now, although my number 4 starter with the current roster, Armando Padilla, still only had 9 stamina. Ed Sullivan, scheduled to start at 2B, was weak defensively, and I had to get another catcher now, but would not waste much money on it. Both AAA catchers looked good enough to get up to play backup. I also had to drop one reliever to AAA (I didn’t need eight of them, I thought at least), and get another utility player, preferrably in the infield.

The Richmond Rebels came out victorious in the hunt for sought after shortstop Tony Bruce on January 29. More than half a dozen teams had been after Bruce, but not the Raccoons. We were settled at SS. February was quiet. I signed a catcher to a minor league contract and moved AAA catcher R.J. Sanderson up to the majors to be the #2 there.

March 5 – my Raccoons signed outfielder Tim Anderson to a 3-year deal worth almost $700k. I was cringing at the money, but he was a defensive beast and not totally inept at the plate, shoring up that area of the roster. Anderson was 28 yr old leftie, which put my favored lineup at five left handed batters (excl. pitchers) now. If nothing else, this should keep right handed pitchers scared. I demoted one of the relievers, a 19 yr old prospect, to AAA (please note I don’t remember names at all), to make room for Anderson. This gave me 11 pitchers on the roster now – the desired number. One of the starters and two relievers are lefties – the desired number. I still had the desire to get another leftie starter to replace Padilla in the rotation.

March 20 – the Raccoons signed Ned Ray, a 26 yr old left handed starter, to a 2-year contract worth $154k. Ray was not what I really wanted, but I didn’t get anything better. Another reliever was moved to AAA to make room for him on the roster, which was by now completed. Bring in the clowns!

Portland Raccoons roster for opening day 1977:

SP Alex Miranda – still young, but already maxed out according to my scout, he was the #1 starter. He would not complain after throwing 150 pitches.
SP Matt Huber – putting up decent numbers across the board
SP Juan Berrios – another Huber, but with less movement and talent
SP Ned Ray – the leftie among the bunch, control issues possible, but we’ll see.

MR Armando Padilla – if he’d be able to go longer than four or five innings, he’d been the #3 starter at least, but he couldn’t, so he was scheduled for spot starts and mop up duties and eat innings there.
MR Wally Gaston – good stuff and movement, but unfortunately control is troubled
MR Kevin Hatfield – decent guy
MR Brett Justice – rated 2nd in movement on the team, hopefully his control can match pace
MR Ben Jenkins – no outstanding strengths
MR Stanton Coleman – for the quick punchout if you need one
CL Ben Green – best among the bullpen with very good numbers across the board

C Darryl Maloney – one of the best catchers in the field, but his bat is lacking
C R.J. Sanderson – his main trait is that he’s cheap, purely backup

1B/3B Wyatt Johnston – a 1B ace with the potential to hit .300 and launch 30 dingers
1B Hoyt Cook – backup infielder without much sparkle
3B Freddy Lopez – strong defense, fair offensive
1B/2B/3B/SS/LF Ed Sullivan – can play almost everywhere, solid hitter, would fit best on an infield corner, but I need him at 2B, which doesn’t thrill me
SS Greg Swift – I wish I had somebody else…
1B/2B/3B/SS Ben Simon – the diamond on the team, top star potential, thrilling defensive ratings with solid offense, I’m in love already

LF/RF Robby Davis – good defense, hitting could be so much better
LF/RF José Flores – good defense, hitting could be so very much better
LF/CF/RF Tim Anderson – very good defense, another 30 homers candidate with potential for very good average as well
1B/LF/CF/RF Johan Dolder – he is from Luxembourg (of all places), has stellar defense, but his hitting makes me cry. Late inning replacement, although the stock defense is not bad at all. Trade bait.
RF/LF Pedro Sánz – good hitter with average defense, potential error sink
RF Jorge López – mediocre across the board, backup

Overall, it had been a good three months so far. The salaries had shot up to $2.8M, 15th in the league, but we don’t want to be in last place, and good players don’t come cheap. With Anderson we should have put our outfield in line, and the addition of all those pitchers was absolutely necessary. Xavier Bravo is also encouraged. He expects the team to play .500 ball. I also consider this a realistic aim for the first season. Don’t get too roughed up, and then start to build the team.

First pitch coming up.