How Could I Lose?

[BigLeBoSox]

I just completed what I had to be my most frustating season yet. I've been running the Tigers since the 2003 Season on OOTP5, sort of a challenge to myself. Well, I'm happy to say I managed them to a World Series title in 2008. Now, I'm in 2012 and have been unsuccessful each season since in spite of winning the AL Central every year. In fact, I've had 3 consecutive 100 win seasons, culminating with the 116 wins in the 2011 season I just completed...unsuccessfully. Somehow, with the league's best pitching staff and being among the league's top hitting (minus HR's--I seem to be finishing in the low 20's no matter what) and run scoring teams, this team falls to Anaheim 4-1 in the ALCS. I thought for sure I had a champion. I feel like I'm managing my own version of the Braves: perrennial division winner, perrennial playoff loser. What could have gone wrong? I think it may have something to do with the 3 lefties the Angels were throwing at me, but still my pitching staff laid an egg in all but one game. I don't have any key free agent losses for 2012, so I will be gunning for it once again.

I'm wondering if anyone else out there has had this type of failure on a consistent basis. My team's lack of big boppers is a bit of a problem I can't seem to solve, so I'm wondering if this has anything to do with the ballpark? Would this also have anything to do with my team's futility in the postseason? I have a 1B who hit .315-37-130, and a RF/DH who hit .317-28-108, but no one else hit over 15 HR's. I believe pitching wins championships, but only one starter has "some ability" as a leader, while another rates as "great" in the clutch (he bombed in the two playoff series). I also can't seem to develop power hitters through my farm system, and I pay big bucks on my minor league managers, so I'm curious if anyone else struggles in this area too.

[benchwarmer]

I ran Tampa bay for 9 seasons, going to the world series 3 times. I had the leagues 2nd best pitching, and the leagues 5th best hitting. The team was lead by SP Kerry Wood, who in our most dominating season(112-49) went 26-3 1.99 ERA 297 K. Our hitting was lead by Carlos Beltran who in that same season got 42 HR 123 RBI .344 AVG and 51 SB. We swept New York in the 1st round and swept Anaheim in the second round. then in the World Series, bam..I got swept by..okay starting laughing...the brew Crew! it was such a disappointment as i was so dominate in the season and was undeafeated in the playoffs...

btw the Brewers had a nasty team...Lead by Prince Fielder..34 HR 152 RBI .330 AVG 110 Runs. He was the NL MVP

[reds1]

I share your pain BigLeBoSox.

I've managed the Reds for 11 seasons now (2004-14), finished 1st in the central the past 8 straight seasons, and made it to the world series 6 times.

Out of those 6 appearances, we won once, in 2008 (swept the Tigers). The other 5 times, we lost in seven games each time. SEVEN games! How heartbreaking is that?

Now I know how Bobby Cox feels when the Braves kept falling short after strong regular seasons. But hey, at least my one championship season was not in a strike-shortened one.