At What Point Do You Give Up On A Favorite Player?

[The Game]

I think it is time to finally get rid of this guy. He is a clone of Alex Fernandez and is terrible. I resigned him to a ton of money because he is a friend.
What do you guys think?

[TGH-Adfabre]

4 things...
1) Is his salary a big deal financially if you keep him on the books?
2) Is your rating scale 1-10?
3) What happens if you make him a MR? His top 2 pitches are pretty good.
4) What's his hook? He gave up a LOT of homers last year but his MOV is not horrible.
5) Scouting accuracy? Just thought about scouts, he may be done and the scouts have not caught up with how useless he is.

I would make him a MR, give him a short hook or low pitch count, like 80ish or cut your losses.

Good luck,
Tom

[samoka10]

I'd get rid of him as soon as possible. It looks like he was 2 years from free agency, so I'm surprised you gave him that deal. His stuff is pretty good but his control and movement are so-so, combine that with his low ground ball rate, and you see why gave uo 40 homeruns a year ago.If you are a larger market team then he can stay as a 5th starter. But if you are a budget conscious team, I suggest you look for a trade soon.

[The Game]

Originally Posted by TGH-Adfabre

4 things...
1) Is his salary a big deal financially if you keep him on the books?
2) Is your rating scale 1-10?
3) What happens if you make him a MR? His top 2 pitches are pretty good.
4) What's his hook? He gave up a LOT of homers last year but his MOV is not horrible.
5) Scouting accuracy? Just thought about scouts, he may be done and the scouts have not caught up with how useless he is.

I would make him a MR, give him a short hook or low pitch count, like 80ish or cut your losses.

Good luck,
Tom

1. no, although I have 3 or 4 arbitration cases where people will get paid over 1.2 million. My owner seems to not want to give me more money I rank 15th in budget & payroll out of 16. Fan loyalty is poor which doesn't help.
2. yes
3. I would either have to switch to a 4 man rotation drop a OF/IF or move a better arm to AAA. My bullpen ERA is 3.12 best in the league.
4. I play in Wrigley Field. I gave up 24 last year and won 19 with a 3.23 ERA. Too many small parks in the North.
5. My scouting budget ranks 7th. My scout is Excellent for majors. Highest paid scout in the league.
I really don't want to get rid of him especially if he can turn out Alex Fernandez type #'s. I demoted him to AAA til I figure things out. I am tied for the wildcard in the middle of July. I shopped him around and the only player the Ai offered was a 1B from the team I am tied with. I have no place for another 1B. My 1B leads the North in HR & RBI but has a terrible OBP. The guy Toronto offered does have a decent .313 OBP and 14 HR. I have already traded 2 arms to Toronto for their 1B and 2B. .265 42 HR 112 RBI combined approx.

[The Game]

Originally Posted by samoka10

I'd get rid of him as soon as possible. It looks like he was 2 years from free agency, so I'm surprised you gave him that deal. His stuff is pretty good but his control and movement are so-so, combine that with his low ground ball rate, and you see why gave uo 40 homeruns a year ago.If you are a larger market team then he can stay as a 5th starter. But if you are a budget conscious team, I suggest you look for a trade soon.

I gave hima contract because this league has many people I know IRL. He is one of them. I kept thinking that he would finally win 20 games. Took me 5 yrs to give up on Josh Gibson who next yr his 6th yr IRL hits .339 35 HR 90 RBI. I also finally traded another friend away who was a clone of Black Jack McDowell who pitched slightly worse then Abate.
My staff has a ton of holes right now. I am the best overall pitcher in the North 12-4 1.85 154 K 151 IP. My #2 since i sent Abate down is my clone of Greg Maddux, Markus He3insohn who was the #1 overall pick in the draft in June. He has made 4 starts. 2-1 3.54. My #3 I traded for prior to last season and was the #12 ranked pitcher on the top 100 Prospects list. He is a LHP right now 6-8 4.85 only throws at 89-90 but has a good curveball. it is his 1st full season as a SP. My #4 makes his 1st ML start in 2 days. At AAA as a SP & MR he is 11-3 2.32 132K 109 IP .195 OAVG. My #5 is the #33 ranked pitcher on the top 100 prospects list. Has a 3 Stamina and so far is 2-1 in 3 starts 2.54 12 K 9 BB in 21 IP. I have 3 RHP, 2 LHP.
My pen as I said in the other post is almost lights out.
Matt Burt, RHP, one of the arbitration guys who will get paid has a .203 OAVG and I use as my 7th inning guy/long relief.
Chris Campbell, RHP, I got when i got my 1B from Toronto in April. 2.22 24 IP .226 OAVG
Vincente Esquivel, RHP, He has been a part of my team since 2000, SP, MR, CL in the minors. This is his best season for me so far. 3.71 .256 OAVG. I could trade him away and move Abate here. Long relief mopup guy.
Ritchie Valens LHP, Clone of Billy Pierce. i am hoping he gets some stamina to become a SP next year his 4th season. Lights out setup guy. 40IP 44 K .199 OAVG.
Paloma Castillo LHP, clone of Dan Plesac. Off year this year although last 4 outings has not given up an ER. Setup/Leftie specialist.
Jesus Ortiz CL LHP. Makes 4.5 mil. Decent closer. Some days he reminds me of Mitch Williams other days he is Mariano Rivera. 4 BS 14 SV. 29 IP 31 k .229 OAVG.

[GMLoophole]

because I have managed many seasons of OOTP with Barry Zito on the Giants.

He is your mop-up guy. Set his position to MR and pitch him in blow-outs to save the rest of your bullpen.

[The Game]

Originally Posted by GMLoophole

because I have managed many seasons of OOTP with Barry Zito on the Giants.

He is your mop-up guy. Set his position to MR and pitch him in blow-outs to save the rest of your bullpen.

I think I am going to have to do that. the guy making his 1st start lasted .2 IP giving up 5 solo HR. I can't seem to trade Abate for anyone. I tired 15 different ML SP and 5 prospects. 1 for 1. I even tried to include my 2B who makes 2.5 mil.
Forgot to mention earlier when listing my staff. i have 3 injured pitchers. 1 Sp who I signed in the offseason to a 2 yr 13.5 per season contract. He was 9- 3 when he got injured. He should be back September 27th with 2 days left in the season. a MR who is a clone of Jon Rauch in his 3rd season, he will be back in August from a sore shoulder. And also a SP/MR recovering from Tommy John, currently at AAA on a rehab assignment and at a 25 pitch count.So I have options if I still am in contention.

[TGH-Adfabre]

He was 9- 3 when he got injured. He should be back September 27th with 2 days left in the season.

You probably know about the 60 Day DL making him ineligible for the playoff roster problem.

[The Game]

Originally Posted by TGH-Adfabre

You probably know about the 60 Day DL making him ineligible for the playoff roster problem.

Well I have to make it 1st. Even with him I don't see me getting past Detroit and their 7 starting lefties all hitting over .290. I thought I had a player come back with 4 games left in the season after being out for 90 days and pitch in the playoffs with playoff roster enabled. guess I am wrong.

[Honorable_Pawn]

Hold on to him. Let him be the one guy the gets multiple chances.

[Raidergoo]

This guy is just unlucky. Check out his BABIP. The previous two seasons, he's been very lucky. I believe Abate is capable of being an excellent #4 SP for at least two more seasons.

My questions are

1. who would replace him for the next 2.5 years?
2. what can you get for him?
3. does this cause your team financial distress by keeping him?

If you have a better arm in AAA, then get ready to deal him. Abate would just get Pipped. Otherwise, just keep running him out there. He'll revert to the mean.

[The Game]

Originally Posted by Raidergoo

This guy is just unlucky. Check out his BABIP. The previous two seasons, he's been very lucky. I believe Abate is capable of being an excellent #4 SP for at least two more seasons.

My questions are

1. who would replace him for the next 2.5 years?
2. what can you get for him?
3. does this cause your team financial distress by keeping him?

If you have a better arm in AAA, then get ready to deal him. Abate would just get Pipped. Otherwise, just keep running him out there. He'll revert to the mean.

1. Depends. Juan Coldivar who is on the 60 day DL is signed thru next year as are all my SP. I have a another top 100 prospect who is inured for the next 7 weeks who had 9 BB between AA and AAA 8-2 2.98 .212 OAVG but he really isn't ready yet and has a 4 STA. If Ritchie Valens get s a STA boost this offseason going into his 4th year then he will be in my rotation anyway.
2. Currently nothing. No one for ones and I tried several packages and no one seems to want him.
3. My payroll this year is 42.5 next yr is is estimated at 56.3. I have several arbitration cases and some goes go from 6.5 to 7 mil next year. As long as my owner gives me more money then i will be fine. i want to move my starting LF in the offseason. He is one of those 7 mil guys next year and I drafted Andre Dawson in the 2nd round this year. I may not have any $$ for major FA.

[Raidergoo]

Keep this guy around, then, as a staff arm at the minimum. I think he will bounce back to be moderately above average. Since you don't have a replacement handy, and you can't deal him quite yet, I suggest keeping him around a bit. You never know when you could have two SP go down with shredded elbows. Odds are that this guy could go 10-10 next season, with a WHIP of about 1.35 and an ERA+ of about 110.

That's not bad for a #4 SP.

[Honorable_Pawn]

Agreed.

It's an off year with plenty of time for regression towards the mean.