2019 Cardinals - Page 9

OleDylano23 · 05-25-2018, 05:19 PM

Just hit September 1st in my save.

We trail the Brewers by 2 1/2 games, and the Cubs by 1. Thinking if I miss the playoffs Matheny and Co. are gone.

The Nationals placed Bryce Harper on the trading block which was kind of neat, I've never seen a big time star on the block before. I inquired, but they wanted Reyes, Flaherty, O'Neill, and Wacha. I thought that was too much for a half-season of Harper.

Paul DeJong has been a absoloute monster for me, hitting .289/327/553 with 38 homers and 88 RBI's. Worth 4.4 WAR. 26 BB to 126 SO is kind of worrying, but I can't complain.

Orcin · 05-25-2018, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rink23

Was wondering, did anyone else edit Jose Martinez ratings, especially on the defensive end?

….

Did you edit him or just take advantage of the defensive upgrade?

Challenge Mode here, so no. But I agree his defense is way overrated in the game.

Grafton19 · 05-25-2018, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orcin

Challenge Mode here, so no. But I agree his defense is way overrated in the game.

This is going to sound dumb, but how does Challenge Mode work?

rink23 · 05-25-2018, 08:33 PM

In probably a decade of playing OOTP and before that Baseball Mogul, I don't think I have ever encountered a bad streak like I am in now with my 2019 Cardinals.
I opened the season by getting swept in Colorado, and then came home and swept the Cubs and took the opener of a four-game series against Cincinnati.
I have not won since. A 6-0 loss to Milwaukee to open a home series was my 10th in a row. My record is 4-13, I am, not surprisingly in last place nine games behind the Reds.
It's not just the offense or the pitching it's both.
* Four of my starters boast ERAs over nine.
* My bullpen is in shambles because the starters have almost always allowed four runs or more by the fourth inning.
* I've gone nine straight games scoring three runs or less and been shutout two of the last three.
* The players are ready to mutiny. Everyone is P.O.'d. I had to send a player down to bring up a minor league pitcher for a spot start and every veteran with an option refused to go down, even though it was just for a day.
* Bryce Harper, my big offseason pickup, is batting .246 with two homers and eight RBIs and has a bad attitude. Is he infecting the whole team?
I put him out as trade bait just to see who'd sniff and Houston offered Manny Machado for him, the player I wanted in the first place.
I may have to think about that.
* My other offseason pickup, Andrelton Simmons, is hitting .172 with three RBIs and not providing the kind of defensive stability I had hoped.
* I can't fire myself. Do I can the hitting coach, pitching coach, bench coach. Drop a bomb on the whole thing.
Although this is baseball, and you'd have to think things are going to turnaround.
But will the hole be so deep by than, the season will be unsalvageable.
Just venting.

Grafton19 · 05-25-2018, 09:09 PM

In my 2018 league Cardinals are 91-56 7 1/2 Game lead over Cubs

MizzouRah · 05-25-2018, 09:43 PM

17 games in rink.. it will be fine.

Orcin · 05-25-2018, 11:06 PM

Harper has a terrible personality in my game. If that’s not random and he is selfish in your game, it could be rubbing some of the other players the wrong way.

It has been my experience that a lot of roster changes will result in an adjustment period where the team seems to flounder. Sometimes it straightens out, but it has caused me to become more conservative about roster churn.

Orcin · 05-25-2018, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grafton19

This is going to sound dumb, but how does Challenge Mode work?

It is the same game, but many options are locked to a default setting and you cannot access the commissioner mode.

Orcin · 05-26-2018, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orcin

Baltimore will give me Manny Machado for Wacha, Gyorko, and Jose Martinez. I could bring up Flaherty and Voit to replace Wacha and JMart, and of course Machado replaces Gyorko at third (or shortstop with DeJong moving to third).

I have decided to pass on this deal. I just can't see the benefit to giving up three good players or three good prospects for four months of any player. Machado will be available for nothing after this season... nothing except the money that I would have to pay him anyway. I could have him and the other three players if I just wait.

Orcin · 05-26-2018, 06:04 PM

Willie Calhoun is available for a reasonable trade offer. I am wondering if I should grab him as a potential DH after seeing how well he developed in MizzouRah’s game.

pgjocki · 05-26-2018, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orcin

Willie Calhoun is available for a reasonable trade offer. I am wondering if I should grab him as a potential DH after seeing how well he developed in MizzouRah’s game.

Careful as that could be fools gold or a lucky TCR

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Orcin · 05-27-2018, 01:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pgjocki

Careful as that could be fools gold or a lucky TCR

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

In real life, he is projected to be one of the top 20 outfielders by 2020. So perhaps his potential reflects that projection. Still, it is a risk and the price should reflect that risk to be a fair deal.

MizzouRah · 05-27-2018, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orcin

Willie Calhoun is available for a reasonable trade offer. I am wondering if I should grab him as a potential DH after seeing how well he developed in MizzouRah’s game.

Here you go... he's a beast in my baseball world.

Orcin · 05-28-2018, 12:05 PM

The chance to get three major league ready prospects, two of them left-handed hitters with power, for three prospects that are either redundant or far away was just too much for me to resist.

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Name: trade_20180619.jpg
Views: 241
Size: 41.1 KB

Calhoun got a TCR bump on the June 1 ratings and that pushed me over the edge. Injuries to Ozuna and Pham give me a place to play Calhoun now and he is coming up immediately. The ridiculous idea to play him at second base is over. He is the left fielder until Ozuna comes back, then he moves to DH.

MizzouRah · 05-28-2018, 05:38 PM

Yep.. a 2nd baseman he is NOT.

Orcin · 05-29-2018, 09:51 AM

Viva El Birdos published their list of top 202 MLB prospects today. It's a very good reference for those of us looking to fleece the OOTP AI... err... make some trades for the future. I was happy to see Willie Calhoun ranked at #34. Ronald Guzman made the list too.

In my league, Dexter Fowler is having a very good season. He has a slash line of .273/.368/.462. His OPS+ is 124 and he already accumulated 1.9 WAR in 69 games. Defensively, all of his metrics are positive in right field. Watching Fowler in real life leads me to conclude that he is (a) over-rated in OOTP and/or (b) due for a regression. And when he falls of the cliff without warning, as he seems to be doing in real life, the remainder of that contract will be a big dead weight on the budget. Fowler is extremely popular in my game but, regardless of fan reaction, I am sorely tempted to rid myself of his contract now while he still has value. Several teams are willing to take on all of his money and give decent value in return.

These two points are tied together because I plan to work this list of 202 prospects to see what I could get for Fowler before the deadline.

rink23 · 05-29-2018, 03:36 PM

All three of my outfielders -- Ozuna, Pham and Fowler -- had good seasons in 2019, but not liking the Fowler contract and having the chance to land Bryce Harper led me to deal him to Minnesota for 3-star starting pitching prospect Lewis Thorpe.

The deal from the Fowler aspect looks fine He's batting .241 with 4 HRS and 10 RBIs for Minnesota on May 20, after going off at a .270 clip with 20 HRs and 72 RBIs in 2018,
Problem is, Pham has been so bad (.176, 2 HRs, 7 RBIs, horrible defense in CF) that he's been benched in place of Mallex Smith, brought in from Tampa in the offseason to be his defensive replacement.

My bullpen is horrid, after ranking third in the league in ERA in 2018 it is ninth. My top-ranked reliever, Luke Gregerson, has an ERA of 10.19 and Jordan Hicks, who always sees unhappy, was over 9.00 and is back in AAA.
My starting pitching might be even worse, and it was a top five rotation in 2018. It has an cumulative ERA of 5.05, led by Miles Mikolas at over 7.00 and Luke Weaver, who won the NL ERA title in 2018, at 6.43.
I've already started making personnel moves. The team is 15-26 and 9.5 games behind the Reds in the NL Central.
Mike Schildt is out as bench coach. He's been replaced by Shelley Duncan, who I looked at his editor's rankings and they look like he's got a future.
Plus, I like the idea of a Duncan back in my dugout. If only I could bring the Skipper (La Russa) with him.
Memorial Day is coming up, and it's always been mentioned as a decision day, if things don't turn around in the next week.
More major moves could be made.

MizzouRah · 05-29-2018, 05:55 PM

I love reading how we all handle the Cardinals/the moves we all make and how the players perform.

I'll try to get some screens up tonight of my so far, great 2021 season. Cubs are 15 games behind me after 90 games and are in last place, so it finally looks like a new team will take over the Central this season. Pirates are battling me though when I thought they would fall off.

Trade deadline is just about here and I think I'm standing pat as I'm happy with our team at the moment, barring any injuries.

Orcin · 05-29-2018, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

I love reading how we all handle the Cardinals/the moves we all make and how the players perform.

Same here!

rink23 · 05-29-2018, 08:41 PM

In the midst of a leadership conundrum in my big league clubhouse.
My chemistry page says that Yadier needs help in the leadership department.
I think Francisco Pena -- combined with Waino -- handled that last year.
But Waino is gone and Pena no longer carries that trait.
I have Carson Kelly in the minors and he's labeled as a great leader and captain. He doesn't hit much but his offensive metrics are better than Pena's and defensively it's a wash.
Do I bring him up, and risk him getting upset about not being the starter?
I still can't see him catching more than once or twice a week, at least until 2020, because Yadi's pitch handling ratings are so high.
Or do I sign a free agent catcher like Rene Rivera, who brings decent defense and has the leadership traits, he'll only catch one pitcher in the rotation, and keep Kelly down for now?
Yadi is doing what he does every year for me, hits like crazy, for him, for the first two months -- he's currently at .297 with a homer and 18 RBIs on May 20 -- and then cools off and ends up in the .245 to .260 range.
I can't afford to mess around. My season already is in a shambles, but maybe a change there can help turn things around.

05-28-2018, 12:05 PM	#174
Orcin Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Indiana Posts: 9,875	The chance to get three major league ready prospects, two of them left-handed hitters with power, for three prospects that are either redundant or far away was just too much for me to resist. Calhoun got a TCR bump on the June 1 ratings and that pushed me over the edge. Injuries to Ozuna and Pham give me a place to play Calhoun now and he is coming up immediately. The ridiculous idea to play him at second base is over. He is the left fielder until Ozuna comes back, then he moves to DH.

05-29-2018, 03:36 PM	#177
rink23 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 23,730	All three of my outfielders -- Ozuna, Pham and Fowler -- had good seasons in 2019, but not liking the Fowler contract and having the chance to land Bryce Harper led me to deal him to Minnesota for 3-star starting pitching prospect Lewis Thorpe. The deal from the Fowler aspect looks fine He's batting .241 with 4 HRS and 10 RBIs for Minnesota on May 20, after going off at a .270 clip with 20 HRs and 72 RBIs in 2018, Problem is, Pham has been so bad (.176, 2 HRs, 7 RBIs, horrible defense in CF) that he's been benched in place of Mallex Smith, brought in from Tampa in the offseason to be his defensive replacement. My bullpen is horrid, after ranking third in the league in ERA in 2018 it is ninth. My top-ranked reliever, Luke Gregerson, has an ERA of 10.19 and Jordan Hicks, who always sees unhappy, was over 9.00 and is back in AAA. My starting pitching might be even worse, and it was a top five rotation in 2018. It has an cumulative ERA of 5.05, led by Miles Mikolas at over 7.00 and Luke Weaver, who won the NL ERA title in 2018, at 6.43. I've already started making personnel moves. The team is 15-26 and 9.5 games behind the Reds in the NL Central. Mike Schildt is out as bench coach. He's been replaced by Shelley Duncan, who I looked at his editor's rankings and they look like he's got a future. Plus, I like the idea of a Duncan back in my dugout. If only I could bring the Skipper (La Russa) with him. Memorial Day is coming up, and it's always been mentioned as a decision day, if things don't turn around in the next week. More major moves could be made. Last edited by rink23; 05-29-2018 at 03:49 PM.

05-25-2018, 05:19 PM	#161
OleDylano23 Minors (Single A) Join Date: May 2018 Location: St Louis Posts: 86	Just hit September 1st in my save. We trail the Brewers by 2 1/2 games, and the Cubs by 1. Thinking if I miss the playoffs Matheny and Co. are gone. The Nationals placed Bryce Harper on the trading block which was kind of neat, I've never seen a big time star on the block before. I inquired, but they wanted Reyes, Flaherty, O'Neill, and Wacha. I thought that was too much for a half-season of Harper. Paul DeJong has been a absoloute monster for me, hitting .289/327/553 with 38 homers and 88 RBI's. Worth 4.4 WAR. 26 BB to 126 SO is kind of worrying, but I can't complain.

05-25-2018, 08:33 PM	#164
rink23 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 23,730	In probably a decade of playing OOTP and before that Baseball Mogul, I don't think I have ever encountered a bad streak like I am in now with my 2019 Cardinals. I opened the season by getting swept in Colorado, and then came home and swept the Cubs and took the opener of a four-game series against Cincinnati. I have not won since. A 6-0 loss to Milwaukee to open a home series was my 10th in a row. My record is 4-13, I am, not surprisingly in last place nine games behind the Reds. It's not just the offense or the pitching it's both. * Four of my starters boast ERAs over nine. * My bullpen is in shambles because the starters have almost always allowed four runs or more by the fourth inning. * I've gone nine straight games scoring three runs or less and been shutout two of the last three. * The players are ready to mutiny. Everyone is P.O.'d. I had to send a player down to bring up a minor league pitcher for a spot start and every veteran with an option refused to go down, even though it was just for a day. * Bryce Harper, my big offseason pickup, is batting .246 with two homers and eight RBIs and has a bad attitude. Is he infecting the whole team? I put him out as trade bait just to see who'd sniff and Houston offered Manny Machado for him, the player I wanted in the first place. I may have to think about that. * My other offseason pickup, Andrelton Simmons, is hitting .172 with three RBIs and not providing the kind of defensive stability I had hoped. * I can't fire myself. Do I can the hitting coach, pitching coach, bench coach. Drop a bomb on the whole thing. Although this is baseball, and you'd have to think things are going to turnaround. But will the hole be so deep by than, the season will be unsalvageable. Just venting.

05-25-2018, 09:09 PM	#165
Grafton19 Major Leagues Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 471	In my 2018 league Cardinals are 91-56 7 1/2 Game lead over Cubs

05-25-2018, 09:43 PM	#166
MizzouRah Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Troy, Mo Posts: 6,266	17 games in rink.. it will be fine.

05-25-2018, 11:06 PM	#167
Orcin Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Indiana Posts: 9,875	Harper has a terrible personality in my game. If that’s not random and he is selfish in your game, it could be rubbing some of the other players the wrong way. It has been my experience that a lot of roster changes will result in an adjustment period where the team seems to flounder. Sometimes it straightens out, but it has caused me to become more conservative about roster churn.

05-26-2018, 06:04 PM	#170
Orcin Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Indiana Posts: 9,875	Willie Calhoun is available for a reasonable trade offer. I am wondering if I should grab him as a potential DH after seeing how well he developed in MizzouRah’s game.

05-28-2018, 05:38 PM	#175
MizzouRah Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Troy, Mo Posts: 6,266	Yep.. a 2nd baseman he is NOT.

05-29-2018, 09:51 AM	#176
Orcin Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Indiana Posts: 9,875	Viva El Birdos published their list of top 202 MLB prospects today. It's a very good reference for those of us looking to fleece the OOTP AI... err... make some trades for the future. I was happy to see Willie Calhoun ranked at #34. Ronald Guzman made the list too. In my league, Dexter Fowler is having a very good season. He has a slash line of .273/.368/.462. His OPS+ is 124 and he already accumulated 1.9 WAR in 69 games. Defensively, all of his metrics are positive in right field. Watching Fowler in real life leads me to conclude that he is (a) over-rated in OOTP and/or (b) due for a regression. And when he falls of the cliff without warning, as he seems to be doing in real life, the remainder of that contract will be a big dead weight on the budget. Fowler is extremely popular in my game but, regardless of fan reaction, I am sorely tempted to rid myself of his contract now while he still has value. Several teams are willing to take on all of his money and give decent value in return. These two points are tied together because I plan to work this list of 202 prospects to see what I could get for Fowler before the deadline.

05-29-2018, 05:55 PM	#178
MizzouRah Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Troy, Mo Posts: 6,266	I love reading how we all handle the Cardinals/the moves we all make and how the players perform. I'll try to get some screens up tonight of my so far, great 2021 season. Cubs are 15 games behind me after 90 games and are in last place, so it finally looks like a new team will take over the Central this season. Pirates are battling me though when I thought they would fall off. Trade deadline is just about here and I think I'm standing pat as I'm happy with our team at the moment, barring any injuries.

05-29-2018, 08:41 PM	#180
rink23 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 23,730	In the midst of a leadership conundrum in my big league clubhouse. My chemistry page says that Yadier needs help in the leadership department. I think Francisco Pena -- combined with Waino -- handled that last year. But Waino is gone and Pena no longer carries that trait. I have Carson Kelly in the minors and he's labeled as a great leader and captain. He doesn't hit much but his offensive metrics are better than Pena's and defensively it's a wash. Do I bring him up, and risk him getting upset about not being the starter? I still can't see him catching more than once or twice a week, at least until 2020, because Yadi's pitch handling ratings are so high. Or do I sign a free agent catcher like Rene Rivera, who brings decent defense and has the leadership traits, he'll only catch one pitcher in the rotation, and keep Kelly down for now? Yadi is doing what he does every year for me, hits like crazy, for him, for the first two months -- he's currently at .297 with a homer and 18 RBIs on May 20 -- and then cools off and ends up in the .245 to .260 range. I can't afford to mess around. My season already is in a shambles, but maybe a change there can help turn things around.