The Minnesota Baseball League!

[bwhenry]

St Cloud Herald
February 27^th, 2020


New Minnesota Baseball League Announced

Since last year rumors have been everywhere that a new baseball league could be coming to Minnesota. Details were few and far between though and it is safe to say nearly everyone was caught off guard yesterday when a press conference was held to announce to formation of the Minnesota Baseball League.

The press conference was held by the governor Steve Thompson, as well as a number of CEOs from some of Minnesota’s largest companies. “We believe this league is the first of its kind in the country, and will allow any and all Minnesotans to enjoy this wonderful game” said Governor Thompson.

The league will consist of 10 teams based in each of the 10 largest cities in Minnesota, as well as two levels of minor leagues representing smaller communities throughout the state. Initially the league will be filled by top level amateurs within the state, who will now get the opportunity to play professionally. Each of the 10 teams will be owned by a Minnesota company, but, amazingly enough, they will not be in it for profit (at least not directly). Each company will contribute $10 million per year to cover player salaries for their team. They will then be able to write this money off come tax time.

Why will it work this way? Because this league will not generate any profit for the owners; and they will not recoup their $10 million annual investment. Tickets to all games at all parks will be free of charge, giving everyone access to the games. Each team will be responsible for how they will distribute tickets to the general public. Additionally, any profits from concessions, merchandising, or advertising will be directly donated to worthy Minnesota charities.

“Minnesota has a wonderful amateur baseball tradition, with a town ball history dating back to the mid 1800’s,” Thompson said. This new league aims to build on that tradition while also giving new job opportunities to many Minnesotans. The players in the league will be exclusively from Minnesota, with all new players joining the league from either college in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Association, or from various high schools throughout the state.

An inaugural draft for the new league is scheduled March 21^st, in the meantime, here is the list of 10 teams in the league and their corporate owner:

Minneapolis Cobras – General Mills
St Paul Shamrocks – Securian Financial
Rochester Roadrunners – Mayo Clinic
Bloomington Bandits – Best Buy
Duluth Xpress – United Health Group
Brooklyn Park Rebels – Medtronic
Plymouth Falcons – SuperValu
St Cloud Rox – Coborn’s
Woodbury Engineers – 3M
Eagan Patriots – Thompson Reuters

[bwhenry]

This is my first time trying to write a dynasty, as well the first time I have put significant effort into putting together a fictional league. I have tested it pretty well, I think, though I would not be surprised if I run into issues along the way. I can post screen shots of detailed league settings if anyone wants, but here are the basics

· 10 team league with two levels of minors each with 10 teams as well.
· Two 10 team feeder leagues, one college and one high school
· $10 million hard cap for league, with $1 cash maximum (this still doesn’t work perfectly, but I think it should be pretty close)
· Generated players are all from Minnesota
· Season runs from early May til early September
· 90 game regular season in the majors with team all play each other 10 times total, with a 5 game series at home, and a 5 gamer on the road
· Top 3 teams make the playoffs, with 2^nd and 3^rd playing a 3 game series to advance to the championship series which will be best of 7 with the regular season champ getting 5 home games.
· 72 game schedule for two levels of minors
· 54 games schedule for college feeder
· 36 games schedule for high school feeder
· Amateur draft will be 10 rounds (this may be adjusted)and held shortly after the completion of the playoffs
· Stat modifiers are set to 2014
· Arbitration after 2 years, free agency after 5
· No rule 5 draft
· No coaches
· Scouting off
· Ratings are all 1-10, both actual and potential shown
· Stars shown for overall rating

I think that is mostly it, will learn the rest as we go. I plan on taking over the St Cloud franchise following the draft and playing out all games, and will post box scores and recaps. Most of the writing will be me acting as a reporter though. I’m also planning on weekly wrap-ups on the league as a whole, with only 10 teams I’m hoping to be able to cover it fairly well.

Team names were mostly taken from town ball teams in the same city or town, though they were not always available. AAA and AA towns were determined by working through a list of town ball teams that had team names with decent logos/uniforms already available for them from the modding community.

As I am not talented enough to do any of that myself many thanks to all those whose work I am borrowing here, mostly notably:

silvam14 for his top ten cities per state project. Without that I would never have even started this concept

eriqjaffe and his amazing college logo and jersey project from which I borrowed everything for my college feeder

cephasjames and his exhaustive nickname project. All minor league and high school teams use logos/jerseys/caps from the project

I’m not sure how ill format all the posts yet, though it won’t be anything fancy. I hope to keep up with them fairly regularly, though don’t necessarily expect pots daily. I welcome any feedback, suggestions, constructive criticism, or sarcastic remarks.

[bwhenry]

Reserved

[bwhenry]

Reserved #2

[bwhenry]

Reserved #3

[bwhenry]

A look at the basics of the St Cloud roster, I let the AI run the draft, and ill take over from here. We had the 10th (last) pick in the draft. I'll be writing a comprehensive roster preview after spring training

[pgjocki]

Looks interesting

[ra7c7er]

Nice to see more state based leagues. I've got a large multi league world going for Illinois I've been working on since OOTP15. It's up to 6 leagues and 48 teams. I'm still looking to add one or two more leagues maybe three if I find the right region to cover. I'll be watching you're thread.

[Brananorama]

As a Minnesotan, super stoked for this dynasty, one that I never quite had time to get up and running myself. Sign me up as a Falcon fan (lived just outside of Plymouth my whole life.) Can't wait to see where this one takes you.

[bwhenry]

So as I was starting this league I debated long and hard about whether I wanted to play it with "potential" only, or with full ratings shown. Originally I decided on a full ratings for a few reason, mostly because I thought it would then be easier to write about. The more I thought about it though (and I thought about it WAY to much) I decided potential only is really my preference. So I changed it up and adjusted a few other things. Because of this I simmed out a few years and then randomized all player names at had a new inaugural draft.

Now i hope I am finally ready to go : ) As I said before, i'll be taking over the St Cloud Rox, who had the 7th pick in the draft. I let the AI run the draft and here are some screenshots showing my starting roster (this essentially replaces post #6) I'll be putting up a full roster preview shortly.

[bwhenry]

St. Cloud Herald
Monday, May 6th, 2024

Meet the Rox

Spring training in the new Minnesota Baseball League has wrapped up and today is opening day of the regular season. To get our coverage started we are providing you with an introduction to the 25 men that make up the opening day roster for your St. Cloud Rox. The club opens their season tonight in Duluth in the first of a five game series against the Xpress at UnitedHealth Stadium.




Catchers (2)

Dustin Carte

The 30 year old Carte was selected in the 12th round by the Rox and will open the season as the team’s starting catcher. The hefty catcher is no better than average defensively and his weak arm may encourage teams to take more chances stealing bases. The Eagan native should provide some value at the plate with an elite eye and above average ability to put the ball in play. His complete lack of foot speed though could lead to a lot of double plays. Despite some experts raising concerns about his work ethic, his teammates look to him as a leader, and he has been a durable player throughout his amateur career

Javon Wilson

Due to his advanced age of 36, Wilson was ignored by teams during the inaugural draft and wound up signing with the Rox as a free agent prior to spring training. The switch hitter won’t hit for much average, but is not afraid to take a walk and can provide the occasional long ball. The Columbia Heights native is a solid defensive catcher and loyal teammate, and the Rox hope he can provide some stability in the clubhouse while starting once or twice a week.

Infielders (7)

Starters

1B – Jake Carr

Already 35 years old, the left-handed swinging Carr may not have a long career ahead in MBL. However, the Rox used their 8^th round pick on him hoping he can anchor the middle of their lineup in the short term. Standing 6’5’’ Carr is an intimating sight for any pitcher. Not afraid to work deep in counts, the Brooklyn Park native has impressive power and also an innate ability to lay of “pitcher’s pitches”, drawing more than his share of walks. Despite being slow as molasses he doesn’t’ embarrass himself in the field and has already become very popular with the local fans for his dry wit and mammoth batting practices blasts.

2B – Dan Lowenthal

We hope Lowenthal doesn’t take this personally, but the 28 year old essentially is the starting 2^nd baseman by default, and the Rox may want to look to upgrade this position in season. The Blaine native is a mediocre hitter and doesn’t have the range to be an asset in the middle infield. The one thing that could keep his right handed bat in the lineup is an ability to draw walks, but his lack of power mean most pitchers in the league won’t be afraid to come after him.

3B – Justin Ropp

Known best to Minnesota baseball fans for his cannon of an arm and strong work ethic, Ropp joins the Rox after being selected it he 3^rd round. Along with strong defense, the 29 year old brings a respectable bat with better than average power being his strongest attribute. The native of Montivideo can from time to time lose his swing, leading to more strikeouts than the fans will want to see. A strong season from the switch hitter to help supplement the big stars in the lineup could go a long way towards the success of the Rox.

SS – Jay O’Connell

Grabbed it the 11^th round by the Rox, the 26 year old should help provide a steady glove at short while also contributing occasionally with the bat. The native of White Bear Lake shows plenty of range and is very surehanded, his only real weakness is an average at best arm that can make throws from deep in the hole difficult for him. At the plate his right handed swing won’t offer much home run power, but should picks up some doubles and shouldn’t strike out to often. A natural leader on and off the field, the Rox names him team captain during spring training.

Bench

1B/CO Nick Jernigan

Selected in the 31^st round Jernigan provides the Rox with a decent right handed bench bat that can give Carr a break against tougher lefties. His best asset at the plate is his power, but he often seems to be very focused on the trying to hit the long ball, which leads to a lot of harmless popups or flyouts. The Chisholm native could be used in either corner outfield in pinch, but lacks the range to be able to be trusted there with any regular playing time. Reports out of spring training said Jernigan has completely embraced his role on the team and was a vocal leader in the clubhouse.

3B/CO John Jones

The 32 year old Jones will be used as a left-handed bat of the bench, perhaps drawing an occasional start at 3^rd base. He is a bit of a butcher defensively who has struggled to stay healthy during his amateur career, so don’t expect to see him in the field often. He is a very similar hitter to Jernigan, just from the opposite side of the plate. If the Rox need a big swing against a right handed pitcher late the game the Eden Prairie native will likely get the call.

UI – David Serratos

Strong defense anywhere in the infield in Serratos’ calling card, and the Rox used their 29^th round pick to acquire his services. The 27 year old will likely see occasional starts at 2^nd, SS, and 3^rd, and could also be used as a late inning defensive replacement. He’s not much of a hitter, but even so could push for playing time should Lowenthal not do enough to hold down the 2^nd base job. Throughout spring training the Eagan native was always taking extra batting practice and staying after to watch video, and it did not go unnoticed within the organization.

Outfielders

Starters

LF – Chris “Divine" Mills

What kind of production the Rox can get from their two 24 year old corner outfielders might well determine the success of their season. As scouts watched Mills during his amateur career they saw a player who looked great one night, then completely lost at the plate the next. The Rox thought it was worth the risk to take the left handed bat in the 26^th round. If he can harness his potential he could turn into a useful hitter, with no great strengths in his approach at the plate, but no glaring weaknesses either. In the field he doesn’t show great range, but does seem to always make the plays he gets to. The New Prague native will need to put up solid numbers to hold down the job, with uber prospect Nick Ashurst waiting in the wings.


CF -Bobby “Sniper” Harmon

The Rox used their first pick in the inaugural draft (7^th overall) to grab the 24 year old Minneapolis native. Most expect the centerfielder to be one of most exciting players in the league for years to come. Despite a relatively large frame, Harmon can absolutely fly and should cover plenty of ground in the outfield, while be dangerous on the base paths. His discerning eye at the plate, as well as a strong ability to hit for average, could make the right handed swinger the best leadoff hitter in the league. Harmon’s only weakness is a lack of home run power, but he makes up for it with solid gap power, which combined with his speed should lead to plenty of extra base hits. He is not a natural leader, and while some think he is just in it for the money, those who have played with him always mentioned how driven he is to win. Prior to spring training a poll was taken of league scouts to rank the top position players in the league, Harmon came out on top.


RF – Phil Mollison

The other left handed swinging 24 year old outfielder was taken much earlier in the draft by the Rox (7^th round) A lack of range in the outfield is somewhat offset by an incredible throwing arm, which should help prevent runners from taking an extra base. At the plate the St. Anthony native is a bit of free swinger who loves to pull the ball. He has a decent amount of pop in his bat, and should be able to hit for a respectable average. His work ethic has been called into question already though, and it will be something to monitor during the season.

Bench

OF – George Mangold

Ideally the Rox would like to have the 23 year old Mangold starting the season in AAA, but a lack of other available options means he will start the year in the big leagues. He will serve as the backup centerfielder, though he is stretched a bit there defensively. With how much the Rox will depend on Harmon to lead their offense, Mangold probably won’t be playing much there anyway. He has a solid line drive swing and he is not afraid to hit to all fields. However, the Mound native rarely takes a walk and would be more useful to the roster if he hit from the right side where he could be used in either corner outfield against southpaws. Mangold still has a future in St Cloud, but there are already rumors that the team is actively monitoring the waiver wire and trade market looking for a better short term solution.

OF – David Koerbel

Unfortunately for the Rox, Koerbel is another left handed bat where they really could use a righty. The 29 year old is similar a number of the bench players on the team in that he provides solid power, but hits a lot of harmless fly balls. Walks and strikeouts are also common outcomes when the Glencoe native comes to the plate. In the field he can hold down either corner position well and could also fill in at first base if necessary.

[bwhenry]

Pitchers

Starters

Dustin Warren

The team’s 5^th round pick, the 30 year Warren has been named St Cloud’s opening day starter. The righty has 4 solidly above average pitches, including a cut fastball that he throws as hard as 93 mph. He mixes his pitches well which should lead to a decent strikeout rate, and he was always good at limiting walks during his amateur career. Unfortunately, he has to keep the hitters off balance, as often times his pitches straighten out and if the batter guessed right he can hit the ball a long way. The Lake Shore native has avoided injuries throughout his career and Rox hope he can provide them a durable arm at the front of the rotation.

Dean “Nervous” Geston

Grabbed one round before Warren, the 29 year old Geston will be asked to be the club’s number 2 starter. Scouts have always drooled over Geston’s fastball, which he throws as hard as 99 mph. Unfortunately, his secondary offerings are average at best, and this can lead to trouble against better hitters. Some think there is still some untapped potential left in Gesson’s right arm, but a sketchy injury history makes him quite the gable for the Rox. The Mound View native has always been viewed a good teammate, and through spring training seemed to be the leader of the pitching staff.

Brian Gifford

The final three spots in the Rox rotation will be filled by southpaws, all of whom have their warts. The 25 year old Gifford is a bit of a junk baller, mixing 4 mediocre to average pitches (including the always entertaining knuckle curve) and not touching more than 92 on the gun. All of pitches seem to have pretty good downward action, leading to lots of groundballs. The Savage native still has room to grow as a pitcher, but his upside is pretty limited.

Chris Scarver

You might call Scarver a poor man’s Brian Gifford, which is not much of a compliment. The 28 year old was taken in the 13^th round by the Rox, and lacks any dominant pitches. The Minneapolis native is a hard worker who generally can limit homeruns, but mediocre control will not help his cause. Hey, at least he is a good bunter.

Kevin Dirk

Unlike the previous 2 lefties, Dirk still seems to have some untapped potential. The 26 year old has two very good pitches, a fastball that isn’t thrown that hard but has plenty of movement, and a devastating slider. He also mixes in a solid circle change up and has been working recently on more of a straight change. His lack of stamina is a concern, and if the Bloomington native doesn’t show the ability to work through the middle innings of games on a consistent basis his future may lie in the bullpen.

Bullpen

Ellis Hart

While there are plenty of question marks throughout the Rox rotation, it looks like the bullpen might be a relative strength. The 36 year old Hart will be counted on to close out games, but could also be used in high leverage situations earlier in the game. The Edina native has a fastball in the mid 90s and uses a devastating curveball as his strikeout pitch. His pinpoint control helps him avoid free passes, and even when runners reach he is one of the hardest relievers in the game to steal on. Of course, at 36, things could fall apart quickly, but the team has full confidence with the game in Hart’s hands.

Allen Houts

The 27 year old Houts was selected in the 19^th round and will serve as one of the team’s primary setup men. While he doesn’t have one dominant pitch he mixes in 4 different pitches and has confidence in any of them. The native of Minneapolis has a rubber arm and could very well lead the club in games pitched this season. There are some in the organization that think it may be worth trying to stretch out the righty and see if his 4 pitch arsenal would work as a starter, though it does not appear the teams has any plans to do so at this point.

Matt Caldwell

The team’s counterpart to Houts from the left side will be the just turned 26 year old Caldwell. While he doesn’t throw as hard as most late inning relievers he mixes 3 above average pitches to keep hitters off balance. Caldwell can be a frustrating pitcher at times as he demonstrated during spring training. When he is on he hits all his spots with great precision, but in some outings he seems to lose his arm slot and his control goes with it. If the Wilmar native can find a way to always replicate his delivery each outing he could become a very dangerous weapon.

Brent Albrecht

The 33 year old Albrecht was claimed off waivers from Brooklyn Park just prior to spring training, and impressed enough during the exhibition games to make the squad. The righty throws in the mid 90s while also mixing in decent curveball, however, his control can be very spotty. Albrecht probably doesn’t have a very long leash at the start of the season, there were a number of pitchers competing for the last few spots in the bullpen, and Albrecht is getting may be getting the first shot at the job simply because is out of options. Albrecht already had a friend on the team when he came over, as he grew up with Nick Jernigan in Chisholm.

Robby “Major” Millar

The 34 year Millar gives the Rox a 2^nd lefty out of the pen, and he will likely be used as a matchup lefty early in the year. While he can hit 97 on occasion his fastball is fairly straight and his off-speed pitches are nothing to write home about. The Albertville native has been used as a starter at times during his amateur career, and with the lack of big league ready pitching in the St. Cloud system he may be called on to start if there are any injuries in the rotation.

Tim Bruce

Similar to Albrecht, one of the reasons Bruce made the team was that he was out of options and if he gets off to a poor start he may not be long for the team. The 29 year old Bruce is the definition of a junkballer, he rarely hits 90 mph and has to get buy on guts and guile. As a 4^th righty out of the pen a team could do worse, but the North St Paul native probably doesn’t want to look into any real estate in the St. Cloud area.

[bwhenry]

Well, looks like they like my Rox, interestingly, Bobby Harmon who should be my star is not on the projected top seasons list

[bwhenry]

[bwhenry]

[bwhenry]

I am usually good about doing regular saves and or backups, but hadn't done one since prior to spring training and then had a crash right after the 3rd game of the regular season...I suppose it could have been much worse.

I'm still excited about this league and keeping the dynasty report going on it will help my immersion (I hope). To avoid confusion though I am going to start a new thread for it, so we don't have pages at the beginning that do not apply. I will copy the pertinent information over from this one and get rid of the stuff that is no longer valid.

Hope people enjoy following along, I apologize for the couple of restarts here.

The new thread can be found here: http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...-take-2-a.html