Following The Bird Redux

[skyballer455]

On October 21st, Fidrych signs yet another one-year extension, this time worth $172,000. He can only do this for so long before he has to either sign with the team long-term or enter free agency. But at least he's going to be in Detroit for at least another year, right?

Here are the top ten draft prospects according to BNN and the first round of the 1979 draft:




The only Hall Of Fame inductee this year is Al Kaline, who got 81.9% of the votes.

The Tiger's biggest free agent signing this offseason is of Pete Rose, another aging veteran player.

Here's a look at The Bird on Opening Day 1980:



I've noticed that his movement rating makes improvements every year. That's obviously a good thing.

Let's see if that has any effect on how this season goes for him!

[skyballer455]

April

A rough way to start the season. While his 2-1 record is acceptable, everything else is less than acceptable. He posts a 4.50 ERA to go along with 12 earned runs and just as many walks and only 8 strikeouts, with a WHIP of 1.63

May

Mark slightly improves over last month. For the month he compiles a 3.57 ERA and a 2-2 record. He strikes out only two more batters than he walks as well. I should also mention that he's on the All-Star ballot this year.

June

The Bird has his best month yet this season. Along with a 2-0 record he posts a 2.75 ERA and strikes out 23 batters. He only walks 8 batters by comparison. His WHIP for the month is also down to 1.44

Also at the end of this month, the Tigers lead the AL East by a game, with the Red Sox right behind. How long they'll hold the lead is yet to be seen.

July

Sadly, Fidrych didn't make the All-Star team. I imagine that's because he's being overshadowed by star veteran Phil Niekro. As to how he did this month, it was fairly average. He posted another 2-2 record with an ERA of 4.46 and 18 earned runs, the most he's given up in a month this season. His WHIP is 1.29 for the month, however.

Another thing, Fidrych is tied with Lerrin LaGrow for the most strikeouts. Also the Tigers are now just 1.5 games behind the Red Sox, possesing a 61-39 record.

August

A very meh month for him. While he does earn a 1-2 record and a 1.53 WHIP for the month, he does get an ERA of 2.79. However he is back to striking out and walking batters at an even clip this month. However, The Bird is just 5 strikeouts away from breaking the 100 K mark on the season.

September-October

Fidrych has 6 starts in September and and additional start in October. For september, he compiles a 1-1 record with 4.66 ERA and 1.34 WHIP. He also strikes out over twice as many batters as he walks, thus breaking the 100 K mark in a season for the first time in his career.

His one start in OCtober comes against the Yankees in Yankee Stadium. He pitches 6.1 innings, gives up 4 runs, all of them earned, and strikes out 4 batters in a 1-4 loss.

The Red Sox once again assert their dominance of the AL East by winning the division by 5 games over the Tigers, who had their best record since 1969 at 94-68. Here are the league standings at the end of the season:



Playoffs

The Sox are defeated in 4 games by the California Angels, while the Cubs down the Reds in 4 games as well to make it to the World Series. The Cubbies go on to win their first Fall Classic since 1908 by clipping the Angel's wings in 6 games:




Here are The Bird's career stats at the end of the season:



Mark had a very similar season to last year I think. The only difference was that he found the strikezone much more often this year, notching more strike outs than he's gotten in a season thus far.

Let's see what happens in the offseason!

[skyballer455]

Do you people think it would be better for me to just post a picture of the monthly splits? I think the month-by-month writeups get repetitive after a while.

[skyballer455]

On October 30th, Fidrych once again signs a one-year extension with the Tigers, this time worth $286,000. This is the last time he'll be able to do so, as after next season he will be able to enter free agency should he so wish. For the sake of variety I hope he does, but as always that remains to be seen.

Here are the top ten draft prospects according to BNN and the first round of the 1980 draft:




No one is voted to the Hall Of Fame this year. Hoyt Wilhelm is the top vote-getter with 69.5%. Here are the rest of the voting numbers:



The Tigers once again make it a habit to pick up aging veteran's in free agency after they lose Pete Rose and Phil Niekro to retirement. This offseason they sign Jim Kaat and Graig Nettles. Another interesting acquisition is of Mets minor leaguer Dan Petry.

Here's a look at The Bird on opening day 1981:



Let's see how the season shapes up for him!

[skyballer455]

Wow has it been awhile since I last updated this. However, this allows me the opportunity to try posting the monthly splits instead of doing writeups for each month.

Anyway, here is how The Bird's 1981 season played out month-by-month:



Here's what else happened during the season:

On May 1st, Fidrych signed a 3-year extension worth $1,180,000 with the Tigers. It seems he's in it for the long haul!

Also this year, he was selected to his first All-Star game.

It was a season long battle for the AL East title between the Tigers and the Red Sox. But the Red Sox, as they often have done the last few years, pulled away when it counted to once again claim the AL East crown over the Tigers. Here are the rest of the league standing for this season:



Playoffs

The ALCS goes the distance, with the Seattle Mariners ultimately downing the Red Sox in 5 games. Meanwhile, over in the NLCS, it's a no-contest as the Mets sweep the Dodgers.

In the Fall Classic, the Mariners win the opening two contests but the Mets come right back and win the series in six games.




Here as always is a look at The Bird's career stats at the end of the 1981 season:



A pretty good season for Mark. According to WAR, this was his best season to date. He certainly gave up less earned runs than he did last season. His WHIP was also the lowest he's had in a full season as a starter.

Let's see what unfolds in the offseason!

[skyballer455]

While he doesn't win the Cy Young, Fidrych gets 2 votes. Just thought that was worth mentioning.

Here are the top ten draft prospects according to BNN and the first round of the 1981 draft:




Four big names get voted to the HOF this year, and all on the first ballot. They are Hank Aaron (99.2%), Frank Robinson (98.9%), Bob Gibson (96.2%), and Harmon Killebrew (81.0%). Amazing.

The Tigers as they've always done make a big splash in free agency, this time picking up pitcher Larry Christenson, who was a 20-game winner last year. Other significant acquisitions are Greg Luzinski and Rick Rhoden (via trade).

Here's a look at The Bird on Opening Day:



Let's see what unfold for him during the season!

[skyballer455]

Here's how the season played out for him:



As you can see, he had a little bit of trouble keeping his spot in the starting rotation. Maybe that's why he didn't make the all-star game this year. But regardless he pitched very well on the season and had two undefeated months.

This season it was a three-team battle for the AL East, with the Blue Jays joining in the fray. The Tigers just couldn't get it done and came in third to end the season. Their era of semi-dominance may be coming to an end.

Here's how the rest of the league fared:



Playoffs

The Blue Jays soundly defeated the Twins 3-0 in the ALCS while in the NLCS the Dodgers beat the Mets in five games.

In the Fall Classic, upstart Toronto jumped out to a 3-0 series lead, but the Dodgers got themselves together and came all the way back to win the 1982 World Series.




Lastly, here is a look at The Bird's total career stats to this point:



Let's see what happens in the offseason!

[skyballer455]

Here are the top ten draft prospects according to BNN and the first round of the 1982 draft:




Nobody goes to the Hall Of Fame this year. Gaylord Perry was the top vote getter with 71.6%. Ron Santo came in 2nd with 68% of the vote.

Unlike previous years, the Tiger were sellers this offseason, losing a few players to free agency. They did acquire pitcher Steve Knapp in a trade with the Mets.

Here's Fidrych on opening day:



Let's see what this season has in store for him! Keep in mind that this season is how far he got in real life.

[skyballer455]

Here's how the season unfolded for Mark month-by-month:



Despite the team descending further into mediocrity (or so it seems), he put up a very good season. Unlike last year, he was a starter all year. His WHIP was also the lowest it's been in his time with the Tigers.

This year the Tigers weren't really a contender for the AL East crown as they descended further into mediocrity. This allowed the Red Sox to take it over the the defending AL champ Blue Jays.

Here are the rest of the season standings:



Playoffs

In the ALCS, the Red Sox trounce the Mariners 3-1 while in the NLCS the Dodgers do the same to the Cubs by sweeping them.

The Sox prove to be no match for the defending champ Dodgers, as they take the Fall Classic in 5 games to win their second title in 5 years.




Here is The Bird's career stats up to this point:



On to the offseason!

[RMc]

Through 1983, Fidrych's numbers in this sim are similar to the real-life stats of Mike Caldwell and Scott McGregor.

I don't know if it's even possible to re-do Mark Fidrych's career without some serious ratings-tweaking; I've tried, and there's just no way you start with a raw Fidrych in 1974 or '75 and come up with 19-9, 159 ERA+, 9.6 WAR (!!) in the majors in '76. It can't be done.

And even then, Bird wasn't just one of the best pitchers in baseball, he was a cultural phenomenon, on the cover of the Rolling Stone, a legit superstar. And the main reason a 11-year-old kid in suburban Detroit (me) became a baseball fan in the first place.

We will not see his like again.

[BirdWatcher]

Originally Posted by RMc

And even then, Bird wasn't just one of the best pitchers in baseball, he was a cultural phenomenon, on the cover of the Rolling Stone, a legit superstar. And the main reason a 11-year-old kid in suburban Detroit (me) became a baseball fan in the first place.

We will not see his like again.

Same with this also 11-year-old kid, though on the other side of the state (southwest Michigan). I was probably destined to be a life-long baseball fan anyway (certainly runs in the family) but Fidrych in 1976, at such a vital stage of my development as a human, certainly solidified it. Would I be as passionate a fan without the Bird as my childhood hero? Maybe. But I tend to think probably not quite as much, and with less unadulterated joy.

[RMc]

Bump?