Orcin's Brave New World

[pgjocki]

Originally Posted by AstaSyneri

Three weeks? Preposterous!

I might have to finish my own fourth season, actually this thread already prompted me to do that. Six games to go till the play-offs and I am tied for home court advantage with the Luxemburg Citadel at 97 wins (and 48 losses - it's not a full 162 games season for some reason).

Now I dread the first round of the play-offs, having seen how easily dreams can be shattered.

Has it been three weeks yet??

[Westheim]

Not bloody quite.

Well, I'm consoling myself with my Raccoons, who are heading to the playoffs again this year. Should me interesting! (shameless self promotion )

[Orcin]

I am following the Raccoons (and the Cowboys, good luck Sal) on my phone.

Sorry for the wait, and thanks for the bump.

[madJ]

The wait is like torture. So I have to use the time now to plan my own dynasty report right after I finish the first season of my fictional league. Look what you've done, Orcin.

[Clemente21PIT]

For your automatic hall-of-fame voting, what do you have your VORP requirement at? The default is 600 or 700 to become a HOFer. In addition, what would you recommend for a 124 games/season VORP HOF requirement?

Thanks!

PS: I love your writing Mr. Orcin!

[AstaSyneri]

Impatiently waiting for this Dynasty to continue.

In the meantime, there is this excellent story for Football Manager 2014 (*gasp, I know! The blasphemy!*).

It should help you pass the time until Orcin returns triumphantly.

[Orcin]

Originally Posted by Clemente21PIT

For your automatic hall-of-fame voting, what do you have your VORP requirement at? The default is 600 or 700 to become a HOFer. In addition, what would you recommend for a 124 games/season VORP HOF requirement?

I have it set to the default (700).

I would suggest 700 * (124/162) = 536.

[Clemente21PIT]

Originally Posted by Orcin

I have it set to the default (700).

I would suggest 700 * (124/162) = 536.

Thanks, I didn't think of that!

[AstaSyneri]

*raises slumping head with a jerk* Are we there yet? *falls asleep again*

[Orcin]

Originally Posted by AstaSyneri

*raises slumping head with a jerk* Are we there yet? *falls asleep again*

It will be here before you know it. It is going by pretty fast for me.

I have to take a little side-trip today. I will be in Louisville, and I will be stopping for a haircut. Don't read anything else into this... just visting some old friends.

[DonBraswell]

You need to visit the Louisville Slugger Company while you are in town. I went there last year on my way home from our vacation.
Don

[AstaSyneri]

Well, we'll all just assume the manager is on an extended scouting trip overseas, looking at outstanding talent in the Carribean...

[Orcin]

Originally Posted by AstaSyneri

Well, we'll all just assume the manager is on an extended scouting trip overseas, looking at outstanding talent in the Carribean...

I wish!

[AstaSyneri]

Originally Posted by Orcin

I wish!

You could at least leave us our dreams! ;-)

Siting in the shade under a straw umbrella, while a bikini-clad (female!) team is learning to play softball... You gotta be happy about that talent!

[Yanksrock02]

Just spent almost all day reading all of the first three threads. Great work and keep it up!

[AstaSyneri]

Forum's back up. Now it's time to present us the new (?) team, Mr. Orcin!

[Orcin]

St. Louis Cardinals Off-Season Planning

Last year was about clearing dead wood off the 40-man roster and adding players that could help us win a championship. Much of that work has been accomplished and the core of major league players is in place. The initial decisions during this off-season will involve contracts, but then we need to evaluate every spot on the roster and look for better options if they are available.

There will be additional emphasis and attention on the minor league organization in the coming year. Looking at the prospect depth chart, I see systemic weaknesses such as left-handed pitching and right-handed power. Those deficiencies must be addressed in quantity at the lower levels of the organization. Obviously, most of this work is done in the June draft, but international scouting and careful scrutiny of the free agent list can bear fruit.

Owner Bill Dewitt III provided some good news on the first day of the off-season. The Cardinals market size has increased to “very big”. As a consequence, the 2022 budget has been increased by $3M to $188 million.

One contract extension was signed while the playoffs were in progress, but we delayed the announcement so as not to interfere with the main business of baseball. I will start the off-season news with that item, and move on to arbitration and free agency.


St. Louis Cardinals News – November 2021

Cardinals 3B Trey Michalczewski Signs Contract Extension
T-Mick proposed a 4-year contract at $36 million. I was expecting him to ask for $50M over four years, so I was really happy to meet his reasonable demands. The only thing that I changed from his proposal was to front-load the payments a bit more, and remove his request for a player option in the final season. The contract pays him $8M next year, $9M x 2 years, and $10M in 2025.

Cardinals Scout Dan Kantrovitz Leaves Team
In a surprise move, the contract of scout Kantrovitz was not renewed. Some observers claimed that GM Otto Orcin fell asleep at the switch and just overlooked this expiring contract. Sources inside the organization say otherwise – that this was a conscious decision by Orcin to upgrade a key position in the organization. Legendary international scout Deron Johnson has been offered a four-year contract to oversee the Cardinals player evaluation department. He was with the Minnesota Twins from 2013-2016, and discovered much of the talent that populates their playoff roster today. Johnson is said to favor tools.

Closer Rex Brothers Will Return to St. Louis
A post-season question was answered when Rex Brothers exercised his player option at $8.6M for the 2022 season. Brothers is expected to be the closer for the Redbirds again next season.

Minor League House Cleaning
The Cardinals announce the release of 37 players today. Notable names on the list of departures were SP Jesse Biddle, reliever A.J.Cole, and 1B Matt Adams. Several minor league players were offered non-guaranteed contracts for next season. They would still be eligible for the Rule 5 draft unless added to the 40-man roster before December 1.

Cardinals Sign Extension with J.P. Crawford
Shortstop J.P. Crawford has agreed to a one-year contract at a salary of $10.5M plus award bonuses. Crawford made $8M last year, and was slated to go to arbitration with an estimate of $10.35M. The parties apparently could not agree on a long-term deal, but GM Otto Orcin stated that the two sides were still talking and simply wanted to avoid an “unpleasant” arbitration hearing.

Cardinals Avoid Arbitration
St. Louis has signed four arbitration-eligible players to one-year contracts. The players (and their new salary amounts) are LF Dutch Deol ($6M vs. $5.5M estimate), C Steve Bean ($4.5M vs. $4.4M), CF Vance Knox ($3M vs. $2.6M) and SP Ray Chambers ($2M vs. $1.9M). The only remaining arbitration case for the Cardinals is LF Min-Zhong You ($900K estimate). There has been no comment from the Cardinals about You (or you).

[AstaSyneri]

Ha! Finally it is back! Including the You (not you) jokes .

Originally Posted by Orcin

Cardinals 3B Trey Michalczewski Signs Contract Extension
T-Mick proposed a 4-year contract at $36 million. I was expecting him to ask for $50M over four years, so I was really happy to meet his reasonable demands. The only thing that I changed from his proposal was to front-load the payments a bit more, and remove his request for a player option in the final season. The contract pays him $8M next year, $9M x 2 years, and $10M in 2025.

Maybe I don't understand this correctly, but how is this front-loading?

Wouldn't something like 12M now 9M the following two years, and 6 M in the last be front-loading?

[madJ]

Originally Posted by AstaSyneri

Maybe I don't understand this correctly, but how is this front-loading?

Wouldn't something like 12M now 9M the following two years, and 6 M in the last be front-loading?

I suspect he asked for a lower 1st year salary with higher raises per year. So changing it to give him more the first year with smaller raises is "front-loading it a big more". At least that's how I understood it as there was no mention of a real front-loaded contract.

[Orcin]

Originally Posted by madJ

I suspect he asked for a lower 1st year salary with higher raises per year. So changing it to give him more the first year with smaller raises is "front-loading it a big more". At least that's how I understood it as there was no mention of a real front-loaded contract.

Correct!