A New York State Of Mind: Replaying the New York Highlanders/New York Yankees History, 1903-Present

[gollum65]

The ones that were lost were the ones who were already retired when the glitch happened.

[hihot]

ah ok i see is just the records or are players too ?

[dcpcarmona]

As much as I hate the Yankees, I am thoroughly enjoying this thread.

dcc

[gollum65]

Originally Posted by hihot

ah ok i see is just the records or are players too ?

The players are still in the game, but their stats are all zeros. Guys that are in the HoF don't show up in the HoF, but if you go to their player card the option is there to remove them from the HoF. So something got screwed up. It's annoying, but as long as the game has worked right from that point forward I'm ok with it.


And thanks for the compliment DCP.....I think....

[gollum65]

Offseason Recap & 1952 Season Preview:

Hall Of Fame Inductees: P Cy Blanton
Cy Blanton only won 68 games in real life and had a losing record. In this dynasty however he was HoF worthy!

Blanton played 17 seasons for 4 teams, mostly with the Boston Braves. He retires with a 259-231 record, a 3.69 ERA, and a 1.32 WHIP. Opponents batted .264 against Cy, and he struck out 2,247 batters. Blanton won 20+ games 4 times, and he struck out at least 170 batters in a season 7 times. His career VORP was 528.8. He won Pitcher of the Year in 1935 and was a 4 time All Star. Cy won a World Series ring with the 1948 Indians. Blanton retires with the 9th most strikeouts all time, and he's 10 all time in wins.

Yankees 1951 Award Winners: None
Joe DiMaggio won the AL MVP award for the Tigers. Former Yankee Leon Day won the AL Most Valuable Pitcher award for the Indians.

Draft Recap: This was a tough draft to make decisions about. Lots of good talent. Ernie Banks was in the draft, and while I need a SS, I had to "ensure" that Mr. Cub went 2nd overall to the Cubs. Herb Score was in this draft, and while I did need pitching, I didn't feel he was good enough to spend a #1 pick on. He went to the As. Harvey Kuenn (of Sandy Koufax' perfect game fame) went 9th overall to the Dodgers (twist of fate). So what did I do with my 1st overall pick? I completed the Yankees Hall Of Fame outfield by selecting Roberto Clemente! How could I pass him up for anyone else that was available? Aaron, Mantle, Clemente....mmmmmmm....

Notable Offseason Transactions: No more sitting on my hands. This offseason had to make an impact before the fans stopped coming out.

November 3, 1951: Traded 2B Bobby Avila & P Raul Sanchez to the Boston Red Sox for 3B Jackie Tobin
I know. I know. My history of trading with the Sawx hasn't been good. But, I didn't give up a lot and Tobin is good enough to hold down the starting spot for a year or 2 until I can find a great 3rd baseman. Tobin has a decent bat and is very good defensively.

November 3, 1951: Traded RF Don Mueller to the St. Louis Browns for SS Lou Boudreau
Boudreau won the last 2 Gold Gloves at SS and he's got a great bat. I hated to give up Mueller, but I felt I had the depth in the outfield to do it, as long as Mantle stays healthy.

November 24, 1951: Signed free agent P Dave Koslo to a 1 year contract @ $40,000
Koslo had opted out of his contract and was asking for $75k before free agency started. Was happy he lowered his demands.

December 14, 1951: Signed free agent P Hal Newhouser to a 3 year contract @ $600,000 per season (year 3 is a mutual option)
Newhouser got the biggest contract I've ever handed out. He won the Most Valuable Pitcher award in the National League last year by winning 18 games for the Dodgers. He also struck out 223 batters. Plus he's a lefty and I need lefties in Yankee Stadium

Spring Training Injuries: None

Strengths: With Feller, Newhouser, White, and Koslo I think I have a very good starting 4. The bullpen is getting better. I think both our infield and our defense improved when I added Boudreau.

Weaknesses: That really depends on Mickey Mantle staying healthy. If he does, I don't see a lot of holes in this team now. If he doesn't, I don't have much to fall back on behind him.

Projected Record: I can't believe that we wouldn't be greatly improved this year. But I'll stick to the same projection as last season: 77 wins.

1952 Budget: $2,897,822 (#6 in the league)
This is the lowest ranked budget we've had in a long time. Not surprising considering recent results.

1952 Payroll: $2,383,854 (#8 in the league)


1952 Opening Day Roster:

[gollum65]

This should spark some discussion. It's July 24, 1952. The Yanks are in 2nd place, 4.5 games behind Washington with a record of 56-40. I've had 3 major injuries to my outfield, but surprisingly Mantle has stayed healthy. Minoso went on the DL for 2 months at the start of the season. Bobby Thomson missed a month, came back, then was injured for a year.

So I went out and re-aquired Andy Pafko to take Thomson's spot in RF. But the following trade was just proposed to me by the last place Philadelphia Athletics:

To Philly:
OF Roberto Clemente
P Karl Spooner
OF Dick Tettlebach

To New York:
OF Ted Williams!!

Ted is 33 years old and has 1 mutual option year left on his contract after this season. He's batting .308 with just 4 homers and 20 RBI in 83 games played. My hope would be that he'd rediscover his power if he came to New York.

So, would you trade a 17 year old future HoF quality outfielder for a 33 year old current HoF quality outfielder and the chance to get to another WS if he can remember how to hit again? His ratings are still top notch, so I can't see why he'd forget how to hit again. I might try to get them to take Pafko instead of Tettlebach if I try to pull this off.

[gollum65]

Add: They will take Pafko instead of Tettlebach, so the trade would be Clemente, Pafko, and Spooner for Williams.

[hihot]

sounds good cant wait to see what happens if you get him

[jduteau]

Wow. That's a dilemma! It's all in whether you think you can get to the WS with Teddy Ballgame. You've got 4.5 games to make up - not a lot but it's not 2 or less which is what I consider striking distance.

You're giving up the future to get something now. Plus you get the ultimate Yankee dream - what if Williams played in Yankee Stadium! I'd hate to be you, but I'd probably make the trade and hope that Clemente doesn't become a HoF!

JD

[lawrence97]

thats a hell of a tough trade, i wouldn't do the trade though, 2 reasons, one Williams is nearly 34, and with your team looking solid, why give up a future cornertone for someone who might only play 1 year, and by the looks of things isn't as good as he was.

Plus i remember Gehrig and Hornsby in your dynasty who fell apart pretty quickly once their stats started declining in their 30's.

However, Joe Dimaggio on the other looks like hes doing great at an advanced age.....

[Lee]

I would have to keep Clemente and hope your Patchwork OF can get you by.

[smartman]

As someone else who also remembers the rapid decline of other famous players in their 30's in this universe, I'd say stay pat. Beside that reason, you are still rebuilding which would be hurt by parting with Clemente (shouldn't he be able to fill in? He won ROY for crying out loud playing in a stadium bigger than most farms ), you'll still be sooooo much better than last year, and TED WILLIAMS SHOULD NEVER BE A YANKEE!!!!!!!!!

I know OOTP is all about the fun what-ifs, but even I wouldn't go that far. I just don't think that trade is good enough especially since Ted isn't the dominating force he was in real life. He's already hitting in a good hitters park and only putting up 8 HR's through June isn't good enough.

[Papi]

Ignoring the fact that if you trade for Williams, the universe will implode.....You need to hang onto Clemente. That OF will bring you 10+ years of the best OF baseball as ever seen, real of video game. Don't sacrifice that for a couple years of Teddy Ballgame.

[gollum65]

I'm leaning towards agreeing with Papi, smartman, and the others who recommended not taking the trade. As intriguing as it is to have Williams in pinstripes, it was much more appealing 10 seasons ago when I actively tried to trade for him. And besides, 1 or 2 years of Williams and a 20 year old Mantle vs. 10-15 years of Clemente, Aaron, and Mantle. Seems like a no-brainer to me.

I haven't decided 100% yet and won't until tomorrow morning when I go back to the franchise, but as of right now I'm probably going to pass on the deal.

[Déjà Bru]

gollum65, I just wanted to record here that I found this thread by accident but I have just bookmarked it for further reading and study. The reason is that I have just started a similar dynasty, only my Yankees go back to 1901 and the Baltimore Orioles who became the NY Highlanders in 1903. I hope that the game does make the transition!

This is the first time that I have managed any other AL club beside the Yankees in my OOTP career. Well, the second; I just joined an online league that had only the NY Giants open at the time . . . If OOTP does not make the transition, I may not be able to tear myself away from the Birds . . . NOT! (Actually, I think they disappear from MLB history for quite a while if I am not mistaken.*)

Well, thanks for this thread; I'll be following it. I already learned some tips from reading just the first page.

Edit: *I'm not. They don't reappear on the major league level again until the St. Louis Browns move to Baltimore in 1954.

[gollum65]

The game will turn them into the Highlanders for you, and then later into the Yankees.

[lawrence97]

Gollum sorry to go off topic for a while, but you couldn't indulge my passion for historical replays and tell me what happened with a few of my favourite players? I'd like to know what happened with Al Simmons, Mel Ott Carl Hubbell and Lefty Grove?

[gollum65]

No problem Lawrence.

Al Simmons was inducted into the HoF in 1940. He played 17 seasons for the Braves, Giants, and Tigers. He retired with over 3,000 hits and almost 1,500 runs scored. He currently holds the single season record for RBI with 172 in 1925, a mark that I think will stand for many years. He won Rookie of the Year, 2 MVP awards, 7 Gold Gloves, was a 2 time all star, and he won 3 World Series rings.

Mel Ott is still playing, although at 43 I'm guessing he's going to retire after this season. He's had an astonishing 27 year career, all with the Cincinnati Reds! He has over 3,200 hits and over 500 home runs with a lifetime .305 batting average. He's such a disciplined hitter that he didn't have his first 50 strikeout season until 1950, some 24 years into his career. He's a 5 time National League MVP, a 15 time All Star, and he's won 5 World Series rings. Clearly one of the greatest players in history.

Carl Hubbell was a disappointment. I don't know if injuries killed his ratings or if he was mis-rated by the game or what, but he never panned out. He was drafted in 1925 #1 overall by the Red Sox, but didn't make his major league debut until 1931. I had him for a couple of seasons and he did show some sparks of turning things around with a 15-3 in 1938, but he never won more then 3 games again and retired in 1941. His career record was 35-31 with a 4.17 ERA.

Lefty Grove was inducted into the HoF in 1942 after an 18 year career with the White Sox, Reds, Braves, and Cardinals. He had a 258-210 career record with a 3.87 ERA and over 2,300 strikeouts. He won Most Valuable Pitcher 3 times, was a 2 time All Star, and he won a World Series in 1933 with the Reds.

Post 1952 update coming soon....

[gollum65]

1952 Season Recap:

Final 1952 Standings:


1952 New York Yankees Leaders & Rankings:


1952 Year In Review: So I was worried about Mantle staying healthy, and he was the only outfielder who didn't suffer injuries during the season. All in all, even with the parade to the disabled list, we still had a better season then I expected. And you guys know I had a shot at getting Ted Williams, and I found that I could get him without giving up Clemente, but I decided not to. Not because I didn't think he could help, but because it was a 4 team race and I didn't feel 1 player would ensure me a chance at bucking the odds.

Even without acquiring Williams the Yankees stayed in the race through August, then faded in September. Not surprising for a team on the rebound.

Yogi had his usual stellar season, and while his batting average wasn't great, he finished 5th in the AL in homers and 4th in RBI. But the most impressive performance from a Yankee was by Bob Feller. He started the season with a 2-7 record, then went 19-3 after that, including winning 12 straight decisions. He and Hal Newhouser combined for over 450 strikeouts, and while Newhouser didn't win a lot of games, his stats were every bit as good as Feller.

Around the League: After the A's couldn't deal Ted Williams to me, they traded him to NL last place Brooklyn. In Ebbets Field Williams really struggled, putting up a .229 average with 1 homer and 8 RBI in 53 games. I can't believe that he's done at 33 years old, and his ratings indicate he's still got great years in front of him. I'll just chalk it up to playing on really bad teams and probably having little to no protection in the lineup. For the season Williams batted .282 with 6 homers and 30 RBI.

Duke Snider of the Phillies won the National League batting crown and the home run title, and he needed just 19 RBI to win a triple crown. Leon Day of the Indians had another great year, leading the AL in wins with 23 and ERA with 2.38. He finished just 24 strikeouts behind Feller for the pitching triple crown.

Rudy York of the Senators has the dubious distinction of setting the single season strikeout record in 1952. He fanned 162 times, breaking the 11 year old record by a dozen Ks.

Finally, someone asked how many stolen bases Harry Hooper had in 1913, the year he set the single season record for times caught stealing with 63. He had 36 steals that year.

1952 All Star Yankees: P Hal Newhouser (5th AS game), P Saul Rogovin (1st AS Game)(He would later be traded), SS Lou Boudreau (5th AS game), C Yogi Berra (3rd AS game), CF Bobby Thomson (2nd AS game), 2B Bobby Young (1st AS game)
Good to finally see some other Yankees besides Yogi going to the AS game for the first time in a while.

1952 New York Yankees Transactions: The injuries started early, and so did my efforts to fill the holes they created.

April 23, 1952: Claimed OF Steve Filipowicz off waivers from the Giants
Thomson was already on the DL for the first time this season, so I wanted Filipowicz in AAA as a backup. The next day he was in the majors when Minoso went down for 2 months.

June 12, 1952: Signed LF Minnie Minoso to a 2 year extension @ $21,100 per season
By the time this contract is up, Aaron will be ready to play in the big leagues.

June 12, 1952: Signed IF John Paul Sullivan to a 2 year extension @ $20,000 per season
Hard to find gold glove quality infielders who are content coming off the bench. Sullivan doesn't have the bat to start every day.

June 12, 1952: Signed P Hal White to a 2 year extension @ $200,000 per season
This was the last of the 3 extensions signed on the same date. While Hal White isn't going to win many awards, he's a reliable starter who will usually post 10-15 wins.

June 24, 1952: Signed SS Lou Boudreau to a 3 year extension worth $1,775,000 total (year 3 is a mutual option)
I don't like giving 35 year olds 3 year contracts, but he wouldn't take anything less and I didn't see anyone comparable on the horizon.

July 7, 1952: Traded P Saul Rogovin to the St. Louis Browns for OF Andy Pafko
When Thomson went back to the DL, this time for the rest of the year, I had to find a starting outfielder fast. This was before Philly had offered me Williams. If I had known at this time that Williams was available, I probably would have traded for him. Pafko is way overpaid for his ability (I know, I'm the one who gave him that big contract a few years ago), but he was better then nothing.

July 31, 1952: Purchased the contract of OF Bob Thurman from the Brooklyn Dodgers for $10,000
Mantle was really struggling, so I wanted to put him in AAA for a month and still get some decent production from his position. Thurman, a left handed power hitter who doesn't hit for much average, gave me exactly what I needed. After the trade he hit .232 with 7 homers and 15 RBI. I don't believe Mantle would have hit for that much power. He only hit 4 homers between the big club and AAA all year as his home run rating is just starting to climb.

World Series Matchup: Someone finally dethroned the Reds in the National League. It's the 6th World Series for the Cardinals, and they're trying to win their 3rd title. For Cleveland it's 3 World Series in 6 years. They're playing in their 10th Fall Classic and they're after their 6th title.

The teams split the first 2 games in Cleveland. When the Cardinals got back to Sportsman's Park, they hoped they'd take control of the series, and they did by winning games 3, 4, and 5 to win the title. The St. Louis Cardinals win their 3rd World Series!

[bucketsndimes]

Going back to the proposed trade...the real Yanks would definitely do it any day of the week if it meant an improved chance of competing for a title immediately rather than better chances in the future.