Florida Marlins from expansion

[statman]

April 26, 1993
The week starts out just like it begun as the Marlins lose their 5th straight. Glavine gives up just 3 runs on 6 hits in 8 innings, but Atlanta’s 25 year old ace John Smoltz goes to 4-0 to rack up a Braves win 3-1.

April 27, 1993
Orel Hershiser lasts for just 2 innings for the 2nd straight outing as the fish lose their 6th in a row to the Braves 8-4. After the 8 runs given up by Hershiser, the bullpen Bobby Ojeda and Dennis Cook gave up 0 runs on just 3 hits the rest of the way. Juan Samuel had 3 hits, 2 of them doubles. Joe Carter was injured during the game with a hyperextended knee and was placed on the 15 day DL. OF/1B Ricky Jordan was called up from the Marlins AAA Kentland Ferrets immediately following the game.

April 28, 1993
Frank Viola pitches well going 7 innings allowing 3 runs on 7 hits while striking out 7, but once again no offensive help sends the Marlins to their 7th straight loss by a score of 3-1 to the SF Giants. Girardi gets 2 hits to raise his average to .405, but the rest of the team only gets 3 more hits.

April 29, 1993
Marlins manager Rene Lachemann decides to shake the lineup up a bit to see if he can put some spark in the offense and presto Marlins beat SF 7-4! SP Mike Morgan goes 8 and allows just 2 runs on 2 hits and new Marlin Ricky Jordan hits his 1st HR of the year. Jordan goes 2 for 3 and drives in 2 and four Marlins stolen bases increase their league leading total to 37.

April 30, 1993
The fish run into Dodgers SP Pedro Martinez again and LA beats Florida 8-1 with Pedro striking out 10 in 8 innings. Lance Johnson’s single, double and triple represent the only bright spots against Martinez. After the game the Marlins announced the trading of pitcher Bobby Ojeda to the Boston Red Sox for 22 year old RF Jeffery Hammonds. Hammonds was hitting .371 with 4 homers and 21 RBI’s for the Red Sox. Lee Smith was put on the 15 day DL with back spasms and the team called up reliever Doug Simons from AAA.

May 1, 1993
Eight different Marlins get hits, but a Dodgers run in the 8th drops the Marlins to another loss 5-4. Hammonds goes 1 for 4 and scores 2 runs in his debut, but Glavine gives up a seasons high 11 hits. Juan Samuel hits his 2nd tater of the year.

May 2, 1993
Marlins lose their 10th in last 11 games by the score of 6-1. Manager Lachemann cancels the press conference after the game as the Marlins look towards their first off day in 2 weeks before upcoming series against Atlanta and St. Louis.

[abbyrd]

Really cool to read this thread...keep it going. Hope somehow George Brett can find his way into the everyday lineup and have an awesome season! Go Roy Hobbs!

[abbyrd]

Oh, and hey!! What about those Cubbies in first place- i see Dwight Smith in the leader boards, how is Jerome Walton doing?

[zukes]

Couple questions for you.

1) This was the year that John Olerud flirted with .400 until August IRL. How is he doing?

2) I see that Jose Canseco has made an early appearance with the jays, how did he get there?

3) Has Carlos Delgado shown up yet? He appeared in two games that year and was 0 for 1 with a walk. He was still considered a catcher then beofre a seaon in the OF and finally to 1B.

One statement, the Jays better still win their 2nd WS.

[jtsly2000]

I'm enjoying this and will be checking in regularily.

[Arlie Rahn]

Also enjoying this read. I'm thinking of doing something similar for the DBacks (would like to start in the early 90s and sim until they expand). Could you give a quick summary of how you set it up and which photo/logo packs you used?

Thanks!

[statman]

1st some updates on the players you are asking about. (keep asking, I love this part of the game, stats!!!)

- I'd really like to get Brett some more PT also, but with Maas playing so well he's just a pinch hitter for now, but I'm sure he'll get his AB's. He needs just 86 hits to get to 3000.

-Right now Jerome Walton is tearin' up AA for the Cubs hitting .354, I have his player card below.

-Interesting story on Delgado, since I did a quick sim of 1992 before I started, Delgado was the 1st pick overall in the draft in June of 92 (sorry Jays fan). He was selected by the Padres and is currently a catcher for them for AAA hitting .282. Hs card is also posted below.

-Canseco was traded to the Blue Jays from Oakland for SP Todd Stottlemyre just before the season started in 1992. He had a monster season in 92, Stottlemyre on the other hand is 16-17 with an ERA over 5.00 since the start of last year. Canseco's card is below.

-Olerud hit .278 in 1992 for the BJ's but this year he is currently hitting .362, but is out for 7 more days struggling with a thigh muscle strain.

-And finally, I started the historical league in 1992 using Gambo's DB. I simmed thru the 1992 season until right after the WS ended, I then picked the players in the expansion draft. I use justafans baseball team logo's for the ML teams only and Gambo's player photo pack.

-Thanks for everyone's input, look for tomorrow's post in the morning.

[Arlie Rahn]

Thanks for the feedback. What about things like recalc and the number of minor league teams? Do you enable recalc and is there some stock minor league option for starting in the early 90s?

[majormet]

Who would think Mark Dewey as closer of the Mets, and leading the majors in saves. That is what I love about alternate reality dynasties.

[statman]

Arlie, I do have recalc set at 3 years. Was unsure on what to do with my minors when starting out since I knew there wouldn't be many players there, but figured after a few years of drafting they would start to fill up.
I am only using real players with ghost minor leaguers and have 4 minor league systems in each organizations, AAA, AA, A and Rookie League. Teams have only 10-13 total players in their minor league affiliates right now.

[statman]

Thought I would add a few trades that have been made so far this season involving some well known players.

Yankees traded SS Dave Silvesti to Texas for 28 year old Kenny Rogers

Atlanta traded MR Alejandro Pena to the Royals for 1B Wally Joyner

Pittsburgh traded OF Andy Van Slyke and $3 Million to the Twins for SP Johm Smiley

[majormet]

Interesting that Pittsburgh wanted Smiley back so fast.

[Arlie Rahn]

Originally Posted by statman

Arlie, I do have recalc set at 3 years. Was unsure on what to do with my minors when starting out since I knew there wouldn't be many players there, but figured after a few years of drafting they would start to fill up.
I am only using real players with ghost minor leaguers and have 4 minor league systems in each organizations, AAA, AA, A and Rookie League. Teams have only 10-13 total players in their minor league affiliates right now.

Sounds like a solid setup. I probably won't use recalc as I like a little more mystery once I take over. For the minor league setup, how many rounds are the draft (if a draft i used). I will probably set it up just like you did (AA,AA,A,R), but I would like to see more overall prospects.

Is there a way that I could have the "real" players dumped into a draft with fictional players once I take over? And, if so, what would be a good number of rounds for the draft?

[phillypaul]

Statman...Great Read!!

Question for you...I set this up and wanted to take control of the Rockies but neither them or the Marlins are "available jobs". Is that just hit or miss or is there a way to force myself as GM?

Thanks,
Paul

[statman]

Paul, just play in Commissioner mode and you can be any GM that you want.

[phillypaul]

Thanks Statman, that's what I thought. However (sorry for being a bone head) I cannot seem to get it to allow me to take over any team except by "apply as GM". I've gone into the manager screen, the team screens, looked at the manual...I'm going crazy trying to do this. And I confirmed that I have it set as commissioner mode (set it up that way). Is there a screen (that I have to be missing) where I can go and set up myself as the GM?

Thanks,
Paul (bear of small brain)

[Arlie Rahn]

phillypaul,

The normal process is to create a "fictional" manager in commish mode to sim the non-managed seasons. Then, when you want to take over, create a new manager with your info and you should be able to choose any team you want.

[statman]

May 3, 1993
A much needed off day and Coach Lachemann takes the team to see the newly released movie Groundhog Day with Bill Murray. I guess he’s hoping he won’t wake up to the same team everyday.

May 4, 1993
Viola gets back on track and the Marlins beat the 1st place Braves 5-3. Girardi gets 2 hits and Jordan drives in 2 runs. After the game backup catcher Brian Harper shows his displeasure in playing a backup role and demands to be traded.

May 5, 1993
Darling pitches an absolute masterpiece going the distance allowing 1 run on just 1 hit, but the unearned run in the 5th proves costly as the Braves win 1-0.

May 6, 1993
Another off day as the fish head home for a 6 day homestand.

May 7, 1993
The Cardinals come in with a 15-12 record and the Marlins start off the series with a victory. Jeffery Hammonds goes deep for his 1st Marlins homer a 2-run shot in the 4th to propel the team to a 7-5 win. Glavine only lasts four, but the pen holds the Cards scoreless the last 5 innings. George Brett gets a rare start and goes 1 for 3 with a walk.

May, 8 1993
Girardi and Jordan hit 2-run bombs in the 1st inning, but once again Hershiser struggles as he is doesn’t make it through the 5th allowing 6 runs. Billy Hatcher gets 3 hits and Eric Davis hits his 3rd of the year in a frustrating loss to St. Louis 11-6.

May, 9 1993
This Marlins 7-5 victory might have been more than adding another victory to the win column. Morgan gets win #2, Girardi gets 3 more hits and Caminiti and Hatcher add 2 a piece. The big story might be the bench clearing brawl in the 5th as Jeffery Hammonds was hit in the face by a pitch from Cardinals pitcher Rheal Cormier. (see news below)

The Marlins go 3-2 for the week and better the overall record to 12-18.

[statman]

Arlie, to answer your question about length of draft. If you are playing historical and set it up for just adding the players that actual made their "pro" debuts that year, those are the only players that will be in the draft, so the draft will be as long as it needs to be to select all players, unless you choose to make the draft shorter.
In my report tomorrow for the week of May 10 to 16, the draft pool is being announced May 16 (which I will post) so it will give you a good idea of how many rounds the draft will be. If you want fictional players in the draft I'm not sure if you are able to do both, I'll see if I can look for that answer.

phillypaul, let me know if the answer Arlie gave you solves your problem

[Arlie Rahn]

I just created my league and enabled the option to have fictional players (and the minors ended up filling out with some fictional players - in addtion to the real guys). I setup a 15 round draft in June and I'm guessing some of those players will be fictional as well. I am set to auto import historical rookies, so I'll see before the first draft.