OOTP Sports Agency (established 1977) - Page 2

gocgo1 · 12-19-2020, 05:10 AM

July 2, 1979

An exciting day for Mike - he was named the #90 prospect in the MLB!

gocgo1 · 12-19-2020, 05:15 AM

July 19, 1979

I received unfortunate news from the Walla Walla medical staff today - Mike fractured his rib during today's game while playing out in RF. It'll take him 6 weeks to recover, ending his season prematurely. He played quite well this year and will finish with a .339 average, 17 doubles, 3 triples, 2 homers, 32 runs, and 39 RBI in 55 games played. He played 47 games at RF, the rest were in the DH slot. He really cut down on strikeouts, with just 21 this year as opposed to 43 in 68 games last season. He's in good spirits and should make a full recovery for next season.

gocgo1 · 12-19-2020, 05:26 AM

August 4, 1979

Chad has played pretty well at the plate, but has struggled to cover all of CF, triggering a move to LF. His best position was always RF, but he's definitely better in left than center. Hopefully this change will be good for him. He's also been moved down to 6th in the lineup. He doesn't seem too happy with how things are going, but I'm trying to keep him in good spirits. He's hitting .318 with 9 doubles and 2 triples in 36 games. He's scored 21 times and knocked in 15. He's striking out a lot, with 27 already, on pace for 51 on the season. Bluefield is 17-20 and is not in position to make a run at the playoffs.

The Padres are now 52-58, 4th in the NL West. They won't make the playoffs, but they seem to be better than last year. A step in the right direction. Their new RF John Poff, acquired in a trade with Toronto over the
offseason, has played well and is only a second-year player, meaning he's under team control for a while longer. Mike is a long way from being ready for the Majors, but I do need to keep an eye on the Padres outfield. When the time comes, I want Mike to be with a club that has room for him on the major league roster. As for Chad, I just want him to turn his fielding performance around and cheer up a bit.

gocgo1 · 12-19-2020, 05:31 AM

Sept. 9, 1979

Chad wrapped up his first season with a .311 average having hit 12 doubles and 3 triples with no HRs in 68 games. While his batting average gives the appearance of a good hitter, those were mostly singles, and he struck out 47 times. His fielding also left much to be desired. He seems quite frustrated with performance. He'll have to put in work this offseason if he wants to make progress next year.

Mike, meanwhile, has fully recovered from his broken rib and is already talking about preparing for next season.

gocgo1 · 12-19-2020, 05:34 AM

Oct. 18, 1979

The Indians won the World Series in 5 games over the Dodgers, and the MLB offseason has officially begun.

gocgo1 · 12-19-2020, 05:36 AM

Nov. 27, 1979

My second winter meetings. I'll continue to get my name out there as an agent. Being able to say I have a top 100 prospect as a client will certainly help.

gocgo1 · 12-19-2020, 05:39 AM

Dec. 15, 1979

After two straight years of having clients in the draft, it's a strange feeling not having to sit by the phone all day. Darren Daulton went first overall to the Blue Jays. The Cubs picked Eric Davis second. The Padres got 1B Kent Krbek with the 7th pick, and the Orioles chose SP Bill Landrum 18th.

gocgo1 · 12-19-2020, 05:41 AM

Jan. 16, 1980

Al Kaline and Jim Bunning were elected to the HOF.

gocgo1 · 12-19-2020, 05:53 AM

Jan. 19, 2020

My networking at the Winter Meetings seems to have payed off, as two new clients were referred to me over the past couple weeks and have signed on with OOTP Sports Agency.

The first is 16-year-old Matt Warnke. He's primarily a shortstop but can play 2nd or 3rd as well. He's 6'1, 160 lbs and has a lean, athletic build. He has good plate discipline and drawing walks as a strength. If his power develops he should be able to hit ~15 homers in a 162 game season. His main problem is he has a hard time making contact consistently, and doesn't really have the work ethic to fix it. I could see him as a future bench bat for a big league team if he develops.

My second new client is 17-year-old Jim Qualls, a 5'10, 160 lb player from New Hampshire who can play CF, 2B, and SS. He's a good runner but strikes out a lot and likely won't be anything more than a role player, if that.

The next amateur draft isn't until December, so both Matt and Jim will have to wait until next year at least to get their pro careers started.

gocgo1 · 12-19-2020, 05:59 AM

April 9, 1980

My 3rd opening day as an agent, and I'm still working at the grocery store... My parents are starting to harass me about giving up on this. But my client list is growing! Nevermind that none of them have yet made it past the lowest minor league level... It looks like Mike is headed back to Walla Walla, where he might not even start, but should get some time at DH. It looks like scouts are down on him after his injury. He is no longer a top 100 prospect. The Orioles are sending Chad back to Bluefield as well.

gocgo1 · 12-19-2020, 06:02 AM

May 25, 1980

I'm hearing manager Jim Fillmore spoke highly of Mike in discussions with the Padres organization and now has the green light to start him at DH and bat him 3rd. I sure hope Mike can perform like he did last year and justify the decision.

gocgo1 · 12-19-2020, 06:07 AM

July 1, 1980

Mike is really living up to the hype! In his first 25 games, all of which have been at DH, he's hit .391 with 6 doubles, a home run, 22 RBI, and 19 runs scored. He's only struck out 5 times! Yesterday, he was even named player of the week in the Northwest League.

Chad is hitting 6th and playing LF again for Bluefield this year. In his first 7 games, he's had just 3 hits in 27 ABs. Hopefully he can turn it around. It's still early.

gocgo1 · 12-19-2020, 06:13 AM

August 10, 1980

Mike fell back to earth a little bit but still had a strong season. In 54 games at DH, he hit .344 with 11 doubles, 2 triples, and 2 homers, hitting 39 RBI and scoring a career high 36 runs. He struck out only 12 times, continuing to improve that area of his game. I'm hoping he'll be promoted to a higher level of the minors next season. Walla Walla unfortunately missed the playoffs after a competitive season. They went on a losing streak in the last week of play to fall out of contention.

Chad has turned it around in Bluefield, now hitting .277 with 11 doubles and 25 RBI through 42 games. He's spent almost all of his time in LF this year, and his fielding is much improved as compared to his play in CF last season. Bluefield is 23-21 but 7 games back in the division, making it unlikely they'll make the playoffs. Chad continues to complain about his performance and role on the team, but unfortunately there's not that much I can do about that. He's an 11th round pick in his second season.

gocgo1 · 12-19-2020, 06:18 AM

September 1, 1980

Chad has continued to put together a respectable performance in LF for Bluefield, hitting .269 with 14 doubles, 4 triples, 1 HR, and 30 RBI over 61 games. This productivity has earned him a promotion to the Orioles' Single A team, the Miami Orioles, where he will bat 2nd and play LF. Very exciting news for Chad and for my agency. He's my first client to progress past the lowest level!

gocgo1 · 12-19-2020, 06:20 AM

September 29, 1980

Chad wasn't great in his 23 games of A-ball. He hit .232 with 4 doubles and a triple, scoring 9 times and hitting 4 RBI. He had 4 walks and 20 strikeouts and stole a pair of bases. His play in the field was solid. The Miami Orioles didn't make the playoffs, so Chad's second pro season ends there.

gocgo1 · 12-19-2020, 06:23 AM

October 24, 1980

The Cardinals take the World Series in 6 games over the Indians, and the offseason begins.

gocgo1 · 12-19-2020, 06:33 AM

Dec. 15, 1980

It's draft day, and I have my two new clients eligible this year: Jim Qualls and Matt Warnke. Both guys have offers to play in college, Jim at St. John's University and Matt at Florida State, so both have made clear they'd need pretty convincing offers to go pro and give up their scholarships. The OSA's mock draft has Matt going to the Phillies in the 4th round.

For the second year in a row, the Blue Jays have the first pick. They went with a catcher this time, Mickey Tettleton. The Brewers picked David Cone second. The Orioles had the 4th pick and went with John Kruk. Ivan Calderon went 14th to the Padres.

The Yankees ended up taking Qualls in the 13th round with the 347th pick. He gave me the go ahead to sign a minor league contract with no bonus.

The Twins drafted Matt Warnke 99th overall in the 4th round, and it's up to me to negotiate an acceptable signing bonus with the club, or else he'll head off to Florida State.

gocgo1 · 12-19-2020, 06:54 AM

Jan. 7, 1981

Matt signed on with the Twins organization for a bonus of $40,200, giving me my first big check since Mike's signing bonus a few years ago.

More promising news for the agency came with the signing of four new clients. My outreach at the winter meetings the past few years has been a big help.

Johnny Stanley, an 18-year-old from Washington, DC, became the first pitcher signed to my agency, and he could be a true star. The lefty has an unorthodox four-pitch mix of a plus sinker, a plus splitter, a plus forkball, and a changeup that projects well below average. His stuff should develop to be well above average, and his command is so strong that he won't give up many home runs. Stanley has the potential to win multiple Cy Young awards if he pans out.

16-year-old Jim Bridges is a right-handed pitcher out of NYC. He is a long, lean, athletic starting pitcher who relies heavily on his slider, the best of his three pitches (he also throws a cutter and a changeup). His stuff has always been good, but he gives up a fair number of homers. I don't think he'll pan out to be more than an emergency call-up or an occasional spot starter.

My next signee was Cody Allen, a 23-year-old right-handed reliever. His three-pitch repertoire includes an above-average fastball, a curveball with good depth, and a strong changeup. Everyone raves about his big-time stuff. He's projected to be a late-inning reliever.

My final player signed this offseason was Lee Maye. He's a 24-year-old outfielder from Tuscaloosa. He has above-average contact skills with a smooth swing, quick hands, and good pitch recognition and could hit above .300. His power potential projects to be decent. He's a slow runner, but he has good instincts and could steal a few bases. He's projected to be an above-average, everyday big league player.

My new clients will enter the draft in December.

gocgo1 · 12-19-2020, 06:58 AM

Jan. 14, 1981

Harmon Killebrew and Bob Gibson were elected to the HOF.

gocgo1 · 12-19-2020, 07:06 AM

April 8, 1981

Another Opening Day has arrived.

Mike Dornan will play for the Padres' Single-A team, the Salem Redbirds. They plan to play him at DH and have him hit third in the lineup. I sense a promotion to AA is not out of the question this season, depending on his progression.

Chad Slusar will return to the Single-A Miami Orioles to start the year. He's slated to hit 8th and play LF.

Jim Qualls is currently assigned to the Paintsville Yankees, a rookie team. It's looking like he'll bat 3rd and play DH, but their season doesn't start until June. Much could change.

Matt Warnke is assigned to the Elizabethton Twins. They play in the same league as Paintsville and won't start until June. Warnke isn't currently expected to start, but I'm hoping that will change between now and June.

12-19-2020, 05:10 AM	#21
gocgo1 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 143	July 2, 1979 An exciting day for Mike - he was named the #90 prospect in the MLB!

12-19-2020, 05:15 AM	#22
gocgo1 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 143	July 19, 1979 I received unfortunate news from the Walla Walla medical staff today - Mike fractured his rib during today's game while playing out in RF. It'll take him 6 weeks to recover, ending his season prematurely. He played quite well this year and will finish with a .339 average, 17 doubles, 3 triples, 2 homers, 32 runs, and 39 RBI in 55 games played. He played 47 games at RF, the rest were in the DH slot. He really cut down on strikeouts, with just 21 this year as opposed to 43 in 68 games last season. He's in good spirits and should make a full recovery for next season.

12-19-2020, 05:26 AM	#23
gocgo1 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 143	August 4, 1979 Chad has played pretty well at the plate, but has struggled to cover all of CF, triggering a move to LF. His best position was always RF, but he's definitely better in left than center. Hopefully this change will be good for him. He's also been moved down to 6th in the lineup. He doesn't seem too happy with how things are going, but I'm trying to keep him in good spirits. He's hitting .318 with 9 doubles and 2 triples in 36 games. He's scored 21 times and knocked in 15. He's striking out a lot, with 27 already, on pace for 51 on the season. Bluefield is 17-20 and is not in position to make a run at the playoffs. The Padres are now 52-58, 4th in the NL West. They won't make the playoffs, but they seem to be better than last year. A step in the right direction. Their new RF John Poff, acquired in a trade with Toronto over the offseason, has played well and is only a second-year player, meaning he's under team control for a while longer. Mike is a long way from being ready for the Majors, but I do need to keep an eye on the Padres outfield. When the time comes, I want Mike to be with a club that has room for him on the major league roster. As for Chad, I just want him to turn his fielding performance around and cheer up a bit.

12-19-2020, 05:31 AM	#24
gocgo1 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 143	Sept. 9, 1979 Chad wrapped up his first season with a .311 average having hit 12 doubles and 3 triples with no HRs in 68 games. While his batting average gives the appearance of a good hitter, those were mostly singles, and he struck out 47 times. His fielding also left much to be desired. He seems quite frustrated with performance. He'll have to put in work this offseason if he wants to make progress next year. Mike, meanwhile, has fully recovered from his broken rib and is already talking about preparing for next season.

12-19-2020, 05:34 AM	#25
gocgo1 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 143	Oct. 18, 1979 The Indians won the World Series in 5 games over the Dodgers, and the MLB offseason has officially begun.

12-19-2020, 05:36 AM	#26
gocgo1 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 143	Nov. 27, 1979 My second winter meetings. I'll continue to get my name out there as an agent. Being able to say I have a top 100 prospect as a client will certainly help.

12-19-2020, 05:39 AM	#27
gocgo1 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 143	Dec. 15, 1979 After two straight years of having clients in the draft, it's a strange feeling not having to sit by the phone all day. Darren Daulton went first overall to the Blue Jays. The Cubs picked Eric Davis second. The Padres got 1B Kent Krbek with the 7th pick, and the Orioles chose SP Bill Landrum 18th.

12-19-2020, 05:41 AM	#28
gocgo1 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 143	Jan. 16, 1980 Al Kaline and Jim Bunning were elected to the HOF.

12-19-2020, 05:53 AM	#29
gocgo1 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 143	Jan. 19, 2020 My networking at the Winter Meetings seems to have payed off, as two new clients were referred to me over the past couple weeks and have signed on with OOTP Sports Agency. The first is 16-year-old Matt Warnke. He's primarily a shortstop but can play 2nd or 3rd as well. He's 6'1, 160 lbs and has a lean, athletic build. He has good plate discipline and drawing walks as a strength. If his power develops he should be able to hit ~15 homers in a 162 game season. His main problem is he has a hard time making contact consistently, and doesn't really have the work ethic to fix it. I could see him as a future bench bat for a big league team if he develops. My second new client is 17-year-old Jim Qualls, a 5'10, 160 lb player from New Hampshire who can play CF, 2B, and SS. He's a good runner but strikes out a lot and likely won't be anything more than a role player, if that. The next amateur draft isn't until December, so both Matt and Jim will have to wait until next year at least to get their pro careers started.

12-19-2020, 05:59 AM	#30
gocgo1 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 143	April 9, 1980 My 3rd opening day as an agent, and I'm still working at the grocery store... My parents are starting to harass me about giving up on this. But my client list is growing! Nevermind that none of them have yet made it past the lowest minor league level... It looks like Mike is headed back to Walla Walla, where he might not even start, but should get some time at DH. It looks like scouts are down on him after his injury. He is no longer a top 100 prospect. The Orioles are sending Chad back to Bluefield as well.

12-19-2020, 06:02 AM	#31
gocgo1 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 143	May 25, 1980 I'm hearing manager Jim Fillmore spoke highly of Mike in discussions with the Padres organization and now has the green light to start him at DH and bat him 3rd. I sure hope Mike can perform like he did last year and justify the decision.

12-19-2020, 06:07 AM	#32
gocgo1 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 143	July 1, 1980 Mike is really living up to the hype! In his first 25 games, all of which have been at DH, he's hit .391 with 6 doubles, a home run, 22 RBI, and 19 runs scored. He's only struck out 5 times! Yesterday, he was even named player of the week in the Northwest League. Chad is hitting 6th and playing LF again for Bluefield this year. In his first 7 games, he's had just 3 hits in 27 ABs. Hopefully he can turn it around. It's still early.

12-19-2020, 06:13 AM	#33
gocgo1 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 143	August 10, 1980 Mike fell back to earth a little bit but still had a strong season. In 54 games at DH, he hit .344 with 11 doubles, 2 triples, and 2 homers, hitting 39 RBI and scoring a career high 36 runs. He struck out only 12 times, continuing to improve that area of his game. I'm hoping he'll be promoted to a higher level of the minors next season. Walla Walla unfortunately missed the playoffs after a competitive season. They went on a losing streak in the last week of play to fall out of contention. Chad has turned it around in Bluefield, now hitting .277 with 11 doubles and 25 RBI through 42 games. He's spent almost all of his time in LF this year, and his fielding is much improved as compared to his play in CF last season. Bluefield is 23-21 but 7 games back in the division, making it unlikely they'll make the playoffs. Chad continues to complain about his performance and role on the team, but unfortunately there's not that much I can do about that. He's an 11th round pick in his second season.

12-19-2020, 06:18 AM	#34
gocgo1 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 143	September 1, 1980 Chad has continued to put together a respectable performance in LF for Bluefield, hitting .269 with 14 doubles, 4 triples, 1 HR, and 30 RBI over 61 games. This productivity has earned him a promotion to the Orioles' Single A team, the Miami Orioles, where he will bat 2nd and play LF. Very exciting news for Chad and for my agency. He's my first client to progress past the lowest level!

12-19-2020, 06:20 AM	#35
gocgo1 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 143	September 29, 1980 Chad wasn't great in his 23 games of A-ball. He hit .232 with 4 doubles and a triple, scoring 9 times and hitting 4 RBI. He had 4 walks and 20 strikeouts and stole a pair of bases. His play in the field was solid. The Miami Orioles didn't make the playoffs, so Chad's second pro season ends there.

12-19-2020, 06:23 AM	#36
gocgo1 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 143	October 24, 1980 The Cardinals take the World Series in 6 games over the Indians, and the offseason begins.

12-19-2020, 06:33 AM	#37
gocgo1 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 143	Dec. 15, 1980 It's draft day, and I have my two new clients eligible this year: Jim Qualls and Matt Warnke. Both guys have offers to play in college, Jim at St. John's University and Matt at Florida State, so both have made clear they'd need pretty convincing offers to go pro and give up their scholarships. The OSA's mock draft has Matt going to the Phillies in the 4th round. For the second year in a row, the Blue Jays have the first pick. They went with a catcher this time, Mickey Tettleton. The Brewers picked David Cone second. The Orioles had the 4th pick and went with John Kruk. Ivan Calderon went 14th to the Padres. The Yankees ended up taking Qualls in the 13th round with the 347th pick. He gave me the go ahead to sign a minor league contract with no bonus. The Twins drafted Matt Warnke 99th overall in the 4th round, and it's up to me to negotiate an acceptable signing bonus with the club, or else he'll head off to Florida State.

12-19-2020, 06:54 AM	#38
gocgo1 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 143	Jan. 7, 1981 Matt signed on with the Twins organization for a bonus of $40,200, giving me my first big check since Mike's signing bonus a few years ago. More promising news for the agency came with the signing of four new clients. My outreach at the winter meetings the past few years has been a big help. Johnny Stanley, an 18-year-old from Washington, DC, became the first pitcher signed to my agency, and he could be a true star. The lefty has an unorthodox four-pitch mix of a plus sinker, a plus splitter, a plus forkball, and a changeup that projects well below average. His stuff should develop to be well above average, and his command is so strong that he won't give up many home runs. Stanley has the potential to win multiple Cy Young awards if he pans out. 16-year-old Jim Bridges is a right-handed pitcher out of NYC. He is a long, lean, athletic starting pitcher who relies heavily on his slider, the best of his three pitches (he also throws a cutter and a changeup). His stuff has always been good, but he gives up a fair number of homers. I don't think he'll pan out to be more than an emergency call-up or an occasional spot starter. My next signee was Cody Allen, a 23-year-old right-handed reliever. His three-pitch repertoire includes an above-average fastball, a curveball with good depth, and a strong changeup. Everyone raves about his big-time stuff. He's projected to be a late-inning reliever. My final player signed this offseason was Lee Maye. He's a 24-year-old outfielder from Tuscaloosa. He has above-average contact skills with a smooth swing, quick hands, and good pitch recognition and could hit above .300. His power potential projects to be decent. He's a slow runner, but he has good instincts and could steal a few bases. He's projected to be an above-average, everyday big league player. My new clients will enter the draft in December.

12-19-2020, 06:58 AM	#39
gocgo1 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 143	Jan. 14, 1981 Harmon Killebrew and Bob Gibson were elected to the HOF.

12-19-2020, 07:06 AM	#40
gocgo1 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 143	April 8, 1981 Another Opening Day has arrived. Mike Dornan will play for the Padres' Single-A team, the Salem Redbirds. They plan to play him at DH and have him hit third in the lineup. I sense a promotion to AA is not out of the question this season, depending on his progression. Chad Slusar will return to the Single-A Miami Orioles to start the year. He's slated to hit 8th and play LF. Jim Qualls is currently assigned to the Paintsville Yankees, a rookie team. It's looking like he'll bat 3rd and play DH, but their season doesn't start until June. Much could change. Matt Warnke is assigned to the Elizabethton Twins. They play in the same league as Paintsville and won't start until June. Warnke isn't currently expected to start, but I'm hoping that will change between now and June.