GM_CheatSheets Montreal Expos Rebuild - Page 6

GM_CheatSheets · 03-11-2017, 02:03 PM

The international amateur period opened and I imported the class into my spreadsheet, revealing a moderately weak class. I won't be able to sign many of these players as I went over the cap last year. The maximum contract I can offer this year is $250,000.

I made offers of $250,000 to everyone who accepted an offer that low. Ultimately, I was only able to sign two of them.

Hopefully next year will provide a better return as I won't have any signing restrictions.

Next we will see how the Expos fared in July...

GM_CheatSheets · 03-11-2017, 03:30 PM

July started with the Expos winning both of the remaining two games versus the Marlins before being swept in four games by the Cardinals. At this point, I promoted SP Dobashi and activated RP Sandborn from his rehab assignment. I also traded away 3B Mendoza in what amounted to a salary dump as he was not performing near a level that deserved a qualifying offer. I promoted 3B Jon Chris who spent all of last year in the minors after making his debut in 2026. I also learned that C Lopez would miss the next 6-7 weeks with an injury. I recalled C Rodriguez.

The Expos then won 1 of 3 versus the Cubs, 2 of 3 versus the Cubs, and2 of 3 versus the Pirates. SP Gutierrez and RP Beddingfield both made the National League All Star squad.

The Expos closed the month wit wins in 1 of 3 versus the Diamondbacks, 2 of 3 versus the Giants, 2 of 3 versus the Reds, and 1 of 3 versus the Braves.

As the trade deadline approached, the Expos were a few games off the pace for the second wild card spot, so I figured I would need to make a trade to have a chance to make the playoffs. As SP Dobashi continued to struggle in his return to the majors after tearing up the competition at AAA, I make him the key piece in a trade with the Boston Red Sox. I also sent MiLB SP Kolb to Boston in return for SS Ozhanio Albies, MiLB SS Frank Gillette, and $6 million. Albies is the big get for me as he is a great shortstop defensively and hits decently, mostly for average. The included $6 million covers the remainder of this salary for this year and he is under contract at $18 million for one more season after this one. He should be a good stabilizing presence in my infield and should hopefully be a good influence next year on top prospect SS Warren, who looks to be a mid-season call up rather than ready to start in MLB at the beginning of next year.

This trade should improve the defense all around as Flores will move to 3B where he could improve to above average defensively, and Chris will move to 2B where he is great defensively. 2B Draxler was demoted back to AAA and Womble took Dobashi's spot in the rotation.

Here are the batting performances for the month:

There weren't many notable performances this month, but 1B Garza, CF Stark, and SS Flores led the way.

And the pitchers:

SP Diplan, SP Caballero, and SP Gutierrez had good results out of the rotation while SP Killough was a bit unlucky comparing his ERA to FIP. RP Takara and RP Crose had outstanding months in the bullpen.

Next, I will look at the updated top 30 prospects list with draft and trade additions included...

GM_CheatSheets · 03-11-2017, 08:08 PM

Below is my midseason update to the organization top 30 prospect list.

Notes and Observations:

Graduating from the top of the list are Draxler and Womble.
New additions to the list are SP Castiglione (2028 Draft, Rd 1) at #14 and SP Britland (trade acquisition) at #19.
#1 prospect SS Warren showed some important progress with his current batting ratings though his AAA batting stats still leave much to be desired. He will probably need to return to the minors next year for at least half of the season.
#5 prospect LF Derringer filled out to his potential and looks to be ready for the majors. He should get a late September call up after the AAA season (and hopefully playoffs) are over.
#6 prospect SP Garcia made a big jump up the board, mostly because he now profiles as a legit starter and no longer a borderline starter. This was in part due to his pitching rating (specifically his control) improving.
#9 prospect SS Pellot showed some good progression with his bat, pushing him up the board a few spots.
#11 prospect SP Ochoa showed the best progression among starting pitcher prospects, mosty growing with his dominance score (better current pitch ratings and possibly and increase in velocity).
#13 prospect SP Craig showed a little progress in his pitching rating, but improved his intangibles as well.
#15 prospect SS Naranjo made great progress with his bat, moving up from the #22 preseason spot.
SP Farfan dropped from #10 on the preseason list to #22 here because the calculation is now treating him as a reliever rather than a starter. Despite this, he is still one of my top starting pitcher prospects and should still be around the #10 spot on the list.

Next, the season advances into August...

Bub13 · 03-25-2017, 11:18 AM

Hoping this thread isn't dead.

Palaaemon · 03-25-2017, 01:34 PM

I am as well.

GM_CheatSheets · 04-02-2017, 03:28 PM

Work and fantasy baseball prep pulled me away from OOTP for the past few weeks. In this time, there was also a new release of OOTP 18. My plan is to wrap up the 2028 season and offseason on the version I've been playing on. I'll switch over to 18 when I reach the 2029 preseason.

So let's get back to it.

August was a great month for the Expos.

The month started with winning 2 of 3 versus the Yankees. At this point, SP Gutierrez suffered an injury, putting him out of action for two weeks. I called up top SP prospect Jose Garcia as he has been pitching very well in AAA and showing better control this year. In his debut game, he had a line of 7.2 IP, 8 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 7 K, W. I hope this is the start of a special career for Garcia. As a reminder, I acquired him in a trade where I took on a large salary to get Garcia included. Also, I came close to trading him a few times when it looked like his control wasn't going to developed. Ultimately, I am glad I did not as he was and still is young.

The Expos then won 2 of 3 versus the Dodgers, 3 of 4 versus the Nationals, 2 of 3 versus the Phillies, 1 of 3 versus the Mets, 3 of 3 versus the Indians, and 2 of 3 versus the Cubs. At this point I activated SP Gutierrez. The Expos closed the month out with wins in 1 of 3 versus the Padres and 1 of 3 versus the Rays.

The Expos' record for the month was 17-11. My last transactions for the month were activating C Lopez and a few insignificant September call ups with the rosters expanding.

The batters performed as such for the month:

1B Garza, SS Albies, and CF Stark all had great months, while 3B Flores, 2B Chris, and RF Lindberg all played well.

And here are the pitching performances:

SP Caballero, SP Garcia, and SP Killough were my top starters for the month. Again, SP Diplan had better peripherals than results. In the bullpen, RP Medina, RP Takara, RP Burdi, and RP Crose all pitched well. At the end of the month I moved Burdi out of the CL role, creating an opportunity for Beddingfield to do so.

The Expos were still on the outside looking in, but still very much a part of the wild card chase at this point. Unfortunately I forgot to note the standings before moving on.

Next up is a recap of September and October through the end of the regular season...

GM_CheatSheets · 04-02-2017, 04:37 PM

The Expos finished the season with the following: winning 1 of 3 versus the Blue Jays, 3 of 4 versus the Giants, 2 of 3 versus the Diamondbacks, 2 of 3 versus the Reds, 0 of 3 versus the Cardinals, 1 of 3 versus the Marlins, 3 of 4 versus the Pirates, 1 of 3 versus the Mets, and 1 of 3 versus the Phillies.

This adds up to a 14-17 record to close out the season. The Expos' playoff hopes remained alive until the crash over the season's last two series.

Here are the batting performances for the month:

The offensive performances this month were pretty abysmal. Only RF Lindberg and 3B Flores are worth mentioning. A few players did well in fewer at bats, thus limiting their impact. Though his stats weren't great. I did give LF prospect Sean Derringer a cup of coffee in the majors after the AAA season concluded.

And the pitching performances:

SP Caballero was my best starter for the month. SP Womble also had good results, though his peripherals weren't great. RP James, CL Bedingfield, RP Takara, and RP Crose all had great months out of the bullpen.

Next, I'll recap the Expos' regular season performances...

GM_CheatSheets · 04-02-2017, 06:10 PM

The Expos' overall record was 84-78 (.519), a three game improvement from last year. This was below my expectation and thus disappointing to see that my expected record was only 83-79.

This record was good enough for second in the NL East (8 GB) and finishing 2 GB of the second wild card spot.

Here are the season totals for batters:

Overall, the offense wasn't great. Only three players topped 3 WAR. One of them accumulated most of his WAR on a different team before I traded for him.

3B Flores and RF Lindberg tied for the team lead with 25 home runs, while Flores had the most runs (89) and Lindberg the most RBIs (105). In a bit of a surprise to me, CF Stark led the team with a .300 average and also in batting WAR with 3.8. Utility infielders Chris and Draxler failed to impress. I would really like to see more from one of them moving forward.

And the pitchers:

SP Caballero remains the top starter on my team and improved his WAR slightly up to 5.1 from last year's 4.7. I'm surprised with how well SP Diplan rated in WAR (4.9) as this didn't reflect his results: 4.45 ERA, 3.38 FIP, 9.8 K/9, and 2.2 BB/9.

SP Killough showed much improvement in his sophomore campaign (2.5 WAR) though there is still room for growth. And the veteran SP Gutierrez had another good season to the tune of 2.8 WAR.

RP Takara had a ridiculous 2.4 WAR from the bullpen. He was followed by RP Crose, RP Medina, and CL Bedingfield, each of whom had at least 1 WAR.

My hopes that Burdi would have a strong year and turn down a qualifying offer were dashed as he performed quite poorly and isn't likely to receive the QO. Given his 8 losses, it seems the Expos may have made the playoffs had I not been so committed to Burdi as the closer this year. In some ways this is a great example of the risk of working to build a strong system by squeezing every last bit of value out of players -- in this case with extra draft picks -- and contending for the playoffs at the same time. Sometimes these decisions work out well. This one seems to have bit me twice.

Up next is a look at the playoffs and new world champion...

GM_CheatSheets · 04-09-2017, 02:57 PM

The Minnesota Twins finished with the top record in the majors with 104 wins. They were followed by the Rockies (101) and the Braves (100).

Atlanta managed to reach the World Series while Minnesota and Colorado both lost in the ALDS. The AL third seeded Boston Red Sox went on to win the World Series by a 4-1 margin over the Braves.

Next, the offseason begins and my front office gets to work...

GM_CheatSheets · 04-09-2017, 03:15 PM

The offseason started with news that my hitting coach retired, I believe just a year after I signed him. In his place, I signed Sal Fasano from Colorado who has an outstanding reputation.

I made contract offers to my arbitration eligible players with CF Stark receiving $6.5 million, SP Caballero $6 million, CF Williams $5.5 million, LF Boissiere $4.8 million, 1B Garza $4 million, C Dillard $3 Million, CL Bedingfield $2.4 million, and RP Sandborn less than $2 million.

SP Gutierrez rejected the qualifying offer, and I lost RP Medina and RP Burdi, who both had been with the Expos bullpen since the expansion season.

I increased the International Amateur FA budget to $5 million, leaving about $2 million available for free agent signings this offseason.

I advanced to the Rule 5 draft without any signings. In the draft, I had my eye on a power hitting 1B/DH at the AA level, but he was selected before my pick came up. Instead I selected OF Rob Carroll who is best in LF, but passable at CF, RF, 1B, and 2B. He has a strong, balanced bat and is a reliable defender. I also decided to take a flyer on SP Bryan Childress who my spreadsheet shows would make a strong batter. I will plan to use him some in LF in spring training.

My last move of the offseason was to sign LF Bill Mena to a minor league contract with an opt out 30 days into the regular season if he doesn't make the major league team.

This was about as uneventful an offseason as I've had. This added outfield depth could create a trade opportunity in spring training or early in the season.

Next, I will advance through spring training and provide a season preview...

GM_CheatSheets · 04-09-2017, 04:14 PM

The Expos finished with a poor 13-17 record for the spring. 2B Draxler finished as the top batter and SP Diplan as the top pitcher. The best thing about this spring training is that the team managed to make it to opening day without any injuries.

While setting my roster for opening day, I noticed that Rule 5 pick Childress, made a successful transition to batting, but failed to gain ratings at any OF positions. His bat gave him a respectable overall and potential rating to match his spring results. As much as I wanted to see if this could continue into the regular season, I couldn't afford to carry a player without a position on my team so I shopped him around. I found a taker in division rival Philadelphia from whom I acquired SP/RP Paul Hitchcox. Hitchcox is only 24 and has a year and a half of solid experience out of the bullpen. Ultimately, he has the potential to slide into the back of a rotation with three great pitches (sinker 95-57 mph, slider, and splitter) and above average to great pitching ratings. His stuff and K/9 have some room to grow, but it helps that he is a groundball pitcher.

My owner's expectation is to play better than .500 while OOTP projects a 95-67 record, good for third place in the MLB and first in the NL and NL East. Personally, I'm not as optimistic as this, but think that this team has the pieces to pull this off. I would like to win at least 90 games and make the playoffs again.

I also have one batter and three pitchers that project to be in the top ten batters and pitchers. 3B Flores projects well for 636 AB, 25 HR, 108 RBI, 13 SB, .290 AVG, and .838 OPS. SP Diplan projects for 214.2 IP, 14 W, 8 L, 2.91 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 205 K, 8.61 K/9, and 2.13 BB/9. CL Bedingfield projects for 77.2 IP, 7 W, 6 L, 45 SV, 1.97 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 11.68 K/9, and 1.98 BB/9. Lastly, SP Killough projects for 193 IP, 15 W, 7 L, 3.16 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 161 K, 7.49 K/9, and 3.73 BB/9. Wow! This is definitely a step in the right direction, even if it is only projections.

And now my position by position preview of the team.

Starting Pitcher - SP Diplan perhaps has the biggest sway in the season outcome as his outcomes came nowhere near his peripherals last year. If he can reach the projected line above, he will contend for the NL Cy Young award. Behind Diplan, both SP Caballero and SP Killough should be reliable if not great. There is a lot of depth at the bottom of the rotation. SP Womble and SP Garcia will start in the rotation while Hitchcox, Farfan, and Salazar all could fill in but will start in the bullpen.

Bullpen - CL Bedingfield will start the season as the closer for the first time in his career. He looks to be among the best relief arms in the majors right now. RP Takara returns for his second season in MLB after putting together one of the best seasons by a reliever I've ever seen. RP Crose will join Takara as a setup man and has nearly the potential of both Bedingfield and Takara. This looks to be a shut down bullpen. RP Mosqueda and RP Sandborn both return as lefties and will need to have a better showing than their struggles last year. The three above mentioned sixth starters will start the season in the bullpen. Unless there is an injury, one of them will be demoted after the first few games as I am starting the season by carrying 13 pitchers.

Catcher - C Lopez returns as the starter. It is important for him to stay healthy this year. C Dillard will backup and C Edwards will get the first callup if there is an injury at this position.

First Base - 1B Garza will start the season here, though will likely be a bench player by the end of the season. LF Derringer and LF Carroll may see some action at first as well. If top prospect SS Warren shows some progress with his bat at AAA, he should be among the first callups, a move that will likely push 3B Flores to first.

Second Base - 2B Draxler will be the opening day starter at second again and this time hopes for a better start to the season. He has great potential with his bat and I really need him to produce this year or he may be on the trading block. When SS Warren earns his callup, SS Albies will likely shift to 2B.

Third Base - 3B Flores is arguably the top hitter in my lineup. He can play all infield positions, but will likely settle in a first by the end of this season. 3B Chris will serve as a utility infielder with third his primary position.

Shortstop - SS Albies has one year left on his contract and is holding down short until SS Warren is promoted. The eventual combination of Warren and Albies up the middle will likely be among the best in the game.

Left Field - LF Boissiere will get his last opening day start with the Expos as I don't intend to stop him from entering free agency. LF Carroll, a Rule 5 pick, hopes to stick as a backup at all three OF positions. With a strong start, Boissiere could find himself on the trading block to make room for MLB ready LF prospect Sean Derringer. Derringer will likely only spend 30 days in AAA, enough to delay his free agency by a year. When he is called up, he will be among the best bats in my lineup, though will likely experience some growing pains.

Center Field - CF Stark returns and I hope he can match his production from last year when he was my top batter by WAR. CF Williams returns as a backup at all three OF spots. Both are injury prone.

Right Field - RF Lindberg is among the top bats on my team. I expect him to have another strong year.

Callups with talented young players are always a little tricky so we will see if this plays out how I hope. Overall, the team looks strong with reinforcements on the way.

Next up, the Expos' preseason top prospect rankings...

GM_CheatSheets · 04-09-2017, 09:20 PM

This year I placed as the number 11 ranked minor league system. I hope that this rise toward the top continues to progress into a long run of top ten overall system rankings.

SS Warren jumped up to the sixth overall prospect, SP Britland comes in at number 59, followed by SP Tejada at 66 and SP Garcia at 95. I had thirteen players place in the top 200, up one from last year. Garcia is starting in the majors and Warren figures to be at least a midseason addition. Britland could also see the majors this year depending on his performance and how many pitching injuries there are. These are all strong signs of a strong system -- lots of top talent that is distributed through all levels of the system.

SS Greg Warren, AAA (2024 Draft, Rd 1)
There isn't much more to write here. Glove is ready, bat is near ready. Last time on a prospect list unless injured.
SP Nelson Aguilera, AAA (Trade w/CWS 11/2027)
Aguilera makes another nice jump up the rankings. Has three great to plus pitches, good velocity, and throws left-handed. Movement and stamina aren't great, but should be enough for him to get by. Could use a full season at AAA.
LF Sean Derringer, AAA (2024 Draft, Rd 2)
Ready for majors now. could be an impact bat upon promotion but figures to struggle through some growing pains as eye/discipline is average at best. Plus speed and great power.
RP Alberto Solis, AA (2025 Draft, Rd 10)
Plus stuff, average movement, below average control. Not much of a prospect, but has a chance to make majors at some point as last relief arm.
SP Shane Luck, AAA (Minor Lg. FA 8/2026)
Starter potential but currently profiles as reliever due to below average third pitch. If he make strides with third pitch and control, he could see the majors. Otherwise could be bullpen depth or a trade candidate.
RP Jon Moser, AA (2024 Draft, Rd 1 supp.)
Plus stuff and velocity but below average control. Deep but mostly average repertoire. Stamina has declined prompting move to bullpen.
SP Nick Britland, AAA (Trade w/KC 5/2028)
Legit starting pitcher prospect. Three great and a fourth average pitch. Control is currently a tick below average with potential to improve to above average. Will need to show results at AAA after struggling last year.
LF Bill Mena, AAA (Minor Lg. FA 2/2029)
Average to slightly above average bat could play in majors now along with plus speed and great defense. Can opt for free agency if not on 40 man after 30 days. Is out of option years.
RP Sergio Ariza, A+ (Minor Lg. FA 6/2026)
Same profile as # 4 prospect Solis. Might make back of a bullpen at some point, not much to get excited about.
SS Jose Pellot, A- (2027 Draft, Rd 2)
Great power potential if reaches potential. Could start at second or fit as utility infielder eventually. Role will ultimately depend more on if the power develops as glove could play across the infield.
CL Brian Carson, A+ (2025 Draft, Rd 7)
Carson is a bullpen arm to watch in the coming years. He has a great fastball and plus curveball combo. His control is already slightly above average and has the potential to improve to great. His stuff is already great and has the potential to reach plus.
SP Dave Craig, AA (2026 Draft, Rd 1 supp.)
Craig is starting to run out of runway as he will turn 26 before the midseason prospect update. he throws lefthanded with plus velocity and a four pitch mix, though only three are at least average right now. His control won't ever be great, but it shouldn't hold him back either. Personally, I'm a little surprised he hasn't advanced faster, but he has yet to post the stats to justify pushing him faster.
SP Dave McKean, AA (2024 Draft, Rd 8)
McKean could get hot as a starter (he has the stamina and repertoire) or end up in the bullpen (great velocity and two already great pitches), but his movement is below average, so I'm not too optimistic that he will be able to make much out of his potential. This is a shame because it is otherwise a very exciting profile.
SP Robby Ochoa, A+ (Scouting Discovery 6/2023)
Ochoa is average to slightly above average across the board making it hard to get very excited about him, but he has posted some good stats so far and is still a young 22 and OSA rates him a little higher, so he could grow some more.
RP Fernando Farfan, MLB (Trade w/TOR 11/2026)
Farfan currently slots into my last bullpen slot, but he definitely has the stuff to start with thee great pitches and above average to great pitching ratings. He might not become a star, but he could become a valuable pitcher.
SP Jose Garcia, MLB (Trade w/CLE 12/2023)
Garcia impressed in the MLB debut last year. He has plus velocity, great stuff and movement. His control is almost average and could become slightly above average. His fastball, sinker, splitter repertoire should get him plenty of strikeouts at the major league level for years to come. How great he becomes depends on how much his control grows.
RP Josh Wilson, A+ (Trade w/CHC 11/2027)
Wilson is already average to above average in pitching ratings, though everything else is pretty much average. I'm not expecting much out of him.
SP Kevin McDonald, AA (2024 Draft, Rd 5)
McDonald has an exciting four pitch repertoire and great stuff. If his movement and control develop past their potential, he may be a name to talk about, but for now he is just a organizational depth piece.
SP Jeff Newman, A+ (2026 Draft, Rd 4)
Newman seems to have great potential, but his very poor control outweighs all the positives (velocity, repertoire, stuff, movement, and stamina). OSA thinks he has the potential to get up to as high as slightly below average control. I'm hopeful but not optimistic. Nonetheless, he's an exciting arm to have in my system.
CF Ross Wright, AAA (2025 Draft Rd 5)
Wright has an average bat with plus speed and defense. It's enough for him to rate high here, but a profile that will require some luck to make it to the majors.

My system is pretty heavy on pitching, especially when I graduate Warren and Derringer. I am exited about SS Pellot who looks to profile best for 2B with a Warren-lite profile. If he continues to develop, I might start to dream a little about a crazy power/defense up the middle combo of Warren and Pellot in the majors.

I'm very encouraged with Aguilera's rise to #2 on the list (13 midseason) and Britland moving up to #7 (19 midseason). A little bit further down, SP Jesus Tejada, an international signing looks to have some star potential, ranking #21 as a 20 year old. SP Guus Kamphuis likewise comes in at #26 despite being just 18 years old. I'm excited to watch both of them.

The biggest disappointment is seeing SP Castiglione fall off the list. In January his ratings took an unexplained dive, much like Flores' did after I drafted him. That Flores is recovered most of his value and is now arguably my best hitter helps me caution that this is just a temporary decrease and that with strong performance he will recover his ratings and top prospect standing.

Now it's time for the regular season to get underway...

bombboy85 · 04-09-2017, 11:07 PM

Can't wait for the next spreadsheet, loving the first one you posted on your site.

Forza · 04-11-2017, 04:45 PM

I'm loving this dynasty.

Have you tested whether the spreadsheet still works on OOTP18?

GM_CheatSheets · 04-11-2017, 11:14 PM

I just transitioned to OOTP 18 for year 2029 in this franchise. When I get to the draft I will make sure that it works with OOTP 18. A small update will be released soon as a few users have notified me of issues they've run into.

GM_CheatSheets · 04-12-2017, 01:09 AM

The regular season gets underway with a big stumble. In the first three series, the Expos win 1 of 3 versus Miami, 0 of 3 versus the Dodgers, and 1 of 3 versus the Rays. In the midst of this slump, I sent RP Farfan back to AAA and called up utility infielder SS Richard Goette. This brings me back to the more traditional balance of pitchers and position players.

The Expos then started to turn things around, rendering my concerns moot. They swept the next three series: Mets in 4 games, Phillies in 3 games, and Giants in 3 games. In the middle of this streak, 3B Flores was injured for a week, so I placed him on the 10 day DL and called up top prospect SS Greg Warren. They closed out the month with wins in 1 of 3 versus the Reds, 1 of 3 versus Cleveland, and a win in the first of a two game series with the Cubs started on the last day of the month. I called up another top prospect, LF Sean Derringer during the Cleveland series as he was tearing it up in AAA and should now accumulate less than a full year of service time, delaying his free agency by a year.

SS Warren suffered an injury after starting just a handful of games, putting him out for three weeks.

The Expos finished the streaky month with a good 15-11 record to start the season.

Here are the batting performances for the month:

2B Draxler had a tremendous month, showing that he may finally be ready to live up to his offensive potential. 1B Garza also had a great month. Other than these two, there isn't much to write about.

And here are the pitching performances:

This looks to be a very exciting rotation and to think that I have depth both in the MLB bullpen and the AAA rotation is crazy. Even if I'm contending, I might still be able to trade from SP at the trade deadline. But lets not get ahead of ourselves yet. The top starter for the month is shared by SP Garcia (1.36 ERA, 2.70 FIP) and SP Killough (1.30 ERA, 3.12 FIP). SP Caballero pitched just as well, albeit with a little less luck (3.08 ERA, 2.70 FIP). SP Diplan (3.77 ERA, 4.00 FIP) and SP Womble (3.64 ERA, 4.37 FIP) also pitched well enough.

RP Takara had an amazing month out of the bullpen (0.90 ERA, 0.89 FIP, 14/3 K/BB). CL Bedingfield was almost as good (2.13 ERA, 2.22 FIP, 11 SV).

Next, we will see if the Expos continue their winning ways into May...

GM_CheatSheets · 04-12-2017, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GM_CheatSheets

I just transitioned to OOTP 18 for year 2029 in this franchise. When I get to the draft I will make sure that it works with OOTP 18. A small update will be released soon as a few users have notified me of issues they've run into.

Just released version 1.2 of the spreadsheet. This works on OOTP 18 for me and should fix issues if importing players with "-" or zero values in some ratings. If you run into any issues, let me know and I will look into it.

The next spreadsheet released will be one that I use for my organizational top 30 prospects, identifying free agent targets, selecting Rule 5 picks, and evaluating players to add to a trade. The spreadsheet is mostly done, however the documentation takes time to compose and it's more exciting to sim my franchise than to write the user guide. I hope to have it ready for release in the next week or two but it may take a little longer.

GM_CheatSheets · 04-14-2017, 03:50 PM

The Expos season continued with a strong May.

The month opened with a loss to the Cubs in the second of a two game series started in April. With SS Warren recovered from his injury, he was sent back down to AAA to continue working on his bat.

The Expos then won 2 of 2 versus the Diamondbacks, 0 of 3 versus the Las Vegas Aces, 3 of 3 versus the Nationals, 2 of 2 versus the Braves, 2 of 3 versus the Padres, 2 of 3 versus the Mets, 2 of 4 versus the Pirates, 1 of 3 versus the Cardinals, and 3 of 3 versus the Marlins.

This all adds up to a strong 17-10 record for the month. I was also notified that AAA SP Luck received the pitcher of the month award in the International League. If he continues to pitch well, he may return a valuable piece in a trade.

Here's how the batters performed for the month:

3B Flores led the way offensively for the month with 6 HR, 17 R, and 24 RBI. His .327 AVG was the best among my batters with more than 55 PA. 1B Garza also had a strong month, driven mostly by his .452 OBP. 2B Draxler, SS Albies, and LF Derringer all had good months as well.

And here are the pitching performances:

SP Diplan (38.2 IP, 50 K, 11 BB) had the lowest FIP (1.54) by a large margin, but was again unlucky with a 3.72 ERA. SP Caballero (2.88 ERA, 4.37 FIP) and SP Garcia (3.77 ERA, 5.36 FIP) had good results, especially compared to their FIPs. The starting pitching stars for the month, however, were SP Killough (1.41 ERA, 3.25 FIP) and SP Womble (1.91 ERA, 4.58 FIP). Killough looks like he might breakout this year.

RP Sandborn, RP Crose, and RP Salazar were the best relief arms both by ERA and FIP. CL Bedingfield added another 5 saves and RP Takara had his first poor month, but should remain one of the top relievers in the game.

Next up is the first year player draft...

GM_CheatSheets · 04-14-2017, 08:56 PM

This year I have one comp round pick, giving me two overall in the first round.

Here is what the board looked like when it got to me for pick number 18 overall.

Round 1, Pick 18

SP Baha al Din looks like the clear pick to go with, but his pitching rating is boosted by great stuff and movement that masks his poor control. Simply put, I didn't see the control issues as worth the risk of my top pick this year. Instead, I might have gone a little too conservative in the opposite direction with 2B Max Dipert (23, college). Dipert was the most developed bat available as he is already average in three of the batting categories. His bat potential is only above average, but he should move quickly through my system as a second baseman.

Round 1, Pick 33

I was very happy to see SP Manny Roque (21, college) available here as I was considering him for the pick above. His control and repertoire will need to reach its potential for him to make my big league rotation. He's not old at 21, but it does mean he will need to progress in these areas quickly. This is a solid player with some clear upside and potential.

Round 2, Pick 18

Here I took the top remaining available player on the board in CF Mike Burr (20, college). His bat has the potential to be slightly above average across the board. His plus speed, great defense, and above average intangibles make him a well rounded player. He's not likely to develop into a superstar but could be a whole is greater than the parts type player.

Round 3, Pick 19

Next I went with an impossible demand player in SS Nate Garrett (18, high school). He has profiles as a middle or utility infielder with contact and gap power as his calling card. He doesn't figure to hit many home runs, but could utilize his contact and speed similar to my former draft pick and current utility infielder SS Jon Chris. This is still a valuable profile if he reaches his potential.

Round 4, Pick 18

I went back to the ranks of impossible demand players here with SP David Younkin (17, high school). This is a high risk pick with only moderate upside, especially considering the $5 million price I ended up paying for him. He is almost all projection at this point and even so, could use some development, especially of his velocity. As one of the youngest players in the draft, he has plenty of time to develop.

Round 5, Pick 18

The talent level seemed to drop off considerably with this next pick. I took CF John Keller (18, high school). He has good speed, some power, contact, and avoid k potential, but he will need to show further development to become much of a prospect.

Round 6, Pick 18

RF Tyler Scott (20, college) profiles very similarly to the previous pick, Keller. Scott's bat projects to be a little more balanced, but again, he will need to show further development to become much of a prospect.

Round 7, Pick 18

CF Kevin Gantenbein (18, high school) is much the same as the previous two picks. Perhaps one of the three will develop into a better player than they currently look, though I am not super optimistic.

This isn't too exciting, so I'll stop here. Below is a list of all my manual selections.

Overall, this is probably the draft class that I am least excited about. It lacks any superstar potential and the highest upside player is already 23 years old. The positive is that I feel I took the best value available at each pick and that I still feel that my process is fine, just that this draft class wasn't very impressive.

Next up, the Expos continue play into June...

GM_CheatSheets · 04-14-2017, 09:28 PM

For the month of June, the Expos won 2 of 3 versus the Dodgers, 0 of 3 versus Toronto, 2 of 3 versus Tampa Bay, 2 of 3 versus Cleveland, 2 of 4 versus Philadelphia, 3 of 3 versus Pittsburgh, 1 of 3 versus San Francisco, 0 of 3 versus Atlanta, and 2 of 2 versus Washington.

This adds up to a 14-13 record for the month and gives the Expos a 10 game lead as the first place team in the NL East. I was notified that LF Derringer was named the batter of the month and rookie of the month for his performance in June.

Here is a look at the batting performances for the month:

LF Derringer and RF Lindberg had great months with 8 and 7 home runs respectively. It is especially nice to see Lindberg rounding back into form, as well as to see Derringer looking similar to how Lindberg took the league by storm to win the rookie of the year award two seasons ago. 1B Garza, 3B Flores, and 2B Draxler all had good months as well.

And here are the pitching performances:

SP Caballero led the rotation with a 2.14 ERA and 2.90 FIP. Otherwise it was a largely disappointing month from my rotation.

The bullpen, however, had a number of strong performances including RP Mosqueda, CL Bedingfield, RP Sandborn, RP Hitchcox, RP Takara, and RP Crose.

Next the international amateur free agent signing period opens for this year...

03-11-2017, 02:03 PM	#101
GM_CheatSheets Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 171	2028 International Amateur Free Agent Signing Period The international amateur period opened and I imported the class into my spreadsheet, revealing a moderately weak class. I won't be able to sign many of these players as I went over the cap last year. The maximum contract I can offer this year is $250,000. I made offers of $250,000 to everyone who accepted an offer that low. Ultimately, I was only able to sign two of them. Hopefully next year will provide a better return as I won't have any signing restrictions. Next we will see how the Expos fared in July...

03-11-2017, 03:30 PM	#102
GM_CheatSheets Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 171	July 2028 Recap July started with the Expos winning both of the remaining two games versus the Marlins before being swept in four games by the Cardinals. At this point, I promoted SP Dobashi and activated RP Sandborn from his rehab assignment. I also traded away 3B Mendoza in what amounted to a salary dump as he was not performing near a level that deserved a qualifying offer. I promoted 3B Jon Chris who spent all of last year in the minors after making his debut in 2026. I also learned that C Lopez would miss the next 6-7 weeks with an injury. I recalled C Rodriguez. The Expos then won 1 of 3 versus the Cubs, 2 of 3 versus the Cubs, and2 of 3 versus the Pirates. SP Gutierrez and RP Beddingfield both made the National League All Star squad. The Expos closed the month wit wins in 1 of 3 versus the Diamondbacks, 2 of 3 versus the Giants, 2 of 3 versus the Reds, and 1 of 3 versus the Braves. As the trade deadline approached, the Expos were a few games off the pace for the second wild card spot, so I figured I would need to make a trade to have a chance to make the playoffs. As SP Dobashi continued to struggle in his return to the majors after tearing up the competition at AAA, I make him the key piece in a trade with the Boston Red Sox. I also sent MiLB SP Kolb to Boston in return for SS Ozhanio Albies, MiLB SS Frank Gillette, and $6 million. Albies is the big get for me as he is a great shortstop defensively and hits decently, mostly for average. The included $6 million covers the remainder of this salary for this year and he is under contract at $18 million for one more season after this one. He should be a good stabilizing presence in my infield and should hopefully be a good influence next year on top prospect SS Warren, who looks to be a mid-season call up rather than ready to start in MLB at the beginning of next year. This trade should improve the defense all around as Flores will move to 3B where he could improve to above average defensively, and Chris will move to 2B where he is great defensively. 2B Draxler was demoted back to AAA and Womble took Dobashi's spot in the rotation. Here are the batting performances for the month: There weren't many notable performances this month, but 1B Garza, CF Stark, and SS Flores led the way. And the pitchers: SP Diplan, SP Caballero, and SP Gutierrez had good results out of the rotation while SP Killough was a bit unlucky comparing his ERA to FIP. RP Takara and RP Crose had outstanding months in the bullpen. Next, I will look at the updated top 30 prospects list with draft and trade additions included...

03-11-2017, 08:08 PM	#103
GM_CheatSheets Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 171	2028 Midseason Top 30 Prospects Below is my midseason update to the organization top 30 prospect list. Notes and Observations: Graduating from the top of the list are Draxler and Womble. New additions to the list are SP Castiglione (2028 Draft, Rd 1) at #14 and SP Britland (trade acquisition) at #19. #1 prospect SS Warren showed some important progress with his current batting ratings though his AAA batting stats still leave much to be desired. He will probably need to return to the minors next year for at least half of the season. #5 prospect LF Derringer filled out to his potential and looks to be ready for the majors. He should get a late September call up after the AAA season (and hopefully playoffs) are over. #6 prospect SP Garcia made a big jump up the board, mostly because he now profiles as a legit starter and no longer a borderline starter. This was in part due to his pitching rating (specifically his control) improving. #9 prospect SS Pellot showed some good progression with his bat, pushing him up the board a few spots. #11 prospect SP Ochoa showed the best progression among starting pitcher prospects, mosty growing with his dominance score (better current pitch ratings and possibly and increase in velocity). #13 prospect SP Craig showed a little progress in his pitching rating, but improved his intangibles as well. #15 prospect SS Naranjo made great progress with his bat, moving up from the #22 preseason spot. SP Farfan dropped from #10 on the preseason list to #22 here because the calculation is now treating him as a reliever rather than a starter. Despite this, he is still one of my top starting pitcher prospects and should still be around the #10 spot on the list. Next, the season advances into August...

03-25-2017, 01:34 PM	#105
Palaaemon Minors (Triple A) Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 263	I am as well. __________________ I don't have to run faster than the bear, just faster than you.

04-02-2017, 03:28 PM	#106
GM_CheatSheets Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 171	August 2028 Recap Work and fantasy baseball prep pulled me away from OOTP for the past few weeks. In this time, there was also a new release of OOTP 18. My plan is to wrap up the 2028 season and offseason on the version I've been playing on. I'll switch over to 18 when I reach the 2029 preseason. So let's get back to it. August was a great month for the Expos. The month started with winning 2 of 3 versus the Yankees. At this point, SP Gutierrez suffered an injury, putting him out of action for two weeks. I called up top SP prospect Jose Garcia as he has been pitching very well in AAA and showing better control this year. In his debut game, he had a line of 7.2 IP, 8 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 7 K, W. I hope this is the start of a special career for Garcia. As a reminder, I acquired him in a trade where I took on a large salary to get Garcia included. Also, I came close to trading him a few times when it looked like his control wasn't going to developed. Ultimately, I am glad I did not as he was and still is young. The Expos then won 2 of 3 versus the Dodgers, 3 of 4 versus the Nationals, 2 of 3 versus the Phillies, 1 of 3 versus the Mets, 3 of 3 versus the Indians, and 2 of 3 versus the Cubs. At this point I activated SP Gutierrez. The Expos closed the month out with wins in 1 of 3 versus the Padres and 1 of 3 versus the Rays. The Expos' record for the month was 17-11. My last transactions for the month were activating C Lopez and a few insignificant September call ups with the rosters expanding. The batters performed as such for the month: 1B Garza, SS Albies, and CF Stark all had great months, while 3B Flores, 2B Chris, and RF Lindberg all played well. And here are the pitching performances: SP Caballero, SP Garcia, and SP Killough were my top starters for the month. Again, SP Diplan had better peripherals than results. In the bullpen, RP Medina, RP Takara, RP Burdi, and RP Crose all pitched well. At the end of the month I moved Burdi out of the CL role, creating an opportunity for Beddingfield to do so. The Expos were still on the outside looking in, but still very much a part of the wild card chase at this point. Unfortunately I forgot to note the standings before moving on. Next up is a recap of September and October through the end of the regular season...

03-25-2017, 11:18 AM	#104
Bub13 All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Maine Posts: 748	Hoping this thread isn't dead.

04-02-2017, 04:37 PM	#107
GM_CheatSheets Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 171	September / October 2028 Recap The Expos finished the season with the following: winning 1 of 3 versus the Blue Jays, 3 of 4 versus the Giants, 2 of 3 versus the Diamondbacks, 2 of 3 versus the Reds, 0 of 3 versus the Cardinals, 1 of 3 versus the Marlins, 3 of 4 versus the Pirates, 1 of 3 versus the Mets, and 1 of 3 versus the Phillies. This adds up to a 14-17 record to close out the season. The Expos' playoff hopes remained alive until the crash over the season's last two series. Here are the batting performances for the month: The offensive performances this month were pretty abysmal. Only RF Lindberg and 3B Flores are worth mentioning. A few players did well in fewer at bats, thus limiting their impact. Though his stats weren't great. I did give LF prospect Sean Derringer a cup of coffee in the majors after the AAA season concluded. And the pitching performances: SP Caballero was my best starter for the month. SP Womble also had good results, though his peripherals weren't great. RP James, CL Bedingfield, RP Takara, and RP Crose all had great months out of the bullpen. Next, I'll recap the Expos' regular season performances...

04-02-2017, 06:10 PM	#108
GM_CheatSheets Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 171	2028 Expos Season Recap The Expos' overall record was 84-78 (.519), a three game improvement from last year. This was below my expectation and thus disappointing to see that my expected record was only 83-79. This record was good enough for second in the NL East (8 GB) and finishing 2 GB of the second wild card spot. Here are the season totals for batters: Overall, the offense wasn't great. Only three players topped 3 WAR. One of them accumulated most of his WAR on a different team before I traded for him. 3B Flores and RF Lindberg tied for the team lead with 25 home runs, while Flores had the most runs (89) and Lindberg the most RBIs (105). In a bit of a surprise to me, CF Stark led the team with a .300 average and also in batting WAR with 3.8. Utility infielders Chris and Draxler failed to impress. I would really like to see more from one of them moving forward. And the pitchers: SP Caballero remains the top starter on my team and improved his WAR slightly up to 5.1 from last year's 4.7. I'm surprised with how well SP Diplan rated in WAR (4.9) as this didn't reflect his results: 4.45 ERA, 3.38 FIP, 9.8 K/9, and 2.2 BB/9. SP Killough showed much improvement in his sophomore campaign (2.5 WAR) though there is still room for growth. And the veteran SP Gutierrez had another good season to the tune of 2.8 WAR. RP Takara had a ridiculous 2.4 WAR from the bullpen. He was followed by RP Crose, RP Medina, and CL Bedingfield, each of whom had at least 1 WAR. My hopes that Burdi would have a strong year and turn down a qualifying offer were dashed as he performed quite poorly and isn't likely to receive the QO. Given his 8 losses, it seems the Expos may have made the playoffs had I not been so committed to Burdi as the closer this year. In some ways this is a great example of the risk of working to build a strong system by squeezing every last bit of value out of players -- in this case with extra draft picks -- and contending for the playoffs at the same time. Sometimes these decisions work out well. This one seems to have bit me twice. Up next is a look at the playoffs and new world champion...

04-09-2017, 02:57 PM	#109
GM_CheatSheets Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 171	2028 Season Recap The Minnesota Twins finished with the top record in the majors with 104 wins. They were followed by the Rockies (101) and the Braves (100). Atlanta managed to reach the World Series while Minnesota and Colorado both lost in the ALDS. The AL third seeded Boston Red Sox went on to win the World Series by a 4-1 margin over the Braves. Next, the offseason begins and my front office gets to work...

04-09-2017, 03:15 PM	#110
GM_CheatSheets Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 171	Offseason The offseason started with news that my hitting coach retired, I believe just a year after I signed him. In his place, I signed Sal Fasano from Colorado who has an outstanding reputation. I made contract offers to my arbitration eligible players with CF Stark receiving $6.5 million, SP Caballero $6 million, CF Williams $5.5 million, LF Boissiere $4.8 million, 1B Garza $4 million, C Dillard $3 Million, CL Bedingfield $2.4 million, and RP Sandborn less than $2 million. SP Gutierrez rejected the qualifying offer, and I lost RP Medina and RP Burdi, who both had been with the Expos bullpen since the expansion season. I increased the International Amateur FA budget to $5 million, leaving about $2 million available for free agent signings this offseason. I advanced to the Rule 5 draft without any signings. In the draft, I had my eye on a power hitting 1B/DH at the AA level, but he was selected before my pick came up. Instead I selected OF Rob Carroll who is best in LF, but passable at CF, RF, 1B, and 2B. He has a strong, balanced bat and is a reliable defender. I also decided to take a flyer on SP Bryan Childress who my spreadsheet shows would make a strong batter. I will plan to use him some in LF in spring training. My last move of the offseason was to sign LF Bill Mena to a minor league contract with an opt out 30 days into the regular season if he doesn't make the major league team. This was about as uneventful an offseason as I've had. This added outfield depth could create a trade opportunity in spring training or early in the season. Next, I will advance through spring training and provide a season preview...

04-09-2017, 04:14 PM	#111
GM_CheatSheets Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 171	2029 Spring Training & Season Expectations The Expos finished with a poor 13-17 record for the spring. 2B Draxler finished as the top batter and SP Diplan as the top pitcher. The best thing about this spring training is that the team managed to make it to opening day without any injuries. While setting my roster for opening day, I noticed that Rule 5 pick Childress, made a successful transition to batting, but failed to gain ratings at any OF positions. His bat gave him a respectable overall and potential rating to match his spring results. As much as I wanted to see if this could continue into the regular season, I couldn't afford to carry a player without a position on my team so I shopped him around. I found a taker in division rival Philadelphia from whom I acquired SP/RP Paul Hitchcox. Hitchcox is only 24 and has a year and a half of solid experience out of the bullpen. Ultimately, he has the potential to slide into the back of a rotation with three great pitches (sinker 95-57 mph, slider, and splitter) and above average to great pitching ratings. His stuff and K/9 have some room to grow, but it helps that he is a groundball pitcher. My owner's expectation is to play better than .500 while OOTP projects a 95-67 record, good for third place in the MLB and first in the NL and NL East. Personally, I'm not as optimistic as this, but think that this team has the pieces to pull this off. I would like to win at least 90 games and make the playoffs again. I also have one batter and three pitchers that project to be in the top ten batters and pitchers. 3B Flores projects well for 636 AB, 25 HR, 108 RBI, 13 SB, .290 AVG, and .838 OPS. SP Diplan projects for 214.2 IP, 14 W, 8 L, 2.91 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 205 K, 8.61 K/9, and 2.13 BB/9. CL Bedingfield projects for 77.2 IP, 7 W, 6 L, 45 SV, 1.97 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 11.68 K/9, and 1.98 BB/9. Lastly, SP Killough projects for 193 IP, 15 W, 7 L, 3.16 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 161 K, 7.49 K/9, and 3.73 BB/9. Wow! This is definitely a step in the right direction, even if it is only projections. And now my position by position preview of the team. Starting Pitcher - SP Diplan perhaps has the biggest sway in the season outcome as his outcomes came nowhere near his peripherals last year. If he can reach the projected line above, he will contend for the NL Cy Young award. Behind Diplan, both SP Caballero and SP Killough should be reliable if not great. There is a lot of depth at the bottom of the rotation. SP Womble and SP Garcia will start in the rotation while Hitchcox, Farfan, and Salazar all could fill in but will start in the bullpen. Bullpen - CL Bedingfield will start the season as the closer for the first time in his career. He looks to be among the best relief arms in the majors right now. RP Takara returns for his second season in MLB after putting together one of the best seasons by a reliever I've ever seen. RP Crose will join Takara as a setup man and has nearly the potential of both Bedingfield and Takara. This looks to be a shut down bullpen. RP Mosqueda and RP Sandborn both return as lefties and will need to have a better showing than their struggles last year. The three above mentioned sixth starters will start the season in the bullpen. Unless there is an injury, one of them will be demoted after the first few games as I am starting the season by carrying 13 pitchers. Catcher - C Lopez returns as the starter. It is important for him to stay healthy this year. C Dillard will backup and C Edwards will get the first callup if there is an injury at this position. First Base - 1B Garza will start the season here, though will likely be a bench player by the end of the season. LF Derringer and LF Carroll may see some action at first as well. If top prospect SS Warren shows some progress with his bat at AAA, he should be among the first callups, a move that will likely push 3B Flores to first. Second Base - 2B Draxler will be the opening day starter at second again and this time hopes for a better start to the season. He has great potential with his bat and I really need him to produce this year or he may be on the trading block. When SS Warren earns his callup, SS Albies will likely shift to 2B. Third Base - 3B Flores is arguably the top hitter in my lineup. He can play all infield positions, but will likely settle in a first by the end of this season. 3B Chris will serve as a utility infielder with third his primary position. Shortstop - SS Albies has one year left on his contract and is holding down short until SS Warren is promoted. The eventual combination of Warren and Albies up the middle will likely be among the best in the game. Left Field - LF Boissiere will get his last opening day start with the Expos as I don't intend to stop him from entering free agency. LF Carroll, a Rule 5 pick, hopes to stick as a backup at all three OF positions. With a strong start, Boissiere could find himself on the trading block to make room for MLB ready LF prospect Sean Derringer. Derringer will likely only spend 30 days in AAA, enough to delay his free agency by a year. When he is called up, he will be among the best bats in my lineup, though will likely experience some growing pains. Center Field - CF Stark returns and I hope he can match his production from last year when he was my top batter by WAR. CF Williams returns as a backup at all three OF spots. Both are injury prone. Right Field - RF Lindberg is among the top bats on my team. I expect him to have another strong year. Callups with talented young players are always a little tricky so we will see if this plays out how I hope. Overall, the team looks strong with reinforcements on the way. Next up, the Expos' preseason top prospect rankings...

04-09-2017, 09:20 PM	#112
GM_CheatSheets Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 171	2029 Preseason Top 30 Prospects This year I placed as the number 11 ranked minor league system. I hope that this rise toward the top continues to progress into a long run of top ten overall system rankings. SS Warren jumped up to the sixth overall prospect, SP Britland comes in at number 59, followed by SP Tejada at 66 and SP Garcia at 95. I had thirteen players place in the top 200, up one from last year. Garcia is starting in the majors and Warren figures to be at least a midseason addition. Britland could also see the majors this year depending on his performance and how many pitching injuries there are. These are all strong signs of a strong system -- lots of top talent that is distributed through all levels of the system. SS Greg Warren, AAA (2024 Draft, Rd 1) There isn't much more to write here. Glove is ready, bat is near ready. Last time on a prospect list unless injured. SP Nelson Aguilera, AAA (Trade w/CWS 11/2027) Aguilera makes another nice jump up the rankings. Has three great to plus pitches, good velocity, and throws left-handed. Movement and stamina aren't great, but should be enough for him to get by. Could use a full season at AAA. LF Sean Derringer, AAA (2024 Draft, Rd 2) Ready for majors now. could be an impact bat upon promotion but figures to struggle through some growing pains as eye/discipline is average at best. Plus speed and great power. RP Alberto Solis, AA (2025 Draft, Rd 10) Plus stuff, average movement, below average control. Not much of a prospect, but has a chance to make majors at some point as last relief arm. SP Shane Luck, AAA (Minor Lg. FA 8/2026) Starter potential but currently profiles as reliever due to below average third pitch. If he make strides with third pitch and control, he could see the majors. Otherwise could be bullpen depth or a trade candidate. RP Jon Moser, AA (2024 Draft, Rd 1 supp.) Plus stuff and velocity but below average control. Deep but mostly average repertoire. Stamina has declined prompting move to bullpen. SP Nick Britland, AAA (Trade w/KC 5/2028) Legit starting pitcher prospect. Three great and a fourth average pitch. Control is currently a tick below average with potential to improve to above average. Will need to show results at AAA after struggling last year. LF Bill Mena, AAA (Minor Lg. FA 2/2029) Average to slightly above average bat could play in majors now along with plus speed and great defense. Can opt for free agency if not on 40 man after 30 days. Is out of option years. RP Sergio Ariza, A+ (Minor Lg. FA 6/2026) Same profile as # 4 prospect Solis. Might make back of a bullpen at some point, not much to get excited about. SS Jose Pellot, A- (2027 Draft, Rd 2) Great power potential if reaches potential. Could start at second or fit as utility infielder eventually. Role will ultimately depend more on if the power develops as glove could play across the infield. CL Brian Carson, A+ (2025 Draft, Rd 7) Carson is a bullpen arm to watch in the coming years. He has a great fastball and plus curveball combo. His control is already slightly above average and has the potential to improve to great. His stuff is already great and has the potential to reach plus. SP Dave Craig, AA (2026 Draft, Rd 1 supp.) Craig is starting to run out of runway as he will turn 26 before the midseason prospect update. he throws lefthanded with plus velocity and a four pitch mix, though only three are at least average right now. His control won't ever be great, but it shouldn't hold him back either. Personally, I'm a little surprised he hasn't advanced faster, but he has yet to post the stats to justify pushing him faster. SP Dave McKean, AA (2024 Draft, Rd 8) McKean could get hot as a starter (he has the stamina and repertoire) or end up in the bullpen (great velocity and two already great pitches), but his movement is below average, so I'm not too optimistic that he will be able to make much out of his potential. This is a shame because it is otherwise a very exciting profile. SP Robby Ochoa, A+ (Scouting Discovery 6/2023) Ochoa is average to slightly above average across the board making it hard to get very excited about him, but he has posted some good stats so far and is still a young 22 and OSA rates him a little higher, so he could grow some more. RP Fernando Farfan, MLB (Trade w/TOR 11/2026) Farfan currently slots into my last bullpen slot, but he definitely has the stuff to start with thee great pitches and above average to great pitching ratings. He might not become a star, but he could become a valuable pitcher. SP Jose Garcia, MLB (Trade w/CLE 12/2023) Garcia impressed in the MLB debut last year. He has plus velocity, great stuff and movement. His control is almost average and could become slightly above average. His fastball, sinker, splitter repertoire should get him plenty of strikeouts at the major league level for years to come. How great he becomes depends on how much his control grows. RP Josh Wilson, A+ (Trade w/CHC 11/2027) Wilson is already average to above average in pitching ratings, though everything else is pretty much average. I'm not expecting much out of him. SP Kevin McDonald, AA (2024 Draft, Rd 5) McDonald has an exciting four pitch repertoire and great stuff. If his movement and control develop past their potential, he may be a name to talk about, but for now he is just a organizational depth piece. SP Jeff Newman, A+ (2026 Draft, Rd 4) Newman seems to have great potential, but his very poor control outweighs all the positives (velocity, repertoire, stuff, movement, and stamina). OSA thinks he has the potential to get up to as high as slightly below average control. I'm hopeful but not optimistic. Nonetheless, he's an exciting arm to have in my system. CF Ross Wright, AAA (2025 Draft Rd 5) Wright has an average bat with plus speed and defense. It's enough for him to rate high here, but a profile that will require some luck to make it to the majors. My system is pretty heavy on pitching, especially when I graduate Warren and Derringer. I am exited about SS Pellot who looks to profile best for 2B with a Warren-lite profile. If he continues to develop, I might start to dream a little about a crazy power/defense up the middle combo of Warren and Pellot in the majors. I'm very encouraged with Aguilera's rise to #2 on the list (13 midseason) and Britland moving up to #7 (19 midseason). A little bit further down, SP Jesus Tejada, an international signing looks to have some star potential, ranking #21 as a 20 year old. SP Guus Kamphuis likewise comes in at #26 despite being just 18 years old. I'm excited to watch both of them. The biggest disappointment is seeing SP Castiglione fall off the list. In January his ratings took an unexplained dive, much like Flores' did after I drafted him. That Flores is recovered most of his value and is now arguably my best hitter helps me caution that this is just a temporary decrease and that with strong performance he will recover his ratings and top prospect standing. Now it's time for the regular season to get underway...

04-09-2017, 11:07 PM	#113
bombboy85 Major Leagues Join Date: Jul 2013 Posts: 454	Can't wait for the next spreadsheet, loving the first one you posted on your site.

04-11-2017, 04:45 PM	#114
Forza Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Oct 2014 Posts: 28	I'm loving this dynasty. Have you tested whether the spreadsheet still works on OOTP18?

04-11-2017, 11:14 PM	#115
GM_CheatSheets Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 171	I just transitioned to OOTP 18 for year 2029 in this franchise. When I get to the draft I will make sure that it works with OOTP 18. A small update will be released soon as a few users have notified me of issues they've run into.

04-12-2017, 01:09 AM	#116
GM_CheatSheets Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 171	April 2029 Recap The regular season gets underway with a big stumble. In the first three series, the Expos win 1 of 3 versus Miami, 0 of 3 versus the Dodgers, and 1 of 3 versus the Rays. In the midst of this slump, I sent RP Farfan back to AAA and called up utility infielder SS Richard Goette. This brings me back to the more traditional balance of pitchers and position players. The Expos then started to turn things around, rendering my concerns moot. They swept the next three series: Mets in 4 games, Phillies in 3 games, and Giants in 3 games. In the middle of this streak, 3B Flores was injured for a week, so I placed him on the 10 day DL and called up top prospect SS Greg Warren. They closed out the month with wins in 1 of 3 versus the Reds, 1 of 3 versus Cleveland, and a win in the first of a two game series with the Cubs started on the last day of the month. I called up another top prospect, LF Sean Derringer during the Cleveland series as he was tearing it up in AAA and should now accumulate less than a full year of service time, delaying his free agency by a year. SS Warren suffered an injury after starting just a handful of games, putting him out for three weeks. The Expos finished the streaky month with a good 15-11 record to start the season. Here are the batting performances for the month: 2B Draxler had a tremendous month, showing that he may finally be ready to live up to his offensive potential. 1B Garza also had a great month. Other than these two, there isn't much to write about. And here are the pitching performances: This looks to be a very exciting rotation and to think that I have depth both in the MLB bullpen and the AAA rotation is crazy. Even if I'm contending, I might still be able to trade from SP at the trade deadline. But lets not get ahead of ourselves yet. The top starter for the month is shared by SP Garcia (1.36 ERA, 2.70 FIP) and SP Killough (1.30 ERA, 3.12 FIP). SP Caballero pitched just as well, albeit with a little less luck (3.08 ERA, 2.70 FIP). SP Diplan (3.77 ERA, 4.00 FIP) and SP Womble (3.64 ERA, 4.37 FIP) also pitched well enough. RP Takara had an amazing month out of the bullpen (0.90 ERA, 0.89 FIP, 14/3 K/BB). CL Bedingfield was almost as good (2.13 ERA, 2.22 FIP, 11 SV). Next, we will see if the Expos continue their winning ways into May...

04-14-2017, 03:50 PM	#118
GM_CheatSheets Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 171	May 2029 Recap The Expos season continued with a strong May. The month opened with a loss to the Cubs in the second of a two game series started in April. With SS Warren recovered from his injury, he was sent back down to AAA to continue working on his bat. The Expos then won 2 of 2 versus the Diamondbacks, 0 of 3 versus the Las Vegas Aces, 3 of 3 versus the Nationals, 2 of 2 versus the Braves, 2 of 3 versus the Padres, 2 of 3 versus the Mets, 2 of 4 versus the Pirates, 1 of 3 versus the Cardinals, and 3 of 3 versus the Marlins. This all adds up to a strong 17-10 record for the month. I was also notified that AAA SP Luck received the pitcher of the month award in the International League. If he continues to pitch well, he may return a valuable piece in a trade. Here's how the batters performed for the month: 3B Flores led the way offensively for the month with 6 HR, 17 R, and 24 RBI. His .327 AVG was the best among my batters with more than 55 PA. 1B Garza also had a strong month, driven mostly by his .452 OBP. 2B Draxler, SS Albies, and LF Derringer all had good months as well. And here are the pitching performances: SP Diplan (38.2 IP, 50 K, 11 BB) had the lowest FIP (1.54) by a large margin, but was again unlucky with a 3.72 ERA. SP Caballero (2.88 ERA, 4.37 FIP) and SP Garcia (3.77 ERA, 5.36 FIP) had good results, especially compared to their FIPs. The starting pitching stars for the month, however, were SP Killough (1.41 ERA, 3.25 FIP) and SP Womble (1.91 ERA, 4.58 FIP). Killough looks like he might breakout this year. RP Sandborn, RP Crose, and RP Salazar were the best relief arms both by ERA and FIP. CL Bedingfield added another 5 saves and RP Takara had his first poor month, but should remain one of the top relievers in the game. Next up is the first year player draft...

04-14-2017, 08:56 PM	#119
GM_CheatSheets Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 171	2029 First Year Player Draft This year I have one comp round pick, giving me two overall in the first round. Here is what the board looked like when it got to me for pick number 18 overall. Round 1, Pick 18 SP Baha al Din looks like the clear pick to go with, but his pitching rating is boosted by great stuff and movement that masks his poor control. Simply put, I didn't see the control issues as worth the risk of my top pick this year. Instead, I might have gone a little too conservative in the opposite direction with 2B Max Dipert (23, college). Dipert was the most developed bat available as he is already average in three of the batting categories. His bat potential is only above average, but he should move quickly through my system as a second baseman. Round 1, Pick 33 I was very happy to see SP Manny Roque (21, college) available here as I was considering him for the pick above. His control and repertoire will need to reach its potential for him to make my big league rotation. He's not old at 21, but it does mean he will need to progress in these areas quickly. This is a solid player with some clear upside and potential. Round 2, Pick 18 Here I took the top remaining available player on the board in CF Mike Burr (20, college). His bat has the potential to be slightly above average across the board. His plus speed, great defense, and above average intangibles make him a well rounded player. He's not likely to develop into a superstar but could be a whole is greater than the parts type player. Round 3, Pick 19 Next I went with an impossible demand player in SS Nate Garrett (18, high school). He has profiles as a middle or utility infielder with contact and gap power as his calling card. He doesn't figure to hit many home runs, but could utilize his contact and speed similar to my former draft pick and current utility infielder SS Jon Chris. This is still a valuable profile if he reaches his potential. Round 4, Pick 18 I went back to the ranks of impossible demand players here with SP David Younkin (17, high school). This is a high risk pick with only moderate upside, especially considering the $5 million price I ended up paying for him. He is almost all projection at this point and even so, could use some development, especially of his velocity. As one of the youngest players in the draft, he has plenty of time to develop. Round 5, Pick 18 The talent level seemed to drop off considerably with this next pick. I took CF John Keller (18, high school). He has good speed, some power, contact, and avoid k potential, but he will need to show further development to become much of a prospect. Round 6, Pick 18 RF Tyler Scott (20, college) profiles very similarly to the previous pick, Keller. Scott's bat projects to be a little more balanced, but again, he will need to show further development to become much of a prospect. Round 7, Pick 18 CF Kevin Gantenbein (18, high school) is much the same as the previous two picks. Perhaps one of the three will develop into a better player than they currently look, though I am not super optimistic. This isn't too exciting, so I'll stop here. Below is a list of all my manual selections. Overall, this is probably the draft class that I am least excited about. It lacks any superstar potential and the highest upside player is already 23 years old. The positive is that I feel I took the best value available at each pick and that I still feel that my process is fine, just that this draft class wasn't very impressive. Next up, the Expos continue play into June...

04-14-2017, 09:28 PM	#120
GM_CheatSheets Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 171	June 2029 Recap For the month of June, the Expos won 2 of 3 versus the Dodgers, 0 of 3 versus Toronto, 2 of 3 versus Tampa Bay, 2 of 3 versus Cleveland, 2 of 4 versus Philadelphia, 3 of 3 versus Pittsburgh, 1 of 3 versus San Francisco, 0 of 3 versus Atlanta, and 2 of 2 versus Washington. This adds up to a 14-13 record for the month and gives the Expos a 10 game lead as the first place team in the NL East. I was notified that LF Derringer was named the batter of the month and rookie of the month for his performance in June. Here is a look at the batting performances for the month: LF Derringer and RF Lindberg had great months with 8 and 7 home runs respectively. It is especially nice to see Lindberg rounding back into form, as well as to see Derringer looking similar to how Lindberg took the league by storm to win the rookie of the year award two seasons ago. 1B Garza, 3B Flores, and 2B Draxler all had good months as well. And here are the pitching performances: SP Caballero led the rotation with a 2.14 ERA and 2.90 FIP. Otherwise it was a largely disappointing month from my rotation. The bullpen, however, had a number of strong performances including RP Mosqueda, CL Bedingfield, RP Sandborn, RP Hitchcox, RP Takara, and RP Crose. Next the international amateur free agent signing period opens for this year...