Season 28 (2046) Discussion Thread

[dbqs]

Originally Posted by gemini615

My Terriers team has been pack only since the beginning and has finally made it to perfect. Here's my pack breakdown for them:

Packs opened- 422
Perfects- 2 (deGrom and Sale)
Diamonds- 15
Golds- 43
Silvers- 113

Good to know. I got a ways to go to get this distribution evened out...

[daves]

Originally Posted by brrrdt1

In P.422 this season. Last season was in a boring 20-team league. This season the Dolphins find themselves in a 22-team league. We're in the NC, with 9 other teams, including a couple with PL trophies. The AC has 12 teams, and some hardware over there too. I find these stub leagues to be really boring, so I guess I'll just have to hope that Huntley and Singapore "randomly" end up together again.

Good luck everyone!

Top 5 favorites to win P422 this season:

1. Jersey Revolutionize - Pitchers are all basically 150K or more.
2. Somerset Dolphins
3. Alabama Farmers
4. Auburn Doubledays
5. Kennett Square Mushrooms


3 out of 5 are in my division.

[JasonC23]

The Huntley/Singapore "rivalry" will be taking the 2046 season off--mostly*--as the Sluggers are not in P413 with the Red Raiders. Glad to see the check cleared, Markus--I mean, glad to see the "random" league placement working again!

P413 feels like a league primed for a breakthrough. The total number of Perfect League championships won by the 30 teams is a mere 6, and all of those are in the AC--3 by your Huntley Red Raiders, stationed in the AC West, and 3 by the AC Central Kingston Rockers (1) and Aliquippa Quips (2).

(Fun fact: Huntley's first Perfect League championship came back in 2028 with a 4-2 Perfect Series win over...the Aliquippa Quips. I assume a team with such a fantastic name would never get all bogged down in planning its revenge...right?)

The NC may not have any former Perfect League champions among its ranks, but it has 7 former Diamond League champions--the Elon BrewBallers, King's Landing Killer K's, and Hollywood Heat (NC East); the Nashville Expos and Rexford River Rats (NC Central); and the Brooklyn Deckers and Belltown Bums (NC West)--and 3 former Gold League champions--the St George Slammers and Santiago Chiles (NC East) and the Beantown Balkers (NC Central).

Here's hoping for an exciting, competitive season in P413. Good luck to all!

*In PT 1.0, my fresh-off-a-ridiculously-improbable-championship Huntley Red Raiders are in the AC West in P418. Lo and behold, who do I spy across conference lines in the NC West? Why, none other than the Singapore...Slingers? Their manager is getheroff, so it'll have to do.

[waittilnextyear]

Fresh off a "disappointing" 2045 that saw the Frogs win 103 games and still miss the playoffs, we're in P421 this week. So far the team has played a pretty difficult schedule, but is doing decently well (16-11) with a 1/2 game division lead.

A quick glance around the league shows...

-The Frogs are the only team in their division (AC East) with a PL title. Should be a winnable division. The Portland Sea Dogs have titles at every other level, so they might be stiff competition.

-The AC Central is going to be absolutely brutal. That division has 4 teams with PL titles: Maine Gems (8), Scottsdale Scorpions (5), Eden Gladiators (3), Oakland A's (2). You feel for the Silver Spring TrustBusters as the 5th team in that division because this week will not go well for them.

-The AC West has the Asgard Warhammers and the Saturday Night Specials as teams with one PL title each.

-The NC is basically wide open. The entire conference has two PL titles, both won by the Glendale Golden Grizzlies.

-No major additions for the Frogs. Still doing the pack opening, sell off, rinse and repeat thing. Straight up hoarding historical cards that could be involved in the next mission roll out. Also hoping to complete another collection mission or two this week.

[Westheim]

When OOTP tells you to not get any ideas… 6-20 start in a division with one heavyweight and two teams that look decidedly worse than the Critters…

6-20!

[sharknut]

Originally Posted by JasonC23

Looks like your Chiles are in the same league as my Huntley Red Raiders. Good luck to you!

Also, completely random question, but do you happen to know if the Singapore Sluggers are in this league as well? Asking for a friend. Thanks!

Thanks, I understand live cards don't do as well in Perfect, so I am in trouble. I only have 2 non-live pitchers, though 6 of my everyday players are historical. My other historical pitchers are gold and all my live starters are diamond or perfect, so I can't replace them. I do pack-only, so I have who I have until I pull better pitchers. I think I might be 1-and-done in perfect.

Don't recognize that other team, no.

[sharknut]

For the teams that have been in Perfect a while, how does the rookie Ichiro perform? He's gotten off to a very slow start for me and as a pack only guy, if I can get his average sale price it could be worth it if he is not a player that does well at this level. The few Ichiro's I can find appear to be able to do pretty decent.

thx...

[brrrdt1]

Originally Posted by daves

Top 5 favorites to win P422 this season:

1. Jersey Revolutionize - Pitchers are all basically 150K or more.
2. Somerset Dolphins
3. Alabama Farmers
4. Auburn Doubledays
5. Kennett Square Mushrooms


3 out of 5 are in my division.

Good luck over there, Doubledays. That's a tough division and you're going to be in a dogfight. But based on your pythag, you've also been pretty unlucky to start the season. The Dolphins took the first series of the season with the Revolutionize 2-1, but that pitching staff sure is stacked. And NJ has a 1 game lead for the #1 seed in the playoffs right now. We've got the same pythag (which also happens to be the same as yours and the Farmers), and the Dolphins have a +11 Run Diff advantage. I started the season moving Willie Wells back to the starting lineup and subbing out Ozzie Smith...but every time I try to move away from the Wizard, he outplays his competition and demands to be put back in the starting lineup. So we start the new month with him back there. My bullpen has also had some crazy-bad BABIP luck, so I'm expecting improvement toward the stellar FIP numbers they are putting up.

[Orcin]

Originally Posted by sharknut

For the teams that have been in Perfect a while, how does the rookie Ichiro perform? He's gotten off to a very slow start for me and as a pack only guy, if I can get his average sale price it could be worth it if he is not a player that does well at this level. The few Ichiro's I can find appear to be able to do pretty decent.

thx...

I would love it if somebody could give me a primer on this Ichiro fellow. I know he is from Japan and he hits a lot of singles. But what are the various cards that he has? It seems like there are 60 of them and they all look alike to me. No power, no walks... a singles machine that plays some defense (so better than Keeler in that regard). Does anybody have one that consistently puts up a 100 OPS+ in perfect leagues in a neutral park? If so, which one is it?

[camonroe]

Originally Posted by brrrdt1

Good luck over there, Doubledays. That's a tough division and you're going to be in a dogfight. But based on your pythag, you've also been pretty unlucky to start the season. The Dolphins took the first series of the season with the Revolutionize 2-1, but that pitching staff sure is stacked. And NJ has a 1 game lead for the #1 seed in the playoffs right now. We've got the same pythag (which also happens to be the same as yours and the Farmers), and the Dolphins have a +11 Run Diff advantage. I started the season moving Willie Wells back to the starting lineup and subbing out Ozzie Smith...but every time I try to move away from the Wizard, he outplays his competition and demands to be put back in the starting lineup. So we start the new month with him back there. My bullpen has also had some crazy-bad BABIP luck, so I'm expecting improvement toward the stellar FIP numbers they are putting up.

Alabama has been on fire to start the season but we have also been very lucky with a 7-1 record in 1 run games.

Virginia is in the middle of the wild card race and it just need to find a way to beat Jersey, as we are 1-4 against them at the moment.

[Orcin]

You really shouldn't be messing with things when you are 26-3, right? My pitching has been unbelievable to start the season. We lead the league with a .259 BABIP so maybe they are due to have a bad game or two before too long. Our schedule has been pretty easy with a lot of games against teams that are below .500 for their PL career or that just arrived at this level. So, in short, I am not going to quit trying to improve my club.

A few position battles are proving to be interesting...

I really wish I could settle on a middle infield but the search goes on. Jackie Robinson is simply outperforming Luke Appling at 2B. They both have around 100 ABs and Robinson's .383 wOBA is fourth on the team. Appling is down the list at .315 wOBA. Both are good defenders at 2B but Robinson is a better baserunner. Right now, Appling plays 2B vs. LHP while Jackie plays 1B (in a platoon with Brett).

In order to make better use of Appling, I gave him at trial at shortstop vs. RHP. So far, he is hitting about the same as Rizzuto but that's where the comparison ends. He is ok defensively, but Rizzuto is a lot better than ok so he is playing short vs. LHP and might be playing fulltime again soon. I would play Appling at short if he were producing a lot of walks and a great OBP, but I can't see playing him there if he is nothing more than ok at the plate. Appling was great for the first month last season, but since then he has been a bust. He might end up being a backup 2B/SS and I guess I could do a lot worse there.

Oscar Charleston is another enigma. He plays like an all-star as a sub, but he seems pretty ordinary as a starter even when platooned. He is a plus OPS+ hitter and good all-round player but I guess I am expecting more from someone at his price. He is not better than 100 Mantle or 100 Aaron for me, and both of those cards go for around 50-60% of Oscar. He makes a great fourth outfielder vs, RHP but he is damn expensive for that role compared to someone like Dykstra or even 99 Cobb. I am still playing him in a RF platoon with Aaron, hoping that he will catch fire again, but I have to wonder if I might be better off with Dykstra and 150K pp.

My catcher platoon (McCarver and Molina) are great in some years, combining for 4-5 WAR. Other years, they provide only 2-3 WAR between them. I want to move on but I love the defense that I get from them.

My team is soooooo slow. I am again last in SB. But it is a homer-based team so....

This game is a lot of fun, isn't it?

[sharknut]

Originally Posted by sharknut

For the teams that have been in Perfect a while, how does the rookie Ichiro perform? He's gotten off to a very slow start for me and as a pack only guy, if I can get his average sale price it could be worth it if he is not a player that does well at this level. The few Ichiro's I can find appear to be able to do pretty decent.

thx...

Ichiro has gone 11-20 in 5 games today.

Nevermind.

[Argonaut]

Originally Posted by Orcin

I would love it if somebody could give me a primer on this Ichiro fellow. I know he is from Japan and he hits a lot of singles. But what are the various cards that he has? It seems like there are 60 of them and they all look alike to me. No power, no walks... a singles machine that plays some defense (so better than Keeler in that regard). Does anybody have one that consistently puts up a 100 OPS+ in perfect leagues in a neutral park? If so, which one is it?

My Gold Ichiro has a lifetime .300/.317/.395 slashline in Perfect, which is pretty funny and probably what you'd expect -- a lot of singles. Unfortunately he hasn't been performing to his advertised level of speed, and has a net zero BSR for some reason.

Definitely not a card for your level of team, but an interesting guy for a certain style of F2P play -- Speed/Contact/Defense.

[Matt Arnold]

Originally Posted by Argonaut

My Gold Ichiro has a lifetime .300/.317/.395 slashline in Perfect, which is pretty funny and probably what you'd expect -- a lot of singles. Unfortunately he hasn't been performing to his advertised level of speed, and has a net zero BSR for some reason.

Definitely not a card for your level of team, but an interesting guy for a certain style of F2P play -- Speed/Contact/Defense.

Not too far off mine - only 3 seasons and change, mostly as a 4th OF, career .307//317/.395.

Checking around my league, the 90 Ichiro Special Edition card is actually putting up some very strong numbers. I don't know what talent level of league or park they're playing in, but I count him being used in 19 seasons, and never once was he less than 2 WAR, usually more in the 4-5 WAR range, often batting about .330 with a .360ish OBP.

Rookie Ichiro tends to be a notch below that, but to me is a pretty great 4th OF option, for me in a pseudo-platoon with SE Vlad. With Trout and Henderson for LF/CF, I basically debate between Ichiro or SE Dykstra as my 4th OF option, and I like that Ichiro is a little more balanced.

[pappyzan]

Originally Posted by Orcin

I would love it if somebody could give me a primer on this Ichiro fellow. I know he is from Japan and he hits a lot of singles. But what are the various cards that he has? It seems like there are 60 of them and they all look alike to me. No power, no walks... a singles machine that plays some defense (so better than Keeler in that regard). Does anybody have one that consistently puts up a 100 OPS+ in perfect leagues in a neutral park? If so, which one is it?

Here's stats from SE Ichiro along with ballpark factors that haven't changed in a long time. Bats last and plays CF nearly 100% of the time.

[Orcin]

Originally Posted by pappyzan

Here's stats from SE Ichiro along with ballpark factors that haven't changed in a long time. Bats last and plays CF nearly 100% of the time.

Thanks. I am surprised at the number of XBH. That's a lot more HRs than I expected (my expectation was almost none). I am not surprised at the 4.7% BB rate. That would be the worst on my team.

Edit: I finally found the card, I didn't realize he was listed as a RF (obvious that I don't do missions). The last 7 is 107K so a lot higher than Dykstra but clearly a better overall card. Again, I am surprised at the gap and power ratings on the card - higher than I expected.

[Izz]

So this might finally be the season the 'Glou get relegated back to Diamond. After a respectable 78-84 finish last season, we are 12-25 to begin 2046, which includes a 13-game losing streak.

My live Trout continues to suck big-time. He's slashing .167/.276/.303 so far. His wRC+ for the last 2 seasons was 83 & 99, and is a measly 61 so far this season.

Tommy Holmes went 6-8 in a 13-inning victory over the superbly-named Asheville Cosmic Possums, and Curt Simmons threw a Maddux to break our losing streak, so at least I have a few PP in the bank.

[Westheim]

The horror.

I already showed off the Raccoons' bludgeoning above. 9-27 now. I am at a loss of words. After packing a winning record for the very first time and even tumbling into the wild card game they are now playing a solid .250 … I am disturbed and distraught.

The Rebels got off like shot out of a six-pounder, then ran into a 7-game losing streak at the start of May, yet somehow they are 22-16 and in first place. Only winning team in the division. Maybe it's that. Run differential is only +6 so I don't trust them one inch further than I can spit.

Accountants are getting waffled and can't score a lick in Perfect. 14-22 and bleeding. Already had a 9-game losing streak during which they managed all of 12 runs.

[waittilnextyear]

Originally Posted by Izz

My live Trout continues to suck big-time. He's slashing .167/.276/.303 so far. His wRC+ for the last 2 seasons was 83 & 99, and is a measly 61 so far this season.

I never had much luck with Mike Trout either. His strengths don't mesh so well with the game meta.

Originally Posted by pappyzan

Here's stats from SE Ichiro along with ballpark factors that haven't changed in a long time. Bats last and plays CF nearly 100% of the time.

I have been using SE Ichiro and getting about the same results. My ballpark factors are almost the same as pappyzan except I have .900 for HR instead of .950, and 1.500 for doubles.

[JasonC23]

RIVALRY ALERT

The PT 1.0 Huntley Red Raiders swept a 2-game series from the Singapore Slingers.

THIS HAS BEEN A RIVALRY ALERT