The Planetary Extreme Baseball Alliance (PEBA) - Fiction crafted by you

[Corsairs]

The Planetary Extreme Baseball Alliance (PEBA)

HTML Reports URL: Planetary Extreme Baseball Alliance Home
News Archive: PEBA/LRS News Archive
Forums: PEBA League Forum
IOLD: PEBA IOLD Profile
Commissioner: Corsairs @ OOTP forums / PEBA Commissioner @ PEBA forums
OOTP Version: 11.2.28
Format: Fictional
League Structure: 24 human teams (each with 4 minor league affiliates) plus 2 feeders. Extended universe includes the full PEBA system plus 4 independent AI leagues.
Export Deadlines: Wednesday @ 8 p.m. ET / Sunday @ 10 a.m. ET
Days Per Sim: 7
First Season: 2007
Current Season: 2015
Special League Features:

• The league Commissioner does not own a team to ensure impartiality.
• Enjoy one of the most creative and prolific group of story writers in the OOTP online world. League members delight in building up a believable fiction around our league. With entertaining new articles being published all the time, you'll never lack for reading material!
• Weave yourself into the legacy of one OOTP's most famous online leagues. Our passionate members have built an entire world for you to explore and shape. Some tales have grown into full-blow books, like OOTP community member (and LRS GM) RonCo's See the PEBA on $25 a Day. Your exploits may be the next to be immortalized in story!
• Participate in one of the most active online communities around. At over 41,000 posts and growing, you're never going to want for something to talk about. There's always a conversation happening!
• Become part of a stable, well-established, tight-knit league that you can depend on being able to turn to over the long haul. There's nothing like the security of knowing the league you just joined will be there for you whenever you want.
• The PEBA and the LRS are beta testing homes of StatsLab, the outstanding OOTP online utility suite created by community member fhomess, who is also a member of our league. PEBA/LRS members will have access to new StatsLab features even before they're made public!
• Do you like to trade? You've found your nirvana! Be a part of a bustling, dynamic trade environment. If you can't swing a trade here, you can't swing a trade anywhere!
• Coaching and Scouting are ON. Make personnel decisions that matter and prepare for the "fog of war" when judging prospects! It will be your skill and keen eye for talent that will separate you from the pack.
• Amateur Draft and Winter Meetings are conducted LIVE via the PEBA chat room. These well-attended events are extraordinary fun and greatly anticipated. They're experiences you don't want to miss!
• A Contribution Points reward system allows members to improve and customize their teams through writing articles and posting in our forums.
• Members can impact the course of the league by voting on "floater" proposals during the off-season.

Currently Available Teams:
Kalamazoo Badgers

Join the PEBA today!

And don't forget to check for LRS openings

The PEBA is a 24-team fictional league in its fourth year of existence and eighth season of play with franchises mostly located in the continental U.S. We have been fortunate to attract a quality group of friendly, competitive, active owners. We're always interested in getting to know more like-minded individuals with an interest in joining in our fun and would love to hear from you.

The PEBA looks for the kind of person who views an online league as an opportunity not just to compete but to socialize and share with a group of passionate baseball nuts. If you enjoy being active in forums, you're likely a great fit. The PEBA also places an emphasis on writing contributions. The amazing stories our creative owners come up with really help bring our fictional players to life! You don't have to be Shakespeare, but if you like exercising your brain as part of your online baseball experience then you've found the right league.

Creating an immersive and highly entertaining fictional baseball environment is the primary goal of the PEBA. We welcome any owner who would enjoy contributing to that goal regardless of their experience level. If you're an enthusiastic OOTP newbie or a seasoned vet looking for a friendly new group of people to compete against, the PEBA may be the perfect landing spot for you!

[Corsairs]

It's not every day that you get the chance to take over a reigning champion

The PEBA has a highly intriguing opening: The Tempe Knights. I say “intriguing” for a variety of reasons. Tempe is far and away the smallest market team in the league. They were dreadful in the league’s first year of play. In truth, the Knights looked like a long-term disaster in the making. And then the 2008 draft arrived, Tempe selected Markus “Fireworks” Hancock, and the fortunes of the franchise completely reversed course. Fireworks has become the preeminent pitcher of his generation. He’s won three straight Golden Arm awards and threatening to make that four straight.

As amazing as Fireworks has been, it would be unfair to say that he’s the sole reason for Tempe’s success. Management has made some very shrewd moves over the years. Probably none was more impactful than the trade which brought Conan McCullough (himself a three-time Golden Arm winner) from New Orleans. Fireworks and Conan join with Barney Sharp to form one of the most potent top-three rotations in the PEBA. On the strength of their arms, as well as the bats of Jason Kirkland and José González, Tempe completed their improbably climb to the top, winning last year’s Planetary Extreme Championship.

The intrigue doesn’t end there, though. An incoming GM is going to instantly be faced with decisions that will be pivotal to the franchise’s future. Chief amongst those is what to do with Conan McCullough, who is currently slated to walk via free agency. Of less immediacy but of no less importance is the future of Markus Hancock. He is already signed for next season, an extension that will carry him through his final arbitration year. Do you pony up to keep him, or do you let the face of the franchise walk? Do you have the guts to face Tempe fans after trading Fireworks? These scenarios, as unthinkable as they seem to PEBA veterans, will all have to be weighed by a new GM. One thing that will help during the decision-making process is the fact that, counting Conan, the top three salaries on the team’s payroll will be off the books next year, providing needed flexibility for a team that must maximize every dollar it spends.

This is a fascinating opportunity. A new GM will be taking over a team that not only is coming off a Planetary Extreme Championship but it currently vying to become the PEBA's first ever back-to-back champ. At the same time, Tempe remains the league's smallest market team, and the organization faces some incredibly tough choices ahead. Do you spend to keep your stars, extending beyond your means in the hopes of growing your market? Do you pull back and rebuild the franchise in your own mold? These are the decisions you'll be making as general manager of the Knights. With just a week and a half remaining until the arrival of the off-season, now is the time to join on and start shaping Tempe's future.

[Old Reliable]

(the message is the title; or, the title is the message)

[mtopham]

Great Chance to be part of a terrific on-line community - and that's what you get with the PEBA, a community. Great guys dedicated to the greater cause as we compete for the right to raise the Rodriguez Cup. John is a terrific commissioner: hard working, dedicated and always prompt to answer a question or post an intriguing thought in the forums.

Tempe should be an intriguing challenge as we move forward into 2014 and beyond. The Sovereign League looks to be getting more and more competitive, and there may be no greater challenge than keeping Tempe at or near the top of the SL and the Desert Hills division.

If you love a challenge and love to be an active member of a terrific group, this is the job for you!

[LFC1892]

If I knew I'd have time to write, I'd be all over this opportunity. All I can do is wish the PEBA all the best and hope they get another great owner.

[Corsairs]

We've found our new Tempe GM, but don't let that discourage you from contacting us! History tells us that openings most often come available during the off-season, which is almost upon us. It's quite likely one or more spots will be opening up within the next few weeks. Touching base with us now will put you in a position to claim one of those spots, so don't be a stranger!

[Corsairs]

The Gnats have never failed to win less than 102 games in their seven-year history

Originally Posted by Corsairs

We've found our new Tempe GM, but don't let that discourage you from contacting us! History tells us that openings most often come available during the off-season, which is almost upon us. It's quite likely one or more spots will be opening up within the next few weeks.

...And just two days later, my words become prophetic.

The Crystal Lake Sandgnats are a dream opening. With a franchise record of 657 wins against 315 losses, they are the PEBA's all-time second winningest team. They ain't slowing down, either. This year, Crystal Lake won their 7th-consecutive Great Lakes Division title on the strength of a 105-57 campaign. No team has been able to hold a candle to the Gnats for sheer sustained dominance.

It gets better (or worse if you're the competition). Crystal Lake boasts the league's #1-rated farm system. Their embarrassment of riches includes top prospects like C Pepe Espinosa (BA #6 ranked), 3B Chris "Jitters" Long (BA #33 ranked), 1B Lou Powell (BA #26 ranked) and SP Curt "Cobra" Turner (BA #20 ranked). These are the kinds of young players that could totally revitalize a stagnating franchise. In the hands of the Gnats, they're simply the next wave of shock troops, preparing to join an army that is mercilessly slaughtering its foes. Losing is a disease, and "Cobra" Turner is the cure.

Was that not enough for you? Should I bother to mention that the team is swimming in available funds, allowing a new GM to freely explore the free agent market or extend key players? Or that the team has draw over 3.6 million fans to Gnat Field in each of the last four seasons? Or that the deep pockets of owner and Oracle CEO Larry Ellison should ensure steady cash flow over the long term? Nah... by now, I think you've got the picture.

For all their success, there is one thing the Gnats haven't done, and that's win a Planetary Extreme Championship. Oh, they've been close. They've obviously been to the playoffs each year of the league's extistence and they've even qualified for the PEC on two occasions (2008 and 2010), but they've never managed to take home the Rodriguez Cup. Are you the GM to put it all together and finally bring the Cup to the great state of Illinois? Contact us today and let's find out.

[Corsairs]

The PEBA off-season is just now underway. This is the moment when a new GM can put his imprint on a team. Don't delay; get in touch with us today for your chance to influence one of the PEBA's most storied franchises!

[Corsairs]

One of the hallmarks of the PEBA is "contribution". Members really enjoy their PEBA experience and this shows in their constant involvement with the league. Their involvement takes many different forms.

Our news articles are probably the most visible sign of our active members. The PEBA certainly isn't the only online league whose members produce articles, but no league boasts a greater volume, variety or quality of stories, in my less-than-humble opinion. Sure, you can find excellently written "state of the team" pieces on our site, like RonCo's TransmitterTalk Reviews Kawaguchi Prospects. These are outstanding for getting to know teams, both for readers and for the author himself. But while most leagues begin and end their writing with team-centric on-the-field action articles, PEBA authors go further, widening their scope or weaving in highly creative fiction to draw the reader into a greater narrative. Here's a handful of examples that have posted just this week!

• Anatomy of a Failure - Ever-impugning Manchester Boutique beat writer and resident cynic L.H. Thompson examines the anatomy of the Great Maulers Collapse of 2013, in a style only L.H. can. As Thompson points out: "But posterity – cruel master, that! – demands an explanation, if not an apology, for the dashed hopes and dreams of an entire region." Indeed it does, and while L.H. offers no apologies, he does get to the heart of the matter.
• Coal Sox Sold to Taiwanese Railroad Tycoon - OOTP 11 introduced in-game team owners, and the PEBA was quick to jump on that train by allowing members to define names and characters for their new bosses. A few members elected to name themselves as owner, delegating GM tasks to a fictional subordinate. Well, what happens when OOTP generates a news story announcing that you're no longer the owner of your team? That's the position Tyler Babcock found himself in. Rolling with the punches, he's using the surprise event as a catalyst for a whole new fictional subplot that involves his departure to join the staff of a U.S. Congressman and the arrival of a railroad tycoon to take his place. Tyler has a strong interest in both politics and trains and has found a creative way to merge those outside interests into his PEBA passion.
• “Kudo and Kimura in the Morning”: Championship Edition, November 2, 2013 - You'd think current Niihama-shi Ghosts Sadao Kudo and Naizen Kimura would have better ways to spend their free time than hosting a radio show for ESPN-Japan. Their team did finish a wretched 49-95, after all. But the unflappable duo doesn't let that stop them from chiming in with their thoughts on everything going on in the League of the Rising Sun, and with the Neo-Tokyo Cup in full swing, they've got plenty to talk about.

As we continue to recruit new members, I'll return to this thread to highlight other ways that members contribute to making the PEBA a unique online league experience. In the meantime, why don't you drop us a line to get in on the action? We'd love for you to be a part of what we're building.

[simboy]

Wow, just spent the past hr or so on your league site, looks awesome, haven't played OOTP in a few years, thinking of pulling the trigger but trying to hold off til 12 is released.

[LFC1892]

Am not a PEBA GM, but if you have the time, this is a great league with a great concept.

[kiersteadmo]

This would be a great opportunity for someone who loves to write, who loves a tight knit group of guys. PEBA is a great league and John is an awesome Commissioner.

[Corsairs]

When looking for new GMs, we're of course looking for those special individuals who will enjoy building on our ever-burgeoning repository of fiction. That's not the only way that PEBA members contribute, though. The league features a unique blend of creative baseball minds, which creates fertile ground for discussion. Visit the extraordinarily active PEBA forums and you'll see this on display. Here is a sampling of some of the recent discussions being carried on by our members:

• Memory-only League Trivia - PEBA / LRS. When members are enjoying themselves enough to challenge one another with league trivia over a combined 22 forum pages, you know something special is going on.
• Who's the Face of Your Franchise. Most of our members have been with us for a while. They've built legacies and legends - both dramatic and farcical - around individual players, some of whom have become so "branded" that they're wholly associated with one team. Picking out your franchise's most identifiable player may not be easy, but it sure is fun.
• 2013 Post-season - PEBA / LRS. The 2013 playoffs just wrapped up. You can review all the chatter on the action - and there was a lot of chatter!

And this is just the league-related conversations; we haven't even touched the off-topic forums! I'll cover those next time. For now, there should be plenty to whet your appetite. If you like what you're seeing, give us a shout. We're looking for someone new to bring into the fold and join in our daily conversations. Here's hoping that someone is you.

[Corsairs]

The PEBA is much more than just a baseball league. We're a community of fans and friends. We've worked to cultivate an environment where league members can come and talk about anything that's on their mind with no fear of judgment. This leads to all kinds of fun and interesting conversation topics. Each members brings his own personal interests to the table, sparking talk and debate amongst the group and inspiring other members to explore new things.

The upshot of this open, active communication is that many of us have developed very close ties. We compete hard against one another precisely because we know each other so well. And really, is it more rewarding to defeat a group of strangers or a group of people you've come to respect and know on a personal level?

The PEBA offers GMs the unique chance to get involved with your online league on a level far beyond just managing a team. Join us and you'll be joining a true community. Here are some recent examples of non-PEBA-related conversations and activities that league members have been engaging in:

• PEBACiv and PEBA PBEM. A group of us have been regularly meeting on Monday and Thursday evening for multiplayer Civilization V sessions. Our games stretch across multiple sessions, and we're already on our fourth game. Have a look at how PEBACiv Game 2 unfolded. These sessions have been so successful that we're looking to expand our horizons with another multiplayer game, most likely Diablo II. Furthermore, there's been so much demand for a gaming option for those who don't have time for the regular sessions and/or modern computers that we're starting up a separate PEBA play-by-email group, which will be taking up the game of Diplomacy.
• Are you a "metafan"? Inspired by a Baseball Prospectus article written by Craig Calcaterra, a discussion sprang up regarding baseball metafandom. Baseball "metafans" are, according to Calcaterra, "People who... wanted to be general managers, not center fielders." Those of us who play OOTP in lieu of watching actual ballgames are engaging in metafandom, for instance. So is metafandom a good or bad thing? Read our discussion on the topic; I think it's pretty thought-provoking.
• Share your non-PEBA writing. PEBA members love to write, and not just about the league. This thread gives members the chance to share their personal work with the group.
• Handedness. If you were an OOTP player, how would you rate? Our members rate themselves and discuss their personal baseball experience (or lack thereof).
• Top 5 musical artists / What are you reading? / Best movies of the 2000s. Each of our members brings his/her own interests and hobbies to the table: music, reading, film, and so much more. The PEBA provides an outlet to share those interests with others. Is R.E.M.'s latest album the latest in a string of disappointments? Did you know that A Crack in the Edge of the World is "a tour-de-force of the geological history of North America"? Do you agree that The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is the best movie of the 2000s? Lend your input on the matters once you've joined us!

This just scrapes the surface. What else can you do as a PEBA member? You can promote your latest play, find out which apple variety rates the best out of 84 candidates, discover the myriad benefits of strength training, and much, much more.

This is our community, and we'd love for you to be a part of it. Contact us to get started. You'll be sent an info packet with further details about the league. Hopefully, you'll soon be joining in our conversations!

[TribeFanInNC]

I've been around the OOTP block and very, VERY few have the organization and passion that John has in running this league. The GMs of this league are also a creative and immersive bunch that really bring life to the PEBA/LRS universe.

The PEBA is an elite OOTP experience. It does require a little work on your end, but it will pay your back - I promise.

Plus if you take the reins of Crystal Lake, you will be able to pummel me 15 times a season

[fhomess]

I regularly see people posting on these forums about the desire to find a stable league with a tremendous commish and engaging environment. A league that people can have confidence in sticking around. This league is second to none, so if you're looking for a league to join, this ought to be one of the first leagues you consider.

[Corsairs]

The PEBA's Best of 2013 Writing Awards have just been announced. The Best of 2013 Writing Awards recognize the best writing from those who cover the PEBA and LRS on a daily basis. Writers provide fans of the game an invaluable service, yet their efforts taken for granted far too often. The Writing Awards are a chance to stop and thank those who cover our national pasttime for their amazing work.

221 articles were contributed during the 2013 season. Through these pieces, fans of the PEBA were informed about their favorite teams, made to laugh or cry, and ultimately came away with a deeper understanding of and appreciation for the game of baseball.

I invite you to browse through this catalog of outstanding writing to get a feeling for the kind of loving effort PEBA members put into their league experience. My hope is that you will be inspired to become a part of this group yourself. You can do so by contacting us through our website. Next year, it may be your own work that takes home a prize!

[blade von bartle]

info sent if any teams r open
Paul
pm here or email

[Corsairs]

Happy St. Patrick's day from the PEBA!

We're hoping for the good fortune of finding a super new member to join our ranks! Contact us about our opening. We may just be your pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

[Corsairs]

While we continue to hunt for a new GM for one the most storied franchises in the league, I invite you to review the transcripts of the 2013 PEBA Winter Meetings and the Post-Winter Meetings round table. The Winter Meetings is the PEBA's biggest off-season event. Held in Miami, FL (and moving to Miami Beach's beautiful Fontainebleau Hotel for 2014), The Meetings are special in that they are the only time during the year when all player-related trade restrictions are lifted. This allows recently drafted and signed players to be traded, amongst other things. Couple that with the presence of roughly 25 other GMs and you have the perfect conditions for a trading frenzy.

This year, 14 deals were consummated at the Winter Meetings (to say nothing of big announcements like the new look for the New Jersey Hitmen). The one deal that everyone is talking about, of course, is the trading of Markus "Fireworks" Hancock, the league's #1 pitcher, from the Tempe Knights to the Bakersfield Bears. The small-market Knights won the Planetary Extreme Championship two years ago in no small part because of Hancock's magnificence. Now feeling the financial pinch from heavy spending, they deal Fireworks to division rival Bakersfield for a package of prospects, cash and draft picks. Did they get enough? Read the post-Meetings recap to get the opinions of various PEBA beat writers on that subject and many more.

This move likely takes Tempe our of 2014 playoff contention. That opens the door for the aforementioned Crystal Lake Sandgnats to make some noise in the playoffs. Who knows? With the right GM at the helm, they may even graduate from bridesmaid to bride and win their first ever Planetary Extreme Championship. If you believe you are the right GM, contact us immediately and show us what you've got!