Terraveritas

[JWay]

Welcome to the continent of Terraveritas. A fictional continent on the planet Earth where three Nations occupy all the resources necessary to be self-sustaining and private from the rest of the world’s affairs. The continent itself only spreads roughly over a quarter million square miles which makes it slightly larger than the states of South Dakota, North Dakota and Minnesota combined.

The land is well populated in several major cities, over a hundred large towns, and countless tiny villages and townships. The continent is made up of three nations that cover larger land masses and smaller islands. The Veritas Republic contains four states and nine islands. Tankamaka sits South just off the coast of the Veritas Republic across the Veritas Channel. Finally, the Nation of Flotia resides in the East and while connected to the Veritas Republic, they are separated by the Green Ridge Mountains.

Nation Stats:
Veritas Republic

Population: 28,019,014 residents
States: 4 (Birch, Lerawood, Orangemont, Trouton)
Teams: 44

Flotia

Population: 6,607,140 residents
States: 2 (North Flotia, South Flotia)
Teams: 31

Tankamaka

Population: 543,195 residents
States: 0
Teams: 5

Baseball has been a long pastime and national sport of all three nations for decades of years. Catching up to the year 1985, the three nations got together and decided it was time to develop an integrated baseball system. The three nations sport hundreds of ball clubs ranging from profession, semi-professional, amateur and prep. The facilities around the land range from good to pristine, as even the smallest of towns find a way to attend their local amateur teams.

Starting in 1985 these teams were combined to form the first ever Terraveritas baseball league. The organization is comprised of five leagues of 20 teams each feeding the parent league the Premier Baseball Association. The PBA allows the best teams of each league to either be crowned champion.

The PBA has two rounds of playoffs, a championship round of 9 games between division winners, followed by an interleague championship of 9 games. They will play a balanced 154 game schedule largely compromised of 3 and 4 games series, played against each team in their league. The balanced schedule is best suited to produce the best of the best. The top two tiers are largely based in the Veritas Republic, with the other two leagues being largely based in Flotia.

Creator note: The PBA will be played a game by game, daily. I plan to start with a bottom league team and do my best to raise them through the ranks. I will leave the ability to get fired to remain on, and let the game influence the direction I take going forward. Thanks for following!

The Maps: (Still need fine tuning, but none-the-less)
Features and Places: http://www.gilliscreative.com/images...0Landmarks.png
Cities: http://www.gilliscreative.com/images...City%20Map.png

[JWay]

April 1, 2013 - Monday | Opening Day

Its been six months since Wyatt Wayne took over the reigns of the Unionside Showboats. The Showboats have struggled in the PBA being one of two teams (Birthport Cobras) who have yet to reach the playoffs. The Showboats also will be the last team to reach 2000 franchise wins as they stand at 1985 career wins, 90 wins behind the next "losingest" franchise.

That should all change, Wayne took charge from owner Bazyli Zielinski jr., a native of Unionside. With that movement, Wayne got a chance to evaluate his organization and create a starting point going forward to create a winning atmosphere.

An immediate splash was made, Wayne signed Iskander Sumbatashvili, free agent ace from Oakdon to a 6 year, 118-million dollar deal.



The move came with criticism as Sumbatashvili is 30 years old, and he's never thrown more than 200 innings in a season. However, his effectiveness on the mound when he's available is unquestionable.

The Showboats weren't done showboating yet, they spent another hundred million dollars on Beldon slugger Arend Qvist. Qvist a lefty slugger from Cherry City, 29 years old, has 225 career homers, averaging over 30 a season in 8 seasons while hitting .297 with 104 homers. Last season Qvist hit .329 with 22 homers and 86 RBIs.



Expectations were high after those winter signings, then Wyatt Wayne made an unexpected move. They fired their bench coach and demoted then current manager Charlie Fitzgerald to the bench coach position. Former PBA middle reliever Roberto Delgado got the call to manage the Showboats in his first professional gig as manager.

Wayne described the move as necessary as Delgado's philosophies mirrored his own more. Fitzgerald when asked about the demotion seemed happy just to be keeping his job. His focus will be returned to teaching players rather than handling them, which suits his talents better.

With those significant moves in place, its now opening day. Preseason expectations are higher than they've been in some years. A team that hasn't won 80 games in a season since 1999 (81 wins), is slotted to win 82 this year. Will the 2013 season be the start of a winning era in Unionside? Rome wasn't built in a day, but Wyatt Wayne has no problem with the high expectations.



Today at 7:05pm, Sumbatashvili will square off versus the Cherry City Fighters and Innocenzio Francioni. The Unionside fans have already sold out the stadium leading up to the 2013 affair, a response to the increased spending from ownership. A stadium that hasn't seen a full sitting in over a decade will get old tarps removed and replaced with people. A wonderful sight indeed.

Will the Showboats show their fans a new side tonight? Come out tonight!

[JWay]

2013 Record: 0-1

It did not go as planned. The Unionside fans were treated to what they hoped to be past. Subatashvili was tagged for six hits in three innings walking two more while just striking out two. He spread four earned runs over the first three innings before being lifted for a pinch hitter.

John Ellis came in for long relief and also got shelled early. Ellis recorded one out while giving up 4 earned runs, including two earned on a Jared Reed home run. Qvist did not do much in his Showboats debut either as he failed at the plate going 0 for 4 with two strikeouts.

Their were brightspots in the 8-1 trashing however, Wayne's late signing, TowaUlta Alebana got on base in the third inning to get knocked in by Vasile Bobescu to bring the score to 4-1 in the third. The game got out of hand and Alebana added a double later in the game. The bullpen after Ellis also finished strong. Merrick, Finch and Terenther combined for 5.2 innings racking up three strikeouts versus 2 walks and six hits.

Tomorrow's matchup hopes to be better, budding star Lorne Lawrence (0-0, 0.00 ERA) will take the mound versus Peder Boman (0-0 0.00 ERA).

[JWay]

April 2, 2013 - 2013 Record: 0-2

After a lackluster start to the game, the Showboats finally got a hit in the 5th inning. A beautiful start by Lorne Lawrence gets wasted after Cesar Gutierrez's first blow save of the season. In between Lawrence's 8 innings of magic (6 K's, no walks, 4 hits), rightfielder Ray Price hit the first home run of the Showboats season. His solo-shot gave the Showboats the 1-0 lead in the 7th inning and looked to be enough. Gutierrez got the call in the 9th inning and quickly gave up a solo home run himself to the Fighters' Mike Larson. After three walks and some lack luster tosses, the Showboats found themselves down 3-1. In the bottom of the ninth, a comeback attempt was made, but fell short with the bases loaded. A boring beautiful game, turned exciting, and fell disappointing.

[JWay]

April 4, 2013 - 2013 Record: 0-3

After an off-day, the Showboats road North to Santiago to take on the Marauders. Left-handed Dylan Robinson faced off versus Santiago's right-hander Mike Perkins. Things started off as much of the same as the Showboats would end the first inning trailing yet again after RF Jason Chappell crushed a 421ft homer over the right-center wall.

It only took five innings today for the Showboats to get into the hit column. 3B Christian Moore slapped a single into right field with two outs to end any hopes of something special for Mike Perkins. Santiago retaliated in the bottom of the fifth by drawing the bases loaded with three walks, and hustling home three runs on a base clear double by 1B Lee Pruitt.

In the top of the seventh, Raymond Price had to do what he does best. He sent a Mike Perkins slider just inside the left field foul pole for a solo home run. The Showboats would show up in the ninth inning again, down 4-1, Vasile Bobescu led off with a bunt single, Smith and Qvist promptly got out (Qvist has yet to do anything all season, still collecting checks), Ray Price got a free pass, and Stephen Burton knocked both base runners in with a 2 run double.

Christian Moore had a chance to be the hero, but he popped up Merrill Pierce offering to safely end the game, and the Showboats third offering at a comeback victory. Despite it being early in the season, expectations from the off-season are already beginning to crash. Big free agent signing Arend Qvist has gone from potential all-star, to super-goat striking out 6 times in his 12 at bats. If the Showboats want to touch 80 wins, they cannot keep waiting to hit until after the 5th inning, and then allowing punch-less losers hit 3rd in the line-up.

[JWay]

2013 Record: 1-3

The Showboats win! The Showboats win! Everything happened short of a pile up on the field following the Showboats first victory in 2013. Santiago was held hitless for the first five innings, and their starter Richie English was pulled from the game after three innings and giving up three home runs.

The 'boats started hot for the first time all season and scored five runs in the third inning from Steve Burton, Kurt Underwood, and Christian Moore homeruns. The Marauders came right back in the sixth inning with two triples, and eventually drew the score to 7-5. But the Unionside bullpen held firm and shut the door down for the first victory. Starter Jack McBride scored the win, pitched 6 innings, allowed 5 runs, 3 walks and struck out 3 hitters.

The Showboats will close out the weekend finishing the 4 game series in Santiago after games tomorrow and Sunday night.

[PotatoPeeler]

I'm thinking I should do a dynasty like this. I like the slow one-day-at-a-time idea.

[JWay]

I would love an online league like this. But solo works too.

[JWay]

2013 record: 1-4

Catcher Steve Allen did everything he could to be the hero today, but the paper bags will need to be placed on the men in the bullpen yet again. Allen started started the scoring off in the 2nd inning after a 2 run home run shot off of Lonnie Stewart. Allen would come up again in the 4th inning where he notched an RBI-triple.

Unionside starter Valter Zarbabian gave up 5 runs, 4 earned in 5.2 innings pitched, he notched 4 strikeouts versus 4 walks. But he left the game with the win on the line. With a one run lead in the ninth, up 6-5, closer Cesar Gutierrez did his best to blow yet another save this season. Gutierrez allowed two walks, a single, and just barely got out of the inning after blowing the lead and leaving the 9th in a tie.

The Showboats hitters were cold from there on, Santiago strung together a few hits in the 11th and walked off on a Andrew Cantrell double. The showboats fall to 1-4, already 4 games back of the division leader.

[JWay]

2013 April Minor League System Report:

Coming into the 2013 season the Unionside Showboats clocked in with the 9th rated minor league system. Five players clocked in the top 75.

At the top is John 'Clutch' Ellis who's role is being determined on the spot. Ellis a two pitch pitcher, is currently being used in the Showboats bullpen has had a rocky start to his rookie campaign. He has pitched in three games, has only managed 5 outs, and he's allowed 4 earned run. He still projects as a potential elite level closer, or possibly a back end starting pitcher.

Ranked #22, Al Keller the former 2012 1st round draft pick, plays short stop for the Giles Falls Talons in single A. Keller plays SS, but projects to settle at 3B eventually. He features good contact potential, great discipline, and average power potential. He could break from leadoff hitter with his better than average speed, or if his power develops, a middle of the order star.

Ranked #54: Ajamila Satinder the closer for the Giles Falls Talons. Satinder was signed as an undrafted free agent and has developed quite nicely. Despite being 20 years old, he's split between the rotation and bullpen, he has all around average stuff. He could project to being a back end starter.

Ranked #65: Wing-fung Hoong was drafted in the first supplemental round of the 2010 draft. Hoong a fabulous athlete has owned his role as a starting pitcher since developing a monster change up. He throws four pitches for strikes, and at 25 years old, he's looking primed to get a call-up to the big show.

Ranked #72: Blaine Teague, another Giles Falls player. His defense projects him to play at a corner infield spot. He's got tremendous speed on the base paths, below average power, but scouts out to be a legitimate slap hitter who can draw walks.

Down the pipeline, ranked outside the top 100:

CL - John Barnes - Did well in the past with his role as a starting pitcher, took off last year in AA as a closer notching 36 saves, 1.82 ERA.

RF - Gary Toope - A corner outfielder with average power and lack of discipline at the plate. At just 21 he's already played 100 games with the big league club but finds himself developing more in Kochly. He probably projects to be an average big league ball player and will find himself on the big league roster again soon.

The Wolf River Yellow Jackets (AA team) a a team that lacks talent from top to bottom. The only talented players that show promise are old for the league.

The Unionside minor league system overall looks pretty average. With the draft pick compensation the Showboats only have the #3 overall pick in this years amateur draft, and not many picks after that. They will have to be creative and hit on that pick to brighten this franchise's future.