Season 35 (2053) - Discussion Thread

[Westheim]

Yes, Virginia, there is still league play going on.

[Orcin]

Originally Posted by Westheim

Yes, Virginia, there is still league play going on.

This weekly tournament is getting boring. It takes too long to complete with 162 games and 30 minutes between sims. Plus the rewards are really not worth the time invested. If I can get 20K points for winning a once-a-day tourney, shouldn't I get 150K points for winning this league play thing?

[Magus978]

Three of my four teams once again got rotten league placement, so we won't even bother discussing those as their seasons are already over. The only one I can rely on for a shot at PL title #1 is Blitzkrieg, as they got a league with only one PL champion (H.B. Cube). They are the clear favorites, but I'd like to think we're either 2nd or 3rd choice to go all the way.

[Catchthedamnball]

Well, after the Mashers threw their golden chance to get promoted to perfect, I'm now stuck in a division with a 2x Diamond League champion and a 1x Diamond League Champion. Time to cross my fingers that I don't get relegated...

[Westheim]

Originally Posted by Orcin

If I can get 20K points for winning a once-a-day tourney

Looking at the performance of my teams last week, I don't have to worry about that offering. Three teams played a week and didn't even make me 11k worth of stuff.

Or, you know, even with their league performance...

[waittilnextyear]

The Frogs are in P401 this week.

First thing I noticed was a couple of chazzycat teams have been placed in here. We share the NC West with his Thanos Balancers. A team with "balanced" ratings and ballpark factors jacked up for lefty batters. His SmallBallers are over in the AC Central. Other teams I recognize? Belfast Dodgers (2051 PL titleholder). And that's about it.

Altogether, P401 boasts a very modest 10 PL titles, with the Frogs having the largest share (4).

The Frogs are off to a solid start at 16-3. The only thing worth mentioning right now is LIVE Yelich begins his training at 1B. He has reached the lofty rating of 21 there.

I found it funny that one of my division-mates (Thanos Balancers) is chock-full of lefty batters with ballpark factors to match. And another division-mate (Montville Grey Owls) is like that but with righty batters and righty park factors instead. Legend Max, a third division-mate, is also juiced up for lefties. There should be some interesting intradivisional matchups with such pronounced strategies.

EDIT: Tom Seaver is getting a real knack for Perfect games. He now has 2 of them in the past 2 weeks.

[waittilnextyear]

Originally Posted by Orcin

This weekly tournament is getting boring. It takes too long to complete with 162 games and 30 minutes between sims. Plus the rewards are really not worth the time invested. If I can get 20K points for winning a once-a-day tourney, shouldn't I get 150K points for winning this league play thing?

Not boring for me. I'm just trying to catch you in titles.

[JasonC23]

This week, your 5-time Perfect League Series winners (and 5-time Perfect League Series losers ) Huntley Red Raiders are in P420, where familiar faces are scattered throughout the league. Huntley is in the AC Central this week, and one of its division mates is the Lansing Lugnuts, who, 2 seasons ago, were one of the 4 Sub-League Series teams in Huntley's league. (The Lugnuts are off to a tough start this season so far.)

The AC East is home to the 3-time Perfect League champions (and lifetime .716 winning percentage!) Amsterdam Armada, who, back in 2032, won 132 games but fell in the Sub-League Series to waittilnextyear's La Crosse Fighting Frogs, who would go on to win their first Perfect League title against, well, you all know who, so let's move on. Fellow AC East residents Toronto Charmanders and Hartford Whalers are also familiar team names.

No team in the AC West is familiar, and none have won a Perfect League title, so the playoff upstart(s) looking to break through will be coming from the AC West!

Over in the NC West are the Miami Jeters, who have won at least 93 games 5 weeks in a row and have made the Perfect League playoffs 7 years in a row but have been unable to grab that PL medallion. One of the teams that denied Miami a shot at a title is the Red Raiders, who defeated the Jeters 3-1 in the 2051 P440 Division Series on their way to the championship. This could be Miami's year, though, as no P420 NC team has won a Perfect League title yet. So at least 50% of the finalists in P420 will be looking for a first Perfect medallion!

Current standings follow...

[Elligator]

After starting the season strong, the waistcoats finished poorly last year in a gold league, snaking a wildcard but losing it. This year they are starting out hot and leading the division by 5 games already, and their starting pitching has been lights out.

The Elephants started slow last year but got a head of steam and won the division in their gold league. This year they are ina three way dogfight for the division lead, with shaky pitching but scoring oodles of runs.

Lastly, the Reivers after crushing their bronze league, and getting promoted to silver, only to inexplicably fail hard in Silver and got themselves relegated back to bronze.” For this year. The Astor only team is currently taking the league out behind the woodshed at a .750 clip. They are looking forward to getting back to silver next season and putting the ugliness behind them.

[Westheim]

Coons are 16-10, Rebs are 7-19 (screech! ) but at least pulled PEAK Charlie Gehringer from a pack the points for which were accumulated by sifting through poor people's refuse for months in Hard Scrabble, WY ... and finally the Accountants sit at 14-13.

[old timer]

The Raccoons are off to (possibly) their best start ever at 25-2. Obviously, we're liking this much easier division this season, though we did take 3 of 4 from a whale, the Spearfish Blackhawks.

The top competition this season will likely come from the Spearfish Blackhawks in the AC (6 perfects plus .751 career WPct), the Somerset Dolphins in the NC (7 perfects and lots of 120+ and 130+ W seasons) and finally the Flatbush Dukes (2 perfects and about 115 W average over multiple seasons). Speaking of the Dolphins... I seem to recall being in a league with them and I'm pretty sure they were a "dolphin" back then, but now they're clearly a whale. They've also won 5 perfects in the past 7 seasons.

[brrrdt1]

Originally Posted by old timer

The Raccoons are off to (possibly) their best start ever at 25-2. Obviously, we're liking this much easier division this season, though we did take 3 of 4 from a whale, the Spearfish Blackhawks.

The top competition this season will likely come from the Spearfish Blackhawks in the AC (6 perfects plus .751 career WPct), the Somerset Dolphins in the NC (7 perfects and lots of 120+ and 130+ W seasons) and finally the Flatbush Dukes (2 perfects and about 115 W average over multiple seasons). Speaking of the Dolphins... I seem to recall being in a league with them and I'm pretty sure they were a "dolphin" back then, but now they're clearly a whale. They've also won 5 perfects in the past 7 seasons.

Hey there old timer, I've been watching your start from safely across the conference line. Fun to be in a league with someone from the forums. And yes, the Dolphins have entered a relatively new phase of definite whale-ness, there's no denying it. A fairly slow and steady build/investment. Good luck to you.

[Marleigh]

Happy to not be in the American Conference, looks brutal, though i think i can see who will win our division

[scott1964]

Trenton is in Gold again, doing a better job this time around. Look another No Hitter.

[scott1964]

Denver Bears are horribly over matched in Diamond. So went out and purchased Paul Derringer and Harvey Kuenn.

[HelpDodgers]

Originally Posted by waittilnextyear

The Frogs are in P401 this week.

First thing I noticed was a couple of chazzycat teams have been placed in here. We share the NC West with his Thanos Balancers. A team with "balanced" ratings and ballpark factors jacked up for lefty batters. His SmallBallers are over in the AC Central. Other teams I recognize? Belfast Dodgers (2051 PL titleholder). And that's about it.

Altogether, P401 boasts a very modest 10 PL titles, with the Frogs having the largest share (4).

The Frogs are off to a solid start at 16-3. The only thing worth mentioning right now is LIVE Yelich begins his training at 1B. He has reached the lofty rating of 21 there.

I found it funny that one of my division-mates (Thanos Balancers) is chock-full of lefty batters with ballpark factors to match. And another division-mate (Montville Grey Owls) is like that but with righty batters and righty park factors instead. Legend Max, a third division-mate, is also juiced up for lefties. There should be some interesting intradivisional matchups with such pronounced strategies.

EDIT: Tom Seaver is getting a real knack for Perfect games. He now has 2 of them in the past 2 weeks.

Glad to be in the league .401 with you. Keep me updated until I can get in if you have time.

[pappyzan]

Originally Posted by Marleigh

Happy to not be in the American Conference, looks brutal, though i think i can see who will win our division

Indeed it's a pretty competitive league throughout, don't recall the exact number of PL titles in this one but maybe something like 45 total; and another 5-6 teams that could win their first one if luck would have it.

[waittilnextyear]

Originally Posted by HelpDodgers

Glad to be in the league .401 with you. Keep me updated until I can get in if you have time.

Here's your end of day 2 update on P401:

[Westheim]

Both Accountants and Rebels are fairly dismal this year, but at least I grabbed enough points to buy 1999 Billy Wagner for KC, further shoring up that pen.

The Critters are 32-20, but it looks like .615 play won't give them more than a wild card spot. They are seven games behind the Pittsburgh Red Sox.

[old timer]

The Raccoons aren't nearly good enough to be playing like they are, even against easier competition this season. Right after we exited the whale league (where we became roadkill) after 2 seasons, we did unusually well. So we have a fight all season (last year) where we get only 101 W in 163 G and now this season happens.

Our RDiff is also best at +207 (621 pace) and we're winning all the close ones (unlike the previous 2 seasons). We're 4-0 in extras and 12-1 in 1-run games. In the Who's Hot list, it may as well put the whole team there (slight exaggeration). What a crazy start!

Also, Schilling is 12-0 1.94 ERA and tossed a no-hitter. And we're making a lot more PP this year. So, the secret to making lots of PP is to win a lot. Who knew?!

Edit: Look at those Dukes and Dolphins in the other conference! We'll probably finish the season 3rd or 4th in W, but it's been fun to see us do so well up to this point.