Archive of SportingNews.com's old SOM Baseball forum

Why I don't like this team? I keep looking at it and I just have the feeling I'm gonna lose a lot of games. But I can't put my finger on why I feel that way.

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/atg2/team/team_other.html?user_id=77006

cahnge out 1b man and rf'er .... and if money left try for something a bit better at 3B

1B- ludeus-judge-merkle
rf - almost anybody

You are going with a strong pitching team and you are scared to death you won't score enough runs. I would downgrade Tincup to Riddle or Doug Sisk and count on your starters and Richert and Lown in the bullpen and use the money to upgrade to one of the following starters:


Keller for LF
Valentine for RF
Steinfeldt for 3B

This team will not score enough runs to be competetive. You are spending
too much on SP and not enough on offense. Believe me. I have done the
same a number of times, usually with disastrous results.Also, Rice with
Hegan backup will not work as Rice is an enormous injury risk and
Mazzilli can't hit or run well enough for this team.I personally don't think
Bush or Pendleton are good choices but that is just my opinion.

There are at least two (with numerous variations) successful, but different styles of winning in Griffith-type parks. Your team is a mix of the two styles and may suffer for that.

One type spends as much as possible on starting pitching (3-4 starters $9 mil or more), gets the best possible arms in the OF and C and gets what offense it can with a limited budget.

The other puts more focus on a better offense (more guys like Speaker, Cobb, Keller) and gets what starting pitching it can with the budget available.

Both types rarely spend a lot on relief pitching, have excellent team speed throughout the lineup and strong defense.

These examples are overly simplified, but generally in order. And they both frequently are successful. It generally takes a bit of discipline to stick with one or the other.

[quote:a4ae841011]You are spending
too much on SP and not enough on offense.[/quote:a4ae841011]

No such thing. Exhibit A--

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/atg2/team/team_other.html?user_id=43930


My experimental "Extreme Pitching" team.

Spent a few $$ on relief as well. :wink:

(_)ß

That is a remarkable team. I would never have thought it possible to
win that many games with such a weak hitting team. I once won 95 games
and a championship in ATG1 with a team that had $41.15m in pitching
and I thought I was pushing the envelope and you did it with $62.64m.
So , I stand corrected.

Yeah, I remember MM posting about the progress of that team. I don't know that there has ever been a weaker hitting team to realize that type of success. MM truly has the magic touch when it comes to his pitching domintated teams. If I had drafted that team, I bet I would have STRUGGLED to win 75 games, max. Remarkable.

Donie Bush at SS? Don't be fooled by his 1 fielding rating. His e68 will kill you. According to the SOM fielding charts put out by the Baseball Think Factory, a 1e68 at SS will give up as many hits + errors as a 2e52, 3e34 or a 4e17. Based on that theory, if you are willing to accept a 1e68 as SS then you would also be willing to accept a 3e34. You can probably find a better hitting SS for the same money at that fielding range.

I love these types of teams, but you have another team in your division with a better front three (as good, but fewer BP #) and better def and OBP. I would agree with the suggestion above to go after Valentine, Keller, etc. I also don't like a 3B that won't provide more offense even with the 1 rating. I suppose Riggs, MicMullen, etc are gone? I would look to downgrade financially somewhere at the expense of some (SOME) defense (but not offense) and upgrade notably elsewhere offensively. Your team is in fundamentally sound shape, but you're going to need to add more beef :) Good luck!