Petco lineup

[1crazycanuk]

Looks like I'm kickin' butt and takin' names. Yeah right.

3-6 record...and a crazy OBP of .271 to go with it. Must just be getting bad rolls. I'm rather tired of being excited about a team and finding out I suck within the first week. The best team in the league...I really don't see how they're the best.

[cummings2]

Way, way, waaaaay too early canuck,

Kick back and follow stats closely, not so much AVG and ERA and OBP but the detailed stuff of your team to find where double plays are haunting you, botched stolen bases, etc, try to determine little things like that and once you feel you're laning the best team and settings you can let them play.

Still it's way too early, with two sweeps you'll be 9-6 :D

- Kidding aside do observe your team a bit closely during divisional runs, they'll help you towards game 142 and any changes you might want to make to gear up for the final divisional run.

[1crazycanuk]

Yeah, I hear ya Cummings. Way too early...but way too frustrating too. :twisted:

Well last night I went 1-2...Robertson and Cotts allowed 9 runs in 3 innings then Ortiz comes in and shuts them down for the last 6. :shock: I may have to mess with my batting order cuz they're not getting the stolen bases. I have to check back but I don't think I have too many double plays. Hafner better pick it up...I am disappointed with that guy right now. Thanks for your continued help.

[milezd]

I will re-affirm what cummings said, the biggest mistake you can do is add/drop players after only 9 games

[1crazycanuk]

Yeah, I understand that. I'm not going to drop anybody right now. Tempting as it is.

[mfsleeze]

May want to think about flipping Castillo and Izturis vs RHP - Castillo has better OB but it's mostly walks. Izturis has better hits, total bases and only 8 DP chances vs 20 for Castillo. Assuming you have Izturis 9th behind Ausmus and Cruz because you want a second leadoff guy Castillo is better suited for that.

Other option is to bat Izturis 7th - same reason on the hits vs walks, so he can drive in runs while Ausmus and Cruz are practically automatic outs.

I'd recommend you look at the Total Bases of your lineup. That's very important in Petco. Walks are a lot less valuable in pitchers parks because you're less likely to drive in a guy on first than you are in a Coors. I think you'll struggle to score runs no matter where with so many low TB guys.

[1crazycanuk]

I followed your first suggestion and won two of three in Coors last night. 8 runs and then 9 runs. Would have won the other one as well but Lilly seems to suck.

I wonder why my team looked ok before the season started and now people are saying they don't think it'll score runs. Come on...most of them on there have good run scoring ability or I wouldn't have picked them in the first place. Even Cruz has some homeruns on his card. Hafner and Glaus better score...I'm paying big money for them.

[cummings2]

Hey there canuck,

Been following your team...I understand your desire to make some changes, beffudlement (I don't know it such a word exists) and frustration but I still feel it's too early to make changes.

I've had teams that struggle off the gates with under .500 records only to catch fire later on and end with 90+ wins. Be patient, it's tough to find trends after 20 or so games.

Be careful about evaluating player's stats regularly in Petco since it does a nasty number on stats. That's one of the reasons why I suggested reviewing the other stats: when are your runners thrown for running too agressively, when are your runners left on because you ran too conservatively, double plays, where rallies end, too many sac bunts, H&Rs, etc. At this point its some of the most productive. If you feel like the offense should produce better and no major flaws in the design are hampering you, then let 'em play...they'll perform as you want them to.

I imagine that you read Luckyman's thread in the strategy forum about his Petco team (importance of ballpark: more to it than...) for me it's the best re: Petco that I've read.

If you still want to make changes, in my opinion you can do some and be competitive as long as you don't drop your payroll below 77 Mil. loosing 3 or more Mil in drops makes it really difficult to overcome.

All best of luck,

[cummings2]

forgot to mention,

Watch your bullpen usage/ settings, IMO Ortiz and Cotts (29 IP) are getting too many innings, don't know if Looper is a recent adition but he should get the bulk of those innings...just from my POV.

would you mind posting here your stats (manager tendencies)? I'd be interested to see sacs, CS, H&R.

[1crazycanuk]

Hey Cummings, thanks. Yeah I think I have to ignore the stats and pay more attention to the little things. It seems complicated though :?

I just wish this team would score RUNS. I got Hafner, Glaus, Overbay, Thomas, etc. They [b:2c2753b0d8]SHOULD[/b:2c2753b0d8] be scoring. I have the most pathetic "offence" in the league at this time. I'm not making any more changes though...just gonna ride what I have.