TSN 29963 SportsCenter blog

[Semper Gumby]

After a decent two year away from the Strat-o-Matic / TSN game, the family and the mental professional say I can rejoin the craziness again.

Now that I paid my $25 (probably in 2006), I'm going to get my money's worth typing away. :D

[Ducky]

Welcome back. Seems that 1 or 2 leagues fill each week in the standard 80M DH '80s league.

Mike

[Semper Gumby]

Based what I can skimp from the posts, what great changes has the game engine undergone in the BTTF80s?

Or is the game still the step child for the licensed owners?

[Jimmy_C]

Welcome back Semper...was wondering when the men in the white coats would let you go (or did you just go over the wire?). :D

Wish I could join the league with you, but I'm up to my ears in it. I'll catch you in a league down the line for sure.

Real nice to have you back...

[Semper Gumby]

JimmyC-

Like some here, life / work got in the way of the games which makes it hard to stay competitive /enjoyable in the TSN world

Today, I have things back in balace and I missed the game.

We'll see how long my patience lasts before I swear HAL is out for me again.

[Semper Gumby]

Now that other eleven (11) owners are nearly done shuffling their rosters, it is time to see whether my two (2) year hiatus makes me the automatic division [b:c3fa8abcd4][i:c3fa8abcd4]bee-otch[/i:c3fa8abcd4][/b:c3fa8abcd4].

In drafting my team, I felt [b:c3fa8abcd4]County Stadium [/b:c3fa8abcd4] would make drafting easier as I presume all the Btt80s' secrets are known (e.g., underrated, underpriced players). Of course, I guessed wrong on the neutral park theory as almost half the parks are roughly neutral. Supply and demand out of balance! Gone are the multiple Kingdome park in your division days.

After two (2) years, what did I staple together

[b:c3fa8abcd4]Starters[/b:c3fa8abcd4]
Stieb
Drabek
Andujar
Hoyt
Caldwell

[b:c3fa8abcd4]Relief[/b:c3fa8abcd4]
Smith, L
Bedrock
Guante
Leach
Kipper
Fraser
Williamson M

[b:c3fa8abcd4]Inflied[/b:c3fa8abcd4]
C: Carter
1B: Mattingly
2B: Doran
SS: Larkin
3B: Pendleton
LF: Oglivie
CF: Mosbey
RF: Clark J
DH: Bonilla

[b:c3fa8abcd4]Bench[/b:c3fa8abcd4]
Cerone
Guillen
Willis
Presley
Hatcher
Sheridan, P


[url]http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/80s/team/team_other.html?user_id=79492[/url]

Other than the various theme leagues I frequented, I can't remember a public league free agent pool as shallow as this one. Something tells me this will be a very long season for me. :shock:

To that end, I hope the league goes easy on me as TSN needs all the new player money it can get.

[rufustsinclairjr]

good luck. i like the neutral type ball yards. am not a kingdome fan. i am in a division with 3 kingdomes though !!!

[Semper Gumby]

Sitting out of the game for almost two years, I've filled the extra time following sports talk radio in one of the more sports minded markets.

In doing so, I count on the local sports talking head to spew the rosey outlook / forecasts before the season's opener. Even more, the legions of listeners who seem to know more than the real coach - giving analysis comparable to two blind men describing an elephant from its arse end. :shock:


Where hope springs eternal only to fade when dreaming meets the reality of the season's weight. Fans

Of course, in this TSN public league format you don't nearly have the happy give and take as you do on the radio. Nevertheless, I'm going to call the balls and strikes now that I burned my TSN credit.

To that end, what do we see in the [b:c6a8b7a03c]East Division[/b:c6a8b7a03c]


[b:c6a8b7a03c]Oakland A's [/b:c6a8b7a03c] - aptly managed by Tony Larussa

[b:c6a8b7a03c]Stadium:[/b:c6a8b7a03c] Oakland

[url]http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/80s/team/team_other.html?user_id=137421[/url]

Clearly, the [b:c6a8b7a03c]stalking horse in this division [/b:c6a8b7a03c]and owned by a Top 15 80s manager. :wink:

Team built around using former Oakland As players with a few other small park notables sprinkled in for fit. Otherwise, it carries the min. # of players which means breaking up might be a PITA to keep the As theme going.


[b:c6a8b7a03c]Studs:[/b:c6a8b7a03c] Rickey, Canseco, Hersh, Soto, Scott, and Eck


[b:c6a8b7a03c]Friend of the Devil [/b:c6a8b7a03c]

[b:c6a8b7a03c]Stadium:[/b:c6a8b7a03c] Riverfront

[url]http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/80s/team/team_other.html?user_id=138301[/url]

This team is managed by another veteran owner - Top 50 80s manager. :wink:

Team built around some pitching and quite a few heavy leaning RHBs. With the division sporting a minority of LHSPs, we need to keep an eye on how the Len Barkers of the league fare in this park. Otherwise, I love the overall defense (probably the most consisent in the division) with a slight weakness at SS.

Make sure you check your baserunning settings to conversative when you play him :D


[b:c6a8b7a03c]Studs: [/b:c6a8b7a03c] Clemens, Tudor, Big Murphy, Dawson, and Tartabull


[b:c6a8b7a03c]Capitol Hill D-streeters [/b:c6a8b7a03c]

[b:c6a8b7a03c]Stadium:[/b:c6a8b7a03c] Anaheim

[url]http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/80s/team/team_other.html?user_id=138360[/url]

This team is managed by relatively new owner. :)

Team built around hitting and a few $ SPs. Of note, he starts the season with $3.6M in the bank and may follow the Warren Buffet style free agent strategy - blood in the streets BUY! :mrgreen:

Bats are invested in heavy RH homerun hitters with Cooper and Phelps offering protection from the left side of the plate. In the division, this team has the most speed with Raines, Sax, and Wilson which shall fair fine against the other teams' pitching batteries.

Like the Devils, we need to keep an eye on how the Len Barkers of the league fare in this park. Otherwise, I love the overall defense but questions swirl on how you deploy Kingman and Phelps economically at DH. :?:

[b:c6a8b7a03c]Studs: [/b:c6a8b7a03c] Schmidt, Raines, Cooper, and Carlton

[Semper Gumby]

Three games in the books

And, a host of players have found their way to the free agent market

So much for the observe, wait, and act strategy :shock:

Nice to see at least one manager believes HAL knows the mystery card - :D

[Semper Gumby]

[b:b232b2b5a2][i:b232b2b5a2]Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss[/i:b232b2b5a2][/b:b232b2b5a2] [b:b232b2b5a2]The Who[/b:b232b2b5a2]

We aren't even done with Day 1 and we have wholesale changes to ponder-

[b:b232b2b5a2]File under Jim was always our first pick[/b:b232b2b5a2]

[i:b232b2b5a2]Rick Camp and Alex Trevino become Jim Sundberg[/i:b232b2b5a2]


[b:b232b2b5a2]File under we got swept on opening day so let us make some serious changes![/b:b232b2b5a2]

[i:b232b2b5a2]Bag Mike Young, Luis Aquayo, Jim Acker, and Lance Parrish so we can see how Bob Horner, Mike Fitzgerald, and already dropped once Ed Vandeberg will do [/i:b232b2b5a2]


[b:b232b2b5a2]File under thanks for the win so see ya[/b:b232b2b5a2]

[i:b232b2b5a2]Ed Vandeberg gets the boot despite going out a 1-0 winner[/i:b232b2b5a2]


[b:b232b2b5a2]File under we did it before the clock started[/b:b232b2b5a2]

[i:b232b2b5a2]Brook Jacoby didn't fit in here but Tim Teufel might[/i:b232b2b5a2]


[b:b232b2b5a2]File under I never liked his wife anyway[/b:b232b2b5a2]

[i:b232b2b5a2]Matt Keough (Desperate Housewives fame) gets the hook for Mike Krukow[/i:b232b2b5a2]