Comments sought on 3rd team

[seanreflex]

Honest,

Outta has been strong in every league I've played against him. He's great compettition... thats what makes this game so much fun !!

And I was only kidding you about the "lips" comments ... please don't take it personally.

And, finally, the answer to your question is, YES, I would like to borrow $25 .... my last $25 seems to have been stolen from my wallet :wink:

[bjs73]

You Mystery League semi-finalist! LOL You'll probably swing a credit or two soon now that the regular season is over.

I wish you would have talked smack the entire time in the last 30 games. Always made my team play better against you. :D :shock:

P.S. Your 8 sticks O Dynamite team is playing like 8 sparkers in the other league lately. :D What's up with YF that his bad boy team can't put the hurtin' to you in that division?

[seanreflex]

[quote:6fad18685a]What's up with YF [/quote:6fad18685a]

++++

better question: What's up with YOUNT ?? He's playing like he's Uribe or UL Washington for crying out loud. I have Spike Owen on my bench hitting .375 -- Yount better shape up soon !!!

As for the Mystery League -- interesting there -- two pitching park teams and two hitting park teams going head to head.. should be fun.

I would definitely do that theme again -- lets start it !!

Sean

[honestiago1]

I'm just gettin' back at ya, Sean. The way I'm going, $100 won't dig me out.

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/80s/team/team_other.html?user_id=52479

Until recently, team's pitching was decent (other than Soto, who's given up 30 dingers [already {1985 card}]). I have Raines' .334-4L card, Sandberg's '84, Lonnie Smith's '83, and I think a .319 from Templeton. I have McCatty's only good year, and took a flyer on Heaton (who posted a 7 inning, 4-hit victory in first start). I have one of Candeleria's 6L years, a good Key year, a good Sutter year, a decent Leach year, and a good Terry year (I don't know which on these guys).

I'm not really scoring runs, though. I have base stealing normal, but have clicked "steal more often" on my speed guys. (and I have quite a few speed guys: Butler, Raines, Sandberg, Templeton, Strawberry and Lonnie Smith). Jacoby and Hrbek (I think I have his rookie reason [.301, better average versus lefties, more power versus righties) are slow, however, and DP problems.

I think if I stay patient the team will eventually get on a streak (though I am floundering like hell right now -- lost Boone for 9 games, then Smith went on DL for 5 right after I got him). I'm experimenting with this lineup:

Smith (.373 OBP on '83 card and AA speed)
Butler (the usual OBP and bunt/HR, speed)
Raines (have what constitues a power card for him)
Sandberg (very high average versus lefties; power versus righties)
Strawberry (unsure what card of his I have; he's better v. RH)
Hrbek (again, the .301 E card)
Jacoby (started out like a house on fire, then tumbled; have an early card,
I think [based on k/w ratio]
Templeton (NO OBP; but consistently around .280 avg all year)
Boone (the .256 year, I think).

The team SHOULD be able to score in most ballparks (speed, average and power, right?). Yet I'm languishing in the bottom third in Runs. Thought about playing it more conservative as far as stealing (I do get caught a lot), but that would be going against the team's strength.

Wonder what the deal is. Maybe my pitchers don't match my park?

What d'y'all think?

[seanreflex]

What do I think ....

I think you need to get rid of Soto IMMEDIATELY. You're teetering on a 5-man rotation anyway, go get Vida Blue, or JH Johnson or Hesketh or Schatzeder or somebody who isnt going to let up another 30 HR the 2nd half of the season.

Get a REAL SS defensively --- Templeton is on pace for 45 errors ... OUCH ... I won a championship with Owen at SS ... for whatever reason, Templeton costs you games... his errors are worth at least 1 run in ERA to your pitching staff. Uribe, UL Washintgon, etc. are better than templeton. I know, I've used him before. I love the guy, he just HURTs your team.

Catcher is weak with the bat too. dump Soto, improve SS should be your two priorities.. although long term I can't see Heaton, Terry and McCatty as the answer to your playoff dreams.

I love the rest of your team, and I love the bullpen. I'd be patient with everyone else, I'd continue to RUN RUN RUN, STEAL STEAL STEAL. Set hit & run more, steal more, bunt more on your individual player cards, and set manager strategy settings to support running -- except for Hrbek and Boone, your'e built for that kind of game.

Oh yea, one other thing I forgot... I don't love Jacoby ... I've never seen him play to his card, so I avoid him like the plague. Horner, HoJo, Bonilla -- if availalbe,, are great options. Cey, Parrish, Lopes for LHP ?? Howell occasionally can hit the ball for cheap...

Be patient with Smith, Butler, Raines, Strawberry, Hrbek, Sandberg. 1-6 in your order is solid at the plate, solid in the field. Tweak C, SS, 3B if possible. Dump Soto and re-tool your pitching staff...

thats my 2 cents worht .... good luck with it. !!

Sean

[honestiago1]

I took a look at Hojo earlier. Such a low avg, but in Wrigley, well, he might be gangbusters. I took a REAL hard look at Bonilla earlier, since I need better performance against RH pitching. That's a real possibillity (but what an iron mitt!). Jacoby is reelig.

I'm probably going to go ahead and live with Templeton. He's a 2 with a bad e-rating, but the guy hits down low, switches and steals. I haven't seen UL Washington's e-rating. He was always around e20 wasn't he?

Trouble with dropping Soto is what's out there. Not much that's real good. I dropped him once, and what I replaced him with wasn't very good (Alexander). Schatzader seems overpriced. Soto is tempting because his hits-inning is going to be good no matter what. Just got stuck with that HR-Walk card. I keep thinking, he CAN'T give up 30 more, can he (Blyleven gave up 50 one year, I believe). NINE of Soto's HRA came in TWO games (amazingly, he won the 6 HRA allowed game).

I'm definitely going to look at some of the folks you mentioned. I have to do it RIGHT NOW, though.

[honestiago1]

Oops. Templeton is an e36 (ouch!). Picked up Schofield, used extra cash for Hojo, rather than Bonilla, due to speed. VERY poor fielder. I might drop Brookens for a better fielding 3B as a DEF replacement (I only have Brookens as a third catcher). Could've gotten Carlton Fisk, but would've cost me money for catchers. I'm going to eat Boone's average, lack of production, etc. (as I probably will Schofield's). He's -3, my team has only 4 pb's, and SB's against is worth his bad bat. My main problem is starting pitching.

Pitching was problematic. I dropped Soto. Scanned for decent pitchers. Thought about Ojeda, but already have two LHP's (I simply can't drop Candeleria -- he's pitched too well; just bad luck he's 2-9). Got Gross and Witt. Maybe I'll get decent years outa them (Gross strikes me as notoriously middle of the road). Soto won his last game with me, btw. Didn't allow a HR.

I LET MCCATTY GO! He'd lost last 4 games. I was lucky to get 7W's outa him. Somebody might pick him up, since it's his best year and he only costs .75. Come to think of it, I probably should have kept him. His best year is no worse than some of Gross' years.

We'll see if this works.

[seanreflex]

Hojo at Wrigley should be a house of fire; and, you can live with poor D at the corners MUCH MORE than you can up the middle.

Witt and Gross may be excellent adds for you. Schofield was on the championship team I had with Spike Owen -- they were my tandem. Spike had a huge bat that season, so Schofield was my late inning defensiver replacement.

that should help you -- now be a littel patient -- especially with Hojo and Witt.

Good luck!

[honestiago1]

I decided not to gamble on Gross, who can be very mediocre, and got McCatty back. I have his best card, and he is a 4-5 starter, so I don't expect much outa him. Picked up Dale Berra as a DEF replacement for Hojo late (Dale was the best .75 def 3B left ). I didn't realize Schofield had some speed, so he'll fit right in. I'll stick with Witt enough starts to see what I got. Key and Candeleria are going to give me good starts more often than not (man--wish Candy was an *). If Witt is reliable, it'll help immenesely.

Thanks for the advice.