anybody want to talk 1969???

[UrbanShockers]

I've found that bulking up on power in a HR park is the best way to get to the postseason. For me, that usually means grabbing up the sub-$4 mil, non-* starters with minimal BPHR.

Wegner is a favorite for this approach, as are Nagy and Washburn. Torrez can be adequate, if you're looking very cheap. At the high end, Moose or Chance. You also need a fairly deep but affordable pen with this approach. Guys like McGinn, Humphreys, Sembera up top, with Linzy/Lopez types behind them. If you've gone cheap with the starters, and miss out on a couple of the big sluggers, you might be able to afford a top tier reliever, like Tatum, Perranoski or Wilhelm. Tatum, esp., can do a lotta good in this set up.

But you can definitely build a winning team in '69 on a number of totally different models, despite the small player pool. Which is one of the best things about it.

[ksher58]

Fryman has been awesome for me in hitter's parks. I just won my first title with him going 21-8 and 3-0 in the playoffs.
Wegener has been played well for me as well. I try and have Fryman, Wegener and Waslewski on all my teams.
McGinn and Timmermann are a great pair to have in the bullpen.
I have stayed away from Dietz, those homers are nice, but they go along with 30+ throwing errors. I can't live with a T-19.

[pedakrla]

Any other fans of pitching, speed, and defense out there? I know it puts me in the minority, but I prefer that kind of baseball over the 8-7 bash fests so common nowadays. A 1-0 duel, with the run being scored on a single, a SB, a ground out, and a sac fly, is much more exciting to me.

So, I'm trying to put together 1969 teams that play (and win) that way. Have had some success, consistently over .500, but no playoffs yet.

With that as background, let me throw the subject of catchers out there. I've had good luck with Sanguillen, who more than makes up for his subpar defense with his bat. In the pitchers' environment where I tend to play, Sanguillen's singles and doubles are very valuable. He doesn't walk much at all, but his high BA make him a decent #6 hitter against righties. Against reverse lefties, he needs some help. I've been real pleased with Johnny Edwards as a backup/starter vs. reverse lefties. He's my Cuellar-killer--Edwards has won 2 games for me this year against Cuellar.

[johnlaw1564]

In regard to C position, currently using a Ellie Hendricks / Jerry McNertney platoon with much success.

Obviously a good choice is Johnny Bench; had two seasons w/ over 30 HR & 100 RBI both times

Won a Championship with Randy Hundley .248 25 2B 16 HR 77 RBI

[pedakrla]

John Law, was any of your experience in a pitchers' park?

[johnlaw1564]

Bench played in Forbes Field and Comiskey Park, Hundley in Comiskey and Hendricks / McNertney in Busch Stadium.

[pedakrla]

8) I'll have to give those guys a try. Sanguillen is my favorite of the catchers I've tried, but his defense makes me nervous, particularly his throwing errors.

On the other hand, my opponents this season seem to have been over-eager to capitalize on his arm. He's thrown out 44% of would-be base stealers. Then again, he lost a game in the late innings by uncorking two wild throws into the outfield on attempted steals.

[kaina7]

My favorite catcher platoon is Hendricks/Pagliaroni. For really cheap you can go with Egan/Price. I have used both with success in power-friendly yards.

Someone got Hendricks in the draft before I could and I ended up with Dyer and Pagliaroni. After a bad start, I dropped Dyer for Egan. Despite the money being spent on the wrong side of the platoon, the Egan/Pagliaroni platoon has produced 41 bombs and 107 ribs with 9 games to go. Not bad for that price.

On a side note, here is my lineup on my favorite offensive team:
Wills ss, Northrup cf, Powell 1b, Killebrew 3b, Murcer rf, Howard lf, Egan c, Javier 2b, p (vs righties). No d. I bring in 3 or 4 guys for defensive replacements.

[F.O.X]

I've got the Yankees and Tigers in a 2 team combo league. How do you think I will do with those two?