It's Time - New TCF Strat-O League (90's themed)

[peeker643]

Here you go, Peeker.

I've had starts comparable to this but never keep it going.

My pitching's gotta get it together. Both Clemens (9.13mil, 3-3 6.59 ERA/1.67WHIP) and Dave Stewart (3.17m 3-4, 6.52/1.75) have each recently survived their "if you blow this, you're gone" start, all the while being out-pitched by my .99m, 4th (of a 4-man rotation) starter Stottlemyre.

Delgado for MVP!

Link to standings screen capture, I must not be doing the image format correctly to get it to show here:
http://twitpic.com/8o6xpp

Capture.JPG

Awesome. That's what I'm talking about.

And based on run differential, gotribe31 is due for a fall.

[GodHatesClevelandSport]

Exciting finish for the Dodgers last night. Down 4-1 in the bottom of the ninth with two outs and nobody on against Toronto ace reliever Tom Henke, the Dodgers bounced off the mat with this miracle finish:

Mark Grudzielanek double
Devon White single
Delino DeShields RBI single
Mike Piazza walk-off three-run homer

The Dodgers proceeded to blow a 9-1 first-inning lead in the next game, but came back to beat Henke again with two in the eighth to win 11-10 for a sweep.

By the way, the worst ERAS belong to:

Tom Browning 7.40
Roger Clemens 7.21
John Smoltz 7.21

[peeker643]

Nice. But did Orioles and Rangers lose big? That's what I'm looking ot hear about

[motherscratcher]

Yeah, I played FUDU's Orioles last night, again. And I beat him 2 out of 3, again. It's getting old.

FUDU will be here soon to brag about not getting swept. Just like he did last time.

Reminds me of this exchange in a Simpsons episode:

Shelbyville Guy #1: Sounds like Springfield's got a discipline problem.
Shelbyville Guy #2: Maybe that's why we beat them at football nearly half the time.

Replace "Shelbyville Guy #2" with FUDU and "football" with Strat and that sounds about right.

[pup]

Photo taken at the draft

[FUDU]

[gotribe31]

Considering I still don't understand just what the hell is going on with this league or what a "mystery card" is, I think I'm doing ok.

[GodHatesClevelandSport]

Considering I still don't understand just what the hell is going on with this league or what a "mystery card" is, I think I'm doing ok.

I haven't quite learned how to figure out which mystery card I got for each of my guys, but it appears I got a few good ones.

[FUDU]

So mo started out the season with a manager rating of 214, now it's 314.

What'd you win fucker?

Congrats.

[FUDU]

Knock it off Jumbo, ya big prick.

[peeker643]

Knock it off Jumbo, ya big prick.

Scores please...and standings...

[motherscratcher]

So mo started out the season with a manager rating of 214, now it's 314.

What'd you win fucker?

Congrats.

Yes, I finally won one.

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/stratomatic/team/team_other.html?user_id=363593

Pre-WW2 theme League. Mostly made up of dudes that have been playing for ever but I'm holding my own.

Thanks on the Congrats.. I know how painful that must have been

[motherscratcher]

The important thing is I went to LA last night and swept GHCS.

the unimportant thing is that FUDU clearly has the best team in the league right now, even if he can't beat me. All I have to do is get to the playoffs. FUDU will take care of everything else, and then I'll take care of him.

I'll let someone else do a screen capture.

[FUDU]

[GodHatesClevelandSport]

The important thing is I went to LA last night and swept GHCS.

How the hell did that happen? Your pitching dominated me. But I blame the stupid computer manager. And Jeff Branson.

Game 1, Jim Gott strikes out two in the 7th, then hits a guy. Up comes Jim Thome. Instead of putting in Scott Radinsky for the lefty/lefty matchup, computer leaves in Gott. Thome promptly cracks a two-run homer to turn a one-run game into a three-run game. That was that.

Game 2, Jeff Branson triples in a run and scores on a sac fly in an eventual one-run win.

Game 3, F-ing Branson jacks a three-run HR with two outs in the eight (off Gott again, where the hell's Radinsky??) to ice what was a one-run game.

At least we get to rebound against Selby's crummy Astros tonight.

[FUDU]

I think I'll name this weekly/biweekly update The Peeker Periodical.

[Jumbo]

Nice to come back from vacation to find myself with the best record in Strat. Had a nice stretch in the middle of last week, led by Darryl Strawberry with back-to-back 3HR nights. The pitching has remained mostly solid, too.

My only complaints are that budget MVP Dion James (hitting .379/.454/.627 against righties for $1M) just got injured for 15 games, and I've had some struggles against LHP. Unfortunately, it looks like FUDU's starting two lefties against me in the next series for the division lead.

[GodHatesClevelandSport]

So you're saying you're a bad manager?

[Jumbo]

So you're saying you're a bad manager?

You know how the Yankees got good when Steinbrenner learned to lay off and just let them play?

My Yankees are like that.

[FUDU]

Nice to come back from vacation to find myself with the best record in Strat. Had a nice stretch in the middle of last week, led by Darryl Strawberry with back-to-back 3HR nights. The pitching has remained mostly solid, too.

My only complaints are that budget MVP Dion James (hitting .379/.454/.627 against righties for $1M) just got injured for 15 games, and I've had some struggles against LHP. Unfortunately, it looks like FUDU's starting two lefties against me in the next series for the division lead.

Yeah big series tonight Jumbo, good luck.

[Jumbo]

Nice to come back from vacation to find myself with the best record in Strat. Had a nice stretch in the middle of last week, led by Darryl Strawberry with back-to-back 3HR nights. The pitching has remained mostly solid, too.

My only complaints are that budget MVP Dion James (hitting .379/.454/.627 against righties for $1M) just got injured for 15 games, and I've had some struggles against LHP. Unfortunately, it looks like FUDU's starting two lefties against me in the next series for the division lead.

Yeah big series tonight Jumbo, good luck.

Nice series win for me, but it easily could have gone the other way if your bullpen hadn't blown game 3. OTOH, I also could've swept the series if the AI manager hadn't decided to use a non-catcher as a defensive replacement at C in game 2. Was up 4-3 going into the 8th, but lost thanks to two catcher errors.

[motherscratcher]

^^^WTF? That makes no sense. Why would HAL do that? Russ Davis doesn't even have a catcher rating.

[peeker643]

^^^WTF? That makes no sense. Why would HAL do that? Russ Davis doesn't even have a catcher rating.

HAL's probably a tool like you that just thought it'd be clever and cool to fuck around like that.

[motherscratcher]

^^^WTF? That makes no sense. Why would HAL do that? Russ Davis doesn't even have a catcher rating.

HAL's probably a tool like you that just thought it'd be clever and cool to fuck around like that.

That could be. Or he could be Eric Wedge.

[Jumbo]

^^^WTF? That makes no sense. Why would HAL do that? Russ Davis doesn't even have a catcher rating.

I had Nokes set as remove for defensive sub with lead. So, in games when Nokes starts, he would get replaced by Girardi, who is rated as a decent defensive catcher.

Problem: in game 1 of the series, Girardi got hurt. So, when the 8th inning started and I had the lead, Nokes still got removed for a defensive sub. Who can't catch. Of course, Berroa reached on Davis's error, and then he came around to score with two outs to tie the game. Then in the ninth, Alomar stole second and advanced to third on Davis' throwing error. Base hit, winning run scores.

You'd think that there would be a check in there that, if you have defensive subs set, that the substitute would actually be better than the guy he is replacing.

[Jumbo]

Note also that in game 3 of the series, after scoring 4 runs in the 8th to take the lead, HAL decided to replace Nokes with Luis Sojo. Luckily, it didn't end up making a difference.

Nokes is no longer set to be removed for a defensive sub.

[FUDU]

Nice to come back from vacation to find myself with the best record in Strat. Had a nice stretch in the middle of last week, led by Darryl Strawberry with back-to-back 3HR nights. The pitching has remained mostly solid, too.

My only complaints are that budget MVP Dion James (hitting .379/.454/.627 against righties for $1M) just got injured for 15 games, and I've had some struggles against LHP. Unfortunately, it looks like FUDU's starting two lefties against me in the next series for the division lead.

Yeah big series tonight Jumbo, good luck.

Nice series win for me, but it easily could have gone the other way if your bullpen hadn't blown game 3. OTOH, I also could've swept the series if the AI manager hadn't decided to use a non-catcher as a defensive replacement at C in game 2. Was up 4-3 going into the 8th, but lost thanks to two catcher errors.

Yeah I agree I should have swept you.

Seriously though you've had my number the first half of the season. That is something I shall have to remedy.

[GodHatesClevelandSport]

Feeling either bored or nostalgic, I have been bidding on old Strat games on eBay. Finally won a 1997 football version for a good price. It arrived today. Can't wait to play around with it.

In the 1990s some work buds and I had small Strat baseball and football leagues. We would play after work or visit each other's houses to play. Loads of fun. Baseball we drafted players, football we drafted teams. I remember having the Broncos one year and in one game my punts were blocked four times. That meant the #12 had to come on the dice on each punt. Need that kind of rolling streak when I'm betting the 12 at the craps table.

At least no Browns are included in the game I won.

[swerb]

MUCH needed sweep for me last night over the Astros, capped off by a pinch hit 9th inning HR by Dave McCarty (1st of the year), who Hal inexplicably put in as a pinch hitter for Kevin Bass.

After a brutal 6-14 stretch, I'm back to 36-42 and just three games out of 1st in our jumbled division.

[peeker643]

When my normally 'never shut up' kids are quiet and when my normally 'never shut up' beagles are silent, I always know they're up to no good or are hiding for what they've done (or not done in the kids' case).

Why no updates?

Did you guys all fall prey to the ringers who actually know wtf they are doing?

I bet you did.

Cowards.

[swerb]

I hate Strat.

[Jumbo]

Why no updates?

It was getting old starting every post with "So, I'm still in first place..."

But anyway, I'm still in first place, three up on FUDU in the division, two up on GHCS for overall first. Have a series with GHCS tonight.

Getting solid performances throughout the lineup and starting rotation, and John Wetteland has been lights out in the ninth (29 saves, 1.72 ERA, 47Ks in 36 2/3 IP).

[GodHatesClevelandSport]

Jumbo, how are you going to get past 16-game winner Tim Belcher in the opener??

[swerb]

F Strat

[FUDU]

Freaking Jumbo just keeps winning, making it tough to get on top of the division, However I have a nice hold on the WC (and its pretty sad I'm on pace to have more wins than the 2 other division leaders). The series win over SCHmo's Tribe last night was the icing on my cake.

[swerb]

I've lost 13 of my last 15.

[Jumbo]

Jumbo, how are you going to get past 16-game winner Tim Belcher in the opener??

I didn't. And lucky for you that Sheffield got his BALCO shipment just before game 3.

But on the road, winning one out of three in a close series to stay ahead overall, I'll take it for now.

That series might have been a WS preview.

[GodHatesClevelandSport]

Jumbo, how are you going to get past 16-game winner Tim Belcher in the opener??

I didn't. And lucky for you that Sheffield got his BALCO shipment just before game 3.

But on the road, winning one out of three in a close series to stay ahead overall, I'll take it for now.

That series might have been a WS preview.

Dodgers have won 4 of the last 6 vs. the Yankees, with both losses in extra innings.

Don't look in your rear-view mirror too long ...

[swerb]

Screw everyone.

[FUDU]

Jumbo, how are you going to get past 16-game winner Tim Belcher in the opener??

I didn't. And lucky for you that Sheffield got his BALCO shipment just before game 3.

But on the road, winning one out of three in a close series to stay ahead overall, I'll take it for now.

That series might have been a WS preview.

Dodgers have won 4 of the last 6 vs. the Yankees, with both losses in extra innings.

Don't look in your rear-view mirror too long ...

^^ are counting chickens before they hatch!

[peeker643]

Screw everyone.

Awesome. How many games are left? You could make a Colorado-like run, no?

[gotribe31]

Screw everyone.

I'm pretty sure I'm out of it. Did just pull off a sweep today to keep hope alive though.

[FUDU]

69 games left IIRC.

Rich is in dead last, 11 out. But the real kicker is he is tied with the Braves (for worst record), who were at one point 4-20. There is still time, esp. in that division.

We do need to give Rich a bit of credit, b/c he was the only one who called his shot with his team, when he predicated a season of 65 wins.

[swerb]

Most frustrating part is that I have assembled the best possible Giants team, and have better than average cards for almost all of my offensive regulars.

[FUDU]

Can't argue with what you've done with such a ugly player pool, and if it is any consolation...you being in last 10 out still hold better odds than the Tribe in second place in their respective division, 13 games out.

Big series with Jumbo tonight, first of 5 series left between us.

[GodHatesClevelandSport]

The greatest thing about this league is that Tim Belcher is 18-6 in 199.1 IP with a 3.07 ERA and just a 71/45 K/BB rate. He has allowed just 204 hits, though. He has a decision in every start and has completed six of his last eight starts (8.1 IP in one of the others) while going 7-1 in that stretch. He leads the league in wins, is fifth in ERA and is second in innings pitched. All while starting on three days rest each time. I didn't even realize he was starting every fourth game until about game 40.

Meanwhile John Smoltz is 5-16, Tom Glavine is 6-15, Doug Drabek is 5-12, and Roger Clemens was 4-6 with a 7.54 ERA before being released.

[FUDU]

Funny part about ^, it isn't like Belcher has even 1 card that is really good in which you could attribute his success to by saying "it must be his X year card".

Not sure about everyone else but I only have 3 players that I have for sure figured out which card I got, the rest I might have narrowed down to 3or4 out of the 5, IOW I've given up even caring for the sake of managing the roster any different.

[gotribe31]

What?

[FUDU]

Any of you interested in an ATG league, like starting the process now so if it takes 2-3 weeks to get going will be just about done with this one?

I was thinking 80mil or 200mil.

[GodHatesClevelandSport]

I would do another one since I got two credits when I signed up.