Score One, Steal One (A Dynasty Experiment)

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(Credit to this concept goes to GoldenFM on YouTube, who has a great Football Manager channel).

Intro

This is a pretty simple experiment that could yield some pretty interesting results.

Basically, I won't be signing players at all. If I win a series against a team, I get to steal their best player. If I lose a series, though...they get to steal my best player.

I'm going to use the Cleveland Indians because they're my favorite team, but by the end of the first season I'm sure things will look very different. I'll be using OOTP16.

I'll be posting simple recaps for each game in a series (mostly to make things move more quickly), and of course detailing the players that we lose or gain.

Fair warning - I probably won't be super active with this dynasty, but when I have some free time I'll try to get through as much as possible.

Rules

1. If I win a series, I get to steal the opposing team's best player based on star rating. If there are multiple players with the same star rating, I get to choose which player I take.

2. If I lose a series, I will give the opposing team my best player based on star rating. Again, if there are multiple players with the same rating I choose which player I send.

3. If a series is tied, no players are swapped.

4. I'm not allowed to sign or trade players unless absolutely necessary. I will let the CPU handle drafting.

(I'm thinking of adding some new twists for the playoffs, but I'm not sure what would be the most fun).

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At Risk Players
Cleveland: Cody Allen
Houston: Jose Altuve

Game 1 @ Houston, 4/6/15

The Astros scored a run in the 3rd and 4th to take the lead, but a strong 5th from Cleveland put them on top 4-2. The Tribe never looked back, coming out on top 7-2.

Corey Kluber pitched a strong 7 innings, allowing 6 hits and 2ER. Lonnie Chisenhall was the team's best batter with 2 hits (including the game's only HR) and 2 walks.

Game 2 @ Houston, 4/8/15

A strong 7th inning gave the Astros the win, 7-1.

Collin McHugh pitched 7 innings, allowing just one run with 7 strikeouts and no walks.

Game 3 @ Houston, 4/9/15

The Indians took Scott Feldman out of the game after just 4 innings after he allowed 4 earned runs. But Zach McAllister was even worse, pitching just 3.1 innings and allowing 5 runs.

That one run difference was enough for the Astros, who won 6-5.

We Lose: CL Cody Allen

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At Risk Players
Cleveland: Yan Gomes
Detroit: Miguel Cabrera

Game 1: vs. Detroit, 4/10

Detroit led 6-3 after five innings. But a David Murphy triple and Jose Ramirez single in the 8th scored 3, tying the game.

In the ninth, Carlos Santana hit a 340ft walk-off HR to win the game.

Trevor Bauer allowed 6 runs, but only 1 ER in 5 innings of play.

Game 2: vs. Detroit, 4/11

David Price pitched a gem, allowing 3 hits and striking out 7 in eight innings of work.

A Yoenis Cespedes triple in the first inning scored the only run of the game.

For the Tribe, Shaun Marcum pitched a solid 7 innings, allowing just that one run.

Game 3: vs. Detroit, 4/12

Corey Kluber couldn't match his opening day performance, going 7.1 innings but giving up 11 hits and 5 ER - including 4 in the eighth, giving the Tigers a 6-3 lead.

But the Indians stormed back in the bottom of the inning, and scored 4 runs aided by a Brandon Moss 3 run bomb.

Scott Atchinson pitched a strong ninth, giving the Tribe the win.

We Steal: Miguel Cabrera

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At Risk Players
Cleveland: Miguel Cabrera
Chicago: David Robertson

Game 1

Miguel Cabrera went 3/4 with a walk in his first game with the Indians. Michael Brantley and Yan Gomes added homers to give the Tribe a 12-4 win over the White Sox.

Game 2

A walkoff single by Audy Ciriaco in the 11th won the game (and the short two game series) for the Indians.

Zach McAllister threw a strong 7 innings, allowing 3ER with 7 strikeouts.

We Steal: David Robertson

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At Risk Players
Cleveland: Miguel Cabrera
Minnesota: Joe Mauer

Game 1

A Kenny Vargas single in the 9th scored Kurt Suzuki, giving the Twins the victory, 6-5.

Game 2

The Tribe used a strong 7th inning to get the victory, 7-3. David Robertson got his first save with the team.

Game 3

Shaun Marcum allowed 10 hits in 6.3 innings, but gave up just 3 runs as the Indians got the win, 6-3.

We Steal: Joe Mauer

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At Risk Players
Cleveland: Yan Gomes (OSA somehow gives him 5 stars?)
Chicago: Jose Abreu

Game 1

An 8 inning, 3ER performance by Carlos Carrasco and 3/4 from Miguel Cabrera gave the Tribe a 6-3 win.

Game 2

Miggy finally hit his first HR with Cleveland and the team won 6-4, guaranteeing a series victory.

Game 3

Jose Quintana pitched 8 shutout innings with 7 strikeouts as the White Sox won the series closer 6-0.

We Steal: Jose Abreu

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At Risk Players
Cleveland: Yan Gomes
Detroit: Yoenis Cespedes

Game 1

Cleveland scored all of their runs in the 9th behind a Brandon Moss three run shot to get the win, 3-2.

Game 2

After a few strong starts, Shaun Marcum lasted just 3 innings, allowing 5 runs. The bullpen didn't fare any better, and the Tribe lost 13-2.

Game 3

Carlos Carrasco pitched 8 shutout innings, allowing just 5 hits as the Indians won 8-0.

We Steal: Yoenis Cespedes

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At Risk Players
Cleveland: Yan Gomes
Kansas City: Alex Gordon

Game 1

Cespedes, Kipnis, and Brantley homered and Trevor Bauer pitched 7 solid innings (8K) to give the Indians an 8-1 victory.

Game 2

Danny Salazar delivered a solid 6 innings with 8K, but the offense didn't help as the Royals got the win, 5-1.

Due to the tied series, no players will be moved

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At Risk Players
Cleveland: Yan Gomes
Toronto: Jose Bautista

Game 1

A Yan Gomes sac fly in the 10th gave the Indians a hard fought victory, 8-7.

Game 2

The team scored 4 runs in the 4th inning to win 5-4 over the Jays.

Game 3

In the first game of a doubleheader, Drew Hutchinson allowed just 4 hits in 8.2 innings of work, shutting out the Tribe 8-0.

Game 4

A Josh Donaldson single in the top of the 10th was the difference in this one as the Jays won, 3-2.

Due to the tied series, no players will be moved

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Lineup, rotation, leaders, division standings:



And here's the 25 man (I've been letting the CPU handle roster management for the most part)



And just for kicks, here's the finances after adding huge contracts like Cabrera, Mauer, etc



Glad to see the fans are with me after adding plenty of big name players - oh wait

[djl81790]

Would be cool if you could do this throughout the league, having players switch on each time after each series. So far this experiment is going pretty damn well in your favor haha.

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Originally Posted by djl81790

Would be cool if you could do this throughout the league, having players switch on each time after each series. So far this experiment is going pretty damn well in your favor haha.

It would be awesome if there was a way to set that up instead of manually moving all the players!

It's going well for me so far, but after a few unlucky breaks things can spiral out of control pretty quickly, so we'll see.

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At Risk Players
Cleveland: Yan Gomes
Kansas City: Alex Gordon

Game 1

Corey Kluber pitched a strong outing and Jose Abreu homered to give the Indians the victory, 5-3.

Game 2

Volquez was great as the Royals took game 2, 4-2.

Game 3

Jason Vargas delivered 6.2 innings of 7 hit ball with 6K and 3ER. But the Tribe got after the Royals pen, getting 7 combined runs off of Herrera and Frasor.

For the Indians, Zach McAllister went 7 innings, giving up just 1ER. The Indians won the game, 10-2.

We Steal: Alex Gordon

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At Risk Players
Cleveland: Yan Gomes
Minnesota: Oswaldo Arcia

Game 1

After being down 5-1, a strong bottom of the seventh gave the Indians the win, 8-6.

Game 2

Corey Kluber delivered an absolute gem, striking out 12 over 7.2 scoreless innings as Cleveland won 7-0.

We Steal: Oswaldo Arcia

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At Risk Players
Cleveland: Yan Gomes
St. Louis: Matt Carpenter

Game 1

Lance Lynn and the St. Louis bullpen shutout the Indians, who lost 2-0.

Game 2

Despite 8 innings of work from Adam Wainwright, the Tribe won 2-1.

Game 3

Carlos Martinez shutout the Indians over 8, who lost 3-0.

We Lose: Yan Gomes

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At Risk Players
Cleveland: Jason Kipnis
Texas: Adrian Beltre

Game 1

Derek Holland struckout 9 over 8 innings to give the Rangers the 2-0 win.

Game 2

A solid performance from Kipnis and Moss spurred the offense, giving the Tribe a 6-4 win.

Game 3

Miggy hit two homers as the Tribe squeaked by the Rangers, 8-7.

We Steal: Adrian Beltre

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At Risk Players
Cleveland: Jason Kipnis
Chicago: Chris Sale

Game 1

Kipnis, Brantley and Cabrera homered to lead the Indians to a 10-7 win.

Game 2

The Indians' offense kept the power going as Ramirez, Kipnis, and Beltre homered and Cleveland took game 2, 8-4.

Game 3

A Jose Abreu solo shot in the 8th was the difference as the Indians won 4-3.

Game 4

Jose Abreu was the hero once again, hitting a solo HR in the ninth to give the Indians a 3-2 win.

We Steal: Chris Sale

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At Risk Players
Cleveland: Alex Gordon
Cincinnati: Joey Votto

Game 1

Mike Leake pitched a complete game, giving the Reds a 5-1 win.

Game 2

The Reds were in control throughout, beating the Tribe 8-6.

Game 3

Cleveland won 8-2 behind two Brandon Moss homers, but lose the series.

We Lose: Alex Gordon

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At Risk Players
Cleveland: Jason Kipnis
Texas: Keone Kela

Game 1

Chris Sale was dominant in his first start, striking out 8 in 8.1 innings of work.

Game 2

Corey Kluber went 7 innings and the Tribe beat the Rangers, 9-3.

Game 3

Nick Martinez walked an insane 8 batters in 3 innings and the Indians won the game, 16-8.

We Steal: Keone Kela

[boogeyboard1]

Originally Posted by arrow

It would be awesome if there was a way to set that up instead of manually moving all the players!

It's going well for me so far, but after a few unlucky breaks things can spiral out of control pretty quickly, so we'll see.

I think I will try doing this, though it'll have to be on OOTP 16. I'll play a few test games and if it goes well I'll do a dynasty report!