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italyprof · 05-21-2023, 06:26 PM

I have taken over the Yankees as of 1983, Mattingly's first season. I will go through his entire career, trying to undo the injustice of Donnie Baseball never playing in a World Series and being in the postseason only in his last season, in the wild card division series with the Mariners in 1995.

The first thing is to improve the major weakness of the 1980s Yankees: the pitching, especially the starting rotation, which always lacked depth, and to build a good bullpen. Then some players ready to take over for the remaining 1970s stars like Nettles, later Randolph and to have a solid Shortstop, something eluded the team through most of the decade, and arguably up to 1996 when Jeter took over.

Note: I am playing with NO DH (I hate it, so I get to re-write history here). And with 3-year recalc but development on and talent randomness on 1.
Players miss seasons and retire as they did in real life.

First move: traded Steve Balboni 1B and Steve Kemp OF for two starters - Mike Smithson and Rick Honeycut, and for aging but still useful OF Mickey Rivers.

Second: We traded two OFs for two other OFs: We sent Oscar Gamble and Otis Nixon (I barely remembered he had once been on the Yankees' roster) to Houston for Kevin Bass and Omar Moreno. Moreno was actually on the real life Yankees a couple of years later, and is a good CF backup and speedster as a PR. Bass is a good player I always liked and can play CF as well as LF or RF and is a switch hitter.

We ended up 76-86 and in fifth place overall. The Reds beat the Red Sox in 7 games in the World Series for 1983.

Third: Once 1983 was over, and Mattingly was ready, I traded Don Baylor to Houston for another starter, Bob Knepper.

Our draft picks for the post-1983 first year draft:

1. 3B Terry Pendleton
2. SP Jimmy Key
3. SS Alvaro Espinoza
4. RP Mike Bielecki
5. C Randy Gomez

1984 Season:

On Opening Day, Mattingly more than rewards our faith in his readiness to play everyday, as he hits TWO two-run homers against Kansas City. But the bullpen blows the lead and does the same next day when Mattingly hits another homer. Ugh.

We start 1-4 against KC and Texas on the road, though we had one great come-back win against the Royals before leaving town. I thought having kept Gossage AND added Righetti (who in a really stupid move was moved to the bullpen in 1984, when Goose left) to the relief corps would be formidable. It might be but both of them have blown leads in early outings. Hope that straightens out.

More soon.

05-21-2023, 06:26 PM	#1
italyprof All Star Starter Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 1,024	Get Don Mattingly in a World Series I have taken over the Yankees as of 1983, Mattingly's first season. I will go through his entire career, trying to undo the injustice of Donnie Baseball never playing in a World Series and being in the postseason only in his last season, in the wild card division series with the Mariners in 1995. The first thing is to improve the major weakness of the 1980s Yankees: the pitching, especially the starting rotation, which always lacked depth, and to build a good bullpen. Then some players ready to take over for the remaining 1970s stars like Nettles, later Randolph and to have a solid Shortstop, something eluded the team through most of the decade, and arguably up to 1996 when Jeter took over. Note: I am playing with NO DH (I hate it, so I get to re-write history here). And with 3-year recalc but development on and talent randomness on 1. Players miss seasons and retire as they did in real life. First move: traded Steve Balboni 1B and Steve Kemp OF for two starters - Mike Smithson and Rick Honeycut, and for aging but still useful OF Mickey Rivers. Second: We traded two OFs for two other OFs: We sent Oscar Gamble and Otis Nixon (I barely remembered he had once been on the Yankees' roster) to Houston for Kevin Bass and Omar Moreno. Moreno was actually on the real life Yankees a couple of years later, and is a good CF backup and speedster as a PR. Bass is a good player I always liked and can play CF as well as LF or RF and is a switch hitter. We ended up 76-86 and in fifth place overall. The Reds beat the Red Sox in 7 games in the World Series for 1983. Third: Once 1983 was over, and Mattingly was ready, I traded Don Baylor to Houston for another starter, Bob Knepper. Our draft picks for the post-1983 first year draft: 1. 3B Terry Pendleton 2. SP Jimmy Key 3. SS Alvaro Espinoza 4. RP Mike Bielecki 5. C Randy Gomez 1984 Season: On Opening Day, Mattingly more than rewards our faith in his readiness to play everyday, as he hits TWO two-run homers against Kansas City. But the bullpen blows the lead and does the same next day when Mattingly hits another homer. Ugh. We start 1-4 against KC and Texas on the road, though we had one great come-back win against the Royals before leaving town. I thought having kept Gossage AND added Righetti (who in a really stupid move was moved to the bullpen in 1984, when Goose left) to the relief corps would be formidable. It might be but both of them have blown leads in early outings. Hope that straightens out. More soon.