Opening Day 2057 Season
Traverse City Bears vs Chicago Architects
Well a season of change is in the air in Chicago as the Architects open the season with a 6 game homestand against both the Traverse City Bears and the Milwaukee Eagles. This is very much a different team for Chicago at least with the pitching staff as their top 3 SP's from last season are all gone (Jose Cedeno retired at 35, Motoyuki Inoue was traded for cost cutting reasons, and John Moore was also traded for financial reasons). Can the Architects with a patched together pitching staff and a very formitable offense make the grade this season? We shall see, but at least the table is set for a good (hopefully) opening homestand as the 5th and 6th place teams from last season (and predicted to do the same again this season) come to town.
In conflicting reports in the Chicago Media team owner Gregory Bocquet Jr. has sent mixed signals of his expectations for the season. Some places he has said the club will probably place close to 500 ball, but in other interviews he has said he expects to reach the playoffs. That is often the case with the hands-off charitable but yet senile owner.
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The predicated record is really hard to believe with the pitching we have.
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Traverse City Bears (71-73 last season 5th place, Predicated 5th 64-80) vs Chicago Architects (76-68 last season 3rd place, predicated 2nd 81-63)
April 5th-7th 2057
Chicago's Pier IV Grounds
Pitching Matchups (records last seasons for pitchers)
RHSP Jerry Hall 7-6 4.82 ERA vs RHSP Val Imbert 10-6 4.45 ERA
RHSP Jeremy Laybolt 5-9 5.37 ERA vs RHSP Yale Hulburt 8-6 5.98 ERA
LHSP Christopher Gore 9-5 4.22 ERA vs LHSP Curt Hopkins 1-1 3.48 ERA
Friday April 5th, 2057
Traverse City 0-0 vs Chicago 0-0
RHSP Jerry Hall 7-6 4.82 ERA vs RHSP Val Imbert 10-6 4.45 ERA
A - 39,476
The Architects jump all over the Bears. Chicago’s first three batters single. The next two, Rodeo Leroy and Marc Nakayama, homer on consecutive pitches. Four more singles and a sac fly score a couple more runs. Chicago scores seven runs in the first. In the third, Chicago scores six more. Chicago’s first two batters, John Lambert and Thomas Arnaud, both end the game with three hits. Lambert scores three times and drives in four. Arnaud scores twice and drives in two.
Chicago 15, Traverse City 5.
2B J Lambert 3-5 2DB 3R 4RBI, 3B T Arnaud 3-4 2R 2RBI, LF R LeRoy 4-5 HR 2R 3RBI, RF M Nakayama 2-5 DB, HR R 3RBI, DH J Aranda 2-4 2R BB, C J Duran 2-5 R, CF C Luna 2-4 2R, SS P Farrulla 2-5 R RBI
HR - TC none CH - RF M Nakayama 1, LF R LeRoy 1
POTG - LF Robert "Rodeo" LeRoy
Saturday April 6th, 2057
Traverse City 0-1 vs Chicago 1-0
RHSP Jeremy Laybolt 5-9 5.37 ERA vs RHSP Yale Hulburt 8-6 5.98 ERA
A - 39,457
Bears pitchers do just a little bit better than yesterday. Jeremy Laybolt (7 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K) proves himself to be now layabout. He gives up a leadoff single in the second to Rodeo Leroy. That would be Chicago’s only hit of the game. Still, for most of the game the win was in doubt. Traverse City scores one in the first—Ben Marshall triples, and Cal Braud drives him in on a ground out—but that’s the game’s only run until the ninth, when the Bears score three more.
Traverse City 4, Chicago 0.
SP Y Hulburt 5IP 4H 1R BB 4K, Hitters 1-27
HR - None
POTG - Traverse City SP Jeremy Laybolt
Sunday April 7th, 2057
Traverse City 1-1 vs Chicago 1-1
LHSP Christopher Gore 9-5 4.22 ERA vs LHSP Curt Hopkins 1-1 3.48 ERA
A - 39,546
Traverse City takes the early lead, 5-2, mostly on a pair of two-run home runs hit by Pedro Cruz and Billy Harris. Chicago comes back and eventually ties the game, 5-5, in the sixth. Doug Deschamps singles in the tying run. The game goes to extras. In the 10th, the Bears’ Pedro Villegas hits a pinch-hit home run.
Traverse City 6, Chicago 5
10 innings
SS K Mulford 2-6, 1B R Osborn 2-5 2R BB, RF M Nakayama 2-5 R, DH D Deschamps 2-5 RBI
HR- TC 2B P Cruz 1, C B Harris 1, RF E Foote 1, CH - none
POTG - Traverse City RF Earl Foote
Summary - Well the offense looked great in game 1 and then the next night made Jeremy Laybolt look like Nick Keddy. Dropping Sunday's game against the Bears really set a downward tone to the start of the season. The Bears were nick named the Bad News Bears but we took that label off them when they almost made it to 500 last season. I still don't expect much, but 1 thing is clear.....if we are going to win games, our offense needs to be clicking.
Next up the Milwaukee Eagles come to town.
Milwaukee Eagles (2-1, finished last with a 45-99 record last season, predicated 6th 50-94) vs Chicago Architects 1-2
April 9th-11th 2057
Chicago's Pier IV Grounds
Not much has changed in Eagles land as they didn't do a lot in the off-season to improve the club. They are stacking up some nice draft picks the last several seasons and eventally will have a warchest of money to go along with those prospects. Someday they might be good, but this season is probably not the one to count on.
We have a 3-game series at home against the Milwaukee Eagles kicking off today. Here is my report on the opponent:
It is too early to comment on their season success and stats so far.
Here are the projected pitching matchups (records are last season except in last game)
RHP Jon Atkinson (5-14 7.25 ERA) vs RHP KawanariOhayashi (1-10, 5.74 ERA with Windsor)
RHP Spencer Lacroix (4-4 5.56 ERA) vs RHP Bill Lutz (3-2, 4.52 ERA)
LHP Arthur Tiller (0-1, 4.05 ERA) vs RHP Val Imbert (0-0, 5.40 ERA)
The top 5 players on their team are:
1. C Cecil Phillips (Age: 34, Overall : 3.0, Potential: 3.0)
2. SS Alexandre Gasnier (24, 3.0, 3.0)
3. 1B John Crosby (28, 2.5, 2.5)
4. LF Randy Hiscock (24, 2.5, 4.0)
5. LF Mohamed Raoul (29, 2.5, 2.5)
Milwaukee Eagles 2-1 vs Chicago Architects 1-2
Monday April 9th, 2057
RHP Jon Atkinson (5-14 7.25 ERA) vs RHP Kawanari Ohayashi (1-10, 5.74 ERA)
A - 28,992
This game goes back and forth a few times. The Eagles score the first three runs. The Tects score four in the third. The Eagles score four in the sixth, giving them a 7-4 lead. The Tects score two in the sixth and two in the seventh, giving them an 8-7 lead. The Eagles tie the game with a run in the eighth. Then, in the bottom of the ninth, Juan Durán comes to the plate with the bases loaded. He walks.
Chicago 9, Milwaukee 8.
SP K Ohayashi 5IP 8H 3R BB 5K, 3B T Arnaud 2-5 HR 2R RBI, 1B R Osborn 2-3 DB 3R RBI 2BB, CF C Luna 4-4 2DB R 2RBI
HR - Mil none CH - 3B T Arnaud
POTG - Chicago CF Cris Luna
Milwaukee Eagles 2-2 vs Chicago Architects 2-2
Tuesday April 10th, 2057
RHP Spencer Lacroix (4-4 5.56 ERA) vs RHP Bill Lutz (3-2, 4.52 ERA)
A - 34,638
It’s a team effort from the Architects offense, with six different players driving in runs. Marc Nakayama delivers the biggest blow, a three-run home run. Thomas Arnaud hits a solo shot.
Chicago 9, Milwaukee 6.
C K Armour 2-4 DB RBI, DH J Aranda 2-4 2DB R RBI
HR - Mil DH M Graves 1 CH - RF M Nakayama (2), 3B T Arnaud (2)
POTG - Chicago RF Marc Nakayama
Milwaukee Eagles 2-3 vs Chicago Architects 3-2
Wednesday April 11th, 2057
LHP Arthur Tiller (0-1, 4.05 ERA) vs RHP Val Imbert (0-0, 5.40 ERA)
A - 39,576
Both teams score a run in the first and a run in the second. That 2-2 tie continues until the seventh, when Chicago’s Cris Luna singles, Thomas Arnaud hits a sac fly, Kennelly Mulford walks and moves to second on a wild pitch, and Reagan Osborn singles in Mulford.
Chicago 4, Milwaukee 2.
SP V Imbert 8IP 4H 2R 1ER BB 3K W 1-0, CF C Luna 2-3 TP R,
HR - None
POTG - Chicago SS Kennelly Mulford
Summary - A sweep and it is what we should have expected if we are truly a playoff team. While a 4-2 homestand isn't a terrible start, we really wish it would have been 5 or 6 wins. Those losses to TC sting....a lot!
So far so good, but we head out on the road against both the GLBL Champions Duluth Sea Gulls and another playoff team the Toledo Neptunes. If we are going to make any noise this year, it has to start with these two clubs.
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We sim 4 days at a time so that often leaves us in the middle of series at the end of the sim. I try to something make things work out so that we end an entry on a series ender, but that will take me catching up a bit this week.
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Chicago Architects (4-2) @ Duluth Sea Gulls 5-1
April 13th-15th 2057
At Duluth's Sea Gulls Field
The defending champions are off to a great start. They were 88-56 last season which was a club record for wins and took home the grand prize at the end of the season. They are the pre-season favorites to repeat in the US division with a predicated record of 82-62 which I think they will best. In deal right before the start of the season, Duluth traded for SP Jonathan Honore who was 11-10 with a 4.09 ERA last season for Owen Sound. It cost them Will McNeely and a young prospect #148 SP Fred Trahan (22).
I took a look at the Duluth Sea Gulls, our next opponent in an upcoming 3-game series, and here are the results. The Sea Gulls play their games in Sea Gulls Field, which can be described as a ballpark slightly favoring hitters. The building seats 40000 fans.
Going 5-1 so far this year, the Sea Gulls have compiled a .833 winning percentage. They are leading the South of the Border. The Sea Gulls are playing well at the moment, having a 5-game winning streak going. Their number of runs scored of 44 rank 1st in the USA, their .322 batting average ranks 1st. On the other side of the diamond, they have given up 23 runs (1st) with their starters compiling an ERA of 2.70 which ranks 1st. Their bullpen sports an ERA of 6.35, ranking 5th.
Here are the projected pitching matchups, our pitchers listed first:
RHP Yale Hulbert (0-1, 1.80 ERA) vs RHP Jonathan Honoré (1-0, 1.42 ERA)
The top 5 players on their team are:
1. 1B Jorge Rangel (Age: 26, Overall : 4.0, Potential: 4.0)
2. RP Pedro Saldaña (26, 3.5, 3.5)
3. 2B Carlos Figueroa (31, 3.5, 3.5)
4. LF Colin Wright (24, 3.0, 3.5)
5. RF Carlos Sánchez (26, 3.0, 3.0)
Chicago Architects 4-2 @ Duluth Sea Gulls 5-1
Friday April 13th, 2057
RHP Yale Hulbert (0-1, 1.80 ERA) vs RHP Jonathan Honoré (1-0, 1.42 ERA)
A - 36,669
Lots of late action. Chicago takes a 3-0 lead in the seventh where Duluth scores four runs. Three of those runs come ona Tim Goyette home run. Duluth leads, 5-4. Chicago immediately comes back. Reagan Osborn hits a two-run home run in the eighth. Chicago leads, 5-4.* In the bottom of the ninth, Derrick Drew singles in the tying run and, with two outs and the bases loaded, George Goff walks it off. As in, he walks in the winning run.
Duluth 6, Chicago 5.
SP Y Hulburt 6IP 3H R BB 7K, 1B R Osborn 3-4 2HR 2R 4RBI
HR - CH 1B R Osborn 2 (2), Dul C T Goyette (3)
POTG - Chicago 1B Reagan Osborn
Quick note - Duluth is red hot winning 6 straight and looks to try and run away early. They are a really good club.
Also a quick minor injury note, SS Kennelly Mulford (again) went down with a minor injury after the Milwaukee series. It isn't expected to be much but we will keep him out of the starting lineup for a few games.