Could There Be An America's Team? Let's try

[Brad K]

August 18 1961

Smokey Burgess is still angry and I gave in and signed him for $194k x 4. Not much more to do. I think someone would pay that in free agency even at age 34. The fans like it. Fan interest bumped up on the signing but it's been at 100 for a while. I looked under the hood and it's 98 with a +8 adjustment.


August 28 1961

RP Bob Veale got the first start of his career in the second game of a double header against the visiting Cubs. The Pirates scored 5 while Veale shut out the Cubs allowing 5 hits and 4 walks.

The Pirates remain in 4th place, 64-59, 12 games out. Dare I hope to beat the historical 1961 win-loss record of 75-79?

People are still coming to games. We just had the first 25k + attendance since opening day.

Bob Veale

[Brad K]

October 3 1961

The Bucs finished 80-74 vs historical 75-79. But did I really do better?

Save wins 80-74
Historic wins 75-79
Save expected wins 80-74
Historic expected wins 79-75

[Brad K]

October 18 1961

Several players reduced their salary demands and I have pending offers with them. Hope they don't back out!

RP/SP Vernon Law age 31 RP 3.0 stars SP 2.5 stars $400k/4yr $100k AAV. This is high but I need a backup starter
RP Bobby Shantz age 36 3.5 stars 36 $270k/3yr $90k AAV.
CL Elroy Face age 33 3.0 stars $141k/3yr $47k AAV.


Some negotiations went easy with players asking reasonable amounts.

1B Dick Stuart age 28 3.0 stars Was eligible for arbitration with a $85k estimate. Pending offer is $270k/3yr $90k AAV
RF Gino Cimoli age 31 2.0 stars $27k/1yr.

Can't come close to signing these players

CF Richie Ashburn age 34
SS Dick Groat age 30
SP Harvey Haddix age 36
3B Don Hoak age 33. He had a career year .317, 15 HRs, 5.8 WAR. Way over his ratings. I doubt he can do it again. But he's asking to be paid based on that.
LF Bob Skinner age 30. Another player with a career year, .322 2.5 WAR.

I'm gambing on there being better players on the FA market with reasonable demands. Well, considering the America's Team goal, I'll pay more than reasonable. The owner increased the budget by $500k to $3.8m. 1961 profit is $1.5m.


Vernon Law, Elroy Face, Dick Stuart, Gino Cimoli, Bobby Shantz

[Brad K]

November 9 1961

Before free agent filing I was able to get 3B Don Hoak to cut back on years and money. His ratings are very strong, better than what he did real life which is possible. Or maybe the scout is wrong. Age 33, 3.5 stars $310k/2yr $155k AAV. 3B prospect Bob Bailey is in A ball this year. The Hoak contract should get us to the point where Bailey is MLB ready.

The expansion draft was today. The Pirates lost 25 year old 2.5 star RF Joe Christopher, 27 year old minor league 2.0 star SP Orlando Pena, and 31 year old minor league 1.5 star LF Roman Mejias. All players lost were picked by the Houston Colt 45's.


November 25 1961

SS Dick Groat reduced his $ and years demand after filing FA. I was able to get some more reductions and signed him. I also signed FA relievers Lindy McDaniel and Claude Raymond. Raymond playdd some MLB in 1959 but isn't ready for the Pirates. Some AAA time is needed.

SS Dick Groat age age 31 3.0 stars $400k/3yr $133k AAV
RP Lindy McDaniel age 25 4.0 stars $450k/5yr 90k AAV. This has to be a deal.
CL Claude Raymond age 24 2.0 stars 3.5 star potential $90k/3yr $30k AAV


December 3 1961

This is a new experience for me, making offers to 5 star FAs. It couldn't happen in the Pirates Moneyball save! Here you go.

SP Sandy Koufax age 25 5.0 stars $1.97m/5yr $394k AAV.

[Brad K]

February 15 1962

GM Joe Brown presentation to front office staff, manager, scouts, and coaches

Note Brown came to the Pirates in 1955.

(Alternating an enthusiast face with a scowl.)

Meeting joined in progress

... extra $200,000 in the budget this year but it's important we work smarter. And that brings me to the last and most important item on my list.

Beginning of last year I noticed a somewhat famliar name in the Reds lineup but I didn't know why he seemed famliar. The player's name is Carlos Bernier.

I found he played for us in 1953, not great, not terrible, and then we sent him down and forgot about him. His AAA batting average is .293! Did anyone notice? Why wasn't I told about him? The Reds noticed and signed him from our organization last year.

We cannot ignore Negro players because in one try they didn't play like stars. We need players who can be stars, players who can be regulars, and players who can be backups.

The Pittsburgh Courier has been editorializing for years about our lack of Negro players. They're right. We should have had more. How many more were there like Bernier who could have made the team better?

Starting right now look at ball players as ball players. A Negro doesn't need to be a star to be on our team. The only qualification for anyone is that he is better than the others we have for that roster spot, star, regular, or backup.



Carlos Bernier, Joe Brown

[Brad K]

March 1 1962

There were some more moves over the winter but only one for big money. That is CF Jim Piersall age 32 $675k/5yr $135k AAV last two years are team option.

I traded RP Jim umbricht age 31 2.5 stars and 3B Danny Cater age 21 for LF Wally Post age 32 3.0 stars. The Reds pay 45% of Post's $200k annual salary. Cater was a Rule 5 pick for me this year. The trade was necessary because it appears neither Donn Clendenon nor Willie Stargell will be ready to play LF this year.

I also signed CF Bill Lajoie and 2B Daryl Spencer as bench players.


April 9 1962

The Vernon Law era has ended in Pittsburgh. He has the stamina but not the pitches to be a starter and is below average in the pen. When he refused a demotion to AAA (he likely would have been called up at some point) the only thing to do was arrange a trade. The 32 year old Law went to Philadephia for 25 year old John Buzhardt. He isn't ready for but big club in Pittsburgh but has options and so is pitching for the Columbus Jets to start the season.

The Wally Post trade doesn't look as good as it did in the winter as Post's ratings dropped. However neither Donn Clendenon nor Willie Stargell was able to put him out of work. Clendenon has the back up jobs at first base and the corner outfield spots. Stargell, not as far along in his development, is playing AAA for the Jets.

The experts predict a third place finish this year which would be a disappointment considering the payroll. The Bucs claimed the highest payroll spot by about $7k over the Yankees.

Here's a connection to real life. 3B Gilbert Watts who never played a game in MLB but was 325/440/558 in five minor league seasons made the team as a backup infielder. I have set him to be the first pinch hitter off the bench.

CF Bill Lajoie is another player with no real life MLB experience. He made the 25 man but before he got into a game I signed CF Rocky Nelson and sent Lajoie to AAA. After his real life baseball career in the minors Lajoie became a scout and eventually rose to GM of the Tigers.

[luckymann]

Nice going there with the Left Arm of God on board. That top rotation 1-2-3 punch should get you going places.

So just to recap, this save has full historical minors with rooks to their historical clubs like with Moneyball?

And have you just got the aging and dev speed settings at default? Strange that Pops and DC are lagging in this save v my own.

G

[Brad K]

Historical rookies to their real teams but not exactly like Pirates Moneyball. In Pirates Moneyball historical rookies appear the year they first played MLB. Here they appear the first year they played organized baseball. It requires more attention to who is on the 40 man.

Aging and dev are at default. TCR 100. I don't find it surprising that Stargell and Clendenon are rated weaker than in your save. I believe you posted at one point a theory that at creation players got assigned a career path in the vicinity of but not necessary a copy of real life.

[Brad K]

May 1 1962

A 15-5 April puts the Pirates in first by 3 games. Everything is ticking.

Never a major leaguer Gilbert Watts is 5 for 10 plus walks in two other plate appearances. Its not all pinch hitting though. He stayed in a game April 29 after pinch hitting in the 6th when the Pirates took an 8-6 lead. He got four more at bats as the Dodgers tied the game in the 7th amd neither team scored again until the 15th. Finally the Pirates pushed a run across in the top of the 15th and kept the lead for the win.

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by Brad K

Historical rookies to their real teams but not exactly like Pirates Moneyball. In Pirates Moneyball historical rookies appear the year they first played MLB. Here they appear the first year they played organized baseball. It requires more attention to who is on the 40 man.

Aging and dev are at default. TCR 100. I don't find it surprising that Stargell and Clendenon are rated weaker than in your save. I believe you posted at one point a theory that at creation players got assigned a career path in the vicinity of but not necessary a copy of real life.

Gotcha - so how many players in your full system for '62?

[Brad K]

It was over 300 on seven teams with over 100 on the lowest team until I did some releases.

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by Brad K

It was over 300 on seven teams with over 100 on the lowest team until I did some releases.

OK, very interesting thanks. Look forward to hearing more about your experiences with HMs in this save.

[Brad K]

June 1 1962

After leading by as many as five in May the Pirates start June 1/2 a game out. A 16-13 May wasn't enough to keep the team in first place.

Based a toss up in ratings versus Don Hoak but better performance Gilbert Watts is making two of three starts at third base. With a similar situation on ratings and performance Wally Post and Donn Clendenon are now sharing LF. Clendenon starts at home and Post on the road. The idea is that Clendenon's better BA and OBP is better suited to Forbes Field than Post's HR power while Post's talents hold the edge on the road.

[Brad K]

June 15

Pirates have a 1/2 game lead over Milwaukee.

Recent scouting gives never was in the majors and minor league career .325 hitter 3B Gilbert Watts 2.5 stars, same as 3B Don Hoak. On the details Watts is a bit better so he is now the starting 3B.

I'm hesitant to trade Hoak due to him his local "Extremely Popular" rating. He's worth fans in the stands even if he doesn't play.

Willie Stargell is a Columbus Jet and his ratings have improved to 2.0 stars. He and Clendenon would make a slightly better platoon in LF (L/R) than the current Clendenon and Post home and away platoon.

I shopped Post (the Reds are playing 45% of his $200k salary). I got offers but nobody with a future who I could send to AAA.


June 16

In one day Post is suddenly worth a lot less. Instead of a scrolling page of offers I got three. (News of the recent road trip must have gotten out. He hit .172 in 29 ABs.)

Anyway, traded him and minor league (A level) C 1B Gary Rushing for 1B LF RF Lee Walls. This allows me a slight advantage in performance by moving Stargell into a LF platoon with Clendenon. Also there is a money savings. That probably sounds strange for this save but while the owner is providing a lot of money it isn't unlimited. Lots of teams get buried in long term contracts and I've made some moves to win now that could result in that.

Important money point here is I owed Post $303k for 63, 64, and 65 (55% of $560k). Walls is making 26k.

Walls can optioned this year although he appears he might be better the Gino Cimoli as a corner OF backup. I'll get a new scouting report on both and see. However the assistant GM advised Joe Brown "We'll look like idiots if we do this deal!"


Wally Post, Lee Walls

[Brad K]

Considering the Post and Walls trade above it's interesting to find there was a real trade involving them. From BR

(Wally Post) Traded by the Philadelphia Phillies with Fred Hopke (minors) and Harry Anderson to the Cincinnati Reds for Tony Gonzalez and Lee Walls.

Here's some July 1 info

[Brad K]

Whoops. Forgot this.

[Brad K]

July 9 1962

Received an offer from Cleveland. They want to trade RP Bill Daily age 27 3.0 stars for 20 year old SP Gary Waslewski who is in A ball 1.5 star 2.5 star potential. Bobby Shantz ratings have dropped to 2.5 and he has a 5.85 ERA. Can't send him down, can't trade him. So I traded for Daily and put him in the pen. To make room on the roster I demoted Orlando McFarland and will go with six RP and five players to cover 2B, 3B, and SS.

I'm looking for any edge I can get. The team has been in and out of first. Current in first by 1/2 game over SF. The Braves and Reds have fallen back to 4 1/2 and 5 1/2 back.

There's problems at 3B. Both Watts and Hoak are hitting around .200 so I made Dick Schofield the starter. In comparison his .255 looks like a big bat.

Bad news from the stats office. We've been lucky. We're +7 against The Python.

[Brad K]

August 1 1962

No deadline trades. I'm committed to what I have. Currently 66-41 and 1/2 game ahead of SF. Let's see what happens.

We're number 2 in MLB attendance just 17k behind the Yankees. America's Team is catching on!

Dick Schofield has a 3 week DTD that moderately affects throwing. I don't want to take him out of the lineup. I'm giving him a bit of rest playing him half the time. I don't like playing Watts and Hoak but there's nothing else to do. I want to reduce the risk of Schofield getting an additional must go on the IL injury.


September 10 1962
Milwaukee has leapfrogged the Giants and us. We're 4 out. The Giants are 8 out.

[Brad K]

October 1 1962
The Braves turned in an incredible 24-6 August and 20-6 September and blasted past us to win the pennant by 8 games. Who ever would have thought our 96 wins wouldn't be enough. However, somewhat disturbing, we are +9 against The Python.

[Brad K]

Nov 6 1962

Its hard to set off season priorities due to unknowns. At 3B both Don Hoak and Gilbert Watts under performed their ratings hitting .206 and .204. Are the ratings real or are the performances real? They're at 2.5 stars. I could call up Orlando McFarland from AAA. He's 2.0 stars but on the details looks as good as Hoak and Watts. Twenty year old 3B prospect Bob Bailey is 2.0 stars. Spending money on a star free agent 3B would create a traffic jam at the position.

SS Dick Groat's ratings seem higher than reasonable for a 32 year old but he did hit .287. I hope that's real because SS prospect Gene Alley isn't ready.

Maz at only 26 is losing a bit on ratings. He's only 3.0 stars now.

CF Jim Piersall at 32 has to be looking at a drop. His defense is still excellent at 16 but his 11 contact rating matches his .268 average. However 24 year old Curt Flood is a free agent, a better hitter, and a better fielder. I made him a solid offer.

I have $1.2m to spend on free agents (offer to Flood already deducted). I want to keep some for in season acquisitions if needed. Probably 3/4 but I'm not dropping below half.

I need to sell more season tickets this year. Too much of the attendance is at the gate and thus not guaranteed. The ticket prices are near the top of the league.

Donn Clendenon at age 26 was kind of old for a break in player. He's a decent but not outstanding LF and may already be losing some range for his age 27 year. If so, and if Stargell can handle LF, then that forces a decision between Clendennon and Dick Stuart at 1B although Clendennon would be a very cost effective backup and PH.


Bob Bailey, Curt Flood