The Bucs Start Here - A Pirates Do-Over

[luckymann]

We get Carey back in the first week, but it doesn’t have the expected effect as we drop the next 7 games and undo most of the good work from the previous month. Short-term injuries to Bigbee and Easterly that each require an IL stint do not help matters. We right the ship to a certain degree in the final week to finish the month 15-14, but this was an untidy sectional indeed.



Everything is pretty much the mirror image of the month before. Our BA drops 7 points, our ERA jumps 23. Smith and Charleston both go almost completely missing, while Cooper (4.21 ERA for the month) and Johnson each post shockers.






All of which means that, instead of consolidating our lead and controlling the division into the stretch, we are now dragged back into a dogfight with the Giants, while the Cards and Braves are also right in it again. Over in the AL, the Browns have charged into the lead by a small margin from the Yanks, with the Sens, Red Sox and Tigers all still within reach.



We are not alone in being bitten by the injury bug. The Cards' Hugh Bedient has to call it a career courtesy of a torn rotator cuff, and their pitching ranks are further decimated with long-term injuries to Ferdie Schupp and Phil Douglas as well. The Giants lose ace Rube Marquard for a couple months, and most teams are down at least one key player.

On a brighter note, with still 60 games left to play, Heavy Johnson needs just 3 HR to break Wildfire Schulte's single-season mark of 22. Pete Hill (who leads the NL again this season with 10) and Ben Taylor each need just 7 more longballs to reach 100.

Awards, news, leaders.







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[luckymann]

Most RBIs without Scoring a Run (Does not include pitchers)

[luckymann]

Heavy Johnson finally surpasses Wildfire Schulte's mark. The Babe has gone on a bit of a recent tear and is now sitting at 18, and this should be an enthralling sideshow for seasons to come. With the way LTMs tend to squash stats I'm not sure either / both will make 700, but you never know.






EDIT: Oops, must have jumped the gun there - 22 was just a tie...

[luckymann]

We start the month with a few wins almost solely derived from good pitching as our offence continues to misfire more often than not. But then Smith goes down with a shoulder injury and that renders us even more impotent with bat in hand, especially with Easterly and Bigbee still sidelined. Marcell’s form in particular has been in a tailspin since the early part of the season, but it has been a down year for all of our bats as we seem destined for our first season in a long while without a 300 hitter.

We go on to lose 7 of our next 10 and the division tightens up once again.

Bigbee finally comes back just as Carey picks up a niggle, so we dodge a bit of a bullet there and can try to nurse Max through it.

But we cannot turn it around at the plate and when Easterly makes his long-awaited return and Smith comes back, I decide to rejig the whole lineup to see if that sparks them into action (you can see the new version in the team home page, below.

Our August from hell ends with an 11-13 record and bullpen lynchpin Louis Drucke out for the remainder of the regular season at least with elbow problems. Fan-effing-tastic.



I'll let the stats speak for themselves. And they speak volumes. The pitchers do all they can but simply aren't being given enough runs to protect.





A month left to play and, in both divisions, everything left to play for.



Awards, news, leaders.






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[luckymann]

Well we can't consider ourselves unjustly treated on the injuries front, as the screenshot below attests.

The Cards have been hit far worse than us, with Pete Hill arguably the biggest loss of all.

Rube Foster has also gone down to a season-ending injury.

I'm all for an increase in the frequency of injuries but there's no doubt the game suffers from whiplash when you adjust the settings as I have. I do not want players' careers / statistical output dramatically curtailed in this exercise, so I will be drawing up a new set of rules for 1920 and beyond as to how longer-term injuries to higher-quality players are handled. More details to follow in the offseason.

[luckymann]

... I only just realised that, as was the case IRL because of WW1, this season consists of only 140 games rather than 154.

[luckymann]

Amazing the parallel of these two NeL legends' careers, with both making their debut in 1911 and now, within a week or so of each other, each getting their 200th win.

Sadly, Rube Foster's season-ending injury happened with him on 199, or else the three would be celebrating together.

"Smokey" Joe Williams



Dick "Cannonball" Redding

[luckymann]

I won't give too much away just yet, other than to say it is one heck of a race and that this is the last thing the Yankees needed...

[luckymann]

What is past is mere prelude...

Entering the final series of arguably the hardest-fought campaign yet, the standings look like this:



Our final three games are against the Cards in St. Louis, of which we need to win just one to clinch.

The Yanks are taking on the A's, with one in New York followed by two in Philly.

The Sens are hosting the Red Sox.

The Browns have only two games left, both at Cleveland.

We lose the first game 7-6 as Hornsby goes nuts against Train. The A's beat the Yanks 3-2, the Sens win a 4-3 walkoff.

Cooper notches his 20th win the next day against Jose Mendez as we clinch our 5th straight NL Pennant with a 4-2 victory.

The Yanks lose again as Heavy Johnson cracks his 27th homer, but the Sens also lose. The Browns stay alive with a win.



The final day. Well, actually two.

Scores are as follows:

Sens 4, Red Sox 2
Browns 0, Indians 6 and out they go

The Yanks play their final game the next day, needing to win it to force a tiebreaker with Washington.

They scrape home 6-5 as Ruth hits his 24th.

But they leave it all on the field in that one and the Sens cruise to a 7-2 win in the TB. Still the pennant eludes the Bronx Bombers...

Massive props to our lads, I don't know how they do it - we look out on our feet so many times but they just keep digging and doing what is needed. Elmer Smith pretty much picks the whole club up down the stretch, and his 347 / 6 HR / 24 RBI effort deservedly wins him the monthly prize. He gets plenty of help from Charlie, who hits over 400 for the sectional.





George Sisler wins his first batting crown in the AL with a 370 mark, Rajah Hornsby his first in the NL with a career-best 348.

Heavy Johnson finishes with 27 dingers to the Bambino's 24.

A bunch of outstanding individual performances in both divisions mean the award voting at the end of the season should be fascinating.

Final standings, Sep awards, news, leaders. Back with the Series preview when I have caught my breath...








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[luckymann]

Washington Senators (78-63) v Pittsburgh Pirates (83-57)

Best-of-nine, Senators with the home-field advantage.

WASHINGTON SENATORS S+ PAGE

PITTSBURGH PIRATES S+ PAGE

Plenty of subtext here with Train’s first meeting against the club with which he has so much history. They proved what a tight unit they are with a withering stretch run that saw them swoop from the clouds with a 15-8 finish. They might lack our power, but in Jackson, Chapman, Devore, Fournier et al, they have a bunch of guys who hit a bunch and three 20-game winners in a really solid rotation led by Cicotte and Redding.

We’ll need to be at our absolute best to get past them, especially with them having the home-field advantage.

[luckymann]

Game 1 in Washington, October 4th 1919
Dick Redding (20-14, 3.04) v Walter Johnson (22-15, 2.49)

So crucial with the best-of-nine and 3-4-2 format to get at least one win from this first roadtrip, or else you put yourself under huge pressure for the subsequent homestand. 0-3 just psychologically seems so much deeper in the hole than 0-2. This will be tough for Train, his first appearance back in his old park and in front of his former fans, now foes. He’ll need to tamp down the emotions and forget about all that. Easier said than done. Redding knows what’s needed in these playoff games, he’s done it all before and will be tough to beat. Not that he’s had a great season, and his playoff record is not great, but we get Louis Drucke back from injury just in time.

After 2 scoreless frames, Wood goes solo yard to put us ahead. Not much action until the 6th, when we double our lead with one on a Marcell groundout.

Train retires the first 16 he faces before surrendering a single in the home 6th. That leads nowhere and a well-executed hit-and-run in the next gets us a third run on a Groh double. They respond in the bottom half of that frame with their first run after Jackson triples.

They inch closer in the home 8th with another run as Train starts to flag a bit.

I hit for Walter in the 9th and we get an insurance run on an RBI double by Bigbee. Reuther walks one but Drucke nails down the win with a one-out save. A nice, disciplined performance to kick things off.

Pirates 4, Senators 2
BOX SCORE


Game 2 in Washington, October 5th 1919
Eddie Cicotte (23-15, 2.34) v Wilbur Cooper (20-13, 2.72)
Pirates lead series 1-0

We can only hope that Wilbur’s couple of uneventful cameos in last year’s playoffs have helped him get past his earlier problems. Nowhere to hide him in the 9-game format as all 4 starters will be called upon at least once and I’m not sure our second-liners like Reuther, Mays and Williams are up for it. So we need him to be competitive here against a tough stalwart in Eddie Cicotte.

Drama early as Cicotte is forced from the game with an arm injury after pitching a scoreless 1st. Southpaw Gus Salve comes on in his place.

Little to report from this point as the pitchers hold sway, allowing no runs and just a handful on thru 8.

We finally break the deadlock on a run-scoring trip by Charleston with two out in the 9th.

Cooper closes it out for a superb 5-hitter as we go two up.

Pirates 1, Browns 0
BOX SCORE

BTW The irony of Eddie Cicotte being injured in the sim version of the series that was his undoing IRL is not lost on me...


Game 3 in Washington, October 6th 1919
Hippo Vaughn (20-14, 2.31) v Harry Krause (16-6, 2.25)
Pirates lead series 1-0

Two wily southpaw veterans go at it today. Krause has been a key add for us and we are looking for Harry to continue what he’s done all season. The bats need to wake up—I don’t see this being another 1-0 scoreline.

They get to him straight away, tagging him for 2 on 3 hits in a very nervy 1st. Our bats begin quietly again and we fall further behind in the 4th as they score another run.

More trouble in the next as they belt him about, adding 3 more and I’ve seen enough. Mays comes on in relief. He has been a liability all season and will almost certainly be off to a new home unless something dramatically changes. He is absolutely terrible here, giving up another 6 as they humiliate us 12-0. Our offence manages just 4 hits. An absolute shocker.

Browns 12, Pirates 0
BOX SCORE


Game 4 in Pittsburgh, October 8th 1919
Walter Johnson (1-0, 2.25) v Dick Redding (0-1, 3.38)
Pirates lead series 2-1

For a side leading by a game going into a homestand with a fourth-straight Championship in reach, things are pretty flat. These lads have given their all just to get here and that in itself – considering the loss of our main offensive bellwether in Cobb – has been an amazing achievement. But right now the offence seems to have fallen into one of its regular bouts of torpor, as shown by the fact that Carey’s 250 BA is the highest among our starters. So I go for a bit of a gamble here and give a couple of the backup guys a start: Friberg, who despite being just 19 has shown real promise in his rookie season, will start for Groh at 2B; and Baker will come in at 1B, with Charlie going to CF and Scoops Carey to LF, with Elmer Smith to RF and Wood on the bench. Let’s see if that puts a fire under them as Train takes on Cannonball Redding again.

They get to Walter early with back-to-back doubles in the 1st giving them the lead and pad it with another run in the 2nd as Train really struggles to find his groove. Yet another run in the next and then disaster strikes as he has to leave the game with pain in his elbow. Wood comes in to replace him and keeps them from going further ahead with a GIDP.

They make it 4-0 in the 4th as the game starts to get away from us. They already have 11 hits to our 1.

We finally get on the scoresheet in the bottom 4th on a triple by Smith but we leave him stranded there. We do, however, inch closer again in the next as Lundy doubles one in, his first meaningful contribution of the series so far.

Williams has done well to keep them close but flags in the 8th as they all but put us away with 3 more runs. 16 hits to 5 now.
It finishes 7-3 and the Series is tied at 2. It feels like we are down by 2.

Browns 7, Pirates 3
BOX SCORE


Game 5 in Pittsburgh, October 9th 1919
Wilbur Cooper (1-0, 0.00) v Lew Moren (0-1, 6.19)
Series tied 2-2

The news on Walter is that he’ll miss his next turn but be available in either Game 8 or 9, should the Series go that far. Wood’s presence is most fortuitous, and he’ll be kept solely for pitching until then. We’ll run the same OF formation as Game 4, with Baker at 1B.

They’ve lost Cicotte for the year, so Wilbur takes on Lew Moren in this one.

Precisely the start we didn’t need sees us gift them a no-hit unearned run via two errors in the top 1st. We leave a man stranded in the home half and a third error nearly costs us in the next before Cooper steadies and gets us out of the jam unscathed.

We get another rally going in the 2nd and Easterly ties the game with an RBI triple, then scores on a Baker sac fly. Another trip with two out by Cooper and an infield hit to Groh make it 3-1.

They start belting Cooper all over the park and take the lead again with 3 on 4 hits and our 4th error.

We load the bases with none out in the 5th. Lundy puts us in front with a 2-run single and a Marcell SF makes it 6-4, but again we leave runs on the deck and with their bats just scorching us you know this wastefulness will come get us.

Sure enough, they load the bases with none down in the 6th and one scores on a single, then another on a SF and it is 6-6.

Cooper has gone back to his bad old ways and I have no choice but to hook him after 6. Reuther comes in.

We get the go-ahead run in the 8th on a two-out hit by Baker. Drucke comes in for the 9th and blows the save.

7-7. Extra innings. The last thing we needed. Mays on the mound. He gets a clean 10th.

Easterly singles with one out. Baker doubles him all the way home for the walkoff win. These guys.

Pirates 8, Senators 7 (10 innings)
BOX SCORE


Game 6 in Pittsburgh, October 10h 1919
Harry Krause (0-1, 12.46) v Hippo Vaughn (1-0, 0.00)
Pirates lead series 3-2

A Game 3 rematch and it goes without saying Harry needs to be vastly improved and our bats need to find a way to solve Vaughn.

We go ahead in the 2nd on a two-out Whitted double but they leapfrog us in the 4th with a deuce. We then tie it on a Snyder single in the bottom half of that inning.

In the 5th, we get men at the corners with one out but their CF Devore makes an outstanding assist on a deep flyout to shut us down and keep the score knotted.

Still tied at 2 in the middle 7th, I roll the dice and hit for Krause. It comes to nothing and Williams takes over. He immediately gives up the lead and they tack another one on for good measure.

We have one last crack at them in the 9th, putting the tying runs aboard with one out. A Smith walk loads them up. Marcell flies out but then Lundy comes up with a huge two-out 2-run double and it is tied up once more. Charleston has a chance to walk it off but can only ground to SS and more innings are needed.

I had Wood PH and he now stays in to pitch.

Whitted muffs one and it costs us big time as they go ahead, but Wood is ineffective as well and they tag him for another to make it 6-4.

We’ve got nothing and the series is all square yet again.

Senators 6, Pirates 4 (10 innings)
BOX SCORE


Game 7 in Pittsburgh, October 11th 1919
Al Mamaux (13-14, 3.27) v Rube Manning (1-0, 3.00)
Series tied 3-3

This key matchup brings the 4th starters from each team into the fray. Mamaux started the year well but really tailed off, so what we get from him today is anyone’s guess. To go to Washington facing elimination is not something we want to face, so once again we need to dig deep and find a way to get the win.

It gets ugly early as Mamaux gives up 3 in the 1st. We don’t get one out of the infield in the first 4 but get something going in the 5th. Baker knocks one in with a single but once again our clutch hitting is dreadful as we leave them loaded.

Mamaux is constantly in trouble, walking 5 but somehow not conceding. However, his adventures mean he is done after 6. Reuther takes over in the 7th.

We have a go at them in the 8th, putting two in scoring position with none out. One scores on a Lundy SF to make it 3-2 but we can’t get the key hit to tie it up.

They show us how to get it done in the 9th with a run on 3 straight hits then put us to the sword with another one. Our bats, as has been the case for most of this series, have nothing to offer and we do indeed head to the nation’s capital at the precipice.

Senators 5, Pirates 2
BOX SCORE


Game 8 in Washington, October 13th 1919
Dick Redding (1-1, 3.18) v Walter Johnson (1-1, 4.35)
Senators lead series 4-3

So Train does get his Game 8 but not under the fairytale circumstances we would have liked, rather with the assignment of keeping our season alive. Baseball’s a funny game, here he is against his old rotation partner and good friend and in front of so many who used to root for him but now want nothing more than to see him get beat. Let’s see how he responds.

They take a 2nd-inning lead as Train gives up a two-out single to Redding. Once again our bats are making little impact, with just 2 singles thru 5.

Train is giving it everything but it is clear he’s labouring and they double their lead in the home 5th.

Smith cancels that out in the next with a solo shot and Train then ties it at 2 in the top 7th with a run-scoring double.

Train barely gets out of the bottom 7th and then we load the bases in the 8th with one out. Bigbee can only manage a forceout at home and with Walter up I decide to lift him for the other Johnson in our squad, Ernie. A flyout ends the inning, another wasted chance.

Wood on the hill.

Top of the 9th, Charlie leads off with a single and Carey bunts him to second. They walk Smith to set up the DP. We leave them where they are.

Reuther takes over in the 9th. For the third time, spare frames are required.

In the 10th, a couple of two-out walks and a Charleston double get us ahead by 2. Carey singles to make it 5-2.

Reuther sends them down in order for an unbelievably gutsy win that sends the series to a deciding Game 9.

Did you expect anything different?

Pirates 5, Senators 2 (10 innings)
BOX SCORE


Game 9 in Washington, October 14th 1919
Hippo Vaughn (2-0, 1.89) v Wilbur Cooper (1-0, 3.00)
Series tied 4-4

Undoubtedly because of the success he’s had against us so far, they decide to push Vaughn back out there to try and get his third win of the series. For us, the huge responsibility falls on Wilbur’s shoulders. This has been another epic series and deserves an appropriate climax. Although I’d take a 10-0 win, if it’s all the same to everyone.

There goes that idea, then, as they get to Cooper early with a run in the 1st. We still are hopeless against Vaughn with just a single thru 4.

Cooper keeps them quiet until a messy 6th sees them double their leads. We have 2 hits and 2 errors to this point.

We finally get it together in the 7th, loading the bases on a leadoff single and walks to the next two hitters. Yet again, however, we are dire when it counts, and leave all three standing there uselessly.

I have hit for Cooper, so Wood stays in to pitch.

They put us away with a run in the 8th and Vaughn locks it down with his second shutout win in a superlative performance.

I’ll always be proud of what we did this year, just as I’ll always be disappointed with how poorly we played in this Series. Kudos to the Sens, they outplayed us in every facet of the game.

Senators 3, Pirates 0
BOX SCORE



WASHINGTON WINS SERIES 5-4
SERIES MVP: Hippo Vaughn (Washington)

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[luckymann]

We exercise the final year of Heinie Groh’s contract, but not that of Pops Lloyd. Both he and Les Nunamaker enter the FA market. Frank Baker does not opt out of his remaining contract years with us.

If you don’t think this game is tough on managers, try being Jimmy Bertolette, who after two WS appearances and a couple near misses over the past 4 seasons (not to mention a Championship in ’15 and winning record in each of the 7 seasons he was in charge) is cut by the Browns. Darby O’Brien is also let go by the A’s. Rudy Kling and Charlie Daugherty have been hired in their place.

Pretty low-key on the retirement front this year, with only Addie Joss and our old mate Zaza Harvey potentially HOF-bound. Former Pirates Buck Herzog and Scott Ingerton also call time on their playing days.

We actually hire Zaza as the Hitting Coach at our AAA franchise Wilkes-Barre.

[luckymann]

AL 1919 HISTORY INDEX

NL 1919 HISTORY INDEX

AWARDS HISTORY

A couple new faces, a couple old in the major awards for 1920. George Sisler wins his first WLM in the AL, while Hippo Vaughn doubles down on that magnificent WS performance with the AL Waddell Medal. The senior circuit honours some more familiar names, with Tris Speaker and our own Walter Johnson making it six apiece in the respective categories. Rookie honours go to Detroit's Earl Smith and Frankie Frisch of the Cardinals.

All green on sim accuracy again.

[luckymann]

Held on 12/20/1919.

6 more Legacies join the fray this year, but perhaps there is more interest in the big batch of NeL players coming aboard, the largest induction yet. Some big manes among their ranks including Andy Cooper, Harry Salmon, John Beckwith and Biz Mackey.

These are the Legacy Players for the 1920 season:

Chicago Cubs: Sheriff Blake (10.7; 255)
Chicago White Sox: Bibb Falk (22.8; 1067)
Cleveland Indians: Joe Sewell (54.7; 1513)
New York Yankees: Bob Meusel (27.5; 1294)
Philadelphia Athletics: Eddie Rommel (49.8; 501)
Pittsburgh Pirates: Pie Traynor (38.5; 1941)

Slim Harriss (13.6; 257) was also eligible for the A’s, but Rommel’s higher WAR makes him the selection.

Johnny Morrison (18.8; 242) was also eligible for the Pirates, but Traynor’s higher WAR makes him the selection.

There are 162 rookies for this season, and the Draft will consist of 8 rounds.

The Draft order will be as follows (winning percentage from 1919 IRL season in brackets; bold indicates Legacy Pick in 1st Round):

Round 1

1. Cleveland Indians (604)
2. Philadelphia Athletics (257)
3. Pittsburgh Pirates (511)
4. New York Yankees (576)
5. Chicago White Sox (629)
6. Chicago Cubs (536)
7. Philadelphia Phillies (343)
8. St. Louis Cardinals (394)
9. Washington Senators (400)
10. Boston Braves (410)
11. St. Louis Browns (482; dice roll)
12. Boston Red Sox (482; dice roll)
13. Brooklyn Robins (493)
14. Detroit Tigers (571)
15. New York Giants (621)
16. Cincinnati Reds (686)

Rounds 2 thru 8

1. Philadelphia Athletics (257)
2. Philadelphia Phillies (343)
3. St. Louis Cardinals (394)
4. Washington Senators (400)
5. Boston Braves (410)
6. St. Louis Browns (482; dice roll)
7. Boston Red Sox (482; dice roll)
8. Brooklyn Robins (493)
9. Pittsburgh Pirates (511)
10. Chicago Cubs (536)
11. Detroit Tigers (571)
12. New York Yankees (576)
13. Cleveland Indians (604)
14. New York Giants (621)
15. Chicago White Sox (629)
16. Cincinnati Reds (686)


We get a handy Legacy this time around, although with Lundy and Marcell we are already pretty stocked at his two positions, so we’ll need to formulate a plan to make it all work best to our advantage. After that it is all about getting the best prospects available as our group for now is pretty set.

Here’s who we end up selecting:

1. SS Pie Traynor, 21

• A great type, the plan with Pie is to teach him how to play 2B – he currently plays SS and 3B – at AAA and see how that goes. I am concerned about the continued dropoff in Groh’s defence, so we need this position sorted out. Hopefully this is the solution we seek.

2. OF Heinie Mueller, 20

• Another who’ll start at AAA and hopefully become a useful backup OF down the track.

3. C Zack Taylor, 24
4. P Juanelo Mirabal, 18
5. P Roy Moore, 21

• Two squads to keep in mind now. Not sure any of these guys will ever see MLB action, but each fills a key role at AAA.

6. IF Jack Sheehan, 26
7. P Benn Karr, 26
8. P Joe Kiefer, 20

• Scout’s picks, all merely AAA filler.

FULL DRAFT LOG

[luckymann]

And so the league's awkward teenage years have come and gone, as have almost or maybe even all of the players from the foundation year of 1901.

Here are how the various franchises have fared up to this point:



Here are their 1910s W-L records parsed out.



For those looking for a deeper dive, here are the player leaderboards for the decade:

HITTING

PITCHING

In fact it was Speaker who was the dominant player with bat in hand, while the Train was the #1 moundsman.

[luckymann]

No doubt that 1920 is THE pivotal year for the league.

The ball has already livened up, as shown by that great HR battle between Ruth and Johnson in 1919, and continues to do so from here on in.

The introduction of MiLB means players will be getting plenty of gametime to assist with their development, improving the overall depth and quality of the league.

While we have already seen some of what the NeL has to offer, this really gathers pace in the next few years with legendary names such as Dihigo, Gibson, Bell, Stearnes, Paige and many more set to grace the biggest stage of all.

But the Babe obviously remains the locus around which all of this spins. Will he dominate like he did in IRL? For how much longer will he be used as a two-way player? How will the presence of all these other big bats and strong arms affect his career totals? Will he make it to 600 HR? 700? Will he be the all-time leader when he hangs them up and, if so, for how long?

With regard to the Pirates, we have obviously come off a fairly dominant period with 6 NL pennants and 3 Championships. But our franchise will be right up against it from here on in and we will need to be clever and creative if we want to share at least some of the spoils. We have a good squad now, but will need to continually evolve and improve or the trophy cabinet will not be getting any new additions.

I am so excited to see what this next decade brings it almost hurts.

[luckymann]

The increase of the injury setting from EXTREMELY LOW to LOW in 1919 has triggered a raft of injuries aberrant to what I am looking for in this save. While I do want DtD injuries and some longer-term ones, what I do NOT want is elite players losing long periods of time to injuries that they never suffered IRL, thereby messing with their statistical output.

So from 1920 onward, I will be incorporating some rules to counter this.

All players who were at one time – past, or present – either a Legacy or Marquee player will have limits put on the length of time they can miss due to injury, as follows:

• for years in which they were still active IRL, 60 days
• for years in which they were inactive IRL, 90 days

The only exception to this is if they suffered a corresponding injury IRL within a 3-year range of any suffered in the game. In this case, the injury time will be set to the same amount as the IRL, less any other in-game injury time accumulated over that 3-year span.

Furthermore, the top 100 NeL players (as per the HOME MLE list) will be limited to 120-day stretches on the IL.

These rules have been applied retrospectively to all eligible players with current injuries.

This will undoubtedly – but hopefully not – need some further tinkering. Hopefully, the game settles down again on this front to realistic levels.

[luckymann]

As mentioned, 1920 sees the introduction of an AAA Minor League level.

This is how that league will be structured, along with each AAA club's parent franchise. Teams have been chosen somewhat arbitrarily, with the ALAAA based in Texas and the NLAAA in the Northeast. As time progresses and the IRL MiLB settles down, I will bring these into line with their historical counterparts.





Rosters in the AAA have been limited to 41, with a 40-man roster also in use. Option years have been enabled and set at 3, while MiLB free-agency is earned after 6 years. For now, the right to refuse an MiLB assignment has been revoked, but this will change at some stage in the future. Waivers last three days, DFA seven. Post-season roster rules have been enabled and only players on the 40-man at the cutoff date will be eligible for playoff action. As previously decided upon, full FA is now granted after 5 years' service.

The Rule 5 Draft has been enabled, and the Rule 5 Draft will be held 10 days after the Rookie Draft, thereby allowing clubs some leeway with the composition of their squads.

[luckymann]

One final note before we move on, I thought some of you might be interested in seeing the career-to-date stats of the main NeL players. Unfortunately, one of the few features S+ doesn't have in watchlists, so I can only show these to you via screenshots.

[luckymann]

... two of the greats from the pitching ranks deservedly earn their immortality.

Doc White




Christy Mathewson