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

[Brad K]

This save is unusual for me in that Clemente has never been the starting CF. I've also played Dave Parker in CF early in his career. The Pirates farm system does not produce any outstanding CFs in the years I play.

After Clendenon failed to develop any ratings in 100ish games in LF I thought he might do better at 3B since he has ratings on the IF basics. I moved him to 3B and Bob Bailey to 1B. Each started with 0 at the position and got 150ish games at it. Here's the results.

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by Brad K

This save is unusual for me in that Clemente has never been the starting CF. I've also played Dave Parker in CF early in his career. The Pirates farm system does not produce any outstanding CFs in the years I play.

After Clendenon failed to develop any ratings in 100ish games in LF I thought he might do better at 3B since he has ratings on the IF basics. I moved him to 3B and Bob Bailey to 1B. Each started with 0 at the position and got 150ish games at it. Here's the results.

Sadly that is only a one-way street: 3B to 1B. Mainly due to the arm, but also range and turn DP. Plus, Bailey should have CURR ratings at 1B 3B LF RF. In my save he also has moderate POT at 2B. That's using 3-year.

[Brad K]

I don't have a problem with players not being above to move away from 1B. If a guy comes to MLB as a 1B and was a 1B in the minors, college, high school, then he has a lifetime of history being unable to play another position even at levels where he was a super star.

However I think any player who was competent at any other position should be able to get an acceptable rating at 1B unless he's totally aged out. After all, they turned Hatteberg into an above average 1B in one spring training at age 32.

[Brad K]

October 25 1963

SP Bob Veale and RP Joe Gibbon signed. The fans were happy about Veale but had no comment on Gibbon.

Remember 2B Milton Hite never played in the majors and BNN rated him the best 2B in the game? He's been a regular for two years, lifetime BA of .213 in 1184 PAs BUT led the league in 63 with 106 walks. Career WAR is 5.5.

Goals for off season

I am going to look around for a good hitting SS but most likely Dick Schofield or Gene Alley (AAA) will get the starting job.

Groat had good offense the last few years and I'll have to hope players at other positions to replace that. It really isn't possible to upgrade at any position. After all the Pirates were #1 in the NL in run production.

If Clemente had a Clemente style year in 64 that would to a long way to making up for Groat. In 63 Clemente hit only .271 with 11 HRs. I doubt hoping for increases from others is realistic as the regulars had good years.

Its somewhat funny thinking upgrades are necessary for a team that scored the most runs and allowed the fewest.

I want to get SP Earl Francis off the payroll. He crashed from being the bullpen ace to spending last year in AAA. Also AAA SP Ken Larsen. Scout has him at 2.0 potential and we don't have a spot in Pittsburgh for a pitcher like that.

Dick Schofield, Earl Frances

[Brad K]

October 28 1963

Traded SP Earl Francis age 28 2.0 stars (in AAA) and 1B Jimmy Hicks age 21 1.5/2.0 for SS/2B Jose Pagan age 29 2.0 stars.

SS Dick Groat wants $252k x 6. I offered him $275 for one year. He came back with $252 x 4.


October 31 1963

3B Bob Bailey won rookie of the year. A nice addition to his rookie year all star selection (manager selection not fan votes). .260 21 HRs 117 OPS+ 5.3 WAR


November 1 1963

Murtaugh is NL Manager of the Year.


November 2 1963

SP Sandy Koufax won Cy Young. 2.54 ERA 0.96 WHIP* 139 ERA+ 11.8 WAR* (Asterisks are led NL)


November 3 1963

Add MVP to the Koufax trophy case.

[David Watts]

The baseball card player picture is really cool.

[Brad K]

Originally Posted by David Watts

The baseball card player picture is really cool.

A few of the pics I use in game are baseball cards. I crop them or use a different pic (and turn them to black and white) for news paper articles.


Bill Almon, Rafael Belliard, Bobby Del Greco, Tommy Helms, Joe Orsulak

[Brad K]

November 12 1963

1B/LF/RF Lee Thomas won in arb $54k.

Shopped AAA SP Ken Larsen age 22 1.5/2.0 stars and was offered RP Bob Miller age 24 3.5 stars. St Louis retains 30% of $134k salary for 1964. Miller was a real life Pirate in 71-72. Him and Pagan, here I go again favoring guys who I can get pics of wearing Pirate caps. The fans like the trade.

I took a trip through my minor leagues. 252 players are present and that's after I cut maybe 40 from the lowest level last year. Its interesting to hover a name and see the player's photo which means I had him in my previous only MLB players games (I moved the entire file of collected photos to this game. I don't like face gen since I know what lots of the players look like.)

Anyway, came across Dock Ellis, Jose Martinez who played a couple years for the Bucs before signing up for the Mexican League, and Bobby Tolan who I didn't know started in the Pirates organization.

There are two 4.0 star FAs, 26 year old 1B Orlando Cepeda and 33 year old SS Dick Groat. 1B Norm Cash 29yo, 1B Don Demeter 28yo, and SS Tony Kubek 28yo are the 3.5 star FAs. Highest RP is Bob Purkey 34 yo (ex real life Pirate 54-57) at 3.0 stars.


November 16 1963

RP Bob Miller agreed to an extension for 1965-68. He's making $134k for 64 from his contract with StL (they are paying 30%). Miller agreed to $116k per year for the first two years and $126k for the last two years. It looks like everyone is on board that he's worth less now that he's a RP. He started 33 games last year but only completed 2. He pitched well (3.13 ERA) but on average was out of the game before the end of the 7th. (What would modern starters think of a guy losing his SP job in this circumstance?!?!?)

I'd love to trade for Mike Cuellar. He's 26 and listed as a RP. My scout calls him 2.5/3.0 as RP. However there are two problems. He has only one option year left and I don't have a spot for a 2.5 RP after that.

Jose Martinez, Bob Miller, Mike Cuellar

[Brad K]

November 25 1963

I'm talking with FA SS Dick Groat. He wants 3 years at 240k and 1 at 220k. He rejected 4 at $220k with the last two as team option. I can't imagine a 36 year old star SS. I'm having a hard time imagining a 33 year old one even though I'm looking at one right now!

Baltimore will take either one of my 1B and a minor league throw in for great field no hit SS Ron Hansen. They think enough of Hansen that at 26 he's making $178k. Both Stuart and Clendenon are rated extremely popular locally. OTOH I can afford to take a hit on fan interest.


December 16 1963

Groat got two at $266k and two at $254k from Philadelphia. No team or vesting options. Fans aren't happy. Interest modifier dropped 4 points. I wonder if you actually get any positive effect in the game for being over 100 or if the modifier is like a savings account you can draw on.


December 20 1963

Put SS Gene Michael 25yo AAA 1.5/1.5 on 40 man prior to Rule 5 Draft.

Put C/SS/3B/2B Ron Brand 23yo AA 1.5/1.5 on 40 man prior to Rule 5 Draft.

There were eight 2.5 star players in the draft. I was interested in Jerald Robinson who plays all IF and OF positions rated 6 on contact and 12 on power. I could keep him on he 25 man instead of Schofield or Alley to fulfill the roster requirement and he could be a defensive replacement at several positions. He was 6th ranked by my scout but ended up the first draft pick.

I didn't lose any players. Now that the draft is over I can try to find some FA good field no hit CF and SS for AAA. These guys rarely have any options so sending them back down after a callup is a problem. Sometimes it's minors to majors to waiver to release.

Gene Michael, Ron Brand

[Brad K]

Originally Posted by ireneewaddy

It can be difficult to adjust to a new position after years of playing a certain role, especially if it requires different skills and physical demands.

I agree. Its the other direction that bothers me. I don't think any LFer should be allowed to play a decent 3B but if he did both real life he shouldn't lose one position in favor of the other. Positions players play aren't just their skill. Its also team needs. A player shouldn't lose is rating at a position because real life his team needed him to play another position.

What's right for a historical transactions and lineups game isn't necessarily right for a game of plausible differences which is what many historical saves are.

[Brad K]

April 1 1964

Have too many RPs with no options. Traded RP Claude Raymond 26 yo 2.5/3.0 stars for RP Mike Cuellar age 26 2.5/3.0 stars. Cuellar has one option year left. If he isn't 3.0 next year he'll probably get traded like Raymond.


April 13 1964

The experts have picked us to finish third, five games out. The owner expects 500 ball.

[Brad K]

May 1 1964

Looked at SS Alley and SS Schofield. Alley is a point better on defense and contact but Schofield is 6 points better on walks. Going with Schofield in 2/3 of the games.


May 5 1964

C Smokey Burgess has a concussion. Out for a month. Moved Orlando McFarland to the starting C slot and called up C Don Leppert from AAA. We're 11-9 in fifth place 5 games out.

We're 6th in NL runs scored and 3rd in runs allowed. Were first in both last year. CF Curt Flood and 2B Bill Mazeroski are both hitting .329. 3B Bob Bailey is .293.

Under performers are 1B Dick Stuart at .212, LF Willie Stargell at .218, and SS Gene Alley at .172

SP Bob Veale has a 2.05 ERA while SP Sandy Koufax is 5.13. Joe Gibbon in the pen is 0.95.


Orlando McFarland, Don Leppert, Joe Gibbon

[Brad K]

June 1 1964

We're in 5th place 9 1/2 out. Runs allowed have improved to 2nd in the NL but runs scored is 5th. Attendance is down 10%. Smokey Burgess started rehab assignment in AAA today. Dick Stuart's contact rating has dropped to 10. Clendenon to get most of the starts.

[Brad K]

...

[Brad K]

July 3 1964

Won both games against SF with late scoring. Now 2 games out in 2nd place.

In Wednesdays game, after the Giants tied the game at 3 each in the 6th, in the top of the 7th Dick Stuart hit for Koufax. Nothing came of it. But in the top of the 8th Curt Flood hit a one out triple. Bob Bailey took a ball then scorched a grounder through short to score Flood. Bob Miller pitched the last three innings and got the win. Final score 4-3.

On Thursday the Pirates scored the winners even later, in the 9th. Bill Mazeroski, swinging on the first pitch, dropped a line drive into short right center for a single. Donn Clendenon, hitting for reliever Joe Gibbon, also jumped on the first pitch hitting a double in the center-right gap which easily scored Mazeroski.

The Giants walked Curt Flood to put runners on first and second with the traditional idea of setting up the double play along with getting to a weaker hitter. Gene Alley was having none of that. With a 1-1 count, he hit a double down the RF line to score Clendenon. Flood held at third.

The Giants gave Bob Bailey the second IBB of the inning to load the bases. This time it worked as they got Stargell on a shallow fly and then struck out Clemente for the third out.

The Giants didn't give up in the ninth, getting two singles and having men on 1st and 3rd with only one out. But Bob Miller struck out Don Demeter and got Luis Aparicio on a lazy fly to right to end the threat. Final score 4-2.


Curt Flood, Bob Bailey, Bob MIller

[Brad K]

July 6 1964

Lost 2 of 3 in Houston and are 4 back at the All Star break.

SP Sandy Koufax was voted onto the team by the fans. 3B Bob Bailey finished second in the fan voting, SP Camilo Pascual and RP Bob Miller third, and RP Joe Gibbon fourth. Bob Bailey was selected by the NL manager along with SP Bob Veale who didn't finish in the top five on SP voting. Its hard to keep a guy out who is 10-3 with a 2.17 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 4.3 WAR even if the fans don't see it.


July 7 1964

3B Bob Bailey named All Star MVP as NL wins 4-1. Bailey was 3 for 3 and scored twice.

[Brad K]

August 1 1964

In 4th 3 games out. Not horrible. Offense is terrible 7th in NL in runs. Runs against is 2nd.

3B Bob Bailey has super strong ratings 16 contact and 15 power. Stats support it. He's hitting .316 with 18 HRs leading the team in both.

LF Willie Stargell is approaching two months of having back spasms. Lee Thomas has been playing every third game for him. He's missed enough games its getting to the point it might have been better to bench him when the back spasms started.

No trades at the deadline. I don't have any truly weak players just a bunch of ones that aren't championship caliber.

[Brad K]

August 5 1964

Stargell finally healed.


September 1 1964

Not much longer to go. In third 3 1/2 out. Now moved up to 5th in runs scored. Runs allowed is back to first.

Maybe have a chance here. It will take some breaks.

[Brad K]

September 7 1964
Tied for first with the Braves. Giants 3 out, Reds 3 1/2, Phillies 4 1/2 out.

September 14 1964
In first by a game over the Braves

September 22 1964
Critical two game series with 2nd place Braves starts today. Winning both would extend our lead to 4 games. Loosing both would result in a tie.

[Pelican]

If you have a moment, I’m intrigued that the Phillies (who were a dreadful team IRL in 1961) have a winning record, and were leading the league early. Could you post their team leaders? I’m simming the 1960 Season with a drastically different Phillies team right now; but with only modest success on the field. Also curious how well the AL expansion teams have played.