MLB 12: The Show

[Lanteri]

Rays

Rays were an interesting case. I wasn't expecting to add a lot as when I really thought about it, they've not lost very many big name players. The additions of Crawford, Hamilton, and Young have certainly improved the offense. They still don't have any middle infielders, however, and now only Aubrey Huff at 1st. Bullpen is a mess as well.

Pitching Staff

1) David Price
2) James Shields
3) Matt Moore
4) Jeremy Hellickson
5) Jason Hammel
LRP) Andy Sonnanstine
LRP) Alex Cobb
MRP) Jeff Niemann
MRP) Chad Guadin
MRP) Wade Davis
SU) Jake McGee
CP) Dan Wheeler

Lineups

LF) Carl Crawford
CF) B.J. Upton
RF) Josh Hamilton
3B) Evan Longoria
1B) Aubrey Huff
DH) Delmon Young
C) John Jaso
2B) Elliot Johnson
SS) Reid Brignac

Bench: Stephen Vogt, Desmond Jennings, Jonny Gomes, Matt Diaz

There's literally no backup infielders at all, so it's Stephen Vogt at 1st base, and I guess you can call up Hak-Ju Lee if need be. Or send B.J. back to the IF, though that was a disaster on first attempt by the Rays haha.

[Lanteri]

Blue Jays

Toronto's the early winners in this one. The return of Marcum, Halladay, and Carpenter to a rotation already including Ricky Romero and Henderson Alvarez gives them EASILY the best rotation in the league. I really can't think of another team that will have a better staff. There's depth there as well with a bunch of 4-5 starters in AAA. Bullpen is decent as well.

Lineup doesn't change a whole lot. Bunch of old familiar faces return in Rios, Wells, O-Dog, Aaron Hill. Biggest return is Michael Young, who while an original draft pick by the Jays, never made it past AA in their system before being traded to Texas. Toronto didn't do well there. (he was traded for Esteban Loaiza).

Pitching Staff

1) Roy Halladay
2) Ricky Romero
3) Chris Carpenter
4) Shaun Marcum
5) Henderson Alvarez
LRP) Joel Carreno
MRP) Marc Rzepczynski
MRP) Casey Janssen
MRP) Luis Perez
SU) Alfredo Aceves
SU) Brandon Lyon
CP) Brandon League

Lineup

2B) Orlando Hudson
LF) Eric Thames
SS) Michael Young
1B) Adam Lind
CF) Vernon Wells
RF) Alex Rios
3B) Ryan Roberts
DH) Aaron Hill
C) J.P. Arencibia

Bench: Travis Snider, Reed Johnson, Travis D'Arnaud, Chris Woodward

[RyanLeaf16]

Finally decided on Didi Gregorious from the Reds as my trade target. They were the best fit as I am looking to move Joyce to acquire a middle infielder. I offered a direct swap of Joyce for Gregorious and will wait a few days to receive an answer from the Reds. I also added Hak Ju-Lee to the 40-man roster and called him up to the big club. It was a little earlier than I wanted, but, I don't really have many other viable options. Even if the Reds trade is accepted. Gregorious would not be joining the big-league club this season.

AND THANK GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! EVAN LONGORIA IS FINALLY OFF THE DL!!!!!!!!!!!

EDIT: The Reds accepted our offer. We now have a solid base in the middle infield for the near future with Gregorius, Beckham and Lee. Lee is going to be sent back down to AAA Durham. Reason being is that Gregorius can play 2B as well and with Joyce gone, I can put Zobrist back out in RF and have Gregorius/Keppinger handle the 2B duties. Lee is only a SS and that is where I intend to keep him and I can't rotate him at this time and I would rather have the player get AB's and progress in ratings than just sit on the bench.

[Goober]

Finally decided on Didi Gregorious from the Reds as my trade target. They were the best fit as I am looking to move Joyce to acquire a middle infielder. I offered a direct swap of Joyce for Gregorious and will wait a few days to receive an answer from the Reds. I also added Hak Ju-Lee to the 40-man roster and called him up to the big club. It was a little earlier than I wanted, but, I don't really have many other viable options. Even if the Reds trade is accepted. Gregorious would not be joining the big-league club this season.

AND THANK GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! EVAN LONGORIA IS FINALLY OFF THE DL!!!!!!!!!!!

EDIT: The Reds accepted our offer. We now have a solid base in the middle infield for the near future with Gregorius, Beckham and Lee. Lee is going to be sent back down to AAA Durham. Reason being is that Gregorius can play 2B as well and with Joyce gone, I can put Zobrist back out in RF and have Gregorius/Keppinger handle the 2B duties. Lee is only a SS and that is where I intend to keep him and I can't rotate him at this time and I would rather have the player get AB's and progress in ratings than just sit on the bench.

Leaf I am planning on starting a Brewer chise soon. I'd like to go multiple seasons, so I won't be playing every game. What's your setup for simming and what not?

[Lanteri]

White Sox

Surprisingly, they aren't really as bad as I was expecting. Don't get me wrong, they're still horrible, but they have gained a respectable rotation. Lineup...not so much. I think it's marginally better than the crap they had originally, but still not really going to strike fear into anyone.

Pitching Staff

1) Mark Buehrle
2) Daniel Hudson
3) Gio Gonzalez
4) Brandon McCarthy
5) Chris Sale
LRP) Clayton Richard
LRP) John Ely
MRP) Adam Russell
MRP) Addison Reed
SU) Matt Guerrier
SU) Boone Logan
CL) Jon Rauch

Lineup

CF) Chris Young
RF) Ryan Sweeney
LF) Mike Morse
1B) Brandon Allen
DH) Dayan Viciedo
SS) Alexei Ramirez
2B) Gordon Beckham
C) Chris Stewart
3B) Brent Morel

Bench: Chris Carter, Eduardo Escobar, Chris Getz, Gustavo Molina

[RyanLeaf16]

Leaf I am planning on starting a Brewer chise soon. I'd like to go multiple seasons, so I won't be playing every game. What's your setup for simming and what not?

I hate to say this, but, I think my setup was hijacked by a number of members over at OS, but, whatever lol. Two years ago I came up with this idea and I really enjoy it. I play 1 game, sim 5, play 1, sim 5, etc. However, I start at the beginning of my rotation (i.e. pitch w/James Shields on opening day, sim 5 games and the next user-play game will be w/David Price. Sim the next 5 and the next user-play game will be w/Jeremy Hellickson, etc.)

I like this setup for a couple of reasons. I get to use each of my pitchers in my rotation and ratings count! This way, I have to look at ratings, stats, etc. because I am only playing 27 games of the season. The rest are simmed. My only caveat is I will play every game of the playoffs should I make it.

[RyanLeaf16]

...Oh, and R.A. Dickey did fuck up my timing. I just got owned by Gio Gonzalez. Not to take anything away from him as he is a fine player, but, I didn't get "adjusted" to his speed until about the 7th inning and at that point it was too little too late. David Price had one shitty inning where he allowed 3 runs and takes the loss. Otherwise, he allowed only 5 hits through 7 innings and K'd 7. Tough fucking way to lose. Upton went 0-3 with a BB and 2 SB's.

Simmed games following this user-play:

w 3-1 @ washington - pena provided all the rbi's
l 4-1 @ washington - matt moore struggled with 5 bb's in his 3rd loss of the season
w 2-0 @ philadelphia - jeff niemann pitched 8 innings of shutout ball and farnsworth picked up his 26th save of the season
l 4-2 @ philadelphia - james shields allowed 4 runs, only 2 earned, in another hard-luck loss for him
l 5-4 @ philadelphia - josh lueke blew the save opportunity and Price takes a no-decision

A cpu/cpu trade took place:

dodgers get: 3b anthony rendon
nationals get: rp mike macdougal

next user-play game is @ kansas city w/jeremy hellickson toeing the rubber against bruce chen.

[RyanLeaf16]

I also was reviewing my roster as we finish out June and head into July. I've got a decision to make on both James Shields and BJ Upton. IRL, I would keep Shields, but, this is video-game land and the ratings/sim gods have not been too terribly kind to James Shields. His numbers have shot way up and his contract expires at the end of the season. Currently, he is 30 y.o. with an a potential. This would net me 15 value points in my trade value chart.

Upton is currently 27 y.o. with a b potential and the ratings/sim gods apparently love his athleticism as he is having a very nice year at the plate and on the base-paths. Plus, his current trade value for a 27 y.o. position player with b potential is only worth 7.2 points, but, he is playing above that value IMVHO. Thus, I am thinking of placing James Shields on the block, even when I am still in the race for the wild-card.

My pitching depth would allow me to place Wade Davis into the rotation or add Alex Cobb to the rotation as he is just running over the competition at AAA Durham.

Thoughts?

[FirstTimer]

Would be interesting to see Shields get traded.


Any teams in the playoff hunt that are pitching desperate? With the way the Giants are built I could see them being interested in Shields perhaps for a B and C level spect. Perhaps even the Dodgers who have a strong lineup and need some pitching depth behind Kershaw.

[RyanLeaf16]

Would be interesting to see Shields get traded.


Any teams in the playoff hunt that are pitching desperate? With the way the Giants are built I could see them being interested in Shields perhaps for a B and C level spect. Perhaps even the Dodgers who have a strong lineup and need some pitching depth behind Kershaw.

I haven't looked around too much, but, one team that caught my eye was the Marlins, so they may be a possibility. I will have to check to see who is in the race. Even with me in the race for the WC, I will still most likely move him and try to extend both Upton and Price in the off-season. I may also use the pump/dump strategy with Farnsworth and send him packing while he is leading the league in saves. I could easily get a decent return for him and transition, very easily, to Peralta and Rodney as the closing options.

[MVPete]

I'm using Cobb currently in the 5 man rotation in TGS(Show online league) and he is fairly easy to pitch with. It's weird I can pitch well with Shields, Moore, Cobb, and Davis, but Price, Hellickson, and Niemann give me trouble for some reason. I'd like to see you move Shields just to shake things up a bit.

[Bomberooski]

I hate to say this, but, I think my setup was hijacked by a number of members over at OS, but, whatever lol. Two years ago I came up with this idea and I really enjoy it. I play 1 game, sim 5, play 1, sim 5, etc. However, I start at the beginning of my rotation (i.e. pitch w/James Shields on opening day, sim 5 games and the next user-play game will be w/David Price. Sim the next 5 and the next user-play game will be w/Jeremy Hellickson, etc.)

I like this setup for a couple of reasons. I get to use each of my pitchers in my rotation and ratings count! This way, I have to look at ratings, stats, etc. because I am only playing 27 games of the season. The rest are simmed. My only caveat is I will play every game of the playoffs should I make it.

Agreed with that setup. That's the only way I've ever done my franchises in MLB and it works real well if you're looking to play multiple seasons.

[Bomberooski]

What rosters are you guys using right now?

[RyanLeaf16]

I'm using Cobb currently in the 5 man rotation in TGS(Show online league) and he is fairly easy to pitch with. It's weird I can pitch well with Shields, Moore, Cobb, and Davis, but Price, Hellickson, and Niemann give me trouble for some reason. I'd like to see you move Shields just to shake things up a bit.

I have that problem as well. Only my issue is that I may just have a slow start with some of them, which usually leads to a big inning and a solid performance after that. My issues stem from guys like Niemann and Hellickson due to the speed of their pitching meter. If the guy has a slower meter, I have to adjust and it can take up to a couple of innings. Guys that have a more smooth, or faster, meter tend to be better fits for me.

[RyanLeaf16]

What rosters are you guys using right now?

OSFM opening day.