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[WakeUnc2321]

Well...I was 33-8 in Braves franchise on HOF level (default sliders) so I switched to legend mode. My first game was against Roy Halladay & the Jays and I won 9-8!

Brett, I feel your pain...Javy Vazquez is 0-3 with a 6+ ERA (although he's top 10 in NL in K's).

[Braves Fan]

I just had the most crushing defeat ever.

Jon Lester vs Javy Vasquez. Javy gives up 2 runs in the 1st and then shuts down Boston for the next 6 1/3 innings. Lester takes a no hitter into the 6th before I finally get to him and tie it up at 2-2 in the 7th. In the bottom half Boston takes the lead on a David Ortiz RBI single.

So we go to the top of the 9th down 3-2 and they bring in Papelbon. Escobar strikes out looking on what I think was a terrible call. It had to be a good inch off the plate and below my knees. I couldn't have hit it if I would have tried to but whatever. Jacobs then gets a high fastball on a 1-2 count and swings through it so I'm thinking I'm going to go down easily. I figured he'd strike out Diaz as well.

Well this is where it gets interesting, he jumps out to a 0-2 count and Diaz hits a weak ground ball to SS. Lugo decides though it's time for an error and throws it over the 1st basemans head. It doesn't go into the stands though so I have to stay at 1st. It must have shaken Papelbon up because he then walked Kelly Johnson on 4 pitches. Nate McLouth then comes up and hits a chopper over Papelbon's head that no one can get to so I have the bases now loaded with 2 out for Martin Prado. On the first pitch he doubles down the line for 2 RBI. I'm pumped at this point thinking I have stolen one.

Well they get out of it and we go to the bottom of the 9th. Ellsbury leads off with a triple wouldn't you know it so I bring in Mike Gonzalez and he strikes out Pedroia. So we have one out with the tying run on 3rd. Youkilis then takes a 1-2 slider and singles up the middle to tie the game. I'm devastated, all that hard work down the drain. I must have lost focus because on the very next pitch I throw a fastball to David Ortiz and he makes me pay, he drilled a game winning 2 run homer and Fenway went nuts.

What an emotional game, I go from thinking I had lost to then thinking I had the game won only to end up losing.

Only on the Show.

[Marino]

Well I started my Dodgers franchise with Thome, Garland and Belliard.

First game was pretty satisfying. It was Chad Billingsley vs Kevin Correia. Scored 4 runs in the first behind a Kemp 2 run homer, Blake RBI single and a Hudson sac fly.

The Padres got 2 back in the 4th when Kyle Blanks smacked a hanging curve ball.

Andre Ethier went to town against the Padres, going 4-5 with 2 doubles and 3 RBIs.

Bills went 6 innings allowing 6 hits, 2 runs, 1 walk and 6 strikeouts, 3 of which came at the hands of Chase Headley...who sucks.

I jumped out to a 9-2 lead in the 8th, but Kuo sucked and gave up 3 runs through 2/3 of an inning.

Sherrill came in and shut the Padres down giving the Dodgers the opening day win.

[WakeUnc2321]

Quote: Originally Posted by Braves Fan

Ellsbury leads off with a triple wouldn't you know it so I bring in Mike Gonzalez and he strikes out Pedroia. So we have one out with the tying run on 3rd. Youkilis then takes a 1-2 slider and singles up the middle to tie the game. I'm devastated, all that hard work down the drain. I must have lost focus because on the very next pitch I throw a fastball to David Ortiz and he makes me pay, he drilled a game winning 2 run homer and Fenway went nuts.

I would've walked Youkilis and tried to get Ortiz into a DP (preferably w/Moylan unless he was already used). Otherwise, it's pretty much a guarantee that runner on 3rd would score.

[Braves Fan]

Yeah I thought about that but didn't want to put the winning run on base. I just struck out Pedroia so I thought I could do it again. I was close, I got two strikes on him but just couldn't put him away.

[jim416]

I just pulled a boo-boo in my franchise. I was experimenting with the September call ups and making sure that only players who are being called up are made available. Can't do the callups until after the 7th and I practiced and looked at the other teams and accidentally saved the franchise.

Groaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!

Thankfully it didn't effect my standings as I"m still 5.5 back, tied for the wild card, but I"m not current through next week.

Gotta find something to do

[Segagendude]

Okay, game One v. the Tigers-----I pulled off a 5-2 win.
Lee (CLE) v. Verlander. Both pitchers were on their game. It was 2-2 going into the ninth, when Nate Robertson started to collapse. I got three in the top of the ninth off him.

Bottom of the ninth, I bring in Kobayashi. Gets two outs right away, then potential disaster-----walk, single, walk. Bases juiced, 2 outs, up comes Sheffield.

Foul, ball, foul, ball, strike three looking!!!! I got out of the jam, but to say my hands were sweaty afterwards would be an understatement!

So now we're deadlocked for the AL Central lead. Today, Sowers takes on Bonderman.

I'll update after the series is over, per the mod's request not to give a game-by-game analysis.

[ckarlic]

Quote: Originally Posted by jim416

I just pulled a boo-boo in my franchise. I was experimenting with the September call ups and making sure that only players who are being called up are made available. Can't do the callups until after the 7th and I practiced and looked at the other teams and accidentally saved the franchise. Groaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan! Thankfully it didn't effect my standings as I"m still 5.5 back, tied for the wild card, but I"m not current through next week. Gotta find something to do

Whoa close call. Glad you didnt get affected in the standings. I say you keep on playing bc if you take a lot of days off you can get rusty.

[SoxFan01605]

I just wanted to drop in and say how eerily similar aspects of my season have gone with respect to the current real season. Some info: I play with Roster Control on and have played roughly 80-85% of my games. I usually sim more, but because I fell behind anyway, I decided to focus on one complete year and I'll sim more later)

Anyway, as of Aug. 22 or 23 (I had to be separated from my dear, dear game for a while)

Division Leaders:

AL East: Yankees (and I'm 5.5 games out as the Sox, with the Rays on my heels)
AL Central: Tigers- The twins are in second, but a ways off. One oddity is that the Royals are only one game under .500 and lead the division until June!)
AL West: Tie between the Angels and Rangers.

NL East: Phillies (Braves are about 5 games back and Mets are right a .500)
NL Central: This is the only complete departure from reality, prety much from top to bottom. Brewers are in first, followed by the Cubs (2.5 games back), Cardinals (3 games back), Reds (5 Games Back), and then the Astros and Pirates are fighting hard for last place.
NL West: Dodgers. Follwed by the Giants (9.5 games back), Padres (10.5), and the others are cellar dweller types.

AL Wilcard: Me (the Sox), Rangers/Angels (1.5 GB), Tampa (3 GB), Blue Jays (6.5 GB) are all in the race.

NL Wildcard: Cubs lead. Followed by Cards (0.5 GB), Braves (2.0 GB), Giants (4.5 GB), Reds (5.0 GB), Padres (5.5 GB)

All in all, it surprised me that the contenders were very close overall. Minus the Rockies incredible run and the Cubs pathetic collapse, the top has been near reality.

Other notes:

Texiera and Pena are tied for lead league in HR in the AL, while Pujols, Gonzalez, Berkman are fighting for the top NL spot.

Mauer leads the race for the batting title at .368 (or .369..not 100% sure) in the AL.
Chipper leads the NL race at around .355 or so.

RBI's: Pujols and Texiera lead their respective leads by a pretty wide margin.

Wins: Lincecum has 14 for the NL and Sabathia has 13 for the AL (Halladay is tied).

SBs: Crawford and Ellsbury battle it out (thoug I can't seem to keep up with Crawford who has over 60 now) and Ramirez and Bourn battle it out in the NL (Bourn leads with 55+, but Hanley is right behind).

Anyway, obviously it's not exactly like real life...but the closeness in some of the stats and much of the divisional races were pretty cool to me. I'm so happy to have my game back...I've played 7 games in the past 2 days!

Anyway, my quest to overcome the Yankees continues. Peace.

[ckarlic]

Quote: Originally Posted by ckarlic

I decided to go with Joba in Game 5 and he faced off against Dice K. I wasnted to use CC but he wasnt at full strength so I decided to go with Joba. I figured if I lost Game 5 atleast I can have CC and AJ at home. Well it turns out that Joba pitched great for me giving up 3 runs in 7 innings. I won game five with a score of 7-3 and am coming home for Game 6. I lead 3 games to 2. CC will pitch for me in Game 6. Hope to end the series in Game 6. Side Note: The Mets lead the Dodgers 3-2. Lets see if there will be a Subway Series Part 2 in 2009.

Well, its World Series time for the Yankees in 2009. I won the ALCS 4-2 and CC pitched a gem for me in Game 6. All the offense came in the 1st inning with a 2 run HR from Arod. CC got a complete game shutout and the Yankees move into the world series by winning Game 6 2-0.

Also, there will be another Subway Series in my 2009 season as the Mets beat the Dodgers 4 games to 2 as well.