SURVIVING THE SEASON

There are a lot of people that have had success in this game by simply turning the SIM manager on for all of the minor league levels and simply managing the Big Leagues. There are others that believe in religiously managing their minors in depth and could probably tell you the name and position of every player on every roster. I fall somewhere in between.

I do NOT believe in letting the SIM manage my minors. Simmy is dumb enough in some of the in-game moves it makes -- allowing him to run my entire farm system would be a very bad idea, in my opinion. I want to make certain that my prospects get playing time and that my pitchers arms don't get burned out, and I don't trust Simmy to do that for me. Plus, he likes to promote and demote guys - and I place players at a level for a reason and do not ant that guy moved up or down until I am ready to do it.

That said, I don't care about winning in the minors. I am not saying I root for those teams to lose. I like to see them win and be successful. But I don't go and adjust my lineup and pitching and the like in between each game. I just keep the teams healthy and let the games take care of themselves. (Note: All this changes when a minor league team makes the playoffs. once that happens, I do monitor each game and make moves to do my best to win the games).

Because I use 13 man pitching staffs with at least 4 long relievers, I find that pitching fatigue is rarely a problem. If my staff does get overly fatigues, I do have around 6 inactive pitchers that I can substitute in (I try to only sub in for non-prospects whenever possible).

So how do I handle my minors? Very simple. Once a day (for me usually in the morning), I go through my Manager's Office and look at my pitching staff and lineup for each minor league level. Any pitching staff that is showing fatigue problems, I make some quick active and inactive moves. By using the player note system to put a note on all prospects, when I go to switch guys on and off the active roster, I know exactly who I want to make certain stays active -- anyone with a note.

On the position player side, I will have 3 bench guys on my roster. If I see anyone below 100%, I bench them and sub in someone else. I don't move guys to active or inactive, and late in the season I sometimes find myself having to leave a guy who is 99 or 98% in the games because I have 4 or 5 guys with fatigue. However, I rarely let anyone go below that. Because a lot of people ignore their minors and let players play at low fatigues, I actually have an advantage in late season games which can equate to an extra win or two that might put my minor league team in to the playoffs.

If a player gets injured, I get an email. If the injury is less than 7 days, I just bench the guy. If it is 7 or more I move him to the 7 or 60 day DL and take one of the inactive players I have and put him in. When the guy is healthy, you get an email again and that is when I know to reactivate the injured guy. Of course, every move that involves switching out position players requires resetting Player Rest, Defensive Subs, and Pinch Hitting charts. Evey move that involves a new active pitcher requires a quick look at that guy's pitch count to make certain it is set properly (after a while you get a very good feel for what pitch counts are proper for the guy. If uncertain, I hit the "Show Recs" button, but do NOT save the Recs. I can then use the numbers given to give me an idea where to set a pitcher's numbers).

In addition to my once daily tour of the minors, I also check the Waiver Wire once per day and, if anyone is worth claiming, put in a claim. Make certain you check the guy's contract before you claim him. Last thing you want is to find out you just committed yourself to 10 million a year for the next 5 years!

I do not read minor league box scores unless a particular score looks interesting (or it is a playoff game). For example, I do briefly check every shutout to see if there was a no-hitter. By following this system, I can manage my minors without the need for Simmy and do it in about 5-10 minutes per team per day, if not less.

As for the big league team, I read those box scores in detail and may make lineup or pitching changes after each game. that is, in my opinion at least, what this game is really about after all.

10 GAME UPDATE: TEAM RECORD 5-5

WKRP News and Sports host, Les Nessman, reporting:

Ten games into the season, the Cincinnati Venus Flytraps (or as we like to call them, the 'traps) are sitting at a surprising .500 record, 5-5. The team began the season by taking 3 out of 4 from Hartford before dropping 2 of 3 in its series against Columbus and Omaha.

On the pitching side, Clarence Smith has been the story, with a record of 1-0 with a 2.03 ERA through his first two starts of the season. Allen Blair has also pitched very well out of the bullpen, not giving up a run yet through 4 appearances. Closer Daniel Truman has collected 3 saves on the young season.

On the offense side, the story has been young Matt Kirwan. The 27 year old rookie is batting .378 with 3 HR and 12 RBI so far. The team also has 3 starting position players with batting averages under .200, and the manager has stated that if they are still hitting that poorly by the time they reach the 20 game mark, they may find themselves riding the pine.

In all, the team has played better than expected through its first 10, but there are still 152 games in the season - plenty of time to work on getting the #1 overall draft pick next season.

That is all for now. Next update after the 20 game mark.

20 GAME UPDATE: 8-12

WKRP's own Les Nessman reporting:

Following a solid 5-5 start to the season, things have taken a turn for the worse for the Cincinnati Venus Flytraps. The 'traps have only won 3 of their last 10 games to fall to 8-12 on the season.

On the pitching side, the starting pitching has been the team's best attribute so far. Clarence Smith continues to pitch well and is 2-1 with a 3.71 ERA. Lewis Locko is only 1-2 but has an ERA of 3.27. Jason Wright also has a sub-4 ERA. In fact, only Daryl Thompson (0-3, 6.49) has pitched poorly. IN the bullpen, setup man Carlos Martin has a 3.24 ERA in 10 games and closer Daniel Truman has 4 saves and a 4.50 ERA. Unfortunately, there are also 4 pitchers with ERAs over 9.00, as the bullpen has already cost the team several chances for victory.

Offensively, Matt Kirwan continues to hit well, batting .295 with 5 HR and 20 RBI so far. No one else is doing much though, and in fact 3 players maintain sub-.200 batting averages. As a result, the manager has announced that Rube Darr, a speedster, will take over in field and bat 9th. Buster Rogers moves from field to first base and Julio Iglesias, batting only .169 so far, has been benched. Third Baseman Marc Buford, hitting only .167, will be given a few more games, but if he does not pull his average up, he may be riding the pine as well.

In sum, the team is heading in the direction it was supposed to - downhill. But it was never about winning this season with the 'traps. It was about rebuilding with youth so the team could be a contender 2-3 seasons from now.

Next update at the 30 game mark.

30 GAME UPDATE: 11-19

Les Nessman, two time winner of the Buckeye NewsHawk Award, reporting:

The past 10 games have seen the 'traps once again go 3-7, dropping their overall season record to 11-19. The team is now in last place in the AL East and has the second worst record in the entire American League.

On the pitching side, Lewis Locko does have an ERA under 4, but only one win on the season due to a complete lack of run support. Daniel Truman does continue to pitch well in his rare closing situations, with 6 saves and a 3.38 ERA in 8 appearances.

On the hitting side, Matt Kirwan has cooled off a bit, though he does continue to lead the team in HRs and RBIs. DH Derrin Wilkinson has started to pick thing up though, and has his batting average up to .295, tops amongst the starters.

Given that we have hit the 30 game mark, it is also time to take a quick look down at the farm:

At AA, pitcher Lyle Stutze has an ERA just over 2.00. Sturtze is one of the team's top relief prospects.

Second base prospect Roosevlet Abbott is tearing up AAA pitchers to the tune of a .343 batting average. Of course that is not even nearly as good as Marshall Ferrell's .363 at AA, or Parker Bennett's incredible .434 average, also at AA. Unfortunately neither Bennett nor Ferrell nor even Sturtze can make up for the lack of pitching talent in the minors, and the AA squad is only 10-21. Abbott's AAA has done better, posting a 17-14 mark, tops in their division.

There is very little worth discussing at either High A or Low A, as only a couple true prospects are even playing on those teams.

In all, 30 games into the season, this team is clearly headed nowhere this year. Further, the minor leagues don't look that great so far in terms of wins and losses, though several young bats (Abbott, Ferrell and Bennett) are clearly the future of this franchise. We are still about 20 HBD days away from beginning amateur draft preparation, and no trade negotiations are currently ongoing (though moves may still be made before the Trade Deadline is reached).

Next update at the 40 game mark.

40 GAME UPDATE: 16-24

Les Nessman with the 40 game update:

The past ten games have been fairly successful for the 'traps as they went 5-5, including a season high 4 game win streak before dropping their last game of this stretch. The team however is in a tie for last place in their division and still carries one of the worst records in the league.

On the pitching side, rookie Carlos Morales has stepped things up and now carries a 3-1 record with a 3.64 ERA. Locko continues to pitch well also with a 3.71 ERA. The bullpen, however, has struggled and closer Daniel Truman's ERA is now over 4.50.

On offense, Matt Kirwan and Derrin Wilkinson continue to lead the way. Wilikinson is now hitting .313 and Kirwan has 12 HR and 41 RBI. Catcher Javier Mateo has been playing well lately also and has his average over .300. Buster Rogers, who spent the first 20 games below .200, has raised his average to .265 and solidified his job for now. fielder Rube Darr, who has only played half of the team's games after replacing struggling Julio Iglesias, is batting .318 and has 8 stolen bases.

Despite these highlights, the team continues to struggle. Two starting pitchers with ERAs over 6, a bullpen whose ERA has to be among the worst in the league, and no offensive production from the middle infield or third base have the team heading for one of the worst records this season. But it was never about this season anyhow in Cincinnati. Management continues to hold to their position that this year's struggles will turn into future success as the team begins to develop youth and save money for future investments.

Next update at the 50 game mark. Also coming around that time will be the Preparation for the Amateur Draft. Prospect lists are due out shortly.

Well good job so far. Those pitchers are pretty special especially when the average ERAs are a little higher than they are in real life. Good luck the rest of the year, and especially for the amateur draft.

50 GAME UPDATE: 25-25

WKRP's Les Nessman with breaking news:

You heard it here folks! The hottest team in the American League is none other than Cincinnati's own Venus Flytraps. Since our last update, the 'traps have amazingly won 9 out of their last 10 games and are currently riding a 7 game winning streak! With their most recent victory, they have pulled their record all the way up to an even .500! How are they doing it?

On the pitching side, the story is young Carlos Morales. Morales is now 5-1 with a 3.23 ERA on the season. The 24 year old rookie, in an interview with yours truly, simply stated "My job is to go out there, throw strikes, and get guys out. That is all I am doing." Veteran closer Daniel Truman has remained sharp as well, with 9 saves and a 3.68 ERA.

On offense, it has been the Matt Kirwan story. Kirwan is among the league leaders in home runs (17) and RBIs (54). he is also hitting .303 on the season. DH Derrin Wilkinson is also playing very well, hitting .321 on the season. And leadoff man Jake Edwards has 18 stolen bases, among the league leaders there. fielder Rube Darr, who began the season on the bench, has been one of the key catalysts to the team's improvement, batting .298 with 11 stolen bases.

While this team does not have the talent to compete for a playoff berth over a 162 game season, they have shown recently that they certainly have the heart. These guys know they are not supposed to win - and yet have been finding ways to win anyhow. Who knows? Maybe at our next update, after game 60, we will be talking about actually being in a playoff position.

As a final side note, the college and high school scouts just returned their reports today and the team is beginning preparations for the amateur draft only 4 days from now (#1 overall pick for the Flytraps). Management will be issuing a special AMATEUR DRAFT PREPARATION release before the draft takes place.

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AMATEUR DRAFT SETTINGS

There has been some debate over the best way to set your Amateur Draft Settings. Some people believe in going for 25 guys from "Any" position. Personally, I do not use the Any Position theory, but instead go for 1-2 players at each position, including making certain to draft at least one DH, regardless of which league I am in (sometimes the DH guys you draft can actually play a real position. If not, they may still have trade value to an AL squad if you play in the NL). I always make certain to draft 2-3 Shortstops and at least 2 catchers. I also like to go for at least 7 starting pitchers, because I may need some of the late round guys to fill out my lineup.

As for the weight column, it really doesn't matter much if you are going to manually rank guys. I just try to keep these numbers as close to even as possible. The Rating Threshhold selection I normally set low. I don't want the SIM skipping my highest rated guy in order to draft some other position. In fact, for the first time, I am actually setting it to "None" and think this may be the best way to go if you do manual pre-ranking.

Player type is personal preference. I do not normally look for ies or righties only, but I may select Slugging or Defense or even Speed. I also tend to leave several positions at "None". I have had more success with the SIMs ordering of pitchers set to None than with any other setting. Of course, player type does not matter much after you move guys around with the manual pre-rankings.

Finally, setting the aggressiveness is a factor of how high you pick and your prospect budget. You want to be conservative with a very high pick because you dont want to risk losing him, but if you pick late in the first round or don't have a first round pick, you can be more aggressive and try to get someone that slipped through the cracks. The more Aggressive you go, the more money you will need to sign guys.

In Cincinnati, I have 6 million in prospect payroll, but also 11 million in excess funds in player payroll. This means that I can transfer 5 million more into prospects giving me a nice total of 11 million. I have not pursued any Internationals yet in fear that I may not have enough prospect payroll - and am instead waiting until after the draft to go after any. I set First round and Supplemental Round (I have one pick there also) to Very Conservative (#1 overall pick - I want to sign whoever I draft!). I also go Conservative for rounds 2-5, with the first pick in each of those rounds I should get solid players. I go fairly Aggressive for the rest of the Draft. Maybe a stud will slip through that has a signing risk and if I save enough money in the early rounds I may actually have a shot at signing him. Most guys in the late rounds of the draft will never make a ML roster anyhow and, unless I need them for my Rookie team, may not even be signed.

With the Settings done, I will next turn my attention to Manually pre-ranking guys.

MANUALLY RANKING PROSPECTS

Assuming I have a top 15 or so draft pick, I want to carefully rank my first few players so that I am absolutely certain the guy I draft with that first pick will be a stud. If I do not have a high first round pick, or for all players below the number of my first round pick, I am not quite as careful.

The way I rank players is very simply to load up the Manual Ranking screen and use the "profile" button on it to look at each guy in the order I see them. If the guy looks like a good prospect, I leave him where he is. If he is total garbage, I use the double arrow to drop him to the bottom. If he is ok, but not good enough to be close to the other guys I have recently previewed, I drop him down 10-20 spots with the single down arrow. If a guy looks a lot better than guys I have recently looked at, I push him up a handful of spots with the single up arrow.

My point is to basically have players of similar quality grouped with one another, so that when it comes my turn to pick, I get someone of similar quality. Yes, I may be able to do better if I made certain that each guy was in an exact order, but that would take 5 times as long. I normally can get my top 50 players set in about 20 minutes, and then get then next 50 in another 20 minute shift with this system.

I stop after I have manually ranked 100 guys (which normally means a review of 150+ players because a lot of guys get dumped to the bottom of the list for being garbage). By the time I get into the 80s or so, I have to start to stretch to find any reason why the guy may have an outside shot at the big leagues. Therefore, after the top 100, odds are you are only looking at career minor leaguers anyhow, so I don't really care who I draft at that point.

In Cincinnati, setting the top of my order is easy as I have the #1 overall pick. I therefore simply needed to choose who I want (making certain I remember that I set my picks to Very Conservative so he has to be a guy that will sign). I also decided that I want a guy that will only be 1-2 years away from the bigs, so I concentrate on guys that are 21-22 years old. I chose a 22 year old second baseman, Virgil Rodriguez, who projects offensively to 84-85-79-81-75. He also has a 90 speed and 75 baserunning projection. Defensively, he projects to 85-70-61-77. Finally his makeup, durability, and health are all very high. While he does not have the top offensive ratings in the draft pool, he is a true 5 tool player with there ratings, and should be a great defensive second baseman, also able to play any outfield position.

Once I decided on my first pick, I am simply going through the rest of the prospect pool using my system and setting the rest of my draft -- my first 50 were done in about 20 minutes tonight and my next 50 will be taken care of either later tonight or tomorrow.

Up next -- the draft results (coming Thursday)

Interesting - we only spent 1 million different in college scouting and I see slightly different numbers. (Don't worry - he's still a stud in my book). You'll be getting the best all-around position player in the draft.

60 GAME UPDATE - 29-31

WKRP's Les Nessman reporting:

60 games into the season, and the Venus Flytraps are still playing better than expected, with a record only 2 games below .500. After actually pulling 3 games over .500, the 'traps have lost their last 5 straight, including getting swept by MGreenwell's Salem team in a 3 game set by a combined score of 31-3.

On the pitching side, the story remains Carlos Morales who is now 5-1 with a 3.00 ERA, and closer Daniel Turman who is 1-1 with 10 saves and a 3.45 ERA.

On the offense side, Matt Kirwan is still tearing things up with 18 HR and 60 RBI, while DH Derrin Wilkinson is hitting .332. Third baseman Marc Buford is now second on the team in home runs with 15.

Given that we are at the 60 game mark, a quick look at the minors: Pitching is the team's biggest weakness and there really is not much to report at all about the minor league staffs. On the offense side, though, Bo Tomlinson is tearing up Low A with .321/18/64, Marshall Ferrell at AA with .366/16/65, and Parker Bennett also at AA with .368/14/58.

The Amateur Draft also just occurred and the early reports are at least 3 or 4 legitimate major league starters have been drafted and another 3 or 4 guys that may see some big league action. Management has announced that once the draftees have been signed they will release a more detailed analysis of the draft class, as well as an update regarding the upcoming start of the rookie league season.

Until next time (the 70 game mark), this has been Les Nessman reporting. Now back to Dr. Johnny Fever with the latest Top 40 hits.

AMATEUR DRAFT UPDATE - SIGNING DAY

Once the draft has taken place, the next step is signing players. Obviously, anyone that has any chance of being a major league player gets an offer. I also will often sign many of the non-big league prospects just to help fill out my rookie league roster. If I am saving money for international prospects, I may skip this or at least wait until the end of the season before signing these guys, and instead fill my rookie league roster with minor league free agents.

In Cincinnati, I ended up with 7 or 8 players with major league potential. In addition to Virgil Rodriguez who I took #1 overall, I got a stud pitcher with a supplemental pick and a big time power hitting fielder in the second round. The fielder projects to a 100 power with great eye and very good L/R splits. He fell to the 2nd round because he also projects to a 0 contact. But with that kind of power, I can live with that 0.

Several of the guys I made offers to are undecided. the only one that is a legitimate prospect is my supplemental round pitcher. However, his notes state that he would sign if drafted in the first 5 rounds. I therefore expect him to sign in a few days (and if he does not i will be sending in a ticket because I went Very Conservative for that round). I did need to transfer an extra 3 million into prospect payroll to sign my guys, but I had almost 12 million extra in player payroll saved just for that purpose.

With my players signed, my next decision is where to assign them. I send Virgil to AA and put him on track for the big leagues in only a couple seasons. One other decent looking outfield prospect gets sent to Low A because he looks slightly more developed and I actually ended up with 3 fielders that are all prospects and would not have had a spot for him on my Rookie roster as a starter. Everyone else goes to rookie league.

Up next -- Preparing for the Rookie League Season