LCS Era Baseball Tournament: AUBREY PLAZAS ARE CHAMPS!

[Kaius]

Nothing like a trip to play the Garainals to bring my winning streak/momentum to a crashing halt.

Gaylord Perry with a 14 strike out, 5 hit performance in game two. Unfortunately four of those five hits were home runs.




Going with Steve Carlton instead of Dwight Gooden with the #3 overall pick may be the single move that most keeps me out of the playoffs. Carlton has been very disappointing (3-3, 4.71 ERA, 1.59 WHIP). Statistically speaking, he's my worst starter.

Yeah that 5th inning really escalated quickly.

[Kaius]

I'm going to try to get my stats posted today, but I've been meaning to mention that Willie Stargell hit an inside the park home run a few days ago.

[philpritchard]

I'm going to try to get my stats posted today, but I've been meaning to mention that Willie Stargell hit an inside the park home run a few days ago.

It's always fun when you notice weird/rare things like that.

[TBAMTS]

Another split , but at least both games were exciting.

I really thought I could easily sweep you.

With my #3 and 4 starters, sure. But when Marichal and Glavine are pitching I'm not completely horrible.

[@SkitchP]

Well the 22 run game was fun to enter at least. :/

[Norah]

[The Argonaut]

Lineup:
I no longer have anyone anywhere near a 1.000 OPS. Albert Belle is in the middle of a pronounced slump. He hasn't had more than 1 hit, and no extra base hits, in a few days.
Outside of second base, there are no real stinkers. Bobby Murcer's numbers, to me, don't reflect how successful he's been. Perhaps his hitting is especially timely. Ted Simmons at C has been great since I brought him back as the starter when his replacement, Pudge, didn't do much.
Second base is the only hole I can't figure out. 6 of Rod Carew's 7 errors are from his time at second, so he won't work. But Steve Sax and Bert Campaneris both are hitting under the Mendoza line, which is frustrating. I might just give up and start Tony Oliva there soon.

Pitching:
The rotation is what it is: not bad without moments of spectacularity. Anyone of them could throw a good game on a given day, and Valenzuela has had only one bad start.
The lefties, McGraw and Orosco, are so far untouchable. Unfortunately, they are very rarely used (just over 10 innings between them).
Rollie Fingers is outstanding! 10 saves and just 1 ER in 14 innings for a 0.64 ERA!

[The Argonaut]

OK, Tony Oliva won't work at second. But Fred McGriff might!
new lineup for tomorrow's game:

1 Tim Raines CF
2 Ozzie Smith SS
3 Albert Belle RF
4 Mike Schmidt 3B
5 Bobby Murcer LF
6 Rod Carew 1B
7 Ted Simmons C
8 Fred McGriff 2B

EDIT: see a few posts down for real changes!

[@SkitchP]

OK, Tony Oliva won't work at second. But Fred McGriff might!

new lineup for tomorrow's game:

1 Tim Raines CF
2 Ozzie Smith SS
3 Albert Belle RF
4 Mike Schmidt 3B
5 Bobby Murcer LF
6 Rod Carew 1B
7 Ted Simmons C
8 Fred McGriff 2B

Howard Johnson at 3B absolutely kills me, but Sal Bando has not proven to be effective. I tried Dale Murphy there, and just like when I tried him at catcher, he averages about an error and a half a game. And I still can not figure out how in the hell Juan Gonzalez dominates in the sims i run (even against gooden) and just sucks in the actual games.

[@SkitchP]

OK, Tony Oliva won't work at second. But Fred McGriff might!

If you want to get McGriff in there, you might be better served trying a more athletic guy (like schmidt) at 2B and putting McGriff at 3B.

[The Argonaut]

Quit trying to manage my team!

[@SkitchP]

Quit trying to manage my team!

i was just trying to offer a potentially helpful suggestion.

[The Argonaut]

I'm just kidding, skitch. I've been simming a lot of games trying to figure out if this will work. Now is the perfect time to try a strange line-up, since my next four games are against phil (no offense phil). Might give me a little wiggle room.

So this is for tomorrow:

1 Tim Raines CF
2 Ozzie Smith SS
3 Albert Belle RF
4 Mike Schmidt 3B
5 Bobby Murcer LF
6 Rod Carew 2B
7 Ted Simmons C
8 Tony Oliva 1B

[@SkitchP]

Now is the perfect time to try a strange line-up, since my next four games are against phil (no offense phil).

lol

[The Argonaut]

I'm keeping Tony Oliva up late tonight running through some "Scotty H., Picking Machine!" drills. Fred McGriff will probably end up there tomorrow.

[Lament]

Too Big a Harmon To Say @ Kaius' Garainals

Game 1: http://www.whatifsports.com/slb/Boxscor ... pbp=0&tf=0
Game 2: http://www.whatifsports.com/slb/Boxscor ... pbp=0&tf=0

Spoiler: show

Too Big a Harmon To Say 4, Kaius' Garainals 1
W - McLain, L - Tudor
HR - Yount, McCovey

Too Big a Harmon To Say 15, Kaius' Garainals 6
W - Viola, L - Clemens
HR - Yount, Aaron 2, Thomas 2, Foster

Winning By Numbers @ SkitchP

Game 1: http://www.whatifsports.com/slb/Boxscor ... pbp=0&tf=0
Game 2: http://www.whatifsports.com/slb/Boxscor ... pbp=0&tf=0

Spoiler: show

Winning By Numbers 8, SkitchP 6
W - Fidrych, L - Hower
HR - Ripken, Daulton

SkitchP 5, Winning By Numbers 3
W - Corbett, L - Plesac, S - Gossage
HR - Ripken, Bagwell, Lynn, Jackson

Aubrey Plazas @ RMSim

Game 1: http://www.whatifsports.com/slb/Boxscor ... pbp=0&tf=0
Game 2: http://www.whatifsports.com/slb/Boxscor ... pbp=0&tf=0

Spoiler: show

Aubrey Plazas 5, RMSim 3
W - Franco, L - Morris, S - Eckersley
HR - DeCinces

RMSim 8, Aubrey Plazas 2
W - Messersmith, L - Hunter
HR - Porter, Barfield, Tettleton

LCS Argonauts @ Mike Paul & Friends

Game 1: http://www.whatifsports.com/slb/Boxscor ... pbp=0&tf=0
Game 2: http://www.whatifsports.com/slb/Boxscor ... pbp=0&tf=0

Spoiler: show

Mike Paul & Friends 14, LCS Argonauts 7
W - McDowell, L - Valenzuela
HR - Mays 2

Mike Paul & Friends 8, LCS Argonauts 7
W - Montgomery, L - Orosco
HR - Oliva

Snap Bracelets/Electric Boogaloo @ Chudville Nine

Game 1: http://www.whatifsports.com/slb/Boxscor ... pbp=0&tf=0
Game 2: http://www.whatifsports.com/slb/Boxscor ... pbp=0&tf=0

Spoiler: show

Snap Bracelets/Electric Boogaloo 9, Chudville Nine 1
W - Hershiser, L - Roberts
HR - Clemente, Clark

Chudville Nine 18, Snap Bracelets/Electric Boogaloo 1
W - Seaver, L - Key
HR - Munson

Standings

Spoiler: show

Kaius' Garainals 25-11
Winning By Numbers 22-14
Chudville Nine 21-15
LCS Argonauts 20-16
Too Big a Harmon To Say 17-19
Aubrey Plazas 17-19
Snap Bracelets/Electric Boogaloo 17-19
RMSim 15-21
SkitchP 14-22
Mike Paul & Friends 12-24

[Lament]

Remember guys, no games tomorrow. All pitchers are considered fully rested headed into the home stretch.


For those who care, I will be changing my rotation to Maddux-Hunter-Perry-Carlton for the rest of the way out. Eighteen games left to make a run at a playoff spot. It'd be nice if Steve Carlton would step up with some quality starts.

[@SkitchP]

1. That's gotta feel pretty good Phil.


2. I suppose now would be as good as time as any to decide on the length of the season. Despite the fact this tournament has been extremely painful, I am all for doubling it.

If we don't double it though, my rotation the rest of the way

Gooden
Caldwell
Higuera
Gooden (2 days)
Neikro
Caldwell
Higuera
Gooden
Neikro
Caldwell
Gooden (2 days)
Higuera
Neikro
Caldwell
Gooden
Higuera
Neikro
Caldwell

[philpritchard]

1. That's gotta feel pretty good Phil

I can't blame him for feeling the way he did based on my results so far... but yeah, it does.

[philpritchard]

Somehow Piazza and Boggs just keep getting better. Olerud and Griffey have been on fire since being put back into the lineup.

And Duane Ward with 13 2/3 innings of shutout ball with 18 K and 3 BB. Ward and Dibble have combined for 49 K in 36 innings.