Quote:
Originally Posted by Robster49
Letting you know I'm really enjoying your writing style and the idea behind this. I'll stay tuned.
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Thanks, Robster and others, for the kind comments. I've been wanting to do a dynasty like this for awhile, focusing one (or just a couple of players). I tried one a few years back but computer crashes and other factors resulted in its early death... Let's just hope Andrew's career pans out for awhile, though I do have a few ideas in mind if he doesn't make the Big Show...
A few other notes before I dive into actually playing games (yes, we are going to get to that, I promise):
• I imported with 1998 and just did a quick sim through the whole season for a little background. I then plugged Andrew Zarzour in for the upcoming 1999 draft. I didn't control any teams for the draft either, just letting "fate" pick Zarzour's path. I was pleased with the Dodgers nabbed him.
• I did tinker with a few things. For one I created Josh Hamilton. I realize that he's just now breaking into the Majors after a long bout with drugs and what-not. Since he's from my hometown of Raleigh, NC I thought I'd give him a shot in my world to take a different, hopefully clearner, path.
In my first newspaper job back in the late 1990s I got a chance to see Hamilton play a few times for Athens Drive High. I saw him pitch a no-hitter against one of the teams I covered in the state playoffs. Only three batters made contact with his pitches and nothing left the infield. I remember wondering why he didn't want to pursue pitching at the next level.
• Once the draft was over, I took over the Dodgers and plan to human manage them at least for awhile. I debated whether or not to just watch Zarzour's career play out, but I finally decided to get more involved. I did "prop up" the ratings of 26-year-old Dodgers catcher Paul Lo Duca a bit because I didn't think his ratings imported all that well.
Of course, again I'm biased. I covered his brother's high school baseball team during a four-year stint when I lived in Arizona and got to know the family a little bit. Paul was nice enough to give me an exclusive interview one night after getting traded from LA to the Marlins, when Florida was in Arizona to play the D-Backs.
• Let's see, a few other notes from 1998: Seattle actually won the '98 World Series (not the Yankees as I noted before, I'll go back and change that). The M's beat the Padres in the Series. The Yanks did have the best record in baseball for the year (112-50) but choked 4-2 against Seattle in the ALCS.
The Dodgers finished fourth in the NW West in 1998 (oh yeah, I randomized the draft order for '99 just to mix things up a bit. I promise that's the last 'tinkering' I plan to do) ... Mark McGwire hit 62 home runs, far and away the best in the Majors. Manny Ramirez and Jose Canseco had 57 each. Andres Galarraga had 51 for Atlanta. Samma Sosa hit 32.
Larry Walker of Colorado hit a blistering .423 in 1998 with 148 RBIs. Good grief. Then he signed a $20-million plus deal with the Red Sox!
Barry Bonds signed a mega five-year deal with ... the Toronto Blue Jays. He won't be playing with Canseco, however, because he got dealt to ... the Brewers...
OK, enough bombshells for now ... if anyone has questions about anything or wants updates on a player or team, just let me know... And away we go...