Sean Coles, SP

[YoSoySean]

All I have to say for my intro is that I love the knuckleball

Difficulty: Normal

RPG Abilities
Strength: +0
Intelligence: +4
Dexterity: +3
Constitution: +2
Charisma: +2
Luck: +1
Personality: The Pragmatist

Drafted out of High School

Skill Potential
Stuff: 7
Control: 8
Velocity: 1
Poise: 7
Endurance: 7
Defense: 3
Hitting: 1
Pitches: Knuckleball

Equipment
Bats: none
Batting gloves: none
Gloves: Web Gems Inc. IF1 (DEFENSE +1)
Shoes: Mazano Tech Shoes Basic1 (DEFENSE +1)

[YoSoySean]

DRAFT TIME!

Not a bad job of selecting attributes if I do say so myself. I ended up being 18 yo (birthday in April) and a 4-star prospect. I'll probably be drafted sometime in the first round.

It is now 1:18 pm. The draft started nearly 20 minutes ago and 5 picks have been made. All of the 5 and 4.5 star prospects are now off the board and I anticipate being drafted soon. There are only 3 other 4 star prospects in this draft and all are pitchers.

1:22 pm. Tampa Bay has made their selection. They chose 22 year old SP Cipri Santiago. I am somewhat disappointed as I may have missed my chance to be on an American League team. I really don't want to have to hit.

1:26 pm. San Diego has now selected 21 year old SP Reggie Moon. I have a sneaky suspicion that I may be next. Montreal is on the clock. I hope I don't have to learn French.

The phone rings. It's the GM of Montreal congratulating me as the #8 pick of the draft. I guess it's better than playing in Colorado, who had the 9th pick. I got a nice signing bonus of $1,395,000.

[BMW]

I want to know how you do with the knuckler.

[YoSoySean]

The ratings are in. I will update them monthly.

Stuff: 7
Control: 25
Velocity: 10
Poise: 8
Endurance: 65
Defense: 23
Hitting: 3

I look at Montreal's current starting pitching situation and my future looks pretty bright. The best starter on the ML team is 3 stars. I do have some compition in the minors, however. Montreal has two pitchers in AA (aged 22 and 23 with 1 year experience) who have a prospect rating of 4.5 stars. There's also a couple with 3.5 stars in there.

I head over to the Sports Store to see their selection of books. I'm in luck, "Fastball - Pure Power, Volume 1" is in stock. My STUFF rating isn't quite what it needs to be to read it yet, but I pick it up anyway for $150,000. I also see "Control - Pinpointing Pitches, Volume 2" on the shelf and pick it up for $210,000. I then check out the gloves section but see nothing that interests me. I did find some nice blue Mazano Tech Shoes (DEFENSE +3) though that fit and paid a cool $168,000 for them. After I checkout, I start reading my Control book right away.



4/1/03
It's the first game of the season and I'm scheduled to make my professional debut against the New York Mets single A team. I grab my shoes and glove and prepare.

After a 1-2-3 first inning I am on top of the world. I came crashing down from that high after giving up a 2-run HR in the 2nd and another run in the 3rd.

My first career strikeout came immediately following the 2-run HR. The unfortunate victim is 3B Floyd Yang.

Another 2-run HR in the 4th and a solo shot in the 5th. This isn't going to well. Finally I am pulled after the leadoff hitter in the 7th got a basehit off of me. I guess it's not too bad of a start considering I'm only 18 years old...

Final line: 6 IP, 7 hits, 6 runs, 6 earned, 1 BB, 3 K, 81 pitches (49 strikes)



4/7/03
My spot in the rotation is up again and I am hoping I pitch better this time. This one is against Florida's A team.

2 walks and a 2-run HR in the first inning. Again, things look bad.

Save for a bad 4th inning where I gave up 2 runs again, I'm doing ok. In the 7th inning I give up a solo home run that ties the score at 5 and know my time is coming up soon. I get two outs and am infuriated when I see the skipper walking out to the mound. Let me finish this inning! Let me try for a win! Nope.. I'm now sitting in the dugout playing cheerleader.

...and what a game it was. We ended up blowing a 2-run lead in the 9th only to win it 8-7 in the 15th inning on a leadoff walk-off HR.

Final line: 6.2 IP, 8 hits, 5 runs, 5 earned, 3 BB, 3 Ks, 107 pitches (58 strikes)

[YoSoySean]

4/8/03
I finish reading "Control - Pinpointing Pitches, Volume 2" and didn't learn a damn thing. I decide to read it again to see what I missed. Damn this ADD.


4/13/03
Here comes start #3. Hopefully 13 is my lucky number. This will mark my first away game as I travel to Cincinnati's A team.

Another 2-run HR in the first inning. I really need to keep the ball in the ballpark.

After the bad start, I settle down and start pitching great. The knuckler really started dancing. It's a close game too. I head into the 8th inning up 3-2 and already having thrown 100 pitches. Here's to hoping the manager doesn't pull a Grady Little

I strike out the first batter on 6 pitches and the manager takes me out. What's up with that? Leonardo Ramirez blew the save for us in the 9th and once again we ended up winning in extra innings. This time 4-3 in 13. I pitched the best game of my career so far and get a no decision.

Final line: 7.1 IP, 5 hits, 2 runs, 2 earned, 2 BB, 5 K, 106 pitches (56 strikes)

4/17/03
After rereading "Control - Pinpointing Pitches, Volume 2", I finally get it! My control rating increases by 2. I immediately start on reading "Fastball - Pure Power, Volume 1" in hopes to learn a new pitch.


4/19/03
It's my turn to pitch again as I search for my first pro win. I get to face my real life favorite team (Philly) for the first time... or at least their A affiliate.

Ugh. Another bad one. These multi-run innings are killing me. gave up 2 in the 2nd, 3 in the 5th, and left one on in the 6th when I got pulled who ended up scoring. Luckily my team pulled a huge inning in the bottom of the 8th to save me from a loss. We ended up with a 12-10 win.

Final line: 5.1 IP, 9 hits, 7 runs, 6 earned, 4 BB, 3 K, 111 pitches (60 strikes)


4/21/03
It's monday. That means the Sports Store gets restocked. I check out the book section again and decide to pick up "Masterful Changeups, Volume 1". I can start reading it after I learn the fastball.

4/24/03
Markus Heinsjohn turns down my offer for a drink. What a jerk

I finished "Fastball - Pure Power, Volume 1" and didn't learn anything. Oh well... back to reading.

4/25/03
Another game, this one at St. Louis A team. This will mark my last game as an 18 year old as I turn 19 in two days.

A disastrous appearance in this one. Easily my worst game yet. Not only did I pitch horribly but I got no run support. 12-1 loss.

Final line: 4.1 IP, 8 hits, 9 runs, 8 earned, 5 BB, 3 K, 99 pitches thrown (54 strikes)

4/27/03
It's my 19th birthday so I decide to celebrate/drown my sorrows at the local bar. I see St. Louis Single-A SS Eusebio Salazar there and we decide to get into a drinking contest. After a while of BSing we get into a fight and he kicks my ass. Luckily, I didn't get hurt.

April is finally over which means my monthly ratings/stats report.

Season stats: 8.19 ERA, 0-2, 29.2 IP, 37 H, 27 ER, 15 BB, 17 K

Stuff: 11
Control: 27
Velocity: 10
Poise: 10
Endurance: 65
Defense: 23
Hitting: 3
Pitch Repetoire: Knuckeball

[YoSoySean]

5/1/03
I'm still desperately searching for my first pro win as I challenge Milwaukee's A team.

3 innings down, no runs scored against me. All right... this is looking good! 1-0 lead.

D'oh. A run scored on an error by the pitcher. Another run given up in the 5th. Luckily I'm getting some support. Up 5-2.

I leave in the 7th after walking a batter with a 5-2 lead. Looking good but.. oh no! The bullpen blows it and we win in extra innings again! We need some bullpen help.

Final line: 7 IP, 7 hits, 2 runs, 1 earned, 3 BB, 3 K, 98 pitches (61 strikes)


5/7/03
Nothing much happened between starts. Finished reading my book but didn't learn anything. Went to the bar a couple of times but no one wanted to drink with me. Oh well... time to search for that elusive first win... this one against Pittsburgh.

Scary 2nd inning. A lot of pitches thrown. 2 walks and a single. No runs though. Whew.

I'm throwing way too many pitches in this one, but it's effective. 88 pitches after 5 innings but no runs on two hits.

Despite the best efforts by the bullpen to blow another one for me (they gave up 2 in the 9th), we win 5-2 and I get my first professional win. I also set a career-high in strikeouts with 9.

Final line: 6.2 IP, 3 hits, 0 runs, 0 earned, 3 BB, 9 K, 116 pitches (64 strikes)


5/13/03
Again, very boring in between starts. I finish my book again and still haven't learned anything. How difficult can it be to learn how to throw a fastball? Here's to hoping for win #2 at San Fran...

Well... looks like I won't have much trouble with run support. My team scores 7 for me in the top of the first. Hopefully I can hold on to this slim lead...

Walk, triple, sac fly in the first has me already with 2 ER. Another scores on a groundout in the 4th. Now I'm rolling along. I actually have a chance for my first complete game. I already have my longest outing ever. Heading into the 9th, I've "only" thrown 101 pitches...

... oh no. 3 pitches to the first batter and he flies out. 3 pitches to the 2nd batter and he pops up. Then, I get pulled. What? 1 out away from my first complete game! What a crock! At least I got the win.

Final line: 8.2 IP, 4 hits, 3 runs, 3 earned, 2 BB, 2 K, 107 pitches (63 strikes)

[YoSoySean]

5/19/03
Once again, no luck in learning the fastball. I'm beginning to think I should go to the doctor to see if I have some kind of disability. 4th times a charm, right? I'm no a roll now. Two wins in a row. Searching for #3 against Los Angeles.

Chicks may dig the longball, but I'm hating it right now. A 2-run home run in the 2nd and another in the 5th. I need some help from my offense...

...and I get it! A 4-run 5th gives our team the lead. Let's see if I/we can hold onto it.

It was definately a close one. I was taken out after 2 outs in the 7th. We scored two insurance runs in the bottom of the 7th and the bullpen almost blew it again but held on to win 7-6. 3 wins in a row. May is a good month for me.

Final line: 6.2 IP, 7 hits, 4 runs, 4 earned, 2 BB, 4 K, 107 pitches (60 strikes)


5/20/03
I got into a little "scuffle" with an opposing player in the bar. I kicked his ass and he will spend some time on the injury list. Go me. I just can't be stopped!


5/26/03
I tried to get the owner drunk a couple of times between starts, but he didn't give me any money... greedy bastard. Going for win #4 at Houston.

A good, old-fashioned pitcher's duel breaks out. Unfortunately, I'm on the bad end of it. Down 1-0 after 5, both teams with only 2 hits.

I end up pitching an 8-inning complete game. A solo HR in the 8th gave me a 2nd earned run. My opponent pitched better though and had a 3-hit shut-out. Hard luck loser.

Final line: 8 IP, 5 hits, 2 runs, 2 earned, 4 BB, 2 K, 109 pitches (55 strikes)


5/27/03
4th time's not a charm as I still haven't learned the fastball. Let's try this again.

I got into another barfight and suffer a scratches cornia... I guess he fought like a girl.


Another month is in the books. This one was much better than the first.

Season stats: 5.00 ERA, 3-3, 66.2 IP, 63 H, 37 ER, 29 BB, 37 K

Stuff: 11
Control: 27
Velocity: 10
Poise: 11
Endurance: 65
Defense: 23
Hitting: 3
Pitch Repetoire: Knuckeball

I guess my injury knocked down my ratings a little...