Best Start Ever?

conception · 02-22-2010, 03:23 AM

Even after winning a championship, I always wonder if the offseason moves I've made and the lineup card I've written opening day has maximized my team's chances for winning. It appears that this year they were, as my team started out on an 18-game winning streak. After that, we've ended up at 29-6 through 35 games.

What's even more amazing though, is the performance of the hitters in my lineup. The first 6 hitters in my lineup do not have a batting average below .343, and 1 of them is flirting with .400 while two others are in the .430 range. My first baseman is one of those, and his performance defies belief. Not only is his batting average through the roof, but he has hit 21 homers in 35 games and his slugging percentage is mere points below 1.000. Also, he has over 75 RBI. This puts him on pace for over 90 homers and 300 RBI!

I know that he'll probably get struck down with an injury, but still, what a ride. I couldn't create a player to generate such production (in a neutral park, BTW).

If anyone can show me how to upload his player page, I'd share it.

Cryomaniac · 02-22-2010, 08:03 AM

I've mentioned before that I've had a team start 17-0 in a 32 game season. I think they finished something like 28-4.

conception · 02-22-2010, 11:01 PM

That's pretty impressive, I can imagine with a 32-game schedule there is less randomness with a small sample size. The amazing thing with my team and my outstanding player is, neither the team nor the player are anywhere close to the best team or player I've had in this league. It seems to be one of those cases where the mysterious "team chemistry" idea comes into effect. And I don't mean that as an OOTP-programmed morale type thing, but more that even though my number two hitter is not the best hitter overall I've had man that spot, he is doing enough to keep my leadoff hitter moving and he also gets on base at an astounding clip for the guys behind them. My number 3 hitter is the weakest I've had in that spot in 10 game years, but he is doing all the right things to make the offense productive.

It's really fun to watch unfold, and I'm very interested in seeing where this thing goes.

milkman41 · 02-26-2010, 03:56 PM

It's only been 11 games, but my team is on a roll. We're 10 - 1, have 5 players on hot streaks, and 7/9 starters are hitting 0.346 or higher. As a team, our batting line is 0.367/.438/.664, with 28 homers. My pitching hasn't been great, but it is the strength of my team, so I'm sure it'll come around. It's been a fun 11 games!

conception · 02-26-2010, 10:07 PM

My team right now is heading into September with over 100 wins. My first basemen's HR production tailed off just a bit, sitting at around 40, but he will break my league's single season RBI record (177) with 4 more and he could actually challenge Hack Wilson's longstanding ML record (although mine is fictional I still think of MLB records as benchmarks). Interestingly enough, another player on my team is legitimately challenging the single season HR record of 58, with 49 and around 28 games left. My guess is that he will fall short, but its always exciting to follow the chase.

damientheomen3 · 02-26-2010, 11:43 PM

I had a GM career where I started in feeder leagues, and went to an 82-80 major league team after 6 seasons in the feeder leagues. My team won each of our first 13 games, and finished the year with 105 wins, or something around that. In 5 years, my team won over 100 in 4 of the 5 years (making the playoffs in those 4 years), but never made it past the first round of the playoffs (4 teams per conference made the playoffs). I wish I hadn't lost that file, but I had a problem with tranferring the file from computer to computer, so it's gone.

02-22-2010, 03:23 AM	#1 (permalink)
conception All Star Reserve Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 868 Thanks: 28 Thanked 84x in 50 posts	Best Start Ever? Even after winning a championship, I always wonder if the offseason moves I've made and the lineup card I've written opening day has maximized my team's chances for winning. It appears that this year they were, as my team started out on an 18-game winning streak. After that, we've ended up at 29-6 through 35 games. What's even more amazing though, is the performance of the hitters in my lineup. The first 6 hitters in my lineup do not have a batting average below .343, and 1 of them is flirting with .400 while two others are in the .430 range. My first baseman is one of those, and his performance defies belief. Not only is his batting average through the roof, but he has hit 21 homers in 35 games and his slugging percentage is mere points below 1.000. Also, he has over 75 RBI. This puts him on pace for over 90 homers and 300 RBI! I know that he'll probably get struck down with an injury, but still, what a ride. I couldn't create a player to generate such production (in a neutral park, BTW). If anyone can show me how to upload his player page, I'd share it. Last edited by conception; 02-22-2010 at 03:25 AM.

02-22-2010, 08:03 AM	#2 (permalink)
Cryomaniac Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2007 Location: Newark, Notts, UK Posts: 2,945 Thanks: 4,387 Thanked 301x in 232 posts	I've mentioned before that I've had a team start 17-0 in a 32 game season. I think they finished something like 28-4. __________________

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02-22-2010, 11:01 PM	#3 (permalink)
conception All Star Reserve Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 868 Thanks: 28 Thanked 84x in 50 posts	That's pretty impressive, I can imagine with a 32-game schedule there is less randomness with a small sample size. The amazing thing with my team and my outstanding player is, neither the team nor the player are anywhere close to the best team or player I've had in this league. It seems to be one of those cases where the mysterious "team chemistry" idea comes into effect. And I don't mean that as an OOTP-programmed morale type thing, but more that even though my number two hitter is not the best hitter overall I've had man that spot, he is doing enough to keep my leadoff hitter moving and he also gets on base at an astounding clip for the guys behind them. My number 3 hitter is the weakest I've had in that spot in 10 game years, but he is doing all the right things to make the offense productive. It's really fun to watch unfold, and I'm very interested in seeing where this thing goes.

02-26-2010, 03:56 PM	#4 (permalink)
milkman41 Minors (Single A) Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 81 Thanks: 2 Thanked 1x in 1 post	It's only been 11 games, but my team is on a roll. We're 10 - 1, have 5 players on hot streaks, and 7/9 starters are hitting 0.346 or higher. As a team, our batting line is 0.367/.438/.664, with 28 homers. My pitching hasn't been great, but it is the strength of my team, so I'm sure it'll come around. It's been a fun 11 games!

02-26-2010, 10:07 PM	#5 (permalink)
conception All Star Reserve Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 868 Thanks: 28 Thanked 84x in 50 posts	My team right now is heading into September with over 100 wins. My first basemen's HR production tailed off just a bit, sitting at around 40, but he will break my league's single season RBI record (177) with 4 more and he could actually challenge Hack Wilson's longstanding ML record (although mine is fictional I still think of MLB records as benchmarks). Interestingly enough, another player on my team is legitimately challenging the single season HR record of 58, with 49 and around 28 games left. My guess is that he will fall short, but its always exciting to follow the chase.