Another reason why I LOVE this game!!!!

[falkonisback]

Alright, I've been in somewhat of a playoff slump the last 5 or 6 seasons. I've been constantly winning 105+ games a season (123 one season) and easily winning my division each year, but losing in the playoffs. Most of the time, I can normally squeak by the first round, but I normally get my @$$ handed to me in the 2nd round. If I make it past the 2nd round, I lose in the world series.

Well, last night, I completed the 1984 season with 111 wins, again, easily the best record in the league. I normally just sim the games and let whatever happens happen. Well I sim one game at a time and I got past the first round winning 4 games to 2. I barely squeaked by the 2nd round in seven, not to mention that my top ace for about the last 10 seasons (1984 Pitcher of the Year winner) injured his shoulder in the playoffs and is out for 12 months!!! (Yeah, I was pissed).

I called up a pretty darned good 18 yr old prospect from AAA to take his place and he faired pretty well. Well, here's the doozy. I simmed through the world series one game at a time, all while strategically starting my best pitchers to give myself a better chance to win. Well, my #2 guy (who is also my ace some years depending on how spring training goes, awesome veteran pitcher) who I was expecting to take the first game at home, loses. Then I lose game 2 at home.

I was getting nervous and mad at the same time b/c now I gotta try and at least win 2 of 3 in their hometown. Well that's exactly what I did, I won 2 of 3 before returning home, still trailing 3 games to 2. I won the first game back home tying the series at 3 games a piece. Then I did something that I NEVER normally do....I decided to play out the final game.

I started simming through innings. I got all the way to the 8th inning and neither team had scored yet. Then in the top of the 8th, the opposing team got a run and I was losing 1-0. Played the bottom of the 8th and came up empty. Simmed the top of the 9th and luckily we held them scoreless, but was still down 1-0. I started playing the bottom of the 9th. First guy reaches first base with a hit right up the middle on the first pitch. Next guy, hits it straight to the first baseman, he steps on 1st to get the first out, then guns it to 2nd, but my guy slid in right underneath the tag and was safe. Next guy hits a pop fly. I'm one out away from coming up without a championship...AGAIN.

Then a nice, ripe 22 yr old by the name of Durk Thibodaux comes up to bat. Bottom of the 9th, 2 outs, 2 strikes, tying run on 2nd, winning run at the plate. I say "screw it", I'm gonna hit and run to try to give myself the best possible chance at tying the game b/c the guy at 2nd was decently fast.

What happens?

Thibodaux launches one over the right field wall for a 2 run homer and the series!!! I could barely contain myself I was so excited. Stuff like that never happens to me, but we are finally back on top of the baseball world thanks to awesome pitching and the bat of probably a future hall of famer!! I LOVE THIS GAME!!!!!

[YankeePride]

Ah, I love those great memories of big championship wins.

[Skywalker76]

Yup those are the best games. I always play out the important games just because I feel that's how you really get into the game!

[1998 Yankees]

falkonisback, thanks for the reassurance, as I am stuck in a similar rut. Also, you reinforce the point that some people have made here; that is, it may be better to play out your playoff games and have some input in them rather than just sitting back and simulating. I've been recalling that argument recently, and your post has inspired me to play it that way to see if my luck changes.

[falkonisback]

Yeah, if you are strictly a simmer like I am, I say if you get in a hole 2 games to 0, 3 games to 0, 3 games to 1, or 3 games to 2, play out the game otherwise there will always be that "I wonder if I would have made a difference if I would have just played out the game?" thought in the back of your mind. It definitely can't hurt.

[The Wolf]

It's even more fun when your last pitcher hits the walk-off HR in extra innings.

[eriqjaffe]

Back in OOTP 6.5, I got a series-winning double out of a 19-year-old outfielder. It was pretty awesome.

Then, once I upgraded the league, he wanted $27 million per year.

[bababui]

Originally Posted by eriqjaffe

Back in OOTP 6.5, I got a series-winning double out of a 19-year-old outfielder. It was pretty awesome.

Then, once I upgraded the league, he wanted $27 million per year.

I love how Scott Boras is in the game!!

[RchW]

Great story. I always play out the playoff games and sim the reg season. I like the speed of simming and looking at the league as a whole vs the detail of playing every game out.

I'm on a good run right now having won 2WS in a row. The last one was with a 97 win team. The first time in 18 seasons we did not win 100 games.

[conception]

I always take the playoffs slowly, either simming or playing out. Since I can put together a dominant team pretty much every year, even with trading made difficult, the playoffs are never a sure thing, and the most microscopic of roster decisions can have a tremendous impact on your success.

[Kelric]

If only you could do that in the OBL.

[1998 Yankees]

Originally Posted by conception

I always take the playoffs slowly, either simming or playing out. Since I can put together a dominant team pretty much every year, even with trading made difficult, the playoffs are never a sure thing, and the most microscopic of roster decisions can have a tremendous impact on your success.

Definitely concerning the starting pitching, of course. You want to maximize the opportunities of going with #1 and #2 as long as they are well-rested. But, there's other possibilities that I am not sure my AI manager would recognize and handle well, such as going with the players who are currently on hot streaks, even though their ratings may not measure up to the obvious choices.

Last night, I slowed it down without actually playing out pitch-by-pitch; mostly, I put myself in charge of substitutions. For once, a 102-win season translated into a championship, my first in ten long "years." Quite satisfying, especially when we swept the SF Giants in the Series. Although fictional, I imagined soon-to-be free agent Barry Bonds sitting in the opponent's dugout witnessing our on-field celebration.

[Left-handed Badger]

Originally Posted by eriqjaffe

Back in OOTP 6.5, I got a series-winning double out of a 19-year-old outfielder. It was pretty awesome.

Then, once I upgraded the league, he wanted $27 million per year.

Hee, back in OOTP4, I had a minor league journeyman (age 27, outfield) who I called up he had a good couple of weeks (.350 or so 3 HR 10 RBIs in about 35-40 ABs). I wanted to see if I could get him to sign for something like 700 thousand or so so I could keep him around a couple of years as a cheap back-up (he had tore it up in my AAA for year+).


And the idiot wanted 15 mil a year. .


Course there was also my #5 starter that year final year of contract. 35 years old. Journeyman type. Stunk it up first month, I sent him down to AAA to work it out. While stinking it up down there. He requested to talk contract. Wanted 5 mil. I did cut him on the spot (he was earning under a mil that year anyway)

[Left-handed Badger]

Back to the topic. I always play post-season out. Sometimes I sim the early innings a little. But, I'll do some crazy stuff every once in a while to shake things up. Had my starters getting bombed. So, I pitched a MR for 2+ innings then put in the scheduled starter. (think, Bucky Harris did with the Senators one year in the WS). The starter pitched through the 7th decently. Course, the strategy didnt work because my offense decided it was the perfect time to take a day off.

[falkonisback]

Originally Posted by Kelric

If only you could do that in the OBL.

OHHHH, we got a fricken comedian here I see??

LOL!

[cibl commish]

Nice story.. I haven't had a series walk off since version 5..lol

I always play the playoff games though.. usually sim through the season stopping occasionally to play a game here and there, but always if I'm in the playoffs I play em out. Course that doesn't always mean victory.. ha

[1998 Yankees]

falkonisback, our two "I love OOTP" threads are neck-and-neck here!

Sorry, I did not mean to compete with yours. Besides, we are covering two different aspects of the game. Yours is more of the "It ain't over 'til it's over" kind of inspirational story while mine is like "Comeback Player of the Year."

Hey, I think we should take steps to secure our rights to these stories because you never know, there could be a movie producer reading these threads. We could make a bundle!

[falkonisback]

Aww, don't even sweat it...I enjoyed reading yours just as much as I enjoyed writing mine