My story...

[Bobble]

So, I don't think I've really got the gumption to write a full dynasty report but I do have enough of a writing urge to throw this out there and see if it entertains anyone:

My fictional is a Waugh-like parallel: the Universal Baseball League (not Association since it isn't a direct copy of Waugh's league but I still wanted to pay homage). Eight teams playing 112 games, no city affiliations, no financials, two games each day for a season that lasts most of the year. I've just finished my second season. I manage the Pastime Club and play out each game in one-pitch mode. Then I write a short recap for each game I play. It kinda puts me in the role of a Pastime Club sports writer and helps keep me into the league. Season 1 ended about as expected for us, 4th place -- too many young players from the initial draft to expect a championship.

As the second season opened, expectations were high for the Pastime Club. During Season 1, we had been offered two of the game's better power hitters, 3B-Prince Gavin and LF-Fats Hollier, for multiple good, not great players. Getting one great for a couple goods are deals we could not refuse and boy, did we lack power hitting before these two came along. Along with Pastimer 1st round pick, 2B-Elmer Hoyle; a developing young catcher in Rube Zahn;and several high-contact, low power, get-on-base guys, Patsy hitting looked to be secure. I was confident in Pastime pitching as well. Ace starter and 2nd round pick, Shooter Flook, should be among the top few pitchers in the league. In a league that only requires a 3-man rotation (at most), I had a trio of young pitchers to fill two spots: Hasty John Garland, Driftwood Dan McQueen, and Clark McGurl. The biggest weakness in my rotation was endurance but the odd-man out of the rotation would fill in as a quality long reliever. Pastime defense would be nothing to write home about but one can't have everything.

The first few months of Season 2 were no joy. Shooter Flook was inconsistent. Many games he would give up a couple-three runs in the first and limp through until maybe the 5th inning. Occasionally, he would impress but not often enough for my liking. Driftwood Dan had been bestowed a spot in the rotation mainly to protect younger Clark McGurl from the rigors of being a starter but also disappointed. Eventually he would be pulled from the rotation and his spot given to McGurl. The Pastime Club had bounced down to last place in the standings more than once. Hardest to take, though, was the abysmal start for Elmer Hoyle. Elmer was "my guy". He was my 1st round draft pick, the hand-selected leader of the team. Elmer had been a .330 hitter in Season 1 with respectable power and far and away the best base stealer in the league. Well, at least the most prolific, racking up over 100 stolen bases at a 80+% success rate in Season 1's 112 games. The fun part of Season 1 for me was trying to rack up as many steals as I could for Elmer. About 35 games in, his average climbed to a disappointing .256. Then, while stretching a single into a double, Elmer Hoyle is injured diving into second. Fractured skull, out 11 months. Heartbreaking for me and as eerily close to a Damon Rutherford moment as I ever hope to get.

That's it. The season is obviously over. I can get some younger players some P.T., maybe let some of my better guys shoot for a spot in the record books. Sit back and watch how it all plays out for the rest of the league. We'll get 'em next year.

The Pastimers really had no dedicated first basemen. The spot was filled with 2B's with baserunning speed and good defense who happened to be able to play 1st. With Elmer out, I picked up Preston Norwood from the scrap heap. Preston's got slightly above average power and below average everything else.

The season putters along and the Patsies find themselves squarely in the middle of the standings. If you guys would have played this way earlier and we had Hoyle back, we'd be in this thing. Driftwood Dan seemed to thrive in the long relief role. McGurl and several of the relievers were playing above themselves for long stretches. Preston Norwood was hitting .330 with power! He never seemed to have a bad day! Oh, there were disappointments too. Ransom Grainger, my good-defense, pinch-hit, pinch-run guy, was an embarrassment hitting below the Mendoza line. Young closer Dallas Dannettet was about 50-50 chance of striking out the side or allowing a 5-run comeback. All-in all, though, the Pastime machine is chugging along nicely. So nicely that with about 40 games left, I might actually make a run.

The Season 1 champion All Reds have a strangle-hold on 1st place. The All Reds had traded me Fats Hollier for SS-Dempsey Giffin and outfield prospect Popeye Locke. Of course, Giffin plays out of his mind especially when he's up against his former team. I don't typically get the same determination out of Fats. Lurking around 2nd and 3rd in the standings are the Townball Nine and the Sunday Sandlot Club. The Sandies are led by the best hitter in the UBL, Orlander Good, who is having a "Good" year. Power, average, base stealing, defense all in the running for best in the league. The Nine's chances have really been neutered by the injury loss of the UBL's best pitcher, Small Sam Fitzsimmons. Small Sam will be back just before the end of the season but they'll likely fall from the race.

As the season draws to a close, the Nine drop from the race as expected. The Sandy's Orlander Good is out for several weeks. During that time, the Pastime Club go on a whopping 10-game winning streak and the Sunday Sandlot Club go on a whopping 10-game losing streak. I savored every Patsy win and savored every Sandy loss. I wasn't sure whether to keep playing game after game before my team cooled off or tentatively inch through each game to make sure I made no mistakes. At the 100 game mark with 12 games to go, we're in second place with a 3 game lead on the Sandies. Meanwhile, the Reds have gone on a 15 game win streak to make it clear that the prize for coming in second in the league will be a big ol' can of whoopass in the Championship Series. As if realizing this, both the Patsies and the Sandies are playing sub-.500 ball at season's end but it's the Pastime Club that advance. Pastime Club versus All Reds in the 5-game Championship Series.

Game One of the Championship Series was a Shooter Flook signature domination. Shooter (who had maybe two complete games in two seasons) pitched a 3-hit, 1-run complete game AND hit a 2-out double to keep a run-scoring rally alive. What a way to come into this series and what a way to restore my faith in Shooter. Well, we're not going to be swept anyway. It was if their own success stunned the Pastimers in Game Two. They came out flat, committed 3 errors, 2 wild pitches, and a hit batter. Then allowed a 4-run bottom of the eighth, led by ex-Pastimer Dempsey Giffin, to lose 7-5. OK, there's no surprising the Reds anymore. They're getting down to business. Game Three was a nail-biter. The Pastime Club fought back to lead the game 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth. We could win this one, too! Driftwood Dan had taken over for a shaky Clark McGurl and had pitched 3 innings of no-hit ball but now the bases are juiced with one out. Dilemma. Dan's played well today. He's got plenty left but young closer Dallas Dannattet is all warmed up in the pen. Honestly, I think I spent several minutes pondering what to do. In the end, I decided it was Dan's game to win or lose and Dallas would be available for tomorrow's game. Country Gates rips a 3-run double to take the game for the Reds and tear my heart out. Did I just lose us The Series? The was no jubilation for Game Four. It was simply a relief. The Pastimers won this one 6-1 with Shooter Flook back on the mound and I felt they won it partly to try to take me off the hook for Game Three. We pushed the Series to five games, at least. That's respectable. If we would have held on to Game Three...but, well, you can't think like that. The decision was made and you have to live with it.

Game Five. I couldn't believe it. The Pastimers batted around in the 1st inning. Eight runs. Reds' starter Ace Thompson knocked out. The Reds get 4 runs in the 3rd. That's nice. They should feel good about scoring. I'd hate to see the best team get embarassed in the last game. We punch in two more runs in the 4th. The Reds tear open a 3-run 5th and start putting guys on base every inning. Wait a minute. Not like this! Don't lose this game like this! I didn't expect to win the Series but I don't want to be the goat in the greatest comeback in Series history. I'm not sure I've ever been as nervous while being up 3 runs. All's well that ends well, though, as the Pastimers win Game Five 12-9.

So there I am admiring the awards screen. UBL Champions: Pastime Club. I look down the list of smiling Pastimers. Yeah, there are some guys who don't really deserve a ring: Junior Prescott, Brawling Jack Jackson, Elisha Stinson, Sammie Kirby. These were just-in-case guys that never really got into too many games and didn't do much when they did. I was afraid it might happen this way but there is one key name missing from the list: Elmer Hoyle. "My guy" is sitting on the outside looking in. His team goes through this roller-coaster season, faces Goliath, and shocks the world and he's not part of it. It doesn't seem fair. It just doesn't seem fair.

[ctorg]

You were apparently feeling very silly.

Nice story. Another testament to how much we all can get caught up in the fictional realities we create in this game, and how well the game brings them to life.

[Eugene Church]

Writing a story about your league is a great way to get involved in it and really get to know the players and teams.

[ifspuds]

I just saw this post, Bobble. Not sure how I missed it before, but I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed reading it.

I love your team names and player nicknames. They've got a great, classic feel and give your post a tremendous amount of character all its own. Thanks for sharing it with us!

[Bobble]

Originally Posted by Bobble

... The Pastimers really had no dedicated first basemen. The spot was filled with 2B's with baserunning speed and good defense who happened to be able to play 1st. With Elmer out, I picked up Preston Norwood from the scrap heap. Preston's got slightly above average power and below average everything else.

The season putters along and the Patsies find themselves squarely in the middle of the standings. If you guys would have played this way earlier and we had Hoyle back, we'd be in this thing. Driftwood Dan seemed to thrive in the long relief role. McGurl and several of the relievers were playing above themselves for long stretches. Preston Norwood was hitting .330 with power! He never seemed to have a bad day! ...

So, it's 32 years into the league. Preston Norwood just won Manager of the Year for beating my Pastimers in the Championship Series. I love this game.

[hawaiiansky]

Originally Posted by Bobble

So, I don't think I've really got the gumption to write a full dynasty report but I do have enough of a writing urge to throw this out there and see if it entertains anyone:

My fictional is a Waugh-like parallel: the Universal Baseball League (not Association since it isn't a direct copy of Waugh's league but I still wanted to pay homage). Eight teams playing 112 games, no city affiliations, no financials, two games each day for a season that lasts most of the year.

I'd love to read more about this fictional league of yours. Two thumbs up for the UBA and your Universal Baseball League! Names sure make it great.

Mike

[tylertoo]

Agreed -- write more!

[CatKnight]

I agree. Fictional leagues are always fun, and it looks like you've dived deep into the details. I'd love to see a dynasty report for season XXIII.

[hawaiiansky]

Originally Posted by Eugene Church

Writing a story about your league is a great way to get involved in it and really get to know the players and teams.

Definitely ... and the world they live in.

Mike