The Second Hundred Years of Wrigley: Chicago Cubs 2014 and Onwards

[bwburke94]

Well, let's get this show on the road. A Cubs dynasty... with a twist.

I'm using a slightly edited ML quickstart. I gave myself an extra team in the Arizona and Venezuela leagues to give those two leagues an even number of teams. Also, I removed the DH from the minors, since I want to give my pitchers experience at the plate. Also, one last thing: instead of league evolution, the readers choose the changes to the league starting prior to the 2015 season.

There are limits to the reader-chosen league evolution, to prevent the game from bugging out. No expansion until 2017, no schedule length changes, and no changing something that was changed the previous year. Also, no adding or removing the DH, I don't want this turning into a DH vs. no-DH war.

I've chosen the changes for 2014: the major league roster is cut to 23 players, and the expanded roster is cut to 30 players. The secondary roster remains at 40. These will go into effect on March 30, the day before the regular season starts.

Future season changes will go into effect as of the day players file for free agency. The league evolution polls will be posted once I reach the All-Star break.

[bwburke94]

I claimed reliever Ben Rowen off waivers from Texas. He's injured and is projected to return in mid-April, so he is immediately placed on the DL.

In my first spring training game, I beat the Rockies 5-1. I kind of went overboard with the substitutions; OOTP ran out of letters to assign subs to, and started using symbols! ...Then it ran out of punctuation as well, since I got 41 position players into the game. I should really just simulate the spring games...

[bwburke94]

A bunch of guys sign minor league contracts, and I receive a trade offer from Oakland that I immediately reject for being ridiculous. I can't afford Cespedes' contract, why are you trying to trade him to me?

In spring training action, the Nationals beat me 5-1.

[bwburke94]

The abbreviated spring is winding down, and I have my 23-man roster in mind.

Day 3: Loss 4-3 vs. Cincinnati
Day 4: Loss 4-1 @ New York Mets
Day 5: Win 8-4 vs. San Diego. 2B Darwin Barney out for 5 weeks
Day 6: Loss 7-4 @ Atlanta

[bwburke94]

The Darwin Barney injury made it a lot easier to pick out a roster, but once he comes back someone will have to go down...

Final roster:
SP Jason Hammel
SP Edwin Jackson
SP Jeff Samardzija
SP Carlos Villanueva
SP Travis Wood
MR Justin Grimm
MR Hector Rondon
MR James Russell
MR Jose Veras
MR Wesley Wright
CL Pedro Strop
C John Baker
C Wellington Castillo
1B Anthony Rizzo
2B Emilio Bonifacio
2B Arismendy Alcantara
3B Luis Valbuena
SS Starlin Castro
LF Junior Lake
LF Ryan Kalish
CF Justin Ruggiano
CF Ryan Sweeney
RF Nate Schierholtz

[bwburke94]

OOTP's predicted standings:

Cardinals 95-67
Reds      92-70
Pirates   81-81
Cubs      78-84
Brewers   76-86

No Cubs players are in the predicted Top 10 Hitters or Top 10 Pitchers.

[bwburke94]

Yep, that's right, I'm including rainouts in this dynasty. I do have rules for rescheduling - every team has to play a full 162-game schedule, even if this includes a meaningless game the Monday after the season ends.

The first games to be rained out are Royals @ Tigers and Twins @ White Sox. They will be made up April 1.

[bwburke94]

The Cubs head to Pittsburgh to take on the Pirates on Opening Day. Jeff Samardzija takes the mound for Chicago, while Pittsburgh starts Francisco Liriano.

(Liriano on Opening Day? And no, this isn't caused by the AI screwing up in spring training, he's a legit #1 starter in the AI's mind. Since Wandy Rodriguez is their #3, I have to face two lefties in my first three games barring any rainouts.)

I made a surprising move by batting Nate Schierholtz leadoff against Liriano - normally, the leadoff hitter is Emilio Bonifacio when I face a left-hander. It worked, as Schierholtz hit a double and later scored, giving me an early 1-0 lead... then Samardzija gave up a three-run homer to Starling Marte before recording an out in the first. 3-1 Pirates.

Samardzija gave up four runs, all earned, in four innings of work. The Pirates added an insurance run in the eighth off Pedro Strop and won 5-3.

[bwburke94]

No games were rained out today.


Notable Transactions
The Brewers placed RF Ryan Braun on the 60-day DL. He was injured in the top of the first inning of their Opening Day game, before he could receive a single at-bat. Braun will be eligible to return May 29.

[bwburke94]

No games were rained out today.

Notable Transactions
The Indians traded LF Michael Brantley and minor league 3B Giovanny Urshela to the Red Sox for SP Clay Buchholz.

[bwburke94]

Edwin Jackson took the mound for my Cubs, while Pittsburgh's starter is Gerrit Cole.

The game entered the sixth inning tied 0-0. Unexpectedly, it was Jackson that started a Cubs rally, hitting a one-out single. Arismendy Alcantara, playing second base due to Darwin Barney's injury, drew a walk. After an infield fly by Starlin Castro, Junior Lake broke the tie with a two-out single.

In the top of the seventh, I got two runners on, but Jackson struck out to end the inning. He was at 104 pitches, so I probably should have pinch-hit for him, but didn't. Then again, I could probably say the same about my opponents, as they let Gerrit Cole hit despite trailing 1-0 in the seventh.

I brought in lefty James Russell to pitch the eighth. To be honest, I should have gone with Pedro Strop here, but after Strop's performance on Monday I didn't want him pitching in a high-leverage situation. In any case, it worked, as Russell got Pedro Alvarez to ground into a double play, facing only three batters.

The Pirates continue to fail at basic baseball strategy, bringing their right-handed closer Jason Grilli in to face three lefties. I don't score in the inning, and I leave the pitcher's spot on deck.

I could easily have double-switched John Baker into the catcher position and 9 spot, but he would have been my next pinch-hitter had the game gone to the tenth, so I left Wellington Castillo in at catcher and straight-up subbed Jose Veras in for his first save opportunity of the year.

Gaby Sanchez led off the home ninth with a double - the tying run was now in scoring position. Neil Walker and Chris Dickerson made outs, Dickerson advancing Sanchez to third, putting Russell Martin at the plate with the game on the line. Martin hit a ground ball to Starlin Castro, who threw to Rizzo at first, easily beating the Pirate backstop to the base.

Cubs win.

[bwburke94]

The Red Sox-Orioles game was rained out, and was rescheduled for September 21.

Notable Transactions
Toronto third baseman Edwin Encarnacion was suspended for four games following his ejection against the Rays.

[FunkyBike1]

Nice job here. I'll be following this.

[bwburke94]

For the finale of the opening three-game set, Travis Wood takes the hill against Wandy Rodriguez in a matchup of lefties.

The Pirates scored single runs in the second and third, and we traded runs in the fifth. Emilio Bonifacio led off the top of the sixth with a double, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and Starlin Castro hit an RBI triple. Junior Lake followed it up with a sacrifice fly, tying the game at 3.

In the bottom of the sixth, Wandy Rodriguez drew a walk - which sort of explained why he was hitting for himself in a tie game - and I made the call to the bullpen for Justin Grimm. Josh Harrison doubled to right field with one out, but Rodriguez was thrown out at the plate. Harrison was stranded on third base when Starling Marte grounded out.

In the seventh, Arismendy Alcantara drove in Wellington Castillo with a one-out double.

In the bottom of the eighth, Justin Grimm - in his third inning of work - allowed a walk, but no other damage. Neil Walker (Pittsburgh's last remaining pinch hitter) struck out.

I picked up an insurance run in the top of the ninth, as pinch hitter Ryan Kalish drove in Castillo from third with a two-out single. Pedro Strop came in to get the save, retiring the side in order.

Cubs win.

Tomorrow's the home opener vs. the Phillies.

[bwburke94]

The Cardinals-Pirates game was rained out and was rescheduled for April 5.

Major Transactions
Mariners 3B Kyle Seager, Twins SP Mike Pelfrey, and Mets CL Bobby Parnell were placed on the DL.

[bwburke94]

Jason Hammel takes the mound for the Cubs, while Kyle Kendrick is the Phillies' starter. Neither lasted very long, as it was 6-6 after three innings.

James Russell took the mound in relief of the ineffective Hammel, and pitched three strong innings, allowing two hits and no runs. Justin Ruggiano pinch-hit for Russell in the bottom of the sixth, and broke the tie with a solo home run.

Jose Veras came in to pitch the seventh. My intention was to have him pitch two innings, but if he were to get in trouble, I still have Wesley Wright and Pedro Strop in the pen to bail him out. Ruggiano remained in the game in right field, with Nate Schierholtz coming out.

Veras retired the side in order in the seventh, but with one out in the eighth Ryan Howard pinch-hit for the pitcher and I brought in Wesley Wright. Wright struck out Howard, but was unable to hold the lead as Ben Revere singled and Marlon Byrd drove him in with a double. Then Chase Utley singled in Byrd, and the Phillies suddenly had an 8-7 lead.

In the bottom of the eighth, Wellington Castillo doubled (seriously, he's my MVP so far) and Justin Ruggiano hit his second home run of the game to give me the lead back. The Phillies promptly send in Jake Diekman in relief.

With Alcantara on second base and two outs, I make a ballsy move by letting Wright hit for himself. He hits a ground ball to Utley... who boots it. One Ryan Sweeney walk later, the bases are loaded for Luis Valbuena. The Phillies stick with Diekman and the platoon advantage in lieu of sending in Jonathan Papelbon, and it backfires as Diekman walks in a run on four pitches. Then Ryan Kalish hits a two-run double. 12-8 Cubs.

With the game now out of hand, the Phillies send in another reliever, B.J. Rosenberg. He gets Castillo to ground out, but the damage has been done.

In the top of the ninth, Jimmy Rollins reaches on a two-base Castillo error. Wil Nieves drives in Rollins with a double. 12-9. John Mayberry Jr. gets a double of his own, driving in Nieves. 12-10. Mercifully, Wright strikes out Jayson Nix and Rosenberg... before allowing a single to Ben Revere. 12-11. Revere advances to second on the throw.

Two outs. A runner in scoring position. Game on the line. Marlon Byrd hits a grounder to the left side... Which gets through. 12-12. Tie game.

Chase Utley follows up with a two-run homer. 14-12 Phillies. Enter Papelbon.

Ruggiano, with two homers to his name already, leads off the inning with a single. Unfortunately, the rest of my lineup goes down in order, and the Cubs manage to do what they do best: snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

[bwburke94]

The Braves-Nationals game was rained out, and will be played on April 6.

Major Transactions
The Cubs traded SP Jason Hammel to the Braves for minor league second baseman Tommy La Stella.