Baseball Like It Oughta Be 2016---MLB & The New York Mets

[rjl518]

Hello, everyone!
This is RJL518 reporting to you live from sunny SoFla.
Its time once again for baseball!
I couldn't be happier.

Last season in my DIVE IN dynasty with the MIA Marlins, we went through the entire MLB season.
It was the 1st time that I had ever done anything like that here on these forums.
The LA Dodgers won the World Series over the KC Royals, and my Marlins failed to make the playoffs.
But, it was a lot of fun doing a real-time dynasty, and so, we shall do another one for 2016.
This year, we will be doing the NY Mets.

This year, the NY Mets are one of the favorites to get back to the Postseason.
They will have to contend in an interesting NL East Division.
The WAS Nationals are looking to bounce back, while the ATL Braves, MIA Marlins, and PHI Phillies gear up and try to catch the top two favorites.

In the NL Central, the CHI Cubs are the early favorites to win the division AND the World Series this year, but the STL Cardinals and PIT Pirates might have something to say about that.
The MIL Brewers and CIN Reds may be down, but never out!

It is an even numbered year, and that means that you must take a hard look at the SF Giants in the NL West.
Every two years, they seem to win the title, but the LA Dodgers, ARZ Diamondbacks and an upstart SD Padres team might surprise.
And you all know that the COL Rockies will be launching baseballs from Coors Field all year long.

In the AL, i think its all up for grabs.
The TOR Blue Jays are the AL East favorites, but the BAL Orioles and BOS Red Sox made some moves to get back to the top.
NEVER count out the NY Yankees for 27! obvious reasons, and even the TB Rays look like they are up for the challenge.

Is it possible that even though they won the World Series last year, that the KC Royals might NOT be the favorites to win it again?
In the AL Central, the DET Tigers have a great pitching staff, and somehow, i think the CLE Indians are going to be very strong this year.
The MIN Twins and the CHI White Sox, well...they are two teams with winning traditions, so dont underestimate those two clubs.

In the AL West, it's anybody's race.
The HOU Astros now have the bulls-eye on THEIR backs, and the LA Angels, TEX Rangers and SEA Mariners look pretty good to me.
Dont forget about Billy Beane and the OAK "Moneyball" Athletics for he always seems to pull off great magic tricks with talented ballplayers.

Last year, the NY Mets won the National League Championship, but fell to the KC Royals in the World Series.
This year, the Mets are celebrating the 30th anniversary of the 1986 Championship Team.
What better way to honor that team by getting back to the World Series and this time, winning it all!
That is what i will try to accomplish.

Rules:
I will be GM and Manager playing out each and every game.
Injury Frequency: Variable by month of the season. (Explained in a later reply.)
Trading Difficulty: Hard and Neutral
Playoffs Structure:
Three Division Winners and Two Wildcards.
The only change is that the wildcards will play a best of three wildcard series instead of only one game.
All two or three games will be played at the stadium of the team which has the best wildcard record between the two.
The current MLB playoff setup will then follow suit.

To kind of spice things up, the AI Trading Frequency will be modified throughout the year.
April: Very Low
May: Low
June: Average
July 1-15: High
July 16-31 (Trade Deadline): Very High
August: Low
September: Low

This should make the AI keep players early in the season, and then simulate a crazy trade deadline period in July.

When this real-time season is concluded, i will then transfer it to my normal dynasty reports, such as you guys have read in my THE AMAZING METS and MLB LEGENDS dynasties.
This dynasty will close nearing the release of OOTP18 in 2017.

I think managing my NY Mets is going to be a blast.
A great young pitching staff, a strong bullpen, and some good young hitting outfielders.
The infield defense IMO was improved with the acquisition of Neil Walker.
Re-signing Yoenis Cespedes was very necessary.
De Grom, Harvey, Syndergaard, Matz and Colon make up the rotation.
When Zack Wheeler returns to the staff, the Mets might just have the best starting rotation in baseball.
The Big Apple hasn't seen a Mets rotation like this since the 80s.
Yes, i am talking about Gooden, Fernandez, Darling, Ojeda and Aguilera.
But, before we compare the 2016 Mets to the 1986 Mets, the 2016 Mets have to win a World Series.
Can I do that this year?

Before Opening Day, i might just make a few moves to bolster the team.
I might make a couple of trades or bring up some guys from the LV 51s.
I think this is going to be a lot of fun for me to report and i hope a lot of fun for you OOTP players to read and follow along.

So everyone it's time to play ball once again and lets enjoy another great baseball season.
It's time to cheer on the guys from Queens and show the world that OOTP truly presents...

BASEBALL LIKE IT OUGHTA BE 2016---MLB & THE NEW YORK METS!!!

April 2nd: Final roster moves and possible transactions.
April 3rd: Opening Day @ KC Royals

[prisonerno6]

I really enjoyed your write-up until I got to..."This year, the Mets are celebrating the 30th anniversary of the 1986 Championship Team."

[rjl518]

Originally Posted by prisonerno6

I really enjoyed your write-up until I got to..."This year, the Mets are celebrating the 30th anniversary of the 1986 Championship Team."

Did I strike a nerve somewhere?

[jtsly2000]

Read your replays daily last year. The stadium pics and write ups got me hooked! Good luck!

[rjl518]

Originally Posted by jtsly2000

Read your replays daily last year. The stadium pics and write ups got me hooked! Good luck!

Thank you.
Hope I have a better season with my Mets.
All I have to do now is just comment on each game now that OOTP writes a recap after each one.
Gonna be fun to do.

[rjl518]

4/2

Since MH is releasing the next patch for OOTP17 tomorrow, the 2016 MLB Season will begin on Opening Day.

I want his latest patch before I begin the season.

[rjl518]

4/3 (1)

April Settings:
AI Trade Frequency: Very Low
AI Injury Frequency: Low

Patch installed and we are on our way.
I have also decided to change the AI Injury Frequency the same way that i will change the AI Trade Frequency.
I know that players get hurt at the start of the season and its a shame when that does happen.
But i felt that in OOTP, sometimes players get hurt just on a whim.
So, as we begin the regular season, here is how the injury frequency will work.

April: Low (players are fresh)
May: Low (minor fatigue)
June: Normal (average fatigue starts to settle in)
July: Normal (still average fatigue)
August: High (High fatigue starts to settle in as the season starts turning into a grind)
September: High (some players are rested as Roster Expansion occurs to protect possible playoff rosters.)

I will not set the frequency to VERY HIGH, because that would be ridiculous.

This allows some of the AI teams to play baseball at full strength until the grind of the season starts to show wear and tear on the players.
Also helps me a lot too, but im still at the mercy of the injury bug when it wants to bite me in the A$$!

Meanwhile, i made some trades and transactions on April 1!

[rjl518]

4/3 (2)
NYM Trans (1):

Akeel Morris is going to be a top closer in the future.
But in this real-time season that i am about to play, i want to win now.
I will worry about prospects when the season is over.
I shopped Morris and the LA Dodgers offered me Chris Hatcher, one of the better relief pitchers in the league.
He will be another setup man to Addison Reed.

[rjl518]

4/3 (3)
NYM Trans (2):

Please note that i have the Trade AI on Hard and Neutral.
As much as i liked Curtis Granderson and Lucas Duda, i decided to shop them around to see what other GMs would offer me.
When i saw Albert Pujols from the LA Angels and Rajai Davis from the CLE Indians, i had to take a step back.
Pujols, well, he gives me a MAJOR threat at 1B, even at 36yo.
Davis, at 35yo is still an excellent CF, and i think a better player over Granderson.
So i pulled the triggers on both trades.
I think i did very well on the two deals.

[rjl518]

4/3 (4):

NYM Trans (3):

Made a few more roster moves between the NYM and LV.
Here are the rest of the transactions on just April 1.

[rjl518]

As i moved forward into April 2nd, i decided to stand pat for the day.
I figured i now have my Opening Day rosters set and my pitching rotation.
Since i will be managing every game, there is no need for me to do a depth chart.
So here is the Opening Day Lineup and Pitching rotations:



To celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the 1986 Championship Mets team, the Mets will be wearing a modified version of the 1986 Jerseys that i have created with Justafan's Software for home games.

So everyone..it's time to Play Ball once again.
A new season is upon us...so let's get to it.
RJL518 proudly presents:

BASEBALL LIKE IT OUGHTA BE!!!
THE 2016 NEW YORK METS!!!

[rjl518]

For the 2016 season, the PrePredicts have the NY Mets winning the NL East again and having the best record in all of baseball.
So there is a lot of pressure on me to do well.
Here is what the Prepredicts think the playoff structure is going to look like.

American League:
(1) TOR Blue Jays (AL East Champ)
(2) HOU Astros (AL West Champ)
(3) KC Royals (AL Central Champ)
(4) BOS Red Sox (Wildcard #1)
(5 TIE) NY Yankees, DET Tigers, SEA Mariners & OAK Athletics (Wildcard #2)
Could be seeing a few extra games at the end of the regular season to determine the 2nd Wildcard.

National League:
(1) NY Mets (NL East Champ)
(2) SF Giants (NL West Champ)
(3) CHI Cubs (NL Central Champ)
(4) WAS Nationals (Wildcard #1)
(5) MIA Marlins (Wildcard #2) (Really?)
NOW the Marlins will make the playoffs???
For those who followed my MIA Marlins dynasty from last season, you do know how i feel right???

[rjl518]

Series Preview: KC Royals @ Kaufmann Stadium

MLB would schedule the NY Mets to play the KC Royals on Opening Day.
So we get to see the Royals get their World Series rings TWICE!
Harvey and deGrom are the pitchers for this short 2-game set in Kaufmann Stadium.
I would really like to win these games!
The Royals are pretty much the same team from last year, but they are missing a couple of pieces from that team.
Doesn't matter though.
They are the favorites to win the AL Central, so im gonna play this team like its the 2015 World Series all over again.
I want these two games!

Opening Day later tonight!

[rjl518]

4/3

If this game is going to be like the rest of the season, im gonna have a lot of heart attacks.
The NY Mets get the win by Travis d'Arnaud's Grand Slam HR in the top of the 9th inning against KC Wade Davis.
They scored all their runs with two outs!
Before the inning, i thought we were done.
Are the ghosts of 1986 gonna help us out all season?
KC Alex Gordon hit 2 HRs against Harvey, who had good stuff, but there was a rain delay, which i think killed his stamina.
Pujols started his Mets career going 2-4 with an RBI.
d'Arnaud, Asdrubal Cabrera and Michael Conforto all hit big HRs, but none bigger than the grand slam by Travis.
What a crazy game to start the 2016 season.
This is going to be an insane year.
But, the NY Mets get their first win as they stun the KC Royals 9-7!

[rjl518]

The NY Mets have the day off tomorrow.
So what does that mean?
ROAD TRIP!!!
Yes, i will still take road trips when the Mets have the day off.
I will choose the best game i can find for that current day.
I think for tomorrow, im going to the Bronx Zoo.
Road Trip Game:

[rjl518]

Road Trip: HOU Astros @ NY Yankees (Yankee Stadium)

Lets just say that pitching did not show up on Opening Day in the Bronx.
Five HRs hit in the game, two by Gardner, and one by A-Rod, Teixeira, Tucker and Springer.
NYY Brian McCann was the only Yankee without a hit.
Rodriguez went 3-4, Gardner and Teixeira both went 3-5.
Those three guys accounted for 10 of the 14 runs by the Yankees.
HOU Kuechel and Feldman got rocked in this one.

In other news, the CHI Cubs and LA Angels cant play nicely with each other.

Oh well...back on the plane to Kansas City for our 2nd game with the Royals tomorrow.

[rjl518]

We weren't able to get both wins against the KC Royals but i am satisfied with the split.
Jacob deGrom had a good game but ran out of gas in the 6th inning.
He took the loss.
Pujols was 3-4, and d'Arnaud hit his 2nd HR of the season in his 1st AB in this game.
Asdrubal Cabrera hit his 2nd dinger of the year also.
One of the key plays was David Wright striking out in the 8th with the bases loaded!
We left 9 men on base in this contest!
Way too many runs we didn't get.
I'm still learning my bullpen, for i probably should have let Hatcher finish off the inning, instead of bringing in Blevins.
Might have to look for a strong left-handed relief pitcher.
Anyway, we lost this game to the Royals 6-3.
The schedule this year is weird.
Because the Mets dont play again until Friday against the PHI Phillies in Citi-Field.
Two Road-Trips will be scheduled.
I think the Wednesday Road-Trip will be to the Steel City!

[rjl518]

NYM Trans:

I did like Logan Verrett for the future, but the TOR Blue Jays were gonna give me Brett Cecil, an excellent left-handed relief pitcher, NOW!
No-brainer, and i sent Jim Henderson to LV to make room for Cecil!
Now, i have TWO dominant setup guys in Hatcher AND Cecil!

[rjl518]

Road Trip: STL Cardinals @ PIT Pirates (PNC Park)

The Cardinals hung a 7-spot on the Pirates in the 4th inning.
STL Jaime Garcia went 6.1 innings and only gave up 1 run on 5 hits.
He had some good stuff today.
It was a little cold and wet in the Steel City, but i enjoyed the game.
Even though it really wasn't much of one after the 4th inning.

The NY Mets have another day off on Thursday as well.
So, another Road Trip is in order.
I wonder if we will have some better weather in Oriole Park!

[rjl518]

MLB Injury News:

Even though the AI Injury Frequency is set to LOW for the first two months of the season, we still get players hurt.