[congobeast]

LOCAL BUSINESSMEN MOVE TO KEEP PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL IN PITTSFIELD
July 15, 1999
PITTSFIELD, MA

Following the announcement by the Houston Astros earlier this month that the club would be terminating it's affiliation with the town of Pittsfield, the town fathers have been searching for a new resident for historic Wahconah Park. With the news of the formation of the All-Forum Baseball League, Pittsfield appears to have found it's new partner for play in the summer of 2000.

A group of Western Massachusetts businessmen led by Alec Baclawski of The Baclawski Gaming Group Inc., Joshua "Papa Moneybags" Kranz and Dr. David "Goose" Gosselin have formed the Pittsfield Partnership for a Better Baseball Tomorrow, with the express purpose of bringing am AFBL team to Wahconah.

At a press conference yesterday, Gosselin indicated that he is working with several local coaches, pro-am teams and amateur nines to assemble an all-star local squad to represent the Berkshires.

Wahconah Park opened in 1892, and has hosted professional baseball nearly continuously since. The grand old park park has seen a who's who list of great ball players compete within its confines. Among the hundreds:, Bobby Bonds, Bouton, Larry Bowa, A.J. Burnett, Bobby Doerr, Hugh Duffy, Carlton Fisk, Lou Gehrig, Ken Griffey Jr., Lee, Mike Lowell, Sparky Lyle, Greg Maddux, ESPN's Joe Morgan, Jamie Moyer, Thurman Munson, Satchell Paige, Raphael Palmiero, Herb Pennock, Jim Rice, Lee Riley (former NBA coach Pat Riley's father), Cal Ripken Sr., Curt Schilling, Mike Schmidt, John Smoltz, Casey Stengel, Jim Thorpe, Tim Wakefield, Earl Weaver, Ted Williams and Don Zimmer.

Now the city of Pittsfield and the Berkshire Hills ask: Who will be next?

[congobeast]

SCOUTS SAY...
Neuman is a great all-around player. He hits for average and for power, though he's not immune to swinging at a gopher-killer from time to time. Neuman is the prototypical #3 or #4 hitter. Todd isn't blazingly fast, but he won't clog up the basepaths either, and his excellent running instincts make up for any lack of fleetness of foot.

In the field he has better-than-average range and very soft hands. He's capable of making the 2 and 3 baggers on his sides look very good. Despite a horrific injury that derailed his pitching career in The Show (he made it to AA ball in the Brewers' organization), his arm remains solid, though it can no longer stand to the rigors of pitching.

Todd is in excellent health, and works very hard at staying in tip-top playing shape. Despite his age (30), he is not at significant risk for injury so long as he is not placed on the mound. Todd will likely be the center of the Hillies squad for some time to come.

---

Name: Todd Neuman
DOB: 5/6/1970

TALENTS
CONTACT: 40 ($40)
GAP POWER: 15 ($15)
HOMERUN POWER: 45 ($45)
EYE: 28 ($28)
AVOID K: 32 ($16)

SPEED: 51 ($25.50)
STEAL: 51 ($25.50)
INSTINCTS: 51 (-)
SAC BUNT 3 ($4)
BUNT FOR HIT: 2

POSITIONS:
SS RANGE: 65 ($26)
RATING: 4 (.973) ($12)
IF ARM: 60

INJURY RATING: DURABLE
LEADERSHIP: GREAT ($3)
CONSISTANCY: NORMAL
HITTER TYPE: PULL

TOTAL: $240

[congobeast]

SCOUTS SAY...
Vishaway is the consummate power hitter. The slugging lefty spanks the pill with authority to all fields with power. He's a tough out at the plate, and can touch off the hit-and-run as well as almost anyone in the game. He is a risk to hit for the cycle in any game.

If Joe has a weakness, it is his glove. His range at the first sack is merely ordinary, and he is prone to drop a few too many double-play balls. Still, his wizardry with the bat more than compensates for any shortcomings in the field.

Vishaway is a bit sluggish on the base paths, so he's probably better off hitting in the clean-up or the 5 hole, so that he doesn't slow down the swifter batters on the team.


---

Name: Joe Vishaway
DOB: 6/3/1971


TALENTS
CONTACT: 41 ($41)
GAP POWER: 40 ($40)
HOMERUN POWER: 45 ($45)
EYE: 26 ($26)
AVOID K: 32 ($16)

SPEED: 31 ($15.50)
STEAL: 17 ($8.50)
SAC BUNT 1 (-)
BUNT FOR HIT: 1

POSITIONS:
1B RANGE: 50 ($25)
RATING: 1 (.985) ($3)
IF ARM: 15

INJURY RATING: NORMAL
LEADERSHIP: NORMAL
CONSISTANCY: NORMAL
HITTER TYPE: SPRAY

TOTAL: $220

[Elendil]

Originally Posted by congobeast

SPEED/STEAL: 61 ($30.50)
SAC BUNT 2 ($4)
BUNT FOR HIT: 3

A couple of notes here... Speed and Steal are actually separate skills, so for $30.50 I can give Neuman 61 speed and 1 steal or 1 steal and 61 speed (or something in between). Running Instincts are the average of Speed and Steal, so they would be 31 here.

On Sac Bunt, I assume you mean add 2 points, for a total rating of 3. Having a rating of 2 would cost $2 and a rating of 1 would cost nothing. With a Sac Bunt rating of 3 and a speed of 61, Neuman would have a Bunt for Hit of 3, as you note.

[congobeast]

SCOUTS SAY...
Stackow is the the kind of spark plug that most managers would love to have at the top of their lineup. He's an outstanding contact hitter, and should carry a very high OBA. Stackow's speed and instincts on the bases are top notch, allowing him to steal a pile of bases each year.

Playing the middle-infield, Bobby has very soft hands- probably the best on the team. His range over the middle is outstanding. He can play a little at the hot corner, but he is prone to throwing errors at that range, so it would be best to find a stronger arm to handle that spot.


---

Name: Bob Stackow
DOB: 10/1/1977


TALENTS
CONTACT: 40 ($40)
GAP POWER: 11 ($11)
HOMERUN POWER: 1 ($1)
EYE: 35 ($38)
AVOID K: 35 ($35)

SPEED: 81 ($40.50)
STEAL: 71 ($35.50)
INSTINCTS: 76
SAC BUNT 3 ($4)
BUNT FOR HIT: 4

POSITIONS:
2B RANGE: 70 ($17.50)
RATING: 4 (.982) ($12)

SS RANGE: 63 (-)
RATING: 4 (.973) ($12)

3B RANGE: 59 (-)
RATING: 0 (.881) (-)

IF ARM: 30

INJURY RATING: NORMAL
LEADERSHIP: NORMAL
CONSISTANCY: NORMAL
HITTER TYPE: NORMAL

TOTAL: $220

[congobeast]

Originally Posted by Elendil

A couple of notes here... Speed and Steal are actually separate skills, so for $30.50 I can give Neuman 61 speed and 1 steal or 1 steal and 61 speed (or something in between). Running Instincts are the average of Speed and Steal, so they would be 31 here.

On Sac Bunt, I assume you mean add 2 points, for a total rating of 3. Having a rating of 2 would cost $2 and a rating of 1 would cost nothing. With a Sac Bunt rating of 3 and a speed of 61, Neuman would have a Bunt for Hit of 3, as you note.

Oh dear. I have some rework to do.
Thanks...

Edit: Edits done. The three previously posted should be kosher now.

[congobeast]

SCOUTS SAY...
Mark Cole is a strong candidate to start in left for the Hillies. Though his average is merely pedestrian, Cole shows a lot of power at the plate, and is constantly pulling the ball deep to left. He's a threat to take the ball yard on every plate appearance. He tends to want to carry the team on his back, but while admirable, this leads him to be make occasional mistakes at the plate. He get often gets antsy swings at a lot of balls high that he should leave in the attic.

Mark can cover a reasonable amount of ground in the field, though we won't be winning any Gold Gloves. His mitt won't cost the Hillies many games. His speed on the infield dirt is decent, but his aggressiveness at the plate continues onto the bases. He makes poor choices from time to time, and he is prone to get picked off or thrown out. Still- Mark's confidence is infectious, and he's a good man to have in the clubhouse.


---

Name: Mark "Old King" Cole
DOB: 10/1/1968


TALENTS
CONTACT: 25 ($25)
GAP POWER: 37 ($37)
HOMERUN POWER: 40 ($40)
EYE: 20 ($20)
AVOID K: 20 ($10)

SPEED: 50 ($40.50)
STEAL: 24 ($35.50)
INSTINCTS: 37
SAC BUNT 1 ($-)
BUNT FOR HIT: 1

POSITIONS:
LF RANGE: 44 ($22)
RATING: 3 (.962) ($9)

CF RANGE: 40 (-)
RATING: 0 (.948) (-)

RF RANGE: 34 (-)
RATING: 0 (.946) (-)


OF ARM: 30

INJURY RATING: NORMAL
LEADERSHIP: NORMAL
CONSISTANCY: NORMAL
HITTER TYPE: PULL

TOTAL: $200

[congobeast]

SCOUTS SAY...
Gallo is a very well-rounded player at the plate. He makes good contact, and doesn't often swing at bad pitches, and draws his fair share of walks. His power is good, but he's really not a middle of the lineup hitter, though he could do a credible job at the #6 spot, or hit second in a pinch.

Joe is fast on the basepaths, but has had trouble reading the pitchers he's faced, so he tends to hang close to the bag and not get a good jump. As a result, his swipes will tend lower than his running speed would otherwise suggest. On the other hand, this timidity keeps him from taking too many foolish chances, and doesn't make a lot of baserunning mistakes, either..

In the field, Gallo excels. He is an excellent center fielder with very good range and great hands. He rarely misses a ball, and makes good throws. He's also smart enough to not miss the cutoff when appropriate. He's a bit quiet, not much of a clubhouse leader, but is very much one of the gang, and a solid contributor.

---

Name: Joe Gallo
DOB: 1/31/1974


TALENTS
CONTACT: 27 ($27)
GAP POWER: 25 ($25)
HOMERUN POWER: 24 ($24)
EYE: 28 ($28)
AVOID K: 30 ($15)

SPEED: 61 ($30.50)
STEAL: 35 ($17.50)
INSTINCTS: 48
SAC BUNT 1 ($-)
BUNT FOR HIT: 1

POSITIONS:
CF RANGE: 60 ($24)
RATING: 4 (.982) ($12)

OF ARM: 55

INJURY RATING: NORMAL
LEADERSHIP: NORMAL
CONSISTANCY: NORMAL
HITTER TYPE: NORMAL

TOTAL: $200

[congobeast]

SCOUTS SAY...
Jim won't wow you with his bat- he's probably a .275/.325/.375 guy- but he's solid. He doesn't make a lot of mistakes at the plate, though he's not much of a threat to win any awards, either. He's a singles hitter, and some scouts have accused him of having an empty batting average.

Once on the bases, his skills tend to shine. Jim is a good base runner and as good a thief. He moves like a gazelle between the bases, and knows when to run and when to stay. He'd probably do best near the end of the lineup, where he won't mess things up for the top of the order, but doesn't really get on enough to warrant a top batting spot.

It's on the hot corner that Jim earns his keep. Kerr's range is outstanding, covering from the line to the hole without a problem; and his hands are like a surgeon's. He gets to the easy balls, makes the tough plays, and starts more than his share of 5-4-3 double-plays.

Jim's age will catch up with him eventually- but not yet.


---

Name: Jim Kerr
DOB: 7/14/1968


TALENTS
CONTACT: 25 ($25)
GAP POWER: 10 ($10)
HOMERUN POWER: 10 ($10)
EYE: 25 ($25)
AVOID K: 38 ($19)

SPEED: 61 ($30.50)
STEAL: 61 ($30.50)
INSTINCTS: 61
SAC BUNT 3 ($-)
BUNT FOR HIT: 3

POSITIONS:
3B RANGE: 85 ($34)
RATING: 4 (.951) ($12)

IF ARM: 90

INJURY RATING: NORMAL
LEADERSHIP: NORMAL
CONSISTANCY: NORMAL
HITTER TYPE: NORMAL

TOTAL: $200

[Elendil]

Originally Posted by congobeast

POSITIONS:
LF RANGE: 55 ($22)
RATING: 3 (.962) ($9)

$22 will buy you 44 range in left, then -10% for center (40), then another -15% for right (34).

Also, Stackow's Bunt for Hit will end up being 4, because he gets a speed bonus, while Neuman's Bunt for Hit will end up being 2 because his speed is between 40 and 60 (-1 deduction off Bunt skill).

BTW, Neuman is just going to rake in this league! He ends up being 2.5 stars by regular major league standards!

[Elendil]

Originally Posted by congobeast

POSITIONS:
CF RANGE: 68 ($17)
RATING: 4 (.982) ($12)

Dola...

At speed=61, range is $0.40 a point; it goes down to $0.25 a point at speed=>81. Let me know whether you'd like to stick with $17, or adjust all the ratings.

[congobeast]

Originally Posted by Elendil

$22 will buy you 44 range in left, then -10% for center (40), then another -15% for right (34).

Also, Stackow's Bunt for Hit will end up being 4, because he gets a speed bonus, while Neuman's Bunt for Hit will end up being 2 because his speed is between 40 and 60 (-1 deduction off Bunt skill).

BTW, Neuman is just going to rake in this league! He ends up being 2.5 stars by regular major league standards!

Lemme check my numbers on Cole back in the {ugly} spreadsheet- I may have forgotten to edit them on the notepad before I pasted them in.

On Neuman- heh. Just like the real Neuman. He's one of the guys on my IRL over-30 baseball team. He's amazing, truly. The backstory on him in that writeup is pretty close to the truth. I'm just not sure which org he was with when he blew out his arm, or when it actually happened.

Funny thing is, IRL, he's still chucking the rock at 90+. He just can't keep it up for more than a few innings at a time.

Edit: You're right on Cole, of course. It's not that I didn't edit the notepad version right, it's that I forgot to move a column properly on the spreadsheet. It can stay as is. He just needs to work on his D a little, I guess.

[congobeast]

Originally Posted by Elendil

At speed=61, range is $0.40 a point; it goes down to $0.25 a point at speed=>81. Let me know whether you'd like to stick with $17, or adjust all the ratings.

Crap. I f'ed up the spreadsheet.
Fixing Gallo entirely.

[congobeast]

SCOUTS SAY...
Mike Davis is one of the premier defensive backstops in the league. His range is better than average, and he doesn't make many mistakes behind the plate; but his biggest strength is his strength- Mike throws down with authority. Only the fastest baserunners are likely to test his arm. Pitching staffs love him for his willingness to block the plate as well, and tend to trust to his level-headed play-calling.

With the bat, Mike isn't much of a threat, though he can move baserunners along from time to time. He needs to work on his aggressiveness in the batter's box, as he's known for leaving meatballs down the pipe.

Mike is not a threat on the basepath, though his speed is adequate.

---

Name: Mike Davis
DOB: 12/3/1977


TALENTS
CONTACT: 25 ($25)
GAP POWER: 15 ($15)
HOMERUN POWER: 15 ($15)
EYE: 29 ($29)
AVOID K: 27 ($13.50)

SPEED: 50 ($25)
STEAL: 35 ($17.50)
INSTINCTS: 42
SAC BUNT 3 ($4)
BUNT FOR HIT: 2

POSITIONS:
C RANGE: 59 ($29.50)
RATING: 2 (.981, 14 PB) ($6)
ARM: 100 ($50)

IF ARM: --

INJURY RATING: NORMAL
LEADERSHIP: NORMAL
CONSISTANCY: NORMAL
HITTER TYPE: NORMAL

TOTAL: $200

[congobeast]

SCOUTS SAY...
Chick is a handy player to have around, as she can play all the infield positions, save the hot corner. Her arm is a bit ragged, so you probably don't want to have her in the Tools of Ignorance too often, but she can fill that role in a pinch, and possesses unusual range for a backstop.

Frydlo's bat is quite a weakness. She'll hit over the Mendoza line- but not by a whole lot. On the plus side, she won't draw too many K's and will pull a walk or two out of her hat. Once she's on base, she's smart and fast but not much of a thief. Some say that Chick's height is the problem- at only 5 feet in stature, her strides are really short, but that remains to be seen.

Frydlo is best suited for the bench, but will play a useful role in late innings, or as a spot-starter for tired regulars.


---

Name: Melissa "Chick" Frydlo
DOB: 6/17/1980


TALENTS
CONTACT: 20 ($20)
GAP POWER: 1 ($1)
HOMERUN POWER: 1 ($1)
EYE: 33 ($33)
AVOID K: 50 ($25)

SPEED: 81 ($40.50)
STEAL: 41 ($20.50)
INSTINCTS: 61
SAC BUNT 3 ($4)
BUNT FOR HIT: 4

POSITIONS:
C RATING: 2 (.981, 14 PB) ($6)
ARM: 10 ($5)

2B RANGE: 83 (-)
RATING: 2 (.982) ($6)

SS RANGE: 75 (-)
RATING: 0 (.933) (-)

1B RANGE: 72 (-)
RATING: 0 (.982) (-)


IF ARM: 30

INJURY RATING: NORMAL
LEADERSHIP: NORMAL
CONSISTANCY: NORMAL
HITTER TYPE: NORMAL

TOTAL: $180

[congobeast]

SCOUTS SAY...
Lawrence makes very good contact, but has no power to speak of. He's got a knack for fouling off bad pitches, which keeps him from whiffing too often, but he's never seen a pitch he didn't like. As a result, his walks are depressed well below where they should be. He should hit a good .300 or .310, but his OBA won't be much higher than that. His bat would best be used to move along batters already on the bases as a hit-and-run pinch-hitting specialist.

On the base paths, Jeff is a lumbering lummox. If you need the run, and he gets on, you'd be well advised to bring in a pinch runner, because Lawrence just won't get the job done- he's strictly station-to-station. He doesn't take good leads, and is prone to lose concentration and commit serious base running blunders.

In the field, Jeff is a solid right-fielder, with sure hands and a quick release. He can cover the other outfield positions passing well, but not enough to displace a starter- or even another bench player. In his prime, he could play a decent second base, but those days are gone. He can still spell your regulars, but he's not the solution there.


---

Name: Jeff Lawrence
DOB: 1/1/1971


TALENTS
CONTACT: 50 ($50)
GAP POWER: 8 ($8)
HOMERUN POWER: 9 ($9)
EYE: 10 ($10)
AVOID K: 40 ($40)

SPEED: 30 ($15)
STEAL: 34 ($17)
INSTINCTS: 32
SAC BUNT 1 ($-)
BUNT FOR HIT: 1

POSITIONS:
RF RANGE: 60 ($30)
RATING: 4 (.982) ($12)

LF RANGE: 54 (-)
RATING: 1 (.922) ($3)

CF RANGE: 51 (-)
RATING: 1 (.958) ($3)

2B RANGE: 42 (-)
RATING: 1 (.958) ($3)


OF ARM: 90
IF ARM: 30

INJURY RATING: NORMAL
LEADERSHIP: NORMAL
CONSISTANCY: NORMAL
HITTER TYPE: NORMAL

TOTAL: $180

[Jestor]

...Wait. Catcher Range and Arm are separate?

[Elendil]

Originally Posted by congobeast

POSITIONS:
C RANGE: 59 ($29.50)
RATING: 2 (.981, 14 PB) ($6)
ARM: 74 ($37)

C Range is randomly set by the AI, so you don't need to pay for it. (In this case, he was given 34 range.) So you've got $29.50 extra to throw around for him.

Ditto for Frydlo...Actually, the range he was given at C by the AI just now is 15. We hadn't settled how to handle catchers who have secondary positions. What about paying for one of his secondary positions' range but not for his catcher range? That would allow you to make him a good infielder with limited range behind the plate.

BTW, if you have any left-right or split prefs, let me know. So far I've just been letting the AI set L-R randomly and doing even splits.

[congobeast]

Originally Posted by Elendil

C Range is randomly set by the AI, so you don't need to pay for it. (In this case, he was given 34 range.) So you've got $29.50 extra to throw around for him.

Ditto for Frydlo...Actually, the range he was given at C by the AI just now is 15. We hadn't settled how to handle catchers who have secondary positions. What about paying for one of his secondary positions' range but not for his catcher range? That would allow you to make him a good infielder with limited range behind the plate.

BTW, if you have any left-right or split prefs, let me know. So far I've just been letting the AI set L-R randomly and doing even splits.

Righto. I'll start making edits later today. I have a 9:00 meeting that is gonna BITE.

[congobeast]

Originally Posted by congobeast

Righto. I'll start making edits later today. I have a 9:00 meeting that is gonna BITE.

The two with C ratings have been edited.
Chick's went straight to her secondary fielding stat, giving her more beef. Please note that I edited her to be her proper gender now too, given your reponse on the main thread.

Mike's went to his arm, and some mods to his batting as well.