orioles dynasty

[movietitan]

I was halfway through my Marlins dynasty when I accidentally saved overtop of it. I was like 52-21 and very pissed at myself. Oh well, so I decided to start another one with my favorite team - the O's. I made four significant trades, but before I hand that info out, I just wanted to say that this time around I wanted to make it really challenging for me. So I started on Pro with the hitter's eye and hot/cold zones off this time around. But I quickly went 9-0, destroying teams. I scored 20 runs two times. So then I bumped it up to all-star and am now using Goose's sliders. I am basically playing the game the way he is. I am going to lose a lot of games, but I like a challenge . Here are the trades I made.

Traded SP Bruce Chen to Tampa Bay for SP Scott Kazmir.

Traded SP Rick Bauer to St. Louis for SP Anthony Reyes (who I put in AA and promoted Adam Loewen to AAA)

Traded SP John Maine and a rookie RF to Los Angeles Angels for 1B Kendry Morales and another SP who doesn't matter

Traded SP Eric DuBose to Oakland for RP Huston Street

I got some really good young talent out of those trades and made some room in the salary department. Awesome. Ok here are my players

LINEUP

Brian Roberts - 2b

Melvin Mora - 3b

Miguel Tejada - ss

Sammy Sosa - rf

Rafael Palmiero - 1b/dh

Javy Lopez - c

B.J. Surhoff - lf/dh/1b

Larry Bigbie - lf/cf

Luis Matos - cf

David Newhan - 3b/cf/dh

Geronimo Gil - c

Jay Gibbons - 1b/rf/lf/dh

Chris Gomez - ss/3b/1b

I am platooning several players right now to solidify my lineup. Bigbie and Surhoff are getting the most b/c they are hot (bigbie had a 2 HR 8 RBI game) and Gibbons went down for 7 games in the beginning. Mora is now out for 10 and I'm going to have Newhan play. He's hitting a buck 25, so ill give him 3 games, if he sucks still, Gomez will go.

ROTATION

Rodrigo Lopez

Daniel Cabrera

Erik Bedard

Sidney Ponson

Scott Kazmir

BULLPEN

John Parrish

Jorge Julio

Steve Kline

Steve Reed

Huston Street

Tod Williams

B.J. Ryan - closer (7 svs already)

I'm basically going to have to rely on these guys, as proven after my first game on All-Star. Box score is below. I wanna try and trade Reed and Ponson, but no one will take them b/c of age and salary.

Ok here are some stats after 9 games, but remember I was on Pro, and these will significantly drop b/c I'm not on All-star.

[movietitan]

Game 10: NAIL BITER

Yankees started a rookie Brozell and he basically shut me down. The only run I scored, he walked in. But Scott Kazmir was better. He threw 7 shutout innings. Julio shut em down in the eigth and B.J. Ryan got his seventh save striking out 2 in the ninth. I knew I would suck at hitting

BOX SCORE

[movietitan]

GAME 11: ORIOLES 5 YANKEES 0

Rodrigo Lopez vs. Randy Johnson

Lopez threw a 10 hit shutout, striking out 6 and walking one. Randy Johnson had an unusual game walking 8 and giving up 9 hits in 6 innings of work.

BOX SCORES

It was very unusual for the CPU to leave Johnson in for so long. He pitch count was up around 140. Weird.

Also let me know if you guys are interested in this, I'll update all the time, but I would like to get some replies to see what you guys think. Also, if you have any opinions or ideas, just let me know. (Especially now to trade Steve Reed and Ponson)

[movietitan]

GAME 12: ORIOLES 4 YANKEES 0

I'm beginning to think that I'm just a stud at pitching. I am using Goose's sliders on All-Star. I didn't mean to sound boastful. If I pitched more shutouts, I'll have to lower the User Meter Difficulty which is already at -27 and the user control is at -50. Anyway, Cabrera was masterful, throwing a shutout and striking out 7. Tejada and Gibbons were titans at the plate collecting three hits. Gibbons almost put one out, it hit the top of the scoreboard in right field, a homer in any other park. I have yet to hit a home run in All-Star mode which worries me with Sosa, Palmiero, Lopez, Tejada, Gibbons, and Mora - all people who can put 30 out. And I'm striking out a lot too. Pavano got me 7 times, 6 in the first 3 innings.

BOX SCORE

[movietitan]

GAME 13: TIGERS 3 ORIOLES 0

Let's just say I opened my big mouth too soon. Let's just say I'm very frustrated at my hitting so I don't feel like taking the time to post the picture of the pathetic box score. 12 K's, two measley hits. PATHETIC. I don't know what else to do. I am trying to be patient dangit. I can beat Randy Johnson, but not Jason Johnson. Percival got the save, Magglio and Vance Johnson went yard off of me.

Oh...Jay Gibbons hit a home run...foul...whoopee

[KerryW]

Where's Mora? don't see him in your line-ups..

[movietitan]

Mora is on the DL...grr and I just lost Palmiero for 45 days, this is pathetic...

[Dazedcat]

It's always great to beat the Yankees. I wish I could pitch well whenever I use Cabrera but more often than not he gets pounded. What roster set do you use? Nice season for you so far though.......

Regards;

[movietitan]

It's always great to beat the Yankees. I wish I could pitch well whenever I use Cabrera but more often than not he gets pounded. What roster set do you use? Nice season for you so far though.......

Regards;

i forget which roster set it is, but it was a mod made here about three weeks ago

[movietitan]

Before the game I put Rafael Palmiero on the 60 DL (he is out 56 days) and called up Chris Stynes. I don't think Stynes will last all 56 days, but we'll see.

GAME 14: TIGERS 6 ORIOLES 5

My woes continue. I was losing 5-3 at one point and came back with some nice clutch singles, doubles, and a solo jack by Brian Roberts (my first since going to all-star). I'm a little worried about my pitching because even though I have had three shutouts against the Yankees, every games save one I've given up at least 10 hits. This game was the worst with 16 and Carlos Guillen going 5-5 with the game winning home run off Julio in the top of the ninth. Ah, it's frustrating. 12-2 now. I wonder if I'll be over .500 by the All-Star break...(this was not sarcasm).

BOX SCORE

As you can see my struggles are David Newhan, Javy Lopez, and Jorge Julio. I might move Huston Street into the setup role. I started Stynes and he sucked...but so does Newhan right now. Newhan vs righties, Stynes vs. lefties. Until Mora is back.

[movietitan]

Before the game I realized my AA team only had one positional player sub, so I signed some free agents, two created players and Donnie Sadler (ex Red Sock). I also traded Kevin Nivar (AAA) to the Padres for Jesse Barfield as my AAA didn't have any back up infielders.

GAME 15: ORIOLES 7 RED SOX 4

Wild one here at Camden Yards. Red Sox jumped out early with a jack from Mark Bellhorn (who later homered again in the game). But the O's game back strong with a potent offense led by Jay Gibbons, Brian Roberts, and Luis Matos. Gibbons hit his first blast of the year and Roberts stayed hot by jacking another one and collecting three hits. Matos also had three hits. Kazmir got the win but gave up 11 hits and B.J Ryan got the save even though he served one up to Youklis. 13-2 now.

BOX SCORES

[abhall]

You need to use spitoon's walk fix to make it more realistic.

I saw 4 box scores and 2 user walks.

[movietitan]

what does the walk fix do? i mean ive made the pitching as tough as it gets....the green line is so small it's ridiculous, i would never throw a strike if it disappeared

so what does it do?

[movietitan]

GAME 16: RED SOX 5 ORIOLES 4

Home run derby it seems like these days, although save for two important bombs by Johnny Damon and Bill Mueller, Rodrigo Lopez did a decent job at containing the Red Sox from getting on base. The O's were down in the 9th by 3 when Keith Foulke came in. He immediately got Tejada and Sosa out, but then things became tough. Gibbons and Surhoff went back-to-back to make it 5-4. But Geronimo Gil couldn't make it 3 as he popped out to end the game. 13-3

BOX SCORE

Schilling improved to 4-0 after this game. He was dominate.

[endeavor]

Roberts is picking it up 8)

[movietitan]

Sorry I haven't updated in a while, IMGspot wasn't working for a while. I played four games, but failed to get the box scores for one of them. I also signed some more free agents for my single A club, none of which were any familiar names (in fact I changed their names to guys I used to play with at Campbell U), I doubt they will ever make it to the big club, but who knows.

GAME 17: ORIOLES 6 BLUE JAYS 1

Daniel Cabrera was stud like as you can see by his line. Lopez broke out of his slump and crushed a homer. Melvin Mora is back, but didnt have a hot day at the plate. And that's the jist of it.

Also here is a pic of Lopez sweet swing.

[movietitan]

GAME 18: BLUE JAYS 7 ORIOLES 5

This game didn't turn out so well. After Mora knocked out Bush in the first inning because he hit a line drive off his face (he came back and started the next game), Lopez stayed on fire and hit another home run. I was up 4-0 in the first. Before I knew it, Bedard gave up 5 runs and we were knotted at 5. Then Vernon Wells and Corey Koskie did the honors of paving the way to the showers for Bedard as they hit back-to-back jacks. No one else scored from there on out.

BOX SCORE

[movietitan]

GAME 19: ORIOLES 3 BLUE JAYS 0

I don't have the box score for this and it's a shame. Sidney Ponson pitched a complete game shutout and struck out 9, only surrending 5 hits. David Newhan hit a homer in the ninth.

GAME 20: RED SOX 8 ORIOLES 7 (10 innings)

This games was fun to play but frustrating as well. Kazmir started and had a very rough start, hopefully he can bounce back next time. I jumped out early with 3 runs in the first after a Gibbons jack. The problem was, I couldn't keep it in the park pitching wise. Edgar Renteria went deep on me twice in the first three innings. The score went back and forth until we were finally tied at 6 after full length game. In the top of the tenth Lopez left off the inning with yet another home run (He and Gibbons seem to be the only one hitting jacks. Tejada? Sosa? Hello!?!!?) B.J. Ryan came on to get the save. He gave up a single, got someone out, and the Jason Varitek stepped in and belted his THIRD HOME RUN OF THE GAME :evil: Stupid jerk. 6 home runs in all for the Red Sox (I forget who hit the other one, I don't really care). I need to take the next two. I'm glad I don't have to face Wakefield this series.

BOX SCORE

Two things that REALLY REALLY frustrate me right now and if you guys could help me out, give me your opinions on it, I would REALLY REALLY appreciate it.

1. The amount of home runs hit off of me. This seems to be the only way the computer can score. If I take the computer's contact down (it's at 40, I dropped it 10 b/c they were getting too many hits a game) I'll shut them out all the time and that's not fun or realistic, I do like a challenge. But no team doesnt do all the scoring just off homeruns. Any suggestions?

2. I am SICK and TIRED of getting hits and them being called errors. TWICE with Melvin Mora I hit the ball, cleanly through the middle and then the centerfielder bobbles the ball just a bit, and I don't EVEN ADVANCE. They call it an error and don't give Mora a hit. Then there was another one with Luis Matos (who def. needs the hits) where he hit a deep fly ball to right and it bounced high off the ground, off the wall and just skipped past Trot Nixon. Matos ended up on third, but didn't get credit with a hit at all. What is the deal? Is this a bug? Is there something that can fix this? B/c I am tired of being robbed of good quality hits.

Please help if ya can. Are you guys enjoying this?

[endeavor]

hey there. Im not sure if this is advice, but I can tell you, with my sliders on ALL-STAR I am not experiencing these hitting or non hitting dillemmas. Currently, my user and cpu contact / power sliders are set @ 5, respectively.

Realsitic stats so far (MARLINS DYNASTY), and otherwise works great as well.

[movietitan]

I forgot to get the box score for the next game I just played. It stinks b/c I cannot get the box scores for you.

GAME 21: ORIOLES 5 RED SOX 2

Rodrigo Lopez vs. Curt Schilling, what a showdown. It was 1-1 all the way until the 8th inning. Lopez was masterful only allowing two hits (one a solo jack to Edgar Renteria, AGAIN). But in the top of the 8th the O's struck. Brian Roberts led off with a single, Schilling was replaced by John Halama and it all went down hit from there. Melvin Mora followed with a double plating Roberts. Tejada then broke out of his "power slump" and belted his 3rd home run of the year, which was his 3rd hit of the game. Then Lopez chased Halama out with his 8th homer of the year and 5th in as many games. He only needs to hit 3 more in 3 games to tie Don Mattingly, Ken Griffey Jr. and someone else (a Pirate I believe) for the record. The pressure is on (and I will be trying from here on out). Steve Kline got the hold and B.J. Ryan knotted his 9th save after Lopez surrendered another home run to Mark Bellhorn. The Orioles are now 16-5. (7-5 on all-star).

[movietitan]

ive decided to cool it on updating after every game, too much work. I'll still post screenshots, but of a box score every now and then. And I'll show you stats. In recent news, I demoted Chris Stynes back to AAA and brought up this burly black first baseman, lefty about 6'5". HUGE! he went 1-3 in his debut. He was dropping bombs in AAA. Anyway, I am not fairing to well on All-Star. A rookie for the Devil Rays shut me out (mainly b/c I grounded into 3 double plays and got caught stealing 3 times). Switzer was his name. Since sweeping the Yankees, I am 7-7. That puts me at 19-7. I'll come back with updates every now and then. I don't think anyone took too keen of a interest anyway.

[movietitan]

Just a real quick update, I am 6 games past the All-Star break (I have played EVERY game thus far) and I'm 68-27 or something like that, I have a 15 game lead over the Red Sox. I had eight Orioles make the All-Star squad - Scott Kazmir, Rodrigo Lopez, Melvin Mora, Miguel Tejada, Sammy Sosa (I dont know how), Javy Lopez, B.J Ryan, and Brian Roberts. I really dont know how Mora made it either b/c he was put on the DL on three different occassions. Roberts leads the league in SB's with 55 and Tejada leads the league in RBI's with 78. Sosa is my team leader in HR with 23 (although he's hitting .249) and Lopez has 22. Mora and Tejada are hitting over .340. Lopez and Roberts are over .300 as well but barely. Palmeiro is at .333 but only has 140 at bats or something, he was on the shelf for a long time. Erik Bedard and Kazmir have 10 wins. Lopez is 13-5 i think. Sidney Ponson is 12-1 but is on the DL (he would've made the All-Star team too, maybe started over Santana). I have gotten a lot better a hitting, I'm still striking out a lot. I am giving up less homers, but it is still a tad easy to pitch. I don't want to move up to MVP b/c my offense would be pitiful. I don't know how much I'll update b/c there wasn't too much interest in this. But I'll let you know of transactions and playoffs. Oh, the Yankees traded Ramiro Mendoza for Jason Kendall...odd trade. Then they offered me Jorge Posada for Sosa and I said no. It would free up money, but I have Lopez and Gil (OH who is hitting .365!!!! in 200 at bats). Promising prospects are Majewski, Loewen, Anthony Reyes (who i picked up from the cardinals), Huston Street (I sent him down to AAA after i picked him up from the A's), Brandon League (got him from Toronto for James Baldwin, LOL!! suckers), Jeff Fiorentino, Kendry Morales (from ANA) and Hayden Penn. That's all I got, I might post all the stats later if i feel like it.

[movietitan]

Well I just played a good game and I have to post it, one of my best offensively and pitching wise. I swear when I get Kazmir's stamina up, he's going to strike out 15 a game. I'm really excited about how good I'm getting on All-Star (with the sliders that Goose uses, I've found these to be the most realistic). Take a look at the box scores...

Here are the stats of my team thus far...

This is the lineup I have been using recently, although Newhan is on fire and Surhoff is slumping, so they are platooning right now.

AVG/H/HR/RBI/SB

Brian Roberts .304/101/7/26/54 (leads MLB)

Melvin Mora .341/84/10/49/27

Javy Lopez .306/109/22/63/0

Miguel Tejada .339/131/18/79/29 (1st in H/RBI/MVP voting)

Rafael Palmeiro .333/50/10/31/0 (on DL half the season)

Sammy Sosa .247/84/23/57/10

Jay Gibbons .306/81/12/31/4

B.J. Surhoff .299/82/12/36/0 (hitting an outstanding .444 vs LHP)

Larry Bigbie .299/91/13/38/13

David Newhan .259/41/2/16/7

Geronimo Gil .358/68/2/18/0

Chris Gomez .305/25/0/16/2

Val Majewski .339/19/2/8/4 (currently on the 60 day DL)

Tim Raines Jr. .278/5/0/2/3

Jeff Fiorentino .000/0/0/0/0 (only 3 ABs, back at AAA)

Donnie Sadler .273/6/0/1/4 (picked up off FA, back at AAA)

Chris Stynes .000/0/0/0/0 (only 2 ABs, back at AAA)

Walter Young .111/1/0/0/0 (back hitting bombs at AAA)

W-L/IP/SO/SV/ERA

Rodrigo Lopez 13-5/129.1/90/0/2.85 (leads MLB in wins)

Daniel Cabrera 6-6/124.2/117/0/2.96 (3rd in K's, gets no run support)

John Parrish 9-1/75.1/70/0/2.15 (took over for struggling Bedard)

Erik Bedard 10-4/101.0/81/0/3.56 (getting better and time with Ponson gone)

Sidney Ponson 12-1/109.2/85/0/2.46 (on DL/1st in Cy Young voting)

Scott Kazmir 12-4/109.0/109/0/3.14

B.J. Ryan 0-2/40.0/40/35/2.93 (1st in MLB in saves)

Scott Kline 3-0/40.1/37/0/0.89 (2nd in Cy Young voting)

Jorge Julio 1-1/33.2/30/0/1.34

Todd Williams 2-0/36.0/27/0/3.50

Aaron Rakers 1-0/17.2/16/0/0.51 (very impressive call up)

Brandon League 1-1/33.2/30/1/4.81 (hits 100 MPH, get him)

Adam Loewen 0-0/1.0/0/0/0.00 (just called up/future of Orioles)

Huston Street 0-1/19.0/14/0/6.16 (down in AAA after rough start)

Kurt Ainsworth 0-0/4.1/2/0/2.08 (in AAA, deserves to be MLB, no where to put him)

I think those numbers are impressive. I wonder what they'd be like if I didnt play the first 9 games on rookie (see very first post).

STANDINGS

W L GB

Orioles 70 25 -

Red Sox 49 45 20.5

Yankees 49 45 20.5

Blue Jays 41 53 28.5

Devil Rays 36 60 34.5

WILD CARD

GB

Angels -

Red Sox 2.5

Rangers 2.5

Yankees 2.5

[movietitan]

does anyone care? lol

[TheNateGBent]

I care. I have nothing to do anyway. No school, nada.