How They Were Built - The Burlington Coat Factory

The next in a series of looks into the 25 man ML Roster of one of the teams in 1530. Here is how cincyreds90 built the Burlington Coat Factory

Draft - 3
Trade – 12
IFA - 1
Free Agent - 6
Rule V – 1
Waivers – 2

Pitchers
SP1-Victor Sierra – Season 6 trade with Houston Hangovers. Victor Sierra, Pedro Canseco, and Pedro Morales for Dave Darr and Rich Shields.
SP2-Omar Johnson – Season 3 Draft. Round 1 Pick 6
SP3-Ezdra Mateo – Season 14 trade with Pittsburgh Partymen. Ezdra Mateo for Steven Reid and Delino Oliva.
SP4-Julio Lopez – Season 13 IFA signing. $18 million
SP5-Kent Greenwood – Season 17 Free agent signing. 1yr $1.6 million
LRA-Stephen Schourek – Season 17 Free agent signing. 1yr $770k
LRA-Connie Stark – Season 10 trade with Pittsburgh Partymen. Connie Stark, Theodore Tobin, and Oscar Barrett for Al Ramirez, Guillermo Uribe, and Stephen Coleridge.
SuA-Vince Berg – Season 15 Rule 5 pick. Round 1 Pick 26
SuA-Albert Burnett – Season 5 trade with Santa Fe Smoke (Tampa Bay Sun Kings). Albert Burnett and Bo Turner for Randy Valentin.
SuA-Henry Green – Season 17 Free agent signing. 2yr $2.6 million
SuA-Benny Morandini – Season 15 trade with Atlanta Lone Wolves. Beny Morandini and Jimmie Aquino for Larry Hendricksen, Joel Castillo, and Gene Dillon.
SuB-Nicholas Matthews – Season 17 Free agent signing. 2yr $1.5 million
ClA-Andy Jefferson – Season 6 trade with Charlotte Racers (New Orleans Causeway Cajuns). Andy Jefferson for Edgardo Romo.

Position Players
C-Orlando Santiago – Season 11 Draft. Round 2 Pick 46
1B-Juan Johnson – Season 17 Free agent signing. 2yr $4.4 million
2B-Archie Herzner – Season 11 Draft. Round 1 Pick 30
3B-Jose Segui – Season 11 trade with Tucson Knee Bucklers (Salem Aggies). Jose Segui for Charley Coveleski, Willy Williams, and Angel Siquieros.
SS-Wendell Reed – Season 10 trade with Hartford Heartbreakers (San Juan Cangrejeros). Wendell Reed and Ramon Okajima for Gerald Gload, Heath Coppinger, and Carmine Bell.
LF-Al Nieto – Season 17 trade with Tampa Bay Sun Kings. Al Nieto for Mac Quinn.
CF-Angel Bonilla – Season 17 Free agent signing. 2yr $2.4 million
RF-Juan Alvarez – Season 17 trade with Scottsdale Sidewinders. Juan Alvarez for Wascar Otanez.
DH-Wilfredo Perez – Season 17 trade with Cincinnati Redlegs. Wilfredo Perez, R.J. Escobar, and Wascar Otanez for Bernie Pena.

Backup C-P.T. Cruz – Season 14 Waiver wire after released by Cleveland Wahoos
Backup IF-Torey Castro – Season 17 Waiver wire after released by Columbus Aviators
Backup OF-Rafael Oliva – Season 10 trade with Honolulu Tropics. Rafael Oliva for Clint Frascatore and Mark Strickland.

Best Move – Trading for Andy Jefferson (greatest closer ever) and Albert Burnett way back in Seasons 6 and 5. These 2 have been the backbone of my bullpen for an extremely long time. Burnett could’ve had a ton of success as a closer, and initially did, but had to settle in as my SuA so that Andy Jefferson could do his thing and close out games with a save percentage of over 90% for his career.

Worst Move – Many will look at my trading of Dave Darr as my worst move, but Sierra has been a solid SP and won the Cy Young last season, so it is hard to say that is my worst move. Instead, I will say that moving to the pitchers park, known as Mustain Stadium, in Season 11 was my worst move. I thought with the pitchers I have that the stadium would be perfect. However, the park has been a large reason for my position players to struggle greatly and with Wendell Reed, Jose Segui, Archie Herzner unable to get anything going at home it has resulted in my team be very streaky. While the pitching stats look great, the offensive struggles of some of my best players has me ready to load up the trucks and move back to Boston. The boys miss the chowder.

Philosophy – TRADE, TRADE, TRADE!!!! I have always been extremely active in the trade market and once a player is ready to earn the big bucks that I cant afford then it is time to trade them away for a nice package of players. This is also the 1st season that I decided to sign Type A free agents and lost my 1st round pick. In signing Henry Green, Nicholas Matthews, Juan Johnson, and Angel Bonilla I lost some picks in the draft this season, but I was able to get them signed for 2yrs at a lower price then I could ever imagine.

How They Were Built - The Montgomery Burns

The next in a series of looks into the 25 man ML Roster of some of the top teams in 1530. Here is how neilg built the Montgomery Burns

Draft - 8
Trade - 9
IFA - 0
Free Agent - 5
Rule V – 2
Waivers – 1

Pitchers
SP1 - Guillermo Balboa - Season 7 in a trade with the Seattle Slackers (currently the Scottsdale Sidewinders) for Michael Tabaka .
SP2 – Hooks Benard - Season 15 Free Agent
SP3 – Douglas Cust - Season 16 in a trade with the Norfolk Nala Dogs for Frank Urich and Marvin Edwards
SP4 – Bill Phillips - Season 17 Free Agent
SP5 – Rob Tartabull - Season 17 in a trade with the Durham Tar Heels for Doyle Adams
Mop – Shin-Soo Uchida - Season 12 Draft round 1, pick 24
LRA – Greg Hall - Season 15 in a trade with the Tampa Bay Sun Kings for Shayne Lincoln
SuA – Justin Houston - Season 17 Free Agent
SuA – Theodore Tobin - Season 13 trade with the Burlington Coat Factory for Terry McPherson
SuB – Billy Ray Dunn - Season 10 Waiver Claim from the Oklahoma City FalconsSuB – Don Tanaka - Season 14 Free AgentSuB – Gerardo Miro – Season 11 Draft round 2, pick 67
ClA – Bill Riley - Season 9 trade with the Durham Tar Heels as part of the package for Jimmy Price

Position Players
C – Alex Pan - Season 15 Trade with the Scottsdale Sidewinders as part of the package for Joaquin Vazquez
1B – Ken Daly - Season 6 Draft, Round 1, Pick 29
2B – Carmine Ross - Season 10 Draft, Round 1, Pick 24
3B – Ismael Polanco - Season 16 Trade with the Montreal Garde Imperiale for Wilton Gagne and Marc Morton
SS – Lou Jenkins - Season 15 Free Agent
LF – Bruce Garland - Season 7 Draft, Round 1, Pick 23
CF – Brian Klingenbeck - Season 7 Draft, Round 1*, Pick 35
RF – Clyde Maloney - Season 8 Draft, Round 1, Pick 21
Bench 1 - C – Paulie Cook - Season 9, Draft, Round 13, Pick 425
Bench 2 - C – Cesar Fernandez - Season 15 Trade with the Augusta Gladiators (currently the Cincinnati Redlegs) as part of the package for Juan Mercado
Bench 3 - SS – Ivan Pena - Season 13 Rule V draft from the Memphis Pharoahs (currently the Florida Gators), Pick 20
Bench 4 - CF – Shawn Broome - Season 14 Rule V draft from the Scottsdale Sidewinders, Pick 14

Best Move – Refusing to trade Ken Daly. Since he was drafted I have received no fewer than 3 trade offers per season for him.

Worst Move - Drafting Shin-Soo Uchida with the 24th pick in Season 12 . I passed over Willie Cedeno, Carl Acker, and Art Wingo to take a career AAAA pitcher.

Philosophy – Montgomery has always traded aggressively while filling in holes with free agent acquisitions. 16 seasons following this philosophy has left the Burns’ minor leagues almost bare and we are now forced to try to build through the draft.

Trade Recap - Atlanta/Jacksonville

Atlanta gets Danys Park, Ronnie Wallace, and Marv Lincoln, Jacksonville gets Danys Rivas, Edwin Skipworth, and $2.5 million

1. Production - Park, in 5 minor league seasons, has won two gold gloves and appeared in one all star game. He is a career .283 batter with an OPS of .819. Wallace, also in five minor league seasons, is a career .303 hitter with an OPS of .812, and has a fielding % of .929 at SS. Lincoln , a former Rule V draftee, has appeared in 207 ML games, with an average of .219 and a fielding % of .941 at SS. Rivas, in seven ML seasons, has a career average of .253, and a career fielding % of .981. He has also won three Gold Gloves at SS and appeared in four all star games. Skipworth has appeared in 371 career ML games and is a .275 batter over that stretch with an OPS of .762. He has a .978 fielding % in center field. Advantage - Jacksonville

2. Current/Projected Ratings - Park projects as a defensive specialist in CF, with excellent range and very good glove. At the plate, he projects as a bottom of the order bat, with good power and above average eye. He should have a long ML career and might win a GG or two. Wallace is an odd player in that he has all the tools to be a good SS, but is limited by his accuracy. He will most likely end up a plus defensive ML 3B with a AAA bat. Lincoln is also a defensive oddity. He has first class range, arm, and accuracy, but is limited by his poor (for a SS) glove. He will make amazing plays, but they will be offset by routine balls made into errors. He has a AAA bat. Rivas has maxed out his ratings. He is an elite defensive SS, with speed and smarts on the basepaths. His great eye makes up for his awful contact, power, and vs RHP. Skipworth projects to a plus defensive CF with very good contact and vs. RHP. He should be a bottom of the order everyday player, or a top of the order platoon vs. RHP. Advantage - Jacksonville

3. Contract - Park and Wallace are in the minors and controllable for quite some time. Lincoln has two options and will not hit arbitration for a couple more seasons. Rivas is in the first year of a 5 year, $6 million per year deal. He is a nice player, but that contract is a little rich and might prove to be too burdensome down the line. Skipworth is in his second ML season and will hit arbitration next season. Advantage - Atlanta

4. Overall - The blog likes what Atlanta did in unloading a 5 year contract for a defensive specialist. It also likes Park better than Skipworth in CF. On the other hand, Jacksonville did not give up much besides Park as Wallace and Lincoln are a dime a dozen. Advantage? See poll question to the right.

Trade recap - Hartford/St. Louis

Marc Fielder and cash for Jesus Lee

1. Production - Fielder is 111-72 in eleven ML seasons. He has a career ERA of 4.23 and a World Series win with Boston (Burlington). Lee has 168 career ML bats and a lifetime .268 average. Advantage - Hartford

2. Current Ratings - Both players have maxed out. Fielder is middle of the rotation SP, with poor durabilty and stamina offsetting good control, splits, velocity, and pitches. Lee is a + defensive 3B with good intangibles but below average splits and eye. He is at best a AAAA player. Advantage - Hartford

3. Contract - Fielder is in teh second to last year of a 3 year, $5.8 million per year deal. He should be productive through the contract and has an outside chance of producing a Type B compensatory pick if he leaves. Lee is in his first ML year and is controllable for quite some time. Advantage - Even

4. Overall - Hartfors is preparing for a run to the playoffs and this was a very nice move. They didn't give up too much and the contract nad remaining years are palatable. Lee should fill a bench role, and St. Louis is no doubt rebuilding and creating cap room. Advantage - Hartford

All Star Weekend

Alfredo Nieves wins the Homer Run Derby with a total of 33, more than double the homers of the second place winner

How They Were Built - The Durham Tar Heels

The first in a series of looks into the 25 man ML Roster of some of the top teams in 1530. Here is how jmercer77 built the Durham Tar Heels

Draft - 9
Trade - 8
IFA - 5
Free Agent - 2
Rule V - 1

Pitchers
SP1 - Boots Munson - Season 11 in a trade with the Memphis Pharohs (currently the Florida Gators) for Mikey Kelly, Brian Hughes, and Sam Garland .
SP2 - Mark Gang - Season 17 Free Agent
SP3 - Pedro Espinosa - Season 12 IFA, $15.6 million
SP4 - Seth Matthews - Season 11 Draft, Round 1, Pick 19
SP5 - Paul Reid - Season 13 Draft, Round 1*, Pick 39
Mop - Javier Aybar - Season 10 IFA, $7 million
LRA - Juan Lee - Season 17 Free Agent, $1 million
LRB - Domingo Ordaz - Season 10 IFA, $7.6 million
SuA - Alex Ulrich - Season 14 trade with Butch Moreno for Ricardo Samuel
SuA - Darryl Dessens - Season 13 Draft, Round 1*, Pick 66
SuB - Butch Moreno - Season 14 Trade with Alex Ulrich for Ricardo Samuel
ClA - Carlos Rosado - Season 13 IFA, $12.7 million

Position Players
C - Richard Person - Season 12 Draft, Round 3, Pick 101
1B - Henry Wise - Season 9 Draft, Round 1, Pick 17
2B - Don Carillo - Season 15 Trade with Al Gonzalez and Chip James for Willie Wheat and Daniel Smith
3B - Zach Page - Season 10 Trade with Rodrigo Diaz and Gregory Duncan for Charles Lawrence and Benny Richard
SS - Mac Ashby - Season 12 Draft, Round 1, Pick 29
LF - Chip James - Season 15 trade with Don Carillo and Al Gonzalez for Willie Wheat and Daniel Smith
CF - Trever Ohka - Season 8 Draft, Round 2, Pick 79
RF - Kenny Evans - Season 13 Trade for Javy Tejada and Roosevelt Post
DH - P.T. Mercado - Season 12 Draft, Round 2, Pick 69
Bench 1 - C - Vernon Tunkel - Season 14, Rule V, Round 1, Pick 31
Bench 2 - 1B - Magglio Trinidad - Season 14 IFA, $10.4 million
Bench 3 - SS - Warren Simon - Season 9 Draft, Round 1*, Pick 39
Bench 4 - LF - Al Gonzalez - Season 15 Trade with Don Carillo and Chip James for Willie Wheat and Daniel Smith

Best Move - Drafting Henry Wise. I got the compensatory pick for letting Hamlet Wheeler walk and took a chance on him, even with his poor health.

Worst Move - Drafting Seth Matthews with the 17th pick in Season 11 . I passed over Bobby Melfi and Jeromy West to take a guy with suspect control.

Philosophy - Build through the draft, trades, and IFA. Value Eye and Vs. RHP in Position players, and control and Vs. RHB in pitchers. Free Agents are expensive, both in money and draft picks. Use trades to restock your ML team with young talent so that you are never caught in a rebuilding year (although I'm doing just that this season).

Top 5 Underachievers

As ranked by win % vs. expected win%

Team - Win%, Exp. Win %, Difference

1. Jacksonville - .427, .522, .095
2. Honolulu - .494, .572, .078
3. Norfolk - .360, .435, .075
4. Montgomery - .573, .605, .032
5. Houston - .652, .683, .031

Top 5 Overachievers

As ranked by current win percentage vs. expected win percentage

Team - Win %, Exp. Win %, Difference
1. Kansas City - .258, .156, .092
2. Cincinnati - .708, .652, .056
3. Salem - .438, .391, .047
4. Tampa Bay - .551, .505, .046
5. St Louis - .461, .417, .044

Weekly Rankings

1. Cincinnati Redlegs (last week #2) (62-26) A 16-4 week moves the Redlegs into first place in the rankings. A 10-3 romp through the AL East should leave little doubt about the best division in baseball. They currently boast the second ranked pitching staff and are in the Top 10 in Batting and Fielding. +126 run differential

2. Montreal Garde Imperiale (last week #1) (60-28) An average 11-9 week knocks the Garde from the top spot. They lost series to Scottsdale and Bulington. They are the highest scoring team in the league, have a top 10 pitching staff, but are a below average fielding unit. + 145 run differential

3. Houston Hangovers (last week #7) (58-30) - A league best 17-3 for the week catapults the Hangovers into the top spot for NL teams. Salem, Arizona. Kansas City, and San Diego were all vistims of sweeps. They also took 2 of 3 from previous top NL team Hartford. 2nd in Batting and 3rd in Pitching with a Top 10 Fielding unit. + 177 run differential

4. Hartford Whalers (last week #3) (55-33) - 10-10 for the week and 20-19 for 2 weeks. Lost series to Columbus, Houston, and Los Angeles. Top 10 in pitching and batting and average in fielding. + 110 run differential

5. Burlington Coat Factory ( last week #4) (54-34) - 10-10 for the week including series losses to Salem, Cincinnati, and Cleveland. Top 5 in Pitching, Top 10 in Batting and Fielding. +107 run differential

6. Montgomery Burns (last week #9) (51-38) - An 11-10 week sees the Burnsclimb the rankings due to others poor performance. Top 10 in all three categories. +95 run differential

7. Buffalo Bisons (last week #8) (50-39) - 9-12 for the week, including a stretch of 5 straight losses. The league's best pitching staff is carrying a below average batting and fielding squad.
+102 run differential

8. San Juan Cangrejeros (last week #5) (52-36) - A losing record of 8-12 for the week including only 5 wins in their last 17 games. They have lost their last five series. Top 5 in pitching, Top 10 in batting, and above average in fielding. +103 run differential

9. Santa Cruz Border Control (last week #6) (53-35) - 9-11 for the week including a sweep at Durham. Being carried by top 5 pitching and fielding, with slightly below average batting. + 66 run differential

10. Scottsdale Sidewinders (last week NR) (49-40) - 14-6 for the week including series wins against #2 Montreal and #8 San Juan. Above average in pitching, Top 5 in Batting, and Top 10 in Fielding. +66 run differential


Off of the list - 10. Dover Red Stockings