Power Pros Forum

After posting on another thread about running a season after dream drafting a roster full of older players, I decided to give it a shot. I must say – I was very impressed with The abilities of these guys. Following are my starting position players – I believe they are all over 36

Omar Vizqull
Ken Griffey Junior (playing him in CF)
Brad Ausmus
Jeff Kent
Rich Aurilia (starting him at third)
Moises Alou
Gary Sheffield
Matt stairs

My starting pictures:

Tim Wakefield
Kenny Rogers
Lieber
Loiza

I drafted pitchers towards the end, and most of the really top older players (like John Smoltz) were already chosen.

I only played a few games, but so far, it seems that I should be able to put up at least 6 RPG with this lineup, and it's just a matter of whether my pitchers can hold the opposing lineup in check. My infield D seems really solid, but I chose to play in panpaka park, and I think that my slow OF will be decimated once I start playing home games.

I'm playing 2 season modes simultaneously and have separate comments about players I'm having trouble with.

I picked up Scott Linebrink (His numbers are something like 95 top speed, a level 2 slider and a level 3 change and splitter) to be my closer. I cannot get a batter out with this guy no matter how hard I try! Usually, a level 3 change is all I need, but not with him.

Tim Wakefield has a level 6 knuckleball in 2008. When I play against him, I can barely make contact and my goal is to try and only swing at his slow fastballs and just wait for him to tire out. Now that I'm pitching him, the knuckleball doesn't seem to fool anyone!

I picked up Brendan Harris, who should be very valuable since he has DB contact/power and can play 2b, SS, and 3b. This is the 3rd time I'm using him in a season mode, and while all was fine my 1st time around, in my 2nd and current seasons, the guy cannot catch a break! Everything is hit right at the defenders for easy outs. I keep thinking his luck will change, but it doesn't seem to.

Anyone have similar experiences with these players,more have suggestions? With Linebrink, I'm gonna try to trade him.

I've noticed older players are really bad at sliding into base, they are always called out. Also Jason Bay has 8 HR's in 19 games

With Tom Wakefield you can't just us the KN because about 50% of the time the batters will figure it out if you throw 2-5 times in a row

I finally got a guy to go on the 15-day DL- Taylor Buchholz with elbow pains.

Are you playing or is it the computer? Bay's contact is level C, right? I hit more HRs with CD players than with DB players. Need a larger sweet spot!

2 players who always kill me with HRs when I play against them are OF Delucci, who I think is EE contact and power and 2b Durham, who is DD. they seem to play way more powerful than their ratings. With Durham, I saw the computer bat him 6th, ahead of a player with DC power so I think the computer "knows"!

Anyone ever run a dream draft, focusing on pitchers? I'm thinking about letting the top hitters and fielders get selected by the other teams and I'll pick up the pitchers who can dominate.

In the meantime, I should still be able to pick up some mediocre fielders and then the top rookies (rookie fielders and pitchers). Maybe something like starting pitchers in rounds 1-3, then rookies in 4-6, and then relievers and everyone else after round 6?

I know that if you want to dominate, the general consensus is to focus on some hitters before switching to pitching, but my goal is not to dominate from Day 1.

I kept restarting my game against the Blue Jays. I really hate them in my Expansion Challenge game - every SINGLE game, Zaun hits homers and triples, Stairs I pretty much intentionally walk anytime anyone is on base when he comes up, and somehow the lame jerk on the mound, McGowan or Litsch or whoever, holds me scoreless.

The second to last time, I finally nailed a homer and was up 2-0 most of them game, but then they rallied for 3 runs in the 8th and 9th, of course. Friggin jays!!

So this time I made sure to take a TON of pitches - 20 in the first inning alone. Hit a homer or two off McGowan, then they threw League in - why does Brandon League look like a weird emo asian? i get the long hair, but sunglasses at night? ugh. anyway he tired out quickly - i swwear he threw more pitches tired than he did normal.

Someone hit a homer - Rios, or maybe Wells - but I was still able to hold on 7-1 finally. Something about MLBPP - it will just pick a team or a game and no matter what you do, it is unwinnable. I seriously played the same game about 5 times before I won it.

Ray Durham hit a walk-off grand slam against me.

So my wii died and I lost the different seasons I'd been playing with, and I picked up a Wii mini and started a new one. Decided to play at Minute Maid Stadium so I can see the train go by when I hit a homerun. I was going to play the homerun derby to build up enough points to buy Golden Apples stadium, but I wanted to start my season already. Anyway, with my last few season modes, I did the dream draft and forced myself to pick Graybar players through the first eight rounds, and I am totally hooked on the dream draft concept since it makes all the teams more competitive, but this time, I wanted to create balanced team with a nice minor league roster.

My first pick was SS Jason Bartlett (DDDBB?). He was my favorite player on the Rays, and I wanted my shortstop to be very good on defense and just average on offense. Next, I selected pitcher Roy Oswalt. I know there's really no need to start off picking a defensive SS and then a pitcher, but he is the pitcher that gives me the most trouble and I thought it"d be fun to use him, and since I'm not looking to max out my roster, I took him 1st. Then I picked CF Justin Upton, LF Carlos Lee (CAEDEC) and RF Hunter Pence, thinking OF will be the strength of my team, and letting the SS and catchers who can hit and defend get snatched by the other teams. Then I picked catcher Johnny Estrada - a pretty all-around catcher with "good catcher."

With Graybar players, I got three of the four pitchers with stamina over 100 and max pitch speed over 85, but only one has the pitching repertoire to be an ok long reliever right now. With Graybar fielders, a 1b (ECFFFE) looked to be one of the better graybar 1b's I've seen, so I picked him up, and also nabbed a SS (EEDDDD) and 2-Cs (DFFCCC, trash talk & EEEDDD) who could conceivably make a ML roster. The catcher with a strong defense and "trash talk" – I'm gonna try to get him the "good catcher" ability and make him my starter in a few years, while I will change the position of the other catcher when I see how his defense develops

In the later-middle rounds I took Great Hart (EBGBFD), who can play left field or third, and will play third for me, Chris Burke (EDCECE), who will be my starting second baseman (he also play center and left field), and I was really excited to pick up Lastings Milledge (EDBEED) who can play all three outfield spots.

I rounded out my front end pitching with Scott Baker (93 CA CU – one, CB – three, CH – four), Jason Vargas (91 FB SL – three, CH – three), and Franklin Morales, who seems to always last until the later rounds even though he can hit the low 90s with his fastball and has a killer slow curve,

When it was late rounds and I started to look for "scraps," I was really surprised to see that 1b Ryan Garko (DBFFFD, timely whiff) was still available, so I picked him up

I'm pretty happy with my late inning relievers, but they all have similar pitching styles, so it could get boring. Johnny Cueto and Andrew Brown each throw 94/95 mph with big level 4 changeups. Cueto has a level 2 slider, while Brown's is level 3 and he also has a level 1 curve. Francisco Rosario (97 HSL – four, SP-2, CH –2) may start off as my closer, but it will depend on how effective his level 2 breaking pitches are.

As for my graybars in the minors that I haven't mentioned yet, I have potential relief pitchers (Stamina in the low C level with miles per hour of 94 or 95; a second baseman with potential (DEDEDE), but who might be better-suited for CF; 2 gray bars that might be worth something with a few seasons of training - Outfielder with EDDEEE and a 3B (EDFDFF); and 2 outfield scrubs (both with FFFFEE).

As I was picking, I was disappointed with the graybars, but as I am writing this, I realize I did get Graybar players that could start at SS, 2b, 1b, two Cs, and a potential future 3B and OF, so maybe I shouldn't be disappointed. And even though the pitching was weaker than usual, it is usually easier to upgrade pitching through the draft than other positions..

My team is the Oklahoma Wolfpack and their colors are the dark green-ish (I think it's called "teal") with purple trim. Now that I played a few games, I think the colors look similar to the Rays colors when they were the Devil Rays, but I might be misremembering.

I dream drafted the a team called The Samurais
The Samurais have drafted some nice players while signing some exciting rookies.
A weakness may be their pitching although they have signed two exciting rookies, they are Mr. Cruz and Lieber.
(Tp Spd, Ctrl, Stam, pitches)
Starting Pitchers
G.Cruz (A strong pitcher, with an unhittable CHG and hittable pitches elsewhere) (87,C,B,5 CHG, 1 FORK, 1 CB, 1 2-SFB)
Lieber (A Junkballer, with many of his pitches not having any movement) (95,C,A,1 ORIG(lots of move), 1 2-SFB, 1 SLD, 2 CB, 1 KNCB, 1 KN)
Nance (A pitcher with few pitches and a nasty forkball) (92,D,C,3 FORK, 1 SLV, 2 SLD and CUT)
Session (A pitcher with 4 pitches that are very hittable and a hard fastball) (95,D,C, 2 CUT, 1 SLD, 1 CB, 1 PALM)
Cardona (A pitcher with two good pitches and a CB) (93,D,C,3 PALM, 1 CB, 3 SLD)
Long Reliever
Frese (See Cardona comment) (91,E,C,3 FORK, 2 CB, 3 SLD)
Middle Reliever
Szuminski (A pitcher with a good fork, and average SLD and CB) (87,D,C,3 FORK, 2 CB, 2 SLD)
Situational Lefty
Fruto (two good pitches and a bad fork) (88,F,C,3 SLD, 3 CB, 1 FORK)
Mop-Up Man
Telemacho (a good CB and the worst fork I have ever seen) (92,E,C,3 CB, 1 FORK)
Set-Up Man
Pote (two average pitches and a bad fork) (88,C,C,2 SLD,2 CB, 1 FORK)
Closer
Frese (a two good pitches and two bad pitches) (90,D,C,3 KN,3 SLV,1 CB,1 SLD)
Lineup
Zero RF (3CCBBAA)
Alexander C (4ECEDEC)
Bruce CF (3DBCDDC)
Jacobs 1B (3DBFCFB)
Garko DH(1B) (3DBFFFD)
Franco 3B(1B) (3EBECEE)
Szczur LF(main CF and can also play RF) (2EECEDE)
C.Hernandez 2B(CF) (2EFCCCE)
Zobrist SS (2GFDCDD)
(Note: WO/DH is everyone goes up)
Bench
Bourn CF(RF) (2FECFFC)
Rivas 2B (2EFBGBE)
Iannetta C (2FEEEEC)
Crabbe 2B (1FFDDCC)
A.Marte 3B (2GFFADC)

Looks like A strong lineup. Are the graybar fielders people you made? They seem stronger than what I usually see

The lineup is actual players in the game. The All pitchers but G.Cruz and the other (JOn Lieber?) are SUCCESS

The first ever dream draft to start the 2008 season has concluded, and the AL Central expansion team, the Las Vegas Show, are the early favorites to appear in the World Series.

There was a disappointing lack of quality and rookie Graybar players, so most teams went right for players with majorl league experience whom they coveted. Some statistics highlighting the lack of quality rookies:

- There were only two pitchers with stamina of 104 or higher, neither whom could hit more than 91 mph on the radar gun
- There were no position players with power level of B
- There were only three position players with power level of C, only one of whom had a contact level as high as F, and none of whom had arm strength or fielding as high as level E.
- The only shortstop that seems truly able to start on a major-league team (DEDCD) is 26 years old.

Explaining why The Las Vegas Show should be favorites to make it to the post season classic, MLB channel's Harold Reynolds summarized the Las Vegas Show as having an impressive combination of power, defense, speed, pitching, and flexibility.

Reynolds explained the Show's first pick of shortstop Jack Wilson (CBCABC) is a perfect example of their goal of building an all-around team that can display power while also beating you with speed and preventing runs from scoring. Playing in the largest field in baseball, Panpaca Park, their second round pick of corner outfielder Andre Ethier (CBBCCD) certainly makes sense, and the powerful Aramis Ramirez (CAECCB) provides solid defense at third while giving them one of the few players in the majors who may be able to regularly hit it over that crazy-deep left-field wall. Aubrey Huff (DBCDCC) gives them solid defense and speed in right, while offering flexibility at third, as does the late round pick up of Brendan Harris, who is expected to platoon at second base with Graybar player Arriago (DEEDDE).

Middle round pick Johnny Estrada (DCFDDB, good catcher) is another solid all-around choice who should be a solid backstop until Graybar catcher Finnigan (EFFDED, good catcher) bulks up a bit and is able to be an offensive asset to the team.

Mike Jacobs (DBFCFB, timely whiff) provides a nice arm and solid play at first, even if his range is limited. If there is a weakness in this defense, it will be the combine range of their second basemen (both of whom have fielding rating D) and first baseman, which may allow more hits through the right side of the infield then on other teams. If that does prove to be a concern, the Show has the flexibility to move Chris Burke to second and start Graybar player Daigle (EEEDCD) at center, improving the defense at both spots, at the cost of some offense.

The one "eyebrow-raising" pick was the early – middle round selection of Chris Burke (EDCECE) – the centerfielder who can also play second and left. Most pundits say that was a "reach" pick that could have been spent on a better player. Said the Show's general manager "we value Chris's combination of fielding and run speed, combined with his average level of power, and since all the premier centerfielders were off the board, when you add in the flexibility Chris gives us to man multiple positions, we thought it was the right way to go. The pick not only brought us a good hustling ballplayer that adds to our flexibility during the season, but it gave us flexibility in the later rounds, too."

Adding flexibility, in terms of their bench, the Show picked up Brian Garko, who will probably be their primary DH, Ryan Doumit (ECEFFD), who will serve as their switch-hitting pinch-hitter, emergency catcher, and back up right fielder and first baseman. The team has even more depth in the minors, with LF Ryan Ludwick (ECGFDF) and utility IF Andy Carnizaro joining several Graybar players to serve as a safety net in case of injury.

With the power (6 or 7 starters will have B power; 1 has C power), speed (4 starters will have at least C speed) and defense (the only positions that won't be manned by someone with either a C arm or C defense is 2b and catcher) of the Show's starting lineup, their starting rotation looks even more impressive than otherwise, and those two packages, together, should give a team a lot of leads heading into the late innings. Tim Lincecum and Jose Contreras are as impressive a set of front end starters as there is on any team, and Anibal Sanchez (93 FBSL – three, CB – four, CH – two), Boof Bonser (94 CB SL – three, CB – two, CH – three) are solid, middle rotation pitchers. Hard-throwing Lefty Gorzelanny (95 CA 2SF – one, SL – three, CB – two, CH – two) is a nice selection, and will be the staff's only lefty, while the 6th starter/spot-starter role will be a toss-up between Brandon McCarthy (94 DB SL – two, CB – two, CH – two) and Jair Jurrjens (96 EB SL – one, CH – four). Ricky Nolasco (95 FC 2SF-1, CB – three, CH – two) has the ability to spot-start, but will generally serve as long relief, and provide depth in case of injury.

The Show appear set to give the ball in the eighth and ninth innings to largely unproven relievers Andrew Brown (94 DE SL – three, CB – one, CH – four) and Johnny Cueto (95 FE SL – 2, CH –4), with Kyle McClellan (95 FE SL – two, CB – four) and Masahide Kobayashi (95 FE HSH – three, VSL – three) being available for middle relief. The Show's top relievers in the minors are Fernando Hernandez and Graybar lefty French (91 DC SL – three, CB – three, FO – two). Word is that if McClellan or Kobayashi does not perform, French would be the given an opportunity in order to add a lefty to the mix.

In all, other then a potential lack of range on the right side of the infield and inexperience of the expected late inning relievers, there is no apparent weakness on this team, on paper, and they have to be considered odds-on favorites to make it to the World Series.

I respect that you've probably been playing the game since release, been through plenty of dream drafts and season modes with expansion teams - and still find a way to have fun with it, ERISA.