Power Pros Forum

F speed! Thats a lie!

But wow! He aged a lot!

Apparently so. If anything, I would suspect maybe his fielding would go down - but man, his speed went from like a B to an F in only 4 years. Guess they didn't think a 38/39 year-old Ichiro would be decent.

He does have speed at 39 though. I would give him an 11 right now, high-C.

Yep, if I had control over how ratings decreased, I'd still have his speed okay. But unfortunately the declines happen by themselves. Makes things a little interesting though with most players who are old changing and the rooks have to take over.

Hmm, I'm wondering..after I finish August, should I tell the September call-ups and just sim September to speed things up?

Those following, let me know what you think.

I'd like that, get into the playoffs faster... Whatever suits you though.

(90-36) Eagles vs Indians (76-50): Series Preview (8/24-8/26)

VS.

Coming off a successful series against the Tigers, our next meeting is with yet another AL Central team. We'll see these two clubs over our next two series to end out August. It's the inaugural matchup against Cleveland in 2016 for us. What do the Wahoos have going for them 4 years later? Let's find out.

The Indians are the MLB's 4th best team and they rank atop the AL Central at 76-50 - Chicago trails them by 10 games.

Their pitching staff has compiled a 4.47 ERA with 578 runs, 116 hits, and 97 HRs (best in the AL Central) allowed as well as 870 strikeouts (worst) and 453 walks. The lineup bats .286 with 687 R and 1306 H (best in all) as a whole, to go along with 115 homers and 87 stolen bases (worst).

The Tribe's main roster pieces:
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SP Wainwright (95/C/A) - 151.2 IP, 11-8, 5.93 ERA, 111 K
SP U.Jimenez (97/D/A) - 138 IP, *16-2, 3.07 ERA, 1 CG, *144 K
SP D.Huff (93/D/B) - 136 IP, 12-6, 4.10 ERA, 1 SHO, 1 CG, 95 K
SP Masterson (96/C/B) - 134.2 IP, 11-6, 3.88 ERA, 1 SHO, 2 CG, 107 K
SP R.Hernandez (94/D/B) - 107.2 IP, 7-7, 6.69 ERA, 59 K
MR J.Smith (93/C/E) - 63.2 IP, 0-1, 3.25 ERA, 44 K, 13 HLD
MR Herrmann (97/D/E) - 58.1 IP, 3-1, 2.31 ERA, 47 K, 8 HLD, *.187 BAA
SU Resop (97/C/E) - 56 IP, 4-2, *2.25 ERA, 39 K, 13 HLD
CL R.Perez (92/C/E) - 47.1 IP, 2-3, 3.23 ERA, 28/29 SV, 41 K
C C.Santana (D/C/F/C/B/C) - 126 G, .273, 18 2B, 13 HR, 50 RBI
1B Kotchman (D/C/E/D/C/B) - 126 G, .286, 15 2B, 10 3B, 9 HR, 58 RBI
2B Kipnis (C/C/C/D/D/D) - 126 G, .329 (147 H leads), 23 2B, 15 3B, 12 HR, *108 RBI, 11 SB, 50 XBH
3B Hanrahan (E/D/D/C/B/C) - 126 G, *.338, 23 2B, 9 3B, 10 HR, 57 RBI
SS A.Cabrera (D/D/C/B/B/B) - 126 G, .260, 13 2B, 8 3B, 7 HR, 72 RBI, *16 SB
OF Brantley (C/D/B/E/D/D) - 126 G, .292, *32 2B, *16 3B, 14 HR, 90 RBI, 13 SB, *63 XBH, *83 R, *59 BB
OF Choo (C/C/C/B/C/C) - 126 G, .298, 26 2B, 10 3B, 12 HR, 80 RBI, 14 SB, 48 XBH

*leads team

In addition, here's a look at some of the Indians' recent draft selections who might contribute in September:
OF Hubbard (C/F/E/D/D/E) - 2012
OF Inglett (E/F/F/D/C/D) - 2015
C Wayne (E/D/F/C/D/C) - 2014
SS Airoso (E/D/D/E/D/E) - 2013
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Cleveland is 42-26 at Progressive Field and away from it they've played to a 34-24 record. Versus the AL and NL Central divisions, they're 35-21. Their longest streaks of wins/losses are 10 and 4 games, respectively. In their last 10, the Indians are 8-2 and they are 14-6 in the month of August. With 36 games remaining, it seems like the White Sox are the only team within reach of the #1 spot in the division, but at this point, it's likely Cleveland will run away with the Central and we might see them come playoff time.

King Felix returns from being fatigued to start Game 1 vs Indians ace Ubaldo Jimenez. Game 2 will be southpaw Cliff Lee vs Justin Masterson, and the final of the 3-game set is Andrew Brooks who is opposed by David Huff.

All of the Indians series has been finished, they will be up soon. Tigers are next so there's no need for a series preview, we'll get right into the games.

August 23, 2016
(90-36) Eagles vs Indians (76-50): Game 1

The Eagles were heavily contested in the first game of this three-game set by the first-place Indians. Homers by Carlos Santana, Hunter Pence, and Shelley Duncan as well as RBI hits by Shin-Soo Choo and Santana meant the score was 5-2 Cleveland heading into the bottom of the 9th. And that's when the fun began. I was ready to throw in the towel because our guys weren't seeing the ball too well or capitalizing on their chances. My hope increasingly grew by every passing hit - Machado single with 1-out, Ryan Zimmerman pinch hit 2-run smash (his 12th, a beautifully driven ball over the wall in center), and the game-tying first-pitch dinger by Mike Olt. Suddenly the tides had turned and we were all knotted up at 5-5 for the first extra-innings ballgame so far in this log of game-recording. I dipped into my relief corps and brought out Chris Sale, who could go the distance if needed. The funky sidearm delivery of the lefty proved effective as he permitted just 1 hit in 2 2/3 innings of work. Neither team could get it done in the 10th and it came down to our half of the 11th - when Zimmerman came up in the clutch for the second time - rocketing a 2-out blast off of starter Ubaldo (who was still in the game) to center and giving us the walk-off win.

Player of the Game: Zimmerman - Hit 2 HRs including walkoff shot to win it

Final Score:
Indians: 5
Eagles: 6

W - Sale (3-0) | L - U.Jimenez (16-3)
HR: Pence (14), Olt (4), Zimmerman 2 (12,13), C.Santana (14), S.Duncan (12)
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Ackley: 2-4, R
Pence: 2-5, HR, 2 RBI, R
Zimmerman: 2-2, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 2 R
Olt: 1-4, HR
F.Hernandez: 8 IP, 8 H, 5 K, 3 ER, 2 HR
J.Soria: 1/3 IP, 3 H, 0 K, 2 ER
Sale: 2 2/3 IP, 1 H, 1 K, 0 ER
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A.Cabrera: 2-5, 2 2B, R, 2 SO
Choo: 1-5, RBI, SO
Kotchman: 1-4, 2B
C.Santana: 2-4, HR, 3 RBI, R, SO
S.Duncan: 1-4, HR
U.Jimenez: 10 IP, 12 H, 1 K, 6 ER, 4 HR
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*IF Cresse's run speed improved from E to a D. He continues to work on run spd. (level eight).
*OF Schoening improved his contact from level C to B. He's now working on his run spd. (level 11).
*The team is on a 5-game win streak! Let's keep it up.
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August 24, 2016
(91-36) Eagles vs Indians (76-51): Game 2

For the second time in recent series, Game 2 was less exciting than the first. New Jersey went ahead 1-0 via singles from Pence and Zim followed by a Carter RBI double. The attack continued in the 3rd when Carter grabbed his second RBI, although the Tribe fired back in the 5th. Duncan, Jack Hannahan, and Michael Brantley combined for a trio of singles, and Asdrubal Cabrera and Choo promptly knocked home the three of them. That was all she wrote - reliever Chris Resop and closer Rafael Perez held down the lead for Justin Masterson (who'd gone 6 innings with 2 runs allowed). Our win streak came to an end despite a decent outing from Cliff Lee (8 IP, 10 H, 3 ER).

Player of the Game: Choo - 2-RBI 1B took lead in 5th + Masterson - 6 innings of 2-run ball

Final Score:
Indians: 3
Eagles: 2

W - Masterson (12-6) | L - C.Lee (12-7) | SV - R.Perez (29)
HR: None
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Pence: 2-4, 2 R
Zimmerman: 2-2
B.Carter: 3-4, 2B, 2 RBI
C.Davis: 2-4, SO
C.Lee: 8 IP, 10 H, 3 K, 3 ER
Haynes: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 K, 0 ER
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Brantley: 2-4, R
A.Cabrera: 2-4, RBI
Choo: 1-4, 2 RBI
C.Santana: 2-4, SO
Hannahan: 1-3, R
Masterson: 6 IP, 10 H, 3 K, 2 ER
Resop: 2 IP, 2 H, 1 K, 0 ER
R.Perez: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 K, 0 ER

August 25, 2016
(91-37) Eagles vs Indians (77-51): Game 3

We were looking to salvage a win after falling in Game 2. The rubber match started in our favor when Mike Trout singled a run in in the 3rd. The Indians tied it up in the 4th via a Russ Canzler RBI double but we countered that with an Andre Zieno single on an error that brought home Trout later in the 5th. Frank Herrmann stopped the light bleeding and his offense paid him back an inning later - a quartet of one-baggers ended with a Kotchman GO that scored a run, in addition to an RBI 1B by catcher Santana. Haynes made another appearance as the long man (taking the spot of Brooks) and was opposed by Chris Resop (who replaced David Huff). Neither side would budge even though we each made a little noise. Rafa Perez made the second straight save - his 30th of 2016 - to clinch the series for Cleveland.

Player of the Game: R.Perez - Saved the game in the 9th to win the series

Final Score:
Indians: 4
Eagles: 2

W - Resop (5-2) | L - Brooks (13-7) | SV - R.Perez (30)
HR: None
-------------------------------------------------------------------

Ackley: 3-4
Olt: 2-4, 2 2B, 2 R
Trout: 2-3, RBI
Brooks: 5 2/3 IP, 9 H, 0 K, 4 ER
Haynes: 3 1/3 IP, 2 K, 0 H, 0 ER
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Brantley: 1-4, R
A.Cabrera: 1-4, R
Choo: 2-4, RBI, 2 R
Canzler: 1-4, RBI, SO
C.Santana: 2-4, RBI
D.Huff: 4 1/3 IP, 6 H, 2 K, 2 ER
Herrmann: 2/3 IP, 0 H, 0 K, 0 ER
R.Perez: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 K, 0 ER

Jinxed that W streak eh?

I suppose so. It's ok to lose, it hasn't happened that much so far. It'll get harder as I'm playing Detroit next.

Ok, all Detroit games are finished - I played the first two and there's a surprise call-up from AAA involved. Next series preview isn't done yet but it will likely be by tomorrow and all of those will be up soon. This is the final series before September - which I will likely sim all of, while providing Players of the Week and maybe some other stat updates, we'll see how that works out.

August 26, 2016
(91-38) Eagles vs Tigers: Game 1

To put it simply, Buddy Carlyle (92/D/C) got torched and Clayton Kershaw tossed a gem. But how did that come to be - you might ask. Two solo shots by Cervelli (7) and Manny Machado (4), each flying 426 feet, gave us a 2-0 lead. Blake Carter and Zimmerman added on with their 30th and 14th homers, respectively. With a comfortable 4 runs of support behind him, Kershaw cruised his way through this outing while Carlyle was taken out by the 6th and Jason Motte (6.48 ERA) was brought in his place. The Tigers rose from the dead after multiple innings without a run crossing the plate - Danny Worth picked up an RBI by doubling home Carlos Gomez. Resistance was futile as NJ padded on in the 8th - Chris Davis smashed a 2-run dinger only to proceeded by Carter's second big fly of the game. 7-1 would stay the score as Kershaw pitched 8 innings of 1-run ball before handing the reigns to Haynes, who would toss a 1-2-3 9th. With that, the Tigers vicious offense we saw at times earlier didn't seem so daunting.

Player of the Game: Kershaw - Pitched 8 innings with 1 run allowed on 8 hits

Final Score:
Eagles: 7
Tigers: 1

W - Kershaw (16-4) | L - Carlyle (3-6)
HR: C.Davis (22), B.Carter 2 (30,31), Zimmerman (14), Cervelli (7), Machado (4)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

M.Saunders: 2-4, 2B, R
C.Davis: 1-4, HR, 2 RBI, R
B.Carter: 2-4, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R
Zimmerman: 1-4, HR, SO
Cervelli: 1-4, HR
Machado: 1-4, HR
Kershaw: 8 IP, 8 H, 2 K, 1 ER
Haynes: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 K, 0 ER
-----------------------------------------------

A.Jackson: 2-4, 2B, SO
Matsubara: 2-4
M.Cabrera: 0-4, SO, 3 DP
Worth: 1-3, 2B, RBI
Carlyle: 5 IP, 6 H, 2 K, 4 ER, 4 HR
Motte: 3 2/3 IP, 2 H, 0 K, 3 ER, 2 HR (left due to elbow pains)
Wesson: 1/3 IP, 1 K, 0 ER