Power Pros Forum

It's Valtieri all over again...

I can't remember the last time I saw the playoffs without the Yankees winning the World Series...

I think it might have been back in my Reapers log days. In that the Cardinals were becoming the dominant team.

Awards:

AL:

MVP: A.Rodriguez (Yankees)
Pitcher of the Year: J.Vazquez (White Sox)
Hank Aaron Award : A.Rodriguez (Yankees)
Relief Pitcher of the Year: B.J. Ryan (Blue Jays)
Rookie of the Year: Norton (Wings)

Fielder of the Year:
P: Blanton (Athletics)
C: Laird (Rangers)
1B: Overbay (Blue Jays)
2B: Grudzielanek (Royals)
SS: Renteria (Tigers)
3B: E.Chavez (Athletics)
OF: Granderson (Tigers)
OF: Hunter (Angels)
OF: DeJesus (Royals)

Hitter of the Year:
DH: D.Ortiz (Red Sox)
C: Varitek (Red Sox)
1B: Giambi (Yankees)
2B: R.Weeks (Athletics)
SS: Jeter (Yankees)
3B: A.Rodriguez (Yankees)
OF: M.Ramirez (Red Sox)
OF: Swisher (White Sox)
OF: Granderson (Tigers)

NL:

MVP: A.Jones (Dodgers)
Pitcher of the Year: P.Martinez (Mets)
Hank Aaron Award: A.Jones (Dodgers)
Relief Pitcher of the Year: T.Jones (Rockies)
Rookie of the Year: Fukudome (Cubs)

Fielder of the Year:
P: D.Lowe (Dodgers)
C: Ausmus (Astros)
1B: Delgado (Mets)
2B: Kent (Dodgers)
SS: G.Kennedy (Reds)
3B: A.Ramirez (Cubs)
OF: M.Diaz (Braves)
OF: Byrnes (Diamondbacks)
OF: A.Soriano (Cubs)

Hitter of the Year:
P: Moyer (Phillies)
C: Schneider (Mets)
1B: Pujols (Cardinals)
2B: Uggla (Marlins)
SS: H.Ramirez (Marlins)
3B: D.Wright (Mets)
OF: A.Jones (Dodgers)
OF: Dunn (Reds)
OF: Beltran (Mets)

Other Awards:

All-Star Game MVP Award: Utley (Phillies)
World Series MVP Award: M.Cabrera (Yankees)

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The Venom have won no awards, showing that they were not only terrible as a team, but terrible individually as well.

How depressing.

Melky Cabrera, interesting choice.

Quite.

In contract negotiations, the Venom have signed almost all players they had last year. A few AAA players that weren't showing any potential and wanted more money were released, and their former backup catcher, Sain, was also released.

GM Gilles commented on the situation:

"I know he had a pretty good year on the bench, but Deardorff was pretty decent in his starting position, and we have Grindell coming up as another catcher. Deardorff will probably serve as more than a competent backup catcher for the time being."

---

The Free Agency period is coming up soon, and the GM was asked to comment on his plans for that.

"Unfortunately I don't think there's a whole lot we can really do in Free Agency as a team. We don't really have a lot of money to make a bunch of big signings. I'll probably send some pretty low offers to some players to see if we can get anyone for a good deal, but considering we were dead last in the standings earlier, I doubt that players will want to sign here if they have a choice."

This whole team is just depressing.

Venom make surprising Free Agent signings:

The GM appeared to stay true enough to his word about offering really low contracts and only getting players that would be cheap, but even so they were able to sign 5 players to the team. Several of them are expected to make an impact. The GM still isn't expecting all that much, but he wants an improvement and wants to see the team out of last place by then end of next season, with less than 90 losses.

The new additions are:

Dennys Reyes (P) - 4 year, 390 point contract
He's expected to help anchor down the middle relief section of the bullpen

Shannon Stewart (LF) - 1 year, 800 point contract
He's expected to start in the outfield next season and improve the team's hitting, and add a bit of speed on the basepaths

Damaso Marte (P) - 1 year, 700 point contract
The GM plans to try him out as a set-up man for a while, and see if he can pitch well there, his ERA of 7.61 last year is a bit of a cause for concern

Luis Rivas (2B) - 2 year, 390 point contract
He's expected to take over at second base, he's not too strong at hitting against right-handed pitchers, and his arm strength is very weak, but his run speed and fielding range at second base are expected to help the team

Joaquin Benoit (P) - 5 year, 1000 point contract
The most surprising offseason addition, the Venom got him for well under half his initial asking price. Benoit may see something in the team that the fans don't, and perhaps he expects them to be built into a competitive team by the end of this long-term contract. His role next year is probably going to be the closer

When you control Benoit make sure he takes a full minute between pitches like he did with the Rangers.

Things are looking up for them, at the least. I mean mathematically they couldn't be any worse then they were last season.

Spring Training Changes:

In Spring Training, the team in general improved in several ways, but the couple changes that were the most noticeable were Shannon Stewart practicing and learning to play RF, it's suspected that the GM wants to keep Butron in the lineup. Hachiro Ishizuka learned how to throw a Vertical-Slider. He really didn't pitch all that well previously, but a second breaking pitch to throw should help him out at least a little.


The Venom's record in the Spring Training games was 0-3-1, everyone involved with the organization is obviously hoping this isn't a sign of things to come.

Reynolds would like to know how much he's improved since the start of his career

Duh, you can't take someone named Pegasus out.

This will be the point in each year that all of the agents will have to say what their clients will be practicing, even if you want them to keep working on what they were before, you have to say for them to practice that. Otherwise you'll be considered inactive and I'll train them in whatever I think they should train in, whatever I think will work best for the team.

And by this moment, I mean the moment Opening Day rosters are announced.

Also, the agent rule, I already mentioned it, but I planned to unveil it here initially. The rule being that you can only drop a player as a client if they aren't in an important role. Meaning you can drop your client if they're in a bench role, down in AAA, or a relief pitcher besides the closer.

2009 Venom Opening Day Roster:

Pitchers:

Starting Rotation:

1. Raymond Stanley
86 Top Speed
E 118 Control
C 100 Stamina
Level 3 Slider
Level 2 Forkball
Dr.K
Good Reflexes

2. Tonio Snead
90 Top Speed
D 130 Control
C 96 Stamina
Level 2 Slider
Level 2 Curveball
Throwing 4

3. Luke Reid
92 Top Speed
D 133 Control
C 95 Stamina
Level 1 2 Seam Fastball
Level 4 Curveball
Level 1 Forkball
Dr.K

4. Pedro McNichol
84 Top Speed
E 117 Control
C 101 Stamina
Level 1 2 Seam Fastball
Level 2 Cutter
Level 1 Slider
Level 1 Curveball
Level 4 Forkball

5. Mikhail Hampson
88 Top Speed
F 109 Control
C 93 Stamina
Level 2 Forkball
Level 1 Slurve
Level 1 Curveball

6. Scoff Weibl
92 Top Speed
F 109 Control
C 101 Stamina
Level 2 Slider
Level 1 Curveball

Relief Pitchers:

Waldo Clontz:
94 Top Speed
C 136 Control
C 108 Stamina
Level 4 Cutter
Level 3 Curveball
Level 3 Forkball

Hachiro Ishizuka:
90 Top Speed
D 128 Control
C 105 Stamina
Level 2 Slider
Level 1 Vertical-Slider

Bernard Asencio:
96 Top Speed
D 133 Control
C 107 Stamina
Level 2 Curveball
Level 3 Palmball

Anakoni Tremie
93 Top Speed
D 124 Control
C 99 Stamina
Level 3 Slider
Level 2 Curveball
Level 4 Knuckleball
Release 2

Dennys Reyes
94 Top Speed
E 114 Control
E 40 Stamina
Level 2 Slider
Level 2 Curveball
Level 1 Changeup
W/RISP 4
VS Runner 2
Poise 4
Flyball Pitcher
Walk
Good Pickoff

Damaso Marte
95 Top Speed
B 158 Control
E 40 Stamina
Level 2 Slider
Level 2 Cutter
Fastball Life 2
Recovery 4
Walk
Strong Finisher

Closer: Joaquin Benoit
96 Top Speed
B 157 Control
E 40 Stamina
Level 4 Slider
Level 2 Curveball
Level 3 Splitter
Level 1 Hard-Sinker
W/RISP 2
VS LH Batter 4
Poise 2
Recovery 4
Dr.K

Lineup:

1. Shannon Stewart - RF
2 Trajectory
C 10 Contact
C 131 Power
C 11 Run Speed
E 7 Arm Strength
E 7 Fielding
D 9 Error Resistance
Good Infield Hitter
Bases Clearer
Throwing 4
Patient Hitter

2. Shawn Grindell - C
2 Trajectory
D 9 Contact
E 93 Power
E 7 Run Speed
D 9 Arm Strength
C 10 Fielding
C 10 Error Resistance
Durability 4

3. Pegasus Butron - LF
2 Trajectory
D 8 Contact
D 102 Power
E 7 Run Speed
E 7 Arm Strength
E 7 Fielding
D 9 Error Resistance
Throwing 2

4. Yakim Roma - 3B
3 Trajectory
F 5 Contact
C 124 Power
F 4 Run Speed
D 8 Arm Strength
F 5 Fielding
D 8 Error Resistance

5. Victor Trammell - DH (3B)
3 Trajectory
E 7 Contact
C 135 Power
F 5 Run Speed
E 7 Arm Strength
E 6 Fielding
E 7 Error Resistance

6. Phil Stults - 1B
2 Trajectory
D 9 Contact
C 127 Power
F 4 Run Speed
F 5 Arm Strength
G 3 Fielding
E 6 Error Resistance
Good Bunt

7. Mario Reynolds - SS
2 Trajectory
E 7 Contact
F 82 Power
D 8 Run Speed
D 9 Arm Strength
C 10 Fielding
E 6 Error Resistance
Clutch Hit 4
Throwing 2

8. Luis Rivas - 2B
2 Trajectory
E 6 Contact
F 83 Power
B 12 Run Speed
G 3 Arm Strength
B 12 Fielding
E 6 Error Resistance
VS Lefty 5
Timely Whiff

9. Milan Ormond - CF
3 Trajectory
E 6 Contact
F 80 Power
C 10 Run Speed
E 7 Arm Strength
D 9 Fielding
E 7 Error Resistance
Throwing 2
Tough Runner

Bench:

Justin McMillon - SS
2 Trajectory
E 6 Contact
F 66 Power
E 6 Run Speed
D 9 Arm Strength
D 8 Fielding
E 7 Error Resistance

Jonathan Deardorff - C
2 Trajectory
E 7 Contact
E 93 Power
E 7 Run Speed
E 7 Arm Strength
D 8 Fielding
C 10 Error Resistance

Dominic Rottino - 2B
2 Trajectory
E 7 Contact
E 77 Power
F 4 Run Speed
F 4 Arm Strength
C 10 Fielding
F 5 Error Resistance

Notable AAA Players:

Prosper McGlinchy
P
88 Top Speed
D 120 Control
C 93 Stamina
Level 3 Slider
Level 3 Curveball

Taylor Enochs
P
90 Top Speed
D 125 Control
C 94 Stamina
Level 3 Slider
Level 2 Forkball

Antonio Menchaca
94 Top Speed
E 114 Control
C 107 Stamina
Level 3 Slider
Level 3 Curveball

Chuck Brownlie
1B
2 Trajectory
G 3 Contact
D 115 Power
G 3 Run Speed
F 5 Arm Strength
G 3 Fielding
E 6 Error Resistance
Rally Hitter

Fuzzy Brewer
3B
3 Trajectory
D 8 Contact
D 112 Power
G 3 Run Speed
E 7 Arm Strength
F 5 Fielding
E 7 Error Resistance

Rod Merricks
CF
2 Trajectory
E 6 Contact
F 71 Power
F 5 Run Speed
E 7 Arm Strength
D 8 Fielding
E 6 Error Resistance

Mike Tortolero
RF
2 Trajectory
D 8 Contact
F 74 Power
E 7 Run Speed
E 7 Arm Strength
E 7 Fielding
F 4 Error Resistance
Spider Catch

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For the start of the 2009 season, team averages are:

Top Speed: 91.7
Control: 124.9
Stamina: 89.6
Breaking Ball Count: 5.8

Trajectory: 2.1
Contact: 6.8
Power: 96.1
Run Speed: 6.5
Arm Strength: 6.9
Fielding: 7.2


To put that into perspective, we'll give what the averages were at the start of last year (2008 season) so you can compare it:

Top Speed: 89.9
Control: 118.6
Stamina: 96.6
Breaking Ball Count: 4.5

Trajectory: 1.9
Contact: 5.8
Power: 89.4
Run Speed: 5.3
Arm Strength: 6.4
Fielding: 6.9

You can see that the team is improved in almost every category, the exception being team stamina. The average stamina took a hit because the Venom signed some actual relievers in the offseason.