Power Pros Forum

We've all seen it. Its a blowout and your team is losing. Their bullpen is depleted. Who soaks up the 7th or 8th inning of a 20-1 rout?

The position player, that's who. These noble gentlemen take the mound, sacrificing themselves for the greater good of their team.

Many do surprisingly well. Have you seen video of Andy Marte pitching? Dude hits 90 easily. Paul Janish and Nick Green turn their shortstop cannons into 90+mph fireballs. Cody Ross had a serious wind up and threw three different pitches (I was in the a private suite for that game!!). Some aren't so hot, and end up throwing more like a batting practice session - Michael Cuddyer, Ross Gload, Dusty Brown. A lot of them are utility guys like Joe Inglett...guys that fill that 25th man position, and must take all the crap jobs that come their way.

I've edited my MLBPP08 file to give all these position players the pitching abilities they displayed in real life, whether it was 90+mph heat or 75mph batting practice. Some have additional pitches (per fangraphs pitch types), some just their fastball. Here's the list of MLBPP08 position players that dabble in the moundly arts:
Joe Inglett Michael Cuddyer Lyle Overbay Sam Fuld John McDonald Skip Schumaker Rick Ankiel Aaron Miles Jeff Mathis Rob Johnson Tony Pena Mark Loretta Bill Hall Kevin Cash Andy Marte Dusty Brown
Cody Ross Ross Gload Nick Swisher

In addition there are a few success mode players that have pitcher abilities already:
Nick Green Lance Neikro
Paul Janish Jonathan Van Every

Also, there are pitchers that are pretty good with the bat...guys like Micah Owings, CC Sabathia, Carlos Zambrano...and some lists point to Jason Marquis and Yovani Gallardo as top bats too. Dontrelle Willis too. Maybe I need to edit them into their true bat abilities, and then add them to my roster?

What should the 25 man roster be for this team to make the most sense? I can't take ALL the guys listed above...teams would lose too much infielder talent. But I could start with the 4 success guys and then add a max of 1 guy from each team, to get:

C: Jeff Mathis (LAA)
1B: Lyle Overbay (TOR)
2B: Skip Schumaker (STL)
SS: Tony Pena (KCR)
3B: Andy Marte (CLE)
LF: Sam Fuld (CHC)
CF: Nick Swisher (CWS)
RF: Cody Ross (FLA)
DH: Michael Cuddyer (MIN)

Backup C: Rob Johnson (SEA)
4th OF: Jonathan Van Every
Bench: Nick Green
Bench: Paul Janish
Bench: Lance Neikro

P: Micah Owings (CIN)
P: Yovani Gallardo (MIL)
P: Dontrelle Willis (DET)

Or I could skip on Sam Fuld and pickup Zambrano or Marquis from the Cubs. But I would miss his speed! Hmm.

How would you setup this team - what guys would be your picks? Any fielders that pitched who I left out or missed? Any good-hitting pitchers I should consider? Should the team be in the AL with DH, or in the NL so the pitchers have to hit? Should I just whip the team up in Arrange mode, or should I try to trade all the right pieces to arrange it?

Oh my god, I can't believe we all missed Tigers OF/IF Don Kelly. He pitched once, and got a couple outs against the Mets in 2011 or so. I don't think we've made him yet, but I'm not surprised at that either.

Though, Danny Worth might be a decent option (though I'm not surprised we haven't made him yet, either, career minor leaguer and constant I-75 traveler). Dude pitched a couple innings for the Tigers this year, got a couple strikeouts, only allowed one run on four hits total, and featured a pretty good knuckleball as well.

That's just my two cents from a Tigers fan perspective, but you do whatever you want.

Danny Worth and Josh Wilson are good ones to add to that list.

Wilson Valdez is not in the game, or I would have said him! Rico Washington can be edited into him for fun.

Yeah there are a LOT of guys that are fringey MLB'ers and have like 100 ABs that don't even crack the top 500 on my list of post-2008 debuts that aren't in the game...and unfortunately those are the guys called on to pitch in most cases. I don't see Don Kelly or Danny Worth ever making the cut, same as guys like Chris Gimenez.

JP Arencibia and Mike Carp are the only two possible position player Success additions that have pitching on their resume. Arencibia makes my cut (1502 ABs, #15 of hitters remaining for me) but Carp is an extreme longshot (879 ABs, #34 when I have 21 slots left).

Isn't it weird that Josh Wilson isnt in the game? He was in MLB in 2007, and was back in 2009...very odd that he wasn't on a roster somewhere? I couldn't find him at least.

There are a lot of people that should've been in that weren't (*cough*NELSON CRUZ*cough*) and you can make the argument that some of these people shouldn't have been in or could've been in with real names but whatever.

Is Wilson experienced enough to qualify for your list? I'm not sure where 1057 career AB fits in to that, but he's legit as a pitcher...

But Cruz is in the game on the rangers, right? There's some OF with his abilities I thought, with the dob 7/26/80?


Nope that's Jason botts nevermind ugh
Looks like I edited in Cruz waaaay back

Wilson wouldn't make the cut for me. It's not about total ABs, it's the number of them from 2008 on. Since most of Wilson's career was over already he's not worth a spot for me.

Was Madison Bumgarner around enough then to count? Didn't he hit 2 grand slams this year? IDK just throwing out ideas.

I don't think the guy who made Bumgarner put any value into batting, but I will check the success mode player.

So wait if you go to put in a relief pitcher...that menu only shows pitchers...so these fielders that can throw well, I don't think there's a way to get them in? Maybe the fielding switch menu can do it...hmm

Bumgarner hit .258 last year, but his career average is much worse than that.

But yeah, thinking about it, I'm not sure you'll be able to pull this off without pinch hititing for the pitcher and then leaving that batter in to pitch.

Well I tested it and it worked fine - I think the key is that I have to play an NL team. Then I can just click the fielder menu and put someone else in. I played as the Cardinals (since Aaron Miles, Skip Schumaker, and Rick Ankiel are already on board and edited), had Wainer pitch 7 innings strong, then PH for him (Ludwick), then just swapped Ludwick and Ankiel after the inning. Ankiel gave up a few runs, but we still won.

I reviewed the created players - Nick Green's 87mph top speed will work, and Van Every's 84mph too. I'll have to redo Paul Janish tho - he needs to be my flamethrower and I barely got his top speed into the 60s.

So I will play as the Cardinals, and trade away all the big name non-pitchers (Ludwick, Glaus, Pujols) and then as many of the pitchers as I can, to get other teams' pitching-capable fielders - Lyle Overbay, Rob Johnson, Dusty Brown, Sam Fuld, etc. Tomorrow morning I will paste in here all the fielder edits I made - mph, pitch types, stamina and control - for comment and discussion. If you like the changes, edit your players the same! If any seem incorrect please let me know!

So here are the players I've edited, and the mph/ctrl/stamina/pitches I've given them:

Util Joe Inglett (TOR) - 70mph, 101 ctrl, 70 stam, KN 2 (video here, but no mph listed)
IF John McDonald (TOR) - 84mph, 100 ftrl, 49 stam, KN 1
1B Lyle Overbay (TOR) - 84mph, 100 ctrl, 50 stam, CB 1
C Kevin Cash (BOS) - 76mph, ctrl 100, stam 50, CHG 1
C Dusty Brown (BOS) - 85mph, 100 ctrl, 50 stam
3B Andy Marte (CLE) - 92mph, 130 ctrl, 55 stam, 2SFB 1, CHG 1 (also changed his contact to G, vs lefty 4, arm str A)
IF Jamie Carroll (CLE) - 79mph, 110 ctrl, 50 stam, FOSH 1
OF Michael Cuddyer (MIN) - 90mph, 100 ctrl, 50 stam, H-SLD 1, CUT 1, CHG 1
OF Nick Swisher (CWS) - 83mph, ctrl 100, stam 50
SS Tony Pena (KC) - 88mph, ctrl 100, stam 34, SLD 1
1B Ross Gload (KC) - 82mph, ctrl 110, stam 40
C Jeff Mathis (LAA) - 87mph, ctrl 120, stam 60, FORK 1
C Rob Johnson (SEA) - 90mph, ctrl 110, stam 50, SLD 1, CB 1, V-SLD 1
OF David Murphy (TEX) - 78mph, ctrl 100, stam 54, CB 1
OF Cody Ross (FLA) - 84mph, ctrl 110, stam 50, CB 1, CHG 1 (video here)
OF Sam Fuld (CHC) - 89mph, ctrl 100, stam 51
IF Bill Hall (MIL) - 90mph, ctrl 130, stam 56, CUT 1
IF Aaron Miles (STL) - 75mph, ctrl 115, stam 40, CB 1, FORK 1
Util Skip Schumaker (STL) - 92mph, ctrl 100, stam 60, CB 1, CHG 1, V-SLD 1
OF Rick Ankiel (STL) - 92mph, Ctrl 60, stam 50, CB 2, SNK 2
IF Mark Loretta (HOU) - 79mph, ctrl 100, stam 40

I've tried to be accurate - some guys just throw a 76mph fastball and that's it. Ankiel was the only MLB-level pitcher so I gave him his lvl 2 movement (but subtracted control due to his famous issues).

That position player pitching website I linked to has video from almost all of these. I've also consulted fan graphs, which is where a lot of these <80mph pitches get classified as changeups and such...I've tried to correct for some of that, but input is appreciated!

Here goes. I am starting as the Cardinals, since they already have Schumaker/Miles/Ankiel, and they are in the NL where the pitcher bats.

RULES:
30 teams, full rosters with edited players and success mode rookies (~120) from the board
No draftees
No player improvement
CPU batting: All-star
CPU pitching: All-Star
CPU Base Running: All-Star
CPU Fielding: All-Star
Pitch Speed Level: Fast

BaseRunning: Semi-auto normal
Batting: manual
Swtspt Crs: Normal
pitching: manual
pitching control: Expert

Self-imposed rules: a fielder MUST pitch in each game, unless the starter throws a CG.

March 23rd, 2008

The Cardinals have decided to take a radically different approach to building their team this year: fielders that can pitch!

"While long seen as an emergency option, fielders that can throw innings do have some value," said new GM Allston O'Wharly. "Babe Ruth was obviously one of the most valuable players in history, and he excelled at both. But so many teams and analysts force players into one of two roles - pitcher or hitter. What about those extreme talents that can perform both? Why is the complete baseball player so scary a thought?

"If a player today is a star on both sides of the ball, a team will draft him and force him to become a hitter or pitcher only. Yet history shows us that some players have the ability to contribute in both roles - one of them, Rick Ankiel, is on our staff today. You have also seen Aaron Miles and Skip Schumaker throw some innings. What if our whole lineup and bench was capable of throwing innings? The game today has some stars that are capable of competing on both sides of the ball in a positive way, and we aim to foster that talent.

"The next few months will be very difficult. You may see us trade some beloved stars. You may see a losing season. We know the Best Fans in Baseball will understand and appreciate our goal. Go Cardinals!"

--------------
FA Signings:
Mar 24: 1B Dan Johnson (hopefully tradebait)

Trades:
Mar. 26: SP Matt Clement to CLE, IF Jamey Carroll, 3B Andy Marte to STL
Mar. 28: 3B Troy Glaus to MIN, OF Michael Cuddyer to STL
Mar. 31: RP Todd Wellemeyer, RP Russ Springer to FLA, OF Cody Ross to STL

-------------------------

March 31, 2008 - COL 6, STL 1
Wainwright struck out 7, allowing 3 runs and getting the loss. Offense just couldn't get anything. Fast pitch! Wow!

April 2, 2008 - COL 9, STL 6
Braden Looper went 5 innings, no strikeouts, 8 runs. Ugh. We started a fierce comeback against closer Brian Fuentes however, knocking him out of the game and scoring 3 runs. It didn't matter.

April 3, 2008 - COL 3, STL 1
Pineiro only went 4 innings, but he held Colorado scoreless. Unfortunately my fielder relief pitchers couldn't do the same...

April 4, 2008 - WAS 8, STL 2
Kyle Lohse was effective, giving up 2 runs (1 homer) in 6.2 innings. Again, fielders imploded.

April 5, 2008 - WAS 8, STL 5
Time to see how Brad Thompson does as a starter? Nope, 1.2 innings as he gives up 6 runs (5 earned). This was just terrible defense. McClellan tossed some dominant relief, and we mount an impressive comeback after being 6 runs down, but all for naught.

Trades:
Apr 6: 1B Albert Pujols to TOR, 1B Lyle Overbay, SS John McDonald, Util Joe Inglett to STL

Fielder ERAs:
Aaron Miles: 40.5
Cody Ross: 6.75
Andy Marte: 13.5
Rick Ankiel: 10.8
Skip Schumaker: 4.50
Michael Cuddyer: 0.00 (2 IP)

Analysis:
Let's chalk this up to the All-Star settings and fast pitch speed...I haven't played on these settings before. Seriously though, the fielders get walloped every time. I was scared that giving a few breaking balls out might overpower them, but nope! No issue. Results are about in line with reality!

I'm now trying to give the Yankees 30,000 points for the success-mode Nick Green and his 87mph heat. Then I will target Bill Hall of the Brewers, Paul Janish of the Reds, 3 guys on the red sox, and then out backup catchers Rob Johnson and Jeff Mathis.

I've never appreciated regular pitchers so much! When I get a guy with a level 3 or 4 anything it is so refreshing!

April 6, 2008 - COL 5, STL 4
Wainer pitched pretty well this time out, allowing 3 runs in 7 innings, 4 Ks. Aaron Miles and Cody Ross both homered. Cuddyer came in to pitch a scoreless 8th, then yielded to Kyle McClellan for the save in the 9th, since we were up 4-3...and he promptly gave up 2 runs. Cuddyer sized one up PERFECTLY in the 9th with one on, no-doubt homer - but instead its a BROKEN BAT and ends up foul. WTF MLBPP.

April 7, 2008 - STL 6, HOU 5
Jaime Garcia!!! 3 runs over 6 innings, not a bad debut at all. We were up 5-3, then Ankiel came in to pitch and have up a Pence homer, 5-4. I bring on Ryan Franklin to close, and the first pitch he throws is mislocated down the middle and Pence hits his second homer. We hold on to win as Cuddyer hits a huge double and scores on 2 sacrifices.

Take that MLBPP!!!

April 8, 2008 - STL 6, HOU 5
Carpenter got wrecked. Joe Inglett came in with his 70mph fastball and knuckles And pitched two shutout innings. Andy Marte added another. Inglett got the win, my first for a position player. Isringhausen got a two inning save. Offense is coming together!!

April 9, 2008 - HOU 8, STL 7
Braden Looper gave up 3 runs in the second but still lasted 5 innings and left with a 6-4 lead. Inglett gave up a huge homer but Ryan Franklin kept the Astros quiet for two innings and we even added an insurance run in the ninth. It didn't matter as Pence hit his second homer of the day and the Astros rallied for 3 runs, Flores blowing the save. At least Marte got his first homer - and off a righty!!