Power Pros Forum

Your wish is my command

It's a work in progress but I'd like to also color-code it based on ability levels (on the A-G scale) eventually (edit: done)

I'll throw 10 points toward control, take 8 points (2 upgrades at 4pts each) into Top Speed, and the last 2 points into power.

Xander’s rehab got off to a great start as he was able to consistently make solid contact at the batting cages, and it seemed his arm and upper body had not weakened despite the injury. With this in mind, and after a successful follow-up appointment, Xander told the coaches he would soon be able to resume hitting against live pitching, and possibly even pinch-hit or DH.

Lake spent some additional time over the break working on his pitching, and also did a little bit of strength training, improving his batting power and his pitching velocity in the process.

(Lake: CTRL +10, TOP SPD +2, PWR +2)

Walker Grove’s conference opener was held the following Thursday, with the Raiders squaring off against visiting Finley Fields Middle School, one of the conference’s mid-tier programs. Unfortunately for the Walker Grove kids, they would not be able to travel to the beautiful Finley Fields campus, but hey, at least they were playing baseball. They would also be doing so without their left-handed pitcher Jimmy James, who had been placed on academic probation after slipping into failing territory in his math class.

The WGMS red team faced off against Finley Fields’s B team in the first game of the afternoon, starting at 3:30. The game was part of a rare triple-header, as following the red and blue teams’ games, the Hammond High freshman team (led by several members of last year’s WGMS eighth-grade class) would play their first conference game against Marshton High.

The teams lined up like this for their first game:

Walker Grove Raiders (Red)

(1) Brady Hewitt, RF
(2) Stanislaus Lem, C
(3) Jason Hamilton, 1B
(4) Matthew Simpson, P
(5) Danny Thornton, SS
(6) Evan Woolsey, EH
(7) Tanner Davis, LF
(8) Harris Potts, EH
(9) Mason Phelps, 2B
(10) Colby Lemieux, CF
(11) Andy Teasdall, 3B

Finley Fields Falcons (B)

(1) Parker Phillips, 3B
(2) Cody Harris, 1B
(3) Tommy Billingsley, SS
(4) Sam Stuart, DH
(5) Jamie Martinez, RF
(6) Ryan Young, CF
(7) Alex Gresham, C
(8) Wilton Lucas, 2B
(9) Owen Ross, LF
(NB) Victor Brown, P

The game started off with a bang, as Brady Hewitt smacked the first pitch over the fence. However, it was the fence along the third-base line, and the ball was foul.

As a few children went racing after the souvenir, Brady readied himself for the next pitch, but ultimately was caught out in front of a breaking ball and struck out to lead off the game.

In the bottom of the first, the visiting Falcons drew first blood with an RBI single by designated hitter Sam Stuart, who sometimes filled in at first base but was generally limited to DH duty, due to the fact that he was overweight by more than just a few pounds (the extra weight, though, did lend him some power at the plate). It would take a few innings until anyone else scored, but with a reliever on the mound in the fourth inning, Tanner Davis knocked in a run with a base hit to tie the game.

After a series of defensive changes, Matthew Simpson managed to get through the fourth inning unscathed, but (now with a 2-1 lead after an RBI single by Andy Teasdall) he loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth, and Tanner was put in to put out the fire. Which he did.

After the huge punchout of Stuart, Tanner was pumped up and ready to close it out in the sixth, but the coaching staff decided to put in Jason Hamilton instead, moving Tanner back to left field where he had started the game. Jason struck out the first batter, but fell behind the next two, allowing a walk and a base hit.

The catcher, Alex Gresham, was pinch-run for by backup outfielder Tim Hoyt, who was promptly picked off first base by the quick-witted Evan Woolsey, who pulled off the rare catcher pickoff.

Now with two outs, Jason could turn his full attention to the batter at the plate, second baseman Wilton Lucas, who struck out to end the game.

After a great win by the red team to start off conference play, they got to sit back and watch two more games of baseball. All except for Brady and Stanislaus, that is, as they were called upon again to dress as reserves.

The teams lined up like this for the second game:

Walker Grove Raiders (Blue)

(1) Wilson cf
(2) Boyega 1b
(3) Gow 3b
(4) Stills ss
(5) Hummer 2b
(6) Tibbits c
(7) Godwin rf
(8) Henderson lf
(9) Mangum p

Finley Fields Falcons (A)

(1) Bryce Gonsalves, SS
(2) Scott Chance, LF
(3) Willie Gardner, 2B
(4) Zach Gordon, CF
(5) Grayson Gregory, 3B
(6) Paul Diekens, RF
(7) Harrison Bell, 1B
(8) Edward Freeland, DH
(9) Jackson Mitchell, C
(NB) Adam Jamison, P

nice

so, i've been putting Walker Grove as the away team for i think every game, because that's how i arrange them on my lineup thingy, is WGMS first, then the opponent, and lol oops, here we are

i guess

Walker Grove pounced early and jumped out to a 3-0 lead on a suicide squeeze by Danny Hummer and a two-run single by Cody TIbbits.

In the bottom of the second, Harold led off with a base hit, but barely made it back to the base on Anthony’s hard lineout to short. James Wilson followed with a walk, bringing up Johnny Boyega with runners on first and second and one out in the inning.

What do you do? (GoTwins24)

A. Sit on the fastball
B. Sit on the changeup
C. Sit on the slider
D. Swing at everything
E. Be patient
F. Charge the mound

C. "Patience, use the force, think".

Johnny waited for a slider, but didn’t get one, and swung late on a 2-2 fastball and struck out.

(Johnny: XP -1)

In the top of the third, Finley Fields struck back for one run on a bases-loaded walk, but Anthony kept the damage at that, and the Raiders advanced still up 3-1.

In the bottom half, Walker Grove had a chance to score after Jaxon Stills led off with a single, but the Finley Fields catcher, Jackson Mitchell, showed off his top-notch arm strength and gunned Stills down on a steal attempt.

Again in the fourth, the Raiders had a chance to score after a leadoff double, but the Falcons pitcher Adam Jamison buckled down and got three consecutive outs.

In the fifth inning, Bryce Gonsalves, an eighth-grade phenom, launched a 1-1 curveball into the grass beyong the left-field fence — a home run, as it were, and the score was suddenly 3-2. Scott Chance followed with a clean single, and Anthony was pulled in favor of Lake Lagunov, who promptly allowed a walk, bringing up cleanup hitter Zach Gordon.

What do you do? (dishnet34)

A. Attack with fastballs
B. Nibble with sliders
C. Intentionally walk him to load the bases (#5 hitter, Gregory, is 0 for 2)
D. Drill him
E. Try to balance the rosin bag on your nose

He went in there to hide, not to run.

I'm gonna chance it with B.

Lake attempted to bite at the edges of the strike zone with his breaking ball, and hit the corner with back-to-back sliders before getting Gordon to whiff at one in the dirt for the punchout.

(Lake: XP +2, CTRL +2)

The next batter, Grayson Gregory, popped out into foul territory, but Paul Diekens hit a soft, sinking liner into shallow left field. Harold Henderson hadn’t been playing him particularly deep, but his outfield instincts were a little shaky since he hadn’t played there much, and he got a relatively slow jump on the ball. James Wilson, the center fielder, was also converging on the ball, but was several steps behind Harold.

What do you do? (Baseballteen9500)

A. Go for the diving catch
B. Play the ball on a hop
C. Tell James to play it
D. Back up a few steps, then run in, gain momentum, and hurl the ball home
E. Fall on your face

A. Please don't let him get injured

Harold went for the diving catch, and missed very badly, and broke his face so hard that he died.

(Harold: XP -420, PWR -69)

Harold went in for the diving catch, and by some miracle managed to reel the ball in. He stumbled a bit, but held on to the ball, and the inning was over.

(Harold: XP +4, FLD +1)

Leading off the bottom of the fifth, Johnny Boyega had a chance to extend the Raiders’ lead, with the righty Adam Jamison still on the mound. Johnny had singled in the first inning, but had struck out in the second and was now coming up for a third time.

After not getting a slider in either of his first two at-bats, Johnny was unsure how the right-hander would approach him this time around, especially since his teammates were telling him that they had gotten sliders in their at-bats…

However, he was more focused on the approach this time, rather than keying in on a specific pitch.

What do you do? (GoTwins24)

A. Swing for the fences
B. Go the other way
C. Stay patient
D. Bunt for a hit
E. Sit on the left-handed knuckle-curve

Johnny will swing for the fences.