Power Pros Forum

I am still doing a Life Mode log for Ryan Evert, my speedster OF, but while struggling to hit .300 in my second season (on 'normal' batting), and clubbing only 4 homers, I found myself wishing to be a middle-of-the-order slugger, knocking in homers. My attempt at a Pitcher in My Life mode has been disastrous, as others have attested to - so playing fielders is the best way to make this game work.

Nick James is the RF/1B/C and cleanup hitter for my created player team, the Charlotte Chargers. I made him as a Braves minor leaguer, and figured, as my created player with the highest Power rating (180), this was the guy I should be playing as. The Braves should make a good club for 2008 - though I will be held behind McCann and Teixeira at C and 1B, my primary position is RF, and the Braves are not particularly strong in RF...well, at least not today in 2010. Back in 2008, Francoeur was still there, and Kotsay in CF.

So my hopes are to stick around as a utility/pinch hitter guy for this season, and then work into a full role in 2009, possibly taking over for Mark Teixeira at First Base. That is, if the game knows how to use any of my secondary positions....sigh.

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Nick James is a slugging outfield/1B prospect in the Atlanta Braves system. He grew up in western North Carolina, and attended UNC Chapel Hill, where he was drafted in 2005. He does not excel in agility or fielding, but has good bat control and a great left-handed swing. His power is what really got him noticed, though, as he made his way through the minors. In AA last year, James amassed 32 homers, leading Atlanta to invite him to Spring Training this year. Though James plays three positions decently, the Braves are blocked at all three, making James a possible AAA castoff or bench player.



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Spring Training, 2008

So I am a spring training invite - and good thing, I just turned 24. I've been laboring in the Braves system for 3 years, clocking balls out of the park at all levels, and yet I get passed over in prospect lists, scouting reports, even trade talks. It's time to put the bat on the ball and make some noise that they can't ignore.

I'm put in the first spring training game, and immediately hit the ball hard for a single. These guys have heard about my power - they immediately move the infield and outfield back, allowing me to plop in hits or get a fast roller by a diving middle infielder. I collect two hits in three ABs my first game, and poof, I'm batting cleanup in the second.

The second game is a hard-fought affair, but I bank a huge double. In the 9th we are behind 4-3, and I am up with one man on. I pull back and wait for my pitch - and when I get it, I launch it out of the park. 2-run shot, walk-off homer. I get player of the game honors, and a group of guys waiting at home plate. I stare in at the manager - he knows it's done now. No way I'm not making the roster.

The last two games don't go so hot, but I'm still finally on the MLB roster. I get tons of congratulations, including this clown Oakley who won't leave me alone. We fly up to DC for a Nationals opener, and of course I'm on the bench - it's going to take a while before these guys realize what they have.

For the first few games of the season, I am limited to one pinch-hit appearance - and of course I can't get in a rhythm, grounding out or whiffing each time. One of them goes to extra innings, but the manager pulled me for another fielder - great work. Argh - I need to start, not pinch hit - especially against lefties, my main weakness. Our coach came up and wanted me to contribute to some charity thing, but I waved him off - not interested. Knowing the way these clowns juggle their talent, he'd probably end up putting me down for more money than I'm getting paid or something.

I hope this will be as good as the other one!

You have made some great logs and I will be following this one all the way!

Looking good!

The pinch-hitting in the 7th and 8th has become standard for me now. The first few at-bats weren't so hot - ground out, pop out, foul fly out. Then I hit a slow roller that the infield was playing back on, and beat it out - pretty impressive, considering my speed being described so poorly. But the best so far was a huge homer into the left field seats. It was crushed. [one of those ones where the camera/screen just follows the ball as the hitter stands admiring]. I rounded the bases proudly, having my first homer and RBI.

The next day, I was in the starting lineup.

I've spent a bit of time at 1B and RF, filled in catching one game. Mostly is pinch hitting - sometimes just the one at-bat, a few times I stay in the game. The manager is really making an effort to use my bat, despite having McCann/Francoeur/Teixiera established and ahead of me. Must say I appreciate it. It might ruin my chances at Rookie of the Year...but the season's still young. I'm batting around .400, even with all the scouts worried about my low contact rate.

I've struck out a few times, mainly against lefties. Johan Santana is tough - his pitches cutting in, and I swing through them. The manager has played me 2 or 3 games as a starter - all against lefties!! What was he thinking! I look foolish out there, especially against Santana!

Good news is, I've worked a few walks. Some guys just lose control - the other day against the Nats I had what must have been a 12-pitch at-bat, working a walk. The next day I was intentionally walked with a guy on 2nd. Man, this is pretty sweet, about 15 games into the season and getting my first intentional pass!!

I pass the time on planes and in hotels by reading. I made it through some baseball comic book, and felt like it was time to move on to beginner batting. I think I'm going to concentrate on one hobby a year - this year, it's reading anything and everything I can. Next year I'll drop off the reading, and pick up darts or golf or something. Eventually, once I can afford the super-duper equipment, I'll work out more. For now, my bat does plenty of talking.

That's it for now. I'll be swinging away in Atlanta, hopefully getting more starts and making a name for myself.

Life is good.

July just ended - trading deadline passed - and I'm now the starting catcher for the Braves. More than that, I'm swatting around .350, and have smoked 12 homers. Twelve!! I had two in one game!!

The manager was telling us all to try our best, since the owner was going to be viewing the series - and in the first game I go 3-for-4 with a homer. I have about 31 RBIs now too. We won the first two games, but lost the third - enough to make the manager very happy.

I'm not sure if McCann was traded? I need to check the roster - I'm batting CLEANUP since breaking in for good in June, and starting at catcher about every day. Originally I was filling in at 1B or RF now and then, or maybe starting catcher in the bottom of the lineup - but wow. It didn't take long to put my mark on the baseball!

I got Rookie of the Month honors for July (.340 avg, 7 homers, many RBI), and got tons of fans - lots of fan mail came in asking for autographs. Rafael Soriano and I were laughing about it.

Sometimes the coach asks about charity things, but I'm not interested. If I'm not playing, I'm practicing or reading. No time for this frilly stuff. If I send out an autograph or two, those kids are llucky. I didn't get much from the stars when I was a kid.

I was introduced to an equipment rep, John, who offered me up to 6 free equipment runs from Mizzoto. I took him up on some bats, that's all I need for now.

Culture still isn't good enough for the Romance novel, so I bought another Mystery novel and read that.

I'm becoming a better catcher, getting used to squatting behind the plate for 9 innings. Really surprised I'm getting playing time over McCann though. I hope we got back some good pieces for him - really surprised they went with a guy like me at C, when I can play all over. I know Teix is as first, but RF maybe? Or move someone else over in the OF.

Teix is having a monster year. Chipper Jones and the rest of the team, not so much.

Confirmed - the Braves traded Brian McCann to Toronto for Shannon Stewart. Wow.

I guess we could have used another OF'er, but...I mean, I play right, I could prolly survive in left.

I'm the first one to admit that I'm tearing it up, and probably going to have a long successful career in the Bigs. And sure, they prolly watched my game calling for a few weeks and then decided I was the real deal.

But trading away McCann makes us weaker as a team. I could play right, or 1B next year when (if) Teix leaves - catcher is really 3rd position for me. Now if Teix leaves, we're in it deep.

You'd think the team would have talked to me about this - I'm not comfortable being behind the dish for years. That could wipe out my knees and shorten my career - and I have homerun records to chase. This team bugs me.

On another note, I finished a second mystery novel, and my culture is up to B - the romance novel can finally be read! Concentrating on JUST one hobby, for an entire season, really gets you maxed out pretty fast!

I lost a huge update here, thanks to a server refresh by DarkShade. Not blaming, but we lost 3+ days of posts, including a novella here that was very well formed.

Basically, the Braves continued on into the post-season. James stayed as everyday catcher, and when the postseason came, he caught on fire. 8 homers!! I think there wa s a 3 homer game. We took down the Reds, then the Mets. In the World Series we played the Mariners, who had beaten the Yanks in an improbable ALDS. They won out, unfortunately.

After the season I got a raise to around $800k. I practiced Darts all off-season, getting to a high F (weren't many books available - no more romance novels, so culture is a B, Style a high C). I went out a few times with Matt Diaz, another guy near my age with some power that I can hopefully connect with. Only other skill is Chess, high G almost F.

In spring training I practiced defense a ton, looking better there. The Braves are gung-ho - we added players like Torii Hunter, Raul Ibanez, and got Kottaras as a backup catcher. He caught all through spring training - I played RF - but once the season started, I was back behind the plate, every game, for the 2009 season. Argh.

Season got off to a slow start in April -notched a few homers, but mostly of the solo variety. I'm batting near .250. The pitchers are really mixing it up and moving all over - even when I get that hanging ball down the middle I ground it out. Frustrating.

I also met the trainer, and then was set upon by a new agent, Michael. We'll see if he's better than the guy I started with. He says he's seen me play and wants to represent me, and left his card. Hmm.

Teix and Francouer are still on board, and with more pitching as well (Ben Sheets! Yes!), we are hitting the season hard from the start. This will be a good year.