Grand Championship League 2015

[claphamsa]

What team is the AFBL?

Atlanta but im not sure if that is going to change or not will let you know once I submit my roster.

pretty sure they wont change!

[24Rocks]

Globe and Mail: Blue Pirates GM takes on role as ambassador for AFBL in OOTP Grand Champion League
Globe and Mail: Blue Pirates GM talks about taking on this new role and about what players he has chosen to field.

I have been playing OOTP since I was a kid back with OOTP 5 and started in online leagues around the same time. I started playing with my father in the same leagues as him I had some success, as I got older I moved on to GM in leagues of my own choice and had a few league Division titles and Series appearances. When my last league (ootp 8 ) folded I stopped playing online for 5 versions. After building a great solo league from 11-14 I wanted a Human challenge again, I became a founding GM in AFBL and started fresh but I have always tried to build my teams the same way that worked for me back when I first started, with solid pitching, good defense and letting the hitting come naturally.
With real players I have found that a lot of time things don?t always go as expected and with only one shot at this there is no next year so I took a long hard look at ratings & statistics getting a feel of who would fit on my team not worrying about money or names. The basic look of my team is nothing like what it looks now but I think I have a good chance with who is out on that field. I am just waiting to hear back from the Commish that everything is good and I will let you know who is on this team.

[24Rocks]

Globe and Mail: AFBL Grand Champions League roster reviled
These are Provisional Line ups Official ones will be posted Opening day 20/80 rating scale

#1 Matt Harvey    70/65/65 (75 Stamina 70 Hold Runner)
The Minute I saw him he was a lock for my team he is a soild pitcher and not very expensive.

#2 Stephen Strasburg 70/65/50 (60 Stamina 25 hold runners)
His Career BB/9 is 2.8 & HR/9 0.7 those I can like if they hold true he is my most expensive Pitcher but if he can pitch like it shows then we have a good 1-2 punch

#3 Shelby Miller 70/60/55 (60 stamina 45 hold Runners)
He was one of the last players added to this team but with 3 solid pitches he is a good choice for this team if I want to go far

#4 Jose Fernandez  70/65/45 (70 Stamina 50 Hold Runners)
This Pitcher is not what I usually go for but I can?t ignore the ability to go deep & K people from 4th guy in staff, career 0.7 HR/9 doesn?t hurt either.

#5 Gerrit Cole 60/65/60 (70 Stamina 65 Hold runners)
He is the most up in the air choice but he was cheap can go deep in to games he will most likely be the long man during tourney but that?s a while off.

MR/LR Steve Cishek 60/70/65 (30 stamina 45 Hold runners)
I want him to pitch in those blowouts but he will get his fair share of prime pitching in my small 5 man pen

MR Paco Rodriguez 80/65/60 (30 stamina 75 Hold Runners)
Last season for Boston he pitched really good, if he can duplicate that he is great choice for this pen

MR/SU Aaron Loup 55/70/75 (25 stamina 55 Hold Runners)
A lot of you might be why is he your #1 reliever and I?m like he doesn?t walk anybody and that?s what I love he is a solid GB pitcher little HR & little walks.

SU Brandon Cumpton 55/70/75 (20 Stamina 70 Hold Runners)
He may look weak but he throws the ball where he wants to and might save a run by looking that runner down. He won?t walk a lot which I really really like in my Setup guys

CL Greg Holland 75/70/55 (25 Stamina 20 Hold runners)
There were some better choices I will say that but his stats and Price won me over after a long long battle. He should be deadly from the mound and if the long ball is not being hit out he should have the job all season long.

Well this is what Pitchers we will be using, let me introduce you to the hitters, I won?t be giving batting order till I get the players on my team but this is who they are.

C Yasmani Grandal 55/55/50/60/50 (60 CA 55 C Arm)
He was a late addition; he is solid player who should help lead this team to the Championship

C/IF Yan Gomes 50/55/55/40/40 (55 CA 50 Catchers arm)
He has been on the team list for a while will be a good solid deal, can hit some pop but is better VS LHP and can play some 1b if ever needed

C Jason Castro 50/60/50/60/45 (50 CA 50 Catcher Arm)
Taking 5 relievers has its upsides & Jason is the perfect back up he can hit RHP well but my number is his .375 rh OBP

1B Joey Votto 70/60/60/65/50
He is the most expensive player on my team and he should earn in he will crush RHP and do ok against LHP will be big disappointment if he can't step up

2B Brock Holt 65/55/70/65/60
WOW he is good against RHP and cheap as hell a no brainier to have his defense is so so but he is a solid 2B

2B Kevin Moore 55/55/55/40/55
The last player chosen to this team it was a 2 day process to choose 3 players he will help out with defense maybe and is a little bit better at hitting lefty's

3B Fred Bailey 60/65/40/65/75
Like Brock he came cheap his defense is adequate for 3B but he will walk and get on base against RHP a lot hoping he can be a good hitter for us

SS Octavio Lucero 55/60/50/45/55
He was nice defense and offense option I feel that he could improve our team when he starts rock solid defense is a plus

SS Elvis Andrus 55/45/25/50/55 (70/80/80 base running ratings)
He is probably my overall worst hitter but I hope last season was a glitch and he can hit well for this team but he is the first guy off the bench for running most days

LF Barry Graves 70/60/55/45/75
He is another RHP masher and that could cause problems but he isn?t a slouch against Lefty's solid defense and good AVK should earn him good marks this season

CF Mike Trout 65/60/60/60/45 (75/80/50 Base Running Ratings)
He is my lefty's masher and speed guy with his solid range he can play some good D 2 time gold glove winner

CF William Jaffe 55/50/55/65/60
At one point and time he was penciled in as Starting LF that?s how much I like him he has a great eye and some pop can hit Lefty?s as well which makes him a steal for me.

RF Mike Stanton 60/60/75/55/40
My OF is stacked yes I know he has same ratings both side of plate but is better against RHP but that?s all relative, his defense I?m not happy with but will half to do

RF Ron ?Hammer? Baker 50/50/20/45/65 (75/80/75 Base Running)
He is my OF defensive replacement and speed demon he can?t really hit lefty?s but he is on the team for speed and D anything with his bat is a bonus

DH Yasiel Puig 70/55/60/45/40
Yes he is my DH for some reason he has really bad defense so that?s cool he has some speed & instincts but he probably will be bottom of order hitter do to the fact he doesn?t walk and K a lot.

Well that is the team I have put together for the AFBL?s Grand Champion?s League

[mikezone13]

Good luck!

Some relatively common names there from another league I know is in the comp.

[24Rocks]

Good luck!

Some relatively common names there from another league I know is in the comp.

alot of the cheap good players like brock holt are on everyone team i would figure cause you want the best player

[mikezone13]

Good luck!

Some relatively common names there from another league I know is in the comp.

alot of the cheap good players like brock holt are on everyone team i would figure cause you want the best player

Yep, pretty sure he's one on the list

[24Rocks]

Good luck!

Some relatively common names there from another league I know is in the comp.

alot of the cheap good players like brock holt are on everyone team i would figure cause you want the best player

Yep, pretty sure he's one on the list

I will hope the guys some people don't have that I have will out preform the rest

[24Rocks]

Globe And Mail: AFBL announces its Lineups for OPENING DAY in GCL

The Pitching staff was pretty much set in the Preview stage but now that I have seen my team going to look at things after opening sim, might make some changes but might not.

The Batting line ups

LINEUP VS RHP+DH
#    B    Name    Pos    
1    L    J?lio Garc?a    3B    
2    R    John Johnson    CF    
3    L    Wilson Cruz    1B    
4    L    Danny Shaffer    2B    
5    R    Daniel Cook    RF    
6    L    Ed Warren    LF
7    R    Ken Langley    DH    
8    L    Jos? P?rez    C    
9    R    Marcos Ayala    SS    

LINEUP VS LHP+DH
#    B    Name    Pos    AVG    HR    RBI    SB
1    R    Juan Corral    SS    
2    R    Ken Langley    DH    
3    R    John Johnson    CF    
4    R    Daniel Cook    RF    
5    R    Pedro Villanueva    
6    L    Wilson Cruz    1B    
7    S    Jonathan Cadet    
8    R    Gus Exposito    2B    
9    L    J?lio Garc?a    3B    

[24Rocks]

Globe and Mail: AFBL goes 5-2 in opening 7 games of GCL

SO we won 5 games the first game was a BIG win but after game 2 Cruz our 1B didnt get another hit and him not hitting could be a concern if it continues, In game 4 Soto walked 6 batters and we only got 7 hits and gave up 14!!! but we still found a way to win. Jones won his only start and pitched well if Soto keeps this up he will be move to pen for Playoffs.

Some positives are most of the players played like I thought they would some JJ 7 stolen bases is a great sign but Cooks 15 Ks no walks isnt but its only the first sim but there isnt that much time to figure things out and there is no bye so as long as I'm in the top 5 I will feel good about Playoffs but being #1 is the goal.

[24Rocks]

the next 2 sims we went 9-7 and after a lineup change our 1B started hitting again and has become one of the teams best hitters during these 2 weeks i removed Soto from 4th spot and put him 5th Jones has out preformed expectations and is looking to be the 4th starter for Post season.

[24Rocks]

The last 2 sims we haven't been so good 6-8 including 3 game losing streak of scoring 4 runs but losing each game because of bad Starting pitching. I have realized that I have been named drop and I made a few choices that I would like back but those are the breaks. We are in 7th place which is shocking because if you take a look at the team stats the one stat I like is OBP we are 5th but other then BB and SB nothing in out stats say 7th place to me now out pen as been really good mostly closer has been awesome has not lost a game if we have lead we keep it when they pitch that makes me happy but other then that it has been a crap shoot tho are hitting has come around recently but out are pitching has gone south.

we are a middle of a the road team but if our SP can step up in the last 20 along with getting some lucky hitting we can be in the top 5 starting the round of 32.

[24Rocks]

12-8 to finish season including a 11-3 run this team got hot and at a great time but during his time my pen blew a save for the first pen lose of the year and only one all season. Every single hitter has stepped up and I am not going to change lineups for playoffs just maybe spot starting Cook in RF here and there.  Jones has won the starting Job in Playoffs he was amazing all season he finished poorly with 2 losses but I belive he can step up he is my game 3 starter because Kent Coleman has lost 5 of last 6 starts. Soto moving to the pen will really help my already good pen and if Kent Can't pitch well Soto will move to Rotation.

[24Rocks]

Globe and Mail: AFBL finish 6th with disapointing 1-5 last sim, to face WBL APUSQUISPAY in Round 1 of Playoffs

Globe and Mail: AFBL GM discusses his thoughts on season and first round match up and if things are going to change.

I think we are very unheralded team with only one news story the whole season and only at the very end having our Star pitcher Cristi?n Leyva lead the GCL in wins were we ever on single player leaderboards.

Yes I do plan on managing differently and importing my playoff settings
so the AI can hopefully do what I want for each game. During the season
my goals was to finish in top 5 but also find out what kinda line up and
staff I had. I utilized 7 day lineups and Depth charts during the season
to keep players fresh and to get my backups AB so they are not cold going
in to playoffs.

My team looking at everything is a pretty good overall team pretty good
hitting pretty good pitching. The biggest thing I was looking for was
HIGH OBP that is one of the major ways I build my AFBL Team and having #2
OBP combined with #3 ave is a great accomplishment for this team with how
our offence started. I expected a lot of Strike outs with all the good
pitchers but with all my offence stats in top 50 % of the league I like
where we are at.
If the HR can come around we can be a force in the playoffs.

Pitching was actually better then the stats say my pen didn't lose a game
till 2nd last sim the only issue is we walk to much AND give up way to
many HR now I think I chose the wrong park for my staff but my offence
sure has liked it.
To began season Jones and Soto were both looking for post season SP job
and Jones won that by a mile which means that soto will be in the pen
able to help out during our playoff run.
Being 29th in HR 20th is BB and 25 in K will scare me going up against a
good offence but I believe that with Soto in the pen that we can continue
to hold those leads.


I was hoping to enter on a hot streak but it came 1 sim to early so
finishing 12-8 isn't that bad. WBL didn't have the best Season and they
don't have the best offence or pitching overall but they can surprise
you. They have thrown a No Hitter and had one thrown against them, I will
have to score early if I want to win as the bullpen is pretty good at
holding leads and not surrendering runs. If I can expose there weakness
of not getting onbase and face the LHP twice then this series should be a
easy victory.

If my Offence does not score like it should Losing this series could very
well happen, but it might be enough that there offence isn't that good, I
don't think it will be a tough series but it can be.

Commish Prediction 5-3 AFBL
My prediction 5-2 AFBL
Season rec 2-0 scores 3-1 5-0

[mstreeter06]

Great stuff. Good luck in the tournament!

[24Rocks]

for anyone who whats to watch playoffs http://gcl.ootpdevelopments.com/gcl/reports/html/real_time_sim/index.html