Arizona

[argh1]

Arizona is coming off the 2004 season with a 100 loss season, just a few years after winning the world series.

Let's see if we can bring them back to a WS win.

Settings: mogul

[argh1]

Goals for the season:

Finish above .500

Preseason:

Although our payroll budget is 64.7 M, and we only have a payroll of 50.0 M, we'll do some cleanup to bring some young talent to the club, and to save some payroll money.


Trades

APRIL 1, 2005
Reds receive Andrew Good (SP), Brandon Lyon (RP), Brady Raggio (RP), Jason Bulger (SP), Randy Choate (RP) and Mike Koplove (RP)

Diamondbacks receive Wily Mo Pena (RF)

I sent some old pitchers (25 to 35 years old) sitting in my minors (mostly with around 70 rating) to the Dbacks for Wily Mo Pena, an young 23 year old RF with some pop in his bat. He looks to have medicore fielding and medicore eye, but hopefully he'll develop.

Getting Pena makes Jose Cruz Jr and his 5.5 M salary expendable. I'm not sure if I'll keep Cruz or Pena, or move Cruz over to another OF position.

Next trade:

APRIL 1, 2005
Yankees receive Quinton McCracken (LF), Felix Jose (RF), Craig Counsell (SS), Luis Gonzalez (LF), Kelly Stinnett (C), Tony Clark (1B) and Royce Clayton (SS)

Diamondbacks receive Felix Rodriguez (RP)

This was mostly a salary dump, which saved around 5 million dollars. These were all old medicore players. Felix Rodriguez makes 1 million dollars and only has a rating of 70, so we'll try getting rid of him.

APRIL 1, 2005
Braves receive Felix Rodriguez (RP), Koyie Hill (C), Andy Green (3B), Kyle Nichols (1B), Alan Zinter (1B) and Wily Mo Pena (RF)
Diamondbacks receive Andy Marte (3B)

So I dumped Felix's salary, and traded way Wily Mo Pena and instead kept Jose Cruz Jr. I got back Andy Marte, who looks to be a future star at 3B, where Mr Glaus, and his 13 million dollar salary is sitting. I'll keep Marte in AAA for a year or less, and dump Glaus in the meantime.

Signings

Robby Hammock (C) for 1.8 million for 4 years. He's a 81/81 rated guy. Little expensive as my backup catcher, but can be used if my rookie catcher, Chris Synder, who has a 82/93 rating, struggles. If he doesn't, he can be traded.

Financials
Farm System set from 2M to 5M (17th)
Scouting from 3M to 5M (7th)
Medical Staff from 1M to 2M (16th)

Payroll Budget:
$60.7 M

Team Payroll:
$43.5M

Broadcast: Changed from local blackout to normal broadcast.




Now on to the season!

[argh1]

April:

Current lineup:

L. Terrero (CF)
J. Cruz Jr. (RF)
S. Green (1B)
T. Glaus (3B)
C. Quentin (LF)
S. Hairston (2B)
C. Snyder (C)
A. Cintron (SS)


Chicago Cubs at Arizona Diamondbacks
April 4, 2005

WP: C. Zambrano (1-0)
LP: B. Webb (0-1)
SV: S. Williamson (1)


Chicago Cubs at Arizona Diamondbacks
April 5, 2005
LOSS: 7-1
WP: K. Wood (1-0)
LP: J. Vazquez (0-1)

Bad outing for Vazquez.

April 6:

Baltimore Offers:
Walter Young and Surhoff for Jerry Gil, Shawn Green, Conor Jackson, and Jose Cruz Jr.

Walter Young is a 1B with a huge 98 peak. Surhoff is a medicore player. Green and Cruz Jr are two mainstays in my offense but collectively earn 10 million. Gil and Jackson have a little upside, but not as much as Young.

Amended trade:

APRIL 6, 2005
Orioles receive Jerry Gil (SS), Shawn Green (1B) and Conor Jackson (LF)
Diamondbacks receive Walter Young (1B)

I dumped Green's salary, gave two prospects with limited upside, and received what looks like a blue chip prospect with a huge peak in Young. Hopefully it'll work out.

Chicago Cubs at Arizona Diamondbacks
April 6, 2005

Young makes his Dbacks debut.
LOSS: 11-7
WP: G. Maddux (1-0)
LP: R. Ortiz (0-1)
SV: S. Williamson (2)

Bad outing for Ortiz, who only lasts 4 innings.

Los Angeles Dodgers at Arizona Diamondbacks
April 8, 2005
LOSS: 14-5
WP: C. Tiffany (1-0)
LP: J. Jimenez (0-1)

Bad outing for Estes, who only lasts 4 innings. The bullpen wasn't exactly much better. At least our offense knocked out Odalis Perez in 2 innings.

Boy, my starting pitching has sucked so far.

Los Angeles Dodgers at Arizona Diamondbacks
April 9, 2005
WIN: 5-2

P: B. Webb (1-1)
LP: B. Penny (0-1)
SV: J. Valverde (1)

Yes!!! Our first win.

Brandon Webb throws a beauty. Almost a complete game shutout, he lasts 8.2 innings and only gives up 6 hits.

Los Angeles Dodgers at Arizona Diamondbacks
April 10, 2005
LOSS: 1-0

The Dbacks go back to losing, but at least Vaz looked good. He pitched 8 innings and only gave up 4 hits. Unfortunatly our offense didn't show up against Weaver.

Colorado Rockies at Arizona Diamondbacks
April 11, 2005
LOSS: 5-1
WP: D. Neagle (1-0)
LP: R. Ortiz (0-2)

Yet another loss. We're 1-6 right now. Ouch. Ortiz goes 6 innings but gives up 3 home runs. Ouch. At least our bullpen bitched a lot better.

TRADE OFFER:
Angels offer:
Jeff Danovon (CF)
for:
DeVour (LF) and Troy Glaus (3B)

No thanks. Glaus is currently my best hitter. Danovan is decent, but not great.

Colorado Rockies at Arizona Diamondbacks
April 12, 2005
LOSS: 9-4

WP: J. Francis (1-0)
LP: S. Estes (0-1)
SV: R. Speier (1)

Estes is continuing to blow chunks. He gave up 7 runs in 5 innings. The bullpen was decent.

Colorado Rockies at Arizona Diamondbacks
April 13, 2005
Win: 5-2

Edgar Gonzalez pitches his first start of the season, and it was a beauty. 8 innings and only 1 run allowed. Attay boy.

Arizona Diamondbacks at Washington Nationals
April 14, 2005
Win: 6-2

WP: B. Webb (2-1)
LP: T. Armas Jr. (0-1)

Webb again has a beautiful outing. 8 innings, 2 runs in 9 hits. Nice.

Arizona Diamondbacks at Washington Nationals
April 16, 2005
Loss: 2-0

WP: T. Ohka (2-0)
LP: R. Ortiz (0-3)

Ortiz has a good outing in a pitchers duel, and lasts 8 innings with 2 runs given up. Unfortunatly, Ohka lasted 9 innings in a complete game shout.


Trade offer:
Oakland offers:
Chad Bradford (P)
for Jose Cruz Jr. and Estes.

No thanks.
Bradford is an 'ok' releiver.

The rest of april in the next post.