The Independent League

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January 20, 2004

After long, rigorous negotiations with Major League Baseball, an independent group of owners has finally come to an agreement with the MLB for the rights to create a second, independent major league. The league, appropriately christened the Independent League, and the MLB, agreed on a policy of non-interference : the IL agrees not to infringe upon MLB markets, and the MLB agrees not to infringe upon IL markets.

There was more to the final agreement than that, however. The IL agreed not to propose contracts to MLB or minor league players already under contract (but not to free agents), and in exchange, the MLB agreed, through its minor league affiliation, to withdraw any requested minor league teams from a market if the IL placed a team there. Minor league owners would be suitably compensated by the MLB.

The IL was banking on the widespread disillusionment with Major League Baseball evident from 'corporate parks', steroid abuse, corruption, and the mismanagement of franchises, specifically Montreal and Tampa Bay, in order to draw fans. The IL could also take a few more risks, given its complete lack of history.

However, not all was rosy on the surface of the IL. With the MLB's lockdown on all its players, including all minor league players for the near-future, the IL was forced to look to free agency and replacement players. On the plus side, there was no shortage of talent, however weak, as baseball is indeed a massively popular sport. Also, many cities were hesitant to invest heavily into an upstart league, with the recent failure of the much-touted XFL fresh in everyone's minds.

November 15, 2004

The IL soon began both accepting and proposing franchises to various cities. A few cities were very open to the idea : those that were snubbed by the recent Expos debacle in favor of Washington, DC. Portland, Oregon, was thirsting for a major league franchise, as well as Las Vegas and Norfolk, Virginia.

Memphis, Birmingham, Omaha, Oklahoma City, Hartford, and Salt Lake City all turned down the IL's offers. Providence, Rhode Island, and Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, expressed interest in acquiring a franchise, yet stated flat out they would not risk any such investment until the league proved itself healthy and viable. In addition, Rochester, New York, Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Jacksonville, Florida, sent proposals to the IL, but were denied.

As expected, Portland, Las Vegas, and Norfolk all readily accepted. Columbus, Ohio, and Sacramento, California, both sent proposals the IL, hoping to increase their recently-acquired 'professional sports' image, and both were accepted. Nashville, Tennessee, also accepted, citing their desire to increase the city's exposure and capitalize on the success of pro football and hockey in the city. Charlotte, North Carolina, cautiously accepted, as did San Antonio, Texas. New Orleans was a surprise, sending a well-drawn-out proposal to the IL even before it was officially announced that they were seeking franchises. Vancouver, British Columbia, also wanted to increase its exposure, citing the upcoming Olympics as well as the recent catastrophic failure of the city's pro basketball team. Buffalo, New York, and Indianapolis, Indiana, also traded up their AAA teams in favor of a major league IL team, out of frustration for continously being snubbed for expansion by the MLB, Buffalo since 1960.

Orlando, Florida, got in a late proposal, and was also accepted, but the big shocker came when Montreal, even as the Expos were packing up and leaving, submitted a detailed proposal for the acquisition of an IL team. The biggest news of the Independent League was easily the acceptance of Montreal as a charter franchise, re-igniting baseball interest in the city. It was seen as the start of a new era in the city that had suffered the most at the hands of the MLB's incompetence.

December 15, 2004

The charter members of the Independent League, along with Commissioner and the driving force of the creation of the IL Skip Johnson, worked long and hard to come through with a final plan for the IL's upcoming inaugural season. Subtle, yet noticable, rule changes were instigated, but none were as readily apparent as the use of the designated hitter for both leagues. The other important change came on the financial side, as each team's travel expenses were subsidized by the league itself. A small percentage of every team's revenue was taxed, and placed in a pool, which was thus used to fund travel expenses. This insured that every team would make every game.

A 162 game schedule was adopted to allow statistics to be readily compared with the MLB. The league was divided into two conferences, the Eastern and Western, with each team playing only other team's in its own conference. The trading deadline was eliminated, and each team played an unbalanced schedule against the other teams in its division.

The league's alignment for the inaugural season is as follows :

WESTERN LEAGUE
NORTH DIVISION
Portland Pioneers
Sacramento Monarchs
Vancouver Cardinals

SOUTH DIVISION
Las Vegas Coyotes
New Orleans Buccaneers
San Antonio Cowboys

EASTERN LEAGUE
NORTH DIVISION
Buffalo Americans
Columbus Centurions
Indianapolis Chiefs
Montreal Royales

SOUTH DIVISION
Charlotte Panthers
Nashville Rebels
Norfolk Admirals
Orlando Gators

January 20, 2005

Each team is now officially inaugurated, having established a home field, logo, team colors, and jerseys. The IL, meanwhile, had made an agreement with the USA Network to provide limited national coverage of selected games, including Friday night and Saturday afternoon simulcasts, and a special 'Game Of The Week' Sunday afternoon. Friday and Saturday game teams would be selected on a rotating basis, with each featured team receiving a percentage of ad revenue. The Game Of The Week, however, was chosen by the most compelling matchup each Sunday and was completely independent of any quota system.

Teams were now permitted to begin acquiring free agents and filling up their rosters. Las Vegas owner Vinny DiPaulo quickly made the most of his connections and money by signing most of the higher priced free agents available. Free hotel suites and casino gambling were often used as incentives. However, Las Vegas's payroll quickly ballooned to just over sixty million dollars. DiPaulo was confident he could make back the money, however.

New Orleans, Vancouver, San Antonio, and Orlando also made key acquisitions of the few good free agents, but all teams would, in the end, be stocked with replacement-level free agents. Many teams also picked up prospects that would have otherwise gone to the MLB draft, ensuring that teams would be well-off in the future.

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AROUND THE LEAGUE
IL Baseball Digest - March 1, 2005

Thank you for your interest in the Independent League and our inaugural season. We realize that many of you are likely unfamiliar with the teams and players your team may be facing off against. Here at the IL Baseball Digest, we hope to clarify this for you, as well as offering information about each club.

WESTERN CONFERENCE
NORTH DIVISION
Portland Pioneers
Home Field : PGE Park
Colors : Yellow and light blue
Logo : Uppercase letter P
Owner : Wes Chamberlain

Portland has assembled a hard hitting team for this first year. Second basemen Brent Simpson is already high on the list of potential superstars, while first sack slugger Ronaldo Amato has generated a lot of interest, smashing a home run every 11.8 at bats in college. Other offensive highlights include third baseman Joe DiPinto, centerfielder Dave Clements, and rightfielder Luis Sala.

Pitching is a different story. The Pioneers have a very weak rotation this year, made up entirely of prospects with few experience. The bullpen is also sub-par, the only bright spots being failed-MLB-prospect Jamin Venetos, and Corey Brummett, who pitched 33 innings for the Seattle Mariners last season.

TOP PROSPECTS
Breton Wallace (SS) 18, 49/94
Chris Nye (2B) 18, 50/95
Bruce Goldman (CF) 18, 65/100
Brent Simpson (2B) 21, 73/100
Luis Sala (RF) 20, 67/95

HOME FIELD
PGE Park
Built : 1926

Aging PGE Park will be the home field for the Pioneers until a new, modern stadium can be constructed. The deteriorating stadium, however, is perfectly suitable as a temporary home. Despite its drawbacks, Portland fans are quite enthusiastic about a major league team calling the city home, and downtown PGE Park will be that home for the near-future. While carrying one of the largest capacities for AAA, the stadium is the smallest in the IL.

Structure : Open
Surface : Artificial Turf
Fan Base : Fanatic
Capacity : 22,670
Convenience : Fair
Comfort : Poor
Sight Lines : Fair
Infield Quality : Good
Infield Grass : Short
Visibility : Poor
Foul Ground : Small

Dimensions, left to right : 326, 385, 400, 370, 300

Sacramento Monarchs
Home Field : Sutter Park
Colors : Black and royal purple
Logo : Uppercase M with crown on
Owner : Terry Smith

Sacramento fields an offensive minded team for their inaugural season. Left fielder Greg Colburn, first baseman Kevin Sinclair, and designated hitter Mike Tuholski bat 3, 4, and 5, and all are powerful sluggers as well as bright prospects. Another highlight includes veteran catcher Eddie Crawford. Crawford has played nineteen seasons with the San Diego Padres and Chicago White Sox, who released him at the end of last year.

The Monarchs have a decent pitching staff. Ace starter Lee Dergun is one to watch in the future, and closer Patrick Fisher may be one of the best in the league. However, the team lacks depth, rounded out by MLB has-beens Brian Davis and Steve Klass. However, when questioned about their age and failure in the MLB, Klass responded, "I've put that behind me. I'm happy someone wants me around now, and I intend to make the best of it."

TOP PROSPECTS
Tony Connel (SS) 18, 49/98
Don Mone (1B) 18, 65/99
Mike Tuholski (1B) 21, 69/100
Jim Koelbl (RF) 18, 63/96
Tom Renshaw (1B) 18, 65/96

HOME FIELD
Sutter Park
Built : 1988

Sutter Park was built in the late 80's to host the AAA Sacramento franchise. A rather modern facility, it was constructed downtown and was designed to be expandable to attract a major league baseball franchise. This failed, however, and the stadium remained AAA quality. In preparation for the IL Monarchs moving in, the long-desired expansion finally took place. 15,000 seats were added, expanding the lower deck all the way to the foul poles, and a low bleacher section was installed in the outfield, that retains the Park's view of Sacramento's downtown. A new, modern scoreboard was added, and Sutter Park is now the major league caliber stadium that was always sought.

Structure : Open
Surface : Artificial turf
Fan Base : Indifferent
Capacity : 29,855
Convenience : Fair
Comfort : Good
Sight Lines : Average
Infield Quality : Average
Infield Grass : Very short
Visibility : Good
Foul Ground : Small

Dimensions, left to right : 310, 365, 400, 360, 300

Vancouver Cardinals
Home Field : Computek Centre
Colors : Red, black
Logo : Red cardinal profile
Owner : Roger Sullivan

Vancouver has assembled not only a hard-hitting lineup, but also a sure-hitting one. From the top to the bottom, the hitters show great contact. Third baseman Sean Mercer is definitely one to watch, having hit over .400 in college. Masato Tsui should also make an impact. The centerfielder led the NCAA in home runs and slugging percentage at Texas Tech. First baseman Justin Hertel and right fielder Erik Bechtel will also provide pop to lineup.

The Cardinals have a strong, balanced rotation, built around staff ace Dan Hochheiser. The southpaw picked up 19 wins in 33 starts in college. #2 pitcher Kevin Placzkowksi is also a solid starter. However, the bullpen is weak. Outside of star closer Marshall Putnam, Vancouver's relievers are merely mediocre, at best. The Cardinals will need strong outings from their starters if they wish to win games.

TOP PROSPECTS
Troy Waters (2B) 20, 51/100
Max Ingersoll (SS) 18, 60/100
Erik Bechtel (RF) 18, 69/100
Raul Cornejo (3B) 18, 71/100
Carlo Ramirez (RF) 18, 66/98

HOME FIELD
Computek Centre
Built : 2005

The newly constructed Computek Centre, on Vancouver's downtown waterfront, is one of the few all-new stadiums built for their IL tenant. Named for the Fortune 500 software company, the Computek Centre is a modern, yet large, facility, quite suited towards baseball. The stadium's fences arc gracefully towards their deepest point between center and right-center at 400 feet, giving the field a unique appearance.

Structure : Open
Surface : Natural Grass
Fan Base : Enthusiastic
Capacity : 34,155
Convenience : Good
Comfort : Average
Sight Lines : Good
Infield Quality : Good
Infield Grass : Medium
Visibility : Good
Foul Ground : Large

Dimensions, from left to right : 300, 355, 385, 395, 320

SOUTH DIVISION
Las Vegas Coyotes
Home Field : Siegel Stadium
Colors : Tan and white
Logo : Anthropomorphic coyote with Las Vegas jersey and bat.
Owner : Vinny DiPaulo

Las Vegas is clearly the favorite this year to capture the league title. Enterprising owner DiPaulo made several key free agent acquisitions, gambling on the IL to perform well into the future. The potent lineup includes major league veterans Mario Coelho (RF, 33), Shaun Walsh (SS, 28), Chris Ziegenhorn (2B, 34), and Ryan Gerenrot (C, 36). Also sure to make an impact are former MLB young guns, lured away by lucrative contracts. These include Mark Rosinski, LF, Marcus Gelinas, CF, and last year's gold-glove runner up, second baseman Gene Roy. The most exciting young acquisition, however, is 2002's Rookie Of The Year, left fielder Neil Brown. As the starting left fielder for the Atlanta Braves last year, Brown slugged 44 home runs, while also placing second in the National League with a whopping 182 strikeouts.

Las Vegas's pitching is also strong, though relies more on the bullpen. The rotation is decent, yet not spectacular. The bright spots in the rotation are MLB 'coulda-been's, Wes Hooper and Steve Thomas. However, the bullpen is where the Coyotes really shine. Outstanding 33 year old closer Joel Blitz is the centerpiece of the relief corps. Blitz is a five-time all star, having led the league five times in saves with the California Angels. Solid veteran setup man Daniel Greene is there, after being cut by Baltimore. Steady veterans Virgil Smith and Ricardo Alberto are also to be watched.

TOP PROSPECTS
Mike White (SP) 18, 66/100
Eric Pontaut (LF) 19, 63/96
Marc Amour (1B) 18, 65/97
David Smith (RF) 20, 65/96
James Wright (SP) 18, 64/96

HOME FIELD
Siegel Stadium
Built : 2005

One of the many favors team owner Vinny DiPaulo cashed in was to convince the city to allow construction of a 35,000 seat domed stadium, even before the franchise had been accepted. Promising certain favors to certain influential businessmen helped DiPaulo rush construction through to make the stadium ready for its IL occupant by opening day. Named for the man who 'envisioned Las Vegas', Siegel Stadium is possibly the best stadium in the IL, and certainly the most expensive. Built in downtown Las Vegas, the stadium is a circular concrete stadium with a steel-supported roof. The entire outside is painted in a pleasing, adobe tan, and the stadium is the only one in the league to feature an LED lightboard that wraps around the entire circumference. The stadium's small, cozy dimensions encourage offense as well as seats very close to the action. It even includes a restaurant and hotel in centerfield.

Structure : Domed
Surface : Artificial Turf
Fan Base : Devoted
Capacity : 35,985
Convenience : Good
Comfort : Excellent
Sight Lines : Excellent
Infield Quality : Good
Infield Grass : Very Short
Visibility : Good
Foul Ground : Small

Dimensions, left to right : 310, 365, 400, 365, 310

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New Orleans Buccaneers
Home Field : The Louisiana Superdome
Colors : Blue and black
Logo : Skull, wearing Buccaneers cap, with crossed bats
Owner : Louis Depardeau

The Buccaneers have a quick-fielding team assembled for the inaugural Independent League season. Shortstop prospect Erik Jones is renowned for his fielding ability, while MLB veterans Juan Porcallo (2B) and Sam Nanney (CF) also have good gloves. But by far the highlight of the Buccaneers defense is rightfielder Gabe Maiorana. A six-time all star, Maiorana collected five gold gloves while patrolling the outfield for the California Angels. Unfortunately, a mid-season injury in 2000 led to his release, and Maiorana has played with six teams until he found a home with New Orleans.

New Orleans has a capable pitching staff, with starters Andy Whacker, Joel Schulenberg, and Nate Crabbe all set to provide solid mound appearances. Closer Derek McDonald is one to watch in the future, while New Orleans also has on board the former Cubs setup man, 27 year old Daniel Picard. Warren Hurff is also a solid reliever. New Orleans should be able to keep the scores down.

TOP PROSPECTS
Tony Anderson (1B) 18, 61/99
Kiyoshi Emoto (RF) 17, 67/100
David O'Conner (3B) 20, 62/97
Wes Loesch (3B) 20, 64/96
Chris Holliday (CF) 19, 75/96

HOME FIELD
The Louisiana Superdome
Built : 1975

A little known fact of the Superdome was that it was designed to be convertible to host baseball, in hopes of attracting an MLB tenant. The MLB happily ignored New Orleans, however, and since that time, the Superdome has only occasionally hosted college baseball or exhibitions. Now, however, the massive concrete facility is home to the Buccaneers, making the stadium finally regularly multi-purpose. While suitable for baseball, the stadium is not optimal for it. Sight lines are uniformly mediocre : while this means there are no 'bad' seats, there are no 'good' ones either. The sheer size of the Superdome makes it easily the largest stadium in the IL, and the MLB for that matter. However, despite its drawbacks, the Superdome has aged remarkably well, unlike its contemporaries. Also, as the stadium 'settles in' to having a full-time baseball tenant, it will likely improve. Currently the Buccaneers play on the same turf as the Saints : team owner Depardeau has expressed interest in acquiring a special baseball-only turf to be used for baseball. Only time will tell, however, if the Buccaneers can draw enough fans to make it worthwhile.

Structure : Domed
Surface : Artificial Turf
Fan Base : Indifferent
Capacity : 63,525
Convenience : Fair
Comfort : Fair
Sight Lines : Fair
Infield Quality : Poor
Infield Grass : Very Short
Visibility : Poor
Foul Ground : Tiny

Dimensions, left to right : 312, 365, 400, 365, 312

San Antonio Cowboys
Home Field : LeaseCo Field
Colors : Gold, black
Logo : Interlocked, uppercase SA
Owner : Branch McArthur

The Cowboys have a solid lineup of contact hitters, based around the impressive right fielder Shaun Thompson. The 21 year old developed very quickly and is already ready for play in the majors. Last season, with Tulane University, Thompson crushed college pitching, hitting an outstanding .546 batting average. The Cowboys are very excited about his development. However, left fielder Raul Elixaeberna, third baseman Chris Diegnan, and catcher Jeremy Sheehan also show much contact-hitting promise.

San Antonio's pitching rotation can best be described as one-dimensional. Staff ace Hirohisa Yamato is impressive indeed, but the rest of the rotation is negligible. The bullpen, while having strong ex-MLB prospect presence from closer Dale Yance and setup man Donald Lusiak, is equally one-dimensional. The only bright spot elsewhere in the bullpen is 31 year old veteran Brad Babinski, who pitched four mediocre years for the Detroit Tigers, and has not played in an official game since September 16th, 2003.

TOP PROSPECTS
Keith Parker (CF) 18, 62/100
Raymond Young (CF) 18, 65/100
Rob Liebowitz (RF) 20, 63/98
Greg Giannini (2B) 21, 68/100
Scott Weiss (RP) 18, 66/96

HOME FIELD
LeaseCo Field
Built : 1976

LeaseCo Field turns 30 next year, and it is beginning to show its age. After spending half a dozen years vacant, the stadium is in a state of arrested decay. However, it was the only baseball facility large enough to accomodate a major league franchise. Some renovations were conducted on the aging field, financed in part by LeaseCo, a popular rent-to-own chain. Seating capacity was expanded by adding bleachers down the foul lines and into left field. The scoreboard was repaired after having sat unmaintained, and several vandalized seats were replaced. Despite this, the stadium offers good sight lines, having been built originally for the San Antonio AAA team which has since moved on. It also features the deepest outfield in the IL. The decripit, unkept AstroTurf is also easily the worst in the IL. Team owner Branch McArthur has made it clear that LeaseCo Field is only a temporary home. Depending on how well the Cowboys do will dictate how soon they receive a modern facility.

Structure : Open
Surface : Artificial Turf
Fan Base : Enthusiastic
Capacity : 26,695
Convenience : Fair
Comfort : Poor
Sight Lines : Good
Infield Quality : Poor
Infield Grass : Very Short
Visibility : Average
Foul Ground : Small

Dimensions, from left to right : 345, 390, 420, 390, 345

EASTERN CONFERENCE
NORTH DIVISION
Buffalo Americans
Home Field : Dunn Tire Park
Colors : Red, white, and blue
Logo : Red A with white star in center
Owner : Calvin Vance

After waiting 45 years, Buffalo has finally attracted a major league franchise. Unfortunately, baseball fans in Buffalo will likely need to tolerate a few years of building. The lineup is vastly unbalanced, with future superstar Edmund Rudas in right field, Randy Ryan at first base, and Phil Dempsey in centerfield, with a supporting cast of mediocre, at best, players. David Mear (3B), Dennis Hurst (C), and Jairo Tolentino (LF) are barely even back-up caliber. Simon Sutton (SS), and Eduardo Diaz (2B), while bright prospects, are not developed yet, and provide barely passable play.

Buffalo's pitching is worse. #1 starter Eric Sinnott may as well be the only starting pitcher. The abyssmal bullpen will surely not provide any relief. Henry Uminsky, the setup man, is the only reliever worth mentioning. Another bright prospect, Uminsky is the only passable reliever on the staff.

TOP PROSPECTS :
Juan Alas (2B) 18, 48/100
Simon Suttan (SS) 20, 50/93
Margo Diaz (RF) 18, 66/100
Wade Utter (1B) 18, 61/95
Jeff Miyara (2B) 18, 54/91

HOME FIELD
Dunn Tire Park
Date Built : 1988

Built in hopes of attracting a major league franchise, Dunn Tire Park will finally be hosting one this season. One of the finest stadiums in the Independent League, Dunn Tire Park was built to be expandable to suit a major league team. 13,000 seats were added in preparation for the Americans' arrival, extending the lower deck all the way around the stadium. More seats could easily be added by double-decking the rest of the way down the foul lines.

Structure : Open
Surface : Natural Grass
Fan Base : Devoted
Capacity : 33,448
Convenience : Good
Comfort : Excellent
Sight Lines : Good
Infield Quality : Good
Infield Grass : High
Visibility : Good
Foul Ground : Small

Dimensions, left to right : 322, 376, 406, 376, 322

Columbus Centurions
Home Field : Capital Financial Ballpark
Colors : Green, white
Logo : Uppercase block C
Owner : Neil Updike

Columbus fields a slow, poor defensive team this year. The lineup does not include a single true steal threat, and abyssmal fielding. However, they also have some power, with slugging first baseman Will Perez, and hard-hitting right fielder Joseph Berman. Second baseman Stephen Verploegh is a fantastic prospect, however, as is right fielder Jose Ramirez. While Columbus may field a poor lineup right now, the future looks bright.

On the pitching side, however, the Centurions have, easily, the worst group of pitchers ever assembled. Puerto Rican Tito Motolinia is a poor 5th starter, yet is the best starter Columbus has. Relief pitchers Americo DeSoto, Billy Deyle, and Warren Porter may someday develop into adequate pitchers, but for now are best used in batting practice. Columbus will need to slug as many runs as they can and hope for the best.

TOP PROSPECTS
Bradley Belshaw (LF) 17, 61/100
Ian Scott (SS) 18, 48/93
Joseph Sheffield (2B) 18, 48/91
Joseph Berman (RF) 21, 68/100
Brad Vigren (3B) 22, 59/93

HOME FIELD
Capital Financial Ballpark
Date Built : 2004

Capital Financial Ballpark was half-way finished when it was announced that Columbus would be gaining an Independent League franchise. Construction was halted to add additional seating and facilities and, in retrospect, was done quite well. Named after a local financing business, the stadium is double-decked all the way down to the foul poles, continuing from the original design what was to only go halfway down the line. Outfield bleacher seats could possibly be added, but right now the area beyond the fences is empty. The large scoreboard in left field would have to be moved back, but the view of downtown Columbus beyond the right half of the outfield should remain unobscured. Capital Financial Ballpark is one of the better stadiums in the IL.

Structure : Open
Surface : Natural Grass
Fan Base : Indifferent
Capacity : 32,016
Convenience : Good
Comfort : Good
Sight Lines : Good
Infield Quality : Good
Infield Grass : Short
Visibility : Good
Foul Ground : Small

Dimensions, left to right : 344, 386, 412, 386, 344

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Indianapolis Chiefs
Home Field : Victory Field
Colors : Red, silver
Logo : Uppercase C with headress
Owner : Fred Hayes

The Chiefs field a weak hitting team lineup with respectable defensive abilities. While lacking in a 'stand-out' slugger, Indianapolis has a relatively-consistent power band, including second baseman Bryant Vanover, centerfielder Rob Minevich, rightfielder Warren Seton, leftfielder Gary Ferenchick, and third baseman David Baudoin. The rest of the lineup is below average, with weak hitters. Catcher Gabriel Birmingham could not hit a semi if it were standing still, and shortstop Kevin Ewen is only marginaly better.

Indianapolis's pitching is competent. Starter Luis Samuel is one of the better pitchers in the IL, while Jason Grover and Spencer Dussault are strong in following him up. The Chiefs have good relievers. Closer Bob Fithen is one of the hardest throwing pitchers around, while setup man Jozen Ochiai and short reliever Warren Stendardo are around average.

TOP PROSPECTS
Doug Perras (CF) 18, 59/97
Rob Minevich (CF) 21, 69/100
Doug Drosnes (2B) 18, 54/92
Margo Camillo (SP) 20, 63/96
Warren Seton (RF) 21, 73/100

HOME FIELD
Victory Field
Date Built : 1998

Despite its recent construction and modern conveniences, Victory Field, as it stands now, is painfully inadequate for a major league franchise. It is a minor league stadium through and through, and is too small and limited to host a major league tennant for a long period of time. However, as it stands, it is one of the best, most beautiful ballparks in the country. Team owner Fred Hayes is quite a fan of the stadium, and thus has come up with a series of 'reconstructions', to be completed over a period of several offseasons, to bring it up to standard. Included in the renovations is the deconstruction of the existing upper deck to allow increased lower deck capacity. The upper deck would then be reconstructed atop the new lower deck, while also being expanded itself. Hayes also has an ambitious plan to continue double-decking the seating around to the foul poles, as well as adding bleacher seats where the current grass berms are in the outfield (and charging $5 a seat).

Structure : Open
Surface : Natural Grass
Fan Base : Devoted
Capacity : 24,116
Convenience : Average
Comfort : Excellent
Sight Lines : Excellent
Infield Quality : Excellent
Infield Grass : High
Visibility : Good
Foul Ground : Average

Dimensions, left to right : 320, 418, 402, 362, 320

Montreal Royales
Home Field : Labatt Park
Colors : Dark blue, light blue
Logo : Cursive uppercase M, light blue with dark blue trim
Owner : Peter Etienne

The most surprising charter member of the Independent League, Montreal's thirst for baseball cannot be denied. Montreal, and the IL, are confident that the new team will be competitive and strong in the new league. The Royales' lineup consists of a few power hitters, but mostly weak hitting defensive players. Designated hitter Alan Catharina and rightfielder Donnie Davis provide most of the long-ball punch, though short stop Richard Walker, left fielder Dominic Riberdy, and first baseman Daniel Vucinich also have some pop. Richard Walker, hitting lead off, has also shown much promise as a base stealing threat.

The Royales have a sub-par pitching staff. Starters Yannick Dreyer and Mike Tomithch show occasional sparks of brilliance, but the rest of the rotation is terrible. In the bullpen, Montreal is consistently mediocre. Though there are no good relievers, there are also no bad ones. Alex Dennis will likely be a viable closer for Montreal, Umberto Pastrama and Marv Taylor should provide many quality innings of middle relief for years to come. However, that time is not here yet.

TOP PROSPECTS
Alan Catharina (RF) 18, 66/100
Eli Gabel (1B) 20, 49/91
Brad Silvernail (C) 18, 63/96
Sal Wollen (RP) 17, 59/93
Nino Escarrega (SP) 20, 49/87

HOME FIELD
Labatt Park
Built : 2005

While the Expos were floundering after being sabotaged by Major League Baseball, a last final plan was drawn up for a new baseball stadium for them. This plan was shelved indefinitely when the MLB owners purchased the Expos, but unexpectedly found new life upon creation of the Independent League. Labatt Park, sponsored by the brewing company of the same name, is the opposite of the trend of cookie cutter, fully tax-payer financed retro parks prevalent in the MLB. Instead, the stadium is decidedly modern in construction. Round, graceful lines surround the field, which is triple-decked from foul pole to behind home plate to foul pole. A short section of bleacher seats in the outfield, and a modest-sized scoreboard in left field, do not obscure the views of downtown Montreal. As of this writing, the stadium is not entirely finished, though team owner Pierre Etienne ensures us that the field will be ready in time for opening day.

Structure : Open
Field : Natural Grass
Fan Base : Enthusiastic
Capacity : 36,287
Convenience : Average
Comfort : Excellent
Sight Lines : Excellent
Infield Quality : Fair
Infield Grass : High
Visibility : Fair
Foul Ground : Tiny

Dimensions, left to right : 330, 370, 400, 370, 300

Charlotte Panthers
Home Field : Templeton Field
Colors : Black, white
Logo : Uppercase block C with panther laying in the middle
Owner : Danny Templeton

Charlotte has put together a rather potent offensive lineup for this year. Centerfielder Daniel Bartelmen should develop into an outstanding player, with power and speed. Catcher Chris Suurd is one of the hardest hitting catchers in the league. Aaron Fresquet (DH), Jason Henson (3B), and Stuart Hardman (RF) all provide additional support.

The Panthers have a mediocre pitching staff. Marco Prado leads the rotation with poor control, and mediocre Steve Saxe backs him up. Former Major Leaguer Tobin McLaughlin is the lone bright spot in relief, though Noberto Martinez, Marcellus Creamer, and Sean Verity all show much promise.

TOP PROSPECTS
Gary Lovelace (2B) 18, 48/97
Marc Hallarin (3B) 17, 53/94
Daniel Bartelman (CF) 18, 66/100
Mike Abbot (SS) 20, 65/95
Jason Henson (1B) 20, 66/94

HOME FIELD
Templeton Field
Built : 1966

Templeton Field has held up well despite its age, owing to being occupied for the entire tenure. The well-mainted, pseudo-modern stadium required only a few upgrades to bring it up to major league standards. Included were an upgraded press box, new lights, some turf replacement, and new padded walls to replace the outfield's wooden fences. Additional seating was added down the lines as well as out into centerfield after the acquisition of the stadium by current team owner Danny Templeton. The stadium was thus renamed (the previous sponsorship was terminated upon the park's sale) and now hosts the Charlotte Panthers.

Structure : Open
Surface : Natural Grass
Fan Base : Casual
Capacity : 29,649
Convenience : Average
Comfort : Average
Sight Lines : Good
Infield Quality : Fair
Infield Grass : Medium
Visibility : Fair
Foul Ground : Average

Dimensions, from left to right : 333, 380, 410, 380, 333

SOUTH DIVISION
Nashville Rebels
Home Field : Buzz Cola Yard
Colors : Orange, black
Logo : Uppercase block NR
Owner : Art Mitchum

Nashville's new Independent League franchise has a potent slugging lineup with weak contact. The Rebels have the poorest contact lineup in the Independent League, but make up for it with several sluggers. Third sacker Anthony Valentine has a very hard swing. Designated hitter Jeff Rosenthal, and right fielder Adrian Sloan also have big bats. This power comes at the expense of fielding, and the Rebels have one of the worst fielding teams in the league.

Nashville's pitching is decent. Azumabito Shapiro is a strong starter, closer Guillermo Ramirez and reliever Morgan Bahr back him up. MLB veteran Matt Petrick is in the setup role, and has much experience to offer.

TOP PROSPECTS
George Boone (C) 18, 65/100
Britton Serepca (3B) 20, 51/93
Leon Gallego (C) 21, 67/100
Azumabito Shapiro (SP) 18, 67/100
Anthony Valentine (3B) 21, 67/96

HOME FIELD
Buzz Cola Yard
Date Built : 1955

Formerly known as Nashville Municipal Stadium, Buzz Cola Yard is an aging facility older than any of its players. The stadium has lately fallen into disrepair, and is in poor shape. 5,000 temporary seats have been added in the outfield, and a few other minor improvements were made to prepare the field for major leauge use. However, it is only a temporary home for the Rebels.

Structure : Open
Surface : Natural Grass
Fan Base : Casual
Capacity : 27,998
Convenience : Fair
Comfort : Fair
Sight Lines : Average
Infield Quality : Fair
Infield Grass : Short
Visibility : Poor
Foul Ground : Large

Dimensions, left to right : 336, 382, 410, 382, 336

[polarisslbm]

Norfolk Admirals
Home Field : Metropolitan Stadium
Colors : Blue, silver
Logo : Uppercase silver block N with blue outline
Owner : Brad Cross

The Norfolk Admirals are the poorest hitting team in the South division. First baseman Paul Burns can hit the ball hard, but outside of him, there are no other significant long ball threats. Designated hitter Jeff Benjamin has poor contact and average power, as does third baseman Ron Lollis. The Admirals are also one of the weakest defensive teams, having poor defense at all eight positions.

The Admirals have some solid starting pitchers. Nat Crossman, the #1 starter, is a strong pitcher, while Warren DiPetrillo is an effective #2 starter. In the bullpen, closer Greg Marsh and setup man Max Benavides provide good relief. Relievers Jay Boston, Doug Woelfel, and Albert Cuellar are all consistently average.

TOP PROSPECTS
Jim Turner (2B) 17, 51/100
Shinjo Egi (SS) 18, 48/91
Ron Lollis (3B) 21, 61/92
Ted Larson (1B) 20, 51/85
Larry Szilagyi (SP) 22, 48/82

HOME FIELD
Metropolitan Stadium
Date Built : 1948

Constructed from surplus following the end of World War II, Metropolitan Stadium is the oldest stadium in the Independent League. Originally hosting a variety of Norfolk-based low minors teams, it was expanded in 1966 to 20,000 seats to attract a AAA and then, hopefully, a major league time, but that failed to happen. After the AAA Norfolk club played there from 1968 to 1984, the stadium was abandoned in favor of a smaller stadium for the low minors teams. Metropolitan Stadium sat vacant until called upon to perform for the new Norfolk Admirals baseball team. The rapidly deteriorating facility was cleaned up, and four thousand temporary seats were added, but Metropolitan Stadium is still just a temporary home. If all goes well, the Admirals wish to build a new, full-size stadium on the downtown waterfront.

Structure : Open
Surface : Natural Grass
Fan Base : Average
Capacity : 24,411
Convenience : Fair
Comfort : Poor
Sight Lines : Good
Infield Quality : Poor
Infield Grass : Very High
Visibility : Average
Foul Ground : Small

Dimensions, from left to right : 349, 395, 410, 380, 328

Orlando Gators
Home Field : Animotion Stadium
Colors : Green, black
Logo : Anthropomorphic alligator with Gators jersey and bat
Owner : Douglass Wertz

Orlando's inaugural roster contains quite a lot of power. Conan 'The Barbarian' Bontrager plays left field and has a very strong swing, as well as a good glove in the field. Third baseman Roger Smith and first baseman Mario Armandariz show promise in hitting for the fences. Catcher Wes Neuhoff and left fielder Patrick Snavely can also hit it deep. Orlando can get offensive production from almost all of its lineup. Defensively, the Gators are no slouch, fielding one of the best defensive lineups in the league.

The Gators also havea formidable pitching staff. Staff ace Justin Corporandy is one of the best starters in the game, and he is backed up by Bert Niemiller, Eric Owens, and Keith Wayrynen, who all pitch effectively. Daniel Petrick is an outstanding closer. Mike Waterston and Agustin Villadonga are also decent in relief.

TOP PROSPECTS
Roger Smith (3B) 21, 67/100
Mario Amendariz (1B) 18, 66/100
Richard Barringer (1B) 18, 64/97
Jeff Veselinovski (SS) 17, 47/88
James Rubin (1B) 18, 53/91

HOME FIELD
Animotion Stadium
Date Built : 2000

Brand new Animotion Stadium is one of the finest in Florida. The stadium is built in downtown Orlando, and offers wonderful views of the city and its surroundings. It was originally built as a AAA stadium, so 8,000 outfield bleacher seats were added. The stadium is also expandable should the league prove popular. The upper deck, as it is now, goes only up to first and third base, but it could be lengthened and expanded to the foul poles. Part of the facility is a spacious above-and-below ground parking garage, to help alleviate the problems normally associated with downtown stadiums.

Structure : Open
Surface : Natural Grass
Fan Base : Indifferent
Capacity : 27,745
Convenience : Good
Comfort : Good
Sight Lines : Good
Infield Quality : Good
Infield Grass : High
Visibility : Good
Foul Ground : Small

Dimensions, from left to right : 315, 375, 410, 375, 315

[adam]

would you make this universe public? I'd love to play with it :)

[polarisslbm]

Sure, why not? Well... I can try, anyway. The last time I attempted to upload league files, the website flumped up on me, giving me some bogus message like 'no such thread'!

[polarisslbm]

April 1, 2005

Excitement and interest are running in this, the first ever professional league outside the MLB since... nineteen-ten-something. What was that? The Federal League? I don't remember right now...

...but enough of that. I should introduce myself. My name is Vinny DiPaulo, and I'm the team owner, and self-appointed GM, of the Las Vegas Coyotes franchise.

Let me tell you a little bit about the team first. I've got a lot of connections in the city, and even outside of that, but even I may have bitten off too much. I've promised a lot of money to certain people, least of all the players themselves, and now I've got to deliver. But we've got a very strong roster this year, despite having a payroll twelve times higher than our nearest competitor.

However, we're the only franchise aggressive enough not to settle into an immediate 'building' mode. We may enjoy immediate success, but I am afraid it may cost us in the long run...

That's not important right now, though. Financials are still ever present in the back of my head, but I need to focus on winning ball games and drawing fans in. I know I have upset a lot of my advisors; even their most optimistic predictions show me coming up $30M short. It's a gamble, I know, but without risk, there can be no gain.

Spring training is over. I need to set my lineups.

I glance over my player's spring training results, scouting reports, and their MLB statistics. This lineup practically writes itself.

I build my lineup around Neil Brown. He lost his starting left field gig to the outstanding defensive abilities of Mark Rosinski, so I drop him in at designated hitter. My second baseman, Gene Roy, is quick on the basepaths and in the field, so he gets the leadoff spot. Marcus Gelinas in CF (an impressive fielder with a decent arm), Paul Eble at first (good pop and surprising mobility) and Chris Ziegenhorn at third base (great contact and sharp in the field) all make it in by default.

However, shortstop is a conundrum. Shaun Walsh and veteran Carlos Perez are practicaly even in skills. Both are very good fielders, and both have average contact (with Walsh slightly better). I decide to go with Walsh and leave Perez as a solid backup, but if he cannot make the cut, I have someone I can replace him with.

Catcher is my weakest position. 36 year old Ryan Generot earns the starting position. He's got good handling and fielding, but his arm and bat are what it used to be. Backing him up is the 37 year old, 'shoulda been' Edwin Montague. He is weaker fielding, but neither are a good choice, in my opinion. I do not know how long either can last at the position, and I may wind up splitting time between them.

My starting lineup looks like this :

1. Gene Roy, 2B
2. Marcus Gelinas, CF
3. Mario Coelho, RF
4. Neil Brown, DH
5. Mark Rosinski, LF
6. Paul Eble, 1B
7. Shaun Walsh, SS
8. Chris Ziegenhorn,3B
9. Ryan Gerenrot, C

Pitching is a much easier setup. Top prospect Steve Thomas is going to get the #1 spot, with ex-MLB prospect Wes Hooper getting the second spot. Brian Charbonneau, Joe Wheatley, and Neil Thurston will round out the staff, though I am cautious of their abilities.

My relief corps is solid, however. Joel Blitz is an outstanding closer, Daniel Greene is a great setup man, Virgil Smith, Jairo Aguirre, and Armando Santos are very solid relievers. Unfortunately, I do not have a proper alternate starter. Reliever Ricardo Alberto is going to have to do his best at the role.

Shortly after setting the rosters, Alberto confronted me. He insisted he still had the tools to get the relief job done, and making him the sixth starter is an insult to his abilities. I reassure him that it is not a permanent position, and I hinted that I could bump him up, if one of the current relievers falters. He is forced to accept my diagnosis, though I am afraid I may have problems with him in the future.

Now that I have the arduous task of setting my initial lineups out of the way, I grab the current issue of the IL Baseball Digest.

The pre-season reports and predictions are a mixed bag. On one hand, their top experts clearly, almost unanimously, cite my team as the favorite to win the inaugural title. On the other, though, the magazine pulls no punches on myself. Words such as 'reckless' and 'irresponsible' are used to describe my spending, and one of the 'expert' panalists for the publication even questions my sanity.

There is even an article which lists the top five 'endangered' franchises, that may not make it financially. They cite the Coyotes as the #1 endangered franchise by far. The reason? Reckless spending by one Vinny DiPaulo. New Orleans is listed as second, questioning the viability of a first-year team in such a huge venue as the Superdome. San Antonio makes the list at third, the magazine claiming the oppressive heat will keep fans at home. Sacramento hits number four, with reasons such as proximity to the San Francisco Bay area and wet weather listed. Nashville and Norfolk tie for fifth, both for the same reasons of small market and replacing a much-loved AAA team.

And right after this article, an update on cities seeking franchises for next season.

All that aside, I get down to the financial aspects of the team. I set ticket prices close to the league average, at $11.50. I only have control over the price of hot dogs, beer, and ice cream, the rest of conessions being leased out to other vendors. I set hot dog prices and ice cream prices below league average, at $2.75 and $2.25, respectively. I also increase the price of beer to $5 a piece. These three moves, I hope, will encourage a more friendly, family atmosphere, and thus help boost fan support for the critical first season.

Unfortunately, I was not able to secure a TV contract in time for opening day, so I will have to make do with radio only. On the plus side, without TV coverage, it may encourage more fans to actually show up at the ballpark.

The home opener is only a few days away, April 5th against Sacramento. I hope the team is ready.

[adam]

I was able to download the database with no problems.

I've actually added two teams to it to make it an even 8 and 8...

the Tacoma Rainiers (Tacoma, Washington) in the Western North, and the Omaha Collegians (Omaha, Nebraska) in the Western South.

Do you like those for making it an even league?

--adam

[polarisslbm]

April 6, 2005

We won our first ever game, 5-1, over the Sacramento Monarchs at our home opener.

Unfortunately, less than half of stadium capacity showed up to witness it.

14, 617 (40.6% of capacity) saw Steve Thomas throw eight strikeouts over six innings to get the win. Our offense provided quite a spark to give Thomas a comfortable edge, with Ziegenhorn, Walsh, Gelinas, and Coelho getting doubles, and both Eble and Rosinski going yard. Lead-off hitter Roy, clean-up hitter Brown, and catcher Gerenrot, however, did not get a single hit. Joel Blitz made his first appearance in the Independent League, pitching one inning and striking out two in the process.

Despite the opening day spectacle, complete with an appearance by veteran show-rockers Crash Factor, the meager attendence weighs heavily on my mind. It places us fifth so far in average attendence, with Buffalo attracting 26,000 fans to their home opener. It is a vast disappointment.

In response, I decided to lower ticket prices a full dollar fifty to $10.

April 7, 2005

We lose our second game of the year, 7-6. Starter Wes Hooper gave up three runs in the first and two in the second, but we put up three runs in response. Hooper was pulled in the 6th with the score 7-4. Relievers Smith and Blitz pitch well, with Blitz accumulating another two strikeouts in one inning of relief. This brings his strikeouts per nine-nnings pitched to an outstanding 18.

On the plus side, Walsh, Coelho, and Brown hit home runs for us, and the lowered ticket prices increased attendence to 21,018 which, while good, is not good enough. This did increase our ticket revenue by $500K.

Regardless, I decide to lower ticket prices again, by a full dollar.

April 7, 2005

A terrible loss to the Monarchs, again, 12-5. An error by shortstop Walsh cost us two runs when he let what would have been the third out get to first, and the next batter homered. Charbonneau pitched well until the top of the fourth, when he gave up five runs. Including a double, triple, and a home run. In an odd move, fifth starter Neil Thurston was brought in in relief, yet matched Charbonneau with five more earned runs.

Giving up two errors and that many earned runs is unacceptable. However, we did attract 23,999 fans to the game.

We need to be selling out though, so I lower ticket prices, again, to 8 bucks a pop.

April 8, 2005

My Coyotes come back with a vengeance, destroying the Monarchs with an 18-1 blowout. Wheatley starts, pitching an impressive, seven-and-a-third performance with six strikeouts and one earned run. Aguirre wrapped it up for us.

However, the offense was what really shined. Eble, Walsh, and Gelinas all had doubles, with Coelho hitting two doubles and a triple. Eble, Walsh, Gelinas, and Neil Brown all hit home runs, bringing our team total to ten. Shaun Walsh also went five for five.

Bad news, though. #1 starter Steve Thomas suffers a warmup injury which will keep him out for the next two weeks, and the odd use of fifth-starter Thurston in relief means we have no available starters. All our relievers are ready, though, should the need arise.

27,461 fans showed up to the game, bringing us to the lower edge of the acceptable attendence range, by filling just over 76% of the seats. Only $5K more is made on ticket sales, but the exposure is what is important.

Now we head out on the road, heading way up north to Vancouver to face the Cardinals in a three game series.

April 9, 2005

Despite Ricardo Alberto, a well-known reliever, gettin the start, the Coyotes crush the Cardinals twelve to zip. Alberto (5 innings), Aguirre (3), and Santos (1) put together a very impressive and efficient game, striking out eight. The three give up only three hits and two walks, while throwing only 121 pitches, an average of four and a half per batter.

Again, the offense shines. Ziegenhorn and Rosinski hit doubles, and Coelho gets another triple, giving him an impressive two triples in five games. Coelho also hits a home run, as does clean-up hitter Neil Brown. Ziegenhorn goes four for five, while Eble did not get a single hit, though he did pick up a walk.

13,436 people showed up at Vancouver's Computek Centre. Our victory pushes the poor Cardinals further into the Northwest basement with a record of 2 and 7.

April 10, 2005

13,027 showed up to see us destroy the Cardinals, 9-1. With Thomas injured and all our other starters resting, middle reliever Virgil Smith gets the start. Despite pitching out of position, Smith does very well, racking up an impressive nine K's in five innings. Aguirre gives up a single run in two innings of relief, and Santos wrapped up the game with the remaining two innings. The two relievers combined with seven further strikeouts, which meant we set down just under two-thirds of the Cardinal batters on strikes.

Eble and Gelinas hit doubles, Walsh gets a triple, and lead-off hitter Roy hits his first home run of the year. Offensive production comes start to finish of the lineup, with only Gelinas and Brown failing to bat in a run. Backup catcher Montague, filling in temporarily for the strained Gerenrot, goes two for five and also bats in a run.

April 11, 2005

Once again, our offense pounds the hapless Cardinals pitching, and we win this four-hour Sunday game 14-3. Wes Hooper put together an impressive, redeeming performance following his abyssmal first start. He goes eight full innings and strikes out six. Despite giving up ten hits and six walks, including one home run, Hooper only let in two runs and picks up the win. Santos puts in a mediocre performance wrapping it up.

We blast fourteen runs with our outstanding offense, including Paul Eble's three-run home run. Roy, Walsh, and Brown hit doubles, while Walsh gets a triple and Coelho, once again, gets another three-bagger, bringing his total to three only one week into the season. Backup catcher Montague put in an impressive performance, going five for six but not batting in a single run. Roy, meanwhile, picks up a pair of steals.

Well, its Sunday, so the new issue of IL Baseball Digest is out.

We get four stories, three of them about our blowouts of the Monarchs and Cardinals, while the fourth, April 6th, is about losing to the Monarchs. Apparently, their victory put them in first place in the Northwest.

Stew Hacker, of the New Orleans Buccaners, struck out eleven on April 3rd against the Cardinals, but no other stories evoke much interest.

We have one more game tomorrow against the Cardinals, and then we head to New Orleans.

April 12, 2005

We close out the series against Vancouver by failing to sweep, losing 7-5. Charbonneau again puts in an awful performance, giving up five runs in six innings despite striking out 7. But what really killed us, was Greene's two-third-inning performance where he gave up two runs. Despite this, Charbonneau is given the loss, making him 0-2. Joel Blitz pitched an inning and a third, striking out two more.

Again, our offense performs admirably. Gerenrot, back in the lineup at catcher, gets only one hit, a double, while Rosinski hits two doubles. Coelho picked up his fourth homer of the year, while Kevin Drew, filling in for the sprained Marcus Gelinas at center field, also got a home run in his first appearance.

Our record is now five and three, and we head off to face the Southwest's first place team, New Orleans. The Buccaneers are 10-2 on the year.

April 13, 2005

The Louisiana Superdome is a creepy place to play baseball. It is a massive structure and very intimidating, especially compared to the smaller, 'inviting' fields we have seen so far in Vancouver and at home. The Superdome is even more creepy when only nine thouand people are at a stadium that seats over sixty thousand. It is silent, and hits echo throughout the cavernous concrete interior.

Fortunately, we were not distracted by the intimidating dome, and we pick up an 11-2 win. Wheatley started, going seven innings and giving up only two runs. Aguirre relieved him and, in a very impressive performance, struck out five of the seven batters he faced.

Gerenrot seems to have settled into the catcher position quite nicely now, and even though he has a mediocre batting average of only .182, he hits the ball hard. He picked up another double today, as well as a walk that later got him in to score. Shortstop Shaun Walsh is getting the job done, getting a double, a home run, and four RBIs.

However, the real story of our offense was Neil Brown. While he only got two hits on five at bats, both went for home runs, driving in six RBIs. The home run he hit in the top of the sixth was a huge, mammoth shot, landing far in the back of the upper deck in right field. Some say it may have gone as far as five hundred feet.

Gene Roy is doing admirably in the lead-off spot, getting two more hits and a walk today, as well as swiping another base. This brings his total up to six so far for this year.

My team physician gives me bad news about Steve Thomas. He says that the hand injury to my #1 starter may cause permanent damage and affect his career. This is terrible news, even though I cannot stand Thomas's ego, as I was counting on him to lead the team into the future with Wes Hooper. I may have to look elsewhere, now.

Incidentally, I dug up the attendence figures for the Buccaneers. Today's game was their fourth highest attendence of the season out of their nine home games. They are averaging 7,941 attendence per game.

We are already in debt. I have already begun to consider ways to lower the payroll, and have asked my financial advisor for a prospoal. He says he can get it to me by tomorrow afternoon.

[polarisslbm]

Originally posted by adam
I was able to download the database with no problems.

I've actually added two teams to it to make it an even 8 and 8...

the Tacoma Rainiers (Tacoma, Washington) in the Western North, and the Omaha Collegians (Omaha, Nebraska) in the Western South.

Do you like those for making it an even league?

--adam

Omaha was definitely one of the cities I was considering adding. However, I would have picked Salt Lake City instead of Tacoma...

I kind of like it with only six teams in one league, it makes it unique. :) Besides, I plan to make it three divisions of three (for both leagues) for next season.

[polarisslbm]

April 14, 2005

Another solid game, even though many of the players have personally told me they feel very uneasy playing in the Louisiana Emptydome. I tell them not to let it worry them, since I know the Buccaneers will try to use it to their advantage to disorient opposing teams. Only 8,422 came to see the game today.

Regardless, we put together a great performance, beating the Buccaneers seven to one. Neil Thurston, our fifth starter, put in a great game, throwing a complete game, giving up only one run and four hits. He also struke out eight Buccaneers. This makes me reconsider Thurston's role in our pitching rotation, especially with Thomas's injury.

On offense, Gerenrot is still hitting the ball hard, even if it is only occasionally. He went two for four today, but bother hits went for extra bases : a double and a home run. Eble, Rosinski, Gelinas, and Brown also chipped in with two-baggers. Roy, Coelho, and Rosinski all swiped bases, but I am slightly concerned that we accumulated nine strikeouts.

Stew Hacker got the start for the Buccaneers and only got credited with one inning. We shelled him for five earned runs and one home run. He was relieved by a parade of Buccaneers, followed by four more relievers, even though the second reliever, Chavez, was the only one to give up any more runs.

Meanwhile, I get the report from my financial advisor. Though it has many minor suggestions, the reports main point is clearly to get rid of Carlos Perez. Despite being a solid short stop, it says, we cannot afford to pay him $4.6 million to sit on the bench. While I hate to admit it, the report is correct.

Unfortunately, as I investigate the possibility of a trade, I get mired in the muck that is his contract. Carlos Perez has a no-trade clause, and, his agent reports, he will only approve a trade to Buffalo, Montreal, New Orleans, Norfolk, Sacramento, or Vancouver. Even worse, after making a few calls, I discover nobody wants to pick up the tab of his massive contract.

It took until 11 PM, but I managed to hack out a deal with Montreal. I had to give the Royales Perez and prospects James Bishop (LF) and Greg Eckert (C). In return, I got $1M in cash.

NOTICE! Just before I made this trade, the game crashed before I could save it. I loaded the auto-save and re-simmed to that point until I had a matching record of 7-3. Unfortunately, this means player stats will no longer match properly.

[adam]

Actually, I'm going to go back and move it to SLC.

Tacoma gets Seattle and makes the league uneven.

Oh, since I live in Jacksonville, Norfolk is now the Jacksonville Suns. Plus, it allows for natural rivalvies.

(and I'm allowing some interleague, for variety's sake.)

I also weakened your team a bit..I'd rather everyone start about even than a team with a $60 million payroll.

Revenue +10%, Injuries -40%, Salary Requests -60%

[polarisslbm]

((Jacksonville is one of the team's I am planning on adding next year. I usually call mine the Suns, too.))

April 15, 2005

50% more people showed up at the Superdome for our game today, 12,491. We won this game handily, eight to nothing. Ricardo Alberto started, pitched five innings, and struck out as many. Aguirre pitched three innings in relief, striking out four, and Santos wrapped it up. All three gave up only one hit to New Orleans.

Our offense was modest, taking advantage of runners in scoring position with singles. Coelho hit a double, but the winning run came in the first inning with a three run home run from Neil Brown. It was his sixth of the year.

Dumping Perez did not make enough of a dent in salary. It looks like I am going to have to get rid of a few more high-priced players. Gerenrot is doing a mediocre job at starting catcher. Despite hitting several extra base hits, he is not doing it often enough to make it worthwhile, and since catcher Edwin Montague certainly seems capable, I decide to shop Gerenrot.

Unfortunately, no one wants to take his salary, and he has a no-trade clause. He refuses to waive it under any circumstances. It looks like I will have to dump salary somewhere else.

Jairo Aguirre, despite being an outstanding relief pitcher, has a hefty $4.5M contract. I can afford to try and trade him. He also has a no-trade clause, and will only approve a trade to Columbus, Orlando, Portland, Sacramento, San Antonio, or Vancouver. And nobody seems to want him either.

After some work, I hack out a deal with Nashville to trade Aguirre and relief pitcher prospect Agustin Paredes, in exchange for Britton Serepca, an outstanding prospect at third base. He is 20 years old, but is going to have spend some time in rookie ball.

To fill the gap in my pitching roster at alternate starter, I call up Manny Macias from AAA. He is 22 years old, but has a strong future ahead of him.

It looks like I may have dug myself into a hole. I need to get rid of more payroll, somehow. I have a few AAA prospects I can call up to replace holes in my lineup.

Chris Ziegenhorn is traded to San Antonio for second baseman Josh Vincent, a strong defensive player with good power. Gene Roy goes to Charlotte for third baseman Paul Myers, a mediocre fielder with very good power. Mario Coelho is sent to New Orleans in exchange for Dave Ryan, a young outfielder with good defense and a slightly-below-average bat. Ryan Gerenrot also goes to New Orleans in exchange for Russ McLatchie, a sub-par catcher who is only marginally better than our current backup Montague.

The biggest move, however, was dumping outstanding setup man Daniel Greene. I sent him to San Antonio in exchange for an average reliever in the form of Ramon Ramirez. Sending Greene away was a hard choice, but in two weeks so far, he has only pitched one inning.

This shakeup, however, means I have to redo my lineup...

1. Marcus Gelinas, CF
2. Paul Eble, 1B
3. Shaun Walsh, SS
4. Neil Brown, DH
5. Mark Rosinski, LF
6. Paul Myers, 3B
7. Josh Vincent, 2B
8. Dave Ryan, RF
9. Russ McLatchie, C

The starting rotation remains the same. Virgil Smith is now the setup man, Armando Santos is the short reliever, Ricardo Alberto is bumped to middle relief, and Ramon Ramirez takes over at long relief.

These moves slash our payroll by nearly half, but have a noticable affect on the rest of the team. Many are concerned if I am still proven to winning. Some worry about their jobs.

After tomorrow's final game against New Orleans, I plan on calling a team meeting when we get back home.

April 16, 2005

We wrap up the series with New Orleans by sweeping the Buccaneers, 4-2. Wes Hooper pitched an outstanding game, eight and two thirds innings with nine strikeouts. Unfortunately, in the bottom of the ninth, Hooper let two runners on base, putting the winning run at the plate. Joel Blitz was brought in, taking the complete game away from Hooper, and struck out the final batter for the save.

Modest offensive production gives us the win. New acquisition Paul Myers hit a double, and Josh Vincent hit a solo home run, while going three for four. Gelinas, in his first game at lead-off, got two hits in five at bats, scoring one run, knocking in two, and swiping a base.

An uneasy atmosphere permeated the plane flight back to Las Vegas. We have a game tomorrow against Vancouver, and we need to focus on that. I try my hand at keeping the team together, calling a meeting as soon as we land.

Russ McLatchie, Paul Myers, and Dave Ryan are all enthusiastic about being with the Coyotes. McLatchie says, "I like it here. It's nice and warm, it's a beautiful stadium, and we've got great veteran leadership. And Neil Brown.".

Armando Santos, however, has a different view. "You brought in as much talent as you could regardless of the price. That's poor planning. I don't know if I trust your team decisions."

"You make a valid point, I understand." I try to reassure the team. "We're still focussed on winning. We've still got all the tools, McLatchie, Myers, Ryan, Vincent, Ramirez... we're all solid players here, and I assure you that, salary dumping aside, you're all going to get a fair chance. We're a team, we can do this together."

I don't know if it worked, but I will find out. Dave Ryan pats me on the shoulder as the team disperses.

"It's okay, Vinny. I trust you. Try not to listen to what the Digest says, though." I laugh and nod.

I think it went rather well, though I know I will be attacked in the next issue of the unbiased IL Baseball Digest.

[polarisslbm]

April 17, 2005
10 AM

We've got a game against the Cardinals later today, but I got a suprise call around 10 AM. It was a journalist from the IL Baseball Digest, someone named Jones, his first name was Dan or Stan or Sam or something. He asked if I had time for an interview. I told him I did not have a lot of time, since I had to get ready for today's 1 PM start, especially since it was one of the games picked to be broadcast nationally on USA. As long as Mr. Jones understood that I was limited in time, I agreed to the interview.

Dan Jones : Thanks for making time in your busy schedule to talk to me, Mr. DiPaulo.
Me : No problem. What's up?
DJ : What is it like starting and running a major league franchise from scratch?
Me : It's not as easy as it looked, I'll tell you that. It was a lot of work setting up everything, meeting with city officials and sponsors and getting everything set up. But with that out of the way, the day-to-day operations seem like a cakewalk.
DJ : You're not like the other team owners--
Me : Thanks.
DJ : --you watch the team's games from the dugout, and you wear a jersey and cap. Why do you do that?
Me : I'm the owner, I can do what I want. *laughs* Ah, I do that because, for one thing, it gives me a great insight into how everything is going, how the players are getting along and how they are in the field and such. It also makes me seem more approachable -- I always tell my guys, 'We're a team, all of us' and I want to show that in actions. I'm always there on the bench to cheer my guys on and console them when they mess up. We all mess up sometimes, and I don't want them to be afraid of me when they do, or when I do.
DJ : Speaking of messing up, I wanted to ask you about your salary dump--
Me : I knew this was coming.
DJ : Well, it is big news, Mr. DiPaulo.
Me : Please, call me Vinny.
DJ : Alright. So tell me, Vinny, what happened? You traded away half your salary and almost half your starting lineup. Do you think you were too agressive offering so much?
Me : Please, one question at a time! *laughs* Okay, let me take those in order. What happened? Well we didn't get the draw I was hoping for, attendence was really poor there at the beginning. We had some guys who were not pulling their weight, or could be replaced, and they had huge, disproportionate salaries. I thought people would come out to see the team if we had some of the guys they may have known from, y'know, Major League whatnot, but I guess that was too optimistic.
DJ : I see. So, do you think you offered more than you could afford?
Me : Not when it happened, no, but now? Yes. We need to build up a fan base first, people aren't going to be sucked into the stadium just because we have a big-name lineup. I hoped they would, but that did not turn out to be the case...
DJ : Do you think that trading away so much talent will hurt your chances?
Me : Uhh, a little, yes. I mean, we don't have as much depth now, but... yeah, it's not going to hurt us that much, but it will, a little. I didn't want to trade most of those guys, but I had to, so I have to make do with what I have now. I think we still have a very strong team, regardless.
DJ : You said you didn't want to trade most of who you did? Who did you want to trade?
Me : Well, I wanted to trade Carlos Perez. He's an outstanding infielder with several years left, and he would up sitting on the bench behind Walsh. It wasn't fair to him, a player with his skills, to be sitting around not playing. We were holding him back, he deserves to play. Uh, who else? Jairo Aguirre, he deserves to play too, and we had so much depth at relief... too much, he wasn't getting any time in, I want him to play for someone rather than sit on the bench for me.
DJ : Anyone else?
Me : No, everyone else I didn't want to trade, but I was forced to.
DJ : There's been some accusations about you, that acquiring so many free agents only to trade several of them off only two weeks into the season, that call you irresponsible. What do you say in response?
Me : Irresponsible? Yeah, a little. We all make mistakes. But, on the plus side, these guys are playing in the Independent League now, at competitive salaries, and getting a lot of playing time. They would have been sitting on the bench, some of them, wasting away in the MLB or in triple-A somewhere. I think it is going to attract needed talent from them, people who can play but might not get a chance.
DJ : What do you think of the Independent League's chances of surviving?
Me : I'm optimistic, really, I think we can get it done, all of us, uh, owners and players. If we're all competitive, or at least, most of the teams, and we can establish that fan base, it's going to go well for us, especially since we have teams now in places that the Major League snubbed teams in, uh, like Portland and Buffalo and right here in Las Vegas. I think if we can make it through this first season, we should have a pretty good chance. I need to be going soon... one last question?
DJ : Sure. There've been some accusations about you, being tied up with, how shall we say, illegitimate businessmen--
Me : You mean organized crime?
DJ : Yeah, some people say that is how you got the team and this job, and you're tied up with the mob, how do you respond to that?
Me : People who attack someone's character like that, people who would say things, are usually jealous or insecure. I'm not saying you are, you know, I've heard those things said about myself too. No, I'm not involved with organized crime, and I'm not happy about such accusations. I think it might even be the stereotype... DiPaulo is an Italian name, all that Sicily-Mafia-Godfather stuff. I'm not like that at all. After all, a man without integrity is hardly a man at all. Well, I've got to be going--
DJ : Yes, I understand. Thank you for your time, Vinny.
Me : No problem. Take care.

I felt the interview went well, and I'm hoping it offsets some of the negative press I know I will recieve in tomorrow's issue of the Digest. But for now, I've got a game to catch.

4 PM

It's good to be home. We played a great, solid game, winning against Vancouver 2-1. But better than that, it seems like our successful road trip has attracted more attention. 30,320 people showed up today, and we also got a nice chunk of revenue from our national TV broadcast.

Charbonneau got the start and pitched a complete game, giving up only one run and five hits. He also struck out eight, but I am concerned about the six walks he gave up.

It was our first game without a home run. New lead-off hitter Gelinas went three for four with a double, and scored both our team's runs. He also stole two bases. Eble got on base three times, two hits and a walk, and also doubled to drive in a run. Walsh only got one hit, but it drove in Gelinas for the go-ahead run. Unfortunately, Brown, Myers, Ryan, and McLatchie all failed to get on base.

We earned $30K more from ticket revenue than our last game. also earning a nice $50K for our national broadcast.

April 18, 2005

No surprise, here. We made the cover of the latest issue of the Baseball Digest. The headline, "Payroll Gamble" stretches across the top of the page, with a picture of Daniel Greene in action taking up the center of the page. Smaller, card-sized pictures of Mario Coelho, Ryan Gerenrot, Gene Roy, Chris Ziegenhorn, Jairo Aguirre, and Carlos Perez border it. The sub-caption reads, "Las Vegas Salary Dump And The Fallout".

Various articles about the story take up nearly half of the entire magazine, with several 'expert opinions' predicting anything from the failure of the IL as a result, to certain success for the Coyotes. Unfortunately, most of the banter leans towards the negative side. I pleasantly discover, however, that my interview with Dan Jones is printed in its entirety, but this does little to reassure me, or the team, for that matter. They're all concerned, I can see it when they take the field.

More bad news. We lose, 8-5, to Vancouver. Rosinski dropped a routine pop fly to right, which would have been the third out, and with two runners on, Sean Mercer hit a home run for Vancouver. Wheatley got the start, and pitched miserably. Though he was credited with only two earned runs, he gave up five, including two home runs, in only four and two-thirds innings. Ramon Ramirez, in his first appearance in a Coyote uniform, gave up a walk and two runs in only one inning. Santos replaced him, and gave up another walk and another run in one inning. Finally, Manny Macias, the alternate starter, was brought in to stem the tide, pitching two and a third innings and only giving up one hit. He also struck out four.

We could not put up enough offense to overcome the Cardinals, though. Walsh tripled, and Gelinas hit two run homer, but it was not enough.

On the plus side, we sold out Siegel Stadium for the first time ever. It's really a great place to be when it's full, and I regret that we disappointed them with a loss. We earned an impressive $30K more in ticket revenue, and also earned fully $60K more in concessions.

Now that we are beginning to attract some fans, I try to find the happy medium of price for tickets. I tentatively raise ticket prices a dollar, to $9, still well below league average.

[polarisslbm]

April 19, 2005

We come back strong against Vancouver, beating them handily 9-1 in front of a sell-out crowd. Neil Thurston pitched an outstanding complete game, giving up only one run on eight hits. The Cardinals managed two errors which cost them four runs, but in the end it did not seem to matter.

Eble got a double, and Rosinski and Vincent both got two doubles. Gelinas stole a base and Eble went four for five.

We sold out again, despite the increase in ticket prices. Our revenue increased another $40K. Again, I hesitantly raise ticket prices another dollar.

More importantly, however, KVVU FOX TV approached me for a TV broadcast contract. Apparently, with 35,000 attendence, we must be worth showing on TV. This thrills me, though. It should help spur the growth of a fan base, as well as providing some well-earned revenue.

April 20, 2005

We wrap up the series with the Cardinals with a well earned win, 7-1. For some reason, long relief pitcher Ramon Ramirez got the start, but performed admirably, striking out four in three innings. Alberto, Santos, Smith, and Macias all pitched between one and two innings, with Smith giving up the lone Cardinals run on a solo home run.

Meanwhile, our offense pounded Vancouver. Vincent and backup first baseman David Connely both got doubles. Walsh and Gelinas both tripled. Walsh also got a home run, but Neil Brown hit is seventh of the year. Sam Villareal filled in for Rosinski, who strained a muscle in warm-ups but should be back tomorrow. Villareal, however, was the only player in the lineup not to get a single hit.

With the new TV contract, attendence takes a slight hit. We were one thousand fans shy of a sell out. The added revenue of the TV contract, however, offsets this.

We'll be playing the Monarchs for the next ten games in twelve days, all at home. This should give us some time to rest and relax instead of travel.

April 21, 2005

This was a hard fought game. We win 1-0, with Wes Hooper pitching an awesome complete game, striking out six in the process.

Our lone run was a solo homerun from Rosinski. It seems he's recovered from his muscle strain. Vincent got his first error of the season when he threw one wide to Eble at first base. Paul stopped it from getting away, but came off the bag in the process.

Our attendence takes another one thousand fan hit, but I am very pleased with still attracting 33,686. This puts us second (at 28,662) for average attendence behind Montreal (at 32,721).

April 22, 2005

Another win in a bit of a slugfest against the hapless Monarchs, 10-4. Sacramento is tied for the basement in the Northwest. Charbonneau had another strong outing, until the ninth. Leading 10-1, Charbonneau gave up several singles, only getting one out and letting home three runs. However, in a surprising turn of events, Ricardo Alberto was brought in to relieve him. On his first pitch, Sacramento's Sam Larrenta grounded into a double play to end the game, and Alberto got credited with 0.2 innings on only one pitch!

Rosinski doubled, Walsh tripled again (bringing his total to 4), and Gelinas and Neil Brown both went deep. Gelinas went four for five and got a pair of stolen bases, as well as scoring four runs. He's working out well in the leadoff slot.

Attendence increases slightly to 33,866. Thanks to our salary dump, we are now back in the black. With our newfound profit, I have increased spending on our farm teams and scouting both by $2M apiece, which brings us to $3M and $4M, respectively. It also puts us ahead of everyone else in spending.

April 23, 2005

A pleasant night win for us, four to zip. Justin Wheatley got the start and pitched a complete game, notching an impressive ten strikeouts in the process. This pushes his record to 3-1 for the year.

Vincent and Gelinas both picked up doubles, while Walsh got his fifth triple of the season. Third baseman Paul Myers hit a home run, as well. Neil Brown got the night off, which let Kevin Drew get a little playing time. He got a single, as well as striking out.

Attendence increases again, to 34,030. I can feel the city and the team getting excited by our strong play. We now lead the Southwest division with a 15-4 record.

Also exciting is the return of Steve Thomas, who has the start tomorrow, after being injured for two weeks.

April 24, 2005

The fans were happy to see Thomas back on the mound, and he did not disappoint. He pitched six innings, giving up two runs in a 7-3 Coyotes win. Santos and Smith relieved him to wrap the game up. Virgil Smith had an impressive performance in relief, striking out five and walking one in two innings.

Montague got to start at catcher today, getting a double and two RBIs. Vincent and Walsh also got two-baggers. Rosinski hit his first triple of the year, and Eble got a home run. Despite his double, Josh Vincent also got the infamous hat trick, striking out the other three times he got up to the plate.

A few more fans are attracted in, as we slowly edge closer to selling out.

New Orleans have turned themselves around, and now trail us only two and a half games. Tomorrow they face Vancouver and are expected to win, while we have the day off.

April 25, 2005

Finally, an off day. It has been a long couple of weeks, and it is good to have a day of rest. For the players, anyway. My job never has a day off.

The latest issue of Baseball Digest is in. We get a few stories, including Hooper and Wheatley's shut outs. However, these are minor stories, as the big news this issue is Gabe Maiorana. On the 20th, New Orleans' right fielder suffered a very bad broken wrist, and it is doubtful if he will ever play again in the majors. This is a huge blow to the Buccaneers. Maiorana was hitting .308 with three homers in seventeen games so far, as well as playing perfectly in right field. It looks like his career may be over.

I try to get my mind off baseball for at least a little while, heading down to the Strip to try and catch a show.

[CC2009]

Hey, loving this, I have Mogul 2004, I know that I can't use this universe in my game, but how do you create a universe in 04.

I should probably just buy 06.

[CC2009]

I just broke down and bought 2K6, great dynasty.

[polarisslbm]

Thanks! :) Don't worry, I did not forget about this. I am going to write some more today, after The Price Is Right... :)

[polarisslbm]

April 26, 2005

Well, back to work. I did not get to relax quite as much as I wanted to. Little things were nagging at me all day, and, sure enough, when I returned to my office at the stadium, there were piles of paperwork on my desk.

There are dozens of scouting reports I need to file through, including two on the major league level. Head coach Roger Jefferson tells me that starting pitcher Joe Wheatley is uncomfortable in the clubhouse. He thinks it may be too easy-going for him. He also says that relief pitcher Armando Santos is unhappy being the short reliever. The report goes on to say that Jefferson thinks Santos could make it at the setup position. I decide to give that a try, swapping Santos with Virgil Smith.

The rest of the scouting reports are all for minor leaguers. I have to read them and decide who should go where, and the sooner the better. I wind up moving around about a dozen position players, and I bump relief pitcher Ric Petrovic from A ball to rookie ball. I am hoping he will settle in better with some easier competition, having already compiled a 4.32 ERA on the A team.

Eventually, it is time for the game. Again, we face off against Sacramento, and again, we beat up on the poor Monarchs. Wes Hooper earns his paycheck with an impressive nine strikeout complete game, giving up only one run in the 5-1 contest.

Walsh and Brown double, while lead-off man Gelinas gets a three-bagger. Dave Ryan got on base four times, going three for three with a walk, and also batting in a run. But second baseman Josh Vincent struck out three times.

For a moment, there, it looked like we were going to give it away in the ninth. Hooper started off by striking out Tuholski, but then he beaned Larraneta. This was followed by two consecutive errors, a bad throw from third base by Myers that pulled Eble off the bag, and Rosinski dropped a routine fly ball to shallow left. He's got a cannon for an arm, though, and kept Larraneta from getting home. It loaded the bases though, but Hooper got Stockbridge to ground out into a double play, and it was over.

On the financial side, 34,231 people showed up for the game today. This brings our average per game up to 30,327. Ticket revenue is holding steady, with concession revenue up slightly. Good news, however. KVVU reports that our monday night game attracted quite a few viewers, giving us the #1 rating for the night. That is great for the fan base.

April 27, 2005

We beat Sacramento 9-2. Charbonneau went the distance and struck out ten, one-upping Hooper's impressive performance yesterday, though this time he gave up two runs to Hooper's one.

Eble got a double, and Neil Brown went deep. Shawn Walsh, however, hit two home runs, and one that went off the scoreboard in left center. It gave him four RBIs for the day. Utility infielder Brent Reen made the start at third, giving Myers the day off. He put in a good performance, going two for four, and stealing second base both times he was on.

Our attendence continued its slow, upward trend, attracting 34,387 people. This gives us an attendence growth rate of just under half a percent.

April 28, 2005

We beat Sacramento 7-5 in a close, afternoon contest. Wheatley was only able to go five innings, and Smith, Alberto, and Santos replaced him. Alberto struck out two for the two outs he got, but also gave up two runs, and was pulled. Santos came in and faced four batters, striking three of them out. Up by two in the top of the ninth, we brought in our big guns. Joel Blitz came in to relieve, accompanied by his theme song, Metallica's 'Blitzkrieg'. On seventeen pitches, he struck out one and got Colburn and Tuholski to ground out, earning him the save, his third of the year. Wheatley got the win, bringing his record to 4-1.

We scored all of our runs in the first two innings, three in the first, four in the second, giving the Monarchs' starter, Rozkine, a huge seven earned runs. Eble and Myers both doubled twice, Gelinas also got a two base hit, and Neil Brown hit his tenth home run of the year. Gelinas and Reen (filling in for Walsh today) both got steals. However, the bottom third of the lineup, Vincent, Ryan, and McLatchie, went oh for ten combined. Catcher Russ McLatchie's batting average fell to .198, and I am starting to get worried.

34,547 was the paid attendence today. This puts us right about in line with our half percent growth rate and projections. Now we get an off day to rest. Thomas has got the start for the Monarchs on the 30th.

April 30, 2005

Yesterday was my birthday. Despite a nice cake and a party for the team, it feels spoiled in comparison to our 11-0 shutout loss to the Monarchs.

Giving up eleven runs without getting any in return is always disappointing, especially when three of the runs are unearned and result from errors. Thomas only one one and two thirds innings, earning two runs and giving up three more. Thurston replaced him and faired little better, giving up four earned runs in two and a third inning. Alternate starter Macias got some pitching time, going three innings and striking out five. Ramirez relieved him, and gave up two more runs, and he in turn was relieved by Alberto, who struck out the side to end the game. It took five pitchers to get through it all.

The offense also broke down. Eble, Brown, Rosinski, and Vincent all failed to get a hit, though to be fair, Brown earned himself three walks, and Eble one. Gelinas got on base three times and swiped second twice, but regardless, no one could get home. We did not earn a single extra base hit, either.

People started leaving around the seventh inning, when the score was already nine-zip, but 34,640 people paid to get in. This puts us a little below projections, but still with growth.

End Of April

Monthly wrapup :

NORTHWEST
Portland 12-10
Sacramento 7-17
Vancouver 9-19

SOUTHWEST
Las Vegas 19-5
New Orleans, 18-10
San Antonio 9-13

NORTHEAST
Columbus 15-11
Buffalo 14-13
Indianapolis 13-13
Montreal 11-13

SOUTHEAST
Nashville 15-9
Orlando 16-11
Charlotte 13-17
Norfolk 7-17

LEAGUE LEADERS

BATTING AVERAGE
1. Gelinas, LV, .429
2. Eble, LV, .423
3. Coelho, NO, .408
4. Reyes, COL, .379
5. Roy, CHA, .358

HOME RUNS
1. Brown, LV, 10
2. Rudas, BUF, 7
3. Berman, COL, 6
4. Coelho, NO, 6
5. Holliday, NO, 6

RUNS BATTED IN
1. Brown, LV, 35
2. Rosinski, LV, 25
3. Rudas, BUF, 23
4. Suurd, CHA, 23
5. Holliday, NO, 22

STOLEN BASES
1. Gelinas, LV, 14
2. Blake, MTL, 7
3. Jones, NO, 7
4. Bartleman, CHA, 6
5. Gilbert, ORL, 6

WINS
1. Corpandy, ORL, 5
2. Brown, IND, 4
3. Hooper, LV, 4
4. Wheatley, LV, 4
5. Vazquez, NSH, 4

EARNED RUN AVERAGE
1. Venetos, POR, 0.79
2. Brown, IND, 1.38
3. Corpandy, ORL, 1.41
4. Hochheisser, VAN, 1.72
5. Vazquez, NSH, 1.84
--- Wheatley, 2.73

STRIKEOUTS PITCHED
1. Wesley, MTL, 51
2. Yamato, SAN, 47
3. Owens, ORL, 44
4. Prado, CHA, 43
5. Dreyer, MTL, 43
--- Hooper, 39

SAVES
1. McDonald, NO, 12
2. Huzzah, BUF, 9
3. Baron, POR, 9
4. Putnam, VAN, 6
5. DeSoto, COL, 5
--- Blitz, 3

May 1, 2005

This afternoon game against the Monarchs is another win, 5-1. However, there is some bad news. Hooper sprained his ankle warming up for the game, slipping when throwing warm up pitches. It is not too serious, though he will miss ten games.

This did result in some problems, however. Because of the revolving door of yesterday's games, most of the pitchers were not ready to start, including alternate starter Macias. Virgil Smith got the start instead, and performed admirably. He tossed four innings and only gave up one run. Alberto and Santos relieved him, combining for four more innings with neither getting a strikeout. Blitz came in to close out the game, notching another strikeout in the process.

Eble failed to get a hit, as did McLatchie, again. I am beginning to worry about him at the catcher position. Nevertheless, the rest of the offense picked them up, with Walsh, Brown, and utility outfielder Kevin Drew (filling in for Dave Ryan) all getting doubles. Neil Brown also got his eleventh home run of the season.

Attendence dropped by a thousand down to 33,127. I do not worry about it, though, and chalk it up to general disinterest in facing the Monarchs. We wrap this long series up tomorrow night, and then we are off to Portland to face the first-place Pioneers.

May 2, 2005

We end our homestand with a sloppy, 7-2 win against the Monarchs. We got eleven hits for seven runs, and it was thanks to our defense that the Monarchs only got two from their impressive ten hits. Charbonneau pitched a mediocre game, going the distance with seven strikeouts, but giving up ten hits, three walks, a home run to Greg Colburn and two earned runs.

McLatchie finally managed to get the bat on the ball, and he hit it hard for a double. Still, he only went one for three, though picked up a walk. Walsh got a double and a triple, and Rosinski hit his fifth homer of the year.

Attendence rebounds slightly to 33,455, apparently as some sort of send-off gesture. We depart on a four game series against the Pioneers.

[polarisslbm]

May 3, 2005

Well, we win our first game in Portland. Aging PGE Park is obviously a temporary stop-over for the Pioneers, though they are not having trouble attracting fans. 21,391 people showed up, which is 96.7% capacity at the old stadium.

Wheatley tossed a complete game and we won, 5-1. He gave up two walks, and the only run was a solo home run by Luis Sala.

McLatchie, Vincent, and Gelinas all got two-sackers, with Myers and Gelinas going yard. Ryan got a stolen base, and McLatchie went one for four, bringing his batting average up to the Mendoza Line.

We are now five games ahead of second place New Orleans. But despite that, the rumor mill is buzzing. I heard someone mention that a big signing was in order, somewhere in the league... though I hear that just about every day.

May 4, 2005

10 AM

Boy, when they said the news was going to be big, I had no idea it would be this big. The Portland Pioneers, somehow, had managed to lure away two all-stars from the California Golden Seals MLB team : four time Cy Young winner Art Givins, 39, and former rookie of the year and two time all-star left fielder Trevor Johnson, 25. The two contracts combined to over $12 million.

Both of them will be facing us today.

4 PM

I'm not sure if Givins starting made such a difference, or if their mere presence endowed the rest of the team with more confidence. But we lost a tough game, 1-0.

Too bad, too. Steve Thomas pitched a complete game, striking out four, but he gave up the game's only run, a home run.

The offense could not pick him up. Vincent got a double, but it was not good enough. Givins pitched eight strong innings, but it was obvious he was still getting adjusted. He gave up an uncharacteristic four walks. Eduardo Baron came in to get the save.

Gelinas, Brown, and Ryan all failed to get on base, but McLatchie got another hit, bumping him up just over .200.

The team seems a little worried about the loss, or, more accurately, a little afraid of the new-and-improved Pioneers. I assure them we are still a good team and if we lose, we are just beating ourselves.

Internally, though, I am afraid that this may lead to a bidding war with the MLB. Only time will tell.

Also, more bad news. Hooper and Charbonneau will both be out until next week, which has us down to only four starters.

May 5, 2005

We lost again. New Orleans won, cutting our lead down to four.

Thurston pitched six and two thirds innings, but gave up a huge 10 hits and five earned runs. Virgil Smith picked him up and shut out the Pioneers the rest of the game, but we still lost, 5-2.

We did not get a single extra-base hit, while Rosinski and Vincent both got the 'hat trick' of three strikeouts. Vincent, Brown, and McLatchie all failed to get on base.

I am worried, but I try not to show it. I assure my guys that if we can get the win in the rubber game, we would still be in good shape.

May 6, 2005

I guess I must have given my boys good advice, because we went right out and scored six runs in the first inning alone. We went on to win 8-4.

Steve Thomas got another start in only a few days, but pitched very well, going seven innings and giving up only two runs. Ramirez came in to relieve him but could not close out the game. Blitz came in and cut down the last Portland batter for the save.

Myers and Vincent got doubles, while Eble and Vincent got homers. Brown is slumping; he went ohfer five and struck out three times. McLatchie picked up a single to get back up to .200.

We file into the plane, heading off to Sacramento. We have a four game series against the Monarchs before we head back home for a long home stand.

May 7, 2005

Just under 9,000 showed up to see us lose a tough one, 10-11. Sutter Park is a nice, modern facility, but also modest and subdued. It is a nice change of pace from flashy, glitzy Siegel Stadium, and a welcome sight after playing in broken-down PGE Park.

Macias got the start, doing well until the fourth inning. Unfortunately, he then got hammered for seven runs, six of them earned. Ramirez, Alberto, Smith, and Santos relieved him, with Blitz coming in in the ninth. What happened next was entirely unexpected, as Joel not only gave up his first run of the year, but it was a three run home run and a walk-off to give the Monarchs the win.

It was unfortunate that Blitz got the BS. Reen filled in for Walsh at short stop and played very strongly, getting two doubles and going four for five. He also picked up a home run, giving him three ribbies. Brown pulled out of his slump in impressive fashion, going four for five and bashing not one, but two home runs, giving him four runs batted in. One of his shots went off the scoreboard in left.

May 8, 2005

We come back strong in game two to beat the Monarchs, 6-3. Attendence increased nearly a thousand, but it still hovers around 33% capacity, and gives the beautiful ballpark an eerie, empty feeling.

Wheatley got the start and went five innings, giving up our only runs, and two home runs. Smith and Santos came in, both shutting out the Monarchs, and Blitz came in and definitively earned the save, making up for yesterday. It brings his save total for this year up to 5. Wheatley gets the win and brings his record up to 6-1.

Vincent smashed a home run, and Vincent went three for four with three RBIs. Gelinas earned himself another stolen base, bringing his total to 18. He also went three for five, pushing his batting average to an impressive .407.

We have a Sunday night game tomorrow. I am worried that Hooper and Charbonneau's absense will strain the pitching staff.

In financial news, I increase our spending on our farm system and scouting by $2M a piece, bringing us back to the top.

May 9, 2005

Noon

This week's Baseball Digest came out. Stories about actual games were noticably scarce, with most of the issue taken up by Portland's impressive signings. We still earned four stories, however two of them involved us losing: our 1-0 loss to Portland, and our 11-10 slugfest lost to Sacramento. On the plus side, there were two stories about our wins and how they related to our division lead.

There was also an editorial suggesting that Portland might be the team to beat in the Northwest, and then postulating that it might be us vs. them in the Western final.

Midnight

I was worried about straining the pitching staff, and it almost turned disastrous today. Long reliever Ramirez got the start, with Alberto relieving him. Unfortunately, he also gave up three runs. Santos picked him up, and Smith picked him up, but gave up two more runs. Blitz came in to relieve him, holding back the Monarchs, but going into the top of the ninth, we were down 4-5. With two outs, Sacramento's closer on the mound, Josh Vincent came through in the clutch, hitting a solo home run to tie the game.

Blitz could not go any longer, and Macias came in to relieve him. He shut down the Monarchs in the bottom of the ninth to send us to extra innings. Unfortunately, he was practically our last reliever.

In the top of the tenth, though, Kevin Drew practically single-handedly won the game for us. He singled home the winning run, and then tagged up on a fly to right, scoring himself and getting an extra insurance run. Macias held on to get the win.

Brown picked up two doubles, and Vincent, as mentioned, picked up the game-tying home run. Kevin Drew filled in for Gelinas at center. McLatchie went two for four with a walk, pulling his average up to .206.

It was a long game, ending around midnight. Fortunately, our next game is tomorrow night, so we should have plenty of rest. And after that, we head back home for a night game against Portland, so even then we should have enough rest. My team doctor says that Hooper should be ready for the opening game of our series against Portland.

May 10, 2005

We wrapped up our series with Sacramento with an 11-9, extra inning win. Our pitching was decent, but our defense was awful. We had four errors, Walsh, Myers, and two in the seventh, Gelinas and Villareal, the latter two costing us two runs. Santos, Blitz, and Alberto came in in relief, none of which gave up earned runs, though Santos was pitching when the two errors previously mentioned occured. Smith came in in extra innings to close out the game after we scored four in the top of the tenth. He gave up two runs int he process but held on for the win. Alberto got the win, giving him a 3-0 record.

Walsh and Drew (at right field today) got doubles, with Walsh also getting a home run. We got sixteen hits and earned ourselves seven walks. McLatchie with three for four with an RBI, pulling him up to .222. Myers went three for four and also got two walks.

I am very pleased with Kevin Drew's performance as a utility outfielder. He is up to .353 coming off the bench and filling in. Not only that, but he is driving in runs at the same time. I am considering swapping him in to play full time for Ryan in right.

Unfortunately, Hooper will not be ready for our opening game in the series against Portland. He says he is about 70%, but I tell him, personally, to get some rest and make sure he is healthy before I bring him back in.

I also raise scouting expenses another million to $7M.

[polarisslbm]

I'm back, baby!

May 11, 2005

It's certainly good to be home, and we kick off our long home stand with an extra-inning 3-2 win over Portland. Steve Thomas got the start and did a reasonably good job, pitching seven innings, but giving up both Portland runs on a home run by third baseman Joe DiPinto. Santos, Blitz, and Virgil Smith came in in relief.

Veteran short stop Shaun Walsh got the job done in the bottom of the tenth, hitting a solid home run into the right field seats. Paul Eble also hit his fourth of the year, and Josh Vincent got a double. Only Neil Brown and McLatchie failed to get on base.

Once again, we flirted with selling out. 34,736 showed up for today's game, just a thousand shy of selling out. Our financials look good, despite our relatively high expenses.

The biggest news of the day, however, was the injury of Rey Clemente for the Pioneers. He tore his achilles tendon sliding into second base to take out Vincent. Clemente is part of the future for Portland, and is one of the brightest prospects in the league. He's going to be out for seven months, assuming he even returns at all.

Hooper is scheduled to get the start for tomorrow's night game.

May 12, 2005

Well, Hooper started, at least. It was a disastrous return for the developing rookie following his injury. He only made it through four innings, giving up three home runs and six earned in that time. Alberto, Smith, Santos, and Blitz wrapped up the game, not giving up any more runs, but we still lost 6-2.

Both our runs came on solo longballs. Josh Vincent and Paul Myers went deep, while Shaun Walsh got a two-bagger. Gelinas, Eble, Brown, Ryan, and Montegue, filling in for McLatchie, all failed to get a single hit. On the bright side, however, Eble and Ryan both got a walk, while Neil Brown earned himself three.

Hooper dropped to 4-2 on the year, but attendence still increased slightly, to 34,908.

Other big news came across the wire. The strong financial and on-the-field performance of teams like New Orleans, San Antonio, Nashville, Columbus, and Buffalo, managed to lure several high-profile draft picks away from the up-coming major league draft. Montreal, Vancouver, and Sacramento also picked up some good players.

New Orleans : The Buccaneers freed up several roster slots, releasing quite a few players. Milton Smith (2B), Eric Driscoll (LF), Tony Dameyer (RF), Jose Camardan (3B), Adam Schroeder (SS), Chris Burke (1B), Aloysius Trout (2B), David Donnely (C), and pitchers Corey Graham, Tim Lang, Sandy Morris, Freddy Murphy, Noah Cullen, Mark Ellington, Michael Boone, Rob Cotton, Jose Crusellas, Andrew Schlegel, Tobin Prescott, Mike McCloskey, Dallas McGibbon, and Trey Mashkow were all released from the Buccaneers roster. Meanwhile, AAA all-star Josh McMillan (LF), veteran AAA-bench warmer Derrick Richter (2B), and free agent center-fielder Roger McMurray. On the pitching side, New Orleans made the startling announcement that they had acquired Chinese pitching phenom Chin Landa. The starter Landa is famous for his fearsome screwball, known for breaking from one side of the plate to the other and more. Also of note is relief pitcher Julio Chavez from Mexico, and over-the-hill veteran starter Brendan Fitzpatrick. The 41-year old Fitzpatrick was approached by the Buccaneers to be the #1 starter for New Orleans. Some disagree with the acquisition, but the Bucs are confident that Brendan still has at least one strong year left in him.

San Antonio : San Antonio made several key moves, bolstered by their success as a new team in a new league. Dennis Dougherty, the first baseman recently released by Texas, ran right to San Antonio, who were more than happy to recieve him. The Cowboys sweetened the deal further by pledging to pay moving expenses as well as purchasing the veteran Dougherty a new residence. Also signed was former gold-glove winning shortstop Alexander Hart. On the pitching side, AAA all-star Mitchell Simms inked a new long-term deal with the Cowboys, as well as veteran reliever Vince Reiger. Released players include Craig Graham (2B), Terrence Diehl (2B), Mark Kendall (C), Charlie Shaw (2B), Adam Nolan (SS), John Cutter (2B), Matthew Zhornist (1B), as well as pitchers Oscar Romero, Eric Lord, Mark Revill, Pat Wills, Eduardo Perez, and Gabe Taylor.

Nashville : Nashville signed several top draft picks and AAA players. Second baseman Marcus Phillips, center fielder Louis Pendelton, and first baseman Luis Martinez, as well as starter Rosco Roberts and reliever Jericho Geoffries. Kyle McAfferey (LF), Giovanni Samuel (2B), Lewis Tamaccio (LF), Cory Page (SS), and pitchers Stephen Geiszler, David Roe, Lenny Mulally, Kurt Jasinski, Gordon Neufield, James Danforth, and Randy Theissien were all released.

Columbus : The injury-plagued Centurions made several acquisitions. Shortstop prospect Luke Prince, veteran catcher Guy Arturo, and speedy second baseman Ian 'Hurricane' O'Flannigan. Columbus bolstered its struggling pitching corps with prospect starters Gary Newman and Nick Bosch, as well as relievers Miguel Ramirez, Mick Haley, and Gerald Kubina. Joe McNeil (3B), Tommy Gravestock (2B), James Bradshaw (LF), Trey Rousseau (2B), and pitchers Raul Rubios, James Pifalo, and Steve Hollar were all released.

Buffalo : Veteran third-sacker Victor Hollis and rookie prospect catcher Brad Yale were among the signings by the Americans. Also picked up were starter prospect Neil Thompson, and rookie reliever Justin Camden. Justin Sicurella (2B), Deryl Williams (3B), and pitchers Chuck Verhulst, Todd Walker, Mark Arbor, Alan Thurston, Franklin True, Steve Allen, and Nat Volpi.

((And I need to go. Gotta submit this because the weather is getting bad...))

[CC2009]

w00t!!!!!!

[polarisslbm]

...cont'd

Montreal : The Royales made significant roster moves over the past week. Bolstered by their outstanding financial success -- they have lead the league in average attendence until our near-sellout yesterday -- and the city's rekindled love of baseball, Montreal signed several just-released and mis-represented ex-major leaguers. First baseman Roger MacDougal and third baseman Joshua Kaye were picked up from the remains of the imploded MLB Montreal franchise. Veteran second baseman Billy Morgan, recently released by San Francisco, was also acquired to play the middle infield while prospect Jason Hanserling develops. On the pitching side, Montreal lured away several 'local heroes'. Starting pitcher Tim McDonald was acquired from the AAA Ottawa team, as well as long-time fan favorite Kelly Horton, recently released from Toronto. Horton and McDonald enter the rotation at #1 and #2, respectively. Some so-called 'experts' question the acquisition of McDonald, who is arguably on his last legs, but I think it was a good move. Not only will it sure up the Royales' rotation, but it will bring more positive attention to the league. In the bullpen, Montreal acquired prospect Pierre Abercrombie and veteran Denny Fitzgerald. Among the many who were cut from Montreal include David Savoca (3B), James Schow (LF), Kenneth Akita (LF), Todd Beitner (LF), Trevor Beckett (3B), Raul Domingo (RF), and pitchers Edward O'Keefe, Dennis Padilla, Ivan Citarella, and Jeremy Wrisley.

Vancouver : The Cardinals made only a few roster moves, relatively. Vancouver acquired veteran backstop Sean Briscoe from the Kentucky minor league team. On the pitching side, the Cardinals made a startling roster move by signing starter Rudolf Kleinsasser. Kleinsasser was a starting pitcher for the 1988 East German Olympic baseball team in Seoul. In the bullpen, Vancouver signed AAA-lifetimers Juan Rodriguez and Vance Marshall. Cuts include Joe Matsko (RF), Jeff Woodwoe (3B), Trent Witthun (2B), Eric Dibble (2B), Stew Wolper (SS), and pitchers Tomasz Bolano, Jesse Shapiro, Harvey Watson, Charles Legan, Brian Baker, Lee Edwards, and Jakub Drobut.

Sacramento : The Monarchs also only made a few moves, signing veterans Rafael Martinez (SS) and Frank Wallace (2B) from AAA. Sacramento shored up their porous pitching staff with the acquisition of veteran 'has-beens' like starters Walter McDill (37), Justin Kimble (39), and Scott Waltrip (41). They also acquired aging relievers like Brandon Newhauser (36) and Theodore Glass (38). Releases included Peter Roberts (2B), Rafael Boedo (SS), Bobby Asprilla (2B), and pitchers Jamin Montoya, Maurice Hurst, Trey Valdez, Carmello Carderas, David Rudolph, Chris Robbins, Lorenzo Garbajosa, Albert Ortega, and Pete Kaplan.

[polarisslbm]

May 13, 2005

We take a 2-1 series lead over Portland with a win today, 6-1. Brian Charbonneau pitched a five hit complete game, though only struck out two compared to the six walks he gave up. The win brings his record up to 5-1 for the year.

Almost all of our offense came in the second inning against Portland's starter Valencia. We scored five runs in the bottom of the second, thanks to doubles by Josh Vincent and Shaun Walsh, and home runs by Paul Eble and Dave Ryan, his first home run of his career. However, outside the second, our offense was mostly ineffective. Eble homered again in the seventh, also earning himself three walks over the game. Josh Vincent also got himself three walks, but Russ McLatchie failed to get on base a single time, though avoided striking out as well.

34,118 people showed up to today's game, a slight dip in attendence from yesterday.

We wrap up the four game series against Portland tomorrow, and then the Bucs come into town.

May 14, 2005

We beat the Pioneers, 8-3, in the closing game of this series. Joe Wheatley got the start, and pitched seven innings, giving up five hits, including a home run, while only striking out three. The win brings his record up to an impressive 7-1 for the year. Neil Thurston came in to pitch in the eighth inning, and gave up only two hits. Unfortunately, one was a home run. Both home runs were by Portland phenom Trevor Johnson.

Rosinski and Ryan picked up doubles. Walsh got a stolen base, as well as Neil Brown, a somewhat rare occurance. Brown was also the only player on the team to strike out, while we earned ourselves seven walks. Myers and Eble were the only players without hits, though the latter got a walk.

Attendence increased slightly to 34,457. We are slightly ahead of Montreal for the lead in attendence.

The second place Bucaneers are coming in to town to face off against us for a saturday afternoon baseball game. USA is going to be in town to cover it, too.

Morale is decent, at best. Some of the players are unhappy and lonely, due to the clubhouse atmosphere. Marcus Gelinas, Mark Rosinski, Steve Thomas, Wes Hooper, Joe Wheatley, Armando Santos, and Virgil Smith all feel left out of the atmosphere. Manny Macias and Ricardo Alberto, however, are both unhappy with their position in the pitching lineup. Macias feels he could be a starter somewhere else, while Alberto thinks he could be a set up man. Even though we are winning a lot, it is hard to tell what effect on the field discontentment might have.

May 15, 2005

We put on a great show for the TV audience, winning 8-7 in the ninth inning. Steve Thomas got the start, but only lasted 3 and a third innings, giving up five runs in the process, while walking an unacceptable seven. Ramirez came in and pitched two and a third, giving up another run. Virgil Smith pitched another inning and a third, striking out one. Santos pitched the eighth inning, giving up the game-tying home run to Josh McMillan. Blitz came in to pitch the ninth with the score tied, and when we won, he got the win, his second of the year.

The star of our offense today was Mark Rosinski. Not only did he get two doubles, going three for four on the day, but he batted in four runs, fully half of our total. One of those was the game winner. Russ McLatchie got a triple, and Paul Myers got a home run.

Darron Connely came in to pinch hit for Paul Eble in the bottom of the ninth, with the score tied at seven, and used his strong batting eye to get himself a walk. That brings his on base percentage up to .500 for the year. Shaun Walsh then laid down a beautiful drag bunt that dribbled down the third base line, in what was originally a sacrifice to get Connely to second. However, Walsh beat out the throw to first, and there were two on, with Neil Brown at the plate. It was a dramatic moment, with the league leader in home runs at the plate with the game on the line. Unfortunately, Brown hit a very hard grounder to short, which not only earned an out but also prevented Connely or Walsh from moving up. Rosinski came up to the plate, with one out and three RBIs on the day already. On a 2-2 pitch from New Orleans setup man Daniel Picard, Rosinski smashed a ground ball through the hole at second, through the infield. Former Coyote Mario Coelho was playing right field, and fielded the ball with Connely rounding third. It was a long throw, and Darron Connely slid on the far side from another former-Coyote, catcher Ryan Gerenrot, and the throw was not in time. It was a great TV-game.

35,340 people showed up for the game, giving Siegal Stadium great TV exposure, due to the large attendence. Very few empty seats were seen on national TV. Revenue from the broadcast of the game gave a modest $20,000 increase over a standard game, but the exposure it provided is immeasurable.

The city is beginning to get excited by our strong play. We have nearly sold out our past dozen games, at least, a far cry from our first contest, when 14,617 people showed up, less than half capacity.

The league is beginning to show its strength, despite the somewhat-below-average talent base. Only one team, Columbus, now has average attendence below 10,000, and even then, it is very close, with the Capitals averaging 9,843 a contest. It certainly does not sound like much, especially when Tampa Bay of the Major League averages at least 4,000 more per game. Even comparing percentages, Tampa Bay still sells out 31.7% of its tickets, compared to Columbus' 30.7%. However, Columbus has the handicap of being right in the middle of college baseball in full swing. Many are predicting Columbus' attendance to jump sharply once the college season ends in about a month.

While attendance is still sluggish and below 15,000 for seven of the league's fourteen teams, interest is still building. All things considered, the league is doing better than could have been expected. Were we in the MLB, we would place 17th overall in attendence, with Montreal right behind us at 18th, between Atlanta and Chicago. A few major league teams have begun to see slight 'sapping' away of attendance due to us, most noticably Seattle, Oakland, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Chicago, Tampa Bay, Florida, and Houston, due to our teams drawing away 'fringe' fans.

Interest in our league is evident by USA doing a rare 'double-header' tomorrow. Nashville at Norfolk will be shown starting at 1:05 Eastern time, followed immediately by the west coast match of Vancouver at Sacramento, at about 4:05 Eastern time.

[petrel]

All I can say is that I love reading the heart-felt detail put into this. It's inspired me to work on my own chronicle, coming soon to a computer near you.

There are a lot of Mogulers that don't care much about building realism, background stories, etc. Some leagues will give you league credit for writing newspaper articles, but you get the impression that they're just throwing a bone to the "roleplayers". It's one of the reasons I've soured on Mogul leagues in general; I enjoy the experience of immersion as much as I enjoy the mechanics of Mogul but no one else seems to.

I wish this league was a public (Internet) league; I'd definitely be interested. Until that day comes when a full roleplay league is created, I'll be happy to read what you write!

-Pet

[polarisslbm]

All I can say is that I love reading the heart-felt detail put into this. It's inspired me to work on my own chronicle, coming soon to a computer near you.

There are a lot of Mogulers that don't care much about building realism, background stories, etc. Some leagues will give you league credit for writing newspaper articles, but you get the impression that they're just throwing a bone to the "roleplayers". It's one of the reasons I've soured on Mogul leagues in general; I enjoy the experience of immersion as much as I enjoy the mechanics of Mogul but no one else seems to.

I wish this league was a public (Internet) league; I'd definitely be interested. Until that day comes when a full roleplay league is created, I'll be happy to read what you write!

-Pet

I cannot speak for other people, obviously, but one of the reasons I imagine that people would rather not write all this background/realism stuff, is because it is da@$ hard. All this stuff is coming from my noggin. I took stats and figures and turned it into people : that is not easy, not by a long shot. Reading every single box score and game review... And the pace...! My pace is killer because I go every day. A lot of other dynasties are as far as two or three years in, where I am now!

But I find it more important to have things make sense... some dynasties, I just go in, and it feels like reading baseball-reference.com. Lots of stats and figures, but no 'heart'. No offense to them, it is still a lot of work to just do that! I want mine, though, to read more like a book, written from the owner's perspective, with excerpts from the Independent League Baseball Digest.

Every time I think about giving up, because it is hard and slow, I am reassured by posts like these that people do care, though.

I want to personally thank everyone who reads this thread. I enjoy writing it, but it would not be here, if people did not want to read it. It is my gift to you, and I expect nothing in return. So enjoy it.

By the way, does anyone want me to upload the league file?

[petrel]

Sure.

The warning, however, is that I only have Mogul up to 05. But if I can run it, I'll be glad to read it.

[polarisslbm]

May 16, 2005

4 PM

The latest issue of the Independent League Baseball Digest is out. The cover features a picture from behind the plate at Montreal's Labatt Park, with empty posts past the left field fence, where the scoreboard should be. The headline is 'Growing Pains?', sub-titled 'Is the glass half empty or half full in Montreal?'. Another blurb in the lower-left corner features a picture of the Louisiana Superdome from overhead, and the caption, 'Is the Superdome too super?'

So I flip it open to read the main article.

Montreal, Quebec -- Labatt Park is the finest stadium in baseball.

Or it will be, once it is finished.

The stadium has suffered numerous delays since construction commenced late last year. Granted, building a major league caliber stadium in eight months is certainly no easy feat, especially with Montreal's harsh winters to contend with. But as the season swings into full gear, Labatt Park is still far from completed.

Temporary bleacher seats make up the outfield section, due to delays in construction of the outfield seats. The scoreboard is completely missing, with only posts where it would be mounted. Pitchers warmup on the sidelines in lieu of actual bullpens. The overhang over the third deck is yet to be built, and the lights have yet to be installed, meaning Montreal has not played a home night game. Much of the stadium's interior is unfurnished, only half of the bathrooms work, and the seats are still unpainted. There was even talk, albeit it jokingly, about moving the Royales to the old Olympic Stadium to finish out the season.

Apparently, the fans have yet to be informed of these deficiencies.

Montreal has an oustanding attendance record this season, selling 87.3% of all tickets so far this season. 30,000 plus people show up to every game. Until last week, the Royales lead the league in attendance, since being eclipsed by Las Vegas. And all these with a sub-.500 team.

Why are the Royales being so successful? Perhaps the citizens of Montreal have a sense of competition, for once. A new, level playing field has likely energized the fanbase, bringing in those who had written off the Expos. Another possible cause of the strong attendance could be the lower ticket prices. The best seats, right up to the field, go for only $19.50, or roughly $16 American. Lower deck seats run $13, middle deck seats cost $10, and upper deck seats go for $8, in Canadian dollars. To purchase tickets for the temporary bleachers will set one back a mere $5 Canadian, just over $4 in American dollars. Only Buffalo, Las Vegas, New Orleans, and San Antonio charge less to attend a game.

Or it might just be that Montreal really does love baseball.

--Vic Masterson

I then skip to the secondary article on the Superdome.

New Orleans, Louisiana -- The Buccaneers play in, by far, the largest stadium in the Independent League. You would not know it, though, if you were to look at the attendance figures for the league. New Orleans ranks 11th, averaging a mere 11,000 people per game. And with a 60,000+ capacity, it makes for a rather depressing sight.

Granted, the stadium is not the greatest place to watch, or even play, a baseball game at. But it is far from the worst. It has been well maintained over the years, unlike several other 'temporary' stadiums in the Independent League. Facilities are quite adequete for up to 60,000 people. New Orleans' football team has kept the stadium up to date over the years, and the team is doing quite well, a mere 6 games behind the very strong Las Vegas Coyotes in the Southwest.

So why is it so empty?

It could be that the stadium, while built to be multi-purpose, has gone lax in its baseball presentation. It has hosted the New Orleans Saints since its inception, never having a regular baseball tennant. It will likely take some time to work out the kinks in the stadium.

It could also be a general lack of interest in baseball in New Orleans, or a lack of knowledge of the new Buccaneers franchise.

One thing is for sure, though. Attendance has been steadily, yet slowly, rising with every Buccaneers win. If the Bucs continue winning, people will come.

--Brenda Viceroy

This article piques my interest more, however, as New Orleans is second to my Coyotes in the Southwest. I certainly do not want to see them playing in an empty stadium, even though I have been to the Emptydome in person. The Bucs owner, Louis Depardeau, is a friend of mine, and a good guy. I know he will do all he can to help attract more people to his games.

Other articles in this week's Digest focus on the competition in the West, between us and New Orleans, and between Portland and Vancouver. There is also an interesting article covering a game on May 12th, when Eric Sinnot pitched eight and a third innings, giving up only four hits and striking out nine in a win against Indianapolis.

The regular Opinion drivel is also present. I ignore it, this time.

11 PM

We also had a game today, and we lost, 6-4, to the Buccaneers. Even thoug we have a strong, six game lead over New Orleans, it is still far too early in the season to rest on our laurels. Every game against them counts, and we can hardly afford to begin losing to them.

Wes Hooper made another mediocre start, going five and a third innings and giving up five runs and three longballs. Ramon Ramirez came in to relieve him, tossing two and a third and giving up another run. Santos finished the game. Hooper earned the loss, bringing his record to 4-3 on the year.

Our offense was somewhat productive. Despite getting eight hits, we could not generate enough runs to make up the difference. Eble and Myers both hit solo homeruns, but despite this, we got no other extra base hits. Eble came close to getting a 'sweep' on the scorecard, though, with two hits, a run, a home run, a run batted in, and a strikeout. He was only missing a walk and a stolen base. Eble's strikeout was the only one we got, which was excellent. Walsh, Rosinski, Vincent, and McLatchie all failed to get hits, though only McLatchie failed to get on base. Rosinski and Vincent earned themselves walks, while Shaun Walsh was hit by a pitch. Fortunately, he is okay.

We came darn near to getting a sellout, at 35,510, an excellent turnout for a Sunday night game.

Wes Hooper is beginning to concern me. Wes is seriously underperforming so far this year, going only 4-3 with a 4.89 ERA, which is unacceptable for a #2 starter. I want to see him pitch his next start, though, before I decide on any moves.