First Home Series of the 2019 UAL Season for T.C.

The Fighting Tigers' Jose Altuve (left) and Marwin Gonzalez (right).

The Traverse City Fighting Tigers host their first opponent of the new 2019 UAL Season. The team is coming off a 102-win season in 2018, but are preparing for a long season in 2019. Traverse City will face the Port Huron Prowlers (renamed, formerly the Michigan Jack Hammers).

On the exception of two months, UAL owners play 15 home games per month, while they give instructions to the other owners for their 15 road games. The other two months, December and March (I believe) we play 10 home, 10 road.

So here is the home series between the two ballclubs...

Game 1

On the mound:
Port Huron: Daniel Norris (Grade D-Y)
Traverse City: Jon Gray (Grade C-YZ)

The first 4 innings went scoreless with a pitcher's duel breaking out. Jon Gray struck out the side during the top of the 4th, striking out Javier Baez, Giancarlo Stanton & Renato Nunez.

Top of the 5th - Another shutout inning by Gray, while striking out his 6th batter.

Bottom of the 5th - Traverse City's Marwin Gonzalez leads off with a double off Norris. Kelby Tomlinson breaks the silence, by scoring the game's 1st run, a RBI single, making it 1-0. Lewis Brinson hits into a fielder's choice for out number two. Jean Segura hits a single to right, advancing Brinson to third. Jose Altuve comes up big with RBI double, while Buster Posey followed with an RBI single (to drive in Altuve). A 4-run inning by the Fighting Tigers.

Top of the 6th - The Prowlers' Trea Turner hits a single, then steals second. Baez drives in Turner for the Prowlers' 1st run of the game; Baez steals second. Stanton strikes out, while Nunez draws a two-out walk, but Eric Hosmer leaves the two runners stranded as he strikes out.

The Fighting Tigers' Gray would go on to pitch 8 strong innings, allowing 8 hits, while only allowing 1 run & 1 walk -- striking out 11 Prowlers in the process. Ken Giles comes in for the save, while Traverse City wins its home opener.


Game 2

On the mound:
Port Huron: Eric Lauer (Grade C)
Traverse City: Jack Flaherty (Grade B-X)

Both starting pitchers got the distance, with both pitchers only allowing 1 hit each through 5 innings. By the end of this game, Lauer would advance from a Grade C to Grade A, while Flaherty advanced from a Grade B-X to Grade A-X.

Top of the 9th - Pablo Sandoval leads the inning off with a home run, Mallex Smith would later hit a two-out single, setting up Trea Turner's RBI double.

The two runs would prove to be the winner for the Prowlers, while Eric Lauer was nearly untouchable, finishing the game with a one-hit shutout, allowing no walks, while striking out 6 -- if it were not for Gerardo Parra's double with one out in the 5th, Lauer would have pitched a perfect game.

Flaherty recorded 10 strikeouts in his complete game loss, allowing 7 hits, 2 runs & 3 walks.

Lauer pitches a gem, allowing only 1 base runner the entire game.

Game 3

On the mound:
Port Huron: Antonio Senzatela (Grade C)
Traverse City: Rich Hill (Grade C-XZ - Advanced to Grade A-XZ)

Apparently, the Fighting Tigers were saving all the hits for Game 3 of the series. Port Huron's pitchers had no answers for the Tigers, as they got blasted for 17 runs & 24 hits!

The biggest surprise bat came from the Tigers' Gorkys Hernandez, who batted a perfect 5-for-5, with 2 singles, 2 doubles & a Grand Slam, which led to 6 RBI; Hernandez also scored 3 runs.

Meanwhile Port Huron would only be able to muster up 3 hits against Hill, while Hill shut them out, allowing 2 walks, while logging 13 strikeouts.

The Prowlers' starter Senzatela allowed 12 hits & 8 runs through 5 innings, while his relief, Justin Anderson was worse, allowing 12 hits & 9 runs in only 3 innings. Anderson allowed the Grand Slam to Hernandez.

Big night for Gorkys: 5-5 with Grand Slam & 6 RBI.

Game 4

On the mound:
Port Huron: Michael Fulmer (Grade D - Advanced to Grade B)
Traverse City: Jeff Samardzija (Grade D-W)

After a 3-2 Port Huron lead after the 2nd inning, with both teams already recording 11 hits combined, it appeared that the game was going to become an offensive onslaught, but then the pitching took over. Fulmer would go on to pitch 6 shutout innings following the 2nd inning, while Jeff Samardzija was not as lucky.

Giancarlo Stanton would hit a 5th inning solo HR off Samardzija to make it a 4-2 Prowlers lead. Samardzija would find himself in trouble in the 7th inning, T.C. goes to the pen for reliever Dan Otero, who allows a two-run double to Javier Baez to give Port Huron a comfortable, 6-2 lead.

Fulmer would allow his 3rd run in the 9th, off a RBI single by Kelby Tomlinson, his 4th hit & 2nd RBI of the game. Fulmer finished with a complete game victory, while collecting 5 K and allowing 10 hits & 2 walks; 6 of his 12 hits came in the first 2 innings.

Pablo Sandoval's 2nd inning home run makes it 2 HR for the season, while Baez had 2 doubles & 3 RBI.

Series even 2-2.


Game 5

On the mound:
Port Huron: Daniel Norris (Grade D-Y)
Traverse City: Josh Tomlin (Grade D-Z)

Top of the 1st - Traverse City's first baseman Justin Bour hits his 1st HR of the season.

Top of the 4th - Pablo Sandoval hits a two-run double, followed by RBI double by Jason Heyward & RBI triple by Mallex Smith.

Top of the 6th - Trea Turner adds RBI single, giving the Prowlers a 5-1 lead. Turner had 3 hits for the day, including a 8th inning triple, which led to another run.

Bottom of the 8th - Traverse City trims the lead down to 2 runs, trailing 6-4, thanks to Ehire Adrianza's two-run homer off of Daniel Norris, which ended his night.

Sandoval & Heyward add RBI singles in the 9th off of Austin Gomber to give Port Huron extra insurance & ultimately the victory, 8-4.

Port Huron wins the series, 3-2.

It may not have been pretty, but Norris earns the victory, allowing 9 hits, 4 earned runs & 4 walks, through 7.1 innings. T.C's Tomlin was credited with the loss, allowing 10 hits, 4 earned runs & 3 walks through 7 innings. Alex Colome earned the 1.2 inning save, striking out 2 batters, while allowing only 1 hit.

Panda Sighting: Pablo helps Port Huron win their series, 3-2.

Rewriting History

Influenced by two books that I own in 'Leveling the Field' and '100 Years of Baseball', I decided to once again turn to Out of the Park Baseball 20 to help me with this quick sim.

I will still be using real transactions and real lineups & rotations for this, but with a twist...

I am going with the division setup that was presented in G.Scott Thomas' 'Leveling the Field', which means there will be American League Championship Series and National League Championship Series taking place, which could bring a different result for the final team standing in each season. Although these teams will be playing mostly like they did in each season, there may be a surprise team from time to time shake things up.

I also put heavy emphasis on this simulation that the players stats rely heavily on the season that is represented, meaning that Babe Ruth in 1921 should hit close to 60 home runs like in real life. I usually do the three-year period, with these projects, where the player plays like they were playing in that three-year window. I may still do that in another separate project. I will also do a separate project in future that will break the color line early, watching Negro Leaguers getting a chance earlier on... but once again that's a future project.

I know what you are thinking, "What a nerd!"....
Yeah...
Sure, I'll take that.

The early division formats will be as follows...

• A.L. East: Boston (A), New York (A), Philadelphia (A) & Washington.
• A.L. West: Chicago (A), Cleveland, Detroit & St. Louis (A).
• N.L. East: Boston (N), Brooklyn, New York (N), Philadelphia (N).
• N.L. West: Chicago (N), Cincinnati, Pittsburgh & St. Louis (N).

These division formats will stay until the Boston Braves move to Milwaukee in 1953, which the Braves will move to the N.L. West, while the Pittsburgh Pirates move to the N.L. East Division.

The St. Louis Browns will move and become the Baltimore Orioles in 1954, while staying in the A.L. West. The Orioles will switch divisions in 1955, as the Philadelphia Athletics move to Kansas City, and the A.L. West. 

The biggest relocated teams would be the Brooklyn Dodgers & the San Francisco Giants, of course in 1958. With these relocations, both the Dodgers & Giants will move to the N.L. West, while the Cincinnati Reds and the Milwaukee Braves move to the N.L. East. The Braves who moved back to the N.L. East, must feel the most bounced around of the whole entire bunch.

Then of course comes 1961... but we'll stop right there for now. I believe you all got the point.

I of course will be noting these division moves once again, while the project plays out.

I have already did sims from 1901-1920, it's very interesting the results that have already come in, with a couple Cindarella teams sprinkled in. I can't wait to start sharing these results in good time.

Beware of the Pigeon Poop!

I have got into making uniforms and logos for my Out of the Park and APBA Baseball projects. I fell upon a cool New York Pigeons logo, and clicked on it. The New York Pigeons universe is all detailed in this very interesting article on Uni Watch.

Apparently it all sprawled from a New York Lottery commercial, some of you New Yorkers may be quite aware of this creative & a bit humorous commercial. The details put into the foam fingers, buttons, jackets and venders' outfits are all simply amazing, which of course inspired nerds like me to get creative.

Here are some of the other things, that other people did...

Pigeons Pennants created by fans.

Pigeons Buttons for the fans.

Here is some of the stuff I came up with (below), thanks to the above inspirations.

I also did some pinstripes versions of the uniforms...

I hope that you enjoyed, I will also do another uniform post very shortly of some of my other creations inspired by other creative minds.

Forecast: Less Fight, More Losses (UAL Update)

The Traverse City Fighting Tigers are coming off a 101-59 record, finishing in 2nd place of the National League West. As a #4 seeded playoff team, we lost to the Crooked River Carp, 3-1, in a best-of-five series.

Jose Altuve

With so many down years (in the Majors) on my roster, two big injuries to my starting rotation, plus other subtractions, we may be looking down the barrel of a 100 loss season by season's end. The team is also getting no younger, with Jose Altuve and Buster Posey being the team's two best players, and co-captains of a team that's reshuffling the deck.

We should be in the hunt for the top 5-to-top 10 overall pick, plus we have three 2nd round draft picks to play with as well (acquiring two of those in trades during the 2019 UAL Draft).

Here is a list of the off-season action below...

Now you may have noticed that besides my 1st round selection of SP-Jack Flaherty at 16th overall (which is already looking like the steal of the UAL Draft), my draft choices kind of suck. Let me explain myself. Entering the 2019 UAL Draft, I had my 1st, 3rd & 5th Rd picks, but my 2nd & 4th round picks were already traded awhile back.

Buster Posey

I drafted Flaherty in the 1st round, but didn't have another pick until 3rd round. With 24 teams and 32 keepers, the talent really drops off after the 2nd round. By the time it got to my 3rd round pick, I was not feeling too good about my choices. The Ohio Cougars would make it easy on me, and would acquire my 2019 3rd Rd pick in exchange for his 2019 5th Rd pick, 2020 2nd Rd pick & utility player Kelby Tomlinson (for position coverage). The Cougars would select P-Felix Pena with that pick by the way.

I also acquired another 2nd round pick from the Seven Cities Yard Goats in exchange for shortstop Freddy Galvis. I already have a shortstop in Jean Segura, so Galvis was expendable, plus he's having a career year in the Majors, I can profit off that while his stock is up. It's funny, because prior to the draft no one wanted to take him for a 3rd round draft pick, but once the draft started, people came a callin'.

I also traded RP-Bud Norris for a 2020 5th Rd pick and no-card P-Aaron Brooks.

I released Yoenis Cespedes and his huge contract in the Waiver Draft and picked up Gorkys Hernandez for some 2019 UAL outfield coverage. I was within one pick from acquiring RP-Cody Allen, but someone took him, and with that I decided to pass on the remainder of the waiver draft.

Here is a list of our pitchers...

Now our hitters...

Next off-season will be my 1st real off-season, having all my 10 round picks, plus two 2nd round picks & a 5th round pick. Plus the fact, I should have early picks each round. The team will get younger and better in no time. I could see some success as early as two years from now, but I am banking more on the 2022 UAL Season.

We definitely got a lot of work ahead of us.

Boston Bullpen Stellar for Red Sox in 1978 A.L. Replay

During my 1978 A.L. Replay (which coincides with my brother Chris' 1978 N.L. Replay / Brothers in Dice), the Boston Red Sox are on top of the American League East with a 13-6 record, while winning 8 of their last 9 games. The big reason for this, is their lights out bullpen, led by closer Bob Stanley.

The Red Sox' bullpen have logged 46 innings of relief already, which is due to some of the starting pitchers (particularly Dennis Eckersley) have been under-performing.

Here is the bullpen, by the numbers...

• 46 innings of work.
• 26 hits allowed.
• Only 8 earned runs allowed.
• 18 K / 12 BB
• 3-1 record
• 5 for 7 in Save Opportunities.
• .826 WHIP [Walks + Hits / Per 9 Innings]
• 1.57 ERA

Stanley (2-0, 0.50 ERA & 3 Saves) has been incredible through 18 innings, while some of his teammates have not been too shabby as well...

• Bill Campbell: 2 SV, 0.00 ERA in 6 IP.
• Tom Burgmeier: 1.04 ERA in 8.2 IP.
• Dick Drago: 1-0, 2.79 ERA in 9.6 IP.

The team's lineup started off slow during the season, especially Jim Rice, who was batting .224 (11-for-49) with no home runs & 8 RBI through his first 10 games, and has since been batting .475 (19-for-40) with 5 HR & 14 RBI.

With the lineup coming around, Boston appears to be the team to beat at this moment in the East, and possibly the American League. Even though Eckersley (Grade A-YZ) has had nothing but bad luck so far (0-4, 4.58 ERA), it has all balanced out with Mike Torrez (Grade C-Y) overachieving with perfect 4-0 record & 0.97 ERA through 37 innings, including 2 shutouts.