Howdy, Nicholas. Welcome to the best sim league there is (and I’ve been in quite a few)…

Interesting to see what criteria folks use to vote for relievers. I look at who has the most saves plus wins minus losses. Then I try to include at least one guy who has a lot of “holds” and a good WHIP, and another guy who has pitched a ton of innings in relief and done well. I can never find blown...

The situation you took over in Seattle pretty much parallels the one I took over in Atlantic City, I think. My on-field product was better, but my finances were, if anything, even worse, including a stadium that was half a century old. I wish I’d have had this series to read five seasons ago; I mig...

The situation you took over in Seattle pretty much parallels the one I took over in Atlantic City, I think. My on-field product was better, but my finances were, if anything, even worse, including a stadium that was half a century old. I wish I’d have had this series to read five seasons ago; I migh...

I remember not even being that enthusiastic about Adams when I drafted him. It’s pretty sad when you can’t even get excited over the number one overall pick. That was, I think, the nadir in our string of awful draft pools.

I don’t know how I could make such a dumb mistake. I mean, the words aren’t even anything alike… Since we had so many Hispanic players in the organization, I thought I’d try to learn some Spanish (despite having the name “Chico Ruiz” I speak no Spanish, and have no aptitude for the language, as I wa...

As Michael Scott once said, “How the turntables have…”. Only a few weeks ago I was lost in depression, ready to chuck it all and become a forest ranger or something. Now, every day the sun is shining, the birds are singing (or whatever that sound is that Atlantic City seagulls make), and I go tap da...

A few notes from a team currently basking in the afterglow of its first winning week of the season… 1. My wholesale importing of starting pitchers this year has had mixed results so far. Bruno Bugbie and Anthony Jones , who was brought in pretty much as an afterthought, are pitching rather well; not...

Is it a bad omen that the letters in Andrade’s name can be rearranged to spell “add no real wins”?

Love this! I mean, I don’t love the results, but I love the way the data is presented so that even I can comprehend it.

Going into the draft, I resolved to focus on pitching and defense, two attributes sorely lacking in the Gamblers organization. Pitching in particular; my rookie-level pitching staff was comprised of exactly no pitchers with a movement rating above 4, and only one with a stuff rating above 5. I mean,...

Well... My resolution to improve the team by one percent every week was tested this week. I had a couple of players go on the injured list for fairly long periods of time recently, and rather than dip into the minors, I tried to fill their spots by dipping into the lower levels of the free agent mar...

Everyone comes at the draft in their own way, and I would never criticize anyone else’s method. And one minute rounds does seem a little harsh.

That said, implying that those of us who make a list don’t “care about the draft” is kind of borderline insulting. No big deal, just sayin’…

I am not a good swimmer. I’m not really afraid of the water or anything; it’s just the moving forward part of it that I’ve never mastered. I kick my feet like I’m supposed to, and have what I consider to be fine arm motion. In my mind I’m looking like Michael freaking Phelps . Then I look up and see...

The Boggs analogy isn't bad at this point, though Amberman hits right handed. But I think Trujillo is more Chase Utley without as much glove. Carew was a different kind of beast. :) I like this analogy much better. Carew wasn't a power hitter. Yeah, you’re right… I was just trying to come up with a...

I’ve been trying to evaluate the players in the draft by comparing them to “real life” players. Elsewhere I called Amberman “Wade Boggs with speed”; Trujillo is kind of “Rod Carew lite”. That’ll play…

I really like Canales...In fact, he was second on my list behind Lazer.

I was in my office, quietly poring over draft reports and getting more confused by the moment, when my assistant GM, Francisco Serrano, knocked softly and entered the room. “Oh hi Frank… what can I do for you?” “Well Chico, there’s no easy way to say it… I’m leaving my position here. I’ve enjoyed wo...

Just a few random notes from the first months of what looks like another season from hell: 1. What is it about putting on an Atlantic City uniform that makes a pitcher immediately add a run or two (or more) to his ERA? Over the offseason I acquired a number of new arms, all of which were at least le...

That’s actually very welcome information. I’ve always wondered whether I was overpaying or underpaying my staff.

Next I’ll have to figure out what good an assistant GM is… Other than to tell me every trade I submit in game is a bad one.