- Joined
- Mar 17, 2007
- Messages
- 9,316
Still playing Out of the Park, but now the 2026 version, as the Expos, starting in 1969 (technically 1968 start, play unemployed for a year, and take over the Expos so I can control the expansion draft choices, rather than starting with whoever the AI picks with the '69 start).
I'm in Year 6 now. Our record was essentially .430, .330, .400, .445, .480. Made some decent trades, had some draft picks be busts, and it's only this year that our first two bona fide draft successes - Jeff Burroughs and George Brett - have hit the bigs. We've got another guy named Ken Griffey in AAA, whom we traded for.
But we're about .430 this year, and our pitching staff seems to be aging out/having a bad year. Worst in the National League, after being near middle of the pack last year. The last two years, we've just missed out on picking two great starting pitchers by doing too well and having the team above us in the draft pick them. So now we have two or three promising bullpen prospects, but still not really any great starter prospects. Maybe one of them will develop beyond expectations, but when?
On the other hand, do we want to trade an offensive star for a starter? Our "Killer Bees" - Brett, Burroughts, and catcher Curt Blefary - haven't quite hit their full potential yet, but losing any of them would be a major setback. It was a bit of a coup to land Griffey, trading a mediocre starter and two prospects who weren't likely to land above a backup role, but opportunities have been few for replicating that with a starting pitcher. We've essentially hit that valley where we're good enough to not get truly elite draft prospects, but aren't good enough to have a winning record.
But, hey, a lot of the reason I picked the Expos was that the real-life comparison point wasn't anything too intimidating. And it's not like the Royals or Padres are doing any better, and theSeattle Pilots Milwaukee Brewers aren't making the postseason yet either.
I'm in Year 6 now. Our record was essentially .430, .330, .400, .445, .480. Made some decent trades, had some draft picks be busts, and it's only this year that our first two bona fide draft successes - Jeff Burroughs and George Brett - have hit the bigs. We've got another guy named Ken Griffey in AAA, whom we traded for.
But we're about .430 this year, and our pitching staff seems to be aging out/having a bad year. Worst in the National League, after being near middle of the pack last year. The last two years, we've just missed out on picking two great starting pitchers by doing too well and having the team above us in the draft pick them. So now we have two or three promising bullpen prospects, but still not really any great starter prospects. Maybe one of them will develop beyond expectations, but when?
On the other hand, do we want to trade an offensive star for a starter? Our "Killer Bees" - Brett, Burroughts, and catcher Curt Blefary - haven't quite hit their full potential yet, but losing any of them would be a major setback. It was a bit of a coup to land Griffey, trading a mediocre starter and two prospects who weren't likely to land above a backup role, but opportunities have been few for replicating that with a starting pitcher. We've essentially hit that valley where we're good enough to not get truly elite draft prospects, but aren't good enough to have a winning record.
But, hey, a lot of the reason I picked the Expos was that the real-life comparison point wasn't anything too intimidating. And it's not like the Royals or Padres are doing any better, and the
