Moving Out:The Pittsburgh/Portland Pirates (2004)

[dannymac910]

Thanks for your comments.

[YEAH DAAAAWG]

More detail. Don't just post a headline with a boxscore, talk about the game, tell what happened, recap. Give your feelings of how the team is doing, stuff like that. Its boring to just see a big bold headline and a boxscore.

[dannymac910]

I wanna get through these next years and do it real in-depth once I get to the 2008 season. I think I'm gonna do month-by-month recaps until then.

[JeepGuy63]

I wanna get through these next years and do it real in-depth once I get to the 2008 season. I think I'm gonna do month-by-month recaps until then.

That's how I do it. Makes for a quick read and for a quicker write which allows me to get back to the game quicker. I'll post some stats here and there but never boxscores.

Hard to tell how well it is going over by the number of comments but the ones I get, I think it is a likeable format.

As far as your stuff goes, I am waiting on the move to Portland to see what that entails. As Yeah Daaaawg said, less boxscores more of your comments, feelings and/or insights.

[dannymac910]

I gonna take a little break (couple of days) to rework my format, read some other dynasty's and get some new ideas, as this is my first dynasty. Anyway keep posting your comments.

[dannymac910]

I think I'm gonna make a new thread once I get to the 2008 season seeing as this one is extremely cluttered.

[dannymac910]

Brandon Webb has become a Pirate in a 7-player deal

July Review

Season Record 48-57
Month Record 9-17

Injuries

Russell Branyan will be out for the rest of the season with a broken wrist. It's gonna be hard without him he is our current HR leader with 14. Rob Mackowiak will take his place at 3rd and Nate McClouth will take RF.

Contracts

Freddy Sanchez got a new contract for 4 million a year through 2010, including a no-trade clause. Freddy has been insane this year with a .334 BA so we needed to lock him up. Freddy is gonna be a player we build around in the future.

Trades

HUGE trade for us at the deadline! Well we needed a true ace in our #1 spot in the rotation, and he had to be a RHP. So we got Brandon Webb. Yes, THE Brandon Webb to be our ace. We did have to give up A LOT of our future for him but it will be worth it. We gave up prospects, Tom Gorzelanny 75/93, Sean Burnett 72/92, Jose Castillo 74/83, Ray Sadler 73/81, Chris Duffy 73/79, and J.R. House 69/72. We just had WAY too many LHP in our rotation so it wasn't that hard to get rid of Gorzelanny and Burnett, and after locking up Sanchez it was pretty clear that we had no plans for Castillo and Duffy was rotting in AA. So now we finally have our ace, the former spot of Oliver Perez who just can't get wins this season. and Webb is 8-5 with a 3.73 ERA so he can get the job done. In the offseason we might need to get another RHP in the rotation or stick Snell in there as there is still more LHP than RHP.

[dannymac910]

August Review

Season Record 58-76
Month Record 10-19

Contracts

Brandon Webb got a new contract through 2011 for 4 mil. a year to be our future ace. Webb is 10-7 with a 3.46 ERA this season.

Team Notes

• Jason Bay was out for most of the month with a spiked achilles tendon, and has had an injury plagued season.
• Juan Pierre is the league leader in stolen bases with 69
• Top Prospect Kendry Morales 68/85 will be out for a while. Hopefully it won't hamper his development.
• Ian Snell has been struggling in his spot starts, with a 7.85 ERA.
• Matt Capps has meshed well into the setup spot, and is now rated 80/95.
• Our cash now stands at 54 million dollars, just 46 to go.

[dannymac910]

Season Review

Season Record 75-87 4th Place
September Record 16-10

Team Leaders

ERA: Brandon Webb 3.56
Wins: Joaquin Benoit 13
Saves: Mike Gonzalez 39
AVG: Freddy Sanchez .320
HR: John Olerud 15
SB: Juan Pierre 79 (League Leader)
RBI: Freddy Sanchez 95
OBP: Jason Bay .425
Strikeouts: Oliver Perez 226 (2nd in MLB)

Team Notes

Well, the 2005 is over and it was a rough year to say the least but we have set ourselves up for a good future, with franchise players like Jason Bay, Freddy Sanchez, Jack Wilson, Brandon Webb, Mike Gonzalez, and Matt Capps.

John Olerud had a great season this year leading the team in HR's, but he will most likely be released and replaced by ether Brad Eldred 87/95, or Kendry Morales 65/82. It was originally planned for Morales to take his place but he hasn't developed as planned and Elderd has come out of NOWHERE and become a very solid player.

Our power has been our weakest part of our team this year as our top 3 power hitters, Russell Branyan, Jason Bay, and Rob Mackowiak have all been injury plagued and our team leader was John Olerud. I might look into free agency for a big stick but I will most likely stick to what I got.

We had a huge improvement in pitching this year with a team ERA of 4.39 but our only problem is too many lefties in our rotation AND bullpen with 6 lefties and 5 righties. I might look into dealing Zack Duke and signing a right handed starter, but if not will definitely grab a right handed reliever.

One of or draft picks this year Alejandro Mushibay a left handed reliever will most likely start in the bullpen next year. He has a rating of 73/88 and a 94 MPH fastball and looks to be our top middle reliever for years to come, as Capps is our future set-up man, and Gonzalez our future closer.

[dannymac910]

ASTROS ARE WORLD SERIES CHAMPS!

[dannymac910]

Off Season Review

Awards

Jack Wilson-NL Gold Glove (2)
Brandon Webb-NL Gold Glove (1)
Juan Pierre-NL Stolen Base Leader (79)

Contracts

John Olerud-Released
Humberto Cota-Released

Signings

Jorge Sosa (82) was signed to a 2 year deal at 2 mil. a year to be that right handed reliever that we needed in the bullpen.

Big Signings

Barry Bonds went back to San Fran after spending a few weeks as a free agent.

Hank Blalock went to Detroit.

Joe Crede went to Boston to try to end the curse of te Bambino.

Miguel Cabrera went to Kansas City to be there franchise player.

Rocco Baldelli went to the Mets.

[dannymac910]

Do you guys like the new format? I'll post the 2006 season preview a little later, and I have some bad news to start off the season

[YEAH DAAAAWG]

Seems good. Although, a piece of advice, whenever you make a significant trade/signing/etc. (IE the Brandon Webb one), write a completely independent article devoted simply to breaking down the trade and what have you. I wouldn't write an independent article if you sign Joe Schmoe (73) out of the FA pool, but its pretty easy to tell what does and does not deserve it.

[PotatoOfCouch13]

Like the format. IMO, it's much better than the slew of box scores you posted for your first season!

However, what is the ultimate goal of this franchise? I know that you said the Pirates are moving to Portland, but are you trying to sabotage the team or just move them to better the franchise.?

[dannymac910]

Seems good. Although, a piece of advice, whenever you make a significant trade/signing/etc. (IE the Brandon Webb one), write a completely independent article devoted simply to breaking down the trade and what have you. I wouldn't write an independent article if you sign Joe Schmoe (73) out of the FA pool, but its pretty easy to tell what does and does not deserve it.

Thanks for the advice. I'm going to start a new thread for the 2008 season and I'm gonna make sure the presentation is as good as possible. And for the 2008 season there is going to be A LOT of detail as I'm going to take it game by game.