Owner Interview - prahasmc

 

Owner Interview with prahasmc

 

As we sit down for another interview, today we will be speaking with prahasmc, owner of the Santa Cruz Control.  Prahasmc has been playing HBD for 72 seasons, having reached the playoffs 43 times with 20 division championships culminating in 6 WS championships.  Let’s see what we can learn from this successful HBD owner:

 

“Thank you for allowing us to get a peek under the hood of your HBD experience.  What part of the country do you live in?”

“I live in Connecticut but commute to New York City.”

“My dad commuted from Suffolk County on the Island into Manhattan so I can only imagine how many hours you spend going back and forth.  What is your favorite team and when did you start following baseball?”

“I grew up in New Hampshire in the ’90s, watching bad Red Sox teams.  But both of my parents were huge fans, and the town was a big baseball town.  There was something about the rhythm of following the team day in and day out during the summer—it added structure and excitement to small-town life.  And the star power of Clemens, and later Garciaparra and Pedro Martínez, didn’t hurt.”

“Did you have a favorite player growing up?”

“Roger Clemens. The 20-strikeout games were mesmerizing.”

“And what is your favorite baseball memory?”

“The 2004 World Series was special.  But honestly, I think 2013 meant more.  I was living in Boston at the time and had friends running the marathon the year of the bombing.  That team really galvanized the city in a way that transcended the sport.

If I had to pin it down to one memory, it would be Shane Victorino’s grand slam that broke Game 6 of the 2013 ALCS open.  You can find the replay on YouTube—everything from the crowd finishing the chorus of Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds during his walk-up to the emotion on his face as the ball clears the fence still gives me goosebumps.”

“How did you find HBD?”

“I was a bored grad student in 2008. Time flies!”

“How many teams are you comfortable running at one time?”

“I have run as many as three at one time, but with current responsibilities, one is enough.  So, this world is it for me.”

“In that case I’m glad we were able to bring you in before someone else was able to.  How do you like to build your teams?”

“There are a lot of ways to approach team building, and I spend a fair amount of time reviewing team stats at the end of each season.  I’ve found that defense is often undervalued, so I’m less inclined than most managers to push players up the defensive spectrum.

I also think managers overlook how many runs they give away on the basepaths—high caught stealing and GIDP rates can really hurt run expectancy.  That said, variance is hard to control for—and ironically, my team gave away more runs on the basepaths than anyone this year!”

“Do you have a favorite HBD team (past or present)?”

“Maybe it’s recency bias, but last year’s World Series winner has to be up there. I thought it was a sneaky good team, but we started terribly and had a huge hole to climb out of.  Then, with about 30 games left in the regular season, something clicked—and we improbably ran the table as a wild card, including knocking off a dominant Montreal team.”

“What is your favorite aspect of HBD?”

“I think the game offers an incredible opportunity for different approaches, strategies, and customizations. “I don’t play video games, so maybe that experience exists elsewhere—but this lets me fully immerse myself in the gameplay and stay engaged without committing an outsized amount of time.”

“What would be the one thing you’d change about the HBD?”

“Prospect trajectories are too linear and predictable.  While it’s better than it used to be, top draft picks still pan out too often, and true diamonds in the rough emerge too rarely.  It incentivizes tanking, and I’d like to see that addressed.”

 

“Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions, and good luck in the coming season.”

AU Season 71 Playoff Review

 

Addicted Users Season 71 Playoff Review

As has been the tradition in Addicted Users, the Season 71 playoffs were a wild affair.  Each league had a surprise team enter the playoffs as the sub .500 Cincinnati Adena won the AL North, and the .500 Trenton Thunder took the NL East.  While the Thunder were dispatched rather quickly by Jacksonville 3-1, Cincy took down Houston in a hard fought 3-2 battle.

 

With Jacksonville still riding a wave, they handled the number one seed team out of the desert, Tucson 3-2.  In the other half of the NL bracket, a solid Boise Demolition team took their first round series 3-1 before bowing out to the eventual NL champion Oklahoma City Scorpions.  Oklahoma showed they were a WS ready team with a fast 4-1 thumping of Jacksonville.

 

In the AL, the Texas Tornados sat on their 110 wins during their first round bye to give their troops enough time to recharge their batteries and heal their bruises.  And boy were they ready.  A 4-1 beating of Cincinnati in the ALDS & then a 4-0 sweep of Boston showed that the time off didn’t do them any harm and had to give Oklahoma plenty to think about before the WS began.

 

Although the Scorpions won 13 less games than Texas during the regular season, this was a true battle of evenly matched teams.  A lesser team would have folded when Texas took a 3-1 lead but that isn’t the type team that slicknick777 built.  So, he was not surprised that his team showed the resilience to force a game seven.  These heavyweights battled to the end with alogman1’s mighty Tornados taking home the 1^st WS hardware since alogman took over. 

 

Alogman1 has now taken the AL South title in three consecutive seasons and has added an AL Championship & WS Championship to his resume.  You can only wonder if those that suggested he join the world regret those efforts?

 

And now on to Season 72 to see if alogman1 can repeat as champion or if someone can field a team capable of making a similar march through the season and playoffs.

 

Good Luck everyone!

Owner Interview - grissom97

 Owner Interview – grissom97

 

This interview will amuse torrone the most since I’ll basically be talking to myself.  torrone, insert comment here.  I currently run the Kansas City Athletics but those that have been around know that I have moved my team around a bit in this world.  With 337 seasons played, 28 have been in AU with my current ownership at consecutive seasons.  You will see two WS titles on my resume, however, it’s been a very long time since a team of mine has hoisted a trophy.  Now on to the Q&A:          "What part of the country do you live in?"

"SoCal, originally from Long Island but moved to the warmer weather long ago."    

"What is your favorite team and when did you start following baseball?"

"I’ve been a Yankee fan since I was five.  Found my mom cursing the TV because Mantle didn’t hit a homerun.  She hated him because he replaced DiMaggio.  Been following baseball ever since."                                                                                  

"Who was your favorite player growing up?"

"Has to be Thurman Munson.  The heart and soul of the Yankees in the 70’s.  Hard nosed, determined, and fought everyday to win, also a very disgusting person.  He would spit into his helmet and then rub it onto his head, not sure why but it was very odd."                                                                                                                  

"What is your favorite baseball memory?"

"Personal memory was my first season in LL.  Was new to the game and struggled mightily, had some speed though.  Coach put me in to pinch run with the game tied.  On a groundball to 1^st I broke for home, went in rubber spikes high and knocked the ball out of my best friend’s glove.  He was the catcher for the other team.  MLB memory, sitting in box seats at the Stadium watching Clemens face Martinez in a Sunday battle that lived up to expectations."                                  

"How did you find HBD?"

"I played APBA baseball as a kid and found they had a computer version, unfortunately joining a league or finding others to play was difficult so I did a google search.  Found the WIS Sim game first but found little to do after creating a team and acquiring players so looked at HBD and got hooked quickly."            

"How many teams are you comfortable running at one time?"

"3-5 teams are all I can handle before it becomes too much of a time investment."    

"How do you like to build your teams? (ex. – Power, Speed, Pitching, etc)"

"When joining a world, I like to find one with either ML or MiL talent to build around.  A focus on pitching and defense is typically the direction I take with my thinking that offense is easier to find."                                                                   

"What is your favorite HBD team (past or present)?"

"I have two.  I picked up an abandoned team in Hot Stove.  Unfortunately, it was the Red Sox, it was a few games under .500 but in a weak division.  Picked up 3 or 4 players at the deadline.  Finished 6 games above .500 and won the series.  Cobb was my first world so while my Rochester team has struggled, it’s still a favorite."  

"What is your favorite aspect of HBD?"

"I like to build things so redirecting an organization and trying to turn it into a winner is the attraction.  I do enjoy evaluating the prospects for the draft and seeing the develop into ML players."

"What would be the one thing you’d change about HBD (what’s the most important thing to fix)?"                                                                                                              

"Two things, injuries, have changed in RL allowing players to return to their previous level of play so I think the game should try to mirror this.  The top 50 prospects should be seen by all that budget for College and HS scouting.  The accuracy of the potential could be dependent on money in the budget with no one knowing with 100% accuracy how the player will develop because of other variables but there should be a certain percentage of the top prospects that everyone can see."                                                                                                           

"I'd like to take the time to thank myself for doing this interview."

Owner Interview - davidbutler9

 

Owner Interview with davidbutler9

 

As we start to run out of owners to speak with, davidbutler9 has allowed us to spend some time with him as we get to know a little bit about him.  david is running the Rochester Renegades in the AL East and while he’s only been with us 2 seasons during his current run, he does have 26 seasons played previously in AU.  It’s nice to have a longtime owner return to do battle with us after a long hiatus and david brings 2 WS titles along with his 162 seasons of experience so let’s jump into the questions:

 

“What part of the country do you live in?”

“I’m in Lafayette, Indiana in Purdue country, but I am an anomaly and root for both IU and Purdue.”

 

“Being a Notre Dame fan myself, I have a hard time understanding your misguided loyalty, lol.  With no MLB team in Indiana, what is your favorite team and when did you start following baseball?”

 

“Chicago Cubs and for as long as I can remember.”

“So, who was your favorite player growing up?”

“It would have to be Ryne Sandberg.”

 

Editor’s Note:  There was a longer than expected delay in getting this posted and sadly Ryne has passed away.  I’m not a fan of the Cubs but had a lot of respect for Sandberg because of the way he played the game and never got involved in any scandals that sometimes plague sports.  RIP Ryne Sandberg.

“What is your favorite baseball memory?”

“Without a doubt Game 7 - 2016 World Series.”

“And how did you find HBD?”

“Was searching for a dynasty type baseball game. Found this and forever happy and cursed all at the same time!”

“I think we can all relate and know how you feel.  How many teams are you comfortable running at one time?”

“I think that 4-5 is a good amount for me.”

“How do you like to build your teams?”

“Hitting, speed, pitching, defense matters imo.”

“What is your favorite HBD team?”

“Years ago, I had a team in AU that was in Louisville and now is currently in KC.”

“Can’t recommend KC at this point, lol.  What is your favorite aspect of HBD?”

“The control over all levels and the ability to develop players.”

“What would be the one thing you’d change about the HBD (what’s the most important thing to fix)?”

 

“Injuries seems to be way more random than it used to be, so adjusting this would be appreciated.”

 

“Thanks David, I hope this wasn’t too painful an experience.”

Owner Interview - quantum76

 

Owner Interview with quantum76

 

Today we take a look at quantum76 the newest owner to join AU, he’s running the Arizona Hikers in the AL West.  For those that have forgotten he jumped in when one of our longtime owners decided to take a break from the game.  After taking some time away from the game quantum was kind enough to take over a team mid-season.  He has a total of 22 seasons in HBD with 2 WS titles.  Now let’s get to the questions:

 

“Quantum thanks for taking the time to sit down to allow us to get to know a little about you.  Let’s start with an easy one.  What part of the country do you live in?”

 

“I’m living in Dallas, Texas.”

“People from Texas tend to be loyal to the local teams so is your favorite team in Texas and when did you start following baseball?”

 

“I started getting into baseball in 1986, and yes, I’m a fan of the Texas Rangers.”

 

“Who was your favorite player growing up?”

 

“Juan Gonzalez was a dynamic player for the Rangers when I started following the team, so he was my favorite.”

“Do you have a favorite baseball memory?”

 

“Watching Nolan Ryan's 5,000 Strike Out(I got it on VHS somewhere).”

 

“Fortunately, all our owners seem to be old enough to remember VHS.  Except for torrone of course, he can’t remember his name, so VHS is out of the question.  How did you find HBD?”

 

“I was big into Fantasy sports games, and I stumbled on to the Whatif website.”


“How many teams are you comfortable running at one time?”

“Two teams are all I have time to take care of.”

“How do you like to build your teams?”

 

“I like the Long Ball, so power and homerun friendly parks.”

“What is your favorite HBD team (past or present)?”

 

“It would have to be my 101-61 Madison Team.”

“What is your favorite aspect of HBD?”

 

“I like the start of the season free agent rush (Players and Coaches) Locking your players in.”

 

“You’re the first to mention enjoying that part of the season during these interviews.  Which makes me end with the question: What would be the one thing you’d change about the HBD?”

 

“I would like to see better international prospects available.”

 

“Thank you again for taking the time to answer my questions.

Season 71 Draft - 1st rd & Supplemental Pick Review

 

Season 71 Draft Review

 

1.   Toronto - Marvin Burke (SS) – the HS shortstop is very green but appears to have a lot of upsides if he develops.  While he’s a long shot to reach projections, it’s a gamble that Toronto was willing to take.
2. Tampa Bay – Javy Baez (P) – a HS stud that projects to be a rotation piece with the chance to fill a spot at the top of the rotation.  He’ll need to continue to work on his control and power, with his pitches looking like he will induce lots of groundballs.
3. Albuquerque – Aroldis Chapman (C) – this could have been the 1^st pick as Chapman projects to be a starting catcher with top notch contact and power.  He already has shown an ability to wait for his pitch so the biggest concern will be building him up to handle a long ML season.
4. Pittsburgh – Charlie Chisenhall (P) – Charlie appears to have the stuff to be a solid #2 or 3 in the rotation.  Refinement of his control, power and groundball ability will need to continue to allow him to use his pitches that show potential against both RH & LH bats.
5.  Madison – Vern Brunson (CF) – Brunson may have been a reach at this spot in the draft.  While his defense looks like it will play at the ML level, it will be his bat that will determine the amount of playing time he’ll get with the big-league squad.
6. Detroit – Ken Ward (P) – this HS hurler may turn out to be the biggest pitching prize of the draft.  His ratings across the board make Detroit drool about the possibilities of having acquired a true #1 but it may take great patience to allow him to develop properly.
7. Toronto – Willie Eusebio (LF) – Willie doesn’t have the strongest of arms so 1B/LF/DH may be the best spots for him.  However, his solid numbers across the board added to very good speed could make him a fantastic lead off bat if needed.
8. London – Bill Kontos (P) – Kontos is another solid pick that could have justified a higher selection.  Another true #1 projection warrants careful handling to allow him to reach his full potential.  The only concerns are his lack of velocity and flyball tendency, yet with possibly 4 pitches, good control and solid makeup the odds are in his favor.
9. Atlanta – Forrest Perisho (CF) – It’s been rare lately that 2 CF projections go in the 1^st rd, but Perisho is the other in this year’s draft.  His glove may limit him some, but he handles RHP well and his speed should play well.  So, the real question becomes will his availability allow him to fully develop and be the top 10 pick Atlants believe him to be.
10. Salem – Reggie Franklin (P) – A dynamic 4 seemer, solid control, should aid Franklin to avoid problems with the longball as he does allow hitters to get his pitches in the air.  The thing that may make or break him is his ability to develop all 4 of the pitches he throws.
11. New Orleans – Marshall Fabregas (P) – It doesn’t usually take this long for a RP to come off the board, yet Fabregas is the 1^st bullpen piece drafted.  He shows good control, a big-time slider and an ability to keep the ball in the park.  If his fastball comes around, he could be a solid closer to keep the fans happy.
12. Columbus – Russell Watkins (CF) – The problem with teenagers is they need time to fill out to handle the rigors of a ML season.  Russell definitely falls into this category.  While he seems to be someone that has the tools defensively, his bat to ball skills may make this a questionable selection when accessed in a few seasons.
13. Oklahoma – Gary Jay (CF) – This is a solid pick as Jay appears to be a future prototypical CF prospect.  Good eye and contact skills to go with the ability to handle both righty and lefties should allow him to get on the field, with both his speed and defense keeping him there.
14. New York – Matt Mills (1B) – This player is a man without a position, so does will this pick fall by the wayside?  It would be shocking if a spot in the lineup can’t be found for Mills bat.  He makes solid contact, has plus power, isn’t intimidated by RHP or LHP, and has a great eye.  He’ll probably be limited to a DH role but in this case that shouldn’t be important.
15. Columbus – Ruben Martin (CF) – There was a lack of 2B prospects in this season’s draft, so while Martin has played CF, he projects to 2B because of his defensive skill set.  His bat looks solid, and he has good speed, so he may be able to fill a top of the lineup slot to set the table for the big bats.
16. Huntington – Jude Wagner (P) – Wagner is a tall right handed power pitcher take should be a top of the rotation guy.  His only weaknesses are his tendency to be a flyball pitcher that sometimes loses his cool.  If he can keep the ball in the park and control his emotions, he should be a piece of the rotation for a long time.
17. Cincinnati – Leyson Jose (RF) – Leyson has a lot of speed, a good eye that should help him get some walks to aid his OBP.  He can hit righties, so the questions will be can he hit lefties too and get on base enough to take advantage of his speed.
18. Boston – Davey Granados (CF) – Davey looks like a bit of a project that will need time to develop.  However, he does have the potential to be an above average CF, with great speed and the ability to hit RHP which could find him a spot in the majors.
19. San Francisco – Harpo Ohman (2B) – rarely do you see a prospect named Harpo, and sadly that may be the only thing he will be remembered for.  It looks like this pick was a reach and he doesn’t show signs of excelling in any area making him a long shot to reach the bigs.
20. Vancouver – Bill Lively (LF) – This looks like another major reach that will need him to show a lot of heart and determination to round into a ML player.
21. St Louis – Wilson Bruske (P) – he’s a groundball pitcher with 2 plus pitchers and an above average change-up that should play.  He’s a bit susceptible to RH bats, but given the right help and time, he appears destined for a ML roster.
22. Trenton – Walt Rudolph (P) – There are some concerns about this pick.  He has been hit by RH bats and being a finesse pitcher that hitters can elevate, he’ll need to work on pitching inside to right-handed bats and keeping the ball down to be successful at the next level.
23. Jacksonville – Bo Phillips (P) – Bo will need to answer the question if he can build his stamina and durability to be in a rotation or will be better suited to a bullpen role.  His changeup/slider combo, should be dynamic enough for the pen, however he has 3 other pitches that could aid him as a starter.  It will come down to his stamina.
24. Kansas City – Francis Peterson (C) – Peterson’s bat is solid as he has great power, a good eye, and can hit pitchers that throw from either side.  Will or should his catching be developed, and will his durability increase enough to play a majority of a ML season though?
25. Minnesota – Tommy Fielder (SS) – Fielder is another teenager that needs time to grow into his body, however he projects to have an above average glove and the other skills needed to play SS.  His bat, while not great, will be enough to keep him in the lineup if the rest of his game continues to grow.
26. Santa Cruz – Eugene Kearns (2B) – Without a lot of growth in both his offensive and defensive skills, Eugene will come short of the majors.  His glove isn’t reliable enough for the middle infield so it may come down to a 1B/LF decision on where to play him.  Unfortunately, his bat to ball skills are also suspect for a true prospect.
27. Tucson – Vince Governale (SS) – Vince’s glove is a bit weak, and his bat is average for the most part even though he does have a little pop.  He may be able to fill a utility rule, but it’s doubtful he can be an everyday player.
28. Los Angels – Vasco Aquino (P) – Having gone to college, Vasco is nearing ML skills.  At worse Aquino should be a bullpen arm/spot starter.  Yet his ability to handle RH bats and having 2 plus pitches, he may be good mid-rotation arm.
29. Houston – Raymond Hernandez (RF) – Raymond struggles a little against RHP and has an average eye.  However, his plus power should allow him to find a spot in the lineup at 1B/LF/RF or DH with his versatility allowing him ample opportunities.
30. Texas – Watty Becker (P) – At this point of the 1^st rd Becker is a value pick that even with his STA/DUR limiting his pitch count should become a valuable arm in the bullpen.  He throws a plus, plus fastball with a good change up that can induce K’s and groundballs.
31. Minnesota – Robel Ross (P) – Ross appears to be an arm that will be most useful coming out of the pen.  His DUR will hinder his bounce back ability if put into the rotation and having only 1 above average pitch will expose him if batters are allowed to see him more than once in a game.  Yet he could be very useful if given the right role.
32. Rochester – Josmil Carrasco (SS) – Josmil is 1 of only 2 1^st rd picks that hasn’t signed.  He’s represented by his mother so this may be a long process as she tries to protect her baby boy.
33. Arizona – Harold Morris (3B) – Morris is a 1B/COF type that doesn’t really excel in any area but who’s versatility may be his path to the majors.  He does hit LHP well but doesn’t make a lot of contact or hit for a lot of power.
34. Boise – Bud Spencer (P) - As with many young pitchers, Bud has a tendency to lose the strike zone.  If he can harness his pitches to correct this problem, he would be a welcome addition to the pitching staff.  If not, he’ll be another 1^st rd flame out.
35. Madison – Maximo Wendle (1B) – Stong against lefties but not as strong against righties, Max is selective at the plate and makes good contact.  He doesn’t have the power favored for a 1B yet his range and speed may play better in LF.
36. Oklahoma – Chi-Chi Rosado (P) – This man has the makings of a stud closer.  Equally strong against batters from both sides of the plate, good control, good at keeping the ball on the ground, with an elite sinker and strong curve.
37. New York – Everett Byrd (P) – This lefty should develop into an outstanding bullpen asset if not closer.  He’s a power pitcher with a strong slider & 4 seamer, with elite control, ability to handle bats from either side of the plate, and a groundball pitcher.
38. Columbus – Buddy Russell (RF) – Suspect glove with an elite arm in right, he’s a true deep ball threat with a good eye.  Yet he struggles making contact and doesn’t excel against pitchers that throw with either arm.
39. Vancouver - Esteban Lee (3B) – An elite fielder that may develop into a premier SS, however he is the epitome of a good field, no hit type.  Might be a valuable defensive replacement.
40. St Louis – Dave Witt (CF) – Good defender, speed, and baserunner that may hit a little vR but flails uselessly vL.  Could be a late inning defender, end of the bench guy.
41. Anaheim – Juan Cervantes (P) – Projects to be a multiple inning guy.  Has a powerful arm that can keep the ball down but is just average against righties and lefties.  He has a good slider but needs to develop more than his slightly above average curve.
42. Minnesota – Howie Blank (P) – Better against lefties and struggles a little vR.  Has a decent 4-seam FB with the rest of his pitches being average at best.  He may be of value as a lefty specialist if he doesn’t learn to handle righties better.
43. Boise – Augie Darr (P) – The good news is Augie has one elite pitch and one very good pitch, handles lefties very well and righties well.  His control is what will limit him and his level of success.
44. St Louis – Posieden Williamson (P) – Posie has a shot at making the bigs on the back of two very good pitches and two good pitches, his control comes and goes so if he can harness that he could be a valuable mid to back end of the rotation guy.
45. Minnesota – Damion Murphy (2B) – Damion’s glove may not play at 2^nd so he may find a home in LF.  He does make good contact but needs to be more selective in choosing his pitch.  His speed will allow him to steal bases, and take the extra base.
46. Toronto – Terry Kubitza (P) – Kubitza is a steal this low in this spot of the draft.  He doesn’t have the stamina to go long in games.  His FB and circle change are good pitches, and he handles both sides of the plate very well which should earn him a spot in the rotation eventually.
47. Madison – Hugh Martin (2B) – A speedy LF that has above average power, makes ok contact, and needs to become more selective during his AB’s.  If he improves his baserunning he’ll be a valuable pinch runner.
48. Detroit – Larry Spangenberg (P) - If he can keep the ball down, he has the potential to be an excellent setup man.  He will need to be more careful against righties though and keep improving his control.
49. London – Ivan Andino (2B) – Doesn’t have the range to be an everyday 2B but does have some bat skills that may earn him a spot in the big leagues.
50. New York – Mike Butler (2B) – May not have the range to play 2B in the bigs yet could a valuable utility player as he learns the CIF & COF positions.  While his bat won’t make him an all-star, it should allow him to earn playing time as a reserve.
51. Huntington – Stan Sherman (P) – A groundball pitcher with two a little above average pitches that is a little above average vL & VR that may be successful out of the pen if he can harness his control.
52. St Louis – Brendan Milton (2B) – His glove is below average for 2B but would play in LF and his range would allow him to get to balls others can’t reach.  He makes good contact and has a good eye yet he struggles  vL or vR so he may not hit enough to make the parent club.
53. Jacksonville – Burt Gentry (P) – Has excellent control and seems to handle righties.  His 4 seemer is very good but needs to improve his slurve to be able to win a spot in the rotation.
54. Kansas City – Alfredo Huff (P) – He’s projecting to be a power pitcher that will keep the ball on the ground.  Add in two very good pitches and excellent control and you have a future closer.
55. Salt Lake City – Fausto Romero (SS) – Romero is a solid fielder that could fill a utility or defensive replacement role on a ML team.  Unfortunately, his bat needs a lot of work and may limit his big league opportunities.
56. Santa Cruz – Damion Wilson (P) – Damion is a power pitcher that keeps the ball low and in the park.  He has two solid pitches and should be a high leverage guy in the bullpen with a shot at closing.
57. Tucson – Steve Hyde (2B) – This pick was a gamble as Steve doesn’t make good contact, struggles against righties, and isn’t showing a good glove at this stage of his career. 
58. Minnesota – Marcus Hardy (P) – Having two good pitches should lead to this player making a ML staff.  However, he needs to figure out how to use them better to be effective for more than short stints in games.
59. Rochester – Max Johnson (P) - A power pitcher that gets groundballs and has good control could be a real asset to a team.  Johnson needs to refine his pitches and find a better way to deal with RH bats to be effective in the majors.
60. Arizona – Bradley Venafro (P) -  Brad has three good pitches but struggles against righties wasting his ability to keep the ball on the ground.  He’ll need to find a way to harness his power and adjust when throwing to RH if he wants to be a major leaguer.
61. Huntington – David Blanco (P) – Blanco is a project and a surprise pick this early in the draft.  He has a live 4 seemer, can induce groundballs, yet struggles against bats from both sides of the plate and only has one good pitch that still needs work.
62. Jacksonville – Matty Domingo (P) – With a decent fastball and control, Matty may have enough to be a multiple inning reliever if he can make his pitches more effective.
63. Salt Lake City – George Montgomery (P) – Possesses two effective pitches, handles lefties well and righties ok, can keep the ball down in the zone and his control is getting better.  If he can build up his durability, he will be a SP option.
64. Santa Cruz – Wilson Norman (2B) – he’s got a good work ethic and will need it to work on the flaws in his game.  Playing 2B may be a reach but if he improves his bat to ball skills they’ll find a spot in the lineup for him.
65. Jacksonville – Neifi Curtis (2B) – Has the potential to develop into a 2B/CF, however, his bat may be the thing that will hold him back.

Owner Interview - dahlfan

 

Owner Interview with dahlfan

 

Next in line is dahlfan, owner of the Salem Bearcats.  With 141 seasons played, dahl brings experience to Addicted Users along with 2 championships and 13 seasons in AU.  Let’s not wait to dive into the Q&A with him:

 

“What part of the country do you call home?”

“I’m living in Southern Michigan”

“What is your favorite team and when did you start following baseball?”

“I'm a die-hard White Sox fan (and they tried to kill me last year). Been seriously following baseball for as long as I can remember.”

“Who was your favorite player growing up?

“Carlton Fisk and then Frank Thomas (somehow still underrated)”

“To an extent that’s probably true of both but having seen both play, they were both dominant players at their positions during their playing days.  What is your favorite baseball memory?”

“Attending Game One of the 2005 World Series”

“How did you find HBD?”

“Somewhere in my brain is a memory that Bill Simmons mentioned WhatIfSports way back when.  That would have been my entry point.”

“How many teams are you comfortable running at one time?”

“Usually three is the maximum I like to run at one time.”

“How do you like to build your teams?”

“I've built teams pretty much every way possible, but it's safe to say I like pitchers with excellent control and I've been known to win with an almost entirely speed-based lineup.”

“What is your favorite HBD team?”

“I had Buffalo Wings squads in the old Fisk world that probably were my favorite.  Jarod Ogea was the best player I ever had.  Never quite good enough to win a title, though.”

“What is your favorite aspect of HBD?”
“Always something new to learn.  All this time and I clearly haven't figured it out yet.”

“What would be the one thing you’d change about the HBD?”

“Maybe not the *most* important, but the lack of Fielding Coaches grinds my gears every offseason.”

"Thanks dahlfan, appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions"

Owner Interview - FS40

 

Owner Interview with FS40

 

The next interview is with FS40.  He is relatively new to HBD but has now reached 17 seasons under his belt with four of those seasons at the helm of the San Francisco Titans in Addicted Users.  Let’s see what information about himself he is willing to share:

 

“What part of the country do you live in?”

“I’m currently in the San Diego area.”

“What is your favorite team and when did you start following baseball?”

“I’ve been a New York Mets fan since I was a kid.  My earliest memories are probably 1983 or 1984.”

“Who was your favorite player growing up?”

“Darryl Strawberry”

“What is your favorite baseball memory?”

“1986 World Series Game 6, the ball goes between Bill Buckner’s legs.”

“How did you find HBD?”

“I was actually trying to find an old simulation game called Micro League.  I couldn’t find a good version and stumbled on Whatifsports.”

“How many teams are you comfortable running at one time?”

“I’ve only run 3 at a time. I’m fairly new, but I don’t like the idea of having 10 teams or what have you.  It was the same thing in Fantasy Sports.  I would make one team and that was it.  I have 3 so at least one is going at a time.”

“How do you like to build your teams?”
“Still pretty new, but I have tried to build the teams based on their stadiums.  Overall, I believe in strong pitching and defense.  How we score runs doesn’t matter as much to me.  But in a pitcher’s ballpark, I try to accentuate that and focus more on speed.  Hitters’ ballparks more on power.”

“What is your favorite HBD team?”

“One of my teams, Durham Tropics, made it to the AL Championship Series as a wild card.  That was a fun team.”

“What is your favorite aspect of HBD?”

“The GM function is probably my favorite. Trades, free agency, drafts etc.”

“What would be the one thing you’d change about the HBD?”

“I would say having the DH in the NL too like MLB.”

“That’s all the questions I have, FS.  Thank you for taking the time.”

Owner Interview - jongdavis

 

Owner interview with jongdavis

 

Our subject for this interview is jongdavis the owner of the Houston Oilers.  He has been playing HBD long enough to have played 240 seasons, 33 of those in Addicted Users, and come away with 13 championship trophies.  Let’s see what we can learn about this long-time owner:

“jong, what part of the country do you live in?

“I’m in the New England area”

“And what would your favorite team, as if I didn’t already know, and when did you start following baseball?

“Yes, it’s the Red Sox; I was born in the late 60s and can't remember not following the Sox, but '75 is my first real memories.”

“Who was your favorite player growing up?”

“Jim Rice or Bernie Carbo”

“Do you have a favorite baseball memory?”

“Saw John Valentin turn an unassisted triple play live at Fenway”

“How did you find HBD?”

“I started playing SimLeague Baseball after reading about it in a Bill Simmons column and was recruited to HBD from there”

“How many teams are you comfortable running at one time?”

“I currently have 6, which is definitely my limit. Probably prefer 4 or 5 that are hopefully not on same cycle.”

“Do you have a preferred method to build your teams?”

“Power is the one constant. The rest can vary based on the skills of my team.”

“What is your favorite HBD team (past or present)?

“Probably my early teams in Addicted Users with Tabaka and Thompson leading the way. Won a few titles with that crew including one as a major underdog and one as the favorite.”

“ What is your favorite aspect of HBD?”

“It’s really hard to consistently win titles. I felt like in simleague that I had figured out how to win, but this game is really challenging and there isn't one formula for success.”

“If you could change one thing about HBD what would it be?”

“The lack of recovery from injuries. I have no problem with players getting hurt but they should normally get back to where they were before the injury and shouldn't affect their development so much.”

“Appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions, jong”

Owner Interview - mburgy

 

Owner Interview with mburgy. 

 

Burgy runs the Boston Beacon Hillers and has for the past 50 seasons.  Oddly enough he only has 82 seasons played even though it seems like it would be more and he has captured a title to tie him in that category with his arch nemesis, torrone.  Time for some questions:

 

“What is your favorite team and when did you start following baseball?

 

” I can't remember a time when I didn't follow baseball, I'm a lifelong fan.  Being a Dallas native, my favorite team is the Rangers, though I grew up watching the Cubs on WGN when I got home from school every day.”

 

“Who was your favorite player growing up?”

 

“Without a doubt, Nolan Ryan”

 

“What is your favorite baseball memory?”

 

“I had the fortune of watching Nolan's 7th no-hitter, his first attempt at 300 wins, and his 5000th strikeout.  I was also at Kenny Rogers perfect game.”

 

“How did you find HBD?”

 

“I found HD first during March Madness, and just decided to give HBD a try when I got a discount code from HD.  I've since dropped HD and do only HBD now.”

 

“How many teams are you comfortable running at one time?”

 

“Just this one.  I've tried to run other teams, but my job (school administrator) keeps me pretty busy.”

 

“How do you like to build your teams?

 

” This is a game of statistics, so I try to get high OBP guys.  Strong defense around the diamond to keep guys off base.  Pitching- 3 high quality starters with a deep bullpen that are groundball pitchers if possible.  I like to draft and develop.”

 

“What is your favorite HBD team?”

 

“My season 44-53 Kansas City Monarchs teams here in AU were awesome. It took 20 seasons to rebuild this franchise to that level, and I won 9 of 10 AL East titles during that time frame.”

 

"What is your favorite aspect of HBD?”

 

“The AU world community.  This is a fun world, regardless of the fact that torrone is here.”

 

“What would be the one thing you’d change about the HBD (what’s the most important thing to fix?

 

” Coach hiring and the lack of transparency in the draft in regard to ratings.  We should all see the top prospects.  The "fuzziness" should be around the projected ratings.”

 

“Thanks burgy, I’ve enjoyed this”

Owner Interview - tui0job

 Owner Interview with tui0job

Huntington clean coal is the subject of today’s owner interview.  Like many of our owners in AU, he is very experienced with 186 seasons played, relatively new to our group with 6 seasons, and a championship owner with 4 trophies on the shelf.  Let’s see what we can find out about tui’y:

“Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions.  Let’s start with an easy one, what part of the country do you live in?”

“I’m in Indiana.”

“Without a team in Indiana, what would your favorite team be and when did you start following baseball?”

“I like the Cincinnati Reds and have been following them since 1972.”

“So I assume your favorite player would be a member of the Big Red Machine?”  

“Yes, I have two.  Dave Concepcion and Tony Perez”

“Is your favorite baseball memory of these teams?”
“No, actually it was watching the reds sweep the As in 1990, from my small studio apartment - my first apartment”

“So, how did you find HBD?”
“A friend recommended it to me”

“How many HBD teams are you comfortable running at one time?”

“Now that i am retired - most days i can handle 6-8 teams....”

“How do you like to build your teams?”

“In this particular world I’m looking for undervalued talent”

“Of your HBD teams do you have a favorite from the past or present?”

“It would have to be either my Wichita or St Louis teams - I've turned those teams into perennial contenders....”


“What would you consider your favorite aspect of HBD?”

“I enjoy drafting and trading”

“If you could fix one thing about HBD, what would it be?”

“I’d like to shorten the time it takes to sign coaches and I'd like to be able to move extra money into any other budget category.....(scouting, health, etc)”

“Thanks tui’y, I appreciate the time and enjoyed learning more about you.”