2006 Atlanta Braves Replay Assn

[motnahp]

Some lessons learned when setting up this assn:

Do not leave the room after printing MLB transactions from MLB.com. I was at work, clicked on the print icon and left the room for 5-10 minutes. I returned to what looked like a whole ream of paper having printed out. Most of the papers were blank, except for their one-line web site across the bottom. Can you say "300+ sheets wasted"? I stopped the printer on page #367 of 588, or something like that.

Make sure ALL teams have 35 players on the roster. If not, AI teams with less than 35 will sign from the Free Agent pool to get their strength to 35 and players will end up on different teams than in real-life.

Getting a real-life sked for 2006 is difficult. Since I want to do an accurate replay, I also want the right teams playing on the right days. Retrosheet's skeds only go through 2004. I found my way back to the OOTP sked area and d-loaded a 2006 schedule. Unfortunately, the team ID numbers don't match up with my assn, so guess what"? Can you say"write your own"? I've written them for 12 and 14-team assns, but never for 30 teams. Looks like about a 3-4 hour project, maybe longer. Can you say "eye surgery"?

The most useful lesson learned, however, was gaining some respect for the Atlanta manager Bobby Cox. I copied the assn and played around a bit, refresing my memory on actually managing a game in PS. Some teams didn't have 35 players and the sked didn't match reality, but I wanted to get manager refresher training AND try out CrashDavis' utility.

Atlanta hosted Florida for a three-game series. In the bottom of the first of game one, my first three batters of the season hit solo homers off Dontrelle Willis! After a walk later in the first, Brian McCann hit a two-run homer. Wow! This will be fun. John Smoltz pitched 7 scoreless innings. Final score Atlanta 6, Florida 5. Three relievers almost gave the game away in the eighth and ninth.

In game two, Tim Hudson allowed three runs (two earned) in six innings. The bullpen allowed seven runs over the last three innings! Florida 10, Atlanta 3.

Game three was a 4-2 win, but the bullpen has allowed 13 earned runs in only 7 2/3 innings, a wonderful 15.26 collective ERA. Although these games don't count, I can tell that I'm in for a challenge.

[Frozen Stiffer]

Be warned, motnahp. As a loyal and die hard Marlins fan, and a big opponent of the Braves, I will be watching this thread closely...

[motnahp]

This assn will be up and running soon. It took awhile for me set all 30 teams' opening day rosters to reflect real life. I actually had to go to each team's page, change that team to human control, then demote and promote players until I had everyone where they belonged. Lather, rinse, repeat X 29.

I ran a test opening day to see if the assn would run with some teams having 11 pitchers and some having 12. It ran great, but brought on another issue. Although I have the trades and injuries OFF, a couple of AI GM's released players and promoted others. Hmmmm. This un-did some of my previous work, but I found a time-consuming work-around. I went into each team again and locked all MLB players on their rosters, one-by-one . That's 750 players at 4 mouse clicks each. I still need to do the minor league players, guessing I still have about 400-500 more players to "lock".

To take a break from "locking", I decided to go ahead and get ALL the photos for my 2006 Braves. I found everything I needed within the Google images area. I'm now about 1/3 of the way to getting all the photos for all 30 teams. I already had about half of them in the program, I just have to fill in the blanks.

Once I have all the photos and get the minor league players locked, I'll feel comfortable starting. Whenever there's a real-life injury or promotion/demotion, I'll just go to the affected team(s) and change it/them to human control to make the roster change(s). The only thing I won't be able to do is make the in-season trades. I'll just use the "Edit Player" function to move the players around. My roster moves won't show up "accurately" on player cards or in an almanac, but I'm more interested in putting the players where they belong and on the proper dates. I'll be "demoting" players when they go on the real-life DL.

Based on the small test I did with the Braves vs Marlins, I'm in for a long season.

After-the-fact edit: unable to "lock" minor league players in any way. The locking of all MLB players has prevented any ahistorical roster moves by AI. Whenever a player is called up, I will assume human control of that team, then demote and promote as necessary. I also "AutoGen Rotation" and/or "AutoGen Lineups" for the teams, when needed. I just have to remember to "lock" players onto the MLB roster when I call them up.

[motnahp]

Got most of the teams' photos done, so I foolishly ventured into the season.

Atlanta @ LA, with Smoltz and Penny on the mound. Smoltz departed after 6 innings and 100 pitches with the Braves trailing 4-3. Cormier, Remlinger, and Villarreal "held" LA to 8 earned runs and the Dodgers stomped the Braves 12-4. LA plated five in the eighth, capped off by a Bill Mueller grand slam off Villarreal. Mueller and Olmedo Saenz each collected 4 RBIs on the day.

For the Braves, Andruw Jones hit a solo shot and Jeff Francouer hit a two-run shot. Chipper Jones went 0-4 with 3 strikeouts.

APR 3

ATL_____4___9___0
LA_____12___11__0

[motnahp]

Rumors of a firemotnahp web site are floating through the air as the Braves took it on the chin for a second straight game. Derek Lowe went the distance in a 7-0 blanking. For Atlanta, Tim Hudson allowed 3 ER in 7 IP. The bullpen came equipped with its gas can again, as the combination of Blaine Boyer and Chuck James allowed 4 ER in only one inning.

APR 4

ATL_____0___7___0
LA______7___8___0

[motnahp]

Hooray! Braves 4, Dodgers 3. Sosa went 7 innings and allowed 3 ER. Atlanta held a 3-1 lead going into the top of the seventh and manager motnahp allowed Sosa to hit for himself (he had thrown less than 80 pitches). Sosa returned the favor in the bottom of the seventh by allowing a two-run homer to Jose Cruz Jr. to tie the game at 3-3.

The Braves scored in the top of the ninth on a leadoff triple by Andruw Jones and a pinch single by Brian Jordan. Remlinger and Reitsma held LA off the board in the 8th & 9th.

WED APR 5

ATL_____4___7___1
LA______3___5___0

The Braves open up a 4-game series in San Fran tomorrow.

[motnahp]

John Thomson allowed only 3 hits in 8 strong innings as the Braves blanked the Giants 8-0. Oscar Villarreal finished up in the 9th. Thomson struck out 5 and walked 3.

THU APR 6

ATL_____8___16__0
SF______0___4___0

[motnahp]

Homers by Pedro Feliz and Barry Bonds did in the Braves 5-2. The Bravos loaded the bases in the 9th with one out, but Marcus Giles grounded into a game-ending DP. Jamey Wright picked up the win and Kyle Davies took the loss.

FRI APR 7

ATL_____2___7___1
SF______5__10___2

We are now 2-3

[motnahp]

John Smoltz shut out the Giants on 5 hits, throwing only 88 pitches. Manager motnahp was faced with one of those tough decisions, as Smoltz was due up in the top of the 9th with the bases loaded and two out. With the score only 3-0, do I lift Smoltz for a pinch-hitter, go for more runs, then turn the game over to the bullpen? Do I let Smoltz bat and then take the mound in the 9th? KNowing that Smoltz had thrown only 76 pitches, I let him bat. He struck out, then got the Giants 1-2-3 in the 9th.

SAT APR 8

ATL_____3___8___0
SF______0___5___0

Record now an even 3-3.

[motnahp]

Tim Hudson, Ken Ray, and Chris Reitsma combined to hold the Giants down in a 3-1 Braves victory. Manager motnahp rested Chipper Jones and Brian McCann. After a rough start, the Braves are now 4-3.

SUN APR 9

ATL_____3___9___1
SF______1___8___1

The Braves welcome Philly for the home opener. It will be an odd MON-WED-THUR three-game series. Atlanta is looking up in the standings already, as the Mets are off to a 6-0 start and the Phillies are 5-1.

[motnahp]

Ugh. Back to reality as Philly bombed the Braves 10-0. The Phillies broke open a close 3-0 game with 7 runs in the top of the 9th. Chuck James was charged with all 7 of those runs in only 1/3 of an inning. Jorge Sosa was knocked out in the 4th and took the loss. Before the game, the Braves disabled (demoted) Chipper Jones. Wilson Betemit takes over at third base.

MON APR 10

PHA_____10___11___1
ATL______0____7___1

[motnahp]

Pounded again by the Phillies, 12-5. Starter John Thomson allowed only 2 runs through 4 innings, but threw over 100 pitches. On came the bullpen, "low-lighted" by Chuck James again. James allowed 6 ER in only 1 1/3 innings. Faring no better was Peter Moylan, who faced 4 batters and walked them all.

On a good note, Andruw Jones smacked two homers, while Marcus Giles and Jeff Francoeur also went yard.

WED APR 12

PHA_____12___19___0
ATL______5___12___0

[motnahp]

Swept and swept hard by the Phillies (as Barry Bonds homers on ESPN2 to break Hank Aaron's HR mark). Philly dominated all three games, winning this one 8-3. Brett Myers pitched into the ninth inning and also added three hits. John Smoltz allowed 5 runs in 5 innings to take the loss.

THUR APR 13

PHA_____8___16___0
ATL_____3____7___0

We are now 4-6, with San Diego coming to town for a three-game series. Chipper Jones is hurt and the pitching staff is pretty bad. Maybe Tim Hudson can give us 7 or 8 innings to give the poor bullpen a break.

[motnahp]

Hudson gave seven innings, but the Braves fell to Jake Peavy and the Padres 2-1. Peavy shut out the Braves for eight innings. Jeff Francoeur homered off Trevor Hoffman in the ninth to account for our only run.

FRI APR 14

SD______2___11___0
ATL_____1____6___2

[motnahp]

For a change, a bullpen was abused and it wasn't the Braves'. Atlanta erupted for 10 runs in the 7th and enjoyed a 13-4 spanking of the Padres. Wilson Betemit, Marcus Giles and Edgar Renteria had three hits apiece. Adam LaRoche belted a grand slam. Mike Remlinger earned a relief win, as he came on in the top of the 7th with no outs and runners on the corners. He retired the side without allowing a run.

SAT APR 15

SD______4___10___1
ATL_____13__19___0

[motnahp]

The Braves dropped a 4-2 decision to the Padres. Woody Williams and Trevor Hoffman combined to "limit" the Braves to 13 hits. Atlanta's bullpen registered 3 2/3 scoreless innings, but the bats could not deliver. Atlanta falls to 5-8 on the season.

SUN APR 16

SD____4___9___1
ATL___2___13__0

[motnahp]

David Wright broke a 1-1 tie in the 7th inning with a grand slam, as the Mets took the opener of a 3-game series 5-1. The loss drops the Braves to 5-9 on the season, while the division-leading Mets improved to 11-2.

MON APR 17

ATL_____1___10___1
NYM____5____9___0

[motnahp]

Smoltz vs Glavine and the Braves got the better of the Mets 8-2. Smoltz went 7 innings for the win. Adam LaRoche, who did not start, went 2 for 2 and hit his 3rd homer. Rookie Tony Pena collected his first major league hit, a pinch-hit RBI single.

TUE APR 18

ATL_____8___10___0
NYM____2____6___2

[motnahp]

Pedro Martinez went the distance, shutting out the Braves on a 3-hitter. Martinez struck out 14 and walked 5. The Met ace is now 4-0 and has not allowed a run in his first 30 2/3 innings this season.

WED APR 19

ATL_____0___3___0
NYM____4___11__0

[motnahp]

The Braves traveled to DC after a much-needed off day. Jorge Sosa allowed only two hits in six scoreless innings as the Braves beat the Nationals 2-1. Wilson Betemit led off the 3rd inning with his 3rd homer of the season. Chris Reitsma converted his third save in as many opportunities.

FRI APR 21

ATL_____2___7___0
WAS____1___6___0