Breaking the Ice: Erbes Edition

Breaking the Ice: Erbes Edition

1. Overall, how has your experience been as a first time commissioner in an OOTP5 league. Is it what you expected? More than so?

It's had it's ups and downs I suppose. I really loved the version of BBSBL I was in when Steve was commish and missed a good baseball sim. LBB, HFTC, CBL were all okay leagues, but joining a league that has been around for a long time is daunting especially when you know zero people in those leagues. Spencer's BBS was fun, but I have zero interest in basketball irl so I was kinda meh already on it even before Spence left. Once he made it known he was leaving I decided to start up BBSBL again.

It's been way more work than I expected up to this point. Well maybe not more work, but time. I also started the league when I was in the offseason for my job so it seemed like I had a ton of time on my hands, but when my season started that all seemed to evaporate... as expected. I like where the league is right now. We have a stable file (finally!), 20+ active GMs, and we're about to go through what I hope is a fun expansion period. Good times in BBSBL right now.

Great answer! I'm looking forward to the expansion teams getting their time to play.

2. What's your top/bottom 3 in over and underachieving teams that you expected more/less out of?

I'd definitely say Ashes and Broph top my most "surprising" list. They had never played OOTP before and they're crushing it. It's not that I didn't think they wouldn't be able to pick it up, it's just they've done it very quickly. So Athletics and Marlins top that list. I'll toss Waldo on this list as well. I know he's a BBSBL vet, but every other sim I've been in with him (UOSL mostly) he seemed to just go through the motions. He's made some nice trades and he's got a good team each year.

I'll avoid naming the obvious disappointments. The teams I'm surprised haven't done much would have to be the Royals, Cardinals, and the Rockies. Peter and Bosoxi have both been around sim leagues a long time so I'm wondering why they're toiling in mediocrity and for so long. Shale is on the boards all the time. You think he would have picked up some pointers on how to run a successful team by now. But nope. His plan to compete in 2003 is a complete joke as well.

Shale does his own thing and it doesn't always work. I agree on Ashes and Broph being really fast learners at this.

3. You've dealt away many lifer Yankees and made moves to be more well rounded. While some, including myself, call it blasphemy, it worked and you're taking the reigns in the AL East after a short retool. What were your thoughts when you started this plan and Was it hard to let go of big names like Posada and Jeter?

I knew coming in I would catch flack for taking the Yankees, but fuck all y'all. My league, my team. But on a lighter note I knew I'd have to tear it down early to appease some squealers, mostly Play. I had no problem dealing Jeter, Posada, Bernie, etc. because it's just a game. I got GREAT hauls back for those guys. I count 5 guys on my roster right now that were directly traded for those 3, plus a couple others that I traded for using other prospects. I definitely came out on top during my rebuild.


Maybe Jeter can come to Boston later in his career!

4. Mariano Rivera. His odds on beating the saves record? He's got a solid 6/7 years left and he's had under a 1.9 ERA in 4 of the last 5 years. Will he go down as the best closer in the history of BBSBL?

No idea? I mean saves are random and are a terrible stat in general. I guess if we continue to be good he'll have a shot. I'm sure at some point I'll have to trade him for another rebuild. Not unrealistic to think he couldn't get 300 more saves. That's only 7-8 years.

I think he's got it in the bag.

5. When do the Yankees win their first BBSBL World Series and their 23rd historically? Can not replicating the historic run of the late 90's Yankees make you're intial run a failure for not getting a single one?

Well we have a great shot this season, obviously. I need another starter. Livan, Andy, and Willie have been horrible. Pretty disappointed with the first two. Thankfully my bullpen has been pretty solid.

On the other hand, my offense is awesome. I know he's struggling big time (and killing his trade value in the process), but if I can be hitting Andruw 9th and still win games you know I've got something good. Everyone else has been solid. Didn't expect to be this good tbqh, but now that we are I might have to add some salary and grab some more players.

Not sure why you and Shale are so concerned with this game emulating real life? I made it to the first World Series and lost, then rebuilt. Irl the Yankees didn't trade anyone that I did soooo of course they're going to win more championships. This questions is dumb. Don't edit out that sentence. It's a very dumb question. And don't edit that out either.

I'm not Shale!

6. Rank your division rivals 1-4 on their intial 5 year runs in the league.

Well this is a loaded question and the order is pretty obvious. Way to find a way to pat yourself on the back here break. Well done.

Toronto has been the worse. Danchevy made an awesome trade/ rape and then got greedy. Sucks. I might invite him back soon tbqh because game has been worse. He's about to lose Carpenter to FA/ get raped in a trade and literally does nothing with his team. What a shame.

Detroit is third. d2a tried to win and failed. I respect the attempt, but not the way he went about it. He's got some pretty nice spects and probably more importantly they're all hitters - a scarce commodity right now. I could see Detroit competing before Colorado. #fact

Baltimore is second. Jah has done well in a small market. He's always in the mix. For all the shit we've given him he's probably a top 6-7 team in wins, if not higher. Just sucks that he's in the same division as the Sox and Yanks. He definitely has a bigger window to compete than the Sox in my mind so he should pass them in playoff appearances at some point.

Boston is first. #endanswer

Yaaaay Me!

7. How long woud you like to see this league live? Would it running 10 real years be out of the question? Would you love to see us hit the 2100 season?

I'll keep it alive as long as people keep showing up and are active. I'll never sim a league like LBB - total waste of my time. I want 30 active owners at all times or it's donezo for me.

I just want us to get to fake players. The draft is a burden for everyone involved. Getting to fake players will make everyone's lives easier.

Fake Players do have appeal to them because the attachment is gone and allows people to look at things more reasonably.

8. Who are the 3 GM's that give you the biggest headaches? What could they do to change that?

The biggest complainers are Broph and Play, but they just want the best for the league so I don't blame them too much. Have to have a tough skin.

My biggest headaches are you, Shale, and drowe. The friend trading was sooo miserable. I could have reversed 3-4 of those trades and gotten full support of the league. Plus it's sooo annoying how you guys stick up for each other even when you are very obviously wrong. That gives me a headache. I don't think you guys will change.

I think you'll be surprised. I'm getting tired of giving people advice and then them not following it. D Rowe is the only one I'll help out from this point mostly because he actually listens except this offseason.

9. Which GM do you see having the greatest dynasty potential over the next 15 years?

Well it's impossible to have a 15 year dynasty imvho. Spence is always going to compete. He plays in the weakest division in the league and will make the playoffs forever. If styro does it right he'll be around for a long time. Dude has so many prospects he could call a few up here and there, and then trade the rest of major league ready talent. My 3rd choice would be me. Already proved once I could get through a rebuild and come out dominant. 90% of my lineup is under 30, as is my rotation. I'll be at the top for awhile. Going to be fun seeing the Sox in 3rd or worse for quite some time. That window is shuttttt.

I don't think my time is over. I'm very much in the race and Gutierrez should provide a spark in my lineup when he comes to Boston July 1st.

10. Which GM do you see never competing? What's wrong with them that they'd be so unfortunate?

Ugh loaded questions are boring. Can we be a little more creative. I mean who do you want me to say? Game and Nanz? There I said their names. I think Stutter picks it up at some point. That Berkman trade sucked, but we all make bad trades. Shale is delusional if he thinks he's competing anytime soon. I really believe the Red Sox are on the down slide hard. You can't trade with your rape partner drowe anymore so how will you get studs?

I think you'll find that the most active owners are the ones who have the best teams. Unsurprising really. If you're constantly around you're more than likely trading to upgrade your team and camping players. It's simple math.


Mr. Red is in for a long winter. I'm going to be moving to an in-house strategy soon as I trade players away for picks down the line. I'd like to create a large pipeline of prospects over the next few years while holding on to my core.

11. Is the way you act just that, an act, or do you act like this in real life?

I honestly have no idea what this question means.

I was asking if you actually act the way you do here in real life or you put up an act for this. Frosted and all that.

12. When can I expect Pedro to take a career ending injury?

Is he injury prone? Game usually goes after injury prone guys.

I was trying to poke fun at myself here but you gave a funnier answer lol.