Baker's Dozen w/ Styro!

Baker's Dozen w/ Styro!

1. After being, and let's be honest here, a horrible team from the start of the league, how were you able to turn it around this year and take control of a very strong NL East?

Meh, relax man. My team was not terrible from the start. Maybe I fell short of expectations a few years, but I was never terrible. I mean my record is over .500 in the league so far and that's despite trying to tank for a few seasons. I think the turning point for my franchise was when I traded Vladimir Guerrero last season. He was never going to become the sure fire NL MVP player I thought he would become and I needed to capitalize on his value before other people realized the same. I haven't made any major trades and I feel I've put together a good all around team that I finally like so I'm not in a rush to break it up. The trade of Vladimir plus my patience have been the main reasons for the turnaround this season.

Erbes: Probably true. I was a little harsh with 'horrible'. Falling short of expectations is more accurate.

2. A lot has been made of the tanking rules. First of all, what kind of changes would you like to see made to those rules, if any? And second, as a team that was never really that bad (lowest win total was 70), how were you able to build such a strong farm system without blatantly being terrible?

I don't like 1 year tanking rules. A team should be able to lose as much as they want in any given season. I have a problem when gm's decide to continuously do it and that's when it becomes unfair. I was able to build a strong farm system by getting at minimum fair value for all my players and at times maybe even getting over on GM's, plus my ability to draft well. It all started with the Kirk Reuter deal. Being able to get Milton and Meche (wish I woulda kept Nick Johnson) was the beginning really. Trading Pedro also helped a ton. I got an MVP candidate and possible ace out of that trade along with Juan Encarnacion whom I flipped for Erick Sabel. You'll probably be hard pressed to find a trade where I take an L in. The only players i have on my roster that I drafted on my own are Alfonso Soriano I think, so it's mainly been due to trades.

Erbes: You've had a lot of good trades that worked out in your favor. Wouldn't say they were rapes or anything, but awesome PDs tipped every trade in your favor to this point.

3. Taking stock of the league right now, which team are you most scared of if you make the playoffs? Is it their pitching or hitting that worries you most? And do you feel like you can take advantage of any weaknesses they may have?

I think I'd be most fearful of the Phillies. When I look up and down their roster I don't see any single aspect of their team I should be scared of but they have owned me recently in the regular season for some reason so I have to go with them. I've been able to handle most of the other team so I'm not really scared of anyone. The Cubs scare me a little because their pitching can shut down anyone at any given time, but I think overall I could compete with them. His pitching has the advantage over me, but I think my hitting has an advantage over them.

Erbes: I think there are a handful of elite teams right now: Expos, Phillies, Cubs, Giants, A's, Yankees, White Sox. Maybe the Braves and Red Sox, but that's about it. Pretty top heavy.

4. This is the inevitable break/Shale/drowe question. Of the three who is the better GM? Who has the brighter future in the league? Is Shale's plan to compete in 2013 a complete phallacy?

Break is the better GM, but you're asking me to basically pick the hottest of the Golden Girls. They're all pretty mediocre, Break has benefitted plenty from friend trades and I don't think he'd even be competing for playoffs without them. Drowe is constantly tanking it seems, so I can't say he's terrible, but he's pretty bad. He can't build a consistent winning team to save his life. Do I really need to explain why Shale isn't in the discussion? Shale is the most delusional blind GM in the league and it's pretty shocking since it seems he has a lot of OOTP experience but he still sucks balls at this thing. He misjudges every aspect of building a team. He thinks his farm system in on the verge, he thought Ellis Burks was going to take him over the top, he thought trading Helton for a mediocre pitcher would give him the division, and now he thinks he's going to compete in 2-3 seasons? Please. He needs to shut up and just stop doing stupid shit. He's selling picks for cheap and he's constantly shitting on Padres who have like a 20 times better future than him, lmao. Just a comedy of errors on his part.

Erbes: I agree with the ranking. The funniest part is when Shale criticizes other teams, especially the Padres. I think he does it because Habes was inactive for awhile, but even with that down time he still has a better future than the Rox. Awk.

5. Seems like too many bad trades are happening with OOTP noobs. For example, it's obvious Stutter is listening to bad advice. Should I do a better job with new GMs? Should we implement a system where new GMs to OOTP become assistant GMs first and then can graduate to becoming a full fledged GM with time?

I think new gm's without OOTP experience should be given a trade ban where all trades have to go through either the commish or one of the mods. Stutter came out the gate doing stupid shit. I've never felt it was the commishes job to babysit these dudes but I feel like if they post an unfair trade as soon as they get hired it should be vetoed. Most of they guys that come in brand new are here cause they were recruited by someone they know and those are usually the guys they end up trading with so it creates a whole 'nother network of friend trades if it's not policed.

Erbes: There is a trade ban for new GMs, but how long does it have to last? I think that's the main question. I wish newer guys would not rely on bad GMs. They need to identify the vets and talk to them.

6. Back to Expos talk, what's your major weakness you'd like to address at the trade deadline? I look at your bullpen and get a little worried, especially with your record in one run games.

My bullpen is ass, but I'm fine with it. Looking at the asking prices for some of these relievers and I don't think it's even worth it to trade for one. I have a few in the minors that are developing well and might be ready in the not to distant future. I've seen guys ask for firsts for their relievers and to me that just doesn't make sense. You can find an elite level talent reliever in the first round if you reach so I don't know how these guys are getting their asking prices. I love my rotation and I love my lineup so I'll agree with you that my bullpen is the weakest aspect of my team.

Erbes: I'm not sure why it's so hard to trade for pitching in this league. There's tons of it. It's like hey guys ever heard of economics? Supply and demand! Relievers should be dirt cheap. I'm sure prices will come down as we get closer to the deadline.

7. Saw this piece on ESPN the other day where they had GMs come in and talk about the trades they regret the most. Have you made any trades that you wish you could take back? Maybe the A-Ram trade?

There's no trades I wish I can take back at all really. I feel I got more for A-ram than I traded away and A-ram is alright I guess but he's not a star or anything so no loss there, especially with vidro taking over 3B and doing well. It's not a trade that I made that I regret the most, it's mainly a pick. It was the first year of the league and I was kind of a noob so I fell in love with Rick Ankiel's name and talents with both the bat and his arm. I haven't made a blunder like that since and I don't see myself making any like that in the future. Just a bad pick, both in hindsight and at the time also.

Erbes: I'll agree that you haven't made a bad trade. Every deal seems to work out in your favor. The Ankiel pick wasn't too bad. He had the potential to be a hitter/ pitcher, but OOTP is dumb and you have to pick one or the other. Kind of a trap on my part.

8. Which GMs have been the most disappointing? There's the obvious Nanz, Game, etc. answer and that's fine and dandy, but dig deep and let loose! Who would you let go of to let crazymike in?

I wouldn't let go of anyone to let crazymike in. I have nothing personal against crazymike or anything but as a member of a sim league community, he is fucking garbage. He is most active when he is on the waitlist in every league he's ever been a part of. If you think Game and Nanz are bad now, wait till you give crazymike a team. He will disappear and contribute nothing to the league besides his babe of the day shit. If I absolutely had to pick someone to fire though (for someone other than crazymike), I would pick Shale. I know activity is the main priority here, but I'm going to switch it up and base it on performance and no one has been worse here than Shale. I was hard pressed to find a trade I made that I didn't like. With Shale, you'd have to think long and hard to come up with a transaction he's made where you said "Damn, nice trade Shale! Rockies are headed in right direction!" Nah, you never say that about a shale trade/pick. I mean, he picked David Wright first overall, traded #1 prospect Helton for a garbage SP. Has he contributed anything good to the rockies organization? No. He makes Omar Ominaya look like a genius.

Erbes: I agree that Shale has made a ton of bad moves and just went in circles for a long time. I'm glad he's finally picked the right direction. Needs to learn that real life players and game players are going to be different.

9. There's an obvious dearth of hitting in the league at this point (my bad), even so you've got arguably the most valuable hitter in the league, Robert Fick, raking for you right now. If you put him out on the trade market what would you expect in return?

I would expect more than I got for Vladimir Guerrero to be honest or something similar. I got Hanley, Fogg, Dontrelle and a first for Vladdy I think so yea. A 5* pitcher, a 5* hitter, a 4.5* pitcher and a first would be the going market for him. I'd want a little something extra though since he's a Catcher and his numbers are better than Vladdy's ever were. He's in his prime, hasn't had a PD reversal and is a beast. I'd definitely get more than stutter did for berkman.

Erbes: I honestly think you should go for more. He's a catcher with power and is showing more skill than Posada and Piazza at this point. He's a good pick for MVP right now.

10. With expansion on the horizon, what are your major concerns? What will your strategy be of protecting players?

I have no concerns really. All the guys I want protected, will be protected as I have already made my preliminary list so no worries on my part. Like I said, I can put my whole MLB roster in the expansion draft and I'd still have more guys worth protecting than Shale has, so at least I'd be better than someone, amirite? My strategy is to protect players under 30 who hold the most value to me and I think I've done that. All my major guys fall within the initial 15 or draft protection so I'm happy.

Erbes: It'll be interesting to see if people use the expansion draft to set up a nice tank especially with Darell coming in and wanting to win right away. Can't imagine Mark would want to suck either. Might be a good way to ditch some old players.

11. You've got a glutton of prospects. Like WTF how does that happen? Deepest system I've ever seen probably. Which hitters would you trade guys like Fogg and Hanley for?

I think I've just done a good job of going into trade discussions with a good idea of who I want from any given team. I target players I feel I deserve based on the players other teams are asking for and I rarely budge. I don't fall for 1 for 1, spect for established stud trades people often throw out. When I'm trading a stud, I look for multiple nice spects. Also, I have to give a shoutout to game for rejecting my Soriano, Carlos Lee, Ryan Mills, Chien Ming Wang and 3 firsts for Helton trade. I'd probably be in a lot worse situation if game does that deal with me. As far as Fogg and Hanley, they would only go for hitters I deem franchise worthy. I realize I might need to add to one or both of those guys, but you won't see me trading them for anything short of franchise worthy guys. There's only a handful of them, but guys like JD Drew, Pujols and Adrian Gonzalez come to my mind off the top and I'm sure there are a few more I missed. I'd have to get an elite hitter to include either one of those two in a deal.

Erbes: What the fuck Game? How do you reject that? Or how about swap out the firsts for spects? Ugh I'm replacing Game.

12. Outside of your bright light, who has the most promising future here? Who has a bleak outlook/ should rebuild ASAP?

I love the Padres team. I think within a year or two they'll be competing for first place in the division as it is only a two horse race for the next decade with the Giants. They have a nice combination of veterans in their prime like Delgado and Everett and youngsters ready to develop in Patterson, Doumit, Bedard, Webb, Zito and Jose Veras.

On the other hand, the Rockies are pure garbage. It's not that their system is bare or that their MLB roster is gutted. Although those play significant roles in why I put the Rockies here, those aren't the main reasons. I mean every rebuild has to start at some point right? The reason I put the Rockies here is because of their GM. It seems like every move he makes and every plan he has is a huge miscalculation. He has his team ready to compete way before anyone else envisions and way before their system suggests they should be ready. The worst thing you can do in a rebuild, is rush and "go for it" a season or two too early and Shale seems to be determined to "go for it" about 5 seasons to early. I mean he doesn't even have a player he can build around right now, it's just funny to me. He just traded a top 15 pick in a loaded draft for $3M? How is he going to compete making dumbass decisions like that? He's not, Rockies are in for a long ass tenure of suckage. Marlins need to blow it up also and start a rebuild. Ashes was all over the forums talking about how quick his rebuild was and how he was going to win 140 games and what not, but the truth of the matter is he set his team up for a one year sprint. I understand why he did that, since he was leaving, but now he's back to like 4th in the division cause he rushed into competition too early. Anyone can acquire 30 year olds for cheap and compete for a year, but it's about sustaining it, so yeah Marlins need to blow that shit up.

Erbes: I think San Diego and Pittsburgh have nice futures. Boston, Seattle, Milwaukee, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Anaheim, Kansas City all need to pick a direction.

13. Who's winning it all this year? Who's winning all of the awards?

I think I'm winning it all this year. I think I can compete with anyone as it is, but unlike any other team, I also have the most to trade if I see a piece that would put me over the top. I can acquire 2-3 studs If I wanted to go for it all for this year.

As far as the awards: Ken Griffey AL MVP, Robert Fick NL MVP, Jim Pittsley NL Cy Young, Pedro Martinez AL CY Young

Shale Erbes GMOTY

Erbes: I don't being sucked up to once in awhile.