Post by maxwell on Dec 25, 2014 13:40:02 GMT -5
1) You got bounced before the World Series last year, which has to be a huge disappointment. I frankly thought you were a shoe-in for the AL crown. What went wrong? Are you surprised that Erbes ultimately won?
I saw Erbes team constantly get better as the year went on. But, I didn't expect to lose, so that was a surprise after going 13-2 vs him over the season. I think what went wrong was that my middle infield suffered PD's that made my lineup significantly worse in the playoffs than it was for the first half of the year. If I can add couple hitters in there I'll be in good shape for an ALCS rematch.
Erbes had a good team all year with a very solid lineup. It also wasn’t a secret given that he posted his lineup all the time and was practically having an orgasm over it. It reminded me of “The League” and rosterbating. As far as your loss to him the playoffs, I was surprised given the season history. You had such a good team with Buehrle (1.28 ERA) and company, but Papelbon just really showed up.
2) What moves are you going to make in the offseason to get your team to the World Series next year?
I'm going to be looking for a couple more hitters and a middle reliever or two. Looking for quality regardless of age right now.
I think you definitely need some infield help. Nomar had a great year last year hitting .284, but I don’t think you will get the same production out of him this year at age 39. SS also is a little weak on your team. If you can get a couple of serviceable guys, you’ll be in great shape. Your MRs don’t look too bad. If Walker can return to his 2011 form and have an ERA under 3, you’d be in really good shape. It’s crazy how some players sim despite the ratings.
3) The AL is becoming a stronger league with multiple teams making improvements. Which AL team are you most concerned about becoming a legitimate contender over the next 1-3 seasons? Who is going to dethrone you as the current AL powerhouse?
Either Erbes or Seattle can be scary depending on health. Seattle only had an early exit because of losing Prior in my opinion. I think that I'll have 2-3 more years of serious 100 win teams before looking to rebuild again. Hopefully a World Series win will be in the near future.
I agree. They both have bright futures. The trade Erbes just made with Play is definitely going to help his team. I also believe that Minnesota and TB have a lot of talent. I’m not sure if they will be able to put it together this year, but if they make a couple of moves, watch out. With the Red Sox, Yankees, O’s, up and coming Rays, and frisky Jays, the AL East could be the best division in the entire league this year.
4) If you were to make it to the World Series next year, which three teams would you not want to face from the NL? Do you see any NL longshot that could make a push for the title?
Arizona was a longshot and he's only gotten better. I'd not want to see Chicago, Arizona, or Florida, although those three are probably the favorites to make it now. Plays team is built to live a 15 year dynasty. Will be scary if he doesn't get bored and rebuild again!
Play’s team is scary. He has the talent in the majors to win 110+ games a year and the talent in the minors to keep replenishing it. I mean, he got another stud with the first pick this year. He knows how to trade and has built a team that could win more consecutive titles than Florida.
5) Do you feel that there is any team in this league that is past their prime and is on the downswing even though the standings might not show it yet? Who is playing with borrowed time?
Me! I've got about 2-3 years left like i mentioned before. Cleveland has 2-3 years left, they could bounce back if they can find the cash. I think that San Francisco has a shortened window with the emergence of Arizona as well. There will be a lot of teams that are floundering at the moment on top soon.
I agree. You have an aging team with a pretty weak minor league. You need to win now, and I think you still have a good shot in the next 2 years. SF always seems to have an old team, but they keep putting up the wins. Spencer does a good job of getting talent and continuously winning games. Though, with his current strategy, I’m not sure if he can win it all. To beat CHI/FLA/ZONA/AL winner, the team is going to have to be great and lucky in the playoffs.
6) We are entering the last or nearly the last year of international imports. Have you enjoyed having the imports come in each year or should these players have just been placed in the draft? Is Puig going to sign a sweetheart deal with the Marlins again?
Who knows about Puig he looks nice but he could be a dud. International imports have been a big bust aside from guys like Tazawa/Cespedes, unless I'm forgetting anyone. Puig to the Marlins would be gross!
The international players always add a little extra excitement to free agency. Even though in my limited time here it has seemed that they sign with winning teams, at least the underdogs have a chance at getting a prime talent. Puig already told me that he doesn’t like my team, so he will not be moving to Texas. It would be kind of cool if we kept the international thing going with 1-3 “fake” international players. If we are going to have randomly generated drafts, why not randomly generate 1-2 international players?
7) Now that we have had the new PD system for a year, what do you think? There was a lot of controversy when Erbes just put rules in and ignored the vote. Was it successful?
I like the new PD system. It runs a lot smoother although it's more expensive for bigger reversals. I think it's successful and will stick around for a long time.
It took some getting used to, but it’s not terrible. I personally feel that if Erbes would have just put the new system in place without going through the whole vote process there would have been less pushback. I have to believe that Erbes and Ashes are doing what they feel is best for the league, but they need to make sure they don’t pull 180s.
8) I do not personally know you outside of this sim league, but it seems that a lot of people give you shit many times for no reason. Why is this? Care to make your case?
I can be abrasive at times and I tend to lash out once in a while if someone makes a jab at me. It paints me as an easy target. I find trolling stupid and a waste of energy. It's fun to mess with your friends but when it's someone you don't really know that well it's just obnoxious. And I'm definitely not innocent in a lot of it. But I think that if you look back to how I acted in the early days of this league, I've actually chilled out quite a bit. People don't give me as much shit as they used to but it's still there. I can't stop people from being dicks, I can only choose to ignore it, which isn't always easy. I've asked from people directly what they want from me to get it to chill out but straight answers are rare. It's more about the things I used to do than what I currently do.
It’s really easy to latch on to past behavior and assume that it hasn’t changed. People are also extremely quick to jump to conclusions in this league, but that happens pretty often in the 24 hour news cycle that we live in. However, overall, I do not think the trolling is that bad in this league. It seems cyclical with highs and lows. But, at the end of the day, it's just a game, so enjoy it!
9) Do you consider anyone in the league your nemesis? Either from a smack talk on the board regard or in the game?
Erbes and I had a lot of crazy stuff in the past but we've both kind of faded on it once our teams both chose to rebuild. It'll be interesting to see what happens now that he's fresh off a WS and is looking to dethrone me as the AL East powerhouse. Play tends to get on my case a lot but I think he's made an effort to not go too hard on me lately and I've appreciated it. Guys like Kobe will always be stupid, he's easy to ignore.
That would be really fun if you two went at it. Same division. Red Sox vs Yankees. Both playoff caliber teams. It’d be neat if the two of you made off season moves to counter the other. I cannot think of another division in recent memory that has had a good rivalry in game and on board. I know MIL and CLE have been jockeying for the AL central, but it doesn’t feel heated. Same for the NL central and NL west.
10) Is SAWFT here to stay for another season or are you going to be changing it up?
Maybe. I've been thinking of throwing up something else lately for fun. SAWFT is a product of the WWE developmental show NXT from one of my favorite guys down there. Been watching a lot of indy wrestling lately too. Chikara has been a joy to watch. Comedy in wrestling can be amazing when done right and they do it a lot. They beheaded a dragon in the ring a few years ago!
Very cool. I did not realize that’s where it came from. I don’t know a lot about wrestling other than my exposure to the South Park episode and this:
11) What do you hope Santa leaves for you under the tree this year?
Already got a new car stereo and a new computer chair! I bought a TV for my dad because ours was waaaay too old. Like... CRT old. It wasn't a flat screen old. I got us a nice 50" Sharp and it's been awesome because he likes to game too and he's been playing old games on the PS3 again he stopped playing. I'm already happy with how things went this holiday and I'll be heading to my mom's for Christmas later in the morning!
That sounds like a great holiday. It’s neat that you and your dad are gaming together. PS3 still has great games, and I will be playing that this weekend too. Thanks for the interview and Happy Holidays everyone!
I saw Erbes team constantly get better as the year went on. But, I didn't expect to lose, so that was a surprise after going 13-2 vs him over the season. I think what went wrong was that my middle infield suffered PD's that made my lineup significantly worse in the playoffs than it was for the first half of the year. If I can add couple hitters in there I'll be in good shape for an ALCS rematch.
Erbes had a good team all year with a very solid lineup. It also wasn’t a secret given that he posted his lineup all the time and was practically having an orgasm over it. It reminded me of “The League” and rosterbating. As far as your loss to him the playoffs, I was surprised given the season history. You had such a good team with Buehrle (1.28 ERA) and company, but Papelbon just really showed up.
2) What moves are you going to make in the offseason to get your team to the World Series next year?
I'm going to be looking for a couple more hitters and a middle reliever or two. Looking for quality regardless of age right now.
I think you definitely need some infield help. Nomar had a great year last year hitting .284, but I don’t think you will get the same production out of him this year at age 39. SS also is a little weak on your team. If you can get a couple of serviceable guys, you’ll be in great shape. Your MRs don’t look too bad. If Walker can return to his 2011 form and have an ERA under 3, you’d be in really good shape. It’s crazy how some players sim despite the ratings.
3) The AL is becoming a stronger league with multiple teams making improvements. Which AL team are you most concerned about becoming a legitimate contender over the next 1-3 seasons? Who is going to dethrone you as the current AL powerhouse?
Either Erbes or Seattle can be scary depending on health. Seattle only had an early exit because of losing Prior in my opinion. I think that I'll have 2-3 more years of serious 100 win teams before looking to rebuild again. Hopefully a World Series win will be in the near future.
I agree. They both have bright futures. The trade Erbes just made with Play is definitely going to help his team. I also believe that Minnesota and TB have a lot of talent. I’m not sure if they will be able to put it together this year, but if they make a couple of moves, watch out. With the Red Sox, Yankees, O’s, up and coming Rays, and frisky Jays, the AL East could be the best division in the entire league this year.
4) If you were to make it to the World Series next year, which three teams would you not want to face from the NL? Do you see any NL longshot that could make a push for the title?
Arizona was a longshot and he's only gotten better. I'd not want to see Chicago, Arizona, or Florida, although those three are probably the favorites to make it now. Plays team is built to live a 15 year dynasty. Will be scary if he doesn't get bored and rebuild again!
Play’s team is scary. He has the talent in the majors to win 110+ games a year and the talent in the minors to keep replenishing it. I mean, he got another stud with the first pick this year. He knows how to trade and has built a team that could win more consecutive titles than Florida.
5) Do you feel that there is any team in this league that is past their prime and is on the downswing even though the standings might not show it yet? Who is playing with borrowed time?
Me! I've got about 2-3 years left like i mentioned before. Cleveland has 2-3 years left, they could bounce back if they can find the cash. I think that San Francisco has a shortened window with the emergence of Arizona as well. There will be a lot of teams that are floundering at the moment on top soon.
I agree. You have an aging team with a pretty weak minor league. You need to win now, and I think you still have a good shot in the next 2 years. SF always seems to have an old team, but they keep putting up the wins. Spencer does a good job of getting talent and continuously winning games. Though, with his current strategy, I’m not sure if he can win it all. To beat CHI/FLA/ZONA/AL winner, the team is going to have to be great and lucky in the playoffs.
6) We are entering the last or nearly the last year of international imports. Have you enjoyed having the imports come in each year or should these players have just been placed in the draft? Is Puig going to sign a sweetheart deal with the Marlins again?
Who knows about Puig he looks nice but he could be a dud. International imports have been a big bust aside from guys like Tazawa/Cespedes, unless I'm forgetting anyone. Puig to the Marlins would be gross!
The international players always add a little extra excitement to free agency. Even though in my limited time here it has seemed that they sign with winning teams, at least the underdogs have a chance at getting a prime talent. Puig already told me that he doesn’t like my team, so he will not be moving to Texas. It would be kind of cool if we kept the international thing going with 1-3 “fake” international players. If we are going to have randomly generated drafts, why not randomly generate 1-2 international players?
7) Now that we have had the new PD system for a year, what do you think? There was a lot of controversy when Erbes just put rules in and ignored the vote. Was it successful?
I like the new PD system. It runs a lot smoother although it's more expensive for bigger reversals. I think it's successful and will stick around for a long time.
It took some getting used to, but it’s not terrible. I personally feel that if Erbes would have just put the new system in place without going through the whole vote process there would have been less pushback. I have to believe that Erbes and Ashes are doing what they feel is best for the league, but they need to make sure they don’t pull 180s.
8) I do not personally know you outside of this sim league, but it seems that a lot of people give you shit many times for no reason. Why is this? Care to make your case?
I can be abrasive at times and I tend to lash out once in a while if someone makes a jab at me. It paints me as an easy target. I find trolling stupid and a waste of energy. It's fun to mess with your friends but when it's someone you don't really know that well it's just obnoxious. And I'm definitely not innocent in a lot of it. But I think that if you look back to how I acted in the early days of this league, I've actually chilled out quite a bit. People don't give me as much shit as they used to but it's still there. I can't stop people from being dicks, I can only choose to ignore it, which isn't always easy. I've asked from people directly what they want from me to get it to chill out but straight answers are rare. It's more about the things I used to do than what I currently do.
It’s really easy to latch on to past behavior and assume that it hasn’t changed. People are also extremely quick to jump to conclusions in this league, but that happens pretty often in the 24 hour news cycle that we live in. However, overall, I do not think the trolling is that bad in this league. It seems cyclical with highs and lows. But, at the end of the day, it's just a game, so enjoy it!
9) Do you consider anyone in the league your nemesis? Either from a smack talk on the board regard or in the game?
Erbes and I had a lot of crazy stuff in the past but we've both kind of faded on it once our teams both chose to rebuild. It'll be interesting to see what happens now that he's fresh off a WS and is looking to dethrone me as the AL East powerhouse. Play tends to get on my case a lot but I think he's made an effort to not go too hard on me lately and I've appreciated it. Guys like Kobe will always be stupid, he's easy to ignore.
That would be really fun if you two went at it. Same division. Red Sox vs Yankees. Both playoff caliber teams. It’d be neat if the two of you made off season moves to counter the other. I cannot think of another division in recent memory that has had a good rivalry in game and on board. I know MIL and CLE have been jockeying for the AL central, but it doesn’t feel heated. Same for the NL central and NL west.
10) Is SAWFT here to stay for another season or are you going to be changing it up?
Maybe. I've been thinking of throwing up something else lately for fun. SAWFT is a product of the WWE developmental show NXT from one of my favorite guys down there. Been watching a lot of indy wrestling lately too. Chikara has been a joy to watch. Comedy in wrestling can be amazing when done right and they do it a lot. They beheaded a dragon in the ring a few years ago!
Very cool. I did not realize that’s where it came from. I don’t know a lot about wrestling other than my exposure to the South Park episode and this:
11) What do you hope Santa leaves for you under the tree this year?
Already got a new car stereo and a new computer chair! I bought a TV for my dad because ours was waaaay too old. Like... CRT old. It wasn't a flat screen old. I got us a nice 50" Sharp and it's been awesome because he likes to game too and he's been playing old games on the PS3 again he stopped playing. I'm already happy with how things went this holiday and I'll be heading to my mom's for Christmas later in the morning!
That sounds like a great holiday. It’s neat that you and your dad are gaming together. PS3 still has great games, and I will be playing that this weekend too. Thanks for the interview and Happy Holidays everyone!
