I wanted to do a bounty around using albatrosses in an OL, and one around using platoons in an OL, but there are a number of limitations around policing, verifying, and gaming the intent of the bounty. So, instead, I thought it might be fun to have a challenge where I get feedback from you all on the albatrosses I use to try to build a winning OL team around. Please vote for whom would be the most challenging albatrosses to build a team around in an OL. I've got a small poll for hitters and will follow up with pitchers, as well.
Votes: 24
(Last vote received: 2/16/2021 10:52 AM)
2/4/2021 5:29 PM
If you choose other in either poll, please list below.
Votes: 23
(Last vote received: 2/16/2021 10:52 AM)
2/4/2021 5:32 PM
love the fact that four votes in we have four different votes for pitcher... love the way there's so many different views on how to build teams and how value intersects
2/4/2021 6:56 PM
I voted other for Pitcher....88 Silver King about same price as Clarkson and 200 less innings
2/4/2021 9:08 PM
Posted by 7stringplayr on 2/4/2021 9:08:00 PM (view original):
I voted other for Pitcher....88 Silver King about same price as Clarkson and 200 less innings
Honestly, It's harder to use Clarkson than King for that reason. I can get all of King's innings. It's harder to get all of Clarkson's innings which means theres wasted salary


IMO
2/4/2021 10:48 PM
Yeah, I've used Silver King a lot in OLs while gunning for the pitcher wins record. Made the playoffs a few times with him.

From the options above I chose Clarkson and Bonds.
2/5/2021 2:21 AM
I voted for Pedro....but using him as a normal Sp....if in a long A role or back half of a tandem, meh.....then I would say Gagne otherwise....what does he truly bring to an OL...
2/5/2021 10:00 AM
Bonds looks to be the clear winner for the hitters, I still love how distributed the votes for pitcher are... I'll let this run a little longer to see if there's any separation, but may just do a Clarkson/Bonds team and a Gagne/Bonds team. It would be fun to contrast them anyway. Building a team at $80m with Bonds/Clarkson doesn't leave much $ for filling out, Bonds/Gagne has more $, but I still have to buy most of a team where at least with Clarkson, I only need to fill in some innings for no more than half a season, less if I try to rely on AAA or stretch him at all. This'll be fun.
2/5/2021 10:42 AM
First team, Bonds & Clarkson, has been entered into MLB129099.

Second team, Bonds & Gagne, has been entered into MLB129166.
Third team, Bonds & Pedro, has been entered into MLB129172.

I'll update once the leagues gets started. Bonds & Clarkson starts with 2/12 AM games...Other two haven't filled yet
2/10/2021 11:38 PM (edited)
What’s your prediction for each?
2/10/2021 11:48 AM
I'm hoping to stay above .500... These were challenging builds.

I feel more optimistic about the Gagne team and the Pedro team I'm working on now... The Bonds/Clarkson team left so little $ to work with, I had to make some serious corner-cutting and carry some really bad PA/IP bloat to reach minimum PA and to cover the shortfalls of a 700+ IP pitcher whose full IP can't be used... I'll go out on a limb and say 94 wins for Gagne, 91 for Pedro, and 83 for Clarkson.
2/10/2021 2:59 PM (edited)
Posted by just4me on 2/10/2021 11:38:00 PM (view original):
First team, Bonds & Clarkson, has been entered into MLB129099.

Second team, Bonds & Gagne, has been entered into MLB129166.
Third team, Bonds & Pedro, has been entered into MLB129172.

I'll update once the leagues gets started. Bonds & Clarkson starts with 2/12 AM games...Other two haven't filled yet
1. I rested Clarkson for the first 4 games to capitalize on usage fatigue in case I need to try to use him for a few extra games throughout the season. We lost all four of those first games with AAA and low $ starters.

Otherwise, the plan is to run a rotation of Clarkson every other game with a bullpen game every other game, with Clarkson available for additional starts or long relief appearances.

Clarkson has now started 6 games and appeared in two in relief (throwing 7+ innings in each). He’s 6-2 and the team is 4-2 in his starts and 2-4 in the bullpen games. Bonds is off to a too-good-too-be-true start hitting over .500 with a .700+ OBP and 3 HRs through the first 15 games. Given the prevalence of Clarkson, I focused the offense on fielders with great FLD to minimize errors, and am leaning heavy on platoons with AAA players for offense. I went with League Park for the +2 hit factor and the -2 HR factor to help my offense while minimizing Clarkson’s weakness.

2. With the Bonds + Gagne team, I was able to build a more robust lineup with a range focus and went with a modern rotation in Petco to minimize base runners against and went with platoons and A+ range at 7 positions. Gagne didn’t allow a base runner through his first 5 games (6.1 IP). Bonds is off to a horrible start, buoyed only by his BB rate. If he starts hitting at all, we should do alright, as of right now we’re sitting 5-7.

3. For the Bonds + Pedro team I went with a similar style offense as with the Gagne team, lots of range and platoons, but much cheaper overall. I used a similar offense to a test team I ran testing WW exploits where I stashed ‘95 Maddux in AAA until after the all-star break and ran a $50m team for the first half of the season (hilariously, that team stayed at .500 until when I called up Maddux and then also snagged a deGrom, and then played below .400 ball the rest of the season with the two good starters and finished around .435).

Go figure, I totally screwed this one up by forgetting to set my lineups, rotations, and advanced settings, including pitch counts. Pedro threw a CG on opening day, and then I proceeded to have three consecutive extra inning games. The second of which had Pedro come in at 0% as my last pitcher standing. My teams fatigue was completely toast by the end of game 2 and then I had two more extra inning games immediately thereafter.

Despite the fatigue issues, we’ve struggled our way to a 4-5 record. Pedro will hopefully get a game at 100% again in his next start (game 12), after appearances at 91 and 89%, respectively so far. If we survive the early fatigue struggle, we should be good here.

4. All said, this has been a fun challenge and can’t wait to see how this continues to play out.
2/16/2021 7:27 PM (edited)

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