Dirt Challenge - $60 in prizes; only 1 spot left! Topic

Two seasons ago Dirt ran a promotion promising a free season to the new owner who most improved his team.  Well, we're at it again.  The new owner who improves his team's win total the most over last season will win a gift card for a free season.  Tiebreakers will be head-to-head record followed by ratio of wins to player salary.  I'll post up some more details about the available teams later this evening.  Sitemail me if interested.

11/02 EDIT:  We have upped the ante to $60 total in gift cards.  $25 each for the two most improved teams and $10 for the 3rd most improved team.  Between playoff caliber teams and this contest, you will have to try hard to NOT walk away with something!
11/2/2013 12:29 PM (edited)
Quality league.
9/30/2013 12:12 PM
Spotlight Cincinnati:  Last season saw this franchise post a 90 win season which netted them their second ever divisional title.  Slugger  Hardball Dynasty – Fantasy Baseball Sim Games - Player Profile: Keith Simms led a potent offensive attack with a .878 ops.  Simms is in his 3rd year of arb, so any new owner can either lock him up or ship him out while his value is high.  The team also brings a well-rounded pitching staff with an ace in waiting in the form of  Hardball Dynasty – Fantasy Baseball Sim Games - Player Profile: Philip Easley.  Verdict:  With 90 wins last season, this team may not be the best bet to win the Dirt Challenge, but if you want a franchise with a great shot at playoff success both now and in the future then this is the club for you.

This team has been claimed.
10/8/2013 11:36 AM (edited)
This is a great league.  Sign up now.
10/2/2013 3:48 PM
Join now for a chance to win a free team
10/3/2013 5:30 AM
Spotlight Minnesota:  So first the ugly; this team was bad last season.  The owner appeared to have abandoned the team but still logged in daily, so our hands were tied.  That said, this was a 91 win team the season before and you will have cap room with which to play.  There is also some talent and potentially valuable trade fodder, such as  Hardball Dynasty – Fantasy Baseball Sim Games - Player Profile: Peter Sabathia and  Hardball Dynasty – Fantasy Baseball Sim Games - Player Profile: Paul Maybin and  Hardball Dynasty – Fantasy Baseball Sim Games - Player Profile: Philip Verlander.  Or you can keep them together to form a strong core for your pitching staff.  Combined with the #1 overall pick, this is a franchise that could be rebuilt on the fly VERY quickly.  Verdict:  Strong contender for our free season and great fun for someone looking to build up a franchise instead of inheriting a juggernaut.

This team has been claimed.

10/30/2013 7:57 PM (edited)
Spotlight Atlanta:  After 5 straight postseason appearances including a WS title, Atlanta has fallen back to the back over the last two seasons, culminating in last year's 67-95 record.  This team has a solid veteran core and some great bullpen options, but falls a little short on the SP front.  Still, with a few cheaper FA pickups this team could be put back in contention soon.  With a pitching staff led by  Hardball Dynasty – Fantasy Baseball Sim Games - Player Profile: Albert Spence Hardball Dynasty – Fantasy Baseball Sim Games - Player Profile: Geraldo Iglesias Hardball Dynasty – Fantasy Baseball Sim Games - Player Profile: Al Wyatt and  Hardball Dynasty – Fantasy Baseball Sim Games - Player Profile: Edgar Almanza Atlanta will have the ability to win many low scoring games and the trade pieces to upgrade elsewhere.  Verdict:  Based on runs scored and allowed, this should have been a 75 win team last season.  Couple that with the solid returning pitching and a mid level FA signing or two and this team is a strong contender for both a playoff spot and the Dirt Challenge crown.

This team has been taken
11/16/2013 6:02 PM (edited)
Now's the time.
10/7/2013 5:58 PM
Spotlight Albuquerque:  The Bulls were stuck in neutral last season, repeating their 66-96 record.  This once storied franchise won division titles in 9 of the first 11 seasons and is in need of an owner who can take them back to that past glory.   This team has some holes to fill, but the financial flexibility to do it, with the highest salaried player making only $6.8 million.  Most of the talent is on the pitching staff, but All-Stars  Hardball Dynasty – Fantasy Baseball Sim Games - Player Profile: Nate Smith and  Hardball Dynasty – Fantasy Baseball Sim Games - Player Profile: Hal Good offer up a solid core to build upon.
Verdict:  This is a team that could surprise.  In the right park with a couple solid bats added this team could find itself atop the Dirt Challenge.

This team has been claimed

11/8/2013 9:59 PM (edited)
Great League join up!
10/9/2013 4:06 PM
Spotlight Little Rock:  This franchise went 91-71 earning a wild card berth.  While most teams would celebrate that, it was a bit of a letdown for a club that had won 11 straight division titles.  The bad news first: this is an aging team with a few hefty contracts.  The good news:  Check out the #4 SP:   Hardball Dynasty – Fantasy Baseball Sim Games - Player Profile: Alving Olivares.  Or the C with a lifetime OPS of 1.087:  Hardball Dynasty – Fantasy Baseball Sim Games - Player Profile: Rico Castillo.  Bottom line is, the talent this team does have is quite, well, talented.  There are some spots that need to be addressed, namely up the middle defensive positions, but with the offense already on board a cheap glove guy could be just what this team needs.

Verdict:  This isn't a club that will win you the Dirt challenge.  This IS a club that could win you a WS title though.  And as with any club with this type of talent, if they falter and you want to move pieces for prospects you will surely find a lot of suitors.
10/10/2013 7:53 PM
Join now and win a season
10/11/2013 10:30 PM
Spotlight Salt Lake City:  The Trojans put up 87 wins last season to reach the playoffs for the second straight year.  This team has a bit of everything; a gold glove 2B, a gold glove, silver slugging CF, a silver slugger in right and a starting rotation all capable of putting up sub 4.00 ERAs.  The only positions remaining are backup C and a few bullpen spots, which should be quite easy to fill.   Overall, this is one of the more well-rounded teams we have to offer.

Verdict:  This team will be hard pressed to win the Dirt Challenge.  That said, this is a playoff team that remains intact, so a few minor moves could transform this from wild card berth into championship contender.

Salt Lake City has been taken
10/29/2013 11:21 PM (edited)
Spotlight Colorado:  This team finished last season with 84 wins, making vast strides over the previous season's effort.  A big part of this resurgence was due to  Hardball Dynasty – Fantasy Baseball Sim Games - Player Profile: Ken Looper Hardball Dynasty – Fantasy Baseball Sim Games - Player Profile: Boots Cuddyer, and  Hardball Dynasty – Fantasy Baseball Sim Games - Player Profile: Luis Molina; a trio with bats good enough for the corner outfield but defense good enough to play up the middle.  The only thing holding this team back from being a division winner is the pitching.  A change of venue could help a lot in that department, but a new SP or two wouldn't hurt either.

Verdict:  With 24 players on the ML roster either still under contract or entering option/arb years this team could sit back and return a winning club with no effort.  Can this team make some changes and push themselves into the 100+ win category?  It will take some savvy GM skills and a park built to suit its strengths, but its possible.  90 win wild card berth is the likely outcome here.



This team has been claimed
11/12/2013 11:12 AM (edited)
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Dirt Challenge - $60 in prizes; only 1 spot left! Topic

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