2001 Season Preview

It's time, right about that time! Everyone has been blowing up my phone/email/AIM/Myspace, asking me when I was going to write up the preview of the 162 game season with the 01 set between Jeff and myself. ESPN, The Athletic, MLB Network... you name it, and they reached out. So let's dive in!

First off, a couple rule changes to consider that we're implementing this year:

1. When turning double plays, we will be using the entire infield defense. In the 02 season, we only used the SS and 2B defense. I practically begged for this change after watching Omar Vizquel and Roberto Alomar convert double plays with like a 5% success rate.

2. Both teams will have a designated closer. This closer can pitch every single game, as long as they only go 1 inning (or less). The other relievers will not be able to pitch in consecutive games.

3. This season, we will be tracking runs scored for each player and how many times each player makes an out on their own chart. We want to know who to hate.

All other rules carried over from the 02 season. I don't think I'm forgetting anything else (aren't I a great co-commissioner?? I'm really on top of my league!)



We are excluding a number of great 01 cards that I do not have, including the legendary Pedro Martinez card, as discussed here. This is probably for the best - one time, we played a 50 game season and Pedro went 9-0 with a sub 1.50 ERA in 10 starts. He tilts the advantage too much.

After winning the 02 season, I came into the draft with lots of confidence. I elected to have Jeff roll first to see who gets first pick. Remember, it's a snake draft - after the first overall pick, each manager selects 2 players at a time.

Jeff steps up and rolls a 15. Feeling the pressure, I take a deep breath and roll a thing of beauty... that also lands on 15!! The crowd goes wild - now I have to roll first in the tiebreaker! My palms were sweaty, knees weak, arms were heavy, and at that moment I could really have gone for some of my mom's famous spaghetti. Anyway, I rolled a 5 because I am as clutch as A-rod in the playoffs. My heart sinks, tears fill my eyes, Daniel Powter's "Bad Day" starts to play in the background as Jeff readies the die... and it comes to a stop at 1!!!!! I have the first overall pick in a remarkable turn of events, and I take A-Rod. Jeff follows with Pudge and Carlos Delgado and so on and so on until we get to here:

My lineup:

Ichiro (10 OB, 5BB, 20 HR, 20 speed; LF/RF +2)
Darin Erstad (10 OB, 5BB, 19+ HR, 20 speed; LF/RF +2)
A-Rod (10 OB, 3 BB, 17+ HR; SS +4)
Vlad (9 OB, 4 BB, 17+ HR; DH)
Mark Grace (10 OB, 5 BB, 20 HR; 1B +0)
Fernando Tatis (9 OB, 5 BB, 18+ HR; 3B +2)
Chris Stynes (9 OB, 5 BB 19+ HR; 2B +3)
Johnny Damon (9 OB, 5 BB, 20 HR, 20 speed; CF +2)
Brad Ausmus (8 OB, 4 BB, 20 HR; C +9)

Jeff's lineup

Edgardo Alfonzo (10 OB, 4 BB, 19+ HR; 2B +3)
Carlos Delgado (11 OB, 4 BB, 18+ HR; 1B +0)
Edgar Martinez (10 OB, 4 BB, 18+ HR; DH)
Pudge (9 OB, 6 BB, 17+ HR; C +9)
Erubiel Durazo (9 OB, 4 BB, 18+ HR; LF/RF +1)
Ken Caminiti (9 OB, 4 BB, 18+ HR; 3B +1)
Ron Gant (8 OB, 4 BB 16+ HR; LF/RF +1)
Jose Valentin (8 OB, 5 BB, 18+ HR, 20 speed; SS +3)
Juan Pierre (8 OB, 4 BB, 20 Triple; CF +2)

My pitching

Julian Tavarez (7 IP, +6 control, 1-14 out)
Randy Johnson (7 IP, +3 control, 1-17 out)
Matt Morris (5 IP, +5 control, 1-15 out)
Bruce Chen (7 IP, +2 control, 1-17 out)
Jamey Wright (7 IP, +3 control, 1-15 out)

Scott Strickland (1 IP, +5 control, 1-16 out)
Mike Fetters (1 IP, +4 control, 1-16 out)
Ramiro Mendoza (2 IP, +4 control, 1-16 out)
Ugueth Urbina (1 IP, +4 control, 1-17) - designated closer


Jeff's pitching

Chan Ho Park (7 IP, +5 control, 1-15 out)
Jose Rosado (6 IP, +4 control, 1-16 out)
Ryan Dempster (7 IP, +3 control, 1-16 out)
Travis Harper (6 IP, +4 control, 1-15 out) - He's a 1-8 popout LOL
Hideki Irabu (6 IP, +3 control, 1-16 out)

Jason Christiansen (1 IP, +5 control, 1-15 out)
Jeff Nelson (1 IP, +6 control 1-15 out)
Kaz Sasaki (1 IP, +5 control, 1-16 out)
Tom Gordon (1 IP, +6 control, 1-16 out) - designated closer


That's how the rosters break down. Jeff's team has more overall power, while my team has a higher OB overall and more speed. Although with speed ratings maxed out at 20 - and with good defensive catchers on both teams - not much stealing will be going on. I feel as if I have the better rotation, but Jeff has a dominant bullpen - this could swing the entire season as he has multiple guys who could shut me down for multiple innings at a time.

I predicted myself to win only 75 games, as the bullpen discrepancy should be too much for me to overcome over 162 games. Jeff was really feeling himself come prediction time, stating that he will win 90 games and cruise to the title.

Individual award winners were predicted as follows:

Joe's predictions

MVP: A-Rod
Cy Young: Chan Ho Park
Rolaids Relief: Tom Gordon

Jeff's predictions

MVP: Carlos Delgado
Cy Young: Chan Ho Park
Rolaids Relief: Tom Gordon

Chan Ho Park has historically dominated any time we've played with the 01 set, so we each picked him as the Cy Young winner. Both of us chose our best hitter and first pick to win MVP. "Flash" Gordon was an easy pick as Rolaids Relief.

I'd love for you guys to predict the outcomes of the 162 game season with the 01 cards - feel free to comment who you think will win the season, individual awards, and even stats if you wanna get real rowdy. Although if you pick me to lose, I will hunt you down and scream in your face in a really high-pitched, screechy voice. (But I did pick myself to lose, so I guess you can too).

I'll post an update at around the quarter-season mark, another one at the all-star break (somewhere around halfway through the season), the 3/4 mark, and of course the final season rundown. Each update will include the stats, real-time award races, and funny stories of all the different ways I punish my under-performing players.

Until next time!

Joe