1994 Super Sim - Playoff Preview

 The playoffs are set to start this weekend in the 1994 season, and do we have some outstanding matchups, a couple series that if they don't make it to a game five will be very disappointing. So going into this weekend, and the next week I will be looking to hammer through these playoffs. I made a personal schedule so I can keep tabs on pitcher tiring, especially the relievers. Every team has a 25 man roster, which for the post season, rotations will go from 5 to 4 man rotations, allowing the 5th starter to slide into a bullpen role. If a bullpen pitcher goes over their IP they will need however many days off for how many IP they go over. Say a 1ip throws 3 innings, he will need 2 days off before he is eligible to pitch again. The only way he could pitch is if every pitcher on the roster has already been used, in that case he will now be a -1IP while entering the game. Lets get into these outstanding matchups, I will be creating a thread in the discord for the playoffs so anyone that wants to follow along will be able to see where to access it.

1994 Super Sim- What If The Strike Never Happened?!

 I was five years old in 1994 when the strike shut down the Major League Season, many things were going on that season that were unanswered. Oddly enough I didn't know much about this season due to me being so young, but this past 2 years has been the renaissance for the great game of MLB showdown, this blog was the first step for me, finding it and connecting with the wonderful people that run the blog. Then myself making interactive leagues where the community drafted and I played the games out led to me making a discord for everyone to have one collective space to talk trash to each other. Sadly the pandemic happened but a tiny glimmer was the explosion of the discord and MLB showdown and all the cool things that came with it. Two of the biggest things was a discord member SavardTheGoat created a super sim code where he can sim a full 162 game season before you can even think of the rosters. Secondly, was an absolute gamechanger and that was the creation of the Showdown Bot by the wonderful Matt Gula. What happens when you combine these two super powers together?  The correct answer is many things, but the first one for you all to find out about is taking the stats and games played from prior to the strike and having the sim engine simulate the remaining games of the season to get to the playoffs. 

MLB Showdown 2000-2001 Sim League: Division Series

  This post brings the latest update in the Sim League series, after the division series. Old posts are below:

1. Introduction to the league and rules
2. Eastern Conference Teams
3. Western Conference Teams
4. Update after Game 40
5. Update after Game 80
6. Update after Game 100
7. All-Stars
8. Update after Game 120
9. Update after Game 141: No-hitter!
10. Update after Game 153
11. Update after Game 159
12. Full Season Update - after Game 162
    
13. Awards and Playoff Preview
    
14. Wild Card Round
    

Stats and standings for the full 162 game, 24-team season are found here. 

In this post, I'll recap the three play-in series. I'll also post matchups for the Division Series, as well as show a bonus custom card. 

MLB Showdown 2000-2001 Sim League: Play-In Rounds

 This post brings the latest update in the Sim League series, after the first playoff round. Old posts are below:

1. Introduction to the league and rules
2. Eastern Conference Teams
3. Western Conference Teams
4. Update after Game 40
5. Update after Game 80
6. Update after Game 100
7. All-Stars
8. Update after Game 120
9. Update after Game 141: No-hitter!
10. Update after Game 153
11. Update after Game 159
12. Full Season Update - after Game 162
    
13. Awards and Playoff Preview
    

Stats and standings for the full 162 game, 24-team season are found here. 

In this post, I'll recap the three play-in series. I'll also post matchups for the Division Series, as well as show a bonus custom card. 

Pre-Wild Card Playoff Round

Before the playoffs could officially begin, the 82-80 Tucson Scorpions met up with the 82-80 Anchorage Huskies in a 3 game series to decide the second wild card spot.

MLB Showdown 2000-2001 Sim League: Season Awards and Playoff Preview

 This post brings the latest update in the Sim League series. Old posts are below:

1. Introduction to the league and rules
2. Eastern Conference Teams
3. Western Conference Teams
4. Update after Game 40
5. Update after Game 80
6. Update after Game 100
7. All-Stars
8. Update after Game 120
9. Update after Game 141: No-hitter!
10. Update after Game 153
11. Update after Game 159
12. Full Season Update - after Game 162
    

Stats and standings for the full 162 game, 24-team season are found here. 

In this update, I will preview the wild card rounds of the playoffs, and then present the season awards. Thanks to everyone who voted on the awards, as well as those who helped me select team names.

MLB Showdown 2000-2001 Sim League: Full Season Update at last!

This post brings the latest update in the Sim League series. Old posts are below:

1. Introduction to the league and rules
2. Eastern Conference Teams
3. Western Conference Teams
4. Update after Game 40
5. Update after Game 80
6. Update after Game 100
7. All-Stars
8. Update after Game 120
9. Update after Game 141: No-hitter!
10. Update after Game 153
11. Update after Game 159

We have now completed the 162 game season! Stats and standings found here. 

24 teams started the season, and 11 remain standing. That's right, there is a tie for the second wild card spot in the Western Conference, and so there will be a play-in round before the official wild card play-in. 

MLB Showdown 200-2001 Sim League: Update after Game 159

This post brings the latest update in the Sim League series. Old posts are below:

1. Introduction to the league and rules
2. Eastern Conference Teams
3. Western Conference Teams
4. Update after Game 40
5. Update after Game 80
6. Update after Game 100
7. All-Stars
8. Update after Game 120
9. Update after Game 141: No-hitter!
10. Update after Game 153

Teams have now played 159 games each, and with 3 games left, there are still a few races coming down to the wire. Full stats after 159 games can be found here. This is a mini-update, so I'm not going to go into as much depth as usual - just wanted to build suspense before posting the full end of season standings. 

MLB Showdown 2000-2001 Sim League: Update after Game 153

This post brings the latest update in the Sim League series. Old posts are below:

1. Introduction to the league and rules
2. Eastern Conference Teams
3. Western Conference Teams
4. Update after Game 40
5. Update after Game 80
6. Update after Game 100
7. All-Stars
8. Update after Game 120
9. Update after Game 141: No-hitter!
   

Teams have now played 153 games each. Full stats after 153 games can be found here. 

MLB Showdown 2000-2001 Sim League: Update after Game 141, plus ***NO-HITTER ALERT***

This post brings the latest update in the Sim League series. Old posts are below:

1. Introduction to the league and rules
2. Eastern Conference Teams
3. Western Conference Teams
4. Update after Game 40
5. Update after Game 80
6. Update after Game 100
7. All-Stars
8. Update after Game 120

Teams have now played 141 games each. Full stats after 141 games can be found here. 

MLB Showdown 2000-2001 Sim League: First 120 Games

We are now done with 120 games in the 2000-2001 MLB Showdown Sim League. If you need a refresher on the previous installments in this series, check below. The link to the full season standings and stats so far is here.

1. Introduction to the league and rules
2. Eastern Conference Teams
3. Western Conference Teams
4. Update after Game 40
5. Update after Game 80
6. Update after Game 100
7. All-Stars

Eastern Conference:

MLB Showdown 2000-2001 Sim League: All Stars Announced

Thanks to everyone who voted for the All Stars! In this post, I'll reveal the results of the voting, as well as the All-Star Game stats. Here are the previous posts in the Sim League series for those who missed them:

1. Introduction to the League and Rules
2. Eastern Conference Teams
3. Western Conference Teams
4. Update after Game 40
5. Update after Game 80
6. Update after Game 100 (and All-Star ballots)

The all-star game will be played as a best of 9 series, so that each of the five starters on each team will be guaranteed a start. If a team's three outfielders are all LF/RF, one will be allowed to play CF with no fielding penalty. 

Eastern Conference All-Stars

MLB Showdown 2000-2001 Sim League 100 Game Update: All-Star Edition

We are now 100 games into the simmed 2000-2001 MLB Showdown season. If you want a refresher on the league, check out the first few posts in the series:

1. Introduction to the league and rules
2. Eastern Conference Teams
3. Western Conference Teams
4. Update after Game 40
5. Update after Game 80

The link to the full stats and standings after 100 games can be found here. In today's update, in lieu of my normal team-by-team recap, I will post standings, leaders, and then post the All-Star ballot for people to vote on. Scroll to the bottom of the post to see the ballots!

MLB Showdown 2000-2001 Sim League: Games 41-80 Update

We are now around the halfway point in the sim league! For earlier posts, check out:

1. Introduction and Rules
2. Eastern Conference Preview
3. Western Conference Preview
4. First 40 Games Recap

The link to the full stats and standings after 80 games can be found here. I'll recap what happened in games 41-80 below. Unless otherwise noted, the stats in the team by team recaps are for games 41-80 only. 

Standings after 80 games

Eastern Conference

MLB Showdown 2000-2001 Sim League: First 40 Games

Post #4 in the 2000-2001 Sim League brings results from the first 40 games. For a refresher on the league, check out the first three posts:

1. Introduction to the League
2. Eastern Conference Teams
3. Western Conference Teams

The full standings and stats can be found here. I'll recap the first 40 games below. Let me know in the comments what you think about the season so far! 

Eastern Conference

Williams Division 

Providence leads the Williams Division, 2 games ahead of Ottawa, and is the overall #3 seed in the conference. Their rotation has been excellent, led by 2001 Base Pedro Martinez (5-1, 1.77 ERA). Three other starters have pitched very well, 2000 PR Brian Anderson (4-2, 3.38), 2000 PR Vladimir Nunez (2-3, 2.87), and 5th starter 2000 Base Pat Hentgen (6-0, 2.39). Closer 200 Base Alan Embree has been great as well, successfully converting all 12 save opportunities with an 0.77 ERA. The hitting has been decent, with 2000 Base Jim Thome (.279/10 HR/28 RBI) and 2001 Base Gary Sheffield (.291/9/22) hitting for power and 2001 PR Jose Ortiz hitting .324. 

MLB Showdown 2000-2001 Sim League: Western Conference

Post #3 in the MLB Showdown 2000-2001 Sim League series! Today I will be introducing the Western Conference rosters for the 24 team league. As with last post, let me know in the comments who you think will win each division (and who the two wild cards are).

Prior posts:

1. League Intro
2. Eastern Conference Teams

Willie Mays Division

The four teams in the Mays division are Anchorage, Calgary, Portland, and Vancouver.

1. Anchorage

MLB Showdown 2000-2001 Sim League: Eastern Conference

Post #2 in the MLB Showdown 2000-2001 Sim League series! Today I will be introducing the Eastern Conference rosters for the 24 team league. If you need a refresher about the league, check out this post where I introduced the concept behind the league.

The Eastern Conference contains 12 teams, in three divisions. Each division is named after a baseball great: Ted Williams, Stan Musial, and Hank Aaron. I tried choosing teams based on cities that do not currently have major league franchises, and grouped them geographically as best as possible. 

Note that when listing teams, the lineups are in position order, not the order that they will bat in-game. 

Leave notes in the comments about who you project to win each division!

Introducing the MLB Showdown 2000-2001 Sim League

My biggest frustration with baseball video games as well as MLB Showdown seasons are how the stats don't match up to real-season stats, unless you play a full 162 games. As a result, you frequently see crazy outlier seasons that can only happen with a short schedule.

In video games it is possible to run 162 game seasons if you sim, but in MLB Showdown it takes a very long time of dice rolls to reach this point. 

I am therefore happy to say that I finally have written Python code to allow me to run a full season for my drafted teams. I will be blogging a series of posts in the next few days to weeks that will follow the course of a simulated 162-game season for a drafted 24-team league. Here is the rough outline for how it will progress:

1. This post: Introducing the League and Rules 
2. Introducing the Eastern Conference teams
3. Introducing the Western Conference teams
4. Results after 40 games
5. Results after 80 games
6. Results after 120 games
7. Full season results
8. Full season awards
9. Playoffs (this may be broken down into several posts)

League Format

There are two conferences, Eastern and Western, each with three divisions of four teams, for a total of 24 teams. The team breakdown is shown below: