IT STARTS NOW...AGAIN! - edeadstroke's Blog

edeadstroke's Blog

IT STARTS NOW...AGAIN!

Posted on March 7, 2019 at 01:35 AM.

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Wow, so many posts to catch up on, cool!

So as I stated before MLB 18 has been shelved and my Reds Fantasy Franchise is now being played on MLB 17. Almost the exact team. We made it through Spring Training a little quicker this time as we Quick Managed all games by simming batter by batter. The Reds completed Spring Training with a 18 and 12 record, hey I know Spring Training doesn't count, but these are the Reds we are talking about!

So the 2017 Reds start the season out with a 3 game series against the Philadelphia Phillies at home. Now, I forgot by simming Spring Training I would not increase my Dynamic Difficulty levels, so we'll just chalk it up as the Reds got out of gate hot.

Game 1 -

Starter turned Reliever turned Starter Matt Belisle got the OPENING DAY start for the Reds and SP Aaron Nola got the start for the Phillies. The game stayed relatively close, with the Reds leading 3-0, until the 6th inning, a 3 run homer by Reds new 3rd baseman Travis Shaw really sealed it. The Reds won by a score of 6-0. Belisle went 7 strong innings, only being pulled because of an early season pitch count limit, allowing only 2 hits and striking out 8 Phillies. CF Drew Stubbs was the other offensive bat, by hitting 2 home runs and driving in 3 RBIs.

The Reds manager Rocco Baldelli did manage to get every Reds bench player substituted into the game and also saw RP Michael Lorenzen in one inning at First base and one inning in Right Field. RP Bronson Arroyo did come in in the 9th, but not to pitch, instead he took over at First base.

When Rocco was asked in the post-game interview about his unconventional substitutions he replied, " I have discussed with Reds ownership about subbing pitchers into fielding roles, and they fully support such moves when the game allows it. Both pitchers and position players, get giddy about, they are really having fun with it. So you never know when you come to the ballpark, as a fan, who you may see playing. Maybe someone will get to play all 9 positions...in the same game. You just got to come out and see." Any bets on who could be such super-utility man?

Game 2 -

SP Anthony DeSclafani would start for the Reds and SP Jerad Eickhoff for the Phillies. This would be a low scoring game, especially for the Dynamic Difficulty setting only being Pitching (Rookie) and Batting (Beginner 5). But the Reds still won by a score of 2-0. DeSclafani would pitch 7 innings of scoreless baseball, with RP J.J. Hoover and CP Jonathan Broxton closing out another game of shutout baseball. Broxton got his first Save of the season. Other than Rookie LF Andrew Benintendi's solo home run, the Reds bats only managed 4 more hits.

Game 3 -

With the Reds looking to sweep the Phillies, Reds SP Homer Bailey took the mound against Phillies SP Jeremy Hellickson. With Bailey's 2015 and 2016 seasons being shortened by injuries and just plain pathetic, Reds ownership still likes Homer, "he is our Reclamation Project", we hope to see Homer turn it around this season.

It was a pitchers battle through the first 6 innings, the Reds scored 1 in the bottom of the 5th and 1 in the 6th. Hellickson exited after 5.2 inning after allow 2 runs. Then in the bottom of the 7th the Reds bats erupted against Rookie SP Ben Lively who came in relief?, scoring 5 runs off Lively with 6 hits, 2 being big bombs. Welcome to the BIGS, Ben. Dynamic Difficulty levels now are Pitching (a hair under Veteran) and Batting ( between Rookie+ and Veteran).

Bailey got his first Win, with hopefully many more to follow, he exited after 7 innings, allowing 4 hits and striking out 11.

Reds are on a 6 game road trip starting with 3 against the St. Louis Cardinals (0-3) after being swept by Cubs and then 3 against the Pittsburgh Pi-RATS (1-2) against Red Sox. SP Sonny Gray will start against the Cardinals.

In Minor League News, SP Robert Stephenson will get the Opening Day start for AAA Louisville Bats and SP Rookie Davis for AA Pensacola Blue Wahoos.