MLB The Show 23 Franchise Mode Discussion

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[SFNiners816]

Quote: Originally Posted by SFNiners816

So the 1990 full 93 roster really has me hooked. It has totally refreshed 23 for me and I honestly can see myself finishing several seasons. The only thing I usually struggle with on historic sets is whether to play them how it really panned out or not. I was 11 years old in 1990 and my favorite team (The Cubs) were coming off the best season I got to witness as a fan in 1989 (I was too young to get to enjoy the 1984 season. I know that would have been my favorite season but as it stands, the 1989 Cubs are still my all-time favorite baseball team). So my mindset going into this franchise is to make sure that core of what would be 3 HOFer (Ryno, Dawson, Maddux) and what would be a decade hit leader (Grace) have a better fate than what really happened in the subsequent seasons of 1990 thru 1994. So with all of this in mind, I have made some moves to get this 1990 Cubs squad to be a contender. Despite being a Cubs fan, I have always loved the running style of the 80's Herzog Cardinal teams. So my goal with this team is to add that element but also have a better power element than that STL sqaud had. So to increase the speed element of the squad, I made moves to acquire DeLino DeShields from MTL and Alex Cole from CLV. Both have 95+ speed. Cole is primarily an OF that splits time with Jerome Walton and Dwight Smith. I'm using DeShields as kinda a super utility guy as Second Base is obviously taken by Ryno. So I made him a primary LF and his secondary position as IF. He splits amongst all of those spots and will play second when Ryno gets a day off. I also made one more move on the offense side and did kinda borrow from what would eventually happen in 1991.....I acquired George Bell from Toronto to add just a little more pop to the offense. Pitching wise, the biggest weakness the 1990 Cubs had IRL was bullpen....So I borrowed from the past and reacquired Lee Smith from STL to bolster the backend. At this point, I'm kinda going strictly matchups with him and Mitch Williams to close games. I do though envision Smith being the primary closer going forward as he's rated an 86 and Williams is a 72. So my 1990 Cubs as constructed thru about 47 games is the following: Catcher -Joe Girardi -Damon Berryhill Infield -Ryne Sandberg -Mark Grace -Shawon Dunston -Domingo Ramos -Curtis Wilkerson -Delino DeShields (also plays OF) Outfield -Andre Dawson -George Bell -Jerome Walton -Dwight Smith -Alex Cole -Doug Dascenzo Starting Pitching -Mike Bielecki -Rick Sutcliffe -Greg Maddux -Shawn Boskie -Mike Harkey Relief Pitching -Lee Smith -Mitch Williams -Paul Assenmacher -Les Lancaster -Kevin Blankenship -Steve Wilson -José Núñez So the first 47 games of my 1990 season have been really streaky.....I struggled out of the gate with a 5-14 start, but I have been really hot over the last month or so and sit at 26-21 and in third place behind what looks like a juggernaut Pirates team (34-13) and an overachieving Cardinal team (29-18). I say overachieving becasue IRL the Cardinals would finish 70-92. I play HOF timed hitting and Legend classic pitching. I use quick count and I play every game. Rick Sutcliffe and Mike Bielecki have really been struggling this season. Each have ERAs over 6 thus far. Conversely, Boskie and Harkey have been outstanding....each have ERAs aroung 3. Maddux has been Maddux and is dealing thus far (4-2 with a 2.89 era). Offensively, Ryno has been the star. As I've said on this board numerous times, he's my all-time favorite guy and really is the driving force behind me waiting to play this 1990 set as IMO that was his finest season. Thus far he is slashing at .281/.354/.525 with 12 HRs, 36 RBI and 12 steals and playing his customary stellar defense (zero errors thus far). Grace has also been great hitting .315 with 20 rbis. Dawson started slow but has the average up to .260 (spent all of April under .200) and only had 1 HR in April...He now has 9 Hrs and 24 RBI. Jerome Walton and Dwight Smith have been struggling thus far. Overall, this has just been so much fun playing. What really makes it is seeing all the prospects that have been included as well has seeing on the ticker all the stars from that time. It's just a trip seeing stuff like "Jose Canseco 2-3 with 2 HRs" with Oakland come across or seeing "Red Sox promote Mo Vaughn to Triple-A" displayed.

I've been marching on with my 1990 Cubs Season. I'm sitting at 76-56 which has me a top the WC standings and 3 games back of the Pirates in the Central. In an oddity that I don't think I've ever seen on a baseball game, after 132 games ever team in the central is at least 10 games over .500. It makes sense that the Pirates and Reds are really good as they comprised the NCLS IRL in 1990 and obviously I'm doing my damndest to make the Cubs better than the real life '90 Cubs but the Cardinals have been the surprise to me. They are sitting at 75-57 and already have 5 more wins than the did in the real 1990 Season.

Ryno is having a stellar season. With 30 games to go, his slash line is .300/.402/.571 with 110 runs, 31 Hrs, 94 Rbis and 33 steals.....He also hasn't made an error in the field (the fact I just typed this will guarantee he boots 2 next game) Grace is also playing outstanding. his slash is .322/.383/.401 with 3 hrs and 85 rbi. It's gonna be kinda weird because hes on a 100 rbi pace but I really don't see him coming close to hitting double-digit Hrs. On the Pitching side, Maddux is Maddux and sits at 15-5 with a 2.61 era and is looking to have a helleva look at the cy young.

It's gonna be interesting seeing how this will all play out in september and honestly I can't wait for "1991".

[The Gamer]

Quote: Originally Posted by SFNiners816

I've been marching on with my 1990 Cubs Season. I'm sitting at 76-56 which has me a top the WC standings and 3 games back of the Pirates in the Central. In an oddity that I don't think I've ever seen on a baseball game, after 132 games ever team in the central is at least 10 games over .500. It makes sense that the Pirates and Reds are really good as they comprised the NCLS IRL in 1990 and obviously I'm doing my damndest to make the Cubs better than the real life '90 Cubs but the Cardinals have been the surprise to me. They are sitting at 75-57 and already have 5 more wins than the did in the real 1990 Season. Ryno is having a stellar season. With 30 games to go, his slash line is .300/.402/.571 with 110 runs, 31 Hrs, 94 Rbis and 33 steals.....He also hasn't made an error in the field (the fact I just typed this will guarantee he boots 2 next game) Grace is also playing outstanding. his slash is .322/.383/.401 with 3 hrs and 85 rbi. It's gonna be kinda weird because hes on a 100 rbi pace but I really don't see him coming close to hitting double-digit Hrs. On the Pitching side, Maddux is Maddux and sits at 15-5 with a 2.61 era and is looking to have a helleva look at the cy young. It's gonna be interesting seeing how this will all play out in september and honestly I can't wait for "1991".

I loved this roster set so much I'm currently working on a project to move them to 24

Sent from my SM-S928U using Tapatalk

[SFNiners816]

Quote: Originally Posted by The Gamer

I loved this roster set so much I'm currently working on a project to move them to 24 Sent from my SM-S928U using Tapatalk

It's the sole reason why I'm sticking with 23. It will be nice though to have the option of having it on the new game. Going forward for me since y2y saves seems to be dead, the biggest determining factor on if I get the new version will be the availability of historic roster. I just enjoy them so much more that the base rosters especially when the are as well done a thorough as that 1990 set is.

[SFNiners816]

Quote: Originally Posted by SFNiners816

I've been marching on with my 1990 Cubs Season. I'm sitting at 76-56 which has me a top the WC standings and 3 games back of the Pirates in the Central. In an oddity that I don't think I've ever seen on a baseball game, after 132 games ever team in the central is at least 10 games over .500. It makes sense that the Pirates and Reds are really good as they comprised the NCLS IRL in 1990 and obviously I'm doing my damndest to make the Cubs better than the real life '90 Cubs but the Cardinals have been the surprise to me. They are sitting at 75-57 and already have 5 more wins than the did in the real 1990 Season. Ryno is having a stellar season. With 30 games to go, his slash line is .300/.402/.571 with 110 runs, 31 Hrs, 94 Rbis and 33 steals.....He also hasn't made an error in the field (the fact I just typed this will guarantee he boots 2 next game) Grace is also playing outstanding. his slash is .322/.383/.401 with 3 hrs and 85 rbi. It's gonna be kinda weird because hes on a 100 rbi pace but I really don't see him coming close to hitting double-digit Hrs. On the Pitching side, Maddux is Maddux and sits at 15-5 with a 2.61 era and is looking to have a helleva look at the cy young. It's gonna be interesting seeing how this will all play out in september and honestly I can't wait for "1991".

Finished my Cubs 1990 season and it was a blasted. The entire central finished 10 games over .500:

Pittsburgh 98-64
Cubs 94-68
Cardinals 90-72
Reds 90-72
Brewers 86-76

I ended up finishing as the 5th seed overall and faced the Braves in the WC round. Unfortunately, I lost to them 2-0 and the season would end there. Really wasn't a surprise as I ran into Smoltz and Glavine and Greg Maddux for me decided to have his worst start of the season in Game 1. I had to chuckle because a similar thing a happened IRL in 1989. The Oakland A's on the power of a 104-58 record ended up beating a 98 win Dodgers team in the WS to avenge the 1988 WS.

Despite the finish, it was a great season for the northsiders.....Ryno won the MVP and Maddux took home the Cy Young. Sandberg would finish with a .319 average, 142 runs, 44 homeruns, 128 RBIs and 37 steals. He committed 1 error. Mark Grace also had an incredible season...he batted .330 had 201 hits and knocked in 108 runs despite only hitting 5 homeruns. Maddux went 18-6 with 272 K's and a 2.65 era. Andre Dawson missed the final 50 games but was having a nice season until then with a .265 ave, 18 Homeruns and 67 knocked in.

I am now on to the 1991 season and I had a busy winter in hopes improving the team...I made some swings to upgrade third base, power, and third and fourth starters spot. The first move I made was Moving Sutcliffe and his 33 million dollar contract (I was sad I couldn't do better with him 10-13 with a 5.53 ERA as he was a 74 OVR) and a couple of high rated prospects to the Mets for Howard Johnson and his 30 million dollar contract. Adds switch hitting power with speed to the lineup. I especially like his left handed pop as it was lacking on 1990 squad. Next move was getting Steve Avery from the Braves to slot in at 3 and signing Danny Jackson to slot in at 4. Danny Jackson was a real life Cubs move in 1991 (didn't fair too well, but was to good to pass up here ) I couldn't pry Smoltz or Glavine from Atlanta to pair with Maddux to kinda recreate them in Chicago but I was surprised at how painless it was to get Avery.

Now for my biggest swing to add power and a superstar.....I attempted multiple times to get Griffey from Seattle but I just couldn't pull it off. So I moved to my next target and made a deal with the defending champions who were in need of shedding salary as they entered the off-season 65 mil over budget. I was 30 under so I could take on some salary....So I moved 3 A prospects (of which two were already high rated...I nailed the draft this year) and came away with Jose Canseco and his 10+ million dollar contract. I was happy to do so because to a late 80's/early 90's kid like myself he was a freaking superhero and I'm happy to add him to the squad with my all-time favorite guy Ryne Sandberg. This is kinda akin to landing Bryce Harper in the current game. Its eerie how much the created Canseco looks like him and how much the batting stance resembles him. So my 1991 cubs looks like the following:

C-Joe Girardi
1b-Mark Grace
2b-Ryne Sandberg
ss-Shawon Dunston
3b- Howard Johnson
OF-Dwight Smith
OF-Andre Dawson
OF-Jerome Walton
OF/DH - Jose Canseco

Rotation
1 Greg Maddux
2 Mike Bielicki
3 Steve Avery
4 Danny Jackson
5 Shawn Boskie

Closer Lee Smith