Friday, June 1, 2012

Get to Know Them: Twostepper Edition

Who are you?

Michael , 30 year-old from outside Chicago. Manager for Walgreens. Married with a kid that is about to turn 1.




Who are your favorite all-time players in real baseball?

Craig Biggio, Ty Cobb, Jeff Bagwell and Kirby Puckett.



Do you have a favorite Kaline Player?

Was Flash Clemens and now is Russel Reitz



What is your favorite Kaline moment(other then when I started of course)?

Flash Clemens getting into the hall



In Hardball Dynasty, what is your strategy for allocating your budget?

Do my best to keep training and medical high. I try to offset contracts with large bonuses. So I usually stay in the middle of the pack for payroll.



How do you approach off-season events with players such as arbitration and free agency?

Write out my goal for a lineup and rotation. See what holes I need filled. I try to not arbitrate if I know I'm going to want the player for 3+ years. I just don't have the balls to give somebody a max deal. Never feels worth it. I try to give huge bonuses so that the later years of a players contract are super low.



What is your basic strategy for setting your starting lineups and pitching rotation?

I usually ignore power and just want obp and avg guys near the top. Pitching I go for vs. L and vs. R along with having 3+ pitched for starters.



What do you believe are the most important individual player ratings for performance?

Contact, Eye, VS for hitters. Control, VS and velocity for pitchers



How do you approach in-season player events like the draft, international prospects and promotions/demotions?

I rank the top 50 or so from the draft pool. I use a ratings threshold of zero. I don't do international. I try not to promote to the majors midseason unless need be.



If you were to give one piece of advice to a new user, what would it be?

Not trade with Cloud. Haha. I would tell them to build the team into the mold they like. Small ball, heavy hitters, pitching dominated...etc.



What is your favorite aspect of Hardball Dynasty?

I love stats!



Least?

23 seasons in and my team has no playoff success. Very frustrating when it seems like I'm doing the best I can.



 If you were a sim player, what position would you play, and what would you be rated?

Second Base

Range/80 Glove/85 Arm/60 Accuracy/65

Speed/85 Durability/85 Health/85 Patience/55 Make Up/99

Contact/60 Power/0 Left/80 Right/50 Eye/50

Baserunning/99 Bunt/99 Push/Pull 50