Power Pros Forum

Hey guys, I'm finally back! Now that I've found some "time," I'm looking to have a little more fun with one of my favorite games, MVP Baseball 2005. But please, leave the following in mind
-I work
-I go to summer courses at a community college
-I go to Crossfit classes
-I blog baseball (sfgdb.blogspot.com)

I'm looking forward to making sure the Nationals get to the playoffs. But I warn you, moves will be made...

Would you guys like an updated 2013 version or a 2005 version w/rookies?

I think I'd like an 05 version better.

"Welcome Mr. Delos Santos. Follow me."

I hated this place. It reminded me too much of what could have been and what should have been, but I couldn't turn this away. It was an opportunity for a new beginning and that's exactly what I wanted. No, it's what I needed.

"Mr. Lerner is expecting you."

I didn't bother responding. I just followed the man. The weather was gloomy and had been since I landed. I could feel little drops of rain smacking my hands every once in a while. The field looked as great as ever, even other weather. The dirt was perfectly groomed and the outfield grass was cut just right. Many people think of it as a dump, but any field to me is a little slice of heaven.

I followed the man into an elevator and he hit a button labeled O then put in a password and we started moving. The ride brought us to the owners box which looked more like a condo than a place of business. There were marble floors and fancy chandeliers, big screen T.V.s and statutes, fancy couches and bookshelves along with the ton of Nationals memorabilia. The icing the cake was the giant window that overlooked the stadium. It stood right behind home plate, two stories up. It made the ballpark look more beautiful than before, having a sort of majestic feeling to it.

"Welcome, Mr. Skrimshader," a voice said. I looked up and saw Mr. Lerner. He was dressed for the occasion, while rocked a hoodie and some jeans. Not the greatest first impression. "Welcome to Washington."

He approached me and shook my hand.

"Good to be here, Mr. Lerner."

"Please, come with me. We'll have some lunch and discuss." I followed him into the dining room and waiting for us was variety of foods lined up buffet style. There was not a lot, just enough for two people as it appeared. "Take a plate and feel free to grab what you like, then please take a seat." I put little bits of everything provided on my plate and took a seat, Mr. Lerner sitting down right after me. The table was next to a window that allowed both of us to oversee the ballpark. The gloomy weather was still overshadowing the ballpark, but I didn't mind.

"So, Mr. Delos Santos," Mr. Lerner said. "Welcome to our ballpark. Real beauty isn't she?"

"She is sir," I responded, "She is."

"Mr. Delos Santos, can I call you Justice?"

"Yes you can."

"So Justice, you don't have to lie here. This ballpark isn't really the brightest penny is she? I bet you've seen college parks better than this."

"I'm not going to lie sir, I love this ballpark. It may not look the best, but I love every ballpark I see."

"Well Henry, I'm sorry to break this to you, but the Nationals are not going to be staying here that long. This place is going to be deserted in three years. We started the development in a new ballpark and it is going to look like a palace compared to this place."

"That's unfortunate."

"Well, it is all for the better I suppose. It should bring in a lot more fans. A good thing too because the way the Nationals are set up, they're not built to become a playoff caliber team."

"Well that's why you called me right? To make these guys contenders?"

"Henry." he paused. "I did not call you hear."

"Who did?"

"Well I did make the call, but I am not the reason you are here. Our head scout Mike Jacobs called you here. I'm sure you know him."

"Yeah, he was scouting me to play for you guys three years ago."

"Any how, he told me that there was a 25-year old kid that knew everything about baseball and he could bring my team to the promise land. When he told me this, I almost fired him. I said you should be playing ball, not managing a big league ball club. I had possible General Managers creeping in on every corner just begging to be signed."

"So what happened?"

"They left. They all found bigger and better jobs on better teams."

"So why'd you still call me?"

"I realized something. Mike isn't a fool. He knows what he's talking about. When he first told me about you, I thought he was crazy, but then I remembered who he was so I decided to give you a chance. You might walk out of here today with a contract only if you can convince me to sign you."

"How?"

"Tell me your story."

"The whole thing?"

"Yes. I need to know how Henry works and how Henry thinks."

"Let me get a drink and then we'll talk."

"My father was a scout for the San Francisco Giants. This was the man that taught me the life of baseball. I started to watch baseball at the age of one and my dad would show me how the game worked. He taught me every single baseball term and he would quiz me on them to see if I was really paying attention. He didn't just cram this stuff down my throat either. I loved this game. I loved every aspect about it from the hot dogs to the grass."

"I started playing baseball when I was five years old, you know T-Ball. I had the dream of playing shortstop in the Majors for the Giants. It wasn't until I was 11 that I got serious about playing baseball. I started practicing day and night, hitting, fielding, running, every single day and my dad supported me every step of the way. When I was a freshman in high school, I didn't only make the varsity team, but I started on it. I got better and better every year, leading my team to three state championships. By the time I senior, scouts were coming from all over to get me to go to their college. After just falling short of a fourth state championship, I chose CAL Berkeley and they gave me a full-four year scholarship. I graduated with a 4.5 and decided that I would major in business as a backup plan."

"My first two years of college were going way better than expected. Major League scouts were throwing money at me to play for their team, but I wanted to finish school before even thinking about playing ball. During my Freshman and Sophomore years, I won two Male Athlete of the Year awards and led my team to the finals and semi-finals of the College World Series. After my sophomore year after we lost in the semi-finals, I got the news that we picked up the top high school prospect in the country, Jordan Zimmermon. This kid had electric stuff, topping the radar gun at 102 and had three breaking pitches that zigged and zagged everywhere. We looked in great shape and were the heavy favorites to win the World Series. Then the incident happened."

"We had made it to the College World Series and we set to play Oregon, us being the heavy favorites to win it all. Everything was going great through the first six innings. Zimmermon was dealing and we had a comfortable six run lead. I came up to bat in the bottom of the seventh, no one on, no one out. On a 3-1 pitch, pitcher Jake Wheeler threw a bullet right at my ankle. I jumped to get out of the way, but I was too late. It drilled my right ankle and I fell to the ground in pain. I felt something wasn't right. I was taken out of the game and escorted straight to the nearest hospital."

"The doctors discovered that my ankle had been absolutely shattered and there would have to be a complete replacement. I was not cleared to play for the entire year, but I was gifted one more year of eligibility. I started a rehab assignment and I thought that everything would work out and I would be able to play and peruse my dream. Turns out I was wrong. I couldn't play anymore. The ankle didn't feel right and it took away everything. I couldn't run to first, I couldn't throw without my legs, I couldn't hit. Everything felt like mission impossible and by the end of they year, I hung up my cleats."

"After I graduated I hung out with my dad a lot while I could. I found good work that paid well. Everything was going well, but I had the overwhelming feeling that something was wrong. I started to feel depressed and longed for one more chance in the big show. That's when I got a call from Mike the day the Expos turned into the Nationals. Mike had highly went after me when the Expos still existed. He visited my house and discovered my knowledge of baseball. He said the Nats would be looking for a GM and I fit the mold, even with my age. Then, I suppose, you know the rest Mr. Lerner."

"Wow," he said. "That's incredible. I do not like the idea of youth and inexperience, but you get one chance here Mr. Delos Santos. One year, $500K. If the Nationals do not make 3rd place minimum, you are out."

"Understandable."

We shook. I signed. Third Place...

MLB.COM EXCLUSIVE: NATIONALS FIRE SALE, ACQUIRES YOUNG STARS

The Washington Nationals and recently acquired General Manager Justice delos Santos have went off the deep end and managed to set a record with six trades in one day and trading away half of the Washington Nationals team. When asked about the bold moves, GM delos Santos stated, "We are looking to better this team and those guys did not fit into the equation. They are all good players and I hope the best for them."

The Nationals GM was able to successfully pull of each trade that, on paper, makes the Nationals a better team for $52 million less. The average age of the team went down three years and three players acquired were on MLB.COM's Top 100 Prospects List.

Transactions
Phillies Get: Jose Guillen, Brad Wilkerson, and Shawn Hill
Nationals Get: Jimmy Rollins, Placido Polanco, and Ryan Howard

Devil Rays Get: Jose Vidro, John Patterson, and Brian Schneider
Nationals Get: Carl Crawford and Dewon Brazelton

White Sox Get: Christian Guzman
Nationals Get: Juan Uribe

Diamondbacks Get: Tomo Ohka and Dan Smith
Nationals Get: Brandon Webb

Cardinals Get:
Vinny Castilla and Nick Johnson
Nationals Get: Yaider Molina and Bob File

Giants Get: Tony Armas Jr.
Nationals Get: Jeremy Fikac and Leo Estrella

What do you think of the trades? The AI is tough to crack as they won't take a salary dump ($13M for $400K) or scrubs for Stars. At the time, most of the players I traded were equally or lesser rated so I think they are fair.

Edit: Most of the Phillies players are underdeveloped (Polanco and Howard) and Crawford is not up to his full potential. Jose Gullien, Vinnie Castilla, and Christian Guzman are rated in the 80s-90s

I really like the Webb and Crawford acquisitions. Both of them have great futures.

I like them too, whenever I see or hear brandon Webb I fall apart inside, such a great pitcher, it makes me feel bad to know that such a guy had to retire earlier this year.

The 3rd and 6th trades are the only ones that left me guessing, Guzman and Uribe play the same position, and I haven't heard of either guy you got from the Giants.

Yeah, Webb could've been one of the greatest alongside Verlander, Greinke, Sabathia, and all the other guys around that age.

Well Guzman and Uribe are pretty much equal except Uribe costs about 4 million less
$4.20 to $300K

Money had a lot to do with it
Webb is $300K, Crawford is $300K, etc.

Those guys from the Giants are a pair of relievers that have average - above average stuff. That starter costed $2M and the relievers cost a combined $700K

"Mike?"

"Hey Mr. GM. Congrats on the job."

"Hey thanks Mike. Appreciate it. How's it going?"

"Great. Still with the Expos/Nats. I've been back and forth looking at some prospects. See a lot of potential for our upcoming draft. There's this kid, Zimmerman, that has been doing really good and I have my eye on him. Third baseman, power, glove. Could give us some options."

"That's great man. Could really look forward to this draft, especially with you on board Mr. Head Scout."

"Justice, thanks for promoting me to head. It's an honor. But why'd you do it? We have some great guys here."

"You found me. I lied to Lerner about the teams. I assume he told you."

"Yeah he did."

"No one was throwing money at me to play for their team. Fact of the matter was I was too short. I could hit with power, but not enough power. I could field, but I could never snag that liner over my head. Ever one thought I was a laughing stock, but you only saw the potential. It wasn't until after I got injured that everyone saw me."

"That's life in a nutshell. There's stuff you can't control and your height was one. They missed out on a hell of a ballplayer."

"They did, didn't they."

"Without hesitation, most definitely."

"That means a lot to me. Thank you."

"You're welcome, Justice."

"So, why'd you call. I know it wasn't just because of the job."

"Well, Justice, you know I'd never doubt you for a minute."

"It's about the trades, huh?"

"Yeah... It was hard to get these guys to sign deals to be part of the first Washington Nationals team and you traded them away."

"I know Mike. It was hard to crack these GMs. I had to give away some prospects and future All-Stars, but these guys we picked up are going to pan out. I guarantee it."

"Again, I never doubt you, but you have to give me the logic on some of these guys. I mean Carl Crawford I get. Speed, contact, glove, and we could develop and arm and some pop, but Brazelton. We gave up Patterson, our top pitching prospect for him. Why?"

"This is going to sound really dumb. Brazelton doesn't get a lot of attention because he's sitting at the bottom of the AL East behind the Yankees and Red Sox and SportsCenter goes on and on about these two, but behind them is a pitcher in Brazelton, a pure pitcher. He has some gas, okay, but it's his finesse I like. He has control and he has that break to his pitches. He's young too, not too much older than Patterson, and has potential. I see these things. When he throws to me, it's pure like poetry in motion. The average eye can't see it, but I know you and I can."

"What about giving away Guillen, Vidro, and Wilkerson?"

"Guillen was hard to give away. Potential five tool player with amazing power, but I see something in that kid Ryan Howard. He doesn't hit for average, but his power is better than Guillen. That provides us with options out in right field for prospects that can come much less cheaper. Guillen was asking for too much too. His numbers didn't add up and he was asking for $21 million for one year. Not happening. Vidro and Wilkerson, same thing. Potential, but the guys I saw had much more. Less is more."

"Money, money, money? What's with the sudden money eruption?"

"You haven't heard yet have you?"

"No, what's going on?"

"They're building a new stadium for the Nats."

"That's a good thing."

"No, it's not. A fourth of the money is my responsibility and my responsibility is getting fans in the stadium to get money. If that doesn't happen, I'm out a job. And on this team's current pace with attendance, I'm going to be millions in debt."

"And Lerner only gave you a one-year contract?"

"Yes. That's why this has to work. Third place or nothing. I need these people on my back, but I can't just sell out. We only have enough money for the merchandise and a few promotions per month."

"So make do. That's what you've done your whole life. This is another thing that you can't control and you have to work around it. I believe in you now just like I did back then. I just pray you know how to get this right. Goodbye."

*beep*

Spring Training, 2005

"You wanted to see me, Mr. delos Santos?"

"Yes, C.C., come take a seat."

"So what's this about sir?"

"You and I aren't that much apart. We're nearly the same age, we've both played in and excelled in college ball, and we've both made it to the bigs somehow. That much, I'm sure you know. But there's one more element that might not register and that's how to lead. My cousin went to Davis High with you and he played with you. You might remember him, Antonio."

"Yeah, I played with him. We weren't that close, but we were tight on the field."

"Antonio contacted me right after the trade and he went on and on about how you would play, but he said your strongest characteristic was your leadership. You led your team to two state championships and won both times. He said the team was average, but you were that missing link that melded them together."

"I've never thought of it that way."

"I know you must have loved Tampa Bay, but I know you didn't love their losing ways."

"To be honest, I loved the guys there, but I hated being in a situation where we couldn't win."

"We have a lot of great, young talent on this team C.C., but without chemistry, we aren't going to go anywhere."

"That's true."

"Which is why I'm making you our captain."

"Wha...Really sir!?!? Why me?"

"I see these other guys, Rollins, Webb, Uribe, but they don't have that leadership quality I want. Rollins gave you a run for your money because I really like what he was doing, but I saw that he could only lead the infield and not the whole team. You have the ability to bring these guys together and I want you to try as much as possible. I know we're not going to have a lot of chemistry to begin, but I know it will develop and you're the guy I need for that job. Just one thing, C.C."

"Yes?"

"Please do not tell anybody yet. I don't want the media to go crazy on this decision. I will award you the patch on Opening Day in D.C. Good luck."

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NOW ACCEPTING AGENTS, ONE PER PERSON! PLAYER INFORMATION WILL BE PROVIDED, ALONG WITH SALARY AND INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE

I'll take Brandon Webb.