New ROM - All-Time States

[fightonusc]

I just finished a new ROM - The All-Time States ROM. Basically, it's a collection of the best players from nine different states and Puerto Rico. The ROM is attached, and the roster file is in another message. Any feedback on the ROM or the rosters is appreciated. All stats are career averages through the 2003 season.

(The ROM is 2player pause and same team select enabled, FYI)

To breakdown each team briefly...

California:

Good god. I really wanted to break this team into Northern and Southern California, but I had trouble finding pitchers from NoCal...I guess every ROM needs the dominant team, and this is it. When your No. 8  hitter has 26 HRs, the other team is going to be in a lot of trouble. Plus, the pitching is first rate as well. Seriously, I would treat this team like one of the All Star teams from the original ROM.

Massachusetts:

Honestly, I expected more from this team, but you can make some noise with the top of the line-up. the first two batter offer speed and OBP, while Conigliaro and Bagwell can drive them home. This kind of reminds me of a St. Louis line-up, but with more power and a much better bench. They also have a very solid bullpen. (It was close whether or not to throw Fidrych in there, but when in doubt, go with the Bird!)

Michigan:

Well, they have Kimmy Gibbler...other than that, it's a team with a lot of high average, decent speed and power guys. You could do worse than the Michigan offense, but it's not going to overwhelm you, either. The starters are pretty blah, but your getting a good bullpen with Mike Marshall and John Smoltz.

Illinois:

You're going to like playing with the first five guys in the order. After that, you're going to want to start reaching for some subs. The good news is that this is one of the deeper benches in the game, so you do have something to work with here. The starters are OK, but the bullpen is pretty nondescript.

Texas:

I really like this team. Especially if you sub out Templeton for Norm Cash and Guy Mancuso for Cecil Cooper...that's a big block of lefties for the other team to worry about. The starters are great, and a great contrast. But this is probably the weakest bullpen in the game, so use your starters wisely...

New York:

Probably the only team that can give California a run for its money. Sub Hank Greenberg in early and often - he'll pay off for you big time. Another team with great starters and an average bullpen.

Missouri:

About as good as the St. Louis team whose jerseys they share. Who am I kidding, this is the Houston of this ROM...use them only if you want a challenge. Although, oddly enough, this is one of the better bullpens in the game.

Ohio:

When you've got a guy who has won more Cy Youngs than anyone else, and Cy Young himself, you've got a pretty good rotation. And Rollie Fingers can not only get the job done as the closer, he also has the best moustache of all time. And this is a pretty deep line-up. (I know people are going to wonder about Pete Rose being on the bench; if you look at his numbers and measurables, I couldn't justify having him in the line-up ahead of someone else.) I think this is the darkhorse team of the ROM.

Pennsylvania:

A real feast or famine sort of team. I predict that you'll either hit the crap out of the ball with the middle of this line-up, or you'll have nothing but problems with it.  But if you can't hit with Reggie Jackson, that's your problem. The rotation has a couple of old dead guys, and the bullpen is pretty decent.

Puerto Rico:

Probably the best 1-8 line-up in the ROM outside of California. You be getting lots of knocks with this crew. And God knows you'll need it, because the starting rotation is awful - not even as good as most teams in the regular ROM. Why can't Puerto Rico produce a decent starting pitcher?

[fightonusc]

And attached is the text file with the rosters...

[tfoley]

no Florida?


I could put a stud team together just from Tampa...

[Gantry]

Great job!  If I could make some suggestions to Team Illinois:

Edit - Just noticed you used career numbers....

Given that you did a good job but look at Wally Berger for IL


Useless data:

Get Jessie Barfield in there for cliff floyd - .289 40hrs 108rbis
or maybe Wally Berger in his rookie year (.310 38hr 119rbis)

Darren Fletcher in 2000 (.320 20hrs) for Ray Fosse

[Gantry]

FYI - if people want to make a team from their fav state:

http://www.baseballreference.com/bio/

[Gantry]

Would have never guessed it, but team Alabama ain't too shabby!

1B - Willie McCovey
2B - Frank Bolling
SS - Ozzie Smith
3B - Jim Tabor
OF - Willie Mays
OF - Hank Aaron
OF - Billy Williams

B1 - George Foster
B2 - Henie Manush
B3 - Lee May
B4 - Bo Jackson

S1 - Satchel Paige
S2 - Don Sutton or Early Wynn
R1 - Jeff Brantley
R2 - Clay Carroll

5 HOFers in the lineup, 1 HOFer on the bench and two HOF'ers as starting pitchers.  Not a world beater but impressive considering the size...

[Baines]

It's great seeing Portsmouth native Al Oliver get some love!

[fknmclane]

I don't play ROMs but great job usc.  That's pretty damn sweet.

[fightonusc]

Great job!  If I could make some suggestions to Team Illinois:

Edit - Just noticed you used career numbers....

Given that you did a good job but look at Wally Berger for IL


Useless data:

Get Jessie Barfield in there for cliff floyd - .289 40hrs 108rbis
or maybe Wally Berger in his rookie year (.310 38hr 119rbis)

Darren Fletcher in 2000 (.320 20hrs) for Ray Fosse

I looked hard at Wally Berger. It was tough to put Cliff Floyd ahead of him, buit I tried to skew the rosters towards a) RBI players or b) recognizible names, either recent players or well-known older players, when it was close. Based on the feedback from the College ROM I did, I think more people would rather play with someone they know versus someone who is better but played back in the day.

[fightonusc]

I'm looking very hard at subbing in Florida and Alabama (I'm pretty suprised at the talent there). Missouri and Massachusetts seem like the obvious two teams to sub out. Comments?

[Baines]

I really like that Alabama squad.  Hard to go wrong with all that power and a man perm.    

[fightonusc]

The Whitefro is clutch...

[Dryden]

How many comments are you looking for?  There's a bunch of moves that might make more sense - on the NY squad, how about Spahn, Hershiser or Viola instead of Candelaria, for instance?

[fightonusc]

I'm pretty much a whore for comments...

Keeping in the spirit of the original game, I tried to have the relivers be actual relievers and not glorified starters. So, for example, Candelaria isn't the pitcher that Herscheiser, Spahn, Viola, Jim Palmer or others might have been, but he was a reliever, so I'm going with a true reliever for that spot.

[Dryden]

Also, 'bama needs a catcher...  Luke Sewell.

Candelaria started 356 games in his career...  I think you have him mixed up with someone else.

[Dryden]

Best reliever from NY?  Roy Face, not even a contest.

John Franco is probably a good choice, too.

[fightonusc]

I have to admit about being a little bit biased against Franco for some reason - I can't put my finger on why, I've just never liked the guy. But, he probably SHOULD be on their instead of the Candy Man, so I'll probably fix that in the next revision (along with adding the Alabama Slammers and Florida)

[Dryden]

Other NY possibilities:
2B Eddie Collins (arguably the best 2B ever)
2B Lou Whitaker
OF Babe Herman
3B Heinie Groh
3B Joe Torre
C B.J. Surhoff

And of course, Spahn is twice the pitcher that Ford ever was.

I can try to find more for all of the states - should I?

[fightonusc]

Eddie Collins was tough to leave off, but I really wanted to avoid players from pre-Babe Ruth era baseball. The measureables are tough to work through since it was such a different game, that's it's hard to place a number on speed or power.

I went with Lo Duca at catcher ahead of Torre because he's been a catcher his whole career versus playing several different positions (Torre played relatively equal numbers of games at C, 1B and 3B). And Lo Duca had slightly better numbers than Surhoff.

I liked Sweet Lou, but RBI Baseball is a game of numbers, and his weren't in the same ballpark as Biggio.

To me, Edgar Martinez was a lock to get on this team, so I put him where he started his career (3B) since there isn't a DH position for him.

Feel free to come up with more possibilities. If I'd considered them, I'll debate the merit with you of inclusion/exclusion...

[Dryden]

ohio
rp roger mcdowell
rp kent tekulve
of pat tabler
of shannon stewart
c john roseboro
c buck ewing - old, but the best catcher of the 19th century
of ed delahanty  - one of the all-time greatest


penn
sp eddie plank over waddell - plus he's a LHP sidearmer
c/bench lance parrish
bench hank sauer
bench carl furillo