Tag Archives: MLB The Show

MLB The Show Rebuilding Challenge Part 3

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I have started a franchise in MLB The Show and decided to undertake a rebuild and complete transformation of an organization from top to bottom.

This is Part 3 of rebuilding a franchise in MLB The Show from top to bottom. Part 1 can be found here and Part 2 can be found here.

Step 7: Rebrand

Yes, a rebrand. I determined a rebrand was absolutely necessary. In addition to it being necessary, the pettiness I possess made it that much easier to do. I decided to relocate the team from Miami to Montreal and rename them as the Expos. The Montreal Expos are back at the expense of the Miami Marlins no longer being a thing.

Why Montreal?

This is easy. Former Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria once owned the Expos and was a key factor in the downfall and eventual relocation of the franchise to Washington. I have so much disdain for Jeffrey Loria that I decided that moving the team he constantly mismanaged and fell ass backwards into a World Series Championship with was deserving of a rebrand and relocation. While I do not have a problem with the Washington Nationals franchise as it currently stands, I cannot stand what Loria did to the people of Montreal. This is sort of a payback, a middle finger if you will to Loria who I consider to be the lowest of the low when it comes to owners in sports. Loria belongs in the same category as that rat Art Modell as far as I’m concerned.

Step 8: New uniforms and home ballpark

There were many choices in regards to which uniform set to use for the new Montreal Expos. I decided to go with the 2000-2004 set which was their final uniforms they wore.

A continuation of the franchise in regards to their uniform, at least for the time being. There could be a time when a throwback look could be used instead.

The stadium presented a different challenge. I had to decide on which stadium to use that was already existing in the game. Olympic Stadium in Montreal does not exist so I had two options. A fictional minor league stadium or a classic stadium. I decided to go down the classic stadium route because some of them are so absolutely ridiculous when it comes to dimensions. I choice the stadium with the most ridiculous dimensions possible. The Polo Grounds.

Extremely short down both foul lines, around 450 feet to the right and left center gaps, and 483 feet to the deepest part of center field. This is a stadium that is going to produce a lot of cheap line drive home runs, a ton of triples and inside-the-park home runs. The pure ridiculousness of the stadium is perfect for a scenario in which the Miami Marlins are now the Montreal Expos.

MLB The Show rebuilding challenge: Part 2

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I have started a franchise in MLB The Show and decided to undertake a rebuild and complete transformation of an organization from top to bottom.

This is Part 2 of rebuilding a franchise in MLB The Show from top to bottom.

Step 5: Tearing it down

After simulating a few months and finding the Marlins predictably in last place it was time to tear it down. I started searching for trades for some players and having trades offered to me as the trade deadline approached. I managed to trade away the following players to acquire more prospects and a few MLB players. Yaisel Puig, Scooter Gennett, Arodys Vizcaino, Drew Steckenrider, Caleb Smith, Brandon Kintzler, Corey Dickerson, Jonathan Villar, Garrett Cooper, Francisco Cervelli, Chad Wallach, Jesus Aguilar, Garrett Cooper, Miguel Rojas, Jon Berti, Matt Kemp, Matt Joyce and Lewis Brinson.

After these trades were executed my roster was looking very different. The MLB roster had some players who were already established, some with promise, but there were some pure developmental projects as well. There were very few actual Marlins players left. Sandy Alcantara, Pablo Lopez, Jose Urena, Jordan Yamamoto, Ryne Stanek, Yimi Garcia, and Stephen Tarpley were my pitchers. Jorge Alfaro, Brian Anderson, Isan Diaz, Harold Ramirez and Magneurus Sierra were my position players. Everyone else was new to the team.

The acquisitions

There were plenty. My MLB roster now had a new look that comprised of a lot of players who were acquired via trade. J.D. Davis, Ranger Suarez, Francisco Mejia, Jorge Mateo, Hunter Greene, and Jonathan India highlight those on the MLB roster. Anthony Kay, Bobby Bradley, Austin Shenton, Yu Chang, and Yoan Aybar are some prospects who are close to making an impact at the MLB level. Alexfri Planez, Mariel Bautista, Michael Gigliotti, Logan O’Hoppe, Antoni Flores, Edgar Arredondo, Nick Decker, and Jake Holmes round of the rest of the acquisitions.

Step 6: Free agency

This is where things get interesting. Entering free agency where there are players who can help elevate the roster immediately. With the quality of talent I currently had and the financial flexibility due to the teardown of the roster there was an opportunity to sign at least one high profile free agent. Looking at the roster there two clear needs that were present. Outfielder and closer. Luckily there were two premier players at those positions. Mookie Betts and Ken Giles.

I immediately signed Betts to a 10-year $330 million deal. Betts is one of the best players in the game and will make an instant impact on the team. Signing Betts will also allow some flexibility when evaluating prospects to use in future trades. Outfield prospects do not need to progress as quickly and can be used to acquire an upgrade or two elsewhere.

Ken Giles was signed to five-year $34.8 million deal. Giles was far and away the best closer available and being only 30 at the time of the signing this should not be a deal that ages poorly, at least not immediately.

Betts and Giles were the only two free agents I signed and that led to the next step in my process. A step that is pretty controversial. A rebrand.

MLB The Show rebuilding challenge: Part 1

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I have started a franchise in MLB The Show and decided to undertake a rebuild and complete transformation of an organization from top to bottom.

Due to no actual baseball being played it felt weird playing a standard franchise in MLB The Show with my usual team, the Cleveland Indians. I decided to undertake a new challenge. To identify and select a team to rebuild from top to bottom.

Step 1: Criteria used when selecting a team.

I wanted to find a team that was lackluster at the MLB level, but has a good group of prospects that will be helpful down the line. (It is worth noting that I am using a roster that was uploaded by a user who created the full minor league system allowing for this to be more accurate than the generic minor leaguers in the game). Considering that the minor league rosters are accurate, I used the MLB farm system rankings to pick my team. After scrolling past the first three teams, I quickly found the team to turnaround. The Miami Marlins. Going to admit that there is some pettiness here. The pettiness factor will have a thorough explanation later.

Step 2: Sorting through the roster

Looking at the roster of the Miami Marlins there are some pieces that are clear trade candidates and others who point towards foundational pieces. After that it was time to cut bait with some players that have no future with the team. Anyone with a potential of “D” was released. This created room to make some short term signings. Next to go were players with potentials of “C” over the age of 30 with a rating of 70 or below. Those above 70 can be part of later trades.

Step 3: Finding good prospects in free agency

Sorting through the available free agents I found that there were some players available that would make great additions to an already robust farm system. Signing multiple players with a “B” potential who were 22 years old or younger was an easy way to add talent. It also provided some potential trade chips for a later date. A time when the team may be in a spot where playoffs are attainable.

Step 4: Short term signings

In an effort to acquire more assets I went to the free agent pool and signed some players for the sole purpose of flipping them for more prospects. Free agents were signed to deals for only one or two years making it easier to move them. Players such as Yaisel Puig, Scooter Gennett and Arodys Vizcaino were available in free agency. Signing Puig, Gennett, and Vizcaino provides a way to acquire younger and less expensive talent when the tear down eventually comes. Contending teams would value their ability and will pay quite a bit for them. It’s all about acquiring pieces to move and moving them at the right time.