NL West Questions and Answers

	Offense				Defense				Pitching
Category	Stat	Rank		Category	Stat	Rank		Category	Stat	Rank
Avg.	.265	16th		Fielding %	.983	21st		ERA	5.09	29th
Home Runs	272	3rd		Double Plays	320	27th		Strike Outs	1095	15th
Runs	794	17th		+ Plays	37	30th		OAV	.284	29th
Steals	61	30th		- Plays	51	29th		Saves	44	14th

You've finished 4th in all 5 seasons with Arizona State, when are you expecting them to jump into the division race?

1. The NL West has been one of the toughest divisions so far. Being dealt a weak hand when the world was created, I embarked on a rebuild. Its taken me longer than I wanted to find pitching; but I've got some coming up soon. I expect to be decent this year and contend next; though a lot of that will depend upon the aforementioned strength of the division. If everyone else is winning 90 games, it will be tough.

You've been a major player in the International market in NCAA II, signing 3 players to $30M+ contracts. Do you typically rely on Internationals or is it just this world?

2. I've never gone after internationals to this extent. In other worlds I've landed the occasional good INT, but my budget has allowed me to go after them several years in a row. Looking forward to some of those guys coming up and making an impact soon.

12 World Series Titles to your name but no playoffs for Arizona State in 5 seasons. Is this a struggle for you given your history of sucess or is it more enjoyable trying to build them to a contender?

3. Yes, I hate the losing, and this would be the longest I've struggled with any team. Its nice to know that I'll have some good guys coming up soon, but I feel like that should have happened already. Sometimes things don't go as planned, and this has taken longer than i would like. Its funny, but the most enjoyable part of fielding a sucky team is giving opportunities to guys you normally wouldn't. For example, my 3B Chase Quirarte is the kind of guy I wouldn't have considered on a contending team. But given the opportunity he's hit 100 homers over his first two seasons and is a personal favorite of mine now. So that part is cool, but not nearly enough to overcome the dissatisfaction associated with losing.

	Offense				Defense				Pitching
Category	Stat	Rank		Category	Stat	Rank		Category	Stat	Rank
Avg.	.250	30th		Fielding %	.990	1st		ERA	3.78	1st
Home Runs	213	10th		Double Plays	329	26th		Strike Outs	1091	16th
Runs	730	24th		+ Plays	95	3rd		OAV	.240	1st
Steals	180	4th		- Plays	22	6th		Saves	50	7th

The Bruins are 476-334 with you running the team and have made the playoffs 3 out of the last 5 seasons. What do you contribute the success too?

We’ve actually been to the playoffs all 5 season; 3 as a wild card and 2 as division champs. We were fortunate enough to start with a great franchise. We weren’t as stacked as some of the others, but we were solid from top to bottom. I’d like to think that my GM skills played a role in it though. We signed some a big FA like Luis Hernandez (.267 92 2Bs, 72 HRs, 225 RBIs, 99 SBs over 3 seasons while being a 2-time AS, a SS and GG 3B) and narrowly missed out of Sandy DePaula (still smarting over that one meece). We traded for Benito Wilfredo (.256, 36 2Bs, 58 HRs, 161 RBIs, 47 SBs over 1.5 seasons), Alton Rosen (27 Ws in roughly 2 seasons) & Joshua Hall (27 Ws in 1.5 seasons).

You're tied for the highest payroll budgeted this season, are we expecting the Bruins to be a major player in FA?

Abso-freaking-lutely.

You play in one of the toughest divisions in NCAA II over the last 5 seasons. Does that make it more enjoyable to have the division come down to the final week? Do you find yourself more concentrated with this team than others being in that division?

I have always felt that the NL West is the toughest division in all of baseball in the regular season, but we have failed to win anything big as a group. I’ve made it to the LCS twice, with nothing to show for it. It seems like it always comes down to the end. It’s fun to be in a late season race. I do find myself paying more attention to this team than my others. It definitely makes it more enjoyable, but winning makes it even sweeter.

	Offense				Defense				Pitching
Category	Stat	Rank		Category	Stat	Rank		Category	Stat	Rank
Avg.	.283	2nd		Fielding %	.988	2nd		ERA	4.84	27th
Home Runs	200	13th		Double Plays	376	15th		Strike Outs	1119	7th
Runs	833	10th		+ Plays	115	1st		OAV	.270	20th
Steals	160	8th		- Plays	16	1st		Saves	35	26th

You play in one of the toughest divisions in NCAA II over the last 5 seasons. Does that make it more enjoyable to have the division come down to the final week? Do you find yourself more concentrated with this team than others being in that division?

The NL West is definately the toughest division I have ever played in. I like it because it is always fun to test yourself against good competition. I probably spend about equal time on both my teams. I do favor my Colorado team though, because I live in Colorado and I enjoy the challenge of playing at Coors.

You're in two active worlds right now, NCAA and NCAA II. What's the draw for you to these NCAA themes?

I really like the uniformity and consistency of theme worlds. I like the real team names and the fact that you don''t get a history with 10 different teams/cities in 20 seasons. It brings a little more reality to the game.


This season you've got the lowest coach budget, tied for the 3rd highest payroll budget, and still have some draft scouting. Is it just the way the team is set up here or do you typically rely more on payroll and less on coaching?

I always run a high payroll. I have'nt had a lot of success trying to draft and develop talent, so I go hard into free agency most seasons to try to stay competitive. Since I don't normally have much talent in the minors, I only spend the minimums for minor league coaches. The only coach I will spend a lot on is the Fielding Coach.

	Offense				Defense				Pitching
Category	Stat	Rank		Category	Stat	Rank		Category	Stat	Rank
Avg.	.258	21st		Fielding %	.987	4th		ERA	3.94	4th
Home Runs	290	1st		Double Plays	338	23rd		Strike Outs	1120	6th
Runs	812	14th		+ Plays	53	21st		OAV	.252	7th
Steals	72	28th		- Plays	23	7th		Saves	49	8th

You play in one of the toughest divisions in NCAA II over the last 5 seasons. Does that make it more enjoyable to have the division come down to the final week? Do you find yourself more concentrated with this team than others being in that division?

Not more enjoyable, no. Would rather win it by 20 games and be able to rest my guys.  Not really, I try to focus about the same on all my teams. Which is not too much due to work and home life (although my wife would disagree).

You took home your 2nd straight NL West title last season, what do you think has allowed your team to win 2 in a row in that tough division?

Regular season luck, and a good inherited roster, particularly with starting pitching. Jack Glass stands out. And I am a good manager over 162 games. In a short series, not so much. I over analyze in a short series. 

You're in 7 different active worlds, what puts NCAA II apart from those other worlds?

One word: hop. I'm in two hop worlds, and he keeps the worlds rolling, he's the best. No worries in his worlds.   

You have 17 World Series Titles and made the playoffs in 113 out of 135 seasons so you have had some great success. What's a few tips that you could share with some of the younger owners out there?

Everyone is different, but I am just patient, almost stubbornly patient. Make sure you understand the game, read up on it, there's so much to digest. And keep tweaking, doesn't have to be trades.