What If?

by sanantonecub on Apr 11, 2008 10:59 AM CDT

Since Al was delayed this morning in posting a recap from last night, I was surfing around other SB Nation blogs and discovered a post on Pinstripe Alley about a website I never knew about before, http://www.whatifsports.com

As "Yankee come lately" says,

I'm a late-comer, as it has been around since 1999. It's a simulation league that allows you to draft a team of players from the 1880's to the 2007 season, and then play against other people's teams. It's a lot of fun and addictive as hell.

They have an exhibition season of ten games that is free and a full 162 game season with more options for $12. I've played about ten exhibition seasons, and they're great.

I decided to play around on the site, and created a fantasy team of mine using players from Al's BCB Top 100 Cubs, and came up with this:

1896 Bill Dahlen      1952 Hank Sauer
1905 Ed Reulbach      1963 Billy Williams
1906 Jack Pfiester    1964 Ron Santo
1907 Frank Chance     1968 Fergie Jenkins
1908 Joe Tinker       1969 Ernie Banks
1909 Mordecai Brown   1976 Rick Monday
1912 Johnny Evers     1984 Ryne Sandberg
1918 Hippo Vaughn     1988 Andre Dawson
1935 Billy Herman     1989 Rick Sutcliffe
1936 Gabby Hartnett   1992 Greg Maddux
1944 Phil Cavarretta  1992 Mark Grace
1945 Andy Pafko       1999 Sammy Sosa
1945 Stan Hack

Payroll: $189,118,149
---Position $105,832,055
---Pitchers $83,286,094

Batting Totals:
AVG .303 / HR 312 / RBI 1532 / FIELD B+ / RANGE A- /

Pitching Totals
W-L 143-78 / SV 8 / ERA 2.01 / WHIP .99 / K 1237 / BB 469

Trying out a simulation game, the BCB Cubs defeated the 1907 Cubs 5-3 at Wrigley Field. Go BCB!

1907 Scoring Plays:
2- G.Hartnett is charged with a passed ball and all runners advance. J.Kling scores.
9- H.Sauer botches a routine flyball and J.Evers reaches on the error. J.Tinker scores.   
9- J.Sheckard hits into a 4-6 fielder's choice. J.Slagle scores.

BCB Scoring Plays:
6- H.Sauer grounds a single to CF. B.Dahlen scores. 
7- B.Dahlen hits into a 6-4 fielder's choice. R.Sandberg scores.   
7- P.Cavarretta smokes a line drive single to LF. G.Hartnett scores.  
8- R.Sandberg hits a flyball double to LF. R.Santo scores.   
8- G.Hartnett hits a groundball single to RCF. R.Sandberg scores.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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very cool site

FWIW the 85 Bears beat the 07 Pats in every scenario I ran. :)

---AC 00 00 00 - Believe

by mjk83 on Apr 11, 2008 11:29 AM CDT reply actions

I can see why this is addictive.

Those scoring lines are fun to just read!

by jcg996 on Apr 11, 2008 11:30 AM CDT reply actions

I used to play a game like this...

... via Stats Inc. called "Diamond Legends". It was fun, but has since folded. I considered joining What-If, maybe I will.

I always had teams that were composed of players who later became broadcasters, thought that was an interesting theme. My teams generally had winning records. (I usually picked pitchers' parks as home parks because there weren't that many great hitters who became broadcasters.)

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Apr 11, 2008 11:41 AM CDT reply actions

I've heard the game mentioned from time to time

and I saw a mouse pad for it the other day but I never thought to ask what it is. I may have to ask some of the older guys around here why we stopped doing that.

---AC 00 00 00 - Believe

by mjk83 on Apr 11, 2008 12:16 PM CDT up reply actions

You work for STATS?

I think I know why they stopped. Dan Ford, who ran the game, left.

If there's another reason, let me know.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Apr 11, 2008 12:21 PM CDT up reply actions

I do.

I've been here about 6 months now. Very cool company. I'll be sure to let you know if I find anything out. I'd be willing to bet that's what it is though.

Incidentally, if you have ever read Fantasyland, I can tell you that the guy in toutwars from our office (Dean Peterson) is a really nice guy. He's a real fun guy to talk baseball with even though his focus is really the American League.

---AC 00 00 00 - Believe

by mjk83 on Apr 11, 2008 1:14 PM CDT up reply actions

1969

These games are almost too addictive...I've been trying avoid since my one and only World Series Championship. I "managed" the 1969 Cubs to the Series title that should have been thiers. They beat the 1971 Orioles in a five game Series.

by NashvilleBlue on Apr 11, 2008 4:26 PM CDT reply actions

I think you dropped the ball!

You should have picked up 1930 Hack Wilson, the best offensive season in history! .356 batting avg. 56 home runs and a still record 191 RBI's...he would have been my first choice

"We Are Not Fair Weather But Foul Weather Fans, Brothers In Arms In Streets and The Stands." -Eddie Vedder, Someday We'll Go All The Way

by ryanbrixenivy on Apr 11, 2008 4:28 PM CDT reply actions