R.N.: Boston Red Sox Dynasty

[KC Royals Nation]

OK, OK.....I know there aren't many Red Sox fans around these parts, but I was considering starting a Boston Red Sox dynasty and including the RN world on it. This would be similar to plotty's famous K.C. Royals Dynasty.

Unlike plotty's dynasty, which was simulated through '06 and unofficially begun in '07, this dynasty would take place in 2005! I probably wouldn't sticky this atop the MLB forum, but it would be a constantly updated forum.

It would be played on none other than the greatest video game ever made.....MVP Baseball 2005. (Played on my PS2).



Let me know if you have any resentment toward this idea. There's obvious Yankee and Red Sox ill will around these parts, and throughout all of the Royals blogosphere.

Updated in the thread will be:
- Trades, roster moves, injuries, news stories...
- Updates throughout MLB (and MiLB).
- Top 20 prospect lists, complete with in-season updates (roster moves, great game performances)
- Basically anything that's newsworthy or makes sense to report upon.
- Each individual box score will not be given. I will note fine pitching and hitting performances as I see them. I want this dynasty to move quickly. In fact, I would like to complete an entire 15-20 seasons in the next few months.
- Note that sometimes I'm strapped on time, so updates may be periodic and not necessarily...consistent.

So, any thoughts? It's a risky move; in Ricky Martin terms, it could flop like "She Bangs" or score overwhelmingly like "Livin' La Vida Loca". (I'll slap myself for referencing Enrique). Remember that this is a fake dynasty. The Red Sox team you currently loathe will become my team - a team the Royals Nation is only certain to admire!

[KC Royals Nation]

I'll take silence as an incentive to begin my dynasty. I'm probably going to update this thread for months on end, so bear with me, here.

While guiding the Red Sox to multiple World Championships in my tenure, I'll be rooting for the computer sim (automatically better than Allard Baird) and the Royals along the way. Although their squad will most certainly struggle this year, I'm looking forward to competing with the Royals in the playoffs sometime soon! So, best of luck, K.C.

Now let me unravel some 2005 doings for this Red Sox squad. (Keep in mind that I'm borrowing some ideas from plotty's Royals dynasty).

The media used: MVP Baseball 2005.

How I will play games: I have practically mastered this game to the point where I get consecutive doubles on MVP mode, so I'm managing, not playing. Some games will be simmed, some will be managed, and some will be quick-managed. Hey, I'm not overloaded with time, no matter how much it seems like it with my devotion to RN. And either way, I'm getting my fix. The difficulty will be "MVP", the most difficult mode possible.

Reports will come weekly. I will provide a breakdown of who performed within the last week, who didn't perform, what is happening down on the farm, trade rumors, and basically anything else I feel is worth reporting.

I'm not going to devote time to forming a spreadsheet, so try to read what you can into these statistics. I'll make it as simple as possible (labeling each stat) so you won't have to count them from left to right just to find a player's OBP.

By the way, the other members of the "front office" are YOU. The R.N. leader. If you have any questions, scouting reports, or anything.....you are the man. I will go by your advice as well as my own intuition.

[KC Royals Nation]

Ballpark: Fenway Paaaahhhk (33,871 capacity) - Boston, MA

Front Office: This is where I name positions. If this is your position, you can help me in this regard. Or something like that.

General Manager: Royals Nation
Team President/CEO: skillset
Senior Assistant to G.M.: agordon4
Senior Vice-President: mtroyals
Senior Vice-President - Baseball Operations: gilgameche
Senior Vice-President - Business Operations: RoR1fan
Director - Player Development: JoseGuillenFan!
Director - Baseball Operations: mdinaz
Director - Public Relations: dejesus9
Director - Baseball Administration: sahurst
Team Physician: sfcchase
Senior Director - Scouting: plotty
Senior Adviser to General Manager: undyingroyalty
Designated Brandon Duckworth fan: predator ( )
(I'll name more as we go).

Red Sox Hall of Fame
Owner: John Henry, Tom Werner, Larry Lucchino
General Manager: Jack Dempsey
Manager: Terry Francona
First Base Coach: Lynn Jones
Third Base Coach: Dale Sveum
Bench Coach: Brad Mills
Pitching Coach: Dave Wallace
Hitting Coach: Ron Jackson
Bullpen Coach: Bill Haselman
Bullpen Catcher: Jason LaRocque
Head Trainer: Jim Rowe

Radio: Joe Castiglione (play-by-play), Joe Trupiano (color analyst), Dave O'Brien (color analyst), Dave Arnold (color analyst), Jon Rish (executive producer)
TV: Don Orsillo (play-by-play), Jerry Remy (color analyst)
Public address: Carl Beane

Rival Teams: New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, Anaheim Angels
Retired Numbers: 1, 4, 8, 9, 27, 42

[KC Royals Nation]

MLB Organizational Rank: 1/30
Hitting: 1
Pitching: 2
Defense: 11
Speed: 26

AAA Organizational Rank: 1/30 (Hitting: 3, Pitching: 3, Defense: 13, Speed: 30)
AA Organizational Rank: 1/30 (Hitting: 2, Pitching: 2, Defense: 13, Speed: 6)
A Organizational Rank: 28/30 (Hitting: 20, Pitching: 29, Defense: 2, Speed: 13)

Goals:
3 Year Contract Goals:
Win 2 MVP Award(s)
Sweep a Rival 5 Times
Hit 690 HRs with MLB Team

1 Year Stretch Goals:
Lead AAA in SV's (Indiv.)
Hit .280 with AA Team
MLB Team ERA under 3.50
Lead MLB in SB's (Indiv.)
3 MLB Pitchers with 15 Wins

Budget: $172M
Payroll: $152M
MLB Payroll: $118M
Bank: $19.5M

This year's motto is "Git-R-Done". We feel we have a bunch of dirtbags looking to just....git-r-done. Why not capitalize on all the Larry The Cable Guy craze? Git-R-Done, baby! And beat the Yankees!

[KC Royals Nation]

Alright, time to introduce the Minor League teams and prospects. The good news is that the familiar Wilmington Blue Rocks return to the Red Sox thread, as they are now our Single-A affiliate. Check it:

Pawtucket Red Sox (AAA) - Pawtucket, RI
Portland Sea Dogs (AA) - Portland, ME
Wilmington Blue Rocks (A) - Wilmington, DE

The good news is that Boston fans can drive no longer than 1 1/2 hours north or south to catch their boys in AAA or AA. Wilmington, DE is a longer drive, but that team is likely to struggle this year, as last year's draft didn't produce particularly well.

However, the top of the Minor League system is, quite simply, loaded. The Red Sox definitely boast one of the top 5 or 10 systems in baseball, as four pretty legitimate five-star prospects and five four-star prospects are likely to make their big-league debuts sooner rather than later.

Let's look at our system:

Top 20 prospects:

1. Hanley Ramirez (AA - SS, 2B) A
2. Kevin Cameron (AAA - C) B+
3. Arthur Cota (AAA - SS, 2B) B+
4. Lee Jones (AA - SP, RP) B+
5. Brandon Moss (AA - RF, LF) B+
6. Orlando Smith (AA - RP) B
7. Takashi Osada (AA - SP, RP) B
8. Carl Hernandez (AA - C, 1B) B
9. Simon Unger (AA - 2B, SS) B
10. Cliff Brown (AAA - SP, RP) B-
11. Abe Alvarez (AAA - RP, SP) B-
12. Matt Soriano (AA - RF, LF, CF) C+
13. Matt Borrell (A - RP) C+
14. Corey Henderson (AA - 2B, SS) C+
15. David Benard (AA - 3B) C+
16. Pete Benson (AA - 1B) C+
17. Don Uribe (A - SS) C+
18. Darren Hinch (A - 2B) C
19. F.P. DeJean (AA - C) C
20. Kartik Saranathan (AA - RP) C

Five-Star: Kevin Cameron, Arthur Cota, Hanley Ramirez, Lee Jones
Four-Star: Simon Unger, Orlando Smith, Takashi Osada, Carl Hernandez, Brandon Moss
Three-Star: Cliff Brown, Abe Alvarez, Mark Malaska, Matt Soriano, Corey Henderson, Pete Benson, David Benard, F.P. DeJean, Don Uribe, Darren Hinch, Matt Borrell

Best Hitter for Average: Hanley Ramirez
Best Power Hitter: Hanley Ramirez
Best Strike-Zone Discipline: Kevin Cameron
Fastest Baserunner: Darren Hinch
Best Athlete: Arthur Cota
Best Fastball: Lee Jones
Best Curveball: Anastacio Martinez
Best Slider: Kartik Saranathan
Best Changeup: Abe Alvarez
Best Control: Matt Borrell
Best Defensive Catcher: Kevin Cameron
Best Defensive Infielder: Darren Hinch
Best Infield Arm: Hanley Ramirez
Best Defensive Outfielder: Dan Bell
Best Outfield Arm: Matt Soriano

[ror1fan]

Fun I've got a D-Rays dynasty already in 2009 on MVP 2005. Carl Crawford just hit 43 HR and Beltre 49.

[KC Royals Nation]

To make this a more difficult task, I'm going to include 40-man rosters, option years, and injury rehab assignments in my game.

40-man roster:
*Starting in AAA Pawtucket

Catchers: Kevin Cameron*, Doug Mirabelli, Jason Varitek
Infielders: Mark Bellhorn, Arthur Cora*, Ricky Gutierrez*, David McCarty*, Doug Mientkiewicz, Kevin Millar, Bill Mueller, David Ortiz, Simon Pond*, Edgar Renteria, Ramon Vazquez, Kevin Youkilis*
Outfielders: Ellis Burks*, Johnny Damon, Adam Hyzdu*, Billy McMillon*, Trot Nixon, Jay Payton, Manny Ramirez

Starting Pitchers: Edwin Almonte*, Matt Clement, Reynaldo Garcia*, Byung-Hyun Kim, Wade Miller, Curt Schilling, Tim Wakefield, David Wells
Relief Pitchers: Abe Alvarez*, Bronson Arroyo, Lenny DiNardo, Alan Embree, Keith Foulke, John Halama, Jason Kershner*, Mark Malaska*, Matt Mantei, Anastacio Martinez*, Mike Timlin, Scott Williamson

[plotty]

MVP 2005 was probably the best "in-depth" dynasty game baseball had going for the last gen systems. Good looking start - and I get to control recruiting? Better call BAL.....er, wait, I'll just get on the horn with the Dominican Republic.

[KC Royals Nation]

Great, I'll defer to plotty for next year's draft class. Here are a few sporadic notes to share:

As a G.M., here are my emphases for our 2005 roster and beyond.

- On-base percentage. I'm a big believer that plate discipline and on-base percentage is the most vital mainstream statistic in determining which players will contribute to a winning club, and whether our ballclub will become a winner.

- I'll use other advanced statistics such as VORP and WARP-3, but will defer to (almost) all statistics when gauging my ballclub's worth.

- For pitchers and pitching prospects: I'm a believer in pitching with what works. If, by age 25 or 26, a particular pitch isn't working, I'm going to cut it out of that pitcher's repertoire. Since Fenway Park is such a small park, dominant seasons might be few and far between for our pitchers, especially if our defense isn't among the top 5 or 10 or so in baseball.

- Defense: FRAR, FRAA, zone rating, range factor, all the goodies. Although I believe good defense is important, I feel that with our ballclub it is more important to emphasize sure-handedness and instincts first, and range or speed second. Playing the ball off the green monster is critical, but Manny Ramirez's mistakes are probably hindered more by playing at Fenway Park than anything. I would not at all be opposed to moving Big Papi to first should the situation manifest itself. The infield grass is high, so we need infielders with good range and strong arms.

Draft philosophy: Take the best talent available, regardless of position. Also, contrary to typical High School vs. College selections, I believe the younger the player, the more upside they typically have, and the better they will become. Don't take players with glaring weaknesses.

I believe in taking the "Dayton Moore" approach - praising your own players publicly as a courteous gesture and to (theoretically) build trade value.

One of my goals for the Red Sox is for us to become a model organization - one that not only will invest heavily, but will make smart personnel decisions. Certain contracts may or may not be renewed simply because the player performed well the year before. A three-year trend, age, and the money involved have to play a role.

That said, in 2005, we are in full contending mode. We expect to not only win the American League East but advance deep into the playoffs, overcome the dreaded Yankees, and win the World Series for a second year in a row. Every season, our goal will be to win the World Series.

IT'S BEANTOWN BABY!

[KC Royals Nation]

These names won't ring a bell for anyone (these are mostly fictional players, for the record), but I needed some place to document them. Here are the Minor League rosters to begin the season:

Wilmington Blue Rocks:
Catchers: Felix Hermansen, Hector Hernandez
Infielders: Matt Charlton, Travis Jackson, Darren Hinch, Darren Kotsay, Don Uribe, Darin Matthews, Bill Rosario
Outfielders: Juan Morales, Mario Romero, Dan Bell, Robin Riggs
Starting Pitchers: Joe Booker, Gary Borowski, Steve Hammond, Scott Silva, Marc Macias
Relief Pitchers: Casey Venema, Tony Anderson, Osvaldo Karsay, Matt Borrell, Carlos Riguiero, Willy Cintron, Chet Hunter

Portland Sea Dogs:
Catchers: Carl Hernandez, F.P. DeJean
Infielders: Pete Benson, Darnell Burnside, Simon Unger, Corey Henderson, David Benard, Hanley Ramirez, Domingo Serrano
Outfielders: Victor Chow, Chad Nady, Matt Soriano, Brandon Moss
Starting Pitchers: Lee Jones, Ramon Perez, Takashi Osada, Juan Cordova, Kartik Saranathan
Relief Pitchers: Douglas Wilson, Bobby Jones, Orlando Smith, Chance Lowe, John Cassidy, Todd Bernero, Gus Davis

Pawtucket Red Sox:
Catchers: Kevin Cameron, Sandy Martinez, Morgan Wilson
Infielders: Brian Daubach, Ricky Gutierrez, Alex Cora, Simon Pond, Tim Hummel, Kevin Youkilis
Outfielders: Billy McMillon, David McCarty, Adam Hyzdu, Ellis Burks
Starting Pitchers: Byung-Hyun Kim, Jamie Brown, Reynaldo Garcia, Jason Shiell, Edwin Almonte
Relief Pitchers: Abe Alvarez, Cliff Brown, Mark Malaska, Anastacio Martinez, Phil Seibel, Jason Kershner, Lenny DiNardo

Boston Red Sox:
Catchers: Doug Mirabelli, Jason Varitek
Infielders: David Ortiz, Kevin Millar, Doug Mientkiewicz, Mark Bellhorn, Edgar Renteria, Ramon Vazquez, Bill Mueller
Outfielders: Manny Ramirez, Johnny Damon, Jay Payton, Trot Nixon
Starting Pitching Rotation: 1. Curt Schilling, 2. David Wells, 3. Matt Clement, 4. Tim Wakefield, 5. Wade Miller
Relief Pitchers: John Halama, Bronson Arroyo, Scott Williamson, Alan Embree, Matt Mantei, Mike Timlin, Keith Foulke

MLB Salaries: (All years not listed are 1 year)

Manny Ramirez $20,000,000, 4 years
Curt Schilling $10,700,000
Jason Varitek $10,000,000, 4 years
Edgar Renteria $10,000,000, 4 years
Matt Clement $8,500,000, 3 years
Keith Foulke $8,500,000, 3 years
Johnny Damon $7,800,000
Trot Nixon $6,600,000, 2 years
Byung-Hyun Kim $5,000,000
David Ortiz $4,700,000
Tim Wakefield $4,300,000
David Wells $4,000,000, 2 years
Ricky Gutierrez $3,800,000
Doug Mientkiewicz $3,500,000
Kevin Millar $3,300,000
Scott Williamson $3,200,000
Alan Embree $3,000,000
Jay Payton $2,800,000
Mike Timlin $2,800,000
Bill Mueller $2,300,000
Wade Miller $1,500,000
Doug Mirabelli $1,500,000
John Halama $1,000,000
Matt Mantei $800,000
Ramon Vazquez $700,000
Bronson Arroyo $300,000
Kevin Youkilis $300,000
Mark Bellhorn $300,000

[KC Royals Nation]

OPENING NIGHT:

(In 1950's-era voice....)

The Boston Red Sox travel to the Axis of Evil itself, Bronx, New York, where they will face high-profile offseason pitching acquisition Randy Johnson and the New York Yankees on Sunday, April 3 at 7:05 P.M. The Yankees' home opener sold out on the first night tickets were available. 57,565 crazed Yankees (and a few Red Sox) fans will undoubtedly crowd the Stadium in a historic night of grand old baseball.

Two former Arizona Diamondbacks who dominated on the mound en route to the World Series will face each other in arguably the most hyped pitching matchup in recent time. On the left, the loud-mouthed bloody socked legend Curt Schilling, while on the right, the lanky ostrich, Randy Johnson, throws heat and sliders to the Red Sox bunch.



vs.



Remember the "steal" (Dave Roberts) that helped the Sox overcome the Empire in their 3-0 deficit in last year's ALCS? The Yanks seek retribution in what was a crushing blow last year.

The game will be telecast on ESPN. It's a classic showdown between archenemies. Get ready, folks. Let the Yankee/Red Sox rivalry ensue!

[KC Royals Nation]

Red Sox Extend David Ortiz



The Boston Red Sox have signed designated hitter/first baseman David Ortiz to a two-year extension, worth a total of $9 million. Ortiz will earn $4.5 million the next two seasons.

General Manager Jack Dempsey was ecstatic. "We're enthralled with this move. Ortiz will provide MVP-caliber production from the middle of the lineup for years to come. He will be a centerpiece of the dynasty we will create."

Confident but creative, Dempsey then proceeded to rub Ortiz' belly as a wish of bright days ahead.

---------

ALSO:

Red Sox Announce Opening Day Lineup.

1. Johnny Damon (CF)
2. Edgar Renteria (SS)
3. Manny Ramirez (LF)
4. David Ortiz (DH)
5. Jason Varitek (C)
6. Kevin Millar (1B)
7. Jay Payton (RF)
8. Mark Bellhorn (2B)
9. Bill Mueller (3B)
-- Curt Schilling (SP)

And the Yankees have announced theirs:

1. Derek Jeter (SS)
2. Bernie Williams (CF)
3. Alex Rodriguez (3B)
4. Gary Sheffield (RF)
5. Hideki Matsui (LF)
6. Jorge Posada (C)
7. Tino Martinez (1B)
8. Jason Giambi (DH)
9. Tony Womack (2B)
-- Randy Johnson (SP)

[KC Royals Nation]

BoSox outslug Yankees in homerfest
Red Sox win wild affair in Windy night in the Bronx

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
BOS 0 4 0 1 1 0 1 0 3 10 11 0
NYY 0 0 0 0 3 1 1 1 1 7 12 1

Lineup:
CF - Damon 1-for-5, 3 RBI, R, BB
SS - Renteria 1-for-2, BB
SS - Vazquez 0-for-1, BB
LF - Ramirez 1-for-4, HR, RBI, R, BB, K
DH - Ortiz 2-for-5, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R
PR-DH - Mientkiewicz -------
C - Varitek 1-for-4, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB
1B - Millar 1-for-5, R
RF - Payton 1-for-1, 2 R, 2 BB
PH-RF - Nixon 0-for-1, BB, K
2B - Bellhorn 2-for-5, RBI, 2 K
3B - Mueller 1-for-5, R, 2 K
Totals: 38 AB, 9 R, 11 H, 9 RBI, 8 BB, 6 K

Batting:
HR: Damon, Ramirez, Ortiz (2), Varitek

Baserunning:
SB: Payton

Pitching:
Curt Schilling (W, 1-0) 7.0 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, 3 HR
Mike Timlin 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 1 HR
Alan Embree 0.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Keith Foulke (S, 1) 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

Player of the Game: David Ortiz (2-for-5, 2 HR, 2 RBI)

[KC Royals Nation]

Bad news strikes from Sunday's victory....

Edgar Renteria has torn his left shoulder muscle and will miss the entire 2005 season. He did so after sliding into second base in a Yankees' 5-4-3 double play. Kevin Youkilis has been called up in Renteria's absence and will see playing time against left-handers, at third base and first base. A crushing blow to our first squad.

In addition, infielder Eddie De La Rosa was signed to a 1-year Minor League contract and placed on the Pawtucket Red Sox roster.

[KC Royals Nation]

Game Two: Yankees 5, Red Sox 2

The Red Sox scored early, but couldn't fend off the Yankees, as they kept tallying runs off of starter David Wells, who went 6 innings, allowing 5 runs overall.

On the offensive angle, Jason Varitek hit a solo home run, while David Ortiz hit another RBI single. Unfortunately, the defense was terrible, as Mark Bellhorn committed two errors at second and David Wells made a throwing error in the first inning.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
BOS 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 6 3
NYY 2 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 X 5 5 0

David Wells: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 3 HR, 7.50 ERA
Bronson Arroyo: 2.0 IP, 1 BB, 2 K

2B: Damon, Varitek
HR: Varitek
RBI: Ortiz, Varitek
Errors: Bellhorn (2), Wells

Player of the Game: Jason Varitek (2-for-3, R, RBI, BB, K)

Game Three: Red Sox 7, Yankees 2

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
BOS 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 4 0 7 11 0
NYY 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 6 1

Matt Clement: 6.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 8 K, 2 HR
Alan Embree: 0.1 IP, 0's
S. Williamson: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 K

2B: Millar, Vazquez
HR: Youkilis (3-R)
RBI: Nixon, Ortiz 2, Millar, Youkilis

Player of the Game: David Ortiz (2-for-3, 2 RBI)