In May 2023, I purchased Out of the Park 2024, a computer baseball game. I became intrigued after hearing about it on a sports gaming podcast. The videogame has a ton of features and you can recreate games or seasons with teams of any era. But what I was most interested in trying out was the “Perfect Team” game. You get dealt a collection of baseball cards, with players both past and present with various ratings. As you progress you can improve your team by opening more daily packs and getting lucky, or using in-game currency to purchase new players. A full season is simulated over the course of one week and teams can be promoted or relegated into better or lesser leagues.
So, here’s how the SoCal Renegades fared over 42 seasons between May 2023 and March 2024:
2031 Rookie 123 League (May 22-28, 2023) – World Series Champions
– 97-65 (.599), second place in the American Conference West Division, 5 games back
– Wildcard: defeated Cheboygan Chiefs, 2 games to 1
– Division Series: defeated Jersey City EPA Superfund Sites, 3 games to 2
– League Championship Series: defeated San Francisco Giants, 4 games to 1
– World Series: defeated Lotte Giants, 4 games to 3
– .275 hitting, 4.6 runs/game, 3.66 ERA, +110 run difference
The Renegades went 5-0 in elimination games. They won the decisive game 3 in the wildcard. They fell behind 2-0 in the division series before winning the next three. After a relatively easy league championship series win, the Renegades went down 3-2 in the World Series but won games 6 and 7 to take home the crown!
Team Leaders: Willie Davis .311 average, 188 hits, 96 runs and 63 stolen bases; Enmanuel Valdez 21 home runs and 98 RBI, Larry Cheney 2.99 ERA and 14 wins, Kyle Lohse 14 wins, Matt Brash 41 saves, Camilo Pascual 234 strikeouts.
2032 Stone 105 League (May 29-June 4, 2023)
– 76-86 (.469), fifth place in the American Conference Central Division, 19 games back
– .260 hitting, 4.1 runs/game, 3.67 ERA, +23 run difference
Unfortunately we ended up in what turned out to be the best division. Out of the 15 teams in the American Conference, we were one of just six teams to finish with a positive run differential, but somehow still managed to finish last in the division and 10 games below .500. We were flirting with relegation at one point but thankfully won enough down the stretch that it wasn’t close at the end.
Team leaders: Jeff Cirillo .311 average and 96 RBI, Wally Berger 22 home runs, Lou Brock 182 hits, 92 runs and 61 stolen bases, Whitey Ford 3.04 ERA and 18 wins, Larry Cheney 193 strikeouts, Sparky Lyle 28 saves.
2033 Stone 111 League (June 5-11, 2023) – World Series Champions
– 105-57 (.648), first place in American Conference Central Division, 18 games ahead
– Division Series: defeated North Bethesda Destroyers, 3 games to 2
– League Championship Series: defeated Alabama Bolts, 4 games to 3
– World Series: defeated Cambridge Blues, 4 games to 2
– .274 hitting, 5.3 runs/game, 3.39 ERA, +284 run difference
Champions for the second time in three weeks! We posted the second-best record in the American Conference and the third-best overall. And, we managed to avoid facing either of the top two teams in the playoffs. Both of the first two rounds in the playoffs came down to the final contest. We took a 3-0 lead in the World Series, dropped the next two, then finished it off in game 6.
Team leaders: Edgar Martinez .298 average, Hack Wilson 182 hits, 43 home runs and 126 RBI, Lou Brock 107 runs and 63 stolen bases, Whitey Ford 2.78 ERA, Logan Webb 20 wins, Aaron Nola 179 strikeouts, Sparky Lyle 26 saves.
2034 Iron 168 League (June 12-18, 2023)
– 65-97 (.401), fifth place in American Conference East Division, 37 games back
– .247 hitting, 4.2 runs/game, 4.72 ERA, -151 run difference
My roster was apparently not ready for the jump to the Iron League. We finished with the third-worst record in the 30-team league, which means relegation back to the Stone League.
Team Leaders: Jeff Cirillo .276, Hack Wilson 39 home runs and 96 RBI, Lou Brock 166 hits, 83 runs and 45 stolen bases, Dan Haren 4.34 ERA, 12 wins and 126 strikeouts, Jakie May 27 saves.
2035 Stone 197 League (June 19-25, 2023)
– 92-70 (.568), first place in National Conference East Division, 2 games ahead
– Wildcard: defeated Suffern Brawlers, 2 games to 1
– Division Series: lost to St. John’s Black Wolves, 3 games to 1
– .275 hitting, 5.3 runs/game, 4.36 ERA, +120 run difference
There was quite a hangover after relegation, as we began the season 6-11 and in fifth place out of five teams in our division. But, a 14-game win streak in May got us back into contention. Unfortunately, for the first time, we didn’t win it all after getting into the playoffs.
Team Leaders: Buck Leonard .298 and 109 RBI, Wally Berger 31 home runs, George Hendrick 167 hits, Lou Brock 96 runs and 71 stolen bases, Whitey Ford 16 wins, Dan Haren 3.45 ERA, Aaron Nola 172 strikeouts, Ron Davis 25 saves.
2036 Stone 127 League (June 26-July 2, 2023)
– 113-49 (.698), first place in American Conference West Division, 31 games ahead
– Division Series: defeated Mississauga Blue Sox, 3 games to 0
– League Championship Series: lost to Marion Mean Green, 4 games to 1
– .294 hitting, 5.9 runs/game, 3.53 ERA, +352 run difference
We recorded our best regular season yet, posting the best record in the American Conference and the second-best overall. Unfortunately we lost to the #2 team in the American, 104-win Marion, in the LCS. But, our top-four finish means promotion back to the Iron League. Hopefully upgrading the roster in a couple of spots will keep us there.
Team Leaders: Buck Leonard .344, Hack Wilson 40 home runs and 113 RBI, Lou Brock 205 hits and 63 stolen bases, George Hendrick 125 runs, Jacob DeGrom 2.74 ERA and 227 strikeouts, Framber Valdez 19 wins, Ron Davis 34 saves.
2037 Iron 202 League (July 3-9, 2023)
– 80-82 (.494), third place in the National Conference West Division, 3 games back
– .261 hitting, 4.4 runs/game, 4.14 ERA, -4 run difference
After starting the season 5-17, I figured we were headed for another relegation. But things got better, we flirted with .500 for most of the second half of the season, and were in a postseason race to the very end (thanks to being in a weak division).
Team Leaders: Buck Leonard .302 and 171 hits, Wally Berger 25 home runs and 96 RBI, Lou Brock 90 runs and 41 stolen bases, Whitey Ford 16 wins and 2.87 ERA, Johan Santana 230 strikeouts, Ron Davis 37 saves.
2038 Iron 152 League (July 10-16, 2023)
– 84-78 (.519), third place in the National Conference Central Division, 18 games back
– Wild Card: defeated First Nations Warriors, 2 games to 0
– Division Series: lost to Grok Leg, 3 games to 1
– .267 hitting, 4.4 runs/game, 4.23 ERA, -2 run difference
We made our first playoff appearance in the Iron League, but it was quite a finish. We entered the final three-game series deadlocked for the final wild card spot, and were facing the top team in the conference. Somehow, we won two of three against a team that finished with 102 wins to qualify. Buck Leonard was the National Conference MVP, was the National Conference’s leading vote-getter for the All-Star Game, and led the league in hitting, hits and slugging percentage.
Team Leaders: Buck Leonard .326, 190 hits, 94 runs and 93 RBI, George Hendrick 29 home runs, Lou Brock 61 stolen bases, Johan Santana 19 wins and 3.78 ERA, Jacob DeGrom 211 strikeouts, Ron Davis 39 saves.
2039 Iron 160 League (July 17-23, 2023)
– 80-82 (.494), second place in the National Conference Central Division, 18 games back
– .255 hitting, 4.2 runs/game, 4.36 ERA, -59 run difference
We took a step back, missing out on a wild card bid by six games. Everything was just a little worse this season, especially the bullpen.
Team Leaders: Endy Rodriguez .287, Kevin Mitchell 33 home runs and 82 RBI, Lou Brock 165 hits, 92 runs and 48 stolen bases, Johan Santana 15 wins and 3.46 ERA, Jacob DeGrom 215 strikeouts, Ron Davis 35 saves.
2040 Iron 188 League (July 24-30, 2023)
– 80-82 (.494), third place in the American Conference West Division, 10 games back
– .255 hitting, 4.4 runs/game, 4.02 ERA, +45 run difference
80 wins for the second straight season, and the third time in four years at the Iron League level. We did score more more runs and gave up less, but the result was the same. The hitting was not particularly good — our leading batter checked in at .267 — though Kevin Mitchell tied for the league lead in homers (43) and was second in RBI (120).
Team Leaders: Tony Lazzeri .267, Kevin Mitchell 43 home runs, 120 RBI and 97 runs, Lou Brock 158 hits and 44 stolen bases, Rube Foster 16 wins, Jacob DeGrom 3.38 ERA and 233 strikeouts, Ron Davis 30 saves.
2041 Iron 223 League (July 31-August 6, 2023)
– 79-83 (.488), third place in the American Conference Central Division, 21 games back
– .254 hitting, 4.3 runs/game, 3.85 ERA, +46 run difference
We didn’t win 80 games yet again, but we came close with 79. I’m thinking this may get harder and harder as more teams come in and are perhaps upgrading their players more quickly.
Team Leaders: Buck Leonard .301, 170 hits and 96 runs, Kevin Mitchell 26 home runs and 82 RBI, Lou Brock 39 stolen bases, Rube Foster 3.58 ERA and 197 strikeouts, Whitey Ford 14 wins, Ron Davis 42 saves.
2042 Iron 195 League (August 7-13, 2023)
– 78-84 (.481), third place in the American Conference East Division, 27 games back
– .265 hitting, 4.3 runs/game, 3.98 ERA, +25 run difference
Things were looking good about two-thirds through the season as we were around 10 games above .500 and right in line for a wild-card spot. Then things fell apart. Buck Leonard led the league in hitting for the second time and was named the league MVP despite our finish.
Team Leaders: Buck Leonard .338, 91 RBI, 196 hits and 90 runs, Kevin Mitchell 24 home runs, Lou Brock 50 stolen bases, Framber Valdez 3.50 ERA, Rube Foster 14 wins and 215 strikeouts, Emmanuel Clase 33 saves.
2043 Iron 229 League (August 14-20, 2023)
– 77-85 (.475), third place in the National Conference West Division, 17.5 games back
– .261 hitting, 4.2 runs/game, 4.02 ERA, -15 run difference
Those 80-win seasons are looking pretty good right now as we’ve gone from 80 to 79 to 78 to 77 wins the last four years. Once again we were teased by a good early-season run, when the Renegades went on a 10-game winning streak to start 10-2. Then the losses started piling up.
Team Leaders: Buck Leonard .301, 24 home runs, 76 RBI, 168 hits, 79 runs, Kevin Mitchell 24 home runs, Lou Brock 40 stolen bases, Framber Valdez 3.00 ERA, Rube Foster 15 wins, Jacob DeGrom 217 strikeouts, Emmanuel Clase 34 saves.
2044 Iron 190 League (August 21-27, 2023)
– 86-76 (.531), second place in the American Conference East Division, 9 games back
– Wildcard: lost to Pearl City Salmon Kings, 2 games to 1
– .263 hitting, 4.4 runs/game, 3.94 ERA, +30 run difference
Finally, a good season! After a sluggish start, we picked it up over the second half of the season. We were nine games out of the last wild card spot at one point when I checked, but got back into it. As fate would have it, we played the final three-game series of the season against the team we were tied with for the last wild-card spot. We won the first game, they won the second game, and we won the season finale to put us back in the playoffs for the first time in seven years.
Team Leaders: Buck Leonard .322, 31 home runs, 112 RBI, 184 hits, 90 runs, Jazz Chisholm Jr. 23 stolen bases, Rube Foster 3.59 ERA, Johan Santana 16 wins, Jacob DeGrom 218 strikeouts, Emmanuel Clase 35 saves.
2045 Iron 156 League (August 28-September 3, 2023)
– 85-77 (.525), first place in the National Conference West Division, 4 games ahead
– Wildcard: defeated Taipei Dragons, 2 games to 0
– Division Series: lost to MrAudit’s Golden Girls, 3 games to 0
– .254 hitting, 4.2 runs/game, 3.79 ERA, +32 run difference
More success as we won a division title for the first time in nine years (and for the first time in the Iron League), and won a playoff series for the first time in seven years. It helped that we were in the weakest division by far. George Davis (.285, 17 home runs, 54 RBI, 100 runs) surprisingly won the MVP award.
Team Leaders: Buck Leonard .297, 90 RBI, 172 hits, Mookie Betts 27 home runs, George Davis 100 runs, 52 stolen bases, Framber Valdes 2.63 ERA, Johan Santana 19 wins, Rube Foster 215 strikeouts, Emmanuel Clase 42 saves.
2046 Iron 177 League (September 4-10, 2023)
– 83-79 (.512), fourth place in the National Conference East Division, 5.5 games back
– .269 hitting, 4.8 runs/game, 4.32 ERA, +47 run difference
A step back, but still a decent season as we finished four games better than .500 and just 1.5 games out of the last wild-card spot. We scored more runs but gave up more runs too. Ray Dandridge led the National Conference in hitting. There were a couple of notable career milestones as Buck Leonard recorded his 2,000th hit and Whitey Ford picked up his 200th win.
Team Leaders: Ray Dandridge .312, 180 hits, Mookie Betts 29 home runs, 109 RBI, George Davis 110 runs, 54 stolen bases, Jacob DeGrom 18 wins, 3.17 ERA, 210 strikeouts, Emmanuel Clase 35 saves
2047 Iron 161 League (September 11-17, 2023)
– 100-62 (.617), first place in the American Conference Central Division, 16 games in front
– Division Series: lost to Royal Oak Regals, 3 games to 1
– .276 hitting, 4.8 runs/game, 3.48 ERA, +159 run difference
An amazing breakthrough, but it ended in disappointment. Go figure how a team that was middling along all of the sudden improved by 15-17 wins in one year. Halfway through the season, we were 10 games better than any of the other 29 teams in the league. We cooled off during the second half of the season, but had the second-best win-loss record in the league. It didn’t matter in the postseason, however, as we lost to an 84-win wild-card team, ending our hopes of promotion to the Bronze level for the first time.
Team Leaders: Mookie Betts .303, 104 RBI, Buck Leonard 24 home runs, George Davis 175 hits, 110 runs, 58 stolen bases, Johan Santana 20 wins, 2.84 ERA, 230m strikeouts, Emmanuel Clase 40 saves.
2048 Iron 190 League (September 18-24, 2023)
– 86-77 (.528), second place in the American Conference Central Division, 14.5 games back
– Wildcard: lost to Ulm Falcons, 2 games to 0
– .265 hitting, 4.4 runs/game, 3.94 ERA, +47 run difference
We got off to a good start (on June 1 we were the top-rated team in the league), but couldn’t keep up the pace of the previous season. We were one of four teams that won 85 or 86 games, and were competing for the final two wildcard slots. We won a playoff game to advance to the wildcard round, where we ended up losing to a 95-win team. However, we made the playoffs for the fourth time in five years, so that’s pretty good considering the drought we were on before that.
Team Leaders: Buck Leonard .295, 98 RBI, 174 hits, Yordan Alvarez 30 home runs, George Davis 103 runs, 41 stolen bases, Rube Foster 16 wins, Johan Santana 3.51 ERA, Jacob DeGrom 218 strikeouts, Emmanuel Clase 37 saves.
2049 Iron 164 League (September 25-October 1, 2023) — World Series runner-up
– 104-58 (.642), first place in the National Conference West Division, 13 games ahead
– Division Series: defeated Trenton Thunder, 3 games to 2
– League Championship Series: defeated Nissan Heisman House, 4 games to 3
– World Series: lost to Augusta Commodores, 4 games to 2
– .271 hitting, 5.1 runs/game, 3.71 ERA, +184 run difference
Promotion at last! Another fantastic season, and this time we won the playoff series we needed to get us in the top four. And then, in the LCS, we won three straight elimination games after falling behind three games to one. We fell short in the World Series, but it was good to be back there for the first time in 16 years (or weeks). George Scales (.299, 32 home runs, 102 RBI, 101 runs) won the National Conference MVP and in his debut season, Gary Lavelle was named the NC’s top relief pitcher. On to the Bronze level…
Team Leaders: George Davis .312, 185 hits, 109 runs, 49 stolen bases, George Scales 32 home runs, Buck Leonard 108 RBI, Johan Santana 22 wins, 3.13 ERA, 235 strikeouts, Gary Lavelle 42 saves.
2050 Bronze 246 League (October 2-8, 2023)
– 83-79 (.512), third place in the American Conference West Division, 61 games back
– Wildcard: lost to Hoboken Caretakers, 2 games to 0
– .251 batting, 4.0 runs/game, 4.05 ERA, -52 run difference
I was expecting our first season in the Bronze League to go terribly and get relegated back to the Iron League, which is what happened the first time we made it to the Iron League. Instead, playoffs! Somehow we played well enough to get the second of three wild card spots even though our offense and pitching were very average, and we had a considerably negative run differential on the year. I’d really love to know what sorcery was involved in the results of the league champ, Korea Liscure. They went 144-18 (.889) with a +750 run differential, then went 11-2 in the playoffs.
Team Leaders: Ray Dandridge .283, 159 hits, Lance Berkman 24 home runs, 75 runs, Buck Leonard 86 RBI, George Davis 32 stolen bases, Johan Santana 2.38 ERA, 16 wins, Rube Foster 16 wins, Jacob DeGrom 236 strikeouts, Gary Lavelle 39 saves.
2051 Bronze 262 League (October 9-15, 2023)
– 83-79 (.512), tied for second place in the American Conference Central Division, 8 games back
– Wildcard: defeated Seattle Soal, 2 games to 0
– Division Series: lost to Sanibel Sea Turtles, 3 games to 2
– .260 batting, 4.8/runs game, 4.48 ERA, +8 run difference
We managed to go 83-79 for the second straight year and earned another playoff berth. It was close, however. Five teams were in contention for the final two wild-card spots. We were one of two teams to finish with 83 wins and the other three ended with 82. Once in the playoffs, we won a series for the first time. We then made it to a decisive game five in the Division Series against the best team in the division, but that’s when the season came to an end. Interestingly, we may be headed to the Silver League. It looks like the top eight teams are being promoted.
Team Leaders: Buck Leonard .295, 180 hits, Lance Berkman 32 home runs, 112 RBI, George Davis 100 runs, 41 stolen bases, Johan Santana 15 wins, 210 strikeouts, Jacob DeGrom 4.10 ERA, Gary Lavelle 37 saves.
2052 Silver 258 League (October 16-22, 2023)
– 69-93 (.426), fourth place in the American Conference Central Division, 31 games back
– .242 hitting, 4.0 runs/game, 4.37 ERA, -103 run difference
This is more of what I expected when being promoted to a higher league. Not much in the way of positives to speak of, other than Yordan Alvarez leading the American Conference with 38 home runs. Eight teams are heading back to the Bronze League. Fortunately, despite our record, we’re not one of them as we finished with the ninth-worst record in the league, one game ahead of the last relegated team.
Team Leaders: Buck Leonard .291, 169 hits, 85 runs, Yordan Alvarez 38 home runs, 115 RBI, George Davis 31 stolen bases, Johan Santana 14 wins, Rube Foster 3.47 ERA, Jacob DeGrom 215 strikeouts, Gary Lavelle 32 saves.
2053 Silver 271 League (October 23-29, 2023)
– 55-107 (.340), fifth place in the American Conference Central Division, 57 games back
– .244 hitting, 3.5 runs/game, 4.97 ERA, -262 run difference
The bottom fell out as we finished with the second-worst record in the league. Back to the Bronze League next week.
Team Leaders: George Davis .271, 77 runs, 21 stolen bases, Buck Leonard 27 home runs, 92 RBI, 158 hits, Johan Santana 4.30 ERA, Framber Valdez 10 wins, Jacob DeGrom 210 strikeouts, Gary Lavelle 27 saves.
2054 Bronze 211 League (October 30-November 5, 2023)
– 95-67 (.586), second place in the American Conference West Division, 3 games back
– Wildcard: lost to Long Island Ducks, 2 games to 1
– .263 hitting, 4.4 runs/game, 3.80 ERA, +78 run difference
A wasted year, as we put together a great regular season only to fall flat in the playoffs and have to remain at the Bronze level for another week. The Renegades had the best record in the league for the first half of the season, then faded a bit. Although we won 95 games, unfortunately we were overtaken in our division by a team that won a league-best 98 games. That sent us to the wildcard round, where we lost in three and missed out on promotion.
Team Leaders: Buck Leonard .290, 174 hits, Yordan Alvarez 30 home runs, 111 RBI, George Davis 103 runs, 50 stolen bases, Jose Mendez 20 wins, Rube Foster 3.19 ERA, 212 strikeouts, Gary Lavelle 49 saves.
2055 Bronze 235 League (November 6-13, 2023)
– 85-77 (.525), second place in the American Conference East Division, 7 games back
Wildcard: defeated New York Night Train, 2 games to 1
Division Series: defeated Marysville Chupacabras, 3 games to 0
League Championship Series: lost to New Jersey Fire Blazers, 4 games to 1
– .273 hitting, 4.5 runs/game, 4.00 ERA, +22 run difference
We took a big step back in the regular season, finishing 10 games worse than the season before, but found success in the postseason, winning a pair of series to reach the American Conference Championship Series. So, back to the Silver League next year.
Team Leaders: Buck Leonard .300, 183 hits, 85 runs, Yordan Alvarez 27 home runs, 91 RBI, George Davis 29 stolen bases, Johan Santana 19 wins, 3.45 ERA, 245 strikeouts, Gary Lavelle 47 saves.
2056 Silver 277 League (November 14-19, 2023)
– 77-85 (.475), third place in the National Conference Central Division, 19 games back
– .266 batting average, 4.6 runs/game, 4.25 ERA, +26 run difference
We survived our first season back in the Silver League, and while it wasn’t overly successful, we finished six games above the relegation line. We were perhaps the unluckiest team in the league? OOTP says based on our stats our expected record should have been 84-78, which would put us in the wild-card round. Fred Lynn was an expensive but worthwhile pickup prior to the season’s start.
Team Leaders: Fred Lynn .313, 26 home runs, 109 RBI, Buck Leonard 172 hits, 105 runs, George Davis 39 stolen bases, Jacob DeGrom 16 wins, 3.56 ERA, Johan Santana 208 strikeouts, Gary Lavelle 35 saves.
2057 Silver 287 League (November 20-26, 2023)
– 80-82 (.494), third place in the American Conference Central Division, 13 games back
– .254 hitting, 4.3 runs/game, 3.90 ERA, +4 run difference
There’s a pretty thin line between success and failure in the Silver League. Out of 30 teams, 12 will make the playoffs and eight will be relegated. We found ourselves right in the middle of that — three games out of a wild-card slot, three games ahead of the relegation cut line.
Team Leaders: Fred Lynn .295, 90 RBI, 164 hits, Yordan Alvarez 29 home runs, Buck Leonard 91 runs, George Davis 33 stolen bases, Johan Santana 3.49 ERA, Jacob DeGrom 14 wins, Rube Foster 209 strikeouts, Gary Lavelle 39 saves.
2058 Silver 307 League (November 27-December 3, 2023)
– 71-91 (.438), fifth place in the American Conference West Division, 20 games back
– .246 hitting, 4.2 runs/game, 4.48 ERA, -102 run difference
The yo-yo continues as a pretty bad season will send us back to the Bronze League again. We tied for the third-worst record in the league, eight wins behind the relegation line. There were a few good moments along the way. Fred Lynn was the All-Star Game MVP. In his 25th season, Buck Leonard collected his 4,000th hit and 500th home run. Mookie Betts got his 2,000th hit and 300th home run. Jacob DeGrom recorded his 300th win.
Team Leaders: Fred Lynn .277, Yordan Alvarez 23 home runs, Jackie Robinson 80 RBI, Buck Leonard 161 hits, 83 runs, George Davis 29 stolen bases, Jacob DeGrom 16 wins, 207 strikeouts, Johan Santana 3.89 ERA, Gary Lavelle 31 saves.
2059 Bronze 275 League (December 4-10, 2023)
– 93-69 (.574), second place in the National Conference East Division, 13 games back
– Wildcard: lost to Tahiti Outlaws, 2 games to 1
– .264 average, 4.6 runs/game, 3.67 ERA, +113 run difference
At 93 wins, we tied for the second-best record in the league. Unfortunately, the best team that finished with 106 wins was in our division, banishing us to the wild-card round. After losing in the wild card, we’re stuck at the Bronze level for another week.
Team Leaders: Fred Lynn .298, 30 home runs, 97 RBI, Buck Leonard 166 hits, George Davis 90 runs, 38 stolen bases, Johan Santana 16 wins, 3.56 ERA, Rube Foster 236 strikeouts, Gary Lavelle 38 saves.
2060 Bronze 282 League (December 11-17, 2023)
– 94-68 (.580), second place in the National Conference East Division, 4 games back
– Wildcard: lost to Cheyenne Bodhi, 2 games to 1
– .259 hitting, 4.3 runs/game, 3.67 ERA, +66 run difference
Another season that resulted in us spinning our wheels without success. Once again we posted a record that would have won most divisions, but once again we ended up paired with the league’s best team. That put us back in the wildcard round, where we once again failed to advance. Gary Lavelle earned the league’s Reliver of the Year award.
Team Leaders: Felipe Alou .277, Yordan Alvarez 19 home runs, 75 RBI, Buck Leonard 157 hits, 85 runs, George Davis 43 stolen bases, Rube Foster 16 wins, 221 strikeouts, Brandon Woodruff 2.86 ERA, Gary Lavelle 44 saves.
2061 Bronze 261 League (December 18-24, 2023)
– 84-78 (.519), third place in the National Conference West Division, 9 games back
– .262 hitting, 4.2 runs/game, 4.03 ERA, +0 run difference
A big step back, as we missed out on the playoffs. We were the best National team to not make the wildcard, but were six games back of qualifying. It’ll be another year at the Bronze level.
Team Leaders: Jackie Robinson .293, Mookie Betts 24 home runs, Buck Leonard 78 RBI, 174 hits, 91 runs, George Davis 33 stolen bases, Jose Mendez 15 wins, 3.59 ERA, 218 strikeouts, Brandon Woodruff 15 wins, Gary Lavelle 39 saves.
2063 Bronze 218 League (December 25-31, 2023)
– 109-53 (.672), first place in the National Conference Central Division, 25 games ahead
– Division Series: lost to TTF 235, 3 games to 1
– .266 hitting, 5.0 runs/game, 3.31 ERA, +244 run difference
I’m beginning to think I should change our team name to the Dodgers, given how much we have underperformed in the playoffs of late. 109 wins was our second-best total all-time, and eight games better than anyone else in the league. And then we went and blew it in the first round of the playoffs against an 86-win team.
Team Leaders: Lance Berkman .287, 90 RBI, Fred Lynn 29 home runs, Buck Leonard 164 hits, George Davis 105 runs, 49 stolen bases, Johan Santana 21 wins, Rube Foster 2.70 ERA, 207 strikeouts, Gary Lavelle 44 saves.
2064 Bronze 254 League (January 1-7, 2024)
– 79-83 (.488), fourth place in the American Conference Central Division, 24 games back
– .254 hitting, 4.2 runs/game, 3.97 ERA, -27 run difference
It hardly seems possible. Same team, same level of league, and we finished 30 games worse than the previous year? What a disaster. We were in first place early in the season and the next time I opened the game up we were in fourth and on a 10-game losing streak. We were almost as close to relegation (6 games) as we were to the wild card (4 games). On the plus side, I guess, Buck Leonard hit his 600th home run, Ray Dandridge collected his 3,000th hit and Johan Santana won his 400th game.
Team Leaders: Fred Lynn .308, 97 RBI, 168 hits, 89 runs, Mookie Betts 26 home runs, George Davis 42 stolen bases, Johan Santana 18 wins, 2.92 ERA, Rube Foster 206 strikeouts, Gary Lavelle 42 saves.
2066 Bronze 244 League (January 8-14, 2024)
– 86-76 (.531), second place in the National Conference West Division, 24 games back
– Wildcard: defeated Tawas City Trash Pandas, 2 games to 1
– Division Series: lost to Cincinnati Racoons, 3 games to 0
– .259 hitting, 4.6 runs/game, 4.06 ERA, +61 run difference
Better, I guess. We were seven games better than the year before and won a playoff series for the first time in nine years. Still, we were 23 games worse than two years ago, and a long way from the league leaders.
Team Leaders: George Davis .288, 173 hits, 102 runs, 47 stolen bases, Mickey Mantle 32 home runs, Lance Berkman 93 RBI, Johan Santana 15 wins, 3.41 ERA, 228 strikeouts, Gary Lavelle 35 saves.
2067 Bronze 226 League (January 15-21, 2024)
– 93-69 (.574), first place in the National Conference East Division, 7 games ahead
– Division Series: lost to Sterling Park Commodores, 3 games to 2
– .259 hitting, 4.8 runs/game, 3.91 ERA, +115 run difference
We’ve seen this story before. The Dodgers The Renegades win the division, post the best record in the conference, then lose to a wild card that was seven games worse in the division series. Gary Lavelle earned the NC Reliever of the Year award. Jacob DeGrom won his 400th game and Rube Foster collected his 350th victory.
Team Leaders: George Scales .304, Mickey Mantle 34 home runs, 91 RBI, 99 runs, Buck Leonard 172 hits, George Davis 30 stolen bases, Johan Santana 20 wins, Rube Foster 3.23 ERA, Jacob DeGrom 225 strikeouts, Gary Lavelle 53 saves.
2068 Bronze 275 League (January 22-28, 2024)
– 74-88 (.457), fourth place in the National Conference West Division, 70 games back
– .251 hitting, 4.3 runs/game, 4.62 ERA, -82 run difference
Ridiculousness ensues, as we have another unexplainable drop, finishing 19 games worse than the year before. This was the same team as the year before, although I upgraded at catcher by adding Johnny Bench. We were flirting with relegation for a lot of the year before we at least started playing .500 baseball late to finish seven games clear (but still 10 games back of the wild card). Further ridiculousness was evidenced by the winning team in the NC West going 144-18 (.889).
Team Leaders: George Scales .274, Mickey Mantle 26 home runs, Cody Bellinger 90 RBI, Jackie Robinson 156 hits, Buck Leonard 83 runs, George Davis 32 stolen bases, Johan Santana 19 wins, 3.09 ERA, Jacob DeGrom 198 strikeouts, Gary Lavelle 32 saves.
2069 Bronze 272 League (January 29-February 4, 2024)
– 91-71 (.562), first place in the American Conference Central Division, 1 game ahead
– Division Series: lost to Herndon Heat Wave, 3 games to 2
– .258 hitting, 4.4 runs/game, 3.78 ERA, +70 run difference
A good bounce back, but per the usual, we faltered in the playoffs. We managed to win the division by one game over Herndon, but when we met that same team in the division series, we took a 2-1 lead only to lose the next two and see our season end. Mickey Mantle led the league in home runs with 36. After a slow start to the season, we made our priciest acquisition yet in Fernando Valenzuela, and it paid off as he went 16-6 with a 2.19 ERA (though he lost the decisive game five in the division series).
Team Leaders: Fred Lynn .283, 92 RBI, Mickey Mantle 36 home runs, 89 runs, Jackie Robinson 162 hits, George Davis 33 stolen bases, Jacob DeGrom 17 wins, Fernando Valenzuela 2.19 ERA, 216 strikeouts, Gary Lavelle 43 saves.
2070 Bronze 205 League (February 5-11, 2024)
– 84-79 (.515), second place in the National Conference Central Division, 6.5 games back
– Wildcard: defeated Baltimore Hitmen, 2 games to 1
– Division Series: defeated Sell to Rip Packs, 3 games to 1
– League Championship Series: defeated Newark Buffalos, 4 games to 2
– World Series: lost to Seattle SOAL, 4 games to 1
– .255 hitting, 4.3 runs/game, 3.83 ERA, +29 run difference
A World Series appearance for the first time in 21 years? It came out of nowhere. We had the worst record of any postseason team and snuck into the wild card by a single game. Then our 84-win squad knocked off 90, 97 and 98-win teams in successive rounds. We couldn’t beat the 102-win Seattle team though. New signee Dwight Gooden won the game’s version of the Cy Young Award and Mickey Mantle was named the NC’s top left fielder. We’ll get another crack at the Silver League after earning promotion.
Team Leaders: Fred Lynn .307, 88 RBI, 162 hits, Mickey Mantle 30 home runs, 91 runs, George Davis 36 stolen bases, Dwight Gooden 16 wins, 2.85 ERA, Fernando Valenzuela 230 strikeouts, Gary Lavelle 38 saves.
2071 Silver 279 League (February 12-18, 2024)
– 69-93 (.426), tied for third place in the American Conference West Division, 17 games back
– .252 hitting, 4.0 runs/game, 4.23 ERA, -75 run difference
It turned out to be a short stay in the Silver League. We finished tied for the fifth-worst record in the league and finished one game under the relegation line.
Team Leaders: Shoeless Joe Jackson .342, 175 hits, Mickey Mantle 31 home runs, 99 RBI, 93 runs, George Davis 24 stolen bases, Dwight Gooden 12 wins, Fernando Valenzuela 12 wins, 3.52 ERA, 236 strikeouts, Gary Lavelle 31 saves.
2072 Bronze 276 League (February 19-25, 2024)
– 90-72 (.556), third place in the National Conference West Division, 6 games back
– Wildcard: lost to Vancouver Bulldogs, 2 games to 1
– .265 hitting, 4.5 runs/game, 3.66 ERA, +118 run difference
Back to normal in the Bronze League, with a pretty good regular season followed by a short postseason stint. Shoeless Joe Jackson was named the National Conference’s MVP. Milestones reached this season included 500 and 450 wins for Johan Santana and Jacob DeGrom, respectively, and Buck Leonard’s 700th home run. Fernando Valenzuela tossed a no-hitter.
Team Leaders: Shoeless Joe Jackson .342, 202 hits, 100 runs, 42 stolen bases, Fred Lynn 26 home runs, 90 RBI, Fernando Valenzuela 18 wins, 212 strikeouts, Dwight Gooden 3.34 ERA, Gary Lavelle 42 saves.
2073 Bronze 219 League (February 26-March 3, 2024)
– 94-68 (.580), second place in the National Conference West Division, 4 games back
– Wildcard: lost to Abby 2 games to 0
– .260 hitting, 4.4 runs/game, 3.59 ERA, +91 run difference
Kind of a repeat of the previous season: a good overall record, not enough to win the division, an early playoff exit in the wildcard round. This will be the penultimate season for the Renegades. We’ll give it one more shot to earn promotion, then we’re calling it quits (OOTP 25 releases soon after and one year of this was enough). Among the milestones this season: Buck Leonard (6,000 hits), George Davis (4,000 hits and 300 home runs), George Scales (3,000 hits), Jackie Robinson (2,000 hits) and Gary Lavelle (900 saves).
Team Leaders: Shoeless Joe Jackson .333, 195 hits, 89 runs, Mickey Mantle 37 home runs, 97 RBI, George Davis 32 stolen bases, Fernando Valenzuela 18 wins, 235 strikeouts, Dwight Gooden 2.97 ERA, Gary Lavelle 42 saves.
2074 Bronze 200 League (March 4-10, 2024)
– 103-59 (.636), first place in the American Conference East Division, 14 games ahead
– Division Series: defeated Sao Paulo Punks, 3 games to 1
– League Championship Series: lost to Tecumseh Tavern, 4 games to 1
– .270 hitting, 5.1 runs game, 3.70 ERA, +200 run difference
We hit our goal of earning promotion to the Silver League in the final season that we’ll play. But, as usual, we underachieved in the playoffs after winning 103 games and a division title. We had the most wins in the American Conference and the second-most overall, but lost to a 92-win team in the LCS. New pickup Gary Sheffield led the AC in home runs and RBI.
Team Leaders: Shoeless Joe Jackson .317, 197 hits, 34 stolen bases, Gary Sheffield 42 home runs, 120 RBI, 123 runs, Dwight Gooden 20 wins, Johan Santana 3.41 ERA, Dizzy Dean 237 strikeouts, Gary Lavelle 54 saves.
Over 42 seasons:
- 3,591-3,215 (.528) record
- 2 World Series titles (two of the first three seasons at the Rookie Level and Stone Level)
- 10 regular-season first place divisional finishes
- 23 playoff appearances
- 26 winning records
- 6 100-win seasons
- 6 seasons in Silver League, 17 in Bronze League, 14 in Iron League, 4 in Stone League, 1 in Rookie League
Buck Leonard was surely the franchise’s all-time leader in most categories, as he played longer than anyone. Over 39 seasons, he posted totals of 6,247 hits, 3,245 runs, 727 home runs, and 3,100 RBI, and had a career batting average of .285. He was a two-time MVP and a 13-time All-Star.
George Davis also had a prolific career. In 28 seasons, he had 4,215 hits, 2,445 runs, 314 home runs, 1,580 RBI and 1,067 stolen bases. He was a three-time MVP and a 12-time All-Star.
Among the longest-tenured pitchers, Johan Santana had 525 wins in 36 seasons, Jacob DeGrom had 492 wins in 37 seasons, and Gary Lavelle had 956 saves in 24 seasons.
ROGER SPORTS & GAMES 