The Year: 2035
W/L Record: 114-48
Run Differential: 967 RS vs. 99 RA +368 Runs
Awards: AL Cy Young: Alejandro Castilla, AL MVP: Sean Vogel, AL OF Gold Glove: Philip MacGruer, AL Win Leader: Alejandro Castilla (20)
All Stars: 2B Sean Vogel, LF Philip MacGruer, SP Dan Thurston, SP Fernando Ontario, SP Alejandro Castilla, DH Chris Munroe, 1B Will Taylor
League Leading Stat Categories: 269 Home Runs, 64 Home Wins, .817 Team OPS, 967 Runs Scored, 599 Runs Allowed, .478 Team Slugging Percentage
Lineup/Bench Rotation/Bullpen
CF Bob Houcke Alejandro Castilla
LF Philip MacGruer Fernando Ontario
2B Sean Vogel Dan Thurston
DH Chris Munroe Glenn Albright
1B Lane Gravely Rigo Tamayo
3B Jose Vargas CL Tom Hoving
RF Ryan Barker SU Kevin Weeks
C Barry Roberts SR Giovanni Nevah
SS John Vanmeter SR Dave Gillard
MR Stew Woodings
LR Max Soutsos
IF Jim Tillis
1B Will Taylor
3B Walt Haralson
OF Sid Galvec
OF Lee Utter
The Key Players: Before I say anything else, I believe there is something achieved this year that was only accomplished once in FCM history and it involves the man you likely expect me to go on a long tangent: Sean Vogel. Vogel will get his time in the limelight, but we'll spend time on that incredible accomplishment a bit later, but the highlight player of 2035? Left fielder Philip "P-Mac" MacGruer.
P-Mac's career began as a compensation round pick of the Toronto Blue Jays (listed as a fifth rounder but this was when we were still doing things caveman style) in 2026 and debuted just a year later, so 2035 was P-Mac's 9th season as a pro. By this time P-Mac was an established star, but 2035 put him on the map as a legitimate stud and future HOFer. What I remember most about P-Mac is the awesome jump he got almost immediately after being drafted and how he immediately became an instant threat as a number 2 hitter. I have a distinct style in which I like to build my teams and I look for particular types of talent to fit that. P-Mac is the embodiment of what I like in one of my outfielders - speedy, balanced, excellent defender. In 2035 P-Mac exemplified that mold - he slashed .306/.360/,486 with an .846 OPS. He scored 113 runs, hit 35 doubles, 11 triples, 18 homeruns, 115 RBI, 54 stolen bases, and had a 54-68 BB to strikeout ratio. That's someone's fantasy baseball wet dream right there and it's hard to argue that his play in the 2 hole was the key catalyst for this team's success.
As I said this may have been his finest season on the way to a hall of fame career and deserved the spotlight this time. In the Toronto Mt. Rushmore it's hard not to have him right there next to the man we talk about next: Sean Vogel. Vogel accomplished something in 2035 that I don't believe has ever been matched. He was the AL MVP. He was the ALDS MVP (1.506 OPS in a sweep). He was the ALCS MVP (1.118 OPS and 4 homeruns in games). He was also the World Series MVP (3 home runs, 10 RBI, and a ridiculous 1.755 OPS in a sweep of the Cardinals) I've decided to dub this the MVP Grand Slam. Is there anything better as a cherry on top of the career of FCM's greatest bat?
That post-season run was part of yet another brilliant year in his career. In the regular season Vogel hit .306 with 43 home runs, 38 doubles, 106 runs scored, 136 RBI, a .391 OBP, and a 1.044 OPS. He walked 86 times and only K'd 97. Oh - and he played badass defense at second base. If you weren't here at the time and don't know about Vogel - let this be an intro to go check out what he accomplished. The full breakdown will come later on.
The rest of the lineup featured one of my other central building parts - the speedy CF Bob Houcke. Houcke hit .307 with 1 HR, 53 stolen bases, 92 runs scored, drove in 46, and had a .380 OBP as a rookie in 2035. In the 9 hole was another balanced player - John Vanmeter. I once dubbed Vanmeter the SOTD in 2023, the problem being I took Sean Vogel two rounds later the same year. (I'd say whoops, but....I'm not complaining) Vanmeter played excellent defense at SS (only 7 errors) and hit .234 with 22 home runs, 10 stolen bases, 84 runs scored, and 67 RBI.
Speaking of 2023 draftees, Vogel's running mate for many years was Jose Vargas (more to come) but prior to that was the 1st round pick for the Jays in 2023 - Chris Munroe. Munroe was a DH from the moment of his drafting but he was a damn good one. Munroe went on to pile up over 400 home runs in his career and 2035 was a major part of that - he hit .255 with 41 home runs, 106 runs scored, 96 RBI, a .353 OBP, and a .513 slugging percentage.
Rounding out the lineup was Lane Gravely at 1B who hit .324 with 19 home runs, 46 runs scored, and 57 RBI, but Gravely was a late addition who got hurt. Prior to him being added was Will Taylor who hit .255 with 28 home runs, 55 runs, and 64 RBI. At 3B was Jose Vargas who put up one of his weaker efforts on the way to the Hall of Fame - he hit just .229 with 33 home runs, 8 stolen bases, 77 runs scored, and 90 RBI. In RF a platoon of Lee Utter and Ryan Barker combined for a .238 batting average, 41 home runs, 15 stolen bases, 122 runs scored, and 114 RBI. Lastly was second year catcher Barry Roberts who hit .289 with 19 home runs, 59 runs scored, and 62 RBI with a .387 OBP.
The rotation wasn't as good as the lineup, but it still featured two future Hall of Fame arms. Let's start with the Cy Young Aejandro Castilla. 2035 was his 14th season in the big leagues and to that point he hadn't won a Cy yet, but this was a fine enough effort to earn it. He went 204 innings, struck out 188 batters, walked a measly 34, allowed a .205 OBA, threw 4 complete games, and posted a 20-4 record with a 2.60 ERA. His dominance wasn't just in the regular season - he went 4-0 in the playoffs in 4 starts and 34 starts (averaging over 8 innings a start), allowed only 5 earned runs, struck out 33, walked only 4, posted two shutouts, and held his opposing hitters to a .150 OBA. If not for Vogel we may have been talking about the CY Grand Slam here.
Pairing with him at the top of the Toronto rotation was Fernando Ontario the former two time Cy Young winner. Ontario pitched 221 innings with a 2.56 ERA, 168 strikeouts, and a 19-5 record. The third wheel was Dan Thurston who pitched 173 innings with a 2.91 ERA, 159 strikeouts, and an 18-5 record. Rounding out the rotation was a gaggle of injury fill-ins. Glen Albright pitched the most innings at 154 but was only 11-8 with a 4.73 ERA. Rigo Tamayo pitched 83 innings with 53 strikeouts and a 6-2 record as a rookie. Max Soutso also pitched 95 innings and went 7-2 with a 3.40 ERA. Finally another rookie - Toby White - pitched 40 innings with a 1-2 record and a 4.05 ERA.
The bullpen was held down by Tom Hoving. Hoving had been closing for several years in Toronto and had managed to keep the job because of his solid, but unspectacular, play. He closed out 36 games for the team with a 3.63 ERA and 48 strikeouts in 52 innings to go with a 7-2 record. Supporting him in the short relief areas were some very talented arms lead by Kevin Weeks. Weeks pitched 30 innings with a 3.90 ERA, 25 strikeouts, and a 4-1 record. Giovanni Nevah pitched in 85 innings with a 3.81 ERA with a 9-5 record and 8 saves. Dave Gillard pitched 85 innings as well with a 2.85 ERA, a 4-6 record, and 6 saves. Lastly was Stew Woodings who pitched 68 innings with a 3.59 ERA and a 1-1 record with 4 saves.
Interview with the Owner: Andy's thoughts contained throughout this piece
What Sets Them Apart: The 2035 Jays sported one of the most rare accomplishments of FCM history - an FCM MVP Grand Slam. The team won the MVP, the Cy Young, and went 11-1 in the playoffs. They were head and shoulders above the rest of the league and won the trophy to prove it. In a litany of good teams in Toronto this one had many special features: the MVP Grand Slam, two 40 home run hitters, P-Mac's ultimate fantasy season, Castilla and Ontario tag teaming the rotation, and the former SOTD's final run with the Jays.
Coming Next: 12th Best Team in FCM History: Setting the Pace
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