Office of the League Commissioner----Fantasy baseball, BARB-style, is back in business! A copy of the schedule will be e-mailed to owners, but essentially you should know this: Game Day One is April 5th on our software rather than March 31st, and we will play 2-3 games per day for the next week in order to play ‘catch up’. Please monitor your teams closely to check for the inevitable programming errors, or things that just don’t seem to ‘add up.’
As you do, keep in mind the fact that it is a long season and almost anything can happen in a given at-bat. Keep in mind that some rookies may have to reach eligibility requirements in order to be used, and that you may get an email telling you that so-and-so is not eligible yet, so if you get one, please reply immediately.
Showing posts with label Starting the 2008 Season. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Starting the 2008 Season. Show all posts
4.25.2008
4.20.2008
PROBLEMS, PROBLEMS, PROBLEMS
OK, so here I am, working in my room on Sunday afternoon, trying to put the league together. I'm having problems. It seems that the manager card I sent out is missing the page with rotations and pitching assignments. Also, I'm wading through the total size of the roster. Some owners haven't specified their 25. And, to make matters worse, I thought I had one owner's info, but I don't. So I've put out an APB. I'm really trying here. But, if I don't get this info pretty quick, I'm just going to have to take my best guess and run some games. That's where I'm at.
4.16.2008
EARLY RETURNS...
This is just a test of the simulation, but some trends are interesting. Keep in mind that injuries and manager imput can affect these things drastically. For example, most of these simulations were run with some of Darwin's starters on the DL (and staying there). In principle, the Finches could do even better if some of their projected fossils managed to stay healthy.
Having said that, here's some observations. These aren't guarantees, but trends based upon the stats of the healthy players in the simulations from the TOTAL 40-man rosters...
Las Vegas has the league’s best overall power and barring injury will certainly lead their division, if not all of BARB, in home runs.
All the Eastern Division clubs average more than five runs per game, and in a 100-game span they are separated by less than ten percent. They will no doubt against produce the wild card, as the simulation suggests that they will all play .500 or better. In terms of overall offense, the Moabs may have the best blend of average, power and speed and are most likely to lead the East (and thus, all of BARB) in scoring. With their starting pitching depth, they will be the East’s most-improved club and (like every team in the East) a legitimate contender.
Yuma and Frostbite Falls are absolute murder on left-handed pitching, winning nearly 70 percent of the time, but the club with the best record against righties.....last year’s Eastern champ, Darwin. Finch foes would be wise to start southpaws against Darwin when they can.
Yuma has the league’s best starting pitching by far. They will have a sparkling ERA and use their bullpen less than any other BARB club by a wide margin.
Lexington will probably lead the league in strikeouts, but their propensity to challenge hitters in key situations will cause them to lead the league in home runs allowed, as well.
Worcester’s beefed-up setup corps is almost certainly the league’s best and if things break right they could have the loop's second-best pitching overall after Yuma, but as far as overall bullpen strength is concerned, Darwin is still right up there. The Finches will probably use their bullpen as much as any club (averaging two relievers per game), and effectively: the simulation shows that the same club will likely have the least number of blown saves.
In a weaker division, the S-Mart Boom Sticks will be the single most-improved club in BARB in 2008. They have the potential to lead that division in pitching, and their offense is in the middle of the pack. The Flamingoes, top-heavy with power (and with payroll), will not waltz to another division title..
New owners in Black Mesa and Casselton will have long seasons in their first year and are unlikely to score enough runs to reach the .500 mark despite having some quality arms.
Lexington and Pottsylvania are the most difficult to predict, given the high percentage of rookies likely to make an impact on their rosters, but they don’t fare well in the simulation with what they start with, either due to problems with depth (the Rebels) or too many players coming off of injury-plaged 2007 seasons (the Creepers). These clubs, in order to contend, need improvements from more than one source and so their future is cloudy.
Having said that, here's some observations. These aren't guarantees, but trends based upon the stats of the healthy players in the simulations from the TOTAL 40-man rosters...
Las Vegas has the league’s best overall power and barring injury will certainly lead their division, if not all of BARB, in home runs.
All the Eastern Division clubs average more than five runs per game, and in a 100-game span they are separated by less than ten percent. They will no doubt against produce the wild card, as the simulation suggests that they will all play .500 or better. In terms of overall offense, the Moabs may have the best blend of average, power and speed and are most likely to lead the East (and thus, all of BARB) in scoring. With their starting pitching depth, they will be the East’s most-improved club and (like every team in the East) a legitimate contender.
Yuma and Frostbite Falls are absolute murder on left-handed pitching, winning nearly 70 percent of the time, but the club with the best record against righties.....last year’s Eastern champ, Darwin. Finch foes would be wise to start southpaws against Darwin when they can.
Yuma has the league’s best starting pitching by far. They will have a sparkling ERA and use their bullpen less than any other BARB club by a wide margin.
Lexington will probably lead the league in strikeouts, but their propensity to challenge hitters in key situations will cause them to lead the league in home runs allowed, as well.
Worcester’s beefed-up setup corps is almost certainly the league’s best and if things break right they could have the loop's second-best pitching overall after Yuma, but as far as overall bullpen strength is concerned, Darwin is still right up there. The Finches will probably use their bullpen as much as any club (averaging two relievers per game), and effectively: the simulation shows that the same club will likely have the least number of blown saves.
In a weaker division, the S-Mart Boom Sticks will be the single most-improved club in BARB in 2008. They have the potential to lead that division in pitching, and their offense is in the middle of the pack. The Flamingoes, top-heavy with power (and with payroll), will not waltz to another division title..
New owners in Black Mesa and Casselton will have long seasons in their first year and are unlikely to score enough runs to reach the .500 mark despite having some quality arms.
Lexington and Pottsylvania are the most difficult to predict, given the high percentage of rookies likely to make an impact on their rosters, but they don’t fare well in the simulation with what they start with, either due to problems with depth (the Rebels) or too many players coming off of injury-plaged 2007 seasons (the Creepers). These clubs, in order to contend, need improvements from more than one source and so their future is cloudy.
IT'S THE....BARB WIRE!
As we're waiting....WAITING....(hint, hint) for every BARB owner to send in their managerial card to program their team in the simulation, here's something that everyone should check out!
It's the BARB WIRE, (love that name!), your new news source for "all of your Bullard Alternative Reality Baseball news", as penned by the tag team of....Edgar and Chauncey?
(FURTHER INCENTIVE TO CHECK IT OUT: FIND THE CONSPIRACY THEORY!)
If that mystifies you, click on the link!
4.12.2008
WAITING...!
I still haven't received lineups from five owners. We need lineups, rotations and other pitching roles spelled out in order to program the simulation, so if you haven't sent that in, please do so.
On a brighter note, I have finished inputing all the hitter files on the various team files and now only need to complete the pitching for eight teams...in other words, I'm about 70 percent done with the basic programming, and I'm eager to get to your manager cards!
SH
On a brighter note, I have finished inputing all the hitter files on the various team files and now only need to complete the pitching for eight teams...in other words, I'm about 70 percent done with the basic programming, and I'm eager to get to your manager cards!
SH
4.05.2008
FREE AGENT SIGNINGS!
FREE AGENT SIGNINGS:
Due to the sheer number of players moving, I will not offer any comments. Players who are underlined have been added to their parent club’s major-league roster and count against their cap. Players in italics have signed as minor-league free agents
BLACK MESA:
As of press time, no signings.
BROOKLYN:
RHP Bronson Arroyo
RHP Duaner Sanchez
RHP Brandon League
OF Gary Matthews, Jr.
LHP Scott Olson
CASSELTON:
RHP Jon Garland
DARWIN:
LHP Randy Johnson
RHP Mark Prior
RHP Tim Wakefield
Utility IF Mark Loretta
Utility C/OF Ryan Doumit
LAS VEGAS:
The Luchadores have elected not to explore the free-agent market
LEXINGTON:
OF Michael Bourn
2B Tadahito Iguchi
RHP Brandon Backe
RHP Eric Hurley
RHP Tom Gordon
OAKEYLAND:
OF Chris Young
1B Nick Johnson
RHP Yhency Brazoban
RHP Octavio Dotel
POTTSYLVANIA:
OF Bobby Abreu
C Paul LoDuca
LHP Nate Robertson
IF Esteban German
3B Aubrey Huff
S-MART:
C A.J. Pierzynski
2B Josh Barfield
WORCESTER:
OF Mark Teahen
OF Michael Cuddyer
1B Mike Jacobs
RHP Jason Hammell
2B Marcus Sanders
YUMA:
RHP Jon Rauch
SS Bobby Crosby
3B Blake DeWitt
C Brian Schneider
LHP Tony Sipp
FIRST-WEEK FRESHMEN
Two young pitchers had really outstanding 2008 debuts this week. You've probably heard about Johnny Cueto's 10-strikeout effort, which was historic for the Reds organization and has him, at the moment, leading the NL in K's. Congrats to Yuma!
Less heralded, however, would be today's outing by Manny Parra, who took a no-hitter into the sixth against the Giants only to lose his shutout on a Eugenio Velez protect swing, a passed ball and a bad route by CF Rajai Davis. Still, his line was impressive: 5.1 IP, 3 H, 7 K. A nice omen of sorts for Brooklyn.
By the way, when Jimmy Jones debuted for the Padres in September of 1986, he twirled a one-hit shutout, which at the time was a record of sorts that he shared with (interestingly enough) Juan Marichal. Since that time, however, two pitchers have spun no-hitters in their second major-league start (Wilson Alvarez and Clay Buchholz), and of course Kerry Wood fanned 20 Astros not so long ago in his fifth outing as a pro, a one-hitter that at least one scoring system claimed was the most-dominant pitched game ever.
It's past noon. Time to check the free agent bids....!
Less heralded, however, would be today's outing by Manny Parra, who took a no-hitter into the sixth against the Giants only to lose his shutout on a Eugenio Velez protect swing, a passed ball and a bad route by CF Rajai Davis. Still, his line was impressive: 5.1 IP, 3 H, 7 K. A nice omen of sorts for Brooklyn.
By the way, when Jimmy Jones debuted for the Padres in September of 1986, he twirled a one-hit shutout, which at the time was a record of sorts that he shared with (interestingly enough) Juan Marichal. Since that time, however, two pitchers have spun no-hitters in their second major-league start (Wilson Alvarez and Clay Buchholz), and of course Kerry Wood fanned 20 Astros not so long ago in his fifth outing as a pro, a one-hitter that at least one scoring system claimed was the most-dominant pitched game ever.
It's past noon. Time to check the free agent bids....!
THEIR TIME WILL COME: PLAYERS
Again, BARB has rules for the eligibility of regular players, as follows:
Let a PLAYER be considered ELIGIBLE for BARB play when they have amassed 50 plate appearances in the current season or 100 plate appearances in prior season plus at least 10 plate appearances in the current season.
This is usually not as frustrating as the case of young pitchers (see previous post), but with that in mind, the following prospects are not yet eligible for BARB play despite having accumulated stats in the 2007 major league season:
BLACK MESA: 3B Ian Stewart, IF Brandon Wood, OF Wladimir Balantien
BROOKLYN: OF Cameron Maybin, IF Joel Guzman
DARWIN: C Jeff Clement
FROSTBITE FALLS: C J.R. Towles
WORCESTER: 1B Steve Pearce
YUMA: OF Adam Jones, IF/OF Chase Headley
Let a PLAYER be considered ELIGIBLE for BARB play when they have amassed 50 plate appearances in the current season or 100 plate appearances in prior season plus at least 10 plate appearances in the current season.
This is usually not as frustrating as the case of young pitchers (see previous post), but with that in mind, the following prospects are not yet eligible for BARB play despite having accumulated stats in the 2007 major league season:
BLACK MESA: 3B Ian Stewart, IF Brandon Wood, OF Wladimir Balantien
BROOKLYN: OF Cameron Maybin, IF Joel Guzman
DARWIN: C Jeff Clement
FROSTBITE FALLS: C J.R. Towles
WORCESTER: 1B Steve Pearce
YUMA: OF Adam Jones, IF/OF Chase Headley
THEIR TIME WILL COME: PITCHERS
But not yet! There is an eternally-frustrating class of players, which is the young pitcher on the verge of stardom who can provide an immediate boost to a club's rotation.
BARB has rules for such pitcher's eligibility! Here's the rule:
Let a PITCHER be considered ELIGIBLE for BARB play when they have amassed either 10 appearances or 25 innings pitched in the current season or 20 appearances or 50 innings pitched in the prior season plus at least 5 appearances or 10 innings pitched in the current season.
So, it happens every year that people have phenoms they want to use right away, but they have to wait for them to reestablish their eligibility, even if they qualified for BARB play in the last two weeks of the 2007 season. Pitchers get cups of coffee and often do very well in a brief first go-round through the league, and the eligibility rule levels the playing field for those players.
So, here are the affected pitchers, by team:
BLACK MESA: RHP Homer Bailey, LHP Glen Perkins
BROOKLYN: LHP Manny Parra, RHP Jonathan Meloan, LHP Ross Detwiler
CASSELTON: RHP Felipe Paulino
DARWIN: LHP Franklin Morales
FROSTBITE FALLS: None.
LAS VEGAS: None.
LEXINGTON: RHP Nick Blackburn, RHP Joba Chamberlain
OAKEYLAND: LHP Dana Eveland
POTTSYLVANIA: RHP Yorman Bazardo, RHP Bret Prinz
S-MART: LHP Garret Olson
WORCESTER: RHP Ian Kennedy, LHP Adam Loewen, RHP Fabio Castro, RHP Mark Lowe
YUMA: RHP Clay Buchholz, RHP Edison Volquez, LHP Troy Patton
Also in this category, but released to free agency: RHP Tyler Clippard, LHP Andrew Sisco, LHP Jason Vargas
So let's be clear! The above pitchers pitched last year in the majors, but are not yet eligible for BARB play. They will need to accumulate 10 appearances or 25 innings pitched in the present season before they will be eligible.
BARB has rules for such pitcher's eligibility! Here's the rule:
Let a PITCHER be considered ELIGIBLE for BARB play when they have amassed either 10 appearances or 25 innings pitched in the current season or 20 appearances or 50 innings pitched in the prior season plus at least 5 appearances or 10 innings pitched in the current season.
So, it happens every year that people have phenoms they want to use right away, but they have to wait for them to reestablish their eligibility, even if they qualified for BARB play in the last two weeks of the 2007 season. Pitchers get cups of coffee and often do very well in a brief first go-round through the league, and the eligibility rule levels the playing field for those players.
So, here are the affected pitchers, by team:
BLACK MESA: RHP Homer Bailey, LHP Glen Perkins
BROOKLYN: LHP Manny Parra, RHP Jonathan Meloan, LHP Ross Detwiler
CASSELTON: RHP Felipe Paulino
DARWIN: LHP Franklin Morales
FROSTBITE FALLS: None.
LAS VEGAS: None.
LEXINGTON: RHP Nick Blackburn, RHP Joba Chamberlain
OAKEYLAND: LHP Dana Eveland
POTTSYLVANIA: RHP Yorman Bazardo, RHP Bret Prinz
S-MART: LHP Garret Olson
WORCESTER: RHP Ian Kennedy, LHP Adam Loewen, RHP Fabio Castro, RHP Mark Lowe
YUMA: RHP Clay Buchholz, RHP Edison Volquez, LHP Troy Patton
Also in this category, but released to free agency: RHP Tyler Clippard, LHP Andrew Sisco, LHP Jason Vargas
So let's be clear! The above pitchers pitched last year in the majors, but are not yet eligible for BARB play. They will need to accumulate 10 appearances or 25 innings pitched in the present season before they will be eligible.
4.04.2008
DISABLED LISTS: WHO'S HURTIN'
Free agents who will begin the 2008 MLB season as unsigned free agents, or on the disabled or restricted lists:
C: none
IF Scott Rolen, Ben Zobrist,
OF Jim Edmonds,
RHP Curt Schilling, Jason Schmidt, Orlando Hernandez, Mark Prior, Chris Ray, Akinori Otsuka, Duaner Sanchez
LHP Randy Johnson, Andy Pettite, Scott Eyre, Jason Vargas
Other players who will begin the year on the disabled or inactive lists, by team:
BLACK MESA: OF Mike Cameron, RHP John Patterson, RHP Humberto Sanchez,
BROOKLYN: RHP Joel Zumaya, LHP Mike Gonzalez
CASSELTON: C Johnny Estrada, OF Jose Guillen, RHP John Lackey, RHP Kelvim Escobar, RHP Brandon McCarthy, RHP Clay Hensley, RHP Jason Hirsch, LHP Chris Capuano
DARWIN: RHP John Smoltz, RHP Josh Johnson, RHP Kyle Drabek, LHP Scott Kazmir, LHP Chuck James
FROSTBITE FALLS: RHP Shawn Hill, LHP B.J. Ryan
LAS VEGAS: None.
LEXINGTON: C Miguel Montero, OF Jeremy Hermida, RHP Josh Beckett
OAKEYLAND: 3B Andy LaRoche, RHP Kiko Calero, RHP Scott Shields, RHP Chad Gaudin
POTTSYLVANIA: IF Chad Tracy, RHP Chris Carpenter, RHP Yovani Gallardo, LHP Noah Lowry, LHP Mark Mulder
S-MART: C David Ross, OF Rocco Baldelli, RHP Fernando Rodney
WORCESTER: IF Nomar Garciaparra, RHP Anibal Sanchez
YUMA: LHP Troy Patton
C: none
IF Scott Rolen, Ben Zobrist,
OF Jim Edmonds,
RHP Curt Schilling, Jason Schmidt, Orlando Hernandez, Mark Prior, Chris Ray, Akinori Otsuka, Duaner Sanchez
LHP Randy Johnson, Andy Pettite, Scott Eyre, Jason Vargas
**************
Other players who will begin the year on the disabled or inactive lists, by team:
BLACK MESA: OF Mike Cameron, RHP John Patterson, RHP Humberto Sanchez,
BROOKLYN: RHP Joel Zumaya, LHP Mike Gonzalez
CASSELTON: C Johnny Estrada, OF Jose Guillen, RHP John Lackey, RHP Kelvim Escobar, RHP Brandon McCarthy, RHP Clay Hensley, RHP Jason Hirsch, LHP Chris Capuano
DARWIN: RHP John Smoltz, RHP Josh Johnson, RHP Kyle Drabek, LHP Scott Kazmir, LHP Chuck James
FROSTBITE FALLS: RHP Shawn Hill, LHP B.J. Ryan
LAS VEGAS: None.
LEXINGTON: C Miguel Montero, OF Jeremy Hermida, RHP Josh Beckett
OAKEYLAND: 3B Andy LaRoche, RHP Kiko Calero, RHP Scott Shields, RHP Chad Gaudin
POTTSYLVANIA: IF Chad Tracy, RHP Chris Carpenter, RHP Yovani Gallardo, LHP Noah Lowry, LHP Mark Mulder
S-MART: C David Ross, OF Rocco Baldelli, RHP Fernando Rodney
WORCESTER: IF Nomar Garciaparra, RHP Anibal Sanchez
YUMA: LHP Troy Patton
OPENING DAY SET: SATURDAY, APRIL 12th
Here are your Opening Day matchups:
4/5/2008 08 Moabs 08 Luchadores
4/5/2008 08 Eliminators 08 Ballers
4/5/2008 08 Flying Squirrels 08 Creepers
4/5/2008 08 Finches 08 Boom Sticks
4/5/2008 08 Horned Toads 08 Rebels
4/5/2008 08 Anomalies 08 Firebirds
Yuma opens its defense of its 2007 World championship with a three-game set against division rival Black Mesa, while Central titlist Las Vegas meets Eastern runner-up Brooklyn and the two playoff clubs from the East (Darwin and Worcester) face Central squads S-Mart and Oakeyland, respectively. The traditional Squirrel vs. Creepers opener will be the first game played, with Boris Badanov throwing out the first pitch, if all goes well, at 16:05 PM on Saturday the 12th.
Between then and now, a lot must happen:
Owners must submit free agent bids by noon on Saturday the 5th.
Owners will be informed of their winning bids by the end of Saturday, and receive a new spreadsheet showing all clubs. Teams with cap problems will have one week to rectify their problems. Players released after free agency will be added to the expansion pool for next season.
Owners will receive lineup cards by email prior to Monday the 7th. They will have until midnight on Friday the 11th to submit their lineups, rotations, managerial roles, etc.
It's time to get this show on the road!
4/5/2008 08 Moabs 08 Luchadores
4/5/2008 08 Eliminators 08 Ballers
4/5/2008 08 Flying Squirrels 08 Creepers
4/5/2008 08 Finches 08 Boom Sticks
4/5/2008 08 Horned Toads 08 Rebels
4/5/2008 08 Anomalies 08 Firebirds
Yuma opens its defense of its 2007 World championship with a three-game set against division rival Black Mesa, while Central titlist Las Vegas meets Eastern runner-up Brooklyn and the two playoff clubs from the East (Darwin and Worcester) face Central squads S-Mart and Oakeyland, respectively. The traditional Squirrel vs. Creepers opener will be the first game played, with Boris Badanov throwing out the first pitch, if all goes well, at 16:05 PM on Saturday the 12th.
Between then and now, a lot must happen:
Owners must submit free agent bids by noon on Saturday the 5th.
Owners will be informed of their winning bids by the end of Saturday, and receive a new spreadsheet showing all clubs. Teams with cap problems will have one week to rectify their problems. Players released after free agency will be added to the expansion pool for next season.
Owners will receive lineup cards by email prior to Monday the 7th. They will have until midnight on Friday the 11th to submit their lineups, rotations, managerial roles, etc.
It's time to get this show on the road!
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