Demerit Update

Here are the current demerit totals for the 2018 season:

4 Wahoos
3 Sidewinders
3 Bees
3 Inmates
2 Nads
1 Rhinos
1 Mavs
1 Drillers

With 4 demerits, the Wahoos will be limited to 20 players at the March cut down.

Dozier to the FFTs

Following the league rule, "If your player becomes a Dodger, he must then become an FFT," the Nads traded Brian Dozier to the FFTs for their 4th round pick in next year's draft.

Demerit Update

The Rhinos (81 gms), Nads (60), and Skyscrapers (69) came up short of the minimum number of games played this month. The Rhinos will be assessed 1 demerit, and the Nads and Scrapers will be assessed 2 each (because they are both more than 20 games behind).

The totals for the season are:
Nads - 3
Skyscrapers - 2
Rhinos - 1
Killer Bees - 1
Sidewinders - 1
Wahoos - 1

By the end of July, everyone should have 115 games played. The official deadline is Sunday, August 6th. There is no consequence for 3 or fewer demerits, but starting at 4, you are limited as to how many players you can protect at next year's draft. Here's a link to the Constitution.

And please remember to CC me whenever sending game files after computer games. I have been updating the league, and I believe I have every computer game on there.

Demerit Update

The Killer Bees and Sidewinders were the only ones falling short of 40 games played by May 7th. These were the first two demerits earned this year. Way to go, Mullen brothers! Leading the way!

Questions That Came Up Today

During the Pig/Wahoo series (played with cards and dice), a few questions arose.

1. The first came about simply because we have come to depend too much on Hal to tell us stuff, like what happens when a non-asterisk base stealer wants to steal 2b after failing to get his lead.

Dustin Pedroia was on first with Garrett Richards on the mound. Pedrioa's steal numbers are (13-6). Richards is a +9 hold, leaving the catcher's arm moot. Pedroia rolled for his lead (1-18), but didn't get it. We were then confused as to what his secondary number would be. Turns out, the battery combo doesn't change. In this case, it's still +5 (max); it just now applies to the second number (1-11).

Note: For the record, the FFTs and Tweeners responded with the correct ruling. The Snakes and Buckeyes got it wrong. Glad others were confused, too.

Another Note: The Chief decided not to go, instead just hitting a home run. The bastard.

2. Question 2 - and the reason I am writing this post - has to do with using pitchers to hit. There were three scenarios, I believe, that came up and left us curious.

Scenario A: Francisco Liriano is part of the PigPen, but he also is a capable hitter (#8NL). If Liriano pinch hits in the top of the 7th for the shortstop, can he then come in to pitch the bottom of the 7th. The new SS would go to the DH's spot, and the DH would be lost. Sounds, okay, right? Unusual, but legal. I think. And would it matter if the guy he pinch hit for was the DH?

Scenario B: What if Liriano starts the game as the DH? Can he, at some point, take the field as the pitcher? The DH would be lost, of course, but it's legal, right?

Scenario C: In a move I know is legal, Adam Wainwright (#7NR) was the starting pitcher, but we decided to let him hit for himself and eschew the DH. Again, not a normal move, but completely legal. (The things we do to try to get N-power hitters into the games at The Reservation.)

I bring this up because I tried to recreate these moves on the computer tonight - and NONE of them is possible. The only way a pitcher can hit AND pitch in the same game is to first lose the DH (which can't be done in the initial setup at the start of the game). And even then, the pitcher must either already BE pitching in the game, or he must come in after the DH is lost. If he has already hit - even though he's still in the lineup at the moment - there is no way to drag him to the pitcher spot.

By the way, I checked and Wainwright had 62 AB last year (so 68 possible ABs for the Pigs), and Liriano had 42 (46 total). We ARE keeping track.

Rule Updates

We voted on several rule change proposals at the Draft. All but one were defeated.

To recap...

1. Defensive Shift Rule (SOM) - The defense may call for a defensive shift any time that the bases are empty and the batter is rated N-power. When the shift is on, the result of the AB is based on the offense's decision to "Swing Away" or "Beat the Shift." Then a 20-sided die is rolled and a chart is referred to. Complete instructions can be found here or in the package with your cards.
FAILED. SOM's new defensive shift rule was defeated 16-0. Enjoy the moment; the last time this league unanimously agreed on anything was Esque winning Queen of the Draft in 1989.

2. Allowable AB/IP for the Playoffs (Warpigs) - The proposal (detailed here) would limit all players to 10% of the AB/IP on their card per playoff series. We currently use 33% for the entire playoffs.
PASSED. Each of the 25 players on a team's playoff roster will be allowed 10% of his AB/IP for each series. This takes affect immediately, beginning with the 2017 playoffs.

3. Starting Pitchers Used in Relief in the Playoffs (Inmates) - A SP used in relief in the playoffs would become tired after recording 3 outs (detailed in the comment section here). Currently, the one SP you designate to relieve can throw 3 innings before becoming tired.
FAILED. Turns out the rule already puts the "SP in relief" guy's POW at 1. 

4. No SP Can Relieve in the Playoffs (Sidewinders) - Only pitchers with RP on their cards can relieve in the playoffs (detailed in the comment section here). Currently, a team can designate one SP-only pitcher to be a reliever.
FAILED. The rule will remain as written. One SP-only may be used in relief in the playoffs.

5. Once Carded, Always Carded (Warpigs) - An uncarded player who has had a card in the past can be retained on a team's 30-man roster (even though he could not appear in a game) without the use of a Reserve Pick. (detailed here)
FAILED. Whatever, fuckers.

6. Eliminate Limited-AB/IP Cards (Drillers) - The proposal (detailed in the comment section here) states that all batters with fewer than 100 at bats and all pitchers with fewer than 50 innings be considered uncarded.
FAILED. No minimums. You either have a card or you don't.

7. Increase Roster Size (Fungoes/FFTs) - Change rosters to 31+2 (or larger) to compensate for the need for relief innings.
FAILED. Rosters stay at 30. Got a problem with relief innings? Stop drafting guys with 30 innings.

Rule Change Proposals

There is one new SOM Rule and (so far) five NASOMA Rule proposals. We'll need to discuss and vote on these at the Draft although discussion is welcome here.

SOM also has a new Individualized Pitcher Injury Rule, but as we don't use injuries, it doesn't need to be voted on.

If passed, rules 1-4 would be effective this year. Rules 5-6 would become effective in 2018.


1. Defensive Shift Rule (SOM) - The defense may call for a defensive shift any time that the bases are empty and the batter is rated N-power. When the shift is on, the result of the AB is based on the offense's decision to "Swing Away" or "Beat the Shift." Then a 20-sided die is rolled and a chart is referred to. Complete instructions can be found here or in the package with your cards.
2. Allowable AB/IP for the Playoffs (Warpigs) - The proposal (detailed here) would limit all players to 10% of the AB/IP on their card per playoff series. We currently use 33% for the entire playoffs.
3. Starting Pitchers Used in Relief in the Playoffs (Inmates) - A SP used in relief in the playoffs would become tired after recording 3 outs (detailed in the comment section here). Currently, the one SP you designate to relieve can throw 3 innings before becoming tired.
4. No SP Can Relieve in the Playoffs (Sidewinders) - Only pitchers with RP on their cards can relieve in the playoffs (detailed in the comment section here). Currently, a team can designate one SP-only pitcher to be a reliever.
5. Once Carded, Always Carded (Warpigs) - An uncarded player who has had a card in the past can be retained on a team's 30-man roster (even though he could not appear in a game) without the use of a Reserve Pick. (detailed here)
6. Eliminate Limited-AB/IP Cards (Drillers) - The proposal (detailed in the comment section here) states that all batters with fewer than 100 at bats and all pitchers with fewer than 50 innings be considered uncarded.

Another Proposal

Perhaps we should consider changing our rule about injured players who don't get a card.

As an example, consider A.J. Pollock. He had 41 at bats last year, but is not carded. Michael Brantley had 37 at bats, but did get a card. Kyle Schwarber, who had FOUR whopping at bats, got a card. Schwarber's status is based solely on the fact that he played a big role in the playoffs for the Cubs. That card only comes in handy for teams replaying the 2016 World Series. I have no idea (and SOM can't or won't explain) why Brantley gets a card and Pollock doesn't.

I'm not suggesting we institute the rule this year, but we need to get out from under the apparently randomness that is Strat-O-Matic when it comes to something like this. They cannot (or will not) reveal why or where they draw the line when it comes to carded players. I had assumed the reason had to do with how many players on each MLB team had more AB than a certain player. I asked one of the guys from the company, and he said that has nothing to do with that.

So I suggest, starting with the 2018 season, we institute a rule that a player who has had a card before, is considered carded for the rest of his career. Not for playing. I'm not suggesting we allow the computer card to play in a game. But we should be able to protect them on our 30-man roster without using a reserve. Then we wouldn't be at the mercy of SOM when it comes to carding a player.

This would only apply to players like Pollock or Dalton Pompey or Lance Lynn or Andrew Susac or Tyson Ross... or Brett Gardner a couple of years ago - veterans who got injured. Not rookies who have never had a card. The same thing would have applied to Schwarber or Brantley had they not gotten a card. You should be able to protect them on your 30 as long as you still have enough AB/IP to field a team for the season.

What say you?

Rule Change Proposal

Currently, we allow 33% of the AB/IP on a player's card for the playoffs. The 33% is the max for the entire playoffs regardless of whether the team plays 1, 2, or 3 series. This rule isn't entirely fair for a couple of reasons, and I offer a simple solution: Allow 10% per series.

Take the case of the Warpigs vs Wahoos this past year. The Wahoos lost in 7 games in part because the Pigs used Rich Hill and Jarrett Parker almost to the max. Parker was allowed 16 AB, and he used 13 of them in the 7 games against the Wahoos. Rich Hill only had 10 innings to use, and he used 7.2 against the Hoos. With these two guys shooting their wads in one series, it helped the Pigs and hurt the Wahoos. A 10% max would have meant Parker had 5 AB and Hill 3 innings - a much more realistic use of these studly, but limited, cards.

Also, the teams who get the bye have a built-in advantage of only having to win one series to advance to the World Series. They shouldn't get an added advantage of more usage from those "playoff" cards. The 10% per series rule puts the teams on a more even ground.

And finally, much of our league is founded on a system of trust, as in, "I trust you to keep accurate stats and not to overuse a player during the regular season." And that's fine. But with the 10% limit per series, you don't have to worry or ask about how much a player was used in the previous series; you know how much he can use that player against you.

This rule would have no affect on regular players, and very little affect on medium AB/IP guys. It will only affect the Jarrett Parker/Rich Hill types. It will decrease their value and their ability to dominate a series, and that's a good thing, I think.

A New Rule to Consider

Strat-O-Matic has introduced a new Defensive Shift Rule. Please read up on it and discuss. We will need to vote on this new rule at our Draft. It will be employed as a NASOMA rule unless it receives 11 "No" votes at the Draft.