All posts by Brian

Voice-over pro. Former broadcaster. Current president of Harrisburg Senators Fan Club. My passion is "baseball" - the strategic nine-player game (without a DH) where each player must run, hit and field.
2016 Seasonings

2016 Draft Day

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We again thank Manager Kevin for hosting our annual Rookie Draft on Sunday, February 21st. The facility is perfect for keeping warm food warm, cold food (and beer) cold, providing electrical outlets throughout the spacious drafting room, and even coffee on-demand.

Our agenda begins on a somber note as we recognize the recent loss of Bob Silks and his Birds of Pray franchise. As we share around the table, the fun baseball memories with Bob lighten our spirits, just as he would want. Bob Boyd adds a thoughtful touch by placing Bob’s team before an empty seat at our table, because he remains with us in memory and spirit.

President Brandon follows by introducing our newest OOTL member, Tony Champa. Tony actually finished the 2015 season by taking over the Devil Dogs franchise and renaming it the Shartlesville Browns. Welcome, Tony!

Of course, we continually seek new members to join our ranks. We invited potential expansion managers who had other commitments today; however, we’re hopeful that they’ll follow through with watching a few series this season and getting the OOTL fever for 2017 and beyond.

We recognize the 2015 OOTL champion with our trophy and plaque presentation. John Ingiosi’s Lymebees finished the regular season in first place and had little difficulty in the playoffs to win their very first OOTL championship.

2016-Champ-cw

John is also the first recipient of the newly renamed Silks-Williard trophy, now honoring two OOTL members. Congratulations, John!

League officers continue as in 2015 except for vice-president as Craig abstains due to geography. Steve accepts the nomination unopposed to become our new VP. Brandon continues as president; Bob as Secretary-Treasurer; and, John and Kevin remain alternates to the executive committee.

Player of the Year voting results:
1 – Michael Brantley (The Plague)
2 – Adrian Beltre (Lymebees)
3 – Jose Altuve (Birds of Pray)

Pitcher of the Year voting results:
1 – Chris Sale (Eliminators)
2 – Adam Wainwright (Unhinged Wahoos)
3 – Johnny Cueto (Asian Tsunamis)

Clarifications

Brandon will contact Alice to clarify new electronic contact data for Ed.

Forfeits – In order to eliminate the possibility of a forfeit, which occurred during 2015’s 3rd period, we discuss Brandon’s alternative and agree on a simpler version: Use the last (or currently) available relief pitcher from the active roster who may have been ineligible due to Batters Faced or season Innings Pitched.  That relief pitcher would begin (or continue) as a 1* -66 -66. If season IP are not exceeded, the RP would be subject to fatigue moving forward. Approved 9-1.

In addition, a clarification: any negative control pitcher must visit the pitcher grade chart on a roll of 12 or 35 before giving up a walk. With any negative control pitcher on a hit-and-run play, go directly to the steal chart. The count on the batter is 2-0.

Playoff rotations – What are the requirements?  Are they necessary?  An issue occurred in a series during the playoffs where one team wanted to adjust who was going to start specific games within a series.  Result: Starters for the first three (3) games must be announced. Once a roster is submitted to the executive committee, it is final.

Tiebreaker rules for draft position – What needs to be added to the constitution to avoid future issues like the multi-step tie we experienced this year between the Tsunamis and Wahoos. Result: Series wins as a 3rd tie-breaker; run differential as a 4th tie-breaker for draft position.

Switch to updated Master Game booklet version for play results – Brandon requested that Craig bring his copy of the booklet that APBA created as an update to boards. Brandon thought that we could review this to see whether it would be something that we wanted to adopt in the future. Result: Tabled for now. All of us wish to review the booklet.

Rules Discussion and Proposals

Eliminate Rule 2.12  (e) Play result (26) on Second Base board requires a defensive roll for fielding: Fielding 1 – Batter out at 1st, runner holds A-4, PO-3; fielding 2 & 3 – Batter out at 1st, runner advances 1 base A-4, PO-3.  Follow exactly what displays on the boards. (Steve) Passes, 8-2.

Any catcher that catches 12 innings in one game is ineligible to start the following game. (Ed) Passes, 10-0.

Continue to use realistic runner advancement (brown board) at the discretion of both managers for any series. (Brian) Passes, 10-0.

Board result 30, 31 or 32 with Runner on 1st, Runner on 2nd or Runners on 1st and 2nd: increase each Hit Valuation Number by 10 6 on fly out advancement attempts.  (Brian) Passes, 7-3.

A relief pitcher may not exceed two innings in an appearance unless one of the following criteria is met: 1) Designated Long Man – Prior to each series, a manager will designate one RP that can be used as a Long Man.   This RP is able to pitch as many innings as the manager wishes while following all other established league rules surround relief pitching.  The Designated Long Man can be a SP who did NOT have any relief appearances the prior year.  If a SP is used in this capacity, the SP will lose a start. 2) The SP in the current game was removed due to being downgraded because the SP allowed 5 ER over a 3 inning period. 3) The RP entering the game is the last available RP. 4) The RP enters a game that is in extra innings. 5) The RP reaches their limit with 2 outs in an inning.  The manager can allow the RP to finish the inning.  (This allows for manipulation of the rule but at least is forces someone to manage and make decisions). 6) The SP was removed due to injury or ejection. (Brandon) Withdrawn.

Limit On The Use Of HIT-AND-RUN PLAYS IN A GAME: 3 Times a game and one additional in EXTRA INNINGS. (Brandon) Failed, 4-6.

CHANGE THE TRADE DEADLINE – Move the deadline back to the end October.  This allows teams to have played more series and will allow teams to know if they are in the playoff race or not.  However, once the deadline is passed, no more trades can be made. (Brandon) Failed, 1-9.

Starting in 2017, starting pitchers will be limited to GS AND IP. (Brandon)  Withdrawn.

Starting with our 2017 season, limit all pitchers only by GS and batters faced (in relation to the current number of scheduled games plus 10%). Current rest chart still applies.” (Brian) Tabled until mid-season.

Clarification – If we don’t find a new manager for 2017, the Birds of Pray roster will be added to the 2017 rookie draft.

Following a brief break, we began our 2016 Rookie Draft with the Lemonheads selecting first. You can analyze the results on this spreadsheet.

2016 Seasonings

2016 Top Undrafted Players

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Welcome all to the 1st edition of the ASSN’s 10 part series previewing and analyzing the OOTL 2016 season. In this edition, we will be identifying and ranking the top players left on the table at the recent draft:
#6: Mitch Moreland:  A 1B4 with a 7 at 44, 1 at 66 and +1 vs. RHP. Moreland has been a late bloomer who has improved his stats annually. With Texas’s influx of strong prospects coming in the near future, Moreland’s stats should continue to trend up. While 1B is usually an easy position to fill, we believe it is a huge miss that this guy is still out there. One can even cast stones internally at Captain Lou Albano as he kept Ben Paulsen and drafted Mr. Du-dads over Moreland. Outside of the Tsunamis there are also several roster spots weighed down by 1B men with less upside and inferior cards.
#5: Darin Ruf: A cheater card with a huge plus against lefties, but also a player who is slotted to play a much bigger role for the Phillies this season. At worst he’d be a yearly annuity against lefties. The upside is a 1B4 in future years who will nail 25+ HRs if he plays mostly regularly. As has happened every year in recent memory, there will be one or two OOTL teams that did not protect themselves against lefty starters and they will face them in almost every series. When that occurs you’ll be thinking of Ruf!
#4: Andrew Cashner: A long-time Tsunami who was an impromptu final cut due to needing a player offering that protection against lefty starters. In hindsight, Drew Pomeranz was the right cut to make and Cashner should have been given the chance for a comeback season. A huge mistake by Albano, but an even bigger mistake by the nine other owners not to pick him up as a prospect.
#3: Eduardo Rodriquez: This L12 could have been used as an emergency starter for limited games this year, but his bigger value is on the upside. Our service looks at him as the future ace in Boston in the form of Pedro 2. He may be a year away from brilliance, but he is a more developed prospect than numerous other selections made in the draft.
#2: Patrick Corbin:  A L12 with a +33 BB. He was a future #1 starter destined for greatness before TJ surgery. The Tsunamis previous GM dumped him last year due injury but he bounced back in MLB with a strong showing and should get favorable matchups as the #3 in AZ. He is the best pitcher in MLB not presently on an OOTL team and we predict he will be a lottery pick in next year’s draft. Remember back on this. You could have had him this year in the 13th round.
#1: A.J. Reed: Our top player available is the highest ranked Top Prospect position player not drafted. He has huge power and average potential, but most importantly, there is an opening in Houston for him to earn the job in spring training. Another certain 2017 lottery pick which could have been landed with a 13th round pick this year. We all missed big by missing this AJ!
In our next edition, we will be analyzing each team’s “Starting Pitching” inventory and strategy. We hope you have enjoyed the first edition and of course comments are welcome though we will avoid debates.
Craig Dolan for the Asian Sports Network (ASSN)
Personal

Another OOTL Loss

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It’s been almost exactly ten years since OOTL lost its first active owner, Carl Williard and his Mountaineers. This morning we learned that the beloved Birds of Pray owner, Bob Silks, has entered the OOTL Baseball Hall of Fame. He and Kathy endured much over the past several months, yet consistently exhibited a positive outlook.

Despite treatments and appointments, Bob faithfully continued to play his OOTL schedule. Occasionally, he would ask me a cancer-related question and we’d discuss his condition, but mostly, we immersed ourselves in the game that both of us love. Our only interruptions would be due to our dogs’ needs for a loving scratch or a trip outdoors.

Where I use a convoluted Excel workbook, Bob would always tally his team’s statistics by hand. Yet at any point while we were playing, he could surprise me with the most impressive, insightful stat about his team or one of his players. I truly savored those moments.

Through Kathy and Bob’s generosity, I was able to attend my first Orioles Fan Fest in 2014 with a long-time friend who nearly always dons O’s gear. That day, Birds of Pray superstar Chris Davis startled me by excusing himself and breezing right beside me on his way to an autograph session.

Bob also offered me tickets to a 2015 game against the A’s at Camden Yards. I asked another friend and huge O’s fan, to accompany me. We witnessed an incredible Baltimore 9th inning comeback to tie and a Manny Machado walk-off a few innings later.

Soon after I met Bob and he joined OOTL, we had a chance opportunity to actually play baseball together at Doubleday Field in Perry County in 2004. Two newly acquainted, passionate baseball fans, many of our mutual friends from WITF, throw-back wool uniforms and John Kruk combined for a special sun-soaked Saturday in May.

While Bob is now whole and at peace with Nikki, Molly and other loved ones, Kathy and the rest of us cling to all of our rich, fun memories with Bob. I am so thankful that he stayed with us through the weekend so family, friends and his OOTL family could visit.

Rest in peace, my friend.

2015 Championship Series

Championship Series – #2 Eliminators vs. #1 Lymebees

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Game 1; Sale vs Hendricks; Eliminators score Lucroy in the first inning on a 2-out double by McCutchen. Bees get a 3-run HR by Tulowitzki in the 3rd. Eliminators get a lead-off solo HR by Lucroy in the 4th. Bees get a solo HR by Beltre to lead off the 6th. Bees bullpen goes 5.2 innings to preserve the Bees 4-2 win.

Game 2; Ventura vs Bumgarner; Eliminators score 1 run in the 1st and another run in the top of the 3rd. Bees get a bases-loaded triple by Lind to take a 3-2 lead. Bees would add 2 runs in the 4th and 1 run in the 5th. Bees bullpen would hold the Eliminators scoreless in 5.1 innings as Bees win 6-2.

Game 3; Arrieta vs Lester; Bees get an unearned run in the 3rd. Eliminators get solo HRs by Jones and Lucroy in the bottom of the 3rd. Bees get 4 runs in the 4th with Upton hitting a 3-run HR. Eliminators get 2 runs back in the 5th. Bees get a 2-run triple in the 9th by Adams and the bullpen holds the Eliminators scoreless for 4.2 innings for a 7-4 Bees win and 3-0 series lead.

Game 4; Gray vs Pineda; Eliminators get the only run of the game in 4th on a lead-off walk to Pollock. Lucroy gets out, McCutchen walks, Pollock steals 3rd, and Martinez singles him in. Pineda goes 8.1, Doolittle gets the 2nd out in the 9th, and Morris gets the final out as Eliminators win 1-0.

Game 5; Sale vs Hendricks; Eliminators get 2 runs in the 4th and 1 run in the 5th. Sale goes 7.1 scoreless, but with a Yelich one-out single in the 8th, is pulled. O’Day faces Tulowitzki, who he walks, and Beltre ends the inning with a DP. O’Day pitches a 1-2-3 9th and the Eliminators win 3-0, as the Bees are shut out for the second straight game.

Game 6; Bumgarner vs Wilhelmsen; Eliminators score 1 run in the 1st. Bees tie the game in the 2nd. Bees get a 1-out solo HR by Cano in the 7th. With 1 out in the bottom of the 9th, Mauer pinch hits and gets a double to score Lucroy from 2nd base. With the game still tied in the top of the 11th, Upton gets on 1st on an error by Reyes. Avila follows with a single. Cano loads the bases with another infield hit. With the infield in, Yelich gets a 2-run single past Kinsler at secondbase followed by Lind hitting an inning ending double play. Bees use Gregerson, Leone and Crockett to get the last 3 outs in the bottom of the inning to finally win the game and the series, 4-2.

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all.

Bees score 14 runs with 2 outs in the series; 13 runs with 2 outs in the first 3 games of the series; Avila plays 3 games and goes 1 for 7 with the only hit being in the 11th inning of game 6. He does get 5 walks and is on base twice in each game played.

Cano gets a hit in every game, goes 11 for 24 in the series, and 4 for 6 with a HR in the final game.

Lymebees relief pitchers stats for 6 games:

Wins 4      Saves 4      Innings 30     Hits 17     ER 1 (9th inning of game 6 with 1 out to tie game)     BB 8     SO 28     WP 1

2015 Playoffs

Shooting Stars II vs. Lymebees

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Game 1; Fister vs Arrieta; Arrieta gives up 8 runs in the first with the first 8 batters getting on base and scoring, for a total of 2 walks, 4 singles, 3 doubles and a triple — all in the first half inning. Bees would score one run in the 3rd. Stars add 2 more runs in the 5th. Stars get a 2-run HR in the 7th to end the scoring and go on to win 12-1. Fister pitches a complete game. Arrieta goes 6 inning and Leone pitches the remainder of the game for the Bees.

Game 2; Lynn vs Gray; Bees score twice in the bottom of the 1st. Bees get 2 more runs in the 3rd on a one-out triple by Adams. Bees score a single run in the 4th. Stars would get their only run in the 5th on a double by Cervelli. Bees finish scoring with 3 runs in the bottom of the 5th and win 8-1 to tie series.

Game 3; Hendricks vs deGrom; Bees score one run in the 3rd on a two-out single by Lind. Stars tie the game in the bottom of the inning on back-to-back doubles by Kemp and Pedroia to lead off the inning. Bees get a 2-run HR by Upton in the 4th and 3 more runs in the 7th as Bees win 6-1 and go up 2-1 in the series.

Game 4; Bumgarner vs Fiers; Stars score a two-out unearned run in the 2nd inning on a single by Kemp. Bees tie the score in the 4th inning on a lead-off HR by Nieuwenhuis, Bees get a solo lead-off HR by Beltre in the 7th. Stars tie the game in the 8th. Bees get the go-ahead run in the 9th on a Yelich single and stolen base and Avila RBI single. Stars would load the bases with one out, but do not score as Bees win 3-2 and go up in the series to 3-1.

Game 5; Fister vs Arrieta; Bees would strike first with a solo HR by Adams in the 4the. Bees add 2 more runs in the 5th. Stars get a 2-run HR by Negron in the 6th and Frazier hits a solo HR in the 6th to tie the game. With the score tied at 3 in the bottom of the 12th, Cano would lead off with a single. Tulowitzki flies out. Reddick hits into a fielder’s choice and is on first as the Bees hit-and-run with Beltre, who doubles in the game and series winner. Bees win 4-3 and take the series 4-1 in 5 games.