1987 BLB Debut Thread

[Matt]

I've seen a lot of stats in this thread. I have never been much of a baseball guy.

What do you think is more important. ERA or WHIP? AVG, OBP, or OPS?

[Clay]

I've seen a lot of stats in this thread. I have never been much of a baseball guy.

What do you think is more important. ERA or WHIP? AVG, OBP, or OPS?

Personally... WHIP > ERA -- OBP > OPS > AVG

[Carlos]

Personally... WHIP > ERA -- OBP > OPS > AVG

I agree with WHIP over ERA.

OBP vs. OPS is such a weird thing, though. OPS is OBP with SLG so I can't see how they can be compared as greather than the toher.

Because OPS includes OBP and SLG (which is all about getting thos doubles and homeruns, I gotta go with OPS.

[Lintyfresh85]

When I set up a line up I look at it this way.

#1 - High OBP/Speed = lots of runs
#2 - Good contact/High OBP guy (Nick Johnson-esque)
#3 - Overall best hitter in the line up = Protection behind him, guys on base in front = $
#4 - High SLG = higher SLG%, more RBI's with one swing
#5 - Second best overall hitter behind #3

Then I have my lower class hitters

#6 - More of OPS guy in this slot... best of the 6,7,8 guys.
#7 - Another OPS guy... not as good as the rest of the guys = 10-12 HR's a year type.
#8 - I like a guy with a solid eye or tremendous power batting 8th. You put someone with a 5+ eye rating in the eight hole and they'll get on base a ton. Same goes for low contact guys... put them in the 8 hole and the damage is minimized... and you never know when they'll get a big XBH to surprise you now and then.

#9 - Pitcher - I set all my pitchers to 100% sacrifice... so if someone is on, they're moving them over.

It's not a perfect set up, but I try and pattern it after the A's and other teams that value OBP. My ultimate goal is always to tire out the starter early with a lot of pitches and then pounce on him/relief with power.

[Pat]

I'm a little unconventional.

#1 - OBP/Speed/AVG - This guys one and only goal is to get on base and get around them as fast as possible. Some managers do not prefer speed here, but I do. If you have a high OBP guy with speed, he can get to first by a single or a walk, then steal second and you have a player in scoring position. Plus, if you have the luxury, a like a player with a little pop. Have you guys seen Dale O'Hegarty (VIR)? He might be the best in the league. His OBP is outrageous. He can steal with the best of them. And, he is one of the leagues best in doubles. Odds are he is getting on base...and odds are he will be standing on 2nd, with a double or a single/walk and a steal.

#2 - Contact - I prefer a guy here who does not strikeout a lot. If you can get a productive out out of your #2 hitter it is really beneficial. Bunting is sometimes important here as well. Also, prefer a guy who has some speed, so he doesn't kill a rally with a double play. If your #1 hitter gets on base, #2 has the job of advancing the runner, either with a walk, a hit or a productive out. A guy with a .280-.300 average, average speed, average pop, average OBP, is great here. The "contact" guy.

#3 - Best hitter - Normally, with my teams, my best hitter is never the biggest HR threat, so don't get that confused. When Michio Nago comes back, he will likely hit in the #3 spot, despite being a 10-12 HR type guy. He is hitting .315 with a .900+ OPS.

#4 - Cleanup - Your biggest masher. Obviously you would prefer a big OBP guy with a high average, but if he has a decent OBP and is a legit power threat, he will knock in a ton of runs. Prefer a guy with a decent average. I want a hitter here, not a guy looking to take a walk with men on base.

#5 - Cleanup #2 - Normally your 2nd best power hitter. He is the guy in the lineup who could be a .220 hitter, .320 OBP, but can hit 25+. I have Dave Robbins here.

#6 - Your worst hitter/2nd worst in DH league - I don't normally have "bad" hitters in my lineup, but the worst of the bunch should hit here. Normally, this is my defensive stud, who isn't in the lineup for his bat. Obviously if you have the talent, a power hitter is nice here as well. Mike Murdock, my catcher, hits here, .250, 15 homers, type.

#7 - High OBP - I prefer a high OBP in this spot, and like Linty said, prefer a great eye, because he will get walk opportunities with the pitcher coming up next. You never want the pitcher to leadoff the innings, so getting a high OBP guy in the #7 spot works very well. If there are two outs and he can get on base, great success. Even better if he has a little speed, so he doesn't hit into double plays. This is the guy you want to avoid ending an inning with him at the plate at all costs. He can be a strikeout guy, doesn't have to be an AVG guy, just OBP.

#8 - Pitcher/worst hitter if DH league - I tried this for a bit last season and I have started using it the past month or so. I like it over batting the pitcher 9th. Tony LaRussa thinks this is a money move and so do I. It gives your #1 and #2 hitters a LOT more RBI opportunities. Instead of those opportunities going to your #7 and #8 hitters. I'll explain more here...

#9 - Leadoff #2 - My leadoff man (earlier Michio Nago, right now top prospect Robert Abbott) is a pretty good overall hitter, not just OBP and speed. So I prefer to give him some RBI opportunities. Right now I have Larry Fitzsymons here. He switch hits, hitting .300+, .350+ OBP, "6" on speed/steal and zero pop. Perfectly fits the role of #9 hitter for my strategy.

---

I think no matter what, just get your four best, or three of your four, BEST hitters, regardless of role, in the top four spots. They are going to get more at bats during the season and in each game. As long as you don't bat your four worst hitters #1-#4, the run differential based on lineup is like 10 runs a season. But it is still fun to think it makes a huge difference.

[Riverman]

#29 prospect Manny Cisneros makes his BLB debut this sim replacing the injured Clint Lance, who is out for 3-4 weeks.

I had planned to leave Manny in the minors until next season at least but I don't have any other good options at this point. He has hit .290/.348/.500 in AAA after a slow start and will start both ways for Davenport at least for this first sim.

[spot]

I'm a little unconventional.

#1 - OBP/Speed/AVG - This guys one and only goal is to get on base and get around them as fast as possible. Some managers do not prefer speed here, but I do. If you have a high OBP guy with speed, he can get to first by a single or a walk, then steal second and you have a player in scoring position. Plus, if you have the luxury, a like a player with a little pop. Have you guys seen Dale O'Hegarty (VIR)? He might be the best in the league. His OBP is outrageous. He can steal with the best of them. And, he is one of the leagues best in doubles. Odds are he is getting on base...and odds are he will be standing on 2nd, with a double or a single/walk and a steal.

#2 - Contact - I prefer a guy here who does not strikeout a lot. If you can get a productive out out of your #2 hitter it is really beneficial. Bunting is sometimes important here as well. Also, prefer a guy who has some speed, so he doesn't kill a rally with a double play. If your #1 hitter gets on base, #2 has the job of advancing the runner, either with a walk, a hit or a productive out. A guy with a .280-.300 average, average speed, average pop, average OBP, is great here. The "contact" guy.

#3 - Best hitter - Normally, with my teams, my best hitter is never the biggest HR threat, so don't get that confused. When Michio Nago comes back, he will likely hit in the #3 spot, despite being a 10-12 HR type guy. He is hitting .315 with a .900+ OPS.

#4 - Cleanup - Your biggest masher. Obviously you would prefer a big OBP guy with a high average, but if he has a decent OBP and is a legit power threat, he will knock in a ton of runs. Prefer a guy with a decent average. I want a hitter here, not a guy looking to take a walk with men on base.

#5 - Cleanup #2 - Normally your 2nd best power hitter. He is the guy in the lineup who could be a .220 hitter, .320 OBP, but can hit 25+. I have Dave Robbins here.

#6 - Your worst hitter/2nd worst in DH league - I don't normally have "bad" hitters in my lineup, but the worst of the bunch should hit here. Normally, this is my defensive stud, who isn't in the lineup for his bat. Obviously if you have the talent, a power hitter is nice here as well. Mike Murdock, my catcher, hits here, .250, 15 homers, type.

#7 - High OBP - I prefer a high OBP in this spot, and like Linty said, prefer a great eye, because he will get walk opportunities with the pitcher coming up next. You never want the pitcher to leadoff the innings, so getting a high OBP guy in the #7 spot works very well. If there are two outs and he can get on base, great success. Even better if he has a little speed, so he doesn't hit into double plays. This is the guy you want to avoid ending an inning with him at the plate at all costs. He can be a strikeout guy, doesn't have to be an AVG guy, just OBP.

#8 - Pitcher/worst hitter if DH league - I tried this for a bit last season and I have started using it the past month or so. I like it over batting the pitcher 9th. Tony LaRussa thinks this is a money move and so do I. It gives your #1 and #2 hitters a LOT more RBI opportunities. Instead of those opportunities going to your #7 and #8 hitters. I'll explain more here...

#9 - Leadoff #2 - My leadoff man (earlier Michio Nago, right now top prospect Robert Abbott) is a pretty good overall hitter, not just OBP and speed. So I prefer to give him some RBI opportunities. Right now I have Larry Fitzsymons here. He switch hits, hitting .300+, .350+ OBP, "6" on speed/steal and zero pop. Perfectly fits the role of #9 hitter for my strategy.

---

I think no matter what, just get your four best, or three of your four, BEST hitters, regardless of role, in the top four spots. They are going to get more at bats during the season and in each game. As long as you don't bat your four worst hitters #1-#4, the run differential based on lineup is like 10 runs a season. But it is still fun to think it makes a huge difference.

So you read The Book?

[Pat]

So you read The Book?

Actually no. Just a few excerpts.

That stuff is ridiculously deep.

[Lintyfresh85]

What's 'The Book'?

[Lintyfresh85]

Nevermind... I found it.

http://www.insidethebook.com/

[Ryan]

Hmm, sounds interesting.

Thoughts from those that have read it?

[Jistic]

I'm all about RC and RC/27.

In the end all numbers lie a little and tell some truths as well. I think you need them all to tell what's going on.

[Lintyfresh85]

2B Jarred Good


A second round pick in the 1984 draft, Good the 29th best prospect in baseball will be making his Kodiaks debut this sim. Good, who will be taking over the second base job is taking the lineup spot of sputtering star Alberto Grandon. Kodiaks management is confident that Good will be able to handle the jump from AA to the BLB. He was hitting .315/.371/.486/.857 with a VORP of 21.8 in 251 at bats this season. Good has been named to a minor league all-star team for the last three seasons ('85 - A) ('86, '87 - AA).

Taking Grandon's spot at third base will be Kodiaks every day second basemen Mark Steward. Grandon, who went the way of Nicols Arce, and Harry Stafford before him, will be sent to the bench and will only see playing time sparingly the rest of the season.

[Pat]

2B Jarred Good


A second round pick in the 1984 draft, Good the 29th best prospect in baseball will be making his Kodiaks debut this sim. Good, who will be taking over the second base job is taking the lineup spot of sputtering star Alberto Grandon. Kodiaks management is confident that Good will be able to handle the jump from AA to the BLB. He was hitting .315/.371/.486/.857 with a VORP of 21.8 in 251 at bats this season. Good has been named to a minor league all-star team for the last three seasons ('85 - A) ('86, '87 - AA).

Taking Grandon's spot at third base will be Kodiaks every day second basemen Mark Steward. Grandon, who went the way of Nicols Arce, and Harry Stafford before him, will be sent to the bench and will only see playing time sparingly the rest of the season.

Is this in response to his monster first week in Triple-A: 4/23 with 4 strikeouts?

[Riverman]

Is this in response to his monster first week in Triple-A: 4/23 with 4 strikeouts?

Just what I was thinking.

I'll be interested in seeing how this works out. I've got plenty of guys who haven't even succeeded at AAA yet, but it never ocurred to me that maybe they'd do a lot better in the BLB.