It's a sign...

[coyote303]

Every losing manager probably thinks his team is just underperforming until the realization finally sinks in: his team stinks!

My newest 2006 team has been so pathetic that I have to laugh--I ran out of swear words! Here are the signs that maybe the team isn't so good:

1. After winning 2 out of their first 3 games, they lose 6 straight series.
2. They then win 2 out of 3 (they play well on Mondays) only to follow up the next day by scoring one run for the entire series at home.
3. Next series, they score some runs but still lose all three.
4. Their winning percentage is now lower than the team batting average of the team batting average leader.

And [i:a37e77a4d5]still[/i:a37e77a4d5] I hold out hope they will turn their season around!

[voovits]

I for one am guilty of failure to take the big picture into consideration.
I had one 80s team in particular in which I just couldn't understand why they were losing.
They ended the season giving up the fewest number of runs (by a large amount - 41 over the #2 team), they also were second in batting average (.291). I didn't understand how a team that was hitting the ball and pitching well was doing so poorly. They ended 80-82, way out of playoff contention.

What I was failing to consider was that even though they had a high BA, they were second to last in runs scored mostly due to lack of walks, and extra base hits (only 97 HRs for the entire season!) They were also dead last in strikeouts on offense. Fewer strikeouts equates to more double plays as a general rule.
I just had my eye on the pitching, and especially the batting average saying they're due to start scoring runs, expecting that any day I'll check box score and see the team finally figuring it out and start to score 10 runs per game. Of course it never happened.

It took the season to end and for me to reflect back on it that I finally realized why they lost.

[ergie63]

I had three teams in 2005. Each one worse than the one before. The last team 10 of 14 hitters ended up something like 30 to 72 points below their expected batting average. Needless to say they were the worst scoring team in the league.

I figured there was a secret manager setting like "dice: random" or "bunt: always" that I accidentally set the wrong way.

It took 3 years before I bought another Strat-o team. I have since discovered batting order formulas. Lo and behold I had screwed myself out of 40 expected runs that season. Still, the batting average was too stinky for 162 games.

[elpasopesos]

Check out mine

57-30 flying high 9 games in first

now 63-51 yes that is right going 6-21 now 4 ganes back

Try to figure that one out

[coyote303]

My team has gone 6-0 since my initial post!

We're not selling playoff tickets yet, but it was sure nice to see.

[ergie63]

Since this thread has turned into tales of long odds leading to woe (long odds bringing good news are naturally the result of my genius) here is a recent one...

7 of 10 rolls from the batter's card 100% of which yield a new baserunner 3 rolls from the pitchers card 100% are outs. The odds must pretty slim.

[size=9:60451bf9f9][font="courier new"]*** BOTTOM OF INNING 1 ***
0 J.Dillon 3-6 Walk b-1 F9
0 1 B.Roberts 2-5 Single (LF) 1-2 b-1 F9
0 12 D.Wright 1-6 Single (CF) 2-3 1-2 b-1 F9
0 123 J.Hamilton 1-11 Home Run (RF) 3-H 2-H 1-H b-H bpHR 1-6 F9
0 J.Rollins 4-6 Pop Out (SS) b-0 F9
1 J.Bay 3-6 Walk b-1 F9
1 1 R.Freel 3-8 Single (RF) 1-3 b-1 F9
1 1 3 H.Blanco 5-6 Sac Fly (CF) 3-H b-0 F8
2 1 D.Young 2-6 Single (RF) 1-2 b-1 F8
2 12 J.Dillon 4-6 Pop Out (SS) b-0 F8[/size:60451bf9f9][/font]

[coyote303]

Game 93 my team of woe completed a 3-game sweep and now has a winning record! Also, I'm sure this team has had more sweeps for and sweeps against than any team I've ever had.

It's been an interesting season, and there are still 69 games to go.

I suppose I could make this a post about not panicking by making a lot of roster moves (I have made none) in a 200x league, but I don't think I want to go there! :)

[keyzick]

Yeah...the headscratcher teams are the most frustrating. Of my last two tour teams this year, one team ended its season missing the wildcard on the final night of the season, with 84 wins. The pythag for that team had it with 93 wins...the best pythag in the league. So I chalk it up to an underperforming team....

Now my last tour team this year, which may actually keep me out of the top 36, is faltering below .500, despite being in the top 3 in runs scored and pitching! How the heck does that happen! :shock:

My theory: it's my offense's fault - my team(s) have explodability, where they can really smoke a team. But they lose too many tight games when the pitching is still there, but the offense is someone quiet (too quiet!).

I'll add the links to those teams when I get home tonight (can't access from work), so you can analyze/bask in my misery :lol:

[CHARLESBELL]

My first 12 team league this season has been a total jekyll and hyde:

Won 1st 8 games, goes 9-1
Then goes 1-8
Wins 4 of 5
Then loses 5 of 6

Sigh.

[MtheB]

One of my favorite seasons was a team that was 12 games out at the half way point and completely under performing.
Somehow, I resisted the temptation to revamp the whole team, and only made one trade, and the team took off.
The team went on to win the division and the ring.
strat teams, like real teams, have unexplainable slumps, some of long duration.