Secret Formula 2006

[cummings2]

... :shock:

Wow... this is the first time I get to catch up on the thread.

:shock:

... quite nifty this thread.-Nice going J.

Interesting the whole debate in re: to defense up the middle.

I just made a quick glance of my teams that have made it to the finals this year:

Def up the midde
...2B-SS-CF (Ball Park)
1. 1 - 2 - 1 (Kauffman)
2. 3 - 1 - 1 (Minute Maid)
3. 1 - 1 - 1 (Fenway)
4. 1 - 1 - 2 (US Cell)
5. 1 - 2 - 3 (Yankee)
6. 1 - 1 - 2 (SBC)
7. 1 - 1 - 2 (Tropicana)
8. 2 - 1 - 2 (Coors)
9. 1 - 1 - 1 (SBC)
10. 1 - 1 - 1 (Safeco)
11. 1 - 1 - 1 (Busch)
12. 1 - 1 - 2 (Fenway)
13. 1 - 1 - 1 (Comerica)
14. 1 - 1 - 1 (Fenway)
15. 1 - 2 - 1 (Safeco)

Avg 2B: 1.214
Avg SS: 1.142
Avg CF: 1.5

Very small sample. Parks do tend to slant towards the pitching side. Wins range from 78 to 97 so nothing fancy (nor telling) there, only reason why these teams were sampled is because they all made it to the finals.

Don't know if it means anything but can't hurt to share some more numbers, eh?

J, would you mind if we add links to this thread and the previous formula posts to the newbie advice thread, I really think they're great reads.

C2

-> Edit#1 to add the 15th team to make the Finals.

[J-Pav]

[b:29d34c2ec9]C2:[/b:29d34c2ec9]

Add links or content as you want, to make things more helpful. :D

[Leo / loob]

Just wanted to give a shout out and say that this has been one of the most interesting threads I have seen. I usually do not comment on the boards although I am a constant reader of them. ( with my lack of success with this game my input would be far from helpful ) . I just put together a team using this thread as a guide and will be very interested in how it does. Keep the info coming !!! Loobee

[BRADSANDBOTHE]

I have often wondered how much tinkering the "vets" do with their teams both pre-season and during the season.

This isn't really about adding and dropping players. I have witnessed some pretty remarkable disasters in that area. (I have manager in one of my leagues, actually same division that has a team now worth 42M and will lose over 100 games easily)

This is more to how you all tweak the individual cards.

I have read many different theories and tried a few myself with varying success, but what is the consensus????

Do you guys check the "Steal More/Don't steal catagories, or leave these all alone and Same with Pitchers.

Are these areas integral to "Vets" successes or not??

How many games outcomes could be determined by tweaking some of these???

Also would like some feedback on the Manager Strategy page. I have tried all kinds of different stategies here as well with varying success as well.

Since we have quite a few people piping in on this thread, I wanted to see if there was any one theory that overrode all others or if mix-match was on a more team by team basis.

[Play By The Rules]

...but being the contrarian that I am, I have drafted a team called "Anti-Secret Formula." They start play tonight.

Feel free to comment:

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/2006/team/team_other.html?user_id=14501

[Stoney18]

I always go through and check do not steal, don't pinch hit vs R/L etc for all my players. This plus the Manager Strategy page give some control over Hal.

Same with pitchers. Give enough depth you can improve a little on Hal's basic tendencies in the bullpen. The do not enter boxes are especially important for the cheap one-sided RP. Just make sure you have guys that can eat of the middle innings if needed.

I usually check each team on the weekends and see what the trends are. Is my one-side RP pitching too many innings, wrong RP coming in for blowouts, stolen base % etc. Then you can tweak and see if things improve. Many times people will complain about what Hal does and then you find out that with the team make up and settings you've really given him no options.

When it gets down the last couple of weeks of the season and I'm in the race I tend to look at teams every day and see if adjustments against that opponent may help.

[MARCPELLETIER]

Pucking Drunk,

I think it can have an impact, but for sure, the impact is small. Personally, I am not as conservative as Stone. I let some of my runners free to run, but like Stone, I definitively turn off the signal for those who have many caught stealings possibility.

During the playoffs, though, I think it's definitively worth the effort to go in the individual cards. I make many changes there, depending on whom I am playing against.

[Stoney18]

PD, let me clarify my settings for hitters. I check "do not" where appropriate, i.e. like Lucky said, players who have bad steal ratings and "steal more" when appropriate.

[mesquiton]

Lots of good ideas and theories in this thread, but I'll add my small voice to those who say there is no "secret formula" except to try to design your team to match up best against the teams you'll face most often, and to take maximum advantage of the stadiums you'll play in most often. What helps with one team in one league can equally hurt in another.

Most of the other good theories and suggestions will make a small difference over dozens or hundreds of leagues, but in any given league, given a basic general understanding of the game, the best formula by far is to...be lucky.

No, by being "lucky" I don't mean being marcus wilby, aka luckyman, although that would be the next best strategy I can think of. :wink:

[SCOTTZIMMERMAN]

very informative. Thank you. I have looked over my teams that have done well and that applies to some of them. However, teh best teams I have had have either been heavy with pitching or hitting. Not many teams with your salary split for me went on to the finals or deep into the playoffs, rather did well.

An theory on this?