3 and Out

After tomorrow night's 3 game series...I'll, for the first time in the past 15 years...have Zero active teams...Whether winning or losing, this game has been beyond my understanding...just when I think I know something...I don't. lol

Like I was pretty sure a 10m Sp (actually 9.80) C.Mathewson *could* go 12-18 with an ERA of 6.49 while giving up 76 Hrs in 290 innings, because it's a 140m cap and hitter friendly... BUT how in the world does a 4.17 Sp on that same team go 8-1 with only a 4.05 Era in 20 starts.

http://365.strat-o-matic.com/team/1418365

Or like how can 14.5 Barry Bonds hit 62 Hrs for my squad...and 2.45 D. Johnson hit 57 for that same team.

See win or lose...good for my team or bad for my team...results that should happen once in a blue...happen far more frequently...making the game, for me, unknowable...I mean what can *I know* if at the beginning of any given year I'm not sure if my team will win 95 games...or lose 88...And I guess since my better teams win 95 and my lesser teams *only* lose 88 that accounts for my above .500 lifetime winning pct...but really it speaks to how little I understand the game...or how the game is just tons of luck and black box.

I remember w-a-y back in ATG1 Treyomo was talking about an often used cheaper SP Kid Speer...he said he could make or break your team depending on whether you got the 4.01 ERA Speer or the 8.97 ERA Speer...Flip a coin.



Customer service answers my questions at about a 1 out of 3 ratio (I don't write to them often) because my belief is, when they don't have a sensible answer...they just don't answer...like why is my SP left in, in the bottom of the 9th with 4-0 lead all the way down to F2 when my rested closer just sits and watches...causing me to lose the division by that game.


http://365.strat-o-matic.com/game/playbyplay/428754/960

And I guess Familiarity does breed contempt or maybe frustration because no matter how big the player pool gets (what are we up to now 5500) there's not much originality...(that's why I have so much admiration for example Whoopycat's team that won a title using low error players..very very cool.)

So for those reasons, I'm out.

Yeah right - sez Nev as he pulls out the credit card for another five pack.

If its not fun don't do it. Its not your job, so farewell and drop in once in awhile and roll few. Bill

So for those reasons, I'm out.

I completely agree with all of the reasoning.
What I find difficult to agree with is that no one who can address why this stuff happens, does.

Sorry to see that you are leaving All Time Greats, just as I was the previous four times you announced your retirement.

Maxie

I'll be sorry to see you go Nev. I enjoyed playing against/with you, and you've been a great partner in crime.

Sorry to see that you are leaving All Time Greats, just as I was the previous four times you announced your retirement.

Maxie

LMAO!

But as I said, this is the first time ever in 15+ years that I've had no active teams...meaning I haven't started a new team in about 2 months...I'm pretty sure it will stick this time.

Been a pleasure, Michael, through all the years. I've been winding down a bit as well - I still enjoy the game, just not to the addictive level I used to. Plus, two kids approaching college and 60 hour work weeks and softball and gymnastics and basketball and forensics and ..... just don't have the time.

I've stopped scrubbing box scores to avoid the frustration of the weird HAL decisions. I draft the best team I can, set the best strategy for that group, and let her run. This generation of players is also much less prone to league chatter, which makes it less interesting for me. Active leagues pique my interest, there just aren't nearly as many as there used to be.

Take care, and hope to see you pop in for the occasional visit, even if just to liven up the boards a bit.

Tim.... You're a good man Charlie Brown. Thanks for the kind send off.

Nev, I totally agree.
I also am winding it down. I have had 42 atg8 teams. 16 have made the playoffs, so still above the .333 game of chance. But those 16 playoff teams are 54-76 in the playoffs with 1 championship. Most lose in the semi's, doesn't matter if I have the best record, best run differential or a wild card team.
I have also had several teams in great position at the 120 game mark, and totally tank the rest of the way and miss the playoffs. Seems way too random and frustrating, so I spend my time on other hobbies.
I did draft my first non franchise team in nearly 4 months this week. So I guess you could say I'm down to 3 teams a year.