Luck in close games

This is not a whine, because I've had my share of success in the close ones before. It's actually more of a martyrdom complex -- my current team is +57 through 69 games, but 5-22 in extra innings and 1-run games. It's turned an expected 40-29 playoff-bound squad into a last-place 30-39 rat's nest of acrimony and contract-year selfish play.

On the plus side, I've gone from frustration to a perverse sense of satisfaction that I can blame fate, not myself, for the outcome. (OK, I can also blame my closer, who has nearly as many losses [9] as strikeouts [11]. )

Team: http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/team/816749
League: http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/league/266998

Like I say, I don't need your pity. But I would love to hear other examples of outrageously bad fortune to distract the poor Topical Ointments from their self-loathing.

I always do the Cub count. Three and you're doomed. I see you have Mordecai and Maddux. Don't recognize any others, but they're out there..........lurking.

My 2 shiny pennies...(WAIVER: I'm no expert)

In a hitting park, anything can happen. You can go on a tear for a stretch, while also losing for a stretch.

That being said, you have 2 big holes in your lineup with McReynolds and Jackson. In a hitting park and especially @ $100 million, ya can't really have ANY dead spots.

The 1e34 @ SS is OK if it's a HUGE hitter. Like a Dahlen.

Having the big 3 pitchers is nice but at what price? In your park, I'd have 4 $6- 7 million SP's and invest in the hitting.

Thanks, Visick. I've had success with iterations of this formula in past and am generally happy with Jackson and McReynolds for the price (for instance, http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/team/386044), although it's true the soft bottom of the order might be a bridge too far for the poor Ointments.

I'm mostly just curious to see other people's tough-luck squads. This one is now +71 but 38-46 overall, due to the 6-25 in extra innings and one-run games!

This is Ray Caldwell's agent checking in. Just wanted to point out my client has same winning percentage as Maddux and Brown. What are you getting for that extra 9 mil? Could we renegotiate my client's contract up a few mil?

On more serious note I think weak bullpen teams are more variable with respect to one run and extra inning games. Those are quite often decided by the bullpen. I also do not like having weak bullpens in hitter/bomber parks because they tend to increase the number of games a starter gets chased and does not finish the game making it almost certain the bullpen will decide your fate.

Thus on teams where I am trying to win in a hitter park I always make sure I have at least 1 really good reliever.