1st VIRTUAL BASEBALL CLASSIC - TOURNAMENT BY ERAS - FULL!

1st VIRTUAL BASEBALL CLASSIC

OK, let's please review, comment and adopt a plan:

The tournament will consist of 8 seasons. We will play it once through then decide whether to start as an annual challenge.
Season Groupings (derived from LMBombers’ earlier work, “Option C”, but moving 1919 into the dead-ball era):

1. The Signs They Are a Changing: 1960-1969 - 296 hitters & 212 pitchers – SEASON STARTS 2/18/13: 80M No DH
2. Willie, Mickey and The Duke: 1947-1959 - 312 hitters & 213 pitchers - STARTING DRAFT: 80M No DH
3. Giants of Every Color: 1935-1946 + NEL - 307 hitters & 199 pitchers:80M No DH
4. The Sultans of Swing: 1920-1934 - 319 hitters & 196 pitchers:80M No DH
5. Small Ball Kings: Pre 1920 - 351 hitters & 249 pitchers: 80M No DH
6. Tear Down This Wall: 1986-current - 337 hitters & 222 pitchers: 80M with DH
7. Billy, You’re Fired: 1979-1985 - 307 hitters & 218 pitchers: 80M with DH
8. Henceforth and Forever Free Agents!: 1970-1978 - 303 hitters & 225 pitchers: 80M with DH

We have twelve committed owners:
AllStarInc
GFDWARF07
LMBombers
Rjnewman
Musial6
krazykat
Gordie Howe
doug_tucker10
Rick Smith
risden
ehlekev
kenhutchings

Once we start playing the season, the draft for the next season starts. Hopefully that draft will end sometime around mid-season so we'll have two seasons playing , and one draft happening at once? If that's too much for anybody, let us know. We don't want to force it down your throat. It's supposed to be enjoyable, not a hassle.

It doesn't really matter what order we go as we work through each season.

SCORING – There are four ways to gain points:

1. Regular Season Wins:
•You get ONE POINT for each REGULAR SEASON win during a season.
Doing this makes games very important despite being out of playoff contention and keeps managers active.

2. Playoff Performance:• THREE bonus points for making the playoffs (i.e. first round playoff losers get 3 points total)
• FIVE bonus points for winning the first round series (i.e. finals loser gets 5 points total)
• TEN bonus points for winning the championship. (i.e. finals winner gets 10 points total)
In other words these playoff points are not cumulative

3. Season End Statistical Leaders: We award ONE point EACH to the owners whose team includes the following individual statistical leaders for the 162 game season:
• Batting Average (minimum 500 plate appearances)
• Home Runs
• Runs Batted In
• A TRIPLE CROWN (sole leader in AVG, HR and RBI) would merit 3 ADDITIONAL bonus points (6 total)
• Stolen Bases
• Pitcher Wins
• Strikeouts
• ERA (minimum 175 IP)
• MVP and CY YOUNG award winners (per HAL determination) – ONE POINT EACH
• In the instance of a TIE in any category 0.5 points is awarded to each player tied (even if more than two players they all get 0.5). Pitcher wins will be the biggest tie area.

4. Individual Game Feats:
• No Hitter – single pitcher, compete game – ONE POINT
• Perfect Game – single pitcher, minimum 27 consecutive outs – TWO POINTS (instead of the one for no hitter)
• 4 Homerun Game – single player, 4 or more HR – ONE POINT
• 10 RBI Game – single player, 10 or more RBI – ONE POINT

Owners will have to alert the Commissioner each time an event occurs for official awarding of points.
These point opportunities keep everyone in the game as well. I am wide open to any further ideas. Let’s get these solidified then we can start working on the next draft!

So using Bill's example, if a team went 90-72 and won it all...they'd get 90 points for their wins, 3 points for making the playoffs, 5 points for winning the first round and 10 points for winning the championship, for a total of 108 point in this example. Then they would add any statistical bonus points.

Points are updated as we complete each season, more frequently for individual game achievements. Each season the division alignment is established by randomizer, while the draft order is the reverse order of the current total points leader board for any completed leagues.

Division of Labor:

•I will coordinate things as Commissioner if nobody else wants it, but if I go all Bart Giamatti on you, we may have to find a replacement. And I will hope for lots of help.

• Player’s Union Chief: I’d ask that Randy (LMBombers) be in charge of the player sets – for each season we will publish an Excel spreadsheet with the official eligible player list. No other players can be added once the draft starts. If a player is inadvertently left off the sheet they are not eligible.

•Treasurer/CFO: I’d nominate Bill as the official captain of prizes and incentives. We should probably handle this through e-mail primarily so that the strat folks don’t get nervous. Financial, special trophies, prizes, etc. all add to the fun. Bill can also contact Strat to see if they will offer us any incentives – make them an offer they can’t refuse!

•Disagreements or Unanticipated Conditions – will be resolved through a vote of the owners. Any owner can demand a vote. Hopefully this will not happen much, if ever. The three named above will settle any ties via a supplemental vote after a special meeting (majority of two of the three rules).

•Special Awards/Trophies: Any owner can offer a special prize at any time for the tournament or individual seasons or achievements. We did this a couple times with the ’69 game and it was fun.

When we finally decide to meet in Vegas for some reason, the commissioner will not be able to buy a drink…

We have twelve committed owners:

But we are let out of Arkham on an occasional basis.

Rjnewman will put up 100 dollars towards trophy that will go to the winner- then in year two it will be sent to following years winner that will get a plate to add his name to it for his win etc. etc. Trophy can be Bill's choice (baseball related) only condition is it is one with enough room for 10 plates 5 on one side five on other. Team with worst cumulative record at end of each tourney will be responsible to send previous years winner (in possession of throphy) w the UPS shipping cost to send trophy (if necessary) to next winner. Bill if you are ok with handling purchase send me address and i will send check. Good luck to all.

rjnewman, that is a very gracious offer. I'm sure the commish will take you up on it. However I really don't care about a trophy myself. This could lead to possible animosity towards someone if they don't reimburse the postage each time the trophy is moved. I'm in this league for fun not cash but I will go along if that is what we want to do.

However I really don't care about a trophy myself.

I share those sentiments, also. But it's not like I have to worry that it will actually occur (i.e., win the championship).

Knowing this group, I have to wonder if 60s or 70s baseball memorabilia would have more value.

It is very nice offer and I will let Bill work through the details and decide the best path. A traveling trophy of some sort would be nice, but maybe it's more of a classic collectible, cheap and easy to mail? I am open to any possibility.


What did you guys think of the individual game and season stats for getting points? I kind of like that angle and like that you can have a bad team once in awhile, but still get some points for such achievements. Any point opportunities I am missing? I thought about making the one 3 homer games instead of four... Also thought about individual game K's (15?). We want to make it fun, but not a circus either.


LMB and AllstarInc - do you accept your roles, together with all the rights and responsibilities accorded therewith?

I accept my role and am willing to email the 50s spreadsheet to anyone that wants it.

I like the idea of the individual game and season stats also. Maury Wills has been ordered to run with abandon in hopes of at least one of those points.

Sounds great to me! I will work with RJ to figure out the prize thing.

OK, great, hearing no objections I will form a standings sheet to keep track of all the ins and outs of the point tally. Everyone please remember to notify me if you have a point-earning opportunity (I will keep track of winns and season leaders, pleas notify me on individual game stats.

Randy, please send out the spreadsheet. I do have everyone's e-mail now, perhaps you do too, but I can send to the whole clan.

I will get a randomizer run and form the draft on another thread. We keep the next draft on this same board (1969, 1999, etc.) for now, just to keep it simple.

I will use this order for the '47-'59 randomizer, as we obviously do not have an in-progress leader yet.

1. AllStarInc
2. GFDWARF07
3. LMBombers
4. Rjnewman
5. Musial6
6. krazykat
7. Gordie Howe
8. doug_tucker10
9. Rick Smith
10. risden
11. ehlekev
12. kenhutchings