Where did I go worong?

I am fairly new to online--started in April--the following team is my third effort--My first two were predictable for a new online player---but this team I was very happy with my picks, and my draft. Though the ballpark may be my biggest mistake, what can you veterans of SoM tell me here---they are still in wildcard hunt and in a tough division---but they have hovered around, just below .500 all year and are in 4th.

http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/team/1104080

#1. There's been a lot more rolls on the hitters cards than the pitchers cards. This applies to both your hitters and pitchers. It should even out... but then again, it might not. Just bad luck?

#2. No production from Hanigan, Zimmerman and Snider doesn't help much. Viciedo ain't helping much either...

#3. When you a lot $6.17 million (Rodney) to 1 player, he needs to pitch until his arm falls off. Boggs should NOT have more innings than Fernando. Camp shouldn't have the same # of innings. Is Rodney set to close AND setup? If not, he should...

#4. Team OBP is poor for your park. It needs to be .340 or better...

visick

I have relief usage to regular, Rodney as close, tied & late, tied & extra---but not setup--will give that a try---spent to much on a closer anyway I think now---bad luck with Snider and Viciedo I know--as I have had them on my first couple of teams & they did so well that I probably overvalue them---I guess more than anything this team has bored me to death---they just hang around .500 and the best team in my division is so good that I got 14 games down half way through--though now about 11---I really got almost all the players I wanted, which is why I am so disappointed in this team--makes me wonder if my judgment is poor.

Hang in there.

It's really not that bad of a squad. Just bad rolls that hopefully change.

Just get the ball more into Rodney's hands. You want to get your $'s worth from him.

What are your lineups?

#2. No production from Hanigan, Zimmerman and Snider doesn't help much. Viciedo ain't helping much either...

Snider and Viciedo have faced close to double the number of righties as lefties. That's a big hole in your lineup. Snider is mashing lefties, but batting to his card against righties. Viciedo isn't producing period. I'm assuming this is a result of being in a non-DH league, because you're facing 3x righties versus lefties and because of changes to your roster, rather than intention.

You may want to drop Marshall and/or Viciedo, push innings to Rodney and start Aoki in left versus lefties. Then look for another bat who can hit against RHP (depending on who is available) and possibly another versatile reserve or Delmon Young-like guy who could spot start due to injuries (you're pretty well protected there).

Being a new online player-(not new to the game--I played a lot in the 60's & 70's)--I am still insecure in my thinking--This team ended up in a division with 4 very good teams--all with positive run differentials. I still think it is the best team I've put together so far. In fact I have a better run differential than the division leader, but I am 13 games behind as of this post. To get my whining out I currently have 3 teams all with positive run differentials--and all under .500.

I appreciate the advice-I've had real trouble trying to get my pitcher settings to work.

As for Aoki--all I missed in my draft was my LF & Catcher--I drafted Viciedo in my original 25 to platoon, probably should have dropped him when I got Aoki in the Waiver draft, or went with someone like Pierre & saved $.

-I jumped in with both feet this April bought the 2 for one and then a 5 team pack--Only one team has finished of the 7. The two teams I thought were the worst at the start of their seasons are the ones in first. One of them got in a division with the three worst teams in the league--so I guess I'm even there. The other is a 200m team that I literally got about 6 players that I drafted, Desmond & 5 pitchers.

My teams that win seem to be teams that my draft is a disaster to me. I'm one of those guys that would rather be good than lucky--I don't think I'm very good so far.

drafting is one skill that takes some time to pick up. Learning what players can be slotted in what positions and still get them is a bit of a science.

Best thing you could do would be to record each draft and who you received and who you didn't so you can gauge how high cetain players need to go. Then you can get an idea.

Plus certain players are first round picks, so it's useless to put more than 1 on your draft card, Miggy, Trout, Moss for sure.

You can go back to your old teams then copy and paste this link, and see who was on your draft card

http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/in ... team/draft

should make things easier.

Some suggestions (assuming a $80M 12 team league)
1) Don't worry too much about the draft because won't know the other ballparks in your division.There will plenty of talent in the Waiver/FA pool Your division is pitcher park friendly. Players with high BP homerun chances like like Snider, Plouffe and Zimmerman are not the ideal fit.

2) The bullpen has too many guys without a set role. they are getting too many innings.

3) Having a great record is no predictor of playoff success as many of us have had 100 or near 100 win teams knocked off by wild cards