The Secret Formula: Theory in Action: Update - CHAMPS!

TSF Update:

Secret Formula managed to get by the Mahootma's Manhattan Mahoots, and the top two best records will battle it out in the Finals when TSF meets bertolett's Atlanta Snipers starting Saturday at Coors.

Also, I have a couple more fun teams going that I might throw in here as this thread enters its final week...

Hi Jeff: Finding myself in the unusual position of not being in the playoffs this year , but having some extra credits, I started experimenting a little, somewhat based on this and your past threads. I had a weird year, as I won 7 championships in 26 finished teams (the 26th starts the Finals tomorrow), but I didn't even make the playoffs on any of the Tour teams. I'm not sure there's a correlation, as I've made the playoffs in the Finals leagues each of the last two years while having 'regular seasons' that made me wonder if I'd lost it, but I thought I'd see if I was wrong. And, it's fun to experiment.

I looked at my 10 best teams (7 champs plus 2 other 100 win teams and a 98 that didn't win). As you know, I play almost exclusively in hitter's parks. My average salary on those teams was 53M for hitting, with 2 at 55, in keeping with my theory that a 55/25 split works better in hitters parks than the normal 50/30.

For the experiment I used US Cell, because the BP homers are the same from either side of the plate and it's a park I've played a lot, and I've been running teams in weekly succession with the last one starting Monday. The first team is built the way I've built them all year, 54M on hitters, and it's doing alright, leading the division, but not much over .500,

The next three teams are all basically TSF teams, and I'd tell you how they were doing but you know how HAL likes to punish those who talk about their teams. I've always liked the puzzle part to the formula, fitting the pieces into prearranged (sort of) slots. One of those teams is in with Eddie's SB team, part of another thread.

The last two teams are the ones I wanted to tell you about though. I based them on your idea of drafting your platoons first and then taking the studs that are left. What I did was slightly different: I basically built 60M teams with all players and platoons under 5, so I had someone at every position that I had used happily before and 20M in the bank. I got almost everyone in the draft (missed Davis at #6!) so I could take what the league gave me. It was really a lot of fun to do and I'm excited about the teams. And because I felt so comfortable with the lineups already, it was easy to keep the numbers closer to 50-30 (both are 51/29 and I may wish I'd gone 48/32 before I'm through.)

Haven't had the guts to do your .50 trick, though. Maybe if I win another championship. I'll let you know how the teams go.

Edge,

You're up on me, I needed 38 teams to get to 7 rings this season, and I have a weird anomaly going: I lost a semi-final match only once - 7 champs, 9 finals losses, 1 semi-finals loss and 21 missed playoffs. With 38 teams you'd expect: 3 rings, 3 finals losses, 6 semi-finals losses and about 26 missed playoffs, just based on coin-toss type averages.

I have always had a weird tour anomaly too: I do well every other year for some odd reason. This season was pure luck, but I'll take it because the points were so competitive. It can all crash and burn in any given season despite our best laid plans. Lots of good managers missed out and plenty just missed out. They'll be back.

I'm anxious to see how your experiments play out. Post 'em when you finish or just send me the links in one of the leagues we are/were in.

I have a very unusual "I Hate The Secret Formula" team that starts playoffs on Monday to post later on, and I just started a GB-FB team that is showing early signs of success. Heck, maybe this thread will never go away after all!

I keep hearing posts about "extra credits"; when the new cards come out online are currents credits not good??

JT

Your current credits are good and will be good for the next season. I think what Edge was saying was that he was playing with credits "won" rather than credits "paid for", so he was willing to use those teams to experiment. Playing with the house's money, if you will.

Walk-off home run by Adam Laroche in the bottom of the 9th of Game 5:

http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/game/347661/991

That's great, J-Pav, congratulations!

Jeff, your explanation was dead on and in addition I had two credits saved for the tour

This week I lost in the Finals, but that gave me yet another credit, so I decided to take the plunge, well, halfway, anyway, and draft a team of 50 centers. I don't have the confidence I can build a team from what's leftover like you have, but I do want to prove that a bad draft doesn't mean you're out of it. So I am participating in waivers, drafting 12th, and with a LOT of money available. Should be interesting. Thanks for the ideas.

You're welcome - I'll do a wrap later tonite or tomorrow and start closing down this thread. Wow, am I glad the wait is finally over with this thing.

Congratulations and thanks again for a very entertaining and educational thread! My team that loosely followed your model is doing very well, I'll post it when season ends