Middle Defense: Another Tutorial

Please tell me I'm the droll one and not the other way around!

And on these boards, clown time is never over...in fact, it's almost ALWAYS clown time here!

That's funny, Clown claims to not read any of my posts. And since all of my posts were on topic, and his troll post wasn't, his troll comment was pure projection...

Maybe we can actually return to the topic now, no?

Please tell me I'm the droll one and not the other way around!

yes, it's noun v. adjective, in that order

Clown the troll makes his second troll post. Too classy...

ClowntimeisOver does keep impressing. First, he accuses other posters of pretentiousness...then he pretentiously quotes Gore Vidal. And now he's childishly trolling a thread that he didn't even contribute to. Clown, indeed...

The posts were called "The Secret Formula". They're in the archived boards. It's not like they're hidden posts or anything. I think I posted about 20 Champs teams per year over what, like 10 years??

I don't "need" to post anything, or even convince anybody of anything. Do your own research. When I do post something, it's out of fun and kinship with the community. I'm not misleading anyone or manipulating anything. I just (usually) enjoy the discussion.

The classic misinterpretation of The Secret Formula is that it is somehow my "opinion". The Secret Formula is 7th grade math. You might not like that 90+ percent of Championship teams use 1s and 2s up the middle, but the FACT is, they do. There's a lot I can't do, but one thing I do very well is add, subtract, multiply and divide. Tell me all you want about your 3 defenders, or bomp helium's 4 defenders, but don't tell me I can't add. Maybe this year will be different, all I know is it holds up VERY well over the previous 12 or 13 seasons.

I think it's wonderful when someone's bold approach works. But a trend is a trend is a trend. And by the way, 90% is not 100%. So I actually DO GET IT that some teams use 3 range defenders up the middle. I DO IT TOO!! It doesn't change the trend, the fact, the conventional wisdom, the veterans best practices or whatever you want to label it as. If 90+ percent can be most, then most Championship teams use 1s and 2s..

Actually, the Secret Formula is your opinion. It may be a very successful one, but it isn't infallible or the only way to build a successful team. And the fact you provide championship teams has no relevance to the thread topic. Everyone knows you can win with 1s and 2sx middle infielders.

And, as I said earlier, anyone has to provide evidentiary support if they are asserting something is true beyond their opinion, including you. Considering you already erroneously asserted teams with 3s middle infielders will produce runner-ups, without substantial evidence, it is perfectly reasonable for anybody to request the evidence behind your factual assertions.

And I think it's great you admit using 3s middle infielders is a viable way to win a title. The fact you are using Santana at SS proves it. But who cares about the trends you claim should be followed. There are many different ways to win championships, and whomever limits themselves to trends or formulas is simply unimaginative.

And finally, you need to check your belligerence towards me. I have been nothing but polite to you on this thread, and you have been repeatedly rude to me. There's no excuse or call for it.

I usually try to form teams that fit with your hypothesis re: defense, J-Pav. Every now and then, though, there's always the exception that can prove to be great fun.

Here's a keeper league title team from the 2010 season, with Uggla (4) and Han Ram (3) up the middle, along with a pedestrian starting rotation:
http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/team/1383826

It's hard to argue with the offense, though, with 407 doubles and 313 home runs.

* * * * *

As the offense dries up in the 2014 card set, though, I'm betting solid defense up the middle will be even more common than before in the winning teams!

Unreal, he sucks the life out of every thread, sorry J-PAV....

Tcochran, what do you mean by offense "drying up" in the 2014 set?