<div dir="ltr"><div>I want to thank everyone for their congratulations. Gee, imagine if I had won!! LOL You guys are the best.</div><div> </div><div>I put the cards away....tucked the charts in a folder....and took my 2016 team and put them along with the 7 other sets of team cards that I've got (over the holidays, I'll do my traditional 7 game series of last years team vs this years team)</div><div> </div><div>I then, being the glutton for punishment that I am, went back and looked at my playoffs and ran the numbers. The guys that I thought were doing well in the series...and I'm looking at you Mr. Markakis....didn't!</div><div> </div><div>Batters:</div><div>HOU Altuve .300 with 2 doubles and 2 triples</div><div>BAL Machado .280 with 1 double</div><div>ATL Markakis .185 with no extra base hits</div><div>KC Hosmer .192 (ugh!)</div><div>NYN Cuddyer .500 with 2 doubles (don't retire!!!!)</div><div>CHN Schwarber .285 with 1 homer</div><div>HOU Rasmus .428 (why didn't I start you more?!!!)</div><div>DET Davis .217 (blech)</div><div>TEX Andrus .160 (double ugh)</div><div>SD Norris .269</div><div>KC Morales .250 with 3 homers and a double</div><div> </div><div>Hosmer, Markakis and Andrus really hurt. Especially where I was hitting them.</div><div> </div><div>As for the pitchers</div><div> </div><div>CHN Arrieta 1.28 ERA</div><div>PIT Cole 1.50 ERA</div><div> </div><div>Now that's what you expect from your starters...</div><div> </div><div>BAL Gausman 9.00 ERA</div><div>BOS Miley 13.84 ERA</div><div> </div><div>Now that's what you DON'T want from your starters</div><div> </div><div>and the relief corp that led this team throughout the season?</div><div> </div><div>The good:</div><div>BAL Brach 0.00 ERA in 3 innings of work</div><div>TOR Tepera 0.00 ERA in 3.2 innings of work</div><div> </div><div>The bad</div><div>BAL Britton 2.09 ERA in 4.1 innings (not what you want in a closer)</div><div>BAL O'Day 2.09 ERA in 4..1 innings of work (not good, not horrible)</div><div> </div><div>and the ugly:</div><div>CHA Robertson 10.80 ERA in 1.2 innings </div><div>BAL Givens 17.30 ERA in 2.2 innings of work</div><div> </div><div>OK...so when's opening day?</div><div> </div><div>And while I have your attention, I hope you and yours all have a great Holiday Season!</div><div> </div><div>Doug Palmer</div><div>Baltimore Sand Crabs</div><div>Heading to hibernation</div><div><br> </div><div class="gmail_quote">---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>From: <b class="gmail_sendername">Doug Palmer</b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:aeronutty43@gmail.com">aeronutty43@gmail.com</a>></span><br>Date: Mon, Nov 28, 2016 at 9:07 AM<br>Subject: Sand Crab Season is over<br>To: IBL teams <<a href="mailto:members@lists.ibl.org">members@lists.ibl.org</a>><br><br><br><div dir="ltr"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 10pt"><font face="Calibri"><font size="3"><font color="#000000">It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…..<span> </span>I think I read that on a Captain Crunch
cereal box back in the day.<span> </span>Regardless,
it certainly seems apropos on this day after.<span>
</span>And the strange thing is, as I prepare for the autopsy on the 2016 Sand
Crab season, I’m not upset.<span> </span>I mean, I
lost in heartbreaking fashion (bottom of the ninth?<span> </span>Game 7?<span>
</span>Walk off homer against my closer?....yup, checked all the boxes there),
but I’m not upset or heartbroken at all.<span>
</span>That series with Rusty was FUN!<span>
</span>Every game close.<span> </span>Every game down
to one or two important decisions.<span> </span></font></font></font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 10pt"><font color="#000000" face="Calibri" size="3">My goal this season was to make the playoffs and to win more games than last season.<span> </span>That’s it.<span>
</span>To finally rid myself of the “perennial cellar dweller” moniker and
participate in the post season for the first time in 7 years. <span> </span>And I accomplished that.<span> </span>Everything after that was gravy.<span> </span>And I’d say taking the AC #1 seed to 7 games
is nice amount of gravy.<span> </span>And in the
process, I learned a TON.<span> </span>Besides, I
couldn’t let Brent get a top 5 pick for Elvis Andrus! LOL</font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 10pt"><font color="#000000" face="Calibri" size="3">I learned that this is a game predicated not so much on luck (so
much) but moreseo on simple numbers and percentages (although the rollbot can be a bitch sometimes).<span>
</span>And that sometimes, those numbers won’t work in your favor.<span> </span>I learned that while it’s possible to get
through a season with a lackluster #3 and even less…err…lustery #4 and #5
pitchers, that you really need 3 studs<span>
</span>in the playoffs (sorry Kevin Gausman, but you didn’t quite fit the
bill).<span> </span>I learned that cards aren’t
players and that you don’t play someone because you “like them” on your real
life team (sorry Mark Trumbo, but I never needed you off the bench).<span> </span>I learned (through playing and watching) that
the playoffs are played tighter…closer to the vest…and more conservative.<span> </span>And I learned that the IBL has the best bunch
of owners around, bar none.</font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 10pt"><font color="#000000" face="Calibri" size="3">To all of the owners who emailed me with encouragement, and
advice, and constructive criticism, I say THANK YOU!!<span> </span>It was fun being the Chicago Cubs of the IBL
for these last 7 years.<span> </span>I had owners who
I haven’t had the fortune of playing against yet email me with support.<span> </span>For that, thank you!!<span> </span>And right back at ya!</font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 10pt"><font face="Calibri"><font size="3"><font color="#000000">So the season is over and I look forward to the draft and
the research that goes along with that.<span> </span>And
I count the days before the ratings come out and finally, the cards for next season.<span> </span>And then, set the goals for NEXT season….95
wins and a deeper run into the playoffs.<span>
</span></font></font></font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 10pt"><font color="#000000" face="Calibri" size="3">Sand Crab Baseball 2017…..this time, it’s CRABtastic!</font></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 10pt"><font color="#000000" face="Calibri" size="3"></font> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 10pt"><font color="#000000" face="Calibri" size="3">So until next season....</font></div><span class="HOEnZb"><font color="#888888"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 10pt"><font color="#000000" face="Calibri" size="3"></font> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 10pt"><font color="#000000" face="Calibri" size="3">Doug Palmer</font></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 10pt"><font color="#000000" face="Calibri" size="3">Baltimore Sand Crabs</font></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 10pt"><font color="#000000" face="Calibri" size="3">2016 IBL AC West Division Champion</font></div><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
<span></span></font></font></span></div>
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