[IBL] Fwd: Sand Crab Season is over

[Doug Palmer]

I want to thank everyone for their congratulations.  Gee, imagine if I had
won!! LOL  You guys are the best.

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)

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!

Batters:
HOU Altuve .300 with 2 doubles and 2 triples
BAL Machado .280 with 1 double
ATL Markakis .185 with no extra base hits
KC Hosmer .192 (ugh!)
NYN Cuddyer .500 with 2 doubles (don't retire!!!!)
CHN Schwarber .285 with 1 homer
HOU Rasmus .428 (why didn't I start you more?!!!)
DET Davis .217 (blech)
TEX Andrus .160 (double ugh)
SD Norris .269
KC Morales .250 with 3 homers and a double

Hosmer, Markakis and Andrus really hurt.  Especially where I was hitting
them.

As for the pitchers

CHN Arrieta 1.28 ERA
PIT Cole 1.50 ERA

Now that's what you expect from your starters...

BAL Gausman 9.00 ERA
BOS Miley 13.84 ERA

Now that's what you DON'T want from your starters

and the relief corp that led this team throughout the season?

The good:
BAL Brach 0.00 ERA in 3 innings of work
TOR Tepera 0.00 ERA in 3.2 innings of work

The bad
BAL Britton 2.09 ERA in 4.1 innings (not what you want in a closer)
BAL O'Day 2.09 ERA in 4..1 innings of work (not good, not horrible)

and the ugly:
CHA Robertson 10.80 ERA in 1.2 innings
BAL Givens 17.30 ERA in 2.2 innings of work

OK...so when's opening day?

And while I have your attention, I hope you and  yours all have a great
Holiday Season!

Doug Palmer
Baltimore Sand Crabs
Heading to hibernation


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Doug Palmer <aeronutty43 at gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Nov 28, 2016 at 9:07 AM
Subject: Sand Crab Season is over
To: IBL teams <members at lists.ibl.org>


It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…..  I think I read that
on a Captain Crunch cereal box back in the day.  Regardless, it certainly
seems apropos on this day after.  And the strange thing is, as I prepare
for the autopsy on the 2016 Sand Crab season, I’m not upset.  I mean, I
lost in heartbreaking fashion (bottom of the ninth?  Game 7?  Walk off
homer against my closer?....yup, checked all the boxes there), but I’m not
upset or heartbroken at all.  That series with Rusty was FUN!  Every game
close.  Every game down to one or two important decisions.

My goal this season was to make the playoffs and to win more games than
last season.  That’s it.  To finally rid myself of the “perennial cellar
dweller” moniker and participate in the post season for the first time in 7
years.   And I accomplished that.  Everything after that was gravy.  And
I’d say taking the AC #1 seed to 7 games is nice amount of gravy.  And in
the process, I learned a TON.  Besides, I couldn’t let Brent get a top 5
pick for Elvis Andrus! LOL

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).  And that sometimes, those numbers won’t work in your
favor.  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  in the playoffs (sorry Kevin Gausman, but you didn’t quite
fit the bill).  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).  I learned (through playing and
watching) that the playoffs are played tighter…closer to the vest…and more
conservative.  And I learned that the IBL has the best bunch of owners
around, bar none.

To all of the owners who emailed me with encouragement, and advice, and
constructive criticism, I say THANK YOU!!  It was fun being the Chicago
Cubs of the IBL for these last 7 years.  I had owners who I haven’t had the
fortune of playing against yet email me with support.  For that, thank you!!
And right back at ya!

So the season is over and I look forward to the draft and the research that
goes along with that.  And I count the days before the ratings come out and
finally, the cards for next season.  And then, set the goals for NEXT
season….95 wins and a deeper run into the playoffs.
Sand Crab Baseball 2017…..this time, it’s CRABtastic!

So until next season....

Doug Palmer
Baltimore Sand Crabs
2016 IBL AC West Division Champion
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