SCORESHEET FANTASY BASEBALL: AL DRAFT / RULES PACKET
A.L. Batting and Bench Lineup Card Explanations
Player
List your starting lineups and bench players against both right-handed pitchers (RHP) and left-handed pitchers (LHP). Please list players by player number and last name.
Those players not starting against a RHP go on the "Bench vs. RHP" side of the lineup card. Those players not starting against a LHP go on the "Bench vs. LHP" side. (Any player listed against RHP must also be listed against LHP, and vice versa.)
You can only have 30 players listed on a lineup card. (Players not listed on your lineup card form your "taxi squad", and will play if needed.) Either the "Bunt" or "PH" (pinch hit) column is used depending on the pitcher that the batter is currently facing. If the other team replaces a RHP with a LHP, the batter's bunting and PH strategies switch to the "vs. LHP" columns. NOTE: there is only one steal column, which is used against either a RHP or a LHP.
List your players on the bench in the order you want them to appear in the case that a starter does not have enough major league at-bats to start every game that week for you in Scoresheet. NOTE: The pinch hit rank does not apply to who comes in as a starter; it is the first listed player at that position who will come in.)
Scoresheet will automatically shuffle your batting order slightly when a starter can not play. Generally, players with the best "Rank or PH for" numbers will be put in the third and fourth slots, while players with a good "Rank or PH for" number and a "yes" in their "Steal" column will bat leadoff and second. Players listed as starters are never moved down in the batting order, and those listed in the third through sixth spots will never bat first or second.
Position
Next to each player, list the position(s) you want him to play. Scoresheet will automatically move him to other positions if necessary. (For example, if all of your second basemen are out, Scoresheet will automatically move a backup shortstop to play second base.) Each starting lineup must have a player at every position, including three outfielders and a designated hitter (DH). If your starting DH is out of available at-bats, the highest ranked pinch-hitter off your bench will be used as your starting DH.
You can either designate outfielders as "LF", "RF", "CF"; or you can simply put "OF" next to their names, which will automatically assign the best starting outfielder to play center field for you. You can list both starters and bench players at more than one position. However, since positions are automatically shuffled for you if you run out of players at a position, you should only list players at the positions they are qualified to play! Only qualified catchers can be listed at catcher, and only players who qualify at one of second base, shortstop or third base can play any of those three positions.
Steal?
Stealing second base may be attempted if you are behind by two runs or less through the sixth inning, and if you are behind by one run starting with the seventh inning. Your player can steal in any inning if you are tied or leading. If you want your player to have the option to steal, put a "Y" in his "Steal?" column. An "N" means he will never attempt to steal. A "Y" means the player has a chance to steal, and not that he will necessarily try to steal - he is limited to the amount of steals he has in the major leagues. A player's chances of getting thrown out vary according to how successful he is that week in the majors, as well as on the catcher behind the plate.
Earliest Sacrifice Bunt
List the earliest inning that you want the player to attempt a sacrifice bunt. Beginning with the inning indicated, a sacrifice bunt may be attempted if there are no outs and the potential tying, go-ahead, or first or second insurance run is on base. The batter will try to bunt if the key run is on first base with second or third base open; or, on second base with third base open if it is at least the eighth inning. In extra innings during the regular season, an automatic runner is placed at 2B, so a visiting player will only bunt if his earliest inning to bunt number is 7 or less. Sacrifice bunts are successful about 75 percent of the time - when they are not successful, the batter is out and the runner stays put.
Rank or PH for
The players with a number in the "Rank or PH for" column will stay in the game (they will not be pinch hit for). If they are on the bench that game, they can be used as pinch hitters, while players with a dash in the column will be pinch hit for. Make sure you put a number in the "Rank of PH for" column for your better hitters! For example, if you leave the column blank for your fourth hitter, he will get pinch hit for by some other player with a number in his column - something you probably do not want to happen! If you place a number in this column for everyone, NO ONE will be pinch hit for. Pinch hitting only occurs if you are behind, or if you are tied with a man in scoring position, beginning in the seventh inning, or sixth inning if at least two men are on base. The numerical rank in this column determines who will pinch hit, and is also used to shuffle your batting order when substitutions occur. The "Rank or PH for" number is also important for starters since a player may not have enough at-bats to start for you in Scoresheet, but still may have an at-bat available to use as a pinch hitter. Finally, it is important to vary your ranking vs. RHPs and LHPs if you want to use primarily left-handed pinch hitters against right-handed pitchers, and vice versa.
