SCORESHEET OLD TIMERS BASEBALL: N.L. DRAFT / RULES PACKET
Statistics Used
We've tried to make Scoresheet Baseball the most realistic baseball simulation possible, using every available statistic. Some stats, such as RBI's, runs scored, and pitcher wins, losses and saves, are partly determined by which team a player is on in the majors. These "team dependent" stats are used less heavily than purely individual stats, such as batting average, home runs, assists, ERA, etc. More information regarding specific stats is given below. (Major league RBI's and runs scored, and a pitcher's major league won/loss record, are generally far less important in winning at Scoresheet than they are in other "fantasy" baseball games. A player's RBI's and runs scored in Scoresheet will NOT match major league totals, since these depend on teammates' performances.)
Batting and Base Running
The actual number of singles, doubles, triples, home runs and walks a batter had per plate appearance for the appropriate year, modified by the opposing pitcher and fielders as discussed below, determines the outcome of each at-bat. A batter's RBI's and a base runner's runs scored totals are used to determine how far the runner(s) advance on a base hit, and affect the chance of a sacrifice fly. The Scoresheet baseball simulation also takes into account such subtle factors as a runner sometimes advancing farther on a hit with 2 outs, since he can run with the crack of the bat. When stealing bases in Scoresheet, a runner can only steal up to as often, and with as much chance of success, as in the majors. Other stats used include a batter's differences in his hitting against left-handed and right-handed pitchers. (We do not use actual lefty-righty splits for individual players for Scoresheet Winter Baseball, so this difference is the same for all players. Generally, a right handed batter hits about 20 points lower against a right-handed pitcher than vs. a left-handed pitcher, and a left-handed hitter hits about 35 points lower against left-handed pitchers than vs. right-handed pitchers.) Having left- and right-handed pinch hitters IS as important in Scoresheet Baseball as in the majors. When a pitcher bats, we use his actual hits and general batting performance from the appropriate year.
Pitching
The number of hits, walks and strikeouts a pitcher recorded during the appropriate year in the majors affects each batter's chances against him in Scoresheet. For example, a hitter will hit a lot better in Scoresheet against a pitcher who gave up 10 hits per 9 innings than he will against a pitcher who only gave up 7 hits per nine innings that year. We use a pitcher's ERA (and to a much lesser extent his won/loss record) to determine when he gives up the hit, as well as whether it is an extra base hit. A pitcher with a low ERA in the majors may give up more hits with the bases empty, while a high ERA pitcher will give up more hits in Scoresheet with runners on base.
Fielding
In Scoresheet Baseball, fielding range will be evident in your pitcher's hits allowed totals. If your overall team range is good, your pitchers will give up less hits than they did in the majors. If your team fielding range is bad, your pitchers will give up more hits than they did each week in the majors. (Fielding is discussed in detail above.)
At Scoresheet, we believe that fielding is more important that most people realize, partly because most past statistics and simulations have ignored it. Admittedly, batting and pitching are probably more important, but consider the old baseball adage that the most important positions are up the middle: C, 2B, SS, CF. Merely perusing batting stats would lead one to the opposite conclusion: most run production comes from the corners and other OF positions.
