Friday, September 13, 2024

Cardinals Grab 8th and Final Spot for Statis-Pro 5th Round

For the first time ever, we had a Statis-Pro game end due to a ruling. The Cardinals were clinging to a 3-2 lead needing a win for the 8th and final spot in our next round, but The A's had the tying run on 3rd and winning run on 1st with Jo Adell at the plate. If the Angels won then it would be Tampa rather than St. Louis as the 8th team.

And then a Z-play led to the umpire ruling that Adell's bat was illegal and calling him out - leaving the Cardinals in the next round with a 3-2 win.

My best friend and I have been playing Statis-Pro Baseball seasons on and off since the 1970s - and I am still using a 1978 Board and Fast Action Cards in my games though I've posted the dice version for some time.

We rotate leagues with me playing in Milwaukee and him in Montana, and this season my friend has the NL - meaning he takes the top 10 teams and has played a lot of games this year with the Dodgers dominating our "what if" (no injuries) this season. 

My Milwaukee league is a bit more experimental. I play each game as a 3-game series, with a winning team that leads by 5+ runs after 8 innings getting credit for a 3-game sweep, and all other games counting as 2 games to 1. 

This season I also relegated 5 AL teams, BUT I claimed two of the relegated NL Teams, the Mets and Cardinals. I put the 12 teams in four 3-team pods. Each team played four 2-game series - most against each other but we also let the relegated teams all play one or two series.

At the end of four series, the bottom four teams were dropped and the top 8 teams were set to advance and breakup into an East and West Division to play the 5th and 6th series after which two more teams will be dropped leaving a 6-team playoff.

The Orioles start and 1st in the East and the Astros in the West, but the final 8th spot went down to the last game. The Cardinals needed a 5 game to 1 win over the relegated LA Angeles. They won the first game 6-0 to claim it 3 games to one and then had to just win the final game as described earlier.

Here are the Statis-Pro line-ups and the four starters who will start their 5th and 6th series, as well as the closer.
 
Line-up2024 Baltimore Orioles2024 Cleveland Guardians2024 Houston Astros2024 Minnesota Twins
ParkBal (Oriole P/Camden 11-25)CLE (Progressive HR 11-36)Minute Maid Park (11-36 HR)MIN (Target Field 11-36 HR)
1Cedric MullinsJosé RamírezKyle TuckerWilli Castro
2Gunnar HendersonAndrés GiménezJose AltuveByron Buxton
3Eloy Jiménez (fr CWS)Josh NaylorYordan AlvarezCarlos Correa
4Adley RutschmanKyle ManzardoAlex BregmanMax Kepler
5Anthony SantanderLane Thomas (fr wsn)Yainer DiazEdouard Julien
6Ryan MountcastleBo NaylorChas McCormickRyan Jeffers
7Ramón UríasSteven KwanJeremy PeñaCarlos Santana
8Jordan WestburgBrayan RocchioJake MeyersTrevor Larnach
9Heston KjerstadTyler FreemanTrey CabbageKyle Farmer
PitchersBaltimore Rotations/CloserCleveland Rotations/CloserHouston Rotations/CloserMinnesota Rotations/Closer
S1Corbin BurnesShane BieberFramber ValdezPablo López
S2Zach Eflin (fr TBR)Triston McKenzieJustin VerlanderJoe Ryan
S3Grayson RodriguezAlex Cobb (fr Bal)Hunter BrownChris Paddack
S4Kyle BradishTanner BibeeYusei Kikuchi (fr Tor)Bailey Ober
CloserCraig KimbrelEmmanuel ClaseJosh HaderJhoan Duran
     
Line-up2024 NY Mets2024 NY Yankees2024 Seattle Marines2024 St. Louis Cardinals
ParkNYM (Citi Field 11-38 HR)Yankee Stadium (11-57 HR)Sea (T-Mobile Park 11-53)Busch Stadium (11-25 HR)
1Starling MarteJazz Chisholm Jr. (fr MIA)Julio RodríguezLars Nootbaar
2Francisco LindorJuan SotoRandy Arozarena (fr TBR)Jordan Walker
3Pete AlonsoAaron JudgeJustin Turner (fr TOR)Paul Goldschmidt
4José AzocarGleyber TorresCal RaleighNolan Gorman
5Brandon NimmoGiancarlo StantonMitch GarverNolan Arenado
6J.D. MartinezBen Rice (Temp #4)Jorge PolancoWillson Contreras
7Jeff McNeilAustin WellsJ.P. CrawfordAlec Burleson
8Francisco AlvarezAnthony VolpeLuke RaleyMasyn Winn
9Brett BatyTrent GrishamVictor Robles (fr wsn)Michael Siani
PitchersNY Mets Rotations/CloserNY Yankees Rotations/CloserSeattle Rotations/CloserSt. Louis Rotations/Closer
S1Kodai SengaGerrit ColeLuis CastilloSonny Gray
S2José QuintanaCarlos RodónGeorge KirbyMiles Mikolas
S3Luis SeverinoNestor CortesLogan GilbertKyle Gibson
S4Sean ManaeaMarcus StromanBryce MillerLance Lynn
CloserEdwin DíazClay HolmesAndrés MuñozRyan Helsley

 

Here is a grid of the teams records and their wins (across) and losses (down) against each of the remaining teams and then against every other team. The two remaining series for each team are marked with "play" typed to show the match-up.

 
East                         Balt  NYY  Cleve   NYM        Min  Sea  Hou   StL     Other   WinLossGB
Baltx533  play playxx71880
NYY1x playplay  x42x714134.5
Cleve3 playx play 30xx612135.5
NYM3 play playx xxx481581.5
West             
Minplay x3x x25 play515101.5
Sea play26x 4xplay x31580.5
Houx4xx 1play x play121790
StLxxx2  playx playx1012124
Other1213 2228    
Total Loss813138 108912   

Tuesday, September 10, 2024

Tampa Wins, Awaits Cardinals Game to Determine Which Advances

Tampa fought of  feisty challenge from the relegated Oakland A's to pull off 3-2 and 6-5 wins and have a chance to advance past the 4th round series. Their 11-12 mark in our Statis-Pro Baseball game means that If St. Louis loses to Mike Trout and the LA Angels then Tampa will stay in 8th place in our Statis-Pro season to make it the actual top 8 teams over the bast two seasons are also the top 8 teams in our season and play a 5th round.

However, if the Cardinals with the game, then they improve to 12-12 to move into the 8th and final spot to play more rounds. That would mean there was one surprise team - the Cardinals - who have not really been in the top eight teams the last two years (12th of these 12 teams) but will advance.

From there, the top 6 eventual team will make the playoffs.
 
Statis-Pro 2023-24 Statis-Pro               W  L    Win%    Playoff   Pod           2023        2024
11Baltimore1880.692byeEast0.6230.568
23Houston1790.654byeSouth0.5560.535
36Seattle1580.652WC1West0.5430.503
48NY Mets1580.652WC2Surprises0.4630.545
55Minnesota15100.600WC3West0.5370.531
62NY Yankees14130.519WC4East0.5060.572
74Cleveland12130.4801 GBWest0.4690.572
87Tampa11120.4781.5 GBSouth0.6110.49
  Cutoff after 4 series       
912St. Louis10110.4761 GBSurprises0.4380.5
1010Texas11130.4581.5 GBSouth0.5560.483
1111Boston10130.4352 GBEast0.4810.503
129Kansas City7170.2925.5 GBSurprises0.3460.548
  cws,det,laa,oak,tor9240.2678 GB 0.4330.411

The teams are in the order of their current Statis-Pro standings, while the second column shows their ranks over this season and last. The Orioles are No. 1 over this season and last, as well as in the Statis-Pro season.

Click here for links to all the current players as well as the 60 all-time great Statis-Pro baseball teams, and here are the instructions to play your own games.

Sunday, September 8, 2024

Checklist of Waiver Pickups since the Trade Deadline - Lead by Pham

We had set all the teams as final but have had a little waiver activity since the trade deadline, so just moved these cards from team to team in the Statis-Pro Baseball Game 2024 team sheets.  We will try to updated the drop box version too, but until these you can double check players from this sheet and just make the adjustment.
 
Rnk  From   To         Batter off Waivers      OPS      Pos   HR       OBR/SP    Fielding                    
1StLKCRTommy Pham 0.727RF23-26B/ALF, CD-1, E5, T2
2BaltMiaCristian Pache 0.659LF25-27B/CCF, LF, CD-4, E2, T4
3SDPNYMJosé Azocar0.631CF28-31A/ACF, RF, CD-3, E3, T3
4LADCinAmed Rosario 0.708ss31-32A/BSS, CD-1, E7
5TexKCRRobbie Grossman 0.702OF21-23C/CLF, CD-1, E5, T2
6NYMHouBen Gamel 0.688LF15-14D/ELF, CD-3, E3, T3
7TexAriAndrew Knizner0.673C24-26E/CC, CD-1, E3, TC
8MiaBaltForrest Wall 0.653LF28-28A/ALF, CD-4, E2, T4
9SFGMiaDerek Hill 0.619cf27-27B/Ccf
         
RnkFromToPitcher off WaiversERAPBSRRRMax IP
1KCRMiaAnthony Veneziano4.852'-6053
2NYYCWSEnyel De Los Santos 3.922'-6022
3TBChCShawn Armstrong 3.724'-7022
4StLLAANick Robertson3.812'-5022
5TexLAABrock Burke3.842'-6032
6NYYMinMichael Tonkin 4.222'-4032
7TorPhilJose Cuas 4.252'-4032
8LAAMiaMike Baumann4.282'-4032
9TexSeaJonathan Hernández4.362'-5032
10KCRMiaJohn McMillon4.452'-5022
11BaltTorDillon Tate4.482'-4032
12DetPhilJoey Wentz4.512'-5032
13CleveMiaXzavion Curry4.652'-4042
14BostChCTrey Wingenter 4.662'-4032
15MilOakJanson Junk4.682'-5032
16PhilWasMichael Rucker4.842'-4032
17AriChCGavin Hollowell 5.182'-4032

The only batter I'd view as a big pickup on waivers is Tommy Pham, going across state from St. Louis (where we had him leading off) to the big improved team of the year Kansas City where I plan to hit him 9th to give speed at the bottom as well as top of the line-up.

Cristian Pache is ranked a distant 2nd behind Pham, going from our first place Orioles to the Marlins, which claimed many players. 

Jose Azocar is No. 3 for me, as I had him hitting No. 9 for San Diego and while he will be on the bench for me in Mets games, having A/A speed from a decent centerfielder is always nie for pinch running now that steals are back.

Likewise Enyel De Los Santos can eat up some innings now that he is off the Yankees, though their relief cards are weak in our game.

The actual best card picked up though was Shawn Armstrong as the only PB 4-7 (average) to move on waivers, and going to the Cubs who are trying to make a run.

The only other PB 2-6 (almost average) is Brock Burke moving from Texas to the relegated LA Angels.

None of the other relviers, all PB 2-5 or PB 2-4, are likely to be used by me in may games so just fillers in case their teams are in a 15-4 game or something.
Enyel De Los Santos
Others with speed on the list are Amed Rosario (Dodgers to Reds) and Forrest Wall (Miami to Baltimore for their run at the World Series).

Pitchers

The reason I rank Anthony Veneziano No. 1 of the waiver pickups is he can give multiple innings for Miami and I have him as their 3rd best reliever after just having him as the 6th best reliever for the Royals.









Saturday, September 7, 2024

Dodgers Dominate "What-If" Injury Statis-Pro Season with Healthy Muncy, Kershaw, Betts, Yamamoto

In the home stretch, just a few games left in the Montana Statis-Pro regular season, which this year features the NL. The Montana league plays actual records, so the LA Dodgers have truly played 44 games to go 32-12 in a Statis-Pro season in which we decided to play a “what-if” season in which we used Statis-Pro cards even if the player was injured in real life. The NL update is here.


Therefore in the game Clayton Kershaw is 7-1 with a 2.05 ERA, while he has been injured almost all of the actual MLB season and is thus 2-2 with a 2.05 ERA. Yoshinobu Yamamoto has the 4th best Batting Average allowed at 0.211 and in MLB he started 6-2 with a 2.92 ERA but is on the 60-day DL, which would have disqualified him  in our past Statis-Pro season.


As for Dodgers’ batters, Max Muncy has played only 54 games and Mookie Betts 95 games in actual MLB, while In full Statis-Pro seasons, Betts is 1st in homers with 18 and 122 Total Based; 2nd with a 1.048 OPS, 0.670 Slugging and 41 RBIs; and 4th with 43 runs scored . Max Muncy is tied for 3rd with 14 homers and 40 RBIs.Betts injury cost him the chance to battle his teammate Shohei Ohtani for the MVP, but he is back now and we will see if the Dodgers look as good in an actual MLB playoff run as in our “What if” Statis-Pro season.


Outside of the Dodgers, parity reigns, as it has in actual MLB play when no other team appears to have a chance at 100 wins. Still a lot to be determined in the wild card seeding, but here is the Statis-Pro playoffs if the season ended today - with the NL teams on the top half and then the Milwaukee-AL teams on the bottom half (note the Milwaukee league claimed the Mets and Cardinals when the Montana league relegated them).


 

The Phillies have gotten hot at the right time ripping off eight straight wins. The Padres have also peaked late, winning 9 of 11. Meanwhile the Reds have lost 4-straight and are close to slipping out of the playoffs.


The Dodgers and Braves lead in most offensive categories. (including run differential)

While the Padres pitching has helped compensate for their anemic offense. (2nd in team ERA, 2nd in team WHIP)


It remains a mystery as to how the Brewers keep winning despite being in the bottom half of most pitching/hitting stats. (they do lead the league in two-out RBIs and the state that has become so much more important since the bases were moved closer together last year - stolen bases).


Ohtani is the MVP favorite right now. He ranks in the top 5 of nine different offensive categories. (avg, HR, RBI, Slugging pct, OPS, 2B’s, Avg RISP, 2-out RBI’s, total bases)

 

Spencer Strider is leading the Cy Young race but is getting challenged.

He is 9-2, 2.15 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 125 K/75 IP, .186 BAA

 

The overall standings that led to the playoff seedings below with Arizona and Chicago still in the hunt to catch the Reds for the last wild card and Milwaukee still with a chance to steal the bye if they can catch the Braves for the NL “East” title.


NL “East”

Atlanta           27-17

Milwaukee    25-18

Philadelphia 24-20

Chicago         21-23

Miami             13-30

 

NL “West”

Los Angeles  32-12

San Diego      24-20

Cincinnati     23-21

Arizona           22-21

San Francisco  17-26

 

Wildcard

Milwaukee    25-18

Philadelphia 24-20

San Diego      24-20

Cincinnati     23-21

_____________

Arizona           22-21

Chicago         21-23


While the Montana league picks 10 teams and consolidates them into a “East” and “West,” our Milwaukee league this year went with four “pods” of 3-teams each - East, West and South - and then picked three late surprise teams for a fourth pod that could only compete for the remaining 3 wild card spots. Thus Baltimore has the 1-seed as the East Champ, Houston the 2-seed as the South Champ and Seattle does not get a bye as the 3-seed as the West Champ.


The Montana league keeps much more detailed stats than the Milwaukee league, resulting in this incredible leaders list.


Statis-Pro National League

Statistics—42 games

Batting AverageOPSSlugging Average
Noelvi Marte, Cin .361 Ohtani, LA 1.117 Ohtani, LA .701
Bryce Harper, Phl .352 Mookie Betts, LA 1.048 Betts, LA .670
Ketel Marte, Arz .341 KMarte, Arz 1.002 Patrick Wisdom, Chi .654
Freddie Freeman, LA.341 Freeman, LA 1.002 KMarte, Arz .607
Ohtani, LA .329   
   
Home RunsRBIsStolen Bases
Betts, LA 18 Ohtani, LA 47 Acuna, Atl 25-26
Wisdom, Chi 16 Betts, LA 41 Yelich, Mil 21-29
Ohtani, LA 14 Muncy, LA 40 Corbin Carroll, Arz 18-19
Max Muncy, LA 14 Nick Castellanos Phl 38 
   
Batting AverageRISP2-out RBIs
N Marte, Cin .417 Betts, LA 20 Betts, LA 43
TJ Friedl, Cin .407 Ohtani, LA 18 Freeman, LA 42
Carroll, Arz .387 Willie Adames, Mil 18 Carroll, Arz 39
Harper, Phl .385 Ozuna, Atl 17 Matt Olson, Atl 38
   
StrikeoutsTotal Bases 
Christopher Morel, Chi   72 Betts, LA 122 
Muncy, LA 66 Ohtani, LA 117 
Castellanos, Phl 62 K Marte, Arz 105 
   
Doubles  
Noelvi Marté, Cin 17  
Ohtani, LA 16  
Orlando Arcia, Atl 14  
Contreras, Mil14  
   
Statis-Pro National League  
Statistics—42 games-Pitchers  
   
ERAStrikeouts 
Kershaw, LA 7-0 1.74 Strider, Atl 117  
Frankie Montas, Mil 7-1 2.05 Zack Wheeler, Phl   90 
Strider, Atl 8-2 2.08 Eduardo Rodríguez, Arz   84 
Zack Wheeler, Phl 9-0 2.75 Bryce Miller, LA   75 
Logan Webb, SF 2-3 2.91  
   
WHIPBatting Average Against 
Kershaw, LA 0.73 Strider, Atl .179 
Strider, Atl 0.86 Michael King, SD   .188 
Yamamoto, LA 1.02 Wheeler, Phl .208 
Yu Darvish, SD 1.03 Yamamoto, LA .211 
   
Strikeout/Walk Ratio  
Cristopher Sanche, Phl   69-6  
Joe Musgrove, SD   80-9  
Strider, Atl 117-15  
   
Relievers  
Devin Williams, Mil 1-1 13-14  
Raisel Iglesias, Atl 0-1 13-14  
Paul Sewald, Arz 1-2 12-15 
Team Batting Avg Home Runs

Cincinnati .274 Los Angeles 75

Los Angeles .273 Atlanta 67

Atlanta .272 Chicago 67

Philadelphia .269 Philadelphia 58


Team OPS Team Batting Avg RISP

Los Angeles .859 Philadelphia .326

Atlanta .843 Los Angeles .310

Cincinnati .795 Cincinnati .294

Philadelphia .770 Atlanta .279


Team 2-Out RBI’s Team Stolen Bases

Milwaukee 95 Milwaukee 39-51

Arizona 94 Philadelphia 34-43

Los Angeles 89 Cincinnati 32-38

Philadelphia 84 Atlanta 29-30


Team ERA Team HR Allowed

Los Angeles 3.52 San Francisco 45

San Diego 3.78 Los Angeles 46

Atlanta 4.01 Atlanta 46

Chicago 4.02 San Diego 48


Team WHIP Team Batting Avg Against

Los Angeles 1.10 San Diego .226

San Diego 1.14 Los Angeles .231

Atlanta 1.18 Atlanta .234

Arizona 1.21 Arizona .236