2011 TOUT NL Hypothetical Standings
The 2011 TOUT AL Hypothetical Standings
I first came upon Hypothetical Standings in the legendary reports of stat service pioneer Jerry Heath. The idea is simple: Compute the standings based on the Draft Day rosters of teams, using the actual stats they accumulated this year to see just how much of their success or failure came via the draft, and concomitantly how well their inseason moves helped their chances.
These draft day rosters don’t tell you why the teams that did poorly failed. It could have been injuries or buying Adam Dunn. The point is that these are the teams each owner bought in the auction, and how they would have ended up in a Draft and Hold league.
Suggested Rules Changes for Tout
by Perry Van Hook, mastersball.com
TOUT Wars has a unique but very well thought out set of rules for its esteemed combatants. But as any of you who have played fantasy sports or almost any other game for a while know that while no one wants to change the rules, there are things that eventually need updating. The provisions for players on the MLB DL is one that needs that update so the intent of the rules is upheld but loopholes or the opportunity for players to “gameâ€Â the rules are eliminated.
First let’s look at the rules as they currently stand:
DISABLED LIST
A player placed on the major league disabled list is eligible to be placed on his Tout Wars team’s disabled list. The DL will be considered an extension of reserve list; however, there is no limit to the number of players that may be on a team’s disabled list.
When a player on the DL is activated to his team’s major league roster, that player must be activated to his Tout Wars team active or reserve roster by the second transaction deadline following his activation. If an activated major league player is not activated to his Tout Wars team roster by this time, he will automatically be released to the free agent pool.
All DL activations are bound by the roster requirements for the active or reserve lists. Players must be released, traded, etc. to make room for the DL-activated player. Continue reading “Suggested Rules Changes for Tout”
TOUT Rules: What to do about the reserve list?
Tout Wars players were asked for suggestions for rules changes and ways the game could be improved. TOUT Rules will look at some of these issues in the coming weeks.
For the last few years, Tout teams have been able to disable as many players as go on the DL, and also reserve four players. These reserves can be minor leaguers or active players. Minor leaguers not taken in the four reserve rounds can be purchased inseason with a minimum FAAB bid of 1, and must spend one week on the active roster before being reserved.
Everyone has noticed that since the establishment of the “normal” roto roster (14 hitters, 9 pitchers) major league team roster configuration has changed dramatically. Teams in the 1980s often carried nine or 10 pitchers and as many as 15 hitters. The breakdown now is more like 12 pitchers and 13 hitters, and sometimes the reverse. This means that in any given week a fantasy league’s free agent list might include as few as seven position players other than backup catcher, and none with any real potential.
Some would argue that this isn’t a problem, while some argue that it is a glitch that can be fixed. Here are some of the suggested remedies: Continue reading “TOUT Rules: What to do about the reserve list?”
Fantasy League Player Awards
Steve Gardner looks at the season’s top performers and biggest disappointments, from a fantasy perspective. And notes that one of his biggest plusses this year in Tout and LABR, arrived via his reserve list.
We have three winners!
The Tout Mixed flag, in a vigorous turn, goes to rookie Fred Zinkie!
The Tout AL title goes to three-time mixed champ Larry Schechter, in his first Tout AL appearance.
The Tout NL winner is Steve Gardner, his first Tout Wars championship. He writes about how his win came about at USA Today.
Well played, fellas! You’ll be receiving your SABR Trophies next March, at the 2012 Tout Wars draft.
Tout Wars Mixed: Game of Inches
Tim Heaney, of KFFL.com, shares the frantic, lamenting thoughts over his mixed Tout Wars squad…
Following a 4-for-31 offensive day, my Tout Wars mixed team needs a jolt as it remains in third place behind my colleague Nicholas Minnix and MLB.com’s Fred Zinkie.
I’m on my last legs. I brought in, from outside sports nonetheless, Dan Devine, Norman Dale, Eric Taylor, Herb Brooks and others to rile my guys up.
One day. One day until failure or success … regret or reward. Truly a game of inches. Continue reading “Tout Wars Mixed: Game of Inches”
One More Day, One More Chance
We’ve been saying for the past month that the Mixed League battle is a three-way one (most of the good jokes have in that area have been exhausted by now so I’ll move on) between myself, Nick Minnix and Tim Heaney. But, I’m sure that Tim and I will be united today, as we both use our Minnix voodoo dolls to try to come from behind (OK, just one more joke) and sneak through for the title.
Yes, it’s TIME for TIM&ME to put down our petty differences and focus on one thing we agree on – Minnix needs to have a bad day. Nick leads my squad by two points and Heaney’s by 2.5. Here’s a snapshot of what Tim and I will collectively pray for today:
2:10 – Brandon Morrow has been up and down all season and has been one of Nick’s most frustrating players. He’s been up lately (15 scoreless IP in his last two starts) but he needs to come crashing down today against the White Sox. If that happens, Nick may lose his .016 ERA lead on Dave Feldman in ERA and his .0009 lead on Tim in WHIP. It also would help my chances since I roll out four White Sox hitters (how am I in this race?) and could use some BA and homers.
3:35 – Time for the Rockies-Giants barn-burner to start. It’s the first of two games that needs to go the right way so that Nick doesn’t get a save and pick up another half point on Gene McCaffrey. Thanks to Chris Sale’s Tuesday effort, Gene pulled even with Nick. Minnix owns Rafael Betancourt and Santiago Casilla. If this game doesn’t finish within three runs he will be down to just Joe Nathan (who pitched yesterday and may not be used today) at 8:10 against the Royals.
7:00 – This is when the long-running batting average battles will finally settle themselves. Nick leads Eric Mack by .0002 and myself by .0006. Tim will be hoping to make up .0002 on Derek Carty. Major League lineups will likely be missing several regulars on the season’s final day and no category will be driven more by luck over the next 6 hours than this one.
It would also help Tim and I a lot if the Tigers were to lose to the Indians. I know, it doesn’t seem possible for the Tigers to lose right now but if that were to happen it would lock up the second place seed in the AL for the Rangers, and manager Ron Washington would likely shorten the start of Matt Harrison later in the evening.  Nick trails Nando DiFino by 12 in punchouts, and a short start by Harrison would hurt his chances of catching up and earning another point.
Tim and I will be cheering hard for the Red Sox and Marlins tonight. If Jon Lester and Chris Volstad can win their games, it would pull J.P. Kastner into a tie with Nick for wins at 89 and cost him a half-point.
10:10 – The race could be over when my bed time time arrives but if not, I’ll be staying up for the late games while Tim and I collectively root for Gio Gonzalez. The hard-throwing lefty facing the Mariners and is Dave Feldman’s last starter of the season. If the ERA battle with Nick is still close after Morrow and Harrison leaves their respective games it will be up to Gonzalez to throw a few shutout innings in Safeco and bring it home.
Of course, Tim and I will also be worried about our own races in batting average, steals (Tim), homers and strikeouts (me) but none of those things will matter if Minnix is satisfied with his team’s Wednesday’s performance.
I’d like to finish things off by offering a giant “thanks for nothing” to Angels manager Mike Scioscia. Apparently screwing over the Rangers’ home-field hopes wasn’t enough of a reason to roll Ervin Santana and Jered Weaver onto the hill for at least five innings this week. When Scioscia decided to throw in the towel and deny disappointed Angels fans two more chances to see their stars in action he also may have cost me two points in my pursuit of Minnix. A Tuesday start by Santana likely would have resulted in the four K’s I needed last night to push past Gene, while Weaver’s expected punchouts on Wednesday would have certainly kept Nando ahead of Nick. My Christmas card list just got one name shorter!