how we like to complain

In my work as a baseball umpire evaluator and rules interpreter, I use the following guideline:
If you ask my professional opinion, don't argue with my answer. You don't have to agree with it, but if you had a better answer, you would have my job instead of me.

That makes sense.

But what I asked was.. is it unusual that having scored 33 more runs than your opponent after 50 games is indicative of a losing record. I was looking for someone who has played enough seasons to say either yes it is usual, I have played 50 seasons and of those 15 of them I outscored my opponents and had a losing record. Or no its very unusual as I have played 60 seasons and every time I have outscored my opponent at that rate I have had a winning record.

What I got instead was opinions on the worthiness of my team to have a winning record. And concluding that my team would be lucky to be winning at all. So if they are going to have an opinion, then I will question it to see if they know what their talking about. Just to gain some knowledge I didn't have before.

If I came to you specifically and asked your opinion on a rule, seeing that your an umpire, I would take your advice as you are more knowledgeable than me. Un less of course I have a great knowledge of the rules and just want to get your opinion more as a collegue rather than a teacher. Or I get your answer and still don't understand.

But if I asked you whether its unusual for 150 balls to hit off the first base bag and pop into the crowd over 50 games you have umpired, and you answered, the reason it happens is because most of your batters are left-handed pull hitters, I would ask you what difference does that make, and how do you know my players are pull hitters? In other words since you didn't answer my question and gave your opinion on why it is happening, why not figure out why you think what you think and add it to my knowledge. Since Im thinking you don't know the answer to my original question since you didn't answer it.

So does anyone know the answer to the question I asked in the first place and btw Im over 500 now and fighting to catch up to first place.

Scott.

Since you asked...no, it's not particularly unusual. I'm in
a league now where a first place team is minus 9 runs and 10 games over .500. And the second place team is plus 33 and 5games under .500.
The important thing to remember is that it is a dice game.

Damn i going under 500 again 9 games behind. I may have to eat some crow if it doesnt turn around soon.

I tend to invest heavy in starters for pitching, and my results tend to be that close victories go my way, blowouts occur late when the weak relief corps is called upon. But the results are simply anecdotal, not a scientific analysis by any means.

11 back as Druid's prediction looks pretty solid. Still in this crazy game who knows for certain....18 games remaining.

11 back as Druid's prediction looks pretty solid. Still in this crazy game who knows for certain....18 games remaining.

But how 'bout that Louisiana Lightning? http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/team/1126707

Yeah im still struggling to get above. 500 and the last druid will be getting some kudos from me ssoon it seems

So my season ended and the Last Druid was right. He predicted I would end up 15 games behind the Sand Bar. Well I ended at 13 games behind. He also stated that Sisler and Cobb were better than Pujols and Charleston for Forbes field, on this I will let you decide:

Sisler, George (1920) L 1B 1e12 698 91 204 33 9 11 107 33 101 35 13 10 AA 1-17 .292 .323 .413
Pujols, Albert (2008) R 1B 1e7 609 91 167 41 0 42 120 58 105 1 0 11 C 1-11 .274 .341 .548

Cobb, Ty (1911) L CF 1(-1)e9 664 92 218 41 21 8 110 32 146 59 27 8 AA 1-17 .328 .363 .490
Charleston, Oscar (NeL) L CF 1(-1)e6 624 107 181 49 8 30 120 73 160 13 4 7 AA 1-17 .290 .365 .539

To me they look pretty even with Sisler and Cobb having a higher BA as you would think. But Pujols and Charleston beat them in almost every other category.

So I must eat a bit of crow and say The Last Druid predicted correctly on my team's standings (I ended at 82-80, 13 games behind the division leader) But in the statement about Sisler and Cobb, I think he was incorrect as Pujols and Charleston had better overall seasons than their counterparts (although it was very close) even with all four playing In Forbes Field.

Finally, I must say I did not too bad for only having 2 players over 10mil on my team after the auto draft, the lowest amount among all the teams.

Here are the links in case you want to see:

http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/league/348902
http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/team/1126384
http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/team/view/1126759

Scott