bullpen – Hardball Retro https://www.tuatarasoftware.com dedicated to the enrichment of casual and serious enthusiasts in all aspects of professional baseball Fri, 30 May 2025 00:25:27 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.10 https://www.tuatarasoftware.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/cropped-hardball_retro_icon-1-32x32.jpg bullpen – Hardball Retro https://www.tuatarasoftware.com 32 32 Action!PC Baseball 23 – tutorial – conducting a solo draft https://www.tuatarasoftware.com/2025/04/26/actionpc-baseball-23-tutorial-conducting-a-solo-draft/ https://www.tuatarasoftware.com/2025/04/26/actionpc-baseball-23-tutorial-conducting-a-solo-draft/#respond Sat, 26 Apr 2025 18:25:42 +0000 https://www.tuatarasoftware.com/?p=20757 Read more]]> I created a tutorial to discuss how to conduct a solo draft in Action!PC Baseball. I’m using Action!PC Baseball 23 but you can execute a draft in any of the recent releases. You can also execute drafts with multiple human participants using these methods – I elected the solo option with the computer general manager configured to draft the remaining teams for the sake of simplicity.

Here’s a rundown of the requirements:

  • Action!PC Baseball – Game
  • Action!PC Baseball – Season Disk(s)

Action!PC Baseball was developed by Dave Koch. The first edition was published by Dave Koch Sports for the IBM PC personal computer in 2001.

I divided the tutorial into two sections: the Draft (copying the All-Time Greats league, releasing players into the free agent pool, conducting the draft), Simulate Season (review manager profiles for each team, simulate an entire season, reviewing the final standings, league leaders and team-by-team rundown).

View the tutorial videos here:

Part 1 – Draft

Part 2 – Lineups & Pitching Staffs, Simulate Season, Final Standings, League Leaders

Season Disk Downloads:

coming soon

References:

SABR Stay at Home – Dave Koch

]]> https://www.tuatarasoftware.com/2025/04/26/actionpc-baseball-23-tutorial-conducting-a-solo-draft/feed/ 0 Diamond Mind Baseball 12 – tutorial – conducting a solo draft https://www.tuatarasoftware.com/2025/04/01/diamond-mind-baseball-12-tutorial-conducting-a-solo-draft/ https://www.tuatarasoftware.com/2025/04/01/diamond-mind-baseball-12-tutorial-conducting-a-solo-draft/#respond Tue, 01 Apr 2025 20:27:25 +0000 https://www.tuatarasoftware.com/?p=20657 Read more]]> I created a tutorial to discuss how to conduct a solo draft in Diamond Mind Baseball 12. You can also execute drafts with multiple human participants using these methods – I elected the solo option with the computer general manager configured to draft the remaining teams for the sake of simplicity.

Here’s a rundown of the requirements:

  • Diamond Mind Baseball 12 – Game
  • optional, but recommended: Diamond Mind Baseball 12 – Season Disk(s)

Diamond Mind Baseball was developed by Tom Tippett (original title: Pursue the Pennant). The first edition was published for the IBM PC personal computer in 1987.

I divided the tutorial into two sections: the Draft (copying the All-Time Greats league, releasing players into the free agent pool, conducting the draft), Simulate Season (review manager profiles for each team, simulate an entire season, reviewing the final standings, league leaders and team-by-team rundown).

View the tutorial videos here:

Part 1 – Draft

Part 2 – Manager Profiles, Simulate Season, Final Standings, Statistical Review

Season Disk Downloads:

coming soon

References:

Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Pursue the Pennant – Diamond Mind Baseball

]]> https://www.tuatarasoftware.com/2025/04/01/diamond-mind-baseball-12-tutorial-conducting-a-solo-draft/feed/ 0 Caging the Three Headed Monster- The Closer https://www.tuatarasoftware.com/2020/03/13/caging-the-three-headed-monster-the-closer/ https://www.tuatarasoftware.com/2020/03/13/caging-the-three-headed-monster-the-closer/#respond Fri, 13 Mar 2020 21:45:52 +0000 https://www.tuatarasoftware.com/?p=4908 Read more]]> Let be clear … I hate saves. Whether it’s fantasy or reality, saves don’t often indicate a successful pitching performance. Most fantasy leagues require at least two relief pitchers in the starting lineup. With a 20 team league, that most often will be a bonafide closer, someone whose main agenda is to get a save (SV). A quality closer should account for 2-3 saves in a week of MLB games. As I led off with, I dislike saves, but you have to do it or relievers do not mean anything in fantasy leagues.

The Hold (HLD) was invented in the mid-80’s to give middle relievers credit for their contribution to a win. The Hold is not an official stat tracked by MLB, however, and the criteria to qualify varies from one service to the next. The inclusion of Holds expands the bullpen options for a fantasy league and add value for setup guys like Dellin Betances or Adam Ottovino. Top setup guys will yield approximately 30 holds a year, compared to 40 saves. We run the risk of providing too much depth to a position that doesn’t need to be diluted.

Today’s reality offers a 2-phased approach to saves. We have the closer by committee faction vs. the set closer. However, with the fragility of millennials, the short term memory and toughness required to stick in the permanent closer role has created a revolving door at the position. So whether it’s designated as an intentional committee or not, it becomes one. If we really want to stretch, we can add the experimental opener to the mix to further water down the role in real life.

If fantasy wants to meet reality in the case of the closer, we either have to clone the Goose (Gossage) and distribute one to every team, or we have to find a value consistent with the three headed monster that is the “closer”. Can we analytically place a weighted value on saves, holds, and openers to create a real life value to a fantasy baseball league… thus far the answer is no. So if you want to win the reliever war on fantasy, you better close your eyes to reality and go get Chapman or Osuna.

Next week an examination of WHIP and BABIP.

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