APBA Baseball | The Baseball Zealot

Baseball Zealot Radio Banter

CLuke and I did a show last night. Here are the show notes:

Hosts: Tom and Chuck

Summary: We touch on a variety of issues including the All-Star Game, vintage baseball, Tom’s 1979 APBA replay, the upcoming APBA convention and the woes of the Chicago White Sox.

As we said during the show, sometime co-host Shawn Lee is busy with the vintage base ball team, Vermilion Voles. For a couple years, he’s been the webmaster for them so check out their website.

This year, he’s picking up the bat and playing on the team. Shawn said he couldn’t make the show because the Voles had a game. Later, he reported back and said the Voles split their double header. Interestingly, the team they played are from my hometown, the Urbana Boneyards.

Here is the link to Tom’s 1979 APBA National League replay that we talked about during the show. Much credit goes to my friend Brando who was responsible for the NL West. As I said, we only got as far as July 26 but enjoy anyway.

The APBA Convention is next weekend. For those interested, here is the link to register (if it’s not too late). Chuck mentioned the APBA Between the Lines Forum during the show. I’d highly recommend it to any APBA player who wants to chat with others who play the game.

Finally, one more promised link… Soxcast.com is a good podcast for White Sox fans. George Heidcamp does a fine job covering the team.

Thanks for listening!!

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2007 APBA Convention one week away

APBA players note: The annual convention is one week away. This year, it will take place in Frazer, PA, not too far away from Lancaster, the home of APBA. It is scheduled for July 20-22. You can find out more details on the convention and how to register on APBA’s company web page. I won’t … Continue reading “2007 APBA Convention one week away”

APBAlogo

I won’t be attending this year but I would encourage any APBA fan who has the time to consider attending. They are a lot of fun. I’ve attended two APBA conventions in the past and had a blast both times.

A big part of the convention is the tournaments. I participated in the basic baseball game tourney both times. The first time (which I attended with DonS), I chose the Boston Red Sox of 1977. Lots of power, some pitching, and NO speed. Alas, Yaz, Rice, and Evans didn’t take me too far. I won the first round then was defeated.

The second time (the 50th anniversary convention which I attended with my friend Brando), I chose the Milwaukee Braves of 1965. Again, won the first round then fell flat. I did have the honor of losing to Eric Naftaly, former editor of the APBA Journal. Couldn’t have lost to a nicer guy.

As an aside, one guy used his 1953 original St Louis Cardinals cards in the tournament. It would have been a quite a scene if someone had spilled their soda on the cards (they are quite rare). Luckily, such an accident never happened.

Besides the tournaments, there are speakers, booths, and contests. But the best part of the whole thing is meeting folks from all over that play the silly dice game that you play and sharing stories.

For those attending, HAVE FUN!!

The 60’s Save rule: a new one on me

I was talking to Mike, the commish of our APBA league this weekend and he was telling me about his current APBA replay. The 1961 season. Mike is a sucker for the 60’s decade when it comes to APBA replays. Mike uses the actual lineups and starting rotations when he does his replays. He uses … Continue reading “The 60’s Save rule: a new one on me”

Mike uses the actual lineups and starting rotations when he does his replays. He uses retrosheet.org to facilitate this. He came across something unusual in the boxscores regarding saves. There were instances of pitchers who were attributed saves even though they didn’t finish the game. Of course, nowadays finishing the game is one of the requirements of recording a save.

But looking through Retrosheet, I found a couple references of pitchers who recorded a save though they didn’t finish the game. After some research, I found this (emphasis mine):

The rule for a Save did not exist in the 1965 version of the baseball rules. A save was not introduced to baseball scoring until 1967. The rule in 1967 was:

“Credit a save to a relief pitcher who enters a game with his team in the lead if he holds the lead the remainder of the game, provided he is not credited with the victory. A relief pitcher cannot be credited with a save if he does not finish the game unless he is removed for a pinch hitter or pinch runner. When more then one relief pitcher qualifies for a save under the provisions of this rule, credit the save to the relief pitcher judged by the scorer to have been the most effective. Only one
save can be credited in any game.”

News to me. I wonder if Mike will be using this rule in his replay.

4/21/07 Linescore of the Day: Cole Hamels

Cole Hamels: 9 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 15 K (Win)

The Phils’ Cole Hamels is said to be rather flaky (he broke his pitching hand in a bar fight in 2005) but maybe that’s what fuels outings like these. I went in to my APBA rookie draft planning to draft him with my first pick. I chickened out and ended up taking Nick Markakis instead.

Maybe Hamels would have been a better choice.

By the way, the Phillies dropped Jimmy Rollins to the third spot for this game, the first time he’s hit there since August of last year. Fantasy owners take note.

The Saberoticians have advice I needed last weekend

I wish I had seen The Saberoticians’ post on relievers BEFORE last weekend. I might not have been so gun shy on picking Takashi Saito in my APBA draft. As it was I ended up picking Pat Neshek who doesn’t even appear on their list. Well, if it’s not too late for you, take a … Continue reading “The Saberoticians have advice I needed last weekend”

Well, if it’s not too late for you, take a look at Fantasy Baseball Rankings – Closers by The Saberoticians.

Baseball Zealot Radio- Show #11

Chuck and I host this week. Afterwards, Chuck said that hosting Baseball Zealot Radio is just like our APBA weekends except we’re not rolling dice. To be honest, that’s exactly what I had in mind when I conceived the idea for BZR. When we get together to play APBA, we inevitably get into discussions about … Continue reading “Baseball Zealot Radio- Show #11”

When we get together to play APBA, we inevitably get into discussions about baseball whether it be current hot stove action or the playoff race (depending on the time of year) or reminiscing about the “good old days”. Of course, depending who was talking and how old they were, we could be talking about different eras. We were a fount of baseball knowledge, we usually knew what we were talking about and the converstions were sometimes animated.

Regardless, we always talked baseball and that was my inspiration for Baseball Zealot Radio.

Check out this week’s show. We run the gamut of Spring Training topic but focus on Cubs and Sox plus we hit on the Veterans Committee HOF announcement on Tuesday.

Walt Jocketty: This explains everything

Jocketty: Liked to roll dem bones A Star Tribune article about St Louis GM Walt Jocketty includes a revealing fact about him. Actually, he came here to do what he did Friday — win a championship. That’s been his goal since he was a kid growing up in Minneapolis. He and a buddy named Vic … Continue reading “Walt Jocketty: This explains everything”

Walt Jocketty

Jocketty: Liked to roll dem bones

A Star Tribune article about St Louis GM Walt Jocketty includes a revealing fact about him.

Actually, he came here to do what he did Friday — win a championship. That’s been his goal since he was a kid growing up in Minneapolis. He and a buddy named Vic Perlbachs would play a baseball strategy game called APBA — American Professional Baseball Association.

“That’s how I first knew I wanted to get into this business,” Jocketty said.

Well, that speaks volumes. He had plenty of practice as a young lad before getting into the business.

Many of us APBA players, especially those who play in leagues, fancy ourselves as managers, GMs and owners all rolled into one. Sometimes (a lot of times) we think we could do a better job than some of those who get paid to this work. Jocketty must have taken his love of the game and taken to the higher level when he “grew up”.

Jocketty isn’t the only baseball person who has played the game of APBA. It is known that Joe Torre and Curt Shilling play or have played the game. Supposedly, George W. Bush is a fan of the game.

Further on in the article, Jocketty talks about the moves he made as GM with the Cardinals (emphasis mine):

Twice he’s been named baseball’s executive of the year. He’s built teams that have won 105 and 100 games. He was instrumental in bringing in manager Tony La Russa, with whom he worked in Oakland. He has traded for Mark McGwire, Scott Rolen, Jim Edmonds and Chris Carpenter; he signed David Eckstein and presided over the rise of Albert Pujols.

Well, Walt and I have one thing in common.

CHAMPION OUTFIELDER: LANCE BERKMAN

Last night Houston Astro Manager Phil Garner moved Lance Berkman from firstbase to the outfield, it was his 40th game played in the outfield this year. To every other baseball freak on the planet this move meant nothing, but it meant alot to Tabletalk Teddy. We have a rule in the Illowa APBA League, in which I’ve managed the Chicago Champions for over 30 years, where you need to play 40 games at a position before you can play them all at that position. So now Lance Berkman can join Grady Sizemore & Carlos Lee as everyday performers in the outfield. Justin Morneau is my firstbaseman. Too cool!

LET’S GO CHAMPIONS!!!

Busy weekend of APBA

Illowa APBA League. Yes, winning is fun but the people is what makes it important. The IAL is made up of some diverse people folks coming from different backgrounds and beliefs but somehow our love of baseball ties us together. Our diversity spreads to our team loyalty as well. Between the five us, I think … Continue reading “Busy weekend of APBA”

Illowa APBA League.

Yes, winning is fun but the people is what makes it important. The IAL is made up of some diverse people folks coming from different backgrounds and beliefs but somehow our love of baseball ties us together. Our diversity spreads to our team loyalty as well. Between the five us, I think we represented the Cubs, Angels, Cardinals, and Dodgers.

Enough of waxing philosophical. It was good to see DonS who drove into town Friday night. It was even better to see my Thunderchickens defeat his Marauders 6 games to 3. Pitching and timely hitting was the key.

Saturday we played two more nine game series. The commish and his son, Marc came barreling into town early enough for us to get a good start. Well, we didn’t do so hot against Marc’s. He informed me that he was resting Helton and was playing Russ Branyan. See, I drafted Branyan way back when and though he’s never been an MLB star, he’s still a fav of mine.

…except when he plays against me. Between him and the Jones’ “brothers” (Andruw and Chipper), they crushed us. All told the Upperdeckers hit 22 dingers in 9 games and won 5 games to 4.

Side note: while we were playing our games, we had the ESPN on in the background and they were showing last year’s Home Run derby (the one where Abreu won). I have to admit I’ve never watched a homerun derby. Never had the urge. Now I can see why. Yikes! Talk about homerun overload!! I felt like I was watching a video game or something. That spectacle was not the aspects of baseball that I enjoy. Guess I’ll just be skipping this year’s derby especially if I have to hear Berman’s homerun call ad nauseum… it’s hit, it’s back… back-back-back-back-back-back-back-back, gone!

The commish with his Bombers. He made the mistake of insulting of few of my players (Ray Durham is NOT a jerk) and they responded in kind. We took six of nine quite easily. I do admire his pitching staff. L. Hernandez, Marquis, Zambrano. Not so much for their pitching ability but they’re pretty much a 9th hitter in his lineup. No point in walking the 8th place hitter to get the pitcher when he can hit like they can.

Final results for the weekend: 16-11

That puts my Thunderchickens at 55-41 and in good shape for the homestretch.

Crede- Dr Jekyll/Mr Hyde

I picked up Joe Crede in the off-season in the Illowa APBA League. He was sort of a throw-in as part of larger deal so I didn’t think much of it. I even shopped him around for a reliever but to mild surprise no one was interested especially considering the number of White Sox fans … Continue reading “Crede- Dr Jekyll/Mr Hyde”

Then Crede started out hitting like gang-busters for the Sox. By April 25, he was hitting .324 and slugging .500. I started to wonder if I stumbled on to something.

But since then, Crede has gone downhill. Since that date, he’s gone 15 for 93 (.161) with a .248 OBP and a pathetic .247 slg pct. He’s hit 2 homers in this period.

As good as he is in the field, Crede is not known for being consistent at the plate. Last year, he hit .184 in May, .329 in June, and .198 and July.

Rumors earlier this year, were he didn’t plan on changing too much regarding his approach at the plate this year in favor of sticking with one batting stance.

He offered this cryptic outlook on his hitting:

“I believe I am a .280, .290 hitter, but I will believe it when I actually do it.”