FAQ
If your question isn’t answered here, you can send it via the
feedback form. I’ll update this list as valuable questions come in.
Is this really free?
Yes. I’m hoping ads and donations can cover any costs and extra time I put into it. If people enjoy it, I think they’ll support it.
Which browsers are supported?
I’ve only been able to test on the latest versions of IE and Firefox for PC. But I’m pretty confident everything will work fine on Safari and Firefox for Mac. I can’t promise anything for Opera or other browsers. Commissioners should have a high-speed broadband connection for the purpose of playing games.
How does baseball sim work?
You manage your team by setting the lineup, deciding on strategy, etc., and the game results are determined by computer simulation.
What was your inspiration?
In earlier years, I loved PC games like Earl Weaver and MicroLeague. I wanted to move my league online, so I built my own simulator and website. In recent years, I tried other online leagues out of curiosity, but wasn’t thrilled with the cost, and I always had complaints about the results, limitations and usability.
What players are available?
That depends on the league your commissioner has decided to set up, or which league you join. It could be All-Time Greats, or modern players, or completely fictional – or a combination.
Can I play in a league without a commissioner?
I plan to offer Auto Leagues that essentially run on “auto-pilot” for those who want to dive right in and not worry about finding the perfect league to join. Auto Leagues will re-draft after each season, and you can keep your team in the same AutoLeague. If you don't re-draft by the set deadline, your team will be replaced with a new one.
When does the season start?
In Auto Leagues, the games start after all 8 teams have an owner and all teams have drafted.
For more details on Auto League, please read all the information on your league's homepage.
For other leagues, check with your individual commissioner.
What time are games played?
Again, this is at the discretion of your commissioner. For Auto Leagues, games are typically run in the evening, anywhere from 6-10 pm Pacific Time.
It's impossible for me to give an exact time for game sims. Most of the other sites I've played on don't give an exact game time either.
Why don't your auto leagues use a salary cap like most other leagues?
I personally can't stand salary cap leagues, because it usually means one player shows up on multiple teams. On this site, if you draft the player, he's on your team alone!
How does the CPU determine game results?
A batter’s and pitcher’s stats are taken into consideration, as well as a few other variables, to determine a result for every at bat.
Why do you use stats instead of ratings?
Some sim games use arbitrary ratings instead of logical baseball stats to determine results. I prefer using stats because they are not arbitrary, and because real-life stats have been ruled by law to be public domain.
Why does my team suck?
Because you aren’t very smart. Just kidding! Hey, this is a game, don’t take it too seriously. It takes some time to learn how the simulator works – and even when you think you’ve figured it out, it doesn’t always play out as you expect. Baseball is just like that. It's a sport where shocking teams often come from nowhere and strong teams on paper don't always win. It won’t always make sense, but that’s part of why we love the game.
Why is Babe Ruth playing terrible for me?
First off, consider the competition in your league. If you’re playing with All-Time Greats, no players will perform equal to their stats. If you’re frustrated with results, I highly encourage you to browse the other active leagues to get a feeling for how players perform. Secondly, keep in mind baseball is a streaky game. Streaks happen naturally in the simulator (I didn’t even code that in!). I’ve seen many great players have lousy seasons, only to bounce back the next season with an MVP performance.
How accurate are the results?
Well, read the answer to the previous two questions first. One thing is certain about sim games – there will
always be complaints about the accuracy of results. I can’t help that. And no two simulators are the same, they all have their quirks, so if you've played in other leagues, you may have to adjust to the tendencies of this game. After running my own league for over seven years, I am very pleased with the results. For the most part, the great players play great, the weaker players play weak, and there’s enough random variation to keep it interesting. I will stress, the more games in your schedule, the more the stats tend to drift back toward the "mean". Shorter seasons don't always leave enough time for the great players to get on a hot streak. As more people play and send me feedback, I can make adjustments to get the results even more consistent. Having said that, I wouldn’t want the results to be so consistent that there is no element of surprise. That would be boring.
Why don’t you use more stats beyond the basics to determine results?
Okay, Bill James. Calm down. I love baseball stats as much as any geek, but I think throwing endless variables into a simulator only muddles the results. Simple, consistent and reliable are what I am shooting for.
Why do you only support the DH?
I appreciate baseball tradition as much as anyone. But I only have so much free time to put into this project, so for now, I chose to implement the easier option first. Plus, I kinda like the DH, who wants to see a pitcher bat anyway? :)
I’ll add more questions here as they come in.