I still can’t decide if playing in the Baker Bowl (300 HR Park Factor) was a good thing or bad. On the positive side, the Rusty Kuntz All Stars scored runs in bunches, drilling 313 home runs and leading all of ATB in slugging and ISO. Lists are fun:
45 HR – Reggie Jackson
41 HR – Roger Maris
43 HR – Willie Stargell
40 HR – Carlos Pena
36 HR – Joe DiMaggio
28 HR – Ken Caminiti
25 HR – Bobby Grich
21 HR – Chris Hoiles
That’s a lot of power. The Baker Bowl also suppresses singles by about 10% which means fewer base runners to score on all those home runs. The team's OBP was just .301 and four every day players recorded OBP’s well under .300.
Of course all those home runs can devastate a pitching staff too. Here’s the 500 resim ERA and 20 Resim ERA for key starting pitchers, side by side.
3.27 vs 4.38 – Walter Johnson
3.79 vs 4.89 – Cy Young
3.90 vs 4.79 – Tex Hughson
3.77 vs 4.48 – Ron Guidry
The bullpen was much the same:
2.63 vs 3.02 – Joe Nathan
2.57 vs 3.50 – JJ Putz
3.38 vs 4.19 – Bryan Harvey
3.12 vs 4.14 – Derek Lilliquist
They sure were fun to watch though. It would be interesting to see how this team would have fared with a better defense to aid the pitching staff – only two regulars should be considered above average defenders. Or perhaps swapping one of the power hitters for a high OBP guy like Billy Hamilton (Rd 4).
A final fun stat to leave with – the All Stars with 3rd in scoring, yet no player averaged 100 or more RBI. However, five regulars did average between 87 and 98, now that is a balanced lineup
800 OPS Batters:
.851 – Joe DiMaggio
.827 – Willie Stargell
Sub 4.00 ERA Starters
None
Sub 3.25 ERA Relievers
3.02 – Joe Nathan
Best Value Draft Pick
Rd 18 – Roger Maris. Hey, had had crazy holes in his swing but he did drill 41 home runs and drive in 87
Bust Draft Pick
Rd 4 – Tex Hughson (4.79 ERA, 1.35 WHIP)
We’re halfway through, here is how the divisions are looking. It’s safe to say the AL West and NL Central were the worst divisions in ATB, with just 1 team in each ranking in the upper half of the league.
20 Resim Results
24) 64 wins, Downsouth Brews
23) 66 wins, Colorado Green Sox
22) 72 wins, Lancaster Pretty Ladies
21) 69 wins, Detroit Tigers
20) 74 wins, Platte County Burnt Ends
19) 75 wins, Leesburg Snowhole
18) 77 wins, Planet 10 Red Lectroids
17) 78 wins, Rochester Beau Brummels
16) 79 wins, Otherton Fishbiscuits
15) 79 wins, North Valley Bears
14) 81 wins, Niagara Frontier Blackbirds
13) 81 wins, Rusty Kuntz Traveling All Stars
20) 74 wins, Platte County Burnt Ends
19) 75 wins, Leesburg Snowhole
18) 77 wins, Planet 10 Red Lectroids
17) 78 wins, Rochester Beau Brummels
16) 79 wins, Otherton Fishbiscuits
15) 79 wins, North Valley Bears
14) 81 wins, Niagara Frontier Blackbirds
13) 81 wins, Rusty Kuntz Traveling All Stars
