Cutline First Playoff Scoring Period--Three Days

[lrr]

First, I am a big fan of the cutline. But I am not sure the first scoring period should have been three days. Maybe it should have been ten days. I am just giving this as an example. Let's say my best starting pitchers in a cutline league are Syndergaard, Lester, Carlos Martinez, Arrieta and Salazar. None of them are starting in this three day period. That's zero points. Now I know someone will say that they may be two start pitchers next week. But teams are full of pitchers and those that have pitchers pitching in these three days may have many two start pitchers next week as well. If you fall way behind in pitching points these first three days, I am not sure you can ever make them up. These first three days is its own scoring period and will be very important. I am not sure that the luck of whether you have pitchers starting in these three days should be a major factor in this contest.

[KJ Duke]

First, I am a big fan of the cutline. But I am not sure the first scoring period should have been three days. Maybe it should have been ten days. I am just giving this as an example. Let's say my best starting pitchers in a cutline league are Syndergaard, Lester, Carlos Martinez, Arrieta and Salazar. None of them are starting in this three day period. That's zero points. Now I know someone will say that they may be two start pitchers next week. But teams are full of pitchers and those that have pitchers pitching in these three days may have many two start pitchers next week as well. If you fall way behind in pitching points these first three days, I am not sure you can ever make them up. These first three days is its own scoring period and will be very important. I am not sure that the luck of whether you have pitchers starting in these three days should be a major factor in this contest.

This playoff period will run for 24 days which is probably 20-22 games so most SPs should get 4 starts in, and those disadvantaged by the short week should have an edge in the 2nd week of this period with a lot of double-start SPs.

[Rainiers]

First, I am a big fan of the cutline. But I am not sure the first scoring period should have been three days. Maybe it should have been ten days. I am just giving this as an example. Let's say my best starting pitchers in a cutline league are Syndergaard, Lester, Carlos Martinez, Arrieta and Salazar. None of them are starting in this three day period. That's zero points. Now I know someone will say that they may be two start pitchers next week. But teams are full of pitchers and those that have pitchers pitching in these three days may have many two start pitchers next week as well. If you fall way behind in pitching points these first three days, I am not sure you can ever make them up. These first three days is its own scoring period and will be very important. I am not sure that the luck of whether you have pitchers starting in these three days should be a major factor in this contest.

I'm not sure either. Two days in it feels like three days is too short and too susceptible to having flukish results, and not just for pitchers. Hitters too, e.g. as some hitters are playing just the Reds, others just the Cubs pitching staffs. It's probably something to look at in hindsight, once this first playoff period is over. In three weeks it will be easy to compare, statistically, the relative importance of the five component parts of the scoring for this payoff period. If the standard deviation for points scored is a lot higher for the three-day week than it is for the average and the three full weeks, it would mean it is actually a lot more important than any of the other four scores... which wouldn't seem right, especially for owner's of good teams that just don't happen to play well for one weekend. But the jury is still out. And it also assumes that a 10-day week is something that is pragmatic to program if it is something we end up wanting to do.

I'm also big fan of Cutline. Like you, just trying to think about what might make the game even better...

[Greg Ambrosius]

First, I am a big fan of the cutline. But I am not sure the first scoring period should have been three days. Maybe it should have been ten days. I am just giving this as an example. Let's say my best starting pitchers in a cutline league are Syndergaard, Lester, Carlos Martinez, Arrieta and Salazar. None of them are starting in this three day period. That's zero points. Now I know someone will say that they may be two start pitchers next week. But teams are full of pitchers and those that have pitchers pitching in these three days may have many two start pitchers next week as well. If you fall way behind in pitching points these first three days, I am not sure you can ever make them up. These first three days is its own scoring period and will be very important. I am not sure that the luck of whether you have pitchers starting in these three days should be a major factor in this contest.

We can certainly discuss this going forward. It's possible that we could extend the regular season through this period, thus creating a final week of just 3 days. That's one option. The other option is to keep it the way it is. I don't think changing the scoring to a 10-day Week 1 is feasible from our end, so let's consider the two options above.

Hope that helps. It's shaping up as a great playoff season.

[lrr]

Greg, thanks for your reply. My only concern in posting this message was that a short scoring period could have unusual results. I understand that it applies to everyone equally. Any alternative that also has a short period I don't think would be an improvement. In an earlier post this year, I raised the issue, like others, about the value of closers. Interestingly, in a few cutlines where I didn't have nine starting pitchers who were pitching during this three day period, closers who got saves chipped in with valuable points. This playoff format is very exciting right now. It will be interesting to see how it plays out.