PROPOSED SPECS

Friends, at 3:30 am I awoke, covered in sweat and screaming at the top of my lungs, "Innings pitched! Innings pitched, damn you! Innings pitched!" Gus ran in, nude. And that's where the story ends...for you. Nonetheless, the unifying variable had come to me in a deep sleep.

I present to you the Marcavage System:

Offense: OPS (5), RBI (3), R (1), SB (1)

Pitching: ERA (5), IP (3), SV (1)

You may ask, "What are those funny parentheses?" Well, my friends, those are the genius of the system. I have weighed the categories in relation to one another in terms of value. Gone are the days where a SB will be worth *more* (because they are rarer) in fantasy value than the homerun! This system accounts for all the important skills a player could possess, but emphasizes those I think we can agree are most important: Getting on base and driving in runs.

I will elaborate.

Offense:

1. In my opinion, OPS is the great statistic. It combines plate discipline, average, and power into one category. It is also a finer measure of power hitting than mere homeruns, because it accounts for all power categories at once (homers, doubles, etc.). And it takes into account bases on balls, which is a valuable category often ignored in fantasy leagues.

2. RBI takes into account clutch hitting. It is an imperfect statistic, because it depends on runners being on base, but it's the best we can do to measure this important skill.

3. Runs. I know there was some talk about whether we should count runs. My feeling is yes (but at a low value), because there is some specific talent associated with running the bases. I don't like the category, because it's dependent on getting hit in, plus it's largely reflected in OPS, but it may capture something the others miss.

4. SB. Stolen bases, unlike most of the other categories, measures an independent skill, which makes it a good fantasy statistic. It's low value reflects the fact that it is a secondary skill, like base running, but one that I think deserves some recognition. I think the argument that there are only a few really good base-stealers has some merit, but isn't much of a worry when we value SBs at one and adds some strategy to the draft.

Some will undoubtedly argue about the absence of homeruns. In my opinion, the homerun is the most redundant statistic on the offensive side. If you take OPS, RBIs, and Runs together, you cover all the aspects of the homerun. If you insist on having it as a category for sentimental reasons, I suggest it be weighted as a one, since it is already given great weight in three other categories.

Pitching:

1. ERA. This statistic, of course, is the bottom line. If not for one catch, this might be the only statistic necessary in the pitching category.

2. IP: ERA, while the most important pitching statistic, is susceptible to dirty tricks. It needs to be kept honest with Innings Pitched, so a team cannot stock its staff with low-inning, low-ERA guys and beat the system. IP plus ERA also accounts for the value in wins, while squeezing out the luck aspect (for instance, whether your team gives you run support, etc.) I love these two categories together, because they really come down to the pitchers performance alone.

3. Saves: Although no doubt an overrated stat, it's a measure of clutch pitching that we should account for, though at a diminished value.

I know there was talk about Holds and Ks. I liked the holds idea until I looked it up to see exactly what it is. From Wikipedia:

"A hold is awarded to a relief pitcher if he enters in a save situation, records at least one out, and leaves the game without having relinquished that lead.

To receive a hold, the pitcher must not finish the game (thus becoming the closing pitcher) or be the winning pitcher."

I don't like this stat for several reasons. One, it favors middle relievers who enter the game with leads over those who come in during a tie or close game, which is illogical. Two, you can come in with a three run lead, give up two runs, leave the game and get a hold. Should someone get rewarded for that? Three, it is just too easy to get a hold. You come in, pitch to one batter in the six inning, leave and get a hold. It seems to me like a completely superfluous statistic. As for middle relievers, their skills are accounted for with ERA and IP. Also, we should probably only have three relief pitchers and five starters to account for the value of starters in the statistical categories.

As for Ks, they are a glamour stat, for sure, but any benefit they produce is reflected in ERA and IP. There is nothing unique about their value other than that they contribute to a better ERA.

Anyway, there it is. I will entertain objections and criticisms throughout the day. I know the system looks unusual, but don't be put off by the new and unusual. I think this system will give us a pure measure of production, and a legitimate champion.

-Steiner