------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | International Replay Baseball League - Founded October 30, 1973 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ***************** IRBL NEWSLETTER # 617 ***************** 3-17-01 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ....................................... PLAYER TRANSACTIONS: The TIGERS traded CHAD HERMANSEN, JOHN MABRY to the BRAVES for STEVE TRACHSEL. The WHITE SOX released DARRIN JACKSON, JOEL BENNETT, ENRIQUE BURGOS, GREG CADARET, RICARDO JORDAN, BRIAN KEYSER, KERRY LACY, RANDY VERES. The PHILLIES traded HANLEY FRIAS to the DEVIL RAYS for KEVIN NICHOLSON. The RANGERS traded SCOTT BROSIUS, KENNY LOFTON, JASON DICKSON, JOSE ROSADO to the PHILLIES for JEFFREY HAMMONDS, BILL MUELLER. The METS released FREDDY AD. GARCIA, J.R. PHILLIPS, TIM SPEHR, MATT BEECH, TERRY BURROWS, GREG MULLINS, KEVIN RITZ. The WHITE SOX released JACOB BRUMFIELD. The ROYALS released JOE GRAHE. The RED SOX released DANN HOWITT, JOE MILLETTE, SHERMAN OBANDO, STEVE RODRIGUEZ, MARK PORTUGAL, SCOTT RUFFCORN. The MARINERS released RAFAEL BELLIARD, SHANE MACK, TONY FOSSAS. The PHILLIES released JEFF TACKETT, JOSE ALBERRO, MIKE BERTOTTI, XAVIER HERNANDEZ, MATT WAGNER. The WHITE SOX traded ALBERT BELLE to the METS for STEVE KLINE. The ASTROS traded DAVID BELL to the INDIANS for REGGIE SANDERS. The ASTROS released BRIAN BARBER, ERIC LUDWICK, BRAD WOODALL. The TWINS released TOMMY DAVIS, DERRICK MAY. The ORIOLES released CARLOS GARCIA, BRIAN BEVIL, JOHN BRISCOE, GREG HANSELL, FERNANDO HERNANDEZ, RANDY MYERS, JEFF TABAKA, RAMON TATIS, DAVE TELGHEDER. The TWINS traded BRANT BROWN, NOMAR GARCIAPARRA, RAUL IBANEZ, PAUL LODUCA, WILLIE BLAIR, TIM DREW, MASATO YOSHII to the GIANTS for RUSS BRANYAN, BENJI GIL, DAVID ORTIZ, MIKE JUDD, CHAN HO PARK, DAN REICHERT, LUIS RIVERA. The DEVIL RAYS released MIKE CARUSO, CURTIS GOODWIN, EDWARDS GUZMAN, ANGEL PENA, BOB PATTERSON. The CARDINALS traded BRIAN L. HUNTER, ALFONSO SORIANO, JEFF WEAVER to the ASTROS for BEN GRIEVE, JOSE IRBL # 617 3-17-01 2 HERNANDEZ, JOEL PINEIRO. The TIGERS released JULIO FRANCO. The YANKEES released CHAD FONVILLE, SCOTT LIVINGSTONE, JOSE MALAVE, HENRY MERCEDES, ANDY TOMBERLIN, JEFF MCCURRY, FRED RATH, KENNIE STEENSTRA, MIKE WALKER. The RANGERS released HUCK FLENER. The REDS released STEVE DECKER. The ATHLETICS released ORESTE MARRERO, ANDY STEWART, RADHAMES DYKHOFF. The METS released RALPH MILLIARD. The BREWERS released BRENT COOKSON, MARK DALESANDRO, JASON DELLAERO, DANNY TARTABULL, STEVE COOKE, RAMON GARCIA, MIKE JERZEMBECK, JASON PHILLIPS, WILLIS ROBERTS, BOB WOLCOTT. The PIRATES released WADE BOGGS. The BLUE JAYS released ROBERTO DURAN, BART EVANS, RYAN KARP, BEN MCDONALD, DARIO VERAS. The ANGELS released JASON BATES, HOWARD BATTLE, RICH BUTLER, ROB BUTLER, RYAN RADMANOVICH, STEVE CONNELLY, MIKE GRZANICH, DAVID HOLDRIDGE, JOHN HUDEK. The DEVIL RAYS released MIKE FRANK, GREG MARTINEZ, SCOTT BAILES, MICKEY CALLAWAY, DAN CARLSON. ...................................... I have included final cross-referenced rosters and team Player Usage Form files. Please contact me immediately if you find any errors on the cross- reference rosters or the DMB IRBL player files. ...................................... Updated IRBL Rules changing the references from 2000 to 2001 and adjustments to work with DMB v8 will be included with the next IRBL Newsletter to be posted within the next week. ...................................... 2001 IRBL Schedule: Due to the continued use of an unbalanced schedule and Interleague series that the Major Leagues has used since 1999, the 2001 IRBL schedule is again unbalanced. Although all IRBL teams play 81 road games and 81 home games, the number of series per team varies. All AL teams play 35 series and NL teams play 38, 39 or 40 series. So that the NL teams will not get an advantage of having extra days off for scheduling starting pitchers, NL teams have 5 series where there are no days IRBL # 617 3-17-01 3 off between series. These series are noted with an asterisk, "*", on the Starting Pitchers Rotation sheet after the series date. For these noted series, there will be no day-off between this series and the preceding series for calculating the days off between starts for starting pitchers. You will find the post-season schedule at the bottom of the SCHEDULE.Y01 file. ...................................... My thanks again to Gerry McDonald for volunteering and preparing the 2001 IRBL schedule. This is the fourth straight year that Gerry has completed this time consuming task and I appreciate the effort. ...................................... Included with this newsletter are the following items so you can prepare your 2001 season team instructions (refer to IRBL Rule # 15): 1) Starting Pitchers Rotation forms for all teams (PITCHING.Txx) 2) Inactive List forms for all teams (INACTIVE.Txx) 3) Team Instructions forms (INSTRUCT.Txx) 4) Player Usage forms for all teams (PLAYERUF.Y01) xx: IRBL team code number NOTE: To edit the above files, select "Display or Print Series Results or Newsletter Files" from the IRBL Menu Program. Highlight the file name in the LIST file selection display and press the [E] key. This will invoke the DOS EDIT program. Use this method to edit the file rather than your own word processing program so that the file remains pure text. Be sure that you are in the "Overwrite mode" (the cursor will be a blinking rectangle) and not the "Insert mode" (the cursor would be a blinking underscore, "_"). You can switch between modes by pressing the [Insert] key. The "Overwrite mode" is easier to work with because it will not "push out" the remainder of the line when you type. If you prefer, you can also use a Windows text editor program (such as Notepad) to edit the files. IRBL # 617 3-17-01 4 Please do not use a word processing program (such as Word or WordPerfect) because these programs will modify the format of the file and will insert special characters that will be time- consuming for me to remove. You can verify that the file is saved as pure text by viewing the file with the IRBL Menu Program and verifying that you do not see any strange characters mixed in the file. ..................................... Please use the following guidelines when filling out the forms: 1) Starting Pitchers Rotation form: Fill in the pitcher's initials (2 capital letters only) next to each game number. At the bottom of the page, list each pitcher's full name, the initials used, indicate if he throws "L" or "R" and the number of starts he is scheduled for using the following format: T GS - -- BOUCHER, DENIS (DB) L 25 DELUCIA, RICH (RD) R 30 GROOM, BUDDY (BG) L 30 JONES, JIMMY (JJ) R 27 MILITELLO, SAM (SM) R 11 PUGH, TIM (TP) R 8 ROBINSON, RON (RR) R 2 WILLIAMS, MIKE (MW) R 29 When typing the above chart, make sure that you do not exceed 60 lines on the page or 80 characters on a line (refer to the line and column counter in the lower right corner of the editing screen). 2) Inactive List form: Place an "XX" (use capital letters only) in the appropriate box for each player on the Inactive List for each series. There must be exactly 25 players on the "Active List" for each series (i.e., 25 boxes next to a player's name in each column that do not have a "XX"). 3) Team Instructions: Edit this file to contain your starting lineups for all your road and home series (including all lineups stored in your Computer Manager profile). If you leave out your home series lineups, your instruction package IRBL # 617 3-17-01 5 will be considered incomplete. If you list a player in every lineup who cannot play 162 games, you must include a note indicating which games he will be sat out and who will replace him. When typing this page, make sure that you do not exceed 60 lines on the page or 80 characters on a line. 4) Player Usage Form: The PLAYERUF.Y01 file contains a filled out form for each team. You can select and copy your team's form to a file (use file name PLAYERUF.Txx) using the directions detailed in IRBL Rule # 21A. 5) Computer Manager: Create your profile following the guidelines in IRBL Rule # 15 and export the file to the C:\IRBL\RESULTS.Y01 directory naming the export file MP-xx (where xx is your IRBL team code number) (if your number is less than 10, then precede it with a "0") (i.e, the DODGERS file would be MP-03) (the DMB v8 procedure is Transfer-Export statistics, select your team, select nothing on the next two screens, navigate to the RESULTS.Y01 directory and type in your MP-xx file name) Prepare the above detailed files and then select "Create ZIP file of Team Instructions Files set" from the IRBL Menu Program. This will combine the files into one file called INSTRUxx.ZIP (where xx is your IRBL team number). Send me this INSTRUxx.ZIP file via email. The 4 files are summarized as follows: 1) INSTRUCT.Txx 2) PITCHING.Txx 3) INACTIVE.Txx 4) MP-xx.ZIP NOTE: The xx is the two digit IRBL team number. The yy is a different one or two number that the DMB game assigns to each team. These numbers are: yy xx yy xx -- -- -- -- D-BACKS 28 29 ANGELS 13 13 IRBL # 617 3-17-01 6 DODGERS 27 03 ATHLETICS 12 14 GIANTS 26 04 MARINERS 11 25 PADRES 25 05 RANGERS 10 15 ROCKIES 24 27 ASTROS 23 01 INDIANS 8 20 BREWERS 9 19 ROYALS 7 16 CARDINALS 22 07 TIGERS 1 23 CUBS 21 08 TWINS 6 17 PIRATES 20 12 WHITE SOX 5 18 REDS 19 06 BRAVES 18 02 BLUE JAYS 4 26 EXPOS 17 09 DEVIL RAYS 29 30 MARLINS 16 28 ORIOLES 3 21 METS 15 10 RED SOX 2 22 PHILLIES 14 11 YANKEES 0 24 ...................................... All the team instruction files will be distributed shortly after the instructions receipt deadline. ...................................... Due to the delay in getting this package of materials completed, I realize that not everyone will have time to submit their instructions package by the deadline. If you cannot meet the deadline, please let me know (before the deadline) when you will be able to submit them so I can plan the distribution accordingly. ...................................... Temporary G.M. for MARINERS: The MARINERS' manager, Dave Adams, is currently without a computer. Until he has one again, Andrea Cristiani will handle the MARINERS' as a temporary General Manager (G.M.) preparing the season instructions. All managers will be playing their road series against the MARINERS' until further notice. ...................................... IRBL Schedule in DMB v8 game Several managers have expressed confusion over what they see as a "mess" when they look at the IRBL schedule in the DMB v8 game. Here is an explanation of what you will see: The IRBL schedule is divided up into series of games (2 to 6 each) identified by a series date. To import the IRBL schedule into the DMB v8 game, the series date is entered as the DMB v8 date for game # 1 of the series. Subsequent games of each series, are shown in consecutive following days. Since IRBL series are scheduled 4 or 5 days apart (with IRBL # 617 3-17-01 7 several 2 day gaps in the NL), the DMB v8 schedule shows what appears to be "overlaps" (i.e., a team playing two different games on the same day - the last games of one series and the first games of the next series against a different team). For example: This sequence of series in the 2001 IRBL schedule: APR 22, DIA @ BRA, 3 games APR 24, PAD @ BRA, 6 games APR 26, BRA @ EXP, 3 games will appear in the DMB v8 schedule as: 4/22/01, DIA @ BRA 4/23/01, DIA @ BRA 4/24/01, DIA @ BRA 4/24/01, PAD @ BRA 4/25/01, PAD @ BRA 4/26/01, PAD @ BRA 4/26/01, BRA @ EXP 4/27/01, PAD @ BRA 4/27/01, BRA @ EXP 4/28/01, PAD @ BRA 4/28/01, BRA @ EXP 4/29/01, PAD @ BRA but will be played like this: 4/22/01, DIA @ BRA 4/23/01, DIA @ BRA 4/24/01, DIA @ BRA 4/24/01, PAD @ BRA 4/25/01, PAD @ BRA 4/26/01, PAD @ BRA 4/27/01, PAD @ BRA 4/28/01, PAD @ BRA 4/29/01, PAD @ BRA 4/26/01, BRA @ EXP 4/27/01, BRA @ EXP 4/28/01, BRA @ EXP The revised IRBL Rules that you will be receiving before the start of the season will detail what you need to do to play a series which will include selecting "Tools-Reset player usage" prior to playing each series of games between two teams so those other "overlapping" games on the same day from other series will have no impact on the series currently being played. There is a problem with IRBL schedule in DMB v8 game. Due to a "bug" in the game, I will need to code the games IRBL # 617 3-17-01 8 where the home team is listed as playing two different opponents on the same day (as happens in the above explanation) as doubleheaders. This needs to be done before the games are played otherwise although you can export the games, I will not be able to import the games into the master IRBL league files (due to the bug). I will fix the schedule and distribute updated IRBL DMB player files next week. ...................................... IRBL Menu Program v8.00.00 If you are reading this newsletter from the IRBL Menu Program, then you have already installed IRBL Menu Program v8.00.00 per the directions in my email. You will notice that some options have been removed or changed to work with DMB v8. Full details of exactly what to do to play an IRBL series will be found in the updated IRBL Rules which will be published next week. In addition, I have enhanced the "Series Date" selection menu to actual list each series (i.e., under the "APR 4" menu, you would see series listed as "ROCKIES at DODGERS, 6 games"). The option # 2 to "Create ZIP file of selected series" has not been completed yet to work with DMB v8 but will be by next week. With DMB v8, we will only have one directory of IRBL DMB player files, the LEAGUE.Y01 directory. The SERIES.Y01 directory has been eliminated. You will actually play series in the same player files as contains the IRBL season statistics so you can see season statistics accumulate as you play the games. Full guidelines will appear in the updated IRBL Rules. ...................................... Temporary email change for Mike Boling: Mike Boling's home email account of mboling@kctera.net is currently not working amd he requests that you use mboling@kansascity.com as his home email address until further notice. ...................................... I have attached an updated IRBL Manager Address List. ...................................... IRBL # 617 3-17-01 9 DEADLINES: Mar. 25 - Team instructions to be received by League Office and all managers within your league Apr. 4 - First series of 2001 season ...................................... Files included on LRD # 617: --------------------------- INACTIVE.Txx --> Inactive List Forms INSTRUCT.Txx --> Team Instructions file IRBLROST.TXT --> IRBL Rosters MANAGERS.TXT --> Manager Address List NEWSL617.xxx --> Newsletter # 617 PITCHING.Txx --> Starting Pitchers Rotation Sheets PLAYERUF.Y01 --> Player Usage Forms for all teams SCHEDULE.Y01 --> IRBL NL and AL league schedule File Extension Legend (xxx): --------------------------- T1C --> Viewable one column newsletter text format TXT --> Viewable text format ...................................... BK