There are 3 main areas where customers have historically had support questions:
INSTALLATION and SETUP QUESTIONS Floating Decimal
Point,Additional leagues, etc.
VALUATION QUESTIONS Valuations Don't look right, large
negatives, inverted lists, etc.
PRINTER PROBLEMS Printing Networks, formatting, etc.
INSTALLATION and SETUP QUESTIONS
1. How do I set up the program for different leagues?
For the Windows version you merely need to run the install program for as many leagues as you are in. Each time you get to the prompt asking you the directory that you want to save the program in, give it a different name for each league you use.
For the MacIntosh version, set up a seperate File Folder for each league and copy the program into each folder that you need.
With both of these, make sure that you are copying the correct version into the league
file that you need (i.e. NL files into your NL league, etc.)
2. What is the easiest way to manage 2 or more "similar" leagues in terms of updating players, etc?
When you run your league set-up you get an "INFO" file which tells the
program which players are protected in your league, at what salaries, etc. However, the
data files (HITTERS and PITCHERS) are where the 2002 projections for each player are held.
Thus if you are in more than one similar league (eg. 2 NL only leagues but NOT an NL and a
Combined league) you merely have to update the players in one league. Then, you have to
copy the hitters and pitchers files from one league subdirectory or folder to the other
league(s)'s subdirectory or folder.
3. After setting up the program for my league, I get all sorts of errors or run time
errors and the program does not call up or I get an error message that I have a floating
decimal point and the program has performed an invalid operation.
Basically you have input something wrong in the set-up program. The most common of
these is in "straight draft" leagues where there is no bidding you have either
input 0 for the per team salary cap or had an allocation percentage allocated to hitting
of 0% or input the salary allocation as a decimal rather than as a whole number.
Otherwise, recheck your input in the other areas. Remember, each time you re-run the Setup
program you erase any data that you entered which is particular to your league.
Go to Downloading and Installation Instructions
Go to Installation Instructions - MacIntosh
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1. After checking that my set-up is correct, I am still getting some very good players or pitchers with negative values, why?
This all comes back to the problem of "small" leagues. By a "small" league we mean AL or NL only leagues of 10 teams or less or Combined leagues of 20 teams or less. The problem stems from the number and caliber of the players below the Mendoza line. Remember, the system calculates values based on the players who are coded as on the opening day rosters. Thus, with a large pool of players left over you diminish the statistics of the "average undrafted player". Therefore, the Mendoza line is too low and values start to go crazy. The system can then get in a "continuous loop" whereby the more bases you steal (or more wins you get) the lower the value you get.
The way to solve this problem is to code those players who will clearly not be drafted
as not making the opening day rosters. This will lower the players below the Mendoza line
and thus give that calculation some meaning. For example, if you are in a 12 team combined
league you will draft 60 outfielders. However, there are 84 starting outfield slots. Thus,
code all reserve outfielders and lower platoon outfielders, etc. as not making the opening
day rosters. Ideally, under this scenario, you would want to trim your list to about 70
outfielders on opening day rosters.
2. Even though most values look OK, I am not getting enough players at one position (usually catcher) getting positive value as will be drafted. How do I correct this?
This is a problem that also occurs in small leagues and has to do with the inherent nature of the positions. At this point you should probably refer to our essay on Positional Scarcity. Realize why this is occuring. In 1996 there were 5 players who qualified as catchers with more than 500 at-bats and one of those was BJ Surhoff who did not appear as a catcher at all during the 1996 season. Additionally there were only 4 more catchers with at least 450 at-bats. Thus, 20 of the 28 primary catchers in 1996 had less than 450 at-bats.
If you are in a standard league (12 team AL or 14 NL only) there is no positional scarcity. However, when to get into "smaller" leagues the inherent nature of the playing time for catchers hurts them. Thus, in a 12 team combined league, starting with the 9th catcher on you are dealing with players who are getting 425 at-bats. By the time you get to just the 16th catcher you have projections of only 350 at-bats. However, the 60th outfielder is only the 4th best #3 outfielder. Thus, given their limited at-bats, most catchers cannot move into the group that the system deems draftable.
While there is no cure for this in the system, you just have to be aware of how many
catchers your league needs. Then, you have to determine if the premium you have to pay to
get a "valued" catcher is worth it. For example, if the last catcher your league
will draft is at $-6, you have to pay at least $1 for him. Thus, that is an inherent seven
dollar premium. You should consider paying up to $7 over any catcher's value and being
reduced to taking $1 outfielders.
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While our program works on most printer configurations, there are occassional times
that there are problems. If you are encountering problems, you can do one of two things.
First, you can change the print location (from the FILE option on the menu pulldown bar)
by selecting to print to a file rather than the printer. This also works best if you
change the printer (also under the FILE pulldown menu) to a generic/text file. After
printing to a text file on your hard drive you may then print that file off your printer.
Please remember that the print files are formatted for 66 lines per page.
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