December 16, 2009 
New Manager on board
DAYTON, OH. - Shane Bowen will be taking over the Frisco Sky Sox franchise.  He will remain in Olympic Stadium and will rename the team the Jacksonville Juicers.  Welcome aboard Shane!

December 14, 2009 
1993 Season Wrapup
DAYTON, OH. - Greg Henning, our resident scribe for SPB-5 has provided us yet another tasty nugget to chew on....the End of Season wrap up.  Good stuff Greg!

November 29, 2009 
1993 Beat writer reports
DAYTON, OH. - Our esteemed beat writer, Mr. Greg Henning has given us two more nuggets to munch on:  The 1993 Season wrapup and the 1993 Playoff preview.  Thanks Greg!

November 29, 2009 
1993 Usage reports
BOWLING GREEN, OH. - As with any season, the use or lose and overusage reports become a staple that is as almost as anticipated as the following year's rookie draft order! 

November 29, 2009 
1993 Final Stats posted
BOWLING GREEN, OH. - The final stats for the 1993 season are now posted.  Congratulations to the Black Swamp Salamanders, Greg Henning’s Baltimore Redbirds, and Rich Applegate’s Brooklyn Bridegrooms, who won division titles in the AL, and to Terry Baxter’s Chicago Zephyrs, who snuck in through the back door to snatch the wild card away from the Lafayette Red Sox. The Salamanders will travel to Brooklyn to face the Bridegrooms, while the Zephyrs will travel to Baltimore. Over in the NL, there was little drama in the East and Central, where Joe Terry’s Birmingham Cloverleafs and Craig Korol’s Kansas Storm. Despite their comparatively mediocre record, the Cloverleafs are a true sleeper, as they boast one of the finest road records in the entire league. The NL West came down to the wire and is still there. John Saunders Kitsilano Hedgehogs won the division outright, and Marc Hollingsworth’s Red Bluff Rough Riders won the wild card.

Incidental, three consecutive games in the Cloverleafs @ SkySox series require comment. The first game was won by the Cloverleafs on a 3-hit shutout by the Leafs’ Ben McDonald for his 18th win. The Sky Sox won 5-0 thanks to a one-hitter by Danny Darwin, his 19th. Game 3 was a NO-HITTER for Allen Watson, who won only his 4th game of the season. 

It is my sincere hope that all of the post season series be played H2H. I have some experience with this, so if there is any difficulty in making connections, please consult me in case I have a solution. The monthly awards have been posted to the website. 

November 29, 2009 
Team change
BOWLING GREEN, OH. - The Carolina Lighthouse franchise has been taken over by John Turnbull. He will be renaming his team to the Stebbins Indians, and will remain in Fenway Park.  

November 29, 2009 
1994 Strike season player projections
BOWLING GREEN, OH. - As with the 1981 strike-shortened season, the 1994 season presents us with the opportunity to play out a season as if the strike had not happened. While the seasons of strikes, juiced balls, and juiced bodies are a big turn-off for historical season gamers, it was the 1994 season when I discovered Diamond Mind. Then called the computer version of Pursue the Pennant, they offered a projection disk that would allow gamers to play out the remainder of the season. Suffering from serious baseball withdrawal, I was hooked. 

We are not using a projection disk for 1994, but we will be playing a 162-game schedule. As with 1981, usage will be based on statistics prorated for the full season. Teams in 1994 played an average of 114 games. The linked usage charts show what the total stats would look like if the players’ playing times were increased in proportion to the increased length of the season from 114 to 162. These pro-rated statistics will be used as the basis for calculating usage. NOT included on these sheets is any calculation for bonus pitcher or batter usage. League managers will be able to apply bonus values to these statistics. I felt it would be less confusing to keep the pro-rated statistics separate from bonus allotments 

Any batter with an average of less than .235 may have 100 additional at bats added to his totals. Starting pitchers with an e.r.a. of 4.50 or higher may double their actual starts not to exceed 26 starts. Relief pitchers with an e.r.a. of 4.50 or higher may double their actual relief appearances not to exceed 60 total relief appearances. Pitchers with an e.r.a. of 4.50 or higher who are rated for both starting and relief may double their actual total appearances not to exceed 60, but may not start more than twice their actual games started.

October 4,, 2009 
Another New manager on board
BOWLING GREEN, OH. - Let us extend a warm SPB welcome to Jeff Thomas, who will be taking over the New Jersey Cows effective immediately. Many of us know him from other leagues as a responsible, attentive manager. 

Joe DeZarlo, current and now outgoing manager of the Cows, has signaled since before the draft that he wanted to give up his Cows after this season, because of his distaste for modern baseball eras. After all, we are apparently entering the steroid era and we probably all have suspects on our teams (like the Salamanders and Brady Anderson). Joe remains very enthusiastic about his other SPB teams in earlier eras, as evidenced by the fact he has flown in from New Jersey for live drafts. 

Jeff will be sending out his profile for August, so Joe is off the hook. If you are hosting the Cows (which will probably be renamed after the season), please hold off until you hear from Jeff and do not use Joe’s profile if has already sent it out.

Welcome, Jeff!     His email is jst81@sbcglobal.net

September 27, 2009 
New manager on board
BOWLING GREEN, OH. - It is my pleasure to announce that Greg Nolen has agreed to assume the helm of the Pacific Islanders for the rest of the season. We have been waiting for Terry Buchanan to return contact, but none of us has heard from him for almost 4 months now. I have known Greg as a league member in several modern-day leagues and have found him to be an engaged and engaging team owner and H2H opponent. 

Please send your road profiles vs. the Islanders to Greg at gnhokie@verizon.net. If you are hosting the Islanders this month, you should likewise await his team profile. This is why the league office did not yet send out a profile for them this month. Greg will be changing the team name after the end of the season.

Thank you! And please extend a warm greeting to Greg. Welcome aboard!

June 21, 2009 *Updated*
1993 American & National League Preview
DAYTON, OH. - Thanks to Greg Henning, he has put together his A.L. Predictions  and N.L. Predictions for the upcoming 93 campaign.  Thanks Greg for all you do!

April 22, 2009
New manager on board
DAYTON, OH. - The vacant Legends franchise has now been filed by SPB stalwart Marc Robinson.   He will be renaming the team to the Anaheim Orange Growers, and will stay in Anaheim Stadium. Welcome aboard Marc!

April 22, 2009
Stadium Clarification
DAYTON, OH. - Jeff Snell, new manager of the Rivers, is changing his stadium from Fulton County Stadium to Joe Robbie Stadium.  The available stadii are now Coors Field and Fulton County Stadium.  

March 28, 2009
Draft date and protected roster numbers
BOWLING GREEN, OH. - The draft for SPB V will be held April 25. After taking a poll of the league, this was the day the fewest people would NOT be able to attend and there were a couple managers for whom this date was the ONLY one which could work. My apologies to those managers for whom this date is more difficult or impossible. My aim was to accommodate the largest possible number of managers, and the last Saturday of April does this. As always, there will be plenty of time to ask for lists and instructions to be sent. I will call for protected rosters to be due no later than April 20, and will send out a reminder closer to that particular deadline. The season will start, as always, June 1.

The following 8 teams protect 18 players:

Baltimore, Black Swamp, Carolina, Cedar Rapids, Frisco, Gray’s Harbor, Kitsilano, and Quigley

The following 10 teams protect 19 players each:

Michigan and Indianapolis (the two expansion teams), Brooklyn, Canton, Chicago, Cleveland, Frankfort, Lafayette, Niskayuna, and Pitcairn

The following 8 teams protect 20 players:

Atlantic City, Birmingham, Dexter, East Kenosha, Kansas, New Jersey, Pandora, and Red Bluff

All teams also have the option to protect one uncarded player in addition to their normal protected players list.

February 12, 2009
Team Name Change
DAYTON, OH. - Tom Kackley has changed the name of his Beach City Dukes to the Ohio-based Canton Moondogs. 

January 30, 2009 
Skysox win 92 World Series in 5 
BOWLING GREEN, OH - Congrats to Greg Grover and his Skysox, who took the 92 series in five games over John Dewan's Q's.  Boxscores are posted on the left, with writeups coming shortly as I receive them.  Trading is now officially open for the 1993 season.   

January 22, 2009 
1992 All-Star winners announced 
FRANKFORT, IN - Thanks to everyone for voting this year. Now is the time to announce our official All Star teams from the 1992 season.

NATIONAL LEAGUE ALL STARS
C Darren Daulton, Cleveland Buckeyes
1B Mark McGuire, Frisco Sky Sox
2B Ryne Sandberg, Wabash Rivers
3B Edgar Martinez, Frisco Sky Sox
SS Ozzie Smith, Kitsilano Hedgehogs
LF Shane Mack, Atlantic City Vultures
CF Andy Van Slyke, Wabash Rivers
RF Rob Deer, Kansas Storm
SP Jamie Navarro, Cedar Rapids Cyclones
RP Tom Henke, Cedar Rapids Cyclones

AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL STARS 1992
C Brian Harper, Quigley Q's
1B Frank Thomas, Carolina Lighthouse
2B Tony Phillips, Baltimore Redbirds
3B Robin Ventura, Pitcairn Islanders
SS Barry Larkin, Carolina Lighthouse
LF Juan Gonzalez, Carolina Lighthouse
CF Barry Bonds, Baltimore Redbirds
RF John Kruk, Beach City Dukes
SP Greg Maddux, Lafayette Red Sox
RP Dennis Eckersley, Black Swamp Salamanders

Be sure to check out the Voting Booth off the main SPB webpage to see the total votes cast for each team and position. See where your players finsihed in the voting. There were a few close races in each league. Enjoy.



January 22, 2009 
1992 Award winners announced 
FRANKFORT, IN - It is my privilege to announce the Award Winning players of the 1992 season, and here we go:

AMERICAN LEAGUE MVP: FRANK THOMAS, 1B Carolina Lighthouse
NATIONAL LEAGUE MVP: ANDY VAN SLYKE, CF Wabash Rivers

CY YOUNG AWARD (AL): GREG MADDOX, Lafayette Red Sox
CY YOUNG AWARD (NL): JAMIE NAVARRO, Cedar Rapids Cyclones 

FIREMAN OF YEAR (AL): DENNIS ECKERSLEY, Black Swamp Salamanders
FIREMAN OF YEAR (NL): TOM HENKE, Cedar Rapid Cyclones

ROOKIE HITTER OF YEAR (AL): PAT LISTACH, SS Beach City Dukes
ROOKIE HITTER OF YEAR (NL): ERIC KARROS, 1B East Kenosha Leopards

ROOKIE PITCHER OF YEAR (AL): JOHN DOHERTY, SP Chicago Zephyrs
ROOKIE PITCHER OF YEAR (NL): STEVE FOSTER, RP Cedar Rapids Cyclones

A.L. MANAGER OF YEAR: GREG HENNING, Baltimore Redbirds
N.L. MANAGER OF YEAR: GREG GROVER, Frisco Sky Sox

There you have it all our Award winners for 1992. Special congrats goes to the managers. Greg must be the magic name this year! Way to go guys!

For a complete list of all voting for each award, be sure to see the comprehensive list on the SPB main webpage. Just log into the Voting Booth and see EVERY vote that was cast for these prestigious trophies. :)

January 16, 2009 
Another new manager in the fold 
FRANKFORT, IN - I find this to be the right time to announce that Joe Terry will be returning to SPB after a year off as manager of the SPB V Phoenix Phantoms.  Welcome back Joe.   John T. will repost Joe's information to the managers page soon.  Thanks goes to Mike See as he stepped in and did a fine job as interim manager with this team last year.

January 5, 2009 
New manager in the fold 
FRANKFORT, IN - All SPB V Managers, At the end of the 1992 season, both Bill Lanke & Mike See resigned from SPB V, leaving the Wabash Rivers and Phoenix Phantoms as available teams for the coming 1993 year. My thanks goes out to Bill and Mike for their time spent in SPB V. They both will remain in other SPB Leagues.

I am happy to announce that we have found a new manager to take over the Wabash franchise in plenty of time to participate in all preparation for the '93 year. Jeff Snell, of Washington state will be taking over the Rivers team. He has decided to rename the team as the Grays Harbor Rivers and will be leaving Atlanta's County Stadium as well. His new home park is Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium. Jeff is retired from the education field, and is looking forward to a successful run as an SPB manager. Welcome aboard Jeff! If you would like to contact him and welcome him to SPB; he can be reached at jeff_snell@comcast.net. John Turnbull will soon be posting Jeff's info to the managers page. In the meantime, I am still working on finding one more manager to take over the Phoenix reigns. 

January 5, 2009 
1993 Draft order ruling 
BOWLING GREEN, OH - In calculating the draft order for 1993, I noticed that the one perma-penalty team, the Pandora Boxers, was also far and away the worst team in the 1992 season. On close inspection, it became clear that their overusage was inevitable given their team’s upper limitations in at bats and pitching. I could not find a way to forgive enough penalty wins to get them under 20, in order to avoid a permanent penalty. They are also an aging team. Thus, I also think it would be damaging to the team’s future to deny them a first round pick. They do suffer the perma-penalty in all rounds from the 3rd round, however. In Phase II they will also be allowed to pick at #7. This is an extraordinary clemency, but one undertaken, as stated, because of the sorry state of a team that clearly achieved little benefit from the overusage. 

With a 3-game playoff tacked on in the AL East and several teams suffering minor penalties, I also figured that the draft order would be most accurate if it were calculated on winning percentage rather than absolute wins. The constitution in fact does not firmly specify whether winning percentage or wins should be used. As a consequence, only two teams (Carolina and Wabash) have tied records. As Carolina dropped 3 of 4 versus Wabash in head-to-head, they get the privilege of picking first.

As a consequence of the above calculations, the heavily-penalized Boxers select in the #7 position. 

If you have any questions or concerns about my decisions, please let me know ASAP so that I can send John any changes that need to be made in the posted order.

The expansion teams pick after the last under-.500 team, with order reversed from the expansion draft. Thus, Indianapolis picks first, after .500 Lafayette (I thought it also best to divide the pool in half, with 12 teams picking before the expansion teams and 12 teams picking after.

The entire draft order will be posted shortly.

January 2, 2009 
1992 World Series matchups set 
DAYTON, OH - Congratulations to John Dewan’s Quigley Q's and Greg Grover’s Frisco SkySox for advancing to the World Series. It is Greg’s first trip. Pursuant to my email about draft order, this leaves the Cyclones picking #3 in Round 2 and the Redbirds #4.  Since the NL champions had home field advantage in 1991, the Qs start out at home in 1992.  Good luck to both combatants!
.  

January 2, 2009 
1992 End of Season reports 
DAYTON, OH - As is customary with each SPB league, we present to you the 1992 Use or Lose and overusage report for the past season.  

December 16, 2008 
1993-1999 Usage reports 
DAYTON, OH - Thanks to SPB-5 beat writer Greg Henning, he has published a new set of usage reports that you can use to map the career usage of all your players.  This current report also includes the expansion teams from the most recent draft. Thanks Greg!

December 16, 2008 
1993 Expansion draft results 
BOWLING GREEN, OH - Last Wednesday, Dec. 10, the SPB V 1993 Expansion draft was held. The ground rules were that players had to have played on the 1993 Marlins or Rockies (if they played with either team only AFTER 1993, their inaugural year, it did not count). Each team took 35 players, and rookies were eligible. Since there were a few other players who played for these teams, not every player was selected. In fact, Nigel Wilson, the first pick of the Marlins in real life, was not picked at all (for obvious reasons).

Both teams will participate fully in the drafting process, and will be seeded after the teams with records worse than .500, except in Rounds 2 and 3 of the Phase I draft, where they will pick after the LCS teams (in Round 2), and will be randomly seeded in Round 3.

The LCS playoffs are still in progress. An official 1993 disk will be released after the 1992 post-season has been brought to a close. 

In the player draft, Vin Onstott and his Michigan Red Bulls won the toss to draft first. As a consequence, Rick Ryan’s Indianapolis Arrows had first choice of available stadiums and went with Riverfront. Vin took the Astrodome. 

Here are the complete results, with real life and SPB team:

November 30, 2008 
September stats and power rankings posted 
DAYTON, OH - The stats and power rankings for the final month of the 1992 season is now posted.  Congratulations to John Dewan and his Qs, who swept a best-of-three playoff to solidify the Salamanders’ place as a perpetual also-ran (the teams finished the season 7-7 against one another). Dave Stewart and Ron Darling both turned in masterful pitching performances, but the Salamanders squandered too many opportunities, and Jose DeLeon and Jose RIjo were unstoppable. Bobby Bonilla drove in all three of the Qs runs in the 1st game, including a 2-run home run. Game 2 was scoreless until the 7th.

So, I have attached the database with the final regular season stats and LCS playoff matchups. The Western Division teams host this year, as the Eastern Division teams hosted last year.

Good luck to the Qs and Redbirds, and the SkySox and Cyclones in the LCS.

October 29, 2008 
1992 Season update by Greg Henning 
DAYTON, OH - Thanks goes out to SPB-5 beat writer Greg Henning in capsulizing the 1992 season to date.  Thanks Greg!

September 4, 2008 
1992 Halftime report 
DAYTON, OH - Greg Henning has put together a great article handicapping the first half of the 1992 season.  Great work as always Greg! 

May 30, 2008
Team city name change 
BOWLING GREEN, OH - The Philadelphia Phantoms, fed up with all the good will, have “deserted” the City of Brotherly Love for Phoenix, where they will be a ghost of their former selves..  

May 18, 20088 
Team Previews beginning from SPB-5 Beat writer 
DAYTON, OH - SPB-5 beat writer Greg Henning has released three of his first four installment for 1992 season, with the 1992 Preview.  

May 15, 2008 
New manager in the fold 
DAYTON, OH - In conjunction with Co-Commish Chris Williams it is my pleasure to announce that we have a new manager for the coming 1992 season. Tom Kackley will step in as new manager for the old Lake Superior Whitecaps, replacing former manager Greg Stillwagon who has left the league. Tom is renaming the team as the Beach City Dukes and switching ballparks too. Tom is currently a manager in SPB NOW. He is abandoning Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium and will play his home games in Milwaukee's County Stadium. So the current available parks for SPB V become Cincinnati (Riverfront Stadium) and Houston's Astrodome. Please welcome Tom to SPB V! 

May 11, 2008 
New SPB-5 President named 
DAYTON, OH - Please welcome Marc Hollingsworth as he has accepted the Presidency of SPB-5.  As a league officer, he will be included in all decisions made on behalf of the league.   The website has been updated accordingly.

April 20, 2008 
Expansion update 
BOWLING GREEN, OH - As a reminder, we have 2 expansion managers lined up for 1993. Expansion WILL be taking place. This means, in accordance with established SPB practice, than any player who played for the Rockies or Marlins in real life during the 1993 season is subject to drafting by the expansion teams, which means that if you draft them, it is with a view ONLY to their 1992 performance. Because of the big trade between the Marlins and Padres that season (Sheffield, Hoffman), there are some big names who are taken off the table (though, of course, Hoffman is a rookie in 1993). 

April 17, 2008 ...Updated
Protected list numbers 
DAYTON, OH - With the draft coming up a week from today, beginning at 11am Eastern Daylight Time, it is time to call for your Phase II protected lists.

The following 6 teams protect 20 players each: Cedar Rapids Cyclones, Rockbridge Rebels (now Philadelphia Phantoms), Lake Superior Whitecaps, Atlantic City Vultures, Pandora Boxers, and Cleveland Buckeyes. 

The following 6 teams protect 18 players each: Quigley Qs, Brooklyn Bridegrooms, Baltimore Redbirds, Black Swamp Salamanders, Red Bluff Rough Riders, and Kitsilano Hedgehogs.

The remaining 12 teams protect 19 players each.

Please send in your lists as soon as possible, and by Tuesday night at the latest. After the disk with Phase II protecteds is released, the only trades that may take place until the end of the draft are trades involving draft picks and/or equal numbers of players on both sides of the coin. Such trades may be made but will not be announced until between Phases I and II. Players exposed in Phase II may not be traded until after the conclusion of the Phase II draft.

Of course, trading remains free and open until Tuesday night when the protected lists are due. 

April 7, 2008 
1992 Mock Draft 
DAYTON, OH - SPB-5 beat writer Greg Henning has put together his Mel Kiper-ish mock draft for the 1992 season. Good stuff Greg! 

March 15, 2008 
1992 Draft date set 
BOWLING GREEN, OH - After much consultation, it has been determined that the draft will take place on April 19, beginning at 11:00am EDT. The Phase I portion of the draft, and as much as possible of Phase II will take place in the draft room. This was by far the date most favored by the membership. There were a couple people who indicated they could not attend on this date, but there was a slightly larger number who could ONLY attend on this date, so it wound up being a difficult, yet clear decision.

I will be running things from the auditorium. It is not clear at this point whether I will be able to host visitors at my home in NW Ohio. It comes at a difficult time in the semester, with only two weeks remaining after that weekend. Plus, I am involved in rehearsals for a musical performance the next day.