SmallBall Community Times

2009-07-27T23:12:00.001-07:00

New Goings On

2009-05-02T00:18:00.000-07:00

SmallBall Football Simulus package:

Here's the deal: you train your expired team to 7* and the team will be unlocked for you forever. If you don't want to buy it, well... earn it! Here is how to do it. Post here your team id and a link to your team page. Train your team until you get 7 stars. Contact Nraider or the Commish to let him know you did it. Then soon after that you will find the team unlocked. Its that simple. This deal will remain in effect until further notice and the rules are subject to change.

SmallBall on Twitter

If you use Twitter follow SmallBall Sports twitter feed. Breaking news, free tickets, events and whatever else we can think of...

http://twitter.com/SmallballSports

Moody Little Guys

2009-03-14T17:25:00.000-07:00

by The Fanatics

Reprinted from HPN,June 02, 2005

There are many, many different training methods utilized when training a team. I have heard most of them in conversations with fellow owners. The one method that I have never heard anyone speak of is the method that I always have used, training that is dictated by a particular players mood. Most people never look at the mood sort after their players have reached the happiest face. This in my opinion is a big mistake. From the day I started playing this game I have always used the mood sort to find out what each of my players want, creating an individualized schedule for each player. The following are some examples of how I used the mood sort list.Before I trained any of my players I sorted by mood. I started out with my highest rated (on the mood sort) player. For example let's say I was going to practice this individual in the power cage. When the first piece of pie is used up, if my player stayed the same (remember he was on the top of the list) on the mood sort list I considered this to be acceptable and marked it down on that individuals schedule. I would continue to practice this individual in the power cage every day until the time came that he did not want to bat anymore. I determined that my player did not want to bat anymore when after the first piece of pie was used up he plummeted to the bottom of the mood sort list. I wrote down the number of consecutive days that this player wanted to bat. The next practice I tried a different skill for this individual, lets say catching. Again I sorted by mood before practicing. Usually the next day after a player plummets to the bottom of the mood sort list they rise back up some before the next practice and are no longer at the bottom of the list. After the first piece of pie is used up I check to see if the player went up, stayed the same or went down on the list. If he went up or stayed the same I noted this as part of his schedule. If he went down I tried something else the next day. Lets say he liked catching practice and I noted this as part of his schedule, the next day I would try batting again. I would always try to go for batting practice over all others and if the player shows me that he doesn't mind more batting, I will bat him until he shows me that he doesn't want to anymore. After a while it was clear to me that each player on my roster had his own unique training schedule that was repeatable time after time. By sticking to each player's schedule I knew that I would never do anything to harm their moods. I also found that not all players had the same length of schedule before I could restart to the beginning of their schedule again. I have players that have as little as a nine day schedule and others that have up to a seventeen day schedule before starting the schedule over. My best player from the NASCAR Fanatics had a schedule that went- bat, catch, bat, bat, bat, run, catch, bat, bat, throw, bat, bat, bat, bat, catch, run. When I finished this schedule I started it over again. I have another player that is much more simple, his schedule was- bat, bat, catch, bat, bat, run, bat, catch, bat, throw. As you can see the two schedules aren't even close to each other, customizing each schedule to the player. The only players I did not do this with were my pitchers. My pitchers pitched EVERY day, very rarely practicing anything else, but that's another subject.This form of practice did very well for my teams, and was the most influential part of my training schedules. It took me up to three months to finally settle on every player's schedule. Remember, every player on your team is a unique individual. Practicing the entire team the same way practice after practice will help your team become good, but practicing them as individuals will help make them great. There are a few other little things that helped influence how I trained, but for now these influences I will keep to myself. Hopefully this will enlighten some of you fellow owners. While there is an infinite number of ways a team can be trained, remember this…They are moody little guys.

FanaticsOwner of:

Nascar Fanatics (retired) 18455

Dirty Deeds (retired) 18915

Seems Like Yesterday

2009-02-21T14:16:00.000-08:00

When I started SmallBall Footy I never had the thought I’d be able to play against the greatest players in the game. I was very fortunate to find myself in a league that was filled with them. Now that I am here, I have now had the privilage of introducing the greats of the game to a whole new generation of SmallBall trainers. I hope to be able to bring you a whole new level of appreciationg for a game these great trainers have dedicated themselves to for such a long time with great success.

The idea for this interview started with a simple quote –

“It seems like yesterday, but in fact it was 5 long years ago, when my good friend Chuck introduced me to a fledgling game called "Smallball Football." It was an exciting time when there were over 300 competing football teams in the pros and leagues were so abundant, a person had to sit back and think carefully about which ones he or she wished to join. Greek Wizard's Smallball Forums were the hub for all that was Smallball but just as popular was the "Smallball College Leagues." A thriving venture with both baseball and football contained under one roof. A venture where you could not help but trip over all the greats of the game. It was the place to be.”

When I read this quote, I knew that there was a disconnect that had taken place and we needed to reconnect with what was then and what is now. I pm’d the man who made this quote a few questions and hope you will enjoy what he said. So without further adiue, I bring to you the man who made this quote. I hope you enjoy my short interview with Barbarian.

JtB - When and why did you start SBFB?

Barbarian - In April 2004, my long time friend Chuck (Steel Dog) invited me by way of asking me to help him out in administration his Scottish & Irish Leagues. Once I had viewed what Smallball Football is all about, my reaction was, "You got to be kidding me," followed by roars of laughter but I bit and here I am almost 5 years later still plodding away. I retired from the game December 31st but I have been lured back mostly on an organizational basis although I play weekend league games and the pros only. Now I am considering cutting back to one team only, just in the pros, mainly due to the hardline position my wife is taking. Wife vs Smallball and me in the middle!!!! Any bets on who will win that battle?

JtB - What has been your greatest accomplishment in SBFB?

Barbarian - Getting past my initial reaction! Actually, my greatest accomplishment, as far as I am concerned, and that is all that matters, is that I had the priviledge of being Steel Dog's partner running the Scottish & Irish leagues, for 30 seasons, through Smallball good times and bad times. No other Smallball Football League can come close to the 5 year 30 season record we achieved there.

Jtb - Why do you think you have had so much success in SBFB?

Barbarian - If you are looking for me to pat myself on the back, then you have come to the wrong place. I have had the privilege to know and change ideas, thoughts, etc., with some of the greats of the game like Master Moody, Fluffymatt, Tim's Dodgers, Solipsta, Rolandolen, to name a few, and from it, I listened and learned. Truth be told however, to me, the best of the best, an unknown to many, was Steel Dog. He taught me this game and provided me a training program and a 3 part theory on how to win. The results I have achieved have been due to his guidance. The league I am involved with has managers who in total have over 70 PL 1 titles, which include 62 of the last 73. I know many of them, like myself, took to heart the SD guidance, training & theory.

JtB - What would you like to say to the new person thinking of trying SBFB?

Barbarian - Believe it or not, I would not say much. I think a few pieces of simple insight and advice would surffice for a long dialogue which more often than naught leads to confusion. Simply advise him/her that success and glory cannot be achieved over night and that it will take dedication and time to be able to consistantly compete at a high level. The road will be frustrating at times but one must never give up.

JtB - Do you have anything else you'd like to add?

Barbarian - The road back to the glory days of Smallball Football is probably an unattainable dream but it does not mean it cannot grow significantly and establish new standards. The current problems are many but I will only comment on a couple.

Viable and efficient organization is vital if things are to move forward. To many, the Commish is expected to solve everything. I say, leave him alone. He has provided us with a product as well as continual updates of it and it is up to us, the participants, to make it grow in popularity. We, the participants, basically split off into two groups. 1/ Organizers and 2/ Players.

For those of us who really enjoy the game and have the sincere hope it will flourish, big league and pro league games are not the answer. We require leagues which can only be realized through dedicated organizers such as Bryce with his NHL and Gerald with his K~10 or John the Baptist with his K~12. These guys are dedicated to affording everyone with a well conceived efficiently organized venue to participate in, not like the many who have come, set something up and then disappeared into the sunset. We need more individuals to step up and be as dedicated as Bryce, Gerald & John.

One thing which is sorely lacking is one individual, dedicated solely to Smallball Football who can chart, plan and organize the future of Smallball Football, at its central gathering place, currently the Smallball Forums. The individual would have to be willing to roll up his/her sleeves and get to work, with a basic motto of, "less talk, more action."

There is only so much which can be done externally to promote and sell the game. A major way to increase the interest is through word of mouth, so talk up the game with friends etc., and peak their interest so they will at least give it a try.

Let the journey begin ~ END

I want to thank Barbarian for taking his time to answer these questions. He has a heart for this game and is one of the people who understand what it takes to be succesful. I hope that as you learn more and more about the best trainers of SBFB it will peak your interest in this game. Please give SBFB a try and take these great trainer’s advise to heart. I look forward to bringing more to you in the near future.

JtB

"Mrflanell" and the story behind him and his music for SmallBall

2009-02-17T11:31:00.000-08:00

(written by Mrflanell & translated by Beaner)

Hi, my name is Karl and I am from Sweden. My screen name here on Smallball, and basically on the internet, is “mrflanell”. There is a little story behind the reason that I call myself “mrflanell”…

I live in a city named Fagersta, and when the song group The Hive was on their way to the top before they got big, I was at dinner with some of the group members and some other people who had their artist name, and we had a great time talking and joking about things. We started talking about how I too should have an artist name. Just for fun we started giving artist names around the table to people who were at that dinner (ooh I just remembered the dinner. We had grilled chicken, potatogratang, and fresh salad). We started picking names from what we were wearing and the fabrics in them. One person had on a Hawaiian shirt, so he got named “Mr. Hawaii”. One had on a 100% cotton shirt, so his name was “Mr. Cotton”, and so on. That day I had on a flannel shirt. I love the feel of flannel, just because I get cold often and flannel fabrics are very warm. Everyone said then that “mrflanell” would suit me very well, so that is how I got that name.

About the music: Well I have a background as a music artist, and I love making music. All the songs I have made about Smallball, I have actually made on my mobile phone. When I am out, I have my headphones on and I listen to it, as I really really love the music I am doing. I make the music that I like to listen to myself. In the past I have made music with other kinds of messages, like a more spiritual form, but with the same type of music.

The reason I wrote the songs about Smallball and the meaning of it is because I love the game. I love going in the forum and meeting other people from other countries, and I have a great time learning about other cultures. The thing that I really love is the fact that behind every screen name is an actual living person that lives faaaar away from Sweden, each with a personality and feelings, and that is really great.

I will go song by song sharing the background and my thoughts on each one:

My first song: Smallball Dreams – Dj MrFlanell (The best web based game of Baseball and Soccer)

This is really to show my gratitude to those who developed and made the game, and to all who play the game and come to the forum. I also wanted it to be for others who are interested in such types of games and want to try it out. In the song I wanted to put in the fun of meeting other people from around the world and having discussions on many different topics, and how they all share and talk about different ways to train. After all, it is in a way a very complicated game that requires a lot of thinking. In both baseball and soccer the AI has its own personality, as in where to put the players and how to set the team up, as well as the best way to train and so on.

If people hear and see the video and are interested in a community game, then maybe they will feel invited and have interest in the game, and want to come check it out and try it. It might also get interest from other Nordic countries. I myself am from Sweden, and it would be a great way to welcome others from Sweden and other Nordic countries. Since I speak Swedish, I could welcome them and help to explain how the game works and so on.

I was also showing that you can make your own team and name it as you wish. You can have your favorite baseball players or soccer players. You could make a Swedish team and name a player “Zlatan”, who is a very famous football player from Sweden. You could have a football team from any other country or series, and name them after your favorite players.

I also put some fun in the lyrics, like “you are owning your own team, but mrflanell is owning you *smiling happy*.” Ha-ha that is showing how you can play against owners all over the world, making it a community game.

So thank you for making the game and taking time to make something good so other people can have fun.

And that is why I made the song.

The second song I made:

How to find my Goal Keeper – Dj MrFlanell (the secret of finding the goalie)

I wanted to put the Smallball soccer game more into the light, as football (soccer) is more popular in Nordic countries than baseball. Not many people here in Sweden and the Nordic countries play baseball (not that I’ve seen anyway). I liked to share a little of how I am training my team and what I have seen that works well as a training method for soccer.

So basically it is for putting soccer more in the light and awakening more interest for the game.

My third song that I made is called:

Dream Masters ID 473604

This is actually a song about my baseball team that I trained up. I am feeling proud of them because I have spent much time trying to make it a good team, and in finding the right positions for the players. By making a video and song about my team, maybe I can attract other players to the game so the community will become bigger. I also made this song to show how I love the strategy that is involved with the game.

The fourth song I made:

ASI ASI Clan (How to join the fun)

Along with the fun of meeting other people and sharing thoughts, it makes things even more interesting to make a clan or group to challenge other clans for sportsmanship and fun. I loved the times when we had clan wars. That was a great contest that was fun. I have plans for making other clans besides ASI ASI, but that will happen in the future. But from what I have seen so far, that is the most active clan, so I have made a song for them. I’m actually interested in joining myself, but I haven’t applied yet. In a way my heart goes to the first clan I joined, which was The Happy Club (THC), but they are no longer active. My English writing is not good enough to try and run a clan myself.

So basically I wanted to show that it is more than a game. That it is a great community with friendships and happiness in playing the game, while at the same time making the game more exciting by having clan tournaments and things.

The fifth song I made:

Making Hit Home Run

My thinking was that this was a way to show a little about the baseball game, making it of interest to others that have not yet tried it out. I love the simple song text and music, and the pictures can create more interest in the game.

My sixth song was:

DT Free Friday (all we do is run)

I sooooo love this song and whistling the melody, and I just love DT free Friday *smiling happy.

At the start, before I got the Deluxe Trainer, I played with the Standard Trainer. It is my thinking that having a great ST team is more valuable than a team with DT, because one needs to train a little differently. When I was training my ST team, I made my training schedule so that I would train running on Fridays. That way they would gain in running skill more easily.

This was also in gratitude of the game makers who made the Deluxe Trainer, as I wanted them to feel like they had made something great for the game. It was a really great add-on for the game and its company. I wanted them to know that I am thankful for their taking time to make this add-on that I love, for other people around the world to have fun.

I love the lyrics that I wrote, as they can make other players recognize themselves for what they are accomplishing training an ST team, and what most of them are training on Fridays.

The seventh song:

Ticket Man (Giving It Away)

I love that song! Actually I was shopping today and listening to it in my headphones, and I started to dance a little when I was waiting in line. I just couldn’t help myself, and you should have seen me dancing in the store! *smiling happy*

Anyway the song is for the he or she that is ticket man in the chat. I wanted him or her to feel that so many are grateful and would like to say “thank you” for so much generosity. The fact is that many of us in Smallball don’t have much money, so by getting tickets and giving them out, he or she is greatly helping the Smallball community. My thinking is what you give comes back to you double in life. Basically, the kindness of ticket man will come back to him twice as much in a positive way.

I myself have done something like this by picking out people randomly in Sweden (strangers), and sending them a letter with 20 Swedish kr money trying to help out as much as I can.

So thank you so much for what you are doing. Spreading joy and happiness is the best.

My eighth song:

First Pro League Highlights season 212

Actually the idea came from the forum member Redbirds33. He picked out the teams and I made a video about it, and I’m hoping to do more highlights like that. It is also a way of letting other people who haven’t played the game see what it looks like. The song for it is actually a song that I made for a different video on a different channel on Youtube, but I love that song so I just changed the lyrics.

My ninth song:

Making It To First Pro League

This song is about the first pro league in Smallball baseball and the way people train their teams to achieve this goal that they have set up for themselves. It’s about accomplishing something, not just in this game, but also in life, that they believe in and is right for them, and to never give up on that goal. It is to show that even if you are in second pro league and you just miss making it to first, you should still never give up. You should try and try again, just as in life.

It is also to show those who haven’t tried the game that it is a challenge that makes it more interesting, hoping that it will make others have interest in trying out this game that I like playing.

So that’s a little about the songs and videos that I have made, and I plan on making more in the future.

The songs were made with a program called fruity loops fl studio. The videos are made with programs called Windows Video Maker, bluff tittler, vue, and Capture Wiz.

I was thinking that I could give the songs to the game developer so he could make a Smallball record and sell it. He could get a little money to help run the servers and pay for people to help develop the game more. That would be a way for me to show my gratitude for what they are doing.

That is a little about me and my thinking. I hope you like the songs and my interest in the game developing.

Many thanks,

Mrflanell

For Valentine's Day

2009-02-14T13:20:00.001-08:00

Working the bench

2009-02-08T10:14:00.000-08:00

Did you know that when a player is on the bench his TP regenerates twice as fast? What this means is that the three players on the bench will regenerate a full pie approximately every 12 hours. There are ways to take full advantage of this and the result will yield 3 extra TP pies per day. This could give your team a significant edge over the owner who ignores the bench or doesn't take advantage of his entire team.

Laying down the ground work:

Before you swap your roster players with the benched players be sure your benched players are well trained . When you pull in the benched players they will have to carry their weight when some other owner decides to play your team. The biggest disadvantage to working the bench comes from having weaker benched players on the field. By training your benched players as well as the rest of the team you will be less vulnerable if your team is challenged. Once all your players are trained to the same approximate level, you will be free to swap players without having to worry about getting clobbered.

Using the bench to heat up your pitching:

First its important to have at least two good pitchers. Train your pitchers completely and close the trainer with at least one pitcher sitting on the bench. 12 hours later open your trainer and place the benched pitcher on the mound. This player should have a full TP pie. Burn it all on the mound and place the pitcher you want to train next on the bench. By cycling the pitchers on the bench you can get more TP to train them resulting a in a bull pen to be reckoned with.

Using the Bench for that extra Star:

The star rating represents the TOTAL amount of skill of your players on the active roster. Potentially you can harvest an additional 3 TP pies per day by cycling your players through the bench. What you want to do here is manipulate your roster so that each player gets a chance to be on the bench for at least 12 hours. A good thing to do is to use your extra pies on skills that you wouldn't normally. For example, use an extra pie to train your pitcher in running and/or batting. This way you don't have to sacrifice pitching training to get a well rounded pitcher. If you are able to keep up this rigorous training schedule and you work the bench right each player can potentially get 4 pies every 3 days, this is 25% more training than normal making that next star inevitable.

SmallBall College Baseball (SBCB)

2009-02-05T21:47:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to write a small piece on SBCB since it is currently the largest league being run in SBBB today. It's my view of how I started in it and saw it nearly crash, but then stepped in to run it today with a full 70 teams. Here's what I wrote -

SmallBall College Baseball (SBCB)

“The start”

It was six months since my feet had walked on the Baghdad sand. Four months since I started my full time return to SmallBall. New to a job in a new city was a new beginning for me and my family.

I had my teams trained back to what they use to be, plus I had acquired some new teams to bring to the table and felt I was ready for some new competition. I remembered being part of the original SmallBall College League (SCL) back before I had a huge computer crash and then I left for Iraq. I found SBCB and thought that this was going to be about the same thing. As I usually do, I went all out in joining the leagues. This was the expansion season where the league was adding a new conference. The members voted on the MAC and since it was new, that was the first conference I entered. I ended up entering all but one conference. It was a decent season and what I would consider a decent return. I was co-champ in the ACC with Willybang and was looking as if Season 7 was going to be great.

“Season 7 and the Crash”

Season 7 started out with a proposition that after some thinking I took. I was returning to run a UL as I was asked to run the SEC. After a few stumbles at the beginning, Mo (the founder of SBCB) got me working good and the league was scheduled. I one time asked him if I could run a pre season event in the same way SCL did, he came back to me with the statement that has been assisting me from the beginning ,”This is not SCL.” That statement stuck in my head and has molded my way of thinking ever since. The season went smoothly right up to the last day of the regular season then it happened. The fan in my computer was not kicking in and there was no re-boot. I tried over and over to fix it but it just wasn’t going to happen. I must give props to The Computer Guy in Gastonia, NC finding out that the motherboard was fried but at the same time recovering what was in my hard drive. By the time I had returned the Conference Tourneys were over and I had missed out on any chance of doing anything for season 7. All my teams had taken a hit in skill and I was in rebuild mode.

“The Announcements”

By the time season 8 rolled around I was ready to return. TRD was taking a major part in helping run the league and David7May was just picked up as another conference commish. SBCB seemed to be at the top of the food chain within the SmallBall leagues. Season 8 saw the removal of the MAC and the entrance of the Big12. Though it was not filled to capacity, there were less than a dozen openings in the six conferences. This put us around fifty teams. The league had run very smoothly over the first weeks and it look like it was getting ready to possibly grow even into next season when the announcement was made. It was August 8, 2008 and a post was made in the SB Forums that would change SBCB greatly.

To quote Mo , ”I will not be around the smallball community anymore because me and my wife are having medical problems with our daughter and it has become very time consuming and I want to be by their side as much as possible. I have given all of my team and UL info to a person that I trust in the community so that any league that I run may try to continue at some capacity. I am sorry to all the people that are currently in my leagues and you all know that I am not the type to leave a league or event lingering so I hope you all will understand that my desire to take care of my family is much more important then my desire to keep up with smallball. I wish you all the best of luck, take care!” The thought of SBCB without Mo was not one many people thought was ever going to happen. The person that Mo handed the league over to was TRD. TRD handled the second week of the season greatly but then came the second announcement.

To quote TRD, “I am working on conference tourneys right now but once they come out some of you may notice a difference in the conferences I myself have a team in. I am taking my teams out of the post season since SmallBall does not work on my Vista. I will train them up until this weekend and if I still cant get it to work then I am retiring all 4 of my teams.”

In one season we had lost both administrators to the league. TRD did retire his teams as college was too much for him to train at the same time. The season finished and the future was unclear.

“The Exodus”

With the emergence of the Vista problems and the loss of the two league managers of SBCB there was no true set direction of SBCB. Someone had to step in and more had to step up. I decided to in the best way to keep SBCB alive with the words Mo told me, “This is not SCL.” We had many trainers leave during this off season. I forget the total numbers, but I believe by the time that season 9 started we were around 40 teams. Season 9 was a rocky road helped out by the fact of bobjones83 stepping in to be our newest commish and David still hanging strong. Even through this time we were planning for the future. We had epiphanic on board as a statistical consultant to help with the rankings and we tried our best with the limited forum access we had to bring the best league to our members. Even though this season was one of the smallest that SBCB had seen the fait of the league hung in the balance on the decisions that were made during this season. After much discussion we came up with the ideas that led to season 10.

“The Return to prominence”

We had a milestone in the history of SBCB. We had made it to season 10 and it was looking like we may have a great season ahead of us. We had a pre season tourney planned and in honor of the 10th season the winner would receive a DT ticket. We welcomed Sarge as our newest commish as he took over the Pac10. Our numbers climbed back to over 50 and the season was working back to what it was prior to season 8. The ranking system was in place thanks to epiphanic and we were able to bring our members a very high level of competition throughout the season. We had many new faces and many new trainers come out of the shadows to surprise many people. The final four had two teams who had never been there before including the first Big12 team to make it, plus the lowest ranked team during the SBCB regular season to ever make it to the final four. South Carolina won their first championship and SBCB was rolling on.

“The Expansion”

Even though we were giving our members a high quality league, we still were not able to bring it over the top with our limited access to the forums. This changed one day in chat, as founder of SBCB Mo had returned. He still had access to the forums so he elevated me to an administrator and I was dubbed SBCB Commish. We had a lot of interest in season 11, so much so that the idea of adding a new league was floated around. We were going to hold off until we could fill the other leagues to near full capacity. This came fast though and the thought of bringing in the Independent Conference was put into effect. The conference was carefully filled so that the people who were already on waiting lists could join first. We slowly filled the conference plus had an open drawing for additional teams. Along with this bob ran a great HR derby. By the time season 11 started, we had all 70 spots filled and we have more people waiting in the wings.

“The Future”

SBCB has come a long way since that day in April 2008 when I joined. It’s had its ups and its downs, but right now it’s here to bring the best of SB together. We have just started on this journey that Mo started in 2007. We have many new trainers with there first league experience here and now. We also have the PL1 champions who are looking for more competition than what they get during the PL’s. When you look at it now, it’s truly a competition of 1 vs. 69. So what does the future hold? The future holds only what we plan for today. We have more UL’s at our use so the future may hold more expansions and more competition. You might even have to look for the return of the MAC real soon. So even if you are not part of SBCB, come and check out the game play and see if you can tell who will be the next SBCB Champion.

SBCB Forums - http://sbcb.bestphpbb3.com/index.php

Our past champions are – Willybang, SlipnSliders, Alex23, the troubadour, tnowlmanOur current champion is - Orange20

JtB

Smallball College Baseball
PLAY TO WIN, WIN TO KEEP PLAYING!

Youtube Videos

2009-02-02T16:56:00.000-08:00

Anybody see Mr. Flannell's Youtube Channel? If not head to: http://www.youtube.com/SmallballFlanell It's fun seeing SBVideos and I hope we see more. Not just from Mr. Flanell but maybe even other SB Players. :O

Zip's Tips: Get an Extra Star

2009-02-02T12:46:00.000-08:00

To get an extra star you must first understand what it means. Here's how the Star rating is calculated: First all the skills of your 9 man roster are added together. This means the skills of your bench players DO NOT EFFECT the star rating. The other important thing to know is that the pitcher's pitching skill is the only pitching skill that is counted in the star rating. In other words if your first baseman has pitching skill it won't be counted. The sum of all the skills of your 9 man roster are then divided by 9 - then rounded to a single digit to make your star rating.

Now that you know how the Star rating works, now lets talk about how to get an extra star:

The lower your star rating the easier it is to get an extra star. So, to go from 3* to 4* is way easier than going from 8* to 9*. In both cases the way to do it is to know the WEAKEST skills of each of your players. For both the DT and ST, sort for each skill. Take the lowest players and train them in those skills. I would a full pie to get those low skills up. Over several training sessions, keep training the weakest skills of your players - soon you will see that extra star!

Hope this helps!

Your pal,

Mr_Zip_It

HPN, May 2002

Have You Tried the “Other” Game?

2009-01-27T23:22:00.000-08:00

What is it that makes this game survive? What makes it so competitive that you just cannot seem to leave? Why is it that even though there is such a small following, those that do are even more dedicated than those who are found in the majority? There must be something in there.

We may have wondered upon the names here or there, but we’ve never quite known the reasons. Barbarian, Benito, Black Knight, Seawolf, Maverick, Montgomery, Lone Wolf, Sky Pilot, Penny, PQ Canuck, Phoenix, and many others who find themselves in a small area of the SmallBall Universe that they never intend to leave, even if life forces them to leave the game. Their names have a grand aura about them called champions. Yet their names may seem obscure to many of those in SmallBall today. Each one of the above mentioned trainers above do hold one thing in common, and that thing is a PL1 Championship badge on their teams.

So why have we never heard of them? Maybe because they have chosen to dedicate themselves to the “other” game SmallBall has to offer. SB Footy has been always looked at as a secondary game to its Baseball, but if this is the case, why have these trainers so dedicated themselves to this game alone? Why do they so choose to be exclusive for a game that everyone else has sold off as an afterthought? In my personal opinion, it’s simple and it’s found within the game itself.

Many people in this era of SmallBall are constantly looking towards baseball as a way in, but have you ever thought about Footy as a way to remain? It’s true Footy may seem a bit more difficult to start with due to the fact that you need to pay that initial cost to play all the time, but once you come to play it in its Full Access mode, you will find a slightly intoxicating game that can easily match if not be found to be superior to SB Baseball.

Let me share with you my experiences –

First Footy is designed to be both easier to train, yet a challenge to succeed in that training. Even though there are more skill areas than SBBB, Footy has laid a basic foundation for these skills to be fine tuned. Training a team means training more for positions more than with SBBB and less training a team with balance. You get to adapt your mind to fine tune the different aspects of the team to learn how they win and what is the best way for them to win. Just because a team is 7* doesn’t mean they haven’t been trained to take down a 9* team. This type of training brings a more personal aspect to your team and brings you closer than what you have in SBBB. It allows you to truly become part of the team you are training.

Next Footy is designed to be able to watch. A game in Letterbox is tough to handle at real time. To be honest a game in just about any SBBB park has me reaching for the TS button most of the time. But when it comes to footy, I’m watching. Remember that personal aspect I mentioned earlier? It really comes out when you watch your games. To see how your training either brings your team together or messes things up is truly fun to watch. You also learn what type of teams you match up well against and what type you match up poorly. It brings the personal level to a greater level when you see your team finally succeeding with what you’ve learned.

Next we have the competition level. The leagues that are in the SB Universe for SB Footy are run by and participated in by the best SB has ever seen. The above mentioned champions are among these communities and to see how you compare against the best is the best way to dedicate yourself to face the highest competition even if you are not part of the highest PL’s in SB Footy. Imagine being in a SBBB league with willybang, Dark Elf, DAS, 2cool, Market Wizard, and some of the other greats of SBBB. SB Footy has made this a reality, and I for one am truly greatful.

Last thing I’ll mention is the dedication. I’ve been wondering around from PL4 to PL2 for many seasons now, yet it never seems to tire me like SBBB ca do on occasion. Footy seems to allow me an actual respite from the rigors of SBBB. Because of this I find it easier to be dedicated to Footy in a full capacity. Footy allows me to have fun no matter how I feel at the time. Training allows me to think in a different way and focus in a direction to become like those I mentioned in the beginning.

So next time you think of SB Footy, do not think of it as the “other” game. The long line of dedication and the long list of champions shows the staying power of this game and the genuine value it has among those who have decided this game is the true back bone of their SmallBall experience. Give footy a try, and more so than just the free team. Once you get a hold of FA, there is no turning away. You will not regret it.

I am going to bring a few follow-ups on SB Footy for all to enjoy so look for it in the near future.

JtB

Ultimate Standard Trainer Guide

2009-01-27T00:47:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone! Mike (mlthmp) here once again to preach the wonders of the Smallball Standard Trainer!

I cannot recall how many posts I've seen in the past six years along the lines of "I can't win because I don't have DT!" or "I need a DT tick so I can have a good team" Each time I see one of these, I cringe and can't help but wonder where these guys are getting these ideas from.

Now there is no hiding the fact I've been a strong supporter of the ST for quite awhile. I've owned several ST teams during my time playing Smallball, and I've been proud of each one of them. In fact to be honest, I have taken more pride in my ST teams than any of their DT counterparts. I remember how crazy Georgy would get when my 9* ST team would beat his 10* DT team by five or six runs. Always gave me a better feeling of accomplishment because I knew it took more dedication to hit 9* with that ST team than it did for him to reach 10*.

I realize most people's complaints with the ST are due to its "limitations" but I think maybe they are not limitations at all! Perhaps having to train throwing and catching together is a good thing. Makes it far harder to "forget" to train in catch like so many do with DT teams. Same can be said for batting. The ST even makes it sound so much more simple than the DT. Simply "Batting" compared to "Contact, Power, and Skill" Which I hate to say it but even in the DT you have to use the field to train in skill! If the DT is so much more "Advanced" why do they still include the same training area as the ST?

I won't sit here and tell you the ST is "better" than its Deluxe counterpart, but I will say I think its every bit as capable. Sure it takes more time to do things and as a trainer you must show the extra dedication, but isn't that what Smallball is all about? Dedication and patience are the keys to Smallball Success. Both of which I believe are good representations of the "Standard Trainer Experience". With time patience and dedication you can take any ST team against the most powerful and feared teams in Smallball and leave them in your wake. The only question is are you ready for the experience?

With that in mind my new team, 161012 - "MLT's ST Boys 2009" are in the process of having their pitchers found. I am hoping to use this experience to rewrite and update my "Ultimate Standard Trainer" guide.

The following is a submission (from the HPN 2004)

2009-01-24T20:25:00.000-08:00

from our new Swedish friend mrflannel. He is in the process of learning the English language and asked me to help him out with this. Here are both versions, as I think that his version has a great deal of charm which gets lost in my translation. Enjoy.

-Beaner

SmallBall world wide

one day i was browsing the internet as usual new of using it an just fore fun typed in al cind of sershing words and shecked out hompages sudenly i camed on smallballs home page thou my englich is werry bad about understanding manny words i fuigerit out just by whatching picktures and knowing the englich basics that it whas a game there one started an own baseball team cool i thout and downloaded it i started playing some game an lost and after a wile i thout that tis must be te most boring game ever becose one dosent do ennything zip zero nothing whit it just initiate game to whatch gud what boring it whas i dident know that the teams whas other people around the world only randomiced team that where madeup by the game and computer

then i found out that it whas a small chat on the page home and i started writing messages there and then i bit of light filled up found out more about smallball and the game becomed more interessting i started training and got more stars on my team now knowing that i whas playing agains other poting up goals for my self to reach getting better and better of understanding englich better and better of writing and much time spend on the greate ofisial smallball chatt maked me meet peopler around the globe difrent contest and trivial started lerning about other contrys and the langues engles and know from getting to an boring game it whent that i was adicted to smallball becose of this game comunity i can lern englich and how it in other countrys and other contrys history and much more

manny thanks
the swedich guy
mrflanell

and beaner helped me whit spelling thanks so much

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SmallBall world wide

One day I was browsing the internet as usual just for fun. I am new to it and was typing in all kinds of searchwords and checking out home pages. Suddenly I came upon smallball's home page. Although my English is very bad and I don't understand many words, I figured it out by just watching the pictures and knowing the English basics that it was a game in which you could start your own baseball team. "Cool", I thought, and downloaded it.

I started playing some games and lost. After awhile I thought that this must be the most boring game ever because one doesn't do anything, zip, zero, with it except initiate games and watch. How boring it was. I didn't know that the teams belonged to other people around the world and were not just random teams made up by the game and computer.

Then I found out that there was a chat on the home page. I started writing messages there and a bit of light filled up. I found out more about smallball and the game became more interesting. I started training and got more stars on my team now knowing that I was playing against others. I put up goals for myself to reach, getting better and better, and understanding and writing English better and better. I have spent much time in the great official smallball chat and have met many people around the globe. They have different contests and trivia. I began to learn more about other countries and the English language. Now it went from being a boring to game to my being addicted to smallball.

Because of this game community, I can learn English and about other countries and their history, and much more.

Many thanks.
The Swedish guy.
mrflannel

Thanks to Beaner for helping with my spelling.

A Smooth Sea Never Made A Skilled Mariner...

2009-01-21T00:25:00.000-08:00

...So says the old English proverb. And, how about some of these quotes:

That which does not kill us makes us stronger. ~ Friedrich Nietzsche
No pain, no gain. ~ Jane Fonda
No guts, no glory. ~ Sir Francis Drake
If the world was perfect, it wouldn't be. ~ Yogi Berra

Yes, there are going to be some tweaks & changes made in the SmallBall world. Tiny ones at first but you will notice some changes here and there... Maybe getting less annoying. Of course this means the road may be a little bumpy sometimes. But don't worry if there are any rough spots we'll smooth them out. LG2-THB-JAX--QCK-2RM-88E

Thank you for playing SmallBall!

2009-01-17T12:43:00.000-08:00

During games or even in practice, you notice that your players have to run closer to the other fielders before throwing the ball. You might want to work on your players throwing power. You might be thinking that you already now how to train in throwing power, but do you now how to get the most of you training.

First we will start in the ST. Everyone knows that throwing skill(power) is gained by making long throws or by pitching during training. What I found to work the best is to take two players and put them in left and right field. Turn fielding on and click back and forth between those two players. This will has them gain throwing skill without having them use tp for pitching skill which they most likely will not use.

Next is for the DT. Now everyone is probably thinking that they also now how to train in throwing skill and that it is easy, because there is a specific training area just for throw.The only thing that owners don't realize is that some players will has a constant throw and others will pause then throw. Now what you want is for all your players throw without pausing. What you need to do is, when you see that your player that is throwing has a little pause, just move him/her slightly until you can see that there is a constant throwing motion. Your players will gain more skill this way then if they are pausing then throwing.

Hope this Helps!
Your pal,

Mr_Zip_It

The Cheap Seats

2009-01-13T20:58:00.000-08:00

Reprinted from HPN Feb 2005
It started just like every other ordinary day, but all that would change in just a few moments of time. I woke up and freshened up just like every other day. Ate breakfast and went off to do my daily duties just like every other day. Then I came back home and it was time to start working on my SmallBall teams.

I had a lot to prove this season, moving into ProLeague 4 seemed like a great accomplishment for my team. I was working a new angle that had me flying last year and wanted to try to keep the momentum working.

I went to my computer and turned it on. Then I set in motion getting on line. This process had started becoming a routine for me. Suddenly I heard a crash outside and everything went dark. A thunderstorm had come upon us quickly and the electricity had gone. I thought to myself, “Thank goodness I hadn’t started training yet.”

After a few seconds, the power came back on and I decided to try and give the Internet one more try. I was able to connect this time and I got SmallBall to come up. I got my DT running and started my training regiment. It was a basic regiment but not one I wish to share with the world.

Team one was finished and I went on to my next DT team. Then I went to my ST team and started training in hitting. I decided to TS the training to cut down the time. Well I finished with that and decided it was time for my first team to play another PL game.

I initiated the game. It was going to be my team, Charlotte vs. my friend’s team, Cleveland. “Cool, Centennial,” I thought to myself as I saw what park I was playing in. I’ve always done well in Centennial ever since it came out. Well the first inning went by with no score. Second inning saw the same. My team got going in the third with a three run homerun. It was 3-2 in the sixth when something went terribly wrong.

“CRASH” A sound was heard and all I could remember was everything went dark. I could feel myself but I could not move or wake up. Suddenly I heard a voice. “Are you O.K.?”

I looked up to see this strange looking man I had never seen before. I couldn’t explain the way he quite looked, all I can say is that he seemed almost not human.

“I’m fine, thanks,” I responded with hesitation. I got up and looked around. The sounds and sights were incredible. I found myself in front of a huge stadium, and could hear the sounds of what seemed to be a game inside.

“Well hurry up inside, you don’t want to miss the rest of the game do you?” The man asked me. I looked at him and then down at my hand and saw that I had a ticket. “No, I don’t,” I said with a sense of shock.

I walked towards the massive stadium and almost couldn’t describe how it looked from the outside. I noticed a rather large crowd in the parking lot but couldn’t quite make out what they were doing. I walked up to the ticket counter and handed the man my ticket.

“You're seated down the first base line,” The man said to me. He also had that strange appearance to him. I could not quite make it out, but everyone seemed to appear that way as I looked around. I kept wondering to myself, “What’s wrong here, but I could never figure it out.”

I went to the rest room to try and figure out what was going on. I splashed water on my face and looked in the mirror. To my shock, I had changed too. I looked just like everyone else. I rubbed my eyes and rubbed my eyes, but nothing seemed to work. I looked around and asked another guy, “Where am I?” The guy looked at me strange and said, “Why, you’re in the community.” I just stared at him in wonder. As he walked towards the door I asked, “What community?” He said nothing as he left and I yelled, “What community?”

A sense of fear had gripped my heart and I had no clue where I was. I just wanted to be back home but I didn’t know where home was. As another man came into the restroom I made my way out. I saw a security guard and asked him if he could help. He reached for my ticket and said, “Your seat is right through this door.” He then handed the ticket back to me.

I walk towards that door and opened it. The scoreboard showed JCA 3 aSi 2. I thought, “That seems a little strange.” Then I looked around and realized what was going on. On the right field wall was a large emblem that said SmallBall Baseball. In center field was written Season 100. I looked down at my ticket and saw the teams – Charlotte at Cleveland. I ended up inside Centennial Stadium.

Ever since then I’ve been here. The teams have changed but I never do see Charlotte in here anymore. So if you ever play in Centennial, look down towards the first base line. I’m the one with brown hair, a red and white shirt, and blue pants. And if you know how to get me out of here, please help.

JTB

Training Your Team How well do you really know your players?

2009-01-12T13:14:00.000-08:00

by CountryBumpkin

From the very beginning, I came into this game thinking that with only 4 skills determining your player's performance, how hard could this game really be? Let's just put it this way, if I had a dollar for every time I've changed my methods, my pockets would be stuffed. After playing this game for about a half a year, and often discussing these methods during chat sessions at SmallBall. Central, there are a few things I've figured out and I'd like to share them with you.

How many of you from season to season have 3 guys on your team that never plays a single inning? Or how many of you don't even train your 1B or Catcher in catching or throwing? Or how about your pitcher? Do you give him training in other skills? I would be willing to guess that the majority of owners use the method of finding their 9 best players and sticking with them. And find themselves in a rut or find a plateau and never get better. Well, what if I were to tell you that basically you have 12 interchangeable parts and it all depends on training that separates each player. As other owners have stated in the past, each player has it's own genetics that determine skill retention. Some players hold certain skills better than others and are different from player to player. It is your job as a manager to recognize these strengths and weaknesses with every player if you want to maximize each player's potential.

By using the focus training method and using a schedule that regularly addresses each skill of hitting, catching, running and throwing…you can determine which players hold their skills better than others. For example, if you were to run your players, the players will align themselves in the sort list. And after addressing the same skill over a period of time, you can begin to see a trend where players will drop in the ratings faster than others. By using this method with all of your skills, you can determine each player's strengths and weaknesses.

Using one of my players as an example, Steelhead Fred, I can demonstrate how I cater to every player's needs. After focus training for a few seasons, I began to see a trend that Steelhead Fred was consistently in the top 3 in the sort list in Catching and Throwing, but always in the middle to lower area of the sort list in hitting and running. By experimenting, I began to realize that I could go awhile without training him in Catching and Throwing for more than a few days. I then began to concentrate on Hitting and Running every other day and sprinkle in the Catching and Throwing when his spot in the sort list began to slip. The following result, a player that is usually in the top 5 in every category. Now is it always as simple as that? My answer would be NO. There are players that I label as just plain stubborn, and I employ the use placing them on the bench to give them an extra Training Pie to boost their skills. In essence, I have about 4-5 guys that really struggle in certain skills, and they need to be rotated to the bench at various times during the season to get extra attention.

The real necessity is to make some sort of schedule, maybe using a spreadsheet to help you organize the skills. And having a schedule for each player is a necessity to maximize their skills. In essence, I can create with the use of specialized training and making the use of extra Training Potential available from placing them on the bench, 12 interchangeable parts that I could place anywhere on the baseball field depending where and when they reach the skills necessary to put them in the positions I desire.

You have to remember that each player is different. Some players are easier to train than others. What are the resources available to us? One training Pie every 24 hours…two for benchies. And the ability to diversify our own training methods. So hopefully this will help some that need it. Anyone is always welcome to discuss these issues with myself or with other owners at SmallBall Central.

Good Luck and Good Training!
CountryBumpkin

HPN: January 2002

The Country Bumpkins 7351

lil' bumpkins 30724

Two in a Row

2009-01-09T18:57:00.000-08:00

In season 38, (2002 May 21 - 2002 Jun 3) Beaner won two first league victories in a row! Neener Beaners The First league Champion speaks:

Unbelievable. I guess I can stop telling myself that last season was a fluke. The competiton was even more intense in the 1st this season. After the first 6 days I was pretty much convinced that I would be moving back to the 2nd league, but they bounced back and with some help from other teams pulled off another championship.

I am sure that most people wouldn't care to hit the ball field having to wear a uniform that said "Neener Beaners" on it, but my little guys seem to like it just fine.In the 13 months that I have been playing I often wondered that if I somehow managed to win 1st league, would I still be motivated to play having reached the ultimate goal? Now after winning back to back, I can honestly say I don't have any desire to quit. Now the question is, how many can I win? Although even if I never win another one that will be OK, it's still 2 more championships than I ever imagined.To all new owners: Don't get discouraged! If I can do it, anyone can! Plenty of owners will tell you "ain't that the truth!" hehe. Remember, this is not a "quick fix" game and it takes time and patience to build a winner. I by no means know anywhere near everything about the game, but if you ever need any help just ask and I will at least try. Good luck and remember, Smallball=Fun. Booya!

The Beanman

Note: In Season 131 (2005 Dec 13 - 2005 Dec 26) Beaner won his 3rd PL1 victory. Will it be his last?

How to Taunt and Humiliate Your Players to Greatness

2009-01-09T00:43:00.000-08:00

By Diana

My seven-year-old son, Joey, is responsible for having discovered SmallBall. He managed to download the game, start up a team, name his team and players, and train and play a game or two before I even knew what it was he was doing. So, even after I got hooked myself, and started reading all of the information on the forums and other websites, I took a hands-off approach where my son was concerned.

Even when I realized that he had chosen his players' positions based upon their real-life Mariners counterparts, I didn't say anything. When he told me that he'd chosen the guy he'd named Jamie Moyer as his pitcher because, well, he was named Jamie Moyer, I didn't say anything. (Plus, Joey emphasized that Jamie Moyer was definitely his pitcher because he "knew it in his heart." Who can argue with that?)

When I broke down and got Joey a Deluxe Trainer, I didn't say anything when I saw him setting up his players' daily autotrain schedules with only one or two balls for each skill. I knew that Joey had a method, and that while it may not be the method that the experienced players were using, someone has to be the one to break new ground. Why not Joey? Maybe his ideas would turn out to revolutionize SmallBall.

Then Joey discovered the clipboard notetaking feature. I had read that other trainers use this to make little notes about their players, such as "holds skill well," or "needs extra running." So when I saw what Joey was using it for, I realized that the time had come to share Joey's method with the SmallBall community. Joey has discovered that this feature works best to taunt and humiliate your players. Here are a few examples of Joey's messages to his players, in his very own 7-year-old spelling:

"mark macklamore" gets the general admonishment, "you need to work harder," while Ray Sanchez is told to, "hit better and field better." Jamie Moyer gets the only note of praise with, "nice pich (109 miles an hour)." "Ben davis" is asked to, "hit home runs again, plese," while "ichiro susuki" is told, "you shoud hit like you yosed to." The most severe rebuke is for Jeff Cirillo, who is told that, "you need to do better altogher."

So I think that we should all rethink the notetaking feature in the Deluxe Trainer clipboard. I have been thinking that I have been entirely too easy on my players, and that a few well-chosen barbs might spur them on to the next star level.

Reprint from the HPN Circa 2002

Football Wisdom from Those Who Know

2009-01-06T23:09:00.000-08:00

Everything you'd need to know about SBFB...for newbies!

How to find your Goalie
by me (GJT)

How to find your Goalie:

First of all, you need to find your goalie (or GK). To do so, you will need lots of patience and time. Have the goalie in the box until all of his TP is gone. Go to posts mode, and switch him for another player. Do the same thing to all players. After 10 training sessions of doing this (mind you, these training sessions should be 48 hr. training sessions, so about 20 days)... Start to train in Reaction skill. You can do this by putting three players in the "Reaction Zone" in the upper right part of the trainer. Do this with all players for about 5 training sessions. Then, sort list your players in GOALIE Skill (AND REACTION: THE MOST important goalie skill)...your overall highest dude (doesn't HAVE to be num. 1 on both skills) is your "real" GOALKEEPER! Then start to train your goalie in Goalie, Running, and Reaction.

Note: You don't need two goalies in SBFB, but you may have them if you want.

How to Find your "Position Players"
by NRaider

After you find your goalie(s) you need to max everyone in Run. This'll take about maybe 10-15 training sessions of 48 hour pies. After that, I suggest maxing dribble skill (again, about 15 training sessions of 48hr). That way when your players get the ball, you can move well with the ball. And about once a week go back and run them. That way you keep them maxed in Run. Once you are a speeding demon, you should train in Interception. Why, you ask?? See below in Most important skills.... Again, go back and train in run and dribble this time about once a week. After you finish maxing Interc., next go to Reaction skill. This way you can shift direction in a split second and your defense can be reacting better for coming forwards. After that you can train in Aim (just allow your guys to shoot at the goalie) you will gain some Power in that to. So you wil have almost everything done.

How to Train Reaction in "Zone Mode"
by ironman44 and Protector

Here is what i did. In the Zone training mode, put two players in the circle. Get one on the outside of the circle, drag the other guy to close range to the second player. They will kick back and forth to each other at close range. One player does not move, but the second guy keeps running away from the first, but when the ball is kicked to him he turns to recieve the ball. So it a good idea to put a player who has no TP kicking to him. If they start to get to far apart keep dragging the player back to close range. If you do it just right, they will stay close to each other and train reaction for that player.

Protector said--

-- UPDATE: Now, you can also train reaction skill in zone mode by dragging the player you want to train to the upper right hand corner of the training screen when you are in zone mode (yes, I'm being redundant, but I want to make sure I get the point across). After being put in the invisible reaction training area (it is barely even marked in the trainer) a player will run back and forth in a zig zag pattern and will slowly, very slowly gain reaction... It's the only way, though.

Positioning Your Players
by yagadan05

I've heard a lot of people complain about not getting the right positioning.. this is basic, but what i follow and it works for me mostly (except against Borussia Dortmund and Bad Boys they're just too good)

Forwards:
Most important: Aim
Secondly important: Kick Power
THIRD: Driving skill

Midfielders:
Most important: Interception/Driving skill.
Secondly important: Reaction
THIRD: aim/kick power

Defense:
Most important: Interception
Secondly important: Driving skill
THIRD: reaction skill

Goalie:
Most important is actually REACTION skill.
Of course, then GOALIE skill.
Then running is Third.

I had a horrible goalie maxed in GOALIE skill.. and then i realized i forgot to train him in reaction, and now i can't get enough of his show-stopping saves!

The Most important Skills in SBFB
by GJT and yagadan05, and NRaider

I said--
--Dribble is important to everyone (except the goalie)... You will need it to win games!

yagadan said--
--Dribble is included in driving skill (they kinda go together) and running max. you should always have a maxed team in running.. and the way you know that someone is maxed in a skill is if you train a player that targets a certain skill, and all they gain is .01 (they lose it almost as fast as they gain it) then you know they are maxed in that skill.. it may happen once because of low TP so the way to find out is if you train the specific skill 3-5 times, and if you see no + a whole number, then it's maxed.

Nraider said--
--I believe the most important skill in Smallball Football is Interception.

Reason: You can have a crappy goalie and still win games. Not as much but you can... it is possible. If you have a good defense you will cause teams not to be able to shoot shots on you and cause your goalie less work. I have seen my team (187063) shoot about 12 shots a game ( WAY TOO MUCH). Ok, a good average amount of shots is 2 to 4. This causes less amount of goals and is better for your GD. If you are allowing about 5 or more shots on goal then you need to train in Interception more.

The top 2 things overall for Every player on your team is Interception and Reaction. Interception will help your goalie and reaction helps in every category.

PL Game Strategy
by Nraider

When to Play ProLeague Games:
When you get into ProLeagues you want to win, so here is some tips. After you train and you want to play a proleague game, you should play a big league game first. That way you see what is wrong if any and you can wait on it so you can train in it next time.

"Play them when your team is hot ... and if you lose even one, you stop"
said by Xtreme.

Also if the other team has a losing streak, PLAY THEM!

DURING THE GAME:
When the two teams are first coming on the field, if you click on the center circle the game will start. You can do this for throw ins, field goals, goal kicks, and half-time.
>

Life In the SmallBall Lane

2009-01-05T20:20:00.000-08:00

Reprinted HPN from Winter-Spring 2004

You start in Juniors, you are young and ready to take on the world.

You breeze thru Juniors (well some of us do), then you tackle 8th league. Its a little tougher but you have prepared for this and you arent gonna let anything stand in your way.

You squeak through 8th league on your journey through the pros. Next stop, 7th league. You have no fear of 7th league. To you, it is like a highway rest stop. You are there to stretch a little, maybe catch a quick nap but you have no intentions of staying there very long. After all, you just breezed through Juniors and 8th league. How hard could 7th be?

Well, somehow, you took a wrong turn somewhere, you must have been going in circles because you ended up back at the rest stop otherwise known as 7th league. You are a little upset but you figure, "what the heck, this place isnt so bad". You've even made a few friends. The vending machine guy is really nice and the rest stop maintenance people treat you like a king. Seems like everytime you turn around they are cleaning up for you. Emptying the trash for you, mowing the grass, cleaning the bathrooms.........we'll scratch that, oddly enough, they arent touching the bathrooms for some reason. Still, you get this feeling, there is more out there, so you do a gut check and prepare to go forward.

After a couple of seasons in the rest area, a.k.a. 7th league, you finally get to 6th league. You're starting to show a few signs of wear and tear but you still think you are going all the way. You meet a few new people while you're here including some strange old guy who has set up a revival tent and is inside preaching the "Evils of the 10th star". You think to yourself, "This guy is nuts!". How can 10* be evil? When I get my 10th star I'm gonna rule the Smallball World. Then you find out the "Strange old guy" has a 10* team and has been stuck in 6th league for about 4 seasons now. You dont sweat it, you hop back on the Smallball Highway and crank up the tunes and roll on into 5th league.

OK, something went wrong, somehow as you were cruising thru 5th, headbanging to the Metallica Mega-shot Music Marathon you ended up on the wrong road. Must have been construction or an accident or something because somehow you got detoured back to 6th. You are starting to get a little ticked off. Road rage is not out of the question at this point.

You arrive back at 6th and you get re-aquainted with your friends at the rest stop. The "strange old guy" is still here. You notice now that he has a stand set up outside his tent. You wander over to check it out and see that he is selling some kind of "Miracle Tonic". They come in several different flavors but you're not real sure what they are supposed to do. You look at the names and find them kind of odd. You see lefty, QT pack, FOD, brickyard, BC and Spring Training just to name a few. You feel pity for the old guy and decide to help him out. You buy yourself several bottles of the "Miracle Tonics" and get back on the road again.

WOW, something in those bottles of Miracle Tonic sure worked wonders for you as you have now left 6th, moved thru 5th league and into 4th. You feel completely revitalized. Full of energy and ready to Rock and Roll.

10-20 seasons later...... (you've actually lost track).

You wake up in the morning, stumble out of bed. You feel like you are living the movie "Groundhog Day". No matter what you do, things seem to be the same. Your wife has left you and taken the dog. The property taxes on your home in 4th are due next week. The "Strange old guy" keeps sending you invoices for your addiction to the "Miracle Tonic" and threatens to cut you off. You start attending a community support group known as "The Official Forums" and while discussing your trials and tribulations of the pro leagues you have come to the conclusion that in fact, there is nothing higher than 4th league. Its all a big hoax. The leagues are all numbered wrong to make you think there is something more. Its all been just one big evil plot. You now know the truth. You actually have reached your goal. You are at the top of the pro leagues. You find out that, there is 3 more stops ahead, but they arent really leagues for you yet. They are actually retirement communities like Sun City West and you arent ready to go settle down there just yet.

You smile, happy in your thoughts that life is now good again.

by NMshooter

Just an Idea

2009-01-03T14:27:00.000-08:00

Way back in 1998 I had an idea, SmallBall Baseball. Here is the first bit of concept art I had done for the game. You can see where my head was at back then. The original idea was to combine the playing field with the training mechanisms. Its funny to see what made it into the actual game and what didn't, including the style of the players.

Zip's Tips: March 11, 2002 HPN

2009-01-03T00:00:00.000-08:00

Have you ever played a team and wondered why they get so many hits off you. Your pitcher is throwing a fastball around 105-109, so how can the opposing teams hit the ball as well as they do. Well just to let you know it mostly has to do with Swing Skill. If your batters can hit the long ball and you believe that they have good if not great Contact Odds, then try working them in Swing Skill. There are two ways that you can do this, the first way is with the Basic Trainer and the second is with the Deluxe Trainer.

With the Standard Trainer there really isn't much to it, all you have to do is put a player on the pitchers mound. It will work best with a player that is not good at pitching, I suggest using a bench player. Next you just rotate your players at the plate and watch the scoreboard for each skill increase. You should see that they gain Swing Skill with every increase. I would suggest using two to three tp pies in just batting to see results.

With the Deluxe Trainer take player and put him/her on the pitchers mound in the practice field, you can either use a bench play, a back up pitcher, or your main pitcher, it doesn't matter. The player on the pitchers mound will also gain pitching skill in this process. Next you take any player and put them at the plate. You can use as much of your players tp pie as you like, but I would suggest a full pie for about two or three training sessions. With each skill increase you should see mainly a gain in your players Swing Skill, just to let everyone know, your players will still have slight gains in the two other batting skill. After a few training sessions of this, they playing a game to check your players performance. You should see an improvement for all of your players.

Hope this Helps!
Your pal,

Mr_Zip_It

Interview - ERG

2009-01-02T19:55:00.000-08:00

This is an old interview I did on Mike's SBCT blog. This is mainly for archive purposes. :)

Interview was originally posted July 23rd, 2007

UNC Man: How old are you?
ERG: I am 18 years old.

UNC Man: What is your martial status?
ERG: Not married, single...taking my time in the love department. Hopefully College brings good things.

UNC Man: What do you think one of your biggest/best contrutions to Smallball are?
ERG: Probably the "Smalls" Comic. Smallball Radio is second, but Smalls lasted for 3 years, and was something that I was really passionate about and the community, and most importantly the Commissioner really got behind me on it. The art wasn't spectacular, but everyone could relate, and it was just a great experience all around...

UNC Man: How did smalls originate?
ERG: I don't remember a whole lot about the idea. It was a lazy afternoon in the Summer of 2003, and I was brainstorming... I can honestly say that the idea just came to me, and I started working on it. I didn't know how I was going to take on the task of drawing him, so if you notice in the first couple of comics, I was jumping between the profile-angle, and the more 3D angle...eventually I settled with the profile-angle because it was easiest to manipulate, and the rest as they say, is history. I'll add that Evan, the main character, is based off me, but I don't have blonde hair--I DO have a mother (you never see her in the comics), and I have TWO brothers, and a sister. I guess I was just too lazy to expand the characters beyond the occasional girlfriend, or one of dad's business partners.

UNC Man: So the production of "smalls" stopped. Is there any chance that you'll do more or are you out of ideas?
ERG: We'll, you could argue that now is as good a time as ever for material, but I've simply lost my will to sit down for 30 minutes, and make a comic. Could I do it? Sure..and I've talked to IA about dabbling around in paint again, but I'd say it's about a 30% chance that Smalls makes a comeback--He's busy over at WSForums playing the arcade....It's ironic though, because my will to succeed in Smallball is as big as ever.

UNC Man: You also said you did SBRadio?
ERG: Yep, initially, I made a 60 second recording where I talked about Smallball almost 2 years ago, and posted it as "Smallball Radio." I never went beyond that, but DocF took it from there and did what I do know (speech software saying written text.) DocF has since stopped, and so I decided it'd be easy enough to continue, and with the help of mlthmp, it's done well. If you notice I do a lot of things because they're fun. I was just extrememly lucky to basically get compensated by the Commissioner with "Smalls" because he always gave the HPN submitters prizes (anything from a Qt Pack to Jurrasic Park).

UNC Man: So how far do you think SBRadio has come compared to it's first airing?
ERG: Haha, Well, I'd say a heck of a long way! That Computerized voice does a much better job reading through the script without messing up. But, seriously, Now that I've got a great hosting site provided by mlthmp, the only way to go is up. His support alone has guaranteed some longevity to Smallball Radio.

Thanks for the plug! Well, there's the ORIGINAL site of Smalls-- http://www.orgsites.com/oh/smalls (The new one seems to be down). Then for The Smallball Radio Show you just shoot on over to http://sbradio.sbfans.info .

Truly, I do these not for gain, just something to make your Smallball experience richer. Also, everyone can feel special, and get the recognition they deserve in the Pro Leagues with Smallball Radio.
UNC Man: What is the funniest/most memerable moment you've had in "smalls" and SBRadio?

ERG: Wow, that's a loaded question... I don't think I've had a FUNNIEST moment in Smalls, or even in SBRadio. Perhaps when I was trying to get my first two comics hosted...Everyone wanted to see them, but they were saved as .BMP and took forever to load. The whole ordeal lasted about a day until Tim's Dodgers finally helped out and hosted the comics for me. SBRadio, well it's so young, but someone told me in my first broadcast with my real voice that I sounded 'black'...That was kind of shocking...

Most memorable for Smalls was seeing my first comic in the HPN, hands down, felt great to be "published." I know I keep saying this also, but SBRadio is so young that I don't quite have that 'Kodak Moment' just yet...

UNC Man: What do you think is the future for SBRadio?
ERG: I'm just going to keep plugging away everyday until I either get bored, quit, or die...But with my freshman year of college ahead of me, and a stable standard of living, that shouldn't happen too soon...

UNC Man: Do you think you'll be doing any other media projects in the near future?
ERG: You never know, I enjoy being spontaneous... even thought about starting a new comic about Smallball with a different twist... I love to help people out, also, so I really am trying to get the Holiday Fund off the ground with some donations. --But enough about my projects.

UNC Man: There has been a lot of controversy about KT. What's your opinion on this?
ERG: Well, most people will know my opinion just from listening to Smallball Radio. The past two seasons he has disgraced this game that he claims to love so much, and I believe No Soup For You, and Depths of the Sea are the two rightful champions the past two seasons. This is KT's chance to gain redemption in PL1 though. If he can play a clean Pro League One Season this time around, I would grant him a true winner, but that remains to be seen.

UNC Man: There has also been a talks about contacting commissioner. Your view?
ERG: I think we should contact him or at least someone who knows him. Being impolite is the last thing on my mind. I understand others have looked and found no answers, but don't discourage others from doing their own searches just because you were unsuccessful. I understand you don't want us to 'waste our time' but trust me--those who want to search, don't mind. Worst case scenario, the person hangs up on you, and you move on. Smallball NEEDS a Commissioner, whether it be Ed, or someone new. As long as they can keep this game on a steady path (which right now it's veering) then I would be a happy man.

My First Baseball Game

2008-12-31T14:29:00.000-08:00

I've always loved baseball. I always loved the feeling and the culture of the game. There is just something magical about baseball. If you're reading this you probably know what I am talking about. In Little League I played 2nd base and batted clean up. Once I got a grand slam and 30 years later I am still a little high from that day. I was a Mets fan back when Willie Mays was playing his final years. I am a national league fan and will always hate the wimpy DH and the league that embraces it.

When I got into games I thought about making a baseball video game but my forte was never sports. If I was ever going to make a baseball game it had to be unusual since I couldn't really compete with the serious sports games producers. My first shot was in a Sega Saturn game called 3 Dirty Dwarves. The character you see here is Greg, the leader of the Dwarves. His weapon of choice was a baseball bat and a sack of balls. To take out evil Orcs that have taken over the Bronx, Greg would undulate to pop a ball up into the air then smack it with the bat. It was a really fun play mechanic. This game did well in Japan but the Saturn tanked in the USA so most people didn't get to play it.

I found some 3DD footage on Youtube:

About half way through this video shows a level that takes place in yankee stadium. Greg has to take out the evil American League Orcs with line drives. GREAT fun!

Note: No pitbulls were hurt during the creation of this game!

Splash From the Past

2008-12-27T17:57:00.001-08:00

I was going through my old SmallBall folders and found a few splash screens we used for the loader images.

This is one showing the 1st league champ at the time. The screen shot is of the actual team playing a ProLeague game during the Legacy of Chaos's winning season. The date on the image is March 03, 2002. Chaos was started in June of 2001 and went on to win the first league 6 times! The team is now retired at 10 stars.

For a few seasons I used the first league winners as splash art, but then I got creative.

I remember this one, it was a lot of fun. Right after Sept 11th I was interested in facial recognition and read a lot of articles about it. There was one company working on trying to match up different facial expressions to the same person. So they used thousands of face images like these to test their software. I was inspired so I used some of the faces in this splash art. There is only one guy who appears 3 times (I think.) Can your facial recognition software find him? The other memory of this splash screen was that many people wrote to ask if that was us at AndNow...

Some were silly but all were fun to make and use for a season or two. I like this one a lot:

I made it for a holiday that occured during a season back in 2002. Can you guess the holiday that inspired this splash art?

Below was one of my favorites. This pinball game was made back in the 20's. I couldn't resist adding the SmallBall logo into the image, see it on the upper left? It remided me of SmallBall, little guys playing simulated baseball. I'd like to get my hands on one of these one day.

Unfortunately I don't have all the splash images from the past. I wish I was more diligent in keeping them. I have a few more that I didn't post yet... maybe I will in future entries. I wonder if any of the SmallBall old timers remember some splash images they liked?

Finding my Pitcher, Again

2008-12-27T01:47:00.000-08:00

I started a new team: Commish's New Team, ID 615012, and could not remember the best way to find the pitcher. I knew it was smart to find him while all the skills of all the players were underdeveloped. So I swallowed my pride and posted on the Beginner's forum: How to find your pitcher? I got a lot of good advice but one in particular from bobjones83 was especially helpful. He said:

well since your new is ST right now I am assuming that is how you are going to train then I would follow Mike's ST guide.

Reading Mike's ST guide really reminded me what I loved so much about SmallBall. Thanks Mike and Bob! :)

BTW, I think I found him, but only time will tell.

Problems

2008-12-25T19:03:00.000-08:00

SmallBall has never lacked problems. There has always been stuff to fix, tune, and adjust.

Here is where were we are on the most significant problems:

Mall Problems - there are none. We see 100% of the tickets being sent almost instantly after the orders. Lately spam filters seem to be less of a problem too. If anyone does not get their tickets they should WRITE us an email and include the PayPal transaction ID. With our new Customer Care system we can respond quickly and get the tickets resent. Much faster than the paypal refunds of the past. Anyone that feels they were "ripped off," please contact us ASAP. All SmallBall emails are working but the new one is smallball.cc AT gmail.com

Vista Problems - Getting a handle on problems related to running the Deluxe Trainer on Vista IS challenging. It doesn't seem to be just a single problem. We have the DT running on a Vista machine with NO problems which is irritating. We are going to recompile the DT with new graphic libraries and hope we see significant improvements. However a move like this may cause MORE problems so we will need a lot of testing. Its never easy.

This AWESOME post by SuperBallz has some suggestions of solutions:

http://www.smallball.org/showthread.php?t=2155

Commish, the Mall, and Vista

2008-12-24T11:38:00.000-08:00

Hey everybody! What a refreshing sight to see this updated! So good to see everybody so excited over Christmas and all the holidays, as well as the return of Commissioner!

Is he back for real this time? I've seen him come, only to disappear again. I truly believe that he's back this time. He's been pretty active on the forums and he's been giving out a few rare parks. How exciting! He's even started a new team. I guess not even the creator of the game can resist the itch.

Several people say that until the mall is fixed and people reimbursed for their lost money that they won't be satisfied. Right on! I think it's important that the issues be resolved as soon as possible.

Another big issue is Vista. I know that hurts a lot of people. Losing $20 isn't fun at all. Not being able to play Smallball is an absolute torture.

I think those issues will be solved sooner than later. I know an Ocean Park freebie doesn't fix things but I think the fixes are coming. Commish is working on getting a Vista PC. Commish has given an email(smallball.cc AT gmail.com) for mall issues. It's pretty frustrating for people who have been "ripped-off." It's not happening overnight but a lot of progress has been made just this week. I'm sure we'll get more info of his absence later BUT he IS here. He's active. I don't know what the future holds for Smallball but I am very excited. Waiting and patience is still needed but I think we're seeing a new era in Smallball. :)
Merry Christmas and Happy New Years!

~UNC Man~

Comments? Complaints? Suggestions? Let me hear them!

Back from the DEAD

2008-12-20T16:52:00.000-08:00

The SBCT is back. If you want to be a contributing member email me at:

smallball.cc AT gmail.com

Back!!

2008-12-13T19:54:00.001-08:00

I'm back after all this time.

For those looking for the SmallBall forums...

2007-01-10T12:35:00.000-08:00

... they are gone. The forums that everyone loved so much have died due to a lapse in the hosting. All is not lost though. The game is still up and running and the community has come through and decided to keep the forums alive at their own sites. Here are a few.

Smallball.info

SmallBall.info is a site dedicated to the great game of SmallBall and home of the .info SmallApplications. Come check out the custom stadiums, tips and advise, forums, all of the SmallBall.info applications or even run your own tournament using SmallBall.info's own Bracket creation section.

SmallStarz

We have built a site to enhance your SmallBall gaming experience and we are committed to the growth and development of the site, the community, the game, and our members. We welcome every one to help out and participate in the community to ensure it's success. We will strive to maintain a friendly environment that is good for the youngest member and free from outside distractions. We will maintain various levels of competition and for all and promote a friendly competitive atmosphere. We did not build this community to say it is owned by anyone as it was all built for you, the members of the community to enjoy.

SBForums.org

SBForums.org is a section of forums here at WSForums.org which will be strictly for those that want to discuss SmallBall. The url above can be used by those that simply only want to visit the SmallBall section and nothing else.
Members of the former Smallball Sports Forums will be able to log in using their pre-exisitng accounts.

So take some time and visit one of the other sites to join the community and learn a little more about the great game of SmallBall.

Jon2s

For a new and improved smallball

2006-03-18T22:41:00.000-08:00

Even with the growing pains smallball has been though during the years, we have always found a way to keep our friendships and interest in the game intense. To keep the game fun and competitive many trainers have come together from all four corners of the world to put together ideas and bring a new and improved way of playing smallball. Here are a few of the things we can all look forward to in the coming months.

There will be tournaments like no other tournaments from the past.
There will be a alternative to the Pro leagues, with a pyramid formatted set of leagues with prized for winner.
There will be a Community team UL league.
Talks of the very first smallball Olympics are under way, with lots of prizes to be given.
The SBCA site keeps getting better and better. There are many members and Moderators that continue to bring new ideas on how to improve smallball.

A special thanks to TW, X, Angel, Viper, and many others that have dedicated themselves for a better SmallBall. Cant wait to get started playing, so I hope you come over to SBCA and sign up.

Baseball qoutes

2006-01-21T18:19:00.000-08:00

Why does everybody stand up and sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" when they're already there? ~Larry Anderson

Baseball statistics are like a girl in a bikini. They show a lot, but not everything. ~Toby Harrah, 1983

Pitchers, like poets, are born not made. ~Cy Young

Well, boys, it's a round ball and a round bat and you got to hit the ball square. ~Joe Schultz, 1969

Baseball is like a poker game. Nobody wants to quit when he's losing; nobody wants you to quit when you're ahead. ~Jackie Robinson

Ninety feet between home plate and first base may be the closest man has ever come to perfection. ~Red Smith

I became a good pitcher when I stopped trying to make them miss the ball and started trying to make them hit it. ~Sandy Koufax

Hitting is timing. Pitching is upsetting timing. ~Warren Spahn

Don't forget to swing hard, in case you hit the ball. ~Woodie Held

The other sports are just sports. Baseball is a love. ~Bryant Gumbel, 1981

Tournaments and Contests: By mlthmp

2006-01-12T18:29:00.000-08:00

I remember when I first became an active member of the Smallball forums. It seemed there was always a tournament being held by trainers, or by clans. I remembered thinking how great it was to have a chance to prove you're one of the best, and have a chance to win a little something while doing so. While there may not be a Monday Mayhem going on at this current time, LCD made his mark on the world of Smallball tournaments. Mayhem rivaled the Official Smallball Tournament, and in my mind was without a doubt the best tournament series ever held. The tournament scene took a big hit, along with the near death of the Official Smallball Chat. However, now it seems there may be life left in the monster yet. With the Smallball Devil's "Devil's night" and PvT's Fight Night, tournaments seem to be on the rise again. Now, with more and more people deciding to hold their own tournaments (chspogo, simon, among others) These few hours of pure smallball fun, are once again starting to become the norm. While prizes range anywhere from DT tickets and teams, to simple stadiums or QTs the main reason these tournaments are held are still the same. To see who is who, and to have a little fun while doing so. With more tournaments being announced every week, more and more new trainers are getting the chance to experience the fun and excitement many of the rest of us took for granted with the likes of Mayhem and the Official Smallball tournaments. While the names may have changed, the fun remains. Long live Smallball, and may there be many tournaments to come!

Time to adjust? ~ Nelmo

2005-12-27T12:16:00.000-08:00

When adjusting your team, there are many things to consider. Here are three tips that have helped me out in the past.

1) Mix things up

Players in SmallBall are moody and do not like to do the same forever which can lead to slumping. Keep them happy by mixing it up a bit in you training schedules from time to time. Changes are inevitable, and what works today may not work tomorrow. So it is good to stick to what works for you until it is not working and you start to slump. Once you are in a slump, make changes and adjustments to training routines and line-ups.

2) Don’t make adjustments based on a single game.

The game renders according to skills on both of the teams playing. If for example during a game you get thrown out at third base a lot, it does not necessarily mean your players are to slow. It could be the team you are playing is faster. It could also be that the team your playing just trained in throw and have strong arms that day. Keep a eye on this, but wait until you see it happening in multiple games vs. different opponents, before making adjustments.

3) Never, forget the randomness factor.

While a stronger team may win most of the time, SmallBall has a randomness factor included in the rendering of games. You can actually lose to a team occasionally that is weaker than your team is, in every aspect. Do not make drastic changes based on a game or two vs. a weaker team.

Holiday for the Holidays

2005-12-22T10:27:00.000-08:00

Here is a FREE holiday ticket for your teams. This ticket will work for ANY Baseball team. The ticket is good until January 25th, 2006. After that it expires and no longer will work.
To find out more about the holiday ticket click here:

Holiday Ticket

For more Info on using tickets: Using Ticket codes

14 day Holiday ticket:

FDS-75R-4LX--W2A-93F-F6W

Happy Holidays from the SmallBall team!!!

Giving Season - by Pizzaguy

2005-12-15T19:32:00.000-08:00

It's that time of the year,
Where most receive lots of cheer.
Why is this a good time you say?
Because LancerClaus gave away lefties today!
Now don't get mad, when you get beat by penguindad.
and he takes "your" ticket, and uses it quietly as a cricket.
But don't forget the best thing of all
giving out tickets, to all of smallball!

Happy Holidays

2005-12-04T17:20:00.000-08:00

We here at SBCT want to wish everyone a save and special holiday season. And to get into the Christmas spirit, we will post a ticket everyday starting today till Christmas day 12/25/2005
What time, and what hour nobody knows, so you will have to check everyday at different times as it could be morning or night.

SuperRookie Ticket
KZ9-DWD-4SE--TKP-RF3-DE5

Born and Reborn ~ Trogdor5

2005-11-27T10:35:00.000-08:00

My creation. The first day of my life and I was not only ready but also eager as well to start training! I was one out of twelve people. Like everybody else when they are born, I was unnamed. I was sent to the field to play catch with my fellow teammates, while The Great One chose names for us all. I was named Marko. I had learned so much that first training day. I wasn’t in all that great of a mood at first but I knew my creator was studying me so I felt better towards the end of the session. At first I was embarrassed of my throwing and catching skills but after I saw everybody else, I noticed we were equally as bad. The next day I got to practice at the plate. I missed every single pitch thrown at me. Some of the others had hit one for each twenty pitched at them. I was equal with most of them.

Six weeks later I had realized I wasn’t equal. I don’t know what it was but I just couldn’t throw the ball as far as everybody else could. I would learn how to make contact with the ball but would lose most of that skill fast; so much so that I had hardly learned anything that day if it was a day of complete contact training. All the other players would make fun of me most when I got onto the track with them. After thirty seconds the three people would overlap me. I was clearly the worst player. Even the pitcher was better than me at running and batting.
I got up one day to find out something mysterious. I was made the first in the batting line-up! I was so thrilled! The trainer was soon closed without any training done at all. A few minutes later I felt a tickling sensation within my stomach. I sensed something indescribable. All my hair fell out and I grew new blue hair. I was much skinnier. My eyes changed from brown to violet. I felt my muscles grow smaller. All my baseball skills had been decreased to a certain degree. What was weird was that I felt better. I felt more potential! I could feel me slamming the ball out of the park in the near future.

I was put back on the bench and started my next training session. I went to the power cage and learned quickly. I didn’t build my arm muscles as quickly though. I couldn’t throw the ball as far anymore. Two weeks later I was probably the best hitter on the team. I was put first on the line-up again. This time I played a game. I was nervous! The first two pitches were balls. I swung at the ball for the next two times with no contact. The next pitch was swung at. I hit it, and hit it far. HOMERUN! Before I made my short journey around the bases I looked up. It was there I saw my creator, screaming “Nice one Marko!” It was then that I was truly happy. I jogged around the bases and was greeted with new faces. Instead of shame on my teammates’ faces, I was greeted with respect and awe.

SmallBall a Good Honest Pastime ~ toodead

2005-11-20T20:26:00.000-08:00

Let’s face facts; I am definitely not a good owner in this game. There, I said it, I guess I can sit down and relax, because admitting my faults can only make me stronger. One day, if I should be so lucky, I might have to join a “smallball anonymous” group. Now do not get me wrong, I love smallball and I am so very tempted to spend a small fortune on the game. However, if I did that, would I be a better smallball owner or a man who cannot face his addictions? My gosh, so many choices and not a single counselor to guide me. Sometimes, life stinks.
My addiction started sometime in October. I was surfing the net looking for something, to amuse myself with. I wanted a game, that was free, and was easy to play, and somehow I came across Smallball. Wow, imagine being an owner of a baseball team, for the rest of my life, and being able to train the players in anyway I saw fit.
Being a good plagiarist, I decided to scope out the forums and find out what I could steal. I found out that I needed to train those players and that lefties are not oddballs like in real life. In fact, they are worshipped in smallball. Anyway, in order to train these players, I need to make them run; throw, hit, catch, and I guess I also have to make them happy. Imagine a world in which all you need to do to get faster is to get off your butt and start running. It is kind of mind boggling, if you know what I mean.
Therefore, I found myself training my players whenever there was a sliver of training potential and playing as many games as I could. However, I kept reading the forums and found out that in time, a player’s skills will diminish. Unless you keep training in that particular area then you are wasting training potential. I was torn, because I liked seeing immediate results, no matter how short lived. I have a hard time seeing one of my players drop a ball, which then leads to my opponent having a 5-run inning, it’s very discouraging.
Anyway, I kept training and before I knew it, my team was finally three stars but I had an honor rating of 1.2 or something like that. Therefore, I started playing teams that had honor ratings of 7.8 with three stars, like mine. I thought that playing teams with high honor would increase my team’s honor. Bad logic because my honor still kept going down. Turns out, that those teams were not really three star teams but were in fact one star teams and that the only way to increase honor is to play teams with the same stars or more stars than your own. Thank goodness for other smallball owners posting in the forum.
Well, here I am, my team is at five stars and they’re in the top twenty of the listed five star teams. The question is, when am I going to get myself a DT? To be honest, I don’t know, but I’ll let you know. Maybe I will write another article, who knows?

Using your bench wisely ~ Nelmo

2005-11-20T07:45:00.000-08:00

Have you ever had a player that was constantly in the top 5 of all three batting sort lists, yet wasn't hitting like it? You try everything, and change the batting line-up around and still, he doesn't hit like he trains. You then put him on the bench, and first try giving him bat weakness training. Finally you try bat strength training and still have the same problem. Just when your about to give up on him all of the sudden, he starts hitting. Wow! what did I do.... you ask yourself. Did I finally figure out the game? But wait......Now there is another player that's doing what the first was doing. Oh no, not again! Frustration takes over, and you find yourself in the same situation you were in before, only this time it is another player.

This is one of the unique qualities of smallball, that make the game so special and almost impossible to completely figure out. That is why the bench is so important. Not to just sit your worst three players. Or is it to just rotate players to get extra TP on everyone. It is also there to give you room to adjust to whatever smallball throws at you. Performance is the true gauge to judge your team, and the bench, a place to give your players that are slumping in thier abilities, time to recuperate and get back on track. The bench can be your best friend this way, as players that are not helping win can take a seat and not cause a run to not score because of their slumps. The bench is one of the best tools we have in the game, if used wisely.

2005-11-12T21:16:00.000-08:00

Quick Train ticket with 10 uses for Batting POWER. Limited time release.

SmallBall Fitness Plan ~ Softwareangel

2005-11-08T16:08:00.000-08:00

Playing for Pounds
Playing video games consume a lot of time, especially if you are playing the highly addictive game, SmallBall. From planning your lineup to optimizing player positions, it can work up an appetite. My normal evening snack is a bowl of sweet cereal or Gummi Bears; for others it can be a slice of pie or leftovers from your recent decent dinner. This is a habit formed to fuel your concentration past the midnight hour. Unfortunately, there is a consequence to this high carbohydrate intake ... pounds. The increased thighs, waistline, and cheeks is evident of the hourly game marathon attempts to reach the top of your SmallBall League. What can you do? Surrender to the addiction or utilize the time invested to benefit your health.

The Training Schedule
Since SmallBall is a game that has its emphasis on training, why not train yourself while your team is training. Wow! What a phenomenal idea. If I can only remove myself from the comfortable chair facing the computer monitor, then it is possible to exercise along with my players. Most of my multitasking activities while SmallBall training has been washing a load of clothes, cooking dinner, or watching a television show. These activities do little to increase my anaerobic threshold, so I find myself gazing at my miniature reincarnates run, catch and throw. Whether you are a DT or ST user, train you team with one skill per day, or train players using a portion of TP for each skill, the physical fitness chart can be adjusted according to feasible exercises.

Skill / Fitness Activity
Run/ Walk 20 minutes or Run/Jog 10 minutes
Throw/ 15-20+ pushups, chin-ups or barbell curls
Catch/ 20-30+ sit-ups, crunches, leg lifts or 6-inch leg lifts
Bat/ upper-lower body stretches for 20 minutes

Results Start When You Start
The famous quote, "I'll start on Monday" is embedded in the psyche of procrastinators. The best time to start the fitness plan is the next time you train your SmallBall team. The workout schedule can be modified by training during a game. When my team is up to bat, I would complete a set of exercises i.e. pushups, then rest when my team is on defense. I would continue to alternate between sets and rest as players rotate innings. Since beginning this fitness schedule with my SmallBall team, I've reduced my waistline from 40-inches to 36-inches and my weight decreased from 187 lb to 158 lb (25 lb loss). As your team gets fit for the competition, you can also become fit to look fabulous.

Stuck at 7* ~ Tips from Pizzaguy

2005-11-02T19:35:00.000-08:00

Why must Commish torture so many avid trainer and keep them at 7*. Oh wait, he doesn't do that, trainers do it to themselves. Yet there are ways to get around it. Here are 5 tips that may help you get over that hump.

1. Scouting reports can be your friend! Use them wisely when you get stuck.
2. When all else fails, train in run! That helped me hit 8*.
3. Don't expect to go from 7* to 8* in a couple days. This process may take longer than you think.
4. Don't quit. The day you quit may just be the day you were supposed to hit 8*.
5. Ask someone else what's going on. Maybe it's a glitch, so consider PM'ing a seasoned veteran with your training problems.

School and SmallBall - Part 5

2005-10-30T11:00:00.000-08:00

The fifth and final installment in our series is an epic poem from GCool. This ends this series and I'll be thinking of a new series for future publication. If you have a contribution for the SBCT, feel free to PM me with your thoughts, stories or essays. Open to all!

Of School and Smallball ~ An Epic Poem by GCool

So many times I’ve read ST
And so many times it’s said;
“If you spend some time with them,
Your players won’t be dead”

This was during August
Where everything was cool
But then came a dreaded six letter word
Count them…it spells school

I slaved eight hours thinking
And in that train of thought
The players waited lazily
While they learned absolutely naught

Finally the bell rang, and
As I watched the children shout
I tried to find my roster
As my papers were scattered about

I looked for fifteen minutes
And it was nowhere to be found
Then I went to my computer
And the sight was to astound

Anyone in the world of SmallBall
The players waved at me
They said “Welcome back from school”
And it filled my heart with glee

These players are my life
And you know that they are yours
From the holes beneath their cleats
To the thousand sweaty pores

On the faces of these gentlemen
And although they may be small
They can play a heck of a game
Schooling or not so all and all…

The moral here, you kiddies
Is that school is the ideal
Sure you love your players
But you need school for a deal

For you passion or your love
Or possibly an occupation
Maybe you’ll get a job
In the SmallBall association

So stay in school, everyone
With you notebook, text, and pen
And then at three you’ll come back
To your twelve favorite men.

Techno Me out to the ball game!

2005-10-26T06:27:00.000-07:00

SmallBall music

Years ago, Brian Coburn, a great video game musician composed a quirky tune for SmallBall. We never got around to using it for the 7th innning stretch, but you can check it out here:

TeknoMeOutToTheBallgame.mp3

Trials and Tribulations

2005-10-19T17:17:00.000-07:00

This is a series written by the newcomers in smallBall. Once a week a new writer will share his or her experiences in the wonderful world of smallBall.

Taking it Along in Stride ~ Lil_Smit18

On June 15, 2005, I was on my computer, and did not know what to do. I did not play football this year, so I had a lot of time on my hands. I thought about online games I could play and started to play on Yahoo and Candystand.com, but quickly got bored. Then, I remembered a game I used to play in the summer called SmallBall. I started up team 510358 and named my guys after my summer Legion team. As time went on, I started getting better at training, and kept learning more about the game. On June 30, 2005 my second team was born. Things started to get off great with this team since I had learned so much already from my first team. After a few more weeks, 510358 became a 6* team and not so long after that 513219 hit 6* as well. This time my 2nd team had gained more skill quicker than my first team. In the process of this I had gained another team (8*) that really helped me learn more about skill training and the game. I then traded this team for a pack of QTs that I used on 510358, and quickly got them to a middle 7* list. 513219 soon after got up to 7* also. I was amazed at how fast they were gaining skill. By this time, I started working on my honor and getting into the pro leagues. After about 1.5-2 weeks, 510358 hit 8* and got into PL 9 the next season. 513219 also got up to 8* and into PL 9 the next season after 510358. 510358 demolished PL 9 with a 13-5 record and went on into PL 8. This is when the tough times kicked in. I was not to be able to train everyday and was training every 3 days. Both 510358 and 513219 dropped out of the PL 8 with only 8 wins each. I thought this was the end, but this only made me train harder. Finally, one night it came. I forgot to check my team page, which I always do after training for 510358, and trained 513219 instead. I then click on my team and there it was. I was so excited as I had the beloved ninth star, and its awesome badge. Two weeks later I found the exact same 9* badge on 513219.

School and SmallBall - Part 4

2005-10-17T21:16:00.000-07:00

The fourth installment in our series is some thoughts from darmin.If you have a contribution in this area, feel free to PM me with your thoughts, stories or essays. Open to all! Kindergarten through Graduate School!

The College of SmallBall ~ darmin

Any college student who still has even the tiniest scrap of sanity left will tell you right away that breaks in between classes are the best thing in their entire lives -- for the first two weeks of their freshman year, that is!
I remember being excited last year at the prospect of having a four-hour break every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I remember thinking, "What could possibly be better than having four hours to do whatever I want between classes?" In high school, I had to sit through classes from eight to three with a tiny little lunch break, and I thought this four-hour break would be totally awesome.
As a student that drives to college every day, as opposed to living in town or on campus, I soon found this to be tragically wrong. Four hours of time with nothing to do can be an eternity.
This year, I was ready for my breaks in between classes. I had played SmallBall a little the year before, but had quit. This year, though, I joined SmallBall again, shortly before school started. I bought the Deluxe Trainer and started furiously trying to find ways to get ahead in the game. I joined the forum and the chat, started asking people questions, and got acquainted with the SmallBall community.
Then school dropped back into my life like a fifteen ton weight on my head.
This semester, I have a two-hour break between my classes every day of the week except for Friday, but now I have something to do with that time.
The library is a great place for studying -- or, for people like me, using the computers for SmallBall. When I'm done with Developmental Psychology, if I don't go to the U-Club for some coffee, I go straight to the library, plug in my thumb drive, and copy the SB installer to the desktop. The library's internet connection is high-speed, so installation takes barely any time at all. In moments, I'm set up and playing!
With two hours, I can really get things accomplished with my team, too! I can browse the forums, work on my training schedule, train my team, and watch games! It's a great way to get to know your team.
Sure, I could be studying for tests, but who wants to do that when you could watch tiny little baseball players run around on a computer screen?
If only my university had a SmallBall major...

Trials and Tribulations

2005-10-10T16:09:00.000-07:00

This is a series written by the newcomers in smallball. Once a week a new writer will share his or her experiences in the wonderful world of smallball.

Finally reaching 9* ~ Medric

I started my team, Devestators (514243) on July 7, 2005. I had played smallball a year earlier with team 383100, but I became unsatisfied when my team had only reached 5* a month later. After a year of not playing , I decided to come back and see if anything had changed . I figured, what the hay, it wont hurt anything to play and try again. I tried finding my old team with no avail, so I started this new team. This time, in a month I had reached 8*, made 7+ honor rating, and PL9. My first thought was that I was on my way to instant success. My team had DT, Field of Dreams Stadium, and I had a pitcher that threw 112-113 m.p.h.
Boy was I wrong!
After I wasn't able to train my team for 3 straight days, my pitcher's pitch speed fell to 90 m.p.h. and my team really stunk. I decided to trade for several pitch QTs, and I used them to find my true pitcher. I immediately found several good players to try as pitchers, as I still stuck with my original pitcher named Devestator. On Thursday, September 29, 2005, I decided to try this other guy in pitching. After training that day, I checked my team page out and what did I see? YAHOO!"I screamed, I had made 9 *. My mom came in to see what was going on, thinking that I had gone mad, but I just told her that it was smallball, and she just rolled her eyes as she walked out of the room. I had achieved one of my goals, all I have to do now on my goal list, was reach 10* ,Win a PL1 championship, and to beat the team that I have always looked up to "The Chicago Mob" which I came close to beating once 8-7. After I have achieved these goals, I will probably retire my team, and guide all young rookie teams that ask for my help. Hopefully that wont be for a long time. This was the second coolest thing that had ever happened to me, the first being going to Yankee Stadium for the first time last year on September 6th, 2004. I still remember my seat too: Tier:16, Row:T, Seat:3 (I actually sat in seat 4, because I was with family, and there was an expty seat next to me, so I sat there and stretched out a little) We had to leave at 8:30, because I had school the next day, but beside the trip to Yankee Stadium, reaching some of my goals in smallball, was the coolest thing ever!

School and SmallBall - Part 3

2005-10-10T09:42:00.000-07:00

The third installment in our series brings a fictitious story by Oaf.If you have a contribution in this area, feel free to PM me with your thoughts, stories or essays. Open to all! Kindergarten through Graduate School!

Oaf's Late Night

It's 11 o'clock PM on a Sunday night. The TV has been turned off, and a young man named Oaf sits at his computer listening to some of his favorite tunes. You might ask yourself what he is doing as he sits in the darkness, with only the light emanating from his computer screen creating a faint glow in the small bedroom. Maybe finishing a last minute homework assignment that is due on Monday? Nope. Maybe he's studying for that big exam Tuesday morning? Not quite. Checking his email before jumping in bed for the night? Not even close.

For some reason he is forgetting all else in the world and concentrating on his Pro League schedule. Last season his team moved up to PL7, and is now only 2 games away from a promotion to uncharted territory, a strange land known to SmallBallers as PL6. Game one starts innocently enough, tied 5-5 through 7 innings. Oaf pulls ahead by a run in the eighth, as he knows one bad play by his team could be the difference between promotion and failure. Bottom of the ninth, two outs, bases loaded. All Oaf needs is an out to win the game and stay alive in the PL7 race. A hard shot to the gap, the right fielder is running hard, and he catches it! Game over, Oaf wins! One more win and Sixth League here I come!

Oaf's eyes start to grow weary as he initiates the final game of the season. Why hasn't he gone to sleep already? He has class at 8 AM! He somehow manages to fight off the temptation of sleep to play one final game, for the chance to advance.

As soon as the game had started, Oaf knew that it would not be his night. The opponent was stronger, faster, smarter, and they even had cooler names than Oaf's team. A three-run deficit turns into a seven-run hole. The game is slipping away, and fast. Oaf calls his team over to the dugout, and lets loose one of the most inspirational speeches an athlete could ever hear. The players no longer held their heads in shame, for they now had a sense of team pride that had never been seen before. Pretty soon hits started coming from all over, the scorekeeper could barely keep track of all the runs Oaf's boys were driving in. Oaf looked up from the dugout to see the situation his team now found itself in: down one run in the bottom of the ninth, with a man on first base.

Oaf called in his heavy slugger, a man by the name of Adam. Named after one of the most clutch kickers in NFL history, Adam was now at the plate with a chance to send his team to the next level. The pitcher blows two pitches by Adam, strike one, strike two. It all comes down to this. The man with icewater in his veins steps up to the plate once more, with a chance to make history. As the pitch sails towards the plate, the crowd grows silent. Everyone in the Centennial Park, and even those in the parking lot next door, could hear the crack of the bat as Adam swings with all of his might. The ball soars like an eagle, and lands just out of the reach of the centerfielder. Home run! Oaf's team wins! Can you believe it??

Oaf looks around for people to celebrate with, but can find no-one. All he sees is the darkness which has surrounded him for the past hour. This game had transported him to another world, where men the size of a fingernail can win championships and give hope and joy to thousands. Oaf, with a gigantic smile on his face, lumbers over to bed and gets under the covers.

He is not thinking about his test tomorrow morning, or his presentation that he must give on Wednesday. All he can think of are three little words that have given his life new meaning.
"Next stop PL1."

SmallBall and School - Part 2

2005-10-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

Here is the second in the series about the relationship that students have to SmallBall and whether/how one affects the other. If you have a contribution in this area, feel free to PM me with your thoughts, stories or essays. Open to all! Kindergarten through Graduate School!

Life As An 8th Grader ~ trogdor5

This year I will be graduating my last year of Middle School, 8th grade. I remember when I was nine and I came to SmallBall. I found it through RealArcade. At the age of nine I was too young to be committed to something. School got in the way of my SmallBall career. I was too young to understand the basics of SmallBall. I remember that I kept on training thinking that if the trainer was open, my players would be trained, not understanding the concept of Training Potential.

Two years later I came back. I was bored one summer day and I remembered, in the back of my head, a free game. I was smarter and understood the basics. I found the forums and grasped the concept of skill loss and genetic changes between players quickly. The summer ended too early and I had to leave SmallBall due to a rule in my house banning the computer on weekdays.

One year later I returned during the school year. I could always slip past my parents and play. I quickly became addicted. I couldn't wait a complete day to train my players so I went to the forums. I read and I posted (a lot). I remember that the first day I was so addicted, I would click "Who's Online" to see if anybody was posting. SmallBall knocked my grades down at first. It wasn't that I didn't do well on tests; it was that I didn't do my homework at sometimes. I am a very smart child and when I was in 7th Grade I wasn't challenged by the courses so I did well on tests. The homework brought my grades down and when my parents realized it, they almost completely banned me from my computer. I remember my Mom took away my mouse and keyboard to stop me from playing. Luckily, my Dad is a computer programmer and has spare parts everywhere.

Well, my luck was running out. My computer was completely taken away so I called my friend and told him to Assistant Train my teams. In the meantime, I would have to persuade my parents to let me go on my computer. In the end, we came into an agreement to let me play. All I had to do was actually study for my tests and make sure I did my homework, which I now realize isn't that bad. My grades are higher now. To conclude, SmallBall had a positive affect on my grades just not as much with my friends and social life.

SmallBall and School - Part 1

2005-10-05T11:48:00.000-07:00

In the spirit of the Trials and Tribulations series, I am attempting to gather stories about the relationship that students have to SmallBall and whether/how one affects the other. If you have a contribution in this area, feel free to PM me with your thoughts, stories or essays.

Some Thoughts From Money

The month of September; a symbol that brings a fresh new year. In the mind of students at least. September brings back the familiar surroundings of school and also the field for me, personally. Although I have been waking up at 6am practically every day in the summer, it's a little different now. The annoying dress pants and ties are back. Plus, a 30 minute commute in rush hour traffic. However, SmallBall-wise, I find myself much more active. Last summer, I completely left for 2 months or so away from SB before returning. This summer I was around, but had a couple seasons where I just holidayed every single team or constantly bugged my XsT clanmates to Assistant Train whenever possible. Even two weeks into the school year, I was still looking for ATs but soon after, I started training my teams by myself. The school year brings a sort of freedom I didn't have before, as in Sunday-Thursday nights became... Sunday through Thursday nights. No going out, so what was I to do in between homework and television? Oh, there's also the addicting part of this game as well. While Friday and Saturday nights are still a stretch for keeping my teams up to par, I find it easier to manage my teams nowadays and their performance has been better due to lack of negligence.

Super QT: Batting Skill

2005-10-03T06:13:00.000-07:00

Quick Train ticket with 10 uses for Batting Skill. Limited time release.

Trials and Tribulations

2005-10-02T17:10:00.000-07:00

This is a series written by the newcomers in smallball. Once a week a new writer will share his or her experiences in the wonderful world of smallball. This week, its Stubs and his thoughts.

One step at a time ~ Stubs

I'm relatively new to this game (3 weeks) and I have to say, I'm hooked. I started by downloading Smallball from a games site I belong to. I thought it would be another Pinball type swing and hit game. Boy was I wrong.
As soon as I installed Smallball and figured out the confusing interface--it takes a bit to get the hang of what you are supposed to do (the forums really help)--I was playing the game. Training was simple, put the guys where you want them to play and then initiate a game. At first I was disappointed because everything was so slow, but my team seemed to take to my training. Soon I was winning games and moving up in star level. I went from 1 star to 4 stars, but was stuck there for a bit. Then I found the Deluxe Trainer, and everything started to fall into place. After a short stint in the 4 stars, I moved up to 5 stars and then 6. Now I'm a 7 star and showing up on the qualification list for the pro-leagues. I don't know if I'm ready for it, but if I make it I will really have to take a second look at my team and make sure everyone has what it takes. This is where my frustration comes in. How much do I have to train someone to make them better at what they are doing? I want my guys to all be able to hit, run, throw and catch. Just when I think my players have what they need, I play someone else who is trained in different areas and now I have to go back and train all my guys in other areas to be able to beat these new teams. This is one of the reasons I play this game, so I can see the results of my training. I know that someday, my guys will have that training to take on the teams who beat me now. It's the challenge, the creation of rivalry's and friendships that revolve around this whole atmosphere. I haven't visited every facet of smallball, but I know there is more than just the star leagues. I can't wait to get involved and be a part of this community. For now, I will continue to build my honor and ranking. I learn from the forums and hope that I will be able to offer something in the future.

Trials and Tribulations

2005-09-26T15:46:00.000-07:00

This is a series written by the newcomers in smallball. Once a week a new writer will share his or her experiences in the wonderful world of smallball.

Stuck in Mediocrity ~ Redbirds33

Have you ever had a coach that told you where to play, rather than encouraging you to pursue your talents? Everybody is different, and are better at some skills than others. Be it a cannon for an arm, blazing speed, wizardry with the glove, or just that awkward left handed throw. It is very important to find where you're best suited to play on a baseball field. Until recently, I didn't give my SmallBallers that respect. I figured I could tell Bob to pitch and Albert to hit, and with some hard work and dedication, all would work out for the best. Boy, was I wrong. Now my Redbirds can't get past the Junior Pro League, and we're stuck on 8*. My players don't even want to practice their positions. Ozzie came to me the other day and told me he wants to give pitching a try. We're in a highly competitive league, and he wants to learn a new position? My realization is that if we are ever to win a championship, I will have to let them all pursue their dreams. Unfortunately, this has become a rebuilding season. As youngsters, they must stick together on the practice field. It fosters healthy competition amongst teammates. The most talented will emerge. If you split them up, they will become lost and jealous. They will gain independence only as they mature. I wish I'd done it differently the first time through. I would've left my players free as youngsters to discover their talents. It may not have been the quickest road to the Pro Leagues, but they're success is limited because I didn't.

The road to greatness ~ Nelmo

2005-09-21T18:22:00.000-07:00

There have been many great championship team with many accomplishments through the years in smallball. Here are some of the teams and what they have done, followed by the newest member of this very selective list.

Rye's crew was a great championship team that won 1st league four times in a row during seasons 20,21,22, and 23. Could some other team actually top that accomplishment? Could anyone ever be as dominating as Ryes crew was? Not a soul in smallball thought so back then.

29 seasons later, a great team named Retry made history by breaking the record held by Ryes Crew. Retry did it in Seasons 52,53,54,55,56,and 57. WOW........6 in a row! For sure this would be the greatest accomplishment. How could someone even come close to such a amazing record.

It didn't take long before what many agree, including myself, is the greatest team in history, to make their mark. DarkElf's Destroyers might have only won 3 in a row in seasons 58,59 and 60. But that was just the beginning of the domination that followed. This team has ten championships and still is going strong, as he is in 1st league still trying for the 11th. No team has ever won as many championships as the greatest team in smallball has. DarkElf's Destroyers stands tall as one of the best teams ever.

Its a new day and age in smallball. Lots of parks and community teams, and things to help you make a better team. Tickets like super rookies and lefties, are a big reason why teams are more competitive nowadays. The days of the one team domination in smallball doesn't seem to exist anymore.

Along comes a trainer that refused to give up. He actually rewrote the book on domination. Its not a team that he dominates with.........But by his training and managing. By winning four championships in a row with three different teams, he has shown that managing and training is what makes a champion. Das might have been the first to get multiple teams winning championships.............But Smith perfected it. Smith has shown that a owner can dominate and win championships not with just a great team, but with great managing. He has won 3 times with one team (152048) but has also won with 28982, and 224818. That might be five championships, but the thing that stands out is that he has won four in a row with the three teams. He is still trying for the 5th in a row this season, and its getting harder each time.

That my friends, is the last stop on the road to greatness. Or is it?

The History of Smalls part 2 ~ ERG

2005-09-19T12:11:00.000-07:00

This is the second article of a series about the history of the Smalls. The goal is to share some insight behind each of the comics. I hope you enjoy them.

Click each comic to view the full size.

My computer had been out for a while, and when I finally came back to Smallball I made this one fittingly so. I used another Bill Waterson trademark with the Narrator effect, so as you can tell, I like Calvin and Hobbes.

This was one of those strips that I drew first, and added the text later. The pictures really do the talking, and seeing that kind of zoom done in many TV sitcoms or shows, I really wanted to do that. This is another one of my favorites.

Smalls #8 was the first strip to show Evan out of his chair. The reason for his hat being backwards was that Evan’s eyes are simply too big to put a hat over them, so I made it backwards, and added the little “Hey kid, put your hat on the right way!” to not make the viewer confused.

This Smalls had good intentions, but the car looks completely retarded in my opinion. Everything else is fine, although it’s not a very funny strip to me.

I don’t know about most of the viewers, but it was about two summers ago that the huge Blackout occurred in the Northeast. This comic was the first one I made after I finally was able to get back online. It was a weird time, and I know how scared a lot of us owners were for our team’s lives.

Thats Smalls 6 - 10. Check back next week for Smalls 11 - 15.

ERG

Smallball Implements an Ending Time for Season. ~ERG~

2005-09-19T03:40:00.000-07:00

Smallball Implements an Ending Time for Season.
Commissioner also submits a solution for the Pro League Procrastinators!
By ERG

The news is fresh off of the forums.
The Commissioner and his Green Team have set an ending time for the Smallball Season. As of right now the ending time will be 12:01 am Pacific Time or 3:01 am Eastern Time. This will be implemented next season.

This in itself is great news for the managers in Smallball who have dreamed of the day that the final Sunday of every Season in Smallball be more structured, and didn't require them to stay up all night trying to catch glimpses of their key Pro League Games. With this new 12:01 deadline, owners can now sleep easily knowing the fate of their teams in each of their respective leagues.

Even bigger, Commissioner has released this statement on his idea for getting team to play their games earlier in the season rather than waiting until the very last moment to play. "On one hand we like the freedom to play our games anytime we want. On the other hand we want everyone to play their games rather than wait until the absolute end of the season. I've thought of many ways to try to even out the game schedule but not without messing up the freedom part.

So here is my new idea:

On the last Sunday of the season (or last saturday) TP production Stops - for everyone. Of course this means all teams will enter the next season a tiny bit weaker but since that it true for everyone it shouldn't matter. (but I know it does)

This is just an idea, think about what it would mean for PL game playing strategy. This won't happen anytime soon but I thought it may be a good conversation to have.

"Thanks for your feedback!"

Now this statement could mean MAJOR changes are coming to the ways that many of us in Smallball approach training, and the game as a whole. Reactions are predicted to be quite mixed, but either way Smallball has some scary, yet very exciting changes headed its way.

Home Stadiums and which is best for your team ~ Mikes

2005-09-16T18:22:00.000-07:00

There are many things to consider when choosing your home stadium. The best thing to do is try your hardest to reach 9* first. By reaching 9* it makes this process a lot easier! After that, you must then figure out if your team is a "Defensive" or "Offensive" type team. It shouldn't be hard to tell the difference between the two as you can usually figure this out by when your team starts hitting Homeruns. If your team starts hitting them early, most likely they're an offensive team. If your team starts hitting them later, most likely they're a defensive team. After finding out which of the two categories your team falls into, then you must figure out if your team is going to be a majority right-handed team or left-handed team. All teams start out as a majority Right-handed team, but it all depends on the trainer. The trainer makes the decision on whether he wants to make the team majority left-handed by purchasing lefty tickets (located in the SB Mall) or to leave them as is, and keeping the majority right-handed. After distinguishing between lefty and righty, you will come to the conclusion on which stadium you want your team to play in. This is a tough decision on most trainers because there are so many wonderful stadiums that you could benefit from in many different ways. Here are some characteristics on each stadium to help with your picking!

Intel
Default Stadium
Benefits: Lefty & Righty
Outfield Wall: Normal
Offense or Defense: Both

Monster
Buyable
Benefits: Lefty & Righty
Outfield Wall: Deep
Offensive or Defensive: Defensive

Brickyard (BY)
Buyable
Benefits: Lefty Outfield
Wall: High LF , Deep CF, Normal RF
Offensive or Defensive: Both

Alice
UN-Buyable
Benefits: Righty Outfield
Wall: High RF, Deep CF, Normal LF
Offensive or Defensive: Both

Field Of Dreams (FOD)
Buyable
Benefits: Mainly Righty
Outfield Wall: Low LF/CF, Normal RF
Offensive or Defensive: Both

Homerun Park (HR Park)
Buyable
Benefits: Mainly Righties
Outfield Wall: Shallow RF/CF, High RF
Offensive or Defensive: Offensive

Centennial Park (Cent)
Buyable
Benefits: Righty
Outfield Wall: Shallow LF, High CF/RF
Offensive or Defensive: Offensive

World Park
Buyable
Benefits: Both
Outfield Wall: High
Offensive or Defensive: Defensive

Letterbox (LB)
Buyable (For Limited Time Only)
Benefits: Mainly Lefty
Outfield Wall: Normal LF/CF, Shallow RF
Offensive or Defensive: Speed!

Ocean
UN- Buyable
Benefits: Lefty Outfield
Wall: Normal RF, Shallow CF/RF
Offensive or Defensive: Offensive

Jurassic
UN-Buyable
Benefits: Both
Outfield Wall: High
Offensive or Defensive: Defensive

Leaders in our community ~ Texas

2005-09-14T14:32:00.000-07:00

Lancer is a 47 years old but has the heart of a child who loves SmallBall! He will do anything within his power to help out a fellow manager. I have never heard him say anything negative about SmallBall except for how he does in the Pro Leagues. He has a 17 year old son and a 12 year old daughter who have yet to make an appearance in the SmallBall world. He has been very happily married for 20 years which deserves a major congratulation in this day and age.

Lancer should be very proud of his SmallBall accomplishments. Very few can say that they have accomplished as much as he has. Currently all his teams are active in the Pro Leagues which is not something that many managers can say. He is a helping hand in the SmallBall College League where he serves the community as a Conference Commissioner. He has teams in the National Football League, Major League Baseball and SmallBall College Leagues as well. He is currently one of the top rated SmallBall Trade Agents which I would trust in any deal at any time! Around Christmas he is also known as Lancer Claus. His gift to put a smile on everyone’s face is hard to find and I consider him a good friend.

He currently owns 25 teams, but while only six are active. They are a tough group to beat. 846 is a familiar face in the Pro Leagues, as is 980. 980 is Lancer’s signature team. Other teams he has active are. 213638, 399900 (a very rare id), 414414, and 469911.

One of his favorite memories of SmallBall are the late nights on the Old Boards with Ivy, McGov, Fishhead and Rocky. He also remembers his first true clan membership with SBD (Small Ball Devils). His fondest memory is getting McGov hooked on this game!

Lancer is the type of guy who if he sees someone in need, he will definitely help. I as a SmallBall youngster I had no real idea about how to play the game. Lancer helped me learn the basics. He has made a huge impact in my life as well as my personality. He has taught me lessons such as not to be greedy, and help others when they need and want help. He is also the one who ran it through my skull that not all members of SmallBall can buy a Deluxe Trainer, sometimes you need to give them a little gift in the inbox if you know what I mean.

Lancer, thank you for all you have done for me and for the community.

SmallBall and Real Life by Traxx

2005-09-14T07:34:00.000-07:00

Two totally different worlds. The world of SmallBall, and the “real world”. Do they have anything to do with each other? You get caught in the game, some people might even get obsessed. SmallBall affects your real life, and your real life affects your SmallBall life. For example; A close family member dies in real life. Would you continue happily playing SmallBall? I suppose not. And when you get thrown out of the ProLeagues, we all can understand you’re a bit cranky. Do those two worlds affect each other the same amount? That’s different for each and every one of us.

I can remember some guy I knew saying, “We are all ugly. We are all playing online games because we are failures out in the real world, so we try our luck in here.” That struck me. First, the complexity of just a simple subject amazed me. He must have thought this through real thoroughly, whilst I had never even thought about that. Is this true? I know I never felt like that. For me its not that I play SmallBall a lot because I have no friends in real life or because I’m being bullied every day. I am sure I speak for a lot players. But does the success of “real life failures” differ from “normal” players? I know several players, and I think not. There is no real difference between those two kind of players.

What I do think is true, is that certain qualities come through in both worlds. You can’t be a silent figure in real life, while being a extravagant figure in SmallBall, and also not the other way around. I have the same kind of humour in SmallBall as in real life. You might call it a bit childish. But in any possible way, your education, your characteristics influence your SmallBall success and reputation. If you are a patient person, then you'll probably wait happily until they reach that 9*, while others may throw in the towel and leave.

Also imagine how some of SmallBall's greatest leaders must be like. Isn’t it hard to figure them simply as a kid in the school benches doing his homework? Or as a man in a suit working behind his desk?

SmallBall might, for some people, be a way to try their luck. But for most people it is, and will always be, just a way of entertainment, with some addiction added. All I can say for myself, is that it’s just fun. Fun to act like some person, maybe even an adult one, while not being one. Fun to have a certain amount of control over those little guys. For all others, try your luck and you might grow further here than you ever will in real life.

The History of Smalls ~ ERG

2005-09-13T07:05:00.000-07:00

I was originally asked by Commissioner to provide a comic by comic analysis for the Smalls. SmallBall has done so much for me, and one of those things was allowing me to come up with this comic, Smalls. Along the way there were comics I loved, some I hated, and some will forever make me laugh. Over the next few weeks, I share some of the insight behind each of the comics. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have.

Click each comic to view the full size.

This is the one that started it all. I guess the idea was just an out of nowhere idea. It was almost like “I can make a comic for SmallBall!” The idea for the first strip came from a quick brain session, nothing more. I guess it did pretty well with everyone.

The second Smalls is actually my least favorite out of all the Smalls Comics. At the time I wanted to try and give the viewer a different angle on Evan, but it really made him look like he was six years old. As for the storyline: it is the only part of the strip I liked, and was taken from personal experiences of being begged to leave the computer for a wiffle-ball game with the neighbors.

I really have to give credit for the poem idea to Bill Waterson’s Calvin and Hobbes. Bill had such an awesome ability to write and draw such captivating strips, and that is why I felt I should try out the “Poem thing.” The MasterCard image was a quick Google search, but I wish I had left that out, and drawn Evan’s mom seeing as no one has seen her yet.

One of my favorite strips from the series- Smalls #4 was another one of those “Divine” ideas that just fit perfectly. I’ve been told that the third panel looks like Homer Simpson, and I have to agree, although it was not meant to be that way.

This strip’s sole purpose was to congratulate mgfred on his 1st league Title, nothing more, nothing less. The term “crapping turtle” came from out of nowhere, and that was definitely one of those “What????” moments.

Check back soon for Smalls #6-10.

ERG

9 heads are better than 1

2005-09-13T06:37:00.000-07:00

Community Teams

We are working on some features to support the idea of community teams. Here are just a few:

- There will be ONE 700 series team donated as a community team.

- We will make a separate UserLeague for ONLY community teams. This will allow direct competition and a page with only community teams listed. The owner of this league is yet to be determined.

- We are looking into making a simple, single player trainer to make easier to train YOUR player.

- Considering a special 12 password Assistant Trainer mode.

- Add an optional badge to the Community Team's team pages (see above)

More soon!

A Word of Warning!

2005-09-12T18:27:00.000-07:00

I would like to use the Smallball Community Times to help get the word out about a tragedy that is taking place in Smallball Baseball, while no one has been hurt so far, I am deeply concerned about the catchers on all of the Smallball baseball teams.

These poor little men and women sit behind the plate game after game, risking their lives, and for what reason? Can they not play another position? Is their skill set lacking such that they would not be in the starting line up if they did not agree to be the catcher? It takes a small person with a big heart (and chin) to get behind the plate and risk their life for the sake of the team.

While I have played Smallball Baseball for several years and watched countless games over those years, I had never noticed the actual danger that they are in. I just recently noticed that these poor catchers are asked to go out there with no facemask, no chest protector and no shin guards. This is insanity! Just because there has not been a serious injury to a catcher in the history of Smallball, does not mean that there will never be one. Eventually, someone is going to get hurt! The players are getting stronger and the pitchers are throwing faster. This is a recipe for disaster. My goodness, this in not softball we are talking about, someone is going to take a foul ball right on the chin.

OK, OK, right on the chin probably wouldn’t hurt them, but they could take a foul ball elsewhere on their bodies and it could cause some serious damage.

If you are as concerned as I am about the catchers of Smallball, or if you have noticed any other accident waiting to happen in Smallball, please follow my lead, and write a letter to the Smallball Community Times. If we all work together, we can make Smallball a happier and safer Smallball for everyone.

Meat

2005-09-12T18:14:00.000-07:00

My Rough Diamond

I started playing smallball on 12/15/2001. I didn't read the instructions, or that there was a forum. In fact, I played my first game, a day before I ever opened the Standard trainer. I could not understand...I was dropping all balls and my guys were playing in slow motion. The Funny thing was that by just watching them on the field, I fell in love with the game. I started reading the tutorial and found the forum. It was there I started finding tips on how to train. I was amazed at how many smallballers were willing to help me. Now I Was really in trouble...not only had I fallen in love with the game, but I had also found a community that was just as fun and great to be around. Little did I know that after having 10 other teams that all had reached 10*, and had accomplished so many things in smallball ... I would rebirth that very first team that I had called New York's Mean Machine. That is why they are named “Rough Diamonds” today. Because they might have started out raw ... but were always a rough diamond.

How Smallball Ended My Softball Career, by ivy

2005-09-12T07:53:00.000-07:00

We called ourselves "Lugnuts." I was warming up before a game with my catcher and he was telling me about this computer baseball game. I listened. Next game he and I warmed up together again, and still, all he could talk about was Smallball. We went 7-3 that season, and by the end of it I found myself interested in this computer game with the same kind of curiosity that killed the cat. I had never even owned a computer before, but suddenly it seemed that our home was deficient in this area, and I thought it would be a welcome addition to the household.

My single goal was only to win against my softball buddy. The first game I ever played was against him, my one-star team versus his five-star. You know the outcome: 40-0, my loss. But I trained and trained until I finally won a game over my buddy. My goal was accomplished, but the addiction was set in. I made new goals. I don't know what they were, but I knew my teams were pretty good.

After two years, I got bored one day and started chatting on the Owners' Board. You know what? The first four Smallball members I met that first day on the Owners' Board, I now talk to on the phone. I sit down, smoke a cigar, relax and laugh.

Since the start of my Smallball career, I have watched my son go from Little League kid pitch to pitching complete games and hitting homeruns and now draft (AAU). My son has grown up alongside my Smallball players.

My wife supports us. My son and I are both kids and we all know that sports of any kind keeps kids out of trouble.

2005-09-11T13:48:00.000-07:00

To Remember the Heroes and Victims

The Love for the Game ~ MoNeY

2005-09-10T21:46:00.000-07:00

The other day I was browsing the forums and a specific topic caught my eye. Someone had asked, “Is Smallball a dying game?” I think many people have thought this before but it was always a sort of “back of the mind” kind of thing. Giving it some thought, I perceived it as an ever-growing game. It had been noted that many people have quit and left the game but there are new members to Smallball nearly daily. Not to mention, the people that always returned. I know I have quit many times and other people have too but we’re always back and sticking around.

So, what feeds the growth of the game? There’s always new things coming out such as cool, rare stadiums or a new sport and the traditional 10* and PL1 status. However, those by itself can’t hold peoples’ interest forever. I know I’d be long gone by now if it hadn’t been other parts of Smallball such as the community at the forums, or great leagues such as the SCL, MLB, etc, and not to mention the rivalries amongst owners and clans. I see lifetime friendships made quite often and people letting loose and just having a great time with lots of people they have never met face to face before.

Even so, many people have had the desire to quit and can’t stay away. People have had great moments and absolute horrible moments. I think this quote by TightWads is a great example:
“It depends on if I am winning or losing... If I have a winning season I think SmallBall is the most exciting up and coming game there is. When I suck and according to most of you that is near 100% of the time, I think this game stinks and would like to shoot the monitor.”

Through ups and downs, no matter how bad it gets, what makes people stay? Some say, “It’s too addicting, curse you for making this game.” But inside, everyone blesses Commish’s fascination with “Artificial Life” and DTGuy’s convincing of marketing Smallball, because deep down, every smallballer has found a love for the game.

Jon2s Guide to Setting Player Positions

2005-09-10T13:25:00.000-07:00

I have tried many different methods to set player positions, and I am of the belief that other than pitchers, your players can play many different positions. Personally, I change my players around everyday. This method may not work for everyone, but it appears to be working pretty well for myself.

Jon2s' Calculation:

To determine the player positions I use a calculation. I sort all my players in three different categories. Running, Throwing and Catching. Each player is ranked 1-12 based off those sorts. I then add their rankings to determine a composite value for a player.

For example: If player 1 has a rank of 2 in running, 5 in throwing and 6 in catching, he composite value is 13.

Once you have determined all players composite values, I sort them based off that value. The players are positioned based off of that value.

Position Rank
Pitcher Number 1 Pitcher
Left Field 1
3rd Base 2
Shortstop 3
Center Field 4
Right Field 5
Second Base 6
First Base 7
Catcher 8

Get Box Scores for EVERY Game

2005-09-10T12:37:00.000-07:00

Keep the play by play stats for every Baseball game

Add this ticket to your team and for an entire season (14 days) every game played will generate detailed box scores sent directly to your email address. You don't have to view the games to get the box score email. Collect and study the box scores from each game as a training tool.

Note: To receive box scores you must have a valid email address set in the team's profile AND be sure your spam filter doesn't think the box score emails are spam.

Get Box Scores sent for every game!

price .................. $6.99

Warning: if your team gets many challenges, YOU will get many emails!

Coming Soon:

2005-09-05T16:29:00.000-07:00

We are getting them ready... The 700 teams will be available soon. We don't have an exact release date yet but we are ready to share what they will come with:

A 700 Team Pack will most likely come with the following:

- One team with an ID# between 700 and 799: The teams will be arranged randomly. Sorry we will not be able to give out specific numbers. SmallBall will reserve about 10 teams for the future and make one team a community team.
Only 89 teams will be sold.

- All Stadiums: This includes the RARE stadiums, Ocean Park, Jurassic Park, and Alice's Stadium. All Stadiums will be included as individual tickets giving the owner the choice about what teams he wants to apply them to.

- The next two Elemental Stadiums: All 700s will get the next two elemental stadiums for free: Fire and Air. These unusual gems are not available yet but when they are the 700s will get them first. (800s and 900s too!)

- One Year UserLeague: Each 700 team will have its own UserLeague for one year. UserLeagues enable team owners to run their own Pro League. To own and control a UserLeague is very powerful however we can only guarantee the UserLeague for one year after purchase. After that a small fee may be required to keep it going.

- Big Ticket Gift Pack: Deluxe Trainer, Quick Train tickets, Holiday tickets, Rookie and Super rookie tickets to name a few. The 700 pack will come with plenty of tickets.

These limited edition teams will be available soon. The final price per team has not been set however it will most likely be more than the 800 teams were.

Stay Tuned!

A Day at the Park

2005-09-01T18:05:00.000-07:00

The tailgate party was so much fun we didn't notice that the crowd had cleared out and the game had started. We talked through The Star Spangled Banner, We talked through Oh Canada, we talked through Commish throwing out the first pitch, we talked through Greek Wizard striking out Jasmine‘s Crew in the first.

It wasn't until the crowd roared and a baseball smashed into our cooler that we became aware of the game.

"Man, who hit that??? That musta been 600 feet!"
"Meat," I said.
"Who?" Asked Pops.
"Meat. Meaty. The Meatman. Bring it Meat."
"I thought he retired?"
"He quit training his teams yes, but he lives on as a player, a superstar no less."
"He always was, remember what he did with Peeps in Season 74? No one knew he had the team."
"He didn't. I did."
"What?? I didn't know..."
"No one did, not until later. We all kept it a secret. I took over Peeps in season 73 and got them into first in season 74."

Another roar from the crowd and another baseball came crashing, this time into our BBQ, spilling bangers everywhere.
"Another bomb, who hit that one?"
"A Good friend of mine, one of the best out there, Xtreme."
"Wasn't he…"
"Yes" I interrupted, "He was a big part of season 74. Man, we had our fights that season, we were both battling for the title, at each other's throats until we agreed to not talk about our 1st league teams, it was the only way we could stay sane."
"What happened??"
"Ah, we fought so hard we let Dark Elf win, I finished 2nd and X finished 3rd."

I downed the rest of my Red Stripe. "Still, it was probably my best season, my highest finish ever. Things went down hill after that."
"What happened?"
"I got too busy, I had too many teams, I couldn't train them all, things fell apart."
"You quit? Scouser."
"Nah, I haven't quit, I'll never quit even though I threaten to all the time. I can't quit. I'll keep training in futility until they pry the keyboard from my cold hard fingers."

We sat in silence as more baseballs flew over our heads, Shooter, LadyHwk, Beaner, Angel, Jenna, Steve, Viper, Peg-Leg, some of my favorite names in all of smallball hit home runs that wonderful day. Long after the crowds were gone Pops and I sat out in the right field parking lot watching the darkness envelop all, reveling in the quiet stillness of the evening.

"Pops?"
"Yes Lad?"
"Will Bring it Tofu ever make it to first like Peeps?"
"If you believe, Lad, if you believe."
"Well, hand me another Red Stripe while we wait. Cheers to all."

Cliff

Welcome to the new SmallBall publication

2005-08-30T17:16:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the
SmallBall Community Times!

While it is not the intent to replace the Home Plate News (HPN) with this publication, the Community Times should, in theory be published more often. Here is the idea: All content will be provided by and for the SmallBall community. We will recruit editors who will have the ability to post to this blog. If you have an article you want to submit, you must do so to an editor. A list of content editors will be posted soon. If you are interested in becoming a Community Times content editor please PM the Commish on the SB forums.

What sort of content are we looking for?

Anything that is SmallBall related. For SmallBall baseball or soccer. Training tips and strategies. Ideas on how to make your SmallBall hobby more fun. Historic writing about sports. How to articles. SmallBall fiction (like the Catfish stories) Etc.

What does a content editor do?

S/he will solicit articles from the community at large. S/he will dictate the kind of content S/he feels would be valuable or entertaining to the SmallBall community. Once the content is received the editor will make sure the spelling and grammar is correct and post it to this blog. The editors will be given some tickets to offer as rewards for exceptionally good work. Its up to the editor's discretion on how s/he gives out the tickets. Ticket rewards will be limited.