TML Newsletter
TML Newsletter
11/12/01

Deadline for Period 1 in 1967 is November 19th.
TML2000
The playoffs are now set with Zaca taking care of business and beating Commack 2 games to 1 for the final spot.
The matchups are set as follows:

1) Troy vs 8) Zaca
2) Mudville vs 7) New York
3) Gotham City vs 6) Berne
4) Buffalo vs 5) McGraw

I would ask all Playoff managers to make their arrangements to get the series played. In that all of these series could be played face to face at the draft, we could wait. But let us not get into a time crunch in playing the 7 series. I am all for face to face but I don’t want anyone rushing to get a playoff series played face to face while an opponent is waiting to drive home.

All final statistics are available on the Web Site.

I would ask each manager to vote for a starter and a backup at each position AND 6 outfielders (3 starters/3 backups). Please vote for 2 starting pitchers and 2 relievers. These votes are due into me by November 25th.

I will be doing a complete wrap up of the season in my next newsletter.

The following teams have paid dues for 2001 and may trade:

CS DY NA NC NY TG
AV
GC MA
FC TR

The following managerial changes will take place for TML2001

White Plains will be moving to Kentucky in the hands of Brad Hamilton (Ashland)

Miami will be moving to Tom Kackley of Sleepy Town. Tom has been in the retros with us and become the second manager of the Vice. Roy is staying with the retros and is concentrating on his own great ABL league.

North Country will be moving to Bill Jelks and be renamed the Wild Weasels. Bill has been with us for a long time in the retros and will do a bang up job. Following TML1967, Kevin will decide if he is staying with the retros, but he is giving up the current league affiliation. More on that later.

We welcome all three managers to the fold. Email addresses to follow.

Please refrain, for now, trading with the following teams:

NA MV KY AV BO DV JG
These teams have overuse penalties to pay and will be free to trade once they march in front of the judge.

TML1951
All final statistics are available on the Web Site.
I would ask each manager to vote for a starter and a backup at each position AND 6 outfielders (3 starters/3 backups). Please vote for 2 starting pitchers and 2 relievers. These votes are due into me by November 25th.

I will be doing a complete wrap up of the season in my next newsletter.

Rainier will be hosting North Country for the championship and a rematch of the TML1950 World Series for those of you who remember that.

Rookie Draft
The 2001 Rookie Draft will be held on Saturday, January 19th in Cohoes and on the Internet. Please let me know ASAP if you will be attending in person.

TML1967
Still have not received automanagers from the following teams:

BU EG GC JG RR
TG

Please get these to me right away and also to your opponents. The series deadline is next week.

Updated stats will be on the Web page shortly.

Kevin Powers

Kevin and I had lunch the other day and had a long discussion regarding his involvement with the TML. Kevin has been both the behind the scenes man and the front man for everything regarding both the Web and all player movement since 1996. In effect, he has been both the man behind the curtain AND the Wizard of Oz.

Kevin has reached a burn out point and has stepped down from both spots. As he said, when a hobby is more like a job, it's not fun anymore it is time to get out. I felt that it would be an insult to ask him to change his mind. Without his tireless devotion to the webpage and the pinpoint accuracy of the rosters, we would not be where we are today.

I would have to say that one of the things that would always set his motor into overdrive was getting to the end of the year and seeing the overuse after all the work before and during the season the help track usage. A few years ago we were criticized for not getting the numbers out on a timely basis. For the past two years there have been bi-weekly updates regardless of how much was received during the week. Yet, the overuse persisted. Now, admittedly, it was not one or two ABs, but the 10s, 20s and 30+s. I fully understand and, as a manager who hated to overuse anyone by even 1 of anything, it baffles me as well.

As mentioned above, he is staying on for TML1967 and will decide later if he will continue managing in the retros. He will be sorely missed on my end.

Scott Lagace has volunteered to become the webmaster for TML1967 and will be receiving my bi-weekly updates. Kevin has spent some time with Scott and will help him through TML1967, so we are in good hands.

My absolute need now is for someone to assume the role of trade reporter/roster czar. I could do it on my own, but I won’t. If anyone would like to take care of trades and rosters, let me know. Keep in mind that it will involve a lot of spreadsheet work and uploading files to the web on a consistent basis. If you are interested, please eMail me by Thanksgiving at the very latest, and I'll make sure you get the CD with ALL the data.

I will miss Kevin’s care and patience more than I can say. I am grateful for all he has. Thanks partner!

Diamond Dreams R.I.P/Hello Diamond Mind

Two days after informing us that the 2001 card set was in production and that work was progressing nicely on the Windows version of Diamond Dreams, Chris Krebs sent out a tersely worded eMail saying that his involvement with Diamond Dreams was self-terminated. Without knowing a lot of the details, I will not speculate, but I can make some very educated guesses as to why it happened.

Use of Diamond Dreams in TML will cease with the end of TML1967.

I wrote a long eMail to Carol at Diamond Mind regarding changing the TML, lock, stock and barrel and received the following response:

"Thanks for your interest in Diamond Mind Baseball. We do offer discounts to Leagues switching to our game and the amount is in the vicinity of 30% depending on the details. If you decide you'd like a specific quote, we need you to provide the number of new games, the number of upgrades (from an earlier Diamond Mind version), the number of season disks (and which season), and whether you would have everything shipped to one address, or to each league manager. Additionally, if you are willing to pay by check instead of credit card, we can offer a 3% additional discount. Also, we would eventually need you to provide the names of all managers receiving the game this way, so we can include registration for the new owners in our database. Our database of owners is for our use only, we don't share this info with anyone. We'll look forward to hearing back from you."

To that end, I will need the following right away:

  1. Regarding Diamond Mind:
    1. Do you need to buy Version 8 (yes or no)
    2. Or are you Upgrading from an earlier version? (If yes, which version)
  2. Will you order the 2001 disk through TML, or are you getting the disk from another league.
  3. Do you want your "stuff" shipped to you from Diamond Mind or from me?
I need this information right away.

 The TML American, B.I.G and ABL have all moved to Diamond Mind thus, effectively, killing Diamond Dreams. I have very mixed feelings about this. The Diamond Dreams game was very friendly for the Commissioner and the Statistician and I have been spoiled. On the other hand, the Diamond Dreams customer database was tiny and shrinking.

While there is going to be a learning curve with Diamond Mind, it is something we can deal with. I agree 100% with Larry who said that we should be in no great hurry to start 2001. All of us should take the time to learn the game. How I function with you and how we address the concept of series are both going to change. We will be sacrificing some things, but gaining others but, in the long run, we will be fine.

We have played Diamond Dreams (ASG) since the 1989 baseball season and the computer version has enabled us to dabble in the retros. It will be missed. However, Diamond Mind has every season (excepting 1943) available so our retro path has opened up again.

I hope that you will trust me, as Commissioner, in making the right choice.

SOME NOTES AND REMINDERS.

  1. TML Dues are $5 per manager (not team). Please make your checks payable to Mike Ameen and they can be sent to me at 115 Glengerry Court, Cohoes, NY 12047. Those who have paid are listed above.
  2. If you would like more background on Diamond Mind, their web page is: www.diamond-mind.com
  3. A rookie list will be made available shortly. We will continue using the minimum at bat/inning pitched rookie qualification requirements outlined in the constitution. Diamond Mind "cards" everyone, but not "everyone" will be a rookie.
  4. Managers drafting online during the January 19th TML2001 Rookie draft will need to be able to access an AOL Chat Room.
That’s about it for now.

Please be mindful of the series deadlines and the other deadlines I have tossed at you this newsletter. The TML is in great shape.

I hope you agree

Jim Pertierra

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