[arod23]

A career average DB, based on our DB, is now available for downloading.

1. What is the Career Average DB format?
The Career Average format applies a player's average season statistics to all seasons in which he played.

2. When would I want to use this DB format vs the regular format?
You may want to use this format for importing rookie classes after first creating your league with the regular format DB.
The career average format should produce better results with pitcher development.
For single-season replays in which you are not interested in moving to the next season, the regular format is the better choice.

3. What are the pros and cons to the career average format for hitters?
With the career average format players will import based on their career average rather than their actual rookie stat line.
For a hitter like Ty Cobb, whose career average was .367, he will start out close to being able to hit that .367 mark of his career and he will consistently hit for a high average, but may never hit over .400.
With the regular fomat he may start out as a .315 hitter and gradually get better and may hit .400 a couple times.
However, there is probably a better chance he doesn't reach his full potential with the regular format and ends up as a bust.
Using either format, Cobb's career totals will be very similar, but the career arc will be very subtle with the career average format.
In a nutshell, using the career average format may give you more consistency but limit big single season performances somewhat.
Some players who had very poor rookie seasons but otherwise great careers, i.e. Ed Delahanty and Mike Schmidt, may never develop at all with the regular format but will become the great players they should be with the career average format since they start out stronger.

4. Why is the career average format better for importing rookie pitchers?
With the regular format DB there are alot of one-season rookie-wonder pitchers - meaning pitchers who had a great rookie season an therefore great initial ratings, but poorer potential ratings.
What happens is that many of these rookie wonders steal starting rotation spots away from pitchers who otherwise are much more deserving of a rotation spot.
Great pitchers often end up in the pen or busting because of so many of these types of pitchers filling up starting rotations.
The career average format smooths things out by making great pitchers better as rookies while the rookie wonder pitchers have their talent decreased since it is averaged together with their remaining career performance.
With the regular DB format, many great pitchers import with low endurance ratings which will also relegate them to bullpen duty.
With the career average format their endurance ratings which will be on target.

5. Ok, I like the idea of pitchers turning out better with the career average format, but I'd still rather have my hitters import as rookies in the regular format. Can I do this?
Yes.
In the Career Average folder you will see a file called Batting.csv, rename this file avgBatting.csv or something else.
You will also see a file called "Regular_Batting.csv", rename this file to Batting.csv.
Your hitters will now import in the regular format, while your pitchers will still import in Career Average format.
You now have a hybridized DB.