Record books as of 1987

[ctorg]

So, once I get a new computer and all, I'm thinking of restarting an old project of mine to create a startup 1987 season. The idea would be to create an accurate 1987, with players given realistic lefty/righty splits and other things that the Lahman database can't do. One of those things is making a record book, and that's where I'm looking for some advice.

Where can I find accurate information on records for the record book as of 1987? I know I can get some records out of Lahman. But there is one thing I'm having trouble with: rookie records.

I don't know where to find rookie records for 1987. Anyone have a good source? And for OOTP, of course, it's not just league records, but team ones.

I know I posted about this once before, but I can't seem to find the thread.

[eriqjaffe]

If this will help at all, here's a record book accurate to the beginning of the 1989 season - that'll help narrow a lot of it down for you.

[jdew]

Go to this site

http://hometown.aol.com/ronlg/index.html

and download the National Pastime Alamanc. Using it you'll be able to find the single season (or career records) by team or league or total (or pretty much however you want to slice & dice it) as of any year.

[ctorg]

Thanks guys. Those will definitely be helpful. I probably will only have a few gaps to fill. Why is it so hard to find rookie record stats anyway?

[jdew]

Originally Posted by ctorg

Why is it so hard to find rookie record stats anyway?

Because nobody really pays much attention to them unless the guy turns out to be a superstar? I mean how many people ever heard of George Watkins.....


The attached file has hitting streak, rookie records and 15+K in a game records for each team as of the start of 1987. There are still some holes in the rookie records (its my "as I have so far" list).... hope that helps...

[eriqjaffe]

1) Take the Access (MDB) version of the Lahman Database, and open the relevant statistical table (batting or pitching).

2) Delete the irrelevant records (ones after the year your league starts, and maybe the records pre-1901).

3) Export that table as an Excel spreadsheet, and then open it up in Excel.

4) Here's where it gets tricky, as you will have to determine what years constitute rookie years. First off, sort by whatever your criteria is, and delete the rows that don't meet the criteria (less than 145 at-bats, or fewer than 45 innings pitched), as those wouldn't be qualifying rookie years.

5) Sort the stats by PlayerID first, and then by Year second. Excel supports multiple sort criteria (Data -> Sort).

6) Go over to the far right column, add an additional column (I called it "Sequence" - Column D in the picture) and type a "1" in the first blank column after the data (in the pictured example, that would be cell D2)

7) In the next cell down (cell D3 in the picture), you'll have to enter a formula, which would go something like this:

=IF(SECOND_ROW_PLAYER_ID_FIELD=FIRST_ROW_PLAYER_ID_FIELD,CELL_RIGHT_ABOVE_THIS+1,1)

The formula for the pictured example would be:

=IF(A3=A2,D2+1,1)

<img src="http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/6964/clipboard018av.gif">

This performs a simple logical test: If the player ID in this row is the same as the player ID in the previous row, it is the same player, and the "Sequence" of seasons incriments by one. If not, then it's a new player, and the "Sequence" resets to one.

8) Copy & paste this formula all the way down the column until you reach the end of the data.

9) Copy the "Sequence" column, pasting the values into the next column (if you right-click, you can "Paste Special", and then choose "Values"). You now have a column that contains numbers instead of formulas.

10) Now you can sort the data by the "Sequence" VALUE column, and you can delete all the rows that have a value greater than 1.

Wham! All rookie years!

You can then sort to your heart's content to get the particular records you're after.

Be aware that this may not be (and probably isn't) 100% accurate, especially since the criteria for qualifying as a rookie has changed over the years. But it's a start...

Man, I hope that makes enough sense.

[Cowboys3356]

You could just download the file I have already created. It has gotten extremely good reviews and I think you will enjoy it. The link is in my sig line.

If you want to "take it to the next level" then feel free to use it as a base. I just ask you give me credit in your readme file and of course let me know when you finish so I can enjoy the file!

Best of luck!

[ctorg]

Originally Posted by Cowboys3356

You could just download the file I have already created. It has gotten extremely good reviews and I think you will enjoy it. The link is in my sig line.

If you want to "take it to the next level" then feel free to use it as a base. I just ask you give me credit in your readme file and of course let me know when you finish so I can enjoy the file!

Best of luck!

Well, would you look at that! I'll check out your file, and of course I'd give you credit if I work from there.

[ctorg]

Originally Posted by eriqjaffe

1) Take the Access (MDB) version of the Lahman Database, and open the relevant statistical table (batting or pitching).

2) Delete the irrelevant records (ones after the year your league starts, and maybe the records pre-1901).

3) Export that table as an Excel spreadsheet, and then open it up in Excel.

4) Here's where it gets tricky, as you will have to determine what years constitute rookie years. First off, sort by whatever your criteria is, and delete the rows that don't meet the criteria (less than 145 at-bats, or fewer than 45 innings pitched), as those wouldn't be qualifying rookie years.

5) Sort the stats by PlayerID first, and then by Year second. Excel supports multiple sort criteria (Data -> Sort).

6) Go over to the far right column, add an additional column (I called it "Sequence" - Column D in the picture) and type a "1" in the first blank column after the data (in the pictured example, that would be cell D2)

7) In the next cell down (cell D3 in the picture), you'll have to enter a formula, which would go something like this:

=IF(SECOND_ROW_PLAYER_ID_FIELD=FIRST_ROW_PLAYER_ID_FIELD,CELL_RIGHT_ABOVE_THIS+1,1)

The formula for the pictured example would be:

=IF(A3=A2,D2+1,1)

<img src="http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/6964/clipboard018av.gif">

This performs a simple logical test: If the player ID in this row is the same as the player ID in the previous row, it is the same player, and the "Sequence" of seasons incriments by one. If not, then it's a new player, and the "Sequence" resets to one.

8) Copy & paste this formula all the way down the column until you reach the end of the data.

9) Copy the "Sequence" column, pasting the values into the next column (if you right-click, you can "Paste Special", and then choose "Values"). You now have a column that contains numbers instead of formulas.

10) Now you can sort the data by the "Sequence" VALUE column, and you can delete all the rows that have a value greater than 1.

Wham! All rookie years!

You can then sort to your heart's content to get the particular records you're after.

Be aware that this may not be (and probably isn't) 100% accurate, especially since the criteria for qualifying as a rookie has changed over the years. But it's a start...

Man, I hope that makes enough sense.

Ah, yes, perfect sense. Why didn't I think of that? As I was reading it, I was anticipating the next step. Sounds right on. I can dig it!

Here's what I'd add:

Let's say that your qualification is 130 PAs (I don't remember what the real one is - have to look that up). You make a column on the right that adds up AB, BB, and other relevant PAs, and it adds it to the value above it if the PlayerID is the same. Copy the column and paste as values (which replaces the formulas with their results). Delete all rows with PA over 130 in which the previous year also had over 130. Whammo! A list of all players who qualify as rookies at 130 PAs.

Cool!

[ctorg]

Originally Posted by jdew

Because nobody really pays much attention to them unless the guy turns out to be a superstar? I mean how many people ever heard of George Watkins.....


The attached file has hitting streak, rookie records and 15+K in a game records for each team as of the start of 1987. There are still some holes in the rookie records (its my "as I have so far" list).... hope that helps...

Cool. This will cut down my work, too.

[eriqjaffe]

Originally Posted by ctorg

Ah, yes, perfect sense. Why didn't I think of that? As I was reading it, I was anticipating the next step. Sounds right on. I can dig it!

Here's what I'd add:

Let's say that your qualification is 130 PAs (I don't remember what the real one is - have to look that up). You make a column on the right that adds up AB, BB, and other relevant PAs, and it adds it to the value above it if the PlayerID is the same. Copy the column and paste as values (which replaces the formulas with their results). Delete all rows with PA over 130 in which the previous year also had over 130. Whammo! A list of all players who qualify as rookies at 130 PAs.

Cool!

Actually, the current rule states 130 at-bats:

Originally Posted by Rulebook per MLB.com

Determining rookie status:
A player shall be considered a rookie unless, during a previous season or seasons, he has (a) exceeded 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched in the Major Leagues; or (b) accumulated more than 45 days on the active roster of a Major League club or clubs during the period of 25-player limit (excluding time in the military service and time on the disabled list).

Of course, that's where my method breaks down (and where yours improves on it) - a player can have 75 at-bats in each of his first two years and 525 at-bats in his third year, but he wouldn't qualify as a rookie since he already had 150 MLB at-bats. The other place my method breaks down is the service time, but the Lahman DB doesn't quantify service days, so that's next to impossible to determine.

[ctorg]

Originally Posted by eriqjaffe

Actually, the current rule states 130 at-bats:

Of course, that's where my method breaks down (and where yours improves on it) - a player can have 75 at-bats in each of his first two years and 525 at-bats in his third year, but he wouldn't qualify as a rookie since he already had 150 MLB at-bats. The other place my method breaks down is the service time, but the Lahman DB doesn't quantify service days, so that's next to impossible to determine.

Yeah, the service time thing is impossible from the stats. I believe OOTP doesn't use that criterion either, though, so I could at least get the numbers as OOTP would have recognized them.

I've actually started playing with this already as I slack off a bit at work today. It's looking quite good. I set it for 130 AB for batters and 50 IP for pitchers, which are the ROTY qualifications.

[Cowboys3356]

I believe my record books, etc are all accurate and up to date. Feel free to use them. No reason to do a bunch of research when I already have it done for you. Some of those records took a long time to find.

[ctorg]

Originally Posted by Cowboys3356

I believe my record books, etc are all accurate and up to date. Feel free to use them. No reason to do a bunch of research when I already have it done for you. Some of those records took a long time to find.

Okay. That's cool. I haven't been able to look at them because my home computer has a fried motherboard and I'm looking to get myself a new computer (it was five years old anyway). Once I do and I get OOTP up and running, I'll take a look.

What level of detail did you get to? If you already did all or most of what I was planning to do anyway, there really won't be much for me to do. Did you make lefty/righty splits and give guys proper fielding ratings, for instance?

[Cowboys3356]

Originally Posted by ctorg

Okay. That's cool. I haven't been able to look at them because my home computer has a fried motherboard and I'm looking to get myself a new computer (it was five years old anyway). Once I do and I get OOTP up and running, I'll take a look.

What level of detail did you get to? If you already did all or most of what I was planning to do anyway, there really won't be much for me to do. Did you make lefty/righty splits and give guys proper fielding ratings, for instance?

I got pretty detailed with it and everyone who has played the file says it runs as close to real life as you can get. OOTP has its limits but I think the file performs near to real life. Fielding ratings are pretty accurate with most players being rated at the correct positions with the correct fielding percentages. Every batter has right/left splits which is a must although in truth when you do a historical replay, the way OOTP works is that the splits are already calculated and players should NOT have splits if you want them to reproduce accurate results in but that is an entirely different thread! Also I love having splits because it makes the game more fun so that is the main reason I put them in.

Of course there isn't a file around that could not be tweaked, I guess it just gets to the point where additional tweaking doesn't really bring about different results due to the limitations of OOTP. I think the next version will be the key to taking this file to the next level.

[Malleus Dei]

Originally Posted by Cowboys3356

You could just download the file I have already created.

It's my favorite roster set. But if Ctorg wants to make it even BETTER, who are we to stand in his way?

[Cowboys3356]

Originally Posted by Malleus Dei

It's my favorite roster set. But if Ctorg wants to make it even BETTER, who are we to stand in his way?

I agree!

[ctorg]

Well, it sounds like you already did pretty much exactly what I was looking to do! Once I get a new computer (shaking fist at gods of fate for having my computer break down just as I was getting back into OOTP), I'll check it out. I think I actually downloaded it once, but I never actually checked out the file for some reason. It probably would have saved me some mental effort.

Thanks for pointing me to it.

[GuamYankee]

Ctorg, you could always pick another year to work on. I've been obsessing over getting a perfect 1903 all in one installer myself.

[ctorg]

Originally Posted by GuamYankee

Ctorg, you could always pick another year to work on. I've been obsessing over getting a perfect 1903 all in one installer myself.

I had 1987 in mind for the particular reason that it was the first year I got into baseball stats myself. The 1987 set of Strat-O-Matic cards was what got me into baseball big time, so I like to think of it as a good starting point. It's also a good year in that the offense levels were more similar to modern ones, for which OOTP is optimized. That year was a spike year for offense.

I suppose I could do 1988, which was the first year I followed real baseball day-to-day, but it seems kind of redundant. Maybe. I'll see after I check out Cowboys' file. I might just add stuff like retired career leaders, if he doesn't have that. It sounds like he did a pretty complete job.