Vol. IV,
Issue #6 - August 2016
**
Interview with Brian Koch (Commish
of 2 Leagues)
**
(We are lucky to find a Commissioner who represents a single league
to talk with us but
again
this month,
Brian Koch talks to us about the two leagues he runs ... way to
go!!)
(Notes from the Wolfman:
I
found Brian, the same way I have most all the other
commissioners I have shared in this column via StratDraft, where
Brian was looking for a new league member (stratdraft really is
a great tool!). But then Brian told me, like the commish
we spoke to last month who was running 4 leagues, he is in
charge of two retro leagues. So this gives us a chance to
also look at some other retro leagues as well too. So Brian,
take us on your special journey in strat ...)
Wolfman:
I would like to welcome to our newsletter Brian Koch, the
commissioner of two retro leagues, SJCBL (Super Joe Charboneau
Baseball League) that is playing out the 1982 season right now
and his second league is the LDMBL (Larry Doby Memorial Baseball
League) which is now using the 1952 season.
Brian, thanks for spending time with us here at the Ultimate
Strat Baseball Newsletter.
Brian:
Thanks for the chance to talk strat and to talk about the
leagues I run. I always have time to talk strat and strat
baseball leagues
|
Brian with Hal Richman on Opening Day, Feb. 2016 |
Wolfman:
Brian, I normally ask some personal questions first to give our
members a chance to meet you and know a little bit about your
background before we talk about Strat. So first, which part of
the world do you live in right now and is this where you grew
up?
Brian:
I grew up in the Cleveland, Ohio area and still to this day live
in the Cleveland area
Wolfman:
When you were younger - did you actually play baseball and if so
what was your best position?
Brian:
Played baseball from the ages 4 (teeball) all the way thru high
school. I was "Keith Hernandezesque" with the glove at 1B and
was really good in the corner OF spots. Could hit the fastball
very well but once the pitchers started to develop breaking
balls I was toast
|
Wolfman:
What about which MLB team did you root for when you were younger
and are you still a fan of this team?
Brian:
I am a diehard Clevelander and love all my pro teams. The
Indians are and will be forever my favorite team. Chief Wahoo
is tattooed on the side of my left calf. Roll Tribe!
Wolfman:
Are there any ball players you really followed or were your
favorites?
Brian:
Huge baseball fan overall, many favorites growing up. Cleveland
Indians favorites would be Andre Thornton, Cory Snyder, Brook
Jacoby, Kenny Lofton, Charles Nagy, Albert Belle. But also
loved guys like George Brett, Donnie Baseball, Ryne Sandberg and
Dale Murphy as a kid. While he unfortunately died tragically
before I was even born my favorite all-time player is Roberto
Clemente
Wolfman:
How did you hear about SOM Baseball? When did you first begin
to play the game?
Brian:
When I was in 3rd grade (so about 8 years old) my uncle
introduced me to a game he played when he was a kid, yep
Strat-O-Matic. He came home from college with the 1984 season
that his buddies and him just finished playing. I learned Strat
that summer with the 1984 season and have never stopped playing
since.
Wolfman:
What is your history participating in leagues (face-to-face or
computer based)? Have you ever played in any tournaments?
Brian:
After that first summer, when I knew the game completely (basic
for the first few years) I introduced it to my buddies and from
the time I was 9 until 25 we always had some sort of face to
face league running. I have never participated in any formal
tournaments but of course have run tourneys before.
Wolfman:
You told me in one of your emails we had that both of your
leagues are relatively new leagues - can you tell me for each
league (SJCBL) and (LDMBL) how they came into existence and how
you decide on each league, its name?
Brian:
Well as I explained in an early email I started a couple of
other leagues like 6-8 years prior and because of life's
curveballs sometimes you have to give some things up and focus
on things that are higher on the priority list. Those things
got all sorted out rather nicely and I really really missed
running leagues, so decided to start two back up again. As an
Indians fan the names just kinda felt right for each league the
SJCBL started with the 1980 season and Super Joe Charboneau is
kinda of a cult legend here in Cleveland so I went with him.
The LDMBL started with the 1950 season so honoring Larry Doby
just felt right
Wolfman:
Can you describe the structure of each of your leagues and how
the playoffs work, as well as if it is a computer or
face-to-face league and how many members? Also, why did
you decide to start each retro league with a particular past
season (one in the 1950's and the other in the 1980's)?
Brian:
Both leagues are computer leagues, your typical create CM, send
it in, then I send out a Play Ball file and you play your away
games, zip up all the files and send them to the yahoo group.
The SJCBL has 24 teams and 16 members (dual ownership of an AL
and NL team is allowed). The LDMBL has 16 teams and 12 members
(again dual ownership
allowed). SJCBL is split into 3 divisions in the AL and 3
divisions in the NL. The three division winners and one Wild
Card make the playoffs in each league (AL and NL). All rounds
of the playoffs are best of 7. In the LDMBL each league has 8
teams with two divisions of 4. Each division winner makes the
playoffs, there is no Wild Card. The LCS and the World Series
are best of 7. My earlier leagues I started, started with the
1960 season and 1970 season, so I wanted to change it up and
went with 1980 and 1950
Wolfman:
How do you create your teams in each leagues - discuss the rules
of your leagues and how you build you team (players you keep
from year to year and your draft and trades)?
Brian:
Both the SJCBL and LDMBL started with the actual rosters of the
teams the owners selected in each respective league. I have the
Indians in both leagues so I started with the 1950 Indians
roster in the LDMBL and the 1980 Indians in the SJCBL. After
each season, each team can keep up to 18 players (as long as the
hit a 50% usage mark from the previous season) and then we have
a draft using strat draft for all the rookies for the upcoming
season and from all the cuts or guys that didn't hit that 50%
usage mark. Both my leagues have active member who like to make
trades and we have a trade deadline around BLK 10 or 11 in each
league. I think we have some rules most leagues have but I
think we have a couple that some may not or not many at least.
We have a “Swap Out Rule
which is this: Out of your 18 keepers, you can choose up to 4
players to swap out and use their previous season card. So the
Kansas City Royals in the SJCBL were able to use the 1980 George
Brett card for the 1980 SJCBL season and the 1981 SJCBL season.
The “Swap Out Rule
is in use in both leagues. We have an LUL rule which makes any
batter with 500+ PAs and any pitchers with 200+ IP or 30+GS
unlimited usage players, so no worries about overuse with
them. We don't use closer rule, we don't use clutch, we do use
BP effects, we use rules that are as close as possible to the
board game. We have 10 day blocks so your team usually has
about 10 games a week and it can vary how much on the road or at
home
Wolfman:
What
is the name of the teams you manage?
Brian:
We use the actual MLB team names so in the SJCBL I run the
Cleveland Indians and San Diego Padres. In the LDMBL I run the
Cleveland Indians and the Chicago Cubs
Wolfman:
In your opinion, is there any difference between a continuation
league using the latest card set and keeping a team's players
from year to year and do it in a retro league? Do you still have
to be aware of the age of the mlb players as you go from season
to season? Does it help to know ahead how each player will
perform? In other words, what are the differences when you are
in a retro league from your perspective?
Brian:
I think the main difference between Retro and Current leagues is
the unknown. We all have opinions and we can read articles,
scouting reports and watch Baseball Tonight or MLB TV but it
still comes down to your personal evaluation of a young current
player, you may think he is the next Barry Larkin and someone
else may think he is gonna be the next Felix Fermin so that can
make trading tough or even some people thinking a trade is
unfair/unbalanced but in your eyes its not cause of your
personal evaluation of the main guys in the trade. Of course it
helps knowing the career path of players in Retro leagues but
that doe not mean trading is any easier. I find sometimes when
I am in rebuild mode and a contender is looking to bolster their
roster and I have a piece (a guy who has two good years left)
that can help him get to the World Series and ask for a guy who
isn't good until 3-4 years later but does have a really good
career ahead that it can be tough cause then they also ask for a
guy on my roster who is also good 3-4 years later to make the
trade "even".
I feel as a contender you have to give up some blue chips from
time to time to actually win now and not worry so much about
later. Now all that being said I do believe trading in Retro
Leagues can be overall easier cause of the known
Wolfman:
What is your life as the commissioner of each league? How much
time does it take, what are your duties? Do you have other
officers in your leagues?
Brian:
Strat has always been a hobby (well passion/obsession I guess,
lol) so I would be doing something Strat related anyway in my
spare time if I wasn't running two leagues. I have a very
understanding wife and she is cool with it. I feel I am very
organized and I get the CM file out every Monday, then import
all the CMs once they are sent in, then on Wednesday I send out
the Play Ball File for the week. Import the results when they
are sent in. The large work comes with the updating the usage
each week. I feel my main duty is keeping the flow of league
going, keeping things on schedule. I get a feel of the league
and if things need to be changed or discussed, we do it as a
league. While I am the commish, I feel its not my league but
all the members league, I am just the caretaker. I do have a
couple of owners that I can turn to if I need something taken
care quickly if I cant until later after work. So there is a
fair amount of work to do but its all worth it, its baseball,
its Strat so its fun
Wolfman:
You also told me Brian that you were the commissioner of two
other leagues that you passed on to new commissioners - can you
tell our members what the other leagues are like - are you
continuing the rules of those leagues to the new leagues you are
running - do you still have a franchise in these other two
leagues?
Brian:
Both the HSML (Herb Score Memorial League) and TMML (Thurman
Munson Memorial League) have a huge influence on the SJCBL and
LDMBL structure. The basic of both those league are used in the
two I run now, however some key differences are the HSML and
TMML started out from the start as draft leagues, we drafted
from scratch. We started with the stock teams in the SJCBL and
LDMBL. The “Swap Out Rule
and LUL have been new additions to the SJCBL and LDMBL. I did
come back briefly to both the HSML and TMML however while both
are being run extremely great and by two outstanding people, the
just kinda lost their luster to me mainly cause I wasn't running
them, they felt different to me.
Wolfman:
Brian, have you ever been the champion in any of these leagues
you ran? And if so, what type of team did you build during those
years.
Brian:
I won the very first championship in the HSML way back when.
Been to the playoffs many times but only one WS Title, oh the
shame lol. I think and its typical answer probably but I like
balance, I want some speed, I want that power, I need guys who
get on base. Pitchers that get people out and don't have lots
of guys on base. I think I am a but different however in that I
love love a strong bullpen. Give me solid starters and a lock
down bullpen any day of the week.
Wolfman:
When you have had a successful (playoff bound team) what were
the keys to your success with this team (or teams)? Is there
special strategies you use to build your team? And special
strategies you use when playing your games?
Brian:
I do believe in hitting and OPS get on base! I will sacrifice
some defense for a stick. I will also as I mentioned earlier
prefer a strong bully. I will pass on Aces if I can grab a
better bat and a stud in the back end of my pen. As the members
of my leagues would testify I use every chip at my disposal to
trade. If I am contending I will sell of blue chips ball
players and draft picks to fill any and all "weaknesses".
When in rebuild mold I will sell off any player that has 1-3
years left of good ball for draft picks and young talent.
Trades are a big part of my building teams. Don't really have
any strategies when playing I just play and manage, make the
moves I think should be made and let the dice and cards so to
speak land where they may.
Wolfman:
How is the relationship of your members amongst each other in
your two current leagues? How did you find the members of these
new leagues? Has there been any challenges that have come up for
you as the commissioner to keep the new leagues going?
Brian:
I really couldn't ask for a better group of members in the SJCBL
and LDMBL. They are the single reason why these leagues are
succeeding. I believe your league is only as strong as your
members, they make the league, it will succeed or fail cause of
them. I ask mainly two things of them, communicate with me when
your gonna miss deadlines (cause of vacations, sick, work,
whatever) so I know and can keep things moving and this is big
for me: Think about league integrity in your actions. I have
two groups that do that, they make the league fun and worth
putting the work in each week. There are always challenges, but
as long as you keep your head, be fair and consistent with your
decisions they seem to work themselves out
Wolfman:
We always ask those we interview if they have any tips or advice
for our members that could help them with success with their
game playing?
Brian:
Really just remember its a game, have fun, it is supposed to be
fun. My leagues are competitive but the right way not
cutthroat. The members want to win but realize its just a game
and we all still love it to this day so lets just have fun
(mainly re-living our pasts and memories of players we grew up
watching)
Wolfman:
Have you ever tried to play in the on-line baseball leagues that
Strat-o-matic offers, other leagues (face-to-face or via the
internet)?
Brian:
I've dabbled with the on-line baseball but prefer the computer
game, or solo with cards but nothing will ever beat face to face
playing with the cards and dice
Wolfman:
What do you like about the two leagues you are running now? What
was the key for the longevity of the two leagues your ran
before?
Brian:
I don't think I can stress this enough, its the members of the
league. They make it fun, they are active, they are funny, they
add a lot of extra stuff to the league. Fun tidbits, little
jabs, humor, etc, plus they are good at communication and
hitting deadlines
Wolfman:
Have you had any special experiences (certain games that stand
out in your mind that you played or series you played) being a
manager in any of the leagues you have run, as a gm that were
truly amazing or unbelievable - or some very unusual games, or
something you are proud of. Maybe some key trade you made ...?
Brian:
God there have been so many throughout the years but what I
really like is at the end of the year we vote on the MVP and CY
YOUNG awards for both the AL and NL. I just love watching and
tallying the votes (and I am the only one that sees all the
votes) What I love about it is, we vote like sportswriters do.
I get a kick out of some members holding grudges against certain
candidates cause they crushed them all year (or they really
hated them when that player actually played in the MLB). The
way some members refuse to vote a pitcher for MVP or a closer
for the Cy Young. It is one of the really fun things I get to
do and see after each season
Wolfman:
Why do you personally like playing SOM - did you try other
baseball games like SOM?
Brian:
That fact that I get to manage “actual
baseball players and not have to deal with the actual egos,
salaries, PEDs that real managers do and the game be so
realistic is just awesome. I was hooked with that very first
dice roll some 33 years ago. Andre Thornton was my 1B, I was in
heaven! I can honestly say I have never tried another game,
there was never a need to try.
Wolfman:
Finally is there anything else you would like to share with our
members that I didn't ask you before that you think is important
to let them know about?
Brian:
Again just have fun with the game, there is no wrong way to
play. You like Basic? cool!, You wanna play the 1995 season but
add 1927 players to each roster? Cool! You want to do an
As-Played of 1985? Cool! You want to have a league of just
former Indians players? Cool! Just have fun and enjoy it
Wolfman:
So thanks Brian for spending time with us. Good Luck in the
current seasons of the SJCBL and the LDMBL.
Brian:
Thanks you Wolfman, it was awesome to talk Strat and about the
leagues I run
Wolfman:
And if a member of the newsletter wanted to contact you or had
some questions for you, is this possible and if so what is the
best way to do it?
Brian:
Sure, they can email me at:
koch2110@yahoo.com
Wolfman:
Can we share your league websites also?
Brian:
Still a work in progress, so don't have one yet. I really hope
to have one for both leagues up and running before the 1985 and
1955 seasons
Wolfman:
All the best and thank you ...
Brian:
Thanks and best to you as well
