I would like to start a theme league where you would need to steal "x" number of bases and hit "x" number of HR's to be eligible for the playoffs.   There would be no restrictions on parks, catchers or pitchers.

My initial thought was 100 for each but I think that is a little low.   I think 150 is too high.   Does 125 sound about right?  I want it to be hard but not unachievable.

Any one have an opinion?

How about something like minimum of 100 of each and 300 combined...? Cause I agree that 100 each seems to low and 150 each seems too high, but 125 each doesn't seem to be quite right...

Actually, now that I've started toying around with players I'd draft for such a league, I don't think 150 of each is too high... 200 of each should be achievable even in a league with deadball pitchers and A+ arms... so maybe a 150 ea. min. coupled with a 400 combined min., or just 150 ea.

Count me in Trentonjoe, It would get people out of their pitchers park habits  I'd have the stolen base minimum higher than the homerun minimum. Another Idea would be to just require that they have say 150hr's and 300 steals on their preseason roster so that extreme parks and deadball pitchers don't return a suprising outcome.

I want the surprising outcome!

IMO, I generally like the idea. I do not like doing this and manipulating the details. I'd like to do it with no restrictions on players. The challenge loses its value if we can't draft a catcher who can slow down the running game, or pitchers who can restrict the long ball. That's my opinion, for whatever you think it is worth.

I'd be interested as well. can you really hit 125 Hrs in a league full of deadballers? I'm not sure.

Me either.....

What about with a DH and choose your own AAA?   

Does the DH turn people off?

How does this look?

Swimming Against the Current

A league designed to force you to attempt to achieve what you shouldn't be able to do....

The goal of this league will be to win as many games as possible while hitting a at least 135 home runs and stealing 135 bases.

The deck will be stacked against you, there will be no restriction on what park, pitchers, and catchers can be used.  I tell you right now I am considering using Safeco, a bunch of deadballers and some A++++ arms.


League Specific Rules:

1. To qualify for the playoffs you must hit 135 Home Runs and steal 135 bases
2. Playoff teams will be the "x" best records for the teams that meet this criteria.
3. If enough teams do not make the criteria,  the remaining playoff teams will be chosen by total Homeruns with team wins being  the first tiebreaker and total stolen bases being the 2nd.

Basic Rules:

$80 Cap
You pick 4/2 AAA
WW on (you might need it)
YES to DH
Injuries ON

I always like the DH in a league like this.

 The AAA, tho...4/2? isn't 6/2 the minimum? and what level AAA?

I thought there was a 4/2 and the AAA would be BELOW average.

 Good Idea. Does W-L record matter for the playoffs, or is it only by HRs and SBs? Or is it W-L, as long as you qualify via Hrs ans SBs? Also, I think the SB number ought to be higher to make it a real challenge. Coleman might get 135 all by himself.

Interesting to read all this discussion. I've haven't been playing much but I've already started avoiding HR guys, which is sad 'caus who doesn't like the long ball? What I can contribute to the discussion are the stats from the open league "Statistical Snapshot";

http://www.whatifsports.com/mlb-l/stat_snapshot.asp

Last week (3/2), HR/G was 1.24 and SB/G was 1.93. Looks like home runs are up a tad from months past (1.10 HR/G) and stolen bases are down some from previously hovering around 2.00 SB/G. Extrapolating the March numbers to a 162 average per team, Open League teams had a mean of just over 100 HR and 156 SB per season. So there's that. I suppose that could mean people just don't focus on HR or they are in fact harder to accumulate. Don't really know what my finding indicates but I'd be interested to here all your takes.

Thanks for the info, I didn't think to check there.

I think 135 HR's falls in the difficult range for our purposes here .   I also think 135 stolen bases is probably about right since a significant amount of energy ($)will be spent to try to hit the HR's.  

If someone chooses to take a Coleman type, they'll need to average 17 HR's from the other 8 batting spots.  I think that is hard....

I am going to put the league up today.

OK, but I have to add that in an OL I am currently in, MLB 99161, the 2 league leading base stealers are both '81 Raines, 139/162 and 105/118. And, to make the playoffs, is it W-L record if you meat the minimum SB and HR requirements, or something else?