I'll repeat this but in a simpler way:

HBD doesn't create every player with 100 DUR/100 STM because they want us to utilize full rosters.   Some pitchers can throw 250 innings, some can only throw 40.   Some hitters can get 600 AB, some can only get 100.  And some catchers can play 140 games, some can play 20.    If your complaint is that good players shouldn't be limited in how many AB they can get, I'm not sure you're understanding WifS desire to force us to use full rosters in an effort to mimic MLB just a bit.

Posted by MikeT23 on 1/25/2011 4:20:00 PM (view original):
I'll refer back to this:
DUR is only there so we don't play guys 162 games.   It's not unusual for a SS to play 150 games a season.    But catchers don't.     If the master programming plan is for a guy to only be a defensive or platoon catcher, despite full-time catcher ratings, the only way to make that happen is to zap his durability.   Same thing applies to low inning RP.   Some of the best pitchers in HBD at the 45 IP a year guys. 

Now, I'll ask this again:
So, what's your argument?  That good HBD players should never be limited by durability?  I'm assuming my examples have convinced you that MLB teams do not employ catchers who play 162.   I'm assuming you agree that most teams have a 100 game catcher, a 50 game catcher and a 20 game catcher(or some reasonable facsimile thereof).

Are you troubled because WifS produced a catcher who could be a full-time except for his durability?   Do you have the same problem with the RP who can only throw 40 really good innings?   Or are you OK with that because he's a relief pitcher?

Now, if you want me to answer your silly question, here are two examples of BL players who didn't get full-time AB despite some pretty good numbers:
Kevin Maas '90:  21 homers in 254 AB
Shane Spencer '98:  67 AB with an OPS of 1.321

That's just two Yankees off the top of my head.   It happens.   Players play well but still don't get full-time gigs.

I don't disagree with your argument, but you picked a couple really poor examples of "BL players who didn't get full-time AB despite some pretty good numbers."

Shane "The Home Run Dis" Spencer got his 73 PA in only 27 games (13 starts) as a late-season call-up in '98. He also logged 388 PA in 87 games for Columbus that year.

Kevin "No" Maas *did* get full-time PA once he got to the majors in '90. Once old Donnie boy went down to injury, Maas was called up and started on a regular basis. Of his 79 game appearances that season, 18 were at DH, and 57 other at 1B (53 starts). 

Again, your point is valid, but as a Yankee fan I expected you to do better with the Yankee history. By the way, I had a chance to see Maas play in the minors, and that rookie season of his is great evidence that you just never know what may happen in baseball.

I'm pretty sure Spencer broke camp with the Yanks and was sent down.   Not sure how much he played before that.

Maas was called up in June/July.    So, yeah, he was a bad example because he played full-time after the call-up.    I was gonna use Wynegar in '83 instead but he got 300 AB and hit .296.   But Maas was more impressive.

But I must admit it's pretty easy to find a C who raked and played part-time.   Ron Hassey '86 .298 in 191 AB.   Hundley had a good year behind Piazza.  I think Scioscia had a couple of good seasons as a part-time Dodger.  Charlie Moore backed up Darrell Porter and had a couple of good part-time seasons.