Six resolutions for 2012 I will try not to break

Happy New Year to everyone out there!! 

Now that the new year is upon us, I guess it means it’s time to reflect.  Here are my resolutions for 2012 (the APBA-related ones, at least): 

1. Update my league’s web site more frequently

I’ll admit it.  Our league’s website is kind of in a state of disarray. It has some great features like its all-time register and leaderboards as well as its Hall of Fame. But it doesn’t get updated as quickly as it probably should.

You’d think with someone like me who runs a site like The APBA Blog as well as a few others, I’d be all over that but I sort of let it slide. With my league’s help (hint, hint, if you’re reading this guys), maybe I’ll do better in 2012.

2. Do a Season Replay

I’ve been a pretty solid APBA baseball league participant for some 30 years now. Yet, I haven’t done an honest to goodness baseball season replay for some five or six years. My buddy Brando and I had a 1979 NL replay going pretty good for a while (we passed the All-Star break) until we just burned out. These days, he and I will occasionally pick out a couple of teams and do a mock World Series but that’s been the extent of it.

However, I’m on my way to rectifying this. I’ve already bought the 1966 season from APBA (I even did a stop motion video of me unpacking the box). I haven’t decided exactly what the parameters of the replay will be. To me, that process is part of the fun. No doubt, you will read about it here on the blog.

3. Provide coverage on APBA sports other than baseball on The APBA Blog

I think the APBA Blog has grown a lot in the past year. There’s more traffic, more interaction, and people just seem to be having more fun here. But let’s face it, it’s primarily a baseball-only website. Not only that, it’s focused on the boards and dice game ignoring computer APBA. That’s not intentional. It’s what I know. And you know what they say… “Write what you know”.

I have made some overtures to some “experts” if you will, on other APBA sports (and computer APBA). I’ve been asking them if they’re interested in writing a post or two about their particular topic of interest. I’ll be pursuing this more in the coming year to make this truly an “APBA” blog.

4. Get those league stats in on time (or earlier)

To Mike Bunch, my dear commissioner who is the best one in the world, I commit to getting my league stats in earlier. This past month, I sent my stats in four hours before they were due. Sometimes, I cut it even closer.

Mike takes a lot of time out of his life for our league. The least I could do is get them in a more timely fashion.

5. When it comes to my team, don’t go for the quick fix

You all probably know what I’m talking about.  You’re in your annual league draft and instead of picking the outfielder with lots of future potential but has no playing time and a crappy card, you pick the A* reliever who’s probably already got a bum arm going into the next year. 

Wait, you don’t do that??

In last year’s league draft, I dropped Jacoby Ellsbury in lieu of a rookie draft pick. Arggh!  We all know how Ellsbury turned out this year (1-4-5-6 and two 11s). No more will I draft “cards”. In 2012, I resolve to look to the future for my Twin City Thunderchickens.  With two last place finishes in a row, it’s time to get some franchise players on the team (Ellsbury would have been nice, eh?)

How’s this for a start? According to our rules, Stephen Strasburg is eligible to be dropped for a rookie pick. Nope, he’s taking up a roster spot all year. I’ve learned my lesson.

6. Have fun!

This one is easy. I love APBA.

Again, I wish everyone a happy new year.  May all your dice rolls in 2012 turn up 66s!