# Player Data

There is a wealth of information about a player at the top of his player card. Here's what it all means..

### Name

Each player's name is generated randomly and has no impact on his performance. Re-naming a player is allowed in some commissioner run leagues - depending on league specific rules. Over the years, there have been plenty of funny and head-scratching names generated at random. You may find some of the Crazy Names in CSFBL entertaining. Speaking of interesting names, some of you may be interested in learning a bit of the CSFBL history. If so, you can travel back to the early days of CSFBL, by checking out The Story Of Winthrop.

### Position

Each player has a primary position - and their defensive ratings are specific to that position. If a player plays out of position, his range (RA) and glove (GL) ratings will be worse than at his primary position (*See below). Arm (AR) rating is not impacted by playing out of position except for players playing catcher out of position. The actual reduction depends on the degree of difficulty of the new position compared to the primary position. For example, a shortstop playing first base will not have a significant drop in performance, but a first baseman playing shortstop will.
*Specific details can be found in Playing Out Of Position And Position Changes.

### Bats and Throws

The hand by which a player bats (L)eft, (R)ight or (S)witch and the hand he uses to throw (L)eft or (R)ight. A "S" indicates a switch-hitter. There are no switch throwers. Switch-hitters will always bat on the opposite side of the plate from the opposing pitcher. Keep in mind that left-handed throwers are penalized for playing C, 2B, 3B or SS. Also note that right-handed batters typically hit better versus left-handed pitchers and left-handed batters typically hit better versus right-handed pitchers. Along the same lines, right-handed pitchers typically do better when facing right-handed hitters, and left-handed pitchers typically do better when facing left-handed hitters.

### Age

The CSFBL player pool has prospects as young as 17 and veterans that play into their 40s. Players age one year at the end of each season, and the effects of aging will take their toll and will be reflected in their ratings. As young players age, their ratings increase. As older players age, their ratings decline. Not all ratings peak and decline at the same rate or the same age - speed (SP), for example, peaks early, whereas discipline (DI) peaks late. Similarly, not all players peak at the same age (some blossom early, some are late bloomers), and not all players decline at the same rate (some decline rapidly, some decline slowly). Generally, players should reach their peak performance (i.e. their potential ratings) sometime in their late 20's, but not all players reach their potential.

### Experience

How many years of experience a player has accumulated. Experience is increased by one year after each season in which a player had at least 130 plate appearances or 30 innings pitched. Experience has no impact on performance in the game, but players with at least 1 season of experience count against Front Office Salary and reduce the money available for investing in development, drills, and scouting.

### Height and Weight

This data is purely informational. Height never changes - players are assumed to be at their adult height when they start playing professional baseball. Weight can change over time, especially as a player ages and his ratings change (young players who bulk up in their 20's, older players who slow down and get a little porkier, etc.). These characteristics have no significant impact on game performance (but some say a tall first-baseman with a good reach is worth something).

### Salary

The amount of money a team needs to pay a player this season. Player contracts are automatically re-negotiated at the end of each season, and players automatically re-sign with their team. Although CSFBL does not impose any strict salary cap, all public league teams have $50 million to spend, while private leagues have varying caps ranging from$25 to \$75 million. Money not spent on salaries is used towards player development, drills, and scouting. You cannot negotiate a player's salary; they know what they want, and they are going to get it - unless you cut them. Free agents (FA) will lower their salary demands as they sit on the free agent list hoping to land a job.

### Drafted

Players who were signed during the annual Amateur Draft will show which team drafted them, where they were drafted, and what year they were drafted. If you click on the draft year, you will be taken to a page with a detailed view of the draft where you can compare the player's performance to the rest of the draft class.

### Acquired By

The player card shows how a player ended up on their current team, via draft, trade, or free agency.