> If you wanted to design and build a " Tabletop Indoor Baseball
> Scoreboard "?

As this is a display, start with what you want it to look like and
work backwards

So, you have

http://n8mni.com/images/dartball%20scoreboard.JPG

Each digit or segment needs to be driven. That's 6 digits and several
other LEDs

>From that you can work out a power supply. The display you suggest

http://www.futurlec.com/LED/7SR40011ES.shtml

is 25mA max (presumably per segment). Worst case, '8', that's 200mA
per digit, 1200mA for the six, add a bit more for the single LEDs

It would be a VERY GOOD IDEA to get at least one of those to see if
it's bright enough. If it is, then the 7A supply you mentioned would be OK

The LED drive can be constant or it can be strobed. IMO there is no
need for strobing. Either get a multi-digit LED driver (Maxim make a
variety) or use discrete drivers/latches

eg http://home.clear.net.nz/pages/joecolquitt/counter.gif

Yours would look a little different because of the 9V needed for the
LED segments

> The two primary needs are low cost

That's subjective. Materially it might not be too expensive, but the
first of anything always costs in terms of experimentation, dead ends,
blow-ups, time etc. Once you have a good prototype of course it
can be reproduced with far less effort

> and ease of use

That will be up to you and your design. If you want to include
reliability in that, over-engineer and don't skimp. A few cents extra
on a more rugged component will save repair time and a red face
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