Archive of SportingNews.com's old SOM Baseball forum

I have read that it is possible to determine what year you have of each player. How do I do that? What's the secret? How can you tell what year you have?

I am assuming that you are referring to one of the mystery card games (70s or 80s). You should ask these type of questions in one of those forums.

The single best way to determine what year card you have is through injuries. When a player gets injured in a game look back through the box score to see what the play was when he became injured. For instance maybe it was a HBP. Then see what pitcher he was facing and determine if he is a LHP or a RHP. Lets say you find out it was a RHP. Then go to your injured hitter's card and click on each card year and see how many of the 5 possible cards he as a HBP +injury vs a RHP. Maybe there is only 1 year and if so you have just determined which card you have for that player. Often times it might be 2 or 3 possible cards. Write down this info for later reference. Maybe next time he will be injured vs a LHP which might eliminate more cards.

Beyond injuries look for HBP. All HBP come from the hitter's card and sometimes a hitter has no HBP chances vs a L or R pitcher. If so you can eliminate that year as a possible card. Some weak hitters are a W power (no BPHR chances) and have no HR results at all on their card vs a L or R pitcher. If that player hits a HR you can eliminate a card where he has no chance of a HR.

Pretty much everything else is watching his overall stats and his split stats vs L/R pitchers to make your best guess.

Thanks for your thorough reply. I follow you and have determined some of that information as you described. Thanks again!!