Archive of SportingNews.com's old SOM Baseball forum

As many of you know, Strat-O-Matic sells a computer disk that has the cards for all of the players broken down (how many hit chances, homeruns, double plays, etc.). It comes in a spreadsheet format that can be read easily into Excel or something else.

For those of you who haven't bought it in the past, but are really into Strat and want to analyze your players' cards, this disk is invaluable. The disk for the upcoming set (the 2008 baseball season) is not available yet, but Strat is taking pre-orders. I just ordered mine.

Here's the joke. Strat-O-Matic still sells the data only on 3.5-inch floppy disk. If you buy it, you need a plan to access an old computer to retrieve your data. They also sell a ratings book. It's the same stuff, but obviously in a book, not an Excel spreadsheet. So, for me, the book is useless - as I like to sort and search the players in Excel.

The 2008 ratings disk is not available until January, but you can place your order now:
Online at www.strat-o-matic.com/eShop/20Review.asp?ProductCode=B2008RD
or, by phone at 1-800-645-3455

Thanks BioMan. I just called and ordered the book. I prefer the book myself. One year I ordered the disk and the ratings go way out off the screen. The main thing I do is compare this player with that player and I found it a little hard to do with the disk. You have to copy the entire player and paste to an empty sheet and then search for the other player and copy them and paste to the sheet as well to compare their ratings.

To me it is easier to open the book to each team page and look back and forth but I'm sure many people would enjoy the disk better. Either way the info is certainly good to have!

Disclaimer....

While the use of the book is helpful it is not an absolute necessity.....I have never owned or even seen a ratings book. I win rings every year in every version of the game. How? By simply reading the cards. The book just organizes it.

this is not a slam against book users just a statenment that you can win without one.

Without a doubt splinter...

But, this book can replace all of the *ahem* questionable reading material you have in your bathroom.


ie. Farm Animals and the such.


I've recommended this book before and I'm going to place my order right now.

What splinter says is most certainly true. You don't have to have the book (or disc) to win at the 20XX game. You don't need www.diamondope.com to win at 1986, 1969 or ATG either. You don't need YountFan's website of accumulated stats from actual mystery card seasons either. These things are only tools for fun, not a must have to win.

You don't need a ratings book to determine that Albert Pujols is more productive than Jason Varitek. :lol:

Good points, guys. I agree with everything said. Well, everything except possibly the questionable reading material in socalchiro's bathroom.

I was actually talking about the stuff in splinter's bathroom.

Just because I have my own shears and a copy of this months EWE NOW! in my private bathroom means nothing....absolutely nothing!

Leave me alone.

[quote:319d4f83e0="socalchiro"]I was actually talking about the stuff in splinter's bathroom.[/quote:319d4f83e0]

Been spending a lot of time in there, I see.

Well, I was just reading the police reports about his bathroom.

There are other things in there, but I won't mention them here.