Archive of SportingNews.com's old SOM Baseball forum

In 1982, Manager Joe Torre led the Atlanta Braves to first place in the NL West. The season had its ups-and-downs, highlighted by MVP Dale Murphy, future Hall-of-Famer Phil Niekro, and the wacky antics of Pascual Perez (including [url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1120853/index.htm]August 19[/url]).

A [u:84242c858a]small[/u:84242c858a] part of the Braves was pinch-hitter Ken Smith. The lefty Smith had 47 plate appearances – 46 against righty pitchers and [i:84242c858a]only one[/i:84242c858a] against a lefty. Because he walked in his only plate appearance against a lefty, Smith was given [url=http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/stratomatic/league/player.html?player_id=41250&year=1982]this Strat card[/url]:
[img:84242c858a]http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd418/gfleisig/KenSmith1982.jpg[/img:84242c858a]

Why did Strat make a card for 1982 Ken Smith? Why did [i:84242c858a]The Sporting News[/i:84242c858a] include this player with 63 lifetime plate appearances as an "All-Time Great"?

Even though Smith in real life was a pinch hitter against righties, I am using his crazy, unrealistic card as a platoon firstbaseman against lefties. Smith’s job for me is to walk and then score when Josh Gibson hits a homerun. Here is Smith and my team so far: [url=http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/stratomatic/team/team_other.html?user_id=358286]Birmingham Nationals[/url]. Here are the [url=http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/stratomatic/league/stats_player_batting.html?pos=0&order_by=bb%20DESC&qual=0?user_id=358286]league leaders in walks[/url].

Crazy, but fun. Any comments? Has anyone else used this card?

I tried to post this image:
http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd418/gfleisig/KenSmith1982.jpg
It works perfectly in the Preview on this message board, but not when I post it.

Here is a link to the card:
[url]http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/stratomatic/league/player.html?player_id=41250&year=1982[/url]

Also, how can I post a link to the stats leaders in my league? I tried http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/stratomatic/league/stats_player_batting.html?pos=0&order_by=bb%20DESC&qual=0?user_id=358286

That cards been used plenty...lotsa fun most times too....and the teams are often successful

I agree that the card shouldn't be in ATG. Any more than Kid Speer.

What Kid Speer card? His 1909 card? What's unrealistic or special about that one?

Yeah. He played one season in the bigs and pitched a grand total of 76 innings lifetime. He's had a grossly disproportionate influence in ATG since the beginning.

yeah, Frock and Speer had 15 and 4 wins in the Bigs.

we have had them both win more than 20,000 in ATG

And they aren't used nearly as much now as they used to be because now we have higher cap options, plus over the years their salaries have been increased.

And then there is the 41 AB Joe Birmingham.

How about Johnny Miljus? Career ERA 3.92, WHIP 1.528: Or Chick Brandom and Ben Tincup?

I'm still waiting for my ATG card, base on the 1979 softball season, European AFB League. :lol: