Well, I can't get around it--BALANCE

[honestiago1]

I drafted a slugging team, played them in Anaheim (then drafted flyball pitchers -- duh! [it was a Weaver team -- HR's, good def, good SP's; well, s'posed to be]). Tried non-traditional leadoff men (Greenwell, CMartinez, even Cal led off a few). Just can't get around it -- ya need dinky fast table setters. I'd rather have a AA, 1-17 with an OBP of .333 leading off, than a led foot with an OBP of .370 who runs at 1-14 and can't steal. From now on, I go St. Louis style in the lineup

Rabbit (AA BS)
Rabbit (Lefty)
Rabbit (who hits for average)
Jack Clark (or equivalent)
Token clutch hitter (Pendleton, McGee type)
Slob with power
OBP guy
Defense guy
SPeed-Defense guy

Or something like that. I just FEEL better with fast runners at the top of the lineup.

Tell ya what works well (as many of you know). Draft your studs middle of the diamond, then fill the corners with cheap platooners. Top off the roster with a couple of DEF replacements/pinch hitters, and Viola! Competitve roster (okay, well maybe).

So, no more themes for me! From now on, I draft for BALANCE (except for the complete sinkerball/knuckleball pitching staff I'm going to someday draft: Hough, Neikro, Candiotti, Sisk, McDowell, Quiz, Tekulve, Trout (anybody got any suggestions for the last two spots?).

[bjs73]

Balance is the key to this game. Draft for balance but I will add this one aspect:

BE STRONG IN AT LEAST ONE ASPECT.

Whether it is pitching, OBP, Relief, Runs Scored, etc. (There are many areas here just fill in the blank.) You definitely need one dominant aspect with a balanced team to be successful. Complete balance only gets you over the .500 hump. Your strong suit will take you to the playoffs.

[honestiago1]

We drafted a computer league team here, using 80s players. I snagged Ripken and Sandberg with picks #1 and #2, then drafted 3 relief pitchers. A few picks later, more RP's. I ended up with a team that had, basically, 4 closers and a setup guy (Howe, Henke, Sutter, Dibble and Eichorn). We ran 5 seasons, and the worst that team did was 82-80. Every other year, they won 90+ games. Bullpen did it, obviously.

[Outta Leftfield]

...that is, balance is important but be very strong in at least one area. Might be bullpen, as above, might be starting pitching, might be up the middle defense, might be OBP, power or speed. I guess, taking the issue a step further, be balanced everywhere but be strong in an aspect that is favored by your home park. For example, it doesn't help much to be balanced in the Kingdome if you can't hit significantly more HR than your opponent. In Royals, you'd better have excellent OBP, etc, etc. If you can be very strong in two or three areas, that's even better.

For me, it's generally OBP or SLG (depending on the park) + up the middle defense + starting pitching. :wink:

[honestiago1]

How come outa's covered in, like, four areas? THAT's "balance?" (j/k)

I like strong SP, usually, b/c if you get to the playoffs, good SP's can get you through the 5G series ('course, ya gotta get there first!).

I play Astrodome a lot, so I guess that plays in, EXCEPT that the 'Dome improves EVERY pitcher who plays there. One of my teams even blasted 202 HR's one year, playing dome (so I don't know WHAT the strength of THAT team was -- OBP, I think).

Hey, I was just wondering -- does STRAT do a good job of simulating the effect of a LH hitting #2 man, hitting behind a base stealer on first (take advantage of the opening)? Or does it really matter L vs. R in the Strat game?