Help a first timer

[The Last Druid]

In Strat-O-Matic defense is involved in the ratio of 30/216. Thus about 1 outcome of the dice in every seven rolls will be determined by your defense.

The 30 defensive chances are broken down as follows:
C 3
1B 2
2B 6
SS 7
3B 3
CF 3
LF 2
RF 2
P 2

The catcher's arm is more important than his defensive (range) number which is the least important of all the positions in Strat.

OF arms are very important, particularly in pitcher's parks where less runs are scored and an extra base means more.

Clearly it pays to concentrate your defensive efforts up the middle.

You can do fine with one 4 in the outfield. Luzinski for example has worked well for me. He has a decent error rating and arm which attenuate the negative effects of his range.

I personally always use 1's at SS unless I get Banks or Pesky.
At 2nd base the only non-1 I use is Hornsby.

A big advantage to 1' s in the infield is increased double play opportunities.

One of the teams I posted earlier in the thread has a middle infield of Pesky and Hornsby. Their offense compensated for the defense.

I never use a 3 in CF. I tried Hack Wilson twice. His offensive stats were good but the teams stank.

Hope that helps inform your choices of players.

[Munich_Man]

[quote:d982f7f587]My advice is to get out while you still can![/quote:d982f7f587]

Don't worry, you have made some good moves, and are getting some good advice. Mr. muttdoc merely means that if you quit now, you will avoid being sucked deep, deep down into the swirling maelstrom of exquisite torment that is ATG strat addicition. It starts harmlessly enough, with a single team, usually a bomber team like the one you are putting together. You are seduced by the thought of actually managing Babe Ruth and having him hit 80 HRs.

The ghosts of glory past begin whispering in your ear...

Soon, the season starts, the euphoria fades, you need the thrill of the post-waivers Frenzy, or, heaven forbid, a REAL Frenzy. You need the doubt, indecision and eventual satisfaction of making 100 roster changes before the season starts, not knowing if you really do have a good team, but knowing you do, nonetheless.

You start to think...

Can I win with a pitching team? Maybe I should try another Bomber team. I want to try a different park. What would it be like to have Cy Young-- THE Cy Young!-- on my team? Or Mays, or Hornsby...

You need another team. You take another crack at the Strat pipe.

You are doomed.

I can afford a 5-pack... it's just a few one less night out with the family, we can buy mac & cheese instead of going to the Olive Garden, right? Sure we can...

I pity you my friend. Welcome to our world.

(_)ß

[LMBombers]

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/atg2/team/team_other.html?user_id=77186

OK, Thanks for the advice. This will be the last time I post this team. I have made so many changes, sometimes even going back to a player that I had cut earlier. I keep trying at 1B and every time I am told the person I picked sucks. Maybe that is why I found him on the free agent list to begin with.

I dumped Yogi. I hadn't noticed his throwing error potential until you guys pointed it out. I dumped Garvey at 1B which everyone says really sucks even though his card vs RHP looks very good to me. I have gone with all 600 PA guys except at catcher so I shouldn't have bad injury problems. With my pitching I am going to need to score 7 runs a game to have any chance I think, maybe more. What scares me worse than my pitching is the fact that I have two teams in my division playing at 0 BPHR parks. I assume that I still need to play to my HR park where half my games will be played.

Anyway please take another look at these guys and let me know the ones in worst need of replacement. I will then just live and learn from experience at that point.

Thanks guys.

[Rob55]

I think your team is much better now. You need a lead off man though. I would dump Slaughter for Keller so I had a lead off hitter. I think the pitching might need a little work yet.

[Simon31]

It's the ultimate ATG question...can I score more runs than I give up with this team? I like what youv'e done. Solid defense. Slaughter provides good OBP which you need to combat the pitching parks in your division. I've found you can somewhat skimp on starting pitchers IF you have a couple decent arms in the bullpen. Konstanty will help you there. I think it's a pretty good 1st attempt at a bomber team. You sometimes need to tweak bomber teams during the season. I look to see where I'm at around game 100. You can't wait too long sometimes to make needed changes. Best to try and trade first otherwise, the FA will more than likely have somebody in there to fill gaps considering the depth of the talant pool.

[Simon31]

I haven't used Keller at all. I'm only speaking from experience I've had with certain players. Slaughter has turned my team around more than once from the FA. Keller might be ok too. See? Already the 2nd guessing starts! Curses ATG II for my addiction! Hey! Don't bogart that Ruth! :P

[NEILKAHN]

You are doing fine. I meant the addiction thing. Soon you will be lying awake nights ruminating about things like the relative merits of this player or that. Your wife will approach you for sex and you will instead want to show her your latest Bomber Squad, and finally, one morning you will find yourself, slack jawed, staring at the screen, a puddle of drool at your feet, unable to decide whether to put Denny Walling in vs. righties when the other team has one going games 1 and 3 and he is injured for two games.

[Simon31]

Whoa! All that happened just last night! :shock:

[raslavens]

Keller instead of Slaughter. Definitely. (Move Ruth to RF, Keller in LF).

[crackerjaxon]

Good cheap catcher platoon: Parrish/Yeager

I'd try to get Cecil Cooper to play first.

I like Gorman Thomas-- great D, cheap, and he will hit a lot of dingers.

Furillo will produce in right and hit well there if you can get him.

Draft your pitchers from the dead ball era-- not a lot of BP HRs on their cards.

Mever eat at a restaurant named Mom's. Never play poker with a man named Doc.

What the hell do I know?