Solving the SOM puzzle more import. than baseball knowledge?

[travelingjack]

I've only been playing SOMO for two months so maybe I don't have enough experience to judge, but it just seems like solving the various mysteries of SOMO is more important than actual baseball knowledge. I'm talking about things like certain player cards underperforming, arranging pitchers using the advantage of having to name lineups for all three games of a series instead of being able make lineups for ind. games, HAL oddities, etc.

It's difficult to predict how a team will do because individual player performance varies so widely depending on matchups, (I know, real life is like this somewhat but it seems exaggerated in SOMO). I don't really see much of a pattern among winning teams, seems kind of random other than offense seems to be the most important element to winning. Teams with one dimensional offensive players seem to win more in SOMO than in real life. I am around .500 with several 2010 teams, I think I need to go for more offence and worry less about defense (except SS and CF) since it seems like offense is heavily favored.

Some people probably like the puzzle aspect of SOMO, I suppose it can be good to be more unpredicteable. Luck of course is also a factor in any game and in real life. However, it seems like baseball knowledge should be more important to winning than it is in SOMO. Look forward to hearing what other opinions are out there.

[apbastrat]

I'm new to Strat also, after 20+ years of APBA. I concur with your questions and look forward to reading responses. What I have noticed - both on here and, especially in the computer version, is that lefties are almost useless. Sure, Cliff Lee or Lester or CC will throw a gem here and there, but overall, lefties seem to get crushed with all the +LH batters. This, for better or worse, really wasn't that big of concern with APBA. I understand that the right ballpark will help, etc., but overall, I think lefties get shafted in Strat. Still love the game, but I'm going to start avoiding lefties like the plague. In real life, a quality lefty is treasured, in Strat it's a gamble at best. I think you get value out of lefty relievers for a batter or two - like real MLB - but a lefty starter has in my opinion a very narrow window of success.

[geekor]

IMHO, it's better to just consider the cards Player A and Player B than attaching a name to them. The data (cards) are all that really matter.

Buy the ratings disk and compare the data. some guys even have complicated formula's on top of that that considers the home ball park, defense, speed, etc to give player a ranking (see joethejet, etc).

[Mean Dean]

I think everyone who has put in large amounts of time in face-to-face leagues has encountered a guy who didn't follow baseball and nonetheless could win every year ;)

[J-Pav]

[quote:df91be49a4="blackjack57"]I don't really see much of a pattern among winning teams, seems kind of random...[/quote:df91be49a4]

:D

[J-Pav]

[b:494178f113]blackjack[/b:494178f113]:

Try this...

http://forums.sportingnews.com/viewtopic.php?t=625538

[J-Pav]

[quote:3c456fd7e3="apbastrat"]What I have noticed - both on here and, especially in the computer version, is that lefties are almost useless. Sure, Cliff Lee or Lester or CC will throw a gem here and there, but overall, lefties seem to get crushed with all the +LH batters.[/quote:3c456fd7e3]

Useless like this?

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/stratomatic/team/team_other.html?user_id=317090

:D

[J-Pav]

[b:13a9bb4109]blackjack[/b:13a9bb4109] and [b:13a9bb4109]apba[/b:13a9bb4109]:

Welcome to the addiction -

[apbastrat]

Well J-Pav's team certainly shows me wrong....lefties in Miller Park, I'll have to try that sometime. Now I find out I'm in a league with him - watch his lefties kill me and watch him kill my lefties.

[Knerrpool]

For me, trying to find those value cards is one of the best parts of the game. It's a thrill to see a guy you paid $2.68 M for third in the league in batting and fifth in runs scored. Or seeing your $3.24 M starter win 20 games and throw 200+ innings.