HAL cost me a championship last night

Chompsky, can you please explain what you mean by "broken cards"? We all know that certain cards are a better "value" than others, certain cards perform differently in different stadiums, and cards perform differently depending on a whole bunch of other factors. But, I take "broken cards" to mean cards that are intentionally set to perform below what they indicate - in other words a card that shows 3-9 is a single and the result is actually a strikeout. I don't believe there is any of this in SOM Online. But, I may have misunderstood what you meant.

I was making an analogy to another online game called "ChronX." We had "broken cards" (too good for their price) and "crap cards" (too useless for their price). At least that is what we called them there. Some these cards were too good, in large part, because they could be used in some unexpected or unanticipated ways...synergizing or magnifying their anticipated strength.

From reading the forums, it seems many of the veterans believe certain cards are significantly underpriced and/or easily exploited. To the point that many try to secure these cards while at the same time lobby to have them adjusted in some way. For example, many vets seem to identify Dale Murry as one of these cards.


Am I understanding things incorrectly? If I am, it only goes to prove (I think), my point.

Interesting discussion.

I'm not sure about "broken" cards, but there is opinion aplenty regarding the value of any specific card. Having read some of the ATG threads (which I don't play), I know some cards are more coveted than others. But since everyone can list the same cards at the top, that can create value for the guy who avoids what everyone else wants first and creates other benchmarks to shoot for. I only play 20xx, and the "broken" cards of yesteryear have long since been filtered out by dramatically improved pricing. In fact, I think it's completely doable to autodraft the bottom 25 players and build a perfectly acceptable team from the FA pool, even after everyone else has their pick of waivers.

The problem that I think is not being addressed here is the one created from small samples. I've been plaing SOM online for going on 10 years now with a fairly high winning pct. In this year's set, my first four teams went 289-359, including my first 100 loss season in like nine years. It took my next ten teams to make up the ground I lost from the first four. It's silly to assume that anyone is going to take this game up and run away from the guys who have been doing this a long time, especially after playing only a five-pack.

While I sympathize with Hack's big loss, I bet you that situation would be like the 40th worst thing to happen to one of my teams. The difference is, one big loss in five teams is MUCH different than one big loss in 300 teams. I've already forgotten worse things that have happened, but some I remember include: throwing a no hitter and losing the game - twice; losing a Game 7 on an error by a 2e4 second baseman; losing a finals when the opposing team steals home; losing a wildcard on the third tie breaker; losing the wildcard when the third place team in the division goes 15-0 in the last five series; heck, you can start a whole thread like this because it happens to EVERYBODY. But collectively, it only happens one percent of the time. Unfortunately, that one percent has to happen to somebody. Just remember that over a long sample, these things will even out. For every tragedy I can remember, there was an equally opposite outcome in my favor in some other league, given enough time.

Play more teams, and try and ignore the individual outcomes of any one season, and see things from (at least) a five to ten season perspective.

For any newbs that might be interested, I'm not doing my Secret Formula post like years past (here's last year's post if you're so inclined: http://forum.onlinegames.strat-o-matic. ... 2&t=627397 ). Although this year it's (again) more of exactly the same stuff, it's still a little veteran perspective on strategy and what not. While I don't think there are any particularly amazing individual card values, there's still plenty to learn from what only on the surface appears to be an "easy" game.

Another GREAT POST J! Thanks for being there for the SOM bereaved. Please come back and play some GOBL Leagues again. Hack, my major condolences... J is again, right on though. I wish I had a credit for every heartbreak loss - Whether missing the postseason on the last day or the 7th game of the Finals. Know what? I never went over the play by play and card rolls the past 10+ years. And I think it has served my sanity well. GL next time. It really does even out in this great game of probability and statistics. Robert

I'll share this, for what it is worth. Percentages do favor a 7 over a 2 or 12 etc.

The % chance of a roll is as follows:
2- .028 or 2.8%
3- .056
4- -083
5- .111
6- .139
7- .167
8- .139
9- .111
10- .083
11- .056
12- .028

Dennis