Worthy of a new thread: Garcia's reply to Big Ric:

This is the ATG forum, but I do not understand why the resources were not put into reviving the 1969 online set instead. As for the history, most of us understand that Americans like Randy Bass and were marginal/failed MLB players who hit it big in Japan. That is a big flag that stats are not comparable.

I must say just the fact they noticed how strongly opposed many were and listened is very encouraging news. In fact it is the most encouraging news for me in a long time regarding Strat online.

I must say just the fact they noticed how strongly opposed many were and listened is very encouraging news. In fact it is the most encouraging news for me in a long time regarding Strat online.

Indeed. It is good to know that they are really trying to give us what we want!

This is good news on many fronts as you have all noted, but most especially on the "we are listening (reading)" front. There are any number of priorities that we have listed elsewhere to which the Japanese and Cuban player cards should take a back seat. While we do not know exactly what MLB cards will be added (though a few mouth-watering names and years were dangled out there -- night crawlers to our large-mouth bass selves), there are more than enough possibilities to satisfy our ravenous hunger (MVP, Cy Young, better representative cards of existing players, under-represented teams -- or weak positions on teams).

I would have no problem with adding the Japanese League players (including Randy Bass, Charlie Manuel and Ralph Bryant) but only in a Japanese ATG format. There are many of us who would be curious to see just how imposing Nomo, Matsutake and Tanaka really were in their own time and place. And many of us would love to discover some of this history (I heartily recommend Robert Whiting''s You Gotta Have Wa, an inside look at Japanese baseball as well as The Chrysanthemum and the Bat). Transposing these players to MLB does a disservice to all involved.

The problem with the integration of the Japanese and Cuban players probably also goes to the fact that for many (most?) of us, SOM is about nostalgia, and obviously nostalgia is something very personal. Japanese League players just don't register on most people's nostalgia meter. Sure, I'd love to see Charlie Manuel's glorious 1980 season with the Kintetsu Buffaloes since I was living in Japan at the time, but I'm probably in the minority, and I really think that Manuel's season can only be understood in the context of the Japan League of the time.

Yes, bring back the 1969 season (or 68 or another year) as some have argued for. But also think about bringing in a Japanese League ATG. Maybe we can create nostalgia after the fact.

Bill

PS It just dawned on me....wouldn't the inclusion of Cuban league players go against the American embargo?

Great news indeed that SOM was listening. The Japanese and Cuban Players should be added ONLY in an unleashed fashion or option add. Hoping that teams lacking in representation have players added and past players requested are added as well. Now I can't wait for ATG 8 to come out!

but only in a Japanese ATG format

I think strato may be ignoring a huge revenue source here. I think an effort to develop a full Japan league would have the potential to capture the imagination there. And if they could have a game dedicated to Asian leagues and manage to market it well to the Chinese market... I don't mean throwing a bone of a handful of Japanese players with discounted stats to regular ATG. I mean a full fledged game dedicated to showcasing the history of baseball in that part of the world. It could be a financial game changer for the company.

but only in a Japanese ATG format

I think strato may be ignoring a huge revenue source here. I think an effort to develop a full Japan league would have the potential to capture the imagination there. And if they could have a game dedicated to Asian leagues and manage to market it well to the Chinese market... I don't mean throwing a bone of a handful of Japanese players with discounted stats to regular ATG. I mean a full fledged game dedicated to showcasing the history of baseball in that part of the world. It could be a financial game changer for the company.

I think you're absolutely right, Valen. This could be incredibly exciting and might even bring in some fresh blood here. I would love to see how the Japan League would play out. And learn something about the Korean League. And I'm pretty sure that there are many thousands in Asia would be tickled to see this as well.

Hey we could start a Japanese Barnstormers ..... Ahhhh soooooooo

China has a billion people and a growing prosperity, growing middle and upper class. Might need to think in terms of millions of new people if there was an ATG game dedicated to baseball in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, etc.

The cuban angle probably not financially viable as not enough stateside to care and not enough on island who could afford to own computers and shell out the money for 5 packs on a regular basis. But I am certain an asian game would return huge profits if it was just those leagues and cards constructed to replicate their actual numbers against whatever competition they faced that year.

I'm sorry, maybe I'm alone in this line of thinking but...

SOM isn't really listening to us.
Why in the world would they add Cuban / Japanese cards into the ATG set?
Did anyone even ask for them?

Had there NOT been an uproar in the community and emails sent complaining to them, we would have those cards added to ATG 8.

I mentioned this in another thread. Had they added new cards every month like they were suppose to, I believe this mess could have been averted. Garcia could have posted that Strat was thinking of adding these cards into the next batch they release and then asked for any comments.

My 2 pennies... I don't care how this all pans out with these cards. Add them or don't add them. "Unleash" them or not.
Like many others here, I'd like to see a lot of the weaker teams in Strat get help. That can make for better team based them leagues. ie. Ken Caminiti added to help the Padres. Only if his MVP year is added.

On that note, I'd like to see a players MVP year included. If you were an MVP, that year needs to be included.

visick