Strat-O-Matic Baseball 365

Many of us here like to build those teams looking to score 10 runs a game, but there are a few different ways to do it. How do you build yours? Let's say it's a 100M league with DH, and you want to maximize run production while still trying to win - so staffs of all nickel pitchers need not apply.

Here's the preferred method to my madness:
- Accept injury risk. With a more limited budget, I feel like I can get better values by taking on guys with 15 game injury risk
- Find a couple offensive gems at low prices - my personal favorites are Dave Henderson in center and the cheap Ripken at third, but I'm sure there are plenty of other good ones
- Go cheap at DH - guys like Hal McRae, Wes Covington, Buck Freeman
- Get one supersub that hits like crazy that can cover multiple position - Fregosi is my personal favorite
- Don't sacrifice OBP for power.
- Don't sacrifice average for OBP - I don't want a bunch of guys who will bat .230 but walk 120 times, because too many at bats results in station by station moves rather than base hits that can knock in a runner from 2nd
- Spend about 20M pitching, about 2/3 in SP- I try to find 5 SP in the 1.5 - 3M range but will occasionally reach down for a Ken Johnson or Charlie Lea as a 5th starter
- Limit the # of LH or RH specialists - with that starting staff, every bullpen guy will throw a lot of innings, and I don't want Joe Sambito facing a string of righties when the rest of the pen is fatigued
- Get one great reliever who can eat innings, then 2 guys in the 1-1.7M range.

I used to play in Hilltop '11 80M DH. Had some success with the guys tearing up the ball. Orlando Cepeda killed the ball and Albert Belle followed up with 51 homers too. I-Rod is durable at C, and Hank Aaron had his typical year. Have the arm behind the plate and CF. Of course, this was ATG VI. No real strategy, just let them hit the ball.

http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/team/331584

Excellent thread Treyomo. But ...

Accept injury risk. With a more limited budget, I feel like I can get better values by taking on guys with 15 game injury risk

Boy this one is hard for me. I can totally see the logic here but am just so risk averse...

Find a couple offensive gems at low prices

Remember one champion team early in ATG. Might have been my first one. I had Petrocelli playing in Fenway of all places hit 40 HRs. One manager in league asked my how I got that production. I had no idea. Just pure luck he doubled up on production.

I don't want a bunch of guys who will bat .230 but walk 120 times

So your saying a walk is not as good as a hit. Man if I had a dollar for every time a little league coach hollered that at me or a saber type touted pure OBP over BA. .....

Playing Polo Grounds41, I want a STRONG Pen, OBP (walks don't disappear in Polo like Singles do), and LOAD UP on POWER

I don't care to spend on starters who will be gone by the 6th inning. I'd rather have cheaper starters on the front end, then a shut down pen later so I can try to outscore you when your starter weakens or departs in the 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th...................

and I actually prefer NO DH when I play Polo41

Treyomo wrote:- Don't sacrifice average for OBP - I don't want a bunch of guys who will bat .230 but walk 120 times, because too many at bats results in station by station moves rather than base hits that can knock in a runner from 2nd

I'd love a whole team of those guys. Walks are as effective as singles when you rack up enough HRs.

http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/team/386044

With you on gems, injuries, supersub.

For my bomber teams I prefer to try and insure I can lead the league in runs, first and foremost that is what I need to do, because my theory is get the opposing starting pitcher out and start making HAL run through the bullpen logic as soon as possible. With many choosing a super reliever you can thereby get the superreliever in too soon and hopefully bomb him out as well, leaving the rest of the pen to mash against.

The best ballpark for this strategy to me is Fenway '67. In there I try to pick a team that will lead the league in batting average, doubles, runs scored and hopefully OBP, but not as a result of the most walks. Additionally, since there will be a lot of at bats with that park, I try to get the best possible defense I can while maintaining the quest for the above criterea. The exception to good defense is that I am willing to take anything at first base as the defense does not come into play very oftern there. Right handed hitters for me at Fenway need to be power hitters, they need the 8 BP home run chances on their card. Left handed hitters can be whatever but I prefer them to be good batting average and a lot of doubles.

By far my favorite player at Fenway '67 is Joe Dimaggio 1941, and in order to make him more valuable I select George Brett 1980 and his 6R. Commonly I will have either Eddie Collins or Joe Morgan at 2b and Rickie Henderson in LF giving me a starting lineup of Morgan, Henderson, Dimaggio and Brett which will cause problems for either lefty or righty hitters. Also with all that speed they are very competitive in small ball parks and Morgan and Brett will really inflict damage against all righty teams. My favorite catcher is the 1975 Bench and though he doesn't hit great his typical 35 doubles and 40 home runs along with his defense that is far more valuable than is commonly realized in my experience. Add to that combo Hank Greenberg 1940 a great hitting value first baseman and ano particular favorite at shortstop, I have played Jeter, AROD, Petrocelli, Garciappari, Vasquel, Willie Wells, Wagner all with success and a right fielder usually selected with a look at the other teams in my division in mind, a lot of lefty parks maybe Johnny Callison, alot of righty parks could take Reggie Jackson or even Ross Youngs. Ty Cobb is also ok, though in order to insure my favorites I usually have to let him go.


For pitching I prefer to have one stud reliever - Dale Murray or Dick Radatz since they do not have any ballpark singles on their cards along with a bunch of cheap 6L and 6R's. Frock, Speer are great values still in Fenway '67 despite all the attempts to price them out of the game, I usually try for one stud starter in order to try and get a pitcher 10-15 games over .500 while the rest of the team treads water.

Jose Cardenal for pinch hitting against lefties and Ron Leflore for pinch hitting against righties as well as substitute baserunners, make a great addition if RIckie goes down for 15. There is not a better value bomber DH than Ron Gant. Typical for just a little over a million at Fenway '67 is 40 doubles 40 home runs 110 runs scored and 120 RBI. Usually an OPS of about .850 -.900. Simply amazing and a 17 runner to boot, taking full advantage of all the opportunities to get on base. My teams are therefore overall very fast and usually in the top 3 in steals in the league.

This has been a strategy for me that has done well over and over and I never tire of these teams!

Charlie