Strat-O-Matic Baseball 365

I think I've picked some stinker ballparks for my last few teams, so I thought maybe I'd look for some outside opinions on the team I just drafted in the Gold Rush league. Unfortunately as far as I can tell I can't post a link to the team because there are no stats yet. If someone knows a workaround for that I'm all ears.

Anyway, here are some details:

$230m cap

Starting Pitchers: Walter Johnson, Doc Leonard, Tiant, and situational platoon starters.

Platoon-heavy lineup, but here are some key hitters:

Lefty: Ted Williams, Helton, Cano, Matthews, Gates Brown
Righty: Josh Gibson (haven't decided on which card yet), Boone, Dick Allen

I'm leaning toward something with more left BPHR than righties, but how homer friendly and what to do for singles ratings is up in the air. Actually to be fair, pretty much everything is up in the air because whatever logic I've been using lately hasn't worked for squat.

Thanks in advance

You and me both. Take into consideration the other team leagues and pay attention to experienced players. See how their stadium correlates with their roster. Make your team strength the priority but once you narrow it down to a few stadiums take the one that negatively affects the majority of your competition if possible. When in doubt go neutral.

You should still be able to post the team. Just go to your roster, copy the URL and paste it here. I just tested it on my computer using a private window so I wasnt logged in and using a team that starts tonight, so no stats. Worked fine.

My understanding is that that won't work, but worth a shot.

https://365.strat-o-matic.com/team/1737724

it worked.

230 million. Wow. Everybody is going to hit the S*%& out of everything, so might as well join in. You do seem slightly more lefty than the other 3 teams in your division, and I think your team is probably a little more on-base as opposed to just raw power as the others, so maybe a mid level, slighly left?

I would be looking at Cleveland 63, maybe PNC 05, or even Safeco 05. Try to neutralize the righties on the 3 other teams in your division, but you dont want to set up some of the lefty power those teams do have for success.

Having that much salary is hard to control anything, so I am not sure how much the ballpark is going to matter given everyone has massive platoons that will hit everywhere.

Sportsman 38. Your RHB power hitters have more natural HR's but still have a shot for some #hr's while it gives your pitchers protection against other teams RHB's with power.

I can completely see Sportsmans 38, and it would be a good choice. I guess I have become leary of taking a super power park at really high caps because everybody hits everything, and with as many starters as most teams seem to be carrying, his team could see a bunch of lefties and neutralize his best platoons.

But, taking Sportsmans 38 would not be a bad move at all.

When the cap is that high, almost every hitter will have maximum ballpark homers while almost every pitcher will have none. And almost every team will be platooned to the gills. In such an environment, parks matter very little. The exception is a lefty park makes lefty SPs viable. Outside of a lefty park they are likely to get pummeled too much to be worth rostering.

Thank you guys so much for the feedback. I had looked at others like Sportsman 38, such as League 34 and Shea 71, both of which I've played a few times so I've gotten some idea of what works. I'd been looking at Olympic 96, which I've never played before but works in a similar (but smaller) way that Sportsman would. I definitely think you're right that a lefty-favoring ballpark is the way to go and let Gibson and the other mashers find their way with natural home runs. And yeah, the ballpark matters a LOT less at this cap, but I like to think I can buy myself a couple of wins with the right one.

Thanks for making this a fun discussion. I have to have a pick in by tomorrow night, so anymore feedback is definitely appreciated. Cheers!

that's an interesting question but do disagree about park selection- totally matters even at high caps. you might want to consider a park that penalizes righties like yankee 71 (8,2,12,1) vs slugging lefty parks. I am not sure you have enough lefty power to out-slug per se but you will send out 8 lefties in the lineup card each night. you would be covered against a lefty pitcher but I would think about the pen a few will not survive a lefty park (or road).

One thing is clear - it's a lefty park. the way I look at it:

you don't have high average (r blue on the cards) but workable - so keep that around 8SI
you have left handed power but certainly not over loaded - so mid range HR like 12
you have one righty and he may be good enough to hit through bad fit parks.
your SP favour left parks
Johnson is prone to the long ball.
your D is aimed at lower scores so help that by not going overboard with coors or something.
your bullpen will be to reviewed as it does not match.
Your division is fairly balanced with lots of good right handed hitter so don’t let them beat you
Opposing teams with Ruth, mantle, and bonds will not be as big of threat

just some thoughts really. lots or right always to these kinds of questions. good luck!
kev