This Game is Still a Joke. An Apology.

As for fielding "1"'s being way over-priced - I rarely (if ever) regret drafting 2b's or ss's that are "1"'s in the field.

Of all of the cost-benefit analyses, this one may be the most difficult to analyze. There have been some great papers written on this over the years, with the best possibly being a paper written by DeanTSC. I have used that as the basis for a simplified version that I use myself, but that paper gives you all of the tools you need to analyze this. I think I can email it to you if you send me your real life email.

People argued on these boards that Rollins was overpriced in 2011, but I had him on a team (or 2), and I think he was worth the money. I recently drafted a 2012 team with Pedroia at second and Andrus at third, and they're off to a fabulous start. The more I play this game, the more I find that it's really difficult to argue with any strategy that uses 1's at 2b and ss, almost regardless of the player involved or their cost.

An yes, it seems true to life to me. Just my opinion.

The beauty of this game is that there is not only one strategy that can be successful. If you think fielding is overpriced then take advantage of this percieved inequity and use a 2 or 3 or even a 4 at a position where you can get more offensive production for your money.

The same can be said if you think OBP, or any other facet of the game, is overpriced or wherever you feel you can get an advantage.

"1's on defense are waaaayyyy over priced"

Defensive players are not overpriced in my opinion. First of all, there are usually between 750 and 800 "X" dice rolls per season. The "E" rating and range are both involved here. That is a lot of fielding opportunities that can go awry. It may only take 1 out turning into a base hit that can cost you the game.

Here is an example of a completed season I just had. I had Alcides Escobar (SS-1 e16). He only allowed 14 out of 150 batters reach base in a season on the "X" roll. Another team in the league has Alexei Ramirez (SS-2 e17). Ramirez allowed 26 batters to reach base in about the same amount of opportunities. In the same league, Reyes allowed 34 batters to reach base on "X" rolls. He is a SS-2 e24.

Not only does the "1" not allow as many batters to reach base, if you look at the fielding charts, SS-1 also turn more DPs and less GB advance a base.

I think Strato does a great job understanding the importance of the players playing behind the pitcher. The pricing of players is subjective, but they do a pretty good job.

There is give and take on the subject of defense. In Kev's example above Alcides Escobar allowed 20 fewer runners to reach base than Jose Reyes. Now if Reyes offensively reaches base 20 or more times than Escobar then that eliminates Escobar's defense factor. If you throw in how many more stolen bases Reyes will get than Escobar that factors in as well. Reyes likely costs more than Escobar too so then you have to decide if I want the better run scoring ability at that position or a better defensive player and get my offense somewhere else. What about injury rating? The items to weigh in your decision from one player to the next are almost endless.

You can't focus on just one aspect to determine value.

with the best possibly being a paper written by DeanTSC.

When did that guy ever write something that was not useful.

The beauty of this game is that there is not only one strategy that can be successful. If you think fielding is overpriced then take advantage of this percieved inequity and use a 2 or 3 or even a 4 at a position where you can get more offensive production for your money.

The same can be said if you think OBP, or any other facet of the game, is overpriced or wherever you feel you can get an advantage.

Well said. No matter how the pricing formula is tweaked something is likely to be over valued and something undervalued.
Part of the secret is identifying what is what. As relates to fielding ratings all I think you can really ask is that a 1 field better than a 2, etc. From there draft whatever you consider the most under valued. For any team I put on the field there is going to be a 1 at shortstop though.

I had Kershaw in last years set give up Back to Back to Back to Back Homeruns. 2 on his card and 2 on the hitters card. In real life I doubt he has ever given 2 let alone 4 in a row.

That is what I call some bad luck. Odds are against it but some things just defy the odds.

This reminds me of something I read last week. Some lady, think she lived in Vegas, had her wallet stolen. She found out when the thief used her id to obtain checks and was spreading them over town and using the credit cards. Thing is this lady was a waitress at a bar. So she is working one night and a customer orders a margarita. Waitress asks for id and the customer hands the waitress her own drivers license. Quick phone call to police and thief is now in a lot of trouble. I don't know about you but for me that is like Kershaw giving up 4 HRs straight and all on his own card. Stuff happens.

Yes, BlackFinn is misunderstanding Strat-O-Matic in general. If you played every player's card in exactly the same games and same instances as they played in the full MLB season then your stats would probably come out pretty close (and even then you'd still have some differences). Here on SOM online, it is a completely different animal.

Also, to comment about Kershaw's BTBTBTB homers - keep in mind that Kershaw pitched, what, 170 innings or so? Here online, he pitches THOUSANDS of innings. So, certainly, things like that will happen. It's like that saying, that if you had 30 monkeys sitting at typewriters (what's a typewriter?) that one of them would eventually write the bible (or Green Eggs and Ham, or something like that....).

I would like to have that paper by DEANTSC if you would email it to me at buddyshouse@comcast.net it would be appreciated. BTW I am presently playing my 5th season have never made the playoffs but still having hella fun. I used to play the board game as a kid in the 70's. I seem to be getting a little better each season the highlight of my playing was 11 game winning streak.

I had Kershaw in last years set give up Back to Back to Back to Back Homeruns. 2 on his card and 2 on the hitters card. In real life I doubt he has ever given 2 let alone 4 in a row. It is just part of the game. A roll of the dice determines the outcome so it is hard to see any real in this game. Just put together the best team you can and learn the settings. This is the greatest game on Earth as far as I am concerned even with back to back to back to back HR's given up by Kershaw. Oh bythe way I won the game!

it's deja vu all over again

from opening day, Kershaw pitching for me, third inning (I won)

http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/game/267491/1

C.Carter 4-3 Fly Out (RF) fly(RF)x
J.Gomes 3-4 Home Run (CF)
G.Stanton 3-8 Home Run (LF) bpHR 1-15
I.Desmond 5-7 Fly Out (CF)
C.Headley 3-10 Home Run (LF) bpHR 1-15

note the HRs are all on the batter's card

in fact, in the opening series, my pitchers gave up 7 HRs -- ALL on the batters' cards

I would like to have that paper by DEANTSC if you would email it to me at buddyshouse@comcast.net it would be appreciated. BTW I am presently playing my 5th season have never made the playoffs but still having hella fun. I used to play the board game as a kid in the 70's. I seem to be getting a little better each season the highlight of my playing was 11 game winning streak.

I'll do that from my laptop on Tuesday.