Hit and run

I'm new to SOM Online and looking for some information on the game mechanics for how hit and run works and how to analyze a hitter card for h&r. Is it more than the letter grade of the hitter? How does the running/stealing ability of the runner factor in?

Chris

The answers to your questions have to be in here somewhere.

The Hit and Run setting works just like the Bunting setting with results corresponding to the respective Hit and Run level of the batter. A significant difference is Hit and Run will more likely result in your baserunner attempting to steal. So I usually only hit and run with a batter who is directly following runners with decent basestealing ratings. For example, your seventh hitter may be an excellent hit and run artist, but if your fifth and sixth batters have terrible stealing ratings, hitting and running would not be optional.

I'm new to SOM Online and looking for some information on the game mechanics for how hit and run works and how to analyze a hitter card for h&r. Is it more than the letter grade of the hitter? How does the running/stealing ability of the runner factor in?

Chris

I think this might be the answer to your question -

The hit and run ratings are A (very good), B (good), C (moderate), D (poor) [I am adding my own word descriptions to add clarity]. In practical terms, the batters are never assigned a A rating - only B through D. To get an A rating for a batter, he must already have a B rating, and then benefit further from the adjustment described below.

When the defensive manager decides to "hold the runner", the batter's hit and run rating is "improved" by one rating. So, a B becomes an A; a C becomes a B, and a D becomes a C.

You can see the hit and run charts here (just scroll down about 1 page - look for the chart for "hit and run"):

http://somonline.wikia.com/wiki/Charts

To explain further, you need a briefing on how the game works with board and dice, over the table. The computer game mimics the die roll results. So, the explanation of the board game is the same provides all the insights for the online game as well:

1. The defensive manager declares his settings.
2. When the offensive manager elects to do the "hit and run", you determine whether the defensive manager was "holding the runner", and, if so, apply the adjustment to the batter's hit and run rating.
3. The offensive manager rolls one black die and 2 white dice. If the black die is 1,2 or 3, you will be referring to the hit and run chart. If the die roll is 4, 5, or 6, you refer to the corresponding column on the pitcher's card (not the hit and run chart), and apply the adjustments specified for the hit and run play (see the chart for the adjustments to game results, only).
4. Apply the game results from the die roll using the procedures described in 3 above.

So, in practical terms, there is a 50% chance that you will be referring to the hit and run chart (on a roll of 1,2 or 3) and a 50% chance of referring to the pitcher's card (with adjustments) on a die roll of 4, 5 or 6.

The adjustments to pitcher card results are as follows (these are listed on the paper charts that come with the board game):

Pitcher Card Printer Result ///// Adjusted result for Hit and Run play

Strikeout ///// A or B hit and run, result is GB 1B C (batter out runners advance 1 base); C H&R rating- BMP; D - BMP
Walk ///// A, B or C hit and run rating, result is GB 2B C (Batter out, runners advance); D H&R rating - BMP
Any single ///// hit and run result is Single ** (runners AUTOMATICALLY advance 2 bases)
Any Double ///// hit and run result is Double*** (runners AUTOMATICALLY advance 3 bases)

For interpreting the chart, and the above adjustments, the following terms are being used :

BMP - means "batter misses pitch", pick card for steal results;
LEADR - means GB (ground ball) to short stop, batter is safe, lead runner is out;
LO-DP - lineout to 2b, double play (lead runner is out as well as batter)

For your reference on other strat-o-matic rules (and hit and run), here are the rules for strat-o-matic:

http://somonline.wikia.com/wiki/Strat-O ... Game_Rules

To get the full understanding of the rules, you should also get the super-advanced fielding and strategy charts and review them. But reading the rules will also help.

** Please feel free to ask more questions on the board here! There's a lot of information to absorb! **

I hope this helps!

Here are some tips for maximizing the effectiveness of the hit and run:

You can adjust the online game manager's use of the hit and run -

- by adjusting the likelihood of using the strategy, on the team strategy page (hit and run "very aggressive", "aggressive", "normal", "conservative", "extra conservative".

-by clicking on the relevant boxes on the "hitter's preferences" page, for each batter if desired - either "hit and run more", or "don't hit and run".

I will usually set the team setting to "normal". If I want to do more hit and run, I'll usually set it to "aggressive".

I will usually click either of the 2 boxes for each batter. Even if a batter is a good hit and run player, if he is also a tremendous batter, you may want to still click on "don't hit and run", since the hit and run avoids the batter's card altogether. You may want to click on "hit and run more" for players with "B" ratings for hit and run, especially if they are otherwise weak hitters. Note that the hit and run is still very effective against poor pitchers. However, if you are having trouble getting on base at all against a very good pitcher who gives up lots of walks, you may wish to hit and run less, since walks on the pitcher's card will turn into groundballs on a hit and run play.

In terms of your lineups - especially at the bottom of the order - you may wish to have a good base stealer hitting just ahead of a good hit and run batter, to get the benefit of the favorable adjustment when the runner is being held.

I generally like small ball teams, and I get a bit of a kick out of a well executed hit and run play.

You can see your team hit and run stats on the "manager profiles" under the stats page.

Good luck!!!

Please ask as many follow-up questions as you want!

Geoff

Geoff:

Awesome reply. That's exactly what I was looking for.

Chris