Range rating in Strato
OT...@umcincom.bitnet
Strat-O-Matic baseball was pretty consistent with the amount
of double plays they were involved in. This would make sense
as this rating gives a double play as opposed to only a fielder's
choice or a hit when it is used.
Onward>>>>>
Neil Ottenstein
Internet: ot...@cincom.umd.edu
Bitnet: otten@umcincom
John Fedele
Our SOM league had a number of discussions about player
positioning (George Brett was listed as a shortstop,
in addition to 1B, but not 3B, for Pete's sake!)
I was in favor of letting a player retain his ranking
if moving from a more difficult (but similar) position
to an easier one. For instance, Eric Davis shouldn't
be downgraded to a 4 to play LF, since he's a master
at CF (also listed #1 in RF) Similarly, a #1 SS
should be able to play 3B better than the #4 rating.
Conversely, is it fair to be able to move a #4 fielder
from left field (especially an immobile player like Pete
Incaviglia) and have him play CF with an equal degree of
disability?
We weren't able to reach any consensus, so we stuck by
the rule, with a small caveat: if injuries forced you
to play someone out of position, you HAD to play the
most logical candidate on your bench. It's a gentleman's
game (no $$$) so people didn't make a big fuss, except
when one owner wanted to play Will Clark at catcher. I
think we convinced him that Kelly Gruber was a little
more logical candidate (Are you reading this, Don?)
Marc Sabatella
>add two to an outfielder's best position rating in order to play him in an
>outfield position that he's not rated for (e.g. if he's a 1 in center and
>only plays center, he becomes a 3 in right or left). His e-rating and arm
>stay the same.
I don't have a formal system, but based on my own experiences (playing, and
watching games and reading box scores) moving from one position to another
often manifests itself as an increase in errors, as well as a slight decrease
in range. The fact that you are facing the ball from a different angle,
don't have as much practice gauging your throws, etc all seem to support
increasing the error rating. The range decrease would be attributed to the
difference in split second reflexes required (ask Jose Canseco - which way does
a ball hit to your left break? The answer is different if you are in left or
right field, and Jose always seemed to guess wrong from LF).
I propose worsening the range rating by one when moving from one OF position
to another, or from one "real" infield position to another (moving from 1st to
anywhere else in the infield is probably an automatic 4e38). Moving between
IF and OF is probably worth a 4. Then figure on about 50% more errors on top
of that. Arm ratings between OF positions should probably be adjusted downward
by a point.
Marc
ferg...@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu
I've been playing Strat-O-Matic since around 1970, and suffered
with every other game player until the company came up with 'E'
ratings. In my opinion, this made a world of difference in the
fielding aspect of the game, and increased my enjoyment--despite
occasional disagreements with MY player's range ratings. :-)
This year, SOM has added 'E' ratings on to its chart. For instance,
instead of a maximum 'e48' at SS, you can now be up to and 'e88'.
A super-advanced rule for out of position players has been added, so
we who run leagues don't have to make up our own. Further, a
"cannon fodder" pitching card has been added, so you can pitch your
favorite position player at the end of blowouts. I imagine Curtis
Wilkerson will be getting some innings for me this season!
Anyway, back to our fielding discussion. Sometimes, infielder's
range ratings are affected by their teammate's ratings. I remember
about 1980 that Pete Rose was rated a '4' at firtbase for the
Phillies when Harold Richman (SOM inventor) let on that he really
deserved a '2' there. It seems that Schmidt at 3b was a '1', the
2b-man (Trillo?) was a '1', and Larry Bowa was the Gold Glover, so
they HAD to give him a '1'. If Rose were a '2', said Richman, the
Phillies as a team would turn too many doubleplays. They felt
strongly about Trillo's (?) rating at 2B, so they decided to reduce
Rose's rating at 1B to compensate.
Also, all SOM gamers know that the company sometimes gives improved
fielding ratings to players having a 'career year' at the plate. I
once owned Jack Clark in a league, and while he was a GOOD right-
fielder in his younger days, he did NOT deserve the '1' rating he
got in 1983, when he had an above-average (for him) year at the plate.
Well, better get back on the phone to work for some better draft
picks in the Fly-By-Night league.
Jim Ferguson
ferg...@ncsa.uiuc.edu
David Joseph Grabiner
>If Rose were a '2', said Richman, the
>Phillies as a team would turn too many doubleplays. They felt
>strongly about Trillo's (?) rating at 2B, so they decided to reduce
>Rose's rating at 1B to compensate.
Pursue the Pennant has a better solution. The second baseman and
shortstop have separate ratings for range, errors, and DP pivots. Thus,
if the Phillies would make a lot of good plays but too many double
plays, then Bowa could be given a '-' rating for turning the DP, which
would reduce the number of 3-6-3 and 4-6-3 double plays, changing some
of them into forceouts, without changing anything else. Putting the '-'
here seems fair; if the team didn't turn as many double plays as it
should have turned, then the people who failed to turn them should be
penalized.
--
My name is David Joseph Grabiner.
I am called djgr...@phoenix.princeton.edu.
My name is called David.
I am the person solely responsible for these opinions.