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knockahoma · 01-04-2009, 04:38 PM

Hi Guy.

The 1974 season is one of my all-time favorite. I was about 10 years old and living in Georgia, where Aaron-mania was going wild at the time. 74 was also the APBA season I played (76 strat-o-matic followed, which I felt was a better game).

Excellent article. I'm trying to figure out how defense is applied in this game, as well. I keep starting the 74 season over. The players get different field ratings. And some of them are just... bizarre.

In this last attempt, I based my fielding ratings on life-time stats. Usually that gives me a more recognizable result for most players. But Darrell Chaney, a utility infielder with a good rep at 2b, ss and 3b throughout his fairly long career, arrived with a 3B-1 rating (scale of 10). No 2B. No SS. And I know Chaney went on to start at SS 2 years later for the Braves. So, it wasn't a matter of the AI seeing his last year in the bigs with limited time at 3B.

Since my APBA and Strat-o-matic days, I've always loved the defensive strategies in baseball. It's the 7th inning and you have a 2 run lead. Leave that good hitting 2B in the game, or substitute the slick utility guy for added defense?

I understand the import must go on the stats. But, it's frustrating. Without fail, the Pirates Mario Mendoza comes back at a 3 or 4. I'm old enough to remember the Pirates kept Mendoza (name-sake of the infamous Mendoza Line, the .200 batting average mark), for his superior defense over the regular SS Frank Taveras. The latter was just too speedy to keep on the bench. And yet, the Import shows Taveras to be a much better SS than Mendoza.

Because of this, I tend to stick with seasons I had in Strat-o-matic (which were several). At least, I have an idea what the player's rep was.

But, I also study how the player was used in the context of his team. The manager sure used Mendoza like he was to be more trusted with a groundball. Mendoza lasted several seasons in the majors while hitting like my little sister. He must have had SOMETHING on all those other minor league SS who could hit .184 just as well as Mario could! Scouts and managers must have believed his glove was quite superior. Or maybe he just told good jokes in the locker room!

At any rate, there are definitely clues as to what managers thought of players. The Pirates had a 1b-c-0f lefty guy named Ed Kirkpatric who could flash some power. You'd think he'd be a great backup to Manny Sanguillen. But the Pirates still went out and got a .220 hitting Duffy Dyer as Sanguillen's backup.

I guess with historical defensive questions, one's just gotta read between the lines by seeing how the player was used.

It may not be right, but at least you're following the impressions of the real manager at the time.

01-04-2009, 04:38 PM	#3 (permalink)
knockahoma All Star Reserve Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 792 Thanks: 14 Thanked 77x in 31 posts	Hi Guy. The 1974 season is one of my all-time favorite. I was about 10 years old and living in Georgia, where Aaron-mania was going wild at the time. 74 was also the APBA season I played (76 strat-o-matic followed, which I felt was a better game). Excellent article. I'm trying to figure out how defense is applied in this game, as well. I keep starting the 74 season over. The players get different field ratings. And some of them are just... bizarre. In this last attempt, I based my fielding ratings on life-time stats. Usually that gives me a more recognizable result for most players. But Darrell Chaney, a utility infielder with a good rep at 2b, ss and 3b throughout his fairly long career, arrived with a 3B-1 rating (scale of 10). No 2B. No SS. And I know Chaney went on to start at SS 2 years later for the Braves. So, it wasn't a matter of the AI seeing his last year in the bigs with limited time at 3B. Since my APBA and Strat-o-matic days, I've always loved the defensive strategies in baseball. It's the 7th inning and you have a 2 run lead. Leave that good hitting 2B in the game, or substitute the slick utility guy for added defense? I understand the import must go on the stats. But, it's frustrating. Without fail, the Pirates Mario Mendoza comes back at a 3 or 4. I'm old enough to remember the Pirates kept Mendoza (name-sake of the infamous Mendoza Line, the .200 batting average mark), for his superior defense over the regular SS Frank Taveras. The latter was just too speedy to keep on the bench. And yet, the Import shows Taveras to be a much better SS than Mendoza. Because of this, I tend to stick with seasons I had in Strat-o-matic (which were several). At least, I have an idea what the player's rep was. But, I also study how the player was used in the context of his team. The manager sure used Mendoza like he was to be more trusted with a groundball. Mendoza lasted several seasons in the majors while hitting like my little sister. He must have had SOMETHING on all those other minor league SS who could hit .184 just as well as Mario could! Scouts and managers must have believed his glove was quite superior. Or maybe he just told good jokes in the locker room! At any rate, there are definitely clues as to what managers thought of players. The Pirates had a 1b-c-0f lefty guy named Ed Kirkpatric who could flash some power. You'd think he'd be a great backup to Manny Sanguillen. But the Pirates still went out and got a .220 hitting Duffy Dyer as Sanguillen's backup. I guess with historical defensive questions, one's just gotta read between the lines by seeing how the player was used. It may not be right, but at least you're following the impressions of the real manager at the time.