Total Immersion

[VARoadstter]

Total IMmersion Engine (TIME) -

The PbP system makes an attempt at providing some color commentary and the occasional statistical reference during the games. I'd like the option to turn this aspect of PbP down to the bare minimum (little more than the result of at bats and lineup changes) all the way up to a pseudo-broadcast style presentation. Imagine the PbP being able to do the following:

Here we are in the bottom of the seventh. New York will bring the top of the lineup in to start the inning. So far in the game, Clayton Kershaw has handled these guys pretty well, giving up only a single in the first to Luis Castillo. Manager Manuel is looking over his bench to see if this might be the time to bring in a pinch hitter as the Mets could really use a spark here.

Kershaw has become more hittable as the game has progressed. In the last two innings, the Mets were able to string together some offense and pushed across three runs. Torre got the bullpen started in the sixth but has yet to relieve Kershaw. I would not be surprised to see Torre give the ball to the bullpen if Kershaw struggles with the first batter.

Jose Reyes is ready now and here comes the first pitch of the seventh inning:

Fastball, low and away. The count is 1-0.

Kershaw today has gotten ahead of hitters 75% of the time which may explain why he has only given up 2 walks on the game. Both of those batters started off taking the first pitch for a ball.

Reyes will look to be very selective here. On the season, he has gotten on base 45% of the time when taking a ball on the first pitch. 23 of his 30 walks were reached from a count of 1-0. His batting average has been about the same 1-0 as it is 0-1, as he is hitting .278 either way.

Kershaw looks in and gets the sign. Here comes the pitch. Slider on the outer half of the plate. That evens the count at 1-1.

Reyes looks into the dugout. He may be thinking about bunting his way on here.

Here's the pitch. Reyes drops the ball down the third base line. Here comes the throw from third as he races in to play the ball. SAFE.

Reyes put down a beautiful bunt there. There was nothing Los Angeles could do.

Kershaw looks up and here comes Joe Torre to the mound. It looks like that's going to do it for Kershaw as the manager has signaled for the lefty to come in to face Castillo. On the game, Kershaw gave up 4 earned in six innings. He is responsible for the man on first if he should come home.

etc.

A careful mixture of color commentary and some in game/in season data mining could really bring a lot to the in game play. I, for one, would watch every single game of the postseason in pitch-by-pitch mode if this were done.

Thoughts?

[WarFisch]

The problem is that all of this (to the extent that it is even possible) would have to be written into the game before hand. There is no way the PbP writers could forsee every possible situation, and generic lines wouldn't really work for this. That means that the PbP would end very long and VERY repetitive. My guess is that after the first or second game every will turn this off because the same sentences would keep popping up over and over.

It would be great if it could actually be done well, though.