GREAT MOMENTS IN STRAT
Have
you experienced a game of Strat-O-Matic so thrilling, unique or bizarre that
you just HAVE to share it with someone? That would be us. Send you Great
Moments in Strat to SOMTalkShow@aol.com. Please include your
name and hometown. Readers like to see that and you deserve the credit.
Why Can’t We All Have Days At Work This
Good?
On
Tuesday, May 15th against the Pirates, Hanley Ramirez was a triple shy of
becoming the first ever Florida Marlin to hit for the cycle. When I saw
the stat on TV that no Marlin had ever hit for the cycle, I was surprised,
wondering how many other teams had not had a player hit for the cycle since the
1993 season.
Either
way, I sat down on Wednesday, May 16th, to play a 2006 Marlins replay game at
the New York Mets. Steve Trachsel took
the hill for the New Yorkers and promptly surrendered a leadoff triple to
Ramirez to start the game. The Marlins got to Trachsel
for a 4-run 1st inning, bringing Hanley Ramirez up again in the 2nd inning
where he hit a single to left field. Two innings later, Ramirez sent a Trachsel offering into the left field seats for a
solo-HR. It was at this point that I realized that just one day after he
almost did it in real life, Hanley Ramirez was on pace to hit for the
cycle in my Strat replay.
We go to
the 6th inning where Hanley comes to the plate with two outs and
nobody on. Needing a double to hit for the cycle in just his 4th Major
League game ever, Hanley rolled on Trachsel's
card. The result was something to the effect of DO 1-16, SI* 17-20.
Anticipation built while the 20-sided die rolled around on the table … 11 !
Hanley Ramirez had just done something that no Marlin had ever done, and just
one day after he nearly did so in real life! Hanley also came up in the
8th inning and walked, but couldn't get up another time to try and get hit by a
pitch. This whole incident got me thinking of several things:
How many
other gamers have had someone hit for the cycle? I know we constantly
hear the agony of gamers (like me) who have never experienced a no-hitter, but,
this being my first ever time someone hit for the cycle, is hitting for the
cycle in SOM also extremely rare? How many gamers have NEVER had that
happen?
All of Hanley’s
hits involved in hitting for the cycle came off of poor Steve Trachsel. How many times has one pitcher given up a
single, double, triple, and homerun to the same batter in the same game?
It's not quite as bad as giving up back-to-back-to-back-to-back jacks, but it
still would be pretty humiliating for a pitcher.
Finally,
what is the all-time record for fewest cumulative MLB games before hitting for
the cycle? If this had occurred in the same game in real life, it would
mean that it took Hanley Ramirez just FOUR Major League appearances to hit for
the cycle. It’s hard for me to believe that wouldn't be the all-time
record.
It is
always said that Strat emulates real life, but this
game was just flat-out scary considering he had nearly done it 16 hours before.
Scott Dicken
Wild Man Lets it Fly
In a recent Florida Marlins 2006 Replay game against the Chicago Cubs, Cubs relief pitcher Scott Eyre had some control problems. In fact, he walked Reggie Abercrombie, then proceeded to roll a split-die 1 on THREE CONSECUTIVE ROLLS. Since Eyre’s WP rating is a 20, Abercrombie made his way around the bases and scored before the next batter, Chris Aguila, had a chance to hit. Never seen that before.
Scott Dicken,
5 No-Hitters and Counting in 1972 Replay
I have been playing the game since
I was 12 and have never put it down since. I have been reading Great Moments in
Strat for awhile and am amazed at the amount of
people who have been playing for years and have had few, if any, no-hitters. I
am replaying the 1972 season, the full 162 games, and I have had five no-hitters.
In the National League, Ferguson Jenkins no-hit Cincinnati 9-0, Don Sutton no-hit
the Giants 5-0, and in my only ever perfect game Steve Carlton retired 27 in a
row to beat the Mets and Tom Seaver 1-0. What is
especially heartbreaking is that Seaver allowed only
one hit. In the American League, Roger Nelson no-hit the A’s 3-0 and Dave McNally
no-hit the Red Sox 5-0. I am really lucky, I guess, to be blessed with having
so many no hitters. They are truly exciting.
Christopher Van Hauter,
[Note from Glenn Guzzo:
Although I have been on the winning and losing end of various no-hitters in
draft leagues, no-hitters are easier to come by in replays. No-hitter droughts
occur with gamers who play mostly in draft leagues, with collections of great
teams, or in seasons known for their offense – such as the 1920s/1930s,
1961-1962 and the offense-charged seasons since the mid-1990s.]
More Thrills from the 128-Team Tourney
It seems like I have one of these every month! Either I'm really lucky, or I play a lot of games. Or both.
This month's great moment came during my 128-team tournament, best of five series, cards and dice, using the "advanced only" teams from 1969 through 1984, eight teams from each year.
It was the opening game of the series between the 1977 Pirates (.593) and 1981 Phillies (.551), the 40th of the 64 series in round one of the tournament.
At a glance, it looked like it would be a pitcher's duel, Steve Carlton (13-4, 2.42) vs. John Candelaria (20-5, 2.34). A closer look at the hitting cards, however, revealed that these two teams could clobber even the best of lefties.
Rennie Stennett (.336, 63 on-base chances vs
lefties!) led off the Pirate first with the first of his five hits on the day,
but
Meanwhile, the Pirates got to
Stennett led off the 9th with his 5th hit of the game, and Garner singled him to 3rd. Reed tired, Dave Parker at the plate, and here comes Tug! He fans Parker, but Robinson and Oliver get him for RBI singles, we’re all tied, 7-7, after 9.
Gossage and McGraw batted through a scoreless 10th, and Tug gets the first two Pirates in the 11th, but a hit by Parker and a double by Robinson make it 8-7, headed to the Phils’ last licks. Greg Gross led off the Phils’ 11th with a pinch-single, but the Goose fanned Unser and Rose, bring up Mike Schmidt with two out, and a man on first.
1981 was a monster year for Schmidt, batting a career high .316, 31 homers in just 354 ABs. Gossage was just as formidable in ‘77, 1.62 era in 133 innings, 151 strikeouts, just 78 hits. He has no hit chances vs. RHBs, just a couple of lonely walks. A classic confrontation, power against power.
1:5. Homerun, and ballgame, 9-8 Phils.
Jim Beauchemin, NY
V is for Victory Via Verdin
In a replay of the
In the 1st quarter, Verdin fielded a punt at his own 4 and sailed 96 yards for
a TD. In the 2nd quarter, Verdin returned a punt 81
yards for another TD. Later in the 2nd quarter, Verdin
decided to take it easy and coasted only 67 yards for a third TD.
The only other points the Colts put
on the board was a meaningless 24-yard FG by Dean Biasucci
late in the game. The only response from Mike Tomczak
and the Cleveland Browns was a 5-yard TD pass to Michael Jackson and a 22-yard
FG by Matt Stover, both in the 2nd half.
The final score:
I should add that I had tried to
replay this game a couple of days before but made a critical mistake and gave
up. Boy, am I glad I came back to this game and started over!
David Solomon,
Short and Sweet!
I got a
few new seasons rosters for my Computer Version 12 and wanted to do a short
season. I started with the 1949 season, having each team play 12 games. Boy was
it fun. And something that has never happened for me before – the winning team
was unbeaten. And it was the Detroit Tigers winning the American League. They trailed
several times, but they always found a way of winning – 12-0, amazing!
Cleveland
and Chicago were next at 8-3, while the real
A Hockey Card More Legendary Than the Man
My
friends and I started a league using the cards from the 1988/89 season (I
believe). That year I had Barry Pederson, who had a Goalie Rating on a 5 on the
Outside Shot. It became legendary.
We had 2
conferences of 6 teams and a 32 game season (own conference 4 games other
conference 2 games). Top 4 each conference made the playoffs. 1 vs 4 and 2 vs 3 best of 7
series winners advance. My team, the Boomtown Rats, was playing poorly at
the mid-point, in 5th place 4 points out of 4th.
This is
when Pederson started to turn it on. For the second half of the season he carried
the rest of the team. He had a fine pass and could walk inside admirably (if he
so desired) but he seemed to have a goal seeking missile from the outside. The
second last game of the season he scored a hat trick. All the goals coming from
the outside! What was even scarier is that it seemed like every shot he took
was a 5 on the Outside, even if he didn't score he was putting fear into the
opposing team. 1 game he had 7 shots and 6 scoring chances (5 Goalie Ratings +
Goal 1-17(?)) he scored twice that game. He finished second in the league with
24 goals behind Mario Lemieux and his 29. The
Boomtown Rats pulled a trade deadline deal dishing Joe Nieuwendyk
for RW/RD Gary Leeman and G Bob Essensa.
This cemented the Boomtown Rat's rise. Pederson had been carrying the team and
they managed to move into 4th by the trade deadline. Once they got Essensa and Leeman they became
nigh unbeatable. They won the last 6 games of the season with the line of Bob Errey - Barry Pederson - Gary Leeman
finding the clutch offense. Pederson got 4 game winners in those 6 games.
Boomtown finished in second, 3 points back of
They
swept their opponent (Brent City Rollers) in the first round 4-0 with
games 1 and 2 going to OT. Pederson got the Game 2 OT winner again on the 5
from the Outside. Leeman got the Game 1 OT winner
while playing the point on a fortuitous OT PP, he walked in from the point and
scored, Pederson assisted.
Game 3
was a miracle game. Early in the first Essensa got
injured in a goalmouth scramble after a rebound. Linseman
was the likely culprit. No penalty on the play either. We got into penalty
trouble and found our backup (Don Beaupre if I
remember right) was unprepared and we found ourselves down 5-1 halfway
through the second. Pederson picks up a loose puck and rifles it.
SCORES! 5-2. He wins the faceoff and Leeman jumps on a loose puck with a clear path to the net
but can't beat the goalie, the rebound comes out and Pederson was there for the
easy tap in. 5-3. The opponent takes a timeout and play ends 5-3 going to the
third. An early goal by fourth liner Chris Nilan
closes the gap to 5-4 but the opponent seems content to play the trap and give
up the odd outside chance. Big Mistake! about halfway through the third
Pederson collects the puck at centre and is being forced to the boards so he
fires off a seeing eye puck that ties up the game! The hat trick for Pederson!
The final minutes tick away trading chances but it looks like OT for the
third straight game. Steve Larmer - Denis Savard - Dirk Graham line pulls the last card and get a
shot from the outside. Save Faceoff! Pederson goes to
the coach and says "Put my line out. We'll end this". After a
timeout, with less than 40 seconds on the clock, the Pederson line comes
out but Leeman is at the right point and Larmer is on the right side. Pederson is facing off against
a master, Ken Linseman. Pederson wins the draw back
to Leeman who feeds a pass to Larmer.
Larmer wires it but the goalie gets a piece of it.
Somehow Pederson eludes The Rat and pokes it in with 2 seconds left! His
4th of the game and the winner!
Pederson had
5 goals 2 assists in the 4 games.
Next Opponent - The
The Gotham Ghosts pretty much went start to finish in first
place. They have Messier, Yzerman,
Final Opponent - Les Canadiens
de Montréal
This team
isn't as stacked as
In memory:
Barry Pederson and the 5 on the Outside Shot.