** Strat Thoughts with Bruce Bundy **

Now for the STRAT THOUGHTS column July, 2015,

Bruce Bundy presents:

Ideas for Your Play with Strat Baseball

If they roll your way, YOU WIN
-- If they do not YOU LOSE!

Bruce Bundy:  

Hi All!  Heys!

Here's some effective ideas to utilize when you are in SOM League Play that includes either a 20 team Netplay league or a 12 team Face-to-Face league scenarios:
 

**  Keep using "off the cards" tactics --- by doing so, especially against the top 20 starters in your league, you can defeat the pitcher's low card total advantage by eliminating that good pitcher's card for every roll an "off the cards" tactic will be attempted. 

By properly using such "off the cards" events like sacrifice, squeeze play, and hit and run - 3 times in a game (let's say for each 36 ABs) against a top pitcher like the "2014" Adam Wainright, you have lessened these type of better (ace) pitchers' advantage by almost 10%. Furthermore, the more times you can effectively use your "A" and "B" (hit and run rated) players in any game gives you more chances for a positive HIT result.  Pitching will obviously be around 33% more effective in a 20 team league, and this calls for even more use of these "off the cards" tactics.

**  Use the TOP10/TOP20 player concept to build your 25 players --- Use any ratings system you like, be it mine (Bruce's), SOMWorld's, Yahoo, or even MLB.com - but make sure your everyday starting lineup is all in the TOP 20 players at each hitting position in your lineup.

In building a team, a basic goal should be to aim to have the most TOP10 players at each position as well.

**  Read Your Schedule of Your League Play Games --- make sure the schedule is correct and you know what's coming up for your team. Forewarned is forearmed!!

**  Using Your Starters --- keeping your starting pitching in the game longer will deplete an already weakened bench of your opponent quickly because the lineup is already loaded  with the best players against the pitcher in the game.  Know how to figure the  "Point of Weakness", and keep that pitcher in as long as you can - DO NOT PITCH WEAK (unless the pitcher has under a 10 onbase total).  Visit the mound if you have any doubt about the pitchers' status.

**  Stay in control of your Player's Usage -- - there are too many times when one's lack of discipline in this area will result in a team's player usage winding up failing their manager.  If you are going to overuse, do not come unprepared.  Having a replacement player standing by is highly recommended, or have your new trade ideas already implemented before the overuse takes place -- especially in those leagues where "its TOUGH to get anyone to make a trade!"  If you are wise, you can turn this situation to your advantage. This is a risky approach, however!  Do not use this tactic if you have already qualified for your league's playoffs.

**  Utilize a 6th Starter  --- With a good study of your opposition's OPS vs. lefties and righties, you can successfully interweave a 6th pitcher into your rotation.  Few Netplay or 12 team Face-to-Face leagues usually require you to announce your weekly rotation thus -- everyone just uses the "Generated" Pitcher Scheduled rotation in their CM (Computer Manager).  With the proper homework, you can get that R2R starter to face the strong Right-handed Batting teams in your league. 

I know, it is tough giving up a roster space, but, it will be well worth your while to do so by reducing your relief corp by a member.  To maximize your best pitching in the most situations will help your team embrace more Starter matchups to your advantage - which helps to get you into more winning situations indeed.


**  Play Your Games First  --- By doing so, you can effectively cause changes in your opponent's game approach (usages and in-game strategies).  Knowing your opponents have fallen further behind will seldom increase their team's chances for making the playoffs.  Make the other guys sweat!  It will also seriously effect the success of other teams in Netplay leagues by causing everyone to play large amounts of games in their last block (or week) of games.  Just a little assistance in this department goes a long way for the stability and longevity of your team within your league!
 

**  Please consider Your League's Connections --- Strat-O-Matic's Netplay makes it possible to not only play Strat Baseball on the Internet, but play it at blazing speeds. Even using all the games bells and whistles, games can easily be completed in under 10 minutes. Even with this amazing part of the game, the main issue that still is of concern is a health of a gamer's connection to the Internet.

Many people do not know what is their Internet connectivity, yet, it is a vital link to enjoying online gaming, such as Strat-O-Matic's Netplay. The various and numerous rainbow types of Internet connections makes it so NOT ALL INTERNET CONNECTIONS ARE MADE THE SAME. With enough bad
connections, people will abandon their league.

Being up front about your connection speed helps greatly, and paying for an adequate speed to
accommodate the league is the courteous thing to do. There are Hamarachi leagues available for those who do not have an adequate Internet connection bandwidth. If your league has this problem, seriously consider checking your league managers' speeds and connectivity before notifying Strat-O-Matic Support by emailing at:

techsupport@strat-o-matic.com
 

**  If they roll your way, YOU WIN!  If they do not, YOU LOSE!  --- Keep good sportsmanship in mind at ALL THE TIME!  Show COMMON COURTESY when you are playing!  It takes EVERYONE's time and effort to make a Strat League a FUN league!  No argument is worth spending a lot of time arguing over to make a decision, then just move on!  If you find the decision unacceptable, then find another league!  There are many, many, many Netplay leagues out there which you can find listings for at on the Game Company website at:

http://www.strat-o-matic.com/community/league-registry

Other league registries are also available, such as using the Official SOM Forum:  http://www.stratfanforum.com/forums/forum.php

Step into a new league if you are not happy with the current league's rules, or the way they are being maintained.  Save everyone the additional pain of confrontation.  You will be happier, and so will the rest of the good-natured managers in this league.

If you see how many league opportunities are actually available, you should realize that there are few reasons to cheat to win or be non-conforming.  If you read the league Constitution and rules, and keep your personal strategem inside the box, you should be having a good time out there - WIN or (gasp) LOSE!  So......

Have a good time out there!  Go Strat!!!!


Bruce Bundy

(Wolfman: If you have a question for Bruce Bundy, he is open to consider to answer it in a future edition of this column. Please feel free to send it to me at: wolfman@ultimatestratbaseball.com -- and I will make sure Bruce gets your question to be considered for a future issue in his column. So do any of our readers have a great question to ask Bruce?

Bruce Bundy Website: http://www.cba-bb.net/Bundy.htm

Link to his Small Ball Video - take a look: http://users.wowway.com/~faust05/bb1.flv