GREAT MOMENTS IN STRAT

 

 

ALMOST LIKE 1969 AGAIN

Recently completed a replay of the 1969 season with dice and cards at the advanced level.  Took 10+ years to finish, although I did take two breaks for other Strat projects, including nearly one year sampling Strat football, hockey, and basketball (all very good by the way but, to me, just can’t match the playability and realism of baseball).  I was as true as possible to the number of pitcher starts and position player at bats.  I did not, however, include any trades and I honored my own injury rolls.

          My AL played out pretty much the same as the actual 1969. Baltimore took the East by 22 games (real 19 games) over the Tigers.  Orioles 114-48 (real 109-53).  Twins took the West by 22 games (real 9 games) over the A’s.  Twins 103-59 (real 97-65).  The playoffs were a different story as my Twins came back from 0-2 to win the AL pennant 3-2.  My MVP was Frank Robinson, with .330, 42 HR, 147 RBI (real .308, 32 HR, 100 RBI). The real MVP was Harmon Killebrew.  My Cy Young was Mike Cuellar 29-6, 1.82 ERA, 7 shutouts (real 23-11, 2.38 ERA, 5 shutouts).  The real CY Young went to Cuellar (!) and Denny McLain.

          My NL was anything but the real thing!  Cardinals 97-65 (real 87-75) took the East by 1 game over the Mets 96-66 (real 100-62) and 5 games ahead of the Cubs (both 92-70!).  My Giants 94-68 (real 90-72) won the West by 1 game over the Dodgers 93-69 (real 85-77).  The dice gods did not like my Braves 76-86 (real 93-69!). Not one, but two separate 13-game losing streaks did my Braves in.  Unreal.  My Cards won the NL pennant over the Giants, 3-1. My MVP was Willie McCovey with .318, 59 HR, 151 RBI (real .320, 45 HR, 126 RBI). The real MVP was McCovey!  My Cy Young was Juan Marichal, 26-6, 2.51, 7 shutouts, 25 complete games (real 21-11, 2.10, 8 shutouts, 27 complete games)!  The real CY Young winner was Tom Seaver.
 
         My World Series went to the Cardinals, 4-3 over the Twins.  Gibson went 2-1 with 3.00 ERA and a complete-game, 4-hit shutout in Game 7.
 
         Highlight was a perfect game by Gary Peters over the A’s. Some close calls but no other no-hitters. I have now played about 3,000 games of Strat and that game by Peters is still my only no-hitter.
 
         This was an unbelievable project – my wife called it my job.  It was anything but that!  Of course, having said that, I will NOT do another entire season replay with cards and dice!  I could go on raving about the realism of both the individual and team stats but, as Strat players already know, this game is incredibly accurate given, of course, the “luck” of the roll of the dice. 

 

Bob Siefken, Bishop, CA

 

 

3 EXPOS STRIKE TWICE

 

I am sharing my post of my game two result where the minnows, the 1969 Expos blast 6 homeruns to beat the 1996 Indians, 8-6. The Tribe took game one, 7-4 and, Montreal had only hit a 12-team worst 19 homers coming in.

 

Game 2: 1969 Expos (J. Robertson 5-16, 3.95) vs. 1996 Indians (C. Ogea 10-6, 4.79)

The expansion Expos put on a show as Bob Bailey, Rusty Staub and Mack Jones each hit a pair of homeruns as Montreal beats Cleveland 8-6 for the game two split. Bailey’s homeruns were both 2-run shots and he ignited three consecutive homeruns with Staub and Jones off of Chad Ogea in the 4th. Albert Belle homered for the Tribe. Dan McGinn got the win with three scoreless innings of relief. Jose Mesa allowed Bailey’s 2-run homer in the 9th and took the loss. Montreal came into the game with a league-low 19 homeruns before exploding.

 

1969 Montreal 000 401 012  8 10 3

1996 Indians    001 122 000  6  9 0

W-D.McGinn (1-0,3.79) L-J.Mesa (0-3,5.11)

HRs: Mon-B.Bailey 2(5), R.Staub 2(4), M.Jones 2(8)

Steals: Cle-Vizquel, Lofton, Mon-Wills

 

Records: 1969 Expos (7-27) 1996 Indians (14-20)

 

Frank Albidone

 

TIGERS TALE

 

I just finished a 15- game replay of the Detroit Tiger’s 1934 season (154 plus 3 rain-out ties). In a game against the Senators, the Tigers were mounting a comeback in the top of the 9th. The score was 4-2. With no outs, and runners on 2nd and 3rd, hopes were high in the Detroit dugout. But Pete Fox lined into a triple play. Talk about sudden death! No joy in Mudville..

 

On another note, I was dissatisfied with the number of errors (too few) committed in replays of the 1911 Athletics and the 1934 Cardinals seasons. So, before starting Detroit’s season I – OH NO! – altered the fielding charts, adding a few error chances instead of outs. It seems to me that poor playing surfaces and inadequate fielding gloves prior to World War II contributed to the higher error rate, compared to more recent seasons. The result of my tinkering: 159 errors in 157 games by the Tigers; the actual season result had been 156 errors in 154 games.

 

Dave Donovan, Oakdale, CA

 

 

THAT 70s SHOW – The Season Finale

(For more on Cary’s Best of the ‘70s project, see the April 2018 Talk Show)

 

The 1976 Reds storm through the 36-team tournament and take it all. They went 20-3 in the tournament, a winning pct. of .870.

Here are the results:

PLAY IN SERIES:
N16 1972 Astros defeat 1972 Cubs 3 games to 1
N15 1971 Cardinals defeat 1979 Expos 3 games to 0
A16 1979 Angels defeat 1973 Orioles 3 games to 2
A15 1977 Red Sox defeat 1975 A’s 3 games to 2

 

ROUND ONE:
1970 Orioles (A01) defeat 1972 Astros (N16) 4 games to 0
1977 Yankees (A02) defeat 1971 Cardinals (N15) 4 games to 3
1972 A’s (A03) defeat 1971 Giants (N14) 4 games to 3
1973 A’s (A04) defeat 1976 Phillies (N13) 4 games to 2
1972 Pirates (N12) defeat 1978 Yankees (A05) 4 games to 2
1977 Phillies (N11) defeat 1974 A’s (A06) 4 games to 2
1971 Orioles (A07) defeat 1973 Mets (N10) 4 games to 3
1978 Dodgers (N09) defeat 1979 Orioles (A08) 4 games to 0

1977 Dodgers (N08) defeat 1976 Yankees (A09) 4 games to 1
1972 Reds (N07) defeat 1975 Red Sox (A10) 4 games to 3
1974 Dodgers (N06) defeat 1971 A’s (A11) 4 games to 2
1970 Reds(N05) defeat 1977 Royals (A12) 4 games to 2
1979 Pirates (N04) defeat 1978 Red Sox (A13) 4 games to 3
1970 Twins (A14) defeat 1971 Pirates (N03) 4 games to 1
1976 Reds (N02) defeat 1977 Red Sox (A15) 4 games to 0
1975 Reds (N01) defeat 1979 Angels (A16) 4 games to 3

 

ROUND TWO:

1970 Orioles (A01) defeat 1970 Twins (A14) 4 games to 2

1978 Dodgers (N09) defeat 1977 Yankees (A02) 4 games to 3

1971 Orioles (A07) defeat 1972 A’s (A03) 4 games to 1

1977 Dodgers (N08) defeat 1973 A’s (A04) 4 games to 2

1975 Reds (N01) defeat 1972 Pirates (N12) 4 games to 0

1976 Reds (N02) defeat 1977 Phillies (N11) 4 games to 0

1979 Pirates (N04) defeat 1972 Reds (N07) 4 games to 3

1974 Dodgers (N06) defeat 1970 Reds (N05) 4 games to 2

 

ROUND THREE:

1979 Pirates (N04) defeat 1974 Dodgers (N06) 4 games to 2

1976 Reds (N02) defeat 1971 Orioles (A07) 4 games to 0

1978 Dodgers (N09) defeat 1975 Reds (N01) 4 games to 0

1970 Orioles (A01) defeat 1977 Dodgers (N08) 4 games to 3 

 

SEMIFINALS:

1976 Reds (N02) defeat 1979 Pirates (N04) 4 games to 1

1970 Orioles (A01) defeat 1978 Dodgers (N09) 4 games to 1

 

FINALS:

GAME ONE

1976 Reds      000 001 602 – 9 12 1

1970 Orioles   012 001 000 – 4 11 0

 

GAME TWO

1976 Reds      000 101 102 – 5 10 1

1970 Orioles   001 010 301 – 6 9 0

 

GAME THREE

1970 Orioles   020 200 000 – 4 7 0

1976 Reds       000 000 000 – 0 4 1

 

GAME FOUR

1970 Orioles   001 000 002 – 3 8 0

1976 Reds       310 000 30x – 7 11 0

 

GAME FIVE

1970 Orioles   002 000 012 000 – 5 11 0

1976 Reds       001 002 110 001 – 6 14 2

 

GAME SIX

1976 Reds      000 001 100 – 2 9 0

1970 Orioles   000 000 100 – 1 10 0

 

The 1976 Reds join the 2003 Marlins (winners of 32 team 2000-2009 tournament) as prestigious winners of a top-teams tourney.

Cary Cardinale, Lincoln, CA