Digital Diamond Baseball User Manual Version 5.0.4 February 23, 2015 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. QUICK START GUIDE 3 2. MAIN GAME TABS 3 2.1. THE HOME PLATE TAB 3 2.2. THE BROWSE REAL LIFE STATS TAB 3 2.3. THE BROWSE SEASON STATS TAB 7 2.4. THE BROWSE CAREER STATS TAB 8 2.5. THE ORGANIZATION TAB 8 2.6. THE TRANSACTIONS TAB 8 2.7. THE REPORTING TAB 10 2.8. THE PLAY TAB 11 2.9. THE NOTES TAB 15 3. THE MAIN MENU 16 3.1. THE LIBRARY MENU 16 3.2. THE PLAYERS MENU 19 3.3. THE TEAMS MENU 22 3.4. THE SEASON MENU 29 3.5. THE OPTIONS MENU 35 4. LEAGUE PLAY 54 5. CUSTOMIZING PLAY-BY-PLAY 55 6. CAREER MODE AND FICTIONAL LIBRARIES 58 7. PLAYING THE GAME WITH REAL DICE 60 CREATING CUSTOM PLAYER IMPORT FILES 61 7.1. IMPORTING PLAYERS FROM ANOTHER LIBRARY 61 7.2. CREATING CSV IMPORT FILES USING THE LAHMAN DATABASE 62 7.3. IMPORTING CSV FILES INTO A LIBRARY 62 7.4. CREATING CSV IMPORT FILES FROM DATA ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB 64 7.5. UPDATING DRAFT LIBRARIES AND FOLLOWING ALONG WITH THE CURRENT BASEBALL SEASON 68 8. HOW THE GAME ENGINE WORKS 68 8.1. EXPLAINING NORMALIZATION 68 8.2. HOW BASIC PROBABILITIES ARE CALCULATED 70 8.3. HOW RATINGS ARE CALCULATED 72 Digital Diamond Baseball User Manual Version 5.0.4 Last modified on February 23, 2015 1. QUICK START GUIDE When you first run Digital Diamond Baseball, you will be asked to agree to the End User License Agreement (EULA) and enter your product key. If you are using the trial version, and do not have a product key, you can play a three inning game by clicking Cancel when asked to enter your product key. To play your first game just complete the following steps: 1. Select the Play tab. 2. Highlight the first game in the schedule pane located on the left-hand side of the Play tab. 3. Click on the Play Selected Game button located in the tool bar above the schedule pane. This will populate the lineups and starting pitchers for both teams using the as-played lineups on that day in baseball history. You may be asked to confirm the execution of any player transactions on that day. 4. Click the breen Play Ball! button located at the very bottom of the Play tab. This will advance you to the Play Ball screen. 5. Click the Start button located in the Control panel near the bottom of the screen. The Control panel contains buttons for all of the offensive and defensive actions you can perform during a game. By default you will be managing the home team and the computer will be managing the away team. 6. Click the Pitch button in the Control panel to throw the first pitch! To learn more about playing games with Digital Diamond Baseball, see Section 2.8. 2. MAIN GAME TABS 2.1. THE HOME PLATE TAB The Home Plate tab serves as “one stop shopping” for information about the current season. This tab contains several different reports summarizing the state of the ongoing season. These reports are displayed in a “carousel” view that will automatically transition from one report to the next. If you hover the mouse over a report, the carousel will pause so you can read the report. 2.2. THE BROWSE REAL LIFE STATS TAB The Browse Real Life tab displays the real-life statistics and ratings for all of the players in the current library. The top table on this tab displays the real life batting, fielding, and running statistics for all players in the library. The bottom table shows the real life pitching statistics for all players in the library. Each of these tables has two tabs: the first tab displays real-life statistics and the second contains player ratings. Players that do not meet the minimum playing time requirements (plate appearances or batters faced) will be displayed in red. If a player did not meet the minimum playing time requirements, their Page 3 of 74 Digital Diamond Baseball User Manual Version 5.0.4 Last modified on February 23, 2015 performance will be adjusted towards the library’s average performance. Players that are currently inactive will be displayed in a grey italic font. Retired players are hidden by default on this tab. If you wish to show retired players, click on the Filter toolbar button. Retired players will be shown on this tab in green. In addition to real-life statistics, the Browse Real Life Stats tab also contains rating tables that show a players’ pitching ratings, hitting ratings, running ratings, and fielding ratings at each position. The statistics listed in the batting and pitching tables are self-explanatory. However, the ratings are what ultimately determine the player’s performance and should be explained in more detail. The following lists describes the ratings used to simulate a player’s performance at the pate, on the mound, on the bases, and in the field: At the Plate and on the Mound: • OUT%: This specifies the probability that a batter will make an out (not counting a strikeout), or that a pitcher will get a batter out (not counting a strikeout). • SO%: This specifies the probability that a batter will strikeout, or that a pitcher will strikeout a batter. • BB%: This specifies the probability that a batter will walk, or that a pitcher will give up a walk. • 1B%: This specifies the probability that a batter will hit a single, or that a pitcher will give up a single. • 2B%: This specifies the probability that a batter will hit a double, or that a pitcher will give up a double. • 3B%: This specifies the probability that a batter will hit a triple, or that a pitcher will give up a triple. • HR%: This specifies the probability that a batter will hit a home run, or that a pitcher will give up a home run. • BNT: The bunt rating for a player. This represents the odds that a batter will be able to successfully execute a sacrifice bunt. This rating will typically be between 1 and 5, with 1 being the best and 5 being the worst. However, during a game this rating will be displayed as the actual probability of a successful bunt, and will include game factors such as if the infield is in. • RN: The run rating for a player. This represents the base running ability of a player and is used during a game to determine how likely a player will successfully take an extra base. His rating will typically be between 1 and 5, with 1 being the best and 5 being the worst. • Dur: The durability rating for a pitcher, which indicates how many batters a pitcher can face before they are susceptible to becoming fatigued. Pitcher durability ratings are displayed in the game interface using one of two formats. The first format is used for pitchers with the same starter/reliever durability. For example, a pitcher with a starter and reliever durability rating of 27 will have their durability rating displayed as (27). Using the second format, a pitcher with a starter rating of 21 and a reliever rating of 14 will have their durability rating displayed as (21|14). An indication of how many batters a has faced will always be displayed next to the pitcher’s durability rating. For example, if a pitcher has a starter rating of 28 and a relief rating Page 4 of 74 Digital Diamond Baseball User Manual Version 5.0.4 Last modified on February 23, 2015 of 12, and that pitcher has faced 9 batters, their fatigue status will be displayed as (28|12)/9. This means that, if they started the current game, the pitcher can face 19 more batters before they are susceptible to becoming tired, and if they are being used in relief, they can face 3 more batters before they are susceptible to becoming tired. Once susceptible, a pitcher will only become tired if they allow a batter to reach base, or if they start an inning while susceptible to becoming tired. On the Bases: • STL: The steal rating for a player. This represents the odds that a runner will be able to steal a base given he gets a good lead. If the runner does not get a lead they will not be able to attempt a steal until the next batter comes to the plate, and could possibly get picked off! • LD: The lead rating for a player. This rating represents how easy it will be for a runner to get a good lead and attempt a steal. This rating will typically be between 1 and 5, with 1 being the best and 5 being the worst. However, during a game this rating will be displayed as the actual probability of a good lead, and will include game factors such as the pitcher’s hold rating, and if the runner is being held on the base. In the Field: • Err: The error rating for a player. This rating represents the probability that a player will make an error at a given position. The player's error rating at their primary position (the position they have the most fielding chances at) will be displayed using a bold font and a dark green background. Other positions that a player qualifies for are shown with a light green background. Positions that a player does not qualify to play are shown without any background highlighting.