http://www.strat-o-matic.com © 2017 Strat-O-Matic Media, LLC Winter 2017 Pre-orders begin: Jan. 31 Cubs WIN! ... and at SOM: Feb. 10 Pre-orders for Opening Day pickup will begin the Other Reasons to same day as all other pre-orders. However, those coming for Opening Day pickup don’t have to rush Relive the 2016 to be among the first to call. Season The 2016 Major League sea- Promising talents such as An- son has a one-line resume to se- drew Benintendi and Alex Breg- cure its place in baseball history: man debuted late in the season. Cubs Win! On the mound, rookies Mi- That the lovable losers did so chael Fulmer, , for the first time in 108 years and Alex Reyes and Colorado fire- did so in an extra- Game 7 baller Jon Gray sizzled. after falling behind three games Rookie closers Edwin Diaz to one against Cleveland – the in Seattle and Seung-hwan Oh AL team that had gone the lon- in St. Louis helped make this gest without a title the Year of the Reliever with a Strat-O-Matic Journeys – makes the story line that much record 15,894 pitched, sweeter and the what-if replays enough to supply whole seasons with Strat-O-Matic all the more for 11 teams. Baltimore’s Zach into the App Universe irresistable. Britton was 47-for-47 in saves • Card Viewer can test the card viewer before But like a spirited girlfriend with a 0.54 ERA. Mark Melan- product delivery begins at noon. who will drive you crazy in ev- con saved 47 with a 1.64 ERA. • Baseball 365 That setup will take place in ery way imaginable, the 2016 Kenley Jansen had 47 saves, • Basic Baseball a new Strat-O-Matic studio that season was weird and wonder- a 1.83 ERA, a .150 av- will be used for YouTube and ful, making it the must-have sea- erage against and struck out Helping gamers play in more other video content in 2017. son for any gamer. 13.6 men per 9 innings. Aroldis places and on more devices, Check out this video introducing 2016 was wonderful: Half Chapman threw 538 pitches of Strat-O-Matic is going mobile the studio. the teams were in playoff con- at least 100 mph, fanning 14 per with three new baseball apps, When downloaded from the tention with just four days left in 9 with a 1.55 ERA. Dellin Be- First up: An already-launched App Store, the Card Viewer will the season. Players the sec- tances struck out 15.5 men per 9. free app that lets you draft and be free with access to every card ond-most home runs in history. 2016 was weird: Melancon set up your teams for Baseball made in the careers of the 117 It was sunset for Vin Scully, and Chapman were traded in 365 leagues. Anything you can stars in the original Baseball He- , , mid-season. So were three of do for Baseball 365 on the PC roes set. , , the seven men who hit 40-plus you can do with your app, but For $4.99/month or $49.99/ A.J. Pierzynski and, tragically, homers. In a two-week span, 27 now you can take it with you for year, fans will have access to Jose Fernandez, but also sunrise teams made 35 trades involving instant gratification. every Major League season – a for an exceptionally bright rook- 93 players. In the works: The Card View- bountiful treasure that gamers ie class including position play- The Cardinals finished 17 er App, which offers player card can use in many ways for end- ers , Gary Sanchez, games behind first place and still images of every player for every less fun. Players can be found Trea Turner, Dansby Swanson, almost reached the post-season. season of in searches by name, by team Trevor Story, Ryon Healy, Tim and defensive shifts history. or by season. A search for the Anderson, David Dahl, Tyler Earlybirds at SOM headquar- Naquin and Nomar Mazara. continued on Page 4 ters on Opening Day (Feb. 10) continued on Page 4 Strat-O-Matic News, Winter 2017 Page 2 Strat-O-Matic News, Winter 2011 Page 2 New Strategy Option: Can You Beat the Shift? WhatAs the Major You’ll Leagues’ use ofSee the defensive and shift hasWhat multiplied You’llIf the offense Get has called in “Beat V16 the Shift” Baseball and the play result is a each year in recent seasons, Strat-O-Matic gamers have inquired homerun and the initial 20-sided die roll was a 3 through 8 then the Even after 15 versions, Strat-O-Matic gamers demand an ever-more- The new Super Advanced rule limiting overuse in consecutive how they might adopt the strategy. The game company has the an- play result may be over-ridden. Since the offense has tried to beat the versatile computer baseball game – one even more powerful and even games by relief will be enforced in V16. swer – an easy-to-use rule that will simulate the way the shift reduces shift by hitting to the opposite side of the field, the batter’s power has easier to use. The forthcoming Version 16 does all of that with many The computer manager is smarter. Now it recalculates whether to batting average against pull-hitters, but backfires against others. been diminished. So if a homerun occurs in this circumstance then improvements that were at the top of wish lists. hold the runners and how to position the infield defense whenever a TheAmong Super the Advanced features destined Shift Rule to be is most optional. popular, Here V16 is willhow make it works: it far rollsubstitution a isdie made. to determine And it will the alwaysplay result: choose to make a play at the n easier toThe use defense those specialmay call “-duty” for a defensive players shift anywho time have that both the a plate whenever a squeeze play can score the winning . basesbatting are and empty pitching and the card batter – there is rated were Power five such N. men in the Negro dieImprovedresult play-by-playOTHER makes CONSIDERATIONSdescriptions clearer (and more situ- n If the shift is employed, the offense chooses either to “Swing n Leagues set; pre-World War II seasons have several, and the pre-1900s ation-aware)1 Homerun on cut offs, sacrifice While bunts,shifting certain you may rare notplays also and bring end-of- the Away”seasons or have tries many.to “Beat the Shift.” game plays. And autoplaycorners will run or significantlyinfield in, or faster guard in the V16. lines. n V16Then will be roll necessary a 20-sided to play die thealong 2010 with season, the other the Hall 3 dice. of Fame If a 2010 1 or 2 Homerun n “Beat the Shift” can be used only in lieu 2rosters, occurs theon newthe 20-sided Baseball die Heroes then release,consult theand chart the new below, 19th using Century the POST-GAME of swinging away – it may not be combined single white die from the initial roll for the play outcome (you do not 3 Homerun seasons – 1876, 1880, 1885 and 1893. with other strategies like bunting for a hit. refer to the player cards in this case): 4 SeveralDouble improvements are likely to generate enthusiasm. There’s more variety in box scoren game Resolve stories, GB() with X many results new as phrases. usual, whetherThe box PRE-GAMEn If a 3 through 20 occurs on the 20-sided die then use the other three dice to determine the play result by reading it from the card as scores5 willDouble list players whoor not had the 2-out shift isRBIs. being And used. the “score sheet” you Newnormally convenience: would, with The theCD-ROM following no longerexception: needs to be inserted in heading6 Double and data will appearn This only rule when is designed an associated to mimic score a Full sheet Ted is order to install rosters. And an option to use Universal Plug and Play going to be displayed. Williams shift. In real life, some shifts occur (UPnP) — if it is available with your router – may help gamers who have The League Leaders reportwith men now onshows base, traded but SOMplayers’ does current not allow team Left-Handed Batter Right-Handedcodes Batter instead of asterisks. For example, a traded player currently on not been able to NetPlay because of problems port-forwarding with their for that because usually they are not full Ted routers. Swing Away Beat Shift Swing Away CincinnatiBeat Shift will have “CIN” and the team code instead of “***”. And the Williams-type shifts. A new function called Check League Database will check and offer MVP Award voting has been adjusted for realism to make it more 1 HR(rf)1-8, Do 9-20 DOUBLE (lf) HR(lf)1-8, Do 9-20 DOUBLE (rf) n the option to rebuild the league database should it ever get corrupted. difficult for a starting pitcherFor to maximum win that award. realism, SOM recommends 2 gb (2b) B SINGLE (lf) gb (2b) B SINGLE (rf) that you highly curtail the use of this rule GAME3 ACTIONgb (2b) B SINGLE (lf) gb (2b) B SINGLEAll of these(rf) improvementswhen areplaying in addition with pre-2010 to a huge cacheseasons, of rosterwhen improvements and corrections,shifts were and toused the sparingly. annual upgrades in ballpark Double-duty4 gb (ss) Bplayers such asgb(3b) Babe BRuth, Doublegb Duty(ss) B Radcliffe, gb (1b) B Bullet Joe Rogan, Red Lucas and others will now be able to use both their photos, team-specific play-by-play,n In the Windows nicknames game (including this rule the canNegro be pitcher5 andgb batter(ss) B cards withoutgb denying (3b) B another playergb (ss) a B roster spot Leaguers)gb (1b) B and more. Forturned a complete on list and of off improvements, using the see the Max V16 Rules and 6the gamegb (1b) will B recognize whengb (3b) the properB cardgb needs (3b) to B be used. Helpgb (1b) File. B settings. WinWin More More Games Games with with TheThe BaseballBaseball RatingsRatings Book Book Every game and every season of Strat-O- tion at a glance, saving you hours of number- The charts from a past season below MaticEvery Baseball game andis won every and season lost becauseof Strat-O- of crunching.tion at a glance, It’s the saving detail you you hours need of to number- decide showThe how charts the from Ratings a past Book season does below the shownum- aMatic series Baseball of decisions, is won large and lostand becausesmall. 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CHICAGO-N VSS. LEFTHANDERS VS. RIGHTHANDER HBITTERS AOSBBTHBI OBTRHPBLCPDOSBBTHBI OBTRHPBLCPDGSLTEALIN SDT SP BH FIELDING Grace,M* 547 08321. 2359. 349. 1w. +2 120117376. 487. 499. 0. 11+02)4/11 (13-4 E11DB 1b-1e5 PSITCHERS VSS. LEFTHANDER VES. RIGHTHANDER ENDURANC BPALT IOSBBTHBI OBTRHPBPDOSBBTHBI OBTRHPBPDOHKBPWFBTAT/BUN TSPS Orosco,J* 586 202272. 207. 166. 1. 2438 4 53. 3173. 78. 0. 15+) 3 R5(1 - 072C-1 51WR- E01 Page 3 Strat-O-Matic News, Winter 2017 Much to Shout About in Strat-O-Matic Baseball 2017 A carnival barker would be on the top of necessary version to enjoy computer play his game touting the can’t-wait-for-it new with these 12 new player sets: 2016 Major features of the soon-to-be-released Strat-O- Leagues, 2017 Baseball Daily, Baseball He- Matic Baseball 2017 for Windows. roes II, 1949 (Deluxe Super-Advanced), Hall Daily draft-league play! Draft-league of Fame 2017, 2016 Career Historical, 1872 option for Baseball Daily! National Association, 1914 Negro League, 1924 Negro League, 1944 Negro League, Defensive shifts! New rule adds realism! 1961 Japanese Baseball and 2016 Japanese New computer-manager settings! Pitch Baseball. count limits! Clutch pinch-hitting! The ability to replay the historic and Catcher plate-blocking now optional! thrilling Cubs-Indians seven-game World Pitcher game scores! Can anyone top Series will be attraction enough for many. ’s 105? The much-requested new Baseball Heroes II Manual-entry advancement! Fielding set of 117 players will be another. Now Playing: But the newest Windows game also will stats! offer strategy and convenience. Drafted Teams Convenience! Faster settings for roster Managerial strategy advances include installs, sound options, creating bug files! the option shift your infield to cut down the in Baseball Daily NetPlay fix this year! batting average of power-hitting pull-hitters The game to have for a dozen new Strat- – and the option of the batter to try to beat for Windows Game O-Matic Baseball player sets! the shift by hitting the other way. Your Com- Play pro baseball just the way you like it! puter Manager will be able to dictate pitcher For those waiting to yield to the tempta- endurance by pitch counts and/or designate tion of having a new, current-season player Step right up! batters to be pinch-hit for in clutch-hitting set every day, the new draft-league option for One of the most compelling attractions of situations when the game is late and close. Baseball Daily may be the real headliner of the Strat-O-Matic Baseball Windows game The catcher-blocking-the-plate rule has the Strat-O-Matic Baseball 2017 release. is the ability to customize play exactly to been a standard feature of Super Advanced When Strat-O-Matic’s groundbreaking your liking, with countless ways to com- play since the rule was introduced. Now it innovation debuted last year, Baseball Daily bine seasons, teams, players, playing modes, can be toggled on or off as a Max Rule. could be played only with stock teams in strategy settings and statistical reports. That For convenience, it will now be easier the Windows game. Now you will have the never has been truer than with Strat-O-Matic to search for the season rosters you want choice to play the current-season players as Baseball 2017. to install. A single click will select “All” or you drafted them. “None” sound options. A menu will create Expected to be released in February, When you play Baseball Daily, you get a Strat-O-Matic Baseball 2017 will be the debug files easily. new electronic card set every morning! Each player who had stats from the previous day Official Word from Strat-O-Matic: has a newly adjusted card. The Baseball Daily cards begin with each Netplay Problems to be Solved this Year player’s historical performance, adjusted Here is the official announcement about sues and remove the need to port-forward daily by the current-season stats until, deeper Netplay from Strat-O-Matic to all Windows your router to streamline the connectivity in the season, the current performance dic- game customers: process and to make playing online more tates most of his card. Netplay is the game component which intuitive. As such, we have partnered with Experience the season-long streaks and enables you to play our games over the Inter- a much larger programming organization to slumps they encounter in the 2017 Major net. Since the introduction of the Windows complete this task. Once an update is avail- League season. And experience the deci- 10 Operating System there has been a large able, it will be posted on our website as a free sions every big-league manager faces: Do uptick in the number of problems reported Netplay Upgrade Patch so your leagues can you go with the hot bat, or the more reliable with Netplay. We know that many of our continue to thrive and compete. veteran? leagues rely on this feature and it is essential This will happen as soon as possible to produce a solution to these problems. We have heard your concerns and we have been this year. We will keep the community up- actively working on a fix. dated as work progresses. Considerable amounts of time and money It is very important that when we launch have already been invested into finding an the replacement version of Netplay that it acceptable solution to this issue, but progress is rock solid. If you would like to help us has been slow, which is quite frustrating. As accomplish that goal please sign up to be a such, no upgrade to Netplay will be included Netplay tester by emailing techsupport@ as a new feature when the Strat-O-Matic strat-o-matic.com and request to be added to For product discounts and daily com- Baseball 2017 Windows Game is launched the Netplay Test Team. pany updates: in February, but we have taken the next step Thank you for your continued patience Like us on Facebook (Strat-O-Matic to completely overhaul this system. and we apologize for the confusion and frus- Games) and Our main goal is to fix the current is- tration. Follow us on Twitter (@StratOMatic) Strat-O-Matic News, Winter 2017 Page 4 Get Your Daily Dose with Baseball 365 There are more ways than ever to enjoy Strat-O-Matic’s ultra- popular online baseball draft game. Play via PC or the new mobile app. Draft from player pools from single seasons, decades or all-time greats. Play historic seasons (e.g. 1982), the 2016 season or with the current players, updated daily in the return of the acclaimed Baseball Daily, which debuted last year. However you roll (electronically in this case), you’ll draft 25 players under a salary cap, plus a ballpark, then set your lineups, pitching rotations and other computer-manager instructions, then wait for it (if you can stand the wait) – each morning you’ll get the results of your team’s latest three-game series, complete with recaps, boxscores and more. For max fun, join the chat rooms and find out why so many gam- ers play Baseball 365 year-’round, with season after season of at- tempts to win pennants and glory. Newcomers get free trials and sig- nificant discounts, too. Long-Time Strat-O Gamer Fell in Love Again, This Time with Baseball Daily Kevin Hennessy of St. Paul, a player reflects this game-to- MN began playing Strat-O-Ma- game change in the current day tic Baseball more than 50 years of the schedule, however gradual ago. But last year he began play- that might be. In my estimation ing in a way that has him thirst- this one-ups the games I have This is how Baseball 365 screens will display on your mobile phone ing for more in 2017. Let him tell played using projections – which the story: are static and never reflect a truly I want to say how much I poor (collapse) or great (break- Strat-O in the App Universe have enjoyed playing Strat’s new out) year. continued from Page 1 The third app is free. It helps Baseball Daily over the past few I have been replaying the 1975 Royals, for instance, will fans play Strat-O-Matic’s basic months. I was reluctant to try it and letting the provide a list of all the players baseball game (basic only) on but jumped on the mid-season computer play all other teams. rated for that team. Just click on the go. The “helper” program half-price offer. After this ex- At times I have used the comput- the player(s) you want to view. will handle the dice rolls, the basic game charts and provide a tended trial I’m ready to explain er to catch me up in the schedule For another 99 cents/month line score. You supply the cards why I am finding it so much fun. also. I am now in September or $9.99/ year, fans can expand First, I am an old-time Strat and am interested in how certain and the strategy. Just pack your the Card Viewer offerings to all phone and a pocketful of cards baseball player, starting in 1965 players will finish out the replay of SOM’s specialty baseball sets and you are ready to play. Have with the 1964 season cards at as their cards get better, in par- – Hall of Fame, Heroes, Negro fun, will travel. age 10. My father made the ticular the Twins’ Brian Dozier League Stars, Cuban Stars, in- Not ready to app? No wor- comment early-on in our SOM- and Byron Buxton. dividual Negro League seasons, ries. Strat-O-Matic is there for playing careers how it would be I have 100 percent confi- Japanese seasons and Baseball you with its No. 1 board game, interesting to play with the “cur- dence in the Strat game engine’s Daily 2017 – the card set that its top-selling Windows game rent” rosters as the season pro- ability to generate realistic re- changes every day of the 2017 and its versatile online Baseball gressed. sults. Combine that with the dy- season. 365. This set me on a path of namic nature of the day-to-day making player trades and using player cards, and the season in nameless player cards for rook- progress on the “gaming screen” 2016 Does Not Have to End ies. This proved to be a bit of a takes on a life of its own. And let continued from Page 1 Bad teams usually use the moving target, having to switch me emphasize: I absolutely love were at all-time highs, but bat- most players, but the NL-West nameless cards for rookies who and would never want to lose the ting averages and run-scoring champ Dodgers used 55, includ- started hot but faded and when ability to look at the cards during went up anyway. ing 31 pitchers and 15 different traded players fell short in real the game and between games! Second basemen hit more starting pitchers. Yet no team life of what their teams hoped This is the closest experi- HR than left fielders. won more games (39) in which for (, 1968). For the ence I’ve had to simulating real would be compared their starting pitchers lasted no regular cards, there was no way baseball. I hope Strat continues to and Jose Can- more than five innings. to match a breakout season (Carl Baseball Daily next year and seco. Brian Injuries limited Dodgers ace Yastrzemski, 1967) may even be considering some- Dozier would be compared to to 21 starts, With Baseball Daily, and thing similar for other games and Ryne Sand- but he will have the most domi- the daily updating of the cards, (NBA first , please?). berg. nant starting pitching card of all. Page 5 Strat-O-Matic News, Winter 2017 Nobody Does Classic 1949 had so much Drama Baseball Better than In the , the Dodgers and Cardinals were at it again, for the fourth straight year. In the end, ’s Strat-O-Matic finest season (.342-16-124 with Major League-leading 37 SB with 122 runs, 66 Proof: 1949, Heroes II set and a Heroes I reprint; extra-base hits and .528 slugging) proved worthy of a final-day pennant and MVP hon- HOF, Career Historical updates for Windows ors over (.338-36-123 with 128 runs, 90 extra-base hits and .624 slugging) The hits just keep on coming from Strat- Rod, ). and Enos Slaughter (.336-13-96). The Dodg- O-Matic and a multi-hit day is on the way: Other recent superstars include Halladay, ers had Rookie of the Year pitcher Don New- n The classic re-creation of the 1949 , , , Gary combe (17-8, 3.17) and the Cardinals had Major Leagues, a season with two pennant Sheffield and Jorge Posada. Howie Pollett (20-9, 2.77). races decided on the final day. Like those above, almost half of the play- The Phillies, with youngsters Robin Rob- n Baseball Heroes II – 117 more stars ers in the set starred in the 1990s and later. erts, , , Granny in the sequel to the wildly popular Baseball But there are 14 who played before 1950, Hamner and Willie Jones, were an inspiring Heroes set released in 2010. and 24 from the 1950s and ‘60s. For every third. , led the league in wins n A limited reprint of Heroes I, an- Charlie Keller and Indian Bob Johnson there (21), complete games (25) and strikeouts swering the pleas of those who missed out is a Johnny Callison and ; for (161), for the fourth-place Braves. The Gi- in 2010, but crave combining the two Heroes every and Harry Brecheen, a ants had Bobby Thomson (.309-27-109) and sets with other specialty sets. and ; for every ERA leader Dave Koslo (2.50). The Pirates’ n An updated Hall of Fame roster for Stan Hack, a Rico Petrocelli; for every Firpo Ralph Kiner bashed a career-best 54 home Windows, adding new inductees Jeff Bag- Marberry, a Ron Perranoski. runs while winning his fourth straight home well, and Ivan Rodriguez in Heroes II resurrects the memories of fire- run title, while also hitting .310 and leading what is now a 255-player collection. balling pitchers such as Sam McDowell, Jim the NL with 127 RBIs and .658 slugging. n The updated Careeer Historical disk Maloney and Billy Wagner, and finesse art- The was every bit as for Windows, with all of the 15,000 or so ists such as , and exciting and dramatic. players ever to play in the big leagues. Stu Miller. Casey Stengel’s first season as manager n Six new Chevy-style computer ros- They are the instant legends (, of the Yankees was the first of the Bronx ters for Negro League, Japanese League and ), the later bloom- Bombers’ record five straight World Series American Association seasons. ers (Jim Edmonds, Rick Reuschel) and the champions, but it took wins on the final two For many, the in this group will consistently good and underrated (Jose days against Boston in Yankee Stadium to be Heroes II, with , David Ortiz, Cruz, ). They are huge fan fa- overtake the Red Sox by a single game. , , , vorites (, Torii Hunter) and the It wasn’t the only near miss for Boston. , Ivan Rodriguez, Roy sometimes-bad boys (, Darryl MVP (.343-43-159 with .650 Halladay, , and 109 other Strawberry). They are sluggers (Jack Clark, slugging and 162 walks) missed a mega-stars and ultra-popular players. ), slick glove men (Andruw Crown by losing the batting title by less They span a century of baseball, from Jones, ) and many who were than a single point to Detroit’s George Kell. , whose first both (Dolph Camilli, ). The Red Sox also had the league’s top two big year was in 1916, to the 2016 retirees Rated on their seven best seasons, these winning pitchers, (25, with the Ortiz, Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez. Heroes can play as four balanced teams, or in league-best 2.77 ERA) and (23). There’s a cast of strong Hall of Fame combination with the first Baseball Heroes, It might have been a three-man race for candidates (Jeter, Jones, Guerrero, Thome, the Hall of Fame set and the Negro League the batting title if Joe DiMaggio (.346-14- Rivera, Hoffman) and controversial ones (A- Stars. 67) had not missed the first half of the season Baseball Heroes II roster: with a foot injury. Catchers: Ed Bailey, Walker Cooper, , Darrell Porter, Jorge Posada, Ivan Rodriguez, Manny With ’s 22 wins and Dale Sanguillen, Jim Sundberg, Gene Tenace Mitchell’s 23 triples, third-place Cleveland Infielders: 1B - Dolph Camilli, Carlos Delgado, Jason Giambi, Todd Helton, , David Ortiz, Mark finished only eight games behind New York. Teixeira, Jim Thome; 2B - Max Bishop, Ray Durham, , , Gil McDougald, Buddy Myer, Tony Phillips, Placido Polanco; 3B - Sal Bando, , , Stan Hack, Chipper Jones, Bob El- Detroit had Kell (.343), rookie Johnny Groth liott, Scott Rolen, Robin Ventura, Matt Williams; SS - Bert Campaneris, , , Derek (.293) and four starting pitchers with at least Jeter, Roger Peckinpaugh, Rico Petrocelli, Alex Rodriguez, Miguel Tejada, Omar Vizquel 15 wins, led by AL leader Vir- : CF - Brett Butler, Johnny Damon, , Jim Edmonds, Torii Hunter, Andruw Jones, Chet gil Trucks (19-11, 2.81) and future Hall of Lemon, Fred Lynn, ; LF - Moises Alou, Brady Anderson, , Jose Cruz, Luis Gonzalez, Famer (18-11). The A’s had Bob Johnson, Charlie Keller, Manny Ramirez; RF - Bobby Abreu, Johnny Callison, Jack Clark, Rocky Colavito, Kirk Gibson, Brian Giles, Pedro Guerrero, Vladimir Guerrero, , 20-game winner Alex Kellner. Pitchers: SP - John Antonelli, , Harry Brecheen, Dean Chance, , , Roy The ’49 season also made household Halladay, , , Cliff Lee, , Jim Maloney, , Sam McDowell, Jamie names of many impressive youngsters – Moyer, , Roy Oswalt, Camilo Pascual, , , Rick Reuschel, Jose Rijo, Kenny Newcombe, Roberts, Asbhurn, Yogi Berra, Rogers, , , , Dave Stieb, Mel Stottlemyre, , , Fernando Valenzuela, , Bucky Walters, , ; RP - Turk Farrell, , Duke Snider, Whitey Lockman, Del Cran- , Trevor Hoffman, Firpo Marberry, Stu Miller, Jeff Montgomery, Ron Perranoski, , Mariano dall, AL Rookie of the Year , Rivera, Billy Wagner Nellie Fox, and Eddie Yost. Strat-O-Matic News, Winter 2017 Page 6 Roots of MLB in History, Geography 6 New Specialty Roster Champ Roots Notable chef brought him sushi, saying it would bring him good luck – and Rosters Chart the 2016 Japan Nippon At least 48 MLB watch: Laird hit a home run the follow- Paths to Today’s Leagues Ham ex-MLB Shohei Otani ing day. Fighters players Laird’s homerun trot now in- Major Leagues 1961 Japan Yomiuri Young Year of the cludes him mimicking making sushi, and even the third-base Many roads have led to the Leagues Giants Pitcher Major Leagues and that has sel- and the fans have become 1944 Negro Homestead 11 HOFers Campanella, dom been better illustrated than part of the sushi craze. Some in the six specialty sets Strat- League Grays Doby, fans bring stuffed sushi toys to O-Matic is offering gamers this Newcombe the ballpark and a between-in- season. 1924 Negro Kansas City 20 HOFers Heavy nings activity shows fans doing the sushi-making motion on the All of the sets are for the League Monarchs hitting Windows game only, in the video board. “Chevy” style. All but the Japa- 1914 Negro Chicago 8 HOFers 6 teams The routine seems to work– nese Leagues use pro-rated stats League American including Laird led the Pacific League with to reflect longer seasons than Giants Havana 39 homeruns and he hit a grand slam in the six-run eighth inning they played back then. 1872 Nat’l Boston Red 6 HOFers 2nd NA that decided the final game of the Association Stockings season Nippon Series. Negro Leagues of Famers, too: Jud Wilson, Tur- The 1961 season is Strat-O- key Stearnes and Torriente. Japanese Leagues Matic’s deepest dive yet into The 1914, 1924 and 1944 But it was the legendary Kan- Japanese baseball history. seasons available this time ex- sas City Monarchs (99-57) who The 2016 version of Japanese In a season with a .242 bat- pand Strat-O-Matic’s library of were the class of the league with baseball is the fourth straight ting average, Negro Leagues seasons to 16. a lineup worthy of inclusion in current season Strat-O-Matic MVP led the The 1924 season is the biggest the Negro League Stars set, es- has offered. To some extent, they league in average (.353), hits set yet, with 14 teams that de- pecially Bullet Joe Rogan (.377), are previews of players Major (158), doubles (32), homeruns veloped 20 future Hall of Fame Heavy Johnson (.369) and Dobie League fans will see soon, while (28), and walks (88). With players. Moore (.346). also resurrecting the careers of 21-year-old teammate Sadaharu The champs and stars of these Still, the Monarchs barely former Major Leaguers. In be- Oh (.253-13-53) the Yomiuri Gi- three seasons present a diverse won the World Series, five tween, these rosters inform us of ants won the Nippon Series for group of the Negro Leagues’ sto- games to four with one tie, over Japanese stars we might never the fifth time. ried franchises and its most bril- Philadelphia, which featured the know otherwise. About that pitching: Nishitet- liant stars. likes of Biz Mackey (.353) and Japanese baseball nearly pro- su’s Kazuhisa Inao won a Hall of Fame pitcher Rube Louis Santop (.320). duced its version of the 2016 record-tying 42 games with a Foster also was the brilliant By 1944, the Negro League Cubs when the Hiroshima Carp league-low 1.69 ERA. His 353 owner of the Chicago Ameri- did not yet realize it was nearing reached the Nippon Series for strikeouts rank second in Japa- can Giants, the dominant team its end once the Major League the first time since 1961 and won nese history. Rookie-of-the-Year (89-61) in 1914. But the super- integration began in 1947. In- the first two games, only to lose Horoshi Gondo of Chunichi won stars in the six-team league that stead, the ‘44 season was devel- the next four to the champion 35 games with a 1.70 ERA and stretched from New York to Ha- oping such future MLB stars as Nippon Ham Fighters. 310 strikeouts in a record 429 IP. vana, Cuba were New York SP Roy Campanella (league-lead- Hiroshima had Central Smokey Joe Williams (26-10, ing 46 doubles), (the League MVP Takahiro Arai National Association 2.36) and Havana OF Cristobal first black player in the Ameri- (300-19-101) and home-field Torriente (.345), both future Hall SOM has almost completed can League), batting champ Sam sellouts for every game while of Famers. Jethroe (.346) and pitchers Don going 89-52, 17.5 games ahead its re-receation of the five-sea- Some 21 players that year are Newcombe and . of the legendary Yomiuri Giants. son forerunner to the National featured in Strat-O-Matic’s Ne- But the brighter Negro But Nippon-Ham had Pacific League, having now covered gro League Stars set. League stars played for the League MVP Shoehei Otani, a 1872-1875. Torriente was still tearing up mighty Homestead Grays (91- 6-4, 207-pound pitcher on ev- The ‘72 NA had three .400 the league in 1924, with 45 dou- 63), long associated with all- ery Major League team’s radar. hitters (, Ross Barnes, bles and a 1.002 OPS in a heavy- time slugger Josh Gibson (34 He was 10-4 with a 1.86 ERA Davey Force), the Boston Red hitting season. HR, 108 RBI, 1.018 OPS). Fu- and 174 strikeouts and threw Stockings’ first of four straight But look for Oscar Charles- ture Hall of Fame pitcher Ray the fastest pitch ever recorded championships and the emer- ton, the so-called Black , Brown (26-11, 2.88) also starred in Japanese baseball, 102.5 mph. gence of pitcher Candy Cum- for eye-popping all-around play: for Homestead. His .322 batting average was al- mings, who won 30 games. .396, 46 doubles, 17 triples, 34 These three seasons fit neat- most an after-thought. Cummings took advantage HR, 142 runs, 126 RBI, 1.198 ly into Strat-O-Matic’s Negro Nippon-Ham also had a slice of a new rule permitting sidearm OPS and 42 SB. Oh, he’s a CF-1. League library, which now cov- of lore-in-the-making going for delivery. Henceforth, baseball The players chasing Charles- ers nearly half the seasons from it. Slugger Brandon Laird was history has credited him with de- ton in those categories were Hall 1908 through 1948. eating at a restaurant and the veloping the curve ball.