Computer Managing

[baccheus]

This game is about being GM more than manager. But I just won a game in which the computer would have been fired as manager of both sides in a City League D-level softball game.

My starter, Milton, goes into the bottom of 9 with a 4-1 lead. A walk and Double put runners on 2nd and 3rd with 2 out. PH Ty Norad comes up as the tying run. I, as manager, decide to intentially walk him to put the tying run on base. (Barry Bonds... Ty Norad... who can tell the difference?) Next guy slams a GB up the middle for a hit that scores two. Ty Norad rounds second and is thrown out at 3B to end the game. Luckily, the computer played the other side as stubidly as my side.

I have never played the PC game. I read about the game, and found this site while surfing, and decided to check it out. This game is appealing for the GM fantasy (I play Purebaseball and Scoresheet the managing, and Roto with friends). Just the same, smarter game-play will make this more realistic.

[Bad_Ash]

Maybe the center fielder acted like the ball got past him, or the third baseman acted like the ball wasn't being thrown to him(Knoblauch faked out a Braves baserunner in the '91 WS). The thirdbaseman could have done like Kent Hrbek and forced the runner off 3rd base(like he did to Tom Herr in the '87 WS). The runner might have overslid the base, tripped on the base. The hit might have been in the gap and was ruled a single cause it ended the game(gap as in the outfield was in a shift). In baseball you see crazy stuff all the time, just watch the Phillies. If two of the best athletes in the past 10 years can have the ball bounce off their head in the outfield(Canseco & Deion Sanders) and one of the worst fielders can make a one handed catch in outfield(Kevin Mitchell) I'd say anything is possible.

The game will drive anyone nuts if you put a microscope to it, we all have our ideas on how a game should be played. Just like I think Bobby Valentine is the biggest whiner in baseball and I feel sorry for Mets fans(Valentine is an embarrassment to baseball). Even good managers do very strange things, remember when Tony Larusa had 3 pitchers pitch 3 innings each cause his starters were so bad(many fans were outraged).

Badash

[Slugger222]

As you say, the game is about being a GM, not a manager. The game by game sims add a touch of realism to the game, but can never be perfect. However, as long as the better teams perform better, I don't have too much of a problem with it.

Now, if the sim had done something like intentionally walk in the tying run, then there is something to complain about!;)

[Clay Dreslough]

Originally posted by baccheus
My starter, Milton, goes into the bottom of 9 with a 4-1 lead. A walk and Double put runners on 2nd and 3rd with 2 out. PH Ty Norad comes up as the tying run. I, as manager, decide to intentially walk him to put the tying run on base.

The intentional walk code has been improved somewhat since this was posted.

As for ending the game by getting thrown out at 3rd ... I invite you to be a Red Sox fan for a season -- it is a painful PAINFUL thing to behold.

:rolleyes:

Clay