Strat-O-Matic

This I heard during "Morning Edition" today, April 19, 2005.


"Strat-O-Matic," I learned, is a board game that baseball nuts play with a dice
and whatever happens is based on the statistics.

According to the radio report, and the excerpt from the book: "Strat-O-Matic Fanatics,"
by Mr. Glenn Guzzo, I read at the Morning Edition web page,

Walk, On-Base Percentage, and On-Base Plus Slugging Average

are the most important stats
one should look at when drafting players for the game.
They are more indicative of success that the players might have than batting average.
But home run/at-bats ratio seems to be also important, according to the report.


Those statistics seem to be applicable in the real game as some baseball insiders
who have grown up playing Strat-O-Matic testify in this book excerpts.

Teams like Oakland A's will do well in this board game as well.
I think Scott Hatteberg is mentioned as one of the finest examples of that sort of player in "Money Ball,"
which I have not read yet.
The excerpt on the webpage says most Strat-O-Matic players agree with the philosophy of
Oakland General Manager.
If a team has a bunch of players who put up numbers like .270 15HR 80 RBI but draw walks and get on base a lot of times
then they will win a lot in Strat-O-Matic.

*I've often thought that the most interesting team to manage,
teams with which a manager can show his prowess as a strategist are
teams like the A's or the Twins: statistically average but have a lot of room where good managers can plan and execute moves.

Jon Miller, of ESPN and the voice of the San Francisco Giants, is interviewed in this segement.
He talks about his childhood memory with the board game.

He's one of the best announcers of all-time. Not that I know so many to make comparison with,
but ever since I read about him in one of the baseball guides some ten years ago,
I have always tried to catch his game and everytime he does play-by-play,
I enjoy the game a lot(as much as M's broadcasters, of course).
So I enjoyed this NPR piece immensely. He's so good, and funny too.