Triple Lite Baseball As the name implies, it doesn't cover all the bases like a game like Playball, but it still gives a great feel for the game and is really quick to play. One roll per at bat, a quick-look up for runner advances, and it's game on. The learning curve is tiny. You will be playing easily by the end of your first game. And if you want to beef up the game a little bit you can use the arm ratings and the Out Charts without sacrificing too much in speed of play. The batter card initially controls all outcomes, thus all batter stats are recreated perfectly. Pitchers with outlying statistics are also covered with some advanced pitching ratings. The game is statistically accurate. But learn and play the basic way and it might be all that you are looking for. Have fun. The Batter s Card The top line has the player's name, and his Run rating (A). The run rating is a formula based on stolen base attempts and triples. You can always change ratings to suit your knowledge and perception. Willie Tasby A phr 20 gm 142 B R HR 33 ab 505 sh 8 3B 42 run 69 sb 38 2B 61 hit 126 SB 67 2b 16 CS 76 3b 5 1B 1B 147 hr 13 2B p1b 307 rbi 48 3B W 318 sb 3 SS pw 418 cs 5 *OF 1S hbp 429 bb 34 C K 523 so 80 inj 922 pk 623 ave.250 age 26 out 799 oba.303 1959 BAL The following symbols are down the left side of the batter's card. - phr is a possible homerun depending on the pitcher's phr rating - HR is a homerun - 3B is a triple - 2B is a double - SB is a single, any runner on 1st advances to 3rd, and a stolen base by the batter - CS is a single and the batter is caught stealing - 1B is a single - p1b is a possible single depending on the pitcher's p1b rating - W is a walk - pw is a possible walk depending on the pitcher's pw rating - hbp is a hit by pitch - K is a strikeout - pk is a possible strikeout depending on the pitcher's pw rating - out is an out, the type determined in various ways The numbers beside each symbol are the stop points for each event. For example, phr occurs from 1-20, HR occurs from 21-33, 3B occurs from 34-42, etc. The batter card controls the game with a random number from 1 to 1000. You can roll three 10 sided dice of different color (let's say they are red, white and blue). The dice are read as a 3 digit number. The red die is read first, the white die second, and the blue die third. If the red die is 4, the white die is 7, and the blue die is 3, the dice are read like the 3 digit number 473. The middle set of symbols and numbers are his regular season's stats. The right column has various ratings for bunting, stolen base percentage, the player's primary defense rating in green, pitching ratings in purple, an injury rating in green, the player's age that season, the year the card represents, and the team he played on while accumulating these stats. A player may be carded for more than one team if traded during the season, and each card will be based on his stats for that team only. Dice rolls in the 800's test the defense. Dice rolls in the 900's is where your high strikeout and walk pitchers can take over, and as well wild pitches can occur. If not a strikeout or wild pitch, then just a regular out occurs in the 900's. If it falls in the wild pitch range with no one on base, the batter is out. If a wild pitch occurs, the batter gets another roll of the dice, another chance, another swing. 980-989: The 900's also has the lefty vs. righty, pitcher vs. batter matchup area, from 980 to 998. Triple Digit Dice Rolls 111, 222, 333: Homerun robs, but if a player hit no homeruns on the season, he's out. In either case, if it doesn't clear the fence it's a sacrifice fly, and any runner on third scores. Other runners hold. Triple Digit Dice Rolls 444, 555, 666, 777, 888, 999: These are Playball's Crazy 88's chart. Use either an 8 sided die, playing cards from Ace to 8, or a 10 sided die and just re-roll 9's or 0's. Disregard the play result on the batter's card.
Defense Ratings... and the 800's Most defensive checks are found when rolling a number in the 800's. The QRC shows who is fielding the ball, and whether you are checking for an error or a hit. If he played a position the defensive rating has always 2 or more characters. The player's primary position is shown with an asterisk * to the left of the position. The Error rating is the first character, a number. Add this rating to the 3rd digit of the initial dice roll and if the total is 10 or more, it's an error. For example, if the first 2 digits of the 3 digit number are 81 it's the pitcher fielding the ball, 83 is the first baseman, 84 is the second baseman, 85 is the third baseman, and 86 is the shortstop. (Note how the 2nd digit uses baseball's scorekeeping numbers to tell you which fielder is tested.) So the dice roll 867 would be a SS error if the SS has an E rating of 3 or more. (third digit 7 plus error rating 3 = 10) If he makes an error and the third digit is 1,3,5,7,9 it's a one base error. If the third digit is 2,4,6,8,0 it's a two base error. *** If he makes the out then it's always a 2nd to 1st double play. A runner on 2nd not forced to go is held on grounders to 3B, SS, P, C. Home to 1st dp's are made on grounders to P, C, 3B, 1B, and a runner on 3rd not forced to run is held on grounders to P, C, 3B, 1B. If the first 2 digits of the 3 dice roll is 80 then check the catcher's passed ball rating if men are on base. If there is no one on base then the batter is out. Again, add the 3rd digit to the catcher's passed ball rating (the 2nd number in the catcher's defensive rating) and if it's 10 or more he commits a passed ball. The same batter gets another dice roll. Range is included to a minimal degree. There are two symbols to denote great fielders who can make a play on a ball that gets by everyone else. If a player has an asterisk * (eg. 3*S) then he has star range at his position. If a player has a carat symbol ^ then he has diamond range (eg. 3^S). Diamond ^ is better than star *, and a diamond fielder can go and make plays in another player's zone. Look at the QRC line that reads, "889 single or groundout to 3B* (SS^)" This means a star * third baseman will make the play. But, if an ordinary fielder is at third, a diamond shortstop will bail him out by going deep in the hole to get the runner. Outfielders with * or ^ symbols will also have the OF position the star or diamond goes with. For example, 3r*A means he is a star in RF, but ordinary in CF or LF. Many gamers feel if a player is a star in CF, then he would also be in LF or RF. I have read interviews where CF's say that the angles are so much different in either LF or RF, and they find the position much more difficult to play. The letter after the error number is his arm rating, either S for strong, A for average, or W for weak. Base advances on hits for outfielders, and the ability to make ground double plays for infielders are the primary stats used for these ratings. Catcher and pitcher arms rating are based on preventing the running game, the CS% stat. These defensive stats are based solely on the season in question. If you feel Willie Mays should be at least a * every year, then change his rating. Then again, why didn't he get to as many balls? I use baseball-reference.com's range stats to see who the best and worst are each year. These advanced defensive metrics are quite good, yet they do not tell the whole story, much like batting average or ERA doesn't. A bloop single is better than a scorching lineout for a batter, yet his batting average goes up for the bloop, and down for the scorcher. I didn't see everyone play regularly this past season let alone in 1959, or 1927, or whatever season. I have to choose the defensive metric I trust most to tell the whole story to properly rate all fielders within the context of their league. Mays in 1959 may have been so much better than Trout in his rookie season, or vice-versa. Can the naked eye tell? All we know is where Trout statistically stood to his peers in 2012, and where Mays stood in 1959. Maybe Mays would have been waiting for the balls that Trout made look spectacular on the nightly highlights. Runner Ratings A simple algorithm determines runner ratings. Triples and steals are used primarily in the calculation. Advanced metrics for base running were not available back in the day, so you need to go with something. Again, speed is a perception. If you hit a lot of triples and steal a lot of bases, you are likely fast, but it doesn't mean you must also be really good going 1st to 3rd on a single, right? Skills like reading the location of the ball, getting a jump off the crack of the bat, and so on all play roles. It's always a surprise when you see stats that put David Ortiz as one of the best base runners in baseball going 1st to 3rd on a single (it happened a couple of years back). All pitchers are rated Slow. If you are familiar with some pitchers, like Gibson and Palmer who were used as pinch runners, then rate them what you think. Basically, when a pitcher is pitching in a game he is supposed to conserve his energy when on the bases.
Pitching Ratings Singles are controlled with the pitcher s p1b rating. Lower is better. Walks are controlled with the pitcher s pw rating. The lower the better. Strikeouts are controlled with the pitcher s pk rating. The higher the better. Homeruns are controlled with the pitcher s phr rating for some batters on dice rolls 001-020. The lower the better. Wild pitches are controlled with the pitcher s wp rating on dice rolls in the 900's. If the rating is 985 it means it's a wild pitch from dice rolls 985-999. If the rating is 944 it means it's a wild pitch from dice roll 944-999. Each one of these ratings is used with the 3rd digit of the dice roll. For example, if the dice roll is 015: The third digit 5 is added to the pitcher phr rating. If the addition is 10 or more it s a homerun. If 9 or less it s a sac fly. See the (QRC-1) for the other type of non HR chance outs. The end (endurance) column is simply the number of batters faced divided by games played. Nothing fancy here. Optional Advanced Pitcher Ratings Very high strikeout pitchers will get a 3-digit pk rating in the 900's: 928 means if the dice roll is 901-928, it is now a strikeout. Pitchers who give up a high number of walks will have a rating in the 90's. If the rating is 91 then he also gives up walks from if the first 2 digits of the dice roll is 91. If it's 92 then he walks the batter if the first 2 digits are 91-92. Etc. Pitchers who give up a high number of hits will have a rating in the 70's. If the rating is 71 then he also gives up singles if the first 2 digits of the dice roll is 71. If it's 72 then the batter gives up singles if the first 2 digits are 71-72. Etc. Pitchers who give up a high number of homeruns will have a rating in the 60's. If the rating is 61 then he also gives up homeruns if the first 2 digits of the dice roll is 61. If it's 62 then it's a homerun if the first 2 digits are 61-62. Etc. In all of these cases, automatic k's, walks, hits, and homeruns are allowed in the pk, pw, p1b, and phr ranges. If a pitcher s phr rating has a MINUS sign (-) then fewer homeruns occur by adjusting HR number on the batter's card. If the rating is -1 then the batter will not hit a HR if the 3 digit number ends in 1. -2 means no HR if it ends in 1 or 2. Etc. Negative phit, pw, and pk ratings work like the negative phr rating as explained above. It affects the blue 1B, W, and K numbers. The Pitcher s Endurance Rating This is simply a calculation of batters faced divided by games pitched. You can use the number in any way you wish. I like to give the pitcher that many batters faced plus 3 more before his phit, pw, phr ratings go to 10 s. The pk rating drops to zero. If the starter is pitching a shutout I let him continue to pitch at his grade until he allows a run. Also, I allow the starting pitcher to go to his end rating plus 3 more batters, as discussed above, PLUS he can keep going at his regular grade until the first batter reaches base, at which time the dreaded 10 s for his phit, pw, and phr ratings take over. Pitchers who split time between starting and relieving, I allow 27 batters for a start, and then they instantly go all 10 s (phr, phit, pw). I have left this whole idea of Endurance wide open so that you can fiddle with the numbers to satisfy your own gaming experience. For example with relief pitching, some gamers like to see the reliever get his endurance plus maybe just 1 or 2 extra batters. You also have to take into consideration the number of batters faced by relievers in a series. In a 7 game series you might want to limit them to 5 appearances max. Starters in the 60 s pitched sometimes on 2 days rest. Today they almost never pitch without at least 4 days rest. There s been recent talk about a 6-man rotation. The Pitcher Gets Rocked Rating A pitcher also gets all 10 s (phr, phit, pw) if he gets rocked to the tune of 7 runs allowed, earned or unearned, it doesn t matter. Lefty vs Righty - Pitcher vs. Batter Matchups Dice rolls from 980-998 are lefty vs righty checks. If they are same sided then the play result is a popout, no runner advance. The third digit says who catches it (0,1,2=C; 3=1B, 4=2B, 5=3B, 6=SS, 7=LF, 8=CF, 9=RF). If opposite sided it's a singe to center, 2 base advance. A switch hitter always hits the single. Check for a wild pitch before the lefty vs righty if runner are on base. The following 2 lines of information only occurs when calling in relief pitchers and pinch-hitters. If you call in a RP and he pitches opposite to the batter, then increase his phit rating by 3 until he faces a batter from the same side. If you call in a PH and he hits the same side as the pitcher, any hit by that batter with the last digit 7, 8, or 9 is now an out.
Defensive Play Calling All of these rules can be tailored to your own satisfaction. The Intentional Walk You can check, if you wish, for a wild pitch during the intentional walk, as follows: Roll 1 die 4 times, and if it comes up 8 three times it s a wild pitch, all runners advance 1 base. If the defence wishes to continue walking the batter, and it comes up a 4 th time then it is another wild pitch. If at any time the defence calls off the walk (for example, the first 2 throws are 8`s and you now don t want to risk the wild pitch) then the pitcher grades now move to all 8 s for this batter since he s so far behind in the count. Infield In When there is a groundout roll 1 die. If 0-4 it gets through the drawn in infield for a single, one base advance for all runners. If 5-9 it s a groundout, the runner on 3 rd holds. The batter is out at 1 st. If the bases are full, it`s a home to 1 st ground double play. If 0, the runner is out at the plate. Outfield In With a runner on 3 rd representing the game winning run in the bottom of the 9 th or extra innings, the Defense can call the outfielders to play in close. If the play result is the third digit 7 or 8 it's a single over the drawn in outfield. However, if the play result is a single to the outfield, roll 1 die. 1-4 becomes instead a flyout, the runners hold. Miscellaneous Rules Runner Advancements The 2nd or 3rd digit of the dice roll determines the base advance. See the QRC (Quick Reference Chart) for this very simple system. You are welcome to devise your own systems to have more variables, but this simple system is quick to learn and easy to use. Running ratings are either F (fast), A (average), or S (slow). They are mathematical ratings on a special algorithm, and may not truly reflect a batter's ability to take the extra base on hit. Ball Park Homeruns Found on the QRC from 870-879, the ratings are found on the Ballpark Homerun Chart. Add the 3rd digit to the rating and if 10 or more it's a homerun. Players with negative HR ratings subtract from the chart. Ratings of -4 or more are generally players who did not hit a homerun, and thus cannot hit a homerun off the ballpark chart. If it's not a homerun it's a deep fly out, runner on 3rd scores. Hitting the number - stretching a single into a double or a double into a triple If you hit the 2B or 1B number right on the button for your batter, he must try for the extra base. Refer to the QRC chart. All runners score on a 2B as the runner tries to stretch it into a triple, and all runners advance 2 bases on a 1B as he tries to stretch it into a double. If you roll the 3B number right on, only an F batter can try for an inside the part homerun. This is optional. You don't have to send him. He is safe only on die roll 1-3. Optional Injuries The inj rating The inj rating can be considered the able to play number. You can, if you wish, use the rating as follows: After selecting your starting hitters roll 3 dice for each batter. If the dice roll is greater than the inj rating then the player must sit out the game. If you wish to roll for the pitchers then use a inj rating of 900. Other Codes and Numbers The Player s Age The age number is how old the player was that year. I don't know what cut-off date Lehman uses, whether it's December 31, July 31, Opening Day, etc. Optional Rule - The Outs Charts For those who want a more detailed scoring system on ball placement for outs, refer to the 2nd and 3rd digit of the initial 3 dice roll and use the BASIC OUTS CHART, a 2 sided chart with 100 different outs listed, by position. Double 00 takes you to the Weird Outs Chart, another 100 rarer outs. Another 00 will take you to the Ultra Weird Outs Chart, once it's developed, where you roll 1 die to come up with one of ten different outcomes. Send in suggestions. The ADVANCED OUTS CHART is the same as the basic, except fielder arm ratings are introduced for ground double plays and the like. This takes more referencing and takes longer to play.
Offensive Play Calling Base Stealing - The offence calls it and rolls 2 dice. If the dice roll is less than the sb rating of the stealer (found in the 3rd column of the batter s card, Tasby s sb rating is 38) it s a good steal. If greater than 38, he s out. If right on the 38, the fielder maybe drops the ball for an error. Refer to the infielder s defensive (e) rating, roll one die, add the two, and if 10 or more he drops the ball, runner is given a caught stealing even though he is safe. If 9 or less the runner is out. If the dice roll is 01-10 the catcher might throw it away. Refer to the catcher s defensive (e) rating. If the e rating is 1 and the dice roll is 001, it s a steal and throwing error, runner to 3 rd. If the e rating is 2 and the dice roll is 001-002, it s a steal and throwing error, runner to 3 rd. Etc. Dice roll 99 or 00 is a possible balk. Roll 1 die. Lead runner F induces a balk 1-8, A 1-5, S 1-2. If 9 or less, it s a pickoff attempt. Roll 1 die: Lefty pitcher picks lead runner off if 1-9, righty pitcher if 1. Otherwise safe. Die roll 0 is a wild throw (unless pitcher s e rating is 0), all runners advance 1 base, F runner on 2 nd scores. You can include catcher Arm ratings if you want. Strong armed catchers would reduce the SB% by 10. Weak armed catchers would increase the SB% by +10. Same with pitchers, and you can combine C and P ratings to have a variance from +20 to -20. Base Stealing Alternative Auto Steal Attempt - You can use the Auto Steal Attempt system. If the play falls in the SB range the runner steals second, and if it falls in the CS range he is out stealing. Both SB's and CS's are singles, runner on 1st advances to 3rd, and then the steal attempt. If runner on 2nd with no runner on 1st, then follow normal base advance rules. Hit and Run Play To help stay out of the double play, call this play. If a groundout, the runners advance to the next base. *** There is also a downside to calling this play as the batter often swings at pitches he'd rather not, most notably: - Base hits on dice rolls 001-099 are now a groundout to the pitcher, runners advance, except man on 3 rd who holds. Batter out. Also, if the play result is: - k, a strikeout, batter swings and misses, strike 3, and runner tries the steal, but reduce SBS 20 - w, walk, ball 4 - third digit 4 *** is now a single through the vacated hole, runners advance 2 bases - Lineouts are now line double or triple plays, depending on how many runners are moving - Flyouts have no runner advances, and a fly to right throws runner out at 1 st base (dp) if die roll is 0. Sacrifice Bunt Refer to the batter s sh rating on the bottom right side of his card. Roll 1 die and add it to the sh rating. - 10 or more, the batter gets the bunt down (Who fields the bunt? Refer to the chart below.) - 9 or less he misses, count it as strike 2. Two misses and he s out on a strikeout. - if it s a missed bunt attempt the offense can call the bunt off, but the pitcher ratings drop to zero with a 2 strike count on the batter. If the bunt goes to the pitcher, catcher, 1 st baseman or 3 rd baseman playing in: If he gets the bunt down roll 1 die again. Roll 9 - F batter gets a bunt single! If the die roll plus the sh rating is: - 10 or more, the batter makes a successful sacrifice bunt. - 9 or less, the lead runner is out. Batter safe at first on a fielder s choice. - 0 results in a popup caught by the catcher who tries to double the lead runner off. Throw 1 die. One more 8, he gets him. If the bunt goes to the 1 st baseman or 3 rd baseman playing back it s a good sac bunt and a possible infield single, roll 1 die again: Bunt single if... S batter rolls 1..... A batter rolls 1-2... F batters rolls 1-3... F! batter rolls 1-4. The Suicide Squeeze It s the same as the sacrifice bunt rules, except if the first bunt attempt is missed the runner on 3 rd is out at the plate. If he gets the bunt down the runner is safe at the plate, batter out at first with a run batted in sacrifice bunt. If he gets the bunt down with total 10, it s a popout double play by the catcher, and he completes the double play to 3 rd base (2-5). The Delayed Suicide Squeeze *** Dice rolls in the 800's are not affected. 3rd digit is 4 is not a hit. Just check for an error. Wait to see if the bunt is laid down before the break for home. Use the Sacrifice Bunt rules, except reduce the batter s sh rating by two. Thus, a sh rating of 6 would drop to 4. Who fields the bunt? (First roll addition) 3 rd base (10 or 15) 1 st base (13 or 14) Pitcher (11 or 16) Catcher (12 or 17)
Rickey Henderson F! phr20 gm149 BR HR21 ab536 sh4 3B27 run119 sb76 2B66 hit143 SB263 2b24 CS327 3b4 1B 1B146 hr10 2B p1b306 rbi51 3B W429 sb130 SS pw529 cs42 *OF3wL* hbp532 bb116 C K625 so94 inj920 pk725 ave.267 age24 out799 oba.398 1982OAK Big Stealers like Rickey Henderson will have their SB and CS ranges overlap ranges below. Here's how to handle it: 67 to 146 is a single plus steal 147 to 263 is a possible single and steal 264 to 306 is a possible single and caught steal 307 to 327 is a walk plus caught steal If you find Henderson not keeping pace, call your own steals of 3rd from time to time.