MLB Showdown Cards

We had a first this past week for #Shotsfriday. @Quicksand3 Went from the dog house to the pent house in one day. His pick of Mark Teixeira yielded 2 homers making him the first player and picker to get a double shot. He is now the season leader with 2, meaning everyone else better not get stuck in the quicksand or he may run away with this years race. Tex with the pair leads the player-board as well with 2 now. He wasn't the only person to have some fist pumping. The biggest "homer",  in our community, @Eddiezone44 got a homer from his home town boy Pedro Alvarez. So we all got to enjoy a ride into the Eddie-zone this week. Remember to make your predictions for who will homer on #ShotsFriday on twitter using the hash tag. Let us root guys on to #playforthecard.

We have introduced new types of strategy cards the last 2 weeks. This is the last one until some brilliant fan comments me with some amazing game changing idea that is both fun and acceptable in our community. I know you are out there brilliant fan, I have faith in you. We had leave on the player cards which help your own player and are by far the strongest of the cards we added. We then had manager cards which help the entire team but are as a whole weaker then leave on the player cards. The last one is stadiums. Why were these not in the first few sets I do not know. Baseball is the only one of the 4 major sports where the playing surface does not have uniform dimensions. The bases and pitching rubber are standard but most everything else seems to be variable. With stadium cards the goal was to slightly change the rules of the game based on the character of the ballpark. The effects are applicable to both players evenly (though the home team may be better prepared to take advantage of them). Let us see what we were able to come up with.

The first stadium to be debuted is the second oldest stadium the league. The rich atmosphere of Wrigley Field is something great from what I hear. I have never been sadly but I will and I imagine I will not be disappointed. The Ivy is fantastic and trademark, maybe more rememberable then the gum the stadium is named after. It is hard to quantify that into a strategy card though sadly. The live singing of take me out to the ball game is another great tradition. Those of use who watch the Cubs on WGN would claim it is often awful as well. This is the best we could come up with.

• During the 7^th inning stretch both players roll a die. The player further from the combined runs scored in the game must discard a card. If the roll is a tie then both players discard.
  
  
  

Very weak ability and is almost impossible to plan for. In a stud game you may want to play all your cards before the 7^th inning I guess. The card has a lot more effect in a stud game. Ether way it is universal and completely fair and not over powered.

Not impressed? Want something you can build your team around a bit more and get more of an effect out of? How about one of the great statistical quirks of a ballpark over the last 10 years. For a 4 year stretch 07-10 Petco park gave up the fewest doubles of any ballpark with what many would consider pretty average defensive outfielders playing for the Padres. Some may say they also had below average offensive outfielders hitting during that stretch as well...which the cards seem to agree with those people as well. Ether way the stat is quirky and it makes for a fantastic card that a home team could take advantage of and an away team could use as well. I present the cow pasture that is Petco Park.

• On a double result a player may discard 3 cards. If he does then he adds his outfield defense to a roll. If the result is greater then the batters speed then change the result to a single.
  
  
  

For serious league players who keep stats we have a treat. A card that allows for “momentum”. That illusive word that many players want to see captured by Showdown. Few places are as tough to play as Yankee Stadium. The lights shine the brightest. The fans may not cheer a good play by a good player but they will boo a bad play by any player. Yankees player or opponent they are equal opportunist. Remember after A-rod slapped Bronson Arroyo's arm, like a women fending off a mugger, in the 2004 ALCS the rest of the game had to be played with police with riot gear lining the field of play. Let us see what the effect of a Bronx Cheer would be in Showdown.

• If a player has 3 combined strikeouts or GIDP without reaching base on a hit or a walk then that batter gets -1 to all his swings till he reaches base on a hit or walk. The batter receives an additional -1 to each swing for each additional strikeout or GIDP beyond 3 in the game.

It is a tough wordy card. The effect is there. It simulates the encouragement that the hospital people of New York offer both friend and foe. It may require tinkering to fit your league. It may also just be thrown out. This is always your prerogative in your leagues. Decide how or if you want to use stadiums and which stadiums are usable in your play style. Some players have put a single stadium card in standard drawing decks. The home team being the only team that may play a stadium card. Others say the home team picks it before and it starts in play. Choose the rules you enjoy and play with those.

#FridayShots

 Mark Teixeira- @Quicksand3

Mark Teixeira @Quicksand3

Pedro Alvarez @Eddiezone44

 

Twitter-Board

@Quicksand3:2

@Markrom:1

@Kylevanpelt:1

@RuffRidinNole:1

@Eddiezone44:1

Player-Board

Mark Teixeira:2

Jay Bruce:1

Adam Dunn:1

Jose Bautista:1 

Pedro Alvarez:1