MLB Showdown Cards

MLB Showdown 2012 Shots Friday 

Thank you everyone who choose to join us for our favorite tradition around here, Shots Friday. First things first. A look at the leaderboard. @markrom3 and Jay Bruce have 1 thanks to an inside-the-parker 2 weeks ago. @kylevanpelt also on the board with Adam Dunn's long ball into the Los Angles sky vs Clayton Kershaw. This past week @ruffridennole put himself on the board along with Joey Bats, Jose Bautista. Now let us see some fist pumping action for the efforts. Make sure you send in your predictions for Shots Friday, for which MLB player will hit a home rune, so we all can enjoy some fist pumping #mlbshowdown or #shotsfriday.

We are all about experimentation around here. In the Showdown world trial and error is the way we learn. An area many of us have been dissatisfied with over the years is how the strategy cards work.

Some are mad at how many there are. Others are mad at how many of them there are. Many of us ether love or hate how they can be over powering to the game. Then there are others out there who read these and their only complaint is limitations on strategy cards. So we will be briefly looking at some potential modifications your league may use to get different results.

Let us first talk about the number of cards in play. There a few options I have heard and we can look at the strength and weakness of each.

1. Standard Unlimited Play: Limited deck size (40 is traditional) with a 3 card opening hand and a draw after each half inning. No maximum hand size. All cards play as they read. Single card limit (3 traditionally). This would be how official leagues would play if official leagues still existed. They do not so everyone is entitled to their own house rules. This strategy favors more cards late in the game. More opportunities to draw combos and stacking.
2. Standard Limited Play: Same deck size and drawing mechanics. Leagues may limit or ban cards as they see fit. This allows for the eliminating of over-powered or “broken” cards. There also may be an upper limit to how much strategy may help a player. Ex. Limiting the bonuses to swings allowed or the number of +1 IP allowed. Still favors late game.
3. Set Hand Size: Leagues set a hand size. For example players always have 5 cards in there hand. Instead of drawing every half inning players draw cards after playing. Usually paired with limitations on things like adding to swing or pitch cards. This in theory allows for a homogeneous spread of cards. Cards can be banned or limited in this setting.
4. Merit Drawing: Players start with a set hand or even no hand. Players then draw when stats are achieved. Ex. Draw a card for a run scored. Draw a card every third strike out recorded. Anything can be made a reason to draw. This makes the game more about “momentum”. The rich get richer in this play style. Teams who are winning usually will have more cards.
5. Card Stud: the league sets a number of cards managers may use. Players then start the game with that many cards and do not draw. This is usually for players who want a more pure game but still enjoy the benefits of a few cards. This size is usually set where players may have to pass on some mechanics like stealing or adding IP to starters. Cards can be banned or limited here as well. This favors early game play more then late. Players will have their most options in the first inning. They will have the same number of options in less in the ninth.
6. Pure: No strategy cards what so ever. This usually allows for a few manager discretion plays. Managers may always be allowed to attempt a straight steal. They may always be allowed to attempt a bunt using whatever league rules may apply to that. They may also be allowed to always call for an intentional walk. Leagues may add others as they see fit. This strategy puts a lot more pressure on drafting.

Let me end on this note. The game is designed for fun. Do what is fun for you and your league. If you are the guys who like to smack the ball around the lot with +8 to swings then play something that allows for that. If you are the kind of players who enjoy the grind of a game with one on one match ups and more like “real baseball” play that way. This is supposed to be fun so make it fun for you. Play for the card everyone. 

FRIDAY SHOTS 

6/15/12 @markrom3: Jay Bruce (Inside-the-parker)

6/15/12 @kylevanpelt: Adam Dunn

6/22/12 @RuffRidenNole: Jose Bautista

Twitter-board 

@markrom3: 1

@Kylevanpelt:1
@RuffRidenNole:1

Player-board

Jay Bruce:1

Adam Dunn:1
Jose Bautista:1