MLB Showdown Cards

#ShotsFriday MLB Showdown Managers

We have a tie on the leader and Twitterboards again. A little competition at the top with our graphics man @Roktikitiki scoring a home run with Mark Trumbo last week. Also @jamesmruffin had Carlos Beltran with a homer to put him in a 3 way for first with our other pro Dr Juice @markrom3 with 1 and his pick was Justin Upton. We have a little something from both of our great pros. Dr Juice is putting out his logo down below which he hopes to turn into fabulous merchandise one day to support his experiments. @roktikitiki is showing off the first of our newest strategy cards for our 2012 class. The goal is to have a 100 card strategy card set released by the end of the year but our first 5 should be a treat. They are manager cards should be interesting read more below and see his fantastic graphics. Much better than when I was in charge of that department. Remember tweet us in your predictions for who will hit a home run in a Friday game. We are accepting tweets all week so use our hash tag #shotsfriday. We are trying to come up with a good reward for the winner. Comment on some idea below

We have worked to change the strategy card use from the original game use. We attempt to give you guys more options. I personally prefer a 10 card stud format. We play all of our tournaments with a pure. One thing many people have wanted is manager cards. Having a coach on the bench which impacts your team in a positive way. We have made our official first set of manager cards. The 2012 set will be complete with 20 managers which can be used in various ways. The rules for managers is as follows.

1: players decide the use of managers before the season/tournament/series begins. If you play Deck Draw you must decide if players start with the manager in play or must be drawn

2: Managers once played stay in play until they are removed by another card or as an effect of their own card

3: Players are only allowed 1 manager card in their deck or hand but may have as many as they wish in their sideboard.

Other rules will likely come but that is a good start. Here are our first 5.

Bud Black is simple enough. He has those mutant bullpens over there in San Diego so when he is in play they get some help. “when a new pitcher comes in his first pitch gets +1 if that pitcher is a closer he gets +2.” This guy is going to want at least 2 or 3 closers in their pen. For players who budget for 5 innings from starters and use 3-5 relievers a game he could really help with getting that first out and eliminating small ball tactics. Also a great card paired with people who carry multiple 1/3 inning relievers.

Curt Young is someone who offers managers the chance to take it to the opposing team’s best players. Why intentionally walk and show weakness when you can hit someone and show strength? “Discard any card and have the batter reach first on a HBP, that batter receives -1 to all swings for the rest of the game. If the same pitcher hits the same batter twice in a game he is ejected”. First inning with a speed C slugger like Miguel Cabrera or Prince Fielder batting third why not have go “out, out, HBP”. Heck you may even prevent people from stealing in front of those guys early because you are going to put them on and give them -1 to the swing for the rest of the game. Lots of uses but of course it costs you a card and you put a batter on. Risky but I like it.

Mike Scioscia is one of the more aggressive managers year in and year out. “if there is a runner on first who is speed A and the batter hits a single or single+ the runner may take third without a throw, Remove Mike Scioscia from the game”. First this is not an ejection (though since Scoscia is removed he may not be ejected later”. Second depending on your league’s advancement rules this may not be as advantageous. We play where on a single runners may not advance without a card. This just guarantees you have the card and it is risk free. Not a very powerful card but a very commonly needed card. It is like having the old Long Single card all the time. It costs you no cards and is a way of advancing if you are scared of a catchers arm.

Rich Dubee thanks to his horse stable he has amassed the last few years has put up some impressive starters IP. For that he got a very interesting card “If the starting pitcher for Rich Dubee’s team is tired replace the -1 to each pitch with +1 to each swing”. Those of us who have stretched starters will probably agree that this is helpful but only slightly. This will allow pitchers to pitch maybe 1 or 2 innings extra. +1 or +2 for an entire inning minimum may also be a tough pill to swallow. He is interesting though.

Bobby Cox is missed and loved around here. We miss watching Bobby shuffle out to the umpire knowing he was going to get thrown out. We put that power into your hands. “If the pitcher has walked 2 batters this inning and they have come in to score you may have Bobby Cox become ejected and suspended for the next 3 games. the pitcher gets +1 IP”. This card is our first “ejection card”. Ejections come with the feared suspension. Suspended managers obviously have no use. Cox offers managers the ability to gain IP. More importantly he can save a good pitcher who has had a rough inning or he can give extra life to a bad pitcher on teams that are in slug fests.