We’ve been discussing baseball basic game a lot recently.  During the comment discussions, the Unusual Play Card and Error Chart have been brought up.  I assumed a lot of APBA Baseball fans have used these modifications and if not, have at least heard of them.

Then again, there are a lot new APBA fans out there and others coming back to the game.  Finally, I could be erroneous in my thinking.  Perhaps the Unusual Play Card and its brother, the Error Chart may be popular in my neck of the APBA woods but not be as well known elsewhere.  So I thought I’d pass both it on for everyone so could evaluate them and use them if they find them useful.  Note:  both of these modifications have been around for decades and I don’t know who was the original creator of either.  If anyone knows, please inform me so I can give them credit.

Similar Purpose

The UPC and Error Chart both serve a similar purpose.  While easy to implement, both serve to randomize result numbers that occur on players’ cards which mostly appear due the position that they position.  For example, it addresses the question: “Is it right that a baserunner has a much higher chance to get caught stealing if a shortstop is at bat?”.  It takes away the inherit unfairness that comes with the game.

With both modifications, it requires an extra dice roll every so often but not so much to extend the length game significantly.

I should say at this time that the cards displayed below and methods described are not canon.  These are the cards that our league has used for used and I have used for replays.  I’m sure there are variations that work just as well.  If you like the concept but the rules or cards don’t quite work for you, feel free to change them.  Better yet, let us know HOW you change them and why.

Unusual Play Card

The rules for the UPC modification are simple:

If bases are not empty and the offensive manager’s result (red number on the card) is a 23 or 36-41, the offensive manager rolls two dice again and refers to the UPC.

The result (again the red number) is the actual result number the offensive manager will use to refer to the boards.

Error Chart

The Error Chart works much in the same way.

If the offensive manager’s result (red number on the card) is a 15-21, the offensive manager rolls two dice again and refers to the Error Chart (the Error Chart is referred to with bases empty unlike the UPC).

The result (again the red number) is the actual result number the offensive manager will use to refer to the boards.

One drawback (because someone will bring it up if I don’t) is the 15.  I’m sure APBA uses the 15 to increase HBP totals on batters and using the Error Chart will skew this a little.

All in all if you don’t mind rolling the dice a few more times per game, these two modifications are pretty decent if you’re looking to randomize those position-related numbers.  I’d like to hear from others who have used similar modifications.  Did they work for you??

3 comments

John Heneghan emailed me and told me about a modification he’s come up with for his 1965 replay.  In keeping with the theme of my last post, it has to do with baserunning.  In this case, it’s a way for good defensive catchers to have an effect on steals.

John says:

I have been replaying the last month of the APBA 1965 season in the National League. It has always bugged me that great catchers have no influence on base stealing so I devised a simple chart for catchers rated 8 or 9 in which the baserunner runs a risk if he rolls a result of 10 or 11 and decides to steal. I have found that using this chart, I increased the value of the  9 or 8 Catcher, raised the involvement level of the managers and placed a reasonable risk for players to steal a base against a good arm.

• I have found that I am more likely to hesitate to pinch hit or pinch run for a good fielding catcher
• In tight games I have to decide to bring in a defensive catcher for the later innings against a “running team”
• In the late innings in a tight game, its a nail biter when a 9 catcher is behind the plate and a batter rolls an 11 ..to steal or not to steal ?
• Finally it brings a little bit of reality to the stat, stolen bases vs caught stealing

Great Defensive Catchers vs the Stolen Base;
The charts below are used for catchers rated 8 or 9
when a batter’s first column 10 or 11 results in a
stolen base

Example: Ty Cobb’s roll results in an 11. If the opposing catcher is rated an 8 or 9 Cobb’s 11 no longer results in an automatic steal. First, Cobb’s manager decides to “Coach” Cobb and if he instructs him not to steal, Cobb remains on first & no dice are rolled. If Cobb is allowed to steal then Cobb’s manager rolls two dice & combines the dice. He then refers to the chart corresponding to the catchers rating *”Chance” refers to the percentage chance

I haven’t tried this so I can’t verify how this works but certainly looks interesting.  John’s right in that the basic game doesn’t provide any disincentive for a player to not steal against a catcher with a cannon for an arm.  Our league used to use a Catcher’s Throwing Chart on hit an run plays only but ditched it in our housecleaning move a few year’s back. 

Thoughts anyone?  Has anyone used such modification? 

5 comments