I did something for the first time in this Statis Pro season. As I've mentioned in the past, I started playing this game with my dad back in the 80's. Statis Pro is easy to play once you get the hang of it, but a little difficult to pick up your first couple of times. As such, my dad and I played the "simple rules" version of the game. For game #121 I decided to use the advanced pitching options in Statis Pro. In the basic rules, which I've used all season, a pitcher has a "pitcher reduction" number. Any time they give up a hit, run, walk, etc, you subtract from that number. Once their reduction number reaches zero, all outcomes are determined off the hitter's card. That's when you usually go to your bullpen.
For the advanced rules, there's a more complex point system that better reflects a pitcher naturally getting tired as a game progresses as well as a pitcher becoming less effective if he starts to get shelled. The other new variable I used was the "pitcher's stuff." Rather than using a pitcher's normal pitching rating, advanced play in Statis Pro allows for a pitcher to have "great stuff," "good stuff," "normal stuff," "bad stuff," and "really bad stuff." It probably all balances out over the course of the season, but adding this wrinkle when playing every game in a year keeps it a lot more interesting. So Joe Cowley of the Yankees and Floyd Bannister of the White Sox became my guinea pigs in trying the advanced pitching options.
It was a 0-0 game until the top of the third. That's when the White Sox exploded. Greg Walker singled home Roy Smalley, and Greg Luzinski doubled home Rudy Law. Next up was Ron Kittle, and he blasted a three run homer to make it 5-0. With the advanced pitching rules in effect, Joe Cowley's pitching effectiveness option dropped a rank, which would not have happened with the simplified game play. The Yankees got three runs back in the bottom half of the inning because Dave Winfield deposited his own three run bomb.
The Yankees added two more in the fifth to tie the game, and that's how it lasted until the top of the ninth. Roy Smalley singled and two batters later Carlton Fisk doubled him home to give the White Sox a 6-5 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth. Reliever Brett Roberge retired the first two batters, but back to back singles by Willie Randolph and Lou Piniella and a Dave Winfield double tied the game at 6-6 and sent the contest into extra innings.
There wasn't much action until the top of the 12th. Carlton Fisk was the first batter, and he jacked a solo homer off of Mike Armstrong to give Chicago the lead. Reliever Dave Righetti came in but surrendered another two runs to the White Sox. Jerry Don Gleaton, working his fourth inning of relief, worked around two singles in the bottom of the inning to give Chicago the victory.
Winning Pitcher - Jerry Don Gleaton
Losing Pitcher - Mike Armstrong
Player of the Game - Carlton Fisk, 2-6, HR, 2B, 2RBI's, 1R
Hall of Famers in the Game - Carlton Fisk, Dave Winfield
I think I'll keep using the advanced pitching options for now. It is a little harder to use during the game, but I like the nuance it provides. And how about that Fisk card!? That has to be his best card ever produced, right? I think it looks sweet.
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