Let me explain myself before I start a riot here. I’ve been playing APBA baseball since 1970, 40 of my 53 years on earth. I LOVE the game of baseball, enjoy APBA, especially seeing the stats grow over a long season, trading & drafting to build my ballclub, the Chicago Champions of the Illowa APBA League, for over thirty years.
However I realize there are flaws in the game, it’s not perfect, it’s a dice, tabletop board game. Over the years, the IAL put in place slight modifications to make the game better. One modification was an unusual play chart (used w/o bases empty, 23s & 41s were foul balls with the bases empty), another was the random error chart, and a third is a pitcher’s hitting card (used by all pitchers with less than 10 at bats). We also used a catcher’s throwing chart, based on a catcher’s defensive rating, giving catchers with higher defensive ratings more of a chance to catch a runner trying to steal. We also put into play rules to prevent sacrificing as an offensive weapon, with a runner on 2nd, 8’s & 9’s were just good bunts, rather than play for runner at 3rd fails and 14s were not walks against pitchers with control. Use the infield defense when bringing the infield in. And finally, 9 secondbaseman on 20s & 10 shortstops on 18s do not commit errors with the bases empty. In the old game, you’d say two on doubles and could separately basecoach stealing.
Then a few years ago, the APBA Game Co. came out with new boards. Since then the IAL has been removing these modifications. The first to go was the catcher’s throwing chart, the result, catchers defensive ratings were suddenly not as important as they were before. Next casualty was the error chart, now it was important to know what error numbers your opponents outfielders have, so you know how to position your outfielders (ie., if your opponent has all 15s, put your best outfielder in LF). Also a leadoff man with a 20 or 18 was an extra onbase number, unless your opponent has a 9 2Bman or a 10 SS. Then we went to the game out of the box’s version of coaching, if you coach a guy then he can’t steal & must also be coached on the bases. Finally the unusual play chart bit the dust, now 23s are an extra onbase number & 41s are an onbase number, going to second on an error, with the bases empty. One of the worst things I’ve discovered thus far, since removing modifications in our league, has been a runner on 2B, 2 outs, with a shortstop at bat (you have to basecoach him or risk losing him on an out stealing, thus making the 3rd out at 3B). Then there’s the concern about a big inning being ruined when a firstbaseman (the only guy capable of hitting into a triple play) hitting into a tripleplay on a 41. 39s are automatically doubleplays, with 1st & 2nd. You get the benefit of knowing the possibilities on the table before the dice are rolled, and can take appropriate actions or grit your teeth & suffer the consequences. Then I’ve already lost a game when a play for the runner at 3rd failed, thus nullifying my advantage of having an A&B* pitcher in there.
The only three modifications we still have in place are the pitcher’s hitting card, 9s at 2B & 10s at SS don’t make errors on 20s & 18s with the bases empty, and the infield in goes by the infield defensive rating.
Although my team has gotten off to a sub .500 start, 14-16, this has nothing to do with winning & losing, this has much more to do with playability. The modifications made the playability alot better. What I mean by better is, not being able to whore the game more in order to win. Last year my Champions won 98 games, but I didn’t like not using the error chart, and moving my outfielders around to counteract my opponent’s error numbers.
I’d love to know some of the modifications other leagues are using. And/or your thoughts on whoring APBA in order to win. CLuke’s always promoting Skeetersoft innovations, which might be something to look into. APBA is much more limited than Strat-O-Matic especially regarding pitchers. IMHO, APBA needs as much help as it can get and taking out modifications we’d implemented over the years was not a good move.
I guess my view on this is simple – if you don’t like playing the boards, don’t. The only APBA-ism I’ve allowed myself is to put the OF-3 in RF, and I think the boards have addressed that – and I’m playing Chris Young in CF. If you’re going to coach a guy with a man on 2nd and 2 outs for that 1-in-36 chance that he gets tossed, you’re going to lose other things.
So far this year I’ve found that I really like the base coaching changes – it has made the games so much more interesting, sometimes to my benefit, sometimes not. I’m divided on the error cards and rare play cards. It is much faster to not have to reroll, but I wouldn’t greatly object either way.
In the past, two rules we implemented was with the outfielders & DH’s. One area that gnaws at me, and I have addressed apba with this is that the outfield cards say outfield. Playing the outfield is different for each side. We had implented that if a player played the majority or all of his games in LF, then he is to play LF only. If he needs to switch to another outfiedl postion, he loses a point on his outfield #. Also, all players have a fielding position #. If a player never ever played in the field, i.e. DH, he was not allowed to play a position. This prevented teams in our leagues from loading up on power hitting players, especially in the outfield, at least without fielding consequences.
I could see a “corner OF” versus “CF” resitriction, but I wouldn’t want to differentiate between RF and LF – I don’t see that being a serious enough issue. The only LF’s who really can’t play RF are those with really bad arms (Damon, Pierre, etc). In our league (with a 26 man roster – total) this would cause some usage issues.
If our league were to ever go to DH, I would want to limit DH’s to that role just as we do position players.
Boy im sure glad to here that I am not the only one who hates the DH.I have my own game and a ton of season sets.Only rule change I made over the years was no matter what the the season set I play, the pitcher WILL BAT unless you pinch hit for him. That’s why you have a bench. Plus as a manager, you really have to manage and not just sit there with your thumbs up your nose taking a nap. With me its old school 101. Grab a bat, take a hack and if you dont like it go supersize happy meals then. This is baseball not softball.
I just recently got back into APBA after finding all my old stuff. I found all my cards and boards. I couldn’t find my sacrifice/hit & run booklet. I called the APBA co. and was told that the boards & booklet are now in a spiral bound book with the new game, which I purchased. Much to my chagrin, the boards have changed; and even more dramatically the hit & run book is much different. I am trying to locate a copy of the original sacrifice/hit & run booklet to use with my old boards to play the game I’m used to. Any help?
I began playing APBA baseball board game back in the late 1970’s. Sadly I have lost my boards but still do have the “Sacrifice Booklet” which includes the hit and run play as well 2 seasons worth of cards. I have the complete 1981(strike season)and I believe either the 1977 or 1978 season(I’m not sure). I also have the 1946 Boston Red Sox, 1948 Cleveland Indians, 1950 Philadelphia Phillies, 1954 New York Giants, 1957 Milwaukee Braves, and the 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates if you or anyone else might be interested.
Tim
I know there are some folks around here who have that – I don’t personally. You might want to check around the APBA forums – I know there are excel charts ofthe old boards floating around.
For what it’s worth, I’ve played with both boards, and I like the new ones – the changes, while numerous, are fairly minor, and most seem to improve things.
Tony, Call me a traditionalist, but I’ve played both, and I HATE the new boards!!! Both the old & new boards have their problems, but the new boards have the same problems as the old boards, with changes that make no sense. Good luck to you on your quest to find the old boards!!!
Im with you when it comes to old school.I started in APBA in 1998 when they had the old boards.I moved onto there 50th anniversary spiral playbook which is like listening to a game on the radio. Then this past summer I bought the new game.Out of all 3 My favorite is the 50th anniversary playbook.There new one takes to long to find the results of the play in.
Tony,
About a year and a half ago, I bought some old used APBA basic game boards from a nice guy on APBA BTL (the Delphi message board). Everything was complete other than the hit and run / sacrifice booklet. I was able to purchase one on EBay for about $5.
I’d really recommend asking around the APBA forum or doing a few EBay searches. It’s more common than you think.
Seriously Good information. I have gotta say though that for games, I am still old school and adore monopoly. What is your most loved?
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TBL uses a variety of changes to the MG boards and our own pitching system.
http://www.tblhome.com
I had not heard of a catcher’s throwing chart with the new boards. Could someone enlighten me?
Hi Steven,
The catcher’s throwing chart is not an official part of the game but a modification we used in the Illowa APBA League a while back. I’ll see if I can dig it up.
Tom