This year, I drafted rookie infielder Joey Wendle in the Illowa APBA League. So far, he’s doing well. He’s hitting .304 in 148 at-bats while scoring 17 runs and driving in 23. As you can see, Wendle’s APBA card has power numbers 0-6-6 with a 22-7 and a 15-11.
Most pertinent to this article, he has four 8s and two 9s.
Wendle’s 8-8-8-8-9-9 combo is slightly unconventional. For those new to APBA Baseball, the card makers generally give three 8s and two 9s on most hitting cards. On a few like Wendle’s, they will give an extra 8 for a total of four when an extra 7 just isn’t warranted. On others especially with batting averages, might receive just two 8s and two 9s. The 8-8-9-9 combination is also used with batters with many speed numbers like 11s and 10s.
Here’s the thing, the IAL enforces player usage rules based on games and at-bats so Joey will have to sit a few games (139 G, 487 AB).
So I ask APBA fans this: How many of you would bat Wendle against Grade C and Grade D pitchers to take advantage of the extra hit? In other words, why not rest him against a pitcher when that extra 8 would be an out anyway?
I propose another scenario. Here’s Kyle Schwarber’s 2019 APBA card:
Kyle’s 2019 card is not perfect. He’s slow and a Fielding Three OF. That said, he has five 14s and has power numbers 1-5-5. He even has a 15-10.
Funny thing, he only has two 8s to go with his two 9s which makes him essentially as strong (or weak, depending if you like the guy) of a hitter against Grade A pitchers and Grade B pitchers than C and D pitchers. Ian Happ, also on my Twin Thunderchickens, has the 8-8-9-9 combination as well.
Opposite of Wendle, I am tempted to rest Schwarber against Grade C and D starting pitchers since he has as much value against the stronger Grade A and B pitchers (nit-pickers might mention that the 15-10 will be an out with a runner on second base and they are totally correct).
Some might call this playing “APBA-ball” in a pejorative sense. Others say this is common sense, taking strategic advantage of the APBA Baseball game.
I know there are other and probably more egregious and extreme examples of “APBA-ball”. Such as:
Pinch hitting with a 1-6-6 card with a runner on third
Base coaching a slow runner only when he has a chance to get out
I’ve seen comments on various forums which allude to the concept of playing to the board game and not the game of baseball. I think it may depend on your perspective. Playing in competitive APBA might generate a different approach because of the desired outcome (winning) then replays (realism).
I’m just curious what everyone thinks.
I consider APBA Ball gaming the game in ways like hit and running with the old boards 4-5 times a game, but don’t consider Wendle’s card APBA-ballish. Pinch hitting with a 1-5-5 guy with runner on first etc… maybe… maybe… but it is still trying to get the most out of the card. Wendle has a decent card vs better pitching too, 2B8, good OBP with 42, nice mix of hit numbers.
Now, I played in a face to face league where one manager had charts of her hit and obp for every one of his cards va every base situation and control. To me, that is too much, but it didn’t bother me. If what was supposed to happen always happened we wouldn’t play the games, we would just draft and hand out trophies. :)
Hello Brad!
Our grizzled fraternity of ex-Hot Stove League and WVL managers have been trying to locate you for get-togethers. Reach me at or 503-695-5397. We’d like to reconnect. Hope you’re doing well!
Best,
Curt Johnson
we talk about this in TBL, and we all optimize based on cards. I certainly choose lineups based on stolen 10s, batting shifts in the MG, walks on cards against pitchers with bad control. APBA-life imitates life, and I see no reason not to do it.
By the way, we have a name for cards like Schwarber’s (or more extreme ones like, say, Jose Rondon); we call them “bearded ladies.”
Of course we speak our own language in APBA leagues :)
My view is that this is akin to scouting the opposing pitcher; Wendle handles weaker fastballs, etc better than hard stuff, while Schwarber can hit hard stuff well when he can hit it. There is a point where the APBA ball thing gets to be too much – if a manager were switching around their corner outfielder from batter to batter based on error numbers or something like that, but otherwise its all just strategy.
In a replay I play it like baseball. In a draft league I play to win.
Tommy nailed it. That’s exactly right.
As for me, I look at cards with 1-5-5 like clutch hitters. It may not correspond to real life but it’s certainly true in APBA-land.
I look at APBA a little like Rob M does. The Basic Game doesn’t afford the lefty-righty matchup but this gives us a way to strategize our way to a win. :)
Hello Tom. I am currently replaying 1967 and as a Tigers fan I am always tempted to pinch hit with Hank Aguirre, who has ten 2s, with runners on first and second especially.
I play the computer game and the corollary there is the constant viewing of the card some managers engage in as the game progresses. Not only does it slow down play it makes it apparent that the opponent is trying to match cards with the boards (such as they are in the CG).
From my perspective, however, the real APBA-ball play for either cards or computer, is the playing of a batter grossly out of position to squeeze another bat into the lineup. I am not talking about the guy who played most of his games at second base but also some at short playing all of his games at short because the team had another good hitter at second base. The most egregious example I encountered was in a league based upon the 1933 season wherein Jimmie Foxx played two INNINGS at shortstop in a late season game. He played 154 GAMES at shortstop in the league that season.