Results tagged ‘ Strat-o-matic ’
The thrill of the Greatest Teams bracket tournaments
What if the Greatest Baseball Teams of All-Time met in an NCAA basketball style bracket tournament? Single game elimination. You lose, you go fishing. You win, you live to play another day and advance towards the championship game.
We just completed the first ever DYNASTY League Baseball Online Greatest Team bracket tournaments and the experience is like playing “Game 7″ everytime you play. One word best describes it “Thrilling”.
Does the best team always win? Maybe, maybe not. Amongst the 70 Greatest Teams, any team could win the bracket and that is part of what makes it all so fascinating.
Above you can see the screen shot of one of the Elite Eight tournament brackets. 1982 Milwaukee won all three of it’s games on clutch, heroic, drama filled, thrilling HR in the late innings by the likes of “stormin” Gorman Thomas and Ted Simmons. I was managing Milwaukee and faced off in the Championship vs. 1998 New York managed by Carmine Turso and I felt like it was 1982 all over again with Harvey’s Wallbangers punishing pitchers with their 216 HR.
One of the new very cool features just added to the bracket tournaments is the ability to follow every game of the tournament in real time. The scores update automatically and when you click on the scores you see the in-progress box score and game summary. Click on the team and you see updated Batting, Pitching and Fielding stats for that team in the tournament.
Our first Greatest Team bracket was played by DYNASTY League Baseball Online architect Jamie Hall and myself in a Final Four matchup. Below is a screen shots of a first round matchup between 1979 Pittsburgh and 1982 St. Louis. 1982 St. Louis won in a thrilling late inning comeback, but was overpowered by 1975 Boston’s offense in the Championship final.
There also is a new Manager ranking system coming. As you win and lose games and hopefully win Championships, you will accumulate points based on your performance. Each franchise will have 10 Managerial levels that you can reach named after actual franchise Managers. The Yankee franchise will have the coveted Billy Martin, Joe Torre and Casey Stengel levels to reach.
You’ll be able to experience the “thrill” for yourself by signing in at dynastyleaguebaseball.com
Greatest Teams bracket Tournament schedule
Sunday
1P ET
Sweet 16
4P ET
Sweet 16
7P ET
Sweet 16
10P ET
Sweet 16
Midnight
Sweet 16
Monday
1P ET
Elite 8
7P ET
Sweet 16
10P ET
Sweet 16
Midnight
Sweet 16
Tuesday
1P ET
Elite 8
7P ET
Sweet 16
10P ET
Sweet 16
Midnight
Sweet 16
Wednesday
1P ET
Elite 8
7P ET
Sweet 16
10P ET
Sweet 16
Midnight
Sweet 16
Thursday
1P ET
Elite 8
7P ET
Sweet 16
10P ET
Sweet 16
Midnight
Sweet 16
Friday
1P ET
Elite 8
4P ET
Elite 8
7P ET
Sweet 16
10P ET
Sweet 16
Midnight ET
Sweet 16
Saturday
10A ET
Sweet 16
Noon ET
Sweet 16
2P ET
Sweet 16
4P ET
Sweet 16
6P ET
Sweet 16
8P ET
Sweet 16
10P ET
Sweet 16
Midnight
Sweet 16
Cardinal fans dreams come true | Preview of Greatest Teams tournaments with DYNASTY League Baseball Online
On Wednesday, January 20 at the Palm Beach Gardens, FL Marriott, 76 campers were about to have their wildest dreams come true at the Cardinals Legends camp which benefits Hire Heroes and takes place in Jupiter, FL January 20-24 at Roger Dean Stadium (Spring Training and Minor league home of the Cardinals and Marlins).
DYNASTY League Baseball is one of the sponsors of the event providing a free Cardinals Greatest Team tournament for the Campers and Legends and an opportunity to learn and try out the new DYNASTY League Baseball Online version.
In preparation, software engineer extraordinaire Jamie Hall cooked up seven Cardinal Greatest teams to choose from including:
1934
1942
1967
1982
1985
2004
2009
In addition, new code was added to create the actual Greatest Teams brackets that seed, designate the home team and advance teams in the bracket.
I invited Tim Lewis and his son Ivan (named after Ivan Rodriguez) to help with the event. After lunch at the Palm Beach Gardens Marriott it didn’t take long for us to spot our first Cardinal – Bruce Sutter.
Mr. Sutter sitting outside peacefully thinking back some 28 years ago as he fired one his split fingered fastballs only to have the bottom drop out under Brewer’s Gorman Thomas bat and clinch the World Championship for the 1982 Cardinals. Ivan got his photo op with Bruce and a cherished memory meeting the HOF’er with Dad Tim getting the photo credit.
The foot traffic was slow at first, but picked up a bit and I spotted Rick Horton the Camp leader, but better known as one of Whitey Herzog’s top short left-handed relievers. As many of you know from looking at Rick’s 1985 player card, he has a great hold and pickoff move (7/A/-2) that he honed in college while looking at the mirror in his dorm room.
Rick was flying around like a Cardinal in flight trying to get everyting ready for the Patio Party and Staff meeting. He was able to stop by our table and check out the interface and commented that the game looked great and he had a friend that would love the game.
Our tournament got under way with a Final four matchup with the 2004 Cardinals facing off vs. the 2009 Cardinals. Two veteran campers, both Doctors, sat down face-to-face to battle it out in a single elimination bracket tournament with Carpenter starting for the 2004 Cards and Wainwright starting for the 2009 Cards.
DYNASTY League Baseball Online will have several different types of brackets such as Sweet 16 and Final 4. The Cardinals Greatest Team tournament was a shorter Final 4 tournament to fit into the time frame.
Every game counts when you are playing in the Greatest Teams tournaments towards your Managerail ranking level. You will be awarded points based on your performance in each tournament and it will allow you to advance to a higher Managerial level rank. For example, if you are managing the Cardinals the lowest Managerial level is Jack Hendricks, a little known Manager from the 1940 season who finished last with a record of 51-78, You will aspire to reach the La Russa and ultimately the Herzog Managerial level if you prove to be a savvy Manager. You’ll have a separate public ranking for your live games as well as a prviate ranking for your solitaire games.
The 2009 vs. 2004 match-up ended up being a see-saw game that came down to the last out as the 2009 Cardinals won and advanced. Both campers caught on quickly to the game and had a blast playing it. Note that with the Online version you have your own screen, you are not sharing a screen or mouse. When your opponent goes to the bullpen or makes a substitution, a message pops up saying that the opponent is calling the bullpen or making a substitution so you know at all times what is happening.
Look! Steve Kline is right next to us at the registration desk. As Steve made his way to the elevators I approached him and let him know about our Cardinals Greatest Team tournament. I invited him to play and Kline remarked “You need to get Mike Matheny to play! Do you have the 1979 Pittsburgh Steelers?” Only Steve Kline can be this daffy and hilarious. Kline is a throw back to earlier times when the players spent time in the locker room lighing players feet on fire and a whole array of pranks. Kline asked if the 2004 Cardinals won and one of the Doctors said “Kline you just gave up a HR and lost me the game for my 2004 Cardinals.” I told the left-handed Kline that the Doctor had left him in to pitch vs. three straight RH batters.
The pitcher who is the “poster boy” for the OFF Situation rating (rarely walks the lead off man) strolled by next. I’m talking about Bob Tewksbury who had two excellent years back-to-back in 1992 and 1993. Bob was helping us identify some of the players including Brian Jordan who looked like he still could play in both the NFL and MLB. Ivan sure is making a lot of friends isn’t he?
I just feel sorry for these campers. They are going to get smoked in the games vs. the
Cardinals Legends. Everyone recognizes our next guest who just arrived at the Marriott. The very classy Lou Brock. I told Lou as he was heading for the elevator that his 1967 Cardinals just beat the 1985 Cardinals in the other bracket with Bob Gibson pitching a shutout. Lou grinned knowlingly of Gibson’s dominance as the elevator doors closed and he waved to us. Steve Carlton continued the 1967 Cardinals pitching dominance by only allowing one run vs. the 2009 Cardinals in the Finals. Between
them, Gibson and Carlton pitched two complete games and allowed one run over those 18 IP. The new Greatest Teams brackets worked perfectly in their first test as did all the games we played. The Cardinal Legends were scheduled for a team meeting at 7:00P, but before the meeting up walked the great All-Star and Gold Glover Andy Van Slyke. I had met Andy once before in October of 1985 in the Cardinals locker room after the Cardinals clinched the Division title vs. the Cubs. MVP Willie McGee had
borrowed me his sharpie and Andy signed my prized champagne celebration bottle. After Ivan got his photo with another Cardinal Legend, we started showing Andy the new Online version. One of the first things I told Andy was how the weather effects come into play and how at Wrigley Field in the Summer the wind tends to blow in while in the Spring and Fall in tends to blow out. Andy was really interested in this and reflecting on it now I discovered that Andy
had wanted to be a meteorologist and is a huge fan of the Weather channel like myself. Andy Van Slyke and I then proceeded to make out the 1985 Cardinals lineup vs. the 2004 Cardinals in a new game. Andy caught on real fast to the interface and lineup selection and studied the ratings intently. Once the game started I moved the mouse over his defensive player ratings in right field to display the tool tips that explain the rating. “A+ outstanding Range and -3 outstanding Throwing Arm” the tool tip indicated. Andy Van Slyke nodded intently as he watched himself out in right field in Busch Stadium. Van Slyke took over as skipper of the 1985 Cardinals and I had to pinch myself a bit as I felt transformed back to 1985 as we continued our DYNASTY League Baseball Online game. The team meeting was nearing, but Andy was captivated by the game as he came to bat. The dice roll came up and I winced as I saw a bizarre play result get accessed and I thought to myself “Now what?”. Van Slyke struck out on a called strike and was ejected by the umpire for arguing the call. Seemingly right on cue, the game ejected Andy Van Slyke right out of his seat into the team meeting. Andy gave me a nudge on the shoulder, stood up, and pleaded “I never was thrown out of a game!”.
Houston, we have lift off! First live DYNASTY League Baseball Online version game launch is perfect game
Last Saturday, August 1 at 6P ET, Jamie Hall and I got together for the launch of the first ever live face to face game ever played with the new DYNASTY League Baseball Online version.
The launch was as perfect as a Mark Buehrle perfect game and maybe even more exciting to watch and play.
I sent my 2006 Cardinals vs. Jamie’s 2006 Tigers in Game 1 of the 2006 World Series at Comerica Park. OK, these are both our favorite teams so this was like Baseball nirvana for us with the Tigers and Cardinals not having played vs. each other in the World Series since 1968 and 1934.
The missing “League” is now found
Before we started the game, I was telling Jamie that the “League” in DYNASTY League Baseball has been missing since DYNASTY League Baseball debuted in 1994. By that I mean a really easy way for people to join a league, for Commissioners to run leagues and for people to connect and play vs. each other across long distances and have standings, stats and scores updated in real time without having to export or import any files.
The new draft room will allow you to draft live and show which players have been selected, which players are left in the draft, what your roster currently looks like, how many dollars of your budget you have left to bid on players and which roster slots you still need to fill.
Dan Mintz, Reede Stockton, Jamie and myself have been planning and talking about an Online version for a long time. It really wasn’t until the past two years that the Baseball stars and sun were in perfect alignment to create the opportunity to develop what is a truly cutting edge technological marvel.
Realizing that most DYNASTY League Baseball and Pursue the Pennant fans have never played an Online game the question is “What is this and why do I need it?”
There are three type of ways you will play your opponent:
- You vs. another live opponent
- You vs. computer manager
- Computer manager vs. computer manager
Which type of game you will play depends on you and your opponent.
“Series” allow you to play a series solitaire vs. the computer manager or with a friend from any season in the DYNASTY League Baseball library.
There will be two primary play options:
- Greatest Team bracket tournaments
- Continuous draft leagues that use the Official DYNASTY League Baseball rulesYou always have time for DYNASTY League Baseball Online
The neat thing is that there is always time to be in a league or tournament no matter how busy you are with work, family and friends. If you find you are getting busy you can always have the computer manager take over and play games for you until you have more time to play the games live.
DYNASTY League Baseball Online runs on Windows or Apple Macintosh
How do I install the Online version and start playing? You don’t install it – it is all ready to go for you.
You start your Internet Explorer, Fire fox or if you are on an Apple Macintosh, your Safari browser, and log on with your user name and password at a new web site being created just for DYNASTY League Baseball Online TBA.
If you are already in a draft league or Greatest tournament the first thing you’ll see is your up to date draft league standings and Greatest Teams tournament results and rankings. If this is your first time logging in you will choose your Greatest team for the Greatest Teams tournaments. You also will be able to select a franchise for a continuous private or public draft league.
So now what after I select my team? Click on the join game link to the game you want to play. That is as easy as it was for me to connect and play Jamie. One click and the first thing you will see on your screen is the outside of the ball park that you are playing in. Click enter and you enter the ball park just as if you had walked into the ball park.
Similar to the Windows version, the next thing you will do is select your starting pitcher. DYNASTY League Baseball Online includes injury and pitcher rest tracking as well as Use rating tracking so you can easily see who is available for the game.
You can see any players player card while you are selecting your pitcher and lineup. You also have the OBP and SLG vs. LH and vs RH breakdowns. Previously I would pull out my Bill James Handbook to look up these stats, but now they are all there. Click on the Magglio Ordonez player card screen below to check it out.
The lineup selection screen now allows you to move players up or down in the lineup.
Next we enter Comerica Park. It is one thing to see screen shots and another to actually see the game interface on screen. One word left my mouth. ”WOW!” Joe DiMaggio would call it the Marilyn Monroe screen interface. Gorgeous!
You control your own mouse all of the time – you don’t have to share the mouse even though the game is turn based.
What I absolutely loved were the new tool tips. When you roll over a player rating on screen a tool tip comes up describing the rating.
Want to see a player card? Just move your mouse over the player name and the player pops up for you. The player cards look identical to the player cards in the board game in every respect.
The Cardinals struck first in the 1st when Albert Pujols launched a Justin Verlander pitch to center field for a home run. I flipped when I saw the red target flash in center field where Pujols had just deposited the ball and then watched as Pujols circled the bases.
The screen shot below is from another Pujols HR in a different game, but if you click on it you’ll get the full size image.
The game is far from a static text game and that is one of the first things you will notice. There are all kinds of things flashing and moving during the game that really adds to the enjoyment of playing. Also helps when your team is winning as mine was 2-0.
Worried about a disconnection or crash? Don’t be. Your game is automatically saved and will take you right back to where you left off so a game will never be lost.
Scott Spiezio opened up the top of the 2nd inning with a solo shot to right. Gee that flashing target is cool! Cardinals 3 Tigers 0
For each play result either the pitcher card or hitter card will come up on screen depending on which player card the result is on. The dice roll is shown below the player card and the play results flashes right on the player card. Click below to see a play result on Nate Robertson’s player card:
During the game, you’ll also see the various Situation ratings highlight when they are in effect with a description of the Situation rating. In the screen shot below, the ON rating (rarely allows HR with runners on base) is in effect for Justin Verlander.
Top of the 3rd and Spiezio hits a solo shot to center field to make it 5-0 Cardinals.
Top of the 5th and Spiezio homers to right field for his third HR of the game! Cardinals 6-0
Cardinals starter Chris Carpenter is just dominating until the 8th when Craig Monroe slams a two-run home run to left.
Final score Cardinals 6 Tigers 2
No exporting or importing needed for instant updated stats and standings
Now think of youself playing in a tournament or league where other players are playing and the scores are updated instantly for everyone to see along with the current standings, stats and league leaders. No exporting or importing of files. How cool is that?
Box score and Game Summary are easily accessible during and after the game
I absolutely love the new Game Summary!
InauguralGameSummary.html
Shown below is the final game screen with the Cardinals winning 6-2 over the Tigers. You can click on the screen to see Jason Isrinhausen warming up in the bullpen in the 9th inning - just in case. The bullpen is right on the main game screen and shows you who it warming up and if they are ready.
Well, there you have it – Game 1 of DYNASTY League Baseball Online and there are so many more features still to come! Amazing as the 1969 Mets don’t you think? I sure think so.
Leading Off…
Welcome DYNASTY League Baseball and Pursue the Pennant Fans!
If you are a DYNASTY League Baseball and Pursue the Pennant veteran welcome.
If you are a rookie, here is a good place to start to learn about the game and it’s history from reviews from such sites as USA TODAY, ESPN.com, Milwaukee Journal and the St. Louis Post Dispatch.
For more than 20 years discerning baseball fans have played this super realistic Baseball simulation that let’s you become the Manager and GM of your own team. The Game Design tour can be found at the DYNASTY League Baseball home page
There are two versions of DYNASTY League Baseball:
- The original DYNASTY League Baseball Board version which is great for local leagues and face to face play.
- The new DYNASTY League Baseball Online version that is all about taking league and tournament play to the next level with a next generation user interface and loads of new features that make league and tournament play easier, faster and much more fun than ever before.
Michael Bauman wrote the first major review of Pursue the Pennant which was to morph into DYNASTY League Baseball using an upgraded version of the original Pursue the Pennant game engine. You can read PDF versions of his reviews at the DYNASTY League Baseball reviews link.
Michael Bauman is currently the National Baseball writer here at MLB.com where you can read his Perspectives columns. Mathew Leach, beat writer for the Cardinals at MLB.com played a DYNASTY League Baseball Winter game with St. Louis Post Dispatch beat writer Derrick Goold whose Bird Land blog is a great read for Cardinals fans.
Orioles MLB.com beat writer Spencer Fordin is an avid DYNASTY League Baseball player and is in hot competition in the THROW continuous season draft league along with Mike Wilner of the Blue Jays FAN 590 radio.
We’ll be including DYNASTY League Baseball news and notes along with interviews with MLB Players, Managers and Front office personnel with their slant on DYNASTY League Baseball and Pursue the Pennant.
Mike Cieslinski
Recent Comments