April 1981 is FIN

I found this picture of the game on the vast WWW

I started this project on June 4th of this year. Technically I started a bit earlier than that with the prep work, but the first official game happened in the evening of June 4th. I’ve not done a lot of writing as the season has progressed. I wish more, but I also am enjoying just playing the games, seeing all these players from my youth, and watching the outcomes.

There are games that are so riveting, so exciting, that I’m on the edge of my chair as the dice tumble and the results are discovered. Then there are games where I find myself just wishing it would somehow end. “Only the 4th inning? It feels like it should be the 8th already.” Honestly, those are usually teams I’m not as attached emotionally to any of the players on the teams playing at the moment. Or maybe it’s a game that just seems sloppy – a few errors, poor running decisions, slumping hitters continue to go through the motions, etc.

But the games roll on. While the computer version of Inside Pitch is how I got acquainted with the game, I’ve never been a fan of any computer game. I will find myself not as connected. I enjoy the cards in my hands, the dice – cold or hot – in my hands, the feel of being a part of the game itself. I learned IP on the computer, but once I had it down (enough) I was ordering my first card set (1977). Other seasons followed pretty quickly as I became more enamored with the game with each roll, each inning, each range play or home run or 5-4-3 double play.

I really wasn’t sure if I’d even make it to the end of April. But here I am about to post a blog about the first month of the season being completed. It’s in the books. I finished the final April game on the last day of August. Less than three full months to play 239 games. It is a serious help that I’m not manually compiling stats, but using iScore to help in that process. It allows me to double my playing time knowing the grunt work of statistics is being done automatically. If I want to print out the box score after the game, I can. If I want to print out the score card or play-by-play, I can. But the stats are automatic.

My only goal is to play at least one game a day. I’ve done that without fail. Sometimes many games in a day with the personal high of 8 when my beautiful Mrs worked on a Saturday and I got into a groove.

The next month in the season has a significantly higher amount of games. Playing the 239 games in under three months is not sustainable to either my enjoyment, health, or the relationship with my spouse. I know it will slow down. Instead of averaging almost 3 games a day, I’ll get used to playing just one (still my goal and easily achievable). But for now, while the fire is still stoked, I’m playing at every opportunity. April had 239 games. May has 377. I’d like to think I can achieve that by the end of February, but it could easily be a year from now. Time will tell, but until then, I’m going to enjoy just rolling the dice and getting away from the noise outside my “stadium” office.

Game of the Week 4/25/81

The Saturday game of the week saw an exciting pitcher’s duel at the Astrodome as the Cincinnati Reds battled the Houston Astros. On the mound for the Reds was rookie pitcher, Bruce Berenyi. He came into the game with a 2-0 record and would be battling the Astros veteran flame thrower, Nolan Ryan.

The Cincinnati Reds dropped the series opener on Thursday in extra innings against the ‘Stros 1-0 in twelve innings. A compelling argument could be made that both teams have either had stifling pitching or anemic hitting, depending on your perspective. Seaver went 8 in that game before giving way to the pen where Joe Price lost on a walk off single by Art Howe.

The Astros saw the series even in game two as rookie Charlie Liebrandt, recently called up to replace injured Frank Pastore in the pitching staff, pitched very well for 6.2 innings before faltering. The Reds bullpen managed to hold on this time and the Reds won 4-2 in spite of a very good outing by Astros Vern Ruhle.

Game three saw Nolan Ryan square off against Bruce Berenyi. Ryan came to the Astros the year prior where he and JR Richard would be the one and two of a dominating pitching staff. But it wasn’t to be as Richard succumbed to stroke midway through the season.

Ryan appeared to be in mid-season form as he stymied the Reds hitters. A first inning single by Dave Concepcion ended the opportunity of a no-hitter quickly. As silly as that sounds, every time Ryan takes the mound you anticipate some sort of magic could take place.

Bruce Berenyi did his best to match the older flame thrower. He gave up a leadoff walk to start the game then quickly sent the next three hitters down in order. That continued through the 2nd inning. He gave up his first hit in the third inning, but that was erased by a double play.

It wasn’t until the bottom of the 5th inning before either team managed to plate a run. Dave Roberts led off with a double and scored as the Dickie Thon hit a ground single into left field. Thon would later score on a sacrifice fly by Denny Walling.

The Astros added one more in the 6th as Terry Puhl drove home Jose Cruz from second base with a single.

Berenyi pitched a fine game giving up 3 runs on 6 hits over 7 innings before being pulled for a pinch hitter in the top of the 8th inning. Ryan had given up another hit, a double in the 4th to Concepcion, but managed to hang on to the shut out. The Reds had also found 4 walks along the way as Ryan had his typical bit of wildness, but never found a way to capitalize on them.

But the strike outs did keep coming. Ryan had two in the 1st inning and two more in the 3rd. He added a single strike out in each of the 4th thru 8th innings and capped off the game by striking out two more in the 9th to end the game with a shut out. Ryan closed out the win by striking out Dan Driessen.

Houston wins at home 3-0 on the pitching dominance of Nolan Ryan. He went the distance allowing just 2 hits (both to Concepcion), 4 walks, and 11 strike outs. Great game!

Rollin’, Rollin’, Rollin’

I find much of my enjoyment in the rolling of dice. I can picture the plays occurring in my mind as a young Ozzie Smith stretches fully out to snag a hard hit grounder up the middle then snap to his feet while firing to first to get the batter by a half step – all in his brown and yellow Padres uni. I can picture burly Bob Horner, third baseman for the Braves, launching a drive to deep left center and circling the bases. I can envision a very young Tim Raines flying down the third base line and sliding in under the tag as he steals home. And yesterday, I got to ‘watch’ one of my all time favorites, Nolan Ryan, throw a two hit shutout while striking out eleven Cincinnati Red ballplayers.

I’ve been so busy playing games in my spare time away from work that I’ve not really taken time to stop and write about anything in a couple weeks. That doesn’t mean I’ve walked away from it. I just would rather watch the games unfold before me than to stop for a moment to write. And as I write this I realize talents erode if they’re not practiced. Sorry about that.

The game of baseball, both on the table and in real life, have been an escape for me for over four decades. As a kid I moved my small desk into a closet and used it as a temporary ‘office’ where I could shut out the noise of sisters and parents. As an adult I’ve often used my bedroom or office to get away from the cacophony of teenagers and/or grandchildren. Over the last few months the house has grown quiet with the whole covid scamdemic awash over our country and everyone staying home. The stillness of the house has found me often listening to music and the jaw snap of my dog, Rosie, as she attempts to snatch flies from the air like the Garry Maddox (aka the ‘Secretary of Defense’).

“Two–thirds of the Earth is covered by water, the other one-third by Garry Maddox“ – Ralph Kiner

The games silently march on. I imagine the plays, one-by-one, as this 1981 replay is still unfurling. I’ve never done a replay of this magnitude, nor have I ever completed one of even smaller proportions. My lone accomplishment has been playing season after season in multiple leagues over the last 20+ years. I complete those because I have the camaraderie of like-minded guys who love the idea of being a manager of their own baseball team. Doing a quick estimate, and this is not to try to compete with anyone else because I’m sure it would pale in comparison, I’ve played about 2,500 baseball games over the last 20 years in league play (excluding my own projects like this one).

Here I am nearly two months after I started this project. I’m over 162 games into it – equal to a full season for one team. But my long-term goal is to equal that amount for all 26 teams that played in 1981. It would be quite an achievement given none of the teams in ’81 played 162 due to the strike.

I think what I’m discovering is I’d rather play baseball on the tabletop than be around people. While I am joking, it does kinda of seem that way, right? I would probably delve into this a bit more and do some self-diagnosing, but I’ve got games to play.

Like any good baseball fanatic, stats are required. Here are a few that I looked up yesterday:

Games Played: (through August 1) – 165

by month:
June 2020 – 78
July 2020 – 80
August 2020 – 7

Most games played in a day: 8 (July 26th)
Fewest games played in a day: 1 (17 times)
Most games played in a week (Sunday-Saturday): 28 (July 26 – August 1)
Fewest games played in a week: 11 (July 12 – July 18)
Weekly ‘Games Played’ average: 17.56
Daily ‘Games Played’ average: 2.72

Days of the week averages:
Sunday: 3.0
Monday: 2.25
Tuesday: 2.38
Wednesday: 3.0
Thursday: 2.44
Friday: 2.78
Saturday: 2.86

Most games played in two days: 14 (July 26-27)
Most games played in three days: 16 (July 25-27)
Most games played in four days: 18 (June 15-18)
Most games played in five days: 20 (June 15-19)
Most games played in six days: 24 (June 15-20)
Most games played in seven days (atypical week): 28 (July 26 – August 1)

Game of the Week 4/18/81

This week’s Saturday Game of the Week was a matchup of the continual rebuilding New York Mets hosting the Montreal Expos.

The Mets come into the series with a 4-2 record with high hopes their young pitching staff will gel around proven veterans. One of those veterans, former Cy Young and two-time 20-game winner, Randy Jones, took the hill for today’s game. Having come to the Mets in the fall of 1980 via free agency, Jones is to be the anchor of the young staff that hopes to give the Mets offense the opportunity to win games on a more regular basis. The sign on the front of Shea Stadium says, “The MAGIC is back!”

Facing off against Jones was young Bill Gullickson. The flame thrower set the record for most strike outs by a rookie pitcher in 1980 by striking out 18 batters against the Chicago Cubs. The Expos found themselves with a 3-3 record as they came to Shea Stadium for the three game series. While they’ve been able to disrupt team’s defense with their tremendous speed, it’s been their youth and inexperience that has also caused them to struggle. Their rotation looks to be formidable with proven winner, Steve Rogers along with the aforementioned Gullickson, youngsters Scott Sanderson and Charlie Lea, and veteran, and former Met, Ray Burris who signed as a free agent during the off-season.

Jones looked tight as he threw his warm up pitches. Tim Raines would be the first to test him. Jones struggled to find the plate and ended up walking Raines. Knowing the his speed, the Mets did their best to keep him close, but Raines would have none of it and quickly stole second base and advanced to third on an errant throw by catcher Alex Trevino. The infield moved in and were able to get Rod Scott to send a scorcher to third. Hubie Brooks looked Raines back to third before throwing to first for the out. Jones was able to strike out Andre Dawson and then got out of the jam with a ground out by Valentine. What looked like a troublesome start seemed to settle.

The Expos started the second with a home run by catcher Gary Carter. It was his first of the season. Larry Parrish followed up with a single and moved to 2nd on a ground out by Warren Cromartie. Then the proverbial wheels fell off. A walk to light hitting Chris Speier followed by walks to Gullickson loaded the bases. Raines fouled off several pitches, but eventually earned a free pass with the last pitch just missing and another run came in. The pen was now stirring and hoping a quick double play could get them out of this situation. Rod Scott walked and Speier scored. Where was that double play that was so desperately needed? Andre Dawson singled to left scoring Gullickson, but Raines wasn’t able to score from second and the bases were still loaded. Finally, Ellis Valentine hit into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning, but the damage was done. Jones would have to settle down and fight through some innings in order to prevent taxing the bullpen the day before a double header.

In the top of the third, Gary Carter led off again. BOOM. Gone. Homer number two on the day. Two solo shots. But it was obvious Jones didn’t have what he needed today and found himself headed to the showers after just three innings.

Gullickson was throwing a brilliant game on this partially cloudy day in April. He gave up a lead off single in the first inning and then a two out triple in the third inning, but those were the only base runners allowed in the early going. Neither found a way to score and were stranded on base. The only real threat came in the 7th inning when Dave Kingman reached by a throwing error by Speier. He moved to second on a two out walk to Hubie Brooks. Gullickson got the final out on the next batter to end the inning.

The last two innings went quietly as the crowd started shuffling out in the 8th inning. For those that left early, they missed the scoreboard announcement that former Mets ace, Tom Seaver, struck out Keith Hernandez in the 4th inning to reach the 3,000 milestone. That would have made the Mets fans day even worse. Maybe it was a good thing they had already filed out of the stadium. The final from Shea was Montreal 7, Mets 0.

Gullickson earned the win pitching seven strong innings, giving up two hits, no runs, and struck out three.

Jones took the loss with 3 IP, 5 R, 4H, 6 BB. It was a miracle he didn’t give up more runs looking at that pitching line.

One Month In

Officially today begins month two of this project. The excitement hasn’t worn off. Sure there are games that I call the “low-to-no”, meaning either one or both of the teams have an interest to me. Those series are more about the process: getting from point A to point B. To prevent offending anyone (because that is so easy to do these days), I will not mention the team or teams referenced in the “low-to-no” category. But since this is a 1981 replay, you can immediately rule out the Marlins, Diamondbacks, Rockies and Rays. You’re welcome.

I’m already excited about getting to the end of the current series grouping which will allow me to start pulling together league stats and a leader board. I’m using iScore and it IS getting easier despite my initial frustrations with it [see One and Done]. One item that I may yet figure out is how to more easily add starting lineups. Scrolling through players, selecting ‘batting’, selecting their position, dragging them to the top of the screen and making sure they’re in order. Those things are still a bit frustrating and I’ll probably learn an easier way in about another 100 games.

A month in and I’ve played 87 games. That may seem like a lot — ha, ok, it IS a lot. Nearly three games per day. I still know I won’t keep up this pace, but I’m finding the games to go a bit faster (not that I’m trying to race through them), and I’m more familiar with iScore. The combination has been rewarding and part of that reward is the ability to play more games without getting bogged down. During this month the fewest games played in a day has been one (7 times) and the most has been six (accomplished twice).

WARNING: Veering off topic momentarily. Skip the next two paragraphs, but I’m about to vent a little.
Things outside of my ‘escape’ seem to get crazier every day. Covid-19 is ramping up again (or so we’re being told). Many states are going back to partial shut down with masks being required if you’re outside of your own home. The arguments around that topic alone is absurd. People screaming that you’re trying to kill people by not wearing them and others decrying their loss of freedom by being forced to wear them. The medical profession is split on the concept of whether it’s good or bad to mask yourself. The one thing people are not masking is their intolerance and fear. It’s everywhere and on everyone seemingly.

Racial tensions continue to grow as the MSM continues their sell the feelings not the truth approach to life. Yes, I disagree with much of the MSM spoon-fed diatribe. While there are many areas that improvements can be made as a nation and individuals, most of the tension is pushed by false narratives. The cop in Minneapolis that murdered an unarmed black man (by all appearances, an intentional hit) and those that capitulated in the man’s death have been used by the media to stir tensions to a fever peak. Will there be calmer heads? I would like to say ‘yes’, but I also watch radical left groups like Antifa scoop in and add fuel to the fire. Thanks for taking a volatile situation and making it catastrophic for so many people, businesses, and communities. Each side of this has been finger pointing and using escalating language rather than trying to de-escalate and bring people to the table to discuss positive ways to make changes born from tragedy. For example, defunding police departments could very well be the absolute dumbest of ideas, yet it’s being shoved by the media.

RANT OVER: Returning to this project.
I find it safe to stay in my office or kitchen and roll games. With chaos around, I’m bringing a quietness to my mind with a clatter of dice into a baseball-field-dice-tray. Watching the games unfold before me, tracking pitcher usage, seeing players that I haven’t thought about in 40 years and looking back at their careers is one of the best remedies these days.

At the risk of offending and melting some snowflakes, HAPPY JULY 4th!! We have the greatest country in the world. Even with all the crud we’re going through, it would suck if I were a citizen of somewhere else.

I have no clue how many games I’ll roll in the next month, but I can assure you I’ll enjoy all of them a bit more than most anything around.

Interestingly Enough

In comparison to historical major league players, Howard Bailey was a failed lefty pitcher that came up through the Detroit organization. In complete fairness to Bailey, anyone who makes a major league roster has a lot of skills. But then you start the comparison of people at the same level of play — in this case, the major leagues.

During his years in the MLB (1981 – 1983) he compiled a 6-9 won/loss record along with a 5.23 ERA. As he came up through the Tigers minor league system he was a left handed starting pitcher with average stuff. But even an average lefty can somehow make a big league club. He did so during his 3rd year of professional ball.

With a year at single-A and another at AA, he made the Tigers 25 man roster in 1981 out of spring training. The rookie found himself as number three on the five man rotation. He only lasted the month of April before being shoved to the bullpen with a 5.70 ERA. He was even worse out of the pen with an ERA of 9.00. If that had been his K/9 it would have been good, but it wasn’t. His WHIP had jumped up to nearly 2 and it was obvious the hitters were seeing too much of his pitches for him to last. With one last start, and maybe a way to redeem himself and prevent the eventual demotion, he was lit up for runs against a tough Milwaukee club in just 3 innings of work. That ended Bailey’s 1981 rookie MLB campaign. With a 7.36 ERA in his rookie season he dropped back to the minors for refinement (that never happened).

Tabletop games let us replay history. Sometimes it’s spot on and other times it’s entirely different. But it’s baseball. If it was a complete identical match, we’d wonder why we bother and chuck it to the back of the game closet. Mr Bailey made his second start of the season and managed to do something he couldn’t do in real life – a complete game. Bailey scattered just five hits over the nine-inning affair. Everything Toronto did was ‘just out of range’. At least twice there were homers that fell one number short of clearing the fence. The dice went against the Blue Jays from start to end. Some days it’s just like that and today was one of them (Bailey’s dream come true).

Will the next game go that way? Hard to say. With dice anything is possible, though the odds are against this being an every outing occurrence. You can tune in because it’s already slated. The game will be April 22nd in New York. That lineup should be an eye-opener for Bailey compared to the Jays.

Odds and LONG Ends

Certain games jump off the page like a baseball can jump off a bat. This one was one of them. The Cardinals were facing the Mets at Shea. It was the second game of the series and it was a wild one.

Cardinals starter, Bob Forsch, normally a solid pitcher to have on the mound got off to a rough start giving up four runs in the first inning. It should have been a bit of Forsch-shadowing of how this game would twist and turn.

After grabbing a quick lead in the top half of the 1st with a two run homer by George Hendrick, the Mets roared back with four runs. Lee Mazilli and Dave Kingman had back-to-back homers. Later in the same inning Hubie Brooks went yard. Forsch only gave up seven home runs in the entire strike-shortened season over 124 innings and here he gave up three in one inning.

He settled down and pitched well over the next few innings, but was driven from the game after Rusty Staub hit another home run in the 6th.

Meanwhile the Cardinals weren’t done. In the 5th Keith Hernandez placed one over the right-center wall to tie the game at 4-4.

In the 7th with the Cards trailing 6-4 after Staub’s homer, Hernandez homered for the second time−this time with Ken Oberkfell on base. Just like that the game was tied again.

The Mets drove in two more runs off another poor outing from the St Louis bullpen. It looked over as Jeff Reardon was on the mound looking for a win, but he’d have to get through the top of the 9th.

Keith Hernandez came up for the fifth time in the game and the last two at-bats were put into the right field bleachers. Reardon looked in and got the sign. With a nod he threw the two out, 2-2 pitch with a bit too much plate on the ball. Hernandez turned on it and drove it into the seats again. His third home run of the game. This one was a solo shot and Reardon was able to strike out Hendrick to secure the 8-7 win.

When you have a game like Hernandez’s, you kind of think they’ll be the hero of the game. Three homers and you come away with a loss. It was a tough night for the Redbirds. If they’re starting pitching would settle down they wouldn’t have to hope for their pen to hold. In real life the Cardinals starters had a 3.57 ERA and their pen was 3.73. We’ll see how the replay goes.

On a side note, Hernandez, a .296 career hitter known more for his glove work and batting average, had three real life [RL] games with multiple homers. The first was in 1980 against the Mets. All three times were two-homer games and never more.

There were eight home runs between the two teams with four of them coming in the first inning. Part of me hates games like this and part of me loves them. That said, I’m hoping the series finale is a bit more of the routine than the oddball games like this one.

Walk Off by an Unlikely Hero

It wasn’t quite the Bucky Dent game, but it definitely had traits of it. It’s early April in the 1981 full season replay and the Oakland Athletics are visiting the California Angels. With Mike Norris on the mound for the A’s and Geoff Zahn for the Angels, it was set to be a pitcher’s duel, but sometimes things don’t go as planned.

Zahn started by striking out Rickey Henderson, but then couldn’t seem to keep Oakland off the bases. Fortunately for him, the defense – combined with A’s manager, Billy Martin, managed to do just that. Murphy singled and moved to second on a walk to Cliff Johnson. When Tony Armas hit a single to right, Murphy, with good speed, rounded third, but was cut down by a tremendous throw by Dan Ford. Mike Heath then singled to left and the aggressive A’s sent the lumbering Johnson barreling towards home. The throw from Tom Brunansky was on target and on time. The Angels cut two runners down at the plate in the same inning. Great defense.

Norris gave up his first run in the bottom half of the second when Bobby Grich sent a double to left center that scored Brian Downing from second base. Angels lead 1-0. Fred Lynn took a two-out 3-1 pitch deep in the fourth inning for a solo homer and put the home team up 2-0. It was still early and too much game to go.

In the top of the fourth the A’s came roaring back into the game with back-to-back homers by Johnson and Armas. The lead was short lived as Tom Brunansky hit a two-run shot in the sixth. Norris was struggling to keep the Angels from hitting the ball for extra bases and Zahn had long since been chased from the game after giving up 12 hits in 5-1/3 innings of work.

The A’s showed their fortitude by scoring the tying run in the 8th inning and Norris continued pitching just well enough to force extra innings.

With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Norris finally yielded to a relief pitcher when the Angels had runners at first and second with two outs. Jeff Jones came on in relief and got Dan Ford out on strikes.

In the top of the 12th the never-give-up A’s took the lead when Murphy scored after hitting a double and came home three batters later on a sac fly by Mike Heath. Could Jones keep the Angels bats cold for one more inning?

Jones struck out the first batter, Butch Hobson as the bottom half of the 12th began. That made five strike outs in a row. Rod Carew hit a single to center to give the Angels hope. With a runner on first and the Angels losing 5-4, weak hitting Rick Burleson came to the plate. For those of you familar with Inside Pitch, the dice fell on [HR?]. The d20 on Jones card needed to be a 7 or less versus right handed batters. 3! And now we would have to go to Burleson’s card which had home run rating of 4 against right handed pitching. I’d like to say there wasn’t much tension as I really didn’t expect anything spectacular. I guess i was anticipating a high number followed by rolling on Burleson’s card and seeing a DP grounder to push the game into the 13th. On to the roll.

Back to back threes on a d20 and Burleson’s two-run walk-off HR wins the game for the Angels. Somewhere the ghost of Billy Martin is cussing out the four runners thrown out on the bases including those two in the first inning at home plate. Running the bases aggressively can win you games, but there are days when it backfires. Today seems to have been one of the latter.

Some Games are Bothersome

I’m not sure if it’s me, these teams, being the last game of the series or just random weirdness that sometimes throws my mind out of a ballgame. I’m sure you’ve had instances where you just scratch your head and say, “Hrmph. Oh, well.” This was one of those games.

I like pitcher’s duels. And the last dozen games or so have not had much exemplary pitching, to say the least. And then there are the games where you really can’t point to the pitcher and blame him. This morning’s game was one of those. It could have gone much differently.

Let me preface this quick bit by saying the Inside Pitch Baseball League I’m in has a rule that 0s, as an error number, do not exist. To be more precise, there is always a chance for an error – meaning any player rated a 0 will automatically be bumped to a 1. I like that rule and have incorporated that into this solo replay.

In this game, the Pirates are in Philadelphia taking on the maroons. It’s the bottom of the 1st inning and Don Robinson is on the mound. He doesn’t have a lot of endurance, but I’m hoping he’ll pitch well enough to get the Bucs through the 7th before turning to their pen.

Pete Rose led off with a single to center. The defense sets up at double play depth and an E? comes up off Don Robinson’s card. Luis Aguayo hits a routine grounder to sure-handed second baseman, Vance Law. The roll on the pitchers card to lead off Law, normally an error rate of 0 at second base gets bumped up to a 1. Rolling a 20 sided die, what are the odds? Technically speaking it’s 5%, but you get my drift. Guess what comes up? Yep! A one.

Law boots the grounder and Rose moves up to 2nd on the mishap. Now instead of the potential double play removing all base runners, Bake McBride comes up with runners on 1st and 2nd. He rips a double to the right field corner plating Rose with Aguayo moving holding up at 3rd.

Mike Schmidt (hero from another day) lofts a towering shot to center, but Omar Moreno is able to track it down near the wall. The ball was hit deep enough to score Aguayo and move McBride to third. McBride would be picked off, for the second out of the elongated inning.

With bases now empty, Gary “Sarge” Matthews hits a double. Garry Maddox follows up with a double of his own and Matthews scores. Larry Bowa singles to center and Maddox scores.

Two more batters came up in that inning, but it all could have / should have been moot if Law hadn’t bobbled that ball. Five runs, only two earned. But Robinson was at the mercy of the fielders behind him and the nut-job rolling the dice.

In the end, Robinson made it five innings and didn’t give up anything more. The Pirates came back to tie the game and send it to extras. But the Phillies made good in the bottom of the 10th and brought in the winning run off Bucs reliever, Kent Tekulve.

I was just glad it was over.

First Series Complete

The first series for all teams is complete. I’ve been rocking through games at a feverish pace. I know it won’t last, but with any new project, I jump in with both feet. The lingering question is how long will I stay in the deep end before I start swimming for the ladder?

I love seeing these names. So many great players and now they’re all on my desktop playing out games, building stats, and ever so slowly moving forward through the 1981 original schedule.

In 1981 MLB had 713 games were canceled. Of the 2,106 games only 66.14% were played. Here on my table, I’m planning on all 100%. There will be much to do about rosters, lineups, and stats for those missing games. We don’t know how those players would have continued during that time, but I’m using Inside Pitch to see how it all rolls out. Right now, before today really gets started, I’m sitting on 40 games played this month. For those keeping track, that’s 1.899% complete. Ebbing closer to 2%. LOL

I find it easy to get in a game every morning when I wake and before the house starts getting louder and moving through a typical day. For now I also find myself thinking about the next game setup and waiting for me to roll the dice. I don’t like to be interrupted once I start, meaning I’ll need to lock away about 40-50 uninterrupted minutes while the game is going.

Depending on the workday, I may be able to get in one or two during a lunch break and then maybe another before my bride comes home from her work (ahh, the beauty of working from home), and room for another 1 or 2 in the evenings if I’m not tied up with league games (I’m in three different leagues) or if the wife doesn’t have other plans for the evening. That doesn’t mean I’ll play out games at ALL those times, but they’re the most typical of spots to get in some gaming.

One highlight from a couple nights ago was the Philadelphia/St Louis series. It was a blowout and those are generally snooze-fests unless you see a standout performance or two. In this game the standout was HOF Mike Schmidt who hit two bombs, a single and double. He ended up 4 for 5 and missed the cycle by a triple.