I first started playing Strato games about 11 years ago

Josh Raup is

The Minister of Strat Mayhem

Volume I, Number 1

January 15, 2001

The Coaching Staff

I first started playing Strato games about 11 years ago. Unlike many around these parts, I don’t have 20 or 30 years experience to draw from, but I think I can, on occasion, make a comment or three. Also unlike many, my first experience was with Strato Football, not base ball. In the two years we played, I went undefeated. Ayup, I didn’t lose a single game, regular season or playoffs. I haven’t been able to duplicate that again.

As I got more involved in Strato, specifically the BSL Strato Base Ball league, I got more and more into some of the “fantasy aspects” of the game. I made myself the GM, and team president. I then went out and “hired” a manager and coaching staff. Screw reality, I wanted my team run by these chumps…errrrrr….fine professionals. So far, in the past 8-9 years of my activity in the BSL, I have yet to make a managerial change (There are unconfirmed rumors that John McNammara’s job may be in jeopardy however), not that I couldn’t, just that I haven’t.

With the PC game moving into the world of windows, and the serious amount of work put into the various upgrades and editions, taking this aspect of the fantasy sports team becomes even easier. In the team and league set up options, there are slots for just about every conceivable position in an organization. From Team President down to Grounds Keeper (!), and from League Commissioner on down as well. If it’s a position that ever gets mentioned, it’s in there. You can put in your Play by play and color commentators, and even give names to those faceless scourges, Umpires.

The possibilities, especially for established leagues, and those using the PC exclusively, is enormous from a fantasy point of view. It can add a wealth of depth, color, and personality to a league, as well the individual teams. Play by play gets interesting, and the Newspaper style reports have a bit more flavor. However, as with all things Strato, this bit of sillyness can be taken too far.

As has been mentioned in other articles (Smack-O-Matic), some people just don’t know when to quit. They take their Strato far too seriously, not only for their own good, but the other players as well. As with all things, take it easy, and have some silly fun with this. Generally I have a few guide lines that I follow.

1. Anyone who gets a position, not occupied by an active league member, should be living. The exception to this should be recreated past seasons, and even then, the person in question should have been alive at the time. Though it would be fun to have seen Billy Martin manage against Casey Stengle or John McGraw, can’t really happen.

2. In the event of any dispute as to who has “hired” any given person, work it out. It’s not that important, so just flip a coin or something.

3. Have fun with it. My current “coaching staff” for example: John McNammara (Manager), Dave Kingman (Bench Coach), Carl Yastrzemski (Hitting), Steve Carlton (Pitching), Manny Sanguillen (Bull Pen), Graig Nettles (Infield), Dwight Evans (OF), Rac Slider (3B), and Steve Garvey (1B). As you can see, only two are “legitimate” coaching types, but it’s a bit of fun to have.

Now why on Earth did I choose this particular lot for my coaching staff? Well, first off, I wanted a true SOB as my manager. John Mac fit the bill. Ideally I wanted Billy Martin, but as he was dead at the time, I figured I should at least have a living, breathing human at the helm (Not that I couldn’t have had a witch doctor raise Billy from the dead, but the guy wanted $3 million a year to keep him going). Even so, John is not what you would call a people person. While with the BoSox, he managed to piss off every body but the Pope. My kinda guy. Then I looked for a Bench coach, somebody to keep the players in line during games. I had to look no further than Kong himself (Dave Kingman for those too young, or those trying to forget the 70’s). Now there was a real SOB. Back in the day, if there was a scrap, on the field or in the club house, guaranteed that Kong was in it. The guy could only hit HR’s. He couldn’t field, hit for average, or walk. Ayup, that’s the guy for me.

Rac Slider at third base coach. Now there’s a guy who often times had brain farts in the field. I mean, he would regularly send Mo Vaughn home on a weak single to right from first. Say what? I’m known as something of a “running fool” in the league, so he fit my game plan nicely. Garvey as first base coach. I just plain liked ole Steve, even after his affairs became public.

The rest are fairly legitimate choices. Yaz was a long time favorite of mine, a slick fielder, clutch hitter (Don’t even think of mentioning 78), and just plain nice guy. Not the same caliber as a Ted Williams, but sentimentality (and Ted’s strokes), give Yaz the nod. Steve Carlton as Pitching coach. Well, I’m a big fan of Lefty’s. Have been since the mid-70’s. It was a choice between Bill “Spaceman” Lee and Carlton. As much fun as Spaceman would be, Steve was the enigmatic one, and could actually pitch.

Nettles and Dewey as the fielding coaches. Graig is among the career leaders defensively at 3B, and Dewey was THE defensive RF for many, many years. I couldn’t think of two guys I admired more growing up than these two. Besides, they were on the 75 league we did, so had a “history” with the team (as did Garvey, Carlton, and Sanguillen too). Manny sanguillen got the nod in the Pen. A catcher on the 75 and 69 leagues we did, he had a “long history of association with the team” (in all its various guises). And having been a catcher, he knew pitchers fairly well, and could double up at working with my catchers defensively.

Astute readers will notice another fairly common thread in my choices. Most of these guys were lousy with the media. McNammara called the Boston writers “vultures” and “sharks.” Kong tried to slug a beat reporter in Chicago (while with the Cubs), Carlton stopped talking to reporters all together for almost 25 years. Sanguillen and Dewey were the “quiet guys,” usually offering less than a sound bite. Garvey was a media darling in LA for ages and eons, with his Hollywood looks, and clean cut image. Nettles was (and still is) little more than a farm boy, and it shows. Yaz could run hot and cold with the media. Depending on how he did, or felt he did on any given day. Rac Slider was only ever questioned when he did something strange or stupid on the field (Go Mo! You can make it!). Not that poor media relations was a criteria, it just happened that way.

So, in the end, this is all just a bit of fluff. It has no real impact on the game, or in how players perform (well, maybe). But it does add to the “realism” of the game. Adding just that little bit of extra feel in trying to recreate a season. That and I sure am not a person to ask about draft strategies or tactical decisions, but that’s for another time...

The Minister for Strat Mayhem is Josh Raup

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