BDD/Strat-O WGBC “Selection Show”, Contest Details & More!
Posted by Brian Joseph on Monday, March 22, 2010 at 10:18 pm
As we announced last week, BDD, through it’s relationship with Strat-O-Matic, has been granted access to Strat-O’s extensive library of teams to use the best-selling sports simulation for BDD’s first-ever World’s Greatest Baseball Classic. Soon after the announcement, we selected a field of 64 of the greatest teams throughout baseball history to find out who is the “best of the best” using Strat-O-Matic’s computer simulation to get to the answer.
Not only will the 64 teams be revealed tonight, we’ll also be giving BDD readers the opportunity to win their own copy of Strat-O-Matic (and the rules of the “game”), the tournament results schedule, and some information behind how the simulation will be played out.
This post will be updated live throughout the rest of the night until all the ground is covered so keep checking back into this post:
THE CONTESTS
To support this endeavor, BDD has arranged with Strat-O to give away a few copies of their computer game and some of the classic board games. To make it interesting, we have come up with numerous ways for BDD readers to get involved with BDD/Strat-O’s World’s Greatest Baseball Classic and an incentive or two (or more) to follow BDD.
Contest #1: Join the BDD Mailing List
How to Win – On the BDD front page, join BDD’s mailing list. It’s that simple. All current BDD mailing list members will be eligible in addition to all new members that join the mailing list during the duration of the tournament.
Stay Up to Date with BDD
Via Random Draw Winners Receive:
Prize #1: One (1) copy of Strat-O-Matic Computer Game v14
Prize #2: One (1) copy of Strat-O-Matic Board Game (Selector Set Version)
Contest #2: Become A Facebook Fan Of Baseball Daily Digest
How to Win — Go to the Baseball Daily Digest Fan Page, become a fan… again, simple! All current fans of BDD are eligible in addition to all new members that become fans during the duration of the tournament.
Via Random Draw Winners Receive:
Prize #1: One (1) copy of Strat-O-Matic Computer Game v14
Prize #2: One (1) copy of Strat-O-Matic Board Game (Selector Set Version)
Contest #3: Follow BDD’s Joe Hamrahi on Twitter
How to Win — Follow Joe Hamrahi (@jhamrahi) at Twitter. All followers “new” and old are eligible… sound familiar?
Via Random Draw Winners Receive:
Prize #1: One (1) copy of Strat-O-Matic Computer Game v14
Prize #2: One (1) copy of Strat-O-Matic Board Game (Selector Set Version)
Contest #4: Predict the BDD/Strat-O WGBC Tournament!… “PICK IT AND WIN IT!”
How to Win — Most of us had practice last week thanks to March Madness… and since most of us have had our bracket busted by Kansas going down in Round 2, here’s a chance at redemption — Strat-O-Matic style!
Once we get through the announcement of the teams participating in the first WGBC, there will be a link to the BDD Brackets. Those will be open until the first game results are revealed on Thursday, April 8th. That gives you a little more than two weeks to perfect your brackets.
Before the rules of the contests are spelled out, the prizes are what you really want to know, right?
Prizes — Based on the “PICK IT AND WIN IT” points system, the top 6 predictors will get a copy of Strat-O-Matic. The top three predictors receive their choice of either Version 14 of the computer game or the Board Game Selector Set version.
In addition, the top predictor will be our Grand Prize winner. And while we do not have the details of the “Grand Prize” yet, it’s going to be more than a certificate of achievement or a pat on the back, that much can be revealed. Expect the “Grand Prize” announcement in the next 10 days.
THE RULES
The rules for the first three contests are simple:
- Open to U.S. and Canadian residents only.
- Current subscribers (mailing list), fans (Facebook), and followers (Twitter) ARE eligible for the contests.
- One prize per e-mail address.
- One prize per household.
- BDD/BP contributors are not eligible.
- All potential winners are subject to verification by sponsor, whose decision are final.
All above rules apply to the fourth contest. In addition, these rules apply:
- Tiebreaker will be wins by latest round. For example, if two people tie with same points total, person who picked final correctly will be winner. If still tied, subsequent earlier rounds will be used. If there is a possibility of a tie prior to finals, a tiebreaker will be announced privately to potential tied predictors.
- Predictors MUST submit City, State on submission page upon initial login to be eligible.
- Brackets can be changed up until start of tournament as often as participant wishes.
- Scoring system works as follows:
- Round 1 Winners (32 winners max) worth = .002 points each (.064 total)
- Round 2 Winners (16 winners max) worth = .004 points each (.064 total)
- Round 3 Winners (8 winners max) worth = .008 points each (.064 total)
- Round 4 Winners (4 winners max) worth = .016 points each (.064 total)
- Round 5 Winners (2 winners max) worth = .032 points each (.064 total)
- Round 6 Winner (1 winner max) worth = .064 points each (.064 total)
- Perfect Bracket worth .057 bonus points
- Total possible points = .441 (.001 points higher than Hugh Duffy’s single season batting average — a baseball record!)
THE SCHEDULE
Here’s how the schedule will go for the Baseball Daily Digest/Strat-O-Matic WGBC:
3/23 – 4/21: Bracket active for readers of BDD to enter contest
4/22: Round 1 East Results
4/23: Round 1 South Results
4/24: Round 1 Midwest Results
4/25: Round 1 West Results
4/26: Round 2 East Results
4/27: Round 2 South Results
4/28: Round 2 Midwest Results
4/29: Round 2 West Results
4/30: Round 3 East/South Results
5/1: Round 3 Midwest/West Results
Quarterfinals Results
5/2: Series A & B Game 1
5/3: Series C & D Game 1 / Series A & B Game 2
5/4: Series C & D Game 2
5/5: Series A & B Game 3
5/6: Series C & D Game 3 / Series A & B Game 4 (if necessary)
5/7: Series C & D Game 4 (if necessary)
5/8: Series A & B Game 5 (if necessary)
5/9: Series C & D Game 5 (if necessary)
Semifinals Results
5/10: Series A Game 1
5/11: Series B Game 1 / Series A Game 2
5/12: Series B Game 2
5/13: Series A Game 3
5/14: Series B Game 3 / Series A Game 4 (if necessary)
5/15: Series B Game 4 (if necessary)
5/16: Series A Game 5 (if necessary)
5/17: Series B Game 5 (if necessary)
Championship Results
5/18: Preview and Contest 1 Winners announced
5/19: Game 1
5/20: Game 2
5/21: Contest 2 Winners announced
5/22: Game 3
5/23: Game 4
5/24: Game 5 (if necessary)
5/25: Contest 3 Winners announced
5/26: Game 6 (if necessary)
5/27: Game 7 (if necessary)
THE BDD/STRAT-O WORLD’S GREATEST BASEBALL CLASSIC FIELD OF 64
Finally, after all the red tape is out of the way… here is the field of 64! Be sure to check our front page for a link to the tournament brackets where you can predict the winners (and win prizes, in case you haven’t been paying attention!). In case you didn’t read this, there will be a link to the prediction page at the bottom of this post.
Every current franchise is represented in the tournament and the first five rounds will be best-of-5 series. The Championship will be best-of-7… here’s the first round matches:
EAST REGION
Round 1 Matches
(1) 1975 Cincinnati Reds vs. (16) 1969 New York Mets
The Big Red Machine squares off with the Amazin’ Mets.
(8) 1994 Montreal Expos vs. (9) 1967 St. Louis Cardinals
The strike season cost the Expos a great shot at their first franchise title. Now, it’s Lou Brock, Bob Gibson and the ‘67 Cardinals standing in their way.
(4) 1925 Pittsburgh Pirates vs. (13) 1984 San Diego Padres
The ‘25 Pirates knocked off a tough Senators team to win the World Series. Tony Gwynn’s ‘84 Padres want to redeem themselves after a rough World Series loss to the Tigers.
(5) 1919 Cincinnati Reds vs. (12) 1988 Los Angeles Dodgers
The ‘19 Reds have something to prove after the Black Sox Scandal overshadowed their World Series crown. Their first opponent is no slouch — the ‘88 Dodgers are powered by ‘88 NL MVP Kirk Gibson and Cy Young winner Orel Hershiser.
(6) 1998 Houston Astros vs. (11) 1905 New York Giants
Some might be shocked by the high seed the Astros received or that they were one of four ‘98 teams selected. This team does have 3 future HOFers on the team in Biggio, Bagwell, and Big Unit. The Giants can’t be happy with their 11 seed behind a 105-win season that ended in World Series glory.
(3) 1998 Atlanta Braves vs. (14) 1980 Philadelphia Phillies
The ‘98 Braves failed to make the World Series but the pitching quintet of Maddux, Glavine, Smoltz, Millwood, and Neagle helped Atlanta to 106 regular season wins. The ‘80 Phillies ended a World Series drought of epic proportions for the franchise with the most losses in baseball history.
(7) 1935 Chicago Cubs vs. (10) 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates
“We Are Family” looks to upset one of those great Cubs teams that didn’t win a World Series. There have been a few, that’s for sure.
(2) 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers vs. (15) 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks
The last World Championship team from Brooklyn meets the first one from the desert.
SOUTH REGION
(1) 1942 St. Louis Cardinals vs. (16) 2007 Colorado Rockies
Led by Stan “The Man” Musial, the ‘42 Cardinals are often recognizaed as the franchise’s best team… and they have a World Series title in 5 games over the Yankees. They draw the upset-minded Rockies.
(8) 1974 Los Angeles Dodgers vs. (9) 1998 San Diego Padres
Two World Series losers that were very good despite the lack of bling for their efforts.
(4) 1940 Cincinnati Reds vs. (13) 2002 San Francisco Giants
Not loaded with household names, all the ‘40 Reds did was win 100 games and a World Series. Barry Bonds gets to play the villain.
(5) 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates vs. (12) 1990 Cincinnati Reds
Despite being outscored 55-27, the ‘60 Pirates won the World Series over the Yankees thanks to a walk-off home run by Bill Mazeroski (our guess is you’ve seen it once or twice). They meet another World Series champion who had a much easier time in the Fall Classic.
(6) 1957 Milwaukee Braves vs. (11) 1982 St. Louis Cardinals
Hammerin’ Hank leads the Braves against Whitey Herzog’s Cardinals.
(3) 1986 New York Mets vs. (14) 1997 Florida Marlins
When you think ‘86, Bill Buckner gets sad. The beneficiaries of the Buckner error now need to justify their high seed by knocking off a Wild Card team that surprised everyone with a title run.
(7) 1954 New York Giants vs. (10) 1907 Chicago Cubs
It was the year of “The Catch” by Willie Mays and a World Series title for the Giants. Can they stop the ‘07 Cubs who were the North Side squad that was the front-end of back-to-back World Series wins, the last two in the franchise’s history.
(2) 1909 Pittsburgh Pirates vs. (15) 2008 Philadelphia Phillies
Honus Wagner and Co. square off with Chase Utley and Co. in a battle of Pennsylvania teams.
MIDWEST REGION
(1) 1927 New York Yankees vs. (16) 1983 Baltimore Orioles
The Babe returns to face one of the best from the birthplace of the Babe… The Iron Horse vs. The Iron Man… It’s as intriguing of a 1 vs. 16 match-up you can find.
(8) 1917 Chicago White Sox vs. (9) 1988 Oakland Athletics
In a battle of “bad guys” before they were known as “bad guys”, a championshipWhite Sox team just two years prior to the Black Sox Scandal versus the Bash Brothers later known for juicing.
(4) 1970 Baltimore Orioles vs. (13) 1959 Chicago White Sox
A decent amount of Hall of Famers scattered throughout the two rosters here.
(5) 1984 Detroit Tigers vs. (12) 1987 Minnesota Twins
Two solid World Series teams from the ’80s battle it out in Round 1. That ‘84 Tigers team has the rare MVP/Cy Young winner (Willie Hernandez???) and that ‘87 Twins team has Kirby Puckett.
(6) 1910 Philadelphia Athletics vs. (11) 1982 Milwaukee Brewers
We needed a Brew Crew and it’s hard to find one better than the ‘82 club that went to the World Series. MVP Robin Yount and Cy Young Pete Vuckovich square off with the ‘10 Athletics — World Series winners with 30-game winner Jack Coombs, Hall of Famers Eddie Collins, Home Run Baker, Eddie Plank, and Chief Bender.
(3) 1939 New York Yankees vs. (14) 2002 Anaheim Angels
Joltin’ Joe DiMaggio and Co. square off against the Mike Scioscia helmed Angels.
(7) 1948 Cleveland Indians vs. (10) 1992 Toronto Blue Jays
The last Cleveland World Series winner against the first from North of the Border.
(2) 1929 Philadelphia Athletics vs. (15) 1999 Texas Rangers
Plenty of HOFers fill up one of the best Athletics clubs in their history against the best the Rangers have to offer up for our “Field of 64″.
WEST REGION
(1) 1998 New York Yankees vs. (16) 2008 Tampa Bay Rays
Cinderella gets another shot… the first of many tough battles for the young Rays are the best Yankees team of the expansion Era.
(8) 1934 Detroit Tigers vs. (9) 1972 Oakland Athletics
The ‘34 Tigers scored nearly 1,000 runs, the ‘72 Athletics allowed less than 500. Rock and a hard place?
(4) 2001 Seattle Mariners vs. (13) 2004 Boston Red Sox
The ‘01 Mariners get a shot at redemption… their first opponent is the definition of redemption. They made the “Curse of the Bambino” go away.
(5) 1995 Cleveland Indians vs. (12) 2005 Chicago White Sox
The ‘95 Indians almost ended Cleveland’s World Series drought… something the ‘05 White Sox did just fine.
(6) 1968 Detroit Tigers vs. (11) 1924 Washington Senators
The “Big Train” might not take to being on the lower seeded team which could mean some serious issues for the ‘68 Tigers lineup.
(3) 1950 New York Yankees vs. (14) 1985 Kansas City Royals
There’s been some controversy over the entry of the ‘50 Yankees over the ‘61 Yankees but this Yankee team was from the 2nd year of a 5-year World Series run… the ‘85 Royals were the last playoff team to grace Kansas City and the only one to bring home a ring.
(7) 1946 Boston Red Sox vs. (10) 1965 Minnesota Twins
Can “The Splendid Splinter” handle a Mudcat?
(2) 1912 Boston Red Sox vs. (15) 2009 New York Yankees
There had to be a Red Sox/Yankees grudge match, right?
There you have it… the brackets have been revealed. Feel free to comment away at who should and shouldn’t be in. And make sure you enter our contest — the BDD/Strat-O WGBC “PICK IT AND WIN IT!” contest!
Wow, nobody objecting to the teams we selected? I’m shocked to say the least!
It might be because the article title is about the contest. I didn’t realize the teams were listed at the bottom until the third time I looked at the article.
Thumbs Up: Great job overall. I especially like some of what I would call “personality” picks – those teams selected probably more because of individual players than the overall team quality: 1984 Padres (love the Goose!); 1998 Astros (have to have the Killer B’s); 1988 Dodgers (the Choir Boy will never be in the Hall-of-Fame but his shutout streak should be); 1969 Mets (the sentimentality carries that one); and 1999 Rangers (epitome of the steroid era – plus you have to invite Pudge to the tourney). I also think it is great that both of the curse-breakers (2003 White Sox, 2004 Red Sox) are in.
Thumbs Down: I am thrilled to see a Herzog-era Cardinals team but wish you would have picked Willie McGee’s MVP season of 1985. Not too excited about the 2007 Rockies or 1997 Marlins . . . not enough talent, personality or sentimentality to make it as one of the fringe teams . . . would have rather seen the 1998 Cubs square off against the 1998 Cardinals in a MLB-redeeming (and subsequently destroying) rematch. Of course, there are already plenty of 1998 teams but surely someone better than the Marlins and Rockies. I also would replace the 1994 Expos with a Dawson-Raines Expos team (1994 still hurts too much).
But the biggest issue I have . . . where in the name of all that is good and pure about our national pastime is The Kid? Griffey Junior is widely recognized as the greatest non-inflated player of the 1990s – surely you could have picked one of the exciting 1990 Mariners teams with Griffey, A-Rod, Edgar Martinez, Randy Johnson and Jay Buhner (met him at a little league game – a truly nice guy). To me, leaving Griffey out is an enourmous omission worthy of a recall.
I see your point Cool Papa, and I do love that Mariners team, BUT, what did they really achieve in the end?
I guess I’d argue they achieved as much as the 1998 Astros and 1999 Rangers . . . both of those teams seemed to be picked because of the big names on their rosters and not playoff credentials. The big difference being if I can pick just one player on those teams to be in the tournament, it would be Griffey hands down. I haven’t done a team-by-team analysis but I would be that Griffey is the biggest name being left out . . .
CCP, I understand your thoughts on Griffey but part of the issue here is that we were looking for every franchise to be represented. While the ‘99 Rangers and ‘07 Rockies and even the Marlins team might not be as deserving, consider them the “small conference” teams. They had to get in.
There was also some waffling of whether to throw the most recent World Series Champions in the mix.
As for the ‘98 Astros, I personally couldn’t leave out the Biggio/Bagwell combo.
The other thing every effort was made to do was to avoid having teams from the same franchise in less than 10 years apart. Because, if we were being truly fair, there might be 15-16 Yankee teams in this tourney.
What were the overall criteria in team selection? I’m getting some sense of what you guys were using here, but I wonder if there was a rubric of some kind–I imagined these were the top Strat-o-matic teams when I saw that there were WS losers in the mix–or if it was done more by “feel.”
And whence the seeds? The 1960 Pirates had moxie, for example, but they weren’t that amazing a team, statistic-wise, except in intangibles that I wonder if Strat can measure. Why are they a #5 seed?
I do want to know a little more about the criteria used for picking the teams. Honestly, you couldn’t get the perfect 64 and even it out as well as you did. Just about every franchise has a representative. Don’t know why Arizona was left out and Tampa Bay got two teams, though.
And that ‘01 TB team is awful … I mean, relatively speaking. Subpar for the league at the plate and on the mound that season. Just TB ‘01 and, I’m guessing, ‘87 Minnesota are the only two teams that are going to be weak in both areas. But those Twins will probably go unbeaten at home against everybody they play, right?
All in all, very interesting. I think a little more time could have been put into splitting some of the teams from the same franchises up better. The ‘12 BoSox and the ‘46 BoSox, for example, could play in the second round.
From the heart, wish the ‘54 Indians had made the field, but I wouldn’t want to give up the ‘48 or ‘95 team to replace them. Glad to see the Cardinals got three teams in, but think they deserve at least as many teams as the A’s, Reds and Pirates — who all got four.
The Cards are second only to the Yankees in World Series wins, right? Not sure which team I would choose, though … maybe 1934.
@RebelYell – Thanks for the comments… but it is the ‘01 Diamondbacks not the ‘01 Rays.
There were some tough cuts and the ‘48 Indians were chosen over the ‘54 Indians and there might have been another Cardinal team worthy… maybe next year.
If you had to pick between the 1975 or 1976 Reds, I think 1976 may have been the right pick. People seem to remember the ‘75 Reds because of the Series; but, the ‘76 Reds lead the National League in EVERY major offensive category, and their pitching was at least as adequate as the ‘75 team.
Using Strato, we played an all time best team a few years ago with a 16 team league. We cetainly did not have all the teams listed above but did have many of them. Ironically the two teams that were neck and neck at the end were not even “World Series” winners. 69 Orioles and 1954 Indians.