Okay, we just played only our second full game, but a couple of generic questions came up.

1) Does a player who hits a solo HR get 2 clicks of performance: 1 for the hit, 1 for the run?

I originally thought no, but then I started thinking about a couple other situations. Say a runner is on third and my batter gets a single. There is one click for the batter on the hit AND a choice of who to give a click to on the RBI. So why would a mere single give out 2 total performance clicks when a HR gives one when they score the same # of runs. Just a thought. But this also causes conflicts on a Total Control situation: Batter gets control and heats up a click, then chooses a HR. So if this is considered a hit and an RBI (it says to remember to count the batter as a scoring runner if the hit is a HR) then he could possibly get 3 clicks himself right there.

2) I guess this is kind of similar. Situation was runners on 1st and 2nd and there is one out. I choose to go for the double play on the GB. The out at third was automatic and the throwing attempt at second was successful as well. Therefore the batter not only hit into a double play, but stranded a guy at 2nd. Does he lose two clicks of performance?

Again I would say no, but thinking gives me fits :)

3) 2 outs and a FB is hit in zone 6. Runner at first is forced to go on the hit. The RF fails the fielding attempt. Can my runner then attempt to go to 3rd, after waiting for the fielding result?

Lots of confusion in all the wording of some of the rules is why I ask here.


I had a couple others that are escaping me right now. But I am sure the reason I am having some problems with game play is I am trying to think TOO much of real baseball and when a situation would work or not. For instance in question 3, there is no way an OF would be able to make that throw at 3rd, but it doesn't seem to hard in the game. Or if a FB is hit with a runner on 3rd and the runner attempts a tag up, it seems far to easy to throw them out even with the +1 to speed for the throw to home.

Yes, he gets a total of two clicks.

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2) I guess this is kind of similar. Situation was runners on 1st and 2nd and there is one out. I choose to go for the double play on the GB. The out at third was automatic and the throwing attempt at second was successful as well. Therefore the batter not only hit into a double play, but stranded a guy at 2nd. Does he lose two clicks of performance?

I don't know for sure about this one. My interpretation is that he would only lose one click for the double play. The runner didn't start on second, he was on his way to second therefore he wasn't stranded. Again, my interpretation.

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3) 2 outs and a FB is hit in zone 6. Runner at first is forced to go on the hit. The RF fails the fielding attempt. Can my runner then attempt to go to 3rd, after waiting for the fielding result?

yes. When the fielder fails the fielding attempt, the result becomes a 1B. The runner can then attempt to go to third, but the batter is stuck at first.

Because the RF is throwing to third, be sure to add +1 to the runner's speed. (3 line rule)

Wacky. One more wording that supports the loss of one click in this case: The batter wasn't actually the team's 3rd out. The runner from 1st was. The loss only occurs if the batter's the 3rd out with a runner in scoring position.

Now, whether the stranded runner is pre-at bat is a different question. But, as described, the batter should lose one click for the Double Play, and nothing else.

I concur w/ Bamf & BH. The batter didn't leave a runner stranded on 2nd or 3rd as they were the two outs that finished the inning. Now, if the batter hit into a GBDP with men on 1st & 2nd and the batter was the second out, rather than one of the runners, I could see an arguement that he left a runner stranded at either 2nd or 3rd as the 3rd Out AND hit into a DP, giving him 2 cold clicks. Oh ick....

Sorry, edit my above post to say:

"...and the batter was the THIRD out OF THE INNING..."

I totally misread what he was saying. I think there's a typo in what he is trying to say. Is the throw for the second out coming from third to first or second to first.

If going from second to first, there would be no reason to throw to first as the inning would be over with the force out at second.

The way I read the problem, he threw to third for a force out and then threw to first to get the batter, ending the inning and the runner going from first ended up on second.

To me it would take a hell of a lot of rules lawyering to say he takes two clix down. One for hitting into a double play is certain. But, we don't know (technically) if the runner going to second made it before the final out was recorded. Which is why I say there *should* be a pre-batting stipulation on stranded runners.

looks like you guys are pretty much on the right track... you only get the double whammy of hitting into a double play if the batter is the last out and a runner started out on 2nd or 3rd...

Has this been confirmed by WizKids?

which part, bamf226? the double play whammy, or what constitutes stranding a runner in scoring position?

i think they're both fairly clear from the rules... all performance events that can apply during an at bat do apply, so long as a player does not gain/lose more than 3 clicks from any single at bat.

as for stranding a runner... being the final out with a runner on second or third implies that the runner already needs to be on second or third when the out occurs -- so hitting a GB with a runner on 1st and getting out does not strand that runner headed to 2nd -- he wasn't technically on second.

or am i missing your real question?

for alot of the situations, you just have to look real baseball. If something can or can't be done, or if there is a rules question that falls under the rules of baseball, then use them. Like question about the player being stranded on 2nd. If a runner crosses the plate and a double play ends the inning, the run doesn't count. So the same thing would apply here.

lancer89 -- that works well for friendly games or games between knowledgeable fans... but i made the point in a separate post that the MLB SportsClix game creates a unique "game environment" where a person playing the game should not have to rely on real-world knowledge of how baseball works to understand and correctly apply the mechanics of the game.

it doesn't always work out as cleanly as it should, since it is very difficult to design a game about baseball assuming your audience knows nothing about the national past-time. however, from a pure mechanics standpoint (which is how the tournament environment will have to be -- so everyone is literally playing by the same rules), i don't know if every real-life baseball situation could possibly be covered by MLB SportsClix...

there are so many grey areas in baseball -- especially with official scorekeeping and umpring... and all those quirky situations like whether the real-life baseball ruling on not getting an RBI if someone scores when the batter hits into a double play -- how does that relate to the mechanic's handling of performance through the player's dial? should the player scoring that run be penalized (not have the ability to gain a click) since the batter hit into a double play?

that's probably the most debated example of how the intent of the rules and the actual application of real-world baseball rules come into conflict. there's no resolution yet. there are just compelling arguments on both sides...

ah well, that rambling note went on a bit longer than expected!

As long as QuesTec isn't allowed in MLB Sportsclix, I'll be just fine in the differences between SC & real baseball. ;)

hehe -- well put.

Go 'Stros gets a gold sticker for the best line of the day.

Heh...thanks Ynnen. :)

Actually...now that I think about it, from now on, when an orange K comes up and I roll something other than a baseball, I'll mumble "damn QuesTec" :D