In the world of tabletop baseball simulation games, one name stands out as both a legend on the field and an icon among the Strat-O-Matic community. Keith Hernandez, former MLB MVP player and recent inductee into the Strat-O-Matic Hall of Fame, can trace his love for Strat-O-Matic back to a time when he was an eight year old baseball-crazed enthusiast pouring over the Street and Smith's Yearbook alongside his brother. In their quest for baseball knowledge, a modest ad in the back pages, featuring a simple graphic of a pitcher, caught young Keith's eye. It was a small, unassuming invitation to a game that would alter the course of his baseball journey forever.
A Lesson from the Father
Hernandez's deep-seated understanding of baseball strategy traces back to his father, a former pro player who imparted invaluable knowledge to young Keith. "Basically, I was taught, my brother and I were taught by my father, who was a pro player," Hernandez shares. The foundation laid by his father positioned him leagues ahead, providing insights into positions, relays, rundowns, and the nuanced aspects of the game. "We were way ahead of everybody, and literally, I was the first baseman. I knew my position, and I pretty much knew where everybody had to be," Hernandez reflects, highlighting the strategic edge instilled in him from an early age.
A Trip Down Memory Lane
Transitioning seamlessly from the lessons learned under his father's guidance, Hernandez's journey into the world of Strat-O-Matic is a trip down memory lane. "Take the game of baseball and all the moves you can make strategy wise now add in the fact that you're rolling the dice, you know, and back in the 60s and early..." Hernandez's voice trails off, capturing the nostalgia that permeates his Strat-O-Matic journey. The dice rolls, the cards shuffled – these were the building blocks of a game that captured his imagination from the very start. The addition of left-right switches in the early days proved to be a pivotal moment, a "game-changer," as Hernandez puts it. "It made it much more realistic," he reflects, underscoring the evolution of a game that mirrored the nuances of real-life baseball.
The Heartbreak in the Luggage
However, even in the simulated world of Strat-O-Matic, there are moments that sting. Hernandez recounts a particularly poignant story about his first time leaving home to head to minor league spring training, "I put my Strat O Matic set into my luggage at the very bottom under all my clothes. So, got on the airplane, flew, first time I've flown in an airplane, flew all the way across the country, flew into Tampa. Got into my little roadside fleabag motel for the minor leaguers, and opened up, couldn't wait to open up my luggage, and I went in there, and it wasn't there. My dad had suspected that I was going to try to sneak the game, because he knew I'd played it all summer, religiously, and into the fall, really, through the winter months. And it took me a long time to get to 123 games. And I got on the phone, pay phone back then, there was no phones in the hotel, motel, and called collect. And he said, you need to focus on your game, not Strat-O-Matic. And that was the end of that. And I never did finish that season."
Recreating History with Strat-O-Matic Magic
One of the unique aspects of Hernandez's Strat-O-Matic experience is his penchant for recreating entire seasons. "I love in the new version, where you can actually play the season as it really progressed," he shares. The joy of managing a team through the ebb and flow of historical lineups, injuries, and pitching matchups adds an extra layer of immersion, turning each game into a recreation of baseball history. Reflecting on these historical recreations, Hernandez fondly recalls the standout performances of certain players in the simulated realm. "Normally Roberto Clemente hit .350, or Rico Carty hit .360 one year. Aaron, Mays couldn't get him out," he chuckles, reminiscing about the virtual dominance of certain players under his managerial guidance. In the intricate dance of dice rolls and card shuffles, he has a soft spot for the odd columns as he reveals, "I never liked having my power numbers on my cards in two. I like odd numbers. I like my one column and my three columns." . Yet, in the unpredictable world of Strat-O-Matic, there were also players who defied expectations. "Did I have someone that underperformed? Yes, but I can't recall who they were," Hernandez admits with a grin, acknowledging the fickle nature of the dice and cards. The Strat-O-Matic experience, like its real-life counterpart, is a tapestry of triumphs and tribulations, where statistical outliers and unexpected outcomes add layers of intrigue to each recreated season. Keith Hernandez's journey with Strat-O-Matic and recreating historical seasons; extends to games featuring himself. The experience of managing a team that includes a Strat O Matic version of the player adds a unique layer to the tabletop baseball simulation. Reflecting on these games, Hernandez shares, "I've played '86, I've played '82, the championship seasons. It turned out, at the end of the year, it turned out pretty right on, spot on." His Strat performances aligning with the real-world outcomes offer an intriguing perspective, bridging the gap between the player and the strategist. Hernandez's quotes vividly illustrate the blend of statistical accuracy and the unpredictable charm of the game, where the Strat-O-Matic version of himself takes the field under his manager's strategic roll.
A Managerial Approach
The game of baseball has seen a tremendous rise of analytics in baseball.When asked if when he plays the game now, does he manage with the hit and runs and steals ?" Hernandez's response reflects a keen awareness of the modern game's intricacies, where stolen base success rates and analytics-driven decisions have reshaped strategies. Yet, his heart lies in the vintage. "I played back when I was a kid. I like playing the old games," he confesses. While Keith Hernandez's reputation as a team leader and his profound knowledge of the game seemed to position him naturally for a managerial role, the decision not to pursue such opportunities delves deeper than considerations of energy alone. Hernandez's reluctance to embark on a managerial journey stems from a combination of financial stability and a distaste for the demanding aspects of the minor league grind. "I made enough money as a player," he asserts, highlighting the financial comfort that allowed him the liberty to shape his post-playing career. Furthermore, the prospect of enduring lengthy bus rides, a common experience for aspiring managers, held little appeal for Hernandez. His forthrightness about this aversion adds another layer to his decision-making process.
Induction into the Strat-O-Matic Hall of Fame: A Pinnacle of Recognition
Amidst the anecdotes and reflections, Hernandez's induction into the Strat-O-Matic Hall of Fame emerges as a poignant chapter in his Strat-O-Matic journey. "It's an honor," he declares with sincerity, the weight of the recognition evident in his words. The world of Strat-O-Matic, a place where dice rolls and statistical simulations unfold, has become a hallowed space that now bears the imprints of Keith Hernandez's legacy. Induction into the Hall of Fame serves as validation—a nod from the Strat-O-Matic community acknowledging his impact and contributions to this unique intersection of strategy and nostalgia.
As Hernandez continues to navigate the digital landscape of historical baseball, these Strat-O-Matic anecdotes serve as a testament to the enduring charm of a game that seamlessly blends strategy, nostalgia, and the unpredictable thrill of recreating baseball history.