1953 Brooklyn Dodgers beat 2006 New York Mets

Using Strat-O-Matic's baseball game, I played the 1953 Brooklyn Dodgers against the 2006 Mets at Shea Stadium and, to my surprise, the Bums were significantly better, beating the Queens’ men behind Carl Erskine’s quality start.

In the first inning, only three batters came to the plate for each team, no batters reaching first. 

In the second, against Steve Trachsel, Jackie Robinson’s walk was followed by Reese’s single, Hodge’s double, and Furillo’s single, giving the visitors a two-run lead. But in the bottom half of the inning, only three Dodger batters stood in the batter’s box, two flying out to center, the third grounding out to second.

Erskine, who in 1953 won 20 games and, in 1956, pitched the first nationally-televised no-hitter, was in run-prevention mode.

A lone Mets’ single was the only noise either team made in the third.

The Dodgers scored twice in their half of the fourth, Robinson doubling and Campanella homering. The Mets fought back in the bottom of the fourth, drawing three walks, but a double play and a strikeout negated their scoring opportunities. To my surprise, on April 14, 1953, Erskine walked three batters in the top of the second, the only time he did that in ‘53. No runners scored.

The fifth and sixth were 1-2-3 innings for both teams, a Dodger single the main attention-getter.

The seventh’s highlights were Erskine’s double-play grounder to end the inning before either Dodger baserunner could score and Shawn Green’s double for the Mets. The third Mets’ groundout of the inning continued Erskine’s shutout.

Gilliam’s leadoff homer in the eighth drew the Dodger fans in Shea to their feet. Two batters later, Snider doubled, but neither Robinson nor Campanella could plate Snider. The Met’s leadoff hitter, Eric Chavez, walked, but he never made it to second base.

Hodges singled, his second hit of the game, to open the ninth, but the bottom third of the Dodger order couldn’t advance him. Then, Jim Hughes replaced Erskine on the mound. Two Mets’ singles and a walk preceded David Wright’s sacrifice fly to left field. It put a run in the Mets’ slot on the scoreboard. But their attempt to threaten the Dodgers’ lead fizzled when Green grounded into a game-ending 6-4-3 double play.

Final score: Dodgers 6, Mets 1

Pete Alonso

One of the categories Pete Alonso led the Mets in last season and, hopefully, won't this season, is hitting into double plays. He did that 20 times in 2023, one of four Mets to do it at least 10 times. The other three: Francisco Alvarez (14), Francisco Linder (11), and Brett Bay (10).

Tylor Megill

Anthony DiComo predicts that Tylor Megill will be one of the Mets' starters in 2024. My crystal ball doesn't show that happening, at least not at the start of the season. He finished last season with a 4.70 ERA, and his career ERA is 4.72. High. Plus, last season he tied with Carrasco for giving up the second-most homers on the team — 18. Only Scherzer gave up more, 23. I prefer my starters to keep the ball in the ballpark.

  

Strat-O-Matic Baseball

It's been awhile since I've played a baseball board game, but I recently decided to do so again using the 2006 version of Strat-O-Matic baseball. It is a dice-toss game where you toss three dice to start each at-bat. One die is white; the other two are red. 

The white die's result informs whether you check the batter's or the pitcher's card and which column on that card. The two red dice direct you to a row on the chosen card.

The New York Mets were facing the Washington Nationals; the Mets were the home team. Tom Glavine started for the Mets; Ramón Ortiz was on the mound for the Nats. 

The game did not go as I expected. Glavine was 40 years old and in his 20th MLB season, his fourth as a Met. Despite his age, he completed it with a 15-7 record and a 3.82 ERA. But in my game, he struggled to keep Nats' runners from crossing the plate. 

In the second inning, eight batters challenged Glavine. Though the only hits were three singles, the four runs they helped to score were two more than the Mets got the whole game.

It was a disappointing way to start my 2024 Strat-O-Matic season.