Focus on Defense
There's an old saying that "defense wins championships" and in Showdown it's a massive plus to your lineup. Perfection in the field keeps runners from extra bases being taken from the outfield and makes double plays easier in the infield, while catchers arms stops stolen bases cold. Your ideal defense would be:
C: 10+
1B: 1
2B: 5
3B: 3
SS: 5
CF: 3
LF/RF: 2
The Showdown Bot has the potential for even greater defensive stats than that, so let's have some fun with some better than perfect players...
Andrelton Simmons brings a +8 to the position, but c'mon, the Wizard stands alone when it comes to great defensive shortstops.
You can argue that Mattingly was the superior man at 1st in NY, but Hernandez brought sustained excellence to town. Offensively, Keith couldn't compete with prime Donnie Baseball, but a +2 skill at defense is a nice trump...
A perfect +5 at 2nd base is an incredibly rare stat in Showdown. What makes Martin stand out is that above picture is him saving the day in the World Series, stopping a Dodgers comeback and securing the final out of yet another Yankees title.
It's easy to double up your defensive stats at 1st base when its a simple +1 to +2...imagine how legendary you gotta be to double up from a +3 to a +6. Brooks has few contemporaries at his position.
A perfect infield defense gives you a total of +14, meaning C speed runners are automatically done for, B speed requires the crappiest of rolls to beat out the play and even A speed runners need to think twice...the above infield nets an insane total of +20 making the majority of runners out without a roll even being needed. Make sure your pitching staff includes lots of ground ball pitchers...
There are no current players and very few all time who can compare to Yadiers ability to keep runners in check. His +14 arm means you better be very very VERY sure of yourself if you attempt a steal.
I'm not in love with this outfield. Griffey and his beyond perfect +4 is as intended, but the corner outfielders aren't my first choices. A couple of all time greats from Pittsburgh would do very nicely in left field, but the Bot still lacks proper Pirates team logos, so I gave the nod to Cromartie, who would otherwise be unnoticed in his spiffy Expos attire.
In right, I envisioned a +3 Tony Gwynn, but the year in question also lacked the proper logo, so instead Mr Heyward and his standard perfect +2 season will suffice.
A perfect outfield is +7, this one above is merely +8 (potentially a +10) not as big an impact as a defensive minded infield, which is why no one will fault you for stocking the outfield with more offensive minded players who can bat in the power spots of the lineup.
In right, I envisioned a +3 Tony Gwynn, but the year in question also lacked the proper logo, so instead Mr Heyward and his standard perfect +2 season will suffice.
A perfect outfield is +7, this one above is merely +8 (potentially a +10) not as big an impact as a defensive minded infield, which is why no one will fault you for stocking the outfield with more offensive minded players who can bat in the power spots of the lineup.
Pitchers in Showdown don't get defensive stats, but if they did, you know Maddux would be among the elites. Here he represents the Cubs in his first of many Gold Glove seasons.
And of course the best defense a pitcher can give is how he pitches a game, which Maddux here has a great chart to accompany him in that task.
And of course the best defense a pitcher can give is how he pitches a game, which Maddux here has a great chart to accompany him in that task.
