--- Louis wrote:

> I would like to get into a more stat-based game and think strat-o-
> matic is the one, however I have a few questions:
>
> 1. What do I need to get going. (ie. What's a 'starter set'??)
>
> 2. Where's a good (discount?) place to find this? The www.stat-o-
> matic.com website is difficult to navigate and has lots of
> information without answering any of my questions.
>
> 3. Is there a good source of on-line, free documentation about how
> the game is played?
>
> thanks,
> Louis

Hi, Louis! I hope you find Strat-O-Matic as enjoyable as I and others
in this forum have.

What constitutes a good "starter set" is subjective. If you can spare
$50 to $60, I'd get what the game company calls the "2005 Baseball
Game," which is all the game parts, all 30 teams and the 27-card
so-called Mixed Player Group, comprising 27 cards of players who
didn't finish a season with their respective teams. Not counting
postage, this is $40.50 from the game company directly, or $39.99 plus
postage from Amazon.com, which markets it as the "Deluxe Strat-O-Matic
Baseball Game." Here's the Amazon link:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000068NKU/

For $11 more, you can instead order from the game company the "2005
Baseball Game and Additional Players," which includes dozens of
players who had limited playing time.

If you want to spend less than $50, Strat offers a baseball game with
2005's top teams, and a "Selector Set," which allows you to pick the
teams you want with the game. For more information on that, you need
the brochure, which unfortunately is not available online. (Why Strat
doesn't make a PDF file of it available for download is beyond me.)
You have to request the brochure, which will be snail-mailed to you,
from the following link:

http://www.strat-o-matic.com/mailform.html

The brochure also includes info on the computer game, if you're
interested.

I understand your frustration with Strat's Web site. Those already
familiar with the game can find the products they want to order, but
the online store must be bewildering to those not familiar with the
company's products. At least you have the option to order with the
brochure through snail mail (how quaint!) or by the company's 800 number.

I agree with Bruce Carmichael's suggestion to check eBay for
discounts. Team sets from the past several seasons usually are
inexpensive when they're available. I'm not familiar with anyone or
any business that sells new Strat products at a discount.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

-Gary K.