5 Players I Just Like
Mix up your God squad lineup with some affordable players who overplay their attributes.
I typically avoid using players in the Team Affinity programs since they are easily available to everyone. While sometimes a card is too good to not use, my stick skills are not good enough to beat my opponents using the same cards. I want an advantage.
Here are a few players that I’ve used and liked. And don’t worry, this won’t be an article with obvious choices like, “You know who you should get? Babe Ruth.” Instead, these are accessible cards for me that just slap, and I rarely see them in Ranked Seasons.
Jim Thome: This card has slipped through the cracks, but it is a monster at first base or designated hitter. He works with the Buxton boost. Your opponent’s defense will automatically shift against him (I love hitting against the shift), allowing you to smack those lefty-lefty sliders into left field for easy doubles. That’s, of course, when the ball does not go over the fence.
Roderick Arias: Can I interest you in a switch-hitting middle infielder with power and speed? I started using Roderick in Battle Royale, and he was so good that I went ahead and made the purchase (he’s only about 30K—a bargain). You can use him with both Buxton and Santana. He plays 2B, SS, and 3B with Diamond defense. Why aren’t you using this card?
Mike Soroka: His Classics card will not blow you away with attributes but he gets the job done thanks to a fantastic sinker. The Show Zone has his sinker as the 12th best in the game by attributes, but I argue it plays higher. Soroka has velocity, break, and control with that pitch, allowing you to do it on the corners. Add that to a solid cutter, slider, and circle change and you’ve got a solid starter for around 12,000 stubs.
Kendall Graverman: My bullpen has largely been a dumpster fire this year, but Graverman has shown early that he can get people out. Yes, you must complete that annoying Conquest map to get him, but it's worth the time.
My strategy for Conquest has been the same now for a few years: Find a good show on my second screen, pull an adult beverage or three from the fridge, put on a little mood lighting, and knock out some programs in the process. This is Dave relaxation time. Conquest can be fun under the right circumstances.
Fernando Valenzuela: Want to really piss off your opponent? Let me introduce you to the Mexican soft-tossing god. Fernando is super annoying to hit against. He throws three incredibly slow pitches with a lot of movement: a curveball, circle change, and a screwball. I promise it will take your opponent at least three innings to figure him out – if they do it all.
I’ve only used Fernando on Hall of Fame, so I have no idea if his schtick plays on All-Star, but he offers a great change of pace. His fastball stinks, but if you mix it in at the right time, you can easily force a late swing from your opponent. You can get Fernando as a reward in the Battle Royale program or buy him outright for around 80,000. I know that’s a lot, but pitching is hard to find right now. Plus, you can just grind the program if you haven’t already done so.