Do regular hitters get a power boost on 1st at-bat also?

[capt_taco]

I'd never thought about this until reading confirmation on this site that yes, indeed, pinch-hitters get a +64 boost to their power on their first at-bat. I'd always suspected it, and it was true.

Now, though, I've been paying more attention, and it really does seem like ALL my players, pinch-hitters or otherwise, tend to absolutely beat the dog shit out of the ball on their first at-bat. Doug DeCinces and Candy Maldonado seem almost unstoppable the first time up. Wally Joyner, Dwight Evans and Bill Buckner routinely hit the ball off the screen.

Maybe I'm just seeing what I want to see. And maybe there's a definitive, code-based answer to this posted already. And yes, hitters like Willie Randolph, Marty Barett and Wally Backman still suck on their first appearance, while similar pinch-hitters do not. But I still wonder if it's true or not.

If it IS true, it could make for a whole different strategy; i.e. not putting pinch-hitters in until the second time through the lineup. Maybe it's not, though; I'm just grabbing at loose strings here.

[Gantry]

Taco:

The regular hitters do not get a boost in their first at bat, though sometimes it's easiest to get a load of runs in the first inning.   Then again, it's also easy to go 1-2-3 in the first, I typically do one or the other.  So I don't think there is anything in the game that boosts your normal hitters in their first atbats.  Good idea though...

[JoeDirt]

So you're saying either you score or you don't in the first inning?

[capt_taco]

Well, you're probably right about that; I really have no conclusive evidence to support it.

But how about this -- probably an equally preposterous idea, but maybe...

Do pinch-hitters get a boost in hitting only on their first at-bat, or does it extend to speed also? The reason I ask this is because, in another thread, it was mentioned that Harry Spilman is a 118 in running, or the same speed as Tony Armas and SLOWER than Matt Nokes. However, I routinely steal bags with Spilman against the computer, and quite comfortably. Though maybe that's due to the computer's piss-poor throwing. Still, if anyone's figured this out one way or the other, it'd be interesting...

[fknmclane]

This is an interesting point.  What you're proposing is that a subbed player is a monster, but only for the first inning he's playing.  Hmmmm.
I've never noticed the speed increase before but I'll try it out.  I have my doubts, but this would be pretty damn cool.
But if the speed increase is true, then Davy Lopes would be able to slide safely into second on a routine grounder. Think about it.  He's the second fastest guy in the game. If he were any faster you'd have to call him the Flash...or Vince.

[nightwulf]

Oquendo as stored in the ROM:
21 contact, 759 power, 126 speed

Oquendo subbed in for Coleman:
21 contact, 823 power, 126 speed

Beaned poor Jose and sent him to first.
Speed of current baserunner on first base (at $B6): 126

No change in speed.

Nightwulf

[capt_taco]

God damn. Well, so much for another one of my hare-brained theories.

Though I'd still swear Spilman seems faster than Armas or Nokes. I guess this one's a psychological phenomenon after all. Would've been interesting if it were true, but ah well... at least we know for sure now.

[TβG]

i think your ideas might come from the pitcher's pitch speed.... to me, it seems like that influences the time to the plate and ability to steal bases.  also the first inning idea is the same thing: faster pitches= more power for the hitters to hit balls out.