This is why I play...

I am not that good. Let's just start there. I will admit to recently losing a Moonshot event 19-1. So... I'm not that good. But, I don't quit, and I love this game, warts and all.

I just played a RS game. My rating going into the game was in the 460's. So yeah... not great.

I'm playing mainly to get affinity points and daily rewards (innings with the Reds, and 4 RBI's). The guy I'm playing is probably better than I am. He's mowing me down with 100 MPH fastballs that I put weakly into play. Heading into the bottom of the 6th, I'm down 8-1. Every home run he hits, he replays it. Whatever. I need my innings and the odd RBI here and there. I scratch across runs in the 6th and 7th, and hit a 3 run HR in the bottom of the 8th to make it respectable, 8-6. In the top of the 9th, he hits a 2 run shot with Jackson a mile, off of Fingers. Again, the replay. Again... whatever.

I come up in the bottom of the 9th, down 10-6. He makes the move to a relief pitcher, and starts throwing breaking pitches. Here's what happened:

1. Posey hit to right for a single
2. Dietrich doubles to left (need my Red's innings)
3. Correa fielders choice, 1-2. Runners on 1st and 2nd
4. Larkin lines to LF for a single (Reds again)
5. Anderson lines to right for a single. Dietrich scores. 10-7.
6. Justin Turner batting. Opponent brings in Kirby Yates. Hangs a slider down the middle. Turner hits a 353 wall scraper to left. Final 11-10.

I will probably never do this again. But for this 450's-ish player, it was fun.

Nice dude! And since I learned to stop caring so much about my rating or hitting WS and just enjoy games like this (and not rage quit as much) the game gets 100x more fun.

Keep at it, once you get Davis you're in for more walk offs

Also the obligatory: showdowns and collections (with bronzes or silvers) are the way to complete Team Affinity, not playing in ranked; tho if I'm making a line-up decision I'll err on the side of the dude whose TA points I need.

Love it! Also no shame in those Reds players.
I really hate the replays, especially in a RS game that already takes so long.
I've embraced pulling the replay trigger for my opponent if I feel like we're evenly matched (XP path wise)... But what you're describing is so frustrating.

Great post. I can relate. Thanks for the share! Cheers and best wishes

I’ll never understand people that quit before giving themselves the chance to make a comeback and walk off. Infinitely more enjoyable than a regular win! And walk off grand slams a whole other level.

I was quite bad when online franchise was a thing years ago, wins were hard to come by. Most leagues I was around 5-20 that sort of thing. I STILL remember my first come from behind 9th inning walk off. I tied it in the 9th with a couple runs and the guy I was playing threw it behind Pedroias head. He did the “don’t flinch slowly drop the bat down and stare back like a boss animation” and I got so jacked up from it and hit a walk off the next pitch in San Fran.

@arvcpa said in This is why I play...:

I am not that good. Let's just start there. I will admit to recently losing a Moonshot event 19-1. So... I'm not that good. But, I don't quit, and I love this game, warts and all.

I just played a RS game. My rating going into the game was in the 460's. So yeah... not great.

I'm playing mainly to get affinity points and daily rewards (innings with the Reds, and 4 RBI's). The guy I'm playing is probably better than I am. He's mowing me down with 100 MPH fastballs that I put weakly into play. Heading into the bottom of the 6th, I'm down 8-1. Every home run he hits, he replays it. Whatever. I need my innings and the odd RBI here and there. I scratch across runs in the 6th and 7th, and hit a 3 run HR in the bottom of the 8th to make it respectable, 8-6. In the top of the 9th, he hits a 2 run shot with Jackson a mile, off of Fingers. Again, the replay. Again... whatever.

I come up in the bottom of the 9th, down 10-6. He makes the move to a relief pitcher, and starts throwing breaking pitches. Here's what happened:

1. Posey hit to right for a single
2. Dietrich doubles to left (need my Red's innings)
3. Correa fielders choice, 1-2. Runners on 1st and 2nd
4. Larkin lines to LF for a single (Reds again)
5. Anderson lines to right for a single. Dietrich scores. 10-7.
6. Justin Turner batting. Opponent brings in Kirby Yates. Hangs a slider down the middle. Turner hits a 353 wall scraper to left. Final 11-10.

I will probably never do this again. But for this 450's-ish player, it was fun.

I wish you could replay a walkoff homer before allowing the opponent to exit the game just for situations like this. Enjoyed the recap.

@ChArTeRBuS said in This is why I play...:

I’ll never understand people that quit before giving themselves the chance to make a comeback and walk off. Infinitely more enjoyable than a regular win! And walk off grand slams a whole other level.

I was quite bad when online franchise was a thing years ago, wins were hard to come by. Most leagues I was around 5-20 that sort of thing. I STILL remember my first come from behind 9th inning walk off. I tied it in the 9th with a couple runs and the guy I was playing threw it behind Pedroias head. He did the “don’t flinch slowly drop the bat down and stare back like a boss animation” and I got so jacked up from it and hit a walk off the next pitch in San Fran.

As a dude who used to rage quit a bunch (and still does occasionally), I think it just comes from how hard the game is and how much focus it can require, especially for people like me who aren't very good but put a lot of time and effort into the game. (And after five years still can't hit a high inside fastball). If you're in a hard, tight game and then you miss a single pitch that gets jacked and now you gotta climb up 3 runs against a pitcher you struggle against, it can be deflating.

That said, like I posted above, I've not hit WS this year after hitting it a few times every year since 2016 but am enjoying the game a lot more (partly because I'm allowing myself to go for those comeback wins) bc other stuff in my life has led me not to care very much about video games.

Edit: That said, 99 Rivera is gonna be on everyone's roster, and I have yet to make solid contact with that dude. So maybe quitting if you'r behind in the 8th inning will make sense ...