                                RBI 2 BASEBALL


BASEBALL FACTS
~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~
BASEBALL TAKES PLACE ON A FIELD CONSISTING OF TWO PARTS - THE INFIELD (THE
DIAMOND) AND THE OUTFIELD.  IT MAY LOOK LIKE ROUNDERS, BUT IT SURE AS HELL
AIN`T !!  PITCHERS CAN THROW BALLS AT SPEEDS OF UP TO 100mph !!, ALTHOUGH
WITH OVER 162 GAMES PER SEASON THEY NEED CONSTANT RESTING AND ROTATION AS
STARTERS.

MOST OF THE ACTION TAKES PLACE IN THE INFIELD DIAMOND.  THE BASES WHICH ARE
LOCATED ON THE POINTS OF THE AFOREMENTIONED DIAMOND ARE 90 FEET APART AND ARE
KNOWN AS HOME, FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD BASE.  WHEN BATTING, YOUR OBJECTIVE IS
TO MOVE ALONG EACH OF THE BASES UNTIL YOU GET HOME - OK MAYBE IT IS A BIT
LIKE ROUNDERS!!  IF YOU HAVE TIME YOU CAN COMPLETE THE CIRCUIT IN ONE,
SCORING ONE RUN, ALTHOUGH USUALLY YOU ADVANCE ONE OR TWO BASES AT A TIME.
 THE BEST HIT IS ONE THAT SENDS THE BALL STRAIGHT OVER THE WALL AND INTO THE
CROWD - A HOME RUN, WHEREBY EVERY BASE THAT IS LOADED (HAS A RUNNER ON IT)
AUTOMATICALLY GETS HOME, SO IF FIRST AND THIRD ARE LOADED AND THE BATTER HITS
A HOME RUN, THEY ALL WALK AROUND TO HOME SCORING 3 RUNS!! (I.E. FIRST, THIRD
AND OF COURSE THE BATTER).

A BALL IS CALLED A FOUL WHEN IT IS HIT BEHIND THE FOUL LINES WHICH RUN FROM
HOME THROUGH THIRD TO THE PERIMETER AND FROM HOME THROUGH FIRST TO THE
PERIMETER.

ALL THIS PRESUMES THAT YOU MANAGE TO HIT A BALL, WHICH OF COURSE IS TRICKY -
AT LEAST AT FIRST.  SO WHAT HAPPENS THEN?  WELL IF YOU MISS IT AND THE BALL
HAS TRAVELLED OVER THE PLATE, THEN IT`S CALLED A STRIKE! CONFUSED? - YOU WILL
BE.



BASEBALL SCENARIOS
~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~
LET`S TAKE A SHORT WALK THROUGH A SERIES OF PITCHES TO SEE IF WE CAN CLEAR
THINGS UP:

1: THE PITCHER (THE GUY WHO THROWS THE BALL) STEPS UP TO THE MOUND (THE LUMP
OF EARTH IN THE CENTRE OF THE DIAMOND), HE WINDS UP, SPINS AND THE BALL COMES
FLYING OUT AT 90mph STRAIGHT AT THE BATTER JUST 20 YARDS AWAY AIMING FOR THE
STRIKE ZONE (IMAGINE A BOX BEGINNING AT THE BATTER`S KNEES AND ENDING AT THE
TOP OF HIS CHEST, LOCATED OVER THE PLATE), THE BATTER SWINGS AND MISSES - ITS
A STRIKE!

2: THE PITCHER GETS READY AGAIN, HE PITCHES, BUT NOW HE`S A BIT
OVER-CONFIDENT AFTER GETTING A STRIKE, SO THE BALL MISSES THE STRIKE ZONE,
AND THE BATTER DOESN`T SWING (IF HE DID SWING BUT DIDN`T CONNECT WITH THE
BALL, IT WOULD BE A STRIKE ANYWAY)  THE UMPIRE WAVES HIS HANDS - ITS A BALL!

3: THE PITCHER IS REALLY ANNOYED NOW, AND LETS FLY A FASTBALL, STRAIGHT AND
TRUE AT THE PLATE, THE BATTER SWINGS, CONNECTS AND THE BALL FLIES ACROSS THE
GROUND, PAST THE SHORT STOP COMING TO REST BEYOND THE LEFT FIELD FIELDER AT
THE PERIMETER.  THE BATTER DROPS THE BAT AND RUNS LIKE HELL FOR FIRST BASE.
 HE MAKES IT ON A SLIDE JUST BEFORE THE FIRST BASEMAN CATCHES THE BALL-SAFE!

4: THE PITCHER GETS A SIGNAL FROM HIS CATCHER AND THROWS A NEAT CURVEBALL.
 THE BATTER SWINGS AND CONNECTS, BUT IT`S UP IN THE AIR - A FLY BALL.  THE
BALL IS CAUGHT AT THE CENTRE FIELD - THE BATTER IS OUT, BUT THE RUNNER AT
FIRST HAS ALREADY STARTED RUNNING FOR SECOND BASE.  NOW HE HAS TO TAG BASE
(RUN BACK TO THE BASE HE CAME FROM), BEFORE HE CAN RUN ON.  HE TURNS, RUNS
BACK AND MAKES IT!

5: THE THIRD BATTER STEPS UP, THE PITCHER GETS READY, WINDS UP, BUT THE
RUNNER ON SECOND HAS ALREADY EDGED OFF HIS BASE AND STARTS RUNNING.  THE BALL
GOES WIDE, THE BATTER LETS IT GO AND BEFORE THE CATCHER CAN GET TO IT, THE
RUNNER MAKES THIRD BASE - ITS A STEAL!

SO THERE ARE THREE WAYS IN WHICH THE FIELDING SIDE CAN PUT OUT A BATTER OR A
RUNNER :

1: BY CAUSING THE BATTER TO FAIL TO HIT THE BALL WITH THREE STRIKES (THE
CATCHER MUST CATCH THESE BALLS).

2: BY CATCHING THE BALL HIT BY THE BATTER BEFORE IT BOUNCES.

3: BY A FIELDER TOUCHING A RUNNER WITH THE BALL BEFORE HE GETS TO A BASE.

ANY THREE OF THESE PUT OUT THE BATTING SIDE...



SOME OUTSTANDING FACTS
~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~
THE FASTEST PITCH EVER THROWN WAS BY NOLAN RYAN - 108mph! IN 1974.

OVER 100,000 BALLS ARE USED BY BOTH MAJOR LEAGUES DURING A SEASON AT A COST
OF $3 EACH.

BRITAIN WON THE WORLD AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS IN 1938!

THE FIRST PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL TEAM WAS CINCINNATI RED STOCKINGS IN 1869.

RONALD REAGAN WAS A BASEBALL ANNOUNCER IN CHICAGO BEFORE THE SECOND WORLD WAR

THE RECORD NUMBER OF HOME RUNS IN A SEASON IS HELD BY BABE RUTH, WHO SCORED
60 IN 1927.

BASEBALL IS PROBABLY BASED ON ROUNDERS!



INTRODUCTION
~~~~~~~~~~~~
RBI BASEBALL SIMULATES REAL BASEBALL.  MOST OF THE RULES AND STRATEGIES OF
THE REAL GAME APPLY - YOU MUST PITCH, BAT, RUN AND SUBSTITUTE PLAYERS WELL TO
ACHIEVE SUCCESS.

EACH PLAYER IN THE GAME HAS HIS OWN STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES BASED ON REAL
LIFE STATISTICS.  FOR BATTERS, THE STATS INCLUDE HIS POSITION, HITTING
ABILITY, POWER, RUNNING, SPEED AND STAMINA.  ALL PLAYERS IN RBI WERE
DEVELOPED FROM 1989 STATISTICS OF THE ACTUAL PROS - A PLAYER WHO STOLE A LOT
OF BASES AND ACHIEVED A HIGH BATTING AVERAGE IN REAL LIFE WILL HAVE A HIGH
SPEED IN THE GAME.  SIMILARLY A PLAYER WITH NUMEROUS HOME RUNS IN REAL LIFE
WILL HAVE A GOOD POWER RATING IN THE GAME.  YOU WILL LEARN THROUGH EXPERIENCE
HOW BEST TO MANAGE YOUR FAVORITE TEAMS AND PLAYERS.



HOW TO START PLAY
~~~ ~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~
PRESS BUTTON 1:

1P: PLAY AGAINST THE COMPUTER.

2P: COMPETITIVE PLAY.

WATCH: COMPUTER vs COMPUTER (DEMO MODE).

OPTIONS: TO SELECT OPTIONS.



TEAM SELECTION
~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~
MOVE THE CURSOR TO SELECT THE TEAM FROM THE CONFERENCE OF YOUR CHOICE.  WHEN
PLAYING THE COMPUTER, IT WILL SELECT ITS TEAM AUTOMATICALLY.



STARTING PITCHER SELECTION
~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~
YOU MAY USE UP TO 5 PITCHERS PER GAME - 1 STARTER AND 4 RELIVERS OR 2
STARTERS: MOVE THE CURSOR TO THE PLAYER THAT YOU WISH TO REMOVE FROM THE LINE
UP.  HIS NAME APPEARS AT THE TOP OF THE SCREEN, BELOW THE WORD `REPLACE`.
 NOW MOVE THE CURSOR TO THE PLAYER YOU WISH TO INSERT FROM THE BENCH.  HIS
NAME APPEARS TO THE RIGHT OF THE PERSON HE IS REPLACING.  PRESS BUTTON 1 TO
SUBSTITUTE, AND BUTTON 2 NOT TO SUBSTITUTE.



STARTING LINE-UP SELECTION
~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~
MOVE THE CURSOR WITH THE JOYSTICK/KEYBOARD.

PRESS BUTTON 1 TO CHANGE PLAYERS.

PRESS BUTTON 2 TO ACCEPT CURRENT LINEUP.



TIME OUT OPTIONS
~~~~ ~~~ ~~~~~~~
MOVE THE CURSOR USING JOYSTICK/KEYBOARD.

INSTANT REPLAY
~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~
SEE INSTANT REPLAY OF THE LAST PLAY.  SOME PLAYS CANNOT BE VIEWED BY INSTANT
REPLAY.

PLAY BALL
~~~~ ~~~~
PRESS BUTTON 1 TO RETURN TO PLAY.

SUBSTITUTIONS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CHANGE BATTER/BASE RUNNER OR PITCHER.

SCORECARD
~~~~~~~~~
PRESS BUTTON 1 TO SEE THE SCOREBOARD.



OFFENSIVE CONTROLS
~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~
AT BAT
~~ ~~~
MOVE THE BATTER`S POSITION IN THE BATTER`S BOX USING THE JOYSTICK/KEYBOARD.

BUTTON 1
~~~~~~ ~
BATTER SWINGS BAT.  PRESS AND HOLD FOR A COMPLETE SWING.  TO BUNT, PRESS AND
RELEASE QUICKLY.



BASE RUNNING
~~~~ ~~~~~~~
USE JOYSTICK/KEYBOARD:

UP: RUNNER ADVANCES FROM / RETURNS TO SECOND BASE.

DOWN: RUNNER ADVANCES TO HOME PLATE.

LEFT: RUNNER ADVANCES FROM / RETURNS TO THIRD BASE.

RIGHT: RUNNER RETURNS TO FIRST BASE.

BUTTON 1: USING JOYSTICK/KEYBOARD SELECT BASE RUNNER, AND PRESS BUTTON 1 TO
MAKE BASE RUNNER ADVANCE TO THE NEXT BASE.  ONCE THE BASE RUNNER IS BETWEEN
BASES YOU CAN MAKE HIM RETURN BY SELECTING THE BASE HE CAME FROM WITH THE
JOYSTICK/KEYBOARD AND PRESSING BUTTON 1.

NOTE: BASE RUNNERS RUN AS SOON AS THE BALL IS HIT.  WHEN A FLY BALL IS HIT,
IT IS UP TO THE PLAYER TO MAKE ALL OF THE BASE RUNNERS GO BACK TO AVOID A
DOUBLE OR TRIPLE PLAY (THAT IS WHEN TWO OR THREE PLAYERS ON THE BATTING SIDE
ARE PUT OUT IN THE SAME PLAY.)  AFTER TAGGING UP, YOU MAY ADVANCE TO THE NEXT
BASE.



DEFENSE CONTROLS
~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~
PITCHING
~~~~~~~~
USE JOYSTICK/KEYBOARD

UP: SLOWBALL

DOWN: FASTBALL

LEFT: CURVEBALL LEFT

RIGHT: CURVEBALL RIGHT

NO DIRECTION: NORMAL SPEED PITCH


NOTE: THE PITCHER CAN MOVE FROM SIDE TO SIDE ON THE MOUND BEFORE THE PITCH IS
THROWN.

BUTTON 1: PITCHES THE BALL

PRESS AND HOLD BUTTON 1, THEN USING THE JOYSTICK/KEYBOARD, PRESS UP, DOWN,
LEFT OR RIGHT TO SELECT PITCH TYPE.  RELEASE BUTTON 1 TO THROW THE PITCH.

BUTTON 2: PICK OFF BASE RUNNER

USE THIS TO CATCH A RUNNER ATTEMPTING TO EDGE OFF THE BASE.  YOU CAN CHOOSE
WHICH BASE THE PITCHER THROWS TO BY USING THE JOYSTICK/KEYBOARD AND PRESSING
BUTTON 2.



FIELDING
~~~~~~~~
USE THE JOYSTICK/KEYBOARD

UP: MOVE FIELDER UP / SELECT SECOND BASE.

DOWN: MOVE FIELDER DOWN / SELECT HOME PLATE.

LEFT: MOVE FIELDER LEFT / SELECT THIRD BASE.

RIGHT: MOVE FIELDER RIGHT / SELECT FIRST BASE.

AFTER THE BALL IS HIT, YOU MAY RUN, DIVE AND JUMP FOR THE BALL.PRESS BUTTON 1
WHEN THE BALL IS NEAR TO YOU AND YOU WILL JUMP OR DIVE DEPENDING ON WHETHER
THE BALL IS IN THE AIR OR ON THE GROUND.  PRESS LEFT OR RIGHT TO CONTROL THE
DIRECTION OF THE DIVE.

BUTTON 1: PRESS THE BUTTON TO THROW THE BALL.  THE BALL WILL BE THROWN TO THE
BASE YOU SELECT WITH THE JOYSTICK/KEYBOARD.  IF NO BASE IS SELECTED THE BALL
WILL BE THROWN TO THE PITCHER ON THE MOUND.



ERRORS
~~~~~~
OCCASIONALLY A FIELDER WILL `BOBBLE` THE BALL, OR MAKE A POOR THROW.  AVOID
THROWING THE BALL TO A BASE WHEN A FIELDER HAS LEFT THE POSITION.



DEMO MODE
~~~~ ~~~~
IN DEMO MODE THE COMPUTER PLAYS ITSELF, WHICH CAN BE USEFUL FOR LEARNING
TECHNIQUES ETC.



SERIES PLAY
~~~~~~ ~~~~
IN TWO PLAYER MODE YOU PLAY A SEVEN GAME SERIES.  IN ONE PLAYER MODE, YOU CAN
PLAY A SEVEN GAME SERIES BY CHOOSING ONE TEAM FROM THE NATIONAL LEAGUE AND
ONE FROM THE AMERICAN LEAGUE OR YOU CAN PLAY ALL THE TEAMS IN THE LEAGUE BY
CHOOSING TWO TEAMS FROM THE SAME LEAGUE.



HINTS AND TIPS
~~~~~ ~~~ ~~~~
PITCHING
~~~~~~~~
REMEMBER THAT STARTING PITCHERS HAVE MORE STAMINA THAN THE RELIVERS.  ALWAYS
BE AWARE OF YOUR PITCHER`S ABILITY BECAUSE HE GETS TIRED.  KEEP AN EYE ON THE
MPH AND HOW MUCH YOU CAN MOVE THE PITCHER SIDEWAYS.  THE FASTBALL AND THE
SINKERBALL WILL USE MORE STAMINA THAN NORMAL PITCHES.  WHEN PITCHING TO THE
COMPUTER, ESPECIALLY WHEN A POWER BATTER IS BATTING, TRY NOT TO THROW IT OVER
THE MIDDLE OF THE PLATE.  USING THE SINKERBALL WHEN YOU HAVE TWO STRIKES ON
THE HITTER IS OFTEN A GOOD TACTIC.



FIELDING
~~~~~~~~
YOU SHOULD BEGIN TO MOVE YOUR FIELDERS AS SOON AS THE BALL IS HIT.  GET
FAMILIAR WITH THE STARTING POINTS OF ALL YOUR FIELDERS SO YOU CAN REACT
QUICKLY INSTEAD OF WAITING UNTIL YOU SEE THE FIELDERS.  WHEN A BALL IS HIT
HIGH (A POP FLY), YOU NEED TO PREDICT WHERE THE BALL IS GOING TO LAND AND
MOVE THE CLOSEST PLAYER TO THAT DESTINATION.  ADJUSTMENTS SHOULD BE MADE
BASED ON THE SHADOW OF THE BALL AND THE TONE THAT INDICATES THE HEIGHT OF THE
BALL.

WHEN THROWING BACK TO THE BASES, IT`S GENERALLY GOOD TO TRY TO PICK OFF THE
RUNNER CLOSEST TO HOME BASE, NOT THE BATTER RUNNING FOR FIRST, UNLESS YOU
HAVE TWO OUTS ALREADY - IN THAT CASE GET OUT WHOEVER IS FURTHEST FROM A BASE,
AS ANY HOME RUNS MADE ON THAT PLAY WON`T SCORE IF YOU GET THE THIRD OUT AND
END THE INNINGS.



BATTING
~~~~~~~
DO NOT STAND STILL IN THE BATTER`S BOX.  DECEIVE THE PITCHER AS TO WHERE YOU
WILL BE WHEN THE BALL IS THROWN.
LEARN TO `STEAL` BASES - GET YOUR RUNNERS GOING ONCE THE BALL HAS BEEN
PITCHED.  BE CAREFUL NOT TO GET PICKED OFF THROUGH BY RUNNING TOO EARLY.

REMEMBER A CAUGHT BALL MEANS EVERY RUNNER HAS TO TAG BASE BEFORE RUNNING ON.

A TACTIC OFTEN USED IS THE `BUNT`.  WHEN THE BATTER JUST LETS THE BALL HIT
HIS BAT WITHOUT TRYING TO WACK IT AS FAR AS POSSIBLE, THEN THIS A `BUNT`.



GENERAL
~~~~~~~
IF YOU REPLACE A FIELDER WITH A PLAYER THAT IS NOT FROM THE SAME POSITION,
THERE WILL BE MORE CHANCE OF ERRORS.

IN TWO PLAYER MODE, NEVER TALK TO YOUR OPPONENT ABOUT THE LAST PITCH.  IF HE
KNOWS WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THAT MAY HELP HIM ON THE NEXT PITCH.

WHEN YOU THROW THE BALL, CHOOSE THE DESIRED DIRECTION WITH THE
JOYSTICK/KEYBOARD, THEN PRESS BUTTON 1.  DON`T SELECT A DIRECTION, LET GO AND
THEN PRESS BUTTON 1.  YOU MUST HOLD THE JOYSTICK/KEYBOARD IN THAT DIRECTION
UNTIL AFTER THE BUTTON IS PRESSED.



CONTROLS
~~~~~~~~
AMIGA
~~~~~
             PLAYER 1                                  PLAYER 2
             ~~~~~~ ~                                  ~~~~~~ ~
           F1 = TIME  OUT                            F2 = TIME  OUT

         F3 = GO TO OPTIONS                        F4 = GO TO OPTIONS

          JOYSTICK PORT  2                          JOYSTICK PORT  1

       BUTTON 1 = FIRE BUTTON                    BUTTON 1 = FIRE BUTTON

       BUTTON 2 = LEFT  SHIFT                    BUTTON 2 = RIGHT  SHIFT



BATTERS SCREEN
~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~
PITCHING
~~~~~~~~
PRESS FIRE TO PITCH, LEFT AND RIGHT MOVE THE PITCHER LEFT AND RIGHT.

AFTER YOU HAVE PRESSED FIRE, THE PITCHER TAKES A FEW MOMENTS TO `WIND-UP`
BEFORE HE THROWS.  DURING THE WIND UP, MOVE THE JOYSTICK/KEYBOARD TO SELECT
THE TYPE OF THROW YOU WANT.



         CURVE LEFT SLOW          SLOW BALL           CURVE RIGHT SLOW
                         \            |             /
                          \           |            /
                           \          |           /
       CURVE LEFT NORMAL ---    NORMAL  BALL      --- CURVE RIGHT NORMAL
                           /          |           \
                          /           |            \
                         /            |             \
         CURVE LEFT FAST          FAST BALL           CURVE RIGHT FAST



IF YOU WANT TO SUBSTITUTE A PITCHER PRESS `CAPS SHIFT C` AND FOLLOW PROMPTS.

IF YOU WANT TO PAUSE THE GAME PRESS `CAPS SHIFT P`, ANY OTHER KEY UNPAUSES.

IF YOU WANT TO QUIT THE GAME PRESS `CAPS SHIFT Q`.



BATTING
~~~~~~~
LEFT, RIGHT, UP & DOWN MOVE THE BATTER.  THE LOWER YOU STAND WHEN YOU HIT THE
BALL THE GREATER YOUR SWING, BUT ALSO THE CHANCE OF MISSING IS HIGHER.



PITCH SCREEN
~~~~~ ~~~~~~
IF YOU ARE FIELDING, WATCH THE FIELDER SCANNER TO SEE YOUR CLOSEST FIELDER TO
THE BALL.  LEFT, RIGHT, UP & DOWN MOVE ALL YOUR FIELDERS UNTIL YOU CATCH OR
PICK UP THE BALL.

PRESS FIRE TO THROW IT, QUICKLY FOLLOWED BY A JOYSTICK/KEYBOARD DIRECTION TO
INDICATE THE BASE YOU WISH TO THROW IT TO.



                                   BASE 2
                                      |
                                      |
                    BASE 3------  JOYSTICK  ------BASE 1
                                      |
                                      |
                                  HOME BASE



RUNNERS
~~~~~~~
IF YOU HAVE JUST BATTED, THEN ANY RUNNERS YOU HAVE WILL RUN AUTOMATICALLY
ONTO THE NEXT BASE.  HOWEVER, THEY WILL STOP IF THE BALL IS TOO CLOSE FOR
THEM TO RUN SAFELY.

IF YOU WANT THEM TO RUN ON ANYWAY, PRESS FIRE AND THEN LEFT, RIGHT OR UP FOR
ANY BASE YOU WISH A RUNNER TO CARRY ON RUNNING FROM.



END......