Playoffs - Am I missing something?
 

I was new to OOTP and PT in late March. It has taken me a little while to wrap my mind around how to compete, but I seem to have the regular season (at the lowest levels) figured out. After finishing fifth in my division in 2020, my original f2p team earned a wild card spot the next two years. This past year, I led my iron league with 108 wins. I had spent $20 on my second team. Their first season was 2022. They managed to win 105 games (which they should have - honestly, the whole p2p thing felt a lot dirtier than I thought it would). I elected to go f2p with my third team. They erupted onto the scene with a 103 win season in their first year in the iron league.

I'm not writing all of this to brag. To the contrary, I am writing because I am sure I am doing something wrong. Each of these teams who led the league in wins was either swept or eliminated 3-1 in their first playoff rounds. I've tried leaving the pitching and lineups intact moving forward. I've gone to 3-man rotations and called up extra speed. Nothing has worked. Is there something I am missing?

Luck, most likely.

My Clippers in PT19 never made it past the divisional round even though they made it to the playoffs 9 times. My Raccoons (in PT20) were the best team in the conference last season and lost (and it wasn't close) in the divisional round. But this season, both my new team (the Mud Hens) and the Raccoons made it to the conference championship. The difference? Luck! Nothing more.

the lower levels are like 70% teams that aren't actively managed, so anyone attentive can crush them right away at this point. but then in the playoffs you are likely playing someone with a decent team who is putting in the same effort as you so it is just going to be a toss up

Shorter series, anything can happen.

Yeah, it's frustrating as hell. This week one of my three teams missed a wildcard sport by one game, the second team (100+ wins) lost in the division series 3 games to 1, and the third team (100+ wins) lost in the sub-league series 4 games to 2. And all of these teams lost to inferior teams. The playoffs are a crap shoot... LOL.

Might be cool if they added a percent chance of winning the playoff series in the playoff tree. It could adjust too as the results come in. May help some not feel it's so ridiculous to lose a playoff series if they saw they usually only had a 60% chance going into it and below a 50% chance after losing game 1 etc. etc.

Ask Bill Beane how that whole playoffs thing works even if you have good teams.

Very often in baseball the best team does not win the championship.

Or the Braves.

This past week, I had the top record in a bronze league, was up 2-0 in divisional series, then lost the series 2-3. Had another team up 2-0 in the divisional series that also lost 2-3. Both teams were promoted due to a good record, but frustrating.

My third team made the playoffs as a wildcard. And lost the wildcard game, naturally.

With the playoffs, team tend to go with a four man rotation so if you are still trotting out your fifth starter, you maybe at a disadvantage.

One season I was able to sit my star pitcher the last couple of games so he would be fresh for game one. I made it past the first round.