[Nunyer]

I have not run any significant tests or anything, but it doesn't seem that the difficulty setting impacts CPU-to-CPU deals. They still seem to make plenty of trades that are impossible for you to pull off with the difficulty on "hard". Team 1 has too many oranges, Team 2 has too many apples... when both teams are CPU, these trades seem to happen often enough... but those same deals don't seem available to human teams.

I played a few seasons on hard, and it seemed too difficult to move good prospects that were blocked on my farm teams. You should be able to get a middling, three star potential single A guy for a player that will immediately get a spot on the other team's ML roster... They know you don't need him and can't ask for top dollar, but they need him as well and should gladly part with a midrange 19 year old... but it's almost impossible to pull off.

Another thing I will occasionally do on the "hard" setting is to take control of the CPU team temporarily, run the same players from the other side and see what my CPU-controlled GM thinks of the deal. All of a sudden, my side thinks the deal is awful and wants the five star prospects thrown in. The idea of mutual interest between trade partners isn't well simulated anywhere in the game... but it gets worse as the difficulty cranks up. Every trade gives off the aura of "you are trying to rip me off, but dammit I will rip you off worse!". This has it's place when you are asking for their top players or something... but when you take time to gauge the strengths and weakness of both sides and offer players that should make sense for both sides... and the CPU on hard laughs and demands the world... it hurts the immersion factor.

Since then, I played a few seasons on normal and I generally like the balance better. Yes, the CPU will agree to some stupid trades... but I just try to use my own moral compass to avoid taking advantage... The benefit is that in the big picture, you actually seem to get some decent market value for your guys... and not every trade gives you the impression of begging the CPU to talk to you.

I was just able to make a nice trade deadline rental deal from a team going nowhere... I moved my closer (who had a replacement waiting in a setup role) and my top 3B prospect, top 30 or 40 in the league, for a #2/#3 type starter in a contract year. IMO, the trade made sense for both sides. They get two young players, a ML-ready closer/setup guy making peanuts and a top corner IF prospect for a 33 year old pitcher that will demand $15m per year in the offseason. It's the kind of trade you see quite often in the real world... But switching the difficulty to "hard", and the CPU insisted on one of my top of the order hitters that are all signed long term... For a rental? From a team with a horrible budget situation sitting 25 games out at the deadline? Just seems too out there for me... I prefer "normal" and using my gut to avoid taking advantage of the times when the CPU goes too soft.

EDIT: I didn't vote in the poll, I think the hard difficulty is more challenging, but normal is more realistic.