Quote:
Originally Posted by Bad Scooter
How are you getting these kinds of returns? I can barely get the AI to trade anything fair at all.
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you build up to that, if you have draft pick trading on. so, this is all from the perspective that it's allowed and you have fed the pig well for a few years...
the first 1-3 years you may only have 1-2 of the top picks each year. the more luck you have initially with these picks, the sooner you build up... they don't even have to pan out for you, a trade is just as good..
but, as you build up a monster of a MiL system, you'll be forced to trade away 3-5 decent prospects a year, and if they are young and 1/2-3/4 developed they give a great return due to lower risk. extremely high rated and young is fine too, but i typically let them pan out first unless i have zero faith in that 'type' of player. always add as many picks, too... even when trading for a #1, if possible. maximize every trade. *** obviously, you keep the ones you really like.
i get more luck mixing in picks with prospects in trades rather than consolidating them (as in trading 15-20 for a lower 15... no good up that high no matter what, actually.. but same with 7-10 for a whatever... not the best way to go.. mix them in with prospects, get as many picks sub-12ish in return for future trades.)
you can also use them as a way to guage interest in a prospect... compare 1 at a time to see what the AI values the most in order to build the best package for greatest return possible. i typically eye-ball it by comparing team needs of multiple/simultaneous trade partners, but you need to compare each one before submitting ahead of time in some way... the 'best' package for trade-partner A may cause the other 2 trade partners' returns to be worthless, where as a slightly lesser package for team A will allow for 2 great returns from b and c and still suffice for what is needed from team A. or maybe it causes you to pick an alternate 3rd team and accept a slightly reduced return in order to get the other 2 trades done.. etc etc etc... maximize everything!
start signing those international free agent amatuers... there didn't used to be a cap on this... now there is... depends on your setting as to how much you can take advantage. without a cap, you can get 1+ high end prospect/year + multiple good ones, too, but likely miss out due to the cap -- comes down to luck. basically a cap on this ruins it, but still try.
again, even if they don't fit a profile you like, their trade value is the key (same with most draft picks - draft for value, if no a sure-keeper available)... you may very well draft some great prospects that you will use.. .but invariably more will slip by... trade for these guys asap, especially if you invest more into development than the average team (baseline).
the key is finding a happy medium of trading stuff away before it ages(prospect age, not getting old) or drops in potential that inevitably occur the longer they are in the minors vs X players per year needed to replenish your MLB team (1-3 integral pieces at most, if you space it out well. ignoring bench and lesser pitchers.)
when you start dealing solely with high-end players, you start to look at things differently. you can more easily plan out replacements... you can get really picky about wht you like and trade away the many that do not fit this bill -- either for that 'mike trout' you missed in recent drafts or a top-10 pick, etc.... don't get too "draft happy" though... like i said you wil miss more of the "amazing" players than you will draft... once you get going 3-5high first round picks a year you probably snag ~1/3rd to 1/2 of them, stab in the dark, but probably close to correct.
however, if a trout or harper exists and you missed them, that's way safer than a future draft pick... always go that route even if you sacrifice some potential draft picks.
you should have a hefty portion of your team under control or in the first couple cheaper years of arbitration. this gives huge advantages to being able to buy that extra FA or expensive extension or international FA (they are really nice this year!).
i agree with spending alot on development, i do not know where negligible returns exists, i typically have a large budget and a max development budget reduces my payroll by force.
i like to spend more on MiL scouting in my normal leagues, though... only when i am drafting high will i reduce that to spend more on amatuer spending... if i am drafting ~30th(last), i skimp on amatuer budget. i also max scouting, so 24M to spend is easy to give alot to most...
tip, unless changed recently: international scouting is virtually useless unless you have those league active and simulating in your game world... the ones creted on jul 2nd and for FA are not ruled by this budget -- last i checked from playing. most likely this will give you a few ore million to toss into the other 3 budgets. at tht point, those three should all be hefty that it won't matter much which has more.