[Biggio509]

I have noticed in a few versions for new leagues. I don't know why but the initial draft seems to be hitter dominate in a fictional inaugural draft league. After a few years when there are enough pitchers and they catch up it evens out. It may still be good advice to sim 5 to 10 years before managing a team if you play fictional.

I have noticed the overall quality may be less. I don't play as much as I used to and have a bad habit of starting new games to try new things. In my league that went from 2019 to 2027 there was just average talent left after about 2 rounds in the rookie draft and the late rounds was just drafting minor league filler. It didn't change with less minors and fewer rounds.

I think the game tries to even things out if things get a little out of whack. Don't take this as you can't play a new league from year one. I have been able to do that enjoyably but the game doesn't really even out the minors and the draft for a few years. I find often you have a lack of pitchers in the low minors and have to move up scrubs as filler early on. After a few years you can get rid of the 30 y/o minor leagues other than a few 4 A players in AAA but early on you have some older non-prospects hanging around because you haven't developed talent to move up to high A and AA.

I almost find myself having to sign FA emergency players for AAA a lot more in the early years of a games because there just isn't enough ealry on to use AAA as a holding ground for on the bubble prospects. Don't get me wrong as the game progresses you still get 20 out of 80 prospects just filling a roster spot in the minors but your high minors tend to be more real prospects.

Also in '21 I have noticed even on the richer teams you have more below average guys starting rather than backing up. It maybe that typically I don't have perfect scouting direction (blue in every category) so the ratings may not be right. Still because there are a fewer above average rating guys the engine has the below average scouting performing like average in a more talent heavy league. This version I tend to see 44 as more average current ability than the more usual 50 in the past. This is a little more enjoyable to me I am making real trade offs with respect to hitting vs. fielding than I remember in previous versions.

I didn't see the first draft being as heavily weighted to high prospect relievers I had in the last version but there does seem to be too many position players and not enough pitchers for the first few years. Still I am finding more relievers than I can use in AAA that are ready and starters are hard to find. That is probably realistic.