[jmknpk2]

I will start out trying the Spritze database and go back to the default if things don't turn out to my liking.
I would like the team and league structure to match real life history, including minors whenever Branch Rickey comes along.
I'd like players to start their rookie season with the best real life career team (e.g. Ruth with Yankees), so that I don't need to worry about manually forcing trades, etc. Hopefully a "very low" setting for AI trades will keep my universe more or less that way.

Here are the settings I have starting in 1902 with the Cardinals:

Color Barrier un-checked.
I'd like to have negro players in the MLB in my universe.

AI Trading Frequency: Very Low
Hope to keep teams with their "Best" real life career team.I'd like Honus Wagner with the Pirates, Babe Ruth with the Yankees, etc. Not too concerned about lesser known players. Of course negro league players will now be in my MLB universe, so some things will necessarily deviate from real life history. And I may try to grab Honus Wagner for the Cardinals.

Not quite sure about the following settings:
Enable Amateur Draft: checked.
Disable Automatic Creation of Free Agents and Fictional Draft Class: checked.
Use pre-defined draft value for AI: un-checked.
Amateur Draft Number of Rounds: 15
Enable Advanced Draftee Signing (Signing Bonus Negotiations): un-checked.

Yearly Inflation: 0% - 0%
Enable Reserve-Clause Era Rules: checked

I'm thinking I probably should change the following. Should I change these later down the line when Free Agency starts? I think players like Babe Ruth did get longer deals before Free Agency. Don't really know how to set these because I've never played a universe with the Reserve Clause:

Remaining Salary owed if Player is cut: 15 percent
Multi-year Contracts given: Only Star Players
Guaranteed Contracts given: Only Star Players

Contract Extensions: Allowed (in case I'd like one, with the understanding other AI teams might offer extensions as well).

Hoping these settings will result in real life historical schedules:
Allow Rainouts: un-checked
Force Start on Certain Weekday: un-checked
Auto adjust date if matching XML schedule found
Select Typical Series Length: 3 games
Schedule Balance: checked "Use Balanced Schedule Format".
Interleague Play: un-checked. Probably won't change this unless I get up into the 1990s.
Schedule loaded from file: I just left the default value alone.

Generate International Amateur Free Agents: None
International Scouting Discoveries (per Team): None
Generate International Established Free Agents: None
Generate Free Agents from Independent Leagues: None <- Not too sure about this one. I believe Bob Feller, etc. was found in independent leagues?

Automatically import historical player-creation modifiers: checked

Historical Year: 1902
Automatically expand league: checked
Expansion Mode: Hold Expansion Draft
Protected Players per Team: 15
Auto-protect Players with less than X Pro Service Years: 3 years
Limit of Picks from a single Team: No limit

Import & maintain real minor leagues: checked <- I'm hoping that when real life minor league teams come into existence, they will automatically evolve in my game universe.

Base player roles/positions on: Real life stats
Automatically adjust league strategy when advancing to next season: Real life stats
Import adjusted financial settings after each year: checked

Retire players according to history: un-checked <- I would like "what if "scenarios for players that still can perform.

Players miss seasons according to history: un-checked <- I won't have wars in my fictional game universe. Another "what if" feature I prefer.

Automatically import historical rookies: checked -< Maybe I should un-check this so that players start with their best team instead of historical rookie team?

Use random rookies from all eras: un-checked <- I want players in their proper historical years.

Database Path: ??? I'm guessing this is where I specify the Spritze Database that I download???

Automatically adjust league totals modifiers after each season for accuracy: checked <- I'd like dead ball era, etc. to match real life history.

Base Ratings on... Real stats
Base Potential Ratings on... Remaining Peak Seasons (can't change this in Challenge mode)
Base Fielding Ratings on... 3-year period
Base Pitcher Stamina on... 3-year period

Historical Year: 1902

Automatically adjust league strategy when advancing to next season: checked
(seems like there are two settings which mean the same thing in my mind. I guess the other is about player creation modifiers. Not sure what the distinction is? Guessing this one is league wide. The earlier one is for individual players)

I would appreciate any comments regarding changes I should make to the above settings. Or options I should seriously consider. Thanks in advance. I know this is a lot. But it might help somebody in the future looking to play a similar universe.