Quote:
Originally Posted by TheEquinox
When you say a good plan, what exactly do you mean? Is there anything else you can do than to spend the maximum possible money on scouting and development and hire the best available scouting director?
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Well, honestly I'm still figuring that out myself.
Which for me is a great deal of what is fun about this game.
I think the answer has something to do with what minor league managers and coaches you have and how they align with the type of talent you are drafting. (In addition to what you said above regarding scouting and budgeting.)
A lot of it has to do with spotting hidden talent, finding those potential 25th men on a major league roster with specialized skills- great defensive replacements, pinch-hitting specialists, LOOGY's, etc.- and developing them into big league role players.
One of the better players on my fictional team this year, Andrew Kennedy, for instance, is pictured below. While this guy isn't technically someone that I drafted, I did trade for him while he was still a minor leaguer and a very marginal prospect. But I always liked his character traits and he always showed great contact and gap power potential. Perhaps because his defense is just average to slightly above average and he is slow and doesn't have a lot of HR power potential, my head scout (with an excellent reputation) never saw his ceiling as being anything more than a bench player. But I always believed in him and made sure to follow his progress and control his promotions/demotions, etc.
And as his role has increased his numbers just keep getting better. He isn't my best defensive outfielder but he is solid enough in left and he provides a good left-handed hitting backup at first base for my right-handed hitting starter. (The starter is a 2-time Gold Glover and Kennedy doesn't nearly approach that, but he doesn't hurt us much defensively in the games he starts either.)
Everybody want's to draft and develop superstars, but just like in real life that doesn't happen often. Finding talented role players can be just as, if not more, important. If need be, you can always sign a superstar free agent but if you don't have a solid group of starters and role players around him you still won't win. Then again, you can always get lucky with TCR turning one of your borderline prospects into a superstar.
Example for me is Harry Lyerly. Drafted him in the 4th round due to his high stuff potential mostly (not necessarily considered the best draft strategy) really mostly hoping that he might be able to dominate minor league hitters and help my better prospects play on winning teams and at best thinking he might become an injury replacement type bullpen guy at some point. But then his velocity just kept going up and up and he was struck with the TCR lightning bolt- gaining a 4th pitch (that Knuckle Curve that still could turn into a well-above average offering) and he goes from marginal prospect to the 3rd best prospect in the league to an All-Star and Pitcher of the Year award winner at age 22. Not sure this is exactly an example of good planning.
Luck is important too.