[NoOne]

chemistry isn't an overnight fix either... it can be related to previous season's lack of success among many other things. it changes over time. if you see it increasing, even if it is currently "bad", that's all good. could you move it along faster with better personalities? sure. winning can solve most chemistry problems, too.

focus on how it is changing each increment. tbh, not something i pay attention to. i just worry about winning and avoid too many selfish, malcontent type personalities. i don't look at labels at all. are they selfish? are they greedy? good work ethic? etc... just like their ability ratings, i look at the individual stuff and ignore the overall personality.

obviously, that correlates to having better personalities, but if you are winning a lot, or about to win a lot, i wouldn't worry too much. in any 1 decisions and ignoring all other things, talent is still weighted greater than effects of personality.

now, if you have a team full of selfish, greedy people that don't care about winning... well, i've never tried anything like that. so, weighing talent > personality does have a limit, but it's probably extreme, if it exists.

ST-

i worry about 1 thing. knocking rust off my players. my best estimation: 16-20ip for pitching. your SP will get 20-24 depending on 5 or 6 man rotation, which should be enough. you don't want more than ~8 RP, or you end up with important RP getting ~10-12IP. but, each to their own... you can always start with more and send some down if they important guys aren't getting enough innings. i've seen rp have ~12ip and start out like gangbusters, but i'm a bit leary when it's that low.

i will rotate pitchers to and from, AAA if necessary.

same with batting. i try to not to go too crazy with the bench. i start with a defensive bench that can play multiple positons -- 2 guys capable of that. a catcher and +1.. that's my regular season bench, adjust to your preference what i say next. i bring up ~2-3 guys, i make my bench guys backup ~2 spots if possible and fill in with the depth guys -- most likely to be used in case of injuries etc from AAA.

i usually only have ~27-28 players in ST. injuries require more than 27 individual players used, but i deal with those as they happen and that # remains relatively consistent. i rest my catcher a bit more in ST, too. If i have a good prospect in AAA, they also come up in ST, but otherwise i stick to a minimal, yet slightly boosted roster.

also, i don't even think the depth chart matters in some respects -- not jsut SP getting 4ip and done. i've set someone to "none specified" and they just kept getting 3ip at a time in releif at an alarming rate. other than closer i don't worry about their roles, i only worry about IP. you need someone as a "2nd" closer so that he doesn't pitch 30ip. 2 su and both 8ip.. if one lags make him the single su the second half etc or even the 2nd closer if well-rated they will get good innings use. dond't upset players, ie keep them where they prefer, but be wiling to think outside the box in ST to get them work.