The Downward Spiral of Players

[Dr. Brian]

Okay, I officially don’t get it. Every player I draft never amounts to anything but a 20/80 skill player (with the same potential). They never improve in the minors. There skills never go up, only worse. I’ve been forced to trade to get high caliber players, but invariably, they always drop skill and overall rating, too, starting in their early 30s. I have yet to see a player develop in the minors.
This also applies to marginal players that I have to start on my every day roster. They never improve too. They only go down.
So has anyone figured out or seen anything different?
Thanks in advance!

[ricealum]

Originally Posted by Dr. Brian

Every player I draft never amounts to anything but a 20/80 skill player (with the same potential). ... They never improve in the minors. ... So has anyone figured out or seen anything different?

Yes, I have had players develop in the minors, but at some point they have to come up to the majors to continue improving or they will deteriorate. And to make things more frustrating, bringing them up too early stifles their development as well. Think of a real ballplayer brought up from single A to start in the majors and getting pummeled. It will affect his confidence and overall development.

And players develop at different speeds. I have a reliever that I drafted in the inaugural draft and has spent four seasons in the minors as a one star player with 5 star potential. It took him three full seasons to gain a second star. He is now just about ready but not quite. In contrast, I drafted a closer who was ready for the majors the next spring.

So be patient and let players develop a bit in the minors but not too long. If you find them not developing at all, it may be that either they are just overrated or are in the wrong position. I have tried to change middle relievers to starters and they rarely develop. I can even put them in the starting rotation and have them perform very well as starters for two years but still be listed as half star players.

All that said, I find it is rarely productive to build your team through the draft. I much prefer trading for either top rookies or top prospects that are ready for the majors. Let the other teams take risks developing prospects. As you have seen, it's a risky process.

[Dr. Brian]

The only players I've seen increase in Overall rating are those rookies that are not up to their potential.

When there are players that have the same low potential as their overall, they never go up.

Not sure why this is so.

[Ike348]

I found an undrafted catcher in free agency who had 1 star potential. I noticed that he had high-ish contact potential, so I signed him to a minor league deal. 3 years late, he won Rookie of the Month when my starting catcher went down with an injury. Another 2 years, he gets $9.5 million in arbitration and I cut him loose.

So yea, players can increase their potential and overall, but its very rare.