Improving Fielding

[sreem]

Is there a way to improve my teams fielding without bringing in new players with better fielding ratings?

[adamj]

Originally Posted by sreem

Is there a way to improve my teams fielding without bringing in new players with better fielding ratings?

Assuming they are not maxed out for experience at their position already, they will get better over time simply by playing games. I'm not sure, but I believe experience accumulates more quickly in spring training and in the minors than it does in regular season Major League games.


AFAIK, the only way to know for sure whether a player has maxed out his experience at a position is to look at the player editor in the commissioner mode. The fielding data is near the lower right. The maximum experience at a position is 200. If it is currently something less than that, the player has room for improvement by playing games.


Exactly what the maximum position rating will be, with 200 experience, is dependent upon the player's underlying fielding ratings (range, error, arm, etc.). For example, someone without good range will probably never be a great shortstop or centerfielder.

[sreem]

What about coaching staff as opposed to players getting better at their positions? Would a better Bench Coach help the team perform better in the field without increasing underlying ratings?

[TheMaus2]

The teach fielding rating should help.

[RchW]

No way the question can be answered unless you show current fielding ratings. If you have poor SS/2B and/or players playing out of position ie a 3B or SS with a weak arm then no outside influence should fix it. An old saying goes "you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear".

Edit: and no you should never have to look in the editor to make a GM decision. Just my opinion of course.

[sreem]

Originally Posted by RchW

No way the question can be answered unless you show current fielding ratings. If you have poor SS/2B and/or players playing out of position ie a 3B or SS with a weak arm then no outside influence should fix it. An old saying goes "you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear".

Edit: and no you should never have to look in the editor to make a GM decision. Just my opinion of course.

A) Not playing players out of position
B) 28 year old utility guy, ratings in 4 positions, playing 2b currently
2B rating = 12 (1-20 scale)
INF Range = 15
INF Error = 8
INF Arm = 11
Turn DP = 10

Now for this player in question, though I know his underlying ratings are not going to increase much if at all, hypothetically could I find a manager or bench coach that would consistently help him play at a higher level than his ratings show?

That is mainly my question I guess. In this game is it possible to get players to play at a higher level than their stand alone ratings with the right coach(s), and if so, what coach has the greatest effect on fielding.

PS - I NEVER look behind the curtain

[Orcin]

Originally Posted by sreem

Now for this player in question, though I know his underlying ratings are not going to increase much if at all, hypothetically could I find a manager or bench coach that would consistently help him play at a higher level than his ratings show?

My experience is no. I suppose there is some marginal benefit to a good coach, but I doubt that it is noticeable over a career. The best way to improve your fielding with the same players is to get a pitching staff with a high strikeout ratio. If you have a lot of groundballers, then you should emphasize infield defense, but you can get by with a poor outfield (and vice versa for flyball pitchers).

One thing that I do when my defense is weak is to carry a strong defender on the bench to substitute for my weakest infielder in the late innings. I also play him once every five days when my best groundball pitcher is on the mound.

Originally Posted by sreem

What coach has the greatest effect on fielding.

The bench coach influences fielding. Unfortunately, the rating for this is hidden so you have no idea if he is good or bad when you hire him.

[NoOne]

I think this is mostly TCR... at least the drastic changes, if they occur. the small stuff is probably the other factors like work ethic and coach's teaching ability. (just like how development works in all other areas of the game) this stuff doesn't have potential because for the most part you won't improve much - and the improvements that are crossing some people's minds could be wrapped up in experience to include improving footwork and stuff that a player actually has control over. i.e. it covers the situation where a player improves range, because they were doing it completely wrong to begin with -- that's what the massive tcr change is modeling the frequency of. for example, a SS that must move laterally toward first base that does not start with their right leg as the first step is an idiot who never learned to do it the correct way. most atheletes have been taught better by the time they get to the mlb, but a few do figure it out later.

a player isn't going to drastically change their speed by working out harder (excluding somethign unrealistic for an athlete -- like the guy's morbidly obese and loses 300lbs). they will however eventually slow down as they age, without a doubt.

a 28+ y.o. is very unlikely to change their current ability in anything, not just defense. once they get that old, potential is more likely to drop down to current ability than any more positive development toward those potentials.


you can't polish a turd. well you can, but it will still be a turd. lol, that applies to students, too.