Do players have to play in spring training to gain experience in develop?

[jpeters1734]

I ask because many real-life prospects get nonroster invite to spring training even though there is no chance they will make the opening day roster. Is there any reason to invite these guys to spring training? Will they benefit from it at all, even if they're not really playing that much?

[Number4]

It isn't an direct answer to your question, but for me any non-roster invitees are to take some injury risk off my starters. Any batter expected to start the regular season starts every 2nd day, which with 9 starters and 4 bench players leaves 5 slots to be taken by AAA players. I then throw a couple or warm bodies in, so there are always enough batters available for late game changes. Those rookies can also share the times they relief an starter.
Only exeption is when a batter is converted to a new position, then he'll play there all the time.

For pitchers, I go with a strict 6 man rotation and throw a couple of bullpen arms in, for good measure.

I think that should give me enough spring at bats, while sometimes a rookie takes the bullet instead of my valuable starters. And maybe one of those develops or impresses me in his at bats.

[jpeters1734]

Originally Posted by Number4

It isn't an direct answer to your question, but for me any non-roster invitees are to take some injury risk off my starters. Any batter expected to start the regular season starts every 2nd day, which with 9 starters and 4 bench players leaves 5 slots to be taken by AAA players. I then throw a couple or warm bodies in, so there are always enough batters available for late game changes. Those rookies can also share the times they relief an starter.
Only exeption is when a batter is converted to a new position, then he'll play there all the time.

For pitchers, I go with a strict 6 man rotation and throw a couple of bullpen arms in, for good measure.

I think that should give me enough spring at bats, while sometimes a rookie takes the bullet instead of my valuable starters. And maybe one of those develops or impresses me in his at bats.

The flaw in your approach is that MLB teams don't invite non-roster players as injury sponges. They invite them to get a better look at them, to get them around the big-league club, and to see how they do against higher competition. The problem with OOTP is that we don't have split squad rosters, so can't function the same way real MLB teams do in spring training.

[jdw31158]

Originally Posted by jpeters1734

The flaw in your approach is that MLB teams don't invite non-roster players as injury sponges. They invite them to get a better look at them, to get them around the big-league club, and to see how they do against higher competition. The problem with OOTP is that we don't have split squad rosters, so can't function the same way real MLB teams do in spring training.

I'd love to see split squads in OOTP. Maybe that's one of the features that hasn't been announced yet?

[jpeters1734]

Originally Posted by jdw31158

I'd love to see split squads in OOTP. Maybe that's one of the features that hasn't been announced yet?

yes split squads would be awesome, but until that happens i want to know the impact of simply being invited in ootp