just started -- how to begin by playing a slightly modified real season?

[Villaparker]

Wow, this game has so much more than I was expecting...

I joined mainly to undo some real life trades, etc., and see how things could have been different. For example, what's the fastest way to undo the catastrophic White Sox trades of 1960 that shipped out Norm Cash, Johnny Callison, Johnny Romano, etc., and seeing if the Sox can win some AL pennants later in the decade?

In the future, I look forward to learning all about the GM aspects, making trades, managing budgets, scouting the minors, etc., but for now, what's the best way to make a few roster tweaks to a given season and play games with me as the Sox and the rest of the AL managed by the computer?

Thanks one and all -- look forward to learning this game and being an asset to the community! Jim

[Highlander]

If you play the game in Commissioner Mode, you can basically make any changes you want as the game goes along. I don't know the details of those trades you mentioned, but if they happened during the season in 1960, you could also just start a league in 1960 and take control of the White Sox as GM and manager. Then you can decide everything they do. If they were offseason deals, start in 1959. Does that help?

[Pelican]

You will want to turn off "historical transactions" to prevent those trades. On the first Game Creation screen, choose "Default Mode" or "Career Mode" and not "Replay Mode". As GM of the White Sox, you will control trades. You can adjust the frequency of AI trading for the other teams.

Growing up, I was a Phillies fan, and Johnny Callison was my favorite player. He was traded for Gene Freese, an established player, who actually had a good year for Chicago in 1961, then was traded to the Reds for Juan Pizarro and Cal McLish. He had another very good year, then got hurt, and was never the same (hardly played).

If you have a heart, don't let Cleveland trade away Rocky Colavito and Norm Cash.

[Villaparker]

Originally Posted by Pelican

You will want to turn off "historical transactions" to prevent those trades. On the first Game Creation screen, choose "Default Mode" or "Career Mode" and not "Replay Mode". As GM of the White Sox, you will control trades. You can adjust the frequency of AI trading for the other teams.

Growing up, I was a Phillies fan, and Johnny Callison was my favorite player. He was traded for Gene Freese, an established player, who actually had a good year for Chicago in 1961, then was traded to the Reds for Juan Pizarro and Cal McLish. He had another very good year, then got hurt, and was never the same (hardly played).

If you have a heart, don't let Cleveland trade away Rocky Colavito and Norm Cash.

super helpful, thanks; I'll give it a go now!

You might know that it's not just those three Veeck gave up, but also Earl Battey and Don Mincher (for the record, I love Veeck, but I don't get why he couldn't have started the season in '60 by giving his young stars a chance instead of pre-determining that they wouldn't pan out). Callison in particular was ID'ed as a five tool star, even though his power was never elite. They received value for a year or two from the guys they traded for -- Minoso, Freese, Sievers -- but they would have gotten at least as much value if they kept and played their young stars, to say nothing of what the Sox would have been like during the 60's with some combination of Cash/Mincher/Romano/Battey/Callison. They averaged 95 wins from '63-'65 without them; hard to see how they wouldn't have cracked 100 wins easily those three years...

Thanks again for the guidance on setting this up!

[Villaparker]

Originally Posted by Highlander

If you play the game in Commissioner Mode, you can basically make any changes you want as the game goes along. I don't know the details of those trades you mentioned, but if they happened during the season in 1960, you could also just start a league in 1960 and take control of the White Sox as GM and manager. Then you can decide everything they do. If they were offseason deals, start in 1959. Does that help?

fantastic, I'll give this a try! Thanks for taking the time to help a newbie out. Jim

[Villaparker]

Kind of related -- how do I add a player to a season replay from a different season? I want to play the '63 Cubs (at 82-80, it was their first team above .500 since 1946) but it was an awful season for Ernie Banks because he had the mumps. How do I add the '62 or '64 Banks to that '63 roster? Again, thanks for what I'm sure are very elementary questions for everybody. I can't wait to jump into the game!

[Todd R]

Originally Posted by Villaparker

Kind of related -- how do I add a player to a season replay from a different season? I want to play the '63 Cubs (at 82-80, it was their first team above .500 since 1946) but it was an awful season for Ernie Banks because he had the mumps. How do I add the '62 or '64 Banks to that '63 roster? Again, thanks for what I'm sure are very elementary questions for everybody. I can't wait to jump into the game!

You can go to the free agent screen and import him. (I think it requires commissioner mode.)

But if you like to smooth the ups and downs in ratings you can have players rated on three year averages or five year averages. I assume you asked because you're using one year ratings.