Is the trading AI that smart?

khucke · 03-26-2002, 11:38 PM

In my fictional league the leading home run hitter was traded for three players during the season. One was a minor league player without potential, one a backup SS in the majors, but was sent to AAA by his new club, the third player seemed to be the key player: a 2B at A ball with a .214 avg and C fielding, but is hailed as a future star. This is a lopsided trade, isn`t it?
Wait, the HR hitter is in the last year of his contract and his old club is running deficits!
Question: Is AI trading so smart to trade away a player it will not be able to re-sign even under value and realize the other clubs that the big hitter has to be traded and therefore can offer less than he´s really worth?

fluharty · 03-27-2002, 06:27 AM

Since no one has responded, I will. Unfortunately, all I can say is 'good question'. I have not analyzed trades in enough detail to get a good feel for this. I may do so during my next season, just to see the situations and whether each trade is one I would have made.

Khaos · 03-27-2002, 06:52 AM

Yes. Teams that can't take on high price players won't. Unless your using the Steinbrenner cheat code.

RickJay · 03-27-2002, 09:57 AM

[quote]Originally posted by khucke:
<strong>In my fictional league the leading home run hitter was traded for three players during the season. One was a minor league player without potential, one a backup SS in the majors, but was sent to AAA by his new club, the third player seemed to be the key player: a 2B at A ball with a .214 avg and C fielding, but is hailed as a future star. This is a lopsided trade, isn`t it?
Wait, the HR hitter is in the last year of his contract and his old club is running deficits!
Question: Is AI trading so smart to trade away a player it will not be able to re-sign even under value and realize the other clubs that the big hitter has to be traded and therefore can offer less than he´s really worth?</strong><hr></blockquote>

I haven't done a detaled trade analysis, but my anecdotal sense is that OOTP AI is pretty damn smart (as baseball sims go) in terms in understanding where teams are on the development cycle. I've seen computer AIs trade prospects for expensive stars down the stretch when they were in tight pennant races and needed a hole filled, and I've seen them trade their best players for prospects when they were out of it. The AI seems VERY aware of a player's contract status when negotiating; in my experience they're willing to take on a final-year contract if you're just dumping it, but ask for anything valuable and they'll tell you to stick it. I honestly cannot say I know of any other game where the AI will perform even those basic maneuvers, much less perform them well.

khucke · 03-27-2002, 10:20 PM

I also am not sure. I have seem flurries of unmotivated trades (or their motivation were beyond my grasp), it seemed that a certain numerical target of trades were behind it. At least that was pre-last patch, I havn´t played enough recently to judge if that has changed. At other times the AI seems very smart( see example in first post).

03-26-2002, 11:38 PM	#1
khucke All Star Reserve Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Düsseldorf, Germany Posts: 657	Is the trading AI that smart? In my fictional league the leading home run hitter was traded for three players during the season. One was a minor league player without potential, one a backup SS in the majors, but was sent to AAA by his new club, the third player seemed to be the key player: a 2B at A ball with a .214 avg and C fielding, but is hailed as a future star. This is a lopsided trade, isn`t it? Wait, the HR hitter is in the last year of his contract and his old club is running deficits! Question: Is AI trading so smart to trade away a player it will not be able to re-sign even under value and realize the other clubs that the big hitter has to be traded and therefore can offer less than he´s really worth?

03-27-2002, 06:52 AM	#3
Khaos Major Leagues Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Canfield, OH Posts: 473	Yes. Teams that can't take on high price players won't. Unless your using the Steinbrenner cheat code. __________________ squish

03-27-2002, 06:27 AM	#2
fluharty All Star Starter Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Morgantown, WV Posts: 1,023	Since no one has responded, I will. Unfortunately, all I can say is 'good question'. I have not analyzed trades in enough detail to get a good feel for this. I may do so during my next season, just to see the situations and whether each trade is one I would have made.

03-27-2002, 09:57 AM	#4
RickJay Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Toronto Posts: 23	[quote]Originally posted by khucke: <strong>In my fictional league the leading home run hitter was traded for three players during the season. One was a minor league player without potential, one a backup SS in the majors, but was sent to AAA by his new club, the third player seemed to be the key player: a 2B at A ball with a .214 avg and C fielding, but is hailed as a future star. This is a lopsided trade, isn`t it? Wait, the HR hitter is in the last year of his contract and his old club is running deficits! Question: Is AI trading so smart to trade away a player it will not be able to re-sign even under value and realize the other clubs that the big hitter has to be traded and therefore can offer less than he´s really worth?</strong><hr></blockquote> I haven't done a detaled trade analysis, but my anecdotal sense is that OOTP AI is pretty damn smart (as baseball sims go) in terms in understanding where teams are on the development cycle. I've seen computer AIs trade prospects for expensive stars down the stretch when they were in tight pennant races and needed a hole filled, and I've seen them trade their best players for prospects when they were out of it. The AI seems VERY aware of a player's contract status when negotiating; in my experience they're willing to take on a final-year contract if you're just dumping it, but ask for anything valuable and they'll tell you to stick it. I honestly cannot say I know of any other game where the AI will perform even those basic maneuvers, much less perform them well.

03-27-2002, 10:20 PM	#5
khucke All Star Reserve Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Düsseldorf, Germany Posts: 657	I also am not sure. I have seem flurries of unmotivated trades (or their motivation were beyond my grasp), it seemed that a certain numerical target of trades were behind it. At least that was pre-last patch, I havn´t played enough recently to judge if that has changed. At other times the AI seems very smart( see example in first post).