Drafting Strategies

[Storm]

I know that this has been discussed a million times before, but I figured that OOTP12 is a new version that's delivered more realistic financials and more realistic amateur drafts (high-bonus demand players now fall). With that said, what is your draft strategy? Have you changed your strategy at all for the new version?

I've always drafted the best player available with my first three picks, and then I begin to draft the best (and usually the cheapest, since I'm low-budget) high school pitchers. I usually get lucky with my first three selections and they turn up to be pretty good AAAA players and sometimes average major league players. So far in OOTP12, I've gotten more average-to-star players to fall to me with my first three picks. However in the later rounds, I hardly ever do well. While I'd like to think I draft well (lots of lefties with good control and movement and projectable frames), OOTP thinks otherwise. These players never make it out of Single-A. As for the rare high school hitter I take, well, they usually end up sharing the same fate as their age counterpart pitcher.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I could improve my drafts? Do frames matter (I think weight affects a player's decline? see: Sabathia, C.C.)? Or should I just focus on potential ratings? In my OOTP experiences (the past three versions), the power hitters have always been tall, large guys and the power pitchers have always been of the tall, lanky variety. For example, my top hitting prospect (international signing) is 6'4 and 240 pounds. He's rated with 200 power out of 250. Another example? My league's top pitching prospect is 6'7 and 200 pounds. He throws in the mid nineties (95-97 MPH). Another thing, the top pitching prospect was an overslot (27th round, $2,500,000 bonus) pick in the later rounds. The team that chose him (Tampa Bay Rays) actually have a scout with legendary amateur rating that favors tools. My scout is rated outstanding in the draft, but legendary when it comes to signing international players -- a market which, thankfully, I dominate with several high-potential, young players. Could my scout's low rating be misleading me with false information?

[wildcat000]

In terms of realism this is very dead on. MLB drafts are the hardest thing for an organization because you're trying to predict 4-6 years down the road. Look at it this way, I work for a Single-A team in the South Atlantic League, only 7-8% of the players that play here now will make the big leagues. It goes up as you go higher, but you see my point. Most draft classes will only have a handful of guys that will make it to the bigs.

[tjfla]

Do u use feeder leagues or how do u populate your drafts?

I got a 24 team league and was wondering

[Storm]

Originally Posted by tjfla

Do u use feeder leagues or how do u populate your drafts?

I got a 24 team league and was wondering

I let the game generate my draft pool. Would using feeder leagues benefit me at all?

Originally Posted by wildcat000

In terms of realism this is very dead on. MLB drafts are the hardest thing for an organization because you're trying to predict 4-6 years down the road. Look at it this way, I work for a Single-A team in the South Atlantic League, only 7-8% of the players that play here now will make the big leagues. It goes up as you go higher, but you see my point. Most draft classes will only have a handful of guys that will make it to the bigs.

I envy you (I'm sure everybody else does too!)! How did you get that job?

[wildcat000]

Originally Posted by Storm

I let the game generate my draft pool. Would using feeder leagues benefit me at all?



I envy you (I'm sure everybody else does too!)! How did you get that job?

One word my friend, networking. Tons of emails that turned into a lot of no's, and one yes.

[Woodman19]

Originally Posted by wildcat000

One word my friend, networking. Tons of emails that turned into a lot of no's, and one yes.

You are my hero, I would do anything to get that job you have