AI drafting skills?

torpidbeaver · 02-07-2012, 08:35 PM

Does the AI make mistakes in drafts in, for example, the first year player draft? I guess I mean: do the various teams' AIs rely on the skills of their scouting directors, or do they magically know the players' real potentials (if not how they'll actually turn out in a few years)?

AESP_pres · 02-08-2012, 12:51 AM

Yes it does. Just as an exemple some players draft in my league in the 2011 draft. All the choices are from the AI as I manage in the minor league. Currently I'm in 2015.

Cory Spangenberg (5th choice) stuck in single A. Poor hitter
Dante Bichette Jr (18th choice) stuck in single A.
Alex Meyer (23th choice) released after one season.
George Springer (28th choice) released after two seasons.

sosasoser · 02-08-2012, 02:43 PM

I think it depends on what you mean by "mistake." It does appear that the AI *knows* a player's true potential at the time of the draft. I'm running a test sim for something else, so I'd thought I'd throw testing this in too.

For my other testing purposes, I have a lot more feeder teams than I need. As a result of that, my latest draft had way more 70-80 potential guys than should ever be necessary. I ran the draft with scouting on at normal. After the draft, I turned the scouting system off and skipped ahead a day. I checked the draft log to see what the AI had drafted. It was what I would expect to see if the AI knew the players' potential ratings: everyone in the first round was at least a 70. I'd say there were mistakes made in the types of players taken. I wouldn't draft a firstbasemen with David Eckstein like power potential in the first round whose value was based on 1st base defense and speed. But, the AI did.

I simmed forward to the beginning of the next year and rechecked the draft log. A lot of the players were already seeing downgrades in their potential rating. Nothing particularly big at that point, but they were occurring.

torpidbeaver · 02-08-2012, 03:54 PM

Interesting. Okay, I've got another question:

I have the AI handling my minor leagues while I learn to play the game. I just went through my very first First Year Player Draft. I needed to negotiate with only five guys. Thought that was a little strange, but I also went out of my way to avoid guys who were asking for extra bonuses.

My question is: looking at my GM Transactions History page, three of my first five picks aren't assigned to any team in my organization. I picked them, but I can't seem to move them anywhere. Their scouting pages still have their "Draft Bonus Demand," "Eligible From," "School," "Competition Level," and "Signability" listed.

I thought maybe at first it was a question of whether or not they were coming from high school or college, but no -- I have a few players from each.

On their player pages, it lists their contract as "None, Free Agent" but under their history it says "Drafted by (me) in (whatever round)."

Are "they" maybe still "making up their minds" as to whether or not to play in the Majors? I think they were listed as "easy" or "very easy" under Signability.

EDIT: AHH wait. They're still considering offers I made. Got it. Sorry, dumb question.

sosasoser · 02-08-2012, 05:54 PM

You only have to negotiate with players you pick in the first 5 rounds normally. A few times, I've drafted someone in a lower round who wanted a large bonus and had to negotiate, but that is rare.

Don't necessarily be afraid to draft the large bonus guys. It depends on your team finances, of course. The large $$ money guys, are often the best. That's not always the case, of course. If timed right, it can work to your advantage too. Recently, I was rebuilding a bad franchise. In a weak draft, I had the 5th pick. I wasn't crazy about my options in that position. It was a turn around year for my team so I knew that next year's pick would be a lot lower--ended up winning the division that year. I drafted one of the big bonus guys who was listed as a hard sign for me. He demanded a major league contract. I balked at that and let him walk. That offseason I let a Type A free agent go. Luckily for me, the draft class the next year was incredibly strong and I wound up with three first round picks and one supplemental pick after the first round. I was able to sign all of the guys drafted.

02-07-2012, 08:35 PM	#1
torpidbeaver Major Leagues Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 389	AI drafting skills? Does the AI make mistakes in drafts in, for example, the first year player draft? I guess I mean: do the various teams' AIs rely on the skills of their scouting directors, or do they magically know the players' real potentials (if not how they'll actually turn out in a few years)?

02-08-2012, 12:51 AM	#2
AESP_pres Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Province of Quebec Posts: 4,100	Yes it does. Just as an exemple some players draft in my league in the 2011 draft. All the choices are from the AI as I manage in the minor league. Currently I'm in 2015. Cory Spangenberg (5th choice) stuck in single A. Poor hitter Dante Bichette Jr (18th choice) stuck in single A. Alex Meyer (23th choice) released after one season. George Springer (28th choice) released after two seasons. Attached Images

02-08-2012, 03:54 PM	#4
torpidbeaver Major Leagues Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 389	Interesting. Okay, I've got another question: I have the AI handling my minor leagues while I learn to play the game. I just went through my very first First Year Player Draft. I needed to negotiate with only five guys. Thought that was a little strange, but I also went out of my way to avoid guys who were asking for extra bonuses. My question is: looking at my GM Transactions History page, three of my first five picks aren't assigned to any team in my organization. I picked them, but I can't seem to move them anywhere. Their scouting pages still have their "Draft Bonus Demand," "Eligible From," "School," "Competition Level," and "Signability" listed. I thought maybe at first it was a question of whether or not they were coming from high school or college, but no -- I have a few players from each. On their player pages, it lists their contract as "None, Free Agent" but under their history it says "Drafted by (me) in (whatever round)." Are "they" maybe still "making up their minds" as to whether or not to play in the Majors? I think they were listed as "easy" or "very easy" under Signability. EDIT: AHH wait. They're still considering offers I made. Got it. Sorry, dumb question. Last edited by torpidbeaver; 02-08-2012 at 03:55 PM. Reason: Dumb question.

02-08-2012, 02:43 PM	#3
sosasoser Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 30	I think it depends on what you mean by "mistake." It does appear that the AI knows a player's true potential at the time of the draft. I'm running a test sim for something else, so I'd thought I'd throw testing this in too. For my other testing purposes, I have a lot more feeder teams than I need. As a result of that, my latest draft had way more 70-80 potential guys than should ever be necessary. I ran the draft with scouting on at normal. After the draft, I turned the scouting system off and skipped ahead a day. I checked the draft log to see what the AI had drafted. It was what I would expect to see if the AI knew the players' potential ratings: everyone in the first round was at least a 70. I'd say there were mistakes made in the types of players taken. I wouldn't draft a firstbasemen with David Eckstein like power potential in the first round whose value was based on 1st base defense and speed. But, the AI did. I simmed forward to the beginning of the next year and rechecked the draft log. A lot of the players were already seeing downgrades in their potential rating. Nothing particularly big at that point, but they were occurring.

02-08-2012, 05:54 PM	#5
sosasoser Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 30	You only have to negotiate with players you pick in the first 5 rounds normally. A few times, I've drafted someone in a lower round who wanted a large bonus and had to negotiate, but that is rare. Don't necessarily be afraid to draft the large bonus guys. It depends on your team finances, of course. The large $$ money guys, are often the best. That's not always the case, of course. If timed right, it can work to your advantage too. Recently, I was rebuilding a bad franchise. In a weak draft, I had the 5th pick. I wasn't crazy about my options in that position. It was a turn around year for my team so I knew that next year's pick would be a lot lower--ended up winning the division that year. I drafted one of the big bonus guys who was listed as a hard sign for me. He demanded a major league contract. I balked at that and let him walk. That offseason I let a Type A free agent go. Luckily for me, the draft class the next year was incredibly strong and I wound up with three first round picks and one supplemental pick after the first round. I was able to sign all of the guys drafted.