I don't get this game...

beansthemachine · 08-09-2012, 11:11 AM

Am I the only one who is completely frustrated by this game? my team was 20-10 and now I sit at 23-27. Player ratings seem to have absolutely no impact on stats and results. My highest rated pitchers have high ERAs and my one star pitchers are the aces of my staff. what gives? In my last season John Lester was 15-1 at one point and finished the season 15-7.

JWay · 08-09-2012, 11:27 AM

Well small sample sizes can have crazy results. I've had guys pull a Matt Kemp. Awesome season, head scratcher season, triple crown pace season the. Injury. It happens.

Déjà Bru · 08-09-2012, 12:06 PM

You cannot expect to just throw 5-star players together and win championships. It doesn't work in real life and it doesn't work here.

Ratings can be inaccurate depending upon your scouting options and budget. Also, you've got to remember that there is more to this game than ratings. A lot more! Like, team chemistry (that's what the leadership ratings are for) and player morale.

Don't forget the randomness factor as well. The designer deliberately included this so the game does not get boring. So past results and current evaluations do not guarantee future results. Over time, probably yes, but just 50 games? Not necessarily, not by a long shot.

EDIT: But yes, I've gotten frustrated at times after putting together what I considered a winning team only to see it tank. The key, though, is patience. After some of those times, I've tinkered a bit more and been rewarded with good results. Sometimes I continued to stink. This is what makes this game great; it mirrors real life in this important aspect. Otherwise it would be too easy and therefore boring.

TGH-Adfabre · 08-09-2012, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beansthemachine

Am I the only one who is completely frustrated by this game?

If I received the same satisfaction from throwing my mouse at my monitor that I did throwing my NES/Genesis controller at the television I would be buying a new (used) monitor once a month.

Quote:

Originally Posted by beansthemachine

my team was 20-10 and now I sit at 23-27. Player ratings seem to have absolutely no impact on stats and results.

If you are playing as the Red Sox then they are melting down early on you instead of in the last month of 2011. Frustrating, but well within the realm of probability.
Player ratings are an indicator of probability. They do not guarantee future performance. This can be incredibly frustrating for players, it is also realistic. Over the course of a career players typically perform to their ratings, some will outperform them and some will underperform. The only way to really see this is over the long haul.

Quote:

Originally Posted by beansthemachine

My highest rated pitchers have high ERAs and my one star pitchers are the aces of my staff. what gives?

Look at John Lester's line for 2012 in comparison to 2008-11.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lestejo01.shtml

Quote:

Originally Posted by beansthemachine

In my last season John Lester was 15-1 at one point and finished the season 15-7.

Sounds like he was stuck in 2011.
These are all frustrating experiences, as is the game of baseball.
Some things that will help your expectations a little:
1) The game does not know who players are, just their ratings. If you think a players ratings are incorrect there is a spot to post it or you can go into commissioner mode and edit them yourself.
2) If you look at the fluctuations in player performance in MLB, particularly volatile stats like ERA and RBI you should find that OOTP does a decent job of mirroring fluctuations.
3) If you are new to the game... Is scouting on or off?
Have to bail.
Good luck, if you have any questions post them and people will help out.
Tom

The Game · 08-09-2012, 12:44 PM

Yes even if you put 25 5 star players on the same team, there is no guarantee you will be good. I had the likes of Maddux, Hornsby, Shoeless Joe, Frank Thomas, Pedro, Mo Rivera, myself cloned as Walter Johnson & Harold Baines just to name a few. Injuries played a huge factor on my disappointing season and off years by future HOfers baffled me. I missed the playoffs by 2 games at 83-79.

Tyler87898 · 09-04-2012, 07:48 PM

My team has started out 15-30 and ended up getting about 85 to 88 wins and a trip to October! I've had teams that do the complete opposite (Start out great then fail). That's the fun and randomness of the game! I may have the best players, but it doesn't always matter. I mean, look at the 2012 Marlins opening day roster and look how they are doing today!

08-09-2012, 11:11 AM	#1
beansthemachine Bat Boy Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 4	I don't get this game... Am I the only one who is completely frustrated by this game? my team was 20-10 and now I sit at 23-27. Player ratings seem to have absolutely no impact on stats and results. My highest rated pitchers have high ERAs and my one star pitchers are the aces of my staff. what gives? In my last season John Lester was 15-1 at one point and finished the season 15-7.

08-09-2012, 12:06 PM	#3
Déjà Bru Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Long Island Posts: 11,306	You cannot expect to just throw 5-star players together and win championships. It doesn't work in real life and it doesn't work here. Ratings can be inaccurate depending upon your scouting options and budget. Also, you've got to remember that there is more to this game than ratings. A lot more! Like, team chemistry (that's what the leadership ratings are for) and player morale. Don't forget the randomness factor as well. The designer deliberately included this so the game does not get boring. So past results and current evaluations do not guarantee future results. Over time, probably yes, but just 50 games? Not necessarily, not by a long shot. EDIT: But yes, I've gotten frustrated at times after putting together what I considered a winning team only to see it tank. The key, though, is patience. After some of those times, I've tinkered a bit more and been rewarded with good results. Sometimes I continued to stink. This is what makes this game great; it mirrors real life in this important aspect. Otherwise it would be too easy and therefore boring. __________________ - Bru Last edited by Déjà Bru; 08-09-2012 at 12:12 PM.

08-09-2012, 11:27 AM	#2
JWay Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Sioux Falls, SD Posts: 5,021	Well small sample sizes can have crazy results. I've had guys pull a Matt Kemp. Awesome season, head scratcher season, triple crown pace season the. Injury. It happens.

08-09-2012, 12:44 PM	#5
The Game Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Inside The Game Posts: 30,937	Yes even if you put 25 5 star players on the same team, there is no guarantee you will be good. I had the likes of Maddux, Hornsby, Shoeless Joe, Frank Thomas, Pedro, Mo Rivera, myself cloned as Walter Johnson & Harold Baines just to name a few. Injuries played a huge factor on my disappointing season and off years by future HOfers baffled me. I missed the playoffs by 2 games at 83-79.

09-04-2012, 07:48 PM	#6
Tyler87898 All Star Reserve Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 794	My team has started out 15-30 and ended up getting about 85 to 88 wins and a trip to October! I've had teams that do the complete opposite (Start out great then fail). That's the fun and randomness of the game! I may have the best players, but it doesn't always matter. I mean, look at the 2012 Marlins opening day roster and look how they are doing today!