July 2nd International Amateurs - Too easy?

[Fronzizzle]

I'm currently simming toward the 2049 season, and I was looking at my team when I was struck by the makeup, specifically my position players.

My top 4 hitters (2B, SS, 3B and CF) were all July 2nd IA signings. The CF is the oldest at 26, he just completed a 9-WAR season and won his second straight MVP (in his third season). The SS has put up 5 straight 4-WAR seasons including winning a gold glove. The 3B completed his rookie year with 3.5 WAR, and the 21-year old 2B played 90 games, hit .360 and was worth 3.5 WAR.

I dug deeper. My top prospect is a 20-year old SS in AAA that is the #11 prospect in all of baseball.

Two other Top 30 MLB prospects are a 19-year old OF that just completed his first year in rookie ball, and the other is a 17-year old in my International Complex.

So, I decided to go and look at ALL of my July 2nd signings. Typically, I sign one per year, usually for the maximum ($5M) dollar amount since that's where the bidding goes.

I've simmed 28 seasons. There were 4 seasons where I didn't have the budget available, or didn't see a player worth signing. That leaves 24 signings. The most recent 7 are above; that leaves 17 more July 2nd players.

Of the 17, five are already in the HOF or locks, once they retire (I'm talking multiple MVP award winners, 100+ career WAR, etc.). Three more became above-average MLB players with multiple 4+ WAR seasons. Two more became useful MLB players, one was more of an up-and-down guy and six were busts or career MiLB players.

Looking at the whole total, then, and leaving out the 2 players currently in my low minors but including the guy in AAA, that means that out of 25 signings, 15 became good-to-great players.

The data is even better (worse?) when just looking at hitters.

Combined with the knowledge that I can sign any one player I want every year (as long as I meet the asking price, the player always chooses my team regardless of what other teams are bidding reputation, farm system strength, etc.), I feel like it's almost cheating to continue signing these guys - guaranteed is a strong word, but I feel like if I sign a guy, he's going to be a stud.

I suppose I could put in some sort of "house rule" about signing them, but I'm not sure what that should/would be.

Anyone else deal with this?

[Dorfmann]

No, I rarely take anyone. The top guy seems to usually be average to slightly-above-average potential and the bidding war quickly takes his price way higher than I'm willing to go. Maybe my scout just sucks.

[andyhdz]

Yes many of us. If you switch to the no cap old rules you'll have players demanding 5 times as much which is ridiculous. I have a house rule of once every 2 years I can sign a July intl ammy but might increase it to 3 years. I wish we could just draft them like eventually will happen in real life. OOTP doesn't always have to follow the mlb structure.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by Dorfmann

No, I rarely take anyone. The top guy seems to usually be average to slightly-above-average potential and the bidding war quickly takes his price way higher than I'm willing to go. Maybe my scout just sucks.

+1 and my scout is great

[Meeko]

You've had good luck. Unless there is an uberstud prospect (4+ star) among them I pass completely. My scout usually has them all highly scouted so I have a good idea if its worth it. Most of them aren't.

[jmolony3]

I do think that I spend more on signing a 16 year old international amateur than a 1st round regular draft pick does not make any sense. I haven’t checked but I doubt if any MLB teams are paying $5 million for international amateur players.


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[1991Twins]

Originally Posted by jmolony3

I do think that I spend more on signing a 16 year old international amateur than a 1st round regular draft pick does not make any sense. I haven’t checked but I doubt if any MLB teams are paying $5 million for international amateur players.


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According to last year's signings, 2 players signed for $5.1 million bonuses. The difference between the game and real life though is the fact that 1) teams can lose pool money for signing free agents and 2) teams get bonuses who are assigned competitive balance picks in the draft and 3)teams can trade for up to 60% of another team's beginning pool amount. In real life, teams all have different amounts of money and can allocate money toward players of their choosing. In OOTP, teams all have the same amount to spend which makes it easier to game the system.

If anyone wants to see how much last year's players signed for, I am attaching this article from mlb.com.

https://www.mlb.com/news/internation...gs-july-2-2019

[jpeters1734]

Originally Posted by andyhdz

Yes many of us. If you switch to the no cap old rules you'll have players demanding 5 times as much which is ridiculous. I have a house rule of once every 2 years I can sign a July intl ammy but might increase it to 3 years. I wish we could just draft them like eventually will happen in real life. OOTP doesn't always have to follow the mlb structure.

you can set that up yourself

[jpeters1734]

i've since turned off IAFA and increased scouting discoveries. i don't really like the mechanics of the july 2nd signings

[smythejd]

Originally Posted by Fronzizzle

Anyone else deal with this?

I also have a fictional league with lots of years and also noticed this many seasons ago. My mindset is this is MY league, not MLB. And as such, I configure the game to make it as challenging as possible for me.

I have set IAFA to (few) and have unchecked (Use Hard Intl. FA Cap). The game will generate less monster players. And they will really cost you if you go to sign them. If you get to sign one, you will be locked out the next year, so at best you will sign one every other year.

[andyhdz]

Originally Posted by smythejd

I also have a fictional league with lots of years and also noticed this many seasons ago. My mindset is this is MY league, not MLB. And as such, I configure the game to make it as challenging as possible for me.

I have set IAFA to (few) and have unchecked (Use Hard Intl. FA Cap). The game will generate less monster players. And they will really cost you if you go to sign them. If you get to sign one, you will be locked out the next year, so at best you will sign one every other year.

That's an understatement. The bidding will go through the roof for the few good players and I don't feel like paying a 16 year old a 20 mil signing bonus.

[andyhdz]

Originally Posted by jpeters1734

you can set that up yourself

How? You mean by adding those intl nationalities to the June draft? Then you'd have 18 to 21 year intl not even going to the complexes and that would be too unrealistic for me.

[jmolony3]

Originally Posted by 1991Twins

According to last year's signings, 2 players signed for $5.1 million bonuses. The difference between the game and real life though is the fact that 1) teams can lose pool money for signing free agents and 2) teams get bonuses who are assigned competitive balance picks in the draft and 3)teams can trade for up to 60% of another team's beginning pool amount. In real life, teams all have different amounts of money and can allocate money toward players of their choosing. In OOTP, teams all have the same amount to spend which makes it easier to game the system.

If anyone wants to see how much last year's players signed for, I am attaching this article from mlb.com.

https://www.mlb.com/news/internation...gs-july-2-2019

Thank you that was very interesting.

[jimmysthebestcop]

Originally Posted by jpeters1734

i've since turned off IAFA and increased scouting discoveries. i don't really like the mechanics of the july 2nd signings

Ahh did you follow my lead on this ????


Yeah IAFA is completely broken in practice if you ask me. It's not technically broken as bugs/glitches/mechanics but it just doesn't work after the MLB changed to a 5 million hard cap.

It's most likely because International Amateur scouting is so basic. It's probably something that needs to be deeper. No random generated list ever July but each country should have prospects starting at 11-13 then you would have to scout all of the different baseball countries looking for leads.

It is also cause the IAFA always have a handful or prospects each year that are basically better then anyone in that draft. And it's year in and year out. At the least there will be 3 potential stars in the IAFA.

The scouting discoveries simulate what mlb does a little better. Where teams sign dozens and dozens of international players with their 5 million instead of dropping 5 million on 1 player.

IAFA in the game is more like a yearly draft then actually having to go do scouting leg work.

[Fronzizzle]

Originally Posted by jimmysthebestcop

Yeah IAFA is completely broken in practice if you ask me. It's not technically broken as bugs/glitches/mechanics but it just doesn't work after the MLB changed to a 5 million hard cap.

IAFA in the game is more like a yearly draft then actually having to go do scouting leg work.

This is sort of my thought, too.

I kind of think that the "scouting discoveries" should be players that you watch and follow up to the July 2nd deadline, then you can use your $5M pool to pick and choose which ones you want to sign. Is there one Vlad Jr. or Wander Franco-level stud you want to give $5M to? Or do you want to spread your pool out of 10 1-star prospects?

[jimmysthebestcop]

Right there is no stopping the human from landing the top potential iafa every single year. But typically there are multiple top potential iafa guys so notice the same group if teams usually sign those 5 million guys each year. As many lower teams don't actually budget 5 million to spend.

Then you could instantly promote these 16 yr olds and basically make any trade you want because they are so high in potential.

I really don't like putting house rules into effect on any video game I play. So I rather just turn the thing off that I feel is broken. And iafa is def "broken".