Draft Help

[redsixerfan]

What strategy do you use for your Perfect Draft? Whatever I am doing must be wrong, never win more than the 1st round.

[PunishedF2P]

Originally Posted by redsixerfan

What strategy do you use for your Perfect Draft? Whatever I am doing must be wrong, never win more than the 1st round.

Short version (there's definitely more to consider):

Most important thing is that you have a strong familiarity with all the cards and actually know which players are best. This makes drafting so much easier in general.

*Draft strong bats over pitching in the first few rounds, but take best available, so if no great bats, but one of the best pitchers in the game, take the pitcher of course
*Prioritize good CF and SS over other positions
*By the end of the silver rounds, you will ideally have your full starting lineup, 5 starters, and a closer/stopper.
*Be sure to draft all the proper backups and a 12/13 pitcher staff; this is one of the biggest killers - if you end up without a backup catcher for example, your catcher will be a seriously negative WAR guy after the first few games.
*Spending 2 minutes on player/team strategies after the draft is recommended
*Hope for a good run of a luck

[redsixerfan]

Originally Posted by PunishedF2P

Short version (there's definitely more to consider):

Most important thing is that you have a strong familiarity with all the cards and actually know which players are best. This makes drafting so much easier in general.

This is what I been doing.

[redsixerfan]

Here's the other one.

[SlyVaz]

Originally Posted by PunishedF2P

Short version (there's definitely more to consider):

*Be sure to draft all the proper backups and a 12/13 pitcher staff

Do you have to have 5 starters and 7 relievers? If you draft over 5 starters, they put the extra ones in bullpen. A lot of times the highest rated pitchers are listed as starters.

[PunishedF2P]

Originally Posted by SlyVaz

Do you have to have 5 starters and 7 relievers?

No, not at all. You'd just need to have any 12 pitchers, any combo of 5+ SP and RP. Generally, I try to have several of my relievers (for the team) be starters (for the card).

[PunishedF2P]

Originally Posted by redsixerfan

Here's the other one.

This brings up a good point - relates to knowing all the cards well - LIVE cards are much weaker for their overall vs. a non-live card. Unless there are just no other options, never select Perfect/Diamond/Gold LIVES and avoid selecting silver LIVE cards when possible. Once you get to bronze and iron, it's fine.

[redsixerfan]

Originally Posted by PunishedF2P

This brings up a good point - relates to knowing all the cards well - LIVE cards are much weaker for their overall vs. a non-live card. Unless there are just no other options, never select Perfect/Diamond/Gold LIVES and avoid selecting silver LIVE cards when possible. Once you get to bronze and iron, it's fine.

I wonder why Live cards are weaker? if they have the same ratings of non live? And I guess live is current real life player?

[PunishedF2P]

Originally Posted by redsixerfan

I wonder why Live cards are weaker? if they have the same ratings of non live? And I guess live is current real life player?

Yes, LIVE 2023 cards, so the current player cards.

It's always been that way (throughout the years in PT). Probably just because most of the cards pulled in packs are LIVE cards, so it wouldn't make sense to have them be powerful.

Generally, a Perfect live card at this point in the year is like a gold non-live card. For whatever reason, when you get down to the silver, bronze and iron live cards, they are sometimes comparable to the non-live cards (or better).

[redsixerfan]

Originally Posted by PunishedF2P

Yes

I been winning more games than before, still not placing in any tournaments since I been concentrating on SS, CF, C early and avoiding live cards. Any further pointers to help me win some card packs?!

[Arlie Rahn]

I've won a few and finished second some in the 16-teamers (haven't won a 64 yet) but I just started PT over the 4th. What has worked for me is going heavy power-eye hitters early with the goal of finding a SS (100 A-Rod is the best), 2B or CF as those are the hardest spots to fill with bronze/Iron unless you get a little lucky.

I would not prioritize catcher (unless you see a gold tettleton). You can get a ton of decent bronze/iron catchers with a solid fielding and high eye or contact. Tipton, Eggleston, Virgil, downing, Petway, Ellis, etc are all good enough. Most of the gold/silver catchers aren't really that much better compared to other positions.

My goal is to have a 6-7 boppers and 6 pitchers by bronze. If I don't get an elite SS early, I'll wait on the bronze/iron guys. You can get a strong high fielding, high eye SS late. I also try to leave two of 1B, RF and DH for bronze/iron. There are a ton of high eye/power bronze that can fill those spots. Some of my Favs are Schwarber, Gallo, Muncy, bronze Gehrig, Dunn, Killebrew (esp if you can platoon vs lefty). You can also try to get cute at CF with the bronze/iron options.

My main goal is to get 6 (or more) elite hitters and 5 good SP - leaving a few corner OF/IF and DH slots for bronze/iron. Some of my best teams have been when I punted pitching and got 2-3 good bronze guys with a lineup that looks like the 29 Yankees.

One final piece of advice, be wary of the 2-way Negro league guys below a 100 rating. The top guys are worth it (Donaldson/Bullet Joe) but some of the silver/gold guys are just average for both spots. They get a higher rating for all the positions they play. Know the ones with good value.

[redsixerfan]

Originally Posted by Arlie Rahn

I've won a few and finished second some in the 16-teamers (haven't won a 64 yet) but I just started PT over the 4th. What has worked for me is going heavy power-eye hitters early with the goal of finding a SS (100 A-Rod is the best), 2B or CF as those are the hardest spots to fill with bronze/Iron unless you get a little lucky.

I would not prioritize catcher (unless you see a gold tettleton). You can get a ton of decent bronze/iron catchers with a solid fielding and high eye or contact. Tipton, Eggleston, Virgil, downing, Petway, Ellis, etc are all good enough. Most of the gold/silver catchers aren't really that much better compared to other positions.

My goal is to have a 6-7 boppers and 6 pitchers by bronze. If I don't get an elite SS early, I'll wait on the bronze/iron guys. You can get a strong high fielding, high eye SS late. I also try to leave two of 1B, RF and DH for bronze/iron. There are a ton of high eye/power bronze that can fill those spots. Some of my Favs are Schwarber, Gallo, Muncy, bronze Gehrig, Dunn, Killebrew (esp if you can platoon vs lefty). You can also try to get cute at CF with the bronze/iron options.

My main goal is to get 6 (or more) elite hitters and 5 good SP - leaving a few corner OF/IF and DH slots for bronze/iron. Some of my best teams have been when I punted pitching and got 2-3 good bronze guys with a lineup that looks like the 29 Yankees.

One final piece of advice, be wary of the 2-way Negro league guys below a 100 rating. The top guys are worth it (Donaldson/Bullet Joe) but some of the silver/gold guys are just average for both spots. They get a higher rating for all the positions they play. Know the ones with good value.

I'm going to try to concentrate on power, see if that makes a difference.

[PunishedF2P]

Originally Posted by redsixerfan

I been winning more games than before, still not placing in any tournaments since I been concentrating on SS, CF, C early and avoiding live cards. Any further pointers to help me win some card packs?!

Honestly, just patience and persistence. If you draft the right ways, always make sure your team has the proper backups and pitchers, etc, you'll definitely start to get wins. As an example, I went almost 40 days without a finish higher than 5th place last year, and then followed that with winning 12 cards in 30 days, including 6 first place finishes. It all averages out over time if you do things right. Luck plays a big factor, though. Patience and persistence.

[redsixerfan]

I been concentrating on defense and speed for back ups.....good or bad idea or doesn't matter?

[Magus978]

until I stopped playing PD's, I liked to look for versatility for later rounds. Multiple positions in the hopes that you don't have to worry about being caught short.

I pretty much have the same endless bad luck in drafts, and I don't find any value in early round losses so there's really nothing you can learn from them.

Basically I believe PD to be nothing more than picking 26 players and then hoping luck is not your dump stat. Sad because I like to internally analyze who I should pick. Feels like it means absolutely nothing.

[redsixerfan]

Originally Posted by Magus978

until I stopped playing PD's, I liked to look for versatility for later rounds. Multiple positions in the hopes that you don't have to worry about being caught short.

I pretty much have the same endless bad luck in drafts, and I don't find any value in early round losses so there's really nothing you can learn from them.

Basically I believe PD to be nothing more than picking 26 players and then hoping luck is not your dump stat. Sad because I like to internally analyze who I should pick. Feels like it means absolutely nothing.

You definitely do need enough back ups, this guy I saw carried 15 pitchers, this is what happened to his position players.

[PunishedF2P]

Originally Posted by Magus978

Basically, I believe PD to be nothing more than picking 26 players and then hoping luck is not your dump stat.

If you look over the leaderboards from last year, or this year, you'll see this just isn't case. Luck alone cannot explain the disparity between the average drafter and the top performers - especially since you'll notice some of the same names on the list from last year and this year.

[Arlie Rahn]

Originally Posted by redsixerfan

I been concentrating on defense and speed for back ups.....good or bad idea or doesn't matter?

I don't mind a high defensive guy to use as a defensive replacement late (esp in CF or SS if your guy isn't that high), but I've never looked at speed. Stolen bases seem to be broken in tourneys so I usually move the slider down anyway.

For late guys:
1. fill gaps that need a backup. if you don't get a backup C, SS or CF - even a top guy will be barely replacement as you advance due to overuse and being tired.
2. top eye/power guys. Getting a backup DH, RF or 1B with a lot of pop can help as you move on. If you can land Killebrew, put him as your lefty 1B/DH to help keep one of your main guys fresh.
3. Make sure I have 12 pitchers. Even getting a 50-55 iron guy to throw in long relief can help keep your main guys a little sharper.

[Arlie Rahn]

Originally Posted by PunishedF2P

If you look over the leaderboards from last year, or this year, you'll see this just isn't case. Luck alone cannot explain the disparity between the average drafter and the top performers - especially since you'll notice some of the same names on the list from last year and this year.

I just started last week and have 2 wins and three 2nd place finishes in the 16 ones. I also finished 7-8 on a 64 and got a gold pack. The best practice for me was to do the iron tourneys when I first started PT. A lot of the same concepts work for the draft: high eye/power hitters, pitchers with high avoid HR/PBABIP, defense at SS and CF (still dubious about C - but I usually try there too) and good depth. So try some iron tourneys and look at the winning lineups to see more examples.

[redsixerfan]

Originally Posted by Arlie Rahn

I just started last week and have 2 wins and three 2nd place finishes in the 16 ones. I also finished 7-8 on a 64 and got a gold pack. The best practice for me was to do the iron tourneys when I first started PT. A lot of the same concepts work for the draft: high eye/power hitters, pitchers with high avoid HR/PBABIP, defense at SS and CF (still dubious about C - but I usually try there too) and good depth. So try some iron tourneys and look at the winning lineups to see more examples.

What's your best players for the iron tournaments?