Retirement Issues...

hank9481 · 09-22-2002, 02:13 PM

Was wondering if someone knew a way to override OOTP's retirement AI. Guys like Maddux and RJohnson retire in my league in like 2003 which isn't realistic to us. Would like more control over this if possible. Any ideas/help is greatly appreciated. Also, does anyone else have this problem?

__________________

Falcon52 · 09-22-2002, 03:21 PM

My only beef with the retirement AI is that it seems that for 98% of the players, they retire at age 39, and start a drastic decline at age 37 or 38.

For example, you can have a guy bat .330 with 35 hr and 120 rbi's at age 37, but when he turns 38 he goes into the tank, then retires at 39. It's rare to find someone play (and be productive) past age 39 in my game.

I realize that alot of players in real life retire at this age, or before this age, but lately there's been alot of stars who have kept going strong near or around this age (ie. RJohnson, Bonds, Clemens).

I am not a programmer and don't claim to know the first thing about it, but what I was thinking is if somehow a player's skills deteriorating and retirement could be based on how he performs the year before. For instance, in my above example, if the guy is still putting up elite numbers at 37 years old, take that into account the following year, rather than just automatically follow the trend that he starts to rapidly decline.

For me, i think it's the rapid decline that bothers me more than the actual age of retirement.

Operation Shutdown · 09-24-2002, 10:47 AM

In my solo league, I had Jim Thome playing and playing well until he was 44. He almost broke the homerun record. While ARod and Vlad Guerrero only played until they were 39 before they started the rapid decline. I agree that something a little better should be done with the retirement issue. It seems like it's set up now that each player has a retirement age, and depending on what that age is, a year or two before that age, the player begins to deteriorate. Or maybe it's based on percentages. If a guy is 38, he has a 20% chance of beginning to deteriorate, 39 a 50% chance, 40 a 60% chance. which is it

freew · 09-24-2002, 12:33 PM

I've actually had a player in my solo league who was 42 and still had good rating and good stats, the scouting report made no mention of him getting old either - yet the guy retired.

At the last day of the season just for fun I offered him a salary he couldn't refuse - he signed the 3 yr contract but retired anyway!

CMH · 09-24-2002, 01:52 PM

you guys need to remember that the players in the game are not really randy johnson or barry bonds. this game isnt MLB liscensed.

you are being skewed by your perception of the players and who they are in real life.

the game does not recognize names, only ratings and in this retirement case, age. Whether or not you believe Bonds and Johnson would really retire at age 39 has no bearin on the decision the AI makes in OOTP.

hank9481 · 09-24-2002, 03:41 PM

I would just like a feature to override it. Or a way to turn off the retirement part of the AI.

CMH · 09-24-2002, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by hank9481
I would just like a feature to override it. Or a way to turn off the retirement part of the AI.

maybe an added option (since the game is already packed with 'em) to set an approximate retirement age for players?

i really dont like the idea...but i dont know any other way to make you happy.

SufferingSoxFan · 09-24-2002, 05:37 PM

I think that you should just accept it as one of the variables that make this game so good.

It would be nice to be able to talk a player out of retiring.

Email from Player: "I've been thinking about retiring at the end of next year. What do you think?"

Response from GM: "Yes you should" - (in a case where the player isn't producing and has a huge contract that you want to get out of.) or

"No, this team needs you now." etc, etc.

CMH · 09-24-2002, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SufferingSoxFan
I think that you should just accept it as one of the variables that make this game so good.

It would be nice to be able to talk a player out of retiring.

Email from Player: "I've been thinking about retiring at the end of next year. What do you think?"

Response from GM: "Yes you should" - (in a case where the player isn't producing and has a huge contract that you want to get out of.) or

"No, this team needs you now." etc, etc.

that would be nice.

maybe the opportunity to offer the player a contract and the player decides at the end of the season (or whenever) if he'll sign or just opt for retirement.

in addition, i would love to be able to keep some guys as coaches.

I'm at the point where Mike Mussina is set to retire after my current season. I wish i could offer him a job as the pitching coach or a minors manager or something. Or if the positions are filled, the option to tell him that when the spot opens up we would love to have you here.

so when the pitching coach's contract is up, you'll get an email from Mussina, or whoever, sayin something like, "i noticed the position you offered me a while ago is now open. I'd be interested in filling it...what you think?"

SufferingSoxFan · 09-24-2002, 08:51 PM

which brings up another question (sorry if already discussed):

Do former hitters become hitting coaches and do former pitchers become pitching coaches?

Steve Kuffrey · 09-24-2002, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SufferingSoxFan
which brings up another question (sorry if already discussed):

Do former hitters become hitting coaches and do former pitchers become pitching coaches?

They "can" but don't always.

Carplos · 09-25-2002, 03:30 AM

This reminds me of a time I laughed at the Cubs in a MLB league I was running.. they signed Jason Giambi at 39 for 4 years at 9 mill per.. and I figured he'd last a season, maybe a season and a half.. and he ended up being worth more than the 9 mill almost. He hit over .320 all 4 years, he hit 30+ HR the first 3 years, but only 17 the 4th.

Another Mike D · 09-26-2002, 08:09 PM

I too believe it is too drastic. It's almost like they hit a roadblock at age 38 (at least 95% of the players do) where they forget how to play. I've had guys go from an 8 in avoid runs to 0 in a year. Maybe they're not as good, but they forget how to pitch or something. I'm not sure if it's random when players hit their peak either. Usually I notice if a guy has good talent, but his ratings are low, by age 26 they never seem to develop. Does anyone else find this to be the case?

SufferingSoxFan · 09-26-2002, 08:45 PM

The sudden drop off...It's more realistic than you might think. Just ask Mike Pagliarulo, Don Mattingly, Tom Brunansky, or Tony Clark to name a few.

AngelinOF · 09-27-2002, 12:39 AM

If you don't want a player to retire then you can edit his ratings prior to hitting proceed to next year and he won't. I will typically do this for players who are fairly close to reaching a milestone.

LMNt: The synthesized love machine · 09-27-2002, 12:42 AM

I believe injury enters into it too.

Sagitta · 09-29-2002, 05:21 AM

I've had players change their mind about retirement.

The key is to have them out there being productive with a winning season.

They'll re-sign and if they don't get demoted or hurt will probably carry over to the next season.

Its *rare*, mind you, but I've had it happen.

- J

09-22-2002, 02:13 PM	#1
hank9481 Major Leagues Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 451	Retirement Issues... Was wondering if someone knew a way to override OOTP's retirement AI. Guys like Maddux and RJohnson retire in my league in like 2003 which isn't realistic to us. Would like more control over this if possible. Any ideas/help is greatly appreciated. Also, does anyone else have this problem? __________________ __________________ HH www.mblsim.com

09-24-2002, 10:47 AM	#3
Operation Shutdown All Star Reserve Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Pittsburgh PA Posts: 912	In my solo league, I had Jim Thome playing and playing well until he was 44. He almost broke the homerun record. While ARod and Vlad Guerrero only played until they were 39 before they started the rapid decline. I agree that something a little better should be done with the retirement issue. It seems like it's set up now that each player has a retirement age, and depending on what that age is, a year or two before that age, the player begins to deteriorate. Or maybe it's based on percentages. If a guy is 38, he has a 20% chance of beginning to deteriorate, 39 a 50% chance, 40 a 60% chance. which is it __________________ "And Shepherds we shall be, For thee, my Lord, for thee. Power hath descended forth from Thy hand, Our feet may swiftly carry out Thy commands. So we shall flow a river forth to Thee, And teeming with souls shall it ever be. In Nomeni Patri Et Fili Spiritus Sancti."

09-24-2002, 12:33 PM	#4
freew Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 41	I've actually had a player in my solo league who was 42 and still had good rating and good stats, the scouting report made no mention of him getting old either - yet the guy retired. At the last day of the season just for fun I offered him a salary he couldn't refuse - he signed the 3 yr contract but retired anyway! __________________ Directory of OOTP online leagues: http://sim-leagues.com Last edited by freew; 09-24-2002 at 01:58 PM.

09-24-2002, 03:41 PM	#6
hank9481 Major Leagues Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 451	I would just like a feature to override it. Or a way to turn off the retirement part of the AI. __________________ HH www.mblsim.com

09-26-2002, 08:09 PM	#13
Another Mike D All Star Reserve Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: atl Posts: 891	I too believe it is too drastic. It's almost like they hit a roadblock at age 38 (at least 95% of the players do) where they forget how to play. I've had guys go from an 8 in avoid runs to 0 in a year. Maybe they're not as good, but they forget how to pitch or something. I'm not sure if it's random when players hit their peak either. Usually I notice if a guy has good talent, but his ratings are low, by age 26 they never seem to develop. Does anyone else find this to be the case? __________________ San Diego Padres NexGen Baseball League Cleveland Indians United Baseball League Co-commissioner of United Baseball League

09-22-2002, 03:21 PM	#2
Falcon52 All Star Reserve Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 615	My only beef with the retirement AI is that it seems that for 98% of the players, they retire at age 39, and start a drastic decline at age 37 or 38. For example, you can have a guy bat .330 with 35 hr and 120 rbi's at age 37, but when he turns 38 he goes into the tank, then retires at 39. It's rare to find someone play (and be productive) past age 39 in my game. I realize that alot of players in real life retire at this age, or before this age, but lately there's been alot of stars who have kept going strong near or around this age (ie. RJohnson, Bonds, Clemens). I am not a programmer and don't claim to know the first thing about it, but what I was thinking is if somehow a player's skills deteriorating and retirement could be based on how he performs the year before. For instance, in my above example, if the guy is still putting up elite numbers at 37 years old, take that into account the following year, rather than just automatically follow the trend that he starts to rapidly decline. For me, i think it's the rapid decline that bothers me more than the actual age of retirement.

09-24-2002, 01:52 PM	#5
CMH Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5,057	you guys need to remember that the players in the game are not really randy johnson or barry bonds. this game isnt MLB liscensed. you are being skewed by your perception of the players and who they are in real life. the game does not recognize names, only ratings and in this retirement case, age. Whether or not you believe Bonds and Johnson would really retire at age 39 has no bearin on the decision the AI makes in OOTP.

09-24-2002, 05:37 PM	#8
SufferingSoxFan Minors (Double A) Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Attleboro, MA Posts: 150	I think that you should just accept it as one of the variables that make this game so good. It would be nice to be able to talk a player out of retiring. Email from Player: "I've been thinking about retiring at the end of next year. What do you think?" Response from GM: "Yes you should" - (in a case where the player isn't producing and has a huge contract that you want to get out of.) or "No, this team needs you now." etc, etc.

09-24-2002, 08:51 PM	#10
SufferingSoxFan Minors (Double A) Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Attleboro, MA Posts: 150	which brings up another question (sorry if already discussed): Do former hitters become hitting coaches and do former pitchers become pitching coaches?

09-25-2002, 03:30 AM	#12
Carplos Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Idaho Posts: 2,868 Infractions: 1/0 (0)	This reminds me of a time I laughed at the Cubs in a MLB league I was running.. they signed Jason Giambi at 39 for 4 years at 9 mill per.. and I figured he'd last a season, maybe a season and a half.. and he ended up being worth more than the 9 mill almost. He hit over .320 all 4 years, he hit 30+ HR the first 3 years, but only 17 the 4th.

09-26-2002, 08:45 PM	#14
SufferingSoxFan Minors (Double A) Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Attleboro, MA Posts: 150	The sudden drop off...It's more realistic than you might think. Just ask Mike Pagliarulo, Don Mattingly, Tom Brunansky, or Tony Clark to name a few.

09-27-2002, 12:39 AM	#15
AngelinOF All Star Starter Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Kentucky Posts: 1,353	If you don't want a player to retire then you can edit his ratings prior to hitting proceed to next year and he won't. I will typically do this for players who are fairly close to reaching a milestone.

09-27-2002, 12:42 AM	#16
LMNt: The synthesized love machine Minors (Single A) Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Parts unknown. Posts: 75	I believe injury enters into it too. __________________

09-29-2002, 05:21 AM	#17
Sagitta Major Leagues Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Bouncing between Phillies and Red Sox territory Posts: 357	I've had players change their mind about retirement. The key is to have them out there being productive with a winning season. They'll re-sign and if they don't get demoted or hurt will probably carry over to the next season. Its rare, mind you, but I've had it happen. - J __________________ I'm a lifelong Phillies fan - "Hey, at least we beat the Braves in '93."