Is this common?

dyarab · 01-21-2009, 01:39 PM

Hey all,

I am brand new to the game. I started a MLB 2008 game a few days ago. I took over the Atlanta Braves. I didn't screw with any of the default settings, just went ahead and tried to improve my hapless Braves.

What totally surpirsed me as the season unfolded over the last few days (now complete) was that:

I won the division by 8 games, and lost the World Series by one run, in 7 games to the Texas Rangers(!?... they beat the Yankees

).

The 'biggest' improvement to my team was acquiring Rick Ankiel. Although I did keep Texeira... I will probably now lose him to free agency... since he wants 20 mil/year.

Smoltz went out for the season on his third start. Glavine was like 4-8 with a 6+ ERA when he went out for the season. 2 MRs also went down with long term injuries.

As for the world series... Chipper (who won the batting title) and Yunel Escobar (seems like every team I try to trade with wants him) missed the entire Series.

I guess my question is... does everyone have 'success' like this on their first go around or was I lucky, a fluke, what have you. I really like the game and I've barely scratched the surface. But I am having trouble believeing my rag tag team of Braves (much like what the actual Braves went through in the '08 campaign) got to and almost won the World Series.

Thoughts...

JackRules1 · 01-21-2009, 03:25 PM

I took over the Yankees my "first" season and was fired before the season ended. I'm now into my 5th season with a fictional team and have made the playoffs just once. I'm guessing your results were atypical.

satchel · 01-21-2009, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dyarab

I guess my question is... does everyone have 'success' like this on their first go around or was I lucky, a fluke, what have you. ... Thoughts...

The game is not particularly "easy," and although it has a lot of depth, its learning curve isn't particularly tough. If you know a lot about baseball, and can find your way around a text-sim computer game, you should be able to compete, if you have a team that's capable of it.

So, just because you went so far in your first season, don't expect the game to be a powder puff. But it's not artifically rigged to be especially tough on beginners, either.

RchW · 01-21-2009, 06:23 PM

Some results in the game are totally bizarre.

I just joined an online league with one or two sims left in the regular season. The team had a losing record. At the end I finished 81-81, tied for the division lead after winning something like 15 out of 18 games. Won the playoff tie breaker, beat a 104 win team in the first round, beat a 99 win team in the League Championship and won the WS 4-1 against a 95 win team, losing the first game 10-0.

In my solo league despite having the best team by miles every year, I haven't won the WS in 9 seasons. This is not so bizarre as an AI team has won 4 in a row and 5 of the last six.

This may be controversial, but a small part of me feels (sometimes), that the results in OOTP are random. I have no rational basis for this feeling other than some of the bizarre results I see.

dyarab · 02-18-2009, 12:50 PM

A little update...

After taking the WS to game 7 and losing. I made the playoffs and lost in the first round. Then for five seasons I was a .500 team while I rebuilt.

I put together an awesome starting pitching staff and an average bullpen (that bites me in the arse alot). I have no big power hitters and can't seem to develop any, although I have a pretty good looking 1B on his way up. Paying 30 million/year for a guy who can hit 30+ HRs seems a little ridiculous to me

.

It seems the NL East is among the toughest divisions in my sim. The Mets who have a god-like pitcher ( I have 2 that come close, the Mets guys is 20s across the board) and a great staff have won the division the last two years but imploded in the playoffs, much to my delight as I have wone the WS the last 2 years... beating the Rays and the Yankees. Washington has won the WS twice since my sim started.

I havent won the divsion since my first two seasons. If I can make the playoffs my SPs are tough to beat.

The game is tough and I do think my first season was a just a random occurence and a little lucky. I feel better about the 2 WS I just won as no on except Yunel Escobar is still on the team, but he is fast declining.

I do think the avergae setting for injuries is out of whack. I have turned it down alot... it especially goes haywire the first couple weeks out of spring training.

Back to relaoding to defend my titles.

01-21-2009, 01:39 PM	#1
dyarab Bat Boy Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 6	Is this common? Hey all, I am brand new to the game. I started a MLB 2008 game a few days ago. I took over the Atlanta Braves. I didn't screw with any of the default settings, just went ahead and tried to improve my hapless Braves. What totally surpirsed me as the season unfolded over the last few days (now complete) was that: I won the division by 8 games, and lost the World Series by one run, in 7 games to the Texas Rangers(!?... they beat the Yankees ). The 'biggest' improvement to my team was acquiring Rick Ankiel. Although I did keep Texeira... I will probably now lose him to free agency... since he wants 20 mil/year. Smoltz went out for the season on his third start. Glavine was like 4-8 with a 6+ ERA when he went out for the season. 2 MRs also went down with long term injuries. As for the world series... Chipper (who won the batting title) and Yunel Escobar (seems like every team I try to trade with wants him) missed the entire Series. I guess my question is... does everyone have 'success' like this on their first go around or was I lucky, a fluke, what have you. I really like the game and I've barely scratched the surface. But I am having trouble believeing my rag tag team of Braves (much like what the actual Braves went through in the '08 campaign) got to and almost won the World Series. Thoughts...

01-21-2009, 06:23 PM	#4
RchW Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Toronto ON by way of Glasgow UK Posts: 15,629	Some results in the game are totally bizarre. I just joined an online league with one or two sims left in the regular season. The team had a losing record. At the end I finished 81-81, tied for the division lead after winning something like 15 out of 18 games. Won the playoff tie breaker, beat a 104 win team in the first round, beat a 99 win team in the League Championship and won the WS 4-1 against a 95 win team, losing the first game 10-0. In my solo league despite having the best team by miles every year, I haven't won the WS in 9 seasons. This is not so bizarre as an AI team has won 4 in a row and 5 of the last six. This may be controversial, but a small part of me feels (sometimes), that the results in OOTP are random. I have no rational basis for this feeling other than some of the bizarre results I see. __________________ Cheers RichW If you’re looking for a good cause to donate money to please consider a Donation to Parkinson’s Canada. It may help me have a better future and if not me, someone else. Thanks. “Conservatism consists of exactly one proposition …There must be in-groups whom the law protects but does not bind, alongside out-groups whom the law binds but does not protect.” Frank Wilhoit

01-21-2009, 03:25 PM	#2
JackRules1 Minors (Triple A) Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Central Florida Posts: 245	I took over the Yankees my "first" season and was fired before the season ended. I'm now into my 5th season with a fictional team and have made the playoffs just once. I'm guessing your results were atypical.

02-18-2009, 12:50 PM	#5
dyarab Bat Boy Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 6	A little update... After taking the WS to game 7 and losing. I made the playoffs and lost in the first round. Then for five seasons I was a .500 team while I rebuilt. I put together an awesome starting pitching staff and an average bullpen (that bites me in the arse alot). I have no big power hitters and can't seem to develop any, although I have a pretty good looking 1B on his way up. Paying 30 million/year for a guy who can hit 30+ HRs seems a little ridiculous to me . It seems the NL East is among the toughest divisions in my sim. The Mets who have a god-like pitcher ( I have 2 that come close, the Mets guys is 20s across the board) and a great staff have won the division the last two years but imploded in the playoffs, much to my delight as I have wone the WS the last 2 years... beating the Rays and the Yankees. Washington has won the WS twice since my sim started. I havent won the divsion since my first two seasons. If I can make the playoffs my SPs are tough to beat. The game is tough and I do think my first season was a just a random occurence and a little lucky. I feel better about the 2 WS I just won as no on except Yunel Escobar is still on the team, but he is fast declining. I do think the avergae setting for injuries is out of whack. I have turned it down alot... it especially goes haywire the first couple weeks out of spring training. Back to relaoding to defend my titles.