On starting pitchers, and other newb questions

[Fenway]

I'm enjoying the demo, and I'll probably buy OOTP 10 -- and maybe 9 too if I stay addicted! But I have some questions.

1. I understand that starters get tired after a certain number of pitches, which depends on their Endurance. But is there any other reason to remove a starter? I.e., can a starter have a day where they just "don't have it"? I mean, suppose a starter is being shelled in the first inning. He's not tired yet. Is there any gameplay reason to remove him? I know he might well be yanked in RL, but if his chances to perform remain constant even during his shelling, why yank him? Maybe his morale suffers as he starts to give up runs?

2. I understand that in OOTP 9, pitch type is largely cosmetic, except for the knuckleball. My Tim Wakefield from 2008, though, doesn't seem to throw a knuckler at all. Shouldn't his profile list one?

3. I read here that managing in the minors isn't well-implemented in OOTP 9 (although I see that there at least will be a minor-league DL in OOTP 10). Is there any other recommended way to "start small" and move up in a roleplaying way? Start your career with a last-place MLB team, I suppose?

4. What's the appeal of completely fictitious leagues? LoL, I know that's kind of a broad question. More specifically: Is it that you have no preconceived idea of who will do well and who won't -- that there's more roleplaying involved? Maybe it's a good way to "start small" as a manager?

5. What exactly is a dynasty? You play the same team for more than one year?

Thanks!

[RchW]

1. Same reason as real life. You may want to stem the tide and keep a comeback in order. Yes morale can be affected but there are many reasons not to hang a starter out too long.
2. Not sure of the answer to this.
3. Not so much the managing from the human player pov but the AI is problematic with promotions and demotions and you can be left with no OF or one IF or not enough SP. My opinion only but starting with a poor MLB team provides challenge and the ability to control player acquisition. YMMV.
4. The appeal is your investment in an alternate reality. The beauty of fictional leagues is your control of even subtle parts of the game from finance to minor league stats and player development. For example I play a current MLB set up but with tweaked strategy and league totals to have better SP endurance, hence more complete games, and base stealing like the late 60's early 70's. My minor leagues use real life and calculated league totals to produce realistic stats for prospects. Once you've run a solo fictional league for several years, the history, records and great players become as real as RL. I could go on. ... ...
5. A dynasty is your written record of a league, often based on a theme or some specific team or era. It is an opportunity to show off your writing skills and creative ability on the back story to a league you create.

[Fenway]

Thanks for your reply! Very helpful. I think I might try my hand at managing the 2008 Nationals.

I'm glad to hear there are good reasons to pull a starter who's getting shellacked early. To ask a follow-up question: does the game model "an off day" for a pitcher (or batter)? Or is each pitch/atbat just a random die roll, subject to the exact same odds as the pitch/atbat before it?

[RchW]

Originally Posted by Fenway

Thanks for your reply! Very helpful. I think I might try my hand at managing the 2008 Nationals.

I'm glad to hear there are good reasons to pull a starter who's getting shellacked early. To ask a follow-up question: does the game model "an off day" for a pitcher (or batter)? Or is each pitch/atbat just a random die roll, subject to the exact same odds as the pitch/atbat before it?

Each pitch/play result is unique, based on the ratings of each player and the calculation, whatever it is. I doubt very much that any two pitches could have the same odds as the count, ie 2-1 or 2-2 must have some small influence.

Players can be hot or cold. That may have some effect, but I don't think there is a bad day good day model.

[kq76]

Originally Posted by RchW

Players can be hot or cold. That may have some effect, but I don't think there is a bad day good day model.

I'm a bit confused by this answer. Are you saying that you think the game has streaks of days where a player can be cold or hot, but not individual days?

I don't know the answer to that (Markus may be the only one who does), but my guess is you can have just good or bad days. And without knowing the truth either way I think I like believing that to be the case. It would seem too orchestrated or automatic if all it did was look at the situation (i.e. inning, score, count and whatever else) to determine the odds. I like the thought of simple bad days factoring in.

To more answer the OP's original question, I rarely play out my games, but when I do if a guy is getting shelled I'm taking him out (unless the game is already far lost and my staff is tired). It's a great question though. Is it more just bad luck so far and over the course of a game the player's luck should approach average or does the pitcher just have no chance that day? I really don't know, but with not knowing I think I'd rather try my luck with someone else.

I like how with OOTP there are little things like that that you can't help but wonder: does it work like in real life and does real life even work the way you think it does? Sometimes it's nice not knowing the answer.

[RchW]

Originally Posted by kq76

I'm a bit confused by this answer. Are you saying that you think the game has streaks of days where a player can be cold or hot, but not individual days?

No, I meant that cold or hot players would be more likely to have bad/good days. I'm not sure what the "game" actually does or what the mechanics of a bad performance is.