Fictional league - do I need a feeder HS/college league?

wellsoliver · 06-30-2011, 02:50 AM

What are the benefits of having the HS / college feeder league? There's a league option for "feeder league + additional players"... can I just... not have a feeder league?

What would be the optimal number of feeder leagues to support a four-tier (major, AAA, AA, A) league?

Thanks..

Questdog · 06-30-2011, 02:52 AM

Feeder leagues are entirely optional.

The main benefit to having them (to me) is that you get to follow players for 4 years before they enter draft. Without then, the players just sorta pop in out of the blue.

Biggio509 · 06-30-2011, 04:06 AM

I agree with Questdog. Since 11 I have not seen much difference in talent between feeders with close to minimum teams and minimum suggested draft rounds and no feeders. If you go overboard with feeder teams you will get a lot more talent though.

The general rule is draft rounds = 5* the number of levels of your minors. If you just have A and not high and low A then that would be 15 for your league. You really don't want to go to the modern MLB draft numbers nor the old 60 or 70 round drafts but it will generate too much top level talent. Actually too much talent at all levels but the league will fill with top level talent since you will cut the scrubs and what would otherwise be average players.

After that the minimum number of feeders to fill the draft is (number of major league teams * draft rounds)/6. You can go a little higher but too many draft rounds or too many feeders will inflate the quality of your league which is why some claimed all the players became superstars in previous versions. They were likely running too many rounds and/or too many feeders.

How you want to divide those between HS and college is personal preference. HS prospects are younger and less refined so there is more time for talent change and injuries to take them from a 5 star to a 1 star. College players tend to get to the majors faster and are more developed at start. You can have all HS teams or all college teams if you want. I generally go half and half though.

Muzamba · 06-30-2011, 07:53 AM

I personally prefer not to use feeder leagues, because the distribution of schools that your amateur draft prospects come from is much more realistic. That's because disabling feeders forces the game engine to assign schools from a database of over 15,000 real schools, instead of the extremely limited number of teams you would have in an optimal-sized feeder league.

ricko · 06-30-2011, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biggio509

The general rule is draft rounds = 5* the number of levels of your minors. If you just have A and not high and low A then that would be 15 for your league.

Apologies for taking this thread a little off course. I follow this rule myself, but when I set up a new league, I get a warning that says the number of draft rounds is too low, and recommends 30 rounds. I've always ignored it.

Heh, I'm not sure if I'm offering advice for beginners, or seeking validation from vets...

Dolphinfan · 06-30-2011, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wellsoliver

What are the benefits of having the HS / college feeder league? There's a league option for "feeder league + additional players"... can I just... not have a feeder league?

What would be the optimal number of feeder leagues to support a four-tier (major, AAA, AA, A) league?

Thanks..

I am using a fictional "Major league" with AAA, AA, A, college and High school feeder leagues. And I started unemployed. I am managing a High School team. Trying to work my way up. So it depends on what you want to do.

Questdog · 06-30-2011, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muzamba

I personally prefer not to use feeder leagues, because the distribution of schools that your amateur draft prospects come from is much more realistic. That's because disabling feeders forces the game engine to assign schools from a database of over 15,000 real schools, instead of the extremely limited number of teams you would have in an optimal-sized feeder league.

I have a 20,000 team HS feeder league.....

gord · 06-30-2011, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muzamba

I personally prefer not to use feeder leagues, because the distribution of schools that your amateur draft prospects come from is much more realistic. That's because disabling feeders forces the game engine to assign schools from a database of over 15,000 real schools, instead of the extremely limited number of teams you would have in an optimal-sized feeder league.

I really don't care about having a realistic spread of schools that the players come from because they become irrelevant once they get drafted. I just prefer to have 2-4 years of history to base drafting on and have the game engine generate their statistics and not have made up ones.

Cras · 06-30-2011, 02:06 PM

I can say from experience, DO NOT use the 50 round modern draft.

As for the feeder leagues, I have never used them, and I have less intention to now since in v11 the playes in the draft are given a school and stats. I personally draw the line in my universe to being only players who are professionals. I just dont want to deal with players in HS or College.

Questdog · 06-30-2011, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cras

I can say from experience, DO NOT use the 50 round modern draft.

As for the feeder leagues, I have never used them, and I have less intention to now since in v11 the playes in the draft are given a school and stats. I personally draw the line in my universe to being only players who are professionals. I just dont want to deal with players in HS or College.

Off topic, but I must say that I LOVE your avatar. Really forces me to take everything you say very seriously....

Cras · 06-30-2011, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Questdog

Off topic, but I must say that I LOVE your avatar. Really forces me to take everything you say very seriously....

Thank you sir!

And I never slice!

Pete Grassi · 06-30-2011, 02:38 PM

When setting up my fictionals, I like to have "international" amateur drafts. What I do is set up three or four feeder leagues. Japan and Asia are college level with a potential US college level and Carribean and potential US High School are high school levels. Gives you a good mix of international flavor. Be sure to change the country of the feeder leagues to get good foreign names.

Questdog · 06-30-2011, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cras

Thank you sir!

And I never slice!

My slice is so pronounced that I sometimes hit myself in the back of the head with the ball......

Petepont · 06-30-2011, 11:02 PM

So this question kind of relates. I have roughly 100 feeder league teams. How many draft rounds is that?

Basically, given that I have this many teams in my college league, how many levels of minors should I give myself?

Questdog · 06-30-2011, 11:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Petepont

So this question kind of relates. I have roughly 100 feeder league teams. How many draft rounds is that?

Basically, given that I have this many teams in my college league, how many levels of minors should I give myself?

thats around 600 players a year. Divide that by how many teams are drafting.....

Petepont · 07-01-2011, 12:48 AM

You, sir, are a genius

The Wolf · 07-01-2011, 01:02 AM

I don't use feeders any more. They make the league too talent-rich.

ashantewarrier · 07-05-2011, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Questdog

I have a 20,000 team HS feeder league.....

Do you really???

GrantDawg · 07-05-2011, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Wolf

I don't use feeders any more. They make the league too talent-rich.

I am really not finding that. Basing the totals off what the manual suggests, I have 160 feeders (100 hs and 60 college teams). I am 17 seasons in, and the balance of players are looking about right (teams have stars, but also have a hand full of one star guys). I think as long as you don't over-do the number of draft rounds and feeder teams, you can have both. I really like seeing some guys having 8 years of amateur ball under their belts (high school then college). It just adds some immersion to the game. I will say setting up the league is a pain. If you want real teams in your feeders, it takes some work. I didn't even try with the high school teams (though I did add my high school). The colleges are true division I schools, though. Missing a lot of great programs limiting it to 60, but it is still a good cross section.

silvam14 · 07-05-2011, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Questdog

I have a 20,000 team HS feeder league.....

Love to know how much hard drive space your league takes up

06-30-2011, 02:50 AM	#1
wellsoliver Major Leagues Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 337	Fictional league - do I need a feeder HS/college league? What are the benefits of having the HS / college feeder league? There's a league option for "feeder league + additional players"... can I just... not have a feeder league? What would be the optimal number of feeder leagues to support a four-tier (major, AAA, AA, A) league? Thanks..

06-30-2011, 07:53 AM	#4
Muzamba Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: St. Louis, MO Posts: 2,325	I personally prefer not to use feeder leagues, because the distribution of schools that your amateur draft prospects come from is much more realistic. That's because disabling feeders forces the game engine to assign schools from a database of over 15,000 real schools, instead of the extremely limited number of teams you would have in an optimal-sized feeder league. __________________ "It may be nothing. But it usually is always something and more than something." - Cardinals GM John Mozeliak

06-30-2011, 02:06 PM	#9
Cras Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: LEO Posts: 3,789	I can say from experience, DO NOT use the 50 round modern draft. As for the feeder leagues, I have never used them, and I have less intention to now since in v11 the playes in the draft are given a school and stats. I personally draw the line in my universe to being only players who are professionals. I just dont want to deal with players in HS or College. __________________ The Chicago White Sox 1906, 1917, 2005 World Series Champions 1900, 1901, 1906, 1917, 1919, 1959, 2005 American League Champions 2000, 2005, 2008 American League Central Division Champions 1983, 1993 American League West Division Champions OOTP \| Orbiter \| SSMS \| FSX \| LoL \| MLP:FIM!

06-30-2011, 02:52 AM	#2
Questdog Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: In a dark, damp cave where I'm training slugs to run the bases...... Posts: 16,142	Feeder leagues are entirely optional. The main benefit to having them (to me) is that you get to follow players for 4 years before they enter draft. Without then, the players just sorta pop in out of the blue.

06-30-2011, 04:06 AM	#3
Biggio509 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 2,027	I agree with Questdog. Since 11 I have not seen much difference in talent between feeders with close to minimum teams and minimum suggested draft rounds and no feeders. If you go overboard with feeder teams you will get a lot more talent though. The general rule is draft rounds = 5* the number of levels of your minors. If you just have A and not high and low A then that would be 15 for your league. You really don't want to go to the modern MLB draft numbers nor the old 60 or 70 round drafts but it will generate too much top level talent. Actually too much talent at all levels but the league will fill with top level talent since you will cut the scrubs and what would otherwise be average players. After that the minimum number of feeders to fill the draft is (number of major league teams * draft rounds)/6. You can go a little higher but too many draft rounds or too many feeders will inflate the quality of your league which is why some claimed all the players became superstars in previous versions. They were likely running too many rounds and/or too many feeders. How you want to divide those between HS and college is personal preference. HS prospects are younger and less refined so there is more time for talent change and injuries to take them from a 5 star to a 1 star. College players tend to get to the majors faster and are more developed at start. You can have all HS teams or all college teams if you want. I generally go half and half though.

06-30-2011, 02:38 PM	#12
Pete Grassi Major Leagues Join Date: Dec 2001 Posts: 386	When setting up my fictionals, I like to have "international" amateur drafts. What I do is set up three or four feeder leagues. Japan and Asia are college level with a potential US college level and Carribean and potential US High School are high school levels. Gives you a good mix of international flavor. Be sure to change the country of the feeder leagues to get good foreign names.

06-30-2011, 11:02 PM	#14
Petepont Minors (Triple A) Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Behind You Posts: 222	So this question kind of relates. I have roughly 100 feeder league teams. How many draft rounds is that? Basically, given that I have this many teams in my college league, how many levels of minors should I give myself?

07-01-2011, 12:48 AM	#16
Petepont Minors (Triple A) Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Behind You Posts: 222	You, sir, are a genius