Play modes

[Northernsky]

Hello,

Sorry to be posting this but I searched and tried look in the manual/knowledge base and found nothing.

Can someone explain in detail exactly what you get when you play as a GM only?

I have a basic Idea but i'd like to know everything.

thanks,

Scott

[RchW]

Not sure I understand the question. Do you know what the responsibilities of a baseball GM are? If so list them and that should cover a high percentage. There are so many variations available in OOTP it's not possible to tell you everything. I've played for 9 years and learn something new about the game on a regular basis.

[Northernsky]

I think this is the first year to only play as a GM. I've been playing this game since it's second year.

I guess I am just looking for the manual that will explain the Play modes.

thanks for the reply!!

[The Game]

Originally Posted by Scott Gustafson

I think this is the first year to only play as a GM. I've been playing this game since it's second year.

I guess I am just looking for the manual that will explain the Play modes.

thanks for the reply!!

13 has GM only mode also. GM mode is isn't a whole lot different then what the setup was before. You cans till set your lineups if you put the GM in charge of that on the GM Options screen default will have the computer manager do that. With GM Only checked you manager will win MOTY in 12 and previous versions the GM would win MOTY.

[goalieump413]

GM only, where you don't typically set lineups or play out games, unless you want to. You draft players, move them up and down, look for free agents, DFA bums, etc.

Basically, GM only is still an open-ended way to play OOTP, although I wouldn't call it a "play mode" per se. I would call it a "play focus", where you use your baseball knowledge to build a powerhouse organization, leaving the on-the-field stuff to the manager and players.

[Fyrestorm3]

I look at it as a "fairer" way to play. When you play out games, you get a pretty decent advantage over the AI, as the AI is prone to making strange decisions at times, and you as a human understand the strategy of the game better. Playing GM-only puts your team in the hands of an AI manager that will make some similarly bad choices.

For example, I've seen the AI have their .250 AVG, 0 SB catcher bat lead-off. I've seen it pinch hit for a player that's gone 3-4 with 2 homers on the night just to get a lefty/righty matchup. I've seen it waste its last bench player (in an NL game) as a defensive sub, with the pitcher due up the next inning.

Playing GM-only and letting your own AI manager set the lineups and make in-game substitutions causes your team to succumb to some dumb decisions, too, which evens the playing field, in my opinion.

I don't play it all the time, however, as playing out games is fun in its own right.

[mgoetze]

Originally Posted by Fyrestorm3

For example, I've seen the AI have their .250 AVG, 0 SB catcher bat lead-off.

And why is this necessarily a dumb decision?

[The Game]

Originally Posted by mgoetze

And why is this necessarily a dumb decision?

Catchers generally are not high OBP guys nor can they steal bases. When the AI rests players it tends to take the #7 hitter and put him at lead, which even for my team is my C. My C this year hit .270 6 HR 39 RBI .321 OBP most of those stats all came in the 2nd half as at the ASG he was hitting .223 1 HR 12 RBI. I have 4 other players that could bat lead and be more effective then my C's which are in a platoon. My SS for much of the year hit .291 with a .365 OBP my 2B had an OBP of .343 my CF .454 RF .389 LF .339 backup LF Johnny Damon .336 even my 1B who is a clone of Mark McGwire has an OBP of .412. Anyone else on my team can hit lead vs my C's.

[mgoetze]

Originally Posted by The Game

Catchers generally are not high OBP guys nor can they steal bases.

Well, how was I to know your catcher is not a walk machine - you only mentioned a completely worthless stat (batting average) in your first post. More to the point though, why on earth does it matter whether he can steal bases? The Book says you should be putting your base stealers in front of players with low gap power - usually around 5th or 6th in your lineup.

[The Game]

Originally Posted by mgoetze

Well, how was I to know your catcher is not a walk machine - you only mentioned a completely worthless stat (batting average) in your first post. More to the point though, why on earth does it matter whether he can steal bases? The Book says you should be putting your base stealers in front of players with low gap power - usually around 5th or 6th in your lineup.

It wasn't my post that mentioned AVG. Whose book? Find me more then 5 teams after 1901 in the history of baseball that dont put their beat stolen base guy as their leadoff hitter? Rickey Henderson, Ty Cobb, Juan Pierre, Rudy Law, Tim Raines, Vince Coleman. How many #3 guys have ever stolen more then 50 bases?

[mgoetze]

Originally Posted by The Game

It wasn't my post that mentioned AVG. Whose book? Find me more then 5 teams after 1901 in the history of baseball that dont put their beat stolen base guy as their leadoff hitter? Rickey Henderson, Ty Cobb, Juan Pierre, Rudy Law, Tim Raines, Vince Coleman. How many #3 guys have ever stolen more then 50 bases?

"The Book", by Tango, Lichtman and Dolphin. Just because everyone does it, doesn't mean it's right. Can you give any actual reasons why base-stealers should bat leadoff?

[Fyrestorm3]

Originally Posted by mgoetze

Well, how was I to know your catcher is not a walk machine - you only mentioned a completely worthless stat (batting average) in your first post.

Well, I wouldn't call batting average COMPLETELY worthless, but yeah, I should have mentioned OBP instead.

But that should be completely beside the point, because regardless of whether you buy into the "base stealer bats leadoff" idea, how would it ever be a good idea to have a slow, poor-hitting catcher in the leadoff spot?

[mgoetze]

Originally Posted by Fyrestorm3

Well, I wouldn't call batting average COMPLETELY worthless, but yeah, I should have mentioned OBP instead.

But that should be completely beside the point, because regardless of whether you buy into the "base stealer bats leadoff" idea, how would it ever be a good idea to have a slow, poor-hitting catcher in the leadoff spot?

It's not but his speed has nothing to do with it.

[Fyrestorm3]

Originally Posted by mgoetze

It's not but his speed has nothing to do with it.

I fail to see how this has anything to do with my initial point.

[The Game]

Originally Posted by mgoetze

"The Book", by Tango, Lichtman and Dolphin. Just because everyone does it, doesn't mean it's right. Can you give any actual reasons why base-stealers should bat leadoff?

As a general rule speedsters have high OBP. Maybe not as high as say a Frank Thomas, Pujols, Posey etc but higher then say a Paul Konerko, Jermaine Dye. 2005 Sox Paulie led the team with a .375 OBP he hit 3rd and 4th. Pods ws #2 at .351 stole 59 bases. Iguchi the #2 hitter was 3rd at .342. Dye who hit 4th & 5th was 4th at .333. So Pods would get on steal 2nd Iguchi would get him to 3rd and Paulie or Dye would get him in. And thats one of the lower OBP ranked White Sox teams to make the playoffs.

[mgoetze]

Originally Posted by The Game

As a general rule speedsters have high OBP.

OK but surely you wouldn't recommend speed as the best way to estimate OBP?

Meanwhile, in my fictional OOTP game, my leadoff batter with career OBP of .421 has speed 2 and basestealing 1.

[The Game]

Originally Posted by mgoetze

OK but surely you wouldn't recommend speed as the best way to estimate OBP?

Meanwhile, in my fictional OOTP game, my leadoff batter with career OBP of .421 has speed 2 and basestealing 1.

Is he a singles or doubles hitter? a singles hitter with those #'s would be a great #2 or #5/6 hitter. So he gets on and the only way he will score is by someone hitting a homerun because he is too slow to go 1st to home.

[mgoetze]

Originally Posted by The Game

Is he a singles or doubles hitter? a singles hitter with those #'s would be a great #2 or #5/6 hitter. So he gets on and the only way he will score is by someone hitting a homerun because he is too slow to go 1st to home.

Contact 16, Gap Power 17, HR Power 13, Eye 15. About twice as many walks as doubles, but my #2-#4 are very strong, he gets in plenty often.

[The Game]

Originally Posted by mgoetze

Contact 16, Gap Power 17, HR Power 13, Eye 15. About twice as many walks as doubles, but my #2-#4 are very strong, he gets in plenty often.

Everyone has their own idea of what it takes to win and I can't fault you for having a slow OBP guy at lead and you can't fault me for having a fast OBP guy at lead. Now I tend to play a mix of historical fuctonal so my leadoff hitters tend to be real players or clones of real players at least. For my main league my leadoff hitter is a clone of Eddie Collins. Thru 3 seasons . 354 avg .425 OBP 49 SB (injured last year played 40 games had 38 SB) While he was injured i had a clone of Carlos Guillen at lead, I also had Johnny Damon and Nick Punto on my team. For my other league my lead is Lance Johnson my 2B hits lead vs LHP and he is a .291 career hitter with a career .367 OBP decent speed 25 SB is his high but he also avg 47 2B thru 8 sns.