Add two realistic offseason items

Kilborn · 01-15-2016, 02:59 AM

Two things I'd like to see OOTP incorporate:

1) randomly, young pitchers add a pitch. It happens all the time in real life - they "discover" a changeup or something, and learn it, and make it better. Especially young starters, who never had to have a tertiary pitch or a change-up in high school or college; but occasionally, a pitcher whose career has flopped will pick up a new pitch and seek to master it, like R.A. Dickey, whose career had flattened out. He spent a couple of seasons working on a knuckleball, and his career was reborn. In OOTP, this could be announced in the news, as in Headline: "R.A. Dickey adds new pitch to repertoire" or similar message;

2) "offseason focus" - want that horrible strikeout guy to focus on making contact? Tell him to work on it in the offseason. Want the guy with great speed but horrible stealing ability to get better at stealing bases? Tell him to work on it in the offseason. Same with defense - position training is reasonable, but so is trying to have a player improve their range, error frequency and throwing strength, though these would be significantly harder to improve than ease at a position. Such an "offseason focus would have to have a low random factor, like 5% of players improve, or something like that; it would also have to have a limit on how much a player can improve, as well as limits on specific ratings (i.e. it is unreasonable in the post-steroids era for a player to massively increase their power in one offseason, but it might be reasonable for a player to significantly increase their pitch recognition...); it would also need to be linked to their intelligence and work ethic (and greed, because lazy greedy players can also work hard sometimes). But this would be a great factor to add, and keeping the odds low would essentially mimic real life. It is typical (and reasonably believale) for one or two players on any given team to significantly improve an area of their game during the offseason - which would be the odds if there were a 5% chance of success.

kq76 · 01-15-2016, 03:15 AM

I believe #1 already happens (well, I know it happens, I'm just not sure it happens in the off-season).

#2 I like and OOTP used to have something like it a decade or so ago, but it was more of a point allocation system which for some reason some people didn't like (why, I forget, too much like an RPG?) and so it got removed. I do like the idea of just selecting a focus for a player though and hopefully he works on it during the off-season and you see results, but if you don't, oh well. Sure, you probably don't want to mess too much with the development engine, but I'd rather see us get some input and influence what happens a little than not at all.

Kilborn · 01-15-2016, 03:23 AM

I've not seen pitches added personally. If it does currently happen, there needs to be some sort of notification when it does, as that can raise a player in the organization's estimate of their worth to the organization (as in "hey, this 1/2 star actual/potential 17-year-old starter added a changeup in the offseason! Maybe I should watch his development more closely...)

Bluenoser · 01-15-2016, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kilborn

I've not seen pitches added personally. If it does currently happen, there needs to be some sort of notification when it does, as that can raise a player in the organization's estimate of their worth to the organization (as in "hey, this 1/2 star actual/potential 17-year-old starter added a changeup in the offseason! Maybe I should watch his development more closely...)

It does currently happen.

You do get notification - it's called a development report. You should be reading it every month.

Kilborn · 01-15-2016, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluenoser

It does currently happen.

You do get notification - it's called a development report. You should be reading it every month.

Ah, I do - perhaps I've just not had any pitchers add pitches, or the ones that do are ones that have never piqued my interest. Good to know - I'll focus on that a bit more!

Despite that, I still think the "offseason focus" is a great idea.

-Kilborn

RchW · 01-15-2016, 10:26 PM

Not everything you want to happen will.

Kilborn · 01-15-2016, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RchW

Not everything you want to happen will.

Well of course not, Cheerful Charlie!

But ideas can't become reality unless you share them with those who can create the reality! If everyone took that point of view, this entire board of ideas would be empty!

SirMichaelJordan · 01-15-2016, 10:55 PM

I rather give input during spring training and when added, whenever I ok a player sent to winter leagues. Its not common for a vet to "work on his game" during the offseason. If they do then they are more likely playing in one of those Caribbean winter leagues. Prospects go to leagues like the Arizona Fall League.

Honorable_Pawn · 01-16-2016, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kilborn

Well of course not, Cheerful Charlie!

But ideas can't become reality unless you share them with those who can create the reality! If everyone took that point of view, this entire board of ideas would be empty!

Well said.

01-15-2016, 10:26 PM	#6
RchW Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Toronto ON by way of Glasgow UK Posts: 15,629	Not everything you want to happen will. __________________ 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

01-15-2016, 10:55 PM	#8
SirMichaelJordan Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2012 Posts: 2,716	Add two realistic offseason items I rather give input during spring training and when added, whenever I ok a player sent to winter leagues. Its not common for a vet to "work on his game" during the offseason. If they do then they are more likely playing in one of those Caribbean winter leagues. Prospects go to leagues like the Arizona Fall League. Last edited by SirMichaelJordan; 01-15-2016 at 11:15 PM.

01-15-2016, 02:59 AM	#1
Kilborn Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 26	Add two realistic offseason items Two things I'd like to see OOTP incorporate: 1) randomly, young pitchers add a pitch. It happens all the time in real life - they "discover" a changeup or something, and learn it, and make it better. Especially young starters, who never had to have a tertiary pitch or a change-up in high school or college; but occasionally, a pitcher whose career has flopped will pick up a new pitch and seek to master it, like R.A. Dickey, whose career had flattened out. He spent a couple of seasons working on a knuckleball, and his career was reborn. In OOTP, this could be announced in the news, as in Headline: "R.A. Dickey adds new pitch to repertoire" or similar message; 2) "offseason focus" - want that horrible strikeout guy to focus on making contact? Tell him to work on it in the offseason. Want the guy with great speed but horrible stealing ability to get better at stealing bases? Tell him to work on it in the offseason. Same with defense - position training is reasonable, but so is trying to have a player improve their range, error frequency and throwing strength, though these would be significantly harder to improve than ease at a position. Such an "offseason focus would have to have a low random factor, like 5% of players improve, or something like that; it would also have to have a limit on how much a player can improve, as well as limits on specific ratings (i.e. it is unreasonable in the post-steroids era for a player to massively increase their power in one offseason, but it might be reasonable for a player to significantly increase their pitch recognition...); it would also need to be linked to their intelligence and work ethic (and greed, because lazy greedy players can also work hard sometimes). But this would be a great factor to add, and keeping the odds low would essentially mimic real life. It is typical (and reasonably believale) for one or two players on any given team to significantly improve an area of their game during the offseason - which would be the odds if there were a 5% chance of success. Last edited by Kilborn; 01-15-2016 at 03:01 AM. Reason: Clarification

01-15-2016, 03:15 AM	#2
kq76 Global Moderator Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 11,950	I believe #1 already happens (well, I know it happens, I'm just not sure it happens in the off-season). #2 I like and OOTP used to have something like it a decade or so ago, but it was more of a point allocation system which for some reason some people didn't like (why, I forget, too much like an RPG?) and so it got removed. I do like the idea of just selecting a focus for a player though and hopefully he works on it during the off-season and you see results, but if you don't, oh well. Sure, you probably don't want to mess too much with the development engine, but I'd rather see us get some input and influence what happens a little than not at all. __________________ My OOTP Wishlist \| My FAQ List OOTP Wiki \| Your Recommended Team Nicknames, By City (A Crowdsourced Project) For Beta/Devs: Full screen (1920x1080)

01-15-2016, 03:23 AM	#3
Kilborn Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 26	I've not seen pitches added personally. If it does currently happen, there needs to be some sort of notification when it does, as that can raise a player in the organization's estimate of their worth to the organization (as in "hey, this 1/2 star actual/potential 17-year-old starter added a changeup in the offseason! Maybe I should watch his development more closely...)