Drafting Tips

jmuelly · 05-19-2016, 07:09 AM

I've made it to the draft. There are so many players and so much to consider. What is a good way to break it down and evaluate who is worth selecting. I find myself often asking my scout, but beyond that if I choose for myself it really feels I could be misinformed or not looking at the right items.

By default I see potential overall size etc. Is there something I should be doing different. I click through players and see how they rate now and potentially but it seems like your completely guessing which I know you are but doesn't it get broken down a bit more?

Why does my scout like player A if hes super hard to sign and isn't graded as highly as someone at the same position. I ignore position mostly because I need talent first. Figure overload at one spot of good talent can be moved to balance.

Also I am using the default rating scale is there something better I should consider?

GoPedro99 · 05-19-2016, 07:33 AM

2 words for you. Work ethic

battists · 05-19-2016, 08:18 AM

There are definitely a lot of people who put high emphasis on intangibles, the main ones being work ethic, intelligence, and leadership. Certainly those are great differentiators between like talents.

College players are more likely to be stay true to their potential than high schoolers, so if you need talent to get to the bigs sooner rather than later, I would focus on college players.

I would pay attention to stats to a certain extent, especially if you have feeder leagues.

Personally, as I get deeper into the talent pool, I tend to look for players who don't have a huge gap in one area. For example, you'll see players who have like 40-40-40-40-2 or something like that in their batting ratings or potential. I don't mind if it's power, but I don't want players who are absolutely strikeout machines or hopeless at taking walks.

Pitchers, I tend to look for multiple pitches. You need at least three good pitches to make an impact in the bigs. There are a million RPs out there, and can generally be found easily and cheaply, so when drafting, I tend to draft heavily SP, like I will draft a low potential guy with three pitches over a slightly higher guy that projects to be a RP.

Just a few thoughts from me.

Caveat: I don't exactly have a stellar track record when it comes to winning OOTP championships.

jmuelly · 05-19-2016, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by battists

There are definitely a lot of people who put high emphasis on intangibles, the main ones being work ethic, intelligence, and leadership. Certainly those are great differentiators between like talents.

College players are more likely to be stay true to their potential than high schoolers, so if you need talent to get to the bigs sooner rather than later, I would focus on college players.

I would pay attention to stats to a certain extent, especially if you have feeder leagues.

Personally, as I get deeper into the talent pool, I tend to look for players who don't have a huge gap in one area. For example, you'll see players who have like 40-40-40-40-2 or something like that in their batting ratings or potential. I don't mind if it's power, but I don't want players who are absolutely strikeout machines or hopeless at taking walks.

Pitchers, I tend to look for multiple pitches. You need at least three good pitches to make an impact in the bigs. There are a million RPs out there, and can generally be found easily and cheaply, so when drafting, I tend to draft heavily SP, like I will draft a low potential guy with three pitches over a slightly higher guy that projects to be a RP.

Just a few thoughts from me.

Caveat: I don't exactly have a stellar track record when it comes to winning OOTP championships.

Thanks for the tips. It seems so demanding drafting, I often go back and forth this guy orthat guy, then the guy is available in the next round still and I find anotherguy and weigh the decisions. I’m only inround 5 right now. I fear my #5 overallpick may not sign. He was a very hardrating but I loved the upside. He’s a 20year old I think he was from Puerto Rico not by PC to recall. His projections were pretty good. He’s a 6’9 230 monster. Fingers crossed I can convince him tosign. Not sure what they consider whensigning but the path to the bigs in MKE as a potential elite pitcher may be forthe taking if he wants it.

Pretty excited, but I see myself overdrafting guys too oftenI think. By that I mean I really likeplayer A in this round and he’s still there 8 rounds later. Is that just me reading my scouting reportsand becoming excited whilte others teams miss and/or my guy whiffing on areport?

battists · 05-19-2016, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmuelly

Thanks for the tips. It seems so demanding drafting, I often go back and forth this guy orthat guy, then the guy is available in the next round still and I find anotherguy and weigh the decisions. I’m only inround 5 right now. I fear my #5 overallpick may not sign. He was a very hardrating but I loved the upside. He’s a 20year old I think he was from Puerto Rico not by PC to recall. His projections were pretty good. He’s a 6’9 230 monster. Fingers crossed I can convince him tosign. Not sure what they consider whensigning but the path to the bigs in MKE as a potential elite pitcher may be forthe taking if he wants it.

Pretty excited, but I see myself overdrafting guys too oftenI think. By that I mean I really likeplayer A in this round and he’s still there 8 rounds later. Is that just me reading my scouting reportsand becoming excited whilte others teams miss and/or my guy whiffing on areport?

Ah yes, I forgot to mention, you may want to pay attention to the difficulty to sign. Difficult players can be, well, difficult to sign.

As for overdrafting, yes, there's a chance your scout and the other scouts just see the player differently.

bly08 · 05-19-2016, 06:35 PM

I usually take SPs in the first rounds, sometimes premium defensive position studs. Then in the later rounds I look for the intangibles others have mentioned.

The best tip I've read for later round drafting is to look for players who have at least one tool already, usually defense or speed, so that if they get a talent bump in their weak areas then they would easily become serviceable or even stars.

redranger · 05-19-2016, 07:49 PM

Be sure to watch closely on the harder to sign guys and be ready to pony up some money if you really want them.

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Sabres2000 · 05-19-2016, 08:03 PM

just courious... question about the draft... say you draft a player and he choices not to sign with ur club, how does that work do u get a comp pick in the next draft? say like your 1st round choice wont sign do u get like a 1st or 2nd round pick?

grmagne · 05-19-2016, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sabres2000

just courious... question about the draft... say you draft a player and he choices not to sign with ur club, how does that work do u get a comp pick in the next draft? say like your 1st round choice wont sign do u get like a 1st or 2nd round pick?

You get exactly the same pick next year. If you fail to sign the 90th overall pick then next year you get an extra pick at #90. In real MLB you'd get #91.

grmagne · 05-19-2016, 08:35 PM

If you have a limited draft budget this year but you think you'll have a large budget next year then what you can do is throw all your money this year at a really good, late-round "impossible" sign. If you don't sign your first 5 guys then you'll have ten picks in the first five rounds next year thanks to compensation. With the increased budget next year you should be able to sign 10 players. Along with the "impossible" guy you'll get 11 players instead of 10.

In real life the Blue Jays got Rowdy Tellez in the 30th round by taking lots of cheap signs in the early rounds, but the exact mechanics are different in OOTP than MLB.

vladdy16 · 05-19-2016, 08:43 PM

First, maybe this is just my experience or how my finances work, but I've never had trouble signing draftees. I've found "very hard"(or whatever the term is) just means that I have to meet exactly whatever the players demand is. Also, you can open the negotiation screen on draft day, so you can make offers and see how things are shaping up as you go.

As mentioned, work ethic and intelligence are good things to focus on, as those players are more likely to exceed development expectations.

I like to swing for the fences early on, and really only consider 5 star players while they are around.

Once the 5 stars are gone, I start searching/sorting all the other areas(make a custom display for yourself, I like to have all the skill ratings displayed, along with work ethic, intelligence, durability and HS/Col stats all on one page)

Keep in mind how often even your current players ratings and potential fluctuate, the players draft day profile is just a snap shot, and the look of their profile will certainly fluctuate from age 18-25 or whatever.

As you play more you'll get a better intuition about the look of a profile and if it seems likely to be accurate or conservative, or if a slight breeze could come through and erase any big league potential.

Usually there's a small group of guys that I consider for each pick, and then I try to consider the order to pick them where I can grab a few of them through the next rounds. This will help you arrive at your final decision, imagining who you'd be most disappointed not getting if he didn't make it to your next pick.

Really, outside of the first few rounds, I wouldn't worry at all about whether you're reaching for guys or not. It's important to get guys that you believe in for whatever reason, so you can shape your development strategy and just better track their development. If you're picking a guy just cuz of where he sits on a list, but don't have a vision for his future, he'll probably disappear in your minor league system as you focus on other parts of the game.

Just food for thought, sounds like you've got a beat on the things to consider, so have fun and be an optimist each round.

NoOne · 05-19-2016, 11:02 PM

small things for long-term thought too...

i always know what my team needs in the next 3-5 years and beyond to some extent. i consider age distribution and such in decisions, i rarely replace large #'s of players in any given year, and i understand how much i can spend on FA band-aids. because of this, i can avoid situations that force me to draft based on Need. never paint yourself in a corner. always have multiple options, the draft being a huge one.

Allow your current team and it's near future to help make decisions, but not force your hand. this is something that builds with experience. too many variables at play... learn them and do the best with the hand that is dealt. always have multiple options at once - ie FA bandais, a couple prospects etc etc. (trade for them even!)

pay attention to age. on roster and what you draft... college kids will be mlb-ready long before high schoolers on average. high schoolers can have higher pot but more likely to drop during development too. smart to subtract a little from them when comparing to a college kid - barring a true phenom's development.

SP have a premium. always a good option... especially SP. upwards of 50% of my top picks are on SP. if it's lower, it's not by much. C can be highly coveted too.

Always take the "best" talent in first couple rounds. i am using that in a marketing sense. say you have the 15th pick, there are 5 left on the board (viable/signable for you) that are head and shoulders above the rest and definitely won't see anything of that quality your next pick... you should pick one of those five even if they don't fit a specific need at the moment.

what's "head and shoulders above the rest?" upto you. adjust it overtime when you see a mistake.

After the first 2 rounds, it's more about random talent changes... grasp at anything that catches your eye at this point.

jmuelly · 05-20-2016, 06:41 AM

Well I got my extremely hard top pick to sign. It cost me a bit but he sounds like the monster I need in my rotation. He had more to lose than I, he has 1 year eligibility left so going #5 is tough to beat.
Probably most interesting so far (im now at sept 1), I have a 32nd round pick absolutely killing it. average/obp some power display, sb. A 31st round pick is doing quite well too. Fun to watch and see if they can develop enough to help the club.

Klew1986 · 05-20-2016, 07:58 AM

Is it worth it to draft a player whose signability is "impossible"?

Sharkn20 · 05-20-2016, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Klew1986

Is it worth it to draft a player whose signability is "impossible"?

If you have plenty money yes

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05-19-2016, 07:09 AM	#1
jmuelly Minors (Double A) Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 161	Drafting Tips I've made it to the draft. There are so many players and so much to consider. What is a good way to break it down and evaluate who is worth selecting. I find myself often asking my scout, but beyond that if I choose for myself it really feels I could be misinformed or not looking at the right items. By default I see potential overall size etc. Is there something I should be doing different. I click through players and see how they rate now and potentially but it seems like your completely guessing which I know you are but doesn't it get broken down a bit more? Why does my scout like player A if hes super hard to sign and isn't graded as highly as someone at the same position. I ignore position mostly because I need talent first. Figure overload at one spot of good talent can be moved to balance. Also I am using the default rating scale is there something better I should consider? Last edited by jmuelly; 05-19-2016 at 07:13 AM.

05-19-2016, 08:18 AM	#3
battists Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 18,506	There are definitely a lot of people who put high emphasis on intangibles, the main ones being work ethic, intelligence, and leadership. Certainly those are great differentiators between like talents. College players are more likely to be stay true to their potential than high schoolers, so if you need talent to get to the bigs sooner rather than later, I would focus on college players. I would pay attention to stats to a certain extent, especially if you have feeder leagues. Personally, as I get deeper into the talent pool, I tend to look for players who don't have a huge gap in one area. For example, you'll see players who have like 40-40-40-40-2 or something like that in their batting ratings or potential. I don't mind if it's power, but I don't want players who are absolutely strikeout machines or hopeless at taking walks. Pitchers, I tend to look for multiple pitches. You need at least three good pitches to make an impact in the bigs. There are a million RPs out there, and can generally be found easily and cheaply, so when drafting, I tend to draft heavily SP, like I will draft a low potential guy with three pitches over a slightly higher guy that projects to be a RP. Just a few thoughts from me. Caveat: I don't exactly have a stellar track record when it comes to winning OOTP championships. __________________ Come check out my dynasty report, Funky Times!

05-19-2016, 07:33 AM	#2
GoPedro99 All Star Reserve Join Date: Nov 2015 Posts: 863	2 words for you. Work ethic

05-19-2016, 06:35 PM	#6
bly08 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 105	I usually take SPs in the first rounds, sometimes premium defensive position studs. Then in the later rounds I look for the intangibles others have mentioned. The best tip I've read for later round drafting is to look for players who have at least one tool already, usually defense or speed, so that if they get a talent bump in their weak areas then they would easily become serviceable or even stars.

05-19-2016, 07:49 PM	#7
redranger All Star Reserve Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Birmingham, Alabama Posts: 609	Be sure to watch closely on the harder to sign guys and be ready to pony up some money if you really want them. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

05-19-2016, 08:03 PM	#8
Sabres2000 All Star Starter Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 1,022	just courious... question about the draft... say you draft a player and he choices not to sign with ur club, how does that work do u get a comp pick in the next draft? say like your 1st round choice wont sign do u get like a 1st or 2nd round pick?

05-19-2016, 08:35 PM	#10
grmagne Minors (Triple A) Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Toronto Posts: 271	If you have a limited draft budget this year but you think you'll have a large budget next year then what you can do is throw all your money this year at a really good, late-round "impossible" sign. If you don't sign your first 5 guys then you'll have ten picks in the first five rounds next year thanks to compensation. With the increased budget next year you should be able to sign 10 players. Along with the "impossible" guy you'll get 11 players instead of 10. In real life the Blue Jays got Rowdy Tellez in the 30th round by taking lots of cheap signs in the early rounds, but the exact mechanics are different in OOTP than MLB.

05-19-2016, 08:43 PM	#11
vladdy16 Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 23	First, maybe this is just my experience or how my finances work, but I've never had trouble signing draftees. I've found "very hard"(or whatever the term is) just means that I have to meet exactly whatever the players demand is. Also, you can open the negotiation screen on draft day, so you can make offers and see how things are shaping up as you go. As mentioned, work ethic and intelligence are good things to focus on, as those players are more likely to exceed development expectations. I like to swing for the fences early on, and really only consider 5 star players while they are around. Once the 5 stars are gone, I start searching/sorting all the other areas(make a custom display for yourself, I like to have all the skill ratings displayed, along with work ethic, intelligence, durability and HS/Col stats all on one page) Keep in mind how often even your current players ratings and potential fluctuate, the players draft day profile is just a snap shot, and the look of their profile will certainly fluctuate from age 18-25 or whatever. As you play more you'll get a better intuition about the look of a profile and if it seems likely to be accurate or conservative, or if a slight breeze could come through and erase any big league potential. Usually there's a small group of guys that I consider for each pick, and then I try to consider the order to pick them where I can grab a few of them through the next rounds. This will help you arrive at your final decision, imagining who you'd be most disappointed not getting if he didn't make it to your next pick. Really, outside of the first few rounds, I wouldn't worry at all about whether you're reaching for guys or not. It's important to get guys that you believe in for whatever reason, so you can shape your development strategy and just better track their development. If you're picking a guy just cuz of where he sits on a list, but don't have a vision for his future, he'll probably disappear in your minor league system as you focus on other parts of the game. Just food for thought, sounds like you've got a beat on the things to consider, so have fun and be an optimist each round.

05-19-2016, 11:02 PM	#12
NoOne Banned Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 7,273 Infractions: 0/1 (3)	small things for long-term thought too... i always know what my team needs in the next 3-5 years and beyond to some extent. i consider age distribution and such in decisions, i rarely replace large #'s of players in any given year, and i understand how much i can spend on FA band-aids. because of this, i can avoid situations that force me to draft based on Need. never paint yourself in a corner. always have multiple options, the draft being a huge one. Allow your current team and it's near future to help make decisions, but not force your hand. this is something that builds with experience. too many variables at play... learn them and do the best with the hand that is dealt. always have multiple options at once - ie FA bandais, a couple prospects etc etc. (trade for them even!) pay attention to age. on roster and what you draft... college kids will be mlb-ready long before high schoolers on average. high schoolers can have higher pot but more likely to drop during development too. smart to subtract a little from them when comparing to a college kid - barring a true phenom's development. SP have a premium. always a good option... especially SP. upwards of 50% of my top picks are on SP. if it's lower, it's not by much. C can be highly coveted too. Always take the "best" talent in first couple rounds. i am using that in a marketing sense. say you have the 15th pick, there are 5 left on the board (viable/signable for you) that are head and shoulders above the rest and definitely won't see anything of that quality your next pick... you should pick one of those five even if they don't fit a specific need at the moment. what's "head and shoulders above the rest?" upto you. adjust it overtime when you see a mistake. After the first 2 rounds, it's more about random talent changes... grasp at anything that catches your eye at this point.

05-20-2016, 06:41 AM	#13
jmuelly Minors (Double A) Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 161	Well I got my extremely hard top pick to sign. It cost me a bit but he sounds like the monster I need in my rotation. He had more to lose than I, he has 1 year eligibility left so going #5 is tough to beat. Probably most interesting so far (im now at sept 1), I have a 32nd round pick absolutely killing it. average/obp some power display, sb. A 31st round pick is doing quite well too. Fun to watch and see if they can develop enough to help the club.

05-20-2016, 07:58 AM	#14
Klew1986 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 2,727	Is it worth it to draft a player whose signability is "impossible"?