Random debut question for those that partake

[David Watts]

Do you ever feel like the modern day guys(Mike Trout, Trevor Story, Nolan Arenado--to name a few) get an easier ride to the Hall of Fame, due to not having as many years of recalcuable stats, as say a Mickey Mantle or a Dale Murphy or even a Miguel Cabrera?

On another note, do any of y'all ever scratch your heads and wonder why David Watts spends every waking hour thinking about meaningless OOTP questions that often have no answer. I could probably offer a university level OOTP philosophy course if called upon.

[italyprof]

To take your second question first, it seems perfectly natural to me, Baseball, and baseball sims are as real to me as anything in the news for example. So go on ahead.

As to the first question, I usually set a maximum date for my random debuts - 1995, 2000, sometimes 2010 but that is the latest and even that date gives me too many current players.

A big part of the reason is what you bring up - current players with only a year or two or a few recalculable years of real stats. They are more likely to end up as mega-players than not. So I prefer a 1901-2000 range, which keeps out the crazy 1880s pitchers and also the current players. It helps me keep the illusion of an oldtime baseball era and also has a nice round 100 years to it.

[David Watts]

Originally Posted by italyprof

To take your second question first, it seems perfectly natural to me, Baseball, and baseball sims are as real to me as anything in the news for example. So go on ahead.

As to the first question, I usually set a maximum date for my random debuts - 1995, 2000, sometimes 2010 but that is the latest and even that date gives me too many current players.

A big part of the reason is what you bring up - current players with only a year or two or a few recalculable years of real stats. They are more likely to end up as mega-players than not. So I prefer a 1901-2000 range, which keeps out the crazy 1880s pitchers and also the current players. It helps me keep the illusion of an oldtime baseball era and also has a nice round 100 years to it.

I might have to give your maximum year method a go. I already use the 1901 minimum.

[actionjackson]

Originally Posted by David Watts

Do you ever feel like the modern day guys(Mike Trout, Trevor Story, Nolan Arenado--to name a few) get an easier ride to the Hall of Fame, due to not having as many years of recalcuable stats, as say a Mickey Mantle or a Dale Murphy or even a Miguel Cabrera?

On another note, do any of y'all ever scratch your heads and wonder why David Watts spends every waking hour thinking about meaningless OOTP questions that often have no answer. I could probably offer a university level OOTP philosophy course if called upon.

I'd be torn here. It's possible that you're right about the easier ride. It's also possible that you're experiencing confirmation bias. I mean Clayton bleepin' Kershaw fell off the face of the earth in one of my games once he ran out of stats, while some no name 2B named Tillie Shafer (all of 912 career PA - not much to base a career trajectory off of, rather like the current players) made the HoF. Shafer wound up with 1,656 R (11th through 63 seasons), 3,022 H (19th all-time), 490 2B (tied for 24th), 586 SB (12th all-time), 1,522 BB (11th all-time), 70.9 WAR (25th all-time). He was an absolute beast, and an easy choice (92.5% on the 1st ballot).

I doubt you're alone on the meaningless OOTP questions that have no answer thing. Anybody who's into this game probably has them. When you're a noob, you're asking how the **** do I play this game? types of questions. These change as you learn more about it. I don't think you ever run out of questions though, which is a testament to its greatness.

[actionjackson]

Originally Posted by italyprof

To take your second question first, it seems perfectly natural to me, Baseball, and baseball sims are as real to me as anything in the news for example. So go on ahead.

As to the first question, I usually set a maximum date for my random debuts - 1995, 2000, sometimes 2010 but that is the latest and even that date gives me too many current players.

A big part of the reason is what you bring up - current players with only a year or two or a few recalculable years of real stats. They are more likely to end up as mega-players than not. So I prefer a 1901-2000 range, which keeps out the crazy 1880s pitchers and also the current players. It helps me keep the illusion of an oldtime baseball era and also has a nice round 100 years to it.

Not being able to leave any players in MLB history out? Guilty as charged. I'm always 1871 through whatever the most recent season is. I want Ross Barnes, Buck Ewing, and Cap Anson (despite being a puke of a person) in there, along with Bo Bichette, Cavan Biggio, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Yes, yes I'm a Blue Jays fan. What gave it away?

[David Watts]

I know I'm guilty of confirmation bias at times. I have a random going right now and I'm really going to keep my eye on the current day studs to see how their careers pan out. Hoping I've discovered a new way of playing the game that will allow me to get through seasons faster while still enjoying some of the small things I enjoy so much. I've never been able to sim my leagues and get any enjoyment out of the game. The other day folks were telling me about the Real Time Sim feature and I'm giving it a real shot. What I'm doing is, using Real Time Sim from April to the end of August. From that point on I'm watching multiple games each day involving teams fighting for a spot in the post season. My current setup involves 20 teams, 2 subleagues of 10, 162 game schedule. 3 teams in each subleague make the post season. The top team in each subleague receives a 1st round bye. The 2nd and 3rd place teams meet in a best of 3 series with all games played in the 2nd place team's ballpark. I watch every post season game.

I'm really hoping this method of play allows me to make use of what I enjoy most, OOTP's ability to create a history. I loved 20 and played it to death, but I never really achieved that long lasting league I long for. Instead I played a lot of different setups over the course of the year.

[David Watts]

Another thing I just noticed the other day is, each player has a "injury history" section. Has this always been a feature of the game or is this something new? Well, it's new to me, either way.

I want to see how many position players play their entire careers almost completely injury free. Over the last few versions, I think the OOTP's injury feature has become way too pitching centered and is way too lenient on hitters. I still say OOTP needs more injuries that knock hitters out a few games here and there, even if they don't require a trip to the dl. I use high for position player fatigue in response to this.

[actionjackson]

Originally Posted by David Watts

Another thing I just noticed the other day is, each player has a "injury history" section. Has this always been a feature of the game or is this something new? Well, it's new to me, either way.

I want to see how many position players play their entire careers almost completely injury free. Over the last few versions, I think the OOTP's injury feature has become way too pitching centered and is way too lenient on hitters. I still say OOTP needs more injuries that knock hitters out a few games here and there, even if they don't require a trip to the dl. I use high for position player fatigue in response to this.

I'm Normal (OOTP Classic) on Injuries and High on Pos Player Fatigue. Seems to keep the players from getting too many plate appearances in a season. For some reason, players get way more PA/G than in RL, so the only way to combat that is to have them play in fewer games, hence High for Pos Player Fatigue.

I have OOTP16, OOTP19, and OOTPXX on my computer at the moment. Injury History is in 19, but not 16, so this would be at least the third version that it's been around for.

[actionjackson]

Originally Posted by David Watts

Another thing I just noticed the other day is, each player has a "injury history" section. Has this always been a feature of the game or is this something new? Well, it's new to me, either way.

I want to see how many position players play their entire careers almost completely injury free. Over the last few versions, I think the OOTP's injury feature has become way too pitching centered and is way too lenient on hitters. I still say OOTP needs more injuries that knock hitters out a few games here and there, even if they don't require a trip to the dl. I use high for position player fatigue in response to this.

I'd love to beat my 63 season league record that I managed in OOTP16. My obsession with having the draft go from the best players through the cup of coffee players through the worst players slows me down though. The St. Louis Browns have finished last in 1901 and 1902 in the first two seasons of my current game on XX. Mantle and Mays respectively have been in those two drafts, so yes, you know what that means for their OF. Sh!t's gonna get crazy out there.

The 1901 draft was insanely good. 82 players selected, first round:

1. Mickey Mantle, SLA
2. Frank Viola, PHI
3. Jesse Barfield, BLA
4. Carlos Delgado, BSN
5. Mario Soto, CLE
6. George W Harper, NY1
7. George Case, CIN
8. Jim Essian, BRO
9. Al Holland, BOS
10. Ossie Vitt, WS1
11. Claro Duany (Negro Leaguer), STL
12. Dave LaPoint, PHA
13. Mike Mason, DET
14. Lew McCarty, PIT
15. David Green, CWS
16. Dick Kelley, CHC

You have to go all the way to the 9th pick of the 2nd round to find your first one star potential guy, and the 13th pick of the 2nd round to get your first half star potential guy. I don't think I've ever seen a better draft in all the time I've been playing this game.

[David Watts]

Originally Posted by actionjackson

I'd love to beat my 63 season league record that I managed in OOTP16. My obsession with having the draft go from the best players through the cup of coffee players through the worst players slows me down though. The St. Louis Browns have finished last in 1901 and 1902 in the first two seasons of my current game on XX. Mantle and Mays respectively have been in those two drafts, so yes, you know what that means for their OF. Sh!t's gonna get crazy out there.

The 1901 draft was insanely good. 82 players selected, first round:

1. Mickey Mantle, SLA
2. Frank Viola, PHI
3. Jesse Barfield, BLA
4. Carlos Delgado, BSN
5. Mario Soto, CLE
6. George W Harper, NY1
7. George Case, CIN
8. Jim Essian, BRO
9. Al Holland, BOS
10. Ossie Vitt, WS1
11. Claro Duany (Negro Leaguer), STL
12. Dave LaPoint, PHA
13. Mike Mason, DET
14. Lew McCarty, PIT
15. David Green, CWS
16. Dick Kelley, CHC

You have to go all the way to the 9th pick of the 2nd round to find your first one star potential guy, and the 13th pick of the 2nd round to get your first half star potential guy. I don't think I've ever seen a better draft in all the time I've been playing this game.

Really hoping Real Time Sim allows me to play through seasons quicker, but still enjoy some of the things that make me love OOTP so much. Would love it if I could maybe get in 2 or 3 seasons a week with this method.

[actionjackson]

Originally Posted by David Watts

Really hoping Real Time Sim allows me to play through seasons quicker, but still enjoy some of the things that make me love OOTP so much. Would love it if I could maybe get in 2 or 3 seasons a week with this method.

As you probably know I've really struggled to stick with all things OOTP since my looong league in OOTP16, but I can still give advice on RD here. I've done a grand total of nine seasons over the last four versions, and don't have 21 yet. I'll probably get it later in the cycle, but the settings haven't changed much since I was heavily invested in 16, so most of my advice still holds true.

EDIT: I hope that method works for you because building a history and a HoF is so much fun.