A little bit of help

[TMA2799]

Hi guys, I’m brand new to OOTP. The game was on sale on steam, and I’m a huge baseball fan, so I figured I’d hit the bid. I’m usually ok with games with steep learning curves, and so far, I’m not doing too badly, but I’m mostly just figuring stuff out. I’m a huge Yankees fan, and I tried to do a first play through with them, and I won about 60 games all season. I’m baffled. I thought it would be a good way to start, with basically limitless money, but apparently I’ve massively missed the mark. My next plan was to rebuild the Rockies, but I think I want to get better with the Yankees before I try the more difficult challenge. I usually have the minor league managers deal with a lot of those options, and do most of the rest. Please could someone help me out with some tips on how to build a winning team, and actually do well in the game. Thanks so much

[TMA2799]

Second, more minor question, if you do well enough, can you be hired as an all star manager

[kq76]

That's such an open-ended question.

Maybe the first thing to do is to evaluate all aspects of your team. How's your offense? How's your pitching? How's your defense? Identify your weaknesses and then try to rectify them. And don't expect to replace a replacement level player with a superstar overnight, just acquire someone a bit better if that's all you can do right now. Maybe find players you can platoon at that position, one who hits well against righties while the other hits well against lefties, or maybe one guy who has a good bat, but no glove, while also having a good glove no bat guy at the position. And don't just look at upgrading your weaknesses either. Maybe your pitching is good, but there's a deal out there that will make it even better while not hurting your organization that much in other ways.

Also look at how you're playing the game. Are you fast simming through much of the season and not interacting enough with the game? Look at the League Events screen (Lg > Lg News > Lg Events). Are you putting enough effort into your organization at all points of the season? Are you putting enough work into free agent & personnel acquisitions, extensions, releases, trades, draft scouting / picking / negotiating, offseason and spring training development, roster manipulation? Do you want to?

How are you playing the actual games? Are you simming them or making all the moves or something in-between? If you don't think you're that good at making all the moves, maybe just watch the games play out, or maybe just take on the substitutions. There's no shame in biting off less. I've watched baseball for decades yet I'm still only really comfortable making substitutions and even that took some to get comfortable with. I have no clue when it comes to fielder positioning, but I'm okay with that.

To really know what to improve, you need to ask yourself what you're doing and not doing. And what you want to do and not want to do too.

But better yet, the best advice might be to not put so much pressure on yourself to win a lot of games, but to just find joy, however you might, in playing the game. That is, ask yourself what aspects about the game do you particularly like, what do you not like? If you like, for example, the stats of baseball, just spend more time poring over them. If you don't like dealing with the minor leagues or scouting, delegate them or turn them off. We all play the game differently and your way will be unique to you too.

Originally Posted by TMA2799

Second, more minor question, if you do well enough, can you be hired as an all star manager

When you get to the ASG you can click "Manage Game" and then use the dropdowns on one side or another to give yourself control of the teams.

[Brad K]

Pre-season, how many games were the Yankees predicted to win?

Did you manage the individual games?

If yes, and there's a big difference between your wins and predicted wins, and you didn't have a bunch of injuries, then you're not managing the games well.

[OutS|der]

Yeah 60 wins with the Yankees likely means you had some major injuries.

Tell us more about your season and what went wrong.

[Replay Dugout]

I @kq76's answer! I've been on the fence with playing as GM when salaries and things like that have never been of any interest to me. I love the game itself, managing the game, making substitutions, calling for a Hit and Run, etc. I also have to be realistic with how much time I can really put into this without neglecting my family. I try to include my youngest son in these games, but he's not always interested.

Anyway, after reading this post, especially the end, I'm going to just focus on managing. Perhaps later as I get more familiar with the game I'll want to take on more of the GM responsibilities. I don't know. This is a game that is played over a long time, so maybe in 6 months, a year, 3 years, I'll be interested in GM things.

At the end of the day, this is a hobby, and hobbies are for fun and enjoyment, not work and drudgery, so you have to play this game in a way that makes you happy.

[Replay Dugout]

Not sure why the system posted my response twice. I cleared it out here.

[AdequateRandomGaming]

Originally Posted by Replay Dugout

I @kq76's answer! I've been on the fence with playing as GM when salaries and things like that have never been of any interest to me. I love the game itself, managing the game, making substitutions, calling for a Hit and Run, etc. I also have to be realistic with how much time I can really put into this without neglecting my family. I try to include my youngest son in these games, but he's not always interested.

Anyway, after reading this post, especially the end, I'm going to just focus on managing. Perhaps later as I get more familiar with the game I'll want to take on more of the GM responsibilities. I don't know. This is a game that is played over a long time, so maybe in 6 months, a year, 3 years, I'll be interested in GM things.

At the end of the day, this is a hobby, and hobbies are for fun and enjoyment, not work and drudgery, so you have to play this game in a way that makes you happy.

Playing as Manager only is one of the most challenging ways to play the game. I don't think I will ever go back to taking on GM duties now that I've been playing the masochistic mode of Manager only. Nothing like having your future 5 tool star player traded away for a catcher that never cracked even a backup role at the MLB level to make you miss the days you were actually in charge of your own destiny.

[TMA2799]

Hi everyone. Thanks so much for all of your help. I did have some pretty major injuries throughout the season, with Gerrit Cole out for the first third of the season, Jasson Dominguez getting injured again and being out for 6 months in his first game back. I also had Volpe get injured and it says he needs to be out for 9 months. I was predicted to go 87-75, and ended up going 69-93. I don't know if that's normal, or extreme in terms of injuries. One of the first things I did was sign Soto to an extension, and he got hurt about 10 weeks into the season (albeit minor and only for like 4 weeks). In terms of in-game, I like to do substitutions, because the AI leaves pitchers in until they get absolutely smacked, and Clay Holmes had to go, because he blew 3 of his first 4 saves. Usually its going alright, and then we give up one huge inning, and never come back from it. Bats tend to be ok, but I think the pitching just sucks. Someone mentioned replacing players with others just slightly better. Is potential or current rating more important? Thanks so much for everyone's help.

[md40022]

Originally Posted by TMA2799

Hi everyone. Thanks so much for all of your help. I did have some pretty major injuries throughout the season, with Gerrit Cole out for the first third of the season, Jasson Dominguez getting injured again and being out for 6 months in his first game back. I also had Volpe get injured and it says he needs to be out for 9 months. I was predicted to go 87-75, and ended up going 69-93. I don't know if that's normal, or extreme in terms of injuries. One of the first things I did was sign Soto to an extension, and he got hurt about 10 weeks into the season (albeit minor and only for like 4 weeks). In terms of in-game, I like to do substitutions, because the AI leaves pitchers in until they get absolutely smacked, and Clay Holmes had to go, because he blew 3 of his first 4 saves. Usually its going alright, and then we give up one huge inning, and never come back from it. Bats tend to be ok, but I think the pitching just sucks. Someone mentioned replacing players with others just slightly better. Is potential or current rating more important? Thanks so much for everyone's help.

It sounds like you had some significant injuries, being without your #1 starter for 10+ time through the rotation and being without Soto for 25 games. Not to mention your bullpen probably got pretty twisted up if you made a closer change and let go of Holmes just a few games into the season. That might not have been the best idea, but you'll figure that out the more you play. Also, if it's your first experience with the game you may be a little bit of an in-game managerial liability still as you learn the intricacies of the game. That will change with more experience... Obviously if you play that exact same season over again you won't have the same injuries and guys will perform differently.

If you struggled with a loaded team and endless budget in your first go round, you might not want to jump right into taking on the Colorado rebuild like you said in your first post. That could be a bigger challenge than you're ready for.

Honestly, it might not be a bad idea to play that exact same season over again with the Yanks. That will let you see how different things can be with the exact same setup, exact same settings, exact same everything, but just with a brand new "roll of the dice" so to speak with the simulation engine. My guess is you'd have significantly different results completely redoing that season, even with all of the settings being identical.

[TMA2799]

Hi. I am just setting up to do that season over, making some changes based on what I’ve learned. Are closers not interchangeable, if I trade one closer for another? Also, if anyone knows anything about world baseball cup eligibility, is there a way u can allow judge to go play for team USA? Thanks

[md40022]

Originally Posted by TMA2799

Are closers not interchangeable, if I trade one closer for another?

They totally are. All I knew from the info you provided was that you got rid of your existing closer, which led me to believe your 8th inning guy took over closing and your bullpen assignments rearranged a little bit accordingly. That's why I said you might have been a little pre-mature on that, since if that were the scenario once injuries hit as the season progressed you'd find yourself an arm or two shorter than where you'd normally be.

If you picked up a new established closer though, that obviously changes things a bit..... Yeah, give that same exact season another run through. As a new player it will be good to see how the sim engine works to the point that I'd bet your results are very different.

[Brad K]

A ten game difference between predicted wins and actual wins is quite possible even without significant injuries. The randomness in players' performance, with several having off years, is enough to do that. But I'd say much of your issue is injuries.

You should go with the suggestions to play the season again. It would be best not to make changes in the team. You can't get an evaluation of your performance as field manager if you change the base conditions.

[Pelican]

LOL you will enjoy all kinds of conflicting advice on this forum. It's part of the fun.

I would encourage you to take over the Rockies, as GM and Manager. My thought would be, you probably cannot do any worse than IRL. There is plenty of room for improvement, and a decent set of prospects. Best of all, the team draws well (for reasons I cannot fathom), and has plenty of money. The IRL owners have been reluctant to spend. You can change that, for example by signing free agents. You will also have some solid players to deal, perhaps at the trade deadline, to contenders, for prospects. To me, Colorado is more fun than small-market teams like KC and Pittsburgh, with minuscule budgets, a challenge for some, masochism to others. .

As Commissioner, you could also dial back the injury frequency when you set up the game. Granted, injuries are part of the game, and teams with depth are rewarded. But I like to see most all of the players on the field.

[Brad K]

Originally Posted by Pelican

LOL you will enjoy all kinds of conflicting advice on this forum. It's part of the fun.

Right. And there is no single right way to be successful. There isn't a single definition of success either, as your comment on people enjoying the only occasional success when playing weak teams shows.

[kq76]

Originally Posted by Pelican

I would encourage you to take over the Rockies, as GM and Manager. My thought would be, you probably cannot do any worse than IRL. There is plenty of room for improvement, and a decent set of prospects. Best of all, the team draws well (for reasons I cannot fathom), and has plenty of money. The IRL owners have been reluctant to spend. You can change that, for example by signing free agents. You will also have some solid players to deal, perhaps at the trade deadline, to contenders, for prospects. To me, Colorado is more fun than small-market teams like KC and Pittsburgh, with minuscule budgets, a challenge for some, masochism to others. .

I'm a bit surprised we haven't seen more success by Colorado. In their 31 year history they've only won 90 games 3 times. Just by looking at their park factors alone you'd think you could tailor that team into a pretty successful team fairly easily. Just don't get caught in the thinking that because they're at a high elevation that they must give up a lot of home runs because they actually don't usually give up the most. That outfield is huge (it's the biggest in MLB IINM) and gives up a lot of offense via doubles and triples so you want some speedy outfielders, hitters that get XBH, and lots of groundball pitchers. How long have the bad owners had them?

[OutS|der]

Originally Posted by TMA2799

Also, if anyone knows anything about world baseball cup eligibility, is there a way u can allow judge to go play for team USA? Thanks

It all depends on your settings and when you have the roster selection date set.

Change the league in the dropdown menu to the World cup and see if you're able to set rosters, otherwise check your settings. You'll be able to set rosters after the selection date. Feel free to change it if you want to set them earlier.

[md40022]

Originally Posted by kq76

I'm a bit surprised we haven't seen more success by Colorado. In their 31 year history they've only won 90 games 3 times. Just by looking at their park factors alone you'd think you could tailor that team into a pretty successful team fairly easily. Just don't get caught in the thinking that because they're at a high elevation that they must give up a lot of home runs because they actually don't usually give up the most. That outfield is huge (it's the biggest in MLB IINM) and gives up a lot of offense via doubles and triples so you want some speedy outfielders, hitters that get XBH, and lots of groundball pitchers. How long have the bad owners had them?

My theory on Colorado is big time pitchers avoid signing with them with the thinking that their numbers will inflate and maybe hurt either their reputation as an ace, or hurt their market value on the next contract. They've had some mashers with the bat over the years, but never really had the pitching to go next level.

I've never researched the stats, but that's the "on the surface" impression that I've had with them since forever. I mean, Mike Hampton is arguably the biggest name pitcher and biggest pitching acquisition they've ever had.... Hard to win like that.

[kq76]

Originally Posted by md40022

My theory on Colorado is big time pitchers avoid signing with them with the thinking that their numbers will inflate and maybe hurt either their reputation as an ace, or hurt their market value on the next contract. They've had some mashers with the bat over the years, but never really had the pitching to go next level.

I've never researched the stats, but that's the "on the surface" impression that I've had with them since forever. I mean, Mike Hampton is arguably the biggest name pitcher and biggest pitching acquisition they've ever had.... Hard to win like that.

Yeah, I totally get that. And as a batter you might not want to go there either because of all the people who will poo-poo your stats.

But there are plenty of other teams that are not ideal free agent destinations that do alright or better and the younger that baseball trends the more we see more roster spots given to younger players. So not being able to get the best free agents shouldn't necessarily hurt you as much as it might before. You'd definitely want good scouting and development and a good GM and manager, but I'd think it's at least doable. I mean, if I was offered the Rockies job I definitely wouldn't turn it down as long as I thought I could work with the owner. And I'm not saying the owner is the problem, I don't know, I'm just saying "as long as".

I'd be curious to know what Rockies fans think. Do they think, "eh, we're screwed because of the ballpark's elevation, we'll never win" or is it, "man, we just need to get the right people running/owning the organization and then we'd have a chance"?