OOTP26 - What is your first sim going to be?

[WarningTrakPower]

Just curious what people are thinking their first sim in OOTP26 will be?
Some of which will depend on what happens with the rest of the offseason, but figured it was worth starting this discussion.

[Bobfather]

I don't sim. I will continue the league I started in OOTP 17.

[Larryk007]

Probably continue my current 40 season project!

Can't wait for the new version. Anybody heard any rumors about any new features?

[zappa1]

I just carry all of my seasons over to the new version and continue from there. If I start a new season it'll be down the road later on.

[mars001]

I always start out by continuing my current season into the new version. Then I start to wonder if the migrated settings, ratings, and stats really work as well as starting a new game with current settings, ratings, and stats. Inevitably, I end up starting a new game, thinking a fresh start is better.

[WarningTrakPower]

Originally Posted by mars001

I always start out by continuing my current season into the new version. Then I start to wonder if the migrated settings, ratings, and stats really work as well as starting a new game with current settings, ratings, and stats. Inevitably, I end up starting a new game, thinking a fresh start is better.

^ This is how I routinely feel with my past sims.
Ultimately I enjoy "starting over" with the new roster release & updated ratings / potentials and seeing if I can "do better" than the actual team does.

[pgjocki]

I will start as the Mets and do a fast sim where I sim a week at a time just to see how the team does and make any roster moves in terms of injuries, etc and see where the team is at the Trade Deadline. I'll see how Soto does and probably go out the full contract to see where he ends up in terms of all time stats.

Another fast sim will be just to see how the league evolves on it's own and let it run for 100 years. I will sim in month long segments just to watch the standings and see what happens.

A team I'm interested in playing out is the Blue Jays. I think they are in a unique position where they should have sold high on Vladdy and Bichette and now face having a somewhat ackward rebuild.

[actionjackson]

Originally Posted by pgjocki

I will start as the Mets and do a fast sim where I sim a week at a time just to see how the team does and make any roster moves in terms of injuries, etc and see where the team is at the Trade Deadline. I'll see how Soto does and probably go out the full contract to see where he ends up in terms of all time stats.

Another fast sim will be just to see how the league evolves on it's own and let it run for 100 years. I will sim in month long segments just to watch the standings and see what happens.

A team I'm interested in playing out is the Blue Jays. I think they are in a unique position where they should have sold high on Vladdy and Bichette and now face having a somewhat ackward rebuild.

Fed up Blue Jay fan here. Take the President of Baseball Ops role, and start firing people left and right. All of Blue Jay fandom is begging you to. We also have a huge collection of glove first/noodle bat players going dirt cheap. I cannot understand how these two clowns still have their jobs. What was once a proud franchise is now a real stinker. I haven't been paying much attention since the second half of 2023, and I'm a day one fan that loves baseball. Fan indifference is absolute poison for professional sports teams, and it's starting to take up residence here. I'd love to take that Ted Rogers statue in front of our stadium down to the lake, and sink it, but it's not worth getting arrested for.

[MathBandit]

Originally Posted by actionjackson

Fed up Blue Jay fan here. Take the President of Baseball Ops role, and start firing people left and right. All of Blue Jay fandom is begging you to. We also have a huge collection of glove first/noodle bat players going dirt cheap. I cannot understand how these two clowns still have their jobs. What was once a proud franchise is now a real stinker. I haven't been paying much attention since the second half of 2023, and I'm a day one fan that loves baseball. Fan indifference is absolute poison for professional sports teams, and it's starting to take up residence here. I'd love to take that Ted Rogers statue in front of our stadium down to the lake, and sink it, but it's not worth getting arrested for.

Lol. You definitely don't speak for all Jays fans. I'm incredibly excited about the current+future outlook, personally. There's a very very small list of people I'd be happy to see replace Atkins and Shapiro in the Front Office.

Having suffered through the previous regimes I'm not going to nitpick on a pretty good one hoping that if we fire them the next one will be ever better.

[actionjackson]

Originally Posted by MathBandit

Lol. You definitely don't speak for all Jays fans. I'm incredibly excited about the current+future outlook, personally. There's a very very small list of people I'd be happy to see replace Atkins and Shapiro in the Front Office.

Having suffered through the previous regimes I'm not going to nitpick on a pretty good one hoping that if we fire them the next one will be ever better.

That's because I don't see a current or future outlook, or a cogent plan from the front office.

[actionjackson]

With regards to OOTP26, I'm definitely going with Treebeard (LotR character)'s philosophy "Don't be too hasty", but I just got 25. I see a lot of improvements on the historical side of things, and I want to play around with them, before I move on up to 26.

[pgjocki]

Originally Posted by actionjackson

Fed up Blue Jay fan here.

What I love the most about this response is that I am a huge Cardinals fan and almost cancelled MLB.TV last year as I can't stand watching them play right now.

I know that I've been spoiled over the last 15 to 20 years with always playing relevant games but the last 2 seasons just put a sour taste in my mouth. I told my son over Christmas break that I was going to cheer for a different team this year and also find a new team for OOTP.

I guess it's Blue Jays as apparently I'm partial to birds.

[WarningTrakPower]

Originally Posted by pgjocki

A team I'm interested in playing out is the Blue Jays. I think they are in a unique position where they should have sold high on Vladdy and Bichette and now face having a somewhat ackward rebuild.

https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=359504

^ See this thread in the dynasty reports. I've been having this same discussion with a few people lately. I am going to do this sim in OOTP25, but they will likely be one of my first sims when OOTP26 comes out (I probably won't do a dynasty report for that one though).

[actionjackson]

Originally Posted by pgjocki

What I love the most about this response is that I am a huge Cardinals fan and almost cancelled MLB.TV last year as I can't stand watching them play right now.

I know that I've been spoiled over the last 15 to 20 years with always playing relevant games but the last 2 seasons just put a sour taste in my mouth. I told my son over Christmas break that I was going to cheer for a different team this year and also find a new team for OOTP.

I guess it's Blue Jays as apparently I'm partial to birds.

I've barely watched the Blue Jays since the second half of 2023. They had one bad defensive game at the worst possible time in 2022, got knocked out after having an 8-1 lead in their "backs to the wall" game, and then on a dime decided only pitching and defence wins baseball games. Up here, if you're driving in winter, and you make that kind of an over correction in steering, you're in the ditch or (much) worse.

Not only is the pitching plus glove first guy plus noodle bat (outside of Vlad, and hopefully Bo) guy strategy doomed to fail, it is so painfully boring to watch. At a certain point, continuing to add glove first guys becomes less and less valuable to your team, because you don't really have a need there, and you're ignoring the gaping hole that is your offence. A Daulton Varsho (or insert any other Ozzie Smith glove/Mario Mendoza bat combo guy on this team here) hitting 8th or 9th in the lineup on a team with a very good offence is of tremendous value to that team. For us, he's just more of what we already have. On paper, sure you're adding WAR. But, it's the wrong kind of WAR for your team's needs. I looove WAR as a measuring stick, but you have to balance out the offensive and defensive parts of the equation. Otherwise you'll end up with a severe injury on our world famous Schneiders Hot Dog teeter totter. Be sure to ride it the next time you're up at SkyDome. I'm sure you'll love it. Barrels of fun for the whole family.

[WarningTrakPower]

Originally Posted by actionjackson

I've barely watched the Blue Jays since the second half of 2023.

In an alternate reality they could've extended Chapman and not traded for Varsho.
I believe this lineup would be more offensive productive than the current roster:

Gimenez 2B (I'd play him at SS)
Bichette SS (I'd play him at 2B)
Vlad 1B
Chapman 3B
Gurriel Jr LF
Springer DH
Moreno C
Barger RF
Clase CF

I'd love to see them give some at bats to Leo Jiménez & Orelvis Martinez, especially if they become less competitive.

[actionjackson]

Originally Posted by WarningTrakPower

In an alternate reality they could've extended Chapman and not traded for Varsho.
I believe this lineup would be more offensive productive than the current roster:

Gimenez 2B (I'd play him at SS)
Bichette SS (I'd play him at 2B)
Vlad 1B
Chapman 3B
Gurriel Jr LF
Springer DH
Moreno C
Barger RF
Clase CF

I'd love to see them give some at bats to Leo Jiménez & Orelvis Martinez, especially if they become less competitive.

I'd love to wake up from this front office nightmare with a team I can cheer for. I'd even take a massive rebuild. Anything. As long as it makes sense.

[MathBandit]

Originally Posted by WarningTrakPower

In an alternate reality they could've extended Chapman and not traded for Varsho.
I believe this lineup would be more offensive productive than the current roster:

Gimenez 2B (I'd play him at SS)
Bichette SS (I'd play him at 2B)
Vlad 1B
Chapman 3B
Gurriel Jr LF
Springer DH
Moreno C
Barger RF
Clase CF

I'd love to see them give some at bats to Leo Jiménez & Orelvis Martinez, especially if they become less competitive.

Barf. That seems like an awful team to watch compared to the 2024 and likely 2025 Jays, to me A DH that can't hit, two outfielders who can't field and a third who can't hit, and a Catcher who can't hit? Hard pass. Though I assume Kirk would actually be the Catcher there I guess who would make it slightly more tolerable, though then why not have traded the backup Catcher for the best defensive CF of the generation?

[WarningTrakPower]

Originally Posted by MathBandit

Barf. That seems like an awful team to watch

Would you rather watch Ernie Clement play 3B or Matt Chapman?

Originally Posted by MathBandit

A DH that can't hit

Springer isn't going anywhere and I think his defense will continue to regress (even if he was a platoon DH bat or some sort).

Originally Posted by MathBandit

two outfielders who can't field and a third who can't hit

I believe Barger would be at minimum average in RF (he has a great arm) and I agree with Gurriel defensively, but his bat would be an improvement.
Clase is an excellent defender in CF (theoretically making it easier for the corner OF defenders) and speed at bottom of lineup (even if he was an 80 OPS+ hitter).

Originally Posted by MathBandit

and a Catcher who can't hit?

Moreno is a fine hitter (105 OPS+ so far in his career) and will only be 25 next season.

Originally Posted by MathBandit

Though I assume Kirk would actually be the Catcher

Kirk has turned out to be an excellent defensive catcher, but his bat has fallen off. The last two seasons he has a 93 OPS+ with zero power in his bat it seems.

[MathBandit]

Originally Posted by WarningTrakPower

Would you rather watch Ernie Clement play 3B or Matt Chapman?

Chapman, obviously, but that's a false equivalence on a few levels- Ernie is much cheaper, Chapman got a *horrible* contract last year that I'm thrilled the Jays went nowhere near after he turned down way more money from them the year before, and Ernie both wasn't the planned starting 3B last year and presumably won't be the planned starting 3B this year either.

Originally Posted by WarningTrakPower

Springer isn't going anywhere and I think his defense will continue to regress (even if he was a platoon DH bat or some sort).

If Springer isn't going anywhere then his defense is certainly more valuable than his bat; let him continue to be a ~1.5-win RF and bring in a masher to DH.

Originally Posted by WarningTrakPower

I believe Barger would be at minimum average in RF (he has a great arm) and I agree with Gurriel defensively, but his bat would be an improvement.
Clase is an excellent defender in CF (theoretically making it easier for the corner OF defenders) and speed at bottom of lineup (even if he was an 80 OPS+ hitter).

I'd need to see Barger learn to actually play OF to think he's anywhere near average defensively there, since an arm isn't really relevant. Gurriel...doesn't really have a bat? 105 wRC+ isn't exactly knocking the cover off the ball when you're a DH playing the outfield. And Clase is just a much worse version of Varsho in every way (and is probably the player most Blue Jays fans think Varsho is, funnily enough)

Originally Posted by WarningTrakPower

Moreno is a fine hitter (105 OPS+ so far in his career) and will only be 25 next season. Kirk has turned out to be an excellent defensive catcher, but his bat has fallen off. The last two seasons he has a 93 OPS+ with zero power in his bat it seems.

If Moreno is a fine hitter, then so is Varsho (99 wRC+ last year), who also brings with him generational defense. Kirk is *also* only 25, who has at least shown the ability to be a real impact bat. And even his 'zero power' down years are...basically the same pop as Moreno's full career (.107 vs .113 ISO)?

---

edit:

Originally Posted by actionjackson

I'd love to wake up from this front office nightmare with a team I can cheer for. I'd even take a massive rebuild. Anything. As long as it makes sense.

Sounds like how I felt in 2014-2016 before they brought in a breath of fresh air to replace the donkey we had before. At least now there's a vision and a good future outlook.

[OutS|der]

Originally Posted by pgjocki

What I love the most about this response is that I am a huge Cardinals fan and almost cancelled MLB.TV last year as I can't stand watching them play right now.

I know that I've been spoiled over the last 15 to 20 years with always playing relevant games but the last 2 seasons just put a sour taste in my mouth. I told my son over Christmas break that I was going to cheer for a different team this year and also find a new team for OOTP.

I guess it's Blue Jays as apparently I'm partial to birds.

It won't be any easier watching the Blue Jays play. Being able to mute Buck would help though