Random Debut

[Orcin]

I would like to play random debut, but I have primarily avoided the mode because I don't understand how it works or how to configure it to get what I want. There are a lot of threads on the topic, but most of them assume a level of experience with the mode and discuss a specific problem or feature. I need "random debut for dummies".

For example, I would like to start a league in 1921 and have the inaugural draft contain only players that played from 1901-1920. In subsequent years, any player could come into the league at their debut age. Is this possible and, if so, how would I do it?

Some other specific questions about this setup and the mode in general:
1. Would the player's ages in the inaugural draft pool be their age in 1921?
2. Would players that retired prior to 1920 but played in the 1901-20 range be included in the game at all?
3. Can I do this with reserve rosters only (i.e. no minors) and have everyone enter as free agents?
4. Do I have to use the reserve clause in 1921, or can I select free agency rules?
5. Can I have the DH on from the beginning?

Finally, can I use a combination of recalc and the development engine? I want players to be similar to reality with some variance possible. I am ok with Willie Mays being an all-star level player that does not make the Hall of Fame, but I don't want him to be a replacement player or never develop.

Any other specific tips for beginners will be appreciated.

[LansdowneSt]

Originally Posted by Orcin

For example, I would like to start a league in 1921 and have the inaugural draft contain only players that played from 1901-1920.

No, they would be from the actual year range (I assume 1921 to 2023) at a random age (or a bell curve of ages with each member of the class randomly fitting along it) so that people retire when the draft class comes in. It would be great if the inaugural class had some controls on it as the one downside is getting star/favorite player X coming in at age 37 in the Inaugural class.

Originally Posted by Orcin

In subsequent years, any player could come into the league at their debut age.

In this set up, as the game currently works, anyone that was not in the Inaugural Class and debuted in that year range will come in randomly in follow-on draft classes.

Originally Posted by Orcin

Is this possible and, if so, how would I do it?

Some other specific questions about this setup and the mode in general:
1. Would the player's ages in the inaugural draft pool be their age in 1921?
2. Would players that retired prior to 1920 but played in the 1901-20 range be included in the game at all?
3. Can I do this with reserve rosters only (i.e. no minors) and have everyone enter as free agents?
4. Do I have to use the reserve clause in 1921, or can I select free agency rules?
5. Can I have the DH on from the beginning?

Finally, can I use a combination of recalc and the development engine? I want players to be similar to reality with some variance possible. I am ok with Willie Mays being an all-star level player that does not make the Hall of Fame, but I don't want him to be a replacement player or never develop.

Any other specific tips for beginners will be appreciated.

On 1, No, as mentioned the age is random so that there are retiring people as new draft classes come in, as occurs in real baseball - and even occurred in the first year of baseball.

On 2, No. for example no Nap Lajoie will appear (retired 1916)

On 3, yes. You can have Reserve Rosters and while, I've never run a game with everyone coming in as a FA, that option in settings is not precluded.

On 4, Yes, you can set free agency rules

On 5, yes you can have the DH enabled for any or all leagues as usual per the settings toggles

The long-standing way to play is to have both Recalc and Development on - this will be the default in the wizard. You will get some during-the-year variance from development but then the player will reset at years' end per recalc.

I prefer with Retire and Miss According to History off as the years aren't the years anyway. Keep in mind you can run a 1921-2023 (soon to be 2024) game starting in any year too. Just affects the league totals.

You can't run a game that has RD players from 1901-1930 and 1980-1990. The year bookends are from one to the other straight through. Give it go, I love RD games.

Also, before I forget, turn OFF the color barrier if starting in 1921 as some of the Randoms will be black and excluding them per era rules will mean a good percentage of your draft class will be hidden if you forget to turn it off.

[Orcin]

Thanks for the color barrier tip. I would definitely want the NeL players to appear in the draft classes. What happens to players like Hank Aaron or Jackie Robinson though? Do they appear with their NeL ratings/potential and get recalculated to their MLB ratings at some point?

Could I create a historical league with my settings (inaugural draft, free agency, reserve rosters, etc.) in 1901 and sim it forward to 1920, then change it to random debut with the range set at 1921-2023? If I understand, this would effectively be the same as a historical league with rookies entering as free agents except that the rookies would be random from all eras instead of 1921's rookie class. I think Reed suggested something like this in another thread, but I am not sure I understood the method to accomplish it.

With regard to development, I would want to set the TCR low enough to prevent a Willie Mays from becoming a mediocre player. Is 50 a good value for this purpose?

[LansdowneSt]

Originally Posted by Orcin

Thanks for the color barrier tip. I would definitely want the NeL players to appear in the draft classes. What happens to players like Hank Aaron or Jackie Robinson though? Do they appear with their NeL ratings/potential and get recalculated to their MLB ratings at some point?

Could I create a historical league with my settings (inaugural draft, free agency, reserve rosters, etc.) in 1901 and sim it forward to 1920, then change it to random debut with the range set at 1921-2023? If I understand, this would effectively be the same as a historical league with rookies entering as free agents except that the rookies would be random from all eras instead of 1921's rookie class. I think Reed suggested something like this in another thread, but I am not sure I understood the method to accomplish it.

With regard to development, I would want to set the TCR low enough to prevent a Willie Mays from becoming a mediocre player. Is 50 a good value for this purpose?

The Color Barrier isn't off to get the NeL players in. It's because Bobby Bonilla might show up in an RD amateur draft class in 1929. With it off, you never see him and he never plays. If you use The InteGREATed mod for RD, the MLB years are their MLB years and the NeL years and Major League Equivalencies. Aaron has no MLEs but Jackie has two earlier years (1945-6) as MLEs, so - if using that mod in an RD - he shows up two years younger than using the OOTP default database.

RD games are for MLB players, as defined by OOTP, only.

Yup, Reed's process is a good one to get close to what you need.

No TCR changes are necessary but lowering it will moderate some of the development that occurs mid-year. Mays will never be mediocre on the default RD settings, even development turns on him recalc will readjust him enough to make him solid even in the worst case. But yes, lowering the TCR will have everyone hew closer to their recalc career course.