Training Players for new position

[JoeDec89]

Another dumb question, but I’m trying to learn more about perfect mode. I had a couple of questions on training players to learn new positions.

1) Can a player learn any position? Or are the only positions they can learn listed on their card?
2) How do “train” them to learn the new position? I think you have to click on the individual player, then set position, but I wasn’t sure.
3). How do you know the max rating a player can learn at a position? Is there anyway to know this before buying a player in the AH?

Thanks in advance. Any other tips or suggestions relating to this topic would be welcomed.

[Maddox]

They can not only learn other positions but sometimes will even be better at other positions based on their ratings. In 15 minutes I have Ozzie Smith beginning his journey to be the best second baseman in the league. When he is fully trained he will be a better ranked 2b than SS. It will take at least a season to get him there though.

[mess]

Originally Posted by JoeDec89

Another dumb question, but I’m trying to learn more about perfect mode. I had a couple of questions on training players to learn new positions.

1) Can a player learn any position? Or are the only positions they can learn listed on their card?
2) How do “train” them to learn the new position? I think you have to click on the individual player, then set position, but I wasn’t sure.
3). How do you know the max rating a player can learn at a position? Is there anyway to know this before buying a player in the AH?

Thanks in advance. Any other tips or suggestions relating to this topic would be welcomed.

Any player can learn any position as long as they have the skills for that position. The only exception is left handed throwers cannot play anything on the left side of the infield.

Example: A player with a 0 in catching ability will never learn how to play catcher, but the Live 2018 Donaldson will eventually learn C after about 150-160 games. Altuve and Machado can learn almost every position except C because they have values in all categories. Make for a good super utility.

You just put that player in the position you want them to learn and they'll slowly get trained up based on their skills. Get ready for negative ZR for a while though. Players will learn at different speeds depending on their raw skills.

Example: Rookie Tulo will learn 3B very quickly because his Range, Arm, and Error skills are very high.

There's a way to use commissioner mode to check the max values by making an identical player and turning off scouting, but I personally haven't tried it. SS, C, and CF seem to require the most "skills" in order to reach their highest potential, while the corner OF spots and 1B seem to require the least.

[<Pion>]

Originally Posted by JoeDec89

Another dumb question, but I’m trying to learn more about perfect mode. I had a couple of questions on training players to learn new positions.

1) Can a player learn any position? Or are the only positions they can learn listed on their card?
2) How do “train” them to learn the new position? I think you have to click on the individual player, then set position, but I wasn’t sure.
3). How do you know the max rating a player can learn at a position? Is there anyway to know this before buying a player in the AH?

Thanks in advance. Any other tips or suggestions relating to this topic would be welcomed.

Not every player can learn all positions.

If I recall correctly, There is a limit on Left handed throwers learning SS and I believe 3B as well. Not sure about 2B.

Also, one of the guys has a fielding ratings calculator that will give you an idea of what the player will eventually train up to (within a point or two). Players will rate higher if they go down the defensive spectrum (like a SS learning 3B or a CF learning LF) than they will if going up the defensive spectrum.

[mess]

Originally Posted by <Pion>

Not every player can learn all positions.

If I recall correctly, There is a limit on Left handed throwers learning SS and I believe 3B as well. Not sure about 2B.

Also, one of the guys has a fielding ratings calculator that will give you an idea of what the player will eventually train up to (within a point or two). Players will rate higher if they go down the defensive spectrum (like a SS learning 3B or a CF learning LF) than they will if going up the defensive spectrum.

I completely forgot about Left handed throwers. Good catch.

[stan-theman]

where do you go to let them learn new position..thanks

[BoofBonser26]

Originally Posted by stan-theman

where do you go to let them learn new position..thanks

Players learn by experience. Get them on the field in their new position ASAP!

[The_Savage_1]

Does anyone know if the learning rate is by games played or innings fielded? I'm thinking of doing some position training through defensive subs. Obviously this is more enticing if fielding an inning as a defensive sub gains the same experience as a whole game.

[Thalion]

As far as we can figure out, it’s by inning played defensively.

[Izz]

Originally Posted by JoeDec89

2) How do “train” them to learn the new position? I think you have to click on the individual player, then set position, but I wasn’t sure.

Put that player in the lineup at the position you want them to learn. You don't need to change their position on their card. After they play a couple games there you'll see a new rating at that position which will continue to grow the more games you play them there until they reach their maximum (provided they met the criteria in the above posts).

[Mudster]

I've been trying to train both Bryce Harper and Jay Baez at catcher...both start out with ability and arm at 1. I might not have enough games with Baez, but nothing changed with him, including having catcher show up as a position. Harper, on the other hand has over 160 games at catcher....his ability went up to 5 early and stopped. His arm is still at 1. He never had catcher show up as a position even though my team lists him as a catcher and on his ratings card, it shows the catcher stats as his main stats even though he doesnt have an actual catcher rating. Anyone else have these same results ?

[DonkeyKongSr]

Originally Posted by Mudster

I've been trying to train both Bryce Harper and Jay Baez at catcher...both start out with ability and arm at 1. I might not have enough games with Baez, but nothing changed with him, including having catcher show up as a position. Harper, on the other hand has over 160 games at catcher....his ability went up to 5 early and stopped. His arm is still at 1. He never had catcher show up as a position even though my team lists him as a catcher and on his ratings card, it shows the catcher stats as his main stats even though he doesnt have an actual catcher rating. Anyone else have these same results ?

You can't train Arm or any of the individual skill ratings, just the Position Ratings. If the skill ratings suck, they'll never get anywhere at the relevant positions.

If you want an interesting catcher, go with Josh Donaldson (the Live Diamond one, not the historical one). He'll get to a low, but usable level at Catcher. But it's super slow for Catchers...like 4 seasons or so, while every other position is pretty much fully trainable in 1.5-2 seasons if the player is capable of training the position.

[mess]

Originally Posted by DonkeyKongSr

You can't train Arm or any of the individual skill ratings, just the Position Ratings. If the skill ratings suck, they'll never get anywhere at the relevant positions.

If you want an interesting catcher, go with Josh Donaldson (the Live Diamond one, not the historical one). He'll get to a low, but usable level at Catcher. But it's super slow for Catchers...like 4 seasons or so, while every other position is pretty much fully trainable in 1.5-2 seasons if the player is capable of training the position.

I've done with with the LIVE Donaldson... it takes around 150-160 games. He instantly goes to 12 at C. He's not great but it's serviceable

[DonkeyKongSr]

Originally Posted by mess

I've done with with the LIVE Donaldson... it takes around 150-160 games. He instantly goes to 12 at C. He's not great but it's serviceable

One of the developers said that is just to register anything, so you've passed the first huge hurdle. He maxes at somewhere in the 40's after another 3-4 seasons. Really, unless you start in Bronze with him (won't happen much as a 4-5K card), his training period is probably going to hurt your overall team performance.

And by the time you are in Diamond or Perfect and you have him trained, he's at best just a way to have a good hitting backup catcher that can also backup infield positions. And then at that point, you might be in the market for Diamond Biggio who can do just about everything Donaldson can do, but better and without the crazy training.

[joehart]

Does anyone have a formula for the time it takes a player to reach his max defensive value? (as in how many games).

Example: Lindor (with his great defensive ratings) gets from 0 to 68 in half a season while Vlad Jr. (with his less than stellar defensive ratings) is more like watching paint dry. However, Vlad should also get to an almost 80 defensive rating as his max.
I am curious if someone tried to build a length of time formula.

[Thalion]

I think the rate gain is random but accelerated early on and slows dramatically as they approach the max

[joehart]

Hmm...I could have sworn it is based on the defensive ratings.
The higher the ratings, the faster they learn the position, hence Lindor approaches his max a lot faster compared to Vlad Jr.

[Izz]

Originally Posted by joehart

Hmm...I could have sworn it is based on the defensive ratings.
The higher the ratings, the faster they learn the position, hence Lindor approaches his max a lot faster compared to Vlad Jr.

Yes, pretty sure you're right - Andrelton Simmons learnt a lot faster for me than Manny Machado, for example. I seem to remember one of the devs also saying that it is also dependent on chances taken while fielding a position but I might be misremembering.

[fredbeene]

Originally Posted by DonkeyKongSr

You can't train Arm or any of the individual skill ratings, just the Position Ratings. If the skill ratings suck, they'll never get anywhere at the relevant positions.

If you want an interesting catcher, go with Josh Donaldson (the Live Diamond one, not the historical one). He'll get to a low, but usable level at Catcher. But it's super slow for Catchers...like 4 seasons or so, while every other position is pretty much fully trainable in 1.5-2 seasons if the player is capable of training the position.

So this is what a bit confusing about PT.
So a player can learn a new position (i did not really know that except i force a player to play first )
But there is nothing else that will change right? There is no POTENTIAL? There ratings will NEVER change right?

[zrog2000]

Originally Posted by fredbeene

So this is what a bit confusing about PT.
So a player can learn a new position (i did not really know that except i force a player to play first )
But there is nothing else that will change right? There is no POTENTIAL? There ratings will NEVER change right?

Potential in terms of OOTP is turned off for PT. But there is a max defensive rating that every player can learn for every position. The only thing that changes the defensive rating is experience playing the position. So you can make a player play shortstop and his SS rating will improve, but his range, arm, turn double play and error rating will not. It will improve until it gets to his maximum rating based on his other ratings, usually after about 200 games. There are exceptions such as catchers being way slower at improving and lefthanded players not being able to improve their infield ratings at anything other than 1B.

Think of it in terms of natural ability (doesn't change) in combination with experience (does change).