Tips to building a top farm system?

GmOfTheYear · 08-02-2017, 01:53 PM

I can't help but notice after playing two standard leagues around 10 years deep in both. I've had teams for the most part be in rebuild mode yet my farm systems never reach the top or anywhere close. I think the highest my farm system has been ranked is 13th. Does anyone have any tips to get that top top farm system? Or is it just about drafting? I'd just like to have the top farm system for once, and in this years edition I am struggling to do that.

In years past I would easily have the top farm system very easily, whether through trading for top prospects and adding them or just having players develop. This year however is it harder to make trades with the ai? because I find in a lot of situations I just can't quite get those good or elite prospects without giving too much back to bolster my farm system. And I keep drafting busts even with top picks so I am definitely struggling to get a top farm system which would be great if I could.

NoOne · 08-02-2017, 02:15 PM

i wouldn't worry about the ranking itself. since you are always in rebuild mode, that's a bit concerning. it could be a bit of bad luck, too. draft scouting accuracy isn't so great even when you spend a ton on it.

is there a trend with what is 'wrong' with your draftees? do the SP more than not have low movement or control etc? start watching closely, check scouting reports history etc. assume that huge shifts can very often be scouting correction if at younger ages, lower levels, after a recent promotion etc.

anyway whatever the common weakness is, i typically focus a bit more on that particular rating. imo, movement for pitchers is key to reaching MLB and contact is key for batters inthe draft. that doesn't mean you ignore the rest... that doesn't mean i always sort by that, either. however it is viewed/sorted, i'm only looking at players with good contact and *relative to draft only high movement - it's usually much lower than what it says after those first 10-20picks.

*perspective of reaching mlb, not necessarilly playing well there. more about inaccuracy in scouting and how it's applied to draft eligible amatuers. still relative to roles on team. power is huge, so drafting guys with slightly lower power than others available at that time isn't unusual.. but, they must have ~1/2 to above 1/2 scale contact. higher the power, the more above 1/2 they should be... power is a component of contact. if it's extremely high, ~1/2 scale means something is absolutely terrible between babip and avoid k's or they are both mediocre etc..

biggest new reality for me is not buying up international amatuers

slugger922cubs · 08-02-2017, 05:55 PM

Acquire talent. Talent/assets are currency. Sign veteran FAs on short-term deals. Pick up players on waivers, build their value flip to contenders for the best prospect available. Just drafting and signing IFAs is typically not enough on its own to reach top 5 or so in system ranking.

kingtut313 · 08-02-2017, 10:04 PM

I think it's the most fun to play as awful teams and bring them up the ranks. A few tips I always employ:

- Constantly check the free agent pool. You can find a lot of good young players that other teams have given up on. Just create some filters and look at potential. Usually you will find some promising players that have a hole or two in their game which could eventually come around.

- Look to pick up prospects that other teams don't value. If I'm making a deal, I take a look at that teams system from the bottom up and see if there is a guy who could develop a little bit into a solid prospect and I can usually add him to the deal for nothing more.

- Trade guys at peak value. I do this from time to time after a guy has been in my system and I don't think he will meet his ceiling but he has a lot of value due to his potential. Flip 'em to a team who overvalues for some guys you like.

- Always draft best player available. Don't worry that you don't have any catcher prospects and draft a couple early to fill a need. Draft guys who you think will develop value.

- Get a good staff. Crappy staff can hinder player development and give you terrible reports on players. Pump some money into scouting and development and hire good coaches to get the best out of your farm.

It takes time, both in-game and real life, to build a system. You have to know your entire organization and understand their value, both to you and the league. Hope this helps!

wallewalls · 08-02-2017, 11:05 PM

Could it just be the OSA doesnt like your prospects? They are technically the ones that rate the farm systems right? I've had a great crop of farm players who have great impacts on my teams, many of which were 1st and 2nd round picks, who were never considered top prospects by the OSA, which led to me having an average farm system according to them, even though according to my scout, and me, I was loaded.

Or are you just having trouble acquiring top prospects?

CarriageTownBaseball · 03-04-2024, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingtut313

I think it's the most fun to play as awful teams and bring them up the ranks. A few tips I always employ:

- Constantly check the free agent pool. You can find a lot of good young players that other teams have given up on. Just create some filters and look at potential. Usually you will find some promising players that have a hole or two in their game which could eventually come around.

- Look to pick up prospects that other teams don't value. If I'm making a deal, I take a look at that teams system from the bottom up and see if there is a guy who could develop a little bit into a solid prospect and I can usually add him to the deal for nothing more.

- Trade guys at peak value. I do this from time to time after a guy has been in my system and I don't think he will meet his ceiling but he has a lot of value due to his potential. Flip 'em to a team who overvalues for some guys you like.

- Always draft best player available. Don't worry that you don't have any catcher prospects and draft a couple early to fill a need. Draft guys who you think will develop value.

- Get a good staff. Crappy staff can hinder player development and give you terrible reports on players. Pump some money into scouting and development and hire good coaches to get the best out of your farm.

It takes time, both in-game and real life, to build a system. You have to know your entire organization and understand their value, both to you and the league. Hope this helps!

This makes sense, except that I inherited Chaim Bloom's disgusting roster and lame farm system (14 out of 30). I tried to play through the year, but decided to blow it up. I traded a bunch of overpaid guys and filled in the farm system with multiple (maybe as many as 10) guys with 4-star + potential. In the second year of my game, I'm 55-26 and DOMINATING the AL East. Meanwhile, they rank my farm system 30/30. I don't get it. Owner just sent me a midyear update, hoping we can continue to play well to achieve his goal of a .500 season (WHAT!??!), but PO'd because "you've done nothing to address the farm system" (except that I've probably turned over about 30% of the farm system. Definitely say there's room for improvement in this part of the game.

CarriageTownBaseball · 04-25-2024, 07:42 PM

I blew it up in '23, won the AL East in '24 but took a dirtnap in the first round of the playoffs. In '25, I won it all, and through a redonkulous amount of dealing, I've actually built the #1 rated farm system. I'm here, John [Henry] if Breslow doesn't work out.

08-02-2017, 05:55 PM	#3
slugger922cubs Major Leagues Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 311	Acquire talent. Talent/assets are currency. Sign veteran FAs on short-term deals. Pick up players on waivers, build their value flip to contenders for the best prospect available. Just drafting and signing IFAs is typically not enough on its own to reach top 5 or so in system ranking. Last edited by slugger922cubs; 08-02-2017 at 05:58 PM.

08-02-2017, 10:04 PM	#4
kingtut313 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Lansing, MI Posts: 163	I think it's the most fun to play as awful teams and bring them up the ranks. A few tips I always employ: - Constantly check the free agent pool. You can find a lot of good young players that other teams have given up on. Just create some filters and look at potential. Usually you will find some promising players that have a hole or two in their game which could eventually come around. - Look to pick up prospects that other teams don't value. If I'm making a deal, I take a look at that teams system from the bottom up and see if there is a guy who could develop a little bit into a solid prospect and I can usually add him to the deal for nothing more. - Trade guys at peak value. I do this from time to time after a guy has been in my system and I don't think he will meet his ceiling but he has a lot of value due to his potential. Flip 'em to a team who overvalues for some guys you like. - Always draft best player available. Don't worry that you don't have any catcher prospects and draft a couple early to fill a need. Draft guys who you think will develop value. - Get a good staff. Crappy staff can hinder player development and give you terrible reports on players. Pump some money into scouting and development and hire good coaches to get the best out of your farm. It takes time, both in-game and real life, to build a system. You have to know your entire organization and understand their value, both to you and the league. Hope this helps! __________________ Baseball statistics are like a girl in a bikini. They show a lot, but not everything. - Toby Harrah

04-25-2024, 07:42 PM	#7
CarriageTownBaseball Bat Boy Join Date: Jan 2024 Location: Saturn Posts: 14	Just to update I blew it up in '23, won the AL East in '24 but took a dirtnap in the first round of the playoffs. In '25, I won it all, and through a redonkulous amount of dealing, I've actually built the #1 rated farm system. I'm here, John [Henry] if Breslow doesn't work out. __________________ "I never took the game home with me. I usually left it in some bar on the way." -- Bob Lemon

08-02-2017, 01:53 PM	#1
GmOfTheYear Major Leagues Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 402	Tips to building a top farm system? I can't help but notice after playing two standard leagues around 10 years deep in both. I've had teams for the most part be in rebuild mode yet my farm systems never reach the top or anywhere close. I think the highest my farm system has been ranked is 13th. Does anyone have any tips to get that top top farm system? Or is it just about drafting? I'd just like to have the top farm system for once, and in this years edition I am struggling to do that. In years past I would easily have the top farm system very easily, whether through trading for top prospects and adding them or just having players develop. This year however is it harder to make trades with the ai? because I find in a lot of situations I just can't quite get those good or elite prospects without giving too much back to bolster my farm system. And I keep drafting busts even with top picks so I am definitely struggling to get a top farm system which would be great if I could.

08-02-2017, 02:15 PM	#2
NoOne Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 7,167	i wouldn't worry about the ranking itself. since you are always in rebuild mode, that's a bit concerning. it could be a bit of bad luck, too. draft scouting accuracy isn't so great even when you spend a ton on it. is there a trend with what is 'wrong' with your draftees? do the SP more than not have low movement or control etc? start watching closely, check scouting reports history etc. assume that huge shifts can very often be scouting correction if at younger ages, lower levels, after a recent promotion etc. anyway whatever the common weakness is, i typically focus a bit more on that particular rating. imo, movement for pitchers is key to reaching MLB and contact is key for batters inthe draft. that doesn't mean you ignore the rest... that doesn't mean i always sort by that, either. however it is viewed/sorted, i'm only looking at players with good contact and relative to draft only high movement - it's usually much lower than what it says after those first 10-20picks. perspective of reaching mlb, not necessarilly playing well there. more about inaccuracy in scouting and how it's applied to draft eligible amatuers. still relative to roles on team. power is huge, so drafting guys with slightly lower power than others available at that time isn't unusual.. but, they must have ~1/2 to above 1/2 scale contact. higher the power, the more above 1/2 they should be... power is a component of contact. if it's extremely high, ~1/2 scale means something is absolutely terrible between babip and avoid k's or they are both mediocre etc.. biggest new reality for me is not buying up international amatuers

08-02-2017, 11:05 PM	#5
wallewalls All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 774 Infractions: 0/1 (1)	Could it just be the OSA doesnt like your prospects? They are technically the ones that rate the farm systems right? I've had a great crop of farm players who have great impacts on my teams, many of which were 1st and 2nd round picks, who were never considered top prospects by the OSA, which led to me having an average farm system according to them, even though according to my scout, and me, I was loaded. Or are you just having trouble acquiring top prospects?