Schedule Question.

[David Watts]

My current league has 12 teams. 2, 6 team leagues. I'm using a 160 game schedule.

When I do get around to expanding, I plan on adding 4 teams. This will result in 2 eight team leagues. Of course the obvious choice would be to go with the 154 game schedule used for so many years by Major League Baseball. Perfectly balanced schedule with each team facing the other 22 times. But, OOTP does come with a 162 game schedule that fits the 2 eight team league format as well. This schedule would mean each team would play 6 of league opponents 23 times and 1 league opponent 24 times.

Which schedule would you go with. The perfect fit 154 or the less than perfect 162? The next planned expansion would raise the league to 20 teams and definitely use a 162 game schedule.


Or, I could start using interleague play. There is a really nice 158 game schedule that works with two 8 team leagues Each team plays each league team 18 times and faces each out of league team 4 times. This league began in 1947, so I'm not really sure I want to go interleague or not. Leaning towards holding off for quite awhile.

[thehef]

Originally Posted by David Watts

My current league has 12 teams. 2, 6 team leagues. I'm using a 160 game schedule.

When I do get around to expanding, I plan on adding 4 teams. This will result in 2 eight team leagues. Of course the obvious choice would be to go with the 154 game schedule used for so many years by Major League Baseball. Perfectly balanced schedule with each team facing the other 22 times. But, OOTP does come with a 162 game schedule that fits the 2 eight team league format as well. This schedule would mean each team would play 6 of league opponents 23 times and 1 league opponent 24 times.

Which schedule would you go with. The perfect fit 154 or the less than perfect 162? The next planned expansion would raise the league to 20 teams and definitely use a 162 game schedule.


Or, I could start using interleague play. There is a really nice 158 game schedule that works with two 8 team leagues Each team plays each league team 18 times and faces each out of league team 4 times. This league began in 1947, so I'm not really sure I want to go interleague or not. Leaning towards holding off for quite awhile.

Not sure what year you are in now, but if - by the time you expand - you will have decades of stats & records based upon a 160-game schedule, I would stick with that because then you won't have any reverse-Maris-asterisk scenarios (and when you later go to 162, that's an insignificant change). OTOH, those types of quirks in the evolution of your league can be what makes things interesting. Good luck

[Brad K]

I'd go with equal opponents.

Decades ago I read a book where the comments on the Maris issue including the must do it in 154 games edict arbitrarily ignored some opponents, and the idea equal number of games meant equal conditions was ludicrous because of differences in travel, ballparks, night games, etc.

[italyprof]

David, where do you find the schedules? I usually play a 16-team game, with the traditional league division, but sometimes want to see al the players and use interleague play. If every team played 14 games against their own league opponents = 98, plus 8 games against each team in the other league = 64 you have a 162 game, balanced schedule, and see every team enough times to really get to know them. Is this an option? And in any case, how do I find the options for schedules? Where are they in the game? Thanks.

[David Watts]

Originally Posted by italyprof

David, where do you find the schedules? I usually play a 16-team game, with the traditional league division, but sometimes want to see al the players and use interleague play. If every team played 14 games against their own league opponents = 98, plus 8 games against each team in the other league = 64 you have a 162 game, balanced schedule, and see every team enough times to really get to know them. Is this an option? And in any case, how do I find the options for schedules? Where are they in the game? Thanks.

On the options page hit the schedule button that's near the top right. When you do so, look up in the right corner. There will be a menu. I think it starts with generate schedule, one of the options will be "Import from File." Select that and you will see all the schedules that come with the game. Every major league schedule from every year will be there. Be aware that each MLB schedule comes with both an as played and a non as played schedule. The :"As Played" will say AP or ASP(at work). I usually don't use them, as they factor in real life stuff that happened. Every minor league featured in the game will also be present. So if you want to use one of them, they are available as well.

Among the list of schedules will be tons of generic options as well All you have to do is make sure the schedule fits your setup. Make sure you change the number of games to the number of games to match the number to the number of games of the schedule you're trying to import. Also, if your wanting to use interleague play, make sure you have enabled interleague play. If you are importing a balanced schedule, make sure you have the box for balanced checked.

When you see these schedules at the beginging you see a code (at work so I might not get it exactly correct). This code will say ILy or ILy b(or bal)y or n. ILy mean the schedule feature interleague play. ILn means it doesn't feature interleague play. B or Bal y, means the schedule is balanced. B or BAL n means the schedule is unbalanced,

There are also codes for setups. s1 or sl1 means subleague 1. d1 or div1 means division 1, d2 or div2 means division 2 and so on. t will stand for teams. So you will see something like S1D1T6,D2T6, S2D1T6, D2T6 That will be a 24 team league, with two subleagues and two divisions of 6 teams. After the setup codes you will see total league teams. and a breakdown of how the schedule is set to work. So if you were using a schedule like the MLB used from 69-76. It would say something like 24 teams 18 Div, 12 (i can't remember the wording) That means teams play each team in their division 18 times and the teams in the other division 12 times.

The Interleague schedules will be ones the say ILY(or something close to that) You will again see a breakdown at the end of how many games are played against subleague opponents and how many interleague games are played.

There is a really cool 16 team schedule available. It's a 158 game schedule. Each team plays the teams in their subleague 18 times for 126 games. Each team plays the teams in the other subleague 4 times for 32 games total . It's a great schedule, because the interleague schedule is balanced. 4 games against each. 2 at home, 2 away.

[italyprof]

Wonderful David Watts, as always I am very grateful. Have started a new random debut league, saw this answer after I started it, but will use this info for my next one, and will post some results soon for this current one.

Are you thinking of moving on to OOTP 21? I see more activity in the Historical Simulations forum there than here, but I have not gotten it yet and don't know if this is a good year to spend that money - the parks feature looks interesting, but I live the old parks that I use from the old mod from a while back and don't know if I need it.

Again, thanks and hope you and everyone else here are well and healthy and safe.