"Hardest" team to be in OOTP17

[swampdragon]

In real life, the Rockies are the toughest team to fix, because free agents won't sign to pitch in that park, and the numbers don't translate when they do. In OOTP, I think the Padres and Orioles would be the hardest.

[captaincoop17]

Originally Posted by Hammercraft

I hate being the Phillies. There's virtually no way to unload that Howard contract.

Good thing you only have him for one season with OOTP 17 if you decline the team option and pay his $10M opt out

[DrSatan]

So far, I've managed the Yankees, Padres, and A's in OOTP 17. The Padres were the easiest to improve. They start with a nice budget, decent prospects, and some trade-able players.

The Yankees have a nice budget, but they're hand-cuffed to some monster contracts for players that don't produce. Clearing out the geriatrics was must with that league.

The A's.....These m@#$@! f@#$%@%......
They start with a budget of around $100M. It's not bad, until you see the crap contracts you're stuck with. In the 2016 draft, I only had enough money to sign my 3rd round pick. That was after unloading about $10 or $15M in contracts. Also, the owner is a stingy SOB. After my first season, which I finished 65-97, he cut my budget by $10M and demanded I sign an MVP.

Ok buddy. No prob.....

The next season I improve the team to 81-81. Dude raises my budget $5M and pockets all the sweet sweet cash I made him. He's still pissed that I haven't signed an MVP. At this point, payroll is down to $55M and attendance is up.

When 2018 rolls around, the budget is at $57M and I finish with a 71-91 record. Bossman doesn't care about the record because I made his greedy ass $28.7M this season. He's kind enough to increase my budget to $105M and pockets the rest. Also, out of nowhere he's butt hurt because I haven't acquired a Cy Young winner. This is the first time he's mentioned it, and apparently he doesn't feel Sonny Gray is up to the task even though his finished 2nd in voting twice. I decide, screw this guy, and I offer a fat contract to a 24 yr old pitching machine from Japan. I'm still waiting to see how that pans out.

[hfield007]

Originally Posted by Bobble

Barely, though. They're only in second place by a mere 100 bobbles.

I read this in a really serious voice and pictured bobble wearing a lab coat sand glasses whilst saying this and either I had a little too much of the good stuff or this was one of the funniest things I ever saw on this site. "a mere 100 bobbles" ahahaha

[rudel.dietrich]

ESPN has put their future power rankings behind a pay wall. But whomever is #30 on that list would be a good start.

[TomVeal]

Originally Posted by prisonerno6

5. Boston Braves, 1935 (38-115, .248)
In 1935, owner Emil Fuchs was looking for a way to draw fans and jump start his team. His answer: sign the legendary Babe Ruth away from the Yankees. Fuchs made many promises to Ruth about shares in the team profits and being the heir apparent to succeed manager Bill McKechnie, none of which he intended to keep. For his part, Ruth could by this time barely swing a bat or field his position. Fed up, Ruth retired on June 1 after managing to bat only .181 with six home runs in 72 at bats. Fuchs was ousted as owner in August, and the team finished with the worst record in the majors, a whopping 61½ games out of first place. The Braves would remain in Boston until 1953, when they moved to Milwaukee.
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Yet six homers in 72 at bats is equivalent to 42 in 500, which would be astonishing for a .181 batter. If the Babe had stuck out the season, he might have set a very strange all-time and unbreakable record.

[fcabanski]

I would say the Oakland A's.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRZ-IxZ46ng

[MmmRocks]

Originally Posted by Hammercraft

I hate being the Phillies. There's virtually no way to unload that Howard contract.

Yeah, I think dead salary is a big factor that these rankings overlook.

[mmarra82]

Originally Posted by DrSatan

So far, I've managed the Yankees, Padres, and A's in OOTP 17. The Padres were the easiest to improve. They start with a nice budget, decent prospects, and some trade-able players.

The Yankees have a nice budget, but they're hand-cuffed to some monster contracts for players that don't produce. Clearing out the geriatrics was must with that league.

The A's.....These m@#$@! f@#$%@%......
They start with a budget of around $100M. It's not bad, until you see the crap contracts you're stuck with. In the 2016 draft, I only had enough money to sign my 3rd round pick. That was after unloading about $10 or $15M in contracts. Also, the owner is a stingy SOB. After my first season, which I finished 65-97, he cut my budget by $10M and demanded I sign an MVP.

Ok buddy. No prob.....

The next season I improve the team to 81-81. Dude raises my budget $5M and pockets all the sweet sweet cash I made him. He's still pissed that I haven't signed an MVP. At this point, payroll is down to $55M and attendance is up.

When 2018 rolls around, the budget is at $57M and I finish with a 71-91 record. Bossman doesn't care about the record because I made his greedy ass $28.7M this season. He's kind enough to increase my budget to $105M and pockets the rest. Also, out of nowhere he's butt hurt because I haven't acquired a Cy Young winner. This is the first time he's mentioned it, and apparently he doesn't feel Sonny Gray is up to the task even though his finished 2nd in voting twice. I decide, screw this guy, and I offer a fat contract to a 24 yr old pitching machine from Japan. I'm still waiting to see how that pans out.

I have started the A's for 2017...It's quite a task cause they have no money to operate with, yet they have some lousy contracts on hand including Butler, Madson, and Crisp. Their minor league system appears towards the bottom as well.

Playing it as stats only, trades at low, and trading difficulty hard.

Quite a task thus far.

[BravesChop15]

I played with the Phillies and finally won them a WS in 2018. Never found a way to unload Howard's contract; but I was able to get Strasburg and Harper in back-to-back years of FA

[wsenkow]

Originally Posted by swampdragon

In real life, the Rockies are the toughest team to fix, because free agents won't sign to pitch in that park, and the numbers don't translate when they do. In OOTP, I think the Padres and Orioles would be the hardest.

Interesting, and in the game I never thought of it that way although I usually dip into the Free Agent signings when I'm closer to recognizing/needing those final pieces. I wonder if they would also refuse to sign with the Rockies in OOTP! I gave up with them because no matter how highly rated my starters were, (through trades and excellent pitching coach) I couldn't keep their ERA's low enough to even contend for a wild-card berth. Yet my bull pens never had that problem.

Again interesting, and enjoyed your comments with agreement of the difficulty of running the Padres franchise.

[wsenkow]

Originally Posted by jd200600

This almost makes me want to give it a go when we hit April!

I have read in several areas of the forum that with the standard MLB season, the first draft (2016) you have will be best pool to choose from, unless the latest patch changed things. I believe that to be true from what I've seen. So that would be an ideal time to increase the scouting budget to the highest amount you can, along with the greatest proportion towards scouting amateurs.