Asking for General Tips for Historic Team

jmount78 · 01-05-2012, 09:07 AM

Hello everyone! I wanted to ask for some advice on getting better with my 1979 Braves team. My first year, I finished with a score of 1. In 1980, I finished with a score of 5. I know that this takes talent to score so low in consecutive years, but I need some help.

I have traded for pitchers with 3-5 start overall and potential. My staff is made up of all these grades with the ERAs ranging from 2.47 to 5.25, with somewhere in the middle 3's being the average. I have a six man rotation as my younger pitchers seem to be fatigued more using a 5 man rotation.

My lineup is very good with no player having less than 3 stars overall and most having 4stars, plus a majority of them have 5 star potential. My main problem is that my backups are one star overall with 2 star potential.

My minor leagues I am still not getting the hang of yet. I see other farm clubs not having a full roster of position players and wanted to know if that is important even if it is filled with one star players? Also, I play GM mode, but see where the lineups for the affiliates can be manipulated. Is this a factor overall as well?

Any tips would be apprecicated.

Kelric · 01-09-2012, 06:21 PM

I've never paid much attention to the score OOTP gives, but I think a lot of it has to do with season expectations, your payroll relative to your w/l record, etc.

If you're playing with Waivers on, scour that waiver wire for bench players and fringe big leaguers. I can be pretty lazy when it comes to keeping an eye on my minors, I tend to just ask the AI to set it up automatically once a month except when there are stud prospects that I sometimes prevent it from moving around.

jmount78 · 01-10-2012, 08:31 AM

Thank you Kelric! I will try that and see. I ddin't think about how the owner's expectations might affect that rating. I appreciate the reply.

Vinny P. · 01-10-2012, 07:33 PM

Yeah, the "score" OOTP gives after each season is sort of useless, in describing how good or bad your team actually is. It is a great indication that you might get fired soon, however!

What was your record like?

Another thing is, I notice you are going off by just simply the Star Rating system. While the stars are a good indication of whether each player is a just generally a "good" ball player or not, it doesn't at all give you the scoop on what SORT of players you have.

You need to dig deeper, and look at each rating category. How good of a runner (base stealing, speed, base running instincts, and Eye) does your leadoff hitter have? What's his OBP for the first two seasons?

A leadoff hitter needs to have a high OBP, with great Eye rating (doesn't have to have any Power whatsoever. Good Contact rating helps.) He should be really fast on the basepaths. And the ability to steal is a plus.

The number two hitter, should be similar to the number one hitter, but with higher Contact rating.

The number three, four, and five hitters are traditionally your "Power" hitters, but they should also have excellent Contact rating. Eye rating helps for these players as well. Traditionally, 3, 4, and 5 should be your best offensive players on your team.

Numbers 6 and 7 traditionally have solid Contact rating. Power isn't a big deal. Eye always helps. Baserunning skills are appreciated for these two.

Number 8 is traditionally your weakest position player hitting in your lineup. Arguably, your pitcher should hit in the number 8 slot, if you go off what Tony LaRussa's theory for setting up a lineup.

Personally, I like tradition, with one small twist. The number 8 hitter should have the second-highest OBP on the team, with excellent base running skills, speed, and stealing ability. Basically, I like the number 8 guy to be another solid leadoff hitter type. With less than 2 outs, the pitcher can just simply bunt him over to second, giving the leadoff hitter, or the number 2 guy the chance to bring him around, if it goes that far.

//////////////////////

Defense:

When looking at fielding positions, your SS, 2B, and CF are the most important positions to have skill in defense. Basically, the positions "up the middle."

I like a solid LF and 3B as well, as most hitters are righties.

When facing a team full of Lefties/switch hitters, and if your starting pitcher is a right-handed pitcher, your left fielder should play right if he is the second best OF on your team for both positions.

1B is generally not that big a deal. You can usually get away with just plugging anyone into First.

////////////////////////////////

Utility players:

You absolutely NEED a second catcher!!! This is IMPERATIVE. And he should be a serviceable major leaguer, and doesn't need to be a great hitter. Just consistent.

Beyond him, with NL rules, look for players that have solid ability to play the defense in multiple positions. You need one or two infielders. Preferrably two. One infielder that can play second and short. And a second that can play first and third.

You need one of two outfielders. They don;t have to be GREAT at defense. But they should be solid offensively. They will be guys you can plug into any outfield position, and first base if need be. They will be your pinch hitters, if playing with NL rules.

If playing AL rules, not as much need for solid pinch hitters, as you have a DH that replaces the pitcher. Obviously.

/////////////////

Pitchers:

you should have three solid starters. Obviously, one Ace, and two good pitchers after him. Numbers 4 and 5 in the rotation is fine to have with a 4.50 - 5.20 ERA.

You need at least one solid long reliever that will chew up the middle innings of close games, and keep it close. You should have two or three other decent middle relievers, to pick up the slack, but they don;t have to be all that great. Basic rule of thumb: Don't waste a lot of money on relievers! I like a closer who can pitch two innings. A closer combined with a set-up man I feel can be a waste of a roster spot, and a waste of money.

Vinny P. · 01-10-2012, 07:45 PM

Yeah, the "score" OOTP gives after each season is sort of useless, in describing how good or bad your team actually is. It is a great indication that you might get fired soon, however!

What was your record like?

Another thing is, I notice you are going off by just simply the Star Rating system. While the stars are a good indication of whether each player is a just generally a "good" ball player or not, it doesn't at all give you the scoop on what SORT of players you have.

You need to dig deeper, and look at each rating category. How good of a runner (base stealing, speed, base running instincts, and Eye) does your leadoff hitter have? What's his OBP for the first two seasons?

A leadoff hitter needs to have a high OBP, with great Eye rating (doesn't have to have any Power whatsoever. Good Contact rating helps.) He should be really fast on the basepaths. And the ability to steal is a plus.

The number two hitter, should be similar to the number one hitter, but with higher Contact rating.

The number three, four, and five hitters are traditionally your "Power" hitters, but they should also have excellent Contact rating. Eye rating helps for these players as well. Traditionally, 3, 4, and 5 should be your best offensive players on your team.

Numbers 6 and 7 traditionally have solid Contact rating. Power isn't a big deal. Eye always helps. Baserunning skills are appreciated for these two.

Number 8 is traditionally your weakest position player hitting in your lineup. Arguably, your pitcher should hit in the number 8 slot, if you go off what Tony LaRussa's theory for setting up a lineup.

Personally, I like tradition, with one small twist. The number 8 hitter should have the second-highest OBP on the team, with excellent base running skills, speed, and stealing ability. Basically, I like the number 8 guy to be another solid leadoff hitter type. With less than 2 outs, the pitcher can just simply bunt him over to second, giving the leadoff hitter, or the number 2 guy the chance to bring him around, if it goes that far.

When looking at fielding positions, your SS, 2B, and CF are the most important positions to have skill in defense. Basically, the positions "up the middle."

I like a solid LF and 3B as well, as most hitters are righties.

When facing a team full of Lefties/switch hitters, and if your starting pitcher is a right-handed pitcher, your left fielder should play right if he is the second best OF on your team for both positions.

Kelric · 01-11-2012, 12:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vinny P.

Utility players:

You absolutely NEED a second catcher!!! This is IMPERATIVE. And he should be a serviceable major leaguer, and doesn't need to be a great hitter. Just consistent.

I love a backup catcher that can play first and/or third. Or, even better, having an exclusive backup catcher but also a utility player that can also go behind the plate in a serviceable manner in an emergency.

Vinny P. · 01-11-2012, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kelric

I love a backup catcher that can play first and/or third.

Yeah, I left that bit out. Thanks. I also like a catcher that can play first and/or third. It's generally tough to find a catcher that can play third. Most play first.

Quote:

Or, even better, having an exclusive backup catcher but also a utility player that can also go behind the plate in a serviceable manner in an emergency.

So, you would have a third utility player that has a catcher's rating as well, if your number two is an exclusive catcher? That's actually not a bad idea. Never really thought of that.

Although, usually, if it comes down to too many injuries, that's generally the only time where you may need a utility player to have some catcher rating for emergency situations. This happened to me once in my last season.

You can get away with a few innings for the rest of whatever game you are in the middle of, to throw some scrub in there real quick till the end. I have two catchers at AAA, and would promote one the following day, in case of a plague of injuries like that.

Although, this would cause a ripple-effect of promotions all the way down to rookie league. I have a house rule where I do NOT sign free agents once the season has started for any reason whatsoever. During the off season, I allow myself a max of three FA signings. I love the challenge (The AI is too easy to beat.) And I love farm-grown players, watching each player rise through my system. This causes me to strategize how to utilize every single player in my system, and to squeeze the most out of them.

01-05-2012, 09:07 AM	#1
jmount78 Major Leagues Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: North Carolina Posts: 304	Asking for General Tips for Historic Team Hello everyone! I wanted to ask for some advice on getting better with my 1979 Braves team. My first year, I finished with a score of 1. In 1980, I finished with a score of 5. I know that this takes talent to score so low in consecutive years, but I need some help. I have traded for pitchers with 3-5 start overall and potential. My staff is made up of all these grades with the ERAs ranging from 2.47 to 5.25, with somewhere in the middle 3's being the average. I have a six man rotation as my younger pitchers seem to be fatigued more using a 5 man rotation. My lineup is very good with no player having less than 3 stars overall and most having 4stars, plus a majority of them have 5 star potential. My main problem is that my backups are one star overall with 2 star potential. My minor leagues I am still not getting the hang of yet. I see other farm clubs not having a full roster of position players and wanted to know if that is important even if it is filled with one star players? Also, I play GM mode, but see where the lineups for the affiliates can be manipulated. Is this a factor overall as well? Any tips would be apprecicated.

01-10-2012, 07:33 PM	#4
Vinny P. Banned Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 1,518 Infractions: 0/1 (4)	Yeah, the "score" OOTP gives after each season is sort of useless, in describing how good or bad your team actually is. It is a great indication that you might get fired soon, however! What was your record like? Another thing is, I notice you are going off by just simply the Star Rating system. While the stars are a good indication of whether each player is a just generally a "good" ball player or not, it doesn't at all give you the scoop on what SORT of players you have. You need to dig deeper, and look at each rating category. How good of a runner (base stealing, speed, base running instincts, and Eye) does your leadoff hitter have? What's his OBP for the first two seasons? A leadoff hitter needs to have a high OBP, with great Eye rating (doesn't have to have any Power whatsoever. Good Contact rating helps.) He should be really fast on the basepaths. And the ability to steal is a plus. The number two hitter, should be similar to the number one hitter, but with higher Contact rating. The number three, four, and five hitters are traditionally your "Power" hitters, but they should also have excellent Contact rating. Eye rating helps for these players as well. Traditionally, 3, 4, and 5 should be your best offensive players on your team. Numbers 6 and 7 traditionally have solid Contact rating. Power isn't a big deal. Eye always helps. Baserunning skills are appreciated for these two. Number 8 is traditionally your weakest position player hitting in your lineup. Arguably, your pitcher should hit in the number 8 slot, if you go off what Tony LaRussa's theory for setting up a lineup. Personally, I like tradition, with one small twist. The number 8 hitter should have the second-highest OBP on the team, with excellent base running skills, speed, and stealing ability. Basically, I like the number 8 guy to be another solid leadoff hitter type. With less than 2 outs, the pitcher can just simply bunt him over to second, giving the leadoff hitter, or the number 2 guy the chance to bring him around, if it goes that far. ////////////////////// Defense: When looking at fielding positions, your SS, 2B, and CF are the most important positions to have skill in defense. Basically, the positions "up the middle." I like a solid LF and 3B as well, as most hitters are righties. When facing a team full of Lefties/switch hitters, and if your starting pitcher is a right-handed pitcher, your left fielder should play right if he is the second best OF on your team for both positions. 1B is generally not that big a deal. You can usually get away with just plugging anyone into First. //////////////////////////////// Utility players: You absolutely NEED a second catcher!!! This is IMPERATIVE. And he should be a serviceable major leaguer, and doesn't need to be a great hitter. Just consistent. Beyond him, with NL rules, look for players that have solid ability to play the defense in multiple positions. You need one or two infielders. Preferrably two. One infielder that can play second and short. And a second that can play first and third. You need one of two outfielders. They don;t have to be GREAT at defense. But they should be solid offensively. They will be guys you can plug into any outfield position, and first base if need be. They will be your pinch hitters, if playing with NL rules. If playing AL rules, not as much need for solid pinch hitters, as you have a DH that replaces the pitcher. Obviously. ///////////////// Pitchers: you should have three solid starters. Obviously, one Ace, and two good pitchers after him. Numbers 4 and 5 in the rotation is fine to have with a 4.50 - 5.20 ERA. You need at least one solid long reliever that will chew up the middle innings of close games, and keep it close. You should have two or three other decent middle relievers, to pick up the slack, but they don;t have to be all that great. Basic rule of thumb: Don't waste a lot of money on relievers! I like a closer who can pitch two innings. A closer combined with a set-up man I feel can be a waste of a roster spot, and a waste of money. Last edited by Vinny P.; 01-10-2012 at 07:44 PM.

01-09-2012, 06:21 PM	#2
Kelric Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Greater Boston Area Posts: 3,992	I've never paid much attention to the score OOTP gives, but I think a lot of it has to do with season expectations, your payroll relative to your w/l record, etc. If you're playing with Waivers on, scour that waiver wire for bench players and fringe big leaguers. I can be pretty lazy when it comes to keeping an eye on my minors, I tend to just ask the AI to set it up automatically once a month except when there are stud prospects that I sometimes prevent it from moving around.

01-10-2012, 08:31 AM	#3
jmount78 Major Leagues Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: North Carolina Posts: 304	Thank you Kelric! I will try that and see. I ddin't think about how the owner's expectations might affect that rating. I appreciate the reply.

01-10-2012, 07:45 PM	#5
Vinny P. Banned Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 1,518 Infractions: 0/1 (4)	Yeah, the "score" OOTP gives after each season is sort of useless, in describing how good or bad your team actually is. It is a great indication that you might get fired soon, however! What was your record like? Another thing is, I notice you are going off by just simply the Star Rating system. While the stars are a good indication of whether each player is a just generally a "good" ball player or not, it doesn't at all give you the scoop on what SORT of players you have. You need to dig deeper, and look at each rating category. How good of a runner (base stealing, speed, base running instincts, and Eye) does your leadoff hitter have? What's his OBP for the first two seasons? A leadoff hitter needs to have a high OBP, with great Eye rating (doesn't have to have any Power whatsoever. Good Contact rating helps.) He should be really fast on the basepaths. And the ability to steal is a plus. The number two hitter, should be similar to the number one hitter, but with higher Contact rating. The number three, four, and five hitters are traditionally your "Power" hitters, but they should also have excellent Contact rating. Eye rating helps for these players as well. Traditionally, 3, 4, and 5 should be your best offensive players on your team. Numbers 6 and 7 traditionally have solid Contact rating. Power isn't a big deal. Eye always helps. Baserunning skills are appreciated for these two. Number 8 is traditionally your weakest position player hitting in your lineup. Arguably, your pitcher should hit in the number 8 slot, if you go off what Tony LaRussa's theory for setting up a lineup. Personally, I like tradition, with one small twist. The number 8 hitter should have the second-highest OBP on the team, with excellent base running skills, speed, and stealing ability. Basically, I like the number 8 guy to be another solid leadoff hitter type. With less than 2 outs, the pitcher can just simply bunt him over to second, giving the leadoff hitter, or the number 2 guy the chance to bring him around, if it goes that far. When looking at fielding positions, your SS, 2B, and CF are the most important positions to have skill in defense. Basically, the positions "up the middle." I like a solid LF and 3B as well, as most hitters are righties. When facing a team full of Lefties/switch hitters, and if your starting pitcher is a right-handed pitcher, your left fielder should play right if he is the second best OF on your team for both positions.