Force manager to start a player without specifying a position?

vigilante225 · 03-02-2015, 09:19 PM

I was wondering if there was some way to make the AI put a player into the lineup but still give the AI flexibility to choose which position the player would start at. For instance, I have a young outfielder who I want to play as much as possible, but the AI wants to sit him against lefty pitchers. I could just force start him at a position if I wanted to, but he's good at all three OF positions, so I am indifferent as to which position he plays as long as he's getting playing time. I want to give the AI the flexibility to play him at whichever position will allow the best lineup to be constructed. Is there a way to do this?

Fyrestorm3 · 03-03-2015, 12:55 PM

In short: no, there's no way to do that.

One of the things I've always wanted to see in the game is more flexibility with the "Force Start" feature. I'd like the ability to force a guy into a specific lineup spot, force a guy OUT of the lineup ("Bench player for X days" doesn't remove them from the depth chart), or like you suggested, just be able to say "hey, play this guy." It'd also be nice, for pitchers, to be able to specify their usage role (L/R specialist, for example) or their spot in the rotation.

MBarrett · 03-03-2015, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fyrestorm3

It'd also be nice, for pitchers, to be able to specify their usage role (L/R specialist, for example) or their spot in the rotation.

You can do this now. Did you mean something else?

Fyrestorm3 · 03-03-2015, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MBarrett

You can do this now. Did you mean something else?

I'm talking about Force Start in the Player Strategy. You can specify starter, reliever, or closer, but if you choose starter, the guy immediately gets slotted in at #1, and reliever just puts him in as middle relief. I just think it'd be nice to be able to give more specific directions to your AI manager.

Bluenoser · 03-03-2015, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fyrestorm3

I'm talking about Force Start in the Player Strategy. You can specify starter, reliever, or closer, but if you choose starter, the guy immediately gets slotted in at #1, and reliever just puts him in as middle relief. I just think it'd be nice to be able to give more specific directions to your AI manager.

Hmmm, haven't seen that before. Have used the force start for SP and have not seen it force the player into the #1 slot.

What happens if you force start 5 guys at SP? Does it try to put them all in the #1 slot?

MBarrett · 03-03-2015, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fyrestorm3

I'm talking about Force Start in the Player Strategy. You can specify starter, reliever, or closer, but if you choose starter, the guy immediately gets slotted in at #1, and reliever just puts him in as middle relief. I just think it'd be nice to be able to give more specific directions to your AI manager.

I've never witnessed a Forced Starter being placed in the #1 spot.

frangipard · 03-03-2015, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MBarrett

I've never witnessed a Forced Starter being placed in the #1 spot.

Odd. IME, it works exactly as Fyrestorm3 says (unless you have two forced starters, in which case they are #1 and #2).

bwburke94 · 03-03-2015, 06:52 PM

Force Role as SP indeed forces the #1 slot.

Fyrestorm3 · 03-04-2015, 12:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MBarrett

I've never witnessed a Forced Starter being placed in the #1 spot.

Odd, since I've never witnessed it NOT put him at #1.

MBarrett · 03-04-2015, 12:31 AM

Hmmm, so what are Bluenoser and I doing differently?

jpeters1734 · 03-04-2015, 02:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vigilante225

I was wondering if there was some way to make the AI put a player into the lineup but still give the AI flexibility to choose which position the player would start at. For instance, I have a young outfielder who I want to play as much as possible, but the AI wants to sit him against lefty pitchers. I could just force start him at a position if I wanted to, but he's good at all three OF positions, so I am indifferent as to which position he plays as long as he's getting playing time. I want to give the AI the flexibility to play him at whichever position will allow the best lineup to be constructed. Is there a way to do this?

Yes, Yes, YES! The force start is very limited and VERY frustrating at times. Try to post this in the '16 boards because I think the dev team have abandoned the '15 board.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MBarrett

Hmmm, so what are Bluenoser and I doing differently?

Either you are not force starting him, or you never having the manager set your rotation. It always places a forced SP at number 1.

Fyrestorm3 · 03-04-2015, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MBarrett

Hmmm, so what are Bluenoser and I doing differently?

Are you maybe force starting multiple Starting Pitchers? 'Cause if you have more than one pitcher forced, THEN the computer will make a judgment call on which of those goes first in the rotation. But as far as I know, it always gives forced starts the priority.

Bluenoser · 03-04-2015, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fyrestorm3

Odd, since I've never witnessed it NOT put him at #1.

So what happens when you force start more than 1 pitcher as SP?

And won't it let you move him to another slot afterwards?

Fyrestorm3 · 03-04-2015, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluenoser

So what happens when you force start more than 1 pitcher as SP?

And won't it let you move him to another slot afterwards?

Already said a couple times, but it slots them from the top of the order down, so if you force three SPs, it will put them 1, 2, and 3 in the rotation, with the "best" pitcher of the three (as seen by the AI) at 1. Then it fills spots 4 and 5 with the other pitchers it wants.

And well... yes, you can always take control of the lineups afterwards, but the point of the Force Start feature is for when you're letting the AI set your lineups. If you're just going to rearrange it after, there's no need to use it in the first place.

RchW · 03-04-2015, 10:28 PM

Yeah it works the way described, including multiple forced SP. It seems to me that it did not do that before but I never used it in v15 until this thread brought it up.

The Game · 03-04-2015, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MBarrett

I've never witnessed a Forced Starter being placed in the #1 spot.

I have especially in the minors.

Fyrestorm3 · 03-05-2015, 12:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RchW

Yeah it works the way described, including multiple forced SP. It seems to me that it did not do that before but I never used it in v15 until this thread brought it up.

I've seen it happen in 13, 14, and 15.

Bluenoser · 03-05-2015, 05:16 AM

Ok, thanks for the replies. I'm on Beta and will make sure Markus is aware of this.

MBarrett · 03-05-2015, 11:24 AM

Wow, mind = blown! I've been force starting several SPs all this time so I never noticed this issue. You learn something new every day.

03-04-2015, 10:28 PM	#15
RchW Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: The big smoke Posts: 15,628	Yeah it works the way described, including multiple forced SP. It seems to me that it did not do that before but I never used it in v15 until this thread brought it up. __________________ Cheers RichW If you’re looking for a good cause to donate money to please consider a Donation to Parkinson’s Canada. It may help me have a better future and if not me, someone else. Thanks. “Conservatism consists of exactly one proposition …There must be in-groups whom the law protects but does not bind, alongside out-groups whom the law binds but does not protect.” Frank Wilhoit

03-02-2015, 09:19 PM	#1
vigilante225 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Feb 2015 Posts: 127	Force manager to start a player without specifying a position? I was wondering if there was some way to make the AI put a player into the lineup but still give the AI flexibility to choose which position the player would start at. For instance, I have a young outfielder who I want to play as much as possible, but the AI wants to sit him against lefty pitchers. I could just force start him at a position if I wanted to, but he's good at all three OF positions, so I am indifferent as to which position he plays as long as he's getting playing time. I want to give the AI the flexibility to play him at whichever position will allow the best lineup to be constructed. Is there a way to do this?

03-03-2015, 12:55 PM	#2
Fyrestorm3 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Tampa Bay, Massachusetts Posts: 2,928	In short: no, there's no way to do that. One of the things I've always wanted to see in the game is more flexibility with the "Force Start" feature. I'd like the ability to force a guy into a specific lineup spot, force a guy OUT of the lineup ("Bench player for X days" doesn't remove them from the depth chart), or like you suggested, just be able to say "hey, play this guy." It'd also be nice, for pitchers, to be able to specify their usage role (L/R specialist, for example) or their spot in the rotation. __________________ Jersey Template (Photoshop) \| Cap Template (Photoshop)

03-03-2015, 06:52 PM	#8
bwburke94 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Belchertown, MA, USA Posts: 4,443	Force Role as SP indeed forces the #1 slot.

03-04-2015, 12:31 AM	#10
MBarrett All Star Reserve Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Canada Posts: 623	Hmmm, so what are Bluenoser and I doing differently?

03-05-2015, 05:16 AM	#18
Bluenoser Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: In The Moment Posts: 13,677	Ok, thanks for the replies. I'm on Beta and will make sure Markus is aware of this.

03-05-2015, 11:24 AM	#19
MBarrett All Star Reserve Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Canada Posts: 623	Wow, mind = blown! I've been force starting several SPs all this time so I never noticed this issue. You learn something new every day.